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NEW BRITAIN Republican candidates and supporters clapped and whooped in a standing-room-only rally with Ronna McDaniel, chair of the Republican National Committee, who flew in Wednesday afternoon for the event at the storefront Republican National Committee center on West Main St.

If youre not sure, the red wave is coming to Connecticut, Ben Proto, chair of the Connecticut Republican Party, told the energized crowd, as he introduced the speakers.

Candidate George Logan, who is running against Democrat Johanna Hayes for the 5th district Congressional seat, read the beginning of his speech in Spanish, followed by its English translation.

As I stand here the day before the start of Hispanic Heritage Month, its an exciting time here in the fifth district when we celebrate all cultures, all folks, all different ways of thinking, different backgrounds, said Logan.

I am proud to stand here in New Britain, Connecticut, U.S.A., as the son of Guatemalan immigrants who came to this country to live the American dream he said, as the audience clapped and cheered. And today I stand here as your nominee for Congress, the U.S. House of Representatives. Isnt America great? This is what its all about.

Logan said that 40 years of Democratic rule in Connecticut and one-party rule in Washington had resulted in all-time high inflation and gas prices, increased crime and declining student test scores.

I will advocate for school choice and ensure that the money follows the child, he said.

He said he would support American energy independence to help lower energy costs and that he would support police funding.

Next up was Leora Levy, who is running to unseat Sen. Richard Blumenthal. Like Logan, she read parts of her speech first in Spanish and then in English. Levy, who is originally from Cuba, said that if elected, she will be the first female senator and the first Hispanic senator to represent Connecticut.

Levy said that the Biden Administration had allowed an invasion at our border that had let in fentanyl, gangs, terrorists and human traffickers, flooding the U.S.

Theyre flying them to Connecticut, she said.

She said she would say no to indoctrination of our children and no to those who want to teach Critical Race Theory and gender fluidity, rather than teaching them real history, real math, science, reading, civics, and most importantly, American exceptionalism.

Levy said she would stand up for parental rights and medical freedom and for the next generation, as members of the crowd clapped and shouted, Thank you.

She urged the audience to end the Blumenthal Blight and make Connecticut affordable for all families.

Next at the lectern was McDaniel, who pinned the current challenges facing the country on the Democrats, the party in power.

We dont like playing the blame game but they have put us in the situation to where families are hurting the average Connecticut family right now is paying $700 more a month. Thirty-five percent of children in Connecticut did not go back to school last year. Hartford just had the most overdoses since 2003, she said. Thats what the Democrats are doing they dont care.

She said it was time to flip Connecticut and send a message.

This is the American-people-first election, she said. Republicans are going to go in and fight for families and our kids and our neighbors. It isnt about Democrat versus Republican, its about common sense versus greed, communism and crazy.

Proto, Logan, Levy and McDaniel urged the crowd to participate in the campaigns by knocking on doors, making phone calls, delivering yard signs and raising funds,

The opportunity is there, its about our children, our grandchildren, said Proto.

Maureen Zollo of Naugatuck said she came to the event to meet local candidates and support the Republican party.

Locally, its the schools. My granddaughter is in first grade and there are unacceptable things being taught, she told CT Examiner.

She said the economy and inflation are high on her list of concerns. She said she wanted to see policies enacted that will show up as savings for consumers, especially in the cost of gas and food.

Tracy Sparmer, of Berlin, said he came to catch up with the candidates and to keep the momentum going for election day. He said he was concerned about clean voter rolls at the state level. He said the diesel fuel tax is affecting the prices of groceries and building materials.

Everything has to get there and that takes diesel fuel, he said.

He said that by closing drilling fields and pipelines, Washington, D.C. is spurring higher energy prices and speculation driving the price of fuel.

Theyre going to kill carbon fuels so nobody will invest and that adds to the pricing. Work doesnt get done, the price goes up, theyre creating a shortage, he said.

