Poet, Artist and Philosopher: I Am No Longer Being An Activist In The Same Way That I Was

Wednesday, November 2, 2016

I Am No Longer Being An Activist In The Same Way That I Was

WARNING: THIS POST HAS CONTENT THAT MAY BE DISTURBING TO SOME READERS. VIEWER DISCRETION IS ADVISED!

I Am No Longer Being An Activist
In The Same Way That I Was

Due to being stressed out—and until further notice—I am no longer being an 'Online Activist' in the same way that I was before, which includes no longer signing petitions from political, social, environmental and charitable organizations, as well as no longer making donations to political, social, environmental and charitable causes the same way that I was in the past. (The reader should know that I am HIV-positive with full-blown AIDS.) And so, I am consciously choosing to not engage in any 'activism,' however, I am still planning to exercise my 'civic duty' by voting in upcoming elections.

Below, please find relevant quotes from a series of 'updates' that highlight the most important changes to my current activism, which are titled as follows:

▪ [A Quote From My] March 7th, 2017 Update

▪ [A Quote From My] November 5th, 2018 Update

▪ [A Quote From My] September 16th, 2021 Update

▪ [A Quote From My] November 10th, 2021 Update, Written On November 11th, 2021

▪ [A Quote From My] March 13th, 2022 Update

▪ [A Quote From My] March 16th, 2022 Update

▪ [A Quote From My] March 17th, 2022 Update, Which Also Discusses March 16th, 2022

▪ [A Quote From My] April 3rd, 2022 Update

▪ [A Quote From My] April 12th, 2022 Update

▪ [A Quote From My] April 17th, 2022 Update

▪ [A Quote From My] April 17th, 2022 Update—Continued

▪ [A Quote From My] April 17th, 2022 Update—Continued Further, Written On June 17th, 2022

▪ [A Quote From My] June 17th, 2022 Update

▪ [A Quote From My] July 7th, 2022 Update, Written On July 11th, 2022

▪ [A Quote From My] July 7th, 2022 Update, Written On July 11th, 2022 (Follow-Up No. 1, Written On July 27th, 2022)

▪ [A Quote From My] April 17th, 2023 Update

▪ [A Quote From My] April 17th, 2023 Update—Continued

▪ [A Quote From My] November 6th, 2024 Update No. 1

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[A Quote From My] March 7th, 2017 Update: "This update is a follow-up to my 'November 2nd, 2016 Update,' where I explained, in part, that I am no longer being an 'Online Activist' in the same way that I was before, which includes no longer signing petitions from political, social, environmental and charitable organizations, as well as no longer making donations to political, social, environmental and charitable causes the same way that I was in the past. I wanted to clarify the fact that I do still donate to homeless folks where I live, as a way of giving 'alms to the poor.' And I also donate to charitable organizations that are fundraising through local stores at which I shop, as well as to charities that may be fundraising on the street. Besides that, I also sometimes donate to charities that send me 'free gifts enclosed' (such as calendars, greeting cards, key chains, etc.) when they are asking for a donation. Thus, I occasionally utilize one of those 'free gifts enclosed,' and so I send them a donation if I do!"

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[A Quote From My] November 5th, 2018 Update: "I wanted to explain to you the way that I have changed how I vote! And, in order to explain how I changed, please let me quote myself—specifically from my July 1st, 2012 post titled, 'For the Year 2012 — My Posting Sabbatical, Part 2,' which is published on my 'Small All White in the Forest' and 'Poet, Artist and Philosopher' blogs:

My Writing About How I Vote: When I vote, I typically consider the recommendations of various organizations, news publications, as well as election 'political mailers' and, then, I decide whose recommendations for, or against, each candidate or ballot measure make the most sense. Plus, I usually always vote for Democrats. And that's how democracy rolls in this house! –Paul Whiting (written October 28th, 2012 and revised November 8th, 2022)

Now, that quote still applies to how I vote; however, in 2018, I decided to not just read voter recommendations of 'various organizations, news publications, as well as election 'political mailers.'' Instead, I read news publications during the entire year. And, in that way, I can be a more informed voter, as well as a more informed citizen, throughout the year! And, thusly, when it comes to voting on Election Day, I have spent the entire year preparing to vote and have not been preparing only when it's time to vote. And, just to clarify, for some publications, I still only read their voter recommendation editions when I am preparing to vote."

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[A Quote From My] September 16th, 2021 Update: "I wanted to let you know that I have started subscribing to news organizations, which I can afford given my monthly spending budget (the reader should know that I am HIV-positive and that I have full-blown AIDS; plus, I am on Social Security Disability Insurance, or SSDI, so my income is quite limited), since I have a smart phone again, after years of only having a feature phone.

So, I subscribe to the news organizations whose news articles I read the most, based upon Google news searches that I do in order to keep up with the news! Thus, I scan the titles of the most popular articles and then I read the articles that I feel are the most relevant.

And I am reading news organizations' articles during the entire year, so that I can be a more informed voter, as well as a more informed citizen, which is how I am being an activist these days along with how I spend my money.

You see, I figured out that 'putting my money where my mouth is'—in terms of being a 'Conscious Consumer,' who is aware of how my spending habits affect the entire planet and all of its inhabitants—is the best way for me to be an activist, in addition to keeping up with the news and making sure that I vote!"

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[A Quote From My] November 10th, 2021 Update, Written On November 11th, 2021: "I signed up on Charity Navigator to make donations for holidays, special occasions, or current issues, to highly-rated charities..."

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[A Quote From My] March 13th, 2022 Update: "I have started donating to Democrats on a regular basis again, because I recently signed a petition regarding saving the United States Postal Service and then I made a political donation! And that's basically the first political petition that I have signed and/or political donation that I have made since around November of 2016.

You see, I am a 'Democratic Activist!' And I think that the Republicans know who I am—and they DO NOT like me—which is basically why I stopped signing political petitions and/or making political donations right before the November 2016 Election, when I created this 'I Am No Longer Being An Activist In The Same Way That I Was' post on my 'Poet, Artist and Philosopher' blog.

Thus, I was afraid that the Republicans might retaliate against me in some way, depending upon what type of activism I was engaged in, if they were in control of both Congress and the White House. And I also feared that once the Republicans won Congress and the White House that they would try to turn America into an oligarchy!

And, after the January 6th, 2021 Capitol Attack, my fears were confirmed. [Or, it was the January 6th, *1776* 'normal tourist group'; or, the insurrectionists that attacked the Capitol Complex—in order to stop the certification of Joe Biden's win—were really 'Antifa' protestors; or, they were Black Lives Matter protestors; or, they were paid actors and actresses; or, in all actuality, they were incited by ('Gasp!') the FBI. Regardless, however, it was clearly 'a false flag operation' designed to make President Donald J. Trump 'look bad'—like he needs any assistance doing that!]

Therefore, I am trying to stay informed about what is happening in politics again, especially due to the upcoming 2022 Midterm Elections. So, I am trying to help Democrats win, because I am greatly concerned about the Republicans retaking both the House and Senate of Congress, and eventually retaking the White House, since Republicans are acting like Radical Christian Terrorists!"

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[A Quote From My] March 16th, 2022 Update: "I made charitable donations today, March 16th, 2022, to multiple charitable organizations via Charity Navigator for the 'Crisis in Ukraine' after I watched three videos on YouTube titled, 'Zelenskyy: Peace Talks Between Ukraine And Russia 'Sound More Realistic'' and 'Ukraine President Volodymyr Zelenskyy delivers virtual address to the U.S. Congress — 3/16/22,' in addition to 'Ukrainian President Zelenskyy Calls For Assistance In Virtual Address to Congress.' For, I am greatly concerned about this act of war against Ukraine!"

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[A Quote From My] March 17th, 2022 Update, Which Also Discusses March 16th, 2022: "I made a donation today, March 17th, 2022, as well as yesterday, March 16th, 2022, to the USO (United Service Organizations). You see, I received a text message yesterday, March 16th, 2022, from the USO, which stated the following:

USO: Sorry to interrupt, but as war unfolds in Ukraine, thousands of U.S. troops are deployed in Eastern Europe to support NATO allies.

We still need 76?2+ more Americans to sign our card by midnight to thank them for their sacrifices -- and your name is missing. Will you sign now?***

And so, I filled out that survey yesterday, March 16th, 2022, and then I made a one-time donation to the USO via Charity Navigator as part of the charitable donations that I made yesterday for the 'Crisis in Ukraine,' which I explained in my 'March 16th, 2022 Update.'

And then today, March 17th, 2022, I received an email from the USO with the subject line, 'TAKE THE QUIZ: How many military terms do you know?', which stated the following:

HOW WELL DO YOU KNOW YOUR MILITARY LINGO?
TAKE THE QUIZ »***

Paul: From the National Guard to the Marines, each branch of our military uses different phrases to quickly pass important information to their fellow service members.

We know you're a dedicated patriot, so this quiz is perfect for you. Have some fun testing yourself on how well you understand the jargon our troops are using every day!

Take our 60-second quiz to test your knowledge of all kinds of military words and phrases.

TAKE THE QUIZ »***

Good luck!

The USO

'...This update is a follow-up to my 'March 17th, 2022 Update, Which Also Discusses March 16th, 2022,' where I explained, in part, that I made a donation on March 17th, 2022, to the USO (United Service Organizations) on the USO.org website. And with that one-time donation, I included a recurring monthly donation in order to show my support for our U.S. Military Personnel. Thus, that recurring monthly donation started today, April 17th, 2022...'

Plus, this update is a follow-up to my 'July 7th, 2022 Update, Written On July 11th, 2022,' where I explained, in part, the following:

'...In addition to that, I already make a recurring monthly donation to the USO in order to show my support for our U.S. Military Personnel:

01. USO: United Service Organizations recurring donation of $10.00 (which used to be $5.00 per month, but I increased it by an additional $5.00 per month; so starting on August 17th, 2022, the USO recurring donation is now $10.00 per month)...'

Therefore, today, April 17th, 2023, is the first full year that I have made a recurring monthly donation to the USO!

In addition to that, I usually make one-time donations to the USO each month—as often as I can manage when they request a donation via email or text message—in order to show my support for our U.S. Military Personnel! Therefore, I am planning to continue making one-time donations to the USO in the future, as often as I can manage to make donations, in addition to making the aforementioned recurring monthly donation.

By the way, did you know that the USO is a not-for-profit organization and not part of the Department of Defense (DoD)? The following description of the USO is from their 'About Us' webpage:

"The USO is not part of the federal government. A congressionally chartered, private organization, the USO relies on the generosity of individuals, organizations and corporations to support its activities, and is powered by a family of volunteers to accomplish our mission of connection."

So, that is why I 'volunteer financially' as a member of the "USO Home Team" through a recurring monthly donation, as well as through one-time donations to the USO each month!

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[A Quote From My] April 17th, 2023 Update—Continued: "This update is a follow-up to my 'April 17th, 2022 Update—Continued,' where I explained, in part, the following:

'I have started making recurring monthly donations today, April 17th, 2022, to Democratic political organizations...

...And so, here are the Democratic political organizations to which I am making these recurring monthly donations via ActBlue.com** (although, I did not include a tip for ActBlue on these donations, which I usually do, due to the fact that the 'tip box' did not appear, because I made these donations through ActBlue Express):

01. DCCC: Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee

02. DGA: Democratic Governors Association

03. DNC: Democratic National Committee

04. DSCC: Democratic Senatorial Campaign Committee

05. NCDM: National Conference of Democratic Mayors

06. DLCC: Democratic Legislative Campaign Committee

07. DAGA: Democratic Attorneys General Association

08. DASS: Democratic Association of Secretaries of State

09. NDCO: National Democratic County Officials

10. DMO: Democratic Municipal Officials

11. NDRC: National Democratic Redistricting Committee

12. DPO: Democratic Party of Oregon...'

Plus, this update is a follow-up to my 'April 17th, 2022 Update—Continued Further, Written On June 17th, 2022,' where I explained, in part, the following:

'I explained on my 'April 17th, 2022 Update—Continued' that I started making recurring monthly donations on April 17th, 2022, to Democratic political organizations via ActBlue.com**; however, I deleted my ActBlue account on June 11th, 2022.

You see, I think that my ActBlue account was compromised because, on June 8th, 2022, I attempted to make a $1.15 donation to the Democratic Legislative Campaign Committee (DLCC), plus I included an $0.11 tip for ActBlue, but when the payment processed, it was for $1,000.11! And that is why I deleted my ActBlue account on June 11th, 2022. Please see my 'June 11th, 2022 Update' for a detailed explanation...'

Besides that, this update is a follow-up to my 'June 17th, 2022 Update,' where I explained, in part, the following:

'This update is a follow-up to my 'April 17th, 2022 Update—Continued Further, Written On June 17th, 2022,' where I explained that I deleted my ActBlue account on June 11th, 2022...

...So, I have restarted making recurring monthly donations today, June 17th, 2022, to Democratic political organizations...

...And so, here are the Democratic political organizations to which I am making recurring monthly donations via ActBlue.com** [although, because I no longer have an ActBlue account—since I deleted it, due to the fact that I think the account was compromised—I am still donating through the ActBlue website (they seem to be the main donation processing website for most Democratic political organizations and many progressive organizations), but I am donating for some of these recurring donations through other payment processors, such as Google Pay]:

01. DCCC: Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee
02. DGA: Democratic Governors Association
03. DNC: Democratic National Committee
04. DSCC: Democratic Senatorial Campaign Committee
05. NCDM: National Conference of Democratic Mayors
06. DLCC: Democratic Legislative Campaign Committee
07. DAGA: Democratic Attorneys General Association
08. DASS: Democratic Association of Secretaries of State
09. NDCO: National Democratic County Officials
10. DMO: Democratic Municipal Officials
11. NDRC: National Democratic Redistricting Committee
12. DPO: Democratic Party of Oregon...'

In addition to that, this update is a follow-up to my 'July 7th, 2022 Update, Written On July 11th, 2022,' where I explained, in part, the following:

'...I am also making recurring donations to the main Democratic fundraising and coordinating political organizations of $3.00 on the 17th of each month: and my plan is to continue donating those recurring donations indefinitely, since that is all that I can really afford to donate given my monthly spending budget. (The reader should know that I am HIV-positive with full-blown AIDS. And I am on Social Security Disability Insurance, or SSDI, so my income is quite limited.)

And so, here are the Democratic political organizations to which I am making recurring monthly donations via ActBlue.com**...:

01. DCCC: Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee recurring donation of $3.00
02. DGA: Democratic Governors Association recurring donation of $3.00
03. DNC: Democratic National Committee recurring donation of $3.00
04. DSCC: Democratic Senatorial Campaign Committee recurring donation of $3.00
05. NCDM: National Conference of Democratic Mayors recurring donation of $3.00
06. DLCC: Democratic Legislative Campaign Committee recurring donation of $3.00
07. DAGA: Democratic Attorneys General Association recurring donation of $3.00
08. DASS: Democratic Association of Secretaries of State recurring donation of $3.00
09. NDCO: National Democratic County Officials recurring donation of $3.00
10. DMO: Democratic Municipal Officials recurring donation of $3.00
11. NDRC: National Democratic Redistricting Committee recurring donation of $3.00
12. DPO: Democratic Party of Oregon recurring donation of $3.00

Total Democratic Organizations Monthly Recurring Donations: $36.00...'

**[I deleted my ActBlue account! Although, I am still processing payments through the ActBlue website, since they seem to be the main donation processing website for most Democratic political organizations and many progressive organizations. Please see my 'June 11th, 2022 Update' on my blog post "I Am No Longer Being An Activist In The Same Way That I Was," which can be found on my "Poet, Artist and Philosopher" blog, for a detailed explanation.]

Thus, April 17th, 2023 is the anniversary of the first year that I have made recurring monthly donations to the main Democratic fundraising and coordinating political organizations! Plus, this past year is the first time that I have donated to Democratic political organizations when it isn't an election year; however, I decided to change the way that I am donating to Democrats, so that I am helping their fundraising and coordinating operations throughout the year and not just during election years.

And I have just gotta say how incredibly nice it is to be able to make recurring monthly donations to Democratic political organizations—because the payments process automatically each month—and I don't have to do one extra thing in order to help fund the operations of the main Democratic fundraising and coordinating political organizations throughout the year!"

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[A Quote From My] November 6th, 2024 Update No. 1 [My Writing About No Longer Being An 'Online Activist' In Any Way, Shape Or Form]: "Due to Donald Trump winning the 2024 Presidential Election—and until further notice—I am no longer being an 'Online Activist' in any way, shape or form, which includes no longer signing petitions from political, social, environmental and charitable organizations, and no longer sending letters to my Representative and Senators in Congress, as well as no longer making donations to political, social, environmental and charitable causes. Full stop! I am also unsubscribing from any of the emails that I used to receive from political, social, environmental and charitable organizations. In fact, I am even cancelling all of my monthly political donations to the main Democratic fundraising and coordinating organizations, as well as to the USO (United Service Organizations), in addition to cancelling all of my monthly news organization subscriptions, or news organization donations, because I am absolutely terrified of this second Trump administration. And I fully expect that democracy in America as we know it will be over! So, I am choosing to not engage in any 'activism' whatsoever—plus, I am not even sure that I will be exercising my 'civic duty' by voting in any upcoming elections because, as a (formerly) donating and a (potentially former) voting Democrat, I totally fear the retribution of President Donald J. Trump. Full stop!"

P.S.: It's July 31st, 2025, and I feel like I need to provide an addendum (that is, "an item of additional material added at the end of a book or document, typically in order to correct, clarify, or supplement something") to this November 6th, 2024 'update!'

You see, a couple of days ago, on July 29th, 2025, I copied the text of this update to use as my reason for unsubscribing from a particular political email that I received that same day!

And so, I actually bothered to read this update—in order to verify that it made sense for me to use as a response to the request on this political email's unsubscribe page which stated, "Please tell us why you are leaving"—during which I realized there was a typo (that is, 'a typographical error') in the text of the update, as I have highlighted below, with the correction in brackets:

"And I fully expect that democracy in America as we know [it] will be over!"

Thus, I accidentally left out the word "it" in the sentence above. Hence, I corrected said typo on July 29th, the verification of which can be seen reflected in the addition of the date "revised July 29th, 2025" after my name.

However, as I got to thinking about the fact that I had originally said I may not be voting in any upcoming elections, I realized that, in fact, I did vote in Portland Oregon's Multnomah County Special District Election on May 20th, 2025, just like I usually do! [I always vote in every election (even 'special elections') and I always vote Democrat, which is why I was worried about voting in any upcoming elections given President Trump's clear disdain for Democrats.]

Therefore, I decided to write this "P.S." today, July 31st, as a way to clarify that I am still voting in elections (even 'special elections'), it's just that I am no longer engaging in any 'Online Activism,' during Trump's Presidency, as I explained in great detail above. (I hope that makes sense!)

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Above, please find relevant quotes from a series of 'updates' that highlight the most important changes to my current activism, which are titled as follows:

▪ [A Quote From My] March 7th, 2017 Update

▪ [A Quote From My] November 5th, 2018 Update

▪ [A Quote From My] September 16th, 2021 Update

▪ [A Quote From My] November 10th, 2021 Update, Written On November 11th, 2021

▪ [A Quote From My] March 13th, 2022 Update

▪ [A Quote From My] March 16th, 2022 Update

▪ [A Quote From My] March 17th, 2022 Update, Which Also Discusses March 16th, 2022

▪ [A Quote From My] April 3rd, 2022 Update

▪ [A Quote From My] April 12th, 2022 Update

▪ [A Quote From My] April 17th, 2022 Update

▪ [A Quote From My] April 17th, 2022 Update—Continued

▪ [A Quote From My] April 17th, 2022 Update—Continued Further, Written On June 17th, 2022

▪ [A Quote From My] June 17th, 2022 Update

▪ [A Quote From My] July 7th, 2022 Update, Written On July 11th, 2022

▪ [A Quote From My] July 7th, 2022 Update, Written On July 11th, 2022 (Follow-Up No. 1, Written On July 27th, 2022)

▪ [A Quote From My] April 17th, 2023 Update

▪ [A Quote From My] April 17th, 2023 Update—Continued

▪ [A Quote From My] November 6th, 2024 Update No. 1

This prose (with some poetry) was only published on my "Poet, Artist and Philosopher" blog.

-Paul Whiting
(a.k.a., Poet, Artist and Philosopher)
"I am the poet who thinks that he knows it!"

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My Writing About No Longer Being An 'Online Activist' In The Same Way That I Was Before: Due to being stressed out—and until further notice—I am no longer being an 'Online Activist' in the same way that I was before, which includes no longer signing petitions from political, social, environmental and charitable organizations, as well as no longer making donations to political, social, environmental and charitable causes the same way that I was in the past. (The reader should know that I am HIV-positive with full-blown AIDS.) And so, I am consciously choosing to not engage in any 'activism,' however, I am still planning to exercise my 'civic duty' by voting in upcoming elections. –Paul Whiting (written November 2nd, 2016, revised March 7th, 2017, revised September 28th, 2021, revised January 11th, 2022, revised January 17th, 2022, revised June 16th, 2022, revised November 15th, 2022 and revised April 17th, 2023)

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My Philosophical Notes:

The reason that I wrote this prose can be summed up with the following statement: "Due to being stressed out—and until further notice—I am no longer being an 'Online Activist' in the same way that I was before, which includes no longer signing petitions from political, social, environmental and charitable organizations, as well as no longer making donations to political, social, environmental and charitable causes the same way that I was in the past. (The reader should know that I am HIV-positive with full-blown AIDS.) And so, I am consciously choosing to not engage in any 'activism,' however, I am still planning to exercise my 'civic duty' by voting in upcoming elections."

This prose was written in Portland, Oregon.

-Paulee

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YEAR 2015 UPDATE:

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May 11th, 2015 Update [My Writing About Taking Care Of My Own Needs First And Then Donating To Charity]: I spend what I can afford to spend on charitable donations while still being able to afford to take care of my day-to-day needs. (The reader should know that I am HIV-positive with full-blown AIDS. And I am on Social Security Disability Insurance, or SSDI, so my income is quite limited.) Thus, I would not make charitable donations if I was not able to take care of my day-to-day needs, since I believe in taking care of your own needs first and helping others second—that is, if it is possible and desirable for you to help others. Plus, I personally believe in wisely accepting charity, or assistance, if it is really needed; but, I also personally believe in not accepting charity, or assistance, if it is not really needed. For example, I qualify for assistance to help pay my monthly electric bills, but I don't apply for that assistance, since I don't feel like I really need it. However, if I felt like I really needed that assistance in order to help pay my electric bills, I would definitely apply for it! Therefore, I feel that you should give charity if possible, and accept charity if needed, if that feels right to you. –Paul Whiting (written approximately on May 11th, 2015, then turned into 'my writing' from my notes on July 20th, 2022, then turned into an update from the aforementioned writing on July 25th, 2022, revised April 17th, 2023 and revised August 9th, 2024)

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October 10th, 2015 Update [My Writing About Getting Ready To Die]: I am only planning on doing a limited amount of new writing, since I think that I am getting ready to die, because I am tired most of the time! Thus, I think that after being HIV-positive for so long that I am not going to be here much longer... (I was diagnosed in November of 2000.) So, I am planning to only work on my personal care (that is, my day-to-day living) and my civic duty (that is, participating in upcoming elections by voting, including 'special elections'). Plus, I am taking the time to reread, edit and revise my blogs ('writing is revising'), so that I can correct all the mistakes that I have made in my existing writing!

–Paul Whiting (written October 10th, 2015, revised November 3rd, 2015, revised November 5th, 2015, revised November 10th, 2015, revised November 21st, 2015, revised November 24th, 2015, revised December 10th, 2015, revised December 29th, 2015, revised August 3rd, 2021, revised August 27th, 2022, revised February 15th, 2023 and revised April 1st, 2024)

[I feel like I need to clarify why there are so many 'revised dates' on this 'update,' just like there are often times so many 'revised dates' on other 'updates' similar to this one! You see, I really try to keep my writing consistent as possible across all of my blogs. Therefore, as I am writing, I try to use the same phraseology wherever possible with regard to similar types of my writing so that, when I am editing my writing, I can change all of the similar writing at the same time and in the same way! Thus, a lot of the revisions indicated above, after my name (–Paul Whiting), and shown right after the original 'written date,' are often times due to these aforementioned consistent-writing revisions.]

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YEAR 2016 UPDATES:

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November 2nd, 2016 Update [My Writing About No Longer Being An 'Online Activist' In The Same Way That I Was Before]: Due to being stressed out—and until further notice—I am no longer being an 'Online Activist' in the same way that I was before, which includes no longer signing petitions from political, social, environmental and charitable organizations, as well as no longer making donations to political, social, environmental and charitable causes the same way that I was in the past. (The reader should know that I am HIV-positive with full-blown AIDS.) And so, I am consciously choosing to not engage in any 'activism,' however, I am still planning to exercise my 'civic duty' by voting in upcoming elections. –Paul Whiting (written November 2nd, 2016, revised March 7th, 2017, revised September 28th, 2021, revised January 11th, 2022, revised January 17th, 2022, revised June 16th, 2022, revised November 15th, 2022 and revised April 17th, 2023)

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November 4th, 2016 Update (November 2nd, 2016 Update Follow-Up No. 1): This update is a follow-up to my 'November 2nd, 2016 Update,' where I explained, in part, that I am no longer being an 'Online Activist' in the same way that I was before, which includes no longer signing petitions from political, social, environmental and charitable organizations, as well as no longer making donations to political, social, environmental and charitable causes the same way that I was in the past. I wanted to update you on the fact that I did sign one petition on November 4th, 2016, and I made a corresponding donation, because I came across a canvasser for Greenpeace—named Dave—when I was doing some shopping on November 3rd, 2016, and he had a really good presentation for supporting Greenpeace with regard to ethical tuna fishing! Now, although I was not able to sign up to receive emails, and to make a monthly donation, as he requested, I did make a one-time donation of $15.00 to cover the cost of Dave's salary because Greenpeace was paying him a living wage of $15.00 per hour—and we spoke for about twenty minutes—so I wanted to show my support for Greenpeace's campaign and to support their efforts to provide their employees with a living wage. –Paul Whiting (written November 4th, 2016, revised June 15th, 2022, revised June 26th, 2022, revised April 28th, 2023 and revised August 9th, 2024)

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November 7th, 2016 Update: Due to being stressed out—and until further notice—I am no longer posting on my blogs. (The reader should know that I am HIV-positive with full-blown AIDS.) Therefore, my blog post titled, "I Am No Longer Posting On My Blogs," which can be found on my "Small All White in the Forest," "Poet, Artist and Philosopher," "Three Dark Horses" and "Paul Whiting — Math Magician" blogs, may be the last post for an indefinite period of time. (By the way, I may no longer be posting on my blogs, but I am still editing my blog posts.) And although I may no longer be posting on my blogs, I am writing 'updates' about my current "Online Activism" on my blog post titled, "I Am No Longer Being An Activist In The Same Way That I Was," which can be found on my "Poet, Artist and Philosopher" blog. Plus, my above-mentioned blog post titled, "I Am No Longer Being An Activist In The Same Way That I Was" is where I do most of my 'new' writing, because this blog post is where I document all of my current "Online Activism" in the 'updates' that I write, which are listed in date (chronological) order by year, month and day. –Paul Whiting (written November 7th, 2016, revised August 27th, 2022, revised February 15th, 2023, revised March 17th, 2023, revised March 18th, 2023, revised March 26th, 2023, revised April 17th, 2023, revised June 11th, 2023 and revised June 12th, 2023)

P.S.: As I mentioned above, my blog post titled, "I Am No Longer Posting On My Blogs" can be found on my "Small All White in the Forest," "Poet, Artist and Philosopher," "Three Dark Horses" and "Paul Whiting — Math Magician" blogs (please see the hyperlinks below for the post):

https://smallallwhiteintheforest.blogspot.com/2016/11/i-am-no-longer-posting-on-my-blogs.html

https://poetartistandphilosopher.blogspot.com/2016/11/i-am-no-longer-posting-on-my-blogs.html

https://threedarkhorses.blogspot.com/2016/11/the-oneness-of-god-i-am-no-longer.html

https://paulwhitingmath.blogspot.com/2016/11/my-point-of-view-on-no-longer-posting.html

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YEAR 2017 UPDATE:

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March 7th, 2017 Update (November 2nd, 2016 Update Follow-Up No. 2): This update is a follow-up to my 'November 2nd, 2016 Update,' where I explained, in part, that I am no longer being an 'Online Activist' in the same way that I was before, which includes no longer signing petitions from political, social, environmental and charitable organizations, as well as no longer making donations to political, social, environmental and charitable causes the same way that I was in the past. I wanted to clarify the fact that I do still donate to homeless folks where I live, as a way of giving "alms to the poor." And I also donate to charitable organizations that are fundraising through local stores at which I shop, as well as to charities that may be fundraising on the street. Besides that, I also sometimes donate to charities that send me "free gifts enclosed" (such as calendars, greeting cards, key chains, etc.) when they are asking for a donation. Thus, I occasionally utilize one of those "free gifts enclosed," and so I send them a donation if I do! –Paul Whiting (written March 7th, 2017, revised September 29th, 2018, revised January 11th, 2022, revised June 15th, 2022, revised July 20th, 2022 and revised August 9th, 2024)

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YEAR 2018 UPDATE:

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November 5th, 2018 Update: I wanted to explain to you the way that I have changed how I vote! And, in order to explain how I changed, please let me quote myself—specifically from my July 1st, 2012 post titled, "For the Year 2012 — My Posting Sabbatical, Part 2," which is published on my "Small All White in the Forest" and "Poet, Artist and Philosopher" blogs:

My Writing About How I Vote: When I vote, I typically consider the recommendations of various organizations, news publications, as well as election 'political mailers' and, then, I decide whose recommendations for, or against, each candidate or ballot measure make the most sense. Plus, I usually always vote for Democrats. And that's how democracy rolls in this house! –Paul Whiting (written October 28th, 2012 and revised November 8th, 2022)

Now, that quote still applies to how I vote; however, in 2018, I decided to not just read voter recommendations of "various organizations, news publications, as well as election 'political mailers.'" Instead, I read news publications during the entire year. And, in that way, I can be a more informed voter, as well as a more informed citizen, throughout the year! And, thusly, when it comes to voting on Election Day, I have spent the entire year preparing to vote and have not been preparing only when it's time to vote. And, just to clarify, for some publications, I still only read their voter recommendation editions when I am preparing to vote. –Paul Whiting (written November 5th, 2018, revised June 15th, 2022, revised November 8th, 2022, revised April 19th, 2023 and revised June 12th, 2023)

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YEAR 2021 UPDATES FOR AUGUST:

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August 3rd, 2021 Update [My Writing About Still Being Alive]: I am still alive! And I am feeling a lot better than I was feeling—a couple of months short of exactly six years ago—when I wrote my 'October 10th, 2015 Update' (that also appears as 'My Writing About Getting Ready To Die' on some of my blogs), which can be found above. Plus, I have a smartphone again, after years of only having a basic phone. So, I am editing all of my blogs, but I am still preparing for death—especially now with the COVID-19 pandemic. However, I received my very first COVID-19 vaccine on June 25th, 2021, and I am now fully vaccinated for COVID-19, so there is still hope.

–Paul Whiting (written August 3rd, 2021, revised September 28th, 2021, revised June 15th, 2022, revised August 27th, 2022, revised August 28th, 2022, revised February 15th, 2023, revised June 8th, 2023 and revised April 1st, 2024)

[I feel like I need to clarify why there are so many 'revised dates' on this 'update,' just like there are often times so many 'revised dates' on other 'updates' similar to this one! You see, I really try to keep my writing consistent as possible across all of my blogs. Therefore, as I am writing, I try to use the same phraseology wherever possible with regard to similar types of my writing so that, when I am editing my writing, I can change all of the similar writing at the same time and in the same way! Thus, a lot of the revisions indicated above, after my name (–Paul Whiting), and shown right after the original 'written date,' are often times due to these aforementioned consistent-writing revisions.]

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YEAR 2021 UPDATES FOR SEPTEMBER:

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September 16th, 2021 Update: I wanted to let you know that I have started subscribing to news organizations, which I can afford given my monthly spending budget (the reader should know that I am HIV-positive and that I have full-blown AIDS; plus, I am on Social Security Disability Insurance, or SSDI, so my income is quite limited), since I have a smart phone again, after years of only having a feature phone.

So, I subscribe to the news organizations whose news articles I read the most, based upon Google news searches that I do in order to keep up with the news! Thus, I scan the titles of the most popular articles and then I read the articles that I feel are the most relevant.

And I am reading news organizations' articles during the entire year, so that I can be a more informed voter, as well as a more informed citizen, which is how I am being an activist these days along with how I spend my money.

You see, I figured out that 'putting my money where my mouth is'—in terms of being a "Conscious Consumer," who is aware of how my spending habits affect the entire planet and all of its inhabitants—is the best way for me to be an activist, in addition to keeping up with the news and making sure that I vote! –Paul Whiting (written September 16th, 2021, revised September 28th 2021 revised June 15th, 2022, revised June 17th, 2022, revised December 30th, 2022, revised April 19th, 2023 and revised June 12th, 2023)

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YEAR 2021 UPDATES FOR NOVEMBER:

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November 10th, 2021 Update, Written On November 11th, 2021: I signed up on Charity Navigator to make donations for holidays, special occasions, or current issues, to highly-rated charities! Plus, I plan to include a donation to Charity Navigator, whenever I donate, because they are a charity too. And I really appreciate being able to utilize Charity Navigator's charity rating system in order to assess which charities receive their 'give with confidence' rating. I also appreciate being able to donate to multiple charities at the same time—all in one convenient transaction, rather than having to process individual donations on each charity's website—which makes supporting charitable organizations via Charity Navigator that much more worthwhile! –Paul Whiting (written November 11th, 2021, revised June 16th, 2022, revised June 18th, 2022, revised March 21st, 2023 and revised January 9th, 2024)

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November 11th, 2021 Update, Written Sometime After Midnight: I signed up on Charity Navigator yesterday, November 10th, 2021, to make donations for holidays, special occasions, or current issues, to highly-rated charities—including with the intention of making donations for Veterans Day to several highly-rated veterans' charities. However, I started having problems with being able to process the donations! Although, I used a smartphone, so that could be the issue. Anyway, I did attempt to donate to veterans' organizations for Veterans Day, but it's not going to work right now. So, I am going to hold off on donating until I can donate through a personal computer, since I may be having issues donating through my smartphone, if that is what was causing me to not be able to donate... –Paul Whiting (written November 11th, 2021, revised June 15th, 2022, revised November 11th, 2022, revised March 21st, 2023 and revised January 9th, 2024)
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November 11th, 2021 Update, Written Just After 9:00 AM: Success! I tried again later on in the day to donate to veterans' charities for Veterans Day on Charity Navigator and it worked! Plus, I also included a donation to Charity Navigator, because they are a charity too. And I really appreciate being able to utilize Charity Navigator's charity rating system in order to assess which charities receive their 'give with confidence' rating. I also appreciate being able to donate to multiple charities at the same time—all in one convenient transaction, rather than having to process individual donations on each charity's website—which makes supporting veterans' organizations via Charity Navigator that much more worthwhile! –Paul Whiting (written November 11th, 2021, revised June 15th, 2022, revised June 18th, 2022, revised November 11th, 2022, revised March 21st, 2023 and revised January 9th, 2024)
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November 11th, 2021 Update—Summary: I signed up on Charity Navigator yesterday, November 10th, 2021, to make donations for holidays, special occasions, or current issues, to highly-rated charities—including with the intention of making donations for Veterans Day to several highly-rated veterans' charities. However, I started having problems with being able to process the donations! ... But, I tried again later on in the day to donate to veterans' charities for Veterans Day on Charity Navigator and it worked! Plus, I also included a donation to Charity Navigator, because they are a charity too. –Paul Whiting (written November 11th, 2021, revised June 15th, 2022, revised June 18th, 2022, revised November 11th, 2022 and revised March 21st, 2023)

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YEAR 2022 UPDATES FOR JANUARY:

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January 11th, 2022 Update: For National Human Trafficking Awareness Day, which is yearly (annually) on January 11th, I made donations via Charity Navigator today, January 11th, 2022, to organizations that are working toward ending modern slavery, or human trafficking as it is formally called. Plus, I also included a donation to Charity Navigator, because they are a charity too. And I really appreciate being able to utilize Charity Navigator's charity rating system in order to assess which charities receive their 'give with confidence' rating. I also appreciate being able to donate to multiple charities at the same time—all in one convenient transaction, rather than having to process individual donations on each charity's website—which makes supporting anti-human trafficking organizations via Charity Navigator that much more worthwhile. –Paul Whiting (written January 11th, 2022, revised January 17th, 2022, revised July 18th, 2022, revised January 11th, 2023, revised January 16th, 2023, revised March 7th, 2023 and revised March 21st, 2023)

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January 17th, 2022 Update: I decided right before midnight on January 17th, 2022 to donate via Charity Navigator for the Martin Luther King Jr. Day of Service to organizations that "defend civil rights, protect legal rights, and promote tolerance and understanding." You see, I was on Charity Navigator's website deleting the charities that I had previously selected for the Martin Luther King Jr. Day of Service—as a way to 'volunteer financially' in order honor Dr. King's legacy of civic engagement—but I decided to not donate to those charities out of fear that my blogs would somehow be sabotaged! And the reason that I decided to not donate is due to that fact that I think that my blogs are being sabotaged by someone who is very 'tech savvy,' and they may be someone that I know, because I have noticed strange things happening while I have been editing my writing, including yesterday, January 16th, 2022, when I was planning to edit a blog post and the images on the Blogger Dashboard were loading in an odd kind of way, like I couldn't see the images at first. And so, I was extremely afraid that I was not going to be able to "see" my blogs anymore—if I donated to these charities that I had already selected for the Martin Luther King Jr. Day of Service—because I was being "warned" to not donate! Therefore, out of a sense of fearful caution, I decided yesterday that I was not going to donate just in case I was being threatened in some way... Then, after I deleted the charities that I had previously selected, I noticed that the main webpage of Charity Navigator highlighted HOT TOPICS that "support nonprofits responding to current events and crises," including "Racial Justice & Civil Rights," so I decided to donate for the Martin Luther King Jr. Day of Service from that list! Plus, I also included a donation to Charity Navigator, because they are a charity too. And I really appreciate being able to utilize Charity Navigator's charity rating system in order to assess which charities receive their 'give with confidence' rating. I also appreciate being able to donate to multiple charities at the same time—all in one convenient transaction, rather than having to process individual donations on each charity's website—which makes supporting civil rights organizations via Charity Navigator that much more worthwhile! –Paul Whiting (written January 17th, 2022 revised January 18th, 2022, revised March 25th, 2022, revised June 18th, 2022, revised July 18th, 2022, revised January 16th, 2023, revised March 21st, 2023 and revised January 15th, 2024)

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YEAR 2022 UPDATES FOR FEBRUARY:

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February 7th, 2022 Update: In order to show my support for "National Gun Violence Survivors Week," which is yearly (annually) from February 1st through 7th, I made donations today, February 7th, 2022, to organizations that are working to end gun violence in America, including Ban Assault Weapons NOW (which is also known as 'BAWN'), Everytown for Gun Safety (which was formerly known as 'Mayors Against Illegal Guns') and Giffords PAC (which was formerly known as 'Americans for Responsible Solutions'). –Paul Whiting (written February 7th, 2022, revised June 12th, 2022, revised June 15th, 2022, revised July 18th, 2022, revised August 17th, 2022, revised December 30th, 2022, revised February 7th, 2023, revised March 7th, 2023 and revised March 21st, 2023)

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YEAR 2022 UPDATES FOR MARCH:

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March 3rd, 2022 Update: I signed a petition from Senator Chuck Schumer about saving the United States Postal Service, which I received via text message yesterday, March 2nd, 2022:

Paul, it's Chuck Schumer. After years of attacks from Postmaster General DeJoy, the Senate is close to passing a $50 BILLION package to save the USPS. Republicans are trying to block our progress. Add your name here if you agree we need to SAVE the USPS:***

SAVE the U.S. Postal Service NOW

Senate Democrats are ready to deliver $50 billion for the USPS, but Republicans just obstructed this urgent bill. With your support, we’re still going to get it done.

Grassroots support for the USPS got us this far – now, sign on to demand the Senate finally SAVE the USPS!***

Please let us know why you are unsubscribing (optional):

To Whom It May Concern,

I donated to "Schumer for U.S. Senate" recently because I signed a petition regarding saving the United States Postal Service! And that's basically the only political petition [that I have signed] and/or political donation that I have made since around November of 2016.

You see, I am a "Democratic Activist!"

And I think that the Republicans know who I am -- and they DO NOT like me -- which is basically why I stopped signing political petitions and/or making political donations right before the November 2016 Election! By the way, here is a hyperlink to a blog post where I have explained this issue in vivid detail from my "Poet, Artist and Philosopher" blog:

https://poetartistandphilosopher.blogspot.com/2016/11/i-am-no-longer-being-activist.html

Therefore, I am still trying to stay informed about what is happening in politics, I am just not necessarily doing anything in response to what is happening in politics, because I am afraid that the Republicans might retaliate against me depending upon what I do!

Yours very truly,

-Paul Whiting
Poet, Artist and Philosopher
Portland, Oregon

And, therefore, that is the reason why I stopped being an activist before the November 2016 Election, which I have not actually written about until now! And that issue—of me no longer being an activist—is what this blog post titled, 'I Am No Longer Being An Activist In The Same Way That I Was' is all about. –Paul Whiting (written March 3rd, 2022, revised March 13th, 2022, revised March 28th, 2022, revised June 16th, 2022, revised June 21st, 2022 and revised December 30th, 2022)

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March 9th, 2022 Update: A funny thing happened on the way to the 2022 Midterm Elections! I was thinking about donating monthly to the Democratic Governors Association (DGA), the Democratic Association of Secretaries of State (DASS), the Democratic National Committee (DNC), the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee (DCCC) and the Democratic Senatorial Campaign Committee (DSCC) in order to support Democrats in the 2022 Midterm Elections.

And I was checking to see what the minimum amount is that I could donate via ActBlue.com** for each organization, which is all that I can afford given my monthly spending budget. (The reader should know that I am HIV-positive with full-blown AIDS. And I am on Social Security Disability Insurance, or SSDI, so my income is quite limited.)

**[I deleted my ActBlue account! Although, I am still processing payments through the ActBlue website, since they seem to be the main donation processing website for most Democratic political organizations and many progressive organizations. Please see my 'June 11th, 2022 Update' on my blog post "I Am No Longer Being An Activist In The Same Way That I Was," which can be found on my "Poet, Artist and Philosopher" blog, for a detailed explanation.]

Thus, I started out by checking with the DGA in order to see what the minimum amount is that I could donate. And, when I checked on ActBlue, I unintentionally made a one-time donation to the DGA! So, I decided to run with it and I donated that same one-time amount to the DASS, the DNC, the DCCC and the DSCC, since I was thinking about donating anyway.

However, I am still thinking about donating to all of the above Democratic political organizations on a monthly basis for the 2022 Midterm Elections, but I am not going to look into that until after this month, due to constraints in my monthly spending budget.

And I will provide an update when I start donating on a monthly basis, because I am greatly concerned about the Republicans retaking both the House and Senate of Congress, since Republicans are acting like they are Radical Christian Terrorists!

–Paul Whiting (written March 9th, 2022, revised March 10th, 2022, revised March 31st, 2022, revised June 12th, 2022, revised June 15th, 2022, revised June 17th, 2022, revised June 20th, 2022, revised June 26th, 2022, revised July 11th, 2022, revised December 28th, 2022, revised December 30th, 2022, revised April 16th, 2023, revised April 17th, 2023, revised April 22nd, 2023, revised April 28th, 2023 and revised June 8th, 2024)

[I feel like I need to clarify why there are so many 'revised dates' on this 'update,' just like there are often times so many 'revised dates' on other 'updates' similar to this one! You see, I really try to keep my writing consistent as possible across all of my blogs. Therefore, as I am writing, I try to use the same phraseology wherever possible with regard to similar types of my writing so that, when I am editing my writing, I can change all of the similar writing at the same time and in the same way! Thus, a lot of the revisions indicated above, after my name (–Paul Whiting), and shown right after the original 'written date,' are often times due to these aforementioned consistent-writing revisions.]

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March 9th, 2022 Update, Clarification: I wanted to clarify to that I may, or may not, be able to afford to donate to Democratic political organizations on a monthly basis, given my monthly spending budget!

You see, I was thinking about how much I can spend on donations per month—both charitable and political—and I am realizing that donating monthly to political organizations may not be feasible for me, since there are months where I also donate to charitable organizations. And for some of those charitable organizations, their minimum donation amount is $10.00, which can add up fast, especially if I am donating to more than one organization per cause, or per issue, or per event, which I often do.

Therefore, I am going to donate to Democratic organizations as often as I can afford to donate to them, depending upon what other donations that I may be making and/or what other additional expenses that I may have to pay for during any particular month. (The reader should know that I am HIV-positive with full-blown AIDS. And I am on Social Security Disability Insurance, or SSDI, so my income is quite limited.)

Thus, I was able to donate today, March 9th, 2022, to five Democratic organizations (the Democratic Governors Association, the Democratic Association of Secretaries of State, the Democratic National Committee, the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee and the Democratic Senatorial Campaign Committee), but I have not donated to any charitable organizations this month, nor have I had any other additional expenses this month. And so, that is why I could afford to make those donations! –Paul Whiting (written March 9th, 2022, revised March 10th, 2022, revised March 31st, 2022, revised June 17th, 2022, revised December 30th, 2022 and revised April 17th, 2023)

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March 10th, 2022 Update: Yesterday, March 9th, 2022, after I made a donation—unintentionally—to the Democratic Governors Association (DGA) via ActBlue.com** while I was checking to see what the minimum donation is I could make on a monthly basis to various Democratic political organizations, I decided to do some research to see what organizations Democrats have for "fundraising and coordination." (Although, I eventually concluded that I may, or may not, be able to afford to donate to Democratic organizations on a monthly basis, given my monthly spending budget!) And, via a Google search, I found on Wikipedia a list of Democratic organizations that I have supported in the past, plus some Democratic organizations I have heard of only for the first time:

Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee ("the Democratic Hill committee for the United States House of Representatives");

Democratic Governors Association ("a Washington, D.C.-based 527 organization founded in 1983, consisting of U.S. state and territorial governors affiliated with the Democratic Party");

Democratic National Committee ("the governing body of the United States Democratic Party");

Democratic Senatorial Campaign Committee ("the Democratic Hill committee for the United States Senate");

Democrats Abroad ("the official organization of the Democratic Party for United States citizens living temporarily or permanently abroad");

National Conference of Democratic Mayors ("is the representative body of city mayors in the United States affiliated to the Democratic Party");

Democratic Legislative Campaign Committee ("the U.S. Democratic Party organization that works to elect Democrats to state legislatures");

Democratic Attorneys General Association ("the Democratic Attorneys General Association provides political and policy support to Democratic State Attorneys General in their mission to protect citizens, promote progress and support civil rights");

Democratic Association of Secretaries of State ("the Democratic Association of Secretaries of State is a 527 political action committee and the only organization dedicated to electing and protecting Democratic Secretaries of States");

National Democratic County Officials ("the National Democratic County Officials ... is the official campaign arm of the Democratic Party dedicated to electing Democrats at the county level");

Democratic Municipal Officials ("the largest network of elected officials within the Democratic Party. We represent America’s 40,000 Mayors, city council members, and other elected leaders serving our cities, and we are driven to ensure that city leaders, who are familiar and trusted by voters, are at the core of the restructuring of our Party").

**[I deleted my ActBlue account! Although, I am still processing payments through the ActBlue website, since they seem to be the main donation processing website for most Democratic political organizations and many progressive organizations. Please see my 'June 11th, 2022 Update' on my blog post "I Am No Longer Being An Activist In The Same Way That I Was," which can be found on my "Poet, Artist and Philosopher" blog, for a detailed explanation.]

And I made a donation to each one of the above-mentioned Democratic organizations on either March 9th, 2022, or March 10th, 2022, along with making a donation to my local Democratic Party of Oregon. And I did all of this in preparation for the 2022 Midterm Elections, since I fear that the Republican Party of the United States of America has radicalized itself and become the political party of Radical Christian Terrorists!

–Paul Whiting (written March 10th, 2022, revised March 11th, 2022 revised March 25th, 2022, revised April 3rd, 2022, revised April 17th, 2022, revised June 12th, 2022, revised June 15th, 2022, revised June 17th, 2022, revised June 20th, 2022, revised July 11th, 2022, revised December 28th, 2022, revised December 30th, 2022, revised April 16th, 2023, revised April 22nd, 2023 and revised June 8th, 2024)

[I feel like I need to clarify why there are so many 'revised dates' on this 'update,' just like there are often times so many 'revised dates' on other 'updates' similar to this one! You see, I really try to keep my writing consistent as possible across all of my blogs. Therefore, as I am writing, I try to use the same phraseology wherever possible with regard to similar types of my writing so that, when I am editing my writing, I can change all of the similar writing at the same time and in the same way! Thus, a lot of the revisions indicated above, after my name (–Paul Whiting), and shown right after the original 'written date,' are often times due to these aforementioned consistent-writing revisions.]

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March 13th, 2022 Update: I have started donating to Democrats on a regular basis again, because I recently signed a petition regarding saving the United States Postal Service and then I made a political donation! And that's basically the first political petition that I have signed and/or political donation that I have made since around November of 2016.

You see, I am a "Democratic Activist!" And I think that the Republicans know who I am—and they DO NOT like me—which is basically why I stopped signing political petitions and/or making political donations right before the November 2016 Election, when I created this "I Am No Longer Being An Activist In The Same Way That I Was" post on my "Poet, Artist and Philosopher" blog.

Thus, I was afraid that the Republicans might retaliate against me in some way, depending upon what type of activism I was engaged in, if they were in control of both Congress and the White House. And I also feared that once the Republicans won Congress and the White House that they would try to turn America into an oligarchy!

And, after the January 6th, 2021 Capitol Attack, my fears were confirmed. [Or, it was the January 6th, *1776* "normal tourist group"; or, the insurrectionists that attacked the Capitol Complex—in order to stop the certification of Joe Biden's win—were really 'Antifa' protestors; or, they were Black Lives Matter protestors; or, they were paid actors and actresses; or, in all actuality, they were incited by ("Gasp!") the FBI. Regardless, however, it was clearly 'a false flag operation' designed to make President Donald J. Trump "look bad"—like he needs any assistance doing that!]

Therefore, I am trying to stay informed about what is happening in politics again, especially due to the upcoming 2022 Midterm Elections. So, I am trying to help Democrats win, because I am greatly concerned about the Republicans retaking both the House and Senate of Congress, and eventually retaking the White House, since Republicans are acting like Radical Christian Terrorists! –Paul Whiting (written March 13th, 2022, revised June 12th, 2022, revised June 16th, 2022, revised June 17th, 2022, revised June 21st, 2022 and revised June 12th, 2023)

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March 16th, 2022 Update: I made charitable donations today, March 16th, 2022, to multiple charitable organizations via Charity Navigator for the "Crisis in Ukraine" after I watched three videos on YouTube titled, "Zelenskyy: Peace Talks Between Ukraine And Russia 'Sound More Realistic'" and "Ukraine President Volodymyr Zelenskyy delivers virtual address to the U.S. Congress — 3/16/22," in addition to "Ukrainian President Zelenskyy Calls For Assistance In Virtual Address to Congress." For, I am greatly concerned about this act of war against Ukraine! –Paul Whiting (written March 16th, 2022, revised March 25th, 2022, revised October 23rd, 2022, revised December 29th, 2022 and revised May 31st, 2023)

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March 17th, 2022 Update, Which Also Discusses March 16th, 2022: I made a donation today, March 17th, 2022, as well as yesterday, March 16th, 2022, to the USO (United Service Organizations). You see, I received a text message yesterday, March 16th, 2022, from the USO, which stated the following:

USO: Sorry to interrupt, but as war unfolds in Ukraine, thousands of U.S. troops are deployed in Eastern Europe to support NATO allies.

We still need 76?2+ more Americans to sign our card by midnight to thank them for their sacrifices -- and your name is missing. Will you sign now?***

And so, I filled out that survey yesterday, March 16th, 2022, and then I made a one-time donation to the USO via Charity Navigator as part of the charitable donations that I made yesterday for the "Crisis in Ukraine," which I explained in my 'March 16th, 2022 Update.'

And then today, March 17th, 2022, I received an email from the USO with the subject line, "TAKE THE QUIZ: How many military terms do you know?", which stated the following:

HOW WELL DO YOU KNOW YOUR MILITARY LINGO?
TAKE THE QUIZ »***

Paul: From the National Guard to the Marines, each branch of our military uses different phrases to quickly pass important information to their fellow service members.

We know you're a dedicated patriot, so this quiz is perfect for you. Have some fun testing yourself on how well you understand the jargon our troops are using every day!

Take our 60-second quiz to test your knowledge of all kinds of military words and phrases.

TAKE THE QUIZ »***

Good luck!

The USO

***[I used to include hyperlinks contained within the email messages, or the text messages, to which I am referring in these "Activism Updates"; however, I could not figure out how to include the aforementioned hyperlinks, regarding some relevant action that I had taken—such as signing a petition, sending a letter or message to my representative(s) in Congress, signing a USO 'Thank You' card, and/or making a donation—without including my personal information.]

And so, after I took the quiz, I made a one-time donation on the USO.org website. Plus, I also included a monthly donation in order to show my support for our U.S. Military Personnel!

–Paul Whiting (written March 17th, 2022, revised March 25th, 2022, revised May 21st, 2022, revised June 22nd, 2022, revised June 25th, 2022, revised June 26th, 2022, revised September 4th, 2022, revised November 18th, 2022, revised December 29th, 2022, revised December 30th, 2022, revised January 1st, 2023, revised April 11th, 2023, revised April 27th, 2023, revised April 28th, 2023, revised June 2nd, 2023 and revised June 14th, 2023)

[I feel like I need to clarify why there are so many 'revised dates' on this 'update,' just like there are often times so many 'revised dates' on other 'updates' similar to this one! You see, I really try to keep my writing consistent as possible across all of my blogs. Therefore, as I am writing, I try to use the same phraseology wherever possible with regard to similar types of my writing so that, when I am editing my writing, I can change all of the similar writing at the same time and in the same way! Thus, a lot of the revisions indicated above, after my name (–Paul Whiting), and shown right after the original 'written date,' are often times due to these aforementioned consistent-writing revisions.]

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March 23rd, 2022 Update: The fourth Wednesday in March every year is American Red Cross Giving Day, which is today March 23rd, 2022:

"The 8th annual American Red Cross Giving Day is on March 23, 2022. It takes place during Red Cross Month, a time to recognize heroes who help those in need..."

And so, I donated to the American Red Cross on their website and I selected that the donation go to "Disaster Relief" and then I dedicated the donation to the "People of Ukraine."

Also, I donated to the International Committee of the Red Cross on their website for the "Humanitarian Crisis in Ukraine."

Plus, I donated to the Ukrainian Red Cross Society on their website for the "Ukraine Emergency Appeal."

Thus, these donations are how I supported the American Red Cross Giving Day—which I observed in a decisively international way—and also how I helped the People of Ukraine! –Paul Whiting (written March 23rd, 2022, revised June 22nd, 2022, revised June 25th, 2022, revised June 26th, 2022, revised November 18th, 2022, revised December 29th, 2022, revised December 30th, 2022 and revised March 22nd, 2023)

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March 31st, 2022 Update: Beginning in March of 2022, I started donating on a regular basis to Democratic political organizations. However, I am not (necessarily) going document every time that I make donations to the Democrats because it would create way too many 'updates' such as this one.

So, suffice it to say that I am donating to the Democratic Party in order to help them win in future elections!

Thus, I am donating to the main Democratic fundraising and coordinating political organizations, so that I am helping to elect Democrats through their national organizations—as well as through a local Democratic organization here in Oregon—which includes the following:

The National Democratic Organizations:

Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee (DCCC)

Democratic Governors Association (DGA)

Democratic National Committee (DNC)

Democratic Senatorial Campaign Committee (DSCC)

National Conference of Democratic Mayors (NCDM)

Democratic Legislative Campaign Committee (DLCC)

Democratic Attorneys General Association (DAGA)

Democratic Association of Secretaries of State (DASS)

National Democratic County Officials (NDCO)

Democratic Municipal Officials (DMO)

National Democratic Redistricting Committee (NDRC)

My Local Democratic Organization:

Democratic Party of Oregon (DPO)

And so, that is how I make political donations to the Democratic Party of the United States of America, because I am grateful to be a part of the Democratic Party in a country that is democratic!

–Paul Whiting (written March 31st, 2022, revised April 17th, 2022, revised May 13th, 2022, revised June 12th, 2022, revised June 15th, 2022, revised July 11th, 2022, revised July 27th, 2022, revised December 30th, 2022 and revised April 30th, 2024)

[I feel like I need to clarify why there are so many 'revised dates' on this 'update,' just like there are often times so many 'revised dates' on other 'updates' similar to this one! You see, I really try to keep my writing consistent as possible across all of my blogs. Therefore, as I am writing, I try to use the same phraseology wherever possible with regard to similar types of my writing so that, when I am editing my writing, I can change all of the similar writing at the same time and in the same way! Thus, a lot of the revisions indicated above, after my name (–Paul Whiting), and shown right after the original 'written date,' are often times due to these aforementioned consistent-writing revisions.]
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March 31st, 2022 Update—Continued: I started donating in March of 2022 to Democratic political organizations on a regular basis. And I am donating to the main Democratic fundraising and coordinating political organizations, so that I am helping to elect Democrats through their national organizations—as well as through a local Democratic organization here in Oregon.

And I try to donate to similar Democratic political organizations, when I donate to one, or more, of them. So for example, I consider the following Democratic political organizations to be similar: the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee (DCCC), which works to elect members of the U.S. House of Representatives; the Democratic Senatorial Campaign Committee (DSCC), which works to elect members of the U.S. Senate; and the Democratic National Committee (DNC), which works to elect the U.S. President. Thus, when I donate to one of the above-mentioned organizations, I typically donate to all of them!

In addition to that, I consider the following Democratic political organizations to be similar: the Democratic Governors Association (DGA), which works to elect governors; the Democratic Association of Secretaries of State (DASS), which works to elect secretaries of state; the Democratic Attorneys General Association (DAGA), which works to elect attorneys general; the Democratic Legislative Campaign Committee (DLCC), which works to elect members of state legislatures; and the National Democratic Redistricting Committee (NDRC), which works to create fair voting districts. Thus, when I donate to one of the above-mentioned organizations, I typically donate to all of them!

However, when it comes to the Democrats' End of the Quarter Fundraising Goals, I donate to any of the Democratic political organizations that are asking for donations in order to meet their quarterly fundraising goals!

You see, political organizations report how much they raise and spend to the Federal Election Commission (FEC). The FEC website states: "All registered candidate committees must disclose the money they raise and spend. These 'receipts' and 'disbursements' are reported quarterly."

Thus, every three months of any year, beginning in January of that year, is a quarter of the year, since it is twenty five percent of the year (just like twenty five cents is one quarter of a dollar). Thus, the end of March is the first quarter; the end of June is the second quarter; the end of September is the third quarter; and the end of December is the fourth quarter.

And so, donating to Democratic political organizations during the End of a Quarter Fundraising Goal, whenever they are asking for donations, is how I make sure that these Democratic organizations that I am donating to are meeting their quarterly fundraising goals! –Paul Whiting (written March 31st, 2022, revised April 15th, 2022, revised June 12th, 2022, revised June 15th, 2022, revised July 11th, 2022, revised July 27th, 2022, revised December 30th, 2022 and revised April 30th, 2024)

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YEAR 2022 UPDATES FOR APRIL:

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April 3rd, 2022 Update: I keep changing the way that I donate to Democratic political organizations based upon three basic factors: Factor Number One, I am trying to stay within some kind of 'monthly donating budget' of how much I can give within each month (the reader should know that I am HIV-positive and that I have full-blown AIDS; plus, I am on Social Security Disability Insurance, or SSDI, so my income is quite limited); Factor Number Two, I am trying to donate as often as I can manage for each Democratic organization from which I am receiving emails and/or text messages (since I decided to start getting emails and/or text messages from the Democrats in order to keep up with all of the updates for the 2022 Midterm Elections); and Factor Number Three, I am donating on a monthly basis to the USO (United Service Organizations), which starts this month, April 2022, and so I am also including those donations in my 'monthly donating budget.' Therefore, I am hopefully helping the Democrats to win this November in order to prevent Republicans from controlling both Congress and the White House, because I fear that the Republicans will try to turn America into an oligarchy! –Paul Whiting (written April 3rd, 2022, revised May 21st, 2022, revised June 17th, 2022 and revised November 5th, 2022)

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April 8th, 2022 Update: I donated today, April 8th, 2022, to "Stand Up for Ukraine" on YouTube. Here is the description from that video (with a hyperlink to the video below):

Social Media Rally to Raise Funds for Refugee Relief

Join artists, activists, and global citizens as we come together on April 8 to rally around world leaders making funding commitments for world leaders. Learn more at ForUkraine.com.

Global Citizen is a social action platform for a global generation that aims to solve the world’s biggest challenges. On our platform, you can learn about issues, take action on what matters most, and join a community committed to social change. We believe we can end extreme poverty because of the collective actions of Global Citizens across the world.

About this fundraiser: Global Citizen, organizer

At least 10 million people have been pushed into poverty since Russia invaded Ukraine on February 24. Four million people have fled Ukraine. A Ukrainian child has become a refugee nearly every second since the war began. Your donation will provide shelter, food, clean water, healthcare, education, and more to people displaced by the crisis in Ukraine. Together, we can Stand Up for Ukraine.

https://youtu.be/mrHv_Sy_nfU

Thus, this donation is a way for me to I show my support for the people of Ukraine. –Paul Whiting (written April 8th, 2022, revised May 13th, 2022, revised October 23rd, 2022, revised December 28th, 2022, revised April 19th, 2023, revised July 16th, 2023 and revised October 21st, 2023)

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April 11th, 2022 Update: [CONTENT WARNING: THIS UPDATE CONTAINS THEMES WHICH MAY BE DISTURBING TO SOME READERS. VIEWER DISCRETION IS ADVISED!]

In honor of April 11th, 2022, here is the '411,' or 'the information,' or my philosophy about the upcoming 2022 Midterm Elections in America, which I think relates to the way that politics, elections and laws are occurring with regard to Christian governments—not only here in America, but also in the rest of the Christian world:

As a 'Poet, Artist and Philosopher,' I truly believe that all of the things that are occurring in America as far as Christian politics, elections and laws go—and in the rest of the Christian world, as well—are based upon our collective beliefs in the Old Testament and the New Testament from the Holy Bible: therefore, our politics, elections and laws are direct reflections of our Christian religious beliefs, such as with regard to 'The War In Heaven!'

Please let me explain this concept further by taking you on a journey back in time to the days before I started walking wherever I go—here in Portland, Oregon—in order to transport myself, and to exercise at the same time, now that I am getting older. You see, when I was still taking public transportation in order to get around, I would often look at the various types of architecture and landscaping, including business properties and buildings, as well as single family homes, as I was riding on public transportation. And I did this because I am fascinated by the artistry and aesthetics of architecture and landscaping, since I studied architecture in college (at the University of Utah in Salt Lake City) through the various art history classes that I attended.

Thus, as I was riding past various properties with buildings and landscaping, I would often notice how many areas often look trashy, or dishevelled, as if they were some kind of conflict zone! (I mean no disrespect to what is happening with regard to war in certain parts of the world.) And I thought how odd it was that there would be so many places in America that looked to be in such bad condition! (I also mean no disrespect to what is happening with regard to homelessness in certain parts of America.) And I remembered wondering why there were so many areas that looked like some kind of trash heap, or some kind of war zone—as mentioned above—in the richest country in the world! (And, again, I mean no disrespect to those in the world who are being subjugated to the beliefs of 'war mongers,' or those who are being subjugated to the beliefs of 'poor mongers,' or those who are being subjugated to the beliefs of 'homelessness mongers,' or those who are being subjugated to the beliefs of 'unaffordable housing mongers,' or those who are being subjugated to the beliefs of 'displacement mongers' wherever they live—or, at least, wherever they used to live...)

In addition to that, as I was taking public transportation and riding past single family homes in the suburbs, I noticed that all of these individual houses had their own front and backyard, as well as side yards. And each home was a kind of 'castle' situated right next to another home—all with their respective front, back and side yards looking just like a moat around a castle. It's as if the suburbs are all made of castles with yards as moats. (As the saying goes, 'A man's home is his castle!')

Thus, as a philosopher, I contemplated the meaning of the dishevelled look of some properties, and the castle-like look of the suburbs, and I came to the conclusion that all of the architectural and landscaping design in the United States of America, and all of these areas of 'dysfunctionality,' so to speak, in America are direct manifestations of our religious beliefs about 'The War In Heaven' from the New Testament of the Holy Bible!

Now, at this point in the discussion, let me also explain that I was born and raised in Salt Lake City, Utah in The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints ('The Mormon Church'). And so, my upbringing in The Mormon Church is what I know about Jesus The Christ, and Christianity, as well as the Old Testament and the New Testament. And let me also explain that I am gay (although, I am technically bisexual, because I almost married my high school sweetheart), so that basically means that I am officially 'A Recovering Mormon.' That being said, my basic understanding of 'The War In Heaven' from New Testament is as follows (and I am paraphrasing a lot):

There was a 'War In Heaven' because Satan, as The Devil, was going to force all of the souls to return to The Presence Of God, after God had cast out Adam and Eve—as the first humans—from the Garden Of Eden! For, Eve had fallen for the temptations of The Devil and she ate The Fruit Of The Knowledge Of Good And Evil from The Tree Of Knowledge. And God had forbade Adam and Eve from eating 'The Fruit Of Knowledge,' but Satan appeared as a Snake, or a Serpent, in The Tree Of Knowledge in order to tempt Eve into eating 'The Fruit Of Knowledge,' which God had forbade. Then, Eve coyly invited Adam to also eat the fruit after she did—which Adam did—thereby making Adam subjugated to being cast out too, which is what lead to 'The Fall Of Man!' And, therefore, Adam and Eve realized that they were naked and they were ashamed.

You see, Eve couldn't resist the temptations of The Devil, so she lured Adam into joining her by coyly inviting Adam to eat The Fruit Of The Knowledge Of Good And Evil! And Eve deceived Adam in the same way that Satan deceived her. Thus, Eve tricked Adam into being cast out from Paradise just like she was! Therefore, Eve's Egregious Deception adversely affected all of Eve's direct descendants—who are literally all of the human females—and also adversely affected all of Adam's direct descendants—who are literally all of the human males—since Eve could not resist the temptations of The Devil and she dragged poor Adam down with her!

[By the way, on my 'Paul Whiting — A Creative Writer' blog in a blog post titled, 'For Mother's Day, Part 4 — A Day Of Reflection,' which is also titled, 'My Commentary On The Right To Choose,' I explain more about this situation regarding Adam and Eve and 'The Fall Of Man,' as it relates to females not being considered to be trustworthy of being allowed to decide if they wish to become a mother—as if females cannot be trusted to make that decision with their doctor—and, most disturbingly, sometimes females are not even allowed to decide to have a safe and legal abortion even in cases of rape, incest or human trafficking! (Please see the hyperlink below for the post.)]

https://paulwhitingwriting.blogspot.com/2022/05/for-mothers-day-part-4-day-of-reflection.html

After that, there was some kind of argument in Heaven about how to return to The Presence Of God now that Adam and Eve had been cast out, since Eve had fallen for the temptations of The Devil. And Satan said, 'I will make them obey You, Oh Lord! And they will be forced to return to Your Presence, because I will require it of them.' However, Jesus said, 'I will give them free will to obey You, Oh Lord! And they will choose to return to Your Presence, because I will allow them to decide to return.' And God preferred Jesus's Free-Will Plan Of Salvation, rather than Satan's Forced Plan Of Salvation, for all of the souls who were going to be born on Earth.

Then, The Devil kept arguing with God to attempt to convince Him to choose Satan's Forced Plan Of Salvation, rather than Jesus's Free-Will Plan Of Salvation, because Satan couldn't take 'No' for an answer! For, God would not accept souls returning to The Presence Of God without having the choice of free will. And Satan along with all of the 'Fallen Angels Of Heaven'—who agreed with The Devil and who became Satan's Legions Of Doom—were cast out from The Presence Of God and they were sent to Hell forever.

So, if you wish to return to The Presence Of God, you need to accept Jesus The Christ and His Free-Will Plan Of Salvation, and you need to reject Satan The Devil and His Forced Plan Of Salvation. Not only that, you need to prove your loyalty to God and you need to kill Satan, and/or His Legions Of Doom, whenever—and wherever—they appear, if Satan, and/or His Legions, have appeared in order to tempt you into not accepting Jesus's Free-Will Plan Of Salvation—just like The Devil appeared in order to tempt Eve into disobeying God. Thus, you need to kill Satan, and/or His Legions, and send them back to Hell, because they are tempting you into disobeying God!

However, here is where it gets really quite complicated: even though you are told by God to kill Satan, and/or His Legions, as often as is necessary—whenever, and wherever, The Devil and/or His Legions may appear—in order to prove your loyalty to God, you are also told by God 'Thou Shalt Not Kill' in the Ten Commandments of the Old Testament! Therefore, even though you are not supposed to be killing—or you will be disobeying one of God's Ten Holy Commandments—you are supposed to kill Satan and/or The Devil's Legions if you are being tempted away from Christ's Free-Will Plan Of Salvation by Satan and/or His Legions Of Doom, who are like An Evil Military Leader and His Evil Soldiers.

Finally, here comes Your Eternal Reward for having obeyed God correctly, of your own free will, and you have returned to The Presence Of God: but, instead of returning to the Paradise from whence Adam and Eve were cast out, when you return to The Presence of God, The Lord provides you with 'A Mansion In The Sky,' or 'A Palace In Heaven,' or 'A Castle In The Air'—that is complete with servants to do everything for you—since God loves you for having obeyed Him the right way!

Thus, if you are a 'True Believer' in the New Testament, and you have correctly accepted Christ's Free-Will Plan Of Salvation, and you have rejected Satan's Forced Plan Of Salvation, that means you are owed the finest housing in the afterlife, due to Your True Faith. And because you are owed the finest housing in the afterlife, that also means that you are owed the finest housing in this life. Therefore, you are owed the nicest house, with the most expensive, and exclusive, worldly possessions that are available to you—because of Your True Faith—including servants to do everything for you!

Plus, anyone whom you see as being Satan and/or His Legions Of Doom (all of whom are constantly tempting you away from Jesus The Christ) totally deserve to be killed and sent back to Hell! Therefore, assuming that you deserve to have the finest housing in all of the land (which includes the ability for you to be able to vote in America, since you have a residential address) that housing is providing you with 'a license to kill' in order make sure that everyone else only deserves to be made homeless, so that they can't vote, but also so that they can die from lack of housing. Therefore, they can go back to Hell where they belong—since they must be The Devil and/or His Legions—because you don't like them! And you can also make sure that they can't vote through suppressing their vote by utilizing any number of available techniques.

The other option is that you can simply kill outright any of those who are unworthy—because they are obviously Satan, and/or His Legions, since you don't like them—by utilizing any number of available weapons. And all of this outright killing, and/or this passive-aggressive displacing, and/or this intentional creation of homelessness in order to produce passive-aggressive displacing and/or killing, is not only totally 'okay' with God, He wants you to kill every instance of The Devil and/or His Legions whenever, and wherever, they may appear, since you are proving your loyalty to God, so that you may return to The Presence Of God!

Therefore, I think the reason that politics, elections and laws are occurring the way that they are with regard to Christian governments—not only here in America, but also worldwide—are based upon our collective beliefs in the Old Testament and the New Testament from the Holy Bible and, specifically, our beliefs about 'The War In Heaven.' Thus we, as Christians, are supposed to be fighting against—and killing—Satan and/or His Legions whenever, and wherever, they may appear, and in whatever form they may appear.

And so, based upon Our True Faith, we are also supposed to determine who The Devil and/or His Legions Of Doom are by assuming that anyone we don't like—which reads like a list of our worst enemies—must be The Devil and/or His Legions. Thus, we should make sure Satan and/or His Legions cannot vote, and we should make sure that they cannot live, so that we can return to The Presence Of God, because 'We Have Won The War In Heaven!'

–Paul Whiting (written April 11th, 2022, revised April 12th, 2022, revised April 13th, 2022, revised May 7th, 2022, revised May 8th, 2022, revised May 9th, 2022, revised May 10th, 2022, revised May 11th, 2022, revised May 12th, 2022, revised May 13th, 2022, revised May 14th, 2022, revised May 21st, 2022, revised August 28th, 2022, revised October 7th, 2022, revised March 18th, 2023, revised March 22nd, 2023, revised September 19th, 2023, revised September 21st, 2023 and revised October 13th, 2023)

[I feel like I need to clarify why there are so many 'revised dates' on this 'update,' just like there are often times so many 'revised dates' on other 'updates' similar to this one! You see, I really try to keep my writing consistent as possible across all of my blogs. Therefore, as I am writing, I try to use the same phraseology wherever possible with regard to similar types of my writing so that, when I am editing my writing, I can change all of the similar writing at the same time and in the same way! Thus, a lot of the revisions indicated above, after my name (–Paul Whiting), and shown right after the original 'written date,' are often times due to these aforementioned consistent-writing revisions.]

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April 12th, 2022 Update: I am donating to Democratic political organizations—while still trying to stay within a 'monthly donating budget'—so I am basically making one donation per organization per day from which I am receiving emails and/or text messages each day. (The reader should know that I am HIV-positive with full-blown AIDS. And I am on Social Security Disability Insurance, or SSDI, so my income is quite limited.)

However, I originally wrote this update to say the following: "I am now donating to the Democrats every time that they ask for a donation via email/text message, because I am doing everything in my power to help Democrats win in the 2022 Midterm Elections!"

And I actually attempted to do that very thing today, April 12th, 2022, by donating every time I received an email, or a text message! But, I ran the calculations and if I donated that much each day, I would end up donating more than my entire food budget for the month. And so, I am reverting to my donation budget of one donation per Democratic political organization per day from which I am receiving emails and/or text massages. –Paul Whiting (written April 12th, 2022, revised June 15th, 2022, revised June 17th, 2022, revised November 26th, 2022 and revised April 17th, 2023)

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April 13th, 2022 Update: I made a donation today, April 13th, 2022, to the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) via PayPal.com after I received the email below:

Subject: If you’re feeling helpless, watch how you have helped in Ukraine

Dear Paul,

Many find it hard to see the shocking images of suffering from Ukraine. But you took action and we wanted to say thank you. Your donation has already helped. In the last month the generosity of our donors like you has allowed us to scale up our ongoing operations and deliver 700 tons of emergency aid to those who have needed it the most. Watch your donation in action here:

https://vimeo.com/698619102?ref=em-share

We have also sent some 140 additional staff to the region - surgeons, psychologist, weapon contamination specialists, engineers, logisticians, and others who can make an immediate difference to people in need.

But the humanitarian situation and needs are vast and complex. We must continue our work with neutrality and impartiality. These are two of our Fundamental Principles. Remaining neutral can enable us to deliver relief across frontlines, visit detainees and be a trusted intermediary – essentially, it’s our key to reaching the people who need our help.

Our sole objective is to alleviate the suffering of the people affected by the armed conflict.

Thank you for making this possible.

Lauren Ellis
Head of Private Sector Engagement
International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC)

P.S. Words don’t fully capture our gratitude for your help to people whose lives are threatened by conflict. Thank you!

SUPPORT US AGAIN:***

I received an email from the Democratic Legislative Campaign Committee (DLCC) on June 10th, 2022, with regard to a donation that I made to the DLCC on June 8th, 2022 (but not for the amount that I intended), which stated the following [with redactions for certain information utilized throughout this update]:

Paul,

I’m [redacted], here at the Democratic Legislative Campaign Committee (DLCC). I wanted to reach out and introduce myself and thank you for your generous contribution to the DLCC.

As you know, the DLCC is the official Democratic Party committee for state legislative work. The DLCC is dedicated to electing Democratic state legislators, winning the Democratic majorities needed to champion progressive values in states, and building a Democratic bench of future leaders. The work at the state legislative level is incredibly important, and we are so grateful for your support.

I've attached a document with a bit of additional information about the DLCC and our plans for the election cycle. Please feel free to reach out if you ever have any questions. You can reach me on my cell – [redacted], or via email at [redacted].

Thank you again for your support, I look forward to working with you!

All my best,

[redacted]

And I responded to this email on June 11th, 2022, as follows:

Dear [redacted],

Thank you for your 'Thank you,' but my "generous contribution to the DLCC" wasn't intentional...

...You see, I was making a donation to the DLCC based on a June 8th, 2022, email that I received from the DLCC, at 6:30 PM, which was titled, "Can you pledge to vote on November 8th, 2022?"

So, I completed the pledge on June 8th, 2022, and made a donation. And I entered the amount $1.15 for the donation (which is the same amount that I currently donate to the various Democratic organizations that I support) and I added an $0.11 tip for ActBlue. Then, I pressed the donate button and—when I received a text message from my bank indicating that a transaction had been processed where my card wasn't present—the total donation was $1,000.11!

Now, I DID NOT type in $1,000.00 as a donation amount—nor did I press one of those 'preselected amount' buttons for $1,000.00—I think that my donation amount was altered!

Thus, I wrote to ActBlue requesting a refund...

And, I did request a refund from ActBlue on June 8th, 2022, and they processed that refund immediately; however, I also explained the other issues that I was having with my ActBlue account, which is why I think that it was compromised, as follows:

...As of today, June 11th, 2022, the total donation is refunded to my card. (Thank God!) However, I am still greatly concerned about how my $1.15 donation (with an $0.11 tip) miraculously became a $1,000.11 donation.

And this is not the first time I have had issues with donation amounts being altered (from what I entered) when I donated on ActBlue: On some occasions I have donated to Democratic organizations on the ActBlue website—and the amount of the donation was less than what I entered by one penny!

So, for example, on more than one occasion, I donated $1.14 to a Democratic organization but, when the payment processed, the donation was actually $1.13. Then, another time, I donated $1.15 and the donation payment processed as $1.14.

And when I got to thinking about this 'donation alteration,' so to speak, I realized that this may have been some kind of put down (because these donations weren't very much, but they were all that I could afford given how much money I have, because I am disabled due to HIV and I am receiving SSDI), since they were always a penny less than the amount I entered: as if I was being told that I am "penny less!"

Besides that, I also noticed that in "My Recent Activity" on ActBlue, which includes the locations where I have logged in, I was shown having been logged into various cities where I don't live...

And, after I received a refund from ActBlue on June 11th, 2022, which they did process immediately after I requested it, I also discussed how I was planning to continue donating to Democrats, now that I had deleted my ActBlue account, due to it being compromised, as follows:

...I received another reply from the Democratic Legislative Campaign Committee (DLCC) on June 14th, 2022, which stated the following [with redactions for certain information utilized throughout this update]:

I completely understand your concerns with ActBlue! We do have a direct donation link if that is easier for you to use. You can access that at this link - [redacted].

I appreciate all that you do.

All the best,

[redacted]

And I responded to this email on June 15th, 2022, as follows:

Dear [redacted],

Thank you so very much for that link to the Democratic Legislative Campaign Committee FastAction contribution page, because I have an account with them!

So, I am now in the process of figuring out how to donate to Democrats on a regular basis without having to use ActBlue—necessarily—and, thus, FastAction is definitely an option.

Although, I may still have to process payments through ActBlue (they seem to be the main donation processing website for most Democratic political organizations and many progressive organizations); however, since I deleted my ActBlue account I have noticed that there are more options for making contributions via ActBlue, but through utilizing different payment processors, such as Google Pay, PayPal and Venmo.

Thus, that may solve the problem of my contributions being tampered with, because I think that my ActBlue account was compromised, since my "Recent activity" showed that I had logged into my ActBlue account from many different cities—besides the city of Portland, Oregon where I actually live—such as: Klamath Falls, Oregon; Richland, Washington; Gaston, Oregon; Vancouver, Washington; Newberg, Oregon; Springfield, Oregon; and Lake Oswego, Oregon, just to name a few!

Anyway, that is why I contacted ActBlue to see if I needed to delete my account, "as I [was] worried about who is 'watching' my account, since it could be the Republicans, because I think they know who I am due to the fact that I am a blogger and an activist." And that is why I was concerned that "although [the] representative's explanation that 'IP addresses are assigned to your device by the network that you are connecting to' [made] sense, it [did] not account for the different cities that I was supposedly located within when I logged in."

Anyway, I am going to explore more options for donating to Democrats, including through FastAction, and/or still donating via ActBlue (but through a different payment processor), and/or calling the various Democratic political organizations that I support, such as the Democratic Legislative Campaign Committee, and contributing to them through phone donations.

Thank you again for your help with my DLCC donations...

Thus, I am now working on still being able to donate to Democrats by using more options, including still donating via ActBlue, but through a different payment processor, and/or calling the various Democratic political organizations that I support and contributing to them through phone donations.

–Paul Whiting (written June 17th, 2022, revised June 20th, 2022, revised June 21st, 2022, revised July 11th, 2022, revised August 18th, 2022, revised November 5th, 2022, revised November 15th, 2022, revised December 28th, 2022, revised December 30th, 2022, revised April 16th, 2023, revised April 22nd, 2023, revised April 28th, 2023, revised May 30th, 2023, revised May 31st, 2023 and revised April 30th, 2024)

[I feel like I need to clarify why there are so many 'revised dates' on this 'update,' just like there are often times so many 'revised dates' on other 'updates' similar to this one! You see, I really try to keep my writing consistent as possible across all of my blogs. Therefore, as I am writing, I try to use the same phraseology wherever possible with regard to similar types of my writing so that, when I am editing my writing, I can change all of the similar writing at the same time and in the same way! Thus, a lot of the revisions indicated above, after my name (–Paul Whiting), and shown right after the original 'written date,' are often times due to these aforementioned consistent-writing revisions.]

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April 18th, 2022 Update: I donated to Ban Assault Weapons NOW (also known as 'BAWN'), because I received a text message today, April 18th, 2022, from BAWN, which stated the following:

News just broke that Republicans are now pushing for PERMITLESS Open Carry gun laws.

It has NEVER been more critical to close our budget gap and replace every -- and we mean EVERY -- single NRA-funded politician with a Democrat DEDICATED to ending gun violence once and for all.

We need 700 gifts in the next 10 hours to OUTRAISE the NRA, DEFEAT their life-threatening permitless carry bills, and hand them a HUMILIATING defeat.

Will you chip in $15? >>***

Ohio passed a permitless open carry bill.

Georgia introduced a permitless open carry bill.

Alabama introduced a permitless open carry bill.

Now, Florida Governor Desantis vowed to sign a permitless open carry bill.

Let us be clear:

These bills would allow anyone to OPENLY carry LOADED guns in public.

With NO safety training.

NO background checks.

And NO permit.

We KNOW these schemes will cause more bloodshed and heartache in our communities. Not under our watch.

We REFUSE to stand by while the NRA sends fat campaign checks to reward Republican politicians who do their bidding and put innocent lives in danger from gun violence.

Will you chip in $15 to OUTRAISE Republicans and show the NRA that their days in power are NUMBERED?

We need 700 gifts before our critical Midnight Deadline in 10 hours.

Nothing helps more than a small contribution on your part. >>***

Thank you,

Team Ban Assault Weapons NOW!

"The View" Spotlights Organizations for Holocaust Remembrance Day | The View

On YomHaShoah, Holocaust Remembrance Day, we're spotlighting organizations doing important work to support Holocaust survivors and preserve their stories, so they will never be forgotten.

https://youtu.be/oUInFVpwz6Q

Therefore, I made these donations to the organizations mentioned in the video, including 'Survivor Mitzvah Project,' 'The Blue Card' and 'USC Shoah Foundation,' in order to show my support for Holocaust Remembrance Day (Yom HaShoah) 2022 in Israel, which began in the evening of Wednesday, April 27th, 2022 and ended in the evening of Thursday, April 28th, 2022.

"Remembrance Day Calendar" from the United States Holocaust Memorial Museum:

"The internationally recognized date for Holocaust Remembrance Day corresponds to the 27th day of Nisan on the Hebrew calendar. It marks the anniversary of the Warsaw Ghetto Uprising.

In Hebrew, Holocaust Remembrance Day is called Yom Hashoah. When the actual date of Yom Hashoah falls on a Friday, the state of Israel observes Yom Hashoah on the preceding Thursday. When it falls on a Sunday, Yom Hashoah is observed on the following Monday. In the United States, Days of Remembrance runs from the Sunday before Yom Hashoah through the following Sunday."

https://www.ushmm.org/remember/days-of-remembrance/resources/calendar

By the way, the "Holocaust Remembrance Day (Yom HaShoah)" is not to be confused with "International Holocaust Remembrance Day," which is observed yearly (annually) on January 27th.

"International Holocaust Remembrance Day" from Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia—which is funded primarily through donations from millions of individuals around the world, including this blogger (I make a totally affordable one-time donation if they are requesting donations when I am on their website):

"International Holocaust Remembrance Day, or the International Day in Memory of the Victims of the Holocaust, is an international memorial day on 27 January that commemorates the victims of the Holocaust, which resulted in the murder of one third of the Jewish people, along with countless members of other minorities between 1933 and 1945 by Nazi Germany, an attempt to implement their 'final solution' to the Jewish question."

https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/International_Holocaust_Remembrance_Day

"Yom HaShoah" from Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia—which is funded primarily through donations from millions of individuals around the world, including this blogger (I make a totally affordable one-time donation if they are requesting donations when I am on their website):

"Yom HaZikaron laShoah ve-laG'vurah (Hebrew: יום הזיכרון לשואה ולגבורה, lit. 'Holocaust and Heroism Remembrance Day'), known colloquially in Israel and abroad as Yom HaShoah (יום השואה) and in English as Holocaust Remembrance Day, or Holocaust Day, is observed as Israel's day of commemoration for the approximately six million Jews murdered in the Holocaust by Nazi Germany and its collaborators, and for the Jewish resistance in that period. In Israel, it is a national memorial day. The first official commemorations took place in 1951, and the observance of the day was anchored in a law passed by the Knesset in 1959. It is held on the 27th of Nisan (which falls in April or May), unless the 27th would be adjacent to the Jewish Sabbath, in which case the date is shifted by a day."

https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Yom_HaShoah

Thus, these donations are a way for me to show my support for the survivors of the Holocaust, including through humanitarian aid, as well as through preserving their stories.

–Paul Whiting (written April 28th, 2022, revised May 13th, 2022, revised October 23rd, 2022, revised December 27th, 2022, revised January 27th, 2023, revised January 28th, 2023, revised April 2nd, 2023, revised April 18th, 2023, revised April 19th, 2023, revised April 20th, 2023, revised July 16th, 2023, revised October 21st, 2023, revised December 6th, 2023 and revised August 31st, 2025)

[I feel like I need to clarify why there are so many 'revised dates' on this 'update,' just like there are often times so many 'revised dates' on other 'updates' similar to this one! You see, I really try to keep my writing consistent as possible across all of my blogs. Therefore, as I am writing, I try to use the same phraseology wherever possible with regard to similar types of my writing so that, when I am editing my writing, I can change all of the similar writing at the same time and in the same way! Thus, a lot of the revisions indicated above, after my name (–Paul Whiting), and shown right after the original 'written date,' are often times due to these aforementioned consistent-writing revisions.]

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YEAR 2022 UPDATES FOR MAY:

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For my "May 4th, 2022 Update"—since this 'update' is a part of my ⋆USO⋆ donations—please see my blog post titled, "My Point Of View On...Giving Charity And Accepting Charity," which can be found on both of my "Paul Whiting — Math Magician" and "Paul Whiting — A Creative Writer" blogs. An introduction to the 'update' can be found below:

May 4th, 2022 Update: May is Military Appreciation Month! So, I signed a Military Appreciation Month card "thanking our service members for everything they do to protect our country" from the USO (United Service Organizations) today, May 4th, 2022, that I received today via an email with the subject line, "[SIGN THE CARD] Military Appreciation Month", which stated the following:

Happy Military Appreciation Month, Paul!

At moments like this, it’s more important than ever to take that extra step to make sure members of our Armed Forces know how grateful we are for their incredible courage and sacrifice — especially as thousands remain in Eastern Europe, ready to do whatever it takes to support our NATO allies.

That’s why we need at least 50,000 proud military supporters — including you, Paul — to sign the card thanking our heroes by midnight tonight: Will you add your name now to make sure our service members know you appreciate their service and sacrifice?***

America’s service members make immense sacrifices every day, from the safety and security of home to special moments with their loved ones, like birthdays, first steps and holidays. It’s challenging, but they do it because they believe freedom and democracy are worth defending.

I was honored to serve our country as a member of the Air Force, and now I’m honored to work with the USO to support today’s service members and their families. You are a crucial part of this mission too, Paul.

It means so much to a service member far from home to know that patriotic Americans like you understand the sacrifices they make. So please, take a moment and sign the Military Appreciation Month card for our service members before midnight tonight.***

Thank you so much for standing with our heroes in uniform!

[Name redacted], USO

***[I used to include hyperlinks contained within the email messages, or the text messages, to which I am referring in these "Activism Updates"; however, I could not figure out how to include the aforementioned hyperlinks, regarding some relevant action that I had taken—such as signing a petition, sending a letter or message to my representative(s) in Congress, signing a USO 'Thank You' card, and/or making a donation—without including my personal information.]

Plus, after I signed the card, I made a one-time donation on the USO.org website to say to America's service members, "Thank you for fighting to keep us safe and free. We are so grateful for your service, and we’ll always have your back." ...

Please see the hyperlinks below for the post, within which you can do a find-in-page search for the 'update' labeled, "May 4th, 2022 Update":

https://paulwhitingmath.blogspot.com/2015/05/my-point-of-view-on-charity.html

https://paulwhitingwriting.blogspot.com/2022/07/my-point-of-view-on-part-16-giving-to.html

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For my "May 8th, 2022 Update, Written On May 7th, 2022"—since this 'update' is a part of my ⋆USO⋆ donations—please see my blog post titled, "My Point Of View On...Giving Charity And Accepting Charity," which can be found on both of my "Paul Whiting — Math Magician" and "Paul Whiting — A Creative Writer" blogs. An introduction to the 'update' can be found below:

May 8th, 2022 Update, Written On May 7th, 2022: Happy Mother's Day, everyone! I signed a Mother’s Day card to military moms around the world from the USO (United Service Organizations) today, May 7th, 2022, that I received today via an email with the subject line "Quick favor before Mother's Day", which stated the following:

Tomorrow is Mother’s Day, Paul, and I need your help to make it special for military moms around the world.

When I say “military mom,” I’m talking about mothers serving in our Armed Forces right now, many of whom will spend the day far away from their kids as they work to defend our freedom. But I am also talking about all the moms back home whose kids are service members. Holidays like tomorrow are tough on every member of a military family.

That’s why it is so important to show our support for troops and their families when we can. As an officer in the U.S. Army who has spent countless holidays overseas, I will tell you that it really does make a difference to know that folks back home are thinking of us as we risk our lives to keep them safe.

So please, before midnight tonight, will you be one of the 50,000 signatures we need to meet our goal to honor military moms?***

Thank you for helping make sure military moms know how much they are appreciated on their special day — and for everything you do to support service members around the world as they defend our country.

Col. Kelly Steele, U.S. Army

***[I used to include hyperlinks contained within the email messages, or the text messages, to which I am referring in these "Activism Updates"; however, I could not figure out how to include the aforementioned hyperlinks, regarding some relevant action that I had taken—such as signing a petition, sending a letter or message to my representative(s) in Congress, signing a USO 'Thank You' card, and/or making a donation—without including my personal information.]

Plus, after I signed the card, I made a one-time donation on the USO.org website to say to military moms, "We so appreciate the sacrifices you and your family make every day in service of our country and the freedoms we all cherish." ...

Please see the hyperlinks below for the post, within which you can do a find-in-page search for the 'update' labeled, "May 8th, 2022 Update, Written On May 7th, 2022":

https://paulwhitingmath.blogspot.com/2015/05/my-point-of-view-on-charity.html

https://paulwhitingwriting.blogspot.com/2022/07/my-point-of-view-on-part-16-giving-to.html

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May 11th, 2022 Update: I sent letters to my Senators in Congress and I signed several petitions—plus, I made several donations—in support of the Women's Health Protection Act (WHPA), which is designed to codify 'Roe vs. Wade' into law.

And I received emails and text messages yesterday, May 10th, 2022, and today May 11th, 2022, from several different organizations with regard to this incredibly important issue, including from the Planned Parenthood Action Fund, from CREDO Mobile (which is my cell phone company), from Chuck Schumer for Senate and from the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee (DSCC). Plus, I originally copied and pasted all of the emails and text messages from the aforementioned communications in the chronological order in which I received them, however, I decided to condense this 'update'—when I edited my "YEAR 2022 UPDATES MAY"—and to simply mention the names of the organizations...

...And, after I sent letters to my Senators, or signed petitions, I also made donations to the sponsoring organizations—where it was applicable to make donations—in order to show my support for the Women's Health Protection Act (WHPA) and in order to show my support for a woman's right to choose to control her own body, her own health care and her own reproductive decisions! –Paul Whiting (written May 11th, 2022, revised June 17th, 2022, revised June 22nd, 2022, revised June 25th, 2022, revised June 26th, 2022, revised July 19th, 2022, revised September 4th, 2022, revised September 13th, 2022, revised November 18th, 2022, revised November 22nd, 2022, revised December 27th, 2022 and revised January 1st, 2023)

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May 11th, 2022 Update—Continued: [CONTENT WARNING: THIS UPDATE CONTAINS THEMES WHICH MAY BE DISTURBING TO SOME READERS. VIEWER DISCRETION IS ADVISED!]

Out of respect for May 11th, 2022, which is the day that no Republicans in the United States Senate voted, on May 11th, 2022, to pass the Women's Health Protection Act (WHPA), here is the '511' (so to speak), or 'the explanation' (so to speak), or my philosophy about why the Republicans all voted against the WHPA here in America, which I think relates to the way that politics, elections and laws specifically relating to the control of women are occurring with regard to Christian governments—not only here in America, but also in the rest of the Christian world.

And this update is a continuation of my 'April 11th, 2022 Update' that I wrote on my blog post titled, "I Am No Longer Being An Activist In The Same Way That I Was," which is on my "Poet, Artist and Philosopher" blog. And that update stated, in part, the following:

"In honor of April 11th, 2022, here is the '411,' or 'the information,' or my philosophy about the upcoming 2022 Midterm Elections in America, which I think relates to the way that politics, elections and laws are occurring with regard to Christian governments—not only here in America, but also in the rest of the Christian world."

Here, then, is a brief summarization of the basic premises from the aforementioned 'April 11th, 2022 Update' in the most succinct summarization possible, as told through various quotes from that previous update, in the order in which I wrote the quotes:

---------------------------------------------

"As a 'Poet, Artist and Philosopher,' I truly believe that all of the things that are occurring in America as far as Christian politics, elections and laws go—and in the rest of the Christian world, as well—are based upon our collective beliefs in the Old Testament and the New Testament from the Holy Bible: therefore, our politics, elections and laws are direct reflections of our Christian religious beliefs, such as with regard to 'The War In Heaven!'" ...

... "That being said, my basic understanding of 'The War In Heaven' from New Testament is as follows (and I am paraphrasing a lot): There was a 'War In Heaven' because Satan, as The Devil, was going to force all of the souls to return to The Presence Of God, after God had cast out Adam and Eve—as the first humans—from the Garden Of Eden! For, Eve had fallen for the temptations of The Devil and she ate The Fruit Of The Knowledge Of Good And Evil from The Tree Of Knowledge. And God had forbade Adam and Eve from eating 'The Fruit Of Knowledge,' but Satan appeared as a Snake, or a Serpent, in The Tree Of Knowledge in order to tempt Eve into eating 'The Fruit Of Knowledge,' which God had forbade. Then, Eve coyly invited Adam to also eat the fruit after she did—which Adam did—thereby making Adam subjugated to being cast out too, which is what lead to 'The Fall Of Man!'" ...

... "After that, there was some kind of argument in Heaven about how to return to The Presence Of God now that Adam and Eve had been cast out, since Eve had fallen for the temptations of The Devil. And Satan said, 'I will make them obey You, Oh Lord! And they will be forced to return to Your Presence, because I will require it of them.' However, Jesus said, 'I will give them free will to obey You, Oh Lord! And they will choose to return to Your Presence, because I will allow them to decide to return.' And God preferred Jesus's Free-Will Plan Of Salvation, rather than Satan's Forced Plan Of Salvation, for all of the souls who were going to be born on Earth." ...

... "So, if you wish to return to The Presence Of God, you need to accept Jesus The Christ and His Free-Will Plan Of Salvation, and you need to reject Satan The Devil and His Forced Plan Of Salvation. Not only that, you need to prove your loyalty to God and you need to kill Satan, and/or His Legions Of Doom, whenever—and wherever—they appear, if Satan, and/or His Legions, have appeared in order to tempt you into not accepting Jesus's Free-Will Plan Of Salvation—just like The Devil appeared in order to tempt Eve into disobeying God. Thus, you need to kill Satan, and/or His Legions, and send them back to Hell, because they are tempting you into disobeying God!" ...

... "However, here is where it gets really quite complicated: even though you are told by God to kill Satan, and/or His Legions, as often as is necessary—whenever, and wherever, The Devil and/or His Legions may appear—in order to prove your loyalty to God, you are also told by God 'Thou Shalt Not Kill' in the Ten Commandments of the Old Testament! Therefore, even though you are not supposed to be killing—or you will be disobeying one of God's Ten Holy Commandments—you are supposed to kill Satan and/or The Devil's Legions if you are being tempted away from Christ's Free-Will Plan Of Salvation by Satan and/or His Legions Of Doom, who are like An Evil Military Leader and His Evil Soldiers." ...

... "Therefore, I think the reason that politics, elections and laws are occurring the way that they are with regard to Christian governments—not only here in America, but also worldwide—are based upon our collective beliefs in the Old Testament and the New Testament from the Holy Bible and, specifically, our beliefs about 'The War In Heaven.' Thus we, as Christians, are supposed to be fighting against—and killing—Satan and/or His Legions whenever, and wherever, they may appear, and in whatever form they may appear." ...

... "And so, based upon Our True Faith, we are also supposed to determine who The Devil and/or His Legions Of Doom are by assuming that anyone we don't like—which reads like a list of our worst enemies—must be The Devil and/or His Legions. Thus, we should make sure Satan and/or His Legions cannot vote, and we should make sure that they cannot live, so that we can return to The Presence Of God, because 'We Have Won The War In Heaven!'"

---------------------------------------------

And now that I have briefly summarized the basic premises from that previous 'April 11th, 2022 Update,' as I mentioned at the beginning of this update—which I have summarized through various quotes from that previous update—I can explain more about this situation regarding Adam and Eve and 'The Fall Of Man,' as it relates to females not being considered to be trustworthy of being allowed to decide if they wish to become a mother—as if females cannot be trusted to make that decision with their doctor—and, most disturbingly, sometimes females are not even allowed to decide to have a safe and legal abortion even in cases of rape, incest or human trafficking.

You see, as a 'Poet, Artist and Philosopher,' I truly believe that all of the things that are occurring in America as far as Christian politics, elections and laws specifically relating to the control of women—and in the rest of the Christian world, as well—are based upon our collective beliefs in the Old Testament and the New Testament from the Holy Bible: therefore, our politics, elections and laws specifically relating to the control of women are direct reflections of our Christian religious beliefs with regard to 'The Fall Of Man!'

Therefore, because Eve fell for the temptations of Satan, The Devil, and she ate The Fruit Of The Knowledge Of Good And Evil from The Tree Of Knowledge, Eve is the one who is totally at fault for us humans having been cast out from God's Presence in Paradise—which was the Garden Of Eden! And, now, because of that totally preventable, really evil act on the part of Eve, all of us have to fight in an Eternal War against The Devil in order to prove our loyalty to God by killing Satan, and/or His Legions Of Doom, whenever—and wherever—they appear, if Satan, and/or His Legions, have appeared in order to tempt us—just like The Devil appeared in order to tempt Eve into disobeying God.

And so, since Eve was not trustworthy of obeying as simple of a Holy Commandment from God as 'Do Not Eat The Fruit Of Knowledge Of Good And Evil,' that means that all of Eve's direct descendants—who are literally all of the human females—need to be controlled in the most micromanaging way possible, personally by Adam's direct descendants—who are literally all of the human males—so that women never, ever do anything that evil again! And that is why women cannot be trusted to do something so simple as to make decisions about their own bodies, or their own health care, or their own reproductive choices. And, thus, all women need to be totally controlled by the direct descendants of Adam forevermore!

And that is why our Christian religious beliefs with regard to 'The Fall Of Man' are leading to the extremely divisive issue for The American People as to exactly who gets to determine whether, or not, women who are pregnant are allowed to decide if they wish to become a mother—as if, somehow, women cannot be trusted to make that decision with their doctor. And I believe that is why no Republicans in the United States Senate voted, on May 11th, 2022, to pass the Women's Health Protection Act (WHPA), since women, or even girls, should not be allowed to decide whether, or not, they can have a safe and legal abortion—which is life-affirming for the pregnant female—even in cases of rape, incest or human trafficking...

–Paul Whiting (written May 11th, 2022, revised May 12th, 2022, revised May 13th, 2022, revised May 14th, 2022, revised May 21st, 2022, revised June 21st, 2022, revised August 28th, 2022, revised March 18th, 2023, revised March 28th, 2023 and revised October 13th, 2023)

[I feel like I need to clarify why there are so many 'revised dates' on this 'update,' just like there are often times so many 'revised dates' on other 'updates' similar to this one! You see, I really try to keep my writing consistent as possible across all of my blogs. Therefore, as I am writing, I try to use the same phraseology wherever possible with regard to similar types of my writing so that, when I am editing my writing, I can change all of the similar writing at the same time and in the same way! Thus, a lot of the revisions indicated above, after my name (–Paul Whiting), and shown right after the original 'written date,' are often times due to these aforementioned consistent-writing revisions.]

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May 12th, 2022 Update: I made several donations today, May 12th, 2022, to charitable organizations that are supporting women's right to control their own reproductive choices, including the ACLU (American Civil Liberties Union) and my local chapter of Planned Parenthood (which is Planned Parenthood Columbia Willamette), since I already donated to the Planned Parenthood Action Fund yesterday, May 11th, 2022; I also made the usual donations that I make every day to various Democratic political organizations (virtually every time that they ask via email or text message) for the upcoming 2022 Midterm Elections; besides that, I made a donation to the USO (United Service Organizations) because they sent me a quiz titled, "Can you score 100% on our military history quiz?" as a part of Military Appreciation Month! Plus, I already make a recurring donation each month in order to show my support for our U.S. Military Personnel! You see, I usually make one-time donations to the USO each month—as often as I can manage when they request a donation via email or text message. Therefore, I am planning to continue making one-time donations to the USO in the future, as often as I can manage to make donations, in addition to making the aforementioned recurring monthly donation.

–Paul Whiting (written May 12th, 2022, revised May 13th, 2022, revised May 14th, 2022, revised May 21st, 2022, revised May 26th, 2022, revised June 18th, 2022, revised June 26th, 2022, revised August 16th, 2022, revised November 24th, 2022, revised April 11th, 2023, revised April 21st, 2023, revised April 27th, 2023 and revised July 29th, 2023)

[I feel like I need to clarify why there are so many 'revised dates' on this 'update,' just like there are often times so many 'revised dates' on other 'updates' similar to this one! You see, I really try to keep my writing consistent as possible across all of my blogs. Therefore, as I am writing, I try to use the same phraseology wherever possible with regard to similar types of my writing so that, when I am editing my writing, I can change all of the similar writing at the same time and in the same way! Thus, a lot of the revisions indicated above, after my name (–Paul Whiting), and shown right after the original 'written date,' are often times due to these aforementioned consistent-writing revisions.]

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May 13th, 2022 Update: [CONTENT WARNING: THIS UPDATE CONTAINS THEMES WHICH MAY BE DISTURBING TO SOME READERS. VIEWER DISCRETION IS ADVISED!]

Today is Friday, May 13th, 2022! And I have a fear of "Friday the 13th," but mostly due to my fear of everyone else's superstitious beliefs about "Friday the 13th." You see, I think that our superstitious secular beliefs, such as "Friday the 13th," are being created by our Christian religious beliefs, which are producing a society in which all of the males (and the females too) are Religious True Believing, conspiracy theory promoting, Superstitious Conservative Micromanagers!

And this update is a continuation of my 'May 11th, 2022 Update—Continued' that I wrote on my blog post titled, "I Am No Longer Being An Activist In The Same Way That I Was," which is on my "Poet, Artist and Philosopher" blog. And that update stated, in part, the following:

"Out of respect for May 11th, 2022, which is the day that no Republicans in the United States Senate voted, on May 11th, 2022, to pass the Women's Health Protection Act (WHPA), here is the '511' (so to speak), or 'the explanation' (so to speak), or my philosophy about why the Republicans all voted against the WHPA here in America, which I think relates to the way that politics, elections and laws specifically relating to the control of women are occurring with regard to Christian governments—not only here in America, but also in the rest of the Christian world."

Plus, the above-mentioned 'May 11th, 2022 Update—Continued' is also a continuation of my 'April 11th, 2022 Update' that I also wrote previously on my blog post titled, "I Am No Longer Being An Activist In The Same Way That I Was," which is on my "Poet, Artist and Philosopher" blog. And that update stated, in part, the following:

"In honor of April 11th, 2022, here is the '411,' or 'the information,' or my philosophy about the upcoming 2022 Midterm Elections in America, which I think relates to the way that politics, elections and laws are occurring with regard to Christian governments—not only here in America, but also in the rest of the Christian world."

Here, then, is a brief summarization of the basic premises from the aforementioned 'April 11th, 2022 Update' and 'May 11th, 2022 Update—Continued' in the most succinct summarization possible, as told through various quotes from those previous updates, in the order in which I wrote the quotes:

---------------------------------------------

"'As a 'Poet, Artist and Philosopher,' I truly believe that all of the things that are occurring in America as far as Christian politics, elections and laws go—and in the rest of the Christian world, as well—are based upon our collective beliefs in the Old Testament and the New Testament from the Holy Bible: therefore, our politics, elections and laws are direct reflections of our Christian religious beliefs, such as with regard to 'The War In Heaven!'" ...

... "That being said, my basic understanding of 'The War In Heaven' from New Testament is as follows (and I am paraphrasing a lot): There was a 'War In Heaven' because Satan, as The Devil, was going to force all of the souls to return to The Presence Of God, after God had cast out Adam and Eve—as the first humans—from the Garden Of Eden! For, Eve had fallen for the temptations of The Devil and she ate The Fruit Of The Knowledge Of Good And Evil from The Tree Of Knowledge. And God had forbade Adam and Eve from eating 'The Fruit Of Knowledge,' but Satan appeared as a Snake, or a Serpent, in The Tree Of Knowledge in order to tempt Eve into eating 'The Fruit Of Knowledge,' which God had forbade. Then, Eve coyly invited Adam to also eat the fruit after she did—which Adam did—thereby making Adam subjugated to being cast out too, which is what lead to 'The Fall Of Man!'" ...

... "After that, there was some kind of argument in Heaven about how to return to The Presence Of God now that Adam and Eve had been cast out, since Eve had fallen for the temptations of The Devil. And Satan said, 'I will make them obey You, Oh Lord! And they will be forced to return to Your Presence, because I will require it of them.' However, Jesus said, 'I will give them free will to obey You, Oh Lord! And they will choose to return to Your Presence, because I will allow them to decide to return.' And God preferred Jesus's Free-Will Plan Of Salvation, rather than Satan's Forced Plan Of Salvation, for all of the souls who were going to be born on Earth." ...

... "So, if you wish to return to The Presence Of God, you need to accept Jesus The Christ and His Free-Will Plan Of Salvation, and you need to reject Satan The Devil and His Forced Plan Of Salvation. Not only that, you need to prove your loyalty to God and you need to kill Satan, and/or His Legions Of Doom, whenever—and wherever—they appear, if Satan, and/or His Legions, have appeared in order to tempt you into not accepting Jesus's Free-Will Plan Of Salvation—just like The Devil appeared in order to tempt Eve into disobeying God. Thus, you need to kill Satan, and/or His Legions, and send them back to Hell, because they are tempting you into disobeying God!" ...

... "However, here is where it gets really quite complicated: even though you are told by God to kill Satan, and/or His Legions, as often as is necessary—whenever, and wherever, The Devil and/or His Legions may appear—in order to prove your loyalty to God, you are also told by God 'Thou Shalt Not Kill' in the Ten Commandments of the Old Testament! Therefore, even though you are not supposed to be killing—or you will be disobeying one of God's Ten Holy Commandments—you are supposed to kill Satan and/or The Devil's Legions if you are being tempted away from Christ's Free-Will Plan Of Salvation by Satan and/or His Legions Of Doom, who are like An Evil Military Leader and His Evil Soldiers." ...

... "Therefore, I think the reason that politics, elections and laws are occurring the way that they are with regard to Christian governments—not only here in America, but also worldwide—are based upon our collective beliefs in the Old Testament and the New Testament from the Holy Bible and, specifically, our beliefs about 'The War In Heaven.' Thus we, as Christians, are supposed to be fighting against—and killing—Satan and/or His Legions whenever, and wherever, they may appear, and in whatever form they may appear." ...

... "And so, based upon Our True Faith, we are also supposed to determine who The Devil and/or His Legions Of Doom are by assuming that anyone we don't like—which reads like a list of our worst enemies—must be The Devil and/or His Legions. Thus, we should make sure Satan and/or His Legions cannot vote, and we should make sure that they cannot live, so that we can return to The Presence Of God, because 'We Have Won The War In Heaven!'" ...

... "And now that I have briefly summarized the basic premises from that previous 'April 11th, 2022 Update,' as I mentioned at the beginning of this update (which I have summarized through various quotes from that previous update), I can explain more about this situation regarding Adam and Eve and 'The Fall Of Man,' as it relates to females not being considered to be trustworthy of being allowed to decide if they wish to become a mother—as if females cannot be trusted to make that decision with their doctor—and, most disturbingly, sometimes females are not even allowed to decide to have a safe and legal abortion even in cases of rape, incest or human trafficking!" ...

... "You see, as a 'Poet, Artist and Philosopher,' I truly believe that all of the things that are occurring in America as far as Christian politics, elections and laws specifically relating to the control of women—and in the rest of the Christian world, as well—are based upon our collective beliefs in the Old Testament and the New Testament from the Holy Bible: therefore, our politics, elections and laws specifically relating to the control of women are direct reflections of our Christian religious beliefs with regard to 'The Fall Of Man!'" ...

... "Therefore, because Eve fell for the temptations of Satan, The Devil, and she ate The Fruit Of The Knowledge Of Good And Evil from The Tree Of Knowledge, Eve is the one who is totally at fault for us humans having been cast out from God's Presence in Paradise—which was the Garden Of Eden! And, now, because of that totally preventable, really evil act on the part of Eve, all of us have to fight in an Eternal War against The Devil in order to prove our loyalty to God by killing Satan, and/or His Legions Of Doom, whenever—and wherever—they appear, if Satan, and/or His Legions, have appeared in order to tempt us—just like The Devil appeared in order to tempt Eve into disobeying God." ...

... "And so, since Eve was not trustworthy of obeying as simple of a Holy Commandment from God as 'Do Not Eat The Fruit Of Knowledge Of Good And Evil,' that means that all of Eve's direct descendants—who are literally all of the human females—need to be controlled in the most micromanaging way possible, personally by Adam's direct descendants—who are literally all of the human males—so that women never, ever do anything that evil again! And that is why women cannot be trusted to do something so simple as to make decisions about their own bodies, or their own health care, or their own reproductive choices. And, thus, all women need to be totally controlled by the direct descendants of Adam forevermore!" ...

... "And that is why our Christian religious beliefs with regard to 'The Fall Of Man' are leading to the extremely divisive issue for The American People as to exactly who gets to determine whether, or not, women who are pregnant are allowed to decide if they wish to become a mother—as if, somehow, women cannot be trusted to make that decision with their doctor. And I believe that is why no Republicans in the United States Senate voted, on May 11th, 2022, to pass the Women's Health Protection Act (WHPA), since women, or even girls, should not be allowed to decide whether, or not, they can have a safe and legal abortion—which is life-affirming for the pregnant female—even in cases of rape, incest or human trafficking."

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And now that I have briefly summarized the basic premises from that previous 'May 11th, 2022 Update—Continued,' as I mentioned at the beginning of this update (which I have summarized through various quotes from that previous update), I can explain more about how I think that our Christian religious beliefs are creating superstitious secular beliefs, which are producing a society in which all of the males (and the females too) are Religious True Believing, conspiracy theory promoting, Superstitious Conservative Micromanagers!

You see, I think that our Christian religious beliefs are creating superstitious secular beliefs, because The Holy Bible is a collection of 'superstitions beliefs,' so to speak, regarding the way that Christian True Believers are constantly being wronged by various 'Evil-Doers!' And the most important 'Doing Of Evil' was by Satan—and His Legions Of Doom—disobeying God by demanding that they be able to force us to obey God in order for us to return to Paradise. And they were condemned to Hell forever because of that, which is why the rest of us have to pay for their 'Evil-Doing.'

Plus, Eve fell for the temptations of The Devil and—against the express directive of God—she ate The Fruit Of Knowledge Of Good And Evil! Then, Eve coyly invited Adam to join her, thereby making Adam subjugated to being cast out from The Presence Of God, as well. And that is why Adam had to be born on Earth—just like Eve did—and that is also why he is required to problem solve his way back to Paradise from whence Adam and Eve were both cast!

And all of this 'Start Of Creation Evil-Doing' is never Adam's fault: it is God who is at fault for having created Satan who, along with His Legions Of Doom, made it possible to go to Hell forever for having disobeyed God; then, it is also God who is at fault for having created Eve—albeit from Adam's rib—who, after having disobeyed God, coyly invited Adam to join her; plus, it is Eve who is at fault for having been evil enough to disobey God when she was tempted by The Devil. In conclusion then, it is Eve who is at fault for having fallen for the temptations of The Devil at the outset, and it is Satan who is at fault for having disobeyed God in the first place, and it is God who is at fault for having created The Devil to begin with!

Thus, all of this 'Evil-Doing' to which Adam has been begrudgingly subjugated is the fault of everyone else except for Adam. And all of this means that Adam is the biggest victim who has ever existed, along with all of Adam's direct descendants—who are literally all of the human males—and who, subsequently, have been forced to micromanage everyone else in order to prevent everyone else from victimizing Adam and his direct descendants some more. Thus, based upon our Christian religious beliefs, all of the males are the direct descendants of Adam who are Religious True Believing, conspiracy theory promoting, Superstitious Conservative Micromanagers!

–Paul Whiting (written May 13th, 2022, revised May 14th, 2022, revised May 21st, 2022, revised June 21st, 2022, revised August 28th, 2022, revised March 18th, 2023, revised October 13th, 2023 and revised September 14th, 2024)

[I feel like I need to clarify why there are so many 'revised dates' on this 'update,' just like there are often times so many 'revised dates' on other 'updates' similar to this one! You see, I really try to keep my writing consistent as possible across all of my blogs. Therefore, as I am writing, I try to use the same phraseology wherever possible with regard to similar types of my writing so that, when I am editing my writing, I can change all of the similar writing at the same time and in the same way! Thus, a lot of the revisions indicated above, after my name (–Paul Whiting), and shown right after the original 'written date,' are often times due to these aforementioned consistent-writing revisions.]

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May 14th, 2022 Update: In support of the "Bans Off Our Bodies Day of Action," I signed a petition from Planned Parenthood Federation of America!

And I also made a one-time donation to Planned Parenthood Federation of America, since I already donated to the Planned Parenthood Action Fund on May 11th, 2022, and to my local chapter of Planned Parenthood (which is Planned Parenthood Columbia Willamette) on May 12th, 2022.

Please see the text below from the Planned Parenthood "Bans Off Our Bodies" webpage:

Supreme Court Leak:

Our Worst Fears Confirmed

Abortion is still legal. It's still your right. But the Supreme Court is prepared to end your constitutional right to abortion. Our country is facing an abortion access crisis.

By this summer, 26 states could move to ban abortion — affecting 36 million women, plus more people who can become pregnant. This is personal.

Knowledge Is Power

Right now, as the U.S. Supreme Court considers a case that could end federal protections for abortion, state politicians are seizing this moment to advance a decades-long, coordinated strategy to ban abortion across the country.

No abortion bans, PERIOD.

Our bodies are our own — if they are not, we cannot be truly free or equal. Across the country, some politicians are trying to make decisions about our bodies for us. We won't let the abortion bans sweeping the country put our lives and futures at risk, and we won't be silenced while our fundamental right to control our bodies is taken away.

Everyone deserves health care that's free of shame, stigma, or judgment. Together, we say: Get your bans off our bodies!

https://www.weareplannedparenthood.org

And, after I signed the petition above, I received a confirmation email from Planned Parenthood Federation of America with the subject line, "Thanks for saying 'Bans Off Our Bodies!' A few more ways you can help", which stated the following:

Paul,

Thank you for speaking out and joining our movement. Everyone deserves health care that's free of shame, stigma, or judgment.

Get all the information you need about what this nationwide attack on our abortion rights means for you by visiting BansOff.org to learn more.

You can help make an even bigger difference by showing your support for Planned Parenthood and asking your friends and family to join you.

You can also help out by making a tax-deductible gift to Planned Parenthood Federation of America. Your support will help us stand strong in the face of continued attacks on reproductive health and rights, and support Planned Parenthood health centers in providing vital care like birth control, cancer screenings, abortion services and more.

Together we can make a difference in protecting reproductive health and rights — thanks for taking action and pitching in when it counts.

Sincerely,

[Name redacted], [Title redacted]
Planned Parenthood Federation of America

Thus, signing this petition and making a donation is how I showed my support for the "Bans Off Our Bodies Day of Action!" –Paul Whiting (written May 14th, 2022, revised June 26th, 2022, revised October 23rd, 2022, revised December 27th, 2022, revised January 1st, 2023, revised April 11th, 2023, revised April 28th, 2023, revised May 9th, 2023 and revised May 18th, 2023)

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May 17th, 2022 Update: I voted today, May 17th, 2022, in Oregon's Primary Election! –Paul Whiting (written May 17th, 2022, revised May 18th, 2022 and revised November 8th, 2022)

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For my "May 21st, 2022 Update"—since this 'update' is a part of my ⋆USO⋆ donations—please see my blog post titled, "My Point Of View On...Giving Charity And Accepting Charity," which can be found on both of my "Paul Whiting — Math Magician" and "Paul Whiting — A Creative Writer" blogs. An introduction to the 'update' can be found below:

May 21st, 2022 Update: [My Writing About Armed Forces Day (for 2022)]: Armed Forces Day is today, May 21st, 2022—since Armed Forces Day is the third Saturday in May each year—and I made a one-time donation to the USO (United Service Organizations) on the USO.org website in order to "salute" the service and sacrifices made by our Armed Forces!

In addition to that, I already make a recurring monthly donation to the USO in order to show my support for our U.S. Military Personnel! You see, I usually make one-time donations to the USO each month—as often as I can manage when they request a donation via email or text message. Therefore, I am planning to continue making one-time donations to the USO in the future, as often as I can manage to make donations, in addition to making the aforementioned recurring monthly donation. ...

Please see the hyperlinks below for the post, within which you can do a find-in-page search for the 'update' labeled, "May 21st, 2022 Update":

https://paulwhitingmath.blogspot.com/2015/05/my-point-of-view-on-charity.html

https://paulwhitingwriting.blogspot.com/2022/07/my-point-of-view-on-part-16-giving-to.html

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May 27th, 2022 Update: The following is an essay that I wrote today, May 27th, 2022, which I submitted for publication to CNBC (please see below, after the essay, about an additional submission that I made):

To "My Fellow Americans": Let Us Stop The "Just-Blame-The-Biden-Administration" Games (with regard to inflation and supply chain issues as they both relate to the COVID-19 pandemic and Vladimir Putin's war on Ukraine)

To My Fellow Americans:

Please find below my answer to one of many survey questions from a "Priorities Survey" by the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee (DCCC), which I received via email on May 27th, 2022:

"What else would you like to see from the Biden-Harris administration in 2022?":

When I answered this same question prior to this (because I had already filled out this particular "May Priority Survey" from the DCCC before), I said something to the effect of the following:

"Please pass common sense gun laws that DON'T take guns away from law-abiding citizens (because Second Amendment rights truly are important for a large majority of America's population), but DO take guns away from law-breaking citizens, or prevent them from obtaining guns in the first place, in order to prevent future mass shootings."

However, later on, I realized that the Biden-Harris Administration cannot control what happens in Congress: only Congress can control what happens in Congress. And only Congress can pass gun control laws, that President Biden can then sign into law, in order to prevent future mass shootings—which America experiences all too frequently.

That being said, I think the Biden Administration needs to counter all of the prolific misinformation spreading around the country regarding the causes of supply chain issues (that are due to the COVID-19 pandemic and are exacerbated by Russia's war on Ukraine) which are directly leading to empty store shelves, according to my understanding of these supply chain issues (including the baby formula shortages, which were exacerbated by the temporary closure of an Abbott Nutrition plant in Michigan), as well as directly leading to the cause of record inflation—including record high gas prices.

By the way, here is an article from CNBC titled, "From soaring food prices to social unrest, the fallout from the Russia-Ukraine war could be immense," that was published April 21st, 2022, from which I have selected an excerpt that describes exactly what I am talking about:

"When Russia invaded Ukraine no one knew how long the ensuing conflict would last, or how deep the shockwaves sent through Europe or the rest of the world would be.

As the war approaches its third month, however, the economic fallout from the conflict is becoming clearer and the outlook does not look good.

Against an already turbulent backdrop of global inflationary pressures amid rising food and energy prices and disrupted supply chains following the coronavirus pandemic, the war between Russia and Ukraine is exacerbating supply and demand tensions, damaging consumer sentiment and is threatening global economic growth."

https://www.google.com/amp/s/www.cnbc.com/amp/2022/04/21/from-food-to-inflation-the-russia-ukraine-war-has-a-global-impact.html

It is like President Joe Biden's policies are not just being blamed for things like the current global supply chain issues—which I understand are both directly related to COVID-19 and Vladimir Putin's war on Ukraine—but President Biden's policies are also being blamed for the following: planet Earth being tilted on its axis and spinning really fast; Earth orbiting the sun during the year; the sun shining; the phases of the moon occurring; the rise and fall of the ocean tides; global warming; rainy days and Mondays getting us down; the flowers blooming in springtime; the hot days in the middle of summer; the leaves dropping off the trees in autumn; and the snowfall in winter!

But I think that the reason for all of these issues with the 'Let's-Just-Blame-The-Biden-Administration' games occurring right now in America is the propensity that Americans have for blaming *whomever* resides at 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue in Washington D.C. (i.e., the White House) for all of the problems that are currently happening, within the United States, regardless of what the actual causes may be...

...Because I seriously doubt that President Biden's policies were the direct cause of the COVID-19 pandemic—or were the direct cause of Russia declaring war on Ukraine—any more so than President Biden's policies were the direct cause of the most recent total eclipse of the sun! Besides that, Russia's war on Ukraine clearly worsened the global supply chain issues that were already badly strained because of the COVID-19 pandemic...

...Although, you could consider that the reason Vladimir Putin decided to invade Ukraine on February 24th, 2022 was to *punish* President Joseph R. Biden, Jr. (and the Americans who voted for him) for President Donald J. Trump no longer being President of the United States of America. Thus, Russia's war on Ukraine has clearly caused major additional disruptions with the already strained global supply chain, which I understand also increased this year's record inflation—as well as this year's astronomical gas prices—so that Americans would *think* that President Biden's policies were to blame!

And, speaking of the 2020 United States election, I would like to point out to all of those who continue to believe, and to promote, that the presidency was somehow stolen from Donald J. Trump that we voted for the President of the United States on the same ballot that we voted for down-ballot races! And the Republicans (other than Donald Trump) did really well in comparison to Democrats in 2020. And the Republicans won a lot of races on the same ballot where, Joseph R. Biden, Jr. managed, somehow, to steal the presidential election from Donald Trump. Thus, one can only assume that those down-ballot Republicans surely must have figured out how to 'Stop the Steal' during the election and that is why they won in 2020—on the same ballot—that Donald J. Trump had his second term stolen from him!

And, besides all of the issues mentioned above, due to the skyrocketing inflation, there is now talk of an upcoming recession due to a reduction in consumer confidence. Thus, all of these supply chain issues, and subsequent financial crises, are not being blamed on the COVID-19 pandemic from which we have just emerged, or Russia's war on Ukraine, but on President Biden's policies!

Therefore, I am going to do my part in order to counteract this game of 'Who's-To-Blame?' for the supply chain issues, for the record inflation, for the empty stores shelves, and for the high gas prices, by submitting this essay as an opinion piece to CNBC—since I referenced their article in this essay and I watch their videos on YouTube sometimes—in the hopes that I can inspire 'My Fellow Americans,' so to speak, to stop blaming President Joseph R. Biden, Jr. for events that are beyond his control.

And, that way, we can stop blaming President Joe Biden's policies for events that are not directly being caused by the Biden-Harris Administration, including the COVID-19 global pandemic, the subsequent global supply chain issues, and the unprovoked invasion of a sovereign nation by Russia, along with the empty store shelves and record inflation, as well as the high gas prices, which are all being directly caused by recovering from the aforementioned global pandemic and worsened by Vladimir Putin's war on our fellow democracy of Ukraine!

-Paul Whiting
Poet, Artist and Philosopher
Portland, Oregon

I also submitted this essay to The New York Times (NYT) today, in addition to submitting it to CNBC. (By the way, I am a subscriber to The New York Times.)

In fact, I submitted it to NYT first (in a slightly different format), but then I realized that I had quoted CNBC in the essay, so I figured that NYT probably won't publish it; although, I also doubt that CNBC will publish it either, since I am "just some blogger," but it could happen! –Paul Whiting (written May 27th, 2022, revised May 29th, 2022, revised June 15th, 2022, revised July 17th, 2022, revised December 27th, 2022 and revised April 19th, 2023)
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May 27th, 2022 Update (Follow-Up, Written On June 1st, 2022): I received a reply from The New York Times (NYT) via email today, June 1st, 2022, regarding my essay, which stated the following:

Thank you again for contacting the Opinion section at The New York Times. An editor has reviewed your submission and unfortunately we’ve determined that we will not be able to use your piece. Because of the large volume of submissions, we have to reject many excellent essays every day.

Please feel free to offer it to other publications. And please consider submitting again in the future.

And, as I mentioned above, the version of my essay that I submitted to NYT was in a slightly different format than the one above. (By the way, I am a subscriber to The New York Times.)

And I also submitted this essay to CNBC (whose article I quoted in the essay, which is why I assume NYT rejected it, but I don't actually know that), so I am waiting to hear back from CNBC! I did receive an automated reply on May 28th, 2022, after my submission, which was on May 27th, 2022. So, if I hear back from CNBC, I will provide another 'Update (Follow-Up)' like this one! –Paul Whiting (written June 1st, 2022, revised June 15th, 2022, revised July 17th, 2022, revised August 28th, 2022, revised November 26th, 2022, revised December 27th, 2022, revised April 19th, 2023 and revised June 5th, 2023)

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For my "May 30th, 2022 Update, Written On May 26th, 2022"—since this 'update' is a part of my ⋆USO⋆ donations—please see my blog post titled, "My Point Of View On...Giving Charity And Accepting Charity," which can be found on both of my "Paul Whiting — Math Magician" and "Paul Whiting — A Creative Writer" blogs. An introduction to the 'update' can be found below:

May 30th, 2022 Update, Written On May 26th, 2022: Have a Memorable Memorial Day, everyone. I signed a Memorial Day card "for all the brave service members who put their lives on the line to defend our country" from the USO (United Service Organizations) today, May 26th, 2022, that I received today via an email with the subject line, "Sign the card to honor our heroes this Memorial Day", which stated the following: ...

Please see the hyperlinks below for the post, within which you can do a find-in-page search for the 'update' labeled, "May 30th, 2022 Update, Written On May 26th, 2022":

https://paulwhitingmath.blogspot.com/2015/05/my-point-of-view-on-charity.html

https://paulwhitingwriting.blogspot.com/2022/07/my-point-of-view-on-part-16-giving-to.html

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May 30th, 2022 Update—Continued [My Writing About IAVA's National Moment Of Silence, A.K.A. "The #GoSilent Campaign" (for 2022)]:

For Memorial Day 2022, I participated in the IAVA (Iraq and Afghanistan Veterans of America) national moment of silence for those "who made the ultimate sacrifice, including those we have lost due to their exposures to toxic chemicals while serving our great country" in order to remember and honor their lives, their legacies and their last full measure of devotion for our country.

And I also showed my support for the "Honoring our Promise to Address Comprehensive Toxics Act," or the PACT Act (H.R. 3967), which is "a culmination of years of work by national veterans groups, to finally establish that if a veteran has suffered an injury from toxic exposures like from burn pits during their deployments, they will be granted disability and healthcare benefits by the VA [Veterans Administration]."

And so, I sent letters to my Senators, via the IAVA website, urging them to support passing this critical legislation ASAP. And, after I sent those letters to my Senators, I also made a donation to Iraq and Afghanistan Veterans of America (IAVA) in order to show my support for IAVA's #GoSilent Campaign and for our U.S. Veterans!

–Paul Whiting (written May 30th, 2022, revised May 31st, 2022, revised July 19th, 2022, revised December 27th, 2022, revised January 31st, 2023, revised March 10th, 2023, revised May 26th, 2023, revised May 29th, 2023, revised September 10th, 2023 and revised May 27th, 2024)

[I feel like I need to clarify why there are so many 'revised dates' on this 'update,' just like there are often times so many 'revised dates' on other 'updates' similar to this one! You see, I really try to keep my writing consistent as possible across all of my blogs. Therefore, as I am writing, I try to use the same phraseology wherever possible with regard to similar types of my writing so that, when I am editing my writing, I can change all of the similar writing at the same time and in the same way! Thus, a lot of the revisions indicated above, after my name (–Paul Whiting), and shown right after the original 'written date,' are often times due to these aforementioned consistent-writing revisions.]

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YEAR 2022 UPDATES FOR JUNE:

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For my "June 1st, 2022 Update, Written On June 29th, 2022"—since this 'update' is a part of my ⋆USO⋆ donations—please see my blog post titled, "My Point Of View On...Giving Charity And Accepting Charity," which can be found on both of my "Paul Whiting — Math Magician" and "Paul Whiting — A Creative Writer" blogs. An introduction to the 'update' can be found below:

June 1st, 2022 Update, Written On June 29th, 2022: I received an email from the USO (United Service Organizations) today, June 29th, 2022, with the subject line, "Military Supporter Update: June 2022" with regard to the USO's newsletter "YOUR USO AT WORK," Issue 103 / June 2022, which stated, in part, the following:

YOUR USO AT WORK
Issue 103 / June 2022

DONATE NOW »

https://secure.uso.org

June has been a busy month here at the USO — from assembling thousands of USO Care Packages for troops deployed to places like Eastern Europe, to running our 11th annual USO T-shirt campaign. (There are still a few days left to get your T-shirt!). We are more grateful than ever for military supporters like you who make everything we do possible.

https://secure.uso.org/2205_t-shirt-2/

We hope you enjoy reading these June highlights...

And the following highlights from the USO's newsletter, which I selected to post, are regarding PTSD Awareness Month, which is the month of June, and PTSD Awareness Day, which is yearly (annually) on June 27th:

USO recognizes PTSD Awareness Month

June is PTSD Awareness Month, but supporting our troops’ mental health is always a major USO priority. That’s why we focus so heavily on building connections between service members, helping them stay in touch with loved ones and creating spaces where they can feel safe.

Learn more about how the USO is helping troops impacted by PTSD and other mental health challenges. »

https://www.uso.org/stories/2664-military-suicide-rates-are-at-an-all-time-high-heres-how-were-trying-to-help

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BY THE NUMBERS

"27"

June 27 is #PTSDAwarenessDay, an opportunity to remind everyone that there are effective treatments for post-traumatic stress disorder (“PTSD”), although many with PTSD do not get the help they need.

Help spread the word. »

https://www.ptsd.va.gov/understand/awareness/index.asp

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...From all of us at the USO, thank you for being a dedicated and proud military supporter!

And the following is the information from the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs website highlighting that "JUNE IS PTSD AWARENESS MONTH":

JUNE IS PTSD AWARENESS MONTH

Help Raise PTSD Awareness

There are currently about 8 million people in the United States with PTSD.

Even though PTSD treatments work, most people who have PTSD don't get the help they need. June is PTSD Awareness Month. Help us spread the word that effective PTSD treatments are available. Everyone with PTSD—whether they are Veterans or civilian survivors of sexual assault, serious accidents, natural disasters, or other traumatic events—needs to know that treatments really do work and can lead to a better quality of life...

Make the Pledge

Start by making the pledge to Raise PTSD Awareness:

https://www.ptsd.va.gov/understand/awareness/awareness_pledge_form.asp

And so, I decided to "Make the Pledge" in order to help "Raise PTSD Awareness," which is why I wrote this blog post update! Plus, after I took the pledge, I made a one-time donation on the USO.org website in order to show my support for the USO's newsletter, as well as to show my support for the USO in supporting our men and women in uniform, as described in the highlight "VOICE OF THE USO," from the aforementioned newsletter:

VOICE OF THE USO

“I never wore the uniform myself. Working at DOD has made me feel that I have contributed to my country’s defense but contributing to the USO has multiplied that feeling. Our men and women in uniform deserve everything we can do for them.

“We choose to support the USO because of something I learned. When I worked at the Pentagon, I was asked to contribute to the Combined Federal Campaign, as is every other federal employee. I asked many of my colleagues in uniform where I should direct my donation. Absolutely everyone gave me the same answer: ‘USO!’”

– [Name redacted] and [Name redacted], USO supporters since 1995 (27 consecutive years)

In addition to that, I already make a recurring monthly donation to the USO in order to show my support for our U.S. Military Personnel! You see, I usually make one-time donations to the USO each month—as often as I can manage when they request a donation via email or text message. Therefore, I am planning to continue making one-time donations to the USO in the future, as often as I can manage to make donations, in addition to making the aforementioned recurring monthly donation. ...

Please see the hyperlinks below for the post, within which you can do a find-in-page search for the 'update' labeled, "June 1st, 2022 Update, Written On June 29th, 2022":

https://paulwhitingmath.blogspot.com/2015/05/my-point-of-view-on-charity.html

https://paulwhitingwriting.blogspot.com/2022/07/my-point-of-view-on-part-16-giving-to.html

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June 3rd, 2022 Update: I received two communications today, June 3rd, 2022, regarding National Gun Violence Awareness Day—which is yearly (annually) on the first Friday in June—from organizations that are working to end gun violence, including a text message from Giffords PAC and an email from Everytown for Gun Safety Action Fund.

And so, I sent a letter to my Senators, via the Everytown for Gun Safety website, asking them "to vote yes on strong gun safety legislation and to confirm Steve Dettelbach as Director of ATF."

I also sent letters to my Senators asking them for "a vote on background checks," as requested by Giffords PAC. And I wrote to my Senators on their websites (rather than calling them), since I usually communicate in writing to my Senators—that way, I have a written record of what I communicated. Plus, I also included a copy of my poem titled, "We Are The Hands Of Christ," as a way to emphasize my request for 'a vote on background checks.'

And, after I sent the above-mentioned letters to my Senators, I also made donations to both Everytown for Gun Safety Action Fund and Giffords PAC, respectively. –Paul Whiting (written June 3rd, 2022, revised June 12th, 2022, revised June 15th, 2022, revised August 17th, 2022, revised December 26th, 2022, revised February 7th, 2023 and revised April 28th, 2023)

-------------------------------------------------------------------

June 10th, 2022 Update: I received an email from Iraq and Afghanistan Veterans of America (IAVA) today, June 10th, 2022, with the subject line, "The Pact Act is Close to the Finish Line", which stated, in part, the following:

Paul,

We had a huge success with an 86-12 cloture vote in the Senate on The Honoring Our PACT Act on Tuesday, which allows the bill to move forward towards a final vote (likely next week). I had the honor of watching the vote from the Senate Gallery with surviving family members, including SFC Heath Robinson’s 9-year-old daughter, Jon Stewart, and other incredible supporters and veterans advocates. This vote was a significant step forward, but there is still work to do! We need your help to continue to tell Senators to pass this vital piece of legislation to ensure those suffering from military toxic exposures receive the VA healthcare and disability benefits they deserve.

We also want to share some good news regarding two bills President Biden signed into law this week. The MAMMO for Veterans Act to expand veterans' access to high-quality breast cancer screenings and lifesaving cancer care, and The Dr. Kate Hendricks Thomas SERVICE Act, which would require the VA to conduct mammograms for all women who served in areas associated with burn pits and other toxic exposures regardless of age, symptoms or family history...

...As we celebrate these steps forward, we still need your help. Let’s keep up the fight and continue to take action!

Onward!

[Name redacted], IAVA [Title redacted], Navy Veteran

Here is a link to the IAVA website, which explains, "The PACT Act is comprehensive legislation that not only provides for healthcare and benefits, but also creates a framework for how presumptive illnesses are handled" and includes a section titled, "Let them know you care! Contact your representatives in Washington to voice your support for the PACT Act."

ACT TODAY:***

Message Subject: Please support the PACT Act

Dear Senator [Name],

The Honoring Our PACT Act received a 86-12 cloture vote in the Senate on Tuesday, June 7th, 2022, which allows the bill to move forward towards a final vote. This vote was a huge success and a significant step forward!

Please vote to pass this vital piece of legislation, when it comes to the floor, to ensure those suffering from military toxic exposures receive the VA healthcare and disability benefits they deserve.

Also, please see the original message below that I sent to you—asking for your support in passing this critical legislation—which stated the following:

"Open-air burn pits were a common way to get rid of waste at military sites in Iraq and Afghanistan. Waste burned included human and medical waste, chemicals, fuel, paint, unexploded ordnance, petroleum and lubricants, plastics, etc.

Iraq and Afghanistan Veterans of America (IAVA) is the largest post-9/11 veterans organization and a huge 82% of their members report they were exposed during deployments and 9 in 10 report they may have associated health symptoms.

The House-passed Honoring Our PACT Act (H.R. 3967) is comprehensive legislation, a culmination of years of work by national veterans groups, to finally establish that if a veteran has suffered an injury from toxic exposures like from burn pits during their deployments, they will be granted disability and healthcare benefits by the VA.

The Senate Majority Leader has promised a floor vote on the House-passed PACT Act this year. I ask that you stand with IAVA and 60+ veterans organizations nationwide who have made this our #1 priority, to vote in support of the Honoring our PACT Act when it comes to the floor!"

Thank you for your consideration in this matter.

Paul,

I’m [redacted], here at the Democratic Legislative Campaign Committee (DLCC). I wanted to reach out and introduce myself and thank you for your generous contribution to the DLCC.

As you know, the DLCC is the official Democratic Party committee for state legislative work. The DLCC is dedicated to electing Democratic state legislators, winning the Democratic majorities needed to champion progressive values in states, and building a Democratic bench of future leaders. The work at the state legislative level is incredibly important, and we are so grateful for your support.

I've attached a document with a bit of additional information about the DLCC and our plans for the election cycle. Please feel free to reach out if you ever have any questions. You can reach me on my cell – [redacted], or via email at [redacted].

Thank you again for your support, I look forward to working with you!

All my best,

[redacted]

And I responded to this email today June 11th, 2022, as follows:

Dear [redacted],

Thank you for your 'Thank you,' but my "generous contribution to the DLCC" wasn't intentional...

...You see, I was making a donation to the DLCC based on a June 8th, 2022, email that I received from the DLCC, at 6:30 PM, which was titled, "Can you pledge to vote on November 8th, 2022?"

So, I completed the pledge on June 8th, 2022, and made a donation. And I entered the amount $1.15 for the donation (which is the same amount that I currently donate to the various Democratic organizations that I support) and I added an $0.11 tip for ActBlue. Then, I pressed the donate button and—when I received a text message from my bank indicating that a transaction had been processed where my card wasn't present—the total donation was $1,000.11!

Now, I DID NOT type in $1,000.00 as a donation amount—nor did I press one of those 'preselected amount' buttons for $1,000.00—I think that my donation amount was altered!

Thus, I wrote to ActBlue requesting a refund, as follows:
---------------------------------------------
From: Paul Whiting • [redacted]
To: [redacted]
Date: Jun 8, 2022, 7:29 PM

To Whom It May Concern,

I just accidentally made a $1,000.00 donation to the Democratic Legislative Campaign Committee! (Please see the receipt below.)

I was trying to make a $1.15 donation with a $.011 tip to ActBlue [the actual tip amount was $0.11, but I mistyped it when I wrote this email], which is the amount that I usually donate to Democratic political organizations.

So, can I get a refund for this? That is WAY MORE than I can afford to donate—although I am donating to Democrats as much as I can afford in this 2022 Election.

Thank you so much for your consideration in this matter.

Yours very truly,

Paul Whiting
[Street Address and Apt. No. redacted]
Portland, Oregon
[ZIP Code redacted]
---------------------------------------------
And ActBlue replied back to me, as follows:
---------------------------------------------
[redacted] (ActBlue)
Jun 10, 2022, 10:07 AM EDT

Hi Paul,

Thanks for reaching out and I'm sorry to hear about the unintended donation!

I can confirm that the $1000.11 has been refunded and should post back to your account automatically within about 1-2 business days.

If there is anything else I can help you with, please let me know!

Best,
[redacted]
---------------------------------------------
As of today, June 11th, 2022, the total donation is refunded to my card. (Thank God!) However, I am still greatly concerned about how my $1.15 donation (with an $0.11 tip) miraculously became a $1,000.11 donation.

And this is not the first time I have had issues with donation amounts being altered (from what I entered) when I donated on ActBlue: On some occasions I have donated to Democratic organizations on the ActBlue website—and the amount of the donation was less than what I entered by one penny!

So, for example, on more than one occasion, I donated $1.14 to a Democratic organization but, when the payment processed, the donation was actually $1.13. Then, another time, I donated $1.15 and the donation payment processed as $1.14.

And when I got to thinking about this 'donation alteration,' so to speak, I realized that this may have been some kind of put down (because these donations weren't very much, but they were all that I could afford given how much money I have, because I am disabled due to HIV and I am receiving SSDI), since they were always a penny less than the amount I entered: as if I was being told that I am "penny less!"

Besides that, I also noticed that in "My Recent Activity" on ActBlue, which includes the locations where I have logged in, I was shown having been logged into various cities where I don't live!

Therefore, I wrote to ActBlue about this issue, as follows:
---------------------------------------------
Paul Whiting
Apr 15, 2022, 12:50 PM EDT

To Whom It May Concern,

My name is Paul Whiting and I am seeing a lot of actions on my ActBlue account that I do not recognize! So, I changed my password and I also removed my stored credit card/debit card information.

By the way, here is my IP address from my smartphone, which is basically the only device that I use for ActBlue: [redacted]

Also, I took screenshots of all the activity in question and have attached them to this message as added files. Plus, after I took the screenshots, when I went to look at my recent activity, there was no longer any history showing...like it had been removed!

Therefore, I don't know if I need to delete my account, as I am worried about who is "watching" my account, since it could be the Republicans, because I think they know who I am due to the fact that I am a blogger and an activist...

Thank you for your time and for your response.

Yours very truly,

-Paul Whiting
[redacted]
Portland, Oregon
[redacted]
---------------------------------------------
And ActBlue replied back to me, as follows:
---------------------------------------------
[redacted] (ActBlue)
Apr 17, 2022, 10:43 AM EDT

Hi Paula,

Thanks for reaching out!

ActBlue Express Profile login records are based on the IP address being used at the time of log in. IP addresses are assigned to your device by the network that you are connecting to. So, for example, if access your account on your laptop at home your home's network will assign an IP address to you. If you sign in to your account at a cafe using their wifi network on the same laptop, your device will be given a different IP address from the cafe's network.

So you can see how this might work on your mobile device. Your device will connect to the nearest network and will vary based on your location.

I suspect that there is some glitch that caused your contribution history to disappear after you took those screenshots. Could you please sign in to your account and confirm? https://secure.actblue.com/signin

As long as everything in your account looks as expected, there isn’t anything you need to worry about. However, resetting your password as a precautionary measure is the best you can do to ensure the security of your account.

I’m sorry for any confusion or concern caused by this, and please let me know if I can assist you with anything else!

Best,
[redacted]
---------------------------------------------
First of all, my first name isn't "Paula," it's Paul!

And second, although this representative's explanation that "IP addresses are assigned to your device by the network that you are connecting to" makes sense, it does not account for the different cities that I was supposedly located within when I logged in.

Plus, as I mentioned in the aforementioned communication with regard to this 'log in location' issue, I was "worried about who is 'watching' my account, since it could be the Republicans, because I think they know who I am due to the fact that I am a blogger and an activist..."

You see, I am a "Democratic Activist," as well as a blogger! Plus, I always vote in every election (even 'special elections') and I always vote Democrat. And I have been an "Online Activist" with regard to progressive issues, for a number of years now, by signing petitions, making donations, and voting in every election.

And I think that the Republicans know who I am—and they DO NOT like me—and that is why I decided to stop signing political petitions and/or making political donations right before the November 2016 Election, because I was afraid that the Republicans might retaliate against me in some way, depending upon what type of activism I was engaged in, if they were in control of both Congress and the White House.

Then, on March 3rd, 2022, I signed a petition from Senator Chuck Schumer about saving the United States Postal Service, which I received via text message on, March 2nd, 2022. Plus, after I signed the petition, I made a donation via ActBlue to 'Chuck Schumer for U.S. Senate,' because I felt like this was an important enough of an issue that it warranted signing a political petition (which I basically have not done since November of 2016) and it also warranted making a political donation (which, again, I basically have not done since November of 2016).

Therefore, these issues that I have experienced with 'altered donation amounts,' and 'log in locations' where I am not located, could be the Republicans terrorizing me! And I have, in fact, written some snarky comments on my blogs about how the Republicans are at war against America—and they seem to have also declared 'War on Women'—along with the way that they seem to support both rape and incest!

For example:

"My main point on the Republican 'War on Women' is that if what the Republicans want all of these women to be required to go through was, instead, happening to their own penises, you can bet that God, Jesus The Christ—and even The Devil himself—would all be vehemently against it!" –Paul Whiting (written March 22nd, 2012 and revised September 7th, 2022)

"I seriously think that Republican Conservative Thinkers are all trying to—literally—pull us back in time to the Dark Ages where they seem to exist, so that they can finally get rid of all the Liberal Thinkers! It is almost like they are trying to 'marginalize everyone to death,' who isn't one of their own kind, in the hopes that Jesus The Christ will finally show up for 'The Rapture' and save all of them from all of the terrible people who are NOT Conservative Thinkers!" –Paul Whiting (written May 2nd, 2012, revised November 24th, 2015 and revised September 7th, 2022)

"Sometimes I truly think that the Republican Party is literally conducting a 'War On America!' All they seem to want to do is disenfranchise, marginalize, get rid of—and even kill outright—anyone who is NOT one of them!" –Paul Whiting (written July 23rd, 2012, revised November 21st, 2015 and revised September 7th, 2022)

"I truly think that it is blatantly clear that Republicans support both incest and rape by making abortions in those cases illegal." –Paul Whiting (written August 21st, 2012 and revised September 7th, 2022)

"I honestly believe that way too many Republicans are latent incestuous rapists due to the really obvious indicator that they wish to make abortions illegal in cases of both rape and incest." –Paul Whiting (written August 22nd, 2012 and revised September 7th, 2022)

"Way too often it seems like there are way too many Republicans who seem like they have never met a lie that they didn't like!" –Paul Whiting (written September 12th, 2012 and September 7th, 2022)

"It seems like the only criminals that we need to be concerned about committing voter fraud are the Republicans through their attempts in multiple states to enact voter suppression laws." –Paul Whiting (written September 14th, 2012 and revised September 7th, 2022)

"SARCASM WARNING: I am voting Republican because I am not going to let my life be dictated by fact checking, or arithmetic, or honesty, or common sense." –Paul Whiting (written September 30th, 2012, revised June 11th, 2022 and revised September 7th, 2022)

And, now, Republicans seem to be acting exactly like they are "Radical Christian Terrorists"...

...Hence, the January 6th, 2021 Capitol Attack.

(Or, it was the January 6th, *1776* "normal tourist group"; or, the insurrectionists that attacked the Capitol Complex—in order to stop the certification of Joe Biden's win—were really 'Antifa' protestors; or, they were Black Lives Matter protestors; or, they were paid actors and actresses; or, in all actuality, they were incited by "Gasp!" the FBI. Regardless, however, it was clearly 'a false flag operation' designed to make President Donald J. Trump "look bad"—like he needs any assistance doing that!)

And, speaking of the January 6th, 2021 Capitol Attack, here are some poems that I wrote regarding the 'True Patriot' event of 'legitimate political discourse,' as well as regarding the 'lack of integrity' in the 2020 Presidential Election:

"January 6th, 2021"
(A 'Not-So-Infamous' Poem)

January 6th, 2021:
A date which will
*never live in infamy.*

–Paul Whiting (written May 28th, 2021, revised June 11th, 2022 and revised June 12th, 2022)

---------------------------------------------

Republicans and 'Election Integrity'
(A Haiku Poem)

The Republican
Election Integrity:
"Them 'darkies' can't vote!"

–Paul Whiting (written June 2nd, 2021 and revised September 7th, 2022)

---------------------------------------------

January 6, 1776?
(A Questioning Poem)

Why, on January 6th, 2021,
were rioters, who attacked
the Capitol Complex, and who
threatened members of Congress
and Vice President Pence, told that...

..."Today is 1776"?

–Paul Whiting (written June 4th, 2021, revised June 11th, 2022, revised September 7th, 2022 and revised November 27th, 2022)

But I digress...

So, out of a sense of caution, I deleted my ActBlue account and I also stopped making donations to Democratic political organizations, just in case the Republicans are behind this greatly altered donation amount from my June 8th, 2022 donation to the DLCC.

Thus, that is why I have taken the time to explain all of this to you: so that you would know that my "generous contribution to the DLCC" wasn't intentional...even though I have supported the DLCC (up until the point of this 'altered donation amount') with donations as large as I can afford!

By the way, I am so sorry for the length of this email; however, I felt that it was important to clarify the reason that you received such a substantial donation from me.

Thank you for your time.

Yours very truly,

Paul Whiting
[redacted]
Portland, Oregon
[redacted]

P.S.: I am also planning to send a copy of this email to all of the Democratic organizations that I have donated to, prior to this, as a way to explain why I have stopped donating to them for the foreseeable future. In addition to that, I am planning to post this email on my "Poet, Artist and Philosopher" blog as an update to my activist post titled, "I Am No Longer Being An Activist In The Same Way That I Was," with redactions for certain information.

Please see the hyperlink below for the post:

https://poetartistandphilosopher.blogspot.com/2016/11/i-am-no-longer-being-activist.html

And, therefore, the tirade above was brought to you by "The Unintentional $1,000.00 Donation of 2022 via ActBlue!"

And that is why I deleted my ActBlue account on June 11th, 2022.

Thus, I am exploring more options for donating to Democrats, including through FastAction, and/or still donating via ActBlue (but through a different payment processor), and/or calling the various Democratic political organizations that I support and contributing to them through phone donations.

–Paul Whiting (written June 11th, 2022, revised June 12th, 2022, revised June 13th, 2022, revised June 15th, 2022, revised June 17th, 2022, revised June 20th, 2022, revised June 21st, 2022, revised September 7th, 2022, revised November 27th, 2022, revised December 27th, 2022, revised April 16th, 2023, revised April 28th, 2023, revised September 19th, 2023 and revised October 23rd, 2023)

[I feel like I need to clarify why there are so many 'revised dates' on this 'update,' just like there are often times so many 'revised dates' on other 'updates' similar to this one! You see, I really try to keep my writing consistent as possible across all of my blogs. Therefore, as I am writing, I try to use the same phraseology wherever possible with regard to similar types of my writing so that, when I am editing my writing, I can change all of the similar writing at the same time and in the same way! Thus, a lot of the revisions indicated above, after my name (–Paul Whiting), and shown right after the original 'written date,' are often times due to these aforementioned consistent-writing revisions.]
---------------------------------------------
June 11th, 2022 Update—Follow Up No. 1, Written On June 13th, 2022, Regarding A Reply That I Received From The DLCC On June 13th, 2022: I received a reply from the Democratic Legislative Campaign Committee (DLCC) today, June 13th, 2022, which stated the following [with redactions for certain information utilized throughout this update]:

Hello, Paul!

I hope you had a nice weekend. Thank you again for your support - I am so sorry to hear that you were charged the incorrect amount. It looks like ActBlue was able to issue a refund. Please know that we are greatly appreciative of your support at any level. I have shared this information with our team, and hope that it doesn't happen again. Please do feel free to reach out if you ever have any issues or questions.

Thanks again,

[redacted]

And I responded to this email today June 13th, 2022, as follows:

Dear [redacted],

Thank you for your reply!

I am changing how I donate so that this type of error does not happen again; so, I deleted my ActBlue account and I will be donating to the DLCC (and other Democratic political organizations) via another method in future.

Thank you for you time!

Yours very truly

Paul Whiting
[redacted]
Portland, Oregon
[redacted]

And, therefore, this "June 11th, 2022 Update—Follow Up No. 1, Written On June 13th, 2022, Regarding A Reply That I Received From The DLCC On June 13th, 2022" was brought to you by "The Unintentional $1,000.00 Donation of 2022 via ActBlue!"

And that is why I deleted my ActBlue account on June 11th, 2022.

Thus, I am exploring more options for donating to Democrats, including through FastAction, and/or still donating via ActBlue (but through a different payment processor), and/or calling the various Democratic political organizations that I support and contributing to them through phone donations.

–Paul Whiting (written June 13th, 2022, revised June 15th, 2022, revised June 20th, 2022, revised June 21st, 2022 and revised December 27th, 2022)

[I feel like I need to clarify why there are so many 'revised dates' on this 'update,' just like there are often times so many 'revised dates' on other 'updates' similar to this one! You see, I really try to keep my writing consistent as possible across all of my blogs. Therefore, as I am writing, I try to use the same phraseology wherever possible with regard to similar types of my writing so that, when I am editing my writing, I can change all of the similar writing at the same time and in the same way! Thus, a lot of the revisions indicated above, after my name (–Paul Whiting), and shown right after the original 'written date,' are often times due to these aforementioned consistent-writing revisions.]
---------------------------------------------
June 11th, 2022 Update—Follow Up No. 2, Written on June 15th, 2022, Regarding A Reply That I Received From The DLCC On June 14th, 2022: I received another reply from the Democratic Legislative Campaign Committee (DLCC) on June 14th, 2022, which stated the following [with redactions for certain information utilized throughout this update]:

I completely understand your concerns with ActBlue! We do have a direct donation link if that is easier for you to use. You can access that at this link - [redacted].

I appreciate all that you do.

All the best,

[redacted]

And I responded to this email today June 15th, 2022, as follows:

Dear [redacted],

Thank you so very much for that link to the Democratic Legislative Campaign Committee FastAction contribution page, because I have an account with them!

So, I am now in the process of figuring out how to donate to Democrats on a regular basis without having to use ActBlue—necessarily—and, thus, FastAction is definitely an option.

Although, I may still have to process payments through ActBlue (they seem to be the main donation processing website for most Democratic political organizations and many progressive organizations); however, since I deleted my ActBlue account I have noticed that there are more options for making contributions via ActBlue, but through utilizing different payment processors, such as Google Pay, PayPal and Venmo.

Thus, that may solve the problem of my contributions being tampered with, because I think that my ActBlue account was compromised, since my "Recent activity" showed that I had logged into my ActBlue account from many different cities—besides the city of Portland, Oregon where I actually live—such as: Klamath Falls, Oregon; Richland, Washington; Gaston, Oregon; Vancouver, Washington; Newberg, Oregon; Springfield, Oregon; and Lake Oswego, Oregon, just to name a few!

Anyway, that is why I contacted ActBlue to see if I needed to delete my account, "as I [was] worried about who is 'watching' my account, since it could be the Republicans, because I think they know who I am due to the fact that I am a blogger and an activist." And that is why I was concerned that "although [the] representative's explanation that 'IP addresses are assigned to your device by the network that you are connecting to' [made] sense, it [did] not account for the different cities that I was supposedly located within when I logged in."

Anyway, I am going to explore more options for donating to Democrats, including through FastAction, and/or still donating via ActBlue (but through a different payment processor), and/or calling the various Democratic political organizations that I support, such as the Democratic Legislative Campaign Committee, and contributing to them through phone donations.

Thank you again for your help with my DLCC donations!

Yours very truly,

Paul Whiting
[redacted]
Portland, Oregon
[redacted]

And, therefore, this "June 11th, 2022 Update—Follow Up No. 2, Written on June 15th, 2022, Regarding A Reply That I Received From The DLCC On June 14th, 2022" was brought to you by "The Unintentional $1,000.00 Donation of 2022 via ActBlue!"

And that is why I deleted my ActBlue account on June 11th, 2022.

Thus, I am exploring more options for donating to Democrats, including through FastAction, and/or still donating via ActBlue (but through a different payment processor), and/or calling the various Democratic political organizations that I support and contributing to them through phone donations.

–Paul Whiting (written June 15th, 2022, revised June 17th, 2022, revised June 20th, 2022, revised June 21st, 2022, revised July 11th, 2022, revised December 27th, 2022 and revised April 22nd, 2023)

[I feel like I need to clarify why there are so many 'revised dates' on this 'update,' just like there are often times so many 'revised dates' on other 'updates' similar to this one! You see, I really try to keep my writing consistent as possible across all of my blogs. Therefore, as I am writing, I try to use the same phraseology wherever possible with regard to similar types of my writing so that, when I am editing my writing, I can change all of the similar writing at the same time and in the same way! Thus, a lot of the revisions indicated above, after my name (–Paul Whiting), and shown right after the original 'written date,' are often times due to these aforementioned consistent-writing revisions.]
---------------------------------------------
June 11th, 2022 Update—Follow Up No. 3, Written on June 20th, 2022, Regarding A Letter I Sent To Democrats About Why I Suddenly Stopped Donating: I sent the following letter to the Democratic political organizations, to which I am donating for the upcoming 2022 Midterm Elections, explaining to them why I suddenly stopped donating to them after June 8th, 2022!

Message Subject: My letter to the various Democratic political organizations, to which I have been donating for the 2022 Midterm Elections, explaining why I suddenly stopped donating after June 8th, 2022

To Whom It May Concern,

I am writing to you today in order to explain the reason that I suddenly stopped donating to your organization after June 8th, 2022. And I feel like I need to apologize to you—in advance—for the length of this communication, since the reason that I suddenly stopped donating to your organization is really quite complex.

You see, I am a "Democratic Activist," as well as a blogger! Plus, I always vote in every election (even 'special elections') and I always vote Democrat. And I have been an "Online Activist" with regard to progressive issues, for a number of years now, by signing petitions, making donations, and voting in every election.

Thus, because I am a "Democratic Activist," I think that the Republicans know who I am—and they DO NOT like me—which is basically why I stopped signing political petitions and/or making political donations right before the November 2016 Election. And I did this since I was afraid that the Republicans might retaliate against me in some way, depending upon what type of activism I was engaged in, if they were in control of both Congress and the White House. And I also feared that once the Republicans won Congress and the White House that they would try to turn America into an oligarchy!

And that is why I created a blog post on my "Poet, Artist and Philosopher" blog that is titled, "I Am No Longer Being An Activist In The Same Way That I Was," in order to explain all of this, which can be found here:

https://poetartistandphilosopher.blogspot.com/2016/11/i-am-no-longer-being-activist.html

Then, on March 3rd, 2022, I signed a petition from Senator Chuck Schumer about saving the United States Postal Service, which I received via text message on, March 2nd, 2022. Plus, after I signed the petition, I made a donation via ActBlue to 'Chuck Schumer for U.S. Senate,' because I felt like this was an important enough of an issue that it warranted signing a political petition (which I basically have not done since November of 2016) and it also warranted making a political donation (which, again, I basically have not done since November of 2016).

And that is why I tried to start staying informed, again, about what is happening in politics, especially due to the upcoming 2022 Midterm Elections. So, that is also why I have been trying to help Democrats win—by donating to them on a regular basis—because I am greatly concerned about the Republicans retaking both the House and Senate of Congress, and eventually retaking the White House, since Republicans are acting like Radical Christian Terrorists!

And, after the January 6th, 2021 Capitol Attack, my fears were confirmed. [Or, it was the January 6th, *1776* "normal tourist group"; or, the insurrectionists that attacked the Capitol Complex—in order to stop the certification of Joe Biden's win—were really 'Antifa' protestors; or, they were Black Lives Matter protestors; or, they were paid actors and actresses; or, in all actuality, they were incited by ("Gasp!") the FBI. Regardless, however, it was clearly 'a false flag operation' designed to make President Donald J. Trump "look bad"—like he needs any assistance doing that!]

And, speaking of the January 6th, 2021 Capitol Attack, here are some poems that I wrote regarding the 'True Patriot' event of 'legitimate political discourse,' as well as regarding the 'lack of integrity' in the 2020 Presidential Election:

"January 6th, 2021"
(A 'Not-So-Infamous' Poem)

January 6th, 2021:
A date which will
*never live in infamy.*

–Paul Whiting (written May 28th, 2021, revised June 11th, 2022 and revised June 12th, 2022)

---------------------------------------------

Republicans and 'Election Integrity'
(A Haiku Poem)

The Republican
Election Integrity:
"Them 'darkies' can't vote!"

–Paul Whiting (written June 2nd, 2021 and revised September 7th, 2022)

---------------------------------------------

January 6, 1776?
(A Questioning Poem)

Why, on January 6th, 2021,
were rioters, who attacked
the Capitol Complex, and who
threatened members of Congress
and Vice President Pence, told that...

..."Today is 1776"?

–Paul Whiting (written June 4th, 2021, revised June 11th, 2022, revised September 7th, 2022 and revised November 27th, 2022)

But I digress...

Anyway, I have been donating to various Democratic political organizations, including to your organization, on a regular basis, since March 3rd, 2022. Then, I was making a donation to the Democratic Legislative Campaign Committee (DLCC) based on a June 8th, 2022, email that I received from the DLCC, at 6:30 PM, which was titled, "Can you pledge to vote on November 8th, 2022?"

So, I completed the pledge on June 8th, 2022, and made a donation. And I entered the amount $1.15 for the donation (which is the same amount that I was donating, at that time, to the various Democratic organizations that I support) and I added an $0.11 tip for ActBlue. Then, I pressed the donate button and—when I received a text message from my bank indicating that a transaction had been processed where my card wasn't present—the total donation was $1,000.11!

Now, I DID NOT type in $1,000.00 as a donation amount—nor did I press one of those 'preselected amount' buttons for $1,000.00—I think that my donation amount was altered!

So, I requested a refund from ActBlue on June 8th, 2022, and they processed that refund immediately! Therefore, as of June 11th, 2022, that total donation is refunded to my card. (Thank God!) Although, I was still greatly concerned about how my $1.15 donation (with an $0.11 tip) miraculously became a $1,000.11 donation.

In addition to that, there were also other issues that I was having with my ActBlue account, which is why I think that my account was compromised. Thus, this $1,000.00 donation is not the first time that I have had issues with donation amounts being altered (from what I entered) when I donated on ActBlue: On some occasions I have donated to Democratic organizations on the ActBlue website—and the amount of the donation was less than what I entered by one penny!

So, for example, on more than one occasion, I donated $1.14 to a Democratic organization but, when the payment processed, the donation was actually $1.13. Then, another time, I donated $1.15 and the donation payment processed as $1.14...

...And when I got to thinking about this 'donation alteration,' so to speak, I realized that this may have been some kind of put down (because these donations weren't very much, but they were all that I could afford given how much money I have, because I am disabled due to HIV and I am receiving SSDI), since they were always a penny less than the amount I entered: as if I was being told that I am "penny less!"

Besides that, I also noticed that in 'My Recent Activity' on ActBlue, which includes the locations where I have logged in, I was shown having been logged into various cities where I don't live... Thus, I think the reason that my contributions were being tampered with is because my ActBlue account was compromised, since my 'Recent activity' showed that I had logged into my ActBlue account from many different cities—besides the city of Portland, Oregon where I actually live—such as: Klamath Falls, Oregon; Richland, Washington; Gaston, Oregon; Vancouver, Washington; Newberg, Oregon; Springfield, Oregon; and Lake Oswego, Oregon, just to name a few!

Anyway, I was concerned that needed to delete my ActBlue account, because I was worried about who was 'watching' my account, since it could be the Republicans, because I think they know who I am due to the fact that I am a blogger and an activist. So, out of a sense of caution, I deleted my ActBlue account on June 11th, 2022. And I also stopped making donations to Democratic political organizations, just in case the Republicans were behind this greatly altered donation amount from my June 8th, 2022 donation to the DLCC.

Since then, I have decided to explore more options for donating to Democrats, including through FastAction, and/or still donating via ActBlue (but through a different payment processor), and/or calling the various Democratic political organizations that I support, including your organization, and contributing through phone donations.

And that is why I have taken the time to explain all of this to you: so that you would know why I just suddenly stopped making donations after June 8th, 2022, because of that $1,000.00 contribution to the DLCC, which wasn't intentional!

Also, to let you know, I have restarted making recurring monthly donations (as of June 17th, 2022) to the various Democratic political organizations, including to your organization, to which I have been donating for the upcoming 2022 Midterm Elections.

And thus, I am making these recurring monthly donations through ActBlue.com: although, because I no longer have an ActBlue account—since I deleted it, due to the fact that I think the account was compromised—I am still donating through the ActBlue website (they seem to be the main donation processing website for most Democratic political organizations and many progressive organizations), but I am using a different payment processor.

Therefore, my plan is to make regular donations to the various Democratic political organizations from which I am receiving emails and/or text messages each day—while I am still trying to stay within a 'monthly donating budget'—which is all that I can afford given my monthly spending budget. (The reader should know that I am HIV-positive with full-blown AIDS. And I am on Social Security Disability Insurance, or SSDI, so my income is quite limited.)

Thus, I am planning to also make one-time donations in future to the aforementioned Democratic political organizations, including to your organization; although, I am still trying to figure out how to do so, while I am still trying to stay within a 'monthly donating budget.'

Plus, I feel like I need to clarify that the only exceptions to my 'monthly donating budget' (which is to make regular donations to the various Democratic political organizations to which I am donating, while I am still trying to stay within a 'monthly donating budget') happen during the End of the Month Fundraising Goals, and End of the Quarter Fundraising Goals, in which case I donate to each Democratic political organization virtually every time that they are asking for a donation, via emails and/or text messages, in order to help make sure that the Democratic organizations to which I am donating to are meeting their fundraising goals!

I hope that this (rather lengthy) explanation helps you to understand why I suddenly stopped donating to your organization after June 8th, 2022.

Thank you for your time and consideration in this matter.

Yours very truly,

Paul Whiting
[redacted]
Portland, Oregon
[redacted]

P.S.: Please see my 'June 11th, 2022 Update' with regard to 'The Unintentional $1,000.00 Donation of 2022 via ActBlue!' on my "Poet, Artist and Philosopher" blog post titled, "I Am No Longer Being An Activist In The Same Way That I Was" (please see the hyperlink below for the post):

https://poetartistandphilosopher.blogspot.com/2016/11/i-am-no-longer-being-activist.html

And, therefore, this "June 11th, 2022 Update—Follow Up No. 3, Written on June 20th, 2022, Regarding A Letter I Sent To Democrats DLCC About Why I Suddenly Stopped Donating" was brought to you by "The Unintentional $1,000.00 Donation of 2022 via ActBlue!"

And that is why I deleted my ActBlue account on June 11th, 2022.

Thus, I am exploring more options for donating to Democrats, including through FastAction, and/or still donating via ActBlue (but through a different payment processor), and/or calling the various Democratic political organizations that I support and contributing to them through phone donations.

–Paul Whiting (written June 20th, 2022, revised June 21st, 2022, revised June 26th, 2022, revised July 11th, 2022, revised July 20th, 2022, revised September 7th, 2022 revised November 27th, 2022, revised December 27th, 2022, revised April 16th, 2023, revised April 17th, 2023, revised April 22nd, 2023, revised April 28th, 2023, revised June 12th, 2023 and revised September 19th, 2023)

[I feel like I need to clarify why there are so many 'revised dates' on this 'update,' just like there are often times so many 'revised dates' on other 'updates' similar to this one! You see, I really try to keep my writing consistent as possible across all of my blogs. Therefore, as I am writing, I try to use the same phraseology wherever possible with regard to similar types of my writing so that, when I am editing my writing, I can change all of the similar writing at the same time and in the same way! Thus, a lot of the revisions indicated above, after my name (–Paul Whiting), and shown right after the original 'written date,' are often times due to these aforementioned consistent-writing revisions.]

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For my "June 14th, 2022 Update, Written On June 13th, 2022"—since this 'update' is a part of my ⋆USO⋆ donations—please see my blog post titled, "My Point Of View On...Giving Charity And Accepting Charity," which can be found on both of my "Paul Whiting — Math Magician" and "Paul Whiting — A Creative Writer" blogs. An introduction to the 'update' can be found below:

June 14th, 2022 Update, Written On June 13th, 2022: I received two emails from the USO (United Service Organizations) with regard to the patriotic observances celebrated on June 14th, including both Flag Day and the U.S. Army's birthday!

And the first email I received from the USO was on June 10th, 2022, with the subject line, "How much do you know about the stars and stripes, Paul?" regarding the celebration of Flag Day, which stated the following:

Paul, Flag Day is right around the corner! We hope you'll celebrate with all of us here at the USO by learning more about the history of this holiday celebrating the American flag we all know and love.

In honor of Old Glory herself, check out the special Flag Day Timeline we put together for this incredible community of military supporters.

VIEW TIMELINE NOW:***

Whether you're planning to attend a parade, wear red, white & blue or enjoy a special Flag Day treat, we hope you enjoy this opportunity to celebrate this important symbol of our country.

The USO

***[I used to include hyperlinks contained within the email messages, or the text messages, to which I am referring in these "Activism Updates"; however, I could not figure out how to include the aforementioned hyperlinks, regarding some relevant action that I had taken—such as signing a petition, sending a letter or message to my representative(s) in Congress, signing a USO 'Thank You' card, and/or making a donation—without including my personal information.]

Plus, after I viewed the timeline, I made a one-time donation on the USO.org website in order to respond to the request, "This Flag Day, will you make a donation to send a little bit of home to our service members and show them how much you appreciate their incredible service and sacrifice?"
---------------------------------------------
And speaking of the U.S. Army's birthday, as I mentioned above, the second email that I received from the USO, regarding June 14th, was on June 12th, 2022, with the subject line, "Help us celebrate the Army's 247th birthday!", which stated the following:

We've got an important occasion to celebrate on Tuesday, Paul: It's the U.S. Army's 247th birthday!

From the Revolutionary War until today, America's bravest have answered the call to protect our freedoms and keep us safe whenever they've been asked. Now it's time for us to show them how grateful we are for their service and sacrifice.

That's why we set a goal to get 24,700 signatures on our Army Birthday Card before midnight on Tuesday. Show how much you appreciate everything Army heroes do for us by signing our Army Birthday Card now!

SIGN THE CARD***

Those serving in the Army risk their lives every day to defend our nation. They carry on a proud tradition that began in the 1700s and continues through this day. The U.S. Army is one of the world's foremost guardians of peace and liberty — we are so lucky they've got our backs.

And it may not seem like much, but we often hear from active-duty service members that getting messages of support from military supporters like you makes such a big difference when they're serving in challenging, dangerous conditions.

We're counting on at least 24,700 military supporters like you to sign our Army Birthday Card by midnight Tuesday — so add your name now and show the Army's heroes how grateful you are for their service!

Thanks!

— The USO

***[I used to include hyperlinks contained within the email messages, or the text messages, to which I am referring in these "Activism Updates"; however, I could not figure out how to include the aforementioned hyperlinks, regarding some relevant action that I had taken—such as signing a petition, sending a letter or message to my representative(s) in Congress, signing a USO 'Thank You' card, and/or making a donation—without including my personal information.]

So, I signed the card, since "the Army turns 247 on June 14, and our troops need to hear how grateful we are that they’re here for us!" Plus, after I signed the card, I made a one-time donation on the USO.org website to say to our Army heroes, "We are beyond grateful for the sacrifices you make to protect our freedoms and keep us safe. In honor of the Army’s 247th birthday, thank you for your service!" ...

Please see the hyperlinks below for the post, within which you can do a find-in-page search for the 'update' labeled, "June 14th, 2022 Update, Written On June 13th, 2022":

https://paulwhitingmath.blogspot.com/2015/05/my-point-of-view-on-charity.html

https://paulwhitingwriting.blogspot.com/2022/07/my-point-of-view-on-part-16-giving-to.html

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June 14th, 2022 Update—Continued: I think that my blogs are being sabotaged by someone who is very 'tech savvy,' and they may be someone that I know, because I have noticed strange things happening while I have been editing my writing, which includes the font size being way smaller on the blog post 'header' titled, "Post No. 254: For Flag Day — 'The Old Red, White and Blue!'" on my "Paul Whiting — A Creative Writer" blog.

Thus, the font size on this blog post header is smaller than the font sizes on the other blog posts' headers on the aforementioned blog. (Although, I have noticed that the header font size keeps changing back and forth, between the small size and the normal size, as I am editing the post.)

And I cannot figure out what is causing this 'smaller-blog-post-header-font' anomaly on this particular blog post, but it may be whomever is sabotaging my blogs—as I mentioned above—because they are 'bothered' by this "The Old Red, White and Blue!" poem that I wrote... (Please see the hyperlink below for the post.)

The aforementioned poem can be seen below:

"The Old Red, White and Blue!"

Look so high above us,
She waves to us so true!
There she flies to love us,
"The Old Red, White and Blue!"

-Paul Whiting
(a.k.a., A Creative Writer)
"I maybe say too much about how life really is!"

https://paulwhitingwriting.blogspot.com/2022/06/for-flag-day-old-red-white-and-blue.html

Therefore, that is why I decided to provide you with this 'June 14th, 2022 Update—Continued' for the "I Am No Longer Being An Activist In The Same Way That I Was" post on my "Poet, Artist and Philosopher" blog, with regard to the post titled, "For Flag Day — 'The Old Red, White and Blue!'" on my "Paul Whiting — A Creative Writer" blog, because my poetry is an integral part of my "Online Activism!"

–Paul Whiting (written June 14th, 2022, revised June 15th, 2022, revised June 21st, 2022, revised June 22nd, 2022, revised June 25th, 2022, revised June 29th, 2022, revised July 29th, 2022, revised August 28th, 2022, revised May 30th, 2023, revised September 19th, 2023 and revised May 4th, 2024)

[I feel like I need to clarify why there are so many 'revised dates' on this 'update,' just like there are often times so many 'revised dates' on other 'updates' similar to this one! You see, I really try to keep my writing consistent as possible across all of my blogs. Therefore, as I am writing, I try to use the same phraseology wherever possible with regard to similar types of my writing so that, when I am editing my writing, I can change all of the similar writing at the same time and in the same way! Thus, a lot of the revisions indicated above, after my name (–Paul Whiting), and shown right after the original 'written date,' are often times due to these aforementioned consistent-writing revisions.]

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June 17th, 2022 Update: This update is a follow-up to my 'April 17th, 2022 Update—Continued Further, Written On June 17th, 2022,' where I explained that I deleted my ActBlue account on June 11th, 2022. You see, I think that my ActBlue account was compromised because, on June 8th, 2022, I attempted to make a $1.15 donation to the Democratic Legislative Campaign Committee (DLCC), plus I included an $0.11 tip for ActBlue, but when the payment processed, it was for $1,000.11! And that is why I deleted my ActBlue account on June 11th, 2022.

So, I have restarted making recurring monthly donations today, June 17th, 2022, to Democratic political organizations. Therefore, my plan is to make regular donations to the various Democratic political organizations from which I am receiving emails and/or text messages each day—while I am still trying to stay within a 'monthly donating budget'—which is all that I can afford given my monthly spending budget. (The reader should know that I am HIV-positive with full-blown AIDS. And I am on Social Security Disability Insurance, or SSDI, so my income is quite limited.)

And so, here are the Democratic political organizations to which I am making recurring monthly donations via ActBlue.com** [although, because I no longer have an ActBlue account—since I deleted it, due to the fact that I think the account was compromised—I am still donating through the ActBlue website (they seem to be the main donation processing website for most Democratic political organizations and many progressive organizations), but I am donating for some of these recurring donations through other payment processors, such as Google Pay]:

01. DCCC: Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee
02. DGA: Democratic Governors Association
03. DNC: Democratic National Committee
04. DSCC: Democratic Senatorial Campaign Committee
05. NCDM: National Conference of Democratic Mayors
06. DLCC: Democratic Legislative Campaign Committee
07. DAGA: Democratic Attorneys General Association
08. DASS: Democratic Association of Secretaries of State
09. NDCO: National Democratic County Officials
10. DMO: Democratic Municipal Officials
11. NDRC: National Democratic Redistricting Committee
12. DPO: Democratic Party of Oregon

**[I deleted my ActBlue account! Although, I am still processing payments through the ActBlue website, since they seem to be the main donation processing website for most Democratic political organizations and many progressive organizations. Please see my 'June 11th, 2022 Update' on my blog post "I Am No Longer Being An Activist In The Same Way That I Was," which can be found on my "Poet, Artist and Philosopher" blog, for a detailed explanation.]

Plus, I feel like I need to clarify that the only exceptions to my 'monthly donating budget' (which is to make regular donations to the various Democratic political organizations to which I am donating, while I am still trying to stay within a 'monthly donating budget') happen during the Democrats' End of the Month Fundraising Goals, and End of the Quarter Fundraising Goals, in which case I donate to each Democratic political organization virtually every time that they are asking for a donation, via emails and/or text messages, in order to help make sure that the Democratic organizations to which I am donating to are meeting their fundraising goals!

–Paul Whiting (written June 17th, 2022, revised June 18th, 2022, revised June 20th, 2022, revised July 11th, 2022, revised July 20th, 2022, revised December 28th, 2022, revised December 30th, 2022, revised April 16th, 2023, revised April 17th, 2023, revised April 22nd, 2023, revised May 30th, 2023, revised May 31st, 2023 and revised April 30th, 2024)

[I feel like I need to clarify why there are so many 'revised dates' on this 'update,' just like there are often times so many 'revised dates' on other 'updates' similar to this one! You see, I really try to keep my writing consistent as possible across all of my blogs. Therefore, as I am writing, I try to use the same phraseology wherever possible with regard to similar types of my writing so that, when I am editing my writing, I can change all of the similar writing at the same time and in the same way! Thus, a lot of the revisions indicated above, after my name (–Paul Whiting), and shown right after the original 'written date,' are often times due to these aforementioned consistent-writing revisions.]

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For my "June 19th, 2022 Update, Written On June 18th, 2022"—since this 'update' is a part of my ⋆USO⋆ donations—please see my blog post titled, "My Point Of View On...Giving Charity And Accepting Charity," which can be found on both of my "Paul Whiting — Math Magician" and "Paul Whiting — A Creative Writer" blogs. An introduction to the 'update' can be found below:

June 19th, 2022 Update, Written On June 18th, 2022: Happy Father's Day, everyone! I signed a Father’s Day card to military dads around the world from the USO (United Service Organizations) today, June 18th, 2022, that I received via an email yesterday, June 17th, 2022, which stated the following:

Paul,

As a veteran and a father, I know how challenging Father's Day can be for military dads. Many of them are stationed far away from their families, sometimes missing their kids' first words and steps. They can't be at precious events like summer baseball games, graduations and dance recitals. It's not easy.

Military dads sacrifice so much to serve their country and keep us safe at home. We need to make sure they feel appreciated on Father's Day, so we set a goal to get 25,000 signatures on our card honoring military dads. We can't fill up this card without your help, so please sign our Father's Day card honoring military dads now.

[Please see the hyperlink below for the card.]***

During my time in the U.S. Air Force, I spent many holidays away from home. Signing a card may not seem like a lot, but trust me, any time I got a reminder that folks back home were thinking about us, it meant so much. That's why I'm asking for your help today in giving our service members that same support and encouragement.

Please, we need to get 25,000 signatures before Father's Day — and it's only two days away. Will you add your name now to help fill up the card?

Thank you for helping make Father's Day special for American heroes!

[Name redacted], USO

***[I used to include hyperlinks contained within the email messages, or the text messages, to which I am referring in these "Activism Updates"; however, I could not figure out how to include the aforementioned hyperlinks, regarding some relevant action that I had taken—such as signing a petition, sending a letter or message to my representative(s) in Congress, signing a USO 'Thank You' card, and/or making a donation—without including my personal information.]

Plus, after I signed the card, I made a one-time donation on the USO.org website to say to military dads, "Happy Father’s Day. We so appreciate all the sacrifices you and your family make every day in service of our country and the freedoms we all enjoy. Thank you." ...

Please see the hyperlinks below for the post, within which you can do a find-in-page search for the 'update' labeled, "June 19th, 2022 Update, Written On June 18th, 2022":

https://paulwhitingmath.blogspot.com/2015/05/my-point-of-view-on-charity.html

https://paulwhitingwriting.blogspot.com/2022/07/my-point-of-view-on-part-16-giving-to.html

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June 19th, 2022 Update—Continued: In observance of Juneteenth, I sent letters to my U.S. House Representative and Senators in Congress urging them to pass the Abolition Amendment (S.J.Res.21/H.J.Res.53), after I received an email from the ACLU (American Civil Liberties Union) on June 17th, 2022, with the subject line, "Forced labor persists. Here's what to know – and action to take.", which stated the following:

Paul –

Ahead of this Juneteenth weekend, there's a glaring reality that our country needs to face: Despite many of us being taught that the 13th Amendment abolished slavery and involuntary servitude more than 150 years ago – forced labor still persists in our country.

What I'm talking about is the exploitative practice of forced prison labor – and it is largely a result of something called "the exception clause" in the 13th Amendment itself.

The ACLU released a shocking new report this week that shows exactly how this "exception" continues to fuel human rights abuses against incarcerated workers across the country. I'll break that down for you in one second, but first I want you to know that there's something you can do to help end the injustice:

A critical piece of legislation is in Congress right now – called the Abolition Amendment – which seeks to nullify this egregious loophole once and for all. We just need to push our lawmakers to take action.

So please, send a message with us to your members of Congress today and tell them to pass the Abolition Amendment immediately.

SEND YOUR MESSAGE:***

To be clear: The "exception clause" states that slavery is barred except for people who have been convicted of crimes. And our latest findings show that it has allowed for millions of workers in prisons over the years to be exploited, underpaid, and excluded from workplace safety protection laws.

In fact, more than 76% of incarcerated workers reported facing punishment – such as solitary confinement, denial of sentence reductions, or loss of family visitation – if they decline or were unable to work. And that doesn't begin to cover the inhumane conditions they're also made to work within.

It's no coincidence either that this loophole disproportionately encouraged the criminalization and re-enslavement of Black people during the Jim Crow era – and that we still feel the impacts of this systemic racism today in the disproportionate incarceration of Black and Brown people in our country's prisons.

Paul, for a nation that claims to be the "land of the free," forced labor of any kind is unacceptable, and it is unconscionable that we've kept this exception within the United States Constitution.

Let's bring it to an end: Send a message to Congress today and tell them to pass the Abolition Amendment immediately.

Thanks for taking action,

[Name redacted]
Pronouns: She, her, hers
[Title redacted], ACLU Human Rights Program

July 4th, 2022 Update, Written On July 1st, 2022: Happy Independence Day, everyone!

In celebration of Independence Day (which is usually more informally referred to as the 'Fourth of July'—or sometimes the '4th of July'—in the United States of America), I signed a 'Fourth of July' card today, July 1st, 2022, from the USO (United Service Organizations) in order to include our brave men and women in uniform in my '4th of July' celebrations.

You see, while we are celebrating 246 years of the United States of America, "we cannot forget the service members who continue to sacrifice so much to defend the freedoms our forefathers fought for."

And I was notified about this Independence Day card yesterday, June 30th, 2022, via an email from the USO with the subject line, "Before July 4, will you join me in thanking our troops?" that was written by [name redacted], "who is the highest-grossing box office star of all time," which stated the following:

Paul,

I've had the honor of visiting with over 5,500 of our brave service members in Kuwait, Turkey, Qatar and Afghanistan alongside the USO, and this much is certain: No superhero on the big screen can stack up against these real-life heroes in uniform.

While it's not always possible for us to thank our troops in person, I know how much it means to this community of military supporters to send them love and gratitude from home — especially ahead of important moments like July 4. That's why I hope you'll join me in thanking our service members today:

I'm helping the USO collect at least 100,000 signatures in support of our military heroes before July 4, so please, will you add your name now to thank our service members who sacrifice so much for our freedom all year long?

SIGN THE CARD***

Many of us are looking forward to a weekend filled with fireworks and barbeques with our family and friends, but we can't forget about the service members who will be thousands of miles away from their loved ones — deployed in dangerous conditions to make sure we can celebrate holidays like July 4 back home.

I've seen firsthand how much messages of support and appreciation mean to our troops, and it only takes a moment to say thank you. Please, can I count on you to sign the thank-you card now for our service members in honor of their sacrifice? It's the least we can do for the heroes who selflessly do so much for us.

Thank you for all you do to support our service members — today and every day.

—[Name redacted]

***[I used to include hyperlinks contained within the email messages, or the text messages, to which I am referring in these "Activism Updates"; however, I could not figure out how to include the aforementioned hyperlinks, regarding some relevant action that I had taken—such as signing a petition, sending a letter or message to my representative(s) in Congress, signing a USO 'Thank You' card, and/or making a donation—without including my personal information.]

Plus, after I signed the card, I made a one-time donation on the USO.org website to say to our service members, "Happy Fourth of July to all the brave troops serving at home and abroad! Today and every day, we truly appreciate everything you do to protect our country."

In addition to that, I already make a recurring monthly donation to the USO in order to show my support for our U.S. Military Personnel! You see, I usually make one-time donations to the USO each month—as often as I can manage when they request a donation via email or text message. Therefore, I am planning to continue making one-time donations to the USO in the future, as often as I can manage to make donations, in addition to making the aforementioned recurring monthly donation. ...

Please see the hyperlinks below for the post, within which you can do a find-in-page search for the 'update' labeled, "July 4th, 2022 Update, Written On July 1st, 2022":

https://paulwhitingmath.blogspot.com/2015/05/my-point-of-view-on-charity.html

https://paulwhitingwriting.blogspot.com/2022/07/my-point-of-view-on-part-16-giving-to.html

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July 4th, 2022 Update—Continued: Happy Independence Day, everyone! In celebration of Independence Day (which is usually referred to—more informally—as the 'Fourth of July' in the United States of America), I sent a poem that I published on my "Paul Whiting — A Creative Writer" blog to Democratic political organizations that I support, as contained within an email message, which stated the following:

Message Subject: My Fourth Of July Message In Celebration Of Independence Day

To Whom It May Concern,

As we celebrate the birthday of our great nation, let us reflect upon all that we share as a people of different beliefs, different opinions, different perspectives and different political leanings.

And, at the same time, we still find common ground to achieve our shared goals of peace and prosperity, equal opportunity, and mutual respect.

And so, on this birthday of our wonderful nation, let us take the time to celebrate all of the qualities about America that we have in common, all of the symbols that we share, and all of the things that we love about the United States of America that exist between all of us:

Between All Of Us

All of God's creation is joyfully,
gloriously, and so abundantly,
standing Between All Of Us.

The love of God for this great
country of ours is proudly
blooming Between All Of Us.

America's amber waves of grain,
and her fruited plains, are forever
unfolding Between All Of Us.

The Constitution is a binding
testament to the liberty that
lives Between All Of Us.

Our Founding Fathers' balanced,
hard, and proud, accomplishments
breath freely Between All Of Us.

The Liberty Bell silently peels
truly, faithfully, and so very
deeply, Between All Of Us.

The Statue of Liberty keeps
her flame of freedom burning
brightly Between All Of Us.

The Washington Monument
rises above the fear of change for
some of those Between All Of Us.

The Lincoln Memorial speaks
quietly of the peaceful patriotism
that exists Between All Of Us.

Old Glory herself is waving loud
and proud for the love of America
that thrives Between All Of Us.

And only our great love for
this wonderful country could
ever come Between All Of Us.

So, let us all pledge our allegiance
to the one nation under God
that stands Between All Of Us.

-Paul Whiting
(a.k.a., A Creative Writer)
"I maybe say too much about how life really is!"

https://paulwhitingwriting.blogspot.com/2022/07/for-democracy-part-4-birthday-of-united.html

And, after I sent the above-mentioned message, I made donations to Democratic political organizations, as well as to Democratic political campaigns, in celebration of the Fourth of July, which truly is our Independence Day! –Paul Whiting (written July 4th, 2022, revised July 6th, 2022, revised December 19th, 2022, revised April 16th, 2023, revised May 30th, 2023 and revised May 4th, 2024)

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July 7th, 2022 Update, Written On July 11th, 2022: I have made approximately $[redacted] in total donations to Democratic political organizations and to various Democratic political campaigns from about March 2nd, 2022 through about July 5th, 2022.

And, as of July 7th, 2022, the total amount that I owe on my credit card is $[redacted], which is going to take me at least one year and eight months to pay off!

Plus, I am also making recurring donations to the main Democratic fundraising and coordinating political organizations of $3.00 on the 17th of each month: and my plan is to continue donating those recurring donations indefinitely, since that is all that I can really afford to donate given my monthly spending budget. (The reader should know that I am HIV-positive with full-blown AIDS. And I am on Social Security Disability Insurance, or SSDI, so my income is quite limited.)

And so, here are the Democratic political organizations to which I am making recurring monthly donations via ActBlue.com** [although, because I no longer have an ActBlue account—since I deleted it, due to the fact that I think the account was compromised—I am still donating through the ActBlue website (they seem to be the main donation processing website for most Democratic political organizations and many progressive organizations), but I am donating for some of these recurring donations through other payment processors, such as Google Pay]:

01. DCCC: Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee recurring donation of $3.00
02. DGA: Democratic Governors Association recurring donation of $3.00
03. DNC: Democratic National Committee recurring donation of $3.00
04. DSCC: Democratic Senatorial Campaign Committee recurring donation of $3.00
05. NCDM: National Conference of Democratic Mayors recurring donation of $3.00
06. DLCC: Democratic Legislative Campaign Committee recurring donation of $3.00
07. DAGA: Democratic Attorneys General Association recurring donation of $3.00
08. DASS: Democratic Association of Secretaries of State recurring donation of $3.00
09. NDCO: National Democratic County Officials recurring donation of $3.00
10. DMO: Democratic Municipal Officials recurring donation of $3.00
11. NDRC: National Democratic Redistricting Committee recurring donation of $3.00
12. DPO: Democratic Party of Oregon recurring donation of $3.00

Total Democratic Organizations Monthly Recurring Donations: $36.00

**[I deleted my ActBlue account! Although, I am still processing payments through the ActBlue website, since they seem to be the main donation processing website for most Democratic political organizations and many progressive organizations. Please see my 'June 11th, 2022 Update' on my blog post "I Am No Longer Being An Activist In The Same Way That I Was," which can be found on my "Poet, Artist and Philosopher" blog, for a detailed explanation.]

In addition to that, I already make a recurring monthly donation to the USO in order to show my support for our U.S. Military Personnel:

01. USO: United Service Organizations recurring donation of $10.00 (which used to be $5.00 per month, but I increased it by an additional $5.00 per month; so starting on August 17th, 2022, the USO recurring donation is now $10.00 per month)

Thus, the total for the main Democratic fundraising and coordinating political organizations recurring donations, and for the USO recurring donation, is $46.00 per month (which used to be $41.00 per month, but I increased my monthly USO donation from $5.00 to $10.00 per month, so starting on August 17th, 2022 the total monthly donations are now $46.00 per month).

Therefore, I am continuing to make recurring monthly donations to the main Democratic fundraising and coordinating political organizations, as listed above, and to the USO; however, that is all I can afford to donate for the foreseeable future (with the exception of occasional one-time donations to the USO, plus various progressive organizations), given how much I went over my spending budget on political donations!

The following is the way that I calculated how much I donated to Democratic political organizations, and to Democratic political campaigns, as well as how much that I donated to organizations other than political organizations, from approximately March 2nd, 2022 through July 5th, 2022: And I did this by taking the total amount that I owe as of July 7th, 2022 ($[redacted]) and I subtracted the regular purchases that I made during that same approximate time period (-$[redacted]); then, I subtracted the donations to organizations other than political organizations during that same approximate time period (-$[redacted]); and then I added the total payments that I have made through July 7th, 2022 (+$[redacted]); finally, I added the political donations that I made on my debit card during that same approximate time period (+$[redacted]); and that comes to the total political donations that I have made through July 7th, 2022 (=$[redacted]), as outlined below:

$[redacted] (total credit card balance thru 07/07/2022)

-$[redacted] (I subtracted the regular purchases)

$[redacted] (balance remaining)

-$[redacted] (I subtracted the donations to organizations other than political organizations)

$[redacted] (balance remaining)

+$[redacted] (I added the total payments made thru 07/07/2022)

$[redacted] (balance of total political donations on my credit card)

+$[redacted] (I added the balance of total political donations on my debit card)

=$[redacted] (balance of total political donations thru 07/07/2022)

And, as I mentioned above, the total amount that I owe on my credit card, as of July 7th, 2022, is $[redacted], which is going to take me at least one year and eight months to pay off as I have calculated, which I have estimated without any interest being calculated, and without any additional future charges, besides the above-mentioned monthly recurring donations.

So, this political donation information is why I wanted to update you with regard to my most recent donations to Democratic political organizations—as well as to Democratic political campaigns—and my planned recurring monthly donations to the main Democratic fundraising and coordinating political organizations recurring donations, as well as to the USO.

And I am still making one-time donations to the USO—as often as I can manage when they request a donation via email or text message, in addition to making the aforementioned recurring monthly donation. Plus, I am also still making one-time donations to various progressive organizations.

–Paul Whiting (written July 11th, 2022, revised July 12th, 2022, revised July 20th, 2022, revised July 27th, 2022, revised July 27th, 2022, revised August 16th, 2022, revised November 24th, 2022, revised November 28th, 2022, revised December 19th, 2022, revised December 28th, 2022, revised December 30th, 2022, revised April 16th, 2023, revised April 17th, 2023, revised April 21st, 2023, revised April 22nd, 2023, revised April 27th, 2023, revised April 28th, 2023, revised July 29th, 2023, revised August 16th, 2023 and revised April 30th, 2024)

[I feel like I need to clarify why there are so many 'revised dates' on this 'update,' just like there are often times so many 'revised dates' on other 'updates' similar to this one! You see, I really try to keep my writing consistent as possible across all of my blogs. Therefore, as I am writing, I try to use the same phraseology wherever possible with regard to similar types of my writing so that, when I am editing my writing, I can change all of the similar writing at the same time and in the same way! Thus, a lot of the revisions indicated above, after my name (–Paul Whiting), and shown right after the original 'written date,' are often times due to these aforementioned consistent-writing revisions.]
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July 7th, 2022 Update, Written On July 11th, 2022 (Follow-Up No. 1, Written On July 27th, 2022): This update is a follow-up to my 'July 7th, 2022 Update, Written On July 11th, 2022' and it is kind of complicated!

You see, my monthly donations of $3.00 each to the main Democratic fundraising and coordinating political organizations processed on July 17th, 2022. (The only exception to that was my donation to the Democratic Party of Oregon which, for some reason, processed on July 15th, 2022—rather than July 17th, 2022. So, I contacted them on July 15th, 2022, and requested that they change my future recurring monthly donations of $3.00 to the 17th of each month and they replied to me that same day with the following statement: "There shouldn't be an issue with having the payment on the 17th, I will get that switched over for you right now!")

And then, today July 27th, 2022, I also made one-time donations to Democratic political campaigns of $3.00 each for the most competitive races (of which I am aware) regarding Democratic House of Representatives and Senate seats. In addition to that, I made one-time donations of $3.00 each to the most competitive races (of which I am aware) regarding Democratic gubernatorial—or governor's—seats. Plus, I made an additional one-time donation to my local Democratic Party of Oregon.

Now, here is where my 'July 7th, 2022 Update, Written On July 11th, 2022 (Follow-Up No. 1, Written On July 27th, 2022)' gets complicated: Earlier, I said that I was going to only "make recurring monthly donations to the main Democratic fundraising and coordinating political organizations...and to the USO...with the exception of occasional one-time donations to the USO, plus various progressive organizations," which is what I have done, so far!

However, I decided that I needed to "up my game" and to continue making donations to individual Democratic political campaigns, but I am planning to only donate to them once per month, on the 27th of each month, until election day. Thus, I am donating each month—and I am donating $3.00 per campaign, just like I am donating to each of the main Democratic fundraising and coordinating organizations—and that way I am donating to help Democrats win in November, in a way that is affordable to me, for the 2022 Midterm Elections.

–Paul Whiting (written July 27th, 2022, revised August 27th, 2022, revised August 28th, 2022, revised August 30th, 2022, revised September 27th, 2022, revised September 28th, 2022, revised September 30th, 2022, revised November 28th, 2022, revised April 11th, 2023, revised April 16th, 2023, revised April 27th, 2023, revised April 28th, 2023, revised July 29th, 2023 and revised May 2nd, 2024)

[I feel like I need to clarify why there are so many 'revised dates' on this 'update,' just like there are often times so many 'revised dates' on other 'updates' similar to this one! You see, I really try to keep my writing consistent as possible across all of my blogs. Therefore, as I am writing, I try to use the same phraseology wherever possible with regard to similar types of my writing so that, when I am editing my writing, I can change all of the similar writing at the same time and in the same way! Thus, a lot of the revisions indicated above, after my name (–Paul Whiting), and shown right after the original 'written date,' are often times due to these aforementioned consistent-writing revisions.]
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July 7th, 2022 Update, Written On July 11th, 2022 (Follow-Up No. 2, Written On August 30th, 2022): This update is a follow-up to the following:

▪ July 7th, 2022 Update, Written On July 11th, 2022
▪ July 7th, 2022 Update, Written On July 11th, 2022 (Follow-Up No. 1, Written On July 27th, 2022)

Although, this update is similar to that 'July 7th, 2022 Update, Written On July 11th, 2022 (Follow-Up No. 1, Written On July 27th, 2022),' with some exceptions.

You see, my monthly donations of $3.00 each to the main Democratic fundraising and coordinating political organizations processed on August 17th, 2022, including my donation to the Democratic Party of Oregon, which processed the previous month on July 15th, 2022, rather than on July 17th, 2022; however, I contacted them last month, on July 15th, 2022, and requested that their monthly recurring donation of $3.00 be processed on the 17th of each month, going forward, which started this month, on August 17th, 2022.

And then, on August 27th, 2022, I also made one-time donations to Democratic political campaigns of $3.00 each for the most competitive races (of which I am aware) regarding Democratic House of Representatives and Senate seats. In addition to that, I made one-time donations of $3.00 each to the most competitive races (of which I am aware) regarding Democratic gubernatorial—or governor's—seats.

Now, here is where I explained that my 'July 7th, 2022 Update, Written On July 11th, 2022 (Follow-Up No. 1, Written On July 27th, 2022)' gets complicated:

Earlier, I said that I was going to only "make recurring monthly donations to the main Democratic fundraising and coordinating political organizations...and to the USO...with the exception of occasional one-time donations to the USO, plus various progressive organizations," which is what I have done, so far!

And here is where I said in my 'July 7th, 2022 Update, Written On July 11th, 2022 (Follow-Up No. 1, Written On July 27th, 2022)' that I also needed to "up my game":

However, I decided that I needed to "up my game" and to continue making donations to individual Democratic political campaigns, but I am planning to only donate to them once per month, on the 27th of each month, until election day. Thus, I am donating each month—and I am donating $3.00 per campaign, just like I am donating to each of the main Democratic fundraising and coordinating organizations—and that way I am donating to help Democrats win in November, in a way that is affordable to me, for the 2022 Midterm Elections.

So, what differentiates this update from my 'July 7th, 2022 Update, Written On July 11th, 2022 (Follow-Up No. 1, Written On July 27th, 2022),' is the fact that I am providing you with the total amount that donated for August 2022:

I donated a total of $[redacted] on August 27th, 2022 to Democratic political campaigns, as described above, within which I also included additional one-time donations to the DLCC (Democratic Legislative Campaign Committee) and to the DCCC (Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee), as well as one-time donations to EMILYs List PAC "to put women into office who can make significant contributions to education, health care, voting rights, and economic equality," and to Planned Parenthood Federal PAC "to support candidates who will advocate for our reproductive health and rights."

In addition to that, I also made a donation of $[redacted] to Wikipedia, since I went onto their website on August 17th, 2022, and they were requesting donations. You see, as a blogger and frequent reader of Wikipedia, I try donate to them whenever they request a donation!

Besides the donations mentioned above, I also made $[redacted] in donations during the month of August 2022, which included several donations to the USO (United Service Organizations), several donations to the ACLU (American Civil Liberties Union), plus, an individual one-time donation to a local news publication the Willamette Week, as well as an individual one-time donation to the news publication The Guardian, in addition to an individual one-time donation to Liz Cheney's leadership PAC "The Great Task." (By the way, I explained my donation to "The Great Task" in my 'August 17th, 2022 Update.')

Plus, I figured out how to track the amounts that I am donating during the month in order to help me budget how much I am spending each month, so that—eventually—I will be paying more each month than I am charging each month on my credit card (hopefully, at least!); but, that is probably not going to happen until after the 2022 Midterm Elections.

Thus, my total donations for the month of August 2022 are $[redacted], which brings my credit card to a grand total of $[redacted]! However, I am donating as much as I can afford to donate in order to help progressive causes that I care about, in addition to supporting the USO as often as I manage, as well as to help Democrats win in the 2022 Midterm Elections!

–Paul Whiting (written August 30th, 2022, revised September 27th, 2022, revised September 28th, 2022, revised September 30th, 2022, revised November 1st, 2022, revised November 28th, 2022, revised December 7th, 2022, revised April 11th, 2023, revised April 16th, 2023, revised April 27th, 2023, revised April 28th, 2023, revised June 24th, 2023, revised July 29th, 2023, revised August 19th, 2023 and revised May 2nd, 2024)

[I feel like I need to clarify why there are so many 'revised dates' on this 'update,' just like there are often times so many 'revised dates' on other 'updates' similar to this one! You see, I really try to keep my writing consistent as possible across all of my blogs. Therefore, as I am writing, I try to use the same phraseology wherever possible with regard to similar types of my writing so that, when I am editing my writing, I can change all of the similar writing at the same time and in the same way! Thus, a lot of the revisions indicated above, after my name (–Paul Whiting), and shown right after the original 'written date,' are often times due to these aforementioned consistent-writing revisions.]
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July 7th, 2022 Update, Written On July 11th, 2022 (Follow-Up No. 3, Written On September 30th, 2022): This update is a follow-up to the following:

▪ July 7th, 2022 Update, Written On July 11th, 2022
▪ July 7th, 2022 Update, Written On July 11th, 2022 (Follow-Up No. 1, Written On July 27th, 2022)
▪ July 7th, 2022 Update, Written On July 11th, 2022 (Follow-Up No. 2, Written On August 30th, 2022)

Although, this update is similar to my 'July 7th, 2022 Update, Written On July 11th, 2022 (Follow-Up No. 1, Written On July 27th, 2022),' as well as similar to my 'July 7th, 2022 Update, Written On July 11th, 2022 (Follow-Up No. 2, Written On August 30th, 2022),' with some exceptions.

You see, my monthly donations of $3.00 each to the main Democratic fundraising and coordinating political organizations processed on September 17th, 2022.

And then, on September 27th, 2022 as well as on September 28th, 2022, I also made one-time donations to Democratic political campaigns of $3.00 each for the most competitive races (of which I am aware) regarding Democratic House of Representatives and Senate seats. In addition to that, I made one-time donations of $3.00 each to the most competitive races (of which I am aware) regarding Democratic gubernatorial—or governor's—seats.

Now, here is where I explained that my 'July 7th, 2022 Update, Written On July 11th, 2022 (Follow-Up No. 1, Written On July 27th, 2022)' gets complicated:

Earlier, I said that I was going to only "make recurring monthly donations to the main Democratic fundraising and coordinating political organizations...and to the USO...with the exception of occasional one-time donations to the USO, plus various progressive organizations," which is what I have done, so far!

And here is where I said in my 'July 7th, 2022 Update, Written On July 11th, 2022 (Follow-Up No. 1, Written On July 27th, 2022)' that I also needed to "up my game":

However, I decided that I needed to "up my game" and to continue making donations to individual Democratic political campaigns, but I am planning to only donate to them once per month, on the 27th of each month, until election day. Thus, I am donating each month—and I am donating $3.00 per campaign, just like I am donating to each of the main Democratic fundraising and coordinating organizations—and that way I am donating to help Democrats win in November, in a way that is affordable to me, for the 2022 Midterm Elections.

Earlier, I said that I was going to only "make recurring monthly donations to the main Democratic fundraising and coordinating political organizations...and to the USO...with the exception of occasional one-time donations to the USO, plus various progressive organizations," which is what I have done, so far!

And here is where I said in my 'July 7th, 2022 Update, Written On July 11th, 2022 (Follow-Up No. 1, Written On July 27th, 2022)' that I also needed to "up my game":

However, I decided that I needed to "up my game" and to continue making donations to individual Democratic political campaigns, but I am planning to only donate to them once per month, on the 27th of each month, until election day. Thus, I am donating each month—and I am donating $3.00 per campaign, just like I am donating to each of the main Democratic fundraising and coordinating organizations—and that way I am donating to help Democrats win in November, in a way that is affordable to me, for the 2022 Midterm Elections.

So, what differentiates this update from my 'July 7th, 2022 Update, Written On July 11th, 2022 (Follow-Up No. 1, Written On July 27th, 2022),' as well as being the same thing that differentiates both my 'July 7th, 2022 Update, Written On July 11th, 2022 (Follow-Up No. 2, Written On August 30th, 2022)' and my 'July 7th, 2022 Update, Written On July 11th, 2022 (Follow-Up No. 3, Written On September 30th, 2022)' from the aforementioned 'Follow-Up No. 1,' is the fact that I am providing you with the total amount that donated for October 2022:

I donated $[redacted] on October 27th, 2022, to Democratic political campaigns, as described above, within which I also included additional one-time donations to the DNC (Democratic National Committee), to the DCCC (Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee), and to the DSCC (Democratic Senatorial Campaign Committee).

Also, in the above-mentioned total of $[redacted], I included one-time donations to EMILYs List PAC "to put women into office who can make significant contributions to education, health care, voting rights, and economic equality," and to Planned Parenthood Federal PAC "to support candidates who will advocate for our reproductive health and rights," plus to VoteVets which "elevates the voices of Veterans and military families through progressive legislative policies and electoral endorsements that impact the lives of active service members, Veterans, and the country" in addition to MeidasTouch that has been "producing the most hard-hitting, impactful and most watched political videos."

In addition to that, in the above-mentioned total of $[redacted], I included one-time donations to elect Oregon Senator Ron Wyden, to elect Tina Kotek as Oregon's next Governor, to elect Oregon's great Democratic Congressional team of Earl Blumenauer, Suzanne Bonamici, Jamie McLeod-Skinner, Val Hoyle, Andrea Salinas and Joe Yetter, to elect Christina Stephenson as Oregon's next Labor Commissioner, as well as to elect Portland City Commissioner Jo Ann Hardesty.

Besides the donations mentioned above, I also made $[redacted] in donations during the month of October 2022, which included several donations to the USO (United Service Organizations), one-time donations to the American Red Cross and The Salvation Army, plus, an individual one-time donation to TruthOut, two one-time donations to The Guardian News, an individual one-time donation to Friends of Willamette Week, an individual one-time donation to UNFPA (formerly known as the 'United Nations Fund for Population Activities' that is now called the 'United Nations Population Fund'), an individual one-time donation to the United States Holocaust Memorial Museum, and an individual one-time donation to Bolts Magazine. (Whew!)

Plus, I continued to track the amounts that I am donating during the month in order to help me budget how much I am spending each month, so that—eventually—I will be paying more each month than I am charging each month on my credit card (hopefully, at least!); but, that is probably not going to happen until after the 2022 Midterm Elections.

Thus, my total donations for the month of October 2022 are $[redacted], which brings my credit card to a grand total of $[redacted]! (Although, for the sake of clarity, out of that grand total, $[redacted] was for store purchases that I decided to charge to my credit card and pay off later on; thus, my adjusted grand total for political and charitable donations only is "[redacted].") However, I am donating as much as I can afford to donate in order to help progressive causes that I care about, in addition to supporting the USO as often as I manage, as well as to help Democrats win in the 2022 Midterm Elections!

–Paul Whiting (written November 1st, 2022, revised November 28th, 2022, revised December 7th, 2022, revised April 11th, 2023, revised April 16th, 2023, revised April 27th, 2023, revised April 28th, 2023, revised June 24th, 2023, revised July 29th, 2023, revised August 12th, 2023, revised August 19th, 2023 and revised May 2nd, 2024)

[I feel like I need to clarify why there are so many 'revised dates' on this 'update,' just like there are often times so many 'revised dates' on other 'updates' similar to this one! You see, I really try to keep my writing consistent as possible across all of my blogs. Therefore, as I am writing, I try to use the same phraseology wherever possible with regard to similar types of my writing so that, when I am editing my writing, I can change all of the similar writing at the same time and in the same way! Thus, a lot of the revisions indicated above, after my name (–Paul Whiting), and shown right after the original 'written date,' are often times due to these aforementioned consistent-writing revisions.]
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July 7th, 2022 Update, Written On July 11th, 2022 (Follow-Up No. 5, Written On December 7th, 2022): This update is a follow-up to the following:

▪ July 7th, 2022 Update, Written On July 11th, 2022
▪ July 7th, 2022 Update, Written On July 11th, 2022 (Follow-Up No. 1, Written On July 27th, 2022)
▪ July 7th, 2022 Update, Written On July 11th, 2022 (Follow-Up No. 2, Written On August 30th, 2022)
▪ July 7th, 2022 Update, Written On July 11th, 2022 (Follow-Up No. 3, Written On September 30th, 2022)
▪ July 7th, 2022 Update, Written On July 11th, 2022 (Follow-Up No. 4, Written On November 1st, 2022)

Although, this update is similar to my 'July 7th, 2022 Update, Written On July 11th, 2022 (Follow-Up No. 1, Written On July 27th, 2022),' as well as similar to my 'July 7th, 2022 Update, Written On July 11th, 2022 (Follow-Up No. 2, Written On August 30th, 2022),' in addition to being similar to my 'July 7th, 2022 Update, Written On July 11th, 2022 (Follow-Up No. 3, Written On September 30th, 2022),' besides also being similar to my 'July 7th, 2022 Update, Written On July 11th, 2022 (Follow-Up No. 4,' Written On November 1st, 2022), Written On November 1st, 2022, with some exceptions. Also, this is the last update that I am providing for this 2022 Midterm Election cycle, since the final race for this midterm election year was held yesterday, December 6th, 2022.

You see, my monthly donations of $3.00 each to the main Democratic fundraising and coordinating political organizations processed on November 17th, 2022.

And also, on November 10th, November 12th, November 13th, November 29th, November 30th, December 1st, December 3rd and December 5th, 2022, I made additional one-time donations to the DSCC (Democratic Senatorial Campaign Committee) and to Democratic political campaigns for particularly close Senate races.

Now, here is where I explained that my 'July 7th, 2022 Update, Written On July 11th, 2022 (Follow-Up No. 1, Written On July 27th, 2022)' gets complicated:

Earlier, I said that I was going to only "make recurring monthly donations to the main Democratic fundraising and coordinating political organizations...and to the USO...with the exception of occasional one-time donations to the USO, plus various progressive organizations," which is what I have done, so far!

And here is where I said in my 'July 7th, 2022 Update, Written On July 11th, 2022 (Follow-Up No. 1, Written On July 27th, 2022)' that I also needed to "up my game":

However, I decided that I needed to "up my game" and to continue making donations to individual Democratic political campaigns, but I am planning to only donate to them once per month, on the 27th of each month, until election day. Thus, I am donating each month—and I am donating $3.00 per campaign, just like I am donating to each of the main Democratic fundraising and coordinating organizations—and that way I am donating to help Democrats win in November, in a way that is affordable to me, for the 2022 Midterm Elections.

The National Suicide Prevention Lifeline is now: 988 Suicide and Crisis Lifeline

988 has been designated as the new three-digit dialing code that will route callers to the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline. While some areas may be currently able to connect to the Lifeline by dialing 988, this dialing code will be available to everyone across the United States starting on July 16, 2022.

Talk To Someone Now

If you’re thinking about suicide, are worried about a friend or loved one, or would like emotional support, the Lifeline network is available 24/7 across the United States.

What Happens When I Call The Lifeline?

First, you’ll hear a message telling you that you’ve reached the 988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline.

We’ll play you a little hold music while we connect you.

A skilled, trained crisis worker who works at the Lifeline network crisis center closest to you will answer the phone.

This person will listen to you, understand how your problem is affecting you, provide support, and share any resources that may be helpful.

Remember, your call is confidential and free.

Should I Call The Lifeline?

No matter what problems you’re dealing with, whether or not you’re thinking about suicide, if you need someone to lean on for emotional support, call the Lifeline.

People call to talk about lots of things: substance abuse, economic worries, relationships, sexual identity, getting over abuse, depression, mental and physical illness, and loneliness, to name a few.

https://988lifeline.org/talk-to-someone-now

And below, please find the prose that I wrote from a blog post that I originally published on my "Small All White in the Forest" blog, and which I am planning to republish for a blog post on my "Paul Whiting — A Creative Writer" blog, with regard to World Suicide Prevention Day, which is September 10th each year:

...In the past, I struggled with suicidal thoughts. So, you are not alone.

Therefore, if you feel like you are suicidal, please get help, so that—someday—you too can tell someone who might be suicidal:

"In the past, I struggled with suicidal thoughts..."

Thus, I decided to write this update about the new "988 Suicide and Crisis Lifeline" name and phone number. So, if you feel like you are in crisis—or if you feel like you are suicidal—please dial "988" to get help!

–Paul Whiting (written July 17th, 2022, revised July 21st, 2022, revised December 19th, 2022, revised March 27th, 2023, revised April 11th, 2023, revised June 17th, 2023 and revised September 10th, 2024)

The National Suicide Prevention Lifeline is now: 988 Suicide and Crisis Lifeline: "If you’re thinking about suicide, are worried about a friend or loved one, or would like emotional support, the Lifeline network is available 24/7 across the United States." Dial 988

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July 19th, 2022 Update: I received an email from Iraq and Afghanistan Veterans of America (IAVA) today, July 19th, 2022, with the subject line, "We Need Your Help to Pass the Pact Act", which stated, in part, the following:

Paul,

Last week the Honoring Our PACT Act passed the House with a strong bipartisan vote of 342-88. Now the PACT Act will be voted on by the Senate soon! We need your help more now than ever in getting this vital legislation passed so those suffering from military toxic exposures receive the VA healthcare and disability benefits they deserve.

You can help by asking your US Senators to pass the Honoring Our PACT Act. Use this link to call your US Senator today.

Call Your US Senator:

https://www.senate.gov/senators/senators-contact.htm?utm_source=EML_CUL_071922PACTAct_Email-Header_camp-TakeAction&utm_medium=Email&utm_campaign=TakeAction

Onward!

[Name redacted], [Title redacted], Government Affairs for IAVA

However, rather than calling my Senators, I wrote to them instead, since I usually communicate in writing to my Senators—that way, I have a written record of what I communicated. So, I sent email letters to my Senators, on their websites, urging them to support passing this critical legislation, which can be found below:

Message Subject: Please vote to pass the Honoring Our PACT Act

Dear Senator [Name],

Last week the Honoring Our PACT Act passed the House with a strong bipartisan vote of 342-88. Now the PACT Act will be voted on by the Senate soon!

Veterans need your help more now than ever in getting this vital legislation passed so that those suffering from military toxic exposures receive the VA healthcare and disability benefits they deserve.

So, I am writing to you today to ask that you please vote to pass the Honoring Our PACT Act!

Thank you for your time and for your consideration in this matter.

Yours very truly,

-Paul Whiting
[Street Address and Apt. No. redacted]
Portland, Oregon
[ZIP Code redacted]

And, after I sent those letters to my Senators, I made a one-time donation to Iraq and Afghanistan Veterans of America (IAVA) in order to show my support for our U.S. Veterans!

–Paul Whiting (written July 19th, 2022, revised December 19th, 2022, revised January 1st, 2023, revised March 10th, 2023, revised October 23rd, 2023 and revised November 30th, 2023)

[I feel like I need to clarify why there are so many 'revised dates' on this 'update,' just like there are often times so many 'revised dates' on other 'updates' similar to this one! You see, I really try to keep my writing consistent as possible across all of my blogs. Therefore, as I am writing, I try to use the same phraseology wherever possible with regard to similar types of my writing so that, when I am editing my writing, I can change all of the similar writing at the same time and in the same way! Thus, a lot of the revisions indicated above, after my name (–Paul Whiting), and shown right after the original 'written date,' are often times due to these aforementioned consistent-writing revisions.]

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"July 27th, 2022 Update" [Written Originally As A 'July 7th, 2022 Update, Written On July 11th, 2022 (Follow-Up No. 1, Written On July 27th, 2022)']: This update is a follow-up to my 'July 7th, 2022 Update, Written On July 11th, 2022' and it is kind of complicated!

You see, my monthly donations of $3.00 each to the main Democratic fundraising and coordinating political organizations processed on July 17th, 2022. (The only exception to that was my donation to the Democratic Party of Oregon which, for some reason, processed on July 15th, 2022—rather than July 17th, 2022. So, I contacted them on July 15th, 2022, and requested that they change my future recurring monthly donations of $3.00 to the 17th of each month and they replied to me that same day with the following statement: "There shouldn't be an issue with having the payment on the 17th, I will get that switched over for you right now!")

And then, today July 27th, 2022, I also made one-time donations to Democratic political campaigns of $3.00 each for the most competitive races (of which I am aware) regarding Democratic House of Representatives and Senate seats. In addition to that, I made one-time donations of $3.00 each to the most competitive races (of which I am aware) regarding Democratic gubernatorial—or governor's—seats. Plus, I made an additional one-time donation to my local Democratic Party of Oregon.

Now, here is where my 'July 7th, 2022 Update, Written On July 11th, 2022 (Follow-Up No. 1, Written On July 27th, 2022)' gets complicated: Earlier, I said that I was going to only "make recurring monthly donations to the main Democratic fundraising and coordinating political organizations...and to the USO...with the exception of occasional one-time donations to the USO, plus various progressive organizations," which is what I have done, so far!

However, I decided that I needed to "up my game" and to continue making donations to individual Democratic political campaigns, but I am planning to only donate to them once per month, on the 27th of each month, until election day. Thus, I am donating each month—and I am donating $3.00 per campaign, just like I am donating to each of the main Democratic fundraising and coordinating organizations—and that way I am donating to help Democrats win in November, in a way that is affordable to me, for the 2022 Midterm Elections.

–Paul Whiting (written July 27th, 2022, revised August 27th, 2022, revised August 28th, 2022, revised August 30th, 2022, revised September 27th, 2022, revised September 28th, 2022, revised September 30th, 2022, revised November 28th, 2022, revised April 11th, 2023, revised April 16th, 2023, revised April 27th, 2023, revised April 28th, 2023, revised July 29th, 2023 and revised May 2nd, 2024)

[I feel like I need to clarify why there are so many 'revised dates' on this 'update,' just like there are often times so many 'revised dates' on other 'updates' similar to this one! You see, I really try to keep my writing consistent as possible across all of my blogs. Therefore, as I am writing, I try to use the same phraseology wherever possible with regard to similar types of my writing so that, when I am editing my writing, I can change all of the similar writing at the same time and in the same way! Thus, a lot of the revisions indicated above, after my name (–Paul Whiting), and shown right after the original 'written date,' are often times due to these aforementioned consistent-writing revisions.]

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YEAR 2022 UPDATES FOR AUGUST:

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August 5th, 2022 Update: I received an email from the ACLU (American Civil Liberties Union) today, August 5th, 2022, with the subject line, "Kansas showed the power of our vote. We're here to protect it.", which stated the following:

Paul –

In a monumental election this Tuesday, voters in Kansas defeated a ballot measure that would've given politicians unlimited authority to restrict access to abortion care in the state.

People came to the polls and made it clear that abortion is a right we will fight for – a right that now continues to be protected by the Kansas Constitution. That is decidedly the power of voters.

Coincidentally, tomorrow also happens to mark the 57th anniversary of the Voting Rights Act (VRA) – a landmark legislation that was signed into law at the height of the civil rights movement, which you can and should dig deeper on by reading our latest piece posted up about it today.

https://www.aclu.org/news/voting-rights/fifty-seven-years-after-its-enactment-the-voting-rights-act-is-in-peril

But why bring these two matters up together today? Let us explain.

The VRA was designed to protect voting rights for all Americans – especially Black voters, who have continuously been disenfranchised throughout our history. For decades since its signing, the VRA stood as a bulwark against racially discriminatory voting practices. But in recent years, Supreme Court decisions – including 2013's Shelby County v. Holder and 2021's Brnovich v. Democratic National Committee – have gutted the heart of the VRA.

This opened the floodgates to wave after wave of anti-voting legislation and, in no small way, helped establish state legislatures across the country that do not accurately represent the will of the people.

Many of those legislatures in turn have passed increasingly unpopular and hostile restrictions against people's rights throughout the years – including a surge of abortion bans that have been unfolding long before the recent fall of Roe.

So especially as elections like Kansas' continue to take place across the states from now until November, the ACLU knows more than ever that attacks on our civil liberties are not isolated – and the fight to defend them cannot be won that way either. We must be present and relentless on every level and at every front. At the ACLU, that's exactly what we're doing.

That's also why we're writing to you about this today – to remind you that while so much is at stake, we're not giving up. On the ballot, in the courts, and in state legislatures, we won't stop fighting for your safe and equal right to vote, nor will we stop defending every other right currently under threat.

And victories like in Kansas – hard-won by the collective efforts of dedicated organizers, volunteers, and activists like you – show us that together we can and will win.

So please stay tuned for more on how you can take part in our work for the midterms and beyond – and in the meantime, take a second to reflect on the VRA and the crucial fight that's before us.

https://www.aclu.org/news/voting-rights/fifty-seven-years-after-its-enactment-the-voting-rights-act-is-in-peril

Thank you for being with us,

The ACLU Team

And, after I read the email above, I clicked on the hyperlink to the referenced article, which can be found below (although, I did not include any of the hyperlinks contained in the article):

"Fifty-Seven Years After its Enactment, the Voting Rights Act is in Peril" from the ACLU:

This week marks 57 years since the signing of the Voting Rights Act (VRA), landmark legislation that ensured the right to vote was protected for all Americans.

In the decades following the Civil War, states in the South enacted discriminatory measures, such as poll taxes and literary tests, in order to stop Black Americans from voting. Not to be deterred, voting rights activists protested and mobilized, but were met with brutal violence and intimidation. These efforts culminated in 1965, as voting rights activists seeking to march from Selma to Montgomery, Alabama were severely beaten and bloodied. The nation watched, shocked and outraged, which pushed President Lyndon B. Johnson to call on Congress to pass comprehensive legislation to protect the right to vote. The result was the crown jewel of the civil rights movement: the VRA.

The VRA was designed to enforce voting rights guaranteed by the United States Constitution, and to secure the right to vote for racial minorities throughout the country, especially for Black voters in the South. For decades since its signing, the VRA has stood as a bulwark against racially discriminatory voting practices and paved the way for 45 years of progress on voting rights. But over the last decade, instead of protecting the VRA and expanding access to the ballot box, the Supreme Court and courts across the country have dismantled and gutted crucial parts of the VRA.

For decades, the VRA stood against racially discriminatory voting. Still, the Supreme Court and courts across the U.S. have crippled crucial parts of the VRA.

First, in the 2013 Shelby County v. Holder case, the Supreme Court eviscerated Section 5, one of the VRA’s most effective guardrails. Prior to this decision, states and counties with the worst histories and recent records of racial discrimination in voting had to obtain federal “preclearance” — that is, approval from the Department of Justice or a federal court — before implementing any changes to voting laws and practices, to ensure they did not curtail the right to vote for minority voters. Shelby County struck down the formula used to identify which states and localities were required to do so, gutting the heart of the VRA and opening the floodgates to wave after wave of anti-voting legislation.

Then last year, the Supreme Court dealt another blow to the critical protections provided in the VRA. In Brnovich v. Democratic National Committee, the court erected significant new barriers to lawsuits brought under Section 2 of the act, the nationwide prohibition on racially discriminatory voting laws. The new standard is completely at odds with the VRA’s purpose — to eradicate racial discrimination in voting, no matter how blunt or subtle.

In 2021 alone, more than 400 anti-voter measures were introduced by states across the country, many of which will disproportionately burden voters of color.

The attacks on the VRA have not abated. Just last month, the Supreme Court reinstated Louisiana’s congressional map, despite a federal court ruling that the map was racially discriminatory and likely violated the VRA. This is a repeat of what occurred earlier this year in Alabama. There, the Supreme Court allowed yet another...racially discriminatory congressional map to stand in the face of a federal court ruling that it likely violated the VRA. It’s clear the robust federal safeguards instated by the VRA to protect the right to vote are quickly being rolled back.

At the same time, politicians across the country continue to push the big lie that the 2020 election was stolen. This lie not only led to the attack we saw on the Capitol on January 6, but is fueling even more voter suppression legislation across the country.

In 2021 alone, more than 400 anti-voter measures were introduced by states across the country, many of which will disproportionately burden voters of color. This relentless assault on voting rights shows no signs of receding. These measures run the gamut from restricting access to vote by mail, eliminating Election Day registration, and making it more difficult to vote early in person to criminalizing efforts by local election administrators to assist voters. Additionally, like in Louisiana, several states have enacted new electoral maps that systemically minimize the voting strength of Black voters.

As we reflect on the 57th anniversary of VRA, there should be no question that the right to vote is under siege and that these efforts to interfere with and minimize our right to vote fall heaviest on already marginalized people, especially Black communities. We still have so much work ahead of us to ensure every eligible American has the right to vote. Here at the ACLU we’ve redoubled our efforts to fight for voting rights in courts, in state legislatures, and on the streets. For over 100 years we’ve protected the civil liberties of all Americans, and we’ll continue to be on the frontlines of this fight to protect our rights.

WHAT YOU CAN DO:

https://action.aclu.org/send-message/congress-protect-our-voting-rights

And, after I read the email's referenced article above, I clicked on the hyperlink to the referenced webpage, which can be found below:

CONGRESS: PROTECT OUR VOTING RIGHTS

Voters of color continue to be impacted by discriminatory election practices intended to diminish their voting power. In 2021 alone, in the wake of record levels of turnout for the presidential election, a wave of anti-voter measures were introduced across the states – many of which will disproportionately disenfranchise Black and Brown voters. These measures include making it a crime to provide food or water to voters waiting in line, strict limits on drop boxes for absentee ballots, racially gerrymandered district maps, and more. As midterm elections approach this year, we expect these blatant suppression tactics to continue.

The Freedom to Vote: John R. Lewis Act includes crucial provisions to restore the protections of the Voting Rights Act that will begin to root out voting barriers that discriminate against voters of color. There's no time to wait: We must urge the Senate to pass this crucial law now.

So, I sent letters to my U.S. House Representative and Senators in Congress, which can be seen below:

YOUR MESSAGE

Subject

Pass the Freedom to Vote: John R. Lewis Act

As your constituent, I urge you to pass the Freedom to Vote: John R. Lewis Act. Passing this bill will protect our fundamental right to vote and defend us against discrimination.

The removal of critical protections from the Voting Rights Act of 1965 catalyzed a race to stop people of color from voting. Since then, states have been able to engage in voter suppression with impunity. In 2021 alone, 34 anti-voter laws passed in 19 states, often purposefully targeting people of color through tactics including restraints on voter registration and absentee voting, racially gerrymandered district maps, and more. And given the Supreme Court’s 2021 decision in Brnovich v. Democratic National Committee, which unduly narrows the Voting Rights Act – it is clearly up to Congress to do what is necessary to protect the rights of all voters in this country.

The price of inaction is high, and history shows it. With midterm elections fast approaching, I’m asking you to act now to cement the legacy of the Voting Rights Act and guard the rights of all Americans.

It's long past due for Congress to renew vital voting protections. Pass the Freedom to Vote: John R. Lewis Act now.

Sincerely,

[First Name] [Last Name]

https://action.aclu.org/send-message/congress-protect-our-voting-rights

Thus, I sent letters to my U.S. House Representative and Senators in Congress urging them to pass the "Freedom to Vote: John R. Lewis Act." And after I sent letters to my U.S. House Representative and Senators in Congress, I also made a donation to the ACLU in order to show my support for passing the "Freedom to Vote: John R. Lewis Act" in celebration of the "Voting Rights Act," because the right to vote is fundamental to our Democracy. –Paul Whiting (written August 5th, 2022, revised December 19th, 2022, revised January 1st, 2023, revised March 3rd, 2023, revised April 11th, 2023 and revised June 5th, 2023)

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August 16th, 2022 Update: The following is a comment that I wrote upon making a one-time donation to a local news publication, the Willamette Week (WW) [Willamette Week is a local news publication here in Portland, Oregon—and I am a monthly contributor to the Willamette Week], regarding an article that I read on their website titled, "This Is the Story of the Rise and Fall of the Ferrymen of the Willamette." And this article is about the local history here in Portland, Oregon of the attempt by Willamette River ferrymen in August of 1887 to pull down the newly-constructed Morrison Bridge:

I donated today, August 16th, 2022, to Willamette Week for the really excellent article titled, "This Is the Story of the Rise and Fall of the Ferrymen of the Willamette" by Dr. Mitchell Millar, which was published on August 29, 2016.

Thus, I was truly moved by the poignancy of Dr. Millar's article, which regaled the reader with tales of his "great-great-grandfather Rudyard Millar, who worked for many years as a ferryman of the Willamette River."

You see, I had heard tell of the attempt by the ferrymen in 1887 to pull down the newly-constructed Morrison Bridge—so I decided to search online to find more information about this history-making event—and to hear of it directly through the perception of an actual ferryman, during that time period, made understanding the intensity of the situation that much more meaningful.

Thank you again for this wonderful article!

Yours very truly,

Paul Whiting
Poet, Artist and Philosopher
Portland, Oregon

Please see the hyperlink below for the article:

https://www.wweek.com/culture/2016/08/29/this-is-the-story-of-the-rise-and-fall-of-the-ferrymen-of-the-willamette

And the reason that I wrote this update—regarding making a donation to a local news publication for enjoying the above-mentioned article—is because I consider supporting independent journalism as an integral part of my "Online Activism!" –Paul Whiting (written August 16th, 2022, revised December 19th, 2022, revised April 27th, 2023, revised April 28th, 2023 and revised June 3rd, 2023)
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August 16th, 2022 Update (Follow-Up, Written On September 30th, 2022): I received and email today, September 30th, 2022, from Friends of Willamette Week (FOWW) [Willamette Week is a local news publication here in Portland, Oregon—and I am a monthly contributor to the Willamette Week] with the subject line, "👀 Paul, who are you?", which stated the following:

Paul,

Now that you know more about us, we’d like to know more about you. We feel like we barely know you and we’d like to change that! We are curious about who you are and why you decided to become a Friend of Willamette Week. Would you mind telling us a bit about yourself by answering a few questions?

Thanks for sharing with us and have a wonderful weekend!

With gratitude,

[Names redacted]
Your Friends at Willamette Week

So, I clicked on the hyperlink to the referenced webpage and responded to the following questions:

We want to get to know you!

First Name: Paul
Last Name: Whiting
Email: [redacted]

What's your history with WW?

I am originally from Utah (pronounced "you-taw") in the Salt Lake City area, but specifically I "hell" from Cottonwood Heights, which is located on the eastern benches of the Salt Lake Valley at the end of the majestic Wasatch Mountains. And I moved from (read: fled) Utah in 1999 and I came to Portland, Oregon, because I "herd" from a friend, who was also from Salt Lake City, that Portland felt a lot like the good parts of Salt Lake. And she was right! Thus, Portland is where I first read Willamette Week after probably seeing it used as a rain-soaked bench drying pad!

What is your favorite part of the paper?

My favorite part of the paper is the part where I can write haiku poems on it...

...But seriously, folks, I used to read Willamette Week (WW) on public transportation (before I started walking everywhere I go), or I would occasionally snag a copy and share it with roommates, or even hoard it all to myself, in whatever place I happened to park my butt at the time. Nowadays, I mostly read WW—and I also try to make a donation to support WW—when it comes time to read WW voter endorsements and vote!

Why did you become a supporting reader through Friends of Willamette Week?

I read a Willamette Week article titled, "This Is the Story of the Rise and Fall of the Ferrymen of the Willamette" by Dr. Mitchell Millar, which was published on August 29, 2016. And, to clarify, I usually only read Willamette Week these days (since I stopped taking public transportation) when it comes time to vote! However, on August 16th, 2022, I was thinking about the history of the ferryman here in Portland, when the Morrison Bridge was first built, and how the ferrymen tried to pull the bridge down, so I searched online for some telling history of those incredible events and I found the aforementioned article.

Do you have a favorite WW story or moment?

Please see my answer to the question above.

What's your favorite thing about living here?

Well, I really don't have only one favorite thing about Portland, Oregon. You see, I like raindrops on International Rose Test Garden roses, and whiskers on kittens, bright IKEA® kettles, and cruelty-free mittens, brown papered Higher Taste® Burritos with vegan cheese that strings...these are just a few of my favorite things!

Why does local independent journalism matter to you?

Independent journalism matters to me because, without independent journalism, I fear that we are all going to be annexed by Russia!

Anything else you want to share with us?

Yes! Here is a link to my blog post update titled, 'August 16th, 2022 Update' from my blog post titled, "I Am No Longer Being An Activist In The Same Way That I Was," which is on my "Poet, Artist and Philosopher" blog with regard to that 'Ferrymen of the Willamette' article that I read on Willamette Week, which is why I recently donated to Friends of Willamette Week:

https://poetartistandphilosopher.blogspot.com/2016/11/i-am-no-longer-being-activist.html

Thus, I decided to post what I wrote to Willamette Week in their questionnaire on this 'update,' since I felt that these answers were relevant to my 'August 16th, 2022 Update.' –Paul Whiting (written September 30th, 2022, revised December 19th, 2022, revised March 3rd, 2023, revised April 11th, 2023, revised April 27th, 2023, revised May 18th, 2023, revised June 3rd, 2023 and revised June 5th, 2023)

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August 17th, 2022 Update: I donated to a Republican today, August 17th, 2022, for the very first time in my life! And that Republican is Liz Cheney.

You see, after I read about Liz Cheney's defeat of her seat in the House of Representatives for Wyoming, I decided to show my support for Ms. Cheney by making a donation to her campaign, even though I knew that I would be donating to her campaign after the fact. And when I went to her website, I found that her campaign committee had been transformed into a new leadership political action committee (PAC) called "The Great Task," which is named after her final ad of the campaign. (Please see the hyperlink below for the video.)

Watch "The Great Task" on YouTube:

https://youtu.be/FiHEi0SsqNQ

Thus, I decided to say "Thank you" to Liz Cheney for standing up to the "Big Lie" that the 2020 election was stolen by making as generous of a one-time donation for me as possible—which was the minimum amount in 'three figures' that I could afford donate—to her leadership PAC "The Great Task."

https://greattask.com

Therefore, I wanted to let you know of my decision to support Liz Cheney's leadership PAC "The Great Task" as a way to honor the work that Ms. Cheney as done in doing what was "right" by holding those accountable who would try to subvert free and fair elections in the United States of America in the name of one personality.

https://greattask.com

So, I am also writing this update to ask you, the reader, to please consider joining me in supporting "The Great Task" in standing up to the "Big Lie," since voting should be freely exercised by the "Red" (Republicans), "White" (Independents) and "Blue" (Democrats), because it is a fundamental right. –Paul Whiting (written August 17th, 2022, revised August 18th, 2022, revised November 11th, 2022, revised December 19th, 2022 and revised April 28th, 2023)
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August 17th, 2022 Update—Clarification, Written On August 18th, 2022: This is a clarification to my 'August 17th, 2022 Update,' which was—apparently—read by at least one Opinion Columnist at The New York Times, as evidenced by a quote from an August 17th, 2022 article titled, "Republicans Are America’s Problem." The relevant quote from the article can be found below:

"First, let me say, I have no intention of contributing to the hagiography of Liz Cheney. She is a rock-ribbed Republican who supported Trump’s legislative positions 93 percent of the time. It is on the insurrection and election lies where she diverged."

Please see the hyperlink below for the article:

https://www.nytimes.com/2022/08/17/opinion/republicans-cheney-trump-democracy.html

And I totally see the point by this Times Opinion Columnist, but the reason that I was advocating for supporting Liz Cheney's new leadership PAC "The Great Task" is for the very reason that she diverged from the "Big Lie" of the "Big Liar."

Although, I may be naive! Because I could be an unwitting pawn in a larger, diabolically evil plot by Republicans to get me, "A Dark Blue Democrat," to donate to a Republican!

And Democrats in Montana who switched their party to Republican—as requested by Liz Cheney, so that they could vote for Ms. Cheney in the Montana 2022 Primary Election—could also have been unwitting pawns in a larger, diabolically evil plot by Republicans to get them, as Democrats, to switch their party to Republican!

However, we need way more Liz Cheneys in the Republican Party—not way less. Because it's the 'Liz Cheney Republicans' who are standing up to the "Big Lie" of the "Big Liar."

And the 'Cheneyian Republicans' are the only ones really in a position to stop the "Big Liar," since they are, in fact, Republican. Thus, the 'Cheneyions' (read: Liz Cheney-Like Champions) are the only ones capable of influencing other Republicans, as evidenced by another quote from the above-mentioned Times opinion article:

"In a way, she is the Elvis of politics: She took something — in this case a position — that others had held all along and made it cross over. She mainstreamed a political principle that many liberals had held all along."

And that is what's important about the heroic work of 'The Cheneyion' (read: Liz Cheney, The Champion): "She mainstreamed a political principle that many liberals had held all along."

But that's just my opinion.

–Paul Whiting (written August 18th, 2022, revised August 19th, 2022, revised November 11th, 2022, revised December 19th, 2022 and revised April 21st, 2023)

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"August 30th, 2022 Update" [Written Originally As A 'July 7th, 2022 Update, Written On July 11th, 2022 (Follow-Up No. 2, Written On August 30th, 2022)'] This update is a follow-up to the following:

▪ July 7th, 2022 Update, Written On July 11th, 2022
▪ July 7th, 2022 Update, Written On July 11th, 2022 (Follow-Up No. 1, Written On July 27th, 2022)

Although, this update is similar to that 'July 7th, 2022 Update, Written On July 11th, 2022 (Follow-Up No. 1, Written On July 27th, 2022),' with some exceptions.

You see, my monthly donations of $3.00 each to the main Democratic fundraising and coordinating political organizations processed on August 17th, 2022, including my donation to the Democratic Party of Oregon, which processed the previous month on July 15th, 2022, rather than on July 17th, 2022; however, I contacted them last month, on July 15th, 2022, and requested that their monthly recurring donation of $3.00 be processed on the 17th of each month, going forward, which started this month, on August 17th, 2022.

And then, on August 27th, 2022, I also made one-time donations to Democratic political campaigns of $3.00 each for the most competitive races (of which I am aware) regarding Democratic House of Representatives and Senate seats. In addition to that, I made one-time donations of $3.00 each to the most competitive races (of which I am aware) regarding Democratic gubernatorial—or governor's—seats.

Now, here is where I explained that my 'July 7th, 2022 Update, Written On July 11th, 2022 (Follow-Up No. 1, Written On July 27th, 2022)' gets complicated:

Earlier, I said that I was going to only "make recurring monthly donations to the main Democratic fundraising and coordinating political organizations...and to the USO...with the exception of occasional one-time donations to the USO, plus various progressive organizations," which is what I have done, so far!

And here is where I said in my 'July 7th, 2022 Update, Written On July 11th, 2022 (Follow-Up No. 1, Written On July 27th, 2022)' that I also needed to "up my game":

However, I decided that I needed to "up my game" and to continue making donations to individual Democratic political campaigns, but I am planning to only donate to them once per month, on the 27th of each month, until election day. Thus, I am donating each month—and I am donating $3.00 per campaign, just like I am donating to each of the main Democratic fundraising and coordinating organizations—and that way I am donating to help Democrats win in November, in a way that is affordable to me, for the 2022 Midterm Elections.

So, what differentiates this update from my 'July 7th, 2022 Update, Written On July 11th, 2022 (Follow-Up No. 1, Written On July 27th, 2022),' is the fact that I am providing you with the total amount that donated for August 2022:

I donated a total of $[redacted] on August 27th, 2022 to Democratic political campaigns, as described above, within which I also included additional one-time donations to the DLCC (Democratic Legislative Campaign Committee) and to the DCCC (Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee), as well as one-time donations to EMILYs List PAC "to put women into office who can make significant contributions to education, health care, voting rights, and economic equality," and to Planned Parenthood Federal PAC "to support candidates who will advocate for our reproductive health and rights."

In addition to that, I also made a donation of $[redacted] to Wikipedia, since I went onto their website on August 17th, 2022, and they were requesting donations. You see, as a blogger and frequent reader of Wikipedia, I try donate to them whenever they request a donation!

Besides the donations mentioned above, I also made $[redacted] in donations during the month of August 2022, which included several donations to the USO (United Service Organizations), several donations to the ACLU (American Civil Liberties Union), plus, an individual one-time donation to a local news publication the Willamette Week, as well as an individual one-time donation to the news publication The Guardian, in addition to an individual one-time donation to Liz Cheney's leadership PAC "The Great Task." (By the way, I explained my donation to "The Great Task" in my 'August 17th, 2022 Update.')

Plus, I figured out how to track the amounts that I am donating during the month in order to help me budget how much I am spending each month, so that—eventually—I will be paying more each month than I am charging each month on my credit card (hopefully, at least!); but, that is probably not going to happen until after the 2022 Midterm Elections.

Thus, my total donations for the month of August 2022 are $[redacted], which brings my credit card to a grand total of $[redacted]! However, I am donating as much as I can afford to donate in order to help progressive causes that I care about, in addition to supporting the USO as often as I manage, as well as to help Democrats win in the 2022 Midterm Elections!

–Paul Whiting (written August 30th, 2022, revised September 27th, 2022, revised September 28th, 2022, revised September 30th, 2022, revised November 1st, 2022, revised November 28th, 2022, revised December 7th, 2022, revised April 11th, 2023, revised April 16th, 2023, revised April 27th, 2023, revised June 24th, 2023, revised July 29th, 2023, revised August 19th, 2023 and revised May 2nd, 2024)

[I feel like I need to clarify why there are so many 'revised dates' on this 'update,' just like there are often times so many 'revised dates' on other 'updates' similar to this one! You see, I really try to keep my writing consistent as possible across all of my blogs. Therefore, as I am writing, I try to use the same phraseology wherever possible with regard to similar types of my writing so that, when I am editing my writing, I can change all of the similar writing at the same time and in the same way! Thus, a lot of the revisions indicated above, after my name (–Paul Whiting), and shown right after the original 'written date,' are often times due to these aforementioned consistent-writing revisions.]

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YEAR 2022 UPDATES FOR SEPTEMBER:

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For my "September 5th, 2022 Update, Written On September 4th, 2022"—since this 'update' is a part of my ⋆USO⋆ donations—please see my blog post titled, "My Point Of View On...Giving Charity And Accepting Charity," which can be found on both of my "Paul Whiting — Math Magician" and "Paul Whiting — A Creative Writer" blogs. An introduction to the 'update' can be found below:

September 5th, 2022 Update, Written On September 4th, 2022: Happy Labor Day, everyone!

In celebration of Labor Day, and out of respect for the work that is done each and every day by our U.S. Military Personnel, I made a one-time donation to the USO (United Service Organizations), because "the USO works to keep America’s military heroes connected to family, home and country as they make immense sacrifices to protect our nation."

And I made this donation for Labor Day in response to an email that I received from the USO today, September 4th, 2022, with the subject line, "If it wasn’t for the USO, I wouldn’t be here," which stated the following:

Paul, according to USO volunteer Gene Maynard, he might not be here if it weren’t for the USO. "My parents never would've met," he said. "That's really the full circle."

It was at a USO dance in Chicago nearly 80 years ago that Maxine, a shy girl visiting from Iowa, met Norm, a dashing combat engineer who had just enlisted in the U.S. Army. What followed was a whirlwind romance cut short by the difficult reality of World War II.

Two months after that dance, Norm arrived on Omaha Beach just six days after D-Day. Over the next year, Norm and his unit made their way through the country, attacking German-occupied strongholds and coming under frequent fire themselves. They faced several close calls, including one where Norm was shot in the head — but miraculously, he survived.

When the war in Europe ended in May 1945, Norm continued to serve in Paris. Then, his unit was notified that they were about to be deployed to Japan, where the war in the Pacific theater raged on. Norm worried that he'd never see Maxine again, but just before his unit was set to depart, Japan surrendered, and the war was over. The moment he arrived back home, Norm asked Maxine to marry him.

Today, their son Gene chooses to volunteer with the USO because he knows firsthand how much our support means to service members like his father and to loved ones back home like his mother.

Norm and Maxine wrote to each other almost every day during his deployment, leaving behind hundreds of love letters and several photos from their time apart. Gene knows how meaningful those moments of connection were for his parents, and he's proud to be a part of the USO's mission to keep today's service members connected to family, home and country through every step of their military journey.

You are an important part of this mission too, Paul. We'll be sharing inspiring stories like this one all month long to give military supporters a chance to deepen their connection with service members and military families — so stay tuned!

Thank you for being a part of this patriotic community,

The USO

The USO works to keep America’s military heroes connected to family, home and country as they make immense sacrifices to protect our nation. But our work is only possible because of the generous support of patriotic Americans like you. Will you make a gift today so the USO can continue supporting troops around the world as they risk their lives to keep us safe?

DONATE NOW***

***[I used to include hyperlinks contained within the email messages, or the text messages, to which I am referring in these "Activism Updates"; however, I could not figure out how to include the aforementioned hyperlinks, regarding some relevant action that I had taken—such as signing a petition, sending a letter or message to my representative(s) in Congress, signing a USO 'Thank You' card, and/or making a donation—without including my personal information.]

And I made this one-time donation on the USO.org website in order to support the USO's following statement: "Our service members keep our nation safe. And we work hard to keep them connected to home — but we can’t do that without support from military supporters like you. Our troops are counting on you to be a part of this important work for our country." ...

Please see the hyperlinks below for the post, within which you can do a find-in-page search for the 'update' labeled, "September 5th, 2022 Update, Written On September 4th, 2022":

https://paulwhitingmath.blogspot.com/2015/05/my-point-of-view-on-charity.html

https://paulwhitingwriting.blogspot.com/2022/07/my-point-of-view-on-part-16-giving-to.html

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September 6th, 2022 Update, Written On September 7th, 2022: I usually check on what is happening in the news via various Google searches that I do on a fairly frequent basis under the following topics:

▪ American News
▪ United States News
▪ USA News
▪ President Biden News
▪ Joe Biden News
▪ Democrats News
▪ Republicans News
▪ Political News
▪ World News
▪ Global Warming News
▪ Workers On Strike News
▪ Portland Oregon News

Then, from those searches, I read the news articles that I feel are the most important for me to read!

And today, September 7th, 2022, under the Google search "Political News," I noticed a September 6th, 2022 article on The New York Times with the headline, "Former Pentagon Leaders Warn of a Dangerous Era," which also has a subheading that states, "The challenge to the 2020 election result has helped create 'an extremely adverse environment,' former defense secretaries and generals said in an open letter."

And this Times article references an article published on the website "War on the Rocks," which contains the aforementioned open letter.

Please see the hyperlink below for the article:

https://www.nytimes.com/2022/09/06/us/politics/trump-military-letter.html

And I decided to highlight this article from The New York Times for you, my readers, to consider reading too! –Paul Whiting (written September 7th, 2022, revised April 28th, 2023, revised May 5th, 2023, revised May 31st, 2023, revised June 2nd, 2023 and revised September 23rd, 2023)

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The Passing Of Queen Elizabeth II

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September 8th, 2022 Update, The Passing Of Queen Elizabeth II (Elizabeth Alexandra Mary; born April 21st, 1926; died September 8th, 2022): In order to honor the past reign of Queen Elizabeth II, who passed away today, September 8th, 2022, at the age of 96, after reigning for over 70 years in the United Kingdom (UK) and fourteen other Commonwealth realms, I listened to "Mozart's Requiem Mass in D minor" in order to express my utmost respect for Great Britain's longest reigning monarch. –Paul Whiting (written September 8th, 2022 and revised September 9th, 2022)

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The Ascension Of King Charles III

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September 8th, 2022 Update—Continued, The Ascension Of King Charles III (Charles Philip Arthur George; born 14 November 1948): In order to honor the future reign of King Charles III, who ascended to the throne of the United Kingdom (UK) and fourteen other Commonwealth realms today, September 8th, 2022, I listened to "British Classical Music Masterpieces" in order to express my utmost respect for Great Britain's future reigning monarch. –Paul Whiting (written September 8th, 2022 and revised September 9th, 2022)

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For my "September 11th, 2022 Update, Written On September 9th, 2022"—since this 'update' is a part of my ⋆USO⋆ donations—please see my blog post titled, "My Point Of View On...Giving Charity And Accepting Charity," which can be found on both of my "Paul Whiting — Math Magician" and "Paul Whiting — A Creative Writer" blogs. An introduction to the 'update' can be found below:

September 11th, 2022 Update, Written On September 9th, 2022: In remembrance of September 11th, 2001, I signed a card from the USO (United Service Organizations) in order to "make sure our troops know how much we appreciate them," because "the USO set a goal to fill this thank-you card with 181,510 signatures -- one for each service member who enlisted in the year following the September 1‌1 attacks." ...

Please see the hyperlinks below for the post, within which you can do a find-in-page search for the 'update' labeled, "September 11th, 2022 Update, Written On September 9th, 2022":

https://paulwhitingmath.blogspot.com/2015/05/my-point-of-view-on-charity.html

https://paulwhitingwriting.blogspot.com/2022/07/my-point-of-view-on-part-16-giving-to.html

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September 12th, 2022 Update: I received an email from ACLU People Power today, September 12th, 2022, with the subject line, "Action Alert: Pass the Respect for Marriage Act!", which stated the following:

Paul,

Any day now, the Senate could vote on the Respect for Marriage Act, a bill that would safeguard protections that marriage equality has brought to hundreds of thousands of same-sex couples and their families across the country from an increasingly radical Supreme Court.

In the aftermath of the Supreme Court’s decision to overturn Roe v. Wade, it is more important than ever that we enshrine our court-protected civil liberties into law.

The Respect for Marriage Act passed the House in July with a large, bipartisan vote of 267-157, making it the most pro-LGBTQ vote in Congressional history. Now, the Respect for Marriage Act is in the hands of our senators — and they need to hear from us, Paul.

It’s time for the Senate to get the job done and pass this bill to safeguard the protections of marriage equality, ensuring that all Americans are treated fairly and equally under federal law. Will you send a message to your senators now and urge them to vote YES on the Respect for Marriage Act?

Send a message »***

The Respect for Marriage Act would safeguard some of the protections of marriage equality even if the Supreme Court overturns crucial cases like Obergefell v. Hodges. Specifically, this critical bill would:

[✓] Guarantee federal recognition of the lawful marriages of same-sex couples
[✓] Completely repeal the discriminatory “Defense of Marriage Act,” which banned federal recognition of same-sex marriage
[✓] Ensure that lawful out-of-state marriages are respected even as couples cross state lines

This bill has strong bipartisan support and undeniable momentum — but we need your help to get it across the finish line.

Send a message to your senators today urging them to pass the Respect for Marriage Act to safeguard the protections of marriage equality.

Thanks for using your voice!

— ACLU People Power

Any day now, the Senate could vote on the Respect for Marriage Act, a bill that would safeguard protections that marriage equality has brought to hundreds of thousands of same-sex couples and their families across the country from an increasingly radical Supreme Court.

It’s time for the Senate to get the job done and pass this bill to safeguard the protections of marriage equality, ensuring that all Americans are treated fairly and equally under federal law.

Send a message to your senators now and urge them to vote YES on the Respect for Marriage Act.

The Respect for Marriage Act would safeguard some of the protections of marriage equality even if the Supreme Court overturns crucial cases like Obergefell v. Hodges. Specifically, the Respect for Marriage Act would:

[✓] Guarantee federal recognition of the lawful marriages of same-sex couples
[✓] Completely repeal the discriminatory “Defense of Marriage Act,” which banned federal recognition of same-sex marriage
[✓] Ensure that lawful out-of-state marriages are respected even as couples cross state lines

This bill passed the House in July with a large, bipartisan vote of 267-157, making it the most pro-LGBTQ vote in Congressional history. Now, the Respect for Marriage Act is in the hands of our senators — and they need to hear from us.

Send a message to your senators today urging them to pass the Respect for Marriage Act to safeguard the protections of marriage equality.

So, I sent letters to my Senators, which can be seen below:

Dear Senator [Name],

As your constituent, I’m urging you to vote YES on the Respect for Marriage Act to safeguard the protections that marriage has brought to hundreds of thousands of same-sex couples and their families across the country.

When the Supreme Court overturned Roe v. Wade, I became alarmed by the likelihood that other rights could soon come under attack— like marriage equality.

In July, your colleagues in the House of Representatives passed this crucial bill with a bipartisan vote of 267-157, making it the most pro-LGBTQ vote in Congressional history. Now, the Senate must do the same.

The Respect for Marriage Act would guarantee federal recognition of the lawful marriages of same-sex couples, fully repeal the Defense of Marriage Act, and protect a couple’s lawful marriage regardless of state lines. This bill is critical to ensuring that all Americans are treated fairly and equally under the law.

I urge you to vote YES on the Respect for Marriage Act without delay.

Thank you.

Sincerely,

Paul Whiting

And, after I sent letters to my Senators in Congress, as mentioned above, I also made a donation to the ACLU in order to show my support for passing the Respect for Marriage Act and to do my part to help "protect and respect" same-sex marriages in the United States of America.

–Paul Whiting (written September 12th, 2022, revised September 13th, 2022, revised November 18th, 2022, revised December 18th, 2022, revised December 30th, 2022, revised January 1st, 2023, revised March 3rd, 2023, revised April 11th, 2023, revised June 3rd, 2023 and revised June 5th, 2023)

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September 14th, 2022 Update: I received an email from ACLU People Power today, September 14th, 2022, with the subject line, "Paul, will you ask your senator to protect pregnant workers?", which stated the following:

Hi Paul,

[Name redacted] here, following up on an email I sent you last week about the urgent and overdue Pregnant Workers Fairness Act.

I wanted to make sure you had a chance to check out this article in The Nation about our fight to pass PWFA. Long story short, we need senators to fight harder to pass crucial protections for pregnant workers.

I have to be honest with you — I’m disappointed and I’m frustrated. You’ve been fighting with us to advance reproductive justice at every level, and senators on both sides of the aisle haven’t even done this basic thing – protecting pregnant workers.

Email your Senator today to ask them to make sure PWFA passes now.

Send your message »***

Now, I’m frustrated, but I’m hopeful too. Because of conversations with staffers working on Capitol Hill, I know that PWFA is a priority for many senators and they’re fighting with us to make sure it passes. I’m also hopeful because in the last few weeks we’ve seen an outpouring of support from advocates like you. And that's what we need in order to get across the finish line.

Here’s the scoop: the Senate needs to pass PWFA before senators head out the door later this month or early October. We know we have the votes to pass PWFA now. If the Senate delays a vote on PWFA until November or December, we’re still going to keep fighting for passage but it definitely gets riskier. Nobody knows what could happen at the end of the year. So now is the time!

It’s been a tough year for families and workers. And now, more than ever, pregnant workers need protection and shouldn’t be so easily dismissed by our senators.

Email your Senator today to ask them to pass PWFA now.

Thank you for standing with us and with pregnant workers and their families!

Onward,
[Name redacted]

Tell Your Senators: It’s Time to Vote on PWFA Now

For years, ACLU activists have been advocating for lawmakers to pass the Pregnant Workers Fairness Act (PWFA), an overdue bill that would combat pregnancy discrimination and protect the health and safety of pregnant workers. Thanks to the hard work of activists like you, PWFA has made great progress, and finally has the bipartisan votes to pass in the Senate!

Yet, the Senate has continually delayed a vote on PWFA. This isn’t right! Time is running out and we need a vote on PWFA in September.

Send an email to your senators and tell them they must push for a vote on the Pregnant Workers Fairness Act now.

So, I sent letters to my Senators, which can be seen below:

Dear Senator [Name],

I’m writing today because it is disappointing and unacceptable that Senate leaders have not scheduled a vote for the Pregnant Workers Fairness Act (S. 1486). This critical bill would safeguard the health and economic security of pregnant workers and it has the 60 votes needed to pass the Senate. There is no good reason for this delay.

As your constituent, I’m asking that you speak up about the urgent need to pass the Pregnant Workers Fairness Act and that you speak to Senate leadership about scheduling a vote right away.

Thank you.

Sincerely,

Paul Whiting

And, after I sent letters to my Senators in Congress, I made a one-time donation to the ACLU in order to show my support for passing the Pregnant Workers Fairness Act and to do my part to help protect pregnant workers in the United States of America.

–Paul Whiting (written September 14th, 2022, revised September 15th, 2022, revised November 18th, 2022, revised December 18th, 2022, revised December 30th, 2022, revised January 1st, 2023, revised March 3rd, 2023, revised April 28th, 2023, revised June 3rd, 2023, revised June 5th, 2023 and revised August 9th, 2024)

[I feel like I need to clarify why there are so many 'revised dates' on this 'update,' just like there are often times so many 'revised dates' on other 'updates' similar to this one! You see, I really try to keep my writing consistent as possible across all of my blogs. Therefore, as I am writing, I try to use the same phraseology wherever possible with regard to similar types of my writing so that, when I am editing my writing, I can change all of the similar writing at the same time and in the same way! Thus, a lot of the revisions indicated above, after my name (–Paul Whiting), and shown right after the original 'written date,' are often times due to these aforementioned consistent-writing revisions.]

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September 14th, 2022 Update—Continued: I received an email from Planned Parenthood Votes today, September 14th, 2022, today, September 14th, 2022,

Paul —

Yesterday, Sen. Lindsey Graham and Rep. Chris Smith got in front of news cameras to confirm their ultimate goal: Put them in the Senate majority, and they will immediately move to ban abortion nationwide.

We can't let that happen. Make your emergency donation to Planned Parenthood Votes now to help elect leaders who will restore and protect the right to abortion.

In case you had any doubt, it's crystal clear now. There is a legion of lawmakers hellbent on banning abortion nationwide. They don't care that the majority of Americans reject attacks on abortion. They don't care how many states try to protect abortion rights within their borders. They don't care how much suffering and injustice abortion bans have caused, are causing, or will cause.

Every election they win brings them one step closer to banning abortion in every single state. And without the protections of Roe v. Wade to stop them, there is only one thing standing in the way: Us.

You and me and millions of people who believe that people have the right to control their own bodies — we are the last line of defense. It's time to take control of this election — make your gift now to help educate, organize, and mobilize voters.

We already know how dangerous abortion bans are. Right now, 16 states have abortion bans in effect, and every single day brings more stories of patients denied care and people forced to flee their home states. One in three American women now lives in a state where they no longer have control over their bodies.

If Republicans win the majority in Congress this November, their first order of business will be to try to enact a nationwide abortion ban. Senate candidates like Blake Masters in Arizona and Herschel Walker in Georgia are eager to help make that nightmare a reality.

Between now and November 8, our focus needs to be razor sharp: Make sure they never get that chance. Planned Parenthood Votes is putting every resource we have into registering voters and raising awareness about what's at stake. Will you help by making an emergency gift right now?

We've got a lot of work ahead of us, Paul, but we know what we are fighting for, and we know how much it matters. It's good to have you with us.

In solidarity,
[Name redacted], [Title redacted]
Planned Parenthood Votes

DONATE NOW »***

Why Climate Resilience Is Like a Tiger Chase

Imagine the climate crisis is a tiger. And this tiger… it’s chasing us. We need to slow it down, but we HAVE to move faster too. By doing both, and centering justice, we create climate resilience. That’s a world worth building—and you can help: https://act.ucsusa.org/tiger

~~https://youtu.be/bztG1vzM9x4~~

By the way, when I was editing this 'update' on April 27th, 2023, I noticed that the original hyperlink above does not work anymore, so I did a search on YouTube for the video and found it had been reuploaded, as can be seen below:

https://youtu.be/GUl_k2yaXZw*

*This video is a reupload.

And, after I watched the video above, I clicked on the hyperlink to the referenced website, which can be found below:

Tell Congress: We Need to Invest in a Climate Resilient Future

It is clear that climate change is happening now, and even if we reduce emissions today, communities will still be feeling the impacts for some time to come. That's why it's crucial for Congress to pass the National Climate Adaptation and Resilience Strategy Act to establish and invest in a national strategy to better prepare and safeguard frontline communities and infrastructure now and into the future.

Urge your members of Congress to cosponsor and continue to this crritical climate resilience legislation today.

So, I sent letters to my Members of Congress, which can be seen below:

Subject: Support the NCARS Act for a more resilient future

To: Members of Congress

With increasingly frequent extreme weather and climate change-related impacts such as rapidly intensifying hurricanes, worsening drought and wildfires, and deadly heatwaves, I am concerned for the safety of my community and country.

In 2021 alone, there were 20 separate extreme weather disasters exceeding one-billion dollars each costing the nation $148 billion, and hundreds of lives. That’s why I am asking you to support bipartisan climate resilience legislation by cosponsoring the National Climate Adaptation and Resilience Strategy (NCARS) Act, which will invest in adapting our communities to ongoing and future climate impacts and streamline the federal response to climate hazards to better protect our communities and economy from climate threats.

Please cosponsor and continue to support NCARS to invest in making our communities and nation more prepared and resilient to existing and future climate impacts—our safety is at stake.

Sincerely,

Paul Whiting

And, after I sent letters to my Members of Congress, as mentioned above, I also made a donation to the Union of Concerned Scientists (UCS) in order to show my support for passing the National Climate Adaptation and Resilience Strategy (NCARS) Act, because climate resilience is up to us! –Paul Whiting (written September 24th, 2022, revised December 18th, 2022, revised March 3rd, 2023, revised April 27th, 2023, revised July 16th, 2023 and revised October 21st, 2023)

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"September 30th, 2022 Update" [Written Originally As A 'July 7th, 2022 Update, Written On July 11th, 2022 (Follow-Up No. 3, Written On September 30th, 2022)']: This update is a follow-up to the following:

▪ July 7th, 2022 Update, Written On July 11th, 2022
▪ July 7th, 2022 Update, Written On July 11th, 2022 (Follow-Up No. 1, Written On July 27th, 2022)
▪ July 7th, 2022 Update, Written On July 11th, 2022 (Follow-Up No. 2, Written On August 30th, 2022)

Although, this update is similar to my 'July 7th, 2022 Update, Written On July 11th, 2022 (Follow-Up No. 1, Written On July 27th, 2022),' as well as similar to my 'July 7th, 2022 Update, Written On July 11th, 2022 (Follow-Up No. 2, Written On August 30th, 2022),' with some exceptions.

You see, my monthly donations of $3.00 each to the main Democratic fundraising and coordinating political organizations processed on September 17th, 2022.

And then, on September 27th, 2022 as well as on September 28th, 2022, I also made one-time donations to Democratic political campaigns of $3.00 each for the most competitive races (of which I am aware) regarding Democratic House of Representatives and Senate seats. In addition to that, I made one-time donations of $3.00 each to the most competitive races (of which I am aware) regarding Democratic gubernatorial—or governor's—seats.

Now, here is where I explained that my 'July 7th, 2022 Update, Written On July 11th, 2022 (Follow-Up No. 1, Written On July 27th, 2022)' gets complicated:

Earlier, I said that I was going to only "make recurring monthly donations to the main Democratic fundraising and coordinating political organizations...and to the USO...with the exception of occasional one-time donations to the USO, plus various progressive organizations," which is what I have done, so far!

And here is where I said in my 'July 7th, 2022 Update, Written On July 11th, 2022 (Follow-Up No. 1, Written On July 27th, 2022)' that I also needed to "up my game":

However, I decided that I needed to "up my game" and to continue making donations to individual Democratic political campaigns, but I am planning to only donate to them once per month, on the 27th of each month, until election day. Thus, I am donating each month—and I am donating $3.00 per campaign, just like I am donating to each of the main Democratic fundraising and coordinating organizations—and that way I am donating to help Democrats win in November, in a way that is affordable to me, for the 2022 Midterm Elections.

USO: National Guard is aiding civilians affected by Hurricane Ian. Support our troops in Florida and around the world***

Then, I made two more donations based upon a Time Magazine article that I read titled, "How to Help Victims of Hurricane Ian," which I heard about today, October 1st, 2022, from one of the daily emails that I receive from Time since I am a subscriber:

https://time.com/6218933/how-to-help-hurricane-ian-victims

And, out of the many organizations mentioned in the Time article, one of the organizations to which I chose to donate was the American Red Cross.

https://www.redcross.org/donate/hurricane-ian-donations.html

Plus, another one of the organizations mentioned in the Time article to which I chose to donate was The Salvation Army:

https://www.salvationarmyusa.org/usn

***[I used to include hyperlinks contained within the email messages, or the text messages, to which I am referring in these "Activism Updates"; however, I could not figure out how to include the aforementioned hyperlinks, regarding some relevant action that I had taken—such as signing a petition, sending a letter or message to my representative(s) in Congress, signing a USO 'Thank You' card, and/or making a donation—without including my personal information.]

Thus, I made these one-time donations in order to help those affected by Hurricane Ian which, when it first made landfall, was a Category 4 hurricane!

