This week’s Definitely … a King podcast coverage:
1. The South Toledo Democratic Club’s annual Spaghetti Dinner is being held at the Walbridge Park Shelter House in South Toledo on Oct. 28 from 4:30-7 p.m. Podcast publication date: Oct. 29.
2. Vote Yes on Issue 1. Issue 1 is the only county-wide issue on the ballot in November, and it’s asking Lucas County voters to pay for services that “keep children safe and families stable in Lucas County.” It’s a renewal of a 1.8 mill property tax levy that voters last approved in 2020. In total, the five-year renewal of ISSUE 1 will generate about $14 million annually for children services.
That podcast interview with Lucas County Children Services executive director Randy Muth is set for Oct. 29. Podcast publication date: Oct. 30
We are just a week away from election day on Nov. 4, and because of the urgency of the current political climate, I’m going to ramp up my podcast coverage.
It’s clear to me, and I’m sure to most of you, that the coming months represent a crossroads for the future of American democracy (I can’t believe I’m even typing that!) The November 2026 elections are not just another round on the political calendar—they may be the most consequential of our lifetime. The decisions we make as voters and citizens in this cycle will reverberate for years, even decades, to come.
It worries me that the divide between political factions seems sharper and more contentious than ever. Control of our state and federal governments, you know … the guardrails for our governor and president … is up for grabs. If we don’t do all we can to get out the vote, Trump will have total control for the remainder of his presidency, considering SCOTUS has his back.
I, for one, would love to see him impeached … again, but this time the Senate needs the numbers to convict, but it takes two-thirds of senators present on any article of impeachment. Remember back on Feb. 13, 2021, when the Senate acquitted Trump on an impeachment charge of inciting an insurrection? The Senate didn’t have the votes.
These are just a few of the Trump administration’s appalling actions:
· Sending the military into our own Democratic communities
· Giving ICE unlimited power to violently snatch who they want
· Firing thousands of federal workers without due cause
· Ending programs like SNAP on Nov. 1
· Demolished the East Wing for a golden ball room that will be bigger than the White House
· Rolling back regulations that protect worker pay and safety
· Stacked the Supreme Court
· Blowing up Venezuelan boats for suspicion of drug possession
· Evading the release of the Epstein files
· Enacted the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act (TCJA), signed into law at the end of 2017. This Act, provides a permanent cut in the corporate income tax rate that will overwhelmingly benefit capital owners and the top 1 percent
· Repealing a well-known provision of the ACA (Affordable Care Act). This will raise the number of uninsured Americans by 13 million in 2027
· Withdrew America from the Paris Climate Agreement
· Pardoned or commuted sentences for more than 1,500 Jan. 6 insurrectionists; Todd and Julie Chrisley; Paul Manafort; NYC mayor Eric Adams’s case was dismissed; Binance founder Changpenz Zhao; disgraced U.S. representative George Santos; Former Democratic governor Rod Blagojevich
· Feel free to add to this list in the comments!
It’s up to us to defend our democratic norms and safeguard civil liberties. Without a concerted effort to elect Democratic majorities, we risk enabling the erosion of checks and balances that protect us from authoritarian rule.
The stakes go beyond policy disagreements; they strike at the very heart of our system. Trump’s trajectory in office has raised alarms about the consolidation of power and the undermining of institutions designed to keep any one leader in check. This isn’t merely a partisan issue—it’s about the future stability and integrity of governance in the United States. Failure to act decisively for the next two Novembers could accelerate a shift toward authoritarianism that would be extremely difficult to reverse.
That is why, starting now, my coverage will focus on key races, figures and issues that deserve our attention. By informing, engaging and organizing, we can build the momentum required to defend and strengthen our democracy.
Each podcast episode and newsletter post will be dedicated to highlighting what’s at stake, energizing potential voters and countering apathy with action. The time to act is now.
Coming Soon: I’m in the process of developing a new talk show podcast with a co-host! Details to be revealed next month. Stay tuned!
Some items to add to the list, Lori, that I believe could be troubling well into the future beyond Trump.
He has successfully weaponized racism, especially toward the Hispanic. The message being that we cannot allow them to compromise our neighborhoods, allow them to take jobs meant for "real Americans," allow them to change our culture, or allow them to abuse our women.
Trump has made it acceptable to be anti-gay.
Trump is using corporate America to cancel thoughts and ideas challenging his own. Good example is the effort to find American buyers for Tik Tok, which one could argue is a prime, if not the prime, communication tool online. Whoever gets control of Tik Tok will certainly be beholden to Trump and would almost certainly exercise control over the measuring.
I know I am singing to the choir here, Lori.