Christine Rebstock of Middletown said she is a conservative transgender woman and serves as on the LGBTQIA+ Commission in Middletown. She said she is an unaffiliated voter.

Rebstock said she opposes SEL social emotional learning which includes gender issues.

She said she agreed with Bob Stefanowskis Parental Bill of Rights. Rebstock also said she opposes teenagers, ages 14 to 17, receiving medicated hormone replacement without parental consent.

Thats child abuse, she said. This belongs in the home and with parents, doctors and therapists. Help is available at the LGBTQIA+ Center, the Pride Center and with PFLAG.

She said the centers can help trans teenagers with social transition until they are 18 and then they can decide whether to use hormone therapies.

She said she wanted to see the money from the SEL redirected to the support centers that support trans children.

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'The Red Wave is Coming,' Say Republicans at Rally with National Committee Chair in New Britain - CT Examiner

Americas vulnerability comes precisely from its strength, its wealth, its power and its modernity. Its the usual story of the dog chasing its own tail.

Oriana Fallaci

After using Roe as a wedge issue for so long, Republicans finally caught their tail and have no clue what to do with it. Its a perfect storm! Women motivated by theDobbs rulingand extreme restrictions on access to healthy abortions appear to be fired up and ready to turn out in historic numbers.

Add in ridiculously bad Republican Senate candidates like Dr. Mehmet Oz, Herschel Walker and J.D. Vance, and watch Republicans tank Minority Leader Mitch McConnells (R-Ky.) chances at recapturing the majority and holding onto the Senate.

Republicans couldnt be in a worse position. They run on whatever Trump tells them and they say whatever he tells them because if they dont, a twice-impeached dictator, who was the subject of an FBI raid, will somehow destroy their political lives. To them, his staying in office at all costs is more honorable than his willingness tolose an electionfor telling harsh truths. We see you, Liz Cheney (R-Wyo.).

Becoming a member of Congress is no small feat. It takes a certain kind of person to be able to do what it takes to win. Anyone whos had any interaction with members of Congress knows that many of them can be a little bit narcissistic, mixed with a type of insecurity that includes a desperate need for applause.

Weve witnessed from people like Rep. Elise Stefanick (R-N.Y.) Sen. Ted Cruz (R-Texas) and Sen. Josh Hawley (Mo.) that nothing is short of embarrassing. It is because of their politically expedientsupportof Trumpthat Republicans now find themselves defending defund the FBI or Trumps coup attempt onJan. 6, 2021. They know better. They are intelligent people who understand exactly what theyre doing when they peddle falsities and play on the cheap seats because the alternative requires courage. They want to win, regardless of who gets hurt or the damage it does to our democracy.

For decades, Republicans have wanted to overturn Roe. The irony is that now it will most likely cost them the majority in 2022 and the White House in 2024. The Jim Jones strategy isnt a strategy at all, but more like the rebirth of the now defunct Whig party intent on being relegated to the history books.

Republicans abandoned their ideology, their principles and their common sense, all to end up supporting Dr. Oz and Herschel Walker. What began as a transactional relationship with Trumpism has turned into political hostage-taking, and the consequences couldnt be clearer. Trump lost the White House and cost Republicans the Senate. Why would the midterms be any different? The cakewalk that was supposed to be the midterms looks more like lemmings jumping off a cliff. This wasnt how it was supposed to be, and even McConnellsees the writing on the wall.

Without a doubt, Democrats have had a strong and productive summer. Passing the Inflation Reduction act was historic in its own right, but coupled with passing gun legislation, the CHIPS bill, the bipartisan infrastructure bill, significant climate actions and the American Rescue Plan, President Biden looks like Steph Curry warming up. Even with those historic successes, this should still be the Republicans year to flip Congress.Historically, the out-of-power party almost always outperforms the party controlling the White House. Republicans are doing everything in their power to break that cycle.