–Paul Whiting (written October 1st, 2022, revised December 18th, 2022, revised December 30th, 2022, revised February 7th, 2023, revised February 8th, 2023, revised April 28th, 2023, revised August 14th, 2023 and revised June 5th, 2024)

[I feel like I need to clarify why there are so many 'revised dates' on this 'update,' just like there are often times so many 'revised dates' on other 'updates' similar to this one! You see, I really try to keep my writing consistent as possible across all of my blogs. Therefore, as I am writing, I try to use the same phraseology wherever possible with regard to similar types of my writing so that, when I am editing my writing, I can change all of the similar writing at the same time and in the same way! Thus, a lot of the revisions indicated above, after my name (–Paul Whiting), and shown right after the original 'written date,' are often times due to these aforementioned consistent-writing revisions.]
---------------------------------------------
October 1st, 2022 Update (Follow-Up, Written On October 3rd, 2022): I made an additional donation today, October 3rd, 2022, in order to help the victims of Hurricane Ian!

And I made this donation based upon a text message that I received today from the USO (United Service Organizations), which stated the following:

USO: 6k troops helping after Hurricane Ian. Give now to support search and rescue teams & troops around the world***

Did you know that "Farmers Day" is on October 12th each year? Well, I didn't know that either until the year 2022! So, I decided to tell everyone in the United States of America that Farmers Day (which is also known as "National Farmers Day", or "National Farmer's Day", or "National Farmers' Day") is yearly (annually) on October 12th. Thus, in celebration of all that farmers do for us, I created this playlist in order to say "THANK YOU" to all of the farmers!

–Paul Whiting (written October 12th, 2022, revised December 18th, 2022, revised October 12th, 2023, revised October 12th, 2024 and revised October 13th, 2024)

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October 15th, 2022 Update: I read an excellent Time Magazine article dated October 12th, 2022, that is titled, "Lincoln Saved American Democracy. We Can Too."

And I heard about this article from one of the daily emails that I received today, October 15th, 2022, from Time since I am a subscriber (please see the hyperlink below for the article):

https://time.com/6221209/lincoln-saved-american-democracy-we-can-too

In the article is a quote by President Abraham Lincoln—who is known as a great thinker of his time—which I think sums up the obvious reason that slavery is just plain wrong:

"As I would not be a slave, so I would not be a master."

So, I decided to look up the full quote and found the following quote on the National Park Service website (please see the hyperlink below for the website):

Lincoln Quote on Slavery

August 1, 1858: On Slavery

As I would not be a slave, so I would not be a master. This expresses my idea of democracy. Whatever differs from this, to the extent of the difference, is not democracy.

https://www.nps.gov/liho/learn/historyculture/onslavery.htm

Then, I continued to search for that quote in order to find the context in which it was written. And on the Abraham Lincoln Presidential Library and Museum website I found an article titled, "LINCOLN DRAWS THE LINE ON SLAVERY," which explains that the quote was from Lincoln's notes that he wrote to himself (please see the hyperlink below for the website):

"Among the most fascinating of Abraham Lincoln's writings are the notes he wrote to himself. Mostly discovered after his death, they offer few clues as to their origin and intent, but they give us glimpses into his thought process."

The article explains a lot more about the quote; however, this article does not credit the quote with any kind of date for when it was written:

"Among the items in the Abraham Lincoln Presidential Library and Museum’s collection is another note that will be on display in our Treasures Gallery for the upcoming year. Commonly referred to as the 'Definition of Democracy,' it is much shorter ... and a bit more of a mystery. None of Lincoln’s contemporaries tell us anything about this note or when he wrote it. However, its text is bold and intriguing:

'As I would not be a slave, so I would not be a master. This expresses my idea of democracy. Whatever differs from this, to the extent of the difference, is no democracy.'"

https://presidentlincoln.illinois.gov/Blog/Posts/108/Abraham-Lincoln/2021/2/Lincoln-Draws-the-Line-on-Slavery/blog-post

By the way, in Lincoln's quote from the Presidential Library website, they depict his "bolding" of the words 'slave' and 'master' as italicized, however I underscored those words, because Lincoln himself underscored those words in order to emphasize them, which you can see from an image of his quote from the above-mentioned article.

Anyway, I was really impressed by Lincoln's words because I think that they are a true representation of a quote by Jesus The Christ—who is known as the greatest thinker of all time—with the words of His quote also being known as the Golden Rule, which are as follows:

"Do unto others as you would have done unto you."

–Paul Whiting (written October 15th, 2022, revised December 18th, 2022, revised February 7th, 2023 and revised April 11th, 2023)

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October 16th, 2022 Update: I read a wonderful article today, October 16th, 2022, on The Guardian that is titled, "Republicans are trying to win by spreading three false talking points. Here’s the truth," written by Robert Reich and published today, which I found on one of my usual Google searches for current news:

https://amp.theguardian.com/us-news/commentisfree/2022/oct/16/republican-talking-points-midterms-robert-reich

In fact, it was so informative that I made a one-time donation to The Guardian in order to show my appreciation for this truly outstanding article!

Thus, I would strongly encourage my readers to read Mr. Reich's compelling arguments against the Republican Party's attempt to 'wokewash' the 2022 Midterm Elections with their cries of Democrats being "soft-on-crime," Democrats being enthusiastic champions of inflation and, of course, Democrats being directly responsible for the 87,000 reasons that you should fear the IRS harassing middle-class taxpayers!

–Paul Whiting (written October 16th, 2022 and revised April 28th, 2023)

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October 19th, 2022 Update: I watched a YouTube video today, October 19th, 2022, titled, "Katie Porter delivers MASTERCLASS on Inflation and utterly DEBUNKS Republican lies" by MeidasTouch, which explains how "Democratic Representative Katie Porter broke out her charts to explain how bigger corporate profits account for over half of the higher prices people are paying," which can be seen below:

https://youtu.be/0ixmqzjvb7k

And after I watched that video, I did additional searches for the original video by Congresswoman Katie Porter on YouTube and watched another video titled, "Rep Katie Porter destroys inflation myth. Watch her prove that corporate greed's driving inflation" by Egberto Willies, which explains how the "Congresswoman does not mess around. She gets to the point quickly and effectively. She came with her charts pointing out that corporate profits/greed is responsible for more than half our inflation rate," which can be seen below:

https://youtu.be/Zvi7xz8QWro

Then I did a Google search and found an article titled, "Katie Porter pulls out chart at hearing to show corporate greed is the 'biggest driver of inflation'" on Salon.com, which explains that "During a House of Representatives hearing on Wednesday, United States Congresswoman Katie Porter (D-California) grilled Mike Konczal, the director of Macroeconomic Analysis at the Roosevelt Institute, over the primary cause of inflation in the post-COVID-19 economy," which can be seen below:

https://www.salon.com/2022/10/19/katie-porter-pulls-out-chart-at-hearing-to-show-corporate-greed-is-the-biggest-driver-of-inflation_partner

Finally, I found Congresswoman Porter's original post on Twitter, where she states "Bigger corporate profits account for *over half* of the higher prices people are paying," which can be seen below:

https://twitter.com/RepKatiePorter/status/1394724627566391297?s=20&t=dtowA-rTmarzV5xKlXBGNw

Anyway, I wanted to share this truly informative video by Congressional Representative Katie Porter (whose campaign for reelection I have donated to multiple times to during the 2022 Midterm Election cycle, along with many other trustworthy Democrats) so that you, my readers, could see the poignant simplicity with which Representative Porter outlines how much the year 2022's alleged "Bidenflation"—as it is often times derogatorily, and very inaccurately, called—in all actuality is "Record Corporate Profits Inflation."

Thus, I would strongly encourage my readers to watch Ms. Porter's compelling video arguing against the Republican Party's attempt to 'wokewash' the 2022 Midterm Elections with their cries of Democrats being enthusiastic champions of inflation!

–Paul Whiting (October 19th, 2022 and revised December 18th, 2022)

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October 20th, 2022 Update, Written On October 22nd, 2022: I received an email two days ago on October 20th, 2022, with the subject line, "DOUBLE your impact for women and girls" from USA for UNFPA (formerly known as the 'United Nations Fund for Population Activities' that is now called the 'United Nations Population Fund'), which stated the following:

USA for UNFPA: FOR EVERY WOMAN AND GIRL

Friend, access to reproductive health services and education saves lives.

For the past five decades, we have been the lead United Nations agency for sexual and reproductive health and rights. We work around the world to end the unmet need for family planning, end preventable maternal death, and end violence against women and girls, including harmful practices like child marriage and female genital mutilation.

But we can only continue our work to promote the health, dignity, and rights of women and girls with the help of supporters like you.

Right now, we’re MATCHING every donation we receive from new supporters up to $10,000 – we hope you’ll take advantage of this opportunity to double your impact.

Will you take the crucial next step in the fight to protect every woman and girl and make a donation before our match expires?

Double my impact!***

Over the last few years, UNFPA has made significant improvements for women’s health in the 155 countries we operate in. We’ve protected 1,840,000 girls from child marriage, prevented 30 million unintended pregnancies, distributed 1.1 billion condoms – and yet our work is nowhere near complete.

The stakes couldn’t be higher for our work. In a single day, nearly 800 women will die from preventable pregnancy and childbirth complications, 20,000 adolescent girls will give birth, another 20,000 will become child brides, and 137 women will die at the hands of family members or intimate partners.

Right now, we’re MATCHING every donation from new supporters up to $10,000. Friend, will you make a donation now to take advantage of this opportunity before the match expires.

$15 → $30
$30 → $60
$50 → $100
Other***

Thank you for your help, and welcome to this team. Together, we can reach our goal to protect the health and dignity of every woman and girl everywhere.

- The Team at USA for UNFPA

Dear Mr. Whiting

Jews trying to escape Nazi persecution during the Holocaust had very few options. If they could find a country willing to accept them, this refuge often came at great personal cost.

Within the pages of the enclosed 2023 Calendar, Safe Havens, you'll find photographs that illustrate diverse stories of individuals and families who found safety by leaving their native country during the Holocaust. You'll learn how desperate families sometimes went from country to country finally being accepted in a new land.

Their stories of resilience feel especially relevant now that war in Europe has spurred a new wave of people seeking safety in places where the Holocaust occurred. The legacy of the Holocaust survivors in our calendar can serve as inspiration for those rebuilding their lives today, and for those in a position to help them.

Mr. Whiting, the United States Holocaust Memorial Museum is committed to recording, safeguarding, and sharing stories of the Holocaust and teaching their timeless lessons. As you view the pages of your 2023 calendar, I'll know you'll be moved by the unbreakable spirit of these individuals, and I hope you will help people continue to learn from this history.

By joining the Museum with a gift of $25, $36, $50, or more today, you'll help the Museum honor the memory of survivors and victims and educate to inspire action against hatred and antisemitism.

In your 2023 calendar, you'll go to places across the globe that became safe havens for Jews during the Holocaust. One refuge was outside Tehran, Iran. You'll learn how hundreds of Polish Jewish children found safety there in former military barracks set up as an emergency camp. Many of the children were ill and had lost their parents, but they received kindness and care from Zionist youth leaders from Palestine.

In February of your calendar, you'll learn how Jews fleeing Nazi persecution and murder has a difficult time coming to the United States because of strict quotas. You'll learn about the emergency shelter at Fort Ontario in New York that President Franklin D. Roosevelt set up to skirt these rules for a tiny fraction of those who sought refuge in America. You'll also gain a better understanding of the challenges that Jews faced after arriving there.

July features the story of a group of Jewish refugees who became shipwrecked while crossing the Black Sea. They survived by making their way to a deserted island, where they were eventually rescued and transferred to safety in southern Italy.

The very next month, you'll meet the Muller family. Nandor Muller was a successful businessman. Desperate to protect his family, he didn't hesitate to seize an opportunity to leave their life behind and go to rural Canada to work as a farmer.

Your gift to the Museum will help tell the world the personal stories about families like the Muller's as well as other families and individuals pictured in your calendar.

These people were living their everyday lives when they were forced to make decisions that no one should have to make. Sadly, they were the "lucky" ones. Many, many other victims of the Holocaust tried and failed to leave, or lacked the resources, or didn't fully comprehend that their lives depended upon leaving their home country behind. For them, there would be no safe haven.

These stories must be told, particularly now. Please help the Museum share Holocaust history and the essential lessons it teaches, so that we may shape a better future.

I'll hope you'll support the Museum in this vital mission by making a generous contribution today.

With thanks,

[Name redacted]
[Title redacted]

P.S. As you explore the personal stories of those featured in the enclosed calendar, I hope you'll consider the power you have to keep Holocaust memory alive and take action against antisemitism and hatred. Thank you in advance for your gift to the United States Holocaust Memorial Museum.

And so, because I am planning to utilize this calendar for the year 2023, I made a one-time donation to the United States Holocaust Memorial Museum as a way to help "keep Holocaust memory alive and take action against antisemitism and hatred." –Paul Whiting (written October 22nd, 2022, revised October 23rd, 2022, revised December 10th, 2022, revised December 18th, 2022, revised April 28th, 2023 and revised May 17th, 2023)

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October 29th, 2022 Update: I saved a video titled, "NEW MAGA Republican Law DEVASTATING CONSEQUENCES Revealed in POWERFUL Stories" on my YouTube 'Watch Later' Playlist that I watched today, October 29th, 2022, which is a testament to the perils that America faces from extremist MAGA (or, "Make America Great Again") Republicans! Here is the description from that video (with a hyperlink to the video below):

NEW MAGA Republican Law DEVASTATING CONSEQUENCES Revealed in POWERFUL Stories

"These are the true stories of the devastating consequences of MAGA abortion bans from women and doctors across the country. Made in partnership with the Center for American Progress."

Donate to MeidasTouch PAC:

https://secure.actblue.com/donate/mt-2022?refcode=youtube&amount=20.22

[By the way, there were a lot more hyperlinks in the description to various MeidasTouch websites, but I only included the first one to ActBlue.]

https://youtu.be/6bNscNHsSMA

Plus, I donated to MeidasTouch—which is a political action committee (PAC)—on October 27th, 2022, when I made my usual one-time monthly donations to political organizations and political campaigns, since I am doing everything in my power to help Democrats win in the 2022 Midterm Elections, because I truly feel that Republicans have turned themselves into Radical Christian Terrorists! –Paul Whiting (October 29th, 2022, revised December 18th, 2022, revised April 22nd, 2023, revised April 28th, 2023, revised July 16th, 2023 and revised October 21st, 2023)

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YEAR 2022 UPDATES FOR NOVEMBER:

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"November 1st, 2022 Update" [Written Originally As A 'July 7th, 2022 Update, Written On July 11th, 2022 (Follow-Up No. 4, Written On November 1st, 2022)']: This update is a follow-up to the following:

▪ July 7th, 2022 Update, Written On July 11th, 2022
▪ July 7th, 2022 Update, Written On July 11th, 2022 (Follow-Up No. 1, Written On July 27th, 2022)
▪ July 7th, 2022 Update, Written On July 11th, 2022 (Follow-Up No. 2, Written On August 30th, 2022)
▪ July 7th, 2022 Update, Written On July 11th, 2022 (Follow-Up No. 3, Written On September 30th, 2022)

Although, this update is similar to my 'July 7th, 2022 Update, Written On July 11th, 2022 (Follow-Up No. 1, Written On July 27th, 2022),' as well as similar to my 'July 7th, 2022 Update, Written On July 11th, 2022 (Follow-Up No. 2, Written On August 30th, 2022),' in addition to being similar to my 'July 7th, 2022 Update, Written On July 11th, 2022 (Follow-Up No. 3, Written On September 30th, 2022),' with some exceptions.

You see, my monthly donations of $3.00 each to the main Democratic fundraising and coordinating political organizations processed on October 17th, 2022.

And then, on October 27th, I also made one-time donations to Democratic political campaigns of $3.00 each for the most competitive races (of which I am aware) regarding Democratic House of Representatives and Senate seats. In addition to that, I made one-time donations of $3.00 each to the most competitive races (of which I am aware) regarding Democratic gubernatorial—or governor's—seats. Plus, I also made one-time donations of $3.00 each to the most competitive races (of which I am aware) regarding Secretary of State and Attorney General seats. (Whew!)

Now, here is where I explained that my 'July 7th, 2022 Update, Written On July 11th, 2022 (Follow-Up No. 1, Written On July 27th, 2022)' gets complicated:

Earlier, I said that I was going to only "make recurring monthly donations to the main Democratic fundraising and coordinating political organizations...and to the USO...with the exception of occasional one-time donations to the USO, plus various progressive organizations," which is what I have done, so far!

And here is where I said in my 'July 7th, 2022 Update, Written On July 11th, 2022 (Follow-Up No. 1, Written On July 27th, 2022)' that I also needed to "up my game":

However, I decided that I needed to "up my game" and to continue making donations to individual Democratic political campaigns, but I am planning to only donate to them once per month, on the 27th of each month, until election day. Thus, I am donating each month—and I am donating $3.00 per campaign, just like I am donating to each of the main Democratic fundraising and coordinating organizations—and that way I am donating to help Democrats win in November, in a way that is affordable to me, for the 2022 Midterm Elections.

So, what differentiates this update from my 'July 7th, 2022 Update, Written On July 11th, 2022 (Follow-Up No. 1, Written On July 27th, 2022),' as well as being the same thing that differentiates both my 'July 7th, 2022 Update, Written On July 11th, 2022 (Follow-Up No. 2, Written On August 30th, 2022)' and my 'July 7th, 2022 Update, Written On July 11th, 2022 (Follow-Up No. 3, Written On September 30th, 2022)' from the aforementioned 'Follow-Up No. 1,' is the fact that I am providing you with the total amount that donated for October 2022:

I donated $[redacted] on October 27th, 2022, to Democratic political campaigns, as described above, within which I also included additional one-time donations to the DNC (Democratic National Committee), to the DCCC (Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee), and to the DSCC (Democratic Senatorial Campaign Committee).

Also, in the above-mentioned total of $[redacted], I included one-time donations to EMILYs List PAC "to put women into office who can make significant contributions to education, health care, voting rights, and economic equality," and to Planned Parenthood Federal PAC "to support candidates who will advocate for our reproductive health and rights," plus to VoteVets which "elevates the voices of Veterans and military families through progressive legislative policies and electoral endorsements that impact the lives of active service members, Veterans, and the country" in addition to MeidasTouch that has been "producing the most hard-hitting, impactful and most watched political videos."

In addition to that, in the above-mentioned total of $[redacted], I included one-time donations to elect Oregon Senator Ron Wyden, to elect Tina Kotek as Oregon's next Governor, to elect Oregon's great Democratic Congressional team of Earl Blumenauer, Suzanne Bonamici, Jamie McLeod-Skinner, Val Hoyle, Andrea Salinas and Joe Yetter, to elect Christina Stephenson as Oregon's next Labor Commissioner, as well as to elect Portland City Commissioner Jo Ann Hardesty.

Besides the donations mentioned above, I also made $[redacted] in donations during the month of October 2022, which included several donations to the USO (United Service Organizations), one-time donations to the American Red Cross and The Salvation Army, plus, an individual one-time donation to TruthOut, two one-time donations to The Guardian News, an individual one-time donation to Friends of Willamette Week, an individual one-time donation to UNFPA (formerly known as the 'United Nations Fund for Population Activities' that is now called the 'United Nations Population Fund'), an individual one-time donation to the United States Holocaust Memorial Museum, and an individual one-time donation to Bolts Magazine. (Whew!)

Plus, I continued to track the amounts that I am donating during the month in order to help me budget how much I am spending each month, so that—eventually—I will be paying more each month than I am charging each month on my credit card (hopefully, at least!); but, that is probably not going to happen until after the 2022 Midterm Elections.

Thus, my total donations for the month of October 2022 are $[redacted], which brings my credit card to a grand total of $[redacted]! (Although, for the sake of clarity, out of that grand total, $[redacted] was for store purchases that I decided to charge to my credit card and pay off later on; thus, my adjusted grand total for political and charitable donations only is "[redacted].") However, I am donating as much as I can afford to donate in order to help progressive causes that I care about, in addition to supporting the USO as often as I manage, as well as to help Democrats win in the 2022 Midterm Elections!

–Paul Whiting (written November 1st, 2022, revised November 28th, 2022, revised December 7th, 2022, revised April 11th, 2023, revised April 16th, 2023, revised April 27th, 2023, revised April 28th, 2023, revised June 24th, 2023, revised July 29th, 2023, revised August 12th, 2023, revised August 19th, 2023 and revised May 2nd, 2024)

[I feel like I need to clarify why there are so many 'revised dates' on this 'update,' just like there are often times so many 'revised dates' on other 'updates' similar to this one! You see, I really try to keep my writing consistent as possible across all of my blogs. Therefore, as I am writing, I try to use the same phraseology wherever possible with regard to similar types of my writing so that, when I am editing my writing, I can change all of the similar writing at the same time and in the same way! Thus, a lot of the revisions indicated above, after my name (–Paul Whiting), and shown right after the original 'written date,' are often times due to these aforementioned consistent-writing revisions.]

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November 8th, 2022 Update: I voted today, November 8th, 2022, in Oregon's General Election! –Paul Whiting (November 8th, 2022)

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November 11th, 2022 Update, Written On November 11th, 2023: I made one-time donations for Veterans Day to Veterans of Foreign Wars, Iraq and Afghanistan Veterans of America (IAVA), Disabled American Veterans (DAV) and Wounded Warrior Project (WWP). –Paul Whiting [written December 7th, 2022 and turned into an 'update' based upon my 'July 7th, 2022 Update, Written On July 11th, 2022 (Follow-Up No. 5, Written On December 7th, 2022)' from my "Poet, Artist and Philosopher" blog on November 11th, 2023]

P.S.: I feel like I need to clarify why I didn't write an 'update' for Veterans Day 2022! You see, creative writing takes a lot of time and energy—and I was really busy with blogging toward the end of 2022, because of the Midterm Elections. Now, I did manage to create a "My Writing About Donating To Veterans' Charities On Veterans Day (for 2022)" for my "Thank You For Your Service!" post on both of my "Small All White in the Forest" and "Paul Whiting — A Creative Writer" blogs. However, I didn't manage to write an 'update' about my Veterans Day donations for 2022! And I did not notice this error until I was searching for a "November 11th, 2022 Update," which I assumed would be available for me to utilize as a basis for my "November 11th, 2023 Update." Thus, I did find a reference to the donations that I made for Veterans Day 2022 on my 'July 7th, 2022 Update, Written On July 11th, 2022 (Follow-Up No. 5, Written On December 7th, 2022)' from my "Poet, Artist and Philosopher" blog, so that is why I turned that reference into my 'update' for Veterans Day 2022. (I hope that makes sense!)

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November 14th, 2022 Update: Thanksgiving Day is ten days away from today, November 14th, 2022! And so, I decided to make one-time donations to charities who are helping those in need during the Thanksgiving holiday, which includes local nonprofits who are helping homeless folks (Portland Rescue Mission and Union Gospel Mission), as well as nonprofits who are helping hungry folks, including a local food bank (Oregon Food Bank) and a national hunger-relief organization (Feeding America).

And I was inspired to make these donations by "Thanksgiving Donation" mailers that I recently received, including one from a local nonprofit helping homeless folks and one from the largest hunger-relief organization in the United States helping hungry folks, as I mentioned above.

In addition to that, I was also reminded to donate to these types of nonprofit organizations by the name of a video I saw on YouTube recently, which mentioned the decline in donations to a West Coast food bank due to inflation that is titled, "Demand for Those in Need and Inflation: Bay Area Food Bank Struggling to Keep Up With Demand as Donations Decline."

–Paul Whiting (written November 14th, 2022, revised November 17th, 2022, revised November 18th, 2022, revised December 10th, 2022, revised December 11th, 2022, revised December 18th, 2022, revised April 9th, 2023, revised April 12th, 2023, revised April 27th, 2023, revised April 28th, 2023, revised May 17th, 2023 and revised November 13th, 2023)

[I feel like I need to clarify why there are so many 'revised dates' on this 'update,' just like there are often times so many 'revised dates' on other 'updates' similar to this one! You see, I really try to keep my writing consistent as possible across all of my blogs. Therefore, as I am writing, I try to use the same phraseology wherever possible with regard to similar types of my writing so that, when I am editing my writing, I can change all of the similar writing at the same time and in the same way! Thus, a lot of the revisions indicated above, after my name (–Paul Whiting), and shown right after the original 'written date,' are often times due to these aforementioned consistent-writing revisions.]

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For my "November 17th, 2022 Update"—since this 'update' is a part of my ⋆USO⋆ donations—please see my blog post titled, "My Point Of View On...Giving Charity And Accepting Charity," which can be found on both of my "Paul Whiting — Math Magician" and "Paul Whiting — A Creative Writer" blogs. An introduction to the 'update' can be found below:

November 17th, 2022 Update: Thanksgiving Day is seven days away from today, November 17th, 2022, and I made a one-time donation to the USO (United Service Organizations) on the USO.org website, because I received a text message today from the USO, which stated the following:

USO: Help us send Thanksgiving meals to troops deployed far from home. Rush a MATCHED donation before tomorrow's deadline:***

***[I used to include hyperlinks contained within the email messages, or the text messages, to which I am referring in these "Activism Updates"; however, I could not figure out how to include the aforementioned hyperlinks, regarding some relevant action that I had taken—such as signing a petition, sending a letter or message to my representative(s) in Congress, signing a USO 'Thank You' card, and/or making a donation—without including my personal information.]

In addition to that, I already make a recurring monthly donation to the USO in order to show my support for our U.S. Military Personnel! You see, I usually make one-time donations to the USO each month—as often as I can manage when they request a donation via email or text message. Therefore, I am planning to continue making one-time donations to the USO in the future, as often as I can manage to make donations, in addition to making the aforementioned recurring monthly donation. ...

Please see the hyperlinks below for the post, within which you can do a find-in-page search for the 'update' labeled, "November 17th, 2022 Update":

https://paulwhitingmath.blogspot.com/2015/05/my-point-of-view-on-charity.html

https://paulwhitingwriting.blogspot.com/2022/07/my-point-of-view-on-part-16-giving-to.html

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November 18th, 2022 Update: I received a mailer from the United Nations World Food Program USA (WFPUSA) on November 18th, 2022, which stated the following (by the way, I hand-typed the text below on my smartphone from the mailer's main letter):

Dear Friend,

This year we have already witnessed a dramatic rise in hunger and hardships on families around the world. As conflicts increase and intensify, we stand today on the precipice of a historic decision on how we choose to address these global challenges.

Far too many people around the world don't have enough food for their next meal. Many families will be forced to go to sleep tonight on an empty stomach. Today, you have the chance to change that. A chance to fight the global hunger crisis and ensure that one less family has to worry about how to feed their hungry children.

Today, up to 828 million people don't have enough to eat, including 345 million people living in hunger crisis — the equivalent of the entire U.S. population. For millions of these people, the United Nations World Food Programme (WFP) is their only source of food. Without our food deliveries, they will starve.

As in any emergency, children are in the most danger. In fact, 57% of all the people the U.N. World Food Programme serves are children.

If we don't act soon, an unprecedented number of lives will be lost.

Your emergency contribution of $15, $25, $35 or more at this critical time will make a lifesaving difference on the front lines of this hunger crisis. There has never been a time when we have needed you more.

That's because we are undertaking our largest scale-up ever to provide lifesaving meals to 152 million of the world's hungriest people. We are supplying emergency food assistance and essential nutrition support to people in more than 120 countries and territories around the world.

Join us today and help feed millions of hungry people throughout Africa, Asia, Latin American, the Middle East and wherever children and families go hungry. I assure you, any amount you give at this critical time will make a positive impact.

Ending hunger is the greatest challenge of our time, but together it is possible.

We have been on the front lines of the world's worst humanitarian crises, fighting hunger and famine since 1961. Every year, we serve 15 billion meals to more than 100 million people.

From emergency relief and immediate food assistance to long-term agriculture training and school meals programs, we help people build resilience to and overcome the ravages of hunger.

The U.N. World Food Programme has the knowledge, experience and supply network to deliver lifesaving food and support when and where the need is greatest. With you at our side, we can fight hunger. Your partnership will enable us to make a difference. However, we can only reach the world's most vulnerable people if everyone who is able does their part.

Join us today and help fight global hunger by taking the following steps:

1. Sign and return the enclosed Zero Hunger Pledge. Your pledge is a symbol of hope to those who need it most, who fight every day for a better life;

2. Include your generous gift of $15, $25, $35 or more with your signed pledge;

3. Spread the word about our lifesaving work.

Every year, 45 million children suffer from severe malnutrition. As a result, the lives of 3 million children are tragically lost.

That means, a child dies approximately every 10 seconds from hunger-related causes. So, in the time it took you to read this letter, 24 children died because they didn't have enough to eat.

Your actions today will help provide healthy meals and lifesaving nutrition treatments to children and families who may not survive without them.

The food you help provide today will determine whether it takes months, years or decades to overcome this hunger crisis. Please join today in the fight against global hunger.

Sincerely,

[Name redacted]
[Title redacted]

P.S. Please join us today in the fight to end hunger by returning your signed Zero Hunger Pledge and your most generous gift in the envelope provided. You can donate online at wfpusa.org/givetoday. Lives hang in the balance. Now is the time to give.

And so, I made a one-time donation to the United Nations World Food Program USA online and I also signed their "Zero Hunger Pledge" to return in the mail, which I did today, November 18th, 2022.

You see, I recently donated to two local charitable organizations who are helping homeless folks, as well as to one local and one national charitable organization who are both helping hungry folks here in the United States of America, which I explained in my 'November 14th, 2022 Update,' which can be found above.

Therefore, I decided to include the world community in my donations this month for helping folks who are facing food insecurities—since I believe that the whole wide world deserves healthy and nutritious food—and I am so very thankful to be able to help those in need, because I'm an American!

–Paul Whiting (written November 18th, 2022, revised November 25th, 2022, revised December 10th, 2022, revised December 18th, 2022, revised April 28th, 2023, revised May 17th, 2023, revised November 13th, 2023 and revised December 18th, 2023)

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For my "November 24th, 2022 Update"—since this 'update' is a part of my ⋆USO⋆ donations—please see my blog post titled, "My Point Of View On...Giving Charity And Accepting Charity," which can be found on both of my "Paul Whiting — Math Magician" and "Paul Whiting — A Creative Writer" blogs. An introduction to the 'update' can be found below:

November 24th, 2022 Update: Happy Thanksgiving, everyone! I signed a Thanksgiving card "to let our troops know how much [I] appreciate their service and sacrifice this Thanksgiving," from the USO (United Service Organizations) today, November 24th, 2022, that I received via an email with the subject line, "We’re immensely grateful for you, Paul", which stated the following:

This Thanksgiving comes at the end of a particularly challenging year for our service members. They’ve deployed around the world, often at a moment's notice, to protect and serve our country — from supporting NATO allies in Eastern Europe to conducting civilian rescue operations in the wake of Hurricane Ian.

But through it all, you’ve been there for our heroes and their families at every turn. And on behalf of everyone here at the USO, I want to say thank you. We are so grateful for the support of this community.

Today is Thanksgiving, but around the world, thousands of service members are spending the holiday far away from their homes and loved ones in the face of the ongoing war in Ukraine. They are facing isolation, uncertainty and harsh weather conditions — all while leaning on the USO for support in the absence of their loved ones.

That’s why your dedicated support is especially meaningful right now. It’s what helps ensure that we can keep service members equipped with the essential resources and connections to home that they deserve, especially on days like today...

...Supporters like you are truly the force behind our Armed Forces, and we could never thank you enough. From me and our entire USO family, we send the warmest wishes to you and your loved ones this Thanksgiving.

[Name redacted]
[Title redacted], USO

P.S. If you haven’t had the chance yet to let our troops know how much you appreciate their service and sacrifice this Thanksgiving, I hope you’ll take a moment now to sign the USO’s card. It is a small act that means so much.***

***[I used to include hyperlinks contained within the email messages, or the text messages, to which I am referring in these "Activism Updates"; however, I could not figure out how to include the aforementioned hyperlinks, regarding some relevant action that I had taken—such as signing a petition, sending a letter or message to my representative(s) in Congress, signing a USO 'Thank You' card, and/or making a donation—without including my personal information.]

Plus, after I signed the card, I made a one-time donation on the USO.org website to say to our troops, "We are so grateful for you — especially today! Thank you for everything you do to defend our country. We hope you have a very happy Thanksgiving." ...

Please see the hyperlinks below for the post, within which you can do a find-in-page search for the 'update' labeled, "November 24th, 2022 Update":

https://paulwhitingmath.blogspot.com/2015/05/my-point-of-view-on-charity.html

https://paulwhitingwriting.blogspot.com/2022/07/my-point-of-view-on-part-16-giving-to.html

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November 25th, 2022 Update: Native American Heritage Day is today, November 25th, 2022, because it is observed yearly (annually) on the day after Thanksgiving! And I recently received a mailer from American Indian College Fund, which stated the following (by the way, I hand-typed the text below on my smartphone from the mailer's letter):

Dear Mr. Whiting,

For many of us a college education is something we pursue so we can be more successful, make more money, or even just learn about something that's interesting to us.

For Native scholars, education means so much more. It means solving difficult challenges affecting their communities such as food shortages, insufficient healthcare, housing insecurity, and unemployment – all exacerbated by the COVID pandemic.

American Indian College Fund scholars understand the responsibility and power that comes with an education, but they are embracing it gratefully and enthusiastically so they can build stronger, healthier communities. There is just one thing standing in their way—financial need.

This year more than 3,200 students received scholarship support from the American Indian College Fund, but 6,135 did not.

That means fewer Native American graduates working to solve the persistent challenges Native communities face. But you can help change that, Mr. Whiting, with a generous gift of $50, $75, $100, or more today.

With your help, every new degree obtained means one more Native college graduate who is prepared and motivated to use their knowledge, power, and confidence to not only change, but save, lives.

Please make a difference for a student who is committed to addressing urgent needs, solving community-wide problems, and preserving the languages, traditions, and lands that will ensure a safe and healthy future for all Native people.

I hope to hear from you soon!

Wounspe gluha blihihunkic'iyapi [We strengthen ourselves with knowledge.]

Best regards,

[Name redacted]
[Title redacted]

P.S. Since 1989, we have supported the educational needs of American Indian scholars, providing nearly 147,000 scholarships and $259.7 million to support American Indian communities. But the need is still great. Please make a generous gift today and provide the hope that only education can bring. Thank you!

And so, I made a one-time donation to the American Indian College Fund in order to show my support for Native American graduates who are striving to educate themselves so that they can contribute to their entire community—and so that they can contribute the entire country. –Paul Whiting (written November 25th, 2022, revised December 18th, 2022, revised December 30th, 2022, revised April 28th, 2023, revised May 17th, 2023 and revised November 24th, 2023)

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November 29th, 2022 Update: Please join me in celebrating Giving Tuesday today, November 29th, 2022—which is the first Tuesday after Thanksgiving Day—by donating to the charities of your choice in order to help those wonderful charities out there that are helping others out during this Holiday Season and throughout the year. –Paul Whiting (November 29th, 2022)

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YEAR 2022 UPDATES FOR DECEMBER:

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"December 7th, 2022 Update" [Written Originally As A 'July 7th, 2022 Update, Written On July 11th, 2022 (Follow-Up No. 5, Written On December 7th, 2022)']: This update is a follow-up to the following:

▪ July 7th, 2022 Update, Written On July 11th, 2022
▪ July 7th, 2022 Update, Written On July 11th, 2022 (Follow-Up No. 1, Written On July 27th, 2022)
▪ July 7th, 2022 Update, Written On July 11th, 2022 (Follow-Up No. 2, Written On August 30th, 2022)
▪ July 7th, 2022 Update, Written On July 11th, 2022 (Follow-Up No. 3, Written On September 30th, 2022)
▪ July 7th, 2022 Update, Written On July 11th, 2022 (Follow-Up No. 4, Written On November 1st, 2022)

Although, this update is similar to my 'July 7th, 2022 Update, Written On July 11th, 2022 (Follow-Up No. 1, Written On July 27th, 2022),' as well as similar to my 'July 7th, 2022 Update, Written On July 11th, 2022 (Follow-Up No. 2, Written On August 30th, 2022),' in addition to being similar to my 'July 7th, 2022 Update, Written On July 11th, 2022 (Follow-Up No. 3, Written On September 30th, 2022),' besides also being similar to my 'July 7th, 2022 Update, Written On July 11th, 2022 (Follow-Up No. 4, Written On November 1st, 2022),' with some exceptions. Also, this is the last update that I am providing for this 2022 Midterm Election cycle, since the final race for this midterm election year was held yesterday, December 6th, 2022.

You see, my monthly donations of $3.00 each to the main Democratic fundraising and coordinating political organizations processed on November 17th, 2022.

And also, on November 10th, November 12th, November 13th, November 29th, November 30th, December 1st, December 3rd and December 5th, 2022, I made additional one-time donations to the DSCC (Democratic Senatorial Campaign Committee) and to Democratic political campaigns for particularly close Senate races.

Now, here is where I explained that my 'July 7th, 2022 Update, Written On July 11th, 2022 (Follow-Up No. 1, Written On July 27th, 2022)' gets complicated:

Earlier, I said that I was going to only "make recurring monthly donations to the main Democratic fundraising and coordinating political organizations...and to the USO...with the exception of occasional one-time donations to the USO, plus various progressive organizations," which is what I have done, so far!

And here is where I said in my 'July 7th, 2022 Update, Written On July 11th, 2022 (Follow-Up No. 1, Written On July 27th, 2022)' that I also needed to "up my game":

However, I decided that I needed to "up my game" and to continue making donations to individual Democratic political campaigns, but I am planning to only donate to them once per month, on the 27th of each month, until election day. Thus, I am donating each month—and I am donating $3.00 per campaign, just like I am donating to each of the main Democratic fundraising and coordinating organizations—and that way I am donating to help Democrats win in November, in a way that is affordable to me, for the 2022 Midterm Elections.

So, what differentiates this update from my 'July 7th, 2022 Update, Written On July 11th, 2022 (Follow-Up No. 1, Written On July 27th, 2022),' as well as being the same thing that differentiates my 'July 7th, 2022 Update, Written On July 11th, 2022 (Follow-Up No. 2, Written On August 30th, 2022),' and my 'July 7th, 2022 Update, Written On July 11th, 2022 (Follow-Up No. 3, Written On September 30th, 2022),' in addition to my 'July 7th, 2022 Update, Written On July 11th, 2022 (Follow-Up No. 4, Written On November 1st, 2022),' from the aforementioned 'Follow-Up No. 1,' is the fact that I am providing you with the total amount that donated for November 2022 and December 2022:

I donated a total of $[redacted] on the days of November 10th, November 12th, November 13th, November 17th (which is the monthly donation date, as I mentioned above), November 29th and November 30th, 2022, as well as a total of $[redacted] on the days of December 1st, December 3rd and December 5th, 2022, which includes the above-mentioned additional one-time donations to the DSCC (Democratic Senatorial Campaign Committee) and to the above-mentioned Democratic political campaigns for particularly close Senate races.

By the way, as of the date of this particular update, my usual monthly donations of $3.00 each to the main Democratic fundraising and coordinating political organizations are scheduled to be processed on December 17th, 2022, but this is the last update that I am providing for this 2022 Midterm Election cycle.

Besides the donations mentioned above, I also made $[redacted] in donations during the month of November 2022, which included several donations to the USO (United Service Organizations); one-time donations to the Willamette Week and the Portland Mercury (both of which are local news publications in Portland, Oregon, whose election endorsements I read); one-time donations for Veterans Day to Veterans of Foreign Wars, Iraq and Afghanistan Veterans of America (IAVA), Disabled American Veterans (DAV) and Wounded Warrior Project (WWP); one-time donations for Thanksgiving Day to Portland Rescue Mission, Union Gospel Mission, Oregon Food Bank and Feeding America; a one-time donation to The Real News Network, which is a "non-profit, viewer supported news" organization (and I consider this donation to be similar to the cost of an annual news subscription); and, finally, multiple individual one-time donations for "Giving Tuesday" to the following organizations: Doctors Without Borders, United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (USA for UNHCR), United Nations World Food Program USA (WFPUSA), Ronald McDonald House Charities, The Salvation Army, American Red Cross, International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC), Charity Navigator, the Willamette Week's "Give!Guide" (I donated to 15 separate local charities as well as to Friends of Willamette Week), additional donations to both Wounded Warrior Project (WWP) and Iraq and Afghanistan Veterans of America (IAVA), the ACLU (American Civil Liberties Union), Planned Parenthood Federation of America, and No Kid Hungry.

Plus, I continued to track the amounts that I am donating during the month in order to help me budget how much I am spending each month, so that—eventually—I will be paying more each month than I am charging each month on my credit card (hopefully, at least!); but, that is probably only going to happen now that it's after the 2022 Midterm Elections.

Thus, my total donations for the month of November 2022 are $[redacted], which brings my credit card to a grand total of $[redacted]! However, I donated as much as I could afford to donate in order to help progressive causes that I care about, in addition to supporting the USO as often as I manage, as well as to help Democrats win in the 2022 Midterm Elections!

–Paul Whiting (December 7th, 2022, revised December 8th, 2022, revised December 10th, 2022, revised April 11th, 2023, revised April 16th, 2023, revised April 27th, 2023, revised April 28th, 2023, revised July 29th, 2023, revised November 11th, 2023, revised November 25th, 2023, revised December 18th, 2023 and revised May 2nd, 2024)

[I feel like I need to clarify why there are so many 'revised dates' on this 'update,' just like there are often times so many 'revised dates' on other 'updates' similar to this one! You see, I really try to keep my writing consistent as possible across all of my blogs. Therefore, as I am writing, I try to use the same phraseology wherever possible with regard to similar types of my writing so that, when I am editing my writing, I can change all of the similar writing at the same time and in the same way! Thus, a lot of the revisions indicated above, after my name (–Paul Whiting), and shown right after the original 'written date,' are often times due to these aforementioned consistent-writing revisions.]

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December 11th, 2022 Update: Christmas Day is fourteen days away from today, December 11th, 2022! And so, I decided to make one-time donations to charities who are helping the less fortunate, including a local nonprofit helping homeless folks [1] and a national hunger-relief organization helping hungry folks [2], as well as charities who are helping children in need [3][4][5][6] and—of course—that charity with the "bell ringers," who are well-known for collecting donations during the holiday season [7].

And I was inspired to make these donations by the following sources:

1. A "Christmas Donation" mailer that I recently received from Portland Rescue Mission, which is a local nonprofit here in Portland, Oregon that cares for "the people in greatest need in our community, providing nourishing food, shelter and warm clothing";

2. A "Christmas Donation" mailer that I recently received from Feeding America, which is the largest hunger-relief organization in the United States who partners "with food banks, food pantries, and local food programs to bring food to people facing hunger";

3. A "Christmas Donation" mailer that I recently received from St. Jude Children's Research Hospital, which is a charitable hospital that treats children with life-threatening diseases—and the families of the children "never receive a bill...for treatment, travel, housing or food";

4. An advertisement that I saw on YouTube recently for Operation Smile, which is a charity that provides surgery for children with cleft conditions and also provides the children with "cleft care needs throughout their childhood and adolescence so that they can realize happier and healthier futures";

5. An email that I received yesterday, December 10th, 2022, from Ronald McDonald House Charities of Oregon & SW Washington, which is "a nonprofit family & children's charity dedicated to supporting families with sick children in their time of need" that is holding its annual holiday toy drive;

6. A well-known holiday toy drive organization, Marine Toys for Tots, which I was reminded of by the above-mentioned holiday toy drive email! And this particular charity began "as the brain child of Marine Corps Reserve Major Bill Hendricks [and] his wife, Diane, who was the real inspiration. She had a few handcrafted dolls and asked Bill to deliver them to an agency that supports children in need. When Bill reported back to his wife that he could not find such an organization, she instructed him to 'start one!'" And the rest, as they say, is (holiday toy drive) history;

7. And, finally, a charity that I have known about since my childhood in Salt Lake City, Utah, The Salvation Army, which is well-known for their annual holiday "bell ringing" (or, red kettle) campaign that truly symbolizes this charitable organization's mission of True Christian Salvation during the holiday season—and all year long!

–Paul Whiting (written December 11th, 2022, revised December 21st, 2022, revised April 12th, 2023, revised April 27th, 2023, revised August 14th, 2023 and revised December 10th, 2023)

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For my "December 12th, 2022 Update"—since this 'update' is a part of my ⋆USO⋆ donations—please see my blog post titled, "My Point Of View On...Giving Charity And Accepting Charity," which can be found on both of my "Paul Whiting — Math Magician" and "Paul Whiting — A Creative Writer" blogs. An introduction to the 'update' can be found below:

December 12th, 2022 Update: I received an email from the USO (United Service Organizations) today, December 12th, 2022, with the subject line, "Support our troops this holiday season", which stated the following:

Throughout the year, our troops sacrifice so much for us, Paul. And when the holiday season comes around, it's so important that they can experience the simple joys — like a phone call with a loved one — that many of us at home take for granted.

It's our duty to make sure brave service members know how much their service and sacrifices are appreciated — especially during the holiday season. But the USO relies on your support to provide essential care like comfort packages and phone calls home.

So as you're making your way down your family's own holiday wish list, Paul, will you also take a minute to send a gift to the USO to support our military heroes?

Our Troops'
Holiday Wish List:

$119 to help fund
a holiday
care package*

$225 to help fund
holiday meals
for 3 troops*

$450 to help fund video
and phone calls
home for 6 troops*

MAKE A HOLIDAY DONATION NOW***

Thank you so much for supporting our troops!

Team USO

*Your contribution will be joined with the contributions of others and used where it is needed most to strengthen America’s military service members by keeping them connected to family, home and country.

***[I used to include hyperlinks contained within the email messages, or the text messages, to which I am referring in these "Activism Updates"; however, I could not figure out how to include the aforementioned hyperlinks, regarding some relevant action that I had taken—such as signing a petition, sending a letter or message to my representative(s) in Congress, signing a USO 'Thank You' card, and/or making a donation—without including my personal information.]

And so, I made a one-time donation on the USO.org website in order to support the USO's following statement: "The USO provides kits filled with critical supplies and connections to home for our service members as they spend the holiday season far from loved ones. And right now, supply-chain issues are impacting shipping and deliveries all over the world, which is why we need your support today. Donate before midnight to help the USO reach our $100,000 Holiday Giving Season Goal to make sure our troops get the support they need and deserve all year long."

In addition to that, I already make a recurring monthly donation to the USO in order to show my support for our U.S. Military Personnel! You see, I usually make one-time donations to the USO each month—as often as I can manage when they request a donation via email or text message. Therefore, I am planning to continue making one-time donations to the USO in the future, as often as I can manage to make donations, in addition to making the aforementioned recurring monthly donation. ...

Please see the hyperlinks below for the post, within which you can do a find-in-page search for the 'update' labeled, "December 12th, 2022 Update":

https://paulwhitingmath.blogspot.com/2015/05/my-point-of-view-on-charity.html

https://paulwhitingwriting.blogspot.com/2022/07/my-point-of-view-on-part-16-giving-to.html

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For my "December 14th, 2022 Update"—since this 'update' is a part of my ⋆USO⋆ donations—please see my blog post titled, "My Point Of View On...Giving Charity And Accepting Charity," which can be found on both of my "Paul Whiting — Math Magician" and "Paul Whiting — A Creative Writer" blogs. An introduction to the 'update' can be found below:

December 14th, 2022 Update: I received an email from the USO (United Service Organizations) today, December 14th, 2022, with the subject line, "Happy Holidays! We’re so excited to share our latest newsletter with you", with regard to the USO's newsletter "YOUR USO AT WORK," Issue 109 for December 2022, which stated, in part, the following:

With the holiday season upon us, it's more important than ever to remember and honor our troops who may not be able to spend the holidays with their families.

If you're able, please consider sending support for our service members deployed far from home this holiday season. Your donation will help us deliver care packages, fund phone calls home, serve holiday meals and so much more.

We can't thank you enough for helping our service members stay comfortable and connected to home during this time. Check out the updates below to learn a little more about the work you've helped make possible in recent weeks...

And the following highlight from the USO's newsletter, which I selected to post, is regarding "5 Ways Americans Can Deliver a Piece of Home to Troops During the Holidays":

BY THE NUMBERS

"5"

This holiday season, check out 5 ways you can deliver a piece of home to troops. »

https://www.uso.org/stories/3459-5-ways-americans-can-deliver-a-piece-of-home-to-troops-during-the-holidays

...From all of us at the USO, thank you for being a dedicated and proud military supporter!

And so, I made a one-time donation on the USO.org website in order to show my support "for our service members deployed far from home this holiday season" and to show my support for the USO's newsletter, as well as to show my support for the USO in supporting our men and women in uniform, as described in the highlight "VOICE OF THE USO," from the aforementioned newsletter:

VOICE OF THE USO

“The staff at USO Powidz was amazing. During an uncomfortable situation, they tried to make it as comfortable as possible. They supported us to no end.”

—A U.S. Air Force Master Sgt. after sudden deployment to Poland amidst the war in Ukraine.

In addition to that, I already make a recurring monthly donation to the USO in order to show my support for our U.S. Military Personnel! You see, I usually make one-time donations to the USO each month—as often as I can manage when they request a donation via email or text message. Therefore, I am planning to continue making one-time donations to the USO in the future, as often as I can manage to make donations, in addition to making the aforementioned recurring monthly donation. ...

Please see the hyperlinks below for the post, within which you can do a find-in-page search for the 'update' labeled, "December 14th, 2022 Update":

https://paulwhitingmath.blogspot.com/2015/05/my-point-of-view-on-charity.html

https://paulwhitingwriting.blogspot.com/2022/07/my-point-of-view-on-part-16-giving-to.html

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December 15th, 2022 Update, Written On December 16th, 2022: I made donations yesterday, December 15th, 2022, to three organizations, as I have explained below:

First, I watched a video on YouTube titled, "Tech industry hit with massive layoffs as other employers add jobs," on December 15th, 2022, which included a fundraiser for PBS NewsHour. So, I made a one-time donation to PBS NewsHour, which was collected by WETA, TV 26 & Classical 90.9 FM via YouTube.

Second, I made a one-time donation to Wikipedia, since I went onto their website on December 15th, 2022, and they were requesting donations. You see, as a blogger and frequent reader of Wikipedia, I try donate to them whenever they request a donation!

Third, I received an email from the USO (United Service Organizations) on December 15th, 2022, with the subject line, "🐾 🇺🇲 thank military dogs and their handlers", which stated the following:

Paul, from using their incredible noses to sniff out explosives to conducting search and rescue, 1,600 military dogs serve alongside troops in dangerous conditions every day — all to keep us and our service members safe.

These trained canines are courageous and loyal, just like their handlers, and we must show our appreciation for K-9 teams this holiday season. That’s why we need to fill this K-9 thank-you card with at least 150,000 signatures to show support for our military working dog teams — and we’re counting on dedicated military supporters like you to help us reach this goal by midnight Saturday.

Please, will you sign the card now to thank our courageous K-9 teams this holiday season?***

Since World War II, military dogs have been serving on land, sea and air alongside our brave troops. These military working dog teams deserve all the support and appreciation we can give them as they risk their lives to keep us safe and free, every day of every year.

So please, before the deadline, add your name right now to thank our brave military dog teams — and all our heroic troops — for everything they do to protect our country.***

Thank you so much for being a dedicated military supporter our K-9 teams can always count on.

[Name redacted]
The USO

***[I used to include hyperlinks contained within the email messages, or the text messages, to which I am referring in these "Activism Updates"; however, I could not figure out how to include the aforementioned hyperlinks, regarding some relevant action that I had taken—such as signing a petition, sending a letter or message to my representative(s) in Congress, signing a USO 'Thank You' card, and/or making a donation—without including my personal information.]

So, I signed the card for "heroic military working dogs and their handlers [who] are putting their lives on the line alongside our troops in some of the world's harshest and most dangerous places." Plus, after I signed the card, I made a one-time donation on the USO.org website to say to our K-9 teams and all service members, "As you make unimaginable sacrifices for our country, we will always have your backs. Thank you for all you do to keep us safe."

In addition to that, I already make a recurring monthly donation to the USO in order to show my support for our U.S. Military Personnel! You see, I usually make one-time donations to the USO each month—as often as I can manage when they request a donation via email or text message. Therefore, I am planning to continue making one-time donations to the USO in the future, as often as I can manage to make donations, in addition to making the aforementioned recurring monthly donation.

By the way, did you know that the USO is a not-for-profit organization and not part of the Department of Defense (DoD)? The following description of the USO is from their 'About Us' webpage:

"The USO is not part of the federal government. A congressionally chartered, private organization, the USO relies on the generosity of individuals, organizations and corporations to support its activities, and is powered by a family of volunteers to accomplish our mission of connection."

So, that is why I 'volunteer financially' as a member of the "USO Home Team" through a recurring monthly donation, as well as through one-time donations to the USO each month!

–Paul Whiting (written December 16th, 2022, revised December 17th, 2022, revised December 26th, 2022, revised December 29th, 2022, revised January 1st, 2023, revised April 11th, 2023, revised April 21st, 2023, revised April 27th, 2023, revised April 28th, 2023, revised May 17th, 2023, revised June 12th, 2023, revised July 28th, 2023, revised July 29th, 2023, revised July 31st, 2023, revised August 1st, 2023, revised September 27th, 2023, revised October 22nd, 2023 and revised November 18th, 2023)

[I feel like I need to clarify why there are so many 'revised dates' on this 'update,' just like there are often times so many 'revised dates' on other 'updates' similar to this one! You see, I really try to keep my writing consistent as possible across all of my blogs. Therefore, as I am writing, I try to use the same phraseology wherever possible with regard to similar types of my writing so that, when I am editing my writing, I can change all of the similar writing at the same time and in the same way! Thus, a lot of the revisions indicated above, after my name (–Paul Whiting), and shown right after the original 'written date,' are often times due to these aforementioned consistent-writing revisions.]

P.S.: For my complete charitable donation updates—that include some of my current "Online Activism," as well as most all of my ⋆USO⋆ donations—please see my blog post titled, "My Point Of View On...Giving Charity And Accepting Charity," which can be found on both of my "Paul Whiting — Math Magician" and "Paul Whiting — A Creative Writer" blogs.

Please see the hyperlinks below for the posts:

https://paulwhitingmath.blogspot.com/2015/05/my-point-of-view-on-charity.html

https://paulwhitingwriting.blogspot.com/2022/07/my-point-of-view-on-part-16-giving-to.html

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December 20th, 2022 Update: Christmas Day is five days away from today, December 20th, 2022! So, I decided to make one-time donations to various organizations for their holiday, or year-end, or annual, or matching-funds, or other types of fundraising campaigns.

And those various organizations included the following:

▪ A Democratic fundraising and coordinating political organization [1];
▪ A nonpartisan law and policy institute [2];
▪ A Holocaust memorial museum [3];
▪ Some nonprofit organizations addressing issues with regard to the environment, including global warming, issues with regard to society, as well as issues with regard to wildlife [4][5][6];
▪ An organization combating the abuses of factory farming and encouraging a new awareness and understanding of farm animals and the benefits of cruelty-free, plant-based living [7];
▪ A U.S. Veterans support and advocacy organization dedicated to connecting, uniting, and empowering post-9/11 veterans [8];
▪ A United Nations (UN) organization that helps to save, protect and rebuild the lives of millions of refugees [9];
▪ A United Nations (UN) organization that has been on the frontlines of the world's worst hunger crises [10];
▪ A nonprofit organization that provides sexual health care in the United States and globally [11];
▪ A leading advocate in the movement for sexual and reproductive freedom for all Oregonians [12];
▪ Some nonprofits who are helping hungry folks, including a national hunger-relief organization and a local food bank [13][14]; and
▪ A nonprofit organization dedicated to defending and preserving the individual rights and liberties of every person in the United States of America [15].

And I was inspired to make these donations by the following sources:

1. A "Happy Holiday Season" mailer that I recently received from the Democratic National Committee (DNC) that is advocating for "the ongoing support from [my] monthly gift in 2023 to continue to organize, strengthen our Party, recruit and train the strongest candidates to run for office, and maintain our data and technology structure for 2023 and 2024."

2. A "Fight To Protect Our Democracy" mailer that I recently received from the Brennan Center for Justice, which is a nonpartisan law and policy institute, that is asking for my support because: "The values we hold dear as Americans are under escalating assault. Our democracy is under siege. We must make sure it lives up to it's promise for every American."

3. A "2023 Annual Fund" mailer that I recently received from the United States Holocaust Memorial Museum, which is asking for my support so that they "can expand [their] work to remember Holocaust victims and survivors, rescue the evidence, and share the stories that inspire people to confront hatred and promote human dignity."

4. A "2022 Year-End Giving Campaign" mailer that I recently received from the Union of Concerned Scientists (UCS), which is a nonprofit organization addressing issues with regard to the environment and society, that is asking for my support so that "as [they] look to [their] work in 2023, [my] support will continue to be vital for driving science-based solutions to some of our planets most pressing problems."

5. A "Membership Renewal Reminder with a Free Calendar Enclosed" mailer that I recently received from Sierra Club, which is a nonprofit organization addressing issues with regard to the environment and wildlife, that is asking for my renewed support as my "commitment to the environment [that] helps protect our public land, our water our air — and our health — from threats to our planet." Plus, they also enclosed their Wildlife & Wildlands Calendar as a free gift with its beautiful photographs to "serve as a daily reminder of the critical importance of [my] continued membership." And thus, I am planning to utilize this calendar for the year 2023.

6. A "Time-Sensitive Matching Gift" mailer that I recently received from Greenpeace, which is a nonprofit organization addressing issues with regard to the environment and wildlife, that is asking for my support for a special Matching Gift offer that will "help fund all of [their] actions and advocacy in [their] campaigns for Earth's climate, oceans, forests, and all of nature."

7. A "Sign Our Petition" mailer that I recently received from Farmsanctuary, which is an organization combating the abuses of factory farming and encouraging a new awareness and understanding of farm animals and the benefits of cruelty-free, plant-based living. And they requested that I sign a "petition to [the] U.S. Secretary of Agriculture...demanding that the agency use it's authority to stop the hideous abuses in poultry slaughterhouses—starting by extending critical protections to chickens, turkeys, and other birds under the Humane Methods of Slaughter Act and Poultry Productions Act." And they also asked for my support for "all of [their] lifesaving rescue, shelter, education, and advocacy work on behalf of farm animals." And so, I made an online donation yesterday (December 20th) and then I signed the aforementioned petition, which I mailed today (December 21st).

8. An email that I received from Iraq and Afghanistan Veterans of America (IAVA) on December 15th, 2022, with the subject line, "Help Save Our Afghan Allies," which stated, in part, the following: "With your support, we can continue advocating for the Afghan Adjustment Act, a vital piece of legislation that will provide a pathway to secure residency for those Afghans needing protection. By helping us reach our end-of-year goal of $200,000, you will help us to continue advocating for reasonable solutions that will help keep our promise to our Afghan allies."

9. An email that I received from the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (USA for UNHCR) on December 15th, 2022, with the subject line, "Do you want to build a snowman?", which stated, in part, the following: "Children are the same everywhere, no matter what they've been through. They want to build a snowman when it snows and will find any reason to laugh. ... Paul, you can do something amazing — something real and concrete — to protect refugee and displaced families and give children a safe, warm place to rest with a full belly. Your generous gift will be matched when you give today. Your gift will provide DOUBLE the lifesaving aid, including warm shelter, cash assistance, blankets and clothing."

10. An email that I received from the United Nations World Food Program USA (WFPUSA) on December 20th, 2022, with the subject line, "MATCH ALERT: Provide 2x the food to families," which stated, in part, the following: "When conflict erupts or extreme weather events strike, the United Nations World Food Programme (WFP) is there to provide food for people in emergencies. Until December 31, a group of generous donors will MATCH donations dollar-for-dollar, up to $582,500."

11. An email that I received from Planned Parenthood Federation of America on December 18th, 2022, with the subject line, "The most meaningful gift for your loved ones," which stated, in part, the following: "With the holidays just around the corner, there's no better time to make a gift to Planned Parenthood on behalf of someone you love. And when you do, you have the option of letting them know you're thinking of them by sending an e‑card acknowledgment!"

12. An email that I received from Planned Parenthood PAC of Oregon on December 19th, 2022, with the subject line, "It’s no coincidence that Oregon is the most protective state for abortion access," which stated, in part, the following: "It’s no coincidence that Oregon is the most protective state for abortion access in the country; it’s because we fight to keep it that way. ... Our strong but mighty team can’t be everywhere at once, but when you put your money where their values are and support us by donating to our PAC, we can achieve basically the impossible."

13. An email that I received from Feeding America on December 19th, 2022, with the subject line, "We have the power [MATCH]," which stated, in part, the following: "Your $10.00 donation to the Feeding America Holiday Drive today can help food banks across the country serve families during the holiday season and beyond—and right now you can make double the impact, up to $334,000 thanks to a challenge match from Marson Foods."

14. And because I donated to Feeding America, which is the largest hunger-relief organization in the United States, I also donated locally to the Oregon Food Bank, whose mission includes the following statement: "...We distribute food equitably across the region and work on policies and programs to address the root causes of hunger."

15. An email that I received from the ACLU (American Civil Liberties Union) on December 20th, 2022, with the subject line, "We have a plan for 2023, Paul," which stated, in part, the following: "...2022 saw our civil rights challenged in unprecedented ways – from the overturn of Roe to mounting efforts to suppress the vote to scores of hateful attacks on trans youth, and more. But ACLU is no stranger to the fight for our rights. With your support this year, we showed up to protect civil liberties at every level. We have the receipts to prove it. But with the New Year fast approaching, we know this collective power is going to be even more critical in the fight ahead. And make no mistake, we have long game plans to ensure that meaningful change is made – we'll just need you with us."

–Paul Whiting (written from December 20th, 2022 to December 21st, 2022, revised December 22nd, 2022, revised December 26th, 2022, revised January 1st, 2023, revised January 2nd, 2023, revised April 11th, 2023, revised April 27th, 2023, revised May 9th, 2023, revised July 29th, 2023, revised November 30th, 2023, revised December 13th, 2023 and revised December 18th, 2023)

[I feel like I need to clarify why there are so many 'revised dates' on this 'update,' just like there are often times so many 'revised dates' on other 'updates' similar to this one! You see, I really try to keep my writing consistent as possible across all of my blogs. Therefore, as I am writing, I try to use the same phraseology wherever possible with regard to similar types of my writing so that, when I am editing my writing, I can change all of the similar writing at the same time and in the same way! Thus, a lot of the revisions indicated above, after my name (–Paul Whiting), and shown right after the original 'written date,' are often times due to these aforementioned consistent-writing revisions.]

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For my "December 22nd, 2022 Update"—since this 'update' is a part of my ⋆USO⋆ donations—please see my blog post titled, "My Point Of View On...Giving Charity And Accepting Charity," which can be found on both of my "Paul Whiting — Math Magician" and "Paul Whiting — A Creative Writer" blogs. An introduction to the 'update' can be found below:

December 22nd, 2022 Update: I received an email from the USO (United Service Organizations) today, December 22nd, 2022, with the subject line, "Sign the card for troops like my dad."

And this USO email is from "Kate + Vincent," who are a military mom and son. And it includes an image of a handwritten letter by Vincent to his dad, who is a Captain in the Army, which states the following:

Merry Christmas, Daddy!

i hope you come home soon.

Love,

Me + Mommy

And the rest of this USO email continues as follows:

As troops spend the holiday season stationed far away from their loved ones, we are asking patriotic Americans like you to let them know their sacrifices haven’t been forgotten.

SIGN THE HOLIDAY CARD NOW***

Paul,

Our family is just one of hundreds of thousands who have spent holidays apart. My husband (Vincent’s father) is a Captain in the Army, and unfortunately, this is the reality for military families like ours.

We’re incredibly proud of our solider, but we still miss him so much when he leaves. And we can tell you from our family’s experience — this is the toughest time of year for service members around the world.***

That’s why we are asking you to help fill the USO’s holiday card for our troops with at least 100,000 signatures to make sure our heroes don’t feel forgotten: Please, will you take just a few seconds out of your day to make sure our troops feel appreciated this holiday season?

ADD MY NAME***

Trimming the tree, baking cookies, opening presents on Christmas morning … all these moments won’t feel the same this year for many military families. That’s why it is so important to make sure service members have access to calls home, holiday meals and care packages that makes them feel special. We would really appreciate it if you could also send your best holiday wishes to service members like Vincent’s dad who are spending the holidays deployed far from home.

Signing a card may not seem like much but knowing Americans across the country are thinking of him during this special time of year means the world. With just a moment of your time, you have a chance to deliver holiday joy to so many heroes — but we don’t have much time left before Christmas:

So please, it only takes a moment and will be so meaningful to our heroes in uniform: Add your name now to spread holiday warmth and cheer to troops around the world!***

Thank you for standing with military families like ours — and happy holidays!

Kate and Vincent

***[I used to include hyperlinks contained within the email messages, or the text messages, to which I am referring in these "Activism Updates"; however, I could not figure out how to include the aforementioned hyperlinks, regarding some relevant action that I had taken—such as signing a petition, sending a letter or message to my representative(s) in Congress, signing a USO 'Thank You' card, and/or making a donation—without including my personal information.]

So, I signed the card, because "during the holiday season, it's more important than ever to show our troops how much their service means to us." Plus, after I signed the card, I made a one-time donation on the USO.org website to say to our troops, "Happy holidays to all our heroic troops! We are so grateful for everything you do to protect our country. We know it's not easy, and we truly appreciate the sacrifices you make each and every day to keep us safe and free." ...

Please see the hyperlinks below for the post, within which you can do a find-in-page search for the 'update' labeled, "December 22nd, 2022 Update":

https://paulwhitingmath.blogspot.com/2015/05/my-point-of-view-on-charity.html

https://paulwhitingwriting.blogspot.com/2022/07/my-point-of-view-on-part-16-giving-to.html

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For my "December 25th, 2022 Update"—since this 'update' is a part of my ⋆USO⋆ donations—please see my blog post titled, "My Point Of View On...Giving Charity And Accepting Charity," which can be found on both of my "Paul Whiting — Math Magician" and "Paul Whiting — A Creative Writer" blogs. An introduction to the 'update' can be found below:

December 25th, 2022 Update: Merry Christmas, everyone! I signed a Christmas Day card "for our brave service members" from the USO (United Service Organizations) today, December 25th, 2022, that I received via email today with the subject line, "Warmest wishes this holiday season", which stated the following:

Paul,

On behalf of our entire team here at the USO, I wanted to share our warmest holiday wishes to you and your loved ones.

This holiday season comes on the heels of another incredibly challenging year for our brave service members. They’ve courageously and selflessly faced no-notice deployments to defend our allies after Russia’s invasion of Ukraine. They’ve responded to countless natural disasters — risking their own safety to protect others. Now many of them are spending the holidays away from their families, sacrificing precious time with loved ones so that we can spend time with ours.

But no matter what they’re facing, they can always count on the USO to support them through it all — and that’s because of this dedicated community, made up of military supporters like you.

The USO is working around the clock to deliver essential supplies, care packages filled with comforting reminders of home and phone calls to loved ones. And Paul, none of that would be possible without you.

It’s hard to find the proper words to express the extent of my gratitude for all you do. Thank you for your generosity during the holidays and all year long. I know it means the world to our troops and their families.

Merry Christmas and happy holidays,

[Name redacted] [Title redacted], USO

If you haven’t had the chance to sign our holiday card for our troops yet, I hope you’ll take a moment now to add your name and thank our heroes:

SIGN THE CARD***

***[I used to include hyperlinks contained within the email messages, or the text messages, to which I am referring in these "Activism Updates"; however, I could not figure out how to include the aforementioned hyperlinks, regarding some relevant action that I had taken—such as signing a petition, sending a letter or message to my representative(s) in Congress, signing a USO 'Thank You' card, and/or making a donation—without including my personal information.]

Just to let you know, this is actually the second time I have signed this card, with the first time being on December 22nd, 2022; however, I decided to sign it twice, because it's Christmas! Plus, after I signed the card, I made a one-time donation on the USO.org website to say to our troops, "Happy holidays to all our heroic troops! We are so grateful for everything you do to protect our country. We know it's not easy, and we truly appreciate the sacrifices you make each and every day to keep us safe and free."

...

Please see the hyperlinks below for the post, within which you can do a find-in-page search for the 'update' labeled, "December 25th, 2022 Update":

https://paulwhitingmath.blogspot.com/2015/05/my-point-of-view-on-charity.html

https://paulwhitingwriting.blogspot.com/2022/07/my-point-of-view-on-part-16-giving-to.html

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For my "December 30th, 2022 Update, Written On January 10th, 2023"—since this 'update' is a part of my ⋆USO⋆ donations—please see my blog post titled, "My Point Of View On...Giving Charity And Accepting Charity," which can be found on both of my "Paul Whiting — Math Magician" and "Paul Whiting — A Creative Writer" blogs. An introduction to the 'update' can be found below:

December 30th, 2022 Update, Written On January 10th, 2023: Happy New Year, everyone! I made a donation to the USO (United Service Organizations) for New Year's Eve, on December 30th, 2022. And I made this donation to the USO for their 2022 end-of-year deadline based upon a text message that I received on December 30th, 2022, which stated the following:

MATCH ALERT: Today only, DOUBLE your gift for troops up to our $35k goal. Rush a tax-deductible gift:***

-USO

Thus, this donation is to help Our U.S. Troops celebrate the new year 2023! And I made this one-time donation on the USO.org website in order to support the USO's following statement: "As our service members put their lives on the line in some of the world’s most dangerous places this holiday season, it could not be more important to show our gratitude. Rush a gift now to have it MATCHED by a member of the USO’s Board of Governors and provide critical support to the brave troops sacrificing so much for our country."

In addition to that, I already make a recurring monthly donation to the USO in order to show my support for our U.S. Military Personnel! You see, I usually make one-time donations to the USO each month—as often as I can manage when they request a donation via email or text message. Therefore, I am planning to continue making one-time donations to the USO in the future, as often as I can manage to make donations, in addition to making the aforementioned recurring monthly donation. ...

Please see the hyperlinks below for the post, within which you can do a find-in-page search for the 'update' labeled, "December 30th, 2022 Update, Written On January 10th, 2023":

https://paulwhitingmath.blogspot.com/2015/05/my-point-of-view-on-charity.html

https://paulwhitingwriting.blogspot.com/2022/07/my-point-of-view-on-part-16-giving-to.html

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YEAR 2024 UPDATES FOR JUNE:

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June 1st, 2024 Update No. 1: June is PTSD Awareness Month. And I decided to write this 'update' as a way to explain that June is PTSD Awareness Month by providing information from the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs website highlighting that "JUNE IS PTSD AWARENESS MONTH," which can be found below:

JUNE IS PTSD AWARENESS MONTH

Help Raise PTSD Awareness

There are currently about 12 million people in the United States living with PTSD.

Even though PTSD treatments are effective and accessible, most people don't get the help they need. Help spread the word that PTSD treatments are available. Everyone with PTSD—whether they are a Veteran or civilian survivor of sexual assault, serious accident, natural disaster, or other traumatic event—needs to know that treatments really do work and can lead to a better quality of life.

https://www.ptsd.va.gov/PTSD/understand/awareness/index.asp

Join Us

During PTSD Awareness Month, and throughout the entire year, help raise awareness about the many different PTSD treatment options.

Make the Pledge

Start by making the pledge to Raise PTSD Awareness:

https://www.ptsd.va.gov/understand/awareness/awareness_pledge_form.asp

Register for the Virtual Walk

Join us for 30 minutes of exercise in June. Sign up for the Virtual Walk:

https://www.ptsd.va.gov/understand/awareness/virtual_walk.asp

Take a PTSD Self-Screen

Answer 5 questions about your symptoms on PTSD Screening Day: June 27:

https://www.ptsd.va.gov/understand/awareness/screening_day.asp

And so, I decided to "Make the Pledge" in order to help "Raise PTSD Awareness," which can be found below:

Awareness Pledge Form

Tell us about your individual or organization's local, regional or national involvement by providing the following information.

Name: Paul Whiting

Email or phone: [redacted]

Choose the category that best describes you:

[✓] Individual
[  ] Organization, agency or business
[  ] VA employee
[  ] VA team, clinic or health care facility

Name of organization, agency or business (if applicable): Paul Whiting: Poet, Artist and Philosopher

Location of VA center, clinic or health care facility (if applicable): N/A

Do you or does your organization provide health care services to Veterans?

[  ] Yes
[✓] No

Website and/or social media sites (if applicable): https://poetartistandphilosopher.blogspot.com/2016/11/i-am-no-longer-being-activist.html

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Thank you for filling out the Pledge form.

We really appreciate the effort you are making to spread the word about PTSD Awareness. Every person who shares the information makes a difference.

Please continue to spread the word! PTSD Treatment Works.

Plus, as you can see above, I included my information from the Awareness Pledge Form, which is why I wrote this blog post update! –Paul Whiting (June 1st, 2024)

The National Suicide Prevention Lifeline is now: 988 Suicide and Crisis Lifeline: "If you’re thinking about suicide, are worried about a friend or loved one, or would like emotional support, the Lifeline network is available 24/7 across the United States." Dial 988

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June 1st, 2024 Update No. 2, Written On June 2nd, 2024: This 'update' is a follow-up to my 'June 6th, 2023 Update—Continued,' where I explained, in part, that I made a recurring yearly donation to the Human Rights Campaign on June 6th, 2023. A copy of said 'update' can be found below:

June 6th, 2023 Update—Continued: I was doing my oftentimes daily news searches on Google today, June 6th, 2023, when I noticed an article on APNews.com titled, "LGBTQ+ Americans are under attack, Human Rights Campaign declares in state of emergency warning." An introduction to the article can be found below:

"LGBTQ+ Americans are under attack, Human Rights Campaign declares in state of emergency warning" from AP (Associated Press) News

By Hannah Schoenbaum | June 6, 2023

The Human Rights Campaign declared a state of emergency for LGBTQ+ people in the U.S. on Tuesday and released a guidebook pointing to laws it deems discriminatory in each state, along with “know your rights” information and resources to help people relocate to states with stronger LGBTQ+ protections.*

Sounding the alarm about the current political climate, the nation’s largest organization devoted to the rights of lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender and queer Americans said travel advisories aren’t enough to help people already living in states where lawmakers have targeted LGBTQ+ people.

“We need champions right now,” HRC President Kelley Robinson said in an interview with The Associated Press. President Joe Biden and other LGBTQ+ rights supporters with decision-making authorities, she said, need to be more than just allies.

The declaration is a call to action for “people in power at every level” of government and the business community, she said, urging them to fight for LGBTQ+ rights with the same fervor as they’ve fought for abortion rights since the U.S. Supreme Court overturned Roe v. Wade last summer.

“When Dobbs fell, you saw a federal response to deal with the abortion crisis that we’re in,” Robinson said. “We are in a crisis of even greater scale to the health and well-being of the LGBTQ+ community, and we need that same sort of response.”

Just a few days into Pride Month, the campaign said it’s taking action in response to an “unprecedented and dangerous” spike in discriminatory legislation sweeping state houses this year, with more than 525 anti-LGBTQ+ bills introduced and more than 70 signed into law so far in 2023 — more than double last year’s number.

A recent Associated Press analysis found that many bills seeking to ban or restrict gender-affirming health care for transgender youth, who have been the primary targets of state legislation this year, sprang not from grassroots or constituent demand, but from the pens of a few powerful conservative interest groups.

The HRC guidebook, meanwhile, provides information about filing complaints for civil rights violations and points to resources for financing moves and finding employment, particularly in the 17 states with a trifecta of Democratic leadership in both legislative chambers and the governor’s office.

“The amount of calls I get every day from parents asking how they can move to another state because they’d rather mourn their home than their child is real,” Robinson said. “This is a different level of urgency and demanded a different level of response.”

The emergency declaration is the first in the 43-year history of the HRC, which encompasses a foundation focusing on research, advocacy and education, national and state lobbying campaigns and a political action committee that supports and opposes candidates for office. It comes as Republican-dominated legislatures around the country have restricted various aspects of transgender existence, from pronoun usage and bathroom access to medical care and more. ...

Please see the hyperlink below for the article:

https://apnews.com/article/lgbtq-emergency-human-rights-campaign-guidebook-5a1195f8a6759bdfd37cd7f5a6c5ee34

*Plus, I also read that article on HRC.org titled, "For the First Time Ever, Human Rights Campaign Officially Declares ‘State of Emergency’ for LGBTQ+ Americans; Issues National Warning and Guidebook to Ensure Safety for LGBTQ+ Residents and Travelers", which was referenced in the "LGBTQ+ Americans are under attack, Human Rights Campaign declares in state of emergency warning" article above. An introduction to the article can be found below:

"For the First Time Ever, Human Rights Campaign Officially Declares ‘State of Emergency’ for LGBTQ+ Americans; Issues National Warning and Guidebook to Ensure Safety for LGBTQ+ Residents and Travelers" from the Human Rights Campaign (HRC)

By HRC Staff | June 6, 2023

HRC’s First-Ever Emergency Declaration Comes After More Than 75 Anti-LGBTQ+ Bills Signed Into Law This Year (More Than Double The Number From Last Year), Creating an Imminent Threat to the Health and Safety of LGBTQ+ People and Families Nationwide

WASHINGTON, D.C. — Today, the Human Rights Campaign (HRC) — the nation’s largest lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender and queer (LGBTQ+) civil rights organization — officially declared a state of emergency for LGBTQ+ people in the United States for the first time in its more than 40-year history, following an unprecedented and dangerous spike in anti-LGBTQ+ legislative assaults sweeping state houses this year. A new report released by HRC today — LGBTQ+ Americans Under Attack — details more than 75 anti-LGBTQ+ bills that have been signed into law this year alone, more than doubling last year’s number, which was previously the worst year on record.

The sharp rise in anti-LGBTQ+ measures has spawned a dizzying patchwork of discriminatory state laws that have created increasingly hostile and dangerous environments for LGBTQ+ people, prompting HRC today to also issue a national warning (https://www.hrc.org/campaigns/national-state-of-emergency-for-lgbtq-americans) and downloadable guidebook (https://hrc-prod-requests.s3-us-west-2.amazonaws.com/LGBTQ-Guidebook-for-Action.pdf) for the LGBTQ+ community — including health and safety resources, a summary of state-by-state laws, “know your rights” information, and resources designed to support LGBTQ+ travelers as well as those already living in hostile states. This guidebook will arm LGBTQ+ people with resources and information to help ensure safety in all 50 states. ...

Please see the hyperlink below for the article:

https://www.hrc.org/press-releases/for-the-first-time-ever-human-rights-campaign-officially-declares-state-of-emergency-for-lgbtq-americans-issues-national-warning-and-guidebook-to-ensure-safety-for-lgbtq-residents-and-travelers

And I decided to highlight this AP News article—as well as this Human Rights Campaign article—for you, my readers, to consider reading too!

Besides that, I made an yearly (annual) donation to show my support for the Human Rights Campaign (HRC), since the HRC "officially declared a state of emergency for LGBTQ+ people in the United States for the first time in its more than 40-year history, following an unprecedented and dangerous spike in anti-LGBTQ+ legislative assaults sweeping state houses this year [2023]," because "the sharp rise in anti-LGBTQ+ measures has spawned a dizzying patchwork of discriminatory state laws that have created increasingly hostile and dangerous environments for LGBTQ+ people, prompting HRC today [June 6th, 2023] to also issue a national warning and downloadable guidebook for the LGBTQ+ community." –Paul Whiting (written June 6th, 2023 and revised August 22nd, 2023)

Thus, the above-mentioned recurring yearly donation started yesterday, June 1st, 2024! –Paul Whiting (June 2nd, 2024)

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June 2nd, 2024 Update No. 1, Which Also Discusses May 31st, 2024: I received an email from Native American Rights Fund (NARF) two days ago on May 31st, 2024, with the subject line, "Take Action This Sunday", which stated the following:

Dear Paul,

This Sunday, June 2, is the 100th anniversary of the Indian Citizenship Act, where the United States conferred citizenship on Native Americans. Despite this new status, it took another 40 years for Native Americans in all states to see the benefits of citizenship and have the right to vote.

100 years later, Native communities still face barriers to voting. In recent months NARF has successfully sued in multiple places including Montana, Arizona, and North Dakota to push back against state laws that disenfranchise and discriminate against Native voters.

In light of this 100-year struggle, NARF has joined with IllumiNative and the Native Organizers Alliance to organize a National Day of Action + Reflection on June 2. The goal is to spark conversations and educate people about the Indian Citizenship Act and the ongoing fight for realizing Native voting rights.

Please join us in spreading awareness about this pivotal moment in history. Get social media graphics at our Social Media Toolkit. Join us across social media platforms on June 2 as we gather to shine a light on the experiences of Native people in the United States.

Let’s collectively build power for people today and generations to come.

And, after I read the email above, I clicked on the hyperlink to the referenced webpage, the relevant text of which can be found below:

NATIONAL DAY OF ACTION & REFLECTION TOOLKIT
100 YEARS OF NATIVE AMERICAN U.S. CITIZENSHIP

POST WITH US ON JUNE 2ND

Share the graphic and caption copy (Native or Ally option) below on your social media channels to spread awareness about this pivotal moment in history and its impact (https://illuminative.org/nativecitizenship). When we show up in force to shine a light on the experiences of Native peoples in the U.S. we can collectively build power that will impact generations to come. ...

And, after I read the Social Media Toolkit above, I clicked on the hyperlink to the referenced webpage, the relevant text of which can be found below:

100 YEARS OF NATIVE AMERICAN U.S. CITIZENSHIP

This election year marks 100 years since Native Americans were conferred U.S. Citizenship. Despite being Indigenous to the country, it wasn’t until the 1924 Indian Citizenship Act, also known as the Snyder Act, was signed into law by President Calvin Coolidge that all Native peoples born in the U.S. were conferred U.S. citizenship. This was the first time U.S. citizenship for Native Americans was not conditioned on military service or assimilation, but rather was the right of all Native Americans, including those who lived on tribal land. Importantly, citizens of Tribal nations did not need to relinquish one status for the other, but could retain both.

MIXED SUPPORT

Support for the Indian Citizenship Act among tribes was mixed, with some tribes regarding it as a threat to their separate sovereign status. Stoking more suspicion, the act did not automatically grant the right to vote for all Native American citizens. It took another 40 years of relentless struggle, often led by disenfranchised Native American veterans, before this fundamental right was secured in Indigenous communities across the country.

POWER OF THE NATIVE VOTE

Today, Native Americans make up critical voting blocs in swing states like Arizona, Michigan, Minnesota, Wisconsin, Montana, and Nevada. And in many local jurisdictions, Native Americans can swing outcomes in school boards, county commissions, water districts, and other offices that control everyday decisions that impact our lives. The fight for universal access to vote is not over. Many Native people still face unreasonable barriers to accessing election services while legislators continue to pass laws designed to disenfranchise Native voters. This centennial marks a new opportunity to build on generations of hard earned progress by using our hard won right to vote and ensuring all Native Americans can do the same. We have benefited from the progress of the last century, and now we hold the power to shape the next.

[Start of Infographic]

HOLD THE POWER

100 YEARS OF NATIVE AMERICAN U.S. CITIZENSHIP

JUNE 2, 2024
NATIONAL DAY OF ACTION AND REFLECTION

Mark the centennial of the 1924 Indian Citizenship Act by using your power and taking action.

1. Share the asset and copy

https://illuminative.org/nativecitizenship/toolkit

2. Check your voter registration

https://www.voteamerica.com

3. Support the efforts to pass the Native American Voting Rights Act (NAVRA)

https://vote.narf.org/native-american-voting-rights-act-navra

[End of Infographic]

Plus, I made a one-time donation to Native American Rights Fund in order to observe "the 100th anniversary of the Indian Citizenship Act, where the United States conferred citizenship on Native Americans." –Paul Whiting (June 2nd, 2024)

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June 2nd, 2024 Update No. 2: I received an email from Planned Parenthood Federation of America today, June 2nd, 2024, with the subject line, "Ready for Pride Month?", which stated the following:

Paul —

It's P R I D E and we. are. fired. up.

Fired up to celebrate. Fired up to join parties and parades and rallies. Fired up to keep fighting for the equal, inclusive, and joyful future we all deserve.

The only way to build that future is with a diverse and united movement. We are proud to partner with organizations led by and serving queer people of color this Pride Month.

These organizations provide direct services to LGBTQ+ people, advocate for change, and show the kind of courage we need in this moment.

Click here to make a donation that will be shared among these partners:

[✓] SPARK Reproductive Justice Now

[✓] National Black Justice Collective Institute

[✓] Waves Ahead

[✓] Trans Empowerment Project

DONATE***

For so many LGBTQ+ people, their local Planned Parenthood health center was the first place they could count on for sexual and reproductive health care, without judgment or stigma. From sex education to birth control to gender-affirming care to STI testing and treatment — Planned Parenthood is proud to be a trusted and welcoming resource.

We also know that health care is just one area where LGBTQ+ people — and especially LGBTQ+ people of color — face discrimination. Our movement needs a vision bold enough, and a heart big enough, to fight for equality in every aspect of our lives.

Make your special Pride Month gift right now and support grassroots organizations that are powering this movement.

We hope you're fired up for a joyful and engaged Pride Month. Thank you for supporting Planned Parenthood and our partners in this work.

— Planned Parenthood

A plurality of Americans, 50%, think former President Donald Trump's guilty verdict on all 34 counts in his hush money trial was correct, a new ABC News/Ipsos poll finds, and almost as many, 49%, think he should end his 2024 presidential campaign over the result.

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June 2nd, 2024 search:

02. Reuters

Trump warns of 'breaking point' for Americans if he's jailed

By Isabella Murray | June 2, 2024

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June 4th, 2024 search:

03. The New York Times
(I am a subscriber to The New York Times 'Basic Access' Digital Subscription.)

A Felon in the Oval Office Would Test the American System

Some are wondering how the Constitution’s checks and balances, meant to hold presidents accountable, would work if the next president elected were already a felon.

By Peter Baker | June 2, 2024

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GOOGLE SEARCH: UNITED STATES NEWS
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June 4th, 2024 search:

04. NBC News

If Trump returns to the White House, what will happen to America’s intelligence agencies? (If Trump wins, he could weaponize U.S. spy services against his domestic political enemies, former intel officers warn)

A former national security official who served under Trump said, “I haven’t talked to a single senior person who said, ‘Don’t worry, he’ll be fine.’”

By Dan De Luce | June 3, 2024

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June 4th, 2024 search:

05. Reuters

Biden announces sweeping measures to bar migrants from asylum at the border

By Ted Hesson and Mica Rosenberg | June 4, 2024

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GOOGLE SEARCH: USA NEWS
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I did not select any articles from this category.

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GOOGLE SEARCH: PRESIDENT BIDEN NEWS
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June 4th, 2024 search:

06. NBC News

Biden signs executive order dramatically tightening border

He has faced political pressure as migrants have continued to arrive at the U.S.-Mexico border.

By Gabe Gutierrez and Monica Alba | June 4, 2024

June 4th, 2024 search:

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GOOGLE SEARCH: JOE BIDEN NEWS
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I did not select any articles from this category.

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GOOGLE SEARCH: DEMOCRATS NEWS
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I did not select any articles from this category.

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GOOGLE SEARCH: REPUBLICANS NEWS
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June 2nd, 2024 search:

07. ABC News - Breaking News, Latest News and Videos

GOP's 'law and order' message at odds with their defense of Trump: ANALYSIS

"I don't really see how you can have it both ways," one expert told ABC News.

By Alexandra Hutzler | June 1, 2024

Republicans have long proclaimed themselves the party of "law and order."

That political philosophy, however, doesn't seem to have extended to the historic criminal trial of Donald Trump that ended this week in a first-ever conviction of a former president -- 34 guilty verdicts handed down by 12 ordinary Americans. ...

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June 2nd, 2024 search:

08. AP News

Republicans join Trump's attacks on justice system and campaign of vengeance after guilty verdict

By Lisa Mascaro and Mary Clare Jalonick | Updated 10:20 AM PDT, June 1, 2024

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June 4th, 2024 search:

09. ABC News - Breaking News, Latest News and Videos

Majority of independents and 'double haters' think Trump should end 2024 campaign: POLL

The voting blocs could be critical in November in the expected razor-thin race.

By Isabella Murray | June 3, 2024

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GOOGLE SEARCH: POLITICAL NEWS
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June 2nd, 2024 search:

10. NBC News

Trump supporters try to dox jurors and post violent threats after his conviction

On social media and web forums, users called for jurors, judges and prosecutors to be killed after the former president was found guilty on 34 felony counts.

By Ryan J. Reilly | May 31, 2024

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June 2nd, 2024 search:

11. CNN

RNC co-chair Lara Trump slams Maryland GOP Senate candidate Larry Hogan for urging Americans to ‘respect’ hush money verdict

By Aaron Pellish | Updated 10:09 PM EDT, Sun June 2, 2024

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GOOGLE SEARCH: WORLD NEWS
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I did not select any articles from this category.

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GOOGLE SEARCH: GLOBAL WARMING NEWS
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I did not select any articles from this category.

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GOOGLE SEARCH: WORKERS ON STRIKE NEWS
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I did not select any articles from this category.

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GOOGLE SEARCH: PORTLAND OREGON NEWS
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I did not select any articles from this category.

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Continuing on—as I mentioned above—I will occasionally read the news articles that I feel are the most important for me to read from the daily emails that I receive from The New York Times, USA Today and Time Magazine.

And I used to provide longer introductions to these New York Times, USA Today and Time Magazine articles that I highlight, which included the name(s) of the author(s), as well as the date of publication in addition to some of the text from the article; but, I decided a while ago to forego my usual writing format for all The New York Times, USA Today and Time Magazine articles 'updates.'

To that end, I also used to provide the title of each article in addition to a hyperlink; however—as I mentioned above—I think that all of those hyperlinks to news articles are causing my "I Am No Longer Being An Activist In The Same Way That I Was" blog post to be flagged and unpublished for violating Blogger's Spam policy! (Again, please see my 'February 26th, 2024 Update No. 1, Which Also Discusses February 25th, 2024' that can be found above.)

Therefore, I am changing the format by which I write these news 'updates' by providing the title (or, 'headline') and the subtitle (or, 'subheadline') of each article, as well as the author(s) name(s), in addition to the publishing date. That way, I am (hopefully) providing enough information about each article in order to make it possible for you, my readers, to do a search for any of the articles that I highlight by the article's title—plus, you can also verify the subtitle, the author(s) name(s) and the publishing date—if you wish to read those articles too! (I hope that makes sense.)

So, without further ado, I was doing my usual reading of the titles to The New York Times, USA Today and Time Magazine articles—including any article overviews contained within the emails—that I received for the time period of June 1st, 2024 through June 5th, 2024, when I noticed the following NYTimes.com, USAToday.com and Time.com articles!

---------------------------------------------

These are The New York Times articles which I received for the time period of June 1st, 2024 through June 5th, 2024: (I am a subscriber to The New York Times 'Basic Access' Digital Subscription.)

The following are The New York Times articles that I read on June 1st, 2024, from an email that I received that day:

And the excerpt below is from the above-mentioned June 1st, 2024 'The Morning' email introduction to The New York Times articles below:

Other Big Stories

“The American principle that no one is above the law was reaffirmed,” Biden said of Donald Trump’s criminal conviction. He called attacks on the verdict “reckless.”*

Trump criticized prosecutors and the judge in a speech filled with falsehoods.** ...

*Biden Denounces ‘Reckless’ G.O.P. Efforts to Discredit Trump Conviction

The president broke his long silence over his predecessor’s legal troubles, calling the New York jury’s guilty verdict vindication for the idea that “no one is above the law.”

By Peter Baker | May 31, 2024

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**Trump and Allies Assail Conviction With Faulty Claims

After former President Donald J. Trump was found guilty, he and a number of conservative figures in the news media and lawmakers on the right have spread false and misleading claims about the Manhattan case.

By Linda Qiu | May 31, 2024

The following is The New York Times article that I read on June 4th, 2024, from an email that I received that day:

And the excerpt below is from the above-mentioned June 4th, 2024 'The Evening' email introduction to The New York Times article below:

Both Democrats and Republicans embrace border politics

Republicans in Arizona voted this afternoon to put a measure on the state’s ballots in November that would make illegal immigration a state crime. If passed, the measure would give local authorities the power to arrest, jail and deport unauthorized migrants.

The proposal is similar to laws recently passed by Republicans in Texas and Iowa that challenged the federal government’s exclusive authority to enforce immigration laws. Like those, it is likely to face court challenges if passed. But Republicans are hoping the measure can convince anti-immigration conservatives and unenthusiastic independents to vote in a swing state that could be crucial in the presidential race.

President Biden is also hardening his border policies in an effort to ease pressure on the immigration system and address voters’ rightward shift on immigration. Today, he issued an executive order that prevents migrants from seeking asylum at the U.S.-Mexico border until illegal crossings drop significantly; it could go into effect tomorrow. Here’s how it works. ...

In Shift, Biden Issues Order Allowing Temporary Border Closure to Migrants

The move shows how drastically immigration politics have shifted in the United States. The American Civil Liberties Union said it planned to challenge the order in court.

By Zolan Kanno-Youngs and Hamed Aleaziz | June 4, 2024

The following are The New York Times articles that I read on June 5th, 2024, from emails that I received today:

And the excerpt below is from the above-mentioned June 5th, 2024 'The Morning' email introduction to The New York Times article below:

The asylum loophole

President Biden’s latest executive actions on immigration are an attempt to shrink a loophole that has allowed many people to enter the country without legal permission. That loophole is the asylum system.

In today’s newsletter, I’ll explain why experts consider the asylum system to be broken and why a long-term solution will almost certainly require a new law from Congress.

Not as intended

The modern idea of asylum stems from World War II. It is meant to protect people fleeing political oppression — Jews during the Holocaust, dissidents from the Soviet empire, Iranians after the revolution and, in recent years, Muslim Uyghurs, Afghans, South Sudanese and Ukrainians.

But asylum has expanded far beyond its original intent. Today, many migrants claim asylum even though they are not at risk of being persecuted. They instead want to move to the U.S. — understandably enough — because it is a richer, politically freer and less violent place than much of the world.

After migrants arrive at the U.S. border and request asylum, the federal government allows many to remain in the country while their cases are considered. The process can take years, partly because the system is overwhelmed and doesn’t employ enough border agents and immigration judges to decide cases quickly.

The situation has become self-reinforcing, giving more migrants reason to come to the U.S. As my colleague Miriam Jordan has explained:

It is not just because they believe they will be able to make it across the 2,000 mile southern frontier. They are also certain that once they make it to the United States they will be able to stay.

Forever.

And by and large, they are not wrong …

Most asylum claims are ultimately rejected. But even when that happens, years down the road, applicants are highly unlikely to be deported. With millions of people unlawfully in the country, U.S. deportation officers prioritize arresting and expelling people who have committed serious crimes and pose a threat to public safety.

Two decades ago, the typical way that people tried to enter the U.S. without legal permission was to evade border agents. Today, the typical way is to surrender to agents and request asylum.

It’s true that migrants typically face difficult circumstances at home, but that alone doesn’t explain the recent surge. The 1970s and ’80s offer a telling comparison: Global poverty was far higher then than now, and much of Latin America was convulsed by political violence. Yet the number of people who tried to cross the U.S. border was far lower than in recent years.

The recognition of the asylum loophole (along with other factors, like social media and affordable airfares) is a major reason.

‘A simple truth’

As a result, the U.S. now has an immigration system that permits many more entrants than Congress intended — and many more than Americans support.

Polls show that most Americans consider illegal immigration to be a serious problem and favor tougher border security. Mayors and governors, who are dealing with the costs and turmoil associated with the surge, are also unhappy. As Noah Smith, who’s generally pro-immigration, recently wrote on Substack, “Americans like immigrants, but they strongly dislike the idea of giving up popular democratic control over immigration.”

Biden made a similar point at the White House yesterday, while surrounded by officials from border communities. “We must face a simple truth,” he said. “To protect America as a land that welcomes immigrants, we must first secure the border and secure it now.”

Biden’s executive actions are an effort to address both a substantive problem and a political threat to his re-election. The new policy, which started at midnight, prevents most people from claiming asylum if they enter the country without legal permission. They will instead have to remain in Mexico or return to their home country. The policy will remain in place unless daily migration falls well below its current level.

Legal experts are divided on whether judges will uphold Biden’s order. On the one hand, federal law calls for a generous initial approach to asylum claims. On the other hand, the Supreme Court recently ruled that immigration law “exudes deference to the president.”

Congress, of course, has the power to resolve this uncertainty. It could pass a law making clear who deserves an asylum hearing. Congress also has the power to hire more agents and judges, to reduce the system’s yearslong backlog.

Until recently, Biden and many other Democrats were uninterested in passing such a law unless it also expanded legal immigration. Democrats, sensing their political vulnerability, changed their approach late last year and agreed to a bipartisan border-security bill — only to watch Republicans kill it at the urging of Donald Trump. Trump preferred letting the border crisis fester to hurt Biden. Yesterday’s executive order was Biden’s response.

Whatever happens in the courts, the executive order may reduce migration simply by sending a signal that Biden has become more serious about border security. But the order falls well short of a lasting fix to the asylum loophole. Any true fix will have to be part of the immigration overhaul that politicians have talked about for decades and still have not passed. ...

One Big Reason Migrants Are Coming in Droves: They Believe They Can Stay

Seeking asylum has become the surest way for migrants to stay in the U.S. The underfunded immigration system can’t keep up, so cases languish for years.

By Miriam Jordan | Jan. 31, 2024

And the excerpt below is from the above-mentioned June 5th, 2024 'The Evening' email introduction to The New York Times article below:

Republican leaders seek to avenge Trump

Donald Trump’s allies in recent days have called for revenge prosecutions and other retaliatory measures against Democrats in response to the former president’s felony conviction in New York.

Prominent former White House aides like Stephen Bannon and Stephen Miller have demanded locally elected Republicans use their power to target Democrats. Ronny Jackson, a House representative from Texas, said he would encourage Congress to “aggressively go after” President Biden and his family. And Laura Loomer, a far-right activist, said that some Democrats should “get the death penalty.”

They are among a growing chorus of Republicans who say that the criminal cases against Trump are a political weaponization of the justice system. Based on that premise, they argue that Republicans should do the same thing.

Seeking legal retribution is nothing new for Trump, who in 2016 echoed chants of “Lock her up” against Hillary Clinton. But the intensity of anger and open desire to use the criminal justice system against Democrats after last week’s verdict surpasses anything seen before. Many of the calls have come from people who are expected to play larger roles in a potential second term under Trump.

The clamor has left little room for moderate or traditional Republicans, such as Larry Hogan, who is looking to flip a Senate seat in Maryland. After he implored Americans to “respect the verdict,” Trump’s daughter-in-law, who is also the co-chair of the Republican National Committee, said that Hogan “doesn’t deserve the respect of anyone in the Republican Party.”

For more: Our polling experts tried to figure out if Trump’s guilty verdict changed any voters’ minds. The early answer appears to be an equivocal “yes.” ...

Small Shift Toward Biden After Trump Verdict

We reached nearly 2,000 people who participated in previous Times/Siena polls to see if any had changed their minds.

By Nate Cohn and Ruth Igielnik | June 5, 2024

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These are the USA Today articles which I received for the time period of June 1st, 2024 through June 5th, 2024: (I am a subscriber to the USA Today 'Unlimited Digital Access' Subscription.)

The following is the USA Today article that I read on June 1st, 2024, from an email that I received that day:

And the excerpt below is from the above-mentioned June 1st, 2024 'The Daily Briefing' email introduction to the USA Today article below:

Donald Trump's conviction has landmark impact on American history

Trump is the first former U.S. president convicted of a crime. Here's what the verdict in his New York trial means for his legacy and U.S. history.

READ MORE ...

How Donald Trump's criminal conviction is already rewriting American history

By Karissa Waddick | June 1, 2024

The following is the USA Today article that I read on June 4th, 2024, from an email that I received that day:

And the excerpt below is from the above-mentioned June 4th, 2024 'Evening Briefing' email introduction to the USA Today article below:

Trump falsely claims he never said 'Lock her up' about Clinton | Fact check

Trump was documented saying the phrase and calling for Clinton's imprisonment numerous times throughout his 2016 presidential campaign.

READ MORE ...

'Lock her up': Trump now claims he never said or backed this. But he did. A lot. | Fact check

By Jeremy Yurow and Hannah Hudnall | June 4, 2024

The following are the USA Today articles that I read on June 5th, 2024, from emails that I received today:

And the excerpt below is from the above-mentioned June 5th, 2024 'The Daily Briefing' email introduction to the USA Today article below:

Photo of the day: Remembering through reenactment

D-Day ceremonies, including reenactments, this week mark the 80th anniversary of the launch of "Operation Overlord", a vast military operation by Allied forces in Normandy, which turned the tide of World War II, eventually leading to the liberation of occupied France and the end of the war against Nazi Germany.

[Photo of the day: Parachutists wearing replica WWII-era paratrooper attire prior to their jump from a Lockheed C-130 Hercules aircraft chartered and navigated by US crew, on June 5, 2024, at the Cherbourg airport, in Normandy, France. LOIC VENANCE, AFP via Getty Images] ...

As Joe Biden marks D-Day anniversary, he faces a world again embroiled in conflict

President Joe Biden was influenced by the events of World War II – from Pearl Harbor to Normandy. They have shaped his role as a statesman.

By Michael Collins | June 5, 2024

And the excerpt below is from the above-mentioned June 5th, 2024 'Evening Briefing' email introduction to the USA Today article below:

Trump said Clinton shouldn't run amid investigation. Now he's running as a convict.

Trump said 2016 rival Hillary Clinton would cause an "unprecedented constitutional crisis" if indicted. He's running under conviction and indictment.

READ MORE ...

Trump said Clinton shouldn't run under investigation. Now he's running as a convict

By Josh Meyer | June 5, 2024

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These are the Time Magazine articles which I received for June 4th, 2024: (I am a subscriber to the Time Magazine 'INSIDER Digital' Subscription.)

The following are the Time Magazine articles that I read on June 4th, 2024, from 'The Brief' email that I received that day:

‘We Are the World Power.’ How Joe Biden Leads

By Massimo Calabresi | June 4, 2024

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Fact-Checking What President Joe Biden Said in His 2024 Interview With TIME

By Leslie Dickstein, Simmone Shah and Julia Zorthian | June 4, 2024

"Normandy landings" from Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia—which is funded primarily through donations from millions of individuals around the world, including this blogger (I make a totally affordable one-time donation if they are requesting donations when I am on their website):

The Normandy landings were the landing operations and associated airborne operations on Tuesday, 6 June 1944 of the Allied invasion of Normandy in Operation Overlord during World War II. Codenamed Operation Neptune and often referred to as D-Day, it is the largest seaborne invasion in history. The operation began the liberation of France, and the rest of Western Europe, and laid the foundations of the Allied victory on the Western Front. ...

https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Normandy_landings

[Blogger's Note: By the way, the phrase World War 2 is also sometimes written as WW2—as well as also written as World War II, or WWII, where the number '2' is represented in Roman numerals as a capital letter "I" (as in the phrase "I can see clearly now the rain is gone") in which case the letter "I" is written two times in sequence right after the phrase world war.]

So, this special 80th Anniversary of D-Day 'update' that I am writing today, June 6th, 2024, is combined from my news searches on Google, which I do as often as I can manage—as well as from my occasional reading of The New York Times articles and USA Today articles articles that I received via email—for June 6th, 2024.

Please let me explain: I have been busy with a lot of "Online Activism" lately that takes an enormous amount of time and energy to write about, which consists of various topics that each require their own 'updates!' Besides that, I have often been engaged in editing my five blogs—whenever I notice that any of my writing needs to be revised or corrected—which can take hours to complete depending upon how much editing I have to do!

So, because I have been so busy lately with "Online Activism," and also with the editing of my five blogs, I have just been reading the titles of The New York Times, USA Today and Time Magazine articles that I receive from their daily emails. Then, I will occasionally read the news articles that I feel are the most important for me to read from those emails that I highlight in these 'updates.'

That is why I recently signed up to receive email newsletters from the news organizations to which I subscribe in order for me to stay informed about what's happening in the world. And I was formerly writing separate 'updates' for each of the news articles that I read from The New York Times, USA Today and Time Magazine articles; however, after I restarted writing these news 'updates' from my news searches on Google (which I stopped doing for a while), I also decided to restart writing the 'updates' from the above-mentioned news organizations to which I subscribe, but as a combined 'update.'

Thus, I am checking the news through Google searches again, like used to do, as often as I can manage it. You see, I used to keep up with the news virtually on a daily basis, because there is typically that much news every day; however, I am now simply checking the news via Google searches as often as I can manage to do so. And, I usually check what's happening in the world via various Google searches that I do under the following topics:

American News
United States News
USA News
President Biden News
Joe Biden News
Democrats News
Republicans News
Political News
World News
Global Warming News
Workers On Strike News
Portland Oregon News

Then, I read the news articles that I feel are the most important for me to read from those Google news searches.

So, without further ado, I was doing my occasional news searches on Google for June 6th, 2024, when I noticed many different articles from various news organizations!

And I used to provide a longer introduction to these news articles that I highlight regarding current news, on these types of 'updates' that I write, which used to include the name(s) of the author(s), as well as the date of publication in addition to some of the text from the articles; but, I decided a while ago to forego my usual writing format for all the current news 'updates.'

To that end, I also used to provide the title of each article with the news organization's name in addition to a hyperlink; however, I think that all of those hyperlinks to current news articles are causing my "I Am No Longer Being An Activist In The Same Way That I Was" blog post to be flagged and unpublished for violating Blogger's Spam policy! (Please see my 'February 26th, 2024 Update No. 1, Which Also Discusses February 25th, 2024' that can be found above.)

Therefore, I am changing the format by which I write these current news 'updates' by first providing the original Google search category through which I found each article, as listed above, like I usually do. [Although, to clarify, sometimes the same article appears (or, articles appear) under different search categories.]

Then, I am providing the title (or, 'headline') and the subtitle (or, 'subheadline') of each article, as well as the author(s) name(s), in addition to the publishing date. That way, I am (hopefully) providing enough information about each article in order to make it possible for you, my readers, to do a search for any of the articles that I highlight by the publisher's name and the article's title—plus, you can also verify the subtitle, the author(s) name(s) and the publishing date—if you wish to read those articles too!

And for certain articles, I will include a few introductory paragraphs as a way to give more of a complete explanation to the meaning of the title (or, 'headline') and the subtitle (or, 'subheadline') of these articles, which may also take the form of a kind of 'overview,' so to speak, by selecting particular paragraphs that I feel highlight the most important parts of these articles in order to summarize the meaning of the title (or, 'headline') and the subtitle (or, 'subheadline'). I hope that makes sense!

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GOOGLE SEARCH: AMERICAN NEWS
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June 6th, 2024 search:

01. NewsNation

How many Americans died on D-Day?

By Taylor Delandro | JUN 6, 2024

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June 6th, 2024 search:

02. AP News

Dwindling number of D-Day veterans plea to recall WWII lessons on anniversary (D-Day anniversary haunted by dwindling number of veterans and shadowed by Europe’s new war)

By John Leicester, Sylvie Corbet and Danica Kirka | Updated 10:24 AM PDT, June 6, 2024

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GOOGLE SEARCH: UNITED STATES NEWS
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June 6th, 2024 search:

03. NBC News

D-Day 80th anniversary commemoration of Normandy invasion

Biden has joined other world leaders and veterans to commemorate the Normandy landings, the Allied forces’ surprise attack that helped liberate Europe from Nazi Germany.

By NBC News | June 6, 2024

What we know

• President Joe Biden joined French President Emmanuel Macron, Britain's King Charles III and other dignitaries to mark the 80th anniversary of D-Day, when the Allied forces launched a surprise attack that helped liberate Europe from Nazi Germany.

• "Democracy is never guaranteed," he told the assembled crowd at the Normandy American Cemetery as he honored the veterans who fought in the defining World War II battle and helped defeat Nazi Germany. He went on to praise NATO’s strength and unity, drawing an implicit contrast with his Republican rival, Donald Trump, who aides say considered withdrawing from the alliance.

• Leaders traveled from around the world to attend commemorations in northern France, but the real stars of the occasion were the handful of remaining veterans. About 150 American veterans who took part in the Normandy landings were expected to attend the ceremonies, which could be the last major milestone for many.

• Western leaders are also confronting a shattered postwar peace, with Russia waging a new war in Europe, and the far-right on the march.

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June 6th, 2024 search:

04. USA Today
(I am a subscriber to the USA Today 'Unlimited Digital Access' Subscription.)

D-Day anniversary, ex-servicemen commemorated by Joe Biden in Normandy (Biden on D-Day anniversary and Normandy landings: 'Let us be worthy of their sacrifice')

One by one, President Joe Biden and the first lady met with veterans ahead of the ceremony steps away from Omaha Beach.

By Michael Collins | June 6, 2024

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GOOGLE SEARCH: USA NEWS
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I did not select any articles from this category.

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GOOGLE SEARCH: PRESIDENT BIDEN NEWS
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June 6th, 2024 search:

05. The New York Times
(I am a subscriber to The New York Times 'Basic Access' Digital Subscription.)

Biden Seeks to Echo Reagan With Normandy Speech to Honor D-Day (Forty Years Later, Biden Seeks to Echo Reagan’s Legacy of American Leadership)

At Pointe du Hoc in Normandy, President Biden plans to follow one of the former president’s most iconic speeches with his own testimonial to democracy and the need to resist isolationism.

By Peter Baker | June 6, 2024

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June 6th, 2024 search:

06. MSNBC News

President Biden: The struggle between dictatorship and freedom is unending

President Biden delivers remarks at Normandy, France on the 80th anniversary of D-Day.

---------------------------------------------

June 6th, 2024 search:

07. NBC News

Biden stands with WWII veterans to mark D-Day 80th anniversary

President Joe Biden and other world leaders stood side by side with WWII veterans, marking the 80th anniversary of the D-Day invasion. NBC News' Kelly O'Donnell reports on Biden's remarks from the ceremony in Normandy, France.

[No author(s) name(s) indicated] | June 6, 2024

By the way, the 'article' above is actually a video, which is why I didn't include the author(s) name(s).

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GOOGLE SEARCH: JOE BIDEN NEWS
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I did not select any articles from this category.

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GOOGLE SEARCH: DEMOCRATS NEWS
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I did not select any articles from this category.

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GOOGLE SEARCH: REPUBLICANS NEWS
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I did not select any articles from this category.

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GOOGLE SEARCH: POLITICAL NEWS
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I did not select any articles from this category.

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GOOGLE SEARCH: WORLD NEWS
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June 6th, 2024 search:

08. CNN

‘Sends tingles down your spine’: See emotional moment presidents honor D-Day heroes

French President Emmanuel Macron along with President Joe Biden honored American veterans who stormed the beaches of Normandy 80 years ago, marking the beginning of the end of World War II.

By the way, the 'article' above is actually a video, which is why I didn't include the author(s) name(s) and the publishing date.

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GOOGLE SEARCH: GLOBAL WARMING NEWS
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I did not select any articles from this category.

---------------------------------------------
GOOGLE SEARCH: WORKERS ON STRIKE NEWS
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I did not select any articles from this category.

---------------------------------------------
GOOGLE SEARCH: PORTLAND OREGON NEWS
---------------------------------------------

I did not select any articles from this category.

---------------------------------------------

Continuing on—as I mentioned above—I will occasionally read the news articles that I feel are the most important for me to read from the daily emails that I receive from The New York Times, USA Today and Time Magazine.

And I used to provide longer introductions to these New York Times, USA Today and Time Magazine articles that I highlight, which included the name(s) of the author(s), as well as the date of publication in addition to some of the text from the article; but, I decided a while ago to forego my usual writing format for all The New York Times, USA Today and Time Magazine articles 'updates.'

To that end, I also used to provide the title of each article in addition to a hyperlink; however—as I mentioned above—I think that all of those hyperlinks to news articles are causing my "I Am No Longer Being An Activist In The Same Way That I Was" blog post to be flagged and unpublished for violating Blogger's Spam policy! (Again, please see my 'February 26th, 2024 Update No. 1, Which Also Discusses February 25th, 2024' that can be found above.)

Therefore, I am changing the format by which I write these news 'updates' by providing the title (or, 'headline') and the subtitle (or, 'subheadline') of each article, as well as the author(s) name(s), in addition to the publishing date. That way, I am (hopefully) providing enough information about each article in order to make it possible for you, my readers, to do a search for any of the articles that I highlight by the article's title—plus, you can also verify the subtitle, the author(s) name(s) and the publishing date—if you wish to read those articles too!

And for certain articles, I will include a few introductory paragraphs as a way to give more of a complete explanation to the meaning of the title (or, 'headline') and the subtitle (or, 'subheadline') of these articles, which may also take the form of a kind of 'overview,' so to speak, by selecting particular paragraphs that I feel highlight the most important parts of these articles in order to summarize the meaning of the title (or, 'headline') and the subtitle (or, 'subheadline'). I hope that makes sense!

So, without further ado, I was doing my usual reading of the titles to The New York Times, USA Today and Time Magazine articles—including any article overviews contained within the emails—that I received for June 6th, 2024, when I noticed the following NYTimes.com and USAToday.com articles!

---------------------------------------------

These are The New York Times articles which I received for June 6th, 2024: (I am a subscriber to The New York Times 'Basic Access' Digital Subscription.)

The following are The New York Times articles that I read today, June 6th, 2024, from emails that I received today:

And the excerpt below is from the above-mentioned June 6th, 2024 'The Morning' email introduction to The New York Times articles below:

D-Day Anniversary

Today is the 80th anniversary of D-Day, the pivotal World War II battle on beaches in Normandy. Few veterans of the battle are alive. ...

D-Day at 80

Veterans of the pivotal battle of World War II are disappearing. Europe, facing new conflict, recalls what their comrades died for.

By Roger Cohen | June 6, 2024

And the excerpt below is from the above-mentioned June 6th, 2024 'The Evening' email introduction to The New York Times article below:

In Normandy, Biden linked the war in Ukraine with D-Day

President Biden commemorated the 80th anniversary of D-Day today with a speech on the beaches of Normandy in France. He argued that the ongoing effort to stand up to Russia’s invasion of Ukraine is a direct extension of the battle for freedom that raged across Europe during World War II.

Nations must team up, Biden said, to defeat another “tyrant bent on domination” and meet “the test of ages” to defend Ukraine. “Isolation was not the answer 80 years ago and is not the answer today,” Biden said. “The struggle between dictatorship and freedom is unending.”

Before Biden’s address, the audience delivered a nearly hourlong series of standing ovations as D-Day veterans arrived. Most of the men, now in their late 90s or over 100, rolled up a blue-carpeted ramp in wheelchairs. A few managed to walk with canes or unassisted, drawing extra applause. We spoke with some veterans about that pivotal battle and what came next. ...

Biden Links Fight for Ukraine With Allied Effort on D-Day

Speaking in Normandy, the president argued that similar principles were at stake in both wars: the defense of freedom and a rules-based international order.

By Michael D. Shear and Peter Baker | June 6, 2024

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These are the USA Today articles which I received for June 6th, 2024: (I am a subscriber to the USA Today 'Unlimited Digital Access' Subscription.)

The following are the USA Today articles that I read today, June 6th, 2024, from an email that I received today:

And the excerpt below is from the above-mentioned June 6th, 2024 'The Daily Briefing' email introduction to the USA Today article below:

More news to know now

A grandmother's 80-year-old diary documents the opening of D-Day ...

'The Americans are landing': A grandmother's 80-year-old diary documents opening of D-Day

Scribbled in French shorthand, Louise Hamel’s diary still captures the power of the moment

By Michael Collins | June 6, 2024

And the excerpt below is from the above-mentioned June 6th, 2024 'The Daily Briefing' email introduction to the USA Today article below:

Photo of the day: 80 years since D-Day changed the world

D-Day – the largest land, sea and air invasion ever attempted – still resonates today. With the bold invasion of Nazi-held Europe on June 6, 1944, the Allied forces began turning the tide in World War II. The success of the invasion came at the cost of more 10,000 Allied troops killed, wounded or missing. Read more

[Photo of the day: US President Joe Biden (L) and US First Lady Jill Biden (C) speaks with US WWII veteran Edward "Bud" Berthold at the Normandy American Cemetery and Memorial in France, on June 6, 2024. SAUL LOEB, AFP via Getty Images] ...

On D-Day, they changed the world. 80 years later, an incredible journey takes them back.

By Michael Collins | June 3, 2024

And I decided to highlight these articles from the various news organizations above via Google news searches—as well as from The New York Times and USA Today—for you, my readers, to consider reading too! –Paul Whiting (written June 6th, 2024, revised June 21st, 2024 and revised August 31st, 2025)

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June 7th, 2024 Update No. 1, Which Also Discusses June 5th, 2024: National Gun Violence Awareness Day is today, June 7th, 2024, since National Gun Violence Awareness Day is yearly (annually) on the first Friday in June.

And I received an email from March For Our Lives (MFOL) two days ago on June 5th, 2024, with the subject line, "We need to pass the People’s Response Act", which stated the following:

MARCH
FOR OUR
LIVES

Hey, Paul — [name redacted] here, [title redacted] at March For Our Lives! I work with teams of volunteers to imagine what a world free from gun violence looks like.

There is an epidemic of violence affecting our children, families, and particularly marginalized communities. Our current system of public safety is broken – but we have the power to fix it.

One of the key areas we need to address gun violence is police brutality and violence against Black and brown communities — that’s exactly what the People’s Response Act will do.

Paul, this month, March For Our Lives members are heading to Capitol Hill to advocate for this bill and ask Congress to sign it into law.

But we need more than just the young people on the ground to make this happen — so I’m personally asking if you can urge your representatives to support the People’s Response Act today. We’ve already written out your message, all you have to do is click to send it!

SEND YOUR MESSAGE***

Here’s more on what the People’s Response Act calls for: ⤵️

[✓] A focus on preventing violence before it starts and building systems of care that are rooted in improving the well-being of all communities
[✓] Restorative justice and harm reduction-based treatment of mental health and substance abuse
[✓] Creating a Division on Community Safety within the Department of Health and Human Services which will fund, conduct, and coordinate research, technical assistance, and grant programs related to non-carceral, health-centered investments in public safety
[✓] Launching a federal first responders unit to support states and local governments with emergency health crises
[✓] Providing $11 billion in grant funding to state and local governments, as well as community-based organizations, to fully fund public safety and improve crisis response
[✓] Establishing a $2.5 billion First Responder Hiring Grant to create thousands of jobs and provide funding to state, local, and tribal governments, as well as community organizations, to hire a variety of emergency first responders

The far-right continually tries to tell us the lie that the solution to violence is more guns in our communities. But that’s just not true.

The public safety solutions proven to work are rooted in care and empathy, not criminalization or arming more people. The People’s Response Act centers our community and safety by establishing an evidence-based, public health approach to public safety.

Please, send a message to your representatives today urging them to support the People’s Response Act — it will only take a moment. Contacting our representatives is one of the most powerful ways we can amplify our message and hold our leaders accountable for addressing public safety.

In solidarity,

[Name redacted]

DONATE NOW

TAKE ACTION: TELL YOUR REPRESENTATIVES TO SUPPORT THE PEOPLE'S RESPONSE ACT

Email your legislators now and urge them to support an inclusive, holistic, and health-centered approach to public safety that focuses on preventing violence before it starts and builds systems of care that are rooted in improving the well-being of all communities >>>

Details

Prefix: Mr.
First Name: Paul
Last Name: Whiting
Street Address: [redacted]
Postal Code: [redacted]
City: [redacted]
State: [redacted]
Email: [redacted]
Mobile Phone: [redacted]

Message Recipients

[Title and Name redacted]

[Title and Name redacted]

[Title and Name redacted]

Send the following message: Please, support the People's Response Act today!

Dear [elected official]

I'm bringing to your attention an important piece of legislation that I believe will reduce gun violence in our district and improve public salety. I'm urging you to support the People's Response Act today.

The People's Response Act calls for robust investment in the things that communities around the country need to live in safety, including community-based violence reduction programs, suicide prevention programs, domestic violence prevention programs, and mental end behavioral health service programs.

Thank you for taking the time to consider joining the growing number of cosponsors for these two pieces of legislation. I believe the bill is a vital tool to address the crisis of gun violence — which is now the leading cause of death for young people in America.

Sincerely,

Mr. Paul Whiting
[Street Address and Apt. No. redacted]
[City, State and ZIP Code redacted]
[Email redacted]

Send message

And, after I sent the message above to my U.S. Representative and Senators in Congress, I made a one-time donation to March For Our Lives (MFOL) in order to show my support for the People's Response Act, which "calls for robust investment in the things that communities around the country need to live in safety, including community-based violence reduction programs, suicide prevention programs, domestic violence prevention programs, and mental end behavioral health service programs." –Paul Whiting (June 7th, 2024)

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June 7th, 2024 Update No. 2, Which Also Discusses June 3rd, 2024: National Gun Violence Awareness Day is today, June 7th, 2024, since National Gun Violence Awareness Day is yearly (annually) on the first Friday in June.

And I received a text message four days ago on June 3rd, 2024, from Brady: United Against Gun Violence, which stated the following:

URGENT: We are weeks away from the Supreme Court's next gun safety decision, Paul, and we cannot afford another gun lobby victory like last summer.

𝗧𝗵𝗶𝘀 𝗺𝗼𝗻𝘁𝗵, 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗖𝗼𝘂𝗿𝘁 𝘄𝗶𝗹𝗹 𝗱𝗲𝗰𝗶𝗱𝗲 𝗶𝗳 𝗮 𝗱𝗼𝗺𝗲𝘀𝘁𝗶𝗰 𝗮𝗯𝘂𝘀𝗲𝗿 𝗶𝘀 𝗮𝗹𝗹𝗼𝘄𝗲𝗱 𝘁𝗼 𝗼𝘄𝗻 𝗮 𝗳𝗶𝗿𝗲𝗮𝗿𝗺 in the case of 𝘜.𝘚. 𝘷. 𝘙𝘢𝘩𝘪𝘮𝘪. And there is a lethal connection between firearms and domestic abuse.

𝘓𝘪𝘷𝘦𝘴 𝘢𝘳𝘦 𝘢𝘵 𝘳𝘪𝘴𝘬. 𝘎𝘶𝘯 𝘭𝘢𝘸𝘴 𝘢𝘳𝘦 𝘢𝘵 𝘳𝘪𝘴𝘬. Brady is counting on you to speak out before it's too late: 𝗦𝗵𝗼𝘂𝗹𝗱 𝗱𝗼𝗺𝗲𝘀𝘁𝗶𝗰 𝗮𝗯𝘂𝘀𝗲𝗿𝘀 𝗵𝗮𝘃𝗲 𝗮𝗰𝗰𝗲𝘀𝘀 𝘁𝗼 𝗴𝘂𝗻𝘀?
⚪YES
🔴𝗡𝗢***

–Team Brady

BRADY UNITED AGAINST GUN VIOLENCE

SURVEY: Ban Assault Weapons Now [11:59 p.m. Deadline]

Thank you for taking action. Will you take just 60 seconds to answer a few questions that will help us shape our strategy to prevent gun violence and keep our communities safe? -Team Brady

Research shows that gun safety reforms like an Assault Weapons Ban make communities safer and lower gun violence. But the NRA and the gun lobby are doing everything they can to block this critical legislation.

Do you believe that the gun lobby has too much influence in Washington?

[✓] Yes
[  ] No

Which of the following gun safety policies do you think Congress should prioritize in the current session? (Select as many as you'd like.)

[✓] Regulating ghost guns
[✓] Banning assault weapons
[✓] Expanding background checks
[✓] Raising the minimum purchase age
[✓] Banning high-capacity magazines
[  ] Other:

Last year, after the tragedy in Uvalde, Congress passed the most significant gun safety legislation in decades. But with Republicans now in control of the House, the NRA has been able to block any further life-saving legislation.

As we head into a critical election year, how worried are you that the gun lobby could gain even more power in Washington?

[✓] Extremely worried
[  ] Very worried
[  ] Somewhat worried
[  ] Not at all worried

At Brady, we're doing everything we can to prevent gun violence and win leaders who will fight for life-saving reforms. We know we can save lives and save families from the unending pain of loss by taking action, but we can't do it alone. Are you committed to helping prevent gun violence by joining us to demand change?

[✓] Yes, I'm all in — how can I help?
[  ] No — I'm not concerned about gun violence.

Brady is a grassroots organization dedicated to preventing gun violence and saving lives with common-sense bipartisan gun safety legislation — and our work has never been more important. Our teams are working directly with the Biden-Harris administration to take action on common-sense gun safety measures that will save lives.

We set a goal to raise $25,000 to honor shooting victims by fighting to ban assault weapons - but we're still falling short with just hours left until our midnight deadline.

Will you rush $5 to help Brady prevent gun violence and save lives?

[✓] Yes, I'll give $5!
[  ] Yes, I can give $36 (this is the average online Brady donation).
[  ] Yes, and I can give more!

And so, I made a one-time donation to Brady: United Against Gun Violence, because "we are weeks away from the Supreme Court's next gun safety decision" and "Brady is counting on [me] to speak out before it's too late." That is why I answered the question "𝗦𝗵𝗼𝘂𝗹𝗱 𝗱𝗼𝗺𝗲𝘀𝘁𝗶𝗰 𝗮𝗯𝘂𝘀𝗲𝗿𝘀 𝗵𝗮𝘃𝗲 𝗮𝗰𝗰𝗲𝘀𝘀 𝘁𝗼 𝗴𝘂𝗻𝘀?" with a resounding '𝗡𝗢!' –Paul Whiting (written June 7th, 2024 and revised August 14th, 2024)

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For my "June 9th, 2024 Update No. 1"—since this 'update' is a part of my ⋆USO⋆ donations—please see my blog post titled, "My Point Of View On...Giving Charity And Accepting Charity," which can be found on both of my "Paul Whiting — Math Magician" and "Paul Whiting — A Creative Writer" blogs. An introduction to the 'update' can be found below:

June 9th, 2024 Update No. 1: I received an email from the USO (United Service Organizations) today, June 9th, 2024, with the subject line, "May/June Military Supporter Update", with regard to the USO's newsletter "YOUR USO AT WORK," Issue 123 / MAY/JUNE 2024, which stated, in part, the following:

YOUR USO AT WORK
Issue 123 / MAY/JUNE 2024

DONATE NOW »

https://secure.uso.org

Paul,

We are so grateful to all our supporters who took the time to honor and thank our service members during Military Appreciation Month and Memorial Day last month. This month, our service members are proving that they deserve every ounce of our support.

Read on to learn about the ways USO Home Team members like you are helping support our members of the military who are risking their lives to serve. ...

And the following highlights from the USO's newsletter, which I selected to post, are regarding "USO Celebrates Military Appreciation Month" and "USO Bridges Gap Between Service Members and Civilians Through Human to Human Project," as well as "Partners Join the USO in Celebrating Military Appreciation Month," in addition to "Volunteering With the USO":

USO FRONT LINES

USO Celebrates Military Appreciation Month

May was Military Appreciation Month, and we used this time to celebrate our commitment to standing by every person who has taken the oath to serve. Thank you to all our supporters who took the opportunity to join us in helping show our gratitude and appreciation to service members in a meaningful way. If you didn’t get a chance to sign our Military Appreciation Month card, you can still let our heroes know you’re thinking of them by signing now.

https://action.uso.org/2404_MAM

[Blogger's Note: I signed the USO's Military Appreciation Month card on May 23rd, 2024 (please see my 'May 27th, 2024 Update No. 1, Written On May 23rd, 2024,' which can be found above).]

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GET INSPIRED

USO Bridges Gap Between Service Members and Civilians Through Human to Human Project

Our Military Appreciation Month spotlight video, “Human to Human,” offers a look into the shared experiences between civilians and the people serving our country. To do this, we brought together seven pairs of strangers consisting of one service member and one civilian each at the Atlanta International Airport. Learn more about this special campaign, and watch the video now. >>

https://www.uso.org/stories/3782-how-the-uso-bridged-the-gap-between-service-members-and-civilians-through-the-human-to-human-project

[Blogger's Note: I read the USO's article titled, "How the USO Bridged the Gap Between Service Members and Civilians Through the Human to Human Project," which also includes the above-mentioned video that I watched.]

---------------------------------------------

CORPORATE PARTNERS

Partners Join the USO in Celebrating Military Appreciation Month

May is a special month for the USO. It is a time to raise awareness among the general public about the people actively serving in the U.S. military, as well as a time to show service members how much they are appreciated. USO corporate partners Clear Channel Outdoor, The Coca-Cola Company®, Wonder® Bread and Tastykake®, Giant Food, Harris Teeter, Mike’s Hard Lemonade, Keystone Light, Paradies Lagardère & Copper Cane collaborated in these efforts by sponsoring various special events, contests and campaigns that recognize Military Appreciation Month. Learn more »

https://www.uso.org/stories/3788-how-our-corporate-partners-joined-the-uso-in-celebrating-military-appreciation-month-this-year

[Blogger's Note: I read the USO's article titled, "How Our Corporate Partners Joined the USO in Celebrating Military Appreciation Month in 2024."]

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WAYS TO GET INVOLVED

Volunteering With the USO

There are countless ways volunteers support the USO, but they are all unified in their dedication to our service members and their families. Whether it’s helping at a special event, greeting and cheering at homecomings, working the front desk or providing a listening ear, our volunteers are the reason service members know they can count on the USO. Learn more. »

https://www.uso.org/take-action/volunteer

[Blogger's Note: I read the USO's webpage titled, "Volunteer." And at the bottom of the webpage above, there is a section titled, "TAKE ACTION," which states the following:

TAKE ACTION

The USO relies on your support to help service members and their families.

WAYS TO SUPPORT

https://www.uso.org/take-action/ways-to-support

And I wanted to highlight this particular webpage, as it provides multiple ways to "support our troops and military families through the USO."]

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...From all of us at the USO, thank you for standing by our nation's service members!

And so, even before I read the email above—since I was already planning to donate—I made a one-time donation on the USO.org website in order to support the USO's following statement: "Our service members keep our nation safe. And we work hard to keep them connected to home — but we can’t do that without support from military supporters like you. Our troops are counting on you to be a part of this important work for our country. So please, donate now."

In addition to that, I already make a recurring monthly donation to the USO in order to show my support for our U.S. Military Personnel! You see, I usually make one-time donations to the USO each month—as often as I can manage when they request a donation via email or text message. Therefore, I am planning to continue making one-time donations to the USO in the future, as often as I can manage to make donations, in addition to making the aforementioned recurring monthly donation. ...

Please see the hyperlinks below for the post, within which you can do a find-in-page search for the 'update' labeled, "June 9th, 2024 Update No. 1":

https://paulwhitingmath.blogspot.com/2015/05/my-point-of-view-on-charity.html

https://paulwhitingwriting.blogspot.com/2022/07/my-point-of-view-on-part-16-giving-to.html

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June 9th, 2024 Update No. 2: I received a text message today, June 9th, 2024, from the Marine Toys for Tots Foundation, which stated the following:

Hi, Paul, it's [name redacted], [title redacted] & [title redacted] of the Marine Toys for Tots Foundation. Today is National Children's Day & our URGENT goal is to raise $36.5K by midnight tonight to represent being a force for good for impoverished children 365 days a year! Your donation today will deliver toys, books & other gifts to children all across the country. There are just a few hours left, so please give NOW to bring hope & joy to children in need EVERY SINGLE DAY.***

MARINE CORPS RESERVE
TOYS FOR TOTS

Be a Force for Good on National Children's Day and all year long!

Marine Toys for Tots

In honor of National Children's Day and to be a force for good 365 days a year for children in need, help us raise $36,500. Your gift today will help us deliver toys, books, joy, and hope to children in need no matter the season. Please give generously to bring a smile to a child's face and give them hope for a brighter tomorrow. Thank you.

Donation Information

[  ] $50
[  ] $75
[  ] $100
[  ] $150
[✓] $5.00

Contact Information

First Name: Paul
Last Name: Whiting
Street Address: [redacted]
Postal Code: [redacted]
City: [redacted]
State: [redacted]
Email: [redacted]
Phone (Optional): [redacted]

And so, I made a one-time donation to the Marine Toys for Tots Foundation in order to "help [Toys for Tots] deliver toys, books, joy, and hope to children in need no matter the season ... in honor of National Children's Day." –Paul Whiting (June 9th, 2024)

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June 10th, 2024 Update No. 1, Which Also Discusses June 8th, 2024, As Well As June 7th, 2024: This 'update' that I am writing today, June 10th, 2024, is combined from my news searches on Google, which I do as often as I can manage—as well as from my occasional reading of The New York Times articles, USA Today articles and Time Magazine articles that I received via email—for the total time period of June 7th, 2024 through June 10th, 2024.

Please let me explain: I have been busy with a lot of "Online Activism" lately that takes an enormous amount of time and energy to write about, which consists of various topics that each require their own 'updates!' Besides that, I have often been engaged in editing my five blogs—whenever I notice that any of my writing needs to be revised or corrected—which can take hours to complete depending upon how much editing I have to do!

So, because I have been so busy lately with "Online Activism," and also with the editing of my five blogs, I have just been reading the titles of The New York Times, USA Today and Time Magazine articles that I receive from their daily emails. Then, I will occasionally read the news articles that I feel are the most important for me to read from those emails that I highlight in these 'updates.'

That is why I recently signed up to receive email newsletters from the news organizations to which I subscribe in order for me to stay informed about what's happening in the world. And I was formerly writing separate 'updates' for each of the news articles that I read from The New York Times, USA Today and Time Magazine articles; however, after I restarted writing these news 'updates' from my news searches on Google (which I stopped doing for a while), I also decided to restart writing the 'updates' from the above-mentioned news organizations to which I subscribe, but as a combined 'update.'

Thus, I am checking the news through Google searches again, like used to do, as often as I can manage it. You see, I used to keep up with the news virtually on a daily basis, because there is typically that much news every day; however, I am now simply checking the news via Google searches as often as I can manage to do so. And, I usually check what's happening in the world via various Google searches that I do under the following topics:

American News
United States News
USA News
President Biden News
Joe Biden News
Democrats News
Republicans News
Political News
World News
Global Warming News
Workers On Strike News
Portland Oregon News

Then, I read the news articles that I feel are the most important for me to read from those Google news searches.

So, without further ado, I was doing my occasional news searches on Google for June 8th, 2024 and June 10th, 2024, when I noticed many different articles from various news organizations!

And I used to provide a longer introduction to these news articles that I highlight regarding current news, on these types of 'updates' that I write, which used to include the name(s) of the author(s), as well as the date of publication in addition to some of the text from the articles; but, I decided a while ago to forego my usual writing format for all the current news 'updates.'

To that end, I also used to provide the title of each article with the news organization's name in addition to a hyperlink; however, I think that all of those hyperlinks to current news articles are causing my "I Am No Longer Being An Activist In The Same Way That I Was" blog post to be flagged and unpublished for violating Blogger's Spam policy! (Please see my 'February 26th, 2024 Update No. 1, Which Also Discusses February 25th, 2024' that can be found above.)

Therefore, I am changing the format by which I write these current news 'updates' by first providing the original Google search category through which I found each article, as listed above, like I usually do. [Although, to clarify, sometimes the same article appears (or, articles appear) under different search categories.]

Then, I am providing the title (or, 'headline') and the subtitle (or, 'subheadline') of each article, as well as the author(s) name(s), in addition to the publishing date. That way, I am (hopefully) providing enough information about each article in order to make it possible for you, my readers, to do a search for any of the articles that I highlight by the publisher's name and the article's title—plus, you can also verify the subtitle, the author(s) name(s) and the publishing date—if you wish to read those articles too!

And for certain articles, I will include a few introductory paragraphs as a way to give more of a complete explanation to the meaning of the title (or, 'headline') and the subtitle (or, 'subheadline') of these articles, which may also take the form of a kind of 'overview,' so to speak, by selecting particular paragraphs that I feel highlight the most important parts of these articles in order to summarize the meaning of the title (or, 'headline') and the subtitle (or, 'subheadline'). I hope that makes sense!

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GOOGLE SEARCH: AMERICAN NEWS
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June 8th, 2024 search:

01. Politico

Trump allies attack strong jobs report as bad for 'native born Americans'

MAGA Inc. says the May report “paints a dire picture for the American economy.”

The labor market may still be hot, but the pro-Trump super PAC MAGA Inc. is using the better-than-expected jobs report released Friday to hit President Joe Biden on another front — immigration.

The Labor Department’s report that the U.S. economy added 272,000 jobs in May “paints a dire picture for the American economy,” MAGA Inc. wrote in a press release titled “May Jobs Report: Immigrants Win While Native Born Americans Lose.” The release cites a decrease in the number of native-born workers who are employed and an increase in the number of foreign-born workers who had jobs in May compared to April.

MAGA Inc. also pointed to comments from CNBC’s senior economics reporter Steve Liesman, who on Friday morning said “there’s an immigration piece to this” while discussing the jobs report.

“There are bodies available, and there is work for them to do. Whether or not they’re here legally or not is a different story,” Liesman said, which MAGA Inc. quotes in the release. What’s not included, however, were his follow-up remarks adding “that’s the political story.”

“The economic story is there’s work for them to do, they’re being put to work,” Liesman said. “I did not get to look at the non-native hiring in this survey yet, but I’m sure it’s pretty healthy.”

Biden campaign spokesperson Ammar Moussa said in a statement to POLITICO that “Trump’s team is pushing racist, nativist attacks” and “trying to divide our country to help himself” instead of “outlining a vision to grow the economy.”

“This reads like a statement from the racist, nativist politicians of the 1800s who vilified immigrants and divided Americans to gain power,” Moussa said. “It’s also wrong: under Joe Biden’s leadership, 15.6 million more Americans have jobs and the unemployment rate has been at or under 4% since January 2022. That’s an economic record that Donald Trump can only dream about.” ...

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June 8th, 2024 search:

02. The Guardian

Trump plots capture of DoJ in renewed assault on US justice system

Ex-president determined to destroy independence of justice department if he regains control of White House

By Ed Pilkington | 7 Jun 2024

Donald Trump is planning an assault on the American justice system should he win re-election to the White House, in which he would seek to destroy the independence of the justice department and turn it into an attack machine for his Make American great again (Maga) movement.

At the heart of his plans is the desire to impose his will on the individual prosecutorial decisions taken by the Department of Justice. The move, if successful, would end half a century of accepted practice that prevents presidents from politically interfering with specific cases.

It would allow Trump in his second term to eradicate the federal prosecutions currently being pursued against him as well as against insurrectionists who stormed the US Capitol on 6 January 2021 whom he has championed as “hostages”. It would also free him to instigate legal investigations as acts of revenge against his perceived political enemies, including Joe Biden and family.

“I will appoint a real special prosecutor to go after the most corrupt president in the history of the United States of America, Joe Biden, and the entire Biden crime family,” Trump said last year.

No evidence has been presented linking Biden to any crime, though his son Hunter Biden did go on trial on Monday accused of falsifying a firearms license application.

Trump repeated the threat that he use the justice system to go after his opponents on Tuesday, telling Newsmax that the prosecutions against him had set a “terrible precedent” that he implied he would turn against Democrats should he win in November. “It’s a terrible, terrible path that they’re leading us to, and it’s very possible that it’s gonna have to happen to them.”

In his first White House term, Trump made clear that he aspired to total control of the DoJ. He failed in that attempt, largely because of the resistance of top justice officials.

Trump’s determination to overcome the norm is now much more advanced than it was four years ago. His disdain for the fundamental building blocks of the justice system was on full display following his New York conviction last week on 34 counts of falsifying business records to cover up an affair with the adult actor Stormy Daniels.

In comments widely echoed by senior Republicans, Trump denounced the trial as “rigged” – an echo of his false claim that the 2020 presidential election was stolen from him.

“His message is that whenever anything comes out in a way that isn’t positive for me, it’s illegitimate,” said Rebecca Roiphe, a law professor at New York Law School. “If people start to believe that, then really, you don’t have any rule of law.” ...

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June 8th, 2024 search:

03. The Washington Post

Analysis | The link between the news Americans consume and the things they believe

Issue importance, confidence in reality and acceptance of false claims varies widely by news source.

By Philip Bump | June 6, 2024

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June 10th, 2024 search:

04. ABC News - Breaking News, Latest News and Videos

Biden stops at WWI cemetery Trump didn't visit to honor US troops

Trump claimed bad weather prevented him from visiting the graves in 2018.

President Joe Biden on Sunday visited a World War I cemetery outside Paris where American troops are buried as his last stop on his trip to France.

The visit to the Aisne-Marne American Cemetery was notable, as it draws a contrast with former President Donald Trump, who in 2018 declined to visit the same cemetery, citing bad weather. Later reports, however, claimed Trump described those buried there as "suckers" and "losers." ...

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05. ABC News - Breaking News, Latest News and Videos

Jobs report blows past expectations, displaying resilient strength of US economy

The U.S. economy added 272,000 jobs in May.

By Max Zahn | June 7, 2024

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June 8th, 2024 search:

06. U.S. Department of Defense (.gov)

Austin: U.S., Allies, Partners United in Ukraine's Defense From Expansionist Russia

By David Vergun | June 7, 2024

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June 10th, 2024 search:

07. The Atlantic

The U.S. Economy Is Absolutely Fantastic

No, really.

By Rogé Karma | June 10, 2024

If the United States’ economy were an athlete, right now it would be peak LeBron James. If it were a pop star, it would be peak Taylor Swift. Four years ago, the pandemic temporarily brought much of the world economy to a halt. Since then, America’s economic performance has left other countries in the dust and even broken some of its own records. The growth rate is high, the unemployment rate is at historic lows, household wealth is surging, and wages are rising faster than costs, especially for the working class. There are many ways to define a good economy. America is in tremendous shape according to just about any of them.

The American public doesn’t feel that way—a dynamic that many people, including me, have recently tried to explain. But if, instead of asking how people feel about the economy, we ask how it’s objectively performing, we get a very different answer.

Let’s start with economists’ favorite metric: growth. When an economy is growing, more money is being spent. More stuff is being produced, more services are being performed, more businesses are being started, more workers are being hired—and, because of this abundance, living standards are probably rising. (On the flip side, during a recession—literally, when the economy shrinks—life gets materially worse.) Right now America’s economic-growth rate is the envy of the world. From the end of 2019 to the end of 2023, U.S. GDP grew by 8.2 percent—nearly twice as fast as Canada’s, three times as fast as the European Union’s, and more than eight times as fast as the United Kingdom’s.

“It’s hard to think of a time when the U.S. economy has diverged so fundamentally from its peers,” Mark Zandi, the chief economist at Moody’s Analytics, told me. Over the past year, some of the world’s biggest economies, including those of Japan and Germany, have fallen into recession, complete with mass layoffs and angry street protests. In the U.S., however, the post-pandemic recession never arrived. The economy just keeps growing. ...

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June 10th, 2024 search:

08. Voice of America

Biden honors US war dead with cemetery visit ending French trip

By Associated Press | June 09, 2024

BELLEAU, FRANCE — President Joe Biden closed out his trip to France by paying his respects at an American military cemetery that Donald Trump notably skipped visiting when he was president, hoping his final stop Sunday will draw the stakes of the November election in stark relief.

Before returning to the United States, Biden honored America's war dead at Aisne-Marne American Cemetery about an hour outside Paris. He placed a wreath at the cemetery chapel before an expanse of white headstones marking the final resting place of more than 2,200 U.S. soldiers who fought in World War I.

It was a solemn end to five days in which Trump was an unspoken yet unavoidable presence. On the surface, the trip marked the 80th anniversary of D-Day and celebrated the alliance between the United States and France. But during an election year when Trump has called into question fundamental understandings about America's global role, Biden has embraced his Republican predecessor — and would-be successor — as a latent foil.

Every ode to the transatlantic partnership was a reminder that Trump could upend those relationships. Each reference to democracy stood a counterpoint to his rival's efforts to overturn a presidential election. The myriad exhortations to help Ukraine defend itself against Russia created a contrast with Trump's skepticism about providing U.S. assistance.

Biden's paeans to the struggle between democracy and autocracy drew plaudits in Europe, where the prospect of a return to Trump's turbulent reign has sparked no shortage of anxiety. But it remains to be seen how the message will resonate with American voters, as Biden's campaign struggles to connect the dire warnings the Democratic president so often delivers about his rival with people's daily concerns.

The visit to the cemetery served as a moment to underscore the contrast once more.

"It's the same story," Biden said. "America showed up. America showed up to stop the Germans. America showed up to make sure that they did not prevail. And America shows up when we're needed just like our allies show for us."

During a 2018 trip to France, Trump skipped plans to go to the cemetery, a decision that the White House blamed on weather at the time. However, subsequent reports said that Trump told aides he didn't want to go because he viewed the dead soldiers as "suckers" and "losers." Trump has denied the comments, although they were later corroborated by his chief of staff at the time, John Kelly. ...

President Biden's campaign released a new ad on Friday attacking former President Trump over past comments he's made about members of the military.

Why it matters: The ad comes after Biden during speeches this week commemorating the 80th anniversary of D-Day took veiled jabs at his GOP presidential rival as he hailed the power of democracy —and warned of its fragility.

The Biden campaign on Thursday released a separate ad featuring three veterans who criticized Trump as "a draft dodger" and took aim at his fitness to be commander in chief.

Driving the news: The one-minute ad, called "What Trump Thinks," displays past quotes the former president has reportedly made about veterans, such as calling them "losers" and "suckers."

• The ad also displays a quote from Trump reportedly saying that "we're not going to support that loser's funeral," referring to former Sen. John McCain (R-Ariz.).

What they're saying: "Donald Trump is so self-obsessed that when he hears about service members making the ultimate sacrifice—dying for one's country—his first instinct is to denigrate their service, sacrifice, and families," Biden campaign communications director Michael Tyler said in a statement.

• "He called fallen service members "suckers" and "losers" not once, not twice, but three separate times," Tyler said. ...

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June 10th, 2024 search:

10. USA Today
(I am a subscriber to the USA Today 'Unlimited Digital Access' Subscription.)

Joe Biden honors soldiers, visits cemetery Donald Trump skipped (Joe Biden honors World War I soldiers, visits cemetery in France that Donald Trump skipped)

By Michael Collins | June 9, 2024

BELLEAU, France – President Joe Biden ended his five-day trip to France on Sunday by paying his respects to World War I soldiers buried in a cemetery that former President Donald Trump did not visit six years ago over weather concerns. ...

... Trump in 2018, during his presidency, canceled a visit to the cemetery because it was raining. “Why should I go to that cemetery? It’s filled with losers,” Trump reportedly said, according to The Atlantic. Trump also called the fallen soldiers “suckers” and “losers,” the magazine claimed. ...

... Trump’s White House denied the report and said the cemetery visit had been canceled because the rain grounded his helicopter and there wasn’t enough time to close off roads for a motorcade on such short notice.

But Biden has mentioned the ensuing incident several times this year during campaign events as he again faces Trump in this November’s election.

“To me, that is such a disqualifying assertion made by a president – ‘suckers’ and ‘losers,’” he told reporters at Wilkes-Barre Scranton International Airport in Pennsylvania in April.

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June 10th, 2024 search:

11. Newsweek

Joe Biden Gets Good Sign in New Critical Battleground States Poll

By Natalie Venegas | Jun 09, 2024

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June 8th, 2024 search:

12. USA Today
(I am a subscriber to the USA Today 'Unlimited Digital Access' Subscription.)

Trump's verdict put him on his heels. So he's threatening violence (Trump ramps up violent rhetoric after guilty verdict – and GOP just keep ignoring it)

Republican leaders, including House Speaker Mike Johnson, keep supporting Donald Trump and his violent speeches.

By Chris Brennan | June 5, 2024

Stop me if you’ve heard this one before – Donald Trump is in a raging fury about a decision that didn’t go his way.

So Trump casts himself as the victim of a rigged system while rallying Republican leaders to literally rig the system after the fact, to derail the decision, to appease his acrimony. Along the way, Trump ramps up violent rhetoric. But the Republicans remain in lockstep behind him, even as serious strife looms ahead.

Sounds like the 2020 election result and the Capitol riot that followed, right?

But now it’s Trump’s 2024 criminal conviction in New York, where a jury of his peers last week found him guilty of 34 felonies.

Trump has only one playbook. We’ve seen the calamity that he created after he lost in 2020. We saw Republicans denounce him for the violence and mayhem of the Jan. 6, 2021, insurrection before they came crawling back to him.

And now Trump and his Republican allies are running the same plays. The latest U.S. House speaker, who tried to disenfranchise millions of voters in an attempt to help Trump overturn the 2020 election, now wants a valid jury verdict thrown out. And Trump is priming his supporters for future violence.

Republicans are working against the justice system out in the open

Consider House Speaker Mike Johnson, a Louisiana Republican who denounced the Capitol attack in 2021 as "shameful violence" in a statement that curiously no longer appears on his congressional website.

Johnson, nearly eight months into his speakership, clings to power with a bare-bones majority mostly thanks to support from Trump.

Maybe that's why the speaker showed up on Fox News on Friday to call on the U.S. Supreme Court to immediately step in and quash the unanimous verdict a New York jury delivered the day before, convicting Trump for using false business reporting to conceal a $130,000 payment he made in 2016 to an adult film star to keep her quiet about an affair that could have derailed his first run for president.

“I do believe the Supreme Court should step in," Johnson said. "I think that the justices on the court – I know many of them personally – I think they're deeply concerned about that, as we are. So I think they'll set this straight.”

Can you hear the political flip-er-roo? Trump and his allies like Johnson spent weeks claiming that the New York case was somehow driven politically by President Joe Biden without ever offering a wisp of evidence. And now they plan to counter that bogus claim of politicization of the courts with ... an open and obvious attempt at politicization of the courts.

Johnson said he's chummy with the Supremes. He knows what they're thinking. He's telling them on television to ignore our entire legal system and jump to a rigged end for Trump.

Trump is trying to call in a favor from Supreme Court justices

Trump must have liked Johnson's plan to have the Supreme Court demolish this country's system of law and order by obliterating a jury verdict, even before an appeal is filed by the convicted felon who was once president.

Trump took to his social media website Truth Social on Sunday to wail about the verdict before declaring, "The United States Supreme Court MUST DECIDE!"

This is an easy read on Trump. He sees everything as a transaction. He doesn't care about the legality or ethics of any of it. He just thinks people probably owe him. And he put three of the most conservative justices on the Supreme Court, so he is certain to see them as in his debt.

Trump also ramped up his violent rhetoric Sunday, telling Fox News that he expects his supporters to revolt if he is sentenced to prison or even house arrest for his New York conviction.

“I don’t know that the public would stand it," Trump said. "At a certain point, there’s a breaking point."

This, too, is a standard Trump tactic – issuing what he can later claim was only a warning when we know, given his history, it is really a call to violence. ...

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June 8th, 2024 search:

13. MSN

GOP's response to Trump verdict: An "ominous sign" for the future?

By GZERO Staff | [No publishing date indicated]

It’s far too early to say how former President Trump’s 34 felony convictions in the New York hush money case will affect the 2024 US presidential election, but make no mistake, the verdict has far-reaching implications for the future of the Republican party.

On GZERO World, Ian Bremmer was joined by New Yorker columnist Susan Glasser and former US attorney Preet Bharara for a frank look at what Trump’s conviction means for the GOP moving forward. As historic as Trump’s conviction is, the political response may be even more unprecedented and could have dangerous implications not just for Republicans or capital “D” Democrats but for our already fragile, lower-case “d” democracy.

“This is a marker of the escalation that we’re seeing in 2024,” Glasser says, pointing to the GOP attacks on the US justice system, “I think it’s a sign of where the Republican party is at, that they’ve essentially mortgaged the party so completely to the fate of one individual, that they’re willing to tear down what remains of faith in our institutions.” ...

By the way, I also watched the YouTube video accompanying the article above that is titled the same as the article.

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June 10th, 2024 search:

14. Slate

Donald Trump news: Republicans are absolutely losing it over his guilty verdict. (Which Republican Wins the Award for Best Outraged-About-Trump Tweet?)

Someone check on Don Jr.

By Jim Newell | May 30, 2024

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15. CNN

Interviewers keep giving Trump an off-ramp to his revenge tour. He isn’t taking it

By Steve Contorno | June 7, 2024

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Continuing on—as I mentioned above—I will occasionally read the news articles that I feel are the most important for me to read from the daily emails that I receive from The New York Times, USA Today and Time Magazine.

And I used to provide longer introductions to these New York Times, USA Today and Time Magazine articles that I highlight, which included the name(s) of the author(s), as well as the date of publication in addition to some of the text from the article; but, I decided a while ago to forego my usual writing format for all The New York Times, USA Today and Time Magazine articles 'updates.'

To that end, I also used to provide the title of each article in addition to a hyperlink; however—as I mentioned above—I think that all of those hyperlinks to news articles are causing my "I Am No Longer Being An Activist In The Same Way That I Was" blog post to be flagged and unpublished for violating Blogger's Spam policy! (Again, please see my 'February 26th, 2024 Update No. 1, Which Also Discusses February 25th, 2024' that can be found above.)

Therefore, I am changing the format by which I write these news 'updates' by providing the title (or, 'headline') and the subtitle (or, 'subheadline') of each article, as well as the author(s) name(s), in addition to the publishing date. That way, I am (hopefully) providing enough information about each article in order to make it possible for you, my readers, to do a search for any of the articles that I highlight by the article's title—plus, you can also verify the subtitle, the author(s) name(s) and the publishing date—if you wish to read those articles too!

And for certain articles, I will include a few introductory paragraphs as a way to give more of a complete explanation to the meaning of the title (or, 'headline') and the subtitle (or, 'subheadline') of these articles, which may also take the form of a kind of 'overview,' so to speak, by selecting particular paragraphs that I feel highlight the most important parts of these articles in order to summarize the meaning of the title (or, 'headline') and the subtitle (or, 'subheadline'). I hope that makes sense!

So, without further ado, I was doing my usual reading of the titles to The New York Times, USA Today and Time Magazine articles—including any article overviews contained within the emails—that I received for June 7th, 2024, when I noticed the following NYTimes.com, USAToday.com and Time.com articles!

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These are The New York Times articles which I received for June 7th, 2024: (I am a subscriber to The New York Times 'Basic Access' Digital Subscription.)

The following are The New York Times articles that I read today, June 7th, 2024, from emails that I received today:

And the excerpt below is from the above-mentioned June 7th, 2024 'The Morning' email introduction to The New York Times article below:

Fight theory

Polls show that many of the policies enacted by President Biden are popular. His measures to reduce the cost of insulin and other drugs receive support from more than 80 percent of Americans. His infrastructure bill, his hawkish approach to China and his all-of-the-above energy policy, which combines expanded oil drilling with clean-energy subsidies, are popular, too.

But voters obviously like some of his policies more than others. And an unusual pattern seems to be hurting Biden’s re-election campaign: Voters are less aware of his most popular policies than his more divisive ones.

The chart below captures the pattern. It is based on a poll last year by YouGov and Blueprint that asked voters, in separate questions, whether they supported various policies and whether they were aware that Biden had enacted them:

[START OF GRAPH]

Graph titled, "Support vs. awareness of Biden's policies"
Some of the president's most popular policies are among his least known.

Restricting junk fees

Support: 89%
Awareness: 55%

Reducing the federal deficit

Support: 89%
Awareness: 46%

Capping insulin costs

Support: 88%
Awareness: 64%

Passing a bipartisan semiconductor bill

Support: 83%
Awareness: 54%

Capping Medicare drug costs

Support: 83%
Awareness: 49%

Restricting China's use of A.I. chips

Support: 83%
Awareness: 40%

Suing big tech companies

Support: 79%
Awareness: 48%

Passing a bipartisan infrastructure bill

Support: 78%
Awareness: 63%

Deploying more border agents

Support: 76%
Awareness: 43%

Increasing oil and gas drilling

Support: 74%
Awareness: 48%

Increasing police funding

Support: 74%
Awareness: 46%

Pardoning marijuana offenses

Support: 73%
Awareness: 60%

Easing sanctions on Venezuelan oil

Support: 68%
Awareness: 42%

Raising taxes on the rich

Support: 68%
Awareness: 70%

Supporting striking workers

Support: 66%
Awareness: 71%

Giving clean-energy credits

Support: 64%
Awareness: 58%

Sending aid to Ukraine

Support: 60%
Awareness: 82%

Expanding medicaton abortion

Support: 57%
Awareness: 62%

Canceling student debt

Support: 52%
Awareness: 84%

Banning some transgender restrictions

Support: 48%
Awareness: 55%

Source: Blueprint/YouGov poll of 1,063 registered voters conducted Oct. 26 to Nov. 2, 2023. | By The New York Times

[END OF GRAPH]

Canceling student debt and sending aid to Ukraine, for example, receive majority support, but not overwhelming support. Those are also among the policies that voters know best.

Increasing police funding and capping Medicare costs, by contrast, are extremely popular — and somewhat obscure. “We have found this disconnect between what voters care about and what they think Biden cares about,” said Evan Roth Smith of Blueprint, a Democratic research group.

In today’s newsletter, I’ll try to make sense of the disconnect, with help from an idea that a political strategist recently explained to me: fight theory.

Ukraine vs. bank fees

Biden’s biggest weakness in the 2024 campaign is arguably the cost of living. (His age and his record on immigration are also high on the list.) Annual inflation has averaged 5.5 percent during his presidency, up from 2.1 percent during the previous two decades. Most of the price increases aren’t Biden’s fault — just look at the high inflation in other countries* — but many voters hold presidents accountable for the economic trends on their watch.

Biden and his aides have tried to address this weakness by arguing that he understands Americans’ frustrations and is fighting to reduce prices. When I spoke recently with Lael Brainard, Biden’s national economic adviser, she named more than a dozen items that she said were part of Biden’s “cost-lowering agenda.” Her list included several of the policies you can see in the chart above.

(To go deeper, here are previous Morning newsletters about Biden’s moves on “junk fees” and medical costs and a story by my colleague Zolan Kanno-Youngs about insulin.)

Still, many of these policies receive relatively little attention. Compare how often you hear about, say, Biden’s moves to reduce credit-card late fees or the cost of hearing aids with how often you hear about Ukraine, Gaza, abortion, immigration or Donald Trump’s trial.

Why is this?

Adam Green, co-founder of Progressive Change Campaign Committee, a Democratic-aligned group, blames what he calls fight theory. “It’s not enough to have positive messaging,” Green said. “Voters must see drama, clash and an ongoing saga in order for our message to break through a cluttered news environment.”

Abortion and immigration receive a lot of attention partly because the two political parties argue so much about them. Similarly, student-debt cancellation is salient because it is a priority for progressives and anathema to conservatives (including the Republican appointees on the Supreme Court). Ukraine aid, likewise, was for months the subject of a debate in Congress.

These fights become the subject of political fundraising emails, activist campaigns, news stories and social media posts. Conflict attracts attention. The situation with Biden’s most popular economic policies — especially the reduction of medical costs — is somewhat different.

Quiet Republicans

Congressional Republicans generally voted against these policies. The Inflation Reduction Act, which is full of measures to cut medical costs, passed in 2022 with only Democratic votes. But many Republicans recognize the popularity of those policies and have been careful not to talk much about their opposition.

When Biden last year announced the first 10 drugs for which Medicare would begin to negotiate prices with pharmaceutical companies, Republicans stayed mostly quiet. They deprived Democrats of a fight.

But Republicans haven’t remained completely quiet about their opposition, and Biden’s campaign and other Democrats are likely to emphasize the contrast as the campaign picks up. They will try to pick more fights. One example: After Senator Tim Scott, a potential Trump running mate, introduced a measure this spring to repeal Biden’s limit on credit-card late fees, prominent Democrats like Chuck Schumer and Elizabeth Warren highlighted the issue.

Scott’s measure has little chance of becoming law while Biden is president. But if Trump returns to the White House and Republicans take control of Congress, they may well repeal several of Biden’s most popular policies and hope that voters don’t punish them too much for it. A goal of Biden’s campaign, Democrats say, will be to highlight that possibility.

Related: Some Democrats are urging Biden to make “greedflation” — blaming corporations for price increases — a central campaign theme.** ...

*A Global Inflation Crisis

Big price increases are not exclusive to the U.S.

By German Lopez | July 26, 2022

Inflation has dominated the news about America’s economy in recent months as prices for food, gas and other goods have increased faster than they have in four decades.

But inflation is a global phenomenon right now — and the U.S. has actually fared better than other countries in recent months. In June, consumer prices in the U.S. increased 9.1 percent over the previous year; they increased 9.6 percent across the E.U. in the same time period.

Much of the public discussion about inflation in the U.S. has focused on domestic problems, particularly President Biden’s policies. Critics argue that the American Rescue Plan, the pandemic relief bill that Biden signed into law 16 months ago, has supercharged consumer demand by sending $1.9 trillion to Americans, state governments and other programs. As higher demand has chased limited supplies of goods, prices have soared.

The law has certainly played a role in increased inflation, economists say. But the global trends suggest that focusing solely on the U.S.’s role misses a big part of the story — how external forces have driven up prices, too.

In today’s newsletter, I want to look at the main causes of inflation and why they might be difficult to fix.

Common causes

The big factors that drove up inflation in the U.S. also affected the rest of the world: the disruption of supply chains by both the pandemic and Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, and soaring consumer demand for goods.

But increasing inflation has played out differently in different countries, said Jason Furman, an economist at Harvard University. The U.S.’s earlier, bigger price spike had different causes than Europe’s more recent increase. (Countries differ in how they calculate price changes, but economists still find comparisons of the available data useful.)

In the U.S., demand has played a bigger role in inflation than it has elsewhere. That is likely a result of not just the American Rescue Plan but also economic relief measures enacted by Donald Trump. Altogether, the U.S. spent more to prevent economic catastrophe during the pandemic than most of the world did. That led to a stronger recovery, but also to greater inflation. ...

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**Whose Fault Is Inflation? Liberals Want Biden to Blame Big Business.

“Greedflation” is a moniker about corporate price increases that has bolstered some Democratic senators, and now the president is being encouraged to lean in on the issue for his economic messaging.

By Nicholas Nehamas, Jim Tankersley and Kellen Browning | June 6, 2024

As high prices at grocery stores, gas pumps and pharmacies have soured many voters on his first term, President Biden has developed a populist riposte: Blame big corporations for inflation, not me.

But despite facing a tough re-election battle where economic issues will be central, Mr. Biden has not leaned into that message as frequently or naturally as some other Democrats, including senators running in competitive seats across the southwest and the industrial Midwest. The Biden campaign has not focused its television or online advertisements on messages berating companies for high prices, unlike Senators Bob Casey of Pennsylvania and Sherrod Brown of Ohio, who have made the issue a centerpiece of their campaigns — and who are outrunning Mr. Biden in polls.

Now, some progressives are urging Mr. Biden to follow those senators’ lead and make “greedflation,” as they call it, a driving theme of his re-election bid. They say that taking the fight to big business could bolster the broader Main Street vs. Wall Street argument he is pursuing against former President Donald J. Trump, particularly with the working-class voters of color Mr. Biden needs to motivate. And they believe polls show voters are primed to hear the president condemn big corporations in more forceful terms.

“It’s a winning message for Democrats,” said April Verrett, the president of the Service Employees International Union, which is knocking on doors in battleground states as part of a $200 million voter-turnout operation. “And clearly Bob Casey, who’s doing better in the polls than the president, is proving that it’s the winning message.”

Inflation soared under Mr. Biden in 2021 and 2022, as the economy emerged from pandemic recession. Its causes were complex, including snarled global supply chains, stimulative policies by the Federal Reserve and, to a degree, federal fiscal policies including Covid relief bills signed by Mr. Trump and the $1.9 trillion emergency spending measure Mr. Biden signed soon after taking office to help people and businesses hurt by the downturn.

What Republicans call “Bidenflation” has become one of the president’s biggest political liabilities in his rematch with Mr. Trump. In response, Mr. Biden has sought to simultaneously cheer progress in stabilizing or bringing down prices — growth has slowed sharply from a year ago — while acknowledging the pain voters still feel in their pocketbooks.

Mr. Biden has also attacked corporations for pricing practices in certain sectors such as meatpacking, snack foods, concert tickets and gasoline. His administration has worked to limit prices for prescription drugs like insulin and inhalers, rein in bank overdraft and credit card fees and make airline travel cheaper and more transparent, achievements that he often discusses on the campaign trail.

“We’re taking on corporate greed to bring down the price of gas, food and rent, eliminating junk fees,” Mr. Biden told a crowd of 1,000 cheering supporters in Philadelphia last week.

Still, leaning into that combative message is not always a natural fit for Mr. Biden. He proudly calls himself a “capitalist” and has long had a close, if sometimes contentious, relationship with corporate America. Some economists close to his White House disagree that corporations’ raising prices to juice profits is a major driver of inflation.

And while Mr. Biden delights in telling a folksy anecdote about Snickers bars shrinking in size without doing the same in price, other Democrats have sounded far more aggressive on the issue. The push to blame corporations has united many factions of the Democratic Party, including progressives, swing-state populists, union leaders and environmentalists.

Mr. Brown, who represents a state that Mr. Trump won handily in 2020, has released several web ads proclaiming he is “cracking down on the companies that rip off Ohio.” Mr. Casey cut a campaign ad showing corporate executives in suits sneaking into a grocery store under cover of night and switching out cereal boxes for smaller replacements. Senate Democrats in tight races like Tammy Baldwin of Wisconsin and Jacky Rosen of Nevada are making similar pitches.

“President Biden has quite a bit of latitude here to put the blame where it belongs and he should not be shy about voicing it,” said Julián Castro, the former Housing and Urban Development secretary who ran against Mr. Biden for the Democratic nomination in 2020. “The alternative is that they’re going to blame you.”

But some of Mr. Biden’s progressive allies say the president has found effective — and popular — ways to talk about corporate pricing practices, including his focus on “junk fees” levied by airlines, concert promoters and more. They also say he must balance the issue with a broad set of campaign messages, including on abortion and democracy.

“You’re going to be more focused on kitchen-table issues in a Senate race,” said Lindsay Owens, executive director of the progressive Groundwork Collaborative in Washington. Mr. Biden, she added, is “doing the exact right thing. He’s not focusing on the wonky, eggheaded debates on where inflation is coming from, and he’s focusing a lot more on the ways Americans are feeling and experiencing price increases in their daily lives.”

The liberal argument that corporate greed has driven prices higher flows from a recent surge in corporate profits, notching record highs after the pandemic. They say many companies, particularly in industries with relatively little competition, have used the reopening of the economy to test how aggressively they can raise prices. ...

And the article below is from the above-mentioned June 7th, 2024 'On Politics' email:

Trump Defends Vow to Prosecute Rivals, Saying ‘Sometimes Revenge Can Be Justified’

In recent days, sympathetic interviewers, including Dr. Phil gave Donald Trump the chance to walk back or soften his vows of retribution, but he backed his position against Democrats.

By Chris Cameron | June 6, 2024

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This is the USA Today article which I received for June 7th, 2024: (I am a subscriber to the USA Today 'Unlimited Digital Access' Subscription.)

The following is the USA Today article that I read today, June 7th, 2024, from an email that I received today:

And the excerpt below is from the above-mentioned June 7th, 2024 'The Daily Briefing' email introduction to the USA Today article below:

Extremist groups in U.S. have nearly doubled since 2021, report finds

The annual report from the SPLC [Southern Poverty Law Center] raises the specter of far-right groups. Also: Pro-migrant groups are being harassed for their work.

READ MORE ...

Far-right extremist groups show surging growth, new annual study shows

Plus: Attacks on border charities, state trooper fired; Epoch Times executive indicted. It's the week in extremism, from USA TODAY.

By Will Carless | June 7, 2024

Far-right extremist groups are actively working to undermine U.S. democracy and are organizing in record numbers, according to an annual report from the Southern Poverty Law Center. Meanwhile, extremist groups have been targeting faith-based groups that assist migrants on the U.S.-Mexico border, and a New Jersey state trooper is fired for having a racist tattoo.

It’s the week in extremism.

Far-right extremists suffered a blow in the wake of the Jan. 6 insurrection. More than 1,000 people were charged and key leaders were imprisoned, some for decades. But a new annual report from the Southern Poverty Law Center suggests the far-right has regrouped and is taking aim at democratic institutions across the country. ...

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This is the Time Magazine article which I received for June 7th, 2024: (I am a subscriber to the Time Magazine 'INSIDER Digital' Subscription.)

The following is the Time Magazine article that I read today, June 7th, 2024, from 'The Brief' email that I received today:

New Poll Shows Biden and Trump Voters Are Living Different Realities

By Philip Elliott | June 6, 2024

For about half of this country, former President Donald Trump’s boorish behavior is reason enough to pass on signing up for another four years of his bombast in the White House. Even after his 34 felony convictions last week, the ex-President seemed incapable of demonstrating contrition or remorse, and appeared ready to defy anything that ran afoul of his self-confidence. It all seems like a lot to stomach, and knowingly so.

But if you actually take a moment to study the universe of Americans—especially American voters who support Trump—it becomes apparent really quickly just how well the billionaire reality star understands his base, and in particular their views of nostalgia for a past that wasn’t quite as “great” as they like to believe. It might seem alien to those who back President Joe Biden, but it’s worth remembering that his base is just as mysterious to Trump’s constituents.

A massive new poll from the Pew Research Center asked thousands of Americans about virtually every major culture war issue, from guns to abortion to marriage equality. Many of the results are exactly what you would expect. But a few responses do a particularly good job at illuminating how a large chunk of this nation of immigrants remains deeply uncomfortable with the prospect of America continuing to change and becoming more diverse.

What polite society would deem far afield from acceptable rhetoric, Trump’s loyalists and Biden’s stans see as obvious truths. Consider the following:

• Asked if white people declining as a share of the total U.S. population is good or bad for society, 39% of Trump supporters said it was bad. Among Biden supporters, 10% took the same view.
• Among Biden voters, 79% say slavery’s legacy still affects Black people, while just 27% of Trump supporters agree.
• A decade after the Supreme Court extended marriage equality to all Americans with the Obergefell ruling, Biden supporters were more than five times as likely as Trump supporters to say the expansion of marriage equality was good for society, with a 57%-11% split.
• Regarding the more than 10 million immigrants in the U.S. without legal status, most Trump supporters—63%—want “a national law enforcement effort to deport undocumented immigrants.” Among Biden supporters, that number sinks to 11%. ...

And I decided to highlight these articles from the various news organizations above via Google news searches—as well as from The New York Times, USA Today and Time Magazine—for you, my readers, to consider reading too! –Paul Whiting (written June 10th, 2024 and revised June 21st, 2024)

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June 10th, 2024 Update No. 2: I received an email from Planned Parenthood Action Fund today, June 10th, 2024, with the subject line, "MATCH: Your impact doubled for reproductive rights", which stated the following:

Name: Paul Whiting
Profile ID: [redacted]

Match: OFFER UNCLAIMED
Deadline: MIDNIGHT FRIDAY

PLANNED PARENTHOOD ACTION FUND

Paul, it's been two years since the U.S. Supreme Court overturned Roe v. Wade. 21 states have bans on some or all abortions in place.

Imagine what things could look like in two more years, five more, ten more… if we don't fight [with all of our might] right now.

I'm counting on you, Paul, to recommit to the fight by making a gift to protect our reproductive rights during this crucial time. Right now, your impact can be doubled up to a total of $250,000 when you give by midnight on June 14.

People traveling hundreds or thousands of miles to receive health care. Doctors fleeing states in fear of being prosecuted for doing their jobs. The lives of pregnant people being debated in courtrooms across the country. That's the reality we're living in.

Please, make your gift to Planned Parenthood Action Fund now and it will be matched dollar-for-dollar.

As we face continued attacks on abortion and other essential care, we need to come together. It will take every single one of us to win this fight.

There are more of us. We are stronger. And we will not back down.

In solidarity,

[Name redacted], [Title redacted]
Planned Parenthood Action Fund

MATCH MY GIFT***

Visit plannedparenthoodaction.org

...Alright, I have a big announcement to make: I am no longer donating to individual political campaigns for the foreseeable future—or as determined by me on a case-by-case basis!

And I have made this decision based upon how much these individual political campaign donations are costing in my 'monthly donating budget'—even though I am only donating $3.00 with a $0.21 tip to ActBlue—since I totally changed the way that I approach how I calculate what I am spending on my credit card each month, starting in 2024! So now, I take the total amount that I have available in my monthly budget for my minimum payment on my credit card—as well as my extra payment—and I calculate how much I am reducing that amount each time that I charge on my credit card.

That way, I am very aware of the amount by which I am reducing my total available credit card payments for the month (the minimum payment and the extra payment) in order to, hopefully, pay more on my credit card than I am spending! Plus, I am also utilizing some funds from my budgeted expenses, as well as some funds from my savings, to make sure that I am paying a little more than I am spending while—at the same time—I am also trying to spend less on my credit card.

Therefore, at the start of 2024, I calculated that I could still make ONE $3.00 donation per political campaign for the entire election cycle. And that means after I have made that one donation per campaign—regardless of whether I donated in 2023, or 2024—I have only donated once per campaign, which is what I have been doing so far!

However, it's still more than I can afford given my 'monthly donating budget,' which is why I have decided to stop donating to individual political campaigns entirely—or as determined by me on a case-by-case basis. And so, I will still be making some donations to individual political campaigns (such as to Joe Biden's campaign for President of the United States, or to local campaigns here in Oregon), but I am not donating like I have been up until this point—which has been virtually every time that I have received a political campaign donation request via email or text message—because I seriously cannot afford to donate that much for the rest of the 2024 Presidential Election cycle, as well as for the foreseeable future.

And to clarify one more thing: In the past, I used to only donate to the main Democratic fundraising and coordinating organizations—rather than to individual campaigns—since that's all I really could afford given my 'monthly spending budget,' because I am "low income." Plus, those Democratic fundraising and coordinating organizations help all of the individual political campaigns with funding, which is why I used to only donate to those main organizations! And I only started donating to individual political campaigns in 2022, since I was "doing everything in my power to help Democrats win in the 2022 Midterm Elections!" Therefore, this decision to stop donating to individual political campaigns (with the exception of presidential campaigns and local campaigns, or as determined by me on a case-by-case basis) is really just going back to the way that I used to make political donations.

In addition to that, I used to donate "$5.00 per political organization"; however, starting on May 12th, 2024, I decided to adjust that amount, so that I can donate to more political organizations and PACs (Political Action Committees) while I am still staying within my 'monthly donating budget.'

Thus, as I partially explained above, for the rest of the 2024 election cycle—as well as for the foreseeable future—I have made a goal of donating $3.00 per local political campaign only here in Oregon (with a 7% tip to ActBlue of $0.21), or as determined by me on a case-by-case basis; and a goal of donating $4.00 per political organization for donation requests via email or text message (with a 7% tip to ActBlue of $0.28), or as determined by me on a case-by-case basis; as well as a goal of donating $5.00 per political organization, or per PAC, for donation requests via the regular mail (with a 7% tip to ActBlue of $0.35), or as determined by me on a case-by-case basis.

To sum it up, then: I am essentially keeping the same total individual campaign donation amount of $3.21, but I am only donating to local campaigns here in Oregon, or as determined by me on a case-by-case basis; and I am reducing the total donation amount for political organizations and PACs for email and text message donation requests to $4.28 (from $5.35), or as determined by me on a case-by-case basis; plus, I am reducing the total donation amount for political organizations and PACs for regular mail donation requests to $5.35 (from $7.51), or as determined by me on a case-by-case basis.

So, without further ado...

The only political communication to which I responded was an email from Ban Assault Weapons NOW PAC [Ban Assault Weapons NOW (BAWN) Political Action Committee, or BAWN PAC] today, June 11th, 2024, with the subject line, "We need to tell you about our son, Jerry", which stated, in part, the following:

Paul, we want to share the story of our son Jerry, who was slaughtered eight years ago alongside 48 others inside of Pulse Nightclub in Orlando, Florida, by a gunman with an assault weapon. But if you’re short on time, can you chip in $5 to help Ban Assault Weapons NOW’s work to elect gun safety champions who will pass a ban on assault weapons like the one that stole our son from us? We can’t tell you how much your support would mean to us. >>***

Paul, tomorrow marks eight years since we turned on the TV, only to see our son Jerry’s car outside of Pulse Nightclub in the coverage.

We prayed we were wrong – but it was at that moment that we knew: Our son was among the 49 innocent lives stolen that night at the barrel of an assault rifle.

An assault rifle that, when we identified his body, had completely destroyed his chest.

But we don’t want Jerry to be remembered that way.

Because it’s impossible to describe just how special Jerry was.

He was silly, sweet, and friendly; he would've done anything for his friends and family.

He was the kind of kid who would call us every morning and every night.

We couldn't have asked for a better son.

The horror of losing your child is unimaginable. Eight years later, we’re still just as heartbroken about his murder as we were the day it happened.

But, Paul, we’re also enraged.

Because for eight long years, assault weapons have been allowed to continue roaming our streets, tearing even more families like ours apart.

So, we’re honoring Jerry the best way we know how by taking this fight into our own hands and working to finally get a federal assault weapons ban passed and these weapons of war out of our communities for good.

That’s why we’re proud to support BAWN’s work to elect gun safety champions dedicated to passing this critical ban and keeping even more parents from knowing the pain of losing their child to an assault weapon. Paul, we’re personally asking you to step up and chip in $5 now to help honor Jerry and the 48 other innocents massacred at Parkland eight years ago tomorrow. BAWN is fighting relentlessly to elect a gun safety majority who will FINALLY pass a ban on assault weapons – and to REMOVE every single lawmaker standing in the way of this lifesaving ban. So, can we count on you? The more you give, the more funds BAWN can rush to gun safety candidates committed to protecting our families by banning assault weapons. >>

[✓] Chip in $5 now >>***
[  ] Chip in $10 now >>
[  ] Chip in $15 now >>
[  ] Chip in $20 now >>
[  ] Chip in another amount now >>

No parent should have to go through what we went through.

Thank you for bringing us closer to a reality in which weapons of war no longer devastate families and communities across our country.

Thank you,
[Names redacted]
[Affilations redacted]
[Titles redacted] of Ban Assault Weapons NOW

RUSH IN A CONTRIBUTION!

BAWN is working tirelessly to kick every coward who refuses to ban assault weapons out of office and elect critical gun safety champions in their place but we can't fully fund our campaign alone.

Will you rush in a gift before midnight? The more you give, the more we give to gun safety champions.

Donate immediately:

Your contribution will benefit Ban Assault Weapons NOW PAC.

[  ] Donate $25 →

[  ] Donate $50 →

[  ] Donate $100 →

[  ] Donate $250 →

[  ] Donate $500 →

[  ] Donate $1,000 →

[✓] Other amount $5.00

Please leave a tip for ActBlue

Power the nonprofit fundraising platform Democratic candidates & progressive causes rely on.

[  ] Add $2 tip

[  ] Leave no tip

[✓] Add custom amount $0.35 (7%)

And so, I made a one-time donation to Ban Assault Weapons NOW PAC (BAWN PAC) (with a tip to ActBlue) in order to "help honor Jerry and the 48 other innocents massacred at Parkland eight years ago tomorrow."

Thus, this one Political Action Committee (PAC)—Ban Assault Weapons NOW PAC (BAWN PAC)—is the PAC that I donated to today! –Paul Whiting (written June 11th, 2024 and revised July 11th, 2024)

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For my "June 14th, 2024 Update No. 1"—since this 'update' is a part of my ⋆USO⋆ donations—please see my blog post titled, "My Point Of View On...Giving Charity And Accepting Charity," which can be found on both of my "Paul Whiting — Math Magician" and "Paul Whiting — A Creative Writer" blogs. An introduction to the 'update' can be found below:

June 14th, 2024 Update No. 1: Flag Day is yearly (annually) on June 14th!

And I read an NBC article today, June 14th, 2024, which is titled, "The American Legion weighs in on upside-down American flags," while I was doing my occasional news searches on Google, which I do as often as I can manage. A simplified overview to the article can be found below:

"The American Legion weighs in on upside-down American flags" from NBC News

The American Legion said flags should be flown upside down only if there is “extreme danger to life or property.”

By Megan Lebowitz | June 13, 2024

WASHINGTON — The veteran organization the American Legion weighed in on the upside-down American flag controversy on Thursday, noting that flags should only be flown this way if there is "extreme danger to life or property." ...

... "The American flag is a symbol of courage, strength, freedom and democracy," said the American Legion National Commander Daniel Seehafer in a statement to NBC News. "American Legion members swore with their lives to protect all that the flag stands for."

Seehafer pointed to the Flag Code, a detailed set of guidelines laying out how the American flag should be displayed, as evidence the flag should not be inverted unless to signal distress.

"Our organization also led the creation of the U.S. Flag Code, which includes the following: ‘The flag should never be displayed with the union down, except as a signal of dire distress in instances of extreme danger to life or property,’” Seehafer said. ...

Besides that, in observance of Flag Day, I did a search on Google for "Flag Day USO" and found an article on the USO.org website titled, "When is Flag Day and Five Must-Know American Flag Facts." A brief introduction to the article can be found below:

"When is Flag Day and Five Must-Know American Flag Facts" from the USO

By Mike Case | Wednesday, Jun 14, 2023

“Resolved, that the Flag of the thirteen United States shall be thirteen stripes, alternate red and white; that the Union be thirteen stars, white on a blue field, representing a new constellation.” – Saturday, June 14, 1777; Journals of the Continental Congress

There are many famous stories about the American flag, from Betsy Ross to the Marines raising the flag on Iwo Jima, to firefighters raising the flag at Ground Zero in New York after 9/11.

To help celebrate Flag Day on June 14, which is the “birthday” of the American flag, here are 5 less well-known facts that you might not know about the “Red, White and Blue”: ...

Please see the hyperlink below for the article:

https://www.uso.org/stories/2768-when-is-flag-day-and-five-must-know-american-flag-facts

And even before I read the article above—since I was already planning to donate—I made a one-time donation on the USO.org website in order to support the USO's following statement: "For more than 80 years, it has been the USO's mission to strengthen the well-being of the people serving in America’s military and their families. But we're not a government agency, and rely on individual supporters like you to fund the programs that make the biggest difference for our service members."

In addition to that, I already make a recurring monthly donation to the USO in order to show my support for our U.S. Military Personnel! You see, I usually make one-time donations to the USO each month—as often as I can manage when they request a donation via email or text message. Therefore, I am planning to continue making one-time donations to the USO in the future, as often as I can manage to make donations, in addition to making the aforementioned recurring monthly donation. ...

Please see the hyperlinks below for the post, within which you can do a find-in-page search for the 'update' labeled, "June 14th, 2024 Update No. 1":

https://paulwhitingmath.blogspot.com/2015/05/my-point-of-view-on-charity.html

https://paulwhitingwriting.blogspot.com/2022/07/my-point-of-view-on-part-16-giving-to.html

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June 14th, 2024 Update No. 2: I received a text message today, June 14th, 2024, from Brady: United Against Gun Violence, which stated the following:

🚨 𝗧𝗵𝗲 𝗦𝘂𝗽𝗿𝗲𝗺𝗲 𝗖𝗼𝘂𝗿𝘁 𝗷𝘂𝘀𝘁 𝗵𝗮𝗻𝗱𝗲𝗱 𝗱𝗼𝘄𝗻 𝗮 𝗱𝗲𝗮𝗱𝗹𝘆 𝗱𝗲𝗰𝗶𝘀𝗶𝗼𝗻 𝘁𝗵𝗮𝘁 𝗽𝗹𝗮𝘆𝘀 𝗿𝗶𝗴𝗵𝘁 𝗶𝗻𝘁𝗼 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗴𝘂𝗻 𝗹𝗼𝗯𝗯𝘆'𝘀 𝗵𝗮𝗻𝗱𝘀. 𝗪𝗲 𝗻𝗲𝗲𝗱 𝘆𝗼𝘂𝗿 𝗵𝗲𝗹𝗽 𝘁𝗼 𝗳𝗶𝗴𝗵𝘁 𝗯𝗮𝗰𝗸. 🚨

𝘽𝙪𝙢𝙥 𝙨𝙩𝙤𝙘𝙠𝙨 𝗮𝗿𝗲 𝗱𝗲𝘃𝗶𝗰𝗲𝘀 𝘁𝗵𝗮𝘁 𝗲𝗻𝗮𝗯𝗹𝗲 𝘀𝗲𝗺𝗶-𝗮𝘂𝘁𝗼𝗺𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗰 𝗳𝗶𝗿𝗲𝗮𝗿𝗺𝘀 𝘁𝗼 𝗯𝗲 𝗰𝗼𝗻𝘃𝗲𝗿𝘁𝗲𝗱 𝗶𝗻𝘁𝗼 𝗺𝗮𝗰𝗵𝗶𝗻𝗲 𝗴𝘂𝗻𝘀 – they were banned by ATF after a bump stock was used to kill 60 people in the deadliest shooting in modern American history at a music festival in Las Vegas.

And today, the Supreme Court struck down that regulation, putting them back into civilian hands and putting all of us at risk.

𝗖𝗼𝗻𝗴𝗿𝗲𝘀𝘀 𝗺𝘂𝘀𝘁 𝘁𝗮𝗸𝗲 𝗮𝗰𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻 𝘁𝗼 𝗰𝗼𝗿𝗿𝗲𝗰𝘁 𝘁𝗵𝗶𝘀 𝗲𝗴𝗿𝗲𝗴𝗶𝗼𝘂𝘀 𝗱𝗲𝗰𝗶𝘀𝗶𝗼𝗻. 𝗪𝗲'𝗿𝗲 𝗰𝗮𝗹𝗹𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗼𝗻 𝟭𝟬,𝟬𝟬𝟬 𝗮𝗰𝘁𝗶𝘃𝗶𝘀𝘁𝘀 𝘁𝗼 𝗮𝗱𝗱 𝘁𝗵𝗲𝗶𝗿 𝗻𝗮𝗺𝗲 𝘁𝗼 𝗕𝗿𝗮𝗱𝘆'𝘀 𝘂𝗿𝗴𝗲𝗻𝘁 𝗽𝗲𝘁𝗶𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻 𝘁𝗼 𝗖𝗼𝗻𝗴𝗿𝗲𝘀𝘀 𝗱𝗲𝗺𝗮𝗻𝗱𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗮 𝗯𝗮𝗻 𝗼𝗻 𝗯𝘂𝗺𝗽 𝘀𝘁𝗼𝗰𝗸𝘀. 𝗔𝗗𝗗 𝗬𝗢𝗨𝗥 𝗡𝗔𝗠𝗘 𝗡𝗢𝗪. >> txt.brady.org/1eNuRYmE556im

–Team Brady

And, after I read the text message above, I clicked on the hyperlink to the referenced webpage, the relevant text of which can be found below:

Urge Congress: Ban Bump Stocks NOW!

The Supreme Court just put bumpstocks back into the hands of civilians. We need to pass legislation to regulate these weapons of war NOW, before tragedy strikes again.

These accessories turn semi-automatic firearms into the functional equivalent of machineguns. However, the Supreme Court has upheld a decision striking down the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives' rule classifying them as such. That means bumpstocks — the tool that was used to kill 60 people and wound hundreds of others in Las Vegas — will once again be on gun store shelves. Take action now and tell your lawmakers to support legislation to regulate bump stocks NOW!

Details

First Name: Paul
Last Name Whiting
Street Address: [redacted]
Postal Code: [redacted]
City: [redacted]
State/Province: [redacted]
Email: [redacted]
Mobile Phone: [redacted]

Message Recipients

[Title and Name redacted]

[Title and Name redacted]

[Title and Name redacted]

Send the following messages

Subject: Please Support Closing the Bump Stock Loophole

Dear Congress,

As your constituent and supporter of Brady (www.bradyunited.org), I ask that you please bring H.R. 396, Closing the Bump Stock Loophole Act of 2023, which would regulate bump stocks, to an immediate vote and support its passage.

In the aftermath of the U.S. Supreme Court’s decision in Garland v. Cargill, where the Court upheld the Fifth Circuit Court of Appeals’ decision to strike down the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) rule that prohibited the production, sale, and possession of bump stocks, this bill is more important than ever.

Bump stocks are devices that enable semiautomatic firearms to be converted into machine guns. These devices are uniquely lethal and have already devastated communities by enabling one person to fire off hundreds of rounds in just seconds. In 2017, a bump stock was used in the Las Vegas shooting that killed 60 people and left over 400 others with gunshot wounds. In this case, the bump stock meant that the shooter was able to fire off more than 1,000 bullets in mere minutes.

After the Las Vegas shooting brought light to the destruction these weapons enable, there was powerful bipartisan support to protect our communities by regulating bump stocks. Members of Congress from both parties, state and local officials, and even the National Rifle Association recognized the need to strictly regulate bump stock devices given their ability to transform semi-automatic firearms into machine guns. These events led the ATF, under the Trump administration, to clarify that bump stocks are classified as machineguns.

But now, that life-saving rule is being undone and the regulatory power of the ATF is being restricted because of this Supreme Court decision. However, you have the power to change this. By passing H.R. 396, Congress can ensure that bump stocks are regulated and protect Americans. This bill could help prevent a tragedy like the Las Vegas massacre from ever happening again.

So please, bring the Closing the Bump Stock Loophole Act of 2023 to a vote NOW and support its passage. Thank you for your time and consideration on this important issue. My community is counting on your support.

Sincerely,

Paul Whiting
[Address, City, State and ZIP Code redacted]
[Email redacted]

Send all messages

And so, I sent the letter above to my Representative and Senators in Congress, via the EveryAction Brady Campaign website, in order to request that Congress "bring H.R. 396, Closing the Bump Stock Loophole Act of 2023, which would regulate bump stocks, to an immediate vote and support its passage" because, "in the aftermath of the U.S. Supreme Court’s decision in Garland v. Cargill, where the Court upheld the Fifth Circuit Court of Appeals’ decision to strike down the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) rule that prohibited the production, sale, and possession of bump stocks, this bill is more important than ever." –Paul Whiting (June 14th, 2024)

P.S.: Just so you know, I used to make one-time donations to the organization that is the subject of these 'updates' each time that I took an action as requested by that organization; however, "I have changed the way that I make donations to political, progressive and charitable organizations each month ... due to the fact that I have been spending a considerable percentage of my monthly income on all of these donations." (The reader should know that I am HIV-positive with full-blown AIDS. And I am on Social Security Disability Insurance, or SSDI, so my income is quite limited.) Therefore, "I am greatly reducing the number of times that I donate for the same organization per month down to once—or as determined by me on a case-by-case basis." (Please see my 'August 19th, 2023 Update,' which can be found above.) Thus, because I have already donated to Brady: United Against Gun Violence on June 7th, 2024 (please see my 'June 7th, 2024 Update No. 2, Which Also Discusses June 3rd, 2024' that can be found above) that is the one-time donation which I made to Brady: United Against Gun Violence for June 2024.

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For my "June 16th, 2024 Update No. 1"—since this 'update' is a part of my ⋆USO⋆ donations—please see my blog post titled, "My Point Of View On...Giving Charity And Accepting Charity," which can be found on both of my "Paul Whiting — Math Magician" and "Paul Whiting — A Creative Writer" blogs. An introduction to the 'update' can be found below:

June 16th, 2024 Update No. 1: Happy Father's Day, everyone! In celebration of Father's Day, I did a Google search for "Father's Day USO" and found the following USO (United Service Organizations) search result regarding Father's Day:

United Service Organizations

Celebrate Military Dads!

This Father's Day, help us honor dads who serve. Choose from our list, or write something from your heart. Select Message ...

And, after I read the search results above, I clicked on the hyperlink to the referenced webpage, the relevant text of which can be found below:

★★★USO★★★

12,000 signatures needed to hit our goal!

→→→→→4,809

This Father's Day, help us honor dads who serve. Choose from our list, or write something from your heart.

Select Message:

[  ] I'm grateful to all military fathers!

[✓] Happy Father's Day, military dad!

[  ] Thanks for being a dad, and a hero!

[  ] I support military dads!

[  ] Military dads rock!

[  ] Write Your Own Message

Sincerely,

First Name: Paul
Last Name: Whiting
Email: [redacted]

SIGN THE CARD

---------------------------------------------

Thanks for signing the card! Will you take a few minutes to complete a quick survey about supporting all of our nation's heroes?

From scorching deserts in Iraqi summers to frozen mountaintops in Afghan winters, our troops endure harsh conditions to keep folks like us safe. How important is it to you to support our service members deployed far from home?

[✓] Extremely important
[  ] Very important
[  ] Somewhat important
[  ] Not at all important

The USO gives our service members the support they need to keep their spirits up, from phone calls home to A- list entertainment. Do you think it's important to keep troops' morale high by letting them know patriotic Americans back home stand with them?

[✓] Yes
[  ] No

Hundreds of thousands of service members are currently deployed overseas, putting themselves in harm's way in dangerous combat zones like Iraq and Afghanistan. Have you or a family member or friend ever served in the military?

[✓] Yes
[  ] No

Our service members make incredible sacrifices to keep us safe, missing special moments like the first day of school or a baby's first steps while deployed far from home. How important do you think it is to help our troops stay connected to family back home during deployment?

[✓] Extremely important
[  ] Important
[  ] Somewhat important
[  ] Not at all important

A Navy lieutenant commander recently told us that USO Care Packages are a "constant reminder to those of us out 'in the sandbox' that we are not forgotten and folks back home actually care."

Now, as we work to deliver our brave service members a touch of home, we need to ask for your support.

It takes a lot of time, coordination and money to get our care packages to more than 175,000 service members who are away from their families, sacrificing so much defending our freedoms. The USO is not a government agency — we rely on the generosity and patriotism of citizens like you.

Help us make sure that we have the resources to support our troops. Will you please donate by MIDNIGHT tonight to send a little bit of home to our service members and show them how thankful you are?

[✓] Yes, I'll donate $25!*
[  ] Yes, I'll donate $50!
[  ] Yes, I'll donate $75!
[  ] No, I don't want to donate to support our service members today.

*[Blogger's Note: I selected this option—although I donated less than $25—because it's an option that got me to the donation webpage!]

---------------------------------------------

Support America's Service Members!

For more than 30 years, has been the USO's mission to strengthen the well-being of the people serving in America's military and their families. But we're not a govemment agency, and rely on individual supporters like you to fund the programs that make the biggest difference for our service members.

Donate today so we can continue to provide individualized support to our service members every day.

SUPPORT OUR TROOPS

[  ] $25
[  ] $50
[  ] $75
[  ] $100
[  ] $250
[✓] $ 10.00

And so, I signed the USO Father's Day card in order to "honor dads who serve." Plus, after I signed the card, I made a one-time donation on the USO.org website to say to our military dads, "Happy Father's Day, military dad!" ...

Please see the hyperlinks below for the post, within which you can do a find-in-page search for the 'update' labeled, "June 16th, 2024 Update No. 1":

https://paulwhitingmath.blogspot.com/2015/05/my-point-of-view-on-charity.html

https://paulwhitingwriting.blogspot.com/2022/07/my-point-of-view-on-part-16-giving-to.html

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June 16th, 2024 Update No. 2, Which Also Discusses May 18th, 2024: Happy Father's Day, everyone!

[Blogger's Note: This 'update' that I am writing today, June 16th, 2024, is for donations that I made as part of my series of donations for the month of June to Democratic fundraising and coordinating political organizations—and to one campaign—regarding the national races for the House of Representatives (the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee), the Senate (the Democratic Senatorial Campaign Committee) and the President of the United States (the Democratic National Committee and Biden for President, or the Biden Victory Fund), as well as the state races for the Governors (the Democratic Governors Association), the Secretaries of State (the Democratic Association of Secretaries of State), the Attorneys General (the Democratic Attorneys General Association) and the State Legislatures (the Democratic Legislative Campaign Committee), during this sixth month of the year for the 2024 Presidential Election. In addition to that, I made a donation to my local Democratic fundraising and coordinating organization (Democratic Party of Oregon). Plus, I made donations to Political Action Committees (PACs) that are doing the following: helping to elect political candidates who are working to stop global warming (Jane Fonda Climate PAC); helping to elect candidates who are pro-choice women (EMILYs List); helping to elect candidates who are U.S. Veterans (VoteVets); helping young people to vote (Voters of Tomorrow PAC); and helping to elect gun safety champions in Congress (Ban Assault Weapons NOW PAC); as well as helping to mobilize Black voters (Rolling Sea Action Fund). Besides that, I made a donation to a civic engagement organization that is helping to educate and empower a new generation of Latinx voters (Voto Latino).]

I received a mailer from the Democratic National Committee (DNC) twenty nine days ago on May 18th, 2024, with a 'front teaser message' on the envelope that read, "Dedicated supporters like you make all the difference. See the impact you're making!", which stated the following:

[I used to hand-type the text of the documents from these types of mailers on my smartphone; however, it takes a lot of time and energy in order to hand-type these kinds of documents: so, instead, I scanned and copied the documents using Google Lens! Then, I edited the copy of said documents to include all of the italicizing, bolding and/or underscoring where applicable.]

PRESIDENT JOE BIDEN

Mr. Whiting,

In 2020, I ran for president because I thought everything this country stood for and everything I believed in was at risk — our democracy was at stake, a pandemic was raging, and the economy was reeling. But look how far we've come since then.

Together, we vaccinated America to get through that pandemic; we created 15 million new jobs to get this economy going strong; we passed the American Rescue Plan to put $1,400 in people's pockets at the time, helping cut child poverty in half; and so much more.

This election is about each of us asking ourselves: What kind of country do we want to live in?

Everyone deserves to live in a democracy with dignity rooted in freedom, fairness, opportunity, justice, and truth; based on promises made and promises kept. That's the America we're building together.

But Donald Trump is willing to sacrifice our democracy to put himself in power. He said he would be a dictator on day one and would terminate parts of the U.S. Constitution if it suits his reelection. He consistently refused to denounce political violence. Let me be clear: There's no confusion about who he is and what he intends to do.

The MAGA movement led by Trump is waging attacks on voting rights, pushing for a national abortion ban that prohibits lifesaving medical care for women, stripping health coverage away from millions of Americans by repealing the Affordable Care Act, and denying communities the commonsense safety measures to protect against gun violence.

Mr. Whiting, this November, your freedom is on the ballot. But we can only preserve our freedoms and make our country work for all by electing Democrats up and down the ballot. You have given generously before, and we are so appreciative of your commitment to saving democracy. I am humbly asking you to send an additional grassroots gift of $35, $55, $70, or more to the Democratic National Committee today.

There is nothing we can't accomplish if we work together. But in order to move the country forward, we need to elect Democrats to office this November who will continue fighting to open the doors of opportunity to all — not closing it shut behind them.

When you give to the DNC, you are helping secure the resources Democrats all over the country need to win on Election Day. Your support builds up field operations, airs ads in local markets, mobilizes volunteers, and coordinates our network of grassroots supporters who are committed to preserving our values.

We cannot let these efforts go in vain by letting MAGA Republicans — who are doing everything in their power to try to destroy our democracy for their own agenda — take control. Donald Trump is their leader, inspiring them nationwide to take away our freedoms. They want to slash Social Security and Medicare, eliminate women's freedom to control their own bodies, pass laws to endanger LGBTQ+ youth and their families, threaten our democracy, and roll back progress on everything from climate action to voting rights.

These MAGA voices have abandoned the truth and abandoned democracy. They made their choice. Now the rest of us have to make our choice.

Democrats stand for decency, honesty, and truth. We respect the Constitution. We know that no one, not even the president, is above the law. We are committed to living in a nation where our freedoms are protected, where everyone has a fair shot at a life of dignity and opportunity, and where our democracy works for everybody. And we know that there is nothing beyond our capacity if we act together.

I hope you will stand with us to help defend our democracy. There is no better way than to give to the DNC, the only organization that is working to elect Democrats all across the country, from the school board to the White House.

We have already made so much progress, but that progress is threatened by those who exploit fear for their own personal gain and who traffic in lies for profit and power.

But this November, we face a moment of real choosing. Democracy is on the ballot. That is why we need your support today.

I have never been more optimistic about our future, because I know, as a nation, we still believe that anything is possible when we work together. And if we can reach enough voters with this message, we'll have done something few generations can say. We will have saved American democracy as we know it.

Thank you.

With gratitude,

Joe Biden
President of the United States

P.S. This November, Democrats are fighting to preserve and strengthen our American democracy from Donald Trump and his MAGA extremism. The DNC is coordinating efforts to elect candidates all across the country who respect our Constitution and will fight for our freedoms. We need Democrats to win elections at every level to push back against MAGA lies. But we can't do that without your support. Please give today. And together, we will build our future.

---------------------------------------------

My Personal Reply to President Joe Biden

Yes, President Biden! I understand that all the progress Democrats have made is at risk from an extremist MAGA agenda that wants to take away our freedoms and turn this country backwards. I know that Democrats are fighting for democracy, and that the DNC is doing the work to elect Democrats across the country, from the state house to the White House. I will stand with the DNC at this critical moment. Enclosed is my grassroots contribution of:

[  ] $35

[  ] $55*

[  ] $70

[✓] Other $4.00

*A contribution of this amount would go even further to help elect Democrats!

Text "DEMOCRAT" to 43367 to let President Biden know your renewal donation is on the way.

Go to www.democrats.org/May24New to put your contribution to work today.

Paul [Middle Initial] Whiting
[Street Address and Apt. No. redacted]
[City, State and ZIP Code redacted]

And, after I read the letter above, I typed the web address to the referenced webpage in my browser, the relevant text of which can be found below:

Support the Democratic National Committee

Donate to help elect Democrats up and down the ballot nationwide!

Your generous donation will help us fight for the Biden-Harris agenda, hold the GOP accountable, and elect more Democrats. Donate to the DNC now to invest in the resources our candidates are relying on to compete and win year after year.

Donate immediately:

Your contribution will benefit Democratic National Committee (DNC) - Direct Marketing.

[  ] Donate $35 →

[  ] Donate $50 →

[  ] Donate $75 →

[  ] Donate $100 →

[  ] Donate $200 →

[  ] Donate $250 →

[✓] Other amount $4.00

Please leave a tip for ActBlue

Power the nonprofit fundraising platform Democratic candidates & progressive causes rely on

[  ] Add $2 tip

[  ] Leave no tip

[✓] Add custom amount $0.28 (7%)

And so, I made a one-time donation to the DNC (with a tip to ActBlue) because "this November, [our] freedom is on the ballot. But we can only preserve our freedoms and make our country work for all by electing Democrats up and down the ballot." That is why I made "my grassroots contribution of $4.00," because: "Democrats stand for decency, honesty, and truth. We respect the Constitution. We know that no one, not even the president, is above the law. We are committed to living in a nation where our freedoms are protected, where everyone has a fair shot at a life of dignity and opportunity, and where our democracy works for everybody. And we know that there is nothing beyond our capacity if we act together." –Paul Whiting (June 16th, 2024)

P.S.: Just so you know, "I have changed the way that I make donations to political, progressive and charitable organizations each month ... due to the fact that I have been spending a considerable percentage of my monthly income on all of these donations." (The reader should know that I am HIV-positive with full-blown AIDS. And I am on Social Security Disability Insurance, or SSDI, so my income is quite limited.) Therefore, "I am reducing how much I donate for the regular mail requests that I receive (to which I choose to respond) to take action." Thus, I will still be responding to some of the regular mail requests that I receive (to which I choose to respond), which are requesting me to take action, but I am reducing the amount that I donate to organizations from which I receive mailers. (Please see my 'August 19th, 2023 Update,' which can be found above.)

In addition to that, starting on June 16th, 2024, I have decided to adjust the amount that I donate per political organization again, so that I can donate to more political organizations and PACs (Political Action Committees) while I am still staying within my 'monthly donating budget.'

Thus, for the rest of the 2024 election cycle—as well as for the foreseeable future—I have made a goal of donating $2.00 per local political campaign only here in Oregon (with a 7% tip to ActBlue of $0.14), or as determined by me on a case-by-case basis; and a goal of donating $3.00 per political organization for donation requests via email or text message (with a 7% tip to ActBlue of $0.21), or as determined by me on a case-by-case basis; as well as a goal of donating $4.00 per political organization, or per PAC, for donation requests via the regular mail (with a 7% tip to ActBlue of $0.28), or as determined by me on a case-by-case basis.

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June 16th, 2024 Update No. 3, Which Also Discusses May 18th, 2024: Happy Father's Day, everyone!

[Blogger's Note: This 'update' that I am writing today, June 16th, 2024, is for donations that I made as part of my series of donations for the month of June to Democratic fundraising and coordinating political organizations—and to one campaign—regarding the national races for the House of Representatives (the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee), the Senate (the Democratic Senatorial Campaign Committee) and the President of the United States (the Democratic National Committee and Biden for President, or the Biden Victory Fund), as well as the state races for the Governors (the Democratic Governors Association), the Secretaries of State (the Democratic Association of Secretaries of State), the Attorneys General (the Democratic Attorneys General Association) and the State Legislatures (the Democratic Legislative Campaign Committee), during this sixth month of the year for the 2024 Presidential Election. In addition to that, I made a donation to my local Democratic fundraising and coordinating organization (Democratic Party of Oregon). Plus, I made donations to Political Action Committees (PACs) that are doing the following: helping to elect political candidates who are working to stop global warming (Jane Fonda Climate PAC); helping to elect candidates who are pro-choice women (EMILYs List); helping to elect candidates who are U.S. Veterans (VoteVets); helping young people to vote (Voters of Tomorrow PAC); and helping to elect gun safety champions in Congress (Ban Assault Weapons NOW PAC); as well as helping to mobilize Black voters (Rolling Sea Action Fund). Besides that, I made a donation to a civic engagement organization that is helping to educate and empower a new generation of Latinx voters (Voto Latino).]

I received a mailer from the Democratic Legislative Campaign Committee (DLCC) twenty nine days ago on May 18th, 2024, with a 'front teaser message' on the envelope that read, "URGENT", which stated the following:

[I used to hand-type the text of the documents from these types of mailers on my smartphone; however, it takes a lot of time and energy in order to hand-type these kinds of documents: so, instead, I scanned and copied the documents using Google Lens! Then, I edited the copy of said documents to include all of the italicizing, bolding and/or underscoring where applicable.]

DLCC
[Address redacted]
[City, State and ZIP Code redacted]

Paul, please give the [request] below your Immediate attention. Thank you so much.

PORTLAND PRECINCT RESIDENT

Paul Whiting
[Street Address and Apt. No. redacted]
[City, State and ZIP Code redacted]

Dear Paul,

It is ABSOLUTELY CRITICAL to our rights and freedoms that you quickly confirm you are a Democrat and a registered voter residing in Portland. Please mark and return the attached 2024 DEMOCRATIC LEGISLATIVE CAMPAIGN COMMITTEE MEMBERSHIP CONFIRMATION CARD no later than June 5.*

There are state legislative elections in 44 states this fall—and everything is on the line.

Republican state legislatures are hell-bent on taking away reproductive freedoms—even the right to have children through IVF is at stake. They're putting their extreme pro-gun agenda ahead of children's safety. They're restricting voting rights and silencing political opponents. They're demonizing and discriminating against LGBTQ+ youth.

By contrast, Democratic state legislatures are protecting abortion rights. They're passing commonsense gun reforms to stop mass shootings. They're strengthening voting rights. And they're protecting vulnerable populations from being ostracized and discriminated against.

The DLCC is working around the clock to flip chambers seat-by-seat while protecting our Democratic majorities so we can expand the number of states where our democracy, rights, freedoms, safety, and security prevail. We're making major grassroots investments in the battleground states of Arizona, Georgia, Michigan, Minnesota, New Hampshire, North Carolina, Pennsylvania, and Wisconsin. But our ability to succeed depends on good people like you.

What you do today will make all the difference. Please rush a generous contribution of $1,000, $2,500, $5,000, or whatever you can today to the DLCC. Gifts totaling up to $49,600 will be matched 5:1 by a group of generous Democrats—so a $50 contribution will generate $300 to win Democratic control of key state legislatures.

Please do your part to save our democracy. Thank you.

[Name redacted]
[Title redacted]

Contributions or gifts to the Democratic Legislative Campaign Committee are not tax deductible.

*[Blogger's Note: I am responding to this request eleven days later than requested; however, I only make donations to Democratic fundraising and coordinating political organizations once per month—and I chose Father's Day as the day that I made my series of donations for the month of June.]

---------------------------------------------

2024 DEMOCRATIC LEGISLATIVE CAMPAIGN COMMITTEE
PRECINCT AND MEMBER CONFIRMATION CARD

MARK IF CORRECT

[✓] LEGAL NAME: PAUL WHITING
[✓] PARTY AFFILIATION: DEMOCRATIC
[✓] MEMBERSHIP STATUS: ACTIVE

What Republican state legislative atrocities concern you the most? (check all that apply)

[✓] Imposing brutal abortion bans that threaten women's health and deny women their fundamental rights.

[✓] Making it illegal for people to have children through IVF.

[✓] Passing voter suppression laws designed to disenfranchise voters of color.

[✓] Putting partisan hacks who support Trump's Big Lie in charge of running elections.

[✓] Passing bills imposing book bans that deny students access to Information about slavery, racial discrimination, gender, and sexuality.

[✓] Passing bills denying transgender youth access to health care and barring teachers from using their students preferred names and pronouns.

[✓] Making guns easier to purchase and carry while doing nothing to stop the epidemic of mess gun violence.

[  ] Other (please elaborate)

Do you believe the United States would be better off today if Democrats had the majority in more state legislatures?

[✓] Yes
[  ] No
[  ] Unsure

I have enclosed my DLCC contribution of:

$1,000 becomes $6,000

$2,500 becomes $15,000

$5,000 becomes $30,000 ← GIFTS TOTALING UP TO $49,600 WILL BE MATCHED 5:1 [FIVE TO ONE] BY A GROUP OF GENEROUS DEMOCRATS.

[✓] Other $4.28 becomes $25.68

Contributions or gifts to the Democratic Legislative Campaign Committee are not tax deductible.

To put your gift to work immediately, go to dlcc.org/DonorConfirmation

[Blogger's Note: I feel like I need to clarify why I donated $4.28 to the DLCC—for their mailer to which I responded on Father's Day—when I donated $4.00 to both the DNC (please see my 'June 16th, 2024 Update No. 2, Which Also Discusses May 18th, 2024' that can be found above) and the DCCC (please see my 'June 16th, 2024 Update No. 6, Which Also Discusses June 15th, 2024' that can be found below) for their mailers! You see, the DLCC donation was made through FastAction, which does not offer a tip box. And I budgeted for these three mailer donations (the DCCC, the DLCC and the DNC) at $4.00 per donation, which is how much I usually donate to political organizations, or campaigns, for donation solicitations that I receive through the regular mail. Plus, I try to tip ActBlue—the main Democratic payment portal—at approximately 7% of my donation, which is about $0.28 for $4.00. Thus, since I could not tip through the FastAction payment portal, I donated $4.28 for the DLCC donation. (I hope that makes sense!)]

And so, I made a one-time donation to the DLCC (this donation was made through FastAction, which does not offer a tip box) in order to show my support for the 2024 Democratic Legislative Campaign Committee Membership Confirmation Card, which I am planning to mail early next week. –Paul Whiting (written June 16th, 2024 and revised November 3rd, 2024)

P.S.: Just so you know, "I have changed the way that I make donations to political, progressive and charitable organizations each month ... due to the fact that I have been spending a considerable percentage of my monthly income on all of these donations." (The reader should know that I am HIV-positive with full-blown AIDS. And I am on Social Security Disability Insurance, or SSDI, so my income is quite limited.) Therefore, "I am reducing how much I donate for the regular mail requests that I receive (to which I choose to respond) to take action." Thus, I will still be responding to some of the regular mail requests that I receive (to which I choose to respond), which are requesting me to take action, but I am reducing the amount that I donate to organizations from which I receive mailers. (Please see my 'August 19th, 2023 Update,' which can be found above.)

In addition to that, starting on June 16th, 2024, I have decided to adjust the amount that I donate per political organization again, so that I can donate to more political organizations and PACs (Political Action Committees) while I am still staying within my 'monthly donating budget.'

Thus, for the rest of the 2024 election cycle—as well as for the foreseeable future—I have made a goal of donating $2.00 per local political campaign only here in Oregon (with a 7% tip to ActBlue of $0.14), or as determined by me on a case-by-case basis; and a goal of donating $3.00 per political organization for donation requests via email or text message (with a 7% tip to ActBlue of $0.21), or as determined by me on a case-by-case basis; as well as a goal of donating $4.00 per political organization, or per PAC, for donation requests via the regular mail (with a 7% tip to ActBlue of $0.28), or as determined by me on a case-by-case basis.

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June 16th, 2024 Update No. 4, Which Also Discusses June 10th, 2024: Happy Father's Day, everyone!

[Blogger's Note: This 'update' that I am writing today, June 16th, 2024, is for donations that I made as part of my series of donations for the month of June to Democratic fundraising and coordinating political organizations—and to one campaign—regarding the national races for the House of Representatives (the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee), the Senate (the Democratic Senatorial Campaign Committee) and the President of the United States (the Democratic National Committee and Biden for President, or the Biden Victory Fund), as well as the state races for the Governors (the Democratic Governors Association), the Secretaries of State (the Democratic Association of Secretaries of State), the Attorneys General (the Democratic Attorneys General Association) and the State Legislatures (the Democratic Legislative Campaign Committee), during this sixth month of the year for the 2024 Presidential Election. In addition to that, I made a donation to my local Democratic fundraising and coordinating organization (Democratic Party of Oregon). Plus, I made donations to Political Action Committees (PACs) that are doing the following: helping to elect political candidates who are working to stop global warming (Jane Fonda Climate PAC); helping to elect candidates who are pro-choice women (EMILYs List); helping to elect candidates who are U.S. Veterans (VoteVets); helping young people to vote (Voters of Tomorrow PAC); and helping to elect gun safety champions in Congress (Ban Assault Weapons NOW PAC); as well as helping to mobilize Black voters (Rolling Sea Action Fund). Besides that, I made a donation to a civic engagement organization that is helping to educate and empower a new generation of Latinx voters (Voto Latino).]

I received a mailer from the Democratic Party of Oregon Victory Fund six days ago on June 10th, 2024, with a 'front teaser message' on the envelope that read, "2024 Election Year Fund", which stated the following:

[I used to hand-type the text of the documents from these types of mailers on my smartphone; however, it takes a lot of time and energy in order to hand-type these kinds of documents: so, instead, I scanned and copied the documents using Google Lens! Then, I edited the copy of said documents to include all of the italicizing, bolding and/or underscoring where applicable.]

2024 DEMOCRATIC PARTY OF OREGON
VICTORY FUND RENEWAL

From the Desk of [Name redacted], [Title redacted]
Democratic Party of Oregon

Mr. Paul [Middle Initial] Whiting
[Street Address and Apt. No. redacted]
[City, State and ZIP Code redacted]

Democratic Party of Oregon
Victory Fund
2024 Election Year Fund

Dear Mr. Whiting,

Nothing less than our democracy is on the ballot this November. With Election Day fast approaching, we must work around the clock to ensure that we continue electing strong Democratic candidates who will represent us and the values we share here in Oregon.

You understand as well as I do that Republican extremism does not stop at state lines. The MAGA agenda threatens to take away our rights, freedoms, and choice at all levels of government — making it clearer than ever that state and local leadership matters.

That's why we are launching our 2024 Election Year Fund Drive now to ensure that we have all the resources we need to help elect Democrats in Oregon, from local school boards to the White House. So please Mr. Whiting, rush a donation of $35, $55, or even $70 to stand with us in the fight for our future.

Every dollar raised today goes further than a dollar raised in the final weeks leading up to the election. In 2020 and 2022, we proved we have a plan for victory, but we need a well-funded party to execute our winning programs like the Neighborhood Leader Program. In 2022 alone, we recruited over 2,100 volunteer Neighborhood Leaders who reached out to over 120,000 targeted Democrats by door, phone and mail, and 90% of those contacted turned out to vote. And so far, we've already recruited and trained over 3,300 volunteer Neighborhood Leaders for 2024!

As Election Day nears and MAGA opportunists look to infiltrate vulnerable seats everywhere, we must continue to fight for Democratic leaders who are committed to serving both the people and our democratic values.

The Democratic Party of Oregon knows what it takes for Democrats to win in Oregon and understands that issues like women's reproductive rights, good paying jobs, more accessible health care, lower prescription drug costs, investments in clean energy, affordable housing, racial and economic justice, LGBTQ+ rights, workers' rights, civil rights, reducing student debt, and commonsense gun laws are most important to us here at home. But we also know that our party is only as strong as our grassroots supporters.

So much is on the line, and time is limited. We must be prepared for anything to happen in this highly consequential election year. Please give today so that we can build a strong alliance of Democratic volunteers and voters across the state.

Thank you for standing with us,

[Name redacted]
[Title redacted], Democratic Party of Oregon

P.S. Our Election Year Fund Drive is underway and we have no time to lose. Republicans have become the Party of Trump and the damage they can do doesn't end at state lines. The Democratic Party of Oregon Victory Fund needs you right now. Together, we can make an incredible impact for generations to come because a win for Democrats is a win for democracy. Thank you.

---------------------------------------------

THE DEMOCRATIC PARTY OF OREGON
VICTORY FUND NEEDS YOUR
SUPPORT. CAN WE COUNT ON YOU?

Mr. Paul [Middle Initial] Whiting
[Street Address and Apt. No. redacted]
[City, State and ZIP Code redacted]

YES! I know that we can't take anything for granted in this election and that our Democratic candidates need the resources and coordination all across Oregon to push back against MAGA extremists. Enclosed is my contribution of:

[  ] $35
[  ] $55
[  ] $70
[✓] Other $4.00

Please make your check payable to the Democratic Party of Oregon Victory Fund. Please fill out and sign the form on the back to complete your contribution. Contributions or gifts to the Democratic Party of Oregon are not tax deductible.

Democratic Party of Oregon Victory Fund
[Address redacted]
[City, State and ZIP Code redacted]

To put your gift to work immediately, please visit
www.democrats.org/SPVF24May

And, after I read the letter above, I entered the hyperlink to the referenced webpage, the relevant text of which can be found below:

Support the State Party Victory Fund!

Renew your support today to strengthen your State Party's infrastructure and help fight for our shared Democratic values!

Donate immediately:

Your contribution will benefit Democratic National Committee (DNC) SPVF.

[  ] Donate $10 →

[  ] Donate $25 →

[  ] Donate $50 →

[  ] Donate $100 →

[  ] Donate $250 →

[  ] Donate $500 →

[  ] Donate $1,000 →

[✓] Other amount $5.00

Please leave a tip for ActBlue

Power the nonprofit fundraising platform Democratic candidates & progressive causes rely on.

[  ] Add $2 tip

[  ] Leave no tip

[✓] Add custom amount $0.35 (7%)

And so, I made a one-time donation to the Democratic Party of Oregon Victory Fund (with a tip to ActBlue) because the "[Democratic Party of Oregon Victory Fund's] Election Year Fund Drive is underway and we have no time to lose. Republicans have become the Party of Trump and the damage they can do doesn't end at state lines." That is why "the Democratic Party of Oregon Victory Fund needs [me] right now. Together, we can make an incredible impact for generations to come because a win for Democrats is a win for democracy." –Paul Whiting (written June 16th, 2024 and revised October 22nd, 2024)

P.S.: Just so you know, "I have changed the way that I make donations to political, progressive and charitable organizations each month ... due to the fact that I have been spending a considerable percentage of my monthly income on all of these donations." (The reader should know that I am HIV-positive with full-blown AIDS. And I am on Social Security Disability Insurance, or SSDI, so my income is quite limited.) Therefore, "I am reducing how much I donate for the regular mail requests that I receive (to which I choose to respond) to take action." Thus, I will still be responding to some of the regular mail requests that I receive (to which I choose to respond), which are requesting me to take action, but I am reducing the amount that I donate to organizations from which I receive mailers. (Please see my 'August 19th, 2023 Update,' which can be found above.)

In addition to that, starting on June 16th, 2024, I have decided to adjust the amount that I donate per political organization again, so that I can donate to more political organizations and PACs (Political Action Committees) while I am still staying within my 'monthly donating budget.'

Thus, for the rest of the 2024 election cycle—as well as for the foreseeable future—I have made a goal of donating $2.00 per local political campaign only here in Oregon (with a 7% tip to ActBlue of $0.14), or as determined by me on a case-by-case basis; and a goal of donating $3.00 per political organization for donation requests via email or text message (with a 7% tip to ActBlue of $0.21), or as determined by me on a case-by-case basis; as well as a goal of donating $4.00 per political organization, or per PAC, for donation requests via the regular mail (with a 7% tip to ActBlue of $0.28), or as determined by me on a case-by-case basis.

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June 16th, 2024 Update No. 5, Which Also Discusses June 15th, 2024: Happy Father's Day, everyone!

[Blogger's Note: This 'update' that I am writing today, June 16th, 2024, is for donations that I made as part of my series of donations for the month of June to Democratic fundraising and coordinating political organizations—and to one campaign—regarding the national races for the House of Representatives (the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee), the Senate (the Democratic Senatorial Campaign Committee) and the President of the United States (the Democratic National Committee and Biden for President, or the Biden Victory Fund), as well as the state races for the Governors (the Democratic Governors Association), the Secretaries of State (the Democratic Association of Secretaries of State), the Attorneys General (the Democratic Attorneys General Association) and the State Legislatures (the Democratic Legislative Campaign Committee), during this sixth month of the year for the 2024 Presidential Election. In addition to that, I made a donation to my local Democratic fundraising and coordinating organization (Democratic Party of Oregon). Plus, I made donations to Political Action Committees (PACs) that are doing the following: helping to elect political candidates who are working to stop global warming (Jane Fonda Climate PAC); helping to elect candidates who are pro-choice women (EMILYs List); helping to elect candidates who are U.S. Veterans (VoteVets); helping young people to vote (Voters of Tomorrow PAC); and helping to elect gun safety champions in Congress (Ban Assault Weapons NOW PAC); as well as helping to mobilize Black voters (Rolling Sea Action Fund). Besides that, I made a donation to a civic engagement organization that is helping to educate and empower a new generation of Latinx voters (Voto Latino).]

I received a mailer from the Biden Victory Fund yesterday, June 15th, 2024, with a 'front teaser message' on the envelope that read, "Paul, Trump will sacrifice our democracy to put himself in power. Together, we can stop him.", which stated the following:

[I used to hand-type the text of the documents from these types of mailers on my smartphone; however, it takes a lot of time and energy in order to hand-type these kinds of documents: so, instead, I scanned and copied the documents using Google Lens! Then, I edited the copy of said documents to include all of the italicizing, bolding and/or underscoring where applicable.]

BIDEN VICTORY FUND

Dear Paul,

Election Day is quickly approaching, and this year will be the most consequential election in our lifetime. Simply put, the American people have a clear choice ahead of them: Are we going to keep moving forward? Or will we allow Donald Trump to drag us backwards into the chaos, division, and darkness that defined his term in office?

The future of our democracy is at stake in this election. We know who Donald Trump is and that he is willing to sacrifice our democracy to put himself in power. We cannot let him.

Trump wants to take us backwards. He brags about overturning Roe, ripping reproductive freedom away from millions of Americans — now he wants to pass a national abortion ban. He's vowing to "terminate" the Affordable Care Act, raise prescription drug prices, and gut Medicare and Social Security. He wants to cut taxes for the rich. Again.

Paul, your last gift of $1* helped us start this year off strong, and I am humbly asking for your support once again. Please help us deliver a decisive victory on Election Day by sending a contribution of $25, $38, or $50 today.

When I launched my campaign for reelection, I said that I believed every generation has a moment where they have had to stand up for democracy. To stand up for their fundamental freedoms. And that this moment is ours. That couldn't be more true today.

Unlike Donald Trump's campaign, this campaign is about all of us. It's about OUR future together, and preserving and strengthening OUR democracy.

Since day one, our goal has been to give folks a little more breathing room. To build a more free and fair America. We've made real progress these last few years, and we're ready to finish the job.

Already, we've created a record 15 million new jobs in just three years, and unemployment is near a 50-year low.

More people have health insurance today than ever before. And now, Medicare has the power to negotiate lower prices for prescription drugs, saving taxpayers money and cutting the federal deficit by $160 billion.

Thanks to our Bipartisan Infrastructure Law, 46,000 new projects have been announced across the nation to modernize our roads and bridges, ports and airports, and public transit systems.

There's more work to be done, from saving the planet from the climate crisis and our country from gun violence, to ensuring the middle class finally has a fair shot and the wealthy pay their fair share.

But this election will be a close one, and we can't take anything for granted. Trump and his allies are spending hundreds of millions of dollars pretending Trump's first term was not a total disaster for the American people. They tell lies and they hide the facts. We can't let that happen. We cannot run the risk of Trump stepping foot in the Oval Office again.

Six million grassroots donors invested in my campaign in 2020 so that we could defeat Donald Trump. We need an even greater level of support to defeat him again in November.

Please contribute to the Biden Victory Fund today to ensure our country's future: a future where we defend democracy, not diminish it. Where we restore the right to choose and other freedoms, not take them away.

I've seen the constant contest between competing forces in the battle for the soul of our nation. Between those who want to pull America back to the past, and those who want to move America into the future.

I believe in America. I believe in YOU, the American people. And I am asking you to stand with me in the fight to move our country forward.

Thank you.

Sincerely,

President Joe Biden

P.S. This campaign isn't about me. This campaign is about all of us. It's about OUR future together. And it's about fighting back against Donald Trump's extreme plan to sacrifice our democracy and take us backwards. But I can't do it alone. Please give today, and together we will fight for our future, a future for all Americans.

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[Blogger's Note: By the way, there was also a 'back teaser message' on the envelope above that read, "A special message enclosed from Jill Biden." And that message can be found below.]

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Jill Biden

Dear Friend,

Joe likes to tell people that he had to propose marriage to me five times — which is true — but the truth is, I loved him from the start. He has inner strength, the courage to carry forth his convictions, and a character based on his deep faith. Anyone can tell you what they want to do. Joe Biden can tell you what he's done.

We've been married for over 40 years, and trust me when I say that he never stops fighting for the country he loves. There are times when I don't know how he does it. But I've always understood why he does it. He does it for you and families like yours.

I'm so grateful that Joe is our president during these uncertain, unpredictable, tumultuous times. Joe isn't just the right person for this job, he is the only person for this job.

And he does it for you, not himself.

This campaign has been about you from the very beginning — about your hopes for our country, your belief in our ability to move forward together, and building a better future for all Americans.

This election will offer our country a stark choice: strong, steady leadership, and the protection of our democracy or four years of chaos and corruption, hatred, and division. Joe and Kamala are fighting for you, our country, and for a future that brings everyone along. This is the job they signed on for and they won't rest until they finish the job.

I hope you will join us in this fight by making a gift today to ensure that our best days still lie ahead of us.

Thank you.

Sincerely,

Jill Biden
First Lady of the United States

P.S. I believe in Joe. And Joe believes in America and in bringing others along to build a better future together. If you believe in our nation's potential, please give today.

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WILL YOU CONTINUE TO STAND WITH US
IN THE FIGHT FOR AMERICA'S FUTURE?

[✓] Yes, President Biden! I am ready to continue the fight against Trump's extremist agenda to pull this country backwards. I am ready to stand for more freedoms, not less, and to defend democracy, not diminish it. My last gift was in April, 2024.* Enclosed is my contribution in the amount of:

[  ] $25

[  ] $38

[  ] $50

[✓] Other $4.00

Please make your check payable to the Biden Victory Fund.

Or if you prefer to charge your contribution, please fill out the form on the reverse.

You can also contribute online by visiting www.democrats.org/DonateJune.

Paul Whiting
[Street Address and Apt. No. redacted]
[City, State and ZIP Code redacted]

BIDEN VICTORY FUND

*[Blogger's Note: My last donation referenced above for $1.00 in April was when I entered "for a chance to meet the President and Dr. Biden in Rehoboth Beach, Delaware" for some delicious [vegan] ice cream (please see my 'April 26th, 2024 Update No. 2, which can be found above).]

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BIDEN VICTORY FUND

CERTIFICATE OF RECOGNITION

This is to certify that President Joe Biden recognizes
PAUL WHITING
PORTLAND, OREGON
as a leader in the fight for our future in this election year, 2024.

President Joe Biden

Date: June 6, 2024

And, after I read the letter above, I typed the web address to the referenced webpage in my browser, the relevant text of which can be found below:

Biden Victory Fund

Donate to reelect Joe Biden and Kamala Harris

Joe Biden and Kamala Marris are running for reelection.

It's going to take this full team at Joe and Kamala's backs to finish the job and deliver for Democrats, including four more years in the White House. Will you pitch in today to help Joe, Kamala, and Democrats nationwide?

Donate immediately:

Your contribution will benefit Biden Victory Fund.

[✓] Donate $4 →

[  ] Donate $50 →

[  ] Donate $100 →

[  ] Donate $250 →

[  ] Donate $1,000→

[  ] Donate $2,000→

[  ] Other

Please leave a tip for ActBlue

Power the nonprofit fundraising platform Democratic candidates & progressive causes rely on.

[  ] Add $2 tip

[  ] Leave no tip

[✓] Add custom amount $0.28 (7%)

So, I made a one-time donation to the Biden Victory Fund (with a tip to ActBlue) in order to confirm the reply memorandum statement: "Yes, President Biden! I am ready to continue the fight against Trump's extremist agenda to pull this country backwards. I am ready to stand for more freedoms, not less, and to defend democracy, not diminish it." And I was also donating to show my appreciation for the Biden Victory Fund Certificate of Recognition that was attached to the bottom of the reply memo! –Paul Whiting (June 16th, 2024)

P.S.: Just so you know, "I have changed the way that I make donations to political, progressive and charitable organizations each month ... due to the fact that I have been spending a considerable percentage of my monthly income on all of these donations." (The reader should know that I am HIV-positive with full-blown AIDS. And I am on Social Security Disability Insurance, or SSDI, so my income is quite limited.) Therefore, "I am reducing how much I donate for the regular mail requests that I receive (to which I choose to respond) to take action." Thus, I will still be responding to some of the regular mail requests that I receive (to which I choose to respond), which are requesting me to take action, but I am reducing the amount that I donate to organizations from which I receive mailers. (Please see my 'August 19th, 2023 Update,' which can be found above.)

In addition to that, starting on June 16th, 2024, I have decided to adjust the amount that I donate per political organization again, so that I can donate to more political organizations and PACs (Political Action Committees) while I am still staying within my 'monthly donating budget.'

Thus, for the rest of the 2024 election cycle—as well as for the foreseeable future—I have made a goal of donating $2.00 per local political campaign only here in Oregon (with a 7% tip to ActBlue of $0.14), or as determined by me on a case-by-case basis; and a goal of donating $3.00 per political organization for donation requests via email or text message (with a 7% tip to ActBlue of $0.21), or as determined by me on a case-by-case basis; as well as a goal of donating $4.00 per political organization, or per PAC, for donation requests via the regular mail (with a 7% tip to ActBlue of $0.28), or as determined by me on a case-by-case basis.

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June 16th, 2024 Update No. 6, Which Also Discusses June 15th, 2024: Happy Father's Day, everyone!

[Blogger's Note: This 'update' that I am writing today, June 16th, 2024, is for donations that I made as part of my series of donations for the month of June to Democratic fundraising and coordinating political organizations—and to one campaign—regarding the national races for the House of Representatives (the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee), the Senate (the Democratic Senatorial Campaign Committee) and the President of the United States (the Democratic National Committee and Biden for President, or the Biden Victory Fund), as well as the state races for the Governors (the Democratic Governors Association), the Secretaries of State (the Democratic Association of Secretaries of State), the Attorneys General (the Democratic Attorneys General Association) and the State Legislatures (the Democratic Legislative Campaign Committee), during this sixth month of the year for the 2024 Presidential Election. In addition to that, I made a donation to my local Democratic fundraising and coordinating organization (Democratic Party of Oregon). Plus, I made donations to Political Action Committees (PACs) that are doing the following: helping to elect political candidates who are working to stop global warming (Jane Fonda Climate PAC); helping to elect candidates who are pro-choice women (EMILYs List); helping to elect candidates who are U.S. Veterans (VoteVets); helping young people to vote (Voters of Tomorrow PAC); and helping to elect gun safety champions in Congress (Ban Assault Weapons NOW PAC); as well as helping to mobilize Black voters (Rolling Sea Action Fund). Besides that, I made a donation to a civic engagement organization that is helping to educate and empower a new generation of Latinx voters (Voto Latino).]

I received a mailer from the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee (DCCC) yesterday, June 15th, 2024, with a 'front teaser message' on the envelope that read, "URGENT: MATCHING GIFT OFFER JUNE 30 FEC DEADLINE ← DOCUMENTS ENCLOSED", which stated the following:

[I used to hand-type the text of the documents from these types of mailers on my smartphone; however, it takes a lot of time and energy in order to hand-type these kinds of documents: so, instead, I scanned and copied the documents using Google Lens! Then, I edited the copy of said documents to include all of the italicizing, bolding and/or underscoring where applicable.]

DEMOCRATIC PARTY HEADQUARTERS
DEADLINE: JUNE 30

Your Gift Will Have ELEVEN TIMES The Impact

Newsweek
........................................................
House Republicans' Party-Line Majority Hangs by a Thread

Paul [Middle Initial] Whiting
[Apt. No. redacted]
[Street Address redacted]
[City, State and ZIP Code redacted]

Dear Paul,

It's a dead heat. The generic congressional ballot polling average — which asks voters whether they plan to cast their ballot for their Democratic or Republican House candidate — has us neck-and-neck with extreme MAGA Republicans. It doesn't get any closer than this.

Everything is on the line. Our democracy. Our freedoms. Our rights. This is our opportunity to hold extreme MAGA Republicans accountable and take back the House For The People.

We only need to gain four seats to win back our majority. That's it. The do-nothing GOP majority hangs by a thread.

That's why I am urging you to rush a generous contribution to the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee (DCCC) before the June 30 Federal Election Commission (FEC) deadline. Your support will ensure we can continue our strong momentum toward retaking the House majority in November.

Because the stakes are so high, a group of generous Democratic donors has agreed to match every dollar you give with $10 of their own. Your gift of $80 will turn into $880, $120 will become $1,320 and $160 will generate $1,760 to take back the People's House.

House Republicans hold one critical advantage in some of the tightest and most competitive of races. The most recent FEC reports show that in some of the races that will determine control of the House of Representatives, the Republican incumbents have more cash on hand.

We now face a critical fundraising deadline — the June 30 FEC report. With just 18 weeks to go before the election, I cannot overstate how important it is that the DCCC's FEC report shows us on a level playing field with the Republicans We MUST show our Democratic candidates that the DCCC will be there to help close the fundraising gap throughout the summer and fall.

Your support will enable the DCCC to fully fund essential programs in the combined 60+ races where our majority will be made. These include:

➤ Protecting our 29 battle-tested Frontline incumbents* facing the toughest campaigns of their careers. These Democrats are holding onto seats in swing districts, and we can't lose a single one.

➤ Targeting the 16 Republican-held seats in districts President Biden won in 2020. We know these races are winnable and the GOP incumbents are vulnerable. These are some of our Districts in Play where we will be on offense

➤ Winning the 20 Red to Blue targeted districts, where we are supporting Democratic candidates who are ready to win and will be an antidote to the GOP chaos.

With your support, we can build on the ground operations to recruit volunteers and mobilize crucial Democratic voters this year. Your continued partnership will ensure that Democrats are on the airwaves holding Republicans accountable for their extremism and ensuring Americans know what Democrats are capable of when we're in the majority.

When Democrats controlled the House, we passed historic laws to lower costs, create better-paying jobs and make our communities safer. We worked across the aisle to pass the Bipartisan Safer Commmmunties Act, the first major gun safety legislation passed by Congress in nearly 30 years.

House Democrats will be running on our record of delivering real results. We'll restore reproductive freedom for all, strengthen voting rights, protect Social Security and Medicare and continue to implement the tremendous achievements of the 117th Congress. Above all, we'll restore responsible governance, uphold the rule of law and protect our democracy.

To do all of this, we urgently need your support. A strong June 30 FEC report will show that we have the resources and the grassroots backing to retake our House majority and deliver for everyday Americans once again.

Please help make sure the DCCC's June 30 FEC report makes clear we are poised to win back the House. Take advantage of our $10 to $1 match and rush your contribution to the DCCC today. Thank you.

Sincerely,

Hakeem Jeffries
House Democratic Leader

P.S. This is an all-hands-on-deck moment for House Democrats and the DCCC. We must seize every new opportunity before us to take back the House For The People. To do that, we depend on people like you. Please do your part to help ensure that we reach our June 30 FEC deadline goal.

*Number as of 5/2/24, more districts being added as challengers emerge and resources become available.

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JUNE 30 FEC DEADLINE: 10-1 MATCHING GIFT CHALLENGE
House Democrats have the momentum, and it is time to seize this moment and Take Back the House in November! That's why, in advance of the critical June 30 FEC reporting deadline, I'm rushing my contribution to the DCCC for:

[  ] $80 = $880

[  ] $120* = $1,320

[  ] $160 = $1,760

[✓] Other $4 = $44

*Gifts in this amount will really help!

Paul [Middle Initial] Whiting
[Apt. No. redacted]
[Street Address redacted]
[City, State and ZIP Code redacted]

To put your gift to work immediately, go to www.dccc.org/house2024 or call our contribution hotline [phone number redacted]. To charge your contribution as a credit card and for other important information, please see reverse side of this form.

And, after I read the letter above, I entered the hyperlink to the referenced webpage, the relevant text of which can be found below:

[DCCC logo] DEMOCRATS 2024

Flip the House!

Join us now to flip the House and defend President Biden's legacy!

Republicans are blocking President Biden's agenda at every turn — and he's counting on this grassroots team to stop them.

So, quickly: Will you join us to elect a wave of Democrats and flip the House?

Donate immediately:

Your contribution will benefit the DCCC.

[  ] Donate $15 →

[  ] Donate $25 →

[  ] Donate $50 →

[  ] Donate $100 →

[  ] Donate $250 →

[  ] Donate $500 →

[  ] Donate $1,000 →

[✓] Other amount $4.00

Please leave a tip for ActBlue

Power the nonprofit fundraising platform Democratic candidates & progressive causes rely on.

[  ] Add $2 tip

[  ] Leave no tip

[✓] Add custom amount $0.28 (7%)

And so, I made a one-time donation to the DCCC (with a tip to ActBlue) because "a group of generous Democratic donors has agreed to match every dollar [I] give with $10 of their own." That is why I contributed a "gift of [$4, which] will turn into [$44 in order to] take back the People's House." –Paul Whiting (written June 16th, 2024 and revised September 2nd, 2024)

P.S.: Just so you know, "I have changed the way that I make donations to political, progressive and charitable organizations each month ... due to the fact that I have been spending a considerable percentage of my monthly income on all of these donations." (The reader should know that I am HIV-positive with full-blown AIDS. And I am on Social Security Disability Insurance, or SSDI, so my income is quite limited.) Therefore, "I am reducing how much I donate for the regular mail requests that I receive (to which I choose to respond) to take action." Thus, I will still be responding to some of the regular mail requests that I receive (to which I choose to respond), which are requesting me to take action, but I am reducing the amount that I donate to organizations from which I receive mailers. (Please see my 'August 19th, 2023 Update,' which can be found above.)

In addition to that, starting on June 16th, 2024, I have decided to adjust the amount that I donate per political organization again, so that I can donate to more political organizations and PACs (Political Action Committees) while I am still staying within my 'monthly donating budget.'

Thus, for the rest of the 2024 election cycle—as well as for the foreseeable future—I have made a goal of donating $2.00 per local political campaign only here in Oregon (with a 7% tip to ActBlue of $0.14), or as determined by me on a case-by-case basis; and a goal of donating $3.00 per political organization for donation requests via email or text message (with a 7% tip to ActBlue of $0.21), or as determined by me on a case-by-case basis; as well as a goal of donating $4.00 per political organization, or per PAC, for donation requests via the regular mail (with a 7% tip to ActBlue of $0.28), or as determined by me on a case-by-case basis.

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June 16th, 2024 Update No. 7, Written On June 17th, 2024, Which Also Discusses May 25th, 2024, June 2nd, 2024, June 6th, 2024, June 7th, 2024, June 10th, 2024, June 15th, 2024 And June 16th, 2024: Happy Father's Day, everyone!

[Blogger's Note: This 'update' that I am writing today, June 16th, 2024, is for donations that I made as part of my series of donations for the month of June to Democratic fundraising and coordinating political organizations—and to one campaign—regarding the national races for the House of Representatives (the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee), the Senate (the Democratic Senatorial Campaign Committee) and the President of the United States (the Democratic National Committee and Biden for President, or the Biden Victory Fund), as well as the state races for the Governors (the Democratic Governors Association), the Secretaries of State (the Democratic Association of Secretaries of State), the Attorneys General (the Democratic Attorneys General Association) and the State Legislatures (the Democratic Legislative Campaign Committee), during this sixth month of the year for the 2024 Presidential Election. In addition to that, I made a donation to my local Democratic fundraising and coordinating organization (Democratic Party of Oregon). Plus, I made donations to Political Action Committees (PACs) that are doing the following: helping to elect political candidates who are working to stop global warming (Jane Fonda Climate PAC); helping to elect candidates who are pro-choice women (EMILYs List); helping to elect candidates who are U.S. Veterans (VoteVets); helping young people to vote (Voters of Tomorrow PAC); and helping to elect gun safety champions in Congress (Ban Assault Weapons NOW PAC); as well as helping to mobilize Black voters (Rolling Sea Action Fund). Besides that, I made a donation to a civic engagement organization that is helping to educate and empower a new generation of Latinx voters (Voto Latino).]

I have combined every political campaign, or political organization, donation request per day (made via email or text message) into one 'update' for each day that I donate, so that I don't have to keep writing individual 'updates' for political campaign donations, or political organization donations!

You see, I used to write one 'update' for each of the individual campaign political donations, or political organization donations, that I made virtually every time that I made a political donation. And within each 'update' I included the text from each political campaign's, or political organization's, requesting email or text message, along with some of each campaign's, or organization's, donation page text on the ActBlue website, as well as how much I donated to each campaign, or organization, plus whether I included a tip to ActBlue and how much I tipped.

(By the way, I still write individual 'updates' for political campaign, or political organization, mailers that I receive through the regular mail, because they are usually more elaborate political donation requests, which is why I don't include them with these email or text message requests.)

Plus, the 2024 election cycle is in full gear and I have made a goal of donating only one $2.00 donation per local political campaign here in Oregon (more on that below), or $3.00 per political organization, for the rest of the election cycle! And that means after I make that one donation per campaign, or per organization—regardless of whether I donated in 2023, or 2024—I am only donating once per campaign, or per organization, or as determined by me on a case-by-case basis. And I am only donating once per PAC (Political Action Committee) for the entire election cycle, or as determined by me on a case-by-case basis, because that is all that I can really afford for the 2024 Presidential Election. (The reader should know that I am HIV-positive with full-blown AIDS. And I am on Social Security Disability Insurance, or SSDI, so my income is quite limited.) I hope that makes sense!

Besides that, as of March 21st, 2024, I am no longer donating to individual political campaigns for the foreseeable future (with the exception of local campaigns here in Oregon), or as determined by me on a case-by-case basis (please see my 'March 21st, 2024 Update No. 2,' which can be found above), as I have explained below:

...Alright, I have a big announcement to make: I am no longer donating to individual political campaigns for the foreseeable future—or as determined by me on a case-by-case basis!

And I have made this decision based upon how much these individual political campaign donations are costing in my 'monthly donating budget'—even though I am only donating $3.00 with a $0.21 tip to ActBlue—since I totally changed the way that I approach how I calculate what I am spending on my credit card each month, starting in 2024! So now, I take the total amount that I have available in my monthly budget for my minimum payment on my credit card—as well as my extra payment—and I calculate how much I am reducing that amount each time that I charge on my credit card.

That way, I am very aware of the amount by which I am reducing my total available credit card payments for the month (the minimum payment and the extra payment) in order to, hopefully, pay more on my credit card than I am spending! Plus, I am also utilizing some funds from my budgeted expenses, as well as some funds from my savings, to make sure that I am paying a little more than I am spending while—at the same time—I am also trying to spend less on my credit card.

Therefore, at the start of 2024, I calculated that I could still make ONE $3.00 donation per political campaign for the entire election cycle. And that means after I have made that one donation per campaign—regardless of whether I donated in 2023, or 2024—I have only donated once per campaign, which is what I have been doing so far!

However, it's still more than I can afford given my 'monthly donating budget,' which is why I have decided to stop donating to individual political campaigns entirely—or as determined by me on a case-by-case basis. And so, I will still be making some donations to individual political campaigns (such as to Joe Biden's campaign for President of the United States, or to local campaigns here in Oregon), but I am not donating like I have been up until this point—which has been virtually every time that I have received a political campaign donation request via email or text message—because I seriously cannot afford to donate that much for the rest of the 2024 Presidential Election cycle, as well as for the foreseeable future.

And to clarify one more thing: In the past, I used to only donate to the main Democratic fundraising and coordinating organizations—rather than to individual campaigns—since that's all I really could afford given my 'monthly spending budget,' because I am "low income." Plus, those Democratic fundraising and coordinating organizations help all of the individual political campaigns with funding, which is why I used to only donate to those main organizations! And I only started donating to individual political campaigns in 2022, since I was "doing everything in my power to help Democrats win in the 2022 Midterm Elections!" Therefore, this decision to stop donating to individual political campaigns (with the exception of presidential campaigns and local campaigns, or as determined by me on a case-by-case basis) is really just going back to the way that I used to make political donations.

In addition to that, starting on June 16th, 2024, I have decided to adjust the amount that I donate per political organization again, so that I can donate to more political organizations and PACs (Political Action Committees) while I am still staying within my 'monthly donating budget.' Below, please find a description of my previous adjustment—which started on May 12th, 2024—to explain how I have recently adjusted the amounts that I am contributing, since I am donating to more political organizations:

...The 2024 election cycle is in full gear and I have made a goal of donating only one $3.00 donation per local political campaign here in Oregon (more on that below), or $4.00 per political organization, for the rest of the election cycle! And that means after I make that one donation per campaign, or per organization—regardless of whether I donated in 2023, or 2024—I am only donating once per campaign, or per organization, or as determined by me on a case-by-case basis. And I am only donating once per PAC (Political Action Committee) for the entire election cycle, or as determined by me on a case-by-case basis, because that is all that I can really afford for the 2024 Presidential Election. (The reader should know that I am HIV-positive with full-blown AIDS. And I am on Social Security Disability Insurance, or SSDI, so my income is quite limited.) I hope that makes sense! ...

...In addition to that, I used to donate "$5.00 per political organization"; however, starting on May 12th, 2024, I decided to adjust that amount, so that I can donate to more political organizations and PACs (Political Action Committees) while I am still staying within my 'monthly donating budget.'

Thus, as I partially explained above, for the rest of the 2024 election cycle—as well as for the foreseeable future—I have made a goal of donating $3.00 per local political campaign only here in Oregon (with a 7% tip to ActBlue of $0.21), or as determined by me on a case-by-case basis; and a goal of donating $4.00 per political organization for donation requests via email or text message (with a 7% tip to ActBlue of $0.28), or as determined by me on a case-by-case basis; as well as a goal of donating $5.00 per political organization, or per PAC, for donation requests via the regular mail (with a 7% tip to ActBlue of $0.35), or as determined by me on a case-by-case basis.

To sum it up, then: I am essentially keeping the same total individual campaign donation amount of $3.21, but I am only donating to local campaigns here in Oregon, or as determined by me on a case-by-case basis; and I am reducing the total donation amount for political organizations and PACs for email and text message donation requests to $4.28 (from $5.35), or as determined by me on a case-by-case basis; plus, I am reducing the total donation amount for political organizations and PACs for regular mail donation requests to $5.35 (from $7.51), or as determined by me on a case-by-case basis.

Therefore, I recently used to donate "$4.00 per political organization"; however, I have decided to adjust that amount again, so that I can donate to more political organizations and PACs (Political Action Committees) while I am still staying within my 'monthly donating budget,' since I am now donating to more organizations as the 2024 Presidential Election cycle continues.

Thus, as I partially explained above, for the rest of the 2024 election cycle—as well as for the foreseeable future—I have made a goal of donating $2.00 per local political campaign only here in Oregon (with a 7% tip to ActBlue of $0.14), or as determined by me on a case-by-case basis; and a goal of donating $3.00 per political organization for donation requests via email or text message (with a 7% tip to ActBlue of $0.21), or as determined by me on a case-by-case basis; as well as a goal of donating $4.00 per political organization, or per PAC, for donation requests via the regular mail (with a 7% tip to ActBlue of $0.28), or as determined by me on a case-by-case basis.

To sum it up, then: I am reducing the total individual campaign donation amount to $2.14 (from $3.21) and I am still only donating to local campaigns here in Oregon, or as determined by me on a case-by-case basis; and I am reducing the total donation amount for political organizations and PACs for email and text message donation requests to $3.21 (from $4.28), or as determined by me on a case-by-case basis; plus, I am reducing the total donation amount for political organizations and PACs for regular mail donation requests to $4.28 (from $5.35), or as determined by me on a case-by-case basis.

So, without further ado...

The first political communication to which I responded yesterday, June 16th, 2024, was a text message that I received twenty three days ago on May 25th, 2024, from the Jane Fonda Climate PAC (Jane Fonda Climate Political Action Committee), which stated the following:

Did you see this? Earlier this month, the Washington Post revealed that in April, Donald Trump told oil execs he'd roll back protections and let drilling 𝗳𝗹𝘆 𝗶𝗳 𝘁𝗵𝗲𝘆 𝗴𝗮𝘃𝗲 𝗵𝗶𝘀 𝗰𝗮𝗺𝗽𝗮𝗶𝗴𝗻 $𝟭,𝟬𝟬𝟬,𝟬𝟬𝟬,𝟬𝟬𝟬 [one billion dollars].

He then went on to attend a fundraiser in Texas hosted by some of the world's richest fossil fuel industry executives. While this kind of blatant corruption poses a grave threat to our climate progress, we have good news – climate champions across the country are stepping up to fight back. And they need our support.

JanePAC is all in to hold the disgraced former president accountable and elect candidates who will lead the way on clean energy and defeat Big Oil.

𝗖𝗵𝗶𝗽 𝗶𝗻 𝘄𝗵𝗮𝘁 𝘆𝗼𝘂 𝗰𝗮𝗻 𝘁𝗼 𝗵𝗲𝗹𝗽 𝘂𝘀 𝗲𝗹𝗲𝗰𝘁 𝗰𝗹𝗶𝗺𝗮𝘁𝗲 𝗰𝗵𝗮𝗺𝗽𝗶𝗼𝗻𝘀 𝗿𝗲𝗮𝗱𝘆 𝘁𝗼 𝗳𝗶𝗴𝗵𝘁 𝗯𝗮𝗰𝗸:***

Jane Fonda
CLIMATE PAC

Help Elect Climate Champions

The Jane Fonda Climate PAC is focused on electing bold climate champions who aren't afraid to take on Big Oil & defend our planet but we can't do it without your support. If you're able, please donate $5, $50, or whatever amount is right for you to help Jane PAC candidates across the country this year. →

Donate immediately:

Your contribution will benefit Jane Fonda Climate PAC.

[  ] Donate $5 →

[  ] Donate $25 →

[  ] Donate $50 →

[  ] Donate $100 →

[  ] Donate $250 →

[  ] Donate $500 →

[  ] Donate $5,000 →

[✓] Other amount $3.00

Please leave a tip for ActBlue

Power the nonprofit fundraising platform Democratic candidates & progressive causes rely on.

[  ] Add $2 tip

[  ] Leave no tip

[✓] Add custom amount $0.21 (7%)

And so, I made a one-time donation to the Jane Fonda Climate PAC (with a tip to ActBlue) yesterday, June 16th, 2024, since "the Washington Post revealed that in April, Donald Trump told oil execs he'd roll back protections and let drilling fly if they gave his campaign $1,000,000,000." That is why I contributed to the Jane Fonda Climate PAC because they are "focused on electing bold climate champions who aren't afraid to take on Big Oil & defend our planet."

---------------------------------------------

The second political communication to which I responded yesterday, June 16th, 2024, was an email from the Democratic Senatorial Campaign Committee (DSCC) that I received fifteen days ago on June 2nd, 2024, with the subject line, "Please respond immediately, Paul -", which stated the following:

Hi Paul, it's [name redacted], the Research Director here at the DSCC.

I'm reaching out because even after multiple indictments and pushing our democracy to the brink, Donald Trump is still statistically tied with Joe Biden in the polls!

We need to know that Democrats everywhere are prepared to stand against Donald Trump -- because it's going to take all of us to keep him from inflicting four more years of misery on the country.

We've launched our Official 2024 Straw Poll to make sure our grassroots team is prepared to take on Donald Trump once again, but I just checked our records and didn't see your response -- so please answer immediately:

⚫ Live Poll ⚫

Who do you support for president?

[✓] BIDEN

[ ] TRUMP

Thank you for your input,

[Name redacted]
[Title redacted], DSCC

DSCC
Democratic Senatorial Campaign Committee

2024 Straw Poll

This poll is closing in a matter of hours. Please respond to each question and do not share this link with others.

First, please confirm: Who do you support for president this year?

[✓] Joe Biden!
[  ] Donald Trump.

Do you agree with more than 100 historians that Donald Trump was one of the worst presidents ever?

[✓] Yes!
[  ] No.

What do you consider to be the most dangerous parts of Donald Trump's time in office? (Select all that apply.)

[✓] Lying about election fraud and refusing to concede to President Biden
[✓] Coddling dictators and undermining America's allies abroad
[✓] Putting three ultra-conservative justices onto the Supreme Court
[✓] Attempting to eliminate the Affordable Care Act
[✓] Attacking journalists as the "enemy of the people"
[✓] Ignoring critical issues like climate change and gun violence
[  ] Other:

President Biden has accomplished so much in his first term. Meanwhile, Donald Trump's four years were a DISASTER -- but polls show them statistically TIED!

How concerned are you about the possibility of Trump and his Senate allies returning to power?

[✓] Extremely concerned
[  ] Somewhat concerned
[  ] Not at all concerned

To stop Republicans from taking back power, we need every Democrat on board to help President Biden and Democrats win this year.

Are you committed to stopping far-right Republicans and helping defend President Biden's Senate majority?

[✓] Yes, count me on the team to support Democrats!
[  ] No. I don't care if Republicans retake power.

If we want to defend our Senate majority, then we MUST stay on track to hit all our fundraising targets! But right now we're falling behind our next major fundraising goal, and the deadline is midnight!

Please, we need your help to get back on track. Will you chip in $55 or more to help defend our Democratic Senate and beat Donald Trump's far-right Republican allies?

Please use the links below to start a monthly donation through ActBlue:

[  ] I'll donate $55!
[  ] I'll donate $110!
[  ] I'll donate $165!
[✓] I'll donate another amount.*

*[Blogger's Note: I selected this option—although I made a one-time donation, rather than a monthly donation—because it's an option that got me to the donation webpage!]

---------------------------------------------

DSCC

Donate now to SUPERCHARGE our Senate majority!

CNN says multiple GOP seats could flip blue this year — but with Mitch McConnell's megadonors already playing offense, it's going to take all hands on deck to win!

Please, will you chip in now to protect our historic progress by supercharging our Democratic majority?

Donate immediately:

Your contribution will benefit DSCC.

[  ] Donate $3 →

[  ] Donate $220 →

[  ] Donate $550 →

[  ] Donate $1,100 →

[  ] Donate $2,200 →

[  ] Donate $2,700 →

[✓] Other amount $3.00

Please leave a tip for ActBlue

Power the nonprofit fundraising platform Democratic candidates & progressive causes rely on.

[  ] Add $2 tip

[  ] Leave no tip

[✓] Add custom amount $0.21 (7%)

And so, I made a one-time donation to the DSCC (with a tip to ActBlue) yesterday, June 16th, 2024, in order to confirm that I support Joe Biden for President of the United States!

---------------------------------------------

The third political communication to which I responded yesterday, June 16th, 2024, was an email from Ban Assault Weapons NOW PAC [Ban Assault Weapons NOW (BAWN) Political Action Committee, or BAWN PAC] that I received eleven days ago on June 6th, 2024, with the subject line, "$1", which stated, in part, the following:

One dollar.

That’s the donation we’re asking you to make before midnight. Paul -- seriously, just $1.

$1 to help [name redacted] and the Tour to Save Democracy elect gun safety champions dedicated to banning assault weapons, like the ones used in the Parkland and Pulse tragedies.

$1 to defeat cowards in vulnerable Republican districts who witness mass slaughter and refuse to take a stand against weapons of war.

$1 to stop entirely preventable mass shootings carried out at the hands of assault weapons in our schools, nightclubs, places of worship, grocery stores, and everywhere in between.

It’s probably hard to imagine that $1 has the power to do all these things. But when we all give, it adds up fast – and the more we raise, the more we can donate to the Tour to Save Democracy's trip across the country to replace every complacent Republican with a gun safety Democrat who will protect our communities.

So please, Paul: Can we count on you to chip in just $1 before midnight? If you -- and everyone reading this -- chips in $1, it would make a world of difference to ensure the Tour can make it to all 21 stops they have planned in swing districts that are critical to electing the gun safety Majority who will finally BAN assault weapons. >>

DONATE $1***

Thanks for your support,

Team Ban Assault Weapons NOW!

CONTRIBUTE TO THE TOUR TO SAVE DEMOCRACY!

BAWN is partnering with [name redacted] as he embarks on a summer tour to save our democracy. [Name redacted] and a collective of Gen Z activists will bus across the nation stopping in Republican-held swing districts to rally young voters, flip these seats blue, and elect strong gun safety Democrats.

But [name redacted] is counting on grassroots support to fund his tour and make it possible.

Will you rush in a gift before midnight? Your contribution will directly support necessary parts of [name redacted's] tour, like gas, food, and lodging expenses.

Donate immediately:

Your contribution will benefit Ban Assault Weapons NOW PAC.

[  ] Donate $25 →

[  ] Donate $50 →

[  ] Donate $100 →

[  ] Donate $250 →

[  ] Donate $500 →

[  ] Donate $1,000 →

[✓] Other amount $3.00

Please leave a tip for ActBlue

Power the nonprofit fundraising platform Democratic candidates & progressive causes rely on.

[  ] Add $2 tip

[  ] Leave no tip

[✓] Add custom amount $0.21 (7%)

And so, I made a one-time donation to Ban Assault Weapons NOW PAC (BAWN PAC) (with a tip to ActBlue) yesterday, June 16th, 2024, to show my support for "the Tour to Save Democracy's trip across the country to replace every complacent Republican with a gun safety Democrat who will protect our communities [and] to ensure the Tour can make it to all 21 stops they have planned in swing districts that are critical to electing the gun safety Majority who will finally BAN assault weapons."

---------------------------------------------

The fourth political communication to which I responded yesterday, June 16th, 2024, was an email from the Democratic Attorneys General Association (DAGA) that I received eleven days ago on June 6th, 2024, with the subject line, "🏳️‍🌈❤️🏳️‍⚧️", which stated the following:

The Democratic Attorneys General Association Happy Pride Month, Paul!

This June and beyond, we honor the LBGTQ+ community and this country’s hard-fought (and still continuing!) march toward full equality. Here at DAGA, our position has always been: Love is love is love is love. ♥️

And as the People’s Lawyers, the Democratic Attorneys General will tell you: Justice is justice is justice is justice. ⚖️

There’s still so much work to be done in upholding every person’s right to be who they are, and love who they love, free of legal and institutional discrimination. And Dem AGs are dedicated to leading the way in their communities.

Paul, if you’re committed to the fight for LGBTQ+ equality in this country, chip in $5 right now to help us elect progressive Dem AGs across the country.

If you've saved your payment information with ActBlue Express, your donation will go through immediately:

[  ] CHIP IN $5 NOW
[  ] CHIP IN $10 NOW
[  ] CHIP IN $25 NOW
[  ] CHIP IN $50 NOW
[  ] CHIP IN $100 NOW
[✓] ANOTHER AMOUNT***

In the past ten years, we’ve seen huge progress. Marriage equality became the law of the land, workplace discrimination against LGBTQ+ individuals was prohibited by the Supreme Court, and more LGBTQ+ leaders have been elected (including our very own history-making Dem AGs [name redacted] and [name redacted]!). Activists, voters, and politicians have worked hard across the country for this progress.

But progress is fragile, and LGBTQ+ rights are still very much in danger.

Trans youth are under attack nationwide, books with LGBTQ+ themes are being banned from our public schools, and Supreme Court Justice [name redacted] has named Obergefell v. Hodges, the case that legalized same-sex marriage, as one that could be overturned.

Paul, the fight for LGBTQ+ equality has come so far, but there are still people with great power and influence trying to reverse it all. This Pride Month, chip in $5 to help us defeat them and instead elect Dem AGs who will relentlessly pursue freedom and protection for LGBTQ+ individuals across the country.

Thanks,

Democratic AGs

[Blogger's Note: By the way, the subject line above actually had a heart hands emoji between the two flags, but it only appeared as "🏳️‍🌈🖾🏳️‍⚧️" when I went to copy and paste it! So, I decided to select a heart shape emoji in place of the heart hands emoji, since I feel that it is communicating the same feeling.]

DEMOCRATIC ATTORNEYS GENERAL ASSOCIATION

PROTECTING OUR RIGHTS

From abortion access to voting rights, Dem AGs are on the front lines, defending our democracy and protecting our communities.

Make a donation to DAGA to elect more Dem AGs in 2023, 2024, and beyond - starting right here and now.

DONATE IMMEDIATELY:

Your contribution will benefit Democratic Attorneys General Association (DAGA) РАС.

[  ] DONATE $5 →

[  ] DONATE $10 →

[  ] DONATE $25 →

[  ] DONATE $50 →

[  ] DONATE $100 →

[  ] DONATE $250 →

[  ] DONATE $500 →

[✓] OTHER AMOUNT $3.00

Please leave a tip for ActBlue

Power the nonprofit fundraising platform Democratic candidates & progressive causes rely on.

[  ] Add $2 tip

[  ] Leave no tip

[✓] Add custom amount $0.21 (7%)

And so, I made a one-time donation to the DAGA (with a tip to ActBlue) yesterday, June 16th, 2024, since "there’s still so much work to be done in upholding every person’s right to be who they are, and love who they love, free of legal and institutional discrimination." That is why I contributed to the Democratic Attorneys General Association, because "Dem AGs [Attorneys General] are dedicated to leading the way in their communities."

---------------------------------------------

The fifth political communication to which I responded yesterday, June 16th, 2024, was an email from Voto Latino that I received ten days ago on June 7th, 2024, with the subject line, "How Latino swing-state voters could sway the 2024 election", which stated the following:

Dear Paul,

As we head into the key months before the 2024 election, Voto Latino conducted a large-scale poll of Latino voters in battleground states to take the most complete pulse of the electorate that is poised to decide America’s future.

I shared the headline results of this poll in USA Today this morning, and I wanted to make sure you saw that our findings completely challenge the conventional wisdom. What we saw is that there has been no meaningful “rightward shift” among Latino voters – instead, there are many who have become frustrated with the two-party system and are seriously considering a third-party vote.

The good news for Democrats: In a head-to-head matchup, Biden is leading Trump among swing-state Latinos by a robust 59% to 39%. This is within striking distance of his 2020 election results, and would mean a boost in raw vote total from Latino voters given our community’s growing share of the electorate.

However, when our survey expands the field to include third-party candidates, Biden’s support among Latino voters falls to just 47%, with Trump dipping slightly to 34% and Kennedy taking 12%.

In other words, our poll reveals a key reality for the Biden campaign: For all-important Latino swing-state voters, this will be a persuasion election – between Biden and Kennedy.

As I wrote in USA Today, the strategic imperative is clear for Voto Latino. Our polling makes it clear that Latinos continue to be repelled by Trump. Yes, we will continue to remind our community just how catastrophic his return to power would be. At the same time, we’ll be shifting our resources to ensure Latinos see Robert F. Kennedy Jr. for who he really is: no champion of social justice and no friend to working people.

We are so thankful for your continued support as we work to ensure Latinos across the country can make their voices heard in this election and beyond. If you’d like to make a donation to support our fight, please consider doing so here:***

In gratitude,

[Name redacted]

VOTOLATINO
It's your country. Represent!

HELP VOTO LATINO REGISTER AND MOBILIZE YOUNG LATINO VOTERS IN SWING STATES!

Election Day is less than six months away, and we've set the ambitious goal of registering 500.000 new young Latino voters before November. We can only do it with your support.

It costs $18 to register and $6 to mobilize one new Latino voter in a battleground state. Will you donate $24 or any amount to help our efforts today?

There's so much at stake this election our mission to engage and mobilize the Latino community is more crucial than ever.

Donate immediately:

Your contribution will benefit Voto Latino.

[  ] DONATE $25 →

[  ] DONATE $100 →

[  ] DONATE $250 →

[  ] DONATE $1,000 →

[✓] OTHER AMOUNT $3.00

Please leave a tip for ActBlue

Power the nonprofit fundraising platform Democratic candidates & progressive causes rely on.

[  ] Add $2 tip

[  ] Leave no tip

[✓] Add custom amount $0.21 (7%)

And so, I made a one-time donation to Voto Latino (with a tip to ActBlue) yesterday, June 16th, 2024, because, "as we head into the key months before the 2024 election, Voto Latino conducted a large-scale poll of Latino voters in battleground states to take the most complete pulse of the electorate that is poised to decide America’s future." And their "polling makes it clear that Latinos continue to be repelled by Trump." Plus, their "poll reveals a key reality for the Biden campaign: For all-important Latino swing-state voters, this will be a persuasion election – between Biden and Kennedy."

---------------------------------------------

The sixth political communication to which I responded yesterday, June 16th, 2024, was an email from VoteVets that I received ten days ago on June 7th, 2024, with the subject line, "The difference", which stated the following:

VoteVets

On June 6th, we marked the 80th anniversary of D-Day — the beginning of the end of Nazi tyranny, and arguably the finest hour of the Greatest Generation.

President Biden honored the brave Americans who gave their lives to liberate Europe.

We’re proud that he’s our Commander in Chief, and that his speech — echoing those of past Presidents Reagan, Eisenhower, Kennedy, and Roosevelt — spoke definitively about the worth of democracy and the critical role America plays in protecting it at home and abroad.

Trump had a similar opportunity while he was president.

He did not rise to the challenge. Befriending and praising dictators is a sin we cannot abide, but somehow it’s even worse than that. During the 100th anniversary celebrations of the end of World War 1, Trump canceled an appearance at the American cemetery in France where the legendary Marines of the battle of Belleau Wood rest.

