Venn Strategies’ Post

If The Washington Post truly believes that democracy dies in darkness, why did you just turn off the lights? The Post's decision to not endorse a candidate in the presidential race 11 days out from the election doesn't pass the  smell test. Why now, so close to the election? Why this election and not the other state and local races in which the Post continues to weigh in on? In an online column, Publisher William Lewis argued that the decision was consistent with the values the Post has always stood for and supports its belief that readers can "make up their own minds." Like many others, I don't believe him. Given the timing, along with  LA Times owner Patrick Soon-Shiong's decision to block the paper's endorsement of Kamala Harris, the decision feels less like an appeal to lofty ideals and more like a cave-in to Post owner Jeff Bezos hedging his bets in case Trump wins the election. I know that newspaper endorsements don't sway many voters, if they ever did. Many people may see this as an event of little or no consequence. But the editorial page – separate from the reporting side of the house – isn't there to tell people how to vote. It is part of an obligation to provide an informed opinion, based on sound reporting and investigation, that adds to everything else – campaign ads, events, TikTok – that voters consider before they "make up their minds." Take it or leave it, embrace it or disregard it. After all, you know what they say about opinions. But to abandon that obligation so close to the election makes people think the fix is in, whether it is or not.  Democracies don't need to die by dramatic and violent coup. They happen when no one is paying attention, death by  a thousand cuts. "Nonsense, nonsense," says a character in  Sinclair Lewis's frighteningly prophetic 1935  novel,  It Can't Happen Here. "We're a country of freemen." To which comes the reply, "The hell it can't. Why, there's no country in the world that can get more hysterical . . . than America." I love the Post. I came of age as a journalist right behind Woodward and Bernstein. The paper has produced heroic reporting for decades. And now this. What's that sound? I think Ben Bradlee just rolled over in his grave.  

Thrilled to share a significant move in @POLITICO’s ambitious expansion plans in California: the formation of the first-ever ballot measure team in California!    From settling broad cultural questions to changing obscure governance rules, ballot measures have become a crucial part of California’s political landscape. With more money being spent on contesting ballot measures than on winning most statewide offices, ballot measures have become, in essence, the fourth branch of government in the nation’s most influential state capital. Simply put, ballot measures have an enormous impact on California residents, industries, and the Legislature.    To provide our readers with in-depth insights into the strategies, policy ideas, personalities, and the money driving and influencing ballot measures, our newly formed team will cover this beat with the same rigor and dedication that we apply to reporting on the governor or legislature. In order to deliver this indispensable reporting, @POLITICO has added two seasoned reporters, @Emily Schultheis and @Will McCarthy. Nationally recognized Editor @Sasha Issenberg will develop and lead coverage strategy, alongside the collaboration of POLITICO’s robust California team and broader newsroom.    The creation of this beat further demonstrates our commitment to informing our audience in California and beyond on how power is wielded in the Golden State.   Subscribe to @POLITICO’s California Playbook to be the first to track our expert ballot measure team’s work: https://lnkd.in/gf-nNxRV Read the full press release here: https://lnkd.in/gmHWwNu6 #POLITICOCalifornia #BallotMeasures

For HIGH NOON is this commentary by Jarrett Stepman, a columnist for The Daily Signal. He is also the author of "The War on History: The Conspiracy to Rewrite America's Past." Entitled : Trump Has Another Opportunity to Defang the Deep State. Now past the elections...some areas still waiting on outcomes...we have a number of appointments shaping up. It will be interesting as "orders for large wrenches" go out in various areas. Cases of the non elected trying to impose their will on the populous via various rules and regs and SOP of past. Well, I think there is going to be a change..a BIG ONE. As various governors in areas are already stepping up resistance to new policies, all while it has been shown in the past four years that those are not working as they strive to cling to power. The bottom line is the GOVERNMENT works for US the people, not the other way around. WE need less government, more efficient government...not more. Also a clear definition that government is NOT, IS NOT bureaucracy.....so on to it.. ...."One of the defining features of the second Trump administration will almost certainly be the battle between the elected, constitutional branches of government and the vast federal bureaucracy. With Republicans in control of both the House and Senate, President Donald Trump will have a significant mandate for leadership in the next few years. The most significant impediment to effective policymaking during that time, other than Republicans stepping on their own feet, will be the government itself—not elected Democrats who stand in opposition, but unelected bureaucrats who have unilaterally decided they know what’s best for the country and use their protected positions within the federal bureaucracy to thwart the change in direction the American people voted for....." STAND UNITED for FREEDOM and OUR NATION !!!