If Trump announces early and makes the last month of the race about him, Republicans could be in for a long night. If more indictments of the Trump inner circle or even Trump himself come down, the Republican Partys control will be over, diminished. Given their cultish way of praising the former president and tripping over themselves to be the most clownish in their Republican circus, they risk further alienating those very college-educated and suburban voters who fled Trump in 2020 and cost him a second term.

Theres an irony to it all. Trump was never supposed to win in the first place. The very people who mocked his candidacy and distanced themselves when the Access Hollywood video came out have now tied themselves to the most unpredictable, selfish man in politics and that says a lot. Trump wouldnt just burn down the Republican Party, hes proven already that he will not hesitate to torch the Constitution, our democracy or any and everyone who stands in his way. This is thefront runnerfor the Republican nomination for president in 2024. This is the man who has promised to seekrevengeon his enemies and bring chaos back to Washington.

Republicans got exactly what they wanted. A brash politician who stood for nothing and would say anything for the right amount. They stood behind him and defended him, shamelessly repeating his lies without hesitation. In return, he appointed the justices and a court that is hellbent on fundamentally changing our individual rights. But at what cost?

Were at an inflection point.A majority of Americansunderstand that Donald Trump, with the aid of Republicans, attempted to install himself as president after losing a democratically run election. He didnt succeed but given a second opportunity, who knows what could happen. Thats why voters are scared. Thats why Republicans are breaking away from the party.Evidently, tax breaks may not be enough to support a wannabe autocrat. This isnt an election about opposition parties or checks on the party in power. This is an election about a party who finally got what they wanted and now doesnt know what to do with it. It was never about policies; it was always about culture wars and wedge issues.

Republicans are struggling to appease their dear leader, while also failing to make cogent arguments to the actual voters who put them in office. Democrats, however, are seizing the moment. Following the overturning of Roe vs. Wade, in at least 10 states, women made up ahigher share of newly registered voters. After years of Republicans perfecting the culture wars, Democrats have finally embraced their inner culture warrior and found a winning issue.

Republicans are being taught a tough lesson. Political expediency may result in temporary gratification, but principles are forever. What should be a cakewalk for Republicans, looks to be more like the slow-motion disaster that we expected in 2016.

Republicans got exactly what they thought they wanted, and now theyll get what they actually deserve. They have caught their tail.

Michael Starr Hopkins is a founding partner at Northern Starr Strategies.

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GOP wins on abortion and Trump have sown the seeds of its undoing - The Hill

Republican House members introduced legislation Wednesday that would counter Biden administration guidance to pharmacists on dispensing contraception and abortion drugs. Like the proposed federal 15-week ban introduced in the Senate the day before and now signed on to by Sen. Marco Rubio but dividing others in the party ahead of the midterms the bill is not expected to advance unless Republicans regain congressional control next term.

Politico:House Republicans Are Pushing A Bill To Undo Biden Administration Abortion Rights Guidance To Pharmacies NationwideHouse Republicans are introducing a bill today to roll back recent Biden administration guidance that warns the nations pharmacies of legal and financial consequences if they refuse to dispense abortion or contraception medication. The Pharmacist Conscience Protection Act, led by Rep. Buddy Carter (R-Ga.) and first shared with POLITICO, would give pharmacists freer rein to refuse to provide medication they suspect could be used to terminate a pregnancy. (Miranda Ollstein, 9/14)

The Hill:House GOP Leaders Hedge On 15-Week Abortion BanHouse Republicans will not commit to bringing up a 15-week abortion ban legislation if the party wins control of the House next year. First wed need to see what our majority looks like, House Minority Whip Steve Scalise (R-La.) said in a news conference on Wednesday when asked if Republicans would put a 15-week abortion ban bill on the floor, adding: We are a party that defends life. We stand up for life. (Brooks, 9/14)

Miami Herald:Rubio Signs Onto Federal Bill Blocking Abortions After 15 WeeksRepublican Sen. Marco Rubio is co-sponsoring a bill that would ban abortions nationwide after 15 weeks, an aide confirmed Wednesday, throwing support behind a measure that both aligns with his longstanding desire to restrict access to abortion and risks complicating his reelection bid less than two months before Election Day. (Roarty, 9/14)