He called these 1,800 heroes “suckers” and “losers” and refused to honor their sacrifice.

We haven’t forgotten. And we will not forgive.

Help us defeat Donald Trump — once and for all.

Make a donation to VoteVets and help us build the infrastructure we need to stop Trump’s march to dictatorship and fascism in its tracks.

If you've stored your info with ActBlue, we'll process your contribution instantly:

[  ] RUSH $10 NOW
[  ] RUSH $25 NOW
[  ] RUSH $50 NOW
[  ] RUSH $100 NOW
[  ] RUSH $250 NOW
[✓] ANOTHER AMOUNT***

Thank you,

The team at VoteVets

VoteVets

Chip in to support VoteVets today >>

We're the largest progressive organization fighting for the rights and lives of Veterans and Military families and we're honored to have you on the team.

Our voices matter. This is important. Pitch in today.

Donate immediately:

Your contribution will benefit VoteVets.org.

[  ] Donate $1,000 →

[  ] Donate $500 →

[  ] Donate $250 →

[  ] Donate $100 →

[  ] Donate $50 →

[  ] Donate $25 →

[  ] Donate $5 →

[✓] Other amount $3.00

Please leave a tip for ActBlue

Power the nonprofit fundraising platform Democratic candidates & progressive causes rely on.

[  ] Add $2 tip

[  ] Leave no tip

[✓] Add custom amount $0.21 (7%)

And so, I made a one-time donation to VoteVets (with a tip to ActBlue) yesterday, June 16th, 2024, since, "on June 6th, we marked the 80th anniversary of D-Day — the beginning of the end of Nazi tyranny, and arguably the finest hour of the Greatest Generation," during which "President Biden honored the brave Americans who gave their lives to liberate Europe." And the difference is that "Trump had a similar opportunity while he was president," but "he did not rise to the challenge," because "during the 100th anniversary celebrations of the end of World War 1, Trump canceled an appearance at the American cemetery in France where the legendary Marines of the battle of Belleau Wood rest ... and refused to honor their sacrifice."

---------------------------------------------

The seventh political communication to which I responded yesterday, June 16th, 2024, was a text message seven days ago on June 10th, 2024, from the Democratic Association of Secretaries of State (DASS), which stated the following:

Folks,

It was Donald Trump and the GOP’s most destructive scheme of 2020.

After the results of the election were tallied and it was clear President Biden had won, ten Republicans in Wisconsin chose to ignore the will of the people.

Instead, they posed as “fake electors” for Trump. We saw the same thing happen in Arizona, Georgia, Michigan, Nevada, New Mexico and Pennsylvania.

Thankfully, the fake electors plot got foiled, but it showed how low Donald Trump and anti-democracy extremists would go to overturn a nationwide election.

I expect them to go even lower in this year’s presidential race. That’s why I’m writing to ask if you will make a $5, $50, or even $100 donation to the Democratic Association of Secretaries of State (DASS) today.

Thank you,

[Name redacted]
[Title redacted], Wisconsin

Democratic Association of Secretaries of State

When federal action stalls, state laws decide the future of our republic. We can't let those laws fall into the hands of partisan, conspiracy-loving GOP legislatures.

Our Democratic Secretaries protect our elections — even when Congress is deadlocked. They're the last line of defense for your rights, and they need your help this year more than ever. Rush a donation now and defend our Secretaries of State!

Donate immediately:

Your contribution will benefit DASS PAC.

[  ] Donate $15 →

[  ] Donate $35 →

[  ] Donate $100 →

[  ] Donate $50 →

[  ] Donate $250 →

[✓] Other amount $3.00

Please leave a tip for ActBlue

Power the nonprofit fundraising platform Democratic candidates & progressive causes rely on.

[  ] Add $2 tip

[  ] Leave no tip

[✓] Add custom amount $0.21 (7%)

And so, I made a one-time donation to the DASS (with a tip to ActBlue) yesterday, June 16th, 2024, due to the following: "After the results of the election were tallied and it was clear President Biden had won, ten Republicans in Wisconsin chose to ignore the will of the people. Instead, they posed as 'fake electors' for Trump. We saw the same thing happen in Arizona, Georgia, Michigan, Nevada, New Mexico and Pennsylvania. Thankfully, the fake electors plot got foiled, but it showed how low Donald Trump and anti-democracy extremists would go to overturn a nationwide election." That is why I donated to Democratic Association of Secretaries of State beacuse "our Democratic Secretaries protect our elections" and "they're the last line of defense for [our] rights."

---------------------------------------------

The eighth political communication to which I responded yesterday, June 16th, 2024, was an email from the Biden for President campaign that I received two days ago on June 15th, 2024, with the subject line, "Check out this week’s Team Joe Newsletter →", which stated, in part, the following:

Biden-Harris 2024

Paul

We hope you've had a great week. From celebrating the 80th anniversary of D-Day by honoring the brave men and women who fought to protect democracy to uplifting gun violence prevention, a lot has been happening for Team Biden-Harris, and we're excited to share some of the latest updates with you!

But first, we have to be honest: Donald Trump's MAGA supporters flooded his campaign with $141 million last month. To counteract that massive haul and keep our own momentum going, we need you with us. Will you chip in $25 today to help reelect Joe and Kamala and finish the job?

DONATE***

We're so grateful for your support. Read on to learn more about what President Biden and Vice President Harris have been up to this week →

PRESIDENT BIDEN DELIVERS
REMARKS ON D-DAY IN
NORMANDY

Last week, President Biden commemorated the 80th anniversary of D- Day by delivering a powerful speech saluting the brave American soldiers who stormed the beaches of Normandy to end Nazi occupation of France - and demonstrated to the world America's steadfast commitment to defending democracy.

As President Biden underscored in his speech, 80 years later, that commitment has never been more at risk and the threats to the ideals of democracy have never been greater. He reminded us all of our obligation to continue the ongoing fight to defend democracy, saying, "we have a special obligation. We cannot let what happened here be lost in the silence of the years to come. We must remember it, must honor it, and live it."

President Biden knows that democracy begins with each of us, and it only survives if we're willing to stand up to save it.

PRESIDENT BIDEN SPEAKS AT
THE EVERYTOWN FOR GUN
SAFETY SUMMIT

Earlier this week, President Biden spoke at Everytown's Gun Sense University about his commitment to fighting for a future where every American has the freedom to live in communities safe from gun violence.

President Biden told the crowd, "You can help rally a nation with a sense of urgency and seriousness of purpose. You're changing the culture. We're proving we can do more than just thoughts and prayers. You're changing politics. You're proving that you're powerful and you're relentless, and I mean that."

President Biden will continue to take on the gun lobby and fight for meaningful gun safety legislation so that every community can live without fear.

HONORING JUNETEENTH
NATIONAL INDEPENDENCE
DAY

Since Day One, President Biden and Vice President Harris have advanced racial justice and asserted that Black history is American history. President Biden was proud to sign into law the Juneteenth National Independence Day Act, designate the Emmett Till and Mamie Till-Mobley National Monument, and posthumously award the Presidential Medal of Freedom to Medgar Evers. In the face of MAGA extremists' growing attacks on racial progress and attempts to rewrite history, the President and Vice President are committed to reminding us that our country is only strengthened by the breadth, complexity, and significance of African American history.

Vice President Harris has also declared Juneteenth-- June 19, 2024 as one of three National Days of Action on Voting. With a focus on voter engagement, these days aim to ensure all Americans have the information they need to vote, promote voter participation for students, protect election workers, and fight voter suppression laws.

The Biden-Harris administration will never stop fighting to recognize the full arc of our country's history -- to help us understand how the past connects us to the present and shapes our shared future.

"My dad used to have an expression -- 'It's the lucky person who gets up in the morning, puts both feet on the floor, knows what they are about to do, and thinks it still matters.' Your support matters. Your donation matters." -- Joe Biden

Thanks for donating toward our June goal!

Protecting our fundamental rights and saving our nation's democracy all comes down to reelecting Joe Biden and Kamala Harms. They're counting on this grassroots team to keep MAGA extremism out of the White House! Rush a donation today.

Donate immediately:

Your contribution will benefit Joe Biden.

[✓] Donate $3 →

[  ] Donate $25 →

[  ] Donate $46 →

[  ] Donate $100 →

[  ] Donate $250 →

[  ] Donate $1,000 →

[  ] Donate $2,000 →

[  ] Other amount:

Please leave a tip for ActBlue

Power the nonprofit fundraising platform Democratic candidates & progressive causes rely on.

[  ] Add $2 tip

[  ] Leave no tip

[✓] Add custom amount $0.21 (7%)

And so, I made a one-time donation to the Biden for President campaign (with a tip to ActBlue) yesterday, June 16th, 2024, in order to show my support for "this week’s Team Joe Newsletter."

---------------------------------------------

The ninth political communication to which I responded yesterday, June 16th, 2024, was a text message that I received yesterday, June 16th, 2024, from the Democratic Governors Association (DGA), which stated the following:

We've asked you once.

We've asked you twice.

𝗡𝗼𝘄, 𝘄𝗲'𝗿𝗲 𝗮𝘀𝗸𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝘆𝗼𝘂 𝗳𝗼𝗿 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗳𝗼𝘂𝗿𝘁𝗵 𝘁𝗶𝗺𝗲 𝘁𝗵𝗶𝘀 𝘆𝗲𝗮𝗿!!

We launched an official Biden 2024 Endorsement Survey, and we don't have your response yet, Paul. With Trump leading President Biden by just one point in a new poll out this week – 50% vs. 49% – we need to know where our top grassroots supporters stand.

𝟵𝟮% 𝗼𝗳 𝗗𝗚𝗔 𝘀𝘂𝗽𝗽𝗼𝗿𝘁𝗲𝗿𝘀 𝗵𝗮𝘃𝗲 𝗮𝗹𝗿𝗲𝗮𝗱𝘆 𝗲𝗻𝗱𝗼𝗿𝘀𝗲𝗱 𝗣𝗿𝗲𝘀𝗶𝗱𝗲𝗻𝘁 𝗕𝗶𝗱𝗲𝗻, 𝘀𝗼 𝗽𝗹𝗲𝗮𝘀𝗲 𝗱𝗶𝘀𝗰𝗹𝗼𝘀𝗲 𝘆𝗼𝘂𝗿 𝗲𝗻𝗱𝗼𝗿𝘀𝗲𝗺𝗲𝗻𝘁 𝗻𝗼𝘄:

Will you endorse Joe Biden for a second term?

[✓] 👍 YES:***
[ ] 👎 NO:

-DGA

Democratic Governors Association

2024 BIDEN ENDORSEMENT SURVEY | IMMEDIATE RESPONSE REQUESTED

Thank you for taking action!

As a top Democrat in your area, you have been selected to complete this exclusive survey. Will you please take a moment to answer the following questions about the 2024 elections?

Please confirm: Do you endorse President Biden for a second term?

[✓] Yes
[  ] No
[  ] Unsure

How favorably do you view President Biden's leadership during his first term in office?
(1 - Not favorable, 5 - Extremely favorable)

[  ] 1
[  ] 2
[  ] 3
[  ] 4
[✓] 5

In President Biden's fight to combat the GOP's extreme agenda and move America forward, which issues do you think he should prioritize? (Select all that apply.)

[✓] Abortion rights
[✓] Voting rights
[✓] LGBTQ+ rights
[✓] Civil rights
[✓] Preserving democracy
[✓] The economy
[✓] Gun violence prevention
[  ] Other:

As Pres. Biden works to better the lives of everyday Americans, MAGA extremists threaten to pass radical legislation to take away vital freedoms.

How worried are you about the rise of MAGA extremism?
(1 - Not worried, 5 - Extremely worried)

[  ] 1
[  ] 2
[  ] 3
[  ] 4
[✓] 5

This November, there are 11 governors' races on the ballot including open governorships in battleground states like North Carolina and New Hampshire. Democratic governors are the last line of defense against the worst of the GOP's far-right agenda while also serving as crucial allies for President Biden as he works to implement his agenda across the nation.

Do you believe that grassroots activists should invest in our blue firewall of Democratic governors this year?

[✓] Yes, we absolutely should!
[  ] No, we shouldn't
[  ] I'm not sure

The 2024 elections are just around the corner and President Biden and our blue firewall candidates are counting on this team to have their backs. Will you invest $100 to help us elect Democratic governors across the country to defeat the GOP's radical right-wing agenda once and for all?

[  ] Yes, I will give $100!
[✓] No, I can't give that much.

We understand that giving at that level might be tough. But the DGA is working tirelessly to elect Democrats across the country. And with Republicans pushing an extremist agenda, we can't afford to miss any fundraising goals.

But we just pulled your supporter record, and here's what we found:

Given to DGA today? Not Yet
Suggested donation: $30.17

Electing Democrats in every state is the most critical thing we can do to stop the far right and move our country forward. But right now, we're $25,000 short of what we need to raise before our next big deadline. Please, before midnight tonight: Will you give $30.17 or whatever you can?

[✓] Yes, I'll give $3.
[  ] Yes, I'll give $30.17! (This is what most Democrats are giving.)
[  ] Yes, and I'll give more!

---------------------------------------------

DONATE NOW DEADLINE: MIDNIGHT

If we want to stop the Republicans dangerous agenda, we have to keep pace with the GOP's millions in fundraising — but right now, not enough Democrats are donating, and we're falling way short of our goal.

Closing this gop is so important that a group of donors is DOUBLING every gift up to our goal, so please don't wait: Rush your gift and get every dollar matched to elect Democratic governors!

Donate immediately:

Your contribution will benefit Democratic Action.

[  ] Donate $1 →

[  ] Donate $5 →

[  ] Donate $10 →

[  ] Donate $25 →

[  ] Donate $50 →

[  ] Donate $100 →

[  ] Donate $250 →

[✓] Other amount $3.00

Please leave a tip for ActBlue

Power the nonprofit fundraising platform Democratic candidates & progressive causes rely on.

[  ] Add $2 tip

[  ] Leave no tip

[✓] Add custom amount $0.21 (7%)

And so, I made a one-time donation to the DGA (with a tip to ActBlue) yesterday, June 16th, 2024, in order to respond to the question, "Will you endorse Joe Biden for a second term?" with a resounding 'YES!'

---------------------------------------------

Finally, these last three political donations weren't due to communications that I received from the following organizations, but because I have donated to these organizations in previous election cycles!

The tenth organization to which I donated yesterday, June 16th, 2024, was EMILYs List based upon a popup that appeared on the EmilysList.org website, which stated the following:

Donate to EMILYs List

Very simply, we work to elect Democratic pro-choice women to office. And we cannot do it without supporters like you.

Please donate today and help elect more women leaders like Kamala Harris, Tammy Baldwin, and Elizabeth Warren.

[  ] $25
[  ] $50
[  ] $250
[  ] $500
[  ] $1000
[  ] $2500
[  ] $4000
[✓] OTHER AMOUNT

And, after I read the popup above, I clicked on the hyperlink to the referenced webpage, the relevant text of which can be found below:

EMILYs LIST
RUN. WIN. CHANGE THE WORLD.

Donate to EMILYs List

Very simply, we work to elect Democratic pro-choice women to office. And we cannot do it without supporters like you.

Please donate today and help elect more women leaders like Kamala Harris, Tammy Baldwin, and Elizabeth Warren.

Donate immediately:

Your contribution will benefit EMILYs List.

[  ] Donate $25 →

[  ] Donate $50 →

[  ] Donate $250 →

[  ] Donate $500 →

[  ] Donate $1,000 →

[  ] Donate $2,500 →

[  ] Donate $4,000 →

[✓] Other amount $3.00

Please leave a tip for ActBlue

Power the nonprofit fundraising platform Democratic candidates & progressive causes rely on.

[  ] Add $2 tip

[  ] Leave no tip

[✓] Add custom amount $0.21 (7%)

And so, I made a one-time donation to EMILYs List (with a tip to ActBlue) yesterday, June 16th, 2024, in order to help "elect Democratic pro-choice women to office."

---------------------------------------------

The eleventh organization to which I donated yesterday, June 16th, 2024, was Rolling Sea Action Fund based upon a description that appeared on the RollingSea.org website, which stated the following:

Unleashing the Strength of Black Voices for Lasting Political Impact

At Rolling Sea Action Fund, we believe in the power of the Black community to shape our democracy and create positive change. We are dedicated to amplifying Black voices, addressing our concerns, and ensuring our full participation in the electoral process.

And, after I read the description above, I clicked on the donation hyperlink to the referenced webpage, the relevant text of which can be found below:

ROLLING SEA ACTION FUND

Support Black Democrats

We’re devoting our efforts to empower Black voters, protect our Senate Majority and flip the House from red to blue. But we need your help right now!

We’re nearly BROKE, so we need a huge wave of emergency donations to STOP the GOP's corrupted voter suppression agenda.

If you don’t give right now, we will not be able to fight back and protect President Biden's agenda in 2024. Please, rush a donation now, before it's too late >>

Donate immediately:

Your contribution will benefit Rolling Sea Action Fund.

[  ] Donate $25 →

[  ] Donate $100 →

[  ] Donate $250 →

[  ] Donate $1,000 →

[✓] Other amount $3.00

Please leave a tip for ActBlue

Power the nonprofit fundraising platform Democratic candidates & progressive causes rely on.

[  ] Add $2 tip

[  ] Leave no tip

[✓] Add custom amount $0.21 (7%)

And so, I made a one-time donation to the Rolling Sea Action Fund (with a tip to ActBlue) yesterday, June 16th, 2024, because they are "devoting [their] efforts to empower Black voters, protect our Senate Majority and flip the House from red to blue."

---------------------------------------------

The twelfth organization to which I donated was the Voters of Tomorrow PAC (Voters of Tomorrow Political Action Committee) based upon a donation request that appeared on the VotersOfTomorrow.org website, which stated the following:

HELP US BUILD A MOVEMENT

Make a contribution today to help Voters of Tomorrow build a new generation of democracy defenders.

[  ] $10
[  ] $25
[  ] $75
[  ] $100
[  ] $250
[✓] Other amount

If you've saved your payment information with ActBlue Express, your donation will go through immediately.

---------------------------------------------

Donate to help Voters of Tomorrow reach Gen Z voters

$186,456.06 Raised →→→→→ GOAL $500,000
MIDNIGHT DEADLINE! >> updated at 7:50 PM

In 2022, young voters proved yet again that we are a political force to be reckoned with. Voters of Tomorrow played a major role in harnessing that power. As The Financial Times said, the group "worked to boost turnout among 18-to 29-year-olds and may have saved the election."

But we have to keep this momentum going. Voters of Tomorrow is continuing to ramp up its outreach and voter education efforts. Unlike many other organizations, we are meeting Gen Z where they are by providing valuable content in the same platforms they already spend time in.

With your contribution, Voters of Tomorrow will be able to reach even more young voters and guide them away from dangerous misinformation pushed by people looking to disenfranchise them.

Donate immediately:

Your contribution will benefit Voters of Tomorrow Action.

[  ] Donate $10 →

[  ] Donate $25 →

[  ] Donate $50 →

[  ] Donate $100 →

[  ] Donate $250 →

[  ] Donate $500 →

[  ] Donate $1,000 →

[✓] Other amount $3.00

Please leave a tip for ActBlue

Power the nonprofit fundraising platform Democratic candidates & progressive causes rely on.

[  ] Add $2 tip

[  ] Leave no tip

[✓] Add custom amount $0.21 (7%)

And so, I made a one-time donation to the Voters of Tomorrow PAC (Voters of Tomorrow Action) (with a tip to ActBlue) yesterday, June 16th, 2024, in order to "help Voters of Tomorrow build a new generation of democracy defenders."

Thus, these four organizations—the DSCC, the DAGA, the DASS, as well as the DGA—in addition to this one campaign—Biden for President—plus, these six Political Action Committees (PACs)—Jane Fonda Climate PAC, Ban Assault Weapons NOW PAC, VoteVets, EMILYs List, Rolling Sea Action Fund, as well as Voters of Tomorrow PAC—as well as this one civic engagement organization—Voto Latino—are the political organizations, the political campaign, as well as the PACs and civic engagement organization that I donated to on June 16th, 2024! –Paul Whiting (written June 17th, 2024, revised June 18th, 2024, revised June 28th, 2024, revised July 11th, 2024 and revised September 26th, 2024)

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June 17th, 2024 Update No. 1: [CONTENT WARNING: THIS UPDATE CONTAINS DISCUSSIONS ABOUT GUN VIOLENCE WHICH MAY BE DISTURBING TO SOME READERS. VIEWER DISCRETION IS ADVISED!] I received an email from March For Our Lives (MFOL) today, June 17th, 2024, with the subject line, "Emanuel African Methodist Episcopal Church", which stated the following:

MARCH
FOR OUR
LIVES

Content warning: This email reflects on the events at Emanuel African Methodist Episcopal Church in Charleston, South Carolina on June 17, 2015. If this is too much to read, we understand. Take care of yourself and skip the rest of this email. Here are some mental health resources that you may find helpful.

Paul,

Nine years ago today, a gunman walked into the historically Black church Emanuel African Methodist Episcopal Church in Charleston, South Carolina.

Despite being a total stranger, the parishioners invited him to join their Bible study. When they bent their heads to pray, he opened fire, killing nine people, injuring one, and forever altering the entire community.

The open arms and kindness of these worshipers were taken advantage of in a heinous act of terror and hate.

Racism runs deep within this country, and this shooting is only one example of how Black liberation and gun violence prevention are intimately connected.

Hate crimes like this happen due to a national climate of racism, bigotry, and anti-blackness. They become deadly because of systemic failures from loose gun laws.

More people are killed by extremists using firearms than any other weapon, and despite declining rates of violence overall, hate crimes have continued to increase. Of the hate crimes reported between 2020 and 2022, over half targeted Black people.

To stop these deadly acts of racism, we must continue to make gun safety legislation a priority.

In honor of the Emanuel African Methodist Episcopal Church community and all those taken nine years ago today, we will continue advocating for change until all people, regardless of race or religion, can live freely without the fear of gun violence.

In solidarity,

March For Our Lives HQ

Today and every day we honor the lives lost at Emanuel African Methodist Episcopal Church on June 17, 2015.

[Name redacted], 41

[Name redacted], 54

[Name redacted], 74

[Name redacted], 49

[Name redacted], 70

[Name redacted], 59

[Name redacted], 45

[Name redacted], 87

[Name redacted], 26

And so, I wanted to share this email from March For Our Lives (MFOL) because, "in honor of the Emanuel African Methodist Episcopal Church community and all those taken nine years ago today, [March For Our Lives] will continue advocating for change until all people, regardless of race or religion, can live freely without the fear of gun violence." –Paul Whiting (June 17th, 2024)

P.S.: Just so you know, I used to make one-time donations to the organization that is the subject of these 'updates' each time that I took an action as requested by that organization; however, "I have changed the way that I make donations to political, progressive and charitable organizations each month ... due to the fact that I have been spending a considerable percentage of my monthly income on all of these donations." (The reader should know that I am HIV-positive with full-blown AIDS. And I am on Social Security Disability Insurance, or SSDI, so my income is quite limited.) Therefore, "I am greatly reducing the number of times that I donate for the same organization per month down to once—or as determined by me on a case-by-case basis." (Please see my 'August 19th, 2023 Update,' which can be found above.) Thus, because I have already donated to March For Our Lives (MFOL) on June 7th, 2024 (please see my 'June 7th, 2024 Update No. 1, Which Also Discusses June 5th, 2024' that can be found above) that is the one-time donation which I made to MFOL for June 2024.

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June 19th, 2024 Update No. 1: In observance of Juneteenth, I sent letters to my U.S. House Representative and Senators in Congress urging them to pass the Abolition Amendment (S.J.Res.33/H.J.Res.72), after I did a search on Google for "ACLU Close The Slavery Loophole" and I found a corresponding action on the ACLU website titled, "CONGRESS: END FORCED LABOR IN PRISONS," which can be found below:

Congress: End Forced Labor in Prisons

Despite the fact that many are taught that the 13th Amendment abolished slavery and involuntary servitude more than 150 years ago, forced, unpaid labor still persists to this day in our country – due in large part to the "exception clause" of the 13th Amendment. This egregious loophole barred slavery except for people who have been convicted of crimes – which has resulted in the forced labor of incarcerated workers across the country and encouraged the continued overcriminalization of Black and Brown people for centuries.

But there’s legislation that could end the "exception clause" once and for all – and we must demand our lawmakers take action on it. So please send a message to Congress and tell them to pass the Abolition Amendment immediately.

Message Recipients: Your U.S. House Representative and Senators

YOUR MESSAGE

Subject: Pass the Abolition Amendment (S.J.Res.33/H.J.Res.72)

As your constituent, I urge you to support passage of the Abolition Amendment (S.J.Res.33/H.J.Res.72) – which would end slavery and involuntary servitude in all its forms — including forced labor in prisons.

The "exception clause" to the 13th Amendment barred slavery except for people who have been convicted of crimes. This loophole disproportionately encouraged the criminalization and re-enslavement of Black people during the Jim Crow era, gave rise to Black Codes, convict leasing, and chain gangs. Its harm persists today in the form of forced labor, poverty wages, and reliance on mass incarceration that disproportionately impacts people of color.

Put simply: The "exception clause" has allowed for millions of incarcerated workers over the years to be exploited, underpaid, and excluded from workplace safety protection laws – and it has enabled human rights abuses and systemic racism to go on for centuries.

In the land of the free, forced labor is never acceptable. So please, take action immediately to end the exception – and pass the Abolition Amendment.

Sincerely,

[First Name] [Last Name]

YOUR INFORMATION

Salutation (required by some officials): Mr.
First name: Paul
Last name: Whiting
E-mail address: [redacted]
Address: [redacted]
Address Line 2: [redacted]
City: [redacted]
State: [redacted]
Zip Code: [redacted]
Phone: [redacted]

And, after I sent the letter above, I received a confirmation email today, June 19th, 2024, from the ACLU with the subject line, "One more thing - can you spread the word?", which stated the following:

Hi Paul,

Thank you for taking action to defend the rights of incarcerated workers across the country.

Help us build our power: Share the action by forwarding the email below to your friends, or by sharing this link: aclu.org/prisonlabor

Thank you,

The ACLU Team

----

Hi friend,

Despite many of us being taught that slavery and involuntary servitude was abolished more than 150 years ago, forced labor still persists in our country.

The “exception clause” in the 13th Amendment states slavery is barred except for people who have been convicted of crimes. And as a result, millions of incarcerated workers – disproportionately Black and Brown people – have been exploited, underpaid, and excluded from workplace safety protection laws over the years.

Forced prison labor is unconscionable: Our federal lawmakers can bring it to an end now by passing the Abolition Amendment.

I just sent a message to Congress telling them to do exactly that. Will you join me?

aclu.org/prisonlabor

Thanks.

Besides that, I also read an excellent article on the ACLU website—that is from June 17, 2021—which is titled, "What Juneteenth Means to Me." A copy of the full article can be found below:

"What Juneteenth Means to Me" from the ACLU of DC

By Natacia Knapper, Senior Organizer | June 17, 2021

On the surface, Juneteenth - also known as Freedom Day - marks the end of slavery in the United States. On, June 19, 1865, military troops went to Galveston, Texas to free the last of the enslaved Black people in the United States. Although the Emancipation Proclamation declared all enslaved people free two years prior, this reality was kept from a number of areas in the South. Many places, like Galveston, continued to hold and work slaves until troops arrived in the state and read the orders announcing the enslaved people’s freedom.

But that’s just the textbook definition (acknowledging the fact that the history of Juneteenth is often left out of our textbooks). For many years, Juneteenth has been a holiday for the Black community in the South, particularly in Texas. While I grew up in Southern California, I was lucky enough to still celebrate Juneteenth throughout my life, thanks to having an extended family based in Louisiana. Even though I was living in San Diego, my dad made sure to fly us out there for most, if not every Juneteenth, during much of my childhood.

I remember always complaining when I would arrive, suffering through that damp swampy heat, desperate to find any source of cool relief in my great aunt Celia’s big, old, un-air-conditioned house. Also, forcing me into a traditional gender role, Aunty Cee would almost immediately put me to work – going with her to the store, helping her clean and prep the kitchen, making calls to my aunts and cousins to find out what they’d be bringing to the family cookout. However, my frustration and discomfort always seemed to go out the window when the celebration began – a celebration that often began on Juneteenth but would continue for at least a couple of days.

There was usually a crawfish boil, sausage on the grill, tables upon tables of freshly cut watermelon, and endless bottles and pitchers of strawberry soda and homemade strawberry lemonade – an amazing and delicious assortment – but the food was just one part of these gatherings. We played music, we danced, and we’d tell stories. The kids would play games (and sometimes the adults too) and my more extroverted cousins and other kids in the neighborhood would put on little plays. Most importantly, however, Aunty C would have us give affirmations to each other – little notes that we’d write out and give to each other, affirmations about how beautiful it is to be Black. We shared affirmations about our hair, our art, our loudness, our quiet strength, our recipes, our accomplishments (even if the accomplishment was simply surviving in a world that doesn’t want us to). I would sometimes tuck myself into a corner somewhere with a comic book and a soda when things were getting too rowdy, but I loved my family’s Juneteenth celebration because it was rooted in Black joy.

Yes, the day in 1865 is about emancipation and the end of slavery. But Juneteenth, the holiday, is so much more than that.

As I have watched Juneteenth expand beyond the South, especially over the last 10 years or so, I have been so grateful to see how it’s been embraced by the Black community throughout the country. The struggle is real – and the struggle is not removed from the holiday – but what I have always appreciated is that it’s not centered on what we have endured, but on our capacity to love ourselves and each other through it all.

Media loves to capitalize on Black trauma and it’s easy to focus on the ongoing uphill battles Black people have had to climb in the United States – and continue to climb – but at the core the purpose of Juneteenth is to uplift our community. Togetherness and radical love. This is our moment to say, “We’re still here. And we love being Black.” And as a kid, during my Aunty’s parties, the tender talks with my elders, and the shared elation you can only experience with people who understand what we are managing to survive.... that’s when I felt our resilience the most.

Juneteenth isn’t steeped in trauma. It doesn’t ignore our history; it simply allows us the space we deserve to love on each other as Black people.

D.C. has embraced Juneteenth so deeply and so fully that the holiday typically lasts a week – between various community events on Juneteenth’s history, teach-ins on abolition and reparations, happy hours and the day of being filled with so many different celebrations to choose from. This Juneteenth, whether you’re new to the holiday or not, find a list of ways to join in on the joy and learning by visiting Palm Collective’s events page.

Please see the hyperlink below for the article:

https://www.acludc.org/en/news/what-juneteenth-means-me

And, after I sent letters to my U.S. House Representative and Senators in Congress, via the ACLU website, as well as after I read the article above, I also made a donation to the ACLU in order to show my support for passing the Abolition Amendment in celebration of "The Land of the Free," because slavery is just plain wrong. –Paul Whiting (June 19th, 2024)

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For my "June 19th, 2024 Update No. 2"—since this 'update' is a part of my ⋆USO⋆ donations—please see my blog post titled, "My Point Of View On...Giving Charity And Accepting Charity," which can be found on both of my "Paul Whiting — Math Magician" and "Paul Whiting — A Creative Writer" blogs. An introduction to the 'update' can be found below:

June 19th, 2024 Update No. 2 ('Update' Numbering Sequence Originally From My Blog Post Titled, "I Am No Longer Being An Activist In The Same Way That I Was," Which Is On My "Poet, Artist and Philosopher" Blog): In observance of Juneteenth, I made a donation to the USO (United Service Organizations) today, June 19th, 2024. And I made this donation to the USO based upon an email that I received today, with the subject line, "Honoring Black service members this Juneteenth", which stated the following:

Paul,

Black service members have been overcoming unimaginable barriers to serve since the very first battle of the American Revolution. This Juneteenth, we’re honored to highlight the stories of some of the incredible individuals who went above and beyond in service of our nation.

[Drawing of American Revolution minuteman]

Even before our country was founded, and long before slavery was abolished, enslaved soldier Peter Salem fought in the American Revolution with the minutemen — a small, handpicked, elite force in the colonial militia. Though he proudly served in the first battle of the war at Lexington and Concord, he had to later fight for his freedom to earn the right to continue serving after enslaved people were barred from the militia.

[Photo of Daniel “Chappie” James Jr. in front of fighter plane]

After growing up during segregation, Daniel “Chappie” James Jr. became a pilot and instructor for the famed Tuskegee Airmen during World War II — the first Black pilots of the U.S. Air Corps. He went on to fly combat missions during the Korean War and the Vietnam War as a fighter pilot.

As a highly decorated hero in three wars, James received the Defense Distinguished Service Medal, two Air Force Distinguished Service Medals, two Legions of Merit, three Distinguished Flying Crosses, a Meritorious Service Medal and 14 Air Medals. After returning from Vietnam, he served as commander in chief of the North American Air Defense Command (NORAD) and became the first Black four-star general in the history of our Armed Forces.

In 2021, after more than 40 years of service in the Army, retired Gen. Lloyd Austin was confirmed by the U.S. Senate to become the first African American secretary of defense of the United States. Today, Black service members continue to protect and defend our country in every branch and at every level, making up about 20% of our active-duty military. Sgt. Michael Wolkeba is one of them, and last year, he was named USO Soldier of the Year for his bravery and actions in a moment of crisis.

[Sgt. Michael Wolkeba speaking in front of USO banner]

While driving home one day, Michael encountered a collision between a motor home and a commercial vehicle. The commercial vehicle had pierced the motor home, trapping an injured elderly couple inside. With no regard for his own safety, Michael climbed through a shattered window and low crawled through the debris and shattered glass to reach the injured woman, who was suffering from a massive leg injury and having trouble breathing. As a trained Army Combat Medic, Michael provided critical emergency medical treatment, ultimately saving the woman’s life.

This Juneteenth, we’re proud to honor and celebrate the Black military heroes throughout our history and actively serving today. Today and always, thank you for standing with us as we support the people serving in America’s military.

DONATE NOW***

—The USO

***[I used to include hyperlinks contained within the email messages, or the text messages, to which I am referring in these "Activism Updates"; however, I could not figure out how to include the aforementioned hyperlinks, regarding some relevant action that I had taken—such as signing a petition, sending a letter or message to my representative(s) in Congress, signing a USO 'Thank You' card, and/or making a donation—without including my personal information.]

Thus, this donation is my way of "honoring Black service members this Juneteenth." And also I made this one-time donation on the USO.org website in order to support the USO's following statement: "Our service members keep our nation safe. And we wurk hard to keep them connected to home but we can't do that we thout support from matary supporters like you. Our troops are counting on you to be a part of this important work for our country. So please, donate now."

In addition to that, I already make a recurring monthly donation to the USO in order to show my support for our U.S. Military Personnel! You see, I usually make one-time donations to the USO each month—as often as I can manage when they request a donation via email or text message. Therefore, I am planning to continue making one-time donations to the USO in the future, as often as I can manage to make donations, in addition to making the aforementioned recurring monthly donation. ...

Please see the hyperlinks below for the post, within which you can do a find-in-page search for the 'update' labeled, "June 19th, 2024 Update No. 2":

https://paulwhitingmath.blogspot.com/2015/05/my-point-of-view-on-charity.html

https://paulwhitingwriting.blogspot.com/2022/07/my-point-of-view-on-part-16-giving-to.html

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June 20th, 2024 Update No. 1: Did you know that World Refugee Day is yearly (annually) on June 20th?

Neither did I! That is, until last year (2023), when I heard about World Refugee Day from a Doctors Without Borders/Médecins Sans Frontières video advertisement on YouTube!

And I wrote an 'update' labeled, 'June 20th, 2023 Update' regarding that YouTube advertisement from Doctors Without Borders, a copy of which can be found below from my blog post titled, "I Am No Longer Being An Activist In The Same Way That I Was" that is on my "Poet, Artist and Philosopher" blog. Plus, this copy of the aforementioned 'update' is also from my blog post titled, "My Point Of View On...Giving Charity And Accepting Charity" that is on both of my "Paul Whiting — Math Magician" and "Paul Whiting — A Creative Writer" blogs:

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June 20th, 2023 Update: Did you know that World Refugee Day is yearly (annually) on June 20th?

Neither did I! That is, until I was on YouTube watching a video titled, "Disney's New Amsterdam Theatre: A Broadway Icon (Access Granted)," when I saw an advertisement from Doctors Without Borders USA in the form of a YouTube video.

By the way, I tried to find this video on YouTube—as I have done with other 'updates' such as this one where I am highlighting a fundraising ad—but, I was unable to locate this video on the Doctors Without Borders USA channel; however, the description from the donation page states the following:

MATCH: Make a lifesaving gift this World Refugee Day

100 million people have been forcibly displaced—many of them refugees. Doctors Without Borders/Médecins Sans Frontières is providing lifesaving care wherever it’s needed most in more than 70 countries around the world—and we rely on the support of individual donors like you to power our vital work.

Give now before midnight on World Refugee Day, June 20, and your generosity will be MATCHED, dollar for dollar.

All gifts given, up to $500,000, will be doubled through 11:59 p.m. EST on World Refugee Day (June 20). Every dollar you give will be matched with $1. Gifts received after the match has been met will not be matched but will be used where needed most.

Thus, after I watched the video above, I made a one-time donation to Doctors Without Borders USA in order to do my part to "make a lifesaving gift this World Refugee Day," because "Doctors Without Borders/Médecins Sans Frontières is providing lifesaving care wherever it’s needed most in more than 70 countries around the world", since "100 million people have been forcibly displaced—many of them refugees." That is why I gave "before midnight on World Refugee Day, June 20, [so that my] generosity [would] be MATCHED, dollar for dollar."

By the way, here is an article from the United Nations regarding World Refugee Day:

"World Refugee Day | 20 June" from the United Nations

Refugees represent the very best of the human spirit. They need and deserve support and solidarity — not closed borders and pushbacks.

— UN Secretary-General António Guterres

2023 Theme: Hope Away from Home

World Refugee Day is an international day designated by the United Nations to honour refugees around the globe. It falls each year on June 20 and celebrates the strength and courage of people who have been forced to flee their home country to escape conflict or persecution. World Refugee Day is an occasion to build empathy and understanding for their plight and to recognize their resilience in rebuilding their lives.

Background

Every minute 20 people leave everything behind to escape war, persecution or terror. There are several types of forcibly displaced persons:

Refugees

A refugee is someone who fled his or her home and country owing to “a well-founded fear of persecution because of his/her race, religion, nationality, membership in a particular social group, or political opinion”, according to the United Nations 1951 Refugee Convention. Many refugees are in exile to escape the effects of natural or human-made disasters.

Asylum Seekers

Asylum seekers say they are refugees and have fled their homes as refugees do, but their claim to refugee status is not yet definitively evaluated in the country to which they fled.

Internally Displaced Persons

Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs) are people who have not crossed an international border but have moved to a different region than the one they call home within their own country.

Stateless Persons

Stateless persons do not have a recognized nationality and do not belong to any country.

Statelessness situations are usually caused by discrimination against certain groups. Their lack of identification — a citizenship certificate — can exclude them from access to important government services, including health care, education or employment.

Returnees

Returnees are former refugees who return to their own countries or regions of origin after time in exile. Returnees need continuous support and reintegration assistance to ensure that they can rebuild their lives at home.

UN Action

1951 Refugee Convention and its 1967 Protocol

Refugees are among the most vulnerable people in the world. The 1951 Refugee Convention and its 1967 Protocol help protect them. They are the only global legal instruments explicitly covering the most important aspects of a refugee’s life. According to their provisions, refugees deserve, as a minimum, the same standards of treatment enjoyed by other foreign nationals in a given country and, in many cases, the same treatment as nationals.

The 1951 Convention contains a number of rights and also highlights the obligations of refugees towards their host country. The cornerstone of the 1951 Convention is the principle of non-refoulement. According to this principle, a refugee should not be returned to a country where he or she faces serious threats to his or her life or freedom. This protection may not be claimed by refugees who are reasonably regarded as a danger to the security of the country, or having been convicted of a particularly serious crime, are considered a danger to the community.

The rights contained in the 1951 Convention include:

[✓] The right not to be expelled, except under certain, strictly defined conditions;
[✓] The right not to be punished for illegal entry into the territory of a contracting State;
[✓] The right to work;
[✓] The right to housing;
[✓] The right to education;
[✓] The right to public relief and assistance;
[✓] The right to freedom of religion;
[✓] The right to access the courts;
[✓] The right to freedom of movement within the territory;
[✓] The right to be issued identity and travel documents.

Some basic rights, including the right to be protected from refoulement, apply to all refugees. A refugee becomes entitled to other rights the longer they remain in the host country, which is based on the recognition that the longer they remain as refugees, the more rights they need.

Please see the hyperlink below for the article:

https://www.un.org/en/observances/refugee-day

–Paul Whiting (June 20th, 2023)

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Therefore, I decided to write this 'update' as a way to highlight that June 20th is World Refugee Day!

So, in observance of World Refugee Day, I did a Google search for "World Refugee Day 2024" and found the following search results for Doctors Without Borders:

Doctors Without Borders
https://donate.doctorswithoutborders.org

3X Match for World Refugee Day - World Refugee Day 2024

Doctors Without Borders — Make a donation now for World Refugee Day and help people seeking safety in 70+ countries. For over 50 years we have been providing food, water, and healthcare around the globe. ...

And, after I read the search results above, I clicked on the hyperlink to the referenced webpage, the relevant text of which can be found below:

Make a gift in honor of World Refugee Day.

People often can’t access medical care because of who they are or where they live. For more than 50 years, Doctors Without Borders has been boldly meeting this challenge by bringing medical care to people who need it—no matter their race, religion, politics, or gender.

With the generous support of our donors, we can provide medical care without borders.

Right now, all gifts given, up to $500,000, will be tripled thanks to a generous matching grant from Worthington & Margaret Mayo-Smith—but only until midnight on June 21. Hurry! Make your 3X MATCHED gift today.

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All gifts given, up to $500,000, will be tripled through midnight on June 21. Gifts received after the match has been met will not be matched but will be used where needed most.

Amount

[✓] ONE-TIME
[  ] MONTHLY
Increase the impact of your gift. Make it monthly.

Please select your tax-deductible gift amount below*

[  ] $1,000
[  ] $500
[  ] $250
[  ] $100
[  ] $50
[✓] Other $5.00
Minimum payment $5.00.

Your Information

Title: Mr.
First Name: Paul
Last Name: Whiting
E-mall address: [redacted]
Phone Number: [redacted]

Billing Information

Billing Address: [redacted]
Country: [redacted]
ZIP/Postal Code: [redacted]
City: [redacted]
State/Province: [redacted]

DONATE $5.00

And so, I made a one-time donation to Doctors Without Borders USA in order to contribute "now for World Refugee Day and help people seeking safety in 70+ countries," since "for over 50 years [Doctors Without Borders/Médecins Sans Frontières has] been providing food, water, and healthcare around the globe." That is why I donated, because "all gifts given, up to $500,000, will be tripled thanks to a generous matching grant ... but only until midnight on June 21."

In addition to that, I found the following "World Refugee Day 2024" Google search results for USA for UNHCR:

USA for UNHCR
www.unrefugees.org

World Refugee Day

On World Refugee Day, held every year on June 20, we commemorate the strength, courage and perseverance of millions of refugees.

And, after I read the search results above, I clicked on the hyperlink to the referenced webpage, the relevant text of which can be found below:

World Refugee Day

On World Refugee Day, held every year on June 20, we commemorate the strength, courage and perseverance of millions of refugees.

What is World Refugee Day?

World Refugee Day was first celebrated on June 20, 2001 to commemorate the 50th anniversary of the 1951 Convention Relating to the Status of Refugees. On World Refugee Day, we celebrate refugees' contributions and seek to build empathy and understanding for their plight and their resilience to build a bright future.

World Refugee Day 2024

Hope away from home – a world where refugees are always included

By the end of 2023, more than 114 million people were forcibly displaced globally — a record number propelled by the war in Ukraine and other conflicts around the world. For millions of refugees who are forcibly displaced each year due to conflict, violence and persecution, fleeing is the first step in a long and difficult journey to finding safety.

With a record number of people forced to flee their homes, the international community must work together to give refugees more hope and more opportunities while they are away from home. The most effective way to support refugees is by including them in the communities where they have found safety — this means ensuring they can apply for jobs, enroll in schools and access services like housing and healthcare. Inclusion paves the way for long-term solutions for refugees and displaced people, allowing them to thrive in a new country or preparing them for a safe return to their home countries.

On World Refugee Day, let’s commit to including refugees in our schools, workplaces, healthcare systems and beyond. Use the hashtags #WorldRefugeeDay, #WithRefugees and #RefugeeDay on social media to honor refugees and displaced people by amplifying their voices and experiences.

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Your Compassion Can Help Refugees

More than 110 million people worldwide have been forced from their homes to escape war, violence and persecution. So many are now facing additional crises like drought and looming famine. They need shelter, comfort and safety — your compassion is needed now more than ever. These families need your love and support as they rebuild their homes and hold on to their dreams of a brighter future.

These families are resilient, but can’t survive on resilience alone — resources are stretched thin, and more help is needed. Your compassionate support helps keep UNHCR, the UN Refugee Agency, on the ground, providing emergency shelter and lifesaving aid including food, medicine and clean water. You can stand with families from Yemen to Ukraine and from Ethiopia to Afghanistan — wherever families forced to flee are in need of help. With your kind gift, you’ll provide the relief that comes in knowing they are not alone.

Please don’t hesitate. Every second counts, any amount helps and your kindness truly makes a difference.

Please act now to ensure refugees are safe and cared for.

[✓] USA for UNHCR is a non-profit 501(c)(3)
[✓] Gifts are 100% tax-deductible
[✓] All donations are processed securely
[✓] As a donor, you’ll receive updates on how your gift helps families like these
[✓] Any amount you give can help ease the suffering of those in urgent need

Donation Amount

$120 can provide six refugee children with school supplies so they can make their dreams a reality.

[  ] $1000
[  ] $240
[  ] $120 ← Many people are giving at the $120 level right now.
[  ] $60
Other Amount $5.00

Billing Information

First Name: Paul
Last Name: Whiting
Email: [redacted]
Mobile Phone: [redacted]
Street Address (Including apt #): [redacted]
Zip Code: [redacted]
City: [redacted]
State: [redacted]

DONATE $5.00 NOW

And so, I made a one-time donation to USA for UNHCR since, "on World Refugee Day, held every year on June 20, [USA for UNHCR commemorates] the strength, courage and perseverance of millions of refugees." That is why I contributed, because "on World Refugee Day, let’s commit to including refugees in our schools, workplaces, healthcare systems and beyond" in order to help create "hope away from home – a world where refugees are always included."

By the way, here is an article from the United Nations regarding World Refugee Day:

"World Refugee Day | 20 June" from the United Nations

Refugees need global solidarity and the ability to rebuild their lives in dignity.

— UN Secretary-General António Guterres

2024 Theme: For a World Where Refugees Are Welcomed

Refugees need our solidarity now more than ever. Solidarity means keeping our doors open, celebrating their strengths and achievements, and reflecting on the challenges they face.

Solidarity with people forced to flee also means finding solutions to their plight – ending conflicts so they can return home in safety, ensuring they have opportunities to thrive in the communities that have welcomed them, and providing countries with the resources they need to include and support refugees.

Background

World Refugee Day is an international day designated by the United Nations to honour refugees around the globe. It falls each year on June 20 and celebrates the strength and courage of people who have been forced to flee their home country to escape conflict or persecution. World Refugee Day is an occasion to build empathy and understanding for their plight and to recognize their resilience in rebuilding their lives.

Every minute 20 people leave everything behind to escape war, persecution or terror. There are several types of forcibly displaced persons:

Refugees

A refugee is someone who fled his or her home and country owing to “a well-founded fear of persecution because of his/her race, religion, nationality, membership in a particular social group, or political opinion”, according to the United Nations 1951 Refugee Convention. Many refugees are in exile to escape the effects of natural or human-made disasters.

Asylum Seekers

Asylum seekers say they are refugees and have fled their homes as refugees do, but their claim to refugee status is not yet definitively evaluated in the country to which they fled.

Internally Displaced Persons

Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs) are people who have not crossed an international border but have moved to a different region than the one they call home within their own country.

Stateless Persons

Stateless persons do not have a recognized nationality and do not belong to any country.

Statelessness situations are usually caused by discrimination against certain groups. Their lack of identification — a citizenship certificate — can exclude them from access to important government services, including health care, education or employment.

Returnees

Returnees are former refugees who return to their own countries or regions of origin after time in exile. Returnees need continuous support and reintegration assistance to ensure that they can rebuild their lives at home.

UN Action

1951 Refugee Convention and its 1967 Protocol

Refugees are among the most vulnerable people in the world. The 1951 Refugee Convention and its 1967 Protocol help protect them. They are the only global legal instruments explicitly covering the most important aspects of a refugee’s life. According to their provisions, refugees deserve, as a minimum, the same standards of treatment enjoyed by other foreign nationals in a given country and, in many cases, the same treatment as nationals.

The 1951 Convention contains a number of rights and also highlights the obligations of refugees towards their host country. The cornerstone of the 1951 Convention is the principle of non-refoulement. According to this principle, a refugee should not be returned to a country where he or she faces serious threats to his or her life or freedom. This protection may not be claimed by refugees who are reasonably regarded as a danger to the security of the country, or having been convicted of a particularly serious crime, are considered a danger to the community.

The rights contained in the 1951 Convention include:

[✓] The right not to be expelled, except under certain, strictly defined conditions;
[✓] The right not to be punished for illegal entry into the territory of a contracting State;
[✓] The right to work;
[✓] The right to housing;
[✓] The right to education;
[✓] The right to public relief and assistance;
[✓] The right to freedom of religion;
[✓] The right to access the courts;
[✓] The right to freedom of movement within the territory;
[✓] The right to be issued identity and travel documents.

Some basic rights, including the right to be protected from refoulement, apply to all refugees. A refugee becomes entitled to other rights the longer they remain in the host country, which is based on the recognition that the longer they remain as refugees, the more rights they need.

Please see the hyperlink below for the article:

https://www.un.org/en/observances/refugee-day

–Paul Whiting (written June 20th, 2024 and revised June 21st, 2024)

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June 20th, 2024 Update No. 2: I have combined every political campaign, or political organization, donation request per day (made via email or text message) into one 'update' for each day that I donate, so that I don't have to keep writing individual 'updates' for political campaign donations, or political organization donations!

You see, I used to write one 'update' for each of the individual campaign political donations, or political organization donations, that I made virtually every time that I made a political donation. And within each 'update' I included the text from each political campaign's, or political organization's, requesting email or text message, along with some of each campaign's, or organization's, donation page text on the ActBlue website, as well as how much I donated to each campaign, or organization, plus whether I included a tip to ActBlue and how much I tipped.

(By the way, I still write individual 'updates' for political campaign, or political organization, mailers that I receive through the regular mail, because they are usually more elaborate political donation requests, which is why I don't include them with these email or text message requests.)

Plus, the 2024 election cycle is in full gear and I have made a goal of donating only one $2.00 donation per local political campaign here in Oregon (more on that below), or $3.00 per political organization, for the rest of the election cycle! And that means after I make that one donation per campaign, or per organization—regardless of whether I donated in 2023, or 2024—I am only donating once per campaign, or per organization, or as determined by me on a case-by-case basis. And I am only donating once per PAC (Political Action Committee) for the entire election cycle, or as determined by me on a case-by-case basis, because that is all that I can really afford for the 2024 Presidential Election. (The reader should know that I am HIV-positive with full-blown AIDS. And I am on Social Security Disability Insurance, or SSDI, so my income is quite limited.) I hope that makes sense!

Besides that, as of March 21st, 2024, I am no longer donating to individual political campaigns for the foreseeable future (with the exception of local campaigns here in Oregon), or as determined by me on a case-by-case basis (please see my 'March 21st, 2024 Update No. 2,' which can be found above), as I have explained below:

...Alright, I have a big announcement to make: I am no longer donating to individual political campaigns for the foreseeable future—or as determined by me on a case-by-case basis!

And I have made this decision based upon how much these individual political campaign donations are costing in my 'monthly donating budget'—even though I am only donating $3.00 with a $0.21 tip to ActBlue—since I totally changed the way that I approach how I calculate what I am spending on my credit card each month, starting in 2024! So now, I take the total amount that I have available in my monthly budget for my minimum payment on my credit card—as well as my extra payment—and I calculate how much I am reducing that amount each time that I charge on my credit card.

That way, I am very aware of the amount by which I am reducing my total available credit card payments for the month (the minimum payment and the extra payment) in order to, hopefully, pay more on my credit card than I am spending! Plus, I am also utilizing some funds from my budgeted expenses, as well as some funds from my savings, to make sure that I am paying a little more than I am spending while—at the same time—I am also trying to spend less on my credit card.

Therefore, at the start of 2024, I calculated that I could still make ONE $3.00 donation per political campaign for the entire election cycle. And that means after I have made that one donation per campaign—regardless of whether I donated in 2023, or 2024—I have only donated once per campaign, which is what I have been doing so far!

However, it's still more than I can afford given my 'monthly donating budget,' which is why I have decided to stop donating to individual political campaigns entirely—or as determined by me on a case-by-case basis. And so, I will still be making some donations to individual political campaigns (such as to Joe Biden's campaign for President of the United States, or to local campaigns here in Oregon), but I am not donating like I have been up until this point—which has been virtually every time that I have received a political campaign donation request via email or text message—because I seriously cannot afford to donate that much for the rest of the 2024 Presidential Election cycle, as well as for the foreseeable future.

And to clarify one more thing: In the past, I used to only donate to the main Democratic fundraising and coordinating organizations—rather than to individual campaigns—since that's all I really could afford given my 'monthly spending budget,' because I am "low income." Plus, those Democratic fundraising and coordinating organizations help all of the individual political campaigns with funding, which is why I used to only donate to those main organizations! And I only started donating to individual political campaigns in 2022, since I was "doing everything in my power to help Democrats win in the 2022 Midterm Elections!" Therefore, this decision to stop donating to individual political campaigns (with the exception of presidential campaigns and local campaigns, or as determined by me on a case-by-case basis) is really just going back to the way that I used to make political donations.

...The 2024 election cycle is in full gear and I have made a goal of donating only one $3.00 donation per local political campaign here in Oregon (more on that below), or $4.00 per political organization, for the rest of the election cycle! And that means after I make that one donation per campaign, or per organization—regardless of whether I donated in 2023, or 2024—I am only donating once per campaign, or per organization, or as determined by me on a case-by-case basis. And I am only donating once per PAC (Political Action Committee) for the entire election cycle, or as determined by me on a case-by-case basis, because that is all that I can really afford for the 2024 Presidential Election. (The reader should know that I am HIV-positive with full-blown AIDS. And I am on Social Security Disability Insurance, or SSDI, so my income is quite limited.) I hope that makes sense! ...

...In addition to that, I used to donate "$5.00 per political organization"; however, starting on May 12th, 2024, I decided to adjust that amount, so that I can donate to more political organizations and PACs (Political Action Committees) while I am still staying within my 'monthly donating budget.'

Thus, as I partially explained above, for the rest of the 2024 election cycle—as well as for the foreseeable future—I have made a goal of donating $3.00 per local political campaign only here in Oregon (with a 7% tip to ActBlue of $0.21), or as determined by me on a case-by-case basis; and a goal of donating $4.00 per political organization for donation requests via email or text message (with a 7% tip to ActBlue of $0.28), or as determined by me on a case-by-case basis; as well as a goal of donating $5.00 per political organization, or per PAC, for donation requests via the regular mail (with a 7% tip to ActBlue of $0.35), or as determined by me on a case-by-case basis.

To sum it up, then: I am essentially keeping the same total individual campaign donation amount of $3.21, but I am only donating to local campaigns here in Oregon, or as determined by me on a case-by-case basis; and I am reducing the total donation amount for political organizations and PACs for email and text message donation requests to $4.28 (from $5.35), or as determined by me on a case-by-case basis; plus, I am reducing the total donation amount for political organizations and PACs for regular mail donation requests to $5.35 (from $7.51), or as determined by me on a case-by-case basis.

Therefore, I recently used to donate "$4.00 per political organization"; however, I have decided to adjust that amount again, so that I can donate to more political organizations and PACs (Political Action Committees) while I am still staying within my 'monthly donating budget,' since I am now donating to more organizations as the 2024 Presidential Election cycle continues.

Thus, as I partially explained above, for the rest of the 2024 election cycle—as well as for the foreseeable future—I have made a goal of donating $2.00 per local political campaign only here in Oregon (with a 7% tip to ActBlue of $0.14), or as determined by me on a case-by-case basis; and a goal of donating $3.00 per political organization for donation requests via email or text message (with a 7% tip to ActBlue of $0.21), or as determined by me on a case-by-case basis; as well as a goal of donating $4.00 per political organization, or per PAC, for donation requests via the regular mail (with a 7% tip to ActBlue of $0.28), or as determined by me on a case-by-case basis.

To sum it up, then: I am reducing the total individual campaign donation amount to $2.14 (from $3.21) and I am still only donating to local campaigns here in Oregon, or as determined by me on a case-by-case basis; and I am reducing the total donation amount for political organizations and PACs for email and text message donation requests to $3.21 (from $4.28), or as determined by me on a case-by-case basis; plus, I am reducing the total donation amount for political organizations and PACs for regular mail donation requests to $4.28 (from $5.35), or as determined by me on a case-by-case basis.

So, without further ado...

The only political communication to which I responded was a text message today, June 20th, 2024, from Four Directions Native Vote (Four Directions), which stated the following:

Hi, Paul! Our names are [name redacted] and [name redacted], Rosebud Sioux Tribal members and Co-Founders of Four Directions – the only National Native Vote organization based on an Indian Reservation.

In Lakota culture, the Four Directions represent the circle of life we participate in to better ourselves and our communities. We protect our communities by going to the polls to vote.

Native Americans face unique obstacles to voting from a lack of polling sites to bad phone and internet services. They’re also targeted by cynical voter suppression tactics like removing ballot boxes and hiring only non-Native election workers.

But we’ve proven with the right investments, we can dramatically close the Native voter turnout gap. This year especially, closing that gap could have massive implications.

In November, the Senate Majority runs through Indian Country. From Montana to Arizona to Nevada to Wisconsin, the Native vote has the power to swing elections. In Montana alone, there are over 60,000 eligible Native American voters in a state that could be decided by less than 10,000 votes.

With so much at stake, we’re planning our biggest voter outreach program ever to mobilize Native voters across the country.

Your donation today will help us turn out Native American voters in Indian Country - voters that will decide the Senate Majority.

So can you chip in now to turn out Native voters this November?***

Mitakuye Oyasin (We are all related)

– [Name redacted] and [Name redacted]

Four
Directions

Chip in now to turn out Native voters this November!

In Lakota culture, the Four Directions represent the circle of life we participate in to better ourselves and our communities. We protect our communities by going to the polls to vote.

Native Americans face unique obstacles to voting from a lack of polling sites to bad phone and internet services. They're also targeted by cynical voter suppression tactics like removing ballot boxes and hiring only non-Native election workers.

With so much at stake this November, we're planning our biggest voter outreach program ever to mobilize Native voters across the country. Your donation today will help us turn out Native American voters in Indian Country - voters that will decide the Senate Majority.

Donate immediately:

Your contribution will benefit Four Directions-RFA.

[  ] Donate $10 →

[  ] Donate $25 →

[  ] Donate $50 →

[  ] Donate $100 →

[  ] Donate $250 →

[  ] Donate $500 →

[  ] Donate $1,000 →

[✓] Other amount $5.00

Please leave a tip for ActBlue

Power the nonprofit fundraising platform Democratic candidates & progressive causes rely on.

[  ] Add $2 tip

[✓] Leave no tip [I pressed this button by mistake!*]

[  ] Add custom amount

And so, I made a one-time donation to Four Directions Native Vote (Four Directions) (with a tip to ActBlue) because, "in November, the Senate Majority runs through Indian Country," since "from Montana to Arizona to Nevada to Wisconsin, the Native vote has the power to swing elections." That is why "[my] donation today will help [Four Directions] turn out Native American voters in Indian Country - voters that will decide the Senate Majority."

*P.S.: I usually leave a $0.35 (7%) tip to ActBlue for my typical $5.00 donations to political campaigns; however, I accidentally pressed the "Leave no tip" button, rather than pressing the "Add custom amount" button—like I usually do—with this donation! So, in order to compensate for my mistake, I went to the ActBlue website and made a $1.00 contribution directly to ActBlue:

Donate to ActBlue

Donate immediately:

Your contribution will benefit ActBlue.

[  ] Donate $5 →

[  ] Donate $10 →

[  ] Donate $25 →

[  ] Donate $50 →

[✓] Other amount $1.00

Thus, this one organization—Four Directions Native Vote (Four Directions)—is the political organization that I donated to today! –Paul Whiting (written June 20th, 2024, revised June 21st, 2024, revised July 11th, 2024, revised August 25th, 2024 and revised August 27th, 2024)

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June 20th, 2024 Update No. 3: I received an email from the ACLU (American Civil Liberties Union) today, June 20th, 2024, with the subject line, "We can't slow down – not during Pride month, not ever", which stated the following:

Paul,

With so much on the line in 2024, we can't afford to slow down now – not during Pride Month, not ever. Especially not when trans youth are under attack nationwide.

Here's what trans kids are facing today:

• Restrictive laws preventing access to gender-affirming care

• Bathroom bans forcing trans kids to use bathrooms they don't feel safe or comfortable in

• Discriminatory legislation stopping trans students from participating in school activities like sports

• Censorship of in-school discussions of LGBTQ people and issues

That's why we're launching a special campaign to raise $30,000 to help fund the ACLU's work defending LGBTQ rights and all our civil liberties – and a generous donor is matching every gift up until our deadline at midnight tomorrow.

Can we count on you to amplify your impact right now by making a monthly donation to the ACLU? Your first monthly gift will be doubled to protect trans youth and LGBTQ people across the nation.

DONATE MONTHLY***

Paul, these discriminatory policies keep trans students from having an inclusive and safe learning environment – and disproportionately harm Black youth and youth of color. One parent in Virginia put it best:

"The school board and their policies provide a real barrier for our child to be included at school. Our child wasn't allowed to use the appropriate restroom. It's been difficult to get him referred to by the appropriate name… There's lots of other things to attend to to make a trans kid's day at school as dignified as possible – names, pronouns, activities, gendered activities, gendered instruction, even dress codes that are gendered. All of that stuff impacts trans kids."

Yet despite facing these endless attacks on their identities and their very personhood, trans people continue to lead the charge so they – and all of us – can live fully as themselves. We cannot and will not let them fight alone, Paul.

Through advocacy, litigation, and lobbying, we're ready to fight alongside LGBTQ leaders and take on all of these challenges and win – from local school boards to statehouses and beyond. The ACLU has been a leader in the fight for LGBTQ rights for decades – and we're not stopping now.

But we need your support to ensure we can keep doing what we do best without having to scale back our efforts.

So please, don't wait to make this 2X impact when it's needed most: Will you rush a matched monthly donation now to help us hit our $30,000 goal to protect LGBTQ people and all our rights before our deadline tomorrow?

Thank you for your commitment to fighting for trans kids and all LGBTQ people,

The ACLU Team

DONATE MONTHLY***

Former President Donald Trump is pledging to supercharge one of his signature trade policies — tariffs — if he's re-elected this November, by imposing 10% across-the-board levies on all products imported into the U.S. from overseas. The idea, he has said, is to protect American jobs as well as raise more revenue to offset an extension of his 2017 tax cuts.

But that proposal would likely backfire, effectively acting as a tax on U.S. consumers, economists spanning the political spectrum say. If the tariffs are enacted — with Trump also proposing a levy of 60% or more on Chinese imports — a typical middle-class household in the U.S. would face an estimated $1,700 a year in additional costs, according to the non-partisan Peterson Institute for International Economics.

Meanwhile, the left-leaning Center on American Progress has also crunched the numbers and projects roughly $1,500 per year in extra costs for the typical household. The reason, according to experts: Companies in the U.S. that import goods from abroad typically pass the cost of tariffs onto American consumers; relatedly, domestic manufacturers then often raise their own prices.

Who would pay the price?

The biggest impact of higher import tariffs would likely fall on low- and middle-income consumers because they spend a larger share of their income on goods and services than wealthier Americans, according to Kimberly Clausing and Mary Lovely of the Peterson Institute.

"If you are an economist, you know right away that tariffs are taxes. If you put a tariff on imported goods, it means they become more expensive" and competitors can raise their prices, Clausing told CBS MoneyWatch.

Trump is selling "snake oil," added Lovely. "It's really on steroids, and you have to speak a little louder and say, 'This is really going to affect you'."

The bottom line, both Clausing and Lovely said, is that Trump's tariff proposals would likely boost consumer prices, a concern after two years of surging inflation. The typical American household would feel the biggest pinch through materials and goods bought by U.S. companies, such as lumber for construction, and which would be passed onto them through $610 in additional annual costs, the Center on American Progress analysis estimated.

Middle-class households would also pay $220 more a year for cars and other vehicles, $120 more for gas and other oil products, and $90 a year in additional food costs, according to the policy analysis firm.

Trump campaign spokesman Steven Cheung didn't respond to requests for comment. ...

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June 20th, 2024 search:

04. ABC News - Breaking News, Latest News and Videos

It's not just vibes. Americans' perception of the economy has completely changed.

The pandemic upended the factors that used to predict consumer sentiment.

By Mary Radcliffe, Monica Potts, and Kaleigh Rogers | June 18, 2024

There's a question journalists, economists and President Joe Biden's campaign have been puzzling over for months: Why, when every traditional indicator is positive, are Americans so displeased with the economy?

According to the most recent jobs report, job growth is steady, unemployment remains low and wages are rising. The gross domestic product, a common measure of the health of the economy, has been growing since the second quarter of 2020. Even inflation, which in 2022 reached the highest levels Americans had seen in decades, has finally been cooling.

And yet, consumer sentiment is pessimistic. In June 2022, the University of Michigan Consumer Sentiment Index reached the lowest level ever recorded since tracking began in 1966 — lower even than during the Great Recession of 2008. No matter how you slice it, there's a gap between how the economy is doing and how Americans feel about it.

Or is there? We wanted to understand the factors at play in Americans' perception of the economy and why, despite strong fundamentals, people still aren't feeling good about it. And we wondered if maybe it's not that people are wrong about how the economy is doing, but that they simply care about different issues in the wake of the upheaval following the COVID-19 pandemic.

To piece this together, we downloaded a collection of economic indicators related to people's experiences of the economy from the St. Louis Federal Reserve — specifically, indicators relating to inflation, interest rates, work and wages, housing, and basic household finances. We then fitted a linear regression model using those indicators to look at how they were related to the University of Michigan Consumer Sentiment Index from 1987 to 2019 (basically, the "Before Times").

This model tracks the Consumer Sentiment Index over that time period pretty closely. Consumer sentiment as a trendline can be a bit spiky, as big news or economic shocks (such as the collapse of the housing market in 2008) can have dramatic effects that fade fairly quickly as the economy stabilizes. But other than these spikes, our model is fairly consistent at tracking the trends over the 32-year period preceding the pandemic.

Applying the same pre-pandemic model to consumer sentiment during and after the pandemic, however, simply does not work. The indicators that correlated with people's feelings about the economy before 2020 no longer seem to matter in the same way. As with so many areas of American life, the pandemic has changed virtually everything about how people think about the economy and the issues that concern them.

Before the pandemic, a number of variables were statistically significant indicators for consumer sentiment in our model; in particular, the most salient variables appear to be vehicle sales, gas prices, median household income, the federal funds effective rate, personal savings and household expenditures (excluding food and energy). And some of these indicators have seen dramatic changes over the past four years, likely contributing to the disconnect between the positive economic news and Americans' continued economic pessimism. ...

Personal savings rate

Prior to the pandemic, our model shows consumers felt better about the economy when the personal savings rate, a measure of how much money households are able to save rather than spend each month, was higher. This makes sense: People feel better when they have money in the bank and are able to save for important purchases like cars and houses. ...

... Inflation

Another big piece of the puzzle is inflation. Before the pandemic, changes in the inflation rate weren't statistically significant in our model (though we do see a negative relationship between consumer sentiment and personal consumption expenditures). But during and after the pandemic, Americans saw some of the highest rates of inflation the country has had in decades, and in a very short period of time. These sudden spikes naturally shocked many people who had been blissfully enjoying slow, steady price growth their entire adult lives. And it has taken a while for that shock to wear off, even as inflation has crept closer to typical levels. ...

... Housing

The cost of housing, whether buying or renting, is one of the biggest items on most household budgets. But surprisingly, our pre-pandemic model didn't find a notable relationship between housing prices and consumer sentiment. We also looked at the direct correlation between housing prices and consumer sentiment and didn't see a meaningful relationship there either. However, in our post-pandemic data, when we examined how correlated consumer sentiment was with each indicator we considered, consumer sentiment and median housing prices had the strongest correlation of all (a negative one, meaning higher prices were associated with lower consumer sentiment). ...

... Vehicle sales

One other factor we wanted to investigate was car sales. In our pre-pandemic model, total vehicle sales had a strong positive relationship with consumer sentiment: If people were buying cars, you could pretty reasonably bet that they felt good about the economy. This feels intuitive — who buys a car if they think the economy is in the toilet? But during and after the pandemic, a lot seemed to change in the industry. ....

... Changes in the kinds of purchases we've discussed — homes, cars and everyday items like groceries — have fundamentally shifted the way Americans view how affordable their lives are and how they measure their quality of life. And even as real wages catch up to inflation and the job market and stock market remain strong, there are still genuine challenges facing consumers that aren't isolated to just one or two indicators. Even though some indicators may be improving, Americans are simply weighing the factors differently than they used to, and that gives folks more than enough reason to have the economic blues. ...

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June 12th, 2024 search:

05. CNN

Hunter Biden conviction shatters Trump’s persecution narrative

By Stephen Collinson, CNN | Updated 8:19 AM EDT, Wed June 12, 2024

(CNN) — An unprecedented two weeks of legal drama that yielded historic convictions of a former president and a sitting president’s son have also produced a clear political takeaway.

The survival of the rule of law in America and untainted justice may depend on the choice voters make in November.

The country’s divergent possible paths under President Joe Biden or presumptive GOP nominee Donald Trump were highlighted in the way both men, their families and their political operations reacted to the twin trials and verdicts.

Biden made no effort to interfere in the prosecution of his son Hunter with either his executive authority or with the media megaphone of his office. He allowed his own Justice Department to secure a guilty verdict Tuesday that could result in jail time for the recovering addict and hurt his own 2024 campaign. “I will accept the outcome of this case and will continue to respect the judicial process as Hunter considers an appeal,” the president said after the jury found his son guilty of lying on a federal background check form and possessing a gun while addicted to, or using, illegal drugs. He has already said he won’t pardon his son. In his first reaction to the verdict, Hunter Biden didn’t attack the judge or prosecutors, simply saying he was grateful for the love and support of his family and blessed to be clean again.

The Bidens’ comportment contrasted with Trump’s reaction to his own trial and conviction nearly two weeks ago in his hush money case. The ex-president lashed out at witnesses, prosecutors, jurors and the judge. He claimed that “this was done by (the) Biden administration in order to wound or hurt a political opponent.” He blasted “a rigged decision,” despite the fact the Justice Department was not involved in the case brought by the Manhattan district attorney. Since then, Trump has been warning he’d use presidential powers to punish his political opponents and bend the legal system to his will.

“Sometimes revenge can be justified,” Trump told TV psychologist Phil McGraw last week. “I have to be honest. You know, sometimes it can.” The former president told Fox News last week, “I would have every right to go after them,” referring to the Bidens.

Two Trump claims discredited by Hunter Biden verdict

Throughout his trial in Manhattan, his former hometown, Trump, insisted he couldn’t get a fair verdict in a city that votes mostly Democratic. But Delaware is a blue state — and a jury there just convicted the president’s son. One juror told CNN Tuesday that politics never came up in the deliberations. Jurors in Trump’s trial have yet to speak, perhaps because of fears they could be identified following the ex-president’s intimidation tactics.

Had Biden been acquitted, Republicans would surely have argued that a biased jury in a state where everyone seems to know the first family had proven their point. But the guilty verdict blew another of their political arguments out of the water.

Joe Biden came to office pledging to restore the independence of the Justice Department following Trump’s repeated efforts to employ its legal and investigative powers almost as a personal law firm during his term. But the former president has left no doubt that he’d do the same and more if he wins back the White House in November and would ignore the DOJ’s core mission statement of enforcing the law with “independence and Impartiality.” Trump has already vowed to prosecute Biden and his family and to “obliterate” what he calls the “Deep State.” Several outside groups have drawn up plans to help him.

The Hunter Biden verdict also contradicted the central rationale of Trump’s multiple legal defenses in his four criminal cases, several civil matters and his entire presidential campaign. This is the false notion that he is a victim of a weaponized legal system by a Justice Department that exclusively targets Republicans. ...

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June 16th, 2024 search:

06. The New York Times
(I am a subscriber to The New York Times 'Basic Access' Digital Subscription.)

If Trump Wins

By Charlie Savage, Jonathan Swan, and Maggie Haberman | Updated June 16, 2024

Donald Trump and his closest allies are preparing a radical reshaping of American government if he regains the White House. Here are some of his plans for cracking down on immigration, directing the Justice Department to prosecute his adversaries, increasing presidential power, upending America’s economic policies, retreating militarily from Europe and unilaterally deploying troops to Democratic-run cities.

Crack down on illegal immigration to an extreme degree Mr. Trump is planning a massive expansion of his first-term crackdown on immigration if he returns to power in 2025. Among other things, he would:

1. Carry out mass deportations

Mr. Trump’s top immigration adviser, Stephen Miller, said that a second Trump administration would seek a tenfold increase in the volume of deportations — to more than a million per year.

2. Increase the number of agents for ICE raids

He plans to reassign federal agents and the National Guard to immigration control. He would also enable the use of federal troops to apprehend migrants.

3. Build camps to detain immigrants

The Trump team plans to use military funds to build “vast holding facilities” to detain immigrants while their deportation cases progress.

4. Push for other countries to take would-be asylum seekers from the United States

He plans to revive “safe third country” agreements with Central American countries and expand them to Africa and elsewhere. The aim is to send people seeking asylum to other countries.

5. Once again ban entry into the United States by people from certain Muslim-majority nations

He plans to suspend the nation’s refugee program and once again bar visitors from mostly Muslim countries, reinstating a version of the travel ban that President Biden revoked in 2021.

6. Try to end “birthright citizenship”

His administration would declare that children born to undocumented parents were not entitled to citizenship and would cease issuing documents like Social Security cards and passports to them.

Use the Justice Department to prosecute his adversaries

Mr. Trump has declared that he would use the powers of the presidency to seek vengeance on his perceived foes. His allies have developed a legal rationale to erase the Justice Department’s independence from the president. Mr. Trump has suggested that he would:

1. Direct a criminal investigation into Mr. Biden and his family

As president, Mr. Trump pressed the Justice Department to investigate his foes. If re-elected, he has vowed to appoint a special prosecutor “to go after” Mr. Biden and his family.

2. Have foes indicted for challenging him politically

He has cited the precedent of his own indictments to declare that if he became president again and someone challenged him politically, he could say, “Go down and indict them.”

3. Target journalists for prosecution

Kash Patel, a Trump confidant, has threatened to target journalists for prosecution if Mr. Trump returns to power. The campaign later distanced Mr. Trump from the remarks.

Increase presidential power

Mr. Trump and his associates have a broad goal to alter the balance of power by increasing the president’s authority over every part of the federal government that currently operates independently of the White House. Mr. Trump has said that he will:

1. Bring independent agencies under presidential control

Congress has set up various regulatory agencies to operate independently from the White House. Mr. Trump has vowed to bring them under presidential control, setting up a potential court fight.

2. Revive the practice of “impounding” funds

He has vowed to return to a system under which the president has the power to refuse to spend money that Congress has appropriated for programs the president doesn’t like.

3. Strip employment protections from tens of thousands of longtime civil servants

During Mr. Trump’s presidency, he issued an executive order making it easier to fire career officials and replace them with loyalists. Mr. Biden rescinded it, but Mr. Trump has said that he would reissue it in a second term.

4. Purge officials from intelligence agencies, law enforcement, the State Department and the Pentagon

Mr. Trump has disparaged the career work force at agencies involved in national security and foreign policy as an evil “deep state” he intends to destroy.

5. Appoint lawyers who would bless his agenda as lawful

Politically appointed lawyers in the first Trump administration sometimes raised objections to White House proposals. Several of his closest advisers are now vetting lawyers seen as more likely to embrace aggressive legal theories about the scope of his power.

Upend trade and other economic policies

At the risk of disrupting the economy in hopes of transforming it, Mr. Trump plans to impose new tariffs on most goods manufactured abroad. Economists say his broader agenda – including on trade, deportations and taxes – could cause prices to rise. He has said that he will:

1. Impose a “universal baseline tariff,” a new tax on most imported goods

Mr. Trump has said that he plans to impose a tariff on most goods made overseas, floating a figure of 10 percent for a new import tax. On top of raising prices for consumers, such a policy would risk a global trade war that hurts American exporters.

2. Implement steep new trade restrictions on China

He has said that he will “phase out all Chinese imports” of electronics and other essential goods, and impose new rules to stop U.S. companies from making investments in China. The two countries are the largest economies in the world and exchange hundreds of billions of dollars of goods each year.

3. Slash rules imposed on business interests

He has vowed to revive his deregulatory agenda and go further in curbing the so-called administrative state – agencies that issue rules for corporations such as limits aimed at keeping the air and water clean and ensuring that food, drugs, cars and consumer products safe, but that can cut into business profits.

4. Extend and expand tax cuts

Mr. Trump has said he would extend the tax cuts from his 2017 tax law that are set to expire, including for all levels of personal income and for large estates. He also privately told business leaders he wants to further lower the corporate tax rate.

Retreat from military engagement with Europe

Mr. Trump has long made clear that he sees NATO, the country’s most important military alliance, not as a force multiplier with allies but as a drain on American resources by freeloaders. He has said he will:

1. Potentially undercut NATO or withdraw the United States from the alliance

While in office, he threatened to withdraw from NATO. On his campaign website, he says he plans to fundamentally re-evaluate NATO’s purpose, fueling anxiety that he could gut or end the alliance.

2. Settle the Russia-Ukraine war “in 24 hours”

He has claimed that he would end the war in Ukraine in a day. He has not said how, but he has suggested that he would have made a deal to prevent the war by letting Russia simply take Ukrainian lands.

Use military force in Mexico and on American soil

Mr. Trump has been more clear about his plans for using U.S. military force closer to home. He has said that he would:

1. Declare war on drug cartels in Mexico

He has released a plan to fight Mexican drug cartels with military force. It would violate international law if the United States used armed forces on Mexico’s soil without its consent.

2. Use federal troops at the border

While it’s generally illegal to use the military for domestic law enforcement, the Insurrection Act creates an exception. The Trump team would invoke it to use soldiers as immigration agents.

3. Use federal troops in Democratic-controlled cities

He came close to unleashing the active-duty military on racial justice protests that sometimes descended into riots in 2020 and remains attracted to the idea. Next time, he has said, he will unilaterally send federal forces to bring order to Democratic-run cities.

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GOOGLE SEARCH: USA NEWS
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June 20th, 2024 search:

07. USA Today

Trump's agenda if he wins 2024 election, from energy to education

By Victor Hagan | June 18, 2024

Former President Donald Trump plans to deport millions of migrants, reshape global trade with expensive tariffs and fill the government with loyalists if he wins a second four-year White House term in the November presidential election.

From revamping education to an “America-first government,” the former commander-in-chief is pledging to kick-start the following programs and policies once back in office.

Tariffs

Trump has mentioned the idea of 10 percent and higher tariffs on all goods imported into the country, claiming it will eliminate trade deficits. He also wants to implement a four-year plan to ensure the U.S. “no longer needs to rely on China for essential medical and national security goods” and prohibit Chinese ownership of any critical infrastructure in the U.S.

Energy

The former president plans to boost domestic energy production, lower fuel costs, eliminate the Green New Deal, and allow drilling in the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge. According to the U.S. Energy Information Administration, fossil fuels accounted for 81% of US energy production in 2022.

Immigration

If elected in November, the Republican president plans to reinstate first-term immigration policies, including limiting asylum access at the U.S.-Mexico border, eliminating automatic citizenship for those born to immigrant parents in the U.S., deputize the National Guard and local law enforcement to “rapidly removing illegal alien gang members and criminals” while implementing a merit-based immigration system. ...

Education

Trump said he would remove “Biden’s radical left ideology out of our military and rehire every patriot who was unjustly fired” and “standing in the world and American leadership abroad.” He also plans to cut federal funding for schools and programs that promote ideals considered to be on the radical left agenda, including critical race theory, gender ideology, weaponizing civics education, and transgender athletes competing in the gender division they identify with.

Project 2025, created by The Heritage Foundation, a conservative think tank in Washington, D.C., also plans on eliminating the U.S. Department of Education. ...

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GOOGLE SEARCH: PRESIDENT BIDEN NEWS
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June 12th, 2024 search:

08. The New Republic

Watch: Local Sinclair Anchors Read Same Shady Script on Biden's Age

Local news anchors across the country are reading from the exact same script on Joe Biden.

By Hafiz Rashid | June 11, 2024

Local television news broadcasters are airing suspiciously similar attacks on Joe Biden’s mental acuity and how it will affect the coming election—and it appears to be part of a coordinated effort.

The Sinclair Broadcast Group owns or operates 185 local television stations across the country, and dozens of their stations aired a segment from national correspondent Matthew Galka citing a Wall Street Journal article that makes dubious attacks on Biden’s age and mental awareness. The stations that aired the segment introduced it using startlingly similar, if not identical language, the Popular Information and Public Notice newsletters reported.

It’s not the first time Sinclair, owned by right-wing businessman David D. Smith, has appeared to be running a conservative propaganda campaign. Infamously in 2018, dozens of the company’s TV stations were caught airing an identical editorial about the dangers of biased and false news. This time around, the Rupert Murdoch-owned Wall Street Journal, as well as Murdoch’s cable news stations Fox News and Fox Business, have gotten in on the act. ...

By the way, I also watched the 'X' (formerly Twitter) video mentioned in the article above that is titled, "Check out this video showing local Sinclair anchors reading from the same script." Please see the hyperlink below for the video on X.com, which is about six minutes long, just to let you know:

https://x.com/atrupar/status/1800521789417943317?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw%7Ctwcamp%5Etweetembed%7Ctwterm%5E1800521789417943317%7Ctwgr%5Ec06b78e44340850c5702967b9d0f6f49dc92a521%7Ctwcon%5Es1_&ref_url=https%3A%2F%2Fnewrepublic.com%2Fpost%2F182567%2Fsinclair-right-wing-script-biden-age-local-news

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June 14th, 2024 search:

09. CNN

Biden and Zelensky lay out new US support for Ukraine

By Maureen Chowdhury, Michael Williams, Elise Hammond and Kyle Feldscher | Updated 9:47 PM ET, Thu June 13, 2024

What you need to know

▪ US President Joe Biden and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky spoke Thursday after signing a bilateral security agreement on the sidelines of the G7 summit in Italy. "We're going to stand by Ukraine," Biden said, vowing lasting support for the country's defense now and in the future.

▪ The deal lays out a path for the US’ long-term security relationship with Kyiv but could also be undone by future US administrations, according to multiple people familiar with its details.

▪ Support for Ukraine has been a key topic of the meetings so far. After lengthy and complicated negotiations, G7 leaders have agreed to loan Ukraine money backed by profits from frozen Russian investments, according to a senior US official.

▪ The summit comes after a congressional fight over additional US funding for Ukraine — something Biden personally has apologized to Zelensky for — and as the president's 2024 rival Donald Trump is in Washington, DC, meeting with GOP allies.

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June 14th, 2024 search:

10. ABC News - Breaking News, Latest News and Videos

Biden, Zelenskyy sign new 10-year security agreement

Biden vowed to support Ukraine "until they prevail this war."

ByJustin Gomez and Molly Nagle | June 13, 2024

President Joe Biden touted on Thursday several new major U.S. commitments for Ukraine that were announced this week, including a 10-year bilateral security agreement, sanctions to disrupt Russia's war machine, and a sign-off from the G7 on a $50 billion loan backed by frozen Russian assets.

Biden, in during a press conference in Italy with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, said the collective efforts by the G7 show that Russian President Vladimir Putin "cannot wait us out, he cannot divide us, and we'll be with Ukraine until they prevail this war."

On the bilateral agreement, Biden said the goal is to "strengthen Ukraine's credible defense and deterrence capabilities for the long term."

He reiterated his position that American troops will not fight in Ukraine, but the United States would provide them with weapons.

Zelenskyy called it a "historic day" after signing the "strongest agreement between Ukraine and the U.S. since our independence."

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June 16th, 2024 search:

11. CBS News

Biden raises $30 million at Hollywood fundraiser featuring Obama, campaign says

By Aaron Navarro | Updated on: June 16, 2024 / 10:49 AM EDT

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June 18th, 2024 search:

12. AP News

FACT FOCUS: Biden's pause as he left a star-studded LA fundraiser becomes a target for opponents

By Melissa Goldin | Updated 10:33 AM PDT, June 18, 2024

Video from a star-studded fundraiser in Los Angeles for President Joe Biden on Saturday is circulating on social media with claims that he froze up onstage as he exited the event.

“Biden froze again last night and had to get escorted out by Obama,” reads one post on X that had received approximately 22,000 likes and 5,600 shares as of Monday. “Is this normal?”

Members of his campaign and administration say the Democratic president stopped to take in cheers and applause as he left a sit-down with former President Barack Obama and comedian Jimmy Kimmel that helped raise more than $30 million for his reelection campaign. A spokesperson for Kimmel echoed this view.

The video is the most recent in a series of clips taken at public events, some of them edited, that are being used to suggest Biden is mentally and physically unfit for office.

Here’s a closer look at the facts.

CLAIM: Biden froze onstage during his fundraiser in Los Angeles on Saturday night and had to be led away by Obama.

THE FACTS: Biden paused amid cheers and applause as he exited the stage with his predecessor following an interview moderated by late-night host Kimmel.

Former President Donald Trump shared a video on his social media platform Truth Social that showed a grainy version of Biden stopping and looking out into the audience as he departed. “Is this really who you want to be your president?” Trump asked in the post.

Separate footage from the event provided to The Associated Press by Biden campaign spokesperson James Singer shows the president waving, pointing, clapping and giving the thumbs-up to the audience alongside Obama while Kimmel waits off to the side. Biden then stands still for about seven seconds looking out at the crowd. He starts moving again when Obama briefly takes his arm and puts his hand on his back as the pair walks offstage.

White House spokesperson Andrew Bates described the moment as “the President taking in an applauding crowd for a few seconds.” Singer attributed the negative characterizations as a distraction tactic from those who “are so scared of losing to Joe Biden, they’ll make anything up to distract from the fact that their candidate for president, Donald Trump, has been convicted of 34 felonies, found liable for sexual assault, committed financial fraud, and only cares about himself.”

In response to a question at a press briefing on Monday about videos that have been edited to make Biden appear frail or confused, White House press secretary Karine Jean-Pierre called such footage “cheap fakes video” that are “done in bad faith.” She added that they demonstrate “everything that we need to know about how desperate, how desperate Republicans are here.”

A source who helped organize, and attended, the fundraiser told the AP that there was nothing noteworthy about this moment and that Obama wanted to be “chummy” by walking offstage with Biden.

Lewis Kay, a spokesperson for Kimmel, called the claims spreading online “nonsense.”

“Attendees in the front were shouting at him, and President Biden was trying to hear them,” he wrote in an email to the AP. “It’s as simple as that.” ...

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June 18th, 2024 search:

13. CNN

‘This did not happen’: White House denies claims Biden froze at fundraiser event

The White House has denied GOP allegations that President Biden froze during a star-studded Los Angeles fundraiser. CNN's Arlette Saenz reports.

[No author(s) name(s) indicated] [No publishing date indicated]

By the way, the 'article' above is actually a video, which is why I didn't include the author(s) name(s) and the publishing date.

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June 12th, 2024 search:

14. Newsweek

Joe Biden Favored to Beat Donald Trump in 538 Election Forecast

By Ewan Palmer | Jun 11, 2024

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June 16th, 2024 search:

15. CNN

Biden delivers stark warnings about potential second Trump term at star-studded fundraiser

By Arlette Saenz | Updated 11:03 AM EDT, Sun June 16, 2024

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June 16th, 2024 search:

16. NBC News

Biden G7 video: conservative media uses misleading camera angle

A different angle, captured by NBC News, shows that President Joe Biden was walking to give a thumbs-up to parachuters who had just landed in a demonstration.

By David Ingram | June 14, 2024

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June 16th, 2024 search:

17. USA Today
(I am a subscriber to the USA Today 'Unlimited Digital Access' Subscription.)

Biden was giving thumbs up to skydivers, not wandering in viral G7 video

By Kinsey Crowley | June 14, 2024

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June 16th, 2024 search:

18. CNN

Right-wing media outlets use deceptively cropped video to misleadingly claim Biden wandered off at G7 summit

By Michael Williams and Samantha Waldenberg | June 14, 2024

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June 16th, 2024 search:

19. The Guardian

Trump gets name of his doctor wrong as he challenges Biden to cognitive test

Gaffe came as 78-year-old Republican presidential candidate sought to bolster his support among Black and Latino voters in Michigan

By Ed Pilkington | 16 Jun 2024

Donald Trump has made a point in recent months of deriding his rival Joe Biden as being cognitively impaired, mocking the 81-year-old US president for his verbal stumbles and accusing him of falling both up and down stairs.

But people in glass houses shouldn’t throw stones.

On Saturday night Trump, who turned 78 on Friday, returned to the theme during a speech in Detroit, Michigan to the rightwing group, Turning Point Action. He sarcastically quipped that Biden “doesn’t even know what the word ‘inflation’ means”, and challenged his rival in the 2024 election to take a cognitive test just as he had done when he was in the White House.

Trump told his audience that he had “aced” the cognitive test following advice from the then presidential physician, a Republican member of Congress whom he named as Ronny Johnson. “Has anyone heard of Ronny Johnson, congressman from Texas?” he asked the crowd.

“He was the White House doctor, and he said I was the healthiest president, he feels, in history. So I liked him very much.”

The Ronny Johnson who administered Trump’s test was in fact Ronny Jackson, who represents Texas’s 13th congressional district. Jackson has been one of Trump’s most loyal advocates since entering the US House in 2021.

Trump’s Saturday night gaffe was instantly shared on social media. One of the most gleeful postings came from Biden’s rapid response team. ...

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June 16th, 2024 search:

20. NPR

Trump challenges Biden to cognitive test, but confuses name of doctor who tested him

[No author(s) name(s) indicated] | JUNE 16, 2024

WASHINGTON — Donald Trump on Saturday night suggested President Joe Biden “should have to take a cognitive test," only to confuse who administered the test to him in the next sentence.

The former president and presumptive Republican nominee referred to Texas Republican Rep. Ronny Jackson, who was the White House physician for part of his presidency, as "Ronny Johnson.” The moment came as Trump was questioning Biden's mental acuity, something he often does on the campaign trail and social media.

“He doesn’t even know what the word ‘inflation’ means. I think he should take a cognitive test like I did," the former president said of Biden during a speech at a convention of Turning Point Action in Detroit. ...

... Trump, who turned 78 on Friday, has made questioning whether the 81-year-old Biden is up for a second term a centerpiece of his campaign. But online critics quickly seized on his Saturday night gaffe, with the Biden campaign — which has long fought off criticism about the Democratic president's verbal missteps — posting a clip of the moment minutes later. ...

... During the same speech in Detroit, Trump also referenced a video clip widely circulated online in Republican circles where Biden is seen during the recently concluded Group of Seven summit in Italy watching skydivers land with flags from different nations.

A cropped version of the video shows Biden stepping away from the leaders, turning his back and walking in the other direction. He flashes a thumbs-up but it's not clear who he is gesturing to. A more complete angle of the same scene, however, shows that the president had turned to face a skydiver who has landed.

Trump nonetheless seized on the video clip, falsely describing Biden turning around "to look at trees," drawing laughter and hoots from the crowd.

The Biden campaign issued a statement dismissing the clip as misleadingly cropped and accusing those disseminating it as “tampering with the video to make up lies.”

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GOOGLE SEARCH: DEMOCRATS NEWS
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June 18th, 2024 search:

21. NBC News

Republican senator blocks ban on bump stocks for guns brought by Democrats

Sen. Martin Heinrich, D-N.M., sought unanimous consent to pass the BUMP Act, but Sen. Pete Ricketts, R-Neb., objected for the GOP, effectively blocking the legislation.

By Sahil Kapur and Frank Thorp V | June 18, 2024

WASHINGTON — Senate Democrats sought to pass legislation Tuesday banning bump stocks for firearms after the Supreme Court overruled a previous ban, but a single Republican objected on behalf of his party, effectively stalling the bill.

Backed by Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer, Sen. Martin Heinrich, D-N.M., sought “unanimous consent” to pass his BUMP Act that would prohibit the devices, which modify semi-automatic weapons to fire bullets more quickly.

The New Mexico senator said he’s a firearm owner who sees no purpose for bump stocks other than to facilitate mass shootings, as in Las Vegas in 2017, when a gunman killed dozens of people at a music festival and more than 500 people were injured.

“The Las Vegas gunman was able to murder and injure so many so quickly because he used a deadly device known as a bump stock,” Heinrich said on the Senate floor. “There’s no legitimate use for a bump stock. Not for self-defense, not in a law enforcement context, not even in military applications as they’re less accurate than a standard fully automatic military platform. But what they are tailor-made for is a mass shooting.”

But the bill was met with an objection from Sen. Pete Ricketts, R-Neb., blocking it from moving forward. The objection was backed by Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell and many other Republican senators, marking a turnaround after many of them championed a bump stock ban imposed by the Trump administration after the Las Vegas massacre. ...

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June 18th, 2024 search:

22. CBS News

GOP senator blocks Democratic bill to ban bump stocks after Supreme Court ruling

By Caitlin Yilek | Updated on: June 18, 2024

Washington — A Republican senator blocked a Democratic-led attempt to pass legislation Tuesday that would have restored a Trump-era ban on bump stocks, an accessory that enables semi-automatic weapons to shoot at a very rapid pace, after last week's Supreme Court decision striking down the ban.

Sen. Martin Heinrich, a New Mexico Democrat, requested that his bill banning bump stocks be brought up for a vote under unanimous consent, a procedure in which a measure passes so long as no lawmaker objects. Sen. Pete Ricketts, a Nebraska Republican, blocked the measure by objecting. ...

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June 18th, 2024 search:

23. CNN

Senate GOP blocks effort by Democrats to pass bump stock ban after Supreme Court ruling

By Clare Foran, Morgan Rimmer and Ted Barrett | Updated 7:26 PM EDT, Tue June 18, 2024

(CNN) — Senate Republicans on Tuesday blocked an attempt by Democrats to pass a bill to ban bump stocks in the wake of a recent Supreme Court ruling.

The bill would enact a federal ban on the sale of bump stock devices. Bump stocks allow a shooter to convert a semi-automatic rifle into a weapon that can fire at a rate of hundreds of rounds a minute. The Supreme Court on Friday struck down a federal ban on bump stocks approved by former President Donald Trump, the latest opinion from the conservative court rolling back firearm regulations.

While some Republicans support a ban on bump stocks, the issue has divided GOP senators in the aftermath of the high court ruling.

On Tuesday, Democratic Sen. Martin Heinrich of New Mexico made a request on the Senate floor for unanimous consent to pass the bill and Republican Sen. Pete Ricketts of Nebraska objected, calling it a “show vote.”

“As a firearms owner myself, there’s no legitimate use for a bump stock – not for self defense, not in a law enforcement context, not even in military applications … but what they are tailor made for is a mass shooting,” Heinrich said, noting that the bill he was seeking to pass has bipartisan support.

Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer also spoke on the floor in support of a ban.

“The Senate must step into the breach and pass a federal ban on bump stocks,” Schumer said, calling it a “commonsense safety measure.” ...

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GOOGLE NEWS: REPUBLICANS NEWS
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June 18th, 2024 search:

24. Axios Bump stock ban blocked by Senate Republicans

By Stephen Neukam and Stef W. Kight | June 18th, 2024

Senate Republicans blocked Majority Leader Chuck Schumer's (D-N.Y.) attempt to move forward legislation to ban bump stocks, reigniting a pre-election messaging battle over gun control measures.

Why it matters: The Supreme Court's decision to toss a Trump-era ban on bump stocks has given Schumer an opening to put some of the chamber's Republicans in the position of defending the gun attachment, which was used in the deadliest mass shooting in U.S. history.

Driving the news: Sen. Martin Heinrich (D-N.M.) asked senators for unanimous consent Tuesday afternoon to pass a bill that would ban bump stocks, but Sen. Pete Ricketts (R-Neb.) objected, thwarting the effort. ...

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June 18th, 2024 search:

25. AP News

Republicans block bill to outlaw bump stocks for rifles after Supreme Court lifts Trump-era ban

By Mary Clare Jalonick | Updated 2:41 PM PDT, June 18, 2024

WASHINGTON (AP) — Senate Republicans blocked bipartisan legislation Tuesday that would have outlawed bump stocks after the Supreme Court struck down a ban on the rapid-fire gun accessory used in the deadliest shooting in modern U.S. history.

Democrats tried to force a voice vote on the bill to ban bump stocks, a tactic often used by both parties when they know that they don’t have the votes to pass legislation but want to bring an issue to the Senate floor. The bill, sponsored by Sens. Martin Heinrich, D-N.M., and Susan Collins, R-Maine, would ban the sale of the devices, similar to the rule issued by President Donald Trump’s administration after a gunman in Las Vegas attacked a country music festival in 2017 with semiautomatic rifles equipped with the accessories. ...

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June 18th, 2024 search:

26. MSNBC News

Why Republicans keep ignoring reality about falling crime rates

Reality makes clear that Biden-era crime rates are going down. Republicans keep telling voters to believe that Biden-era crime rates are going up.

By Steve Benen | June 18, 2024

There’s been quite a bit of news lately about crime rates in the United States, and fortunately, pretty much all of it has been encouraging. NBC News reported recently, for example, “that crime in the U.S. declined significantly in 2023, continuing a post-pandemic trend and belying widespread perceptions that crime is rising.”

Last week, the Justice Department released some preliminary data on this year’s figures, which also showed significant improvements in violent and property crimes in every region of the country. The Washington Post’s Catherine Rampell noted soon after that murder rates in 2024 “are on track to be at or below what they were every year of Donald Trump’s presidency.”

Prominent Republicans, however, aren’t just reluctant to celebrate the good news, they’re pretending that it doesn’t exist.

On NBC News’ “Meet the Press,” for example, Rep. Byron Donalds told viewers, “I think it’s important for people to understand your murder rate may be down, but that doesn’t mean that violent crime, et cetera, are also lower.”

But violent crime, et cetera, really are lower. It was a detail the Florida Republican, who’s reportedly in contention for his party’s vice presidential nomination, simply ignored.

Around the same time, Sen. Tim Scott, another leading candidate for the GOP ticket, appeared on ABC News’ “This Week,” and told guest host Jonathan Karl:

“Under Joe Biden, we’ve seen the movement to defund the police, leaving communities like the one I grew up in devastated and ravaged by a wave of violent crime that we have not seen literally in five decades.”

As the South Carolina Republican really ought to know, there’s been no effort to defund law enforcement — except, that is, among Scott’s GOP colleagues in Congress — and the idea that violent crime rates have reached a five-decade high is the opposite of reality.

When Karl noted that crimes are “actually down,” Scott effectively said that he didn’t care about the evidence. “We’ve seen a spike in violent crime,” the senator added, pointing to a development that has not occurred.

The problem is not just that Republicans are lying. The broader significance of this is that many Americans don’t know that they’re lying, and the public has embraced assertions with no basis in reality.

I’m reminded anew of a line in a recent Axios report that stood out for me: “Polls show crime is a top concern ahead of the 2024 election — and it’s an issue where Republicans regularly edge Democrats. But falling homicide rates could take the steam out of the crucial GOP advantage.”

That’s true, it could. That said, it’s difficult to have confidence that it will.

Prominent Republican voices, including those seeking national office, likely know that crime rates are falling. That does not appear to stop them from telling the public the opposite of the truth, working from the assumption that many voters will simply believe the falsehoods and never hear about actual crime data. ...

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GOOGLE SEARCH: POLITICAL NEWS
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I did not select any articles from this category.

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GOOGLE SEARCH: WORLD NEWS
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I did not select any articles from this category.

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GOOGLE SEARCH: GLOBAL WARMING NEWS
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I did not select any articles from this category.

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GOOGLE SEARCH: WORKERS ON STRIKE NEWS
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I did not select any articles from this category.

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GOOGLE SEARCH: PORTLAND OREGON NEWS
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I did not select any articles from this category.

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Continuing on—as I mentioned above—I will occasionally read the news articles that I feel are the most important for me to read from the daily emails that I receive from The New York Times, USA Today and Time Magazine.

And I used to provide longer introductions to these New York Times, USA Today and Time Magazine articles that I highlight, which included the name(s) of the author(s), as well as the date of publication in addition to some of the text from the article; but, I decided a while ago to forego my usual writing format for all The New York Times, USA Today and Time Magazine articles 'updates.'

To that end, I also used to provide the title of each article in addition to a hyperlink; however—as I mentioned above—I think that all of those hyperlinks to news articles are causing my "I Am No Longer Being An Activist In The Same Way That I Was" blog post to be flagged and unpublished for violating Blogger's Spam policy! (Again, please see my 'February 26th, 2024 Update No. 1, Which Also Discusses February 25th, 2024' that can be found above.)

Therefore, I am changing the format by which I write these news 'updates' by providing the title (or, 'headline') and the subtitle (or, 'subheadline') of each article, as well as the author(s) name(s), in addition to the publishing date. That way, I am (hopefully) providing enough information about each article in order to make it possible for you, my readers, to do a search for any of the articles that I highlight by the article's title—plus, you can also verify the subtitle, the author(s) name(s) and the publishing date—if you wish to read those articles too!

And for certain articles, I will include a few introductory paragraphs as a way to give more of a complete explanation to the meaning of the title (or, 'headline') and the subtitle (or, 'subheadline') of these articles, which may also take the form of a kind of 'overview,' so to speak, by selecting particular paragraphs that I feel highlight the most important parts of these articles in order to summarize the meaning of the title (or, 'headline') and the subtitle (or, 'subheadline'). I hope that makes sense!

So, without further ado, I was doing my usual reading of the titles to The New York Times, USA Today and Time Magazine articles—including any article overviews contained within the emails—that I received for the time period of June 8th, 2024 through June 11th, 2024, when I noticed the following NYTimes.com and USAToday.com articles!

---------------------------------------------

The following is The New York Times article that I read on June 12th, 2024, from an email that I received four days prior on June 8th, 2024:

And the excerpt below is from the above-mentioned June 8th, 2024 'The Morning' email introduction to The New York Times article below:

Other Big Stories

The U.S. economy added 272,000 jobs last month and wages rose, a sign of robust growth even as the unemployment rate ticked up to 4 percent. ...

U.S. Hiring Rises Strongly, Along With Wages

Hiring was unexpectedly robust in May, with a gain of 272,000 jobs, but it wasn’t all good news: The unemployment rate ticked up, to 4 percent.

By Lydia DePillis | June 7, 2024

The following is The New York Times article that I read on June 12th, 2024, from an email that I received that day:

And the article below is from the above-mentioned June 12th, 2024 'On Politics' email:

Hunter Biden Conviction Undercuts a Trump Narrative, and a Fund-Raising Pitch

Many allies of Donald J. Trump had secretly wanted an acquittal, which they predicted would have turbocharged fund-raising and fed their claims of a rigged justice system.

By Jonathan Swan, Maggie Haberman and Michael Gold | June 11, 2024

The moment had finally come. Late Tuesday morning, nearly five years after Republicans first went after Hunter Biden, the president’s son could finally be called a convicted felon.

But Donald J. Trump and other Republicans did not seem to be relishing the opportunity. The early reaction to a jury’s guilty verdict against Hunter Biden on three felony gun charges resembled a shriveling balloon.

“The Hunter Biden gun conviction is kinda dumb tbh,” said one close Trump ally, Representative Matt Gaetz of Florida, in a post on X, using an abbreviation for “to be honest.” Another Trump associate, Charlie Kirk, called it a “fake trial.”

Many Trump allies had been secretly rooting for an acquittal. The talking points wrote themselves: It would have been yet more evidence that the United States justice system was rigged in favor of the Bidens and against the Trumps. Tuesday’s guilty verdict was inconvenient to that narrative. ...

... Yet the shiftless and broadly muted G.O.P. response to the verdict said more than any protestations to the contrary. A Trump ally who spoke on the condition of anonymity to candidly describe private conversations explained that as soon as it was clear that the Hunter Biden gun case couldn’t be used against President Biden, the topic fell off the radar for political messaging.

“The only good that could come out of this was that if he was acquitted on charges where he’s obviously guilty,” the Trump ally said. “An acquittal on charges that he was obviously guilty was the only upside for us.”

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The following is the USA Today article that I read on June 12th, 2024, from an email that I received two days prior on June 10th, 2024:

And the excerpt below is from the above-mentioned June 10th, 2024 'On Politics' email introduction to the USA Today article below:

Trump at Vegas rally: 'I don't care about you, I just want your vote'

Donald Trump spoke to a crowd in 104-degree heat in Las Vegas, Nevada Sunday. Six people were hospitalized in heat-related illnesses. See video.

READ MORE ...

Trump jokes about heat at Las Vegas rally; 6 people hospitalized after attending

By Kinsey Crowley and Mark Robison | June 10, 2024

Six people were hospitalized for heat-related illnesses after attending a Donald Trump rally in Las Vegas Sunday in sweltering 104-degree temperatures, according to officials.

The former president commented on the heat during his remarks, which were largely off-script due to teleprompter issues, and stoked online controversy for saying he didn't care about the attendees and just wanted their vote.

"By the way, isn't that breeze nice? Do you feel the breeze?" he said in a recording from C-SPAN. "Cuz I don't want anybody going on me. We need every voter. I don't care about you, I just want your vote, I don't care." ...

The following is the USA Today article that I read on June 12th, 2024, from an email that I received one day prior on June 11th, 2024:

And the excerpt below is from the above-mentioned June 11th, 2024 'The Daily Briefing' email introduction to the USA Today article below:

More news to know now

Trump threats are "terrifying" for feds, an ex-FBI chief says. ...

Trump threats 'terrifying' for feds, ex-FBI chief says. Steve Bannon says they 'should be'

By Josh Meyer | June 11, 2024

WASHINGTON − Steve Bannon, who has advised former President Donald Trump, just warned the last two ex-FBI directors to "Get your passport, get the hell out of the country because hey, we're coming,” in a second Trump term.

The presumptive Republican nominee's threats about imprisoning his opponents have caused such concern among people in U.S. law enforcement and intelligence that some are talking about leaving the country to avoid unfair prosecution if Trump wins a second term, according to Andrew McCabe, the former head of the FBI.

And Bannon, who served as an advisor to Trump's 2016 campaign and in the White House during his first term, said on his "War Room" podcast Saturday that McCabe and his predecessor would be targeted by a Trump White House for having investigated Trump's alleged collusion with Russia and other activities.

“We will hunt you down," Bannon said in reference to McCabe and his predecessor, James Comey.

McCabe, the acting FBI director after Trump fired Comey, told CNN he was concerned about what Trump might do in a second term if he defeats President Joe Biden in November.

"He runs the risk of really dismantling and greatly incapacitating the Department of Justice and the FBI," McCabe told CNN anchor Kaitlan Collins last Wednesday. He described it as "terrifying” and “frightening,” citing Trump’s vow to his supporters that he “will be your retribution.”

What’s more, McCabe said, “I have a lot of conversations with former colleagues, people who are or were in the intelligence and law enforcement community, and may have worked in the Obama administration, other places. And people are really trying to assess like, what is life going to be like if Donald Trump wins a second term?"

"And on a very personal level, I mean, these are torturous discussions with their family members about whether or not they have to leave the country, to avoid being unconstitutionally and illegally detained,” McCabe added. “I mean, people were actually worried about being thrown in jail, or grabbed in some sort of extra-judicial detention." ...

And I decided to highlight these articles from the various news organizations above via Google news searches—as well as from The New York Times and USA Today—for you, my readers, to consider reading too! –Paul Whiting (written June 20th, 2024 and revised June 21st, 2024)

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June 20th, 2024 Update No. 5, Written On June 21st, 2024: I received an email from Iraq and Afghanistan Veterans of America (IAVA) yesterday, June 20th, 2024, with the subject line "Keep the pressure on our leaders: Protect our Afghan allies", which stated the following:

Paul,

In March, Congress delivered an additional 12,000 Special Immigrant Visas (SIV) for Afghan nationals who assisted in the U.S. war effort.

IAVA is leading in this fight, but we must keep the pressure on our leaders until ALL of our allies can get the safe harbor we promised them.

Tell the Biden Administration and congressional leaders: Keep our promise to the Afghan allies that served with the U.S. military in Afghanistan >>>

ACT NOW***

The effort to bring Afghan allies to safety is personal for those of us who served alongside them. Moral injury impacts our community each day that our promise to protect the Afghan allies who risked their lives to work with U.S. troops is not fully kept.

In our recent member survey, 72% of IAVA members said that more needs to be done for our Afghan allies who have sacrificed so much on our behalf.

IAVA will not stop until the U.S. has a plan to ensure the safe evacuation of our Afghan allies and their families. We cannot allow them to continue to pay the price for our withdrawal.

Keep the pressure on our leaders and demand that they do not abandon our wartime allies.

Thank you,

Team IAVA

KEEP OUR PROMISE TO THE AFGHAN
ALLIES THAT SERVED WITH OUR ARMED
FORCES IN AFGHANISTAN.

Who You're Contacting:

[Name redacted]
[Title redacted]
[Address redacted]
[City, State and ZIP Code redacted]
[Phone number redacted]

[Name redacted]
[Title redacted]
[Address redacted]
[City, State and ZIP Code redacted]
[Phone number redacted]

[Name redacted]
[Title redacted]
[Address redacted]
[City, State and ZIP Code redacted]
[Phone number redacted]

What You're Saying

Subject: Keep our promise to the Afghan allies that served with our armed forces in Afghanistan.

[Decision Maker]:

I'm a veteran supporter and our Afghan Allies matter to me. We need to have their backs like they had ours.

Our nation promised to protect the Afghan allies who risked their lives to work with U.S. troops. But we're falling short of keeping it.

With each day that passes, our Afghan allies are paying the price for our withdrawal with their lives. Inaction in Washington is stopping us from keeping our promises to those who have sacrificed so much on our behalf.

IAVA will not allow our country to abandon our wartime allies. We won't give up our fight to ensure the US has a plan in place to properly ensure the safe evacuation of ALL our Afghan allies and their families.

Please, keep the government's promise and protect the Afghan allies who risked their lives to work with U.S. troops.

[Your name]
[Your email address]

Contact Information

First name: Paul
Last name: Whiting
Email: [redacted]
Address: [redacted]
City: [redacted]
State: [redacted]
Country: [redacted]
ZIP Code: [redacted]

SEND IT!

And so, I sent the letter above to my Senators and Representative in Congress yesterday, June 20th, 2024, via the IAVA website, in order to request that lawmakers please "keep the government's promise and protect the Afghan allies who risked their lives to work with U.S. troops." –Paul Whiting (June 21st, 2024)

P.S.: Just so you know, I used to make one-time donations to the organization that is the subject of these 'updates' each time that I took an action as requested by that organization; however, "I have changed the way that I make donations to political, progressive and charitable organizations each month ... due to the fact that I have been spending a considerable percentage of my monthly income on all of these donations." (The reader should know that I am HIV-positive with full-blown AIDS. And I am on Social Security Disability Insurance, or SSDI, so my income is quite limited.) Therefore, "I am really 'tightening my belt,' so to speak, with regard to all of the donations that I am making on my credit card each month! My plan is to only donate to political, progressive and charitable organizations if they specifically ask for donations—and not just for the sake of donating to them at least once per month, or even when I have been taking some sort of action, such as signing a petition, or sending a letter, etc. Thus, I am trying to greatly reduce the number of donations that I make to simply once in a while, or as determined by me on a case-by-case basis! You see, there are a lot of organizations that I literally donate to only once per year—such as for Giving Tuesday—which is all that I ever donate to them. And that is basically what I am striving for, so that I am still donating to political, progressive and charitable organizations, but the bare minimum that I can donate, since that's all I can really afford." [Please see my 'August 19th, 2023 Update—Follow-Up No. 4, Written On December 1st, 2023 About November 2023' (that also appears as 'November 30th, 2023 Update No. 2, Written On December 1st, 2023' on some of my blogs), which can be found above.]

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June 22nd, 2024 Update No. 1, Which Also Discusses June 21st, 2024: I received an email from CREDO Mobile (which is my cell phone company) yesterday, June 21st, 2024, with the subject line, "Sign the petition: Don’t Cut SNAP Benefits," which stated the following:

Dear Fellow Progressive,

Republicans in Congress recently unveiled their proposed Farm Bill with drastic cuts to Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) benefits. SNAP is our nation’s most important and most effective anti-hunger program, with tens of millions of Americans relying on it to put food on the table.

We can’t allow Republicans to take SNAP benefits away from people in need of food. Sign our petition urging Congress not to cut SNAP benefits.

Progressive groups were quick to push back on the Republican farm bill proposal.

“This would be the largest cut to SNAP since 1996 if enacted and these cuts would grow even deeper over time," said Ty Jones Cox, vice president for food assistance at the Center on Budget and Policy Priorities.

We agree. Tell Congress not to cut benefits by signing our petition today.

Sign the Petition***

Civic Shout

Tell Congress: Don't Cut SNAP Benefits

Every five years, Congress passes a new Farm Bill. This massive piece of legislation touches on crucial issues like agricultural policy, land use and the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP), the official name for what used to be referred to as food stamps.

SNAP is our nation's most important and most effective anti-hunger program, with tens of millions of Americans relying on it to put food on the table SNAP is less than 2% of the federal budget.

Despite that, Republicans in Congress recently unveiled their proposed Farm Bill with drastic cuts to SNAP benefits.

We can't allow Republicans to take SNAP benefits away from people in need of food. Sign our petition urging Congress not to cut SNAP benefits.

Progressive groups were quick to push back on the Republican farm bill proposal.

"Weakening safeguards that protect people from pesticides, slashing protections for endangered species, and recklessly expanding industrial logging should have no place in the Farm Bill, said [name redacted], [title redacted] at the Center for Biological Diversity.

"This would be the largest cut to SNAP since 1996 if enacted and these cuts would grow even deeper over time," said [name redacted], [title redacted] at the Center on Budget and Policy Priorities.

"It would be mean-spirited and shameful for Congress to cut the SNAP benefits moms and families rely on; and it also would be damaging to our economy," added [name redacted], [title redacted] and [title redacted] of Moms Rising.

We agree. Tell Congress not to cut benefits by signing our petition today.

First name: Paul
Last name: Whiting
U.S. ZIP code: [redacted]
Email: [redacted]
Cell phone (not landline): [redacted]

Sign Petition

So, I signed the petition above today, June 22nd, 2024, via the Civic Shout website, in order to "tell Congress not to cut [SNAP] benefits." And that is why I wanted to share this email from CREDO Mobile. –Paul Whiting (June 22nd, 2024)

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June 22nd, 2024 Update No. 1: I received an email from Planned Parenthood Action Fund today, June 22nd, 2024, with the subject line, "INSIDE: What it's like to lobby for abortion rights from a red state", which stated the following:

Planned Parenthood Action Fund Update

Action Fund Update is the monthly newsletter for members of the Planned Parenthood Action Fund. As an associate member of the Action Fund, you'll receive timely, insider information on our legislative, advocacy, and electoral work.

Member News

Paul,

Since politicians trying to ban abortion love to cite fake facts, let’s talk about some actual facts:

[✓] Over 80% of Americans believe abortion care should be legal, regardless of their personal views on the issue.
[✓] A majority of Americans — 54%! — believe that “exceptions” to abortion laws do not work.
[✓] About two-thirds of Americans agree that politicians are not qualified to make decisions on abortion at any point in pregnancy.*

In the face of relentless attacks on our health and rights, we have to remember: We are the majority. Abortion is health care, and health care is a human right. And we will keep fighting for reproductive freedom across the country.

In solidarity,

[Name redacted], [Title redacted]
Planned Parenthood Action Fund

*Source: “Key findings and guidance for abortion policy messaging”, Impact Research (2024)

P.S. Based on our records, it looks like your Associate Membership is going to expire soon. Don't miss out on timely, insider information on Planned Parenthood Action Fund's advocacy, legislative work, and electoral endorsements, as well as volunteer opportunities in your area. Click here to renew your membership.**

Candidate Endorsement News

See Planned Parenthood Action Fund’s ongoing list of endorsed candidates here (www.plannedparenthoodaction.org/endorsements)!

Take Action: Two Years Later and The Fight for Abortion Access Continues

Join Planned Parenthood Action Fund-endorsed candidates and leaders who are fighting for access to abortion across the country.

These leaders know what’s at stake for abortion rights this election, and they know what we need to protect and secure essential health care.

Find an event near you: joebiden.com/dobbs

Around the Web

The 19th: ‘You represent us’: What it’s like to lobby for abortion rights from a red state

https://19thnews.org/2024/06/abortion-republican-states-lobbying-congress

New York Magazine: Abortion Rights Look Set to Sweep Again on November Ballot

https://nymag.com/intelligencer/article/abortion-rights-look-set-to-sweep-again-on-november-ballot.html

NPR News: The push for embryo rights in state legislatures worries IVF patients and doctors

https://www.npr.org/2024/06/03/nx-s1-4991097/personhood-rights-embryos-ivf-patients-doctors

Visit plannedparenthoodaction.org

By the way, I read all of the articles referenced in the email above, listed under the 'Around the Web' sections above, which is what I always do when I receive these monthly newsletters from Planned Parenthood Action Fund—in addition to taking any requested action from the newsletter, if I haven't already taken that same requested action (or, those same requested actions), as noted from previous 'updates.'

**And, after I read the email above, I clicked on the hyperlink to the referenced webpage, regarding renewing my Associate Membership for the Planned Parenthood Action Fund, which can be found below:

Become a Planned Parenthood Action Fund Associate Member.

By submitting this form, I affirm that I want to become an associate member of the Planned Parenthood Action Fund.

First Name: Paul
Last Name: Whiting
Postal Code: [redacted]
Email: [redacted]
Mobile Phone (Optional): [redacted]

SUBMIT

And, after submitting the form above, I received a confirmation email today, June 22nd, 2024, from the Planned Parenthood Action Fund with the subject line, "Thank you for your Associate Membership!", which stated the following:

Dear Paul,

Thank you for standing with us as an Associate Member of Planned Parenthood Action Fund!

Membership is free and allows you full access to timely Action Fund updates, including information about our grassroots organizing, legislative and regulatory advocacy, electoral endorsements, and volunteer opportunities in your area — and gives you an opportunity to vote for a member of the Action Fund Board of Directors.

You can also follow Planned Parenthood Action Fund on Facebook and Twitter.

We are so glad to have you with us!

Planned Parenthood Action Fund

And to clarify: I usually make a one-time donation to Planned Parenthood Action Fund after I renew my Associate Membership for the Planned Parenthood Action Fund, however I renewed my Associate Membership five months ago on January 13th, 2024 (please see my 'January 13th, 2024 Update No. 1,' which can be found above) and I made a one-time donation to Planned Parenthood Action Fund back then "in order to show my support for the Action Fund Update monthly newsletter, as well as for my 'Associate Membership of Planned Parenthood Action Fund'"; thus, I opted to renew my Associate Membership without donating this month.***

–Paul Whiting (June 22nd, 2024)

***P.S.: Just so you know, I used to make one-time donations to the organization that is the subject of these 'updates' each time that I took an action as requested by that organization; however, "I have changed the way that I make donations to political, progressive and charitable organizations each month ... due to the fact that I have been spending a considerable percentage of my monthly income on all of these donations." (The reader should know that I am HIV-positive with full-blown AIDS. And I am on Social Security Disability Insurance, or SSDI, so my income is quite limited.) Therefore, "I am really 'tightening my belt,' so to speak, with regard to all of the donations that I am making on my credit card each month! My plan is to only donate to political, progressive and charitable organizations if they specifically ask for donations—and not just for the sake of donating to them at least once per month, or even when I have been taking some sort of action, such as signing a petition, or sending a letter, etc. Thus, I am trying to greatly reduce the number of donations that I make to simply once in a while, or as determined by me on a case-by-case basis! You see, there are a lot of organizations that I literally donate to only once per year—such as for Giving Tuesday—which is all that I ever donate to them. And that is basically what I am striving for, so that I am still donating to political, progressive and charitable organizations, but the bare minimum that I can donate, since that's all I can really afford." [Please see my 'August 19th, 2023 Update—Follow-Up No. 4, Written On December 1st, 2023 About November 2023' (that also appears as 'November 30th, 2023 Update No. 2, Written On December 1st, 2023' on some of my blogs), which can be found above.]

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June 24th, 2024 Update No. 1, Which Also Discusses June 1st, 2024: I received a mailer from Planned Parenthood Federation of America twenty three days ago on June 1st, 2024, which stated the following:

[I used to hand-type the text of the documents from these types of mailers on my smartphone; however, it takes a lot of time and energy in order to hand-type these kinds of documents: so, instead, I scanned and copied the documents using Google Lens! Then, I edited the copy of said documents to include all of the italicizing, bolding and/or underscoring where applicable.]

Planned Parenthood®
Care. No matter what.

[Name redacted]
[Title redacted]

Dear Mr. Whiting.

Ever since the U.S. Supreme Court ended federal abortion rights by overturning Roe v. Wade, politicians who oppose abortion have been determined to block abortion care for as many people as possible. Today, 21 states and counting have banned all or some abortion.

However, Planned Parenthood is even more determined. We won't stop until we win reproductive freedom for all. We are resolute in our commitment to get people the care they need, no matter who they are or where they live — no matter what.

Your past contributions to Planned Parenthood Federation of America have strengthened resources in states where abortion remains legal. Thanks to your support, we have also helped people who have lost access in their home state — by ensuring they can book timely appointments and get needed resources for an out-of-state abortion.

Your generosity has helped patients travel hundreds of miles to get the abortion they need, giving them financial and logistic assistance for transportation, lodging, dependent care, and time off from work. You have also helped Planned Parenthood legal teams manage a growing docket of critical court cases and continue to fight bans and restrictions that force people to carry pregnancies against their will.

Planned Parenthood is doing everything in our power to protect patients' health, lives, and futures, even as lawmakers block essential health care and escalate their attacks.

This summer, the U.S. Supreme Court will likely decide an important case involving access to mifepristone, a safe, effective medicine used in almost all medication abortions in the U.S. The case challenges the FDA's 20-plus-year approval of mifepristone, used by more than 5 million people across the U.S. But this attack has nothing to do with safety. It's anti-abortion activists' attempt to, once again, use the courts to further limit access to abortion.

We don't know yet how the Supreme Court will rule.* Regardless of the decision, Planned Parenthood will keep fighting to protect and expand our rights. We're dedicated to expanding access to birth control, emergency contraception, and accurate, inclusive sex education. Can we count on your help?

Please let us know you're still with us by renewing your support for Planned Parenthood Federation of America with a generous annual renewal contribution of $20, $35, or $50.

We can't allow the politicians who have devastated so many lives with abortion bans to dictate the future of health care. To do so would place all sexual and reproductive health care in peril, including birth control, IVF treatment, gender-affirming care, and more. This crisis does the most harm to people with low incomes and those in Black, Latino, and other communities for whom barriers to care have always been greater due to systemic racism and economic injustice.

Your renewed support for 2024 will ensure more people can get sexual and reproductive health care, including those who live in states with abortion bans.

Your contribution will allow Planned Parenthood to work toward reproductive freedom for all by promoting health equity, getting patients to care, finding innovative solutions to overcoming barriers, enshrining federal protections for abortion, and more. Please bolster our efforts by renewing your support for 2024 with a generous contribution.

Together, we can ensure that abortion and all sexual and reproductive health care are accessible to everyone, everywhere. As more states enact bans and restrictions, Planned Parenthood faces mounting pressure. We must help even more patients access abortion, which means booking more appointments, funding more out-of-state travel, increasing capacity in more health centers, and sustaining critical legal battles.

I sincerely hope we can count on your support again this year. Our fight to rebuild, restore, and expand reproductive rights depends on everyone's commitment and determination. We must never walk away from the millions of people who depend on Planned Parenthood to be there for them.

Please show your commitment and determination by making a generous annual renewal gift to Planned Parenthood Federation of America today. Thank you for standing with us and the people we serve.

Sincerely,

[Name redacted]
[Title redacted]

P.S. The attacks on abortion access are fierce, but so are we. The strength of our movement is inspiring, and the more people who are with us, the sooner we will win the political and policy changes we need. Please stay in this movement by renewing your support for 2024 with a generous contribution.

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Planned Parenthood®
Care. No matter what.

YOU CAN COUNT ON ME!

To ensure that Planned Parenthood can continue to connect people to the care they need in these dangerous times, I am renewing my support for 2024 with a contribution of:

[  ] $20

[  ] $35

[  ] $50

[✓] Other $7.00

[  ] Make this a monthly gift!
To charge your gift by credit card, please see reverse, or make your check payable to Planned Parenthood Federation of America.

Donations to Planned Parenthood are tax-deductible to the fullest extent allowable under the law.

Mr. Paul Whiting
[Street Address and Apt. No. redacted]
[City, State and ZIP Code redacted]

www.plannedparenthood.org/renew

And so, I made a one-time donation to Planned Parenthood Federation of America today, June 24th, 2024, in order to renew my support for 2024, because "[they] won't stop until [they] win reproductive freedom for all," since "[they] are resolute in [their] commitment to get people the care they need, no matter who they are or where they live." –Paul Whiting (June 24th, 2024)

*[Blogger's Note: As noted above, I received this letter on June 1st, 2024, so with regard to the case involving access to mifepristone, "the U.S. Supreme Court on Thursday [June 13th, 2024] ruled a group of doctors lacked legal standing to challenge the Food and Drug Administration's regulation of the abortion pill mifepristone, preserving access to the medication nationwide," as quoted from an article on ABC News:

"Supreme Court unanimously strikes down legal challenge to abortion pill mifepristone"

The ruling preserves access to the mail-order medication nationwide.

By Devin Dwyer | June 13, 2024

The U.S. Supreme Court on Thursday ruled a group of doctors lacked legal standing to challenge the Food and Drug Administration's regulation of the abortion pill mifepristone, preserving access to the medication nationwide. ...

...The case put abortion access back in the spotlight for the court for the first time since its conservative majority voted to overrule Roe v. Wade in 2022. ...

Please see the hyperlink below for the article:

https://www.google.com/amp/s/abcnews.go.com/amp/Politics/supreme-court-unanimously-strikes-legal-challenge-abortion-pill/story%3fid=110439079]

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June 24th, 2024 Update No. 2 I received an email from the ACLU (American Civil Liberties Union) today, June 24th, 2024, with the subject line, "Two years ago today, everything changed.", which stated the following:

ACLU

The fight for reproductive rights is far from over.

DONATE NOW:

https://action.aclu.org/give/protect-abortion-access-5

Paul,

Following the Supreme Court's decision to strike down Roe v. Wade – exactly two years ago today – anti-abortion politicians moved quickly.

They banned or restricted abortion in nearly half of all states. Now they are fighting for the power to jail doctors for providing emergency abortion care to sick patients in hospitals. They launched attempts to severely restrict medication abortion nationwide.

This isn't a far-off dystopian future; it's an ongoing crisis impacting tens of millions of people every day and could spread to every state – a crisis that the ACLU has met head-on, with your support, from day one.

Two years since Roe was overturned, with so many fights ahead to protect abortion access and the people most impacted, we're asking you to recommit to the fight for reproductive freedom: In recognition of today's anniversary, will you donate to help the ACLU protect abortion access and defend those seeking care?

Thanks to the generous support of people like you:

→ The ACLU and our affiliates have gone to court in 15 states – plus Guam – to protect abortion access just in the last two years alone.

→ We launched the Abortion Criminal Defense Initiative to defend patients, doctors, and supporters at risk of criminal investigation or prosecution relating to abortion.

→ We're using every tool at our disposal to mobilize voters to protect abortion rights nationwide.

→ And just today, we joined leading reproductive health, rights, and justice organizations today to unveil the 'Abortion Access Now' campaign, pledging a collective $100 million investment from across the coalition to advance abortion rights and access.

This is tremendous progress – but the fight is far from over. As we fight back from the courts to the streets, we're counting on your support to help us keep winning for abortion rights.

The ACLU is the best-equipped organization to continue the progress we've made in protecting abortion access, but our ability to do so hinges on the generous support of people like you. So please, make a gift to support our fight to defend abortion access and all of our rights today.

Thanks,

The ACLU Team

DONATE NOW:

https://action.aclu.org/give/protect-abortion-access-5

And so, I made a one-time donation to the ACLU in order to answer the question, "in recognition of today's anniversary [of the Supreme Court's decision to strike down Roe v. Wade], will you donate to help the ACLU protect abortion access and defend those seeking care?" with a resounding 'Yes!' –Paul Whiting (June 24th, 2024)

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June 25th, 2024 Update No. 1: I received an email from March For Our Lives (MFOL) today, June 25th, 2024, with the subject line, "Federal gun reform history was made on this day", which stated the following:

MARCH
FOR OUR
LIVES

June 25, 2022. I remember it vividly, Paul.

It’s the day Congress passed the Bipartisan Safer Communities Act (BSCA) – the first piece of federal gun safety legislation in 30 years!

Paul, this wouldn’t have been possible without gun safety champions from across the country coming together for the second March For Our Lives in D.C. and across the country on June 11, 2022.

After our historic second march, March For Our Lives organizers met with 70+ members of Congress, and the BSCA is the result of our demands for progress finally being listened to.

BSCA remains one of our movement’s BIGGEST wins and that’s worth celebrating. Our hard work and years of organizing came to fruition to make significant and lasting change.

Help us build on the momentum of BSCA by pitching in anything you can today! We still have a lot more work to do until gun violence of all forms is obsolete.

If you've saved your payment information with FastAction, your donation will go through immediately:

[  ] $10
[  ] $25
[  ] $50
[  ] $75
[  ] $100
[✓] OTHER

Paul, the Bipartisan Safer Communities Act is already saving lives.

Just take a look at some of what BSCA includes below ⤵️:

✅ Enhanced background checks for 18-21 year olds
✅ Expanded definition of “gun dealers” to help close the gun show loophole
✅ $250M investment in community violence intervention programs
✅ $1.3B in funding to make our schools safer
✅ Over $1B for training mental health professionals and expanding the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline (988)

The results are already speaking for themselves ⤵️:

✅ 52% increase in prosecutions of unlicensed firearm dealers
✅ 500+ people charged for gun trafficking or purchasing guns for those who aren’t allowed to purchase their own
✅ 1,100+ illegal firearm sales stopped for individuals under 21 – a 25% increase
✅ 80 community violence intervention programs funded nationwide
✅ 2,100+ communities improved school safety and 6,000 schools expanded crisis intervention teams for students who may be a danger to themselves or others
✅ 170,000+ individuals received mental health awareness training

Let’s be clear though: these wins are the bare minimum required to end gun violence. We have an epidemic on our hands and it’s killing kids and disproportionately killing people of color. This is urgent and we can’t afford to wait.

Progress in the gun safety movement can be slow but BSCA showed us it is possible to secure change at the federal level when we come together and demand it. I am hopeful for more progress and look forward to celebrating even larger wins with you as we continue fighting for more life-saving legislation like BSCA.

Can I count on you to step up today and donate $10 or more so we can continue our critical advocacy?

Thank you,

[Name redacted]
[Title redacted]
March For Our Lives

DONATE NOW

Thank you for supporting the March For Our Lives Action Fund! Grassroots supporters like you are the backbone of our youth-led movement.

Because of your support, we have grown into one of the largest youth-led movements in the country, elected the first Gen-Z Congressmember, secured key legislative victories such as the Bipartisan Safer Communities Act, delivered historic youth turnout at the polls, and so much more.

In 2024, were fighting even harder for gun safety legislation at every turn and demanding young people's voices are heard.

Chip in to fuel our fight and save lives today >>>

Your contribution will benefit March For Our Lives Action Fund, a 501(c)(4) social welfare organization. Contributions or gifts to March for Our Lives Action Fund are not deductible for federal income tax purposes as charitable contributions.

Amount

$5
$10
$25
$50
$100
$500
[✓] $3

First Name: Paul
Last Name: Whiting
Billing Address: [redacted]
Country: [redacted]
Postal Code: [redacted]
City: [redacted]
State/Province: [redacted]
Email: [redacted]
Mobile Phone: [redacted]

Contribute

And so, I made a one-time donation to March For Our Lives (MFOL) in order to show my support for the Bipartisan Safer Communities Act (BSCA), which passed Congress on June 25, 2022! That is why I contributed to "help [MFOL] build on the momentum of [the] BSCA by pitching in anything [I] can today!" –Paul Whiting (June 25th, 2024)

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June 26th, 2024 Update No. 1, Which Also Discusses June 22nd, 2024 And June 24th, 2024, As Well As June 16th, 2024 Through June 20th, 2024: This 'update' that I am writing today, June 26th, 2024, is combined from my news searches on Google, which I do as often as I can manage—as well as from my occasional reading of The New York Times articles, USA Today articles and Time Magazine articles that I received via email—for the total time period of June 19th, 2024 through June 26th, 2024.

Please let me explain: I have been busy with a lot of "Online Activism" lately that takes an enormous amount of time and energy to write about, which consists of various topics that each require their own 'updates!' Besides that, I have often been engaged in editing my five blogs—whenever I notice that any of my writing needs to be revised or corrected—which can take hours to complete depending upon how much editing I have to do!

So, because I have been so busy lately with "Online Activism," and also with the editing of my five blogs, I have just been reading the titles of The New York Times, USA Today and Time Magazine articles that I receive from their daily emails. Then, I will occasionally read the news articles that I feel are the most important for me to read from those emails that I highlight in these 'updates.'

That is why I recently signed up to receive email newsletters from the news organizations to which I subscribe in order for me to stay informed about what's happening in the world. And I was formerly writing separate 'updates' for each of the news articles that I read from The New York Times, USA Today and Time Magazine articles; however, after I restarted writing these news 'updates' from my news searches on Google (which I stopped doing for a while), I also decided to restart writing the 'updates' from the above-mentioned news organizations to which I subscribe, but as a combined 'update.'

Thus, I am checking the news through Google searches again, like used to do, as often as I can manage it. You see, I used to keep up with the news virtually on a daily basis, because there is typically that much news every day; however, I am now simply checking the news via Google searches as often as I can manage to do so. And, I usually check what's happening in the world via various Google searches that I do under the following topics:

American News
United States News
USA News
President Biden News
Joe Biden News
Democrats News
Republicans News
Political News
World News
Global Warming News
Workers On Strike News
Portland Oregon News

Then, I read the news articles that I feel are the most important for me to read from those Google news searches.

So, without further ado, I was doing my occasional news searches on Google for June 22nd, 2024, June 24th, 2024 and June 26th, 2024, when I noticed many different articles from various news organizations!

And I used to provide a longer introduction to these news articles that I highlight regarding current news, on these types of 'updates' that I write, which used to include the name(s) of the author(s), as well as the date of publication in addition to some of the text from the articles; but, I decided a while ago to forego my usual writing format for all the current news 'updates.'

To that end, I also used to provide the title of each article with the news organization's name in addition to a hyperlink; however, I think that all of those hyperlinks to current news articles are causing my "I Am No Longer Being An Activist In The Same Way That I Was" blog post to be flagged and unpublished for violating Blogger's Spam policy! (Please see my 'February 26th, 2024 Update No. 1, Which Also Discusses February 25th, 2024' that can be found above.)

Therefore, I am changing the format by which I write these current news 'updates' by first providing the original Google search category through which I found each article, as listed above, like I usually do. [Although, to clarify, sometimes the same article appears (or, articles appear) under different search categories.]

Then, I am providing the title (or, 'headline') and the subtitle (or, 'subheadline') of each article, as well as the author(s) name(s), in addition to the publishing date. That way, I am (hopefully) providing enough information about each article in order to make it possible for you, my readers, to do a search for any of the articles that I highlight by the publisher's name and the article's title—plus, you can also verify the subtitle, the author(s) name(s) and the publishing date—if you wish to read those articles too!

And for certain articles, I will include a few introductory paragraphs as a way to give more of a complete explanation to the meaning of the title (or, 'headline') and the subtitle (or, 'subheadline') of these articles, which may also take the form of a kind of 'overview,' so to speak, by selecting particular paragraphs that I feel highlight the most important parts of these articles in order to summarize the meaning of the title (or, 'headline') and the subtitle (or, 'subheadline'). I hope that makes sense!

---------------------------------------------
GOOGLE SEARCH: AMERICAN NEWS
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I did not select any articles from this category.

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GOOGLE SEARCH: UNITED STATES NEWS
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June 26th, 2024 search:

01. The Guardian

Conservative US lawmakers are pushing for an end to no-fault divorce

Republicans in Louisiana, Oklahoma, Nebraska and Texas have discussed eliminating or restricting such cases

By Eric Berger | 25 Jun 2024

Some prominent conservative lawmakers and commentators are advocating for ending no-fault divorce, laws that exist in all 50 US states and allow a person to end a marriage without having to prove a spouse did something wrong, like commit adultery or domestic violence.

The socially conservative, and often religious, rightwing opponents of such divorce laws are arguing that the practice deprives people – mostly men – of due process and hurt families, and by extension, society. Republican lawmakers in Louisiana, Oklahoma, Nebraska and Texas have discussed eliminating or increasing restrictions on no-fault marriage laws.

Defenders of the laws, which states started passing a half-century ago, see legislation and arguments to repeal them as the latest effort to restrict women’s rights – following the overturning of Roe v Wade and passage of abortion bans around the country – and say that without such protections, the country would return to an earlier era when women were often trapped in abusive marriages.

“No-fault divorce is critical to the ability, particularly the ability of women, to be able to exercise autonomy in their own relationships, in their own lives,” said Denise Lieberman, an adjunct professor at the Washington University School of Law in St Louis, who has a specialty in policies concerning gender, sexuality and sexual violence.

Before 1969, when then California Republican governor Ronald Reagan, who had been divorced, approved the country’s first no-fault divorce law, women, who are more likely to experience violence from an intimate partner, were often forced to stay in marriages. If they could not prove that their husband had been abusive or persuade him to grant a divorce, they would not be able to take any assets from the marriage or remarry, according to a study in the Quarterly Journal of Economics.

States around America gradually followed suit and passed similar laws allowing unilateral divorce until 2010, when New York became the last state to approve the practice.

Between 1976 and 1985, states that passed the laws saw their domestic violence rates against men and women fall by about 30%; the number of women murdered by an intimate partner declined by 10%; and female suicide rates declined by 8 to 16%.

Without such laws, “it’s hard to prove anything in court relating to a family because you don’t have any witnesses”, said Kimberly Wehle, professor at the University of Baltimore School of Law. “It’s very difficult to get evidence to show abuse of children. How do you do it? Do you put your kids on the stand?”

Conservative commentators such as Matt Walsh, Steven Crowder and lawmakers such as the Republican senator JD Vance of Ohio have argued that the laws are unfair to men and hurt society because they lead to more divorces. ...

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June 26th, 2024 search:

02. CNN

US surgeon general declares US gun violence an urgent public health crisis

By Jen Christensen | Updated 12:11 PM EDT, Tue June 25, 2024

(CNN) — Gun violence in the United States is a public health crisis that demands urgent action, Surgeon General Dr. Vivek Murthy declared in a major new advisory that pushes for more research and stronger laws designed to reduce harm.

It’s the first time a publication from the country’s leading voice for public health has focused on firearm violence and its “profound consequences” on survivors, communities, and mental health.

“Over the last decade or two, this problem has been worsening and we have now reached the point where gun violence is the leading cause of death among kids and teens – the leading cause of death. That is something that we should never take as the new normal. There’s nothing normal about that,” Murthy told CNN’s John Berman.

Guns have become a deeply polarizing issue, Murthy said, but the advisory is meant to “take it out of the realm of politics and put it into the realm of public health, which is where it belongs.” The advisory lays out key preventive steps and regulatory measures that Murthy says can turn the tide on gun violence — just as they did for tobacco-related disease and motor vehicle crashes.

“Many people I’ve talked to around the country worry that this may be an intractable problem, that there’s no way to solve it,” he said. “That’s not true.” ...

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GOOGLE SEARCH: USA NEWS
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I did not select any articles from this category.

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GOOGLE SEARCH: PRESIDENT BIDEN NEWS
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June 22nd, 2024 search:

03. Vanity Fair

Trump Throws Predictable Conniption Fit Over Fox Poll Putting Joe Biden Ahead

“The latest Fox News poll is TRASH!” he ranted to his followers.

By Bess Levin | June 21, 2024

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June 22nd, 2024 search:

04. NBC News

Biden campaign attempts to flip the age script with a flurry of unflattering Trump videos

The president’s team is more forcefully pushing back against the GOP’s portrayal of Biden and trying to turn the spotlight back on Trump.

By Monica Alba, Gabe Gutierrez and Sarah Dean | June 21, 2024

As some misleading videos of President Joe Biden have exploded online in recent weeks, his re-election campaign has intensified its pushback against them while attempting to flip the script by repeatedly highlighting unflattering clips of former President Donald Trump on social media.

A prolific Biden campaign account on X, called @BidenHQ, has shared at least 20 such videos since June 1, with a noticeable uptick this week that culminated in a more than two-minute montage on Thursday of Trump “getting confused, lost, wandering off, and waving to nobody.”

In an interview with NBC News at the Biden campaign headquarters in Wilmington, Delaware, deputy campaign manager Rob Flaherty said his team was intentionally investing in resources to be more forceful in its response to videos that attempt to raise questions about Biden’s age, 81, and ability to serve a second term.

Conservative accounts, most notably including the Republican National Committee’s “research” arm, have widely shared disingenuous clips that show Biden appearing to struggle to find a chair at a D-Day event in France and seeming to wander off after a skydiving demonstration with other world leaders in Italy.

At the France event, GOP-aligned accounts claimed Biden was trying to sit in a chair that didn’t exist. But the complete footage of the ceremony shows the president looking over his shoulder for his chair and pausing before taking a seat. (The chair was, in fact, there.)

At the Italy event, one tight camera angle appeared to show Biden wandering off before being pulled back to the group by the Italian prime minister. But a second camera angle reveals the president was, in reality, walking over to greet skydivers who’d just finished the presentation.

The Biden campaign calls these “deceptively edited videos” that have become a “huge part” of the Trump team’s strategy.

“We have to be more aggressive about monitoring, about intervening, about taking action against it, because it is just going to be such a centerpiece of how he’s communicating,” Flaherty said. “This cycle we’re also pushing back by flipping Donald Trump and his own words — his more dangerous divisive rhetoric — because that is such a feature of his campaign. These deceptive videos are out here because Donald Trump is desperate to distract from his unpopular agenda.” ...

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June 24th, 2024 search:

05. CNN

Why Trump is suddenly talking up Biden after months of slamming his cognitive capacity

By Stephen Collinson, CNN | Updated Mon June 24, 2024

(CNN) — After months lampooning President Joe Biden as a cognitively impaired “brain-dead zombie” who can’t finish a sentence or navigate off a stage, former President Donald Trump and his campaign are changing their tune days ahead of the critical debate of the election.

The commander in chief has suddenly morphed into a “worthy debater,” someone of considerable ability and a veteran political performer who is not to be underestimated, according to Trump and his lieutenants.

The game of pre-debate expectation-setting is often absurd – one aide to former President George W. Bush once claimed that John Kerry, his Democratic opponent in 2004, was a better debater than Roman rhetorician Cicero. But the Trump team’s shift is remarkable given their relentless assault on Biden’s faculties. And it hints at their possible concerns that they’ve set an unnecessarily low bar for the president’s performance ahead of Thursday’s clash hosted by CNN in Atlanta.

North Dakota Gov. Doug Burgum, a possible Trump vice presidential pick, tried to reset the balance on CNN’s “State of the Union” on Sunday. “The guy’s run for office more than a dozen times. He’s run for president four times. He’s been campaigning since President Nixon was in office,” he said. “This guy has got the ability.”

Trump is also hedging against a stronger-than-expected Biden showing by suggesting his opponent will be “jacked up” on drugs to ensure a strong performance.

The Biden campaign, meanwhile, is intensifying its new attempt to portray Trump as an “unhinged” criminal who is morally reprobate, out to benefit his rich friends and unfit for a return to the Oval Office. The president’s campaign, which is marking the second anniversary of Roe v. Wade’s reversal this week and making abortion a key election issue, promised in a memo Sunday that the head-to-head would finally show voters the contrast Biden believes will disqualify Trump.

“Thursday’s debate will be one of the first moments of this presidential campaign where a larger slice of the American electorate will have the opportunity to witness the stark choice between Joe Biden, who is fighting for the American people, and Donald Trump, who is fighting for himself as a convicted felon with an unhinged campaign of revenge and retribution,” campaign communications director Michael Tyler wrote. ...

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June 24th, 2024 search:

06. Newsweek

Republican Fact-Checked on Accusation Against Joe Biden During Interview

By Rachel Dobkin | Jun 23, 2024

Republican North Dakota Governor Doug Burgum was fact-checked by CNN's Kaitlan Collins during an interview on Sunday about his accusation that President Joe Biden is using executive orders more than other presidents, and countered his claim that the Democratic incumbent is a "dictator."

While filling in for hosts Jake Tapper and Dana Bash, Collins confronted Burgum on CNN's State of the Union, with multiple clips of the governor claiming that Biden is a dictator. In one of the clips, Burgum says, "This is what's happening under Joe Biden. We're actually living under a dictatorship today."

Biden's political rival, former President Donald Trump—the presumptive GOP presidential nominee—has been criticized for parroting Nazi Germany dictator Adolf Hitler and has been accused of being a threat to democracy if he wins in November. His critics claim that if he gets to the Oval Office, he won't leave when his term is up, citing Trump's refusal to accept Biden's 2020 election victory.

"I understand you don't like President Biden's policies on immigration or student loans, but respectfully, you're calling the democratically elected president a dictator?" Collins asked Burgum.

Burgum, a Trump ally who has been floated as his potential running mate, responded: "We've got three branches of government and this president, more like any other, has bypassed Congress. Because as a governor of a natural resources state...we're facing over 30 rules and mandates, each one of those could be 800 pages to 1400 pages long."

He continued: "On the student loan thing, when the Supreme Court ruled against him, then he just said, 'Hey, we'll figure a different way to do it.' I just think that there's again, a double standard here. He is bypassing the other two branches of government to push an ideological view whether it's on economics or whether it's on climate extremism."

Burgum hit on two of Biden's big agenda items: cancelling student loan debt and promoting clean energy. On his first day in office, Biden ordered federal agencies to reinstate or strengthen over 100 environmental regulations that Trump rolled back.

Meanwhile, the U.S. Department of Education (DOE) announced last month that the Biden administration had approved $167 billion in student loan forgiveness for over 4 million Americans over a period of time after the Supreme Court struck down Biden's original plan in June 2023 to forgive about $430 billion of federal student loan debt.

Newsweek has reached out to Burgum's office via online form and Trump's spokesperson, Steven Cheung, via email for comment. It also reached out to the White House via email for comment.

When reached for comment on Sunday afternoon, Biden's campaign referred Newsweek to Alex Floyd, a spokesperson for the Democratic National Committee (DNC), who said via email: "Doug Burgum is sucking up to a convicted felon who has threatened a 'bloodbath' if he loses, called to 'terminate' the Constitution, and pledged to be a dictator on 'Day One.' ...

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GOOGLE SEARCH: JOE BIDEN NEWS
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June 22nd, 2024 search:

07. Newsweek

Joe Biden Now Leads Donald Trump Among Rural Voters By Jordan King | Jun 21, 2024

A Fox News poll has put Joe Biden two percentage points above Donald Trump with rural voters.

Biden scored 50 percent and Trump hit 48 percent, according to the survey, which the former president and many of his supporters have claimed is illegitimate.

Conservative commentator Charlie Kirk wrote on X, formerly Twitter: "Okay, I've been studying this new FOX NEWS poll, and I have concluded it's a complete outlier. They have Joe Biden winning rural voters 50-48% over Trump. There is no way that's possible. Zero."

Congresswoman Marjorie Taylor Greene agreed, saying: "This Fox News poll is WRONG! My district is in rural northwest Georgia and it is SOLIDLY supporting Trump! Same with most of rural America! Smart people!"

Trump blasted the entire poll on Truth Social, calling it "trash" and accusing Fox News of "using a biased, Democrat-leaning sample of voters."

Despite the results, Fox News does cite its 2020 data, saying Trump generally does well with rural voters (+17).

Pollster Lee Carter appeared on Fox News' Fox & Friends on Thursday and said he believes the poll is a "blip."

He added: "I don't think this is something that's long term. I think we saw these kinds of shifts in polls in 2016, but I think it's important to note that Donald Trump was never ever, ever...ahead in the polls in 2016 or 2020."

Newsweek contacted Fox News, via its corporate communications email address, to ask whether it has any response to those casting doubts on the poll.

The survey, which questioned 1,095 registered voters, puts Biden ahead of Trump by two points (50 percent for Biden and 48 per cent for Trump), for the first time since October.

It attributes this largely to changing views about the improving economy, with a record 31 percent approving of his handling of inflation and 41 percent approving of the economy. ...

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June 24th, 2024 search:

08. The New Republic

GOP Operative Behind Those Edited Biden Videos Revealed

Here’s the person responsible for the viral, doctored videos of Joe Biden.

By Ben Metzner | June 24, 2024

An RNC staffer is behind the viral doctored videos of Joe Biden appearing senile, a new report from The Daily Beast shows.

According to the Beast’s Jake Lahut, 31-year-old Jake Schneider, a former Trump campaign employee and former intern for Tea Party Minnesota Representative Michele Bachmann, runs the popular RNC Research Twitter account, which has posted several videos of Biden appearing confused or freezing up. RNC Research has also promoted an edited video that suggests that the president pooped himself (it has since been debunked).

Sources close to the Trump campaign called Schneider “the tip of the spear” of the Republican effort to make Biden’s age a central issue of the election. And they’re not wrong. Schneider and RNC Research enjoy high levels of coordination with powerful right-wing media organizations smuggling the interests of the ruling class through seemingly neutral platforms: Sinclair Broadcast Group, the media company buying up local news affiliates and turning them into pro-Trump organs, has been blasting out syndicated news features on Biden’s age using RNC Research videos (including, in at least three articles, the claim that he pooped himself) to nearly 100 local news websites in the past month. ...

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June 26th, 2024 search:

09. NBC News

From 'WORST debater' to 'worthy debater': Trump changes his tune on Biden's skills

The former president, leery of past mistakes when he set the bar too low for Biden, is now trying to raise expectations for his rival in their first 2024 showdown Thursday in Atlanta.

By Sahil Kapur | June 25, 2024

In six weeks, Donald Trump has gone from mocking President Joe Biden as a feckless debater who can barely speak to praising his talents ahead of their first debate in the 2024 presidential election.

“Crooked Joe Biden is the WORST debater I have ever faced — He can’t put two sentences together!” Trump wrote on his social media platform on May 15. Two days later, he said in a speech to the Minnesota GOP: “He can’t talk. He can’t walk. Can’t find his way off a stage. Can’t put two sentences together.”

But lately, ahead of the debate Thursday in Atlanta, Trump is singing a different tune, saying he has watched Biden’s vice presidential debate from 2012 and appreciated his rival’s abilities.

“He beat Paul Ryan pretty badly,” Trump said in an interview with the “All-In Podcast” that published Thursday. “And I assume he’s going to be somebody that will be a worthy debater. I would say I don’t want to underestimate him.”

Trump’s allies are wary of making the same mistake they made ahead of Biden’s State of the Union speech in March, when Trump world disparaged Biden as a feeble old man and set expectations so low that he easily surpassed them.

This time, Trump’s team is making a last-ditch attempt to flip the script and play the expectations game differently, warning that Biden will be well-prepared for the moment. His team is also working the referees by going after CNN’s moderators and claiming it’s the media, not Trump, that’s lowering the bar for Biden.

“The media wants to lower Joe Biden’s debate performance bar so low he gets a participation trophy simply for standing upright for 90 minutes, but make no doubt about it — Biden will be highly prepared and alert on debate night, relying on the same perfectly calibrated dosage used to deliver his widely praised 2024 State of the Union Address or his 2012 thrashing of Paul Ryan in the VP debate,” Trump campaign spokesman Steven Cheung said.

The “true benchmark,” Cheung said, is whether Biden can defend his record in office against Trump’s first-term record without any “interference” from the debate moderators.

A Biden campaign official said that Trump is making a “transparent” attempt to blame anybody but himself if he loses the debate and that the campaign is ready to push back.

“We see this as Trump setting the predicate for if and when he has a bad night,” said the Biden official, who wasn’t authorized to speak publicly about the campaign's thinking. “When Trump feels he might lose, he sets that permission structure to create excuses for himself. ... He likes to throw a tantrum.”

Trump’s zigzagging rhetoric points to his larger struggle in branding Biden, whom he has spent years disparaging — sometimes as a doddering old fool who is barely aware of his surroundings and other times as a mastermind who is deftly manipulating the justice system to secure indictments and convictions of Trump for criminal activity without leaving a trace of evidence that he was involved. ...

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GOOGLE SEARCH: DEMOCRATS NEWS
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June 24th, 2024 search:

10. The New York Times
(I am a subscriber to The New York Times 'Basic Access' Digital Subscription.)

Democrats Lean on Abortion Rights Message for Anniversary of End of Roe

Across the country this week, Democrats are focusing on abortion issues and emphasizing Donald Trump’s role in nominating the justices who helped overturn Roe v. Wade.

By Katie Glueck and Lisa Lerer | June 24, 2024

Two years after the Supreme Court overturned Roe v. Wade, unleashing a cascade of state-level abortion bans and prompting an angry political backlash, Democrats are marking the anniversary by highlighting the role former President Donald J. Trump played in ending the constitutional right to an abortion.

Through advertising, campaign events and news conferences, Democrats at every level of the party are fanning out across the country, working to remind voters that it was justices nominated by Mr. Trump who helped overturn Roe v. Wade. ...

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June 24th, 2024 search:

11. Politico

Senate Democratic campaign arm launches ads on anniversary of Dobbs decision

The ad blitz comes as Senate Democratic leadership has been forcing votes on reproductive rights on the floor.

By Ursula Perano | 06/24/2024

Senate Democrats' campaign arm will launch a series of ads in women-focused media outlets marking the two-year anniversary of the Supreme Court striking down Roe v. Wade.

The Democratic Senatorial Campaign Committee ads will run on websites including Cosmopolitan, Harper’s Bazaar, Well Plated and more, and will be directed toward readers in Arizona, Florida, Maryland, Michigan, Montana, Nevada, Ohio, Pennsylvania, Texas and Wisconsin. Viewers who click through the ads will be directed to a new DSCC-backed website that targets individual GOP Senate candidates’ positions on abortion and other reproductive-health issues.

“The Republican overturn of Roe v. Wade and the escalating attacks it has triggered on women’s right to make their own medical decisions has ensured reproductive freedom will be a defining issue of the 2024 Senate elections,” DSCC Chair Gary Peters (D-Mich.) told POLITICO in a statement. “Voters will reject GOP candidates and protect Democrats’ Senate majority in November.”

The ad blitz comes as Senate Democratic leadership has been forcing votes on reproductive rights on the floor, including votes on access to contraception and in vitro fertilization. Republicans have consistently blocked the legislation from advancing, at times offering their own competing versions.

Reproductive rights have proven a fruitful issue for Democrats in elections since the Supreme Court overruled Roe on June 24, 2022. Outcomes of ballot referendums on abortion at the state level have consistently trended toward protecting access — and outrage over the downfall of Roe is still seen as a leading cause for Republicans failing to mount a red wave in the last midterms. ...

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GOOGLE SEARCH: REPUBLICANS NEWS
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June 22nd, 2024 search:

12. The New York Times
(I am a subscriber to The New York Times 'Basic Access' Digital Subscription.)

On the House Floor, Republicans Gag Mentions of Trump's Conviction

During official proceedings of the G.O.P.-controlled chamber, speaking about former President Donald J. Trump’s felony conviction has been forbidden, while disparaging President Biden and Democrats is routine.

By Luke Broadwater | June 21, 2024

The floor of the United States House of Representatives is supposed to be a dignified place, where lawmakers refer to each other as “gentleman” or “gentle lady,” speak only to the presiding officer, and never engage in personally disparaging remarks against rivals, an offense known as “engaging in personalities.”

But what happens when the leader of one party is a convicted criminal whom a jury has found guilty of things that would normally be considered unmentionable on the House floor?

The history-making felony conviction of former President Donald J. Trump has raised some historic questions for the House’s rules of decorum, which have existed for centuries but can be bent to the will of whichever party controls the majority-driven chamber.

The Republicans who now hold the majority have used those rules to impose what is essentially a gag order against talking about Mr. Trump’s hush-money payments to a porn actress or about the fact that he is a felon at all, notwithstanding that those assertions are no longer merely allegations but the basis of a jury’s guilty verdict. Doing so, they have declared, is a violation of House rules.

In short, perhaps the only place in the United States where people are barred from talking freely about Mr. Trump’s crimes is the floor of what is often referred to as “the people’s House,” where Republicans have gone so far as to erase one such mention from the official record.

In recent weeks, Republican leaders have cracked down on Democrats who refer to Mr. Trump’s court cases on the floor, citing the centuries-old rules of decorum, which date back to the days of Thomas Jefferson. Merely mentioning that Mr. Trump is a felon prompts an admonishment from whomever is presiding when the offending fact is uttered. (Mr. Trump is also indicted on felony charges in cases related to his handling of classified documents and attempting to overturn the 2020 election.)

“The chair would remind members to refrain from engaging in personalities toward presumptive nominees for the office of the president,” is now a common phrase heard in the chamber after the mention of the words “Trump” and “felon.”

On one occasion, Republicans barred Representative Jim McGovern, Democrat of Massachusetts, from speaking for the rest of the day and deleted his comments from the Congressional Record after he railed against Mr. Trump and his court cases.

“When they censor any mention of Donald Trump’s criminal convictions, they are essentially trying to ban a fact,” Representative Jamie Raskin of Maryland, the top Democrat on the Oversight Committee, said in an interview. “I am not aware of any precedent where factual statements have been banned in our lifetime.”

Mr. Raskin said the silencing of Mr. Trump’s critics on the House floor had a historical analog: the House’s pre-Civil War ban on legislation relating to the abolition of slavery. In 1836, the House passed a so-called gag rule that automatically postponed action on all petitions related to slavery without hearing them.

“In a legislative sense, this was of course far more important than the new rule against mentioning Trump’s criminal record,” Mr. Raskin said.

Still, he said, he considers the prohibition against criticizing Mr. Trump’s felon status “Orwellian.”

The battle over what can be said on the House floor began last month after Mr. McGovern, the top Democrat on the Rules Committee, said on the floor that Mr. Trump “is on trial for covering up hush-money payments to a porn star for political gain, not to mention three of the criminal felony prosecutions he’s facing.”

Representative Jerry Carl, Republican of Alabama and the presiding officer on the floor at the time, admonished Mr. McGovern for “engaging in personalities.”

But Mr. McGovern pressed on.

“We have a presumptive nominee for president facing 88 felony counts, and we’re being prevented from even acknowledging it,” he complained, adding: “He’s also charged with conspiring to overturn the election. He’s also charged with stealing classified information, and a jury has already found him liable for rape in a civil court and, yet, in this Republican-controlled House, it’s OK to talk about the trial — but you have to call it a sham.”

That’s when Representative Erin Houchin, Republican of Indiana, rose to demand that Mr. McGovern’s words be “taken down,” meaning his remarks would be stricken from the Congressional Record and Mr. McGovern would not be allowed to talk on the floor for the rest of the day.

After a lengthy delay while Mr. Carl figured out what to do — including consulting the parliamentarian, whose job is to interpret House rules — he reported that Mr. McGovern’s words would, in fact, be stricken from the record.

“The words of the gentleman from Massachusetts accuse a presumptive nominee for the office of president of engaging in illegal activity,” Mr. Carl said. “Presumptive nominees for the office of president are accorded the same treatment under the rules of decorum in debate as a sitting president.”

In truth, Republicans have exempted themselves from that equal treatment standard when it comes to President Biden, whom they routinely accuse of criminal conduct despite having produced no evidence of any. Representative James Comer of Kentucky, the chairman of the Oversight Committee, began one recent meeting by simply declaring that the rule against speaking ill of a president “will not be in order for the duration of today’s hearing.” Given that it was part of an impeachment inquiry, he explained, “members must be allowed to speak frankly.”

Republican leaders have frequently allowed their members to trample on the rules of decorum without repercussion in other contexts as well, including when Representative Marjorie Taylor Greene of Georgia insulted the makeup of Representative Jasmine Crockett, Democrat of Texas, during a committee hearing. Mr. Comer declined to take down her words, as Democrats demanded, and allowed her to continue participating.

When it comes to Mr. Trump, Republicans have reached all the way back to the 18th century to justify the prohibition against disparaging him, effectively finding that he should be treated like a king. ...

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June 22nd, 2024 search:

13. AP News

GOP targets a Biden executive order on voter registration ahead of the fall election

By Christina A. Cassidy | Updated 9:07 PM PDT, June 21, 2024

ATLANTA (AP) — Republicans and conservative activists have increasingly been targeting an executive order issued three years ago by the Biden administration that is intended to boost voter registration, claiming it’s unconstitutional and an attempt to interfere in the November election.

A recent fundraising email sent by a GOP political action committee is an example of how they are framing the order, saying it compels federal agencies “to act as Biden’s personal ‘Get-Out-The-Vote’ machine.”A Republican-led House committee recently issued subpoenas to agency directors and a group of GOP secretaries of state asked the Supreme Court to take up a case challenging the order.

Despite the pushback on the right, there has been no indication the order favors voters of one party over another.

White House spokesperson Robyn Patterson said the administration will continue to protect the voting rights of eligible citizens regardless of political affiliation. Biden issued the order in 2021 as Republican legislatures across the country were debating a wave of state voting restrictions amid the false claims that widespread fraud had cost former President Donald Trump reelection.

"These are baseless claims brought by the very people who spread debunked lies about the 2020 elections and have used those same debunked lies to advance laws across the nation that make it harder to vote and easier to undermine the will of the people," Patterson said in a statement.

Here's a look at what the order does, what federal agencies have done so far to comply with it and what Republicans are saying about it. ...

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June 22nd, 2024 search:

14. Roll Call

House Republicans shift message on extending 2017 tax cuts

Cost concerns, blue-district GOP issues prompt strategy rethink

By Caitlin Reilly | June 21, 2024

The GOP party line on the expiring 2017 tax law has been to extend and make it permanent, but changing politics and growing debt has House Republicans charged with reviewing the provisions shifting away from that message.

Lower tax rates on individuals, relief from the alternative minimum tax, treatment of money U.S. companies make abroad, small-business deductions and other provisions established by 2017 law are set to expire at the end of next year.

The impending tax cliff has prompted lawmakers to start laying the groundwork for 2025, even though no one can predict the outcome of November’s elections.

Biden administration officials, including Treasury Secretary Janet L. Yellen and Director of the National Economic Council Lael Brainard, have said Democrats would extend tax breaks for households making less than $400,000 and offset the cost with tax increases on the wealthy and corporations.

Republicans have long said they would like to extend and make permanent expiring provisions, but in a shift in messaging some members on the tax-writing House Ways and Means Committee say fully extending the provisions isn’t a foregone conclusion. ...

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June 24th, 2024 search:

15. Politico

Trump is on a fundraising blitz. But there are other warning signs for Republicans.

For the first time this year, the Fox News poll had Joe Biden leading Donald Trump by two points, within the poll’s margin of error.

By Adam Wren | 06/24/2024

For Republicans who spent much of the year crowing about Joe Biden’s weaknesses, Donald Trump’s massive fundraising haul looked like an affirmation, with the former president erasing Joe Biden’s longstanding cash advantage.

But outside of the money race, a series of other developments in recent days have left even Republicans with the impression that November may not be quite as good for the GOP as it once seemed.

First came the GOP’s underperformance in a special House race in a deep-red swath of Ohio that included a swing county. Then, after Republicans over the weekend nominated a far-right candidate for lieutenant governor in Indiana, a top national GOP lawyer predicted a “serious” threat to the top of the ticket even in the heart of MAGA country.

Now, new polling from Fox News shows an 11-point swing in President Joe Biden’s favorability among independents: They prefer Biden by 9 points, a reversal from May, when they favored Trump by 2 points.For the first time this year, the poll has Biden leading Trump by two points, 50-48, within the margin of error.

Trump may be raking in donations. But across the country, the mood of Republicans has dimmed, according to nearly a dozen Republican operatives, county chairs and current and former GOP officials. It comes amid ongoing concerns about the effect of abortion on Republican candidates. And it follows defections from Trump in the primaries and, most recently, polling that has found Trump’s conviction in his New York hush-money trial hurting him with independents. ...

GOOGLE SEARCH: REPUBLICANS NEWS
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June 26th, 2024 search:

16. Newsweek

Donald Trump Suffers Triple Primary Blow

By James Bickerton | Jun 26, 2024

A trio of Donald Trump-endorsed Republicans suffered primary defeats to GOP rivals in South Carolina, Colorado and Utah on Tuesday in a blow to the former president's authority. ...

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Continuing on—as I mentioned above—I will occasionally read the news articles that I feel are the most important for me to read from the daily emails that I receive from The New York Times, USA Today and Time Magazine.

And I used to provide longer introductions to these New York Times, USA Today and Time Magazine articles that I highlight, which included the name(s) of the author(s), as well as the date of publication in addition to some of the text from the article; but, I decided a while ago to forego my usual writing format for all The New York Times, USA Today and Time Magazine articles 'updates.'

To that end, I also used to provide the title of each article in addition to a hyperlink; however—as I mentioned above—I think that all of those hyperlinks to news articles are causing my "I Am No Longer Being An Activist In The Same Way That I Was" blog post to be flagged and unpublished for violating Blogger's Spam policy! (Again, please see my 'February 26th, 2024 Update No. 1, Which Also Discusses February 25th, 2024' that can be found above.)

Therefore, I am changing the format by which I write these news 'updates' by providing the title (or, 'headline') and the subtitle (or, 'subheadline') of each article, as well as the author(s) name(s), in addition to the publishing date. That way, I am (hopefully) providing enough information about each article in order to make it possible for you, my readers, to do a search for any of the articles that I highlight by the article's title—plus, you can also verify the subtitle, the author(s) name(s) and the publishing date—if you wish to read those articles too!

And for certain articles, I will include a few introductory paragraphs as a way to give more of a complete explanation to the meaning of the title (or, 'headline') and the subtitle (or, 'subheadline') of these articles, which may also take the form of a kind of 'overview,' so to speak, by selecting particular paragraphs that I feel highlight the most important parts of these articles in order to summarize the meaning of the title (or, 'headline') and the subtitle (or, 'subheadline'). I hope that makes sense!

So, without further ado, I was doing my usual reading of the titles to The New York Times, USA Today and Time Magazine articles—including any article overviews contained within the emails—that I received for the time period of June 16th, 2024 through June 20th, 2024, when I noticed the following NYTimes.com, USAToday.com and Time.com articles!

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These are The New York Times articles which I received for the time period of June 16th, 2024 through June 20th, 2024: (I am a subscriber to The New York Times 'Basic Access' Digital Subscription.)

The following are The New York Times articles that I read on June 23rd, 2034, from an email that I received seven days prior on June 16th, 2024:

And the excerpt below is from the above-mentioned June 16th, 2024 'The Morning' email introduction to The New York Times article below:

FROM OPINION

Fatherhood changes men’s brains. By how much depends on the bond they have with their child, Darby Saxbe writes. ...

Dad Brain Is Real, and It’s a Good Thing

By Darby Saxbe | June 16, 2024

A father of three recently told me that if he could go back in time and give himself one piece of advice, it would be to have kids sooner. Fatherhood changed him; it gave his life purpose, he said. It turns out neuroscience agrees with him.

My research lab investigates how the brain changes when men become fathers, and we are discovering that fatherhood can be transformative for their brains and bodies. The brain and hormonal changes we observe in new dads tell us that nature intended men to participate in child rearing, because it equipped them with neurobiological architecture to do so. They, too, can show the fundamental instinct for nurturing that’s often attributed solely to mothers.

Not only that, but men’s involvement in fatherhood can have long-term benefits for their brain health — and for healthy societies. At a time when boys and men seem to be experiencing greater social isolation and declining occupational prospects, the role of father can provide a meaningful source of identity. But the transition to fatherhood can also be a time of vulnerability, which is why supporting fathers should be a priority for policymakers. ...

And the excerpt below is from the above-mentioned June 16th, 2024 'The Morning' email introduction to The New York Times article below:

After multiple relapses, David Sheff’s son is 13 years sober. He relates as a father to President Biden and his son Hunter Biden, he writes. ...

Biden’s Love for His Son Is Beautiful — and It Hits Home for Me

By David Sheff | June 16, 2024

And the excerpt below is from the above-mentioned June 16, 2024 'The Morning' email introduction to The New York Times article below:

MORNING READS

Father’s Day: The best advice for dads, according to dads. ...

The Best Advice for Dads (According to Dads)

By Talya Minsberg | June 14, 2024

For Father’s Day, The Times asked readers to share the best pieces of parenting advice for dads they’ve learned along the way. Close to 500 responded, with tips on how to get through the difficult early days of infanthood, bond with kids as they get older and protect them even as you prepare to let them go.

Read some of our favorite submissions below, which have been edited for clarity, and share your own advice in the comments. ...

And the excerpt below is from the above-mentioned June 16th, 2024 'The Morning' email introduction to The New York Times article below:

Square feet: Los Angeles wants to combat homelessness with tiny homes. ...

When Is a Tiny House Too Small to Be a Home?

As the Supreme Court weighs whether cities can criminalize sleeping outdoors or in tents, Los Angeles is attempting to combat homelessness with tiny homes criticized by some as ‘inhumane.’

By Ronda Kaysen | June 15, 2024

For two years, James Valdez lived in his S.U.V., so it was a relief when he moved into Branford Village, a community of tiny homes, in Los Angeles.

And then the flood came. And then another. During the first flood in August 2023, the water rose to the steering wheel of his S.U.V. Six months later in February, when water rushed through the complex again, residents were evacuated out of knee-high water to emergency shelters.

“You learn to live with it,” said Mr. Valdez, 58, whose 2016 GMC Acadia somehow survived ruin. “At least you have a bed.”

Roughly 150 recently homeless people live in the complex of tiny homes, part of Los Angeles’s effort to combat homelessness.

At a time when the Supreme Court is weighing whether cities can criminalize sleeping outdoors or in tents, tiny homes offer a cheap and efficient way to erect shelters, delivering a stop gap fix to a national housing crisis. The country is short a staggering 7.3 million homes for extremely low-income renters, according to the National Low Income Housing Coalition. A record 12.1 million Americans pay more than half their income in rent, according to census data, and a record 653,100 Americans were homeless on a given night in January 2023.

Tiny homes for people experiencing homelessness now pepper the country — in Austin, Albuquerque, Madison, Seattle and St. Louis. And more are coming, as state and local governments, desperate to clear tent encampments, bet that such housing can provide more privacy, security and autonomy than traditional homeless shelters where multiple people sleep in a common area. ...

The following is The New York Times article that I read on June 23rd, 2034, from an email that I received six days prior on June 17th, 2024:

And the article below is from the above-mentioned June 17th, 2024 'On Politics' email:

Is the Partisan Divide Too Big to Be Bridged?

From the urban and rural divide to the partisan gulf, from religious groups to warring factions on campuses, organizations and funders are cropping up with hope for common ground.

By Jonathan Weisman | June 16, 2024

Bernard Clay, a Black, middle-aged data analyst and poet from Louisville, Ky., was leery when he was thrown together with Shaelyn Bishop, a shy, white, young biologist who grew up on a family farm in rural Green County, Ky., 15 minutes from the closest town.

But over a structured brainstorming session in 2022, amid a weekend retreat with the Kentucky Rural-Urban Exchange, something clicked. Mr. Clay, 47, had a side project chronicling Kentucky’s Black Civil War veterans. Ms. Bishop, 34, during quiet hours alone studying the ecology of the Clay Hill Memorial Forest in Taylor County, Ky., had pondered the old stones that almost certainly marked the burial grounds of the once-enslaved, a forgotten memorial to a hidden past.

An effort was born — the Enslaved People of Clay Hill, or EPOCH, Legacy Project — to officially recognize the burial ground. And a connection was made across the gulfs of race, age and geography.

The nation’s poisonous divisions, exacerbated by politicians, cable news and social media, and collectively known as the outrage industrial complex, have been much lamented. Less noticed is the counterweight, a constellation of nonprofits and other organizations like the Kentucky Rural Urban Exchange devoted to bridging divides — urban and rural, Black and white, L.G.B.T.Q. and straight, left and right. Call it the kumbaya industrial complex.

The problem: The starkest divide — Trump-branded conservatism versus the rising political left — may be the one where no one is interested in reconciliation.

“We have to be focused on what we call the exhausted majority — that’s 65 percent of Americans,” said Stephen B. Heintz, the president and chief executive of the Rockefeller Brothers Fund, a major financial backer of the proliferating groups trying to promote common ground. “It’s just not an efficient use of time to convince true ideologues to compromise.”

On June 17, with the backing of Rockefeller Brothers, the MacArthur Foundation, the Emerson Collective and others, a new group, Trust for Civic Life, will award its first $8 million to 20 civic groups judged the most promising in their efforts to rebuild community and reinforce democratic values. Another $2 million will come later in the year to meet the trust’s pledge of $10 million a year for community-level democracy efforts. In this case, “democracy” is with a small “d” — emphasizing efforts to shore up the values needed to promote democratic pluralism, without explicit mentions of Republicans or Democrats.

The first trust grants, selected from more than 60 organizations, will be announced in Boulder, Colo., at a Democracy Funders Strategy Summit on combating authoritarianism, more evidence that bridge-building has become the hot new concept in a country looking for hope. ...

The following are The New York Times articles that I read on June 25th, 2024, from an email that I received six days prior on June 19th, 2024:

And the excerpt below is from the above-mentioned June 19th, 2024 'The Morning' email introduction to The New York Times article below:

Opinions

Compulsory prison labor is a form of slavery, but it’s still legal in most of America, write Andrew Ross, Tommaso Bardelli and Aiyuba Thomas. ...

End Legal Slavery in the United States

By Andrew Ross, Tommaso Bardelli and Aiyuba Thomas | June 19, 2024

Today we celebrate Juneteenth, the day when word of the Emancipation Proclamation reached the farthest outpost in America. Many people do not realize that Emancipation did not legally end slavery in the United States, however. The 13th Amendment — the culmination of centuries of resistance by enslaved people, a lifetime of abolitionist campaigning and a bloody civil war — prohibited involuntary servitude “except as a punishment for crime whereof the party shall have been duly convicted.”

In the North, that so-called exception clause was interpreted as allowing the private contracting of forced prison labor, which was already underway, and in the ex-Confederacy it gave rise to the much more brutal system by which freed men and women were routinely arrested under false charges and then leased out to plantation owners and industrialists to work off their sentence. Some historians have described this convict leasing system as “worse than slavery,” because there was no incentive to avoid working those people to death.

Over time, courts accepted that all people who are incarcerated lose the protection against slavery or involuntary servitude. The legacy of that legal deference is a grim one. Today, a majority of the 1.2 million Americans locked up in state and federal prisons work under duress in jobs that cover the entire spectrum, from cellblock cleaning to skilled manufacturing, for wages as low as a few cents per hour or, in several states, for nothing at all. And though members of Congress denounce imported goods made with prison labor in places like China’s Xinjiang province, the offices of many government agencies in Washington and elsewhere are stocked with furniture and supplies made by prisoners in this country. In fact, federal agencies are mandated to purchase goods from federal prisons, just as state or municipal agencies, including public schools and universities, often must consider sourcing from state penitentiaries. In many states, prison-made goods are freely available on the open market and shipped overseas.

Labor that people have no meaningful right to refuse and that is enforced under conditions of total control is, unquestionably, slavery. It’s a different model from the chattel slavery over which the Civil War was fought, but by all norms of international law, it is a violation of fundamental human rights. ...

And the excerpt below is from the above-mentioned June 19th, 2024 'The Morning' email introduction to The New York Times article below:

ARTS AND IDEAS

Today is Juneteenth, a federal holiday. More people have been celebrating the holiday across the U.S. over the past few years.

Many celebrations take place among families, often in backyards. But some cities, like Atlanta and Washington, hold larger events, including parades and festivals with residents and local businesses. Here’s a guide. ...

The History of Juneteenth

On June 19, 1865, enslaved African Americans in Texas were told they were free. A century and a half later, people across the United States continue to celebrate the day, which is now a federal holiday.

By Derrick Bryson Taylor | June 12, 2024

This article was originally published in 2020. It was updated in 2024.

Juneteenth, an annual commemoration of the end of slavery in the United States after the Civil War, has been celebrated by African Americans since the late 1800s.

President Biden signed legislation in 2021 that made Juneteenth, which falls on June 19, a federal holiday, after interest in the day was renewed during the summer of 2020 and the nationwide protests that followed the police killings of Black Americans including George Floyd and Breonna Taylor.

There has been a noticeable increase in Juneteenth celebrations across the United States over the past few years.

Here’s a brief guide to Juneteenth.

How did Juneteenth begin?

On June 19, 1865, about two months after the Confederate general Robert E. Lee surrendered at Appomattox, Va., Gordon Granger, a Union general, arrived in Galveston, Texas, to inform enslaved African Americans of their freedom and that the Civil War had ended. General Granger’s announcement put into effect the Emancipation Proclamation, which had been issued nearly two and a half years earlier, on Jan. 1, 1863, by President Abraham Lincoln.

The holiday is also called “Juneteenth Independence Day,” “Freedom Day” or “Emancipation Day.” ...

The following is The New York Times article that I read today, June 26th, 2024, from an email that I received six days ago on June 20th, 2024:

And the excerpt below is from the above-mentioned June 20th, 2024 'The Morning' email introduction to The New York Times article below:

2024 Election

Biden’s recent actions have clarified his approach to immigration: Help those who are already in the U.S., but limit arrivals. ...

Biden’s Strategy: Help Immigrants in the U.S., but Stop Others From Arriving

President Biden’s recent actions on immigration put his approach to one of the most divisive issues in the 2024 election into focus.

By Zolan Kanno-Youngs | June 19, 2024

There are hundreds of thousands of immigrants in the United States who have been living in the country illegally for years, working and making a living, starting families and sending their children to school. President Biden says they can stay.

And then there are the more recent arrivals, who have crossed the U.S.-Mexico border in record numbers, seeking protection from poverty and persecution. They will have to wait.

Mr. Biden has taken two major actions on immigration this month, expanding legal protections for undocumented spouses of American citizens while also sealing the border to most people seeking asylum in the United States.

Taken together, the decisions put Mr. Biden’s approach to one of the most polarizing issues of the 2024 campaign into sharp focus: He will help immigrants who are already here, but try to keep the border shut to those trying to get in. ...

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These are the USA Today articles which I received for the time period of June 16th, 2024 through June 20th, 2024: (I am a subscriber to the USA Today 'Unlimited Digital Access' Subscription.)

The following are the USA Today articles that I read on June 23rd, 2034, from an email that I received seven days prior on June 16th, 2024:

And the excerpt below is from the above-mentioned June 16th, 2024 'The Daily Briefing' email introduction to the USA Today article below:

After struggle with infertility, new dad celebrates first Father's Day

A Texas man who struggled with infertility shares his journey to fatherhood to help erase the stigma around a disease that's on the rise worldwide.

READ MORE ...

On Father's Day, a dad cherishes the child he feared infertility would prevent

By Marc Ramirez | June 16, 2024

And the excerpt below is from the above-mentioned June 16th, 2024 'The Daily Briefing' email introduction to the USA Today article below:

What do I want for Father's Day? My son's normal to be love.

My truth is that I have no business being a father, but my son is helping me believe I deserve it.

READ MORE ...

On Father's Day, I realize my son helps me ask for the thing I need: A step to healing

I want to be honest about what being a dad means to somebody like me.

By Louie Villalobos | June 16, 2024

The following are the USA Today articles that I read on June 25th, 2024, from emails that I received six days prior on June 19th, 2024:

And the excerpt below is from the above-mentioned June 19th, 2024 'The Daily Briefing' email introduction to the USA Today article below:

TOP STORIES

Juneteenth is Wednesday: Here's what the federal holiday means

Juneteenth is on Wednesday in 2024. Here's what to know about the federal holiday and what it celebrates.

READ MORE ...

Juneteenth: What to know about the historical celebration that's now a federal holiday

On June 19, 1865 slaves in Galveston, Texas were given the news that they were freed by President Abraham Lincoln. Now, the day is a holiday that celebrates the "Second Independence Day" in America.

By Ahjané Forbes | June 16, 2024

Three years after it was made a federal holiday, Juneteenth 2024 marks a day of celebration as well as education.

The federal holiday known as “Second Independence Day,” marks the day the last African American slaves were notified that they had been freed from their masters, the National Museum of African American History and Culture said.

Dr. Tim Goler, a professor of urban affairs and sociology courses and director of research for the Center for African American Public Policy at Norfolk State University, told USA TODAY that Juneteenth or "Freedom Day" is a day that shows the "beauty of our culture" that everyone should participate in.

The origins of Juneteenth date back to June 19, 1865 more than two years after President Abraham Lincoln signed the Emancipation Proclamation - when the Union Maj. Gen. Gordon Granger arrived in Galveston, Texas, and announced the end of the Civil War and the emancipation of enslaved African Americans, Goler said.

“This delay and the enforcement of the emancipation in Texas was due to a lack of enforcement until this general arrived," Goler said. "Then Juneteenth thus became this kind of powerful symbol of freedom and the long struggle for civil rights."

The Juneteenth National Independence DayAct was passed by the U.S. House of Representatives and Senate in June 2021. The bill was signed by President Joe Biden on June 17, 2021, which officially made the day a federal holiday.

Here's what you need to know about Juneteenth. ...

And the excerpt below is from the above-mentioned June 19th, 2024 'Evening Briefing' email introduction to the USA Today article below:

See Juneteenth celebrations around the U.S.

Juneteenth is a federal holiday that commemorates the end of slavery in the United States. It is considered the longest-running African American holiday.

READ MORE ...

See Juneteenth celebrations around the U.S. Camille Fine

By Sean Dougherty | June 16, 2024 ...

The following are the USA Today articles that I read today, June 26th, 2024, from emails that I received six days ago on June 20th, 2024:

And the excerpt below is from the above-mentioned June 20th, 2024 'The Daily Briefing' email introduction to the USA Today article below:

More news to know now

Here's what Trump and Biden each want to do for the economy. ...

Comparing Trump's and Biden's economic plans, from immigration to taxes

By Paul Davidson | June 20, 2024

President Joe Biden and former President Donald Trump have laid out starkly contrasting blueprints for the U.S. economy as they vie for a second term in November.

Trump has said he would seek to extend and expand his 2017 tax cuts, severely restrict illegal immigration while deporting millions of foreign-born residents, impose tariffs on all U.S. imports, and roll back much of Biden’s initiatives to transition the nation to clean energy.

Biden would extend some of the Trump tax cuts − but not for wealthy individuals and corporations – establish more targeted tariffs on Chinese imports and toughen immigration constraints but not nearly as dramatically as Trump.

He also would push a lengthy wish list of social service programs that would make child care more affordable, provide free college tuition, cancel more student loan debt and lower drug prices, among other proposals. But analysts say they’re unlikely to pass a divided Congress.

“Biden’s policies are better for the economy,” says Mark Zandi, chief economist of Moody’s Analytics. “They lead to more growth and less inflation.”

According to a Moody’s study, Trump’s plan would trigger a recession by mid-2025 and an economy that grows an average 1.3% annually during his four-year term vs. 2.1% under Biden. (The latter is in line with average growth in the decade before the pandemic.)

Next year, under a Trump administration, inflation would rise from the current 3.3% to 3.6%, well above the 2.4% forecast under Biden, the Moody’s analysis shows. Compared with Biden, the U.S. would have 3.2 million fewer jobs and a 4.5% unemployment rate, a half percentage point higher, at the end of a Trump tenure.

The Moody’s projections defy polls that have consistently shown Americans rate Trump a better steward for the U.S. economy than Biden. Forty-six percent of respondents trust Trump on the economy and 32% trust Biden, according to an ABC/Ipsos poll in late April. Their views on the economy are expected to be a major focus of a June 27 debate between the two candidates hosted by CNN.

Even right-leaning economists agree Trump’s trade and immigration policies would hobble the economy. Scott Lincicome of the libertarian Cato Institute says they would be “highly damaging to the U.S. and global economies.” He adds, however, that specific forecasts “should be taken with a grain of salt.”

Chris Edwards, another Cato economist, says Trump “has an edge over Biden” on the economy because Biden has used “trade rules, narrow tax breaks, corporate subsidies, regulations, antitrust, labor union rules” and other measures to “centrally plan” manufacturing, tech and other industries that should be left to free markets.

Moody’s study assumes a Biden administration would be dealing with a Democratic-majority House and Republican Senate as party control of the two chambers flips, while Trump would enjoy a Republican House and Senate, based on models that predict the likeliest election scenarios.

The estimates aren't an exact science, and changes in the proposals would modify the economic impact. But they're crunched by computer models that are based on similar policies over the past 75 years.

Here's a breakdown of how their plans are projected to affect the economy. ...

And the excerpt below is from the above-mentioned June 20th, 2024 'Evening Briefing' email introduction to the USA Today article below:

Louisiana's Ten Commandments law should come with Trump disclaimer

I'm fine with Louisiana requiring Ten Commandments posters in classrooms, as long as they note which commandments Donald Trump has broken.

READ MORE ...

Ten Commandments in Louisiana schools is fine – as long as they note the ones Trump broke

The 'Thou shalt not commit adultery' line on the classroom Ten Commandments poster will require a substantial asterisk for Trump.

By Rex Huppke | June 20, 2024

Louisiana's governor signed a law requiring a poster-sized display of the Ten Commandments in every public school classroom in the state, something I'm completely fine with as long as those posters say, in large font along the top: "The Ten Commandments, Most of Which Donald Trump Has Violated.

That seems fair, and I would be comfortable with students of any age walking into a classroom and receiving a daily lesson on the meaning of hypocrisy.

The Republicans who pushed for this law, which makes Louisiana the only state to mandate Ten Commandments posters in schools, seem laser-focused on history and accuracy. They describe the commandments as “a historical document.” And after signing the legislation, Gov. Jeff Landry said: “If you want to respect the rule of law, you’ve got to start from the original law giver, which was Moses.”

Okey doke. Let’s go with that. Because respecting the rule of law matters. And if we’re respecting the rule of law, I’m sure Gov. Landry would agree it would be educational malfeasance not to inform Louisiana students that the presumptive Republican presidential nominee and former president – a man Landry himself has enthusiastically endorsed – has broken a slew of the laws outlined on their classroom poster.

Any 10 Commandments poster should note the ones Trump violated

The law requires that the Ten Commandments posters be “at least eleven inches by fourteen inches,” and that the “text of the Ten Commandments shall be the central focus of the poster or framed document” and be “printed in a large, easily readable font.”

And again, that’s all completely fine with me, as long as there are notes on the poster or on an accompanying poster that detail the ways Trump has violated certain commandments.

For example, per the language mandated by the state of Louisiana: “Thou shalt not take the Name of the Lord thy God in vain.” Trump has previously dropped “g--damn” in his rally speeches. ...

... Trump isn't exactly poster boy for church-going or adultery-avoiding

Next up on the commandments poster is: “Remember the Sabbath Day, to keep it holy.”

Trump rarely goes to church, and on this Easter Sunday he posted this decidedly non-holy screed on social media: “HAPPY EASTER TO ALL, INCLUDING CROOKED AND CORRUPT PROSECUTORS AND JUDGES THAT ARE DOING EVERYTHING POSSIBLE TO INTERFERE WITH THE PRESIDENTIAL ELECTION OF 2024, AND PUT ME IN PRISON, INCLUDING THOSE MANY PEOPLE THAT I COMPLETELY & TOTALLY DESPISE BECAUSE THEY WANT TO DESTROY AMERICA, A NOW FAILING NATION, LIKE ‘DERANGED’ JACK SMITH, WHO IS EVIL AND ‘SICK.’”

The “Thou shalt not commit adultery” line on the classroom poster will require a substantial asterisk, as Trump was recently convicted on 34 felony counts of falsifying business records to cover up money paid to adult film star Stormy Daniels to keep her quiet about an alleged affair. ...

... Trump Ten Commandments definitely don't say a thing about stealing

Louisiana students who look up from their desks and see “Thou shalt not steal” in large, easily readable font should certainly know that their governor’s pick to be president of the United States was, in 2019, ordered to pay $2 million in damages for using money from his own charity to pay off business debts and buy a painting of himself. ...

... And then there’s this foundational rule Landry and Louisiana’s Republican lawmakers rightly believe all students, regardless of faith, apparently, should abide: “Thou shalt not bear false witness against thy neighbor.”

Put more succinctly: Don’t lie.

If students of the Bayou State who gaze upon their government-mandated Ten Commandments poster are going to see that warning to “not bear false witness,” it is only fair that every remaining square inch of every classroom wall be devoted to detailing the multitudinous lies Trump told throughout his one-term presidency and the entire 2024 presidential campaign. ...

---------------------------------------------

These are the Time Magazine articles which I received for June 19th, 2024: (I am a subscriber to the Time Magazine 'INSIDER Digital' Subscription.)

The following is the Time Magazine article that I read on June 25th, 2024, from 'The Brief' email that I received six days prior on June 19th, 2024:

The Origins of Juneteenth and Why ‘Black Independence Day’ Falls on June 19th

By Simmone Shah | June 17, 2024

This June on the 19th, many Americans will gather to celebrate Junteenth, now the newest federal holiday in the United States. Though it’s been celebrated by Black Americans as early as in the mid-late 1800s, Juneteenth is a date that was long omitted from history books—and wasn’t designated as a federal holiday until 2021, after police killings of George Floyd, Breonna Taylor, and other Black people in the U.S. renewed a push for conversations on racial justice and the holiday’s enshrinement on a national level.

“It recognizes liberation, it recognizes freedom. Some people will refer to it as Black Independence Day. It’s a day to celebrate the ending of an era of 246 years of enslavement that African Americans experienced in this country,” says Daina Ramey Berry, Professor of History and Dean of Humanities and Fine Arts at the University of California, Santa Barbara.

Many Americans might not know why the date is significant or even celebrated, since many might not have learned about the event in school. “Many people assume that freedom began with the Emancipation Proclamation and think of Lincoln as the great liberator,” says Berry.

But the real history is more complicated than that. On January 1, 1863, President Lincoln signed the Emancipation Proclamation, declaring that "all persons held as slaves" in the Confederacy or states that seceded from the Union, "are, and henceforward shall be free." But that freedom did not come immediately, as the Civil War continued on and Union soldiers went from state to state to enforce the measure. “Essentially, very few enslaved people were freed in 1863,” says Berry.

On June 19th, 1865, two and a half years after the Emancipation Proclamation was issued and two months after the Civil War officially ended, Union Army General Gordon Granger and 2,000 of his soldiers arrived in Galveston, Texas, to inform enslaved people of their freedom.

“When the Union army reached Galveston and notified Black people of their freedom, it generally signified that the last segment of the roughly four million slaves in the South, now knew they were officially free,” Nafeesa Muhammad, Associate Professor of History at Spelman College, told TIME in an email. “And this is the significance of Juneteenth.” ...

The following is the Time Magazine article that I read on June 25th, 2024, from 'Inside Time' email that I received six days prior on June 19th, 2024:

How to Buy Groceries Right Now Without Breaking the Bank

By Simmone Shah | June 18, 2024

Gina Zakaria, a mother of two based in Los Angeles, considers herself to be a savvy shopper.

As someone who has been making content about frugal living on her social media since 2017, she’s become an expert on finding deals at the grocery store—but as prices have continued to climb upwards in recent years, even she has been feeling the pinch when shopping for necessities.

“I always look for sales,” she says, “but I do feel the difference in my total.”

Prices in grocery stores across the country are now up 25% from pre-pandemic levels, data from the Bureau of Labour Statistics shows. Staring down rising prices at the supermarket checkout line, many Americans are feeling the impact. Within the last few years, 80% of Americans say they’ve felt a notable increase in the cost of groceries—and more than a quarter have said they’ve occasionally skipped meals as a result of rising costs, according to a study conducted by Qualtrics on behalf of Intuit Credit Karma.

“As prices continue to rise, people may be afraid to go shopping, which leads to them eating out more or not [making] the best decisions when it comes to cooking,” says Will Coleman, a chef and content creator who shares tips for saving money on groceries on his Instagram. Most recent USDA data from 2022 shows that Americans were spending an average of 11% of their discretionary income on eating both at home and in restaurants—the highest percentage since 1991. “With prices going up, there must be more resources and knowledge being shared about shopping and cooking [more accessible],” Coleman notes.

TIME spoke with experts about why groceries are so expensive and ways to keep costs down while you shop.

Why are groceries so expensive right now?

Rising prices can be traced back to the COVID-19 pandemic, which caused major supply chain disruptions and worker shortages, says Ronald Hill, a Professor at American University’s Kogod School of Business. “It blew up the supply chain,” he says.

Global conflicts—including the wars in Ukraine and the Middle East— have also contributed to price increases. “We had grain coming through Eastern Europe and that became a problem,” he says. “Gasoline was coming from the Middle East, and that became a powder keg.” ...

[Blogger's Note: In furtherance of the great shopping advice contained in the Time Magazine article referenced above, the following hyperlinks are for my blog posts regarding how I use thrift, coupons, shopping lists, budgeting and credit cards in order to save money while I am spending money from my "Paul Whiting — Math Magician" blog:

"My Point Of View On...Thrift, Or Frugality"

https://paulwhitingmath.blogspot.com/2015/03/my-point-of-view-on-thrift.html

My Point Of View On...Using Coupons, Or "Couponing"

https://paulwhitingmath.blogspot.com/2015/03/my-point-of-view-on-couponing.html

"My Point Of View On...Shopping Lists And Price Comparison Lists"

https://paulwhitingmath.blogspot.com/2014/08/my-point-of-view-on-shopping.html

"My Point Of View On...Budgeting"

https://paulwhitingmath.blogspot.com/2014/07/my-point-of-view-on-budgeting.html

"My Point Of View On...Credit Cards"

https://paulwhitingmath.blogspot.com/2014/07/my-point-of-view-on-credit-cards.html

And here is a hyperlink to all of the posts listed above that are under the search label 'Budgeting':

https://paulwhitingmath.blogspot.com/search/label/Budgeting

Plus, the following highlight from my 'budgeting' blog posts above is "my writing about tracking my 'discount savings' in my monthly budget":

My Writing About Tracking My "Discount Savings" In My Monthly Budget: I track how much I save from discounts on purchases in my monthly budget! You see, beginning in the year 2016, I started to set aside my 'discount savings' in my monthly budget from coupons, discounts from stores, and discounts from other businesses, etc. Then, I saved those 'discount savings' for later use. And the reason that I decided to start doing this is because I couldn't figure why I did not have any money left over at the end of each month, even though I was always really careful about purchasing whatever I needed to buy when it was on sale—as much as possible. Then, I realized that I wasn't keeping track of how much I was saving when I bought items on sale in order to save money! Therefore, that is why I decided to start setting aside what I saved from any discounts on purchases in my monthly budget. As an example, if I buy an item on sale for $20.00, that was regularly $25.00, I set aside the $5.00 that I saved, in my monthly budget, as if I spent that money because—if I hadn't received a discount—I would have spent that money anyway! Thus, I do this on purchases that are discounted, by setting aside the money that I would have spent, as if I had spent that money. And the first full year that I set aside my 'discount savings' in my monthly budget, which was 2017, I saved over $900.00! Also, to clarify, I only track what I have saved on discounted purchases that I made with my debit card, in order to set aside those funds in my monthly budget, and not with discounted purchases that I made with cash or credit. Otherwise, I feel that it would be too difficult to set aside funds on purchases that were discounted for which I paid in cash or credit. And, to clarify even further, I only track what I have saved at a store if that store lists the amount that I have saved on the receipt. Otherwise, I feel that it would be too difficult to track discounts on purchases where the store does not list discounts on the receipt. (I actually used to go back through a store and write down on my receipt how much I saved on each item if the store didn't list the savings on my receipt, but it was kind of a hassle to do so. That's why I only track what I save at a store if they list my savings on the receipt.) And, as I mentioned above, I also track other discounts from businesses that I set aside in my monthly budget, such as discounts on my subscriptions to news organizations, or discounts on my monthly cell phone service! –Paul Whiting (written originally sometime after 2017, then turned into a quote on July 11th, 2022, revised July 13th, 2022, revised August 31st, 2023 and revised June 26th, 2024)

And I decided to highlight these articles from the various news organizations above via Google news searches—as well as from The New York Times, USA Today and Time Magazine—for you, my readers, to consider reading too! –Paul Whiting (June 26th, 2024)
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June 26th, 2024 Update No. 1, Which Also Discusses June 22nd, 2024 And June 24th, 2024, As Well As June 16th, 2024 Through June 20th, 2024 (Follow-Up No. 1, Written On June 28th, 2024): I have a big announcement to make: As of today, June 28th, 2024, I am no longer writing current news 'updates!' And my reason for doing this is due to that fact that these news 'updates' take an extraordinary amount of time to write—so much so that I am not getting any of my other blogging done, which includes all of the edits that still I have to complete on my various blog posts for my poetry and prose. However, I am still planning to write 'updates' about my current activism, which is what I originally intended this blog post to be about. –Paul Whiting (June 28th, 2024)

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June 27th, 2024 Update No. 1, Which Also Discusses June 10th, 2024: I received a mailer from The Salvation Army Portland Metro seventeen days ago on June 10th, 2024, with a 'front teaser message' on the envelope that read, "YOUR NEWSLETTER IS ENCLOSED ► Because of YOU", which stated the following:

[I used to hand-type the text of the documents from these types of mailers on my smartphone; however, it takes a lot of time and energy in order to hand-type these kinds of documents: so, instead, I scanned and copied the documents using Google Lens! Then, I edited the copy of said documents to include all of the italicizing, bolding and/or underscoring where applicable.]

The Salvation Army
The Portland Metro Area Newsletter CREATED FOR Mr. Paul Whiting

Because of YOU

STORIES ABOUT THE LIVES YOU ARE CHANGING AND THE DIFFERENCE YOU ARE MAKING

SPRING / 2024

You Give Veterans Hope
See inside >

"I Know What They Do and Why"
See inside >

"I Don't Have Words"
See back page >

Mr. Whiting, you make sure families don't lose hope — even at their greatest moment of need.

BACK ON TRACK, THANKS TO YOU
You held together a mom and her family, Mr. Whiting

"I don't know how things got so off track... "

"Just a few months ago, everything was going well," [name redacted] continues. "We were saving money to rent a new house, and the kids were doing well in school."

The derailment began when this single mother of three suddenly found herself unemployed. The company where she'd worked for years unexpectedly closed. In an instant, [name redacted] lost the means to support her family.

To make matters worse, [name redacted's] water heater sprung a leak, causing costly damage. After spending the last of her savings to pay for repairs, there was nothing left.

Scrambling to find work, [name redacted] took a part-time job which allowed the family to remain in their apartment. But her paycheck wasn't enough to cover food — or the school supplies her children desperately needed.

Thankfully, you were there to help [name redacted] and her children get back on their feet. Through your generous support of The Salvation Army, you provided the family nutritious food and emergency assistance. And the kids were so excited when they each received school supplies to help them thrive in the classroom!

After a few weeks, [name redacted] let us know she had found a new, full-time job! She was also proud to inform us that all three of her children were doing well in school.

"Thanks to The Salvation Army, our family is back on track, [name redacted] says.

[Name redacted's] story shows your compassion in action! Will you give again today, Mr. Whiting? Your continued generosity will help more neighbors in crisis receive the assistance they need to bounce back and start anew.

YOU GIVE VETERANS HOPE
Mr. Whiting, you help veterans with dignity and positivity

Through the generosity of supporters like you, The Salvation Army's Veterans and Family Center (VFC) in Beaverton [Oregon] has long served those who have served. It's been a refuge, where veterans who are homeless, or facing other issues, can find the help they need to get back on their feet.

Veterans who come for shelter also receive help addressing PTSD [post-traumatic stress disorder], addiction, loneliness, depression, and other challenges many of our servicepeople face. The VFC is distinctive in many ways, including allowing families to shelter together, and even permitting companion and service animals, which can be vital to improving mental health.

It's a strong program, and you help keep it that way. But a few years ago, it became clear that the VFC building itself had seen better days.

That's why — again, through your kindness — a renovation project was launched. The mission: to create a more dignified environment where veterans can feel honored as they receive help.

Plumbing, windows, air conditioning and heating were brought up to modern standards. Rooms were updated, including changing carpeted floors to solid surfaces to better accommodate residents using wheelchairs. And the entire building has been refreshed to create a more cheerful and positive environment.

Helping veterans recover — and find hope — is just one of the many ways you serve your neighbors in need. We're very grateful for your support, and so are the veterans who turn to us for help. Please consider a gift today to help others in need. May God bless you for your kindness!

"I KNOW WHAT THEY DO AND WHY"
Mr. Whiting, see how [name redacted] - who shares your enthusiasm for The Salvation Army took his giving to the next level!

Why does [name redacted] make The Salvation Army a part of his long-term giving? Simple. When his family was in crisis years ago, they were there to help.

"My dad was seriously injured," [name redacted] remembers. "He fell through a roof where he was working a 25-foot drop-and landed on the side of his head.

When we ran out of resources, my mom went to The Salvation Army, and they took care of us while my dad was in the hospital. That stuck with me all these years."

But The Salvation Army also helped [name redacted] years later.

"I had no place to go," he remembers. "I was about 18. I couldn't find a job. I was out on the street two or three months." The Salvation Army made sure [name redacted] had food and a place to stay. "They were very helpful."

So, when The Salvation Army reached out to [name redacted] years later about becoming a long-term supporter, it was an easy decision. "I started out at $20 a month, and now it's up to $100 a month. It's been a long time, and I have no regrets."

Does [name redacted] think about the good he's doing? "Absolutely. I think about it every month when the withdrawal goes through. I know what they do, and I know why they do it, too."

"I'm interested in the success of The Salvation Army. That's why I give. They want people to succeed. That means a lot."

Want to make The Salvation Army a part of your long-term giving plans? Find out how below...

https://give.salvationarmyusa.org/give/239493#!/donation/checkout?c_src=USN_Homepage&c_src2=evergreenHero

MR. WHITING:
YOU HELP NEIGHBORS FACE THE UNEXPECTED

Dear Mr. Whiting,

If there's one universal theme to the stories in this issue and so many we hear, it's unexpected.

An unexpected life moment might simply be bothersome for you or me, but for many of our neighbors? Unexpected life challenges can quickly become overwhelming, if not impossible to overcome.

Maybe a sudden job loss has left a family unstable. Perhaps an emergency expense or inflated food prices have cut into the weekly grocery budget. Or they might be facing the choice between paying a utility bill and buying food.

Whatever the case, when unexpected challenges become a crisis, your neighbors need help right away.

That help may come in the form of food, clothing, or other necessities. Help to pave the way for better days ahead when struggling families need it most. The help that reminds them someone cares.

Thanks to friends like you, The Salvation Army can offer the men, women, and families who come to us help in the form of immediate assistance ... and hope.

When you read the stories in this newsletter, I trust you'll be reminded of the far-reaching impact of your generosity and compassion.

Because of you, The Salvation Army is ready for the unexpected, giving our neighbors in need help — and hope — for a better tomorrow.

Thank you for your dedication and support!

[Title and Name redacted]

"I DON'T HAVE WORDS"
You gave a veteran and his daughter a reason to be thankful, Mr. Whiting

After his service in the Army, [name redacted] was unable to find work.

A helicopter crew chief stationed in the Middle East, [name redacted] returned home with a blood disorder called ITP [immune thrombocytopenic purpura], which can cause easy or excessive bleeding. Although he was willing to work, employers considered his condition too great a liability.

To make matters worse, [name redacted] was unable to secure disability benefits through the VA [U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs] — leaving this single father to raise his 2-year-old daughter on just his monthly Social Security payment.

"I was worried about how I was going to show her something worthwhile to be thankful for," [name redacted] says.

But compassionate friends like you made sure [name redacted] and his little girl received food assistance from The Salvation Army — a definite reason to give thanks.

"I don't have words to describe how much I appreciate it and how positive of an effect that it's going to have for me and my daughter," [name redacted] says. "It is truly a blessing. Truly the biggest help that I could have."

You are the biggest help for so many neighbors in need when you give generously. Will you be a blessing for someone else who's struggling right now, Mr. Whiting? Please give again today!

Put Your Gift To Work Faster!

Consider giving online. It's safe, secure, quick, and easy! Help more of our struggling neighbors today. Please visit us at SalArmy-Cascade.org.

[Blogger's Note: For The Salvation Army USA website, at which there's a local donation page for you to make a donation to The Salvation Army in your area, please visit https://www.salvationarmyusa.org/usn where you will see the "Donate Local" button at the top right-hand corner of their website! And thank you for considering making a donation to The Salvation Army in order to "help more of our struggling neighbors today."]

---------------------------------------------

The Salvation Army
DOING THE MOST GOOD
[Address, City, State and ZIP Code redacted]

YES! I want to make a difference in the lives of those in need.

Enclosed is my gift of:

[  ] $15
[  ] $10
[  ] $25
[✓] $7.00

Your gift will be used locally.

Please make your check payable to The Salvation Army.

From: Mr. Paul Whiting
[Street Address and Apt. No. redacted]
[City, State and ZIP Code redacted]

To: The Salvation Army
Portland Metro Donation Processing Center
[Address redacted]
[City, State and ZIP Code redacted]

And so, I made a one-time donation to The Salvation Army Cascade Division in order to support The Salvation Army's Portland Metro Area Newsletter for Spring / 2024, since "I want to make a difference in the lives of those in need." –Paul Whiting (June 27th, 2024)

P.S.: Just so you know, "I have changed the way that I make donations to political, progressive and charitable organizations each month ... due to the fact that I have been spending a considerable percentage of my monthly income on all of these donations." (The reader should know that I am HIV-positive with full-blown AIDS. And I am on Social Security Disability Insurance, or SSDI, so my income is quite limited.) Therefore, "I am reducing how much I donate for the regular mail requests that I receive (to which I choose to respond) to take action." Thus, I will still be responding to some of the regular mail requests that I receive (to which I choose to respond), which are requesting me to take action, but I am reducing the amount that I donate to organizations from which I receive mailers. (Please see my 'August 19th, 2023 Update,' which can be found above.)

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June 27th, 2024 Update No. 2: Today is PTSD Awareness Day, since PTSD Awareness Day is yearly (annually) on June 27th. And I decided to provide information from the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs website highlighting the National Center for PTSD, which can be found below:

PTSD: National Center for PTSD

https://www.ptsd.va.gov

We are the world's leading research and educational center of excellence on PTSD and traumatic stress.

PTSD is a mental health problem that some people develop after experiencing or witnessing a life-threatening or traumatic event. If symptoms last more than a few months, it may be PTSD. The good news is that there are effective treatments.

PTSD SCREENING DAY: JUNE 27

June 27 is PTSD Screening Day

Answer 5 questions about your symptoms to see if your feelings and behaviors are related to PTSD.

Learn more >>

https://www.ptsd.va.gov/screen/index.asp

Understand PTSD Section:

https://www.ptsd.va.gov/understand/what/index.asp

Treatment Section:

https://www.ptsd.va.gov/understand_tx/tx_basics.asp

Get Help Section:

https://www.ptsd.va.gov/gethelp/index.asp

Family and Friends Section:

https://www.ptsd.va.gov/family/effects_ptsd.asp

Therefore, I decided to write this 'update' as a way to highlight that June 27th is PTSD Awareness Day. Plus, PTSD Awareness Day is observed within PTSD Awareness Month which is June. (Please see my 'June 1st, 2024 Update No. 1,' which can be found above, for more information on PTSD Awareness Month.)

Besides that, I wanted to highlight information from the USO webpage titled, "PTSD Resources: Where to Turn When You Need Help," due to the fact that they were the organization that first made me aware that June 27th is PTSD Awareness Day and that June is PTSD Awareness Month. (Please see my 'June 1st, 2022 Update, Written On June 29th, 2022,' which can be found above.) Please see a brief introduction to the above-mentioned article can be found below, which is dated June 24th, 2013.

"PTSD Resources: Where to Turn When You Need Help" from the USO

Monday, Jun 24, 2013

Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder Awareness Month may be winding down, but that doesn’t mean troops and families trying to cope with the anguish of war memories or even mental and emotional trauma from traumatic brain injuries will be forgotten.

Here is a list of resources for both troops and families dealing with PTSD.

And as always, if you or someone you know needs to talk to someone immediately, call the Military Crisis Hotline at 1-800-273-8255 or contact them online at militarycrisisline.net. ...

Please see the hyperlink below for the article:

https://www.uso.org/stories/1300-ptsd-resources-where-to-turn-when-you

In addition to that, I wanted to highlight information from the Wounded Warrior Project's website regarding "Veterans and PTSD: Understanding Causes, Signs, Symptoms and Treatment." An introduction to the webpage can be found below:

Veterans and PTSD: Understanding Causes, Signs, Symptoms and Treatment

PTSD among service members and veterans

What is Post-traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD)?
Post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) is a diagnosed condition that can develop after a person is exposed to a traumatic event. PTSD is a very common condition for many veterans after military service. Symptoms can include disturbing thoughts, feelings, or dreams related to the events, mental or physical distress, difficulty sleeping, and changes in how a person thinks and feels.

What Causes PTSD?
PTSD can occur after witnessing or experiencing a traumatic event. For veterans, this can stem from combat, training, or military sexual trauma.

PTSD Symptoms
According to the National Institute of Mental Health, there are four types of symptoms:

• Re-experiencing:

° Flashbacks: You may find yourself reliving a traumatic event. This could include physical symptoms such as a racing heart or sweating.
° Bad dreams: These might include dreams related to the event
° Frightening thoughts
• Avoidance: avoiding thoughts, feelings, places, activities, or objects that remind you of the traumatic event

• Arousal and reactivity: being easily startled, feeling tense, having trouble sleeping

• Cognition and mood: experiencing negative thoughts, feelings of guilt or blame, or loss of interest in hobbies

When these symptoms last for a month, it is considered PTSD. ...

Please see the hyperlink below for the webpage:

https://www.woundedwarriorproject.org/programs/mental-wellness/veteran-ptsd-treatment-support-resources

Plus, I received an email from Iraq and Afghanistan Veterans of America (IAVA) today, June 27th, 2024, with the subject line "It’s PTSD Awareness Day.", which stated the following:

Paul,

As an invisible wound of war, PTSD is not always obvious and it requires the understanding and compassion of the broader community. It takes different forms – some more drastic than others. That's why last week, IAVA partnered with Columbia’s Lighthouse Project to combat it at its most extreme impact.

Can you donate today so we can continue to provide more resources and trainings for our veteran community and ensure all veterans can access the life-saving care we’ve fought to deliver?

With hundreds of sign-ups and a thorough and informative presentation from our partners, our members are now equipped with tools to combat suicide and ensure veterans in crisis can get the care they need in their own communities and networks.

If you were unable to join us, but want the tools yourself, you can find the slides from the presentation here:

https://iava.org/blog/iava-saving-lives-of-veterans-their-families-and-communities-with-the-columbia-protocol

Our work doesn’t stop here. IAVA will continue to lead the fight to make sure all post-9/11 veterans get the care they’ve earned and deserve.

We want to see the widest array of options possible for veterans to treat their wartime wounds. That means advocating for alternative therapies for veterans, including increasing access to cannabis and psychedelic-assisted care.

On PTSD Awareness Day and every day, let’s fight together to help those suffering.

If you can, contribute now to fuel our fight to help our battle buddies treat their wartime wounds and empower them with critical resources to help support those in our community.

Thank you,

Team IAVA

P.S. Veterans have paid their dues so IAVA membership is always free. However, we rely on voluntary donations from supporters like you. If you can, please chip in to support IAVA's ability to fight on behalf of the post-9/11 generation of veterans.

DONATE

And so, I made a one-time donation to Iraq and Afghanistan Veterans of America (IAVA) in order to "fuel [IAVA's] fight to help our battle buddies treat their wartime wounds and empower them with critical resources to help support those in our community." I also made a one-time donation to Wounded Warrior Project in order to raise awareness of "PTSD among service members and veterans." –Paul Whiting (written June 27th, 2024, revised June 28th, 2024 and revised August 7th, 2024)

The National Suicide Prevention Lifeline is now: 988 Suicide and Crisis Lifeline: "If you’re thinking about suicide, are worried about a friend or loved one, or would like emotional support, the Lifeline network is available 24/7 across the United States." Dial 988

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June 27th, 2024 Update No. 3, Written On June 28th, 2024: [Blogger's Note: This 'update' that I am writing today, June 28th, 2024, is for donations that I made yesterday, June 27th, 2024, as a part of my series of very humble $1.00 donations for the 2nd End of the Quarter 2024 FEC Deadline (which is all that I can afford given my 'monthly donating budget') to Democratic fundraising and coordinating political organizations—and to one campaign—regarding the national races for the House of Representatives (the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee), the Senate (the Democratic Senatorial Campaign Committee) and the President of the United States (the Democratic National Committee and Biden for President, or the Biden Victory Fund), as well as the state races for the Governors (the Democratic Governors Association), the Secretaries of State (the Democratic Association of Secretaries of State), the Attorneys General (the Democratic Attorneys General Association) and the State Legislatures (the Democratic Legislative Campaign Committee), at the end of this second quarter of the year for the 2024 Presidential Election. In addition to that, I made a donation to my local Democratic fundraising and coordinating organization (Democratic Party of Oregon).]

I have combined every political campaign, or political organization, donation request per day (made via email or text message) into one 'update' for each day that I donate, so that I don't have to keep writing individual 'updates' for political campaign donations, or political organization donations!

You see, I used to write one 'update' for each of the individual campaign political donations, or political organization donations, that I made virtually every time that I made a political donation. And within each 'update' I included the text from each political campaign's, or political organization's, requesting email or text message, along with some of each campaign's, or organization's, donation page text on the ActBlue website, as well as how much I donated to each campaign, or organization, plus whether I included a tip to ActBlue and how much I tipped.

(By the way, I still write individual 'updates' for political campaign, or political organization, mailers that I receive through the regular mail, because they are usually more elaborate political donation requests, which is why I don't include them with these email or text message requests.)

Plus, the 2024 election cycle is in full gear and I have made a goal of donating only one $2.00 donation per local political campaign here in Oregon (more on that below), or $3.00 per political organization, for the rest of the election cycle! And that means after I make that one donation per campaign, or per organization—regardless of whether I donated in 2023, or 2024—I am only donating once per campaign, or per organization, or as determined by me on a case-by-case basis. And I am only donating once per PAC (Political Action Committee) for the entire election cycle, or as determined by me on a case-by-case basis, because that is all that I can really afford for the 2024 Presidential Election. (The reader should know that I am HIV-positive with full-blown AIDS. And I am on Social Security Disability Insurance, or SSDI, so my income is quite limited.) I hope that makes sense!

Besides that, as of March 21st, 2024, I am no longer donating to individual political campaigns for the foreseeable future (with the exception of local campaigns here in Oregon), or as determined by me on a case-by-case basis (please see my 'March 21st, 2024 Update No. 2,' which can be found above), as I have explained below:

...Alright, I have a big announcement to make: I am no longer donating to individual political campaigns for the foreseeable future—or as determined by me on a case-by-case basis!

And I have made this decision based upon how much these individual political campaign donations are costing in my 'monthly donating budget'—even though I am only donating $3.00 with a $0.21 tip to ActBlue—since I totally changed the way that I approach how I calculate what I am spending on my credit card each month, starting in 2024! So now, I take the total amount that I have available in my monthly budget for my minimum payment on my credit card—as well as my extra payment—and I calculate how much I am reducing that amount each time that I charge on my credit card.

That way, I am very aware of the amount by which I am reducing my total available credit card payments for the month (the minimum payment and the extra payment) in order to, hopefully, pay more on my credit card than I am spending! Plus, I am also utilizing some funds from my budgeted expenses, as well as some funds from my savings, to make sure that I am paying a little more than I am spending while—at the same time—I am also trying to spend less on my credit card.

Therefore, at the start of 2024, I calculated that I could still make ONE $3.00 donation per political campaign for the entire election cycle. And that means after I have made that one donation per campaign—regardless of whether I donated in 2023, or 2024—I have only donated once per campaign, which is what I have been doing so far!

However, it's still more than I can afford given my 'monthly donating budget,' which is why I have decided to stop donating to individual political campaigns entirely—or as determined by me on a case-by-case basis. And so, I will still be making some donations to individual political campaigns (such as to Joe Biden's campaign for President of the United States, or to local campaigns here in Oregon), but I am not donating like I have been up until this point—which has been virtually every time that I have received a political campaign donation request via email or text message—because I seriously cannot afford to donate that much for the rest of the 2024 Presidential Election cycle, as well as for the foreseeable future.

And to clarify one more thing: In the past, I used to only donate to the main Democratic fundraising and coordinating organizations—rather than to individual campaigns—since that's all I really could afford given my 'monthly spending budget,' because I am "low income." Plus, those Democratic fundraising and coordinating organizations help all of the individual political campaigns with funding, which is why I used to only donate to those main organizations! And I only started donating to individual political campaigns in 2022, since I was "doing everything in my power to help Democrats win in the 2022 Midterm Elections!" Therefore, this decision to stop donating to individual political campaigns (with the exception of presidential campaigns and local campaigns, or as determined by me on a case-by-case basis) is really just going back to the way that I used to make political donations.

...The 2024 election cycle is in full gear and I have made a goal of donating only one $3.00 donation per local political campaign here in Oregon (more on that below), or $4.00 per political organization, for the rest of the election cycle! And that means after I make that one donation per campaign, or per organization—regardless of whether I donated in 2023, or 2024—I am only donating once per campaign, or per organization, or as determined by me on a case-by-case basis. And I am only donating once per PAC (Political Action Committee) for the entire election cycle, or as determined by me on a case-by-case basis, because that is all that I can really afford for the 2024 Presidential Election. (The reader should know that I am HIV-positive with full-blown AIDS. And I am on Social Security Disability Insurance, or SSDI, so my income is quite limited.) I hope that makes sense! ...

...In addition to that, I used to donate "$5.00 per political organization"; however, starting on May 12th, 2024, I decided to adjust that amount, so that I can donate to more political organizations and PACs (Political Action Committees) while I am still staying within my 'monthly donating budget.'

Thus, as I partially explained above, for the rest of the 2024 election cycle—as well as for the foreseeable future—I have made a goal of donating $3.00 per local political campaign only here in Oregon (with a 7% tip to ActBlue of $0.21), or as determined by me on a case-by-case basis; and a goal of donating $4.00 per political organization for donation requests via email or text message (with a 7% tip to ActBlue of $0.28), or as determined by me on a case-by-case basis; as well as a goal of donating $5.00 per political organization, or per PAC, for donation requests via the regular mail (with a 7% tip to ActBlue of $0.35), or as determined by me on a case-by-case basis.

To sum it up, then: I am essentially keeping the same total individual campaign donation amount of $3.21, but I am only donating to local campaigns here in Oregon, or as determined by me on a case-by-case basis; and I am reducing the total donation amount for political organizations and PACs for email and text message donation requests to $4.28 (from $5.35), or as determined by me on a case-by-case basis; plus, I am reducing the total donation amount for political organizations and PACs for regular mail donation requests to $5.35 (from $7.51), or as determined by me on a case-by-case basis.

Therefore, I recently used to donate "$4.00 per political organization"; however, I have decided to adjust that amount again, so that I can donate to more political organizations and PACs (Political Action Committees) while I am still staying within my 'monthly donating budget,' since I am now donating to more organizations as the 2024 Presidential Election cycle continues.

Thus, as I partially explained above, for the rest of the 2024 election cycle—as well as for the foreseeable future—I have made a goal of donating $2.00 per local political campaign only here in Oregon (with a 7% tip to ActBlue of $0.14), or as determined by me on a case-by-case basis; and a goal of donating $3.00 per political organization for donation requests via email or text message (with a 7% tip to ActBlue of $0.21), or as determined by me on a case-by-case basis; as well as a goal of donating $4.00 per political organization, or per PAC, for donation requests via the regular mail (with a 7% tip to ActBlue of $0.28), or as determined by me on a case-by-case basis.

To sum it up, then: I am reducing the total individual campaign donation amount to $2.14 (from $3.21) and I am still only donating to local campaigns here in Oregon, or as determined by me on a case-by-case basis; and I am reducing the total donation amount for political organizations and PACs for email and text message donation requests to $3.21 (from $4.28), or as determined by me on a case-by-case basis; plus, I am reducing the total donation amount for political organizations and PACs for regular mail donation requests to $4.28 (from $5.35), or as determined by me on a case-by-case basis.

So, without further ado...

The first political communication to which I responded yesterday, June 27th, 2024, was an email from the Democratic Legislative Campaign Committee (DLCC) that I received four days ago on June 24th, 2024, with the subject line, "re: Paul's 5X-match offer", which stated the following:

↓ ↓ 5X MATCH ACTIVE! ↓ ↓

When you donate to the DLCC...

You're fueling our work to elect Democrats nationwide and support the Biden-Harris agenda.

CHIP IN A 5X-IMPACT GIFT →***

If you donate right now, your $7 will have 5X the impact, and could go toward:

Investing in key races and target chambers early in the cycle
Hiring experienced organizers and training new volunteers
Developing targeted digital ads
...and SO MUCH MORE!

We're counting on grassroots Democrats from across the country to step up and power this movement TODAY.

Will you chip in a 5x-impact gift to elect Democrats to state legislatures across the country?

If you've stored your payment information with ActBlue Express, your donation will process immediately.

[  ] Chip in $50 now ($250 impact!)
[  ] Chip in $100 now ($500 impact!)
[  ] Chip in $250 now ($1250 impact!)
[  ] Chip in $1000 now ($5000 impact!)
[✓] Chip in another amount >>***

DLCC
DEMOCRATIC LEGISLATIVE CAMPAIGN COMMITTEE

Match Active: Have 5X the impact!

🗳️Elect state Dems in must-win races
💰Fund our strategic investments in 2024, 2025, and beyond
❌Counter Republican extremism in the states

Can you chip in a 5X-matched gift today?

Donate immediately:

Your contribution will benefit DLCC Victory Fund.

[  ] Donate $10 →

[  ] Donate $25 →

[  ] Donate $50 →

[  ] Donate $100 →

[  ] Donate $250 →

[  ] Donate $1,000→

[✓] Other amount $1.00

Please leave a tip for ActBlue

Power the nonprofit fundraising platform Democratic candidates & progressive causes rely on.

[  ] Add $2 tip

[✓] Leave no tip

[  ] Add custom amount

And so, I made a one-time donation to the DLCC (without a tip to ActBlue) yesterday, June 27th, 2024, because my contribution will become "a 5x-impact gift to elect Democrats to state legislatures across the country."

P.S.: The reason that I only donated $1.00 to the DLCC is because I already donated $4.00 (with a $0.28 tip to ActBlue) on June 16th, 2024 (please see my 'June 16th, 2024 Update No. 3, Which Also Discusses May 18th, 2024' that can be found above) and that is all I can afford this month; however, I did want to respond to this email regarding the 5X-match offer, so that is why I made a donation in the amount that I did.

---------------------------------------------

The second political communication to which I responded yesterday, June 27th, 2024, was a text message that I received three days ago on June 25th, 2024, from the Democratic Association of Secretaries of State (DASS), which stated the following:

Hi, [name redacted] here.

I currently serve as Wisconsin’s [title redacted], and I can clearly see how Trump and his MAGA followers are positioning themselves to try to reverse this November’s election results if they don’t like the outcome.

For example, one of Trump’s 2020 fake electors, [name redacted], still sits on the Wisconsin Elections Commission, the agency responsible for overseeing our elections.

This is a guy who also publicly bragged that Republicans should be “proud” for suppressing Black and Latino votes in Milwaukee in 2022.

[Name redacted's] actions are all part of a larger, coordinated effort to overturn the will of the American people. They’re going after election workers, officials responsible for maintaining voter rolls and anyone who speaks out against them.

Because of the MAGA mob’s intimidation tactics, an average of almost two poll workers quit every day. This is a huge issue that needs to be addressed.

DASS is the Democrats' committee tasked with electing new Secretaries of State and helping current Democratic Secretaries of State (like me) protect free and fair elections.

Please pitch in $5 or whatever you can afford right now to help hit DASS’ $30,000 online fundraising goal before the end of this month.***

Thank you,

[Name redacted]
[Title redacted], Wisconsin

Democratic Association of Secretaries of State

When federal action stalls, state laws decide the future of our republic. We can't let those laws fall into the hands of partisan, conspiracy-loving GOP legislatures.

Our Democratic Secretaries protect our elections — even when Congress is deadlocked. They're the last line of defense for your rights, and they need your help this year more than ever. Rush a donation now and defend our Secretaries of State!

Donate immediately:

Your contribution will benefit DASS PAC.

[  ] Donate $15 →

[  ] Donate $35 →

[  ] Donate $100 →

[  ] Donate $50 →

[  ] Donate $250 →

[✓] Other amount $1.00

Please leave a tip for ActBlue

Power the nonprofit fundraising platform Democratic candidates & progressive causes rely on.

[  ] Add $2 tip

[✓] Leave no tip

[  ] Add custom amount

And so, I made a one-time donation to the DASS (without a tip to ActBlue) yesterday, June 27th, 2024, because "Trump and his MAGA followers are positioning themselves to try to reverse this November’s election results if they don’t like the outcome," which "are all part of a larger, coordinated effort to overturn the will of the American people." That is why I contributed $1.00 "to help hit DASS’ $30,000 online fundraising goal before the end of this month."

P.S.: The reason that I only donated $1.00 to the DASS is because I already donated $3.00 (with a $0.21 tip to ActBlue) on June 16th, 2024 (please see my 'June 16th, 2024 Update No. 7, Written On June 17th, 2024, Which Also Discusses May 25th, 2024, June 2nd, 2024, June 6th, 2024, June 7th, 2024, June 10th, 2024, June 15th, 2024 And June 16th, 2024' that can be found above) and that is all I can afford this month; however, I did want to respond to this text massage regarding DASS’s online fundraising goal before the end of this month, so that is why I made a donation in the amount that I did.

---------------------------------------------

The third political communication to which I responded yesterday, June 27th, 2024, was an email from the Democratic Governors Association (DGA) that I received two days ago on June 26th, 2024, with the subject line, "[6th time asking] Do you approve?", which stated the following:

PRESIDENT BIDEN APPROVAL POLL

Just in his first term, President Biden has:

✓ Fostered the lowest unemployment rate in 50 years while creating 15.6 million jobs.

✓ Repeatedly acted to protect access to abortion.

✓ Stopped Republican attempts to cut Social Security and Medicare.

✓ Helped save more than 1 million union workers and retirees' pensions.

But during the first presidential debate TOMORROW, Donald Trump is sure to attack Biden's record.

SO TELL US:

Do you approve of Joe Biden?

[✓] YES
[ ] NO

DGA
Democratic Governors Association

Thank you for taking our survey.

Do you have a moment to answer a few questions to help shape our priorities as we work to elect Democrats and stop Republicans in 2024 and beyond? >>>

Poll Deadline: 11:59 P.M.

Email: [redacted]
Cell phone: [redacted]

Please confirm: Are you one of the 88% of Democrats who approve of the job President Biden is doing?

[✓] Yes
[  ] No

Do you approve of President Biden's vision for America?

[✓] Yes
[  ] No
[  ] Unsure

President Biden is campaigning for reelection and we need to know where top Democrats stand on his time in office.

How would you rate President Biden's job performance?

[  ] Bad
[  ] Okay
[  ] Good
[✓] Great

Which of President Biden's achievements has been most important to you? (Please select your top three.)

[✓] Fostering a 50-year-low unemployment rate and creating over 15 million new jobs
[  ] Signing executive orders that seek to protect access to reproductive health care, maintain patient privacy and sensitive health information, and defend access to contraception
[  ] Cutting the deficit by more than $1.7 trillion
[✓] Signing more than 250 bills into law, including the most significant gun violence reduction measure in 30 years
[  ] Capping insulin prices at $35 for seniors and millions more Americans with diabetes
[✓] Passing the most significant climate legislation ever
[  ] Nominating and having successfully confirmed by the Senate more than 190 judges, including Justice Ketanji Brown Jackson!
[  ] Other:

Do you plan to vote in the 2024 election?

[✓] Yes
[  ] No
[  ] Unsure

The road ahead isn't easy: With Republicans in control of the House and Democrats holding a razor-thin majority in the Senate, Washington remains in a tight gridlock. That's why Democratic governors across the nation are the Biden-Harris campaign's most powerful allies during their 2024 reelection efforts to defend progress and move our country forward.

How important is it to you to defend our blue firewall of Democratic governors so they can continue to work with President Biden and Vice President Harris to protect our democracy?

[✓] Extremely important
[  ] Very important
[  ] Somewhat important
[  ] Not at all important

If November's election were held today, who would you vote for?

[✓] Joe Biden
[  ] Donald Trump
[  ] Unsure
[  ] Other:

Democrats defeated far-right extremists in 2022 and 2023. But we're counting on strong support from loyal Democrats like you in the months ahead to lay the groundwork to defend our blue firewall in 2024! Will you invest $100 to help us elect Democratic governors across the country, support the Biden-Harris ticket, and defeat the GOP's radical right-wing agenda once and for all?

Please use the option below to start a monthly donation through ActBlue:

[  ] Yes, I will give $100!
[✓] No, I can't give that much.

We understand that giving at that level right now might be tough. But the DGA is working tirelessly to elect Democrats across the country and beat back GOP extremism in every state. With Republicans aggressively attacking our progress and our democratic institutions, we can't afford to miss any fundraising goals.

We flipped critical states from red to blue because loyal Democrats like you were FIRED UP to elect Democratic governors and defend fellow Americans from the GOP's nightmare policies in every corner of our country. But we just pulled your supporter record, and here's what we found:

Email: [redacted]
Given to DGA today? Pending
Suggested donation: $44

Electing Democrats in every state is the most critical thing we can do to stop the far right and heal the divisions in our country. But right now, we're short of what we need to raise before our next big deadline. Please, before midnight tonight: Will you give $44 or whatever you can?

Please use the options below to start a monthly donation through ActBlue:

[  ] Yes, I will give $22.
[  ] Yes, I can give $44! (suggested donation)
[✓] Yes, and I'll give more!*

*[Blogger's Note: I selected this option—although I made a one-time donation, rather than a monthly donation—because it's an option that got me to the donation webpage!]

---------------------------------------------

DEMOCRATIC ATTORNEYS GENERAL ASSOCIATION

With 11 governors' races on the ballot this November, including in key toss-up states like New Hampshire and North Carolina, the blue firewall that we rely on to stop the GOP's extremist agenda is at risk. We're giving it our all to support them, but right now, we're falling dangerously short of our fundraising goals.

That's why a group of generous donors is matching all gifts up to our $25,000 goal before midnight tonight. Time is running out to have your gift DOUBLED up to our goal: Give now to elect Democratic governors and preserve our blue firewall!

Make it monthly!

[✓] No, donate once
[  ] Yes, count me in!

Donate immediately:

Your contribution will benefit Democratic Action.

[  ] Donate $44 →

[  ] Donate $88 →

[  ] Donate $220 →

[  ] Donate $440 →

[  ] Donate $880 →

[  ] Donate $1,760 →

[✓] Other amount $1.00

Please leave a tip for ActBlue

Power the nonprofit fundraising platform Democratic candidates & progressive causes rely on.

[  ] Add $2 tip

[✓] Leave no tip

[  ] Add custom amount

And so, I made a one-time donation to the DGA (without a tip to ActBlue) yesterday, June 27th, 2024, in order to respond to the question, "Do you approve of Joe Biden?" with a resounding 'YES!'

P.S.: The reason that I only donated $1.00 to the DGA is because I already donated $3.00 (with a $0.21 tip to ActBlue) on June 16th, 2024 (please see my 'June 16th, 2024 Update No. 7, Written On June 17th, 2024, Which Also Discusses May 25th, 2024, June 2nd, 2024, June 6th, 2024, June 7th, 2024, June 10th, 2024, June 15th, 2024 And June 16th, 2024' that can be found above) and that is all I can afford this month; however, I did want to respond to this email regarding the President Biden approval poll before the first presidential debate, so that is why I made a donation in the amount that I did.

---------------------------------------------

The fourth political communication to which I responded yesterday, June 27th, 2024, was an email from the Democratic Attorneys General Association (DAGA) that I received two days ago on June 26th, 2024, with the subject line, "Can you spare $1?", which stated the following:

Paul, we’re asking you to chip in $1 (yes, four quarters!) to support our candidates running in close elections.

$1 may not seem like it will make a difference, especially when we’re running against opponents who have the backing of powerful far-right forces with deep pockets — like RAGA [Republican Attorneys General Association] funder and [name redacted's] vacation buddies: [Name redacted] and his dark money network.

But that’s the power of a grassroots team — $1 multiplied by every single person reading this email (that means you!) can add up to a powerful sum, able to compete with the GOP megadonors and their dark money networks.

So many of the things we care about most are on the line in November, from reproductive freedom to voting rights to climate change and more. So if we told you the dollar in your wallet could make a difference in electing more Democratic AGs and making progress on the issues you care about, would you chip in today?

If you've saved your payment information with ActBlue Express, your donation will go through immediately:

[  ] CHIP IN $1 NOW
[  ] CHIP IN $10 NOW
[  ] CHIP IN $25 NOW
[  ] CHIP IN $50 NOW
[  ] CHIP IN $100 NOW
[  ] ANOTHER AMOUNT***

Thanks in advance for your support,

Team DAGA

PROTECTING OUR RIGHTS

From abortion access to voting rights, Dem AGs are on the front lines, defending our democracy and protecting our communities.

Make a donation to DAGA to elect more Dem AGs in 2024 and beyond — starting right here and now.

DONATE IMMEDIATELY:

Your contribution will benefit Democratic Attorneys General Association (DAGA) PAC.

[  ] DONATE $5 →

[  ] DONATE $10 →

[  ] DONATE $25 →

[  ] DONATE $50 →

[  ] DONATE $100 →

[  ] DONATE $250 →

[  ] DONATE $500 →

[✓] OTHER AMOUNT $1.00

Please leave a tip for ActBlue

Power the nonprofit fundraising platform Democratic candidates & progressive causes rely on.

[  ] Add $2 tip

[✓] Leave no tip

[  ] Add custom amount

And so, I made a one-time donation to the DAGA (without a tip to ActBlue) yesterday, June 27th, 2024, in order to contribute "$1 (yes, four quarters!) to support [DAGA] candidates running in close elections," because "that’s the power of a grassroots team — $1 multiplied by every single person reading this email ... can add up to a powerful sum, able to compete with the GOP megadonors and their dark money networks."

P.S.: The reason that I only donated $1.00 to the DAGA is because I already donated $3.00 (with a $0.21 tip to ActBlue) on June 16th, 2024 (please see my 'June 16th, 2024 Update No. 7, Written On June 17th, 2024, Which Also Discusses May 25th, 2024, June 2nd, 2024, June 6th, 2024, June 7th, 2024, June 10th, 2024, June 15th, 2024 And June 16th, 2024' that can be found above) and that is all I can afford this month; however, I did want to respond to this email regarding my $1 donation making a difference in electing more Democratic AGs in order to make progress on the issues that I care about, so that is why I made a donation in the amount that I did.

---------------------------------------------

The fifth political communication to which I responded yesterday, June 27th, 2024, was a text message that I received two days ago on June 26th, 2024, from the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee (DCCC), which stated the following:

Invitation Status: 𝙋𝙀𝙉𝘿𝙄𝙉𝙂

Paul, last week we invited you to participate in our exclusive Presidential Debate poll -- 𝘣𝘶𝘵 𝘢𝘴 𝘰𝘧 6:50 PM 𝘺𝘰𝘶 𝘴𝘵𝘪𝘭𝘭 𝘩𝘢𝘷𝘦 𝘯𝘰𝘵 𝘴𝘶𝘣𝘮𝘪𝘵𝘵𝘦𝘥 𝘺𝘰𝘶𝘳 𝘳𝘦𝘴𝘱𝘰𝘯𝘴𝘦!

The latest data shows that over 1 in 4 voters don't plan to watch the debate…are you one of them?

𝗣𝗹𝗲𝗮𝘀𝗲 𝗮𝗻𝘀𝘄𝗲𝗿 𝗮𝘀 𝘀𝗼𝗼𝗻 𝗮𝘀 𝗽𝗼𝘀𝘀𝗶𝗯𝗹𝗲: 𝗪𝗶𝗹𝗹 𝘆𝗼𝘂 𝘄𝗮𝘁𝗰𝗵 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗳𝗶𝗿𝘀𝘁 𝗣𝗿𝗲𝘀𝗶𝗱𝗲𝗻𝘁𝗶𝗮𝗹 𝗗𝗲𝗯𝗮𝘁𝗲?

[✓] 𝗬𝗘𝗦 >>***
[ ] 𝗡𝗢 >>
[ ] 𝗨𝗡𝗦𝗨𝗥𝗘 >>

– DCCC

DCCC

House Democratic Survey | Deadline 11:59 P.M.

Thank you so much for responding to our poll. Please take a moment to read each question carefully and answer truthfully.

Please Confirm: Will you watch the Presidential debates?

[✓] Yes!
[  ] No

SUBMIT

Thank you for responding to our poll. While we process your response, please take just a moment to answer these follow-up questions.

As of right now, do you approve of President Joe Biden?

[✓] Yes
[  ] No
[  ] Unsure

Which of the following do you consider President Biden's biggest accomplishments? (Please choose no more than 3)

[✓] Safeguarding democracy both at home and abroad
[  ] His nomination of Justice Ketanji Brown Jackson to the Supreme Court
[  ] Rebuilding America's infrastructure by signing the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law
[  ] Creating over 15 million new jobs
[  ] Passing the Inflation Reduction Act to help lower costs
[✓] Investing in American manufacturing and combating the climate crisis
[✓] Signing groundbreaking new gun safety legislation
[  ] Other

Donald Trump's Presidency sowed chaos and division from day one — from overturning Roe v. Wade to inciting the insurrection at the Capitol on January 6th. Tell us, do you believe Donald Trump is fit to hold the presidency again?

[✓] Absolutely, not!
[  ] Yes, I do.

Donald Trump is being aided and abetted by his extreme MAGA allies in the House, including Speaker Mike Johnson. Electing a Democratic House Majority in 2024 could be the ONLY check on TOTAL control by Trump and Team Extreme.

Are you committed to restoring our Democratic House Majority in 2024?

[✓] YES!
[  ] No.

If you answered yes, is there any way you could rush a generous gift before midnight?

Taking back the House Majority this November is critical to stopping Donald Trump and his MAGA allies, but Republicans are raising MILLIONS to CRUSH our chances.

We are just hours away from our midnight deadline, and we are in danger of MISSING our goal. Please, can you chip in at least $15 to the DCCC before midnight to help close the fundraising gap, put an end to the MAGA money machine, and take back the House?

[  ] YES! I CAN PITCH IN $15 TO ELECT DEMOCRATS >>
[  ] YES! I CAN PITCH IN $21.63 TO ELECT DEMOCRATS >> (THIS IS WHAT MOST DEMOCRATS ARE GIVING THIS YEAR!)
[  ] YES! I CAN PITCH IN $35 TO ELECT DEMOCRATS >>
[  ] YES! I CAN PITCH IN $50 TO ELECT DEMOCRATS >>
[✓] YES! I CAN PITCH IN ANOTHER AMOUNT TO ELECT DEMOCRATS >>

---------------------------------------------

[DCCC logo] DEMOCRATS 2024

Rush a donation right now to DEFEAT MAGA Extremism and RESTORE our House Majority!

Here's the situation: Democrats need to flip just FOUR seats to take back the House Majority — and experts agree the race for House control is a COMPLETE TOSS-UP!

But, Extreme MAGA Republicans and their deep-pocketed megadonors are preparing to spend MILLIONS to defeat our grassroots movement.

Please, we're counting on you, rush a gift right now to help flip the House Blue and send Republicans a STUNNING defeat! >>

Donate immediately:

Your contribution will benefit the DCCC.

[✓] Donate $1 →

[  ] Donate $25 →

[  ] Donate $50 →

[  ] Donate $100 →

[  ] Donate $250 →

[  ] Donate $500 →

[  ] Donate $1,000 →

[  ] Other amount

Please leave a tip for ActBlue

Power the nonprofit fundraising platform Democratic candidates & progressive causes rely on.

[  ] Add $2 tip

[✓] Leave no tip

[  ] Add custom amount

And so, I made a one-time donation to the DCCC (without a tip to ActBlue) yesterday, June 27th, 2024, in order to respond to the question, "Will you watch the first Presidential Debate?" with a resounding 'YES!'

P.S.: The reason that I only donated $1.00 to the DCCC is because I already donated $4.00 (with a $0.28 tip to ActBlue) on June 16th, 2024 (please see my 'June 16th, 2024 Update No. 6, Which Also Discusses June 15th, 2024' that can be found above) and that is all I can afford this month; however, I did want to respond to this text message regarding a poll to see if I will be watching the first Presidential Debate, so that is why I made a donation in the amount that I did.

---------------------------------------------

The sixth political communication to which I responded yesterday, June 27th, 2024, was an email from the Biden for President campaign that I received yesterday, with the subject line, "Please open before tonight’s debate →", which stated the following:

Biden-Harris 2024

Paul -- President Biden is debating Donald Trump in just a few hours. We're counting on you to tune in and, if you're able to, make a contribution to this campaign.

I'm inspired by Joe's decency, his honesty, his strength, and his relentless optimism. He knows that the measure of true leadership is who you lift up, not who you beat down. It's an honor to serve alongside him.

To win this election, defend democracy, and make more progress for the American people, we need a groundswell of support. Especially today. That's why I have to ask:

Will you chip in $25 -- or even more -- to show your support for Joe and help our campaign defeat Trump? I know you contribute every month and I want you to know how much every donation means to us. It makes a difference.

If you've saved payment information with ActBlue Express, your donation will go through immediately:

[  ] $25 >>
[  ] $50 >>
[  ] $75 >>
[  ] $100 >>
[  ] $125 >>
[✓] Other >>***

Kamala Harris
Vice President of the United States

"My dad used to have an expression -- 'It's the lucky person who gets up in the morning, puts both feet on the floor, knows what they are about to do, and thinks it still matters.' Your support matters. Your donation matters." -- Joe Biden

Stand with Joe Biden: Rush a donation before the debate begins!

Joe is debating Donald Trump tonight. We need to show our support for our President. Will you rush a donation before the debate begins?

Donate Immediately:

Your contribution will benefit Joe Biden.

[✓] Donate $1 →

[  ] Donate $50 →

[  ] Donate $75 →

[  ] Donate $100 →

[  ] Donate $125 →

[  ] Other amount:

Please leave a tip for ActBlue

Power the nonprofit fundraising platform Democratic candidates & progressive causes rely on.

[  ] Add $2 tip

[✓] Leave no tip

[  ] Add custom amount

And so, I made a one-time donation to the Biden for President campaign (without a tip to ActBlue) yesterday, June 27th, 2024, in order to "stand with Joe Biden ... before the debate begins ... to show our support for our President."

P.S.: The reason that I only donated $1.00 to the Biden for President campaign is because I already donated $3.00 (with a $0.21 tip to ActBlue) on June 16th, 2024 (please see my 'June 16th, 2024 Update No. 7, Written On June 17th, 2024, Which Also Discusses May 25th, 2024, June 2nd, 2024, June 6th, 2024, June 7th, 2024, June 10th, 2024, June 15th, 2024 And June 16th, 2024' that can be found above) and that is all I can afford this month; however, I did want to respond to this email regarding showing my support for Joe Biden before debating Donald Trump, so that is why I made a donation in the amount that I did.

---------------------------------------------

The seventh political communication to which I responded yesterday, June 27th, 2024, was an email from the Democratic National Committee (DNC) that I received yesterday, with the subject line, "Is there ANYTHING we can say before tonight's debate?", which stated the following:

Democrats,

Tonight is a critically important night for President Biden and for the Democratic Party. And we are writing to ask if there is ANYTHING we can say to convince you to make one more $35 contribution to the Democratic National Committee?

What if we told you that Donald Trump just launched his first ads of the general election in swing states across the country?

What if we told you that he was able to do so because of his record fundraising after his guilty verdict and is sure to raise even more money tonight, after his sentencing, and during the Republican convention?

And what if we told you that this week is also an FEC deadline and that everything we raise (and Trump and the RNC) will be public? Everyone will be watching.

This is an all-hands-on-deck day for Democrats. Joe Biden needs you. Candidates up-and-down the ballot need you.

Can Joe Biden and Democrats everywhere count on you to make a $35 contribution directly to the Democratic National Committee today? Every donation means a lot.

If you've saved payment information with ActBlue Express, your donation will go through immediately.

[  ] EXPRESS DONATE: $35
[  ] EXPRESS DONATE: $70
[  ] EXPRESS DONATE: $122
[  ] EXPRESS DONATE: $175
[  ] EXPRESS DONATE: $350
[✓] DONATE: OTHER***

Thank you in advance for donating before tonight's debate begins and our FEC deadline ends. It means a lot.

The Democratic Party

Donate to the DNC ahead of our end-of-quarter fundraising deadline and help elect Democrats nationwide!

Trump and his far-right allies are raising millions of dollars to lift up extreme MAGA Republican candidates running at all levels across the country.

We're counting on this grassroots team to help us fight back and invest in the resources our candidates rely on to compete and win year after year. Rush a donation today >>

Donate immediately:

Your contribution will benefit Democratic National Committee (DNC).

[✓] Donate $1 →

[  ] Donate $20 →

[  ] Donate $50 →

[  ] Donate $100 →

[  ] Donate $250 →

[  ] Donate $1,000 →

[  ] Donate $2,000 →

[  ] Other amount

Please leave a tip for ActBlue

Power the nonprofit fundraising platform Democratic candidates & progressive causes rely on

[  ] Add $2 tip

[✓] Leave no tip

[  ] Add custom amount

And so, I made a one-time donation to the DNC (without a tip to ActBlue) yesterday, June 27th, 2024, because "before tonight's debate ... this is an all-hands-on-deck day for Democrats," and "Joe Biden needs [me]," as well as "candidates up-and-down the ballot need [me]."

P.S.: The reason that I only donated $1.00 to the DNC is because I already donated $4.00 (with a $0.28 tip to ActBlue) on June 16th, 2024 (please see my 'June 16th, 2024 Update No. 2, Which Also Discusses May 18th, 2024' that can be found above) and that is all I can afford this month; however, I did want to respond to this email regarding contributing before the debate, so that is why I made a donation in the amount that I did.

---------------------------------------------

The eighth political communication to which I responded yesterday, June 27th, 2024, was a text message that I received yesterday, from the Democratic Senatorial Campaign Committee (DSCC), which stated the following:

Paul, 𝗣𝗿𝗲𝘀𝗶𝗱𝗲𝗻𝘁 𝗕𝗶𝗱𝗲𝗻 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗗𝗼𝗻𝗮𝗹𝗱 𝗧𝗿𝘂𝗺𝗽 𝗮𝗿𝗲 𝗴𝗼𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗵𝗲𝗮𝗱-𝘁𝗼-𝗵𝗲𝗮𝗱 𝘁𝗼𝗻𝗶𝗴𝗵𝘁 𝗶𝗻 𝘁𝗵𝗲𝗶𝗿 𝗳𝗶𝗿𝘀𝘁 𝗱𝗲𝗯𝗮𝘁𝗲 𝗼𝗳 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝟮𝟬𝟮𝟰 𝗲𝗹𝗲𝗰𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻.

Every time he takes the stage, Donald Trump spews hate and lies and pushes for an 𝘦𝘹𝘵𝘳𝘦𝘮𝘦 far-right agenda -- so we need to make sure our opposition is rock solid before the debate!

Right now, we don't know if YOU are committed to opposing Trump BEFORE he takes the stage, so please tell us before the debate begins:

𝗪𝗶𝗹𝗹 𝘆𝗼𝘂 𝗰𝗼𝗻𝗳𝗶𝗿𝗺 𝘆𝗼𝘂 𝗗𝗘𝗙𝗜𝗡𝗜𝗧𝗘𝗟𝗬 𝗪𝗢𝗡'𝗧 𝘀𝘂𝗽𝗽𝗼𝗿𝘁 𝗧𝗿𝘂𝗺𝗽?
Yes:***
No:

- DSCC

DSCC
Democratic Senatorial Campaign Committee

Reject Trump | Debate Survey

Thank you for your input! Please help our Democratic strategy team by answering the following questions:

First, please confirm before the debate that you DEFINITELY WON'T support Trump:

[✓] Yes, I reject Trump 100%!
[  ] No, I might support Trump.

What do you think Trump's biggest weakness will be on the debate stage? (Select all that apply.)

[✓] He doesn't care about facts or evidence.
[✓] His temper makes him lose control.
[✓] He relies on hate and lies to make his points.
[✓] He doesn't make sense when he speaks.
[✓] He interrupts and acts rudely.
[✓] He does not respect the moderators.
[✓] He's pushing an extreme, far-right agenda that Americans oppose.
[  ] Other:

At the debate, Biden and Trump will compare their records on a wide range of issues.

Which issues do you believe President Biden has handled better than Donald Trump? (Select all that apply.)

[✓] Reproductive rights
[✓] Combating inflation
[✓] Social Security
[✓] Health care
[✓] Foreign policy
[✓] LGBTQ+ equality
[✓] Climate change
[✓] Gun safety
[✓] Immigration
[✓] Appointing Supreme Court justices
[✓] Raising the minimum wage
[✓] Infrastructure
[✓] Education
[  ] Other:

President Biden's accomplishments and Donald Trump's disastrous record share one thing in common: Both were made possible because their party controlled the Senate!

How concerned are you by the prospect of Trump's MAGA Senate enablers returning to power?

[✓] Extremely concerned!
[  ] Somewhat concerned.
[  ] Not at all concerned.

We need to hit every single fundraising goal between now and Election Day to stop Trump's ultra-MAGA allies from winning in November. But with just days to go until our end-of-quarter deadline, we aren't on track to raise the $500,000 we need to defend the Senate!

We need you with us, so please: Will you chip in $30 (becomes $120 with today's Triple-Match active!) or whatever you can to fight for a Democratic Senate?

Please use the links below to start a monthly donation through ActBlue:

[  ] Yes, I'll chip in $30 (becomes $120)!
[  ] Yes, I'll chip in $60 (becomes $240)!
[  ] Yes, I'll chip in $90 (becomes $360)!
[✓] Yes, but I'd like to choose a different amount to chip in.*

*[Blogger's Note: I selected this option—although I made a one-time donation, rather than a monthly donation—because it's an option that got me to the donation webpage!]

---------------------------------------------

DSCC

Triple-Match Activated! MAXIMIZE your impact to help SUPERCHARGE our Senate majority!

CNN says multiple GOP seats could flip blue this year — but with Mitch McConnell's megadonors already playing offense, it's going to take all hands on deck to win!

Please, will you chip in now to protect our historic progress by supercharging our Democratic majority?

Donate immediately:

Your contribution will benefit DSCC.

[✓] Donate $1 →

[  ] Donate $120 →

[  ] Donate $300 →

[  ] Donate $600 →

[  ] Donate $1,200 →

[  ] Donate $2,400 →

[  ] Other amount

Please leave a tip for ActBlue

Power the nonprofit fundraising platform Democratic candidates & progressive causes rely on.

[  ] Add $2 tip

[✓] Leave no tip

[  ] Add custom amount

And so, I made a one-time donation to the DSCC (without a tip to ActBlue) yesterday, June 27th, 2024, in order to respond to the question, "Will you confirm you DEFINITELY WON'T support Trump?" with a resounding 'Yes!'

P.S.: The reason that I only donated $1.00 to the DSCC is because I already donated $3.00 (with a $0.21 tip to ActBlue) on June 16th, 2024 (please see my 'June 16th, 2024 Update No. 7, Written On June 17th, 2024, Which Also Discusses May 25th, 2024, June 2nd, 2024, June 6th, 2024, June 7th, 2024, June 10th, 2024, June 15th, 2024 And June 16th, 2024' that can be found above) and that is all I can afford this month; however, I did want to respond to this text message regarding showing that I am committed to opposing Trump before the first debate, so that is why I made a donation in the amount that I did.

---------------------------------------------

Finally, these last two political donations weren't due to communications that I received from the following organizations, but because I have donated to these organizations in previous election cycles!

The ninth organization to which I donated was the Biden Victory Fund based upon the ActBlue donation webpage text, which stated the following:

Biden Victory Fund

Donate to support Joe Biden, Kamala Harris, and Democrats nationwide.

Donate immediately:

Your contribution will benefit Biden Victory Fund.

[✓] Donate $1 →

[  ] Donate $46 →

[  ] Donate $100 →

[  ] Donate $250 →

[  ] Donate $1,000→

[  ] Donate $2,000→

[  ] Other

Please leave a tip for ActBlue

Power the nonprofit fundraising platform Democratic candidates & progressive causes rely on.

[  ] Add $2 tip

[✓] Leave no tip

[  ] Add custom amount

And so, I made a one-time donation to the Biden Victory Fund (without a tip to ActBlue) yesterday, June 27th, 2024, in order to "support Joe Biden, Kamala Harris, and Democrats nationwide."

P.S.: The reason that I only donated $1.00 to the Biden Victory Fund is because I already donated $4.00 (with a $0.28 tip to ActBlue) on June 16th, 2024 (please see my 'June 16th, 2024 Update No. 5, Which Also Discusses June 15th, 2024' that can be found above) and that is all I can afford this month; however, I did want to respond to contribute for the 2nd End of the Quarter 2024 FEC Deadline, so that is why I made a donation in the amount that I did.

---------------------------------------------

The tenth organization to which I donated was the Democratic Party of Oregon based upon the ActBlue donation webpage text, which stated the following:

DEMOCRATIC PARTY of OREGON

Donate to support Oregon Democrats!

Your donation could qualify you for the Oregon Political Tax Credit.

It's like a free $50 donation (or $100 for joint-filing couples).

You can qualify if:
[✓] You are an Oregon resident
[✓] You will submit an Oregon tax return for 2021
[✓] You will make less than $75,000 in 2021 (or $150,000 for joint-filing couples)

Donate immediately:

Your contribution will benefit Democratic Party of Oregon Federal Account.

[  ] Donate $10 →

[  ] Donate $25 →

[  ] Donate $50 →

[  ] Donate $100 →

[  ] Donate $250 →

[  ] Donate $500→

[  ] Donate $1,000→

[✓] Other $1.00

Please leave a tip for ActBlue

Power the nonprofit fundraising platform Democratic candidates & progressive causes rely on.

[  ] Add $2 tip

[✓] Leave no tip

[  ] Add custom amount

And so, I made a one-time donation to the Democratic Party of Oregon (without a tip to ActBlue) yesterday, June 27th, 2024, in order to "support Oregon Democrats!"

P.S.: The reason that I only donated $1.00 to the Democratic Party of Oregon is because I already donated $5.00 (with a $0.35 tip to ActBlue) on June 16th, 2024 (please see my 'June 16th, 2024 Update No. 4, Which Also Discusses June 10th, 2024' that can be found above) and that is all I can afford this month; however, I did want to contribute for the 2nd End of the Quarter 2024 FEC Deadline, so that is why I made a donation in the amount that I did.

Thus, these eight organizations—the DLCC, the DASS, the DGA, the DAGA, the DCCC, the DNC and the DSCC—in addition to these two campaigns—Biden for President, as well as the Biden Victory Fund—are the political organizations, and the political campaigns, that I donated to on June 27th, 2024! –Paul Whiting (written June 28th, 2024, revised June 29th, 2024, revised July 3rd, 2024, revised July 5th, 2024, revised July 11th, 2024, revised August 27th, 2024, revised September 26th, 2024 and revised September 30th, 2024)
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June 27th, 2024 Update No. 3, Written On June 28th, 2024 (Follow-Up, Written On June 29th, 2024) [June 29th, 2024 Update No. 1]: I received an email from the Biden for President campaign today, June 29th, 2024, with the subject line, "7 Things To Tell Your Friends After The Debate -- And 4 Things You Can Do", which stated the following:

Biden-Harris 2024

Hey, Paul--

If you're like me, you're getting lots of texts or calls from folks about the state of the race after Thursday. Maybe it was your panicked aunt, your MAGA uncle, or some self-important Podcasters. It's a tough position to be in, so I thought it might be helpful to send you a few responses.

1. Yes, the debate started rough, but voters saw what a threat Donald Trump is to the country. It was more than just lying -- though he did plenty of that. Trump:

° Defended the end of Roe v. Wade, saying "it's been a great thing."

° Said that the pro-Trump Nazi march in Charlottesville was "made up."

° Said on January 6th that "we were respected all over the world."

° Defended his 34 felony convictions, saying the system was "rigged" and he did nothing wrong.

2. Actual voters perceived this debate very differently than those who pay attention to politics a lot (like everyone who is getting this email and everyone who goes on cable news).
Breaking news: People think Joe Biden's old. They did coming into the debate, they do coming out of the debate. At the same time, though, a lot of people have rose-colored glasses about the Trump years. The most important thing about the debate was always going to be that people were reminded of what they hate about Donald Trump: that he's unhinged, out for revenge, and in it for himself. And they were reminded, in a powerful way.

Flash polls from CNN, 538, SurveyUSA, Morning Consult, and Data for Progress show what we expected: the debate did not change the horserace. In fact, following the debate, our internal dials showed President Biden led Trump on key measures of being presidential, speaking to the issues that matter, and being likable by more than 20 points.

3. That's because the long-term impact of debates is overstated anyway. Let us all remember that Barack Obama lost the first debate in 2012 (and the media panicked too!). Bush lost in 2004. Ronald Reagan lost the first debate in 1984. They, as you'll recall, won their elections. And those debates were in October, not June!

4. 90 minutes does not negate 3 ½ years of results.
Joe Biden is extremely good at being president. Let's not forget that the guy up on stage:

° Expanded health care to millions of families

° Lowered the price of insulin to $35 for seniors

° Created more jobs than any president in history

° Vaccinated the country and reopened our schools

° Took the largest climate action in the history of the world

° Canceled student loans for nearly 5 million people

° Rallied the world in support of Ukraine, and expanded NATO while doing it

° Passed the largest national funding for passenger rail since the founding of Amtrak

° Banned chokeholds and no-knock entries by federal law enforcement, and restricted the transfer of military equipment to police departments

° Passed the largest investment in bridges and roads in our history

° Pardoned thousands of Americans federally convicted of marijuana possession

° Expanded benefits to veterans who have been exposed to toxic chemicals

° Officially protected same-sex marriage federally

° Passed the first gun violence prevention bill in 30 years

° Saved the pensions of more than 1 million union workers

° Averted a banking crisis (remember that?)

° Expanded paid overtime to working families

° Made birth control pills available over the counter

° Made renewable energy the #2 source of electricity in America

° Moved to reschedule marijuana

° Shifted the microchip supply chain back to the United States

° Put the first Black woman on the Supreme Court

° And that's really all I have time to list out here!

The day after the debate, Joe Biden gave a fiery, defiant speech, where he tackled concerns about his age head-on.
I don't know if you were watching, but Joe Biden left the debate stage, spoke at a rally, went to Waffle House https://x.com/JoeBiden/status/1807072874701750334?utm_medium=email&utm_source=an&utm_campaign=jb_em_fr_20240629_b7_rf_tier1_rtb_eoq_fl_na-urg&link_id=6&can_id=2ad615ab0e39d0942d678cd2c349240b&email_referrer=email_2373535&email_subject=7-things-to-tell-your-friends-after-the-debate-and-4-things-you-can-do, got on a plane, flew to Raleigh, hung out with 200 supporters on the tarmac, went to bed, woke up, gave an amazing speech, got back on a plane, went to New York, visited Stonewall with Elton John, and then spoke at a pride gala for LGBTQ+ supporters.

The speech in Raleigh, by the way, has millions of views online, and you should watch and share it yourself:

---------------------------------------------

[START OF 'POST' ON "X," FORMERLY TWITTER]

Joe Biden
@JoeBiden

Folks, I might not walk as easily or talk as smoothly as I used to.

I might not debate as well as I used to.

But what I do know is how to tell the truth.

[start of imbedded video image]

Raleigh, NC
1:31 PM ET

BREAKING NEWS LIVE CNN
BIDEN: "I INTEND TO WIN THIS ELECTION"

[end of imbedded video image]

From Biden-Harris HQ
1:48 PM - Jun 28, 2024 - 31.9M Views

[END OF 'POST' ON "X," FORMERLY TWITTER]

https://x.com/JoeBiden/status/1806746426904379543?utm_medium=email&utm_source=an&utm_campaign=jb_em_fr_20240629_b7_rf_tier1_rtb_eoq_fl_na-urg&link_id=7&can_id=2ad615ab0e39d0942d678cd2c349240b&email_referrer=email_2373535&email_subject=7-things-to-tell-your-friends-after-the-debate-and-4-things-you-can-do

[Blogger's Note: I watched the video on 'X' (formerly Twitter) above that is titled, "BIDEN: 'I INTEND TO WIN THIS ELECTION'"]

---------------------------------------------

6. The bedwetting brigade is calling for Joe Biden to "drop out." That is the best possible way for Donald Trump to win and us to lose.
First of all: Joe Biden is going to be the Democratic nominee, period. End of story. Voters voted. He won overwhelmingly. And if he were to drop out, it would lead to weeks of chaos, internal foodfighting, and a bunch of candidates who limp into a brutal floor fight at the convention, all while Donald Trump has time to speak to American voters uncontested. All of that would be in service of a nominee who would go into a general election in the weakest possible position with zero dollars in their bank account. You want a highway to losing? It's that.

And at the end of the day, we'd switch to candidates who would, according to polls, be less likely to win than Joe Biden -- the only person ever to defeat Donald Trump.

[Screenshot of polling graphic by Data For Progress titled, "Leading Democrats Fare Similarly in Head-to-Heads Against Trump" regarding a June 28th, 2024 survey of 1,011 U.S. likely voters that poses the question, "If the November 2024 election for U.S. president was being held tomorrow, and these were the candidates, who would you vote for?"]

7. Joe Biden is the Democratic nominee, period. Rather than worrying about polls, our supporters are getting on board.
Did you see the awesome clips of our supporters on the tarmac doing the Cupid Shuffle at 2am on the night of the debate? The biggest rally of our campaign yet on Friday? Well, no, probably not, because the media is busy hyperventilating and trying to manifest drama to boost ratings. But this isn't Aaron Sorkin's fever dream. It's Joe Biden's reelection campaign.

While they were spinning out, our grassroots supporters got to work and:

° Raised us $27 million in two days

° Signed up for three times as many volunteer shifts as on an average day

° Attended more than 1,500 events nationwide

We even had three times as many people as usual apply to campaign jobs yesterday. Mercifully, while the beltway pundits are spending their time attacking Joe Biden, our people are more focused than ever.

Smart folks -- folks that care about defeating Donald Trump and winning this election -- have identified that the best way to help right now is by helping, and not by kicking their feet up and telling everyone around them to panic.

This brings me to what you can do right now.

1. Donate to our campaign. Seriously, it makes a difference. Of that $27 million, the vast vast majority comes from $5, $10, $25 donations. We are a campaign of grassroots supporters -- and we need you now more than ever.

DONATE NOW >>

https://secure.actblue.com/donate/em-bfp-june-2024

2. Share why you support the President on social media. The internet is not real life, but your friends really are. Every social media post supporting the President reaches real voters, and also helps us counteract the negative narrative around the President. You don't need to do anything fancy to post, but if you want to let us know how it went, sign up here:

SHARE NOW >>

https://app.reach.vote/login

3. Sign up for a volunteer shift. Talking to voters is more important than fretting about polls. There's an organizer in your neighborhood who would love to talk to you. Sign up here:

VOLUNTEER NOW >>

https://app.reach.vote/login

4. Forward this email to someone who you think needs to see it. And tell them to sign up for our email list:

https://web.joebiden.com/forms/take-action-for-president-biden-and-vice-president-harris

And lastly, but most importantly, you've got to keep the faith. I've worked for Joe Biden for five years, which is a pretty short tenure comparatively. I've watched as people counted him out after Iowa in 2020, and then he won. I've watched as they said there was no way he could win the general election (do not think I have forgotten the week of New York Times opinion pieces about how Joe Biden needed to change his campaign strategy), and then he won. I've watched as people said his legislative agenda was dead, and then he passed the Inflation Reduction Act. I've watched as people said he'd get cooked in the midterms, and then Democrats had historic wins.

There is no candidate who is better when he's backed into a corner, and there is no team that is better when we come together to do big things. That's because we, like him, keep our heads down and do the work.

As the President says, when you get knocked down, you get back up again. And as some poets once said: you're never going to keep him down.

Thanks for being in this with us.

[Name redacted]
[Title redacted]
Biden for President

"My dad used to have an expression -- 'It's the lucky person who gets up in the morning, puts both feet on the floor, knows what they are about to do, and thinks it still matters.' Your support matters. Your donation matters." -- Joe Biden

And so, I wanted to share this email from the Biden for President campaign in order to show my support for this "7 Things To Tell Your Friends After The Debate -- And 4 Things You Can Do" email message! –Paul Whiting (June 29th, 2024)

P.S.: Just so you know, I used to make one-time donations to the organization that is the subject of these 'updates' each time that I took an action as requested by that organization; however, "I have changed the way that I make donations to political, progressive and charitable organizations each month ... due to the fact that I have been spending a considerable percentage of my monthly income on all of these donations." (The reader should know that I am HIV-positive with full-blown AIDS. And I am on Social Security Disability Insurance, or SSDI, so my income is quite limited.) Therefore, "I am greatly reducing the number of times that I donate for the same organization per month down to once—or as determined by me on a case-by-case basis." (Please see my 'August 19th, 2023 Update,' which can be found above.) Thus, because I have already donated to the Biden for President campaign on June 16th, 2024 (please see my 'June 16th, 2024 Update No. 7, Written On June 17th, 2024, Which Also Discusses May 25th, 2024, June 2nd, 2024, Jun 6th, 2024, June 7th, 2024, June 10th, 2024, June 15th, 2024 And June 16th, 2024' that can be found above) that is the one-time donation which I made to the Biden for President campaign for June 2024.

