A Democratic member of the U.S. Congress is doubling down as he faces calls to resign after expressing concern about trans-identified male athletes competing in female sports. 

Nancy O'Brien Simpson Death by a thousand cuts.  There are as many postmortem reasons for the Trump landslide as there are pundits.  It was a historic comeback with inroads in every demographic group.  However, Trump did not win by millions of new voters joining the Trump Train he won because Democrats stayed home and did not vote for Kamala Harris.  Trump gained about 300,000 new voters and Democrats lost three million voters from the 2020 election.   This is my take on the top five reasons why the Democrats did not show up for Harris.

KYIV, 15 July 2016 – The OSCE Project Co-ordinator in Ukraine today opened a new sphere of project assistance to Ukraine – improving democratic control of defence and security sectors – with a presentation of international experience and best practices at a conference in Kyiv.

The event, co-organized with the Parliament and the Ministry of Defence, brought together more than 120 parliamentarians, military and civilian representatives of various ministries, experts, and civil society activists to learn about the basic principles in this area, as well as practical examples from other countries.

During the conference, the OSCE Code of Conduct on Politico-Military Aspects of Security and the OSCE Security Sector Governance and Reform Guidelines were presented. Ukrainian translations of these documents can be found at www.osce.org/fsc/41355  and www.osce.org/uk/secretariat/253156, respectively.

The participants discussed in detail the national models of parliamentary and civic control over the defence sectors of Austria, Bulgaria, Denmark, Germany, and Norway.

“The ability of Parliament, and of society at large, to exercise control over its security services is a true litmus test for democracy and rule of law,” said Jeffrey Erlich, Senior Project Officer at the OSCE Project Co-ordinator’s Office. “Such oversight contributes to a much more effective security sector by rooting out corruption, and by strengthening the bond between society and the armed forces.”

Igor Dolgov, Deputy Minister of Defence, said: “For me there is no question of whether it is possible to simultaneously deal with current crisis and implement reforms in defense sectors, including strengthening mechanisms of democratic control over armed forces. It is needed and it is already happening.”

Until the end of the year, the OSCE Project Co-ordinator will provide expertise in developing a concept paper and implementation plan for democratic oversight; assist in promoting dialogue between the military, parliamentarians, experts and civic activists; and contribute to raising awareness among the public by publishing relevant online resources.  Further assistance efforts will continue after 2016.

In partnering with the Geneva Centre for the Democratic Control of the Armed Forces (DCAF), the project will also draw on their expertise.

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VIENNA, 21 July 2016 – The mass cancellation of broadcasting licenses, criminal investigations against, and dismissal of, hundreds of journalists at the state broadcaster, and blocked websites are the latest, severe challenges to freedom of expression and media freedom in Turkey, Dunja Mijatović, the OSCE Representative on Freedom of the Media, said today.

Fully aligning herself with the statement made by the Chairperson-in-Office and German Foreign Minister Frank-Walter Steinmeier, and OSCE Secretary General Lamberto Zannier on 16 July, strongly condemning any attempt to change the democratic order of Turkey through the use of force (statement available at www.osce.org/cio/254431), the Representative said:

“Democratically elected governments must be safeguarded, but they in turn must protect media freedom and support the role journalists play in ensuring and strengthening democracies,” Mijatović said.  “Fully recognizing the difficult times that Turkey is going through, the authorities need to ensure media freedom offline and online in line with their international commitments.”

On 19 July, the Radio and Television Supreme Council of Turkey (RTÜK) cancelled the licenses of radio and television stations that allegedly support the Gulen movement. The following television channels are currently affected: STV, Samanyolu Haber, Samanyolu Haber Radyo, Can Erzincan TV, Kanal 124, Yumurcak TV, Hira TV, MC TV, Dünya TV, Kanal Türk, Bugün TV, Mehtap TV, Berfin FM, Kanal Türk Radyo, Burç FM, Samanyolu Haber Radyosu, Radyo Mehtap, Haber Radyo Ege, Dünya Radyo, Radyo Küre, Merkür TV, Esra Radyo, Tuna Shoping TV, and Radyo Anadolu.

