Is the Sky Falling?
Dear Leading Ladies,
January 6 has come and gone. No storming the Capitol with the more than tacit consent of the president. No killing of law enforcement officials. No threats to the lives of senators and congressmen. No conspiracy theories or accusations of stolen votes. Without mobs or disruption, without protests about the legitimacy of his right to the presidency, Congress certified that Donald J. Trump won the 2024 presidential election and will take office in 12 more days.
On January 20, we will witness the peaceful transfer of power at Trump’s second inauguration. Although many of us may decry the results of the election, we do not question the outcome. President-elect Donald Trump will be the 47th president of the United States, after also being the 45th president. True, the campaign was full of lies and deceptions, accusations and missteps. But that is in the past and we have to deal with what is.
Food Safety News
What we see are reasons for both hope and fear.
For example, let’s take a look at Elon Musk, the richest man in the world, who has taken up residence in a cottage on the grounds of Trump’s resort, Mar-a-Lago, in Florida. How long will Musk, who supplied a quarter of a billion — yes, that’s 250 million dollars — to help elect Trump, remain pals with Trump? After all, neither of them is known to play well with others or, for that matter, to have friendships that are not strictly transactional. Yes, Musk is co-director of the department of government efficiency with Vivek Ramaswamy, but we don’t foresee that partnership going well either. It sure will be interesting to watch, though.
Note the Selves
Let’s put some money and energy towards limiting the amount that can be donated to campaigns by individuals and companies, as well as the amount that be spent in toto. Consider the Brennan Center and the ACLU.
And how ’bout Trump’s rumblings about being president for life? First of all, let’s remember that he’s another old guy, whose life expectancy isn’t that long anyway. Besides that, even though Republican lawmakers have fallen in line with a bunch of Trump’s suggested appointments and policies, do we really believe they would approve changing the law to get rid of all term limits for president?
To be clear, the 22nd Amendment states that a person twice elected as president cannot run in an election for a third term. “Congress passed the 22nd Amendment on March 21, 1947, after debates in the House and Senate. The amendment was ratified by three-quarters of the states on Feb. 27, 1951, when Minnesota approved the amendment,” according to the National Constitution Center. “Only one amendment has ever been repealed in American history, the 18th Amendment establishing Prohibition. Any amendment to repeal the 22nd Amendment would face practical and logistical obstacles, with 38 states needed to ratify the repeal amendment proposed by two-thirds of the House and Senate, or by conventions held by the states.”
Very unlikely.
True, that means we may be looking at an election in four years with J.D. Vance as the Republican candidate, but Democrats and right-headed Republicans can start working now on strategies to combat that possibility.
Which gets to another topic: the next elections. Not the ones in four years. The ones in two years. There are currently 53 Republicans and 47 Democrats in the Senate. “Elections to the U.S. Senate will be held on November 3, 2026,” according to Ballotpedia, “and 33 of the 100 seats are up for regular election. Special elections may be held to fill vacancies that occur in the 119th Congress…As of December 2024, there were 13 seats held by Democrats and 20 seats held by Republicans up for election in 2026…Of the 20 Republican-held seats, four were last decided in 2020 by a margin of less than 10 percentage points: Iowa (6.6), Maine (8.6), North Carolina (1.8), and Texas (9.6). Of the 13 Democrat-held seats, five were decided by a margin of less than 10 percentage points: Colorado (9.3), Georgia (1.2), Michigan (1.7), Minnesota (5.3), and New Mexico (6.1).” Clearly, there is work to be done and seats that can be won.
Elections for all 435 Congressional Districts will also take place on November 3, 2026, according to 270toWin. “Winners will be sworn in to serve in the 120th Congress in early January, 2027. The Republican Party currently controls the U.S. House, where 218 seats are needed for a majority (when there are no vacancies).” Currently, Republicans hold 219 seats, and Democrats 215, a slim margin, leaving a very real chance to flip the balance. It should be noted that the lead was temporarily made a tad larger by the November 13 resignation of Matt Gaetz following his nomination for U.S. Attorney General. A special election is set in the new year to fill the vacant seat.
Senators and Representatives have a lot of sway in determining laws and policies around the issues of healthcare, reproductive rights, LGBTQ+ policies, education, immigration, food insecurity, and equity in our society.
Note the Selves
Start working early to support candidates running for the Senate and House so they can mount winning campaigns in 2026. Force Multiplier is a good source for candidates to support. They do a fine job of vetting candidates and their positions on various issues.
Finally, there are local candidates who need our assistance and support. Mayor Cahill of Beverly and Mayor Wu of Boston will both be on the ballot in November 2025, as will leaders in many of the towns and cities where we all live. Find out if your local politicians will be on the ballot in 2025. Learn as much as you can about where they stand and how proactive they are about the issues you care about. Then, support them or their opponents with time and money. We need local heroes who protect the rights of the underrepresented in these times when the federal government may not.
Note the Selves
We can wish all we want that the election had turned out differently, but wishing won’t help. Local organizations, and local leaders, will continue to supply support and services that government agencies do not. Let’s support them in any ways we can. We’re thinking of providers such as HAWC and Bootstraps, Wellspring and More Than Books, RAW Art Works and REAL, Horizons for Homeless Children and the Family Health Project.
Oh, and one more tidbit to chew on. Inaugurations are very expensive. As relayed by Yahoo News, “The Washington Post reported that Trump's 2017 inauguration cost an estimated $175 million to $200 million. About $70 million came from private donations; taxpayers footed the rest of the bill. When adjusted for inflation, both Democrats and Republicans have spent similar amounts, the Post reported.” This year’s inauguration promises to exceed the 2017 price tag. To put that in perspective, that amount of money could provide four years of study at a state college or university for almost 3,000 students. Wow.
Note the Selves
Learn more about corporate money, campaigns/inaugurations, and what we can do to change the status quo. Sen. Elizabeth Warren has a lot to say on the matter.
To brighter days,
Therese (she/her/hers)
Judy (she/her/hers)
Didi (she/her/hers)
Leading Ladies Executive Team