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June 30th, 2024 Update No. 1, Written On July 1st, 2024 About June 2024: This 'update' is special, since I am continuing to change the way that I make donations to political, progressive and charitable organizations each month! And because I first changed the way that I make donations starting in August 2023, this update is also technically a follow-up to the following:

▪ August 19th, 2023 Update
▪ August 19th, 2023 Update—Follow-Up No. 1, Written On August 31st, 2023
▪ August 19th, 2023 Update—Follow-Up No. 2, Written On October 1st, 2023 About September 2023
▪ August 19th, 2023 Update—Follow-Up No. 3, Written On November 1st, 2023 About October 2023
▪ August 19th, 2023 Update—Follow-Up No. 4, Written On December 1st, 2023 About November 2023
▪ August 19th, 2023 Update—Follow-Up No. 5, Written On January 1st, 2024 About December 2023

Besides that, because this is the year 2024—where I am continuing to change the way that I make donations to political, progressive and charitable organizations that I started changing in 2023—this update is also a follow-up to the following:

▪ January 31st, 2024 Update No. 3, Written On February 1st, 2024 About January 2024

▪ February 29th, 2024 Update No. 3, Written On March 1st, 2024 About February 2024

▪ March 31st, 2024 Update No. 6, Written On April 2nd, 2024 About March 2024

▪ April 30th, 2024 Update No. 2, Written On May 1st, 2024 About April 2024

▪ May 31st, 2024 Update No. 3, Written On June 1st, 2024 About May 2024

Please let me explain: I spent A LOT the year before last (2022) because I was "doing everything in my power to help Democrats win in the 2022 Midterm Elections!" And I also spent QUITE A BIT last year (2023) because I was trying to 'put my money where my mouth is' regarding my activism throughout the year. And so, I ended up with a rather considerable credit card balance...

...Now, this is my only credit card—that I got through my regular bank—and I was enjoying an interest-free period on my charges up until August 2023! Thus, my carefree days of not paying for any interest on my credit card balance were officially over last year. And my minimum payments were going to be a rather large percentage of the amount that I had set aside in my monthly budget for my minimum payment, as well as my extra payment, on my credit card each month.

So, in response to this change in my minimum payments, I changed the way that I donated to political, progressive and charitable organizations, starting in 2023, due to the fact that I was spending a considerable percentage of my monthly income on all of these donations in 2023—as outlined below—starting with January of 2023.

January 2023:
Total percentage of my monthly income for political, progressive and charitable donations: 15%

February 2023:
Total percentage of my monthly income for political, progressive and charitable donations: 19%

March 2023:
Total percentage of my monthly income for political, progressive and charitable donations: 12%

April 2023:
Total percentage of my monthly income for political, progressive and charitable donations: 17%

May 2023:
Total percentage of my monthly income for political, progressive and charitable donations: 21%

June 2023:
Total percentage of my monthly income for political, progressive and charitable donations: 20%

July 2023:
Total percentage of my monthly income for political, progressive and charitable donations: 17%

August 2023:
Total percentage of my monthly income for political, progressive and charitable donations: 23%

September 2023:
Total percentage of my monthly income for political, progressive and charitable donations: 20%

October 2023:
Total percentage of my monthly income for political, progressive and charitable donations: 31%

November 2023:
Total percentage of my monthly income for political, progressive and charitable donations: 71%

December 2023:
Total percentage of my monthly income for political, progressive and charitable donations: 31%

And so, if I average out the total percentage in 2023 that I spent on political, progressive and charitable organizations from January 2023 through December 2023, it comes out to be 25% of my monthly income! (The reader should know that I am HIV-positive with full-blown AIDS. And I am on Social Security Disability Insurance, or SSDI, so my income is quite limited.)

That is the reason I started really "tightening my belt," so to speak, with regard to all of the donations that I am making on my credit card each month! So, my plan is to only donate to political, progressive and charitable organizations if they specifically ask for donations—and not just for the sake of donating to them at least once per month, or even when I have been taking some sort of action, such as signing a petition, or sending a letter, etc. Thus, I am trying to greatly reduce the number of donations that I make to simply once in a while, or as determined by me on a case-by-case basis!

You see, there are a lot of organizations that I literally donate to only once per year—such as for Giving Tuesday—which is all that I ever donate to them. And that is basically what I am striving for, so that I am still donating to political, progressive and charitable organizations, but the bare minimum that I can donate, since that's all I can really afford.

Therefore, I am no longer donating for every one of the email or text messages that I receive (to which I choose to respond), which are requesting me to take action that also come from the same organization, with the exception of the USO (United Service Organizations), or as determined by me on a case-by-case basis. And I am reducing how much I donate for the regular mail requests that I receive (to which I choose to respond) to take action.

That is why I will still be responding to some of the email or text messages that I receive (to which I choose to respond), which are requesting me to take action, as well as to some of the regular mail requests that I receive (to which I choose to respond), which are requesting me to take action; however, when I do donate, I am reducing the number of times that I donate for the same organization per month down to once—or as determined by me on a case-by-case basis—in addition to reducing the amount that I donate to organizations from which I receive mailers.

Thus, when I do donate, I will only be donating once per month for each political, progressive or charitable organization, with the exception of the USO, or as determined by me on a case-by-case basis. (You see, I make a recurring monthly donation to the USO in order to show my support for our U.S. Military Personnel! Plus, I usually make one-time donations to the USO each month—as often as I can manage when they request a donation via email or text message. Therefore, I am planning to continue making one-time donations to the USO in the future, as often as I can manage to make donations, in addition to making the aforementioned recurring monthly donation.)

In addition to that, as of March 21st, 2024, I am no longer donating to individual political campaigns for the foreseeable future—or as determined by me on a case-by-case basis (such as to Joe Biden's campaign for President of the United States, or to local campaigns here in Oregon), but I am not donating like I have been up until this point—which has been virtually every time that I have received a political campaign donation request via email or text message—because I seriously cannot afford to donate that much for the rest of the 2024 Presidential Election cycle, as well as for the foreseeable future.

And I have made this decision based upon how much these individual political campaign donations are costing in my 'monthly donating budget'—even though I have only been donating $3.00 with a $0.21 tip to ActBlue. However, it's still more than I can afford given my 'monthly donating budget,' which is why I have decided to stop donating to individual political campaigns entirely—or as determined by me on a case-by-case basis, as mentioned above.

And to clarify one more thing: In the past, I used to only donate to the main Democratic fundraising and coordinating organizations—rather than to individual campaigns—since that's all I really could afford given my 'monthly spending budget,' because I am "low income." Plus, those Democratic fundraising and coordinating organizations help all of the individual political campaigns with funding, which is why I used to only donate to those main organizations. And I only started donating to individual political campaigns in 2022, since I was "doing everything in my power to help Democrats win in the 2022 Midterm Elections!" Therefore, this decision to stop donating to individual political campaigns (with the exception of presidential campaigns and local campaigns, or as determined by me on a case-by-case basis) is really just going back to the way that I used to make political donations.

And now that yesterday, June 30th, 2024, was the last day of June 2024, I wanted to provide you with June's total percentage of my monthly income for political, progressive and charitable donations:

June 2024:
Total percentage of my monthly income for political, progressive and charitable donations: 15.87% {15.87798579728%}

And here are the percentages that I have spent on political, progressive and charitable organizations by category, as outlined within my monthly budget:

[01] National Black Justice Collective Institute: 0.07% {0.06907682375%}
[02] SPARK Reproductive Justice Now: 0.07% {0.06907682375%}
[03] Trans Empowerment Project: 0.07% {0.06907682375%}
[04] Waves Ahead: 0.07% {0.06907682375%}
[05] NARF (Native Amer. Rights Fund): 0.32% {0.32278889606%}
[06] March For Our Lives: 0.52% {0.51646223369%}
[07] Brady United: 0.32% {0.32278889606%}
[08] Toys for Tots: 0.32% {0.32278889606%}
[09] USO (United Serv. Orgs.): 2.26% {2.25952227243%}
[10] PPAF (Plan. Parent. Act. Fund): 0.65% {0.64880568108%}
-------Please see [11] below-------
[12] Ban Assault Weapons NOW: 0.55% {0.55261459005%}
[13] DNC (Dem. Nation. Cam. Comm.): 0.34% {0.34086507424%}
[14] DLCC (Dem. Legis. Cam. Comm.): 0.34% {0.34086507424%}
[15] Non-Categorized Political: 0.28% {0.27630729502%}
[16] DPO (Dem. Party of Ore.): 0.41% {0.40994189799%}
[17] BVF (Biden Victory Fund): 0.34% {0.34086507424%}
[18] DCCC (Dem. Congress. Cam. Comm.): 0.34% {0.34086507424%}
[19] Jane Fonda Climate PAC: 0.21% {0.20723047127%}
[20] DSCC (Dem. Senate. Cam. Comm.): 0.27% {0.27178825048%}
[21] DAGA (Dem. Attorneys. Gen. Assoc.): 0.27% {0.27178825048%}
[22] Voto Latino: 0.21% {0.20723047127%}
[23] VoteVets: 0.21% {0.20723047127%}
[24] DASS (Dem. Assoc. Secr. of State): 0.27% {0.27178825048%}
[25] BFP (Biden for President): 0.27% {0.27178825048%}
[26] DGA (Dem. Govern. Assoc.): 0.27% {0.27178825048%}
[27] EMILYs List: 0.21% {0.20723047127%}
[28] Rolling Sea PAC: 0.21% {0.20723047127%}
[29] Voters of Tomorrow PAC: 0.21% {0.20723047127%}
[30] Monthly Political: 2.32% {2.32408005164%}
-------Please see [31] below-------
[32] ACLU (Amer. Civ. Lib. Union): 1.10% {1.09748224661%}
[33] Doctors w/o Borders: 0.32% {0.32278889606%}
[34] USA for UNHCR: 0.32% {0.32278889606%}
[35] Four Directions Native Vote: 0.39% {0.38734667527%}
[36] PPFA (Plan. Parent. Feder. of Amer.): 0.45% {0.45190445448%}
[37] The Salvation Army: 0.45% {0.45190445448%}
[38] IAVA (Iraq & Afghan. Vet. of Amer.): 0.32% {0.32278889606%}
[39] WWP (Wounded Warrior Project): 0.32% {0.32278889606%}

Monthly Income Total Percentage Calculation:

0.28 {4 × 0.07%}
+ 2.24% {7 × 0.32%}
+ 0.52%
+ 2.26%
+ 0.65%
+ 0.55%
+ 1.36% {4 × 0.34%}
+ 0.28%
+ 0.41%
+ 1.26% {6 × 0.21%}
+ 1.35% {5 × 0.27%}
+ 2.32%
+ 1.10%
+ 0.39%
+ 0.90% {2 × 0.45%}
= 15.87%

Plus, here are the percentages that I have spent on interest and credit card purchases, as outlined within my monthly budget:

[11] Credit Card Purchases: 10.73% {10.72627501613%}
[31] Monthly Interest: 6.83% {6.83279535183%}

Total Percentage of Monthly Income from Interest and Purchases: 17.56% {17.55907036797%}

Grand Total Percentage of Monthly Income for June 2024: 33.43% {33.43705616526%}

And starting in 2024, I totally changed the way that I approach how I calculate what I am spending on my credit card each month! So now, I take the total amount that I have available in my monthly budget for my minimum payment on my credit card—as well as my extra payment—and I calculate how much I am reducing that amount each time that I charge on my credit card.

That way, I am very aware of the amount by which I am reducing my total available credit card payments for the month (the minimum payment and the extra payment) in order to, hopefully, pay more on my credit card than I am spending! Plus, I am also utilizing some funds from my budgeted expenses, as well as some funds from my savings, to make sure that I am paying a little more than I am spending while—at the same time—I am also trying to spend less on my credit card.

For example, I made two set of donations for the month of June 2024 (the first one on June 16th and the second one on June 27th) to Democratic fundraising and coordinating political organizations—and to one campaign—regarding the national races for the House of Representatives (the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee), the Senate (the Democratic Senatorial Campaign Committee) and the President of the United States (the Democratic National Committee and Biden for President, or the Biden Victory Fund), as well as the state races for the Governors (the Democratic Governors Association), the Secretaries of State (the Democratic Association of Secretaries of State), the Attorneys General (the Democratic Attorneys General Association) and the State Legislatures (the Democratic Legislative Campaign Committee), during this sixth month of the year for the 2024 Presidential Election.

That is why I am trying to contribute, during each month of 2024, as much as I am able to donate to Democratic political organizations—as well as to Democratic political campaigns—while I am still trying to stay within a 'monthly donating budget,' since that's all I can really afford! Now, that means I can only donate ONCE for the entire month to each of the above-mentioned seven organizations (and one campaign!) in order to stay within my 'monthly donating budget.' Period. (Although, it was the 2nd End of the Quarter 2024 FEC Deadline this month, which is why I donated TWICE!) And that is how I am planning to budget for my credit card charges in order to see if it is "feasible for the foreseeable future" (say that three times fast!), or if I need to adjust this new credit card budget even more.

Therefore, the reason that I am explaining all of this donating and budgeting is because I am trying to be an "Online Activist" and to 'put my money where my mouth is' regarding my activism. That is why I blog about which political, progressive and charitable organizations I am supporting with regard to the causes that are the most important to me! –Paul Whiting (written July 1st, 2024, revised August 1st, 2024, revised September 4th, 2024 and revised September 5th, 2024)

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YEAR 2024 UPDATES FOR JULY:

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July 2nd, 2024 Update No. 1: I received an email from the ACLU (American Civil Liberties Union) today, July 2nd, 2024, with the subject line, "No person, no president is above the law, Paul.", which stated the following:

Paul –

The Supreme Court recently declared that criminal law doesn't apply when you're Donald Trump – or any other president using the powers of the office. Presidents who use their official powers to commit crimes are now presumptively immune from criminal accountability – even after they leave office.

The ruling goes against everything our country's constitution has ever represented. Without immediate action from Congress to overrule this ruling, we cannot truly claim to be in a democracy in which all are equal before the law: Contact your reps now and demand a constitutional amendment.

Justice Sotomayor warned us about this ruling: "In every use of official power, the President is now a king above the law."

TELL CONGRESS TO ACT

https://action.aclu.org/send-message/tell-congress-america-elects-presidents-not-kings

Let's be clear on how ruinous this decision is – and how important it is for us to shut it down fast. The ruling means a president could use the Armed Forces against political opponents. And as long as their actions are "official," they'll be immune from criminal prosecution for the rest of their lives. That's not a democracy, Paul. That's tyranny.

For Congress to refuse to do anything to stop this, is a failure to do its job. We – the people – cannot and will not allow that to happen.

Tell your reps and senators that this is the moment to act: Urge them to pass a constitutional amendment reestablishing criminal accountability for the president now.

For our democracy,

The ACLU Team

DONATE NOW

And, after I read the email above, I clicked on the hyperlink to the referenced webpage, the relevant text of which can be found below:

TELL CONGRESS: AMERICA ELECTS
PRESIDENTS, NOT KINGS

The Supreme Court has just declared that criminal law doesn't apply when you're Donald Trump – or any other president using the powers of the office. Presidents who use their official powers to commit crimes are now presumptively immune from criminal accountability – even after they leave office.

That means a president could commit absolute atrocities in office – turning the Armed Forces against political opponents, using the Justice Department to investigate or prosecute critics of the president, or worse – and as long as their actions are "official," they'll be immune from criminal prosecution.

We cannot let this ruling stand – so we're calling on Congress to pass a constitutional amendment overturning it.

Inaction from Congress (or the people) at this moment is unacceptable. If our representatives cannot act now – when the Supreme Court has just presented our democracy with an immediate existential threat – then they cannot legislate at all.

Tell Congress: Pass a constitutional amendment restoring presidential liability – because those who criminally abuse the office must be held accountable. No one is above the law: We elect presidents, NOT kings.

Message Recipients:
Your U.S. Senators and House Representatives

Message Subject:
No Kings in America: Pass a Constitutional Amendment Now

The Supreme Court ruling immunizing former President Donald Trump against any criminal responsibility for official acts in violation of criminal law is egregious. We cannot allow anyone elected president to commit crimes without criminal liability. A president who knows they can commit crimes with impunity is dangerous. We must be able to hold our elected officials accountable.

As your constituent, I'm calling on you – and all of Congress – to pass a constitutional amendment as quickly as possible restoring checks and balances to our government and reining in this extreme expansion of presidential power.

Justice Sotomayor described this ruling best: "In every use of official power, the President is now a king above the law."

This ruling goes against everything our country's laws and constitution have ever represented. Without immediate action from Congress to overrule this ruling, we cannot truly claim to be in a democracy in which all are equal before the law.

We cannot wait for further catastrophe to strike before taking action. This ruling is a direct threat to the rule of law, and provides a free pass to presidents to use the power of their office to commit the most blatant crimes and not fear prosecution.

If Congress refuses to act at this moment, know that voters are watching. Inaction now is a failure of the government to do its job at all.

Congress must act now to pass a constitutional amendment reestablishing criminal accountability for the president.

Sincerely,

Paul Whiting

Salutation: Mr.
First name: Paul
Last name: Whiting
Address: [redacted]
Zip Code: [redacted]
City: [redacted]
State: [redacted]
Phone: [redacted]
E-mail address: [redacted]

Send

And, after I sent the letter above, I received a confirmation email today, July 2nd, 2024, from the ACLU with the subject line, "One more thing - can you spread the word?", which stated the following:

ACLU

Thank you for taking action to protect democracy.

Help us build our power: Share the action by forwarding the email below to your friends, or by sharing this link: aclu.org/noimmunity

Thank you,

The ACLU Team

----

Hi friend,

The Supreme Court has just declared that criminal law doesn't apply when you're Donald Trump – or any other president using the powers of the office. But no one should be above the law. We elect presidents, NOT kings.

That's why I just joined the ACLU in calling on Congress to pass a constitutional amendment overturning this ruinous decision.

Will you join me now and send a message to protect our democracy?

aclu.org/noimmunity

Thanks.

Then, after I sent the letter above to my U.S. House Representative and Senators in Congress, via the ACLU website, I made a one-time donation to the ACLU in order to show my support for "calling on Congress to pass a constitutional amendment overturning this ruinous decision," since "the Supreme Court recently declared that criminal law doesn't apply when you're Donald Trump – or any other president using the powers of the office." –Paul Whiting (July 2nd, 2024)

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July 3rd, 2024 Update No. 1: [CONTENT WARNING: THIS UPDATE CONTAINS DISCUSSIONS ABOUT GUN VIOLENCE WHICH MAY BE DISTURBING TO SOME READERS. VIEWER DISCRETION IS ADVISED!] I have combined every political campaign, or political organization, donation request per day (made via email or text message) into one 'update' for each day that I donate, so that I don't have to keep writing individual 'updates' for political campaign donations, or political organization donations!

You see, I used to write one 'update' for each of the individual campaign political donations, or political organization donations, that I made virtually every time that I made a political donation. And within each 'update' I included the text from each political campaign's, or political organization's, requesting email or text message, along with some of each campaign's, or organization's, donation page text on the ActBlue website, as well as how much I donated to each campaign, or organization, plus whether I included a tip to ActBlue and how much I tipped.

(By the way, I still write individual 'updates' for political campaign, or political organization, mailers that I receive through the regular mail, because they are usually more elaborate political donation requests, which is why I don't include them with these email or text message requests.)

Plus, the 2024 election cycle is in full gear and I have made a goal of donating only one $2.00 donation per local political campaign here in Oregon (more on that below), or $3.00 per political organization, for the rest of the election cycle! And that means after I make that one donation per campaign, or per organization—regardless of whether I donated in 2023, or 2024—I am only donating once per campaign, or per organization, or as determined by me on a case-by-case basis. And I am only donating once per PAC (Political Action Committee) for the entire election cycle, or as determined by me on a case-by-case basis, because that is all that I can really afford for the 2024 Presidential Election. (The reader should know that I am HIV-positive with full-blown AIDS. And I am on Social Security Disability Insurance, or SSDI, so my income is quite limited.) I hope that makes sense!

Besides that, as of March 21st, 2024, I am no longer donating to individual political campaigns for the foreseeable future (with the exception of local campaigns here in Oregon), or as determined by me on a case-by-case basis (please see my 'March 21st, 2024 Update No. 2,' which can be found above), as I have explained below:

...Alright, I have a big announcement to make: I am no longer donating to individual political campaigns for the foreseeable future—or as determined by me on a case-by-case basis!

And I have made this decision based upon how much these individual political campaign donations are costing in my 'monthly donating budget'—even though I am only donating $3.00 with a $0.21 tip to ActBlue—since I totally changed the way that I approach how I calculate what I am spending on my credit card each month, starting in 2024! So now, I take the total amount that I have available in my monthly budget for my minimum payment on my credit card—as well as my extra payment—and I calculate how much I am reducing that amount each time that I charge on my credit card.

That way, I am very aware of the amount by which I am reducing my total available credit card payments for the month (the minimum payment and the extra payment) in order to, hopefully, pay more on my credit card than I am spending! Plus, I am also utilizing some funds from my budgeted expenses, as well as some funds from my savings, to make sure that I am paying a little more than I am spending while—at the same time—I am also trying to spend less on my credit card.

Therefore, at the start of 2024, I calculated that I could still make ONE $3.00 donation per political campaign for the entire election cycle. And that means after I have made that one donation per campaign—regardless of whether I donated in 2023, or 2024—I have only donated once per campaign, which is what I have been doing so far!

However, it's still more than I can afford given my 'monthly donating budget,' which is why I have decided to stop donating to individual political campaigns entirely—or as determined by me on a case-by-case basis. And so, I will still be making some donations to individual political campaigns (such as to Joe Biden's campaign for President of the United States, or to local campaigns here in Oregon), but I am not donating like I have been up until this point—which has been virtually every time that I have received a political campaign donation request via email or text message—because I seriously cannot afford to donate that much for the rest of the 2024 Presidential Election cycle, as well as for the foreseeable future.

And to clarify one more thing: In the past, I used to only donate to the main Democratic fundraising and coordinating organizations—rather than to individual campaigns—since that's all I really could afford given my 'monthly spending budget,' because I am "low income." Plus, those Democratic fundraising and coordinating organizations help all of the individual political campaigns with funding, which is why I used to only donate to those main organizations! And I only started donating to individual political campaigns in 2022, since I was "doing everything in my power to help Democrats win in the 2022 Midterm Elections!" Therefore, this decision to stop donating to individual political campaigns (with the exception of presidential campaigns and local campaigns, or as determined by me on a case-by-case basis) is really just going back to the way that I used to make political donations.

...The 2024 election cycle is in full gear and I have made a goal of donating only one $3.00 donation per local political campaign here in Oregon (more on that below), or $4.00 per political organization, for the rest of the election cycle! And that means after I make that one donation per campaign, or per organization—regardless of whether I donated in 2023, or 2024—I am only donating once per campaign, or per organization, or as determined by me on a case-by-case basis. And I am only donating once per PAC (Political Action Committee) for the entire election cycle, or as determined by me on a case-by-case basis, because that is all that I can really afford for the 2024 Presidential Election. (The reader should know that I am HIV-positive with full-blown AIDS. And I am on Social Security Disability Insurance, or SSDI, so my income is quite limited.) I hope that makes sense! ...

...In addition to that, I used to donate "$5.00 per political organization"; however, starting on May 12th, 2024, I decided to adjust that amount, so that I can donate to more political organizations and PACs (Political Action Committees) while I am still staying within my 'monthly donating budget.'

Thus, as I partially explained above, for the rest of the 2024 election cycle—as well as for the foreseeable future—I have made a goal of donating $3.00 per local political campaign only here in Oregon (with a 7% tip to ActBlue of $0.21), or as determined by me on a case-by-case basis; and a goal of donating $4.00 per political organization for donation requests via email or text message (with a 7% tip to ActBlue of $0.28), or as determined by me on a case-by-case basis; as well as a goal of donating $5.00 per political organization, or per PAC, for donation requests via the regular mail (with a 7% tip to ActBlue of $0.35), or as determined by me on a case-by-case basis.

To sum it up, then: I am essentially keeping the same total individual campaign donation amount of $3.21, but I am only donating to local campaigns here in Oregon, or as determined by me on a case-by-case basis; and I am reducing the total donation amount for political organizations and PACs for email and text message donation requests to $4.28 (from $5.35), or as determined by me on a case-by-case basis; plus, I am reducing the total donation amount for political organizations and PACs for regular mail donation requests to $5.35 (from $7.51), or as determined by me on a case-by-case basis.

Therefore, I recently used to donate "$4.00 per political organization"; however, I have decided to adjust that amount again, so that I can donate to more political organizations and PACs (Political Action Committees) while I am still staying within my 'monthly donating budget,' since I am now donating to more organizations as the 2024 Presidential Election cycle continues.

Thus, as I partially explained above, for the rest of the 2024 election cycle—as well as for the foreseeable future—I have made a goal of donating $2.00 per local political campaign only here in Oregon (with a 7% tip to ActBlue of $0.14), or as determined by me on a case-by-case basis; and a goal of donating $3.00 per political organization for donation requests via email or text message (with a 7% tip to ActBlue of $0.21), or as determined by me on a case-by-case basis; as well as a goal of donating $4.00 per political organization, or per PAC, for donation requests via the regular mail (with a 7% tip to ActBlue of $0.28), or as determined by me on a case-by-case basis.

To sum it up, then: I am reducing the total individual campaign donation amount to $2.14 (from $3.21) and I am still only donating to local campaigns here in Oregon, or as determined by me on a case-by-case basis; and I am reducing the total donation amount for political organizations and PACs for email and text message donation requests to $3.21 (from $4.28), or as determined by me on a case-by-case basis; plus, I am reducing the total donation amount for political organizations and PACs for regular mail donation requests to $4.28 (from $5.35), or as determined by me on a case-by-case basis.

So, without further ado...

The only political communication to which I responded was an email from Ban Assault Weapons NOW PAC [Ban Assault Weapons NOW (BAWN) Political Action Committee, or BAWN PAC] today, July 3rd, 2024, with the subject line, "RE: Fourth of July", which stated the following:

I’m [name redacted], a survivor of the Highland Park mass shooting. Since then I’ve been working to fight for an end to gun violence and mass shootings nationwide. Last year, the Illinois Supreme Court ruled that the state's ban on assault weapons, in a major win for our movement. But we won’t quit until every state bans assault weapons. Just last month, Trump’s handpicked conservative majority on the Supreme Court STRUCK DOWN the ban on bump stock devices – and his MAGA loyalists in Congress want to stuff the courts with even more judges who will also stand in the way of gun safety legislation. It’s clear that our work is far from over. So, I’m about to ask you for $3 to join our fight today by supporting [name redacted] and the Tour to Save Democracy. But first, I'll explain why we need your help and why the Tour is so important. >>***

Here’s my story, which is but one of thousands and thousands of similar stories experienced by gun violence survivors and victims in the United States each year:

Two years ago, my family and I dressed up in red, white, and blue to celebrate our country at Highland Park, IL’s [Illinois's] annual July 4th parade. We watched as the floats filled with smiling children passed by. We clapped to the beat of the drums as the marching band began to play.

And then, the rat-tat-tat of drums was interrupted by another, foreign sound - that of bullets, rapid firing from an AR-15 - spraying indiscriminately into the crowds of children, parents, and grandparents. We heard the screams. We saw the confusion and chaos. And we ran.

Luckily, we made it out safely. But many others were not so lucky.

Two years ago at the Highland Park 4th of July parade, 7 innocent people were murdered by a shooter with an AR-15-style weapon. Their bodies were destroyed, left bloody and unrecognizable by the wreckage of a single assault weapon. 48 others were injured by bullets or shrapnel. A toddler was orphaned, an 8-year-old was paralyzed, and a mother’s unborn child miscarried.

In less than 50 seconds, the shooter fired off 83 rounds that ripped through glass, concrete, bricks, flesh, and bone.

Two years ago, my community was ravaged by a mass shooting that has forever changed Highland Park. If it can happen in my community, it can happen anywhere.

Because of my experience and that of so many others across the country, I’m advocating for change at the federal level to ensure that our country can once again be a safer place. A place where we can go to the grocery store, to the theater, to a concert, to an elementary school, or to a parade without fear.

Our children deserve better. Our families deserve better. We deserve better.

I’m proud to work with BAWN and the Tour to Save Democracy to help elect gun safety champions in government and to ban assault weapons. But we need your help too. We need 850 more gifts in the next 24 hours to hit our goal and help the Tour. And in turn, the Tour will be traveling across the country to support candidates in swing districts dedicated to preventing another tragedy like the Highland Park shooting. We need your help so that we can honor with action those stolen from us on July 4th, 2022, and in so many other tragic shootings. Can I count on you to chip in $3 now? Contributions help cover the costs of the Tour, like gas and food. >>***

I’m proud to have joined [name redacted] and BAWN in Washington D.C. in June 2023 to demand Congress take action to ban assault weapons.

And now I’m proud to support [name redacted] and the Tour to Save Democracy ahead of their launch on July 12th.

The Tour to Save Democracy is covering over 4,400 miles and visiting 20 swing districts to rally Gen Z voters around the gun safety Democrats running to unseat the spineless, vulnerable Republicans like those who BLOCKED the vote on a federal assault weapons ban that [name redacted], other survivors, and I fought so hard for at our sit in.

Please join the fight too. The Tour To Save Democracy needs help raising 850 gifts in 24 hours to fuel their efforts to replace any Republican lawmaker who stands in the way of gun safety legislation with a strong Democrat. Will you rush $3 now to help us continue the fight for a federal assault weapons ban and elect candidates who have the guts to do what’s right? It would mean so much to me to have your support. >>***

[  ] Chip in $3 now >>
[  ] Chip in $6 now >>
[  ] Chip in $9 now >>
[  ] Chip in $12 now >>
[✓] Chip in another amount now >>***

In gratitude for your support,

[Name redacted]
Survivor of the Highland Park Shooting and Gun Violence Prevention Advocate

CONTRIBUTE TO THE TOUR TO SAVE DEMOCRACY!

BAWN is partnering with [name redacted] as he embarks on a summer tour to save our democracy. [Name redacted] and a collective of Gen Z activists will bus across the nation stopping in Republican-held swing districts to rally young voters, flip these seats blue, and elect strong gun safety Democrats.

But [name redacted] is counting on grassroots support to fund his tour and make it possible.

Will you rush in a gift before midnight? Your contribution will directly support necessary parts of [name redacted's] tour, like gas, food, and lodging expenses.

Donate immediately:

Your contribution will benefit Ban Assault Weapons NOW PAC.

[  ] Donate $25 →

[  ] Donate $50 →

[  ] Donate $100 →

[  ] Donate $250 →

[  ] Donate $500 →

[  ] Donate $1,000 →

[✓] Other amount $5.00

Please leave a tip for ActBlue

Power the nonprofit fundraising platform Democratic candidates & progressive causes rely on.

[  ] Add $2 tip

[  ] Leave no tip

[✓] Add custom amount $0.35 (7%)

And so, I made a one-time donation to Ban Assault Weapons NOW PAC (BAWN PAC) (with a tip to ActBlue) because "the Tour To Save Democracy needs help raising 850 gifts in 24 hours to fuel their efforts to replace any Republican lawmaker who stands in the way of gun safety legislation with a strong Democrat." That is why I contributed to "rush [$5] now to help [BAWN] continue the fight for a federal assault weapons ban and elect candidates who have the guts to do what’s right."

Thus, this one Political Action Committee (PAC)—Ban Assault Weapons NOW PAC (BAWN PAC)—is the PAC that I donated to today! –Paul Whiting (July 3rd, 2024)

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July 3rd, 2024 Update No. 2: I received a text message today, July 3rd, 2024, from Brady: United Against Gun Violence, which stated the following:

Two years ago tomorrow, a shooter used an assault weapon to kill seven people, wound dozens of others, and traumatize thousands during a July 4th parade in Highland Park, IL [Illinois].

Today, the harrowing reality is that we are ALL Highland Park — including you, Paul. Whether marching in a parade, in class at school, or simply walking down the street, we are ALL at risk of becoming victims of gun violence.

𝗧𝗵𝗮𝘁'𝘀 𝘄𝗵𝘆 𝗔𝗟𝗟 𝗼𝗳 𝘂𝘀 𝗺𝘂𝘀𝘁 𝗱𝗲𝗺𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗰𝗵𝗮𝗻𝗴𝗲.

Tell us before midnight tonight: Should Congress ban military-style assault weapons?

YES:***
NO:

Team Brady

BRADY UNITED AGAINST GUN VIOLENCE

SURVEY: Ban Assault Weapons Now [11:59 p.m. Deadline]

Thank you for taking action. Will you take just 60 seconds to answer a few questions that will help us shape our strategy to prevent gun violence and keep our communities safe? -Team Brady

Research shows that gun safety reforms like an Assault Weapons Ban make communities safer and lower gun violence. But the NRA and the gun lobby are doing everything they can to block this critical legislation.

Do you believe that the gun lobby has too much influence in Washington?

[✓] Yes
[  ] No

Which of the following gun safety policies do you think Congress should prioritize in the current session? (Select as many as you'd like.)

[✓] Regulating ghost guns
[✓] Banning assault weapons
[✓] Expanding background checks
[✓] Raising the minimum purchase age
[✓] Banning high-capacity magazines
[  ] Other:

Last year, after the tragedy in Uvalde, Congress passed the most significant gun safety legislation in decades. But with Republicans now in control of the House, the NRA has been able to block any further life-saving legislation.

As we head into a critical election year, how worried are you that the gun lobby could gain even more power in Washington?

[✓] Extremely worried
[  ] Very worried
[  ] Somewhat worried
[  ] Not at all worried

At Brady, we're doing everything we can to prevent gun violence and win leaders who will fight for life-saving reforms. We know we can save lives and save families from the unending pain of loss by taking action, but we can't do it alone. Are you committed to helping prevent gun violence by joining us to demand change?

[✓] Yes, I'm all in — how can I help?
[  ] No — I'm not concerned about gun violence.

Brady is a grassroots organization dedicated to preventing gun violence and saving lives with common-sense bipartisan gun safety legislation — and our work has never been more important. Our teams are working directly with the Biden-Harris administration to take action on common-sense gun safety measures that will save lives.

We set a goal to raise $25,000 to honor shooting victims by fighting to ban assault weapons - but we're still falling short with just hours left until our midnight deadline.

Will you rush $5 to help Brady prevent gun violence and save lives?

[✓] Yes, I'll give $5!
[  ] Yes, I can give $36 (this is the average online Brady donation).
[  ] Yes, and I can give more!

And so, I made a one-time donation to Brady: United Against Gun Violence, because "two years ago tomorrow, a shooter used an assault weapon to kill seven people, wound dozens of others, and traumatize thousands during a July 4th parade in Highland Park, IL." That is why I answered the question "Should Congress ban military-style assault weapons?" with a resounding 'YES!' –Paul Whiting (written July 3rd, 2024 and revised August 14th, 2024)

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July 4th, 2024 Update No. 1, Which Also Discusses June 10th, 2024: Happy Independence Day, everyone!

I received a mailer from Wounded Warrior Project (WWP) twenty four days ago on June 10th, 2024, which stated the following:

[I used to hand-type the text of the documents from these types of mailers on my smartphone; however, it takes a lot of time and energy in order to hand-type these kinds of documents: so, instead, I scanned and copied the documents using Google Lens! Then, I edited the copy of said documents to include all of the italicizing, bolding and/or underscoring where applicable.]

WOUNDED WARRIOR PROJECT ★ 20 YEARS

Please display your free car magnet — on Independence Day and every day — to show your support for wounded warriors!

Dear Mr. Whiting,

I was honored to fight for my country for nearly 30 years.

I joined the U.S. Army a year after finishing high school, and I was proud to do everything I could to defend our nation.

But parts of my service didn't turn out quite like I expected. It's a story of pain, of all that I endured during my service and after.

But it's also a story of strength. I'm still fighting and I'm winning.

And one big reason I'm on a path of healing today is the support I've received from Wounded Warrior Project® (WWP) thanks to generous people like you. I truly appreciate your commitment!

And I want you to know this. After veterans like me return from our service in places like Iraq and Afghanistan, we are looking for a sign. A sign of hope.

We need to know our service is respected. We need to know our sacrifice has not been forgotten. Because that would be the most terrible injury of all.

And we really need to know there are grateful Americans out there, like you, who we can turn to for urgent help as we adjust to life with war injuries.

That's why I'm enclosing your free 2024 car magnet today. I'm hoping you'll display it proudly in the weeks leading up to Independence Day as a symbol of your respect for wounded warriors and your lasting commitment. For veterans like me, it's a sign of hope!

Please provide more of the critical help and hope that are needed now by, making your most generous Independence Day gift of $15, $18, or even $21 today. Thank you!

Be extra generous, if you can, to help address the urgent need for care that so many brave veterans are currently facing now. You can even sign and return the enclosed card, with your gift, to show your sincere appreciation to a wounded veteran!

I felt proud to be given the responsibility to serve my country, but I also experienced trauma while serving.

I fought bravely, trying to be a good soldier, bottling up my pain and emotions despite all the turmoil it was causing me.

But it got to be too much. It hit all at once in 2012 during my deployment in Afghanistan. The memories of the death and suffering I saw - all this stuff came crashing down. I couldn't take it anymore. I felt like I was in quicksand.

Finally, I was diagnosed with post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), severe depression, and anxiety. WWP was there for me. The sessions with my WWP Talk counselor gave me a glimmer of hope. I just had to keep holding onto the lifeline he had thrown to me.

Eventually, WWP got me out of the quicksand and to a place where I could go on with my life. Knowing that somebody had my back — that I was supported and somebody cared — that's why I'm still here.

And you're still here, too. You'll never stop honoring the women and men who have fought for our country and our freedom. Thank you!

Today, with Independence Day on the way, please show your patriotic spirit and compassion once again by displaying your car magnet and sending your gift to WWP.

Independence Day is a day to celebrate our freedom. But it's also a day to remember that freedom isn't free.

Every woman and man who has proudly worn the uniform of the U.S. military has sacrificed for it. We have a responsibility to serve our injured veterans!

It's truly one of the most important times to show your support for America's wounded warriors. I'd be so grateful if you'd give today. Thank you!

With gratitude,

[Name redacted]
Wounded Warrior

P.S. Independence Day is coming soon, and your new car magnet is the perfect way to show veterans and service members you honor their service — not just one day, but every day of the year! Today, please make your most generous donation to help more wounded warriors. When you do, be sure to sign and return the enclosed thank-you card for an injured veteran. Thank you for sending your gift!

"QR code message": Scan here to give: https://support.woundedwarriorproject.org

---------------------------------------------

★ MY INDEPENDENCE DAY GIFT TO HELP AMERICA'S HEROES ★

[✓] YES, I received my patriotic car magnet to honor our wounded heroes. To help more heroes regain their independence, I'm enclosing a special contribution of:

[  ] $15
[  ] $18 ← Can you spare this much?
[  ] $21
[  ] $24
[✓] My best gift of $7.00

To donate online, go to supportwwp.org/wwp:

https://support.woundedwarriorproject.org

[  ] My check is enclosed and made out to Wounded Warrior Project.
[  ] Please charge my credit card.
(Please complete form on reverse.)

Every gift makes a positive impact!
Your gift is tax deductible as allowed by law.

Mr. Paul Whiting
[Street Address and Apt. No. redacted]
[City, State and ZIP Code redacted]

Donor Care Center
[Address redacted]
[City, State and ZIP Code redacted]

And so, I made a one-time donation to Wounded Warrior Project (WWP) today, July 4th, 2024, in order to show my appreciation for the free 2024 car magnet! Plus, I signed "the enclosed thank-you card ... to show [my] sincere appreciation to a wounded veteran!" And I am planning to mail the thank-you card as soon as I get a chance to drop off the return envelope at my local post office. –Paul Whiting (written July 4th, 2024 and revised September 22nd, 2024)

P.S.: Just so you know, "I have changed the way that I make donations to political, progressive and charitable organizations each month ... due to the fact that I have been spending a considerable percentage of my monthly income on all of these donations." (The reader should know that I am HIV-positive with full-blown AIDS. And I am on Social Security Disability Insurance, or SSDI, so my income is quite limited.) Therefore, "I am reducing how much I donate for the regular mail requests that I receive (to which I choose to respond) to take action." Thus, I will still be responding to some of the regular mail requests that I receive (to which I choose to respond), which are requesting me to take action, but I am reducing the amount that I donate to organizations from which I receive mailers. (Please see my 'August 19th, 2023 Update,' which can be found above.)

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For my "July 4th, 2024 Update No. 2"—since this 'update' is a part of my ⋆USO⋆ donations—please see my blog post titled, "My Point Of View On...Giving Charity And Accepting Charity," which can be found on both of my "Paul Whiting — Math Magician" and "Paul Whiting — A Creative Writer" blogs. An introduction to the 'update' can be found below:

July 4th, 2024 Update No. 2: Happy Independence Day, everyone!

In celebration of Independence Day (which is usually more informally referred to as the 'Fourth of July'—or sometimes the '4th of July'—in the United States of America), I did a Google search for "4th of July USO" and found the following USO (United Service Organizations) search result regarding the 'Fourth of July':

United Service Organizations

Sign the Card: Thank Our Troops This Fourth of July

This Fourth of July, we're trying to show our brave military heroes how much we appreciate the sacrifices they make to protect our freedom. ...

And, after I read the search results above, I clicked on the hyperlink to the referenced webpage, the relevant text of which can be found below:

★★★USO★★★

75,000 signatures needed to hit our goal!

→→→→→→66,506

This Fourth of July, we're trying to show our brave military heroes how much we appreciate the sacrifices they make to protect our freedom. Sign the USO's Independence Day card now to thank our troops!

Happy Fourth of July! Thank you for everything you do to protect our freedom and keep us safe.

Sincerely,

First Name: Paul
Last Name: Whiting
Email: [redacted]

SIGN THE CARD

---------------------------------------------

Thanks for signing the card! Will you take a few minutes to complete a quick survey about supporting all of our nation's heroes?

From scorching deserts in Iraqi summers to frozen mountaintops in Afghan winters, our troops endure harsh conditions to keep folks like us safe. How important is it to you to support our service members deployed far from home?

[✓] Extremely important
[  ] Very important
[  ] Somewhat important
[  ] Not at all important

The USO gives our service members the support they need to keep their spirits up, from phone calls home to A-list entertainment. Do you think it's important to keep troops' morale high by letting them know patriotic Americans back home stand with them?

[✓] Yes
[  ] No

Hundreds of thousands of service members are currently deployed overseas, putting themselves in harm's way in dangerous combat zones like Iraq and Afghanistan. Have you or a family member or friend ever served in the military?

[✓] Yes
[  ] No

Our service members make incredible sacrifices to keep us safe, missing special moments like the first day of school or a baby's first steps while deployed far from home. How important do you think it is to help our troops stay connected to family back home during deployment?

[✓] Extremely important
[  ] Important
[  ] Somewhat important
[  ] Not at all important

A Navy lieutenant commander recently told us that USO Care Packages are a "constant reminder to those of us out 'in the sandbox' that we are not forgotten and folks back home actually care."

Now, as we work to deliver our brave service members a touch of home, we need to ask for your support.

It takes a lot of time, coordination and money to get our care packages to more than 175,000 service members who are away from their families, sacrificing so much defending our freedoms. The USO is not a government agency — we rely on the generosity and patriotism of citizens like you.

But right now, we're falling short of our goal, and time is running out. Will you donate today to help the USO keep our service members connected to the family, home and country they protect? We'll send you a free American- made T-shirt you can wear to show your support for our troops!

[  ] Yes, I'll donate $29 or more. Send me a T-shirt!
[✓] Yes, I'll donate but don't want a T-shirt!
[  ] No, I don't want to donate to support our service members today.

---------------------------------------------

Help Connect our Heroes to Home

It takes a lot of time, coordination and money to get our core packages and other essentials to more than 200,000 service members who are away from their families, sacrificing so much defending our freedoms.

Will you please donate by MIDNIGHT tonight to send a little bit of home to our service members and show them how thankful you are?

SUPPORT OUR TROOPS

[  ] $29
[  ] $49
[  ] $100
[  ] $250
[  ] $500
[  ] $1,000
[  ] $1,500
[✓] $14.00

And so, I signed the USO 4th of July card in order to "show our brave military heroes how much we appreciate the sacrifices they make to protect our freedom." Plus, after I signed the card, I made a one-time donation on the USO.org website to say to our troops, "Happy Fourth of July! Thank you for everything you do to protect our freedom and keep us safe." ...

Please see the hyperlinks below for the post, within which you can do a find-in-page search for the 'update' labeled, "July 4th, 2024 Update No. 2":

https://paulwhitingmath.blogspot.com/2015/05/my-point-of-view-on-charity.html

https://paulwhitingwriting.blogspot.com/2022/07/my-point-of-view-on-part-16-giving-to.html

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July 4th, 2024 Update No. 3: Happy Independence Day, everyone!

I received an email from Iraq and Afghanistan Veterans of America (IAVA) today, July 4th, 2024, with the subject line "This Independence Day: We deserve better", which stated the following:

Paul,

This is an important year in our nation’s history, and events over the last week have underscored what’s at stake.

This Independence Day, we at IAVA are recommitting to demanding more out of our leadership. To show us that they’re willing to put it all on the line for what we’re so lucky to have here in America, just like we did in Iraq and elsewhere post-9/11.

Can you help us fuel our fight to ensure our generation of veterans’ voices are heard and our leaders are held accountable?

We’re not just getting the backs of our fellow post-9/11 veterans this Independence Day, but the backs of our fellow Americans as well.

We all deserve better. America deserves better. And we’re willing to fight like hell again to get it.

Support our work as the leading voice of the post-9/11 generations of veterans. We can’t bring it on behalf of my generation of vets without your help.

Onward!

[Name redacted]
Iraq War Veteran
IAVA [Title redacted]

P.S. Veterans have paid their dues so IAVA membership is always free. However, we rely on voluntary donations from supporters like you. If you can, please chip in to support IAVA's ability to fight on behalf of the post-9/11 generation of veterans.

DONATE***

BIDEN VICTORY FUND

Dear Paul, Our freedoms are on the ballot this November. That's not an exaggeration. For all the threats Trump poses to our economy and to our standing in the world, the greatest threat he poses is to our democracy. Not only has Trump embraced the violence of January 6th, he's running on it.

And now he says if he loses again in November, there'll be a "bloodbath." There's no place for political violence in America. Ever. Period. And I won't stop working to defend and secure our democracy. I am fighting for the progress we've made over the last three years, and for an America that is more fair and more free for all. But I can't do that without your help.

Paul, that is why I am urgently asking for your support right now. Because we can't afford to lose this election. With each day, Trump doubles down on his extremism and threatens to break our democratic institutions in pursuit of personal power. Will you please give $25, $38, or even $50 today, so that we can ensure victory in November and save our country's democracy?

In 2016, Donald Trump ran for president promising to appoint Supreme Court justices who would overturn Roe v. Wade. Once he got into office, that's exactly what he did and he brags about it to this day. As a result, states are passing bans, criminalizing doctors, and forcing women to leave their home states to get care. And if given a chance, MAGA Republicans and Donald Trump will pass a national ban on the right to choose.

Trump and his MAGA allies want to take back the U.S. government for their own benefit, and they don't care if it comes at the expense of working families.

Let me remind you of Trump's last year in office. With the COVID pandemic raging, Trump lied to the American people about how dangerous the virus was, and just let it get worse. Later, he wanted to tear-gas peaceful protesters calling for social justice out in the streets near the White House, so he could have a photo op.

And then, after losing the 2020 election, we saw with our own eyes a violent mob storm the United States Capitol. For the first time in our history, insurrectionists had come to stop the peaceful transfer of power in America. All because Donald Trump's lies had brought the mob to Washington. Now, he calls the insurrectionists in prison "patriots" and plans to pardon them.

That's why we must never let him near the Oval Office again. We can't allow our country to be destroyed by a man more interested in power than principle.

With your support, together, we can finish the job we started. That's why I am humbly asking you to make a contribution today.

Together, we took on Big Pharma and won, giving Medicare the power to negotiate drug prices and cap the cost of insulin at just $35 a month for seniors. We created over 15 million new jobs, passed historic legislation to rebuild our nation's crumbling infrastructure, and passed the most significant gun safety legislation in decades.

These accomplishments are directly because of you and your support. And this is just the beginning:

• We're going to lower drug prices for everyone — everyone.

• We'll continue to build an economy that grows from the middle out and the bottom up.

• And I won't stop until we pass a ban on assault weapons.

We'll continue building a more fair and more free America — one where the economy is built from the middle out and the bottom up, not the top down. An America that restores Roe so that, once again, women have the freedom to make their own health care decisions. And an America that protects our most vulnerable, where everyone can live, work, and retire with the dignity owed to every single one of us.

We know who Donald Trump is, and we know what he stands for. He lies about the 2020 election and poses the gravest threat to our democracy since the Civil War. He praises dictators and weakens our global alliances, saying that he'd let leaders like Putin "do whatever the hell they want" with regard to invading our NATO allies.

Donald Trump's America is one of resentment, revenge, and retribution. But I see a very different future. I see a future where we defend democracy, not diminish it. I see a future where we defend our freedoms, not take them away, where the middle class has a fair shot and the wealthy pay their fair share; and where America remains the beacon of the world. Above all, I see a future for all Americans.

And that's a future we can build together. That's the reason I've never been so optimistic. We have to remember who we are. We're the United States of America. There is nothing beyond our capacity when we act together.

I do not need to tell you how close this election is going to be and how much of an impact you have. Your support could be what puts us over the top. Please give today, so that we can finish the job and continue building an America for us all.

Thank you.

Sincerely,

Joe Biden
President of the United States

P.S. Donald Trump is willing to sacrifice our democracy to put himself in power. But I believe in America. I believe in YOU, the American people. And I am asking you to join me in the fight for our future. The stakes of this election could not be higher. Please respond with your gift in the next 14 days to ensure we have the resources to fight the attack on our democracy.

---------------------------------------------

CAN I COUNT ON YOU TO HELP
DEFEND DEMOCRACY BEFORE IT'S TOO LATE?

[✓] Yes, Joe! I know that Donald Trump and MAGA extremists are an existential threat to our democracy, our freedoms, and our future. We need a Biden-Harris victory in November in order to see our country move forward. I am including my contribution of:

[  ] $25

[  ] $38

[  ] $50

[✓] Other $3.00

Please make your check payable to the Biden Victory Fund.

Or if you prefer to charge your contribution, please fill out the form on the reverse.

You can also contribute online by visiting www.democrats.org/SupportJune.

Paul Whiting
[Street Address and Apt. No. redacted]
[City, State and ZIP Code redacted]

BIDEN VICTORY FUND

And, after I read the letter above, I typed the web address to the referenced webpage in my browser, the relevant text of which can be found below:

Biden Victory Fund

Donate to reelect Joe Biden and Kamala Harris

Joe Biden and Kamala Marris are running for reelection.

It's going to take this full team at Joe and Kamala's backs to finish the job and deliver for Democrats, including four more years in the White House. Will you pitch in today to help Joe, Kamala, and Democrats nationwide?

Donate immediately:

Your contribution will benefit Biden Victory Fund.

[  ] Donate $2 →

[  ] Donate $50 →

[  ] Donate $100 →

[  ] Donate $250 →

[  ] Donate $1,000→

[  ] Donate $2,000→

[✓] Other $3.00

Please leave a tip for ActBlue

Power the nonprofit fundraising platform Democratic candidates & progressive causes rely on.

[  ] Add $2 tip

[  ] Leave no tip

[✓] Add custom amount $0.21 (7%)

So, I made a one-time donation to the Biden Victory Fund (with a tip to ActBlue) in order to confirm the reply memorandum statement: "Yes, Joe! I know that Donald Trump and MAGA extremists are an existential threat to our democracy, our freedoms, and our future. We need a Biden-Harris victory in November in order to see our country move forward." –Paul Whiting (July 4th, 2024)

P.S.: Just so you know, "I have changed the way that I make donations to political, progressive and charitable organizations each month ... due to the fact that I have been spending a considerable percentage of my monthly income on all of these donations." (The reader should know that I am HIV-positive with full-blown AIDS. And I am on Social Security Disability Insurance, or SSDI, so my income is quite limited.) Therefore, "I am reducing how much I donate for the regular mail requests that I receive (to which I choose to respond) to take action." Thus, I will still be responding to some of the regular mail requests that I receive (to which I choose to respond), which are requesting me to take action, but I am reducing the amount that I donate to organizations from which I receive mailers. (Please see my 'August 19th, 2023 Update,' which can be found above.)

In addition to that, starting on July 4th, 2024, I have decided—yet again—to adjust the amount that I donate per political organization again, so that I can donate to even more political organizations and PACs (Political Action Committees) while I am still staying within my 'monthly donating budget.'

Thus, for the rest of the 2024 election cycle—as well as for the foreseeable future—I have made a goal of donating $1.00 per local political campaign only here in Oregon (with a 7% tip to ActBlue of $0.07), or as determined by me on a case-by-case basis; and a goal of donating $2.00 per political organization for donation requests via email or text message (with a 7% tip to ActBlue of $0.14), or as determined by me on a case-by-case basis; as well as a goal of donating $3.00 per political organization, or per PAC, for donation requests via the regular mail (with a 7% tip to ActBlue of $0.21), or as determined by me on a case-by-case basis.

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July 4th, 2024 Update No. 5, Which Also Discusses July 3rd, 2024: Happy Independence Day, everyone!

[Blogger's Note: This 'update' that I am writing today, July 4th, 2024, is for donations that I made as part of my series of donations for the month of July to Democratic fundraising and coordinating political organizations—and to one campaign—regarding the national races for the House of Representatives (the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee), the Senate (the Democratic Senatorial Campaign Committee) and the President of the United States (the Democratic National Committee and Biden for President, or the Biden Victory Fund), as well as the state races for the Governors (the Democratic Governors Association), the Secretaries of State (the Democratic Association of Secretaries of State), the Attorneys General (the Democratic Attorneys General Association) and the State Legislatures (the Democratic Legislative Campaign Committee), during this seventh month of the year for the 2024 Presidential Election. In addition to that, I made a donation to my local Democratic fundraising and coordinating organization (Democratic Party of Oregon). Plus, I made donations to Political Action Committees (PACs) that are doing the following: helping to elect political candidates who are working to stop global warming (Jane Fonda Climate PAC); helping to elect candidates who are pro-choice women (EMILYs List); helping to elect candidates who are U.S. Veterans (VoteVets); helping young people to vote (Voters of Tomorrow PAC); and helping to elect gun safety champions in Congress (Ban Assault Weapons NOW PAC); as well as helping to mobilize Black voters (Rolling Sea Action Fund), in addition to helping to support pro public education officials and legislation nationwide (Educated We Stand). Besides that, I made a donation to a civic engagement organization that is helping to educate and empower a new generation of Latinx voters (Voto Latino), as well as a donation to a social welfare organization that is advancing equality at the ballot box across Indian Country (Four Directions Native Vote).]

I received a mailer from the Democratic National Committee (DNC) yesterday, July 3rd, 2024, which stated the following:

[I used to hand-type the text of the documents from these types of mailers on my smartphone; however, it takes a lot of time and energy in order to hand-type these kinds of documents: so, instead, I scanned and copied the documents using Google Lens! Then, I edited the copy of said documents to include all of the italicizing, bolding and/or underscoring where applicable.]

DEMOCRATIC NATIONAL COMMITTEE

Dear Paul,

On behalf of the Democratic National Committee, I would like to personally thank you for your monthly support as a DNC Grassroots Partner.

Your invaluable commitment to our Party as a sustaining donor bolsters our investments in on-the-ground organizing and state parties, expands voter protection, allows us to continue building out our data and technological infrastructure, and so much more.

As a token of our appreciation, we are enclosing a limited-edition commemorative button. I hope you wear it and proudly represent the Party that is fighting for a more just future for every American.

The DNC's work is essential to electing leaders who will defend democracy and serve the American people, and your monthly support is key to that work. You share in every victory and every step forward we take, because we could not do it without being able to depend on your regular contribution.

As a DNC Grassroots Partner, you're leading the way toward a brighter future for our country.

Thank you for all that you have done and all I know you will continue to do. I am so grateful for your generosity and steadfast commitment to the Democratic Party.

Warmly,

[Name redacted]

---------------------------------------------

Hi There -

I wanted to thank you for donating to help re-elect Kamala and me and finish!! the job. By giving a few bucks at a time, folks like you are powering my campaign. I wouldn't be here without your support. I really man it!!

Joe Biden

"QR code message": Scan for more information about your Grassroots Partner membership.

https://action.democrats.org/dnc-2024-summer-cultivation-gp

---------------------------------------------

WILL YOU STAND WITH THE DNC
IN FIGHTING FOR DEMOCRACY?

Yes! I know that our very freedoms are at stake in this election and that the DNC is fighting for them in every race, in every state. Enclosed is my contribution of:

[  ] $20

[  ] $30*

[  ] $40

[✓] Other $3.00

*A contribution of this amount would go even further to help elect Democrats!

Paul [Middle Initial] Whiting
[Street Address and Apt. No. redacted]
[City, State and ZIP Code redacted]

Please go to www.democrats.org/GiveGP24 to make an immediate online gift.

Please make your check payable to the DNC and return it with this form in the envelope provided to the Democratic National Committee, [address, city, state and ZIP code redacted].
To charge your donation, please see reverse. Please complete the information on the reverse as required by law.

And, after I read the letter above, I typed the web address to the referenced webpage in my browser, the relevant text of which can be found below:

Democrats

Donate to help elect Democrats up and down the ticket nationwide!

Your gift today will help the DNC fight for the Biden- Harris agenda, hold the GOP accountable, and elect more Democrats nationwide.

Donate a special one-time gift today to Invest in the resources our candidates are relying on to compete and win year after year.

Donate immediately:

Your contribution will benefit Democratic National Committee (DNC) - Direct Marketing.

[  ] Donate $35 →

[  ] Donate $50 →

[  ] Donate $75 →

[  ] Donate $100 →

[  ] Donate $200 →

[  ] Donate $250 →

[✓] Other amount $3.00

Please leave a tip for ActBlue

Power the nonprofit fundraising platform Democratic candidates & progressive causes rely on

[  ] Add $2 tip

[  ] Leave no tip

[✓] Add custom amount $0.21 (7%)

And so, I made a one-time donation to the DNC (with a tip to ActBlue) because "I know that our very freedoms are at stake in this election and that the DNC is fighting for them in every race, in every state." And I was also donating to show my appreciation for the limited-edition commemorative button! –Paul Whiting (July 4th, 2024)

P.S.: Just so you know, "I have changed the way that I make donations to political, progressive and charitable organizations each month ... due to the fact that I have been spending a considerable percentage of my monthly income on all of these donations." (The reader should know that I am HIV-positive with full-blown AIDS. And I am on Social Security Disability Insurance, or SSDI, so my income is quite limited.) Therefore, "I am reducing how much I donate for the regular mail requests that I receive (to which I choose to respond) to take action." Thus, I will still be responding to some of the regular mail requests that I receive (to which I choose to respond), which are requesting me to take action, but I am reducing the amount that I donate to organizations from which I receive mailers. (Please see my 'August 19th, 2023 Update,' which can be found above.)

In addition to that, starting on July 4th, 2024, I have decided—yet again—to adjust the amount that I donate per political organization again, so that I can donate to even more political organizations and PACs (Political Action Committees) while I am still staying within my 'monthly donating budget.'

Thus, for the rest of the 2024 election cycle—as well as for the foreseeable future—I have made a goal of donating $1.00 per local political campaign only here in Oregon (with a 7% tip to ActBlue of $0.07), or as determined by me on a case-by-case basis; and a goal of donating $2.00 per political organization for donation requests via email or text message (with a 7% tip to ActBlue of $0.14), or as determined by me on a case-by-case basis; as well as a goal of donating $3.00 per political organization, or per PAC, for donation requests via the regular mail (with a 7% tip to ActBlue of $0.21), or as determined by me on a case-by-case basis.

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July 4th, 2024 Update No. 6, Written From July 5th, 2024 To July 7th, 2024, Which Also Discusses July 1st, 2024, July 2nd, 2024, As Well As July 3rd, 2024: Happy Independence Day, everyone!

[Blogger's Note: This 'update' that I am writing from July 5th, 2024 to July 7th, 2024 is for donations that I made as part of my series of donations for the month of July to Democratic fundraising and coordinating political organizations—and to one campaign—regarding the national races for the House of Representatives (the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee), the Senate (the Democratic Senatorial Campaign Committee) and the President of the United States (the Democratic National Committee and Biden for President, or the Biden Victory Fund), as well as the state races for the Governors (the Democratic Governors Association), the Secretaries of State (the Democratic Association of Secretaries of State), the Attorneys General (the Democratic Attorneys General Association) and the State Legislatures (the Democratic Legislative Campaign Committee), during this seventh month of the year for the 2024 Presidential Election. In addition to that, I made a donation to my local Democratic fundraising and coordinating organization (Democratic Party of Oregon). Plus, I made donations to Political Action Committees (PACs) that are doing the following: helping to elect political candidates who are working to stop global warming (Jane Fonda Climate PAC); helping to elect candidates who are pro-choice women (EMILYs List); helping to elect candidates who are U.S. Veterans (VoteVets); helping young people to vote (Voters of Tomorrow PAC); and helping to elect gun safety champions in Congress (Ban Assault Weapons NOW PAC); as well as helping to mobilize Black voters (Rolling Sea Action Fund), in addition to helping to support pro public education officials and legislation nationwide (Educated We Stand). Besides that, I made a donation to a civic engagement organization that is helping to educate and empower a new generation of Latinx voters (Voto Latino), as well as a donation to a social welfare organization that is advancing equality at the ballot box across Indian Country (Four Directions Native Vote).]

I have combined every political campaign, or political organization, donation request per day (made via email or text message) into one 'update' for each day that I donate, so that I don't have to keep writing individual 'updates' for political campaign donations, or political organization donations!

You see, I used to write one 'update' for each of the individual campaign political donations, or political organization donations, that I made virtually every time that I made a political donation. And within each 'update' I included the text from each political campaign's, or political organization's, requesting email or text message, along with some of each campaign's, or organization's, donation page text on the ActBlue website, as well as how much I donated to each campaign, or organization, plus whether I included a tip to ActBlue and how much I tipped.

(By the way, I still write individual 'updates' for political campaign, or political organization, mailers that I receive through the regular mail, because they are usually more elaborate political donation requests, which is why I don't include them with these email or text message requests.)

Plus, the 2024 election cycle is in full gear and I have made a goal of donating only one $1.00 donation per local political campaign here in Oregon (more on that below), or $2.00 per political organization, for the rest of the election cycle! And that means after I make that one donation per campaign, or per organization—regardless of whether I donated in 2023, or 2024—I am only donating once per campaign, or per organization, or as determined by me on a case-by-case basis. And I am only donating once per PAC (Political Action Committee) for the entire election cycle, or as determined by me on a case-by-case basis, because that is all that I can really afford for the 2024 Presidential Election. (The reader should know that I am HIV-positive with full-blown AIDS. And I am on Social Security Disability Insurance, or SSDI, so my income is quite limited.) I hope that makes sense!

Besides that, as of March 21st, 2024, I am no longer donating to individual political campaigns for the foreseeable future (with the exception of local campaigns here in Oregon), or as determined by me on a case-by-case basis (please see my 'March 21st, 2024 Update No. 2,' which can be found above), as I have explained below:

...Alright, I have a big announcement to make: I am no longer donating to individual political campaigns for the foreseeable future—or as determined by me on a case-by-case basis!

And I have made this decision based upon how much these individual political campaign donations are costing in my 'monthly donating budget'—even though I am only donating $3.00 with a $0.21 tip to ActBlue—since I totally changed the way that I approach how I calculate what I am spending on my credit card each month, starting in 2024! So now, I take the total amount that I have available in my monthly budget for my minimum payment on my credit card—as well as my extra payment—and I calculate how much I am reducing that amount each time that I charge on my credit card.

That way, I am very aware of the amount by which I am reducing my total available credit card payments for the month (the minimum payment and the extra payment) in order to, hopefully, pay more on my credit card than I am spending! Plus, I am also utilizing some funds from my budgeted expenses, as well as some funds from my savings, to make sure that I am paying a little more than I am spending while—at the same time—I am also trying to spend less on my credit card.

Therefore, at the start of 2024, I calculated that I could still make ONE $3.00 donation per political campaign for the entire election cycle. And that means after I have made that one donation per campaign—regardless of whether I donated in 2023, or 2024—I have only donated once per campaign, which is what I have been doing so far!

However, it's still more than I can afford given my 'monthly donating budget,' which is why I have decided to stop donating to individual political campaigns entirely—or as determined by me on a case-by-case basis. And so, I will still be making some donations to individual political campaigns (such as to Joe Biden's campaign for President of the United States, or to local campaigns here in Oregon), but I am not donating like I have been up until this point—which has been virtually every time that I have received a political campaign donation request via email or text message—because I seriously cannot afford to donate that much for the rest of the 2024 Presidential Election cycle, as well as for the foreseeable future.

And to clarify one more thing: In the past, I used to only donate to the main Democratic fundraising and coordinating organizations—rather than to individual campaigns—since that's all I really could afford given my 'monthly spending budget,' because I am "low income." Plus, those Democratic fundraising and coordinating organizations help all of the individual political campaigns with funding, which is why I used to only donate to those main organizations! And I only started donating to individual political campaigns in 2022, since I was "doing everything in my power to help Democrats win in the 2022 Midterm Elections!" Therefore, this decision to stop donating to individual political campaigns (with the exception of presidential campaigns and local campaigns, or as determined by me on a case-by-case basis) is really just going back to the way that I used to make political donations.

In addition to that, starting on July 4th, 2024, I have decided—yet again—to adjust the amount that I donate per political organization again, so that I can donate to even more political organizations and PACs (Political Action Committees) while I am still staying within my 'monthly donating budget.' Below, please find a description of my previous adjustment—which started on June 16th, 2024—to explain how I have recently adjusted the amounts that I am contributing, since I am donating to more political organizations:

...The 2024 election cycle is in full gear and I have made a goal of donating only one $2.00 donation per local political campaign here in Oregon (more on that below), or $3.00 per political organization, for the rest of the election cycle! And that means after I make that one donation per campaign, or per organization—regardless of whether I donated in 2023, or 2024—I am only donating once per campaign, or per organization, or as determined by me on a case-by-case basis. And I am only donating once per PAC (Political Action Committee) for the entire election cycle, or as determined by me on a case-by-case basis, because that is all that I can really afford for the 2024 Presidential Election. (The reader should know that I am HIV-positive with full-blown AIDS. And I am on Social Security Disability Insurance, or SSDI, so my income is quite limited.) I hope that makes sense! ...

... In addition to that, starting on June 16th, 2024, I have decided to adjust the amount that I donate per political organization again, so that I can donate to more political organizations and PACs (Political Action Committees) while I am still staying within my 'monthly donating budget.' Below, please find a description of my previous adjustment—which started on May 12th, 2024—to explain how I have recently adjusted the amounts that I am contributing, since I am donating to more political organizations:

...The 2024 election cycle is in full gear and I have made a goal of donating only one $3.00 donation per local political campaign here in Oregon (more on that below), or $4.00 per political organization, for the rest of the election cycle! And that means after I make that one donation per campaign, or per organization—regardless of whether I donated in 2023, or 2024—I am only donating once per campaign, or per organization, or as determined by me on a case-by-case basis. And I am only donating once per PAC (Political Action Committee) for the entire election cycle, or as determined by me on a case-by-case basis, because that is all that I can really afford for the 2024 Presidential Election. (The reader should know that I am HIV-positive with full-blown AIDS. And I am on Social Security Disability Insurance, or SSDI, so my income is quite limited.) I hope that makes sense! ...

... In addition to that, I used to donate "$5.00 per political organization"; however, starting on May 12th, 2024, I decided to adjust that amount, so that I can donate to more political organizations and PACs (Political Action Committees) while I am still staying within my 'monthly donating budget.'

Thus, as I partially explained above, for the rest of the 2024 election cycle—as well as for the foreseeable future—I have made a goal of donating $3.00 per local political campaign only here in Oregon (with a 7% tip to ActBlue of $0.21), or as determined by me on a case-by-case basis; and a goal of donating $4.00 per political organization for donation requests via email or text message (with a 7% tip to ActBlue of $0.28), or as determined by me on a case-by-case basis; as well as a goal of donating $5.00 per political organization, or per PAC, for donation requests via the regular mail (with a 7% tip to ActBlue of $0.35), or as determined by me on a case-by-case basis.

To sum it up, then: I am essentially keeping the same total individual campaign donation amount of $3.21, but I am only donating to local campaigns here in Oregon, or as determined by me on a case-by-case basis; and I am reducing the total donation amount for political organizations and PACs for email and text message donation requests to $4.28 (from $5.35), or as determined by me on a case-by-case basis; plus, I am reducing the total donation amount for political organizations and PACs for regular mail donation requests to $5.35 (from $7.51), or as determined by me on a case-by-case basis.

Therefore, I recently used to donate "$4.00 per political organization"; however, I have decided to adjust that amount again, so that I can donate to more political organizations and PACs (Political Action Committees) while I am still staying within my 'monthly donating budget,' since I am now donating to more organizations as the 2024 Presidential Election cycle continues.

Thus, as I partially explained above, for the rest of the 2024 election cycle—as well as for the foreseeable future—I have made a goal of donating $2.00 per local political campaign only here in Oregon (with a 7% tip to ActBlue of $0.14), or as determined by me on a case-by-case basis; and a goal of donating $3.00 per political organization for donation requests via email or text message (with a 7% tip to ActBlue of $0.21), or as determined by me on a case-by-case basis; as well as a goal of donating $4.00 per political organization, or per PAC, for donation requests via the regular mail (with a 7% tip to ActBlue of $0.28), or as determined by me on a case-by-case basis.

To sum it up, then: I am reducing the total individual campaign donation amount to $2.14 (from $3.21) and I am still only donating to local campaigns here in Oregon, or as determined by me on a case-by-case basis; and I am reducing the total donation amount for political organizations and PACs for email and text message donation requests to $3.21 (from $4.28), or as determined by me on a case-by-case basis; plus, I am reducing the total donation amount for political organizations and PACs for regular mail donation requests to $4.28 (from $5.35), or as determined by me on a case-by-case basis.

Therefore, I recently used to donate "$3.00 per political organization"; however, I have decided to adjust that amount yet again, so that I can donate to more political organizations and PACs (Political Action Committees) while I am still staying within my 'monthly donating budget,' since I am now donating to more organizations as the 2024 Presidential Election cycle continues.

Thus, as I partially explained above, for the rest of the 2024 election cycle—as well as for the foreseeable future—I have made a goal of donating $1.00 per local political campaign only here in Oregon (with a 7% tip to ActBlue of $0.07), or as determined by me on a case-by-case basis; and a goal of donating $2.00 per political organization for donation requests via email or text message (with a 7% tip to ActBlue of $0.14), or as determined by me on a case-by-case basis; as well as a goal of donating $3.00 per political organization, or per PAC, for donation requests via the regular mail (with a 7% tip to ActBlue of $0.21), or as determined by me on a case-by-case basis.

To sum it up, then: I am reducing the total individual campaign donation amount to $1.07 (from $2.14) and I am still only donating to local campaigns here in Oregon, or as determined by me on a case-by-case basis; and I am reducing the total donation amount for political organizations and PACs for email and text message donation requests to $2.14 (from $3.21), or as determined by me on a case-by-case basis; plus, I am reducing the total donation amount for political organizations and PACs for regular mail donation requests to $3.21 (from $4.28), or as determined by me on a case-by-case basis.

So, without further ado...

The first political communication to which I responded on July 4th, 2024, was an email from the Democratic Legislative Campaign Committee (DLCC) that I received on July 1st, 2024, with the subject line, "re: SCOTUS, which stated the following:

ELECT STATE DEMS
A project of the DLCC

BREAKING: SCOTUS grants Trump immunity

The Supreme Court just ruled that Trump will be granted immunity for some official acts and a presumption of immunity for other official acts which, means he may avoid accountability for attempting to overturn the 2020 election.

Republicans will see this ruling as a win, and they’ll rush to flood Trump and his allies’ campaigns with hundreds of millions of dollars in donations.

If we want to stay competitive and win this November, we need Democrats to counteract the surge of GOP donations. Your donation will help elect state Dems and protect our democracy. Can we count on you?

If you've stored your payment information with ActBlue Express, your donation will process immediately.

[  ] Chip in $50 now »
[  ] Chip in $100 now »
[  ] Chip in $250 now »
[  ] Chip in $1000 now »
[✓] Chip in another amount »***

Here’s the bottom line: Even though Trump was granted immunity, we cannot stop or slow the fight to safeguard fair elections and protect our democracy. Especially not with hundreds of Trump allies on the ballot who pose a risk to our country.

When Trump was convicted of 34 felony criminal charges, his supporters didn’t waver – they rallied. They were emboldened by his illegal behavior. Republican donors have doubled down to throw even more money, time, and support behind Trump and his allies.

Will you rush an urgent gift of $50 or more to help block Republicans' extreme anti-democratic agenda as it gains momentum in states nationwide?

The fight is far from over,

Team DLCC

DLCC
DEMOCRATIC LEGISLATIVE CAMPAIGN COMMITTEE

Join the fight! Chip in today.

🗳️Elect state Dems in critical special elections
💰Fund our strategic investments in 2024, 2025, and beyond
❌Counter Republican extremism in the states

Can you chip in today?

Donate immediately:

Your contribution will benefit DLCC PAC.

[  ] Donate $10 →

[  ] Donate $25 →

[  ] Donate $50 →

[  ] Donate $100 →

[  ] Donate $250 →

[  ] Donate $500 →

[  ] Donate $1,000→

[✓] Other amount $2.00

Please leave a tip for ActBlue

Power the nonprofit fundraising platform Democratic candidates & progressive causes rely on.

[  ] Add $2 tip

[  ] Leave no tip

[✓] Add custom amount $0.14 (7%)

And so, I made a one-time donation to the DLCC (with a tip to ActBlue) on July 4th, 2024, since "the Supreme Court just ruled that Trump will be granted immunity for some official acts and a presumption of immunity for other official acts which, means he may avoid accountability for attempting to overturn the 2020 election." That is why I contributed, because "even though Trump was granted immunity, we cannot stop or slow the fight to safeguard fair elections and protect our democracy."

---------------------------------------------

The second political communication to which I responded on July 4th, 2024, was a text message that I received on July 1st, 2024, from the Democratic Senatorial Campaign Committee (DSCC), which stated the following:

BREAKING NEWS, Paul: 𝗧𝗵𝗲 𝗦𝘂𝗽𝗿𝗲𝗺𝗲 𝗖𝗼𝘂𝗿𝘁 𝗷𝘂𝘀𝘁 𝗴𝗿𝗮𝗻𝘁𝗲𝗱 𝗗𝗼𝗻𝗮𝗹𝗱 𝗧𝗿𝘂𝗺𝗽 𝗽𝗮𝗿𝘁𝗶𝗮𝗹 𝙄𝙈𝙈𝙐𝙉𝙄𝙏𝙔!

Ever since the Court heard oral arguments, legal experts have warned this day could come -- thanks largely to the ultra-MAGA justices 𝘛𝘳𝘶𝘮𝘱 𝘩𝘪𝘮𝘴𝘦𝘭𝘧 𝘢𝘱𝘱𝘰𝘪𝘯𝘵𝘦𝘥.

𝗡𝗼𝘄 𝘁𝗵𝗮𝘁 𝗼𝘂𝗿 𝗵𝗶𝗴𝗵𝗲𝘀𝘁 𝗰𝗼𝘂𝗿𝘁 𝗵𝗮𝘀 𝗯𝗲𝗻𝘁 𝘁𝗼 𝗧𝗿𝘂𝗺𝗽'𝘀 𝘄𝗶𝗹𝗹, 𝗶𝘁'𝘀 𝙢𝙤𝙧𝙚 𝙞𝙢𝙥𝙤𝙧𝙩𝙖𝙣𝙩 𝙩𝙝𝙖𝙣 𝙚𝙫𝙚𝙧 𝘁𝗵𝗮𝘁 𝘄𝗲 𝗵𝗼𝗹𝗱 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗚𝗢𝗣 𝗮𝗰𝗰𝗼𝘂𝗻𝘁𝗮𝗯𝗹𝗲.

A group of generous donors has agreed to TRIPLE every gift made from now until midnight to fight back and DEFEAT Republican Senate candidates, 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘸𝘦 𝘯𝘦𝘦𝘥 𝘵𝘰 𝘮𝘢𝘬𝘦 𝘦𝘷𝘦𝘳𝘺 𝘱𝘦𝘯𝘯𝘺 𝘤𝘰𝘶𝘯𝘵. Please, Paul, 𝗿𝘂𝘀𝗵 $𝟯𝟬 (𝗯𝗲𝗰𝗼𝗺𝗲𝘀 $𝟭𝟮𝟬!) 𝗥𝗜𝗚𝗛𝗧 𝗡𝗢𝗪 >>***

- DSCC

DSCC

Triple-Match Activated! MAXIMIZE your impact to help SUPERCHARGE our Senate majority!

CNN says multiple GOP seats could flip blue this year — but with Mitch McConnell's megadonors already playing offense, it's going to take all hands on deck to win!

Please, will you chip in now to protect our historic progress by supercharging our Democratic majority? Your donation will be TRIPLE-MATCHED!

Donate immediately:

Your contribution will benefit DSCC.

[✓] Donate $2 →

[  ] Donate $25 →

[  ] Donate $50 →

[  ] Donate $100 →

[  ] Donate $250 →

[  ] Other amount

Please leave us a tip

ActBlue is a nonprofit fundraising platform that thousands of Democrats and millions of grassroots donors are counting on to help them power change in their communities. Will you chip in with a $2 tip?

[  ] Add $2 tip

[  ] Leave no tip

[✓] Add custom amount $0.14 (7%)

And so, I made a one-time donation to the DSCC (with a tip to ActBlue) on July 4th, 2024, since "𝗧𝗵𝗲 𝗦𝘂𝗽𝗿𝗲𝗺𝗲 𝗖𝗼𝘂𝗿𝘁 𝗷𝘂𝘀𝘁 𝗴𝗿𝗮𝗻𝘁𝗲𝗱 𝗗𝗼𝗻𝗮𝗹𝗱 𝗧𝗿𝘂𝗺𝗽 𝗽𝗮𝗿𝘁𝗶𝗮𝗹 𝙄𝙈𝙈𝙐𝙉𝙄𝙏𝙔!" That is why I contributed, because "𝗻𝗼𝘄 𝘁𝗵𝗮𝘁 𝗼𝘂𝗿 𝗵𝗶𝗴𝗵𝗲𝘀𝘁 𝗰𝗼𝘂𝗿𝘁 𝗵𝗮𝘀 𝗯𝗲𝗻𝘁 𝘁𝗼 𝗧𝗿𝘂𝗺𝗽'𝘀 𝘄𝗶𝗹𝗹, 𝗶𝘁'𝘀 𝙢𝙤𝙧𝙚 𝙞𝙢𝙥𝙤𝙧𝙩𝙖𝙣𝙩 𝙩𝙝𝙖𝙣 𝙚𝙫𝙚𝙧 𝘁𝗵𝗮𝘁 𝘄𝗲 𝗵𝗼𝗹𝗱 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗚𝗢𝗣 𝗮𝗰𝗰𝗼𝘂𝗻𝘁𝗮𝗯𝗹𝗲."

---------------------------------------------

The third political communication to which I responded on July 4th, 2024, was an email from VoteVets that I received on July 1st, 2024, with the subject line, "Absolute Immunity", which stated the following:

VoteVets

A few months ago, an appeals court judge asked Trump’s lawyer whether Trump could order SEAL Team 6 to assassinate a political rival and get away with it.

Today, the Supreme Court of the United States issued an opinion that gave Trump absolute immunity from criminal prosecution for official acts.

It paves the way for dictatorship, and every horror that comes along with one.

This Supreme Court, from repealing Roe v. Wade, to last week’s Chevron decision, to today, has fundamentally altered the federal government in a way we have not seen in generations. They have paved the way for Trump to implement Project 2025.

The stakes could not be higher. If Trump retakes the White House he will become dictator for life. It will be the end of our democracy as we know it.

RUSH A DONATION TO VOTEVETS SO WE CAN FIGHT BACK***

If you've stored your info with ActBlue, we'll process your contribution instantly:

[  ] RUSH $10 NOW
[  ] RUSH $25 NOW
[  ] RUSH $50 NOW
[  ] RUSH $100 NOW
[  ] RUSH $250 NOW
[✓] ANOTHER AMOUNT***

There is no exaggerating now.

We are in the fight of our lives, and we need your support.

Thank you,

The team at VoteVets

VoteVets

Chip in to support VoteVets today >>

We're the largest progressive organization fighting for the rights and lives of Veterans and Military families and we're honored to have you on the team.

Our voices matter. This is important. Pitch in today.

Donate immediately:

Your contribution will benefit VoteVets PAC.

[  ] Donate $1,000 →

[  ] Donate $500 →

[  ] Donate $250 →

[  ] Donate $100 →

[  ] Donate $50 →

[  ] Donate $25 →

[  ] Donate $5 →

[✓] Other amount $2.00

Please leave a tip for ActBlue

Power the nonprofit fundraising platform Democratic candidates & progressive causes rely on.

[  ] Add $2 tip

[  ] Leave no tip

[✓] Add custom amount $0.14 (7%)

And so, I made a one-time donation to VoteVets (with a tip to ActBlue) on July 4th, 2024, since, "the Supreme Court of the United States issued an opinion that gave Trump absolute immunity from criminal prosecution for official acts." That is why I contributed, because "if Trump retakes the White House he will become dictator for life [and] it will be the end of our democracy as we know it."

---------------------------------------------

The fourth political communication to which I responded on July 4th, 2024, was a text message that I received on July 2nd, 2024, from the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee (DCCC), which stated the following:

🚨𝙐𝙍𝙂𝙀𝙉𝙏 𝙎𝙐𝙋𝙍𝙀𝙈𝙀 𝘾𝙊𝙐𝙍𝙏 𝘼𝙇𝙀𝙍𝙏🚨

Democratic Leaders are sounding the alarm!

Sonia Sotomayor: "𝘞𝘪𝘵𝘩 𝘧𝘦𝘢𝘳 𝘧𝘰𝘳 𝘰𝘶𝘳 𝘥𝘦𝘮𝘰𝘤𝘳𝘢𝘤𝘺, 𝘐 𝘥𝘪𝘴𝘴𝘦𝘯𝘵."

Hakeem Jeffries: "𝘛𝘩𝘦 𝘚𝘶𝘱𝘳𝘦𝘮𝘦 𝘊𝘰𝘶𝘳𝘵 𝘮𝘢𝘫𝘰𝘳𝘪𝘵𝘺 𝘩𝘢𝘴 𝘴𝘩𝘳𝘦𝘥𝘥𝘦𝘥 𝘸𝘩𝘢𝘵𝘦𝘷𝘦𝘳 𝘴𝘤𝘪𝘯𝘵𝘪𝘭𝘭𝘢 𝘰𝘧 𝘤𝘳𝘦𝘥𝘪𝘣𝘪𝘭𝘪𝘵𝘺 𝘪𝘵 𝘩𝘢𝘥 𝘭𝘦𝘧𝘵."

Joe Biden: "𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘈𝘮𝘦𝘳𝘪𝘤𝘢𝘯 𝘱𝘦𝘰𝘱𝘭𝘦 𝘮𝘶𝘴𝘵 𝘥𝘦𝘤𝘪𝘥𝘦 𝘪𝘧 𝘵𝘩𝘦𝘺 𝘸𝘢𝘯𝘵 𝘵𝘰 𝘦𝘯𝘵𝘳𝘶𝘴𝘵 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘱𝘳𝘦𝘴𝘪𝘥𝘦𝘯𝘤𝘺 𝘵𝘰 𝘋𝘰𝘯𝘢𝘭𝘥 𝘛𝘳𝘶𝘮𝘱."

Paul, we need 5,000 grassroots supporters to stand with these leaders and add their name to our petition demanding Trump be held accountable. Will you sign on right now?

𝙀𝙈𝙀𝙍𝙂𝙀𝙉𝘾𝙔 𝙏𝙍𝙐𝙈𝙋 𝘼𝘾𝘾𝙊𝙐𝙉𝙏𝘼𝘽𝙄𝙇𝙄𝙏𝙔 𝙋𝙀𝙏𝙄𝙏𝙄𝙊𝙉 >>***

– DCCC Action Team

And, after I read the text message above, I clicked on the hyperlink to the referenced webpage, the relevant text of which can be found below:

DCCC

Trump Accountability Petition

Thank you for signing on to our petition. While we process your electronic signature, please take a moment to answer a few brief questions for our House Democrats Research Team.

Do you agree with the Supreme Court's recent ruling that grants Donald Trump immunity?

[  ] Yes.
[✓] No!

SUBMIT

As of the recent conclusion of this term, do you approve of the Supreme Court?

[  ] Yes.
[✓] No!

Donald Trump has been impeached twice, convicted of multiple felonies, and faces 54 total felony counts including counts for his attempts to overturn the 2020 election.

How concerned are you about the GOP's unwavering loyalty to Donald Trump?

[✓] Extremely concerned.
[  ] Very concerned.
[  ] Somewhat concerned.
[  ] Not at all concerned.

How important is it to you that Donald Trump is never allowed to retake power, especially now that the Supreme Court has greatly expanded the authority of the Presidency?

[✓] Extremely important.
[  ] Very important.
[  ] Somewhat important.
[  ] Not at all important.

The Extreme MAGA Majority in the House is laying the groundwork for another Trump Presidency. They are raising money nonstop to hang on to their fragile Majority and thwart our efforts to hold Donald Trump accountable.

Do you believe it is important to take back the House in 2024 to ensure Trump is held accountable?

[✓] Yes!
[  ] No.

** URGENT UPDATE **

MAGA Republicans have raised over $134 MILLION from shady megadonors and are prepared to unload this war chest to blanket the airwaves with lies.

Even worse, we're lagging behind our monthly fundraising goal. Missing this goal could be the difference between a Democratic Majority that delivers For The People, and another two years of Republican-led chaos.

So, as a top Democratic supporter, we have to ask: Will you rush in $15 to the DCCC right now to help us take back the Majority and flip the House blue?

[  ] YES! I CAN PITCH IN $15 TO ELECT DEMOCRATS >>
[  ] YES! I CAN PITCH IN $24.35 TO ELECT DEMOCRATS >> (THIS IS WHAT MOST DEMOCRATS ARE GIVING THIS YEAR!)
[  ] YES! I CAN PITCH IN $35 TO ELECT DEMOCRATS >>
[  ] YES! I CAN PITCH IN $50 TO ELECT DEMOCRATS >>
[✓] YES! I CAN PITCH IN ANOTHER AMOUNT TO ELECT DEMOCRATS >>

---------------------------------------------

[DCCC logo] DEMOCRATS 2024

Rush a donation right now to DEFEAT MAGA Extremism and RESTORE our House Majority!

Here's the situation: Democrats need to flip just FOUR seats to take back the House Majority — and experts agree the race for House control is a COMPLETE TOSS-UP!

But, Extreme MAGA Republicans and their deep-pocketed megadonors are preparing to spend MILLIONS to defeat our grassroots movement.

Please, we're counting on you, rush a gift right now to help flip the House Blue and send Republicans a STUNNING defeat! >>

Donate immediately:

Your contribution will benefit the DCCC.

[✓] Donate $2 →

[  ] Donate $25 →

[  ] Donate $50 →

[  ] Donate $100 →

[  ] Donate $250 →

[  ] Donate $500 →

[  ] Donate $1,000 →

[  ] Other amount

Please leave a tip for ActBlue

Power the nonprofit fundraising platform Democratic candidates & progressive causes rely on.

[  ] Add $2 tip

[  ] Leave no tip

[✓] Add custom amount $0.14 (7%)

And so, I made a one-time donation to the DCCC (without a tip to ActBlue) on July 4th, 2024, in order to respond to the "𝙐𝙍𝙂𝙀𝙉𝙏 𝙎𝙐𝙋𝙍𝙀𝙈𝙀 𝘾𝙊𝙐𝙍𝙏 𝘼𝙇𝙀𝙍𝙏" by signing the "𝙀𝙈𝙀𝙍𝙂𝙀𝙉𝘾𝙔 𝙏𝙍𝙐𝙈𝙋 𝘼𝘾𝘾𝙊𝙐𝙉𝙏𝘼𝘽𝙄𝙇𝙄𝙏𝙔 𝙋𝙀𝙏𝙄𝙏𝙄𝙊𝙉" demanding Trump be held accountable.

---------------------------------------------

The fifth political communication to which I responded on July 4th, 2024, was an email from Educated We Stand (or, 'Educated. We Stand') that I received on July 2nd, 2024, with the subject line, "Introducing: Educated. We Stand", which stated the following:

Hi folks, my name is [redacted].

Right now, we’re in a battle for the soul of our schools. And that battle is just beginning.

That’s why I helped create Educated. We Stand – a new political advocacy organization dedicated to defeating the extremists like Moms for Liberty and Ron DeSantis who seek to oppress our youth, ban books, and destroy American education as we know it.

If you’re ready to join the fight against right-wing extremists zeroing in on our public schools and our children, watch our launch video and be one of our Founding Donors to protect our schools. A donation of $5, $25, or $50 helps us build the foundation to support candidates across the country who will put an end to this extremist agenda.

[Blogger's Note: I watched the launch video mentioned above which is titled, "Educated. We Stand" on YouTube.]

2024 is the first step, but we want to build a movement that will eventually be able to support dozens, if not hundreds, of candidates for School Board well into the future.

In 2020, I defeated [name redacted], the [title redacted] of the far-right group Moms for Liberty, for a seat on the Brevard County School Board. I am fighting for the protection of public education in this country and the rights of teachers to freely educate our children without fear of reprisal or public assault by DeSantis, Moms for Liberty, or anyone else.

Check out our launch video and jump into the fight to protect our schools and our children from right-wing extremism.

Thank you so much,
[Name redacted]

DONATE***

EDUCATED. WE STAND

Donate to Educated We Stand

In recent years, communities across the US have witnessed a surge in organized and well-funded efforts meant to disrupt and dismantle public education systems through legislative reform and regulating curriculums with far-right ideological beliefs.

If the movement continues to grow without an effective, organized, and funded counterbalance — we risk a widespread indoctrination of young people, promoting ideologies that threaten American Democracy and the American way of life.

EDUCATED WE STAND will serve as a national, non-partisan, grassroots organization dedicated to safeguarding the integrity of public education. Its mission is to fight the influence of far-right extremists and ensure that our educational systems remain spaces for unbiased, evidence-based learning that fosters critical thinking and prepares students to be engaged, informed citizens. Will you pitch in today to EDUCATED WE STAND and help support pro public education officials and legislation nationwide?

Donate immediately:

Your contribution will benefit Educated We Stand - IE [Independent Expenditure].

[  ] Donate $25 →

[  ] Donate $100 →

[  ] Donate $250 →

[  ] Donate $500 →

[  ] Donate $1,000 →

[  ] Donate $5,000 →

[  ] Donate $10,000 →

[✓] Other amount $2.00

Please leave a tip for ActBlue

Power the nonprofit fundraising platform Democratic candidates & progressive causes rely on.

[  ] Add $2 tip

[  ] Leave no tip

[✓] Add custom amount $0.14 (7%)

And so, I made a one-time donation to Educated We Stand (or, 'Educated. We Stand') (with a tip to ActBlue) on July 4th, 2024, because "in recent years, communities across the US have witnessed a surge in organized and well-funded efforts meant to disrupt and dismantle public education systems through legislative reform and regulating curriculums with far-right ideological beliefs." That is why I contributed to "Educated. We Stand – a new political advocacy organization dedicated to defeating the extremists like Moms for Liberty and Ron DeSantis who seek to oppress our youth, ban books, and destroy American education as we know it."

---------------------------------------------

The sixth political communication to which I responded on July 4th, 2024, was an email from the Biden for President campaign that I received on July 3rd, 2024, with the subject line, "This team must hold Donald Trump accountable.", which stated the following:

Biden-Harris 2024

Donald Trump is celebrating the Supreme Court ruling on presidential immunity as a “BIG WIN.” Take a look, Paul:

Image of Trump email, which states:

TRUMP
MAKE AMERICA GREAT AGAIN!
2024

BREAKING FROM TRUMP: Supreme Court gives TOTAL IMMUNITY for official acts!

BREAKING

TRUMP ALERT

Official acts cannot be illegally prosecuted - BIG WIN FOR DEMOCRACY & OUR CONSTITUTION!

It goes without saying that this ruling is not a win for our democracy or for our Constitution. One of the dissenting opinions even states that this decision means that if the president “[o]rders the Navy’s Seal Team 6 to assassinate a political rival” they will now be “Immune.”

Immune, Paul.

With this decision, Donald Trump now knows that not even the courts will hold him back as he goes on his unhinged pursuit of power and campaign for revenge and retribution.

If you want to stop Trump and send him back to Mar-a-Lago once and for all, will you pitch in $25 to help defeat him again? Every dollar we raise today will help reach the millions of undecided voters who we need to turn out in November.

If you've saved payment information with ActBlue Express, your donation will go through immediately:

[  ] $25 >>
[  ] $50 >>
[  ] $75 >>
[  ] $100 >>
[  ] $125 >>
[✓] Other >>***

The stakes of this race were incredibly high before this unprecedented decision, but now they are even higher.

The Donald Trump running for office right now is not the same one that we ran against in 2020. He is scarier. He is more unhinged. He is more dangerous. And, potentially worst of all, he has nothing to lose.

This team must hold Trump accountable. Our democracy and ALL of our fundamental rights hang in the balance. Whether it's $25 or another amount, we need you to rush what you can to help Joe Biden beat convicted felon Donald Trump.

Thank you for answering the call,

Biden HQ

"My dad used to have an expression -- 'It's the lucky person who gets up in the morning, puts both feet on the floor, knows what they are about to do, and thinks it still matters.' Your support matters. Your donation matters." -- Joe Biden

We must stop Donald Trump.

Trump and his MAGA extremist allies pose an existential threat to the future of our democracy and our nation.

We're counting on this team to invest in the necessary resources to stop him. Donate now.

Donate immediately:

Your contribution will benefit Joe Biden.

[  ] Donate $2 →

[  ] Donate $50 →

[  ] Donate $75 →

[  ] Donate $100 →

[  ] Donate $125 →

[✓] Other amount $2.00

Please leave a tip for ActBlue

Power the nonprofit fundraising platform Democratic candidates & progressive causes rely on.

[  ] Add $2 tip

[  ] Leave no tip

[✓] Add custom amount $0.14 (7%)

And so, I made a one-time donation to the Biden for President campaign (with a tip to ActBlue) on July 4th, 2024, due to the following reasons: "The Donald Trump running for office right now is not the same one that [the Biden for President campaign] ran against in 2020. He is scarier. He is more unhinged. He is more dangerous. And, potentially worst of all, he has nothing to lose." That is why I contributed, because "this team must hold Trump accountable," since "our democracy and ALL of our fundamental rights hang in the balance."

---------------------------------------------

The seventh political communication to which I responded on July 4th, 2024, was an email from Voto Latino that I received on July 3rd, 2024, with the subject line, "Trump's First 180 Days", which stated the following:

____________________________________________

USA TODAY

Project 2025 head says 'second American Revolution' will be 'bloodless if the left allows'

By Rachel Barber USA TODAY

https://www.usatoday.com/story/news/politics/elections/2024/07/03/project-2025-kevin-roberts-scotus-immunity-ruling/74289539007

____________________________________________

Paul,

This headline is chilling, infuriating, arrogant… we could go on. But this is the reality we could face if we allow Trump back in the White House.

If you’re unfamiliar with Project 2025, it's a 920-page document that contains a playbook for the first 180 days of Trump’s term. It includes policy proposals and executive initiatives to carry out an ultra-conservative agenda: mass deportations, tax cuts for the wealthy, a national abortion ban, opposition to same sex marriage, and a litany of other dangerous ideas.

____________________________________________

Incomplete list of proposals and initiatives laid out in Project 2025:

• Build camps to detain immigrants
• End “birthright citizenship”
• Eliminate the Department of Education
• Dismantle the EPA's renewable energy programs
• Reduce scope of Medicare, Medicaid and Social Security.
• Target journalists for prosecution

____________________________________________

It’s no secret that this presidential election will be decided by a small margin. If you’ve been on our email list for a while, you already know where we’re going with this. There are over 4 million young Latinos who will become eligible to vote before the November election. If we get these young progressive voters to turn out, we can make sure Project 2025 is never enacted.

We are working in states across the country to register and mobilize these young progressive voters ahead of November.

Our work is powered by grassroots supporters like you. If you’d like to support our mission and stop Trump, please consider a $24 donation >>***

— Voto Latino

VOTOLATINO
It's your country. Represent!

LATINO VOTERS WILL BLOCK PROJECT 2025

____________________________________________

USA TODAY

Project 2025 head says 'second American Revolution' will be 'bloodless if the left allows'

By Rachel Barber USA TODAY

____________________________________________

Over 4 million young Latino voters will become eligible to vote by November 2024. If they cast a ballot against Trump, they can stop Project 2025 from becoming our reality.

We've done our math:

[✓] Four million newly eligible young Latino voters by 2024.

[✓] $18 to register one voter.

[✓] $6 to mobilize one voter to the polls.

Through innovative digital campaigns, Voto Latino's goal is to register and turn out all young Latinos to participate in our democracy. The average cost to register and mobilize one new voter is $24.

Incomplete list of proposals and initiatives laid out in Project 2025:

• Carry out mass deportations

• Increase the number of agents for ICE raids

• Build camps to detain immigrants

• Ban entry into the U.S. by people from certain Muslim-majority nations

• End "birthright citizenship"

• Enact national abortion ban

• Reverse the approval of abortion pills

• Remove free access to emergency contraception for over 48 million women

• Reduce scope of Medicare, Medicaid and Social Security.

• Oppose same-sex marriage

• Ban gay couples from adopting children

• Reverse ban on discrimination for gender and sexual orientation in the workforce

• Eliminate the Department of Education

• Eliminate HeadStart, severely limiting childcare in rural America

• Dismantle the EPA's renewable energy programs

• Expand oil and gas drilling on first day of presidency

• Direct a criminal investigation into Mr. Biden and his family

• Have foes indicted for challenging him [Donald Trump] politically

• Target journalists for prosecution

• Bring federal independent agencies under presidential control

• Revive the practice of "impounding" funds [that is, "...refusing to spend money Congress has appropriated for programs a president doesn’t like — a tactic that lawmakers banned under President Richard Nixon."]

• Strip employment protections from tens of thousands of longtime civil servants

• Purge officials from intelligence agencies, law enforcement, the State Department and the Pentagon

We're already ramping up our voter registration and mobilization campaigns, but we can't do it alone.

Please support our work with a donation of $24 today.

Donate immediately:

Your contribution will benefit Voto Latino.

[  ] DONATE $25 →

[  ] DONATE $100 →

[  ] DONATE $250 →

[  ] DONATE $1,000 →

[✓] OTHER AMOUNT $2.00

Please leave a tip for ActBlue

Power the nonprofit fundraising platform Democratic candidates & progressive causes rely on.

[  ] Add $2 tip

[  ] Leave no tip

[✓] Add custom amount $0.14 (7%)

And so, I made a one-time donation to Voto Latino (with a tip to ActBlue) on July 4th, 2024, because "LATINO VOTERS WILL BLOCK PROJECT 2025." And to clarify: "Project 2025, [is] a 920-page document that contains a playbook for the first 180 days of Trump’s term. It includes policy proposals and executive initiatives to carry out an ultra-conservative agenda: mass deportations, tax cuts for the wealthy, a national abortion ban, opposition to same sex marriage, and a litany of other dangerous ideas."

---------------------------------------------

The eighth political communication to which I responded on July 4th, 2024, was an email from the Democratic Governors Association (DGA) that I received on July 4th, 2024, with the subject line, "Justice Sotomayor is SPEAKING OUT, Paul!", which stated the following:

[Flashing Sign!] SCOTUS ALERT [Flashing Sign!]

After the conservative-majority Supreme Court ruled that Donald Trump has immunity for official acts, Justice Sotomayor delivered a POWERFUL dissent, joined by Justices Kagan and Jackson:

"Today’s decision to grant former Presidents criminal immunity reshapes the institution of the Presidency. It makes a mockery of the principle, foundational to our Constitution and system of Government, that no man is above the law… The Court gives former President Trump all the immunity he asked for and more. Because our Constitution does not shield a former President from answering for criminal and treasonous acts, I dissent."

<<< Paul, sign now to stand with liberal justices like Justice Sotomayor and DEMAND Donald Trump be held accountable >>>

SIGN HERE >>***

Paul, this OUTRAGEOUS decision is a BIG win for Donald Trump – it could lead to delays and possible immunity for Trump in the January 6th trial! The conservative-majority Supreme Court just prioritized protecting Trump over protecting our democracy.

THANKFULLY, liberal justices like Sonia Sotomayor are fighting every day to protect our democracy. Justice Sotomayor said in her dissent, "...the President is now a king above the law… with fear for our democracy, I dissent." But she can’t do it alone, Paul.

In the wake of this monumental decision with uncertain effects to come, we need Democrats EVERYWHERE to stand up against Donald Trump and DEMAND he face accountability for his actions. Will you be one of the 39 dedicated Democrats from [ZIP Code redacted] that we need to sign our Trump Accountability Petition by midnight tonight?

ADD YOUR NAME to demand Donald Trump be held accountable once and for all!

SIGN HERE >>***

DGA
Democratic Governors Association

JULY TRUMP ACCOUNTABILITY LIVE POLL | 11:59 P.M. DEADLINE TO RESPOND

Thank you for taking action.

Will you take a moment to complete our short survey? Your response is critical to building our strategy and fighting the GOP's extremist agenda.

Survey Deadline: 11:59 p.m.

Email: [redacted]
Cell phone: [redacted]

The conservative-majority Supreme Court just gave Donald Trump exactly what he asked for: immunity from some of his crimes. The crimes he could never be held accountable for? In May, Donald Trump was found GUILTY in his first criminal trial. Earlier this year, he was found liable for business fraud and ordered to pay $355 million. He incited an insurrection, spread conspiracy theories, and championed extremist policies while he was president. And he's still facing three more indictments and 54 felony charges.

Tell us: Do you believe Donald Trump is fit to lead?

[  ] Yes
[  ] Somewhat
[✓] No

Despite this ruling, and awaiting verdicts on THREE more criminal cases for a total of 54 criminal charges — including felony charges over attempts to overturn the 2020 Presidential Election, retention of national defense information, and even racketeering - Donald Trump will be the 2024 Republican presidential nominee.

How concerning is the GOP's unwavering loyalty to Donald Trump?

[✓] Extremely concerning
[  ] Very concerning
[  ] Somewhat concerning
[  ] Not at all concerning

Trump is campaigning to give an even louder voice to his anti-democracy conspiracy theories, enact anti-freedom policies, ban abortion, and evade justice for the three indictments and 54 felony counts he's facing.

How concerned are you about the possibility of a second Trump presidency?
(1 - Not at all concerned | 5 - Extremely concerned)

[  ] 1
[  ] 2
[  ] 3
[  ] 4
[✓] 5

In addition to Donald Trump, there are more extremists up and down the ballot this November who are threatening abortion access, voting rights, and fundamental freedoms nationwide.

How concerned are you about your rights, if these extremists are elected?

[✓] Extremely concerned
[  ] Very concerned
[  ] Somewhat concerned
[  ] Not at all concerned

It took all of us coming together to defeat Trump in 2020. Right now, at this critical time, will you commit to voting for Democrats in 2024 and help stop Trump from regaining power?

[✓] Yes — I want to stop Trump from regaining power.
No — I want to see Donald Trump in the White House.

MAGA Republicans are excited about the likelihood of another Trump presidency. We need the funds to fight back. Will you chip in $100 to help Democratic governors put a stop to Trump and Republicans' dangerous agenda?

Please use the options below to start a weekly donation through ActBlue:

[  ] Yes, I will give $100!
[✓] No, I can't give that much.

We understand giving at that level might be tough. But the DGA is working tirelessly to elect Democrats across the country, and with Republicans undermining voting and reproductive rights, we can't afford to miss any fundraising goals.

Major victories in 2018, 2019, 2020, 2022, and 2023 were made possible by good Democrats like you who were FIRED UP to elect Democrats and defeat Trump and his extremist allies across the country — but we just pulled your supporter record, and here's what we found:

Email: [redacted]
Given to DGA today? Pending
Suggested donation: $44

Stopping Trump's agenda and electing Democrats across the country is so critical that a group of generous donors is DOUBLING every gift up to our $25,000 goal. Will you give $44 whatever you can so that we can elect Democrats and fight back against the GOP's dangerous agenda?

Please use the options below to start a weekly donation through ActBlue:

[  ] Yes, I'll give $22.
[  ] Yes, I can give $44! (suggested donation)
[✓] Yes, and I'll give more!

*[Blogger's Note: I selected this option—although I made a one-time donation, rather than a weekly donation—because it's an option that got me to the donation webpage!]

---------------------------------------------

DONATE NOW
DEADLINE: MIDNIGHT

With 11 governors' races on the ballot this November, including in key toss-up states like New Hampshire and North Carolina, the blue firewall that we rely on to stop the GOP's extremist agenda is at risk. We're giving it our all to support them, but right now, we're falling dangerously short of our fundraising goals.

That's why a group of generous donors is matching all gifts up to our $25,000 goal before midnight tonight. Time is running out to have your gift DOUBLED up to our goal: Give now to elect Democratic governors and preserve our blue firewall!

Make it weekly!

[  ] Yes, count me in until the 2024 General Election
[✓] No, donate once

Donate Immediately:

Your contribution will benefit Democratic Action.

[  ] Donate $44 →

[  ] Donate $88 →

[  ] Donate $220 →

[  ] Donate $440 →

[  ] Donate $880 →

[  ] Donate $1,760 →

[✓] Other amount $2.00

Please leave a tip for ActBlue

Power the nonprofit fundraising platform Democratic candidates & progressive causes rely on.

[  ] Add $2 tip

[  ] Leave no tip

[✓] Add custom amount $0.14 (7%)

And so, I made a one-time donation to the DGA (with a tip to ActBlue) on July 4th, 2024, in order to "to stand with liberal justices like Justice Sotomayor and DEMAND Donald Trump be held accountable." That is why I contributed, because "...the President is now a king above the law… with fear for our democracy, I dissent."

---------------------------------------------

Finally, these last eight political donations weren't due to communications that I received from the following organizations, but because I have donated to these organizations in previous election cycles!

The ninth organization to which I donated was the Democratic Attorneys General Association (DAGA), based upon their donation webpage that appeared on the ActBlue.com website, which stated the following:

DEMOCRATIC ATTORNEYS GENERAL ASSOCIATION

DONATE TO DEMOCRATIC ATTORNEYS GENERAL ASSOCIATION (DAGA)

Democratic AGs are protecting our democracy and fighting for working families in nearly every corner of the country.

But they need our support. Chip in today and help fund this work!

Donate immediately:

Your contribution will benefit Democratic Attorneys General Association (DAGA).

[  ] DONATE $25 →

[  ] DONATE $100 →

[  ] DONATE $250 →

[  ] DONATE $1,000 →

[✓] OTHER AMOUNT $2.00

Please leave a tip for ActBlue

Power the nonprofit fundraising platform Democratic candidates & progressive causes rely on.

[  ] Add $2 tip

[  ] Leave no tip

[✓] Add custom amount $0.14 (7%)

And so, I made a one-time donation to the DAGA (with a tip to ActBlue) on July 4th, 2024, because "Democratic AGs are protecting our democracy and fighting for working families in nearly every corner of the country."

---------------------------------------------

The tenth organization to which I donated was the Democratic Association of Secretaries of State (DASS), based upon their donation webpage that appeared on the ActBlue.com website, which stated the following:

Democratic Association of Secretaries of State

Donate to Democratic Association of Secretaries of State (DASS)

Democratic Association of Secretaries of State (DASS) is a 527 Political Action Committee that works to help elect Democratic Secretaries of State who are committed to protecting and preserving voting rights and ballot access for all Americans through fair, honest, open, and accurate elections.

Donate immediately:

Your contribution will benefit Democratic Association of Secretaries of State.

[  ] Donate $25 →

[  ] Donate $50 →

[  ] Donate $108 →

[  ] Donate $500 →

[  ] Donate $1,000 →

[  ] Donate $2,500 →

[  ] Donate $5,000 →

[✓] Other amount $2.00

Please leave a tip for ActBlue

Power the nonprofit fundraising platform Democratic candidates & progressive causes rely on.

[  ] Add $2 tip

[  ] Leave no tip

[✓] Add custom amount $0.14 (7%)

And so, I made a one-time donation to the DASS (with a tip to ActBlue) on July 4th, 2024, because "Democratic Association of Secretaries of State (DASS) is a 527 Political Action Committee that works to help elect Democratic Secretaries of State who are committed to protecting and preserving voting rights and ballot access for all Americans through fair, honest, open, and accurate elections."

---------------------------------------------

The eleventh organization to which I donated was the Democratic Party of Oregon Victory Fund, based upon their donation webpage that appeared on the ActBlue.com website, which stated the following:

Support the State Party Victory Fund!

Renew your support today to strengthen your State Party's infrastructure and help fight for our shared Democratic values!

Donate immediately:

Your contribution will benefit Democratic National Committee (DNC) SPVF.

[  ] Donate $10 →

[  ] Donate $25 →

[  ] Donate $50 →

[  ] Donate $100 →

[  ] Donate $250 →

[  ] Donate $500 →

[  ] Donate $1,000 →

[✓] Other amount $2.00

Please leave a tip for ActBlue

Power the nonprofit fundraising platform Democratic candidates & progressive causes rely on.

[  ] Add $2 tip

[  ] Leave no tip

[✓] Add custom amount $0.14 (7%)

And so, I made a one-time donation to the Democratic Party of Oregon Victory Fund (with a tip to ActBlue) on July 4th, 2024, in order to "strengthen [my] State Party's infrastructure and help fight for our shared Democratic values!"

---------------------------------------------

The twelfth organization to which I donated was EMILYs List, based upon their donation webpage that appeared on the ActBlue.com website, which stated the following:

EMILYs LIST
RUN. WIN. CHANGE THE WORLD.

Support Democratic Pro-Choice Women

Donate to help elect women who will protect the right to choose at every level of government, all across the country.

Donate immediately:

Your contribution will benefit EMILYs List.

[  ] Donate $25 →

[  ] Donate $50 →

[  ] Donate $250 →

[  ] Donate $500 →

[  ] Donate $1,000 →

[  ] Donate $2,500 →

[  ] Donate $4,000 →

[✓] Other amount $2.00

Please leave a tip for ActBlue

Power the nonprofit fundraising platform Democratic candidates & progressive causes rely on.

[  ] Add $2 tip

[  ] Leave no tip

[✓] Add custom amount $0.14 (7%)

And so, I made a one-time donation to EMILYs List (with a tip to ActBlue) on July 4th, 2024, in order to help "elect women who will protect the right to choose at every level of government, all across the country."

---------------------------------------------

The thirteenth organization to which I donated was the Four Directions Native Vote (Four Directions), based upon their donation webpage that appeared on the ActBlue.com website, which stated the following:

Four
Directions
Fighting for Voting Equality All Across Indian Country.

Take a stand for Native American voting rights

Four Directions is a Native-led voting rights group, organizing at the county level in critical states like Georgia and Arizona.

Your donation is critical and provides us with the support we need to advance equality at the ballot box across Indian Country.

Chip in now to help us make history again through 2021 and beyond!

Donate immediately:

Your contribution will benefit Four Directions-RFA.

[  ] Donate $10 →

[  ] Donate $25 →

[  ] Donate $50 →

[  ] Donate $100 →

[  ] Donate $250 →

[  ] Donate $500 →

[  ] Donate $1,000 →

[✓] Other amount $2.00

Please leave a tip for ActBlue

Power the nonprofit fundraising platform Democratic candidates & progressive causes rely on.

[  ] Add $2 tip

[  ] Leave no tip

[✓] Add custom amount $0.14 (7%)

And so, I made a one-time donation to the Four Directions Native Vote (Four Directions) (with a tip to ActBlue) on July 4th, 2024, in order to "take a stand for Native American voting rights," because "[my] donation is critical and provides [Four Directions] with the support [they] need to advance equality at the ballot box across Indian Country."

---------------------------------------------

The fourteenth organization to which I donated was the Jane Fonda Climate PAC (Jane Fonda Climate Political Action Committee), based upon their donation webpage that appeared on the ActBlue.com website, which stated the following:

Jane Fonda
CLIMATE PAC

Contribute to the Jane Fonda Climate PAC!

The Jane Fonda Climate PAC is driven by one mission: Do whatever it takes to defeat the political allies of the fossil fuel industry and save our planet.

Please invest in our work today! We rely on grassroots support to elect climate champions who will take a stand against the fossil fuel industry and work to reverse the harm they're inflicting on our planet.

Donate immediately:

Your contribution will benefit Jane Fonda Climate PAC.

[  ] Donate $5 →

[  ] Donate $10 →

[  ] Donate $25 →

[  ] Donate $50 →

[  ] Donate $100 →

[  ] Donate $250 →

[  ] Donate $500 →

[✓] Other amount $2.00

Please leave a tip for ActBlue

Power the nonprofit fundraising platform Democratic candidates & progressive causes rely on.

[  ] Add $2 tip

[  ] Leave no tip

[✓] Add custom amount $0.14 (7%)

And so, I made a one-time donation to the Jane Fonda Climate PAC (with a tip to ActBlue) on July 4th, 2024, because "[the Jane Fonda Climate PAC relies] on grassroots support to elect climate champions who will take a stand against the fossil fuel industry and work to reverse the harm they're inflicting on our planet."

---------------------------------------------

The fifteenth organization to which I donated was Rolling Sea Action Fund, based upon their donation webpage that appeared on the ActBlue.com website, which stated the following:

ROLLING SEA ACTION FUND

Support Black Democrats

We’re devoting our efforts to empower Black voters, protect our Senate Majority and flip the House from red to blue. But we need your help right now!

We’re nearly BROKE, so we need a huge wave of emergency donations to STOP the GOP's corrupted voter suppression agenda.

If you don’t give right now, we will not be able to fight back and protect President Biden's agenda in 2024. Please, rush a donation now, before it's too late >>

Donate immediately:

Your contribution will benefit Rolling Sea Action Fund.

[  ] Donate $25 →

[  ] Donate $100 →

[  ] Donate $250 →

[  ] Donate $1,000 →

[✓] Other amount $2.00

Please leave a tip for ActBlue

Power the nonprofit fundraising platform Democratic candidates & progressive causes rely on.

[  ] Add $2 tip

[  ] Leave no tip

[✓] Add custom amount $0.14 (7%)

And so, I made a one-time donation to the Rolling Sea Action Fund (with a tip to ActBlue) on July 4th, 2024, because they are "devoting [their] efforts to empower Black voters, protect our Senate Majority and flip the House from red to blue."

---------------------------------------------

The sixteenth organization to which I donated was the Voters of Tomorrow PAC (Voters of Tomorrow Political Action Committee), based upon their donation webpage that appeared on the ActBlue.com website, which stated the following:

Donate to help Voters of Tomorrow reach Gen Z voters

$198,766.06 Raised →→→→→ GOAL $500,000
MIDNIGHT DEADLINE! >> updated at 7:21 PM

In 2022, young voters proved yet again that we are a political force to be reckoned with. Voters of Tomorrow played a major role in harnessing that power. As The Financial Times said, the group "worked to boost turnout among 18-to 29-year-olds and may have saved the election."

But we have to keep this momentum going. Voters of Tomorrow is continuing to ramp up its outreach and voter education efforts. Unlike many other organizations, we are meeting Gen Z where they are by providing valuable content in the same platforms they already spend time in.

With your contribution, Voters of Tomorrow will be able to reach even more young voters and guide them away from dangerous misinformation pushed by people looking to disenfranchise them.

Donate immediately:

Your contribution will benefit Voters of Tomorrow Action.

[  ] Donate $10 →

[  ] Donate $25 →

[  ] Donate $50 →

[  ] Donate $100 →

[  ] Donate $250 →

[  ] Donate $500 →

[  ] Donate $1,000 →

[✓] Other amount $2.00

Please leave a tip for ActBlue

Power the nonprofit fundraising platform Democratic candidates & progressive causes rely on.

[  ] Add $2 tip

[  ] Leave no tip

[✓] Add custom amount $0.14 (7%)

And so, I made a one-time donation to the Voters of Tomorrow PAC (Voters of Tomorrow Action) (with a tip to ActBlue) on July 4th, 2024, in order to "help Voters of Tomorrow build a new generation of democracy defenders."

Thus, these seven organizations—the DLCC, the DSCC, the DCCC, the DGA, the DAGA, the DASS, as well as the Democratic Party of Oregon Victory Fund—plus, this one campaign—Biden for President—plus, these six Political Action Committees (PACs)—VoteVets, Educated We Stand, EMILYs List, Jane Fonda Climate PAC, Rolling Sea Action Fund, as well as Voters of Tomorrow PAC—plus, this one civic engagement organization—Voto Latino—in addition to this one social welfare organization—Four Directions Native Vote—are the political organizations, the political campaign, as well as the PACs, the civic engagement organization and the social welfare organization that I donated to on July 4th, 2024! –Paul Whiting (written from July 5th, 2024 to July 7th, 2024, revised July 12th, 2024 and revised August 27th, 2024)

-------------------------------------------------------------------

July 4th, 2024 Update No. 7, Written On July 5th, 2024: [CONTENT WARNING: THIS UPDATE CONTAINS DISCUSSIONS ABOUT GUN VIOLENCE WHICH MAY BE DISTURBING TO SOME READERS. VIEWER DISCRETION IS ADVISED!] I received an email from March For Our Lives (MFOL) yesterday, July 4th, 2024, with the subject line, "Our hearts are heavy today", which stated the following:

MARCH
FOR OUR
LIVES

Content warning: This email reflects on the events in Highland Park, Illinois on July 4, 2022. If this is too much to read, we understand. Take care of yourself and skip the rest of this email. Here are some mental health resources that you may find helpful.

Paul,

On July 4, 2022 in Highland Park, soon after the community’s Fourth of July parade started, a gunman shot into the crowd from a nearby rooftop.

Seven people died and more than 45 were seriously injured.

This mass shooting is a stark reminder that we will never truly be safe until we have comprehensive gun safety legislation.

Simply existing in the public puts you at risk. Whether you’re going to class, the mall, a movie, or even a Fourth of July parade, we’re all at risk.

This isn’t to fearmonger or to make you anxious — this is being real about the state of our country. This is what happens when the gun lobby, the NRA, and the leaders they have in their pockets prioritize guns over lives.

There was no one ‘cause’ of the shooting in Highland Park. We saw an assault rifle manufacturer irresponsibly marketing the military-style firearm to teenagers and young adults, like the 21-year-old shooter. We also saw that despite sending troubling signals to police, the young gunman was still able to obtain a firearm license. When he further showed he was a danger to himself and others, neither his family nor law enforcement reported him to reevaluate if he could safely have his firearm. This is why we need to fight gun violence from all possible angles.

Since the shooting, March For Our Lives and our partners won an assault weapons ban in Illinois, and then successfully defended against the gun lobby's cowardly legal challenge. Just this week, we won again when the Supreme Court declined to hear a challenge to it. We are pleased that this work protected that ban, but know that there is still so much to be done.

To honor those we’ve lost we will continue fighting for a world free of gun violence.

We can’t lose hope. We can build a world where no other individual, family, or community will have to experience gun violence.

In solidarity,

March For Our Lives

Today and every day we honor the lives lost in Highland Park on July 4, 2022.

[Name redacted], 64

[Name redacted], 35

[Name redacted], 37

[Name redacted], 88

[Name redacted], 63

[Name redacted], 78

[Name redacted], 69

DONATE NOW***

Paul, Donald Trump's presidential legacy is uplifting white supremacy and worsening racial tensions.

In his first term, his administration pursued some of the most aggressive, exclusionary policies we've ever experienced, such as the Muslim ban. That administration rolled back federal civil rights protections, leaving Black and brown people without legal help against discrimination.

In a potential second term, he's vowed to censor classroom discussions of race, gender, and systemic oppression. He'll hold federal funding hostage from schools, charities, and other organizations with diversity programs, risking millions of people's access to fair housing, education, health care, and more. We must take these proposals seriously.

His plans reflect the same anti-DEI agenda laid out in Project 2025 – the policy proposals set forth by the Heritage Foundation for the next president, proposing a plan to censor education about racism in America and attack inclusion programs. Our experts have broken down exactly how these policies would impact our rights – and how we can continue to promote racial justice and equality no matter who takes office in November.

Our experts have the civil rights and civil liberties response to Project 2025 – and with their leadership and your help, we're ready to ensure that any attempts to rollback racial justice will fail. Check out this roadmap to fight for civil rights and civil liberties in our latest election memo, "Trump on DEI and Anti-Discrimination Law." >>

GET THE PLAN:

https://www.aclu.org/news/racial-justice/trumps-attacks-on-dei-reveal-administrations-agenda-for-second-term

Thanks for being with us as we chart the road ahead,

The ACLU Team

And, after I read the email above, I clicked on the hyperlink to the referenced webpage regarding the article titled, "Trump’s Attacks on DEI Reveal Administration's Agenda for Second Term." A brief introduction to the article can be found below:

ACLU
NEWS & COMMENTARY

Trump’s Attacks on DEI Reveal Administration's Agenda for Second Term

The 2024 Trump campaign’s “anti-white racism” rhetoric threatens to unravel decades of progress on racial equality and civil rights. The ACLU outlines our plan to fight back.

By ACLU

July 2, 2024

When Donald Trump’s administration ended in 2020, two-thirds of Americans believed that Trump had increased racial tensions in the U.S. The Trump administration’s sustained assault on political, civic, and legal efforts to promote racial justice and the administration’s transparent pursuit of an agenda based on white supremacy had pushed the country to its breaking point.

Today, Trump and his supporters have doubled down on this agenda. As part of a larger backlash against racial justice efforts that ignited in the aftermath of the 2020 killings of George Floyd, Ahmaud Arbery, and Breonna Taylor, the 2025 Presidential Transition Project has now made its anti- diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) policies a cornerstone of their continued attacks on racial equity and free speech.

In addition to abandoning civil rights enforcement on behalf of marginalized groups, Trump and his supporters plan to intensify right wing attacks on education, employment, and economic opportunity initiatives, and to censor academic discussions about race, gender, and systemic oppression. At the ACLU, we won’t retreat. We’re prepared to challenge the Trump administration’s policies at every level of government. Learn more in our breakdown: ...

[Blogger's Note: I read the ACLU's News & Commentary article titled, "Trump’s Attacks on DEI Reveal Administration's Agenda for Second Term."]

Please see the hyperlink below for the article:

https://www.aclu.org/news/racial-justice/trumps-attacks-on-dei-reveal-administrations-agenda-for-second-term

So, I wanted to share this email from the ACLU in order to show my support for the "Trump’s Attacks on DEI Reveal Administration's Agenda for Second Term" article. –Paul Whiting (written July 6th, 2024 and revised July 24th, 2024)

P.S.: Just so you know, I used to make one-time donations to the organization that is the subject of these 'updates' each time that I took an action as requested by that organization; however, "I have changed the way that I make donations to political, progressive and charitable organizations each month ... due to the fact that I have been spending a considerable percentage of my monthly income on all of these donations." (The reader should know that I am HIV-positive with full-blown AIDS. And I am on Social Security Disability Insurance, or SSDI, so my income is quite limited.) Therefore, "I am greatly reducing the number of times that I donate for the same organization per month down to once—or as determined by me on a case-by-case basis." (Please see my 'August 19th, 2023 Update,' which can be found above.) Thus, because I have already donated to the ACLU on July 2nd, 2024 (please see my 'July 2nd, 2024 Update No. 1,' which can be found above) that is the one-time donation which I made to the ACLU for July 2024.

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July 8th, 2024 Update No. 1, Which Also Discusses June 30th, 2024: I received a mailer from Feeding America eight days ago on June 30th, 2024, with a 'front teaser message' on the envelope that read, "EMPTY SHELVES = EMPTY PLATES: 2X MATCH OPPORTUNITY", which stated the following:

[I used to hand-type the text of the documents from these types of mailers on my smartphone; however, it takes a lot of time and energy in order to hand-type these kinds of documents: so, instead, I scanned and copied the documents using Google Lens! Then, I edited the copy of said documents to include all of the italicizing, bolding and/or underscoring where applicable.]

FEEDING AMERICA

Your gift can go 2X as far to help families get the food they need.

June 12, 2024

Dear Paul Whiting,

Right now, over 44 million people in America are at risk of hunger. Many families in your own community may not know where their next healthy meal will come from.

Summer has always been a difficult time of year for food banks. With the high cost of groceries and everyday essentials, it's especially hard right now. More people are turning to the Feeding America network for extra support.

Food banks are doing their best to meet the urgent demand, but they can't do it alone. That's why we're hoping you'll take action right now.

Today, you can help us stock the shelves of food banks and pantries in Oregon and across the country—and help families get the healthy food they need to thrive.

Normally, every $1 you give helps provide at least 10 meals through the Feeding America network. But thanks to a $500,000 challenge match from pop culture retailer [business name redacted], every dollar you give right now can have TWICE the impact and help provide at least 20 meals.

[✓] This means your gift of $15 can help provide at least 300 meals.

[✓] $20 can help provide at least 400 meals.

[✓] And $25 can help provide at least 500 meals to people facing hunger.

I've enclosed a list of most-needed items. Your support helps us deliver these types of nutritious foods and essentials to neighbors at risk of hunger. So please, take a minute to look at it.

Any amount you give helps stock the shelves of food banks so families like [name redacted's] can access the meals they need to thrive. As a restaurant manager, [name redacted] didn't think she'd ever need extra help getting the food she needs. "I never even had to worry about it," she says.

But [name redacted] was recently laid off from her job and her husband, who works in landscaping, hasn't received a paycheck in a while. So [name redacted] turned to her local food pantry, which is served by the Feeding America network.

"This food is a miracle for me, honestly," [name redacted] says. "We've just been praying to figure it out."

While continuing to apply for jobs and take interviews, [name redacted] has remained hopeful. Having access to the food her family needs has helped her focus on getting a job and not worry about what her family is going to eat.

"We haven't seen this much food in a long time," [name redacted] says. "It makes a difference."

Right now, millions of people in our country are facing hunger. With your gift to Feeding America, you can make sure they have the food they need to feed their families.

Paul Whiting, please join the challenge match right now, while you can DOUBLE your impact and help provide TWICE as many meals for children and families.

I hope you can help today. Because when people are fed, futures are nourished. Thank you in advance for your support.

Sincerely,

[Name redacted]
[Title redacted], Feeding America

P.S. You can help stock the shelves of food banks across the country with your donation of $15, $20 or even $25 today. Remember, thanks to the challenge match from [business name redacted], your gift can have DOUBLE the impact for people facing hunger.

Thank you for helping neighbors like [name redacted] put food on the table.

"QR code message": Your gift can help provide TWICE as many meals. Scan here or visit SupportFeedingAmerica.org/Match

---------------------------------------------

Feeding America
MOST-NEEDED ITEMS

With your help, Feeding America is stocking the shelves with healthy foods, like lean protein, dairy and whole grains.

Cereal
Milk
Cheese
Jam
Eggs
Beans
Rice & pasta
Canned tuna
Meat (beef, pork, chicken)
Fruits & vegetables
Soup/stew/chili
Macaroni & cheese
Diapers
Peanut butter
Pasta sauce

Do you know your local food bank?

Oregon Food Bank

---------------------------------------------

— FEEDING AMERICA —
FOOD MULTIPLIER VOUCHER

Any gift today from Paul Whiting can have TWICE the impact!

Neighbors in Oregon and across the country are facing hunger. Your contribution will help them feed their families and put meals on the table.

Paul Whiting
[Street Address and Apt. No. redacted]
[City, State and ZIP Code redacted]

You can have 2x the impact and help families get the food they need!

$15 CAN HELP PROVIDE 300 MEALS

$20 CAN HELP PROVIDE 400 MEALS

$25 CAN HELP PROVIDE 500 MEALS

.........................Please detach here.........................

My gift can be DOUBLED to stock the shelves with food!

YES! I want to help neighbors in Oregon and across the country access TWICE as many meals. My enclosed donation of:

[  ] $15 can nelp provide at least 300 meals.
[  ] $20 can help provide at least 400 meals.
[  ] $25 can help provide at least 500 meals.
[✓] $7.00 can help provide as many meals as possible.

Your gift can go even further!

FEEDING AMERICA

Give online: SupportFeedingAmerica.org/Match

And so, I made a one-time donation to Feeding America in order to support their "FOOD MULTIPLIER VOUCHER," because "$7.00 can help provide as many meals as possible." And because I donated to Feeding America, I also donated locally to the Oregon Food Bank, whose mission includes the following statement: "...We distribute food equitably across the region and work on policies and programs to address the root causes of hunger." –Paul Whiting (written July 8th, 2024 and revised August 31st, 2024)

P.S.: Just so you know, "I have changed the way that I make donations to political, progressive and charitable organizations each month ... due to the fact that I have been spending a considerable percentage of my monthly income on all of these donations." (The reader should know that I am HIV-positive with full-blown AIDS. And I am on Social Security Disability Insurance, or SSDI, so my income is quite limited.) Therefore, "I am reducing how much I donate for the regular mail requests that I receive (to which I choose to respond) to take action." Thus, I will still be responding to some of the regular mail requests that I receive (to which I choose to respond), which are requesting me to take action, but I am reducing the amount that I donate to organizations from which I receive mailers. (Please see my 'August 19th, 2023 Update,' which can be found above.)

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July 8th, 2024 Update No. 2, Which Also Discusses July 2nd, 2024: I received an email from United Farm Workers (UFW) six days ago on July 2nd, 2024, with the subject line, "Important step forward on federal heat regulations", which stated the following:

United Farm Workers
Si, Se Puede! UFW

Important step forward on federal heat regulations

Dear Paul,

We have some breaking news to share with you. After decades of advocacy, our voices have been heard. This morning the Biden Administration proposed the first federal heat safety standard. We are excited by these very important first steps to saving farm workers and other outdoor workers’ lives.

This common-sense and life-saving rule, proposed by the Department of Labor’s Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA), will – once effective – protect the health and lives of farm workers who have no choice but to work during dangerous temperatures. This federal rule has been a long-time priority for the farm worker movement and is the result of decades of advocacy by farm workers, often in the wake of immense tragedies including farm worker deaths.

The newly proposed federal heat safety rule is modeled on existing heat safety standards in California, Oregon and Washington, all of which were implemented following the deaths of farm workers killed on the job by extreme heat. The proposed federal OSHA rule includes:

[✓] Requiring worker access to clean drinking water
[✓] Requiring worker access to shaded and/or indoor rest areas
[✓] Requiring workers to have the right to take regular rest breaks
[✓] Requiring employers to educate and train workers as to these rights, as well as implement a climate acclimatization plan for workers

UFW [title and name redacted] shares, "This is a bittersweet moment for farm workers. Every significant heat safety regulation in America at the state, and now federal, level was written in the blood of farm workers. Every year farm workers are killed by heat – with known deaths likely drastically outnumbered by the unknown, uncounted deaths. This is particularly true in states such as Florida and Texas, where extreme anti-worker and pro-death governors have taken extreme action to dismantle the few local workplace heat protections that existed.

"Today, the federal government put itself on the right side of history by seeking, for the first time, to establish the precedent that every worker in America has the right to shade, water, and rest while working in temperatures that could kill them. As extreme temperatures continue to become the new normal, we also know it will continue to be America’s most marginalized yet essential workers, disproportionately immigrants, who will continue to be used by our society as disposable human shields against climate change. This proposal is a step towards becoming a better nation – one in which our economy is more resilient, our society more just, and every worker able to work with dignity and come home to their family."

We are deeply encouraged by this important step forward, but the battle is not over. The next step is that the proposed regulations will be opened for public comments. We will again need your support. Look out for an email from us in the near future asking you to submit your comment.

Si Se Puede!

[Name redacted]
UFW [Title redacted]

PS: We wanted to share links to: UFW news release, Politico article, the proposed OSHA regulations. Please spread the word by sharing our posts on Facebook & Twitter.*

Want to support our work? start a monthly donation or chip in a one-time donation.***

[Blogger's Note: I read the United Farm Workers' article titled, "United Farm Workers & UFW Foundation Welcome Proposed Rulemaking for Federal Heat Standards for Outdoor Workers." I also read the Politico article titled, "Biden announces heat rules as climate-related deaths rise." Plus, I read the overview of the proposed OSHA regulations titled, "Heat Injury and Illness Prevention in Outdoor and Indoor Work Settings Rulemaking."]

We welcome the proposed creation of a federal heat safety standard by the Biden-Harris Admin. This common-sense & life-saving rule proposed by @OSHA_DOL will, once effective, protect the health and lives of farmworkers who have no choice but to work during dangerous temps.

https://x.com/UFWupdates/status/1808078286221656476

And, after I read the email above, I clicked on the hyperlink to the referenced webpage in order to "chip in a one-time donation," the text of which can be found below:

United Farm Workers
                Si, Se Puede!

Your Spare Change Makes Change

Please donate to continue Cesar Chavez' dream for farm workers. The easiest way to give is online. Make a difference to the people who put food on your table. Any amount you give will help to improve the lives of farm workers and their families!

Contribution Information

[  ] $10
[  ] $18
[  ] $25
[  ] $50
[  ] $100
[  ] $250
[  ] $500
[  ] $1,000
[✓] $5.00

Contact Information

First Name: Paul
Last Name: Whiting
Street Address: [redacted]
Postal Code: [redacted]
City: [redacted]
State/Province: [redacted]
Email: [redacted]
Home Phone (Optional): [redacted]

Contribute

And so, I made a one-time donation today, July 8th, 2024, to United Farm Workers in order to show my support for the breaking news that "the Biden Administration proposed the first federal heat safety standard." –Paul Whiting (July 8th, 2024)

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July 10th, 2024 Update No. 1: I have combined every political campaign, or political organization, donation request per day (made via email or text message) into one 'update' for each day that I donate, so that I don't have to keep writing individual 'updates' for political campaign donations, or political organization donations!

You see, I used to write one 'update' for each of the individual campaign political donations, or political organization donations, that I made virtually every time that I made a political donation. And within each 'update' I included the text from each political campaign's, or political organization's, requesting email or text message, along with some of each campaign's, or organization's, donation page text on the ActBlue website, as well as how much I donated to each campaign, or organization, plus whether I included a tip to ActBlue and how much I tipped.

(By the way, I still write individual 'updates' for political campaign, or political organization, mailers that I receive through the regular mail, because they are usually more elaborate political donation requests, which is why I don't include them with these email or text message requests.)

Plus, the 2024 election cycle is in full gear and I have made a goal of donating only one $1.00 donation per local political campaign here in Oregon (more on that below), or $2.00 per political organization, for the rest of the election cycle! And that means after I make that one donation per campaign, or per organization—regardless of whether I donated in 2023, or 2024—I am only donating once per campaign, or per organization, or as determined by me on a case-by-case basis. And I am only donating once per PAC (Political Action Committee) for the entire election cycle, or as determined by me on a case-by-case basis, because that is all that I can really afford for the 2024 Presidential Election. (The reader should know that I am HIV-positive with full-blown AIDS. And I am on Social Security Disability Insurance, or SSDI, so my income is quite limited.) I hope that makes sense!

Besides that, as of March 21st, 2024, I am no longer donating to individual political campaigns for the foreseeable future (with the exception of local campaigns here in Oregon), or as determined by me on a case-by-case basis (please see my 'March 21st, 2024 Update No. 2,' which can be found above), as I have explained below:

...Alright, I have a big announcement to make: I am no longer donating to individual political campaigns for the foreseeable future—or as determined by me on a case-by-case basis!

And I have made this decision based upon how much these individual political campaign donations are costing in my 'monthly donating budget'—even though I am only donating $3.00 with a $0.21 tip to ActBlue—since I totally changed the way that I approach how I calculate what I am spending on my credit card each month, starting in 2024! So now, I take the total amount that I have available in my monthly budget for my minimum payment on my credit card—as well as my extra payment—and I calculate how much I am reducing that amount each time that I charge on my credit card.

That way, I am very aware of the amount by which I am reducing my total available credit card payments for the month (the minimum payment and the extra payment) in order to, hopefully, pay more on my credit card than I am spending! Plus, I am also utilizing some funds from my budgeted expenses, as well as some funds from my savings, to make sure that I am paying a little more than I am spending while—at the same time—I am also trying to spend less on my credit card.

Therefore, at the start of 2024, I calculated that I could still make ONE $3.00 donation per political campaign for the entire election cycle. And that means after I have made that one donation per campaign—regardless of whether I donated in 2023, or 2024—I have only donated once per campaign, which is what I have been doing so far!

However, it's still more than I can afford given my 'monthly donating budget,' which is why I have decided to stop donating to individual political campaigns entirely—or as determined by me on a case-by-case basis. And so, I will still be making some donations to individual political campaigns (such as to Joe Biden's campaign for President of the United States, or to local campaigns here in Oregon), but I am not donating like I have been up until this point—which has been virtually every time that I have received a political campaign donation request via email or text message—because I seriously cannot afford to donate that much for the rest of the 2024 Presidential Election cycle, as well as for the foreseeable future.

And to clarify one more thing: In the past, I used to only donate to the main Democratic fundraising and coordinating organizations—rather than to individual campaigns—since that's all I really could afford given my 'monthly spending budget,' because I am "low income." Plus, those Democratic fundraising and coordinating organizations help all of the individual political campaigns with funding, which is why I used to only donate to those main organizations! And I only started donating to individual political campaigns in 2022, since I was "doing everything in my power to help Democrats win in the 2022 Midterm Elections!" Therefore, this decision to stop donating to individual political campaigns (with the exception of presidential campaigns and local campaigns, or as determined by me on a case-by-case basis) is really just going back to the way that I used to make political donations.

...The 2024 election cycle is in full gear and I have made a goal of donating only one $2.00 donation per local political campaign here in Oregon (more on that below), or $3.00 per political organization, for the rest of the election cycle! And that means after I make that one donation per campaign, or per organization—regardless of whether I donated in 2023, or 2024—I am only donating once per campaign, or per organization, or as determined by me on a case-by-case basis. And I am only donating once per PAC (Political Action Committee) for the entire election cycle, or as determined by me on a case-by-case basis, because that is all that I can really afford for the 2024 Presidential Election. (The reader should know that I am HIV-positive with full-blown AIDS. And I am on Social Security Disability Insurance, or SSDI, so my income is quite limited.) I hope that makes sense! ...

... In addition to that, starting on June 16th, 2024, I have decided to adjust the amount that I donate per political organization again, so that I can donate to more political organizations and PACs (Political Action Committees) while I am still staying within my 'monthly donating budget.' Below, please find a description of my previous adjustment—which started on May 12th, 2024—to explain how I have recently adjusted the amounts that I am contributing, since I am donating to more political organizations:

...The 2024 election cycle is in full gear and I have made a goal of donating only one $3.00 donation per local political campaign here in Oregon (more on that below), or $4.00 per political organization, for the rest of the election cycle! And that means after I make that one donation per campaign, or per organization—regardless of whether I donated in 2023, or 2024—I am only donating once per campaign, or per organization, or as determined by me on a case-by-case basis. And I am only donating once per PAC (Political Action Committee) for the entire election cycle, or as determined by me on a case-by-case basis, because that is all that I can really afford for the 2024 Presidential Election. (The reader should know that I am HIV-positive with full-blown AIDS. And I am on Social Security Disability Insurance, or SSDI, so my income is quite limited.) I hope that makes sense! ...

... In addition to that, I used to donate "$5.00 per political organization"; however, starting on May 12th, 2024, I decided to adjust that amount, so that I can donate to more political organizations and PACs (Political Action Committees) while I am still staying within my 'monthly donating budget.'

Thus, as I partially explained above, for the rest of the 2024 election cycle—as well as for the foreseeable future—I have made a goal of donating $3.00 per local political campaign only here in Oregon (with a 7% tip to ActBlue of $0.21), or as determined by me on a case-by-case basis; and a goal of donating $4.00 per political organization for donation requests via email or text message (with a 7% tip to ActBlue of $0.28), or as determined by me on a case-by-case basis; as well as a goal of donating $5.00 per political organization, or per PAC, for donation requests via the regular mail (with a 7% tip to ActBlue of $0.35), or as determined by me on a case-by-case basis.

To sum it up, then: I am essentially keeping the same total individual campaign donation amount of $3.21, but I am only donating to local campaigns here in Oregon, or as determined by me on a case-by-case basis; and I am reducing the total donation amount for political organizations and PACs for email and text message donation requests to $4.28 (from $5.35), or as determined by me on a case-by-case basis; plus, I am reducing the total donation amount for political organizations and PACs for regular mail donation requests to $5.35 (from $7.51), or as determined by me on a case-by-case basis.

Therefore, I recently used to donate "$4.00 per political organization"; however, I have decided to adjust that amount again, so that I can donate to more political organizations and PACs (Political Action Committees) while I am still staying within my 'monthly donating budget,' since I am now donating to more organizations as the 2024 Presidential Election cycle continues.

Thus, as I partially explained above, for the rest of the 2024 election cycle—as well as for the foreseeable future—I have made a goal of donating $2.00 per local political campaign only here in Oregon (with a 7% tip to ActBlue of $0.14), or as determined by me on a case-by-case basis; and a goal of donating $3.00 per political organization for donation requests via email or text message (with a 7% tip to ActBlue of $0.21), or as determined by me on a case-by-case basis; as well as a goal of donating $4.00 per political organization, or per PAC, for donation requests via the regular mail (with a 7% tip to ActBlue of $0.28), or as determined by me on a case-by-case basis.

To sum it up, then: I am reducing the total individual campaign donation amount to $2.14 (from $3.21) and I am still only donating to local campaigns here in Oregon, or as determined by me on a case-by-case basis; and I am reducing the total donation amount for political organizations and PACs for email and text message donation requests to $3.21 (from $4.28), or as determined by me on a case-by-case basis; plus, I am reducing the total donation amount for political organizations and PACs for regular mail donation requests to $4.28 (from $5.35), or as determined by me on a case-by-case basis.

Therefore, I recently used to donate "$3.00 per political organization"; however, I have decided to adjust that amount yet again, so that I can donate to more political organizations and PACs (Political Action Committees) while I am still staying within my 'monthly donating budget,' since I am now donating to more organizations as the 2024 Presidential Election cycle continues.

Thus, as I partially explained above, for the rest of the 2024 election cycle—as well as for the foreseeable future—I have made a goal of donating $1.00 per local political campaign only here in Oregon (with a 7% tip to ActBlue of $0.07), or as determined by me on a case-by-case basis; and a goal of donating $2.00 per political organization for donation requests via email or text message (with a 7% tip to ActBlue of $0.14), or as determined by me on a case-by-case basis; as well as a goal of donating $3.00 per political organization, or per PAC, for donation requests via the regular mail (with a 7% tip to ActBlue of $0.21), or as determined by me on a case-by-case basis.

To sum it up, then: I am reducing the total individual campaign donation amount to $1.07 (from $2.14) and I am still only donating to local campaigns here in Oregon, or as determined by me on a case-by-case basis; and I am reducing the total donation amount for political organizations and PACs for email and text message donation requests to $2.14 (from $3.21), or as determined by me on a case-by-case basis; plus, I am reducing the total donation amount for political organizations and PACs for regular mail donation requests to $3.21 (from $4.28), or as determined by me on a case-by-case basis.

So, without further ado...

The only political communication to which I responded was a text message today, July 10th, 2024, from Our Great Task, which stated the following:

Liz Cheney here. We have less than four months to prevent Donald Trump from getting anywhere near the Oval Office again. All of us—Republicans, Democrats, and Independents—must work together to right the ship of our Republic and put our love of country before partisanship.

That’s why I started Our Great Task, my effort to defend democracy and defeat Donald Trump and those who enable him.

Can I count on you to support our important work by contributing today?

https://secure.actblue.com/donate/ogt-tm-mw

Thank you for your support. This is the cause of our time.

And, after I read the text message above, I clicked on the hyperlink to the referenced webpage, the relevant text of which can be found below:

OUR GREAT TASK

Stand with Liz Cheney and stop Donald Trump. With your support we can defend the Constitution and save our Republic.

Liz Cheney founded Our Great Task because all of us — Republicans, Democrats, Independents — must work together to ensure Donald Trump and those who have enabled him are defeated.

Stand with Liz by donating to Our Great Task today. This is the cause of our time. We can't thank you enough for your support.

Donate immediately:

Your contribution will benefit Our Great Task, Inc.

[  ] Donate $25 →

[  ] Donate $50 →

[  ] Donate $100 →

[  ] Donate $250 →

[  ] Donate $1,000 →

[  ] Donate $5,000 →

[✓] Other amount $5.00

Please leave a tip for ActBlue

Power the nonprofit fundraising platform Democratic candidates & progressive causes rely on.

[  ] Add $2 tip

[  ] Leave no tip

[✓] Add custom amount $0.35 (7%)

And so, I made a one-time donation to Our Great Task (with a tip to ActBlue) because "we have less than four months to prevent Donald Trump from getting anywhere near the Oval Office again," since "all of us—Republicans, Democrats, and Independents—must work together to right the ship of our Republic and put our love of country before partisanship."

Thus, this one organization—Our Great Task—is the political organization that I donated to today! –Paul Whiting (July 10th, 2024)

-------------------------------------------------------------------

July 10th, 2024 Update No. 2: I received an email from the United States Holocaust Memorial Museum (USHMM) today, July 10th, 2024, with the subject line, "Watch Program Now | State of Deception", which stated the following:

United States Holocaust Memorial Museum

Live Digital Program Starts Soon

State of Deception

WATCH NOW

About This Program

In Nazi Germany, there was no escaping the steady drumbeat of lies and misinformation to build German pride and blame the Jews for society’s problems. Nazi propaganda was pervasive—from radio broadcasts and blockbuster movies to billboards and children’s books. Join us to find out how Hitler and the Nazi party deployed a sweeping campaign to win support, manipulate a nation, and eventually commit mass murder.

Watch this special program.

After the live broadcast, the recording will be available to watch on demand on the Museum’s YouTube (https://www.youtube.com/live/uuXcd9hHc0g?si=V1O1Jlo4BtCGpVJj) and Facebook (https://m.facebook.com/watch/34362997676/2572591559664662/) pages.

‌Donate to Keep Holocaust Memory Alive

DONATE

Keep Holocaust memory alive to inspire citizens and leaders to confront hatred, prevent genocide, and promote human dignity in a constantly changing world. Visit ushmm.org/campaign to learn more.

‌[Blogger's Note: I watched the USHMM YouTube video titled, "State of Deception," which is slightly over thirty one minutes, just to let you know.]

You see, I originally received an email on July 9th, 2024, from the United States Holocaust Memorial Museum with the subject line, "Watch Live Program | State of Deception", which stated the following:

Live Digital Program
State of Deception

Wednesday, July 10 at Noon ET
Museum’s YouTube and Facebook Pages

REMIND ME

About This Program

In Nazi Germany, there was no escaping the steady drumbeat of lies and misinformation to build German pride and blame the Jews for society’s problems. Nazi propaganda was pervasive—from radio broadcasts and blockbuster movies to billboards and children’s books. Join us to find out how Hitler and the Nazi party deployed a sweeping campaign to win support, manipulate a nation, and eventually commit mass murder.

Request a reminder to join us for this program.

Guest
[Name redacted], [title redacted], United States Holocaust Memorial Museum, and [title redacted], State of Deception: The Power of Nazi Propaganda

Host
[Name redacted], [title redacted], United States Holocaust Memorial Museum

Watch live on YouTube (https://www.youtube.com/live/uuXcd9hHc0g?si=V1O1Jlo4BtCGpVJj) or Facebook (https://m.facebook.com/watch/34362997676/2572591559664662/) and join in the conversation.

After the live broadcast, the recording will be available to watch on demand on the Museum’s YouTube and Facebook pages.

Now, to clarify, I decided to wait until after the event had livestreamed to watch it, since I only have a cellular data plan through my cell phone company (so, I don't have access to WiFi on my smartphone). Additionally, whenever I watch these livestreamed programs as a recording, I can go back to parts of the program that I wish to repeat in order to watch them over again.

Then, after I watched the video of the livestreamed event, I made a one-time donation to the United States Holocaust Memorial Museum, shortly after I finished watching the video, in order to show my support for the program "State of Deception." –Paul Whiting (July 10th, 2024)

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July 13th, 2024 Update No. 1, Written On July 20th, 2024: [CONTENT WARNING: THIS UPDATE CONTAINS DISCUSSIONS ABOUT GUN VIOLENCE WHICH MAY BE DISTURBING TO SOME READERS. VIEWER DISCRETION IS ADVISED!] I signed a petition today, July 20th, 2024, from Brady: United Against Gun Violence, which is based upon a popup that appeared on the BradyUnited.org website, which stated the following:

GUNS HAVE NO PLACE IN OUR DEMOCRATIC PROCESS

The assassination attempt on Donald Trump [on July 13th, 2024] was carried out with an assault weapon and underscores the urgent need for action to protect us all from gun violence.

Brady's namesake, Jim Brady, was shot and paralyzed in the assassination attempt on President Reagan. He dedicated the rest of his life to ending gun violence. We keep fighting in his name.

Add your name to our petition and make it clear: Guns have NO place in our democratic process!

Sign the petition

And, after I read the popup above, I clicked on the hyperlink to the referenced webpage, the relevant text of which can be found below:

BRADY
United Against Gun Violence

MAKE IT CLEAR: Guns have no place in our democracy!

Our country is founded on democracy and at the heart of democracy lies principles of fairness and freedom-that should include the fundamental freedom to live our lives without the fear of being shot.

This weekend's act of political violence against President Donald Trump should be a wake up call for the nation. Our political systems should be free from gun violerice, but in our country where guns are valued more highly than human lives, everyone is at risk.

Our namesake, Jim Brady, was also a victim of political violence when he was caught in the crossfire of the attempt on then-Pres. Reagan's life in 1981. He dedicated the rest of his life to ending gun violence in our nation, creating the background check system we still use today in the process.

From 1981 to 2024, guns have continued to threaten the sanctity of our political systems and unless we take action to protect our democracy and American lives from gun violence, we will keep living in fear. If you agree that guns have no place in our democracy, add your name to Brady's urgent petition now and make your voice heard. >>

Sign the Petition

First Name: Paul
Last Name: Whiting
Postal Code: [redacted]
Email: [redacted]
Mobile Phone: [redacted]

Add Your Name!

And, after I signed the petition above, via the BradyUnited.org website, I made a one-time donation to Brady: United Against Gun Violence today, July 20th, 2024, because "GUNS HAVE NO PLACE IN OUR DEMOCRATIC PROCESS." –Paul Whiting (written July 20th, 2024 and revised July 21st, 2024)

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July 15th, 2024 Update No. 1: I have combined every political campaign, or political organization, donation request per day (made via email or text message) into one 'update' for each day that I donate, so that I don't have to keep writing individual 'updates' for political campaign donations, or political organization donations!

You see, I used to write one 'update' for each of the individual campaign political donations, or political organization donations, that I made virtually every time that I made a political donation. And within each 'update' I included the text from each political campaign's, or political organization's, requesting email or text message, along with some of each campaign's, or organization's, donation page text on the ActBlue website, as well as how much I donated to each campaign, or organization, plus whether I included a tip to ActBlue and how much I tipped.

(By the way, I still write individual 'updates' for political campaign, or political organization, mailers that I receive through the regular mail, because they are usually more elaborate political donation requests, which is why I don't include them with these email or text message requests.)

Plus, the 2024 election cycle is in full gear and I have made a goal of donating only one $1.00 donation per local political campaign here in Oregon (more on that below), or $2.00 per political organization, for the rest of the election cycle! And that means after I make that one donation per campaign, or per organization—regardless of whether I donated in 2023, or 2024—I am only donating once per campaign, or per organization, or as determined by me on a case-by-case basis. And I am only donating once per PAC (Political Action Committee) for the entire election cycle, or as determined by me on a case-by-case basis, because that is all that I can really afford for the 2024 Presidential Election. (The reader should know that I am HIV-positive with full-blown AIDS. And I am on Social Security Disability Insurance, or SSDI, so my income is quite limited.) I hope that makes sense!

Besides that, as of March 21st, 2024, I am no longer donating to individual political campaigns for the foreseeable future (with the exception of local campaigns here in Oregon), or as determined by me on a case-by-case basis (please see my 'March 21st, 2024 Update No. 2,' which can be found above), as I have explained below:

...Alright, I have a big announcement to make: I am no longer donating to individual political campaigns for the foreseeable future—or as determined by me on a case-by-case basis!

And I have made this decision based upon how much these individual political campaign donations are costing in my 'monthly donating budget'—even though I am only donating $3.00 with a $0.21 tip to ActBlue—since I totally changed the way that I approach how I calculate what I am spending on my credit card each month, starting in 2024! So now, I take the total amount that I have available in my monthly budget for my minimum payment on my credit card—as well as my extra payment—and I calculate how much I am reducing that amount each time that I charge on my credit card.

That way, I am very aware of the amount by which I am reducing my total available credit card payments for the month (the minimum payment and the extra payment) in order to, hopefully, pay more on my credit card than I am spending! Plus, I am also utilizing some funds from my budgeted expenses, as well as some funds from my savings, to make sure that I am paying a little more than I am spending while—at the same time—I am also trying to spend less on my credit card.

Therefore, at the start of 2024, I calculated that I could still make ONE $3.00 donation per political campaign for the entire election cycle. And that means after I have made that one donation per campaign—regardless of whether I donated in 2023, or 2024—I have only donated once per campaign, which is what I have been doing so far!

However, it's still more than I can afford given my 'monthly donating budget,' which is why I have decided to stop donating to individual political campaigns entirely—or as determined by me on a case-by-case basis. And so, I will still be making some donations to individual political campaigns (such as to Joe Biden's campaign for President of the United States, or to local campaigns here in Oregon), but I am not donating like I have been up until this point—which has been virtually every time that I have received a political campaign donation request via email or text message—because I seriously cannot afford to donate that much for the rest of the 2024 Presidential Election cycle, as well as for the foreseeable future.

And to clarify one more thing: In the past, I used to only donate to the main Democratic fundraising and coordinating organizations—rather than to individual campaigns—since that's all I really could afford given my 'monthly spending budget,' because I am "low income." Plus, those Democratic fundraising and coordinating organizations help all of the individual political campaigns with funding, which is why I used to only donate to those main organizations! And I only started donating to individual political campaigns in 2022, since I was "doing everything in my power to help Democrats win in the 2022 Midterm Elections!" Therefore, this decision to stop donating to individual political campaigns (with the exception of presidential campaigns and local campaigns, or as determined by me on a case-by-case basis) is really just going back to the way that I used to make political donations.

...The 2024 election cycle is in full gear and I have made a goal of donating only one $2.00 donation per local political campaign here in Oregon (more on that below), or $3.00 per political organization, for the rest of the election cycle! And that means after I make that one donation per campaign, or per organization—regardless of whether I donated in 2023, or 2024—I am only donating once per campaign, or per organization, or as determined by me on a case-by-case basis. And I am only donating once per PAC (Political Action Committee) for the entire election cycle, or as determined by me on a case-by-case basis, because that is all that I can really afford for the 2024 Presidential Election. (The reader should know that I am HIV-positive with full-blown AIDS. And I am on Social Security Disability Insurance, or SSDI, so my income is quite limited.) I hope that makes sense! ...

... In addition to that, starting on June 16th, 2024, I have decided to adjust the amount that I donate per political organization again, so that I can donate to more political organizations and PACs (Political Action Committees) while I am still staying within my 'monthly donating budget.' Below, please find a description of my previous adjustment—which started on May 12th, 2024—to explain how I have recently adjusted the amounts that I am contributing, since I am donating to more political organizations:

...The 2024 election cycle is in full gear and I have made a goal of donating only one $3.00 donation per local political campaign here in Oregon (more on that below), or $4.00 per political organization, for the rest of the election cycle! And that means after I make that one donation per campaign, or per organization—regardless of whether I donated in 2023, or 2024—I am only donating once per campaign, or per organization, or as determined by me on a case-by-case basis. And I am only donating once per PAC (Political Action Committee) for the entire election cycle, or as determined by me on a case-by-case basis, because that is all that I can really afford for the 2024 Presidential Election. (The reader should know that I am HIV-positive with full-blown AIDS. And I am on Social Security Disability Insurance, or SSDI, so my income is quite limited.) I hope that makes sense! ...

... In addition to that, I used to donate "$5.00 per political organization"; however, starting on May 12th, 2024, I decided to adjust that amount, so that I can donate to more political organizations and PACs (Political Action Committees) while I am still staying within my 'monthly donating budget.'

Thus, as I partially explained above, for the rest of the 2024 election cycle—as well as for the foreseeable future—I have made a goal of donating $3.00 per local political campaign only here in Oregon (with a 7% tip to ActBlue of $0.21), or as determined by me on a case-by-case basis; and a goal of donating $4.00 per political organization for donation requests via email or text message (with a 7% tip to ActBlue of $0.28), or as determined by me on a case-by-case basis; as well as a goal of donating $5.00 per political organization, or per PAC, for donation requests via the regular mail (with a 7% tip to ActBlue of $0.35), or as determined by me on a case-by-case basis.

To sum it up, then: I am essentially keeping the same total individual campaign donation amount of $3.21, but I am only donating to local campaigns here in Oregon, or as determined by me on a case-by-case basis; and I am reducing the total donation amount for political organizations and PACs for email and text message donation requests to $4.28 (from $5.35), or as determined by me on a case-by-case basis; plus, I am reducing the total donation amount for political organizations and PACs for regular mail donation requests to $5.35 (from $7.51), or as determined by me on a case-by-case basis.

Therefore, I recently used to donate "$4.00 per political organization"; however, I have decided to adjust that amount again, so that I can donate to more political organizations and PACs (Political Action Committees) while I am still staying within my 'monthly donating budget,' since I am now donating to more organizations as the 2024 Presidential Election cycle continues.

Thus, as I partially explained above, for the rest of the 2024 election cycle—as well as for the foreseeable future—I have made a goal of donating $2.00 per local political campaign only here in Oregon (with a 7% tip to ActBlue of $0.14), or as determined by me on a case-by-case basis; and a goal of donating $3.00 per political organization for donation requests via email or text message (with a 7% tip to ActBlue of $0.21), or as determined by me on a case-by-case basis; as well as a goal of donating $4.00 per political organization, or per PAC, for donation requests via the regular mail (with a 7% tip to ActBlue of $0.28), or as determined by me on a case-by-case basis.

To sum it up, then: I am reducing the total individual campaign donation amount to $2.14 (from $3.21) and I am still only donating to local campaigns here in Oregon, or as determined by me on a case-by-case basis; and I am reducing the total donation amount for political organizations and PACs for email and text message donation requests to $3.21 (from $4.28), or as determined by me on a case-by-case basis; plus, I am reducing the total donation amount for political organizations and PACs for regular mail donation requests to $4.28 (from $5.35), or as determined by me on a case-by-case basis.

Therefore, I recently used to donate "$3.00 per political organization"; however, I have decided to adjust that amount yet again, so that I can donate to more political organizations and PACs (Political Action Committees) while I am still staying within my 'monthly donating budget,' since I am now donating to more organizations as the 2024 Presidential Election cycle continues.

Thus, as I partially explained above, for the rest of the 2024 election cycle—as well as for the foreseeable future—I have made a goal of donating $1.00 per local political campaign only here in Oregon (with a 7% tip to ActBlue of $0.07), or as determined by me on a case-by-case basis; and a goal of donating $2.00 per political organization for donation requests via email or text message (with a 7% tip to ActBlue of $0.14), or as determined by me on a case-by-case basis; as well as a goal of donating $3.00 per political organization, or per PAC, for donation requests via the regular mail (with a 7% tip to ActBlue of $0.21), or as determined by me on a case-by-case basis.

To sum it up, then: I am reducing the total individual campaign donation amount to $1.07 (from $2.14) and I am still only donating to local campaigns here in Oregon, or as determined by me on a case-by-case basis; and I am reducing the total donation amount for political organizations and PACs for email and text message donation requests to $2.14 (from $3.21), or as determined by me on a case-by-case basis; plus, I am reducing the total donation amount for political organizations and PACs for regular mail donation requests to $3.21 (from $4.28), or as determined by me on a case-by-case basis.

So, without further ado...

The only political communication to which I responded was an email from Turn Left PAC (Turn Left Political Action Committee) today, July 15th, 2024, with the subject line, "Disaster in the making: Trump picks J.D. Vance", which stated the following:

AMERICA IS NOT A DICTATORSHIP

HELP US PROTECT AMERICAN DEMOCRACY @ RESISTPROJECT2025.COM

Well there we have it, Paul.

JD Vance just got the “VP” nod from Donald Trump.

That’s the same JD Vance who said he was a “Never Trumper.” The same JD Vance that said Donald Trump was an “idiot” and that his personality was “noxious” and “reprehensible.”

And then he ran for Senate, and JD proved he was more than willing to lick the boots of Donald Trump as long as it benefits him.

The only thing that qualifies this man to be Trump’s vice president is unquestioning loyalty. That means he’s not just a disgrace – he’s dangerous.

You and I both know that JD Vance will be more than happy to help Trump replace our democracy with a dictatorship. And Project 2025 will give them the tools to do it.

That’s why I’m teaming up with Marine Capt. Ike McCorkle (RET.) to launch Turn Left’s campaign to Resist Project 2025. We need your support right now to get our message out to battleground states – starting with a few of JD Vance’s favorite quotes so they can see who he really is.

[An animated GIF of a video clip of JD Vance quotes played on Fox News, which includes: “I’m a never Trump Guy”, “Never liked him”, “Terrible candidate”, “Idiot if you voted for him”, “Might be America's Hitler”, “Might be a cynical a**hole”, “Cultural heroin”, “Noxious” and “Reprehensible.”]

If you've saved your payment information with ActBlue Express, your donation will go through immediately:

[  ] Donate: $50
[  ] Donate: $100
[  ] Donate: $500
[  ] Donate: $1,000
[  ] Donate: $5,000
[✓] Custom Amount***

We’ll make sure every single voter in every battleground state knows that JD Vance is a coward and a bootlicker that has turned against his own principles (if he ever had them), to support a man who’s hell bent on replacing our democracy with a totalitarian dictatorship.

Sappers clear the way, Airborne all the way!

Richard Ojeda (Maj, retired)
Turn Left PAC

Support Turn Left >>

Turn Left is a grassroots org co-founded by firebrand Maj. Richard Ojeda (Ret.), now joining forces with retired Force Recon Marine Capt. Ike McCorkle. We’re organizing across the country to root out MAGA radicals and elect bold Democrats who will work for everyday Americans. Pitch in now to help us stop the MAGA threat to our democracy and secure a future for ALL Americans to thrive.

DONATE >>***

AMERICA IS NOT A DICTATORSHIP

RESIST PROJECT 2025
Turn Left

BREAKING: RETIRED MILITARY LEADERS LAUNCH 'RESIST PROJECT 2025' ΤΟ COMBAT EXTREMISM AND PROTECT DEMOCRACY

$47,963.37 Raised →→→→→→→→→→ GOAL $50,000
Join us to launch RESIST PROJECT 2025!  updated at 7:14 PM

In the wake of the assassination attempt on former President Donald Trump and growing political violence across the nation, Turn Left PAC has launched 'Resist Project 2025,' a project to counter extremism in Congress and protect American democracy.

The effort is spearheaded by two highly decorated retired military officers, U.S. Army Major (ret.) Richard Ojeda, the founder of Turn Left, and USMC Captain (ret) Ike McCorkle.

Joining forces with these leaders are experienced progressive political operatives, including [name redacted], the former [title redacted] of Brand New Congress, [name redacted], former Congressional candidate of the Working Families Party, and [name redacted], LGBTQ+ community organizer, technologist, and Democratic campaign manager.

Your contribution will help this team mobilize volunteers and sound the alarm about Project 2025 in critical battlegrounds across the nation.

The project will feature proprietary digital tools developed by Turn Left and its partners to train and empower citizen leaders to fight back against extremism.

Turn Left PAC has a history of effective grassroots fundraising, having generated over $40 million since 2020 to support democratic candidates. The organization believes that strategic allocation of resources is critical in countering the influence of dark money and extremist agendas in American politics.

Can we count on your support to help us launch this project and spread the word about Project 2025?

Donate immediately:

Your contribution will benefit Turn Left PAC-Independent Expenditure.

[  ] DONATE $20.25 →

[  ] DONATE $50 →

[  ] DONATE $100 →

[  ] DONATE $500 →

[  ] DONATE $1,500 →

[  ] DONATE $2,500 →

[  ] DONATE $5,000 →

[✓] OTHER AMOUNT $5.00

Please leave a tip for ActBlue

Power the nonprofit fundraising platform Democratic candidates & progressive causes rely on.

[  ] Add $2 tip

[  ] Leave no tip

[✓] Add custom amount $0.35 (7%)

And so, I made a one-time donation to Turn Left PAC (with a tip to ActBlue), since "JD Vance just got the 'VP' nod from Donald Trump." That is why I contributed to Turn Left PAC, because "[Turn Left will] make sure every single voter in every battleground state knows that JD Vance is a coward and a bootlicker that has turned against his own principles ... to support a man who’s hell bent on replacing our democracy with a totalitarian dictatorship."

Thus, this one Political Action Committee (PAC)—Turn Left PAC—is the PAC that I donated to today! –Paul Whiting (written July 15th, 2024, revised July 16th, 2024 and revised July 30th, 2024)

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July 19th, 2024 Update No. 1, Written On July 20th, 2024, Which Also Discusses July 17th, 2024: I received an email from ACLU People Power yesterday, July 19th, 2024, with the subject line, "Urgent Action Alert: Tell Congress to stop attacks on LGBTQ rights!", which stated the following:

Hi Paul,

Extreme opponents of LGBTQ equality in Congress have been using bills that fund the federal government to sneak through poison pills that threaten peoples’ civil liberties -- they single out trans people by banning access to life-saving care and attack the rights and dignity of all LGBTQ people.

We can and must let our leaders in Congress know that we, the people, do NOT support these hateful efforts. Urge your member of Congress to oppose any government funding bill that includes poison pills that attack the rights and dignity of LGBTQ people, including banning access to life-saving care for trans people. Send a message to your representative today.

Take Action***

Make no mistake: This is a dangerous effort to hijack bills funding critical government services in order to attack the rights, health, and dignity of LGBTQ people. For example, extremists have proposed stripping away healthcare access from transgender servicemembers and their families, prohibiting pride flags and drag shows, and dismantling essential diversity, equity and inclusion programs and training across the federal government.

We at the ACLU will not allow these unconscionable attacks against our LGBTQ community to go unanswered.

Please join us in action at this urgent time. And know whatever attacks they may throw at us, we at the ACLU are here now and always to protect peoples’ rights. Count on it.

Thank you for your activism,

[Name redacted]
he/him/his
ACLU People Power

And, after I read the email above, I clicked on the hyperlink to the referenced webpage, the relevant text of which can be found below:

Stop Attacks on LGBTQ People In Congress

CONTACT INFORMATION

Prefix: Mr.
First Name: Paul
Last Name: Whiting
Street Address: [redacted]
Postal Code: [redacted]
City: [redacted]
State/Province: [redacted]
Email: [redacted]
Mobile Phone: [redacted]

Subject: Protect LGBTQ People from Extremist Attacks in Congress

Dear [elected official],

Recently we have seen wave after wave of extreme measures, in the states and in Congress, to criminalize and strip LGBTQ people of their rights and dignity, including banning access to life-saving care for trans people. I am writing — during a genuine moment of crisis — to urge you to publicly commit to doing everything within your power to protect the health and dignity of LGBTQ people. Will you do so?

We call upon our elected representatives to stand up against any and all government funding bills that attack the rights, health, and dignity of LGBTQ people. Attempts to restrict access to lifesaving healthcare, prevent enforcement of nondiscrimination policies, ban pride displays, and attack diversity, equity and inclusion efforts must be rejected. LGBTQ people deserve the same chance to thrive and live fulfiling lives a as as everyone else. Having the freedor freedom to seek the healthcare we need, be treated with dignity and respect, and be our true and authentic selves is essential right for all people.

I urge you to not remain silent in this moment. Please use your voice to publicly show support for the rights of our community.

Thank you. I look forward to your response.

Sincerely,
[Your information here]

And so, I sent the letter above to my Representative in Congress, via the ACLU website, in order to "urge [my] member of Congress to oppose any government funding bill that includes poison pills that attack the rights and dignity of LGBTQ people, including banning access to life-saving care for trans people."

In addition to that, I also received an email from ACLU People Power three days ago on July 17th, 2024, with the subject line, "Shape the Future of Our Work Together!", which stated the following:

Hi Paul,

The ACLU People Power team knows that none of our work to protect and expand civil liberties would be possible without our volunteers and supporters like you. Our People Power volunteers have been at the forefront of the movement, and your work doesn’t go unnoticed. That’s why we want to hear what your priorities are for this upcoming year of work. Can you take 2 minutes to fill out the 2024 People Power survey and let us know what issues are at the top of your list?

Take the Survey***

No matter the results of this year’s elections, the ACLU’s commitment to defending civil rights and liberties is unwavering. Instead of focusing on party lines, we defend everyone from attacks on their rights. In the past year, our People Power Program mobilized to work on an array of issues, from our call team members who worked toward a big win for abortion rights in Ohio to achieving progress towards systemic equality by lobbying lawmakers to implement baby bond programs in three states. The People Power program has hosted over twelve thousand events that mobilized volunteers around all kinds of issues. You make our work possible.

That’s why we want to hear from you as we plan ahead. Your input through this survey will ensure that your priorities are reflected in our work. So, let us know what work you want to be involved in next, and fill out the 2024 People Power survey. Thank you for taking action!

Here’s to another year of achieving progress together,

The ACLU People Power Team

People Power Survey

SURVEY

First Name: Paul
Last Name: Whiting
ZIP Code: [redacted]
Email Address: [redacted]
Mobile Phone: [redacted]

What 5 issues are your top priorities for 2024? Chose your top 5. (Optional)

[✓] Criminal Justice Reform
Critical Race Theory
Death Penalty
Disability Rights
Free Speech
Immigrants' Rights
LGBTQ+ Rights
Policing
Privacy and Technology
[✓] Racial Justice
[✓] Repro [Reproductive Rights]
State Abortion Bans
Trans Justice
[✓] Voting Rights
[✓] Women's Rights

What other issues do you want the People Power team to focus on? (Optional):

[✓] Do you want to be part of the People Power team working to get out the vote in the 2024 election?

SUBMIT

And so, after I read the email above, I completed the 2024 People Power survey, via the ACLU website, on July 18th, 2024, in order to share "what [my] priorities are for this upcoming year of work," including "what issues are at the top of [my] list." –Paul Whiting (July 20th, 2024)

P.S.: Just so you know, I used to make one-time donations to the organization that is the subject of these 'updates' each time that I took an action as requested by that organization; however, "I have changed the way that I make donations to political, progressive and charitable organizations each month ... due to the fact that I have been spending a considerable percentage of my monthly income on all of these donations." (The reader should know that I am HIV-positive with full-blown AIDS. And I am on Social Security Disability Insurance, or SSDI, so my income is quite limited.) Therefore, "I am greatly reducing the number of times that I donate for the same organization per month down to once—or as determined by me on a case-by-case basis." (Please see my 'August 19th, 2023 Update,' which can be found above.) Thus, because I have already donated to the ACLU on July 2nd, 2024 (please see my 'July 2nd, 2024 Update No. 1,' which can be found above) that is the one-time donation which I made to the ACLU for July 2024.

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July 20th, 2024 Update No. 1, Which Also Discusses July 19th, 2024: [CONTENT WARNING: THIS UPDATE CONTAINS DISCUSSIONS ABOUT GUN VIOLENCE WHICH MAY BE DISTURBING TO SOME READERS. VIEWER DISCRETION IS ADVISED!] I have combined every political campaign, or political organization, donation request per day (made via email or text message) into one 'update' for each day that I donate, so that I don't have to keep writing individual 'updates' for political campaign donations, or political organization donations!

You see, I used to write one 'update' for each of the individual campaign political donations, or political organization donations, that I made virtually every time that I made a political donation. And within each 'update' I included the text from each political campaign's, or political organization's, requesting email or text message, along with some of each campaign's, or organization's, donation page text on the ActBlue website, as well as how much I donated to each campaign, or organization, plus whether I included a tip to ActBlue and how much I tipped.

(By the way, I still write individual 'updates' for political campaign, or political organization, mailers that I receive through the regular mail, because they are usually more elaborate political donation requests, which is why I don't include them with these email or text message requests.)

Plus, the 2024 election cycle is in full gear and I have made a goal of donating only one $1.00 donation per local political campaign here in Oregon (more on that below), or $2.00 per political organization, for the rest of the election cycle! And that means after I make that one donation per campaign, or per organization—regardless of whether I donated in 2023, or 2024—I am only donating once per campaign, or per organization, or as determined by me on a case-by-case basis. And I am only donating once per PAC (Political Action Committee) for the entire election cycle, or as determined by me on a case-by-case basis, because that is all that I can really afford for the 2024 Presidential Election. (The reader should know that I am HIV-positive with full-blown AIDS. And I am on Social Security Disability Insurance, or SSDI, so my income is quite limited.) I hope that makes sense!

Besides that, as of March 21st, 2024, I am no longer donating to individual political campaigns for the foreseeable future (with the exception of local campaigns here in Oregon), or as determined by me on a case-by-case basis (please see my 'March 21st, 2024 Update No. 2,' which can be found above), as I have explained below:

...Alright, I have a big announcement to make: I am no longer donating to individual political campaigns for the foreseeable future—or as determined by me on a case-by-case basis!

And I have made this decision based upon how much these individual political campaign donations are costing in my 'monthly donating budget'—even though I am only donating $3.00 with a $0.21 tip to ActBlue—since I totally changed the way that I approach how I calculate what I am spending on my credit card each month, starting in 2024! So now, I take the total amount that I have available in my monthly budget for my minimum payment on my credit card—as well as my extra payment—and I calculate how much I am reducing that amount each time that I charge on my credit card.

That way, I am very aware of the amount by which I am reducing my total available credit card payments for the month (the minimum payment and the extra payment) in order to, hopefully, pay more on my credit card than I am spending! Plus, I am also utilizing some funds from my budgeted expenses, as well as some funds from my savings, to make sure that I am paying a little more than I am spending while—at the same time—I am also trying to spend less on my credit card.

Therefore, at the start of 2024, I calculated that I could still make ONE $3.00 donation per political campaign for the entire election cycle. And that means after I have made that one donation per campaign—regardless of whether I donated in 2023, or 2024—I have only donated once per campaign, which is what I have been doing so far!

However, it's still more than I can afford given my 'monthly donating budget,' which is why I have decided to stop donating to individual political campaigns entirely—or as determined by me on a case-by-case basis. And so, I will still be making some donations to individual political campaigns (such as to Joe Biden's campaign for President of the United States, or to local campaigns here in Oregon), but I am not donating like I have been up until this point—which has been virtually every time that I have received a political campaign donation request via email or text message—because I seriously cannot afford to donate that much for the rest of the 2024 Presidential Election cycle, as well as for the foreseeable future.

And to clarify one more thing: In the past, I used to only donate to the main Democratic fundraising and coordinating organizations—rather than to individual campaigns—since that's all I really could afford given my 'monthly spending budget,' because I am "low income." Plus, those Democratic fundraising and coordinating organizations help all of the individual political campaigns with funding, which is why I used to only donate to those main organizations! And I only started donating to individual political campaigns in 2022, since I was "doing everything in my power to help Democrats win in the 2022 Midterm Elections!" Therefore, this decision to stop donating to individual political campaigns (with the exception of presidential campaigns and local campaigns, or as determined by me on a case-by-case basis) is really just going back to the way that I used to make political donations.

...The 2024 election cycle is in full gear and I have made a goal of donating only one $2.00 donation per local political campaign here in Oregon (more on that below), or $3.00 per political organization, for the rest of the election cycle! And that means after I make that one donation per campaign, or per organization—regardless of whether I donated in 2023, or 2024—I am only donating once per campaign, or per organization, or as determined by me on a case-by-case basis. And I am only donating once per PAC (Political Action Committee) for the entire election cycle, or as determined by me on a case-by-case basis, because that is all that I can really afford for the 2024 Presidential Election. (The reader should know that I am HIV-positive with full-blown AIDS. And I am on Social Security Disability Insurance, or SSDI, so my income is quite limited.) I hope that makes sense! ...

... In addition to that, starting on June 16th, 2024, I have decided to adjust the amount that I donate per political organization again, so that I can donate to more political organizations and PACs (Political Action Committees) while I am still staying within my 'monthly donating budget.' Below, please find a description of my previous adjustment—which started on May 12th, 2024—to explain how I have recently adjusted the amounts that I am contributing, since I am donating to more political organizations:

...The 2024 election cycle is in full gear and I have made a goal of donating only one $3.00 donation per local political campaign here in Oregon (more on that below), or $4.00 per political organization, for the rest of the election cycle! And that means after I make that one donation per campaign, or per organization—regardless of whether I donated in 2023, or 2024—I am only donating once per campaign, or per organization, or as determined by me on a case-by-case basis. And I am only donating once per PAC (Political Action Committee) for the entire election cycle, or as determined by me on a case-by-case basis, because that is all that I can really afford for the 2024 Presidential Election. (The reader should know that I am HIV-positive with full-blown AIDS. And I am on Social Security Disability Insurance, or SSDI, so my income is quite limited.) I hope that makes sense! ...

... In addition to that, I used to donate "$5.00 per political organization"; however, starting on May 12th, 2024, I decided to adjust that amount, so that I can donate to more political organizations and PACs (Political Action Committees) while I am still staying within my 'monthly donating budget.'

Thus, as I partially explained above, for the rest of the 2024 election cycle—as well as for the foreseeable future—I have made a goal of donating $3.00 per local political campaign only here in Oregon (with a 7% tip to ActBlue of $0.21), or as determined by me on a case-by-case basis; and a goal of donating $4.00 per political organization for donation requests via email or text message (with a 7% tip to ActBlue of $0.28), or as determined by me on a case-by-case basis; as well as a goal of donating $5.00 per political organization, or per PAC, for donation requests via the regular mail (with a 7% tip to ActBlue of $0.35), or as determined by me on a case-by-case basis.

To sum it up, then: I am essentially keeping the same total individual campaign donation amount of $3.21, but I am only donating to local campaigns here in Oregon, or as determined by me on a case-by-case basis; and I am reducing the total donation amount for political organizations and PACs for email and text message donation requests to $4.28 (from $5.35), or as determined by me on a case-by-case basis; plus, I am reducing the total donation amount for political organizations and PACs for regular mail donation requests to $5.35 (from $7.51), or as determined by me on a case-by-case basis.

Therefore, I recently used to donate "$4.00 per political organization"; however, I have decided to adjust that amount again, so that I can donate to more political organizations and PACs (Political Action Committees) while I am still staying within my 'monthly donating budget,' since I am now donating to more organizations as the 2024 Presidential Election cycle continues.

Thus, as I partially explained above, for the rest of the 2024 election cycle—as well as for the foreseeable future—I have made a goal of donating $2.00 per local political campaign only here in Oregon (with a 7% tip to ActBlue of $0.14), or as determined by me on a case-by-case basis; and a goal of donating $3.00 per political organization for donation requests via email or text message (with a 7% tip to ActBlue of $0.21), or as determined by me on a case-by-case basis; as well as a goal of donating $4.00 per political organization, or per PAC, for donation requests via the regular mail (with a 7% tip to ActBlue of $0.28), or as determined by me on a case-by-case basis.

To sum it up, then: I am reducing the total individual campaign donation amount to $2.14 (from $3.21) and I am still only donating to local campaigns here in Oregon, or as determined by me on a case-by-case basis; and I am reducing the total donation amount for political organizations and PACs for email and text message donation requests to $3.21 (from $4.28), or as determined by me on a case-by-case basis; plus, I am reducing the total donation amount for political organizations and PACs for regular mail donation requests to $4.28 (from $5.35), or as determined by me on a case-by-case basis.

Therefore, I recently used to donate "$3.00 per political organization"; however, I have decided to adjust that amount yet again, so that I can donate to more political organizations and PACs (Political Action Committees) while I am still staying within my 'monthly donating budget,' since I am now donating to more organizations as the 2024 Presidential Election cycle continues.

Thus, as I partially explained above, for the rest of the 2024 election cycle—as well as for the foreseeable future—I have made a goal of donating $1.00 per local political campaign only here in Oregon (with a 7% tip to ActBlue of $0.07), or as determined by me on a case-by-case basis; and a goal of donating $2.00 per political organization for donation requests via email or text message (with a 7% tip to ActBlue of $0.14), or as determined by me on a case-by-case basis; as well as a goal of donating $3.00 per political organization, or per PAC, for donation requests via the regular mail (with a 7% tip to ActBlue of $0.21), or as determined by me on a case-by-case basis.

To sum it up, then: I am reducing the total individual campaign donation amount to $1.07 (from $2.14) and I am still only donating to local campaigns here in Oregon, or as determined by me on a case-by-case basis; and I am reducing the total donation amount for political organizations and PACs for email and text message donation requests to $2.14 (from $3.21), or as determined by me on a case-by-case basis; plus, I am reducing the total donation amount for political organizations and PACs for regular mail donation requests to $3.21 (from $4.28), or as determined by me on a case-by-case basis.

So, without further ado...

The only political communication to which I responded was an email from Ban Assault Weapons NOW PAC [Ban Assault Weapons NOW (BAWN) Political Action Committee, or BAWN PAC] that I received yesterday, July 19th, 2024, with the subject line, "RE: Aurora, Colorado", which stated the following:

[Image of name redacted's mom]

I’m personally asking you to donate $5 today to honor my precious daughter, [name redacted], and the 11 other innocent souls stolen from us, 12 years ago, in the Aurora, Colorado theater massacre with action and support to the Tour to Save Democracy. >>***

Paul -- it’s been 12 long years since I lost my beloved baby girl, [name redacted].

On July 20, 2012 she went to the premier of Dark Night Rising at an Aurora, Colorado movie theater.

This is the last thing I would ever hear from her:

“Go get some rest, can’t wait for your visit. I need my momma.”

Just minutes later, she was gone -- slaughtered along with 11 others at the hands of a gunman with an AR-15.

[Name redacted] was just 24 years old. I miss her presence, her laughter, her wit, that smile -- her whole being.

[Photos of name redacted]

The world I knew ended that day. It has been 12 Thanksgivings, 12 birthdays, 12 Christmases, 12 New Year's Eves without our precious girl.

Our hearts never heal from gun violence, but we fight so hopefully you don't experience this pain.

That’s why I’m standing with BAWN and the Tour to Save Democracy. But we need your help to hold cowardly lawmakers accountable and unseat every one of them who refuses to protect our children. We need to raise $6,000 today in honor of our [name redacted] and the 11 other lives stolen from us on July 20, 2012. Will you chip in $5 to help the Tour to Save Democracy's work to elect gun safety champions committed to banning assault weapons -- like the AR-15 used to murder my daughter? The Tour is traveling over 4,400 miles from coast to coast to rally around the gun safety Democrats committed to protecting our families. >>***

Since I lost [name redacted], there has been tragedy after tragedy with no end in sight.

Over 400,000 Americans have been ripped from this world by gun violence.

And millions more have had to mourn their loved ones.

That is the cost of Republicans’ inaction, Paul.

This cannot be the road our country takes. That’s why I’m still fighting 12 years later -- and that’s why I’ll never stop fighting.

I know we can put a stop to the endless bloodshed in our country. But only if we all work together to hold complacent lawmakers accountable. That's why the Tour to Save Democracy's trip to 20 swing districts is so important. So I’m personally asking one more time: Will you chip in $5 to help the Tour raise $6,000 today in honor of our precious [name redacted] and the 11 others stolen from us 12 years ago? Every dollar you donate goes to support the Tour as they rally Gen Z around gun safety Democrats in swing districts dedicated to unseating complacent Republics, ending gun violence, and banning assault weapons once and for all. >>***

[✓] Chip in $5 now >>
[  ] Chip in $10 now >>
[  ] Chip in $15 now >>
[  ] Chip in $20 now >>
[  ] Chip in another amount now >>

Thank you for your support,

[Name redacted]
[Name redacted's] Mom, [Title redacted] of Survivors Empowered

CONTRIBUTE TO THE TOUR TO SAVE DEMOCRACY!

BAWN is partnering with [name redacted] as he embarks on a summer tour to save our democracy. [Name redacted] and a collective of Gen Z activists will bus across the nation stopping in Republican-held swing districts to rally young voters, flip these seats blue, and elect strong gun safety Democrats.

But [name redacted] is counting on grassroots support to fund his tour and make it possible.

Will you rush in a gift before midnight? Your contribution will directly support necessary parts of [name redacted's] tour, like gas, food, and lodging expenses.

Donate immediately:

Your contribution will benefit Ban Assault Weapons NOW PAC.

[  ] Donate $25 →

[  ] Donate $50 →

[  ] Donate $100 →

[  ] Donate $250 →

[  ] Donate $500 →

[  ] Donate $1,000 →

[✓] Other amount $5.00

Please leave a tip for ActBlue

Power the nonprofit fundraising platform Democratic candidates & progressive causes rely on.

[  ] Add $2 tip

[  ] Leave no tip

[✓] Add custom amount $0.35 (7%)

And so, I made a one-time donation to Ban Assault Weapons NOW PAC (BAWN PAC) (with a tip to ActBlue) yesterday, July 19th, 2024, in order to "honor [name redacted's] precious daughter, [name redacted], and the 11 other innocent souls stolen from us, 12 years ago, in the Aurora, Colorado theater massacre with action and support to the Tour to Save Democracy." –Paul Whiting (July 20th, 2024)

-------------------------------------------------------------------

July 20th, 2024 Update No. 2: [CONTENT WARNING: THIS UPDATE CONTAINS DISCUSSIONS ABOUT GUN VIOLENCE WHICH MAY BE DISTURBING TO SOME READERS. VIEWER DISCRETION IS ADVISED!] I received an email from March For Our Lives (MFOL) today, July 20th, 2024, with the subject line, "Aurora Century 16 Movie Theater", which stated the following:

MARCH
FOR OUR
LIVES

Content warning: This email reflects on the events at the Century 16 theater in Aurora, Colorado on July 20, 2012. If this is too much to read, we understand. Take care of yourself and skip the rest of this email. Here are some mental health resources that you may find helpful.

Paul,

12 years ago today, a gunman bought a ticket for The Dark Knight Rises at the Century 16 movie theater in Aurora, Colorado. After the movie started, he left through an emergency exit, propped the door open, and came back in with military-grade gear covering his legs, neck, and head. He fired 76 shots, killed 12 people, and injured 70 more.

Authorities found he spent $15,000 on legal purchases of bullets, guns, tear gas grenades, and ballistic gear.

Our communities shouldn’t keep suffering because our country makes military-grade weapons readily available for the instant gratification of anyone, regardless of their background. No one should watch their family die because they wanted to see a movie. A movie.

As the Aurora community worked to reconcile the terror and violence, gun and ammunition sales spiked. The NRA has always fed on the paranoia from families afraid they’re next, or gun enthusiasts that hoard in the fear they will lose access to deadly weapons.

At the time, this was one of the worst mass shootings in the country’s history. Today, the tragedy remains in the public’s hearts and minds, forever altering the Aurora community and beyond.

Random acts of violence should not be commonplace. Every American has the right to freedom from violence. If we want a safer country like our allies with common sense gun laws, then we must continue to make gun safety legislation a priority.

The best way to honor the 12 lives lost and countless lives traumatized in the Aurora community, is to fight for change. We will not stop advocating for a country free from gun violence and acts of terror. Every community, family, and person deserves a government that does right by them.

To the future,

March For Our Lives HQ

Today and every day we honor the lives lost at Century 16 theater in Aurora, Colorado on July 20, 2012.

[Name redacted], 26

[Name redacted], 18

[Name redacted], 29

[Name redacted], 51

[Name redacted], 24

[Name redacted], 27

[Name redacted], 27

[Name redacted], 23

[Name redacted], 6

[Name redacted], 27

[Name redacted], 24

[Name redacted], 32

DONATE NOW***

...Alright, I have a big announcement to make: I am no longer donating to individual political campaigns for the foreseeable future—or as determined by me on a case-by-case basis!

And I have made this decision based upon how much these individual political campaign donations are costing in my 'monthly donating budget'—even though I am only donating $3.00 with a $0.21 tip to ActBlue—since I totally changed the way that I approach how I calculate what I am spending on my credit card each month, starting in 2024! So now, I take the total amount that I have available in my monthly budget for my minimum payment on my credit card—as well as my extra payment—and I calculate how much I am reducing that amount each time that I charge on my credit card.

That way, I am very aware of the amount by which I am reducing my total available credit card payments for the month (the minimum payment and the extra payment) in order to, hopefully, pay more on my credit card than I am spending! Plus, I am also utilizing some funds from my budgeted expenses, as well as some funds from my savings, to make sure that I am paying a little more than I am spending while—at the same time—I am also trying to spend less on my credit card.

Therefore, at the start of 2024, I calculated that I could still make ONE $3.00 donation per political campaign for the entire election cycle. And that means after I have made that one donation per campaign—regardless of whether I donated in 2023, or 2024—I have only donated once per campaign, which is what I have been doing so far!

However, it's still more than I can afford given my 'monthly donating budget,' which is why I have decided to stop donating to individual political campaigns entirely—or as determined by me on a case-by-case basis. And so, I will still be making some donations to individual political campaigns (such as to Joe Biden's campaign for President of the United States, or to local campaigns here in Oregon), but I am not donating like I have been up until this point—which has been virtually every time that I have received a political campaign donation request via email or text message—because I seriously cannot afford to donate that much for the rest of the 2024 Presidential Election cycle, as well as for the foreseeable future.

And to clarify one more thing: In the past, I used to only donate to the main Democratic fundraising and coordinating organizations—rather than to individual campaigns—since that's all I really could afford given my 'monthly spending budget,' because I am "low income." Plus, those Democratic fundraising and coordinating organizations help all of the individual political campaigns with funding, which is why I used to only donate to those main organizations! And I only started donating to individual political campaigns in 2022, since I was "doing everything in my power to help Democrats win in the 2022 Midterm Elections!" Therefore, this decision to stop donating to individual political campaigns (with the exception of presidential campaigns and local campaigns, or as determined by me on a case-by-case basis) is really just going back to the way that I used to make political donations.

...The 2024 election cycle is in full gear and I have made a goal of donating only one $2.00 donation per local political campaign here in Oregon (more on that below), or $3.00 per political organization, for the rest of the election cycle! And that means after I make that one donation per campaign, or per organization—regardless of whether I donated in 2023, or 2024—I am only donating once per campaign, or per organization, or as determined by me on a case-by-case basis. And I am only donating once per PAC (Political Action Committee) for the entire election cycle, or as determined by me on a case-by-case basis, because that is all that I can really afford for the 2024 Presidential Election. (The reader should know that I am HIV-positive with full-blown AIDS. And I am on Social Security Disability Insurance, or SSDI, so my income is quite limited.) I hope that makes sense! ...

... In addition to that, starting on June 16th, 2024, I have decided to adjust the amount that I donate per political organization again, so that I can donate to more political organizations and PACs (Political Action Committees) while I am still staying within my 'monthly donating budget.' Below, please find a description of my previous adjustment—which started on May 12th, 2024—to explain how I have recently adjusted the amounts that I am contributing, since I am donating to more political organizations:

...The 2024 election cycle is in full gear and I have made a goal of donating only one $3.00 donation per local political campaign here in Oregon (more on that below), or $4.00 per political organization, for the rest of the election cycle! And that means after I make that one donation per campaign, or per organization—regardless of whether I donated in 2023, or 2024—I am only donating once per campaign, or per organization, or as determined by me on a case-by-case basis. And I am only donating once per PAC (Political Action Committee) for the entire election cycle, or as determined by me on a case-by-case basis, because that is all that I can really afford for the 2024 Presidential Election. (The reader should know that I am HIV-positive with full-blown AIDS. And I am on Social Security Disability Insurance, or SSDI, so my income is quite limited.) I hope that makes sense! ...

... In addition to that, I used to donate "$5.00 per political organization"; however, starting on May 12th, 2024, I decided to adjust that amount, so that I can donate to more political organizations and PACs (Political Action Committees) while I am still staying within my 'monthly donating budget.'

Thus, as I partially explained above, for the rest of the 2024 election cycle—as well as for the foreseeable future—I have made a goal of donating $3.00 per local political campaign only here in Oregon (with a 7% tip to ActBlue of $0.21), or as determined by me on a case-by-case basis; and a goal of donating $4.00 per political organization for donation requests via email or text message (with a 7% tip to ActBlue of $0.28), or as determined by me on a case-by-case basis; as well as a goal of donating $5.00 per political organization, or per PAC, for donation requests via the regular mail (with a 7% tip to ActBlue of $0.35), or as determined by me on a case-by-case basis.

To sum it up, then: I am essentially keeping the same total individual campaign donation amount of $3.21, but I am only donating to local campaigns here in Oregon, or as determined by me on a case-by-case basis; and I am reducing the total donation amount for political organizations and PACs for email and text message donation requests to $4.28 (from $5.35), or as determined by me on a case-by-case basis; plus, I am reducing the total donation amount for political organizations and PACs for regular mail donation requests to $5.35 (from $7.51), or as determined by me on a case-by-case basis.

Therefore, I recently used to donate "$4.00 per political organization"; however, I have decided to adjust that amount again, so that I can donate to more political organizations and PACs (Political Action Committees) while I am still staying within my 'monthly donating budget,' since I am now donating to more organizations as the 2024 Presidential Election cycle continues.

Thus, as I partially explained above, for the rest of the 2024 election cycle—as well as for the foreseeable future—I have made a goal of donating $2.00 per local political campaign only here in Oregon (with a 7% tip to ActBlue of $0.14), or as determined by me on a case-by-case basis; and a goal of donating $3.00 per political organization for donation requests via email or text message (with a 7% tip to ActBlue of $0.21), or as determined by me on a case-by-case basis; as well as a goal of donating $4.00 per political organization, or per PAC, for donation requests via the regular mail (with a 7% tip to ActBlue of $0.28), or as determined by me on a case-by-case basis.

To sum it up, then: I am reducing the total individual campaign donation amount to $2.14 (from $3.21) and I am still only donating to local campaigns here in Oregon, or as determined by me on a case-by-case basis; and I am reducing the total donation amount for political organizations and PACs for email and text message donation requests to $3.21 (from $4.28), or as determined by me on a case-by-case basis; plus, I am reducing the total donation amount for political organizations and PACs for regular mail donation requests to $4.28 (from $5.35), or as determined by me on a case-by-case basis.

Therefore, I recently used to donate "$3.00 per political organization"; however, I have decided to adjust that amount yet again, so that I can donate to more political organizations and PACs (Political Action Committees) while I am still staying within my 'monthly donating budget,' since I am now donating to more organizations as the 2024 Presidential Election cycle continues.

Thus, as I partially explained above, for the rest of the 2024 election cycle—as well as for the foreseeable future—I have made a goal of donating $1.00 per local political campaign only here in Oregon (with a 7% tip to ActBlue of $0.07), or as determined by me on a case-by-case basis; and a goal of donating $2.00 per political organization for donation requests via email or text message (with a 7% tip to ActBlue of $0.14), or as determined by me on a case-by-case basis; as well as a goal of donating $3.00 per political organization, or per PAC, for donation requests via the regular mail (with a 7% tip to ActBlue of $0.21), or as determined by me on a case-by-case basis.

To sum it up, then: I am reducing the total individual campaign donation amount to $1.07 (from $2.14) and I am still only donating to local campaigns here in Oregon, or as determined by me on a case-by-case basis; and I am reducing the total donation amount for political organizations and PACs for email and text message donation requests to $2.14 (from $3.21), or as determined by me on a case-by-case basis; plus, I am reducing the total donation amount for political organizations and PACs for regular mail donation requests to $3.21 (from $4.28), or as determined by me on a case-by-case basis.

So, without further ado...

The first political communication to which I responded on July 21st, 2024 was an email from Ban Assault Weapons NOW PAC [Ban Assault Weapons NOW (BAWN) Political Action Committee, or BAWN PAC] that I received on July 21st, 2024, with the subject line, "OFFICIAL Thank You Card for President Biden", which stated the following:

BREAKING:
PRESIDENT BIDEN ANNOUNCES HE WILL NOT SEEK REELECTION

Paul – Stop EVERYTHING you’re doing. Don’t click away from this email. Our beloved President Biden just made the tremendously brave decision to step down from the 2024 Presidential race. Now, we need to show President Biden how appreciative we are for his lifelong service to our country and incredible gun safety progress.

Paul, will you take 30 seconds and sign our official Thank You Card for President Biden before midnight? We need 500 grassroots Democrats to add their names before midnight. >>***

If you’re grateful that President Biden DEFEATED Trump in 2020…

If you’re grateful for President Biden’s HISTORIC gun safety progress…

If you’re grateful for everything President Biden has done to serve our country…

Then add your name to our official THANK YOU card for President Biden before we send it to him at midnight!

SIGN THE THANK YOU CARD >>***

Thank you,
Team Ban Assault Weapons Now

P.S. We won’t mince words: Kamala Harris will have a tough battle ahead as our Democratic nominee. Can you chip in before midnight to help us rush resources to the Tour to Save Democracy, ELECT gun safety Democrats running in tight races from coast to coast, and hand Trump the defeat he deserves? >>

DONATE

Action Network

Thank Joe Biden

Sign Joe Biden's card to thank him for his decades of public service!

SPONSORED BY
BAN ASSAULT WEAPONS NOW PAC

SIGN JOE BIDEN'S CARD TO THANK HIM FOR HIS DECADES OF PUBLIC SERVICE!

EMAIL: [redacted]
MOBILE NUMBER: [redacted]

Check the box below to sign the card THANKING Joe Biden for his leadership 25 our President

[✓] Yes, please add my name!

Do you approve of the job President Biden has done as president?

[✓] Yes
[  ] No
[  ] Unsure

On a scale of 1-5, how would you rate the job that Joe Biden has done as president?

[✓] 5-Great
[  ] 4-Good
[  ] 3-Average
[  ] 2-Poor
[  ] 1-Bad

Which of Joe Biden's actions as president do you support? (Select all that apply)

[  ] Opening the first-ever White House Office of Gun Violence Prevention
[  ] Securing millions of COVID-19 vaccines
[  ] Passing the Bi-Partisan Safer Communities Act
[  ] Re-engaging in the World Health Organization
[  ] Reversing Trump's Muslim Ban
[  ] Reopening Obamacare enrollment
[  ] Ending Trump's Transgender Military Ban
[  ] Unveiling the American jobs Plan to create thousands of jobs
[  ] Sending stimulus checks to millions of hardworking families
[✓] ALL OF THE ABOVE

How concerned are you by Donald Trump's despicable attempts to destroy Joe Biden's legacy?

[✓] Very concerned
[  ] Concerned
[  ] Somewhat concerned
[  ] Not concerned at all
[  ] Unsure

The Tour to Save Demacracy is covering over 4,400 miles to visit 20 swing districts from coast to coast. Can you make a small donation to help them rally Gen Z voters around gun safety Democrats?

[✓] Yes!

With President Biden out of the race we can't afford for you to sit this one out. So please chip in anything you can!

Yes! I'll donate $5 >>
Yes! I'll donate $15 >>
Yes! I'll donate $35 >>
Yes! I'll donate $50 >>
[✓] I'll donate another amount >>

SUBMIT >>

---------------------------------------------

CONTRIBUTE TO THE TOUR TO SAVE DEMOCRACY!

BAWN is partnering with [name redacted] as he embarks on a summer tour to save our democracy. [Name redacted] and a collective of Gen Z activists will bus across the nation stopping in Republican-held swing districts to rally young voters, flip these seats blue, and elect strong gun safety Democrats.

But [name redacted] is counting on grassroots support to fund his tour and make it possible.

Will you rush in a gift before midnight? Your contribution will directly support necessary parts of [name redacted's] tour, like gas, food, and lodging expenses.

Donate immediately:

Your contribution will benefit Ban Assault Weapons NOW PAC.

[  ] Donate $25 →

[  ] Donate $50 →

[  ] Donate $100 →

[  ] Donate $250 →

[  ] Donate $500 →

[  ] Donate $1,000 →

[✓] Other amount $1.00

Please leave a tip for ActBlue

Power the nonprofit fundraising platform Democratic candidates & progressive causes rely on.

[  ] Add $2 tip

[✓] Leave no tip

[  ] Add custom amount

And so, after I signed the card above to President Biden, via the Action Network website, I made a one-time donation donation to Ban Assault Weapons NOW PAC (BAWN PAC) (without a tip to ActBlue) on July 21st, 2024, because "our beloved President Biden just made the tremendously brave decision to step down from the 2024 Presidential race." That is why I contributed to BAWN PAC "to show President Biden how appreciative we are for his lifelong service to our country and incredible gun safety progress."

P.S.: The reason that I only donated $1.00 to the Ban Assault Weapons NOW PAC is because I already donated $5.00 (with a $0.35 tip to ActBlue) on July 3rd, 2024 (please see my 'July 3rd, 2024 Update No. 1,' which can be found above), as well as $5.00 (with a $0.35 tip to ActBlue) on July 19th, 2024 (please see my 'July 20th, 2024 Update No. 1, Which Also Discusses July 19th, 2024' that can be found above) and that is all I can afford this month; however, I did want to respond to contribute for the official Thank You Card for President Biden, so that is why I made a donation in the amount that I did.

---------------------------------------------

The second political communication to which I responded on July 21st, 2024 was an email from was an email from Voto Latino that I received on July 21st, 2024, with the subject line, "Biden is out. Fund voter registrations today.", which stated the following:

Paul

By now, you’ve likely heard that President Joe Biden has decided to end his campaign.

In 2020, Voto Latino endorsed Joe Biden in the face of an unprecedented threat to our community and our country. His exceptional term has earned our admiration and respect. His list of accomplishments is long and significant, and the Latino community will benefit from his work for generations.

While President Biden’s withdrawal certainly changes a lot about the 2024 election, one fact remains clear: we must keep registering voters.

Now more than ever we must unite our efforts to make sure Trump is not elected in November. Help fund our voter registration work.

If Trump returns to the White House, he’ll execute his anti-democracy and extreme platform. He will continue dehumanizing immigrants and will deploy our military to round-up people who they deem look undocumented. Trump also will expand the cottage industry of detention centers across the nation where no one is safe - U.S. citizens or not.

Donald Trump’s record of anti-immigrant and anti-worker policies severely burdens Latino working families. And he is now promising to double-down on his cruelty in 2025. He represents an unprecedented threat for Latinos and our thriving country.

Election decency, our democracy, and basic rights are on the ballot. The alternative is devastation to our families. Voto Latino will double-down on its efforts to help the Latino community fully realize its political power and create a more robust democracy. We’ll execute the largest Latino-focused registration and turnout campaign in U.S. history.

Donate to our mission here:***

- Voto Latino

VOTO LATINO
It's your country. Represent!

DONATE TO HELP US REGISTER 500,000 NEW VOTERS BEFORE NOVEMBER 5TH, 2024

We need your support to keep up the pace and register at least 500,000 more Latino voters before registration deadlines hit and time runs out to request absentee ballots.

Will you pitch in, if you can, to help us register the voters we need to make sure OUR VOICES are heard on Election Day?

Donate immediately:

Your contribution will benefit Voto Latino.

[  ] DONATE $10 →

[  ] DONATE $25 →

[  ] DONATE $50 →

[  ] DONATE $100 →

[  ] DONATE $250 →

[✓] OTHER AMOUNT $1.00

Please leave a tip for ActBlue

Power the nonprofit fundraising platform Democratic candidates & progressive causes rely on.

[  ] Add $2 tip

[✓] Leave no tip

[  ] Add custom amount

And so, I made a one-time donation to Voto Latino (without a tip to ActBlue) on July 21st, 2024, because "President Joe Biden has decided to end his campaign," and "his exceptional term has earned [Voto Latino's] admiration and respect," plus "his list of accomplishments is long and significant, and the Latino community will benefit from his work for generations." That is why I contributed to Voto Latino, since "now more than ever we must unite our efforts to make sure Trump is not elected in November."

P.S.: The reason that I only donated $1.00 to Voto Latino is because I already donated $2.00 (with a $0.14 tip to ActBlue) on July 4th, 2024 (please see my 'July 4th, 2024 Update No. 6, Written From July 5th, 2024 To July 7th, 2024, Which Also Discusses July 1st, 2024, July 2nd, 2024, As Well As July 3rd, 2024' that can be found above) and that is all I can afford this month; however, I did want to respond to contribute in order to help fund Voto Latino's voter registration work, so that is why I made a donation in the amount that I did.

---------------------------------------------

The third political communication to which I responded on July 21st, 2024 was an email from the Democratic Legislative Campaign Committee (DLCC) that I received on July 21st, 2024, with the subject line, "President Joe Biden deserves our deep gratitude for his lifetime of public service and leadership.", which stated the following:

ELECT STATE DEMS
A project of the DLCC

Paul,

President Joe Biden deserves our deep gratitude for his lifetime of public service and leadership. For the past four years, we have made progress together to reverse Trump’s dangerous policies and worked tirelessly to defend our fundamental freedoms and democracy.

Together, we’ve protected health care, passed lifesaving gun safety legislation, and improved the lives of working families across America.

This work must continue uninterrupted. We must recommit ourselves to supporting Democrats up and down the ticket and winning in states nationwide this November.

Along with the race for the White House, state legislative races are more critical than ever for defending the accomplishments and progress made during the Biden Administration.

Winning this November will take all of us, and I hope we can count on you, Paul.

The stakes of this election couldn’t be higher, and Democrats must come together, united in our commitment to securing our democracy and fundamental freedoms at the ballot box in November.

Together,

[Name redacted]
[Title redacted]
Democratic Legislative Campaign Committee

DONATE »***

DLCC
DEMOCRATIC LEGISLATIVE CAMPAIGN COMMITTEE

Join the team! Chip in today.

🗳️Elect state Dems in critical special elections
💰Fund our strategic investments in 2024, 2025, and beyond
❌Counter Republican extremism in the states

Can you chip in today?

Donate immediately:

Your contribution will benefit DLCC PAC.

[  ] Donate $10 →

[  ] Donate $25 →

[  ] Donate $50 →

[  ] Donate $100 →

[  ] Donate $250 →

[  ] Donate $500 →

[  ] Donate $1,000→

[✓] Other amount $1.00

Please leave a tip for ActBlue

Power the nonprofit fundraising platform Democratic candidates & progressive causes rely on.

[  ] Add $2 tip

[✓] Leave no tip

[  ] Add custom amount

And so, I made a one-time donation to the DLCC (without a tip to ActBlue) on July 21st, 2024, because "President Joe Biden deserves our deep gratitude for his lifetime of public service and leadership," which means that "along with the race for the White House, state legislative races are more critical than ever for defending the accomplishments and progress made during the Biden Administration."

P.S.: The reason that I only donated $1.00 to the DLCC is because I already donated $2.00 (with a $0.14 tip to ActBlue) on July 4th, 2024 (please see my 'July 4th, 2024 Update No. 6, Written From July 5th, 2024 To July 7th, 2024, Which Also Discusses July 1st, 2024, July 2nd, 2024, As Well As July 3rd, 2024' that can be found above) and that is all I can afford this month; however, I did want to respond in order to contribute because the stakes of this election couldn’t be higher, and Democrats must come together, united in our commitment to securing our democracy and fundamental freedoms at the ballot box in November, so that is why I made a donation in the amount that I did.

---------------------------------------------

The fourth political communication to which I responded on July 21st, 2024 was a text message that I received on July 21st, 2024, from the Voters of Tomorrow PAC (Voters of Tomorrow Political Action Committee, or VOT PAC), which stated the following:

I’m just 16 years old so I can’t vote, but I (along with millions of young people!) will be doing EVERYTHING in our power to make Kamala Harris the first female president and to stop Donald Trump from ever holding office again!

This election is our chance to stop fascism in its tracks and make sure that Gen Z has a future that we can look forward to.

Young people might not be able to compete with Republicans’ millions, but we CAN defeat them with our Gen Z voter contact efforts.

VOT PAC is working in overdrive to register and turn out NEW Gen Z voters in swing states like Georgia and Texas. But we’re students, not professional fundraisers, and we need grown-ups like you to fund our efforts to hire campus organizers in battleground states across America.

So please, will you invest in our democracy and my generation, and pitch in $27 before midnight to fund VOT PAC’s turnout efforts? >>***

[Name redacted] via Voters of Tomorrow PAC

VOTERS OF TOMORROW
POLITICAL ACTION COMMITTEE

Donate to Voters of Tomorrow PAC!

Help us turn out Gen Z in DROVES and defeat MAGA Republicans!

With your contribution, Voters of Tomorrow PAC will be able to tum out Gen Z against Republicans all across the country.

Can you pitch in below to fund our efforts? >>>>

Donate immediately.

Your contribution will benefit Voters of Tomorrow PAC.

[  ] Donate $10 →

[  ] Donate $20.24 →

[  ] Donate $50 →

[  ] Donate $100 →

[  ] Donate $250 →

[  ] Donate $500 →

[  ] Donate $2,024 →

[✓] Other amount $1.00

Please leave a tip for ActBlue

Power the nonprofit fundraising platform Democratic candidates & progressive causes rely on.

[  ] Add $2 tip

[✓] Leave no tip

[  ] Add custom amount

And so, I made a one-time donation to the Voters of Tomorrow PAC (VOT PAC) (without a tip to ActBlue) on July 21st, 2024, because "millions of young people ... will be doing EVERYTHING in [their] power to make Kamala Harris the first female president and to stop Donald Trump from ever holding office again," since "this election is our chance to stop fascism in its tracks and make sure that Gen Z has a future that we can look forward to."

P.S.: The reason that I only donated $1.00 to the VOT PAC is because I already donated $2.00 (with a $0.14 tip to ActBlue) on July 4th, 2024 (please see my 'July 4th, 2024 Update No. 6, Written From July 5th, 2024 To July 7th, 2024, Which Also Discusses July 1st, 2024, July 2nd, 2024, As Well As July 3rd, 2024' that can be found above) and that is all I can afford this month; however, I did want to respond in order to contribute, because VOT PAC is working in overdrive to register and turn out NEW Gen Z voters, so that is why I made a donation in the amount that I did.

---------------------------------------------

The fifth political communication to which I responded on July 21st, 2024 was an email from the Democratic Senatorial Campaign Committee (DSCC) that I received on July 21st, 2024, with the subject line, "Biden's decision", which stated the following:

Major, MAJOR news, Paul: President Biden just ended his re-election bid and endorsed Vice President Harris to take his place.

President Biden has earned his place in history by rescuing our democracy from Donald Trump, delivering us from the depths of the pandemic, and restoring our faith in an America where anything is possible when we work together. Now he's making history again with this selfless decision to put the country first.

In this moment, we need a MASSIVE surge of support for Democrats to prove we're up to the challenge of starting this election over again.

We've launched an urgent Triple-Impact Match to elect Democrats, but it's only good until midnight TONIGHT! Please chip in $55 (becomes $165!) to defend the Senate and continue our historic progress! >>***

If you've saved your payment info with ActBlue Express, your donation will be processed immediately.

[  ] DONATE $55 (BECOMES $165)
[  ] DONATE $110 (BECOMES $330)
[  ] DONATE $220 (BECOMES $660)
[✓] RUSH ANOTHER AMOUNT***

Thanks in advance,

Team DSCC

DSCC

Match Activated! TRIPLE your impact to help SUPERCHARGE our Senate majority!

CNN says multiple GOP seats could flip blue this year — but with Mitch McConnell's megadonors already playing offense, it's going to take all hands on deck to win!

Please, will you chip in now to protect our historic progress by supercharging our Democratic majority? The first $10,000 received before tonight's fundraising deadline will be TRIPLED!

Donate immediately:

Your contribution will benefit DSCC.

[✓] Donate $1 →

[  ] Donate $110 →

[  ] Donate $220 →

[  ] Donate $550 →

[  ] Other amount

Please leave a tip for ActBlue

Power the nonprofit fundraising platform Democratic candidates & progressive causes rely on.

[  ] Add $2 tip

[✓] Leave no tip

[  ] Add custom amount

And so, I made a one-time donation to the DSCC (without a tip to ActBlue) on July 21st, 2024, due to the following: "President Biden just ended his re-election bid and endorsed Vice President Harris to take his place. President Biden has earned his place in history by rescuing our democracy from Donald Trump, delivering us from the depths of the pandemic, and restoring our faith in an America where anything is possible when we work together. Now he's making history again with this selfless decision to put the country first." That is why I contributed, because "we need a MASSIVE surge of support for Democrats to prove we're up to the challenge of starting this election over again."

P.S.: The reason that I only donated $1.00 to the DSCC is because I already donated $2.00 (with a $0.14 tip to ActBlue) on July 4th, 2024 (please see my 'July 4th, 2024 Update No. 6, Written From July 5th, 2024 To July 7th, 2024, Which Also Discusses July 1st, 2024, July 2nd, 2024, As Well As July 3rd, 2024' that can be found above) and that is all I can afford this month; however, I did want to respond in order to contribute to the urgent Triple-Impact Match to elect Democrats, so that is why I made a donation in the amount that I did.

---------------------------------------------

The sixth political communication to which I responded on July 21st, 2024 was a text message that I received on July 21st, 2024, from the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee (DCCC), which stated the following:

Paul, as you've already heard, President Biden is stepping aside to usher in a new era of leadership to our party.

𝙉𝙤 𝙢𝙖𝙩𝙩𝙚𝙧 𝙬𝙝𝙖𝙩 𝙝𝙞𝙨 𝙤𝙥𝙥𝙤𝙣𝙚𝙣𝙩𝙨 𝙢𝙖𝙮 𝙨𝙖𝙮, 𝙋𝙧𝙚𝙨𝙞𝙙𝙚𝙣𝙩 𝘽𝙞𝙙𝙚𝙣 𝙞𝙨 𝙖 𝙜𝙤𝙤𝙙 𝙢𝙖𝙣 𝙬𝙝𝙤 𝙝𝙖𝙨 𝙨𝙚𝙧𝙫𝙚𝙙 𝙝𝙞𝙨 𝙘𝙤𝙪𝙣𝙩𝙧𝙮 𝙛𝙤𝙧 𝙛𝙞𝙫𝙚 𝙙𝙚𝙘𝙖𝙙𝙚𝙨.

His legacy will speak for itself. During his presidency he:

– Helped our nation 𝗯𝗼𝘂𝗻𝗰𝗲 𝗯𝗮𝗰𝗸 𝗳𝗿𝗼𝗺 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗖𝗢𝗩𝗜𝗗-𝟭𝟵 𝗽𝗮𝗻𝗱𝗲𝗺𝗶𝗰,
– Appointed 𝗞𝗲𝘁𝗮𝗻𝗷𝗶 𝗕𝗿𝗼𝘄𝗻 𝗝𝗮𝗰𝗸𝘀𝗼𝗻, the first Black woman on the Supreme Court,
– Took action to 𝗳𝗶𝗴𝗵𝘁 𝗰𝗹𝗶𝗺𝗮𝘁𝗲 𝗰𝗵𝗮𝗻𝗴𝗲 and support a green economy,
– 𝘈𝘯𝘥 𝘴𝘰 𝘮𝘶𝘤𝘩 𝘮𝘰𝘳𝘦…

We want to show President Biden that Democrats nationwide are grateful for ALL he's done for our party and country. Will you sign our thank you card to President Biden on behalf of Oregon Democrats?***

– Team DCCC

DCCC

Add your name

Sign President Biden's card and thank him for five decades of public service >>

First Name: Paul
Last Name: Whiting
Email Address: [redacted]
Phone: [redacted]

SIGN YOUR NAME

Which of President Biden's achievements are you most proud of? Choose all that apply:

[✓] Passing American Rescue Plan to fight the pandemic
[✓] Making investments in fixing crumbling infrastructure across the country
[✓] Protecting reproductive rights
[✓] Confirming Justice Ketanji Brown Jackson, the first Black woman on the Supreme Court
[✓] Signing stronger gun violence prevention into law following shootings in Buffalo and Uvalde
[✓] Expanding health care for veterans
[✓] The Inflation Reduction Act
[✓] Rejoining the Paris Climate Accords and fighting climate change
[  ] Something else

Do you think America is better off with Democrats in office, or Republicans?

[✓] Democrats
[  ] Republicans
[  ] Unsure

Are you willing to make a small sacrifice if it would help keep Donald Trump's MAGA House Republicans out of office?

[✓] Yes
[  ] No
[  ] Unsure

Can you chip in $3 (less than a cup of coffee at Starbucks!) every week between now and Election Day to support Kamala Harris, defeat Trump's MAGA Republicans, and make Hakeem Jeffries the next Speaker of the House?

Your contribution on the next page will help House Democrats fund our GOTV ['Get Out The Vote'] strategy, campaign infrastructure, critical polling, and so much more.

[  ] I'LL CHIP IN $3 WEEKLY >>
[  ] I'LL CHIP IN $5 WEEKLY >>
[  ] I'LL CHIP IN $10 WEEKLY >>
[✓] I'LL MAKE A ONE TIME DONATION OF $20.24 TODAY >>*
[  ] NOT RIGHT NOW. (YOU'LL BE REDIRECTED TO A DONATION PAGE, BUT YOUR RESPONSES WILL BE RECORDED REGARDLESS OF YOUR ABILITY TO GIVE).

*[Blogger's Note: I selected this option—although I donated less than $20.24—because it's an option that got me to the donation webpage!]

---------------------------------------------

Thanks for signing our card! Now, will you stand with Democrats to take back the House?

Start a weekly donation today to help flip the House BLUE with the DCCC >>>

Make it weekly!

[  ] Yes, count me in!
[✓] No, donate once

Donate immediately:

Your contribution will benefit DCCC.

[✓] Donate $1 →

[  ] Donate $25 →

[  ] Donate $50 →

[  ] Donate $100 →

[  ] Donate $250 →

[  ] Donate $500 →

[  ] Donate $1,000 →

[  ] Other amount

Please leave a tip for ActBlue

Power the nonprofit fundraising platform Democratic candidates & progressive causes rely on.

[  ] Add $2 tip

[✓] Leave no tip

[  ] Add custom amount

And so, I made a one-time donation to the DCCC (without a tip to ActBlue) on July 21st, 2024, because "we want to show President Biden that Democrats nationwide are grateful for ALL he's done for our party and country," since "President Biden is stepping aside to usher in a new era of leadership to our party."

P.S.: The reason that I only donated $1.00 to the DCCC is because I already donated $2.00 (with a $0.14 tip to ActBlue) on July 4th, 2024 (please see my 'July 4th, 2024 Update No. 6, Written From July 5th, 2024 To July 7th, 2024, Which Also Discusses July 1st, 2024, July 2nd, 2024, As Well As July 3rd, 2024' that can be found above) and that is all I can afford this month; however, I did want to respond in order to contribute with regard to the signing of the DCCC's thank you card to President Biden on behalf of Oregon Democrats, so that is why I made a donation in the amount that I did.

---------------------------------------------

The seventh political communication to which I responded on July 21st, 2024 was an email from the Democratic Governors Association (DGA) that I received on July 21st, 2024, with the subject line, "We'll forever be grateful for President Biden's years of service to our country. Please join us in signing our card to thank him today.", which stated the following:

Paul, big news:
President Biden will no longer run for reelection.

[Image of President Joe Biden with the words, "Thank you, President Biden!"]

As president, President Biden has made historic investments in rebuilding our nation, strengthened our democracy, protected reproductive rights in the face of right-wing attacks, overseen record levels of job creation, protected Social Security and Medicare, and stood up for our rights and freedom. He has consistently delivered progress for the American people in only three and a half years – and we couldn’t be more grateful.

So please, Paul, will you be one of the first dedicated supporters to sign our thank you card to President Biden right now? You can even leave him a personalized note if you’d like.

SIGN THE CARD***

DGA

Thank you, President Biden!

As president, President Biden has made historic investments in rebuilding our nation to strengthen our democracy and stood up for our rights and freedoms. He has consistently delivered progress for the American people.

So please, will you be one of the first dedicated supporters to sign our thank you card to President Biden right now for his lifetime of service to our country? You can even leave him a personalized note if you'd like.

First Name: Paul
Last Name: Whiting
Email: [redacted]
Street Address: [redacted]
City: [redacted]
State: [redacted]
ZIP Code: [redacted]

Leave your personal message for Joe here! (optional)

"President Biden,

THANK YOU for your decades [of] leadership in the Senate, the Vice Presidency and the Presidency!"

SUBMIT

---------------------------------------------

DONATE NOW
DEADLINE: MIDNIGHT

With 11 governors' races on the ballot this November, including in key toss-up states like New Hampshire and North Carolina, the blue firewall that we rely on to stop the GOP's extremist agenda is at risk. We're giving it our all to support them, but right now, we're falling dangerously short of our fundraising goals.

That's why a group of generous donors is matching all gifts up to our $25,000 goal before midnight tonight. Time is running out to have your gift DOUBLED up to our goal: Give now to elect Democratic governors and preserve our blue firewall!

Donate immediately:

Your contribution will benefit Democratic Action.

[  ] Donate $22 →

[  ] Donate $44 →

[  ] Donate $88 →

[  ] Donate $220 →

[  ] Donate $440 →

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[✓] Other amount $1.00

Please leave a tip for ActBlue

Power the nonprofit fundraising platform Democratic candidates & progressive causes rely on.

[  ] Add $2 tip

[✓] Leave no tip

[  ] Add custom amount

And so, I made a one-time donation to the DGA (without a tip to ActBlue) on July 21st, 2024, because "we'll forever be grateful for President Biden's years of service to our country," so that is why I joined the DGA "in signing [their] card to thank him."

P.S.: The reason that I only donated $1.00 to the DGA is because I already donated $2.00 (with a $0.14 tip to ActBlue) on July 4th, 2024 (please see my 'July 4th, 2024 Update No. 6, Written From July 5th, 2024 To July 7th, 2024, Which Also Discusses July 1st, 2024, July 2nd, 2024, As Well As July 3rd, 2024' that can be found above) and that is all I can afford this month; however, I did want to respond in order to contribute for the signing of the DGA's thank you card to President Biden, so that is why I made a donation in the amount that I did.

---------------------------------------------

The eighth political communication to which I responded on July 21st, 2024 was an email from the Democratic National Committee (DNC) that I received on July 21st, 2024, with the subject line, "President Biden", which stated the following:

Paul --

By now you have likely seen the news that Joe Biden has ended his reelection campaign for president.

First and foremost, we all owe President Biden an enormous debt of gratitude for the unparalleled progress he has delivered over the last four years.

But we also know that many of you are wondering what comes next.

In the coming days, the Party will undertake a transparent and orderly process to move forward as a united Democratic Party to defeat Donald Trump in November.

We also know a lot of people are wondering what they can do at this moment to help. The DNC is the one organization best-positioned to move resources where they are needed, when they are needed to defeat Donald Trump AND elect a Democratic House and Senate.

So today, as we all watch and follow the news, we're asking:

Can you please use this link to contribute $100 directly to the Democratic National Committee? We will put your donation right to work defeating Donald Trump and electing a Democratic Congress.

If you've stored your info with ActBlue, we'll process your contribution instantly.

[  ] DONATE $50
[  ] DONATE $100
[  ] DONATE $200
[  ] DONATE $300
[  ] DONATE $500
[✓] OTHER AMOUNT***

Thank you,

The Democratic Party

Donate to the DNC and help elect Democrats nationwide!

Trump and his far-right allies are raising millions of dollars to lift up extreme MAGA Republican candidates running at all levels across the country.

We're counting on this grassroots team to help us fight back and Invest in the resources our candidates rely on to compete and win year after year. Rush a donation today >>

Donate immediately:

Your contribution will benefit Democratic National Committee (DNC).

[✓] $1 →

[  ] $20 →

[  ] $50 →

[  ] $100 →

[  ] $250 →

[  ] $1,000 →

[  ] $2,000 →

[  ] Other

Please leave a tip for ActBlue

Power the nonprofit fundraising platform Democratic candidates & progressive causes rely on.

[  ] Add $2 tip

[✓] Leave no tip

[  ] Add custom amount

And so, I made a one-time donation to the DNC (without a tip to ActBlue) on July 21st, 2024, because "we all owe President Biden an enormous debt of gratitude for the unparalleled progress he has delivered over the last four years" after he "ended his reelection campaign for president."

P.S.: The reason that I only donated $1.00 to the DNC is because I already donated $2.00 (with a $0.14 tip to ActBlue) on July 4th, 2024 (please see my 'July 4th, 2024 Update No. 6, Written From July 5th, 2024 To July 7th, 2024, Which Also Discusses July 1st, 2024, July 2nd, 2024, As Well As July 3rd, 2024' that can be found above) and that is all I can afford this month; however, I did want to respond in order to contribute to the Democratic Party which will undertake a transparent and orderly process to move forward as a united Party to defeat Donald Trump in November, so that is why I made a donation in the amount that I did.

---------------------------------------------

The ninth political communication to which I responded on July 21st, 2024 was an email from Turn Left PAC (Turn Left Political Action Committee) that I received on July 21st, 2024, with the subject line, "Biden is out, here’s what we must do", which stated the following:

Paul,

With President Biden making the courageous and honorable decision to stand down in November’s election, the stakes for the future of our country just went sky high.

It's now even more important for us to win battleground districts and states to protect the House and Senate, and recent polling proves the best way to do that is by making sure voters know about the dangerous plans in Project 2025.

That is exactly what we are doing as we mobilize Resist Project 2025. Our mission from now until November is to flip red seats blue across the country; to win back the House majority; to hold the Senate; and to defend a Democratic presidency.

Thousands of you have answered the call in the last week as we ramped up our campaign launch on the heels of the shooting at the Trump rally.

Now I’m asking you to step up again and join Major (Ret.) Richard Ojeda and I as our fight against this fascist threat has just been multiplied.

I said it yesterday and I’ll say it again, Donald Trump IS a fascist. He IS a threat to democracy. We MUST defeat him and block Project 2025. Can we count on you to rush a donation right now?

Join the fight against Project 2025***

Semper Fi,

Ike McCorkle
Combat Wounded USMC Retired
For Turn Left

Support Turn Left >>

Turn Left is a grassroots org co-founded by firebrand Maj. Richard Ojeda (Ret.), now joining forces with retired Force Recon Marine Capt. Ike McCorkle. We’re organizing across the country to root out MAGA radicals and elect bold Democrats who will work for everyday Americans. Pitch in now to help us stop the MAGA threat to our democracy and secure a future for ALL Americans to thrive.

DONATE >>***

AMERICA IS NOT A DICTATORSHIP

RESIST PROJECT 2025
Turn Left

BREAKING: RETIRED MILITARY LEADERS LAUNCH 'RESIST PROJECT 2025' ΤΟ COMBAT EXTREMISM AND PROTECT DEMOCRACY

$55,417.64 Raised →→→→→→→→→→ GOAL $60,000
Join us to launch RESIST PROJECT 2025!  updated at 4:35 PM

In the wake of the assassination attempt on former President Donald Trump and growing political violence across the nation, Turn Left PAC has launched 'Resist Project 2025,' a project to counter extremism in Congress and protect American democracy.

The effort is spearheaded by two highly decorated retired military officers, U.S. Army Major (ret.) Richard Ojeda, the founder of Turn Left, and USMC Captain (ret) Ike McCorkle.

Joining forces with these leaders are experienced progressive political operatives, including [name redacted], the former [title redacted] of Brand New Congress, [name redacted], former Congressional candidate of the Working Families Party, and [name redacted], LGBTQ+ community organizer, technologist, and Democratic campaign manager.

Your contribution will help this team mobilize volunteers and sound the alarm about Project 2025 in critical battlegrounds across the nation.

The project will feature proprietary digital tools developed by Turn Left and its partners to train and empower citizen leaders to fight back against extremism.

Turn Left PAC has a history of effective grassroots fundraising, having generated over $40 million since 2020 to support democratic candidates. The organization believes that strategic allocation of resources is critical in countering the influence of dark money and extremist agendas in American politics.

Can we count on your support to help us launch this project and spread the word about Project 2025?

Donate immediately:

Your contribution will benefit Turn Left PAC-Independent Expenditure.

[  ] DONATE $20.25 →

[  ] DONATE $50 →

[  ] DONATE $100 →

[  ] DONATE $500 →

[  ] DONATE $1,500 →

[  ] DONATE $2,500 →

[  ] DONATE $5,000 →

[✓] OTHER AMOUNT $1.00

Please leave a tip for ActBlue

Power the nonprofit fundraising platform Democratic candidates & progressive causes rely on.

[  ] Add $2 tip

[✓] Leave no tip

[  ] Add custom amount

And so, I made a one-time donation to Turn Left PAC (without a tip to ActBlue) on July 21st, 2024, because "with President Biden making the courageous and honorable decision to stand down in November’s election, the stakes for the future of our country just went sky high," so "it's now even more important for us to win battleground districts and states to protect the House and Senate, and recent polling proves the best way to do that is by making sure voters know about the dangerous plans in Project 2025."

P.S.: The reason that I only donated $1.00 to Turn Left PAC is because I already donated $5.00 (with a $0.35 tip to ActBlue) on July 15th, 2024 (please see my 'July 15th, 2024 Update No. 1,' which can be found above) and that is all I can afford this month; however, I did want to respond in order to contribute to Turn Left PAC's mission from now until November to flip red seats blue across the country; to win back the House majority; to hold the Senate; and to defend a Democratic presidency, so that is why I made a donation in the amount that I did.

---------------------------------------------

The tenth political communication to which I responded on July 21st, 2024 was an email from the Biden for President campaign that I received on July 21st, 2024, with the subject line, "I am endorsing Kamala Harris to be our next President of the United States", which stated the following:

Biden-Harris 2024

My fellow Americans,

Over the past three and a half years, we have made great progress as a nation.

Today, America has the strongest economy in the world. We've made historic investments in rebuilding our nation, in lowering prescription drug costs for seniors, and in expanding affordable health care to a record number of Americans. We've provided critically needed care to a million veterans exposed to toxic substances. Passed the first gun safety law in 30 years. Appointed the first African American woman to the Supreme Court. And passed the most significant climate legislation in the history of the world. America has never been better positioned to lead than we are today.

I know none of this could have been done without you, the American people. Together, we overcame a once in a century pandemic and the worst economic crisis since the Great Depression. We've protected and preserved our democracy. And we've revitalized and strengthened our alliances around the world.

It has been the greatest honor of my life to serve as your President. And while it has been my intention to seek reelection, I believe it is in the best interest of my party and the country for me to stand down and to focus solely on fulfilling my duties as President for the remainder of my term.

For my part: my very first decision as the party nominee in 2020 was to pick Kamala Harris as my Vice President. And it’s been the best decision I’ve made.

Today I want to offer my full support and endorsement for Kamala to be the nominee of our party this year. Democrats — it’s time to come together and beat Trump. And if you’re with us, donate to her campaign here:

If you've saved payment information with ActBlue Express, your donation will go through immediately:

[  ] $25 >>
[  ] $50 >>
[  ] $75 >>
[  ] $100 >>
[  ] $125 >>
[✓] Other >>***

I am grateful to every member of this team for the work they’ve done and will continue to do to save our democracy.

Keep the faith, as always, and spread it.

Joe Biden
President of the United States

Donate to Elect Kamala Harris

Our fight is more important now than ever before. Donate now.

Donate Immediately:

Your contribution will benefit Kamala Harris.

[✓] Donate $1 →

[  ] Donate $50 →

[  ] Donate $75 →

[  ] Donate $100 →

[  ] Donate $125 →

[  ] Other amount

Please leave a tip for ActBlue

Power the nonprofit fundraising platform Democratic candidates & progressive causes rely on.

[  ] Add $2 tip

[✓] Leave no tip

[  ] Add custom amount

And so, I made a one-time donation to the Harris for President campaign (without a tip to ActBlue) on July 21st, 2024, because "while it has been [President Biden's] intention to seek reelection, [he believes] it is in the best interest of [the Democratic] party and the country for [him] to stand down and to focus solely on fulfilling [his] duties as President for the remainder of [his] term," which is why "[he wants] to offer [his] full support and endorsement for [Vice President] Kamala [Harris] to be the nominee of our party this year."

P.S.: The reason that I only donated $1.00 to the Harris for President campaign is because that is all I can afford this month, give my 'monthly donating budget'; however, I did want to respond in order to contribute the Harris for President campaign, because, Democrats, it’s time to come together and beat Trump, so that is why I made a donation in the amount that I did.

---------------------------------------------

The eleventh political communication to which I responded on July 21st, 2024 was an email from the Biden for President campaign that I received on July 21st, 2024, with the subject line, "I am running to be President of the United States.", which stated the following:

Biden-Harris 2024

Paul, I am running to be President of the United States.

It has been the honor of a lifetime to serve alongside our Commander-in-Chief, my friend, President Joe Biden -- one of the finest public servants we will ever know. And I am honored to have his support and endorsement.

And I am eager to run on the record of what Joe and I have accomplished together. We built our country back after our predecessor left it in shambles – making historic progress in upgrading our nation’s infrastructure, fighting climate change, and more. We are stronger today because we took action – together – to invest in America’s future.

I am excited to continue to work toward our vision for a better future for all. If that’s all you need to hear, then make your next donation to fund my campaign today.

If you've stored your payment information with ActBlue Express, your donation will process immediately and be split between DLCC PAC and Kamala Harris.

[  ] $25 »
[  ] $50 »
[  ] $75 »
[  ] $100 »
[  ] $120 »
[✓] Other »***

I am honored to have the President’s endorsement and my intention is to earn and win this nomination.

In the coming days, as I hit the campaign trail to meet with Americans and lay out the choice in front of voters in the fall, I cannot imagine two more starkly different visions for where we want our country to go.

We can choose the dark path of Project 2025, with less freedom and more division. Or we can choose to pull together and do the work – For The People.

These are not ordinary times. And this will not be an ordinary election. But this is our America. And I need you with me in this fight. So, I have to ask:

Will you pitch in another $25 today to elect me as President of the United States and defeat Donald Trump? Whatever you are able to give in this moment will go a long way in our collective fight.

Together, I know we can win this election and save democracy.

More soon,

Kamala Harris
Vice President of the United States

Donate to Elect Kamala Harris

Our fight is more important now than ever before. Donate now.

Donate Immediately:

Your contribution will benefit Kamala Harris.

[✓] Donate $1 →

[  ] Donate $50 →

[  ] Donate $75 →

[  ] Donate $100 →

[  ] Donate $125 →

[  ] Other amount

Please leave a tip for ActBlue

Power the nonprofit fundraising platform Democratic candidates & progressive causes rely on.

[  ] Add $2 tip

[✓] Leave no tip

[  ] Add custom amount

And so, I made a one-time donation to the Harris for President campaign (without a tip to ActBlue) on July 21st, 2024, since "[Kamala Harris is] running to be President of the United States" and "in the coming days, as [she hits] the campaign trail to meet with Americans and lay out the choice in front of voters in the fall, [she] cannot imagine two more starkly different visions for where we want our country to go," because "we can choose the dark path of Project 2025, with less freedom and more division, or we can choose to pull together and do the work – For The People."

P.S.: The reason that I only donated $1.00 to the Harris for President campaign is because that is all I can afford this month, give my 'monthly donating budget'; however, I did want to respond in order to contribute to elect Kamala Harris as President of the United States and defeat Donald Trump, so that is why I made a donation in the amount that I did.

---------------------------------------------

The twelfth political communication to which I responded on July 21st, 2024 was an email from the Democratic Attorneys General Association (DAGA) that I received on July 21st, 2024, with the subject line, "Thank you, President Biden", which stated the following:

Paul,

From the bottom of our hearts, we want to thank President Biden for his lifetime of service and love for our country. Since he was first elected to the U.S. Senate in 1972, he has been resolute in his commitment to bettering the lives of all Americans.

President Biden came into the Oval Office during a very difficult and divisive time, and when the country needed his leadership the most, he found common ground and worked deftly and tirelessly to pass transformative legislation.

His administration created millions of new jobs; passed the American Rescue Plan, the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law, the CHIPS and Science Act, and the Inflation Reduction Act; lowered health care and drug costs for millions of Americans; signed bipartisan gun safety legislation; and restored America’s standing as the leader of the free world. We are a better and stronger nation because of President Biden.

At DAGA, we are committed to winning the presidential election come November. We know exactly what a second Trump presidency would mean. For four years, Democratic AGs were the last line of defense and the biggest check on the Trump Administration, holding Trump accountable to the rule of law.

We will do everything we can to ensure Democrats win up and down the ballot this fall in order to protect democracy, our constituents, and the rights of all Americans.

Onward,

Team DAGA

DEMOCRATIC ATTORNEYS GENERAL ASSOCIATION

DONATE TO DEMOCRATIC ATTORNEYS GENERAL ASSOCIATION (DAGA)

Democratic AGs are protecting our democracy and fighting for working families in nearly every corner of the country.

But they need our support. Chip in today and help fund this work!

Donate immediately:

Your contribution will benefit Democratic Attorneys General Association (DAGA).

[  ] DONATE $25 →

[  ] DONATE $100 →

[  ] DONATE $250 →

[  ] DONATE $1,000 →

[✓] OTHER AMOUNT $1.00

Please leave a tip for ActBlue

Power the nonprofit fundraising platform Democratic candidates & progressive causes rely on.

[  ] Add $2 tip

[✓] Leave no tip

[  ] Add custom amount

And so, I made a one-time donation to the DAGA (without a tip to ActBlue) on July 21st, 2024, because "we want to thank President Biden for his lifetime of service and love for our country," since "President Biden came into the Oval Office during a very difficult and divisive time, and when the country needed his leadership the most, he found common ground and worked deftly and tirelessly to pass transformative legislation."

P.S.: The reason that I only donated $1.00 to the DAGA is because I already donated $2.00 (with a $0.14 tip to ActBlue) on July 4th, 2024 (please see my 'July 4th, 2024 Update No. 6, Written From July 5th, 2024 To July 7th, 2024, Which Also Discusses July 1st, 2024, July 2nd, 2024, As Well As July 3rd, 2024' that can be found above) and that is all I can afford this month; however, I did want to respond in order to contribute because, at DAGA, they are committed to winning the presidential election come November, since they know exactly what a second Trump presidency would mean, so that is why I made a donation in the amount that I did.

---------------------------------------------

The thirteenth political communication to which I responded on July 21st, 2024 was a text message that I received on July 21st, 2024, from the Rolling Sea Action Fund (RSAF), which stated the following:

BREAKING: Joe Biden drops out of Presidential race, paving way for Kamala Harris to become the first Black female President of the United States.

Paul, Kamala Harris is INCREDIBLE and we would be thrilled to see her as the first female President of the United States.

But she's starting her campaign from ground 0 and desperately needs your support to defeat Donald Trump in just 107 days.

Please, if you care at all about electing Kamala Harris, endorse her campaign for President now:***

Let's do this,
RSAF

ROLLING SEA ACTION FUND

Endorse Kamala Harris for President! >>

First Name (Optional): Paul
Last Name (Optional): Whiting
Email: [redacted]
Mobile Phone (Optional): [redacted]

[CONFIRM] Will you endorse Karmala Harris for President of the United States? (Optional)

[✓] YES!

Generally speaking, are you a supporter of Kamala Harris? (Optional)

[✓] Yes, l am.
[  ] No, I am not.

Will you be supporting Kamala Harris (D) in the 2024 Presidential Election? (Optional)

[✓] Yes
[  ] No
[  ] Unsure

Are you aware that racist Republican presidential candidates are looking to erase the work President Biden and Kamala Harris have done in the past four years? (Optional)

[✓] Yes, l am.
[  ] No, I am not.

We're committed to standing up for President Biden and VP Harris's record on the issues that matter. Do you stand with us in our mission to elect Kamala Harris? (Optional)

[✓] Yes

Black voter turnout is critical to flipping the House, saving the Senate, and electing Kamala Harris — but election experts are predicting a drastic decrease in voter turnout next November.

We're a Black-led organization dedicated to empowering, informing, and mobilizing Black voters in 2024 — and we're Jumpstarting our efforts by raising $25,000. Will you chip in on the next page?

[✓] Yes! I'll chip in $5* >>
[  ] Yes! I'll chip in $15 >>
[  ] Yes! I'll chip in $35 >>
[  ] Yes! I'll chip in $50 >>
[  ] Yes! I'll chip in even more >>

*[Blogger's Note: I selected this option—although I donated less than $5—because it's an option that got me to the donation webpage!]

---------------------------------------------

ROLLING SEA ACTION FUND

Support Black Democrats!

We don't have time to waste! MAGA Republicans are sowing chaos inside the House and attacking our freedoms. We're dedicated to electing Black leaders to Congress who will uplift OUR voices and protect OUR rights.

Donate to help us fight for Black communities by electing Black Democrats to Congress >

Donate immediately:

Your contribution will benefit Rolling Sea Action Fund.

[  ] Donate $5 →

[  ] Donate $15 →

[  ] Donate $35 →

[  ] Donate $50 →

[  ] Donate $100 →

[  ] Donate $250 →

[  ] Donate $500 →

[✓] Other amount $1.00

Please leave a tip for ActBlue

Power the nonprofit fundraising platform Democratic candidates & progressive causes rely on.

[  ] Add $2 tip

[✓] Leave no tip

[  ] Add custom amount

And so, I made a one-time donation to the Rolling Sea Action Fund (without a tip to ActBlue) on July 21st, 2024, due to the following: "Joe Biden drops out of Presidential race, paving way for Kamala Harris to become the first Black female President of the United States." That is why I contributed to the Rolling Sea Action Fund in order to respond to the question, "Will you endorse Karmala Harris for President of the United States?" with a resounding 'Yes!'

P.S.: The reason that I only donated $1.00 to the Rolling Sea Action Fund is because I already donated $2.00 (with a $0.14 tip to ActBlue) on July 4th, 2024 (please see my 'July 4th, 2024 Update No. 6, Written From July 5th, 2024 To July 7th, 2024, Which Also Discusses July 1st, 2024, July 2nd, 2024, As Well As July 3rd, 2024' that can be found above) and that is all I can afford this month; however, I did want to respond in order to contribute to endorse Kamala Harris's campaign for President, so that is why I made a donation in the amount that I did.

Thus, these six organizations—the DLCC, the DSCC, the DCCC, the DGA, the DNC, as well as the DAGA—plus, this one campaign—Harris for President—plus, these four Political Action Committees (PACs)—Ban Assault Weapons NOW PAC, Voters of Tomorrow PAC, Turn Left PAC, as well as Rolling Sea Action Fund—in addition to this one civic engagement organization—Voto Latino—are the political organizations, the political campaign, as well as the PACs, and the civic engagement organization that I donated to on July 21st, 2024! –Paul Whiting (written from July 26th, 2024 to July 30th, 2024, revised July 31st, 2024, revised August 21st, 2024, revised August 24th, 2024, revised August 25th, 2024 and revised September 21st, 2024)

-------------------------------------------------------------------

July 24th, 2024 Update No. 1, Which Also Discusses July 22nd, 2024: I received two emails from Planned Parenthood Action Fund regarding President Biden's announcement that he will not seek reelection, as well as regarding Planned Parenthood Action Fund endorsing Vice President Kamala Harris for President of the United States.

The first email that I received from Planned Parenthood Action Fund was two days ago on July 22nd, 2024, with the subject line, "Thank you, President Biden", which stated the following:

Paul —

President Biden's announcement that he will not seek reelection came as a surprise to many — but the values behind his decision reflect his long career as a leader.

President Biden has shown us time and time again that he is a public servant who puts the needs of others before his own. That he loves this country, and will do what it takes to protect the future of our democracy. That he has the courage to do the right thing, even when it is difficult. Especially when it is difficult.

Will you add your name to our note of thanks to President Biden?***

[Image of President Biden smiling next to the words, "Thank you, President Biden," which has a button with words, "Add your name" below it.]

President Biden's record of protecting our reproductive freedom and abortion access is unquestionable.

President Biden deserves our thanks for consistently fighting to protect, expand, and restore access to abortion and other essential health care. The Biden administration has led the way by:

[✓] Protecting access to the abortion pill, mifepristone.

[✓] Reminding every state — even those with abortion bans — of their obligation to protect emergency abortion care by abiding by the federal Emergency Medical Treatment and Active Labor Act (EMTALA).

[✓] Approving the first-ever, over-the-counter birth control pill.

[✓] Expanding telemedicine options so more people can get birth control, gender-affirming care, and other essential health care without judgment or stigma.

[✓] Restoring access to family planning services through the Title X program, the nation's only federal program dedicated to providing sexual and reproductive health care to people with low incomes.

We're sending the president a message of gratitude and appreciation — click here to sign on.***

So much is at stake in this election — the right to abortion, access to birth control, equality for LGBTQIA+ people, the future of our country. We know how serious the threats are. And we know the progress we have made is truly fragile.

The only way we can build a future where everyone, everywhere has access to the care they need is with strong support from leaders like President Biden. He has shown us again that he's willing to do what it takes to win back what has been lost, and keep moving forward.

Take a moment right now to say thanks — and then get ready to keep protecting the legacy that President Biden's administration has built.

[Name redacted], [Title redacted]
Planned Parenthood Action Fund

Planned Parenthood Action Fund

Thank you, President Biden!

Send a note of gratitude and appreciation

President Biden deserves our thanks for consistently fighting to protect, expand, and restore access to abortion and other essential health care.

Sign your name to thank President Biden for his decades of public service.

Add your name to help us say thanks.

First Name (Optional): Paul
Last Name (Optional): Whiting
Postal Code: [redacted]
Email: [redacted]
Mobile Phone (Optional): [redacted]

Do you want to be a member of Planned Parenthood Action Fund? You'll be the first to hear when PP Action Fund announces our endorsement for president. Yes

Subject: Thank you, President Biden!

Dear President Biden,

Thank you for consistently fighting to protect, expand, and restore access to abortion and other essential health care.

Throughout your presidency, you have worked to defend abortion, expand access to birth control, and make sure that everyone can get the care they need no matter who they are or where they live.

Your decision not to seek re-election shows once again the kind of leader you are a public servant who puts duty to the country and the future of our democracy first.

[Personalize your message:]

Thank you for your leadership on women's rights in the Senate, the Vice Presidency and the Presidency.

Thank you!

Sincerely,
[Your information here]

SEND MY MESSAGE

And, after I sent the comment above, I received a confirmation email today, July 24th, 2024, from Planned Parenthood Action Fund with the subject line, "Thank you for signing our thank you card to President Biden! One more thing:", which stated the following:

Paul,

Thank you for sending a note of thanks to President Biden for consistently fighting to protect, expand, and restore access to abortion and other essential health care.

You can help make an even bigger difference by showing your support for Planned Parenthood Action Fund and asking your friends and family to join you.

Share on Facebook

Share on X

You can also help defend access to health care and protect our reproductive rights by making a gift to Planned Parenthood Action Fund. We'll put your gift to work immediately mobilizing grassroots activists in key states, pressuring lawmakers, magnifying the voices of those most affected by attacks on our health and rights, and more.

I'm so glad to know that we can count on you to raise your voice when it counts — thanks again for speaking out.

— Planned Parenthood Action Fund

So, I selected the "Share on X" option [by the way, I only have a X.com account (formerly Twitter.com) so I can read posts which are included in some online articles that I read] in order for me to provide you, my readers, with the text and hyperlink below:

President Biden is once again putting what's best for the country first. Say thanks for all he has done to protect reproductive health and rights.

https://weareplannedparenthoodaction.org/onlineactions/gi1rQiQ5sUekKHy8ZAKS6A2?snw=2&ref=6117c4ad-ffae-4539-ab1b-1673d9c60d0f

And the second email that I received from Planned Parenthood Action Fund was today, July 24th, 2024, with the subject line, "We're ready to make history", which stated the following:

Paul,

Planned Parenthood Action Fund is thrilled to endorse Vice President Kamala Harris for President of the United States.

We are committed to doing everything we can to elect her in November's critical election. In no uncertain terms, we must defeat Donald Trump, J.D. Vance, and the Project 2025 vision for America. And we must elect Kamala Harris, who will ensure reproductive freedom — including abortion access — is an undeniable right.

The contrast between Vice President Harris and Donald Trump could not be clearer: Kamala Harris is a champion of the people. She will fight to protect our freedoms while Donald Trump will continue to strip them away. And her record on fighting for our reproductive freedom is unquestionable.

Kamala Harris is the only person running for president that we can trust to protect access to abortion.

[Image of Kamala Harris smiling next to the words, "Planned Parenthood Action Fund Endorsed 2024: Kamala Harris."]

When the U.S. Supreme Court overturned Roe v. Wade, Vice President Harris stepped up to be a fearless, unapologetic champion for reproductive freedom in the midst of a public health crisis.

For the past two years, she has traveled across the country — hosting nearly 100 events — to sound the alarm on the attacks against abortion rights. She was the first vice president in history to visit a Planned Parenthood health center. And her leadership shaped the Biden-Harris administration's response to the loss of a fundamental right, keeping the needs of patients at the heart of her work.

Planned Parenthood Action Fund is proud to resoundingly support Vice President Harris and her vision for a country of possibility and freedom for all.

— Planned Parenthood Action Fund

And so, I wanted to share these emails from Planned Parenthood Action Fund with you, my readers, in order to show my support for their note of thanks to President Biden, as well as their endorsement of Vice President Kamala Harris for President of the United States! Plus, after I signed the note of gratitude and appreciation above to President Biden, via Planned Parenthood Action Fund website, I made a one-time donation to Planned Parenthood Action Fund, due to the following: "President Biden has shown us time and time again that he is a public servant who puts the needs of others before his own. That he loves this country, and will do what it takes to protect the future of our democracy. That he has the courage to do the right thing, even when it is difficult. Especially when it is difficult." –Paul Whiting (written July 24th, 2024 and revised September 24th, 2024)

-------------------------------------------------------------------

July 24th, 2024 Update No. 2, Which Also Discusses July 23rd, 2024: I received an email from the ACLU (American Civil Liberties Union) today, July 23rd, 2024, with the subject line, "The real people impacted by Project 2025", which stated the following:

[Image of collage with a Donald Trump portrait and headlines about the ACLU, including the following: "The ACLU is making plans to fight Trump's promises of immigrant raids and mass deportations" from AP News; "ACLU prepares to fight Trump's planned DEI purge" from Axios; "How the ACLU Is Planning for the Return of Trump" from Mother Jones; "The ACLU has a blueprint to constrain Trump in a second presidential term" from NPR; "A Second Trump Term Would Double Down on Erasing Trans Rights. Here's How Advocates Are Preparing" from Teen Vogue.]

Paul, no matter who is elected to the White House this November, we're putting everything we have into defending our rights. Our roadmap to defend democracy is ready for you now.

Last week, the RNC presented one party's vision for the future – laying out Donald Trump's official platform should he become president again.

And despite Trump's recent effort to distance his campaign from Project 2025 – an extreme series of proposals for the next president authored by the Heritage Foundation with the help of several members of Trump's first administration – both the official platform and Project 2025's proposals share key policies that would attack our rights.

Both include mass deportation, mandating discrimination against trans people – including service members and children, censoring classroom discussions about race, gender, and systemic oppression, banning abortion, and more.

These aren't just PDFs full of empty threats, Paul. These policies would impact real people whose rights are on the line. They could mean immigrant families' lives uprooted, trans youth left without gender-affirming care, and students denied the truth about America's history of racism, sexism, and other forms of inequality.

We take these potential impacts seriously. That's why our experts have spent the past several months reviewing Trump's first term, his campaign promises, and Project 2025 – and evaluating the success of our work in his first term, when we launched over 430 legal actions to stop rights violations from the Trump administration. We know what it takes to protect our rights – we've been doing it for more than 100 years.

We've assembled this expertise into a series of memos, breaking down what we can expect if Trump is re-elected and mapping out exactly how we'll defend our rights in the face of these proposals.

And we've just released ALL Trump memos – including our final three on voting rights, free speech, and the criminal legal system. You can be the first to check out our complete plan for a potential second Trump administration by diving into the memos now >>

KNOW OUR PLAN:

https://www.aclu.org/campaigns-initiatives/the-trump-and-biden-memos

Paul, thanks to support from members like you, we've been able to show up to protect our rights through 19 different presidents across more than 100 years. Together, we can keep up that fight – and create the future we deserve, no matter who is elected this November.

The ACLU Team

ACLU
CAMPAIGNS & INITIATIVES ›

The Trump and Harris Memos

Join Our Fight for Rights and Freedoms, No Matter Who The Next President Is

Sign up now to receive key issue memos as they're released — and breaking alerts for all our work for civil liberties.

Subscribe*

By ACLU

Last updated on June 6, 2024

Donald Trump and presumptive Democratic nominee Kamala Harris will face off in the 2024 presidential election — and no matter which candidate wins, the victory will have immense implications for our civil rights and liberties. Though the ACLU doesn’t endorse or oppose candidates for elected office, we recognize that there will be drastically different realities for the country depending on which candidate wins in November.

Regardless of a candidate’s political affiliation, the ACLU will stand for any executive action to defend and expand civil rights and liberties and stand against any executive action that threatens them. Our advocacy experts are preparing for either presidential scenario and have identified the challenges and opportunities that each candidate will bring, and the concrete actions the ACLU will take in response.

Ahead of the election, we are sharing our findings in a series of 13 memos — seven memos on a potential second Trump administration and six on a potential Harris Administration — to be released through August. The memos will address a range of issues from immigrants’ rights, abortion access, LGBTQ justice, First Amendment rights, racial equity, criminal legal reform, and more. Check back every week for a new memo outlining what Donald Trump and Kamala Harris will mean for our most fundamental freedoms and what the ACLU will be doing to protect them.

Click on the titles below to learn more about each issue area and check back every week for a new memo outlining Trump or Harris' threats to our freedoms and what the ACLU will be doing to fight back.

Trump Memos

The Trump Memos Compilation

The ACLU's roadmap for protecting civil rights and civil liberties under a Trump Administration.

Read Our Memos Compilation

https://www.aclu.org/publications/the-trump-memos-compilation

Trump on the Criminal Legal System

Trump on Surveillance, Protest, and Free Speech

Trump on Voting Rights

Trump on DEI and Anti-Discrimination Law

Trump on Abortion

Trump on LGBTQ Rights

Trump on Immigration ...

[Blogger's Note: I read the ACLU's Campaigns & Initiatives article titled, "The Trump and Harris Memos." Plus, on September 17th, 2024, I finally downloaded and read "The Trump Memos Compilation" PDF, which is 130 pages long, but it contains all of the memos listed above with some additional introductory text to each memo. And it took me just about six and one half hours (or, 6 hours and 30 minutes) to read all of the chapters, as listed below, from the Compilation's Table of Contents, which I started reading on September 17th, 2024 and finished reading on September 18th, 2024:

CONTENTS

FOREWARD
.....................................................[Page] 1
(I didn't track how long it took me to read the forward.)

DONALD TRUMP ON:

IMMIGRATION
.....................................................[Page] 3
(1 hour and 2 minutes to read)

LGBTQ RIGHTS
.....................................................[Page] 23
(33 minutes to read)

ABORTION
.....................................................[Page] 37
(48 minutes to read)

DEI AND ANTI-DISCRIMINATION LAW
.....................................................[Page] 52
(1 hour and 13 minutes to read)

VOTING RIGHTS
.....................................................[Page] 71
(1 hour and 6 minutes to read)

SURVEILLANCE, PROTEST, AND FREE SPEECH
.....................................................[Page] 94
(53 minutes to read)

THE CRIMINAL LEGAL SYSTEM
.....................................................[Page] 111
(55 minutes to read)

(Please see my 'August 31st, 2024 Update No. 4, Which Also Discusses August 30th, 2024' that can be found below, regarding the "Harris Memos," which I read on September 16th, 2024.)]

Please see the hyperlink below for the article:

https://www.aclu.org/campaigns-initiatives/the-trump-and-biden-memos

*And, after I read the prompt above, I clicked on the hyperlink to the referenced webpage, the relevant text of which can be found below:

GET THE ACLU TRUMP AND BIDEN MEMOS

The ACLU has analyzed the impacts of a second Biden or Trump term and how to defend our rights. Sign up now to receive key issue memos as they're released — and breaking email alerts for all our work for civil liberties.

First name: Paul
Last name: Whiting
ZIP/Postal Code: [redacted]
E-mail: [redacted]
Mobile Phone Number: [redacted]

Subscribe

And, after I subscribed to the memos above, I received a confirmation email today, July 24th, 2024, from the ACLU with the subject line, "Thank you for joining!", which stated the following:

ACLU

Hi Paul,

Thank you for signing up for ACLU emails. In the coming days, you can expect the memos and the latest on our fight to defend liberties and how to take action – on issues ranging from racial justice, to voting rights, to reproductive freedom, and more – delivered straight to your inbox.

Stay tuned,

The ACLU Team

So, I wanted to share this email from the ACLU in order to show my support for the "The Trump and Harris Memos" article. –Paul Whiting (written July 24th, 2024, revised September 17th, 2024 and revised September 18th, 2024)

P.S.: Just so you know, I used to make one-time donations to the organization that is the subject of these 'updates' each time that I took an action as requested by that organization; however, "I have changed the way that I make donations to political, progressive and charitable organizations each month ... due to the fact that I have been spending a considerable percentage of my monthly income on all of these donations." (The reader should know that I am HIV-positive with full-blown AIDS. And I am on Social Security Disability Insurance, or SSDI, so my income is quite limited.) Therefore, "I am greatly reducing the number of times that I donate for the same organization per month down to once—or as determined by me on a case-by-case basis." (Please see my 'August 19th, 2023 Update,' which can be found above.) Thus, because I have already donated to the ACLU on July 2nd, 2024 (please see my 'July 2nd, 2024 Update No. 1,' which can be found above) that is the one-time donation which I made to the ACLU for July 2024.

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July 24th, 2024 Update No. 3: I received an email from March For Our Lives (MFOL) today, July 24th, 2024, with the subject line, "Our FIRST-EVER endorsement", which stated the following:

MARCH
FOR OUR
LIVES

Paul, we’re living in unprecedented times (it’s exhausting!) and we’ve all done a lot to adapt. Gun violence remains the leading cause of death for young people for the third year in a row and Donald Trump and J.D. Vance are campaigning on the most extremist agenda in our country’s history.

That’s why we’re doing something historic. Something that’s a first for us. To keep fighting for gun safety, we have to keep evolving because everything is on the line.

We’re proud to announce that we endorse Kamala Harris for President of the United States. Chip in anything you can today to help us build momentum behind this moment >>>***

This is the first endorsement we’ve ever made, and the stakes couldn’t be higher. As one of the largest youth-led movements in the nation, we are clear-eyed about the challenge ahead.

As young people, we see the future of our country at a crossroads. Trump, the far-right, and the gun lobby want to drag us backward. They want to erode our rights and value guns more than human lives.

On the other hand, Vice President Harris prioritizes youth voices and works with us as she leads the White House Office of Gun Violence Prevention. She puts gun violence survivors at the center of policymaking, demonstrating her commitment to empowering those most impacted by the issue to implement the right solutions. We look forward to her centering gun violence as a key issue in her campaign.

We believe that Vice President Harris is uniquely suited to meet this moment. She will activate the youth vote and win against Trump. That’s why we’re throwing the weight of our movement behind her.

Kamala Harris must fight for a bold, progressive future — and we will hold her accountable to that.

Will you support our collective future by contributing anything you can? Donating to MFOL right now will help us get the vote out behind VP Harris!

If you've saved your payment information with FastAction, your donation will go through immediately:

[  ] $10
[  ] $25
[  ] $50
[  ] $75
[  ] $100
[✓] OTHER***

Onwards to our future,

[Name redacted]
March For Our Lives [Title redacted] (And former [title redacted] for VP Harris 😊)

DONATE NOW***

Thank you for supporting the March For Our Lives Action Fund! Grassroots supporters like you are the backbone of our youth-led movement.

Because of your support, we have grown into one of the largest youth-led movements in the country, elected the first Gen-Z Congressmember, secured key legislative victories such as the Bipartisan Safer Communities Act, delivered historic youth turnout at the polls, and so much more.

In 2024, were fighting even harder for gun safety legislation at every turn and demanding young people's voices are heard.

Chip in to fuel our fight and save lives today >>>

Your contribution will benefit March For Our Lives Action Fund, a 501(c)(4) social welfare organization. Contributions or gifts to March for Our Lives Action Fund are not deductible for federal income tax purposes as charitable contributions.

Amount

$5
$10
$20.24
$50
$100
$500
[✓] $1.23

First Name: Paul
Last Name: Whiting
Billing Address: [redacted]
Country: [redacted]
Postal Code: [redacted]
City: [redacted]
State/Province: [redacted]
Email: [redacted]
Mobile Phone: [redacted]

Contribute

And so, I made a one-time donation to March For Our Lives (MFOL) because "[MFOL's] proud to announce that [they] endorse Kamala Harris for President of the United States," since "Vice President Harris prioritizes youth voices and works with us as she leads the White House Office of Gun Violence Prevention" and "she puts gun violence survivors at the center of policymaking, demonstrating her commitment to empowering those most impacted by the issue to implement the right solutions." –Paul Whiting (written July 24th, 2024 and revised August 15th, 2024)

-------------------------------------------------------------------

July 24th, 2024 Update No. 4, Written From July 27th, 2024 To July 31st, 2024: [Blogger's Note: This 'update' that I am writing from July 27th, 2024 to July 31st, 2024 is for donations that I made on July 24th, 2024, in response to Vice President Kamala Harris running to be President of the United States after President Biden stepped aside to usher in a new era of leadership to the Democratic Party, to Democratic fundraising and coordinating political organizations—and to one campaign—regarding the following:

▪ the national races for the House of Representatives (the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee),
▪ the Senate (the Democratic Senatorial Campaign Committee),
▪ and the President of the United States (the Democratic National Committee and Harris for President, or the Harris Victory Fund),
▪ as well as the state races for the Governors (the Democratic Governors Association),
▪ the Secretaries of State (the Democratic Association of Secretaries of State),
▪ the Attorneys General (the Democratic Attorneys General Association),
▪ and the State Legislatures (the Democratic Legislative Campaign Committee).

Plus, I made donations to Political Action Committees (PACs) that are doing the following:

▪ helping to elect candidates who are U.S. Veterans (VoteVets);
▪ helping to elect gun safety champions in Congress (Ban Assault Weapons NOW PAC);
▪ and helping to support pro public education officials and legislation nationwide (Educated We Stand);
▪ as well as helping to organize across the country in order to root out MAGA radicals and elect bold Democrats who will work for everyday Americans (Turn Left PAC).

Besides that, I made donations to the following:

▪ a civic engagement organization that is helping to educate and empower a new generation of Latinx voters (Voto Latino).

And these donations to the above-mentioned organizations are listed below in the chronological order in which I made said donations which, in turn, are based upon the general chronological order in which I received the respective request for each organization's donation.]

I have combined every political campaign, or political organization, donation request per day (made via email or text message) into one 'update' for each day that I donate, so that I don't have to keep writing individual 'updates' for political campaign donations, or political organization donations!

You see, I used to write one 'update' for each of the individual campaign political donations, or political organization donations, that I made virtually every time that I made a political donation. And within each 'update' I included the text from each political campaign's, or political organization's, requesting email or text message, along with some of each campaign's, or organization's, donation page text on the ActBlue website, as well as how much I donated to each campaign, or organization, plus whether I included a tip to ActBlue and how much I tipped.

(By the way, I still write individual 'updates' for political campaign, or political organization, mailers that I receive through the regular mail, because they are usually more elaborate political donation requests, which is why I don't include them with these email or text message requests.)

Plus, the 2024 election cycle is in full gear and I have made a goal of donating only one $1.00 donation per local political campaign here in Oregon (more on that below), or $2.00 per political organization, for the rest of the election cycle! And that means after I make that one donation per campaign, or per organization—regardless of whether I donated in 2023, or 2024—I am only donating once per campaign, or per organization, or as determined by me on a case-by-case basis. And I am only donating once per PAC (Political Action Committee) for the entire election cycle, or as determined by me on a case-by-case basis, because that is all that I can really afford for the 2024 Presidential Election. (The reader should know that I am HIV-positive with full-blown AIDS. And I am on Social Security Disability Insurance, or SSDI, so my income is quite limited.) I hope that makes sense!

Besides that, as of March 21st, 2024, I am no longer donating to individual political campaigns for the foreseeable future (with the exception of local campaigns here in Oregon), or as determined by me on a case-by-case basis (please see my 'March 21st, 2024 Update No. 2,' which can be found above), as I have explained below:

...Alright, I have a big announcement to make: I am no longer donating to individual political campaigns for the foreseeable future—or as determined by me on a case-by-case basis!

And I have made this decision based upon how much these individual political campaign donations are costing in my 'monthly donating budget'—even though I am only donating $3.00 with a $0.21 tip to ActBlue—since I totally changed the way that I approach how I calculate what I am spending on my credit card each month, starting in 2024! So now, I take the total amount that I have available in my monthly budget for my minimum payment on my credit card—as well as my extra payment—and I calculate how much I am reducing that amount each time that I charge on my credit card.

That way, I am very aware of the amount by which I am reducing my total available credit card payments for the month (the minimum payment and the extra payment) in order to, hopefully, pay more on my credit card than I am spending! Plus, I am also utilizing some funds from my budgeted expenses, as well as some funds from my savings, to make sure that I am paying a little more than I am spending while—at the same time—I am also trying to spend less on my credit card.

Therefore, at the start of 2024, I calculated that I could still make ONE $3.00 donation per political campaign for the entire election cycle. And that means after I have made that one donation per campaign—regardless of whether I donated in 2023, or 2024—I have only donated once per campaign, which is what I have been doing so far!

