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Eliminate all; Bad Upbringing, Poverty, Mental Illness, Greed, Corruption, Addiction and Hate that causes people to commit crime.

Thats from the 128page NYC General Election Voter Guide with matching English and Spanish halves that the Campaign Finance Board sent to New Yorkers mailboxes ahead of this years elections about (almost) nothing.

It comes from a Brooklyn City Council race pitting a Democratic incumbent against a challenger running on the Republican and Conservative lines. Neither offered any information for voters to consider while a third candidate running on a vanity party line including her own name did bother, so the guides Compare Candidates spread has a Crime section with two columns of did not submit a response followed by that rather ambitious Eliminate All agenda.

The cold comfort is that none of it really matters, let alone for Protecting Democracy, since almost no one will turn out and the Democrat here will handily win the most-votes-gets-the-seat general election that follows the ranked-choice primary which also had no real contest and glancingly few voters.

Turnout will be a little better in the handful of districts with competitive general elections, but not by much.

New Yorkers dont agree on a lot but they do onthe futility of participating in a mostly rigged political game, and thats just fine by the people who are rigging it.

Thats not to mention thejudicial elections wheremost ballots will have as many party-picked candidates as there are open seats on the bench so everyones a winner except for voters who have no say at all.

Or the two impenetrable ballot proposals to amend the state Constitution that the voter guide tries to explain, with one in headline case and one in sentence case, for Removal of Small City School Districts From Special Constitutional Debt Limitation and Extending sewage project debt exclusion from debt limit.

Of course, voters already amended New Yorks Constitution to enshrine the nonpartisan election maps Democrats in Albany are nonetheless fighting to redraw for their own benefit in the expectation that having forced the weak governor to put in their selection to lead the Court of Appeals, the states highest court will reverse its earlier ruling rejecting their efforts to pick their voters instead of the other way around.

You dont need to be a Republican to understand the Democrats in control here dont love democracy.

You shouldnt need to a political scientist degree to understand a system that has closed ranked-choice primaries where only party members can vote followed by a traditional most-votes-wins general election open to any registered voter but after most contests have already been effectively decided is inscrutable and corrupt and meant to keep citizens at arms length from their representatives.

Non-partisan elections open to all registered voters would immediately increase turnout and create more competitive contests, but the office holders selected in this jerry-rigged system arent eager to reform themselves out of power and your silence is all the consent they need.

(Eric Adams knew this back in 2003 when he said the system of choosing candidates is not open to all New Yorkers, and the best election system would be. Hed changed his tune by 2021, as he navigated toward a winin a closed primary.)

Early voting has started and you can go to findmypollsite.vote.nyc/ to see whats on your ballot, where you can got to vote early and on Election Day (it may not be the same place) and check out the voting guide and do a little research of your own. Then show up and cast a vote, defaulting in every non-competitive contest toward either the underdog or a write-in pick.

A closing note about the Campaign Finance Board, which also runs the citys public matching funds program, and Adams:

As the boards voting guide explains it, that program helps ensure that campaigns are funded by small dollar donations from New Yorkers, not special interests since When you contribute $10, the candidate receives $90,

Funny, thats almost exactly how the people people cooperating with prosecutors now after getting caught allegedly making donations in other peoples names to Adams winning mayoral campaign explained it:

Make sure its $1000 in your name and $1000 in another persons name because the matching funds is eight-to-one, so $2000 is $16,000.

The Adams campaign which has not been implicated in the DAs case against his straw donors and says it followed all the rules repeatedly ignored the Campaign Finance Boards requests for more information about the supporters who put hundreds of thousands in donations together until long after the campaign was done and it was too late for any take-backs from voters.

Siegel (harrysiegel@gmail.com) is an editor at The City and a columnist for the Daily News.

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NYC is protecting democracy, but hardly has one - New York Daily News

Too many Americans are quick to claim their rights as citizens without recognizing that these rights come with responsibilities.These two concepts are inseparable.You do not deserve your rights unless you live up to your responsibilities.

The founders based our whole system on what they called virtuous citizens.By this they meant not just being honest and committed, but being devoted to their duties and to their fellow citizens.

What are these duties?First, of course, is to actively participate in their own governance, to educate themselves on the issues and, most importantly, to vote. Second, and equally important, they personally must be defenders of democracy and justice.This means they have an obligation to stand up publicly for what they believe, especially when it is hard, and defendthe rights of other citizens, especially the weak.

Fundamental to our system is compromise.The founders believed that compromise was the grease that made democracy work.Nobody can have it all their own way, nor should they.Compromise, for all its faults and bumps along the way, usually leads to a better solution.

In these days of divisiveness and hatred, compromise has become a dirty word, an act of betrayal to the single-minded insistence on having ones own way. But without it, the system breaks down.We cannot let this happen.Building compromise is hard work and only possible if there is some level of mutual trust.This is key, and requires honesty or virtuousness, as the founders put it.That is what we do not have now.

How can we reverse this toxic and dangerous situation?