“Using the full force of my mandate, I urge the authorities of Turkey to ensure that pluralistic debate, diverging views and safety of journalists are respected,” Mijatović said, adding that the deteriorating media freedom situation in Turkey have been subject to numerous interventions from her Office in the past few years (available at www.osce.org/fom).

Also on 19 July, the Ankara Public Prosecutor’s Office launched an investigation against 370 staff members of the state broadcaster TRT, for their alleged links to the Gulen movement.  

Further, the Representative expressed concern about the rapidly growing number of blocked websites in Turkey. In the past few days, dozens of websites suspected for endangering national security and public order have been blocked. More than 112.000 websites are reported being blocked in the country today.  

Mijatović noted with deep concern reports about death threats being made in social media against journalists critical to the authorities, and emphasized the importance of journalists’ safety. She also recalled warnings in several major media outlets announcing the possible arrests of members of the media on terrorism charges. She said that Turkey holds more journalists in prison than any other OSCE participating State – a fact her Office continuously raises attention to, by regularly publishing a detailed table on imprisoned journalists.

“Freedom of expression does not stop at views deemed appropriate by the government,” Mijatović said. “It remains the role of journalists to inform people of public issues, including highly sensitive ones, and it remains the role of the authorities to ensure that journalists can do so freely and safely.”

The Representative offered the continued assistance and expertise of her Office to the authorities in Turkey ensuring that media freedom and freedom of expression are protected, even under difficult circumstances.

The OSCE Representative on Freedom of the Media observes media developments in all 57 OSCE participating States. She provides early warning on violations of freedom of expression and media freedom and promotes full compliance with OSCE media freedom commitments. Learn more at www.osce.org/fom, Twitter: @OSCE_RFoM and on www.facebook.com/osce.rfom. 

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ULAANBAATAR, 30 June 2016 – Election day was orderly and followed a competitive campaign. This, however, did not offset the impact of late fundamental changes to election laws on Mongolia’s democratic development, the international observers concluded in a preliminary statement released today. While the June 29 parliamentary elections were highly contested and freedoms of assembly and association were respected, restrictive campaign provisions, coupled with the media’s subservience to political interests, limited impartial and comprehensive information available to voters, the statement says.

“We were pleased to see that voting took place in a calm and peaceful manner. This was a genuinely competitive contest, with high turnout and no certainty as to which party would win. We applaud the fact Mongolia is a functioning democracy,” said Laima Liucija Andrikienė, Head of the European Parliament delegation. “There were, however, some elements which cause concern, including significant last-minute changes to the election laws, which, among other things, prevented 150,000 Mongolian citizens living outside the country, including diplomats, from voting.”

The observers said the consolidation of election legislation into a new law adopted on 25 December 2015, following an inclusive process, was a positive development toward establishing a cohesive electoral framework. However, changes in May 2016 – from a mixed electoral system to a solely majoritarian one, establishing 76 single-mandate constituencies and approving their boundaries – were introduced by parliament in a process that lacked transparency, public consultation and adherence to established criteria, the observers said. This resulted in profound population discrepancies among constituencies.

A total of 498 candidates, including 69 independents, was registered in a process that was largely inclusive and provided voters with a range of political choices. Contrary to OSCE commitments and other international obligations, however, there are disproportionate restrictions on candidacy rights the statement says. While there was general confidence in the accuracy and inclusiveness of the voting register, the May changes to the election laws also effectively disenfranchised 150,000 citizens living abroad for the parliamentary elections.

“For an election to be meaningful, voters first have to be offered a genuine choice, and voters were given that choice here. That choice also has to be between candidates competing on a level playing field and who have equal access to independent media to explain their platforms. In this, there is still work to do,” said Ambassador Audrey Glover, Head of the OSCE/ODIHR long-term election observation mission. “Elections are about voters, and the main problem for voters was understanding the significant last-minute changes to election laws, which affected the rules of the game profoundly and raised questions about political motivation.” 

Despite undue campaign restrictions, the freedoms of assembly and association were respected and candidates were generally able to convey their messages to the electorate. At times the lines were blurred between parties and the administration at both the national and local levels, the observers said. There were multiple instances of alleged vote-buying, which resulted in a number of formal complaints and the deregistration of two candidates.