NBC News:Republican Candidate Tests A Novel Strategy On Abortion In Nevada House RaceApril Becker doesnt want to talk about abortion. As Democrats seek to make the November elections a referendum on Republican efforts to restrict abortion rights, the GOP nominee challenging Democratic Rep. Susie Lee in a competitive House district in Nevada is pursuing a highly unusual strategy: arguing that Congress doesnt have the power to regulate abortion. ... Beckers opinion is exceedingly rare and has drawn condemnation from both sides of the abortion debate, an indication of the tightrope she is walking. (Kapur, 9/15)

The 19th:Americans Dont Trust Politicians To Make Abortion Laws, Poll FindsThe vast majority of Americans 7 in 10 do not believe politicians are informed enough about abortion to craft fair policies, according to a new 19th News/SurveyMonkey poll.(Luthra and Mithani, 9/15)

On anti-abortion groups and crisis pregnancy centers

NPR:Anti-Abortion Groups Are Getting More Calls For Help With Unplanned PregnanciesOn a summer day in a quiet neighborhood outside Houston, Pam Whitehead is sitting at the kitchen table of a split-level home, taking calls from women who are pregnant and need help. "We were preparing for this in advance," Whitehead says. "We knew this was coming, we anticipated it, and we knew that we needed to prepare to be able to serve women." Whitehead is the executive director of ProLove Ministries, a group that opposes abortion and tries to persuade women not to have them. She says calls to her group's hotline have been increasing first, starting about a year ago, after the law known as S.B. 8 banned most abortions in Texas after about six weeks. They've continued and come from across the country since the Supreme Court overturned Roe v. Wade in June.(McCammon, 9/14)

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Pharmacist Bill Introduced As Republicans Walk Abortion Tightrope - Kaiser Health News

I stand in awe of people like Lucy Cooke, who are more knowledgeable about international affairs than lifelong diplomats and our intelligence agencies. (9-10)

As for me:

First, I would rather admit ignorance of a topic rather than spew-out ridiculous conspiracy theories.

Unlike many conservatives, I do not claim to know more than the REAL experts.

Second, IMHO, 911 probably might not have occurred had the Republican legislators attended to the nations security rather than wasting years hounding the Clintons for no apparent reason.

Put another way, had the Republicans been more intent on protecting the nation rather than being preoccupied with Bill and Monica (Wag the dog and all that.) The odds are that 911 and the Afghan and Iraqi wars would not have happened.

Third, unlike the French, British, and others in previous wars, the Ukrainians are not asking us to fight for them. They say, give us the weapons, and WE will take care of these a.

Fourth, no one in their right mind wants forever war other than possibly the military-industrial complex and the politicians who support it, including many Republicans.

Finally, anyone in America who believes or agrees with anything Trump says or who sides with Putin is detached from reality and should not be taken seriously.

Jorge Smirnoff, Chico

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Letter: Republicans were distracted by Bill and Monica - Chico Enterprise-Record

Should they take control of the House in November, Republicans plan to launch a congressional investigation of the chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff the nation's highest-ranking military officer. Sources told NBC News that Republicans would plan to grill Gen. Mark Milley over criticism that the military has become too woke during his tenure, among other things.

Its a clear sign that the increasingly MAGA-infused GOP is keen on waging a war against Milley and painting him as a villain for inappropriately politicizing the military. But the irony of this enterprise is that Milleys most overtly political behavior has been a response to former President Donald Trumps instability, authoritarianism and attempts to politicize the military. When his hand was forced, he appropriately chose the track of defending the nation against anti-democratic extremism instead of being deferential to it.

All of it is part of a broader program to try to force the military to yield to MAGA politics.