Part of the answer lies in educating the citizenry on their responsibilities as well as their rights.There are plenty of organizations expounding onthe peoples rights, often for self-serving purposes.We urgently need to balance this with an equally compelling message demanding people live up to their responsibilities.This needs to be a many-pronged effort, but itshould begin with educators.

In what used to be called civics education, grade school and high schoolstudents learned how our democracy works and what their duties were.These classes were often considered a boring requirement taught by people not adequately trained.Years ago, even these ineffectual efforts disappeared.

Civics education needs to be revived, but in a new, better form and perhaps under a new home.Teach it under the banner of U. S. Government or American History.

It's a start, but much more must be done.Colleges can play a big role.Government courses need to emphasize citizens responsibilities as a basic message.

At the Roosevelt School at Long Island University, we have joined this effort.The principles of civics will play both a direct and indirect role in all we do.One of our first initiatives accomplishedwith our partners, The Society of Presidential Descendants and the United States Congress is the celebration of National Civics Day on Oct.27. That is the day of the publication of the first of the Federalist Papers and will be an annualreminder to all Americans of their duties to their country.

Beyond colleges, many other organizations have joined the cause. We all must support them.

The abysmal ignorance of many of our citizens is an existential threat to our very way of life. If we continue to go down this road, we are in real danger of losing our beloved democracy.

This guest essay reflects the views of Tweed Roosevelt, great-grandson of Theodore Roosevelt, the 26th president of the United States, andfounder and chair of the Roosevelt School at Long Island University.

This guest essay reflects the views ofTweed Roosevelt, great-grandson of Theodore Roosevelt, the 26th president of the United States, andfounder and chair of the Roosevelt School at Long Island University.

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Democracy's last hope: We the People - Newsday

FICTION

Hardcover

1. This Other Eden, by Paul Harding (W.W. Norton) 2. Lessons in Chemistry, by Bonnie Garmus (Doubleday) 3. Demon Copperhead, by Barbara Kingsolver (Harper) 4. Somebodys Fool, by Richard Russo (Knopf) 5. The Heaven & Earth Grocery Store, by James McBride (Riverhead) 6. The Skull, by Jon Klassen (Candlewick) 7. Blueberries for Sal, by Robert McCloskey (Viking) 8. Tomorrow, and Tomorrow, and Tomorrow, by Gabrielle Zevin (Knopf) 9. Rouge, by Mona Awad (Simon & Schuster) 10. The Maniac, by Benjamin Labatut (Penguin)

Paperback

1. Night of the Living Rez, by Morgan Talty (Tin House) 2. The Midcoast, by Adam White (Hogarth) 3. Let the Woods Keep Our Bodies, by E.M. Roy (Ghoulish) 4. Big Swiss, by Jen Beagin (Scribner) 5. The Secret History, by Donna Tartt (Vintage) 6. The Thursday Murder Club, by Richard Osman (Penguin) 7. Lucy by the Sea, by Elizabeth Strout (Random House) 8. The Guest List, by Lucy Foley (William Morrow) 9. Everyone Knows Your Mother Is a Witch, by Rivka Galchen (Picador) 10. Bunny, by Mona Awad (Penguin)

NONFICTION

Hardcover

1. Democracy Awakening, by Heather Cox Richardson (Viking) 2. The Creative Act, by Rick Rubin (Penguin) 3. Going Infinite, by Michael Lewis (W. W. Norton) 4. Of Time and Turtles, by Sy Montgomery (Mariner) 5. The Wager, by David Grann (Doubleday) 6. Brave the Wild River, by Melissa L. Sevigny (W.W. Norton) 7. Building, by Mark Ellison (Random House) 8. Raw Dog, by Jamie Loftus (Forge) 9. Wintering, by Katherine May (Riverhead) 10. Mother Tongue, by Jenni Nuttall (Viking)

Paperback

1. Killers of the Flower Moon, by David Grann (Vintage) 2. Several Short Sentences about Writing, by Verlyn Klinkenborg (Vintage) 3. Four Thousand Weeks, by Oliver Burkeman (Picador) 4. The Lobster Coast, by Colin Woodard (Penguin) 5. Indigenous Continent, by Pekka Hmlinen (Liveright) 6. Northeaster, by Cathie Pelletier (Pegasus) 7. Walking Through History, by Paul J. Ledman (Next Steps) 8. When We Were the Kennedys, by Monica Wood (Mariner) 9. Where the Deer and the Antelope Play, by Nick Offerman (Dutton) 10. Mother Brain, by Chelsea Conaboy (Holt McDougal)

Longfellow Books, Portland

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Bestsellers: 'This Other Eden,' 'Democracy Awakening' - Press Herald

Diane Ebken

Port Matilda

This years off-year election has huge implications for our community and the 2024 national election. Its essential to vote now!

Three key races will determine access in future elections, reproductive rights, educational integrity and the overall quality of our lives.

The Pennsylvania Supreme Court determines the interpretation of state laws. Justices have the last word on many legal questions from election policy to abortion. The Democratic candidate for Supreme Court Justice, Dan McCaffery, is endorsed by Planned Parenthood and labor unions and stands up for values shared by Democrats. In contrast, the Republican candidate is endorsed by organizations opposing abortion access, and said that no-excuse mail ballots are very bad for our commonwealth.