The GEC received some 50 pre-election complaints. Courts reviewed 21 cases regarding candidate registration, and the police handled more than 1,000 campaign-related complaints. Although legislation clarifies the complaints and appeals process to some extent, a general lack of formalization and transparency in the process within the election administration and the protracted handling of disputes in courts undermined the right to effective remedy.

The media offered extensive election coverage, but abandoned their journalistic role, for the most part simply granting direct access to the politicians. Paid political advertisements and free airtime overshadowed editorial content, and campaign material prepared by political parties was also included in news programming, undercutting the credibility of the media. Consequently, voters were deprived of independent and analytical reporting, the observers said.

In preparation for election day, the General Election Commission met key operational deadlines and fulfilled its mandate. At the same time, the observers said, it lacked transparency and accountability to stakeholders, diminishing trust in the credibility of the process. The testing of vote-counting machines was conducted professionally by the Commission in the presence of stakeholders and, to address concerns over the machines’ accuracy and integrity, the law was amended stipulate that up to 50 per cent of polling stations would be subject to manual recounts. The procedures stipulating the manual re-count, however, were only finalized two days prior to the elections.

All parties and coalitions complied with the 20 per cent gender quota provided for by law, and 26 per cent of contestants were women. There were, however, no women candidates in more than one-third of the constituencies. While there is only one woman member of the General Election Commission, women were better represented in lower-level election commissions. Overall, women remain underrepresented in political life.

Election day proceeded in an orderly manner in most of the country and, while the right to vote was respected, the secrecy of the vote was not consistently ensured. The observers’ assessment of the counting and tabulation of votes was a notable exception to the overall positive assessment of voting, mostly as a result of significant procedural errors or omissions. A number of civil society organizations monitored the pre-election environment, including campaign finance and the media, and issued timely statements highlighting key shortcomings.

For further information, contact:
Thomas Rymer, OSCE/ODIHR, +976 95 14 1635 or +48 609 522 266, thomas.rymer@odihr.pl

Tim Boden, European Parliament, +976 99 976294 or +32 473 844431, timothy.boden@europarl.europa.eu

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Senate Democratic leadership is speaking to reporters as the 118th Congress enters its final weeks. The press conference comes after Senate Democrats lost their majority in last week’s elections for the incoming Senate in January. CLICK HERE TO READ MORE FROM THE WASHINGTON EXAMINER Until the new Congress is sworn in on Jan. 3, the […]

It has been reported that Tufts University has cut ties with MA Rep. Seth Moulton in the wake of his sudden turn against transgender athletes

The post Tufts University Accused of Cutting Ties with Democrat Congressman Over Trans Athlete Comments appeared first on Breitbart.

Remember: It’s only “election denial” if you have an R after your name. Sure, the Democrats raised a stink about the presidential election results in 2000, 2004 and 2016. The […]

The post Election Denier: Top Senate Democrat Still Refuses to Concede Race as Post-Election Tantrum Continues appeared first on The Western Journal.

Democratic Govs. J.B. Pritzker of Illinois and Jared Polis of Colorado on Wednesday announced the launch of a non-partisan coalition of governors aimed at protecting state-level democratic institutions.

For the first time in four years, Democrats are leaderless. But chaos is a ladder, as the saying goes, and the party is packed with climbers.

Tulsi Gabbard -- a military veteran who once sought the Democratic presidential nomination, was chosen by Trump to be his director of national intelligence.

Donald Trump on Wednesday named former Democrat Tulsi Gabbard, who has opposed US support for Ukraine and met Syria's president Bashar al-Assad, as his incoming Director of National Intelligence.

Donald Trump is set to return to the White House after his victory over Kamala Harris in the November 5 US presidential elections. The 78-year-old leader Republican has secured all seven swing states.

Donald Trump is set to return to the White House after his victory over Kamala Harris in the November 5 US presidential elections. The 78-year-old leader Republican has secured all seven swing states.

