Voting is as important as breathing

Last night Rachel Maddow interviewed Hillary Rodham Clinton on a variety of subjects.

The one that interested me most was when the effect of Democrats not voting in non-Presidential election years was discussed.

Apparently Dems do not realize that control of the House of Representatives starts in the State houses. Either they do not know or do not care. 

Why does the GOP currently control the House of Representatives?

As of 2014, 23 States have both a Republican governor and Legislature and control of 68 state legislature chambers.

Source Real Clear Politics

State legislatures control the voting districts and most have done a masterful job of gerrymandering, so that it is almost impossible for a Democrat to be elected to Congress unless Dems turn out in huge numbers.

The Senate elections are statewide and out of the control of the legislatures.

So by not voting, with the red wall that exists, we made it easier for Congress to just say “NO” and for the State legislatures to have a party.

THE RESULTS OF GOP CONTROL

Wisconsin

Yesterday, Governor Scott Walker signed a bill into law that stops prosecutors from using the John Doe law* to investigate political corruption.

6 of his staffers and buddies were convicted as a result of information garnered using that law, no more.  Scott Walker yesterday took Wisconsin back to the days of Tammany Hall.

He has had a field day wrecking the most progressive state in our country.  From breaking the unions to cutting funding for the University of Wisconsin, and refusing to expand Medicaid coverage, he has done it all. He has been able to do so, because he has the votes 68 - 36 in the House and 18 to 14 in the Senate.
*The John Doe law, has given prosecutors the power to obtain search warrants and order people to testify and turn over documents in investigations that usually take place in secret.

Texas

Ah yes Texas. The Governor has a blank check.

The Senate is 20 to 11 and the House 98 to 51.

Texas has not expanded Medicaid under the ACA to allow low income Texans to receive healthcare.

In addition to the existing gun laws, the Governor and legislature passed a law allowing concealed weapons on campus. What could possibly go wrong?

And then there is Planned Parenthood.

3 days after Governor Abbott announced that he would end Medicaid funding to Planned Parenthood, investigators showed up at 3 clinics demanding records of patients and staff Including home addresses and telephone numbers.

Apparently if you live in Texas the HIPPA laws do not protect you.

There are 20 additional states that have not expanded Medicaid, all of them Red States.  All of them would rather have their poor without insurance than say YES to President Obama.

In all of the States in total control of the government, we have similar shenanigans as mentioned above.

What we also have is a total dislike of Americans who are not middle class and above.

Sometime in the past 80 years the party of Lincoln became a poor and woman hating bunch of men and now women.

They are supported by Americans who have no idea how much damage is being done to them and to this country.

The silent majority has become the screaming far right and our country is in grave danger.  Those of us not wearing blinders must do all we can to help stem the tide.

We can start by voting.