Libby's Blog

Dear Friends: I always find it very helpful to put what is happening into a bigger picture that helps explain why….and what might come next. If you are similar, I highly recommend this Ezra Klein podcast  with Henry Farrell discussing “ weaponized interdependence ” and the speech of Canadian Prime Minister Carney  at Davos. They talk about the post WWII world order where countries were economically dependent on the US. For decades it made the world richer and allowed the US

Dear Friends:  Townley shared with me a personal email she received from someone’s listserv in Minneapolis. I asked her to write today’s blog and share it with you. Libby Dear L3 Readers: If we here in the DC area think we know what is happening in Minneapolis from our long-distance view – even with a plethora of news coverage – we really don’t. Here is the on-the-ground view from Minneapolis. I’ve removed all identifying information. I have not been personally confronted by

Friends: As you likely have heard, ICE murdered another person in Minnesota .  Horrible to see.   If you are ready for the storm and have really warm clothes, and want to show your outrage, we’ll be out on the Fairlington bridge at 3:00 PM today.  My team just couldn’t stay home with this newest atrocity. Yours in peaceful resistance, Libby

Dear Friends:  It’s been quite a week. ICE revealed itself for what it is: a secret police force designed to terrorize everyone and make sure that the mid-term elections do not happen….or at least they don’t happen in Blue cities and states. The cold blooded murder of Renee Good was horrifying. The Regime’s multiple lies – even though the videos showed and elected officials in Minnesota concurred that the Regime was lying – is even more chilling. Heather Cox Richardson said i

Dear Friends:  I hope everyone is enjoying the holidays with family and friends. I’ve been lucky to be able to visit my older daughter and her family for a week. When the world is in chaos, family and friends can provide a sense of security and stability. Caring for my mother, now 97-1/2, is difficult at times, but family was always important to her as was taking pleasure in many small things like watching the world from her porch. She rarely complains about anything. I often

Dear Friends:   I hope everyone had a good Thanksgiving holiday. There is a lot to be thankful for despite the state of our nation.   The Arlington County Board will have its last meetings of the year starting next Saturday and I’d like to bring an important issue to my Arlington readers’ attention.  Those who follow the County Board will know that the Board is considering whether to set up a commission to look at changing our County government structure . As described in the

Dear Friends: We are entering the holiday season and hopefully everyone will have time for friends, family and a little recharging. Nevertheless ….the Resistance must continue. I highly recommend a change   of pace  for Black Friday: “We Ain’t Buying It,”  organized by Indivisible . This movement is “focused on companies that are capitulating to the Trump administration and going along with their harmful, authoritarian policies. I’ll quote one of my Rush Hour Resistance team:

Dear Friends: What a great day Tuesday was for Democracy! It indeed feels like the tide is starting to turn ;  that common sense and decency are returning to our politics. We can’t delude ourselves that the next several years will not be difficult and have many ugly moments. Autocracies are usually vicious but especially so when they see power slipping away.  But, for the moment, let’s savor our many victories. I’ve asked Austin Locke, who runs this webpage to write the rest

Dear Friends:   We are entering the difficult stage of the shutdown when SNAP benefits go on pause, not because there isn’t money, but because the Regime is preventing contingency funds for this purpose from being spent to try to, literally, starve us into submission. As the Washington Post  reports : “ Forty-two million people  — roughly 1 in 8 Americans — could see cuts or delays to food assistance as soon as Saturday (November 1) if the government shutdown continues… On Th

Dear Friends:    I hope everyone enjoyed No Kings Day II . I was on our bridge and then went downtown. The day felt like one big block party, with a very serious purpose and great costumes. The gaiety and silliness were strategic and effective.    I think the tide is starting to turn, which is not to say that things will change quickly or ever be the same as before this Regime. When a tide turns there is a time where nothing seems to be happening. You can’t quite tell if the

Dear Friends: I am on my way home from a family wedding, so this blog will be short. I hope everyone reading this is planning to do something to show resistance to the Regime on Saturday, the 18 th : No Kings Day II . I believe this will be the biggest show of resistance to date. To make this kind of impact, we really need everyone to come out whether for a big demonstration or a small local one. Below are links to find events near you wherever you are, including overseas. An

Dear Friends: I hope everyone has been enjoying the lovely last summer weather. As grim as the news is, there are a number of things to...

Dear Friends:   Those of us in Virginia have a big responsibility going into November.   The races for Governor, Lt. Governor and...

Dear Friends:  I imagine all of us have been processing the assassination of Charlie Kirk in Utah on Wednesday. This is a time for...

Dear Friends:  Despite road closures for a Bike DC ride, there was a good turnout on Saturday, the 6 th in support of Free DC . Thank...

Dear Friends:     Free DC, Indivisible and local officials in DC are asking for people to come on Saturday, September 6th to MalcolmX...

Dear Friends: I hope that you are finding both this blog and my alerts helpful. There was a good turnout of people at the School Board...

Dear Friends:     I’ve learned that Winsome Earle-Sears, Republican candidate for Governor, is expected to come to the Arlington School...

Dear Friends:   As we all watch the “takeover” of the nation’s capital, it’s important to, yes, be outraged and appalled. But, don’t get...

Dear Friends: I suspect many of my readers have been as appalled and shocked as I have been at how quickly many large institutions and...