U.S Special Envoy for Sudan (official Envoy tweets
@USSESudan
). Formerly Special Envoy for African Great Lake, Congressman (VA-05), Sr. Fellow,
@CarnegieEndow
Want a great bedtime story about how perceived failure is actually a stepping stone to success? Read how the climate justice movement overcame the odds...
My 78 yr-old mom hasn’t gotten her eye drops (protect against low-pressure glaucoma) in 23 days. Never waited more than 6. America’s senior citizens are collateral damage in Trump’s war on the US Postal Service.
FWIW Soros pulled himself up by his bootstraps (unlike Trump) to earn billions (unlike Trump), then charitably donate 80% of his wealth (unlike Trump) to fight repression, bigotry & corruption (unlike Trump), making him feared by authoritarians & kleptocrats (unlike Trump).
Good journalist should ask every Republican in Congress this question on Veterans Day:
“If a US President admitted to stealing $2million in pledges made to Veterans’ charities, would you support or oppose impeachment for that crime?”
So in 2003 I was 5 years old and my mom decided out of thin air one day that we were going to Africa and we were gonna stay there for 6 months so about 4 months in something OC happened that I won’t go into detail about and long story short I had to leave ASAP
Tonight was an enormous victory for an inclusive Virginia -- congrats to Gov-elect
@RalphNortham
and the people of Virginia for rejecting the politics of hate and embracing opportunity for all
Enough is enough!
Women's March Youth EMPOWER is calling for students, teachers, and allies to take part in a
#NationalSchoolWalkout
for 17 minutes at 10am on March 14, 2018. Join us in saying
#ENOUGH
!
Blocking Medicaid expansion was a major reason so many Republicans lost their House seats in VA this year. Full expansion should be bi-partisan, and every legislator in Richmond should have to cast a public vote before 2019 on a policy that is morally right & good for VA economy.
400,000 Virginians just “won” access to Medicaid by one vote, which will save the middle class money through reduced premiums. When we say “every vote counts,” we really mean it.
Those comparing RedHen’s “Principles & patriotism over profit” stance to the bakery case miss that the Constitution’s equal protection jurisprudence applies to groups facing discrimination. White House Press Secretaries are not an historically or structurally disempowered group.
Tragically, the Kurds are getting the same response from Senate Republicans as the people of El Paso, Charleston, & Las Vegas - all prayers, zero spine.
LtGov Fairfax should resign. I hope he will be replaced by a strong, experienced woman of color ready to serve as Governor when Northam inevitably steps aside. Virginians voted for a Dem Governor and deserve one who can immediately restore dignity and lead an inclusive VA.
3 reasons a Queens DA race is natl news:
1. 2.3m people live there (>pop of 14 states)
2. Cabán, a public defender & bold reformer, replaces very regressive DA
3. Young reformers toppling Dem machine can no longer be dismissed as just
@aoc
being a once-in-a-generation talent
It will get spun as a “battle”, but
@AOC
is outright begging Biden & Dem leaders to let her help them succeed. I hope key Dems pause to read this with an eye towards engaging rather than dismissing her points about how to avoid midterm blowouts.
"The leadership and elements of the party — frankly, people in some of the most important decision-making positions in the party — are becoming so blinded to this anti-activist sentiment that they are blinding themselves to the very assets that they offer."
Sounds odd but I genuinely think every part of the Dem coalition - moderates, progressives/CPC, Squad, & leadership - “won” big last night politically and played their parts brilliantly. Hear me out…
Worth noting that local Dem Committee endorsed a guy over
@katieporteroc
in her 2018 primary, arguing she wasn’t electable. But, with strong support from
@ewarren
&
@KamalaHarris
, she refused to yield. Just like she did today on behalf of us all.
Not buying this “Dems attack Obama’s legacy” talking point. I was proud to vote for Obamacare AND proud Dems are now offering bolder healthcare reforms. Giving us hope that we can change the system is Obama’s legacy.
“Countries that skip the accountability phase end up repeating... but the next time the crisis is worse. People who think that the way forward is to brush this under the rug have missed the ticking time bomb under the rug.” My take in
As painful as yesterday was for Virginia, I hoped that today would bring healing, truth and transformation. I pray Sunday will be that day.
This isn't just about an old racist photo. It has opened wounds when we should be building a more inclusive Virginia.