Thanks Plural for the feature! If you know me, you know that I LOVE what I do! And, I love opportunities to share what I do with others. It's one of the many reasons I launched Indigo Hill Strategies this year :) #PublicPolicy #Lobbyist #HealthPolicy #GovernmentAffairs

After 2024's chaotic legislative session, you might be wondering how anyone gets anything done at the Capitol. Our public affairs team breaks down challenges, trends and tips for legislative success: https://lnkd.in/gTpCvz2E

The Siloing of Trump’s Failures as President Me, Robert Reich and others have preached to the choir for months on the election. Have we made a difference? Not unless our readers have taken the facts & context we offer to those still unpersuaded. See my thoughts here. By subscribing you can review more than 60 columns I've written on the election over the last few months: https://lnkd.in/e5aYeF-7

If you endorse, and vote for, Trump, this is exactly what you will get--more intimidation, more harassment, etc. We need to make sure Trump is NOT elected so his sick agenda will be made null and void. Don't kowtow to intimidation and corruption--vote for Harris/Walz and make sure America remains a democracy vs. an oligarchy.

As written up in POLITICO's Massachusetts Playbook by Kelly Garrity today, we have compiled a database of lobbying data for the Commonwealth of Massachusetts. You can read it in full and access the data below. Some highlights: - There are a lot of lobbyists in the state. For every legislator, there are about 8 registered lobbyists. - Most of them are paid as lobbyists full-time - the median earnings are only $16,160. - Those who are full-time lobbyists can do very well for themselves. Some earned more than half a million dollars in 2023. - It raises significant questions about how long we can keep talented people in elected office or staff positions when they could earn much more lobbying. There are 75 people who earn more from lobbying contracts than the salaries from every elected official in the state. How long can we expect talented people to stay in a tough job, with perhaps a difficult commute, when every day they see people walking around the State House who used to be in their shoes and are now in a higher tax bracket? https://lnkd.in/e4-2U4mV

THE MORNING AFTER SUPER TUESDAY As I am wont to do, I often reflect on things that disturb me -- like MAGA Republican Donald Trump’s commanding domination over the once-great Party of Lincoln, despite his hateful rhetoric and attempts to overthrow the government of the United States of America. How could this happen, I asked myself, looking for a glimmer of hope. Then I found an e-mail from Hamilton Fish, the editor and publisher of The Washington Spectator, a small publication that was first introduced to me long ago by the late Tristram Coffin, then the Spectator’s editor, who became a kind mentor when I was editor of Common Cause Magazine. This week’s Spectator issue contained the glimmer I was looking for. “There is alchemy to the way information finds its way into the discourse, it’s unpredictable and difficult to steer,” Fish writes, as he announces an article by Jonathan Winer called “Countering the Threat of a Contingent Election.” The piece, an analysis of a scheme in which the election of the president is played out in the House of Representatives using the 12th Amendment, may seem a bit in the weeds. But not when you consider some of the twisted legal theories we’ve seen emerge since Trump lost his first bid for re-election to Joe Biden. “None of this could ever happen here, right? . . . And if you are deluded into thinking that the remaining hurdles will save us, let me remind you that the new Speaker is an avid election denier who in 2022 led a sizeable though ultimately unsuccessful revolt in the House against a package of bi-partisan reforms aimed at curbing exactly these scenarios,” Fish writes. In order for democracy to survive, both Fish and Winer conclude, we can no longer count on an unbiased U.S. Supreme Court. Only a robust turn-out in November “will fend off bad faith efforts to exploit weaknesses in our election laws. In this politically charged and contested environment, the only election victories that are safe from the subversions of authoritarian and anti-democratic forces are those that are won by large margins.” So, there you have it. Let’s all come together at the ballot box to protect American democracy and the rule of law.  

**Kaplan Strategies Poll Update: Lauren Boebert Gains Momentum in Colorado's 4th Congressional District** I am excited to share the latest results from our recent poll conducted in Colorado's 4th Congressional District. Our findings reveal significant shifts in favorability and support for Congresswoman Lauren Boebert ahead of the upcoming Republican primary. **Key Highlights:** - **Improved Favorability:** Lauren Boebert's favorable rating has risen to 47%, reflecting a positive change in voter perception. - **Opponent Recognition:** Boebert's name recognition significantly outpaces her opponents, giving her a strategic advantage. - **Primary Support:** Boebert leads with 40% support among likely primary voters, with an additional 40% undecided. - **Character and Judgement:** Voter perception of Boebert’s character and judgment has improved, with 41% now viewing her positively. This poll underscores Boebert’s strengthened position and growing support within her new district. With the primary just around the corner, it will be interesting to see how these dynamics evolve. For more details on our findings, visit [https://lnkd.in/eniSqXY9). At Kaplan Strategies, we are committed to providing actionable intelligence and strategic guidance to help our clients succeed in today's dynamic political landscape. For further information, please contact me at (407)-242-1870 or doug@kaplanstrategies.com. #Polling #PoliticalConsulting #Election2024 #ColoradoPolitics #KaplanStrategies