Midterm Election 2022 Turn-Out-The-Vote and Be The Change You Want to See: Vote In Every Election, National, State, and Local!

The 2022 Midterm elections are upon us! With the increasing violation of our voting rights and the threat to our democracy, starting exploring "who is who" is up for election in the upcoming November 8^th, 2022 midterm elections ahead of the game isn’t a new normal but a game-changer when you know who is running, when to head to the polls, where are the polling stations, what is at stake-your issues you care about and what the candidate stand for, why voting is not just a right and a duty, but your voice; and how your vote can make the change you want to see! Of course, when you embrace the 5Ws + 1H and vote in every election, national, state, and local, you will be the change you want to see!

Turn-out-the-vote isn’t limited to presidential elections only, but all elections-National, State, and Local. Helping citizens to be eligible voters isn’t enough! Teaching them how to vote on the issues that are at stake, who is up for election, and what the candidate stands for is the most crucial part of ensuring your vote is not wasted but count in a way that speaks to your voice/represent your ideas/issues.

In the upcoming November 8^th, 2022, midterm election at the national level there are a total of 469 seats for US Congress that are up for election. 34 Senate seats and all 435 House seats are up for election in November 2022.

Voters tend to pay little attention to state politics but at the state level there are State Executives, Legislatures, and State Judges-36 Gubernatorial seats and 30 Lieutenant Gubernatorial seats up for election, 30 Attorney General seats, and 27 Secretary of State. Thus, 239 state Executives are up for elections across 44 states in 2022.

When it comes to local officials the number of people who get involved with local politics is even less than state or national politics even though everything starts at the local level, and Americans are more trusting of local government than of their state government. New Gallup survey found that 72% of American adults trust their local government compared with 63% who said they trust their state government.

At the local level, 88 counties out of 99 are up for election 2022-that include municipal election by states and mayors of the 100 largest cities.

 

Who Is Running for Midterm Election 2022?

The best source of information on elections in your area is your local elections office and your State website. Also, information about elections can be found on many election websites such as https://www.usa.gov/midterm-state-and-local-lections, and or https://ballotpedia.org.

Having volunteered in the election arenas, both national and midterm elections, I have seen many people arriving at the polling stations not knowing who to vote for or what are the issues on the ballot, hence, they ended up with a guessing vote, unsure whether it was a right choice for the right candidate.

It is worth noting that, voting for a wrong candidate simply because the voter did not have prior knowledge of who to vote for and what the issues the candidate stand for is very common, and a problem that needs a solution because your vote must reflect your true choice and the representation you deserve.

To turn out the vote in a right and correct way on November 8th, 2022, it’s better to get familiar with your national, state, and local elected leaders/candidates well and where they stand on the issues that affect you and your community. For example, if your issue of concern is the increase of gun violence in your community, find out what the candidate who represents you stands for on gun control measures, and whether the candidate stands for or against the NRA regarding guns control measures. Same for other issues such as affordable healthcare, college education, housing, and or increasing the minimum wage; know where your candidate stands on these issues and many more that affect you and your community on daily basis.

“Our political leaders will know our priorities only if we tell them, again and again, and if those priorities began to show up in the polls”.

A research survey conducted by the Pew Research Center find out that about 44% of regularly voters know little about their candidate, while 13% think voting doesn’t change things-this are most likely the group of people who are not bothered about who is the right candidate or what are the issues at stake!

 It is true that if you cast your vote to the wrong candidate, it’s a wasted vote because it may come to haunt you. Informed voters are likely to make the best choices of the candidates who will represent them and their issues.

 

Does Your Vote Matter?

Former President Barack Obama once said, “There is no such thing as a vote that doesn’t matter. It all matters.”

Certainly, your vote may matter to you or to others depending on whether you did your voting homework well.

It doesn’t matter whether you are affiliated with Democrat or a Republican party, for it mostly identifies you with the issues you stand for. Voting either Democrat or Republican is up to the voter’s understanding of how his/her vote may affect him/her depending on the choices he/she make either to support a candidate who share the same issues/values as yours or instead of voting for a candidate that has the opposing view from yours and your vote, in this case, may not matter to you the best way because you choose your opponent.

