25 Comments

Lovely, Michele. What a raconteur you are! Your husband did us all a great service.

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Oh my, Graeme! Thank you for such a lovely compliment. 💙

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Thanks, Michele. So eloquently stated. Very simply, demolition is much easier than rebuilding, and half of our country has chosen the easier task, without considering the much tougher one. What we've managed to do is make the next Democratic administration's job that much harder. President Biden spent much of his political capital and effort fixing what trump destroyed the first time. Next time, the effort will be infinitely more difficult, and so we must prepare by cataloging every misstep, misdeed, and bit of mis- and dis-information, and remembering how we left things on the morning of January 20, 2025.

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Beautifully written, and precisely the degree of positive energy that is so necessary and, so far, lacking in the Democratic response to the Tuesday fiasco. While it is essential that we understand what went wrong and why a rapist and insurrectionist was elected to the presidency, it is even more important that we plan and unite for the future.

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YES. 1,000 times yes. We have been given the gift of time – we need to use it strategically. 💙

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https://sharonlawrence.substack.com/p/elections-breaking-down-the-red-wall-a0b. I'm putting together comprehensive guidance for people who want to run for state or local office or serve in government advisory boards.

I have 45 years of experience in/ around federal, state and local government which I'm sharing. As you'll see from the site, I'm also an expert on election procedures

Right now I'm putting together a spreadsheets showing election schedules for Congress, statewide and legislative offices in all 50 states plus local info to be added where there's uniform election dates.

I also have an article in the works in state and local government advisory committee, which is another point if impact.

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Thank you Michele 🙏. Very grateful for your heart and perspectives that can shift our hearts and minds to move in our small deeds of the day to serve others and ourselves.

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Thank you from the bottom of my endlessly hurting heart.

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Hugs, friend. And a lot of solidarity. 💙

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Michele, the political grief is unrelenting! I’ve tried to roll with the flow, as I always suggest, but it seems to be more difficult this time! I suppose it’s knowing what’s likely to come that is so staggering! But, you’re right! The sun has always come up after good & bad events! Like I’ve told you before, you can look straight into the mirror knowing you did all you could against insurmountable odds! We wouldn’t have used the word insurmountable before last Tuesday, but I think the odds were against us! Keep the faith and continue to watch the sun as it rises each day! 🌝

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Oh thank you, Anthony! I appreciate that – right back at you. The sun will rise, and so will we. 💙

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❤️👏🏻👏🏻👏🏻

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Question: do you plan staying on Substack as well as returning to blue-sky social?

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I am joining you and Jess as a writer here in Substack. My thought was if I can just sway a few Republicans. My most read posts deal with history of Nazism and with how emotions play in selecting the winner. Please download the pamphlet. We have some educating to do. All of us.

https://hotbuttons.substack.com/p/emotion-turned-the-tide?r=3m1bs

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Thank you! And listening to Timothy Snyder was valuable. too.

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Michele, thank you for your wise words and suggestions for moving forward. I am so glad I stumbled upon your Substack. I’m not quite ready to roll up my sleeves and get to work but I know I eventually will - what else can one do at a time like this?

I feel like I did when Pete ended his campaign during the 2020 Primary Season. Gut-punched, lost, disheartened. And so much worse. I am an older gay man and today I fear for my community.

Thank you for the hope you are giving all of us, whenever we are ready to look again at the sun rising.

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‘ And denying the facts in front of us doesn’t make them any less factual.’

I’m not sure what the FACTS are. In this election of grift, voter suppression, missing ballots, no one knows.

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Michele, this essay was so good, and so beautiful, and so NEEDED by all of us walking in the wilderness now, I upgraded to a paid subscriber. Thank you for your work these last 8 depressing and frightening years. Keep on keeping on. We need people like you desperately.

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Thank you, Rick – I appreciate it (and you!) so very much. We're on this path together. 💙

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So glad we met all those years ago. My admiration of you and your talent has increased exponentially!

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Oh Lucinda! The many coffees and conversations. I miss those weekly get togethers. I can't believe it's been so long – and who would have thought that so many women from such different backgrounds would have come together at a Republican Senator's office hours? (Which is obviously why they no longer have office hours. 😂) Thank you for these kind words and good memories. I'm so happy to see you. 💙

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I suppose it was good training for the inevitable!

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Bless you, Michelle.

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💙 Thank you, Chris!

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It does come up each morning! Thanks for the reminder! 🌝

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