on my mind...

The danger of Trump’s camp from the start has lain in people equating ‘over the top’ with ‘stupid’. They are anything but stupid. Every move they’ve made has been calculated, and I don’t doubt this was any different. There is no way, in the face of all the protests and sentiments expressed towards Trump and Pence since the election, that it didn’t occur to anyone that Pence going and seeing Hamilton of all things, would likely cause an uproar.

And what else happened yesterday of significance? Trump settled the lawsuit for fraud against Trump University….for over double what it was expected to settle for. Our president elect essentially admitted to defrauding people via Trump U, and paid $25 million dollars to settle it. This is utterly unprecedented. Also of note in the last couple of days was that the Trump hotel in DC held an event for foreign diplomats, in which it was made plain to them what benefits might come from diplomats making use of the Trump hotel when visiting DC. After all, what better way to ingratiate yourself with the US President you’re here to see, than to be able to say ‘oh I stayed at your lovely hotel?’ And what worse way to get off on the wrong foot than by admitting you stayed at one of his competitors? This is but one more of the MANY conflicts of interest at work with Trump’s presidency.

But Pence goes to see Hamilton, and predictably enough, he gets heckled and booed and that’s the story of the day, and Trump’s tweeting about it, and everyone’s focused on Trump tweeting about it and Pence getting booed…..and suddenly nobody’s talking about the MASSIVE story that is a president elect settling a fraud lawsuit for 25 million dollars and enticing foreign diplomats to use his hotel to get in his good graces.

If you listen to nothing else, please listen to this. There will be a run-off Senate election on Dec 10th in Louisiana, and the Democrats have a shot at winning. If they could get that one seat, it would flip the Senate 51-49 in their favor, and keep the GOP from having complete control of Congress. This is HUGE. This is whether or not SCOTUS Judges get approved, whether or not Bills get passed. 

That thing going around about pressuring electors to name Clinton President over Trump is never going to happen. Ever. But this is a thing that actually could. If you know anybody who knows anybody who lives in Louisiana, pressure them to vote for Foster Campbell. Pay for their cab to the polls! Hell, donate to their campaign! This is not fear mongering or hyperbole when I say this last race is life or death for millions of people.

Democrats have one final shot to flip a Senate seat – but in order to pull off an upset, they need to quickly rally around the Louisiana candidate whose victory could be a bright spot in an otherwise dismal year. Public Service Commissioner – and jovial cattle farmer – Foster Campbell will face off against Republican State Treasurer John Kennedy, a twice-failed Senate candidate, in a Dec. 10 runoff.

On the surface, it might seem like a lost cause: A Democrat running a statewide campaign in Louisiana in the Year of Trump. On the contrary, though, Campbell has a legitimate shot to upset his opponent the same way Democratic Gov. John Bel Edwards did in 2015. Yes, Louisiana has a Democratic governor. He’s busy at the moment cleaning up the fiscal mess left by his predecessor, failed presidential candidate and Kenneth-the-Page avatar Bobby Jindal.

Edwards pulled off an upset in part because of Jindal’s failures, and in part because he ran against, a less-than-charismatic politician tainted by a bygone prostitution scandal. But Edwards prevailed not only as an anti-Jindal and anti-Vitter. As an Army veteran with family law enforcement ties and a calm demeanor, he was a strong candidate in his own right.

Campbell, too, is a good bet; he has a wicked sense of humor and speaks plainly. During a recent debate, he rebutted false allegations of ties to ex-KKK leader David Duke, saying, “I have nothing in common with David Duke other than we’re probably breathing.”

Democrats who feel frustrated, fearful, and angry following Donald J. Trump’s upset win, listen up: Go donate $5 to Campbell’s campaign. If you’re in Louisiana, vote for him on Dec. 10. If you know someone in Louisiana, spread the word. Help raise money and awareness for Campbell.

Electing Foster Campbell is the most immediate way to rebuke President-elect Trump. A Campbell victory would mean a 51-49 split in the Senate. This is the last best way to make a difference in 2016.

Campbell is a fighter. During his career, he’s fought for ethics reform, lower energy rates for rural consumers, and for victims of domestic violence. Guided by a love of family and a deep-seated faith, he fights for the little man – and woman.

He can win. Repeat that over and over until you take action. The national Republican apparatus is gearing up to defeat him, and you can make a difference.

Campbell is a man of the people; Kennedy is counting on the elite. This year alone, he was the beneficiary of $400,000 from a political action committee funded by one Chicago family.

Hashmi’s tweet went viral, with over 25,000 likes. Hashmi also made the list available to all via a google spreadsheet. The sheet lists what was condemned, who condemned it and a link to evidence of this. It took her about three weeks to complete.