#dixiedems

In this episode of the 'Lean to the Left' podcast, the Dixie Dems, composed of Arthur Hill, Robert Thompson, and the host, engage in a lively discussion on current political happenings amid Donald Trump's hush money trial and its implications. Topics include the Republicans' challenges, Marjorie Taylor Greene's push against House Speaker Mike Johnson, and the Democrats' prospects in upcoming elections. They explore serious issues like abortion, immigration, and the influence of social media on political narratives. The episode also covers local politics, including controversial statements by political candidates and significant investments in North Carolina. Additionally, there's talk about the effectiveness of campaigning tactics, like stamping money with political messages. The conversation concludes with personal anecdotes and reflections on how these complex political matters impact their lives and communities. 00:00 Welcome to the Lean to the Left Podcast! 00:40 Turbulent Times in Politics: Trump's Trial and GOP Chaos 02:15 Diving into the Hush Money Trial: A Comedic Take 04:25 Serious Politics: Upcoming Primaries and Candidate Spotlights 05:25 The Border Wall Debate and Immigration Insights 07:14 Electric Cars and Environmental Moves 19:16 Abortion and Immigration: Election Game Changers? 30:09 Wrapping Up: Orioles' Victory and Final Thoughts

The Republicans are in a real mess in Congress and Donald Trump's continued dominance in the GOP presidential sweepstakes is only complicating matters, so in this episode of the Dixie Dems, we take a look at the drama in the GOP Trump world and how it's unfolding. There’s a lot to talk about, from the debacle of the Republicans’ drama of picking a new speaker of the House of Representatives and controversies surrounding him, to continued drama in Trump world with former allies flipping on him in court, jockeying among Trump challengers, to a Supreme Court case based on Trump’s “size” or lack thereof, a new Democratic challenger for Biden, redistricting in both Georgia and North Carolina that could change the power structure in those states, and Alabama Senator Tommy Tuberville blocking a bunch of military types being confirmed by the Senate because of abortion objections. Who are the Dixie Dems, you ask? If you've followed this blog and our podcast, you know that the Dixie Dems include myself, a Marylander transplanted into South Carolina and Lean to the Left podcast host, Arthur Hill, vice chair of the Brunswick County, NC Democratic Party, and Robert Thompson, founder of Peach News Now and its opinion podcast, Got Damn Liberals. Here are the highlights of this episode as we review the drama in the GOP Trump world that continues, seemingly, to worsen by the day: Trump court cases: Ellis pleading guilty in Georgia…Others include former Trump lawyers Sidney Powell and Kenneth Chesebro, plus the guy who put up bail money for Trump, Atlanta bail bondsman Scott Hall. What’s this mean for Trump? Mark Meadows: Trump is pissed at his former chief of staff Mark Meadows over reports that he might flip on him in the 2020 election case against him. On Truth Social, Trump called people who cut deals against him with the prosecutors “weaklings and cowards.” Trump Challengers – Trump continues to dominate the GOP sweepstakes, but things are starting to thin out with Pence dropping out and reports indicating that SC’s Sen. Tim Scott could be next, as SC’s Nikki Haley appears to be overcoming DeSantis as number two. Jennifer Rubin writes in the Washington Post, “Her “path” — so slim, it’s more akin to a thread — to victory would go like this: Sen. Tim Scott (R-S.C.), short on money, follows former vice president Mike Pence in exiting the race. In a signal to the “normal” GOP crowd, both endorse her. Haley finishes second in Iowa and/or New Hampshire, chasing out former New Jersey governor Chris Christie and making it impossible (if he is still in the race) for DeSantis to continue. She then gets to be the single alternative to Trump. (There is no sign that Virginia Gov. Glenn Youngkin or Georgia Gov. Brian Kemp are going to wage a campaign.) And then? Well, Rubin writes, “that’s where things get murky, to say the least. Simply being better than all the clumsy, weak, unprepared and obnoxious alternatives still leaves Haley facing the overwhelming favorite of the GOP base. This is not 2016, when Trump could get by with winning 35 percent or so of the early primary electorate to beat back a crowded field. This time, he’s got roughly a 30 percent lead in Iowa in the Des Moines Register poll and about