Vote411.org site can provide voters with worth information to get familiar with who is who in your local, state, and national politics.

Likewise, listen to your local volunteers who help to simplify the issues at stake and who are the candidates up for election, and what is on the ballot to be aware of.

In the era of disinformation as a tool to lure voters, find reliable sources of information. An informed friend, co-worker, or a neighbor can be more helpful if you share the same beliefs than relying on TV ads and social media sources which have become increasingly misleading, confusing, and deliver falsehoods on both candidates and the issues they stand for or on the ballot, leaving voters confused than ever about where the candidates stand on the issues.

Know Your Candidate Well Enough to Deserve Your Vote

If there are lessons from Democrat Senators Joe Manchin of West Virginia and Krysten Sinema of Arizona who joined Republicans and voted against their party’s agenda, Build Back Batter Act and Freedom to Vote: John R. Lewis Act, both bills are favored by most American people and wanted these bills to pass on the Senate floor, however, the bills were killed by the minority group after the two democrats sided with the Republicans. The defeat of the most popular bills that are supported by most Americans left many voters reflecting on how they voted their leaders to the offices. Perhaps a working call for the upcoming midterm elections to think twice on who to vote for.

What electro prospects one has that motivates or discourages one to vote to depend solely on the understanding of real issues and their base support on those issues either by tricks or manipulating voters.

Joe Manchin and Krysten Sinema holding hostage and perhaps kill the key legislation the country needs the most to address the crises the country currently facing, from erosion of democracy, violation of voting rights, the threat posed by climate change; to income inequality which all affect all American people except the 1% wealthy people was a slap on the voters’ face, particularly those of West Virginia and Arizona.

Democrats of West Virginia and Arizona have a lot to think about their votes to these two candidates who represent them yet their votes to these two candidates have not yielded the desired outcome they voted for!

It is up to voters to decide if such obstruction of social and economic progress can be avoided by electing candidates who are attuned to peoples’ issues and need to serve the American people more and better than serving the interest groups and big corporations that funds their campaign. Find more about issues and candidates on the issues at https://onTheissues.org/

Let’s all remember that bad politicians are elected by good citizens who do not vote often and are not well informed to make the best decisions and choices with their votes, but it doesn’t mean that their leaders should take their votes for granted and go against their voters’ will.

 

 Turn-Out-The-votes In 2022 Midterm Elections!

“Every election is determined by the people who showed up.”

Women and the youth are two groups of people that are most vulnerable as they are mostly affected by the policies government implements, whether it is reproductive rights, the equal jobs for equal pay, affordable housing, high cost of college, minimum wage, gun violence in schools and inequity in education among the schools and students or available jobs for the young people after graduating, etc.

These groups suffer injustices and gender discrimination, and the only way to fight back is through the power of the vote by turnout massively to the polls on November 8^th, 2022, to surpass the 2018 midterm election.

In 2018 midterm elections was the highest voters turnout in decades according to the US Census Bureau. Voter turnout among all eligible voters and major racial and ethnic groups reach the historic point of 11% higher than the last midterm election in 2014. 53% of the citizen voting-age population voted in 2018.

In the 2020 presidential election, both Joe Biden and Donald Trump brought new voters into the political process than any other presidential election in the history of the presidential elections, a total of 66% of US eligible voters cast a ballot in the 2020 election.

In many ways, the turn-out-the-vote campaigns were at an all-time high, and volunteers worked hard to register new voters and targeted the registered voters to get out and vote. The four years of Donald Trump's unconventional and unpresidential behaviors helped to fuel the voters' turnout. When voters consciously and regardless of their party affiliation put their mind into what is proper and necessary, they vote with conscience, not their party.

Democrat party outreach outweighed the Republicans for encouraging new political comers and was all-time higher which paid off, Joe Biden is president because of such effort to turn out the vote.

Fortunately, numbers don’t lie, they expand or shrink! So, for those who suspected their loss and started to engage in creating a mountain of lies that election was stolen from them and continue to repeat the lies with the intent to confuse and antagonize the public was and still is a bad political game for it went violent and led to January 6^th Capital Hill attack due to “Big Lie” about the stolen election.

