Come for the politics, stay for the snark.

The unpunished coup was a training exercise.

Democracy cannot function without a free press.

Not so fun when the rabbit gets the gun, is it?

Republicans got rid of McCarthy. Democrats chose not to save him.

In after Baud. Damn.

The words do not have to be perfect.

You cannot love your country only when you win.

Is it irresponsible to speculate? It is irresponsible not to.

The line between political reporting and fan fiction continues to blur.

It’s pointless to bring up problems that can only be solved with a time machine.

He seems like a smart guy, but JFC, what a dick!

Something needs to be done about our bogus SCOTUS.

if you can’t see it, then you are useless in the fight to stop it.

Do we throw up our hands or do we roll up our sleeves? (hint, door #2)

Good lord, these people are nuts.

The arc of history bends toward the same old fuckery.

When do we start airlifting the women and children out of Texas?

We are builders in a constant struggle with destroyers. keep building.

The next time the wall street journal editorial board speaks the truth will be the first.

Imperialist aggressors must be defeated, or the whole world loses.

Those who are easily outraged are easily manipulated.

Nothing worth doing is easy.

Anne Laurie is a fucking hero in so many ways. ~ Betty Cracker

“When somebody takes the time to draw up a playbook, they’re gonna use it.”

You are here: Home / Open Threads / Nothing We Can Do Right Now Will Have More Impact Than This

Nothing We Can Do Right Now Will Have More Impact Than This

by | 38 Comments

This post is in: 

What is more important right now than:

  • Having a person of integrity on the Wisconsin Supreme Court in the critical next few years
  • Making sure the Wisconsin gains of the past few years aren’t wiped out
  • Punching Musk in the (virtual) face
  • Sending the loud and clear message that Musk’s money can’t buy elections

Because if we don’t do that, we are going to see a lot more critical elections being purchased, just like this.

If you’re not calling, ask yourself – why not?

We don’t need to outspend Musk to defeat him. We just need to outvote the people he’s motivating. Join our phone banks and chip in some dough to help us do it.

Volunteer: wisdems.org/call

[image or embed]

— Ben Wikler (@benwikler.bsky.social) March 26, 2025 at 10:32 PM

What a powerful statement:

We don’t need to outspend Musk to defeat him.

We just need to outvote the people he’s motivating. 

Totally open thread.

Reader Interactions

38Comments

  1. 1.

    RevRick

    The latest poll by SoCal Strategies has Crawford leading Shimmel by 50-42. I don’t know how reliable this outfit is, but if Schimmel doesn’t release a counter poll, then chances are it’s fairly accurate.

     

    First!

  2. 2.

    brantl

    Let’s hope that pulls on money it would be nice to stick a metaphorical shiv to Elon Msk Sciatica

  5. 5.

    Trivia Man

    Yesterday JC shared the ad about kneeling and groveling- i heard that unexpectedly on tv last week and it blew me away.

    I check in on wingnut AM radio periodically, my impression is Crawford ads are 3:1 to brad. Wow! Some of them are like the groveling ad.

    Second observation- last night i caught some of Mark Levin. He had a full segment with the FL-06 wack job. Running scared! Begging, pleading to vote early and drag all your friends.

  6. 6.

    JML

    Please WI, bury Brad Schimel like the trash that he is. He’s not Satan, he’s the sycophant who runs into the gas station to buy Satan a pack of cigarettes, hoping to get a pat on the head. he’s the vanilla face of evil, a soulless bastard who will tell you often what a wonderful Christian he is and so forth, while skipping past any of its tenets whenever convenient. He has no spine, no morals, no ethics, but will certainly get very upset at anyone who tries to call him on his fecklessness.

    I can’t think of any place worse for him to be than on the WI Supreme Court.

  7. 7.

    Trivia Man

    Side note about WI SC races…

    For at last 15 years 90% of the ads are all about soft on crime and specifically child SA crimes. It used to be that many (most?) were paid for by Wisconsin Manufacturers and Commerce. Seem to better at hiding now and most are “sane government PAC” or some nonsense.
    Thought experiment: does WMC really care about child safety or maybe its anti union, anti regulation, anti oversight they are after.

  11. 11.

    Harrison Wesley

    Just got a text from a friend with a news item about HHS cutting a big chunk of money originally for state and local grants to fight Covid. The pandemic is over and all is well.

  12. 12.

    H.E.Wolf

    @RevRick: The latest poll by SoCal Strategies has Crawford leading Shimmel by 50-42.​

     In that case, let’s phonebank until it’s 70-22 in Crawford’s favor. Work for a landslide!

