After a very discouraging national election outcome, Maryland progressives are rallying, minimizing their recuperative down-time to freshen up for the next struggle. The presence of Donald Trump, or at least a Trump-style regime, for four years is daunting but we have done this before. And if, as folks say, the Orange Menace knows more about making a mess of democracy than he knew the first time around -- well, we know more too. But enough of that -- we need to join in solidarity with other states in the resistance effort and shape up a shadow government that will achieve our goals at every level and across sectors. It won't be long before the all-too-many who bought into the MAGA fantasy find out that it's the corporate billionaires, not working people, who will reap the rewards. We need to be ready to welcome them back as they catch on to the grift. Get the information you need for the struggle in News You Can Use.

IN MARYLAND

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Maryland Elections Offices Get Bomb Threats: [Maryland Reporter] More than a dozen local elections offices in Maryland received bomb threats on Friday night, as workers continue processing ballots and counting votes. The threats drew strong public rebukes from Gov. Wes Moore and Jared DeMarinis, the state elections administrator, who had posted online that he has “ZERO tolerance for threats against our elections officials.” Here's what is known about the threats.  Baltimore Banner.

>>DeMarinis said the threats were like those sent to other states including New York and Oregon. He added that election officials had prepared for potential disruptions and other emergencies and conducted “tabletop” drills in advance of the first ballots being cast. Despite the threats, DeMarinis said voting in Maryland was a relatively smooth during this election. He called the threats “an outlier.” Maryland Matters.

Gov. Moore Vows To Find 'Common Ground' With Or Push Back On Trump: [via Maryland Reporter] Gov. Wes Moore (D) promised to work to “find common ground” with President-elect Donald Trump on Friday, laying out four principles to guide his leadership of the deeply Democratic state as an administration he worked hard to keep out of office takes power. Washington Post.

>>“We will vigorously defend the interests of all Marylanders, and we are ready to push back on this new White House when necessary,” Moore said. “But where we can find common ground, we will, not only as a matter of principle but as a responsibility to the people we represent.” The comments came during brief remarks at the start of a Cabinet meeting Friday in the State House, but Moore took no questions. Maryland Matters.

Advocates Expect Maryland to Drive Climate Action When Trump Returns to Washington

In the wake of national Republican victories, the path to effective environmental action could run through Democrat-led state houses. Maryland, where Democrats hold the governorship and control both chambers of the legislature, is primed to lead that charge from the front, experts and advocates believe. “Maryland has the most aggressive short-term greenhouse gas reduction goals in the country,” said Kim Coble, executive director of the Maryland League of Conservation Voters. Inside Climate News

More People Aged 65+ Face Homelessness, MD Housing Officials Report

While not yet a crisis, housing officials say more needs to be done help the older homeless population. From 2018 to 2024, there was a 77% increase in adults aged 65 and older facing homelessness, according to new data reported by the Maryland Department of Housing and Community Development. The numbers rose in that period from 677 to 1,199 people, a “concerning trend”… Maryland Matters

Congressional Lawmakers Remain Upbeat Over State Projects, Despite Shift in Administrations

Despite Republican takeovers of the White House and one, if not both, chambers of Congress, Democratic lawmakers in Maryland remain optimistic about the prospects for several key projects that will need congressional and presidential support to move forward. On reconstruction of the Francis Scott Key Bridge, continued efforts to clean up Chesapeake Bay and relocation of the FBI headquarters from downtown Washington to a 61-acre site in Greenbelt, “I’d say we’re still optimistic,” said Rep. Glenn Ivey (D-4th).  “We know that (these projects are) not a done deal, and we’re going to have to keep working to move forward,” said Ivey. He said he was confident, especially regarding the Key Bridge, that Congress will overcome partisan politics to address the effects of the disaster, [as more widespread red-state flood disasters have encouraged a bipartisan response]. Capital News Service/UMCP Merrill College of Journalism

Conservative School Board Candidates Make Gains In Blue Maryland: [via Maryland Reporter] Conservative school board candidates saw sweeping wins across Maryland this week, defying expectations in the largely blue state and solidifying the influence of the 1776 Project PAC, the Republican-aligned organization that endorsed 19 candidates statewide. Capital News Service

>>Maryland Democratic Party Chair Ken Ulman said his party achieved its goal of informing voters about certain candidates in the nonpartisan contests who promote book bans, target marginalized students and support anti-inclusive policies. Maryland Matters.