In addition to the woke allegation, any Republican investigation would presumably try to publicly hammer Milley over the many reports of his comments and alleged behind-the-scenes maneuvering to prevent Trump from doing something extreme before he left office. All of it is part of a broader program to try to force the military to yield to MAGA politics.

Milleys supposed wokeness agenda is an absurd point of criticism for many reasons. The MAGA right was furious when Milley defended the concept of using critical race theory during a defense budget hearing last year.

One must ask: Why was Milley even being asked about critical race theory in the first place? It was because Republicans bizarrely insisted on asking him why the academic framework of critical race theory which studies how racism is embedded in American institutions was included in curricula at the U.S. Military Academy. Milley emphatically defended its inclusion on the basis that the U.S. Military Academy is a university and said that its important for those of us in uniform to be open-minded and be widely read.

The key point to remember here is that a right-wing activist openly admitted to inventing a crisis around critical race theory a mode of academic thought that dates back to the 80s in order to advance the MAGA agenda. It was not controversial, or even known to exist by most people, until it got tossed into the Trumpian white nationalist propaganda machine. And the only reason it was brought up in a defense budget hearing was to try to advance that propagandistic mission and undermine Milleys reputation, since he was considered a part of the anti-Trump resistance in Washington.

But instead of choosing to back off the challenge, Milley decided to stand up against it. He didnt want to concede to the MAGA movements attempts to politicize routine academic affairs, or to concede the white nationalist talking point that studying racism was somehow a form of racism itself.

The other major GOP line of inquiry would likely be Milleys reported comments and actions that sought to act as a check on Trumps power. This is a more complex issue, because the precedent of the military bucking civilian control in ways that diverge from norms and rules is something worthy of public scrutiny and could indeed set a dangerous precedent.

First, lets be clear: the MAGA hype about Milley being treasonous in his behavior is unconvincing and based on pure exaggeration. Risa Brooks, a political scientist at Marquette University, told me that Milleys big personality and fiery quotes Milley told aides that he believed Trump spread "the gospel of the Fhrer" in his attempts to overturn the election tend to distract from the reality that theres no evidence that any of his actions actually transgressed civil-military norms. We dont know of anything at this point in time that he did that constituted a clear obstruction of civilian control, Brooks told me.

For example, reports that Milley spoke to his Chinese counterpart twice in the final months of Trump's presidency to assure Beijing that the U.S. was stable and that Trump was not going to attack China generated controversy. But his actions were taken through the standard channels, coordinated with the secretary of defense, and in line with Trumps policy vision (Trump did not want to attack China). The reason Milley spoke to his counterpart was because of intelligence indicating that the Chinese were concerned by Trumps unpredictability as his presidency came to an end. Trump, unsurprisingly, still decided to say Milley should be tried for treason over it.

Still, it cannot be denied that Milley did engage in some more overtly political behavior with some of his remarks to colleagues about Trump. And even if there isnt evidence he violated protocols, he clearly tried to signal that he was an ally in favor of democracy through his reported participation in land the plane phone calls with officials in the Trump administration that sought to ensure a peaceful transfer of power.

Again, it must be asked: Why did Milley feel compelled to do this? The answer: Trumps assault on the democratic process, whether through disinformation, or obstructing a certification of Bidens presidential victory, or calling for the military to violently repress protests. There is no evidence that Milley was actively seeking to make the military a part of the political process until he felt it might be necessary to protect the rule of law and the legitimacy of the most basic tenets of democracy. This was unquestionably better than the alternative of a blind obedience to presidential power without regard for laws, truth and bedrock democratic principles.

Given what we know about how top military officers and defense officials tend to think about Trump, any Republican investigation against Milley will likely only make them even more vigilant about the specter of tyranny and the role of the military in guarding against it.

Zeeshan Aleem is a writer and editor for MSNBC Daily. Previously, he worked at Vox, HuffPost and Politico, and he has also been published in The New York Times, The Atlantic, The Nation and elsewhere.

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The irony of Mark Milley being investigated by Republicans - MSNBC