Churches burned, death threats against civil rights leaders, synagogues attacked - and 3rd straight year of hate crimes spiking, according to FBI. This is happening, not hypothetical.
GOP: we can’s convict before Trump leaves
GOP: we cant convict because Trump has left
GOP: this trial isn’t legit because no witnesses
GOP: calling witnesses makes this a kangaroo court!
Got it
Libs, be warned! As day breaks in Cville without memorials to Lee or JohnnyReb, our awareness of or even ability to discuss the Civil War vanished. Confused, we sought out libraries, documentaries & books, but are powerless to learn history absent statues of racist losers.
Friends in DC/NOVA looking for a beautiful weekend? Come to see the beautiful Blue Ridge and have a meal (with generous tip) at Red Hen restaurant in Lexington VA.
#TastefulResistance
Appreciate Puerto Rican voices being respected by
@NydiaVelazquez
&
@AOC
in their call for binding self-determination. This is about democracy and decolonization, not Senate seats or Statehood per se. 🇵🇷
That was it. Done. Any elected Republican who fails to condemn Trump directly for that final answer about whether he believes Putin more than US intelligence and FBI investigates is failing a basic test of patriotism and oath of office.
The SC Senate race is officially one to watch now. I’ve known
@harrisonjaime
since college and have been blown away by his tireless dedication to and effectiveness at getting things done on the Hill for folks back home in SC.
2009-10 saw regular death threats against Congresspeople & our staff - esp people of color. We were spit on, kicked and called N-lovers. NO good journo should compare those tactics then or current bullying by POTUS to a citizen civilly refusing to serve a sr public official. None
During my time with Perriello, my tire was slashed; we received threatening calls, letters, and office visits while facing harassment at every townhall during his term.
We publicly faced opposition, proudly standing by our choices, instead of cowardly tweets.
This ain't new.
For those sitting outside VA waiting for 2018, watching these HoD candidates win tonight -- a year ago most of them had never considered running.
#Runforsomething
Today’s real story is not about the losers ranting outside but the winners inside writing laws. It’s about activists & candidates who overcame rigged maps, voter suppression & the
@nra
to make possible common sense gun reform demanded by >80% of Virginians.
#IStandWithVirginia
One day of extremism will NEVER undo years of activism that has resulted in stronger gun laws, better corporate policies and wins at the ballot box - not to mention derailing the
@NRA
's leaders and its agenda. This bell can't be unrung.
#IStandWithVirginia
As progressives continue to hold our side accountable, it is worth remembering that the leadership of the self-proclaimed “moral majority” have proven themselves to be neither moral nor representatives of a majority.
So proud of my beloved Virginia tonight. Thanks to tireless efforts of tens of thousands this year, likely that Medicaid will be expanded for 400k w/new Delegates.
Trump’s war on the USPS is a double-threat to America’s seniors - slowing down vital Rx and other deiceries now and then forcing them to vote in person in the Fall. Do GOP Senators really want to answer for this to elder constituents?
These outfits simply scream: “We’re mad that over 80% of Virginians support common sense gun reform so we want to act out in ways that ensure it’s closer to 95%.”
Maybe, just maybe, what the press covers as Dems in disarray is really a diverse caucus of representatives doing the tough work of compromising in order to govern.
Dem Ldrs DRAMATICALLY underestimate how much GOP Senators under 50 (& Romney) do NOT want their political lives defined by a vote to “exonerate” Trump.
They may do it (and patriotism & principle should be enough for House leaders), but this misread is political malfeasance.
Several Repub Senators will lose their seats for voting today against Medicaid expansion supported by 80% of Virginians - just like Repub Dels did in ‘17. But I take no joy in this when their vote blocked coverage for 400,000 Virginians and costs the middle class higher premiums.
I don’t have words right now for this rage. Senate just killed Medicaid expansion on a party-line vote. Virginia voters—your votes have been completely disrespected. Republicans still don’t care if you get sick and die in poverty.
Mom’s drops are covered by Medicare. The company said “we are getting a flood of these complaints,” and fedexed her new drops yesterday that arrived today.