Rather than focus on how to turn out the vote in proper and legitimate ways, which means for Republicans to redesign/reinvent their political ideology to attract newcomers, and to recruits and integrate the party members, instead of relying on tricks and manipulations, and or violations of minority voting rights and frankly, “voters stealing” as they intend to continue spreading big lies and violence as a “legitimate political discourse”.

The dynamics of an ever-changing society demand the acceptance of diversity and inclusion. To continue to deny diversity and inclusion in the political parties is setting your party for failure for it won’t be relevant or present with the dynamics of the 21st Century society.

If anything, the 2020 presidential election will be remembered in the history of the US as a tumultuous year in review for so many reasons, including, the ending of Donald Trump presidency craziness, failed attempt to stole election from Joe Biden by staging an attack at capitol Hill Jan. 6^th during the certification of states electors, refusal to concede the defeat and hand over power as traditionally done since the formation of the republic; and the continuation of Republicans defiance of the rule of law, their action that threatens the US democracy, and the massive state laws that violate the voting rights of the minority groups.

All these still playing in the heads of most decent Americans who are ready to defend and protect the ideals and principles the American is founded on, such as fighting to protect voting rights will motivate them to another record-setting of turning out the votes in 2022 because the stakes have never been so higher with one major party involved in violation of voting rights, attacking democratic institutions, and engaging into authoritarian tactics.

 

In a nutshell

The 2020 election was bombarded by allegations that were fabricated or manufactured with the intent to enable a real steal of election to occur.  “Stop the Steal” was a prank orchestrated by “Big Lie” was probably more than a year in the making or perhaps of the four years of Donald Trump rule which was characterized by unpresidential behaviors perhaps because of the “Big Lie” they had in mind?

However, they miscalculated the power of the people that even their Big Lie could not sustain the power of the people. They thought because they messed up the 2016 election, they could do the same in 2020. But people were awake in 2020 and fought back with their vote. 

Even though to date, the public continues to be stunned by the magnitude of the political lies, and now the declaration that Jan. 6^th insurrection was a “legitimate political discourse” continues to remind voters of the importance of turn-out-the-vote in 2022.

 Every eligible voter should vote in every election because your vote matter! Your vote is a powerful weapon you can use to influence the outcome of the election. Your vote is your negotiation power in making the change you want to see.

Get ready to make November 8^th, 20202 a referendum on those engaging in voters’ suppression and violation of voting rights of the minority groups. Once again demonstrate through the-get-out-the -votes that the government is for the people, not the party.

It’s Ironic when you think of the 40^th Republican President, Ronald Reagan who once said, “For this nation to remain true to its people, we can not allow any Americans vote to be denied, diluted, or defiled. The right to vote is the crown jewel of American liberties, and we will not see its luster diminished.” But it’s the Republican party leaders that are now engaged in passing laws that violate voting rights. The voters must resist by turnout massively to vote in the midterm election 2022 to send a message that our voting rights must be protected not violated.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The Supreme Court History and Structure Are Narrative Worth Explorations!

Supreme Court was established by the Judiciary Act of 1789 making it the most powerful court of the land. The Supreme court held the unique status of an independent branch of government that coexists and shares power with the Executive and Legislative branches.

 

Why was the Supreme Court made an Independent Judiciary?

Perhaps the detailed answer to that question can wait, but for now let’s stick to its existence as a branch of the government that ensures its supreme power in interpreting the national, state, and local laws are in agreement with the Constitution…that its interpretation of the meaning of the constitution and laws is final and authoritative…that its decisions serve as a guideline for every other court in the nation and can be changed only by constitutional amendment or by Supreme Court itself…But what if Supreme Court is wrong in its decision? Or when they rule as conservative justices or liberal justices?

“By making the judicial branch independent, they protected the court from domination by either Congress or the President. Consequently, although presidential nominees to the Supreme Court must be confirmed by the majority vote of the Senate, once they are appointed to the court, they serve for life and can only be removed for serious wrongdoing, and only through a cumbersome impeachment process”.