    By the way, phonebanking is a perfect opportunity for men, because (whether we like it or not), men’s voices are perceived as more authoritative and trustworthy.

  13. 13.

    CCL

    Slightly off topic:  In the ACLU town hall with Sen Murphy and Joy Reid, Murphy said to “raise the volume” of calls and texts and letters to congressional critters.  He said the effort to repeal the ACA was stopped by the intense volume felt inside the walls of congress – the noise and temperature got through to just enough Reps that they didn’t back the repeal.

    He acknowledged that each of us faces some risk.

    He said to do something every day, whether it be a postcard, a call, attending a protest, visiting your congressional critter’s office, attending a town hall.  Each time we do, someone notices, and,

    to quote both him and Joy Reid:

    “Courage begets Courage.”

  14. 14.

    RevRick

    @H.E.Wolf: Ten percent + is a landslide. Protasiewicz won by 11 last time. It is closely divided Wisconsin. But a bigger margin would be nice.

  15. 15.

    NutmegAgain

    More horrifying news of people kidnapped in braod daylight by ICE: A Turkish PhD student at Tufts (just outside Boston) was grabbed off the street by masked men and “detained”. She has a valid student visa. The kidnappers only identified themselves as government agents after she was detained. Her name is Rumeysa Ozturk. Video at this CNN link shows her being grabbed.  I just feel like it’s important to mark & document these events/kidnappings.

  16. 16.

    pacem appellant

    Looking at the bsky thread, it’s part of larger discussion of how Musk is trying to bribe voters, which is, of course, illegal. People are upset that WI law enforcement isn’t shutting that shit down, which is a) indicative of our sluggish, pro-corporate law enforcement, and b) contra-ops to demoralize our side. So remember: he’s desperate. Win the election, prosecute him for election crimes next. Stay focused. Let’s sink this ship.

    PS How can I contribute to the phone bankers? Is there a pizza or coffee fund?

  17. 17.

    WaterGirl

    @rk:  The point is, they are motivated by the ads or the organizing or whatever it is this sleezy guy is doing with those millions of dollars from Musk.

  18. 18.

    WaterGirl

    @pacem appellant:  You can donate to Wisconsin Dems, which I am guessing is sponsoring the phone banks.

    If others are sponsoring the phone banks, I am still confident that Wis*Dems will put the money to good use.

    Wisconsin is one of the front lines in our battle.

  20. 20.

    XeckyGilchrist

    If you’re not calling, ask yourself – why not?

    Because I’m on call for work. I totally support this calling action and have donated. Can we not with the guilt?

  22. 22.

    WaterGirl

    A win in Wisconsin will also engender a whole lot more action and hope and enthusiasm for the upcoming special election in NY.

    And it will put the MAGA-supporting but not all-in for MAGA on their back foot – all we need is a small number of elected people to vote against something – or be absent from the vote – to stop some of the worst that is coming our way.

  23. 23.

    Eunicecycle

    I just read the most amazing article, based on the writings of a man named Cipollos, about how dangerous stupid people are.

    https://bonpote.com/en/the-5-basic-laws-of-human-stupidity/

    It was so clarifying to me. It’s based on game-theory, or rather how stupid people don’t use game theory at all so they are very difficult to deal with. You can’t predict what they’re going to do because they are irrational, so it’s very hard to fight or defend against.

  24. 24.

    WaterGirl

    @XeckyGilchrist: If I had asked people to explain to anyone else why they aren’t calling, then I would accept your “guilt” accusation.

    I asked people to ask themselves that questions.

    Maybe it’s because they hate talking to people.  Could they try to get over it?

    Maybe it’s because they’ve never done it before, and they don’t think of themselves as someone who does phone banking.  That person may decide there’s no harm in trying.

    Maybe it’s for some other reason.  I am asking each person to ask themselves the question.  The answers could be personally illuminating.

  25. 25.

    Lyrebird

    @NutmegAgain: Yes, horrifying for sure.  (Saw that maybe in last night’s open thread)  I hope as more options to take action on that come up folks will keep posting them.  I know of a couple groups  protesting Mr. Khalil’s case, and joined one of them  – this is horrifying stuff, indeed.

  27. 27.

    chemiclord

    But why would I do something when I am so close to the Great Revolution I have sought to lead for years!

    I remember my forebearers and their clarion call:

    “First them, then us!”