After Charlottesville, citizens and reporters worked tirelessly to identify violent Nazis who broke the law. Many got fired, and this created pressure on law enforcement that led to indictments and arrests. FWIW
I’d feel sorry for the Republican comms teams working overtime tonight to spin a story even their own congressional majorities don’t buy if they hadn’t spent last month enabling the financial and moral bankruptcy of our country instead of, say, extending CHIP.
What’s it like to have politicians like Glenn Youngkin stoke chaos in our schools?
These moms know — and you’d better believe they are voting
#McAuliffeForVirginia
I get
@Sen_JoeManchin
’s frustration that not one GOP colleague - even from much bluer states - will stand up for our democracy. But WV broke off VA to preserve our Union, and their Senator may need to break traditions to preserve our elections. My take:
Historians consider Robert E. Lee a mediocre General who
- Lost despite a massive home field advantage
- Wasted thousands of his own soldiers’ lives to extend a campaign he knew was lost out of vanity
- Rejected multiple post-war opportunities from Grant to help reunite the USA
This is one of the wildest stories I've written about:
@_themayan_
tells me about the mystery man who helped her travel to the US when she was 5 years old. 15 years later, she found him: it's
@tomperriello
As someone who met monthly with tea party groups across my district during that time, I 💯 endorse this. The few TeaPartiers motivated by budget deficits mostly quit within weeks, sharing with me their disgust at the racism and anti-fact biases they saw within.
Oh, God. Are we still pretending that the Tea Party was about small government and concern about budget deficits? It was always, from the beginning, about racial anger; opposition to big government only to the extent that it helps Those People 1/
Are we the birthplace of American democracy, or American slavery? The first state to elect an African American governor, or the capital of the confederacy? This is the duality of our Virginia.
As painful as yesterday was for Virginia, I hoped that today would bring healing, truth and transformation. I pray Sunday will be that day.
This isn't just about an old racist photo. It has opened wounds when we should be building a more inclusive Virginia.
Gillespie ran a racist campaign on the “globalized Southern strategy.” After the fatal white supremacy rally in my hometown of Cville, Ed chose to spend millions on ads defending the Confederacy and stoking fear of brown immigrants. Be better than this
@brithume
.
Acknowledging it's not the most humble of brags ... honored by the shoutout from
@BarackObama
about my ACA vote and even more moved by my niece’s response! (“Bifs” is what she called my dad)
The last time Dems controlled the Virginia legislature, many were Dixiecrats. This is an historic American moment when our longest running elected institution finally rests in the hands of a majority that supports equality of voice in an
#InclusiveVirginia
Editors consistently shocked that
@BernieSanders
fights like hell for his ideals and then advances the best results he can get, as if he didn’t cast deciding votes for Obamacare & the 2009 stimulus or, you know, serve in the Senate ...
Sunday shows covering VA, please devote time to:
➡️ Virginia’s racial wealth gap (11:1 and ⬆️)
➡️ 2019 as 400th anniv of enslaved people in VA
➡️ VA outlaws cities from removing Lost Cause Confed propaganda
➡️ Impact of NewJimCrow laws on unequal housing, incarceration, education
If debate happened overseas, today’s headline would be:
“With Support Crumbling, Trump Orders Tribal Militias to “Stand By” As He Refuses to Commit to Election Results”
As Its a Wonderful Life plays in loop on Christmas Eve, it’s hard not to remember that the real-life Potters just got a massive tax kickback that would let them wipe out the Bailey’s and the good people of Bedford Falls.
My case for why Dems should run on healthcare reform this year and call out the spike in premiums imposed on the American people by this Republican Congress.
At high political risk, she and progressives beat moderate efforts (though Left Twitter refuses to accept wins) by forcing a vote on a bigger better BBB that now includes Rx drug reform, paid leave, immigration reform & public promises from WH
@SpeakerPelosi
and mods.
Here's a preview of Reconstruction: America After the Civil War, a new series hosted by
@HenryLouisGates
. The documentary series will tell the full story of this misrepresented and misunderstood chapter of American history.
#ReconstructionPBS
Another headline for tonight:
@FairfaxJustin
was just elected Lt Gov -- only the second African-American elected statewide since the Civil War. Congrats my friend!
Excuse me, did this come from an official account of the Governor of Virginia?!?!
Every reporter in the state needs to get on this immediately. The Governor is attacking a high school student.
Governor- this is a disgrace and you owe Ethan a public apology immediately.