Today I welcome Amy Knecht as our guest co-host for this weeks Friday Politics Roundup. For the bulk of today’s show, Amy and I will be talking about right-wing organizing in Bucks County, PA. In particular, we’ll be focusing on Andy Meehan's organization, Right for Bucks. Meehan has built a well-organized, well-funded, and growing organization bent on taking control of the Bucks County Republican Party with a far-right "America First" agenda. In the lead up to the 2022 midterm elections and emboldened by the raging culture war battles in local, regional, and national school boards, Right for Bucks is front and center in the “America First,” election conspiracy, Trump cult. But, you’re going to be surprised at what it’s like inside Right for Bucks organizing meetings. How do we know? Well, this week Amy attended a public Right-for-Bucks Zoom event. She’s going to take us inside that meeting and let us all know why we have our work cut out for us.
Before we get there a few headlines:
It’s official, more than 900,000 people have died of COVID in the United States. 100,000 people have died since December 13, 2021. And, as expected, the highest death rates are occuring in states with lower vaccination rates and minimal COVID mitigation efforts. Pennsylvania has the 5th highest death rate, according to an NBC News analysis.
The United States turns to assassination again in it’s never-ending war on terror. Biden announced yesterday that a US raid on Abu Ibrahim al-Hashimi al-Qurayshi’s home, led to his death. Early reports say that at least 13 people, including six children and four women were also killed.
A new study shows that as of 2015 the world’s richest 10% now account for nearly half of all global carbon emissions - up 15% from the previous study released in 2010.
According to the study's author Aimee Ambrose, “In many ways, the rich are being largely insulated from the spike in energy costs.But addressing excessive personal consumption is something that isn’t on the agenda for the government and policymakers. This is bad news for the planet and our prospects of reaching net zero.”
Staff at an elite Democratic consulting firm, Inside Authentic, are in revolt over being asked to work on Sen. Kyrsten Sinema’s projects. One staffer told Politico, “I’m doing the Devil’s work.” The unionized staffers are pushing back. Taylor Billings, organizing director of the Campaign Workers Guild told Politico, “The Authentic Union views Sen. Sinema’s recent actions to block voting rights legislation as an affront to their company’s values, which they’re proud of and committed to upholding.”
Valerie Arkoosh drops out of the PA Senate race.
Pennsylvania ranks in the bottom half of states for gender representation in politics. The state has never elected a female U.S. senator or governor. There are four women, all Democrats, in a congressional delegation of 18 — up from zero women before the 2018 elections. The state legislature is about 26% female.
Yet another no-knock warrant leads to the killing of black man by police. Minnesota police killed Amir Locke who was not named in any police warrant, but was in legal protection of a handgun. Locke was asleep at the time he was woken up by police and killed.
Facebook loses users for the first time in its 18 year history. Over 500,000 users left the platform over the past 3 months. While King Zuckerberg says it’s because of competition and a new focus on the Metaverse virtual world project, others suggest it might have something to do with recent revelations from whistleblowers about Facebooks abusive practices and violations of privacy.
And, NASA announced that it will crash the International Space Station into the Pacific Ocean in 2031, bring to an end one of the most successful orbital scientific research endeavors in history. As expected, NASA will turn over space to the galactic capitalists for future orbital science. Hey, gotta clear the way for privatization of space before the Artemis missions to the Moon, right?
Out d’Coup LIVE | Kierstyn Zolfo from Bucks Co. Indivisible unmasking Rep. Brian Fitzpatrick this Halloween
Friday Politics Roundup | UAW win at Ford; Christian nationalist House speaker; Amazon sucks; Biden’s polls slip after Israel trip; another mass shooting; Pennridge SD extremism metastasizes
Out d’Coup LIVE | Darren Lausten, wins lawsuit. Tonight Pennridge school board meets LIVE - we’ve got a little watch party
Friday Politics Roundup | Jim Jordan and GOP chaos; Biden’s trip to Israel; Sidney Powell turns; UAW FB live today; Bucks County Beacon fund drive; more!
Out d’Coup LIVE | There’s less than a month until school board & municipal elections; a week in the wake of mass killing in Israel & Gaza; regaining humanism.
Out d’Coup LIVE | Joslyn Diffenbaugh, founder of Kutztown-based Teen Banned book club, recorded at PA Climate Convergence
Friday Politics Roundup | Voices from the PA Climate Convergence on October 1, 2023
Out d’Coup LIVE | Reflections on PA Climate Convergence and what’s your mind
Friday Politics Roundup | Diane Feinstein dies; GOP gov’t shutdown; student loan payments resume; PA auto-voter registration; Pennridge Board crazies still at it; PA Climate Convergence begins!
Friday Politics Roundup | UAW expands strike; GOP to shut down gov’t; Biden announces Climate Corps; Pennridge lawsuit to begin; APSCUF still without contract; and more
Out d’Coup LIVE | Cyril Mychalejko and Emily Smith from the Bucks County Beacon on building fearless, independent media
Friday Politics Roundup | UAW’s historic strike; SAG-AFTRA and WGA strike continues; childhood poverty doubles; SPLC report on Pennridge; APSCUF contract; Bucks County Beacon fall member drive
Friday Politics Roundup | UAW preps to strike; climate crisis deepens; WVU guts faculty and programs; Musk plays king; Christian nationalist gather in York; Pennridge tests extremism; new podcast
Friday Politics Roundup | Pennridge school board steamrolls democracy; NJ public schools climate curriculum; Prof. Oross wins ADA suit against Kutztown U; and more
Out d’Coup LIVE | Back from break just in time for the full Pennridge crazy to break out.
Out d’Coup LIVE | It’s a MONDAY politics roundup. Trump’s crimes; Biden’s student debt plan halted; FL bans AP psy class; Project 2025; KOSA; and AI meets D&D
Out d’Coup LIVE | Karen Feridun, founder of Berks Gas Truth and co-founder of Better Path Coalition
Friday Politics Roundup | Trump indictments; UPS Teamsters deal; AAUP joins AFT; era of global boiling; electric car infrastructure; CBSD sweetheart deal; Pennridge secrets; Barbie; Sinéad O’Connor
Out d’Coup LIVE | Alexandra Bradbury, editor of Labor Notes on the impending Teamsters UPS strike
Friday Politics Roundup | Actors and writers strike; AZ heat; anti-teacher union conference; anti-teacher union bill; Pennrige teachers still no contract & how you can help
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