However, it's still more than I can afford given my 'monthly donating budget,' which is why I have decided to stop donating to individual political campaigns entirely—or as determined by me on a case-by-case basis. And so, I will still be making some donations to individual political campaigns (such as to Joe Biden's campaign for President of the United States, or to local campaigns here in Oregon), but I am not donating like I have been up until this point—which has been virtually every time that I have received a political campaign donation request via email or text message—because I seriously cannot afford to donate that much for the rest of the 2024 Presidential Election cycle, as well as for the foreseeable future.

And to clarify one more thing: In the past, I used to only donate to the main Democratic fundraising and coordinating organizations—rather than to individual campaigns—since that's all I really could afford given my 'monthly spending budget,' because I am "low income." Plus, those Democratic fundraising and coordinating organizations help all of the individual political campaigns with funding, which is why I used to only donate to those main organizations! And I only started donating to individual political campaigns in 2022, since I was "doing everything in my power to help Democrats win in the 2022 Midterm Elections!" Therefore, this decision to stop donating to individual political campaigns (with the exception of presidential campaigns and local campaigns, or as determined by me on a case-by-case basis) is really just going back to the way that I used to make political donations.

...The 2024 election cycle is in full gear and I have made a goal of donating only one $2.00 donation per local political campaign here in Oregon (more on that below), or $3.00 per political organization, for the rest of the election cycle! And that means after I make that one donation per campaign, or per organization—regardless of whether I donated in 2023, or 2024—I am only donating once per campaign, or per organization, or as determined by me on a case-by-case basis. And I am only donating once per PAC (Political Action Committee) for the entire election cycle, or as determined by me on a case-by-case basis, because that is all that I can really afford for the 2024 Presidential Election. (The reader should know that I am HIV-positive with full-blown AIDS. And I am on Social Security Disability Insurance, or SSDI, so my income is quite limited.) I hope that makes sense! ...

... In addition to that, starting on June 16th, 2024, I have decided to adjust the amount that I donate per political organization again, so that I can donate to more political organizations and PACs (Political Action Committees) while I am still staying within my 'monthly donating budget.' Below, please find a description of my previous adjustment—which started on May 12th, 2024—to explain how I have recently adjusted the amounts that I am contributing, since I am donating to more political organizations:

...The 2024 election cycle is in full gear and I have made a goal of donating only one $3.00 donation per local political campaign here in Oregon (more on that below), or $4.00 per political organization, for the rest of the election cycle! And that means after I make that one donation per campaign, or per organization—regardless of whether I donated in 2023, or 2024—I am only donating once per campaign, or per organization, or as determined by me on a case-by-case basis. And I am only donating once per PAC (Political Action Committee) for the entire election cycle, or as determined by me on a case-by-case basis, because that is all that I can really afford for the 2024 Presidential Election. (The reader should know that I am HIV-positive with full-blown AIDS. And I am on Social Security Disability Insurance, or SSDI, so my income is quite limited.) I hope that makes sense! ...

... In addition to that, I used to donate "$5.00 per political organization"; however, starting on May 12th, 2024, I decided to adjust that amount, so that I can donate to more political organizations and PACs (Political Action Committees) while I am still staying within my 'monthly donating budget.'

Thus, as I partially explained above, for the rest of the 2024 election cycle—as well as for the foreseeable future—I have made a goal of donating $3.00 per local political campaign only here in Oregon (with a 7% tip to ActBlue of $0.21), or as determined by me on a case-by-case basis; and a goal of donating $4.00 per political organization for donation requests via email or text message (with a 7% tip to ActBlue of $0.28), or as determined by me on a case-by-case basis; as well as a goal of donating $5.00 per political organization, or per PAC, for donation requests via the regular mail (with a 7% tip to ActBlue of $0.35), or as determined by me on a case-by-case basis.

To sum it up, then: I am essentially keeping the same total individual campaign donation amount of $3.21, but I am only donating to local campaigns here in Oregon, or as determined by me on a case-by-case basis; and I am reducing the total donation amount for political organizations and PACs for email and text message donation requests to $4.28 (from $5.35), or as determined by me on a case-by-case basis; plus, I am reducing the total donation amount for political organizations and PACs for regular mail donation requests to $5.35 (from $7.51), or as determined by me on a case-by-case basis.

Therefore, I recently used to donate "$4.00 per political organization"; however, I have decided to adjust that amount again, so that I can donate to more political organizations and PACs (Political Action Committees) while I am still staying within my 'monthly donating budget,' since I am now donating to more organizations as the 2024 Presidential Election cycle continues.

Thus, as I partially explained above, for the rest of the 2024 election cycle—as well as for the foreseeable future—I have made a goal of donating $2.00 per local political campaign only here in Oregon (with a 7% tip to ActBlue of $0.14), or as determined by me on a case-by-case basis; and a goal of donating $3.00 per political organization for donation requests via email or text message (with a 7% tip to ActBlue of $0.21), or as determined by me on a case-by-case basis; as well as a goal of donating $4.00 per political organization, or per PAC, for donation requests via the regular mail (with a 7% tip to ActBlue of $0.28), or as determined by me on a case-by-case basis.

To sum it up, then: I am reducing the total individual campaign donation amount to $2.14 (from $3.21) and I am still only donating to local campaigns here in Oregon, or as determined by me on a case-by-case basis; and I am reducing the total donation amount for political organizations and PACs for email and text message donation requests to $3.21 (from $4.28), or as determined by me on a case-by-case basis; plus, I am reducing the total donation amount for political organizations and PACs for regular mail donation requests to $4.28 (from $5.35), or as determined by me on a case-by-case basis.

Therefore, I recently used to donate "$3.00 per political organization"; however, I have decided to adjust that amount yet again, so that I can donate to more political organizations and PACs (Political Action Committees) while I am still staying within my 'monthly donating budget,' since I am now donating to more organizations as the 2024 Presidential Election cycle continues.

Thus, as I partially explained above, for the rest of the 2024 election cycle—as well as for the foreseeable future—I have made a goal of donating $1.00 per local political campaign only here in Oregon (with a 7% tip to ActBlue of $0.07), or as determined by me on a case-by-case basis; and a goal of donating $2.00 per political organization for donation requests via email or text message (with a 7% tip to ActBlue of $0.14), or as determined by me on a case-by-case basis; as well as a goal of donating $3.00 per political organization, or per PAC, for donation requests via the regular mail (with a 7% tip to ActBlue of $0.21), or as determined by me on a case-by-case basis.

To sum it up, then: I am reducing the total individual campaign donation amount to $1.07 (from $2.14) and I am still only donating to local campaigns here in Oregon, or as determined by me on a case-by-case basis; and I am reducing the total donation amount for political organizations and PACs for email and text message donation requests to $2.14 (from $3.21), or as determined by me on a case-by-case basis; plus, I am reducing the total donation amount for political organizations and PACs for regular mail donation requests to $3.21 (from $4.28), or as determined by me on a case-by-case basis.

So, without further ado...

The first political communication to which I responded on July 24th, 2024 was an email from the Democratic Legislative Campaign Committee (DLCC) that I received on July 21st, 2024, with the subject line, "I'm running to be President of the United States.", which stated the following:

ELECT STATE DEMS
A project of the DLCC

Paul, I am running to be President of the United States.

It has been the honor of a lifetime to serve alongside our Commander-in-Chief, my friend, President Joe Biden – one of the finest public servants we will ever know. And I am honored to have his support and endorsement.

And I am eager to run on the record of what Joe and I have accomplished together. We built our country back after our predecessor left it in shambles – making historic progress in upgrading our nation’s infrastructure, fighting climate change, and more. We are stronger today because we took action – together – to invest in America’s future.

I am excited to continue to work toward our vision for a better future for all. But Paul, we also need strong Democrats in state legislatures across the country to continue to deliver progress for the American people. If that’s all you need to hear, then split a donation between the DLCC PAC and my campaign today.

If you've stored your payment information with ActBlue Express, your donation will process immediately and be split between DLCC PAC and Kamala Harris.

[  ] Chip in $50 now »
[  ] Chip in $100 now »
[  ] Chip in $250 now »
[  ] Chip in $500 now »
[✓] Chip in another amount »***

I am honored to have the President’s endorsement and my intention is to earn and win this nomination.

In the coming days, as I hit the campaign trail to meet with Americans and lay out the choice in front of voters in the fall, I cannot imagine two more starkly different visions for where we want our country to go.

We can choose the dark path of Project 2025, with less freedom and more division. Or we can choose to pull together and do the work – For The People.

These are not ordinary times. And this will not be an ordinary election. But this is our America. And I need you with me in this fight. So, I have to ask:

Will you split a $50 donation today between the DLCC PAC and my team to elect me as President of the United States and defeat Donald Trump and Republicans in state legislatures across the country? Whatever you are able to give in this moment will go a long way in our collective fight.

Together, I know we can win this election and save democracy.

More soon,

Kamala Harris
Vice President of the United States

DONATE »***

DLCC
DEMOCRATIC LEGISLATIVE CAMPAIGN COMMITTEE

Vice President Kamala Harris is calling on you:

Your split grassroots donation will help provide state Democrats with the resources, staff, and technology to win elections at the state level and support Kamala Harris.

Will you split a donation between the Harris campaign and DLCC PAC today?

Split your donation:

Total contribution $2.00

Customize amounts

DLCC PAC - Federal $1.00

Kamala Harris (President) $1.00

Donate $2

Please leave a tip for ActBlue

Power the nonprofit fundraising platform Democratic candidates & progressive causes rely on.

[ ] Add $2 tip

[✓] Leave no tip

[ ] Add custom amount

And so, I made a one-time donation to the DLCC and to the Harris for President campaign (without a tip to ActBlue), on July 24th, 2024, because "[Kamala Harris is] running to be President of the United States," and "[she is] excited to continue to work toward our vision for a better future for all," but "we also need strong Democrats in state legislatures across the country to continue to deliver progress for the American people."

P.S.: The reason that I only donated $1.00 to the DLCC is because I already donated $2.00 (with a $0.14 tip to ActBlue) on July 4th, 2024 (please see my 'July 4th, 2024 Update No. 6, Written From July 5th, 2024 To July 7th, 2024, Which Also Discusses July 1st, 2024, July 2nd, 2024, As Well As July 3rd, 2024' that can be found above) in addition to $1.00 (without a tip to ActBlue) on July 21st, 2024 (please see my 'July 21st, 2024 Update No. 1, Written From July 26th, 2024 To July 30th, 2024,' which can be found above) and that is all I can afford this month; plus, the reason that I only donated $1.00 to the Harris for President campaign is because I already donated $1.00 twice (without a tip to ActBlue) on July 21st, 2024 (please see my 'July 21st, 2024 Update No. 1, Written From July 26th, 2024 To July 30th, 2024,' which can be found above) in addition to $1.00 (without a tip to ActBlue) on July 24th, 2024 (please see the eleventh donation of my 'July 24th, 2024 Update No. 4, Written From July 27th, 2024 To July 31st, 2024,' which can be found below) and that is all I can afford this month; however, I did want to respond in order to split a donation between the DLCC PAC and the Harris for President campaign, so that is why I made donations in the amount that I did.

---------------------------------------------

The second political communication to which I responded on July 24th, 2024 was an email from was an email from Voto Latino that I received on July 22nd, 2024, with the subject line, "🚨 WE'RE MAKING A $44M INVESTMENT 🚨", which stated the following:

HUGE NEWS, Folks:

We’re investing $44 million – that’s our entire campaign budget – to SUPPORT Kamala Harris’ bid for the White House.

But we’re going to need more resources if we want to register and turn out all of the young Latinos who could make a difference in the election. Can you rush a donation right away?

Here's the deal: While far-right extremists have sought to demonize immigrants, Vice President Kamala Harris has led the defense of our multicultural democracy. Her long-standing support for working Americans, voting rights, DACA, and for women’s rights have done so much good for our country and the Latino community. We need to make sure young Latino voters understand that.

We’ve identified over 4 million Latinos who will become eligible to vote before this November. But our $44 million investment is only enough to target about 45% of them! That’s why we need your support – because voter registration deadlines are just weeks away. The election is 105 days away. We need to ensure as many Latinos as possible turn in their ballots.

If you've saved your payment information with ActBlue Express, your donation will go through immediately:

[  ] CHIP IN $24
[  ] CHIP IN $48
[  ] CHIP IN $72
[  ] CHIP IN $96
[  ] CHIP IN $120
[✓] ANOTHER AMOUNT***

Remember, this election is going to be extremely tight, so we have to throw everything we have at it. And that's exactly our plan: Voto Latino has a proven strategy that combines digital-first outreach, turnout, and SMS and mail efforts. It was the same strategy we used in 2020 to register and mobilize Latinos in record numbers -- it was the strategy that helped us win the White House. We have a track record of getting more Latinos to the polls on Election Day – but we need your help to execute our plan!

Time is running out, team. Will you rush a donation right now to help us defeat the MAGA agenda and keep Kamala Harris in office, working for us?

Thank you so much,
Voto Latino

VOTO LATINO
It's your country. Represent!

HELP US GET KAMALA IN THE WHITE HOUSE

Vice President Kamala Harris is facing a tough election, and polling shows that Trump is still polling ahead! It Democrats lose this election, it would be catastrophic for the Latino community.

Voto Latino is doing everything we can to register and mobilize Latinos before Election Day, including Investing our entire campaign budget $44 million! But that's only enough to reach 45% of eligible but unregistered Latino voters, so we need your help before it's too late. Can you rush an urgent donation today?

Donate immediately:

Your contribution will benefit Voto Latino.

[  ] DONATE $10 →

[  ] DONATE $25 →

[  ] DONATE $50 →

[  ] DONATE $100 →

[  ] DONATE $250 →

[✓] OTHER AMOUNT $1.00

Please leave a tip for ActBlue

Power the nonprofit fundraising platform Democratic candidates & progressive causes rely on.

[  ] Add $2 tip

[✓] Leave no tip

[  ] Add custom amount

And so, I made a one-time donation to Voto Latino (without a tip to ActBlue) on July 24th, 2024, because "[Voto Latino is] investing $44 million – that’s [their] entire campaign budget – to SUPPORT Kamala Harris’ bid for the White House." That is why I contributed to Voto Latino, since "[they're] going to need more resources if [they] want to register and turn out all of the young Latinos who could make a difference in the election."

P.S.: The reason that I only donated $1.00 to Voto Latino is because I already donated $2.00 (with a $0.14 tip to ActBlue) on July 4th, 2024 (please see my 'July 4th, 2024 Update No. 6, Written From July 5th, 2024 To July 7th, 2024, Which Also Discusses July 1st, 2024, July 2nd, 2024, As Well As July 3rd, 2024' that can be found above) in addition to $1.00 (without a tip to ActBlue) on July 21st, 2024 (please see my 'July 21st, 2024 Update No. 1, Written From July 26th, 2024 To July 30th, 2024,' which can be found above) and that is all I can afford this month; however, I did want to respond to contribute in order to help fund Voto Latino's voter registration work, so that is why I made a donation in the amount that I did.

---------------------------------------------

The third political communication to which I responded on July 24th, 2024 was an email from Ban Assault Weapons NOW PAC [Ban Assault Weapons NOW (BAWN) Political Action Committee, or BAWN PAC] that I received on July 22nd, 2024, with the subject line, "Will Paul endorse Kamala Harris?", which stated the following:

BREAKING: JOE BIDEN ENDORSES KAMALA HARRIS FOR PRESIDENT

ENDORSE KAMALA HARRIS FOR PRESIDENT >>***

We had to make sure you saw the news, Paul:

FIRST:
President Joe Biden selflessly stepped down from the race for President.

THEN:
He ENDORSED Kamala Harris as the next President of the United States.

NOW:
BAWN is joining top gun safety Democrats like Nancy Pelosi, Hillary Clinton, Bill Clinton, Adam Schiff, and Jamie Raskin in rallying around Kamala as the nominee.

This might be our most critical ask to date: Will you join us, Biden, and other gun safety Democrats in endorsing Kamala Harris for President? BAWN is working overtime to ensure Kamala Harris and gun safety Democrats everywhere have the support to win this historic election, but we need to know you’re with us. >>***

We’ll be honest, Paul:

We couldn’t be more proud of our beloved President Joe Biden for his brave and historic decision to bow out of the race.

And we know that Kamala Harris will be a fierce advocate for gun safety in the Oval Office. As Vice President she:

– Launched the FIRST-EVER White House Office of Gun Violence Prevention

– Helped pass the most significant federal gun safety legislation in DECADES

– FEARLESSLY advocated for a federal assault weapons ban

But polls show Trump and his MAGA Republicans STORMING ahead in battleground states to defeat Harris.

So it’s never been more important to rally around Vice President Harris and gun safety candidates everywhere to win the White House and defeat Trump once and for all.

That’s why we’re urgently launching a campaign to prove OVERWHELMING support for Kamala Harris’ candidacy. We need [50] more grassroots gun safety advocates from state to endorse Harris in the first 24 hours of her campaign and have her back at this make-or-break moment. Will you be one of our first supporters to endorse Kamala Harris as President? >>***

ENDORSE KAMALA HARRIS FOR PRESIDENT >>***

Thank you for your support,
Team BAWN

PS: Gun safety Democrats across the country have tight races ahead of them. Chip in now to support candidates running in swing districts and ensure Kamala Harris has the gun safety majority in Congress she needs to get to work on day one. >>

DONATE

BAWN
Ban Assault Weapons NOW!

ENDORSE KAMALA HARRIS FOR PRESIDENT

SPONSORED BY
BAN ASSAULT WEAPONS NOW PAC

ADD YOUR NAME TO CONFIRM YOUR SUPPORT FOR KAMALA HARRIS FOR PRESIDENT!

EMAIL: [redacted]
MOBILE NUMBER: [redacted]

Thank you for adding your name. Please take 30 seconds to complete BAWN's critical gun reform survey:

JOE BIDEN AND KAMALA HARRIS TOOK SIGNIFICANT STEPS TO END GUN VIOLENCE AND MASS SHOOTINGS.

WHICH OF THE BIDEN/HARRIS ADMINISTRATION ACTIONS DO YOU SUPPORT? (SELECT ALL THAT APPLY)

[  ] Declaring gun violence a public health emergency
[  ] Opening the first White House Office of Gun Violence Prevention
[  ] Promoting safe firearm storage
[  ] Touring the site of the Parkland Massacre
[  ] Meeting with countless gun violence and mass shooting survivors and families
[  ] Passing the most significant federal gun safety legislation in decades
[  ] Advocating to reinstate the Federal Assault Weapons Ban
[✓] ALL OF THE ABOVE

ARE YOU CONCERNED BY TRUMP AND HIS MAGA REPUBLICANS ATTEMPTS TO DISCREDIT KAMALA HARRIS' REPUTATION AND IMAGE?

[✓] Yes
[  ] No

WOULD YOU SUPPORT A MASSIVE CAMPAIGN TO ELECT A WAVE OF GUN SAFETY DEMOCRATS IN KEY SWING STATES TO DEFEAT THE GUN LOBBY'S CRONIES LIKE TRUMP, VANCE, AND THEIR REPUBLICANS?

[✓] Yes
[  ] No

THANKS TO YOU, WE'VE ALREADY DIRECTED $50K TO CONGRESSIONAL GUN SAFETY CANDIDATES. SO WE'RE COUNTING ON 500 GRASSROOTS GUN SAFETY SUPPORTERS TO STEP UP BEFORE MIDNIGHT TO CHIP IN THE TOUR TO SAVE DEMOCRACY AND HELP US BEAT TRUMP AND GUN-LOBBY-BACKED MAGA REPUBLICANS EVERYWHERE.

CAN YOU RUSH A DONATION BEFORE MIDNIGHT TO SUPPORT THE TOUR, HELP US BUILD THE GUN SAFETY TRIFECTA WE DESERVE, AND ELECT STRONG GUN SAFETY DEMOCRATS LIKE KAMALA HARRIS?

[  ] Yes! I'll donate $5 >>
[  ] Yes! I'll donate $15 >>
[  ] Yes! I'll donate $35 >>
[  ] Yes! I'll donate $50 >>
[✓] donate another amount >>

SUBMIT >>

---------------------------------------------

CONTRIBUTE TO THE TOUR TO SAVE DEMOCRACY!

BAWN is partnering with [name redacted] as he embarks on a summer tour to save our democracy. [Name redacted] and a collective of Gen Z activists will bus across the nation stopping in Republican-held swing districts to rally young voters, flip these seats blue, and elect strong gun safety Democrats.

But [name redacted] is counting on grassroots support to fund his tour and make it possible.

Will you rush in a gift before midnight? Your contribution will directly support necessary parts of [name redacted's] tour, like gas, food, and lodging expenses.

Donate immediately:

Your contribution will benefit Ban Assault Weapons NOW PAC.

[  ] Donate $25 →

[  ] Donate $50 →

[  ] Donate $100 →

[  ] Donate $250 →

[  ] Donate $500 →

[  ] Donate $1,000 →

[✓] Other amount $1.00

Please leave a tip for ActBlue

Power the nonprofit fundraising platform Democratic candidates & progressive causes rely on.

[  ] Add $2 tip

[✓] Leave no tip

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And so, after I endorsed Kamala Harris for President of the United States, via the Action Network website, I made a one-time donation donation to Ban Assault Weapons NOW PAC (BAWN PAC) (without a tip to ActBlue) on July 24th, 2024, because "BAWN is joining top gun safety Democrats like Nancy Pelosi, Hillary Clinton, Bill Clinton, Adam Schiff, and Jamie Raskin in rallying around Kamala as the nominee." That is why I contributed to join "[BAWN PAC], Biden, and other gun safety Democrats in endorsing Kamala Harris for President."

P.S.: The reason that I only donated $1.00 to the Ban Assault Weapons NOW PAC is because I already donated $5.00 (with a $0.35 tip to ActBlue) on July 3rd, 2024 (please see my 'July 3rd, 2024 Update No. 1,' which can be found above), as well as $5.00 (with a $0.35 tip to ActBlue) on July 19th, 2024 (please see my 'July 20th, 2024 Update No. 1, Which Also Discusses July 19th, 2024' that can be found above), in addition to $1.00 (without a tip to ActBlue) on July 21st, 2024 (please see my 'July 21st, 2024 Update No. 1, Written From July 26th, 2024 To July 30th, 2024,' which can be found above) and that is all I can afford this month; however, I did want to respond to contribute in order to endorse Harris in the first 24 hours of her campaign, so that is why I made a donation in the amount that I did.

---------------------------------------------

The fourth political communication to which I responded on July 24th, 2024 was an email from Educated We Stand (or, 'Educated. We Stand') that I received on July 22nd, 2024, with the subject line, "Kamala Harris is a champion for public schools", which stated the following:

I know the past 24 hours have been crazy, but it’s time to go about the work of electing Vice President Kamala Harris as the next President of the United States and ensuring that Democratic candidates up and down the ballot are successful in November.

Before I explain further, will you rush a donation to Educated We Stand to help us defeat Moms for Liberty in November?

I had the amazing opportunity to introduce her at an event denouncing Florida's African American History standards teaching students the benefits of slavery. She was fearless and dynamic. And her commitment to defending our public schools is vital to us at Educated We Stand.

During her 2020 presidential campaign, Kamala Harris advocated for free universal preschool AND free public college education. She called for a $13,500 raise for every public school teacher and as a US Senator she sponsored bills that would promote women and minorities in STEM [science, technology, engineering and mathematics].

Kamala Harris is a champion for public education and she was just endorsed by the American Federation of Teachers. There is no one better to lead our country and help us win the battle for the soul of our public schools.

But trust me, I’m under no illusions about this election. It’s going to be tough. Moms for Liberty, Ron DeSantis, and the MAGA machine are going to do everything in their power to elect extremist School Board members. Trump’s running mate, JD Vance, is incredibly hostile toward public schools and has advocated for bringing schools under the direct control of Trump loyalists.

This is a battle we must win, but I need your support to get it done. Please rush $10 or $20 to defeat extremism, defend our public schools, and create the future our children deserve.

If you've saved your payment information with ActBlue Express, your donation will go through immediately:

[  ] DONATE $25 NOW!
[  ] DONATE $50 NOW!
[  ] DONATE $100 NOW!
[  ] DONATE $250 NOW!
[  ] DONATE $500 NOW!
[✓] ANOTHER AMOUNT***

Thank you so much,

[Name redacted]

EDUCATED. WE STAND

Donate to Educated We Stand

In recent years, communities across the US have witnessed a surge in organized and well-funded efforts meant to disrupt and dismantle public education systems through legislative reform and regulating curriculums with far-right ideological beliefs.

If the movement continues to grow without an effective, organized, and funded counterbalance — we risk a widespread indoctrination of young people, promoting ideologies that threaten American Democracy and the American way of life.

EDUCATED WE STAND will serve as a national, non-partisan, grassroots organization dedicated to safeguarding the integrity of public education. Its mission is to fight the influence of far-right extremists and ensure that our educational systems remain spaces for unbiased, evidence-based learning that fosters critical thinking and prepares students to be engaged, informed citizens. Will you pitch in today to EDUCATED WE STAND and help support pro public education officials and legislation nationwide?

Donate immediately:

Your contribution will benefit Educated We Stand - IE [Independent Expenditure].

[  ] Donate $25 →

[  ] Donate $100 →

[  ] Donate $250 →

[  ] Donate $500 →

[  ] Donate $1,000 →

[  ] Donate $5,000 →

[  ] Donate $10,000 →

[✓] Other amount $1.00

Please leave a tip for ActBlue

Power the nonprofit fundraising platform Democratic candidates & progressive causes rely on.

[  ] Add $2 tip

[✓] Leave no tip

[  ] Add custom amount

And so, I made a one-time donation to Educated We Stand (or, 'Educated. We Stand') (without a tip to ActBlue) on July 24th, 2024, because "it’s time to go about the work of electing Vice President Kamala Harris as the next President of the United States and ensuring that Democratic candidates up and down the ballot are successful in November." That is why I contributed to Educated We Stand, since "Kamala Harris is a champion for public education and she was just endorsed by the American Federation of Teachers."

P.S.: The reason that I only donated $1.00 to Educated We Stand is because I already donated $2.00 (with a $0.14 tip to ActBlue) on July 4th, 2024 (please see my 'July 4th, 2024 Update No. 6, Written From July 5th, 2024 To July 7th, 2024, Which Also Discusses July 1st, 2024, July 2nd, 2024, As Well As July 3rd, 2024' that can be found above) and that is all I can afford this month; however, I did want to respond in order to contribute to Educated We Stand to help them defeat Moms for Liberty in November, so that is why I made a donation in the amount that I did.

---------------------------------------------

The fifth political communication to which I responded on July 24th, 2024 was a text message that I received on July 22nd, 2024, from the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee (DCCC), which stated the following:

Paul, I am running to be President of the United States.

I am honored to have the President's endorsement and my intention is to earn and win this nomination.

In the coming days, as I hit the campaign trail to meet with Americans and lay out the choice in front of voters in the fall, I cannot imagine two more starkly different visions for where we want our country to go.

We can choose the dark path of Project 2025, with less freedom and more division. Or we can choose to pull together and do the work — For The People.

These are not ordinary times. And this will not be an ordinary election. But this is our America. And I need you with me in this fight. So, I have to ask:

Will you split a $15 donation today between the DCCC and my team to elect me as President of the United States and defeat Donald Trump and Republicans across the country?***

Together, I know we can win this election and save democracy.

Kamala Harris

[DCCC logo] DEMOCRATS 2024

Rush a donation right now to DEFEAT MAGA Extremism and RESTORE our House Majority!

Here's the situation: Democrats need to flip just FOUR seats to take back the House Majority — and experts agree the race for House control is a COMPLETE TOSS-UP!

But, Extreme MAGA Republicans and their deep-pocketed megadonors are preparing to spend MILLIONS to defeat our grassroots movement.

Please, split a gift between Kamala Harris for President and the DCCC right now to help flip the House Blue and send Republicans a STUNNING defeat! >>

Split your donation:

Total contribution $2.00

Customize amounts

Kamala Harris (President) $1.00

DCCC $1.00

Donate $2

Please leave a tip for ActBlue

Power the nonprofit fundraising platform Democratic candidates & progressive causes rely on.

[ ] Add $2 tip

[✓] Leave no tip

[ ] Add custom amount

And so, I made a one-time donation to the DCCC and to the Harris for President campaign (without a tip to ActBlue) on July 24th, 2024, because "[Kamala Harris is] running to be President of the United States" and "[she is] honored to have the President's endorsement and [her] intention is to earn and win this nomination."

P.S.: The reason that I only donated $1.00 to the DCCC is because I already donated $2.00 (with a $0.14 tip to ActBlue) on July 4th, 2024 (please see my 'July 4th, 2024 Update No. 6, Written From July 5th, 2024 To July 7th, 2024, Which Also Discusses July 1st, 2024, July 2nd, 2024, As Well As July 3rd, 2024' that can be found above) in addition to $1.00 (without a tip to ActBlue) on July 21st, 2024 (please see my 'July 21st, 2024 Update No. 1, Written From July 26th, 2024 To July 30th, 2024,' which can be found above) and that is all I can afford this month; plus, the reason that I only donated $1.00 to the Harris for President campaign is because I already donated $1.00 twice (without a tip to ActBlue) on July 21st, 2024 (please see my 'July 21st, 2024 Update No. 1, Written From July 26th, 2024 To July 30th, 2024,' which can be found above) in addition to $1.00 (without a tip to ActBlue) on July 24th, 2024 (please see the eleventh donation of my 'July 24th, 2024 Update No. 4, Written From July 27th, 2024 To July 31st, 2024,' which can be found below) and that is all I can afford this month; however, I did want to respond in order to split a donation between the DCCC and the Harris for President campaign, so that is why I made donations in the amount that I did.

---------------------------------------------

The sixth political communication to which I responded on July 24th, 2024 was an email from the Democratic Governors Association (DGA) that I received on July 23rd, 2024, with the subject line, "I need you in this fight", which stated the following:

Paul, I am running to be President of the United States.

It has been the honor of a lifetime to serve alongside our Commander-in-Chief, my friend, President Joe Biden – one of the finest public servants we will ever know. And I am honored to have his support and endorsement.

And I am eager to run on the record of what Joe and I have accomplished together. We built our country back after our predecessor left it in shambles – making historic progress in reducing prescription drug costs, upgrading our nation’s infrastructure, fighting climate change, and more. We are stronger today because we took action – together – to invest in America’s future.

I am excited to continue to work toward our vision for a better future for all. But, Paul, we also need strong Democratic governors across the country to continue to deliver progress for the American people. If that’s all you need to hear, then split a donation between the DGA and my campaign today.

If you've saved payment information with ActBlue Express, your split donation between DGA and Kamala Harris for President will go through immediately.

[  ] Donate $22
[  ] Donate $44
[  ] Donate $88
[✓] Or donate other amount***

I am honored to have the President’s endorsement and my intention is to earn and win this nomination.

In the coming days, as I hit the campaign trail to meet with Americans and lay out the choice in front of voters in the fall, I cannot imagine two more starkly different visions for where we want our country to go.

We can choose the dark path of Project 2025, with less freedom and more division. Or we can choose to pull together and do the work – For The People.

These are not ordinary times. And this will not be an ordinary election. But this is our America. And I need you with me in this fight. So, I have to ask:

Will you split a $22 donation today between the DGA and my team to elect me as President of the United States and defeat Donald Trump and Republicans across the country? Whatever you are able to give in this moment will go a long way in our collective fight.

Together, I know we can win this election and save democracy.

More soon,

Kamala Harris
Vice President of the United States

DONATE NOW
DEADLINE: MIDNIGHT

If we want to stop Republicans dangerous agenda, we have to keep pace with the millions the GOP is raising to stop Democrats but right now, not enough supporters are donating, and we're falling short ahead of our midnight deadline.

Closing this gap is so important that Vice President Kamala Harris is asking. Please, rush your gift to help Vice President Harris win, defeat Republicans, and elect Democratic governors!

Split your donation:

Total contribution $2.00

Customize amounts

Democratic Action $1.00

Kamala Harris (President) $1.00

Donate $2

Please leave a tip for ActBlue

Power the nonprofit fundraising platform Democratic candidates & progressive causes rely on.

[ ] Add $2 tip

[✓] Leave no tip

[ ] Add custom amount

And so, I made a one-time donation to the DGA and to the Harris for President campaign (without a tip to ActBlue) on July 24th, 2024, because "[Kamala Harris is] running to be President of the United States" and "[she is] eager to run on the record of what Joe and [she] have accomplished together," but "we also need strong Democratic governors across the country to continue to deliver progress for the American people."

P.S.: The reason that I only donated $1.00 to the DGA is because I already donated $2.00 (with a $0.14 tip to ActBlue) on July 4th, 2024 (please see my 'July 4th, 2024 Update No. 6, Written From July 5th, 2024 To July 7th, 2024, Which Also Discusses July 1st, 2024, July 2nd, 2024, As Well As July 3rd, 2024' that can be found above) in addition to $1.00 (without a tip to ActBlue) on July 21st, 2024 (please see my 'July 21st, 2024 Update No. 1, Written From July 26th, 2024 To July 30th, 2024,' which can be found above) and that is all I can afford this month; plus, the reason that I only donated $1.00 to the Harris for President campaign is because I already donated $1.00 twice (without a tip to ActBlue) on July 21st, 2024 (please see my 'July 21st, 2024 Update No. 1, Written From July 26th, 2024 To July 30th, 2024,' which can be found above) in addition to $1.00 (without a tip to ActBlue) on July 24th, 2024 (please see the eleventh donation of my 'July 24th, 2024 Update No. 4, Written From July 27th, 2024 To July 31st, 2024,' which can be found below) and that is all I can afford this month; however, I did want to respond in order to split a donation between the DGA and the Harris for President campaign, so that is why I made donations in the amount that I did.

---------------------------------------------

The seventh political communication to which I responded on July 24th, 2024 was an email from the Democratic National Committee (DNC) that I received on July 24th, 2024, with the subject line, "An explanation", which stated the following:

We've sent a number of fundraising emails since President Biden announced he would no longer be seeking reelection, so we thought it important to take a moment to explain where we're at, but also to talk about why these messages are so important.

First, it has been an unprecedented month in American politics and it has never been more important for Democrats to remain united in the cause of saving our democracy and advancing an agenda that improves the lives of working people in this country.

As you read this, almost every poll shows the presidential race will be close, the Senate is completely up for grabs and the House of Representatives is as well. At this point, just about anything can happen on election night.

At the same time, the Trump campaign and the RNC have raised extraordinary sums of money, Republican super PACs are running ads in almost every contested state, and we're sure the worst attacks are yet to come.

Back to these messages and why they are so important.

You know by now that the DNC is the one organization best positioned to move resources where they need them when they are needed. It is what we do.

But what you may not know is that there is no greater single source of donations making that possible than the response to emails like this.

So while you may not have opened this email expecting to donate, given the current reality and how effectively we can put your contribution to work, that is what we are asking you to do:

Can Democrats running for office everywhere count on you to contribute $100 to the Democratic National Committee today? We would not ask if it were not so important.

If you've stored your info with ActBlue, we'll process your contribution instantly.

[  ] DONATE $50
[  ] DONATE $100
[  ] DONATE $200
[  ] DONATE $300
[  ] DONATE $500
[✓] OTHER AMOUNT***

Thank you in advance for donating today.

The Democratic Party

Donate to the DNC and help elect Democrats nationwide!

Trump and his far-right allies are raising millions of dollars to lift up extreme MAGA Republican candidates running at all levels across the country.

We're counting on this grassroots team to help us fight back and Invest in the resources our candidates rely on to compete and win year after year. Rush a donation today >>

Donate immediately:

Your contribution will benefit Democratic National Committee (DNC).

[✓] $1 →

[  ] $20 →

[  ] $50 →

[  ] $100 →

[  ] $250 →

[  ] $1,000 →

[  ] $2,000 →

[  ] Other

Please leave a tip for ActBlue

Power the nonprofit fundraising platform Democratic candidates & progressive causes rely on.

[  ] Add $2 tip

[✓] Leave no tip

[  ] Add custom amount

And so, I made a one-time donation to the DNC (without a tip to ActBlue) on July 24th, 2024, because "it has been an unprecedented month in American politics and it has never been more important for Democrats to remain united in the cause of saving our democracy and advancing an agenda that improves the lives of working people in this country."

P.S.: The reason that I only donated $1.00 to the DNC is because I already donated $2.00 (with a $0.14 tip to ActBlue) on July 4th, 2024 (please see my 'July 4th, 2024 Update No. 6, Written From July 5th, 2024 To July 7th, 2024, Which Also Discusses July 1st, 2024, July 2nd, 2024, As Well As July 3rd, 2024' that can be found above) in addition to $1.00 (without a tip to ActBlue) on July 21st, 2024 (please see my 'July 21st, 2024 Update No. 1, Written From July 26th, 2024 To July 30th, 2024,' which can be found above) and that is all I can afford this month; however, I did want to respond in order to contribute since the DNC is the one organization best positioned to move resources where they need them when they are needed, so that is why I made a donation in the amount that I did.

---------------------------------------------

The eighth political communication to which I responded on July 24th, 2024 was an email from Turn Left PAC (Turn Left Political Action Committee) that I received on July 23rd, 2024, with the subject line, "You need to hear this", which stated the following:

Paul.

I know everybody is fired up about the changes in the presidential race. I am, too.

I have served with women my whole career, and I’ll just say that it’s about damn time we had a woman leading this country. I can’t wait to see Kamala Harris, a former prosecutor, wipe the floor with Don the Con.

But I’m going to be blunt, because you need to hear this.

If we don’t take back the House majority and hold the Senate, Kamala won’t be able to get anything passed in Congress. Then they’re gonna blame her for failing to get anything done, and I won’t stand for that.

Recent polling proves the best way to win the House and the Senate is to make sure voters know all about Trump’s blueprint for fascism – Project 2025.

I’ve teamed up with USMC Capt. (retired) Ike McCorkle to launch Resist Project 2025. Our mission from now until November is to win back the House majority, hold the Senate – and elect Kamala Harris as the first woman president to stop Trump and his fascist goons in their tracks.

If you've saved your payment information with ActBlue Express, your donation will go through immediately:

[  ] Donate: $25
[  ] Donate: $50
[  ] Donate: $100
[  ] Donate: $500
[  ] Donate: $1,000
[✓] Custom Amount***

You’ve probably seen all the reports that over $100 million dollars were raised since President Biden made his announcement.

What you don’t know is that almost none of that money is going towards helping us flip the House or protect the Senate.

We can’t just elect a Democratic president. We’ve got to shut down fascism everywhere it rears its ugly orange head – and taking back Congress is the key.

Sappers clear the way, Airborne all the way!

Richard Ojeda (Maj, retired)
For Turn Left

Join the fight against Project 2025

Turn Left is a grassroots org co-founded by firebrand Maj. Richard Ojeda (Ret.), now joining forces with retired Force Recon Marine Capt. Ike McCorkle. We’re organizing across the country to root out MAGA radicals and elect bold Democrats who will work for everyday Americans. Pitch in now to help us stop the MAGA threat to our democracy and secure a future for ALL Americans to thrive.

DONATE >>***

AMERICA IS NOT A DICTATORSHIP

RESIST PROJECT 2025
Turn Left

BREAKING: RETIRED MILITARY LEADERS LAUNCH 'RESIST PROJECT 2025' ΤΟ COMBAT EXTREMISM AND PROTECT DEMOCRACY

$64,179.88 Raised →→→→→→→→→→ GOAL $65,000
Join us to launch RESIST PROJECT 2025!  updated at 4:35 PM

In the wake of the assassination attempt on former President Donald Trump and growing political violence across the nation, Turn Left PAC has launched 'Resist Project 2025,' a project to counter extremism in Congress and protect American democracy.

The effort is spearheaded by two highly decorated retired military officers, U.S. Army Major (ret.) Richard Ojeda, the founder of Turn Left, and USMC Captain (ret) Ike McCorkle.

Joining forces with these leaders are experienced progressive political operatives, including [name redacted], the former [title redacted] of Brand New Congress, [name redacted], former Congressional candidate of the Working Families Party, and [name redacted], LGBTQ+ community organizer, technologist, and Democratic campaign manager.

Your contribution will help this team mobilize volunteers and sound the alarm about Project 2025 in critical battlegrounds across the nation.

The project will feature proprietary digital tools developed by Turn Left and its partners to train and empower citizen leaders to fight back against extremism.

Turn Left PAC has a history of effective grassroots fundraising, having generated over $40 million since 2020 to support democratic candidates. The organization believes that strategic allocation of resources is critical in countering the influence of dark money and extremist agendas in American politics.

Can we count on your support to help us launch this project and spread the word about Project 2025?

Donate immediately:

Your contribution will benefit Turn Left PAC-Independent Expenditure.

[  ] DONATE $20.25 →

[  ] DONATE $50 →

[  ] DONATE $100 →

[  ] DONATE $500 →

[  ] DONATE $1,500 →

[  ] DONATE $2,500 →

[  ] DONATE $5,000 →

[✓] OTHER AMOUNT $1.00

Please leave a tip for ActBlue

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And so, I made a one-time donation to Turn Left PAC (without a tip to ActBlue) on July 24th, 2024, because "if we don’t take back the House majority and hold the Senate, Kamala [Harris] won’t be able to get anything passed in Congress" and "recent polling proves the best way to win the House and the Senate is to make sure voters know all about Trump’s blueprint for fascism – Project 2025."

P.S.: The reason that I only donated $1.00 to Turn Left PAC is because I already donated $5.00 (with a $0.35 tip to ActBlue) on July 15th, 2024 (please see my 'July 15th, 2024 Update No. 1,' which can be found above) in addition to $1.00 (without a tip to ActBlue) on July 21st, 2024 (please see my 'July 21st, 2024 Update No. 1, Written From July 26th, 2024 To July 30th, 2024,' which can be found above) and that is all I can afford this month; however, I did want to respond in order to contribute to Turn Left PAC, because we can’t just elect a Democratic president, we’ve got to shut down fascism everywhere it rears its ugly orange head – and taking back Congress is the key, so that is why I made a donation in the amount that I did.

---------------------------------------------

The ninth political communication to which I responded on July 24th, 2024 was an email from the Democratic Attorneys General Association (DAGA) that I received on July 23rd, 2024, with the subject line, "NEW ENDORSEMENT >>", which stated the following:

We have huge news, Paul:

We’re officially endorsing Vice President Kamala Harris for President!

As an experienced prosecutor (and former California Attorney General!), an accomplished public servant, and a capable leader, Kamala Harris has always stood for the people.

Vice President Harris is the most qualified candidate to unite our party and take on Donald Trump, and we don’t have a moment to waste. Trump’s grip on the GOP is stronger than ever, and if he wins a second term, reproductive rights, the freedom to vote, and the rule of law could crumble.

We’re endorsing Kamala Harris because it’s time for Democrats up and down the ticket to unite and stop MAGA extremism. Will you split a donation between Kamala’s campaign and DAGA so we can defeat Donald Trump and Republican AGs across the country?

If you've saved your payment information with ActBlue Express, your donation will go through immediately:

[  ] CHIP IN $5 NOW
[  ] CHIP IN $10 NOW
[  ] CHIP IN $25 NOW
[  ] CHIP IN $50 NOW
[  ] CHIP IN $100 NOW
[✓] ANOTHER AMOUNT***

Thank you,

Democratic AGs

DONATE TO DEFEAT TRUMP & PROTECT OUR RIGHTS

Kamala Harris is a former Attorney General who's ready to unite our party, defeat Donald Trump, and fight for our rights nationwide.

Chip in now to elect Kamala Harris and Democratic AG candidates across the country →

SPLIT YOUR DONATION

Total contribution $2.00

Customize amounts

Democratic Attorneys General Association (DAGA) PAC $1.00

Kamala Harris (President) $1.00

Donate $2

Please leave a tip for ActBlue

Power the nonprofit fundraising platform Democratic candidates & progressive causes rely on.

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[ ] Add custom amount

And so, I made a one-time donation to the DAGA and to the Harris for President campaign (without a tip to ActBlue) on July 24th, 2024, because "[the Democratic Attorneys General Association's] officially endorsing Vice President Kamala Harris for President" since, "as an experienced prosecutor (and former California Attorney General!), an accomplished public servant, and a capable leader, Kamala Harris has always stood for the people."

P.S.: The reason that I only donated $1.00 to the DGA is because I already donated $2.00 (with a $0.14 tip to ActBlue) on July 4th, 2024 (please see my 'July 4th, 2024 Update No. 6, Written From July 5th, 2024 To July 7th, 2024, Which Also Discusses July 1st, 2024, July 2nd, 2024, As Well As July 3rd, 2024' that can be found above) in addition to $1.00 (without a tip to ActBlue) on July 21st, 2024 (please see my 'July 21st, 2024 Update No. 1, Written From July 26th, 2024 To July 30th, 2024,' which can be found above) and that is all I can afford this month; plus, the reason that I only donated $1.00 to the Harris for President campaign is because I already donated $1.00 twice (without a tip to ActBlue) on July 21st, 2024 (please see my 'July 21st, 2024 Update No. 1, Written From July 26th, 2024 To July 30th, 2024,' which can be found above) in addition to $1.00 (without a tip to ActBlue) on July 24th, 2024 (please see the eleventh donation of my 'July 24th, 2024 Update No. 4, Written From July 27th, 2024 To July 31st, 2024,' which can be found below) and that is all I can afford this month; however, I did want to respond in order to split a donation between the DAGA and the Harris for President campaign, so that is why I made donations in the amount that I did.

---------------------------------------------

The tenth political communication to which I responded on July 24th, 2024 was a text message that I received on July 23rd, 2024, from the Democratic Association of Secretaries of State (DASS), which stated, in part, the following:

As Democrats welcome Kamala Harris' campaign for President, Republicans are plotting to drastically reshape the federal government with their radical 𝐏𝐫𝐨𝐣𝐞𝐜𝐭 𝟐𝟎𝟐𝟓.

The stakes are too high to not meet this moment.

It is crucial that our party and country swiftly unite to defeat Donald Trump and the threat to American democracy.

Can you please split an urgent $5 contribution between DASS and the Democratic National Committee? There's never been a more critical moment to step up than right now.***

- Team DASS

Democratic Association of Secretaries of State

Stand with DASS and the Democratic National Committee.

Joe Biden has withdrawn from the presidential race and endorsed Vice President Kamala Harris as our next nominee.

We need to send an unmistakable message that we are united, and ready to defeat Donald Trump and protect our democracy. How we respond today, of all days, can't be understated.

Please split an urgent, day-one contribution between DASS and the Democratic National Committee. There's never been a more critical moment to step up than right now.

Split your donation:

Total contribution $2.00

Customize amounts

DASS PAC - Federal $1.00

The Democratic National Committee (DNC) $1.00

Donate $2

Please leave a tip for ActBlue

Power the nonprofit fundraising platform Democratic candidates & progressive causes rely on.

[ ] Add $2 tip

[✓] Leave no tip

[ ] Add custom amount

And so, I made a one-time donation to the DASS and to the DNC (without a tip to ActBlue) on July 24th, 2024, because "as Democrats welcome Kamala Harris' campaign for President, Republicans are plotting to drastically reshape the federal government with their radical 𝐏𝐫𝐨𝐣𝐞𝐜𝐭 𝟐𝟎𝟐𝟓," so that is why I "split an urgent $2 contribution between DASS and the Democratic National Committee."

P.S.: The reason that I only donated $1.00 to the DASS is because I already donated $2.00 (with a $0.14 tip to ActBlue) on July 4th, 2024 (please see my 'July 4th, 2024 Update No. 6, Written From July 5th, 2024 To July 7th, 2024, Which Also Discusses July 1st, 2024, July 2nd, 2024, As Well As July 3rd, 2024' that can be found above) and that is all I can afford this month; however, I did want to respond in order to split a donation between the DASS and the DNC campaign, so that is why I made donations in the amount that I did.

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The eleventh political communication to which I responded on July 24th, 2024 was an email from the Harris for President campaign that I received on July 24th, 2024, with the subject line, "I am running to be the next President.", which stated the following:

Paul, I am running to be President of the United States.

It has been the honor of a lifetime to serve alongside our Commander-in-Chief, my friend, President Joe Biden -- one of the finest public servants we will ever know. And I am honored to have his support and endorsement.

And I am eager to run on the record of what Joe and I have accomplished together. We built our country back after our predecessor left it in shambles – making historic progress in upgrading our nation’s infrastructure, fighting climate change, and more. We are stronger today because we took action – together – to invest in America’s future.

I am excited to continue to work toward our vision for a better future for all. If that’s all you need to hear, then make your next donation to fund my campaign today.

If you've stored your payment information with ActBlue Express, your donation will process immediately and be split between DLCC PAC and Kamala Harris.

[  ] $25 »
[  ] $50 »
[  ] $75 »
[  ] $100 »
[  ] $120 »
[✓] Other »

I am honored to have the President’s endorsement and my intention is to earn and win this nomination.

In the coming days, as I hit the campaign trail to meet with Americans and lay out the choice in front of voters in the fall, I cannot imagine two more starkly different visions for where we want our country to go.

We can choose the dark path of Project 2025, with less freedom and more division. Or we can choose to pull together and do the work – For The People.

These are not ordinary times. And this will not be an ordinary election. But this is our America. And I need you with me in this fight. So, I have to ask:

Will you pitch in another $25 today to elect me as President of the United States and defeat Donald Trump? Whatever you are able to give in this moment will go a long way in our collective fight.

Together, I know we can win this election and save democracy.

More soon,

Kamala Harris
Vice President of the United States

Donate to Elect Kamala Harris

Our fight is more important now than ever before. Donate now.

Donate Immediately:

Your contribution will benefit Kamala Harris.

[✓] Donate $1 →

[  ] Donate $50 →

[  ] Donate $75 →

[  ] Donate $100 →

[  ] Donate $125 →

[  ] Other amount

Please leave a tip for ActBlue

Power the nonprofit fundraising platform Democratic candidates & progressive causes rely on.

[  ] Add $2 tip

[✓] Leave no tip

[  ] Add custom amount

And so, I made a one-time donation to the Harris for President campaign (without a tip to ActBlue) on July 24th, 2024, since "[Kamala Harris is] running to be President of the United States" because "these are not ordinary times ... and this will not be an ordinary election ... but this is our America ... and [she needs me] with [her] in this fight" in order to "elect [her] as President of the United States and defeat Donald Trump."

P.S.: The reason that I only donated $1.00 to the Harris for President campaign is because I already donated $1.00 twice (without a tip to ActBlue) on July 21st, 2024 (please see my 'July 21st, 2024 Update No. 1, Written From July 26th, 2024 To July 30th, 2024,' which can be found above) and that is all I can afford this month; however, I did want to respond in order to contribute the Harris for President campaign, because, together, Kamala knows we can win this election and save democracy, so that is why I made a donation in the amount that I did.

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The twelfth political communication to which I responded on July 24th, 2024 was an email from the Democratic Senatorial Campaign Committee (DSCC) that I received on July 24th, 2024, with the subject line, "Please respond immediately, Paul -", which stated the following:

Hi Paul, it's [name redacted], your [title redacted] here at the DSCC.

I'm reaching out because Kamala Harris and Donald Trump are neck-and-neck in national polls!

We need to know that Democrats everywhere are still prepared to stand against Trump -- because it's going to take all of us to keep him from winning in November.

We're launching our Official 2024 Presidential Straw Poll to ensure our grassroots team is prepared to take on Donald Trump again! But I just checked our current dataset and didn't see your response -- so please answer immediately:

Live Poll

Who would you support for president?

[✓] HARRIS

[ ] TRUMP

Your input is critical,

[Name redacted]
[Title redacted], DSCC

DSCC
Democratic Senatorial Campaign Committee

2024 Harris-Trump Straw Poll

This poll is closing in a matter of hours. Please respond to each question and do not share this link with others.

First, please confirm: Who would you support for president?

[✓] Kamala Harris!
Donald Trump.

Do you agree with more than 100 historians that Donald Trump was one of the worst presidents ever?

[✓] Yes - he's among the worst!
[  ] No.

What are you MOST concerned Trump will do if he assumes power? (Select all that apply.)

[✓] Put even MORE ultra-conservative justices onto the Supreme Court
[✓] Cut Social Security, Medicare, and Medicaid
[✓] Slash taxes for billionaires and giant corporations
[✓] Coddle dictators and undermine America's allies
[✓] Reverse our climate progress
[✓] Undermine LGBTQ+ rights
[✓] Cast doubt on free, fair election results
[  ] Other:

Which of the Biden-Harris administration's accomplishments has inspired you most as a Democrat? (Select all that apply.)

[✓] Creating more than 15 million good-paying jobs.
[✓] Fighting to strengthen American democracy after Trump's lawlessness on January 6th.
[✓] Capping life-saving insulin at $35/month for millions of Americans.
[✓] Investing trillions of dollars into American infrastructure, manufacturing, and fighting climate change.
[✓] Nominating over 200 confirmed federal judges, including Justice Ketanji Brown Jackson.
[✓] Combating inflation to lower everyday costs for ALL Americans.
[✓] Restoring America's reputation abroad.
[  ] Other:

President Biden has thrown his full support behind Vice President Kamala Harris' presidential campaign!

Now it's up to all of us to defeat the MAGA Republicans in November. Can we count on you to support Democrats?

[✓] Yes, I'm ready to get to work and WIN!
[  ] No.

Hi Paul, it's [name redacted] again. To stop Republicans from taking back power, we need every Democrat to pledge their support and commit to helping Team Blue win this year. But right now, we're still behind on our $50,000 fundraising goal ahead of tonight's VITAL fundraising deadline!

Please, the stakes have never been higher. Will you contribute $55 or more to help defend our democracy and defeat the MAGA agenda by defending the Senate?

Please use the links below to start a weekly donation through ActBlue:

[  ] Count on me — I'll donate $55!
[  ] Count on me — I'll donate $165!
[  ] Count on me — I'll donate $220!
[✓] I'll show my support with another amount!*

*[Blogger's Note: I selected this option—although I made a one-time donation, rather than a weekly donation—because it's an option that got me to the donation webpage!]

---------------------------------------------

DSCC

Donate now to SUPERCHARGE our Senate majority!

CNN says multiple GOP seats could flip blue this year — but with Mitch McConnell's megadonors already playing offense, it's going to take all hands on deck to win!

Please, will you chip in now to protect our historic progress by supercharging our Democratic majority?

Donate immediately:

Your contribution will benefit DSCC.

[✓] Donate $1 →

[  ] Donate $220 →

[  ] Donate $550 →

[  ] Donate $1,100 →

[  ] Donate $2,200 →

[  ] Donate $2,700 →

[  ] Other amount

Please leave a tip for ActBlue

Power the nonprofit fundraising platform Democratic candidates & progressive causes rely on.

[  ] Add $2 tip

[✓] Leave no tip

[  ] Add custom amount

And so, I made a one-time donation to the DSCC (without a tip to ActBlue) on July 24th, 2024, since "[the DSCC needs] to know that Democrats everywhere are still prepared to stand against Trump -- because it's going to take all of us to keep him from winning in November." That is why I contributed to the DSCC in order to respond to the question, "Who would you support for president?" with a resounding 'Kamala Harris!'

P.S.: The reason that I only donated $1.00 to the DSCC is because I already donated $2.00 (with a $0.14 tip to ActBlue) on July 4th, 2024 (please see my 'July 4th, 2024 Update No. 6, Written From July 5th, 2024 To July 7th, 2024, Which Also Discusses July 1st, 2024, July 2nd, 2024, As Well As July 3rd, 2024' that can be found above) in addition to $1.00 (without a tip to ActBlue) on July 21st, 2024 (please see my 'July 21st, 2024 Update No. 1, Written From July 26th, 2024 To July 30th, 2024,' which can be found above) and that is all I can afford this month; however, I did want to respond in order to contribute for the DSCC's Official 2024 Presidential Straw Poll, so that is why I made a donation in the amount that I did.

---------------------------------------------

The thirteenth political communication to which I responded on July 24th, 2024 was an email from the VoteVets that I received on July 24th, 2024, with the subject line, "Our next Commander in Chief", which stated the following:

Are you ready to get the best sticker of the [election] cycle?

[Image of Kamala Harris COMMANDER IN CHIEF sticker]

CHIP IN $2.50 — yep, that’s it — AND WE’LL SEND YOU OUR BRAND NEW COMMANDER IN CHIEF STICKER

GET YOUR STICKER***

Donate to support VoteVets!

[Image of Kamala Harris COMMANDER IN CHIEF sticker]

Chip in $2.50 or more today and we'll send you the NEW "Commander in Chief" sticker for FREE!

We are seeing massive demand right now, so reserve your sticker here and well ship one to you as soon as we possibly can. It may take a couple weeks — but trust us, it's on the way.

Donate immediately:

Your contribution will benefit VoteVets.org.

[  ] Donate $2.50 →

[  ] Donate $5 →

[  ] Donate $10 →

[  ] Donate $25 →

[  ] Donate $50 →

[  ] Donate $100 →

[✓] Other amount $1.00

Please leave a tip for ActBlue

Power the nonprofit fundraising platform Democratic candidates & progressive causes rely on.

[  ] Add $2 tip

[✓] Leave no tip

[  ] Add custom amount

And so, I made a one-time donation to VoteVets (without a tip to ActBlue) on July 24th, 2024, in order to receive the Kamala Harris "NEW COMMANDER IN CHIEF STICKER."

P.S.: The reason that I only donated $1.00 to VoteVets is because I already donated $2.00 (with a $0.14 tip to ActBlue) on July 4th, 2024 (please see my 'July 4th, 2024 Update No. 6, Written From July 5th, 2024 To July 7th, 2024, Which Also Discusses July 1st, 2024, July 2nd, 2024, As Well As July 3rd, 2024' that can be found above) and that is all I can afford this month; however, I did want to respond in order to contribute for the "Commander in Chief" sticker, so that is why I made a donation in the amount that I did.

Thus, these seven organizations—the DLCC, the DCCC, the DGA, the DNC, the DAGA, the DASS as well as the DSCC—plus, this one campaign—Harris for President—plus, these four Political Action Committees (PACs)—Ban Assault Weapons NOW PAC, Educated We Stand, Turn Left PAC, as well as VoteVets—in addition to this one civic engagement organization—Voto Latino—are the political organizations, the political campaign, as well as the PACs, and the civic engagement organization that I donated to on July 24th, 2024! –Paul Whiting (written from July 27th, 2024 to July 31st, 2024, revised August 21st, 2024, revised August 24th, 2024, revised August 27th, 2024 and revised September 24th, 2024)

-------------------------------------------------------------------

July 25th, 2024 Update No. 1: This 'update' that I am writing today, July 25th, 2024, is a special edition from my news searches on Google, which I do as often as I deem necessary—as well as from my occasional reading of The New York Times articles, USA Today articles and Time Magazine articles that I received via email for July 25th, 2024.

Please let me explain: I stopped writing any current news 'updates,' as of June 28th, 2024! And my reason for doing this was because the news 'updates' that I used to post were taking an extraordinary amount of time to write—so much so that I was not getting any of my other blogging done, which includes all of the edits that I still needed to complete on my various blog posts for my poetry and prose. [Please see my June 26th, 2024 Update No. 1, Which Also Discusses June 22nd, 2024 And June 24th, 2024, As Well As June 16th, 2024 Through June 20th, 2024 (Follow-Up No. 1, Written On June 28th, 2024) that can be found above.]

However, there has been some really important news lately, so I decided to write this special edition 'update' from my news searches on Google, as well as from my occasional reading of The New York Times articles, USA Today articles and Time Magazine articles!

You see, I have typically just been reading the titles of The New York Times, USA Today and Time Magazine articles that I receive from their daily emails. And, then, I will occasionally read the news articles that I feel are the most important for me to read from those emails that I highlight in these 'updates.'

That is why I signed up to receive email newsletters from the news organizations to which I subscribe in order for me to stay informed about what's happening in the world. And I was formerly writing separate 'updates' for each of the news articles that I read from The New York Times, USA Today and Time Magazine articles; however, after I restarted writing these news 'updates' from my news searches on Google (which I stopped doing for a while), I also decided to write the 'updates' from the above-mentioned news organizations to which I subscribe as a combined 'update.'

Thus, I normally check the news through Google searches as often as I can manage it—although I used to keep up with the news virtually on a daily basis, since there is typically that much news every day—however, as I explained previously, I am simply checking the news via Google searches as often as I can manage to do so. Plus, I usually check what's happening in the world via various Google searches that I do under the following topics, which—by the way—have recently been revised since the last time I wrote any current news 'updates' that, as I mentioned above, was prior to June 28th, 2024, as noted below:

American News
United States News
USA News
President Biden News
Joe Biden News
[NEW] Vice President Kamala Harris News
[NEW] Kamala Harris News
Democrats News
Republicans News
Political News
World News
Global Warming News
Workers On Strike News
Portland Oregon News

Then, I read the news articles that I feel are the most important for me to read from those Google news searches.

So, without further ado, I was doing my occasional news searches on Google for July 25th, 2024, when I noticed many different articles from various news organizations!

And I used to provide a longer introduction to these articles that I highlight regarding the news, on these types of 'updates' that I write, which used to include the name(s) of the author(s), as well as the date of publication in addition to some of the text from the articles; but, I decided a while ago to forego my usual writing format for all these news 'updates.'

To that end, I also used to provide the title of each article with the news organization's name in addition to a hyperlink; however, I recently realized that all of those hyperlinks to news articles were causing my "I Am No Longer Being An Activist In The Same Way That I Was" blog post to be flagged and unpublished for violating Blogger's Spam policy! (Please see my 'February 26th, 2024 Update No. 1, Which Also Discusses February 25th, 2024' that can be found above.)

Therefore, I changed the format by which I write these news 'updates' by first providing the original Google search category through which I found each article, as listed above. [Although, to clarify, sometimes the same article appears (or, articles appear) under different search categories.]

Then, I provide the title (or, 'headline') and the subtitle (or, 'subheadline') of each article, as well as the author(s) name(s), in addition to the publishing date. That way, I am (hopefully) providing enough information about each article in order to make it possible for you, my readers, to do a search for any of the articles that I highlight by the publisher's name and the article's title—plus, you can also verify the subtitle, the author(s) name(s) and the publishing date—if you wish to read those articles too!

And for certain articles, I include a few introductory paragraphs as a way to give more of a complete explanation to the meaning of the title (or, 'headline') and the subtitle (or, 'subheadline') of these articles, which may also take the form of a kind of 'overview,' so to speak, by selecting particular paragraphs that I feel highlight the most important parts of these articles in order to summarize the meaning of the title (or, 'headline') and the subtitle (or, 'subheadline'). I hope that makes sense!

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GOOGLE SEARCH: AMERICAN NEWS
---------------------------------------------

July 25th, 2024 search:

01. NBC News

Biden Oval Office speech calls for Americans to ‘preserve our democracy’ ('Our republic is now in your hands': Biden appeals to Americans to 'preserve our democracy')

“The best way forward is to pass the torch to a new generation. That is the best way to unite our nation,” Biden said.

By Jonathan Allen | July 24, 2024

WASHINGTON — President Joe Biden framed the decision to end his re-election campaign as a "defense of democracy" in an Oval Office address Wednesday night.

"I revere this office, but I love my country more. ... The defense of democracy, which is at stake, is more important than any title," Biden said. "I draw strength and find joy in working for the American people. But this sacred task of perfecting our union is not about me. It’s about you. Your families. Your futures. It’s about ‘We the People.’”

It is rare for a president to relinquish power voluntarily, without the force of rejection by the electorate or the limits of the Constitution. Biden, who acceded to heavy pressure from within his own party to step aside as a candidate, cast his choice as one made in the interest of the nation and called on Americans to join him to "preserve our democracy."

He and other Democrats consistently argue that former President Donald Trump, whose refusal to concede after he lost the 2020 election to Biden culminated in a mob attack on the U.S. Capitol on Jan. 6, 2021, in an effort to stop the certification process, is a threat to democracy.

"America’s going to have to choose between moving forward or backward," Biden said, without directly mentioning Trump. "Between hope and hate. Between unity and division."

He added, "Our republic is now in your hands."

The speech, which came three days after he dropped his bid, is the beginning of Biden's efforts to shape his legacy following a disastrous debate performance in late June that left members of his party calling for him to step off the campaign trail and allow another candidate to run against Trump. Many Democrats believed Biden's bumbling debate performance and halting push to clean it up made his path to re-election impossible.

“I have decided the best way forward is to pass the torch to a new generation," Biden said in remarks delivered in a low tone and, at times, in a halting fashion. "That is the best way to unite our nation."

At a campaign rally in North Carolina on Wednesday night, Trump went after his former opponent. "Three days ago, we officially defeated the worst president in the history of our country, crooked Joe Biden," he said.

Biden abandoned his re-election campaign early Sunday afternoon, announcing the decision in a post on X that he followed about half an hour later with an endorsement of his vice president, Kamala Harris, for the Democratic presidential nomination.

She quickly consolidated support from within their party and is expected to win a virtual roll call of Democratic delegates — perhaps without opposition — as early as Aug. 1 and no later than Aug. 7.

Biden offered praise for Harris on Wednesday night.

"She’s experienced, she’s tough, she’s capable," Biden said. "She’s been an incredible partner to me and leader for our country." ...

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GOOGLE SEARCH: UNITED STATES NEWS
---------------------------------------------

I did not select any articles from this category.

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GOOGLE SEARCH: USA NEWS
---------------------------------------------

I did not select any articles from this category.

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GOOGLE SEARCH: PRESIDENT BIDEN NEWS
---------------------------------------------

July 25th, 2024 search:

President Biden addresses decision to end campaign

02. CBS News

Biden says nothing can get in way of saving democracy, including "personal ambition" 22 hours ago

By Kathryn Watson | Updated on: July 24, 2024 / 9:21 PM EDT

Addressing the nation on camera for the first time since announcing his decision not to run for reelection, President Biden said in the Oval Office that saving democracy is more important than any title, and he acknowledged it was time to "pass the torch" to a new generation of leaders.

Years ago, Mr. Biden called himself a transitional candidate, and listed Vice President Kamala Harris among the younger generation of leaders he saw as the future of the Democratic Party. Now is the time to make way for those newer, younger voices, he said, like that of Harris, whom he has endorsed for the nomination.

Though he did not mention Republican nominee and former President Donald Trump by name, Mr. Biden has referred to Trump as a threat to democracy.

"I believe my record as president, my leadership in the world, my vision for America's future, all merited a second term," the president said. "But nothing, nothing, can come in the way of saving our democracy. That includes personal ambition. So, I've decided the best way forward is to pass the torch to a new generation. That's the best way to unite our nation. You know, there is a time and a place for long years of experience in public life. But there's also a time and a place for new voices, fresh voices, yes, younger voices. And that time and place is now."

Mr. Biden hinted that he had arrived at the decision to drop out in part because of doubts over whether he could defeat Trump.

"I revere this office, but I love my country more," the president said. "It's been the honor of my life to serve as your president. But in the defense of democracy, which is at stake, I think it's more important than any title."

Mr. Biden took a moment to reflect and marvel at where his life had begun, long before his 51-year-long political journey.

"Nowhere else on earth could a kid with a stutter from modest beginnings in Scranton and Claymont one day sit behind the Resolute Desk in the Oval Office as president of the United States," he said. "But here I am. That's what's so special about America."

The president expressed his gratitude to the American people, and praised the country as a nation of possibilities.

"It has been the privilege of my life to serve this nation for over 50 years," he said, adding, "I have given my heart and my soul to so many nation, like so many others. I'm blessed a million times in return with the love and support of the American people. I hope you have some idea of how grateful I am, to all of you."

For the remaining six months of his term, Mr. Biden said he plans to focus on the job of the presidency. He plans to continue to try to lower costs for families, defend personal freedoms, protect the right to vote, and fight against cancer. He said he also plans to continue to speak out against gun violence, and call for Supreme Court reform.

Abroad, the president said he would continue to make NATO stronger, support Ukraine's fight for freedom, and work to end the war in Gaza.

And Mr. Biden, who ran on the idea that democracy itself was at stake in 2020 and is again in 2024 with Donald Trump as the Republican nominee, reminded Americans that they are the ones who will determine America's destiny: "The great thing about America is here, kings and dictators do not rule. The people do. History is in your hands. The power is in your hands. The idea of America – lies in your hands."

The president also listed what he believes are his greatest achievements, including lowering the racial wealth gap, passing bipartisan infrastructure funding, achieving wins against big Pharma, lowering the cost of prescription drugs, compensating veterans exposed to toxic materials and putting the first African American woman on the Supreme Court.

Hundreds of White House staffers remained to watch Mr. Biden's address, and he emerged afterward from the Oval Office to greet them, to huge cheers.

A Trump campaign official confirmed that the GOP nominee also watched the president's speech from his plane after a rally in Charlotte; New York Times photographer Doug Mills snapped a picture.

Democrats have fallen in line behind Harris, after Mr. Biden endorsed her for the nomination soon after announcing he would end his campaign. Mr. Biden cannot appoint a successor for the Democratic nomination, but since his announcement on Sunday, Harris has secured the endorsements of a majority of Democratic delegates. ...

---------------------------------------------

July 25th, 2024 search:

03. ABC News - Breaking News, Latest News and Videos

Biden on decision to exit 2024 race: 'I revere this office but I love my country more'

Biden said passing the torch is the "best way to unite our nation."

By Alexandra Hutzler | July 24, 2024

President Joe Biden, in a rare Oval Office address, spoke somberly and emotionally about his decision to exit the 2024 race and pass the mantle to the next generation of leaders -- describing it as an act aimed at unifying the nation to which he devoted his decades-long career.

"I revere this office but I love my country more," Biden said. "It's been the honor of my life to serve as president but in the defense of democracy, which is at stake, I think it's more important than any title."

The prime-time speech marked the first time Biden had spoken directly to the American people on-camera since his bombshell announcement three days ago that he was stepping away from the campaign trail and endorsing Vice President Kamala Harris to take his place.

"I believe my record as president, my leadership in the world, my vision for America's future all merited a second term," Biden said Wednesday night. "But nothing, nothing can come in the way of saving our democracy. That includes personal ambition, so I've decided the best way forward is to pass the torch to a new generation."

On Harris, Biden said she is "experienced, she's tough, she's capable" and called her an "incredible partner" during their three-and-a-half years together.

"I've made my choice. I've made my views known … Now, the choice is up to you, the American people," he said.

Biden continued to emphasize what he believes is at risk this election, which he's repeatedly cast as an "inflection point" to save the nation's founding principles.

"I ran for president four years ago because I believed, and still do, that the soul of America was at stake, the very nature of who we are was at stake," he said. "And that's still the case."

Biden over the weekend gave in to a month of intense pressure from Democrats to change course after his poor debate performance reignited questions about his age and whether he could successfully take on Donald Trump to win another four years in office.

Biden initially resisted calls to step aside and insisted he was the best person to take on Trump, but on Wednesday said he now believes a new path is necessary.

"There's a time and a place for long years of experience in public life," he said. "There's also a time and a place for new voices, fresh voices and yes, younger voices. And that time and place is now." ...

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GOOGLE SEARCH: JOE BIDEN NEWS
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July 25th, 2024 search:

04. AP News

Biden's speech: Warnings about Trump without naming him, a hefty to-do list, and a power handoff

By Seung Min Kim and Colleen Long | Updated 6:44 PM PDT, July 24, 2024

WASHINGTON (AP) — President Joe Biden delivered a solemn Oval Office address Wednesday that laid out in the clearest terms yet why he abandoned his reelection campaign.

He wanted to send an unmistakable warning about Republican presidential nominee Donald Trump while anointing Vice President Kamala Harris as his natural successor, without invoking an overtly political tone that would have been out of step in the official setting of the White House. He was determined to show that he would not act like a lame-duck president, outlining an ambitious agenda that underscored his resolve to continue building on his legacy.

Here are key takeaways from Biden’s address:

He warned about Trump — without naming him Biden did not mention Trump, his former Republican opponent, in his 10-minute Oval Office address — but he didn’t have to. The remarks were imbued with a deep sense of urgency about what the outgoing president saw as the stakes of the election.

The early part of his address sketched the choices that faces voters in November — a contrast Biden himself had hoped to make during a reelection campaign that he ultimately decided he could not continue.

“Americans are going to have to choose between moving forward or backward, between hope and hate, between unity and division,” Biden said. “We have to decide — do we still believe in honesty, decency, respect, freedom, justice and democracy.”

That last item — democracy — and defending it is “more important than any title,” Biden said.

Biden outlined a hefty to-do list for his final months

The president says he’s going to keep working over his final six months in office. He’s seeking to make the case for his legacy of sweeping domestic legislation and the renewal of alliances abroad.

His to-do list was full of weighty issues. He said he’d work to end the war in Gaza, bring home the hostages and try “to bring peace and security to the Middle East and end this war.” Biden meets Thursday with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu.

He’s going to continue to work to lower costs for families and defend personal freedoms, keep calling out “hate and extremism” and push to end gun violence.

He also said he would continue to work on his initiative to end cancer as we know it and push for Supreme Court reforms.

“I’m going to keep working,” he said.

He is willingly handing off power to a new generation

Biden finally understood what Democrats had been telling him — that it was time to hand off power to a younger generation — and he embraced it, calling for “fresh voices, yes, younger voices” in politics.

“I’ve decided the best way forward is to pass the torch to a new generation. It’s the best way to unite our nation,” he said, even as he believed his presidency was deserving of a second term.

For months, Biden insisted that only he could go up against Trump and win. But that changed following his debate with Trump on June 27, when he spoke haltingly, lost his train of thought and failed to fact-check the former president’s falsehoods. The performance raised a chorus of questions about his age and ability to do the job another four years and pushed Democrats to increasingly call for him to step aside. The standoff dragged for 24 days before Biden yielded, saying he needed to unify his party.

The tone and setting were solemn

Biden is not a stranger to the sober address, delivering remarks on weighty matters such as the fate of democracy and voting rights at historically significant landmarks across the country and around the globe.

But Biden has used the formal trappings of an Oval Office address — a tool used by presidents in times of national crisis or to capture a key moment in history — sparsely, with Wednesday’s speech marking just the fourth time that he has sat behind the Resolute Desk to speak directly to the nation.

His tone was solemn, the delivery careful and deliberate. He was surrounded by family and close aides as he gave an address willingly relinquishing power — one that no politician wants to make.

“The great thing about America is here, kings and dictators do not rule — that people do,” Biden said as he closed his address. “History is in your hands. The power is in your hands. The idea of America lies in your hands.”

Biden made a subtle push for his vice president In the official setting of the Oval Office, Biden steered clear of overt political talk. But he still praised Vice President Kamala Harris as “tough” and “capable,” and gave a not-so-subtle push to voters.

“She’s been an incredible partner for her leadership, for our country,” he said. “Now the choice is up to you, the American people. ” ...

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GOOGLE SEARCH: VICE PRESIDENT KAMALA HARRIS NEWS
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GOOGLE SEARCH: KAMALA HARRIS NEWS
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GOOGLE SEARCH: DEMOCRATS NEWS
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GOOGLE SEARCH: POLITICAL NEWS
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Continuing on—as I mentioned above—I will occasionally read the news articles that I feel are the most important for me to read from the daily emails that I receive from The New York Times, USA Today and Time Magazine.

And I used to provide longer introductions to these New York Times, USA Today and Time Magazine articles that I highlight, which included the name(s) of the author(s), as well as the date of publication in addition to some of the text from the article; but, I decided a while ago to forego my usual writing format for all The New York Times, USA Today and Time Magazine articles 'updates.'

To that end, I also used to provide the title of each article in addition to a hyperlink; however—as I mentioned above—I think that all of those hyperlinks to news articles are causing my "I Am No Longer Being An Activist In The Same Way That I Was" blog post to be flagged and unpublished for violating Blogger's Spam policy! (Again, please see my 'February 26th, 2024 Update No. 1, Which Also Discusses February 25th, 2024' that can be found above.)

Therefore, I am changing the format by which I write these news 'updates' by providing the title (or, 'headline') and the subtitle (or, 'subheadline') of each article, as well as the author(s) name(s), in addition to the publishing date. That way, I am (hopefully) providing enough information about each article in order to make it possible for you, my readers, to do a search for any of the articles that I highlight by the article's title—plus, you can also verify the subtitle, the author(s) name(s) and the publishing date—if you wish to read those articles too!

And for certain articles, I will include a few introductory paragraphs as a way to give more of a complete explanation to the meaning of the title (or, 'headline') and the subtitle (or, 'subheadline') of these articles, which may also take the form of a kind of 'overview,' so to speak, by selecting particular paragraphs that I feel highlight the most important parts of these articles in order to summarize the meaning of the title (or, 'headline') and the subtitle (or, 'subheadline'). I hope that makes sense!

So, without further ado, I was doing my usual reading of the titles to The New York Times, USA Today and Time Magazine articles—including any article overviews contained within the emails—that I received for July 25th, 2024, when I noticed the following NYTimes.com, USAToday.com and Time.com articles!

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This is The New York Times article which I received for July 25th, 2024: (I am a subscriber to The New York Times 'Basic Access' Digital Subscription.)

The following is The New York Times article that I read today, July 25th, 2024, from an email that I received today:

And the excerpt below is from the above-mentioned July 25th, 2024 'The Morning' email introduction to The New York Times article below:

THE LATEST NEWS

Biden’s Speech

• In an Oval Office address, President Biden said he withdrew from the 2024 election to unite his party and protect American democracy. “I revere this office, but I love my country more,” he said. See his speech.

• Biden added that he had chosen to “pass the torch to a new generation” and praised Kamala Harris: “She’s experienced, she’s tough, she’s capable.”

• He cited accomplishments — including on climate change, infrastructure, health care, the economy, NATO and gun safety — and said he would call for reforms to the Supreme Court.

• Trump watched Biden’s speech from his plane after a campaign rally in North Carolina. On social media, he called it “sooo bad!”

• The speech, The Times’s Peter Baker writes, “was all Joe, love him or hate him — the paeans ["a thing that expresses enthusiastic praise"] to American exceptionalism, the evocations of family, the selective boasting.” Read a transcript. ...

Biden Says It Is Time to Step Aside for a Fresh, Younger Voice

In an Oval Office address, President Biden praised Vice President Kamala Harris and said “it’s been the privilege of my life to serve this nation for over 50 years.”

By Katie Rogers | July 24, 2024

President Biden told the American public in an Oval Office address on Wednesday that he had abandoned his re-election campaign because there is “a time and a place for new voices, fresh voices — yes, younger voices.”

His words, lasting 11 minutes in all, were the first extensive ones from Mr. Biden since his decision to step aside, and expanded on his initial announcement, delivered in a post on social media on Sunday, that he was dropping out of the race. His tone was wistful and his speech was an early farewell.

“It’s been the privilege of my life to serve this nation for over 50 years,” he said.

Sitting behind the Resolute Desk and surrounded by photos of his family, Mr. Biden ticked through the accomplishments of his term, ranging from the choice of the first Black woman to be a Supreme Court justice to pulling the country out of a paralyzing pandemic. He expressed gratitude to the American people for allowing a “kid with a stutter” from modest beginnings in Scranton, Pa., to reach the pinnacle of American politics.

Just beyond the camera, dozens of aides and several members of his family, including Jill Biden, the first lady, watched as Mr. Biden said he would walk away from the office they had worked to help him reach for decades.

“I revere this office,” he said, “but I love my country more.”

Ultimately, Mr. Biden said, he concluded that “the best way forward is to pass the torch to a new generation.” The president praised Vice President Kamala Harris — “she’s experienced, she’s tough, she’s capable” — but warned, as he has for years, that Americans faced a choice between preserving democracy and allowing it to backslide.

“History is in your hands,” Mr. Biden said. “The power is in your hands. The idea of America lies in your hands. We just have to keep faith, keep the faith, and remember who we are.” ...

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This is the USA Today article which I received for July 25th, 2024: (I am a subscriber to the USA Today 'Unlimited Digital Access' Subscription.)

The following is the USA Today article that I read today, July 25th, 2024, from an email that I received today:

And the excerpt below is from the above-mentioned July 25th, 2024 'The Daily Briefing' email introduction to the USA Today article below:

What does Joe Biden want to do in his last six months as president?

President Joe Biden said in a primetime address to the nation on Wednesday that he ended his campaign for a second term because, even though he reveres the office of the presidency, “I love my country more.” In his first public remarks since dropping out of the presidential race on Sunday, Biden pledged during a somber 10-minute address to spend his last six months in office working to make sure the United States remains strong, secure and the leader of the free world. Read more ...

Joe Biden addresses nation: 'Best way forward is to pass the torch to a new generation'

By Michael Collins | July 24, 2024

WASHINGTON – President Joe Biden said in a primetime address to the nation on Wednesday that he ended his campaign for a second term because, even though he reveres the office of the presidency, “I love my country more.”

“I have decided the best way forward is to pass the torch to a new generation,” he said from the Oval Office. “That is the best way to unite our nation.”

In his first public remarks since dropping out of the presidential race on Sunday, Biden pledged during a somber 11-minute address to spend his last six months in office working to make sure the United States remains strong, secure and the leader of the free world.

"The defense of democracy is more important than any title," he said. "I draw strength, and find joy, in working for the American people. But this sacred task of perfecting our union is not about me. It’s about you. Your families. Your futures. It’s about ‘We the People.’”

Biden ended his campaign for a second term on Sunday after weeks of pressure from nervous Democrats and major donors, who feared he would lose to former President Donald Trump, the Republican nominee. Biden’s withdrawal threw the presidential race into unchartered territory just four months before the election.

Vice President Kamala Harris quickly announced that she would run for president, and Biden offered her his endorsement. Harris has since raised more than $126 million for her nascent campaign and has already secured more than enough delegates to win the party’s nomination.

In a letter announcing his decision to pull out of the race, Biden said while it had always been his intention to run for a second term, “I believe it is in the best interest of my party and the country to stand down and to focus solely on fulfilling my duties as president for the remainder of my term.”

The pressure on Biden to drop out started to build after a disastrous debate with Trump last month raised questions about his physical and mental acuity and his ability to serve another four-year term. But the White House insisted Monday, just a few hours before Biden’s speech, that concerns about his health had nothing to do with his decision to exit the race.

In his remarks, Biden made it clear he plans to serve out the remainder of his term.

Biden said he plans to spend the next six months doing his job as president – working to lower costs for families, growing the economy and defending personal freedoms and civil rights, from the right to vote to the right to choose.

He said he would continue rallying a coalition of allies to stop Russian President Vladimir Putin from taking over Ukraine and would keep working to end the war in Gaza and bring peace to the Middle East.

Biden said he would also continue to pursue Supreme Court reform and his “Moonshot” program to end cancer.

The United States remains a nation of “promise and possibilities, of dreamers and doers,” he said. ...

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This is the Time Magazine article which I received for July 25th, 2024: (I am a subscriber to the Time Magazine 'INSIDER Digital' Subscription.)

The following is the Time Magazine article that I read today, July 25th, 2024, from 'The Brief' email that I received today:

President Joe Biden Reflects on Presidency and Explains Decision to ‘Pass the Torch’

By Nik Popli | July 24, 2024

Many speeches have been given from the Oval Office throughout history. But perhaps none were as somber and reflective as the one President Joe Biden delivered on Wednesday night, just days after announcing his withdrawal from the 2024 presidential race.

Sitting at the Resolute Desk, where many Presidents before him had addressed the nation in times of crisis and decision, Biden attempted to cement his legacy as a leader who prioritized the defense of democracy over personal ambition. “I revere this office but I love my country more,” the President said of his decision to drop out of the race, as his wife Jill Biden and several family members watched from inside the room. “It’s been the honor of my life to serve as your President. But in defense of democracy, which is at stake, I think it’s more important than any title.”

“I believe my record as President, my leadership in the world, my vision for America’s future all merited a second term,” he continued. “But nothing—nothing—can come in the way of saving our democracy, and that includes personal ambition. The best way forward is to pass the torch to a new generation. That is the best way to unite our nation.”

The primetime speech marked Biden’s first public comments since passing the torch to Vice President Kamala Harris, who is expected to be the Democratic Party’s nominee for President. Biden's withdrawal came on the heels of a disastrous debate performance against Donald Trump last month, where he appeared frail and struggled to articulate his positions effectively. The debate, widely seen as a turning point, exposed vulnerabilities and concerns about his age that had been simmering since his initial run against Trump in 2020.

Biden, 81, explained his decision to suddenly abandon his reelection bid after insisting that he would remain in the race, declaring that it is time for a new generation of leadership in America. “There’s a time and a place for long years of experience in public life,” he said. “There’s also a time and a place for new voices, fresh voices, yes, younger voices. And that time and place is now.”

He praised Harris and urged voters to pick her over Trump in the November election, describing his 59-year-old Vice President as “experienced,” “tough,” and “capable” and declaring that democracy is at risk in this election.

“The idea of America lies in your hands,” Biden said as he alluded to the weight of the office and asserted that the character of a President still matters. “In this sacred space, I’m surrounded by portraits of extraordinary American Presidents,” he said in the beginning of his speech. “Thomas Jefferson wrote the immortal words that guide this nation. George Washington showed us Presidents are not kings.”

“I ran for President four years ago because I believed and still do that the soul of America was at stake,” Biden added, never mentioning former President Trump by name. “The very nature of who we are was at stake. That is still the case.”

In response to Biden’s address, Trump took to social media to criticize his delivery, calling the President “barely understandable” and “sooo bad.” Biden stumbled over a few words, but the speech did not feature significant errors.

Biden reflected on his decadeslong public service career and lauded the American system of government that allowed him to rise to the pinnacle of power, starting with his election to the Senate in 1973. Despite challenges and setbacks, including criticisms of his debate performance, Biden used his speech to list his accomplishments as President, including efforts to combat climate change and appointing the first Black woman to the Supreme Court. He also laid out his priorities for the final months of his presidency, focusing mostly on foreign policy. Biden vowed to strengthen NATO in response to Russia’s invasion of Ukraine and said he would “keep working to end the war in Gaza, bring home all hostages, and bring peace and security to the Middle East.” ...

And I decided to highlight these articles from the various news organizations above via Google news searches—as well as from The New York Times, USA Today and Time Magazine—for you, my readers, to consider reading too! –Paul Whiting (written July 25th, 2024, revised July 26th, 2024, revised July 31st, 2024, revised August 25th, 2024 and revised November 15th, 2025)

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For my "July 27th, 2024 Update No. 1"—since this 'update' is a part of my ⋆USO⋆ donations—please see my blog post titled, "My Point Of View On...Giving Charity And Accepting Charity," which can be found on both of my "Paul Whiting — Math Magician" and "Paul Whiting — A Creative Writer" blogs. An introduction to the 'update' can be found below:

July 27th, 2024 Update No. 1: I received an email from the USO (United Service Organizations) today, July 27th, 2024, with the subject line, "July Military Supporter Update", with regard to the USO's newsletter "YOUR USO AT WORK," Issue 124 / JULY 2024, which stated, in part, the following:

YOUR USO AT WORK
Issue 124 / JULY 2024

DONATE NOW »

https://secure.uso.org

Paul,

Military supporters like you help us provide service members and military families with the support and recognition they deserve. This month, USO Centers around the world hosted exciting programs and events — and none of these would be possible without you.

And on National Hire a Veteran Day this month, we were there with development services through the USO Transition Program to support our heroes as they prepare for life post-military.

Read on to learn about the ways you are helping provide the best possible support for members of our military and their families. ...

And the following highlights from the USO's newsletter, which I selected to post, are regarding "The USO Celebrates Fourth of July Around the World" and "A Veteran and His Service Dogs Are Supporting Our Service Members Alongside the USO," as well as "USO and Southern New Hampshire University Continue Partnership for the People Who Serve," in addition to "Donate a Vehicle to the USO":

USO FRONT LINES

The USO Celebrates Fourth of July Around the World

Fort Moore in Georgia opened its doors for the first time in February, and its inaugural Independence Day celebration this year with a playroom, game room, events and more went a long way toward creating a sense of family and community on post.

At USO Rota in Spain, the local military community came out in full force to celebrate the Fourth of July. Highlights like a temporary patriotic tattoo station and pie-eating contests made guests feel like they were celebrating back at home!

Thank you for helping us celebrate our American independence around the world this Fourth of July!

[Blogger's Note: I signed a USO 4th of July card on July 4th, 2024 after I did a Google search for "4th of July USO" and found search results regarding the 'Fourth of July' (please see my 'July 4th, 2024 Update No. 2,' which can be found above).]

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GET INSPIRED

A Veteran and His Service Dogs Are Supporting Our Service Members Alongside the USO

June was PTSD Awareness Month, and the USO is committed to supporting and uplifting service members and military families through every step of their service — through our USO Centers and the USO Canine Program. One U.S. Army veteran, Richard Rice, and his service dogs are regular USO volunteers who are making a difference in the lives of service members. They regularly visit USO Centers like the Warrior Center in Landstuhl, Germany, to bring emotional support to service members on the path to recovery. Learn more about the USO Canine Program.

https://www.uso.org/programs/uso-canine-program

[Blogger's Note: I read the USO's article titled, "USO Canine Program."]

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CORPORATE PARTNERS

USO and Southern New Hampshire University Continue Partnership for the People Who Serve

Every year, Southern New Hampshire University (SNHU) amplifies the USO T-shirt campaign by engaging a military-connected member of their staff to show off their USO T-shirt and share what the campaign means to them.

This year, SNHU regional director Robert Shaw has been volunteering at many USO community events across the country. During Fleet Week in Los Angeles, Robert showed off his military pride and shared, "There has been one constant support for service members and their families, and that's the USO."

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WAYS TO GET INVOLVED

Skip the costly repairs! Donate Your Used Vehicle

Easy Process | Free Pick-up | Tax-deductible*
*Consult your tax advisor

Donate a Vehicle to the USO

The donation of your used car, truck, motorcycle or RV can help provide the necessary funds for the USO to continue to deliver our mission. Learn more about how to donate »

https://uso.careasy.org/home

[Blogger's Note: I read the USO's article titled, "USO VEHICLE DONATION PROGRAM," which also includes a video that I watched.]

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...From all of us at the USO, thank you for standing by our nation's service members!

And, after I read the email above, I made a one-time donation on the USO.org website in order to support the USO's following statement: "Our service members keep our nation safe. And we work hard to keep them connected to home — but we can’t do that without support from military supporters like you. Our troops are counting on you to be a part of this important work for our country. So please, donate now."

In addition to that, I already make a recurring monthly donation to the USO in order to show my support for our U.S. Military Personnel! You see, I usually make one-time donations to the USO each month—as often as I can manage when they request a donation via email or text message. Therefore, I am planning to continue making one-time donations to the USO in the future, as often as I can manage to make donations, in addition to making the aforementioned recurring monthly donation. ...

Please see the hyperlinks below for the post, within which you can do a find-in-page search for the 'update' labeled, "July 27th, 2024 Update No. 1":

https://paulwhitingmath.blogspot.com/2015/05/my-point-of-view-on-charity.html

https://paulwhitingwriting.blogspot.com/2022/07/my-point-of-view-on-part-16-giving-to.html

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July 27th, 2024 Update No. 2: I received an email from Planned Parenthood Action Fund today, July 27th, 2024, with the subject line, "We're proud to endorse Kamala Harris for president", which stated the following:

Planned Parenthood Action Fund Update

Action Fund Update is the monthly newsletter for members of the Planned Parenthood Action Fund. As an associate member of the Action Fund, you'll receive timely, insider information on our legislative, advocacy, and electoral work.

Member News

Paul,

Earlier this week, Planned Parenthood Action Fund announced its endorsement of Kamala Harris for President of the United States.

The contrast between Vice President Harris and Donald Trump could not be clearer. She will fight to protect our freedoms while Donald Trump will continue to strip them away. And her record on fighting for our reproductive freedom and abortion is unquestionable. For the past two years, she has traveled across the country — hosting nearly 100 events — to sound the alarm on the attacks against abortion rights. She was the first vice president in history to visit a Planned Parenthood health center. And her leadership shaped the Biden-Harris administration’s response to the loss of a fundamental right, keeping the needs of patients at the heart of her work.

Beyond the presidential race, we know the fight to protect and expand abortion access continues all across the country. Over 800,000 voters in Arizona supported a petition earlier this month for a ballot measure that would enshrine abortion in the state's constitution (https://abcnews.go.com/Health/arizona-abortion-rights-group-submits-signatures-needed-ballot/story?id=111638732) — that’s more than double the 383,923 signatures the state requires for a spot on the November ballot. That means 1 in 5 Arizona voters signed the petition.

Across the country, voters are using their voices and telling anti-abortion advocates what we already know, in no uncertain terms: people want legal access to abortion. As we near a pivotal November election, our collective commitment to reproductive freedom is more important than ever.

Use your voice, your actions, your conviction. We will win this fight.

In solidarity,

[Name redacted], [Title redacted]
Planned Parenthood Action Fund

P.S. Based on our records, it looks like your Associate Membership is going to expire soon. Don't miss out on timely, insider information on Planned Parenthood Action Fund's advocacy, legislative work, and electoral endorsements, as well as volunteer opportunities in your area. Click here to renew your membership.**

Volunteer with Planned Parenthood Action Fund

One of the biggest ways you can make a difference in the next few months is to volunteer for Planned Parenthood Action Fund’s endorsed candidates (https://www.mobilize.us/ppaf).

See the ongoing list of endorsed candidates here (https://www.plannedparenthoodaction.org/endorsements)!

Volunteer Opportunity Spotlight: Arizona Congressional Candidate Raquel Terán

Raquel Terán's primary election is on July 30 and she needs your help to win! Raquel has consistently been an advocate for the protection and expansion of access to abortion and access to quality care services.

Whether you are in the Phoenix area or not, you can find a volunteer opportunity here (https://www.mobilize.us/ppaf/?lat=38.21608877246459&lon=-97.98052812171379&org_ids=37129)!

[Blogger's Note: By the way, I accidentally didn't include the 'Volunteer Opportunity Spotlight: Arizona Congressional Candidate Raquel Terán' section above when I originally posted this 'update' on July 27th, 2024! And I only noticed that I had skipped the above-mentioned section when I finally got around to editing this 'July 27th, 2024 Update No. 2' one month later on August 27th, 2024, due to how busy I have been with activism lately. And I remember getting ready to include said section in this 'update'; however, I must have forgotten to include the text above when I was copying off the original email in order to recreate it, which is what I usually do with the activism emails from the various organizations that I support, when I am writing these kinds of blog post 'updates.' This blogger regrets the error.]

Renew Your Membership (and get a sticker!)

Great news: If you’re getting this newsletter, you’re already a member of Planned Parenthood Action Fund!

But to stay on our list, you need to renew your membership every year. And right now, when you sign up, you can get a special bundle with stickers and pins to show that you are a proud abortion rights supporter.

Reaffirm your Planned Parenthood Action Fund membership today and we’ll send you a bundle of pins and stickers to say thanks (https://www.weareplannedparenthoodaction.org/sa0f1KPc20esuZQLvV5pDQ2)!

Are you going to the Democratic National Convention in August? Let us know (https://www.weareplannedparenthoodaction.org/LE0CxxViQEWEg2PT0nmTUA2)!

[Blogger's Note: By the way, I accidentally didn't include the 'Renew Your Membership (and get a sticker!)' section above when I originally posted this 'update' on July 27th, 2024! And I only noticed that I had skipped the above-mentioned section when I finally got around to editing this 'July 27th, 2024 Update No. 2' one month later on August 27th, 2024, due to how busy I have been with activism lately. And I remember getting ready to include said section in this 'update'; however, I must have forgotten to include the text above when I was copying off the original email in order to recreate it, which is what I usually do with the activism emails from the various organizations that I support, when I am writing these kinds of blog post 'updates.' This blogger regrets the error.]

Take Action

Thank you, President Biden!

President Biden deserves our thanks for consistently fighting to protect, expand, and restore access to abortion and other essential health care.

President Biden has shown us time and time again that he is a public servant who puts the needs of the country before his own. That he loves this country, and will do what it takes to protect the future of our democracy. That he has the courage to do the right thing, even when it is difficult. Especially when it is difficult.

Will you add your name to our note of thanks to President Biden?

https://www.weareplannedparenthoodaction.org/gi1rQiQ5sUekKHy8ZAKS6A2

[Blogger's Note: By the way, I already signed the note of thanks to President Biden on July 24th, 2024 (please see my 'July 24th, 2024 Update No. 1, Which Also Discusses July 22nd, 2024' that can be found above).]

Around the Web

PBS: Sex education ‘is under attack’ by a wave of proposed legislation, advocate warns

https://www.pbs.org/newshour/show/sex-education-is-under-attack-by-a-wave-of-proposed-legislation-advocate-warns

By the way, the 'article' above is actually a video.

AP News: Support for legal abortion has risen since Supreme Court eliminated protections, AP-NORC poll finds

https://apnews.com/article/abortion-trump-biden-election-2024-dobbs-498d14f6e2bbfe1f313f006ad089de4e

AP News: Supreme Court will take up state bans on gender-affirming care for minors

https://apnews.com/article/supreme-court-transgender-health-tennessee-kentucky-75e3b446513f61281013a2bf86248044

Visit plannedparenthoodaction.org

By the way, I read all of the articles referenced in the email above including the article regarding how 'over 800,000 voters in Arizona supported a petition earlier this month for a ballot measure that would enshrine abortion in the state's constitution,' which is titled, "Arizona abortion rights group submits signatures needed for ballot measure." I also read all of the articles listed under the 'Around the Web' section above, which is what I always do when I receive these monthly newsletters from Planned Parenthood Action Fund—in addition to taking any requested action from the newsletter, if I haven't already taken that same requested action (or, those same requested actions), as noted from previous 'updates.'

**And, after I read the email above, I clicked on the hyperlink to the referenced webpage, regarding renewing my Associate Membership for the Planned Parenthood Action Fund, which can be found below:

Become a Planned Parenthood Action Fund Associate Member.

By submitting this form, I affirm that I want to become an associate member of the Planned Parenthood Action Fund.

First Name: Paul
Last Name: Whiting
Postal Code: [redacted]
Email: [redacted]
Mobile Phone (Optional): [redacted]

SUBMIT

And, after submitting the form above, I received a confirmation email today, July 27th, 2024, from the Planned Parenthood Action Fund with the subject line, "Thank you for your Associate Membership!", which stated the following:

Dear Paul,

Thank you for standing with us as an Associate Member of Planned Parenthood Action Fund!

Membership is free and allows you full access to timely Action Fund updates, including information about our grassroots organizing, legislative and regulatory advocacy, electoral endorsements, and volunteer opportunities in your area — and gives you an opportunity to vote for a member of the Action Fund Board of Directors.

You can also follow Planned Parenthood Action Fund on Facebook and Twitter.

We are so glad to have you with us!

Planned Parenthood Action Fund

Paul, how much do you know about Project 2025? The ACLU has a plan to fight it, but we want your honest understanding of the far-right platform first.

SUBMIT YOUR ANSWER:

https://surveys.signforgood.com/aclu-missionwired-20240725-Project2025

Please note: This link will take you to a third-party website, signforgood.com.

Thanks for being with us,

The ACLU Team

And, after I read the email above, I clicked on the hyperlink to the referenced webpage, the relevant text of which can be found below:

ACLU

Project 2025 Survey

How much do you know about Project 2025, the far-right platform for the future of our country?

[✓] A good amount. I'm very familiar with it.
[  ] I'm somewhat familiar, I've heard some things about it.
[  ] A very small amount, but I would like to learn more.
[  ] Nothing. I've never heard of it.

[Blogger's Note: I mostly learned about Project 2025 from YouTube videos, which are listed below, starting from the earliest date that I watched them to the most recent date, with their corresponding hyperlinks:

History

Search: Project 2025

---------------------------------------------

Watched July 29th, 2024:

"Project 2025: The Radical Conservative Plan to Reshape America Under Trump | WSJ" by The Wall Street Journal (11:17)

https://youtu.be/y16SZhZJHkI?si=ObAt7OluLNp2bh8g

---------------------------------------------

Watched July 20th, 2024:

"The Lincoln Project's Anti-Project 2025 Ad Is a Must Watch" by NowThis Impact (1:38)

https://youtu.be/OC7jv13H7b0?si=0aZS3lKPvBzwAaPT

---------------------------------------------

Watched July 15th, 2024:

"Evidence shatters Trump’s claims about his ties to Project 2025" by CNN (9:12)

https://youtu.be/zd-81ZHe844?si=VbM91XBDI9Oq0njk

---------------------------------------------

Watched July 13th, 2024:

"Trump panics as public gets wise to Project 2025, 'authoritarian how-to manual'" by MSNBC (5:49)

https://youtu.be/dfGu50DHKSo?si=tPG8NDNpCu3YW4tU

---------------------------------------------

Watched July 12th, 2024:

"What is Project 2025? | To The Point" by ABC10 (3:50)

https://youtu.be/cnS6nCZSE5M?si=aCFdR3nNIbTxL-Kr

"How Project 2025 would impact the U.S. tax code" by CBS News (4:19)

https://youtu.be/vAUmbAXeH8s?si=BQSTkutL63R4tuLF

---------------------------------------------

Watched July 10th, 2024:

"What is Project 2025 and why is Trump distancing himself from it?" by Face the Nation (5:44)

https://youtu.be/q9zhBQHCg0s?si=FKmbtTHcTtTsHgeN

---------------------------------------------

Watched July 9th, 2024:

"Project 2025 is 'takeover agenda' of the U.S. government by Trump loyalists" by MSNBC (5:32)

https://youtu.be/flZuFKMurcA?si=xxqg416V-qjsRhuz

"What is Project 2025? | VERIFY" by 12 News

https://youtu.be/neNjI2vjjHU?si=dRjGH-hrFpGPIAP-

---------------------------------------------

Watched July 7th, 2024:

"As Trump distances himself from Project 2025, key influencers deliver a warning" by MSNBC (10:31)

https://youtu.be/1yAsejSQaGM?si=pSLW6ZSHTEgWHe_s

"Trump World 'panicking' as Project 2025 gets on the radar of voters" by MSNBC (8.51)

https://youtu.be/d8uMKY_hhtY?si=-Xr_726toT3tQEea

"Trump supporters' Project 2025 outlines 'dark and anti-democratic' vision for the U.S.: Vance" by MSNBC (4:18)

https://youtu.be/mk5Xg7XKW5Q?si=k26UK6aXtE0wMzM2

---------------------------------------------

Watched July 5th, 2024:

"What Is Project 2025 and Why Is It Dangerous?" by Katie Couric (4:33)

https://youtu.be/bZ_AG6irJ_g?si=2OZDGn0RHoX9hDUb

---------------------------------------------

Watched July 4th, 2024:

"'Our country will suffer': 'King: Trump' and Project 2025's promise of violence" by MSNBC

https://youtu.be/alIKVq6IhnM?si=KLgLBLWafv3QpqkV

"Project 2025’s ‘unhinged’ wish list: Criminalize porn, ban birth control" by MSNBC (7:52)

https://youtu.be/zkeGixHvb4k?si=ElXk_LT--2YjVdfe

"Hear chilling 'accidental confession' on Trump & Project 2025 in 'Beat with Ari Melber' breakdown" by MSNBC (12:15)

https://youtu.be/LU39UVT1gEw?si=3LlUx1u0-pR5x969

---------------------------------------------

Watched June 25th, 2024:

"'Project 2025' raising alarms" from WCNC (3:18)

https://youtu.be/mEbJ8I9BSPw?si=Y3JUFPnv7f-RiXSa

---------------------------------------------

Watched June 23rd, 2024:

"'It's a manifesto': The most terrifying details in Project 2025" by MSNBC (8:36)

https://youtu.be/VHElHF02t5c?si=G_CT9Y5lMZH3HjWy

"Project 2025 envisions wish list for 2nd Trump presidency" by NBC News (3:04)

https://youtu.be/pVNDr4ycLq4?si=ycR9J5uco3M_Dhv2

---------------------------------------------

Watched June 22nd, 2024:

"Top Project 2025 architect talks conservative blueprint for Trump second term" by MSNBC (14:50)

https://youtu.be/DxEcSjWRipI?si=lqAfe5_JJHPxGsQb

By the way, this list only includes the videos about Project 2025 that I have watched up through today July 29th, 2024.

And I am planning to watch even more videos about Project 2025 as they come up in my YouTube Recommendations, as well as when I hear about them from other sources!

Plus, you can also see just how many videos are available to watch through a search on YouTube of "Project 2025," as noted below:

https://m.youtube.com/results?sp=mAEA&search_query=Project+2025#bottom-sheet

Thus, I wanted to include this list of the videos that I watched above regarding Project 2025 for you, my readers, to consider watching as too!]

Project 2025 Survey

Thank you for your response! Did you also know that the ACLU has already mapped out exactly how to stop Project 2025?

Our experts have spent the past several months reviewing Trump's first term, his campaign promises, and Project 2025 — and evaluating the success of our own work, too. We know exactly what it takes to protect our rights ahead, but it's going to take all the support possible. Can you chip in with a donation today?

[  ] Yes, I can donate $35.
[  ] Yes, I'd like to donate monthly.
[✓] No, I can't chip in today.

We completely understand. $35 is the average most people give, but truly any amount in this urgent moment makes a difference. Would you be able to lend $5?

[  ] Yes, I can give $5.
[✓] No, I can't donate right now but I'd like to help in another way.

---------------------------------------------

ACLU
TAKE ACTION

Today, years of hard-fought civil liberty protections are under threat and to influence lawmakers, we need everyone to get involved. Here's what you can do.

[✓] I have just a few minutes
[  ] I have some time
[  ] I'm up for anything

JOIN US

Stay up to date on how you can get involved.

First name: Paul
Last name: Whiting
Email: [redacted]
ZIP code: [redacted]
Phone number: [redacted]

Sign up

So, I wanted to share this email from the ACLU in order to show my support for the "Project 2025 Survey." –Paul Whiting (July 29th, 2024)

P.S.: Just so you know, I used to make one-time donations to the organization that is the subject of these 'updates' each time that I took an action as requested by that organization; however, "I have changed the way that I make donations to political, progressive and charitable organizations each month ... due to the fact that I have been spending a considerable percentage of my monthly income on all of these donations." (The reader should know that I am HIV-positive with full-blown AIDS. And I am on Social Security Disability Insurance, or SSDI, so my income is quite limited.) Therefore, "I am greatly reducing the number of times that I donate for the same organization per month down to once—or as determined by me on a case-by-case basis." (Please see my 'August 19th, 2023 Update,' which can be found above.) Thus, because I have already donated to the ACLU on July 2nd, 2024 (please see my 'July 2nd, 2024 Update No. 1,' which can be found above) that is the one-time donation which I made to the ACLU for July 2024.

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July 30th, 2024 Update No. 1: World Day Against Trafficking in Persons is yearly (annually) on July 30th worldwide. So, I donated today, July 30th, 2024, to organizations that are working toward ending modern slavery, or human trafficking as it is formally called. And I donated to both an international and a national anti-human trafficking organization to symbolically recognize modern slavery, or human trafficking, as being an extremely serious issue worldwide, as well as in America. –Paul Whiting (July 30th, 2024)

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July 31st, 2024 Update No. 1, Written From August 1st, 2024 To August 2nd, 2024 About July 2024: This 'update' is special, since I am continuing to change the way that I make donations to political, progressive and charitable organizations each month! And because I first changed the way that I make donations starting in August 2023, this update is also technically a follow-up to the following:

▪ August 19th, 2023 Update
▪ August 19th, 2023 Update—Follow-Up No. 1, Written On August 31st, 2023
▪ August 19th, 2023 Update—Follow-Up No. 2, Written On October 1st, 2023 About September 2023
▪ August 19th, 2023 Update—Follow-Up No. 3, Written On November 1st, 2023 About October 2023
▪ August 19th, 2023 Update—Follow-Up No. 4, Written On December 1st, 2023 About November 2023
▪ August 19th, 2023 Update—Follow-Up No. 5, Written On January 1st, 2024 About December 2023

Besides that, because this is the year 2024—where I am continuing to change the way that I make donations to political, progressive and charitable organizations that I started changing in 2023—this update is also a follow-up to the following:

▪ January 31st, 2024 Update No. 3, Written On February 1st, 2024 About January 2024

▪ February 29th, 2024 Update No. 3, Written On March 1st, 2024 About February 2024

▪ March 31st, 2024 Update No. 6, Written On April 2nd, 2024 About March 2024

▪ April 30th, 2024 Update No. 2, Written On May 1st, 2024 About April 2024

▪ May 31st, 2024 Update No. 3, Written On June 1st, 2024 About May 2024

▪ June 30th, 2024 Update No. 1, Written On July 1st, 2024 About June 2024

Please let me explain: I spent A LOT the year before last (2022) because I was "doing everything in my power to help Democrats win in the 2022 Midterm Elections!" And I also spent QUITE A BIT last year (2023) because I was trying to 'put my money where my mouth is' regarding my activism throughout the year. And so, I ended up with a rather considerable credit card balance...

...Now, this is my only credit card—that I got through my regular bank—and I was enjoying an interest-free period on my charges up until August 2023! Thus, my carefree days of not paying for any interest on my credit card balance were officially over last year. And my minimum payments were going to be a rather large percentage of the amount that I had set aside in my monthly budget for my minimum payment, as well as my extra payment, on my credit card each month.

So, in response to this change in my minimum payments, I changed the way that I donated to political, progressive and charitable organizations, starting in 2023, due to the fact that I was spending a considerable percentage of my monthly income on all of these donations in 2023—as outlined below—starting with January of 2023.

January 2023:
Total percentage of my monthly income for political, progressive and charitable donations: 15%

February 2023:
Total percentage of my monthly income for political, progressive and charitable donations: 19%

March 2023:
Total percentage of my monthly income for political, progressive and charitable donations: 12%

April 2023:
Total percentage of my monthly income for political, progressive and charitable donations: 17%

May 2023:
Total percentage of my monthly income for political, progressive and charitable donations: 21%

June 2023:
Total percentage of my monthly income for political, progressive and charitable donations: 20%

July 2023:
Total percentage of my monthly income for political, progressive and charitable donations: 17%

August 2023:
Total percentage of my monthly income for political, progressive and charitable donations: 23%

September 2023:
Total percentage of my monthly income for political, progressive and charitable donations: 20%

October 2023:
Total percentage of my monthly income for political, progressive and charitable donations: 31%

November 2023:
Total percentage of my monthly income for political, progressive and charitable donations: 71%

December 2023:
Total percentage of my monthly income for political, progressive and charitable donations: 31%

And so, if I average out the total percentage in 2023 that I spent on political, progressive and charitable organizations from January 2023 through December 2023, it comes out to be 25% of my monthly income! (The reader should know that I am HIV-positive with full-blown AIDS. And I am on Social Security Disability Insurance, or SSDI, so my income is quite limited.)

That is the reason I started really "tightening my belt," so to speak, with regard to all of the donations that I am making on my credit card each month! So, my plan is to only donate to political, progressive and charitable organizations if they specifically ask for donations—and not just for the sake of donating to them at least once per month, or even when I have been taking some sort of action, such as signing a petition, or sending a letter, etc. Thus, I am trying to greatly reduce the number of donations that I make to simply once in a while, or as determined by me on a case-by-case basis!

You see, there are a lot of organizations that I literally donate to only once per year—such as for Giving Tuesday—which is all that I ever donate to them. And that is basically what I am striving for, so that I am still donating to political, progressive and charitable organizations, but the bare minimum that I can donate, since that's all I can really afford.

Therefore, I am no longer donating for every one of the email or text messages that I receive (to which I choose to respond), which are requesting me to take action that also come from the same organization, with the exception of the USO (United Service Organizations), or as determined by me on a case-by-case basis. And I am reducing how much I donate for the regular mail requests that I receive (to which I choose to respond) to take action.

That is why I will still be responding to some of the email or text messages that I receive (to which I choose to respond), which are requesting me to take action, as well as to some of the regular mail requests that I receive (to which I choose to respond), which are requesting me to take action; however, when I do donate, I am reducing the number of times that I donate for the same organization per month down to once—or as determined by me on a case-by-case basis—in addition to reducing the amount that I donate to organizations from which I receive mailers.

Thus, when I do donate, I will only be donating once per month for each political, progressive or charitable organization, with the exception of the USO, or as determined by me on a case-by-case basis. (You see, I make a recurring monthly donation to the USO in order to show my support for our U.S. Military Personnel! Plus, I usually make one-time donations to the USO each month—as often as I can manage when they request a donation via email or text message. Therefore, I am planning to continue making one-time donations to the USO in the future, as often as I can manage to make donations, in addition to making the aforementioned recurring monthly donation.)

In addition to that, as of March 21st, 2024, I am no longer donating to individual political campaigns for the foreseeable future—or as determined by me on a case-by-case basis (such as to Kamala Harris's campaign for President of the United States, or to local campaigns here in Oregon), but I am not donating like I have been up until this point—which has been virtually every time that I have received a political campaign donation request via email or text message—because I seriously cannot afford to donate that much for the rest of the 2024 Presidential Election cycle, as well as for the foreseeable future.

And I have made this decision based upon how much these individual political campaign donations are costing in my 'monthly donating budget'—even though I have only been donating $3.00 with a $0.21 tip to ActBlue. However, it's still more than I can afford given my 'monthly donating budget,' which is why I have decided to stop donating to individual political campaigns entirely—or as determined by me on a case-by-case basis, as mentioned above.

And to clarify one more thing: In the past, I used to only donate to the main Democratic fundraising and coordinating organizations—rather than to individual campaigns—since that's all I really could afford given my 'monthly spending budget,' because I am "low income." Plus, those Democratic fundraising and coordinating organizations help all of the individual political campaigns with funding, which is why I used to only donate to those main organizations. And I only started donating to individual political campaigns in 2022, since I was "doing everything in my power to help Democrats win in the 2022 Midterm Elections!" Therefore, this decision to stop donating to individual political campaigns (with the exception of presidential campaigns and local campaigns, or as determined by me on a case-by-case basis) is really just going back to the way that I used to make political donations.

And now that yesterday, July 31st, 2024, was the last day of July 2024, I wanted to provide you with July's total percentage of my monthly income for political, progressive and charitable donations:

July 2024:
Total percentage of my monthly income for political, progressive and charitable donations: 15.99% {15.99612653324%}

And here are the percentages that I have spent on political, progressive and charitable organizations by category, as outlined within my monthly budget:

[01] ACLU (Amer. Civ. Lib. Union): 0.32% {0.32278889606%}
[02] Ban Assault Weapons NOW: 0.69% {0.69076823757%}
[03] Brady United: 0.65% {0.64557779212%}
[04] USO (United Serv. Orgs.): 1.87% {1.87217559715%}
[05] WWP (Wounded Warrior Project): 0.45% {0.45190445448%}
[06] IAVA (Iraq & Afghan. Vet. of Amer.): 0.32% {0.32278889606%}
[07] March For Our Lives: 0.72% {0.72498386055%}
[08] BVF (Biden Victory Fund): 0.21% {0.20723047127%}
[09] DNC (Dem. Nation. Cam. Comm.): 0.21% {0.20723047127%}
[10] DLCC (Dem. Legis. Cam. Comm.): 0.14% {0.13815364751%}
[11] DSCC (Dem. Senate. Cam. Comm.): 0.14% {0.13815364751%}
[12] VoteVets: 0.14% {0.13815364751%}
[13] DCCC (Dem. Congress. Cam. Comm.): 0.14% {0.13815364751%}
[14] Educated We Stand: 0.14% {0.13815364751%}
[15] BFP (Biden for President): 0.14% {0.13815364751%}
[16] Voto Latino: 0.14% {0.13815364751%}
[17] DGA (Dem. Govern. Assoc.): 0.14% {0.13815364751%}
[18] DAGA (Dem. Attorneys. Gen. Assoc.): 0.14% {0.13815364751%}
[19] DASS (Dem. Assoc. Secr. of State): 0.14% {0.13815364751%}
[20] DPO (Dem. Party of Ore.): 0.14% {0.13815364751%}
[21] EMILYs List: 0.14% {0.13815364751%}
[22] Four Directions Native Vote: 0.14% {0.13815364751%}
[23] Jane Fonda Climate PAC: 0.14% {0.13815364751%}
[24] Non-Categorized Political: 0.48% {0.4835377663%}
[25] Rolling Sea PAC: 0.14% {0.13815364751%}
[26] Voters of Tomorrow PAC: 0.14% {0.13815364751%}
[27] Feeding America: 0.45% {0.45190445448%}
[28] UFW (Unite. Farm Work.): 0.32% {0.32278889606%}
[29] Oregon Food Bank: 0.32% {0.32278889606%}
[30] Our Great Task: 0.35% {0.34538411878%}
[31] USHMM (U.S. Holocaust Memorial Museum): 0.32% {0.32278889606%}
-------Please see [32] below-------
[33] Turn Left PAC: 0.35% {0.34538411878%}
[34] Monthly Political: 2.32% {2.32408005164%}
-------Please see [35] below-------
[36] "President Biden stepping aside to usher in a new era of leadership to the Democratic Party": 0.83% {0.83925112976%}
[37] PPAF (Plan. Parent. Act. Fund): 0.65% {0.64557779212%}
[38] "Vice President Kamala Harris running to be President of the United States after President Biden stepped aside": 1.16% {1.16204002582%}
[39] World Day Against Trafficking in Persons: 0.78% {0.77469335054%}

Monthly Income Total Percentage Calculation:

1.61% {5 × 0.32% approximately}
+ 0.69%
+ 1.30% {2 × 0.65%}
+ 1.87%
+ 0.90% {2 × 0.45%}
+ 0.72%
+ 0.42% {2 × 0.21%}
+ 2.21% {16 × 0.14% approximately}
+ 0.48%
+ 0.70% {2 × 0.35%}
+ 2.32%
+ 0.83%
+ 1.16%
+ 0.78%
= 15.99%

Plus, here are the percentages that I have spent on interest and credit card purchases, as outlined within my monthly budget:

[32] Credit Card Purchases: 2.85% {2.84506132989%}
[35] Monthly Interest: 7.02% {7.02324080051%}

Total Percentage of Monthly Income from Interest and Purchases: 9.87% {9.8683021304%}

Grand Total Percentage of Monthly Income for July 2024: 25.86% {25.86442866365%}

And starting in 2024, I totally changed the way that I approach how I calculate what I am spending on my credit card each month! So now, I take the total amount that I have available in my monthly budget for my minimum payment on my credit card—as well as my extra payment—and I calculate how much I am reducing that amount each time that I charge on my credit card.

That way, I am very aware of the amount by which I am reducing my total available credit card payments for the month (the minimum payment and the extra payment) in order to, hopefully, pay more on my credit card than I am spending! Plus, I am also utilizing some funds from my budgeted expenses, as well as some funds from my savings, to make sure that I am paying a little more than I am spending while—at the same time—I am also trying to spend less on my credit card.

For example, I made one set of donations for the month of July 2024 (on July 4th) to Democratic fundraising and coordinating political organizations—and to one campaign—regarding the national races for the House of Representatives (the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee), the Senate (the Democratic Senatorial Campaign Committee) and the President of the United States (the Democratic National Committee and Biden for President, or the Biden Victory Fund—which is now Harris for President, or the Harris Victory Fund), as well as the state races for the Governors (the Democratic Governors Association), the Secretaries of State (the Democratic Association of Secretaries of State), the Attorneys General (the Democratic Attorneys General Association) and the State Legislatures (the Democratic Legislative Campaign Committee), during this seventh month of the year for the 2024 Presidential Election.

Plus, I made another set of donations for the month of July 2024 (on July 21st) to six organizations—the Democratic Legislative Campaign Committee, the Democratic Senatorial Campaign Committee, the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee, the Democratic Governors Association, the Democratic National Committee, as well as the Democratic Attorneys General Association—plus, one campaign—Harris for President—plus, four Political Action Committees (PACs)—Ban Assault Weapons NOW PAC, Voters of Tomorrow PAC, Turn Left PAC, as well as Rolling Sea Action Fund—in addition to one civic engagement organization—Voto Latino—with regard to "President Biden stepping aside to usher in a new era of leadership to the Democratic Party."

Besides that, I made one more set of donations for the month of July 2024 (on July 24th) to seven organizations—the Democratic Legislative Campaign Committee, the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee, the Democratic Governors Association, the Democratic National Committee, the Democratic Attorneys General Association, the Democratic Association of Secretaries of State as well as the Democratic Senatorial Campaign Committee—plus, one campaign—Harris for President—plus, four Political Action Committees (PACs)—Ban Assault Weapons NOW PAC, Educated We Stand, Turn Left PAC, as well as VoteVets—in addition to one civic engagement organization—Voto Latino—with regard to "Vice President Kamala Harris running to be President of the United States after President Biden stepped aside."

That is why I am trying to contribute, during each month of 2024, as much as I am able to donate to Democratic political organizations—as well as to Democratic political campaigns—while I am still trying to stay within a 'monthly donating budget,' since that's all I can really afford! Now, that means I can only donate ONCE for the entire month to each of the above-mentioned seven organizations (and one campaign!) in order to stay within my 'monthly donating budget.' Period. (Although, as mentioned above, "President Biden stepped aside to usher in a new era of leadership to the Democratic Party" and "Vice President Kamala Harris is now running to be President of the United States after President Biden stepped aside," which is why I donated to some organizations more than once!) And that is how I am planning to budget for my credit card charges in order to see if it is "feasible for the foreseeable future" (say that three times fast!), or if I need to adjust this new credit card budget even more.

Therefore, the reason that I am explaining all of this donating and budgeting is because I am trying to be an "Online Activist" and to 'put my money where my mouth is' regarding my activism. That is why I blog about which political, progressive and charitable organizations I am supporting with regard to the causes that are the most important to me! –Paul Whiting (written from August 1st, 2024 to August 2nd, 2024 and revised August 31st, 2024)

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YEAR 2024 UPDATES FOR AUGUST:

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August 1st, 2024 Update No. 1, Written On August 3rd, 2024: I received an email from Native American Rights Fund (NARF) two days ago on August 1st, 2024, with the subject line, "How are Native voters in Arizona making their voices heard?", which stated the following:

Dear Paul,

Over the course of 2024, the Native American Rights Fund (NARF) is releasing Native Voice, Native Vote, a series of videos explaining the fight to protect Native Americans’ right to vote. The campaign’s goal is to support and highlight Native voters and raise awareness about the obstacles that they face. The videos feature stories from across Indian Country, speaking with Native voters and tribal leaders affected by discriminatory laws and policies.

Yesterday, we released the campaign’s second video, which focuses on Native American voters in Arizona. Follow along with this campaign and learn more at vote.narf.org.

And, after I read the email above, I clicked on the hyperlink to the referenced webpage, the relevant text of which can be found below:

NATIVE VOICES, NATIVE VOTE

Since the signing of the Indian Citizenship Act 100 years ago, Native Americans have been fighting for their right to vote. Nowhere is this truer than in Arizona. In The Road to Voting Rights in Arizona, the most recent episode of the Native Voices, Native Vote video series, hear stories from Native voters in Arizona about why they are fighting so hard to make their voices heard.

[Blogger's Note: I watched the YouTube video embedded in the webpage that is titled, "Native Voices, Native Vote: The Road to Voting Rights in Arizona."]

Over the year, we are releasing videos as part of Native Voices, Native Vote series. These powerful videos will tell the stories of Native voters and tribal leaders across Indian Country.

The Native American Rights Fund is committed to fighting injustices faced by Native Americans trying to exercise their right to vote. Help us in this generational fight for justice.

[Blogger's Note: I watched the YouTube video embedded in the webpage that is titled, "Native Voices, Native Vote: Protecting Native Voting Rights at the Native American Rights Fund."]

Subscribe to get updates and voting rights news. Share our stories with your circles. And donate today to protect Native American democracy and make sure that Native voices are heard and Native interests are represented.

STAY IN TOUCH

DONATE

vote.narf.org

Plus, I made a one-time donation to Native American Rights Fund on August 1st, 2024 in order to show my support for NARF's "Native Voices, Native Vote" video series. –Paul Whiting (August 3rd, 2024)

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August 1st, 2024 Update No. 2, Written On August 3rd, 2024: I received an email from Planned Parenthood Federation of America two days ago on August 1st, 2024, with the subject line, "72 hours. 1,000 donors. Are you in?", which stated the following:

PLANNED PARENTHOOD
Care. No matter what.

DONATE NOW***

Paul —

Some emergencies are deeply personal: a sudden and intense pain, a surprise diagnosis, a pregnancy complication that puts a patient's life in danger.

Other emergencies affect us all: the Supreme Court issues a ruling that cuts millions of people off from essential health care, and shreds basic protections for patients.

Either way, Planned Parenthood needs to be ready to respond — and the only way we can be ready for the next emergency is with support from people like you. We've set an ambitious goal to recruit 1,000 donors in 72 hours. Give now to support the Planned Parenthood Emergency Campaign.

[Image of thermometer gif counting up to 750 donors out of 1,000, with text "72 hour goal: 1,000 donors"]

DONATE NOW***

Your emergency donation to Planned Parenthood Federation of America right now is so important, because the truth is that the attacks on abortion and other reproductive health care are only intensifying.

We have to be ready to respond when lawsuits target patients and providers.

We have to mobilize the instant we see misinformation spreading online about medication abortion and birth control.

We have to make sure that Planned Parenthood health centers have the resources they need to keep their doors open and keep delivering the excellent care that patients deserve.

No matter what comes next, we are counting on you. Help reach our goal of 1,000 donors in 72 hours.

Thank you,

[Name redacted], [Title redacted]
Planned Parenthood Federation of America

DONATE NOW »***

Paul, Project 2025 is weird, yes. But it's also no joke. It's a roadmap for a tyrant.

The team that wrote it consists of over 140 former Trump administration officials and lays out a series of invasive and downright harmful proposals to go after our most fundamental rights.

Take abortion rights, for example. Project 2025 wouldn't stop at sweeping abortion bans – already a devastating prospect. Their proposal goes even further, cutting funding to states that don't report a slew of deeply specific and personal medical details regarding abortion, miscarriage care, pregnancy complications, and reproductive health care in general.

That's a massive invasion of privacy, Paul. It is absolutely weird that anyone would want the government having so much information about our personal health. But you know what else it is? Dangerous totalitarianism.

Every proposal in the Project 2025 manifesto has this same, disturbing focus – they want to strip away our rights at any cost. That's why we're showing up in force to stop Project 2025 now. Our experts have the strategy to win across every civil liberty issue at stake – but we need you with us.

Add your name today to our growing movement dedicated to stop Project 2025 and receive actions to fight back with us.

ADD YOUR NAME***

With the full power of the ACLU – backed by you and countless other ACLU supporters, Paul – we know we can stop this threat of tyranny and protect our rights for good.

Thanks for joining us in this critical fight,

[Name redacted]
Pronouns: He, him, his
[Title redacted], ACLU

ACLU

STOP PROJECT 2025

Project 2025 threatens our rights, and is rife with proposals that would harm real people. Add your name to join our fight to stop it in its tracks. Project 2025 is a plan to let politicians and bureaucrats control our lives. It lays out a vision of America built on breaking up immigrant families with mass deportations, denying trans people needed medical care, stripping away our right to an abortion and right to medical privacy, punishing dissent and political opposition, and so much more.

We can't wait until after the election to stop Project 2025. That's why our experts have already built out a detailed roadmap to fight back — point-by-point, issue-by-issue. We're working now in state legislatures and courts nationwide to block this harmful agenda from ever becoming a reality.

If you would like a role in our plan of action against Project 2025, then add your name to our growing movement to fight back. And from intel to advocacy, we'll send you what you need in the weeks and days to come.

ADD YOUR NAME

Project 2025 is 900 pages of proposals to strip away the civil rights and liberties that we hold dear. It doesn't represent what true democracy is and would inflict direct harm on families across our country. That's why I am adding my name to the chorus of ACLU community members who are firmly against it and showing up in the plan to fight back — with concrete policy solutions, court strategies, and state legislative goals — to defeat Project 2025 and protect our rights for good.

First name: Paul
Last name: Whiting
E-mail address: [redacted]
Zip: [redacted]
Phone: [redacted]

ACT NOW

And, after I signed the petition above, I received a confirmation email today, August 3rd, 2024, from the ACLU with the subject line, "One more thing - can you spread the word?", which stated the following:

ACLU

Hi Paul,

Thank you for joining us in the fight against Project 2025. The fight for our rights is going to take every one of us – and we're glad to count you on our team.

Over the next few weeks, we'll be in touch with action steps, information, and ways you can plug in to the campaign to stop Project 2025. And right now, you can take the first step by checking out our video catching you up on everything you need to know about Project 2025 and how we're showing up to fight back (https://youtu.be/kgqk2006vsI?si=a-VcN5teJ1Bg0kGO).
(Please note: This link will take you to a third-party website, youtube.com.)

Then, once you're done, help us build our power: Share the pledge to stop Project 2025 by forwarding the email below to your friends, or by sharing this link: aclu.org/stop2025

Thank you for being with us,

The ACLU Team

------

Hi friend,

Project 2025 threatens our most fundamental rights. You may have heard their plans on the news – cruel policy proposals that would directly harm everyday people like you, me, and our families. From mass deportations of immigrant families to nationwide abortion bans and classroom censorship, these policies would set our country back decades in the fight for equality.

That’s why I’m joining the ACLU’s campaign to fight back against Project 2025 – and I hope you will too. Will you show up with me to protect our rights against these dangerous policies?

https://action.aclu.org/petition/stop-project-2025-tyranny

Thanks.

Then, after I signed the petition above, via the ACLU website, I made a one-time donation to the ACLU today, August 3rd, 2024, in order to "add [my] name today to [the ACLU's] growing movement dedicated to stop Project 2025 and receive actions to fight back with [them]." –Paul Whiting (written August 3rd, 2024 and revised August 22nd, 2024)

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August 3rd, 2024 Update No. 2 [My Writing About No Longer Memorializing The Anniversaries Of Mass Shootings Through My Blog Post 'Updates']: Today is yet another anniversary of a mass shooting in the United States of America!

And I was going to write a blog post 'update' about an email that I received yesterday from one of the organizations to which I subscribe that is advocating for common-sense gun safety laws—such as banning assault weapons—which is discussing this particular mass shooting, as I have done in the past with regard to the anniversary of other mass shootings.

However, going forward I am planning to no longer memorialize the anniversaries of mass shootings since I know that there are those who glorify these mass shootings—and fantasize about them and even copy them! Thus, I am concerned that I may be unwittingly buying into their mass shooting ideation, and I do not wish to promote gun violence in the minds of those who think it's a good idea to solve problems through gun violence.

Therefore, I will still be writing blog post 'updates' regarding the efforts being made to pass common-sense gun safety laws—such as banning assault weapons—by the gun safety organizations to which I subscribe, but I will no longer be writing about the anniversaries of mass shootings. –Paul Whiting (August 3rd, 2024)

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For my "August 4th, 2024 Update No. 1, Written On August 3rd, 2024"—since this 'update' is a part of my ⋆USO⋆ donations—please see my blog post titled, "My Point Of View On...Giving Charity And Accepting Charity," which can be found on both of my "Paul Whiting — Math Magician" and "Paul Whiting — A Creative Writer" blogs. An introduction to the 'update' can be found below:

August 4th, 2024 Update No. 1, Written On August 3rd, 2024: I received an email from the USO (United Service Organizations) yesterday, August 3rd, 2024, with the subject line, "Every recruit matters, and every service member supported", which stated the following:

Paul,

Going to boot camp can be nerve-wracking. Recruits are often far from home, away from their families and unsure of what to expect. Thankfully, the USO is there.

Many young Coast Guard recruits first arrive at the USO Center in the Philadelphia International Airport to assemble (or “muster”) on their way to Coast Guard basic training at Cape May, New Jersey.

The U.S. Coast Guard has used this USO Center as the muster point for Coast Guard recruits for over 40 years. Recruits can relax in the USO lounge, enjoy home-cooked meals and receive travel support before heading to basic training.

Coast Guard recruits relax at the airport lounge at USO at Philadelphia International Airport.

But perhaps the most important task for USO volunteers is listening and connecting to the young men and women as they prepare to embark on their life-changing journey of military service.

[Name redacted], who has volunteered with the USO since 2019, said, “Interacting with the recruits is the best part. It’s fun talking to the young women and men about where they are from, why the Coast Guard and what they would like to do after basic."

The USO supports Coast Guard recruits — and our entire military community — from day one. Whether it's helping recruits create bonds before boot camp or all of the programs, services and entertainment the USO will provide them with throughout their active-duty service, the USO has been supporting our heroes in uniform for more than 80 years.

And tomorrow, we’ll all be proudly celebrating the U.S. Coast Guard’s 234th birthday. Will you join us in wishing the Coast Guard a happy birthday? We need 50,000 military supporters to sign the happy birthday card before midnight tonight. Together, let's make sure the brave Coast Guardsmen know we appreciate their service and sacrifice.

SIGN THE CARD***

Let's celebrate the Coast Guard together,

Your friends at the USO

SIGN THE CARD***

***[I used to include hyperlinks contained within the email messages, or the text messages, to which I am referring in these "Activism Updates"; however, I could not figure out how to include the aforementioned hyperlinks, regarding some relevant action that I had taken—such as signing a petition, sending a letter or message to my representative(s) in Congress, signing a USO 'Thank You' card, and/or making a donation—without including my personal information.]

So, yesterday, August 3rd, 2024, I signed the card "to support the brave Coast Guardsmen sacrificing to defend our beloved country ... in honor of the U.S. Coast Guard’s 234th birthday." Plus, after I signed the card, I made a one-time donation on the USO.org website yesterday to say to our active-duty heroes, "Semper Paratus! Thank you for being 'always ready' for all of us. We’re proud to honor and celebrate you on the Coast Guard’s 234th birthday! Thank you for keeping us safe and free."

In addition to that, I already make a recurring monthly donation to the USO in order to show my support for our U.S. Military Personnel! You see, I usually make one-time donations to the USO each month—as often as I can manage when they request a donation via email or text message. Therefore, I am planning to continue making one-time donations to the USO in the future, as often as I can manage to make donations, in addition to making the aforementioned recurring monthly donation. ...

Please see the hyperlinks below for the post, within which you can do a find-in-page search for the 'update' labeled, "August 4th, 2024 Update No. 1, Written On August 3rd, 2024":

https://paulwhitingmath.blogspot.com/2015/05/my-point-of-view-on-charity.html

https://paulwhitingwriting.blogspot.com/2022/07/my-point-of-view-on-part-16-giving-to.html

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August 7th, 2024 Update No. 1, Which Also Discusses July 22nd, 2024: Purple Heart Day is today, August 7th, 2024, since Purple Heart Day is yearly (annually) on August 7th.

And I received a mailer from Wounded Warrior Project (WWP) sixteen days ago on July 22nd, 2024, with a 'front teaser message' on the envelope that read, "YES! That's a REAL STAMP! What connects it to someone whose life was changed by your support?", which stated the following:

[I used to hand-type the text of the documents from these types of mailers on my smartphone; however, it takes a lot of time and energy in order to hand-type these kinds of documents: so, instead, I scanned and copied the documents using Google Lens! Then, I edited the copy of said documents to include all of the italicizing, bolding and/or underscoring where applicable.]

WOUNDED WARRIOR PROJECT ★ 20 YEARS

Paul, use this real first-class postage stamp to help an injured veteran today. I know how much your support means!

Dear Mr. Whiting,

That's a real first-class stamp, all right. But it's not just any stamp ...

You see, you're receiving this stamp to thank you for being one of the leading supporters of Wounded Warrior Project® (WWP). Your generosity means so much to injured veterans like me!

And while there may be some people out there who would keep this stamp for themselves. I'm pretty sure you won't do that.

That's because you recognize that the most powerful way you can use this stamp is to help the wounded veterans who have served and sacrificed for our nation — and who urgently need you right now!

Paul, I'm trusting you to place your stamp firmly on the return envelope I'm enclosing, and mail back your gift to support the Wounded Warrior Project® (WWP) 2024 Portland-Area Fund Drive. You can be one of the first from your community to help!

Your gift of $15, $18, or even $21 will help American heroes battle their way back to health and healing.

As you put your first-class stamp to the best possible use by sending your gift today, please also sign and return the thank-you card I'm enclosing. You'll definitely brighten the spirits of another wounded warrior!

I know. You see, while Americans like me are proud to serve, we often face serious challenges overcoming our battlefield injuries, and adjusting to civilian life when our service is done.

It really means a lot to us to know that you care, and that you give so generously to help.

I'm a U.S. Marine veteran who was honored to fight for America on many fronts, including in Iraq. But I can tell you that the stress I endured took a terrible toll on my soul and spirit.

After a helicopter I was flying in came under fire, I had trouble sleeping. I developed post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), and I've experienced anxiety and terrifying nightmares.

I even considered suicide. I wanted help, but no one seemed to want to help me.

But you were there to help me when I needed you. From the very first WWP event I attended, I felt understanding and acceptance.

No one judged me. They validated me. It was empowering, and it was a real turning point for me.

Wounded Warrior Project gave me a foundation to build upon as I attempted to put the pieces of my life back together.

Today I have a business to run, a family to support me, and a passion for helping others. Thanks for being there for me when I needed you most!

Now, I'm hoping you'll give again so WWP can support the next wounded warrior who needs support. There are so many more injured veterans who need your help now!

I'm confident you'll use the enclosed stamp to support our Annual Fund Drive now ... while the need is so urgent.

You'll show our nation's wounded warriors how much you care, and you'll make a meaningful and lasting difference in the lives of our injured military heroes.

Thank you in advance for responding generously today. And please remember to sign and return your thank you card to bring cheer to one of America's heroes!

With gratitude,

[Name redacted]
Wounded Warrior

P.S. The first-class postage stamp that you're receiving today is a free gift for you. But freedom isn't free. It's been won through the blood, service, and sacrifice of veterans like me. Thank you for returning your best donation to help another wounded warrior now!

"QR code message": Scan to give. https://support.woundedwarriorproject.org

---------------------------------------------

2024 Portland-Area
Fund Drive for Wounded Warriors

WOUNDED WARRIOR PROJECT
Thank you!

[✓] YES! [name redacted], I will help American heroes like you overcome their struggles and fulfill their dreams. Here is my gift to help wounded veterans:

[  ] $15
[  ] $18 ← Can you spare this much?
[  ] $21
[  ] $24
[✓] My best gift of $7.00

To make a donation online, go to supportwwp.org/wwp https://support.woundedwarriorproject.org

[  ] My check is enclosed and made out to Wounded Warrior Project.
[  ] Please charge my credit card.
(Please complete form on reverse.)

Every gift makes a difference!
Your gift is tax deductible as allowed by law.

Mr. Paul Whiting
[Street Address and Apt. No. redacted]
[City, State and ZIP Code redacted]

Donor Care Center
[Address redacted] ★ [City, State and ZIP Code redacted]

And so, I made a one-time donation to Wounded Warrior Project (WWP) today, August 7th, 2024, in order to show my support for the 2024 Portland-Area Fund Drive for Wounded Warriors. Plus, I signed "the thank-you card ... to bring cheer to one of America's heroes!" And I am planning to mail the thank-you card as soon as I get a chance to drop off the return envelope at my local post office. –Paul Whiting (written August 7th, 2024 and revised September 22nd, 2024)

P.S.: Just so you know, "I have changed the way that I make donations to political, progressive and charitable organizations each month ... due to the fact that I have been spending a considerable percentage of my monthly income on all of these donations." (The reader should know that I am HIV-positive with full-blown AIDS. And I am on Social Security Disability Insurance, or SSDI, so my income is quite limited.) Therefore, "I am reducing how much I donate for the regular mail requests that I receive (to which I choose to respond) to take action." Thus, I will still be responding to some of the regular mail requests that I receive (to which I choose to respond), which are requesting me to take action, but I am reducing the amount that I donate to organizations from which I receive mailers. (Please see my 'August 19th, 2023 Update,' which can be found above.)

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August 7th, 2024 Update No. 2: Purple Heart Day is today, August 7th, 2024, since Purple Heart Day is yearly (annually) on August 7th.

And I made a one-time donation to the Military Order of the Purple Heart, which I heard about from a holiday and special occasions website that I used to receive emails from (please see my 'August 7th, 2023 Update, Which Also Discusses August 6th, 2023' that can be found above). Here is an excerpt from the Military Order of the Purple Heart's "About" webpage:

History Of The Purple Heart

The Purple Heart Medal is awarded to members of the armed forces of the U.S. who are wounded by an instrument of war in the hands of the enemy and posthumously to the next of kin in the name of those who are killed in action or die of wounds received in action. It is specifically a combat decoration.

The organization now known as the “Military Order of the Purple Heart” [MOPH], was formed in 1932 for the protection and mutual interest of all who have received the decoration. Composed exclusively of Purple Heart recipients, it is the only veterans service organization comprised strictly of “combat” veterans.

Funds for welfare, rehabilitation and/or service work carried on by the organization are derived through the collection of used household items, the operation of thrift stores, through the donation of automobiles and monetary donations. If you would like to support our many programs - DONATE NOW:

https://www.purpleheart.org/Donate

And, after I read the "About" webpage above, I clicked on the hyperlink to the referenced donation webpage, the relevant text of which can be found below:

JOIN THE LEGACY PROGRAM TODAY!

By making your monthly donation to the MOPH Legacy Program you help us provide much needed programs to Combat Wounded Veterans and their families across the globe. The MOPH provides opportunities for continued education and employment, as well as offering programs that affect the mental health and overall well being of the men and women who have spilled their blood in defense of our great nation.

We ask that you choose a donation level that you are comfortable with and click the subscribe button. Then you will be enrolled into our Legacy Program and will receive a pin which shows everyone just how much you care for these Purple Heart recipients. ...

... If you would like to make a one time donation please click donate below.

Donate

---------------------------------------------

Donate to Military Order of the Purple Heart

Enter amount: $5 USD

Write a note (Optional):
THANK YOU for your service and sacrifice in keeping Our Great Nation free for generations to come. GOD BLESS YOU!

Donate with Debit or Credit Card

Select your Country/Region: [redacted]
Legal first name: Paul
Legal last name: Whiting

Billing Address

Street address: [redacted]
Apt., Ste., Bldg.: [redacted]
City: [redacted]
State: [redacted]
ZIP code: [redacted]

Contact Information

Phone number: [redacted]
Email: [redacted]

Donate Now

Besides that, I decided to do a search on Google for "Purple Heart Day USO" in order to find any articles that the USO (United Service Organizations) might have on their website.

Please see a brief introduction to the article below, which is dated August 4th, 2023, from the USO webpage titled, "9 Things You Need to Know About the Purple Heart Medal."

"9 Things You Need to Know About the Purple Heart Medal" from the USO

Friday, Aug 4, 2023

On August 7, Purple Heart Day, the nation pauses to acknowledge and remember the sacrifices made by the brave members of our military.

The Purple Heart medal is presented to service members who have been wounded or killed as a result of enemy action while serving in the U.S. military. A Purple Heart is a solemn distinction and means a service member has greatly sacrificed themselves, or paid the ultimate price, while in the line of duty.

According to the National Purple Heart Hall of Honor, more than 1.8 million Purple Heart medals have been presented to service members since the award was created in 1782.

In honor of Purple Heart Day, here are nine facts about the history of the Purple Heart Medal and its recipients: ...

Please see the hyperlink below for the article:

https://www.uso.org/stories/2276-8-purple-heart-facts

Plus, I made a one-time donation to the USO (United Service Organizations), because "for those Purple Heart Medal recipients who made the ultimate sacrifice, the USO is there for them and their families as well." –Paul Whiting (written August 7th, 2024 and revised August 8th, 2024)

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August 7th, 2024 Update No. 3: Purple Heart Day is today, August 7th, 2024, since Purple Heart Day is yearly (annually) on August 7th.

And I received an email from Iraq and Afghanistan Veterans of America (IAVA) today, August 7th, 2024, with the subject line, "Pause. Reflect. Honor.", which stated the following:

Paul,

Some of us have served and sacrificed a lot for this country, but were lucky enough to come away from it all unscarred.

Today is National Purple Heart Day. A day to remember our brothers and sisters who were wounded in battle, and those who paid the ultimate sacrifice for our country because of those wounds.

All of us at IAVA will take a moment out of our day today to pause, reflect on, and honor those among us who earned the Purple Heart they never wanted in the first place. And the families who possess that honor on behalf of a loved one they’ll never see again.

Please join us, and encourage your friends to do the same.

With gratitude,

[Name redacted]
Iraq War Veteran
IAVA [Title redacted]

And, after I read the email above, I made a one-time donation to Iraq and Afghanistan Veterans of America (IAVA) as a way to "take a moment out of [my] day today to pause, reflect on, and honor those among us who earned the Purple Heart they never wanted in the first place," as well as to respect "the families who possess that honor on behalf of a loved one they’ll never see again." –Paul Whiting (August 7th, 2024)

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August 8th, 2024 Update No. 1: Happy International Allyship Day!

You see, International Allyship Day is today, August 8th, 2024, since International Allyship Day is yearly (annually) on August 8th, with the very first official observance being last year (2023).

And I first heard about International Allyship Day from a holiday and special occasions website that I used to receive emails from (please see my 'August 8th, 2023 Update, Written On August 9th, 2023' that can be found above). An introduction to the main page of the official InternationalAllyshipDay.org website can be found below:

INTRODUCING

INTERNATIONAL Allyship Day 08.08

Welcome to International Allyship Day!

SAVE THE DATE. IT HAPPENS ON 8/8.

August 8th is a day dedicated to celebrating and promoting the power of allyship across the globe. On this special day, we come together to recognize the importance of standing up for one another, fostering inclusivity, and building bridges of support and understanding.

What is Allyship?

RECOGNIZE. UPLIFT. ADVOCATE.

Allyship is the act of actively supporting and advocating for individuals or communities who face systemic oppression or discrimination. It means recognizing our own privilege and using it to uplift others, amplifying their voices, and fighting for their rights. Allyship is about being a friend, an advocate, and a source of solidarity.

International Allyship Day is a time for people from all walks of life to come together and celebrate the incredible strength that lies in unity. It is a day to embrace diversity, celebrate differences, and foster a sense of belonging for everyone! ...

Please see the hyperlink below for the website:

https://internationalallyshipday.org

By the way, on a more philosophical note, I genuinely feel that the following description of the word 'allyship,' as quoted from the InternationalAllyshipDay.org website referenced above, describes perfectly how I view my 'Online Activism,' as a self-designated 'Poet, Artist and Philosopher':

"Allyship is the act of actively supporting and advocating for individuals or communities who face systemic oppression or discrimination. It means recognizing our own privilege and using it to uplift others, amplifying their voices, and fighting for their rights. Allyship is about being a friend, an advocate, and a source of solidarity."

Thus, I truly think that this wonderfully-phrased statement above totally summarizes why I am an 'Online Activist' on my blog post titled, "I Am No Longer Being An Activist In The Same Way That I Was," as well as on all of my blogs where I write about my activism! –Paul Whiting (August 8th, 2024)

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August 9th, 2024 Update No. 1: I received an email from the ACLU (American Civil Liberties Union) today, August 9th, 2024, with the subject line, "Action alert: It’s past time to end police violence", which stated the following:

Paul, four years ago, George Floyd, a Black man living in Minnesota, was murdered at the hands of a white Minneapolis police officer.

Since then, this crisis of police violence has continued to get worse – with police killing more people last year than any previous year on record. So far this year, there have only been 10 days where police did not kill anyone. Only a month ago, police shot and tragically killed Sonya Massey in her own home after she called them for help.

Meanwhile, the officers who perpetrate this violence are rarely subject to legal consequences. There is a clear crisis of police violence in this country that disproportionately harms Black and brown people, the LGBTQ community, and people with disabilities. Yet Congress still has not passed any legislation to rein in the often unchecked power of the police.

That's why we need to push for action right now and it starts with the George Floyd Justice in Policing Act. This bill was just reintroduced in the Senate this week and it would meaningfully address systemic racism and hold police accountable. Please, join us now and tell Congress to pass this legislation immediately.

STOP POLICE VIOLENCE***

Paul, the George Floyd Justice in Policing Act is a strong federal bill that would prevent officers from evading accountability for misconduct and violence, stop the Pentagon from sending tools of war to police departments across the country, and meaningfully rein in racial profiling and police brutality.

Despite bipartisan support in the House when it was first introduced in 2021, the Senate has refused to hold a vote on this bill for over three years. We need to let them know that this is unacceptable.

This is our chance to address in police violence and create real accountability in policing: We desperately need the kinds of structural change this bill would bring – tell your representatives to pass the George Floyd Justice in Police Act immediately.

Onward,

The ACLU Team

ACLU

TELL CONGRESS: END POLICE VIOLENCE

Send Message

Four years since George Floyd, a Black man living in Minnesota, was murdered at the hands of a white Minneapolis police officer, the Senate has refused to pass any meaningful legislation reining in police violence.

Meanwhile this crisis continues to get worse with police killing more people last year than any previous year on record, and Black and brown people, people with disabilities, and members of the LGBTQ community still being killed by police at a disproportionate rate. It's clear, unchecked, unaccountable policing puts us all in harms way. Yet police continue to experience broad immunity, job security even with a pattern of misconduct, and a steady supply of war equipment directly from the Pentagon.

The George Floyd Justice in Policing Act could address these issues by helping end racial profiling, creating real accountability for police, and reining in the crisis of police violence. Urge your representatives to pass this bill now.

The recipient: U.S. House and Senate

Subject: Pass the George Floyd Justice in Policing Act

Police violence continues to escalate in our country. Our police systems are built and trained on a culture of racism, discriminatory profiling, and an excessive use of force making our communities less safe as a result. As your constituent, I'm calling on you to pass meaningful, structural change for safer communities through the George Floyd Justice in Policing Act.

Police killed more people in 2023 than any previous year on record. It's clear that our police brutality problem is only escalating and the recent murder of Sonya Massey serves as a reminder that even those who call the police for assistance are not safe from police violence.

We need systems in place that prevent this kind of violence from ever taking place and when it does, we need a system of meaningful accountability from the police who abuse their power and use excessive force. The George Floyd Justice in Policing Act will help achieve these goals by addressing racial profiling and excessive use of force, creating real accountability for police misconduct and violence, and demilitarizing our police by ending the flow of battlefield-ready equipment from the Pentagon to local police departments.

Every community deserves to feel safe and that includes safety from police violence. Please do everything in your power to protect our communities and pass the George Floyd Justice in Policing Act.

Sincerely,

Paul Whiting

Salutation: Mr.
First name: Paul
Last name: Whiting
Address: [redacted]
Address line 2: [redacted]
Zip Code: [redacted]
City: [redacted]
State: [redacted]
Phone: [redacted]
E-mail address: [redacted]

Send

And, after I sent the letter above, I received a confirmation email today, August 9th, 2024, from the ACLU with the subject line, "One more thing - can you spread the word?", which stated the following:

Hi Paul,

Thank you for taking action to end police violence.

Help us build our power: Share the action by forwarding the email below to your friends, or by sharing this link: aclu.org/policebrutality