Juba, South Sudan — The United Nations Mission in South Sudan has called for tangible evidence of progress toward democratic elections the country. Briefing the United Nations Security Council this week, special representative of the secretary-general and head of UNMISS, Nicholas Haysom, told government leaders “the clock on the extension is already ticking.” Since winning its independence in 2011, South Sudan is just beginning its fourth extension of the transitional period government, with elections now rescheduled for 2026. Speaking for Haysom, U.N. South Sudan acting spokesperson Rabindra Giri said, “The international community needs tangible evidence that this country’s leaders and political elite are genuinely committed to a democratic future.” As the country struggles with increasing internal conflict, the delay in democratic reform affects the hopes for peace, stability and development, even beyond South Sudan's borders, impacting the entire East African region. UNMISS officials stressed that time is running out for political leaders to fulfill their obligations under the peace agreement. “We must collectively seize the opportunity to make this extension the last and deliver the peace and democracy that the people of South Sudan deserve,” Giri said. On the streets of Juba, South Sudanese citizens were eager to talk about how the delays in implementing the peace agreement raise doubts about whether their leaders genuinely care about the nation’s well-being and are impacting their hopes for peace, stability and development.    Nunu Diana, a women’s rights advocate in South Sudan, is one of them. “I think because of the extension, personally, as a young person, I have lost morale in the governance system of the country,” Diana said. Data Gordon, an advocate for peace and gender equality, is another. “The time for political statements without tangible and time-bound action is over," Gorton said. "For elections to take place as scheduled, the government needs to walk the talk.” UNMISS said it is moving ahead with support to the National Elections Commission, while Haysom highlighted civic education, preparing for voter registration, a code of conduct between political parties, civil society, media and election security among the areas that the parties could immediately address. Haysom said time is a nonrenewable resource. He said this is South Sudan’s last chance to deliver on its promise of democracy, and there is a need for sustained international support while holding South Sudan's leaders accountable to their own commitments. “This cannot be business as usual for the parties to the peace agreement, the political elite, the guarantors of the peace agreement or the international community," Giri said. "We must collectively seize the opportunity to make this extension the last and deliver the peace and democracy that the people of South Sudan deserve.”

Meanwhile, the losing Democrats have turned the rifles on each other, seeking blame, but ignoring the larger reasons and implications of their decisive defeat.

[VOA] Juba, South Sudan -- The United Nations Mission in South Sudan has called for tangible evidence of progress toward democratic elections the country.

This brief shows how civil society organizations (CSOs) in the Lao People’s Democratic Republic (Lao PDR) are rooted in strong village traditions of community support, maps their growth, and explains how they help drive resilient development.

Every day in the mainstream media, Trump was dumped on as hysterical and Harris praised as positive and sane while pushing for national unity.

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For sponsor-free episodes of Consider This, sign up for Consider This+ via Apple Podcasts or at plus.npr.org.

Email us at considerthis@npr.org.

1. Trump Tracker: Ex-Democrat Tulsi Gabbard Appointed US Intelligence Chief  NDTV
2. Who is Tulsi Gabbard? Meet the Hindu American appointed by Trump as US Director of National Intelligence  The Times of India
3. Who is Tulsi Gabbard, Donald Trump’s Hindu pick for director of national intelligence?  The Economic Times
4. When Tulsi Gabbard, Donald Trump's new pick, slammed Pakistan Army over atrocities against Hindus in Bangladesh  Hindustan Times
5. Trump taps former Democrat Tulsi Gabbard as US intel chief; Senator Marco Rubio as Secretary of State  The Hindu

1. Trump taps former Democrat Tulsi Gabbard as US intel chief; Senator Marco Rubio as Secretary of State  The Hindu
2. Who is Tulsi Gabbard? Meet the Hindu American appointed by Trump as US Director of National Intelligence  The Times of India
3. Trump Tracker: Ex-Democrat Tulsi Gabbard Appointed US Intelligence Chief  NDTV
4. Who is Tulsi Gabbard, Donald Trump’s Hindu pick for director of national intelligence?  The Economic Times
5. Trump picks ex-Democrat Tulsi Gabbard to be Director of National Intelligence  India Today

Tulsi Gabbard demanded U.S. military withdrawal from Iraq and Syria during her 2020 Presidential run; Marco Rubio would be the first Hispanic as the top U.S. diplomat

Data democratization is reshaping businesses, making data accessible to all employees and enhancing decision-making across organizations.

Хорошее
https://www.politico.com/news/magazine/2024/11/11/why-democrats-lost-latinos-00188769
"Why Democrats Lost Latinos", by Jack Herrera.

