John,<br>

<br>

The fear and anguish we are witnessing in Israel is also felt in countless households here as people still await word of loved ones. Check in with your friends and neighbors. Offer support, company, kindness, and love. In times of tragedy and horror, we must take care of one another. 

As Israel’s most essential ally, the United States government’s ability to respond is critically hampered by our own factionalism and dysfunction – we have a House run by extremists who use “plausible deniability” antisemitism to signal their base. These are the same elected officials aligned with groups demanding the removal of books about the Holocaust – Anne Frank, the Diary of a Young Girl and Maus – from school libraries and working to defund education, one of our best tools to fight hate. 

At this moment, there is no Speaker of the House. A single senator, who couldn’t name the three branches of the American government when he was sworn in, has prevented approvals of hundreds of military promotions because the Department of Defense has indicated it believes that women are full citizens of this nation who have a right to bodily autonomy. While Tommy Tuberville has stymied military promotions, our rep, Mike Lawler, voted for an amendment to the NDAA that would limit the freedom of women who fight for his. The ability to get anything done for the American people is stalled by Republicans more interested in subordinating 51% of the population, than, really, anything else at all. At least Tuberville is open about what he is doing. Lawler quietly votes against our rights and then filibusters with his incessant emails, tv hits & social media, so you may miss what he actually DID. 

Nevertheless, the terrorist attacks in Israel are also a reminder that we all have a part to play in our own safety and security. As we learn more about the intelligence failures in advance of the attacks, we should examine the impact that internal division and strife may have had on capacity. There are plenty of parallels in the US right now, so this is a reminder that if you see something, say something.

Did you receive what looked like a campaign mailer from Mike Lawler last week? Look closely. Your tax dollars paid for it. It’s legal. Meanwhile, come January, it’s going to cost you more to send a friend a birthday card. 

As we head into today, and likely another failed Speaker election, don’t forget that Mike Lawler and the House GOP's inability/refusal to do their jobs comes at the expense of the American taxpayer. 

While Mike Lawler likes to play a moderate on TV, when push comes to shove, he reveals his true, extremist colors. Although Lawler voted for McCarthy on the first vote (once he knew he had cover from his colleagues), this past weekend, Lawler admitted to being "tightlipped" in his support of Jordan and would "probably just vote for him." As a constituent, I am appalled that someone representing me would even consider voting for Jim Jordan to be Speaker. Mike Lawler is showing us exactly who he is, and our lower Hudson Valley community should not forget.

Links to bookshop.org, but better yet, grab them at your local bookshop. Have you had the soft serve at the Reading Room in Katonah? Worth a trip on its own. 

The Persuaders by Anand Giridharadas

Democracy in Chains by Nancy MacLean

No One is Talking About This by Patricia Lockwood

"The people who lived in the portal were often compared to those legendary experiment rats who kept hitting a button over and over to get a pellet. But at least the rats were getting a pellet, or the hopes of a pellet, or the memory of a pellet. When we hit the button, all we were getting was to be more of a rat."

This ‘Violence-Ready’ Militia is Hiding in Plain Sight - Rolling Stone

An Alabama woman was imprisoned for ‘endangering’ her fetus. She gave birth in a jail shower - The Guardian

On the Ground at RFK’s Campaign Launch - Slate

If there’s a nip in the air and everything smells like nutmeg, it’s not our proximity to Connecticut, it’s decorative gourd season! I always revisit this foul-mouthed favorite this time of year. 

Come out and meet Liz and join us for a Meet and Greet at 6pm next Tuesday, October 24th for Dems, Doughnuts, and Decorative Gourds at Piece Revival (792 Route 35, Cross River, NY 10518). Bring your family! There will be drinks, doughnuts, and pumpkins to decorate.

Here are some additional dates to mark on your calendar ahead of our incredibly important local elections on November 7th.

October 23: Last day for board of elections to receive absentee ballot application by mail, fax, or through the absentee request portal. 

October 28th - November 5th: Early voting in person takes place. Find out where you can early vote below. 

Dutchess Early Voting Hours & Locations

Putnam Early Voting Hours & Locations

Rockland Early Voting Hours & Locations

Westchester Early Voting Hours & Locations

Learn more about our Statewide Ballot Proposals here.

November 6: Last day to apply IN-PERSON for an absentee ballot.

November 7 (aka. ELECTION DAY): Last day to postmark ballot. Must be received by the local board of elections no later than November 14. Military Voter Ballots must be received no later than Nov 20. Last day to deliver ballot IN-PERSON to the local board of elections or ANY poll site in your county.

If you haven’t voted absentee or early, you can go vote on Election Day from 6am to 9pm. Make sure to look up your polling place in advance.

Take care, 

Liz