For anyone who spent the last year avoiding the news, this week has been full of treats and delights.
First, there were the election results themselves. The GOP cope story is that “these were blue state races,” but there were undeniable wins in deep red territory: Georgia voters flipped two seats on the Georgia Public Service Commission and Mississippi voters broke the Republican supermajority in the state Senate.
Then there was Trump’s panicked reaction to the potential of accountability on the horizon. News anchors pushing back against nonsense talking points. And deep fractures at the Heritage Foundation? IS IT OUR BIRTHDAY OR SOMETHING 🎂
Good election news? We’re soaking in it 💅
In fact, Tuesday’s results suggest that the fragile MAGA coalition of 2024 has already collapsed. But so far, Trump and the GOP seem determined to ignore the message that voters were clearly sending.
Larry David’s mantra for "Seinfeld” was “No Hugging, No Learning.” Is the GOP the Seinfeld Party? It’s tough to change course when the guy at the top refuses to admit to a defeat or a mistake.
Gee, it sure looks like Trump has the GOP in a bind.
Here’s another interesting thing about Tuesday’s results: the GOP’s ugly culture war didn’t work this time. This was most obvious in the New York mayor’s race: they hauled out all their tricks — calling their opponent a Communist and an antisemite, dabbling in Islamophobia, threatening to move if they didn’t get their way. And voters tuned all of it out.
This is what scares the GOP the most: a long-term realignment away from all their nonsense, in favor of issues like affordability and fairness. They can’t compete on that playing field. And that gives us a massive opportunity heading into next year.
So fill up on the schadenfreude now, liebchens. You deserve it. We’ll be back in the streets soon enough.
Feel Like Celebrating Tonight?
If you’d like to raise a glass with like-minded folks, Longhorns for Liberty is hosting a happy hour at Tweedy’s Bar beginning at 5 pm.
If you’re a UT alum, you can learn more about how they’re organizing to stand up to the threat that the university will capitulate to the Trump regime’s demands.
The weather’s gorgeous and the vibes are impeccable 🍻
Reminder: NW Hills Meet-Up
Wednesday, November 12
6 pm - 8 pm
The Grove Wine Bar, 7719 Wood Hollow Dr.
Come join your neighbors this Wednesday evening at The Grove Wine Bar! FORWRD member & NW Hills neighbor Kaye Knox will save a table for us starting at 6 pm.
What are these meet-ups about? They’re a chance for us to share ideas, brainstorm, socialize, vent, let off steam … and maybe (looking at you, Hyde Park 👀) take repeated community-level action together. Cool, huh?
Speaking of Hyde Park! Check the calendar for details about this weekend’s BAKE SALE and DOCUMENTARY SCREENING. Stuff’s going on!
One Spot Left …
This Wednesday beginning at 5, we’ll be hosting a small meet-and-greet with candidate for governor-slash-State Rep. Gina Hinojosa. What are her plans? What’s her platform? This is YOUR chance to ask questions and learn more. Send us an email if you’d like to claim the last spot!
Good News (We Hope!) for Your Overfull Inbox
When FORWRD-ATX first got started, it felt like there was SO MUCH we needed to do and organize and figure out, and a weekly update email felt essential.
But as we’re heading into Year 2 of this mess, we’re not sure we can keep up the pace. So, with apology (and relief, tbh), we’re going to dial our email schedule back to every other week.
If there’s a meeting or an initiative — or even some egregious bit of Trumpy news — we may break that new rule and send you an email! But in the name of long-term sustainability, we’re pumping the brakes on the weekly schedule. ✌🏽
🗓️ Calendar Highlights
For Friday, November 7th: LOTS of chances to connect with cool people!
💜= FORWRD member recommended
Local Austin events (in person):
Friday, November 7th 5-7 PM Longhorns for Liberty Happy Hour Join a community of UT alumni organizing to stand up against the Trump Compact’s threat to our university’s autonomy. Come meet fellow Longhorns, share ideas, and be part of the movement to keep UT strong, free, and worthy of its legacy. Hook ’em and see you Friday at Tweedy’s!
Saturday, November 8th & 9th 12-6 PM Resistance Art Show: Democracy In Focus Our art show features the photographers and videographers who have been capturing the energy and humanity of the protests happening in the beating heart of Texas since inauguration. Experience resistance through the lens of the visual artists of HOCTX, and take home a piece of the fight.
💜Sunday, November 9th 9 AM - 12 PM Hyde Park Community Bake Sale Head over to 4209 Avenue B to purchase cupcakes, doggie treats, beignets, and more - all benefitting Grassroots Leadership!
💜💜💜Sunday, November 9th 4-7 PM Borderland Screening Our Hyde Park group is hosting a free screening of the documentary “BORDERLAND-The Line Within,” on Sunday, November 9, at 4 pm, at St. George’s Episcopal Church. A Q & A and follow up talk with Jennifer Long, the director of Casa Marianella, will follow the screening. Snacks and beverages provided. Seating is limited, please RSVP
Monday, November 10th 6-9 PM Second Mondays Pflugerville Social Every second Monday of the month, join Pflugerville Area Democrats Club at The Growler Bar and Kitchen for good pizza and a Pfun time. Meet your neighbors, bring your dog, meet your neighbor's dog! You can find us on the porch. Kid pfriendly.
Tuesday, November 11th 8-9:30 AM West Side Banner Drop with Rosedale Huddle This a local Indivisible Rosedale Huddle Event Peaceful energetic and FUN! We will hold banners and flags over MOPAC at Far West at peak traffic/visibility times. We meet at the hike and bike trail over the railroad tracks east of the highway to set up at 8 and 8:30 to 9:30. We hold our flags and banners and thumbs up to the many honks and waves from drivers below - visible to 6,000 pairs of eyes in an hour each time … Come join us and get folks to Honk For Democracy
💜💜💜Wednesday, November 12th 6-8 PM It’s time for another neighborhood meetup in Northwest Hills! FORWRD member Kaye Knox is hosting this one - RSVP to [email protected]. Kaye will save a table at The Grove Wine Bar, 7719 Wood Hollow Dr. #100
💜Wednesday, November 12th 3:30-5 PM Democratic Study Group Meeting with Evan Smith Evan is a senior advisor at Emerson Collective, Professor of Practice at the LBJ School, and the co-founder of the Texas Tribune — come hear what he has to say about the new state of play going into next year’s elections!
Thursday, November 13th 5:30-8:30 PM Indivisible Austin Happy Hour Join friends, make friends, bring friends to drink, to commiserate, to get reenergized to continue the fight.
Friday, November 14th 8:00-9:30 AM Eastside Banner Drop with Rosedale Huddle This is a local Indivisible Rosedale Huddle Event… Peaceful, Energetic and FUN! We are holding banners over the interstate at peak traffic /visibility times. We meet on Fridays at 8 am at east 12th street and south I35 frontage road We wave flags and support our banners 8:30 to 9:30 Thumbs up to the many waves n honks from drivers (visible to over 12,000 pairs of eyes per hour each time …cool eh?) Come join us and help get folks to “Honk For Democracy “ and for more actions and activities go to https://www.rosedalehuddle.org/
