08/09/23
Good morning! It’s Wednesday, August 9th. National Book Lovers Day!
Hey! That’s fun! I love books. It’s… it’s a sickness. Reading isn’t a sickness! Reading is great! But it’s the buying of the books. The hoarding of the books. That’s… that’s what’s happening here. And you know what? I’m fine! I love them all! They are my treasures.
And now, the news.
Ohio Election Results
-via AP News
It was Election Night in America. Whoops, I mean Election Night in Ohio. “An election in August? That’s weird!” Yeah… super weird… it’s almost like the people that set this all up didn’t want people to turn out to this election…
Okay, now that my little bit is out of the way, let me explain.
In Ohio, abortions are basically illegal, aside from very few, and narrow, exemptions. This November, voters are supposed to go to the polls and vote on whether they want to, instead, enshrine abortion rights into the state Constitution.
That’s happening. That’s already done. But the way that got to be “that’s done” is because currently, changes to the constitution require a 50% plus 1 majority vote. 50% plus 1 is also known as… the majority of voters. It’s what gets every other bill and candidate over the finish line.
But Republicans don’t want anyone that can get pregnant to also be able to have control over their body. So because every other state, including bright red states like Kentucky and Kansas, have voted in support of abortion rights in every single election since the Dobbs ruling, it’s widely believed that in November, Ohio voters will turn out and enshrine the right to an abortion.
Here's the thing though… those votes, in other states, to support abortion rights have been around 53%, 57%... above 50% but less than 60%, which is also known as a super majority.
So Ohio Republicans were like “bing! Light bulb above my head!” and put forward a measure that would require JUST Constitutional changes to get more than 60% of the vote.
And then they put it on a single measure election in August. Meaning on this random day in the middle of the hottest summer on record, hey here’s this one single issue… is it even really worth going out for? This is a random ballot measure! It’s nothing! Don’t even bother!
The hopes being that Ohio voters would barely show up, except for those super online Republicans who would vote in their honor.
This is called… well there’s a better, more fun term, for it. But I try my very hardest not to cuss here. So let’s say… this is the mess around. Let’s just mess around.
Of course, if ya mess around, you might, you know… find out.
And as boaters in Alabama learned last weekend, it is, in fact, find out season.
Because voters went to the polls on Tuesday and in what appears to be an overwhelming measure, voted to say – actually, not. You cannot mess around with our democracy. We have voices and we deserve to have them heard.
So it still takes just 50% plus one to make changes to the constitution in Ohio.
This is… fantastic news. For democracy. Like, it’s great for November’s vote on abortion rights, but big picture – Ohio Republicans tried to make it harder for voters to make their voices heard. And they did it in a sneaky way, hoping no one would notice.
And they found out.
Voters deserve to have their voices heard. And Ohio reminded us of that on a random Tuesday in August.
Montgomery Boaters Tried That in a Small Town
-via CNN
Three arrest warrants have been issued for some of folks involved in the Melee in Montgomery last weekend. And yes, they are for three of the white men from the pontoon, who started beating the Black dockworker who was just simply doing his job.
Investigators did look into the could also be charged with a hate crime or for inciting a riot but found their actions didn’t meet the criteria.
Police also asked that the Black man who was seen swinging a folding chair contact them for further questioning. He has not been charged.
And you just KNOW these guys on their pontoon spent the day singing “try that in a small town.” Perhaps we stop taking advice from fake cowboys.
SCOTUS Ghost Gun Decision
-via CBS News
They are technically on summer vaca, but in 1 5-4 decision, the Supreme Court has ordered a temporary pause on a lower court decision to override President Biden’s ghost gun regulation. Which means that those restrictions will in place while legal proceedings, well, proceed. Chief Justice John Roberts and Justice Amy Coney Barrett joined the three liberal judges to give us that 5-4 vote.
Obviously A-leako and Thomas were like… “lol no, we don’t care about this country. Did you see this plane I’m on? No time for anything else. I’m into this PJ like baybeeeeee”
Who knows how this’ll actually shake out in the end but, I don’t know, maybe it’s just me but… sure feels like we should be regulating something called a Ghost Gun.
Trump Crime Update Time
And finally, just a little….
Trump Crime Update Time
(Protective Order, edition)
Hey, remember when we didn’t care about Donald Trump? Remember when we used to just be like – eh, it’s the host of the Apprentice. Whatever.
That was nice. That’s not a part of this, but I was just remembering…
Anyway, so just two things to keep you in the loop.
First, on Monday night, after I’d already recorded the news (rude), Coach Beard filed a “hard pass” in reply to Trump’s legal team asking Coach Beard’s protective order to be more chill. So Judge Chutkan scheduled a hearing on the protective order for this Friday at 10a Eastern.
Trump is not required to be there.
Also, in Georgia, it sounds like the Grand Jury there is expected hear the case next week. Meaning Trump’s fourth indictment is very likely coming next week as well.
Spoiler alert – I’m taking a few days off at the end of the week so… except the indictment on Thursday, when I’m off.
And that’s it. That’s the news.
I’m proud of books. Love em! Love reading them. Love getting them and being like “I can’t wait to read this” and then waiting forever to read them. Love it all.
But more than that… because you are also an incredible story, I’m proud of you.