the same in CNN’s South Carolina poll.” New Biden Dem Challenger: Minnesota Rep. Dean Phillips has announced that he’s challenging Biden for the Democratic presidential nomination, saying that the party needs to look to the future, and, of course, Phillips, 54, would like to be that future. Who is this guy, anyway? (He's a 54-year-old, third-term congressman from Minnesota, where he represents the suburbs west of Minneapolis. The millionaire Phillips was heir to his family's distilling company, and he also led the gelato manufacturer Talenti. He's Jewish, and he's argued in the wake of the Israel-Hamas conflict that the U.S. needs to support Israel, although he backs a two-state solution long-term. In Congress, Phillips has been a fairly moderate member of the House Democratic caucus. He falls to the right of about 80 percent of his party colleagues in VoteView.com's ideological data, and he belongs to the center-left, business-oriented New Democrat Coalition and the bipartisan Problem Solvers Caucus.) Stalking horse for somebody else who might have a better chance? Damage to party? Trump’s Size: Hilariously, the U.S. Supreme Court actually is hearing a case involving issues of Donald Trump’s size – and I’m not talking about his obesity. Some guy in California wants to trademark the phrase “Trump Too small” for use on T-shirts and elsewhere. Georgia Redistricting – Positive developments as the result of a new Supreme Court decision that could mean additional Democratic representation in Congress. NC Redistricting – Negative developments following changes in the political makeup of the state legislature that are expected to cost Democrats at least a couple of seats in Congress. Tuberville Military Holds – The case of Sen. Tommy Tuberville of alabama blocking nearly 400 military officers from being confirmed by the Senate, pissing off members of his own party, who say he’s jeopardizing national security. It’s all about Tuberville’s objection to the Pentagon’s policy of paying for travel when a service members must go out of state for an abortion or other reproductive care.

Hey guys, welcome to the Lean to the Left podcast and the March 2023 episode of the Dixie Dems with my partners, Arthur Hill, from North Carolina, and Robert Thompson, from Georgia. Arthur is communications chair of the Brunswick County, North Carolina, Democratic party. Robert Thompson is based in Atlanta and founded Peach News Now and its opinion podcast, Got Damn Liberals, which is worth a listen. Me…I’m based in South Carolina, home of GOP Trump acolytes, Sens. Lindsey Graham and Tim Scott, one of whom got wiped out in his bid for the 2016 GOP Presidential nomination and the other for whom a similar fate awaits in 2024. Today, we take a look at what’s happening politically in our three states as well as nationwide… One of the highlights of this episode is a discussion about the presidential candidacy of Nikki Haley, former SC governor and UN ambassador in the Trump administration. Arthur Hill says Haley "scares" him and predicts she will rise in the polls to become a serious contender for the Republican nomination, even though she's currently in the low single digits in the national polls. "I think she's only four or 5% in the polls, but that's because most people don't know who she is," Hill says, "but I think she, has the ability to rise in the polls. I don't know. And, I think Trump's in free fall. I don't see him being as big a factor in the primaries as he has been in the past." About Haley, Hill adds, "To be perfectly honest, she scares me. She's, intelligent. She's she's attractive. She represents a clear alternative to Trump and DeSantis. And I think Pence isn't going anywhere. So I, think that if Republicans who are looking for somebody to ally with that are repelled by Trump and DeSantis, you've got Nikki Haley standing out there waiting in the wings to to increase her popularity. "And, it's really early that not too many people outside of South Carolina know about Nikki Haley and even though she's got a track record. She's a governor, she's a former ambassador to the UN. So she's got chief executive chops and she's got international relations chops. "I think once the word starts getting out around her I, let me be clear. I'm not supporting Nikki Haley for President , but but I am saying that I think she could be a formidable candidate in a general election." There's much more in this episode, with discussions about "anti-woke" initiatives in numerous states, prospects for Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis, and much more. Take a listen.