Латинксы голосовали за Трампа и Харрис примерно поровно,
в прошлый раз это было 4/6, а за Обаму голосовали типа 2/8.

Не знаю уж, что тут сыграло роль, возможно, то, что
демократы видятся партией финансовых и чиновных элит.
Но эффект занятный.

Привет

Somone please tell me what the HELL's wrong with all the people that
run this country!!!!!!

To both Republicans & Democrats

we're "broke" & can't help our own Seniors, Veterans, Orphans,
Homeless, Etc.???????????

In the last months we have provided aid to Haiti, Chile, Pakistan,
Lybia, Egypt and Turkey.. And now Japan Literally, BILLIONS of
DOLLARS!!!

Our retired seniors living on a 'fixed income' receive no aid nor do
they get any breaks while our government and religious organizations
pour Hundreds of Billions of $$$$$$'s and Tons of Food to Foreign
Countries!

We have hundreds of adoptable children who are shoved aside to make
room for the adoption of foreign orphans.

AMERICA: a country where we have homeless without shelter, children
going to bed hungry, elderly going without 'needed' meds, and mentally
ill without treatment-etc, etc.

YET......................
They have a 'Benefit' for the people of Haiti on 12 TV stations, ships
and planes lining up with food, water, tents clothes, bedding, doctors
and medical supplies.

Imagine if the *GOVERNMENT* gave 'US' the same support they give to
other countries.


Sad isn't it?

Learn how the easy availability of big data can help SMBs compete with big businesses.

- Data is now easier to collect and cheaper to host, making it accessible to nearly every business.
- The availability of data helps small businesses compete against big corporations, but they may still struggle to use that data in practical ways.
- Three ways small businesses can use big data to grow include checking on credit data about your business, monitoring supply chain data, and keeping an eye on artificial intelligence and automation innovations.

complete article

[Africa Check] No, South African political party the Democratic Alliance didn't hoist a giant Israeli flag on Cape Town's iconic Table Mountain

1. Democrat Dave Min keeps Katie Porter’s House seat blue  POLITICO
2. Democrat wins California House seat to replace Porter  The Hill
3. In California’s 47th congressional district, former Republican Assemblyman Scott Baugh concedes to Democrat Dave Min  The Mercury News

Florida is famous for “Florida Man” news stories and memes, for the extreme heat frying people’s brains, and for more and more extreme Republicans taking over the state. When I was younger, it was a swing state in national elections— one of the key swing states. It seems that it’s ... [continued]

The post Should Democrats Abandon Florida? appeared first on CleanTechnica.

Under co-option, parties can fill vacancies in the assembly and councils without holding a by-election.

Party platform calls corporate welfare ‘unsustainable,’ but its policies are a different story

1. Democrat Ruben Gallego wins Arizona U.S. Senate race against Republican Kari Lake  The Globe and Mail
2. Ruben Gallego defeats Trump ally Kari Lake in Arizona Senate race  BBC.com
3. Democrat Gallego wins Arizona, Republicans hold 53-47 US Senate majority  Al Jazeera English

Based on a survey of 2548 American adults conducted by Pew Research Center in 2021, this study finds that trust in the accuracy of news circulated on X (former Twitter) is positively correlated with following news sites on X, underscoring the crucial role of trust in news accuracy in shaping news-seeking behaviour. Trust in news accuracy also positively relates to political participation via X. Those who trust in news accuracy are more likely to perceive X as an effective tool for raising public awareness about political and social issues, as well as a positive force for democracy. However, exposure to misinformation weakens the connection between trust in news accuracy and users' perception about X as an effective tool for raising public awareness about political or social issues and as a positive driver for democracy.

Democrat Angela Alsobrooks won the Senate race in deep-blue Maryland on Tuesday over Republican Larry Hogan, a former two-term governor who failed to convert his popularity into an upset win.

Democratic U.S. Sen. Tim Kaine of Virginia won reelection to his third term Tuesday, defeating Republican challenger Hung Cao.

Democratic House candidate Eugene Vindman was victorious Wednesday over his Republican opponent for Virginia's 7th District.

April McClain-Delaney, a Democrat, was announced the winner of the open seat in Maryland's 6th Congressional District late Saturday, four days after Election Day.