Thank you,

The ACLU Team

~~~~~

Hi friend,

Police killed more people in the US last year than any previous year on record – but officers continue to go unchecked with little accountability.

Congress must take action to end police violence – and it starts with passing the George Floyd Justice in Policing Act. That’s why I just sent a message with the ACLU to my representatives in Congress to get this bill passed.

Will you join me?

https://action.aclu.org/send-message/tell-congress-end-police-violence

Thanks.

And so, I sent the letter above to my U.S. House Representative and Senators in Congress, via the ACLU website, in order to "tell Congress to pass this legislation immediately," since "the George Floyd Justice in Policing Act is a strong federal bill that would prevent officers from evading accountability for misconduct and violence, stop the Pentagon from sending tools of war to police departments across the country, and meaningfully rein in racial profiling and police brutality." –Paul Whiting (August 9th, 2024)

P.S.: Just so you know, I used to make one-time donations to the organization that is the subject of these 'updates' each time that I took an action as requested by that organization; however, "I have changed the way that I make donations to political, progressive and charitable organizations each month ... due to the fact that I have been spending a considerable percentage of my monthly income on all of these donations." (The reader should know that I am HIV-positive with full-blown AIDS. And I am on Social Security Disability Insurance, or SSDI, so my income is quite limited.) Therefore, "I am greatly reducing the number of times that I donate for the same organization per month down to once—or as determined by me on a case-by-case basis." (Please see my 'August 19th, 2023 Update,' which can be found above.) Thus, because I have already donated to the ACLU on August 3rd, 2024 (please see my 'August 3rd, 2024 Update No. 1, Which Also Discusses August 2nd, 2024' that can be found above) that is the one-time donation which I made to the ACLU for August 2024.

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August 10th, 2024 Update No. 1: I received two communications from Iraq and Afghanistan Veterans of America (IAVA) today, August 10th, 2024, with regard to the second Anniversary of President Biden signing the PACT Act into law!

The first communication was an email from Iraq and Afghanistan Veterans of America (IAVA) today, August 10th, 2024, with the subject line "Two years of the PACT Act: Over 1 million claims.", which stated the following:

Paul,

Two years ago today, President Biden signed the bipartisan PACT Act into law.

IAVA jump started the conversation around the need to address toxic exposure related to burn pits. Our generation’s ’Agent Orange.’ That conversation led to an effort that culminated in the passage of the PACT Act. And now two years later, over 1 million claims related to toxic exposure have been granted.

Will you chip in today so we can continue our work to raise awareness around the unique needs of post-9/11 veterans and get our fellow vets the care they deserve?

It wasn’t easy to get the PACT Act into law. It was years of meetings with congressional staff, leading events across the country, and even sleepless nights on the steps of the U.S. Capitol.

But nothing worth doing is ever easy.

Now, we need your help to ensure that we can continue to fight hard and deliver wins on behalf of post-9/11 vets.

Pitch in today to help fuel our relentless efforts to ensure the voice of the post-9/11 generation veteran is heard and listened to - on the damage that was done by exposure to burn pits and so many other critical issues.

Onward!

[Name redacted]
Iraq War Veteran
IAVA [Title redacted]

P.S. Veterans have paid their dues so IAVA membership is always free. However, we rely on voluntary donations from supporters like you. If you can, please chip in to support IAVA's ability to fight on behalf of the post-9/11 generation of veterans.

DONATE***

And the second communication was a text message today, August 10th, 2024, from from Iraq and Afghanistan Veterans of America (IAVA), which stated the following:

Paul, it’s [name redacted], IAVA [title redacted].

Two years ago today, President Biden answered our call to address toxic exposure experienced by post-9/11 vets and signed the bipartisan PACT Act into law. After two years, over 1 million claims related to toxic exposure have been granted. Now, we’re counting on you to help make sure that our generation of veterans continue to get the care they’ve earned and deserve. Can you donate today?***

UNION GOSPEL MISSION
LifeChange Letter

August 2024 Edition

[Name redacted's] Journey from Despair to Hope

[Name redacted's] story is one of resilience. Homeless for years and battling addiction, she found herself pregnant and alone under the Grand and MLK Bridge in Portland. “I’ve been homeless since I was 13,” she says. “My mom died when I was 10. And my dad was very abusive emotionally and mentally.”

Hope arrived with [name redacted], a UGM [title redacted], who offered unwavering support and kindness unlike anything [name redacted] had ever known.

“She was always there whenever I needed something,” [name redacted] says.

Together, they tackled immense challenges. [Name redacted] connected [name redacted] with free prenatal care, helped her find a rehab facility that was the right fit, and stood by her side at the hospital as she delivered a healthy baby girl. Though separated for a year after [daughter of name redacted's] birth, [name redacted] never gave up. Through faith and the power of human connection, she rebuilt her life. Today, [name redacted] lives in sober housing, dreaming of a normal life with friends, a job, and maybe even college.

“I see myself having a normal life. That’s not something that I’ve ever really had,” [name redacted] says. “It’s all because Search + Rescue literally searched me out and rescued me. And if it wasn’t for them, I would not be where I am today.”

And, after I read the email above, I did a search on Google for "Union Gospel Mission of Portland" and found their donation webpage, the relevant text of which can be found below:

THANK YOU FOR SUPPORTING UNION GOSPEL MISSION!

Your gift today provides:

Meals, hygiene Items, clothing, showers, and shelter for those in need and a chance for us to connect with them and help them find a path off the streets, as well as long-term recovery in our LifeChange program.

Union Gospel Mission of Portland Donate Page

Choose Your Gift

[✓] One Time
[  ] Ongoing

[  ] $20
[  ] $30
[  ] $50
[  ] $100
[  ] $150
[✓] Other $7.00

Your Details

What's your name?

[✓] I'm an individual
[  ] I'm a Company

First Name: Paul
Last Name: Whiting

Let's get your details.

Email: [redacted]
Address: [redacted]
City: [redacted]
State: [redacted]
Zip Code: [redacted]
Country: [redacted]
Phone: [redacted]

[✓] I would like to get news and updates from Union Gospel Mission!

Memo

"Aug '24 LifeChange Letter"

And so, I made a one-time donation to Union Gospel Mission today, August 11th, 2024, in order to show my support for the August 2024 Edition of the LifeChange Letter. –Paul Whiting (August 11th, 2024)

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August 11th, 2024 Update No. 2, Which Also Discusses August 10th, 2024: I received a mailer from Blanchet House & Farm (pronounced Blan-shāy) yesterday, August 10th, 2024, with a 'front teaser message' on the newsletter that read, "A Meal. A Home. A Future.", which stated, in part, the following:

[I used to hand-type the text of the documents from these types of mailers on my smartphone; however, it takes a lot of time and energy in order to hand-type these kinds of documents: so, instead, I scanned and copied the documents using Google Lens! Then, I edited the copy of said documents to include all of the italicizing, bolding and/or underscoring where applicable.]

News from
Blanchet House & Farm

AUGUST 2024

Our Residential Program Evolves to Serve Diverse Needs of People Experiencing Homelessness

[Name redacted] and [name redacted] ( pictured above) met in Blanchet House's residential program and have grown to be good friends and supporters of each other. You can hear them laughing and joking in the hall, which lightens the mood and lifts spirits.

Though they come from very different backgrounds, they share the need for a safe refuge to pursue opportunities that will improve their life's direction.

[Name redacted] had a difficult childhood spent in a [country redacted] refugee camp with his family after they were displaced by war. He's now enrolled in college and works hard, giving back in the kitchen. [Name redacted] came to Blanchet seeking to build so briety with a supportive community. He's now working full-time for [business name redacted], a city [redacted] program.

Both men have accomplished so much in a short time and are inspiring others in the residential program.

Evolving to Help More

Over the years, our program has adapted by offering shelter to people who are not only struggling with addiction, but have other barriers to housing and employment.

"Lately I'm getting calls from men looking for a place to stay because they're homeless due to mental health issues, lost their job and need help applying for disability, finished detox, or are staying in sleeping bag in a relative's garage. It happens all the time," says [name redacted], [title redacted] for Blanchet House. "The friends or family won't let him sleep indoors but he can sleep in the garage or backyard."

Our program is often at capacity, which means we are housing up to 50 men at a time. Because people are in a state of transition, beds in the house can open up without our planning. [Name redacted] then contacts someone on the wait list and welcomes them in. It's a special day for a person when they are shown their room, given clean sheets and clothes, and then invited to eat a great meal in the café. After a chance to settle in, shower, and sleep, they start the next day working in the kitchen.

Who's Staying With Us?

We are now providing temporary housing to men who are:

EMPLOYED BUT HOUSELESS

This includes men who are employed full-time but have recently lost housing and need a bed. There is a great need for this type of housing, so we created a few "working beds."

Residents staying in a working bed are not required to serve in the kitchen so that they can keep their jobs outside of Blanchet House. These beds are critical to keeping employed people from falling into homelessness and spiraling further away from housing.

REFUGEE OR MARGINALIZED

There are asylum seekers from other countries who have nowhere to live once they arrive, and as single men, their options are limited. Many have had their lives threatened because of their sexual identity or ethnicity.

RECUPERATING

Some of our residents have lost their employment and housing after suffering a medical crisis like cancer, a stroke, an accident, or chronic disease. They need a temporary place to recuperate which is not easy to find if you don't have family or savings.

IMPOVERISHED SENIOR CITIZEN

More older Americans are finding it difficult to hold on to housing while living on social security or a limited income. It takes time to find a new place to live and Blanchet House offers a place of transition.

One Thing in Common

Something that everyone who stays with us is experiencing is a lack of access to suitable affordable housing. It can take months and even years to secure an affordable place on a small income, social security, or disability.

Your donation can end and prevent someone's homelessness by providing them with a bed at Blanchet House. Thank you for caring for our residents.

CAFE NEWS

[No. of] Plates Served During One Meal Service!

In June, we set a meal service record by serving a shocking [no. of] plates of spaghetti in one hour.

It's alarming that so many people are so in need of a free meal that they are willing to stand in a long line wrapped around the block in the hot sun and sit next to strangers. But, as you know, at Blanchet House of Hospitality no one is a stranger and everyone is served as a respected quest.

Our compassionate and dedicated staff, chefs, volunteers, and residents worked so hard to make sure everyone in line was fed. And able to receive a second plate if they were still hungry. We're glad we can be here to serve thanks to our incredible volunteers and donors.

Did you know that $25 will pay for 16 meals in our cafe? We make excellent use of every dollar you donate. We're one of a few charities that can accept surplus donated food and immediately serve it to hungry people. This helps to keep costs low so that we can focus on solving the root causes of someone's homelessness. We now have specially trained staff to work with meal guests. Every day they help people access shelter, detox, medical care, sign up for housing, disability, and so much more. The spaghetti is pretty great, too.

Please consider donating if you can. Thank you.

Collins Family Legacy

We were so happy to see the [family affilation redacted] and [family affilation redacted] of Blanchet House founder Kevin "Kev" Collins volunteering to serve lunch this spring. [Name redacted], [name redacted], and [name redacted] (pictured right) loaded up 329 plates for our hungry guests. Kev was the driving force alongside Fr. Kennard [Father Francis “Frank” Kennard] to opening Blanchet House of Hospitality with his friends from the University of Portland back in 1952. His family has supported the mission in so many ways since then and continues to help. Thank you, Collins Family!

FARM NEWS

Blanchet Farm Welcomes Residents Into Upgraded Dormitories

[Name redacted], who's staying with us at Blanchet Farm, now introduces himself as "a beekeeper's apprentice" since he started spending Saturdays learning the art and science of beekeeping.

Beekeepers [name redacted] and [name redacted] volunteer to teach interested residents how to care for the farm's hives and harvest the honey. Beekeeping can be a therapeutic skill and is one of the unique hands-on activities that make Blanchet Farm transformational for people who've tried more traditional recovery programs.

"I am an addict and I'm working hard to break the cycles of my addiction," [name redacted] says. "I've been to dozens of recovery programs but this place is special."

Meaningful work goes a long way to rebuild a person's self-esteem and confidence after losing so much to their substance abuse and addiction.

Because of the community's incredible generosity this past year we were able to raise $8.5 million toward our goal of $9 million to construct new dormitories at the farm. We're cautiously and slowly welcoming 24 men to stay with us in the new facilities to begin the journey to build healthier lives.

Blanchet Farm has rightly gained a reputation across the country and many men want to come stay with us. We recently welcomed [name redacted] (pictured in yellow) from out-of-state, he got right to work his first day helping to refinish the welcome sign at the entrance to the farm. The guys are sanding and staining the background and painting the letters.

SPECIAL EVENT

Our Art Show Is Live!

You can now view and purchase art from Blanchet's fifth annual On the Ledge Art Show.

28 artists created work inspired by the theme, Homegrown. All proceeds benefit Blanchet House's services and the artists. You can check out the art at the Lloyd Center and other exhibition spaces around Portland throughout August.

Shop the collection and learn more at BHOntheLedge.com.

And, even before I read the newsletter above—since I was already planning to donate—I did a search on Google for "Blanchet House Portland" and found their donation webpage, the relevant text of which can be found below:

Blanchet House

YOUR GIFT SAVES LIVES

PLEASE SELECT A DONATION AMOUNT

[✓] Donate Once
[  ] Donate Monthly

[  ] $10.00
[  ] $25.00
[  ] $50.00
[  ] $100.00
[  ] $250.00
[  ] $1,000.00
[✓] Other Amount $7.00

YOUR INFORMATION

How did you hear about Blanchet House: August 2024 Blanchet House & Farm newsletter.

First Name: Paul
Last Name: Whiting
Email: [redacted]
Address Line 1: [redacted]
Address Line 2: [redacted]
City: [redacted]
State/Province: [redacted]
Zip/Postal Code: [redacted]
Country: [redacted]
Phone Number: [redacted]

Preferred Contact Method: Email

Thus, I made a one-time donation to Blanchet House of Hospitality today, August 11th, 2024, in order to show my support for the August 2024 News from Blanchet House & Farm. –Paul Whiting (August 11th, 2024)

P.S.: Just so you know, "I have changed the way that I make donations to political, progressive and charitable organizations each month ... due to the fact that I have been spending a considerable percentage of my monthly income on all of these donations." (The reader should know that I am HIV-positive with full-blown AIDS. And I am on Social Security Disability Insurance, or SSDI, so my income is quite limited.) Therefore, "I am reducing how much I donate for the regular mail requests that I receive (to which I choose to respond) to take action." Thus, I will still be responding to some of the regular mail requests that I receive (to which I choose to respond), which are requesting me to take action, but I am reducing the amount that I donate to organizations from which I receive mailers. (Please see my 'August 19th, 2023 Update,' which can be found above.)

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August 11th, 2024 Update No. 3, Which Also Discusses August 10th, 2024: I received a mailer from The Salvation Army Portland Metro yesterday, August 10th, 2024, with a 'front teaser message' on the envelope that read, "We've Hit A Dry Spell...", which stated the following:

[I used to hand-type the text of the documents from these types of mailers on my smartphone; however, it takes a lot of time and energy in order to hand-type these kinds of documents: so, instead, I scanned and copied the documents using Google Lens! Then, I edited the copy of said documents to include all of the italicizing, bolding and/or underscoring where applicable.]

PLEASE HELP END OUR DONATION DROUGHT!

We need your help.

After Christmas, donations always take a nosedive. It's something we even plan for. And each year, we stretch our budget as far as we can. But we need your support.

You see, even though donations fall, people still need help. And The Salvation Army — trusted, experienced, and exceptionally good stewards of your gifts — is your most powerful way to deliver that help when needed most in the Portland Metro area.

Remember, The Salvation Army isn't just a Christmas charity. We offer vital year-round help in your community, to your neighbors who are struggling. Right now, the high prices of essential items are bringing more families — especially those with children — to the brink of crisis. To help them, we urgently need your support.

So please, send a generous gift to help end our donation drought, and assist your many neighbors in the Portland Metro area who need help now.

Thank you.

[Name redacted], [Title redacted]

↑ Need is rising... ...donations are falling. ↓

---------------------------------------------

The Salvation Army
DOING THE MOST GOOD
[Address, City, State and ZIP Code redacted]

YES! I WANT TO HELP THE SALVATION ARMY BEAT THE DONATION DROUGHT!

Enclosed is my gift of:

[  ] $15
[  ] $10
[  ] $25
[✓] $7.00

Your gift will be used locally.

Please make your check payable to The Salvation Army.

From: Mr. Paul Whiting
[Street Address and Apt. No. redacted]
[City, State and ZIP Code redacted]

To: The Salvation Army
Portland Metro Donation Processing Center
[Address redacted]
[City, State and ZIP Code redacted]

Give online at SalArmy-Cascade.org.

[Blogger's Note: For The Salvation Army USA website, at which there's a local donation page for you to make a donation to The Salvation Army in your area, please visit https://www.salvationarmyusa.org/usn where you will see the "Donate Local" button at the top right-hand corner of their website! And thank you for considering making a donation to The Salvation Army because "need is rising [and] donations are falling."]

And so, I made a one-time donation to The Salvation Army Cascade Division today, August 11th, 2024, in order to show my support for helping The Salvation Army end their donation drought, because "Need is rising...[and]...donations are falling."

Plus, here is the message that I wrote to The Salvation Army Cascade Division in the "Leave a comment" section on their donation page:

Dearest Salvation Army,

This donation is for the mailer "We've Hit A Dry Spell...Please Help End Our Donation Drought!

Very truly yours,

-Paul Whiting
Poet, Artist and Philosopher
Portland, Oregon

Thus, this donation is part of my effort to help The Salvation Army throughout the year, because "The Salvation Army isn't just a Christmas charity," since "[they] offer vital year-round help in your community, to your neighbors who are struggling." –Paul Whiting (August 11th, 2024)

P.S.: Just so you know, "I have changed the way that I make donations to political, progressive and charitable organizations each month ... due to the fact that I have been spending a considerable percentage of my monthly income on all of these donations." (The reader should know that I am HIV-positive with full-blown AIDS. And I am on Social Security Disability Insurance, or SSDI, so my income is quite limited.) Therefore, "I am reducing how much I donate for the regular mail requests that I receive (to which I choose to respond) to take action." Thus, I will still be responding to some of the regular mail requests that I receive (to which I choose to respond), which are requesting me to take action, but I am reducing the amount that I donate to organizations from which I receive mailers. (Please see my 'August 19th, 2023 Update,' which can be found above.)

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For my "August 12th, 2024 Update No. 1"—since this 'update' is a part of my ⋆USO⋆ donations—please see my blog post titled, "My Point Of View On...Giving Charity And Accepting Charity," which can be found on both of my "Paul Whiting — Math Magician" and "Paul Whiting — A Creative Writer" blogs. An introduction to the 'update' can be found below:

August 12th, 2024 Update No. 1: I received a text message today, August 12th, 2024, from the USO (United Service Organizations), which stated the following:

Incredible news, Paul: All gifts are being MATCHED up to $20k to help us reach our goal of providing 2,000 summer care packages and other support to service members! Rush a gift worth 2X the value now to support our heroes!

$30 CAN HELP SEND 6 KITS:***
$50 CAN HELP SEND 10 KITS:***

- USO

***[I used to include hyperlinks contained within the email messages, or the text messages, to which I am referring in these "Activism Updates"; however, I could not figure out how to include the aforementioned hyperlinks, regarding some relevant action that I had taken—such as signing a petition, sending a letter or message to my representative(s) in Congress, signing a USO 'Thank You' card, and/or making a donation—without including my personal information.]

And so, I made a one-time donation on the USO.org website in order to support the USO's following statement: "The US0 has set an ambitious goal to raise enough money to provide 2,000 cure packages and other support for service members facing harsh and dangerous conditions this summer. A generous group of donors is MATCHING all gifts, up to a total of $20.000, to help us get there. Donate now to have the value of your gift DOUBLED to support our heroes in uniform!"

In addition to that, I already make a recurring monthly donation to the USO in order to show my support for our U.S. Military Personnel! You see, I usually make one-time donations to the USO each month—as often as I can manage when they request a donation via email or text message. Therefore, I am planning to continue making one-time donations to the USO in the future, as often as I can manage to make donations, in addition to making the aforementioned recurring monthly donation. ...

Please see the hyperlinks below for the post, within which you can do a find-in-page search for the 'update' labeled, "August 12th, 2024 Update No. 1":

https://paulwhitingmath.blogspot.com/2015/05/my-point-of-view-on-charity.html

https://paulwhitingwriting.blogspot.com/2022/07/my-point-of-view-on-part-16-giving-to.html

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August 14th, 2024 Update No. 1, Which Also Discusses August 13th, 2024: I received a text message yesterday, August 13th, 2024, from Brady: United Against Gun Violence, which stated the following:

Paul, Coach [name redacted], here. I'm sorry to text again, but I wouldn't reach out if I didn't think your support could make a life-saving difference.

Brady is so close to hitting their $100,000 goal to continue their critical gun violence prevention work. Hundreds of people like you have stepped up over the past few days — but we're still falling short.

With the new school year about to start, it's time to dig deep to get guns OUT of schools: Can you chip in $25 right now and help Brady meet their goal before midnight Friday?***

MARCH
FOR OUR
LIVES

Paul,

There were over 350 school shootings last year — the highest ever recorded.

Over the next few weeks, students across the country are returning to their classrooms. Their biggest worries should be homework and math tests. Instead, they’re wondering if this is the year their lockdown drills will become reality.

But people like JD Vance think this is a “fake problem.” Leaders in Tennessee and Iowa want to put guns in classrooms, not prevent school shootings. You know as well as we do, though, Paul: Guns. Don’t. Make. Us. Safer.

In fact, studies show that armed guards don’t reduce school shootings, and in some cases can even increase the overall threat to students. And arming teachers? Don’t even get us started…

We need solutions that actually prevent shootings and we need them now. Students need access to guidance counselors and social workers—in addition to common sense laws that limit access to firearms. If we invest in solutions that can only come into action once someone has arrived on campus with a gun, we have failed and put our kids in danger.

Gun violence MUST be one of the first issues addressed post-election. We can’t slow down our progress now. Time is running out and no more children should have to die because the NRA wants to line their pockets from the culture of fear and paranoia in America. Sign our petition now and help us push for effective and lasting gun safety moving forward.

Add your name ››***

Together we can protect future generations,

March For Our Lives Action Fund

MARCH FOR OUR LIVES

Demand gun safety is a top priority of the new administration

We're in one of the most critical election years ever.

Post-election gun violence MUST be one of the first issues addressed.

We need solutions that offer real preventative measures and we need them now. Time is running out and no more children should have to die because the NRA wants to line their pockets from the culture of fear and paranoia in America.

Add your name to our petition now to join with March For Our Lives to demand addressing gun violence is at the forefront of issues for the new administration to address >>>

Sign the Petition

Name: Paul Whiting
Email address: [redacted]
ZIP Code: [redacted]
Mobile phone: [redacted]

Submit

---------------------------------------------

Thank you for signing on. Can you take the next step?

Thank you for supporting the March For Our Lives Action Fund! Grassroots supporters like you are the backbone of our youth-led movement.

In 2018, we marched so that no more families had to face the devastation of losing a loved one to senseless gun violence Since then, over 175,000 lives have been taken by guns.

We cannot accept empty words from "leaders" as we watch kids die. Donate to fuel our organizing to defeat the gun lobby, pass sensible legislation, and turn out youth to vote for gun safety champions up and down the ballot.

DONATE IMMEDIATELY:

Your contribution will benefit March For Our Lives Action Fund.

[✓] Donate $5 →

[  ] Donate $10 →

[  ] Donate $20.24 →

[  ] Donate $100 →

[  ] Donate $500 →

[  ] Other amount

Power the nonprofit fundraising platform Democratic candidates & progressive causes rely on.

[  ] Add $2 tip

[✓] Leave no tip

[  ] Add custom amount

And so, I made a one-time donation to March For Our Lives (MFOL) (without a tip to ActBlue) in order to "add [my] name to [their] petition now to join with March For Our Lives to demand addressing gun violence is at the forefront of issues for the new administration to address," because "we need solutions that actually prevent shootings and we need them now." –Paul Whiting (August 15th, 2024)

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August 19th, 2024 Update No. 1: I received an email from the ACLU (American Civil Liberties Union) today, August 19th, 2024, with the subject line, "What to know about Kamala Harris before the convention", which stated the following:

Paul, the last few weeks have been more than unprecedented.

But thanks to your previous support, our experts here at the ACLU had all the resources they needed to respond immediately – and we don't need to wait for the start of tonight's Democratic National Convention to find out what Vice President Harris will do if elected this November.

Our experts spent the last few weeks analyzing her record so you don't have to wait to see how the convention plays out to know what a Harris-Walz Administration would mean for your rights.

Read our experts' latest memo on Harris' commitments to protecting and expanding voting rights and how the ACLU will work to ensure that a Harris administration delivers on these commitments if she is elected.

GET OUR HARRIS-WALZ MEMO:

https://www.aclu.org/news/voting-rights/how-kamala-harris-can-be-a-pro-voting-rights-president

No matter who's in office, we've got a plan to preserve the fundamental rights we've spent more than 100 years working to expand and protect. So you can enjoy this week's convention knowing that the ACLU is ready no matter what happens.

Together,

The ACLU Team

And, after I read the email above, I clicked on the hyperlink to the referenced webpage regarding the article titled, "How Kamala Harris Can Be a Pro-Voting Rights President." A brief overview to the article can be found below:

ACLU
NEWS & COMMENTARY

How Kamala Harris Can Be a Pro-Voting Rights President

The vice president’s record on increasing voter access for marginalized communities and pushing back against discriminatory voting laws indicates her commitment to expanding voting access to strengthen democracy.

By ACLU

August 16, 2024

In a moment when hostile state legislators have used unlawful redistricting efforts and discriminatory voting laws to attack our electoral systems, Democratic nominee Vice President Kamala Harris has committed to protecting our democracy.

On the campaign trail, Harris has promised to push for passage of essential federal voting rights protections, including the John Lewis Voting Rights Advancement Act (JLVRAA), the Freedom to Vote Act (FTVA), and the Native American Voting Rights Act (NAVRA). If elected, Harris has the opportunity to build on the Biden-Harris administration’s record of championing measures that increase voting access. The ACLU is determined to hold a Harris-Walz administration accountable for promoting fair representation, preventing discriminatory voting laws, and strengthening our democracy for years to come.

Learn more in our breakdown. ...

[Text of the above-mentioned breakdown.]

... What You Can Do Today: As the election approaches, discriminatory election practices continue to impact voters of color, highlighted by a surge in anti-voter measures in recent years. The John Lewis Voting Rights Advancement Act is a crucial step towards ensuring fair and inclusive elections. Add your name to our petition urging Congress to support this vital legislation.*

[Blogger's Note: I read the ACLU's News & Commentary article titled, "How Kamala Harris Can Be a Pro-Voting Rights President."]

Please see the hyperlink below for the article:

https://www.aclu.org/news/voting-rights/how-kamala-harris-can-be-a-pro-voting-rights-president

*And, after I read the article above, I clicked on the hyperlink to the referenced webpage in the last paragraph of said article, as noted above, the relevant text of which can be found below:

CONGRESS: PROTECT OUR VOTING RIGHTS

As November's election approaches, discriminatory election practices continue to impact voters of color, highlighted by a surge in anti-voter measures in recent years. These measures – such as criminalizing providing food or water to voters in line, limiting drop boxes for absentee ballots and racially gerrymandered district maps – disproportionately disenfranchise Black and Brown voters. We must all show our collective commitment to stop these attacks on the right to vote and ensure all voices are heard.

While the ACLU will continue to fight in courts, and at the local and state level, the need for federal action to defend the fundamental right to vote has never been clearer. The John Lewis Voting Rights Advancement Act (VRAA) would restore and strengthen the Voting Rights Act of 1965, safeguarding this foundational democratic process. Yet this bill is still sitting in Congress along with other crucial pieces of voting legislation like the Freedom to Vote Act and Native American Voting Rights Act. Our elected leaders must feel the urgency of this moment: Congress will never act to protect our right to vote without a major, united push from communities across the country.

That’s why we are mobilizing activists like you to speak out in support of the voting rights of us all: Add your name to our petition now urging Congress to support the VRAA, a crucial step towards ensuring fair and inclusive elections and honoring John Lewis's legacy for civil rights.

Support this Petition

Across the country, restrictive measures continue to target the voting rights of Black, Brown and Latine communities. That’s why today, I am showing my support for the passing of the John Lewis Voting Rights Advancement Act (VRAA). All Americans should have equal access to the ballot box and I’m urging you, a congressional leader, to show your commitment for voting rights too. For our democracy to work for all of us, it must include all of us.

First name: Paul
Last name: Whiting
E-mail address: [redacted]
Zip Code: [redacted]
Phone: [redacted]

And, after I signed the petition above, I received a confirmation email today, August 19th, 2024, from the ACLU with the subject line, "One more thing - can you spread the word?", which stated the following:

Hi Paul,

Thank you for taking action to defending our right to vote.

Help us build our power: Share the action by forwarding the email below to your friends, or by sharing this link: https://action.aclu.org/petition/protect-our-voting-rights

Thank you,

The ACLU Team

---

Hi friend,

As the general election approaches, discriminatory election practices continue to highlight a surge in anti-voter measures in recent years – measures that disproportionately disenfranchise Black and Brown voters.

The John Lewis Voting Rights Advancement Act (VRAA) would serve as a vital protection against these attempts to suppress voter turnout and silence our voices. Yet this bill is still sitting in Congress. That’s why I’m joining the ACLU in urging our elected leaders to support the VRAA once and for all. Will you join me now?

https://action.aclu.org/petition/protect-our-voting-rights

Thanks.

So, I wanted to share this email from the ACLU in order to show my support for the "How Kamala Harris Can Be a Pro-Voting Rights President" article. –Paul Whiting (August 19th, 2024)

P.S.: Just so you know, I used to make one-time donations to the organization that is the subject of these 'updates' each time that I took an action as requested by that organization; however, "I have changed the way that I make donations to political, progressive and charitable organizations each month ... due to the fact that I have been spending a considerable percentage of my monthly income on all of these donations." (The reader should know that I am HIV-positive with full-blown AIDS. And I am on Social Security Disability Insurance, or SSDI, so my income is quite limited.) Therefore, "I am greatly reducing the number of times that I donate for the same organization per month down to once—or as determined by me on a case-by-case basis." (Please see my 'August 19th, 2023 Update,' which can be found above.) Thus, because I have already donated to the ACLU on August 3rd, 2024 (please see my 'August 3rd, 2024 Update No. 1, Which Also Discusses August 2nd, 2024' that can be found above) that is the one-time donation which I made to the ACLU for August 2024.

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August 20th, 2024 Update No. 1: I received an email from Planned Parenthood Action Fund today, August 20th, 2024, with the subject line, "Live from the Democratic National Convention: And how you can take action ahead of November", which stated the following:

Planned Parenthood Action Fund Update

Action Fund Update is the monthly newsletter for members of the Planned Parenthood Action Fund. As an associate member of the Action Fund, you'll receive timely, insider information on our legislative, advocacy, and electoral work.

Member News

Hi Paul,

My name is [redacted] and I’m a proud immigrant from Guatemala. I've been organizing in my community for over a decade, and this year I'm so excited to join Planned Parenthood Action Fund and delegates across the country at the Democratic National Convention this week — it's my first time here!

As an immigrant voter, I care about many issues my community faces. Among the issues that keep me up at night is how we continue electing champions who will protect access to sexual and reproductive health care.

Growing up, my mom taught me the power of community and working together, so I know none of us can build the future we want alone. It’s going to take all of us. With November just around the corner, we are in the fight for our lives…in the fight for our community’s dignity.

On our social media this week, Planned Parenthood Action Fund has been hyping up our footprint and encouraging supporters to join us at our exhibition booth! Follow @PPact on Instagram, Facebook, and X to see behind-the-scenes content live from the Democratic National Convention.

Thank you for being a part of this fight. Let's work together to take action and win!

In solidarity,

[Name redacted], [Title redacted]
Planned Parenthood Action Fund

P.S. Based on our records, it looks like your Associate Membership is going to expire soon. Don't miss out on timely, insider information on Planned Parenthood Action Fund's advocacy, legislative work, and electoral endorsements, as well as volunteer opportunities in your area. Click here to renew your membership.**

Get Involved With The Democratic National Convention From Home

Delegates are competing to see which state can sign up for the most volunteer shifts with Planned Parenthood Action Fund endorsed candidates. Sign up for a shift now and help your state win! https://www.mobilize.us/ppaf

[✓] See the ongoing list of endorsed candidates here (https://www.plannedparenthoodaction.org/endorsements)!

[✓] Follow @PPact on Instagram, Facebook, and X to see behind-the-scenes content

[✓] Join a watch party online or near you!

https://www.mobilize.us/ppaf/?end_date=2024-08-23T03%3a59%3a59.999Z&event_type=15&start_date=2024-08-20T04%3a00%3a00.000Z

Volunteer with Planned Parenthood Action Fund

One of the biggest ways you can make a difference in the next few months is to volunteer for Planned Parenthood Action Fund’s endorsed candidates (https://www.mobilize.us/ppaf).

See the ongoing list of endorsed candidates here (https://www.plannedparenthoodaction.org/endorsements)!

Renew Your Membership (and get a sticker!)

Great news: If you're getting this newsletter, you're already a member of Planned Parenthood Action Fund!

But to stay on our list, you need to renew your membership every year. And right now, when you sign up, you can get a special bundle with stickers and pins to show that you are a proud abortion rights supporter.

Reaffirm your Planned Parenthood Action Fund membership today and we'll send you pins and stickers to say thanks!

https://www.weareplannedparenthoodaction.org/sa0f1KPc20esuZQLvV5pDQ2

Take Action

We need to reform our courts

As we saw in 2022 when the Supreme Court overturned Roe v. Wade and took away our constitutional right to abortion, the court is not doing its job to protect our freedom.

By expanding the court, introducing term limits, and other essential reforms, we can help ensure that anti-abortion rights politicians can’t stack the courts and further restrict access to health care.

Sign the petition: Demand court reform NOW!

https://www.weareplannedparenthood.org/T8EvgEF6HU-5aMVF_ip5TA2

[Blogger's Note: I was considered taking this action by adding my name to "Demand court reform now!", which states the following:

Demand court reform now!

To protect and advance our rights, we must reclaim our federal courts.

Our fundamental rights are under attack, and we need courts that will defend our freedoms, apply the law fairly, and advance equality.

But for years, lawmakers hostile to our reproductive rights have been filling the courts with judges who think — and look — like them. While our courts were once a backstop to protect our rights, presidential administrations and hostile Senate majorities have worked over time to successfully stack the courts with judges and justices who are hostile to our rights.

Structural, systemic, and meaningful court reform is the only way to ensure that courts uphold the law and protect our rights.

Sign your name to join us in the call to reform our courts. Together, we will secure rights, opportunities, and reproductive freedom for all.

What do we mean by "court reform?" Expand to learn more. ▼

THE PROBLEM:
▪ The Supreme Court hasn't been expanded for 150 years — meanwhile the U.S. has become much more diverse, the population has multiplied by more than 10, and the volume of cases brought before the federal judiciary has significantly increased.
▪ Supreme Court justices are also now serving significantly longer terms than their predecessors — as many as 30 or more years on the bench.

THE SOLUTION:
▪ Expand the number of justices on the Supreme Court and put term limits in place for justices.

THE PROBLEM:
▪ Supreme Court justices aren't forced to follow a binding code of conduct. Justices aren't prevented from owning and trading stocks, have poorly defined rules around accepting gifts — and there are no clear consequences for most unethical behavior.
▪ This makes it possible for outside groups and individuals to influence justices in ways that we may never learn about.

THE SOLUTION:
▪ Impose ethics and transparency requirements for Supreme Court justices.

THE PROBLEM:
▪ The federal courts are increasingly overburdened and there aren't enough judges to keep up with the growing U.S. population and caseloads.
▪ It's been more than 30 years since Congress last comprehensively expanded the number of lower court seats — the longest period of time between expansions in the history of district courts and courts of appeals.

THE SOLUTION:
▪ Add seats for additional judges on lower courts to keep up with the growing U.S. population and caseload.

THE PROBLEM:
▪ Interest groups can shop for judges who align with their views — often judges they've helped get confirmed — and then deliberately send them cases, knowing they will decide against reproductive freedom, gender equity, LGBTQ+ liberation, access to health care, and civil liberties.

THE SOLUTION:
▪ Prevent single-judge divisions so that interest groups can't "shop" for judges and guarantee that a favorable judge decides their case.

Show Less ▲

However, I am concerned about telling judges how to do their jobs (especially the Supreme Court of the United States) and how their jobs need to be changed, because I am afraid that they may take offense. Thus—to the best of my knowledge—I have never actually signed a petition with regard to reforming the courts. That is why I opted to not take this specific action.]

Around the Web

Reuters: Montana's top court strikes down parental consent law for minors seeking abortion

https://www.reuters.com/legal/montanas-top-court-strikes-down-parental-consent-law-minors-seeking-abortion-2024-08-14

NPR: Abortion with no medical help? It nearly doubled in 2023, study shows

https://www.npr.org/sections/shots-health-news/2024/07/31/nx-s1-5057588/abortion-mifepristone-jama-roe-v-wade

Visit plannedparenthoodaction.org

By the way, I read all of the articles listed under the 'Around the Web' section above, which is what I always do when I receive these monthly newsletters from Planned Parenthood Action Fund—in addition to taking any requested action from the newsletter, if I haven't already taken that same requested action (or, those same requested actions), as noted from previous 'updates.'

**And, after I read the email above, I clicked on the hyperlink to the referenced webpage, regarding renewing my Associate Membership for the Planned Parenthood Action Fund, which can be found below:

Become a Planned Parenthood Action Fund Associate Member.

By submitting this form, I affirm that I want to become an associate member of the Planned Parenthood Action Fund.

First Name: Paul
Last Name: Whiting
Postal Code: [redacted]
Email: [redacted]
Mobile Phone (Optional): [redacted]

SUBMIT

And, after submitting the form above, I received a confirmation email today, August 20th, 2024, from the Planned Parenthood Action Fund with the subject line, "Thank you for your Associate Membership!", which stated the following:

Dear Paul,

Thank you for standing with us as an Associate Member of Planned Parenthood Action Fund!

Membership is free and allows you full access to timely Action Fund updates, including information about our grassroots organizing, legislative and regulatory advocacy, electoral endorsements, and volunteer opportunities in your area — and gives you an opportunity to vote for a member of the Action Fund Board of Directors.

You can also follow Planned Parenthood Action Fund on Facebook and Twitter.

We are so glad to have you with us!

Planned Parenthood Action Fund

And to clarify: I usually make a one-time donation to Planned Parenthood Action Fund after I renew my Associate Membership for the Planned Parenthood Action Fund, however I made a one-time donation to Planned Parenthood Action Fund on July 24th, 2024 (please see my 'July 24th, 2024 Update No. 1, Which Also Discusses July 22nd, 2024' that can be found above) after I signed a note of thanks to President Biden! Therefore, I considered the one-time donation that I made to Planned Parenthood Action Fund on July 24th, 2024 to also be "in order to show my support for the Action Fund Update monthly newsletter, as well as for my 'Associate Membership of Planned Parenthood Action Fund'" that I renewed on July 27th, 2024 (please see my 'July 27th, 2024 Update No. 2,' which can be found above); thus, I opted to renew my Associate Membership without donating this month.***

–Paul Whiting (written August 20th, 2024 and revised August 21st, 2024)

***P.S.: Just so you know, I used to make one-time donations to the organization that is the subject of these 'updates' each time that I took an action as requested by that organization; however, "I have changed the way that I make donations to political, progressive and charitable organizations each month ... due to the fact that I have been spending a considerable percentage of my monthly income on all of these donations." (The reader should know that I am HIV-positive with full-blown AIDS. And I am on Social Security Disability Insurance, or SSDI, so my income is quite limited.) Therefore, "I am really 'tightening my belt,' so to speak, with regard to all of the donations that I am making on my credit card each month! My plan is to only donate to political, progressive and charitable organizations if they specifically ask for donations—and not just for the sake of donating to them at least once per month, or even when I have been taking some sort of action, such as signing a petition, or sending a letter, etc. Thus, I am trying to greatly reduce the number of donations that I make to simply once in a while, or as determined by me on a case-by-case basis! You see, there are a lot of organizations that I literally donate to only once per year—such as for Giving Tuesday—which is all that I ever donate to them. And that is basically what I am striving for, so that I am still donating to political, progressive and charitable organizations, but the bare minimum that I can donate, since that's all I can really afford." [Please see my 'August 19th, 2023 Update—Follow-Up No. 4, Written On December 1st, 2023 About November 2023' (that also appears as 'November 30th, 2023 Update No. 2, Written On December 1st, 2023' on some of my blogs), which can be found above.]

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August 21st, 2024 Update No. 1: I have combined every political campaign, or political organization, donation request per day (made via email or text message) into one 'update' for each day that I donate, so that I don't have to keep writing individual 'updates' for political campaign donations, or political organization donations!

You see, I used to write one 'update' for each of the individual campaign political donations, or political organization donations, that I made virtually every time that I made a political donation. And within each 'update' I included the text from each political campaign's, or political organization's, requesting email or text message, along with some of each campaign's, or organization's, donation page text on the ActBlue website, as well as how much I donated to each campaign, or organization, plus whether I included a tip to ActBlue and how much I tipped.

(By the way, I still write individual 'updates' for political campaign, or political organization, mailers that I receive through the regular mail, because they are usually more elaborate political donation requests, which is why I don't include them with these email or text message requests.)

Plus, the 2024 election cycle is in full gear and I have made a goal of donating only one $1.00 donation per local political campaign here in Oregon (more on that below), or $2.00 per political organization, for the rest of the election cycle! And that means after I make that one donation per campaign, or per organization—regardless of whether I donated in 2023, or 2024—I am only donating once per campaign, or per organization, or as determined by me on a case-by-case basis. And I am only donating once per PAC (Political Action Committee) for the entire election cycle, or as determined by me on a case-by-case basis, because that is all that I can really afford for the 2024 Presidential Election. (The reader should know that I am HIV-positive with full-blown AIDS. And I am on Social Security Disability Insurance, or SSDI, so my income is quite limited.) I hope that makes sense!

Besides that, as of March 21st, 2024, I am no longer donating to individual political campaigns for the foreseeable future (with the exception of local campaigns here in Oregon), or as determined by me on a case-by-case basis (please see my 'March 21st, 2024 Update No. 2,' which can be found above), as I have explained below:

...Alright, I have a big announcement to make: I am no longer donating to individual political campaigns for the foreseeable future—or as determined by me on a case-by-case basis!

And I have made this decision based upon how much these individual political campaign donations are costing in my 'monthly donating budget'—even though I am only donating $3.00 with a $0.21 tip to ActBlue—since I totally changed the way that I approach how I calculate what I am spending on my credit card each month, starting in 2024! So now, I take the total amount that I have available in my monthly budget for my minimum payment on my credit card—as well as my extra payment—and I calculate how much I am reducing that amount each time that I charge on my credit card.

That way, I am very aware of the amount by which I am reducing my total available credit card payments for the month (the minimum payment and the extra payment) in order to, hopefully, pay more on my credit card than I am spending! Plus, I am also utilizing some funds from my budgeted expenses, as well as some funds from my savings, to make sure that I am paying a little more than I am spending while—at the same time—I am also trying to spend less on my credit card.

Therefore, at the start of 2024, I calculated that I could still make ONE $3.00 donation per political campaign for the entire election cycle. And that means after I have made that one donation per campaign—regardless of whether I donated in 2023, or 2024—I have only donated once per campaign, which is what I have been doing so far!

However, it's still more than I can afford given my 'monthly donating budget,' which is why I have decided to stop donating to individual political campaigns entirely—or as determined by me on a case-by-case basis. And so, I will still be making some donations to individual political campaigns (such as to Kamala Harris's campaign for President of the United States, or to local campaigns here in Oregon), but I am not donating like I have been up until this point—which has been virtually every time that I have received a political campaign donation request via email or text message—because I seriously cannot afford to donate that much for the rest of the 2024 Presidential Election cycle, as well as for the foreseeable future.

And to clarify one more thing: In the past, I used to only donate to the main Democratic fundraising and coordinating organizations—rather than to individual campaigns—since that's all I really could afford given my 'monthly spending budget,' because I am "low income." Plus, those Democratic fundraising and coordinating organizations help all of the individual political campaigns with funding, which is why I used to only donate to those main organizations! And I only started donating to individual political campaigns in 2022, since I was "doing everything in my power to help Democrats win in the 2022 Midterm Elections!" Therefore, this decision to stop donating to individual political campaigns (with the exception of presidential campaigns and local campaigns, or as determined by me on a case-by-case basis) is really just going back to the way that I used to make political donations.

...The 2024 election cycle is in full gear and I have made a goal of donating only one $2.00 donation per local political campaign here in Oregon (more on that below), or $3.00 per political organization, for the rest of the election cycle! And that means after I make that one donation per campaign, or per organization—regardless of whether I donated in 2023, or 2024—I am only donating once per campaign, or per organization, or as determined by me on a case-by-case basis. And I am only donating once per PAC (Political Action Committee) for the entire election cycle, or as determined by me on a case-by-case basis, because that is all that I can really afford for the 2024 Presidential Election. (The reader should know that I am HIV-positive with full-blown AIDS. And I am on Social Security Disability Insurance, or SSDI, so my income is quite limited.) I hope that makes sense! ...

... In addition to that, starting on June 16th, 2024, I have decided to adjust the amount that I donate per political organization again, so that I can donate to more political organizations and PACs (Political Action Committees) while I am still staying within my 'monthly donating budget.' Below, please find a description of my previous adjustment—which started on May 12th, 2024—to explain how I have recently adjusted the amounts that I am contributing, since I am donating to more political organizations:

...The 2024 election cycle is in full gear and I have made a goal of donating only one $3.00 donation per local political campaign here in Oregon (more on that below), or $4.00 per political organization, for the rest of the election cycle! And that means after I make that one donation per campaign, or per organization—regardless of whether I donated in 2023, or 2024—I am only donating once per campaign, or per organization, or as determined by me on a case-by-case basis. And I am only donating once per PAC (Political Action Committee) for the entire election cycle, or as determined by me on a case-by-case basis, because that is all that I can really afford for the 2024 Presidential Election. (The reader should know that I am HIV-positive with full-blown AIDS. And I am on Social Security Disability Insurance, or SSDI, so my income is quite limited.) I hope that makes sense! ...

... In addition to that, I used to donate "$5.00 per political organization"; however, starting on May 12th, 2024, I decided to adjust that amount, so that I can donate to more political organizations and PACs (Political Action Committees) while I am still staying within my 'monthly donating budget.'

Thus, as I partially explained above, for the rest of the 2024 election cycle—as well as for the foreseeable future—I have made a goal of donating $3.00 per local political campaign only here in Oregon (with a 7% tip to ActBlue of $0.21), or as determined by me on a case-by-case basis; and a goal of donating $4.00 per political organization for donation requests via email or text message (with a 7% tip to ActBlue of $0.28), or as determined by me on a case-by-case basis; as well as a goal of donating $5.00 per political organization, or per PAC, for donation requests via the regular mail (with a 7% tip to ActBlue of $0.35), or as determined by me on a case-by-case basis.

To sum it up, then: I am essentially keeping the same total individual campaign donation amount of $3.21, but I am only donating to local campaigns here in Oregon, or as determined by me on a case-by-case basis; and I am reducing the total donation amount for political organizations and PACs for email and text message donation requests to $4.28 (from $5.35), or as determined by me on a case-by-case basis; plus, I am reducing the total donation amount for political organizations and PACs for regular mail donation requests to $5.35 (from $7.51), or as determined by me on a case-by-case basis.

Therefore, I recently used to donate "$4.00 per political organization"; however, I have decided to adjust that amount again, so that I can donate to more political organizations and PACs (Political Action Committees) while I am still staying within my 'monthly donating budget,' since I am now donating to more organizations as the 2024 Presidential Election cycle continues.

Thus, as I partially explained above, for the rest of the 2024 election cycle—as well as for the foreseeable future—I have made a goal of donating $2.00 per local political campaign only here in Oregon (with a 7% tip to ActBlue of $0.14), or as determined by me on a case-by-case basis; and a goal of donating $3.00 per political organization for donation requests via email or text message (with a 7% tip to ActBlue of $0.21), or as determined by me on a case-by-case basis; as well as a goal of donating $4.00 per political organization, or per PAC, for donation requests via the regular mail (with a 7% tip to ActBlue of $0.28), or as determined by me on a case-by-case basis.

To sum it up, then: I am reducing the total individual campaign donation amount to $2.14 (from $3.21) and I am still only donating to local campaigns here in Oregon, or as determined by me on a case-by-case basis; and I am reducing the total donation amount for political organizations and PACs for email and text message donation requests to $3.21 (from $4.28), or as determined by me on a case-by-case basis; plus, I am reducing the total donation amount for political organizations and PACs for regular mail donation requests to $4.28 (from $5.35), or as determined by me on a case-by-case basis.

Therefore, I recently used to donate "$3.00 per political organization"; however, I have decided to adjust that amount yet again, so that I can donate to more political organizations and PACs (Political Action Committees) while I am still staying within my 'monthly donating budget,' since I am now donating to more organizations as the 2024 Presidential Election cycle continues.

Thus, as I partially explained above, for the rest of the 2024 election cycle—as well as for the foreseeable future—I have made a goal of donating $1.00 per local political campaign only here in Oregon (with a 7% tip to ActBlue of $0.07), or as determined by me on a case-by-case basis; and a goal of donating $2.00 per political organization for donation requests via email or text message (with a 7% tip to ActBlue of $0.14), or as determined by me on a case-by-case basis; as well as a goal of donating $3.00 per political organization, or per PAC, for donation requests via the regular mail (with a 7% tip to ActBlue of $0.21), or as determined by me on a case-by-case basis.

To sum it up, then: I am reducing the total individual campaign donation amount to $1.07 (from $2.14) and I am still only donating to local campaigns here in Oregon, or as determined by me on a case-by-case basis; and I am reducing the total donation amount for political organizations and PACs for email and text message donation requests to $2.14 (from $3.21), or as determined by me on a case-by-case basis; plus, I am reducing the total donation amount for political organizations and PACs for regular mail donation requests to $3.21 (from $4.28), or as determined by me on a case-by-case basis.

So, without further ado...

The only political communication to which I responded was a text message today, August 21st, 2024, from the Democratic Mayors Association (DMA), which stated the following:

[City redacted] Mayor [name redacted] here. Last night, I was on the stage at the DNC. As a lifelong Republican, I am putting our country first by supporting Kamala Harris’ Presidential campaign. Since Donald Trump refused to accept the outcome of the 2020 election, the GOP has set down a path of political extremism, instead of focusing on our fundamental freedoms.

While Donald Trump has continuously attacked our major cities and done nothing to support them, I know firsthand that Mayors are our first line of defense and answer directly to their constituents. Now more than ever, we need leaders who will put country over party. That’s why I’m supporting Kamala Harris this November.

Will you join me in helping defend our cities and win elections up and down the ballot in November by making a donation to the Democratic Mayors Association today?***

Many thanks,
[City redacted] Mayor [name redacted] ( R )

DMA
Democratic Mayors Association

Support the Democratic Mayors

We represent Mayors across the country who have a common vision for progress and inclusive growth in their communities.

#Mayors Matter

Donate immediately:

Your contribution will benefit Democratic Mayors Association.

[  ] Donate $10 →

[  ] Donate $15 →

[  ] Donate $25 →

[  ] Donate $50 →

[  ] Donate $100 →

[  ] Donate $250 →

[  ] Donate $500 →

[✓] Other amount $4.67

Please leave a tip for ActBlue

Power the nonprofit fundraising platform Democratic candidates & progressive causes rely on.

[  ] Add $2 tip

[  ] Leave no tip

[✓] Add custom amount $0.33 (7%)

And so, I made a one-time donation to the DMA (with a tip to ActBlue) since "as a lifelong Republican, [(City redacted) Mayor (name redacted) is] putting our country first by supporting Kamala Harris’ Presidential campaign." That is why I contributed to the Democratic Mayors Association, because "while Donald Trump has continuously attacked our major cities and done nothing to support them, [(City redacted) Mayor (name redacted) knows] firsthand that Mayors are our first line of defense and answer directly to their constituents," so "now more than ever, we need leaders who will put country over party."

Thus, this one organization—the DMA—is the political organization that I donated to today! –Paul Whiting (August 21st, 2024)

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August 22nd, 2024 Update No. 1: I received an email from the American Civil Liberties Union of Oregon (ACLU of Oregon) today, August 22nd, 2024, with the subject line, "ACLU of Oregon Summer Newsletter", which stated the following:

ACLU of Oregon
Summer Newsletter

Paul –

Happy summer, Oregon!

If you attended a Pride event across the state, you may have seen our team members, partners, and volunteers trying to keep cool while collecting the first round of signatures for the Equal Rights for All campaign, which we launched earlier this summer! This ballot measure campaign will affirm the right to abortion, contraception and IVF, transgender healthcare, and same-gender marriage in the Oregon Constitution. We are now one step closer to making it onto the November 2026 ballot!

Read our summer newsletter to learn more about what we've been up to!

READ NOW:

https://www.aclu-or.org/en/publications/clone-spring-2024-newsletter

Relatedly, we took a stand against LGBTQ+ discrimination this summer. We took a company, [business name redacted], to court for banning gay and bisexual men from donating plasma at their Oregon centers. [Business name redacted] enforced this blanket ban even though our legal client had a negative blood test for sexually transmitted infections, had no history of such infections, and the center tests donated plasma for diseases.

Our legal team also filed a lawsuit just this week, suing the Medford Police Department for routinely spying and keeping records on social justice activists. Illegal surveillance practices like this have chilling impacts on free speech and have been prohibited in Oregon law for decades.

We also have an important update about the work we started three years ago. In 2021, we demanded an investigation into Oregon's public defense agency – the Oregon Public Defense Commission (OPDC) – after receiving multiple reports of gender-based retaliation and discrimination against women public defense attorneys. After repeatedly asking for the investigation report, we finally received it this August. The investigator hired by the state found that the facts substantiated several women attorneys' concerns about retaliation by [name redacted], [title redacted] for OPDC. We are seeking answers from the State of Oregon as to why [name redacted] continues to be [title redacted] at OPDC.

Keep exploring this newsletter and discover more about our new Development Director and Litigation Manager, our work this summer, and how the ACLU is preparing for the fall. No matter the results of the November elections or who is on the U.S. Supreme Court, the ACLU of Oregon team will continue doing the hard work to create a more just, equitable, and caring democracy in our state.

In gratitude,

[Name redacted]
Pronouns: She, her, hers
[Title redacted], ACLU of Oregon

DONATE NOW***

ACLU of Oregon
Summer 2024 Newsletter

August 22, 2024

In this volume of the newsletter, we discuss our recently filed legal cases fighting against LGBTQ+ discrimination and unlawful police surveillance, updates to our Equal Rights For All campaign, and developments in the investigation into Oregon's Public Defense Commission that we demanded in 2021. You can also say hello to [name redacted], our new [title redacted], and [name redacted], our new [title redacted]!

For the best viewing experience, we invite you to explore our newsletter on Issuu.

You can also read the newsletter in the PDF viewer below. ...

[Blogger's Note: I read the ACLU of Oregon's webpage titled, "Summer 2024 Newsletter," including said summer newsletter.]

https://www.aclu-or.org/en/publications/clone-spring-2024-newsletter

Plus, after I read the newsletter above, I also clicked on the hyperlink to a referenced webpage, regarding taking action to Stop Project 2025, the relevant text of which can be found below:

TAKE ACTION

Stop Project 2025

Project 2025 threatens our rights, and is rife with proposals that would harm real people. Add your name to join our fight to stop it in its tracks.

---------------------------------------------

ACLU

STOP PROJECT 2025

Project 2025 threatens our rights, and is rife with proposals that would harm real people. Add your name to join our fight to stop it in its tracks. Project 2025 is a plan to let politicians and bureaucrats control our lives. It lays out a vision of America built on breaking up immigrant families with mass deportations, denying trans people needed medical care, stripping away our right to an abortion and right to medical privacy, punishing dissent and political opposition, and so much more.

We can't wait until after the election to stop Project 2025. That's why our experts have already built out a detailed roadmap to fight back — point-by-point, issue-by-issue. We're working now in state legislatures and courts nationwide to block this harmful agenda from ever becoming a reality.

If you would like a role in our plan of action against Project 2025, then add your name to our growing movement to fight back. And from intel to advocacy, we'll send you what you need in the weeks and days to come.

ADD YOUR NAME

Project 2025 is 900 pages of proposals to strip away the civil rights and liberties that we hold dear. It doesn't represent what true democracy is and would inflict direct harm on families across our country. That's why I am adding my name to the chorus of ACLU community members who are firmly against it and showing up in the plan to fight back — with concrete policy solutions, court strategies, and state legislative goals — to defeat Project 2025 and protect our rights for good.

First name: Paul
Last name: Whiting
E-mail address: [redacted]
Zip: [redacted]
Phone: [redacted]

ACT NOW

And, after I signed the petition above, I received a confirmation email today, August 22nd, 2024, from the ACLU with the subject line, "One more thing - can you spread the word?", which stated the following:

ACLU

Hi Paul,

Thank you for joining us in the fight against Project 2025. The fight for our rights is going to take every one of us – and we're glad to count you on our team.

Over the next few weeks, we'll be in touch with action steps, information, and ways you can plug in to the campaign to stop Project 2025. And right now, you can take the first step by checking out our video catching you up on everything you need to know about Project 2025 and how we're showing up to fight back (https://youtu.be/kgqk2006vsI?si=a-VcN5teJ1Bg0kGO).
(Please note: This link will take you to a third-party website, youtube.com.)

Then, once you're done, help us build our power: Share the pledge to stop Project 2025 by forwarding the email below to your friends, or by sharing this link: aclu.org/stop2025

Thank you for being with us,

The ACLU Team

------

Hi friend,

Project 2025 threatens our most fundamental rights. You may have heard their plans on the news – cruel policy proposals that would directly harm everyday people like you, me, and our families. From mass deportations of immigrant families to nationwide abortion bans and classroom censorship, these policies would set our country back decades in the fight for equality.

That’s why I’m joining the ACLU’s campaign to fight back against Project 2025 – and I hope you will too. Will you show up with me to protect our rights against these dangerous policies?

https://action.aclu.org/petition/stop-project-2025-tyranny

Thanks.

Besides that, after I read the email above, I also clicked on the hyperlink to the referenced webpage, regarding the Equal Rights for All campaign, the relevant text of which can be found below:

ACLU of Oregon

Equal Rights for All

Abortion, contraception, and IVF. Transgender rights. Marriage equality. We’ve experienced the attacks on these basic freedoms throughout the country from extremist politicians and judges. Now it is time for Oregonians to take action and protect our loves ones, our communities, and ourselves for generations to come.

The Equal Rights for All campaign is a ballot initiative for the November 2026 election, asking voters to update Oregon’s constitution to clarify that everyone has equal rights to make private and personal decisions about health care and marriage, regardless of one’s ability to become pregnant, gender identity, or sexual orientation. By protecting Oregonians’ ability to make our own, private healthcare decisions and marry who we love, we can stop politicians who want to turn back the clock on our rights and freedoms.

Join us and sign up to volunteer!

Oregonians want a future where we can continue to make our own healthcare decisions with the help of our doctors, love who we love, and live safely and authentically. We can all agree that politicians have no place in our deeply personal decisions.

We need your generous support to set a solid and successful foundation. Your early contributions and commitments to this fight will go a long way toward setting our campaign up for victory in 2026.

Please click on the link below to go to the Equal Rights for All campaign donation page; please note, the Equal Rights for All campaign is a separate legal organization from the ACLU of Oregon.

GIVE NOW

[Blogger's Note: I read the ACLU of Oregon's webpage titled, "Equal Rights for All." By the way, I already donated to support the Equal Rights for All campaign on January 23rd, 2024 (please see my 'January 23rd, 2024 Update No. 4,' which can be found above).]

https://www.aclu-or.org/en/campaigns/equal-rights-all

And, after I read the email above, I made a one-time donation to the ACLU of Oregon in order to show my support for the "Summer 2024 Newsletter!" –Paul Whiting (August 22nd, 2024)

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August 23rd, 2024 Update No. 1, Which Also Discusses July 22nd, 2024: Happy 2024 Democratic National Convention, which was held in Chicago, Illinois from August 19th, 2024 to August 22nd, 2024!

[Blogger's Note: This 'update' that I am writing today, August 23rd, 2024, is for donations that I made as part of my series of donations for the month of August to Democratic fundraising and coordinating political organizations—and to one campaign—regarding the following:

▪ the national races for the House of Representatives (the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee),
▪ the Senate (the Democratic Senatorial Campaign Committee),
▪ and the President of the United States (the Democratic National Committee and Harris for President, or the Harris Victory Fund),
▪ as well as the state races for the Governors (the Democratic Governors Association),
▪ the Secretaries of State (the Democratic Association of Secretaries of State),
▪ the Attorneys General (the Democratic Attorneys General Association),
▪ and the State Legislatures (the Democratic Legislative Campaign Committee),
▪ in addition to my local Democratic fundraising and coordinating organization (Democratic Party of Oregon), during this eighth month of the year for the 2024 Presidential Election.

Plus, I made donations to Political Action Committees (PACs) that are doing the following:

▪ helping to elect political candidates who are working to stop global warming (Jane Fonda Climate PAC);
▪ helping to elect candidates who are pro-choice women (EMILYs List);
▪ helping to elect candidates who are U.S. Veterans (VoteVets);
▪ helping young people to vote (Voters of Tomorrow PAC);
▪ helping to elect gun safety champions in Congress (Ban Assault Weapons NOW PAC);
▪ helping to mobilize Black voters (Rolling Sea Action Fund);
▪ and helping to support pro public education officials and legislation nationwide (Educated We Stand);
▪ as well as helping to empower young Democrats by boosting youth voter turnout to create a strong voter's blue wave nationwide (Democratic Youth Wave PAC);
▪ in addition to helping to elect legislators who will fight for climate action, clean air and water, and the environment (Oregon Sierra Club Political Action Committee).

Besides that, I made donations to the following:

▪ a civic engagement organization that is helping to educate and empower a new generation of Latinx voters (Voto Latino);
▪ and a social welfare organization that is advancing equality at the ballot box across Indian Country (Four Directions Native Vote);
▪ as well as a non-profit organization and grassroots movement of educators and school staff across the United States who aim to raise awareness and demand safety from gun violence in their communities (Teachers Unify To End Gun Violence).

And these donations to the above-mentioned organizations are listed below in the chronological order in which I made said donations which, in turn, are based upon the general chronological order in which I received each respective request for every organization's donation.]

I received from the Democratic National Committee (DNC) thirty two days ago on July 22nd, 2024, with a 'front teaser message' on the envelope that read as follows:

DO NOT BEND

Mr. Whiting, your 2024 Democratic Convention kit is enclosed!

Confirmation of exclusive materials for Mr. Paul [Middle Initial] Whiting

✔ MAGNET
✔ STICKER SHEET
✔ POSTER
✔ SUPPORTER PLEDGE

APPROVED FOR RELEASE: 7/12

And the mailer stated, in part, the following:

[I used to hand-type the text of the documents from these types of mailers on my smartphone; however, it takes a lot of time and energy in order to hand-type these kinds of documents: so, instead, I scanned and copied the documents using Google Lens! Then, I edited the copy of said documents to include all of the italicizing, bolding and/or underscoring where applicable.]

DEMOCRATIC NATIONAL COMMITTEE

Mr. Whiting,

Together, we are building a new era of American possibilities. We turn setbacks into comebacks. That is who we are. That's America. We must keep fighting for it. We've accomplished so much in the past three years, but we still have more work to do.

Meanwhile, Trump and MAGA Republicans across the country continue to show voters that they're utterly unfit to lead. It becomes clearer every day that Trump's MAGA takeover of the Republican Party is laying the groundwork for him to continue undermining our democracy.

The sad truth is that these extremists and their megadonors are going to spend everything they've got to spread lies and misinformation about Democrats' records and the upcoming election. It's critical Democrats have the resources to fight back.

That's why the Democratic National Committee is investing record amounts now in state parties and down-ballot races to ensure that we turn out as many voters as possible in November.

Folks, I wish the stakes weren't this high, but they are. That's why we need you. Together, we can do this.

The MAGA right has mobilized, and outside spending is only going to ramp up against us as we get closer to the election. If we have the resources to win this campaign, we will. If we don't, we're in trouble.

Mr. Whiting, will you please contribute $35, $55, or even $70 to the DNC to protect our freedoms and our future?

We've made historic investments in rebuilding the country: we've created over 15 million new jobs; kept unemployment under 4 percent for the longest stretch in over 50 years; and have more people on health insurance today than ever before in the history of the country.

Medicare can now negotiate what price they'll pay with Big Pharma, bringing down the cost of insulin from $400 a month to $35 a month for seniors. And there is so much more to come.

But Trump wants to get rid of all of it.

Trump wants to terminate — his phrase, "terminate" — the Affordable Care Act. From the very beginning, he's been determined to get rid of cheaper prescription drugs, reduce Social Security, and raise the age of Medicare.

He proudly brags about being the one who "got rid" of Roe v. Wade, and he promised to be a dictator on "day one."

This dangerous, inflammatory language is not just campaign rhetoric — it's who he is ...

... And Trump not only embraces the violence of January 6th, he's running on it.

This election is about competing visions for America: dictatorship or democracy. Trump's vision is one full of anger and hate and revenge and retribution. He looks at America and sees "a failing nation."

We Democrats have a very different view of America. We see an America where we defend democracy, not diminish it. We see an America where we protect freedoms — the freedom to vote, the freedom to choose — not take them away.

We see an America where the economy grows from the middle out and the bottom up, where working people have a shot, and where health care is a right, not a privilege.

The choice before us is clear.

We can either let Donald Trump and MAGA Republicans dismantle our democracy and rip away our hard-fought and fundamental freedoms, or we can come together and do everything possible to elect Democrats, who will continue to bring down costs for working families, grow our economy, and expand and protect our rights.

This race is going to be decided by a very close margin, and the DNC needs your critical support to win.

Please give today so that we'll have the resources we need to fight against MAGA attacks on our democracy and fight for a better future for every American.

With gratitude,

Joe Biden
President of the United States

P.S. Together. That's how we're going to beat MAGA extremists in this election no matter what they throw at us. Right now, we're facing millions of dollars in attack ads from the MAGA right in states across the country, and we need your help if we're going to win this election. Let me be clear: Your support matters. We can defeat Trump and MAGA extremists, but only if we work together. Please send your contribution to the DNC today. Thank you.

"QR code message": Scan the QR code to learn more about the Democratic National Convention!

https://demconvention.com

---------------------------------------------

The "2024 Democratic Convention Kit," as I have described it below:

1.0 A magnet with the official Democratic National Convention logo (that can be seen at the top of the DNC official website store) which reads:

DNC 2024
DEMOCRATIC NATIONAL CONVENTION

https://shop.demconvention.com/

2.0 A sheet of five stickers which read and/or that show:

2.1: "I WILL VOTE"

2.2: VOTE BLUE
        VOTE BLUE
        VOTE BLUE

2.3: A graphic of the Chicago Skyline with '2024' written below it.

2.4: An image of the official DNC Blue Donkey surrounded by a circle of stars.

2.5: The words "WE ARE DEMOCRATS"
Democrats.org

3.0 A poster with an image of Joe Biden and Kamala Harris which reads:

A FUTURE FOR ALL AMERICANS
✶ ✶ PRESIDENT JOE BIDEN ✶ ✶
& VICE PRESIDENT KAMALA HARRIS

---------------------------------------------

ELECTION PLEDGE OF PARTICIPATION

[✓] Yes, Joe! I have received my Convention Kit and am excited to show my support!
[✓] I'm ready to join the fight for our future by reelecting Democrats up and down the ballot. I want to help Democrats win so we can defend our democracy, secure our freedoms, and build an economy that works for everyone.

[  ] $35
[  ] $55*
[  ] $70
[✓] Other $3.00

*A contribution of this amount would go even further to help elect Democrats!

Go to www.democrats.org/Give2024 to put your contribution to work today.

FROM: Paul [Middle Initial] Whiting
[Street Address and Apt. No. redacted]
[City, State and ZIP Code redacted]

TO: President Joe Biden
c/o The Democratic National Committee
[Address redacted]
[City, State and ZIP Code redacted]

Please make your check payable to the DNC and return it with this form in the envelope provided to the Democratic National Committee, [address, city, state and ZIP code redacted]. To charge your donation, please see reverse. Please complete the information on the reverse as required by law.

---------------------------------------------

DEMOCRATS

I, Mr. Whiting, pledge to participate in the 2024 election by taking the following actions. I will:

• Confirm my voter registration and make a plan to vote by visiting www.IWillVote.com.

[Blogger's Note: I confirmed my voter registration via I Will Vote on August 23rd, 2024.]

• Talk to my friends, family, and members of my community about the importance of this election.

[Blogger's Note: I am writing this 'update' in order to talk to you, my readers, about the importance of this election.]

• Encourage my friends, family, and members of my community to make their own plan to vote.

[Blogger's Note: Also, I am writing this 'update' in order to encourage you, my readers, to make your own plan to vote.]

• Visit www.democrats.org/take-action/ to find out ways I can volunteer.

[Blogger's Note: Plus, I signed up to receive text messages from the DNC via the above-mentioned website.]

Knowing what's at stake for our country if Trump and MAGA extremists gain control of our government, I'm making a donation to the Democratic National Committee today.

Signed:

Paul Whiting
Mr. Paul [Middle Initial] Whiting

Date: Aug. 23rd, 2024

And, after I read the letter above, I typed the web address to the referenced webpage in my browser, the relevant text of which can be found below:

Democrats

Support the Democratic National Committee

Donate to help elect Democrats up and down the ticket nationwide!

Your generous donation will help us hold the GOP accountable and elect more Democrats across the nation. Donate to the DNC now to invest in the resources our candidates are relying on to compete and win year after year.

Donate immediately:

Your contribution will benefit Democratic National Committee (DNC) - Direct Marketing.

[  ] Donate $35 →

[  ] Donate $50 →

[  ] Donate $75 →

[  ] Donate $100 →

[  ] Donate $200 →

[  ] Donate $250 →

[✓] Other amount $3.00

Please leave a tip for ActBlue

Power the nonprofit fundraising platform Democratic candidates & progressive causes rely on

[  ] Add $2 tip

[  ] Leave no tip

[✓] Add custom amount $0.21 (7%)

And so, I made a one-time donation to the DNC (with a tip to ActBlue) today, August 23rd, 2024, because "we can either let Donald Trump and MAGA Republicans dismantle our democracy and rip away our hard-fought and fundamental freedoms, or we can come together and do everything possible to elect Democrats, who will continue to bring down costs for working families, grow our economy, and expand and protect our rights." And I was also donating to show my appreciation for the 2024 Democratic National Convention Kit which I enjoyed displaying in my studio apartment—from August 19th, 2024 to August 22nd, 2024—during the dates of the DNC! –Paul Whiting (written August 23rd, 2024, revised August 24th, 2024, revised September 2nd, 2024 and revised October 30th, 2024)

P.S.: Just so you know, "I have changed the way that I make donations to political, progressive and charitable organizations each month ... due to the fact that I have been spending a considerable percentage of my monthly income on all of these donations." (The reader should know that I am HIV-positive with full-blown AIDS. And I am on Social Security Disability Insurance, or SSDI, so my income is quite limited.) Therefore, "I am reducing how much I donate for the regular mail requests that I receive (to which I choose to respond) to take action." Thus, I will still be responding to some of the regular mail requests that I receive (to which I choose to respond), which are requesting me to take action, but I am reducing the amount that I donate to organizations from which I receive mailers. (Please see my 'August 19th, 2023 Update,' which can be found above.)

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August 23rd, 2024 Update No. 2, Which Also Discusses July 22nd, 2024: Happy 2024 Democratic National Convention, which was held in Chicago, Illinois from August 19th, 2024 to August 22nd, 2024!

[Blogger's Note: This 'update' that I am writing today, August 23rd, 2024, is for donations that I made as part of my series of donations for the month of August to Democratic fundraising and coordinating political organizations—and to one campaign—regarding the following:

▪ the national races for the House of Representatives (the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee),
▪ the Senate (the Democratic Senatorial Campaign Committee),
▪ and the President of the United States (the Democratic National Committee and Harris for President, or the Harris Victory Fund),
▪ as well as the state races for the Governors (the Democratic Governors Association),
▪ the Secretaries of State (the Democratic Association of Secretaries of State),
▪ the Attorneys General (the Democratic Attorneys General Association),
▪ and the State Legislatures (the Democratic Legislative Campaign Committee),
▪ in addition to my local Democratic fundraising and coordinating organization (Democratic Party of Oregon), during this eighth month of the year for the 2024 Presidential Election.

Plus, I made donations to Political Action Committees (PACs) that are doing the following:

▪ helping to elect political candidates who are working to stop global warming (Jane Fonda Climate PAC);
▪ helping to elect candidates who are pro-choice women (EMILYs List);
▪ helping to elect candidates who are U.S. Veterans (VoteVets);
▪ helping young people to vote (Voters of Tomorrow PAC);
▪ helping to elect gun safety champions in Congress (Ban Assault Weapons NOW PAC);
▪ helping to mobilize Black voters (Rolling Sea Action Fund);
▪ and helping to support pro public education officials and legislation nationwide (Educated We Stand);
▪ as well as helping to empower young Democrats by boosting youth voter turnout to create a strong voter's blue wave nationwide (Democratic Youth Wave PAC);
▪ in addition to helping to elect legislators who will fight for climate action, clean air and water, and the environment (Oregon Sierra Club Political Action Committee).

Besides that, I made donations to the following:

▪ a civic engagement organization that is helping to educate and empower a new generation of Latinx voters (Voto Latino);
▪ and a social welfare organization that is advancing equality at the ballot box across Indian Country (Four Directions Native Vote);
▪ as well as a non-profit organization and grassroots movement of educators and school staff across the United States who aim to raise awareness and demand safety from gun violence in their communities (Teachers Unify To End Gun Violence).

And these donations to the above-mentioned organizations are listed below in the chronological order in which I made said donations which, in turn, are based upon the general chronological order in which I received each respective request for every organization's donation.]

I received a mailer from the Oregon Sierra Club PAC (Oregon Sierra Club Political Action Committee) thirty two days ago on July 22nd, 2024, with a 'front teaser message' on the envelope that read, "IT'S PRETTY HOT OUTSIDE HUH?", which stated the following:

[I used to hand-type the text of the documents from these types of mailers on my smartphone; however, it takes a lot of time and energy in order to hand-type these kinds of documents: so, instead, I scanned and copied the documents using Google Lens! Then, I edited the copy of said documents to include all of the italicizing, bolding and/or underscoring where applicable.]

Oregon
Sierra Club
Political Action Committee
[Address, City, State and ZIP Code redacted]

Paul Whiting
[Street Address and Apt. No. redacted]
[City, State and ZIP Code redacted]

Dear Paul,

There's so much at stake this November.

I know you've probably heard that before, but when I think about the progress we need to secure every Oregonian's right to clean air, clean water and affordable clean energy, it highlights just how high the stakes are. Together, we're committed to making a positive Impact on our planet. But in order to make that happen, we'll need to elect candidates who are not just friendly to Oregon's environment, we need them to be champions.

That's why we must leverage the power of the Oregon Sierra Club Political Action Committee. Our long-standing reputation, continued dedication to our cause and tremendous volunteer capacity mean that we can target the best state and local races, provide key voter strategy and support and win big at the ballot box.

There's too much at stake. By acting together, we will win. That's why today, I'm asking for your support of our Political Action Committee.

As we feel the impacts of climate change, we need elected officials in every level of government to be focused on delivering real solutions. That's why we're supporting candidates who:

[✓] Fight hard for policies to stop fossil fuels and accelerate a just transition to clean energy. As utilities like [business name redacted] and [business name redacted] increase prices and dodge liability for causing wildfires, we need environmental champions to hold polluters accountable.

[✓] Invest in high-quality public transit, bike lanes and pedestrian infrastructure. We need lawmakers who will stand up to massive highway expansion boondoggles and lead the way towards clean and accessible transportation.

[✓] Defend Oregon's carbon-dense forests while planting more trees and expanding access to green spaces. We need leaders who understand that protecting mature and old-growth forests is vital to clean water and climate resilience.

By supporting the Oregon Sierra Club PAC, you are not just endorsing any one candidate, but using our combined power to invest in the most sustainable, affordable and accessible Oregon possible. Consider a gift of $75, $100 or even $125 today.

There's big money available from our opponents' deep pockets, so we need to be able to support the candidates who have the courage and vision to lead us towards a more sustainable future.

By empowering our PAC and acting together, we will build a pro-environment majority in Salem and deepen the bench to make sure environmental champions lead Oregon for years to come. That comes from making clear messages to Oregonians across the state and ensuring we can drive out more voters than we ever have before.

Can I count on your support? We need to change Oregon for the good—and I can only do that with you by my side.

Thank you for all that you do,

[Name redacted]
[Title redacted]
Oregon Sierra Club Political Action Committee

P.S. Our PAC plays a vital role in advocating for policies that protect our natural resources, combat climate change and promote sustainability in our neighborhoods. When you give to the Oregon Sierra Club PAC, we can act together to ensure our environment and our values are at the forefront in Salem!

---------------------------------------------

✔ Let's elect pro-environment candidates in Oregon!

ENCLOSED IS MY CONTRIBUTION OF:

[  ] $50
[  ] $75 ← thanks for considering this
[  ] $100
[  ] $125
Other $5.00

Oregon
Sierra Club
Political Action Committee
[Address, City, State and ZIP Code redacted]

Donate online sc.org/ORNow2024

We are required by state law to report donor information for PAC donations.

Occupation: Not employed.
Employer: N/A
Employer Address: N/A

Please make your check payable to "Sierra Club Oregon PAC" or use your credit card on the back of this form.

Contributions to the Sierra Club Oregon PAC are not tax-deductible. Paid for by the Sierra Club Oregon PAC.

Paul Whiting
[Street Address and Apt. No. redacted]
[City, State and ZIP Code redacted]

And, after I read the letter above, I entered the hyperlink to the referenced webpage, the relevant text of which can be found below:

Oregon
Sierra Club
Political Action Committee

Support the Oregon Sierra Club PAC today!

Oregonians deserve nothing less than legislators who will fight for climate action, clean air and water, and the environment.

With your financial contribution to the Oregon Sierra Club Political Action Committee (PAC), we can support candidates who will stand up for Oregon when it matters most!

Sierra Club volunteers work to elect strong environmental leaders. Your PAC contribution will amplify these efforts.

Help us make a political investment in a pro-environment future. Donate to our PAC today.

And so, I made a one-time donation to the Oregon Sierra Club PAC today, August 23rd, 2024, because "as we feel the impacts of climate change, we need elected officials in every level of government to be focused on delivering real solutions," since "by supporting the Oregon Sierra Club PAC, [I am] not just endorsing any one candidate, but using [their] combined power to invest in the most sustainable, affordable and accessible Oregon possible." –Paul Whiting (written August 23rd, 2024, revised August 24th, 2024 and revised September 2nd, 2024)

P.S.: Just so you know, "I have changed the way that I make donations to political, progressive and charitable organizations each month ... due to the fact that I have been spending a considerable percentage of my monthly income on all of these donations." (The reader should know that I am HIV-positive with full-blown AIDS. And I am on Social Security Disability Insurance, or SSDI, so my income is quite limited.) Therefore, "I am reducing how much I donate for the regular mail requests that I receive (to which I choose to respond) to take action." Thus, I will still be responding to some of the regular mail requests that I receive (to which I choose to respond), which are requesting me to take action, but I am reducing the amount that I donate to organizations from which I receive mailers. (Please see my 'August 19th, 2023 Update,' which can be found above.)

-------------------------------------------------------------------

August 23rd, 2024 Update No. 3, Which Also Discusses July 31st, 2024: Happy 2024 Democratic National Convention, which was held in Chicago, Illinois from August 19th, 2024 to August 22nd, 2024!

[Blogger's Note: This 'update' that I am writing today, August 23rd, 2024, is for donations that I made as part of my series of donations for the month of August to Democratic fundraising and coordinating political organizations—and to one campaign—regarding the following:

▪ the national races for the House of Representatives (the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee),
▪ the Senate (the Democratic Senatorial Campaign Committee),
▪ and the President of the United States (the Democratic National Committee and Harris for President, or the Harris Victory Fund),
▪ as well as the state races for the Governors (the Democratic Governors Association),
▪ the Secretaries of State (the Democratic Association of Secretaries of State),
▪ the Attorneys General (the Democratic Attorneys General Association),
▪ and the State Legislatures (the Democratic Legislative Campaign Committee),
▪ in addition to my local Democratic fundraising and coordinating organization (Democratic Party of Oregon), during this eighth month of the year for the 2024 Presidential Election.

Plus, I made donations to Political Action Committees (PACs) that are doing the following:

▪ helping to elect political candidates who are working to stop global warming (Jane Fonda Climate PAC);
▪ helping to elect candidates who are pro-choice women (EMILYs List);
▪ helping to elect candidates who are U.S. Veterans (VoteVets);
▪ helping young people to vote (Voters of Tomorrow PAC);
▪ helping to elect gun safety champions in Congress (Ban Assault Weapons NOW PAC);
▪ helping to mobilize Black voters (Rolling Sea Action Fund);
▪ and helping to support pro public education officials and legislation nationwide (Educated We Stand);
▪ as well as helping to empower young Democrats by boosting youth voter turnout to create a strong voter's blue wave nationwide (Democratic Youth Wave PAC);
▪ in addition to helping to elect legislators who will fight for climate action, clean air and water, and the environment (Oregon Sierra Club Political Action Committee).

Besides that, I made donations to the following:

▪ a civic engagement organization that is helping to educate and empower a new generation of Latinx voters (Voto Latino);
▪ and a social welfare organization that is advancing equality at the ballot box across Indian Country (Four Directions Native Vote);
▪ as well as a non-profit organization and grassroots movement of educators and school staff across the United States who aim to raise awareness and demand safety from gun violence in their communities (Teachers Unify To End Gun Violence).

And these donations to the above-mentioned organizations are listed below in the chronological order in which I made said donations which, in turn, are based upon the general chronological order in which I received each respective request for every organization's donation.]

I received a mailer from the Democratic Party of Oregon Victory Fund twenty three days ago on July 31st, 2024, with a 'front teaser message' on the envelope that read, "Deadline Extended", which stated the following:

[I used to hand-type the text of the documents from these types of mailers on my smartphone; however, it takes a lot of time and energy in order to hand-type these kinds of documents: so, instead, I scanned and copied the documents using Google Lens! Then, I edited the copy of said documents to include all of the italicizing, bolding and/or underscoring where applicable.]

From the Desk of [Name redacted], [Title redacted]
Democratic Party of Oregon

Mr. Paul [Middle Initial] Whiting
[Street Address and Apt. No. redacted]
[City, State and ZIP Code redacted]

Democratic Party of Oregon
Victory Fund
2024 Election Year Fund

Dear Mr. Whiting,

Election Day is fast approaching and nothing less than our own democracy is on the ballot this November. Extreme MAGA Republicans are stooping to new lows with their hypocrisy and chaos in an attempt to defeat Democrats nationwide.

But this November, we have an opportunity to turn out voters to continue electing strong Democratic candidates who will stand as defenders of democracy and represent the values of Oregon.

That's why I'm counting on your support to the Democratic Party of Oregon Victory Fund with a gift of $35, $55, or even $70 because the work we are doing today — building infrastructure on the ground, staffing up campaigns, and investing in communications to reach every voter — will determine November's outcomes.

Democrats are the party of decency, choice, and opportunity. We recognize how critical issues like women's reproductive rights, good paying jobs, more accessible health care, lower prescription drug costs, investments in clean energy, affordable housing, racial and economic justice, LGBTQ+ rights, workers' rights, civil rights, reducing student debt, and common sense gun laws are to people here at home.

And Democrats are ready to take action. But we need a well-funded party to execute our winning Neighborhood Leader Program and get-out-the-vote campaign to win. In 2022 alone, we recruited over 2,100 volunteer Neighborhood Leaders who reached out to over 120,000 targeted Democrats by door, phone, and mail, and 90% of those contacted turned out to vote. And so far, we've already recruited and trained over 3,300 volunteer Neighborhood Leaders for 2024!

Our Election Year Fund Drive is now underway to bolster the efforts of all Democratic campaigns in Oregon, from local elections all the way up to the White House. The countdown to Election Day has begun, and the more resources we have now, the better positioned we'll be to connect with each and every voter needed to win.

Mr. Whiting, we cannot do this without you. Our success depends on support from Democrats who have never taken democracy for granted — even when the going gets tough. So please, rush a donation of $35, $55, or more to ensure that Democrats can win throughout Oregon on Election Day.

This is a pivotal moment for our community, our state, and our country. You understand as well as I do that MAGA Republican extremism does not stop at state lines. Because their attacks on our rights, freedoms, and choice — even here in Oregon — remain a pressing threat to our democracy, we are not leaving a single race to chance.

The stakes of this election are too high for us to slow our momentum now. Democratic leaders are committed to fighting for our values. But they can only fight for us if we fight for them.

I hope that you will help elect Oregon Democrats to office by supporting our state party today in the important work of organizing, mobilizing, and turning out voters in Portland and all across our state.

Sincerely,

[Name redacted]
[Title redacted], Democratic Party of Oregon

P.S. We're counting on your support of the Democratic Party of Oregon Victory Fund Election Year Fund Drive with a gift of $35 or more. Your contribution will help keep Oregon Democratic voters energized; build the strongest, well-resourced state party we can; and help elect Democrats who protect our values, respect our democracy, and put our government to work for the benefit of everyone. Thank you!

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Democratic Party of Oregon
Victory Fund
2024 Election Year Fund Drive

Mr. Paul [Middle Initial] Whiting
[Street Address and Apt. No. redacted]
[City, State and ZIP Code redacted]

[✓] YES! I know that we can't take any race for granted in this election and that our Democratic candidates need resources to compete and win in every corner of Oregon. To show the strength of Democrats, I've enclosed my contribution of:

[  ] $35
[  ] $55
[  ] $70
[✓] Other $3.00

Please make your check payable to the Democratic Party of Oregon Victory Fund. Please fill out and sign the form on the back to complete your contribution. Contributions or gifts to the Democratic Party of Oregon are not tax deductible.

Democratic Party of Oregon Victory Fund
[Address redacted]
[City, State and ZIP Code redacted]

To put your gift to work immediately, please visit
www.democrats.org/SPVF24July

And, after I read the letter above, I entered the hyperlink to the referenced webpage, the relevant text of which can be found below:

Support the State Party Victory Fund!

Renew your support today to strengthen your State Party's infrastructure and help fight for our shared Democratic values!

Donate immediately:

Your contribution will benefit Democratic National Committee (DNC) - SPVF.

[  ] Donate $10 →

[  ] Donate $25 →

[  ] Donate $50 →

[  ] Donate $100 →

[  ] Donate $250 →

[  ] Donate $500 →

[  ] Donate $1,000 →

[✓] Other amount $3.00

Please leave a tip for ActBlue

Power the nonprofit fundraising platform Democratic candidates & progressive causes rely on.

[  ] Add $2 tip

[  ] Leave no tip

[✓] Add custom amount $0.21 (7%)

And so, I made a one-time donation to the Democratic Party of Oregon Victory Fund (with a tip to ActBlue) today, August 23rd, 2024, because the "[Democratic Party of Oregon Victory Fund's] Election Year Fund Drive is now underway to bolster the efforts of all Democratic campaigns in Oregon, from local elections all the way up to the White House." That is why "the countdown to Election Day has begun, and the more resources [they] have now, the better positioned [they'll] be to connect with each and every voter needed to win." –Paul Whiting (written August 23rd, 2024, revised August 24th, 2024, revised September 2nd, 2024 and revised October 22nd, 2024)

P.S.: Just so you know, "I have changed the way that I make donations to political, progressive and charitable organizations each month ... due to the fact that I have been spending a considerable percentage of my monthly income on all of these donations." (The reader should know that I am HIV-positive with full-blown AIDS. And I am on Social Security Disability Insurance, or SSDI, so my income is quite limited.) Therefore, "I am reducing how much I donate for the regular mail requests that I receive (to which I choose to respond) to take action." Thus, I will still be responding to some of the regular mail requests that I receive (to which I choose to respond), which are requesting me to take action, but I am reducing the amount that I donate to organizations from which I receive mailers. (Please see my 'August 19th, 2023 Update,' which can be found above.)

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August 23rd, 2024 Update No. 4, Which Also Discusses August 10th, 2024: Happy 2024 Democratic National Convention, which was held in Chicago, Illinois from August 19th, 2024 to August 22nd, 2024!

[Blogger's Note: This 'update' that I am writing today, August 23rd, 2024, is for donations that I made as part of my series of donations for the month of August to Democratic fundraising and coordinating political organizations—and to one campaign—regarding the following:

▪ the national races for the House of Representatives (the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee),
▪ the Senate (the Democratic Senatorial Campaign Committee),
▪ and the President of the United States (the Democratic National Committee and Harris for President, or the Harris Victory Fund),
▪ as well as the state races for the Governors (the Democratic Governors Association),
▪ the Secretaries of State (the Democratic Association of Secretaries of State),
▪ the Attorneys General (the Democratic Attorneys General Association),
▪ and the State Legislatures (the Democratic Legislative Campaign Committee),
▪ in addition to my local Democratic fundraising and coordinating organization (Democratic Party of Oregon), during this eighth month of the year for the 2024 Presidential Election.

Plus, I made donations to Political Action Committees (PACs) that are doing the following:

▪ helping to elect political candidates who are working to stop global warming (Jane Fonda Climate PAC);
▪ helping to elect candidates who are pro-choice women (EMILYs List);
▪ helping to elect candidates who are U.S. Veterans (VoteVets);
▪ helping young people to vote (Voters of Tomorrow PAC);
▪ helping to elect gun safety champions in Congress (Ban Assault Weapons NOW PAC);
▪ helping to mobilize Black voters (Rolling Sea Action Fund);
▪ and helping to support pro public education officials and legislation nationwide (Educated We Stand);
▪ as well as helping to empower young Democrats by boosting youth voter turnout to create a strong voter's blue wave nationwide (Democratic Youth Wave PAC);
▪ in addition to helping to elect legislators who will fight for climate action, clean air and water, and the environment (Oregon Sierra Club Political Action Committee).

Besides that, I made donations to the following:

▪ a civic engagement organization that is helping to educate and empower a new generation of Latinx voters (Voto Latino);
▪ and a social welfare organization that is advancing equality at the ballot box across Indian Country (Four Directions Native Vote);
▪ as well as a non-profit organization and grassroots movement of educators and school staff across the United States who aim to raise awareness and demand safety from gun violence in their communities (Teachers Unify To End Gun Violence).

And these donations to the above-mentioned organizations are listed below in the chronological order in which I made said donations which, in turn, are based upon the general chronological order in which I received each respective request for every organization's donation.]

I received a mailer from the Democratic Legislative Campaign Committee (DLCC) thirteen days ago on August 10th, 2024, with a 'front teaser message' on the envelope that read, "Paul, Nothing matters more than state legislative battles this November.", which stated the following:

[I used to hand-type the text of the documents from these types of mailers on my smartphone; however, it takes a lot of time and energy in order to hand-type these kinds of documents: so, instead, I scanned and copied the documents using Google Lens! Then, I edited the copy of said documents to include all of the italicizing, bolding and/or underscoring where applicable.]

DLCC
GOVERNOR ROY COOPER

Dear DLCC Supporter,

With less than 100 days to go before the most important election of our lifetimes, other races might be capturing the headlines, but nothing matters more to people in their everyday lives than the battles for control of our state legislatures.

Take it from me as a governor who has to work with my state's House and Senate constantly: No level of government has a more powerful, direct impact on people's lives, particularly now that the Supreme Court has pushed more decision making to the states.

State legislatures determine everything from reproductive freedom to the minimum wage, from voting rights to health care coverage, from education to gun laws.

That's why the work of the Democratic Legislative Campaign Committee (DLCC) to elect Democratic state legislators is so profoundly important.

The DLCC is focused not only on flipping state legislatures from Red to Blue — they also work to break Republican supermajorities. And that could not be more critical in places like my home state of North Carolina.

I can personally testify to the profound difference this makes because my time in office has been a tale of two governorships.

From 2019 to 2023, Republicans did not have enough votes to override my vetoes. I was able to stop bad bills and my veto forced them to negotiate and compromise. And we did a lot of good for the people of our state — most notably, expanding Medicaid and providing health care coverage to more than 450,000 North Carolinians. This was a life-changing — and life-saving — achievement.

By contrast, from 2017 to 2018, and again from 2023 to the present, Republicans had supermajorities. They proceeded to override my vetoes of legislation damaging reproductive freedom and other bills undermining the rights and well-being of North Carolinians. This has a devastating impact on the lives of women in our state.

While I am term-limited and will leave office at the end of the year, I want to ensure my successor is a Democrat with effective veto power and a legislature they can work with to solve the problems North Carolinians face.

That's why I'm asking you to rush a generous contribution to the DLCC today, both for the sake of my state and for the sake of people throughout the country who want their legislatures to protect democracy, restore our freedoms, and uphold our rights.

With 44 state legislatures holding elections on November 5th, the DLCC has a vast battlefield and urgently needs your support. Their top strategic priorities are:

➤ Protecting Democratic control of the Michigan House, Minnesota House, and Pennsylvania House.

➤ Ending complete Republican control of the legislatures in Arizona and New Hampshire.

➤ Building Democratic power and stopping Republican supermajorities in the Georgia House, Kansas House and Senate, Wisconsin Assembly and Senate, and — important to me, of course — the North Carolina House and Senate.

I've witnessed first-hand in my state that the DLCC's grassroots organizing work is second to none. They invest in strengthening Democratic caucuses, recruiting and training top-notch candidates, mobilizing armies of volunteers, building dynamic voter contact and get-out-the-vote operations, and more. That's why in 2022 — a supposed "red wave" year — the DLCC flipped four state legislative chambers from Red to Blue and lost none.

I cannot overemphasize how vital the DLCC's work is, especially in a state like North Carolina, where most of the Republican Party has been seized by MAGA extremists and gone off the deep end.

It's all the more important because North Carolina is a purple state. I've won six statewide elections — four as attorney general and two as governor. President Biden came within 1.3% of winning our state in 2020. The only reason Republicans dominate the legislature is extreme partisan gerrymandering. The DLCC has also led the fight to undo Republican vote-rigging and create fair maps here and throughout the country.

Everything is on the line in this election, and we're in the home stretch. Now is the time to defeat MAGA state legislators, elect Democrats, and build power to strengthen our democratic institutions, restore reproductive freedom, and address the needs of everyday people.

So please rush your contribution to the DLCC today. Please join me in fighting for state legislatures that support our democracy, our rights, and our freedom. Thank you.

Sincerely,

Roy Cooper
Governor of North Carolina

P.S. I served as a state representative and state senator before I was elected attorney general and governor. I know firsthand how important the DLCC's work today will be critical to electing tomorrow's Democratic leaders to higher office. There is simply no better investment you can make in our nation's future. I hope we can count on your continued support.

---------------------------------------------

DEAR GOVERNOR COOPER,

We're in the homestretch-with less than 100 days to go and counting. The battle for control of state legislatures is critical to everything I care about from ensuring reproductive freedom and civil rights to defending our democracy and our children's future. That's why I'm rushing my contribution to the Democratic Legislative Campaign Committee (DLCC) for:

[  ] $1,000
[  ] $2,500
[  ] $5,000
[✓] Other $5.00

You can also contribute online by going to DLCC.ORG/Cooper

Paul Whiting
[Street Address and Apt. No. redacted]
[City, State and ZIP Code redacted]

Contributions or gifts to the Democratic Legislative Campaign Committee are not tax deductible. Please make your check payable to DLCC and return it with this form. Please complete the information on the back of this form as required by law.

[Blogger's Note: I feel like I need to clarify why I donated $5.00 to the DLCC—for their mailer to which I responded for the 2024 Democratic National Convention—when I donated $3.00 to both the DNC (please see my 'August 23rd, 2024 Update No. 1, Which Also Discusses July 22nd, 2024' that can be found above) and the Democratic Party of Oregon Victory Fund (please see my 'August 23rd, 2024 Update No. 3, Which Also Discusses July 31st, 2024' that can be found above) for their mailers! You see, the DLCC donation was made through FastAction, which does not offer a tip box. And I budgeted for these three mailer donations (the DNC, the Democratic Party of Oregon Victory Fund and the DLCC) at $3.00 per donation, which is how much I usually donate to political organizations, or campaigns, for donation solicitations that I receive through the regular mail. Plus, I try to tip ActBlue—the main Democratic payment portal—at approximately 7% of my donation, which is about $0.21 for $3.00. Thus, since I could not tip through the FastAction payment portal, I was planning to donate $3.21 for the DLCC donation—however—I accidentally donated $5.00 instead! (I hope that makes sense.)]

And so, I made a one-time donation to the DLCC (this donation was made through FastAction, which does not offer a tip box) today, August 23rd, 2024, because "everything is on the line in this election, and we're in the home stretch," so "now is the time to defeat MAGA state legislators, elect Democrats, and build power to strengthen our democratic institutions, restore reproductive freedom, and address the needs of everyday people." –Paul Whiting (written August 23rd, 2024, revised August 24th, 2024, revised September 2nd, 2024 and revised November 3rd, 2024)

P.S.: Just so you know, "I have changed the way that I make donations to political, progressive and charitable organizations each month ... due to the fact that I have been spending a considerable percentage of my monthly income on all of these donations." (The reader should know that I am HIV-positive with full-blown AIDS. And I am on Social Security Disability Insurance, or SSDI, so my income is quite limited.) Therefore, "I am reducing how much I donate for the regular mail requests that I receive (to which I choose to respond) to take action." Thus, I will still be responding to some of the regular mail requests that I receive (to which I choose to respond), which are requesting me to take action, but I am reducing the amount that I donate to organizations from which I receive mailers. (Please see my 'August 19th, 2023 Update,' which can be found above.)

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August 23rd, 2024 Update No. 5, Written From August 24th, 2024 To August 28th, 2024, Which Also Discusses August 5th, 2024, August 7th, 2024, August 8th, 2024, August 19th, 2024, August 21st, 2024, August 22nd, 2024 And August 23rd, 2024: Happy 2024 Democratic National Convention, which was held in Chicago, Illinois from August 19th, 2024 to August 22nd, 2024!

[Blogger's Note: This 'update' that I am writing from August 24th, 2024 to August 28th, 2024 is for donations that I made as part of my series of donations for the month of August to Democratic fundraising and coordinating political organizations—and to one campaign—regarding the following:

▪ the national races for the House of Representatives (the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee),
▪ the Senate (the Democratic Senatorial Campaign Committee),
▪ and the President of the United States (the Democratic National Committee and Harris for President, or the Harris Victory Fund),
▪ as well as the state races for the Governors (the Democratic Governors Association),
▪ the Secretaries of State (the Democratic Association of Secretaries of State),
▪ the Attorneys General (the Democratic Attorneys General Association),
▪ and the State Legislatures (the Democratic Legislative Campaign Committee),
▪ in addition to my local Democratic fundraising and coordinating organization (Democratic Party of Oregon), during this eighth month of the year for the 2024 Presidential Election.

Plus, I made donations to Political Action Committees (PACs) that are doing the following:

▪ helping to elect political candidates who are working to stop global warming (Jane Fonda Climate PAC);
▪ helping to elect candidates who are pro-choice women (EMILYs List);
▪ helping to elect candidates who are U.S. Veterans (VoteVets);
▪ helping young people to vote (Voters of Tomorrow PAC);
▪ helping to elect gun safety champions in Congress (Ban Assault Weapons NOW PAC);
▪ helping to mobilize Black voters (Rolling Sea Action Fund);
▪ and helping to support pro public education officials and legislation nationwide (Educated We Stand);
▪ as well as helping to empower young Democrats by boosting youth voter turnout to create a strong voter's blue wave nationwide (Democratic Youth Wave PAC);
▪ in addition to helping to elect legislators who will fight for climate action, clean air and water, and the environment (Oregon Sierra Club Political Action Committee).

Besides that, I made donations to the following:

▪ a civic engagement organization that is helping to educate and empower a new generation of Latinx voters (Voto Latino);
▪ and a social welfare organization that is advancing equality at the ballot box across Indian Country (Four Directions Native Vote);
▪ as well as a non-profit organization and grassroots movement of educators and school staff across the United States who aim to raise awareness and demand safety from gun violence in their communities (Teachers Unify To End Gun Violence).

And these donations to the above-mentioned organizations are listed below in the chronological order in which I made said donations which, in turn, are based upon the general chronological order in which I received each respective request for every organization's donation.]

I have combined every political campaign, or political organization, donation request per day (made via email or text message) into one 'update' for each day that I donate, so that I don't have to keep writing individual 'updates' for political campaign donations, or political organization donations!

You see, I used to write one 'update' for each of the individual campaign political donations, or political organization donations, that I made virtually every time that I made a political donation. And within each 'update' I included the text from each political campaign's, or political organization's, requesting email or text message, along with some of each campaign's, or organization's, donation page text on the ActBlue website, as well as how much I donated to each campaign, or organization, plus whether I included a tip to ActBlue and how much I tipped.

(By the way, I still write individual 'updates' for political campaign, or political organization, mailers that I receive through the regular mail, because they are usually more elaborate political donation requests, which is why I don't include them with these email or text message requests.)

Plus, the 2024 election cycle is now in the homestretch and I have made a goal of donating only one $1.00 donation per local political campaign here in Oregon (more on that below), or $2.00 per political organization, for the rest of the election cycle! And that means after I make that one donation per campaign, or per organization—regardless of whether I donated in 2023, or 2024—I am only donating once per campaign, or per organization, or as determined by me on a case-by-case basis. And I am only donating once per PAC (Political Action Committee) for the entire election cycle, or as determined by me on a case-by-case basis, because that is all that I can really afford for the 2024 Presidential Election. (The reader should know that I am HIV-positive with full-blown AIDS. And I am on Social Security Disability Insurance, or SSDI, so my income is quite limited.) I hope that makes sense!

Besides that, as of March 21st, 2024, I am no longer donating to individual political campaigns for the foreseeable future (with the exception of local campaigns here in Oregon), or as determined by me on a case-by-case basis (please see my 'March 21st, 2024 Update No. 2,' which can be found above), as I have explained below:

...Alright, I have a big announcement to make: I am no longer donating to individual political campaigns for the foreseeable future—or as determined by me on a case-by-case basis!

And I have made this decision based upon how much these individual political campaign donations are costing in my 'monthly donating budget'—even though I am only donating $3.00 with a $0.21 tip to ActBlue—since I totally changed the way that I approach how I calculate what I am spending on my credit card each month, starting in 2024! So now, I take the total amount that I have available in my monthly budget for my minimum payment on my credit card—as well as my extra payment—and I calculate how much I am reducing that amount each time that I charge on my credit card.

That way, I am very aware of the amount by which I am reducing my total available credit card payments for the month (the minimum payment and the extra payment) in order to, hopefully, pay more on my credit card than I am spending! Plus, I am also utilizing some funds from my budgeted expenses, as well as some funds from my savings, to make sure that I am paying a little more than I am spending while—at the same time—I am also trying to spend less on my credit card.

Therefore, at the start of 2024, I calculated that I could still make ONE $3.00 donation per political campaign for the entire election cycle. And that means after I have made that one donation per campaign—regardless of whether I donated in 2023, or 2024—I have only donated once per campaign, which is what I have been doing so far!

However, it's still more than I can afford given my 'monthly donating budget,' which is why I have decided to stop donating to individual political campaigns entirely—or as determined by me on a case-by-case basis. And so, I will still be making some donations to individual political campaigns (such as to Kamala Harris's campaign for President of the United States, or to local campaigns here in Oregon), but I am not donating like I have been up until this point—which has been virtually every time that I have received a political campaign donation request via email or text message—because I seriously cannot afford to donate that much for the rest of the 2024 Presidential Election cycle, as well as for the foreseeable future.

And to clarify one more thing: In the past, I used to only donate to the main Democratic fundraising and coordinating organizations—rather than to individual campaigns—since that's all I really could afford given my 'monthly spending budget,' because I am "low income." Plus, those Democratic fundraising and coordinating organizations help all of the individual political campaigns with funding, which is why I used to only donate to those main organizations! And I only started donating to individual political campaigns in 2022, since I was "doing everything in my power to help Democrats win in the 2022 Midterm Elections!" Therefore, this decision to stop donating to individual political campaigns (with the exception of presidential campaigns and local campaigns, or as determined by me on a case-by-case basis) is really just going back to the way that I used to make political donations.

...The 2024 election cycle is in full gear and I have made a goal of donating only one $2.00 donation per local political campaign here in Oregon (more on that below), or $3.00 per political organization, for the rest of the election cycle! And that means after I make that one donation per campaign, or per organization—regardless of whether I donated in 2023, or 2024—I am only donating once per campaign, or per organization, or as determined by me on a case-by-case basis. And I am only donating once per PAC (Political Action Committee) for the entire election cycle, or as determined by me on a case-by-case basis, because that is all that I can really afford for the 2024 Presidential Election. (The reader should know that I am HIV-positive with full-blown AIDS. And I am on Social Security Disability Insurance, or SSDI, so my income is quite limited.) I hope that makes sense! ...

... In addition to that, starting on June 16th, 2024, I have decided to adjust the amount that I donate per political organization again, so that I can donate to more political organizations and PACs (Political Action Committees) while I am still staying within my 'monthly donating budget.' Below, please find a description of my previous adjustment—which started on May 12th, 2024—to explain how I have recently adjusted the amounts that I am contributing, since I am donating to more political organizations:

...The 2024 election cycle is in full gear and I have made a goal of donating only one $3.00 donation per local political campaign here in Oregon (more on that below), or $4.00 per political organization, for the rest of the election cycle! And that means after I make that one donation per campaign, or per organization—regardless of whether I donated in 2023, or 2024—I am only donating once per campaign, or per organization, or as determined by me on a case-by-case basis. And I am only donating once per PAC (Political Action Committee) for the entire election cycle, or as determined by me on a case-by-case basis, because that is all that I can really afford for the 2024 Presidential Election. (The reader should know that I am HIV-positive with full-blown AIDS. And I am on Social Security Disability Insurance, or SSDI, so my income is quite limited.) I hope that makes sense! ...

... In addition to that, I used to donate "$5.00 per political organization"; however, starting on May 12th, 2024, I decided to adjust that amount, so that I can donate to more political organizations and PACs (Political Action Committees) while I am still staying within my 'monthly donating budget.'

Thus, as I partially explained above, for the rest of the 2024 election cycle—as well as for the foreseeable future—I have made a goal of donating $3.00 per local political campaign only here in Oregon (with a 7% tip to ActBlue of $0.21), or as determined by me on a case-by-case basis; and a goal of donating $4.00 per political organization for donation requests via email or text message (with a 7% tip to ActBlue of $0.28), or as determined by me on a case-by-case basis; as well as a goal of donating $5.00 per political organization, or per PAC, for donation requests via the regular mail (with a 7% tip to ActBlue of $0.35), or as determined by me on a case-by-case basis.

To sum it up, then: I am essentially keeping the same total individual campaign donation amount of $3.21, but I am only donating to local campaigns here in Oregon, or as determined by me on a case-by-case basis; and I am reducing the total donation amount for political organizations and PACs for email and text message donation requests to $4.28 (from $5.35), or as determined by me on a case-by-case basis; plus, I am reducing the total donation amount for political organizations and PACs for regular mail donation requests to $5.35 (from $7.51), or as determined by me on a case-by-case basis.

Therefore, I recently used to donate "$4.00 per political organization"; however, I have decided to adjust that amount again, so that I can donate to more political organizations and PACs (Political Action Committees) while I am still staying within my 'monthly donating budget,' since I am now donating to more organizations as the 2024 Presidential Election cycle continues.

Thus, as I partially explained above, for the rest of the 2024 election cycle—as well as for the foreseeable future—I have made a goal of donating $2.00 per local political campaign only here in Oregon (with a 7% tip to ActBlue of $0.14), or as determined by me on a case-by-case basis; and a goal of donating $3.00 per political organization for donation requests via email or text message (with a 7% tip to ActBlue of $0.21), or as determined by me on a case-by-case basis; as well as a goal of donating $4.00 per political organization, or per PAC, for donation requests via the regular mail (with a 7% tip to ActBlue of $0.28), or as determined by me on a case-by-case basis.

To sum it up, then: I am reducing the total individual campaign donation amount to $2.14 (from $3.21) and I am still only donating to local campaigns here in Oregon, or as determined by me on a case-by-case basis; and I am reducing the total donation amount for political organizations and PACs for email and text message donation requests to $3.21 (from $4.28), or as determined by me on a case-by-case basis; plus, I am reducing the total donation amount for political organizations and PACs for regular mail donation requests to $4.28 (from $5.35), or as determined by me on a case-by-case basis.

Therefore, I recently used to donate "$3.00 per political organization"; however, I have decided to adjust that amount yet again, so that I can donate to more political organizations and PACs (Political Action Committees) while I am still staying within my 'monthly donating budget,' since I am now donating to more organizations as the 2024 Presidential Election cycle enters the homestretch.

Thus, as I partially explained above, for the rest of the 2024 election cycle—as well as for the foreseeable future—I have made a goal of donating $1.00 per local political campaign only here in Oregon (with a 7% tip to ActBlue of $0.07), or as determined by me on a case-by-case basis; and a goal of donating $2.00 per political organization for donation requests via email or text message (with a 7% tip to ActBlue of $0.14), or as determined by me on a case-by-case basis; as well as a goal of donating $3.00 per political organization, or per PAC, for donation requests via the regular mail (with a 7% tip to ActBlue of $0.21), or as determined by me on a case-by-case basis.

To sum it up, then: I am reducing the total individual campaign donation amount to $1.07 (from $2.14) and I am still only donating to local campaigns here in Oregon, or as determined by me on a case-by-case basis; and I am reducing the total donation amount for political organizations and PACs for email and text message donation requests to $2.14 (from $3.21), or as determined by me on a case-by-case basis; plus, I am reducing the total donation amount for political organizations and PACs for regular mail donation requests to $3.21 (from $4.28), or as determined by me on a case-by-case basis.

So, without further ado...

The first political communication to which I responded on August 23rd, 2024 was a text message that I received on August 5th, 2024, from the Jane Fonda Climate PAC (Jane Fonda Climate Political Action Committee), which stated the following:

Hi, Jane Fonda here.

It’s official — today I am proud to endorse Kamala Harris for the next president of the United States. Not just because Donald Trump would be a disaster for our Democracy and our planet, but because she is the right person for the job.

Between now and November 5, the Harris campaign will need all the support they can get to reach as many voters as possible with her message of hope for our future.

Please follow this link to learn more about why I’m endorsing Kamala, and to split a contribution to support her campaign and JanePAC’s efforts to elect climate champions at every level of government:***

Jane Fonda
President, Jane Fonda Climate PAC

Help Elect Kamala Harris for President!

Imbed of a YouTube video titled, "Jane Fonda Endorses Kamala Harris for President 2024" by Jane PAC

https://youtu.be/9zteDFudZOg?si=7G5k3ogXbc2TuQnE

[Blogger's Note: I watched the Jane Fonda Climate PAC video titled, "Jane Fonda Endorses Kamala Harris for President 2024" on YouTube.]

As we approach Election Day, the Harris campaign will need all the support they can get to reach as many voters as possible with her message of hope for our future.

Will you split a contribution today to support her campaign and our efforts to elect climate champions at every level of government?

Split your donation:

Total Contribution $2.00

Customize amounts

Jane Fonda Climate PAC $1.00

Kamala Harris (President) $1.00

Donate $2

Please leave a tip for ActBlue

Power the nonprofit fundraising platform Democratic candidates & progressive causes rely on.

[ ] Add $2 tip

[ ] Leave no tip

[✓] Add custom amount $0.14 (7%)

And so, I made a one-time donation to the Jane Fonda Climate PAC (with a tip to ActBlue) on August 23rd, 2024, because "[Jane Fonda is] proud to endorse Kamala Harris for the next president of the United States." That is why I contributed to Jane PAC "to support her campaign and [Jane PAC's] efforts to elect climate champions at every level of government."

---------------------------------------------

The second political communication to which I responded on August 23rd, 2024 was a text message that I received on August 7th, 2024, from Teachers Unify To End Gun Violence, which stated the following:

A gun violence prevention champion and a former teacher walk into a classroom...

Paul — You probably heard that VP Kamala Harris just doubled-down on her commitment to bringing educators to the table — she chose Governor Tim Walz as her running mate!

And on Election Day, Americans will have a choice, too:

Elect a gun violence prevention champion and former educator, ready to ban assault weapons...

OR

Elect a pair of NRA-endorsed extremists, ready to ban books.

We're proud to say we pick Kamala and Tim every time. But they're up against a gun lobby guaranteed to spend millions to defeat them.

It won't be easy — but if we can uplift this Harris-Walz ticket, we will ALL win a safer future.

So right now, Paul — Will you chip in $25 today to elect candidates like Kamala and Tim who will make our communities safer from gun violence? >>***

- [Name redacted] @ Teachers Unify Action

TEACHERS UNIFY TO END GUN VIOLENCE

Support our work today!

"This work takes more than thoughts and prayers. It takes our collective voices united to demand change." [Name redacted], Columbine Surviving Educator & Columbine HS [High School] teacher

Donate immediately:

Your contribution will benefit Teachers Unify to End Gun Violence.

[  ] Donate $25 →

[  ] Donate $100 →

[  ] Donate $250 →

[  ] Donate $1,000 →

[✓] Other amount $2.00

Please leave a tip for ActBlue

Power the nonprofit fundraising platform Democratic candidates & progressive causes rely on.

[  ] Add $2 tip

[✓] Leave no tip [I pressed this button by mistake!*]

[  ] Add custom amount

And so, I made a one-time donation to Teachers Unify to End Gun Violence (without a tip to ActBlue) on August 23rd, 2024, because "VP Kamala Harris just doubled-down on her commitment to bringing educators to the table — she chose Governor Tim Walz as her running mate!" Therefore, "on Election Day, Americans will have a choice ... Elect a gun violence prevention champion and former educator, ready to ban assault weapons... OR ... Elect a pair of NRA-endorsed extremists, ready to ban books."

*P.S.: I usually leave a $0.14 (7%) tip to ActBlue for my typical $2.00 donations to political campaigns; however, I accidentally pressed the "Leave no tip" button, rather than pressing the "Add custom amount" button—like I usually do—with this donation!

---------------------------------------------

The third political communication to which I responded on August 23rd, 2024 was a text message that I received on August 8th, 2024, from Four Directions Native Vote (Four Directions), which stated the following:

Paul, we can’t thank you enough for your donation. The work we do is only possible thanks to grassroots supporters like you.

It’s hard to believe it’s been over 20 years since we founded Four Directions. We started small, with voter registration drives on South Dakota’s Indian reservations.

Since then, we’ve expanded across 8 states and made a critical difference in close elections. In SD [South Dakota] alone, our GOTV ['Get Out The Vote'] efforts in 2004 more than doubled Native voter turnout.

And in WI [Wisconsin], Native turnout in their Supreme Court election far exceeded predictions thanks to our extensive canvassing work, as well as a forum we organized with now Justice [name redacted]. The other candidate was invited but did not show up.

Our hard work has proven the true impact of enfranchising our historically underserved community.

We can’t take all the credit. We truly couldn’t have done this without you.

Make no mistake though, our work is just getting started. We’re currently planning our largest voter outreach, registration drives, and Native voter protection ever on reservations across the country.

We’ve set high Native voter turnout goals in Arizona, Nevada, Wisconsin and Montana – because Native voters deserve a stronger voice in our Nation’s governance.

At the end of the day, we not only empower Tribes and their members, for tribal citizens we are able to hire for Native voter engagement, help put food on their family’s table.

From the bottom of our hearts, philamayaye (thank you).

- [Name redacted] and [Name redacted], [Titles redacted] of Four Directions

Four
Directions

Take a stand for Native American voting rights

Four Directions is a Native-led voting rights group, organizing at the county level in critical states like Georgia and Arizona.

Your donation is critical and provides us with the support we need to advance equality at the ballot box across Indian Country.

Chip in now to help us make history again through 2021 and beyond!

Donate immediately:

Your contribution will benefit Four Directions.

[  ] Donate $50 →

[  ] Donate $100 →

[  ] Donate $250 →

[  ] Donate $500 →

[  ] Donate $1,000 →

[  ] Donate $2,500 →

[  ] Donate $5,000 →

[✓] Other amount $2.00

Please leave a tip for ActBlue

Power the nonprofit fundraising platform Democratic candidates & progressive causes rely on.

[  ] Add $2 tip

[✓] Leave no tip [I pressed this button by mistake!*]

[  ] Add custom amount

And so, I made a one-time donation to Four Directions Native Vote (Four Directions) (without a tip to ActBlue) on August 23rd, 2024, because "[Four Directions is] currently planning [their] largest voter outreach, registration drives, and Native voter protection ever on reservations across the country," since [they've] set high Native voter turnout goals in Arizona, Nevada, Wisconsin and Montana – because Native voters deserve a stronger voice in our Nation’s governance."

*P.S.: I usually leave a $0.14 (7%) tip to ActBlue for my typical $2.00 donations to political campaigns; however, I accidentally pressed the "Leave no tip" button, rather than pressing the "Add custom amount" button—like I usually do—with this donation!

---------------------------------------------

The fourth political communication to which I responded on August 23rd, 2024 was an email from the Democratic Senatorial Campaign Committee (DSCC) that I received on August 19th, 2024, with the subject line, "Subject line", which stated the following:

BREAKING: President Biden just stepped off stage at the Democratic National Convention!

Thank you, President Biden!

Join thousands of Democrats in thanking President Biden for making historic progress for our nation!

SIGN THE CARD***

Paul, President Biden just stepped off stage at the Democratic National Convention -- inspiring Democrats everywhere with his legacy of patriotism.

It's no secret that Biden has been an outstanding public servant. He's served in unprecedented times with impactful leadership -- from creating over 15 million jobs to signing the most significant gun safety reform in decades to introducing the landmark Violence Against Women Act!

We're preparing a thank you card from TOP Democrats across the country to show our gratitude for everything the president has accomplished. But we still need 10,000 more signatures from Oregon before we can send it! So please, Paul, sign on now:

Sign the card thanking President Biden for his decades of public service >>***

SIGN THE CARD***

Thank you for sharing this moment with us,

Team DSCC

DSCC
Democratic Senatorial Campaign Committee

Thank you, President Biden.

Thanks for signing the card! Now, please answer a few more questions:

Would you like to add a personal message for President Biden?

[✓] "THANK YOU, President Biden!"
[  ] No thanks!

For over fifty years, Joe Biden has served the American people. Through it all, he's made our country stronger, freer, and fairer.

How will President Biden's legacy be remembered?

[✓] Extremely positively
[  ] Somewhat positively
[  ] Not sure
[  ] Other

President Biden has endorsed Kamala Harris for president in 2024. Will you be voting for her in November?

[✓] Yes!
[  ] No.

To preserve President Biden's legacy, we MUST protect the progress he's made. But if Republicans take back the Senate majority, they'll do everything they can to erase that progress -- and we can't let it happen!

We've launched an emergency $50,000 fundraising goal to defend the Senate, so please, will you chip in $55 or more to keep the Senate in Democratic hands?

Please use the links below to start a weekly donation through ActBlue:

[  ] I'll chip in $55.
[  ] I'll chip in $165.
[  ] I'll chip in $220.
[✓] I'll chip in another amount.*

*[Blogger's Note: I selected this option—although I made a one-time donation, rather than a weekly donation—because it's an option that got me to the donation webpage!]

---------------------------------------------

DSCC

Donate now to SUPERCHARGE our Senate majority!

CNN says multiple GOP seats could flip blue this year — but with Mitch McConnell's megadonors already playing offense, it's going to take all hands on deck to win!

Please, will you chip in now to protect our historic progress by supercharging our Democratic majority?

Donate immediately:

Your contribution will benefit DSCC.

[✓] Donate $2 →

[  ] Donate $220 →

[  ] Donate $550 →

[  ] Donate $1,100 →

[  ] Donate $2,200 →

[  ] Donate $2,700 →

[  ] Other amount

Please leave a tip for ActBlue

Power the nonprofit fundraising platform Democratic candidates & progressive causes rely on.

[  ] Add $2 tip

[  ] Leave no tip

[✓] Add custom amount $0.14 (7%)

And so, I made a one-time donation to the DSCC (with a tip to ActBlue) on August 23rd, 2024, in order to "join thousands of Democrats in thanking President Biden for making historic progress for our nation!"

---------------------------------------------

The fifth political communication to which I responded on August 23rd, 2024 was an email from Ban Assault Weapons NOW PAC [Ban Assault Weapons NOW (BAWN) Political Action Committee, or BAWN PAC] that I received on August 19th, 2024, with the subject line, "FWD - OFFICIAL Thank You card for President Joe Biden", which stated the following:

Paul, this is a truly HISTORIC day:

President Joe Biden SELFLESSLY bowed down from the race for the presidency against convicted felon Donald Trump just last month.

And in only 6 hours, President Biden takes the stage at the Democratic National Convention to OFFICIALLY pass the torch to Vice President Kamala Harris.

We’re so proud of Joe Biden’s hard work and accomplishments – like passing the first gun safety bill in 30 years and opening the first-ever White House Office of Gun Violence Prevention.

Now, we’re asking one final time before President Biden’s historic speech at 11AM: Will you add your name to our card to thank President Biden for his work alongside our movement to end gun violence and BAN assault weapons? TONS of Democrats have already said their thanks, but we still need [6] more grassroots gun safety champions from [ZIP Code redacted] to sign the card to show Biden how grateful we are! Will you add your name ASAP?

THANK JOE BIDEN >>***

— FORWARDED MESSAGE —

From: Ban Assault Weapons Now

BREAKING:
PRESIDENT BIDEN ANNOUNCES HE WILL NOT SEEK REELECTION

Paul – Stop EVERYTHING you’re doing. Don’t click away from this email. Our beloved President Biden just made the tremendously brave decision to step down from the 2024 Presidential race. Now, we need to show President Biden how appreciative we are for his lifelong service to our country and incredible gun safety progress.

Paul, will you take 30 seconds and sign our official Thank You Card for President Biden before midnight? We need 500 grassroots Democrats to add their names before midnight. >>

If you’re grateful that President Biden DEFEATED Trump in 2020…

If you’re grateful for President Biden’s HISTORIC gun safety progress…

If you’re grateful for everything President Biden has done to serve our country…

Then add your name to our official THANK YOU card for President Biden before we send it to him at midnight!

SIGN THE THANK YOU CARD >>

Thank you,
Team Ban Assault Weapons Now

P.S. We won’t mince words: Kamala Harris will have a tough battle ahead as our Democratic nominee. Can you chip in before midnight to help us rush resources to the Tour to Save Democracy, ELECT gun safety Democrats running in tight races from coast to coast, and hand Trump the defeat he deserves? >>

[Blogger's Note: I already signed BAWN's official THANK YOU card for President Biden on July 21st, 2024 (please see my 'July 21st, 2024 Update No. 1, Written From July 26th, 2024 To July 30th, 2024,' which can be found above), however, I signed it again on August 23rd, 2024!]

Action Network

Thank Joe Biden

Sign Joe Biden's card to thank him for his decades of public service!

SPONSORED BY
BAN ASSAULT WEAPONS NOW PAC

SIGN JOE BIDEN'S CARD TO THANK HIM FOR HIS DECADES OF PUBLIC SERVICE!

EMAIL: [redacted]
MOBILE NUMBER: [redacted]

Check the box below to sign the card THANKING Joe Biden for his leadership 25 our President

[✓] Yes, please add my name!

Do you approve of the job President Biden has done as president?

[✓] Yes
[  ] No
[  ] Unsure

On a scale of 1-5, how would you rate the job that Joe Biden has done as president?

[✓] 5-Great
[  ] 4-Good
[  ] 3-Average
[  ] 2-Poor
[  ] 1-Bad

Which of Joe Biden's actions as president do you support? (Select all that apply)

[  ] Opening the first-ever White House Office of Gun Violence Prevention
[  ] Securing millions of COVID-19 vaccines
[  ] Passing the Bi-Partisan Safer Communities Act
[  ] Re-engaging in the World Health Organization
[  ] Reversing Trump's Muslim Ban
[  ] Reopening Obamacare enrollment
[  ] Ending Trump's Transgender Military Ban
[  ] Unveiling the American jobs Plan to create thousands of jobs
[  ] Sending stimulus checks to millions of hardworking families
[✓] ALL OF THE ABOVE

How concerned are you by Donald Trump's despicable attempts to destroy Joe Biden's legacy?

[✓] Very concerned
[  ] Concerned
[  ] Somewhat concerned
[  ] Not concerned at all
[  ] Unsure

The Tour to Save Demacracy is covering over 4,400 miles to visit 20 swing districts from coast to coast. Can you make a small donation to help them rally Gen Z voters around gun safety Democrats?

[✓] Yes!

With President Biden out of the race we can't afford for you to sit this one out. So please chip in anything you can!

Yes! I'll donate $5 >>
Yes! I'll donate $15 >>
Yes! I'll donate $35 >>
Yes! I'll donate $50 >>
[✓] I'll donate another amount >>

SUBMIT >>

---------------------------------------------

CONTRIBUTE TO THE TOUR TO SAVE DEMOCRACY!

BAWN is partnering with [name redacted] as he embarks on a summer tour to save our democracy. [Name redacted] and a collective of Gen Z activists will bus across the nation stopping in Republican-held swing districts to rally young voters, flip these seats blue, and elect strong gun safety Democrats.

But [name redacted] is counting on grassroots support to fund his tour and make it possible.

Will you rush in a gift before midnight? Your contribution will directly support necessary parts of [name redacted's] tour, like gas, food, and lodging expenses.

Donate immediately:

Your contribution will benefit Ban Assault Weapons NOW PAC.

[  ] Donate $25 →

[  ] Donate $50 →

[  ] Donate $100 →

[  ] Donate $250 →

[  ] Donate $500 →

[  ] Donate $1,000 →

[✓] Other amount $2.00

Please leave a tip for ActBlue

Power the nonprofit fundraising platform Democratic candidates & progressive causes rely on.

[  ] Add $2 tip

[  ] Leave no tip

[✓] Add custom amount $0.14 (7%)

And so, I made a one-time donation to Ban Assault Weapons NOW PAC (BAWN PAC) (with a tip to ActBlue) on August 23rd, 2024, in order to "add [my] name to [BAWN's] card to thank President Biden for his work alongside our movement to end gun violence and BAN assault weapons."

---------------------------------------------

The sixth political communication to which I responded on August 23rd, 2024 was a text message that I received on August 19th, 2024, from the Rolling Sea Action Fund, which stated the following:

❗NEW POLLING UPDATE❗

Paul, this is huge news. Trump and Kamala are virtually TIED in at five, key swing states.

If we Kamala can pull off a win in these states, we can make sure Trump never returns to the White House.

𝗧𝗵𝗮𝘁'𝘀 𝘄𝗵𝘆 from now until November, our organizers are working in swing states to turnout Black voters and make sure Kamala takes the lead and stays there.

𝗧𝗵𝗮𝘁'𝘀 𝘄𝗵𝘆 we're reaching out to loyal Democrats like you, Paul. We rely on grassroots donations to power our organizing programs across the country.

𝗧𝗵𝗮𝘁'𝘀 𝘄𝗵𝘆 𝘄𝗲'𝗿𝗲 𝗮𝘀𝗸𝗶𝗻𝗴: Will you chip in $5 right now to our Elect Kamala Fund? Every dollar you give will be matched 400% and will power our organizing programs in swing states this election.***

Rolling Sea Action Fund

ROLLING SEA ACTION FUND

400%-Match Activated!

President Biden Just announced he's dropping out of the Presidential election and endorsed Karnala Harris!!!

We can elect the first Black female President in HISTORY.

But Republicans have already started spewing racist attacks towards Kamala and she's starting her campaign from SQUARE ONE.

Can you join generous grassroots supporters and rush a donation of ANY amount to help us BOOST Black voter turnout in November? >>

Donate immediately:

Your contribution will benefit Rolling Sea Action Fund.

[  ] Donate $5 →

[  ] Donate $15 →

[  ] Donate $35 →

[  ] Donate $50 →

[  ] Donate $100 →

[  ] Donate $250 →

[  ] Donate $500 →

[✓] Other amount $2.00

Please leave a tip for ActBlue

Power the nonprofit fundraising platform Democratic candidates & progressive causes rely on.

[  ] Add $2 tip

[  ] Leave no tip

[✓] Add custom amount $0.14 (7%)

And so, I made a one-time donation to the Rolling Seas Action Fund (with a tip to ActBlue) on August 23rd, 2024, in order to contribute "[$2] right now to our Elect Kamala Fund," because "every dollar you give will be matched 400% and will power our organizing programs in swing states this election."

---------------------------------------------

The seventh political communication to which I responded on August 23rd, 2024 was a text message that I received on August 19th, 2024, from the Democratic Association of Secretaries of State (DASS), which stated the following:

Hi Paul,

Secretary of State [name redacted] here.

Here in [state name redacted], we’ve seen the GOP supermajorities in the House and Senate change election laws so fewer ballots are counted – not more.

Unfortunately, in the wake of Trump’s Big Lie that the 2020 election was stolen, this has become a national trend…

GOP-led states across the nation are making it even harder for many Americans to exercise their right to vote.

We’ve also seen extreme MAGA Republicans outright deny election results and push conspiracy theories about the integrity of our electoral system.

We must remain vigilant and continue to support those who safeguard our democratic process. There’s too much at stake to sit on the sidelines.

[State name redacted] has a solid reputation of running efficient elections. My opponent wants to dismantle that if he becomes Secretary of State.

We can’t let that happen.

I’m up for a tough re-election this November and I’m counting on your support. Please chip in $5 to my friends at the Democratic Association of Secretaries of State:***

Thank you,

[Name redacted]

Democratic Association of Secretaries of State

When federal action stalls, state laws decide the future of our republic. We can't let those laws fall into the hands of partisan, conspiracy-loving GOP legislatures.

Our Democratic Secretaries protect our elections — even when Congress is deadlocked. They're the last line of defense for your rights, and they need your help this year more than ever. Rush a donation now and defend our Secretaries of State!

Donate immediately:

Your contribution will benefit DASS PAC.

[  ] Donate $15 →

[  ] Donate $35 →

[  ] Donate $50 →

[  ] Donate $100 →

[  ] Donate $250 →

[✓] Other amount $2.00

Please leave a tip for ActBlue

Power the nonprofit fundraising platform Democratic candidates & progressive causes rely on.

[  ] Add $2 tip

[  ] Leave no tip

[✓] Add custom amount $0.14 (7%)

And so, I made a one-time donation to the DASS (with a tip to ActBlue) on August 23rd, 2024, because "in [state name redacted], we’ve seen the GOP supermajorities in the House and Senate change election laws so fewer ballots are counted – not more." And "[name redacted is] up for a tough re-election this November and [she's] counting on [my] support," which is why I contributed "[$2] to [her] friends at the Democratic Association of Secretaries of State."

---------------------------------------------

The eighth political communication(s) to which I responded on August 23rd, 2024 were two emails from Educated We Stand (or, 'Educated. We Stand').

The first email that I received from Educated We Stand was on August 21st, 2024, with the subject line, "[Name redacted's] message", which stated the following:

Paul –

We wanted to make sure we brought [name redacted's] email back to the top of your inbox. The vibes have definitely shifted in this election since Kamala Harris became the Democratic nominee, and we want to capitalize on this momentum to defeat Moms for Liberty in November.

We’re in a rush to raise another $5,000 by Thursday night. Can you chip in to Educated We Stand to help us support School Board Candidates who can win?

Thanks so much,
Educated We Stand

-------- Begin Original Message --------

EDUCATED. WE STAND

Have you felt the tide shifting, Paul?

Since Kamala Harris became the Democratic nominee for President and Tim Walz joined the ticket, things have changed. People are energized, they’re donating, they’re knocking on doors, they’re ready to fight.

And the MAGA right-wing doesn’t know what to do about it. They don’t know how to attack the Harris Walz ticket without being racist, sexist, or a combination of the two, and they’re struggling to run strong campaign operations across battleground states.

But Moms for Liberty isn’t going to go away without a fight. They are well-organized, well-funded, and they have chapters in 48 states. We have donors from all fifty states, and if we’re going to defeat extremist Moms for Liberty candidates, we’ll need every one of those supporters to fight with us.

We’re launching a mid-month fundraising campaign to ensure we have the resources to win this fight. We need to raise $5,000 by Thursday night to get there. Will you pitch in $1 to Educated We Stand to help us?

If you've saved your payment information with ActBlue Express, your donation will go through immediately:

[  ] DONATE $5 NOW!
[  ] DONATE $15 NOW!
[  ] DONATE $20 NOW!
[  ] DONATE $25 NOW!
[  ] DONATE $50 NOW!
[✓] ANOTHER AMOUNT***

We’ve felt the energy shift over the past month and we know you’ve felt it, too. So let us capitalize on this moment together and push the momentum even further.

Make your donation to Educated We Stand to defeat Moms for Liberty.

Thank you,
[Name redacted]

And the second email that I received from Educated We Stand was also on August 21st, 2024, with the subject line, "Our candidates stood tall last night", which stated the following:

Paul,

I am incredibly proud to announce that last night in Florida’s School Board elections, ten of our seventeen endorsed candidates won their primary school board elections outrights, and five others advanced to the November election.

Of those ten outright winners, three of them flipped Republican-held seats backed by Moms for Liberty and [name redacted] – two in Broward County and one in Sarasota County.

These victories represent a significant step forward in the fight to preserve and promote inclusive, evidence-based public education across Florida. But success can’t end here. We need to ride this wave through November to defeat Moms for Liberty-backed candidates across the board.

Will you rush your first general election donation to Educated We Stand right away to help us support these candidates through November 5th to take back our public schools?

SUPPORT OUR CANDIDATES***

We’re in an environment in which public education is facing attacks against School Board members and educators by Moms for Liberty and their supporters. But it isn’t just verbal jousts over school policy. These folks face personal attacks, including threats of violence and vandalism, just like I did when I ran and defeated [name redacted], a Moms for Liberty Co-Founder.

We are solely dedicated to limiting the influence of these far-right extremists in Florida and across the country. I hope you will join us in our efforts by chipping in any amount you can afford.

If you've saved your payment information with ActBlue Express, your donation will go through immediately:

[  ] DONATE $5 NOW!
[  ] DONATE $15 NOW!
[  ] DONATE $20 NOW!
[  ] DONATE $25 NOW!
[  ] DONATE $50 NOW!
[✓] ANOTHER AMOUNT***

Cheers to a great night. Now, we move forward!

Best,
[Name redacted]

EDUCATED. WE STAND

Donate to Educated We Stand

In recent years, communities across the US have witnessed a surge in organized and well-funded efforts meant to disrupt and dismantle public education systems through legislative reform and regulating curriculums with far-right ideological beliefs.

If the movement continues to grow without an effective, organized, and funded counterbalance — we risk a widespread indoctrination of young people, promoting ideologies that threaten American Democracy and the American way of life.

EDUCATED WE STAND will serve as a national, non-partisan, grassroots organization dedicated to safeguarding the integrity of public education. Its mission is to fight the influence of far-right extremists and ensure that our educational systems remain spaces for unbiased, evidence-based learning that fosters critical thinking and prepares students to be engaged, informed citizens. Will you pitch in today to EDUCATED WE STAND and help support pro public education officials and legislation nationwide?

Donate immediately:

Your contribution will benefit Educated We Stand - IE [Independent Expenditure].

[  ] Donate $25 →

[  ] Donate $100 →

[  ] Donate $250 →

[  ] Donate $500 →

[  ] Donate $1,000 →

[  ] Donate $5,000 →

[  ] Donate $10,000 →

[✓] Other amount $2.00

Please leave a tip for ActBlue

Power the nonprofit fundraising platform Democratic candidates & progressive causes rely on.

[  ] Add $2 tip

[  ] Leave no tip

[✓] Add custom amount $0.14 (7%)

And so, I made a one-time donation to Educated We Stand (or, 'Educated. We Stand') (with a tip to ActBlue) on August 23rd, 2024, because "the vibes have definitely shifted in this election since Kamala Harris became the Democratic nominee, and we want to capitalize on this momentum to defeat Moms for Liberty in November." That is why I contributed since "[Educated We Stand] candidates stood tall last night [in the Florida primary election on August 20th, 2024]," so I made "[my] first general election donation to Educated We Stand right away to help [them] support these candidates through November 5th to take back our public schools."

---------------------------------------------

The ninth political communication to which I responded on August 23rd, 2024 was an email from VoteVets that I received on August 21st, 2024, with the subject line, "'Stolen Valor'", which stated the following:

Paul,

There is nothing Republicans like to do more than attack veterans. Twenty-years ago during the Democratic Convention, they did it with the Purple Heart band-aids, mocking John Kerry's service in Vietnam.

Today, the Trump campaign shared a letter attacking Tim Walz service that was signed by 50 Republican members of Congress.

It was a textbook example of Stolen Valor.

[Blogger's Note: I read the Military Times article below titled, "GOP vets in Congress attack VP nominee Walz over his military record": https://www.militarytimes.com/news/pentagon-congress/2024/08/21/gop-vets-in-congress-attack-vp-nominee-walz-over-his-military-record]

A full 29 of the 50 signatures come from Republicans who falsely claimed they are retired [from military service].

Calling yourself Retired means something. It speaks to a length of time in service that many of the people on that list of Republicans never fulfilled.

But truly, the most egregious example is Ronny Jackson who claimed to be a retired flag officer despite being demoted from Rear Admiral to Captain.

[Blogger's Note: I read the Military Times article below titled, "Lawmaker who claims to be a retired rear admiral was actually demoted": https://www.militarytimes.com/news/your-navy/2024/03/07/lawmaker-who-claims-to-be-a-retired-rear-admiral-was-actually-demoted]

Troy Nehls was on the list as well, which would be funny to anyone who has seen him wear a Combat Infantryman’s Badge that he never earned!

[Blogger's Note: I read the Military Times article below titled, "Congressman accuses Army of political attacks over combat badge": https://www.militarytimes.com/news/pentagon-congress/2024/06/12/congressman-accuses-army-of-political-attacks-over-combat-badge]

Like we said, it was a textbook example of Stolen Valor as they attempt to Swift Boat Tim Walz.

[Blogger's Note: I read the Military Times article below titled, "Walz faces Republican criticism over timing of military retirement": https://www.militarytimes.com/news/your-military/2024/08/12/walz-faces-republican-criticism-over-timing-of-military-retirement]

Here is the truth: Republicans are trying to make Tim Walz service a big issue in this campaign. And we at VoteVets will be on the leading edge of defending him. But we can't do that alone. So today, as we lead the effort to fight back against Republican smears, we need your help:

Please contribute $10 directly to VoteVets today and we will put your donation to work fighting back against Republican efforts to Swift Boat** Tim Walz.

If you've stored your info with ActBlue, we'll process your contribution instantly:

[  ] RUSH $10 NOW
[  ] RUSH $25 NOW
[  ] RUSH $50 NOW
[  ] RUSH $100 NOW
[  ] RUSH $250 NOW
[✓] ANOTHER AMOUNT***

Thank you,

The team at VoteVets

VoteVets

Chip in to support VoteVets today >>

We're the largest progressive organization fighting for the rights and lives of Veterans and Military families and we're honored to have you on the team.

Our voices matter. This is important. Pitch in today.

Donate immediately:

Your contribution will benefit VoteVets PAC.

[  ] Donate $1,000 →

[  ] Donate $500 →

[  ] Donate $250 →

[  ] Donate $100 →

[  ] Donate $50 →

[  ] Donate $25 →

[  ] Donate $5 →

[✓] Other amount $2.00

Please leave a tip for ActBlue

Power the nonprofit fundraising platform Democratic candidates & progressive causes rely on.

[  ] Add $2 tip

[  ] Leave no tip

[✓] Add custom amount $0.14 (7%)

And so, I made a one-time donation to VoteVets (with a tip to ActBlue) on August 23rd, 2024, in order to contribute "[$2] directly to VoteVets today [so that they] will put [my] donation to work fighting back against Republican efforts to Swift Boat Tim Walz."

**"Swiftboating" from Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia—which is funded primarily through donations from millions of individuals around the world, including this blogger (I make a totally affordable one-time donation if they are requesting donations when I am on their website):

The term swiftboating (also swift-boating or swift boating) is a pejorative [derogatory term] American neologism [that is, "any newly formed word, term, or phrase that nevertheless has achieved popular or institutional recognition and is becoming accepted into mainstream language"] used to describe an unfair or untrue political attack. The term is derived from Swift Boat Veterans for Truth (SBVT), the organization responsible for a widely publicized—and later discredited—political smear campaign against 2004 U.S. presidential candidate John Kerry. Since the 2004 election, the term has been commonly applied to a political attack that is dishonest, personal, and unfair.

Please see the hyperlink below for the article:

https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Swiftboating

---------------------------------------------

The tenth political communication to which I responded on August 23rd, 2024 was a text message that I received on August 21st, 2024, from the Democratic Youth Wave PAC (Democratic Youth Wave Political Action Committee), which stated the following:

Support HARRIS & WALZ-DNC is on fire - boost the Democratic Youth Wave!***

We're counting on 100,000 grassroots donations before the DNC Convention ends.

Your $100 or whatever you can give-will help us increase youth voter turnout.

Democratic Youth Wave
Youth in Motion, Democracy in Action

SUPPORT KAMALA HARRIS

Kamala stands for justice, equality, and a brighter future for all. Her unwavering support for women's reproductive rights, along with her leadership on crucial Issues like healthcare, education, and climate change, is exactly what our country needs.

As the Democratic National Convention ends in Chicago, America is energized by Vice President Kamala Harris's rise to the top of the ticket. With President Joe Biden's legacy celebrated, the focus shifts to uniting the nation and propelling Harris and her running mate, Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz, into a critical election against Donald Trump. Now is the time to act—donate today to support youth voter turnout and help shape the future.

Join us. Together we can increase the youth and Gen Z voters turnout.

Chip in today!

Donate immediately:

Your contribution will benefit Democratic Youth Wave - IE [Independent Expenditure].

[  ] Donate $25 →

[  ] Donate $50 →

[  ] Donate $100 →

[  ] Donate $250 →

[  ] Donate $500 →

[  ] Donate $1,000 →

[  ] Donate $5,000 →

[✓] Other amount $2.00

Please leave a tip for ActBlue

Power the nonprofit fundraising platform Democratic candidates & progressive causes rely on.

[  ] Add $2 tip

[  ] Leave no tip

[✓] Add custom amount $0.14 (7%)

And so, I made a one-time donation to the Democratic Youth Wave PAC (with a tip to ActBlue) on August 23rd, 2024, in order to "boost the Democratic Youth Wave," because "together we can increase the youth and Gen Z voters turnout."

---------------------------------------------

The eleventh political communication to which I responded on August 23rd, 2024 was a text message that I received on August 22nd, 2024, from the Voters of Tomorrow PAC (Voters of Tomorrow Political Action Committee, or VOT PAC), which stated the following:

Paul it’s [name redacted] from Voters of Tomorrow PAC and I just saw Kamala Harris accept the nomination at the DNC!

I still remember the shock I felt as a child when I asked my Mom who the first woman president was and she told me there had never been one.

It created a feeling of uncertainty because if there hadn’t been a female president yet, what does that mean for MY voice in government?

I never saw myself represented in the office that has so much control over how I live, how my mom lives, and how every woman in this country lives their life. I knew I had to be the change I wanted to see in the world, that’s what Voters of Tomorrow PAC knows and fights for every day.

Paul, I’m only 16 so I can’t vote yet. But I can still help my generation use their voice by voting in this critical election.

Will you help our voices be heard at the ballot box by donating $27 to Voters of Tomorrow PAC? Every dollar you give today goes directly to registering and turning out Gen Z voters to elect Kamala Harris. >>***

VOTERS OF TOMORROW
POLITICAL ACTION COMMITTEE

Donate to Voters of Tomorrow PAC!

Help us turn out Gen Z in DROVES and defeat MAGA Republicans!

With your contribution, Voters of Tomorrow PAC will be able to tum out Gen Z against Republicans all across the country.

Can you pitch in below to fund our efforts? >>>>

Donate immediately.

Your contribution will benefit Voters of Tomorrow PAC.

[  ] Donate $10 →

[  ] Donate $27 →

[  ] Donate $50 →

[  ] Donate $100 →

[  ] Donate $250 →

[  ] Donate $500 →

[  ] Donate $2,024 →

[✓] Other amount $2.00

Please leave a tip for ActBlue

Power the nonprofit fundraising platform Democratic candidates & progressive causes rely on.

[  ] Add $2 tip

[  ] Leave no tip

[✓] Add custom amount $0.14 (7%)

And so, I made a one-time donation to the Voters of Tomorrow PAC (VOT PAC) (with a tip to ActBlue) on August 23rd, 2024, in order to "help [Gen Z's] voices be heard at the ballot box by donating [$2] to Voters of Tomorrow PAC," because "every dollar [I] give today goes directly to registering and turning out Gen Z voters to elect Kamala Harris."

---------------------------------------------

The twelfth political communication to which I responded on August 23rd, 2024 was an email from the Democratic Attorneys General Association (DAGA) that I received on August 23rd, 2024, with the subject line, "Democratic unity", which stated the following:

Paul,

The Democratic National Convention wrapped up this week, and one thing’s for certain: Democrats have united around the Harris-Walz ticket, and we are fired up to win big in November!

Over the past week, we saw…

[✓] Delegates from all 50 states and the territories
[✓] Rising stars in the Democratic Party
[✓] Old guard politicians and new, young voices
[✓] Democrats across the political spectrum (and even some Republicans!)
[✓] Former Presidents and First Ladies
[✓] And President Joe Biden

… all come together and rally around Kamala Harris, Tim Walz, and down-ballot Democrats across the country.

It’s critical that we keep up this momentum over the next 10 weeks until November 5. The stakes are too high and the threats to our fundamental rights are too serious to sit on the sidelines.

Chip in $20.24 today to help Democrats run ads, connect with voters, and do everything we can to win big and defeat extremism on November 5:

If you've saved your payment information with ActBlue Express, your donation will go through immediately:

[  ] CHIP IN $5 NOW
[  ] CHIP IN $10 NOW
[  ] CHIP IN $20.24 NOW
[  ] CHIP IN $50 NOW
[  ] CHIP IN $100 NOW
[✓] ANOTHER AMOUNT

Thanks for being on the team! Let’s do this! 🔥🔥🔥

— Dem AGs

DEMOCRATIC ATTORNEYS GENERAL ASSOCIATION

PROTECTING OUR RIGHTS

From abortion access to voting rights, Dem AGs are on the front lines, defending our democracy and protecting our communities.

Make a donation to DAGA to elect more Dem AGs in 2024 and beyond — starting right here and now.

DONATE IMMEDIATELY:

Your contribution will benefit Democratic Attorneys General Association (DAGA) PAC.

[  ] DONATE $3 →

[  ] DONATE $10 →

[  ] DONATE $30 →

[  ] DONATE $50 →

[  ] DONATE $100 →

[  ] DONATE $300 →

[  ] DONATE $500 →

[✓] OTHER AMOUNT $2.00

Please leave a tip for ActBlue

Power the nonprofit fundraising platform Democratic candidates & progressive causes rely on.

[  ] Add $2 tip

[  ] Leave no tip

[✓] Add custom amount $0.14 (7%)

And so, I made a one-time donation to the DAGA (with a tip to ActBlue) on August 23rd, 2024, because "Democrats have united around the Harris-Walz ticket, and we are fired up to win big in November!" That is why I contributed "[$2] today to help Democrats run ads, connect with voters, and do everything we can to win big and defeat extremism on November 5."

---------------------------------------------

The thirteenth political communication to which I responded on August 23rd, 2024 was an email from Voto Latino that I received on August 23rd, 2024, with the subject line, "TIME SENSITIVE: Help us reach our 100,000 registered with our one-day goal!", which stated the following:

Voto Latino

GOAL: $67,200

DEADLINE: Midnight tonight

Help us reach 100,000 new voters registered!

We need to register 2,800 voters in order to reach 100k, and it costs $24 to reach one new voter. That means we need $67,200 to achieve our goal.

Will you help us hit our goal by donating any amount now?

PITCH IN NOW***

From registering Latino voters to keeping them informed on what’s at stake this cycle, Voto Latino’s work requires a lot resources.

Thanks to generous supporters like you we’ve already registered over 98k Latino voters this year — and we’re not planning on slowing down any time soon!

Hitting our ambitious goal of registering 500,000 new voters before Election Day will take a lot of work, and we need your help to achieve it. Can we count on you to pitch in and power our voter registration efforts now?

If you've saved your payment information with ActBlue Express, your donation will go through immediately:

[  ] CHIP IN $24
[  ] CHIP IN $48
[  ] CHIP IN $72
[  ] CHIP IN $96
[  ] CHIP IN $120
[✓] ANOTHER AMOUNT***

We hope you’ll help us register and mobilize our community by donating any amount before midnight, Paul. We’re counting on you!

We’re so thankful to have you on our side.

— Voto Latino

VOTO LATINO
It's your country. Represent!

INVEST IN VOTO LAΤΙΝΟ

Voto Latino is dedicated to empowering communities through civic engagement, issue advocacy and leadership development.

Our work is not possible without your help!

Donate immediately:

Your contribution will benefit Voto Latino.

[  ] DONATE $25 →

[  ] DONATE $100 →

[  ] DONATE $250 →

[  ] DONATE $1,000 →

[✓] OTHER AMOUNT $2.00

Please leave a tip for ActBlue

Power the nonprofit fundraising platform Democratic candidates & progressive causes rely on.

[  ] Add $2 tip

[  ] Leave no tip

[✓] Add custom amount $0.14 (7%)

And so, I made a one-time donation to the Voto Latino (with a tip to ActBlue) on August 23rd, 2024, in order to "Help [Voto Latino] reach 100,000 new voters registered," because "[they] need to register 2,800 voters in order to reach 100k, and it costs $24 to reach one new voter, so "that means [they] need $67,200 to achieve [their] goal."

---------------------------------------------

The fourteenth political communication to which I responded on August 23rd, 2024 was an email from the Harris Victory Fund that I received on August 23rd, 2024, with the subject line, "I want to say thank you", which stated the following:

Harris for President

Paul, last night, I formally accepted the nomination for President of the United States at the 2024 Democratic National Convention.

[Image of Vice President Harris speaking at the DNC]

First, I want to say thank you.

Thank you for making me your Democratic nominee.

Thank you for believing that the promise of America is possible for each and every one of us.

Thank you for always standing with Tim and me.

I am so deeply grateful for the support I have received since I started this campaign. It is the honor of my lifetime to be your nominee -- but, we are the underdogs in this race, and it is up to each of us to keep fighting for a better future. Will you help us make history by pitching in another donation today?

If you've saved payment information with ActBlue Express, your donation will go through immediately:

[  ] $25 >>
[  ] $50 >>
[  ] $75 >>
[  ] $100 >>
[  ] $125 >>
[✓] Other >>***

Like so many of you, I grew up with parents who worked hard in pursuit of the promise of America.

We were taught to see a world beyond just ourselves. To be conscious and compassionate about the struggles of all people. We were raised to believe public service is a noble cause and the fight for justice is everyone’s responsibility.

In fact, my mother used to say, "Don't sit around and complain about things -- do something.” She was saying, you have to get up and fight. And that is exactly what we are going to do for these next 74 days.

Our campaign is a fight for the future. And it is a fight for our freedom.

The freedom to vote;
The freedom to live safe from gun violence;
The freedom to love who you love openly and with pride;
And the freedom for a woman to make decisions about her own body.

Because we believe in the possibility of what our country can look like when we bring people together, not when we tear each other down. That is our America. That is the America we believe in.

I could not be more proud to be the official Democratic Presidential nominee, and I am counting on you, one of our campaign’s monthly donors, to help me and Tim win in November.

It is going to take millions of individuals acting together to preserve the promise of America. So every action you take -- whether it is donating [$4, including split donations] as you did on July 24, 2024, signing up to volunteer, or spreading our campaign’s message to your friends and neighbors -- will help ensure that we have the power to defeat Donald Trump and keep our country moving forward.

Thank you, Paul, and take care,

Kamala Harris
Vice President of the United States

Donate to support the Harris-Walz campaign!

We all must stand together to win at the ballot box, protect our freedoms, and fulfill the promise of America.

Donate Immediately:

Your contribution will benefit Kamala Harris.

[  ] Donate $2 →

[  ] Donate $50 →

[  ] Donate $75 →

[  ] Donate $100 →

[  ] Donate $125 →

[✓] Other amount $24.39*

Please leave a tip for ActBlue

Power the nonprofit fundraising platform Democratic candidates & progressive causes rely on.

[  ] Add $2 tip

[✓] Leave no tip

[  ] Add custom amount

And so, I made a one-time donation to the Harris for President campaign (without a tip to ActBlue) on August 23rd, 2024, because "last night, [Vice President Kamala Harris] formally accepted the nomination for President of the United States at the 2024 Democratic National Convention."

P.S.: The reason that I donated $24.39 (without a tip to ActBlue) to the Harris for President campaign—because I was actually planning to make a $25.00 donation—is for the following quite complicated reasons:

No. 1: I accidentally donated $5.00 to the DLCC (through FastAction, which does not offer a tip box) on August 23rd, 2024 (please see my 'Update No. 4, Which Also Discusses August 10th, 2024'), rather than donating $3.21 (through FastAction), which is what I had originally budgeted! Therefore, because I donated $1.79 too much for that DLCC donation ($5.00 - $3.21 = $1.79), I tried to compensate for that mistake by subtracting $1.79 from the $25.00 that I had budgeted for the above-mentioned Harris for President donation ($25.00 - $1.79 = $23.21); but then,

No. 2: I accidentally donated $2.00 (without a tip to ActBlue) to Teachers Unify To End Gun Violence (please see the second donation of my 'August 23rd, 2024 Update No. 5, Written From August 24th, 2024 To August 28th, 2024, Which Also Discusses August 5th, 2024, August 7th, 2024, August 8th, 2024, August 19th, 2024, August 21st, 2024, August 22nd, 2024 And August 23rd, 2024' that can be found above), since I mistakenly pressed the "Leave no tip" button, rather than pressing the "Add custom amount" button—like I usually do; besides that,

No. 3: I also accidentally donated $2.00 (without a tip to ActBlue) to Four Directions Native Vote (please see the third donation of my 'August 23rd, 2024 Update No. 5, Written From August 24th, 2024 To August 28th, 2024, Which Also Discusses August 5th, 2024, August 7th, 2024, August 8th, 2024, August 19th, 2024, August 21st, 2024, August 22nd, 2024 And August 23rd, 2024' that can be found above), since, again, I mistakenly pressed the "Leave no tip" button, rather than pressing the "Add custom amount" button—like I usually do; so finally,

No. 4: I tried to additionally compensate for those two mistakes by adding the two respective $0.14 tip amounts for ActBlue ($0.14 + $0.14 = $0.28) to the newly adjusted $23.21 amount for this Harris for President donation ($23.21 + $0.28 = $23.49), HOWEVER, when I typed the amount on the ActBlue donation webpage I accidentally switched the "3" and the "4" in the total of $23.49 (can you say, 'DySlExIa'?) and I ended up donating $24.39...

...See, I told you it was quite complicated! ;0)

---------------------------------------------

The fifteenth political communication to which I responded on August 23rd, 2024 was a text message that I received on August 23rd, 2024, from the Harris Victory Fund, which stated the following:

Paul, last night, I formally accepted the nomination for President of the United States at the 2024 Democratic National Convention.

First, I want to say thank you.

Thank you for making me your Democratic nominee.

Thank you for believing that the promise of America is possible for each and every one of us.

Thank you for always standing with Tim and me.

It is going to take millions of individuals acting together to preserve the promise of America. I’m counting on you, Paul. Chip in any amount that is meaningful to you today:***

My mother used to say, "Don't sit around and complain about things – do something.” She was saying you have to get up and fight.

And that is exactly what we are going to do for these next 74 days.

One more time because it is so important: Will you help us and our party make history by pitching in today?***

Thank you,

Vice President Harris

HARRIS
WALZ

Donate to support the Harris-Walz campaign!

We all must stand together to win at the ballot box, protect our freedoms, and fulfill the promise of America.

Donate $25 or more now.

Donate Immediately:

Your contribution will benefit Harris Victory Fund.

[✓] Donate $2 →

[  ] Donate $47 →

[  ] Donate $100 →

[  ] Donate $250 →

[  ] Donate $1,000 →

[  ] Donate $2,000 →

[  ] Other amount

Please leave a tip for ActBlue

Power the nonprofit fundraising platform Democratic candidates & progressive causes rely on.

[  ] Add $2 tip

[  ] Leave no tip

[✓] Add custom amount $0.14 (7%)

And so, I made a one-time donation to the Harris Victory Fund (with a tip to ActBlue) on August 23rd, 2024, because "last night, [Vice President Kamala Harris] formally accepted the nomination for President of the United States at the 2024 Democratic National Convention."

---------------------------------------------

The sixteenth political communication to which I responded on August 23rd, 2024 was a text message that I received on August 23rd, 2024, from the Democratic Governors Association (DGA), which stated the following:

Paul -- My whole life, I've worked for one client: The People.

That was true when I was a prosecutor, a district attorney, and the Attorney General of California. It was true when I served in the Senate and throughout my time as your vice president. And it was true as I accepted the Democratic nomination for President of the United States yesterday.

Democrats all across the country came together in Chicago to celebrate our progress and plan for the hard work we need to do in the final 74 days before the election. We.Will.Win. but we need YOU to help us deliver results up and down the ballot from the White House to the State House. Let's elect Democratic governors across the country.

That is why I am asking you today:

Will you split a donation of $10 between the Democratic Governors Association and my campaign?***

For the people,

Kamala Harris

DONATE NOW
DEADLINE: MIDNIGHT

If we want to stop Republicans' dangerous agenda, we have to keep pace with the millions the GOP is raising to stop Democrats – but right now, not enough supporters are donating, and we're falling short ahead of our midnight deadline.

Closing this gap is so important that Vice President Kamala Harris is asking. Please, rush your gift to help Vice President Harris win, defeat Republicans, and elect Democratic governors!

Split your donation:

Total Contribution "$4.00"*

Customize amounts

Democratic Action $1.00

Kamala Harris (President) "$3.00"*

Donate "$4"*

Please leave a tip for ActBlue

Power the nonprofit fundraising platform Democratic candidates & progressive causes rely on.

[ ] Add $2 tip

[ ] Leave no tip

[✓] Add custom amount $0.14 (7%)

And so, I made a one-time donation to the DGA and to the Harris for President campaign (with a tip to ActBlue) on August 23rd, 2024, because "[Vice President Kamala Harris's] whole life, [she's] worked for one client: The People." That is why I split a donation between the DGA and the Harris for President campaign, since "[they] need [ME] to help [them] deliver results up and down the ballot from the White House to the State House," so "let's elect Democratic governors across the country."

*P.S.: The reason that I only donated $1.00 to the DGA and $3.00 to the Harris for President campaign is because the first time that I tried to split the donation, I accidentally only donated $2.00 to the Harris for President campaign (without a tip to ActBlue). So, I made a second donation with the correct split amounts of $1.00 each to the DGA and to the Harris for President campaign (with a tip to ActBlue of $0.14), like I usually do! Therefore, that is why the customized amount above of "$3.00" to the Harris for President campaign, and the total contribution of "$4," both appear in quotation marks, since those amounts represent the two separate transactions. (I hope that makes sense!)

---------------------------------------------

The seventeenth political communication to which I responded on August 23rd, 2024 was a text message that I received on August 23rd, 2024, from the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee (DCCC), which stated the following:

𝗪𝗢𝗪, 𝘁𝗵𝗶𝘀 𝗶𝘀 𝗶𝗻𝗰𝗿𝗲𝗱𝗶𝗯𝗹𝗲! Since Vice President Harris delivered her EARTH-SHATTERING speech at the DNC, Top Democrats opened up the rare 400%-MATCH on all contributions!!!!

Now is our chance to reclaim control of the House once and for all -- but ONLY if we act quickly to take advantage of this massive swing in our favor. So please: Will you rush $15 (4X-MATCHED!) to the DCCC before midnight to answer Vice President Harris' call and help win back our historic House Majority? >>***

𝗙𝗜𝗥𝗦𝗧: VP Harris and Gov. Walz called on us to to take action to win in November.

𝗧𝗛𝗘𝗡: A brand new poll revealed that Democrats have SURGED into a FOUR POINT LEAD!!

𝗦𝗢 𝗡𝗢𝗪: We have a once-in-a-lifetime chance to FLIP seats in New York, California, Pennsylvania, Wisconsin and everywhere else across the country!! >>***

VP Harris knows just how unprecedented this opportunity is for Democrats.

If we can flip seats like these, we could keep extreme MAGA Republicans out of power for years to come.

𝗕𝘂𝘁 𝗠𝗶𝗸𝗲 𝗝𝗼𝗵𝗻𝘀𝗼𝗻 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗮𝗹𝗹 𝗵𝗶𝘀 𝗥𝗲𝗽𝘂𝗯𝗹𝗶𝗰𝗮𝗻𝘀 𝘄𝗼𝗻'𝘁 𝗴𝗼 𝗱𝗼𝘄𝗻 𝘄𝗶𝘁𝗵𝗼𝘂𝘁 𝗮 𝗳𝗶𝗴𝗵𝘁 -- and they've already raised MILLIONS to crush our chances.

That's why we're calling on grassroots Dems like you to rush $15 before midnight to help us OUTRAISE them. We need to match their war chest or else we risk losing our once-in-a-generation shot to put the House back in Democratic hands. Can we count on you to rush in $15 to the DCCC? >>***

DCCC

[DCCC logo] DEMOCRATS 2024

Rush a donation right now to DEFEAT MAGA Extremism and RESTORE our House Majority!

Here's the situation: Democrats need to flip just FOUR seats to take back the House Majority — and experts agree the race for House control is a COMPLETE TOSS-UP!

But, Extreme MAGA Republicans and their deep-pocketed megadonors are preparing to spend MILLIONS to defeat our grassroots movement.

Please, we're counting on you, rush a gift right now to help flip the House Blue and send Republicans a STUNNING defeat! >>

Donate immediately:

Your contribution will benefit the DCCC.

[✓] Donate $2 →

[  ] Donate $15 →

[  ] Donate $25 →

[  ] Donate $50 →

[  ] Donate $100 →

[  ] Donate $250 →

[  ] Donate $500 →

[  ] Other amount

Please leave a tip for ActBlue

Power the nonprofit fundraising platform Democratic candidates & progressive causes rely on.

[  ] Add $2 tip

[  ] Leave no tip

[✓] Add custom amount $0.14 (7%)

And so, I made a one-time donation to the DCCC (with a tip to ActBlue) on August 23rd, 2024, because "[the DCCC's] calling on grassroots Dems like [me] to rush [$2] before midnight ... since Vice President Harris delivered her EARTH-SHATTERING speech at the DNC [and] Top Democrats opened up the rare 400%-MATCH on all contributions!!!!"

---------------------------------------------

Finally, this last political donation wasn't due to communications that I received from the following organization, but because I have donated to this organization in previous election cycles!

The eighteenth organization to which I donated was EMILYs List, based upon their donation webpage that appeared on the ActBlue.com website, which stated the following:

EMILYs LIST
RUN. WIN. CHANGE THE WORLD.

Very simply, we work to elect Democratic pro-choice women to office. And we cannot do it without supporters like you.

Please donate today and help elect more women leaders like Kamala Harris, Tammy Baldwin, and Elizabeth Warren.

Donate immediately:

Your contribution will benefit EMILYs List.

[  ] Donate $25 →

[  ] Donate $50 →

[  ] Donate $250 →

[  ] Donate $500 →

[  ] Donate $1,000 →

[  ] Donate $2,500 →

[  ] Donate $4,000 →

[✓] Other amount $2.00

Please leave a tip for ActBlue

Power the nonprofit fundraising platform Democratic candidates & progressive causes rely on.

[  ] Add $2 tip

[  ] Leave no tip

[✓] Add custom amount $0.14 (7%)

And so, I made a one-time donation to EMILYs List (with a tip to ActBlue) on August 23rd, 2024, in order to help "elect Democratic pro-choice women to office [and] help elect more women leaders like Kamala Harris..."

Thus, these five organizations—the DSCC, the DASS, the DAGA, the DGA, as well as the DCCC—plus, this one campaign—Harris for President, or the Harris Victory Fund—plus, these eight Political Action Committees (PACs)—Jane Fonda Climate PAC, Ban Assault Weapons NOW PAC, Rolling Sea Action Fund, Educated We Stand, VoteVets, Democratic Youth Wave PAC, Voters of Tomorrow PAC as well as EMILYs List—plus, this one grassroots movement—Teachers Unify To End Gun Violence—plus, this one social welfare organization—Four Directions Native Vote—in addition to this one civic engagement organization—Voto Latino—are the political organizations, the political campaign, the PACs, the grassroots movement, the social welfare organization, and the civic engagement organization that I donated to on August 23rd, 2024! –Paul Whiting (written from August 24th, 2024 to August 28th, 2024, revised August 31st, 2024, revised September 8th, 2024, revised September 21st, 2024 and revised August 31st, 2025)

-------------------------------------------------------------------

For my "August 24th, 2024 Update No. 1"—since this 'update' is a part of my ⋆USO⋆ donations—please see my blog post titled, "My Point Of View On...Giving Charity And Accepting Charity," which can be found on both of my "Paul Whiting — Math Magician" and "Paul Whiting — A Creative Writer" blogs. An introduction to the 'update' can be found below:

August 24th, 2024 Update No. 1: I received an email from the USO (United Service Organizations) today, August 24th, 2024, with the subject line, "USO Military News: August 2024", with regard to the USO's newsletter "YOUR USO AT WORK," Issue 125 / August 2024, which stated, in part, the following:

YOUR USO AT WORK
Issue 125 / August 2024

LEARN MORE »

https://www.uso.org/campaign/human-to-human

Paul,

Thank you for your continued support as we celebrated the 234th anniversary of the Coast Guard and honored our wounded and fallen heroes on Purple Heart Day.

With summer coming to an end, we are entering a critical period where your support is needed more than ever. As children of military families head back to school and more service members are being deployed to the Middle East, your commitment makes a tangible difference.

Here are just a few ways your contributions have been making a real impact for those who serve: ...

And the following highlights from the USO's newsletter, which I selected to post, are regarding "'We Go Where They Go'" and "USO Entertainment Tour Brings Inspiration to Alaska," as well as "Soldiers Enjoy Exclusive USO Event With Wilmer Valderrama in Warsaw," in addition to "Carolina Panthers Meet Military Children at USO Grafenwoehr":

USO FRONT LINES

"We Go Where They Go"

With more than 250 USO Center locations worldwide, each USO Center is designed to address the unique challenges military members face. Whether in the freezing temperatures of Alaska or the scorching deserts of Africa, we're committed to being there.

Learn more about how the USO supports service members around the world. »

https://www.uso.org/stories/3828-we-go-where-they-go-a-look-at-how-5-uso-centers-around-the-globe-are-supporting-service-members-today

[Blogger's Note: I read the USO's article titled, "We Go Where They Go: A Look at How 5 USO Centers Around the Globe Are Supporting Service Members Today."]

---------------------------------------------

GLOBAL ENTERTAINMENT

USO Entertainment Tour Brings Inspiration to Alaska

Olympians Red Gerard and Hailey Langland joined Paralympic champion and Navy SEAL veteran Dan Cnossen for a USO tour to remote military installations in Alaska. Highlights included lunch at Fort Greely, a tour at Eielson Air Force Base where Dan explored an F-16, helicopter tours and a yoga session at Fort Wainwright. The tour was an inspiring and uplifting experience for the military community in Alaska, and the Olympians were deeply moved by their resilience.

Soldiers Enjoy Exclusive USO Event With Wilmer Valderrama in Warsaw

The U.S. Army V Corps were special guests at an exclusive event organized by the USO in Warsaw, Poland, in mid-June.

The soldiers attended a dinner at the U.S. ambassador’s residence and had the opportunity to meet actor Wilmer Valderrama, a USO Global Ambassador, who has worked with us to entertain military audiences for almost 20 years.

Learn more about USO Entertainment. »

https://www.uso.org/entertainment

[Blogger's Note: I read the USO's article titled, "Entertainment Is Our Tradition."]

---------------------------------------------

EVENTS

Carolina Panthers Meet Military Children at USO Grafenwoehr

The USO recently hosted a unique event with the Carolina Panthers at USO Grafenwoehr in Germany. Players, cheerleaders and Panther mascot Sir Purr led a flag football and cheerleading clinic for more than 100 military children at the Vilseck High School football field. The Carolina Panthers players also participated in a Meet and Greet for the children.

Thank you to this community of military supporters for making fun and safe USO events like this possible!

---------------------------------------------

...From all of us at the USO, thank you for standing by our nation's service members!

And, after I read the email above, I made a one-time donation on the USO.org website in order to support the USO's following statement: "For more than 80 years, it has been the USO's mission to strengthen the well-being of the people serving in America’s military and their families. But we're not a government agency, and rely on individual supporters like you to fund the programs that make the biggest difference for our service members. Donate today so we can continue to provide individualized support to our service members every day."

In addition to that, I already make a recurring monthly donation to the USO in order to show my support for our U.S. Military Personnel! You see, I usually make one-time donations to the USO each month—as often as I can manage when they request a donation via email or text message. Therefore, I am planning to continue making one-time donations to the USO in the future, as often as I can manage to make donations, in addition to making the aforementioned recurring monthly donation. ...

Please see the hyperlinks below for the post, within which you can do a find-in-page search for the 'update' labeled, "August 24th, 2024 Update No. 1":

https://paulwhitingmath.blogspot.com/2015/05/my-point-of-view-on-charity.html

https://paulwhitingwriting.blogspot.com/2022/07/my-point-of-view-on-part-16-giving-to.html

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August 26th, 2024 Update No. 1: I received an email from Iraq and Afghanistan Veterans of America (IAVA) today, August 26th, 2024, with the subject line "Remember their sacrifice.", which stated the following:

Paul,

Three years ago today, 13 American service members were killed in a suicide bombing at Kabul Airport’s Abbey Gate in Afghanistan.

[IMAGE OF THE 13 AMERICAN SERVICE MEMBERS]

REMEMBERING THESE BRAVE HEROES.

FALLEN, BUT NOT FORGOTTEN.

AUGUST 26, 2021

These 13 brave Americans gave their lives in the process of helping others escape the violence and chaos of our withdrawal from Afghanistan. Today, we remember our brothers and sisters who paid the ultimate sacrifice for our country. And we mourn with those they left behind.

We will never be able to repay their sacrifice.

But we can keep up the pressure on leaders in Washington to honor their memory by doing their duty to provide better oversight to where and when our troops are put into harm's way. That’s why IAVA and our members are calling on Congress to reform the authorizations of military force (AUMF’s) that authorized the Afghanistan and Iraq wars.

Today, please join us in remembering the sacrifice of these 13 heroes.

Fallen, but not forgotten,

Team IAVA

And, after I read the email above, I did a search on Google for "reform the authorization of military force (AUMF) 'IAVA'" and found a March 29th, 2023 Iraq and Afghanistan Veterans of America memo titled, "IAVA [Title and Name redacted] Comments on Senate Vote to Repeal Iraq War AUMF," the relevant text of which can be found below:

IAVA [TITLE AND NAME REDACTED]
COMMENTS ON SENATE VOTE TO
REPEAL IRAQ WAR AUMF

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:
March 29, 2023
CONTACT: [email redacted]

“On March 20, 2003, U.S. troops crossed the Kuwaiti border, and our country went to war in Iraq. 20 years later, Congress’ repeal of the authorization for use of military force (AUMF) for the Iraq War is long overdue.

The debate around the repeal of the AUMF has been an important one. We owe our fellow Americans serving in uniform, and their families, a thoughtful ongoing conversation about why we’re sending them into harm’s way. From the beginning of any war, until its very end, Congress should have clarity on what our strategic goals are. Our elected leaders should be relentlessly challenging and questioning whether these goals are being met and whether there’s still a national security imperative that requires US troops to be in the line of fire. And most of all, Congress definitely shouldn’t relinquish its war powers altogether and allow Presidents to send troops to fight threats unchecked. Unfortunately, that’s exactly what has happened over and over again in recent years.

Today’s bipartisan vote in the Senate is a step in the right direction, and now it’s time for the House to do its job. Congress has shirked its responsibility to our troops and their families for too long by leaving open-ended authorizations of military force in place. It’s past time to change that.”

Then, after I read the memo above, I did a search on Google for "contact my representatives and senators" and found the webpages for contacting my Representative via House.gov (https://www.house.gov/representatives/find-your-representative) and my Senators via Senate.gov (https://www.senate.gov/senators/senators-contact.htm), so that I could send them the letter below regarding this very important issue:

Dear [Representative/Senator Name],

As your constituent, I am writing to you today on the 3rd anniversary of "13 American service members [that] were killed in a suicide bombing at Kabul Airport’s Abbey Gate in Afghanistan," in response to an email that I received today from Iraq and Afghanistan Veterans of America (IAVA), a copy of which can be found below:

---------------------------------------------

From: Team IAVA [email redacted]
Reply-to: [email redacted]
To: [email redacted]
Date: Aug 26, 2024, 6:27 AM

Paul,

Three years ago today, 13 American service members were killed in a suicide bombing at Kabul Airport’s Abbey Gate in Afghanistan.

[IMAGE OF THE 13 AMERICAN SERVICE MEMBERS]

REMEMBERING THESE BRAVE HEROES.

FALLEN, BUT NOT FORGOTTEN.

AUGUST 26, 2021

These 13 brave Americans gave their lives in the process of helping others escape the violence and chaos of our withdrawal from Afghanistan. Today, we remember our brothers and sisters who paid the ultimate sacrifice for our country. And we mourn with those they left behind.

We will never be able to repay their sacrifice.

But we *can* keep up the pressure on leaders in Washington to honor their memory by doing their duty to provide better oversight to where and when our troops are put into harm's way. That’s why IAVA and our members are calling on Congress to reform the authorizations of military force (AUMF’s) that authorized the Afghanistan and Iraq wars.

Today, please join us in remembering the sacrifice of these 13 heroes.

Fallen, but not forgotten,

Team IAVA

---------------------------------------------

And, after I read the email above, I did a search on Google for "reform the authorization of military force (AUMF) 'IAVA'" and found a March 29th, 2023 Iraq and Afghanistan Veterans of America memo titled, "IAVA [Title and Name redacted] Comments on Senate Vote to Repeal Iraq War AUMF," the relevant text of which can be found below:

---------------------------------------------

IAVA [TITLE AND NAME REDACTED]
COMMENTS ON SENATE VOTE TO
REPEAL IRAQ WAR AUMF

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:
March 29, 2023
CONTACT: [email redacted]

“On March 20, 2003, U.S. troops crossed the Kuwaiti border, and our country went to war in Iraq. 20 years later, Congress’ repeal of the authorization for use of military force (AUMF) for the Iraq War is long overdue.

The debate around the repeal of the AUMF has been an important one. We owe our fellow Americans serving in uniform, and their families, a thoughtful ongoing conversation about why we’re sending them into harm’s way. From the beginning of any war, until its very end, Congress should have clarity on what our strategic goals are. Our elected leaders should be relentlessly challenging and questioning whether these goals are being met and whether there’s still a national security imperative that requires US troops to be in the line of fire. And most of all, Congress definitely shouldn’t relinquish its war powers altogether and allow Presidents to send troops to fight threats unchecked. Unfortunately, that’s exactly what has happened over and over again in recent years.

Today’s bipartisan vote in the Senate is a step in the right direction, and now it’s time for the House to do its job. Congress has shirked its responsibility to our troops and their families for too long by leaving open-ended authorizations of military force in place. It’s past time to change that.”

---------------------------------------------

Thus, I am writing to you today to humbly ask that Congress please consider a "repeal of the authorization for use of military force (AUMF) for the Iraq War," for the following reason, as quoted from the March 29th, 2023 IAVA memo cited above:

"We owe our fellow Americans serving in uniform, and their families, a thoughtful ongoing conversation about why we’re sending them into harm’s way. From the beginning of any war, until its very end, Congress should have clarity on what our strategic goals are. Our elected leaders should be relentlessly challenging and questioning whether these goals are being met and whether there’s still a national security imperative that requires US troops to be in the line of fire. And most of all, Congress definitely shouldn’t relinquish its war powers altogether and allow Presidents to send troops to fight threats unchecked. Unfortunately, that’s exactly what has happened over and over again in recent years."

So, "please join us in remembering the sacrifice of these 13 heroes" [who] "gave their lives in the process of helping others escape the violence and chaos of our withdrawal from Afghanistan." And even though, "[w]e will never be able to repay their sacrifice ... we *can* [humbly ask our] leaders in Washington to honor [the] memory [of the 'fallen, but not forgotten'] by doing their duty to provide better oversight to where and when our troops are put into harm's way. That’s why IAVA and [this constituent] are calling on Congress to reform the authorizations of military force (AUMF’s) that authorized the Afghanistan and Iraq wars."

Thank you for "join[ing] us in remembering the sacrifice of these 13 heroes ... who paid the ultimate sacrifice for our country."

And thank you for all that you do to support our United States military personnel and our veterans!

Yours very truly,

Paul Whiting

And so, I sent the letter above to my Senators and Representative today, via their respective websites, in order to request that Congress please "reform the authorizations of military force (AUMF’s) that authorized the Afghanistan and Iraq wars." –Paul Whiting (written August 26th, 2024 and revised August 27th, 2024)

P.S.: Just so you know, I used to make one-time donations to the organization that is the subject of these 'updates' each time that I took an action as requested by that organization; however, "I have changed the way that I make donations to political, progressive and charitable organizations each month ... due to the fact that I have been spending a considerable percentage of my monthly income on all of these donations." (The reader should know that I am HIV-positive with full-blown AIDS. And I am on Social Security Disability Insurance, or SSDI, so my income is quite limited.) Therefore, "I am greatly reducing the number of times that I donate for the same organization per month down to once—or as determined by me on a case-by-case basis." (Please see my 'August 19th, 2023 Update,' which can be found above.) Thus, because I have already donated to Iraq and Afghanistan Veterans of America (IAVA) on August 7th, 2024 (please see my 'August 7th, 2024 Update No. 3,' which can be found above), as well as on August 10th, 2024 (please see my 'August 10th, 2024 Update No. 1,' which can be found above) those are the one-time donations which I made to IAVA for August 2024.

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August 29th, 2024 Update No. 1, Written On August 30th, 2024: I received an email from United Farm Workers (UFW) yesterday, August 29th, 2024, with the subject line, "Act now to get UFW leaders back to work at NY’s [New York's] Kirby Farms", which stated the following:

United Farm Workers
Si, Se Puede! UFW

Act now to get UFW leaders back to work at NY’s Kirby Farms

The farm worker leaders at NY's Kirby farms need your help. The workers have been organizing at this company and according to charges filed by the union, the company is retaliating by not bringing back two of the most visible UFW supporters for the start of the new season.

[Name redacted] has worked for A&J Kirby Farms for 9 years. He is the union's most visible leader. Last year, he told The Buffalo News and The Guardian about the issues that motivated workers at Kirby to unionize, particularly the supervisor's favoritism.

It is alleged that right after [name redacted's] interview appeared, [name redacted] and his picking partner, [name redacted], were written up for poor performance. [Name redacted] feels he was targeted for speaking up. This was the only time he was written up in the 2023 season.

When the season ended last year, these workers were not informed that this one write up would mean they were not going to be called back this season. After hearing nothing about returning to work this season, [name redacted] tried to check in with the supervisor about the company's plans for this season. He was shocked to discover that the supervisor had blocked his phone number. Kirby is claiming that [name redacted] and [name redacted] "consistently failed to meet" the productivity standards. UFW has requested documentation to substantiate their claims, but Kirby has not provided any evidence.

According to Kirby workers, the company's policy is to fire workers after three write ups in a season. Yet they are using this single write up as an excuse to let [name redacted] and [name redacted] go. This move is demoralizing to all of the other workers and has scared them to the point where they're afraid to be seen talking to a UFW organizer.

New York's Public Employee Relations Board (PERB) has the authority to direct Kirby to rehire [name redacted] and [name redacted] and pay them for lost time. The UFW has already filed the necessary Unfair Labor Practice charge with the agency. Please send your message to PERB today and tell them time is of the essence. We can't let this seemingly retaliatory move dampen our organizing efforts. Not only are [name redacted] and [name redacted] losing pay, but a climate of fear is spreading throughout moving over the whole company.

PS: Spread the word by sharing this campaign on Facebook & Twitter.*

And, after I read the email above, I clicked on the hyperlink to the referenced webpage, the relevant text of which can be found below—and that text is mostly the same information which is contained in the email above, with additional information:

Act now to get UFW leaders back to work at NY’s Kirby Farms

The farm worker leaders at NY's Kirby farms need your help. The workers have been organizing at this company and according to charges filed by the union, the company is retaliating by not bringing back two of the most visible UFW supporters for the start of the new season.

[Name redacted] has worked for A&J Kirby Farms for 9 years. He is the union's most visible leader. Last year, he told The Buffalo News and The Guardian about the issues that motivated workers at Kirby to unionize, particularly the supervisor's favoritism.

It is alleged that right after [name redacted's] interview appeared, [name redacted] and his picking partner, [name redacted], were written up for poor performance. [Name redacted] feels he was targeted for speaking up. This was the only time he was written up in the 2023 season.

When the season ended last year, these workers were not informed that this one write up would mean they were not going to be called back this season. After hearing nothing about returning to work this season, [name redacted] tried to check in with the supervisor about the company's plans for this season. He was shocked to discover that the supervisor had blocked his phone number. Kirby is claiming that [name redacted] and [name redacted] "consistently failed to meet" the productivity standards. UFW has requested documentation to substantiate their claims, but Kirby has not provided any evidence.

According to Kirby workers, the company's policy is to fire workers after three write ups in a season. Yet they are using this single write up as an excuse to let [name redacted] and [name redacted] go. This move is demoralizing to all of the other workers and has scared them to the point where they're afraid to be seen talking to a UFW organizer.

New York's Public Employee Relations Board (PERB) has the authority to direct Kirby to rehire [name redacted] and [name redacted] and pay them for lost time. The UFW has already filed the necessary Unfair Labor Practice charge with the agency. Please send your message to PERB today and tell them time is of the essence. We can't let this seemingly retaliatory move dampen our organizing efforts. Not only are [name redacted] and [name redacted] losing pay, but a climate of fear is spreading throughout moving over the whole company.

Contact Information

First Name: Paul
Last Name: Whiting
Postal Code: [redacted]
Email: [redacted]

Subject: PERB must act now to get UFW leaders back to work at NY's Kirby Farms

NY Public Employee Relations Board (PERB),

Farm worker leaders at NY's Kirby farmd need you to do your job. The workers have been organizing at this company and the company is seemingly retaliating by not bringing back two of the most visible UFW supporters for the start of the new season.

Last year, right after an interview was published about the issues that motivated workers at Kirby to unionize, [name redacted] — the union's most visible leader at A&J Kirby Farms — and his picking partner [name redacted] were written up for poor performance. This was the only time he was written up the 2023 season. According to Kirby workers, Company policy is to fire workers after three write ugs in a season — not one. Yet Kirby is claiming that [name redacted] and [name redacted] "consistently failed to meet" the productivity standards without providing evidence.

Your agency has the authority to tell Kirby to rehire [name redacted] and [name redacted] and pay them for lost time. The UFW has already filed the necessary Unfair Labor Practice charge. Time is of the essence. Not only are [name redacted] and [name redacted] losing pay, but a climate of fear is spreading throughout the whole company. You must take action ASAP.

THANK YOU!

Sincerely,
[Your information here]

*I selected the "Share on Twitter" option (by the way, I only have a Twitter account so I can read tweets which are included in some online articles that I read) in order for me to provide you, my readers, with the text and hyperlink below:

Help get UFW leaders back to work. UFW-filed charges state NY's Kirby Farms is retaliating by not bringing back 2 of our most visible leaders for this season. NY Public Employee Relations Board can tell Kirby to rehire & pay them for lost time.

http://ufw.org/perb_recall

And, after I sent the email above to the New York PERB (Public Employee Relations Board), via the SEIU.org (Service Employees International Union) website, I made a one-time donation to United Farm Workers yesterday, August 29th, 2024, in order to "help get UFW leaders back to work," since "NY's Kirby Farms is retaliating by not bringing back 2 of [United Farm Worker's] most visible leaders for this [2024] season" and "NY Public Employee Relations Board can tell Kirby to rehire & pay them for lost time." –Paul Whiting (August 30th, 2024)

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August 31st, 2024 Update No. 1, Which Also Discusses August 10th, 2024: I received a mailer from the Armed Services YMCA (ASYMCA) twenty one days ago on August 10th, 2034, which stated the following:

[I used to hand-type the text of the documents from these types of mailers on my smartphone; however, it takes a lot of time and energy in order to hand-type these kinds of documents: so, instead, I scanned and copied the documents using Google Lens! Then, I edited the copy of said documents to include all of the italicizing, bolding and/or underscoring where applicable.]

Armed Services YMCA

"Behind every strong soldier, there is an even stronger family who stands by them, supports them and loves them with all their heart." —ANONYMOUS

Dear Caring Friend,

Imagine serving your country in the military, only to end up nearly homeless with two young children to care for.

That's what happened to [name redacted] and his wife, [name redacted], after moving from West Virginia to California for a Navy assignment. They were shocked with the staggering new cost of living.

"We had a nice savings and then we moved out here, and it was rough," [name redacted's wife] said.

The couple's savings were quickly drained, as their combined income wasn't enough to make ends meet. They couldn't afford to pay for housing and food. This is a tragic dilemma faced by service members across America.

In fact, 1 out of every 4 active-duty families today struggle to meet their food and nutrition needs. This should never happen in the land of opportunity!

Our heroes are on the front lines, protecting our liberties. The last thing they should have to worry about is feeding their children.

This is where the Armed Services YMCA (ASYMCA) steps in to support service members and their families. We've vowed to leave no military family behind. And we need YOUR help today.

You can help support service men and women, and their families, with a gift of $15, $25 or even $50 to the ASYMCA today. You can reward their sacrifices by helping fund assistance here at home, during deployment, when transitioning between bases and in times of conflict and peace. And please accept the enclosed gifts with our thanks in advance for YOUR service!

Donations from caring friends like you help to provide emergency assistance, support groups, employment assistance, food distribution ... and more.

A strong military depends on strong military families. Because when someone signs up to serve our country, their family serves too.

With inflation and escalating food prices across the country, the needs are only increasing. It will be impossible for our young military families to make ends meet.

But with your help, the ASYMCA is there to help these families every step of the way. And we have been since 1861 — longer than any other military support organization in the U.S.

Military parents must deal with the pressures of protecting our country and being away from home. They make real sacrifices daily. They shouldn't have to struggle to put food on the table on top of that.

Food insecurity is a reality for military families. We're here to help but we can't help all the families that need us without YOU!

"It's been eye-opening to see the families that do struggle in the military," said [name redacted], whose husband is stationed at Fort Bragg. "I had never needed to reach out for assistance. But when I lost my job in industrial design, we still had bills. Being able to reach out to the ASYMCA to make ends meet was really a lifesaver."

Moving every three years can make steady employment difficult for military spouses. Their children are unable to establish lasting friendships. There's not a sense of home when things are constantly changing.

The Armed Services YMCA is honored to step in and support these patriots who put our country first and their own families second.

And YOUR assistance is needed now, more than ever, to keep giving service members and their families the support they deserve!

I hope you will rush your gift so we can put your donation to work, helping families who need us the most!

I'm sending you a notepad, bookmarks and a set of personalized name labels as a small token of our gratitude. When you use them, remember our service members and their families, who continually sacrifice to protect our freedom.

And please stand behind our service members and their families by making a donation today. Thank you for joining me in supporting this cause!

Serving those who serve,

[Name redacted], Vice Admiral, USN (Ret)
[Title redacted] and [title redacted]

P.S. When their families are struggling, our service members battle on to preserve the freedom we all hold dear. Please rush your contribution to help ensure our service members and their families are taken care of!

---------------------------------------------

Armed Services YMCA

[✓] YES! I want to give back to the military families who sacrifice so much for our country. It is my pleasure to enclose this gift of:

[  ] $15
[  ] $25
[  ] $35 ← Can you spare this much?
[  ] $50
[✓] My best gift of $7.00

Please enclose your check made payable to Armed Services YMCA or see reverse to give by credit card.

[  ] Make my gift monthly.

Save a stamp and make your gift online: asymca.org/July24

Paul Whiting
[Apt. No. redacted]
[Street Address redacted]
[City, State and ZIP Code redacted]

Armed Services YMCA
Donation Processing Center, [Address redacted]
[City, State and ZIP Code redacted]

And, after I read the letter above, I entered the hyperlink to the referenced webpage, the relevant text of which can be found below:

ARMED SERVICES YMCA
NATIONAL HEADQUARTERS

Your Donation Supports Military Families

[✓] One-time
[  ] Recurring

Choose a one-time amount.

[  ] $25
[  ] $50
[  ] $100
[  ] $500
[✓] USD $7.00

Your Information

First Name: Paul
Last Name: Whiting
Email: [redacted]

[✓] It's OK to contact me in the future.

Address: [redacted]
Add apt., suite, floor: [redacted]
ZIP: [redacted]
City: [redacted]
State: [redacted]
Country: [redacted]
Phone Number: [redacted]

Leave a comment:

"This donation is for your July 2024 mailer!"

One-time donation $7.00 USD

And so, I made a one-time donation to the Armed Services YMCA (ASYMCA) today August 31st, 2024, since "1 out of every 4 active-duty families today struggle to meet their food and nutrition needs" and "when their families are struggling, our service members battle on to preserve the freedom we all hold dear." That is why I contributed to ASYMCA, because "the Armed Services YMCA is honored to step in and support these patriots who put our country first and their own families second." –Paul Whiting (August 31st, 2024)

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August 31st, 2024 Update No. 2, Which Also Discusses August 27th, 2024: I received a mailer from Feeding America four days ago on August 27th, 2024, with a 'front teaser message' on the envelope that read, "ENCLOSED: URGENT MEALS FOR KIDS", which stated the following:

[I used to hand-type the text of the documents from these types of mailers on my smartphone; however, it takes a lot of time and energy in order to hand-type these kinds of documents: so, instead, I scanned and copied the documents using Google Lens! Then, I edited the copy of said documents to include all of the italicizing, bolding and/or underscoring where applicable.]

FEEDING AMERICA

MEALS FOR KIDS DRIVE

Return the enclosed Urgent Meal Voucher with your gift to have twice the impact for Children facing hunger!

August 7, 2024

Dear Paul Whiting,

[Name redacted's] mom, [name redacted], recently lost her job. Things haven't always been easy for this mom of three, and today's rising prices have made life even harder.

[Name redacted] is an adventurous girl who loves her toy dinosaurs and playing with friends. But she needs healthy food to help her grow and enjoy life to the fullest. Today, you can help children across America get the nutritious meals they need to thrive.

Right now, too many of our neighbors are dealing with the high costs of groceries and everyday necessities. In fact, over 44 million people, including more than 13 million children, are facing hunger. No parent should have to worry about where their children's next meal will come from.

I know you want to continue helping our neighbors at risk of hunger. Your donation to Feeding America today can have DOUBLE the impact in your community and across the country, thanks to a special $150,000 challenge match from a group of incredible supporters.

Simply return the enclosed Urgent Meal Voucher with your gift to our 2024 Meals for Kids Drive, or give online. Your donation will support programs like the Feeding America BackPack Program, Kids Café and the School Pantry Program, which help children and families have access to the food they need.

Normally, every $1 you give helps provide at least 10 meals through the Feeding America network. But right now during the challenge match, every $1 you give can help provide at least 20 meals for children across the country.

With your support, we can provide more critically needed meals through our 2024 Meals for Kids Drive. Your gift to Feeding America will be so meaningful and have TWICE the impact.

• Your generous contribution of $15 can help provide enough food for at least 300 meals.

• Consider giving an especially generous donation of $20, which can help provide enough food for at least 400 meals families like [name redacted's mom] and [name redacted's].

Every $1 = at least 20 meals!

Even before losing her job, [name redacted's mom] had to work hard to make ends meet. "We fall into that middle ground where I was making just too much for SNAP but still struggling," she says.

[Name redacted's mom] turned to her local food bank, a member of the Feeding America network. While [name redacted's mom] looks for work, the food bank helps her get what she needs to provide meals for her children.

"Just having this takes the pressure off my shoulders, even for just a minute," [name redacted's mom] says. "This helps in 800 different ways."

Having access to their local food bank's meal program benefits the whole family. [Name redacted] enjoys hanging out with her friends when they visit, and [name redacted's mom] has found peace of mind knowing her kids are getting healthy meals.

"Look at those little happy food dances," [name redacted's mom] says, watching [name redacted] enjoy her lunch. "Oh my goodness, that's nice to see."

With your gift, we can help children like [name redacted] get the food they need to nourish their bodies, their minds and their futures.

Across the country, in communities like yours, millions of children face hunger—especially now, as hardworking families deal with the high cost of food and necessities.

But you can help them get the meals they need to thrive by:

• Making a donation and returning it with the enclosed Urgent Meal Voucher or,
• Giving quickly and securely online at SupportFeedingAmerica.org/Match.

The Feeding America network provides billions of meals each year. With demand so high, your support is crucial. Please send your most generous gift today, while it can have DOUBLE the impact. We greatly appreciate your compassion.

Sincerely,

[Name redacted]
[Title redacted] and [title redacted]

P.S. Remember, every $1 you give to the 2024 Meals for Kids Drive can help provide at least 20 meals, thanks to the $150,000 challenge match. Your gift goes so far because we use your dollars responsibly and efficiently to help people facing hunger. Thank you.

Can I please hear from you by October 1?

"QR code message": Your gift can help provide TWICE as many meals. Scan here or visit SupportFeedingAmerica.org/Match

---------------------------------------------

URGENT MEAL VOUCHER

MEALS FOR KIDS DRIVE

PLEASE REPLY BY OCTOBER 1

I want to have TWICE the impact to help children get the meals they need.
My gift of:

[  ] $15 can help provide at least 300 meals.
[  ] $20 can help provide at least 400 meals.
[  ] $25 can help provide ut least 500 meals.
[✓] $7.00 can help provide as many meals as possible.
[  ] I'm giving by credit card. (please see reverse.)
[  ] I want to make an even bigger impact by giving monthly! (please see reverse.)

Paul Whiting
[Apt. No. redacted]
[Street Address redacted]
[City, State and ZIP Code redacted]

Give online: SupportFeedingAmerica.org/Match

FEEDING AMERICA

And so, I made a one-time donation to Feeding America in order to support their "2024 MEALS FOR KIDS DRIVE," because "$7.00 can help provide as many meals as possible." And because I donated to Feeding America, I also donated locally to the Oregon Food Bank, whose mission includes the following statement: "...We distribute food equitably across the region and work on policies and programs to address the root causes of hunger." –Paul Whiting (August 31st, 2024)

P.S.: Just so you know, "I have changed the way that I make donations to political, progressive and charitable organizations each month ... due to the fact that I have been spending a considerable percentage of my monthly income on all of these donations." (The reader should know that I am HIV-positive with full-blown AIDS. And I am on Social Security Disability Insurance, or SSDI, so my income is quite limited.) Therefore, "I am reducing how much I donate for the regular mail requests that I receive (to which I choose to respond) to take action." Thus, I will still be responding to some of the regular mail requests that I receive (to which I choose to respond), which are requesting me to take action, but I am reducing the amount that I donate to organizations from which I receive mailers. (Please see my 'August 19th, 2023 Update,' which can be found above.)

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August 31st, 2024 Update No. 3, Which Also Discusses August 30th, 2024: I received a text message yesterday, August 30th, 2024, from the Marine Toys for Tots Foundation, which stated the following:

Hi Paul, this is [name redacted], [title redacted] & [title redacted] of the Marine Toys for Tots Foundation. The countdown to Christmas has officially begun! We're excited to announce our partnership with Richard Childress Racing as we proudly sponsor [name redacted's] No. 3 Toys for Tots Chevrolet this weekend in Darlington, SC [South Carolina].

Before [name redacted] revs up his engine, we're on a mission to raise $33,333 to provide toys, books, joy, and HOPE to children in need — at Christmastime and throughout the year. Click to contribute now and join us as we #DriveforHope to make a difference for children living in poverty.***

MARINE CORPS RESERVE
TOYS FOR TOTS

TOGETHER, WE'RE A DRIVING FORCE FOR GOOD FOR CHILDREN IN NEED

Toys for Tots is proud to partner with Richard Childress Racing and [name redacted]. While [name redacted] races toward the finish line in the No. 3 Toys for Tots Chevrolet, you can help us raise $33,333 to deliver toys, books, joy, and hope to children in need at Christmastime and all year long.

Thank you for being a driving force for good for children in need!

Donation Information

[  ] $33
[  ] $75
[  ] $100
[  ] $150
[✓] $5

Contact Information

First Name: Paul
Last Name: Whiting
Street Address: [redacted]
Address Line 2 (Optional): [redacted]
Postal Code: [redacted]
City: [redacted]
State: [redacted]
Email: [redacted]
Phone (optional):

Donate $5

And so, I made a one-time donation to the Marine Toys for Tots Foundation today August 31st, 2024, because "Toys for Tots is proud to partner with Richard Childress Racing." And "while [name redacted] races toward the finish line in the No. 3 Toys for Tots Chevrolet, [I] can help [Toys for Tots] raise $33,333 to deliver toys, books, joy, and hope to children in need at Christmastime and all year long." –Paul Whiting (August 31st, 2024)

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August 31st, 2024 Update No. 4, Which Also Discusses August 30th, 2024: I received an email from the ACLU (American Civil Liberties Union) today, August 30th, 2024, with the subject line, "Our plans for a Harris White House", which stated the following:

[Image of a collage with a Kamala Harris portrait, and a voting rights sign that says, "Voters Decide The Winner," as well as an image of the words "We the People" from Preamble to the U.S. Constitution.]

Paul, our 2024 election policy memo series is officially complete: the final memos in the series map out the opportunities and challenges we'll face in the fight for our rights should Vice President Kamala Harris be elected president this November.

As we did earlier this summer for Trump's presidential platform, our experts have now broken down Harris' pledges from the campaign trail, as well as her record in public office, to analyze what a Harris presidency would hold. If elected, we have the plan to hold her accountable to her commitments to expand our rights, while advocating for more progress at every level.

Check out our latest memos, including:

[✓] Harris on Immigration – which pushes back against the Biden administration's harmful asylum policies and sets forth the ACLU's plan to hold Harris accountable for expanding protections for longtime residents and a humane approach to the border

[✓] Harris on Surveillance – which dives into the ACLU's work urging Harris to protect us all from government surveillance and to create stronger privacy standards and safeguards

[✓] Harris on the Criminal Legal System – which describes our plan to push Harris to bring accountability, fairness, and humanity into our legal system by ending mass incarceration, stopping police brutality, and abolishing the death penalty

VIEW ALL OF THE HARRIS MEMOS:

https://www.aclu.org/campaigns-initiatives/project2025

Paul, thank you for all you've done to help us meet this moment. With you by our side, we're ready to take on this crucial work for our rights – regardless of who wins the White House this November.

With thanks for all you do,

The ACLU Team

ACLU
CAMPAIGNS & INITIATIVES ›

The Trump and Harris Memos

By ACLU

Last updated on July 30, 2024

Our democracy hangs in the balance because of initiatives like Project 2025. Read our memos outlining where each presidential candidate stands on the issues.

Republican nominee Donald Trump and presumptive Democratic nominee Vice President Kamala Harris will face off in the 2024 presidential election — and the stakes for our civil rights and liberties are higher than ever. The Heritage Foundation, a conservative think tank, has introduced Project 2025, a roadmap to take away our freedoms by chipping away at checks and balances. Coupled with the Supreme Court’s recent ruling expanding presidential immunity from criminal prosecution while in office, Project 2025 threatens to dismantle democracy as we know it.

Though the ACLU doesn’t endorse or oppose candidates for elected office, we recognize there will be drastically different realities for the country depending on which candidate wins in November. Regardless of a candidate’s political affiliation, the ACLU will stand for any executive action to protect and expand civil rights and liberties, and stand against any executive action that threatens them. Our legal, legislative, and advocacy experts are preparing for any administration by identifying the challenges and opportunities that each candidate brings, and the concrete actions the ACLU will take in response.

Ahead of the election, we are sharing our roadmap in a series of 13 memos — seven memos on a potential second Trump administration and six on potential Harris administration — to be released through August. The memos will address a range of issues from immigrants’ rights, abortion access, LGBTQ rights, First Amendment freedoms, racial equity, criminal legal reform, and more. Check back every week for a new memo outlining what a potential Trump and Harris administration means for our most fundamental freedoms, and what the ACLU is doing to ensure the nation lives up to the promise of the Constitution.

Harris Memos

The Harris Memos Compilation

The ACLU's roadmap for protecting civil rights and civil liberties under a Harris Administration.

Read Our Memos Compilation

https://www.aclu.org/publications/the-harris-memos-compilation

Harris on the Criminal Legal System

Harris on Surveillance

Harris on Immigration

Harris on Voting Rights

Harris on LGBTQ Rights

Harris on Abortion ...

[Blogger's Note: I read the ACLU's Campaigns & Initiatives article titled, "The Trump and Harris Memos." Plus, on September 16th, 2024, I finally downloaded and read "The Harris Memos Compilation" PDF, which is 92 pages long, but it contains all of the memos listed above with some additional introductory text to each memo. And it took me just about four hours (or, 3 hours and 58 minutes) to read all of the chapters, as listed below, from the Compilation's Table of Contents:

CONTENTS

FOREWARD...........................................[Page] 1
(I didn't track how long it took me to read the forward.)

KAMALA HARRIS ON:

ABORTION.............................................[Page] 3
(47 minutes to read)
VOTING RIGHTS..................................[Page] 18
(53 minutes to read)
LGBTQ RIGHTS ...................................[Page] 37
(29 minutes to read)
SURVEILLANCE...................................[Page] 48
(55 minutes to read)
IMMIGRATION....................................[Page] 64
(24 minutes to read)
THE CRIMINAL LEGAL SYSTEM.....[Page] 77
(30 minutes to read)

(Please see my 'July 24th, 2024 Update No. 2, Which Also Discusses July 23rd, 2024' that can be found above, regarding the "Trump Memos," which I started reading on September 17th, 2024 and finished reading on September 18th, 2024.)]

Please see the hyperlink below for the article:

https://www.aclu.org/campaigns-initiatives/project2025

So, I wanted to share this email from the ACLU in order to show my support for the officially completed "Harris Memos," as part of "The Trump and Harris Memos" article. –Paul Whiting (written August 31st, 2024, revised September 2nd, 2024, revised September 16th, 2024 and revised September 18th, 2024)

P.S.: Just so you know, I used to make one-time donations to the organization that is the subject of these 'updates' each time that I took an action as requested by that organization; however, "I have changed the way that I make donations to political, progressive and charitable organizations each month ... due to the fact that I have been spending a considerable percentage of my monthly income on all of these donations." (The reader should know that I am HIV-positive with full-blown AIDS. And I am on Social Security Disability Insurance, or SSDI, so my income is quite limited.) Therefore, "I am greatly reducing the number of times that I donate for the same organization per month down to once—or as determined by me on a case-by-case basis." (Please see my 'August 19th, 2023 Update,' which can be found above.) Thus, because I have already donated to the ACLU on August 3rd, 2024 (please see my 'August 3rd, 2024 Update No. 1, Which Also Discusses August 2nd, 2024' that can be found above), as well as on August 22nd, 2024 (please see my 'August 22nd, 2024 Update No. 1,' which can be found above) those are the one-time donations which I made to the ACLU for August 2024.

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August 31st, 2024 Update No. 5, Which Also Discusses August 30th, 2024: I received an email from CREDO Mobile (which is my cell phone company) yesterday, August 30th, 2024, with the subject line, "Sign the petition: Tim Walz Free Lunch program", which stated the following:

Dear Fellow Progressive,

You have probably seen the photo of presumptive vice-presidential nominee Tim Walz mobbed by happy children. This was after he passed a universal lunch program in his state, making sure that every kid received a free lunch, no matter how rich or poor they were. Every kid, in every state should have lunch.

Sign the petition to Pass Tim Walz's free lunch for kids program in EVERY state!

This is what the government should exist to do. This is why we pay taxes. It's time to make sure kids have what they need to learn, and that includes not being hungry. We need to institute Tim Walz's free lunch program in EVERY state!

Sign the Petition Today***

Pass Tim Walz's Free Lunch For Kids Program in EVERY state!

[Petition Text:]

As governor of Minnesota, presumptive vice-presidential nominee Tim Walz passed a universal lunch program in his state, making sure that every kid received a free lunch, no matter how rich or poor they were.

It frees families from school lunch debt, which shouldn't ever have been a thing in the first place, ends the quiet humiliation of "lunch shaming" in which poorer kids receive worse quality food, helps out families who make too much to qualify for free meal programs but are still struggling, and ensures that kids have the fuel they need to learn.

This is what the government should exist to do. This is why we pay taxes. Making sure hungry kids are fed should be society's number one priority, and it speaks volumes about our society that the concept of "lunch debt" exists at all. It's time to end lunch debt for good and institute Tim Walz's free lunch program in EVERY state!

Pass Tim Walz's free lunch for kids program in EVERY state!

ADD YOUR NAME:

First Name: Whiting
Last Name: Paul
Email: [redacted]
Zip/Postal Code: [redacted]

Level up your activism with text alerts!

Cell phone (not landline): [redacted]

Thus, I signed the petition, via the CivicShout.com website, to "Pass Tim Walz's free lunch for kids program in EVERY state!" –Paul Whiting (written August 31st, 2024 and revised September 2nd, 2024)

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August 31st, 2024 Update No. 6, Written From September 1st, 2024 To September 2nd, 2024 About August 2024: This 'update' is special, since I am continuing to change the way that I make donations to political, progressive and charitable organizations each month! And because I first changed the way that I make donations starting in August 2023, this update is also technically a follow-up to the following:

▪ August 19th, 2023 Update
▪ August 19th, 2023 Update—Follow-Up No. 1, Written On August 31st, 2023
▪ August 19th, 2023 Update—Follow-Up No. 2, Written On October 1st, 2023 About September 2023
▪ August 19th, 2023 Update—Follow-Up No. 3, Written On November 1st, 2023 About October 2023
▪ August 19th, 2023 Update—Follow-Up No. 4, Written On December 1st, 2023 About November 2023
▪ August 19th, 2023 Update—Follow-Up No. 5, Written On January 1st, 2024 About December 2023

Besides that, because this is the year 2024—where I am continuing to change the way that I make donations to political, progressive and charitable organizations that I started changing in 2023—this update is also a follow-up to the following:

▪ January 31st, 2024 Update No. 3, Written On February 1st, 2024 About January 2024

▪ February 29th, 2024 Update No. 3, Written On March 1st, 2024 About February 2024

▪ March 31st, 2024 Update No. 6, Written On April 2nd, 2024 About March 2024

▪ April 30th, 2024 Update No. 2, Written On May 1st, 2024 About April 2024

▪ May 31st, 2024 Update No. 3, Written On June 1st, 2024 About May 2024

▪ June 30th, 2024 Update No. 1, Written On July 1st, 2024 About June 2024

▪ July 31st, 2024 Update No. 1, Written From August 1st, 2024 To August 2nd, 2024 About July 2024

Please let me explain: I spent A LOT the year before last (2022) because I was "doing everything in my power to help Democrats win in the 2022 Midterm Elections!" And I also spent QUITE A BIT last year (2023) because I was trying to 'put my money where my mouth is' regarding my activism throughout the year. And so, I ended up with a rather considerable credit card balance...

...Now, this is my only credit card—that I got through my regular bank—and I was enjoying an interest-free period on my charges up until August 2023! Thus, my carefree days of not paying for any interest on my credit card balance were officially over last year. And my minimum payments were going to be a rather large percentage of the amount that I had set aside in my monthly budget for my minimum payment, as well as my extra payment, on my credit card each month.

So, in response to this change in my minimum payments, I changed the way that I donated to political, progressive and charitable organizations, starting in 2023, due to the fact that I was spending a considerable percentage of my monthly income on all of these donations in 2023—as outlined below—starting with January of 2023.

January 2023:
Total percentage of my monthly income for political, progressive and charitable donations: 15%

February 2023:
Total percentage of my monthly income for political, progressive and charitable donations: 19%

March 2023:
Total percentage of my monthly income for political, progressive and charitable donations: 12%

April 2023:
Total percentage of my monthly income for political, progressive and charitable donations: 17%

May 2023:
Total percentage of my monthly income for political, progressive and charitable donations: 21%

June 2023:
Total percentage of my monthly income for political, progressive and charitable donations: 20%

July 2023:
Total percentage of my monthly income for political, progressive and charitable donations: 17%

August 2023:
Total percentage of my monthly income for political, progressive and charitable donations: 23%

September 2023:
Total percentage of my monthly income for political, progressive and charitable donations: 20%

October 2023:
Total percentage of my monthly income for political, progressive and charitable donations: 31%

November 2023:
Total percentage of my monthly income for political, progressive and charitable donations: 71%

December 2023:
Total percentage of my monthly income for political, progressive and charitable donations: 31%

And so, if I average out the total percentage in 2023 that I spent on political, progressive and charitable organizations from January 2023 through December 2023, it comes out to be 25% of my monthly income! (The reader should know that I am HIV-positive with full-blown AIDS. And I am on Social Security Disability Insurance, or SSDI, so my income is quite limited.)

That is the reason I started really "tightening my belt," so to speak, with regard to all of the donations that I am making on my credit card each month! So, my plan is to only donate to political, progressive and charitable organizations if they specifically ask for donations—and not just for the sake of donating to them at least once per month, or even when I have been taking some sort of action, such as signing a petition, or sending a letter, etc. Thus, I am trying to greatly reduce the number of donations that I make to simply once in a while, or as determined by me on a case-by-case basis!

You see, there are a lot of organizations that I literally donate to only once per year—such as for Giving Tuesday—which is all that I ever donate to them. And that is basically what I am striving for, so that I am still donating to political, progressive and charitable organizations, but the bare minimum that I can donate, since that's all I can really afford.

Therefore, I am no longer donating for every one of the email or text messages that I receive (to which I choose to respond), which are requesting me to take action that also come from the same organization, with the exception of the USO (United Service Organizations), or as determined by me on a case-by-case basis. And I am reducing how much I donate for the regular mail requests that I receive (to which I choose to respond) to take action.

That is why I will still be responding to some of the email or text messages that I receive (to which I choose to respond), which are requesting me to take action, as well as to some of the regular mail requests that I receive (to which I choose to respond), which are requesting me to take action; however, when I do donate, I am reducing the number of times that I donate for the same organization per month down to once—or as determined by me on a case-by-case basis—in addition to reducing the amount that I donate to organizations from which I receive mailers.

Thus, when I do donate, I will only be donating once per month for each political, progressive or charitable organization, with the exception of the USO, or as determined by me on a case-by-case basis. (You see, I make a recurring monthly donation to the USO in order to show my support for our U.S. Military Personnel! Plus, I usually make one-time donations to the USO each month—as often as I can manage when they request a donation via email or text message. Therefore, I am planning to continue making one-time donations to the USO in the future, as often as I can manage to make donations, in addition to making the aforementioned recurring monthly donation.)

In addition to that, as of March 21st, 2024, I am no longer donating to individual political campaigns for the foreseeable future—or as determined by me on a case-by-case basis (such as to Kamala Harris's campaign for President of the United States, or to local campaigns here in Oregon), but I am not donating like I have been up until this point—which has been virtually every time that I have received a political campaign donation request via email or text message—because I seriously cannot afford to donate that much for the rest of the 2024 Presidential Election cycle, as well as for the foreseeable future.

And I have made this decision based upon how much these individual political campaign donations are costing in my 'monthly donating budget'—even though I have only been donating $3.00 with a $0.21 tip to ActBlue. However, it's still more than I can afford given my 'monthly donating budget,' which is why I have decided to stop donating to individual political campaigns entirely—or as determined by me on a case-by-case basis, as mentioned above.

And to clarify one more thing: In the past, I used to only donate to the main Democratic fundraising and coordinating organizations—rather than to individual campaigns—since that's all I really could afford given my 'monthly spending budget,' because I am "low income." Plus, those Democratic fundraising and coordinating organizations help all of the individual political campaigns with funding, which is why I used to only donate to those main organizations. And I only started donating to individual political campaigns in 2022, since I was "doing everything in my power to help Democrats win in the 2022 Midterm Elections!" Therefore, this decision to stop donating to individual political campaigns (with the exception of presidential campaigns and local campaigns, or as determined by me on a case-by-case basis) is really just going back to the way that I used to make political donations.

And now that yesterday, August 31st, 2024, was the last day of August 2024, I wanted to provide you with August's total percentage of my monthly income for political, progressive and charitable donations:

August 2024:
Total percentage of my monthly income for political, progressive and charitable donations: 18.09% {18.09296320206%}

And here are the percentages that I have spent on political, progressive and charitable organizations by category, as outlined within my monthly budget:

[01] NARF (Native Amer. Rights Fund): 0.32% {0.32278889606%}
[02] PPFA (Plan. Parent. Feder. of Amer.): 0.32% {0.32278889606%}
[03] News Organizations: 0.97% {0.96836668818%}
[04] USO (United Serv. Orgs.): 2.58% {2.58231116849%}
[05] ACLU (Amer. Civ. Lib. Union): 0.32% {0.32278889606%}
[06] WWP (Wounded Warrior Project): 0.45% {0.45190445448%}
[07] Military Order of the Purple Heart: 0.32% {0.32278889606%}
[08] IAVA (Iraq & Afghan. Vet. of Amer.): 0.65% {0.64557779212%}
-------Please see [09] below-------
[10] Union Gospel Mission: 0.32% {0.32278889606%}
[11] Blanchet House: 0.45% {0.45190445448%}
[12] The Salvation Army: 0.45% {0.45190445448%}
[13] Brady United: 0.32% {0.32278889606%}
[14] March For Our Lives: 0.32% {0.32278889606%}
[15] Monthly Political: 2.32% {2.32408005164%}
-------Please see [16] below-------
[17] DMA (Dem. Mayors Assoc.): 0.32% {0.32278889606%}
[18] ACLU of Oregon: 0.32% {0.32278889606%}
[19] DNC (Dem. Nation. Cam. Comm.): 0.21% {0.20723047127%}
[20] Oregon Sierra Club PAC: 0.32% {0.32278889606%}
[21] DPO (Dem. Party of Ore.): 0.21% {0.20723047127%}
[22] DLCC (Dem. Legis. Cam. Comm.): 0.32% {0.32278889606%}
[23] Non-Categorized Local Political: 0.21% {0.20723047127%}
[24] Jane Fonda Climate PAC: 0.07% {0.06907682375%}
[25] Teachers Unify To End Gun Violence: 0.13% {0.12911555842%}
[26] Four Directions Native Vote: 0.13% {0.12911555842%}
[27] DSCC (Dem. Senate. Cam. Comm.): 0.14% {0.13815364751%}
[28] Ban Assault Weapons NOW: 0.14% {0.13815364751%}
[29] Rolling Sea PAC: 0.14% {0.13815364751%}
[30] DASS (Dem. Assoc. Secr. of State): 0.14% {0.13815364751%}
[31] Educated We Stand: 0.14% {0.13815364751%}
[32] VoteVets: 0.14% {0.13815364751%}
[33] Democratic Youth Wave PAC: 0.14% {0.13815364751%}
[34] Voters of Tomorrow PAC: 0.14% {0.13815364751%}
[35] DAGA (Dem. Attorneys. Gen. Assoc.): 0.14% {0.13815364751%}
[36] Voto Latino: 0.14% {0.13815364751%}
[37] Harris for President: 1.91% {1.91091026468%}
[38] Harris Victory Fund: 0.14% {0.13815364751%}
[39] DGA (Dem. Govern. Assoc.): 0.07% {0.06907682375%}
[40] DCCC (Dem. Congress. Cam. Comm.): 0.14% {0.13815364751%}
[41] Non-Categorized Political: 0.07% {0.06907682375%}
[42] EMILYs List: 0.14% {0.13815364751%}
[43] UFW (Unite. Farm Work.): 0.32% {0.32278889606%}
[44] Armed Services YMCA: 0.45% {0.45190445448%}
[45] Feeding America: 0.45% {0.45190445448%}
[46] Oregon Food Bank: 0.32% {0.32278889606%}
[47] Toys for Tots: 0.32% {0.32278889606%}

Monthly Income Total Percentage Calculation:

4.48% {14 × 0.32%}
+ 0.97%
+ 2.58%
+ 2.26% {5 × 0.45% approximately}
+ 0.65%
+ 2.32%
+ 0.63% {3 × 0.21%}
+ 0.21% {3 × 0.07%}
+ 0.26% {2 × 0.13%}
+ 1.82% {13 × 0.14%}
+ 1.91%
= 18.09%

Plus, here are the percentages that I have spent on interest and credit card purchases, as outlined within my monthly budget:

[09] Credit Card Purchases: 2.64% {2.63524854744%}
[16] Monthly Interest: 7.55% {7.55390574564%}

Total Percentage of Monthly Income from Interest and Purchases: 10.19% {10.18915429309%}

Grand Total Percentage of Monthly Income for August 2024: 28.28% {28.28211749515%}

And starting in 2024, I totally changed the way that I approach how I calculate what I am spending on my credit card each month! So now, I take the total amount that I have available in my monthly budget for my minimum payment on my credit card—as well as my extra payment—and I calculate how much I am reducing that amount each time that I charge on my credit card.

That way, I am very aware of the amount by which I am reducing my total available credit card payments for the month (the minimum payment and the extra payment) in order to, hopefully, pay more on my credit card than I am spending! Plus, I am also utilizing some funds from my budgeted expenses, as well as some funds from my savings, to make sure that I am paying a little more than I am spending while—at the same time—I am also trying to spend less on my credit card.

For example, I made one set of donations for the month of August 2024 (on August 23rd) to Democratic fundraising and coordinating political organizations—and to one campaign—regarding the national races for the House of Representatives (the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee), the Senate (the Democratic Senatorial Campaign Committee) and the President of the United States (the Democratic National Committee and Harris for President, or the Harris Victory Fund), as well as the state races for the Governors (the Democratic Governors Association), the Secretaries of State (the Democratic Association of Secretaries of State), the Attorneys General (the Democratic Attorneys General Association) the State Legislatures (the Democratic Legislative Campaign Committee), and the Mayors (Democratic Mayors Association, or the National Conference of Democratic Mayors), during this eighth month of the year for the 2024 Presidential Election.

Now, this is where I usually say the following on these donation 'updates' that I write each month:

That is why I am trying to contribute, during each month of 2024, as much as I am able to donate to Democratic political organizations—as well as to Democratic political campaigns—while I am still trying to stay within a 'monthly donating budget,' since that's all I can really afford! Now, that means I can only donate ONCE for the entire month to each of the above-mentioned seven organizations (and one campaign!) in order to stay within my 'monthly donating budget.' Period. And that is how I am planning to budget for my credit card charges in order to see if it is "feasible for the foreseeable future" (say that three times fast!), or if I need to adjust this new credit card budget even more.

So, that means I am going to follow my own concluding words of advice from these donation 'updates' that I write each month:

And that is how I am planning to budget for my credit card charges in order to see if it is "feasible for the foreseeable future" (say that three times fast!), or if I need to adjust this new credit card budget even more.

So now, the time has come to for me to "adjust this new credit card budget even more," since I am still spending a considerable percentage of my monthly income on all of these donations in 2024—as outlined below—starting with January of 2024.

January 2024:
Total percentage of my monthly income for political, progressive and charitable donations: 13.42% {13.41962556488%}

February 2024:
Total percentage of my monthly income for political, progressive and charitable donations: 24.29% {24.29244673983%}

March 2024:
Total percentage of my monthly income for political, progressive and charitable donations: 19.99% {19.99806326662%}

April 2024:
Total percentage of my monthly income for political, progressive and charitable donations: 12.99% {12.99225306649%}

May 2024:
Total percentage of my monthly income for political, progressive and charitable donations: 17.14% {17.14267269205%}

June 2024:
Total percentage of my monthly income for political, progressive and charitable donations: 15.87% {15.87798579728%}

July 2024:
Total percentage of my monthly income for political, progressive and charitable donations: 15.99% {15.99612653324%}

August 2024:
Total percentage of my monthly income for political, progressive and charitable donations: 18.09% {18.09296320206%}

Thus, if I average out the total percentage that I have spent on political, progressive and charitable organizations from January 2024 through August 2024, it comes out to an average of 17.22% {17.2265171078%} of my monthly income!

Now, if you compare the percentage in 2023 that I spent on political, progressive and charitable organizations from January 2023 through August 2023, it was 18% of my monthly income!

January 2023: 15%
February 2023: 19%
March 2023: 12%
April 2023: 17%
May 2023: 21%
June 2023: 20%
July 2023: 17%
August 2023: 23%

Total average percentage of my monthly income for political, progressive and charitable donations from January through August 2023: 18%

Therefore, by "tightening my belt," so to speak (please see my 'August 19th, 2023 Update—Follow-Up No. 2, Written On October 1st, 2023 About September 2023' which can be found above), I have only saved about 0.78% over the first eight months of this year (2024) in comparison to the first eight months of last year (2023)...

...However, the good news is that I have been managing to pay down my credit card each month by about 5.30% {5.30019367333%} of my monthly income over the last eight months!

But, the not-so-good news is that I have been "utilizing some funds from my budgeted expenses, as well as some funds from my savings, to make sure that I am paying a little more than I am spending." And that actually has been working, so far—although it has also been a big drain on my savings, so much so that I am not going to have as much available in savings at the beginning of next year (2025), as I did at the beginning of this year (2024)—even after I have transferred all of the accumulated 'discount savings' (from coupons, discounts from stores, and discounts from other businesses, etc.) to my savings account, at the first of the year, which I have set aside in my 'monthly spending budget' during the entire year from the 'discount savings' that I have tracked. (Please see my 'August 19th, 2023 Update—Follow-Up No. 1, Written On August 31st, 2023,' which can be found above, for a full explanation of this process, under the heading "My Writing About Tracking My 'Discount Savings' In My Monthly Budget.")

So now, I have decided to stop making donations to progressive and charitable organizations until it's time for my annual holiday giving, which starts with Giving Tuesday and goes through Christmas Day—and sometimes New Year's Day—with my usual exception of the USO, or as determined by me on a case-by-case basis.

To clarify, though: I am still donating to political organizations because it's a Presidential Election year. However, I am trying to spend a lot less on progressive and charitable organizations (with some exceptions), so that I can still make donations to the progressive and charitable organizations that I usually donate to during the holidays! Even then—however—I am now looking to make my holiday donations as humble as possible, whilst I am still donating, so as to (hopefully) leave myself with enough savings for next year's 'annual bills expenses', as well as any unexpected expenses...

...And then, starting in September 2024 (next month), I have made an executive decision that I am planning to only donate to political, progressive and charitable organizations on a quarterly basis—that is, every three months—or as determined by me on a case-by-case basis, so that I am (hopefully) reducing the percentage that I am spending of my monthly income on donations by a considerable amount and, thereby, reducing my credit card debt while I am also trying to no longer utilizing funds from my 'monthly spending budget,' or my savings, if at all possible.

And to clarify one more thing: I am still donating for holidays and special occasions throughout the year (like I have been doing in the past in order to keep up with all of my yearly donating, so that I don't get a year's worth of donations all bunching up on Giving Tuesday), as well as still donating for requests that I receive from political, progressive and charitable organizations through the regular mail (that is, 'mailers'), to which I choose to respond, but I will only be donating to political, progressive and charitable organizations for email and text message requests ONCE every three months (or, quarterly) with the exception of the USO, or as determined by me on a case-by-case basis.

Therefore, the reason that I am explaining all of this donating and budgeting is because I am trying to be an "Online Activist" and to 'put my money where my mouth is' regarding my activism. That is why I blog about which political, progressive and charitable organizations I am supporting with regard to the causes that are the most important to me! –Paul Whiting (written from September 1st, 2024 to September 2nd, 2024, revised September 4th, 2024, revised September 5th, 2024 and revised October 2nd, 2024)

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YEAR 2024 UPDATES FOR SEPTEMBER:

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For my "September 2nd, 2024 Update No. 1, Written On August 29th, 2024"—since this 'update' is a part of my ⋆USO⋆ donations—please see my blog post titled, "My Point Of View On...Giving Charity And Accepting Charity," which can be found on both of my "Paul Whiting — Math Magician" and "Paul Whiting — A Creative Writer" blogs. An introduction to the 'update' can be found below:

September 2nd, 2024 Update No. 1, Written On August 29th, 2024: Happy Labor Day, everyone!

In celebration of Labor Day, I signed a card from the USO (United Service Organizations), because "unfortunately, the daily sacrifices our service members make — the long hours, dangerous deployments and difficult assignments — rarely make the headlines," and that's why "[my] words of encouragement will mean so much today, especially to deployed service members who won't be with their families this Labor Day weekend."

And I signed this card for Labor Day in response to an email from the USO (United Service Organizations) that I received today, August 29th, 2024, with the subject line, "Quick reminder: Don't let military heroes feel forgotten", which stated the following:

★ ★ ★ USO ★ ★ ★

SIGN THE CARD
LAST CHANCE TO SIGN

★ ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ ★

THANK OUR HEROES BEFORE IT'S TOO LATE

GOAL: 50,000 SIGNATURES

DEADLINE: MIDNIGHT

SIGN THE CARD***

Paul, with just a few hours left to reach our 50,000-signature goal on this official thank-you card for service members, we took a look at our records and were surprised to find your signature was missing.

Here's what we found when we pulled your official record:

★ USO SUPPORTER RECORD

SUPPORTER ID: [REDACTED]

STATUS: TOP MILITARY SUPPORTER

THANK-YOU CARD SIGNATURE: MISSING

DEADLINE: 11:59 P.M. ★

ADD YOUR NAME***

We know you're someone who cares deeply about supporting the people who serve in the military and their families, so we didn't want you to miss this important opportunity to show your gratitude: Sign now before it's too late!

Unfortunately, the daily sacrifices our service members make — the long hours, dangerous deployments and difficult assignments — rarely make the headlines. The challenges of serving far away from loved ones, eating the same old military ready-to-eat meals day after day, or not being able to find dependable Wi-Fi to call home are too often ignored.

But we know you understand that even the strongest among us need support. Your words of encouragement will mean so much today, especially to deployed service members who won't be with their families this Labor Day weekend. That's why we're asking for your help one last time:

Paul, can we count on you to add your name before midnight to send a powerful message of support and gratitude to U.S. service members stationed all over the world? It will only take a moment, but it will mean so much to our heroes.

SIGN THE CARD NOW***

Thank you for all you do to support our heroes — it means the world to us and them.

—The USO

***[I used to include hyperlinks contained within the email messages, or the text messages, to which I am referring in these "Activism Updates"; however, I could not figure out how to include the aforementioned hyperlinks, regarding some relevant action that I had taken—such as signing a petition, sending a letter or message to my representative(s) in Congress, signing a USO 'Thank You' card, and/or making a donation—without including my personal information.]

And so, I signed the USO Labor Day card because "America’s brave military heroes deserve to hear from us about how much we appreciate the sacrifices they make to protect us and our freedoms." Plus, after I signed the card, I made a one-time donation on the USO.org website to say to our military heroes, "Thank you for everything you do to protect our freedom and keep us safe. Your country stands with you."

In addition to that, I already make a recurring monthly donation to the USO in order to show my support for our U.S. Military Personnel! You see, I usually make one-time donations to the USO each month—as often as I can manage when they request a donation via email or text message. Therefore, I am planning to continue making one-time donations to the USO in the future, as often as I can manage to make donations, in addition to making the aforementioned recurring monthly donation. ...

Please see the hyperlinks below for the post, within which you can do a find-in-page search for the 'update' labeled, "September 2nd, 2024 Update No. 1, Written On August 29th, 2024":

https://paulwhitingmath.blogspot.com/2015/05/my-point-of-view-on-charity.html

https://paulwhitingwriting.blogspot.com/2022/07/my-point-of-view-on-part-16-giving-to.html

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September 2nd, 2024 Update No. 2, Written From September 2nd, 2024 To September 3rd, 2024, Which Also Discusses August 27th, 2024: Happy Labor Day, everyone!

[Blogger's Note: This 'update' that I am writing from September 2nd, 2024 to September 3rd, 2024 is for donations that I made as part of my series of donations for the month of September to Democratic fundraising and coordinating political organizations—and to one campaign—regarding the following:

▪ the national races for the House of Representatives (the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee),
▪ the Senate (the Democratic Senatorial Campaign Committee),
▪ and the President of the United States (the Democratic National Committee and Harris for President, or the Harris Victory Fund),
▪ as well as the state races for the Governors (the Democratic Governors Association),
▪ the Secretaries of State (the Democratic Association of Secretaries of State),
▪ the Attorneys General (the Democratic Attorneys General Association),
▪ the State Legislatures (the Democratic Legislative Campaign Committee),
▪ and the Mayors (Democratic Mayors Association, or the National Conference of Democratic Mayors),
▪ as well as to my local Democratic fundraising and coordinating organization (Democratic Party of Oregon),
▪ in addition to the official organization of the Democratic Party for United States citizens living temporarily or permanently abroad (Democratic Party Committee Abroad, or Democrats Abroad), during this ninth month of the year for the 2024 Presidential Election.

Plus, I made donations to Political Action Committees (PACs) that are doing the following:

▪ helping to elect political candidates who are working to stop global warming (Jane Fonda Climate PAC);
▪ helping to elect candidates who are pro-choice women (EMILYs List);
▪ helping to elect candidates who are U.S. Veterans (VoteVets);
▪ helping young people to vote (Voters of Tomorrow PAC);
▪ helping to elect gun safety champions in Congress (Ban Assault Weapons NOW PAC);
▪ helping to mobilize Black voters (Rolling Sea Action Fund);
▪ and helping to support pro public education officials and legislation nationwide (Educated We Stand);
▪ as well as helping to empower young Democrats by boosting youth voter turnout to create a strong voter's blue wave nationwide (Democratic Youth Wave PAC).

Besides that, I made donations to the following:

▪ a civic engagement organization that is helping to educate and empower a new generation of Latinx voters (Voto Latino);
▪ and a social welfare organization that is advancing equality at the ballot box across Indian Country (Four Directions Native Vote);
▪ as well as a non-profit organization and grassroots movement of educators and school staff across the United States who aim to raise awareness and demand safety from gun violence in their communities (Teachers Unify To End Gun Violence).

And these donations to the above-mentioned organizations are listed below in the chronological order in which I made said donations which, in turn, are based upon the general chronological order in which I received each respective request for every organization's donation.]

I received a mailer from the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee (DCCC) six days ago on August 27th, 2024, with a 'front teaser message' on the envelope that read, "WHAT HAPPENS IF THEY WIN?", which stated the following:

[I used to hand-type the text of the documents from these types of mailers on my smartphone; however, it takes a lot of time and energy in order to hand-type these kinds of documents: so, instead, I scanned and copied the documents using Google Lens! Then, I edited the copy of said documents to include all of the italicizing, bolding and/or underscoring where applicable.]

HAKEEM JEFFRIES
HOUSE DEMOCRATIC LEADER

Dear DCCC Supporter,

Chaos, dysfunction and extremism. That's what extreme MAGA Republicans like Marjorie Taylor Greene, Jim Jordan and Lauren Boebert have inflicted on our nation.

People Over Politics, problem-solving and responsible governance. That's what House Democrats will do for hardworking American taxpayers when we win back our majority.

The contrast between the parties — and the consequences of this election — have never been greater than in the battle for control of the People's House this fall.

If they're allowed to remain in power, extreme MAGA Republicans will continue to lie for convicted felon Donald Trump and present no real vision for improving the American people's lives.

They cannot point to a single issue where they've made progress. This is the least productive House majority in modern history. Only 34 bills passed the House and were signed into law in 2023, setting the worst pace since the Great Depression. On every key measure we got over the finish line, House Democrats outnumbered GOP votes because we refused to let our government shut down or abandon our democratic allies abroad.

Extreme MAGA Republicans aren't interested in governing or making life better for everyday families. Instead, House Republicans are obsessed with pleasing their Insurrectionist-in-Chief.

With just two months before Election Day, we must win the House back to save our democracy and restore our freedom.

That's why I'm urging you to rush a generous contribution to the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee today so we can hold the extreme MAGA Republicans accountable and retake our House Democratic majority.

Because early voting starts in weeks and everything is on the line, a group of generous Democrats has agreed to match every dollar you give with $3 of their own. So your contribution will go four times as far to boot MAGA out of power.

Your tripled support couldn't be more essential to gaining the four seats we need to take back the House. And it couldn't come at a more critical time.

That's because Republicans are raising money hand over fist. After his conviction of 34 felony counts, Donald Trump's campaign raked in over $52 million. Much of that haul and the tens of millions that followed it could be used to turn out the MAGA base, spread lies and keep voters of color and young voters from casting their ballots — all of which will hurt Democratic House candidates.

Unlike MAGA Republicans, the DCCC depends on small contributions from people like you. Your matched contribution is critical to our success in regaining the House. We urgently need your support to overcome the dark money machine and compete to win across the playing field.

The DCCC has 27 incredible candidates in our prestigious Red to Blue Program*. These candidates are trusted community leaders from diverse backgrounds who know their districts inside and out and will be an antidote to the MAGA chaos. Your support will ensure they receive the strategic guidance, staffing, training and funding they need to win.

You'll also bolster the reelection campaigns of our 31 Frontliners* — courageous House Democrats facing the challenges of their lives. Your support will make sure they have the resources to counter the MAGA lies being spewed in their direction so that they can hold on to these critical swing districts.

The urgency of our cause has never been greater. Extreme MAGA Republicans are now nothing more than an arm of Donald Trump's presidential campaign — supporting his election conspiracy theories through bogus hearings and ignoring the will of the people by pursuing a far-right agenda that does nothing to help our communities and our country.

We know that if extreme MAGA Republicans hold the majority in January 2025, they will try once again to overturn the will of the voters.

Please join me in ending the MAGA reign of dysfunction and restoring a Democratic majority in the U.S. House. Please take advantage of our $3 to $1 match and rush your contribution to the DCCC today.

Sincerely,

Hakeem Jeffries
House Democratic Leader

P.S. We're in the homestretch of the campaign. The future of reproductive freedom, Social Security and Medicare, the Affordable Care Act, gun violence prevention, voting rights, civil rights, addressing climate change — and the very survival of our democracy — all hang in the balance. I hope we can keep counting on you at this pivotal moment. Thank you.

*Numbers as of 7/10/24, more districts may be added as candidates emerge and resources become available.

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[TEXT OF AN ENCLOSED INSERT:]

"I am your warrior, I am your justice. And for those who have been wronged and betrayed, I am your retribution." − INSURRECTIONIST-IN-CHIEF, DONALD TRUMP [CONVICTED]

Now more than ever DEMOCRATS must TAKE BACK THE HOUSE!

INSIDE: The TRUTH about the MAGA-controlled House

---------------------------------------------

What would Trump's second term Agenda Look Like?

It's called Project 2025, the ultra-conservative playbook that Trump and House Republicans could use to push their MAGA extremist agenda, including:

✘ Institute a national ban on abortion

✘ Separate families at the border

✘ Dole out tax cuts for the ultra-wealthy

✘ Install MAGA loyalists in civil service jobs

✘ Pardon January 6 insurrectionists

✘ Restrict IVF [in vitro fertilization] access

✘ Reinstate the Muslim travel ban

✘ Allow guns in schools

✘ Prosecute political opponents

✘ Dismantle environmental policies

---------------------------------------------

The MAGA-controlled House = CHAOS + DYSFUNCTION

"I am confident we will send President Trump back to the white House, win back the senate, and grow our House Republican majority!" − SPEAKER MAGA MIKE JOHNSON

House Republicans have put loyalty to Donald Trump first and working families [flat] last. It's become crystal clear that they will do whatever he orders them to do, even if it means undermining our democracy and selling out everyday Americans.

>>> MEANING: If MAGA Mike Jahnson is holding the gavel in January, House Republicans will do everything they can to install Trump as president.

TO PREVENT DONALD TRUMP FROM UNDERMINING OUR CONSTITUTION AND DEMOCRACY, HOUSE DEMOCRATS MUST REGAIN CONTROL IN 2024. HOUSE DEMOCRATS ARE THE LAST LINE OF DEFENSE AGAINST THE CHAOS.
_________________

Dysfunction Reigns in Congress as G.O.P. Defeats Multiply

NEW YORK TIMES
_________________

The 118th Congress is the least productive since the Great Depression

ABC NEWS
_________________

'It's embarrassing': Republicans worry they have no achievements to run on in 2024

NBC NEWS
_________________

The House GOP is a Failed State

POLITICO
_________________

House Republicans can't hide from the TRUTH:

TRUE   Speaker MAGA Mike Johnson was the most important architect of the Electoral College objections in 2020.

TRUE   This is the least productive House majority since the Great Depression: Only 34 bills that passed the House were signed into law in 2023.

TRUE   The House Republican budget plans to cut taxes for the wealthy and large corporations.

TRUE   7 out of 10 voters in battleground districts said Republicans in Congress have prioritized the wrong things.

TRUE   House Republicans prevented President Biden from passing a border bill that would improve people's lives just to avoid giving him a "win" ahead of the election.

TRUE   132 House Republicans championed a bill that would ban abortion nationwide and rip away access to IVF.

---------------------------------------------

BOTTOM LINE

House Democrats are ready to take back the majority in November and deliver real results For The People.

But we need you with us!

Your support is essential to protecting democracy and regaining the majority in The People's House.

Make your contribution to take back the House today!

>>> Donate now at www.dccc.org/house2024 <<<

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PERSONAL REPLY TO LEADER JEFFRIES
____________________________________________

Dear Leader Jeffries,

We must put an end to the dysfunction, extremism and chaos. We cannot afford another two years of House Republicans waging war on our democracy and accomplishing nothing.

But time is running out and we must act now! That's why I'm rushing my contribution to the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee for:

[  ] $80
[  ] $120
[  ] $160
[✓] Other $3.00

Paul [Middle Initial] Whiting
[Apt. No. redacted]
[Street Address redacted]
[City, State and ZIP Code redacted]

To put your gift to work immediately, go to www.dccc.org/house2024 or call our contribution hotline [phone number redacted]. To charge your contribution as a credit card and for other important information, please see reverse side of this form.

And, after I read the letter above, I entered the hyperlink to the referenced webpage, the relevant text of which can be found below:

[DCCC logo] DEMOCRATS 2024

Flip the House!

Join us now to flip the House and defend President Biden's legacy!

Republicans are blocking President Biden's agenda at every turn — and he’s counting on this grassroots team to stop them by protecting our House Democrats.

So, quickly: Will you join us to elect a wave of Democrats and flip the House?

Donate immediately:

Your contribution will benefit the DCCC.

[  ] Donate $25 →

[  ] Donate $50 →

[  ] Donate $75 →

[  ] Donate $100 →

[  ] Donate $250 →

[  ] Donate $500 →

[  ] Donate $1,000 →

[✓] Other amount $3.00

Please leave a tip for ActBlue

Power the nonprofit fundraising platform Democratic candidates & progressive causes rely on.

[  ] Add $2 tip

[  ] Leave no tip

[✓] Add custom amount $0.21 (7%)

And so, I made a one-time donation to the DCCC (with a tip to ActBlue) today, September 2nd, 2024, since "the future of reproductive freedom, Social Security and Medicare, the Affordable Care Act, gun violence prevention, voting rights, civil rights, addressing climate change — and the very survival of our democracy — all hang in the balance." And "because early voting starts in weeks and everything is on the line, a group of generous Democrats has agreed to match every dollar [I] give with $3 of their own" and that means "[my] contribution will go four times as far to boot MAGA out of power." –Paul Whiting (written from September 2nd, 2024 to September 3rd, 2024, revised September 4th, 2024 and revised October 2nd, 2024)

P.S.: Just so you know, "I have changed the way that I make donations to political, progressive and charitable organizations each month ... due to the fact that I have been spending a considerable percentage of my monthly income on all of these donations." (The reader should know that I am HIV-positive with full-blown AIDS. And I am on Social Security Disability Insurance, or SSDI, so my income is quite limited.) Therefore, "I am reducing how much I donate for the regular mail requests that I receive (to which I choose to respond) to take action." Thus, I will still be responding to some of the regular mail requests that I receive (to which I choose to respond), which are requesting me to take action, but I am reducing the amount that I donate to organizations from which I receive mailers. (Please see my 'August 19th, 2023 Update,' which can be found above.)

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September 2nd, 2024 Update No. 3, Written On September 3rd, 2024, Which Also Discusses August 27th, 2024: Happy Labor Day, everyone!

[Blogger's Note: This 'update' that I am writing today, September 3rd, 2024, is for donations that I made yesterday, September 2nd, 2024, as part of my series of donations for the month of September to Democratic fundraising and coordinating political organizations—and to one campaign—regarding the following:

▪ the national races for the House of Representatives (the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee),
▪ the Senate (the Democratic Senatorial Campaign Committee),
▪ and the President of the United States (the Democratic National Committee and Harris for President, or the Harris Victory Fund),
▪ as well as the state races for the Governors (the Democratic Governors Association),
▪ the Secretaries of State (the Democratic Association of Secretaries of State),
▪ the Attorneys General (the Democratic Attorneys General Association),
▪ the State Legislatures (the Democratic Legislative Campaign Committee),
▪ and the Mayors (Democratic Mayors Association, or the National Conference of Democratic Mayors),
▪ as well as to my local Democratic fundraising and coordinating organization (Democratic Party of Oregon),
▪ in addition to the official organization of the Democratic Party for United States citizens living temporarily or permanently abroad (Democratic Party Committee Abroad, or Democrats Abroad), during this ninth month of the year for the 2024 Presidential Election.

Plus, I made donations to Political Action Committees (PACs) that are doing the following:

▪ helping to elect political candidates who are working to stop global warming (Jane Fonda Climate PAC);
▪ helping to elect candidates who are pro-choice women (EMILYs List);
▪ helping to elect candidates who are U.S. Veterans (VoteVets);
▪ helping young people to vote (Voters of Tomorrow PAC);
▪ helping to elect gun safety champions in Congress (Ban Assault Weapons NOW PAC);
▪ helping to mobilize Black voters (Rolling Sea Action Fund);
▪ and helping to support pro public education officials and legislation nationwide (Educated We Stand);
▪ as well as helping to empower young Democrats by boosting youth voter turnout to create a strong voter's blue wave nationwide (Democratic Youth Wave PAC).

Besides that, I made donations to the following:

▪ a civic engagement organization that is helping to educate and empower a new generation of Latinx voters (Voto Latino);
▪ and a social welfare organization that is advancing equality at the ballot box across Indian Country (Four Directions Native Vote);
▪ as well as a non-profit organization and grassroots movement of educators and school staff across the United States who aim to raise awareness and demand safety from gun violence in their communities (Teachers Unify To End Gun Violence).

And these donations to the above-mentioned organizations are listed below in the chronological order in which I made said donations which, in turn, are based upon the general chronological order in which I received each respective request for every organization's donation.]

I received two mailers from the Harris Victory Fund seven days ago on August 27th, 2024.

And the first mailer to which I responded yesterday, September 2nd, 2024, had a 'front teaser message' on the envelope that read as follows:

WHEN WE FIGHT, WE WIN.

Paul, your commemorative 2024 Kamala Harris convention kit is enclosed!

[Blogger's Note: I received this mailer after the Democratic National Convention was held in Chicago, Illinois from August 19th, 2034 to August 22nd, 2024. However, I decided to respond to the mailer anyway, since it contained additional convention kit material that I could add to the 2024 Democratic National Convention Kit that I received on July 22nd, 2024 (please see my 'August 23rd, 2024 Update No. 1, Which Also Discusses July 22nd, 2024' that can be found above), which I have displayed in my studio apartment. Thus, I have added the enclosed commemorative 2024 Kamala Harris convention kit to my above-mentioned 2024 Democratic National Convention Kit!]

And the mailer stated the following:

[I used to hand-type the text of the documents from these types of mailers on my smartphone; however, it takes a lot of time and energy in order to hand-type these kinds of documents: so, instead, I scanned and copied the documents using Google Lens! Then, I edited the copy of said documents to include all of the italicizing, bolding and/or underscoring where applicable.]

HARRIS
Victory Fund

Dear Paul,

Shortly, I will take the stage at the Democratic National Convention and accept the nomination for president. As I said at the outset of my campaign, I will do everything in my power to unite the Democratic Party, to unite our nation, and to win this election.

Let me be clear: The results of this election will determine what kind of country we will build for ourselves and for future generations.

Do we want to live in a country of freedom, compassion, and rule of law? Or a country of chaos, fear, and hate? Will we fight for a country that embraces the future? Or one that resigns itself to the past?

With the promise of America on the line and just weeks until Election Day, everything we do today will help elect Democrats up and down the ballot and defeat Trump and his extreme agenda. But we can only do this together. Please give $25, $38, or even $50 today to secure a better future for us all.

We believe in a brighter future that makes room for all Americans. One where every person has the opportunity not just to get by, but to get ahead. Where no child has to grow up in poverty, where every person has access to paid family leave and affordable child care. Where every person can buy a home, start a family, and build wealth. Where every person has affordable health care and where every senior can retire with dignity.

I am ready to fight for the middle class. Because when our middle class is strong. America is strong.

Donald Trump wants to drag us backward. His extreme Project 2025 agenda would weaken the middle class and take us back to a time before many of our fellow Americans had full freedoms and rights.

Back to policies that treat health care as a privilege for the wealthy instead of a right for every American.

Back to the failed trickle-down policies that gave huge tax breaks to billionaires and big corporations while making working families foot the bill.

Back to policies that put Social Security and Medicare on the chopping block.

America has tried these economic policies before, and they do not work. They do not lead to prosperity, they lead to inequity and injustice.

We will not go back. Together, we are fighting for a brighter future that looks ahead, not behind. Please help us get there and commit to get to work by returning my election participation pledge along with your contribution today.

Remember, the fight for the future is also a fight for freedom. The freedom to vote, the freedom to live without fear of gun violence, the freedom for women to make decisions about their own bodies, and so many more are all on the line this November.

Generations of Americans before us have led this fight, from our founders and framers to the abolitionists, the suffragettes, and the Freedom Riders. Now the baton is in our hands.

It's up to all of us to secure these freedoms for future generations. And, together, we will.

Thank you.

Sincerely,

Kamala Harris

P.S. These are not ordinary times. And this will not be an ordinary election. Our nation faces a choice: We can either move forward or recede into the past. By electing Democrats up and down the ballot, we will create a future of freedom, opportunity, and the promise of America. But we can only do that with your support. Please give today.

---------------------------------------------

The "commemorative 2024 Kamala Harris convention kit," as I have described it below:

1.0 A sheet of five stickers which read and/or that show:

1.1: A rectangular "HARRIS for President" sticker

1.2: A round "HARRIS for President" sticker

1.3: VOTE BLUE
        VOTE BLUE
        VOTE BLUE

1.4: Let's WIN this.       KAMALAHARRIS.COM

1.5: A graphic of the Chicago Skyline with '2024' written below it.

2.0 A poster with an image of Kamala Harris which reads:

HARRIS
for President

TOGETHER, WE CAN
         WIN THIS

---------------------------------------------

ARE YOU READY TO GET TO WORK?

[✓] I am ready to move our country forward by electing Kamala Harris and Democrats across the country. I am ready to help this campaign defend our democracy, secure our freedoms, and build an economy that works for everyone.

[  ] $25
[  ] $38*
[  ] $50
Other $2.00**

*A contribution of this amount would go even further to help elect Democrats!

**[Blogger's Note: the reason that I donated $2.00 for this mailer — rather than $3.00, like I usually donate for political mailers — is due to the fact that I was responding to two mailers from the Harris Victory Fund, rather than just one; thus, I decided to donate the amount that I usually donate for political donation requests sent via email, or text message, for each of these mailers, as part of my series of donations for the month of September that I made yesterday, September 2nd, 2024.]

FROM: Paul Whiting
[Street Address and Apt. No. redacted]
[City, State and ZIP Code redacted]

TO: Vice President Kamala Harris
[Address redacted]
[City, State and ZIP Code redacted]

Please make your check payable to the Harris Victory Fund. Or if you prefer to charge your contribution, please fill out the form on the reverse. You can also contribute [to] kamalaharris.com/Convention24

Go to kamalaharris.com/Convention24 to put your contribution to work today.

---------------------------------------------

HARRIS
Victory Fund

ELECTION PLEDGE OF PARTICIPATION

I, Paul Whiting, pledge to participate in the 2024 campaign by taking the following actions. I will:

[✓] Confirm my voter registration and make a plan to vote by visiting www.IWillVote.com.

[Blogger's Note: I already confirmed my voter registration via "I Will Vote" on August 23rd, 2024 (please see my 'August 23rd, 2024 Update No. 1, Which Also Discusses July 22nd, 2024' that can be found above).]

[✓] Talk to my friends, family, and members of my community about the importance of this election.

[Blogger's Note: I am writing this 'update' in order to talk to you, my readers, about the importance of this election.]

[✓] Encourage my friends, family, and members of my community to make their own plan to vote.

[Blogger's Note: Also, I am writing this 'update' in order to encourage you, my readers, to make your own plan to vote.]

[✓] Visit kamalaharris.com/volunteer to find out ways I can volunteer.

[Blogger's Note: Plus, I signed up to receive emails from the Harris for President campaign via the above-mentioned website.]

[✓] Make a donation to the Harris Victory Fund today.***

***[Blogger's Note: Here comes yet another lengthy explanation for this 'update!' You see, when I originally typed in the web address "https://kamalaharris.com/Convention24" into my smartphone Web browser, I accidentally typed 'https://kamalaharris.com/Convention2024,' instead, which sent me to an error webpage, that stated, in part, the following:

HARRIS
WALZ

404

THIS PAGE EXISTS IN THE CONTEXT OF

all that came before it.

DONATE
$25
$47
$100
$250
$1000
Other

BACK TO THE HOMEPAGE

Therefore, I mistakenly thought that the original webpage had 'expired,' since I didn't receive this mailer until five days after the Democratic National Convention had been held — rather than correctly realizing that I had typed the web address slightly wrong because I used a full '2024' at the end of the address — so, I clicked on the 'DONATE' button, on the error page, and it sent me to the Harris for President campaign donation webpage, where I made my donation, as I have described below. (I hope that makes sense!)]

Signature:

Paul Whiting
Paul Whiting

Date: Sept. 3rd, 2024****

****[Blogger's Note: I signed this 'ELECTION PLEDGE OF PARTICIPATION' on September 3rd, 2024, which is the day after I made the aforementioned donation to the Harris for President campaign (rather than the Harris Victory Fund), because it's the day that I wrote this 'update.']

And, after I read the letter above, I entered the hyperlink to the referenced webpage, for the above-mentioned donation to the Harris for President campaign, the relevant text of which can be found below:

HARRIS
WALZ

Donate to support the Harris-Walz campaign!

We all must stand together to win at the ballot box, protect our freedoms, and fulfill the promise of America. Donate $25 or more now.

Donate immediately:

Your contribution will benefit Kamala Harris.

[✓] Donate $2 →

[  ] Donate $25 →

[  ] Donate $50 →

[  ] Donate $100 →

[  ] Donate $250 →

[  ] Donate $1,000 →

[  ] Donate $2,000 →

[  ] Other amount

Please leave a tip for ActBlue

Power the nonprofit fundraising platform Democratic candidates & progressive causes rely on.

[  ] Add $2 tip

[  ] Leave no tip

[✓] Add custom amount $0.14 (7%)

And so, I made a one-time donation to the Harris for President campaign — rather than to the Harris Victory Fund, as I explained above — (with a tip to ActBlue) yesterday, September 2nd, 2024, because "with the promise of America on the line and just weeks until Election Day, everything we do today will help elect Democrats up and down the ballot and defeat Trump and his extreme agenda." Plus, I also donated to show my appreciation for the commemorative 2024 Kamala Harris convention kit, which I have displayed in my studio apartment starting from today!

And the second mailer to which I responded yesterday, September 2nd, 2024, had a 'front teaser message' on the envelope that read, "Paul, I'm running for president — and I need you with me.", which stated the following:

HARRIS
Victory Fund

Paul,

I am running to be President of the United States — and it's my honor to write to you as your Democratic nominee. At this extraordinary moment, I need you with me.

It has been the honor of a lifetime to serve as your vice president alongside our Commander-in-Chief, my friend, President Joe Biden. The support and endorsement of Joe Biden — one of our nation's finest public servants — mean more than I could ever say.

Paul, this election has always been about competing visions for the future of our nation.

Let's be clear about the extreme vision Donald Trump is offering.

He and Republican extremists are running to enact their Project 2025 agenda to rob the American people of their freedom, rights, and opportunity — all while giving Trump power over Americans' daily lives like no president has ever had.

But our vision for our nation is focused on the future and hopeful, Paul, and it is because it has you at the heart of it. Not any politician, but you, the people, standing together to stop Donald Trump from taking us backward.

You. The people. That is what my life's work has been about ever since I first walked into a courtroom 30 years ago as a young district attorney and said these words: Kamala Harris, for the people.

So, today I ask: Are you ready to use your power to help me win this election, reject Donald Trump's extreme vision for our country, and elect Democrats nationwide? Please rush a gift of $25, $38 or $50 back right now.

Election Day is less than three months away.***** And in that time, we have some hard work to do. We have doors to knock on. People to talk to. Phone calls to make. Voters to reach.

*****[Blogger's Note: To clarify: I received this mailer in late August — but I did not reply to it until early September — so that is why (I assume) it's mentioned that 'Election Day is less than three months away,' since (I assume that) this mailer was sent out sometime in early August.]

But here is the beauty of this urgent moment, Paul: Together, we have the power to decide what kind of country we want to live in. The power is with the people.

Three years ago, we came together as a country and made historic progress in reducing prescription drug costs, upgrading our nation's infrastructure, fighting climate change, and taking bold action on gun safety.

Not only does Donald Trump want to undo all this progress, he also wants to double down on the harm he has already inflicted on our nation.

But we are not going back.

When I was a courtroom prosecutor, I took on perpetrators of all kinds: predators, fraudsters, cheaters — so believe me when I say, I know Donald Trump's type.

Let's be honest about what is happening in our country right now because of Donald Trump: More than 1 in 3 women of reproductive age live in a state with a Trump Abortion Ban — many with no exceptions for rape or incest.

He would enact even more harm as president by signing a national abortion ban and jeopardizing access to contraception.

And, like we witnessed last time around, Donald Trump will not respect the outcome of a free and fair election — let alone stand up for democracy.

I believe in an America where women have the freedom to control their own bodies, and where our democracy and institutions are revered and protected. That's our America and we must defend it with everything we've got.

But as I write to you, the super PACs [Political Action Committees] supporting Donald Trump are already broadcasting millions of dollars worth of ads attacking me in battleground states.

We must fight Trump's lies and reach voters with our hopeful, people-powered campaign, because that is what we are. And that is how you know we will be a people-first presidency.

This is a fight for our future. This is a fight for freedom. So, at this urgent moment, I am counting on your grassroots support like never before.

Please, send back a gift of whatever you can to fuel our people-powered campaign at one of the most critical inflection points in American history. Together, we will win the White House and elect Democrats nationwide.

Sincerely,

Kamala Harris
Vice President of the United States

P.S. I need your support because we know this will be a close election. It was always going to be. But thanks to Trump's billionaire donors and a multitude of right-wing super PACs, voters in swing states are seeing a barrage of misleading attack ads, and Trump is gaining an advantage. We must fight back now so please make the biggest impact you can by sending a contribution right now to the Harris Victory Fund.

---------------------------------------------

MY URGENT HARRIS VICTORY FUND CONTRIBUTION

[✓] Yes, Kamala! I'm ready to join you in defeating Donald Trump's threats to our democracy, basic rights, and fundamental freedoms. Please accept my contribution to the Harris Victory Fund of:

[  ] $25
[  ] $38
[  ] $50
[✓] Other $2.00

Please make personal checks payable to "Harris Victory Fund" or fill out your personal credit card information on the reverse. Please mail your contribution along with this completed form to:

HARRIS VICTORY FUND
[Address redacted]
[City, State and ZIP Code redacted]

"QR code message": To put your gift to work immediately, contribute online by scanning the QR code below or by visiting www.kamalaharris.com/Victory2024

Paul Whiting
[Street Address and Apt. No. redacted]
[City, State and ZIP Code redacted]

---------------------------------------------

MY PLEDGE TO SUPPORT DEMOCRACY

[✓] Yes, I believe this election is a battle for freedom, for opportunity, for democracy, and for the promise of America — and I'm ready to fight for our values. I pledge to support Kamala Harris and will do everything I can to elect Democrats up and down the ballot!

Signature:

Paul Whiting
Paul Whiting

Date: Sept. 3rd, 2024******

******[Blogger's Note: I signed this 'MY PLEDGE TO SUPPORT DEMOCRACY' on September 3rd, 2024, which is the day after I made the donation mentioned below to the Harris Victory Fund, because it's the day that I wrote this 'update.']

And, after I read the letter above, I entered the hyperlink to the referenced webpage, the relevant text of which can be found below:

HARRIS
Victory Fund

Donate to support the Harris-Walz campaign and Democrats nationwide!

We all must stand together to win at the ballot box, protect our freedoms, and fulfill the promise of America. Donate $25 or more now.

Donate immediately:

Your contribution will benefit Harris Victory Fund.

[✓] Donate $2 →

[  ] Donate $25 →

[  ] Donate $50 →

[  ] Donate $100 →

[  ] Donate $250 →

[  ] Donate $1,000 →

[  ] Donate $2,000 →

[  ] Other amount

Please leave a tip for ActBlue

Power the nonprofit fundraising platform Democratic candidates & progressive causes rely on.

[  ] Add $2 tip

[  ] Leave no tip

[✓] Add custom amount $0.14 (7%)

And so, I made a one-time donation to the Harris Victory Fund (with a tip to ActBlue) yesterday, September 2nd, 2024, in order to answer the question, "Are you ready to use your power to help me win this election, reject Donald Trump's extreme vision for our country, and elect Democrats nationwide?" with a resounding 'Yes!' –Paul Whiting (written September 3rd, 2024, revised September 4th, 2024, revised October 2nd, 2024, revised October 20th, 2024 and revised October 30th, 2024)

P.S.: Just so you know, "I have changed the way that I make donations to political, progressive and charitable organizations each month ... due to the fact that I have been spending a considerable percentage of my monthly income on all of these donations." (The reader should know that I am HIV-positive with full-blown AIDS. And I am on Social Security Disability Insurance, or SSDI, so my income is quite limited.) Therefore, "I am reducing how much I donate for the regular mail requests that I receive (to which I choose to respond) to take action." Thus, I will still be responding to some of the regular mail requests that I receive (to which I choose to respond), which are requesting me to take action, but I am reducing the amount that I donate to organizations from which I receive mailers. (Please see my 'August 19th, 2023 Update,' which can be found above.)

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September 2nd, 2024 Update No. 4, Written On September 4th, 2024, Which Also Discusses August 27th, 2024: Happy Labor Day, everyone!

[Blogger's Note: This 'update' that I am writing today, September 4th, 2024, is for donations that I made two days ago on September 2nd, 2024, as part of my series of donations for the month of September to Democratic fundraising and coordinating political organizations—and to one campaign—regarding the following:

▪ the national races for the House of Representatives (the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee),
▪ the Senate (the Democratic Senatorial Campaign Committee),
▪ and the President of the United States (the Democratic National Committee and Harris for President, or the Harris Victory Fund),
▪ as well as the state races for the Governors (the Democratic Governors Association),
▪ the Secretaries of State (the Democratic Association of Secretaries of State),
▪ the Attorneys General (the Democratic Attorneys General Association),
▪ the State Legislatures (the Democratic Legislative Campaign Committee),
▪ and the Mayors (Democratic Mayors Association, or the National Conference of Democratic Mayors),
▪ as well as to my local Democratic fundraising and coordinating organization (Democratic Party of Oregon),
▪ in addition to the official organization of the Democratic Party for United States citizens living temporarily or permanently abroad (Democratic Party Committee Abroad, or Democrats Abroad), during this ninth month of the year for the 2024 Presidential Election.

Plus, I made donations to Political Action Committees (PACs) that are doing the following:

▪ helping to elect political candidates who are working to stop global warming (Jane Fonda Climate PAC);
▪ helping to elect candidates who are pro-choice women (EMILYs List);
▪ helping to elect candidates who are U.S. Veterans (VoteVets);
▪ helping young people to vote (Voters of Tomorrow PAC);
▪ helping to elect gun safety champions in Congress (Ban Assault Weapons NOW PAC);
▪ helping to mobilize Black voters (Rolling Sea Action Fund);
▪ and helping to support pro public education officials and legislation nationwide (Educated We Stand);
▪ as well as helping to empower young Democrats by boosting youth voter turnout to create a strong voter's blue wave nationwide (Democratic Youth Wave PAC).

Besides that, I made donations to the following:

▪ a civic engagement organization that is helping to educate and empower a new generation of Latinx voters (Voto Latino);
▪ and a social welfare organization that is advancing equality at the ballot box across Indian Country (Four Directions Native Vote);
▪ as well as a non-profit organization and grassroots movement of educators and school staff across the United States who aim to raise awareness and demand safety from gun violence in their communities (Teachers Unify To End Gun Violence).

And these donations to the above-mentioned organizations are listed below in the chronological order in which I made said donations which, in turn, are based upon the general chronological order in which I received each respective request for every organization's donation.]

I received a mailer from the Democratic National Committee (DNC) eight days ago on August 27th, 2024, with a 'front teaser message' on the envelope that read, "At this unprecedented moment, we're counting on Democrats like you.", which stated the following:

[I used to hand-type the text of the documents from these types of mailers on my smartphone; however, it takes a lot of time and energy in order to hand-type these kinds of documents: so, instead, I scanned and copied the documents using Google Lens! Then, I edited the copy of said documents to include all of the italicizing, bolding and/or underscoring where applicable.]

DEMOCRATS

Mr. Whiting,

This is perhaps the most important message I've ever sent to you.

President Biden — after dedicating the majority of his life to the public service of this nation — has made the decision not to seek reelection. In doing so, President Biden did what he's always done: Put the interests and well-being of the American people first.

The president was clear about what we as Democrats must do: Come together and defeat Donald Trump.

The disgraced felon that is Trump, and the MAGA Republican Party that stands behind him, represent a clear and present threat to our freedoms and democracy.

Republicans in the House and Senate, and extremist GOP members vying for elected office across the country, are in lockstep with Trump and dangerously plan to implement Project 2025, which would undermine the very fabric of our nation.

At this unprecedented moment in our nation's history, it is the Democratic National Committee that will continue fighting across the country to defeat Donald Trump and elect Democrats up and down the ballot — stopping MAGA extremism at its root and protecting our nation's future.

But here is my call to you, Mr. Whiting: We cannot win without your support today.

Trump and his extremist MAGA candidates are on the airwaves right now attacking Democrats, and we have less than 100 days* to fight back and win. So will you please rush a gift of $35, $55, or $70 to the DNC to counter these Republican attacks and help secure nationwide Democratic victories come November?

In just a few weeks, Democrats from across the country will come together in Chicago* and unite around our vision for America — a vision that is so starkly different from Trump's.

*[Blogger's Note: To clarify: I received this mailer in late August — but I did not reply to it until early September — so that is why (I assume) it's mentioned that 'we have less than 100 days to fight back and win,' as well as why it said, 'In just a few weeks, Democrats from across the country will come together in Chicago,' since (I assume that) this mailer was sent out sometime in early August.]

Where Trump and MAGA Republicans lead with hate, division, and fear-mongering, we as Democrats lead with compassion, unity, and hope. Underscoring those values are the priorities we will communicate to the American people: Lowering costs, restoring fundamental freedoms, and protecting the rights of all people.

And yes, we as Democrats will make the case that we must save our democracy from the threat of Donald Trump and his authoritarian agenda.

But right now, MAGA Republicans are saying and doing whatever they can to win, even if it's not the truth. They are spreading distortions and mistruths that impact how voters think and mobilize in these final days.

So, we have a herculean but forthright task ahead of us: Unite as Democrats and compete up and down the ballot to elect Democrats who will retake the House, defend our Senate majority, and stop Trump's disastrous agenda anywhere and everywhere.

As Democrats, we've never needed each other's support more. Everything is depending on this moment and what happens over the next 100 days. For the future of our nation, please rush back a generous gift of $35, 555, or whatever you can to fuel the work of the DNC, elect Democrats everywhere, and stop Donald Trump.

Sincerely,

[Name redacted]
[Title redacted]
Democratic National Committee

P.S. Donald Trump is backed by an army of right-wing super PACs fueled by billionaire donors. Your immediate support today is what enables Democrats to fight back — in battleground states and everywhere — to win the White House, protect our Senate majority, and win back the House. Please, don't sit on the sidelines at such an urgent moment.

---------------------------------------------

[Text from side one of an enclosed insert:]

J.D. VANCE IS DONALD TRUMP'S RUNNING MATE

How does J.D. Vance become Trump's running mate? By being a rubber stamp for Donald Trump's extreme far-right agenda. You might even say he's the poster child for Project 2025.

Vance supports a nationwide abortion ban and even criticized exceptions for rape and incest. He actually said, "Two wrongs don't make a right." And he has called Social Security and Medicare "the biggest roadblocks to real fiscal sanity."

We're up against one of the most extreme MAGA tickets imaginable this November. We need your support now to defeat Donald Trump and J.D. Vance and to elect Democrats up and down the ballot. Please give today.

---------------------------------------------

[Text from side two of an enclosed insert:]

Project 2025 is the dangerous blueprint for a second Trump presidency that would give him more power over your daily life, gut democratic checks and balances, and consolidate power in the Oval Office.

"QR code message": Scan the QR code here to learn more about Project 2025.**

https://joebiden.com/project2025

**[Blogger's Note: I read the JoeBiden.com webpage titled, "What is the Project 2025 Agenda?", which was clearly created while Joe Biden was still running to be the Democratic nominee for President. Although, the website does conclude at the bottom by saying, "AND IF YOU WANT TO STOP PROJECT 2025? Join the Harris for President campaign to defeat Trump."]

---------------------------------------------

REPLY MEMORANDUM

[✓] Yes, [name redacted]! I understand the urgency of supporting the DNC at this unprecedented moment, and I'm all in to elect Democrats nationwide. We must do everything in our power to stop Trump and save our democracy, so I'm including a contribution of:

[  ] $35
[  ] $55*
[  ] $70
[✓] Other $3.00

*Mr. Whiting, a contribution of this amount would go even further to help elect Democrats!

Mr. Paul [Middle Initial] Whiting
[Street Address and Apt. No. redacted]
[City, State and ZIP Code redacted]

Please complete the information on the reverse as required by law.

Please make your check payable to the DNC and return it with this form in the envelope provided to the Democratic National Committee, [address, city, state and ZIP code redacted].
Please see reverse to charge your donation.

To put your 2024 renewal contribution to work immediately, please call [phone number redacted] or visit www.democrats.org/24Update

And, after I read the letter above, I typed the web address to the referenced webpage in my browser, the relevant text of which can be found below:

Democrats

Support the Democratic National Committee

Donate to the DNC and help elect Democrats nationwide!

Your generous donation will help us hold the GOP accountable and elect more Democrats across the nation. Donate to the DNC now to invest in the resources our candidates are relying on to compete and win year after year.

Donate immediately:

Your contribution will benefit Democratic National Committee (DNC) - Direct Marketing.

[  ] Donate $35 →

[  ] Donate $50 →

[  ] Donate $75 →

[  ] Donate $100 →

[  ] Donate $200 →

[  ] Donate $250 →

[✓] Other amount $3.00

Please leave a tip for ActBlue

Power the nonprofit fundraising platform Democratic candidates & progressive causes rely on

[  ] Add $2 tip

[  ] Leave no tip

[✓] Add custom amount $0.21 (7%)

And so, I made a one-time donation to the DNC (with a tip to ActBlue) two days ago on September 2nd, 2024, in order to "unite as Democrats and compete up and down the ballot to elect Democrats who will retake the House, defend our Senate majority, and stop Trump's disastrous agenda anywhere and everywhere." –Paul Whiting (written September 4th, 2024, revised October 2nd, 2024 and revised October 20th, 2024)

P.S.: Just so you know, "I have changed the way that I make donations to political, progressive and charitable organizations each month ... due to the fact that I have been spending a considerable percentage of my monthly income on all of these donations." (The reader should know that I am HIV-positive with full-blown AIDS. And I am on Social Security Disability Insurance, or SSDI, so my income is quite limited.) Therefore, "I am reducing how much I donate for the regular mail requests that I receive (to which I choose to respond) to take action." Thus, I will still be responding to some of the regular mail requests that I receive (to which I choose to respond), which are requesting me to take action, but I am reducing the amount that I donate to organizations from which I receive mailers. (Please see my 'August 19th, 2023 Update,' which can be found above.)

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September 2nd, 2024 Update No. 5, Written From September 4th, 2024 To September 9th, 2024, Which Also Discusses, August 30th, 2024, August 31st, 2024, September 1st, 2024 And September 2nd, 2024: Happy Labor Day, everyone!

[Blogger's Note: This 'update' that I am writing from September 4th, 2024 to September 9th, 2024 is for donations that I made on September 2nd, 2024, as part of my series of donations for the month of September to Democratic fundraising and coordinating political organizations—and to one campaign—regarding the following:

▪ the national races for the House of Representatives (the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee),
▪ the Senate (the Democratic Senatorial Campaign Committee),
▪ and the President of the United States (the Democratic National Committee and Harris for President, or the Harris Victory Fund),
▪ as well as the state races for the Governors (the Democratic Governors Association),
▪ the Secretaries of State (the Democratic Association of Secretaries of State),
▪ the Attorneys General (the Democratic Attorneys General Association),
▪ the State Legislatures (the Democratic Legislative Campaign Committee),
▪ and the Mayors (Democratic Mayors Association, or the National Conference of Democratic Mayors),
▪ as well as to my local Democratic fundraising and coordinating organization (Democratic Party of Oregon),
▪ in addition to the official organization of the Democratic Party for United States citizens living temporarily or permanently abroad (Democratic Party Committee Abroad, or Democrats Abroad), during this ninth month of the year for the 2024 Presidential Election.

Plus, I made donations to Political Action Committees (PACs) that are doing the following:

▪ helping to elect political candidates who are working to stop global warming (Jane Fonda Climate PAC);
▪ helping to elect candidates who are pro-choice women (EMILYs List);
▪ helping to elect candidates who are U.S. Veterans (VoteVets);
▪ helping young people to vote (Voters of Tomorrow PAC);
▪ helping to elect gun safety champions in Congress (Ban Assault Weapons NOW PAC);
▪ helping to mobilize Black voters (Rolling Sea Action Fund);
▪ and helping to support pro public education officials and legislation nationwide (Educated We Stand);
▪ as well as helping to empower young Democrats by boosting youth voter turnout to create a strong voter's blue wave nationwide (Democratic Youth Wave PAC).

Besides that, I made donations to the following:

▪ a civic engagement organization that is helping to educate and empower a new generation of Latinx voters (Voto Latino);
▪ and a social welfare organization that is advancing equality at the ballot box across Indian Country (Four Directions Native Vote);
▪ as well as a non-profit organization and grassroots movement of educators and school staff across the United States who aim to raise awareness and demand safety from gun violence in their communities (Teachers Unify To End Gun Violence).

And these donations to the above-mentioned organizations are listed below in the chronological order in which I made said donations which, in turn, are based upon the general chronological order in which I received each respective request for every organization's donation.]

I have combined every political campaign, or political organization, donation request per day (made via email or text message) into one 'update' for each day that I donate, so that I don't have to keep writing individual 'updates' for political campaign donations, or political organization donations!

You see, I used to write one 'update' for each of the individual campaign political donations, or political organization donations, that I made virtually every time that I made a political donation. And within each 'update' I included the text from each political campaign's, or political organization's, requesting email or text message, along with some of each campaign's, or organization's, donation page text on the ActBlue website, as well as how much I donated to each campaign, or organization, plus whether I included a tip to ActBlue and how much I tipped.

(By the way, I still write individual 'updates' for political campaign, or political organization, mailers that I receive through the regular mail, because they are usually more elaborate political donation requests, which is why I don't include them with these email or text message requests.)

Plus, the 2024 election cycle is now in the homestretch and I have made a goal of donating only one $1.00 donation per local political campaign here in Oregon (more on that below), or $2.00 per political organization, for the rest of the election cycle! And that means after I make that one donation per campaign, or per organization—regardless of whether I donated in 2023, or 2024—I am only donating once per campaign, or per organization, or as determined by me on a case-by-case basis. And I am only donating once per PAC (Political Action Committee) for the entire election cycle, or as determined by me on a case-by-case basis, because that is all that I can really afford for the 2024 Presidential Election. (The reader should know that I am HIV-positive with full-blown AIDS. And I am on Social Security Disability Insurance, or SSDI, so my income is quite limited.) I hope that makes sense!

Besides that, as of March 21st, 2024, I am no longer donating to individual political campaigns for the foreseeable future (with the exception of local campaigns here in Oregon), or as determined by me on a case-by-case basis (please see my 'March 21st, 2024 Update No. 2,' which can be found above), as I have explained below:

...Alright, I have a big announcement to make: I am no longer donating to individual political campaigns for the foreseeable future—or as determined by me on a case-by-case basis!

And I have made this decision based upon how much these individual political campaign donations are costing in my 'monthly donating budget'—even though I am only donating $3.00 with a $0.21 tip to ActBlue—since I totally changed the way that I approach how I calculate what I am spending on my credit card each month, starting in 2024! So now, I take the total amount that I have available in my monthly budget for my minimum payment on my credit card—as well as my extra payment—and I calculate how much I am reducing that amount each time that I charge on my credit card.

That way, I am very aware of the amount by which I am reducing my total available credit card payments for the month (the minimum payment and the extra payment) in order to, hopefully, pay more on my credit card than I am spending! Plus, I am also utilizing some funds from my budgeted expenses, as well as some funds from my savings, to make sure that I am paying a little more than I am spending while—at the same time—I am also trying to spend less on my credit card.

Therefore, at the start of 2024, I calculated that I could still make ONE $3.00 donation per political campaign for the entire election cycle. And that means after I have made that one donation per campaign—regardless of whether I donated in 2023, or 2024—I have only donated once per campaign, which is what I have been doing so far!

However, it's still more than I can afford given my 'monthly donating budget,' which is why I have decided to stop donating to individual political campaigns entirely—or as determined by me on a case-by-case basis. And so, I will still be making some donations to individual political campaigns (such as to Kamala Harris's campaign for President of the United States, or to local campaigns here in Oregon), but I am not donating like I have been up until this point—which has been virtually every time that I have received a political campaign donation request via email or text message—because I seriously cannot afford to donate that much for the rest of the 2024 Presidential Election cycle, as well as for the foreseeable future.

And to clarify one more thing: In the past, I used to only donate to the main Democratic fundraising and coordinating organizations—rather than to individual campaigns—since that's all I really could afford given my 'monthly spending budget,' because I am "low income." Plus, those Democratic fundraising and coordinating organizations help all of the individual political campaigns with funding, which is why I used to only donate to those main organizations! And I only started donating to individual political campaigns in 2022, since I was "doing everything in my power to help Democrats win in the 2022 Midterm Elections!" Therefore, this decision to stop donating to individual political campaigns (with the exception of presidential campaigns and local campaigns, or as determined by me on a case-by-case basis) is really just going back to the way that I used to make political donations.

...The 2024 election cycle is in full gear and I have made a goal of donating only one $2.00 donation per local political campaign here in Oregon (more on that below), or $3.00 per political organization, for the rest of the election cycle! And that means after I make that one donation per campaign, or per organization—regardless of whether I donated in 2023, or 2024—I am only donating once per campaign, or per organization, or as determined by me on a case-by-case basis. And I am only donating once per PAC (Political Action Committee) for the entire election cycle, or as determined by me on a case-by-case basis, because that is all that I can really afford for the 2024 Presidential Election. (The reader should know that I am HIV-positive with full-blown AIDS. And I am on Social Security Disability Insurance, or SSDI, so my income is quite limited.) I hope that makes sense! ...

... In addition to that, starting on June 16th, 2024, I have decided to adjust the amount that I donate per political organization again, so that I can donate to more political organizations and PACs (Political Action Committees) while I am still staying within my 'monthly donating budget.' Below, please find a description of my previous adjustment—which started on May 12th, 2024—to explain how I have recently adjusted the amounts that I am contributing, since I am donating to more political organizations:

...The 2024 election cycle is in full gear and I have made a goal of donating only one $3.00 donation per local political campaign here in Oregon (more on that below), or $4.00 per political organization, for the rest of the election cycle! And that means after I make that one donation per campaign, or per organization—regardless of whether I donated in 2023, or 2024—I am only donating once per campaign, or per organization, or as determined by me on a case-by-case basis. And I am only donating once per PAC (Political Action Committee) for the entire election cycle, or as determined by me on a case-by-case basis, because that is all that I can really afford for the 2024 Presidential Election. (The reader should know that I am HIV-positive with full-blown AIDS. And I am on Social Security Disability Insurance, or SSDI, so my income is quite limited.) I hope that makes sense! ...

... In addition to that, I used to donate "$5.00 per political organization"; however, starting on May 12th, 2024, I decided to adjust that amount, so that I can donate to more political organizations and PACs (Political Action Committees) while I am still staying within my 'monthly donating budget.'

Thus, as I partially explained above, for the rest of the 2024 election cycle—as well as for the foreseeable future—I have made a goal of donating $3.00 per local political campaign only here in Oregon (with a 7% tip to ActBlue of $0.21), or as determined by me on a case-by-case basis; and a goal of donating $4.00 per political organization for donation requests via email or text message (with a 7% tip to ActBlue of $0.28), or as determined by me on a case-by-case basis; as well as a goal of donating $5.00 per political organization, or per PAC, for donation requests via the regular mail (with a 7% tip to ActBlue of $0.35), or as determined by me on a case-by-case basis.

To sum it up, then: I am essentially keeping the same total individual campaign donation amount of $3.21, but I am only donating to local campaigns here in Oregon, or as determined by me on a case-by-case basis; and I am reducing the total donation amount for political organizations and PACs for email and text message donation requests to $4.28 (from $5.35), or as determined by me on a case-by-case basis; plus, I am reducing the total donation amount for political organizations and PACs for regular mail donation requests to $5.35 (from $7.51), or as determined by me on a case-by-case basis.

Therefore, I recently used to donate "$4.00 per political organization"; however, I have decided to adjust that amount again, so that I can donate to more political organizations and PACs (Political Action Committees) while I am still staying within my 'monthly donating budget,' since I am now donating to more organizations as the 2024 Presidential Election cycle continues.

Thus, as I partially explained above, for the rest of the 2024 election cycle—as well as for the foreseeable future—I have made a goal of donating $2.00 per local political campaign only here in Oregon (with a 7% tip to ActBlue of $0.14), or as determined by me on a case-by-case basis; and a goal of donating $3.00 per political organization for donation requests via email or text message (with a 7% tip to ActBlue of $0.21), or as determined by me on a case-by-case basis; as well as a goal of donating $4.00 per political organization, or per PAC, for donation requests via the regular mail (with a 7% tip to ActBlue of $0.28), or as determined by me on a case-by-case basis.

To sum it up, then: I am reducing the total individual campaign donation amount to $2.14 (from $3.21) and I am still only donating to local campaigns here in Oregon, or as determined by me on a case-by-case basis; and I am reducing the total donation amount for political organizations and PACs for email and text message donation requests to $3.21 (from $4.28), or as determined by me on a case-by-case basis; plus, I am reducing the total donation amount for political organizations and PACs for regular mail donation requests to $4.28 (from $5.35), or as determined by me on a case-by-case basis.

Therefore, I recently used to donate "$3.00 per political organization"; however, I have decided to adjust that amount yet again, so that I can donate to more political organizations and PACs (Political Action Committees) while I am still staying within my 'monthly donating budget,' since I am now donating to more organizations as the 2024 Presidential Election cycle enters the homestretch.

Thus, as I partially explained above, for the rest of the 2024 election cycle—as well as for the foreseeable future—I have made a goal of donating $1.00 per local political campaign only here in Oregon (with a 7% tip to ActBlue of $0.07), or as determined by me on a case-by-case basis; and a goal of donating $2.00 per political organization for donation requests via email or text message (with a 7% tip to ActBlue of $0.14), or as determined by me on a case-by-case basis; as well as a goal of donating $3.00 per political organization, or per PAC, for donation requests via the regular mail (with a 7% tip to ActBlue of $0.21), or as determined by me on a case-by-case basis.

To sum it up, then: I am reducing the total individual campaign donation amount to $1.07 (from $2.14) and I am still only donating to local campaigns here in Oregon, or as determined by me on a case-by-case basis; and I am reducing the total donation amount for political organizations and PACs for email and text message donation requests to $2.14 (from $3.21), or as determined by me on a case-by-case basis; plus, I am reducing the total donation amount for political organizations and PACs for regular mail donation requests to $3.21 (from $4.28), or as determined by me on a case-by-case basis.

So, without further ado...

The first political communication to which I responded on September 2nd, 2024 was a text message that I received on August 30th, 2024, from the Democratic Association of Secretaries of State (DASS), which stated the following:

USA TODAY REPORT: Trump-approved Georgia election officials' new rules could spur 'doubt and suspicion'.

This could throw the election into utter chaos unless they are stopped. It could be a repeat of the nightmare scenarios we saw play out in 2020.

We need to move quickly, Paul. That’s where YOU come in.

Our Democratic Secretaries of State are doing everything in their power to safeguard our elections ahead of 2024. Please support our work by donating $5 or more today.***

Team DASS

Democratic Association of Secretaries of State

When federal action stalls, state laws decide the future of our republic. We can't let those laws fall into the hands of partisan, conspiracy-loving GOP legislatures.

Our Democratic Secretaries protect our elections — even when Congress is deadlocked. They're the last line of defense for your rights, and they need your help this year more than ever. Rush a donation now and defend our Secretaries of State!

Donate immediately:

Your contribution will benefit DASS PAC.

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And so, I made a one-time donation to the DASS (with a tip to ActBlue) on September 2nd, 2024, because "our Democratic Secretaries of State are doing everything in their power to safeguard our elections ahead of 2024."

---------------------------------------------

The second political communication to which I responded on September 2nd, 2024 was an email from VoteVets that I received on August 31st, 2024, with the subject line, "Absolutely disgusting...", which stated the following:

[Name redacted] here, wanted to send a personal note about something that has left me shocked, disturbed, and absolutely disgusted.

Every year, my wife and I go to Arlington National Cemetery to pay our respects to the fallen. Some killed in action, some died of wounds, injuries, or illnesses related to service, some of natural causes at home. All served with honor.

Among them are my father and his co-pilot, shot down over Laos during the Vietnam War. They were missing in action for thirty years, but now they are at peace together in that solemn and dignified place where the very best of our nation rest.

I’ve stood with my dear friend, [name redacted], at the grave of her son, 1LT [First Lieutenant] [name redacted], in Section 60 where the fallen from the Global War on Terror are buried.

These are powerful experiences for me, and they should be for everyone who goes to this hallowed ground.

To hear that Donald Trump descreated this place, that he took photographs and video among the graves of the fallen without their families' permission… That he mugged for the camera for political gain is absolutely disgusting to me. That an Arlington official attempting to enforce the law and defend the dignity of Arlington was assaulted, verbally and physically, by Trump’s staff so they could access Section 60… I cannot even begin to comprehend it.

I want to be absolutely clear: This is something I have never seen or heard of in my entire life. To my knowledge, something like this has never occurred. And someone who can do something like that has no place leading the men and women of our Armed Forces.

Donald Trump cannot become Commander in Chief again.

It is on us to make sure that does not happen. That is why I am proud to work with VoteVets, and it is why I am asking you to make a donation to support our work right now.

Please, if you can make a donation of anything at all, we will use it to ensure that the American people never forget that Donald Trump desecrated one of our most sacred places. We will stop Trump. Once and for all.

If you've stored your info with ActBlue, we'll process your contribution instantly:

[  ] RUSH $10 NOW
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[✓] ANOTHER AMOUNT***

Thank you for your support.

Respectfully,

[Name redacted]
[Title redacted], VoteVets
Major General, U.S. Army, Retired

VoteVets

Chip in to support VoteVets today >>

We're the largest progressive organization fighting for the rights and lives of Veterans and Military families and we're honored to have you on the team.

Our voices matter. This is important. Pitch in today.

Donate immediately:

Your contribution will benefit VoteVets PAC.

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And so, I made a one-time donation to VoteVets (with a tip to ActBlue) on September 2nd, 2024, in order to "ensure that the American people never forget that Donald Trump desecrated one of our most sacred places [Arlington National Cemetery in Section 60 where the fallen from the Global War on Terror are buried] ... and someone who can do something like that has no place leading the men and women of our Armed Forces."

---------------------------------------------

The third political communication to which I responded on September 2nd, 2024 was an email from Voto Latino that I received on August 31st, 2024, with the subject line, "it's been coconuts around here", which stated the following:

Paul,

The past two months have been HUGE for Voto Latino. Here’s a quick recap on our whirlwind of a summer:

A surge in voter registrations –

[Image of a graph showing "Voters registered for 2024" from January to August with a highlighted surge in registrations from 25,000 in June to over 100,000 in August.]

After Vice President Kamala Harris’ announcement to run for President, we saw the dividends of our investment in voter registration flood in. We increased spending and production to meet the moment and because of that, we’ve registered nearly 72,000 new voters in the last two months.

[Image of a GIF showing a Voto Latino sponsored advertisement on Instagram that states, in part, "Who do you think should be president? You must be registered to vote to have a say. It takes just five minutes. REGISTER NOW"]

That brings our total voters registered to over 103,000. The vast majority of these new voters are ages 18 - 29 and live in key battleground states like Florida, Texas, Georgia, North Carolina, and Arizona.

An energizing moment at the DNC [Democratic National Convention] –

[Image of a GIF with the text: "Our [title redacted] and [title redacted], [name redacted], took the stage at the DNC to remind everyone that when Latinos vote, Democrats WIN!"
Watch her speech here.***]

[Blogger's Note: I watched the YouTube video titled, "‘When Latinos Vote, Democrats Win’: Voto Latino [title redacted] Endorses Kamala Harris During DNC Speech" from Forbes Breaking News.]

UP NEXT –

Summer is coming to an end but we’re not slowing down. The deadline to register to vote in Arizona, Texas, Georgia, and Florida is less than six weeks away. We have until October 7th to register hundreds of thousands of new voters.

Our work is powered by grassroots supporters like you. If you’d like to support our mission and stop Trump, please consider contributing $24 to Voto Latino. $24 is how much it costs to register and mobilize one new voter.

-- Voto Latino

VOTO LATINO
It's your country. Represent!

WHEN LATINOS VOTE, DEMOCRATS WIN.

[Imbed of YouTube video captioned, "'When Latinos Vote, Democrats Win'" from Forbes Breaking News.]

[Blogger's Note: I watched the YouTube video titled, "‘When Latinos Vote, Democrats Win’: Voto Latino CEO Endorses Kamala Harris During DNC Speech" from Forbes Breaking News.]

Election Day will be here before we know it — our efforts to register and mobilize young Latinos are needed more than ever.

Voto Latino is working to register 500,000 new Latino voters before Election Day. We plan on registering:

[✓] 65,000 new voters in Arizona
[✓] 60,000 new voters in Florida
[✓] 40,000 new voters in Georgia
[✓] 15,000 new voters in Michigan
[✓] 10,000 new voters in Minnesota
[✓] 30,000 new voters in Nevada
[✓] 35.000 new voters in North Carolina
[✓] 15,000 new voters in Pennsylvania
[✓] A tidal wave of 220,000 now voters in Texas
[✓] And 10.000 now voters in Wisconsin

We're close to having registered 100,000 but we're not there yet. We need your support!

A $24 donation helps us reach one new voter in a swing state. Will you join our movement and donate $24 to help our voter registration efforts today?

Donate immediately:

Your contribution will benefit Voto Latino.

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And so, I made a one-time donation to the Voto Latino (with a tip to ActBlue) on September 2nd, 2024, because "the past two months have been HUGE for Voto Latino," including when "[Voto Latino's] [title redacted] and [title redacted], [name redacted], took the stage at the DNC [Democratic National Convention] to remind everyone that when Latinos vote, Democrats WIN!"

---------------------------------------------

The fourth political communication to which I responded on September 2nd, 2024 was a text message that I received on August 31st, 2024, from the Jane Fonda Climate PAC (Jane Fonda Climate Political Action Committee), which stated the following:

Hi, Jane Fonda here with a quick request.

With Election Day rapidly approaching, our climate champions are working hard to reach as many voters as possible with their message of hope for a liveable future.

JanePAC is committed to having their backs wherever they need it most, whether that’s direct financial support, volunteer recruitment, field organizing, traditional and social media support, or strategic advice from our team.

We’re not slowing down anytime soon, but we can’t do this work without the support of our grassroots supporters.

If you can contribute today to help us finish this month strong, we will make sure that it’s put to good use electing climate champions at every level of government.

You can use this link to make a contribution of an amount today:***

With immense gratitude,

Jane xx

P.S. We know that not everyone can contribute financially to our efforts. If that’s you, or if you’ve already donated recently, we totally understand. Thank you so much for being a part of our team.

Jane Fonda
CLIMATE PAC

Help Elect Climate Champions!

For us, endorsing a candidate is more than adding a name to a list. It's a commitment to have their backs where they need it most — direct financial support, joint fundraising efforts, traditional and social media support, volunteer recruitment, policy guidance and much more.

This level of support isn't cheap or easy, but it works!Make a contribution on this page to support our efforts!

Donate immediately:

Your contribution will benefit Jane Fonda Climate PAC.

[  ] Donate $5 →

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And so, I made a one-time donation to the Jane Fonda Climate PAC (with a tip to ActBlue) on September 2nd, 2024, because "with Election Day rapidly approaching, [JanePAC's] climate champions are working hard to reach as many voters as possible with their message of hope for a liveable future."

---------------------------------------------

The fifth political communication to which I responded on September 2nd, 2024 was an email from the Democratic Legislative Campaign Committee (DLCC) that I received on September 1st, 2024, with the subject line, "Democrats announce new investments while Republicans fight for chamber control … and everything else you need to know in the states.", which stated the following:

Democrats announce new investments while Republicans fight for chamber control …and everything else you need to know in the states.
A NEWSLETTER BY THE DLCC

1. Pennsylvania: State Dems prepare for September special elections

In just over two weeks, Democrats will face two tie-breaking special elections for seats in the PA House. Losing these seats would mean handing Republicans control of a key chamber just weeks before Election Day, so state Dems are working hard to keep control. Learn more about the upcoming PA specials →

https://penncapital-star.com/briefs/two-philadelphia-state-lawmakers-resign-setting-up-special-elections-for-pa-house-seats

[Blogger's Note: I read the Pennsylvania Capital-Star article titled, "Two Philadelphia state lawmakers resign, setting up special elections for Pa. House seats."]

2. Post-DNC Convention: More Resources Needed for State Legislative Races

The Democratic National Convention concluded with undeniable excitement, but the future of our country rests on carrying that enthusiasm to competitive races down-ballot, and we are calling your attention to state legislative races. Check out our DNCC takeaways here →

https://dlcc.org/press/release-on-heels-of-wildly-successful-convention-more-resources-needed-for-state-legislative-races

[Blogger's Note: I read the DLCC press release titled, "RELEASE: On Heels of Wildly Successful Convention, More Resources Needed for State Legislative Races."]

🔦 DLCC Spotlight: DLCC announces 12 new spotlight candidates and investments in Arizona

The DLCC unveiled 12 Spotlight candidates running in critical races across Arizona and an additional $223K investment to break the Republican majorities. Read more about the DLCC’s new efforts in Arizona →

https://dlcc.org/press/roundup-dlcc-announces-arizona-target-races-and-new-investments-to-break-gop-majorities-on-virtual-press-conference

[Blogger's Note: I read the DLCC press release titled, "ROUNDUP: DLCC Announces Arizona Target Races and New Investments to Break GOP Majorities on Virtual Press Conference."]

📢 Get involved: Check out in-person and virtual volunteer opportunities

With the election less than 80 days away, every day counts and Democrats in states nationwide are counting on your support. Find an opportunity to get involved here →

https://dlcc.org/takeaction

[Blogger's Note: I read the introduction to the DLCC webpage titled, "Sign up to Help Elect State Democrats."]

🗳️ Looking to Election Day: Democrats prepare for upcoming races

This fall, Democrats are facing ultra-competitive elections in states like Michigan, Pennsylvania, and Wisconsin, so we’re calling on grassroots Dems to invest early and help power our candidates to victory →***

The Democratic Legislative Campaign Committee is working to rebuild the Democratic Party from the ground up by electing Democrats to state legislatures. Your grassroots donation will help provide state Democrats with the resources, staff, and technology to win elections — but it all depends on your support.

Join the fight! Chip in today:

DONATE***

DLCC
DEMOCRATIC LEGISLATIVE CAMPAIGN COMMITTEE

Join the team! Chip in today.

🗳️Elect state Dems in must win races
💰Fund our strategic investments in 2024, 2025, and beyond
❌Counter Republican extremism in the states

Can you chip in today?

Donate immediately:

Your contribution will benefit DLCC PAC - Federal.

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And so, I made a one-time donation to the DLCC (with a tip to ActBlue) on September 2nd, 2024, because "this fall, Democrats are facing ultra-competitive elections in states like Michigan, Pennsylvania, and Wisconsin, so [the DLCC's] calling on grassroots Dems to invest early and help power our candidates to victory."

---------------------------------------------

The sixth political communication to which I responded on September 2nd, 2024 was an email from Educated We Stand (or, 'Educated. We Stand') that I received on September 1st, 2024, with the subject line, "Thank you", which stated the following:

Hey there, Paul –

I know we’re in the midst of a [fast paced] election cycle. Between President Biden dropping out of the race and the DNC [Democratic National Convention] happening last week, cementing Kamala Harris as the Democratic Nominee for President – this has been one of the craziest elections I’ve ever seen.

But amidst all the chaos, I wanted to thank and celebrate you for supporting Educated We Stand. I helped found this organization to take the fight back to Moms for Liberty and let them know that there are millions of parents all across this country who just want their children to receive a quality education without having to deal with right-wing conspiracy-laden politics.

Kids just want to go to school in peace and parents just want their kids to get a good education to help them live a better life than we have. Now, we just experienced some huge wins during the Florida primary, with over a dozen of our endorsed candidates successfully either winning outright or making it through to November. But the fact of the matter is none of these successes would be possible without help and support from folks like you, friend.

Your time, money, and energy continue to propel us forth to victory. So I hope that you’ll take a moment to soak in what you’ve done already and kick back and relax for Labor Day weekend before plunging right back into the fight on Tuesday.

I know I am going to enjoy our victories so far, but we have so much work left to do before this thing is done.

Thank you so much for standing with me and standing with Educated We Stand.

Best,
[Name redacted]

PS – If you can, please rush a donation to help us kickstart September on the right foot. We’ve only got two months left to win this election and we will need every dollar to help us win every vote.***

EDUCATED. WE STAND

Donate to Educated We Stand

In recent years, communities across the US have witnessed a surge in organized and well-funded efforts meant to disrupt and dismantle public education systems through legislative reform and regulating curriculums with far-right ideological beliefs.

If the movement continues to grow without an effective, organized, and funded counterbalance — we risk a widespread indoctrination of young people, promoting ideologies that threaten American Democracy and the American way of life.

EDUCATED WE STAND will serve as a national, non-partisan, grassroots organization dedicated to safeguarding the integrity of public education. Its mission is to fight the influence of far-right extremists and ensure that our educational systems remain spaces for unbiased, evidence-based learning that fosters critical thinking and prepares students to be engaged, informed citizens. Will you pitch in today to EDUCATED WE STAND and help support pro public education officials and legislation nationwide?

Donate immediately:

Your contribution will benefit Educated We Stand - IE [Independent Expenditure].

[  ] Donate $25 →

[  ] Donate $100 →

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[✓] Other amount $2.00

Please leave a tip for ActBlue

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And so, I made a one-time donation to Educated We Stand (or, 'Educated. We Stand') (with a tip to ActBlue) on September 2nd, 2024, in order to "rush a donation to help [Educated We Stand] kickstart September on the right foot," because "we’ve only got two months left to win this election and [Educated We Stand] will need every dollar to help [them] win every vote."

---------------------------------------------

The seventh political communication to which I responded on September 2nd, 2024 was from an email from the Democratic National Committee (DNC) that was actually the inspiration for the donation I made to the Democratic Party Committee Abroad (Democrats Abroad, or DA)** that was mentioned in said email—and not to the DNC which sent me the email that I received on September 1st, 2024, with the subject line, "Our strategy.", which stated the following:

Paul, we know your inbox is probably flooded with donation requests from candidates and organizations like ours. But if you have a minute, we’d like to explain exactly what we’ll do with your $100 contribution if you pitch in to the Democratic National Committee today.

Here we go:

With 65 days until Election Day, it’s clear the presidential race will come down to a few key battleground states such as Arizona, Georgia, Michigan, Nevada, North Carolina, Pennsylvania, and Wisconsin.

You’ve probably heard that the DNC is investing millions of dollars into reaching voters in states like these -- that includes your $100.00 contribution, Paul!

Strategic investments like these don’t just impact the presidential race. They have a powerful multiplier effect (nested opportunities, as we like to call it) for Democrats down the ballot, too -- which is critical in our efforts to win the House and Senate and elect Democrats at all levels of government.

But of course, we aren’t just focused on swing states. In these final weeks, we have to reach as many voters as possible -- all over the country -- and make sure they have a plan to cast their ballots for Democrats.

That’s why we’re strengthening our largest-ever voter protection program to protect against Trump and his allies’ attacks on our voting rights. It’s why we’ve made a six-figure investment in **the Democrats Abroad program to register and earn the votes of the nearly 9 million Americans living and serving overseas. [Bolding is mine.] And it’s why we’re expanding our successful virtual organizing efforts to engage and mobilize as many volunteers as we can, so you can get involved no matter where you are.

When you chip in $100 to support the DNC, your contribution goes directly toward funding work like this. Can we count on you to make another donation now?

If you've stored your info with ActBlue, we'll process your contribution instantly.

DONATE $50 [N/A]
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Thank you so much for reading through. Let’s defend and build on the progress we’ve made.

The Democrats

Donate to Democrats Abroad

Contribute to Democrats Abroad today and help us register Americans all over the world for upcoming elections, reach out on issues that concern you, and build a brighter future for our country and the world. With your help, we can make the difference. Americans abroad help win elections back home every election year and we're working hard to make the difference this year! ActBlue allows payments from major credit cards, including AMEX, and PayPal. You can also use this form to make a monthly recurring donation. Click on "Yes, count me in!" to make a monthly donation. Recurring donations are especially important in helping us plan for the future and are very welcome. Any questions, please contact the Democrats Abroad fundraising team at [email redacted].

Donate immediately:

Your contribution will benefit Democrats Abroad.

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[  ] Donate $2,024 →

[✓] Other amount $2.00

Please leave a tip for ActBlue

Power the nonprofit fundraising platform Democratic candidates & progressive causes rely on.

[  ] Add $2 tip

[  ] Leave no tip

[✓] Add custom amount $0.14 (7%)

And so, I made a one-time donation to Democrats Abroad (DA) (with a tip to ActBlue) on September 2nd, 2024, in order to make an "investment in the Democrats Abroad program to register and earn the votes of the nearly 9 million Americans living and serving overseas," because "Americans abroad help win elections back home every election year and [Democrats Abroad is] working hard to make the difference this year!"

P.S.: By the way, I already donated to the Democratic National Committee (DNC) on September 2nd, 2024, as part of my series of donations for the month of September (please see my 'September 2nd, 2024 Update No. 4, Written On September 4th, 2024, Which Also Discusses August 27th, 2024' that can be found above).

---------------------------------------------

The eighth political communication to which I responded on September 2nd, 2024 was an email from the Democratic Governors Association (DGA) that I received on September 1st, 2024, with the subject line, "re: your debate night plans", which stated the following:

ALERT!

Paul, the first presidential debate between Kamala Harris and Donald Trump is NEXT WEEK – and the stakes have never been higher!

With the polls showing the race for the presidency neck-and-neck – in both swing state and national polls – we can’t leave anything to chance. We need Democrats everywhere to confirm they’ll have Kamala’s back next week.

That’s why we’re asking 137 Democrats from Oregon to let us know if they'll be watching – but we’re still missing YOUR response:

Will you be watching the presidential debate on September 10th?

[✓] YES
[ ] NO
[ ] STILL UNSURE

DGA
Democratic Governors Association

DGA Official Presidential Debate Survey | RESPONSE REQUESTED ASAP

Thank you for taking action.

As a reliable Democrat, will you answer a few more questions about the upcoming debate and election? Your responses are incredibly valuable, so please be sure to answer each question.

Email: [redacted]
Cell Phone: [redacted]

Please confirm: Will you watch the presidential debate on September 10th?

[✓] Yes!
[  ] No.
[  ] Unsure

Kamala Harris is currently campaigning in states across the nation — working to protect and expand the Democratic progress she's helped build.

Tell us: What should she and Democrats focus on through November?

[  ] Defending abortion access
[  ] Expanding access to affordable health care
[  ] Lowering the cost of living and housing
[  ] Boosting our economy and creating new jobs
[  ] Investing in public education
[  ] Protecting LGBTQ+ rights
[  ] Shoring up our elections
[✓] Defending voting rights
[  ] Stopping GOP extremism
[  ] Other:

[Blogger's Note: When I originally answered this survey question on September 2nd, 2024, I was only able to select ONE answer, for some strange reason! You see, while I was recreating the individual webpages from this DGA survey for this 'update,' I actually went back to the original email and reopened the survey where—lo and behold!—I could select as many of the above-mentioned areas of focus for what "[Kamala Harris] and Democrats focus on through November" as I wished! Thus, that is why I ONLY selected "Defending voting rights," when I originally took this survey. (I hope that makes sense.)]

This year, Democrats are running in key races up and down the ballot, including 11 critical governors' races. What do you think our Democratic candidates should focus on most when talking to voters?

[  ] Celebrating Democratic wins
[  ] Attacking GOP extremism
[✓] All of the above!
[  ] Advocating for issues that matter
[  ] None of the above.

As Kamala Harris leads the fight for progress as Vice President — and now, our official Democratic presidential candidate — Democratic governors are leading this fight in states across the country.

Do you believe that a strong, competitive Democratic candidate for governor will help Kamala Harris win in key swing states like New Hampshire and North Carolina?

[✓] Yes, of course!
[  ] No
[  ] Unsure

Democratic governors can act as a brick wall against the worst of the GOP's agenda. But when Republicans are in charge, they have free rein to pass far-right abortion bans, weaken our right to vote, and push our country backward.

How worried are you about the future of our country if we allow Republican candidates to take over?

[✓] Extremely worried
[  ] Very worried
[  ] Somewhat worried
[  ] Not at all worried

The 2024 elections are just weeks away now and our gubernatorial [governor] candidates are counting on this team to have their backs. Will you invest $100 to help us elect Democratic governors who will work alongside Vice President Harris and block the GOP's radical right-wing legislation?

Please use the options below to start a monthly donation through ActBlue:

[  ] Yes, I will give $100!
[✓] No, I can't give that much.

We understand that giving at that level right now might be tough. But the DGA is working tirelessly to elect Democrats across the country — including in battleground states like North Carolina. And with MAGA Republicans pushing an extremist agenda in the courts, Congress, and states nationwide, we can't afford to miss any fundraising goals.

But we just pulled your supporter record, and here's what we found:

Email: [redacted]
Given to DGA today? Not Yet
Suggested donation: $44

Gov. Andy Beshear's incredible victory in Kentucky proved just how important grassroots donations are. But right now, we're short of what we need to raise before our next big deadline. Please, before midnight tonight: Will you give $44 or whatever you can?

Please use the options below to start a monthly donation through ActBlue:

[  ] Yes, I'll give $22.
[  ] Yes, I'll give $44! (suggested donation)
[✓] Yes, and I'll give more!*

*[Blogger's Note: I selected this option—although I made a one-time donation, rather than a monthly donation—because it's an option that got me to the donation webpage!]

---------------------------------------------

DONATE NOW
DEADLINE: MIDNIGHT

With 11 governors' races on the ballot this November, including in key battleground states like New Hampshire and North Carolina, the blue firewall that we rely on to stop the GOP's extremist agenda is at risk. We're giving it our all to support them, but right now, we're falling dangerously short of our fundraising goals.

That's why a group of generous donors is matching all gifts up to our $25,000 goal. Time is running out to have your gift DOUBLED up to our goal: Give now to elect Democratic governors and preserve our blue firewall!

Make it monthly!

[  ] Yes, count me in!
[✓] No, donate once

Donate immediately:

Your contribution will benefit Democratic Action.

[  ] Donate $44 →

[  ] Donate $88 →

[  ] Donate $220 →

[  ] Donate $440 →

[  ] Donate $880 →

[  ] Donate $1,760 →

[✓] Other amount $2.00

Please leave a tip for ActBlue

Power the nonprofit fundraising platform Democratic candidates & progressive causes rely on.

[  ] Add $2 tip

[  ] Leave no tip

[✓] Add custom amount $0.14 (7%)

And so, I made a one-time donation to the DGA (with a tip to ActBlue) on September 2nd, 2024, in order to answer the question, "Will you be watching the presidential debate on September 10th?" with a resounding 'YES!'

---------------------------------------------

The ninth political communication to which I responded on September 2nd, 2024 was an email from the Harris for President campaign that I received on September 2nd, 2024, with the subject line, "Do you really know what’s in Project 2025?", which stated the following:

HARRIS
WALZ

By now, you've heard of Donald Trump's Project 2025. But do you know what's really in the plans for a second Trump term?

Please take a minute with this list. Read it. Share it. Remember it. This is what is at stake.

A national abortion ban. Cuts to Social Security. Privatization of Medicare. Abolishment of the Department of Education. And so much more.

Here's a link:

https://x.com/KamalaHQ/status/1828976133427126660

[START OF 'POST' ON "X," FORMERLY TWITTER]

Kamala HQ
@KamalaHQ

This is Trump's Project 2025

[start of imbedded graphic image]

TRUMP'S PROJECT 2025

↓ PLAN FOR TRUMP'S SECOND TERM ↓

• Purge the government of thousands of civil servants and replace them with unqualified far-right MAGA loyalists
• Send the Justice Department after Trump's political enemies
• Pardon violent January 6 criminal insurrectionists
• Pack the Supreme Court and lower courts with MAGA extremists
• Enact a national abortion ban and restrict IVF access
• Reverse the FDA's approval of abortion medication
• Remove mentions of "abortion" and "reproductive health" from agency materials
• Reverse President Biden's student debt forgiveness
• Reinstate student debt on millions of Americans
• Give tax handouts to the ultra-wealthy and big corporations
• Eliminate union and worker protections
• Cut Social Security, raise retirement age
• Cut and privatize Medicare
• Rip away health care from tens of millions
• Remove protections for preexisting conditions
• Repeal President Biden's law that allows Medicare to negotiate lower drug prices
• Abolish the Department of Education
• Implement and expand book bans
• Go after marriage equality
• Repeal anti-discrimination protections for LGBTQ+ students
• Reinstate Trump's transgender military ban and expel transgender service members
• End climate protections and gut clean energy programs
• Withdraw from the Paris Climate Agreement
• Repeal the Inflation Reduction Act, President Biden's landmark climate law
• Replace climate advisors with fossil fuel lobbyists
• Deregulate big corporations and the oil industry
• Send the U.S. military after anti-Trump protests
• Put immigrants in mass detention camps
• Rip immigrant children from the arms of their mothers
• Reinstate and expand Trump's Muslim ban
• And more...

[end of imbedded graphic image]

10:01 PM • Aug 28, 2024 • 601.4K Views

[END OF 'POST' ON "X," FORMERLY TWITTER]

And yes, Project 2025 is Trump’s agenda.

[START OF 'POST' ON "X," FORMERLY TWITTER]

Kamala HQ
@KamalaHQ

Fact check

[start of imbedded graphic image]

Donald J. Trump
@realDonald Trump

I know nothing about Project 2025. I have not seen it, have no idea who is in charge of it

FACT CHECK

80% OF PROJECT 2025 AUTHORS ARE TRUMP AIDES AND ADVISORS

🛑🛑🛑🛑🛑🛑🛑🛑🛑🛑
🛑🛑🛑🛑🛑🛑🛑🛑🛑🛑
🛑🛑🛑🛑🛑🛑🛑🛑🛑🛑
🛑⚫⚫⚫⚫⚫⚫⚫

[Blogger's Note: I used the red stop sign emojis above in place of the red baseball caps (like MAGA hats) that Kamala HQ's original 'post' on "X" utilized to represent the "80% of Project 2025 authors [that] are Trump aides and advisors," because I couldn't find an equivalent emoji online to depict those red baseball caps. (I hope that makes sense!)]

[end of imbedded graphic image]

2:05 PM • Aug 29, 2024 • 649K Views

[END OF 'POST' ON "X," FORMERLY TWITTER]

But we are not going back.

[START OF 'POST' ON "X," FORMERLY TWITTER]

Kamala HQ
@KamalaHQ

Not going back

[start of imbedded graphic image]

The first image of Vice President Kamala Harris speaking at the Democratic National Convention with a caption that reads: We know what a second Trump term would look like. It's all laid out in Project 2025, written by his closest advisors. And its sum total is to pull our country back to the past.

The second image of Vice President Kamala Harris speaking at the Democratic National Convention with a caption that reads: But America, we are not going back.

[end of imbedded graphic image]

1:02 PM • Aug 28, 2024 • 220.2K Views

[END OF 'POST' ON "X," FORMERLY TWITTER]

Kamala Harris for President

Before you click away!

This is the most important election of our lifetime, and it's critical we do everything we can to defeat Donald Trump and JD Vance this November.

If everyone reading this email donated just $20, we would reach our fundraising goals and have what it takes to win. But not everyone gives.

We are counting on supporters like you who know the stakes of this election to chip in today. If electing Kamala Harris and Tim Walz and defeating Donald Trump seems worth $20, donate to the campaign today:

If you've stored your info with ActBlue, we'll process your contribution instantly:

[ ] CONTRIBUTE $20
[✓] CONTRIBUTE OTHER***

HARRIS
WALZ

Donate to support the Harris-Walz campaign!

We all must stand together to win at the ballot box, protect our freedoms, and fulfill the promise of America. Donate $25 or more now.

Donate Immediately:

Your contribution will benefit Kamala Harris.

[✓] Donate $2 →

[  ] Donate $25 →

[  ] Donate $50 →

[  ] Donate $100 →

[  ] Donate $250 →

[  ] Donate $1,000 →

[  ] Donate $2,000 →

[  ] Other amount

Please leave a tip for ActBlue

Power the nonprofit fundraising platform Democratic candidates & progressive causes rely on.

[  ] Add $2 tip

[  ] Leave no tip

[✓] Add custom amount $0.14 (7%)

And so, I made a one-time donation to the Harris for President campaign (with a tip to ActBlue) on September 2nd, 2024, for the following reason: "We know what a second Trump term would look like. It's all laid out in Project 2025, written by his closest advisors. And its sum total is to pull our country back to the past. ... But America, we are not going back."

---------------------------------------------

The tenth political communication to which I responded on September 2nd, 2024 was an email from the Democratic Attorneys General Association (DAGA) that I received on September 2nd, 2024, with the subject line, "What Dem AGs are doing for working people: We ❤️ unions", which stated the following:

Happy Labor Day, Paul!

As we enjoy the final days of summer, it’s important to recognize the overwhelming contributions of unions and workers to our country.

Thanks to unions, we have weekends, the 40-hour work week, a minimum wage, and so much more! And our workforce is the backbone of our country. They keep our roads paved, our mail delivered, our grocery stores stocked, and so much more.

That is why Democratic AGs are committed to protecting workers and fighting alongside our union partners for safe work environments, fair pay, affordable health care, and so much more.

But it’s important not only to recognize the progress we have made, but to reflect on what it is we are still fighting for. Workers and unions have been under attack in recent years by extremist right-wing megadonors and their Republican allies in government. We must continue to fight back against these efforts and recommit ourselves to the work to create a more fair and just nation. Luckily Dem AGs are on the front lines of that push, advocating for the people who make this country work, and they won’t stop fighting.

Happy Labor Day, Paul!

Thanks,

Democratic Attorneys General Association

DEMOCRATIC ATTORNEYS GENERAL ASSOCIATION

DONATE TO DEMOCRATIC ATTORNEYS GENERAL ASSOCIATION (DAGA)

Democratic AGs are protecting our democracy and fighting for working families in nearly every corner of the country.

But they need our support. Chip in today and help fund this work!

Donate immediately:

Your contribution will benefit Democratic Attorneys General Association (DAGA).

[  ] DONATE $25 →

[  ] DONATE $100 →

[  ] DONATE $250 →

[  ] DONATE $1,000 →

[✓] OTHER AMOUNT $2.00

Please leave a tip for ActBlue

Power the nonprofit fundraising platform Democratic candidates & progressive causes rely on.

[  ] Add $2 tip

[  ] Leave no tip

[✓] Add custom amount $0.14 (7%)

And so, I made a one-time donation to the DAGA (with a tip to ActBlue) on September 2nd, 2024, for the following reason: "Thanks to unions, we have weekends, the 40-hour work week, a minimum wage, and so much more! And our workforce is the backbone of our country. They keep our roads paved, our mail delivered, our grocery stores stocked, and so much more. That is why Democratic AGs are committed to protecting workers and fighting alongside our union partners for safe work environments, fair pay, affordable health care, and so much more."

---------------------------------------------

The eleventh political communication to which I responded on September 2nd, 2024 was an email from the Democratic Senatorial Campaign Committee (DSCC) that I received on September 2nd, 2024, with the subject line, "re: 10 Democrats... >>", which stated the following:

Triple-Impact Match!

These 10 Democrats need your help to win!

Jon Tester, Montana
Tammy Baldwin, Wisconsin
Sherrod Brown, Ohio
Bob Casey, Pennsylvania
Angela Alsobrooks, Maryland
Jacky Rosen, Nevada
Ruben Gallego, Arizona
Elissa Slotkin, Michigan
Colin Allred, Texas
Debbie Mucarsel-Powell, Florida

We must win EVERY battleground to EXPAND our Senate majority.

Donate now to TRIPLE your impact:

DONATE NOW

(We need every Democrat in the fight!)

If you've saved your payment info with ActBlue Express, your donation will be processed immediately.

[  ] DONATE $55 (BECOMES $165)
[  ] DONATE $110 (BECOMES $330)
[  ] DONATE $220 (BECOMES $660)
[✓] RUSH ANOTHER AMOUNT

DSCC

Match Activated! TRIPLE your impact to help SUPERCHARGE our Senate majority!

CNN says multiple GOP seats could flip blue this year — but with Mitch McConnell's megadonors already playing offense, it's going to take all hands on deck to win!

Please, will you chip in now to protect our historic progress by supercharging our Democratic majority? All gifts received before tonight's deadline will be TRIPLED!

Donate immediately:

Your contribution will benefit DSCC.

[✓] Donate $2 →

[  ] Donate $110 →

[  ] Donate $220 →

[  ] Donate $550 →

[  ] Other amount

Please leave a tip for ActBlue

Power the nonprofit fundraising platform Democratic candidates & progressive causes rely on.

[  ] Add $2 tip

[  ] Leave no tip

[✓] Add custom amount $0.14 (7%)

And so, I made a one-time donation to the DSCC (with a tip to ActBlue) on September 2nd, 2024, because "these 10 Democrats need [my] help to win: Jon Tester, Montana; Tammy Baldwin, Wisconsin; Sherrod Brown, Ohio; Bob Casey, Pennsylvania; Angela Alsobrooks, Maryland; Jacky Rosen, Nevada; Ruben Gallego, Arizona; Elissa Slotkin, Michigan; Colin Allred, Texas; and Debbie Mucarsel-Powell, Florida," as well as because "we must win EVERY battleground to EXPAND our Senate majority."

---------------------------------------------

Finally, these last nine political donations weren't due to communications that I received from the following organizations, but because I have donated to these organizations in previous election cycles!

The twelfth organization to which I donated was the Democratic Party of Oregon Victory Fund, based upon their donation webpage that appeared on the ActBlue.com website, which stated the following:

Support the State Party Victory Fund!

Donate today to strengthen your State Party's infrastructure and help fight for our shared Democratic values!

Donate immediately:

Your contribution will benefit Democratic National Committee (DNC) SPVF.

[  ] Donate $10 →

[  ] Donate $25 →

[  ] Donate $50 →

[  ] Donate $100 →

[  ] Donate $250 →

[  ] Donate $500 →

[  ] Donate $1,000 →

[✓] Other amount $2.00

Please leave a tip for ActBlue

Power the nonprofit fundraising platform Democratic candidates & progressive causes rely on.

[  ] Add $2 tip

[  ] Leave no tip

[✓] Add custom amount $0.14 (7%)

And so, I made a one-time donation to the Democratic Party of Oregon Victory Fund (with a tip to ActBlue) on September 2nd, 2024, in order to "strengthen [my] State Party's infrastructure and help fight for our shared Democratic values!"

---------------------------------------------

The thirteenth organization to which I donated was the Democratic Mayors Association (DMA), based upon their donation webpage that appeared on the ActBlue.com website, which stated the following:

DMA
Democratic Mayors Association

Support the Democratic Mayors

We represent Mayors across the country who have a common vision for progress and inclusive growth in their communities.

#MayorsMatter

Donate immediately:

Your contribution will benefit Democratic Mayors Association.

[  ] Donate $10 →

[  ] Donate $15 →

[  ] Donate $25 →

[  ] Donate $50 →

[  ] Donate $100 →

[  ] Donate $250 →

[  ] Donate $500 →

[✓] Other amount $2.00

Please leave a tip for ActBlue

Power the nonprofit fundraising platform Democratic candidates & progressive causes rely on.

[  ] Add $2 tip

[  ] Leave no tip

[✓] Add custom amount $0.14 (7%)

And so, I made a one-time donation to the DMA (with a tip to ActBlue) on September 2nd, 2024, because "[they] represent Mayors across the country who have a common vision for progress and inclusive growth in their communities."

---------------------------------------------

The fourteenth organization to which I donated was Ban Assault Weapons NOW PAC [Ban Assault Weapons NOW (BAWN) Political Action Committee, or BAWN PAC], based upon their donation webpage that appeared on the ActBlue.com website, which stated the following:

RUSH IN A CONTRIBUTION!

BAWN is working tirelessly to kick every coward who refuses to ban assault weapons out of office and elect critical gun safety champions in their place but we can't fully fund our campaign alone.

Will you rush in a gift before midnight? The more you give, the more we give to gun safety champions.

Donate immediately:

Your contribution will benefit Ban Assault Weapons NOW PAC.

[  ] Donate $25 →

[  ] Donate $50 →

[  ] Donate $100 →

[  ] Donate $250 →

[  ] Donate $500 →

[  ] Donate $1,000 →

[✓] Other amount $2.00

Please leave a tip for ActBlue

Power the nonprofit fundraising platform Democratic candidates & progressive causes rely on.

[  ] Add $2 tip

[  ] Leave no tip

[✓] Add custom amount $0.14 (7%)

And so, I made a one-time donation to Ban Assault Weapons NOW PAC (BAWN PAC) (with a tip to ActBlue) on September 2nd, 2024, because "BAWN is working tirelessly to kick every coward who refuses to ban assault weapons out of office and elect critical gun safety champions in their place."

---------------------------------------------

The fifteenth organization to which I donated was the Democratic Youth Wave PAC (Democratic Youth Wave Political Action Committee), based upon their donation webpage that appeared on the ActBlue.com website, which stated the following:

Democratic Youth Wave
Youth in Motion, Democracy in Action

SUPPORT KAMALA HARRIS

Kamala stands for justice, equality, and a brighter future for all. Her unwavering support for women's reproductive rights, along with her leadership on crucial Issues like healthcare, education, and climate change, is exactly what our country needs.

As the Democratic National Convention ends in Chicago, America is energized by Vice President Kamala Harris's rise to the top of the ticket. With President Joe Biden's legacy celebrated, the focus shifts to uniting the nation and propelling Harris and her running mate, Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz, into a critical election against Donald Trump. Now is the time to act—donate today to support youth voter turnout and help shape the future.

Join us. Together we can increase the youth and Gen Z voters turnout.

Chip in today!

Donate immediately:

Your contribution will benefit Democratic Youth Wave - IE [Independent Expenditure].

[  ] Donate $20 →

[  ] Donate $50 →

[  ] Donate $100 →

[  ] Donate $250 →

[  ] Donate $500 →

[  ] Donate $1,000 →

[  ] Donate $2,000 →

[✓] Other amount $2.00

Please leave a tip for ActBlue

Power the nonprofit fundraising platform Democratic candidates & progressive causes rely on.

[  ] Add $2 tip

[  ] Leave no tip

[✓] Add custom amount $0.14 (7%)

And so, I made a one-time donation to the Democratic Youth Wave PAC (with a tip to ActBlue) on September 2nd, 2024, since "now is the time to act [in order] to support youth voter turnout and help shape the future," because "together we can increase the youth and Gen Z voters turnout."

---------------------------------------------

The sixteenth organization to which I donated was EMILYs List, based upon their donation webpage that appeared on the ActBlue.com website, which stated the following:

EMILYs LIST
RUN. WIN. CHANGE THE WORLD.

Support Democratic Pro-Choice Women

Donate to help elect women who will protect the right to choose at every level of government, all across the country.

Donate immediately:

Your contribution will benefit EMILYs List.

[  ] Donate $1,000 →

[  ] Donate $500 →

[  ] Donate $250 →

[  ] Donate $100 →

[  ] Donate $50 →

[✓] Other amount $2.00

Please leave a tip for ActBlue

Power the nonprofit fundraising platform Democratic candidates & progressive causes rely on.

[  ] Add $2 tip

[  ] Leave no tip

[✓] Add custom amount $0.14 (7%)

And so, I made a one-time donation to EMILYs List (with a tip to ActBlue) on September 2nd, 2024, in order to help "elect women who will protect the right to choose at every level of government, all across the country."

---------------------------------------------

The seventeenth organization to which I donated was the Four Directions Native Vote (Four Directions), based upon their donation webpage that appeared on the ActBlue.com website, which stated the following:

Four Directions
Fighting for Voting Equality All Across Indian Country.

Take a stand for Native American voting rights

Four Directions is a Native-led voting rights group, organizing at the county level in critical states like Georgia and Arizona.

Your donation is critical and provides us with the support we need to advance equality at the ballot box across Indian Country.

Chip in now to help us make history again through 2021 and beyond!

Donate immediately:

Your contribution will benefit Four Directions - RFA.

[  ] Donate $50 →

[  ] Donate $100 →

[  ] Donate $250 →

[  ] Donate $500 →

[  ] Donate $1,000 →

[  ] Donate $2,500 →

[  ] Donate $5,000 →

[✓] Other amount $2.00

Please leave a tip for ActBlue Civics

Power the nonprofit fundraising platform Democratic candidates & progressive causes rely on.

[  ] Add $2 tip

[  ] Leave no tip

[✓] Add custom amount $0.14 (7%)

And so, I made a one-time donation to the Four Directions Native Vote (Four Directions) (with a tip to ActBlue) on September 2nd, 2024, in order to "take a stand for Native American voting rights," because "[my] donation is critical and provides [Four Directions] with the support [they] need to advance equality at the ballot box across Indian Country."

---------------------------------------------

The eighteenth organization to which I donated was Rolling Sea Action Fund, based upon their donation webpage that appeared on the ActBlue.com website, which stated the following:

ROLLING SEA ACTION FUND

Support Black Democrats

We’re devoting our efforts to empower Black voters, protect our Senate Majority and flip the House from red to blue. But we need your help right now!

We’re nearly BROKE, so we need a huge wave of emergency donations to STOP the GOP's corrupted voter suppression agenda.

If you don’t give right now, we will not be able to fight back and protect President Biden's agenda in 2024. Please, rush a donation now, before it's too late >>

Donate immediately:

Your contribution will benefit Rolling Sea Action Fund.

[  ] Donate $25 →

[  ] Donate $100 →

[  ] Donate $250 →

[  ] Donate $1,000 →

[✓] Other amount $2.00

Please leave a tip for ActBlue

Power the nonprofit fundraising platform Democratic candidates & progressive causes rely on.

[  ] Add $2 tip

[  ] Leave no tip

[✓] Add custom amount $0.14 (7%)

And so, I made a one-time donation to the Rolling Sea Action Fund (with a tip to ActBlue) on September 2nd, 2024, because they are "devoting [their] efforts to empower Black voters, protect our Senate Majority and flip the House from red to blue."

---------------------------------------------

The ninteenth organization to which I donated was Teachers Unify To End Gun Violence, based upon their donation webpage that appeared on the ActBlue.com website, which stated the following:

TEACHERS UNIFY TO END GUN VIOLENCE

Support our work today!

"This work takes more than thoughts and prayers. It takes our collective voices united to demand change."
[Name redacted], Columbine Surviving Educator & Columbine HS [High School] teacher

Donate immediately:

Your contribution will benefit Teachers Unify to End Gun Violence.

[  ] Donate $25 →

[  ] Donate $100 →

[  ] Donate $250 →

[  ] Donate $1,000 →

[✓] Other amount $2.00

Please leave a tip for AB [ActBlue] Charities

Power the nonprofit fundraising platform mission-driven nonprofits & charities rely on.

[  ] Add $2 tip

[  ] Leave no tip

[✓] Add custom amount $0.14 (7%)

And so, I made a one-time donation to Teachers Unify to End Gun Violence (with a tip to ActBlue) on September 2nd, 2024, because "this work [to end gun violence] takes more than thoughts and prayers ... it takes our collective voices united to demand change."

---------------------------------------------

The twentieth organization to which I donated was the Voters of Tomorrow PAC (Voters of Tomorrow Political Action Committee), based upon their donation webpage that appeared on the ActBlue.com website, which stated the following:

VOTERS OF TOMORROW
POLITICAL ACTION COMMITTEE

Donate to Voters of Tomorrow PAC!

Help us turn out Gen Z in DROVES and defeat MAGA Republicans!

With your contribution, Voters of Tomorrow PAC will be able to turn out Gen Z against Republicans all across the country.

Can you pitch in below to fund our efforts? >>

Donate immediately:

Your contribution will benefit Voters of Tomorrow Action.

[  ] Donate $10 →

[  ] Donate $27 →

[  ] Donate $50 →

[  ] Donate $100 →

[  ] Donate $250 →

[  ] Donate $500 →

[  ] Donate $2,024 →

[✓] Other amount $2.00

Please leave a tip for ActBlue

Power the nonprofit fundraising platform Democratic candidates & progressive causes rely on.

[  ] Add $2 tip

[  ] Leave no tip

[✓] Add custom amount $0.14 (7%)

And so, I made a one-time donation to the Voters of Tomorrow PAC (with a tip to ActBlue) on September 2nd, 2024, in order to "help [Voters of Tomorrow PAC] turn out Gen Z in DROVES and defeat MAGA Republicans!"

Thus, these eight organizations—the DASS, the DLCC, the DA, the DGA, the DAGA, the DSCC, the Democratic Party of Oregon, as well as the DMA—plus, this one campaign—Harris for President—plus, these eight Political Action Committees (PACs)—VoteVets, Jane Fonda Climate PAC, Educated We Stand, Ban Assault Weapons NOW PAC, Democratic Youth Wave PAC, EMILYs List, Rolling Sea Action Fund, as well as Voters of Tomorrow PAC—plus, this one civic engagement organization—Voto Latino—plus, this one social welfare organization—Four Directions Native Vote—in addition to this one grassroots movement—Teachers Unify To End Gun Violence—are the political organizations, the political campaign, as well as the PACs, the civic engagement organization, the social welfare organization and the grassroots movement that I donated to on September 2nd, 2024! –Paul Whiting (written from September 4th, 2024 to September 9th, 2024, revised September 10th, 2024, revised September 24th, 2024, revised October 1st, 2024, revised October 2nd, 2024 and revised October 3rd, 2024)

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September 2nd, 2024 Update No. 6, Written On September 9th, 2024: I received an email from March For Our Lives (MFOL) eight days ago on September 2nd, 2024, with the subject line, "We need more than vibes.", which stated the following:

MARCH
FOR OUR
LIVES

Paul,

The vibes are good, but we can’t win on vibes alone.

Winning in November and ending gun violence require millions of one-on-one conversations with youth voters, which takes people power and time. The hard truth of this work is it also takes a lot of money.

We have barely two months to organize and educate voters, and a donation today goes directly toward that effort. Can I count on you to chip in $5 or more right now?

Your donation helps us get young voters the information and tools they need to vote this November, and that matters — here’s why:

Under Donald Trump, gun-related deaths increased by 34 percent, and he bragged about doing “nothing” to end that. But under the Biden-Harris White House, we’ve seen a historic decline in gun violence, with gun deaths down by nearly 20 percent since 2021. Violent crime is also down and the murder rate is on track for its largest annual decline ever.

Like I said: The vibes are good, but we can’t win on vibes alone. We have to invest now. When it counts. Before it’s too late. Before another Trump presidency rolls back all the progress we’ve made these last four years.

Will you make a donation of $5 or more to support our critical work ahead of this year’s election?

Thanks,

[Name redacted]
[Title redacted]
March For Our Lives Action Fund

Donate ››

MARCH FOR OUR LIVES

Fuel the movement to end gun violence.

Thank you for supporting the March For Our Lives Action Fund! Grassroots donors like you are the backbone of our youth-led movement.

In 2018, we marched so that no more families had to face the devastation of losing a loved one to senseless gun violence. Since then, over 175,000 lives have been taken by guns.

We cannot accept empty words from "leaders" as we watch kids die. Donate to fuel our organizing to defeat the gun lobby, pass sensible legislation, and turn out youth to vote for gun safety champions up and down the ballot.

DONATE IMMEDIATELY:

Your contribution will benefit March For Our Lives Action Fund.

[✓] Donate $5 →

[  ] Donate $10 →

[  ] Donate $20.24 →

[  ] Donate $100 →

[  ] Donate $500 →

[  ] Other amount

Power the nonprofit fundraising platform Democratic candidates & progressive causes rely on.

[  ] Add $2 tip

[✓] Leave no tip

[  ] Add custom amount

And so, I made a one-time donation to March For Our Lives (MFOL) (without a tip to ActBlue) on September 2nd, 2024, due to the following reason: "[My] donation helps [MFOL] get young voters the information and tools they need to vote this November, and that matters — here’s why: Under Donald Trump, gun-related deaths increased by 34 percent, and he bragged about doing “nothing” to end that. But under the Biden-Harris White House, we’ve seen a historic decline in gun violence, with gun deaths down by nearly 20 percent since 2021. Violent crime is also down and the murder rate is on track for its largest annual decline ever." –Paul Whiting (written September 9th, 2024 and revised September 10th, 2024)

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September 5th, 2024 Update No. 1: I received an email from the ACLU (American Civil Liberties Union) today, September 5th, 2024, with the subject line, "These book bans aren't going away", which stated the following:

Paul, it's that time of year again. Summer is coming to an end, students and teachers are returning to the classroom – and local and state government officials are still trying to ban books from school classrooms and library shelves, attempting to dictate what students can and cannot learn in the classroom.

To better understand who these censorship attempts harm and how young people are being impacted, we spoke to high school students from across the country – you can get the scoop from the students themselves right now.

WHAT STUDENTS THINK ABOUT CLASSROOM CENSORSHIP:

https://www.aclu.org/news/free-speech/high-school-students-explain-why-we-cant-let-classroom-censorship-win

Instead of defending students' right to learn, lawmakers are attacking it. They're pushing bills, regulations, and processes that would mean banning some of the most popular books in history; silencing discussion of race, gender, sexuality, or other concepts they consider "divisive"; and punishing teachers who try to provide an accurate accounting of America's long history of racism and sexism.

But these topics shouldn't be divisive, Paul. Systemic racism and the fight for LGBTQ rights are things that students themselves experience every day. Censoring classroom discussions or pulling books from library shelves won't protect students – it just leaves them without access to essential education and resources.

The ability to discuss and debate ideas – even ones we might find uncomfortable – is a critical part of our democracy, and nowhere is that core principle more important than in schools.

The ACLU knows that students don't lose their First Amendment rights at the schoolhouse gate. That's why we and our affiliates have been fighting to block these unconstitutional attacks on students' rights. And we're not done – while we defend against attempts to undermine the First Amendment at the state and local level, we're continuing to push Congress to pass a law that would help school districts fight these dangerous bans.

We'll be in touch soon with more ways you can help protect our students' rights – thank you for fighting alongside us.

Thanks for sticking with us,

The ACLU Team

And, after I read the email above, I clicked on the hyperlink to the referenced webpage regarding the article titled, "High School Students Explain Why We Can’t Let Classroom Censorship Win." An introduction to the article can be found below:

ACLU
NEWS & COMMENTARY

High School Students Explain Why We Can’t Let Classroom Censorship Win

We spoke to students about why book bans and efforts to restrict instruction on diverse topics, like racism or sexism, only make learning harder.

By [Name redacted], Communications Intern, ACLU
By [Name redacted], Communications Intern, ACLU

August 6, 2024

In U.S. classrooms and libraries, a coordinated attack on students’ right to learn is underway.

Since January 2021, 44 states have introduced bills or taken other steps to restrict how teachers can teach about racism and sexism in the classroom. These unlawful efforts impact students as young as five or six, and exist throughout the education system, reaching high school students and those at higher education institutions. In addition to censoring classroom conversations, lawmakers and school boards have also enacted sweeping book bans that further restrict access to diverse viewpoints.

The ACLU has challenged classroom censorship laws and book bans nationwide as part of its broader efforts to defend education equity. To better understand who these censorship attempts harm and how young people are being impacted, this back-to-school season, we spoke to high school students from across the country at the ACLU’s annual National Advocacy Institute about how classroom censorship has impacted their right to learn. ...

[Blogger's Note: I read the ACLU's News & Commentary article titled, "High School Students Explain Why We Can’t Let Classroom Censorship Win."]

Please see the hyperlink below for the article:

https://www.aclu.org/news/free-speech/high-school-students-explain-why-we-cant-let-classroom-censorship-win

So, I wanted to share this email from the ACLU in order to show my support for the "High School Students Explain Why We Can’t Let Classroom Censorship Win" article. –Paul Whiting (September 5th, 2024)

P.S.: Just so you know, I used to make one-time donations to the organization that is the subject of these 'updates' each time that I took an action as requested by that organization; however, "I have changed the way that I make donations to political, progressive and charitable organizations each month ... due to the fact that I have been spending a considerable percentage of my monthly income on all of these donations." (The reader should know that I am HIV-positive with full-blown AIDS. And I am on Social Security Disability Insurance, or SSDI, so my income is quite limited.) Therefore, "I have made an executive decision that I am planning to only donate to political, progressive and charitable organizations on a quarterly basis—that is, every three months—or as determined by me on a case-by-case basis." (Please see my 'August 31st, 2024 Update No. 6, Written From September 1st, 2024 To September 2nd, 2024 About August 2024,' which can be found above.) Thus, because I have already donated to the ACLU on July 2nd, 2024 (please see my 'July 2nd, 2024 Update No. 1,' which can be found above), as well as on August 3rd, 2024 (please see my 'August 3rd, 2024 Update No. 1, Which Also Discusses August 2nd, 2024' that can be found above), those are the one-time donations I made to the ACLU for the third quarter of 2024, which is from July through September.

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September 6th, 2024 Update No. 1: I received an email from the ACLU (American Civil Liberties Union) today, September 6th, 2024, with the subject line, "Tell Congress: Fight Book Bans", which stated the following:

Paul, our students' right to learn is under attack – and we're fighting back.

According to PEN America ("a nonprofit organization whose goal is to raise awareness for the protection of free expression in the United States and worldwide through the advancement of literature and human rights"), over 4,300 books were banned across 23 states and 52 public school districts in just the second half of last year. The vast majority of these bans target books that discuss race and racism, LGBTQ identities and experiences, and sex education. It's a clear attempt to control what ideas, experiences, and viewpoints students are allowed to read and learn about.

Preventing students from accessing information about issues that impact them and learning about the world around them because the government doesn't like the underlying information isn't just wrong – it's a violation of their First Amendment rights.

But right now we have an opportunity to help school districts fight back. Rep. [name redacted], the U.S.'s first Gen Z Congressperson, has introduced the Fight Book Bans Act to enable the Department of Education to better support school districts fighting these dangerous censorship attempts.

If you agree that every student has the right to learn free from censorship and discrimination, send a message to your representatives in Congress urging them to co-sponsor the Fight Book Bans Act now.

FIGHT BOOK BANS:

https://action.aclu.org/send-message/tell-your-reps-co-sponsor-fight-book-bans-act

Paul, book bans are a critical threat to our democracy. They stifle students' right to freely express themselves, harm their ability to access information and learn about new perspectives, and silence the voices of marginalized communities. They harm teachers, librarians, authors, families, students, and all of us. Together, we must continue fighting unconstitutional censorship.

We hope you'll join us in fighting to uphold free speech rights in schools today.

Together,

[Title redacted]
Pronouns: She, her, hers
[Title redacted], ACLU

And, after I read the email above, I clicked on the hyperlink to the referenced webpage, the relevant text of which can be found below:

ACLU

TELL YOUR REPS: CO-SPONSOR THE FIGHT BOOK BANS ACT

FIGHT BOOK BANS
TAKE ACTION

Send Message

5770 sent →→→→→→→ 10000 goal

As book-banning efforts threaten the First Amendment rights of students across the country, the ACLU is supporting the Fight Book Bans Act to help protect students' right to learn free from government censorship. Book bans disproportionately target stories about LGBTQ+ communities and people of color and are proven to harm students' ability to access information, learn about new perspectives, and participate in free and open discussions.

Students' First Amendment rights don't stop at the schoolhouse gates. This legislation would help protect free speech and free expression in schools by enabling the Department of Education to provide grants to the brave school districts fighting these undemocratic censorship attempts. Tell Congress: Protect students' right to learn and co-sponsor the Fight Book Bans Act today.

Send your message.

Message Recipients:
Your U.S. House Representative

Preview message

Subject: Fight Censorship by Co-Sponsoring the Fight Book Bans Act

As a constituent, I am urging you to co-sponsor H.R. 6592, the Fight Book Bans Act, introduced by Rep. [name redacted]. This critical legislation helps school districts fight unconstitutional book bans and protect students' First Amendment rights by providing schools with the necessary resources to push back against these censorship attempts.

Being able to learn about and engage with new ideas is foundational to any healthy democracy. And yet, according to PEN America, more than 4,000 books were banned in schools across the U.S. last year, with books by and about LGBTQ people and communities of color being disproportionately targeted. Unconstitutional and undemocratic book bans violate students' right to read, learn, and share ideas free from viewpoint-based censorship or discrimination, and harm all of our right to express ourselves. I ask that you support this critical effort to ensure that schools have the resources to fight back against blatant attempts to censor diverse viewpoints.

Please act now to uphold free speech and protect students' rights by co-sponsoring the Fight Book Bans Act.

Sincerely,

[First Name] [Last Name]

Salutation: Mr.
First name: Paul
Last name: Whiting
Address; [redacted]
Address line 2: [redacted]
Zip code: [redacted]
City: [redacted]
State: [redacted]
Phone: [redacted]
E-mail address: [redacted]

Send

And, after I sent the letter above, I received a confirmation email today, September 6th, 2024, from the ACLU with the subject line, "One more thing - can you spread the word?", which stated the following:

Hi Paul,

Thank you for taking action to fight against book bans.

Help us build our power: Share the action by forwarding the email below to your friends, or by sharing this link: aclu.org/nobookbans.

Thank you,

The ACLU Team

~~~~~

Hi friend,

Students' First Amendment rights don't stop at the schoolhouse gates. Being able to learn about and engage with new ideas is foundational to any healthy democracy. And yet a sudden and extreme rise in book bans across schools nationwide have cropped up recently, with books by and about LGBTQ people and communities of color being disproportionately targeted.

The Fight Book Bans Act is a critical legislation that would help school districts fight back against these unconstitutional book bans and protect students' First Amendment rights. That's why I just joined the ACLU in urging Congress to support it.

Will you join me?

https://action.aclu.org/send-message/tell-your-reps-co-sponsor-fight-book-bans-act

Thanks.

And so, I sent the letter above to my Representative in Congress, via the ACLU website, in order to show my support for the Fight Book Bans Act. –Paul Whiting (September 6th, 2024)

P.S.: Just so you know, I used to make one-time donations to the organization that is the subject of these 'updates' each time that I took an action as requested by that organization; however, "I have changed the way that I make donations to political, progressive and charitable organizations each month ... due to the fact that I have been spending a considerable percentage of my monthly income on all of these donations." (The reader should know that I am HIV-positive with full-blown AIDS. And I am on Social Security Disability Insurance, or SSDI, so my income is quite limited.) Therefore, "I have made an executive decision that I am planning to only donate to political, progressive and charitable organizations on a quarterly basis—that is, every three months—or as determined by me on a case-by-case basis." (Please see my 'August 31st, 2024 Update No. 6, Written From September 1st, 2024 To September 2nd, 2024 About August 2024,' which can be found above.) Thus, because I have already donated to the ACLU on July 2nd, 2024 (please see my 'July 2nd, 2024 Update No. 1,' which can be found above), as well as on August 3rd, 2024 (please see my 'August 3rd, 2024 Update No. 1, Which Also Discusses August 2nd, 2024' that can be found above), those are the one-time donations I made to the ACLU for the third quarter of 2024, which is from July through September.

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September 9th, 2024 Update No. 1, Written On September 10th, 2024: I received an email from the ACLU (American Civil Liberties Union) yesterday, September 9th, 2024, with the subject line, "As Election Day nears, protecting the vote must be a priority.", which stated the following:

Paul –

As November's election approaches and we are making our plans to vote, we are also doubling down on our work to protect the right to vote. The attack on voting rights has reached a critical point with discriminatory laws being passed nationwide that disproportionately affect Black, Brown, and Indigenous voters. It's time we take action and put a stop to this.

Make no mistake: The ACLU has long been fighting in the courts, in statehouses, and in the streets to ensure the sanctity of our democratic process this year is safe and equal for ALL of us. And tomorrow, we're bringing our fight to Capitol Hill.

Alongside our coalition partners and impacted voters from across the country, myself and my fellow ACLU voting rights experts will be urging members of Congress in person tomorrow to do everything in their power to protect people's voting rights, including the passage of four urgent and vital federal pieces of legislation:

→ The John Lewis Voting Rights Advancement Act (JLVRAA).
→ Provisions of the Freedom to Vote Act (FTVA).
→ The Native American Voting Rights Act (NAVRA).
→ The Washington, D.C. Admission Act to grant D.C. statehood.

Paul, you do not have to be on the Hill with us in person to join us in this work tomorrow. In fact, you can take up our fight right now with us by sending a message and urge Congress to pass these crucial voting rights legislation. Are you with us?

SEND YOUR MESSAGE: PROTECT VOTING RIGHTS***

For the people,

[Name redacted]
Pronouns: She, her, hers
[Title redacted], ACLU

And, after I read the email above, I clicked on the hyperlink to the referenced webpage, the relevant text of which can be found below:

ACLU

DEFEND OUR VOTING RIGHTS

Send Message

As November's election approaches, discriminatory practices continue to suppress voters of color, underscored by a surge in anti-voter measures in recent years. The need for federal action to defend the fundamental right to vote has never been more urgent — and there's a very real way you can take action on that right now. Congress must act swiftly and decisively at the very first opportunity to pass crucial voting legislation, including the John Lewis Voting Rights Advancement Act (JLVRAA), provisions of the Freedom to Vote Act (FTVA), the Native American Voting Rights Act (NAVRA), and the Washington, D.C. Admission Act to grant D.C. statehood. Tell Congress to protect our right to vote!

Send your message.

Message Recipients:
Your U.S. House Representative
Your U.S. Senate Representative

Preview message

Subject: Urgent: Pass Voting Rights Legislation

The attack on voting rights has reached a critical point with discriminatory laws being passed in states across the country, disproportionately affecting Black, Brown, and Indigenous voters. The need for federal action to defend the fundamental right to vote has never been clearer. Congress must act swiftly to protect the right to vote and prevent further disenfranchisement: Pass the John Lewis Voting Rights Advancement Act (JLVRAA), provisions of the Freedom to Vote Act (FTVA), the Native American Voting Rights Act (NAVRA), and the Washington, D.C. Admission Act to grant D.C. statehood.

These bills are vital to restoring federal protections for voters and safeguarding access to the ballot box for our communities. The kind of crucial protections that will ensure the fundamental right to vote is upheld for millions of Americans. It's time we pass laws that ensure our democracy works for all of us.

The time for action is now. Please prioritize and pass these essential voting rights bills to defend the future of our democracy.

Sincerely,

[First Name] [Last Name]

Salutation: Mr.
First name: Paul
Last name: Whiting
Address; [redacted]
Address line 2: [redacted]
Zip code: [redacted]
City: [redacted]
State: [redacted]
Phone: [redacted]
E-mail address: [redacted]

Send

And, after I sent the letter above, I received a confirmation email yesterday, September 9th, 2024, from the ACLU with the subject line, "One more thing - can you spread the word?", which stated the following:

Hi Paul,

Thank you for taking action to defending our right to vote.

Help us build our power: Share the action by forwarding the email below to your friends, or by sharing this link: aclu.org/vraa-now.