We’re back with another episode of Dixie Dems, the podcast from Lean to the Left that takes an irreverent look at politics in the south, as well as nationwide. T Today, we’ll offer up some prognostications for 2023 as well as take a look at some of the key political developments in our three states, and if our comments turn nationally, don’t be surprised. With me are my partners, Arthur Hill, from North Carolina, and Robert Thompson, from Georgia. Arthur is communications chair of the Brunswick County, North Carolina, Democratic party. Robert Thompson is based in Atlanta and founded Peach News Now and its opinion podcast, Got Damn Liberals, which is worth a listen. Me…I’m based in South Carolina, home of Sens. Lindsey Graham and Uncle Tom Republican Tim Scott. So, welcome guys… First, let’s get to the news. Arthur, what’s happening in the Tar Heel State? (Where did that name come from, anyway?) How about you, Robert. You’ve got a lot of action there in Georgia, what with rabble rouser Marjorie Taylor Greene, the crazy one, apparently gaining influence and all. She had a “meeting in the ladies room” with Boebert to tell her she needed to join the swamp monsters – ironic That guy in Florida calling congress to get mccarthy elected Notice how nothing is being said about Nancy Pelosi? Because Republicans have to come up with a whole new narrative on hakeem jeffries GA embracing electric vehicles. And, hey, how about those reports that “John Doe,” a former staffer for the Hershel Walker campaign, has sued conservative leader Matt Schlapp for allegedly sexually assaulting him last October. The unnamed aide is seeking almost $9.4 million in damages. Schlapp is chairman of the Conservative Political Action Coalition and denies “any improper behavior.” See what happens when you get in bed with monsters? And who's heard from Herschel lately anyway? Exactly. What’s happening in South Carolina? Well, the Democrats have had a defection – Sen. Mia McLeod, who unsuccessfully sought the party’s nomination to run against Gov. Henry McMaster – has left the Democrats and is now identifying as an Independent. McLeod claimed her decision is because the state’s Democratic party “no longer espouses the values my constituents and I hold dear.” “By not engaging, enlightening or expanding the electorate…refusing to publicize the June Primary and getting a historical top of the ticket ‘shellacking’ on November 8, the party ensured a Republican super-majority and the losses of eight Black legislators in the S.C. House, five of whom were black women,” McLeod said. Her announcement sent shock waves through the party’s establishment, many of whom derided McLeod for being a lackluster candidate and simply driven by political ambition. Tough for Democrats to win statewide in SC…really tough. The other big news in SC is in the state legislature, which now has a Republican super majority. And they show no signs of moderation. Already, more than a dozen bills have been introduced to attack LGBTQ+ people, and they’re trying to get around the state Supreme Court’s ruling that the state’s extremely restrictive abortion law is unconstitutional. That law banned abortion after six weeks. The court said the law violates a state constitutional right to privacy. Gonna be interesting to see what happens, but my money’s on McMaster and the Republicans to come up with some other draconian approach to deny women the right to control their own bodies. OK, Now for predictions: Robert…how about you first? The House will be even worse of a shit show Benghazi was nothing – if I hear one more thing about Hunter Biden and his laptop! The swamp will get choppy on a qwest to get to the craziest first – 23% national sales tax will fail I thought we were battling inflation? Extreme Mentally ill conservatives will continue to have access to too many guns and there will be more bloodshed. Medicare will be destructed more, $1k/mo to private insurers will be cut and/or traditional medicare will be gone. Social Security age will go up, benefits are already not keeping up with demands. Arthur? OK, I’ll close it up with these predictions: If Republicans play their hard-line game regarding expanding the debt limit and America defaults on its obligations, we’ll face a massive financial crisis and a 2007-like stock market crash. 2. Attorney General Merrick Garland will seek to indict Trump on charges stemming from the January 6 insurrection and other nefarious actions. But Trump will somehow escape serious punishment. 3. Biden and his Congressional supporters will be targeted by the Republicans who may even seek to impeach Biden, especially now that it’s been discovered that Biden also took classified documents home when he was VP. It’s going to be a tough year for House Democrats.