So, Supreme Court is the only federal branch that is comprised of non-elected members, because its justices are appointed by the president with the “advice and consent” of Congress, hence one can argue that, with the increasingly growing of partisan politics, this set a dangerous path that can give rise to the competition of conservative justices and liberal justices appointments cementing the partisan elements than the impartiality to the law and the body itself as an independent judiciary branch.

The Supreme Court has been shaping the laws of the United States since 1789, and the number of the Justices has changed over time, starting with six and currently settling at the total of Nine including a Chief Justice since 1869.

During the presidency of Franklin D. Roosevelt in 1937 and the economic Great Depression going on, the Supreme Court overruled most of his New Deal legislative policies proposals as unconstitutional as a result of this Roosevelt decided to enlarge the court by appointing one additional justice for every sitting justice reached age 70 years and failed to retire, a proposal that was designed to enable President Roosevelt to appoint six new justices favored by his programs, hence secure a majority member in the supreme court! Does this sound familiar or resemble what recently happened under Trump's presidency?

Although Roosevelt’s court-parking” legislation as it was known didn’t survive, the Supreme Court has had an average of a new Justice joins the Court almost every two years. And one can argue that this happened in a recent situation while the nation is under the threat of a deadly pandemic, just as FDR was during the Great Depression one party or both can engage in “court-packing” as the case of Donald Trump who spent his presidency packing the court with far-right conservative judges, and now the Supreme Court has the conservative majority justices threatening our voting rights, same-sex marriage, and women rights.

This unprecedented act of “court-packing” has sparked a debate about the future of the Supreme Court as an 'independent Judiciary' that is capable of functioning impartially given the appointments of its Justice members based on partisan. If the number of justices is to remain unfixed will set unprecedented political turmoil sooner than later.

As Robert Reich put it, “Should the Supreme Court Be REFORMED?” (https://fb.watch/aOLBaSj9Yp/, https://www.facebook.com/568279950/post/101615341841129951/?=n ). He suggested several proposals that need to be adapted to strengthen the Supreme Court. I believe the Supreme Court term limiting and expanding the court members to be very crucial to avoid partisan loyalty due to how the Justices are appointed nowdays-the competition and maneuvers between the two political parties as to whom should appoint the Supreme Court Justices is becoming too political jeopardizing the whole functioning of the Judicial branch.

And yes, the “Supreme Court drive its strength not from the use of force or political power, but from the integrity as an impartial judicator. In the era of increasing political polarization, we should rethink how the court is organized, to rebuild public trust with neither the sword nor the purse; trust is all it has”.

Currently, we see a Supreme Court lacking its supreme leadership as an Independent Judiciary branch even under its leader, “The Chief Justice, John G. Roberts, Jr. who was not interested in presiding over the Senate impeachment trial against former president Donald Trump-whether the constitution offered him such leverage or there was/is judicial integrity challenged or missed led to many questions about the Supreme Court power of impartiality. Or recently the Supreme Court ruling against women's rights-reproductive rights by siding with the states of Texas and Mississippi to restrict/ban abortions after 15 weeks of pregnancy which undermines the constitutional rights to reproductive rights for women established in Roe V. Wade.

All Chief Justice John Roberts, Jr. could do was to issue a warning against inappropriate political influence in federal courts, stressing the need for Judicial independency, “The Judiciary’s power to manage its internal affairs insulates courts from inappropriate political influence and is crucial to preserving public trust in its work as a separate and co-equal branch of government…Decisional independence is essential to due process, promoting impartial decision-making, free from political or other extraneous influence”.

That warning should not be taken lightly, for it is a sign that more needs to be done to curb political influence in the Supreme Court.

The Supreme Court needs to be impartial, not political, abiding by the rule of law, and remain unpartisan, however, given the most recent Supreme Court involvements on issues pertaining to public safety and individual rights it seems inevitable to call for the Supreme Court reforms to bring and ensure public trust on the highest court of the land.

The recent announcement by Justice Stephen Breyer, age 83 set to retire at the end of the current term in June has spiked the debate once again as to who will replace him, conservative or liberal? However, this time the debate is about whether a black woman could fill in the position. The debate has intensified because President Joe Biden hinted that he would appoint a Black woman.

