The world has gone over the edge
Monday March 18, 2024
Good morning democrats!
Sometimes I just do not know where to begin! The world has gone over the edge (now that we are flat)! Putin has won another “illegal” election. The Russian Constitution is in tatters. Orban comes to visit Trump so he can whisper sweet nothings from Putin in his ear. (my opinion)
Our governor, to appear effective, has sent his private police force to protect us from the Haitian “invaders”! Oh please! The US Coast Guard with Customs and Border Patrol will handle this. Keep your storm troopers in Tallahassee.
Between Abbott, DeSantis, and Trump, we have a trio of cowards and bullies – wanna-be strongmen/dictators.
Timothy Snyder, the author of “On Tyranny” publishes on Substack. Here is an excerpt from his 3-15-24 piece called “the Strongman Fantasy”. Strongman rule is a fantasy. Essential to it is the idea that a strongman will be your strongman. He won't. In a democracy, elected representatives listen to constituents. We take this for granted, and imagine that a dictator would owe us something. But the vote you cast for him affirms your irrelevance. The whole point is that the strongman owes us nothing. We get abused and we get used to it.
Another pleasant illusion is that the strongman will unite the nation. But an aspiring dictator will always claim that some belong, and others don't. He will define one group after another as the enemy. This might feel good, so long as you feel that you are on the right side of the line. But now fear is the essence of life. The politics of us-and-them, once begun, never ends.
We dream that a strongman will let us focus on America. But dictatorship opens our country to the worst the world has to offer. An American strongman will measure himself by the wealth and power of other dictators. He will befriend them and compete with them. From them he will learn new ways to oppress and to exploit his own people.
At least, the fantasy goes, the strongman will get things done. But dictatorial power today is not about achieving anything positive. It is about preventing anyone else from achieving anything. The strongman is really the weak man: his secret is that he makes everyone else weaker.
Unaccountable to the law and to voters, the dictator has no reason to consider anything beyond his own personal interests. In the twenty-first century, those are simple: dying in bed as a billionaire. To enrich himself and to stay out of prison, the strongman dismantles the justice system and replaces civil servants with loyalists.
To read the entire article, click on this link.
Wake up people! We are being played and social media is calling the tune with lies and mis/dis-information meant to cloud the issues and divide us. Pay Attention and start getting involved in your local community politics and activism!
Start Here…..
Activist Meetings/Events this week
Wednesday March 20
It is Women’s History Month and its movie #3 at the Tropic Cinema, 416 Eaton St. Key West, for NOW’S Women’s Film Festival. These are movies by women, for women, about women. Showtimes are 6pm.
Candidate events this week.
Wednesday March 20
Monroe County School Board Candidate Yvette Mira-Talbott is holding a Meet & Greet from 5:30-7:30pm at the home of Gabel & Tom Mckechnie, 231 Key Deer Blvd. on Big Pine Key. Piners, stop by and meet her!
Thursday March 21
Monroe County Commission Dist. 3 Candidate Chris Massicotte is holding a kick-off party from 6-8pm at the Oldest House Gardens, 322 Duval St., Key West. Tickets for this event are required: https://www.chrisformonroe.com/kick-off-party?fbclid=IwAR1plFsU4B- ywZxtlXmUFUTAwSNe0EDVthH7bx2SJojSJtzmB9ozP2c0zYA
Local Government meetings this week
Monday March 18
The Islamorada Workforce Affordable Housing Citizens Advisory Council will meet at 5pm in the Public Safety Headquarters (Fire station – 3rd Floor), MM86.8 Overseas Hwy, Plantation Key. You can attend or zoom in. https://www.islamorada.fl.us/Calendar.aspx
Wednesday March 20
The County Commission will meet from 10am to 5pm at the Murray Nelson Govt. Center, 102050 Overseas Hwy., Key Largo. The morning session is all about ROGO’s and evacuation times. The afternoon session is full of “stuff” regarding the Lower Keys. (other items as well), but you should read and decide if you want to Zoom in. The agenda is buried on their website. https://monroecounty-fl.granicus.com/ViewPublisher.php?view_id=1
The Islamorada Historic Preservation Committee will meet at 10am in the second-floor conference room of the Fire Station. (address listed above) it is a short agenda: https://www.islamorada.fl.us/Calendar.aspx
Thursday March 21
The Key Colony Beach City Commission will meet at 9:30am in CITY HALL, 600 W Ocean Dr.! WOHOO! Of Course, they must vote on replacing another City Commissioner, but the agenda looks normal after that. You can attend in person or zoom. For info: https://keycolonybeach.net/citydocs-1/
The deadline is approaching to sign up to be a Delegate for the Democratic National Convention in August. You must sign up by March 25. Here is the link - https://www.floridadems.org/2024-national-convention/
Read all the info and fill out the online form! You will be notified if you are qualified and local voting is 4-20-24!
Do you understand what all the fuss is about over Tik Tok?
Be sure to check out the video link at the bottom so Politics Girl can explain it all for you!
Please engage with your friends and family about voting in this election. Attend a Dems meeting or volunteer to work with us this election cycle. I promise it will not be boring!
If you are unable to participate in that manner, consider supporting us financially, on a level that is right for you.
Support our Digital Advertising Campaign - https://secure.actblue.com/donate/2024digital
Support our candidate fund, The Seahorse Society – (this is a minimum $1200 donation https://secure.actblue.com/donate/seahorsesociety
General Fund – Office Supplies, mailings et al - https://keysdems.com/donate
If you prefer to mail a check – make it payable to M.C.D.E.C.
(Monroe County Executive Committee) and mail to same, PO Box 161, Key West, Fl. 33041
I hope to see you soon!
Bert Sise/Chair
Quote for the week - “The measure of who we are is how we react to something that doesn't go our way.” Gregg Popovich, San Antonio Spurs head coach and five-time NBA champion.
TikTok - Politics girl - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=32ONjpOtZZA