  28. 28.

    zhena gogolia

    OT, but

    Governor Lamont: Trump Administration Cuts Will Have Sweeping Impact on Public Health, Mental Health, and Addiction Services in Connecticut

    Posted on March 27, 2025

    (HARTFORD, CT) – Governor Ned Lamont today announced that his administration was notified this week by the Trump administration through the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services that it is immediately terminating a number of grants estimated to total more than $150 million that had been allocated to Connecticut for a wide range of essential public health, mental health, and addiction services, such as disease outbreak surveillance, newborn screenings, childhood immunizations, and testing for viruses and other pathogens.

    The grants were largely committed to the Connecticut Department of Public Health (DPH) and the Connecticut Department of Mental Health and Addiction Services (DMHAS). The agencies are analyzing the impact of these cuts and as more information becomes available will notify providers in Connecticut that were expecting this funding.

    These cuts are part of more than $11.4 billion in public health grants that the Trump administration announced this week it is rescinding from states nationwide. Congress has long recognized that public health begins at the state and local level and appropriated these funds to strengthen the nation’s ability to respond to disease outbreaks and other public health emergencies.

    “These abrupt and unexpected cuts to our health system are going to have a devastating impact on our ability to fight disease, protect the health of newborns, provide mental health and addiction treatment services, and keep people safe,” Governor Lamont said. “We should be making it easier and cheaper for people to access critical health care, including mental health services. I am urging the Trump administration to recognize that these cuts go beyond what is reasonable and reverse this rash and impulsive decision. I will do everything I can to support the health and safety of the residents of Connecticut.”

    Some of the hardest impacts will be felt by DPH’s Infectious Disease Branch and the Connecticut State Public Health Laboratory. On Wednesday, dozens of projects and all work being done by vendors and consultants funded by these grants were ordered to stop. Grants are also being eliminated that fund immunization activities and address health disparities. DPH is also being forced to cancel 48 contracts with local health departments and other providers for immunization services.

    “This is a dark day for public health,” DPH Commissioner Manisha Juthani, M.D., said. “These grants fund many of our core public health functions. While we are still assessing the impact to our agency, we know that these cuts will severely hamper our ability to respond to any future infectious disease outbreaks, childhood immunization programs that we fund must now end, and critical work we have done to strengthen and increase our capacity to protect the public health of Connecticut’s residents must stop. COVID-19 may have been the catalyst for these grants but, as Congress intended, these funds were being used to modernize our systems, strengthen our workforce, educate the public, protect our children all to prevent or mitigate the damage to human lives caused by future disease outbreaks. I hope that the administration will reconsider its decision once they realize the full scope of the critical work funded by these grants.”

  29. 29.

    WaterGirl

    I don’t understand how you can yank back grant funds after you have already received the letter saying that you have them.

  32. 32.

    zhena gogolia

    @WaterGirl: I don’t either, but Congress would have to do something about it, I guess.

    Can you IMAGINE if Joe Biden had tried to pull something like this?

  33. 33.

    Belafon

    @WaterGirl: You shouldn’t be able to, but Republicans want to break all the things so they’re letting the Executive do it.

    Changed a little.

  34. 34.

    Ruckus

    @French Onion Soup:

    @Steve LaBonne:

    Both spot on. The only person shitforbrains thinks is ahead of him in humanity is elongated dick. And that is ONLY because of money. shitforbrains (and elongated dick) both think that money is the linchpin of everything, no matter what that thing is, the grocery store, the entire country, their bank accounts. I used to know a fella who bought a tesla when they first came out, before we knew who and what elongated dick really is. I wasn’t sure it was worth the money but now I’m positive. The cars (and shitforbrains and elongated dick) are not worth the zero change currently not in my pocket.

  35. 35.

    Ruckus

    @pacem appellant:

    Also remember that for some people, money is what makes the world go round. Not good, not joy, not peace, not humanity. MONEY.

    It is of course somewhat true because it takes money to do good as well as bad but it is what the people do with the money that is what counts. shitforbrains has done nothing positive in his entire life, nada, zip, zero. His buddy, elongated dick, made electric cars in production numbers. Granted they are expensive, full sized cars, (and the wankpanzer) but still the concept had to be brought back by someone. And other companies are doing that.

  37. 37.

    They Call Me Noni

    @Eunicecycle:

    I live in southern Indiana and am surrounded by red hat wearing critters.  I haven’t read the book you reference but I can probably confirm everything in it.  And no, you cannot talk them down from the ledge.

  38. 38.

    RobinS

    I just spent an hour phoning for Susan Crawford and talked to a couple of very enthusiastic voters. Most calls were hangups or wrong numbers but those good calls leave my heart full

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