Thank you,

The ACLU Team

~~~~~

Hi friend,

As the general election approaches, discriminatory election practices continue to highlight a surge in anti-voter measures in recent years – measures that disproportionately disenfranchise Black and Brown voters.

That's why I'm joining the ACLU in urging our elected leaders to support robust federal protections on voting rights. Will you join me?

aclu.org/vraa-now

Thanks.

And so, I sent the letter above to my Representative and Senators in Congress yesterday September 9th, 2024, via the ACLU website, in order to show my support to pass the John Lewis Voting Rights Advancement Act (JLVRAA), provisions of the Freedom to Vote Act (FTVA), the Native American Voting Rights Act (NAVRA), and the Washington, D.C. Admission Act to grant D.C. statehood. –Paul Whiting (written September 10th, 2024 and revised October 14th, 2024)

P.S.: Just so you know, I used to make one-time donations to the organization that is the subject of these 'updates' each time that I took an action as requested by that organization; however, "I have changed the way that I make donations to political, progressive and charitable organizations each month ... due to the fact that I have been spending a considerable percentage of my monthly income on all of these donations." (The reader should know that I am HIV-positive with full-blown AIDS. And I am on Social Security Disability Insurance, or SSDI, so my income is quite limited.) Therefore, "I have made an executive decision that I am planning to only donate to political, progressive and charitable organizations on a quarterly basis—that is, every three months—or as determined by me on a case-by-case basis." (Please see my 'August 31st, 2024 Update No. 6, Written From September 1st, 2024 To September 2nd, 2024 About August 2024,' which can be found above.) Thus, because I have already donated to the ACLU on July 2nd, 2024 (please see my 'July 2nd, 2024 Update No. 1,' which can be found above), as well as on August 3rd, 2024 (please see my 'August 3rd, 2024 Update No. 1, Which Also Discusses August 2nd, 2024' that can be found above), those are the one-time donations I made to the ACLU for the third quarter of 2024, which is from July through September.

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September 10th, 2024 Update No. 1: World Suicide Prevention Day is today September 10th, 2024, since World Suicide Prevention Day is yearly (annually) on September 10th.

And I saved a video titled, "The 988 Hotline Is Changing Crisis Response in the U.S." on my YouTube 'Watch Later' Playlist that I watched today, which is a testament to the incredible help the new "988 Suicide and Crisis Lifeline" — that was rolled out on July 16th, 2022 — is providing. (Please see my 'July 16th, 2022 Update, Written On July 17th, 2022,' which can be found above.) Here is the description from that video (with a hyperlink to the video below):

The 988 Hotline Is Changing Crisis Response in the U.S.

NowThis Impact

If you or someone you know is struggling, 988 is the number to call for help — these people share how reaching out to the anonymous crisis hotline changed their lives (warning: distressing)

https://youtu.be/A7_V879pcLg?si=s5uBd8QlaJcKJkP6

And after I watched the video—which I had specifically saved on my YouTube 'Watch Later' Playlist to watch on World Suicide Prevention Day—I decided to write this 'update' so that I could encourage you, my readers, to consider watching the video too. –Paul Whiting (September 10th, 2024)

The National Suicide Prevention Lifeline is now: 988 Suicide and Crisis Lifeline: "If you’re thinking about suicide, are worried about a friend or loved one, or would like emotional support, the Lifeline network is available 24/7 across the United States." Dial 988

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September 11th, 2024 Update No. 1: In remembrance of September 11th, 2001, I made a donation to Wounded Warrior Project (WWP) after I saw an advertisement from WWP "to honor the warriors who stepped up when the towers fell" in the form of a YouTube video that I watched recently.

So, I opened the donation page to the Wounded Warrior Project advertisement from YouTube and I saved it for my annual September 11th donations. Here is the relevant text from said WWP donation webpage, with a hyperlink below:

Your gift DOUBLES to honor the warriors who stepped up when the towers fell.

This 9/11, honor the American heroes who decided to fight for our freedom after the attacks on our nation. While we can never repay them for their extraordinary sacrifices, we can show our gratitude by giving them the crucial support they need.

And thanks to the Blue Angels Foundation, every dollar you donate will be MATCHED up to $100,000 in support of our Warrior Care Network®. Your gift will provide FREE, life-changing programs and services to wounded warriors who still need your help.

Honor their service and sacrifice today with a gift that DOUBLES!

$50 becomes $100
$75 becomes $150
$100 becomes $200

[Imbedded video that I saw on YouTube.]

Choose A Gift

[✓] One-Time Gift

[  ] Monthly Gift ← You'll make the most impact for our wounded warriors when you support them with a monthly gift. As a monthly donor of $19 or more, you will receive a Wounded Warrior Project® fleece blanket.

[  ] $250
[  ] $150
[  ] $100
[  ] $75
[  ] $50
[✓] Your Best Gift $5.00

Your Information

First Name: Paul
Last Name: Whiting
Address Line 1: [redacted]
Address Line 2: [redacted]
Country: [redacted]
ZIP Code: [redacted]
City: [redacted]
State: [redacted]
Phone Number: [redacted]
Email Address: [redacted]

[✓] Yes, I would like to receive communications from WWP with updates on warriors and programs.

Donate $5.00

https://support.woundedwarriorproject.org/Default.aspx?tsid=11585&ovr_acv_id=19751&campaignSource=ONLINE&source=BS24026GAADSRMA&gclid=CjwKCAjw_4S3BhAAEiwA_64YhiPi4p01TeZ5Ljh0b74_k5Whg2jbl-7J955bXwrPfdFRnlIwxi3anxoCGlgQAvD_BwE&gclsrc=aw.ds

Thus, I donated to Wounded Warrior Project today in order to "honor the American heroes who decided to fight for our freedom after the attacks on our nation," because "while we can never repay them for their extraordinary sacrifices, we can show our gratitude by giving them the crucial support they need." –Paul Whiting (September 11th, 2024)

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For my "September 11th, 2024 Update No. 2"—since this 'update' is a part of my ⋆USO⋆ donations—please see my blog post titled, "My Point Of View On...Giving Charity And Accepting Charity," which can be found on both of my "Paul Whiting — Math Magician" and "Paul Whiting — A Creative Writer" blogs. An introduction to the 'update' can be found below:

September 11th, 2024 Update No. 2: In remembrance of September 11th, 2001, I signed a card from the USO (United Service Organizations) in order to "remember those we’ve lost and honor the dedication of all our heroes in uniform who have served — and who continue to serve our country every day."

And I signed this card in remembrance of September 11th, 2001, and to honor the sacrifices made each and every day by our U.S. Military Personnel, in response to an email from USO that I received today, September 11th, 2024, with the subject line, "A day we will never forget", which stated the following:

★★★USO★★★

SIGN THE CARD:

https://action.uso.org/2409_911stc

Dear Paul,

Today we pause to remember.

Twenty-three years ago, our nation faced an unimaginable tragedy on September 11 — a day that left deep scars on the heart of America. Whether we lost loved ones or a piece of ourselves, we continue to reflect on that dark day and how, in our nation’s hour of greatest need, we stood together as one.

On this National Day of Service and Remembrance, we honor the memory of the 2,977 lives taken from us. We thank the first responders and all those who courageously answered the call to serve and help save hundreds of lives. We also salute those who have since stepped up to protect and defend our country. Your country is forever grateful.

Since that fateful day in 2001, thousands of brave Americans have enlisted in the Armed Forces. They’ve made life-changing sacrifices, leaving behind their loved ones, setting aside their personal ambitions and risking their lives for the freedoms we hold dear.

Today, we remember those we’ve lost and honor the dedication of all our heroes in uniform who have served — and who continue to serve our country every day.

Thank you for being a part of this community of dedicated military supporters, Paul. On a day like today, I’m proud to stand united with you.

With solemn gratitude,

[Name redacted]
[Title redacted] & [Title redacted], USO

P.S. Join us as we collect 50,000 signatures honoring our service members on this important day. If you haven’t signed the card yet, please add your name to honor these heroes.

SIGN THE CARD

https://action.uso.org/2409_911stc

Plus, after I signed the card, I made a one-time donation on the USO.org website to say to our brave heroes, "This Sept. 11, I want you to know how grateful Americans are for your service. Thank you for keeping our nation safe and free."

In addition to that, I already make a recurring monthly donation to the USO in order to show my support for our U.S. Military Personnel! You see, I usually make one-time donations to the USO each month—as often as I can manage when they request a donation via email or text message. Therefore, I am planning to continue making one-time donations to the USO in the future, as often as I can manage to make donations, in addition to making the aforementioned recurring monthly donation. ...

Please see the hyperlinks below for the post, within which you can do a find-in-page search for the 'update' labeled, "September 11th, 2024 Update No. 2":

https://paulwhitingmath.blogspot.com/2015/05/my-point-of-view-on-charity.html

https://paulwhitingwriting.blogspot.com/2022/07/my-point-of-view-on-part-16-giving-to.html

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September 11th, 2024 Update No. 3: I received an email from Iraq and Afghanistan Veterans of America (IAVA) today, September 11th, 2024, with the subject line "There was before September 11, 2001. And now after.", which stated the following:

Paul,

On the 23rd anniversary of the 9/11 attacks, we pause as we do every year, to remember the nearly 3,000 lives tragically lost and the transformational moment this was for our generation of veterans.

We also honor the bravery of those who stepped up and met the moment at Ground Zero, on hijacked planes, or decided on that fateful day that they needed to be a part of the fight in response to the attacks and enlisted in the military.

There was our country before 9/11. And our country after 9/11.

Let us never forget the service and sacrifice of so many on that fateful day and in the years following in response to the worst attack on American soil in my lifetime. And let their memory or ongoing service inspire us to do our part to fiercely continue to protect what we have here in our country as we continue. After all, we’re the lucky ones who get to go forward living in it.

With gratitude,

[Name redacted]
Iraq War Veteran
IAVA [Title redacted]

And, after I read the email above, I did a search on Google for "donate to the IAVA" and found their donation webpage, the relevant text of which can be found below:

IAVA

✓ One time
[  ] Monthly

Choose a one-time amount

[  ] $250
[  ] $100
[  ] $55
[  ] $25
[✓] USD $5.00

Leave a comment:

This donation is for your 09/11/2024 email with the subject line, "There was before September 11, 2001. And now after."

Donor Information

First Name: Paul
Last Name: Whiting
Email: [redacted]

[✓] It's okay to contact me in the future.

Phone Number: [redacted]

One-time donation $5.00 USD

https://iava.org/donating-to-iava

Thus, I made a one-time donation to Iraq and Afghanistan Veterans of America (IAVA) since "on the 23rd anniversary of the 9/11 attacks, we pause as we do every year, to remember the nearly 3,000 lives tragically lost and the transformational moment this was for our generation of veterans." That is why I contributed to IAVA today, because "we also honor the bravery of those who stepped up and met the moment at Ground Zero, on hijacked planes, or decided on that fateful day that they needed to be a part of the fight in response to the attacks and enlisted in the military." –Paul Whiting (September 11th, 2024)

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September 13th, 2024 Update No. 1: I received an email from CREDO Mobile (which is my cell phone company) today, September 13th, 2024, with the subject line, "Sign the petition: Tell Local Elected Officials to Reject Book Ban Movements", which stated the following:

Dear Fellow Progressive,

Recently, there was a surge in book bans. Often these bans are intended to remove books with LGBTQ+ content. Interestingly enough, book bans are often instigated by a small number of people. This means, local leaders should have an easier time ignoring these outrageous efforts for bans.

Sign the petition to tell local elected officials to ignore book ban movements.

A study by The Washington Post found that just 11 people were responsible for filing 60% of book challenges in 2021-2022. Local elected officials can and should battle book ban attempts at the local level.

Sign the Petition Today***

Tell Local Elected Officials to Reject Book Ban Movements

[Petition Text:]

At the end of last year, there was an "unprecedented" surge in book bans. July-December of 2023 had over 4,000 instances of book bans across 23 states and 52 public school districts.

But interestingly enough, book bans are often instigated by a small number of people. This means, local leaders should have an easier time ignoring these outrageous efforts for bans.

Sign the petition to tell local elected officials to ignore book ban movements.

A study by The Washington Post found that just 11 people were responsible for filing 60% of book challenges in 2021- 2022.

Laney Hawes, Co-Director of Texas Freedom to Read Project sald books are usually banned because of "a handful of lists that are being circulated to different school districts" and not because of "a parent whose child finds the book and they have a problem with it."

Local elected officials can and should battle book ban attempts at the local level.

Sign the petition today to tell local elected officials to reject book ban movements.

First Name: Whiting
Last Name: Paul
Email: [redacted]
Zip/Postal Code: [redacted]

Level up your activism with text alerts!

Cell phone (not landline): [redacted]

Sign Petition

Thus, I signed the petition, via the CivicShout.com website, to "tell local elected officials to reject book ban movements." –Paul Whiting (September 13th, 2024)

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September 13th, 2024 Update No. 2: I received an email from the ACLU (American Civil Liberties Union) today, September 13th, 2024, with the subject line, "Can you ace our Banned Books Quiz?", which stated the following:

ACLU

[Image of the books "The Catcher in the Rye," "The Handmaid's Tale," "The Color Purple," "James and the Giant Peach," "Of Mice and Men," "1984," "Lord of the Flies," "Gender Queer," "Native Son," "Ulysses," "Slaughterhouse-Five," "To Kill A Mockingbird," "Howl and Other Poems," "The New Jim Crow," and "Brave New World."]

TAKE [THE] QUIZ NOW***

(Please note: this link takes you to a third-party website, signforgood.com)

Can you guess what all of these books have in common, Paul? That's right – they've recently been banned from various schools and libraries across the country.

Right now, educators and students are settling into their classrooms for the new school year and, in many places, they are facing increased restrictions on which lessons they can teach and books they can read.

Attempts to censor what schools can teach about race, sexuality, gender, and more are on the rise – from book bans to silencing classroom conversations.

The ACLU is proud to have a more-than-100-year legacy of defending free speech, including fighting against book bans and other restrictions on students' right to learn. As we gear up for the next fight, we're doing our homework and refreshing our lessons on banned books – and we're inviting you to join us.

TEST YOUR KNOWLEDGE BY TAKING OUR BANNED BOOKS QUIZ TODAY.***

(Please note: this link takes you to a third-party website, signforgood.com)

We need you with us. But first, we need you to grab a pencil and take this quiz (we promise you won't be graded)!

Thank you,

The ACLU Team

ACLU

Banned Book Quiz

Thank you for taking the ACLU's Banned Books Quiz! Let's jump right in and see if you can catch which books have been banned and challenged throughout the years:

Banned or not banned? "I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings" by Maya Angelou

[✓] Banned
[  ] Not banned

BANNED! Alabama State Textbook Committee members claimed in 1983 that Maya Angelou's autobiography encourages "bitterness and hatred toward white people."

What was the No. 1 most banned book of 2023?

[✓] "To Kill a Mockingbird' by Harper Lee ("X" This is the the wrong answer.)
[  ] "The Great Reset: And the War for the World" by Alex Jones
[  ] "Gender Queer: A Memoir" by Mala Kobabe ("✓" This is the right answer.)

Per the American Library Association, Maia Kobabe's memoir about what it means to be nonbinary and asexual was the most banned book of 2023 — a title it's held since 2021.

Who is the current most banned author in the United States?

[  ] Ellen Hopkins ("✓" This is the right answer.)
[✓] Toni Morrison ("X" This is the wrong answer.)
[  ] Judy Blume

Ellen Hopkins' novels have been banned in public school libraries and collections across the country, including in South Carolina, Texas, Florida, Utah, California, Michigan, Pennsylvania, and New York, leading PEN America ("a nonprofit organization whose goal is to raise awareness for the protection of free expression in the United States and worldwide through the advancement of literature and human rights") to name her the most banned author in the United States. Reasons for the challenges span from "sexual explicitness" to "LGBTQIA+ characters" to "non-Christian religions."

(But Toni Morrison and Judy Blume are also two of the most banned authors of all time)!

True or False: The ACLU has been fighting back against threats to free speech for over 100 years.

[✓] True
[  ] False

TRUE! The ACLU has been the nation's largest public interest law firm since 1920, participating in more Supreme Court cases to defend civil rights than any other private organization. Whenever our rights are threatened, the ACLU leads the fight to protect them.

As we ramp up our work in this critical election year, we're counting on sustained grassroots support to power our fights across the country to protect free and fair elections, defend our democracy, and preserve our fundamental rights. Will you make a donation today to fuel the ongoing work of the ACLU?

[  ] Yes, I'll give $35
[  ] Yes, and I'll donate $75 (This is what most of our supporters are giving)!
[  ] Yes, and I will give more!
[✓] No, I can't give that much today.

We understand if you're not able to give $35 today. But after this dangerous Supreme Court decision on presidential immunity, we're fighting an uphill battle. With the stakes higher than ever, we need your help. Will you consider giving just a few dollars to fuel our work to protect our democracy?

[  ] Yes, I'll donate $5 today!
[✓] No, but I'd like to find another way to help.

---------------------------------------------

ACLU

Take Action

Today, years of hard-fought civil liberty protections are under threat and to influence lawmakers, we need everyone to get involved. Here's what you can do.

[  ] I have just a few minutes
[  ] I have some time
[  ] I'm up for anything

ACLU PEOPLE POWER

People Power is ACLU's grassroots army. We work with volunteers and supporters in every corner of the country to defend civil liberties and civil rights. Join us.

First name: Paul
Last name: Whiting
Email: [redacted]
ZIP code: [redacted]
Mobile phone number: [redacted]

Sign up

---------------------------------------------

Thanks for signing up!

Stay tuned for future emails and text messages about action-taking opportunities.

And so, I wanted to share this email from the ACLU in order to show my support for the "ACLU's Banned Books Quiz!" –Paul Whiting (written September 13th, 2024 and revised September 14th, 2024)

P.S.: Just so you know, I used to make one-time donations to the organization that is the subject of these 'updates' each time that I took an action as requested by that organization; however, "I have changed the way that I make donations to political, progressive and charitable organizations each month ... due to the fact that I have been spending a considerable percentage of my monthly income on all of these donations." (The reader should know that I am HIV-positive with full-blown AIDS. And I am on Social Security Disability Insurance, or SSDI, so my income is quite limited.) Therefore, "I have made an executive decision that I am planning to only donate to political, progressive and charitable organizations on a quarterly basis—that is, every three months—or as determined by me on a case-by-case basis." (Please see my 'August 31st, 2024 Update No. 6, Written From September 1st, 2024 To September 2nd, 2024 About August 2024,' which can be found above.) Thus, because I have already donated to the ACLU on July 2nd, 2024 (please see my 'July 2nd, 2024 Update No. 1,' which can be found above), as well as on August 3rd, 2024 (please see my 'August 3rd, 2024 Update No. 1, Which Also Discusses August 2nd, 2024' that can be found above), those are the one-time donations I made to the ACLU for the third quarter of 2024, which is from July through September.

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September 13th, 2024 Update No. 3: I received an email from Willamette Week (WW) [Willamette Week is a local news publication here in Portland, Oregon—and I am a monthly contributor to the Willamette Week] today, September 13th, 2024, with the subject line, "No One Should Choose Between Food and Health", which stated the following:

WW SPONSORED

Willamette Week Newsletter Presented by Oregon Food Bank

September is Hunger Action Month

It’s a time for people across the country to come together to address hunger and its root causes. Join Oregon Food bank this month to ensure all Oregonians can access the food needed to thrive.

SNAP (Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program, or “food stamps”) is one of the most effective programs at curbing hunger in our communities. It’s helped many families, including [name redacted's], who is now the [title redacted] of Equity and People Operations at Oregon Food Bank.

“My dad was sick with cancer, and so he wasn't working. We were able to get food stamps.”

Unfortunately, due to immigration status and other disparities, food assistance programs are not an option for many families. Immigrant Oregonians pay millions in taxes and contribute to our communities but can’t benefit from food assistance programs.

Right now, wages are incredibly low, health care is unreasonably expensive, and food prices continue to surge. This leaves many community members with a hard decision: do they pay for food, or afford lifesaving health care? Until these broken and harmful systems are fixed, food assistance programs like SNAP are essential to keeping people nourished.

When all community members have access to food, everyone benefits! Kids do better in school, families stay healthy and our local economy thrives. This Hunger Action Month, you can take action to close the gaps in our current system that leave tens of thousands of families without support.

Help improve food access for all Oregonians***

FOOD FOR ALL OREGONIANS

Pledge to Support Food for All Oregonians!

Sign The Petition

Many people in our communities do not have access to food assistance programs. Why? Because federal policy makers have excluded whole parts of our community from food assistance based on arbitrary factors like immigration status. Here in Oregon, we have expanded access for immigrant and refugee Oregonians in healthcare, public safety and other basic rights. Now we need to expand access to food assistance.

Food for All Oregonians envisions an Oregon where all people have access to food no matter where we were born or our immigration status. We aim to realize this vision through culturally-responsive programs and benefit navigation that will help ensure food assistance and security for ALL Oregonians.

Join us to ensure that ALL Oregonians have access to food!

Contact Information

First Name: Paul
Last Name: Whiting
Preferred Language: English
Street Address: [redacted]
Postal Code: [redacted]
City: [redacted]
State: [redacted]
Email: [redacted]
Mobile Phone: [redacted]

How would you like to engage?

[  ] Sharing My Story/Testimony
[  ] Legislative Meetings
[  ] Town Hall Participation
[  ] Phone Banking
[  ] Text Banking
[  ] Lobby Day Visits
[  ] Op-Ed Piece
[  ] Send me Endorsement form (for organizations)
[✓] Other: "Donating to the Oregon Food Bank."

---------------------------------------------

Dear Paul,

Thank you for joining the Food for All Oregonians Campaign! Help us reach more people by sharing on your social media!

I pledged to support Food for All Oregonians, and you should too!

Pledge to Support Food for All Oregonians!

Share on X (Twitter)

I pledged to support Food for All Oregonians, and you should too!

https://app.sosha.ai/s/GjW1avLZ

Thus, I wanted to share this Willamette Week Newsletter Presented by Oregon Food Bank in order to show the Food for All Oregonians Campaign! –Paul Whiting (written September 13th, 2024 and revised September 14th, 2024)

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September 13th, 2024 Update No. 4: I received an email from Iraq and Afghanistan Veterans of America (IAVA) today, September 13th, 2024, with the subject line, "Too many of us have had a battle buddy die by suicide.", which stated, in part, the following:

Paul,

Our community is all too aware of the veteran suicide epidemic. As we observe Suicide Prevention Month, IAVA wants to remind you – we’ve got your back.

The veteran suicide crisis is real. And it still needs America’s attention.

IAVA has beaten the drum on suicide prevention for years. In 2015, we led the fight to address veteran suicide by advocating for the passage of the Clay Hunt SAV Act to increase access to quality mental health care. We also helped launch the 988 National Suicide Hotline. And in October of 2018, we held a demonstration on the National Mall, planting 5,520 American flags to represent every veteran and military death by suicide by that point in the year.

It was shocking how many people asked us about the demonstration who had no awareness of the veteran suicide crisis.

We know that this incremental progress is part of a much bigger battle. This is – and will always remain – an enduring priority for IAVA. We’re fighting to secure the widest array of treatment options possible for veterans to treat not just our visible physical wartime wounds, but our invisible mental ones, too. ...

... Thank you for standing with us as we continue to address this problem that plagues our community.

With gratitude,

Team IAVA

PS - If you are in crisis and need long-term suicide-specific care to keep you safe, reach out to ROGER now by submitting a request online (https://goroger.org/get-help) or calling [phone number redacted].

And so, I wanted to share this email from Iraq and Afghanistan Veterans of America (IAVA) in order to show my support for this truly important information regarding the veteran suicide crisis during the Suicide Prevention Month of September. –Paul Whiting (written September 13th, 2024 and revised September 14th, 2024)

The National Suicide Prevention Lifeline is now: 988 Suicide and Crisis Lifeline: "If you’re thinking about suicide, are worried about a friend or loved one, or would like emotional support, the Lifeline network is available 24/7 across the United States." Dial 988

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September 13th, 2024 Update No. 5, Written On September 14th, 2024 [My Writing About The Luckiness Of "Friday The 27th" As The Official Antidote To The Unluckiness Of "Friday The 13th"]:

This 'update' is an adaptation of an update that I originally wrote for "Friday the 13th" in October of 2023 (please see my 'October 13th, 2023 Update,' which can be found above).

Yesterday was Friday, September 13th, 2024!* And I have a fear of "Friday the 13th," but it's mostly due to my fear of everyone else's superstitious beliefs about "Friday the 13th," if they have those kinds of beliefs.

You see, I think that our superstitious secular beliefs, such as "Friday the 13th," are being created by our Christian religious beliefs, which are producing a society in which all of the males (and the females too) are Religious True Believing—conspiracy theory promoting—Superstitious Conservative Micromanagers!

For my theory regarding Religious True Believing Superstitious Conservative Micromanagers, please see my "May 13th, 2022 Update," which can be found above. A brief introduction to this 'update' can be found below:

May 13th, 2022 Update: [CONTENT WARNING: THIS UPDATE CONTAINS THEMES WHICH MAY BE DISTURBING TO SOME READERS. VIEWER DISCRETION IS ADVISED!]

Today is Friday, May 13th, 2022! And I have a fear of "Friday the 13th," but mostly due to my fear of everyone else's superstitious beliefs about "Friday the 13th." You see, I think that our superstitious secular beliefs, such as "Friday the 13th," are being created by our Christian religious beliefs, which are producing a society in which all of the males (and the females too) are Religious True Believing, conspiracy theory promoting, Superstitious Conservative Micromanagers!

And this update is a continuation of my 'May 11th, 2022 Update—Continued' that I wrote on my blog post titled, "I Am No Longer Being An Activist In The Same Way That I Was" that is on my "Poet, Artist and Philosopher" blog. And that update stated, in part, the following:

"Out of respect for May 11th, 2022, which is the day that no Republicans in the United States Senate voted, on May 11th, 2022, to pass the Women's Health Protection Act (WHPA), here is the '511' (so to speak), or 'the explanation' (so to speak), or my philosophy about why the Republicans all voted against the WHPA here in America, which I think relates to the way that politics, elections and laws specifically relating to the control of women are occurring with regard to Christian governments—not only here in America, but also in the rest of the Christian world."

Plus, the above-mentioned 'May 11th, 2022 Update—Continued' is also a continuation of my 'April 11th, 2022 Update' that I also wrote previously on my blog post titled, "I Am No Longer Being An Activist In The Same Way That I Was" that is on my "Poet, Artist and Philosopher" blog. And that update stated, in part, the following:

"In honor of April 11th, 2022, here is the '411,' or 'the information,' or my philosophy about the upcoming 2022 Midterm Elections in America, which I think relates to the way that politics, elections and laws are occurring with regard to Christian governments—not only here in America, but also in the rest of the Christian world."

Here, then, is a brief summarization of the basic premises from the aforementioned 'April 11th, 2022 Update' and 'May 11th, 2022 Update—Continued' in the most succinct summarization possible, as told through various quotes from those previous updates, in the order in which I wrote the quotes: .... [Please see the 'May 13th, 2022 Update' above.]

So, speaking of "Friday the 13th," which is "considered an unlucky day in Western superstition,"** why isn't there a lucky superstitious belief around "Friday the 27th," which is the Friday two weeks after "Friday the 13th?"

Thus, if "Friday the 13th" is an unlucky day, then "Friday the 27th" should be considered a lucky day! There is even a number seven in that date, which—as everyone knows—is a lucky number.

Therefore, as a self-designated 'Poet, Artist and Philosopher,' I have now proclaimed "Friday the 27th" as the lucky antidote to the unluckiness of "Friday the 13th." So, let the good word of "Friday the 27th" go forth unto all people to give them a day—exactly two weeks after "Friday the 13th"—where there is only good luck coming their way!

–Paul Whiting (originally written October 13th, 2023, revised December 6th, 2023, revised September 14th, 2024, revised August 31st, 2025 and revised March 27th, 2026)

*P.S.: I didn't actually realize that yesterday was "Friday the 13th" until I read a Time Magazine article today, September 14th, 2024, which I received via email. (By the way, I am a subscriber to the Time Magazine 'INSIDER Digital' Subscription.) The following is an introduction to that Time Magazine article, which I read from 'The Brief' email that I received today:

The Origins of Friday the 13th

By Rebecca Schneid | September 13, 2024

It’s the first Friday the 13th of 2024, undoubtedly seen as one of the most unlucky days of the calendar year. This year will see the date occur twice, with the next one in December. Friday the 13th is known to be a day of bad luck, but how it got its “spooky” reputation dates back centuries, although an exact time frame isn’t clear.

The New-York Historical Society says the origin can be partially traced back to Jesus’ Last Supper. The story goes that 13 guests attended the Last Supper—Jesus Christ and his 12 apostles—and the next day, Good Friday, was the day of Jesus’ crucifixion. ...

Please see the hyperlink below for the article:

https://time.com/7021210/friday-13th-origins

**"Friday the 13th" from Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia—which is funded primarily through donations from millions of individuals around the world, including this blogger (I make a totally affordable one-time donation if they are requesting donations when I am on their website):

Friday the 13th is considered an unlucky day in Western superstition. It occurs when the 13th day of the month in the Gregorian calendar falls on a Friday, which happens at least once every year but can occur up to three times in the same year. For example, 2015 had a Friday the 13th in February, March, and November, which will happen again in 2026; 2017 through 2020 had two Friday the 13ths; 2016, 2021 and 2022 had just one Friday the 13th, as will 2025; 2023 and 2024 have two Friday the 13ths.

A month has a Friday the 13th only if it begins on a Sunday. ...

Please see the hyperlink below for the article:

https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Friday_the_13th

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September 17th, 2024 Update No. 1, Written On September 19th, 2024: I received an email from the ACLU (American Civil Liberties Union) two days ago on September 17th, 2024, with the subject line, "🗳️ It's National Voter Registration Day! 🗳️", which stated the following:

ACLU

[Image of a graphic titled, "THIS ELECTION DAY, VOTE YOUR RIGHTS," which includes images of 'stickers' that say, "Racial Justice," "Free Speech Rights," "Voting Rights," "LGBTQ Rights," "Abortion Rights" and "Immigrants' Rights."]

GET READY TO VOTE:

https://www.aclu.org/vote

Paul, we're less than two months away from Election Day – and with so much at stake this year, it's essential that every one of us is ready to vote our rights.

Today is National Voter Registration Day and we're calling on our whole community to not just ensure they're registered to vote – but to craft a plan to vote, help their community do the same, and work together to get everyone ready for this fall.

We've put together your one-stop hub for all things election – check out our new election tool, then follow our checklist to make sure you're ready for this November!

✔ Celebrate National Voter Registration day by updating your voter registration today! Check the voter registration deadline in your state, then make sure you're registered.

✔ Research the candidates running in your area! With so many key issues impacted by races up and down the ballot this year, it's critical to understand the positions of those running to represent you.

✔ Make your plan to vote! Do you know where your polling location is and do you have a plan to get there? Are you voting early, by mail, or on Election Day? Have you requested your mail-in ballot or double checked what you need to bring to the polls.

✔ Visit the ACLU's election tool to make a plan, learn what's at stake and how to talk about it with friends and family, and take action on the issues that matter most to you this election.

Catch you at the polls!

The ACLU Team

And, after I read the email above, I clicked on the hyperlink to the referenced webpage, which can be found below:

ACLU

THIS ELECTION DAY VOTE YOUR RIGHTS

Click on a sticker to learn more.

Abortion Rights

https://www.aclu.org/vote/abortion-rights

Racial Justice

https://www.aclu.org/vote/racial-justice

LGBTQ Rights

https://www.aclu.org/vote/lgbtq-rights

Free Speech Rights

https://www.aclu.org/vote/free-speech-rights

Immigrants' Rights

https://www.aclu.org/vote/immigrants-rights

Voting Rights

https://www.aclu.org/vote/voting-rights

What’s at Stake in this Election?

[Image of a protestor holding a sign that says "Elections Belong to the People."]

The right is developing a plan to erode our democracy by gutting checks and balances, taking away our freedoms, and violating our Constitution. Voting for your rights this election helps lay the groundwork to protect against these threats. The ACLU is here to ensure you’re prepared for the fights ahead.

---------------------------------------------

Get the Conversation Guide

Use this guide to start conversations with your friends and family, and you can mobilize your community to fight for our rights.

DOWNLOAD THE GUIDE [PDF]

---------------------------------------------

Know Your Rights at the Polls

Learn more about how to exercise your voting rights, resist voter intimidation efforts, and access disability-related...

VIEW THE GUIDE [PDF]

---------------------------------------------

Make a Plan to Vote

This November, we have the power to send a message to elected officials about what we value and what we want them to prioritize.

VIEW RESOURCES [PDF]

---------------------------------------------

Election Ready?

Voting is an act of resistance. Make sure you're prepared for the fights ahead by signing up for action alerts.

By completing this form, I agree to receive occasional emails per the terms of the ACLU's privacy statement.

All fields are required unless labeled optional.

First name: Paul
Last name: Whiting
Email: [redacted]
ZIP code: [redacted]

---------------------------------------------

Thanks for joining us!

Ready to take your support to the next level? Add your phone number to be the first to hear about how to take action and support the ACLU.

Mobile phone number (optional): [redacted]

Submit

---------------------------------------------

You're on the list!

Stay tuned for future contact about our work.

[Blogger's Note: I read the ACLU's webpage titled, "This Election Day Vote Your Rights."]

https://www.aclu.org/vote

And so, I wanted to share this email from the ACLU in order to show my support for the ACLU's "This Election Day Vote Your Rights" webpage, as well as to show my support for "National Voter Registration Day." –Paul Whiting (September 19th, 2024)

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September 17th, 2024 Update No. 2, Written On September 19th, 2024: I received an email from Planned Parenthood Action Fund two days ago on September 17th, 2024, with the subject line, "Registered to vote? Y/N [Yes/No]", which stated the following:

PLANNED PARENTHOOD ACTION FUND

The fight to protect our health and rights takes place in Congress and in the courts, in statehouses, and the White House. We speak out in our communities and on social media. But the one place the fight matters most, where you have the most power to create change, is at the ballot box.

With exactly seven weeks until Election Day, NOW is the time to flex your power.

Today is National Voter Registration Day — if you haven't already, take two minutes right now to get registered.

https://vote.gov

If you've already registered, or if you aren't sure, check your status now.

🔍CHECK MY VOTER REGISTRATION🔍

https://www.nass.org/can-I-vote

Voting is how we take control of our bodies, our lives, and our futures. But here's the thing: The politicians who want to limit our freedom and take away our health care know that, too. Opponents of abortion rights and voting rights are often the same people — and voter suppression has gotten worse.

That's why it's important to confirm your registration status, even if you have voted in recent elections. Take a quick look now, so you'll know you're set when it's time to vote.

There are so many ways to get involved — but let's be clear: There is no path to protecting, restoring, and expanding reproductive rights unless people show up to vote. Make sure you're ready to use your power.

🗳️REGISTER TO VOTE🗳️

https://vote.gov

🔍CHECK MY VOTER REGISTRATION🔍

https://www.nass.org/can-I-vote

— Planned Parenthood Action Fund

Visit plannedparenthoodaction.org

And so, I wanted to share this email from Planned Parenthood Action Fund in order to show my support for "National Voter Registration Day." –Paul Whiting (September 19th, 2024)

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September 19th, 2024 Update No. 1, Which Also Discusses September 8th, 2024: I received a mailer from Union Gospel Mission eleven days ago on September 8th, 2024, with a 'front teaser message' on the envelope that read, "YOUR SPECIAL OPERATION OVERCOAT NEWSLETTER IS INSIDE", which stated the following:

[I used to hand-type the text of the documents from these types of mailers on my smartphone; however, it takes a lot of time and energy in order to hand-type these kinds of documents: so, instead, I scanned and copied the documents using Google Lens! Then, I edited the copy of said documents to include all of the italicizing, bolding and/or underscoring where applicable.]

UNION GOSPEL MISSION
The Path To LifeChange

September 2, 2024

Mr. Paul [Middle Initial] Whiting
[Street Address and Apt. No. redacted]
[City, State and ZIP Code redacted]

Dear Paul,

It may still be sunny and warm, but you and I know what's coming.

Winter. And along with the grey, wet, cold weather comes an even bigger need to help our homeless neighbors survive.

Will you help by giving an Operation Overcoat gift to provide backpacks filled with winter essentials to our neighbors on the streets? Each $29 you give will provide one backpack packed with a coat, socks, a warm hat, gloves and basic hygiene items.

If you were doing it on your own, that same backpack with supplies would cost around $100 — if you got everything on sale. But by partnering together, the Mission keeps the costs low and can reach more people!

Plus, your gift will also include a hot meal and give our team a chance to personally share God's love and build connections that can help people get off the streets.

Last year, our goal was 600 backpacks. But this year, I see the need increasing all around us, so I think we'll need more like 800. There are just too many people in need to do anything less.

Without help, people like [name redacted], [name redacted] and [name redacted] may not make it through the winter (you'll read about them in this month's special edition newsletter). Anything you can give by September 30 will save and change lives!

With hope,

[Name redacted]
[Title redacted]

P.S. For just $29 you can provide a backpack filled with winter essentials and a hot meal for a neighbor experiencing homelessness. Please give by September 30 to help in time.

Prefer giving online? Go to: ugmportland.org/overcoat

---------------------------------------------

UNION GOSPEL MISSION
LifeChange Letter

SEPTEMBER 2024

Operation Overcoat helps people like [name redacted] who are experiencing homelessness survive the winter.

Special Edition:
OPERATION OVERCOAT

"For I was hungry and you gave me something to eat, I was thirsty and you gave me something to drink, I was a stranger and you invited me in, I needed clothes and you clothed me, I was sick and you looked after me, I was in prison and you came to visit me." —Matthew 25:35-36

INSIDE:

Love Thy Neighbor
The Joy of Volunteering
4 Ways You Can Help People This Winter

---------------------------------------------

OPERATION OVERCOAT
The First Step to Survival
   ... and a Changed Life

Operation Overcoat: UGM'S Winter Campaign Starts NOW!

WITH TEMPERATURES GETTING more extreme every year, it's getting harder for our homeless neighbors to survive the winter months. Especially because many of them don't even have a warm coat.

That's where you — and Operation Overcoat — come in. Through this special campaign, your gifts will provide backpacks full of winter supplies so that once the temperatures dip, men and women on the streets have what they need to survive.

Of course, the goal is not only to help people to survive but to help them thrive! Operation Overcoat is a way for you to also share God's love and help people like [name redacted], [name redacted] and [name redacted] begin changing their lives.

[Name redacted] Almost Froze to Death

Homelessness means a life of uncertainty.

When you are homeless, like [name redacted], you never know where you'll sleep, or when — or if — you'll eat. You don't know who you can trust, or if you'll ever see your family again. Yet in the midst of all the unknowns, she's found hope in the kindness of friends like you who helped her survive last winter.

"I almost froze to death last winter, sleeping on the sidewalk," she says. "Having warm winter items means everything to me. It's like a lifeline when things are tough and uncertain."

[Name redacted's] Backpack was a Lifeline

[Name redacted] used to have a steady income. He used to have a roof over his head. He used to have a wonderful wife by his side. But several years ago, she was diagnosed with cancer and passed away.

[Name redacted] was devastated. It wasn't long before his own health started failing and he ended up disabled. He lost everything and ended up on the streets, cold and alone. The backpack a friend like you provided helped him keep pushing forward, towards a new life.

"Being on the street means losing things all the time, and it's hard to replace what was lost," [name redacted] says. "These backpacks with winter essentials are a lifeline for me."

[Name redacted] is Looking to LifeChange

[Name redacted] and her fiancé have been living in a tent for the past four years. Every day is a struggle. There's never enough food and in the winter it's impossible to stay warm enough.

When we gave them backpacks last year, we told them about the Mission and our LifeChange programs. They weren't ready then. But as [name redacted] worries about surviving another winter in their tent, she's thinking about making some big changes, even if she has to on her own.

"My fiancé's addiction makes it hard for us to move forward. But I know I need to focus on my health, especially with winter coming," she says.

Every $29 backpack we give does three things:

1. Helps someone survive the winter.

2. Shares the love of Jesus.

3. Builds a relationship that can lead to a changed life!

---------------------------------------------

The Joy of Volunteering

For the past three years, [name redacted] has been volunteering for Operation Overcoat with her church, [church name redacted], and as we get ready for this year's campaign, she hopes you'll consider giving your time, too.

"It's really rewarding," she says. "I feel honored to be able to serve them personally and to be able to provide not just clothing and food, but to be able to touch them spiritually and be able to pray with them, to give them some type of hope."

[Name redacted] knows that anyone can end up homeless and that makes her want to help out even more.

"It's only because of the grace of God that I wasn't homeless because of someone who ministered to me before I got to that point. That makes me want to do this," [name redacted] says.

She encourages you to consider volunteering this year, too.

"Do you want to make a difference? Do you want be that hope for someone? This is the perfect opportunity!"

For more about volunteering at Union Gospel Mission, visit https://ugmportland.org/volunteer

4 Ways YOU CAN HELP PEOPLE THIS WINTER:

1. PRAY. Please pray for all the men and women who are on the streets trying to survive the winter. Pray that we can get them the supplies they need to survive and that God will open their hearts to coming to the Mission and joining our LifeChange programs.

2. VOLUNTEER. Can you lend a hand sorting items and packing backpacks? We'd love your help. Visit https://ugmportland.org/volunteer to learn more.

3. ORGANIZE A DRIVE. Rally your church, workplace or school to gather cold weather items to fill the backpacks. The most needed items include pants, new undergarments, sleeping bags, boots and coats. Then, drop off your donations at Union Gospel Mission at [address redacted], Monday-Friday. 9am-Noon by September 30.

4. GIVE. Each $29 you give by September 30 is enough to provide a hot meal and a backpack full of cold weather clothes and winter essentials. More about giving is on the back page.

There are so many more people experiencing homelessness this year. That means more people will be depending on these backpacks to survive. But the only way to reach everyone in need is with your help.

---------------------------------------------

Love Thy Neighbor

I TALK TO MANY PEOPLE in our community who want to help, who want to serve, who want to love their neighbor. But, they don't always know what to do.

Sometimes the problem isn't willingness, it's finding opportunities. The question is often, "Where do I start?"

That's why I love the collaboration and partnership that are key components of Operation Overcoat. It takes many people in our community coming together to make it happen. Backpacks are provided by generous donations and gifts from people like you. They are packed by volunteers and then distributed by staff, volunteers, and our church and community partners all over the city.

Sometimes we get stuck trying to figure out what to do. In the gospel of Mark, Jesus reminds us that we don't need to get caught up dotting every 'i' and crossing every 't.' Our calling is simple — it is to love our neighbors as ourselves.

If I was cold and didn't have a coat, I'd want someone to give me one. I'm guessing you would, too.

That's what Operation Overcoat is all about.

[Name redacted]
[Title redacted]

"Love your neighbor as yourself." —Romans 13:9

---------------------------------------------

Operation Overcoat
GIVE A BACKPACK. SAVE A LIFE.

Our community is hurting. More people are going hungry, and the homeless population is growing. Without help, many may not survive the cold, dark, wet days of winter.

But today — while it's still warm — we can save and change lives! Will you help by giving a gift to provide hot meals and backpacks full of winter clothes to our neighbors on the streets by September 30?

Each $29 backpack you give includes:

[✓] 2 pair socks
[✓] 1 pair underwear
[✓] Pants
[✓] Sweater or coat
[✓] Hand warmers
[✓] T-shirt
[✓] Hat
[✓] Gloves
[✓] Hygiene Kit, including toothpaste, toothbrush, soap, deodorant, shampoo, conditioner and lotion.
[✓] A hot meal

We hope to start giving out backpacks and supplies in mid-October to our downtown guests, through Search + Rescue mobile outreach and at partner locations throughout the Portland Metro area.

Every backpack you give can save and change a life. That's because every backpack is another chance to share God's love and start a relationship that can put someone on the path out of homelessness!

Our hurting neighbors need the winter applies you can provide for just $29! Please give by September 30!

"QR code message": Scan here to give online. → ugmportland.org/overcoat

Heart of Hope Partner

WANT TO MAKE AN EVEN BIGGER IMPACT?

Become a Monthly Heart of Hope Partner

When you sign up to give monthly, you'll know you're changing lives every day while saving postage and administrative costs and making sure that vital Mission programs keep running.

To sign up or find out more, call [phone number redacted] or visit ugmportland.org/heart-of-hope

Through the transformative power of Jesus Christ, we open life-changing pathways to people experiencing homelessness, hunger, addiction, and abuse.

LIFECHANGE LETTER
A PUBLICATION OF UNION GOSPEL MISSION

---------------------------------------------

GIVE A BACKPACK. SAVE A LIFE.

Yes, [name redacted]! I will help save and change lives this winter! I'm sending a gift of:

[  ] $29 to provide backpacks for 1 person.
[  ] $58 so povide backpacks for 2 people.
[✓] $7.00 to help as much as possible.

Each $29 you give provides a hot meal and backpack full of cold-weather clothing and winter essentials.

PLEASE REPLY BY SEPT. 30!

Mr. Paul [Middle Initial] Whiting
[Street Address and Apt. No. redacted]
[City, State and ZIP Code redacted]

ugmportland.org/overcoat

And so, I made a one-time donation to Union Gospel Mission in order to "GIVE A BACKPACK [AND] SAVE A LIFE," which is why I donated "[$7.00] to help as much as possible." –Paul Whiting (September 19th, 2024)

P.S.: Just so you know, "I have changed the way that I make donations to political, progressive and charitable organizations each month ... due to the fact that I have been spending a considerable percentage of my monthly income on all of these donations." (The reader should know that I am HIV-positive with full-blown AIDS. And I am on Social Security Disability Insurance, or SSDI, so my income is quite limited.) Therefore, "I am reducing how much I donate for the regular mail requests that I receive (to which I choose to respond) to take action." Thus, I will still be responding to some of the regular mail requests that I receive (to which I choose to respond), which are requesting me to take action, but I am reducing the amount that I donate to organizations from which I receive mailers. (Please see my 'August 19th, 2023 Update,' which can be found above.)

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September 19th, 2024 Update No. 2, Which Also Discusses September 16th, 2024: I received a mailer from the Armed Services YMCA (ASYMCA) three days ago on September 16th, 2024, which stated the following:

[I used to hand-type the text of the documents from these types of mailers on my smartphone; however, it takes a lot of time and energy in order to hand-type these kinds of documents: so, instead, I scanned and copied the documents using Google Lens! Then, I edited the copy of said documents to include all of the italicizing, bolding and/or underscoring where applicable.]

The Armed Services YMCA

Dear Paul,

Skyrocketing costs of housing, groceries and child care — and high unemployment rates among spouses — have left 1 in 4 brave active-duty service members and their families struggling to afford enough to eat.

Our heroes are on the front lines, willing to put their lives on the line. They shouldn't have to worry about feeding their children. Since 1861, support from friends like you has helped the Armed Services YMCA provide service members and their families with the assistance they need.

We vow to leave no military family behind. And right now, thanks to a group of generous donors, your gift of $15, $25 or even $50 or more will be matched up to $50,000 to deliver food, low- or no-cost child care, employment assistance and more. Please support our young military families today.

Serving those who serve,

[Name redacted], Vice Admiral, USN (Ret)
[Title redacted] and [title redacted]

All gifts matched 2X!

---------------------------------------------

[The following is the text of a notecard enclosed with the letter above.]

Dear Friend

Food insecurity is a reality for military families. The Armed Services YMCA is here to help, but we can't help all the families that need us without you!

Thank you for supporting the ASYMCA and for sending your most generous gift today.

[Name redacted]
Vice Admiral USN (Ret)
[Title redacted] and [Title redacted]

---------------------------------------------

Thank you for supporting the Armed Services YMCA!

[✓] YES! Please match my gift to support military families.

[  ] $15 → $30
[  ] $25 → $50
[  ] $35 → $70
[  ] $50 → $100
[✓] My best gift of $7.00 DOUBLES.

Please enclose your check made payable to Armed Services YMCA or see reverse to give by credit card.

[  ] Make my gift monthly.

Save a stamp and make your gift online: asymca.org/Sept24

Paul Whiting
[Apt. No. redacted]
[Street Address redacted]
[City, State and ZIP Code redacted]

Armed Services YMCA
Keeping our military heroes & their families strong.

---------------------------------------------

WHY YOUR SUPPORT MATTERS

Your donations help ensure that no military family is left behind, by supporting programs like:

Emergency Food Relief
providing more than 3 million pounds of food to military families every year

Operation Hero
a free after-school program for military children in grades 2-8

Child Care & Preschool
accessible, quality and affordable programs to care for young children

Operation Ride Home
providing funds for families to make it home for the holidaysbr />
---------------------------------------------

—The Winds of Change—

Blow the winds of change.

Adventure whistles in the winds of change. New places, new bases.
Thoughts wonder in the winds of change. Will I be accepted or rejected?
Distance whimpers in the winds of change. I'm sad to be missing my dad.
Gratefulness worships in the winds of change. Praising Him, we are together again.
Blow the winds of change.

[Name redacted], Third Grader,
Son of USAF Airman

---------------------------------------------

ARMED SERVICES YMCA FACTS

Our programs and services are offered at no or low cost and require no dues or membership fees

★

We represent the six branches of the armed services Army, Marine Corps. Navy, Air Force, Space Force, and Coast Guard

★

The ASYMCA supports 93 of our largest military installations

Please visit asymca.org to learn more

THANK YOU for helping to strengthen our military families!

And, after I read the letter above, I entered the hyperlink to the referenced webpage, the relevant text of which can be found below:

ARMED SERVICES YMCA
NATIONAL HEADQUARTERS

Your Donation Supports Military Families

[✓] One-time
[  ] Recurring

Choose a one-time amount.

[  ] $25
[  ] $50
[  ] $100
[  ] $500
[✓] USD $7.00

Your Information

Title: Mr.
First Name: Paul
Last Name: Whiting
Email: [redacted]

[✓] It's OK to contact me in the future.

Address: [redacted]
ZIP: [redacted]
City: [redacted]
State: [redacted]
Country: [redacted]
Phone Number: [redacted]

One-time donation $7.00 USD

And so, I made a one-time donation to the Armed Services YMCA (ASYMCA) today September 19th, 2024, since "skyrocketing costs of housing, groceries and child care — and high unemployment rates among spouses — have left 1 in 4 brave active-duty service members and their families struggling to afford enough to eat." That is why I contributed to ASYMCA, because "thanks to a group of generous donors, [my] gift of [$7] will be matched up to $50,000 to deliver food, low- or no-cost child care, employment assistance and more." –Paul Whiting (September 19th, 2024)

P.S.: Just so you know, "I have changed the way that I make donations to political, progressive and charitable organizations each month ... due to the fact that I have been spending a considerable percentage of my monthly income on all of these donations." (The reader should know that I am HIV-positive with full-blown AIDS. And I am on Social Security Disability Insurance, or SSDI, so my income is quite limited.) Therefore, "I am reducing how much I donate for the regular mail requests that I receive (to which I choose to respond) to take action." Thus, I will still be responding to some of the regular mail requests that I receive (to which I choose to respond), which are requesting me to take action, but I am reducing the amount that I donate to organizations from which I receive mailers. (Please see my 'August 19th, 2023 Update,' which can be found above.)

-------------------------------------------------------------------

September 21st, 2024 Update No. 1: The International Day of Peace is today, September 21st, 2024, since the International Day of Peace is yearly (annually) on September 21st.

And I first heard about the International Day of Peace last year (2023) from a daily calendar website that I previously used to reference in my 'updates' regarding holidays and special occasions (please see my 'September 21st, 2023 Update—Continued Further, Written On September 30th, 2023, Which Also Discusses September 17th, 2023' that can be a found above).

So, here is the official webpage from the United Nations (UN) regarding the International Day of Peace 2024, which is titled, "International Day of Peace: 21 September." An overview of the webpage can be found below:

United Nations

International Day of Peace
21 September

[Image of a sign that states, "Cultivating a Culture of Peace," next to an illustration of a book with a dove holding an olive branch over it, which also includes a caption that reads, "Education is one of the principal means to build a culture of peace."]

2024 Theme: Cultivating a Culture of Peace

This year marks the 25th anniversary of the United Nations General Assembly’s adoption of the Declaration and Programme of Action on a Culture of Peace.

In that declaration, the United Nations’ most inclusive body recognized that peace “not only is the absence of conflict, but also requires a positive, dynamic participatory process where dialogue is encouraged and conflicts are solved in a spirit of mutual understanding and cooperation.”

In a world with rising geopolitical tensions and protracted conflicts, there has never been a better time to remember how the UN General Assembly came together in 1999 to lay out the values needed for a culture of peace. These include: respect for life, human rights and fundamental freedoms; the promotion of non-violence through education, dialogue and cooperation; commitment to peaceful settlement of conflicts; and adherence to freedom, justice, democracy, tolerance, solidarity, cooperation, pluralism, cultural diversity, dialogue and understanding at all levels of society and among nations.

In follow-up resolutions, the General Assembly recognized further the importance of choosing negotiations over confrontation and of working together and not against each other.

The Constitution of the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) starts with the notion that “wars begin in the minds of men so it is in the minds of men that the defences of peace must be constructed”. It is this notion that framed the theme and logo of this year’s observance of the International Day of Peace. The ideas of peace, the culture of peace, need to be cultivated in the minds of children and communities through formal and informal education, across countries and generations.

The International Day of Peace has always been a time to lay down weapons and observe ceasefires. But it now must also be a time for people to see each other’s humanity. Our survival as a global community depends on that.

Background

The International Day of Peace was established in 1981 by the United Nations General Assembly. Two decades later, in 2001, the General Assembly unanimously voted to designate the Day as a period of non-violence and cease-fire.

History of the Culture of Peace

Imbed of a YouTube video titled, "History of the Culture of Peace | #BiennaleLuanda 🕊" by UNESCO

https://youtu.be/7VTthPFf9Pc?si=pD-CKtgTd-2HnnbP

[Blogger's Note: I watched the UNESCO video titled, "History of the Culture of Peace | #BiennaleLuanda 🕊" on YouTube.]

Preventative Diplomacy for Peace

The Secretary-General’s vision for centering the Organization’s work on peace and security around prevention and through a surge in diplomacy for peace reaffirms the United Nations' founding mission. Since its inception, the UN has played a crucial role in helping to mediate conflicts at all stages: before they escalate into armed conflict, after the outbreak of violence, and during the implementation of peace agreements. UN peacemaking flourished in the decade following the end of the Cold War and the Organization continues to play a preeminent role in this field.

Poems for Peace

Around the world, millions of children are growing up in conflict. They are often uprooted from home or exposed to extreme trauma. With Poems for Peace, UNICEF gives children a platform to explain in their own words the impact of conflict and war on their lives – and their hopes and dreams for the future. By amplifying the voices of children, UNICEF is highlighting the extraordinary strength and courage of young people longing for a more stable future. ...

Please see the hyperlink below for the webpage:

https://www.un.org/en/observances/international-day-peace

–Paul Whiting (September 21st, 2024)

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September 22nd, 2024 Update No. 1, Which Also Discusses September 16th, 2024: I received a mailer from Wounded Warrior Project (WWP) six days ago on September 16th, 2024, with a 'front teaser message' on the envelope that read, "SOME WOUNDS ARE HARD TO SEE ... Suicide Awareness September 2024", which stated the following:

[I used to hand-type the text of the documents from these types of mailers on my smartphone; however, it takes a lot of time and energy in order to hand-type these kinds of documents: so, instead, I scanned and copied the documents using Google Lens! Then, I edited the copy of said documents to include all of the italicizing, bolding and/or underscoring where applicable.]

WOUNDED WARRIOR PROJECT ★ 20 YEARS

Paul, do you know the importance of these teal and purple stickers that I'm enclosing for you? Veteran [name redacted] does . . .

Dear Mr. Whiting,

"Wounded Warrior Project saved my life."

That's US. Army veteran [name redacted], talking about the life-changing help he has received from Wounded Warrior Project® (WWP) — thanks to YOU.

Finding a supportive community is so important in helping wounded warriors overcome their injuries and thrive in our communities as parents, spouses, workers, and business owners.

But tragedy can result when injured veterans don't get the help they need. September is National Suicide Awareness Month, and we must raise awareness about the hundreds of veterans who take their own lives each month.

[Name redacted] was nearly one of them. There were days when his traumatic brain injury (TBI) and post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) were more than he could bear.

"I was trying to deal with all this trauma, all at once, all by myself," [name redacted] remembers. "Not asking for somebody's help almost cost me my life."

Thankfully, there is a powerful community giving wounded heroes the caring and compassionate support they need, when they need it most. And you're a big part of it.

Paul, the teal and purple stickers I'm enclosing for you today are to help raise awareness about suicide — to help prevent another tragic loss of life.

In addition, Veterans Day is coming, and that's a time when your life-changing support for our wounded warriors really means the most.

Please send your Veterans Day gift of $15, $18, $21, or more to help another warrior like [name redacted] heal and find hope!

As you know, many veterans have injuries you can see, like missing limbs and severe burns. But some also have invisible wounds that can be just as devastating . . .

[Name redacted] served as a combat medic. For months, he treated injured soldiers on a daily basis.

Sniper fire, mortars, and blasts from improvised explosive devices (IED) were a daily occurrence. It takes a terrible emotional toll. [Name redacted] recalls, "I cradled a warrior in my arms as he died. You grow up fast."

It took [name redacted] attempting to end his life, and the urging of his wife, for [name redacted] to seek out the help he urgently needed. Thank goodness he did.

He went to a WWP Project Odyssey event, and discovered camaraderie and support programs that he didn't know existed.

That was the day his journey of healing began. Since then, he's attended many other WWP events. He's sharing his story now in the hope that other wounded warriors will read it and know that help is available . . . thanks to partners like you.

"Wounded Warrior Project saved my life. I appreciate every day that I wake up, because a lot of men and women didn't get that extra day."

I often tell you that your support for WWP can have a life-changing impact. But as [name redacted's] story reminds us, your gifts can even have a life-saving impact.

Your support is needed again today. Veterans Day is almost here, and the need for our free programs and services for wounded warriors is increasing. More heroes contact us for help every single day!

We must help warriors learn to live their best lives despite their invisible injuries.

And we must prevent the further loss of life that can happen when invisible injuries go untreated, or when warriors don't know where to turn for help.

Please send your Veterans Day gift to help more wounded warriors find hope, purpose, and healing. Thank you, once again, for being part of our family of caring supporters.

With gratitude,

[Name redacted]
Lieutenant General, U.S. Army, Retired
[Title redacted], Wounded Warrior Project

P.S. Veterans Day is coming soon. The time is now to honor wounded heroes like [name redacted] and support other wounded warriors who urgently need your help. Please sign the enclosed Veterans Day card for a wounded hero and return it with your most generous gift today. And please display your teal and purple stickers all during National Suicide Awareness Month to help others learn about our work, and about your inspiring commitment to our heroes!

---------------------------------------------

Text of the enclosed Veterans Day card

Outside of the card:

Thank You

Inside of the card:

Please know that the gift you've given me
— my freedom —
is the most cherished gift of all.

I will never forget what you've done
for me and for our country. Thank you.

Sincerely,

Paul Whiting
Signed on 09/22/2024

---------------------------------------------

2024 Portland-Area
Fund Drive for Wounded Warriors

To donate online, go to supportwwp.org/wwp

[✓] YES, I will use my free stickers to show my support for wounded warriors. To help more American heroes battle back from wartime wounds, I'm making my tax-deductible gift of:

[  ] $15
[  ] $18
[  ] $21
[  ] $24
[✓] My best gift of $7.00

[  ] My check is enclosed and made out to Wounded Warrior Project.
[  ] Please charge my credit card.
(Please complete form on reverse.)

Every gift makes a difference!
Your gift is tax deductible as allowed by law.

Mr. Paul Whiting
[Street Address and Apt. No. redacted]
[City, State and ZIP Code redacted]

Wounded Warrior Project
Donor Care Center
[Address redacted]
[City, State and ZIP Code redacted]

And so, I made a one-time donation to Wounded Warrior Project (WWP) today, September 22nd, 2024, in order to show my support for the 2024 Portland-Area Fund Drive for Wounded Warriors. Also, I displayed my "teal and purple stickers ... during National Suicide Awareness Month to help others learn about [WWP's] work, and about [my] inspiring commitment to our heroes!" Plus, I signed "the enclosed Veterans Day card for a wounded hero." And I am planning to mail the Veterans Day card as soon as I get a chance to drop off the return envelope at my local post office. –Paul Whiting (September 22nd, 2024)

P.S.: Just so you know, "I have changed the way that I make donations to political, progressive and charitable organizations each month ... due to the fact that I have been spending a considerable percentage of my monthly income on all of these donations." (The reader should know that I am HIV-positive with full-blown AIDS. And I am on Social Security Disability Insurance, or SSDI, so my income is quite limited.) Therefore, "I am reducing how much I donate for the regular mail requests that I receive (to which I choose to respond) to take action." Thus, I will still be responding to some of the regular mail requests that I receive (to which I choose to respond), which are requesting me to take action, but I am reducing the amount that I donate to organizations from which I receive mailers. (Please see my 'August 19th, 2023 Update,' which can be found above.)

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September 22nd, 2024 Update No. 2, Written From September 23rd, 2024 To September 27th, 2024, Which Also Discusses September 10th, 2024 And September 11th, 2024: [Blogger's Note: This 'update' that I am writing from September 23rd, 2024 to September 27th, 2024, is for donations that I made on September 22nd, 2024, as well as one donation that I made on September 23rd, 2024, in response to Vice President Kamala Harris's stellar performance in the September 10th, 2024 presidential debate on ABC News (which I finally got around to watching on September 22nd, 2024) to Democratic fundraising and coordinating political organizations—and to one campaign—regarding the following:

▪ the national races for the House of Representatives (the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee),
▪ the Senate (the Democratic Senatorial Campaign Committee),
▪ and the President of the United States (the Democratic National Committee and Harris for President, or the Harris Victory Fund),
▪ as well as the state races for the Governors (the Democratic Governors Association),
▪ the Secretaries of State (the Democratic Association of Secretaries of State),
▪ and the State Legislatures (the Democratic Legislative Campaign Committee)
▪ in addition to the official organization of the Democratic Party for United States citizens living temporarily or permanently abroad (Democratic Party Committee Abroad, or Democrats Abroad), during this ninth month of the year for the 2024 Presidential Election.

Plus, I made donations to Political Action Committees (PACs) that are doing the following:

▪ helping to elect candidates who are pro-choice women (EMILYs List);
▪ helping to elect candidates who are U.S. Veterans (VoteVets);
▪ helping young people to vote (Voters of Tomorrow PAC);
▪ and helping to elect gun safety champions in Congress (Ban Assault Weapons NOW PAC);
▪ as well as helping to mobilize Black voters (Rolling Sea Action Fund).

Besides that, I made donations to the following:

▪ a civic engagement organization that is helping to educate and empower a new generation of Latinx voters (Voto Latino);
▪ and a social welfare organization that is a courageous youth-led movement dedicated to promoting civic engagement, education, and direct action by youth to eliminate the epidemic of gun violence (March For Our Lives).

And these donations to the above-mentioned organizations are listed below in the chronological order in which I made said donations which, in turn, are based upon the general chronological order in which I received each respective request for every organization's donation.]

I have combined every political campaign, or political organization, donation request per day (made via email or text message) into one 'update' for each day that I donate, so that I don't have to write individual 'updates' for political campaign donations, or political organization donations!

You see, I used to write one 'update' for each of the individual campaign political donations, or political organization donations, that I made virtually every time that I made a political donation. And within each 'update' I included the text from each political campaign's, or political organization's, requesting email or text message, along with some of each campaign's, or organization's, donation page text on the ActBlue website, as well as how much I donated to each campaign, or organization, plus whether I included a tip to ActBlue and how much I tipped.

(By the way, I still write individual 'updates' for political campaign, or political organization, mailers that I receive through the regular mail, because they are usually more elaborate political donation requests, which is why I don't include them with these email or text message requests.)

Plus, the 2024 election cycle is now in the homestretch and I have made a goal of donating only one $1.00 donation per local political campaign here in Oregon (more on that below), or $2.00 per political organization, for the rest of the election cycle! And that means after I make that one donation per campaign, or per organization—regardless of whether I donated in 2023, or 2024—I am only donating once per campaign, or per organization, or as determined by me on a case-by-case basis. And I am only donating once per PAC (Political Action Committee) for the entire election cycle, or as determined by me on a case-by-case basis, because that is all that I can really afford for the 2024 Presidential Election. (The reader should know that I am HIV-positive with full-blown AIDS. And I am on Social Security Disability Insurance, or SSDI, so my income is quite limited.) I hope that makes sense!

Besides that, as of March 21st, 2024, I am no longer donating to individual political campaigns for the foreseeable future (with the exception of local campaigns here in Oregon), or as determined by me on a case-by-case basis (please see my 'March 21st, 2024 Update No. 2,' which can be found above).

In addition to that, starting on July 4th, 2024, I have decided—yet again—to adjust the amount that I donate per political organization again, so that I can donate to even more political organizations and PACs (Political Action Committees) while I am still staying within my 'monthly donating budget.'

And I made the previous three adjustments on the following dates: June 16th, 2024 (please see my 'June 16th, 2024 Update No. 7, Written On June 17th, 2024, Which Also Discusses May 25th, 2024, June 2nd, 2024, June 6th, 2024, June 7th, 2024, June 10th, 2024, June 15th, 2024 And June 16th, 2024' that can be found above), and on May 12th, 2024 (please see my 'May 12th, 2024 Update No. 4, Written On May 13th, 2024, Which Also Discusses April 19th, 2024, May 1st, 2024, May 2nd, 2024, May 6th, 2024, As Well As May 11th, 2024' that can be found above), as well as on March 29th, 2024 (please see my 'March 29th, 2024 Update No. 1, Which Also Discusses March 17th, 2024' that can be found above), respectively.

Therefore, I recently used to donate "$3.00 per political organization"; however, I have decided to adjust that amount yet again, so that I can donate to more political organizations and PACs (Political Action Committees) while I am still staying within my 'monthly donating budget,' since I am now donating to more organizations as the 2024 Presidential Election cycle enters the homestretch.

Thus, for the rest of the 2024 election cycle—as well as for the foreseeable future—I have made a goal of donating $1.00 per local political campaign only here in Oregon (with a 7% tip to ActBlue of $0.07), or as determined by me on a case-by-case basis; and a goal of donating $2.00 per political organization for donation requests via email or text message (with a 7% tip to ActBlue of $0.14), or as determined by me on a case-by-case basis; as well as a goal of donating $3.00 per political organization, or per PAC, for donation requests via the regular mail (with a 7% tip to ActBlue of $0.21), or as determined by me on a case-by-case basis.

To sum it up, then: I am reducing the total individual campaign donation amount to $1.07 (from $2.14, which was previously $3.21) and I am still only donating to local campaigns here in Oregon, or as determined by me on a case-by-case basis; and I am reducing the total donation amount for political organizations and PACs for email and text message donation requests to $2.14 (from $3.21, which was previously $4.28, as well as $5.35 before that), or as determined by me on a case-by-case basis; plus, I am reducing the total donation amount for political organizations and PACs for regular mail donation requests to $3.21 (from $4.28, which was previously $5.35, as well as $7.51 before that), or as determined by me on a case-by-case basis.

So, without further ado...

The first political communication to which I responded on September 22nd, 2024 was a text message that I received on September 10th, 2024, from EMILYs List, which stated the following:

EMILYs List here. Before the debate starts, rush in a gift to elect pro-choice women and DEFEAT MAGA extremists >>***

EMILYs LIST
RUN. WIN. CHANGE THE WORLD.

Help pro-choice women lead our nation foward!

Election Day is around the corner, and our fundamental rights are at stake.

Every gift to EMILYs List helps women win, helps protect the right to choose, and helps STOP anti-choice Republicans from taking our country backwards. Join the movement today.

Donate immediately:

Your contribution will benefit EMILYs List.

[  ] Donate $25 →

[  ] Donate $50 →

[  ] Donate $100 →

[  ] Donate $250 →

[  ] Donate $500 →

[  ] Donate $1,000 →

[  ] Donate $2,400 →

[✓] Other amount $1.00

Please leave a tip for ActBlue

Power the nonprofit fundraising platform Democratic candidates & progressive causes rely on.

[  ] Add $2 tip

[✓] Leave no tip

[  ] Add custom amount

And so, I made a one-time donation to EMILYs List (without a tip to ActBlue) on September 22nd, 2024, in order to "rush in a gift to elect pro-choice women and DEFEAT MAGA extremists."

P.S.: The reason that I only donated $1.00 to EMILYs List is because I already donated $2.00 (with a $0.14 tip to ActBlue) on September 2nd, 2024 (please see my 'September 2nd, 2024 Update No. 5, Written From September 4th, 2024 To September 9th, 2024, Which Also Discusses, August 30th, 2024, August 31st, 2024, September 1st, 2024 And September 2nd, 2024' that can be found above) and that is all I can afford this month; however, I did want to respond because every gift to EMILYs List helps women win, helps protect the right to choose, and helps STOP anti-choice Republicans from taking our country backwards, so that is why I made a donation in the amount that I did.

---------------------------------------------

The second political communication to which I responded on September 22nd, 2024 was a text message that I received on September 10th, 2024, from the Rolling Sea Action Fund (RSAF), which stated the following:

Kamala Harris is wiping the floor with Donald Trump.

This is her first EVER Presidential debate and we couldn't be more proud of her for taking on Trump and his deranged lies.

But listen – the polls are too close to take any chances and we need to know: Will you vote for Kamala Harris in just 55 days?

[✓] YES >>***
[ ] NO >>
[ ] UNSURE >>

Thanks!

– RSAF

ROLLING SEA ACTION FUND

Flash Approval Poll:
## We need 11 additional responses from local Democrats ##

First Name (Optional): Paul
Last Name (Optional): Whiting
Email: [redacted]
Mobile Phone (Optional): [redacted]

Will you vote for Kamala Harris? (Optional)

[✓] Yes
[  ] No
[  ] Unsure

Please confirm your rating for Kamala Harris: (Optional)

[✓] Excellent
[  ] Good
[  ] Fair
[  ] Poor
[  ] Awful

What issues would you like a Harris administration to prioritize? [Choose up to 3] (Optional)

[  ] The Economy
[  ] Affordable Health Care
[  ] The Supreme Court
[  ] Police Reform
[✓] Common Sense Gun Reform
[  ] Protecting Medicare and Social Security
[  ] Protecting the US Postal Service
[✓] Election Security
[  ] Voting Reform
[  ] Immigration
[  ] Campaign Finance Reform
[  ] LGBTQ Rights
[  ] Civil Rights
[✓] Women's Rights
[  ] Education

[BEFORE YOU GO] Donald Trump is CLEARLY not fit for office.

So we're rushing to deploy our Pod-Save-America-Approved voter turnout programs in key swing states to drive up Black voter turnout. But we just fell short of our August end-of-month fundraising goal!

So we set a HUGE goal to kickstart our grassroots fundraising: We need to raise $20,000 before the end of the debate!

We need [9] Democrats from your zip code to donate to this email to stay on track. Will you do the right thing and give at least $3 to Rolling Sea Action Fund? (Optional)

[✓] Yes! I'll chip in $3 >>*
[  ] Yes! I'll chip in $15 >>
[  ] Yes! I'll chip in $35 >>
[  ] Yes! I'll chip in $50 >>
[  ] Yes! I'll chip in even more >>

*[Blogger's Note: I selected this option—although I donated less than $3—because it's an option that got me to the donation webpage!]

---------------------------------------------

ROLLING SEA ACTION FUND

400%-Match Activated!

We can elect the first Black female President in HISTORY.

But Republicans have already started spewing racist attacks towards Kamala and she's starting her campaign from SQUARE ONE.

Can you join generous grassroots supporters and rush a donation of ANY amount to help us BOOST Black voter turnout in November? >>

Donate immediately:

Your contribution will benefit Rolling Sea Action Fund.

[  ] Donate $5 →

[  ] Donate $15 →

[  ] Donate $35 →

[  ] Donate $50 →

[  ] Donate $100 →

[  ] Donate $250 →

[  ] Donate $500 →

[✓] Other amount $1.00

Please leave a tip for ActBlue

Power the nonprofit fundraising platform Democratic candidates & progressive causes rely on.

[  ] Add $2 tip

[✓] Leave no tip

[  ] Add custom amount

And so, I made a one-time donation to the Rolling Sea Action Fund (RSAF) (without a tip to ActBlue) on September 22nd, 2024, in order to respond to the question, "Will you vote for Kamala Harris in just 55 days?" with a resounding 'YES!'

P.S.: The reason that I only donated $1.00 to the Rolling Sea Action Fund is because I already donated $2.00 (with a $0.14 tip to ActBlue) on September 2nd, 2024 (please see my 'September 2nd, 2024 Update No. 5, Written From September 4th, 2024 To September 9th, 2024, Which Also Discusses, August 30th, 2024, August 31st, 2024, September 1st, 2024 And September 2nd, 2024' that can be found above) and that is all I can afford this month; however, I did want to respond because I wanted to join generous grassroots supporters and rush a donation of ANY amount to help Rolling Sea Action Fund BOOST Black voter turnout in November, so that is why I made a donation in the amount that I did.

---------------------------------------------

The third political communication to which I responded on September 22nd, 2024 was an email from the Democratic Legislative Campaign Committee (DLCC) that I received on September 10th, 2024, with the subject line, "re: Vice President Harris →", which stated the following:

ELECT STATE DEMS
A project of the DLCC

Paul, do you want to live through another four years of Donald Trump and his extreme state allies dragging our country backward? If not, we need to elect state Democrats.

Make an urgent $50 donation to help power our movement and BLOCK the MAGA agenda in places like Oregon.

If you've stored your payment information with ActBlue Express, your donation will process immediately.

[  ] $50 »
[  ] $100 »
[  ] $250 »
[  ] $1000 »
[✓] Other »***

Tonight’s debate made it clear that the outcome of November’s elections could usher in two extremely different visions for the future of our country.

And in November, state Democrats will face off against billionaire-backed Republicans. Our candidates are counting on your support to stay competitive and win this fall.

Rush $50 to help state Dems build power in statehouses this November →

Let’s do this,

Team DLCC

[✓] DONATE »***
MAKE IT MONTHLY »

DLCC
DEMOCRATIC LEGISLATIVE CAMPAIGN COMMITTEE

Join the team! Chip in today.

🗳️Elect state Dems in must win races
💰Fund our strategic investments in 2024, 2025, and beyond
❌Counter Republican extremism in the states

Can you chip in today?

Donate immediately:

Your contribution will benefit DLCC PAC - Federal.

[  ] Donate $10 →

[  ] Donate $25 →

[  ] Donate $50 →

[  ] Donate $100 →

[  ] Donate $250 →

[  ] Donate $500 →

[  ] Donate $1,000→

[✓] Other amount $1.00

Please leave a tip for ActBlue

Power the nonprofit fundraising platform Democratic candidates & progressive causes rely on.

[  ] Add $2 tip

[✓] Leave no tip

[  ] Add custom amount

And so, I made a one-time donation to the DLCC (without a tip to ActBlue) on September 22nd, 2024, because "[September 10th's] debate made it clear that the outcome of November’s elections could usher in two extremely different visions for the future of our country" and since I don't want "to live through another four years of Donald Trump and his extreme state allies dragging our country backward ... we need to elect state Democrats."

P.S.: The reason that I only donated $1.00 to the DLCC is because I already donated $2.00 (with a $0.14 tip to ActBlue) on September 2nd, 2024 (please see my 'September 2nd, 2024 Update No. 5, Written From September 4th, 2024 To September 9th, 2024, Which Also Discusses, August 30th, 2024, August 31st, 2024, September 1st, 2024 And September 2nd, 2024' that can be found above) and that is all I can afford this month; however, I did want to respond because, in November, state Democrats will face off against billionaire-backed Republicans and DLCC candidates are counting on my support to stay competitive and win this fall, so that is why I made a donation in the amount that I did.

---------------------------------------------

The fourth political communication to which I responded on September 22nd, 2024 was a text message that I received on September 10th, 2024, from the Harris Victory Fund, which stated the following:

Kamala here. I just got off the debate stage, and I am asking you to add another $40 donation to support our campaign.

Chip in to help our team win:***

HARRIS
Victory Fund

Donate to support the Harris-Walz campaign and Democrats nationwide!

We all must stand together to win at the ballot box, protect our fundamental freedoms, and finally fulfill the promise of America. Donate $25 or more now.

Donate immediately:

Your contribution will benefit Harris Victory Fund.

[✓] Donate $1 →

[  ] Donate $50 →

[  ] Donate $100 →

[  ] Donate $250 →

[  ] Donate $1,000 →

[  ] Donate $2,000 →

[  ] Other amount

Please leave a tip for ActBlue

Power the nonprofit fundraising platform Democratic candidates & progressive causes rely on.

[  ] Add $2 tip

[✓] Leave no tip

[  ] Add custom amount

And so, I made a one-time donation to the Harris Victory Fund (without a tip to ActBlue) on September 22nd, 2024, because "[Kamala Harris] just got off the debate stage [on September 10th], and [she is] asking [me] to add another ... donation to support [her] campaign."

P.S.: The reason that I only donated $1.00 to the Harris Victory Fund is because I already donated $2.00 (with a $0.14 tip to ActBlue) on September 2nd, 2024 (please see my 'September 2nd, 2024 Update No. 3, Written On September 3rd, 2024, Which Also Discusses August 27th, 2024' that can be found above) and that is all I can afford this month; however, I did want to respond in order to support the Harris-Walz campaign and Democrats nationwide, since we all must stand together to win at the ballot box, protect our fundamental freedoms, and finally fulfill the promise of America, so that is why I made a donation in the amount that I did.

---------------------------------------------

The fifth political communication to which I responded on September 22nd, 2024 was an email from the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee (DCCC) that I received on September 10th, 2024, with the subject line, "I'm asking you for your $60 to defeat Donald Trump and his extremist Republicans", which stated the following:

Paul, tonight I debated Donald Trump.

It was a crucial moment for our campaign, and we must keep up our momentum to defeat Trump and his extremist Republican allies in 56 days.

Will you split a $60 donation between the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee and our campaign today? There has never been a more important moment to help elect me, Tim, and Democrats to the House.

If you’ve saved your payment information with ActBlue Express, your donation will be split between Kamala Harris for President and the DCCC immediately:

[  ] Chip in $60 immediately >>
[  ] Chip in $80 immediately >>
[  ] Chip in $120 immediately >>
[  ] Chip in $200 immediately >>
[  ] Chip in $480 immediately >>
[✓] Or chip in another amount >>***

Our campaign is committed to electing Democrats at every level, from Congress to state legislatures across our nation. That’s why we are making unprecedented investments to ensure Democrats across the country have the resources they need to fight — and win — in November.

Paul, taking back the House majority is essential for us to fight for our fundamental freedoms, deliver on the promise of America, and turn the page on Donald Trump.

Without the support of House Democrats in the majority again, we won’t be able to build on our progress.

Please split a $60 donation right now between the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee and my campaign to elect me as your next President and defeat Donald Trump and his extremist Republican allies.

Ours is a fight for the future. I am deeply grateful to have you in this fight alongside me and Democrats nationwide.

Thank you,

Kamala Harris
Vice President of the United States

DCCC

Chip in now to FLIP the House and make the Harris-Walz agenda possible!

Republicans are blocking Democratic progress every chance they get.

Vice President Harris and Governor Walz are COUNTING on us to flip the House blue and SECURE progress for working people and families!

Will you rush in a donation to elect a WAVE of Democrats and FLIP the House?

Split your donation:

Total contribution "$4.00"*

Customize amounts

Kamala Harris (President) "$2.00"*

DCCC "$2.00"*

Donate "$4"*

Please leave a tip for ActBlue

Power the nonprofit fundraising platform Democratic candidates & progressive causes rely on.

[ ] Add $2 tip

[✓] Leave no tip

[ ] Add custom amount

And so, I made a one-time donation to the DCCC and the Harris for President campaign (without a tip to ActBlue) on September 22nd, 2024, in order to "split a ... donation right now between the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee and [the Harris for President] campaign to elect [Kamala Harris] as [our] next President and defeat Donald Trump and his extremist Republican allies"

*P.S.: The reason why the customized amounts above of "$2.00" to the Harris for President campaign and "$2.00" to the DCCC, as well as the total contribution amount of "$4" appear in quotation marks is due to the fact that I mistakenly thought that the first split donation I made between the Harris for President campaign and the DCCC for $1.00 each (for a "Total contribution $2.00") had not processed correctly, since I also mistakenly thought that I didn't receive a receipt from ActBlue for that particular donation! I did, in fact, receive a receipt from ActBlue, however it was 'bundled' with another split donation that I made on September 22nd, 2024 between the DSCC (Democratic Senatorial Campaign Committee) and the Harris for President campaign (please see the thirteenth donation of my 'September 22nd, 2024 Update No. 2, Written From September 23rd, 2024 To September 27th, 2024, Which Also Discusses September 10th, 2024 And September 11th, 2024' that can be found below).

You see, after I made the series of donations on September 22nd, 2024 for the September 10th presidential debate, I was checking over the number of receipts that I received from ActBlue in order to verify that I made all of the donations that I had scheduled to make! And I didn't notice that the two split donation between the DCCC and the Harris for President campaign, as well as the split donation between the DSCC and the Harris for President campaign, were 'bundled' together as if they were part of the same email thread (which I am guessing happened because they both had the same subject line of "Thank you for your split contribution!"), so that is why—when I counted to make sure I had made all of the scheduled debate donations—that I mistakenly thought the original split donation between the DCCC and the Harris for President campaign hadn't processed correctly. Thus, in order to err on the side of caution, I actually made that same split donation again on the same day. (I hope that makes sense!)

Therefore, the reason that I only donated $1.00 to the DCCC (two times!) is because I already donated $3.00 (with a $0.21 tip to ActBlue) on September 2nd, 2024 (please see my 'September 2nd, 2024 Update No. 2, Written From September 2nd, 2024 To September 3rd, 2024, Which Also Discusses August 27th, 2024' that can be found above) and that is all I can afford this month; plus, the reason that I only donated $1.00 to the Harris for President campaign (two times!) is because I already donated $2.00 twice (with a $0.14 tip to ActBlue) on September 2nd, 2024 (please see my 'September 2nd, 2024 Update No. 3, Written On September 3rd, 2024, Which Also Discusses August 27th, 2024' that can be found above, as well as my 'September 2nd, 2024 Update No. 5, Written From September 4th, 2024 To September 9th, 2024, Which Also Discusses, August 30th, 2024, August 31st, 2024, September 1st, 2024 And September 2nd, 2024' that can be found above) and that is all I can afford this month; however, I did want to respond in order to split a donation between the DCCC and the Harris for President campaign, so that is why I made donations in the amount that I did. (Whew!)

---------------------------------------------

The sixth political communication to which I responded on September 22nd, 2024 was an email from the Democratic Party Committee Abroad (Democrats Abroad, or DA) that I received on September 11th, 2024, with the subject line, "Fight for a future with Kamala Harris—Double Your Impact Today!", which stated the following:

Democratic Party Committee Abroad

Hi Paul,

Kamala Harris has a plan, and we do too!

Democrats Abroad is reaching out to millions of Americans around the world to help them vote this year.

Support our work for the future by donating today.

DONATE***

We are thrilled to be fighting for a leader whose conviction, eloquence and future focus is so clear. Let’s #dosomething!

Democratically yours,

[Name redacted]
[Title redacted], Democrats Abroad

P.S. Thanks to generous donors, every dollar you give today will be matched up to $25,000. Donate now and double your impact!

DEMOCRATS ABROAD

FIGHT FOR DEMOCRACY - DONATE

"The antidote to fear is action. Every dollar you give supports our work to elect Democrats who will fight to make a better life for ALL Americans. Join us by making a donation today".
[Name redacted]
[Title redacted] Democrats Abroad

Donate to Democrats Abroad, and help us reach Americans all over the world. Every dollar you donate goes to reach Americans outside the U.S. to help them register, request their ballot, and VOTE. With your help, we will make the difference.

When Americans abroad vote, Democrats in the U.S. win. We helped win the Senate and White House in 2020 we're gearing up to do it again in 2024!

1. Amount (US Dollars)

[  ] $34
[  ] $47
[  ] $100
[  ] $340
[  ] $1,000
[✓] OTHER: $1.00

Recurring donations are VERY useful.

[✓] One-time
[  ] Monthly

2. Your Information

Email: [redacted]
First Name: Paul
Last Name: Whiting
Billing country: [redacted]
Billing Address: [redacted]
City: [redacted]
State: [redacted]
Postal code: [redacted]
Phone (optional): [redacted]

[✓] Send email updates

$1.00 DONATE NOW

And so, I made a one-time donation to Democrats Abroad (DA) (this donation was made through NationBuilder, which does not offer a tip box) on September 22nd, 2024, since "Kamala Harris has a plan, and [Democrats Abroad does] too!" And "thanks to generous donors, every dollar [that I] give today will be matched up to $25,000."

P.S.: The reason that I only donated $1.00 to Democrats Abroad is because I already donated $2.00 (with a $0.14 tip to ActBlue) on September 2nd, 2024 (please see my 'September 2nd, 2024 Update No. 5, Written From September 4th, 2024 To September 9th, 2024, Which Also Discusses, August 30th, 2024, August 31st, 2024, September 1st, 2024 And September 2nd, 2024' that can be found above) and that is all I can afford this month; however, I did want to respond because Democrats Abroad is reaching out to millions of Americans around the world to help them vote this year, so that is why I made a donation in the amount that I did.

---------------------------------------------

The seventh political communication to which I responded on September 22nd, 2024 was an email from Voto Latino that I received on September 11th, 2024, with the subject line, "did you hear what Trump said last night?", which stated the following:

Did you watch the debate last night, Paul?

We did — and we laughed about a lot of the things he said.

But it's important to remember: Donald Trump's words still have an impact. His rhetoric around immigrants and abortion has emboldened sexist white supremacists to a level we couldn't have imagined in 2016.

He absolutely cannot be let back into the White House.

We need to block Trump’s path to victory by registering and engaging 500,000 Latino voters before Election Day. A $24 donation helps us reach one new voter in a swing state, will you quickly donate today?

If you've saved your payment information with ActBlue Express, your donation will go through immediately:

[  ] CHIP IN $24
[  ] CHIP IN $48
[  ] CHIP IN $72
[  ] CHIP IN $96
[  ] CHIP IN $120
[✓] ANOTHER AMOUNT***

Four more years of a Trump presidency would cause irreversible damage to our country. With the possibility of two more Supreme Court vacancies in the next few years, we need to make sure the leaders we elect strive to defend our freedoms and work to protect our democracy.

There’s simply too much at stake to sit this one out. We’re counting on you to give us the resources we need to keep Trump out of office — will you donate $24 to our voter registration efforts today?

Let’s get this done.

— Voto Latino

VOTO LATINO
It's your country. Represent!

HELP US REGISTER 500,000 LATINOS BEFORE ELECTION DAY!

Voto Latino has been hard at work registering thousands of voters across key swing states the past few months. But we can't slow down now — will you quickly pitch in to power our work?

From abortion rights to equal access to the ballot box, so much is at stake this cycle. We need to make sure our community's voice is heard on Election Day — that's why we've set the ambitious goal of registering 500,000 Latino voters before November 5th.

We've been making great progress toward our goal, but our registration and mobilization efforts take a lot of resources. So, will you donate to Voto Latino today? A $24 donation helps us reach one new voter in a swing state.

We can't do this without you!

Donate immediately:

Your contribution will benefit Voto Latino.

[  ] DONATE $25 →

[  ] DONATE $100 →

[  ] DONATE $250 →

[  ] DONATE $1,000 →

[✓] OTHER AMOUNT $1.00

Please leave a tip for ActBlue

Power the nonprofit fundraising platform Democratic candidates & progressive causes rely on.

[  ] Add $2 tip

[✓] Leave no tip

[  ] Add custom amount

And so, I made a one-time donation to Voto Latino (without a tip to ActBlue) on September 22nd, 2024, since "Donald Trump's ... rhetoric around immigrants and abortion has emboldened sexist white supremacists to a level we couldn't have imagined in 2016," which is why "four more years of a Trump presidency would cause irreversible damage to our country."

P.S.: The reason that I only donated $1.00 to Voto Latino is because I already donated $2.00 (with a $0.14 tip to ActBlue) on September 2nd, 2024 (please see my 'September 2nd, 2024 Update No. 5, Written From September 4th, 2024 To September 9th, 2024, Which Also Discusses, August 30th, 2024, August 31st, 2024, September 1st, 2024 And September 2nd, 2024' that can be found above) and that is all I can afford this month; however, I did want to respond because Voto Latino is counting on me to give them the resources they need to keep Trump out of office, so that is why I made a donation in the amount that I did.

---------------------------------------------

The eighth political communication to which I responded on September 22nd, 2024 was a text message that I received on September 11th, 2024, from the Democratic Association of Secretaries of State (DASS), which stated the following:

Last night, Donald Trump lied about the last election.

He cried about his crowd sizes.

And he proved to the American public he should never step foot in the Oval Office again.

Can you chip in $5 to elect Democratic Secretaries of State who will protect our democracy, ensure fair elections, and stand up against Trump’s efforts to undermine voting rights?***

Team DASS

Democratic Association of Secretaries of State

When federal action stalls, state laws decide the future of our republic. We can't let those laws fall into the hands of partisan, conspiracy-loving GOP legislatures.

Our Democratic Secretaries protect our elections — even when Congress is deadlocked. They're the last line of defense for your rights, and they need your help this year more than ever. Rush a donation now and defend our Secretaries of State!

Donate immediately:

Your contribution will benefit DASS PAC.

[  ] Donate $15 →

[  ] Donate $35 →

[  ] Donate $50 →

[  ] Donate $100 →

[  ] Donate $250 →

[✓] Other amount $1.00

Please leave a tip for ActBlue

Power the nonprofit fundraising platform Democratic candidates & progressive causes rely on.

[  ] Add $2 tip

[✓] Leave no tip

[  ] Add custom amount

And so, I made a one-time donation to the DASS (without a tip to ActBlue) on September 22nd, 2024, because "[on September 10th], Donald Trump lied about the last election," then "he cried about his crowd sizes" and "he proved to the American public he should never step foot in the Oval Office again."

P.S.: The reason that I only donated $1.00 to the DASS is because I already donated $2.00 (with a $0.14 tip to ActBlue) on September 2nd, 2024 (please see my 'September 2nd, 2024 Update No. 5, Written From September 4th, 2024 To September 9th, 2024, Which Also Discusses, August 30th, 2024, August 31st, 2024, September 1st, 2024 And September 2nd, 2024' that can be found above) and that is all I can afford this month; however, I did want to respond in order to elect Democratic Secretaries of State who will protect our democracy, ensure fair elections, and stand up against Trump’s efforts to undermine voting rights, so that is why I made a donation in the amount that I did.

---------------------------------------------

The ninth political communication to which I responded on September 22nd, 2024 was an email from the Democratic National Committee (DNC) that I received on September 11th, 2024, with the subject line, "Last night’s debate:", which stated the following:

Paul,

After last night’s debate, it’s clearer than ever: We must elect Kamala Harris in November.

If you agree, use this link to make your next donation to the DNC:***

Elections are about choices, Paul.

Right now, we have a choice between turning the page and going forward with Kamala Harris or allowing Donald Trump to drag us backward. That choice was on full display last night.

As Trump and his allies stick to his campaign of revenge, retribution, and rehashing the past, Kamala is focused on protecting our rights and strengthening our democracy.

It’s up to us to make sure as many people as possible are seeing the contrast in this race and are voting accordingly. But it’s not going to be easy. Trump and his allies are running attack ad after attack ad in key swing states. And in some states, voters will begin casting ballots next week. We are running out of time to reach and persuade voters.

That’s why we’re asking: Will you rush a $100 contribution to the DNC now to help fund our work to reach voters and elect Democrats across the country after last night’s debate?

If you've stored your info with ActBlue, we'll process your contribution instantly.

[  ] DONATE $50
[  ] DONATE $100
[  ] DONATE $200
[  ] DONATE $300
[  ] DONATE $500
[✓] OTHER AMOUNT***

Thanks for everything,

The Democrats

DEMOCRATS

Donate to the DNC and help elect Democrats nationwide!

Trump and his far-right allies are raising millions of dollars to lift up extreme MAGA Republican candidates running at all levels across the country.

We're counting on this grassroots team to help us fight back and Invest in the resources our candidates rely on to compete and win year after year. Rush a donation today >>

Donate immediately:

Your contribution will benefit The Democratic National Committee (DNC).

[✓] $1 →

[  ] $20 →

[  ] $50 →

[  ] $100 →

[  ] $250 →

[  ] $1,000 →

[  ] $2,000 →

[  ] Other

Please leave a tip for ActBlue

Power the nonprofit fundraising platform Democratic candidates & progressive causes rely on.

[  ] Add $2 tip

[✓] Leave no tip

[  ] Add custom amount

And so, I made a one-time donation to the DNC (without a tip to ActBlue) on September 22nd, 2024, because "after last night’s debate [September 10th], it’s clearer than ever: We must elect Kamala Harris in November," since "right now, we have a choice between turning the page and going forward with Kamala Harris or allowing Donald Trump to drag us backward" and "that choice was on full display last night [September 10th]."

P.S.: The reason that I only donated $1.00 to the DNC is because I already donated $3.00 (with a $0.21 tip to ActBlue) on September 2nd, 2024 (please see my 'September 2nd, 2024 Update No. 4, Written On September 4th, 2024, Which Also Discusses August 27th, 2024' that can be found above) and that is all I can afford this month; however, I did want to respond in order to contribute to the DNC now to help fund their work to reach voters and elect Democrats across the country after September 10th's debate, so that is why I made a donation in the amount that I did.

---------------------------------------------

The tenth political communication to which I responded on September 22nd, 2024 was an email from VoteVets that I received on September 11th, 2024, with the subject line, "Veterans — Not Suckers or Losers", which stated, in part, the following:

Paul —

We all saw what happened last night.

Kamala Harris took Trump to task. ... She landed consistent, consecutive hits on his failures as a president and his insults and degradations to the wounded, to the fallen, to Veterans, Military Families, and Gold Star Parents.

We haven’t forgotten, Donald. We are Veterans, not “Suckers” and “Losers,” and we are going to make sure you lose this election.

We just got 4000 more of our most popular yard signs delivered to our warehouse. Today — especially after last night’s debate — we thought you might want to pick up one of these.

Contribute $35 or more and we will ship our “I'm A Veteran, Not A Sucker Or A Loser” sign directly to you.

GET YOUR SIGN***

Thanks,

The team at VoteVets

[Blogger's Note: I selected this email from VoteVets — in order to contribute regarding the September 10th, 2024 presidential debate — even though I was not planning to buy the above-mentioned yard sign, since I am not a veteran.]

VoteVets

Stand with veterans against Trump

Your contribution to Votevets sends a powerful message that you are committed to elevating the voices of veterans and military families to take on Donald Trump's policies that put our veterans and nation's security at risk.

Donate immediately:

Your contribution will benefit VoteVets.org.

[  ] Donate $10 →

[  ] Donate $25 →

[  ] Donate $50 →

[  ] Donate $100 →

[  ] Donate $250 →

[  ] Donate $500 →

[  ] Donate $1,000 →

[✓] Other amount $1.00

Please leave a tip for ActBlue

Power the nonprofit fundraising platform Democratic candidates & progressive causes rely on.

[  ] Add $2 tip

[✓] Leave no tip

[  ] Add custom amount

And so, I made a one-time donation to VoteVets (without a tip to ActBlue) on September 22nd, 2024, because "[the Veterans of the U.S. Military] haven’t forgotten [what you said], Donald," since "[they] are Veterans, not “Suckers” and “Losers.”

P.S.: The reason that I only donated $1.00 to VoteVets is because I already donated $2.00 (with a $0.14 tip to ActBlue) on September 2nd, 2024 (please see my 'September 2nd, 2024 Update No. 5, Written From September 4th, 2024 To September 9th, 2024, Which Also Discusses, August 30th, 2024, August 31st, 2024, September 1st, 2024 And September 2nd, 2024' that can be found above) and that is all I can afford this month; however, I did want to respond in order to stand with veterans against Trump, so that is why I made a donation in the amount that I did.

---------------------------------------------

The eleventh political communication to which I responded on September 22nd, 2024 was a text message that I received on September 11th, 2024, from the Voters of Tomorrow PAC (Voters of Tomorrow Political Action Committee, or VOT PAC), which stated the following:

Hey, it’s [name redacted], VOT PAC’s 16 year old [title redacted]. As of last night [September 10th], Paul… EVERYTHING has changed!

Huge developments:

1) Kamala Harris proved that she is BEYOND qualified and ready to be the next President. She crushed Trump in the debate!

2) [Name redacted], one of the most influential celebrities in the world, endorsed VP Harris, and called on us to register to vote and turn out this November.

As a huge fan of [name redacted], I’m listening to her call to action!

VOT is fired up and ready to register and turn out Gen Z voters in key swing states, to elect Kamala Harris on November 5! But we need adults like you to help make it happen.

Please, will you rush $27 to help VOT register SIX new Gen Z voters and elect Kamala Harris president? Donate before midnight! >>***

Are you ready for it?

[Name redacted]
VOT PAC

VOTERS OF TOMORROW
POLITICAL ACTION COMMITTEE

Donate to Voters of Tomorrow PAC!

Help us turn out Gen Z in DROVES and defeat MAGA Republicans!

With your contribution, Voters of Tomorrow PAC will be able to tum out Gen Z against Republicans all across the country.

Can you pitch in below to fund our efforts? >>

Donate immediately.

Your contribution will benefit Voters of Tomorrow PAC.

[  ] Donate $10 →

[  ] Donate $27 →

[  ] Donate $50 →

[  ] Donate $100 →

[  ] Donate $250 →

[  ] Donate $500 →

[  ] Donate $2,024 →

[✓] Other amount $1.00

Please leave a tip for ActBlue

Power the nonprofit fundraising platform Democratic candidates & progressive causes rely on.

[  ] Add $2 tip

[✓] Leave no tip

[  ] Add custom amount

And so, I made a one-time donation to the Voters of Tomorrow PAC (VOT PAC) (without a tip to ActBlue) on September 22nd, 2024, since "as of last night [September 10th] … EVERYTHING has changed," because "Kamala Harris [has] proved that she is BEYOND qualified and ready to be the next President."

P.S.: The reason that I only donated $1.00 to the Voters of Tomorrow PAC (VOT PAC) is because I already donated $2.00 (with a $0.14 tip to ActBlue) on September 2nd, 2024 (please see my 'September 2nd, 2024 Update No. 5, Written From September 4th, 2024 To September 9th, 2024, Which Also Discusses, August 30th, 2024, August 31st, 2024, September 1st, 2024 And September 2nd, 2024' that can be found above) and that is all I can afford this month; however, I did want to respond in order to help VOT PAC register and turn out Gen Z voters in key swing states, to elect Kamala Harris on November 5th, so that is why I made a donation in the amount that I did.

---------------------------------------------

The twelfth political communication to which I responded on September 22nd, 2024 was an email from Ban Assault Weapons NOW PAC [Ban Assault Weapons NOW (BAWN) Political Action Committee, or BAWN PAC] that I received on September 11th, 2024, with the subject line, "Paul's Presidential Debate digital interview", which stated the following:

Paul Whiting: You’ve been chosen as one of [5] respondents from [ZIP Code redacted] to grade Vice President Harris’ performance at the 2024 Presidential Debate.

We are closing this exclusive poll at 11:59 PM on 09/11/24.

2024 PRESIDENTIAL DEBATE EXCLUSIVE POLL | EXCLUSIVE POLL
Click here to begin →***
DUE: 09/11/24 | 11:59 PM

How would you rate Vice President Harris’ performance at the 2024 Presidential Debate last night? >>

[✓] EXCELLENT >>
[  ] GOOD >>
[  ] AVERAGE >>
[  ] POOR >>
[  ] TERRIBLE >>

Paul, Vice President Harris [OUT PERFORMED] Donald Trump in her first Presidential debate last night.

We’re INSPIRED by all of Harris and Biden's progress while in office – and we couldn’t be prouder of Harris’ performance last night.

We can’t wait to elect a strong gun safety champion like Kamala Harris to the Oval Office.

But it turns out some folks aren’t on board yet.

So we’re reaching out to our top supporters to see what grassroots gun safety Democrats – like you! – actually think.

And you are [1] of only [5] people selected from [ZIP Code redacted].

Your grade is critical to helping us defeat gun-lobby-backed Republican candidates like Donald Trump and JD Vance and ELECT bold gun safety Democrats. So will you complete our exclusive poll before 11:59 PM tonight to give us your input? >>

How would you rate Vice President Harris’ performance at the 2024 Presidential Debate last night? >>

[✓] EXCELLENT >>
[  ] GOOD >>
[  ] AVERAGE >>
[  ] POOR >>
[  ] TERRIBLE >>

Thank you,

Team Ban Assault Weapons Now

Action Network

GRADE KAMALA HARRIS' FIRST PRESIDENTIAL DEBATE PERFORMANCE

Responses due by 11:59 PM

SPONSORED BY
BAN ASSAULT WEAPONS NOW PAC

COMPLETE YOUR POLL RESPONSES >>

Welcome back, Paul!

How would you rate Vice President Harris' debate performance?

[✓] Excellent
[  ] Good
[  ] Average
[  ] Poor
[  ] Terrible

Do you approve of Vice President Harris?

[✓] Yes
[  ] No

On a scale of 1-5, how would you rate the job Kamala Harris has done as Vice President?

[✓] 5-Great
[  ] 4-Good
[  ] 3-Average
[  ] 2-Poor
[  ] 1-Bad

Which of the Biden/Harris Administration actions do you support? (Select all that apply)

[  ] Declaring gun violenice a public health emergency
[  ] Opening the first White House Office of Gun Violence Prevention
[  ] Promoting safe firearm storage
[  ] Touring the site of the Parkland Massacre
[  ] Meeting with countless gun violence and mass shooting survivors and familles
[  ] Passing the most significant federal gun safety legislation in decades
[  ] Advocating to reinstate the Federal Assault Weapons Ban
[✓] ALL OF THE ABOVE

Are you concerned by Trump and his MAGA Republicans' attempts is discredit Kamala Harris' reputation and Image?

[✓] Yes
[  ] No

Would you support a massive campaign to elect a wave of gun safety Democrats in key swing states to defeat the gun lobby's cronies like Trump and Vance?

[✓] Yes!

Donald Trump is leading the race for the White House. We need strong Democrats to step up FAST, otherwise:

− Gun-lobby-backed Republicans could HOLD the House
− The GOP could TAKE BACK the Senate
− Donald Trump could WIN the Presidency!

BAWN is working around the clock to keep Trump and his extreme Republicans out of power. We've already rushed $50,000 to gun safety Democrats running in critical Swing States that we need to WIN to defeat Trump.

But we're counting on 500 donations before midnight to replenish our bank accounts and deliver the help our incredible gun safety Democrats need.

Can we court on you in make a small donation to DEFEAT Trump and gun-lobby-backed Republicans and elect the gun safety Trifecta we deserve?

Yes, I'll chip in $5 >>***
Yes, I'll chip in $15 (the most helpful amount) >>
Yes, I'll chip in $27 >>
Yes, I'll chip in $52 >>
Yes, I'll go above and beyond and chip in $100 >>

SUBMIT

*[Blogger's Note: I selected this option—although I donated less than $5—because it's an option that got me to the donation webpage!]

---------------------------------------------

RUSH IN A CONTRIBUTION!

BAWN is working tirelessly to kick every coward who refuses to ban assault weapons out of office and elect critical gun safety champions in their place but we can't fully fund our campaign alone.

Will you rush in a gift before midnight? The more you give, the more we give to gun safety champions.

Donate immediately:

Your contribution will benefit Ban Assault Weapons NOW PAC.

[  ] Donate $25 →

[  ] Donate $50 →

[  ] Donate $100 →

[  ] Donate $250 →

[  ] Donate $500 →

[  ] Donate $1,000 →

[✓] Other amount $1.00

Please leave a tip for ActBlue

Power the nonprofit fundraising platform Democratic candidates & progressive causes rely on.

[  ] Add $2 tip

[✓] Leave no tip

[  ] Add custom amount

And so, I made a one-time donation to Ban Assault Weapons NOW PAC (BAWN PAC) (without a tip to ActBlue) on September 22nd, 2024, in order to respond to the question "How would you rate Vice President Harris’ performance at the 2024 Presidential Debate last night [September 10th]?" with a resounding 'EXCELLENT!'

P.S.: The reason that I only donated $1.00 to the Ban Assault Weapons NOW PAC is because I already donated $2.00 (with a $0.14 tip to ActBlue) on September 2nd, 2024 (please see my 'September 2nd, 2024 Update No. 5, Written From September 4th, 2024 To September 9th, 2024, Which Also Discusses, August 30th, 2024, August 31st, 2024, September 1st, 2024 And September 2nd, 2024' that can be found above) and that is all I can afford this month; however, I did want to respond in order to rate Vice President Harris’ performance at the 2024 Presidential Debate on September 10th, so that is why I made a donation in the amount that I did.

---------------------------------------------

The thirteenth political communication to which I responded on September 22nd, 2024 was an email from the Democratic Senatorial Campaign Committee (DSCC) that I received on September 11th, 2024, with the subject line, "Especially today.", which stated the following:

Paul, last night I debated Donald Trump.

It was a crucial moment for our campaign, and we must keep up our momentum to defeat Trump and his extremist Republican allies in 55 days.

Will you split a $55 donation between the Democratic Senatorial Campaign Committee and our campaign today? There has never been a more important moment to help elect me, Tim, and Democrats to the Senate.

If you've saved your payment information with ActBlue Express, your donation will process immediately and be split between Harris for President and the DSCC.

[  ] DONATE $55
[  ] DONATE $110
[  ] DONATE $220
[✓] OTHER AMOUNT***

Our campaign is committed to electing Democrats at every level, from Congress to state legislatures across our nation. That's why we are making unprecedented investments to ensure Democrats across the country have the resources they need to fight — and win — in November.

Paul, we must maintain our Democratic majority in the Senate to protect our fundamental freedoms, deliver on the promise of America, and turn the page on Donald Trump.

Without the support of Senate Democrats holding our majority, we won't be able to build on our progress.

Please split a $55 donation right now between the Democratic Senatorial Campaign Committee and my campaign to elect me as your next President and defeat Donald Trump and his extremist Republican allies.

Ours is a fight for the future. I am deeply grateful to have you in this fight alongside me and Democrats nationwide.

Thank you,

Kamala Harris
Vice President of the United States

DSCC

Donate to Kamala Harris and the DSCC today!

I am excited to continue to work toward our vision for a better future for all. But, we also need to expand Democrats majority in the Senate to continue to deliver progress for the American people.

If that's all you need to hear, then split a donation between the DSCC and my campaign today.

-Kamala Harris

Split your donation:

Total contribution $2.00

Customize amounts

DSCC $1.00

Kamala Harris (President) $1.00

Donate $2

Please leave a tip for ActBlue

Power the nonprofit fundraising platform Democratic candidates & progressive causes rely on.

[ ] Add $2 tip

[✓] Leave no tip

[ ] Add custom amount

And so, I made a one-time donation to the DSCC and the Harris for President campaign (without a tip to ActBlue) on September 22nd, 2024, in order to "split a [$2] donation right now between the Democratic Senatorial Campaign Committee and [Vice President Kamala Harris's] campaign to elect [her] as [our] next President and defeat Donald Trump and his extremist Republican allies."

P.S.: The reason that I only donated $1.00 to the DSCC is because I already donated $2.00 (with a $0.14 tip to ActBlue) on September 2nd, 2024 (please see my 'September 2nd, 2024 Update No. 5, Written From September 4th, 2024 To September 9th, 2024, Which Also Discusses, August 30th, 2024, August 31st, 2024, September 1st, 2024 And September 2nd, 2024' that can be found above) and that is all I can afford this month; plus, the reason that I only donated $1.00 to the Harris for President campaign is because I already donated $2.00 twice (with a $0.14 tip to ActBlue) on September 2nd, 2024 (please see my 'September 2nd, 2024 Update No. 3, Written On September 3rd, 2024, Which Also Discusses August 27th, 2024' that can be found above, as well as my 'September 2nd, 2024 Update No. 5, Written From September 4th, 2024 To September 9th, 2024, Which Also Discusses, August 30th, 2024, August 31st, 2024, September 1st, 2024 And September 2nd, 2024' that can be found above) and that is all I can afford this month; however, I did want to respond in order to split a donation between the DSCC and the Harris for President campaign, so that is why I made a donation in the amount that I did.

---------------------------------------------

The fourteenth political communication to which I responded on September 22nd, 2024 was an email from March For Our Lives (MFOL) that I received on September 11th, 2024, with the subject line, "Trump’s “after birth abortions”: School shootings", which stated the following:

MARCH
FOR OUR
LIVES

Paul, did you watch the debate last night?

There was not one question or mention of gun violence…

Trump continued to show who he was by spewing nonsense about “after-birth executions.” Here’s what we had to say about that:

[START OF 'POST' ON "X," FORMERLY TWITTER]

March For Our Lives
@AMarch4OurLives

Yeah we do have "after birth" executions they're called school shootings.

9:22 PM Sep 10, 2024 • 591.5K Views

[END OF 'POST' ON "X," FORMERLY TWITTER]

Trump and the far-right keep saying they want to “protect human lives.” That’s a lie. To them, that means removing critical reproductive rights, continuing to separate families at the border, chipping away at gun safety legislation, and advancing the dangerous ideas of Project 2025.

Protecting human lives means ending gun violence, period. But that means that our lives would have to be put AHEAD of the gun lobby.

There’s only one candidate who has the record on gun violence and has committed to being a gun safety champion and that’s Kamala Harris.

Now is the time for us to throw our weight behind her. November is quickly approaching and we still have a lot of work to do to mobilize the youth vote behind her. Can you help us out by donating $10 now?

Donate $10 ››

In solidarity,

March For Our Lives Action Fund

MARCH FOR OUR LIVES

Fuel the movement to end gun violence.

Thank you for supporting the March For Our Lives Action Fund! Grassroots donors like you are the backbone of our youth-led movement.

In 2018, we marched so that no more families had to face the devastation of losing a loved one to senseless gun violence. Since then, over 175,000 lives have been taken by guns.

We cannot accept empty words from "leaders" as we watch kids die. Donate to fuel our organizing to defeat the gun lobby, pass sensible legislation, and turn out youth to vote for gun safety champions up and down the ballot.

DONATE IMMEDIATELY:

Your contribution will benefit March For Our Lives Action Fund.

[  ] Donate $5 →

[  ] Donate $10 →

[  ] Donate $20.24 →

[  ] Donate $100 →

[  ] Donate $500 →

[✓] Other amount $1.00

Please leave a tip for ActBlue

Power the nonprofit fundraising platform Democratic candidates & progressive causes rely on.

[  ] Add $2 tip

[✓] Leave no tip

[  ] Add custom amount

And so, I made a one-time donation to March For Our Lives (MFOL) (without a tip to ActBlue) on September 22nd, 2024, because "there’s only one candidate who has the record on gun violence and has committed to being a gun safety champion and that’s Kamala Harris."

P.S.: The reason that I only donated $1.00 to March For Our Lives is because I already donated $2.00 (without a tip to ActBlue) on September 2nd, 2024 (please see my 'September 2nd, 2024 Update No. 6, Written On September 9th, 2024,' which can be found above) and that is all I can afford this month; however, I did want to respond with a contribution to MFOL because protecting human lives means ending gun violence, so that is why I made a donation in the amount that I did.

---------------------------------------------

The fifteenth political communication to which I (almost) responded (to) on September 22nd, 2024 (but I didn't donate to until the next day, September 23rd, 2024) was an email from the Democratic Governors Association (DGA) that I received on September 11th, 2024, with the subject line, "Would you give Kamala an 🅰️?", which stated the following:

"I believe very strongly that the American people want a president who understands the importance of bringing us together knowing we have so much more in common than what separates us. And I pledge to you to be a president for all Americans."
Vice President Kamala Harris

How would you grade Kamala Harris' debate performance?

[✓] A
[  ] B
[  ] C
[  ] D
[  ] F

Did you see last night's debate between Vice President Kamala Harris and Donald Trump, Paul?

Putting these two polar-opposite candidates on the same stage made the stakes clearer than ever. We can either have a president who will work to strengthen our democracy and deliver for our families and communities or one who will only work to further an extremist agenda that will do irreparable harm to our nation.

So for us, the choice is simple: Kamala Harris must become our next president.

After last night's debate, we're more fired up than ever to do everything in our power during the final days before the election to keep the White House blue, elect Democratic candidates up and down the ballot, and fight back against Trump's MAGA agenda.

Now that the debate is behind us, there are just 55 days left until Election Day – that means it's urgent that we hear from YOU, Paul. 63% believe that Kamala won the debate, but we need 100 Democrats in [ZIP Code redacted] to complete this rapid-response live poll and let us know:

How would you grade Kamala Harris' debate performance?

[✓] A
[  ] B
[  ] C
[  ] D
[  ] F

DGA
Democratic Governors Association

OFFICIAL HARRIS DEBATE PERFORMANCE REPORT CARD: RESPONSE URGENTLY REQUESTED!

Thank you for responding to this urgent rapid response poll. With just 53 days to go until Election Day, we're running out of time to ensure our candidates have the resources they need to win, so it is urgent that we hear from supporters like you at this moment. So please, take two minutes to answer a few questions about the upcoming election. Survey Deadline: 11:59 p.m.

Email: [redacted]
Cell phone: [redacted]

PLEASE CONFIRM: How would you grade Kamala Harris' debate performance?

[✓] A
[  ] B
[  ] C
[  ] D
[  ] F

On Tuesday night, Kamala Harris' vision for her first term as America's first Black woman president was on full display. Which aspects of Kamala's agenda for her first term as president most excite you?

[✓] Taking corporations to task for their price-gouging to lower costs for working families
[✓] Defending and expanding reproductive rights like abortion access, availability of contraceptives, and IVF [in vitro fertilization]
[✓] Expanding access to affordable health care and lowering prices of prescription medications
[✓] Investing in the economy to continue creating jobs and keep unemployment low
[✓] Defending Medicare and Social Security from the GOP's attacks
[✓] Battling gun violence so our families can live free from fear
[  ] Other:

Meanwhile, Donald Trump used his time on the debate stage to spew hate, bold-faced lies, and misinformation, all while continuing to put forward his extreme MAGA agenda. In light of his statements on Tuesday night, how concerned are you about the future of our country if we allow Republican extremists to win up and down the ballot in November?

[✓] Extremely worried
[  ] Very worried
[  ] Somewhat worried
[  ] Not at all worried

Ever since Kamala Harris announced her candidacy, presidential polling has been razor thin.

Do you believe that strong, competitive Democratic candidates for governor will help Kamala Harris along her path to victory in critical swing states like New Hampshire and North Carolina?

[✓] Yes
[  ] No

Democratic governors are our first line of defense against Trump's nightmare agenda, and with 11 gubernatorial races on the ballot, we're counting on your support to ensure we can help usher ALL our candidates to victory. Will you invest $100 or more to help us elect Democratic governors across the country to defeat the GOP's radical right-wing agenda once and for all?

Please use the option below to start a weekly donation through ActBlue:

[  ] Yes, I will give $100!
[✓] No, I can't give that much.

We understand that giving at that level might be tough. But the DGA is working tirelessly to elect Democrats across the country. And with Republicans pushing an extremist agenda, we can't afford to miss any fundraising goals.

But we just pulled your supporter record, and here's what we found:

Email: [redacted]
Given to DGA today? Not Yet
Suggested donation: $44

With Election Day just 53 days away, we can't afford to miss any fundraising goals. But right now, we're $150,000 short of what we need to raise before our next big deadline. Please, before midnight tonight: Will you give $44 or whatever you can?

Please use the options below to start a weekly donation through ActBlue:

[  ] Yes, I'll give $22.
[  ] Yes, I'll give $44! (suggested donation)
[✓] Yes, and I'll give more!*

*[Blogger's Note: I selected this option—although I made a one-time donation, rather than a weekly donation—because it's an option that got me to the donation webpage!]

---------------------------------------------

DONATE NOW
DEADLINE: MIDNIGHT

With 11 governors' races on the ballot this November, including in key toss-up staten like New Hampshire and North Carolina, the blue firewall that we rely on to stop the GOP's extremist agenda is at risk. We're giving it our all to support them, but right now, we're falling dangerously short of our fundraising goals.

That's why a group of generous donors is matching all gifts up to our $25,000 goal before midnight tonight. Time is running out to have your gift DOUBLED up to our goal: Give now to elect Democratic governors and preserve our blue firewall!

Make it weekly!

[  ] Yes, count me in!
[✓] No, donate once

Donate immediately:

Your contribution will benefit Democratic Action.

[  ] Donate $44 →

[  ] Donate $88 →

[  ] Donate $220 →

[  ] Donate $440 →

[  ] Donate $880 →

[  ] Donate $1,760 →

[✓] Other amount $1.00

Please leave a tip for ActBlue

Power the nonprofit fundraising platform Democratic candidates & progressive causes rely on.

[  ] Add $2 tip

[✓] Leave no tip

[  ] Add custom amount

And so, I made a one-time donation to the DGA (without a tip to ActBlue) on September 23rd, 2024 (rather than on September 22nd, 2024, as noted above) in order to answer the question "Would you give Kamala an 🅰️?" with a resounding 'Yes!'

P.S.: The reason that I only donated $1.00 to the DGA is because I already donated $2.00 (with a $0.14 tip to ActBlue) on September 2nd, 2024 (please see my 'September 2nd, 2024 Update No. 5, Written From September 4th, 2024 To September 9th, 2024, Which Also Discusses, August 30th, 2024, August 31st, 2024, September 1st, 2024 And September 2nd, 2024' that can be found above) and that is all I can afford this month; however, I did want to respond because after [September 10th's] debate, [the DGA is] more fired up than ever to do everything in [their] power during the final days before the election to keep the White House blue, elect Democratic candidates up and down the ballot, and fight back against Trump's MAGA agenda, so that is why I made a donation in the amount that I did.

Thus, these seven organizations—the DLCC, the DCCC, the DA, the DASS, the DNC, the DSCC, as well as the DGA—plus, this one campaign—Harris for President, or the Harris Victory Fund—plus, these five Political Action Committees (PACs)—EMILYs List, Rolling Sea Action Fund, VoteVets, Voters of Tomorrow PAC, as well as Ban Assault Weapons NOW PAC—plus, this one civic engagement organization—Voto Latino—plus, this one social welfare organization—March For Our Lives—are the political organizations, the political campaign, as well as the PACs, the civic engagement organization and the social welfare organization that I donated to on September 22nd, 2024! –Paul Whiting (from September 23rd, 2024 to September 27th, 2024, revised October 1st, 2024, revised October 3rd, 2024 and revised October 12th, 2024)

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September 23rd, 2024 Update No. 1: I received an email from CREDO Mobile (which is my cell phone company) today, September 23rd, 2024, with the subject line, "Sign the petition: Tell Companies to Stop Removing DEI Programs", which stated the following:

Dear Fellow Progressive,

Companies and Universities across the U.S. are caving to conservative pressure and quietly shutting down their Diversity, Equity and Inclusion programs (DEI programs).

These programs focus on creating a just and equitable workplace for racial and ethnic minorities, the LGBTQ+ community, women, and others who have historically faced discrimination in the workplace. After facing backlash from conservative groups, many companies and universities have minimized or removed DEI programs.

We need to urge companies to stand strong in the face of these attacks.

Sign the petition to tell companies to stop removing DEI programs.

Sign the Petition Today***

Civic Shout

Tell Companies: Stop Removing DEI Programs

Companies and Universities across the U.S. are caving to conservative pressure and quietly shutting down their Diversity, Equity and Inclusion programs (DEI programs).

These programs focus on creating a just and equitable workplace for racial and ethnic minorities, the LGBTQ+ community, women, and others who have historically faced discrimination in the workplace.

After facing backlash from conservative groups, companies like Harley-Davidson, Google, Johnson & Johnson, Tractor Supply, and more have minimized or removed DEI programs.

We can't allow right-wing attacks to take us backwards and reverse the progress corporate America has made in recent decades. Sign the petition to tell companies to stop removing DEI programs.

Many of these companies have faced online pressure from conservative activists like [name redacted], who specializes in "exposing" DEI programs and company efforts to create a more equitable environment for employees.

And earlier this summer, [name redacted] along with other senators introduced a bill to end all DEI programs in the federal government.

We need to urge companies to stand strong in the face of these attacks: Sign the petition today to tell companies to stop removing DEI programs.

ADD YOUR NAME:

First Name: Whiting
Last Name: Paul
Email: [redacted]
Zip/Postal Code: [redacted]

Level up your activism with text alerts!

Cell phone (not landline): [redacted]

Thus, I signed the petition, via the CivicShout.com website, to "tell companies: stop removing DEI programs." –Paul Whiting (September 23rd, 2024)

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September 23rd, 2024 Update No. 2, Which Also Discusses September 22nd, 2024: I received a mailer from Planned Parenthood Federal PAC (Planned Parenthood Federal Political Action Committee) yesterday, September 22nd, 2024, which stated the following:

[I used to hand-type the text of the documents from these types of mailers on my smartphone; however, it takes a lot of time and energy in order to hand-type these kinds of documents: so, instead, I scanned and copied the documents using Google Lens! Then, I edited the copy of said documents to include all of the italicizing, bolding and/or underscoring where applicable.]

Planned Parenthood®
Act. No matter what.
Planned Parenthood Federal PAC

Dear Mr. Whiting.

The 2024 election will reshape reproductive rights in this country.

Anti-abortion politicians have clear plans to push their anti-abortion agenda if they win in November. They will eliminate our rights, ban abortion nationwide, criminalize gender-affirming care, and restrict birth control and IVF.

In the two years since the U.S. Supreme Court took away our federal constitutional right to abortion, 21 states and counting have banned all or some abortion.

Their actions go against the will of the American people, 85% of whom believe that abortion should be legal. If we allow these out-of-touch politicians to hold elected office, their dangerous assault on reproductive rights, including abortion, will continue to grow — and millions of Americans will keep paying the price.

You know that abortion rights and access are fragile. November's election will either strengthen or shatter them.

That's why I urge you to make a gift of $20, $35, or even $50 to the Planned Parenthood Federal PAC today.

Planned Parenthood Federal PAC is doing everything in our power to secure sexual and reproductive health care victories on November 5, including protecting the pro-abortion rights majority in the US. Senate.

If anti-abortion politicians gain a majority in the Senate and the presidency, they will implement Project 2025, an unprecedented conservative agenda that would fundamentally alter the American government. There will be nothing standing in the way of a federal abortion ban, which would end legal abortion access in all 50 states. Already, courts are stacked with justices who have long anti-abortion records and the power to strip away our rights.

Together, with your support, we must help elect champions who will protect the nation from more judges hell-bent on eliminating our reproductive freedom.

The Planned Parenthood Federal PAC has identified key races to maintain a pro- reproductive rights majority in the U.S. Senate. Please support our efforts today as we aggressively defend senators in Montana, Nevada. New York, Ohio, Wisconsin, and more.

These races could ripple down-ballot and shape the nation — rallying voters to support more reproductive rights champions, such as governors and legislators.

Election Day is fast approaching, and we still have a lot more work to do.

Abortion opponents are manipulating the public, twisting their extreme positions and track records on abortion to appear more moderate. Planned Parenthood Federal PAC is working hard to make sure voters know the truth when they show up at the polls.

This year, with so much on the line, Planned Parenthood Federal PAC has to ramp up its efforts.

Planned Parenthood Action Fund-endorsed candidates need to know that the Planned Parenthood Federal PAC will support them and their campaigns however we can. But Planned Parenthood Federal PAC needs your help to make this happen. Your contribution will help bolster reproductive rights champions in some of the most competitive races in the country.

You know what a difference Planned Parenthood Federal PAC's support can make.

I'm sure you know that the stakes are high this election, and nothing can be taken for granted. That's why I'm asking every supporter to contribute. We need your leadership to ensure that the 2024 elections will advance reproductive freedom for years to come.

Please rush your gift to the Planned Parenthood Federal PAC as soon as you possibly can. Every day brings us closer to this decisive election — and every dollar counts.

Thank you for your powerful allegiance to this fight.

In solidarity,

[Name redacted]
[Title redacted] and [Title redacted]
Planned Parenthood Action Fund

P.S. By supporting reproductive health champions and fighting against anti-abortion rights politicians, we will build durable and more expansive abortion rights. Planned Parenthood Federal PAC is working to do just that. Please make a generous contribution today.

And so, I made a one-time donation to Planned Parenthood Federal PAC today, September 23rd, 2024, in order to show my support for Planned Parenthood Federal PAC, due to the following: "If anti-abortion politicians gain a majority in the Senate and the presidency, they will implement Project 2025, an unprecedented conservative agenda that would fundamentally alter the American government. There will be nothing standing in the way of a federal abortion ban, which would end legal abortion access in all 50 states. Already, courts are stacked with justices who have long anti-abortion records and the power to strip away our rights." That is why I contributed to Planned Parenthood Federal PAC because "abortion opponents are manipulating the public, twisting their extreme positions and track records on abortion to appear more moderate" and "Planned Parenthood Federal PAC is working hard to make sure voters know the truth when they show up at the polls." –Paul Whiting (September 23rd, 2024)

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September 24th, 2024 Update No. 1: I received a text message today, September 24th, 2024, from the Marine Toys for Tots Foundation, which stated the following:

Hi Paul, this is LtGen [name redacted], [title redacted] & [title redacted] of the Marine Toys for Tots Foundation. So many children living below the poverty level in our country don't experience the joy of reading. That's why we've launched Operation Turn the Page: to bring age-appropriate books to girls & boys in need! Proficient readers have a far greater chance of succeeding in school & breaking the cycle of poverty, so click now & help us give them the tools they need to succeed through the power of reading.***

MARINE TOYS FOR TOTS

Help children
Turn the Page
on poverty!

Your donation will help children in need succeed so they can turn the page on poverty. A full 100% of your gift will go directly to providing books and other educational resources to underprivileged children.

Your gift of:

$57 celebrates the 57+ million books already distributed through our Literacy Program.
$80 helps offset the summer learning loss experienced by 80% of children living in poverty.
$100 represents the fact that 100% of your gift will go to support childhood literacy programs.

Donation Information

[  ] $50
[  ] $75
[  ] $100
[  ] $150
[✓] $5

Contact Information

First Name: Paul
Last Name: Whiting
Street Address: [redacted]
Address Line 2 (Optional): [redacted]
Postal Code: [redacted]
City: [redacted]
State: [redacted]
Email: [redacted]
Phone (optional):

Donate $5

And so, I made a one-time donation to the Marine Toys for Tots Foundation since "so many children living below the poverty level in our country don't experience the joy of reading" and "that's why [Toys for Tots has] launched Operation Turn the Page: to bring age-appropriate books to girls & boys in need!" –Paul Whiting (September 24th, 2024)

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September 25th, 2024 Update No. 1: "If You See Something, Say Something®" Awareness Day (a.k.a. #SeeSayDay) is today, September 25th, 2024, since "If You See Something, Say Something® #SeeSayDay" is yearly (annually) on September 25th, as explained below from the U.S. Department of Homeland Security "If you see something, say something" website:

"If You See Something, Say Something®" is a national campaign that raises public awareness of the signs of terrorism and terrorism-related crime, and how to report suspicious activity to state and local law enforcement.

We all play a role in keeping our communities safe. It’s easy to be distracted during our daily routines such as going to work, school, or the grocery store, but as you’re going about your day, if you see something that doesn’t seem quite right, say something.

About the Campaign

Learn about the campaign’s mission, history, and other resources available.

Learn More: https://www.dhs.gov/see-something-say-something/about-campaign

Participate in the Campaign

Help your community or organization recognize the signs of suspicious activity and learn how to report it to local authorities.

Get Involved: https://www.dhs.gov/see-something-say-something/get-involved

Recognize Suspicious Activity

Stay alert and say something when you see signs of suspicious activity.

Learn the Signs: https://www.dhs.gov/see-something-say-something/recognize-the-signs

Report Suspicious Activity

If you see suspicious activity, report it to local law enforcement or a person of authority.

Report a Tip: https://www.dhs.gov/see-something-say-something/how-to-report-suspicious-activity

Please see the hyperlink below for the webpage:

https://www.dhs.gov/see-something-say-something

And after I read the main "If You See Something, Say Something®" webpage on the U.S. Department of Homeland Security website, I read all of the webpages from the hyperlinks above, including "About the Campaign," "Participate in the Campaign," "Recognize Suspicious Activity" and "Report Suspicious Activity."

Then, within the "Get Involved" webpage that opened up from the above-mentioned "Participate in the Campaign" hyperlink, I selected the "Participate in #SeeSayDay" hyperlink that appeared at the bottom of the "Get Involved" webpage, as can be seen below:

#SeeSayDay | September 25

September 25th is national “If You See Something, Say Something®” Awareness Day.

Participate in #SeeSayDay:

https://www.dhs.gov/see-something-say-something/seesay-day

And, after I read the hyperlink above, I clicked on the hyperlink to the referenced webpage, the relevant text of which can be found below:

If You See Something, Say Something® #SeeSayDay

Year-round, the “If You See Something, Say Something®” campaign works to empower and educate the public on the importance of recognizing the signs of terrorism-related suspicious activity and how to report it to law enforcement. However, the U.S. Department of Homeland Security has designated September 25 as “If You See Something, Say Something®” Awareness Day, also known as #SeeSayDay. On this day, DHS and its campaign partners across the country come together to remind the public to be aware of suspicious activity and how to report suspected activity to local authorities.

How to Participate

“If You See Something, Say Something®” is more than just a slogan; we all play a role in keeping our communities safe. For #SeeSayDay 2024, we encourage the public to "Spot the Signs. Report the Activity". On September 25 and year-round, stay prepared to spot the signs, report suspicious activity to local authorities, and help prevent terrorism-related crime.

On #SeeSayDay, share the message on your personal or organization's social media channels using #SeeSayDay social media graphics and draft posts below, available in English, Spanish, Hebrew, and Arabic. Use the hashtag #SeeSayDay to note your involvement!

9/24 Webinar – Empower & Equip: How to Spot and Report Suspicious Activity this #SeeSayDay

Ready-to-Use Social Media Posts

Ready-to-Use Digital Graphics

Ready-to-Use Newsletter Blurb

#SeeSayDay Videos

https://www.dhs.gov/see-something-say-something/seesay-day

And, after I read the webpage above, I selected the "Ready-to-Use Social Media Posts," as well as the "Ready-to-Use Newsletter Blurb," both of which can be found below:

Ready-to-Use Social Media Posts

English

[✓] This #SeeSayDay, we can make a difference! Learn how to “Spot the Signs. Report the Activity”. Find out how you can get involved on September 25 ➡️ https://go.dhs.gov/opJ #SpotReportPrevent

[✓] On #SeeSayDay and year-round, empower your community to spot the signs, report suspicious activity to local authorities, and help prevent terrorism-related crime ➡️ https://go.dhs.gov/opJ #SpotReportPrevent

[✓] I’m committed to “Spot the Signs. Report the Activity” to protect my [neighbors / community / organization / workplace / customers]. Visit the #SeeSayDay website to learn more ➡️ https://go.dhs.gov/opJ #SpotReportPrevent

[Blogger's Note: By the way, there are some 'Ready-to-Use Social Media Posts' provided in Spanish, Hebrew, and Arabic, which I didn't include in this 'update,' but I still wanted to mention that they are available!]

---------------------------------------------

Ready-to-Use Newsletter Blurb

Three Words, One Goal This #SeeSayDay: Spot, Report, Prevent

We all have something or someone to protect, and one tip could make the difference in keeping communities safe. Whether you are protecting your family, school, or place of work or worship, the U.S. Department of Homeland Security’s (DHS) “If You See Something, Say Something®” campaign wants you to feel empowered to “Spot the Signs. Report the Activity”.

September 25 marks “If You See Something, Say Something®” Awareness Day, or #SeeSayDay. On this day each year, DHS and its campaign partners come together to spread the word about the public’s role in suspicious activity reporting. This year, remember three words: Spot. Report. Prevent.

[✓] Spot: Learn what suspicious activity looks like. Remember, factors such as race, ethnicity, gender, national origin, religion, sexual orientation, disability, or gender identity are not suspicious.

[✓] Report: Speak up to report suspected terrorism-related crime to local authorities.

[✓] Prevent: Get educated! Stay informed and vigilant to help protect your community from threats.

“If You See Something, Say Something®” is a national awareness campaign that encourages the public to recognize and report terrorism-related suspicious activity to local authorities. In the current threat environment, this year’s theme emphasizes the profound importance of public vigilance in national security and counterterrorism efforts – on September 25 and year-round.

Our communities are worth protecting, and the campaign encourages everyone to unite in the collective goal to spot suspicious activity and report suspected activity to local authorities to help prevent terrorism-related crime.

We all play a role. What will yours be? Learn more about participating in #SeeSayDay at DHS.gov/SeeSay.

–Paul Whiting (September 25th, 2024)

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September 25th, 2024 Update No. 2: I received an email from the ACLU (American Civil Liberties Union) today, September 25th, 2024, with the subject line, "The filibuster is a threat to abortion rights", which stated the following:

Paul, if you've heard the words "filibuster" and "reproductive rights" together lately it's for good reason: Eliminating the filibuster is critical to passing protections for abortion rights nationwide – and a whole host of other fundamental freedoms.

Every day, new stories emerge of people across the country suffering due to state abortion bans that deny them needed medical care – including reports just this past week of two Georgia women who tragically died because they couldn't get the care they needed. Meanwhile, almost two-thirds of Americans support abortion rights – yet the filibuster is a massive barrier in the way of the Senate passing bold legislation to protect our freedoms.

From filibuster reform to abortion access to contraception, tell Congress to do whatever it takes to secure our reproductive freedom now.

TAKE ACTION***

Since Roe v. Wade was overturned, the attacks on our reproductive freedom have only gotten worse – with extreme abortion bans at the state level, attacks on IVF, and even birth control on the line.

But Congress still has yet to pass meaningful protections for abortion rights at the federal level – despite overwhelming support from voters.

The ACLU has been doing all we can in the courts, in statehouses, and at the ballot box to fight for reproductive freedom – but Congress must do its part to ensure abortion rights are protected nationwide. We must urge our representatives to do everything it takes to pass federal protections for abortion care, birth control, and more – and refuse to let the filibuster stand in the way.

Sign our petition: Urge Congress to protect our abortion rights.

With thanks for all you do,

The ACLU Team

ACLU

Restore Our Rights: Reproductive Freedom NOW

Since Roe was overturned, abortion bans have gone into effect in states across the country, threats to medication abortion and emergency care have made it all the way to the Supreme Court and continue in lower courts, and even birth control and IVF are on the line. It's not a dystopian horror film, it's the very real result of anti-abortion activists and their extreme agendas at work.

But none of this reflects the will of the people: The majority of adults in America think abortion should be legal, and voters in this country have shown time and again that they don't want the government to make personal medical decisions for them. It's past time for Congress to take action and restore our rights: Join our campaign to urge your reps to pass federal legislation that safeguards our reproductive freedom – including abortion and birth control – AND to reform the filibuster in order to secure our rights.

SUPPORT THIS PETITION:

220,988 Signed 225,000 Needed

ADD YOUR NAME: At a time when our right to bodily autonomy is under attack more than ever before, it is past time to pass legislation that safeguards access to reproductive health care nationwide — including abortion care and birth control — and not let the filibuster stand in the way.

I will not allow our reproductive freedom to be taken away by extreme politicians who want to control our bodies and important life decisions. That is why I am adding my name today and making it clear that we need leaders in Congress who will take action to restore our rights.

First name: Paul
Last name: Whiting
E-mail address: [redacted]
Zip: [redacted]
Phone: [redacted]

And, after I signed the petition above, I received a confirmation email today, September 25th, 2024, from the ACLU with the subject line, "One more thing - can you spread the word?", which stated the following:

Hi Paul,

Thank you for taking action to protect our reproductive freedom.

Help us build our power: Share the action by forwarding the email below to your friends, or by sharing this link: aclu.org/restorerepro.

Thank you,

The ACLU Team

----

Hi friend,

We're up against a coordinated attack on our reproductive freedom – threatening abortion access, IVF, birth control, and so much more.

It's past time for Congress to pass legislation that safeguards access to reproductive health care nationwide. That's why I just added my name to the ACLU's petition calling on Congress to take action and restore our rights now.

Will you join me now?

https://action.aclu.org/reproductive-rights

Thanks.

So, I wanted to share this email from the ACLU in order to show my support for the "Restore Our Rights: Reproductive Freedom NOW" petition. –Paul Whiting (September 25th, 2024)

P.S.: Just so you know, I used to make one-time donations to the organization that is the subject of these 'updates' each time that I took an action as requested by that organization; however, "I have changed the way that I make donations to political, progressive and charitable organizations each month ... due to the fact that I have been spending a considerable percentage of my monthly income on all of these donations." (The reader should know that I am HIV-positive with full-blown AIDS. And I am on Social Security Disability Insurance, or SSDI, so my income is quite limited.) Therefore, "I have made an executive decision that I am planning to only donate to political, progressive and charitable organizations on a quarterly basis—that is, every three months—or as determined by me on a case-by-case basis." (Please see my 'August 31st, 2024 Update No. 6, Written From September 1st, 2024 To September 2nd, 2024 About August 2024,' which can be found above.) Thus, because I have already donated to the ACLU on July 2nd, 2024 (please see my 'July 2nd, 2024 Update No. 1,' which can be found above), as well as on August 3rd, 2024 (please see my 'August 3rd, 2024 Update No. 1, Which Also Discusses August 2nd, 2024' that can be found above), those are the one-time donations I made to the ACLU for the third quarter of 2024, which is from July through September.

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September 26th, 2024 Update No. 1: I have combined every political campaign, or political organization, donation request per day (made via email or text message) into one 'update' for each day that I donate, so that I don't have to write individual 'updates' for political campaign donations, or political organization donations!

You see, I used to write one 'update' for each of the individual campaign political donations, or political organization donations, that I made virtually every time that I made a political donation. And within each 'update' I included the text from each political campaign's, or political organization's, requesting email or text message, along with some of each campaign's, or organization's, donation page text on the ActBlue website, as well as how much I donated to each campaign, or organization, plus whether I included a tip to ActBlue and how much I tipped.

(By the way, I still write individual 'updates' for political campaign, or political organization, mailers that I receive through the regular mail, because they are usually more elaborate political donation requests, which is why I don't include them with these email or text message requests.)

Plus, the 2024 election cycle is now in the homestretch and I have made a goal of donating only one $1.00 donation per local political campaign here in Oregon (more on that below), or $2.00 per political organization, for the rest of the election cycle! And that means after I make that one donation per campaign, or per organization—regardless of whether I donated in 2023, or 2024—I am only donating once per campaign, or per organization, or as determined by me on a case-by-case basis. And I am only donating once per PAC (Political Action Committee) for the entire election cycle, or as determined by me on a case-by-case basis, because that is all that I can really afford for the 2024 Presidential Election. (The reader should know that I am HIV-positive with full-blown AIDS. And I am on Social Security Disability Insurance, or SSDI, so my income is quite limited.) I hope that makes sense!

Besides that, as of March 21st, 2024, I am no longer donating to individual political campaigns for the foreseeable future (with the exception of local campaigns here in Oregon), or as determined by me on a case-by-case basis (please see my 'March 21st, 2024 Update No. 2,' which can be found above).

In addition to that, starting on July 4th, 2024, I have decided—yet again—to adjust the amount that I donate per political organization again, so that I can donate to even more political organizations and PACs (Political Action Committees) while I am still staying within my 'monthly donating budget.'

And I made the previous three adjustments on the following dates: June 16th, 2024 (please see my 'June 16th, 2024 Update No. 7, Written On June 17th, 2024, Which Also Discusses May 25th, 2024, June 2nd, 2024, June 6th, 2024, June 7th, 2024, June 10th, 2024, June 15th, 2024 And June 16th, 2024' that can be found above), and on May 12th, 2024 (please see my 'May 12th, 2024 Update No. 4, Written On May 13th, 2024, Which Also Discusses April 19th, 2024, May 1st, 2024, May 2nd, 2024, May 6th, 2024, As Well As May 11th, 2024' that can be found above), as well as on March 29th, 2024 (please see my 'March 29th, 2024 Update No. 1, Which Also Discusses March 17th, 2024' that can be found above), respectively.

Therefore, I recently used to donate "$3.00 per political organization"; however, I have decided to adjust that amount yet again, so that I can donate to more political organizations and PACs (Political Action Committees) while I am still staying within my 'monthly donating budget,' since I am now donating to more organizations as the 2024 Presidential Election cycle enters the homestretch.

Thus, for the rest of the 2024 election cycle—as well as for the foreseeable future—I have made a goal of donating $1.00 per local political campaign only here in Oregon (with a 7% tip to ActBlue of $0.07), or as determined by me on a case-by-case basis; and a goal of donating $2.00 per political organization for donation requests via email or text message (with a 7% tip to ActBlue of $0.14), or as determined by me on a case-by-case basis; as well as a goal of donating $3.00 per political organization, or per PAC, for donation requests via the regular mail (with a 7% tip to ActBlue of $0.21), or as determined by me on a case-by-case basis.

To sum it up, then: I am reducing the total individual campaign donation amount to $1.07 (from $2.14, which was previously $3.21) and I am still only donating to local campaigns here in Oregon, or as determined by me on a case-by-case basis; and I am reducing the total donation amount for political organizations and PACs for email and text message donation requests to $2.14 (from $3.21, which was previously $4.28, as well as $5.35 before that), or as determined by me on a case-by-case basis; plus, I am reducing the total donation amount for political organizations and PACs for regular mail donation requests to $3.21 (from $4.28, which was previously $5.35, as well as $7.51 before that), or as determined by me on a case-by-case basis.

So, without further ado...

The only political communication to which I responded was a text message today, September 26th, 2024, from the Congressional Black Caucus PAC (Congressional Black Caucus Political Action Committee, or CBCPAC), which stated the following:

𝙽𝙱𝙲 𝙱𝚁𝙴𝙰𝙺𝙸𝙽𝙶 𝙽𝙴𝚆𝚂 𝙰𝙻𝙴𝚁𝚃: 𝙲𝚑𝚞𝚌𝚔 𝚂𝚌𝚑𝚞𝚖𝚎𝚛 𝚛𝚘𝚕𝚕𝚜 𝚘𝚞𝚝 '𝙽𝚘 𝙺𝚒𝚗𝚐𝚜 𝙰𝚌𝚝' 𝚝𝚘 𝚎𝚕𝚒𝚖𝚒𝚗𝚊𝚝𝚎 𝚙𝚛𝚎𝚜𝚒𝚍𝚎𝚗𝚝𝚒𝚊𝚕 𝚒𝚖𝚖𝚞𝚗𝚒𝚝𝚢

100,000 SIGNATURES NEEDED: Stand with Senator Schumer and END Presidential immunity →***

Chuck Schumer’s plan to END Trump’s Presidential Immunity is AMAZING! We’re basically IN LOVE!

Here’s what would happen:

FIRST: It would OVERTURN the disastrous Supreme Court Immunity decision.

THEN: It would FINALLY hold Trump accountable for his crimes. Including the 34 felony convictions he’s already received!!

AND BEST OF ALL: It would stop Trump from EVER holding office again! (Even if he wins in November!)

Chuck Schumer hit the nail on the head, Paul:

“𝐂𝐨𝐧𝐠𝐫𝐞𝐬𝐬 𝐡𝐚𝐬 𝐚𝐧 𝐨𝐛𝐥𝐢𝐠𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧 — 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐚 𝐜𝐨𝐧𝐬𝐭𝐢𝐭𝐮𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧𝐚𝐥 𝐚𝐮𝐭𝐡𝐨𝐫𝐢𝐭𝐲 — 𝐭𝐨 𝐚𝐜𝐭 𝐚𝐬 𝐚 𝐜𝐡𝐞𝐜𝐤 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐛𝐚𝐥𝐚𝐧𝐜𝐞 𝐭𝐨 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐣𝐮𝐝𝐢𝐜𝐢𝐚𝐥 𝐛𝐫𝐚𝐧𝐜𝐡.”

SIGN THE PETITION: END TRUMP’S PRESIDENTIAL IMMUNITY ➞***

This is our moment, Paul. Let’s do this.

– CBCPAC

CONGRESSIONAL BLACK CAUCUS PAC

Sign on to pass the NO KINGS Act

[CONFIRM] Will you stand with Joe Biden and Chuck Schumer to pass the NO KINGS Act and end Trump's immunity?

[✓] YES! Add my name.

Do you approve of Donald Trump?

[  ] Yes
[✓] No
[  ] Unsure

How would you rate Donald Trump's presidency?

[  ] GREAT
[  ] GOOD
[  ] OKAY
[  ] BAD
[✓] TERRIBLE

Do you believe Donald Trump should be permanently disqualified from running for office?

[✓] Yes
[  ] No
[  ] Unsure

In your opinion, which of Donald Trump's actions posed the biggest threat to our democracy? [SELECT ALL THAT APPLY]

[✓] Lying repeatedly that the 2020 election was stolen
[✓] Inciting the January 6 attack on the Capitol building
[✓] Attacking the Post Office to stop mail-in voting
[✓] Encouraging foreign interference in our elections
[✓] Asking state officials to overturn the election results
[  ] All of the above

Donald Trump is no longer President but his Republicans are still in Congress.

Do you agree that Trump Republicans are dangerous?

[✓] Yes, I agree
[  ] No, I disagree
[  ] I'm unsure

Do you agree that Trump and his allies should be prosecuted for their roles in inciting the Capitol Insurrection?

[✓] Yes
[  ] No
[  ] Unsure

Experts believe that if Trump wins in 2024, it could be the final nail in the coffin for our Democracy. His MAGA pawns are already devising how to use their House Majority to get him elected.

Would you be willing to make a small sacrifice if it meant fighting back and helping Democrats SAVE our Democracy before it's too late?

[✓] Yes!

If you said yes, we urgently need your help.

[Name redacted] just predicted that Donald Trump will win the Electoral College. But if we can boost Black voter turnout in Georgia, Arizona, and North Carolina, Kamala will have the votes she needs to DEFEAT Donald Trump!

We've set an ambitious goal of raising $250,000 for our strict End of Quarter Fundraising Goal. We need at least 209 more donations today to stay on track. So please, can we count on you to chip in $5 or $10? This is important.

[✓] Yes! I can chip in $5 >>
[  ] Yes! I can chip in $10 >>
[  ] Yes! I can chip in $35 >>
[  ] Yes! I can chip in more >>

Email Address: [redacted]
Mobile Phone: [redacted]

SIGN THEN DONATE >>

---------------------------------------------

CONGRESSIONAL BLACK CAUCUS PAC

DONATE TO HELP ELECT KAMALA HARRIS

[Name redacted] says Donald Trump has a 64% chance of winning the Electoral College!

We need a SURGE of Black voter turnout in swing states like Georgia, North Carolina, and Arizona!

Can we count on you to rush $10 to help fund our Voter Tumout teams and get Black voters to the polis?

Donate immediately:

Your contribution will benefit Congressional Black Caucus PAC.

[✓] Donate $5 →

[  ] Donate $15 →

[  ] Donate $35 →

[  ] Donate $50 →

[  ] Donate $100 →

[  ] Donate $250 →

[  ] Donate $500 →

[  ] Other amount

Please leave a tip for ActBlue

Power the nonprofit fundraising platform Democratic candidates & progressive causes rely on.

[  ] Add $2 tip

[  ] Leave no tip

[✓] Add custom amount $0.35 (7%)

And so, I made a one-time donation to the Congressional Black Caucus PAC (CBCPAC) (with a tip to ActBlue) because "Chuck Schumer’s plan to END Trump’s Presidential Immunity is AMAZING," so that is why I "[SIGNED] THE PETITION [TO] END TRUMP’S PRESIDENTIAL IMMUNITY." That is why I contributed to the CBCPAC in order to show my support for passing the NO KINGS Act!

Thus, this one Political Action Committee (PAC)—the Congressional Black Caucus PAC (CBCPAC)—is the PAC that I donated to today! –Paul Whiting (September 26th, 2024)

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September 26th, 2024 Update No. 2: I received a text message today, September 26th, 2024, from Brady: United Against Gun Violence, which stated the following:

[Image of back-to-school items with the words, "Bulletproof Backpacks," "Bulletproof Three-Ring Binders" and "Bulletproof Clipboards" written beneath each item.]

These are just some of the back-to-school items featured in a New York Times* article about products 𝘥𝘦𝘴𝘪𝘨𝘯𝘦𝘥 𝘧𝘰𝘳 𝘮𝘪𝘭𝘪𝘵𝘢𝘳𝘺 𝘱𝘳𝘰𝘵𝘦𝘤𝘵𝘪𝘰𝘯 that are being marketed to parents to protect their kids from school shootings.

Is this really how we're going to address the number one cause of death for kids, Paul?

𝗢𝘂𝗿 𝗸𝗶𝗱𝘀 𝗱𝗼𝗻'𝘁 𝗻𝗲𝗲𝗱 𝗯𝘂𝗹𝗹𝗲𝘁𝗽𝗿𝗼𝗼𝗳 𝗯𝗮𝗰𝗸𝗽𝗮𝗰𝗸𝘀 – 𝘁𝗵𝗲𝘆 𝗻𝗲𝗲𝗱 𝗹𝗶𝗳𝗲-𝘀𝗮𝘃𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗴𝘂𝗻 𝗹𝗮𝘄𝘀. 𝗔𝗱𝗱 𝘆𝗼𝘂𝗿 𝗻𝗮𝗺𝗲 𝘁𝗼 𝗼𝘂𝗿 𝘂𝗿𝗴𝗲𝗻𝘁 𝗽𝗲𝘁𝗶𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻 𝘁𝗼 𝗖𝗼𝗻𝗴𝗿𝗲𝘀𝘀 𝘁𝗼 𝘁𝗮𝗸𝗲 𝗮𝗰𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻 𝘁𝗼 𝘀𝘁𝗼𝗽 𝘀𝗰𝗵𝗼𝗼𝗹 𝘀𝗵𝗼𝗼𝘁𝗶𝗻𝗴𝘀 𝗡𝗢𝗪. >>***

Brady
United Against Gun Violence

ADD YOUR NAME: Sign the petition to demand Congress prevent school shootings

Columbine. Sandy Hook. Parkland. Uvalde. One school shooting should have been more than enough to force our leaders to act — but the NRA has bought so much of Congress that another tragedy has been allowed to take place.

No more waiting. We need to hold Congress accountable and demand action NOW before any more children have to die because grown-ups care more about campaign cash. That's why we need your help now to hit our signature goal and demand Congress defy the gun lobby and protect our children and communities. We're falling just short of our signature goal, so please, add your name now and demand Congress prevent school shootings!

Sign the Petition

First Name: Paul
Last Name: Whiting
Postal Code: [redacted]
Email: [redacted]
Mobile Phone: [redacted]

Add Your Name!

---------------------------------------------

BRADY UNITED AGAINST GUN VIOLENCE

Stop School Shootings | 11:59 p.m. Deadline

Thank you for adding your name. You've been selected to complete a 60-second survey on why this issue is meaningful to you. Will you answer just a few questions right now?

There have been over 400 school shootings since Columbine. How concerned are you about the growing gun violence in our schools?

[✓] Extremely concerned
[  ] Very concerned
[  ] Somewhat concerned
[  ] Not at all concerned

Deadly, military-grade assault weapons are often the weapon of choice for mass shooters — including the shooters at both Covenant School in Nashville and Robb Elementary School in Uvalde.

How urgent do you think it is for Congress to ban assault weapons so we can make our schools and communities safer?

[✓] Extremely urgent — banning assault weapons is a necessary step in ending the gun violence epidemic.
[  ] Not at all urgent — I'm not concerned about weapons of war in our communities.

Last year, gun safety champions in Washington [D.C.] finally passed a package of meaningful gun violence prevention reforms. But this legislation fell short of the changes that communities need and gun violence is still on the rise.

How important is it to you that we pass more life-saving gun violence prevention legislation like an assault weapons ban and expanded background checks?

[✓] Extremely important
[  ] Very important
[  ] Somewhat important
[  ] Not at all important

Brady is fighting to stop school shootings and save lives from gun violence — and this mission has never been more important. Our teams are working directly with the Biden-Harris administration to take action on common-sense gun safety measures that will save lives.

In observance of this somber and tragic day, and all the lives lost to preventable mass shootings, we set a goal to raise $15,000 by midnight tonight. But we're still falling short with just hours left until our deadline.

Will you rush $5 to help Brady prevent gun violence and save lives?

[✓] Yes, I can give $5.
[  ] Yes, I can give $36 (this is the average online Brady donation).
[  ] Yes, and I can give monthly!

And so, after I signed the petition above, I made a one-time donation to Brady: United Against Gun Violence, because "𝗼𝘂𝗿 𝗸𝗶𝗱𝘀 𝗱𝗼𝗻'𝘁 𝗻𝗲𝗲𝗱 𝗯𝘂𝗹𝗹𝗲𝘁𝗽𝗿𝗼𝗼𝗳 𝗯𝗮𝗰𝗸𝗽𝗮𝗰𝗸𝘀 – 𝘁𝗵𝗲𝘆 𝗻𝗲𝗲𝗱 𝗹𝗶𝗳𝗲-𝘀𝗮𝘃𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗴𝘂𝗻 𝗹𝗮𝘄𝘀." That is why I "[𝗮𝗱𝗱𝗲𝗱 𝗺𝘆] 𝗻𝗮𝗺𝗲 𝘁𝗼 [Brady's] 𝘂𝗿𝗴𝗲𝗻𝘁 𝗽𝗲𝘁𝗶𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻 𝘁𝗼 𝗖𝗼𝗻𝗴𝗿𝗲𝘀𝘀 𝘁𝗼 𝘁𝗮𝗸𝗲 𝗮𝗰𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻 𝘁𝗼 𝘀𝘁𝗼𝗽 𝘀𝗰𝗵𝗼𝗼𝗹 𝘀𝗵𝗼𝗼𝘁𝗶𝗻𝗴𝘀 𝗡𝗢𝗪." –Paul Whiting (September 26th, 2024)

*"Bulletproofing America’s Classrooms" from The New York Times

Ballistic armor companies are marketing protective products designed for the military to parents and schools. Some people see the items as unsettling but prudent; others find them infuriating.

By Emily Baumgaertner and Alex Kalman | Sept. 18, 2024

There have been more than 230 school shootings in the United States over the past decade and active shooter drills have become routine in students’ lives. Now, technologies developed to protect soldiers in war are being incorporated into everyday objects of childhood school days. ...

Please see the hyperlink below for the article:

https://www.nytimes.com/interactive/2024/09/18/science/bulletproofing-schools.html

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September 27th, 2024 Update No. 1, Which Also Discusses September 26th, 2024: I received an email from March For Our Lives (MFOL) yesterday, September 26th, 2024, with the subject line, "This is huge: Please, don't miss this important email.", which stated the following:

MARCH
FOR OUR
LIVES

This is breaking news, Paul.

President Biden and Vice President Harris Announce Additional Actions to Reduce Gun Violence and Save Lives

President Biden and Vice President Harris just announced an Executive Order to improve school-based active shooter drills and combat the emerging threats of machinegun conversion devices and unserialized, 3D-printed firearms, as well as additional executive actions to reduce gun violence and save lives.

This is the type of concrete gun safety progress that we need to keep fighting for. If Trump wins in November, progress like this will come to a halt and in many cases, revert backward. Can you chip in anything you can now to protect gun safety progress and ensure we can keep moving forward?

Donate ››

Here are just some of the strong steps forward in the new Executive Order:

[✓] Combating machinegun conversion devices and unserialized, 3D-printed firearms.
[✓] Emphasizing safe storage in schools by providing schools, school boards, and policymakers with a new tool to promote safe gun storage in their communities.
[✓] Improving school-based active shooter drills by appointing experts to develop and publish information for K-12 schools and higher education institutions.
[✓] Establishing an Emerging Firearms Threats Task Force, consisting of leadership from key federal departments and agencies.
[✓] Providing an additional $85 million in funding through the Community Violence Intervention and Prevention Initiative.
[✓] Publishing additional data on ghost gun trends and firearms trafficking.
[✓] Facilitating voluntary out-of-home storage to prevent firearm suicide.
[✓] And more!

These are the types of investments we need in our schools and communities to help eradicate gun violence once and for all. But this is just a start, Paul. Keeping our momentum going looks like getting out the vote, continuing to mobilize youth around the country, and electing Kamala Harris — a candidate who is willing to prioritize gun safety.

Can you help us do just that by donating $5 or more today?

Donate $5 ››

Thank you for everything you do,

March For Our Lives Action Fund

So, I wanted to share this email from March For Our Lives (MFOL) in order to show my support for "this is breaking news" that "President Biden and Vice President Harris just announced an Executive Order to improve school-based active shooter drills and combat the emerging threats of machinegun conversion devices and unserialized, 3D-printed firearms, as well as additional executive actions to reduce gun violence and save lives." –Paul Whiting (written September 27th, 2024 and revised October 11th, 2024)

P.S.: Just so you know, I used to make one-time donations to the organization that is the subject of these 'updates' each time that I took an action as requested by that organization; however, "I have changed the way that I make donations to political, progressive and charitable organizations each month ... due to the fact that I have been spending a considerable percentage of my monthly income on all of these donations." (The reader should know that I am HIV-positive with full-blown AIDS. And I am on Social Security Disability Insurance, or SSDI, so my income is quite limited.) Therefore, "I am greatly reducing the number of times that I donate for the same organization per month down to once—or as determined by me on a case-by-case basis." (Please see my 'August 19th, 2023 Update,' which can be found above.) Thus, because I have already donated to March For Our Lives (MFOL) on September 2nd, 2024 (please see my 'September 2nd, 2024 Update No. 6, Written On September 9th, 2024,' which can be found above), as well as on September 22nd, 2024 (please see my 'September 22nd, 2024 Update No. 2, Written From September 23rd, 2024 To September 27th, 2024, Which Also Discusses September 10th, 2024 And September 11th, 2024' that can be found above) those are the one-time donations which I made to MFOL for September 2024.

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September 27th, 2024 Update No. 2: I received an email from the ACLU (American Civil Liberties Union) today, September 27th, 2024, with the subject line, "It's not too late to join the fight against voter suppression", which stated the following:

With the election just weeks away, we need you with us. Donate now to protect voting rights and all of our civil liberties.

https://action.aclu.org/give/help-aclu-defeat-voter-suppression

ACLU

Paul –

Every day now, more votes are being cast across the country. The stakes are rising in this critical election and in the meantime, the ACLU is actively battling in courts right now to protect your vote.

[✓] In Pennsylvania, we're fighting to prevent thousands of mail-in ballots from being rejected.

[✓] In Georgia, we're fighting to stop election officials from being able to delay results if they don’t agree with the outcome.

[✓] We're fighting for fair maps and just representation across the country – including in Alabama and Louisiana, where voters will be able to cast their ballots this November under congressional maps with an additional majority-Black district in each state.

These attempts to block millions of votes from being counted threaten our very democracy, and there is no organization better equipped to fight them than the ACLU.

This is why the ACLU exists, Paul. We are fighting in the courts, the streets, and in the halls of Congress to protect our most fundamental right: the right to vote. But with the election looming, we must ramp up our efforts to ensure our votes get counted – and we need your help to do it.

That's why I'm reaching out to you today. Can the ACLU count on you to rush a generous donation today to fuel our fight against voter suppression across the country?

DONATE NOW:

https://action.aclu.org/give/help-aclu-defeat-voter-suppression

When you donate today, you're helping fund the strategic litigation, advocacy, and organizing needed to promote access to the ballot, and so much more in the final days before voters take to the polls.

Your gift will help ensure that our attorneys and advocates can continue their critical work to stop harmful legislation and defend voting rights wherever they are challenged.

But time is running out, and we can't afford to slow down during this urgent moment for protecting the right to vote and our democracy. So please, make a generous donation to the ACLU today to protect all of the rights we hold dear.

Thank you for taking action, Paul.

Onward,

[Name redacted]
Pronouns: He, him, his
[Title redacted], ACLU

DONATE NOW

https://action.aclu.org/give/help-aclu-defeat-voter-suppression

And, after I read the email above, I clicked on the hyperlink to the referenced webpage, which can be found below:

ACLU

HELP THE ACLU DEFEAT VOTER SUPPRESSION

The ACLU is confronting an all-out assault on our civil liberties — and in the last days leading up to the 2024 elections, we're laser-focused on threats to voting rights across the nation. The ACLU is ready to take on the fights ahead, but we need your help to do so.

Please, donate now so we can continue ramping up our efforts to protect the right to vote and all our civil liberties.

Contributions to the American Civil Liberties Union are not tax deductible.

1. Amount

Select donation type

[✓] One-time
[  ] Monthly

A monthly gift helps us respond to urgent threats and plan ahead.

Select or enter an amount to give

[  ] $35
[  ] $53
[  ] $70
[✓] Other amount $5.00

[✓] Sign up for ACLU emails to stay informed and take action to protost people's rights.

Choose payment method

[✓] Credit Card

2. Contact

First Name: Paul
Last Name: Whiting
Email: [redacted]

3. Billing

ZIP/Postal Code: [redacted]
Address: [redacted]
Address Line 2 (optional): [redacted]
City: [redacted]
State/Province: [redacted]
Country: [redacted]

Donate $5.00

And so, I made a one-time donation to the ACLU since "it's not too late to join the fight against voter suppression," because "with the election just weeks away, [the ACLU needs me] with [them]." That is why I contributed to the ACLU "now to protect voting rights and all of our civil liberties." –Paul Whiting (written September 27th, 2024 and revised October 11th, 2024)

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September 29th, 2024 Update No. 1: Gold Star Mother’s and Family Day (a.k.a. National Gold Star Mother's Day) is today September 29th, 2024, since Gold Star Mother’s and Family Day is the last Sunday in September.

And I first heard about the Gold Star Mother’s and Family Day (a.k.a. National Gold Star Mother's Day) last year (2023) from a daily calendar website that I previously used to reference in my 'updates' regarding holidays and special occasions (please see my 'September 24th, 2023 Update—Continued, Which Also Discusses September 17th, 2023' that can be a found above).

This is National Day Calendar's webpage regarding "GOLD STAR MOTHER’S AND FAMILY DAY." An introduction to the webpage can be found below:

GOLD STAR MOTHER’S AND FAMILY DAY | Last Sunday in September

National Day Calendar®

GOLD STAR MOTHER’S AND FAMILY DAY

On the last Sunday in September, Gold Star Mother’s and Family Day honors the mothers, fathers, and families of fallen military service members. Also known as National Gold Star Mother’s Day, the day serves as a reminder of the losses suffered by military families.

#GoldStarMothersDay

Since World War I, the observance has provided a way to recognize and honor those who have lost a son or daughter who served our country in the United States Armed Forces.

A gold star symbolizes a family member who died in the line of duty while serving the United States Armed Forces.

Gold Star mothers and families know the immeasurable cost of fighting for the ideals we believe in, and they know the pride that comes with exemplary service to America.
~ President Barack Obama ~ September 23, 2011 ~ Presidential Proclamation

Our military families never forget their sons and daughters. On Gold Star Mother's Day, the nation remembers alongside them. It's an opportunity for us to pay tribute to their sacrifices and support those who remain behind. ...

Please see the hyperlink below for the webpage:

https://www.nationaldaycalendar.com/national-day/gold-star-mothers-day-last-sunday-in-september

Plus, here is the official proclamation from the White House regarding Gold Star Mother’s and Family’s Day 2024, which is titled, "A Proclamation on Gold Star Mother’s and Family’s Day, 2024," as can be found below:

The White House

September 27, 2024

A Proclamation on Gold Star Mother’s and Family’s Day, 2024

     On this solemn day, we honor the memories of the patriots who served our Nation, defended our freedom, and made the ultimate sacrifice for our country. We hold close to our hearts the Gold Star mothers and fathers, wives and husbands, sisters and brothers, daughters and sons, and other loved ones, who grieve their loss and carry on their legacy. And we recommit to fulfilling our sacred obligation to care for all of our Gold Star families.

     Each of our service members is a link in the chain of honor that stretches back to the founding days of our Nation. They are bound not just by their bravery but also by their commitment to an idea unlike any other in human history: the idea of the United States of America. Decade after decade, our service members have fought for our freedom and the freedom of others because they knew that freedom has never been guaranteed. And just as our fallen heroes have kept the ultimate faith in our country and our democracy, we must keep faith in them.

     To everyone who has loved and lost someone in the service of our country and to everyone with a loved one still missing or unaccounted for, I know how hard these days of remembrance can be. No matter how much time has passed or how much pride you have in their legacy, the grief and the hurt never fully go away. The First Lady and I are keeping all Gold Star families in our prayers. Since I took office, I have signed over 30 bipartisan laws supporting service members and veterans as well as their families, caregivers, and survivors. And I will continue to do everything I can to support our Gold Star families, to whom our Nation owes a debt of gratitude we can never fully repay.

     Today, we join Gold Star families in their grief and express our gratitude: gratitude to our fallen heroes, gratitude for the sacrifices of the families left behind, and gratitude to the brave souls who continue to uphold the flame of liberty all across our country and around the world. Because of them, our country stands today. As we honor Gold Star Mother’s and Family’s Day, we recommit to making a more perfect Union, for which our fallen heroes lived and died. That is our promise.

     The Congress, by Senate Joint Resolution 115 of June 23, 1936 (49 Stat. 1895 as amended), has designated the last Sunday in September as “Gold Star Mother’s Day.”

     NOW, THEREFORE, I, JOSEPH R. BIDEN JR., President of the United States of America, by virtue of the authority vested in me by the Constitution and the laws of the United States, do hereby proclaim Sunday, September 29, 2024, as Gold Star Mother’s and Family’s Day. I call upon all Government officials to display the flag of the United States over Government buildings on this special day. I also encourage the American people to display the flag and hold appropriate ceremonies as a public expression of our Nation’s gratitude and respect for our Gold Star Mothers and Families.

     IN WITNESS WHEREOF, I have hereunto set my hand this twenty-seventh day of September, in the year of our Lord two thousand twenty-four, and of the Independence of the United States of America the two hundred and forty-ninth.

JOSEPH R. BIDEN JR.

Please see the hyperlink below for the proclamation:

https://www.whitehouse.gov/briefing-room/presidential-actions/2024/09/27/a-proclamation-on-gold-star-mothers-and-familys-day-2024

Also, I watched a video today on YouTube titled, "Recognizing the Fallen and Their Families on Gold Star Mother’s and Family’s Day" from the Arlington National Cemetery. Here is an introduction to the description from that video (with a hyperlink to the video below):

Recognizing the Fallen and Their Families on Gold Star Mother’s and Family’s Day

Arlington National Cemetery

On Sept. 29, 2024, Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff Gen. Charles Q. Brown, Jr. and members of American Gold Star Mothers (AGSM), Inc. recognized Gold Star Mother’s and Family’s Day. ...

https://youtu.be/lkanxBIklwc?si=O78mHTzrV3C3MmbK

–Paul Whiting (written September 29th, 2024 and revised October 14th, 2024)

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For my "September 29th, 2024 Update No. 2"—since this 'update' is a part of my ⋆USO⋆ donations—please see my blog post titled, "My Point Of View On...Giving Charity And Accepting Charity," which can be found on both of my "Paul Whiting — Math Magician" and "Paul Whiting — A Creative Writer" blogs. An introduction to the 'update' can be found below:

September 29th, 2024 Update No. 2: Gold Star Mother’s and Family Day (a.k.a. National Gold Star Mother's Day) is today September 29th, 2024, since Gold Star Mother’s and Family Day is the last Sunday in September.

And I signed a card from the USO (United Service Organizations) in order to "honor our fallen heroes, Gold Star Families and all who serve."

And I signed this card out of respect for Gold Star Mother’s and Family Day (a.k.a. National Gold Star Mother's Day), and to honor the sacrifices made each and every day by our U.S. Military Personnel, in response to an email from USO that I received today, September 29th, 2024, with the subject line, "Today is a difficult day, Paul: Sign the card in honor of Gold Star Mother's and Family's Day.", which stated the following:

★★★USO★★★

SIGN THE CARD:

https://action.uso.org/2409_goldstarstc_s

Today is a difficult day, Paul. On the last Sunday in September, we come together to recognize Gold Star Mother's and Family's Day — a day to honor the families who have made the ultimate sacrifice for our country.

Since World War I, military families flew flags displaying a blue star for every family member in active service and a gold star for those who died in the line of duty. The gold star has since become a symbol of both profound loss and immense pride, representing the sacrifice, grief and ongoing healing of families of the fallen.

Today we're asking all our supporters to show their compassion and care for the tens of thousands of Gold Star Families across the country right now. Will you sign the USO's card to honor our fallen heroes, Gold Star Families and all who serve?

[Text of the card:]

We know we can never replace
your loved ones who gave their
lives in service of our country.
We honor them, and you, for
their ultimate sacrifice.

With gratitude, [your name]

PLEASE SIGN THE CARD:

https://action.uso.org/2409_goldstarstc_s

Nothing ever truly prepares you for the loss of a loved one. But with the help of caring friends like you, the USO provides Gold Star Families with strength and support during the most heartbreaking moments of their lives.

When families receive that dreaded call, their lives are forever changed. Through your compassion and generosity, the USO can continue the Families of the Fallen program, which has supported every dignified transfer of lives lost at Dover Air Force Base for the past 33 years. We help arrange travel and lodging for families to stay at Dover and witness the return of their loved one, providing around-the-clock support every step of the way.

PLEASE SIGN THE CARD:

https://action.uso.org/2409_goldstarstc_s

But healing takes time, Paul. It's a lifelong journey, and that's why days like today are so important. We have set a goal to fill this card with 25,000 signatures via email and text message from caring friends, and we need your help to let all Gold Star Families know they're forever in our hearts. Will you please add your name now to show them they are not alone?

Thank you,

—The USO

Plus, after I signed the card, I made a one-time donation on the USO.org website to say to our Gold Star mothers and families, "We know we can never replace your loved ones who gave their lives in service of our country. We honor them, and you, for their ultimate sacrifice."

In addition to that, I already make a recurring monthly donation to the USO in order to show my support for our U.S. Military Personnel! You see, I usually make one-time donations to the USO each month—as often as I can manage when they request a donation via email or text message. Therefore, I am planning to continue making one-time donations to the USO in the future, as often as I can manage to make donations, in addition to making the aforementioned recurring monthly donation. ...

Please see the hyperlinks below for the post, within which you can do a find-in-page search for the 'update' labeled, "September 29th, 2024 Update No. 2":

https://paulwhitingmath.blogspot.com/2015/05/my-point-of-view-on-charity.html

https://paulwhitingwriting.blogspot.com/2022/07/my-point-of-view-on-part-16-giving-to.html

-------------------------------------------------------------------

For my "September 30th, 2024 Update No. 1"—since this 'update' is a part of my ⋆USO⋆ donations—please see my blog post titled, "My Point Of View On...Giving Charity And Accepting Charity," which can be found on both of my "Paul Whiting — Math Magician" and "Paul Whiting — A Creative Writer" blogs. An introduction to the 'update' can be found below:

September 30th, 2024 Update No. 1: I received an email from the USO (United Service Organizations) today, September 30th, 2024, with the subject line, "September Military Supporter Update", with regard to the USO's newsletter "YOUR USO AT WORK," Issue 126 / September 2024, which stated, in part, the following:

YOUR USO AT WORK
Issue 126 / September 2024

DONATE NOW »

https://secure.uso.org/2106_EVERGREEN_S

Paul,

Right now, our heroes are serving in multiple critical situations around the world. In response to rising tensions in the Middle East, the United States is deploying additional service members to the region. At the same time, thousands of National Guard members are supporting communities devastated by Hurricane Helene. This is all on top of the already difficult day-to-day experiences of service members and their families.

Thank you for standing with us as a member of the USO Home Team and helping us provide the best possible support for military heroes and their families during every season of change. ...

And the following highlights from the USO's newsletter, which I selected to post, are regarding "How the USO Supports Military Kids" and "USO Makes History with Broadway Show on Military Installations," as well as "RTX Hosts USO Care Pack Events in Honor of Patriot Day," in addition to "Support service members and their families through the Combined Federal Campaign":

USO FRONT LINES

How the USO Supports Military Kids

Going back to school can be a difficult transition for any student. But this time of year is especially difficult for 1.5 million American military children — many of whom go through three or four school changes before they graduate. Learn more about the USO’s programs for military children and their families. »

https://www.uso.org/stories/3837-the-challenges-military-kids-face-during-pcs-season-and-deployments-and-how-the-uso-supports-them-through-it-all

[Blogger's Note: I read the USO's article titled, "The Challenges Military Kids Face During PCS (or, permanent change of station) Season and Deployments - and How the USO Supports Them Through It All."]

---------------------------------------------

GLOBAL ENTERTAINMENT

USO Makes History with Broadway Show on Military Installations

The USO, in partnership with No Guarantees Productions, brought Broadway to the military with an exclusive live concert version of the Tony Award-winning musical "COME FROM AWAY." This groundbreaking tour performed at three military bases, delivering not just a comical and emotional musical but also a unique and deeply meaningful experience for service members and their families.

Learn more about USO Entertainment. »

https://www.uso.org/entertainment

[Blogger's Note: I read the USO's webpage titled, "Entertainment Is Our Tradition."]

---------------------------------------------

CORPORATE PARTNERS

RTX Hosts USO Care Pack Events in Honor of Patriot Day

The USO and RTX continued their partnership with two care pack events in honor of Patriot Day. As the USO Holiday Care Package Presenting Sponsor, RTX hosted a “Coast to Coast” care pack event at their El Segundo, CA and Andover, MA locations. 250+ RTX employees packed 7,500 USO Holiday Care Packages for service members.

---------------------------------------------

WAYS TO GET INVOLVED

Support service members and their families through the Combined Federal Campaign.

The Combined Federal Campaign (CFC) is the official workplace giving campaign for federal employees and retirees, including members of our military. By supporting the USO through the CFC, you can directly impact the well-being of our nation’s service members and their families. Learn more about the CFC. »

https://www.uso.org/take-action/combined-federal-campaign

[Blogger's Note: I read the USO's webpage titled, "Combined Federal Campaign: The CFC is the official workplace giving campaign for Federal employees and retirees, including members of our military. Your donations help the USO go where no other nonprofits can to make service members and their families feel supported and understood."]

---------------------------------------------

...Thank you for supporting our nation’s heroes.

And, even before I read the email above—since I was already planning to donate—I made a one-time donation on the USO.org website in order to support the USO's following statement: "Our service members keep our nation safe. And we work hard to keep them connected to home — but we can’t do that without support from military supporters like you. Our heroes are counting on you to be a part of this important work for our country. So please, donate now."

In addition to that, I already make a recurring monthly donation to the USO in order to show my support for our U.S. Military Personnel! You see, I usually make one-time donations to the USO each month—as often as I can manage when they request a donation via email or text message. Therefore, I am planning to continue making one-time donations to the USO in the future, as often as I can manage to make donations, in addition to making the aforementioned recurring monthly donation. ...

Please see the hyperlinks below for the post, within which you can do a find-in-page search for the 'update' labeled, "September 30th, 2024 Update No. 1":

https://paulwhitingmath.blogspot.com/2015/05/my-point-of-view-on-charity.html

https://paulwhitingwriting.blogspot.com/2022/07/my-point-of-view-on-part-16-giving-to.html

-------------------------------------------------------------------

September 30th, 2024 Update No. 2, Written From October 1st, 2024 To October 7th, 2024, Which Also Discusses September 24th, 2024, September 25th, 2024, September 27th, 2024, September 28th, 2024, September 29th, 2024 And September 30th, 2024: [Blogger's Note: This 'update' that I am writing from October 1st, 2024 to October 7th, 2024 is for donations that I made on September 30th, 2024, as a part of my series of very humble $1.00 donations for the 3rd End of the Quarter 2024 FEC Deadline (which is all that I can afford given my 'monthly donating budget') to Democratic fundraising and coordinating political organizations—and to one campaign—regarding the following:

▪ the national races for the House of Representatives (the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee),
▪ the Senate (the Democratic Senatorial Campaign Committee),
▪ and the President of the United States (the Democratic National Committee and Harris for President, or the Harris Victory Fund),
▪ as well as the state races for the Governors (the Democratic Governors Association),
▪ the Secretaries of State (the Democratic Association of Secretaries of State),
▪ the Attorneys General (the Democratic Attorneys General Association),
▪ the State Legislatures (the Democratic Legislative Campaign Committee),
▪ and the Mayors (Democratic Mayors Association, or the National Conference of Democratic Mayors),
▪ in addition to the official organization of the Democratic Party for United States citizens living temporarily or permanently abroad (Democratic Party Committee Abroad, or Democrats Abroad), during this ninth month of the year for the 2024 Presidential Election.

And these donations to the above-mentioned organizations are listed below in the chronological order in which I made said donations which, in turn, are based upon the general chronological order in which I received each respective request for every organization's donation.

You see, when I respond to all of these political communications, I am 'sifting,' so to speak, through dozens of emails, and/or text messages, and selecting the best communications to which I can respond! And it takes a lot of time to do this. So, I usually 'set aside' the email and text message communications to which I am planning to respond, as a group, in the order in which I received said communications; then, I respond to each one in date order (or, chronological order).]

I have combined every political campaign, or political organization, donation request per day (made via email or text message) into one 'update' for each day that I donate, so that I don't have to write individual 'updates' for political campaign donations, or political organization donations!

You see, I used to write one 'update' for each of the individual campaign political donations, or political organization donations, that I made virtually every time that I made a political donation. And within each 'update' I included the text from each political campaign's, or political organization's, requesting email or text message, along with some of each campaign's, or organization's, donation page text on the ActBlue website, as well as how much I donated to each campaign, or organization, plus whether I included a tip to ActBlue and how much I tipped.

(By the way, I still write individual 'updates' for political campaign, or political organization, mailers that I receive through the regular mail, because they are usually more elaborate political donation requests, which is why I don't include them with these email or text message requests.)

Plus, the 2024 election cycle is now in the homestretch and I have made a goal of donating only one $1.00 donation per local political campaign here in Oregon (more on that below), or $2.00 per political organization, for the rest of the election cycle! And that means after I make that one donation per campaign, or per organization—regardless of whether I donated in 2023, or 2024—I am only donating once per campaign, or per organization, or as determined by me on a case-by-case basis. And I am only donating once per PAC (Political Action Committee) for the entire election cycle, or as determined by me on a case-by-case basis, because that is all that I can really afford for the 2024 Presidential Election. (The reader should know that I am HIV-positive with full-blown AIDS. And I am on Social Security Disability Insurance, or SSDI, so my income is quite limited.) I hope that makes sense!

Besides that, as of March 21st, 2024, I am no longer donating to individual political campaigns for the foreseeable future (with the exception of local campaigns here in Oregon), or as determined by me on a case-by-case basis (please see my 'March 21st, 2024 Update No. 2,' which can be found above).

In addition to that, starting on July 4th, 2024, I have decided—yet again—to adjust the amount that I donate per political organization again, so that I can donate to even more political organizations and PACs (Political Action Committees) while I am still staying within my 'monthly donating budget.'

And I made the previous three adjustments on the following dates: June 16th, 2024 (please see my 'June 16th, 2024 Update No. 7, Written On June 17th, 2024, Which Also Discusses May 25th, 2024, June 2nd, 2024, June 6th, 2024, June 7th, 2024, June 10th, 2024, June 15th, 2024 And June 16th, 2024' that can be found above), and on May 12th, 2024 (please see my 'May 12th, 2024 Update No. 4, Written On May 13th, 2024, Which Also Discusses April 19th, 2024, May 1st, 2024, May 2nd, 2024, May 6th, 2024, As Well As May 11th, 2024' that can be found above), as well as on March 29th, 2024 (please see my 'March 29th, 2024 Update No. 1, Which Also Discusses March 17th, 2024' that can be found above), respectively.

Therefore, I recently used to donate "$3.00 per political organization"; however, I have decided to adjust that amount yet again, so that I can donate to more political organizations and PACs (Political Action Committees) while I am still staying within my 'monthly donating budget,' since I am now donating to more organizations as the 2024 Presidential Election cycle enters the homestretch.

Thus, for the rest of the 2024 election cycle—as well as for the foreseeable future—I have made a goal of donating $1.00 per local political campaign only here in Oregon (with a 7% tip to ActBlue of $0.07), or as determined by me on a case-by-case basis; and a goal of donating $2.00 per political organization for donation requests via email or text message (with a 7% tip to ActBlue of $0.14), or as determined by me on a case-by-case basis; as well as a goal of donating $3.00 per political organization, or per PAC, for donation requests via the regular mail (with a 7% tip to ActBlue of $0.21), or as determined by me on a case-by-case basis.

To sum it up, then: I am reducing the total individual campaign donation amount to $1.07 (from $2.14, which was previously $3.21) and I am still only donating to local campaigns here in Oregon, or as determined by me on a case-by-case basis; and I am reducing the total donation amount for political organizations and PACs for email and text message donation requests to $2.14 (from $3.21, which was previously $4.28, as well as $5.35 before that), or as determined by me on a case-by-case basis; plus, I am reducing the total donation amount for political organizations and PACs for regular mail donation requests to $3.21 (from $4.28, which was previously $5.35, as well as $7.51 before that), or as determined by me on a case-by-case basis.

So, without further ado...

The first political communication to which I responded on September 30th, 2024 was an email from the Democratic Party Committee Abroad (Democrats Abroad, or DA) that I received on September 24th, 2024, with the subject line, "Protect overseas votes against Trump's threats - donate today!", which stated the following:

Democratic Party Committee Abroad

Dear Paul,

Donald Trump just rage posted about our hard work getting out the vote abroad. He falsely claims that the millions of Americans living abroad are cheating when we vote. We know he is once again spreading lies and misinformation. We also know it’s imperative we win this November.

Donate now to get out the vote abroad, and protect your right to vote.

Donate today***

Thank you for your support. With your help we’re reaching out to Americans who have never voted before, helping make sure they are enfranchised and can send their votes back to the U.S. in time to be counted.

And remember, federal law protects our right to vote. For now. Help make sure we keep our rights, and our democracy!

Sincerely yours,

[Name redacted]
[Title redacted]
Democrats Abroad

DEMOCRATS ABROAD

FIGHT FOR DEMOCRACY - DONATE

"The antidote to fear is action. Every dollar you give supports our work to elect Democrats who will fight to make a better life for ALL Americans. Join us by making a donation today".
[Name redacted]
[Title redacted] Democrats Abroad

Donate to Democrats Abroad, and help us reach Americans all over the world. Every dollar you donate goes to reach Americans outside the U.S. to help them register, request their ballot, and VOTE. With your help, we will make the difference.

When Americans abroad vote, Democrats in the U.S. win. We helped win the Senate and White House in 2020 we're gearing up to do it again in 2024!

1. Amount (US Dollars)

[  ] $34
[  ] $47
[  ] $100
[  ] $340
[  ] $1,000
[✓] OTHER: $1.00

Recurring donations are VERY useful.

[✓] One-time
[  ] Monthly

2. Your Information

Email: [redacted]
First Name: Paul
Last Name: Whiting
Billing country: [redacted]
Billing Address: [redacted]
City: [redacted]
State: [redacted]
Postal code: [redacted]
Phone (optional): [redacted]

[✓] Send email updates

$1.99 DONATE NOW

And so, I made a one-time donation to Democrats Abroad (DA) (this donation was made through NationBuilder, which does not offer a tip box) on September 30th, 2024, due to the following reason: "Donald Trump just rage posted about [DA's] hard work getting out the vote abroad. He falsely claims that the millions of Americans living abroad are cheating when [they] vote. [Democrats Abroad] know he is once again spreading lies and misinformation. [They] also know it’s imperative [Democrats] win this November."

P.S.: The reason that I only donated $1.99 to Democrats Abroad is because I already donated $2.00 (with a $0.14 tip to ActBlue) on September 2nd, 2024 (please see my 'September 2nd, 2024 Update No. 5, Written From September 4th, 2024 To September 9th, 2024, Which Also Discusses, August 30th, 2024, August 31st, 2024, September 1st, 2024 And September 2nd, 2024' that can be found above) in addition to $1.00 (without a tip to ActBlue) on September 22nd, 2024 (please see my 'September 22nd, 2024 Update No. 2, Written From September 23rd, 2024 To September 27th, 2024, Which Also Discusses September 10th, 2024 And September 11th, 2024' that can be found above) and that is all I can afford this month; however, I did want to respond because Democrats Abroad is reaching out to millions of Americans around the world to help them vote this year, so that is why I made a donation in the amount that I did.

---------------------------------------------

The second political communication to which I responded on September 30th, 2024 was a text message that I received on September 25th, 2024, from the Democratic Association of Secretaries of State (DASS), which stated the following:

Breaking news, Paul.

We have officially launched the DASS Legal Fund in anticipation of Republican post-election lawsuits in critical swing states like Maine, Michigan, North Carolina and Nevada.

In 2020, Donald Trump and his surrogates filed 62 lawsuits contesting election processes, vote counting, and the vote certification process in nine states.

Most were thrown out, but we're not taking any chances in 2024.

Please send in $5 to the DASS Legal Fund today. Your support – right now – will help us defend democracy in the courtroom and stop future attacks on our elections.***

Thank you,

DASS Legal Fund

Donate to DASS Legal Fund!

Your support will help us fight for our democracy in the Courtroom and stop the attacks on our elections!

Rush in a donation today!

Donate immediately:

Your contribution will benefit DASS Legal Fund.

[  ] Donate $5 →

[  ] Donate $35 →

[  ] Donate $50 →

[  ] Donate $100 →

[  ] Donate $250 →

[  ] Donate $500 →

[  ] Donate $1,000 →

[✓] Other amount $1.00

Please leave a tip for ActBlue Technical Services

Power the nonprofit fundraising platform Democratic candidates & progressive causes rely on.

[  ] Add $2 tip

[✓] Leave no tip

[  ] Add custom amount

And so, I made a one-time donation to the (without a tip to ActBlue) on September 30th, 2024, since "[DASS has] officially launched the DASS Legal Fund in anticipation of Republican post-election lawsuits in critical swing states like Maine, Michigan, North Carolina and Nevada," because "in 2020, Donald Trump and his surrogates filed 62 lawsuits contesting election processes, vote counting, and the vote certification process in nine states" and "most were thrown out, but [DASS is] not taking any chances in 2024."

P.S.: The reason that I only donated $1.00 to the DASS is because I already donated $2.00 (with a $0.14 tip to ActBlue) on September 2nd, 2024 (please see my 'September 2nd, 2024 Update No. 5, Written From September 4th, 2024 To September 9th, 2024, Which Also Discusses, August 30th, 2024, August 31st, 2024, September 1st, 2024 And September 2nd, 2024' that can be found above) in addition to $1.00 (without a tip to ActBlue) on September 22nd, 2024 (please see my 'September 22nd, 2024 Update No. 2, Written From September 23rd, 2024 To September 27th, 2024, Which Also Discusses September 10th, 2024 And September 11th, 2024' that can be found above) and that is all I can afford this month; however, I did want to respond because my support – right now – will help DASS defend democracy in the courtroom and stop future attacks on our elections, so that is why I made a donation in the amount that I did.

---------------------------------------------

The third political communication to which I responded on September 30th, 2024 was an email from the Democratic Governors Association (DGA) that I received on September 27th, 2024, with the subject line, "We can’t win this fight alone", which stated the following:

[Image of a GIF featuring California Governor Newsom that says, "I'm Governor Gavin Newsom, and I'm asking for your support."]

Paul, it’s Governor Gavin Newsom. Our final end-of-quarter fundraising deadline before Election Day is in just a few days – so before I begin, will you chip in $22 to the DGA right now to help elect Dem govs? Your support is deeply appreciated as we approach one of the most important elections of our lifetimes.

DONATE NOW***

From the day that Vice President Harris announced her candidacy back in July, to the Democratic National Convention in August where she made her case to the American people, to the debate earlier this month where she prosecuted the case against Trump’s dangerous vision – it’s been thrilling to watch Democrats from across the country come together behind her and her running mate, my friend Governor Tim Walz.

I couldn’t be more excited about Vice President Harris and Governor Walz as our ticket. They’re tough, fearless, and tenacious, and I know they will stand for honor and decency to move our country forward – alongside a strong firewall of Democratic governors who will act as their partners in the states from coast to coast.

But Democrats in races up and down the ballot can’t win this fight against Trump and his MAGA followers alone, Paul. It’s going to take all of us stepping up – not just on Election Day, but every one of the 39 days remaining beforehand as well. And there is too much at stake for anyone to stay on the sidelines.

That’s why I’m reaching out to you today. Can you rush $22 to help the DGA hit their urgent $350,000 end-of-quarter fundraising goal to stop the GOP and defend our blue firewall in states across the country?

If you've saved payment information with ActBlue Express, your donation will go through immediately.

[  ] Donate $22
[  ] Donate $44
[  ] Donate $88
[✓] Or donate other amount***

We need a huge rush of grassroots support, and I’m counting on you to step up, Paul. Let’s go win this November.

Gavin Newsom
Governor of California

Gavin Newsom is the Governor of California and a progressive leader. He has helped make California a worldwide leader in addressing climate change, protected reproductive freedom, taken serious action to stop gun violence and enacted pro-growth policies that have created thousands of good-paying jobs. And now he’s building on that progress to better the lives of all Californians.

Will you answer his call to action and donate $22 toward the DGA’s critical $350,000 end-of-quarter goal?

RUSH $22***

DONATE NOW
DEADLINE: MIDNIGHT

If we want to stop the Republicans dangerous agenda, we have to keep pace with the GOP's millions in fundraising — but right now, not enough Democrats are donating, and we're falling short ahead of our deadline.

Please don't wait: answer Governor Newsom's call and rush your gift to elect Democratic governors!

Donate immediately:

Your contribution will benefit Democratic Action.

[  ] Donate $22 →

[  ] Donate $44 →

[  ] Donate $88 →

[  ] Donate $220 →

[  ] Donate $440 →

[  ] Donate $880 →

[✓] Other amount $1.00

Please leave a tip for ActBlue

Power the nonprofit fundraising platform Democratic candidates & progressive causes rely on.

[  ] Add $2 tip

[✓] Leave no tip

[  ] Add custom amount

And so, I made a one-time donation to the DGA (without a tip to ActBlue) on September 30th, 2024, in order to answer the question, "Can you rush $22 to help the DGA hit their urgent $350,000 end-of-quarter fundraising goal to stop the GOP and defend our blue firewall in states across the country?" with a $1.00 donation!

P.S.: The reason that I only donated $1.00 to the DGA is because I already donated $2.00 (with a $0.14 tip to ActBlue) on September 2nd, 2024 (please see my 'September 2nd, 2024 Update No. 5, Written From September 4th, 2024 To September 9th, 2024, Which Also Discusses, August 30th, 2024, August 31st, 2024, September 1st, 2024 And September 2nd, 2024' that can be found above) in addition to another $2.00 (without a tip to ActBlue) on September 23rd, 2024 (please see my 'September 22nd, 2024 Update No. 2, Written From September 23rd, 2024 To September 27th, 2024, Which Also Discusses September 10th, 2024 And September 11th, 2024' that can be found above) and that is all I can afford this month; however, I did want to respond in order to answer Governor Newsom's call to action to donate toward the DGA’s critical $350,000 end-of-quarter goal, so that is why I made a donation in the amount that I did.

---------------------------------------------

The fourth political communication to which I responded on September 30th, 2024 were two emails from the Democratic Legislative Campaign Committee (DLCC).

Now, this is where the fourth communication(s) get kind of complicated! You see, when I respond to all of these political communications, I am 'sifting,' so to speak, through dozens of emails, and/or text messages, and selecting the best communications to which I can respond! And it takes a lot of time to do this. So, I usually 'set aside' the email and text message communications to which I am planning to respond, as a group, in the order in which I received said communications; then, I respond to each one in date order (or, chronological order).

Thus, with regard to these two particular emails from the DLCC, I had the first email, that I received on September 28th, 2024, 'set aside' with the group of other emails and texts to which I was planning to donate on September 30th! And that first September 28th email is the one through which I actually made my September 30th donation; however, the email that I received the next day, on September 29th, 2024, is actually a lot more applicable in its subject with regard to the 'theme' of this series of donations for the 3rd End of the Quarter 2024 FEC Deadline!

And the only reason that I am mentioning this second September 29th email is because I actually didn't realize that I had, apparently, 'set aside' this email as well, but didn't realize that until I was writing this portion of the 3rd End of the Quarter 2024 FEC Deadline 'update.' And I thought, "Oh, this September 29th email was actually much more applicable to the 3rd End of the Quarter 2024 FEC Deadline than the September 28th email to which I actually responded..." (Clearly, I am paraphrasing what I thought.) So that is why I decided to include that email in this portion of the 'update' regarding the DLCC. (I hope that makes sense!)

Therefore, the first email that I received from the Democratic Legislative Campaign Committee (DLCC) was on September 28th, 2024 (to which I actually donated for the 3rd End of the Quarter 2024 FEC Deadline), with the subject line, "The GOP just dumped $6.2 million into Pennsylvania", which stated the following:

Paul, I’m reaching out with an urgent message about Democrats’ majority in the Pennsylvania House, so I hope you’ll take the time to hear me out.

Extreme Republicans just committed another $6.2 million in an effort to take full control of the Pennsylvania legislature – and I need your help to stop them. If that’s all you need to hear, you can chip in right now to elect state Democrats all over the country using the link below.***

Here’s the thing: If the GOP wins back the PA House this November, they could push through a far-right agenda and attempt to dismantle the progress we’ve made on voting rights, health care access, and so much more.

Democrats hold a majority in the chamber by a one seat margin, and for the past two years, we’ve fought to defend our hard-won majority in nearly a dozen special elections. This fall, with 203 seats on the ballot, the stakes are higher than ever.

Republican extremists are pouring millions into this race because they know how much is on the line. They’re coming for our majority Paul, and we can’t afford to let them win.

I know we can keep states like Pennsylvania on the right track – but only if Democrats have the resources to compete against the GOP’s massive war chest. Will you rush another $50 donation to support the DLCC?

If you've stored your payment information with ActBlue Express, your donation will process immediately.

[  ] $50 »
[  ] $100 »
[  ] $250 »
[  ] $1000 »
[✓] Other »***

Thank you,

Josh Shapiro
Governor of Pennsylvania

DONATE »***

And the second email that I received from the Democratic Legislative Campaign Committee (DLCC) (to which I didn't donate, but it's much more applicable in its subject to the 'theme' of the 3rd End of the Quarter 2024 FEC Deadline) was on September 29th, 2024, with the subject line, "Paul, it’s game time.", which stated the following:

ELECT STATE DEMS
A project of the DLCC

Paul, it’s game time.

All year long, Down Ballot Defenders like you have made incredibly generous monthly donations. That’s reliable money that helps our team strategize and budget each month, and we can’t thank you enough for your support.

But now we’re entering the fourth quarter on Tuesday, and we’re just 37 days away from Election Day, so we need your help again.

This is a longer email about our accomplishments so if you’re in a hurry, you can make an additional one-time donation to help our party close in on our critical end-of-quarter fundraising goal by clicking here.***

Since you first joined our Down Ballot Defenders team, you’ve played an instrumental role in funding our movement. We rely on you when our fundraising numbers are down, and you always answer the call. Thank you, Paul.

Here’s a breakdown of how YOUR support and donations this year have impacted state-level races.

Quarter 1: Your donation allowed Democrats to make record-breaking investments in battleground states like Michigan so that we can protect our majorities and defeat MAGA extremism once again this November.

Quarter 2: With your gift, we launched a $10 million investment campaign to boost state legislative races in our target states.

Quarter 3: Because of your contribution, Democrats laid the groundwork for victory in states like Pennsylvania, defending our House majority for an eighth time since November 2022.

We’ve accomplished a LOT in the states so far this year, and the biggest and most important moment of all is coming up in just 37 days.

Paul, our Down Ballot Defenders are our MVPs, so we’re asking: Will you rush an additional one-time gift to help hit our end-of-quarter goal and set the stage for victory on Election Day? From now until midnight tomorrow, your one-time donation will be matched FIVE times! →***

If you've stored your payment information with ActBlue Express, your donation will process immediately.

[  ] 5X-MATCH $50
[  ] 5X-MATCH $100
[  ] 5X-MATCH $250
[  ] 5X-MATCH $1000
[✓] OTHER »***

Thank you,

Team DLCC

DLCC
DEMOCRATIC LEGISLATIVE CAMPAIGN COMMITTEE

Join the team! Chip in today.

🗳️Elect state Dems in must win races
💰Fund our strategic investments in 2024, 2025, and beyond
❌Counter Republican extremism in the states

Can you chip in before Monday's critical end-of-quarter deadline?

Donate immediately:

Your contribution will benefit DLCC PAC - Federal.

[  ] Donate $10 →

[  ] Donate $25 →

[  ] Donate $50 →

[  ] Donate $100 →

[  ] Donate $250 →

[  ] Donate $500 →

[  ] Donate $1,000→

[✓] Other amount $1.00

Please leave a tip for ActBlue

Power the nonprofit fundraising platform Democratic candidates & progressive causes rely on.

[  ] Add $2 tip

[✓] Leave no tip

[  ] Add custom amount

And so, I made a one-time donation to the DLCC (without a tip to ActBlue) on September 30th, 2024, in order to "elect state Democrats all over the country," by answering the question, "Can you chip in before Monday's critical end-of-quarter deadline?" with a $1.00 donation!

P.S.: The reason that I only donated $1.00 to the DLCC is because I already donated $2.00 (with a $0.14 tip to ActBlue) on September 2nd, 2024 (please see my 'September 2nd, 2024 Update No. 5, Written From September 4th, 2024 To September 9th, 2024, Which Also Discusses, August 30th, 2024, August 31st, 2024, September 1st, 2024 And September 2nd, 2024' that can be found above) in addition to $1.00 (without a tip to ActBlue) on September 22nd, 2024 (please see my 'September 22nd, 2024 Update No. 2, Written From September 23rd, 2024 To September 27th, 2024, Which Also Discusses September 10th, 2024 And September 11th, 2024' that can be found above) and that is all I can afford this month; however, I did want to respond in order to donate for the 3rd End of the Quarter 2024 FEC Deadline, so that is why I made a donation in the amount that I did.

---------------------------------------------

The fifth political communication to which I responded on September 30th, 2024 was an email from the Democratic Attorneys General Association (DAGA) that I received on September 29th, 2024, with the subject line, "Supporter Record Enclosed", which stated the following:

Paul,

We’re double-checking all of our fundraising records, and this is what we have on file for you:

Supporter: [redacted]
2024 Donor? Activated — thank you!
Suggested Donation: $5.00
End-of-quarter Deadline: September 30

INCREASE YOUR SUPPORT***

With our end-of-quarter deadline just over 24 hours away, we need to leave everything we have on the field. We get one shot at this — there are no redos.

If we don’t hit our fundraising goal, we might have to make tough decisions about our budget or scale back our support in tight races. We DON’T want to be in a position to do that, not this close to the election and with so much on the line.

Paul, can we count on a $5 donation ahead of tomorrow’s end-of-quarter deadline? The funds you give will help elect Dem AGs across the country.

If you've saved your payment information with ActBlue Express, your donation will go through immediately:

[  ] CHIP IN $5 NOW
[  ] CHIP IN $10 NOW
[  ] CHIP IN $25 NOW
[  ] CHIP IN $50 NOW
[  ] CHIP IN $100 NOW
[✓] ANOTHER AMOUNT***

Thanks for being a part of this mission,

Dem AGs

DEMOCRATIC ATTORNEYS GENERAL ASSOCIATION

PROTECTING OUR RIGHTS

From abortion access to voting rights, Dem AGs are on the front lines, defending our democracy and protecting our communities.

Make a donation to DAGA to elect more Dem AGs in 2024 and beyond — starting right here and now.

DONATE IMMEDIATELY:

Your contribution will benefit Democratic Attorneys General Association (DAGA) PAC.

[  ] DONATE $5 →

[  ] DONATE $10 →

[  ] DONATE $25 →

[  ] DONATE $50 →

[  ] DONATE $100 →

[  ] DONATE $250 →

[  ] DONATE $500 →

[✓] OTHER AMOUNT $1.00

Please leave a tip for ActBlue

Power the nonprofit fundraising platform Democratic candidates & progressive causes rely on.

[  ] Add $2 tip

[✓] Leave no tip

[  ] Add custom amount

And so, I made a one-time donation to the DAGA (without a tip to ActBlue) on September 30th, 2024, because "with [the DAGA's] end-of-quarter deadline just over 24 hours away, we need to leave everything we have on the field." That is why I contributed to the DAGA in order to answer the question, "Paul, can we count on a $5 donation ahead of tomorrow’s end-of-quarter deadline?" with a $1.00 donation!

P.S.: The reason that I only donated $1.00 to the DAGA is because I already donated $2.00 (with a $0.14 tip to ActBlue) on September 2nd, 2024 (please see my 'September 2nd, 2024 Update No. 5, Written From September 4th, 2024 To September 9th, 2024, Which Also Discusses, August 30th, 2024, August 31st, 2024, September 1st, 2024 And September 2nd, 2024' that can be found above) and that is all I can afford this month; however, I did want to respond in order to donate for the 3rd End of the Quarter 2024 FEC Deadline, so that is why I made a donation in the amount that I did.

---------------------------------------------

The sixth political communication to which I responded on September 30th, 2024 was an email from the Democratic Senatorial Campaign Committee (DSCC) that I received on September 30th, 2024, with the subject line, "Don't adjust your screen... –>", which stated the following:

Paul -- Before tonight's MASSIVE Democratic fundraising deadline hits, you have to see our latest polling report:

Florida
44 [Dems] - 43 [GOP]

Ohio
49 [Dems] - 51 [GOP]

Montana
44 [Dems] - 42 [GOP]

Texas
45 [Dems] - 44 [GOP]

You're reading that right, Paul -- as of right now, Democrats are in neck-and-neck races in four states Donald Trump carried!

If you're Trump or Mitch McConnell, this is bad news. The GOP dream of a MAGA trifecta ENDS if Senate Democrats win races like these and hold our majority -- and the polls say it's possible!

We only have a limited window before Trump's dark-money allies pour in MILLIONS to crush our momentum. A coalition of donors is standing by to QUADRUPLE all gifts to help Democrats hold them off, but ONLY until tonight's end-of-quarter deadline!

Quickly, Paul: Don't let this chance go to waste! Rush $55 right now to have your gift QUADRUPLED to defend our Democratic majority and stop Trump's dream of a MAGA Senate takeover >>***

If you've saved your payment info with ActBlue Express, your donation will be processed immediately.

[  ] DONATE $55 (BECOMES $220)
[  ] DONATE $110 (BECOMES $440)
[  ] DONATE $220 (BECOMES $880)
[✓] RUSH ANOTHER AMOUNT***

Don't wait for the next update, Paul -- this could decide the election right here.

Thanks in advance for stepping up,

- Team DSCC

DSCC

Match Activated! QUADRUPLE your impact to help SUPERCHARGE our Senate majority!

CNN says multiple GOP seats could flip blue this year — but with Mitch McConnell's megadonors already playing offense, it's going to take all hands on deck to win!

Please, will you chip in now to protect our historic progress by supercharging our Democratic majority? All gifts received before tonight's deadline will be QUADRUPLED!

Donate immediately:

Your contribution will benefit DSCC.

[✓] Donate $1 →

[  ] Donate $110 →

[  ] Donate $220 →

[  ] Donate $550 →

[  ] Other amount

Please leave a tip for ActBlue

Power the nonprofit fundraising platform Democratic candidates & progressive causes rely on.

[  ] Add $2 tip

[✓] Leave no tip

[  ] Add custom amount

And so, I made a one-time donation to the DSCC (without a tip to ActBlue) on September 30th, 2024, because "as of right now, Democrats are in neck-and-neck races in four states Donald Trump carried," so "the GOP dream of a MAGA trifecta ENDS if Senate Democrats win races like these and hold our majority -- and the polls say it's possible!"

P.S.: The reason that I only donated $1.00 to the DSCC is because I already donated $2.00 (with a $0.14 tip to ActBlue) on September 2nd, 2024 (please see my 'September 2nd, 2024 Update No. 5, Written From September 4th, 2024 To September 9th, 2024, Which Also Discusses, August 30th, 2024, August 31st, 2024, September 1st, 2024 And September 2nd, 2024' that can be found above) in addition to $1.00 (without a tip to ActBlue) on September 22nd, 2024 (please see my 'September 22nd, 2024 Update No. 2, Written From September 23rd, 2024 To September 27th, 2024, Which Also Discusses September 10th, 2024 And September 11th, 2024' that can be found above) and that is all I can afford this month; however, I did want to respond in order to have my gift QUADRUPLED to defend our Democratic majority and stop Trump's dream of a MAGA Senate takeover, so that is why I made a donation in the amount that I did.

---------------------------------------------

The seventh political communication to which I responded on September 30th, 2024 was a text message that I received on September 30th, 2024, from the Harris Victory Fund, which stated the following:

Paul, it’s Kamala.

Tonight marks our campaign’s final end-of-quarter fundraising deadline before Election Day. There are many reasons why I am counting on your support again, but it comes down to this:

This election is so much bigger than me. It is about who we are as Americans -- making clear what we stand for and fighting for it. One vote at a time. And yes, one donation at a time.

So, I am coming to you directly: Your support since I launched my campaign has helped get us this far, and we need to keep going.

Can you represent your state and chip in another $40 donation before our end-of-quarter deadline at midnight tonight? Here is my personal donation link:***

HARRIS
Victory Fund

Before midnight: Donate to support the Harris-Walz campaign and Democrats nationwide!

We all must stand together to win at the ballot box, protect our fundamental freedoms, and finally fulfill the promise of America. Donate $25 or more before our midnight deadline.

Donate immediately:

Your contribution will benefit Harris Victory Fund.

[  ] Donate $5 →

[  ] Donate $50 →

[  ] Donate $100 →

[  ] Donate $250 →

[  ] Donate $1,000 →

[  ] Donate $2,000 →

[✓] Other amount $1.00

Please leave a tip for ActBlue

Power the nonprofit fundraising platform Democratic candidates & progressive causes rely on.

[  ] Add $2 tip

[✓] Leave no tip

[  ] Add custom amount

And so, I made a one-time donation to the Harris Victory Fund (without a tip to ActBlue) on September 30th, 2024, due to the following: "This election is so much bigger than [Vice President Kamala Harris]. It is about who we are as Americans -- making clear what we stand for and fighting for it. One vote at a time. And yes, one donation at a time."

P.S.: The reason that I only donated $1.00 to the Harris Victory Fund is because I already donated $2.00 (with a $0.14 tip to ActBlue) on September 2nd, 2024 (please see my 'September 2nd, 2024 Update No. 5, Written From September 4th, 2024 To September 9th, 2024, Which Also Discusses, August 30th, 2024, August 31st, 2024, September 1st, 2024 And September 2nd, 2024' that can be found above) in addition to $1.00 (without a tip to ActBlue) on September 22nd, 2024 (please see my 'September 22nd, 2024 Update No. 2, Written From September 23rd, 2024 To September 27th, 2024, Which Also Discusses September 10th, 2024 And September 11th, 2024' that can be found above) and that is all I can afford this month; however, I did want to respond in order to represent my state and chip in another donation before the Harris Victory Fund's end-of-quarter deadline, so that is why I made a donation in the amount that I did.

---------------------------------------------

The eighth political communication to which I responded on September 30th, 2024 was an email from the Harris For President campaign that I received on September 30th, 2024, with the subject line, "Midnight", which stated the following:

Harris for President

$36, Paul.

Tonight at midnight we close the books on the most important FEC deadline of the campaign to date and mark 36 days out from Election Day, so that’s how much we’re asking grassroots supporters to give right now.

If that’s all you need to hear, will you pitch in $36 before our FEC deadline to help elect Kamala Harris as the next President of the United States and defeat Donald Trump once and for all?***

We know that $36 is a big ask. We also understand that not everyone can give that much to a political campaign.

But your support today could determine whether Kamala wins or loses in November.

Polling is showing this race is statistically tied. Trump and his allies are pouring hundreds of millions of dollars into attack ads and organizing in battleground states.

We can’t risk Kamala’s message of freedom, opportunity, and progress getting drowned out in this final stretch. With so much on the line in this election, we have to ask:

Will you pitch in $36, or even just $5 today, before our end-of-quarter FEC deadline at midnight? We don’t want to look back 36 days from now and wish we’d done more when we had the time.

Thank you for doing your part today. We’re grateful to have you on this team, Paul.

Team Harris-Walz

DONATE***

HARRIS
WALZ

Pitch in $36 before the end-of- quarter FEC deadline to elect Kamala Harris!

The Vice President needs your support before September 30. Be part of the movement that is fighting to defeat Trump and chart a new way forward for America. Donate now.

Donate immediately:

Your contribution will benefit Kamala Harris.

[✓] Donate $1 →

[  ] Donate $50 →

[  ] Donate $75 →

[  ] Donate $100 →

[  ] Donate $125 →

[  ] Other amount

Please leave a tip for ActBlue

Power the nonprofit fundraising platform Democratic candidates & progressive causes rely on.

[  ] Add $2 tip

[✓] Leave no tip

[  ] Add custom amount

And so, I made a one-time donation to the Harris For President campaign (without a tip to ActBlue) on September 30th, 2024, in order to answer the question, "Will you pitch in $36, or even just $5 today, before our end-of-quarter FEC deadline at midnight?" with a $1.00 donation!

P.S.: The reason that I only donated $1.00 to the Harris For President campaign is because I already donated $2.00 twice (both with a $0.14 tip to ActBlue) on September 2nd, 2024 (please see my 'September 2nd, 2024 Update No. 5, Written From September 4th, 2024 To September 9th, 2024, Which Also Discusses, August 30th, 2024, August 31st, 2024, September 1st, 2024 And September 2nd, 2024' that can be found above) in addition to $1.00 three times (all without a tip to ActBlue) on September 22nd, 2024 (please see my 'September 22nd, 2024 Update No. 2, Written From September 23rd, 2024 To September 27th, 2024, Which Also Discusses September 10th, 2024 And September 11th, 2024' that can be found above) and that is all I can afford this month; however, I did want to respond, because on September 30th the Harris for President campaign closes the books on the most important FEC deadline of the campaign to date, so that is why I made a donation in the amount that I did.

---------------------------------------------

The ninth political communication to which I responded on September 30th, 2024 was an email from the Democratic National Committee (DNC) that I received on September 30th, 2024, with the subject line, "You’re one of the Democratic Party’s top supporters, Paul →", which stated the following:

Paul,

Before we close the books on our final end-of-quarter deadline of the election cycle, we wanted to send you a quick note to say thank you.

Our records show that you’ve donated $[redacted] to the Democratic Party this year. You’re playing a big role in helping elect Kamala Harris, Tim Walz, and Democrats nationwide -- and we hope you’re proud of your impact.

You’re also very close to doing something that only a small percentage of dedicated supporters can say.

Democrats who chip in more than $200 within the year will get their name listed on our official FEC report.

That means if you give $[redacted] before midnight, your name will appear on a list of committed Democrats doing everything they can to defeat Trump this fall.

We’re so grateful for your contributions so far. It would mean so much to all of us here at the Democratic Party if you would consider chipping in $[redacted] not just to get your name on our FEC report, but to help us reach as many voters as possible in the final stretch of this election cycle.

If you've stored your info with ActBlue, we'll process your contribution instantly:

[ ] CONTRIBUTE $[redacted]
[✓] CONTRIBUTE OTHER***

When you see Kamala Harris and Tim Walz victorious on election night and Democrats win key races across the country, you’ll be able to say you played a big role in making it happen.

Thank you again for everything you’re doing,

The Democrats

Thank you for being a monthly donor. Your donations allow us to plan ahead and allocate resources to elect Democrats up and down the ballot. Your monthly investments are critical to the future of our Party, and we appreciate your committed support!

CONTRIBUTE***

DEMOCRATS

Donate to the DNC ahead of our final end-of-quarter deadline

Trump and his far-right allies are raising millions of dollars to lift up extreme MAGA Republican candidates running at all levels across the country.

We're counting on this grassroots team to help us fight back and invest in the resources our candidates rely on to compete and win year after year. Rush a donation today >>

Donate immediately:

Your contribution will benefit The Democratic National Committee (DNC).

[✓] $1 →

[  ] $20 →

[  ] $50 →

[  ] $100 →

[  ] $250 →

[  ] $1,000 →

[  ] $2,000 →

[  ] Other

Please leave a tip for ActBlue

Power the nonprofit fundraising platform Democratic candidates & progressive causes rely on.

[  ] Add $2 tip

[✓] Leave no tip

[  ] Add custom amount

And so, I made a one-time donation to the DNC (without a tip to ActBlue) on September 30th, 2024, because "[the DNC's] records show that [I've] donated $[redacted] to the Democratic Party this year," so "[I'm] playing a big role in helping elect Kamala Harris, Tim Walz, and Democrats nationwide."

P.S.: The reason that I only donated $1.00 to the DNC is because I already donated $3.00 (with a $0.21 tip to ActBlue) on September 2nd, 2024 (please see my 'September 2nd, 2024 Update No. 5, Written From September 4th, 2024 To September 9th, 2024, Which Also Discusses, August 30th, 2024, August 31st, 2024, September 1st, 2024 And September 2nd, 2024' that can be found above) in addition to $1.00 (without a tip to ActBlue) on September 22nd, 2024 (please see my 'September 22nd, 2024 Update No. 2, Written From September 23rd, 2024 To September 27th, 2024, Which Also Discusses September 10th, 2024 And September 11th, 2024' that can be found above) and that is all I can afford this month; however, I did want to respond since, when I see Kamala Harris and Tim Walz victorious on election night, and Democrats win key races across the country, I'll be able to say I played a big role in making it happen, so that is why I made a donation in the amount that I did.

---------------------------------------------

The tenth political communication to which I responded on September 30th, 2024 was an email from the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee (DCCC) that I received on September 30th, 2024, with the subject line, "Read as soon as you can, Paul." ➡️, which stated the following:

Please stop what you’re doing and read this, Paul!!! Vice President Harris spoke out and called on every single one of us to band together and WIN this historic election. She knows MAGA Republicans have raised MILLIONS to defend their House Majority -- it’s going to take all of us working together to come out on top. Generous Democrats are SO fired up that they agreed to 400%-MATCH every single gift until midnight to help Democrats close the fundraising gap. We’re calling for 39,548 gifts before the match expires to help RECLAIM our Majority -- will you help us make Vice President Harris proud by rushing $60 to the DCCC before we fall short of our End-of-Quarter goal? >>***

400%-MATCH UNLOCKED UNTIL MIDNIGHT
Chip in now >>***

Paul, we need you to see this ASAP.

FIRST:

Republicans raked in a shocking $183 MILLION to destroy House Democrats in this election.

SO THEN:

Vice President Harris JUMPED to action and called on us to fight back:

[Image of Kamala Harris with the quote: "Without the support of House Democrats in the majority again, we won't be able to build on our progress."}

NOW:

Top Democrats are SO fired up that they’ve agreed to 400%-MATCH every donation -- until midnight -- to ensure Democrats can close the fundraising gap. That’s how important this is. If we can reach 39,548 gifts before the match expires, we could CLOSE our budget gap, hand House Republicans a MASSIVE loss in this election, and make Vice President Harris proud by reclaiming our Majority. Will you step up, Paul?

If you’ve saved your payment information with ActBlue Express, your donation will go through immediately:

[  ] 400%-match your $100 >>
[  ] 400%-match your $250 >>
[  ] 400%-match your $500 >>
[  ] 400%-match your $1000 >>
[✓] Or 400%-match another amount >>***

Thank you,

DCCC

[DCCC logo] DEMOCRATS 2024

RARE 400%-MATCH: QUADRUPLE YOUR IMPACT TO DEFEND OUR HOUSE DEMOCRATS!

All-star Democrats have generously agreed to the 400%-MATCH all gifts made to the DCCC until 11:59 pm ET to help FLIP the House blue.

Will you chip in a 400%-MATCHED gift before it's too late and elect a WAVE of Democrats across the country?

Donate immediately:

Your contribution will benefit the DCCC.

[✓] Donate $1 →

[  ] Donate $25 →

[  ] Donate $50 →

[  ] Donate $100 →

[  ] Donate $250 →

[  ] Donate $500 →

[  ] Donate $1,000 →

[  ] Other amount

Please leave a tip for ActBlue

Power the nonprofit fundraising platform Democratic candidates & progressive causes rely on.

[  ] Add $2 tip

[✓] Leave no tip

[  ] Add custom amount

And so, I made a one-time donation to the DCCC (without a tip to ActBlue) on September 30th, 2024, because "Vice President Harris spoke out and called on every single one of us to band together and WIN this historic election," since "she knows MAGA Republicans have raised MILLIONS to defend their House Majority [so] it’s going to take all of us working together to come out on top."

P.S.: The reason that I only donated $1.00 to the DCCC is because I already donated $3.00 (with a $0.21 tip to ActBlue) on September 2nd, 2024 (please see my 'September 2nd, 2024 Update No. 5, Written From September 4th, 2024 To September 9th, 2024, Which Also Discusses, August 30th, 2024, August 31st, 2024, September 1st, 2024 And September 2nd, 2024' that can be found above) in addition to $1.00 twice (both without a tip to ActBlue) on September 22nd, 2024 (please see my 'September 22nd, 2024 Update No. 2, Written From September 23rd, 2024 To September 27th, 2024, Which Also Discusses September 10th, 2024 And September 11th, 2024' that can be found above) and that is all I can afford this month; however, I did want to respond in order to help the DCCC make Vice President Harris proud by rushing a donation to the DCCC before their End-of-Quarter goal, so that is why I made a donation in the amount that I did.

---------------------------------------------

Finally, this last political donation wasn't due to a communication that I received from the following organization, but because I have donated to this organization in previous election cycles!

The eleventh organization to which I donated was the Democratic Mayors Association (DMA), based upon their donation webpage that appeared on the ActBlue.com website, which stated the following:

DMA
Democratic Mayors Association

Support the Democratic Mayors

We represent Mayors across the country who have a common vision for progress and inclusive growth in their communities.

#MayorsMatter

Donate immediately:

Your contribution will benefit Democratic Mayors Association.

[  ] Donate $10 →

[  ] Donate $15 →

[  ] Donate $25 →

[  ] Donate $50 →

[  ] Donate $100 →

[  ] Donate $250 →

[  ] Donate $500 →

[✓] Other amount $1.00

Please leave a tip for ActBlue

Power the nonprofit fundraising platform Democratic candidates & progressive causes rely on.

[  ] Add $2 tip

[✓] Leave no tip

[  ] Add custom amount

And so, I made a one-time donation to the DMA (without a tip to ActBlue) on September 30th, 2024, because "[they] represent Mayors across the country who have a common vision for progress and inclusive growth in their communities."

P.S.: The reason that I only donated $1.00 to the DMA is because I already donated $2.00 (with a $0.14 tip to ActBlue) on September 2nd, 2024 (please see my 'September 2nd, 2024 Update No. 5, Written From September 4th, 2024 To September 9th, 2024, Which Also Discusses, August 30th, 2024, August 31st, 2024, September 1st, 2024 And September 2nd, 2024' that can be found above) and that is all I can afford this month; however, I did want to respond in order to donate for the 3rd End of the Quarter 2024 FEC Deadline, so that is why I made a donation in the amount that I did.

Thus, these nine organizations—the DA, the DASS, the DGA, the DLCC, the DAGA, the DSCC, the DNC, the DCCC, as well as the DMA—plus, this one campaign—Harris for President, or the Harris Victory Fund—are the political organizations, and the political campaign, that I donated to on September 30th, 2024! –Paul Whiting (written from October 1st, 2024 to October 7th, 2024 and revised October 10th, 2024)

-------------------------------------------------------------------

September 30th, 2024 Update No. 3, Written 0n October 1st, 2024 About September 2024: This 'update' is special, since I am continuing to change the way that I make donations to political, progressive and charitable organizations each month! And because I first changed the way that I make donations starting in August 2023, this update is also technically a follow-up to the following:

▪ August 19th, 2023 Update
▪ August 19th, 2023 Update—Follow-Up No. 1, Written On August 31st, 2023
▪ August 19th, 2023 Update—Follow-Up No. 2, Written On October 1st, 2023 About September 2023
▪ August 19th, 2023 Update—Follow-Up No. 3, Written On November 1st, 2023 About October 2023
▪ August 19th, 2023 Update—Follow-Up No. 4, Written On December 1st, 2023 About November 2023
▪ August 19th, 2023 Update—Follow-Up No. 5, Written On January 1st, 2024 About December 2023

Besides that, because this is the year 2024—where I am continuing to change the way that I make donations to political, progressive and charitable organizations that I started changing in 2023—this update is also a follow-up to the following:

▪ January 31st, 2024 Update No. 3, Written On February 1st, 2024 About January 2024

▪ February 29th, 2024 Update No. 3, Written On March 1st, 2024 About February 2024

▪ March 31st, 2024 Update No. 6, Written On April 2nd, 2024 About March 2024

▪ April 30th, 2024 Update No. 2, Written On May 1st, 2024 About April 2024

▪ May 31st, 2024 Update No. 3, Written On June 1st, 2024 About May 2024

▪ June 30th, 2024 Update No. 1, Written On July 1st, 2024 About June 2024

▪ July 31st, 2024 Update No. 1, Written From August 1st, 2024 To August 2nd, 2024 About July 2024

▪ August 31st, 2024 Update No. 6, Written From September 1st, 2024 To September 2nd, 2024 About August 2024

Please let me explain: I spent A LOT the year before last (2022) because I was "doing everything in my power to help Democrats win in the 2022 Midterm Elections!" And I also spent QUITE A BIT last year (2023) because I was trying to 'put my money where my mouth is' regarding my activism throughout the year. And so, I ended up with a rather considerable credit card balance...

...Now, this is my only credit card—that I got through my regular bank—and I was enjoying an interest-free period on my charges up until August 2023! Thus, my carefree days of not paying for any interest on my credit card balance were officially over last year. And my minimum payments were going to be a rather large percentage of the amount that I had set aside in my monthly budget for my minimum payment, as well as my extra payment, on my credit card each month.

So, in response to this change in my minimum payments, I changed the way that I donated to political, progressive and charitable organizations, starting in 2023, due to the fact that I was spending a considerable percentage of my monthly income on all of these donations in 2023—as outlined below—starting with January of 2023.

January 2023:
Total percentage of my monthly income for political, progressive and charitable donations: 15%

February 2023:
Total percentage of my monthly income for political, progressive and charitable donations: 19%

March 2023:
Total percentage of my monthly income for political, progressive and charitable donations: 12%

April 2023:
Total percentage of my monthly income for political, progressive and charitable donations: 17%

May 2023:
Total percentage of my monthly income for political, progressive and charitable donations: 21%

June 2023:
Total percentage of my monthly income for political, progressive and charitable donations: 20%

July 2023:
Total percentage of my monthly income for political, progressive and charitable donations: 17%

August 2023:
Total percentage of my monthly income for political, progressive and charitable donations: 23%

September 2023:
Total percentage of my monthly income for political, progressive and charitable donations: 20%

October 2023:
Total percentage of my monthly income for political, progressive and charitable donations: 31%

November 2023:
Total percentage of my monthly income for political, progressive and charitable donations: 71%

December 2023:
Total percentage of my monthly income for political, progressive and charitable donations: 31%

And so, if I average out the total percentage in 2023 that I spent on political, progressive and charitable organizations from January 2023 through December 2023, it comes out to be 25% of my monthly income! (The reader should know that I am HIV-positive with full-blown AIDS. And I am on Social Security Disability Insurance, or SSDI, so my income is quite limited.)

That is the reason I started really "tightening my belt," so to speak, with regard to all of the donations that I am making on my credit card each month! So, my plan is to only donate to political, progressive and charitable organizations if they specifically ask for donations—and not just for the sake of donating to them at least once per month, or even when I have been taking some sort of action, such as signing a petition, or sending a letter, etc. Thus, I am trying to greatly reduce the number of donations that I make to simply once in a while, or as determined by me on a case-by-case basis!

You see, there are a lot of organizations that I literally donate to only once per year—such as for Giving Tuesday—which is all that I ever donate to them. And that is basically what I am striving for, so that I am still donating to political, progressive and charitable organizations, but the bare minimum that I can donate, since that's all I can really afford.

Therefore, I am no longer donating for every one of the email or text messages that I receive (to which I choose to respond), which are requesting me to take action that also come from the same organization, with the exception of the USO (United Service Organizations), or as determined by me on a case-by-case basis. And I am reducing how much I donate for the regular mail requests that I receive (to which I choose to respond) to take action.

That is why I will still be responding to some of the email or text messages that I receive (to which I choose to respond), which are requesting me to take action, as well as to some of the regular mail requests that I receive (to which I choose to respond), which are requesting me to take action; however, when I do donate, I am reducing the number of times that I donate for the same organization per month down to once—or as determined by me on a case-by-case basis—in addition to reducing the amount that I donate to organizations from which I receive mailers.

Thus, when I do donate, I will only be donating once per month for each political, progressive or charitable organization, with the exception of the USO, or as determined by me on a case-by-case basis. (You see, I make a recurring monthly donation to the USO in order to show my support for our U.S. Military Personnel! Plus, I usually make one-time donations to the USO each month—as often as I can manage when they request a donation via email or text message. Therefore, I am planning to continue making one-time donations to the USO in the future, as often as I can manage to make donations, in addition to making the aforementioned recurring monthly donation.)

In addition to that, as of March 21st, 2024, I am no longer donating to individual political campaigns for the foreseeable future—or as determined by me on a case-by-case basis (such as to Kamala Harris's campaign for President of the United States, or to local campaigns here in Oregon), but I am not donating like I have been up until this point—which has been virtually every time that I have received a political campaign donation request via email or text message—because I seriously cannot afford to donate that much for the rest of the 2024 Presidential Election cycle, as well as for the foreseeable future.

And I have made this decision based upon how much these individual political campaign donations are costing in my 'monthly donating budget'—even though I have only been donating $3.00 with a $0.21 tip to ActBlue. However, it's still more than I can afford given my 'monthly donating budget,' which is why I have decided to stop donating to individual political campaigns entirely—or as determined by me on a case-by-case basis, as mentioned above.

And to clarify one more thing: In the past, I used to only donate to the main Democratic fundraising and coordinating organizations—rather than to individual campaigns—since that's all I really could afford given my 'monthly spending budget,' because I am "low income." Plus, those Democratic fundraising and coordinating organizations help all of the individual political campaigns with funding, which is why I used to only donate to those main organizations. And I only started donating to individual political campaigns in 2022, since I was "doing everything in my power to help Democrats win in the 2022 Midterm Elections!" Therefore, this decision to stop donating to individual political campaigns (with the exception of presidential campaigns and local campaigns, or as determined by me on a case-by-case basis) is really just going back to the way that I used to make political donations.

And now that yesterday, September 30th, 2024, was the last day of August 2024, I wanted to provide you with August's total percentage of my monthly income for political, progressive and charitable donations:

September 2024:
Total percentage of my monthly income for political, progressive and charitable donations: 14.24% {14.23628147191%}

And here are the percentages that I have spent on political, progressive and charitable organizations by category, as outlined within my monthly budget:

-------Please see [01] below-------
[02] DCCC (Dem. Congress. Cam. Comm.): 0.27% {0.27178825048%}
[03] DNC (Dem. Nation. Cam. Comm.): 0.27% {0.27178825048%}
[04] Harris for President: 0.34% {0.34086507424%}
[05] Harris Victory Fund: 0.20% {0.20271142672%}
[06] DASS (Dem. Assoc. Secr. of State): 0.20% {0.20271142672%}
[07] VoteVets: 0.14% {0.13815364751%}
[08] Voto Latino: 0.14% {0.13815364751%}
[09] Jane Fonda Climate PAC: 0.14% {0.13815364751%}
[10] DLCC (Dem. Legis. Cam. Comm.): 0.20% {0.20271142672%}
[11] Educated We Stand: 0.14% {0.13815364751%}
[12] DA (Dems. Abroad): 0.26% {0.26662362814%}
[13] DGA (Dem. Govern. Assoc.): 0.20% {0.20271142672%}
[14] DAGA (Dem. Attorneys. Gen. Assoc.): 0.20% {0.20271142672%}
[15] DSCC (Dem. Senate. Cam. Comm.): 0.20% {0.20271142672%}
[16] DPO (Dem. Party of Ore.): 0.14% {0.13815364751%}
[17] DMA (Dem. Mayors Assoc.): 0.20% {0.20271142672%}
[18] Ban Assault Weapons NOW: 0.14% {0.13815364751%}
[19] Democratic Youth Wave PAC: 0.14% {0.13815364751%}
[20] EMILYs List: 0.14% {0.13815364751%}
[21] Four Directions Native Vote: 0.14% {0.13815364751%}
[22] Non-Categorized Political: 0.14% {0.13815364751%}
[23] Rolling Sea PAC: 0.14% {0.13815364751%}
[24] Teachers Unify To End Gun Violence: 0.14% {0.13815364751%}
[25] Voters of Tomorrow PAC: 0.14% {0.13815364751%}
[26] March For Our Lives: 0.32% {0.32278889606%}
[27] WWP (Wounded Warrior Project): 0.77% {0.77469335054%}
[28] USO (United Serv. Orgs.): 1.65% {1.64880568108%}
[29] IAVA (Iraq & Afghan. Vet. of Amer.): 0.32% {0.32278889606%}
[30] Monthly Political: 2.32% {2.32408005164%}
[31] Union Gospel Mission: 0.45% {0.45190445448%}
[32] News Organizations: 0.32% {0.32278889606%}
[33] Armed Services YMCA: 0.45% {0.45190445448%}
-------Please see [34] below-------
[35] Presidential Debate on Sept. 10th: 1.29% {1.29115558424%} [36] PPF PAC (Plan. Parent. Federal PAC): 0.65% {0.64557779212%}
[37] Toys for Tots: 0.32% {0.32278889606%}
[38] CBC PAC (Congressional Black Caucus PAC): 0.35% {0.34538411878%}
[39] Brady United: 0.32% {0.32278889606%}
[40] ACLU (Amer. Civ. Lib. Union): 0.32% {0.32278889606%}

Monthly Income Total Percentage Calculation:

0.54% {2 × 0.27%}
+ 0.34%
+ 1.41% {7 × 0.20% approximately}
+ 1.82% {13 × 0.14%}
+ 0.26%
+ 1.94% {6 × 0.32% approximately}
+ 0.77%
+ 1.65%
+ 2.32%
+ 0.90% {2 × 0.45%}
+ 1.29%
+ 0.65%
+ 0.35%
= 14.24%

Plus, here are the percentages that I have spent on interest and credit card purchases, as outlined within my monthly budget:

[01] Credit Card Purchases: 15.39% {15.39444803098%}
[34] Monthly Interest: 6.94% {6.94318915429%}

Total Percentage of Monthly Income from Interest and Purchases: 22.33% {22.33763718528%}

Grand Total Percentage of Monthly Income for September 2024: 36.57% {36.57391865719%}

And starting in 2024, I totally changed the way that I approach how I calculate what I am spending on my credit card each month! So now, I take the total amount that I have available in my monthly budget for my minimum payment on my credit card—as well as my extra payment—and I calculate how much I am reducing that amount each time that I charge on my credit card.

That way, I am very aware of the amount by which I am reducing my total available credit card payments for the month (the minimum payment and the extra payment) in order to, hopefully, pay more on my credit card than I am spending! Plus, I am also utilizing some funds from my budgeted expenses, as well as some funds from my savings, to make sure that I am paying a little more than I am spending while—at the same time—I am also trying to spend less on my credit card.

For example, I made three sets of donations for the month of September 2024 (the first one on September 2nd, the second one on September 22nd and the third one on September 30th) to Democratic fundraising and coordinating political organizations—and to one campaign—regarding the national races for the House of Representatives (the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee), the Senate (the Democratic Senatorial Campaign Committee) and the President of the United States (the Democratic National Committee and Harris for President, or the Harris Victory Fund), as well as the state races for the Governors (the Democratic Governors Association), the Secretaries of State (the Democratic Association of Secretaries of State), the Attorneys General (the Democratic Attorneys General Association) the State Legislatures (the Democratic Legislative Campaign Committee), and the Mayors (Democratic Mayors Association, or the National Conference of Democratic Mayors), during this ninth month of the year for the 2024 Presidential Election.

Now, this is where I usually say the following on these donation 'updates' that I write each month:

That is why I am trying to contribute, during each month of 2024, as much as I am able to donate to Democratic political organizations—as well as to Democratic political campaigns—while I am still trying to stay within a 'monthly donating budget,' since that's all I can really afford! Now, that means I can only donate ONCE for the entire month to each of the above-mentioned seven organizations (and one campaign!) in order to stay within my 'monthly donating budget.' Period. And that is how I am planning to budget for my credit card charges in order to see if it is "feasible for the foreseeable future" (say that three times fast!), or if I need to adjust this new credit card budget even more.

So, that means I am going to follow my own concluding words of advice from these donation 'updates' that I write each month:

And that is how I am planning to budget for my credit card charges in order to see if it is "feasible for the foreseeable future" (say that three times fast!), or if I need to adjust this new credit card budget even more.

So now, the time has come to for me to "adjust this new credit card budget even more," since I am still spending a considerable percentage of my monthly income on all of these donations in 2024—as outlined below—starting with January of 2024.

January 2024:
Total percentage of my monthly income for political, progressive and charitable donations: 13.42% {13.41962556488%}

February 2024:
Total percentage of my monthly income for political, progressive and charitable donations: 24.29% {24.29244673983%}

March 2024:
Total percentage of my monthly income for political, progressive and charitable donations: 19.99% {19.99806326662%}

April 2024:
Total percentage of my monthly income for political, progressive and charitable donations: 12.99% {12.99225306649%}

May 2024:
Total percentage of my monthly income for political, progressive and charitable donations: 17.14% {17.14267269205%}

June 2024:
Total percentage of my monthly income for political, progressive and charitable donations: 15.87% {15.87798579728%}

July 2024:
Total percentage of my monthly income for political, progressive and charitable donations: 15.99% {15.99612653324%}

August 2024:
Total percentage of my monthly income for political, progressive and charitable donations: 18.09% {18.09296320206%}

September 2024:
Total percentage of my monthly income for political, progressive and charitable donations: 14.24% {14.23628147191%}

Thus, if I average out the total percentage that I have spent on political, progressive and charitable organizations from January 2024 through September 2024, it comes out to an average of 16.89% {16.891111111111%} of my monthly income!

Now, if you compare the percentage in 2023 that I spent on political, progressive and charitable organizations from January 2023 through September 2023, it was 18.22% of my monthly income!

January 2023: 15%
February 2023: 19%
March 2023: 12%
April 2023: 17%
May 2023: 21%
June 2023: 20%
July 2023: 17%
August 2023: 23%
September 2023: 20%

Total average percentage of my monthly income for political, progressive and charitable donations from January through September 2023: 18.22%

Therefore, by "tightening my belt," so to speak (please see my 'August 19th, 2023 Update—Follow-Up No. 2, Written On October 1st, 2023 About September 2023' which can be found above), I have only saved about 1.33% over the nine months of this year (2024) in comparison to the first nine months of last year (2023)...

...However, the good news is that I have been managing to pay down my credit card each month by an average of about 5.28% {5.27501613944%} of my monthly income over the last nine months!

But, the not-so-good news is that I have been "utilizing some funds from my budgeted expenses, as well as some funds from my savings, to make sure that I am paying a little more than I am spending." And that actually has been working, so far—although it has also been a big drain on my savings, so much so that I am not going to have as much available in savings at the beginning of next year (2025), as I did at the beginning of this year (2024)—even after I have transferred all of the accumulated 'discount savings' (from coupons, discounts from stores, and discounts from other businesses, etc.) to my savings account, at the first of the year, which I have set aside in my 'monthly spending budget' during the entire year from the 'discount savings' that I have tracked. (Please see my 'August 19th, 2023 Update—Follow-Up No. 1, Written On August 31st, 2023,' which can be found above, for a full explanation of this process, under the heading "My Writing About Tracking My 'Discount Savings' In My Monthly Budget.")

So now, I have decided to stop making donations to progressive and charitable organizations until it's time for my annual holiday giving, which starts with Giving Tuesday and goes through Christmas Day—and sometimes New Year's Day—with my usual exception of the USO, or as determined by me on a case-by-case basis.

To clarify, though: I am still donating to political organizations because it's a Presidential Election year. However, I am trying to spend a lot less on progressive and charitable organizations (with some exceptions), so that I can still make donations to the progressive and charitable organizations that I usually donate to during the holidays! Even then—however—I am now looking to make my holiday donations as humble as possible, whilst I am still donating, so as to (hopefully) leave myself with enough savings for next year's 'annual bills expenses', as well as any unexpected expenses...

...And then, starting this month (September 2024), I have made an executive decision that I am planning to only donate to political, progressive and charitable organizations on a quarterly basis—that is, every three months—or as determined by me on a case-by-case basis, so that I am (hopefully) reducing the percentage that I am spending of my monthly income on donations by a considerable amount and, thereby, reducing my credit card debt while I am also trying to no longer utilizing funds from my 'monthly spending budget,' or my savings, if at all possible.

And to clarify one more thing: I am still donating for holidays and special occasions throughout the year (like I have been doing in the past in order to keep up with all of my yearly donating, so that I don't get a year's worth of donations all bunching up on Giving Tuesday), as well as still donating for requests that I receive from political, progressive and charitable organizations through the regular mail (that is, 'mailers'), to which I choose to respond, but I will only be donating to political, progressive and charitable organizations for email and text message requests ONCE every three months (or, quarterly) with the exception of the USO, or as determined by me on a case-by-case basis.

Therefore, the reason that I am explaining all of this donating and budgeting is because I am trying to be an "Online Activist" and to 'put my money where my mouth is' regarding my activism. That is why I blog about which political, progressive and charitable organizations I am supporting with regard to the causes that are the most important to me! –Paul Whiting (written October 1st, 2024, revised October 2nd, 2024 and revised November 1st, 2024)

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YEAR 2024 UPDATES FOR OCTOBER:

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September 3rd, 2024 Update No. 1: I received an email from The Real News Network (TRNN) [TRNN is "a viewer-supported media network bringing you the stories from the frontlines of the fight for a better world" and I am a monthly contributor to The Real News Network] today, September 3rd, 2024, with the subject line, "Final Call: Help Us Keep These Voices Alive", which stated the following:

Paul, this is a final call for help as we work through a challenging financial downturn. If you’ve been considering donating to support TRNN, this is the time.

Donate Today***

We need your help more than ever, and we’re reaching a point where, without an influx of support, we’ll have to make tough decisions that could affect our ability to produce the content you rely on. Content like our short documentaries and our shows are free to the public but not free to produce.

Your generosity allows us to continue this work. So, please contribute today to help us keep going. Your donation makes all the difference.

Donate NOW***

Thank you so much for being a part of this community.

In solidarity,

[Name redacted]
[Title redacted]
The Real News Network

We get it—fundraising emails aren’t anyone’s favorite, but they’re essential to keeping The Real News independent and viewer-supported. We truly appreciate your patience and, more importantly, your support in helping us continue this vital work.

Donate Now***

The Real News Network

We Came Up Short This Summer—But You Can Help Us Recover!

We came up short on our summer fundraising goal, and now we’re facing even greater challenges as we head into the final months of the year.

Without immediate support, we won’t be able to sustain the level of production or the depth of coverage that you’ve come to rely on from The Real News.

The truth is, we need to raise $25K this fall to keep our newsroom strong, fortify our staff, and continue creating the powerful stories that inform and inspire movements.

Our missed summer goal has left us in a tough spot, but we believe in the work we’re doing—work that highlights the voices and stories often ignored by mainstream media. As a nonprofit, viewer-supported network, TRNN depends on your generosity to keep these important conversations going. Please don't wait. Donate today!

In solidarity,

The TRNN Team

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P.S.: By the way, this isn't the first time that I have contributed to TRNN, because I subscribe to The Real News Network channel on YouTube! You see, in both 2021 and 2022, I made an annual contribution to The Real News Network. Then, starting on May 25th, 2023 (please see my 'May 25th, 2023 Update,' which can be found above), I decided to contribute to them monthly , since "the most impactful way to support The Real News is to join [their] growing community of sustaining members—supporters who give a little each month on their credit or debit card to make a big difference."

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October 4th, 2024 Update No. 1, Which Also Discusses October 1st, 2024: I received a mailer from Vote for Equality (an independent project of the Feminist Majority) three days ago on October 1st, 2024, with a 'front teaser message' on the envelope that read, "ENCLOSED: Your 2024 Action Plan", which stated the following:

[I used to hand-type the text of the documents from these types of mailers on my smartphone; however, it takes a lot of time and energy in order to hand-type these kinds of documents: so, instead, I scanned and copied the documents using Google Lens! Then, I edited the copy of said documents to include all of the italicizing, bolding and/or underscoring where applicable.]

VOTE FOR EQUALITY
An independent project of the Feminist Majority

Dear Paul,

The volcanic eruption of enthusiasm over Kamala Harris' nomination is even stronger today than when Joe Biden endorsed her. I've never seen such renewal of hope and commitment.

No more sitting on the sidelines. No more hand wringing. Our phones and email have exploded with the eager question, "What can I do? I'm ready to do it!" Frankly, I've never seen such determination to fight. To do everything to make sure we're not going back.

In a moment I'll outline how you can help transform this enthusiasm into a victory for women and equality in 2024. But first, a quick review of why we're going to need your help.

The MAGA extremists. Trump's Supreme Court, Trump himself, and J.D. Vance, his VP pick who publicly claims that women must remain in an abusive marriage and should not be allowed to vote, have set forth their terrifying Project 2025 agenda that results in:

• Teenage rape survivors being forced into motherhood.
• Pregnant women, trembling in the night, because they are denied reproductive health care and face bleeding out in hospital parking lots.
• The abortion pill, IVF [in vitro fertilization], and even birth control banned.
• Title VII and Title IX, anti-discrimination laws, marriage equality, social security Medicaid, Medicare, and the Affordable Care Act targeted for elimination.
• The criminalization of LGBTQ+ relationships, ensuring whatever rights the community thought they had will be taken away.

This reactionary gang belongs to a world most of us thought we had left behind long ago. They want to roll back the clock, to use the power of government to strip away all the gains we've made and return us to their weird world rooted in the 19th century. BUT... the past cannot be relived. We know our power. We have the votes. We're not going back.

Here's Why We Need You with Us.

The experts agree; both the gender gap and the youth vote will prove decisive in 2024. Millions of college students will soon be returning to campus—energized by the announcement of Kamala Harris for President with the support of President Biden and the support of massive numbers of political leaders, delegates, and feminists.

This is truly historic.

It also presents a wonderful challenge for you and me, and a great opportunity for the Feminist Majority and our Campus Mobilization project—Vote for Equality, the political arm of the Feminist Majority.

Paving the Path to Victory in 2024

As I write, we're organizing and preparing to mobilize students on college campuses in 9 key states that are battlegrounds in the presidential race as well as in competitive Senate races and House districts.

One example: In Arizona, Biden won in 2020 by only 10,457 votes, out of a total of 3.3 million votes cast. THAT RAZOR-THIN VICTORY WAS MADE POSSIBLE BY THE STUDENT VOTE and Feminist Majority's CAMPUS ORGANIZERS who helped make it happen.

Now, in 2024 we will do it again. We can! We must!

Already... our Organizers and Volunteers are preparing for the return of students to Arizona campuses in a few short weeks. We're organizing on 7 Arizona college campuses with a total enrollment of 196,000 students. More than enough to make the WINNING DIFFERENCE in 2024.

On those campuses in Arizona—as well as on the campuses in all 9 key battleground states with massive college enrollment totaling nearly 1.2 million students—we are right now laying plans to make sure we have the most successful Get-Out-The-Vote ever.

AMAZING OPPORTUNITY BRINGS AN AMAZING CHALLENGE.

Now with excitement generated by Kamala Harris we're flooded with students and volunteers requesting to work on our campus mobilization project, Vote for Equality. Frankly, in order to seize this amazing opportunity, we need more money. And that's why I'm turning to you. Regardless of your age, regardless of whether you're now a student on campus or an alum celebrating your 30th Reunion, we need your help.

And we need it now. We simply can't let this opportunity pass. As students return to campus for their fall term, we simply must seize the new wave of political enthusiasm and energy. And that means each of us doing our part.

No Matter Where You Live Your Help is Essential

Whether you live in a Battleground State or not, what happens on these campuses will affect all our futures. Now is the time to seize the moment—and protect the future.

Time is Short for Recruiting and Training

We don't have a moment to lose in training these equality organizers in time for the critical 2024 Elections. Your contribution—whatever amount you can give—will help us meet the costs of staffing, training, and equipping our organizers who can make the difference. Together we can ensure our Get-Out-The-Vote effort produces a record student turnout.

Here's how your help—right now—will make the winning difference on Election Day.

Your support will help provide a Campus Organizer with election rules training, handout materials, visible Vote for Equality signs, and access to a Hotline with election experts and attorneys to challenge any attempts to suppress or impede students from voting.

Specifically,

[✓] We're recruiting and training thousands of organizers, coordinators, and volunteers to counter right-wing attempts to suppress the college vote by demanding their colleges and universities follow Federal law requiring schools to assist students in voting.

[✓] Campus coordinators and organizers are being trained to educate fellow students on ID requirements, the location of polling places, and early voting dates and times, countering intense MAGA Republican voter suppression efforts.

[✓] Activists will staff text messaging and social media efforts to counter disinformation.

[✓] We're mobilizing this massive Campus Organizing effort to ensure a record student turnout.

A Proven Formula for Winning

While we don't have to match the billionaire dark forces dollar for dollar, we do need funds to make sure we can recruit, train and field an army of Campus Organizers and volunteers of all ages who will help them.

And that's why I urge you to let me know you'll help. I've enclosed a Personal Reply Memo you can return directly to my personal attention. I've suggested a range of donation options I hope you'll consider. But, please know that whatever amount you can give will be put to immediate and effective work.

In return, I promise you can count on our teams because we've shown we know how to win through our campus mobilizations. For example:

✔ 2018. In those victorious mid-term elections, and in coalition with other activist groups we helped win key U.S. Senate and House races in Nevada, Arizona, & New Hampshire.
✔ 2019. Our organizing in Virginia helped win Democratic majority control of the Virginia State Assembly—the first Democratic majority in 40 years. In the year after this election victory, we succeeded in finally winning the vote in the Virginia Assembly and Senate to ratify the Equal Rights Amendment.
✔ 2020. We delivered—against all the conventional pundit wisdom—a record turnout of young voters in key swing states like Nevada, Arizona, New Hampshire, Michigan, and Pennsylvania, ensuring Democratic control of the White House, Senate, and House.
✔ 2022. Our young voters were key in defying expectations of a predicted "red wave" in House and Senate elections with their strong turnout for Democratic candidates.
✔ 2023. We mobilized young voters to help pass a state constitutional amendment in Ohio to protect reproductive rights, including abortion. And young voters helped defeat Republican efforts to take over the Virginia state legislature.

Your Involvement is Essential. Now's the Time We Must Count on Each Other.

You don't have to give up your weekends or vacation time like so many of our organizers and volunteers do, but I know you will do your part by helping to support Campus Organizers and help us mobilize more campus voters in key precincts in battleground states to protect our rights, personal freedoms, and democracy in the 2024 election.

Please don't wait a minute more. Please let us know that you will be part of the Feminist Majority—a backer of women and men of all ages, who know the importance of turning out young voters in this make-or-break election year.

This is the time to get off the sidelines and the time for each of us to do our part. Let history never show that we were silent and inactive. We must urge everyone to vote as if their life depends on it—because it does.

And, for those who are able to donate, please give as though your life depends on it—because it does.

For Victory and Equality,

[Name redacted]
[Title redacted], Feminist Majority

P.S. Right after finishing this letter, I happened to look at next year's federal budget proposal from the Republican Study Committee, which makes up 80% of the Republicans in Congress. The Republican plan in a nutshell: Cut Social Security. Ban abortion. Restrict IVF. Enough said! Please let me hear from you as soon as possible. Thank you.

---------------------------------------------

VOTE FOR EQUALITY
An independent project of the Feminist Majority

— PERSONAL REPLY —

From: Paul Whiting
             [Street Address and Apt. No. redacted]
             [City, State and ZIP Code redacted]

To: [Name redacted]
       Vote For Equality

[Name redacted],

Thank you for alerting me to the opportunity to make a difference in the 2024 elections in key battleground states by helping to turn out the critical college student vote.

I'm delighted that we have a strategy to defeat the MAGA extremists up and down the ballot—from the presidency to the Senate and House and in state ballot initiatives.

You can count on me to help support the recruiting, training, and mobilization of the Campus Campaign among both students and the older volunteers and activists who live in the communities where the colleges and universities are located.

My Campus Organizer donation is enclosed in the amount of:

[  ] $15
[  ] $25
[  ] $50
[  ] $100
[✓] Other $5.00

Please make your check payable to Vote for Equality and return it with this form.

"QR code message": OR Scan the QR code to give online: https://secure.actblue.com/donate/vote-for-equality

Contributions to Vote for Equality are not tax-deductible as a charitable contribution because of our electoral work for women's rights. By contributing, you confirm that you are a citizen or permanent legal resident of the United States and are donating your own funds. Federal law requires political committees to use their best efforts to collect and report the name, mailing address, occupation and employer for each individual whose contributions exceed $200 in a calendar year.

Occupation: None

Employer: None

*If self-employed, please print the name of your business. If retired, please print "retired."

Paid for by Vote of Equality, www.voteforequality.org, not authorized by any candidate or candidate's committee.

And, after I read the letter above, I scanned the QR code to open the referenced webpage, the relevant text of which can be found below:

VOTE FOR EQUALITY
An independent project of the Feminist Majority

Vote For Equality is racing to assemble the most effective team of Campus Organizers to deliver a massive and strategic student vote.

Make No Mistake. The Republican Party, groveling under Trump's shadow of fraud and deceit, backed by a GOP majority in Congress wrapped in a shroud of piety and hypocrisy, with the complicity of a reactionary Supreme Court has launched a ruthless War On Women.

Their goal? To force rape victims into motherhood, gamble women's lives on right-wing whims, while smothering women's most personal freedoms and future opportunities.

The GOP is no longer a real political party — it's a dark force assaulting women's rights, freedoms, and futures. Republicans reek of dark desire to confine women to second-class citizenship while blatantly ignoring the democratic will of the majority.

With your help, we're on track to recruit strategic Campus Organizers for the 2024 elections in key Battleground States.

Donate immediately:

Your contribution will benefit Vote For Equailty.

[  ] Donate $25 →

[  ] Donate $100 →

[  ] Donate $250 →

[  ] Donate $1,000 →

[✓] Other amount $5.00

Please leave a tip for ActBlue Technical Services.

Power the nonprofit fundraising platform Democratic candidates & progressive causes rely on.

[  ] Add $2 tip

[  ] Leave no tip

[✓] Add custom amount $0.35 (7%)

And so, I made a one-time donation to the Vote for Equailty (with a tip to ActBlue) because "I'm delighted that we have a strategy to defeat the MAGA extremists up and down the ballot—from the presidency to the Senate and House and in state ballot initiatives," which is why "[Vote for Equality] can count on me to help support the recruiting, training, and mobilization of the [Vote for Equailty's] Campus Campaign among both students and the older volunteers and activists who live in the communities where the colleges and universities are located." –Paul Whiting (written October 4th, 2024 and revised October 5th, 2024)

-------------------------------------------------------------------

October 4th, 2024 Update No. 2, Which Also Discusses October 2nd, 2024: I have combined every political campaign, or political organization, donation request per day (made via email or text message) into one 'update' for each day that I donate, so that I don't have to write individual 'updates' for political campaign donations, or political organization donations!

You see, I used to write one 'update' for each of the individual campaign political donations, or political organization donations, that I made virtually every time that I made a political donation. And within each 'update' I included the text from each political campaign's, or political organization's, requesting email or text message, along with some of each campaign's, or organization's, donation page text on the ActBlue website, as well as how much I donated to each campaign, or organization, plus whether I included a tip to ActBlue and how much I tipped.

(By the way, I still write individual 'updates' for political campaign, or political organization, mailers that I receive through the regular mail, because they are usually more elaborate political donation requests, which is why I don't include them with these email or text message requests.)

Plus, the 2024 election cycle is now in the homestretch and I have made a goal of donating only one $1.00 donation per local political campaign here in Oregon (more on that below), or $2.00 per political organization, for the rest of the election cycle! And that means after I make that one donation per campaign, or per organization—regardless of whether I donated in 2023, or 2024—I am only donating once per campaign, or per organization, or as determined by me on a case-by-case basis. And I am only donating once per PAC (Political Action Committee) for the entire election cycle, or as determined by me on a case-by-case basis, because that is all that I can really afford for the 2024 Presidential Election. (The reader should know that I am HIV-positive with full-blown AIDS. And I am on Social Security Disability Insurance, or SSDI, so my income is quite limited.) I hope that makes sense!

Besides that, as of March 21st, 2024, I am no longer donating to individual political campaigns for the foreseeable future (with the exception of local campaigns here in Oregon), or as determined by me on a case-by-case basis (please see my 'March 21st, 2024 Update No. 2,' which can be found above).

In addition to that, starting on July 4th, 2024, I have decided—yet again—to adjust the amount that I donate per political organization again, so that I can donate to even more political organizations and PACs (Political Action Committees) while I am still staying within my 'monthly donating budget.'

And I made the previous three adjustments on the following dates: June 16th, 2024 (please see my 'June 16th, 2024 Update No. 7, Written On June 17th, 2024, Which Also Discusses May 25th, 2024, June 2nd, 2024, June 6th, 2024, June 7th, 2024, June 10th, 2024, June 15th, 2024 And June 16th, 2024' that can be found above), and on May 12th, 2024 (please see my 'May 12th, 2024 Update No. 4, Written On May 13th, 2024, Which Also Discusses April 19th, 2024, May 1st, 2024, May 2nd, 2024, May 6th, 2024, As Well As May 11th, 2024' that can be found above), as well as on March 29th, 2024 (please see my 'March 29th, 2024 Update No. 1, Which Also Discusses March 17th, 2024' that can be found above), respectively.

Therefore, I recently used to donate "$3.00 per political organization"; however, I have decided to adjust that amount yet again, so that I can donate to more political organizations and PACs (Political Action Committees) while I am still staying within my 'monthly donating budget,' since I am now donating to more organizations as the 2024 Presidential Election cycle enters the homestretch.

Thus, for the rest of the 2024 election cycle—as well as for the foreseeable future—I have made a goal of donating $1.00 per local political campaign only here in Oregon (with a 7% tip to ActBlue of $0.07), or as determined by me on a case-by-case basis; and a goal of donating $2.00 per political organization for donation requests via email or text message (with a 7% tip to ActBlue of $0.14), or as determined by me on a case-by-case basis; as well as a goal of donating $3.00 per political organization, or per PAC, for donation requests via the regular mail (with a 7% tip to ActBlue of $0.21), or as determined by me on a case-by-case basis.

To sum it up, then: I am reducing the total individual campaign donation amount to $1.07 (from $2.14, which was previously $3.21) and I am still only donating to local campaigns here in Oregon, or as determined by me on a case-by-case basis; and I am reducing the total donation amount for political organizations and PACs for email and text message donation requests to $2.14 (from $3.21, which was previously $4.28, as well as $5.35 before that), or as determined by me on a case-by-case basis; plus, I am reducing the total donation amount for political organizations and PACs for regular mail donation requests to $3.21 (from $4.28, which was previously $5.35, as well as $7.51 before that), or as determined by me on a case-by-case basis.

So, without further ado...

The first political communication to which I responded today, October 4th, 2024 (although, unintentionally, as explained below), was an email from Rock the Vote that I received two days ago on October 2nd, 2024, with the subject line, "Welcome to Rock the Vote!", which stated the following:

Hi Paul,

Welcome to the Rock the Vote community! We’re excited to have you join us.

[Blogger's Note: I recently took some action through one of the organizations for which I am currently doing "Online Activism"—although, I don't actually recall which organization—so, I noticed that, if I took this particular action, I would be signing up to receive emails from Rock the Vote, so that's how I joined their community...]

We’re a nonpartisan nonprofit working to build the political power of young people and fight for a better future. Voting is our power and, together, we can create change and make our voices heard.

Here are a few resources to get you started:

[✓] Learn how to vote in your state:

https://www.rockthevote.org/how-to-vote

[✓] Check out our democracy explainers:

https://www.rockthevote.org/explainers

[✓] Follow Rock the Vote on social media:

https://www.rockthevote.org/about-rock-the-vote/follow-rock-the-vote-on-social

Thanks again for joining us. We couldn’t do this without you.

[Name redacted]
[Title redacted] & [Title redacted], Rock the Vote

P.S. As you learn more about Rock the Vote, please remember that you make this work possible.* Thanks for chipping in—we make every dollar count!

*And, after I read the email above, I clicked on the hyperlink to the referenced FastAction donation portal webpage (through which I sometimes make online donations); however, when that page opened, I noticed that I WAS AUTOMATICALLY CHARGED FOR A $20.00 DONATION! Then, subsequently, I was directed to a donation confirmation page, the relevant text of which can be found below:

ROCK THE VOTE

Donate to Rock the Vote

Dear Paul,

Thank you for your generous contribution.

Please print out this contribution confirmation page for your records.

Contribution Information:
Contribution Confirmation ID: [redacted]
Contribution Date: 10/04/2024 6:07 PM Eastern Daylight Time
Contribution Amount: $20.00

Contact Information:
Paul Whiting
[Street Address and Apt. No. redacted]
[City, State and ZIP Code redacted]

To manage your donor or contact information at any time, please visit our self-service portal.

And I thought "WHAT THE F**K!" I just made a $20.00 one-time donation to Rock the Vote?!? Oh, dude, I AM SO REQUESTING A REFUND FOR THIS DONATION, because I had no idea that — when I clicked on the "As-you-learn-more-about-Rock-the-Vote-please-remember-that-you-make-this-work-possible" hyperlink — I would be authorizing a $20.00 donation!!!

(I was actually planning to donate $5.00...)

Therefore, I CALLED UPON MY SUPERPOWERS as an "Online Activist," and I immediately went to work composing an email in order to request the said refund, as can be seen below:

From: Paul Whiting • [email redacted]
To: [email redacted]
Date: Oct 4, 2024, 3:37 PM

To Whom It May Concern,

My name is Paul Whiting and I was getting ready to make a donation to Rock the Vote today, October 4th, 2024 — so I opened the link to the donation webpage from the email below that I received on October 2nd, 2024 — and much to my shock and dismay a $20.00 donation automatically processed on my credit card through the payment processing portal FastAction!

And, although I was planning to donate, I wasn't planning to donate quite that much...

...So, I am writing to you today in order to request a refund to my credit card for this donation that processed without my permission. (Please see the attached screenshots showing the donation webpage, as well as the donation history.)

Thank you for your time and consideration in this matter.

Yours very truly,

Paul Whiting
[Street Address]
[Apt. No. redacted]
[City and State]
[ZIP Code redacted]
[Phone number redacted]
(he/him/his)

In the meantime, I kept the donation confirmation webpage open... Then, later on, I went back to that same webpage, which by then had reloaded (as webpages do when you have been away from them for a while) and — lo and behold — the webpage stated the following:

Donate to Rock the Vote

Will you help us lay the groundwork for a record- breaking 2024?

With your support as the driving force, we can reach, educate, and mobilize the 16 million young people who've come of voting age since 2020.

Your contribution will directly support Rock the Vote's tried-and-true voter registration, education, and mobilization programs, proven to turn out young voters at 30 points higher than the national average.

Your support has never been more critical. Donate to Rock the Vote today.

Rock the Vote is a 501(c)(3) registered non-profit organization and does not support or oppose any political candidate or party.

Details

Your contribution can not be automatically processed more than once. Please continue if you would like to make an additional contribution.[Bolding is mine.]

That is why I thought "HA!" there's the proof that the $20.00 donation was "automatically processed" without my permission! So, I wrote to Rock the Vote again with a follow-up email, as can be seen below:

From: Paul Whiting • [email redacted]
To: [email redacted]
Date: Oct 4, 2024, 4:50 PM

To Whom It May Concern,

Thus is a follow-up to the email that I sent below earlier today, October 4th, 2024!

After I accidentally/unintentionally made a $20.00 donation to Rock the Vote today, I kept the donation confirmation webpage open...

...then, I went to that same webpage a while later — and the webpage [had] refreshed — but it then stated, "Your contribution can not be automatically processed more than once. Please continue if you would like to make an additional contribution." (Please see the attached screenshot showing this.)

Thus, I think that [this] is PROOF that my "donation" of $20.00 was automatically processed when I clicked on the hyperlink to the "Welcome to Rock the Vote!" [email] that I received on October 2nd, 2024, because I was planning to donate when I clicked on the link, but I wasn't planning to donate that much!

Anyway, I wanted to send you this screenshot as part of my request to have the $20.00 donation from today refunded.

Thank you again for your time and for your response.

Yours very truly,

Paul Whiting
[Street Address]
[Apt. No. redacted]
[City and State]
[ZIP Code redacted]
[Phone number redacted]
(he/him/his)

Therefore, GOOD CITIZENS OF THE WORLD, I will keep you informed as to when — or, even if — I hear back from Rock the Vote regarding this dastardly donation!

[Blogger's Note: Today, October 5th, 2024, I emailed FastAction in order to request a refund through them, as well. Plus, I called my bank to file a formal dispute for this unauthorized charge!]

[My "Online Activist" Update: On, October 7th, 2024, I heard back from Rock the Vote via email, as follows:

Hi Paul,

Thanks so much for your support of Rock the Vote during this very important election year. Donors like you allow us to continue to engage, mobilize, and build the political power of young voters. We're sorry that the donation page was giving you issues.

We have refunded your donation. Please note that it may take a few days to process.

You can also access our self-service portal that allows users to manage donor information, such as: changing or canceling a recurring donation, viewing donation history, and downloading donation receipts.

Please don’t hesitate to reach out should you have any additional questions about donating to Rock the Vote.

Best,
[Name redacted], Rock the Vote Team

And so, I replied back that same day to Rock the Vote, as follows:

[Name redacted],

THANK YOU SO VERY MUCH for refunding that $20.00 donation! You see, I *was* planning to donate, but a very humble $5.00 donation, because that's all that I can really afford.

So, knowing that the $20.00 donation is being refunded (I checked my credit card and could see it pending as a refund), I made the $5.00 donation that I was originally planning to make on October 4th (please see the attached screenshot).

Thank you, again, for your help with this donation!

Yours very truly,

Paul Whiting

Thus, GOOD CITIZENS OF THE WORLD, I wanted to let you know that Rock the Vote had responded and that they did refund me for the unintentional $20.00 donation, which is why I made my original intentional $5.00 donation that same day! So, that means it's CASE CLOSED—for this "Online Activist's" SUPERPOWER'S RESPONSE—and now we can return to our regularly scheduled Presidential Election, which is already in progress...]

---------------------------------------------

The second political communication to which I responded to today, October 4th, 2024, was an email that I forwarded today from my previous email account (that I no longer use, but I still frequently check) from The Seneca Project that I received three days ago on October 1, 2024, with the subject line, "The assault on women’s freedoms has already begun.", which stated, in part, the following:

From: The Seneca Project [email redacted]
Sent: Tuesday, October 1, 2024 10:00 AM
To: [email redacted]
Subject: The assault on women’s freedoms has already begun.

The Seneca Project

The Seneca Project is a bipartisan super PAC dedicated to mobilizing moderate women in support of Kamala Harris' election. It doesn't matter if you're a Democrat or Republican, the assault on women's rights transcends party lines. But if you would like to unsubscribe, you can here.

There is a threat facing women in America that transcends party lines.

Recent rulings by the Supreme Court and headlines from across the country remind us of the draconian efforts to restrict women’s agency over their own healthcare decisions and lives.

In some instances, that care is being criminalized — from life-saving emergency procedures, to long-established medications like contraceptives, to family planning and IVF [in vitro fertilization].

It won’t stop there. The only way to reverse this dangerous trend is to defeat Donald Trump, JD Vance, and their extremist MAGA agenda.

[Name redacted] and [name redacted] launched The Seneca Project to do just that — a bipartisan political action committee to speak directly and candidly to moderate women on both sides of the aisle about what’s at stake in November.

If we galvanize women voters, we’ll save our democracy. But we need a surge of resources to get our message out to the voters who will decide this election.

Enough is enough. Watch our launch video to learn how The Seneca Project plans to defeat the extremist MAGA agenda and defend women’s rights.

WATCH OUR AD***

We can’t sit on the sidelines while women across the country suffer under oppressive, cruel laws.

With your help, The Seneca Project will reach moderate voters in battleground states and ensure they know what’s at stake this November.

If we can turn out this crucial demographic, we can defeat the Trump-Vance ticket, safeguard women’s freedoms, and preserve our democracy.

But this can only happen with your support.

Watch our launch video and learn how The Seneca Project is fighting to defeat Donald Trump, JD Vance, and the threats targeting women’s rights.

WATCH OUR AD***

Thank you for being a part of this movement.

— The Seneca Project

THE
SENECA
PROJECT

GALVANIZE WOMEN. SAVE DEMOCRACY.
www.senecaproject.us

Donate to The Seneca Project

Imbed of a YouTube video titled, "A Time For Choosing (Kamala's Version)" by The Seneca Project: https://youtu.be/1WATAi_k7sY?si=F0KYj0JsvSwFZ5ez

[Blogger's Note: I watched The Seneca Project's video titled, "A Time For Choosing (Kamala's Version)" on YouTube.]

If we galvanize women voters, we'll save our democracy. But we need. a surge of resources to get ads like this one out in front of the voters who will decide this election.

Will you help us defeat the extremist MAGA agenda and defend women's rights by donating to The Seneca Project?

DONATE IMMEDIATELY:

Your contribution will benefit The Seneca Project Inc.

[  ] Donate $25 →

[  ] Donate $50 →

[  ] Donate $100 →

[  ] Donate $250 →

[  ] Donate $500 →

[✓] Other amount $5.00

PLEASE LEAVE A TIP FOR ACTBLUE

Power the nonprofit fundraising platform Democratic candidates & progressive causes rely on.

[  ] Add $2 tip

[  ] Leave no tip

[✓] Add custom amount $0.35 (7%)

And so, I made a one-time donation to The Seneca Project (with a tip to ActBlue) due to the following: "Recent rulings by the Supreme Court and headlines from across the country remind us of the draconian efforts to restrict women’s agency over their own healthcare decisions and lives. In some instances, that care is being criminalized — from life-saving emergency procedures, to long-established medications like contraceptives, to family planning and IVF [in vitro fertilization]. It won’t stop there. The only way to reverse this dangerous trend is to defeat Donald Trump, JD Vance, and their extremist MAGA agenda. [Name redacted] and [name redacted] launched The Seneca Project to do just that — a bipartisan political action committee to speak directly and candidly to moderate women on both sides of the aisle about what’s at stake in November."

Thus, these two organizations—Rock the Vote, as well as The Seneca Project—are the political organizations that I donated to today! (Although, again, I did not intend to donate $20.00 to Rock the Vote...I intended to donate $5.00.) –Paul Whiting (written October 4th, 2024, revised October 5th, 2024 and revised October 8th, 2024)

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October 5th, 2024 Update No. 1: I received an email from Iraq and Afghanistan Veterans of America (IAVA) today, October 5th, 2024, with the subject line, "⚠️ States are preparing to close voter registration! Check yours TODAY.", which stated the following:

Paul,

In this critical year in our nation’s history, we’re committed to ensuring our generation of veterans' voices are heard loud and clear.

States across the country are officially preparing to close voter registration – if you’re in Ohio, South Carolina, Alaska, or Tennessee, this is your last chance to make sure you’re registered to vote.

No matter where you are – make sure you’re registered to vote in the November 5th general election.

CHECK YOUR REGISTRATION:

https://www.vote.org/am-i-registered-to-vote

We need leaders that will stand with us. Who stand up for America and what we have here in our country, what we fought for and are ready to fight for again.

If you want to make sure your voice is heard this year at the polls, time is running out to do so.

Make sure you are registered to vote and encourage your neighbors to do the same.

Onward!

[Name redacted]
Iraq War Veteran
IAVA [Title redacted]

P.S. Veterans have paid their dues so IAVA membership is always free. However, we rely on voluntary donations from supporters like you. If you can, please chip in to support IAVA's ability to fight on behalf of the post-9/11 generation of veterans.

DONATE***

VOTE.ORG

One last thing. Vote.org is a small nonprofit, and we don't receive any funding from the government. Could you chip in $3 to support our work?

Chip in $3

Vote.org is a nonpartisan, non-profit organization. Your donation is tax-deductible.

---------------------------------------------

VOTE.ORG

Thanks for being a voter! Can you pitch in to pay it forward?

Vote.org does the work that the government and the political parties should do to increase voter turnout, and we do it on pennies for the dollar.

If you found our tools or voting resources helpful, please consider paying it forward by donating to help reach more Voters →

Donate immediately:

Your contribution will benefit Vote.org.

[✓] Donate $3 →

[  ] Change amount

Please leave a tip for AB [ActBlue] Charities

Power the nonprofit fundraising platform Democratic candidates & progressive causes rely on.

[  ] Add $2 tip

[  ] Leave no tip

[✓] Add custom amount $0.33 (11%)

And so, I made a one-time donation to Vote.org (with a tip to ActBlue) because "Vote.org is a small nonprofit, and [they] don't receive any funding from the government." That is why I responded to the question, "Could you chip in $3 to support our work?" with a $3.00 donation!

In addition to that, I made a one-time donation to Iraq and Afghanistan Veterans of America (IAVA) due to the fact that "no matter where you are [you should] make sure you’re registered to vote in the November 5th general election," since "states across the country are officially preparing to close voter registration [so] if you’re in Ohio, South Carolina, Alaska, or Tennessee, this is your last chance to make sure you’re registered to vote." That is why I contributed to IAVA today because, "in this critical year in our nation’s history, [IAVA is] committed to ensuring our generation of veterans' voices are heard loud and clear." –Paul Whiting (October 5th, 2024)

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October 5th, 2024 Update No. 2: World Teachers' Day is today, October 5th, 2024, since the World Teachers' Day is yearly (annually) on October 5th.

And I first heard about World Teachers' Day last year (2023) from a daily calendar website that I previously used to reference in my 'updates' regarding holidays and special occasions (please see my 'October 5th, 2023 Update, Which Also Discusses October 1st, 2023' that can be a found above).

So, here is the official webpage from UNESCO (United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization) regarding the World Teachers' Day 2024. An overview of the webpage can be found below:

[World Teachers Day 2024 banner]

World Teachers' Day

World Teachers’ Day is held annually on 5 October to celebrate all teachers around the globe. It commemorates the anniversary of the adoption of the 1966 ILO/UNESCO Recommendation [International Labour Organization/United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization Recommendation] concerning the Status of Teachers, which sets benchmarks regarding the rights and responsibilities of teachers, and standards for their initial preparation and further education, recruitment, employment, and teaching and learning conditions. The Recommendation concerning the Status of Higher-Education Teaching Personnel was adopted in 1997 to complement the 1966 Recommendation by covering teaching personnel in higher education. World Teachers’ Day has been celebrated since 1994.

It is a day to celebrate how teachers are transforming education but also to reflect on the support they need to fully deploy their talent and vocation, and to rethink the way ahead for the profession globally.

World Teachers’ Day is co-convened in partnership with the International Labour Organization (ILO), UNICEF and Education International (EI). ...

... 2024 celebrations

Teachers play a pivotal role in shaping the future by nurturing students and driving educational progress. However, to fully harness their potential, it's crucial that their voices are heard and valued in the decision-making processes that affect their profession. This year’s World Teachers’ Day highlights the need to address the systemic challenges teachers face and to establish a more inclusive dialogue about their role in education. The 2024 celebrations will focus on "Valuing teacher voices: towards a new social contract for education", underscoring the urgency of calling for and attending to teachers' voices to address their challenges but, most importantly, to acknowledge and benefit from the expert knowledge and input that they bring to education.

The global event organized at UNESCO Headquarters will emphasize the importance of integrating teachers' perspectives into educational policies and fostering a supportive environment for their professional development. This theme responds to the significant challenges highlighted by the UN Secretary General’s High-level panel on the Teaching Profession, and our recent Global Report on Teachers, including key new data on the growing teacher shortage and declining working conditions.

The day will feature an opening ceremony with high-level messages from UNESCO, ILO, UNICEF, and Education International. It will also include a keynote address on the necessity of a new social contract in education and a segment showcasing teachers’ voices from the room and around the world, sharing their insights on improving policies and practices. Additionally, the UNESCO-Hamdan Prize for Teacher Development will be awarded, celebrating outstanding contributions to teacher development.

Please see the hyperlink below for the webpage:

https://www.unesco.org/en/days/teachers

–Paul Whiting (October 5th, 2024)

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October 5th, 2024 Update No. 3, Which Also Discusses October 4th, 2024: I received an email from the ACLU (American Civil Liberties Union) yesterday, October 4th, 2024, with the subject line, "Our rights aren't up for debate", which stated the following:

Paul, when reproductive freedom, trans justice, and immigrant rights are matters up for debate, it makes one thing clear: Our work to protect everyone's civil liberties is more important than ever – and so is your role in this crucial movement.

With less than a month away from a critical election, our fifty-state strategy to protect these rights and more is already underway:

[✓] We've just filed a lawsuit against several federal agencies to prepare to fight against a mass detention and deportation program during any future presidential administration

[✓] We're urging Congress to do whatever it takes to protect our reproductive rights – including reforming the filibuster

[✓] We're going to the Supreme Court challenging Tennessee trans care bans – so that families and their doctors are in control of our health care, not politicians

With all this crucial work going on, we need to hear from you – so we know what our members care most about.

We're reaching out now because in this fight, our community is everything. So tell us, what issues are you most concerned about this election cycle and beyond?

TAKE THE SURVEY***

Our work is driven by members like you. Your advocacy, generosity, and passion for civil liberties fuels everything we do – so as we prepare for the work ahead, we want to connect you to the issues you care most about and help you join the fight for our rights. Because wherever our fundamental rights are on the line, the ACLU has a plan to defend it.

Your input helps inform all of our work – thank you for sharing your thoughts!

The ACLU Team

ISSUE SURVEY

The ACLU is in all 50 states to protect every single civil liberty you care about. As we ramp up our urgent work through the election and beyond, tell us:

Which issues are you most concerned about right now? (Select three)

[  ] Free speech
[  ] Immigrants' rights
[  ] LGBTQ rights
[✓] Voting rights
[  ] Criminal law reform
[  ] Racial justice
[  ] Disability rights
[  ] Reproductive freedom
[✓] Fighting Project 2025
[✓] Ending presidential immunity
[  ] Other

If you selected other above, please specify:

E-mail: [redacted]
First name: Paul
Last name: Whiting
ZIP Code: [redacted]
Phone number: [redacted]

Submit

[Blogger's Note: I could have easily selected 'Other' and then written, "All of the above." However, the reason that I selected 'Voting rights,' 'Fighting Project 2025' and 'Ending presidential immunity' in response to the question "Which issues are you most concerned about right now?" is because the Republicans seem to be focused on attacking voting rights, promoting the Project 2025 agenda for a potential second Trump administration, as well as looking forward to 'Hair Trump' (ha, ha) taking full advantage of his conservative Supreme Court's grant of presidential immunity in their ongoing culture wars against "The United States of 'Anyone-Who-Doesn't-Look-Or-Act-Like-Republicans' America."]

And, after I completed the survey above, I received a confirmation email today, October 5th, 2024, from the ACLU, with the subject line, "Thank you for taking action", which stated the following:

Hi Paul,

Thank you for taking our survey ahead of the 2024 election.

As a member of our ACLU community, your input on these crucial civil liberty issues are going to strengthen our work to defend democracy.

If you’re feeling even more motivated and want to take one more powerful action in the fight for people’s rights, please know your direct support today in the form of a donation will also go a huge way to ensure our team can protect the right to vote and ALL our civil liberties nationwide.

Thank you for all you do,

The ACLU Team

DONATE NOW

And so, after I completed the survey above, I made a one-time donation to the ACLU in order to "tell [the ACLU], what issues [I am] most concerned about this election cycle and beyond." That is why I contributed to the ACLU, after I took their 'Issue Survey,' because "[my] direct support today in the form of a donation will...go a huge way to ensure [the ACLU's] team can protect the right to vote and ALL our civil liberties nationwide." –Paul Whiting (October 5th, 2024)

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October 5th, 2024 Update No. 4, Which Also Discusses October 4th, 2024: I received an email from CREDO Mobile (which is my cell phone company) yesterday, October 4th, 2024, with the subject line, "Sign the petition: Tell YouTube to Stop Promoting Gun Videos to Kids", which stated the following:

Dear Fellow Progressive,

Gun violence is an all-too-frequent tragedy. And far too often children are the victims and the shooters.

A recent investigation revealed that YouTube’s algorithm is pushing videos about firearms, including tutorials on assembling and modifying guns, directly to young users. Exposing children to content that glorifies guns or teaches them how to use and modify firearms poses a serious risk to their safety.

Read more about the petition to demand that YouTube stops promoting gun-related content to children.

YouTube’s content recommendation system is failing to protect young users. Our kids deserve a safe online environment—without content that could lead to harm. It’s time for YouTube to take responsibility and protect its youngest users.

Sign the Petition Today***

Civic Shout

Tell YouTube: Stop Promoting Gun Videos to Kids

On September 4, a 14-year-old student in Georgia shot and killed two of his classmates and two teachers. Eight others were wounded.

The school shooting came as YouTube a platform that millions of children and teens use daily is facing criticism for promoting gun-related content to minors. A recent investigation revealed that YouTube's algorithm is pushing videos about firearms, including tutorials on assembling and modifying guns, directly to young users. This is not just irresponsible—it's dangerous.

Exposing children to content that glorifies guns or teaches. them how to use and modify firearms poses a serious risk to their safety. At a time when gun violence is an all-too- frequent tragedy, YouTube's content recommendation system. is failing to protect young users.

Experts in child safety and digital media warn that YouTube's practices are normalizing guns among impressionable minds. "YouTube's algorithm is pushing gun content to minors at a time when we should be doing everything possible to keep kids safe. This is not just a failure of content moderation but a failure of responsibility," one expert noted.

This isn't the first time YouTube has faced criticism for exposing children to harmful content. In the past, the platform has promoted videos featuring inappropriate content like self-harm, dangerous pranks, and conspiracy theories. Despite promises to improve, these issues keep resurfacing, raising serious questions about YouTube's commitment to protecting its youngest users.

YouTube and its parent company, Google, must take immediate action. We're calling on YouTube to adjust its algorithms, enforce stricter content moderation, and ensure that young users are not exposed to dangerous content.

Sign this petition to demand that YouTube stops promoting gun-related content to children. Our kids deserve a safe online environment—without content that could lead to harm. It's time for YouTube to take responsibility and protect its youngest users.

ADD YOUR NAME:

First Name: Whiting
Last Name: Paul
Email: [redacted]
Zip/Postal Code: [redacted]

Level up your activism with text alerts!

Cell phone (not landline): [redacted]

Thus, I signed the petition, via the CivicShout.com website, to "tell YouTube: stop promoting gun videos to kids." –Paul Whiting (October 5th, 2024)

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October 7th, 2024 Update No. 1: International Doctor's Day is today October 7th, 2024, since National Doctors Day is observed yearly (annually) on the first Monday in October.

Therefore, I did a search on Google for "'International Doctor's Day' Doctors Without Borders' and found the following AI [Artificial Intelligence] Overview:

Yes, the international medical humanitarian organization Doctors Without Borders (MSF) is a co-initiator of International Doctor's Day:

What is International Doctor's Day?

Celebrated on the first Monday of October, this day is a day of solidarity for doctors around the world. It was initiated by the World Health Organization (WHO) and MSF.

What does MSF do?

MSF is a non-governmental organization that provides assistance to people affected by disease outbreaks, conflict, natural disasters, and exclusion from health care. MSF's employees help people regardless of their national or religious affiliation.

How is International Doctor's Day celebrated?

On this day, doctors often hold seminars, exhibitions, presentations, and lectures about the medical profession.

Google search for: "International Doctor's Day" Doctors Without Borders

Then, I went to the donation webpage of Doctors Without Borders/Médecins Sans Frontières (MSF) [by the way, "Médecins Sans Frontières" is French for "Doctors Without Borders"] and I made a one-time donation in observation of International Doctors Day (the MSF donation webpage, however, is for general donations and not specifically for International Doctor's Day):

MEDECINS SANS FRONTIERES
DOCTORS WITHOUT BORDERS

Help save lives in Lebanon, Sudan, Gaza and 70+ countries.

Unrestricted donations enable MSF to carry out our programs around the world. If we cannot honor a specific request, we will reallocate your donation to where the needs are greatest.

Doctors Without Borders/Médecins Sans Frontières (MSF) teams are responding to multiple escalating emergencies in Lebanon, Gaza, Haiti, Sudan, and around the world.

We continue to call for the protection of all civilians and medical facilities.

MSF USA is entirely funded by independent donors. When a crisis strikes, we are able to immediately mobilize and save lives—sometimes within a matter of hours—in places like Lebanon, Gaza, Haiti, Sudan, and beyond. Help us continue providing medical aid where the needs are greatest with an unrestricted gift now.

---

MSF is an independent and impartial medical humanitarian organization. We provide medical care with empathy and compassion to all patients, regardless of their race, gender, religion, or politics.

Your 100% tax-deductible gift helps MSF respond quickly to emergencies in places like Lebanon, Gaza, Haiti, Sudan, and beyond...

https://donate.doctorswithoutborders.org/secure/lebanon-rr-donate-web

You see, I usually donate to various charitable organizations during the year on a particular 'theme day,' so to speak, which I feel corresponds directly to those particular charitable causes, because it helps me to remember to donate to those particular charitable causes during the year that have a corresponding 'theme day.'

Plus, I am spreading the charitable love throughout the entire year—and not simply having a year's worth of charitable giving 'bunch up,' so to speak, on Giving Tuesday. So then, whichever charitable organizations don't have an obvious corresponding 'theme day,' I can donate to those charitable organizations during Giving Tuesday, since I haven't already given to those particular organizations sometime during the year!

That is why I coordinate some of my charitable giving during the year with a particular 'theme day' that some charitable causes correspond to—such as Doctors Without Borders/Médecins Sans Frontières whose cause I feel directly corresponds to the 'theme day' of International Doctor's Day, especially considering that they were a co-initiator of this day, along with the World Health Organization (WHO). –Paul Whiting (October 7th, 2024)

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October 11th, 2024 Update No. 1: National Coming Out Day is today, October 11th, 2024, since National Coming Out Day is yearly (annually) on October 11th.

And I first heard about National Coming Out Day last year (2023) from a daily calendar website that I previously used to reference in my 'updates' regarding holidays and special occasions (please see my 'October 11th, 2023 Update, Which Also Discusses October 8th, 2023' that can be found above).

This is National Day Calendar's webpage regarding "NATIONAL COMING OUT DAY." An introduction to the webpage can be found below:

NATIONAL COMING OUT DAY | October 11

National Day Calendar®

NATIONAL COMING OUT DAY

Each year on October 11, National Coming Out Day encourages civil awareness recognizing and supporting those in the LGBTQ community.

#NationalComingOutDay

The day celebrates individuals who publicly identify as bisexual, gay, lesbian, transgender – coming out regarding their sexual orientation and/or gender identity being akin to a cultural rite of passage for LGBT people.

One in two Americans knows someone who is gay or lesbian. The ratio applied to transgender Americans is one in ten.

The day is dedicated to raises awareness of the civil rights of the LGBTQ community. Through education and support, and sharing their stories, it is hoped they may be more able to live openly and safely.

As more of the LGBTQ community come out, those who know them are more likely to become more educated. They also become more supportive and understanding, too. ...

Please see the hyperlink below for the webpage:

https://www.nationaldaycalendar.com/national-day/national-coming-out-day-october-11

Plus, here is the Human Rights Campaign webpage regarding "National Coming Out Day." An introduction to the webpage can be found below:

National Coming Out Day

Be proud of who you are and your support for LGBTQ+ equality this National Coming Out Day!

Sharing our authentic selves with others is not always safe or easy, and it is not a one-day event — but when possible, it can be an extraordinarily powerful key to breaking down the barriers we face as LGBTQ+ people. ...

Please see the hyperlink below for the webpage:

https://www.hrc.org/campaigns/national-coming-out-day

–Paul Whiting (October 11th, 2024)

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October 11th, 2024 Update No. 2: I received an email from United Farm Workers (UFW) today, October 11th, 2024, with the subject line, "Farm workers need disaster relief just like farmers. Act to support HR 8765.", which stated the following:

United Farm Workers
Si, Se Puede! UFW

Farm workers need disaster relief just like farmers.
Take action to support HR 8765.

The news is full of Hurricane Helene and Hurricane Milton. We're hearing about people being forced to flee their homes, crops potentially destroyed and the possibility of skyrocketing prices. What the news is not talking too much about is how the migrant farm workers harvesting our food are affected. Growers are often insured against crop loss and qualify for federal aid, but the invisible workers who harvest our crops are left without any way to recoup their loss of income. A federal bill, the Disaster Relief for Farm Workers Act (HR 8765), was introduced back in June, because of previous disasters. It hasn't moved since then. Congress needs to come back into session immediately to pass this and other aid packages for hurricane relief. The latest disasters exemplify why we need this bill passed NOW.

BACKGROUND: Many of the affected workers have no vehicles and cannot self-evacuate. Seasonal workers are frequently reliant on the employer for everything from shelter to drinking water. If the employer does not evacuate them they're left to fend for themselves. Many workers live in labor camps or trailer parks with their families – including young children. With the current political environment, they are scared and don't know who to trust and are even afraid to engage with shelters or FEMA. These workers are very vulnerable while also being nearly invisible.

The current situation is horrendous, but not unique. Similar situations have occurred with floods, wildfires and more. It's why in June 2024 U.S. Representatives [name redacted] (OR) and [name redacted] (CA) as well as U.S. Senators [name redacted] (CA) and [name redacted] (CO) introduced a bill in both houses of Congress. This important legislation would provide compensation for farm workers who lose out on wages due to extreme weather, public health emergencies, and other disasters beyond their control -- by giving grants to trusted farm worker organizations to provide emergency relief to farm workers affected by a disaster.

Farm workers have long been excluded from federal disaster relief programs, even as they have been disproportionately impacted by extreme weather such as fires, flooding, and other natural disasters. The federal government must provide support to farm workers who lose work the same way the federal government provides support to farm owners who lose crops. HR-8765 would ensure that, despite extreme weather, the people who put the food on our tables can continue to pay the bills and feed their own families.