Centre County Commissioners determine many aspects of daily life. Mark Higgins and Amber Concepcion have worked hard and successfully to serve us, and should continue as Commissioners. They are responsible for ensuring election integrity and are committed to accurate vote counting and broad participation, including access to ballot drop boxes (in contrast to their opponents). They work tirelessly for mental health services, affordable housing, economic development, broadband services and sustainable energy initiatives.

The State College School Board determines educational opportunities and resources. Slate for State candidates Bader, Brandt, Demo, Kolbe and Miller prioritize academic success for all, trust, transparency and fiscal stewardship. Their opponents, supported by Moms for Liberty, are focused on banning books.

Dont take anything for granted. Vote on Nov. 7 for candidates who will preserve Democratic values.

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Vote NOW to Protect Democracy | News, Sports, Jobs - The Express - Lock Haven Express

Image credit: Photo by Thirdman onpexels.com

The challenges to the already precarious state of our democracy continue. Georgia Attorney General Chris Carr resorted to extreme measures of political repression in September, targeting 61 activists and organizers of the Stop Cop City Movement with Racketeer Influenced and Corrupt Organizations Act (RICO) indictments.

The ongoing attacks on organizers in Georgia are part of a concerted effort to suppress community voices and the right to protest. This is a critical time for philanthropy to stand with movements and protect democracy.

This move is an abuse of power. The indictments undermine the freedom of organizations and attack the driving principles of social movements such as collectivism and solidarity. These approaches to power building are rooted in love and community care, which have long been a lifeline for those most impacted by unjust systems.

As we shared in June, the ongoing attacks on organizers in Georgia are part of a concerted effort to suppress community voices and the right to protest. This is a critical time for philanthropy to stand with movements and protect democracy.

Carrs RICO indictmentsalong with money laundering charges for three bail fund organizers and domestic terrorism charges for five othersare a direct assault on the foundational principles of our democracywith the goal of eroding public and philanthropic trust in critical social movements.

In the indictments, Attorney General Carr twists RICO statutes created in the 1970s to more easily target the Mafia by tying together apparently unrelated crimes with a common objective into a prosecutable pattern of racketeering. Members of the Stop Cop City movement are accused of being part of a vast criminal conspiracy whose actions, such as distributing flyers in a grocery store parking lot, attending a concert in the park, or participating in mutual aid programs, are, as the indictments put it, overt acts in furtherance of the racketeering conspiracy.

With the push for this indictment, Carr conflates dissent against the state as violence toward the statean egregious overreach. The use of RICO indictments as a tool to stifle dissent is not just a violation of Constitutional rights, such as the freedom of speech, the freedom to assemble, and the right to petition the government for a redress of grievances. It is also meant to have a chilling effect on everyone who works toward justiceincluding you.

Chris Carr wants you to think twice before you attend a protest, join a meeting of like-minded individuals, or contribute to causes you believe in. He isnt alone in this endeavor, either. This is part of a disturbing trend among law enforcement, reactionary prosecutors, and far-right politicians. But the RICO indictments and similar suppression efforts began not with the protests of Cop City in 2021, but rather on May 25, 2020the day George Floyd was killed by police and the largest protests in the nations history began.

After the murder of George Floyd, the FBI and local prosecutors in Phoenix attempted to define the protests as gang activity. In 2021, Ron DeSantis championed HB 1, an anti-riot law in Florida that allows for bystanders to be prosecuted for acts of property destruction. A federal district judge has temporarily blocked this part of the law.

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Other influential ultraconservative voices applaud Carrs actions as a blueprint for suppressing movements advocating for change across the country. But it is not just conservatives obstructing core principles of democracy. The Democratic mayor of Atlanta, Andre Dickensa strong supporter of Cop Cityhas been emboldened by the Republican attorney generals actions and has refused to count and verify the more than 116,000 signatures collected by Stop Cop City organizers in a referendum that would put the issue on the ballot for Atlanta voters in 2024.

When the engine of our democracy fails, there will be no one left to bend the long arc of history toward justice.

This effort to silence protestors and attack democratic principles is a threat to all of us, no matter our area of focus: climate, economic, health, or racial justice. If attempts by Carr and others are successful, then our social movements grind to a halt. And when the engine of our democracy fails, there will be no one left to bend the long arc of history toward justice.

As the growing shadows of authoritarian oppression loom large, we are compelled to confront the ominous, mounting threats against democracy in this country and take a stand now. Time and again, we ask ourselves: What can we as advocates for justice and democracy do in the face of such alarming developments?

The answers are clear.

In the face of adversity, our commitment to justice and democracy must be unwavering. There is no turning back; the only way is forward.

We call upon all concerned philanthropists and advocates to stand with us in defending the principles that define our great nation. Together, we can ensure that justice prevails and that democracy remains a beacon of hope for generations to come.

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Political Repression in Georgia: What Funders Can Do to Protect ... - Nonprofit Quarterly