I would argue that most Americans would want to see a more diverse and inclusive Supreme Court. As it stands today, only two Black men, Justice Thurgood Marshall appointed by the 36^th President, Lyndon B. Jackson in 1967, and Justice Clarence Thomas appointed by the 41st President Georg H.W. Bush in 1991, all were Republicans, appointed by Republican presidents!!!

It will be enough, to agree on two critical realities: One, that it is overdue to have another Black Justices in the Supreme Court. It has been 30 years since the last Black Justice was appointed to the Supreme Court. But second, that appointment should come from a Democrat president, though by the essence of the Supreme Court functions as impartial and independent branch who nominate which Justices should not carry water; but more importantly, its time to make the Supreme Court more diverse and inclusive to represent true ideals and principles of the founding fathers about equal representation in all levels.

Not only that Joe Biden must consider a Black woman to appoint for Supreme Court to make the Supreme Court diverse, but also less gender bias, at the same time honor what makes America of all stripes equal in serving their government.

Is it an intentional or unintentional bias when the media make an argument that President Joe Biden should have not said that he will appoint a Black Woman to the Supreme Court?

Not only that it is biased, but also shameful remarks consider that his predecessors said the same thing about who they would nominate for the Supreme Court when the opportunity avails itself to make appointments of the Supreme Court Justices, yet there was no outcry argument about their choices of nominees as it has been on Joe Biden. Why?

The critiques of Joe Biden as to why he would suggest a Black Woman for the Supreme Court have failed miserably or purposefully to recognize that it has been 233 years history of the Supreme Court existence without a representation of a Black Woman Justice in the Supreme Court.

Now in the 21^st Century, a Black Woman is ought to be nominated for a Supreme Court Justice especially since there are capable and qualified Black Women layers/Judges in all levels of the legal system to hold such a position. That is what the principles of equality, justice, and liberty for all US citizens stand for, i.e., an equal opportunity and freedom to become, and the rights to acquire and possess a job that you are qualified for.

The Federalist paper 78 Alexander Hamilton writes, the Judicial branch “will be the least dangerous” to the liberty of the American people, but that reality is far from the truth if the Supreme Court continues to exist under the current political sphere of influence, instead of an 'Independent Jucicialry' as envisioned in the Constitution.

Recently, we saw Supreme Court supporting the state's laws by trucking down federal laws that have been previously passed to protect the liberty of American women-Roe v. Wage, the siding with the big corporations on vaccines mandate at the expense of the overall public health and safety.

Another, political scenario: Let assume Donald Trump decides to run again, and his party nominate him, ignoring the fact that he has been previously impeached twice, supported insurrections, staged fake election electors, and violated many laws and the constitution, including the 14^th amendment section 3 that states:

“No person shall be a Senator or Representative in Congress, or elector of President and Vice-President, or hold any office, civil or military, under the United States, or under any state, who, having previously taken an oath, as a member of Congress, or as an officer in the United State, or a member of any state legislature, or as an executive or judicial officer of any state, to support the Constitution of the United States, shall have engaged in insurrection or rebellion against the same or given aid or comfort to the enemies there”.

Will the current Supreme Court with a conservative majority tied in loyalty to the party than to the constitution, act impartially to stop him, or will they further ignore the Constitution and rule in favor of the party/Donald Trump?

There is no higher court than the Supreme Court. If so, what is the higher purpose of the Supreme Court than interpreting and applying the laws impartially, not as conservative justices or liberal justices?

In a nutshell

Joe Biden’s Supreme Court Justice appointment must be viewed as nominating a law-abiding judge worth the Supreme Court position, at the same time as an acknowledgment of the long-past-due denial of equal representation that gives all citizens equal rights to serve in their government, including the Supreme Court.

Instead of arguing and worrying about whether to nominate a conservative or a liberal justice, it is time to act and say unequivocally appoint a Back Woman to the Supreme Court because that makes the Supreme Court diverse and inclusive as envisioned by the founding fathers’ ideals and principles of the government of the people, by the people, and for the people.