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I follow border security issues closely and, while there seem to be some funding and process improvements in the Senate draft, I think most of us “outside the bubble” have to wonder why it does not more directly address the estimated 11M +/- illegal immigrants in the U.S. In particular, why not provide for an immediate and continuing shutdown (excepting only the humanitarian allowances and included in the draft) while the appropriate agencies round up and adjudicate/deport some minimum number of those already here - say, 5M - and, only when that process is successfully implemented, re-open? Put another way, I am guessing most of us realize there’s no hope of discouraging future waves of illegal immigration if there are no meaningful consequences for those who have already “cut the line” and, to the same end, are highly skeptical that the current administration (which deliberately opened the the floodgates the moment they took off office) will actually do anything meaningful on this front. I would add that, personally, I favor legalizing the dreamers and, as the first person in my mother’s family born in the US (after my grandparents, fleeing dire oppression, were refused admission in the 1920s and had to go elsewhere), also favor greatly liberalizing our work rules and immigration numbers (with an emphasis on the skill sets we need).

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Surely, some of The Agenda readers are republican. I mean, there are a few republicans that read and appreciate local journalism, right?

So, can one of the four of you please explain something to me? Girlscout’s honour, I genuinely want to understand the reasoning and logic, republicans are super duper into election fraud and counting votes and how we count votes. They have appeared, at least to outsiders as having an obsessive fixation on elections and ballots and paper and pens and counting machines, etc. etc. Y’all have this issue front and Center for most candidate’s number one priority, ad, campaign mailer and even spend oodles of time talking about the subject even amongst yourselves at you state party convention.

So, why would any republican want to *shorten* the amount of time in which ballots are cured. (Going from 5 weekdays days to 5 calendar days) I thought y’all wanted to make sure every vote was valid and counted.

So, please, someone other than the ethically challenged Kolodin please explain the reasoning to the rest of us.

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I always want to ask them, "Since the people that rigged the 20xx(whatever) elections have gotten off completely scot-free, I mean, we're not even absolutely sure who did it or exactly how they managed to change so many votes, what have we done over the past 8 years to make them quit? Why wouldn't they do the exact same thing?"

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I can only speak for myself as someone whose name was actually on the list of suspected fraudulent voters by those whiz kids at Cyber Ninja. Apparently, this is how I made the list. I was not signed up for early mail in ballot voting. I enjoy democracy and, as a mother, I like to involve my kids in the American Dream by taking them with me to an actual polling place on election day, as one does. Alas, I was going to be very busy on election day, so, in 2020, I went to an early polling location near my home and voted. I voted in person and I voted early at a polling place near my home. My vote was “flagged” by the election deniers as possibly fraudulent. Have I been registered to vote lo these many years? Yes. Do I have a record of voting? Also, yes. Am I registered to vote and have a valid driver’s license, with a record of in person voting, etc? Yes, yes, yes.

Here’s where it gets funny. We all read about this list of voters that were bandied about as proof of election fraud. But, few of us actually saw the list. Just by coinkidink, I know some journalists. One of them that happened to work at a known and respected publication was quickly perusing the thousands of names of “fraudulent” voters and saw my name on this list and called me. I explained how I diverged from my regular vote on election day habit and we both shared a laugh that a woman who has consistently been a registered and committed voter was part of their “proof” that Trump had actually won the election. I knew another mama who lived nearby in Scottsdale. She also enjoyed taking her bebes to vote but had voted early in person, as well. I had the reporter check and sure enough, she was also on “the list” of fraudulent voters.

Back to your question. How do we keep the same thing from happening again? Well, my very legitimate vote will be a very legitimate vote whether I vote in person on election day, vote in person early at a polling place or chose to subscribe to vote by mail. So, we can’t actually do anything about that. I am a registered voter and born and raised citizen of the United States. It is my right to cast a ballot. I am a real live person they used to spread their election fraud claims. And, I hate to break it to “them”, but I will continue to exercise my right to vote any way that is legal. So, you can’t really stop that. 🤷🏼‍♀️

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"there are a few republicans that can read..." Fixed it for you.

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I've complained twice about the unsettling sexism and nostalgia in the "art," so today I must salute the efforts of the creepy little intern. Is that Kolodin at one end of the long table and Laura Terech at the other? She's a rising star for the Dems and was picked to present a Clean bill to show what the Christmas Tree bill of Kolodin and Rogers should have been. Focus, people; focus.

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Ugh, really disappointing comments on Osborn. Starting with “the bike lanes are great!” doesn’t make up for immediately pivoting to the standard anti-bike/ped infrastructure talking points of “we almost never see anyone use them!” and “traffic is bad at 5pm”. And closing with “it’s debateable if they make things safer”… I guess it’s just that I expect more nuanced analysis from the Agenda.

For the record I’m two neighborhoods south of there and think the new Osborn traffic pattern is fantastic. I’ve yet to ride a bike there but am in that area regularly and love it.

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