Act now. It's critical that Congress passes HR 8765 now, but first they have to come back into session. Click to message your federal representatives today.

PS: Spread the word by sharing this campaign on Facebook & Twitter.*

United Farm Workers
Si, Se Puede! UFW

Farm workers need disaster relief just like farmers.

The news is full of Hurricane Helene and Hurricane Milton. We're hearing about people being forced to flee their homes, crops potentially destroyed and the possibility of skyrocketing prices. What the news is not talking too much about is how the migrant farm workers harvesting our food are affected. Growers are often insured against crop loss and qualify for federal aid, but the invisible workers who harvest our crops are left without any way to recoup their loss of income. A federal bill, the Disaster Relief for Farm Workers Act (HR 8765), was introduced back in June, because of previous disasters. It hasn't moved since then. Congress needs to come back into session immediately to pass this and other aid packages for hurricane relief. The latest disasters exemplify why we need this bill passed NOW.

BACKGROUND: Many of the affected workers have no vehicles and cannot self-evacuate. Seasonal workers are frequently reliant on the employer for everything from shelter to drinking water. If the employer does not evacuate them they're left to fend for themselves. Many workers live in labor camps or trailer parks with their families – including young children. With the current political environment, they are scared and don't know who to trust and are even afraid to engage with shelters or FEMA. These workers are very vulnerable while also being nearly invisible.

The current situation is horrendous, but not unique. Similar situations have occurred with floods, wildfires and more. It's why in June 2024 U.S. Representatives [name redacted] (OR) and [name redacted] (CA) as well as U.S. Senators [name redacted] (CA) and [name redacted] (CO) introduced a bill in both houses of Congress. This important legislation would provide compensation for farm workers who lose out on wages due to extreme weather, public health emergencies, and other disasters beyond their control -- by giving grants to trusted farm worker organizations to provide emergency relief to farm workers affected by a disaster.

Act now. It's critical that Congress passes HR 8765 now, but first they have to come back into session. Click to message your federal representatives today.

Contact Information

Prefix: Mr.
First Name: Paul
Last Name: Whiting
Postal Code: [redacted]
Email: [redacted]

Message Recipients

[Name redacted]
[Title redacted]

[Name redacted]
[Title redacted]

[Name redacted]
[Title redacted]

Send the following message:

Subject: Farm workers need disaster relief just like farmers. Support HR 8765.

Dear [elected official],

Please return to session and support a hurricane relief package including the Disaster Relief for Farm Workers Act (HR 8765). The current situation in Florida, North Carolina, Georgia and Tennessee exemplifies the dire need farm workers have, and those needs are urgent.

Farm workers have long been excluded from federal disaster relief programs, even as they have been disproportionately impacted by extreme weather such as fires, flooding, and other natural disasters. The federal government must provide support to farm workers who lose work the same way the federal government provides support to farm owners who lose crops.

HR 8765 would ensure that, despite extreme weather, the people who put the food on our tables can continue to pay the bills and feed their own families.

Sincerely,
[Your information here]

The news is full of Hurricane Helene and Hurricane Milton. Homes & crops have been destroyed. Farm workers need disaster relief just like farmers. Congress must come back into session to pass disaster relief including HR 8765 for farm workers.

https://act.seiu.org/a/disasterrelief2024?ms=tellafriend_tw&ceid=442257&snw=2&ref=64bdec00-745b-4322-931c-8e8f0fa3ba74

And, after I sent the email above to my federal representatives, via the SEIU.org (Service Employees International Union) website, I made a one-time donation to United Farm Workers to show my support for Congress returning to session in order to pass "a hurricane relief package including the Disaster Relief for Farm Workers Act (HR 8765)." –Paul Whiting (October 11th, 2024)

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October 12th, 2024 Update No. 1: Farmers Day is today, October 12th, 2024! So, I decided to write this 'update' in order to tell everyone in the United States of America that Farmers Day (which is also known as "National Farmers Day", or "National Farmer's Day", or "National Farmers' Day") is yearly (annually) on October 12th.

Thus, in celebration of all that farmers do for us, I created a playlist on YouTube Music two years ago (2022) in order to say "THANK YOU" to all of the farmers! (Please see my 'October 12th, 2022 Update,' which can be found above.)

"Farmers Day Celebration Music" by Various Artists (on YouTube):

https://youtube.com/playlist?list=PL5ASnKWDRID0Nd7rbsz2aO5wvrIjKWj0F&si=T7pLDKiCmSJf0uEe

Here is the description from that playlist:

Did you know that "Farmers Day" is on October 12th each year? Well, I didn't know that either until the year 2022! So, I decided to tell everyone in the United States of America that Farmers Day (which is also known as "National Farmers Day", or "National Farmer's Day", or "National Farmers' Day") is yearly (annually) on October 12th. Thus, in celebration of all that farmers do for us, I created this playlist in order to say "THANK YOU" to all of the farmers!

Plus, this is National Day Calendar's webpage regarding "NATIONAL FARMER'S DAY." An introduction to the webpage can be found below:

NATIONAL FARMER'S DAY | October 12

National Day Calendar®

National Farmer's Day on October 12 offers much-deserved praise to the hard-working farmers across the nation. In the midst of harvest-season, the day pays tribute to the men, women, and families who put food in the grocery stores and on our tables every day.

#NationalFarmersDay

From very early in American culture, farmers set an example with their endless hard work. Not only do they provide a nation with the food we eat, but they also contribute to our economy in numerous ways. Before seeds even find their way into the ground, farmers supply a stream of jobs. From manufacturing, marketing, and tourism, farmers keep small and large communities going strong. Additional products and areas that rely on agriculture include:

[✓] leather
[✓] apparel
[✓] restaurants
[✓] beverages
[✓] textiles
[✓] trucking
[✓] railroad
[✓] forestry
[✓] pharmaceuticals
[✓] transportation

Some cities and towns across the United States celebrate their own versions of Farmer's Day. Dates are scattered throughout the year with celebrations and festivals. Many of them are held in September and October.

October does seem fitting for celebrating this National Day as it is near the end of the harvest. Many farmers will be able to take a rest from their hard labor to join in the celebration of this holiday. ...

Please see the hyperlink below for the webpage:

https://www.nationaldaycalendar.com/national-day/national-farmers-day-october-12

–Paul Whiting (written October 12th, 2024 and revised October 13th, 2024)

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October 14th, 2024 Update No. 1, Which Also Discusses October 11th, 2024: Indigenous Peoples' Day (which is also known as Native American Day) is today, October 14th, 2024, since Indigenous Peoples' Day is yearly (annually) on the second Monday of October.

And I received an email from the ACLU (American Civil Liberties Union) three days ago on October 11th, 2024, with the subject line, "This Indigenous Peoples' Day, protect the voting rights of Native communities", which stated the following:

Paul –

With Indigenous Peoples' Day coming up this Monday, the ACLU is calling on Congress to commit to advancing the Native American Voting Rights Act (NAVRA) – along with a set of bills to make voting more accessible for everyone. With us? Send a message to your representatives now >>

TAKE ACTION:

https://action.aclu.org/send-message/defend-our-voting-rights

NAVRA is a bill that would increase voting access in Indigenous communities across the country – and help ensure every voter can be counted at the polls.

It would establish funding for a Native American Voting Rights Task Force, require appropriate language assistance, expand access to voter registration, early voting, and polling locations, require universal acceptance of tribal IDs, and more. It would remove barriers to equal participation that have been erected by centuries of systemic oppression.

This country cannot continue suppressing the political power of Native Americans while occupying land that is rightfully theirs.

This Indigenous Peoples' Day, Congress must commit to advancing the Native American Voting Rights Act – along with the John Lewis Voting Rights Advancement Act, Freedom to Vote Act, and D.C. Statehood.* Join us – take action today.

Thanks for being with us as we fight for racial justice and the equal rights of all people.

Onward,

The ACLU Team

*By the way, I already sent the above-mentioned letter to my Representative and Senators in Congress on September 9th, 2024 (please see my 'September 9th, 2024 Update No. 1, Written On September 10th, 2024' that can be found above) a copy of which can be found below:

ACLU

DEFEND OUR VOTING RIGHTS

Send Message

As November's election approaches, discriminatory practices continue to suppress voters of color, underscored by a surge in anti-voter measures in recent years. The need for federal action to defend the fundamental right to vote has never been more urgent — and there's a very real way you can take action on that right now. Congress must act swiftly and decisively at the very first opportunity to pass crucial voting legislation, including the John Lewis Voting Rights Advancement Act (JLVRAA), provisions of the Freedom to Vote Act (FTVA), the Native American Voting Rights Act (NAVRA), and the Washington, D.C. Admission Act to grant D.C. statehood. Tell Congress to protect our right to vote!

Send your message.

Message Recipients:
Your U.S. House Representative
Your U.S. Senate Representative

Preview message

Subject: Urgent: Pass Voting Rights Legislation

The attack on voting rights has reached a critical point with discriminatory laws being passed in states across the country, disproportionately affecting Black, Brown, and Indigenous voters. The need for federal action to defend the fundamental right to vote has never been clearer. Congress must act swiftly to protect the right to vote and prevent further disenfranchisement: Pass the John Lewis Voting Rights Advancement Act (JLVRAA), provisions of the Freedom to Vote Act (FTVA), the Native American Voting Rights Act (NAVRA), and the Washington, D.C. Admission Act to grant D.C. statehood.

These bills are vital to restoring federal protections for voters and safeguarding access to the ballot box for our communities. The kind of crucial protections that will ensure the fundamental right to vote is upheld for millions of Americans. It's time we pass laws that ensure our democracy works for all of us.

The time for action is now. Please prioritize and pass these essential voting rights bills to defend the future of our democracy.

Sincerely,

[First Name] [Last Name]

Salutation: Mr.
First name: Paul
Last name: Whiting
Address; [redacted]
Address line 2: [redacted]
Zip code: [redacted]
City: [redacted]
State: [redacted]
Phone: [redacted]
E-mail address: [redacted]

Send

So, I wanted to share this email from the ACLU in order to show my support for protect the voting rights of Native American communities on this Indigenous Peoples' Day. –Paul Whiting (October 14th, 2024)

P.S.: Just so you know, I used to make one-time donations to the organization that is the subject of these 'updates' each time that I took an action as requested by that organization; however, "I have changed the way that I make donations to political, progressive and charitable organizations each month ... due to the fact that I have been spending a considerable percentage of my monthly income on all of these donations." (The reader should know that I am HIV-positive with full-blown AIDS. And I am on Social Security Disability Insurance, or SSDI, so my income is quite limited.) Therefore, "I am greatly reducing the number of times that I donate for the same organization per month down to once—or as determined by me on a case-by-case basis." (Please see my 'August 19th, 2023 Update,' which can be found above.) Thus, because I have already donated to the ACLU on October 5th, 2024 (please see my 'October 5th, 2024 Update No. 3, Which Also Discusses October 4th, 2024' that can be found above) that is the one-time donation which I made to the ACLU for October 2024.

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October 14th, 2024 Update No. 2: Indigenous Peoples' Day (which is also known as Native American Day) is today, October 14th, 2024, since Indigenous Peoples' Day is yearly (annually) on the second Monday of October.

And I first heard about Indigenous Peoples' Day last year (2023) from a daily calendar website that I previously used to reference in my 'updates' regarding holidays and special occasions (please see my 'October 9th, 2023 Update, Which Also Discusses October 8th, 2023' that can be a found above).

This is National Day Calendar's webpage regarding INDIGENOUS PEOPLE'S DAY (or, NATIVE AMERICAN DAY). An introduction to the webpage can be found below:

NATIVE AMERICAN DAY | Second Monday in October

National Day Calendar®

Also known as INDIGENOUS PEOPLE'S DAY.

NATIVE AMERICAN DAY

Native American Day, observed annually on the second Monday in October, celebrates the cultures and contributions of the many Native American tribes.

#NativeAmericanDay

While it is not celebrated in all 50 states, it is recognized in both California and South Dakota and gaining popularity in the rest of the nation. In other parts of the country, Indigenous Peoples' Day celebrations occur on this day. Events such as traditional dances, art displays and ceremonies have begun to replace Columbus Day practices.

The observance focuses on celebrating the culture, heritage, and history of tribes across the nation. Each diverse nation carries its own traditions, rituals, and beliefs. The day celebrates their knowledge, contributions and enriching heritage. It's also a reminder of their enduring legacy of strength, energy, and fortitude. ...

Please see the hyperlink below for the webpage:

https://www.nationaldaycalendar.com/national-day/native-american-day-second-monday-in-october

Plus, here is the official proclamation from the White House regarding Indigenous Peoples' Day 2024, which is titled, "A Proclamation on Indigenous Peoples’ Day, 2024," as can be found below:

The White House

October 11, 2024

A Proclamation on Indigenous Peoples’ Day, 2024

     On Indigenous Peoples’ Day, we honor Indigenous peoples’ strength, courage, and resilience. We celebrate the vast contributions of Indigenous communities to the world. And we recommit to respecting Tribal sovereignty and self-determination and working to usher in a new era of our Nation-to-Nation relationships.

     The history of America’s Indigenous peoples is marked by perseverance, survival, and a deep commitment to and pride in their heritage, right to self-governance, and ways of life. Since time immemorial, Indigenous peoples have built and sustained powerful Tribal Nations, cultivated rich cultures, and established vibrant communities. And their discoveries and knowledge still benefit us today. But because of our Nation’s failed policies of the past, generations of Native peoples have faced cruelty, violence, and intimidation. They were forced to leave their homelands, prohibited from speaking their own languages and practicing their sacred traditions, and forced into assimilation. Indigenous lives were lost, livelihoods were ripped away, and communities were fundamentally altered. Despite the trauma and turmoil, Indigenous peoples have persisted and survived. Their stories are testaments to the bravery and resolve of generations to preserve their heritage, cultures, and identities for those to come after them.

     Today, Indigenous peoples lead in every way, share their histories, and strengthen their communities. They are also stewarding lands and waters, growing our shared prosperity, and celebrating the good of our Nation while pushing us to tell the full truth of our history. Indigenous peoples have long served in the United States military, fighting for democracy. And Indigenous communities continue to be an integral part of the fabric of the United States, contributing so much to our shared prosperity.

     I remain committed to writing a new and better chapter in our history. To make this new era of self-determination a reality, we must honor the solemn promises the United States made to fulfill our trust and treaty obligations to Tribal Nations and work together to rebuild Tribal economies and institutions.

     From day one, I have worked to include Indigenous voices at the table in all we do. I have appointed Native Americans to lead across the Federal Government, including the [title redacted], [name redacted] — America’s first [cabinet position redacted] — and so many others serving in key roles in my Administration. I was proud to re-establish the White House Council on Native American Affairs to help coordinate policy. Together, we have taken historic steps to improve the consultation process between Federal agencies and Tribal Nations.

     I also believe that Tribal Nations know best what is right for their communities, and they do better when they make their own decisions. That is why I signed an Executive Order to respect the Nation-to-Nation relationship by ensuring Federal agencies respect the autonomy of tribes, cutting red tape so Tribal leaders can deliver for their communities. At the same time, we are strengthening the Buy Indian Act so that Federal agencies get more goods and services from Native-owned businesses. These initiatives will help grow Tribal economies while respecting Tribal sovereignty and Tribal Nations’ right to build a future on their own terms.

     Since I came into office, the Federal Government has made record investments in Tribal Nations. My American Rescue Plan -‑ the largest direct Federal investment in Tribal Nations ever — helped provide COVID-19 vaccinations to Tribal communities and got our economy going again. My Bipartisan Infrastructure Law is the single biggest investment in Tribal roads, bridges, water, high-speed internet, electricity, irrigation, environmental cleanup, and more. My Inflation Reduction Act is the biggest investment in fighting climate change ever, anywhere in the history of the world. It is helping Tribal communities lead in the transition to clean energy and mitigate the impact of droughts, wildfires, and rising sea levels that threaten Native lives and precious homelands. My Administration has also provided increased resources to fight the opioid epidemic and expand access to crisis care in Tribal communities. Given that Native American women are two times more likely to die of pregnancy-related causes than White women, my Administration has taken significant steps to improve maternal health. And my Administration also secured the first-ever advance funding for the Indian Health Service so hospitals can plan ahead, order supplies, and hire doctors.

     When my Administration reauthorized the Violence Against Women Act in 2022, we included historic provisions to reaffirm Tribal sovereignty and expand Tribal jurisdiction in cases where outside perpetrators harm members of their Nation. And recognizing the ties of Indigenous peoples across North America, I supported a Trilateral Working Group with Canada and Mexico to ensure Indigenous women and girls in all three countries can live free from violence.

     My Administration is also preserving important ancestral Tribal lands and waters. I have protected and conserved more than 42 million acres of our Nation’s lands and waters. I established, expanded, or restored 11 national monuments — including Bears Ears National Monument, Grand Staircase-Escalante National Monument, Avi Kwa Ame National Monument, Baaj Nwaavjo I’tah Kukveni-Ancestral Footprints of the Grand Canyon National Monument, Berryessa Snow Mountain National Monument, and others containing sites considered sacred to Tribal Nations. We are advancing the proposed Chumash Heritage National Marine Sanctuary, which stretches along 116 miles of California coastline and has been home to coastal, ocean-going Tribal Nations and Indigenous peoples for tens of thousands of years. My Administration has also signed over 190 co-stewardship or co-management agreements with Tribes, and we are working to sign more.

     On Indigenous Peoples’ Day, we recognize that it is hard work to heal the wrongs of the past and to change course and move forward, but together, nothing is beyond our capacity. May we take pride in the progress we have made to establish a new era of Tribal sovereignty and Indigenous self-determination — one grounded in dignity, respect, and friendship.

     NOW, THEREFORE, I, JOSEPH R. BIDEN JR., President of the United States of America, by virtue of the authority vested in me by the Constitution and the laws of the United States, do hereby proclaim October 14, 2024, as Indigenous Peoples’ Day. I call upon the people of the United States to observe this day with appropriate ceremonies and activities. I also direct that the flag of the United States be displayed on all public buildings on the appointed day in honor of our diverse history and the Indigenous peoples who contribute to shaping this Nation.

     IN WITNESS WHEREOF, I have hereunto set my hand this eleventh day of October, in the year of our Lord two thousand twenty-four, and of the Independence of the United States of America the two hundred and forty-ninth.

JOSEPH R. BIDEN JR.

Please see the hyperlink below for the proclamation:

https://www.whitehouse.gov/briefing-room/presidential-actions/2024/10/11/a-proclamation-on-indigenous-peoples-day-2024

–Paul Whiting (October 14th, 2024)

-------------------------------------------------------------------

October 16th, 2024 Update No. 1, Written From October 19th, 2024 To October 22nd, 2024, Which Also Discusses September 6th, 2024, October 1st, 2024 And October 13th, 2024: [Blogger's Note: This 'update' that I am writing from October 19th, 2024 to October 22nd, 2024 is for donations that I made on October 16th, 2024, as part of my series of donations for the month of October, in addition to "the Final (Mid-Month) 2024 FEC Deadline,"* to Democratic fundraising and coordinating political organizations—and to one campaign—regarding the following:

▪ the national races for the House of Representatives (the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee),
▪ the Senate (the Democratic Senatorial Campaign Committee),
▪ and the President of the United States (the Democratic National Committee and Harris for President, or the Harris Victory Fund),
▪ as well as the state races for the Governors (the Democratic Governors Association),
▪ the Secretaries of State (the Democratic Association of Secretaries of State),
▪ the Attorneys General (the Democratic Attorneys General Association),
▪ the State Legislatures (the Democratic Legislative Campaign Committee),
▪ and the Mayors (Democratic Mayors Association, or the National Conference of Democratic Mayors),
▪ as well as to my local Democratic fundraising and coordinating organization (Democratic Party of Oregon),
▪ in addition to the official organization of the Democratic Party for United States citizens living temporarily or permanently abroad (Democratic Party Committee Abroad, or Democrats Abroad), during this ninth month of the year for the 2024 Presidential Election.

Plus, I made donations to Political Action Committees (PACs) that are doing the following:

▪ helping to elect political candidates who are working to stop global warming (Jane Fonda Climate PAC);
▪ helping to elect candidates who are pro-choice women (EMILYs List);
▪ helping to elect candidates who are U.S. Veterans (VoteVets);
▪ helping young people to vote (Voters of Tomorrow PAC);
▪ and helping to elect gun safety champions in Congress (Ban Assault Weapons NOW PAC);
▪ as well as helping to mobilize Black voters (Rolling Sea Action Fund);
▪ in addition to helping to support pro public education officials and legislation nationwide (Educated We Stand).

Besides that, I made donations to the following:

▪ a civic engagement organization that is helping to educate and empower a new generation of Latinx voters (Voto Latino);
▪ and a social welfare organization that is advancing equality at the ballot box across Indian Country (Four Directions Native Vote);
▪ as well as a non-profit organization and grassroots movement of educators and school staff across the United States who aim to raise awareness and demand safety from gun violence in their communities (Teachers Unify To End Gun Violence);
▪ in addition to a social welfare organization that is a courageous youth-led movement dedicated to promoting civic engagement, education, and direct action by youth to eliminate the epidemic of gun violence (March For Our Lives);

And these donations to the above-mentioned organizations are listed below in the chronological order in which I made said donations which, in turn, are based upon the general chronological order in which I received each respective request for every organization's donation.

You see, when I respond to all of these political communications, I am 'sifting,' so to speak, through dozens of emails, and/or text messages, and selecting the best communications to which I can respond! And it takes a lot of time to do this. So, I usually 'set aside' the email and text message communications to which I am planning to respond, as a group, in the order in which I received said communications; then, I respond to each one in date order (or, chronological order).

*When I include 'the Final (Mid-Month) 2024 FEC Deadline' as my additional reason for donating on October 16th, I am referencing the many mentions of the 'final FEC deadline' from the various communications that I received around October 16th! You see—even though I didn't select most of those particular communications as the inspiration for making these October 2024 donations—I was actually inspired to make this month's donations on October 16th due to the fact that it was the final (mid-month) FEC deadline.

Now, my assumption is that this is the final (mid-month) FEC deadline due to the fact that this is the last time for the campaigns and organizations to file their mid-month donations with the FEC before Election Day on November 5th, so that is why I was hearing through these various communications that October 16th was the final FEC deadline for 2024 (for what I assume is the middle of the month).]

I received four mailers from the Harris Victory Fund, including one on September 6th, 2024, two on October 1st, 2024 and one on October 13th, 2024.

And the first mailer to which I responded on October 16th, 2024, that I received on September 6th, 2024, had a 'front teaser message' on the envelope that read, "PAUL, I NEED YOUR SUPPORT AT THIS CRITICAL MOMENT.", which stated the following:

[I used to hand-type the text of the documents from these types of mailers on my smartphone; however, it takes a lot of time and energy in order to hand-type these kinds of documents: so, instead, I scanned and copied the documents using Google Lens! Then, I edited the copy of said documents to include all of the italicizing, bolding and/or underscoring where applicable.]

HARRIS
Victory Fund

Paul,

Just days ago, I accepted the Democratic nomination for President of the United States.

Now, let us be clear-eyed about the road forward: We have a fight ahead of us, and we are the underdogs in this race. Donald Trump and his wealthy donors' super PACs have more than a quarter of a billion dollars in the bank to keep launching ads attacking me all across the battleground states.

You see, this is a people-powered campaign. While our movement has already demonstrated tremendous enthusiasm, we cannot slow down. We have our work cut out for us, and this is not going to be easy. This is not a time for us to throw up our hands. This is a time for us to roll up our sleeves.

This is the moment when we must stand together to compete with Trump-supporting super PAC donors and counter his message of fear and hate with our own message of freedom and opportunity.

With polls extremely close across battleground states and only weeks to reach voters, I'm depending on this people-powered movement — on you — to send a contribution of $25, $38 or $50 to help send me to the White House and elect Democrats up and down the ballot nationwide.

I believe the strength of a leader is based on who you lift up.

When I look at Donald Trump, JD Vance, and their Republican allies, I see a vision that is underscored by taking people back and tearing people down. They seek to divide and take our nation backward. Their Project 2025 agenda would rob the American people of freedom, of our democracy, and of opportunity.

My vision for our future couldn't be more different. I'm fighting for a brighter future for all Americans, And my life's work has always been about lifting people up — ever since I first walked into a courtroom 30 years ago as a young district attorney and said these words: Kamala Harris, For the People.

So my message to Donald Trump is this: You will not tear us down, you will not divide us, and we, the people, are not going back.

But make no mistake, this campaign is not just about us versus Donald Trump. This campaign is about who we fight for and who we want to be as a nation.

We're fighting for a future where every person has the opportunity not just to get by, but to get ahead. A future where no child has to grow up in poverty. A future where every worker has the freedom to join a union. A future where every person has affordable health care and every senior can retire with dignity. A future where every woman has reproductive freedom and can make decisions about their own body.

That is the future we're fighting for: one of freedom, compassion, and opportunity — one for the people.

Generations of Americans before us have led this fight. Now, the baton is in our hands.

For the future of our nation, for the freedoms we cherish, I'm asking you to pick up the baton and fight with me again. The work is happening now to get our message out, knock on every door, make every phone call, and reach every last voter.

This is the most consequential election of our lifetime. It is not going to be easy — it was never going to be. But I sincerely and deeply know that, with your support, we can win this race and elect Democrats up and down the ballot. So please return a generous contribution of whatever you can to help us win.

For the people,

Kamala Harris
Vice President of the United States

P.S. After I accepted the Democratic nomination for President of the United States, Donald Trump launched tens of millions of dollars' worth of ads attacking me in the battleground states where this election will be decided — states where polling has me and Trump locked in a statistical tie. Our people-powered movement needs resources to fight back immediately, and I cannot do it without you. Please send back a contribution to help us fight Donald Trump's lies today.

---------------------------------------------

[Text of an enclosed bumper sticker:]

HARRIS
for PRESIDENT

---------------------------------------------

DONATE TO ELECT KAMALA HARRIS
AND DEMOCRATS NATIONWIDE

[✓] Kamala, I believe in your vision for a brighter future — and I will join you in the fight to elect Democrats up and down the ballot and stop Donald Trump from taking us back. For our freedoms and democracy, I've enclosed a gift of:

[  ] $25
[  ] $38
[  ] $50
[✓] Other $2.00*

*[Blogger's Note: the reason that I donated $2.00 for this mailer — rather than $3.00, like I usually donate for political mailers — is due to the fact that I was responding to four mailers from the Harris Victory Fund, rather than just one; thus, I decided to donate the amount of $2.00 that I usually donate for political donation requests sent via email, or text message, for each of these mailers, as part of my series of donations for the month of October that I made on October 16th, 2024.]

Please make your check payable to the Harris Victory Fund.

Or if you prefer to charge your contribution, please fill out the form on the reverse.

You can also contribute online by visiting www.kamalaharris.com/Give2024

Paul Whiting
[Street Address and Apt. No. redacted]
[City, State and ZIP Code redacted]

HARRIS
Victory Fund

---------------------------------------------

HARRIS
Victory Fund

Certificate of Recognition

This is to certify that Vice President Kamala Harris recognizes
PAUL WHITING
PORTLAND, OREGON
as a leader in the fight for our future
in the 2024 election year.

Vice President Kamala Harris

Date: August 25, 2024

And, after I read the letter above, I entered the hyperlink to the referenced webpage, the relevant text of which can be found below:

HARRIS
VICTORY FUND

Donate to support the Harris-Walz campaign!

We all must stand together to win at the ballot box, protect our freedoms, and fulfill the promise of America. Donate $25 or more now.

Donate immediately:

Your contribution will benefit Harris Victory Fund.

[  ] Donate $3 →

[  ] Donate $50 →

[  ] Donate $100 →

[  ] Donate $250 →

[  ] Donate $1,000 →

[  ] Donate $2,000 →

[✓] Other amount $2.00

Please leave a tip for ActBlue

Power the nonprofit fundraising platform Democratic candidates & progressive causes rely on.

[  ] Add $2 tip

[  ] Leave no tip

[✓] Add custom amount $0.14 (7%)

And so, I made a one-time donation to the Harris Victory Fund (with a tip to ActBlue) on October 16th, 2024, because "with polls extremely close across battleground states and only weeks to reach voters, [Vice President Kamala Harris is] depending on this people-powered movement — on [me] — to send a contribution [in order] to help send [Vice President Harris] to the White House and elect Democrats up and down the ballot nationwide." And I was also donating to show my appreciation for the Harris Victory Fund Certificate of Recognition that was attached to the bottom of the reply memo, as well as the "Harris for President" bumper sticker.

---------------------------------------------

And the second mailer to which I responded on October 16th, 2024, that I received on October 1st, 2024, had a 'front teaser message' on the envelope that read, "Paul, this is a fight for our freedom and our future. Will you join me?", which stated the following:

[I used to hand-type the text of the documents from these types of mailers on my smartphone; however, it takes a lot of time and energy in order to hand-type these kinds of documents: so, instead, I scanned and copied the documents using Google Lens! Then, I edited the copy of said documents to include all of the italicizing, bolding and/or underscoring where applicable.]

HARRIS
VICTORY FUND

Dear Paul,

This election has always been about two very different visions for our nation: one that is focused on the future and one that is focused on the past.

Donald Trump wants to take our country backward. His extreme Project 2025 agenda calls for banning reproductive freedom nationwide, cutting Social Security and Medicare, and giving tax breaks to billionaires and big corporations while making working families foot the bill.

Across the nation, we are witnessing a full-on assault on hard-fought, hard-won freedoms and rights: the freedom to vote, the freedom to love who you love and be who you want to be, the freedom to learn, the freedom for a woman to make decisions about her own body without her government telling her what to do.

We cannot go back. Generations of Americans before us led the fight for freedom. Now, the baton is in our hands.

Paul, I know that, together, we can win this election, protect our freedoms, and save democracy in November. But here's the truth: Billionaires and big corporations are funding Trump's campaign. We're relying on a people-powered movement of individuals like you to lead us to victory on Election Day. Please carry the enclosed Harris Victory Fund Founding Member card with pride and give $25, $38, or even $50 today in the fight for our future.

We must fight for a future in which our nation's foundational principles — freedom, opportunity, and justice — are available not just to some, but to all. A future in which our democracy is revered and protected. A future in which no child grows up in poverty and every senior can retire with dignity.

President Biden and I built our country back after Trump left it in shambles. We made historic progress in reducing prescription drug costs, upgrading our nation's infrastructure, fighting climate change, and so much more.

We are stronger today because we took action — together — to invest in America's future.

Now I am ready to continue to work toward our vision for a better future for all alongside my running mate, Governor Tim Walz. Together, in the White House, and with more Democrats in the House and Senate, we will put you, the people, at the heart of our agenda and move our nation forward.

Our vision for America is one of freedom and opportunity. We are fighting for a future that strengthens our democracy, protects reproductive freedom, and ensures every person has the opportunity to not just get by, but to get ahead.

When we head to the ballot box this November, we each will face a question: What kind of country do we want to live in? A country of liberty, freedom, and rule of law? Or a country of disorder, fear, and hate? We each have the power to answer that question with our voice, with our feet, and with our vote.

We can choose the dark path of Project 2025, with less freedom and more division. Or we can choose to join together and do the work — For The People.

These are not ordinary times. And this will not be an ordinary election. But this is our America. So please, donate to the Harris Victory Fund today so that, together, we can win the fight for our future.

Thank you,

Kamala Harris

P.S. I'm running to fight for an America where every person has the opportunity to not just get by, but to get ahead. Where every person has affordable health care. Where women have the freedom to make their own decisions about their own bodies. And where our democracy and institutions are revered and protected. We have a fight ahead of us to secure a brighter future, and I need you with me. Please carry this Founding Member card with pride and give today.

---------------------------------------------

WILL YOU JOIN THE FIGHT FOR OUR FUTURE AND OUR FREEDOMS?

[Start of Member Card]

Let's
WIN
this.

PAUL WHITING
MEMBER # [redacted]

FOUNDING MEMBER

[End of Member Card]

Paul Whiting
[Street Address and Apt. No. redacted]
[City, State and ZIP Code redacted]

---------------------------------------------

[✓] Yes, Kamala! I recognize the threat Donald Trump and his extreme Project 2025 agenda poses to our nation and I know that we cannot go back. I am ready to support Team Harris-Walz and Democrats nationwide, help defeat Donald Trump, and secure a better future for America.

Enclosed is my gift of:

[  ] $25
[  ] $38
[  ] $50
[✓] Other $2.00*

*[Blogger's Note: the reason that I donated $2.00 for this mailer — rather than $3.00, like I usually donate for political mailers — is due to the fact that I was responding to four mailers from the Harris Victory Fund, rather than just one; thus, I decided to donate the amount of $2.00 that I usually donate for political donation requests sent via email, or text message, for each of these mailers, as part of my series of donations for the month of October that I made on October 16th, 2024.]

Please make your check payable to the Harris Victory Fund.

Or if you prefer to charge your contribution, please fill out the form on the reverse.
You can also contribute online by visiting www.kamalaharris.com/SeptDonate.

Paul Whiting
[Street Address and Apt. No. redacted]
[City, State and ZIP Code redacted]

HARRIS
VICTORY FUND

And, after I read the letter above, I entered the hyperlink to the referenced webpage, the relevant text of which can be found below:

HARRIS
VICTORY FUND

Donate to support the Harris-Walz campaign!

We all must stand together to win at the ballot box, protect our freedoms, and fulfill the promise of America. Donate $25 or more now.

Donate immediately:

Your contribution will benefit Harris Victory Fund.

[  ] Donate $3 →

[  ] Donate $50 →

[  ] Donate $100 →

[  ] Donate $250 →

[  ] Donate $500 →

[  ] Donate $1,000 →

[  ] Donate $2,000 →

[✓] Other amount $2.00

Please leave a tip for ActBlue

Power the nonprofit fundraising platform Democratic candidates & progressive causes rely on.

[  ] Add $2 tip

[  ] Leave no tip

[✓] Add custom amount $0.14 (7%)

And so, I made a one-time donation to the Harris Victory Fund (with a tip to ActBlue) on October 16th, 2024, due to the following: "[Kamala Harris knows] that, together, we can win this election, protect our freedoms, and save democracy in November. But here's the truth: Billionaires and big corporations are funding Trump's campaign. [The Harris Victory Fund is] relying on a people-powered movement of individuals like [me] to lead us to victory on Election Day." That is why I will "carry the enclosed Harris Victory Fund Founding Member card with pride and give [as much as I can afford] today in the fight for our future."

---------------------------------------------

Finally, the third mailer to which I responded on October 16th, 2024, that I received on October 1st, 2024, as well as the fourth mailer to which I responded on October 16th, 2024, that I received on October 13th, 2024, both of which had a 'front teaser message' on the envelope that read, "Paul, this is the most important election of our lifetime. Can I still count on you?", and both of which stated the following (since they are identical mailers):

[I used to hand-type the text of the documents from these types of mailers on my smartphone; however, it takes a lot of time and energy in order to hand-type these kinds of documents: so, instead, I scanned and copied the documents using Google Lens! Then, I edited the copy of said documents to include all of the italicizing, bolding and/or underscoring where applicable.]

HARRIS
VICTORY FUND

Dear Paul,

This election is the most important of our lives. While Donald Trump is in many ways an unserious man, the consequences of putting him back in the White House are extremely serious.

Donald Trump tried to throw away the American people's votes, and when he failed, he encouraged an armed mob to attack the Capitol. Since leaving office, Trump has been found guilty of fraud and found liable for committing sexual abuse.

If Donald Trump regains the presidency, he intends to use the immense powers of the Oval Office not to improve your life — but to serve himself.

My entire career, I have only had one client: the people. You. Paul, you can always trust me to put country above party and self, to lead and listen, and fight for the American people. From the courthouse to the White House, that has been my life's work.

Together, we, the people, have a precious, yet fleeting opportunity to move past Trump's bitterness, cynicism, and divisive battles of the past, and begin to chart a NEW WAY FORWARD.

But we are running out of time — and in these final days, with all we are up against, I am counting on you unlike ever before.

Paul, we are the underdogs in this race. With polls tied across the battleground states and just weeks left to reach voters, your support is urgently needed to fight, win, and stop Donald Trump from taking us backward. In fact, this fight is so urgent that a generous donor has agreed to match every dollar we raise 3:1 up to $250,000. Every dollar you give today will have three times the impact, at a moment when we need those resources the most.

So, please, return a gift of $25 that becomes $75, $38 that turns into $114, or even $50 that generates $150 today to help Tim and I win this election, and elect Democrats down the ballot.

The most important person in my life, [name redacted] — my [affiliation redacted] — was brilliant. She was tough, courageous, and a trailblazer in the fight for women's health. She taught me to never complain about injustice, but to do something about it.

We all know the injustice Donald Trump seeks to inflict —and we've seen the injustice he has already created.

Donald Trump handpicked members of the Supreme Court to take away reproductive freedom. And now, he brags about it. In his words, "I did it, and I'm proud to have done it."

And he is not done yet.

Trump and his allies plan to restrict access to birth control, ban medication abortion, and enact a nationwide abortion ban.

Trump has proven his fight is not for the middle class. Instead, he plans to help himself and his billionaire friends — giving them another round of tax handouts, while making working families foot the bill. His plans would raise prices on middle-class families. And on top of that, he wants to gut Social Security and Medicare, and end the Affordable Care Act.

Together, we can beat Trump and make sure our country moves forward. Like my [affiliation redacted], and generations of Americans before us who fought for freedom, we will be tough, we will be courageous, and we will win.

Because we love our country, and we're ready to fight for it. And together, we can write the next great chapter in the most extraordinary story ever told.

The most powerful action you can take right now is returning a generous contribution to the Harris Victory Fund. With your grassroots support, we will have the resources to win this fight for our future.

Sincerely,

Kamala Harris
Vice President of the United States

P.S. Right now, voters are about to start casting early ballots and Donald Trump is bombarding the airwaves in battleground states with ads attacking me and lying about my record. He has more than $100 million at his disposal to keep lying. We are running out of time to fight back.

We are only able to fight back and get our message out there with your grassroots support. Knowing your gift will be matched 3:1 up to $250,000, please, rush back a contribution to help us defeat Trump, win the White House, and elect Democrats nationwide.

---------------------------------------------

[Text of an enclosed letter:]

PRESIDENT BARACK OBAMA

Dear Friend,

I am writing to you today because I could not be more thrilled to support Kamala Harris as the Democratic nominee for President of the United States.

Vice President Harris has the vision, the character, and the strength that this critical moment demands.

At a time when the other side wants to go back to all the drama and chaos of Donald Trump's first four years, Kamala will help us turn the page. And I look forward to watching her unite our country around a vision for a brighter, fairer, more prosperous future.

As a prosecutor, she defended the Constitution and fought for folks who deserved a fair shake. As California's attorney general, she worked hard to ensure everyone was treated fairly, no matter who they are or who they love. As a senator, she was one of the strongest voices holding the Trump administration accountable. And, as vice president, she helped lead the charge to expand the Affordable Care Act, lower the cost of prescription drugs and energy, and fight for reproductive freedom, equality, and the rule of law.

There is no doubt in my mind that Kamala Harris has exactly what it takes to win this election and deliver for the American people. That's why Michelle and I are going to do everything we can to elect her as the next President of the United States, and we hope you'll join us.

With gratitude,

President Barack Obama

P.S. Fighting for a brighter future starts with electing leaders who know you, who see you, and who care about you. I'm proud to support Kamala's campaign and the campaigns of Democrats across the country. That's why I'm personally asking you to rush back a gift right now. We have never needed you more than we do today. Thank you.

---------------------------------------------

[Enclosed postcard regarding the Democratic National Convention, which was held in Chicago, Illinois from August 19th, 2024 to August 22nd, 2024:]

FRONT OF THE POSTCARD:

[An image of Vice President Kamala Harris on stage at the Democratic National Convention.]

BACK OF THE POSTCARD:

Together, we made history at the Democratic National Convention in Chicago. Now, let us write the next great chapter in the most extraordinary story ever told. I hope you will always remember the role you played in making this moment possible. Thank you.

Kamala Harris

---------------------------------------------

HARRIS
VICTORY FUND

ALL IN FOR KAMALA AND TIM!

[✓] Yes, Kamala! I recognize that this is the most important election of our lifetime. I understand the [severe] threat Donald Trump and the extreme Project 2025 agenda poses to our nation, and I know that we cannot go back.

[✓] You can count on my support with a contribution that will be TRIPLE MATCHED up to $250,000. I am enclosing a gift of:

[  ] $25
[  ] $38
[  ] $50
[✓] Other $4.00*

*[Blogger's Note: the reason that I donated $4.00 for these two mailers (since they were identical) — rather than $3.00, like I usually donate for political mailers — is due to the fact that I was responding to four mailers from the Harris Victory Fund, rather than just one; thus, I decided to donate the amount of $2.00 that I usually donate for political donation requests sent via email, or text message, for each of these mailers (which I combined as $4.00 for these two mailers), as part of my series of donations for the month of October that I made on October 16th, 2024.]

Paul Whiting
[Street Address and Apt. No. redacted]
[City, State and ZIP Code redacted]

"QR code message": To put your gift to work immediately,
contribute online by scanning the
QR code below or by visiting
www.kamalaharris.com/together

Please make personal checks payable to "Harris Victory Fund" or fill out your personal credit card information on the reverse. Please mail your contribution along with this completed form to:

HARRIS VICTORY FUND
[Address redacted]
[City, State and ZIP Code redacted]

And, after I read the letter above, I entered the hyperlink to the referenced webpage, the relevant text of which can be found below:

HARRIS
VICTORY FUND

Donate to support the Harris-Walz campaign!

We all must stand together to win at the ballot box, protect our freedoms, and fulfill the promise of America. Donate $25 or more now.

Donate immediately:

Your contribution will benefit Harris Victory Fund.

[  ] Donate $2 →

[  ] Donate $50 →

[  ] Donate $100 →

[  ] Donate $250 →

[  ] Donate $1,000 →

[  ] Donate $2,000 →

[✓] Other amount $4.00

Please leave a tip for ActBlue

Power the nonprofit fundraising platform Democratic candidates & progressive causes rely on.

[  ] Add $2 tip

[  ] Leave no tip

[✓] Add custom amount $0.28 (7%)

And so, I made a one-time donation to the Harris Victory Fund (with a tip to ActBlue) on October 16th, 2024, in order to contribute "knowing [my] gift will be matched 3:1 up to $250,000 ... to help [the Harris Victory Fund] defeat Trump, win the White House, and elect Democrats nationwide."

–Paul Whiting (written from October 19th, 2024 to October 22nd, 2024, revised October 23rd, 2024 and revised October 30th, 2024)

P.S.: Just so you know, "I have changed the way that I make donations to political, progressive and charitable organizations each month ... due to the fact that I have been spending a considerable percentage of my monthly income on all of these donations." (The reader should know that I am HIV-positive with full-blown AIDS. And I am on Social Security Disability Insurance, or SSDI, so my income is quite limited.) Therefore, "I am reducing how much I donate for the regular mail requests that I receive (to which I choose to respond) to take action." Thus, I will still be responding to some of the regular mail requests that I receive (to which I choose to respond), which are requesting me to take action, but I am reducing the amount that I donate to organizations from which I receive mailers. (Please see my 'August 19th, 2023 Update,' which can be found above.)

-------------------------------------------------------------------

October 16th, 2024 Update No. 2, Written From October 19th, 2024 To October 22nd, 2024, Which Also Discusses September 16th, 2024: [Blogger's Note: This 'update' that I am writing from October 19th, 2024 to October 22nd, 2024 is for donations that I made on October 16th, 2024, as part of my series of donations for the month of October, in addition to "the Final (Mid-Month) 2024 FEC Deadline,"* to Democratic fundraising and coordinating political organizations—and to one campaign—regarding the following:

▪ the national races for the House of Representatives (the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee),
▪ the Senate (the Democratic Senatorial Campaign Committee),
▪ and the President of the United States (the Democratic National Committee and Harris for President, or the Harris Victory Fund),
▪ as well as the state races for the Governors (the Democratic Governors Association),
▪ the Secretaries of State (the Democratic Association of Secretaries of State),
▪ the Attorneys General (the Democratic Attorneys General Association),
▪ the State Legislatures (the Democratic Legislative Campaign Committee),
▪ and the Mayors (Democratic Mayors Association, or the National Conference of Democratic Mayors),
▪ as well as to my local Democratic fundraising and coordinating organization (Democratic Party of Oregon),
▪ in addition to the official organization of the Democratic Party for United States citizens living temporarily or permanently abroad (Democratic Party Committee Abroad, or Democrats Abroad), during this ninth month of the year for the 2024 Presidential Election.

Plus, I made donations to Political Action Committees (PACs) that are doing the following:

▪ helping to elect political candidates who are working to stop global warming (Jane Fonda Climate PAC);
▪ helping to elect candidates who are pro-choice women (EMILYs List);
▪ helping to elect candidates who are U.S. Veterans (VoteVets);
▪ helping young people to vote (Voters of Tomorrow PAC);
▪ and helping to elect gun safety champions in Congress (Ban Assault Weapons NOW PAC);
▪ as well as helping to mobilize Black voters (Rolling Sea Action Fund);
▪ in addition to helping to support pro public education officials and legislation nationwide (Educated We Stand).

Besides that, I made donations to the following:

▪ a civic engagement organization that is helping to educate and empower a new generation of Latinx voters (Voto Latino);
▪ and a social welfare organization that is advancing equality at the ballot box across Indian Country (Four Directions Native Vote);
▪ as well as a non-profit organization and grassroots movement of educators and school staff across the United States who aim to raise awareness and demand safety from gun violence in their communities (Teachers Unify To End Gun Violence);
▪ in addition to a social welfare organization that is a courageous youth-led movement dedicated to promoting civic engagement, education, and direct action by youth to eliminate the epidemic of gun violence (March For Our Lives);

And these donations to the above-mentioned organizations are listed below in the chronological order in which I made said donations which, in turn, are based upon the general chronological order in which I received each respective request for every organization's donation.

You see, when I respond to all of these political communications, I am 'sifting,' so to speak, through dozens of emails, and/or text messages, and selecting the best communications to which I can respond! And it takes a lot of time to do this. So, I usually 'set aside' the email and text message communications to which I am planning to respond, as a group, in the order in which I received said communications; then, I respond to each one in date order (or, chronological order).

*When I include 'the Final (Mid-Month) 2024 FEC Deadline' as my additional reason for donating on October 16th, I am referencing the many mentions of the 'final FEC deadline' from the various communications that I received around October 16th! You see—even though I didn't select most of those particular communications as the inspiration for making these October 2024 donations—I was actually inspired to make this month's donations on October 16th due to the fact that it was the final (mid-month) FEC deadline.

Now, my assumption is that this is the final (mid-month) FEC deadline due to the fact that this is the last time for the campaigns and organizations to file their mid-month donations with the FEC before Election Day on November 5th, so that is why I was hearing through these various communications that October 16th was the final FEC deadline for 2024 (for what I assume is the middle of the month).]

I received two mailers from the Democratic National Committee (DNC) on September 16th, 2024, one with a 'front teaser message' on the envelope that read, "Mr. Whiting, we're grateful to have you on our team.", and the other with a 'front teaser message' on the envelope that read, "Paul, we're grateful to have you on our team.", both of which also had a 'back teaser message' on the envelope that read, "COMMEMORATE PHOTO ENCLOSED: DO NOT BEND," and both of which that stated the following (since they are identical mailers, with the exception how they address me):

[I used to hand-type the text of the documents from these types of mailers on my smartphone; however, it takes a lot of time and energy in order to hand-type these kinds of documents: so, instead, I scanned and copied the documents using Google Lens! Then, I edited the copy of said documents to include all of the italicizing, bolding and/or underscoring where applicable.]

PRESIDENT JOE BIDEN

Dear Mr. Whiting/Dear Paul,

The stakes in this election couldn't be higher, which is why I wanted to say thank you for being in this fight with us.

Because of your continued support, I've never been more optimistic about our future. Folks like you are at the heart of the work to elect Democrats, powering efforts to connect with the American people about the importance of this election and the values we share.

We are so grateful to have your support in this moment — I mean that.

What's at stake this year is nothing less than the fundamental ideal of America: That we're all created equal, with certain inalienable rights, and should be treated that way throughout our lives.

We've never lived up to it, but we've never walked away from it, either.

And I'll be damned if we're going to let Donald Trump be the reason we stop being America. We're not going to let Donald Trump turn America into a place that doesn't believe in honesty, decency, and treating people with respect. We're not going to let Donald Trump turn America into a place filled with anger and resentment and hate.

America has always been a place where we've worked toward a more perfect Union, where those who were excluded in the past are included in the promise in the country today. I still believe that.

I am incredibly proud of all we've accomplished — but it's clear that the work is far from over.

This is no ordinary moment. But it's in our nature to rise to great challenges. We are the United States of America — and there is nothing beyond our capacity if we act together.

By being a part of this team, you are helping preserve our democracy when it is most at risk. That's the truth.

Thank you for everything you continue to do,

President Joe Biden

P.S. You will be the reason we elect Kamala Harris and defeat Donald Trump and MAGA extremists again in just a few weeks. You truly are the key to our nation's success, and I am so grateful to have you on this team.

---------------------------------------------

[Enclosed commemorative photograph(s):]

[Photograph of President Biden smiling and waving, while wearing his signature Ray-Ban aviator sunglasses.]

[Text below the photograph(s):]

Mr. Whiting/Paul, Thank you for being a part of this team. I want you to know our fight is your is your fight.

Joe Biden

---------------------------------------------

DEMOCRATS

MY PERSONAL REPLY TO PRESIDENT BIDEN

TO:
Democratic National Committee
[Address redacted]
[City, State and ZIP Code redacted]

FROM: Mr. Paul [Middle Initial] Whiting/
Paul [Middle Initial] Whiting
[Street Address and Apt. No. redacted]
[City, State and ZIP Code redacted]

[✓] Yes, President Biden! I received my special commemorative photo. Thank you!

[✓] I know that every single one of us has a serious role to play in making sure democracy endures. Democrats do the work of protecting our democracy, promoting our values of inclusion and opportunity, and building a brighter future for all Americans. That's why I've enclosed my grassroots contribution to the Democratic National Committee:

[  ] $20
[  ] $30
[  ] $40
[✓] Other $4.00*

*[Blogger's Note: the reason that I donated $4.00 for these two mailers (since they were identical) — rather than $3.00, like I usually donate for political mailers — is due to the fact that I was responding to two mailers from the Democratic National Committee (DNC), rather than just one; thus, I decided to donate the amount of $2.00 that I usually donate for political donation requests sent via email, or text message, for each of these mailers (which I combined as $4.00 for these two mailers), as part of my series of donations for the month of October that I made on October 16th, 2024.]

[  ] My check is enclosed, payable to the Democratic National Committee.
[  ] I've completed the credit card information on the back of this reply form.
[  ] I would like to become a Grassroots Partner. Please make my gift monthly.

Or, give your gift online at www.democrats.org/Fall2024

Please make your check payable to the Democratic National Committee and return it with this form in the envelope provided to the Democratic National Committee, [Address, City, State and ZIP Code redacted].
To charge your donation, please see reverse.
Please complete the information on the reverse as required by law.

Contributions or gifts to the Democratic National Committee are not tax deductible.
Contributions to the DNC will be spent for DNC activities and programs as the DNC determines within its sole discretion and will not be earmarked for a particular candidate.

And, after I read the letter above, I typed the web address to the referenced webpage in my browser, the relevant text of which can be found below:

Democrats

Support the Democratic National Committee

Donate to help elect Democrats up and down the ballot nationwide!

Your generous donation will help fight for the Biden Harris agenda, hold the GOP accountable, and elect more Democrats. Join President Biden and donate to the DNC now to invest in the resources our candidates are relying on to compete and win year after year.

Donate immediately:

Your contribution will benefit Democratic National Committee (DNC) - Direct Marketing.

[  ] Donate $35 →

[  ] Donate $50 →

[  ] Donate $75 →

[  ] Donate $100 →

[  ] Donate $200 →

[  ] Donate $250 →

[✓] Other amount $4.00

Please leave a tip for ActBlue

Power the nonprofit fundraising platform Democratic candidates & progressive causes rely on

[  ] Add $2 tip

[  ] Leave no tip

[✓] Add custom amount $0.28 (7%)

And so, I made a one-time donation to the DNC (with a tip to ActBlue) on October 16th, 2024, due to the following: "What's at stake this year is nothing less than the fundamental ideal of America: That we're all created equal, with certain inalienable rights, and should be treated that way throughout our lives. We've never lived up to it, but we've never walked away from it, either. ... America has always been a place where we've worked toward a more perfect Union, where those who were excluded in the past are included in the promise in the country today. ... This is no ordinary moment. But it's in our nature to rise to great challenges. We are the United States of America — and there is nothing beyond our capacity if we act together." –Paul Whiting (written from October 19th, 2024 to October 22nd, 2024, revised October 23rd, 2024 and revised October 30th, 2024)

P.S.: Just so you know, "I have changed the way that I make donations to political, progressive and charitable organizations each month ... due to the fact that I have been spending a considerable percentage of my monthly income on all of these donations." (The reader should know that I am HIV-positive with full-blown AIDS. And I am on Social Security Disability Insurance, or SSDI, so my income is quite limited.) Therefore, "I am reducing how much I donate for the regular mail requests that I receive (to which I choose to respond) to take action." Thus, I will still be responding to some of the regular mail requests that I receive (to which I choose to respond), which are requesting me to take action, but I am reducing the amount that I donate to organizations from which I receive mailers. (Please see my 'August 19th, 2023 Update,' which can be found above.)

-------------------------------------------------------------------

October 16th, 2024 Update No. 3, Written From October 19th, 2024 To October 22nd, 2024, Which Also Discusses October 1st, 2024: [Blogger's Note: This 'update' that I am writing from October 19th, 2024 to October 22nd, 2024 is for donations that I made on October 16th, 2024, as part of my series of donations for the month of October, in addition to "the Final (Mid-Month) 2024 FEC Deadline,"* to Democratic fundraising and coordinating political organizations—and to one campaign—regarding the following:

▪ the national races for the House of Representatives (the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee),
▪ the Senate (the Democratic Senatorial Campaign Committee),
▪ and the President of the United States (the Democratic National Committee and Harris for President, or the Harris Victory Fund),
▪ as well as the state races for the Governors (the Democratic Governors Association),
▪ the Secretaries of State (the Democratic Association of Secretaries of State),
▪ the Attorneys General (the Democratic Attorneys General Association),
▪ the State Legislatures (the Democratic Legislative Campaign Committee),
▪ and the Mayors (Democratic Mayors Association, or the National Conference of Democratic Mayors),
▪ as well as to my local Democratic fundraising and coordinating organization (Democratic Party of Oregon),
▪ in addition to the official organization of the Democratic Party for United States citizens living temporarily or permanently abroad (Democratic Party Committee Abroad, or Democrats Abroad), during this ninth month of the year for the 2024 Presidential Election.

Plus, I made donations to Political Action Committees (PACs) that are doing the following:

▪ helping to elect political candidates who are working to stop global warming (Jane Fonda Climate PAC);
▪ helping to elect candidates who are pro-choice women (EMILYs List);
▪ helping to elect candidates who are U.S. Veterans (VoteVets);
▪ helping young people to vote (Voters of Tomorrow PAC);
▪ and helping to elect gun safety champions in Congress (Ban Assault Weapons NOW PAC);
▪ as well as helping to mobilize Black voters (Rolling Sea Action Fund);
▪ in addition to helping to support pro public education officials and legislation nationwide (Educated We Stand).

Besides that, I made donations to the following:

▪ a civic engagement organization that is helping to educate and empower a new generation of Latinx voters (Voto Latino);
▪ and a social welfare organization that is advancing equality at the ballot box across Indian Country (Four Directions Native Vote);
▪ as well as a non-profit organization and grassroots movement of educators and school staff across the United States who aim to raise awareness and demand safety from gun violence in their communities (Teachers Unify To End Gun Violence);
▪ in addition to a social welfare organization that is a courageous youth-led movement dedicated to promoting civic engagement, education, and direct action by youth to eliminate the epidemic of gun violence (March For Our Lives);

And these donations to the above-mentioned organizations are listed below in the chronological order in which I made said donations which, in turn, are based upon the general chronological order in which I received each respective request for every organization's donation.

You see, when I respond to all of these political communications, I am 'sifting,' so to speak, through dozens of emails, and/or text messages, and selecting the best communications to which I can respond! And it takes a lot of time to do this. So, I usually 'set aside' the email and text message communications to which I am planning to respond, as a group, in the order in which I received said communications; then, I respond to each one in date order (or, chronological order).

*When I include 'the Final (Mid-Month) 2024 FEC Deadline' as my additional reason for donating on October 16th, I am referencing the many mentions of the 'final FEC deadline' from the various communications that I received around October 16th! You see—even though I didn't select most of those particular communications as the inspiration for making these October 2024 donations—I was actually inspired to make this month's donations on October 16th due to the fact that it was the final (mid-month) FEC deadline.

Now, my assumption is that this is the final (mid-month) FEC deadline due to the fact that this is the last time for the campaigns and organizations to file their mid-month donations with the FEC before Election Day on November 5th, so that is why I was hearing through these various communications that October 16th was the final FEC deadline for 2024 (for what I assume is the middle of the month).]

I received a mailer from the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee (DCCC) on October 1st, 2024, with a 'front teaser message' on the envelope that read, "OFFICIAL BUSINESS —DO NOT DESTROY—", which stated, in part, the following:

[I used to hand-type the text of the documents from these types of mailers on my smartphone; however, it takes a lot of time and energy in order to hand-type these kinds of documents: so, instead, I scanned and copied the documents using Google Lens! Then, I edited the copy of said documents to include all of the italicizing, bolding and/or underscoring where applicable.]

HAKEEM JEFFRIES
HOUSE DEMOCRATIC LEADER

Dear Fellow Democrat,

The extreme MAGA Republican majority has ushered in an unprecedented era of chaos, crisis and dysfunction by blindly following Trump's Project 2025 agenda and embracing Marjorie Taylor Greene. We fended off the red wave before, and I am confident we can flip the House this November.

Now we need the help of grassroots donors like you. I've enclosed the DCCC Prospectus for your review. Please take a few minutes to look it over and see why we need your urgent gift.

Once you consider the risks and rewards, I hope you will make a generous donation.

As the Prospectus outlines, your gift today will have a significant impact on the DCCC's ability to gain the four seats we need to win the majority less than 50 days from today.

The risks of allowing extreme MAGA Republicans to stay in the majority are too high. House Republicans have promised to enact Trump's dangerous, dastardly and diabolical Project 2025 if they retain control of the House.

If enough grassroots Democrats like you take advantage of this opportunity and invest in the DCCC, we can give our boots on the ground the boost they need to win in November.

All we need is four seats to win. Here's the challenge: MAGA billionaires and their allies are dumping $45.7 million into [number redacted] battleground districts that will likely decide control of the House. This war chest is on top of the $142 million MAGA extremists have already committed to clinch two more years in the majority.

Your investment will enable the DCCC to reach younger voters, voters of color and other Democratic-leaning voters, maximizing turnout and elevating our Frontline and Red to Blue candidates. Your investment will make a difference.

Please join us and invest in the DCCC by rushing your contribution to us today. The return on your investment will be our democracy, our rights and our freedoms. Thank you.

Sincerely,

Hakeem Jeffries
House Democratic Leader

---------------------------------------------
---------------------------------------------

[Text of the Enclosed Insert's Envelope:]

OFFICIAL BUSINESS

ENCLOSED: DCCC PROSPECTUS

---------------------------------------------

[Text of the Enclosed Insert:]

DCCC

OFFICIAL 2024 DEMOCRATIC
CONGRESSIONAL CAMPAIGN
COMMITTEE PROSPECTUS

INVEST IN THE DCCC FOR A HOUSE
DEMOCRATIC MAJORITY

The DCCC is seeking contributions to help us retake the House majority for Democrats — and for democracy — in 2024. The DCCC seeks long-term growth in the number of elected House Democrats through investments in building on-the-ground operations to recruit volunteers and mobilize crucial Democratic voters this November.

This offer is of the utmost urgency between now and Election Day. ←It is now or never!

What is the DCCC?

The Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee (DCCC) is the official campaign arm for House Democrats, which has been getting Democrats elected to the U.S. House of Representatives for more than 150 years.

The DCCC puts boots on the ground in key swing districts to deliver a House majority that better reflects the diversity of our nation. The DCCC works with Democratic House candidates to recruit volunteers, launch voter registration drives, turn out the vote, and support other outreach programs that will enable us to win a historic victory in November.

Past Performance and Recent Victories

➤ In 2018, the DCCC gained a net of 41 seats to win a landslide victory and recapture control of the U.S. House. This was the strongest Democratic performance since 1974. The DCCC made a historic investment in 85 districts, with at least $100,000 dedicated to each district.

➤ In 2020, the DCCC maintained the House Democratic majority, ensuring that President Biden could enact his transformational agenda and deliver for everyday Americans. This was a result of our extensive grassroots mobilization effort that included more than 325 political professionals working across 73 districts in 20 states.

➤ In 2022, the DCCC prevented a universally predicted red wave, producing the best performance by a president's party in a midterm election in two decades. Thanks to an early and sustained grassroots organizing effort in battleground districts, the DCCC helped reelect 35 of 39 Frontline Democrats to Congress. This left Republicans with a razor-thin margin in the House that — combined with their extremism and incompetence at governing — has prevented their far-right agenda from being enacted.

➤ In February 2024, the DCCC helped Democrat [name redacted] win a special election in [State-District No. redacted] to fill the vacancy left by serial fraudster [name redacted], flipping the seat and narrowing the GOP majority. The DCCC started early and never let up in the district, helping [name redacted] win by an eight-point margin after polls predicted a toss-up.

Building robust on-the-ground operations to communicate and engage with voters in key districts is an essential element in the Democrats' strategy to win back the House majority this November.

Offering

Key states are in play: New York, California, Arizona, Ohio, Wisconsin, and more! Donor investments now power the DCCC's critical campaign infrastructure in these and other states. Swift, on-the-ground counters to GOP attacks are instrumental to our success in the campaign's homestretch. We will not let them get away with their lies!

And we have a vast battlefield we must compete in:

➤ Reelecting 31 Frontliners — courageous Democratic incumbents in swing districts facing well-funded Republican challengers. Our Frontliners need the DCCC's support to ensure victory. In 2022, we put boots on the ground to help Frontliners in districts from Kansas to Virginia and beyond. Thanks to those on-the-ground resources, we were able to defend our incumbents. We must be able to do that again this November.

➤ Winning back the 16 seats Republicans currently hold in districts President Biden won in 2020. These races offer the greatest potential for Democratic gains.

➤ Winning our 30 Red to Blue targeted districts, where we are supporting Democratic candidates who are ready to win and bring common sense back to Congress. Our Red to Blue program offers organizational and fundraising support, strategic guidance, and staff resources to a selection of hand-picked races where Democrats have opportunities to flip seats.

This means that right now, the DCCC is investing in over 60 campaigns — one of the unprecedented largest battlefields in the DCCC's history. With an expansive battleground, we must invest in our grassroots operations across the country, support our staff on the ground, protect our incumbents, and flip seats in November. This requires unprecedented resources. And that depends on you!

The Stakes

The stakes could not be higher. The real risk is failing to reach the funding threshold necessary to succeed. The consequence would be a disastrous continuation of the MAGA majority in the House that would enact Donald Trump's Project 2025 — which Marjorie Taylor Greene and the rest of their fellow extreme MAGA Republicans support. Specifically, they would:

➤ Continue sowing chaos and dysfunction, while failing in the most basic responsibilities of governance.

➤ Criminalize abortion care and impose a nationwide ban on reproductive freedom.

➤ End Social Security and Medicare as we know it.

➤ Raise prescription drug costs by repealing the Inflation Reduction Act, which gives Medicare the power to negotiate the cost of prescription drugs and cap the price of insulin at $35 a month.

➤ Increase costs for working families and the middle class in favor of the wealthy, the well-off, and big corporations.

➤ Reverse progress Democrats have made in fighting climate change, expanding healthcare coverage, and investing in good paying American jobs.

By blindly following Donald Trump, House Republicans have gift-wrapped a clear and simple message for Democrats to employ in the closing months of the election. In the final days of the campaign, Republicans are promising higher taxes, rising inflation, abortion bans, cuts to Social Security and Medicare, and an authoritarian, far-right agenda designed to undermine our democracy and severely limit individual liberties and freedoms. While MAGA extremists wrote Project 2025, it is the blueprint for the DCCC to defeat House Republicans across the country and retake the majority. Trump's Project 2025 is a plan to take your power, your control, and your money. ...

Rewards

With a Democratic majority, the House will once again govern responsibly and put the well-being of everyday Americans first. That will include priorities like:

➤ Restoring the promise of Roe v. Wade.

➤ Strengthening institutions of our democracy, expanding voting rights, and preventing any further attempts to overturn the will of the voters.

➤ Protecting and strengthening Social Security and Medicare.

➤ Lowering prescription drug prices further, including insulin, and other healthcare costs, while expanding access to affordable healthcare for millions more Americans.

➤ Continuing to combat the climate crisis with the fierce urgency of now.

➤ Creating good middle-class jobs in manufacturing and cutting-edge industries.

Investment Use

Now more than ever, we need you to invest in the DCCC.

This work is of the utmost urgency. With just weeks to go before the election, the DCCC must have the resources to maximize the impact of this important work, precinct-by-precinct, neighborhood-by-neighborhood, county-by-county, and district-by-district. The time to mobilize our base, reach swing voters, and generate record turnout to win in November is NOW.

Investor Profile

House Democrats are drawing a strong contrast between Trump's extreme MAGA Republican Project 2025 agenda with their agenda focused on lowering costs, defending reproductive rights, and investing in working families. With this forward-looking agenda and historic levels of support, Democrats are well-positioned to retake the House in November. But they cannot do it without your support.

The House Republican Super PAC is raising money hand over fist from MAGA billionaires. They already have $12 million in ad time reserved in key states like Arizona, New York, and Wisconsin. Plus, several MAGA billionaires and their allies are dumping $45.7 million into [number redacted] battleground districts that will likely decide control of the U.S. House. And this comes on top of $142 million they've already committed to holding on to their razor-thin margin in the House — with more on the way as they wage a last-minute spending blitz to keep the Chaos Caucus in power.

Unlike the GOP, the DCCC counts on grassroots support to win. Our donors live in every congressional district in the country, from coast to coast, from the Midwest to the Pacific Northwest, from the Heartland to the High Plains. Our numbers are our collective power. This opportunity is aimed at small contributers. Every investment will make a difference. The Republican spending machine must be stopped!

Return on Investment

The return on investment will be measured on Election Day. Time and time again, extreme MAGA Republicans are showing their contempt for our democracy. They have proven themselves incapable of governing. That is why it's so urgent we take back the House in November.

Vulnerable House Republicans have embraced the tenets of Trump's Project 2025 agenda throughout the 118th Congress. Their enthusiastic embrace of these policies will be the anchor the DCCC will use to sink the campaigns of the so-called moderates who refuse to stand up to Trump and his extreme agenda in the final sprint toward Election Day.

The bottom line is this: We cannot let House Republicans roll back our progress — nor can we let them get away with their repeated assaults on our rights, our freedoms, and democracy itself. This November — after two years of displaying their utter contempt for the rule of law and proving to the American people they are unfit to hold office — we must defeat MAGA Republican extremism and reclaim a Democratic House majority once again.

Let's get the job done for our democracy, our freedom, and our future!

---------------------------------------------
---------------------------------------------

DONOR CONFIRMATION FORM
__________________________________

COUNT ME IN! I've reviewed the DCCC Prospectus and I agree a gift to the DCCC right now is a wise investment to take back the House in November. Enclosed is my special contribution of:

[  ] $80
[  ] $120
[  ] $160
[✓] Other $3.00

Paul [Middle Initial] Whiting
[Apt. No. redacted]
[Street Address redacted]
[City, State and ZIP Code redacted]

DCCC
[Address redacted]
[City, State and ZIP Code redacted]
www.dccc.org

To put your gift to work immediately, go to www.dccc.org/house2024 or call our contribution hotline at [phone number redacted]. To charge your contribution to a credit card and for other important information, please see reverse side of this form.

And, after I read the letter above, I entered the hyperlink to the referenced webpage, the relevant text of which can be found below:

[DCCC logo] DEMOCRATS 2024

Flip the House!

Chip in now to defeat MAGA Extremism and restore our House majority!

We just need four seats to take back the House. Right now, we need every grassroots supporter reading this to come together and deliver a historic response.

So, quickly. Will you join us to elect a wave of Democrats and flip the House?

Donate immediately:

Your contribution will benefit the DCCC.

[  ] Donate $25 →

[  ] Donate $50 →

[  ] Donate $75 →

[  ] Donate $100 →

[  ] Donate $250 →

[  ] Donate $500 →

[  ] Donate $1,000 →

[✓] Other amount $3.00

Please leave a tip for ActBlue

Power the nonprofit fundraising platform Democratic candidates & progressive causes rely on.

[  ] Add $2 tip

[  ] Leave no tip

[✓] Add custom amount $0.21 (7%)

And so, I made a one-time donation to the DCCC (with a tip to ActBlue) on October 16th, 2024, because "as the [Official 2024 Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee] Prospectus outlines, [my] gift today will have a significant impact on the DCCC's ability to gain the four seats we need to win the majority less than 50 days from today." –Paul Whiting (written from October 19th, 2024 to October 22nd, 2024, revised October 23rd, 2024 and revised October 30th, 2024)

P.S.: Just so you know, "I have changed the way that I make donations to political, progressive and charitable organizations each month ... due to the fact that I have been spending a considerable percentage of my monthly income on all of these donations." (The reader should know that I am HIV-positive with full-blown AIDS. And I am on Social Security Disability Insurance, or SSDI, so my income is quite limited.) Therefore, "I am reducing how much I donate for the regular mail requests that I receive (to which I choose to respond) to take action." Thus, I will still be responding to some of the regular mail requests that I receive (to which I choose to respond), which are requesting me to take action, but I am reducing the amount that I donate to organizations from which I receive mailers. (Please see my 'August 19th, 2023 Update,' which can be found above.)

-------------------------------------------------------------------

October 16th, 2024 Update No. 4, Written From October 19th, 2024 To October 22nd, 2024, Which Also Discusses October 7th, 2024: [Blogger's Note: This 'update' that I am writing from October 19th, 2024 to October 22nd, 2024 is for donations that I made on October 16th, 2024, as part of my series of donations for the month of October, in addition to "the Final (Mid-Month) 2024 FEC Deadline,"* to Democratic fundraising and coordinating political organizations—and to one campaign—regarding the following:

▪ the national races for the House of Representatives (the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee),
▪ the Senate (the Democratic Senatorial Campaign Committee),
▪ and the President of the United States (the Democratic National Committee and Harris for President, or the Harris Victory Fund),
▪ as well as the state races for the Governors (the Democratic Governors Association),
▪ the Secretaries of State (the Democratic Association of Secretaries of State),
▪ the Attorneys General (the Democratic Attorneys General Association),
▪ the State Legislatures (the Democratic Legislative Campaign Committee),
▪ and the Mayors (Democratic Mayors Association, or the National Conference of Democratic Mayors),
▪ as well as to my local Democratic fundraising and coordinating organization (Democratic Party of Oregon),
▪ in addition to the official organization of the Democratic Party for United States citizens living temporarily or permanently abroad (Democratic Party Committee Abroad, or Democrats Abroad), during this ninth month of the year for the 2024 Presidential Election.

Plus, I made donations to Political Action Committees (PACs) that are doing the following:

▪ helping to elect political candidates who are working to stop global warming (Jane Fonda Climate PAC);
▪ helping to elect candidates who are pro-choice women (EMILYs List);
▪ helping to elect candidates who are U.S. Veterans (VoteVets);
▪ helping young people to vote (Voters of Tomorrow PAC);
▪ and helping to elect gun safety champions in Congress (Ban Assault Weapons NOW PAC);
▪ as well as helping to mobilize Black voters (Rolling Sea Action Fund);
▪ in addition to helping to support pro public education officials and legislation nationwide (Educated We Stand).

Besides that, I made donations to the following:

▪ a civic engagement organization that is helping to educate and empower a new generation of Latinx voters (Voto Latino);
▪ and a social welfare organization that is advancing equality at the ballot box across Indian Country (Four Directions Native Vote);
▪ as well as a non-profit organization and grassroots movement of educators and school staff across the United States who aim to raise awareness and demand safety from gun violence in their communities (Teachers Unify To End Gun Violence);
▪ in addition to a social welfare organization that is a courageous youth-led movement dedicated to promoting civic engagement, education, and direct action by youth to eliminate the epidemic of gun violence (March For Our Lives);

And these donations to the above-mentioned organizations are listed below in the chronological order in which I made said donations which, in turn, are based upon the general chronological order in which I received each respective request for every organization's donation.

You see, when I respond to all of these political communications, I am 'sifting,' so to speak, through dozens of emails, and/or text messages, and selecting the best communications to which I can respond! And it takes a lot of time to do this. So, I usually 'set aside' the email and text message communications to which I am planning to respond, as a group, in the order in which I received said communications; then, I respond to each one in date order (or, chronological order).

*When I include 'the Final (Mid-Month) 2024 FEC Deadline' as my additional reason for donating on October 16th, I am referencing the many mentions of the 'final FEC deadline' from the various communications that I received around October 16th! You see—even though I didn't select most of those particular communications as the inspiration for making these October 2024 donations—I was actually inspired to make this month's donations on October 16th due to the fact that it was the final (mid-month) FEC deadline.

Now, my assumption is that this is the final (mid-month) FEC deadline due to the fact that this is the last time for the campaigns and organizations to file their mid-month donations with the FEC before Election Day on November 5th, so that is why I was hearing through these various communications that October 16th was the final FEC deadline for 2024 (for what I assume is the middle of the month).]

I received a mailer from the Democratic Legislative Campaign Committee (DLCC) on October 7th, 2024, with a 'front teaser message' on the envelope that read, "FINAL ELECTION UPDATE INSIDE ← DOCUMENTS ENCLOSED: URGENT", which stated, in part, the following:

[I used to hand-type the text of the documents from these types of mailers on my smartphone; however, it takes a lot of time and energy in order to hand-type these kinds of documents: so, instead, I scanned and copied the documents using Google Lens! Then, I edited the copy of said documents to include all of the italicizing, bolding and/or underscoring where applicable.]

DLCC
____________________
[NAME REDACTED]
[Title redacted]

Dear Paul,

It's coming down right to the wire. With less than 30 days to go before the election, control of more than a dozen state legislatures is up for grabs.

At stake is nothing less than the survival of our democracy, reproductive freedom, voting rights, and middle-class living standards for hundreds of millions of Americans.

That's because state legislatures have a more direct impact on people's daily lives than any other level of government.

And with the MAGA movement more dangerous than ever, Kamala Harris and Tim Walz need strong Democratic majorities in the states to BLOCK an extremist takeover — and to fully implement their bold, forward-looking freedom agenda.

Everything is on a razor's edge:

[✓] In Arizona, we must gain two seats each in the House and Senate to win a Democratic trifecta.

[✓] In Michigan, Democrats must defend our 56-54 House majority to retain our Democratic trifecta.

[✓] In Minnesota, a single seat in the Senate is a must-win to keep our Democratic trifecta.

[✓] In Pennsylvania, we've got to maintain or expand our razor-thin-House majority and make gains in the Senate.

[✓] In New Hampshire, we need a net gain of three seats each in the House and Senate to flip the legislature from red to blue.

[✓] In Georgia, Kansas, and North Carolina, we've got to pick up juat a handful of seats to end Republican supermajorities.

In every one of these states, dozens upon dozens of races will be decided by the slimmest of margins. We cannot leave one stone unturned or one voter untouched with Election Day at our doorstep.

That's why I'm urging you to rush final, difference-making contribution of $1,000, $2,500, or $5,000 if you possibly can to the Democratic Legislative Campaign Committee today.

I cannot overstate the need for your support at this very moment because Republicans are doubling down on their spending. Our GOP counterparts just announced their largest-ever investment in state legislative races, and a pro-Trump Super PAC has committed $100 million in battleground states.

By contrast, the DLCC relies on grassroots donations, not MAGA billionaires, for funding the work we must do now. We cannot do it without you.

In a presidential election year, state legislative races often fall under the media's radar, but that makes them no less consequential to the American people. What it does mean is that these campaigns are won through intensive grassroots organizing, social media outreach, and voter turnout. That is exactly what the DLCC helps our hundreds of target candidates do.

Your last-minute infusion of resources will help put as over the top in district after district and state after state. And that will be what it takes to restore reproductive freedom, do right by working families, and save our democracy across so much of our nation.

Paul, this is the last letter we will send to you before Election Day. So please rush your final 2024 state legislative election contribution to the DLCC today. Let's give it our all in the closing days of the most important election of our lifetimes. Thank you.

Sincerely,

[Name redacted]
[Title redacted]

P.S. With Kamala Harris and Tim Walz at the top of the ticket, we've got the inspiration, the enthusiasm, and the momentum on our side. Your support for the DLCC will ensure that this great energy propels Democrats to victory in the state legislatures. I hope we can count on you at this pivotal moment!

---------------------------------------------

URGENT: SAVE OUR DEMOCRACY

I'm giving it my all in the most important election of our lifetimes! We must fund the final grassroots organizing and get-out-the-vote activities in the battleground districts. That's why I'm rushing my contribution to DLCC today for:

[  ] $1,000
[  ] $2,500 → A gift of this amount or more will really make a difference!
[  ] $5,000
[✓] Other $3.21

Paul Whiting
[Street Address and Apt. No. redacted]
[City, State and ZIP Code redacted]

DLCC
You can also contribute online by going to:
DLCC.ORG/October2024

Contributions or gifts to the Democratic Legislative Campaign Committee are not tax deductible. Please make your check payable to DLCC and return it with this form. Please complete the information on the back of this form as required by law.

[Blogger's Note: I feel like I need to clarify why I donated $3.21 to the DLCC—for their mailer to which I responded for the 2024 Democratic National Convention—when I donated $3.00 to the DCCC (please see my 'October 16th, 2024 Update No. 3, Written From October 19th, 2024 To October 22nd, 2024, Which Also Discusses October 1st, 2024' that can be found above) and to the Democratic Party of Oregon Victory Fund (please see my 'October 16th, 2024 Update No. 5, Written From October 19th, 2024 To October 22nd, 2024, Which Also Discusses October 7th, 2024' that can be found above) for their mailers! You see, the DLCC donation was made through FastAction, which does not offer a tip box. And I budgeted for these three mailer donations (the DCCC, the Democratic Party of Oregon Victory Fund, as well as the DLCC) at $3.00 per donation, which is how much I usually donate to political organizations, or campaigns, for donation solicitations that I receive through the regular mail. Plus, I try to tip ActBlue—the main Democratic payment portal—at approximately 7% of my donation, which is about $0.21 for $3.00. Thus, since I could not tip through the FastAction payment portal, I donated $3.21 for the DLCC donation! (I hope that makes sense.)]

And so, I made a one-time donation to the DLCC (this donation was made through FastAction, which does not offer a tip box) on October 16th, 2024, due to the following: "It's coming down right to the wire. With less than 30 days to go before the election, control of more than a dozen state legislatures is up for grabs. At stake is nothing less than the survival of our democracy, reproductive freedom, voting rights, and middle-class living standards for hundreds of millions of Americans." And that is why "I'm giving it my all in the most important election of our lifetimes!" –Paul Whiting (written from October 19th, 2024 to October 22nd, 2024, revised October 23rd, 2024, revised October 30th, 2024 and revised November 3rd, 2024)

P.S.: Just so you know, "I have changed the way that I make donations to political, progressive and charitable organizations each month ... due to the fact that I have been spending a considerable percentage of my monthly income on all of these donations." (The reader should know that I am HIV-positive with full-blown AIDS. And I am on Social Security Disability Insurance, or SSDI, so my income is quite limited.) Therefore, "I am reducing how much I donate for the regular mail requests that I receive (to which I choose to respond) to take action." Thus, I will still be responding to some of the regular mail requests that I receive (to which I choose to respond), which are requesting me to take action, but I am reducing the amount that I donate to organizations from which I receive mailers. (Please see my 'August 19th, 2023 Update,' which can be found above.)

-------------------------------------------------------------------

October 16th, 2024 Update No. 5, Written From October 19th, 2024 To October 22nd, 2024, Which Also Discusses October 7th, 2024: [Blogger's Note: This 'update' that I am writing from October 19th, 2024 to October 22nd, 2024 is for donations that I made on October 16th, 2024, as part of my series of donations for the month of October, in addition to "the Final (Mid-Month) 2024 FEC Deadline,"* to Democratic fundraising and coordinating political organizations—and to one campaign—regarding the following:

▪ the national races for the House of Representatives (the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee),
▪ the Senate (the Democratic Senatorial Campaign Committee),
▪ and the President of the United States (the Democratic National Committee and Harris for President, or the Harris Victory Fund),
▪ as well as the state races for the Governors (the Democratic Governors Association),
▪ the Secretaries of State (the Democratic Association of Secretaries of State),
▪ the Attorneys General (the Democratic Attorneys General Association),
▪ the State Legislatures (the Democratic Legislative Campaign Committee),
▪ and the Mayors (Democratic Mayors Association, or the National Conference of Democratic Mayors),
▪ as well as to my local Democratic fundraising and coordinating organization (Democratic Party of Oregon),
▪ in addition to the official organization of the Democratic Party for United States citizens living temporarily or permanently abroad (Democratic Party Committee Abroad, or Democrats Abroad), during this ninth month of the year for the 2024 Presidential Election.

Plus, I made donations to Political Action Committees (PACs) that are doing the following:

▪ helping to elect political candidates who are working to stop global warming (Jane Fonda Climate PAC);
▪ helping to elect candidates who are pro-choice women (EMILYs List);
▪ helping to elect candidates who are U.S. Veterans (VoteVets);
▪ helping young people to vote (Voters of Tomorrow PAC);
▪ and helping to elect gun safety champions in Congress (Ban Assault Weapons NOW PAC);
▪ as well as helping to mobilize Black voters (Rolling Sea Action Fund);
▪ in addition to helping to support pro public education officials and legislation nationwide (Educated We Stand).

Besides that, I made donations to the following:

▪ a civic engagement organization that is helping to educate and empower a new generation of Latinx voters (Voto Latino);
▪ and a social welfare organization that is advancing equality at the ballot box across Indian Country (Four Directions Native Vote);
▪ as well as a non-profit organization and grassroots movement of educators and school staff across the United States who aim to raise awareness and demand safety from gun violence in their communities (Teachers Unify To End Gun Violence);
▪ in addition to a social welfare organization that is a courageous youth-led movement dedicated to promoting civic engagement, education, and direct action by youth to eliminate the epidemic of gun violence (March For Our Lives);

And these donations to the above-mentioned organizations are listed below in the chronological order in which I made said donations which, in turn, are based upon the general chronological order in which I received each respective request for every organization's donation.

You see, when I respond to all of these political communications, I am 'sifting,' so to speak, through dozens of emails, and/or text messages, and selecting the best communications to which I can respond! And it takes a lot of time to do this. So, I usually 'set aside' the email and text message communications to which I am planning to respond, as a group, in the order in which I received said communications; then, I respond to each one in date order (or, chronological order).

*When I include 'the Final (Mid-Month) 2024 FEC Deadline' as my additional reason for donating on October 16th, I am referencing the many mentions of the 'final FEC deadline' from the various communications that I received around October 16th! You see—even though I didn't select most of those particular communications as the inspiration for making these October 2024 donations—I was actually inspired to make this month's donations on October 16th due to the fact that it was the final (mid-month) FEC deadline.

Now, my assumption is that this is the final (mid-month) FEC deadline due to the fact that this is the last time for the campaigns and organizations to file their mid-month donations with the FEC before Election Day on November 5th, so that is why I was hearing through these various communications that October 16th was the final FEC deadline for 2024 (for what I assume is the middle of the month).]

I received a mailer from the Democratic Party of Oregon Victory Fund twenty three days ago on July 31st, 2024, with a 'front teaser message' on the envelope that read, "We've all got a part to play in the defense of our democracy. Now is your time.", which stated the following:

[I used to hand-type the text of the documents from these types of mailers on my smartphone; however, it takes a lot of time and energy in order to hand-type these kinds of documents: so, instead, I scanned and copied the documents using Google Lens! Then, I edited the copy of said documents to include all of the italicizing, bolding and/or underscoring where applicable.]

Mr. Whiting, MAGA extremism
doesn't stop at state lines. We need
your support today!

URGENT —
Help Mobilize
Voters Today!

Mr. Paul [Middle Initial] Whiting
[Street Address and Apt. No. redacted]
[City, State and ZIP Code redacted]

Democratic Party of Oregon Victory Fund

Dear Mr. Whiting,

With Election Day just weeks away, we're putting it all on the field to make sure that Democrats up and down the ballot in Oregon are securing critical wins.

Every minute of every day is an opportunity to reach out and mobilize voters. To make the most out of the time we have left, we are asking for your much-needed support today. Because the work we do right now to keep and win seats in November will protect all the progress Democrats have made from being undone by MAGA extremists.

This election may be the most significant of our lifetimes. It will determine whether we keep the strength of our democracy, fundamental freedoms, and the values we share, or if they will be debased and discarded.

With consequences this great, every race on the ballot is critical. We must do everything we can to fight against MAGA attacks on our liberty by ensuring that Oregon remains a Democratic stronghold.

That's why we need your support today. Your contribution of $35, $55, or $70 to the Democratic Party of Oregon Victory Fund allows us to directly mobilize voters, help clect Democratic candidates, and serve as an essential resource for campaigns at every level.

Democrats throughout Oregon are advancing women's reproductive rights, good paying jobs, more accessible health care, lower prescription drug costs, investments in clean energy, affordable housing, racial and economic justice, LGBTQ+ rights, workers' rights, civil rights, reducing student debt, and commonsense gun laws.

Meanwhile, we know that extreme Republican candidates are spreading lies and threatening our democracy.

These same Republicans say they are the party of freedom while promoting policies that take away individual choice. They are banning books, making it harder to vote, stripping Americans of their personal health care decisions, and more.

Here in Oregon, we see Democratic policy in action, and know the importance of keeping leaders in office who fight for our values and opportunity for all. There is simply too much to lose to sit on the sidelines.

This is a pivotal time to turn out voters to hold the White House and Senate, take back the House, ensure that Democrats in Salem can strengthen protections on individual freedoms, and support local elected leaders who will protect and address the needs of our communities.

It's countdown time, and we still have a lot of work to do. Your contribution today will:

[✓] Inform voters about what Democrats are fighting for and highlight the progress we can make by winning back control of the US. house, defending our US. Senate majority, and growing our majorities in the State House and Senate.

[✓] Demonstrate to voters the stark choice in this election between an increasingly radical GOP and a Democratic Party working for the people.

[✓] Expose Republican schemes to restrict voting rights across the country and ensure that every eligible voter is registered and able to exercise their right to vote in this election.

[✓] Get even more organizers on the ground in every ZIP code, expanding campaign support, and providing Democratic candidates with the resources they need to win.

Mr. Whiting, the fate of our democracy rests in the ballot box. Let's continue to uplift Oregon as an example of what we can achieve when we vote for progress. Please send back your gift today to invest in the Democratic Party of Oregon and lead the way to victory. Thank you.

With high hopes,

[Name redacted]
[Title redacted], Democratic Party of Oregon

P.S. When we elect Democrats, we are moving not just Oregon — but our entire nation — forward. And we're only as strong as our grassroots support. Please send your gift of $35, or more to the Democratic Party of Oregon Victory Fund today. Now is the time to make a difference.

---------------------------------------------

[Text of an enclosed letter:]

FROM THE DESK OF CHAIR JAIME HARRISON

Dear Mr. Whiting,

I've learned a lot since my first experience with politics as a high school student in Orangeburg, South Carolina, registering voters so everyone could participate in our democracy. But there's one lesson that's stuck with me from the get-go: When we work together, we can deliver real, lasting change.

Together, we can shape a brighter future defined by compassion, inclusiveness, and opportunity for all Americans.

And despite facing unprecedented challenges, Democrats have made remarkable progress in advancing our nation's values and delivering for the American people. But our work is far from over.

Democrats are focused on protecting democracy and moving our country forward.

And together with Oregon and grassroots supporters across the nation, we are fighting back against extreme Republicans, working to secure the White House for Kamala Harris and Tim Walz, growing our majority in Congress, and electing Democrats up and down the ballot.

When you give to the Democratic Party of Oregon Victory Fund, you are protecting our democracy and making an impact that will affect generations. The contribution you give today will make an immeasurable difference during one of the most important election cycles ever.

Your generosity allows Oregon to prioritize campaigns, train and empower people to organize in their own communities, and expand our voter protection work.

We're in this together, and together, we can move mountains. No one person can do this alone. We've all got a part to play.

Please give today. It's up to all of us to fight for the future.

Thank you,

Jaime Harrison
Chair, Democratic National Committee

---------------------------------------------

Do You Value Our Democracy
and Fundamental Freedoms?

[✓] Yes, I do. And I want to help move not just Oregon, but the whole nation forward on Election Day. Enclosed is my contribution of:

[  ] $35
[  ] $70
[  ] $55
[✓] Other $3.00

Please respond within 15 days

You can also contribute online at www.democrats.org/SPVF24Sept

Mr. Paul [Middle Initial] Whiting
[Street Address and Apt. No. redacted]
[City, State and ZIP Code redacted]

Democratic Party of Oregon Victory Fund
[Address redacted]
[City, State and ZIP Code redacted]

Please make your check payable to the Democratic Party of Oregon Victory Fund. Please fill out and sign the form on the back to complete your contribution. Contributions or gifts to the Democratic Party of Oregon are not tax deductible.

And, after I read the letter above, I entered the hyperlink to the referenced webpage, the relevant text of which can be found below:

Support the State Party Victory Fund!

Renew your support today to strengthen your State Party's infrastructure and help fight for our shared Democratic values!

Donate immediately:

Your contribution will benefit Democratic National Committee (DNC) - SPVF.

[  ] Donate $10 →

[  ] Donate $25 →

[  ] Donate $50 →

[  ] Donate $100 →

[  ] Donate $250 →

[  ] Donate $500 →

[  ] Donate $1,000 →

[✓] Other amount $3.00

Please leave a tip for ActBlue

Power the nonprofit fundraising platform Democratic candidates & progressive causes rely on.

[  ] Add $2 tip

[  ] Leave no tip

[✓] Add custom amount $0.21 (7%)

And so, I made a one-time donation to the Democratic Party of Oregon Victory Fund (with a tip to ActBlue) on October 16th, 2024, because "[my] contribution ... to the Democratic Party of Oregon Victory Fund allows [them] to directly mobilize voters, help clect Democratic candidates, and serve as an essential resource for campaigns at every level." That is why "with Election Day just weeks away, [I'm] putting it all on the field to make sure that Democrats up and down the ballot in Oregon are securing critical wins." –Paul Whiting (written from October 19th, 2024 to October 22nd, 2024, revised October 23rd, 2024 and revised October 30th, 2024)

P.S.: Just so you know, "I have changed the way that I make donations to political, progressive and charitable organizations each month ... due to the fact that I have been spending a considerable percentage of my monthly income on all of these donations." (The reader should know that I am HIV-positive with full-blown AIDS. And I am on Social Security Disability Insurance, or SSDI, so my income is quite limited.) Therefore, "I am reducing how much I donate for the regular mail requests that I receive (to which I choose to respond) to take action." Thus, I will still be responding to some of the regular mail requests that I receive (to which I choose to respond), which are requesting me to take action, but I am reducing the amount that I donate to organizations from which I receive mailers. (Please see my 'August 19th, 2023 Update,' which can be found above.)

-------------------------------------------------------------------

October 16th, 2024 Update No. 6, Written From October 22nd, 2024 To October 30th, 2024, Which Also Discusses October 4th, 2024, October 10th, 2024, October 11th, 2024, October 13th, 2024, October 14th, 2024, October 15th, 2024 And October 16th, 2024: [Blogger's Note: This 'update' that I am writing from October 22nd, 2024 to October 30th, 2024 is for donations that I made on October 16th, 2024, as part of my series of donations for the month of October, in addition to "the Final (Mid-Month) 2024 FEC Deadline,"* to Democratic fundraising and coordinating political organizations—and to one campaign—regarding the following:

▪ the national races for the House of Representatives (the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee),
▪ the Senate (the Democratic Senatorial Campaign Committee),
▪ and the President of the United States (the Democratic National Committee and Harris for President, or the Harris Victory Fund),
▪ as well as the state races for the Governors (the Democratic Governors Association),
▪ the Secretaries of State (the Democratic Association of Secretaries of State),
▪ the Attorneys General (the Democratic Attorneys General Association),
▪ the State Legislatures (the Democratic Legislative Campaign Committee),
▪ and the Mayors (Democratic Mayors Association, or the National Conference of Democratic Mayors),
▪ as well as to my local Democratic fundraising and coordinating organization (Democratic Party of Oregon),
▪ in addition to the official organization of the Democratic Party for United States citizens living temporarily or permanently abroad (Democratic Party Committee Abroad, or Democrats Abroad), during this ninth month of the year for the 2024 Presidential Election.

Plus, I made donations to Political Action Committees (PACs) that are doing the following:

▪ helping to elect political candidates who are working to stop global warming (Jane Fonda Climate PAC);
▪ helping to elect candidates who are pro-choice women (EMILYs List);
▪ helping to elect candidates who are U.S. Veterans (VoteVets);
▪ helping young people to vote (Voters of Tomorrow PAC);
▪ and helping to elect gun safety champions in Congress (Ban Assault Weapons NOW PAC);
▪ as well as helping to mobilize Black voters (Rolling Sea Action Fund);
▪ in addition to helping to support pro public education officials and legislation nationwide (Educated We Stand).

Besides that, I made donations to the following:

▪ a civic engagement organization that is helping to educate and empower a new generation of Latinx voters (Voto Latino);
▪ and a social welfare organization that is advancing equality at the ballot box across Indian Country (Four Directions Native Vote);
▪ as well as a non-profit organization and grassroots movement of educators and school staff across the United States who aim to raise awareness and demand safety from gun violence in their communities (Teachers Unify To End Gun Violence);
▪ in addition to a social welfare organization that is a courageous youth-led movement dedicated to promoting civic engagement, education, and direct action by youth to eliminate the epidemic of gun violence (March For Our Lives);

And these donations to the above-mentioned organizations are listed below in the chronological order in which I made said donations which, in turn, are based upon the general chronological order in which I received each respective request for every organization's donation.

You see, when I respond to all of these political communications, I am 'sifting,' so to speak, through dozens of emails, and/or text messages, and selecting the best communications to which I can respond! And it takes a lot of time to do this. So, I usually 'set aside' the email and text message communications to which I am planning to respond, as a group, in the order in which I received said communications; then, I respond to each one in date order (or, chronological order).

*When I include 'the Final (Mid-Month) 2024 FEC Deadline' as my additional reason for donating on October 16th, I am referencing the many mentions of the 'final FEC deadline' from the various communications that I received around October 16th! You see—even though I didn't select most of those particular communications as the inspiration for making these October 2024 donations—I was actually inspired to make this month's donations on October 16th due to the fact that it was the final (mid-month) FEC deadline.

Now, my assumption is that this is the final (mid-month) FEC deadline due to the fact that this is the last time for the campaigns and organizations to file their mid-month donations with the FEC before Election Day on November 5th, so that is why I was hearing through these various communications that October 16th was the final FEC deadline for 2024 (for what I assume is the middle of the month).]

I have combined every political campaign, or political organization, donation request per day (made via email or text message) into one 'update' for each day that I donate, so that I don't have to write individual 'updates' for political campaign donations, or political organization donations!

You see, I used to write one 'update' for each of the individual campaign political donations, or political organization donations, that I made virtually every time that I made a political donation. And within each 'update' I included the text from each political campaign's, or political organization's, requesting email or text message, along with some of each campaign's, or organization's, donation page text on the ActBlue website, as well as how much I donated to each campaign, or organization, plus whether I included a tip to ActBlue and how much I tipped.

(By the way, I still write individual 'updates' for political campaign, or political organization, mailers that I receive through the regular mail, because they are usually more elaborate political donation requests, which is why I don't include them with these email or text message requests.)

Plus, the 2024 election cycle is now in the homestretch and I have made a goal of donating only one $1.00 donation per local political campaign here in Oregon (more on that below), or $2.00 per political organization, for the rest of the election cycle! And that means after I make that one donation per campaign, or per organization—regardless of whether I donated in 2023, or 2024—I am only donating once per campaign, or per organization, or as determined by me on a case-by-case basis. And I am only donating once per PAC (Political Action Committee) for the entire election cycle, or as determined by me on a case-by-case basis, because that is all that I can really afford for the 2024 Presidential Election. (The reader should know that I am HIV-positive with full-blown AIDS. And I am on Social Security Disability Insurance, or SSDI, so my income is quite limited.) I hope that makes sense!

Besides that, as of March 21st, 2024, I am no longer donating to individual political campaigns for the foreseeable future (with the exception of local campaigns here in Oregon), or as determined by me on a case-by-case basis (please see my 'March 21st, 2024 Update No. 2,' which can be found above).

In addition to that, starting on July 4th, 2024, I have decided—yet again—to adjust the amount that I donate per political organization again, so that I can donate to even more political organizations and PACs (Political Action Committees) while I am still staying within my 'monthly donating budget.'

And I made the previous three adjustments on the following dates: June 16th, 2024 (please see my 'June 16th, 2024 Update No. 7, Written On June 17th, 2024, Which Also Discusses May 25th, 2024, June 2nd, 2024, June 6th, 2024, June 7th, 2024, June 10th, 2024, June 15th, 2024 And June 16th, 2024' that can be found above), and on May 12th, 2024 (please see my 'May 12th, 2024 Update No. 4, Written On May 13th, 2024, Which Also Discusses April 19th, 2024, May 1st, 2024, May 2nd, 2024, May 6th, 2024, As Well As May 11th, 2024' that can be found above), as well as on March 29th, 2024 (please see my 'March 29th, 2024 Update No. 1, Which Also Discusses March 17th, 2024' that can be found above), respectively.

Therefore, I recently used to donate "$3.00 per political organization"; however, I have decided to adjust that amount yet again, so that I can donate to more political organizations and PACs (Political Action Committees) while I am still staying within my 'monthly donating budget,' since I am now donating to more organizations as the 2024 Presidential Election cycle enters the homestretch.

Thus, for the rest of the 2024 election cycle—as well as for the foreseeable future—I have made a goal of donating $1.00 per local political campaign only here in Oregon (with a 7% tip to ActBlue of $0.07), or as determined by me on a case-by-case basis; and a goal of donating $2.00 per political organization for donation requests via email or text message (with a 7% tip to ActBlue of $0.14), or as determined by me on a case-by-case basis; as well as a goal of donating $3.00 per political organization, or per PAC, for donation requests via the regular mail (with a 7% tip to ActBlue of $0.21), or as determined by me on a case-by-case basis.

To sum it up, then: I am reducing the total individual campaign donation amount to $1.07 (from $2.14, which was previously $3.21) and I am still only donating to local campaigns here in Oregon, or as determined by me on a case-by-case basis; and I am reducing the total donation amount for political organizations and PACs for email and text message donation requests to $2.14 (from $3.21, which was previously $4.28, as well as $5.35 before that), or as determined by me on a case-by-case basis; plus, I am reducing the total donation amount for political organizations and PACs for regular mail donation requests to $3.21 (from $4.28, which was previously $5.35, as well as $7.51 before that), or as determined by me on a case-by-case basis.

So, without further ado...

The first political communication to which I responded on October 16th, 2024 was an email from March For Our Lives (MFOL) that I received on October 4th, 2024, with the subject line, "Candidates fighting for change", which stated the following:

MARCH
FOR OUR
LIVES

Our 2024
ENDORSEMENTS

For the first time ever, March For Our Lives is making endorsements up and down the ballot to help put gun safety champions in office.

Our first endorsement went to Kamala Harris for President, and we're excited to help boost several other candidates for U.S. Senate and Congress in key races that are absolutely MUST wins in order to pass comprehensive gun safety laws next year.

Take A Look At Our Endorsements

NY! * NY! * NY! * NY! * NY! * NY! * NY!

YVETTE CLARKE

[✓] Incumbent signed onto 5 key gun violence prevention bills!
[✓] A longtime supporter of policies that keep our communities safe!
[✓] We need leaders like Clarke who prioritize gun safety in Congress!

NY! * NY! * NY! * NY! * NY! * NY! * NY!

ALEXANDRIA OCASIO-CORTEZ [AOC]

[✓] A progressive powerhouse who has shifted the narrative on what's possible in D.C.
[✓] After Buffalo and Uvalde, AOC helped push the Bipartisan Safer Communities Act—1st federal gun safety law in 30 years!
[✓] Advocate for expanded background checks, an assault weapons ban, and leads efforts like the People's Response Act.

NY! * NY! * NY! * NY! * NY! * NY! * NY!

MONDAIRE JONES

[✓] His opponent is NRA-backed + [plus] opposes GVP [gun violence prevention] legislation!
[✓] Backs universal background checks & assault weapons ban
[✓] Fights to repeal PLCAA [Protection of Lawful Commerce in Arms Act] and push safe storage laws
[✓] Sees gun violence as a health, housing, and justice issue

[✓] This is a must-win race to keep gun safety on the agenda

MI! * MI! * MI! * MI! * MI! * MI! * MI!

ELISSA SLOTKIN

[✓] Fierce advocate for universal background checks!
[✓] Ready to BAN ASSAULT WEAPONS and SAVE lives!
[✓] Pushes for safe storage laws to protect our kids!
[✓] Demands REAL funding for gun violence research
[✓] Fighting for mental health support for all

MI! * MI! * MI! * MI! * MI! * MI! * MI!

RASHIDA TLAIB

[✓] Signed 5 priority gun safety bills—she's all in!
[✓] Relentless fighter for stronger, smarter gun laws for the long haul
[✓] Proven track record of protecting communities an pushing for change!

MI! * MI! * MI! * MI! * MI! * MI! * MI!

CURTIS HERTEL

[✓] Support with Violence Intervention programs
[✓] Supports after-school programs to uplift our youth!
[✓] Tackles gun violence as a SYSTEMIC issue
[✓] Prioritizes mental health funding—lives depend on it
[✓] Fighting for background checks, safe storage, ERPOs [Extreme Risk Protection Orders, or “red flag laws”] to protect us all!

AZ! * AZ! * AZ! * AZ! * AZ! * AZ! * AZ!

KIRSTEN ENGEL

[✓] Her NRA-backed incumbent is out—we are determined to flip this seat and elect a leader who speaks for US—not the money
[✓] Engel supports universal background checks & an assault weapons ban
[✓] Prioritizes mental health in schools over more cops
[✓] Champion for democracy and safety reforms

AZ! * AZ! * AZ! * AZ! * AZ! * AZ! * AZ!

RUBEN GALLEGO

[✓] Gun violence prevention champion: Fought for safer communities in Congress!
[✓] Signed onto Background Checks and Assault Weapons Ban
[✓] Supports safe storage, mental health resources, & Supreme Court
[✓] Proud son of immigrants, he's a progressive fighter for change

AZ! * AZ! * AZ! * AZ! * AZ! * AZ! * AZ!

RAUL GRIJALVA

[✓] PROVEN GVP leader—backed all our priority gun safety bills
[✓] Fights for background checks, red flag laws, and ERPOs
[✓] Advocate for mental health resources and gun safety education

That's a lot of gun safety champions! ✨ These will be tight races, and each of these candidates needs our help before election day. That means getting as many young people to vote as possible.

Over the next month, we'll be calling, texting, posting, and canvassing to make sure voters in these key districts know how to register to vote and make a plan to do so! We can't afford to lose these seats.

Will you donate anything you can to help us turn out the youth vote for these March For Our Lives endorsed candidates today?

DONATE***

MARCH FOR OUR LIVES

Thank you for supporting the March For Our Lives Action Fund! Grassroots supporters like you are the backbone of our youth-led movement.

Because of your support, we have grown into one of the largest youth-led movements in the country, elected the first Gen-Z Congressmember, secured key legislative victories such as the Bipartisan Safer Communities Act, delivered historic youth turnout at the polls, and so much more.

In 2024, were fighting even harder for gun safety legislation at every turn and demanding young people's voices are heard.

Chip in to fuel our fight and save lives today >>

Your contribution will benefit March For Our Lives Action Fund, a 501(c)(4) social welfare organization. Contributions or gifts to March for Our Lives Action Fund are not deductible for federal income tax purposes as charitable contributions.

Amount

$5
$10
$20.24
$50
$100
$500
[✓] $2.14

First Name: Paul
Last Name: Whiting
Billing Address: [redacted]
Country: [redacted]
Postal Code: [redacted]
City: [redacted]
State/Province: [redacted]
Email: [redacted]
Mobile Phone: [redacted]

Contribute

[Blogger's Note: I feel like I need to clarify why I donated $2.14 to March For Our Lives (MFOL) when I donated $2.00 to all of the other organizations, or campaigns, on October 16th, 2024 (unless, of course, I split a donation between an organization and a campaign)! You see, the MFOL donation was made through FastAction, which does not offer a tip box. And I budgeted for all of these October 16th donations at $2.00 per donation, which is how much I usually donate to political organizations, or campaigns, for donation solicitations that I receive via email or text message. Plus, I try to tip ActBlue—the main Democratic payment portal—at approximately 7% of my donation, which is about $0.14 for $2.00. Thus, since I could not tip through the FastAction payment portal, I donated $2.14 for the MFOL donation. (I hope that makes sense!)]

And so, I made a one-time donation to March For Our Lives (MFOL) (this donation was made through FastAction, which does not offer a tip box) on October 16th, 2024, in order to show my support for MFOL's 2024 ENDORSEMENTS.

---------------------------------------------

The second political communication to which I responded on October 16th, 2024 was a text message that I received on October 10th, 2024, from the Democratic Association of Secretaries of State (DASS), which stated the following:

🔴 RIGHT NOW, Trump is preemptively laying the groundwork to refuse to accept the election results if he loses, because he wants to put himself over American democracy.

With early voting already underway in key swing states, we need your help to make sure that Trump’s lies and attacks on democracy are met with a powerful response.

Our Democratic Secretaries of State are working around the clock to defend democracy, but they can’t do it alone. They need YOU in this fight. Will you make an urgent $5 donation to fuel their efforts now?***

Team DASS

When federal action stalls, state laws decide the future of our republic. We can't let those laws fall into the hands of partisan, conspiracy-loving GOP legislatures.

Democratic Association of Secretaries of State

When federal action stalls, state laws decide the future of our republic. We can't let those laws fall into the hands of partisan, conspiracy-loving GOP legislatures.

Our Democratic Secretaries protect our elections — even when Congress is deadlocked. They're the last line of defense for your rights, and they need your help this year more than ever. Rush a donation now and defend our Secretaries of State!

Donate immediately:

Your contribution will benefit DASS PAC.

[  ] Donate $15 →

[  ] Donate $35 →

[  ] Donate $50 →

[  ] Donate $100 →

[  ] Donate $250 →

[✓] Other amount $2.00

Please leave a tip for ActBlue

Power the nonprofit fundraising platform Democratic candidates & progressive causes rely on.

[  ] Add $2 tip

[  ] Leave no tip

[✓] Add custom amount $0.14 (7%)

And so, I made a one-time donation to the DASS (with a tip to ActBlue) on October 16th, 2024, because "our Democratic Secretaries of State are working around the clock to defend democracy, but they can’t do it alone" since "they need [ME] in this fight." That is why I contributed to the DASS in order to answer the question,"Will you make an urgent $5 donation to fuel their efforts now?" with a $2.00 donation!

---------------------------------------------

The third political communication to which I responded on October 16th, 2024 was an email from Educated We Stand (or, 'Educated. We Stand') that I received on October 11th, 2024, with the subject line, "This is absurd", which stated the following:

Paul,

The extreme right, propelled by Moms for Liberty, has reached new levels of absurdity—and the latest example is as disturbing as it is infuriating. In Hanover, Pennsylvania, Moms for Liberty and their allies have installed *windows* in middle school bathrooms, allowing adults to peep into restrooms where teenagers, particularly transgender students, should have privacy.

Yes, you read that right—students using gender-identity bathrooms are now subjected to this gross invasion of privacy, where passers-by can see and hear them during restroom activities.

This is a new level of insanity—even for Moms for Liberty. Will you rush a $2 donation to Educated We Stand immediately to help us defeat this lunacy?

This is not about "safety" or "anti-bullying" as they claim—this is about creating a toxic, uncomfortable environment for students. How in the hell can students focus on learning when they don’t even feel safe going to the bathroom?

Moms for Liberty has pushed for policies that do nothing but create hostile, alienating spaces in our schools. Their obsession with policing children’s bodies, all under the guise of protecting them, is damaging. When students don’t feel safe or respected in school, their ability to learn and thrive is severely impacted.

Schools should be safe, welcoming environments for all students—where kids can focus on learning and not worry about being watched in the bathroom. We’re fighting back against this extremism by electing School Board members who will focus on our children’s wellbeing, but we need your help to keep pushing forward.

Can you chip in $10, $25, or whatever you can to help us win the battle for the soul of our schools?

If you've saved your payment information with ActBlue Express, your donation will go through immediately:

[  ] DONATE $25 NOW!
[  ] DONATE $39 NOW!
[  ] DONATE $100 NOW!
[  ] DONATE $250 NOW!
[  ] DONATE $500 NOW!
[✓] ANOTHER AMOUNT***

Thank you,

Educated We Stand

EDUCATED. WE STAND

ALL DONATIONS MATCHED!!

This is a massive opportunity for us to increase our resources and our capability to assist more candidates before November, but we can't do it without you. Rush a donation to Educated We Stand and double your impact on School Board races this year >>>

Donate immediately:

Your contribution will benefit Educated We Stand - IE [Independent Expenditure].

[✓] Donate $2 →

Change amount

Please leave a tip for ActBlue

Power the nonprofit fundraising platform Democratic candidates & progressive causes rely on.

[ ] Add $2 tip

[ ] Leave no tip

[✓] Add custom amount $0.14 (7%)

And so, I made a one-time donation to to Educated We Stand (or, 'Educated. We Stand') (with a tip to ActBlue) on October 16th, 2024, due to the following: "The extreme right, propelled by Moms for Liberty, has reached new levels of absurdity—and the latest example is as disturbing as it is infuriating. In Hanover, Pennsylvania, Moms for Liberty and their allies have installed *windows* in middle school bathrooms, allowing adults to peep into restrooms where teenagers, particularly transgender students, should have privacy. Yes, you read that right—students using gender-identity bathrooms are now subjected to this gross invasion of privacy, where passers-by can see and hear them during restroom activities. This is a new level of insanity—even for Moms for Liberty. ... This is not about "safety" or "anti-bullying" as they claim—this is about creating a toxic, uncomfortable environment for students. ... Moms for Liberty has pushed for policies that do nothing but create hostile, alienating spaces in our schools. Their obsession with policing children’s bodies, all under the guise of protecting them, is damaging. When students don’t feel safe or respected in school, their ability to learn and thrive is severely impacted. Schools should be safe, welcoming environments for all students—where kids can focus on learning and not worry about being watched in the bathroom."

---------------------------------------------

The fourth political communication(s) to which I responded on October 16th, 2024 were two emails from VoteVets.

The first email that I received from VoteVets was on October 13th, 2024, with the subject line, "Add me to the ranks of retired flag officers who believe that Donald Trump is indeed 'fascist to the core'.", which stated the following:

VoteVets

Paul, retired Major General [name redacted] here.

I hope you saw the reporting from Bob Woodward's latest book, where retired Army General Mark Milley called Donald Trump a “fascist to the core.”

This man is no stranger to Trump. General Milley was appointed by Trump, personally, as chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff.

For a four-star Army General to use General Milley’s language is extraordinary. Words like “fascist” aren't tossed around lightly in the military, especially from top-ranking Generals.

We're all acutely aware of those who came before us and fought World War II to stop the march of fascism. We know the horrors of fascism and what it unleashes on innocent people. We know how it kills democracies, like the one we swear to defend from all enemies, foreign and domestic.

We are not ones to toss the word “fascist” around mindlessly. When we do so, it is only after very careful consideration, and only in the most urgent of circumstances.

In just over 20 days, the American voters will have to make a very serious decision, if they have not already done so. Voters are going to either stop Trump once and for all, or help him usher in a new era of American fascism.

VoteVets has an important role to play in that decision. We are running $1.6 million on digital and television advertising against Trump and in support of Kamala Harris and Tim Walz as you read this, because we understand how important it is to reach voters directly.

VoteVets has the tools, messengers, and expertise it’s going to take to persuade voters to make the right decision. But we need your help to mobilize the resources it will take to pay for it.

So, I am humbly asking you to make a $10 donation to VoteVets as we take the fight to Trump, as we work to move undecided and persuadable voters, in these final weeks of what is certain to be the most important election of our lives.

If you've stored your info with ActBlue, we'll process your contribution instantly:

[  ] Rush $10 now
[  ] Rush $25 now
[  ] Rush $50 now
[  ] Rush $100 now
[  ] Rush $250 now
[✓] Another Amount***

In so many countries throughout history, we have seen fascism take hold only because the voters enabled it. Voters are the ultimate guardrail against fascism. If the voters fall, so will the Republic. And God save us all if that happens.

That’s why the work VoteVets is doing is so important, and why your donation — especially today — will have a serious impact.

Thank you in advance for chipping in.

Maj. Gen. [Name redacted]
US Army, Retired
VoteVets [Title redacted]

The second email that I received from VoteVets was on October 15th, 2024, with the subject line, "'The enemy from within'", which stated the following:

VoteVets

“We pledge to you that we will root out the communists, marxists, fascists and radical left thugs who live like vermin within the confines of our country… The threat from outside forces is far less sinister, dangerous, and grave than the threat from within.” Donald Trump, November 11, 2023

“The bigger problem is the enemy from within… We have some very bad people, sick people, radical left lunatics, and I think it should be very easily handled by, if necessary by National Guard, or if really necessary by the Military, because they can’t let that happen.”
Donald Trump, October 12, 2024

When Donald Trump talks about the greatest threats to our nation, he’s not talking about Russia, or Iran. He’s not talking about North Korea testing long range missiles, or an increasingly expansionist China.

He’s talking about you, Paul. He’s talking about the people who would dare to stand up to him at home, in the United States.

“The threat from within” is us.

This man is a fascist, through and through. We’ve seen his like before. He uses the same rhetoric, sometimes the same exact words and phrases, as men like Adolf Hitler and Benito Mussolini. And at this point, it’s fair to say that he shares many of their goals.

The last time men like Trump led some of the strongest militaries in the world, more than 65 million people were killed. 420,000 Americans died to stop him and the Axis Powers allied with him.

It does not have to go that far this time. Don’t let the polls convince you this is hopeless. Don’t let the pundits tell you that we’re doomed. We can stop Donald Trump at the ballot box, and we’ve got the tools we need to do it.

All we need is a final push these next three weeks. And to get the job done, we need you with us.

Donate $10 or whatever you can to VoteVets as we work to move more and more funding into our battleground advertising campaigns. We’ve got $[amount redacted] million running right now and we aim to pour in a lot more over the next days and weeks, if you can help us raise the resources we need to do it.

If you've stored your info with ActBlue, we'll process your contribution instantly:

[  ] Rush $10 now
[  ] Rush $25 now
[  ] Rush $50 now
[  ] Rush $100 now
[  ] Rush $250 now
[✓] Another Amount***

Thank you!

The team at VoteVets

VoteVets

Chip in to support VoteVets today >>

We're the largest progressive organization fighting for the rights and lives of Veterans and Military families and we're honored to have you on the team.

Our voices matter. This is important. Pitch in today.

Donate immediately:

Your contribution will benefit VoteVets PAC.

[  ] Donate $1,000 →

[  ] Donate $500 →

[  ] Donate $250 →

[  ] Donate $100 →

[  ] Donate $50 →

[  ] Donate $25 →

[  ] Donate $5 →

[✓] Other amount $2.00

Please leave a tip for ActBlue

Power the nonprofit fundraising platform Democratic candidates & progressive causes rely on.

[  ] Add $2 tip

[  ] Leave no tip

[✓] Add custom amount $0.14 (7%)

And so, I made a one-time donation to VoteVets (with a tip to ActBlue) on October 16th, 2024, since"in just over 20 days, the American voters will have to make a very serious decision ... to either stop Trump once and for all, or help him usher in a new era of American fascism." That is why I contributed to VoteVets because: "When Donald Trump talks about the greatest threats to our nation, he’s not talking about Russia, or Iran. He’s not talking about North Korea testing long range missiles, or an increasingly expansionist China. He’s talking about you [and me]. He’s talking about the people who would dare to stand up to him at home, in the United States. 'The threat from within' is us."

---------------------------------------------

The fifth political communication to which I responded on October 16th, 2024 was an email from Ban Assault Weapons NOW PAC [Ban Assault Weapons NOW (BAWN) Political Action Committee, or BAWN PAC] that I received on October 14th, 2024, with the subject line, "NEW 300% MATCH OPEN for Paul Whiting", which stated the following:

Paul, this is I-N-C-R-E-D-I-B-L-E!

Ban Assault Weapons Now has officially donated over $100K to help gun safety Democratic candidates running across the country win in November!

[Image of a graphic titled, "BAWN Donates Over $100,000" that is also subtitled, "'WORKING TO EXPAND DEMOCRATS MAJORITY IN CONGRESS,'" which lists the names of candidates by their Congressional districts to which BAWN has donated and, then, at the bottom it says, Thank you!]

Together, we are building an unstoppable grassroots movement to elect a wave of gun safety candidates and win a powerful Democratic Majority.

We’re so grateful for the [number redacted] donations you’ve made to our movement.

Thanks to you we’ve been able to rush resources to 30 candidates running in 14 states, including critical swing states like Arizona and Pennsylvania.

But we’re not stopping there. With just [number redacted] days until the election, these candidates need our support now more than ever.

Paul, the FINAL fundraising deadline of this HISTORIC election is in just 48 hours. This is our last chance to make an impact before November – so Ban Assault Weapons Now is opening a NEW 300% MATCH on all contributions so we can rush as many resources to our gun safety candidates as possible before time runs out. Will you chip in a 3X-MATCHED $1 in the next 48 hours? Each and every dollar goes to electing gun safety Democratic candidates and defeating gun-lobby-backed Republicans. >>

300% MATCH OPENED
NAME: Paul Whiting
Suggested Support: $1 >>

[  ] Chip in a MATCHED $1 now >>
[✓] Chip in a MATCHED $2 now >>
[  ] Chip in a MATCHED $3 now >>
[  ] Chip in a MATCHED $4 now >>
[  ] Chip in another MATCHED amount now >>

Thanks for all that you do,
Team Ban Assault Weapons Now

RUSH IN A CONTRIBUTION!

**ACTIVE NOW: BAWN is 300%-Matching all gifts to support gun safety Democrats**

MATCH UNLOCKED

BAWN is working tirelessly to kick every coward who refuses to ban assault weapons out of office and elect critical gun safety champions in their place but we can't fully fund our campaign alone.

Will you rush in a gift before midnight? The more you give, the more we give to gun safety champions.

Donate immediately:

Your contribution will benefit Ban Assault Weapons NOW PAC.

[  ] Donate $25 →

[  ] Donate $50 →

[  ] Donate $100 →

[  ] Donate $250 →

[  ] Donate $500 →

[  ] Donate $1,000 →

[✓] Other amount $2.00

Please leave a tip for ActBlue

Power the nonprofit fundraising platform Democratic candidates & progressive causes rely on.

[  ] Add $2 tip

[  ] Leave no tip

[✓] Add custom amount $0.14 (7%)

And so, I made a one-time donation to Ban Assault Weapons NOW PAC (BAWN PAC) (with a tip to ActBlue) on October 16th, 2024, due to the following: "The FINAL fundraising deadline of this HISTORIC election is in just 48 hours. This is our last chance to make an impact before November – so Ban Assault Weapons Now is opening a NEW 300% MATCH on all contributions so we can rush as many resources to our gun safety candidates as possible before time runs out." That is why I contributed to BAWN in order to answer the question, "Will you chip in a 3X-MATCHED $1 in the next 48 hours?" with a $2.00 donation!

---------------------------------------------

The sixth political communication to which I responded on October 16th, 2024 was an email from the Harris for President campaign that I received on October 14th, 2024, with the subject line, "$5 (not a typo)", which stated the following:

Harris for President

Paul, today we’re asking you to pitch in $5 (no, that's not a typo).

Will you give just $5 to help elect Kamala Harris as the next President of the United States?

We know you might be thinking: There’s no way $5 can make a difference. Not in a race as close and expensive as this one. And not when Donald Trump’s Wall Street buddies are funneling millions into his campaign.

But it’s not just your $5.

It’s $5 from a teacher in Wisconsin, $5 from a nurse in Georgia, $5 from a construction worker in Michigan, and so on. We’re building the biggest, most powerful grassroots movement this country has ever seen, full of millions of donors like you.

So when you pitch in, know that lots and lots of others are pitching in, too. It all adds up fast and allows us to scale the resources we need to win in November.

Will you give $5 -- or more if you want to boost your impact -- to help elect Kamala and defeat Trump? Kamala deeply appreciated the $1 you contributed on [date redacted], and she’s hoping she can count on you again today.

If you've saved payment information with ActBlue Express, your donation will go through immediately:

[  ] $5 >>
[  ] $50 >>
[  ] $75 >>
[  ] $100 >>
[  ] $125 >>
[✓] Other >>

Thank you for all that you do,

Team Harris-Walz

DONATE***

HARRIS
WALZ

Pitch in $5 to elect Kamala Harris!

The Vice President needs your support today. Be part of the movement that is fighting to defeat Trump and chart a new way forward for America. Donate now.

Donate immediately:

Your contribution will benefit Kamala Harris.

[✓] Donate $2 →

[  ] Donate $50 →

[  ] Donate $75 →

[  ] Donate $100 →

[  ] Donate $125 →

[  ] Other amount

Please leave a tip for ActBlue

Power the nonprofit fundraising platform Democratic candidates & progressive causes rely on.

[  ] Add $2 tip

[  ] Leave no tip

[✓] Add custom amount $0.14 (7%)

And so, I made a one-time donation to the Harris for President campaign (with a tip to ActBlue) on October 16th, 2024, in order to answer the question, "Will you give just $5 to help elect Kamala Harris as the next President of the United States?" with a $2.00 donation!

---------------------------------------------

The seventh political communication to which I responded on October 16th, 2024 was an email from Voto Latino that I received on October 15th, 2024, with the subject line, "Do you have one minute to read this email?", which stated the following:

We have good news, Paul.

A generous anonymous donor has agreed to MATCH donations for a limited time!

Will you double your impact on our voter registration work now? While this match is active, a $31 donation will help us reach TWO new voters in a swing state.

Voto Latino is on the ground registering and mobilizing voters across the country, but we’re up against deadlines in key swing states: Minnesota, Wisconsin, Michigan, Nevada, and Pennsylvania all have their registration this week! Make a matched donation to our efforts now >>

If you've saved your payment information with ActBlue Express, your donation will go through immediately:

[  ] CHIP IN $31 = $62
[  ] CHIP IN $62 = $124
[  ] CHIP IN $124 = $248
[  ] CHIP IN $155 = $310
[✓] ANOTHER AMOUNT***

— Voto Latino

VOTO LATINO
It's your country. Represent!

WE'RE UP AGAINST CRITICAL VOTER REGISTRATION DEADLINES—MAKE A MATCHED DONATION!

The next few weeks are a critical time in this election cycle.

We're up against deadlines in North Carolina Minnesota, Wisconsin, Pennsylvania, Michigan, and Nevada. Will you make a matched donation to our voter registration efforts now? It costs $31 to reach one new voter in a swing state.

We've set voter registration goals across our key target states, and we need your help to reach them before time runs out.

We hope you'll consider doubling your impact on our work with a $31 donation today!

Donate immediately:

Your contribution will benefit Voto Latino.

[  ] DONATE $25 →

[  ] DONATE $100 →

[  ] DONATE $250 →

[  ] DONATE $1,000 →

[✓] OTHER AMOUNT $2.00

Please leave a tip for ActBlue

Power the nonprofit fundraising platform Democratic candidates & progressive causes rely on.

[  ] Add $2 tip

[  ] Leave no tip

[✓] Add custom amount $0.14 (7%)

And so, I made a one-time donation to Voto Latino (with a tip to ActBlue) on October 16th, 2024, because "Voto Latino is on the ground registering and mobilizing voters across the country, but [they're] up against deadlines in key swing states" and "a generous anonymous donor has agreed to MATCH donations for a limited time!"

---------------------------------------------

The eighth political communication to which I responded on October 16th, 2024 was a text message that I received on October 15th, 2024, from the Democratic Senatorial Campaign Committee (DSCC), which stated the following:

Paul, it is Kamala Harris.

This election is so much bigger than me or any other name on the ballot. It is about who we are as Americans -- making clear what we stand for and fighting for it. One vote at a time. And yes, one donation at a time.

A new way forward is only possible if we win critical Senate races in battleground states and hold the Senate majority.

With our last FEC fundraising deadline tomorrow, please split a $30 donation right now between the DSCC and my campaign to give us the resources to win this election while we still have time.***

DSCC

Donate to Kamala Harris and the DSCC today!

I am excited to continue to work toward our vision for a better future for all. But, we also need to exparnd Democrats majority in the Senate to continue to deliver progress for the American people.

If that's all you need to hear, then split a donation between the DSCC and my campaign today.

-Kamala Harris

Split your donation:

Total contribution $2.00

Customize amounts

DSCC $1.00

Kamala Harris (President) $1.00

Donate $2

Please leave a tip for ActBlue

Power the nonprofit fundraising platform Democratic candidates & progressive causes rely on.

[ ] Add $2 tip

[ ] Leave no tip

[✓] Add custom amount $0.14 (7%)

And so, I made a one-time donation to the DSCC and to the Harris for President campaign (with a tip to ActBlue) on October 16th, 2024, because "with [the] last FEC fundraising deadline tomorrow, [I] split a [$2] donation right now between the DSCC and [Vice President Kamala Harris's] campaign to give [them] the resources [they need] to win this election [since] a new way forward is only possible if we win critical Senate races in battleground states and hold the Senate majority."

---------------------------------------------

The ninth political communication to which I responded on October 16th, 2024 was an email from the Democratic Governors Association (DGA) that I received on October 15th, 2024, with the subject line, "That’s it", which stated the following:

[Image of Senator Jon Tester.]

Paul—it’s Jon. Can I have a moment of your time? It’s important.

Voting has already started in Montana—and there are just 21 days until Election Day. This is it.

If you’ve been waiting for the best time to make a donation, that time is right now.

Make a split donation of $[amount redacted] before midnight between my campaign and the DGA to help me fight back against Mitch McConnell’s attacks, reach as many Montana voters as we can, and defeat our opponents.

CHIP IN***

When I was a kid, I lost three fingers on my left hand in a meat grinding accident in my family’s butcher shop. I don’t even remember putting my hand in there—but I can damn sure remember pulling it out.

But here’s the truth: You don’t need ten fingers to know right from wrong.

My multimillionaire opponent Tim Sheehy is wrong for Montana. He wants to return health care to “pure privatization”, rip away women’s freedom to choose, and transfer off our public lands.

Tim Sheehy is a rich out-of-stater who doesn’t know the first thing about Montana values. But he’s already dropped $2.5 million of his personal wealth to defeat me, and this race is too close for comfort.

And Democratic candidates running for governor are fighting back against opponents who want to take away fundamental rights and freedoms. Polls are showing these races will be hard-fought all the way to the finish line!

Election Day is almost here, and I need your help to fight back against the attacks. Our opponents are wrong for their states and care more about power and influence than people. Split any amount now between me and the DGA to help us continue defending our rights and freedoms and stay competitive in races like these >>

If you've saved payment information with ActBlue Express, your split donation between DGA and Jon Tester for Senate will go through immediately.

[ ] Contribute $44
[ ] Contribute $88
[✓] Or contribute other amount***

Thanks for reading.🤙

Jon

DONATE NOW
DEADLINE: MIDNIGHT

If we want to stop Republicans dangerous agenda, we have to keep pace with the millions the GOP is raising to stop Democrats — but right now, not enough supporters are donating, and we're falling short ahead of our midnight deadline.

Closing this gap is so important, Jon Tester needs your help: Rush your gift to help him win, defeat Republicans, and elect Democratic governors!

Split your donation:

Total contribution $2.00

Customize amounts

Democratic Action $1.00

Jon Tester (MT-Sen) $1.00

Donate $2

Please leave a tip for ActBlue

Power the nonprofit fundraising platform Democratic candidates & progressive causes rely on.

[ ] Add $2 tip

[ ] Leave no tip

[✓] Add custom amount $0.14 (7%)

And so, I made a one-time donation to the DGA and to the Jon Tester for U.S. Senate campaign (with a tip to ActBlue) on October 16th, 2024, in order to "make a split donation of $[2] before midnight between [Senator Jon Tester's] campaign and the DGA to help [them] fight back against Mitch McConnell’s attacks, reach as many Montana voters as [they] can, and defeat [their] opponents." That is why I "split [$2] now between [Senator Tester] and the DGA to help [them] continue defending our rights and freedoms and stay competitive in races like these."

---------------------------------------------

The tenth political communication to which I responded on October 16th, 2024 was an email from the Democratic Attorneys General Association (DAGA) that I received on October 16th, 2024, with the subject line, "Can we give you three reasons?", which stated the following:

The Democratic Attorneys General Association

Supporter: [email redacted]
2024 Donor? Activated — thank you!
Suggested Donation: $5.00

INCREASE YOUR SUPPORT***

Paul, can we give you three reasons why you should chip in today to help us win big on Election Day?

1. We have ELEVEN attorney general races to compete in this year. From Pennsylvania to North Carolina, we need ample resources to support Dem AGs and candidates around the country.

2. It has NEVER been more important to have Democratic AGs in office than right now. Republican state legislatures are going after reproductive freedom, voting rights, and LGBTQ+ equality more than ever before. Dem AGs are the last line of defense in protecting our rights from far-right attacks.

3. Attorneys General races are INCREDIBLY close, often won by the smallest of margins. Grassroots contributions can genuinely make the difference between winning and losing these races. That’s why we need your help now more than ever. Power DAGA’s critical work with a donation of $5 today:

If you've saved your payment information with ActBlue Express, your donation will go through immediately:

[  ] CHIP IN $3 NOW
[  ] CHIP IN $10 NOW
[  ] CHIP IN $25 NOW
[  ] CHIP IN $50 NOW
[  ] CHIP IN $100 NOW
[✓] ANOTHER AMOUNT***

Thanks for being a part of this mission,

Dem AGs

DEMOCRATIC ATTORNEYS GENERAL ASSOCIATION

PROTECTING OUR RIGHTS

From abortion access to voting rights, Dem AGs are on the front lines, defending our democracy and protecting our communities.

Make a donation to DAGA to elect more Dem AGs in 2024 and beyond — starting right here and now.

DONATE IMMEDIATELY:

Your contribution will benefit Democratic Attorneys General Association (DAGA) PAC.

[  ] DONATE $5 →

[  ] DONATE $10 →

[  ] DONATE $25 →

[  ] DONATE $50 →

[  ] DONATE $100 →

[  ] DONATE $250 →

[  ] DONATE $500 →

[✓] OTHER AMOUNT $2.00

Please leave a tip for ActBlue

Power the nonprofit fundraising platform Democratic candidates & progressive causes rely on.

[  ] Add $2 tip

[  ] Leave no tip

[✓] Add custom amount $0.14 (7%)

And so, I made a one-time donation to the DAGA (with a tip to ActBlue) on October 16th, 2024, because "from abortion access to voting rights, Dem AGs [Democratic Attorneys General] are on the front lines, defending our democracy and protecting our communities," which is why I contributed $2.00 in response to the "three reasons why [I] should chip in today to help [the DAGA] win big on Election Day."

---------------------------------------------

The eleventh political communication to which I responded on October 16th, 2024 was an email from the Congressional Black Caucus PAC (Congressional Black Caucus Political Action Committee, or CBCPAC) that I received on October 16th, 2024, with the subject line, "fwd: re: voting by mail in Portland? >>>", which stated the following:

Paul Whiting, if you're receiving this email, your signature has NOT been recorded to urge Congress to pass vote-by-mail legislation.

You're one of our most engaged supporters, so we're hoping you will add your name by midnight tonight.

Vote-by-mail empowers Democrats across the country to vote easier – and we need to turnout every Democratic voter we can with so much at stake this year.

PLEASE: Paul, sign the petition to urge Congress to pass vote-by-mail before midnight tonight >>

SIGN THE PETITION ➞***

-Congressional Black Caucus PAC

[ORIGINAL EMAIL BELOW]

SUBJECT: re: voting by mail in your city
FROM: "response requested by 11:59 PM (via CBCPAC)" [email redacted]

Top Democrats are rallying behind a nationwide Vote-By-Mail option!! (INCREDIBLE!)

40,000 SIGNATURES NEEDED
Sign our petition to urge Congress to pass nationwide Vote‑by‑Mail →

SIGN THE PETITION ➞

** [15] MORE PORTLAND SIGNATURES NEEDED BY 11:59 PM **

Paul, voting needs to be accessible for everyone, especially for Black and Brown people – or we could LOSE our House and Senate Majorities.

REMEMBER: Vote-by-Mail was KEY to electing President Biden in 2020! And it will be CRITICAL again in 2024 if we want to elect Kamala Harris as the first Black woman President of the United States.

That’s why Republicans are targeting Vote-by-Mail with their voter suppression bills!!

Thankfully, [name redacted] and [name redacted] have a genius plan to save voting rights and pass nationwide Vote‑by‑Mail:

[Name redacted]: 'To deny voters the option of voting by mail is to suppress the vote in this critical election year, we need to do everything in our power to make it as easy as possible for every voter to exercise their most basic Constitutional right.'

STAND WITH [NAME REDACTED] AND [NAME REDACTED]: SIGN THE PETITION TO PASS VOTE-BY-MAIL ➞

[Name redacted] is SO right. But we need Portland Democrats to help us gather 40,000 signatures on our petition to pass nationwide Vote-by-Mail. Can you sign on before 11:59 PM tonight??

SIGN THE PETITION ➞

Thanks for signing,

CBCPAC

CONGRESSIONAL BLACK CAUCUS PAC

LIVE PETITION: ADD YOUR NAME TO URGE
CONGRESS TO PASS NATIONWIDE
VOTE-BY-MAIL

Paul Whiting: Your signature is due by 10/17/2024 at 11:59 PM.

[PLEASE CONFIRM] Will you add your name to our petition to urge Congress to pass Sens. [name redacted] and [name redacted's] plan for nationwide Vote-by-Mail?

[✓] Yes, add my name!

[FOLLOW-UP] Do you support Automatic Voter Registration?

[✓] Yes
[  ] No
[  ] Unsure

Do you think Election Day should be a national holiday?

[✓] Yes
[  ] No
[  ] Unsure

Did you know that Republicans introduced over 450 voter suppression bills last year alone?

[  ] Yes
[✓] No

Do you think it's dire that Democrats stop Republicans' voter suppression tactics immediately?

[✓] Yes!

We're fighting to defeat Republicans and put an end to their despicable voter suppression efforts. It's critical — especially with our Senate majority hanging in the balance and the Electoral College in a VIRTUAL TIE! If we can pass voting rights legislation like the Freedom to Vote Act ahead of the 2024 election, we'll be able to protect our Senate Majority and put Kamala Harris in the White House!

We could even take back the House and win a Democratic trifecta!!!

Will you chip in $6 to help pass voting rights legislation like the Freedom to Vote Act?

[  ] Yes, I'll chip in $6 >>
[  ] Yes, I'll chip in $15 >>
[  ] Yes, I'll chip in $35 >>
[✓] Yes, I'll chip in another amount >>

SUBMIT THEN DONATE >>

---------------------------------------------

The 2024 election is just weeks away and we're laser-focused on one thing: Black voter turnout.

If we boost Black voter turnout to record heights, we can TAKE BACK the House, EXPAND our Senate Majority, and put KAMALA HARRIS in the White House!

But Republicans are passing sinister voter suppression laws they're desperate to STOP Black Americans from voting.

That's why we're BEGGING for your help today.

Donate immediately:

Your contribution will benefit Congressional Black Caucus PAC.

[  ] DONATE 55 →

[  ] DONATE $15 →

[  ] DONATE $35 →

[  ] DONATE $50 →

[  ] DONATE $100 →

[  ] DONATE $250 →

[  ] DONATE $500 →

[✓] OTHER AMOUNT $2.00

Please leave a tip for ActBlue

Power the nonprofit fundraising platform Democratic candidates & progressive causes rely on.

[  ] Add $2 tip

[  ] Leave no tip

[✓] Add custom amount $0.14 (7%)

And so, I made a one-time donation to the Congressional Black Caucus PAC (CBCPAC) (with a tip to ActBlue) on October 16th, 2024, in order to respond to the question, "Will you add your name to our petition to urge Congress to pass [Senators name redacted] and [name redacted's] plan for nationwide Vote-by-Mail?", with a resounding 'Yes, add my name!'

---------------------------------------------

Finally, these last eight political donations weren't due to communications that I received from the following organizations, but because I have donated to these organizations in previous election cycles!

The twelfth organization to which I donated was the Democratic Party Committee Abroad (Democrats Abroad, or DA), based upon their donation webpage that appeared on the ActBlue.com website, which stated the following:

Donate to Democrats Abroad

Contribute to Democrats Abroad today and help us register Americans all over the world for upcoming elections, reach out on issues that concern you, and build a brighter future for our country and the world. With your help, we can make the difference. Americans abroad help win elections back home every election year and we're working hard to make the difference this year! ActBlue allows payments from major credit cards, including AMEX, and PayPal. You can also use this form to make a monthly recurring donation. Click on "Yes, count me in!" to make a monthly donation. Recurring donations are especially important in helping us plan for the future and are very welcome. Any questions, please contact the Democrats Abroad fundraising team at [email redacted].

Donate immediately:

Your contribution will benefit Democrats Abroad.

[  ] Donate $25 →

[  ] Donate $100 →

[  ] Donate $250 →

[  ] Donate $538 →

[  ] Donate $1,000 →

[  ] Donate $2,024 →

[✓] Other amount $2.00

Please leave a tip for ActBlue

Power the nonprofit fundraising platform Democratic candidates & progressive causes rely on.

[  ] Add $2 tip

[  ] Leave no tip

[✓] Add custom amount $0.14 (7%)

And so, I made a one-time donation to the DA (with a tip to ActBlue) on October 16th, 2024, in order to make an "investment in the Democrats Abroad program to register and earn the votes of the nearly 9 million Americans living and serving overseas," because "Americans abroad help win elections back home every election year and [Democrats Abroad is] working hard to make the difference this year!"

---------------------------------------------

The thirteenth organization to which I donated was the Democratic Mayors Association (DMA), based upon their donation webpage that appeared on the ActBlue.com website, which stated the following:

DMA
Democratic Mayors Association

Support the Democratic Mayors

We represent Mayors across the country who have a common vision for progress and inclusive growth in their communities.

#MayorsMatter

Donate immediately:

Your contribution will benefit Democratic Mayors Association.

[  ] Donate $25 →

[  ] Donate $100 →

[  ] Donate $250 →

[  ] Donate $1,000 →

[✓] Other amount $2.00

Please leave a tip for ActBlue

Power the nonprofit fundraising platform Democratic candidates & progressive causes rely on.

[  ] Add $2 tip

[  ] Leave no tip

[✓] Add custom amount $0.14 (7%)

And so, I made a one-time donation to the DMA (with a tip to ActBlue) on October 16th, 2024, because "[they] represent Mayors across the country who have a common vision for progress and inclusive growth in their communities."

---------------------------------------------

The fourteenth organization to which I donated was EMILYs List, based upon their donation webpage that appeared on the ActBlue.com website, which stated the following:

EMILYs LIST
RUN. WIN. CHANGE THE WORLD.

Support Democratic Pro-Choice Women

Very simply, we work to elect Democratic pro-choice women to office. And we cannot do it without supporters like you.

Please donate today and help elect more women leaders like Kamala Harris, Tammy Baldwin, and Elizabeth Warren.

Donate immediately:

Your contribution will benefit EMILYs List.

[  ] Donate $25 →

[  ] Donate $100 →

[  ] Donate $250 →

[  ] Donate $1,000 →

[✓] Other amount $2.00

Please leave a tip for ActBlue

Power the nonprofit fundraising platform Democratic candidates & progressive causes rely on.

[  ] Add $2 tip

[  ] Leave no tip

[✓] Add custom amount $0.14 (7%)

And so, I made a one-time donation to EMILYs List (with a tip to ActBlue) on October 16th, 2024, in order to help "elect women who will protect the right to choose at every level of government, all across the country."

---------------------------------------------

The fifteenth organization to which I donated was the Four Directions Native Vote (Four Directions), based upon their donation webpage that appeared on the ActBlue.com website, which stated the following:

Four
Directions
Fighting for Voting Equality All Across Indian Country.

Take a stand for Native American voting rights

Four Directions is a Native-led voting rights group, organizing at the county level in critical states like Georgia and Arizona.

Your donation is critical and provides us with the support we need to advance equality at the ballot box across Indian Country.

Chip in now to help us make history again through 2021 and beyond!

Donate immediately:

Your contribution will benefit Four Directions.

[  ] Donate $50 →

[  ] Donate $100 →

[  ] Donate $250 →

[  ] Donate $500 →

[  ] Donate $1,000 →

[  ] Donate $2,500 →

[  ] Donate $5,000 →

[✓] Other amount $2.00

Please leave a tip for ActBlue

Power the nonprofit fundraising platform Democratic candidates & progressive causes rely on.

[  ] Add $2 tip

[  ] Leave no tip

[✓] Add custom amount $0.14 (7%)

And so, I made a one-time donation to the Four Directions Native Vote (Four Directions) (with a tip to ActBlue) on October 16th, 2024, in order to "take a stand for Native American voting rights," because "[my] donation is critical and provides [Four Directions] with the support [they] need to advance equality at the ballot box across Indian Country."

---------------------------------------------

The sixteenth organization to which I donated was the Jane Fonda Climate PAC (Jane Fonda Climate Political Action Committee), based upon their donation webpage that appeared on the ActBlue.com website, which stated the following:

Jane Fonda
CLIMATE PAC

Contribute to the Jane Fonda Climate PAC!

The Jane Fonda Climate PAC is driven by one mission: Do whatever it takes to defeat the political allies of the fossil fuel industry and save our planet.

Please invest in our work today! We rely on grassroots support to elect climate champions who will take a stand against the fossil fuel industry and work to reverse the harm they're inflicting on our planet.

Donate immediately:

Your contribution will benefit Jane Fonda Climate PAC.

[  ] Donate $5 →

[  ] Donate $10 →

[  ] Donate $25 →

[  ] Donate $50 →

[  ] Donate $100 →

[  ] Donate $250 →

[  ] Donate $500 →

[✓] Other amount $2.00

Please leave a tip for ActBlue

Power the nonprofit fundraising platform Democratic candidates & progressive causes rely on.

[  ] Add $2 tip

[  ] Leave no tip

[✓] Add custom amount $0.14 (7%)

And so, I made a one-time donation to the Jane Fonda Climate PAC (with a tip to ActBlue) on October 16th, 2024, because "[the Jane Fonda Climate PAC relies] on grassroots support to elect climate champions who will take a stand against the fossil fuel industry and work to reverse the harm they're inflicting on our planet."

---------------------------------------------

The seventeenth organization to which I donated was Rolling Sea Action Fund, based upon their donation webpage that appeared on the ActBlue.com website, which stated the following:

ROLLING SEA ACTION FUND

Support Black Democrats

We’re devoting our efforts to empower Black voters, protect our Senate Majority and flip the House from red to blue. But we need your help right now!

We’re nearly BROKE, so we need a huge wave of emergency donations to STOP the GOP's corrupted voter suppression agenda.

If you don’t give right now, we will not be able to fight back and protect President Biden's agenda in 2024. Please, rush a donation now, before it's too late >>

Donate immediately:

Your contribution will benefit Rolling Sea Action Fund.

[  ] Donate $25 →

[  ] Donate $100 →

[  ] Donate $250 →

[  ] Donate $1,000 →

[✓] Other amount $2.00

Please leave a tip for ActBlue

Power the nonprofit fundraising platform Democratic candidates & progressive causes rely on.

[  ] Add $2 tip

[  ] Leave no tip

[✓] Add custom amount $0.14 (7%)

And so, I made a one-time donation to the Rolling Sea Action Fund (with a tip to ActBlue) on October 16th, 2024, because they are "devoting [their] efforts to empower Black voters, protect our Senate Majority and flip the House from red to blue."

---------------------------------------------

The eighteenth organization to which I donated was Teachers Unify To End Gun Violence, based upon their donation webpage that appeared on the ActBlue.com website, which stated the following:

TEACHERS UNIFY TO END GUN VIOLENCE

Support our work today!

"This work takes more than thoughts and prayers. It takes our collective voices united to demand change."
[Name redacted], Columbine Surviving Educator & Columbine HS [High School] teacher

Donate immediately:

Your contribution will benefit Teachers Unify to End Gun Violence.

[  ] Donate $25 →

[  ] Donate $100 →

[  ] Donate $250 →

[  ] Donate $1,000 →

[✓] Other amount $2.00

Please leave a tip for AB [ActBlue] Charities

Power the nonprofit fundraising platform mission-driven nonprofits & charities rely on.

[  ] Add $2 tip

[  ] Leave no tip

[✓] Add custom amount $0.14 (7%)

And so, I made a one-time donation to Teachers Unify to End Gun Violence (with a tip to ActBlue) on October 16th, 2024, because "this work [to end gun violence] takes more than thoughts and prayers ... it takes our collective voices united to demand change."

---------------------------------------------

The nineteeth organization to which I donated was the Voters of Tomorrow PAC (Voters of Tomorrow Political Action Committee), based upon their donation webpage that appeared on the ActBlue.com website, which stated the following:

Donate to help Voters of Tomorrow reach Gen Z voters

$366,504.81 Raised →→→→→ GOAL $500,000
MIDNIGHT DEADLINE! >> updated at 11:55 PM

In 2022, young voters proved yet again that we are a political force to be reckoned with. Voters of Tomorrow played a major role in harnessing that power. As The Financial Times said, the group "worked to boost turnout among 18-to 29-year-olds and may have saved the election."

But we have to keep this momentum going. Voters of Tomorrow is continuing to ramp up its outreach and voter education efforts. Unlike many other organizations, we are meeting Gen Z where they are by providing valuable content in the same platforms they already spend time in.

With your contribution, Voters of Tomorrow will be able to reach even more young voters and guide them away from dangerous misinformation pushed by people looking to disenfranchise them.

Donate immediately:

Your contribution will benefit Voters of Tomorrow Action.

[  ] Donate $10 →

[  ] Donate $25 →

[  ] Donate $50 →

[  ] Donate $100 →

[  ] Donate $250 →

[  ] Donate $500 →

[  ] Donate $1,000 →

[✓] Other amount $2.00

Please leave a tip for ActBlue

Power the nonprofit fundraising platform Democratic candidates & progressive causes rely on.

[  ] Add $2 tip

[  ] Leave no tip

[✓] Add custom amount $0.14 (7%)

And so, I made a one-time donation to the Voters of Tomorrow PAC (Voters of Tomorrow Action) (with a tip to ActBlue) on October 16th, 2024, in order to "help Voters of Tomorrow build a new generation of democracy defenders."

Thus, these six organizations—the DASS, the DSCC, the DGA, the DAGA, the DA, as well as the DMA—plus, these two campaigns—Harris for President, as well as Jon Tester for Senate—plus, these eight Political Action Committees (PACs)—Educated We Stand, VoteVets, Ban Assault Weapons NOW PAC, Congressional Black Caucus PAC, EMILYs List, Jane Fonda Climate PAC, Rolling Sea Action Fund, as well as Voters of Tomorrow PAC—plus, this one civic engagement organization—Voto Latino—plus, these two social welfare organizations—March For Our Lives, as well as Four Directions Native Vote—in addition to this one grassroots movement—Teachers Unify To End Gun Violence—are the political organizations, the political campaigns, as well as the PACs, the civic engagement organization, the social welfare organizations and the grassroots movement that I donated to on October 16th, 2024! –Paul Whiting (written from October 22nd, 2024 to October 30th, 2024 and revised November 3rd, 2024)

-------------------------------------------------------------------

October 17th, 2024 Update No. 1, Which Also Discusses October 16th, 2024: I received an email from the ACLU (American Civil Liberties Union) yesterday, October 16th, 2024, with the subject line, "Are you ready to vote, Paul?", which stated the following:

Paul, we don't have to tell you that this is the most consequential election of our lifetime.

You already know how much is at stake. For so many of us, this fight is personal.

For more than 100 years, the ACLU has been proud to defend voting rights and more. But with Election Day less than 21 days away, we have to ask:

How well do you know your rights when it comes to voting? Take the ACLU's Know Your Voting Rights Quiz (and then share it with your friends and family!) to make sure you're ready to cast your ballot. (This link brings you to a third-party website, signforgood.com)

TAKE THE QUIZ →***
(Please note: this link takes you to a third-party website, signforgood.com)

In solidarity,

[Name redacted]
[Title redacted]
Pronouns: She, her, hers

ACLU

Know Your Voting Rights Quiz

Ready to cast your ballot on Election Day? The ACLU is proud to have a legacy of more than 100 years of defending our fundamental right to vote and we're prepared to keep up that work. You can help us by knowing your rights when heading to the polls.

Take the quiz now:

---------------------------------------------

TRUE or FALSE:

If the polls close while you're still in line, stay in line you still have the right to vote.

[✓] True!
[  ] False.

Correct! If you're in line to vote, stay in line! Your right to vote is protected.

---------------------------------------------

TRUE or FALSE:

If the machines are down at your polling place, you'll have to find a new polling place.

[  ] True!
[✓] False.

You got it! You can always ask for a paper ballot-especially if the machines are down at your polling place!

---------------------------------------------

What should you do if the poll worker says your name is not on the list of registered voters?

[  ] Ask the poll worker to double-check for your name on the list of registered voters. Make sure to spell your name out for the poll worker.

[  ] Ask if there is a supplemental list of voters.

[  ] Request that the poll workers check a statewide system to see if you are registered to vote at a different polling place.

[  ] Ask for a provisional ballot.

[✓] All of the above.

That's right! Voters are entitled to ask questions of poll workers to clarify your options - and if you believe you are eligible to vote and in the right place, you should ask for a provisional ballot.

After Election Day, election officials must investigate whether you are qualified to vote and registered. If you are qualified and registered, they will count your provisional ballot.

---------------------------------------------

What should you do if you believe you are experiencing voter intimidation at the polls?

[  ] Call the Election Protection Hotline and report it.

[  ] Report it to your local election officials.

[✓] Both.

Correct! Both the Election Protection Hotline and your election officials are here to help. If you experience voter intimidation, you can report it to the Election Protection Hotline at 1-866-OUR-VOTE or 1-888-VE-Y-VOTA (en Español). You can also report intimidation to your local election officials. Their offices will be open during early voting periods on Election Day.

---------------------------------------------

One last question!

Founded in 1920, the ACLU has operated as the nation's largest public interest law firm, challenging voter suppression and defending the right to vote from any and all threats.

We don't get federal funding — we rely on our more than 1.1 million members to ensure that our attorneys can continue to show up in court to defend our rights. As we ramp up our work ahead of Election Day, we need you with us.

Please, will you make a donation right now to fuel the ongoing work of the ACLU?

[  ] Yes, I donate $35!
[  ] Yes, and I'll I donate $75 (this is what most of our supporters are giving)!
[  ] Yes, and I can give more!
[  ] Yes, and I'll give monthly!
[✓] No, I can't donate that much.

We understand if you can't donate $35 right now. Will you consider giving a smaller amount to help us continue doing everything we can to protect civil liberties? Every dollar you send our way makes a big difference.

Yes, I can donate just $5 today.
Yes, I can donate just $10 today.
No, I'm unable to donate today.

So, I wanted to share this email from the ACLU in order to show my support for the "Know Your Voting Rights Quiz." –Paul Whiting (written October 17th, 2024 and revised October 18th, 2024)

P.S.: Just so you know, I used to make one-time donations to the organization that is the subject of these 'updates' each time that I took an action as requested by that organization; however, "I have changed the way that I make donations to political, progressive and charitable organizations each month ... due to the fact that I have been spending a considerable percentage of my monthly income on all of these donations." (The reader should know that I am HIV-positive with full-blown AIDS. And I am on Social Security Disability Insurance, or SSDI, so my income is quite limited.) Therefore, "I am greatly reducing the number of times that I donate for the same organization per month down to once—or as determined by me on a case-by-case basis." (Please see my 'August 19th, 2023 Update,' which can be found above.) Thus, because I have already donated to the ACLU on October 5th, 2024 (please see my 'October 5th, 2024 Update No. 3, Which Also Discusses October 4th, 2024' that can be found above) that is the one-time donation which I made to the ACLU for October 2024.

-------------------------------------------------------------------

October 17th, 2024 Update No. 2: I have combined every political campaign, or political organization, donation request per day (made via email or text message) into one 'update' for each day that I donate, so that I don't have to write individual 'updates' for political campaign donations, or political organization donations!

You see, I used to write one 'update' for each of the individual campaign political donations, or political organization donations, that I made virtually every time that I made a political donation. And within each 'update' I included the text from each political campaign's, or political organization's, requesting email or text message, along with some of each campaign's, or organization's, donation page text on the ActBlue website, as well as how much I donated to each campaign, or organization, plus whether I included a tip to ActBlue and how much I tipped.

(By the way, I still write individual 'updates' for political campaign, or political organization, mailers that I receive through the regular mail, because they are usually more elaborate political donation requests, which is why I don't include them with these email or text message requests.)

Plus, the 2024 election cycle is now in the homestretch and I have made a goal of donating only one $1.00 donation per local political campaign here in Oregon (more on that below), or $2.00 per political organization, for the rest of the election cycle! And that means after I make that one donation per campaign, or per organization—regardless of whether I donated in 2023, or 2024—I am only donating once per campaign, or per organization, or as determined by me on a case-by-case basis. And I am only donating once per PAC (Political Action Committee) for the entire election cycle, or as determined by me on a case-by-case basis, because that is all that I can really afford for the 2024 Presidential Election. (The reader should know that I am HIV-positive with full-blown AIDS. And I am on Social Security Disability Insurance, or SSDI, so my income is quite limited.) I hope that makes sense!

Besides that, as of March 21st, 2024, I am no longer donating to individual political campaigns for the foreseeable future (with the exception of local campaigns here in Oregon), or as determined by me on a case-by-case basis (please see my 'March 21st, 2024 Update No. 2,' which can be found above).

In addition to that, starting on July 4th, 2024, I have decided—yet again—to adjust the amount that I donate per political organization again, so that I can donate to even more political organizations and PACs (Political Action Committees) while I am still staying within my 'monthly donating budget.'

And I made the previous three adjustments on the following dates: June 16th, 2024 (please see my 'June 16th, 2024 Update No. 7, Written On June 17th, 2024, Which Also Discusses May 25th, 2024, June 2nd, 2024, June 6th, 2024, June 7th, 2024, June 10th, 2024, June 15th, 2024 And June 16th, 2024' that can be found above), and on May 12th, 2024 (please see my 'May 12th, 2024 Update No. 4, Written On May 13th, 2024, Which Also Discusses April 19th, 2024, May 1st, 2024, May 2nd, 2024, May 6th, 2024, As Well As May 11th, 2024' that can be found above), as well as on March 29th, 2024 (please see my 'March 29th, 2024 Update No. 1, Which Also Discusses March 17th, 2024' that can be found above), respectively.

Therefore, I recently used to donate "$3.00 per political organization"; however, I have decided to adjust that amount yet again, so that I can donate to more political organizations and PACs (Political Action Committees) while I am still staying within my 'monthly donating budget,' since I am now donating to more organizations as the 2024 Presidential Election cycle enters the homestretch.

Thus, for the rest of the 2024 election cycle—as well as for the foreseeable future—I have made a goal of donating $1.00 per local political campaign only here in Oregon (with a 7% tip to ActBlue of $0.07), or as determined by me on a case-by-case basis; and a goal of donating $2.00 per political organization for donation requests via email or text message (with a 7% tip to ActBlue of $0.14), or as determined by me on a case-by-case basis; as well as a goal of donating $3.00 per political organization, or per PAC, for donation requests via the regular mail (with a 7% tip to ActBlue of $0.21), or as determined by me on a case-by-case basis.

To sum it up, then: I am reducing the total individual campaign donation amount to $1.07 (from $2.14, which was previously $3.21) and I am still only donating to local campaigns here in Oregon, or as determined by me on a case-by-case basis; and I am reducing the total donation amount for political organizations and PACs for email and text message donation requests to $2.14 (from $3.21, which was previously $4.28, as well as $5.35 before that), or as determined by me on a case-by-case basis; plus, I am reducing the total donation amount for political organizations and PACs for regular mail donation requests to $3.21 (from $4.28, which was previously $5.35, as well as $7.51 before that), or as determined by me on a case-by-case basis.

So, without further ado...

The only political communication to which I responded was a text message today, October 17th, 2024, from Grassroots Dem HQ (GDHQ) and the Voters of Tomorrow PAC (Voters of Tomorrow Political Action Committee, or VOT PAC), which stated the following:

Paul, it’s Rep. [name redacted].

We have just five weeks left to give everything we’ve got to elect Kamala Harris, take back Congress, and defeat Donald Trump for good.

I've been proud to join forces with the Grassroots Dem HQ and Voters of Tomorrow; they’ve helped lay the foundation for victory in Nov [November] by deploying hundreds of student organizers to turn out young voters in swing states.

And they’re not stopping now – GDHQ and VOT plan to contact another 250k young voters before polls close on Nov 5th because direct voter contact is what it takes to win a race this close. Take it from someone who first got elected by knocking on almost every door in my district.

But they can’t do it without you, Paul. Can I count on you to pitch in $20 TODAY to sustain the ground game we need to WIN this November?***

Thank you, Paul. With so much on the line, we can’t afford to sit this one out.

- Congressman [Name redacted]

GRASSROOTS DEMOCRATS HQ

VOTERS OF TOMORROW

Help Turn Out a Record Number of Young Voters!

HELP TURN OUT A RECORD NUMBER OF YOUNG VOTERS THIS NOVEMBER.

PITCH IN TODAY TO SUPPORT YOUTH ORGANIZING!

After delivering the decisive margin of victory to defeat Donald Trump in 2020 along with many of his handpicked midterm candidates in 2022, young voters will once again determine whether Democrats can defend the White House and take back full control of Congress this November. That's why Voters of Tomorrow and the Grassroots Democrats HQ are committed to training a record number of youth organizers to turn out young voters in swing states and House districts over the final weeks of this campaign.

With your support, we can reach another quarter million young voters in the swing states and House districts that will decide this election and ensure they have a plan to get to the polls.

If you are able, can you pitch in TODAY to ensure we turn out a record number of voters under 20 elect Kamala Harris and Tim Walz, and give them Democratic majorities in Congress?

Donate immediately:

Your contribution will benefit 2024 Voter Mobilization Fund.

[  ] Donate $20 →

[  ] Donate $50 →

[  ] Donate $100 →

[  ] Donate $250 →

[  ] Donate $500 →

[  ] Donate $1,000 →

[  ] Donate $2,500 →

[✓] Other amount $ 3.00

Please leave a tip for ActBlue

Power the nonprofit fundraising platform Democratic candidates & progressive causes rely on.

[  ] Add $2 tip

[  ] Leave no tip

[✓] Add custom amount $0.33 (11%)

And so, I made a one-time donation to the '2024 Voter Mobilization Fund' for Grassroots Dem HQ (GDHQ) and the Voters of Tomorrow PAC (VOT PAC) (with a tip to ActBlue), since "the Grassroots Dem HQ and Voters of Tomorrow [have] helped lay the foundation for victory in Nov by deploying hundreds of student organizers to turn out young voters in swing states ... and they’re not stopping now – GDHQ and VOT plan to contact another 250k [250,000] young voters before polls close on Nov 5th because direct voter contact is what it takes to win a race this close."

Thus, these two organizations—Grassroots Dem HQ (GDHQ), as well as the Voters of Tomorrow PAC (VOT PAC)—are the political organizations that I donated to today, which have come together as the '2024 Voter Mobilization Fund!' –Paul Whiting (written October 17th, 2024 and revised October 18th, 2024)

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October 19th, 2024 Update No. 1, Which Also Discusses October 18th, 2024: I received an email from United Farm Workers (UFW) yesterday, October 18th, 2024, with the subject line, "This election is critical. VOTE", which stated the following:

United Farm Workers
Si, Se Puede! UFW

This election is critical. VOTE

Dear Paul,

If you’re like us, you are feeling incredible urgency about the upcoming election and the threat to our nation's core values. One of the best tools in our fight for progress is our vote. Elections are critical for farm workers and our communities. We want to remind you that your federal, state senate, state assembly, county, and city district elections will choose the leaders who work for our most vulnerable communities including farm workers. On November 5, we must vote in huge numbers to preserve the stability of our democracy.

In our lifetimes, it would be difficult to find a time we faced such division, or such widespread threats to our nation’s core values. Together, we will meet this moment. The UFW and our members feel it is critical that we elect Kamala Harris and Tim Walz. They are not only supportive of farm workers, but also believe in the science of climate change and that labor rights are human rights.

Cesar Chavez once said, “We don’t need perfect political systems; we need perfect participation.” His words have never seemed more relevant than they are today.

To see the complete list of candidates the United Farm Workers has endorsed, go to https://ufw.org/endorsements (the list is periodically updated). Please consider our recommendations of candidates. Remember your vote is your voice. Make sure you use it.

Si Se Puede!

So, I wanted to share this email from United Farm Workers (UFW) in order to show my support for the UFW’s endorsement page. –Paul Whiting (October 19th, 2024)

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October 19th, 2024 Update No. 2: I received a text message today, October 19th, 2024, from March For Our Lives (MFOL), which stated the following:

This Domestic Violence Awareness Month, let’s talk about the connection between gun violence and domestic violence:

𝟲𝟴% 𝗼𝗳 𝗺𝗮𝘀𝘀 𝘀𝗵𝗼𝗼𝘁𝗶𝗻𝗴𝘀 involve a perpetrator with a history of domestic violence.

Domestic gun violence is a 𝗹𝗲𝗮𝗱𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗰𝗮𝘂𝘀𝗲 𝗼𝗳 𝗵𝗼𝗺𝗶𝗰𝗶𝗱𝗲 𝗱𝗲𝗮𝘁𝗵 for women in America.

Access to a gun makes it 𝟱𝘅 𝗺𝗼𝗿𝗲 𝗹𝗶𝗸𝗲𝗹𝘆 a woman will die at the hands of her abuser.

𝗧𝗵𝗶𝘀 𝗶𝘀 𝘂𝗻𝗮𝗰𝗰𝗲𝗽𝘁𝗮𝗯𝗹𝗲.

This past summer, SCOTUS overturned the Fifth Circuit court’s decision in U.S. v. Rahimi, upholding a life-saving federal law that bars domestic violence abusers from possessing guns.

It was a strong first step, but there’s still more to do.

We need to elect gun safety champions and we need courts to uphold laws that protect innocent victims. We’re organizing for that right NOW and we can’t slow down. Can you help us secure a future free of gun violence by chipping in to support our work?

— March For Our Lives

So, I wanted to share this email from March For Our Lives (MFOL) in order to show my support for this year's Domestic Violence Awareness Month. –Paul Whiting (written October 19th, 2024, revised October 24th, 2024 and revised October 30th, 2024)

P.S.: Just so you know, I used to make one-time donations to the organization that is the subject of these 'updates' each time that I took an action as requested by that organization; however, "I have changed the way that I make donations to political, progressive and charitable organizations each month ... due to the fact that I have been spending a considerable percentage of my monthly income on all of these donations." (The reader should know that I am HIV-positive with full-blown AIDS. And I am on Social Security Disability Insurance, or SSDI, so my income is quite limited.) Therefore, "I am greatly reducing the number of times that I donate for the same organization per month down to once—or as determined by me on a case-by-case basis." (Please see my 'August 19th, 2023 Update,' which can be found above.) Thus, because I have already donated to March For Our Lives (MFOL) on October 16th, 2024 (please see my 'October 16th, 2024 Update No. 6, Written From October 22nd, 2024 To October 30th, 2024, Which Also Discusses October 4th, 2024, October 10th, 2024, October 11th, 2024, October 13th, 2024, October 14th, 2024, October 15th, 2024 And October 16th, 2024' that can be found above) that is the one-time donation which I made to MFOL for October 2024.

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October 24th, 2024 Update No. 1: I have combined every political campaign, or political organization, donation request per day (made via email or text message) into one 'update' for each day that I donate, so that I don't have to write individual 'updates' for political campaign donations, or political organization donations!

You see, I used to write one 'update' for each of the individual campaign political donations, or political organization donations, that I made virtually every time that I made a political donation. And within each 'update' I included the text from each political campaign's, or political organization's, requesting email or text message, along with some of each campaign's, or organization's, donation page text on the ActBlue website, as well as how much I donated to each campaign, or organization, plus whether I included a tip to ActBlue and how much I tipped.

(By the way, I still write individual 'updates' for political campaign, or political organization, mailers that I receive through the regular mail, because they are usually more elaborate political donation requests, which is why I don't include them with these email or text message requests.)

Plus, the 2024 election cycle is now in the homestretch and I have made a goal of donating only one $1.00 donation per local political campaign here in Oregon (more on that below), or $2.00 per political organization, for the rest of the election cycle! And that means after I make that one donation per campaign, or per organization—regardless of whether I donated in 2023, or 2024—I am only donating once per campaign, or per organization, or as determined by me on a case-by-case basis. And I am only donating once per PAC (Political Action Committee) for the entire election cycle, or as determined by me on a case-by-case basis, because that is all that I can really afford for the 2024 Presidential Election. (The reader should know that I am HIV-positive with full-blown AIDS. And I am on Social Security Disability Insurance, or SSDI, so my income is quite limited.) I hope that makes sense!

Besides that, as of March 21st, 2024, I am no longer donating to individual political campaigns for the foreseeable future (with the exception of local campaigns here in Oregon), or as determined by me on a case-by-case basis (please see my 'March 21st, 2024 Update No. 2,' which can be found above).

In addition to that, starting on July 4th, 2024, I have decided—yet again—to adjust the amount that I donate per political organization again, so that I can donate to even more political organizations and PACs (Political Action Committees) while I am still staying within my 'monthly donating budget.'

And I made the previous three adjustments on the following dates: June 16th, 2024 (please see my 'June 16th, 2024 Update No. 7, Written On June 17th, 2024, Which Also Discusses May 25th, 2024, June 2nd, 2024, June 6th, 2024, June 7th, 2024, June 10th, 2024, June 15th, 2024 And June 16th, 2024' that can be found above), and on May 12th, 2024 (please see my 'May 12th, 2024 Update No. 4, Written On May 13th, 2024, Which Also Discusses April 19th, 2024, May 1st, 2024, May 2nd, 2024, May 6th, 2024, As Well As May 11th, 2024' that can be found above), as well as on March 29th, 2024 (please see my 'March 29th, 2024 Update No. 1, Which Also Discusses March 17th, 2024' that can be found above), respectively.

Therefore, I recently used to donate "$3.00 per political organization"; however, I have decided to adjust that amount yet again, so that I can donate to more political organizations and PACs (Political Action Committees) while I am still staying within my 'monthly donating budget,' since I am now donating to more organizations as the 2024 Presidential Election cycle enters the homestretch.

Thus, for the rest of the 2024 election cycle—as well as for the foreseeable future—I have made a goal of donating $1.00 per local political campaign only here in Oregon (with a 7% tip to ActBlue of $0.07), or as determined by me on a case-by-case basis; and a goal of donating $2.00 per political organization for donation requests via email or text message (with a 7% tip to ActBlue of $0.14), or as determined by me on a case-by-case basis; as well as a goal of donating $3.00 per political organization, or per PAC, for donation requests via the regular mail (with a 7% tip to ActBlue of $0.21), or as determined by me on a case-by-case basis.

To sum it up, then: I am reducing the total individual campaign donation amount to $1.07 (from $2.14, which was previously $3.21) and I am still only donating to local campaigns here in Oregon, or as determined by me on a case-by-case basis; and I am reducing the total donation amount for political organizations and PACs for email and text message donation requests to $2.14 (from $3.21, which was previously $4.28, as well as $5.35 before that), or as determined by me on a case-by-case basis; plus, I am reducing the total donation amount for political organizations and PACs for regular mail donation requests to $3.21 (from $4.28, which was previously $5.35, as well as $7.51 before that), or as determined by me on a case-by-case basis.

So, without further ado...

The only political communication to which I responded was a text message today, October 24th, 2024, from the League of Conservation Voters (LCV), which stated the following:

PROJECT 2025 Alert:

League of Conservation Voters is going all out to STOP Project 2025 -- and this is important. Project 2025's agenda includes:
🚫Gutting the EPA & its safeguards against pollution
🚫Dismantling NOAA & its research
🚫Eliminating Energy Department renewable energy offices

The future of democracy and the environment comes down to what we do NOW. A group of donors have put up a triple match to help fund our campaigns. We're asking for your help. Can you pitch in to STOP Project 2025?***

LCV

LEAGUE OF CONSERVATION VOTERS
We envision a world with clean air, clean water, public lands, and a safe climate that are protected by a just and equitable democracy for generations to come.

TRIPLE YOUR IMPACT: STOP PROJECT 2025

Project 2025, a 920-page blueprint launched by an alliance of right-wing groups, is a methodical, detailed plan for how to systematically take over the government, take away rights and freedoms and dismantle the government in service of private industry.

League of Conservation Voters is going all out to STOP Project 2025 --and this is important. The future of democracy and the environment comes down to what we do NOW.

A group of donors have put up a triple match to help fund our campaigns. We're asking for your help. Can you pitch in to STOP Project 2025?

YOUR DONATION

[✓] ONE-TIME
[  ] MONTHLY ← Make it monthly to fight for our planet year round.

[  ] $35
[  ] $50
[  ] $100
[  ] $250
[  ] $500
[✓] $5.33

YOUR INFORMATION

First Name: Paul
Last Name: Whiting
Address: [redacted]
Apt/Suite (Optional): [redacted]
City: [redacted]
State/Province: [redacted]
Email: [redacted]
Employer: [redacted]
Occupation: [redacted]

DONATE $5.33

And so, I made a one-time donation to the League of Conservation Voters (LCV) (this donation was made through FastAction, which does not offer a tip box), because the "League of Conservation Voters is going all out to STOP Project 2025," which is "a 920-page blueprint launched by an alliance of right-wing groups, [that] is a methodical, detailed plan for how to systematically take over the government, take away rights and freedoms and dismantle the government in service of private industry."

Thus, this one organization—the League of Conservation Voters—is the political organization that I donated to today! –Paul Whiting (October 24th, 2024)

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October 24th, 2024 Update No. 2: I received an email from VoteVets today, October 24th, 2024, with the subject line, "This is a time for political courage, and I need your help.", which stated the following:

Paul, [name redacted] here. Retired Major General, U.S. Army, now with VoteVets.

In my estimation, we have one opportunity to break the hold that Donald Trump still has on millions of Americans; on Active Duty members of the Military, Veterans, members of Military Families, and more.

I believe that we need leaders of political courage to speak out in order to do it.

What I mean by that is the political courage shown by former Congresswoman [name redacted], who stood up to her own party in the face of Trump’s lawlessness and dictatorial aims.

The courage shown by General [name redacted], Trump’s former Chief of Staff, who went forward publicly with his deep concerns about Trump — his belief that Trump meets the definition of a fascist, Trump’s fascination with and admiration of Hitler, Trump’s desire to be served by generals with absolute loyalty “like Hitler’s Generals,” and his continuous attacks on the dignity of the fallen, the wounded, the captured, and all who serve.

Now is the time for Generals [name redacted], [name redacted], and so many others who served under Trump to speak directly to the American people. Now is the time to say publicly what they have been reported as saying in private.

Each of them swore the same oath I did: To support and defend the Constitution of the United States against all enemies, foreign and domestic. It is their duty to speak out now.

Donald Trump is a grave domestic threat to our Constitution, and we desperately need leaders of character, conscience, and courage to do whatever they can to ensure he does not become our Commander in Chief once more.

Join me in calling upon Generals [name redacted], [name redacted], and any other leaders who have served in close proximity to Trump to speak out, in public, directly to the American people. There is no time to waste.

ADD YOUR NAME:

https://act.votevets.org/signup/241024_vv_em_milley_mattis

Thank you.

Very Respectfully,

[Name redacted]
[Title redacted], VoteVets
Major General, U.S. Army, Retired

And so, I added my name to this petition in order to respectfully "call upon [name redacted], [name redacted], and any former Trump advisors who served in his administration to come forward publicly with their concerns and criticism," because "the American people deserve to hear from them." –Paul Whiting (written October 24th, 2024 and revised October 30th, 2024)

P.S.: Just so you know, I used to make one-time donations to the organization that is the subject of these 'updates' each time that I took an action as requested by that organization; however, "I have changed the way that I make donations to political, progressive and charitable organizations each month ... due to the fact that I have been spending a considerable percentage of my monthly income on all of these donations." (The reader should know that I am HIV-positive with full-blown AIDS. And I am on Social Security Disability Insurance, or SSDI, so my income is quite limited.) Therefore, "I am greatly reducing the number of times that I donate for the same organization per month down to once—or as determined by me on a case-by-case basis." (Please see my 'August 19th, 2023 Update,' which can be found above.) Thus, because I have already donated to VoteVets on October 16th, 2024 (please see my 'October 16th, 2024 Update No. 6, Written From October 22nd, 2024 To October 30th, 2024, Which Also Discusses October 4th, 2024, October 10th, 2024, October 11th, 2024, October 13th, 2024, October 14th, 2024, October 15th, 2024 And October 16th, 2024' that can be found above) that is the one-time donation which I made to VoteVets for October 2024.

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October 24th, 2024 Update No. 3: I received a text message today, October 24th, 2024, from Brady: United Against Gun Violence, which stated the following:

Paul – it's Coach [name redacted]. I won't stand idly by during an election that is a matter of life and death for so many Americans.

In Paris, our Olympic basketball teams won gold because players put aside rivalries to represent our country. Imagine what we could do with millions of us playing on the same team.
Not as Democrats. Not as Republicans. 𝘽𝙪𝙩 𝙖𝙨 𝘼𝙢𝙚𝙧𝙞𝙘𝙖𝙣𝙨.

If we work together, I know that we can create a better country – one safe from gun violence – for our children and grandchildren. Brady is leading that fight.

𝗦𝗼 𝗜 𝘄𝗮𝗻𝘁 𝘁𝗼 𝗸𝗻𝗼𝘄: 𝗔𝗿𝗲 𝘆𝗼𝘂 𝗼𝗻 𝘁𝗵𝗶𝘀 𝘁𝗲𝗮𝗺? 𝗧𝗵𝗶𝘀 𝘁𝗲𝗮𝗺 𝘁𝗵𝗮𝘁'𝘀 𝗱𝗲𝗱𝗶𝗰𝗮𝘁𝗲𝗱 𝘁𝗼 𝗲𝗹𝗲𝗰𝘁𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗴𝘂𝗻 𝘃𝗶𝗼𝗹𝗲𝗻𝗰𝗲 𝗽𝗿𝗲𝘃𝗲𝗻𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻 𝗰𝗵𝗮𝗺𝗽𝗶𝗼𝗻𝘀 𝘂𝗽 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗱𝗼𝘄𝗻 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗯𝗮𝗹𝗹𝗼𝘁; 𝘁𝗵𝗶𝘀 𝘁𝗲𝗮𝗺 𝘁𝗵𝗮𝘁 𝘄𝗶𝗹𝗹 𝗱𝗲𝗳𝗲𝗮𝘁 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗴𝘂𝗻 𝗹𝗼𝗯𝗯𝘆'𝘀 𝗯𝗹𝗼𝗼𝗱 𝗺𝗼𝗻𝗲𝘆 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗽𝗮𝘀𝘀 𝗹𝗶𝗳𝗲-𝘀𝗮𝘃𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗹𝗲𝗴𝗶𝘀𝗹𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻; 𝘁𝗵𝗶𝘀 𝘁𝗲𝗮𝗺 𝘁𝗵𝗮𝘁 𝘄𝗶𝗹𝗹 𝘄𝗶𝗻.

𝗪𝗶𝗹𝗹 𝘆𝗼𝘂 𝘀𝗶𝗴𝗻 𝘆𝗼𝘂𝗿 𝗻𝗮𝗺𝗲 𝗻𝗼𝘄 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗹𝗲𝘁 𝗺𝗲 𝗸𝗻𝗼𝘄 𝘆𝗼𝘂'𝗿𝗲 𝗶𝗻 𝘁𝗵𝗶𝘀 𝗳𝗶𝗴𝗵𝘁 𝘄𝗶𝘁𝗵 𝗺𝗲? >>***

–Coach [name redacted], gun violence survivor

Brady
United Against Gun Violence

Thank you for taking action. Will you take just 60 seconds to answer a few questions that will help us shape our strategy to prevent gun violence and keep our communities safe? — Team Brady

Research shows that gun safety reforms like an Assault Weapons Ban make communities safer and lower gun violence. But the NRA and the gun lobby are doing everything they can to block this critical legislation.

Do you believe that the gun lobby has too much influence in Washington?

[✓] Yes
[  ] No

Which of the following gun safety policies do you think Congress should prioritize in the current session? (Select as many as you'd like.)

[✓] Regulating ghost guns
[✓] Banning assault weapons
[✓] Expanding background checks
[✓] Raising the minimum purchase age
[✓] Banning high-capacity magazines
[  ] Other:

In 2022, after the tragedy in Uvalde, Congress passed the most significant gun safety legislation in decades. But with Republicans now in control of the House, the NRA has been able to block any further life-saving legislation.

As we head into a critical election year, how worried are you that the gun lobby could gain even more power in Washington?

[✓] Extremely worried
[  ] Very worried
[  ] Somewhat worried
[  ] Not at all worried

At Brady, we're doing everything we can to prevent gun violence and win leaders who will fight for life-saving reforms. We know we can save lives and save families from the unending pain of loss by taking action, but we can't do it alone. Are you committed to helping prevent gun violence by joining us to demand change?

[✓] Yes, I'm all in — how can I help?
[  ] No — I'm not concerned about gun violence.

Brady is a grassroots organization dedicated to preventing gun violence and saving lives with common-sense bipartisan gun safety legislation — and our work has never been more important. Our teams are working directly with the Biden-Harris administration to take action on common-sense gun safety measures that will save lives.

We set a goal to raise $25,000 to honor shooting victims by fighting to ban assault weapons - but we're still falling short with just hours left until our midnight deadline.

Will you rush $5 to help Brady prevent gun violence and save lives?

[  ] Yes, I'll give $5!
[  ] Yes, I can give $36 (this is the average online Brady donation).
[✓] Yes, and I can give more!*

*[Blogger's Note: I was actually planning to make a donation to Brady: United Against Gun Violence; however, after I ran the calculations, I realized that the numbers weren't adding up correctly in my 'monthly donating budget' in order for me to make a donation to Brady for this email. And I tried out as many different amounts as I could in order to get to the correct totals within my 'monthly donating budget,' but none of them added up correctly across the entire budget. So, even though I was planning to donate at first, I opted to not donate this time.]

So, I wanted to share this email from Brady: United Against Gun Violence in order to sign my name to show that I am "𝗼𝗻 𝘁𝗵𝗶𝘀 𝘁𝗲𝗮𝗺 ... 𝘁𝗵𝗮𝘁'𝘀 𝗱𝗲𝗱𝗶𝗰𝗮𝘁𝗲𝗱 𝘁𝗼 𝗲𝗹𝗲𝗰𝘁𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗴𝘂𝗻 𝘃𝗶𝗼𝗹𝗲𝗻𝗰𝗲 𝗽𝗿𝗲𝘃𝗲𝗻𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻 𝗰𝗵𝗮𝗺𝗽𝗶𝗼𝗻𝘀 𝘂𝗽 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗱𝗼𝘄𝗻 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗯𝗮𝗹𝗹𝗼𝘁; 𝘁𝗵𝗶𝘀 𝘁𝗲𝗮𝗺 𝘁𝗵𝗮𝘁 𝘄𝗶𝗹𝗹 𝗱𝗲𝗳𝗲𝗮𝘁 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗴𝘂𝗻 𝗹𝗼𝗯𝗯𝘆'𝘀 𝗯𝗹𝗼𝗼𝗱 𝗺𝗼𝗻𝗲𝘆 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗽𝗮𝘀𝘀 𝗹𝗶𝗳𝗲-𝘀𝗮𝘃𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗹𝗲𝗴𝗶𝘀𝗹𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻; 𝘁𝗵𝗶𝘀 𝘁𝗲𝗮𝗺 𝘁𝗵𝗮𝘁 𝘄𝗶𝗹𝗹 𝘄𝗶𝗻." –Paul Whiting (October 24th, 2024)

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October 26th, 2024 Update No. 1: I received an email from the Armed Services YMCA (ASYMCA) today October 26th, 2024, with the subject line, "Honor our military on Day of the Deployed", which stated the following:

ARMED SERVICES YMCA

🎗️DAY OF THE DEPLOYED
10.26.24

Dear Paul,

Today is Day of the Deployed, a time to honor all U.S. military personnel deployed in service to our country. It's also a moment to recognize the sacrifices made by their families during deployment.

On this day, we proudly display our gold ribbons, symbols of our deep respect and gratitude for those who protect our nation.

Deployment is challenging not only for those serving but for their families, who must adjust to life with one less family member. Through the Armed Services YMCA's unique programs, we support junior-enlisted families, helping them navigate the difficulties of military life. This allows service members to focus on their mission, without worrying about their loved ones back home.

In today's world, where mission readiness is more crucial than ever, this support is essential.

We ask you to consider honoring our military by making a gift to support the families of our deployed heroes.

Your gift of ANY amount will ensure military families get the help they need during deployment and beyond.

SEND MY SUPPORT***

Thanks for standing with military families this Day of the Deployed.

With gratitude,

[Name redacted]
Vice Admiral, USN, Ret.
[Title redacted] and [Title redacted]
Armed Services YMCA

ARMED SERVICES YMCA
NATIONAL HEADQUARTERS

Your Donation Supports Military Families

A strong military depends on strong families. Your gift to the ASYMCA helps junior enlisted servicemembers and their families navigate the unique challenges of military life, so no family is left behind.

Thanks for serving America's military families as they bravely serve ours.

[✓] One-time
[  ] Recurring

Choose a one-time amount.

[  ] $500
[  ] $100
[  ] $50
[  ] $25
[✓] USD $5.00

Your Information

Title: Mr.
First Name: Paul
Last Name: Whiting
Email: [redacted]

[✓] It's OK to contact me in the future.

Address: [redacted]
ZIP: [redacted]
City: [redacted]
State: [redacted]
Country: [redacted]
Phone Number: [redacted]

One-time donation $5.00 USD

And so, I made a one-time donation to the Armed Services YMCA (ASYMCA), because "today is Day of the Deployed, a time to honor all U.S. military personnel deployed in service to our country" and "it's also a moment to recognize the sacrifices made by their families during deployment." That is why "on this day, we proudly display our gold ribbons, symbols of our deep respect and gratitude for those who protect our nation." –Paul Whiting (October 26th, 2024)

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October 26th, 2024 Update No. 2: I received an email from Planned Parenthood Action Fund today, October 26th, 2024, with the subject line, "3 things you can do right now before the election", which stated, in part, the following:

Planned Parenthood Action Fund Update

Action Fund Update is the monthly newsletter for members of the Planned Parenthood Action Fund. As an associate member of the Action Fund, you'll receive timely, insider information on our legislative, advocacy, and electoral work.

Member News

Paul,

In less than two weeks, millions of people will have the chance to use their voices (and their ballots) to protect and expand abortion rights.

In 10 states, including Florida, Missouri, Arizona, and my home state of Nevada abortion is literally on the ballot. Voters like me will have the opportunity to vote on ballot measures that could reverse abortion bans enacted after Roe v. Wade was overturned and protect reproductive freedom for future generations.

But in every state — whether there’s an abortion ballot measure or not — reproductive freedom is still on the ballot. Every vote could help elect leaders who will fight to protect, restore, and expand the fundamental right to abortion.

We cannot miss this chance to turn the tide and win the fight.

We must continue to volunteer, spread the word — and VOTE! Grab a friend and volunteer (https://www.mobilize.us/ppaf) for the candidate in your neighborhood, drive your neighbor to the polls, fill out your ballot after dinner with your family… however you choose to show up to protect reproductive freedom matters. We’re in the final stretch of the fight of our lives, and we can build a future for all of us.

In solidarity,

[Name redacted], [Title redacted]
Planned Parenthood Action Fund

P.S. In many states, early voting has already begun! Check out our Election Day checklist below to get ready for Election Day.

P.P.S. Based on our records, it looks like your Associate Membership is going to expire soon. Don't miss out on timely, insider information on Planned Parenthood Action Fund's advocacy, legislative work, and electoral endorsements, as well as volunteer opportunities in your area. Click here to renew your membership.*

Take Action: Get ready for Election Day Election Day is just around the corner — are you ready?

1. Check that your voter registration is up-to-date (https://vote.gov/register) — especially if you’ve recently moved.

2. Make your plan to vote.

[✓] If you’ll be voting in person at a polling place, find your nearest voting location (https://www.nass.org/can-i-vote/find-your-polling-place)
[✓] See if early voting (https://www.ncsl.org/elections-and-campaigns/early-in-person-voting/nvep/%20/hmac/hmac) is an option for you.
[✓] If you have received your ballot in the mail, find a dropbox near you or drop off your ballot at a polling location!

3. Any questions about voting? Visit vote.gov (https://vote.gov/guide-to-voting) for more resources to make sure you’re ready to cast your ballot for reproductive health champions in November.

Volunteer with Abortion Right Champions

As we get closer to Election Day, it's more important than ever to take action and do our part!

You can volunteer with a Planned Parenthood Action Fund-endorsed candidate any day from now to Election Day. Sign up now! (https://www.mobilize.us/ppaf)

See the list of our endorsed candidates here (https://www.plannedparenthoodaction.org/endorsements)!

State Spotlight: Nebraska

Want to see a real-life example of anti-abortion rights politicians trying to prevent voters from protecting and expanding abortion rights?

Nebraska is the only state that will have not one, but two abortion measures on the ballot next month: one would expand and protect abortion access, while the other would make the state’s 12-week abortion ban permanent.

This intentionally confusing move is just another in a playbook of desperate attempts to restrict abortion, no matter what voters want.

Read more here >> https://www.vox.com/2024-elections/377639/nebraska-abortion-ballot-measure-trimester-ban-election-reproductive-freedom

Around the Web

NPR: Abortion providers — and patients — are on the move, as state laws keep shifting

https://www.npr.org/sections/shots-health-news/2024/09/17/nx-s1-5114359/abortion-rates-guttmacher-planned-parenthood-ban-states

Planned Parenthood Action Fund: No, Republicans Are Not Changing Their Tune on Abortion

https://www.plannedparenthoodaction.org/pressroom/ipm-no-republicans-are-not-changing-their-tune-on-abortion

The 19th: State supreme court races could determine abortion access in several states

https://19thnews.org/2024/10/state-supreme-court-races-could-determine-abortion-access

Visit plannedparenthoodaction.org

By the way, I read all of the articles referenced in the email above including the article with regard to how 'Nebraska is the only state that will have not one, but two abortion measures on the ballot next month: one would expand and protect abortion access, while the other would make the state’s 12-week abortion ban permanent,' which is titled, "Nebraska is the only state with two abortion measures on the ballot. Confusion is the point." I also read all of the articles listed under the 'Around the Web' sections above, which is what I always do when I receive these monthly newsletters from Planned Parenthood Action Fund—in addition to taking any requested action from the newsletter, if I haven't already taken that same requested action (or, those same requested actions), as noted from previous 'updates.'

*And, after I read the email above, I clicked on the hyperlink to the referenced webpage, regarding renewing my Associate Membership for the Planned Parenthood Action Fund, which can be found below:

Become a Planned Parenthood Action Fund Associate Member.

Membership is free and allows you full access to timely Action Fund updates, including information about our grassroots organizing, legislative and regulatory advocacy, electoral endorsements, and volunteer opportunities in your area — and gives you an opportunity to vote for a member of the Action Fund Board of Directors.

Your support and involvement will help make sure that the Planned Parenthood Action Fund continues to be a strong and powerful voice for reproductive health care in the U.S.

By submitting this form, I affirm that I want to become an associate member of the Planned Parenthood Action Fund.

First Name: Paul
Last Name: Whiting
Postal Code: [redacted]
Email: [redacted]
Mobile Phone (Optional): [redacted]

SUBMIT

And, after submitting the form above, I received a confirmation email today, October 26th, 2024, from the Planned Parenthood Action Fund with the subject line, "Thank you for your Associate Membership!", which stated the following:

Dear Paul,

Thank you for standing with us as an Associate Member of Planned Parenthood Action Fund!

Membership is free and allows you full access to timely Action Fund updates, including information about our grassroots organizing, legislative and regulatory advocacy, electoral endorsements, and volunteer opportunities in your area — and gives you an opportunity to vote for a member of the Action Fund Board of Directors.

You can also follow Planned Parenthood Action Fund on Facebook and Twitter.

We are so glad to have you with us!

Planned Parenthood Action Fund

National First Responders Day is yearly (annually) on October 28th! So, I decided to tell everyone in the United States of America that National First Responders Day is yearly (annually) on October 28th. Thus, in celebration of all that first responders do for us, I created this playlist in order to say "THANK YOU" to all of the first responders!

Plus, this is National Day Calendar's webpage regarding NATIONAL FIRST RESPONDERS DAY. An introduction to the webpage can be found below:

NATIONAL FIRST RESPONDERS DAY - October 28

National Day Calendar®

NATIONAL FIRST RESPONDERS DAY

October 28th sets aside National First Responders Day to honor the men and women who act quickly when an emergency is at hand.

#NationalFirstRespondersDay

First responders dedicate their lives to save lives. They are the people who run toward a crisis while the rest of the world flees. According to the Department of Homeland Security, 4.6 million career and volunteer first responders support the communities where they live. They are firefighters, police, emergency medical technicians (EMT), paramedics, and 911 operators. In an emergency, they're the first on the scene. These dedicated professionals answer the call when a crisis arises, often putting their own lives on the line.

Serving as a national day of gratitude, we pay tribute to their endless hours and around the clock service provided to their communities. As one of the most dangerous jobs in the country, the day also pays tribute to the fallen first responders. According to the CDC, 97 firefighters and 155 police officers die each year in the line of duty. Additionally, their rate of occupational injury is higher than the national average. Often, the very people saving lives are our neighbors, friends and family members. And their families know the price they pay for their dedication to the job.

And even though they are an integral part of our communities, their sacrifices go beyond the hours they work. They face high stress, often daily. The trauma they see wears on them both mentally and physically. Many experience Post Traumatic Stress. Long periods away from family add stress to their relationships, too.

National First Responders Day is also a call for action. First responders deserve our support. Through resources and awareness, first responders can live healthier more productive lives and pass their knowledge and skills on to the next generation of first responders, too. ...

Please see the hyperlink below for the webpage:

https://www.nationaldaycalendar.com/national-day/national-first-responders-day-october-28

In addition to that, here is the official proclamation from the White House regarding National First Responders Day 2024, which is titled, "A Proclamation on National First Responders Day, 2024," as can be found below:

The White House

October 25, 2024

A Proclamation on National First Responders Day, 2024

     On National First Responders Day, we recognize and celebrate all the brave first responders across our country who risk their lives to keep the rest of us safe.

     Our first responders represent the best of who we are as a people. They are the police officers and sheriff’s deputies who answer our calls, ready to help, no matter the situation. They are the firefighters running toward the flames to protect our communities. They are emergency medical technicians, paramedics, 911 dispatchers, 988 crisis responders, and all the medical professionals providing emergency care, who sacrifice so much to be there for us when a crisis hits. Our first responders are everyday heroes, and we are so grateful for their service. In the wake of Hurricane Milton and Hurricane Helene, we witnessed the courage and bravery of our first responders firsthand and just how much they sacrifice to keep the rest of us safe, including the brave search and rescue teams who have saved thousands of lives in the aftermath of the storms.

     My Administration is committed to supporting our first responders and ensuring they have access to the resources they need to thrive. During the COVID-19 pandemic, I signed the American Rescue Plan to keep first responders on the job, which provided billions of dollars to help cities, States, and Tribal Nations retain and hire more law enforcement officers, firefighters, and emergency health providers and pay their bonuses and overtime. I also signed the Protecting America’s First Responders Act, which expanded death, disability, and education benefits for first responders killed or permanently disabled in the line of duty and their families. My Administration is also making sure that firefighters are getting the health care they need by launching the National Firefighter Registry for Cancer — our Nation’s largest effort to reduce the risk of cancer among firefighters — providing access to job-related disability benefits for firefighters diagnosed with certain kinds of cancer or lung disease, and protecting firefighters from toxic PFAS [perfluoroalkyl and polyfluoroalkyl substances] chemicals in their gear and equipment.

     My Administration is working to make our communities safer and more resilient while keeping our first responders safe. I signed the most significant gun safety law in nearly 30 years while also strengthening background checks for gun purchasers and cracking down on illegal gun sales and ghost guns. And my Investing in America agenda included funding to make our communities more resilient to natural disasters.

     This month, Vice President Harris and I visited North Carolina and Florida in the aftermath of Hurricane Helene and Hurricane Milton. Lives were lost. Entire neighborhoods had been turned into debris. Portions of entire cities were underwater. But our first responders stepped up in this time of need, picking up the pieces and acting as a source of strength for everyone else. Today, may we honor the critical role first responders play in our lives — showing up in our darkest times to provide hope, light, and care.

     NOW, THEREFORE, I, JOSEPH R. BIDEN JR., President of the United States of America, by virtue of the authority vested in me by the Constitution and the laws of the United States, do hereby proclaim October 28, 2024, as National First Responders Day. I call upon all the people of the United States to observe this day with appropriate programs, ceremonies, and activities to honor our brave first responders and to pay tribute to those who have lost their lives in the line of duty.

     IN WITNESS WHEREOF, I have hereunto set my hand this twenty-fifth day of October, in the year of our Lord two thousand twenty-four, and of the Independence of the United States of America the two hundred and forty-ninth.

JOSEPH R. BIDEN JR.

Please see the hyperlink below for the proclamation:

https://www.whitehouse.gov/briefing-room/presidential-actions/2024/10/25/a-proclamation-on-national-first-responders-day-2024

–Paul Whiting (October 28th, 2024)

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For my "October 30th, 2024 Update No. 1, Which Also Discusses October 26th, 2024"—since this 'update' is a part of my ⋆USO⋆ donations—please see my blog post titled, "My Point Of View On...Giving Charity And Accepting Charity," which can be found on both of my "Paul Whiting — Math Magician" and "Paul Whiting — A Creative Writer" blogs. An overview of the 'update' can be found below:

October 30th, 2024 Update No. 1, Which Also Discusses October 26th, 2024:

I recently received two communications from the USO (United Service Organizations).

And the first communication, which I received on October 26th, 2024, was a mailer from the USO, with a 'front teaser message' on the envelope that read as follows:

EXCLUSIVELY PREPARED FOR:

Mr. Paul Whiting
[Street Address and Apt. No. redacted]
[City, State and ZIP Code redacted]

And the mailer above stated the following:

[I used to hand-type the text of the documents from these types of mailers on my smartphone; however, it takes a lot of time and energy in order to hand-type these kinds of documents: so, instead, I scanned and copied the documents using Google Lens! Then, I edited the copy of said documents to include all of the italicizing, bolding and/or underscoring where applicable.]

★★★ USO ★★★

From the Desk of [Name redacted], [Title redacted]

Mr. Paul Whiting
[Street Address and Apt. No. redacted]
[City, State and ZIP Code redacted]

October 2024

Dear Mr. Paul Whiting,

As an Air Force veteran who was deployed when my kids were very young, I deeply understand the immense sacrifices our military families make. I also recognize the incredible difference your support through the USO makes in their lives.

I'm writing today to express my heartfelt gratitude for your generous support since 2010. I am personally grateful, not only as the [title redacted] of the USO but also as a veteran and an American.

Over the past year, your contributions have been vital in funding support for more than 853,000 service members and military families through our USO programs. Our USO Centers have become a home away from home for those who serve, offering care packages that are essential during challenging deployments and warm meals that often mark the only celebration service members have during the holidays.

Recently, at the U.S. Navy's request, we opened our fifth USO Center on an aircraft carrier. This center is specifically aimed at addressing the mental health needs of sailors who can spend months living aboard a ship. Our goal is to provide a place of respite and support for service members, ensuring they never feel alone in their struggles.

This is a goal that I know you care about too. That's why I've enclosed your very own copy of the USO Global Impact Report, which was created for our most loyal supporters like you, to highlight what your help is doing for service members across the globe.

In your copy of the enclosed report, you'll meet some of the service members and military families who have directly benefitted from USO programs made possible by supporters like you. Military spouse and mother [name redacted] shares how a USO Center in Baumholder, Germany, has become her children's favorite home away from home as they adjust to living in a new country. You'll also hear from [name redacted], a mother of two kids who love sharing story time with their father — deployed 6,000 miles away — through the USO Reading Program.

As you can see, your support has had a meaningful impact on the lives of our courageous service members and their families. From the moment they join, through their deployments, and as they transition back to their communities, the USO is always by their side. And through your commitment, you have been by their side, too.

We're especially grateful for those who have chosen to join our Leadership Council, a dedicated group of our most generous donors who give $10,000 or more annually. The Leadership Council plays a crucial role in providing the USO with the flexibility to deploy resources quickly wherever they are needed most, ensuring that our essential programs continue uninterrupted.

It is because of supporters like you that we can continue to offer our brave service men and women a sense of home and our trademark support — no matter where they serve.

With my sincere gratitude,

[Name redacted]
Col, USAF (ret)
[Title redacted], USO

P.S. On behalf of all of those who are currently serving our country, thank you for your dedicated support of the USO mission. I hope you enjoy reading the USO Global Impact Report knowing that our work would not be possible without you.

P.P.S. To learn more about joining the USO Leadership Council, an exclusive group of the USO's most dedicated supporters, please visit www.USO.org/Leader or scan the QR code below.

You Are Invited to Join the USO Leadership Council

The US0 Leadership Council is a committed group of individuals and family foundations who give $10,000 or more over the course of a year. The Leadership Council provides unrestricted support, which allows the USC to respond to the most urgent needa ur service members and thek tamiles face — from rapid deployments to disaster response and more.

Leadership Council members enjoy exclusive benefits, such as access to USO special events and programs.

"QR code message": To learn more about Leadership Council giving levels and associated benefits, please visit www.USO.org/Leader or scan the code. ← Learn more!

The USO will provide you with a gift acknowledgment for your records and to help you receive your full tax deduction for any gift of $5 or more.

Your contribution will be joined with the contributions of others and used where it is needed most to strengthen the well-being of the people serving in America's military and their families.

---------------------------------------------

★★★ USO ★★★
FOR THE PEOPLE WHO SERVE

2023
GLOBAL IMPACT REPORT

[Here is where the text from the USO 2023 GLOBAL IMPACT REPORT appears, which can be seen in full on my blog post titled, "My Point Of View On...Giving Charity And Accepting Charity" that can be found on both of my "Paul Whiting — Math Magician" and "Paul Whiting — A Creative Writer" blogs, as I mentioned above, the hyperlinks to which can be found below...]

...And, after I read the letter and Global Impact Report above, I scanned the QR code to open the referenced webpage, the relevant text of which can be found below:

Leadership Giving

By supporting the USO, you can take satisfaction in knowing that your contributions have an immediate and direct impact in strengthening the well-being of the people serving in America’s military and their families.

— Leadership Council —

The USO Leadership Council recognizes individuals and family foundations who annually give $10,000 or more. Leadership level support plays a vital role in delivering the USO mission by providing the fiscal flexibility to execute ongoing programming as well as rapidly deploy resources as emergency response operations or national disasters occur.

For more than 83 years, the USO has been easing moments of separation, connecting military men and women to what matters most to them throughout their time of service and beyond—no matter where they serve. The Leadership Council members are unique in that each council member’s involvement in providing support can be crafted to their preference based on giving level.

By joining the Leadership Council, you can take great pride in knowing your generosity enables the USO to remain agile in responding to the ever-evolving needs of military life and therefore will have a meaningful impact on the lives of our courageous service members and their families. Additionally, you will enjoy other exclusive benefits, such as access to USO special events and programs and national recognition for your leadership gift.

Together with you, we can continue to provide the support that strengthens and comforts service members and ensures that they never feel forgotten.

Want to learn more?

GET INVOLVED >

https://uso.formstack.com/forms/uso_leadership_giving_contact_us

And the second communication, which I received today, October 30th, 2024, was an email from the USO with the subject line, "October Military Supporter Update", with regard to the USO's newsletter "YOUR USO AT WORK," Issue 127 / October 2024, which stated, in part, the following:

YOUR USO AT WORK
Issue 127 / October 2024

DONATE NOW »

https://secure.uso.org/2106_EVERGREEN_S

Paul,

Over the past few weeks, the USO has been supporting our military heroes deployed throughout the Southeastern United States as they assist our communities devastated by Hurricane Helene and Hurricane Milton. Thanks to your ongoing support, we've been able to stand by our military heroes as they tackle the immense challenge of hurricane relief efforts — helping not only their neighbors, but people across the country in their time of need.

As we look ahead to the change in seasons, we’re preparing for cold days and difficult times to come for our service members stationed around the world. We know we can count on you to stand with the USO to provide the best possible support for military heroes and their families. ...

And the following highlights from the USO's newsletter, which I selected to post, are regarding "The USO is on the ground supporting service members in their heroic hurricane relief efforts" and "USO helps military parents in Iraq send back-to-school care packages home," as well as "USO Incirlik hosts events for service members deployed to Turkish expeditionary sites," in addition to "Contribute to your Donor-Advised Fund (DAF), or start one, today!":

USO FRONT LINES

The USO is on the ground supporting service members in their heroic hurricane relief efforts

Thousands of our service members have been urgently deployed to aid in recovery efforts following Hurricane Helene and Hurricane Milton. For many, the mission has taken them far from home and loved ones. But for National Guard members, it's even more personal — they’re stepping up to rebuild the very communities they grew up in. Discover how we're supporting our heroes as they help families recover in the face of devastation.

https://www.uso.org/stories/3848-as-service-members-work-around-the-clock-on-hurricane-helene-relief-efforts-the-uso-is-by-their-side

[Blogger's Note: I read the USO's article titled, "As Service Members Work Around-the-Clock on Hurricane Helene Relief Efforts, the USO is by Their Side."]

---------------------------------------------

GET INSPIRED

USO helps military parents in Iraq send back-to-school care packages home

This year, our Al Asad USO Center in Iraq took one of our most popular programs, the USO Reading Program, and found a unique way to enhance it! Read more about how USO Al Asad is creating "reverse care packages" for military children starting a new school year.

https://www.uso.org/stories/3847-service-members-in-iraq-send-back-to-school-care-packages-to-their-children-at-home-through-the-uso

[Blogger's Note: I read the USO's article titled, "Service Members in Iraq Send Back-to-School Care Packages to Their Children at Home Through the USO."]

---------------------------------------------

EVENTS

USO Incirlik hosts events for service members deployed to Turkish expeditionary sites

Our USO Incirlik Center is giving service members in Turkey the chance to unwind through fun events like video game tournaments and arts & crafts nights. These moments of relaxation are more than just fun — they're essential for maintaining well-being during deployment. From candle-making to recording books for their children through the USO Reading Program, service members find comfort and connect to home.

Learn more about our programs for service members and families at USO Centers around the world.

https://www.uso.org/programs

[Blogger's Note: I read the USO's article titled, "Programs: The USO works in more than 250 locations and offers programs to keep service members connected to the people, places and things they love."]

---------------------------------------------

OTHER WAYS TO GIVE

Contribute to your Donor-Advised Fund (DAF), or start one, today!

October 10 was DAF day, which is why we wanted to remind you that contributing to the USO through a DAF is the best way to ensure you are receiving your maximum tax benefit each year. Learn more about setting up your DAF today.

https://www.uso.org/daf

[Blogger's Note: I read the USO's webpage titled, "Increase Your Impact with a Donor-Advised Fund (DAF): A Strategic Way to Support the USO."]

---------------------------------------------

...Thank you for supporting our nation’s heroes.

And, even before I read the letter and the Global Impact Report from the mailer above, as well as before I read the email above—since I was already planning to donate—I made a one-time donation on the USO.org website in order to support the USO's following statement: "Our service members keep our nation safe. And we work hard to keep them connected to home but we can't do that without support from military supporters like you. Our heroes are counting on you to be a part of this important work for our country. So please, donate now."

In addition to that, I already make a recurring monthly donation to the USO in order to show my support for our U.S. Military Personnel! You see, I usually make one-time donations to the USO each month—as often as I can manage when they request a donation via email or text message. Therefore, I am planning to continue making one-time donations to the USO in the future, as often as I can manage to make donations, in addition to making the aforementioned recurring monthly donation. ...
Please see the hyperlinks below for the post, within which you can do a find-in-page search for the 'update' labeled, "October 30th, 2024 Update No. 1, Which Also Discusses October 26th, 2024":

https://paulwhitingmath.blogspot.com/2015/05/my-point-of-view-on-charity.html

https://paulwhitingwriting.blogspot.com/2022/07/my-point-of-view-on-part-16-giving-to.html

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October 31st, 2024 Update No. 1, Written 0n November 1st, 2024 About October 2024: This 'update' is special, since I am continuing to change the way that I make donations to political, progressive and charitable organizations each month! And because I first changed the way that I make donations starting in August 2023, this update is also technically a follow-up to the following:

▪ August 19th, 2023 Update
▪ August 19th, 2023 Update—Follow-Up No. 1, Written On August 31st, 2023
▪ August 19th, 2023 Update—Follow-Up No. 2, Written On October 1st, 2023 About September 2023
▪ August 19th, 2023 Update—Follow-Up No. 3, Written On November 1st, 2023 About October 2023
▪ August 19th, 2023 Update—Follow-Up No. 4, Written On December 1st, 2023 About November 2023
▪ August 19th, 2023 Update—Follow-Up No. 5, Written On January 1st, 2024 About December 2023

Besides that, because this is the year 2024—where I am continuing to change the way that I make donations to political, progressive and charitable organizations that I started changing in 2023—this update is also a follow-up to the following:

▪ January 31st, 2024 Update No. 3, Written On February 1st, 2024 About January 2024

▪ February 29th, 2024 Update No. 3, Written On March 1st, 2024 About February 2024

▪ March 31st, 2024 Update No. 6, Written On April 2nd, 2024 About March 2024

▪ April 30th, 2024 Update No. 2, Written On May 1st, 2024 About April 2024

▪ May 31st, 2024 Update No. 3, Written On June 1st, 2024 About May 2024

▪ June 30th, 2024 Update No. 1, Written On July 1st, 2024 About June 2024

▪ July 31st, 2024 Update No. 1, Written From August 1st, 2024 To August 2nd, 2024 About July 2024

▪ August 31st, 2024 Update No. 6, Written From September 1st, 2024 To September 2nd, 2024 About August 2024

▪ September 30th, 2024 Update No. 3, Written 0n October 1st, 2024 About September 2024

Please let me explain: I spent A LOT the year before last (2022) because I was "doing everything in my power to help Democrats win in the 2022 Midterm Elections!" And I also spent QUITE A BIT last year (2023) because I was trying to 'put my money where my mouth is' regarding my activism throughout the year. And so, I ended up with a rather considerable credit card balance...

...Now, this is my only credit card—that I got through my regular bank—and I was enjoying an interest-free period on my charges up until August 2023! Thus, my carefree days of not paying for any interest on my credit card balance were officially over last year. And my minimum payments were going to be a rather large percentage of the amount that I had set aside in my monthly budget for my minimum payment, as well as my extra payment, on my credit card each month.

So, in response to this change in my minimum payments, I changed the way that I donated to political, progressive and charitable organizations, starting in 2023, due to the fact that I was spending a considerable percentage of my monthly income on all of these donations in 2023—as outlined below—starting with January of 2023.

January 2023:
Total percentage of my monthly income for political, progressive and charitable donations: 15%

February 2023:
Total percentage of my monthly income for political, progressive and charitable donations: 19%

March 2023:
Total percentage of my monthly income for political, progressive and charitable donations: 12%

April 2023:
Total percentage of my monthly income for political, progressive and charitable donations: 17%

May 2023:
Total percentage of my monthly income for political, progressive and charitable donations: 21%

June 2023:
Total percentage of my monthly income for political, progressive and charitable donations: 20%

July 2023:
Total percentage of my monthly income for political, progressive and charitable donations: 17%

August 2023:
Total percentage of my monthly income for political, progressive and charitable donations: 23%

September 2023:
Total percentage of my monthly income for political, progressive and charitable donations: 20%

October 2023:
Total percentage of my monthly income for political, progressive and charitable donations: 31%

November 2023:
Total percentage of my monthly income for political, progressive and charitable donations: 71%

December 2023:
Total percentage of my monthly income for political, progressive and charitable donations: 31%

And so, if I average out the total percentage in 2023 that I spent on political, progressive and charitable organizations from January 2023 through December 2023, it comes out to be 25% of my monthly income! (The reader should know that I am HIV-positive with full-blown AIDS. And I am on Social Security Disability Insurance, or SSDI, so my income is quite limited.)

That is the reason I started really "tightening my belt," so to speak, with regard to all of the donations that I am making on my credit card each month! So, my plan is to only donate to political, progressive and charitable organizations if they specifically ask for donations—and not just for the sake of donating to them at least once per month, or even when I have been taking some sort of action, such as signing a petition, or sending a letter, etc. Thus, I am trying to greatly reduce the number of donations that I make to simply once in a while, or as determined by me on a case-by-case basis!

You see, there are a lot of organizations that I literally donate to only once per year—such as for Giving Tuesday—which is all that I ever donate to them. And that is basically what I am striving for, so that I am still donating to political, progressive and charitable organizations, but the bare minimum that I can donate, since that's all I can really afford.

Therefore, I am no longer donating for every one of the email or text messages that I receive (to which I choose to respond), which are requesting me to take action that also come from the same organization, with the exception of the USO (United Service Organizations), or as determined by me on a case-by-case basis. And I am reducing how much I donate for the regular mail requests that I receive (to which I choose to respond) to take action.

That is why I will still be responding to some of the email or text messages that I receive (to which I choose to respond), which are requesting me to take action, as well as to some of the regular mail requests that I receive (to which I choose to respond), which are requesting me to take action; however, when I do donate, I am reducing the number of times that I donate for the same organization per month down to once—or as determined by me on a case-by-case basis—in addition to reducing the amount that I donate to organizations from which I receive mailers.

Thus, when I do donate, I will only be donating once per month for each political, progressive or charitable organization, with the exception of the USO, or as determined by me on a case-by-case basis. (You see, I make a recurring monthly donation to the USO in order to show my support for our U.S. Military Personnel! Plus, I usually make one-time donations to the USO each month—as often as I can manage when they request a donation via email or text message. Therefore, I am planning to continue making one-time donations to the USO in the future, as often as I can manage to make donations, in addition to making the aforementioned recurring monthly donation.)

In addition to that, as of March 21st, 2024, I am no longer donating to individual political campaigns for the foreseeable future—or as determined by me on a case-by-case basis (such as to Kamala Harris's campaign for President of the United States, or to local campaigns here in Oregon), but I am not donating like I have been up until this point—which has been virtually every time that I have received a political campaign donation request via email or text message—because I seriously cannot afford to donate that much for the rest of the 2024 Presidential Election cycle, as well as for the foreseeable future.

And I have made this decision based upon how much these individual political campaign donations are costing in my 'monthly donating budget'—even though I have only been donating $3.00 with a $0.21 tip to ActBlue. However, it's still more than I can afford given my 'monthly donating budget,' which is why I have decided to stop donating to individual political campaigns entirely—or as determined by me on a case-by-case basis, as mentioned above.

And to clarify one more thing: In the past, I used to only donate to the main Democratic fundraising and coordinating organizations—rather than to individual campaigns—since that's all I really could afford given my 'monthly spending budget,' because I am "low income." Plus, those Democratic fundraising and coordinating organizations help all of the individual political campaigns with funding, which is why I used to only donate to those main organizations. And I only started donating to individual political campaigns in 2022, since I was "doing everything in my power to help Democrats win in the 2022 Midterm Elections!" Therefore, this decision to stop donating to individual political campaigns (with the exception of presidential campaigns and local campaigns, or as determined by me on a case-by-case basis) is really just going back to the way that I used to make political donations.

And now that yesterday, October 31st, 2024, was the last day of October 2024, I wanted to provide you with October's total percentage of my monthly income for political, progressive and charitable donations:

October 2024:
Total percentage of my monthly income for political, progressive and charitable donations: 11.91% {11.91220142027%}

And here are the percentages that I have spent on political, progressive and charitable organizations by category, as outlined within my monthly budget:

[01] News Organizations: 0.32% {0.32278889606%}
[02] Rock the Vote: 0.32% {0.32278889606%}
[03] Vote for Equality: 0.35% {0.34538411878%}
[04] The Seneca Project: 0.35% {0.34538411878%}
[05] Vote.org: 0.21% {0.21497740477%}
[06] IAVA (Iraq & Afghan. Vet. of Amer.): 0.32% {0.32278889606%}
[07] ACLU (Amer. Civ. Lib. Union): 0.32% {0.32278889606%}
[08] Doctors w/o Borders: 0.32% {0.32278889606%}
[09] UFW (Unite. Farm Work.): 0.32% {0.32278889606%}
[10] USO (United Serv. Orgs.): 1.10% {1.09748224661%}
[11] Harris Victory Fund: 0.55% {0.55261459005%}
[12] DNC (Dem. Nation. Cam. Comm.): 0.28% {0.27630729502%}
[13] DCCC (Dem. Congress. Cam. Comm.): 0.21% {0.20723047127%}
[14] DLCC (Dem. Legis. Cam. Comm.): 0.21% {0.20723047127%}
[15] DPO (Dem. Party of Ore.): 0.21% {0.20723047127%}
[16] Non-Categorized Political: 0.35% {0.34538411878%}
[17] March For Our Lives: 0.14% {0.13815364751%}
[18] DASS (Dem. Assoc. Secr. of State): 0.14% {0.13815364751%}
[19] Educated We Stand: 0.14% {0.13815364751%}
[20] VoteVets: 0.14% {0.13815364751%}
[21] Ban Assault Weapons NOW: 0.14% {0.13815364751%}
[22] Harris for President: 0.21% {0.20723047127%}
[23] Voto Latino: 0.14% {0.13815364751%}
[24] DSCC (Dem. Senate. Cam. Comm.): 0.06% {0.06907682375%}
[25] DGA (Dem. Govern. Assoc.): 0.06% {0.06907682375%}
[26] Jon Tester for Senate: 0.06% {0.06907682375%}
[27] DAGA (Dem. Attorneys. Gen. Assoc.): 0.14% {0.13815364751%}
[28] CBC PAC (Congressional Black Caucus PAC): 0.14% {0.13815364751%}
[29] DA (Dems. Abroad): 0.14% {0.13815364751%}
[30] DMA (Dem. Mayors Assoc.): 0.14% {0.13815364751%}
[31] EMILYs List: 0.14% {0.13815364751%}
[32] Four Directions Native Vote: 0.14% {0.13815364751%}
[33] Jane Fonda Climate PAC: 0.14% {0.13815364751%}
[34] Rolling Sea PAC: 0.14% {0.13815364751%}
[35] Teachers Unify To End Gun Violence: 0.14% {0.13815364751%}
[36] Voters of Tomorrow PAC: 0.14% {0.13815364751%}
[37] Monthly Political: 2.32% {2.32408005164%}
[38] "2024 Voter Mobilization Fund": 0.21% {0.21497740477%}
[39] The People's Campaign: 0.35% {0.34538411878%}
-------Please see [40] below-------
-------Please see [41] below-------
[42] League of Conservation Voters: 0.34% {0.3440929632%}
[43] Armed Services YMCA: 0.32% {0.32278889606%}

Monthly Income Total Percentage Calculation:

2.24% {7 × 0.32%}
+ 1.40% {4 × 0.35%}
+ 0.43% {2 × 0.21497740477% = 0.42995480954%}
+ 1.10%
+ 0.55%
+ 0.28%
+ 0.83% {4 × 0.20723047127% = 0.82892188508%}
+ 2.24% {16 × 0.14%}
+ 0.18% {3 × 0.06%}
+ 2.32%
+ 0.34%
= 11.91%

Plus, here are the percentages that I have spent on interest and credit card purchases, as outlined within my monthly budget:

[40] Monthly Interest: 6.37% {6.37056165267%}
[41] Credit Card Purchases: 3.57% {3.57456423499%}

Total Percentage of Monthly Income from Interest and Purchases: 9.94% {9.94512588766%}

Grand Total Percentage of Monthly Income for October 2024: 21.85% {21.85732730794%}

And starting in 2024, I totally changed the way that I approach how I calculate what I am spending on my credit card each month! So now, I take the total amount that I have available in my monthly budget for my minimum payment on my credit card—as well as my extra payment—and I calculate how much I am reducing that amount each time that I charge on my credit card.

That way, I am very aware of the amount by which I am reducing my total available credit card payments for the month (the minimum payment and the extra payment) in order to, hopefully, pay more on my credit card than I am spending! Plus, I am also utilizing some funds from my budgeted expenses, as well as some funds from my savings, to make sure that I am paying a little more than I am spending while—at the same time—I am also trying to spend less on my credit card.

For example, I made one set of donations for the month of October 2024 (on October 16th) to Democratic fundraising and coordinating political organizations—and to one campaign—regarding the national races for the House of Representatives (the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee), the Senate (the Democratic Senatorial Campaign Committee) and the President of the United States (the Democratic National Committee and Harris for President, or the Harris Victory Fund), as well as the state races for the Governors (the Democratic Governors Association), the Secretaries of State (the Democratic Association of Secretaries of State), the Attorneys General (the Democratic Attorneys General Association) the State Legislatures (the Democratic Legislative Campaign Committee), and the Mayors (Democratic Mayors Association, or the National Conference of Democratic Mayors), during this ninth month of the year for the 2024 Presidential Election.

Now, this is where I usually say the following on these donation 'updates' that I write each month:

That is why I am trying to contribute, during each month of 2024, as much as I am able to donate to Democratic political organizations—as well as to Democratic political campaigns—while I am still trying to stay within a 'monthly donating budget,' since that's all I can really afford! Now, that means I can only donate ONCE for the entire month to each of the above-mentioned seven organizations (and one campaign!) in order to stay within my 'monthly donating budget.' Period. And that is how I am planning to budget for my credit card charges in order to see if it is "feasible for the foreseeable future" (say that three times fast!), or if I need to adjust this new credit card budget even more.

So, that means I am going to follow my own concluding words of advice from these donation 'updates' that I write each month:

And that is how I am planning to budget for my credit card charges in order to see if it is "feasible for the foreseeable future" (say that three times fast!), or if I need to adjust this new credit card budget even more.

So now, the time has come to for me to "adjust this new credit card budget even more," since I am still spending a considerable percentage of my monthly income on all of these donations in 2024—as outlined below—starting with January of 2024.

January 2024:
Total percentage of my monthly income for political, progressive and charitable donations: 13.42% {13.41962556488%}

February 2024:
Total percentage of my monthly income for political, progressive and charitable donations: 24.29% {24.29244673983%}

March 2024:
Total percentage of my monthly income for political, progressive and charitable donations: 19.99% {19.99806326662%}

April 2024:
Total percentage of my monthly income for political, progressive and charitable donations: 12.99% {12.99225306649%}

May 2024:
Total percentage of my monthly income for political, progressive and charitable donations: 17.14% {17.14267269205%}

June 2024:
Total percentage of my monthly income for political, progressive and charitable donations: 15.87% {15.87798579728%}

July 2024:
Total percentage of my monthly income for political, progressive and charitable donations: 15.99% {15.99612653324%}

August 2024:
Total percentage of my monthly income for political, progressive and charitable donations: 18.09% {18.09296320206%}

September 2024:
Total percentage of my monthly income for political, progressive and charitable donations: 14.24% {14.23628147191%}

October 2024:
Total percentage of my monthly income for political, progressive and charitable donations: 11.91% {11.91220142027%}

Thus, if I average out the total percentage that I have spent on political, progressive and charitable organizations from January 2024 through September 2024, it comes out to an average of 16.39% {16.393%} of my monthly income!

Now, if you compare the percentage in 2023 that I spent on political, progressive and charitable organizations from January 2023 through October 2023, it was 19.50% of my monthly income!

January 2023: 15%
February 2023: 19%
March 2023: 12%
April 2023: 17%
May 2023: 21%
June 2023: 20%
July 2023: 17%
August 2023: 23%
September 2023: 20%
October 2023: 31%

Total average percentage of my monthly income for political, progressive and charitable donations from January through September 2023: 19.50%

Therefore, by "tightening my belt," so to speak (please see my 'August 19th, 2023 Update—Follow-Up No. 2, Written On October 1st, 2023 About September 2023' which can be found above), I have only saved about 3.11% over the ten months of this year (2024) in comparison to the first ten months of last year (2023)...

...However, the good news is that I have been managing to pay down my credit card each month by an average of about 5.53% {5.53066494512%} of my monthly income over the last ten months!

But, the not-so-good news is that I have been "utilizing some funds from my budgeted expenses, as well as some funds from my savings, to make sure that I am paying a little more than I am spending." And that actually has been working, so far—although it has also been a big drain on my savings, so much so that I am not going to have as much available in savings at the beginning of next year (2025), as I did at the beginning of this year (2024)—even after I have transferred all of the accumulated 'discount savings' (from coupons, discounts from stores, and discounts from other businesses, etc.) to my savings account, at the first of the year, which I have set aside in my 'monthly spending budget' during the entire year from the 'discount savings' that I have tracked. (Please see my 'August 19th, 2023 Update—Follow-Up No. 1, Written On August 31st, 2023,' which can be found above, for a full explanation of this process, under the heading "My Writing About Tracking My 'Discount Savings' In My Monthly Budget.")

So now, I have decided to stop making donations to progressive and charitable organizations until it's time for my annual holiday giving, which starts with Giving Tuesday and goes through Christmas Day—and sometimes New Year's Day—with my usual exception of the USO, or as determined by me on a case-by-case basis.

To clarify, though: I am still donating to political organizations because it's a Presidential Election year. However, I am trying to spend a lot less on progressive and charitable organizations (with some exceptions), so that I can still make donations to the progressive and charitable organizations that I usually donate to during the holidays! Even then—however—I am now looking to make my holiday donations as humble as possible, whilst I am still donating, so as to (hopefully) leave myself with enough savings for next year's 'annual bills expenses', as well as any unexpected expenses...

...And then, starting last month (September 2024), I have made an executive decision that I am planning to only donate to political, progressive and charitable organizations on a quarterly basis—that is, every three months—or as determined by me on a case-by-case basis, so that I am (hopefully) reducing the percentage that I am spending of my monthly income on donations by a considerable amount and, thereby, reducing my credit card debt while I am also trying to no longer utilizing funds from my 'monthly spending budget,' or my savings, if at all possible.

And to clarify one more thing: I am still donating for holidays and special occasions throughout the year (like I have been doing in the past in order to keep up with all of my yearly donating, so that I don't get a year's worth of donations all bunching up on Giving Tuesday), as well as still donating for requests that I receive from political, progressive and charitable organizations through the regular mail (that is, 'mailers'), to which I choose to respond, but I will only be donating to political, progressive and charitable organizations for email and text message requests ONCE every three months (or, quarterly) with the exception of the USO, or as determined by me on a case-by-case basis.

Therefore, the reason that I am explaining all of this donating and budgeting is because I am trying to be an "Online Activist" and to 'put my money where my mouth is' regarding my activism. That is why I blog about which political, progressive and charitable organizations I am supporting with regard to the causes that are the most important to me! –Paul Whiting (November 1st, 2024)

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YEAR 2024 UPDATES FOR NOVEMBER:

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November 1st Update No. 1, Written From November 1st, 2024 To November 5th, 2024 [My Writing About How True Belief In 'The Math Of God' Can Help You To Avoid 'The Wrath Of God']: As a self-designated 'Poet Artist and Philosopher,' I truly do believe that the one, true religion of God is mathematics! And to help introduce this point, please let me quote some of my writing from my blog post titled, "Please Take Care Of My Future," which can be found on my "Paul Whiting — A Creative Writer" blog:

I believe that the "One, True Religion Of God" is mathematics, due to the fact that God is the Universe—which is like a really big computer—within which we are all individual "programs," so to speak. And we are each on our own Path To God," so to speak, as we are being taught by God—as individual souls through God's Creation—what God is and what God expects of us. –Paul Whiting (written March 8th, 2020 and revised May 14th, 2023)

Please see the hyperlink below for the post, which is actually a work in progress, where I have published some of my past writing—as well as some of my current writing—while I am working on completing this particular post:

https://paulwhitingwriting.blogspot.com/2022/12/for-new-years-please-take-care-of-my.html

You see, the reason that the one, true religion of God is mathematics is due to the following facts: 1) 'The Math Of God' has always existed since the very beginning of creation, which literally started out as Nothing—in other words, creation started out as a Void—and that Void Of Nothing is symbolized by zero on the number line; 2) 'The Math Of God' is a kind of language, if you will, which describes the basic states of consciousness coming out of Nothing that can be achieved by all of us Gods and/or Goddesses—who are literally the Consciousness Of Nothing—through hard work and honesty; 3) all of the calculations within 'The Math Of God' are totally consistent and can never, ever faulter in their absolutely indisputable truth because—for example—the calculation of two plus two always equals four no matter what, which has always been that way, which can never change in any way, shape or form, and which can never be refuted; 4) therefore, "The One, True Religion Of God Is Math," because God is intrinsically Nothing, as Nothing is all that exists, since Nothing is all that could exist—and that 'Nothing Of God' is a never-ending Void!

Therefore, Nothing is literally a Void that never ends in terms of space (or, 'the measure of an area') and that also never ends in terms of time (or, 'the passage of time'), since Nothing is the only thing there. In other words, Nothing literally goes on forever (it never ends because it's all that exists) and that is why "Nothing Is A Whole Lotta Nada!"

So, at the exact center of Nothing is an itsy-bitsy teeny, tiny amount of natural pressure buildup which vibrates, since Nothing under pressure is vibrating! And that natural vibration is smaller than the head of a sewing pin, which is why it is known scientifically that all of the matter and energy in the entire Universe starts out smaller than the head of a sewing pin.

Thus, Nothing is vibrating at its exact center and that vibration is producing thought, or consciousness, or self-awareness, which is asking itself, "What Am I?"

To help explain this point further, please let me quote myself again from my blog post titled, "The Question Of Being Nothing And The Answer Of Becoming Everything," which can be found on my "Paul Whiting — A Creative Writer" blog (and can be found on some of my other blogs):

The Question Of Being
Nothing And The Answer
Of Becoming Everything
(Or, "The Alpha And The Omega")

In the beginning—The Alpha—
there was Literally Nothing.
And there was a vibration,
at the very center of Literally
Nothing, which was created
by the pressure right in the
middle of Nothing. And the
center vibration—that was created
under pressure—was Self-Aware.
And that Self-Aware Vibration,
created under pressure at the
very center of Literally Nothing,
asked itself "What Am I?"

And, as it was created under pressure,
that Self-Aware Center Vibration
asked itself "What Am I?" for
literally an eternity, since
it did not know what it was,
because it was Literally Nothing.

And when that Self-Aware
Nothing had finally reached
the "critical mass," so to speak,
of not knowing what it was—since
it was Literally Nothing—it
decided to try to do something
about not knowing what it was
in order to escape the Living
Hell of not knowing what it was.

And in the end—The Omega—
this Self-Aware Nothing had
successfully transformed itself out
of Literally Nothing—through the
process of evolution—by turning
itself into Everything That Exists.
And Literally Nothing, which was
Self-Aware, could finally answer that
eternal question of "What Am I?"

And the answer was: "I Am God."

Please see the hyperlink below for the post:

https://paulwhitingwriting.blogspot.com/2022/08/the-question-of-being-nothing-and.html

Therefore, that "Void Of Nothing" in the beginning of all the things is totally stagnant (except, of course, where it's vibrating at its center); however, that Stagnant Void can be formed into Vacuum through the "Consciousness Of God As Nothing" thinking His Self/Her Self, into a state of vacuum—or, a state of suction, if you will. And that state of suction is how God is able to separate His/Her Consciousness as electrons (negative energy) from His/Her Conscious as protons (positive energy), as well as from His/Her Conscious as neutrons (neutral energy) within the creation of atomic structure, which is the basis of gravity and that is what forms Universes.

Thus, the separation of God's Electron Energy from God's Proton Energy and God's Neutron Energy makes it possible to form stable atoms! And that separation within Nothing Turned Into Vacuum of electrons, from protons and neutrons, prevents the electrons from coming in contact with the protons and neutrons, thereby preventing the electrons, protons and neutrons from canceling out each other and turning back into Nothing, since Nothing is all that intrinsically exists!

To help explain this state of Nothing further, I have written a considerable amount about 'The Nothing Of God,' so to speak, on many different occasions which are listed under the post label, 'Nothing' on my "Paul Whiting — A Creative Writer" blog (as well as on some of my other blogs):

Please see the hyperlink below for the posts:

https://paulwhitingwriting.blogspot.com/search/label/Nothing

Continuing on with this discussion about the Existence Of Nothing As God, the above-mentioned consciousness, or self-awareness, or soul that forms at the center of Nothing vibrating is God because that consciousness is Light! Therefore, the consciousness formed at the center of Nothing Is God's Light. That is why God—as Light—can form Himself/Herself into atoms, which is the basis of gravity.

To sum it up, then: "Nothing That's Literally A Void" is the only thing that exists and—due to the tiny bit of pressure buildup in the center of Nothing—a consciousness is formed that is literally The Light Of God! And that Light Of God can form itself into atomic structure, or atoms, thereby turning God's Light into Universes. And that's why Universes exist! And that means every Universe is the Consciousness Of God As Light forming Himself/Herself into atoms and creating gravity out of Oneself As God.

So now, here comes a rather lengthy written explanation of "The Math Of God," which is created from Nothing:

Number Zero: Nothing Is A Void, which is all that exists, so that is what makes Nothing a placeholder—just like on a number line—which is what the number zero is.

The Math Of God's Number Line Zero:
0

Number One: The pressure buildup at the exact center of Nothing is 'One Vibration'—in other words, that pressure buildup is literally Nothing vibrating under its own pressure—which is what the number one is. And that is why "being number one is a lot of pressure!" Plus, that is also why we will change in response to being under pressure, since we are all born as Gods and/or Goddesses under pressure as Nothing which is Self-Aware.

The Math Of God's Number Line One:
-1 0 +1

Number Two: The consciousness that forms when Nothing vibrates at its center is The Light Of God! And God's Light has the capacity to form itself into two, polar opposite states of energy (that is, the negative energy of electrons and the positive energy of protons), which is what the number two is. In fact, those two exact opposite states of energy are a continuation of the number line, as referenced above—starting from zero, which is a placeholder—with the negative one (electron) being the exact opposite of the positive one (proton) on the number line.

The Math Of God's Number Line Two:
-2 -1 0 +1 +2

Number Three: So, because The Light Of God can form Himself/Herself into two exact opposite states of energy, there can also be the possibility of a third neutral form of energy (neutrons) that is the precise combination of the negative energy (electrons) and the positive energy (protons), which is what the number three is. And that third form of neutral energy—which a perfectly balanced combination of the positive and negative energy—is the only system of separation within Nothing Turned Into Vacuum that is stable against the inexorable pull of Nothing. And that is why "Three Is A Magic Number!"

The Math Of God's Number Line Three:
-3 -2 -1 0 +1 +2 +3

Number Four: Now that "We, The Gods And Goddess Of Light" have formed ourselves into electrons, protons and neutrons (in other words, atoms), as contained within Nothing Turned Into Vacuum, we are capable of forming into all of the elements of gravity, including the sun, the moon, the stars—and all of the planets within our solar system—as well as all of the various elements of space within the Universe!

And you will notice that there are a lot of spheres within the Universe, because a sphere is a circle that goes all the way around. And that means on the surface of a planet like Earth, you can travel in basically four different directions: North, South, East and West, which is what the number four is. And that is why the sphere of a planet like our Earth is represented by "The Four Directions."

The Math Of God's Number Line Four:
-4 -3 -2 -1 0 +1 +2 +3 +4

Number Five: However, this part of the explanation with regard to "The Math Of God" gets to be a really quite complicated, because we are now delving into a discussion regarding the accurate representative of "perspective," on this round planet, in work of art such as a painting, like the accurate depiction of a landscape on the flat surface of an oil painting on canvas.

You see, the artists of the Italian Renaissance figured out that the only way to accurately represent objects in space as the appear in real life on a canvas (which is a two-dimensional surface that is totally flat, since it has height and width, but no depth) is to show that objects in space recede away from the viewer. The reason for this is that the objects are appearing to get smaller in size, as they get further away from the viewer, since those objects are disappearing over the horizon!

So, the Italian Renaissance artists figured out that the way to accurately depict a three-dimensional reality (like a landscape) on a two-dimensional surface (like a canvas), was to simply draw an "x" through the canvas in order to represent the surface of the Earth receding away from the viewer and disappearing over the horizon.

And now, I am about to try to explain in writing how this creation of an accurate perspective on a canvas painting works! So, here goes nothing:

If you think of an artist's canvas as being a very simple geometric shape, such as a square, you can visualize drawing a straight line through the canvas from each of its four corners, which intersects at the middle, thereby creating an "x" on the surface of the square canvas. Then, you could also visual that the bottom triangle of this "x" is like a road that you are standing on as a viewer.

And you are looking at this road disappearing over the horizon, which is why the road keeps getting smaller as it recedes into the distance. And—by the way—there is zero traffic on this road, because it's located in a desert as you, the viewer, are standing in the middle of this road! Then, there are telephone poles running along the right side of the road, which are also getting smaller as they disappear over the horizon.

Therefore, even though the road and the telephone poles aren't really getting smaller—as they disappear over the horizon—they appear to be getting smaller because they are actually receding away from you, as the viewer, who is standing in the middle of this deserted desert road. And the plants in the desert's landscape, such as cactuses, are also appearing to get smaller as the recede away from you and disappear over the horizon. Not only that, if there are any clouds in the sky, they too appear to get smaller as the more distant clouds recede away from you and disappear over the desert horizon.

In fact, the white lines painted on both shoulders of the road, as well as the yellow lines painted in the center of the road, also appear to be getting smaller (or, more narrow) as they recede away from you. So, that is why an artist who is painting a realistic landscape will depict objects that are the same size (such as telephone poles, for example) as larger when they are closer up and smaller when that are further away. And this "perspective" is depicting the way that objects that are further away from you on the surface of a planet are actually disappearing over the horizon, since the planet is a sphere!

And, now, here is where we're getting into the weeds (or the sagebrush, as the case may be) of this explanation!

Remember how I said our canvas painting was square? Well, you could think of this artist's canvas that is square (with an "x" drawn through it to depict the perspective of a desert horizon) as being just like the bottom of a pyramid like in Egypt—which is still located in a desert!

So now we're going to use our imaginations and pretend like this pyramid we're talking about is made entirely of glass! And this glass pyramid we are visualizing has a perfectly square bottom that comes up to a point at the top, just like the Egyptian pyramids; however our visualized pyramid is made of glass, just like the glass of window panes, so that you can see right through it! Plus, this pyramid is hollow on the inside, since it's made of five sheets of glass, which are one square and four triangles, that are glue together.

Next, pretend like you could, somehow, tilt this glass pyramid so that the bottom of the square pyramid is no longer horizontal, but it is now vertical, just like a square window pane! And you, as a viewer, are looking through the bottom of this pyramid toward the top of the pyramid—which is pointing away from you, just like it's the center of the "x" that we drew on our square canvas—and you can see right through the all-glass pyramid to the surrounding landscape...

...Then, pretend like that glass pyramid—which is tilted so that the bottom of the pyramid is vertical and you, the viewer are looking from the center of the pyramid's bottom to the top of the pyramid—is aligned perfectly with our desert landscape! And then pretend that the bottom triangle of the glass pyramid aligns perfectly with the bottom triangle of the "x" in our canvas landscape which is what the road represents in the desert landscape that is receding away from you. Also, pretend that the telephone poles on right side of the desert road align perfectly with the corresponding triangle on the right side of the glass pyramid.

Therefore, our glass pyramid is tilted on its side, so that the bottom is vertical, like the "x" in drawn in the center of our canvas. And the glass pyramid is just like a three-dimensional representation of the "x" that is showing how objects that recede away from you in a landscape appear to get smaller as they disappear over the horizon.

In conclusion, then: the geometric shape of a hollow glass pyramid tilted on its side, so that the bottom of the pyramid is vertical like a glass window pane, and the top of the glass pyramid is pointed away from you, as you are looking through the middle of the pyramid's bottom (which is why the pyramid is made of glass panes, so that you can see through it), is a three-dimensional representation of the perspective of objects receding away from you as a viewer in a landscape and disappearing over the horizon, because planet Earth is a sphere. (I hope that makes sense!)

Therefore, the pyramid is a geometric shape that has five points to it, with four of the points on the bottom square of the pyramid and a fifth point at the top center of the pyramid, which is what a pyramid is: it's a five point geometric shape!

Now, we are seriously going to be traveling to la, la land with this next explanation!

So, the way that the five-point geometric shape of a pyramid, that is titled on its side, is a three-dimensional representation of the perspective of objects in a landscape receding away from you, as a viewer, is also symbolic of the "dimensionality" that is made available to you, as a viewer, by being born through a female's body. For, females are the only sex of the human species that can give birth to other humans, which is what the number five is. (See? I told you that this part of the explanation of "The Math Of God" would be really quite complicated!)

In other words, it's the females who are capable of bearing children, and nurturing children, which is why only the females are able to offer you, the viewer, a chance to be born on the surface of planet Earth and to "gain some perspective on life!" And that is why, symbolically speaking, females are represented by the number five.

The Math Of God's Number Line Five:
-5 -4 -3 -2 -1 0 +1 +2 +3 +4 +5

Number Six: However, the females can't do it alone! In other words, females can't give birth to you, the viewer, asexually (that is, without sexual reproduction), they need the female's loving husband to be a father to her wonderful children, so that you, as a viewer, can ultimately see the world from both the perspective of being female and the perspective of being male through different lifetimes!

So, that means males have to be capable of both creating life and ending it, because the males are the providers for the females and young children, as well as the protectors of the females and the young children.

(Now, I mean no offense in saying that, nor do I mean to assist those who are prone to destruction in having their unjustified annihilating ways with God's Creation justified! And I sure as hell am not referring to the kind of 'protection' that is offered to the females by certain males "whether the females like it or not," because that kind of attitude toward females on the part of males is what can very-well end up incurring "The Wrath Of God" by judging females as untrustworthy!)

Thus, the males are the hunters and gatherers, as well as the farmers and ranchers, who have the height, the muscularity, the agility, and the flexibility, to hunt big game, as well as to utilize those same qualities in order to work on the farm, or the ranch, so that they can provide for the women and children! That is why the males are the parents who are capable of ending life to provide food for the females and young children, as well as ending life for the protection of the females and young children.

Bear in mind, however, that taking life is a very, very serious thing to do because you are saying to God, "Lord, these particular lives within Your Great Creation deserve to be ended, so that I may feed my family, or so that I may protect my family." At the same time, God has commanded, "Thou Shalt Not Kill!" Yet we, God's People, have killed like it is going out of style...

...Therefore, be very careful why you end the life of another living being, because that life you are ending is your own life in another lifetime, since We Are All One Consciousness Of God's Light that is differentiated into many different aspects of divinity through the power of atomic structure, as contained within a field of gravity known as a Universe! And so, although we are fully capable ending life, the only lives that we can actually end are our own lives in other lifetimes, since We Are One Being Differentiated Into Many Beings...

...Therefore, Know That We Are All Gods, And/Or Goddesses, Who Are The Consciousness Of Nothing—As Well As The Light Of Nothing—Which Is All That Exists!

And that is why the males are like a 'similar opposite,' so to speak, to the females, since the males are a very necessary part of the process of making more humans, as the inseminators of the females within the loving, and consensual, human family; however, that does not give the males the right to cause harm to females, the way that males can cause harm to living beings which the males are hunting, or raising, for food, nor the way that males can cause harm to living beings whose lives the males are ending to protect the females and the young children who are being threatened (such as by natural predators). Because those females are neither food for the males, nor are the females the enemy of the males...

...So, be especially careful of ending the lives of females, who are the only ones within the human species that can give birth to other humans. For, those who would maliciously end the life of females through their action—or through their inaction—are saying to God, "Lord, these females are unworthy in my presence and they shall be destroyed by me in my arrogance and misogyny, because I am threatened by these females' strength and power, for I am a weak male, who victim-blames females due to my powerlessness."

That is why masculine energy (male energy) is literally birthed from feminine energy (female energy), because masculine energy is designed by nature to be the aggressive aspect of creative energy—in a similar, but opposite, way to feminine energy that is designed by nature to be the nurturing aspect of creative energy—which is what makes it possible for males to be the consensual, and loving, providers and protectors of the females and the young children.

And to conclude our discussion about how our glass pyramid made of window panes that is tilted on its side (where the bottom of the pyramid is vertical and the top of the pyramid is pointing away from the viewer) is a symbolic reference to perspective on the surface of a planet, now imagine that our glass window pyramid has met—and fallen in love with—another glass window pyramid of the opposite sex! And these two glass pyramids are so much in love that they melded together in marriage, where their respective pyramid bottoms (which, again, are both vertical so as to symbolize perspective) have now become one window pane at their base.

Now to clarify: I am really stretching this "pyramid-as-a-symbol-of-perspective" metaphor in order to help you see how males and females are necessary for sexual reproduction and how, symbolically speaking, a male and female in a loving, and consensual, relationship are like two glass pyramids that have become "one through marriage." And they are, also symbolically speaking, becoming one six-point pyramid—because their two, four-point pyramid bases merged into one four-point base—which is purely symbolic of opposite perspectives, like North and South, or East and West, being possible because of sexual reproduction. (I hope that makes sense!)

Another way of describing this metaphorical comparison is by explaining how males, as hunters and gatherers, have to be aware of both what is in front of them, and what is behind them.

Now, it's not like females don't have to know that, but the males could be in nature providing for their families through hunting, or agriculture, and so they need to be keenly aware of "what may be coming up behind them," such as a natural predator! And they also have to know as hunters and protectors how to sometimes go in the exact opposite way that they were going (such as away from a storm), in order to successfully provide for their family and protect them. (Clearly, I am speaking symbolically in very general terms.)

In other words, it's the males who are capable of being a loving husband and father who provides for his children, as the assistant to the female, and who protects his wife and children from threats, such as natural predators, or even storms. That is also why the males are able to assist the females in offering you, the viewer, a chance to be born on the surface of planet Earth and to "learn from the wisdom of the fathers!" So, that's symbolically why males are represented by the number six.

The Math Of God's Number Line Six:
-6 -5 -4 -3 -2 -1 0 +1 +2 +3 +4 +5 +6

Now that we've had some rather lengthy discussions about the feminine aspect of creative energy (as symbolized by the number five, which represents females) and about the masculine aspect of creative energy (as symbolized by the number six, which represents males), we can now talk about the next numbers as contained within "The Math Of God."

Number Seven: And speaking of providing for the family, luckily, we are totally ready to talk about "good fortune," so to speak, as it relates to hard work and honesty on the part of all those mothers and fathers out there! You see, luck doesn't just form out of a clear blue sky: Luck is engineered.

And luck is engineered based upon an understanding of how nature works—as a loving mother and a caring father of their wanted children—the understanding of which can then be passed on to their children, who can also pass that understanding on to their children, in generation after generation of responsible, chosen families.

Thus, fathers and mothers need to recognize natural patterns in terms of when to do certain kinds of work in order for both parents to provide for their family (such as when to plant seeds, or when to harvest crops, or when and where to go hunting and gathering, etc.), and for both parents to protect their family (like recognizing the kinds of storm clouds that can turn into tornadoes, or seeing smoke from a wildfire in order to evacuate in time, or knowing how to survive a flood).

So, that is why luck is symbolized by the number seven—and that is why that luck is engineered!

And that is also why the number five (female energy, as the reproductive creators and loving nurturers of the human species) and the number six (male energy, as the generous providers and the consensual protectors of the species) is followed by the number seven, which is symbolic of carefully engineered luck, through hard work and honesty and an understanding of the natural world on the surface of planet Earth.

The Math Of God's Number Line Seven:
-7 -6 -5 -4 -3 -2 -1 0 +1 +2 +3 +4 +5 +6 +7

Number Eight: Speaking of providing for the family, I bet you can guess why the next number sounds just like the word "ate," which is the past-tense of the word "eat." Yes, folks, it's true: the number eight is symbolic of being able to eat food!

And that is why the number five (female energy, as the reproductive creators and loving nurturers of the human species) and the number six (male energy, as the generous providers and the consensual protectors of the species) is followed by the number seven (which is symbolic of carefully engineered luck, through hard work and honesty and an understanding of the natural world on the surface of planet Earth), so that the males and females can provide for themselves and their children by being able to procure the food that the family ate!

The Math Of God's Number Line Eight:
-8 -7 -6 -5 -4 -3 -2 -1 0 +1 +2 +3 +4 +5 +6 +7 +8

Number Nine: Okay, here is where we need a really brief history lesson: Do you know about the history of the German Nazis during World War Two? Well, the Nazis did really horrifying things to a lot of people by exterminating millions of them, thereby committing genocide (that is, "the deliberate killing of a large number of people from a particular nation or ethnic group with the aim of destroying that nation or group"). And those Nazis were finally stopped by the Allies during World War Two! That is why the Nazi machine of genocide was finally brought to halt...

...And the word "halt" derives from the early modern German word for "stop," which relates directly to another German word that means "no!" And that German word is "nein."

Now, it is no coincidence that the number "nine" sounds exactly like the word "nein" in German. Thus, we humans have to learn how to say "no" when it comes to the kinds of things that we are capable of doing on the surface of Earth, while we are trying to survive and to provide for ourselves and our families!

Because the people of Nazi Germany, at that time, seriously thought that it was a really good idea to exterminate millions of people—starting with six million Jews—because those Germans were attempting to complete an ethnic cleansing.

And those Nazis, under the leadership of their Führer, Adolf Hitler, thought they were doing the best possible thing in order to protect themselves from all of the "dirty" Jews—and those other "undesirable" people—who were clearly the ones to blame for how terrible things were in Germany after World War One, during which Germany was fighting in behalf of the Central Powers that included the German Empire, Austria-Hungary, the Ottoman Empire, and Bulgaria. Therefore, the number nine sounds just like "nein," which is the German word for "no."

And that ain't no accident, folks!

You see, we humans have to learn how to say "no" while we are living our individual lives as true believers in one of God's many religions, since we can sometimes commit really terrible atrocities against other people, while we are simply trying to survive in gravity on the surface of planet Earth!

Thus, because we're capable of being males and females who are providing for their families, we can sometimes go a little too far in our efforts to compete with other humans, who are also trying to provide for their families, because resources can be scarce. So, we may think that it's "a good idea" to commit genocide against another group of people who may be competing with us for, say, control of 'The Holy Land,' which we feel belongs to us, and does not belong to anyone else, due to our historical prosecution as "God's Chosen People." However, genocide is genocide no matter how well it is rationalized! For, each and every instance of genocide has been perfectly rationalized throughout all of human history by whichever group of people is committing genocide—even while they may claim that genocide is the last thing that they are committing—as tens of thousands die...

...Therefore, it's important to recognize the need to say "no" to our true religious beliefs that we may feel give us a right to exterminate anyone whom we think doesn't deserve to live, based upon the unquestionable truth of our beliefs, so that we may think we have "a license to kill!" (And in America, we may even go so far as to offer their surviving loved ones "thoughts and prayers" as a kind of morbid condolence.)

And this discussion about saying "no" circles back to the true religious beliefs of those who are endeavoring to threaten the safety, health and life of pregnant people!

Because denying healthcare to females who are experiencing complications from pregnancy and childbirth sure as hell ain't "family values!"

Because forced impregnation through the disgusting acts of rape, or incest, sure as hell ain't "family values!"

Because killing mothers sure as hell ain't "family values!"

Because making children become motherless sure as hell ain't "family values!"

Because deciding what—if any—heath care a mother can receive where she lives sure as hell ain't "family values!"

Now, just because those above-mentioned values may be "your family's values," that does not mean they are "every family's values!"

And imposing your Christian National religious beliefs on the rest of the United States of America—who don't prescribe to those beliefs—sure as hell ain't "family values!"

So, if you are against having an abortion, don't have one! But don't presume to tell other parents whether, or not, they should have a medically-necessary abortion, as determined by their doctor, in order to save the health and life of the mother!

And that is why the number nine is symbolic of the word "no," with regard to you minding your own goddamn business as it pertains to the health care decisions of pregnant persons. Those decisions are between a pregnant person, their spouse or partner, and their doctor, not between a pregnant person and politicians! Just like it is not the goddamn business of politicians to monitor pregnancies! Just like it is not the goddamn business of politicians to monitor menstrual cycles! Period.

The Math Of God's Number Line Nine:
-9 -8 -7 -6 -5 -4 -3 -2 -1 0 +1 +2 +3 +4 +5 +6 +7 +8 +9

Number Ten: We have arrived at the number ten! And you will note that this number is formed from the number zero and the number one. This too is no coincidence! Because we are Nothing intrinsically—the consciousness of which is The Light Of God—we are 'One Zero,' so to speak.

In other words, "We Are One God That Is Zero."

And from this "Oneness Of God," we can turn into Universes—by forming into fields of gravity based upon atomic structure—going on forevermore.

That is why we truly are "The Oneness Of God."

To help explain this point further, please let me quote myself yet again from my blog post titled, "'The Oneness Of God' Spiritual Practice," which can be found on my "Paul Whiting — A Creative Writer" blog (and can be found on some of my other blogs):

"THE ONENESS OF GOD"
SPIRITUAL PRACTICE
(Or, 'We Are All A Part Of God')

The Oneness Of God Spiritual Practice is based upon Ten Spiritual Principles:

Principle No. 1: DO UNTO OTHERS AS YOU WOULD HAVE DONE UNTO YOU, BECAUSE YOU AND THE OTHER ARE ONE! FOR, YOU AND GOD ARE ONE, SINCE WE ARE ALL A PART OF GOD! What you do unto others will be done unto you forever, until you transform Your Karmic Energy, based upon the effort that you put into changing. For, "We Are All A Part Of God," which is why God continually reflects back what you are doing to God—as if whatever you are doing to God, you are actually doing to yourself. And this "Gift Of Self-Reflection" is made possible through The Power Of Karma, which is a recording of everything that you have ever believed, thought, done, felt, said, and chosen to experience (and just like the name of a music album, it is called "The Record"), which is continuously playing back in relationship to The Karmic Recording of your current incarnation. THEREFORE, TREAT OTHERS AS YOU WISH TO BE TREATED, BECAUSE YOU AND THE OTHER ARE ONE! AND, THUS, YOU AND YOUR NEIGHBOR ARE ONE! SO, LOVE THY NEIGHBOR AS THY SELF, SINCE WE ARE ALL A PART OF GOD!

Principle No. 2: LOVE THY NEIGHBOR AS THY SELF, BECAUSE YOU AND YOUR NEIGHBOR ARE ONE, SINCE WE ARE ALL A PART OF GOD! For, your neighbor is a part of your consciousness, which includes your neighbors across the entire universe, because "We Are All A Part Of God." THEREFORE, TREAT EVERYONE WITH THE UTMOST RESPECT, BECAUSE THAT IS WHAT YOU DESERVE! FOR, YOU AND YOUR NEIGHBOR ARE ONE! THUS, YOU AND GOD ARE ONE! SO, LOVE GOD WITH ALL OF YOUR HEART AND MIND, BODY AND SOUL, SINCE WE ARE ALL A PART OF GOD!

Principle No. 3: LOVE GOD WITH ALL OF YOUR HEART AND MIND, BODY AND SOUL, BECAUSE YOU AND GOD ARE ONE, SINCE WE ARE ALL A PART OF GOD! For, we are—literally—all a part of God's Body, including God's Spiritual Body (or, God's Energy Body) and God's Physical Body (or, God's Matter Body), because "We Are All A Part Of God." THEREFORE, LOVE GOD AS YOU WOULD LOVE YOURSELF, BECAUSE YOU ARE THE PART OF GOD THAT GOD CREATED JUST FOR YOU, SINCE WE ARE ALL A PART OF GOD!

Principle No. 4: LOVE YOURSELF AS GOD LOVES YOU, BECAUSE YOU ARE THE PART OF GOD THAT GOD CREATED JUST FOR YOU, SINCE WE ARE ALL A PART OF GOD! God's Love is so pure and simple that—literally—anyone can understand it: "God Created You In God's Own Image. So, What's Not To Love?" THEREFORE, SIMPLY LOVE YOURSELF THE WAY THAT GOD SIMPLY LOVES YOU! AND LOVE YOURSELF THE WAY THAT GOD LOVES ALL OF US, AS GOD IS ALL OF US, SINCE WE ARE ALL A PART OF GOD!

Principle No. 5: KNOW THAT GOD LOVES ALL OF US, AS GOD IS ALL OF US! AND THAT IS WHY GOD LOVES ALL OF US, BECAUSE GOD SIMPLY LOVES ONESELF AS GOD, SINCE WE ARE ALL A PART OF GOD! God loves every soul. For, we are—literally—all a part of God's Spiritual (or, Energy) and Physical (or, Matter) Body. And God simply loves Oneself as God which, of course, includes every soul that exists. THEREFORE, SIMPLY LOVE YOURSELF, AND LOVE EVERYBODY ELSE, THE WAY THAT GOD SIMPLY LOVES YOU AND EVERYBODY ELSE! THUS, "YOU AND YOUR BROTHER ARE BOTH KEEPERS!" FOR, GOD CAN NEVER THROW US AWAY, SINCE WE ARE ALL A PART OF GOD!

Principle No. 6: KNOW THAT "YOU AND YOUR BROTHER ARE BOTH KEEPERS!" FOR, GOD CAN NEVER THROW US AWAY, SINCE WE ARE ALL A PART OF GOD! God can never throw us away, because God is all of us. And that is why God would never throw us away in order to solve problems the way that we solve problems, by throwing away everyone else that we see as being "a problem." THEREFORE, GOD CAN NEVER THROW US AWAY, BECAUSE GOD DOES NOT SOLVE PROBLEMS THAT WAY! FOR, KARMA IS THE LAW OF GOD! AND KARMA IS MATHEMATICAL PERFECTION!

Principle No. 7: KNOW THAT KARMA IS THE LAW OF GOD! FOR, KARMA IS MATHEMATICAL PERFECTION, SINCE WE ARE ALL A PART OF GOD! In other words, "What Goes Around, Always Comes Around." And what that means is that God is—literally—a perfect mirror, because God only creates perfection. And that is how God is perfect and why God is perfect. And that means that God can only reflect whatever you believe to be true about life and God. Therefore, whatever you believe, think, do, feel, say, and choose to experience in every incarnation, will always come back around to you again. THEREFORE, KARMA IS MATHEMATICAL PERFECTION, BECAUSE GOD IS REFLECTING EVERYONE, WHICH INCLUDES YOUR "ENEMY," SINCE WE ARE ALL A PART OF GOD!

Principle No. 8: KNOW THAT GOD IS REFLECTING EVERYONE, WHICH INCLUDES YOUR "ENEMY!" THEREFORE, "WE HAVE MET THE ENEMY, AND THEY ARE US," SINCE WE ARE ALL A PART OF GOD! People should NOT be killing other people. People should NOT be committing acts of violence, and senseless cruelty, toward any other being, including all 'living beings' and all 'non-living beings.' Only a "Conservative Thinker," who thinks "Conservatively Only" (and never thinks "Liberally" or "Critically"), would ever think to use threats, or violence, or even death, in order to solve problems. For, all beings—whom the "Conservative-Only Thinker" feels totally justified in being so very cruel toward—are all God. THEREFORE, LOVE YOUR ENEMY AS YOURSELF, BECAUSE YOU AND YOUR ENEMY ARE ONE, JUST AS YOU GOD ARE ONE! FOR, NO ONE BUT YOU IS RESPONSIBLE YOUR KARMA, AND FOR HOW YOU FEEL ABOUT YOURSELF, SINCE WE ARE ALL A PART OF GOD!

Principle No. 9: KNOW THAT NO ONE BUT YOU IS RESPONSIBLE FOR YOUR KARMA, AND FOR HOW YOU FEEL ABOUT YOURSELF, BECAUSE YOU AND GOD ARE ONE, SINCE WE ARE ALL A PART OF GOD! For, God made—literally—everything that exists. And "You And God Are One." Therefore, no one but you is to blame for Your Karma—not The Devil, not your enemy, not your family, not your friends, not your culture and certainly not God. THEREFORE, KARMA IS THE PERFECT LAW OF GOD, SINCE GOD IS A MATHEMATICALLY-PERFECT MIRROR IN WHICH EVERYONE IS REFLECTED, SINCE WE ARE ALL A PART OF GOD!

Principle No. 10: KNOW THAT GOD IS A MATHEMATICALLY-PERFECT MIRROR IN WHICH EVERYONE IS REFLECTED, SINCE WE ARE ALL A PART OF GOD! The Reason that God is perfect mirror has to do with the fact that "You And God Are One." Therefore, God is always a part of you—and, specifically, God is your subconscious. And that is how and why Karma works, as well as how and why prayer works. For, "God Is Your Karmic Memory" (or, "The Record") of everything that you believe, think, do, feel, say, and choose to experience, which is continuously playing back in relationship to The Karmic Recording of your current incarnation. And God does all of this through your subconscious, because God is your subconscious. And that is why "You And God Are One." And that is also why "You And The Other Are One." THEREFORE, DO UNTO OTHERS AS YOU WOULD HAVE DONE UNTO YOU, BECAUSE YOU AND THE OTHER ARE ONE! FOR, YOU AND GOD ARE ONE, SINCE WE ARE ALL A PART OF GOD!

Please see the hyperlink below for the post:

https://paulwhitingwriting.blogspot.com/2022/03/the-oneness-of-god-spiritual-practice.html

So, then, how do we avoid "The Wrath Of God?" By following the words of Jesus The Christ who said unto us: "Do Unto Others As You Would Have Done Unto You."

To help explain this point further, please let me quote myself once more from my blog post titled, "'The Oneness Of God' Spiritual Practice," which can be found on my "Paul Whiting — A Creative Writer" blog (and can be found on some of my other blogs):

My Writing About The Saying By Jesus The Christ, "Do Unto Others As You Would Have Done Unto You": The saying by Jesus, "Do unto other as you would have done unto you" is literal. For, whatever you are doing unto others is going to be done unto you by your own soul—in the other lifetimes when you were doing unto others—through "The Power Of Karma." Thus, everything that you are doing unto others, you are doing unto your own soul. –Paul Whiting (written August 2nd, 2016, revised August 16th, 2016, revised July 29th, 2021, revised July 24th, 2022 and revised November 18th, 2024)

Please see the hyperlink below for the post:

https://paulwhitingwriting.blogspot.com/2022/03/the-oneness-of-god-spiritual-practice.html

Therefore, what you are doing to others, you are doing to your own soul in other lifetimes. And what you are doing to others you are also doing to God, since your intentions for God become God's intentions for you through "The Power Of Karma."

To help explain this point further, please let me quote myself once last time from my blog post titled, "'The Oneness Of God' Spiritual Practice," which can be found on my "Paul Whiting — A Creative Writer" blog (and can be found on some of my other blogs):

My Writing About Treating God The Way That You Wish To Be Treated By God: Your intentions for God are God's intentions for you! In other words, the way that you interact with God is the way that God interacts with you. And I think that is what Jesus The Christ was saying when He said the following: "Do unto others as you would have done unto you"; and "When you have done it to the least of these...you have done it unto me"; plus "Judge not, lest ye be judge"; as well as "For have I not said ye are gods?" You see, Jesus was explaining to us that we establish 'Godly Karma,' so to speak, through our intentions for God, and by our interactions with God. Phrased another way: "Treat God The Way That You Wish To Be Treated By God." –Paul Whiting (written May 15th, 2022, revised May 16th, 2022, revised June 23rd, 2022 and July 24th, 2022)

And, thusly, I say unto you: "For has God not said ye are gods?" So, "do unto others as you would have done unto you," because "when you have done it to the least of these...you have done it unto God." Therefore, "judge not, lest ye be judge" by the almighty "Wrath Of God!"

The Math Of God's Number Line Ten:
-10 -9 -8 -7 -6 -5 -4 -3 -2 -1 0 +1 +2 +3 +4 +5 +6 +7 +8 +9 +10

And that is why God's one, true religion is "The Math Of God," which is how 'We, The True Believers In God's Mathematics' can avoid "The Wrath Of God." Amen! –Paul Whiting (written from November 1st, 2024 to November 5th, 2024, revised November 17th, 2024 and revised November 18th, 2024)

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November 5th, 2024 Update No. 1: I voted today, November 5th, 2024, in Oregon's General Election! –Paul Whiting (November 5th, 2024)

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November 6th, 2024 Update No. 1 [My Writing About No Longer Being An 'Online Activist' In Any Way, Shape Or Form]: Due to Donald Trump winning the 2024 Presidential Election—and until further notice—I am no longer being an 'Online Activist' in any way, shape or form, which includes no longer signing petitions from political, social, environmental and charitable organizations, and no longer sending letters to my Representative and Senators in Congress, as well as no longer making donations to political, social, environmental and charitable causes. Full stop! I am also unsubscribing from any of the emails that I used to receive from political, social, environmental and charitable organizations. In fact, I am even cancelling all of my monthly political donations to the main Democratic fundraising and coordinating organizations, as well as to the USO (United Service Organizations), in addition to cancelling all of my monthly news organization subscriptions, or news organization donations, because I am absolutely terrified of this second Trump administration. And I fully expect that democracy in America as we know it will be over! So, I am choosing to not engage in any 'activism' whatsoever—plus, I am not even sure that I will be exercising my 'civic duty' by voting in any upcoming elections because, as a (formerly) donating and a (potentially former) voting Democrat, I totally fear the retribution of President Donald J. Trump. Full stop!

P.S.: It's July 31st, 2025, and I feel like I need to provide an addendum (that is, "an item of additional material added at the end of a book or document, typically in order to correct, clarify, or supplement something") to this November 6th, 2024 'update!'

You see, a couple of days ago, on July 29th, 2025, I copied the text of this update to use as my reason for unsubscribing from a particular political email that I received that same day!

And so, I actually bothered to read this update—in order to verify that it made sense for me to use as a response to the request on this political email's unsubscribe page which stated, "Please tell us why you are leaving"—during which I realized there was a typo (that is, 'a typographical error') in the text of the update, as I have highlighted below, with the correction in brackets:

"And I fully expect that democracy in America as we know [it] will be over!"

For Memorial Day, I decided to create this playlist in order to tell everyone in the United States of America about my new saying, "Have A Memorable Memorial Day" for such a solemn holiday as Memorial Day.

Thus, here is "My Writing About A New Saying 'Have A Memorable Memorial Day' For Such A Solemn Holiday As Memorial Day":

On Memorial Day, rather than saying "Happy Memorial Day," I choose instead to say, "Have A Memorable Memorial Day," or I simply say, "Memorable Memorial Day." For, Memorial Day is a day of remembrance—just like a memorial service—and is truly about honoring the men and women who died while serving in the United States Military. –Paul Whiting (written May 27th, 2013, revised May 30th, 2022, revised May 31st, 2022, revised May 29th, 2023 and revised May 27th, 2024)

Plus, here is a poem that I wrote on May 30th, 2021, for Memorial Day on May 31st, 2021, which is titled, 'A Memorable Memorial Day,' and that is also titled, 'A Solemn Patriotic Poem,' as can be seen below:

A Memorable Memorial Day (A Patriotic Poem)

He taps into his memorabilia;
She taps into her photo albums;
They tap into their memories;
A day that taps into the
sacrifices that were made by
souls who have given their lives...

...I tap into my courage;
I tap into my patriotism;
I tap into my humility;
And I tap into a somber,
a solemnly respectful, and
"A Memorable Memorial Day."

–Paul Whiting (written May 30th, 2021 for Memorial Day on May 31st, 2021, revised June 12th, 2022, revised June 13th, 2022 and revised May 14th, 2023)

Besides that, for Memorial Day 2025—as usual—I participated in the IAVA (Iraq and Afghanistan Veterans of America) national moment of silence, which is asking “Americans to #GoSilent and participate in a moment of silence at 3PM local time in honor of the men and women in uniform that paid the ultimate price in defense of our nation.” That is why I decided to #GoSilent with [IAVA] at 3:00 PM local time in order to help draw “specific attention to those U.S. service members who were killed while deployed under the Authorization for Use of Military Force (AUMF) that was passed in response to the 9/11 attacks, but was used to justify sending them to places other than Afghanistan. Troops killed in places like Libya, Somalia, Syria, Yemen, and Niger, in addition to troops killed in Iraq well after America was told that the war there was over.”

https://iava.org/media/iava-urges-fellow-americans-to-gosilent-on-memorial-day-2

–Paul Whiting (May 26th, 2025 and revised November 11th, 2025)

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August 2nd, 2025 Update, Written On August 5th, 2025 [My Writing About Donating For My Use Of Wikipedia If They Are Requesting Donations When I Am On Their Website]:

This update is a follow-up to my 'August 13th, 2023 Update—Continued, Written On August 14th, 2023,' where I explained, in part, the following:

August 13th, 2023 Update—Continued, Written On August 14th, 2023 [My Writing About Donating Monthly For My Use Of Wikipedia]: I made a monthly recurring donation to Wikipedia yesterday, August 13th, 2023, since I went onto their website and they were requesting donations. You see, as a blogger and frequent reader of Wikipedia, I try donate to them whenever they request a donation!

Now, I usually give a one-time donation whenever they request a donation on their website; however, after I entered the amount that I was planning to donate, there was a prompt for making a monthly recurring donation! So, I decided to donate monthly—rather than simply donating once—for the first time in all of the years that I have been donating to Wikipedia. You see, I read Wikipedia ALL THE TIME, so that is why I have always endeavored to donate to them whenever they have requested a donation. ...

Plus, this update is also written as a reference to my 'November 6th, 2024 Update No. 1,' where I explained, in part, the following:

November 6th, 2024 Update No. 1 [My Writing About No Longer Being An 'Online Activist' In Any Way, Shape Or Form]: Due to Donald Trump winning the 2024 Presidential Election—and until further notice—I am no longer being an 'Online Activist' in any way, shape or form, which includes no longer signing petitions from political, social, environmental and charitable organizations, and no longer sending letters to my Representative and Senators in Congress, as well as no longer making donations to political, social, environmental and charitable causes. Full stop! I am also unsubscribing from any of the emails that I used to receive from political, social, environmental and charitable organizations. In fact, I am even cancelling all of my monthly political donations to the main Democratic fundraising and coordinating organizations, as well as to the USO (United Service Organizations), in addition to cancelling all of my monthly news organization subscriptions, or news organization donations, because I am absolutely terrified of this second Trump administration. And I fully expect that democracy in America as we know it will be over! So, I am choosing to not engage in any 'activism' whatsoever—plus, I am not even sure that I will be exercising my 'civic duty' by voting in any upcoming elections because, as a (formerly) donating and a (potentially former) voting Democrat, I totally fear the retribution of President Donald J. Trump. Full stop! ...

Although, I go on to clarify in that particular update that I am still voting in elections (even 'special elections'), it's just that I am no longer engaging in any 'Online Activism,' during Trump's Presidency.

Thus, as of November 12th, 2024, my monthly donation to Wikimedia was officially canceled, as was requested by me on November 6th, 2024, for the above-mentioned reason.

Now, fast forward to three days ago, August 2nd, 2025, I went to look up something on the Wikipedia website and they were requesting donations! And since I had canceled my monthly donation, I decided to revert back to giving them one-time donations whenever they request a donation on their website.

And to clarify one more thing: I try to write these types of updates on the same day that I took whatever action which inspired the writing of said update; however, I did not get around to writing this particular update until three days after I made this donation to Wikimedia because I had actually forgotten that I wrote the above-mentioned 'August 13th, 2023 Update—Continued, Written On August 14th, 2023.'

So, it was only when I got around to thinking—after made this donation—that I really needed to update the phraseology that I include whenever I reference any text from Wikipedia (and sometimes Wiktionary too), wherein I usually promote the fact that I support Wikimedia with fundraising donations, as can be seen below:

"...from Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia—which is funded primarily through donations from millions of individuals around the world, including this blogger (I make a totally affordable monthly donation)..."

Therefore, shorty after I made this most recent donation, I realized that I needed to change this specific phrase, "I make a totally affordable monthly donation" to something that reflects how I am currently donating to Wikipedia, as can be seen below:

"...from Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia—which is funded primarily through donations from millions of individuals around the world, including this blogger (I make a totally affordable one-time donation if they are requesting donations when I am on their website)..."

And so, I finally got around to thinking about updating that specific phraseology on all of my applicable blog posts which reference any Wikipedia text, or Wiktionary text, that I quote. (I hope that makes sense!) –Paul Whiting (written August 5th, 2025 and revised August 8th, 2025)

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November 4th, 2025 Update, Written On November 5th, 2025: I voted yesterday, November 4th, 2025, in Portland Oregon's Multnomah County Special Parks Election! –Paul Whiting (November 5th, 2025)

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November 11th, 2025 Update No. 1: For Veterans Day 2025, I decided to create playlists on YouTube Music in order to remind everyone in the United States of America that November 11th is Veterans Day...

...And so, in honor of all those who served in the United States Military, I created the following three playlists on YouTube Music in order to say, "THANK YOU" to all of the military veterans:

"'Veterans Day Celebration Music, Part 1' by Various Artists of Marching Band Style Music" (on YouTube):

https://youtube.com/playlist?list=PL5ASnKWDRID1lezaVbcXBMMNuyMQD1Qzq&si=F2PzLYmnd73jVhp6

"'Veterans Day Celebration Music, Part 2' by Various Artists of Instrumental Piano Music" (on YouTube):

https://youtube.com/playlist?list=PL5ASnKWDRID3F_1Guy0ffP3id38l-Xh3J&si=DzzHF8anTKILjXfQ

"'Veterans Day Celebration Music, Part 3' by Various Artists of Marching Band Style Music, Plus Popular, Rock and Country Music" (on YouTube):

https://youtube.com/playlist?list=PL5ASnKWDRID0r4a2BD4CZxL1zivMoFCZs&si=yMSgjB0j-aldIt6V

Here is the description from all three of those playlists:

Veterans Day is November 11th! So, I decided to remind everyone in the United States of America that November 11th is Veterans Day, as explained from Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia—which is funded primarily through donations from millions of individuals around the world, including this music lover (I make a totally affordable one-time donation if they are requesting donations when I am on their website):

"Veterans Day (originally known as Armistice Day) is a federal holiday in the United States observed annually on November 11, for honoring military veterans of the United States Armed Forces. It coincides with holidays in several countries, including Armistice Day and Remembrance Day, which also occur on the anniversary of the end of World War I. Major hostilities of World War I were formally ended at the 11th hour of the 11th day of the 11th month of 1918 when the Armistice with Germany went into effect. At the urging of major U.S. veteran organizations, Armistice Day was renamed Veterans Day in 1954."

Thus, in celebration of all that United States Military Veterans have done for us, I created this playlist in order to say, "THANK YOU" to all of the military veterans!

–Paul Whiting (November 11th, 2025)

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November 15th, 2025 Update No. 1: November is World Vegan Month!

And I was doing my usual reading of Time Magazine articles from one of their emails that I received today, November 15th, 2023, when I noticed a Time.com article titled, "Going Vegan Could Nearly Halve Your Diet’s Carbon Footprint." An introduction to the article can be found below:

"Going Vegan Could Nearly Halve Your Diet’s Carbon Footprint"

By Simmone Shah | November 12, 2025

Reducing your carbon footprint could start with your dinner. A new report, published in the journal Frontiers in Nutrition, suggests that going vegan could almost halve your diet's carbon footprint. And it would still be highly nutritious.

The researchers compared an omnivorous Mediterranean diet—which typically emphasizes plant-based eating along with lean proteins—to a pescatarian, ovo-lacto vegetarian, and vegan diet. They composed four, week-long menus that included breakfast, a mid-morning snack, lunch, and dinner.

The pescatarian meal plan substituted meat and its derivatives with plant based foods like tofu and textured soy protein, or animal-based foods allowed in the diet, like fish, eggs, and cheese, while the vegetarian allowed for eggs and dairy but no meat. The vegan menu replaced all animal-based foods, including meat, fish, eggs, and dairy, with plant-based alternatives like tofu and tempeh and plant-based beverages, soy yogurt, seeds, and legumes or legume flours.

Greenhouse gas emissions dropped significantly with each dietary change. Total greenhouse gas emissions—accounting for how the food was grown or raised—dropped from 3.8kg (8.37 lbs) per day for the omnivorous diet, to 3.2kg (7.05 lbs) per day for the pescetarian diet, 2.6kg (5.73 lbs) per day for the ovo-lacto-vegetarian diet, to 2.1kg (4.6 lbs) per day for the vegan diet—a 46% decrease. What’s more, the diet changes contributed to a decrease in water use—the vegan diet used 33% less land and 7% less water during the production process.

Research has long shown that swapping animal products for a plant based diet can significantly reduce emissions. The meat and dairy industry account for between 12-19% of all global emissions—meat production alone makes up nearly 60% of the food sector's climate emissions. But the new study shows that the dietary switch doesn’t have to come at the cost of essential nutrients. ...

Please see the hyperlink below for the article:

https://time.com/7333106/nutritious-vegan-diet-climate-impact

By the way, I feel like I need to clarify that I am still keeping up with the news virtually on a daily basis, even though I explained on November 6th, 2024, that "I am no longer being an 'Online Activist' in any way, shape or form!"

Please see the quote below from my 'November 6th, 2024 Update No. 1 [My Writing About No Longer Being An 'Online Activist' In Any Way, Shape Or Form]' that is located on my blog post "I Am No Longer Being An Activist In The Same Way That I Was," which can be found on my "Poet, Artist and Philosopher" blog:

"Due to Donald Trump winning the 2024 Presidential Election—and until further notice—I am no longer being an 'Online Activist' in any way, shape or form, which includes no longer signing petitions from political, social, environmental and charitable organizations, and no longer sending letters to my Representative and Senators in Congress, as well as no longer making donations to political, social, environmental and charitable causes. Full stop! I am also unsubscribing from any of the emails that I used to receive from political, social, environmental and charitable organizations. In fact, I am even cancelling all of my monthly political donations to the main Democratic fundraising and coordinating organizations, as well as to the USO (United Service Organizations), in addition to cancelling all of my monthly news organization subscriptions, or news organization donations, because I am absolutely terrified of this second Trump administration. ..."

Therefore, I read various email newsletters that I receive from multiple news organizations virtually on a daily basis. And I decided to highlight this article from Time Magazine for you, my readers, to consider reading too! –Paul Whiting (written November 15th, 2025, revised November 17th, 2025, revised November 19th, 2025, revised December 16th, 2025, revised February 11th, 2026 and revised April 6th, 2026)

P.S.: One more clarification: This 'update' that I am writing today is technically a special edition from my occasional reading of the above-mentioned newsletter articles that I received via email for November 15th, 2025.

Please let me explain: I stopped writing any current news 'updates,' as of June 28th, 2024! And my reason for doing this was because the news 'updates' that I used to post were taking an extraordinary amount of time to write!

Please see the quote below from my June 28th, 2024 Update No. 1 [June 26th, 2024 Update No. 1, Which Also Discusses June 22nd, 2024 And June 24th, 2024, As Well As June 16th, 2024 Through June 20th, 2024 (Follow-Up No. 1, Written On June 28th, 2024)] that is located on my blog post "I Am No Longer Being An Activist In The Same Way That I Was," which can be found on my "Poet, Artist and Philosopher" blog:

"I have a big announcement to make: As of today, June 28th, 2024, I am no longer writing current news 'updates!' And my reason for doing this is due to that fact that these news 'updates' take an extraordinary amount of time to write—so much so that I am not getting any of my other blogging done, which includes all of the edits that still I have to complete on my various blog posts for my poetry and prose. ..."

However, since there was this news article that I felt directly related to World Vegan Month, I decided to write this special edition 'update' from my occasional reading of news articles from email newsletters that I receive from multiple news organizations, including the following (listed in alphabetical order):

CNBC
CNN
Grist News
Military.com
Mother Jones Magazine
MS NOW
PBS News
Politico
Portland Mercury (Portland, Oregon)
Rolling Stone
Slate News
The Atlantic Magazine
The New York Times
Time Magazine
USA Today
U.S. News & World Report
Willamette Week (Portland, Oregon)

That is why I signed up to receive email newsletters from the above-mentioned news organizations in order for me to stay informed about what's happening in the world. And I was formerly writing separate 'updates' for each of the news articles that I read from these newsletters; however, after I restarted writing these news 'updates' from my news searches on Google, I also decided to write the 'updates' from the above-mentioned news organizations as a combined 'update.'

Thus, in addition to reading said email newsletters, I normally check the news through Google searches as often as I can manage it—since there is typically that much news—which is currently about twice per week, usually on Mondays, as well as on Thursdays or Fridays. (I do, however, check for local Portland city and Oregon state news each and every day.) Then, as explained above, I read the news articles that I feel are the most important for me to read.

Alternatively, I will search for Google A.I. summarizations of said news articles, since I only have a cellular data plan through my cell phone company (so, I don't have access to WiFi via smartphone, unless I go somewhere that offers WiFi), because I am concerned that the many video advertisements on some news websites would take up too much cellular data while I am reading the articles!

Therefore, I usually check what's happening in the world via various Google searches that I do under the following topics, which—by the way—have recently been revised since the last time I wrote any current news 'updates' that, as I mentioned above, was prior to June 28th, 2024, as noted below:

American News
United States News
USA News
Political News
House of Representatives News
Senate News
Democrats News
Republicans News
[NEW] President Donald Trump News
[NEW] Donald Trump News
[NEW] President Donald J Trump News
[NEW] Donald J Trump News
[NEW] Jeffrey Epstein News
[NEW] Epstein News
[NEW] Epstein Files News
[NEW] Epstein Client List News
[NEW] One Big Beautiful Bill News
[NEW] One Big Beautiful Bill Act News
[NEW] Big Beautiful Bill News
[NEW] OBBB News
[NEW] OBBBA News
[NEW] Medicaid News
[NEW] Medicaid Cuts News
[NEW] Medicare News
[NEW] Medicare Cuts News
[NEW] SNAP News
[NEW] SNAP Cuts News
[NEW] Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program News
[NEW] Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program Cuts News
[NEW] Elon Musk News
[NEW] DOGE News
[NEW] Department Of Government Efficiency News
[NEW] Federal Cuts News
[NEW] Funding Cuts News
[NEW] Federal Worker Firings News
[NEW] Federal Workers News
[NEW] Workers News
Workers On Strike News
[NEW] Starbucks Workers On Strike News
[NEW] Starbucks Strike News
[NEW] Federal Jobs Report News
[NEW] Federal Court News
[NEW] Federal Judges News
[NEW] Judges News
[NEW] Supreme Court News
[NEW] SCOTUS News
[NEW] Shadow Docket News
[NEW] Trump Court News
[NEW] Shadow Hearing News
[NEW] Congressional Hearing News
[NEW] Redistricting News
[NEW] Midterm Elections News
[NEW] Election News
[NEW] Signalgate News
[NEW] Pete Hegseth News
[NEW] Department of Defense News
[NEW] Department of War News
[NEW] Kilmar Abrego Garcia News
[NEW] Immigration News
[NEW] Deportation News
[NEW] Inflation News
[NEW] Tariffs News
[NEW] Trade War News
[NEW] China News
[NEW] Asian News
[NEW] Ukraine News
[NEW] Greenland News
[NEW] NATO News
[NEW] Europe News
[NEW] Gaza News
[NEW] West Bank News
[NEW] Iran News
[NEW] Middle East News
[NEW] Venezuela News
[NEW] Cuba News
[NEW] Mexico News
[NEW] South America News
[NEW] Africa News
World News
Global Warming News
[NEW] Measles News
[NEW] Outbreaks News
[NEW] Vaccines News
[NEW] Health News
Portland Oregon News
[NEW] Oregon News

And, to clarify another thing: I change the above-mentioned Google searches as major topics in the news change—which I feel that I need to keep up with as their very own searches—hence the reason that there are so many "NEW" topics since the last time I wrote any current news 'updates!'

In addition to that, I currently create YouTube Playlists, for watching later on, based upon news topics that I also feel need to be better understood through videos, which I watch as often as I possibly can manage.

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For my complete charitable donation updates—that include some of my current "Online Activism," as well as most all of my ⋆USO⋆ donations—please see my blog post titled, "My Point Of View On...Giving Charity And Accepting Charity," which can be found on both of my "Paul Whiting — Math Magician" and "Paul Whiting — A Creative Writer" blogs.

Please see the hyperlinks below for the post:

https://paulwhitingmath.blogspot.com/2015/05/my-point-of-view-on-charity.html

https://paulwhitingwriting.blogspot.com/2022/07/my-point-of-view-on-part-16-giving-to.html

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This "Poet, Artist and Philosopher" Post No. 149 was edited on June 20th, 2026.

"Prose is using all of the words that are necessary in order to describe all that is necessary to describe." –Paul Whiting [June 1st, 2022]

"Poetry is using the fewest words possible in order to describe all that is possible to describe." –Paul Whiting [June 1st, 2022]

Poet, Artist and Philosopher

Wednesday, November 2, 2016

I Am No Longer Being An Activist In The Same Way That I Was

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