THE OTHER 49

One week after a dismal and discouraging election, Pluribus News. headlines Blue States Prepare the Resistance and summarizes “Blue states are ramping up preparations to challenge key elements of President-elect Trump’s policy agenda as governors and attorneys general sound warnings reminiscent of the resistance eight years ago. Legal officers in Massachusetts and New York have already pledged to oppose the new administration’s plans to deport undocumented immigrants.

In California, Gov. Gavin Newsom (D) has called a special session to provide additional funding to the state Justice Department, money that would allow Attorney General Rob Bonta (D) to file legal challenges against the new administration. Lawmakers will return to Sacramento on Dec. 2 to consider new legislation.

Legal challenges from Democrats helped stymie Trump’s first term; blue states filed more than 130 multi-state actions against Trump initiatives during his first four years in office, and they won more than 80% of those cases. Expect another litigious four years ahead.

More from the Other 49

SOCIAL MEDIA: California Attorney General Bonta is drafting first-in-the-nation legislation to require warning labels on social media platforms. Bonta wants the labels to warn of potential mental health harms posed to adolescents. (Pluribus News) AND  Governments are pushing teen social media bans – but behind the scenes is a messy fight over science: Jonathan Haidt’s book The Anxious Generation has set governments against teen social media – and triggered a months-long debate among experts. As governments worldwide move to restrict teenagers’ access to smartphones and social media, a fierce scientific debate has erupted over whether these digital technologies actually harm young people’s mental health. Route Fifty

ENERGY: Utah Gov. Spencer Cox (R) says his push to double the state’s power production probably rests on the future of nuclear energy. Cox and the governors of Idaho and Wyoming have been working on a coalition to speed the production of new nuclear plants to handle surging demand from data centers. (KSL)

REPUBLICANS: Red state legislatures got even redder last Tuesday as Republicans secured their first-ever supermajority in South Carolina, their largest majorities in Iowa since 1970, and unprecedented numbers of seats in West Virginia and Idaho. The GOP maintained existing supermajorities in Indiana, Kansas, North Dakota and Tennessee, while Democrats broke the GOP supermajority in North Carolina. (Pluribus News)

PENNSYLVANIA: Democrats will maintain a 102-101 majority in the state House after a late count gave state Rep. Frank Burns (D) a 51%-49% win over challenger Amy Bradley. Republicans maintained their 28-22 majority in the state Senate. (Pluribus News)

$ Trouble Next Door: West Virginia schools don’t have money to implement needed security measures like safe entries -- West Virginia’s financially-struggling public schools can’t afford to implement millions of dollars in safety upgrades, including secure front entries and weapon detection systems.

Schools need $258 million in state funding for school safety upgrades for the current school year, according to the state education department. A state education official told lawmakers on Sunday that cost is keeping schools from implementing safety upgrades. “We have no money to give,” he said. --  States Newsroom

By The Numbers: 13: The number of states that will be governed by women next year, a new record. New Hampshire Gov.-elect Kelly Ayotte (R) will add to the 12 women who currently hold gubernatorial office. (Associated Press) via Pluribus

 Women will make up majority of Kentucky Supreme Court for first time | Kentucky Lantern Stateline Daily

Cities are using parking corrals, locking requirements and other measures to reduce the e-scooter clutter that's a frequent complaint about shared micro-mobility systems. (Smart Cities Dive) via StreetsBlogUSA

VETERAN HOUSING: New Jersey will commit more than $30 million over two years to secure housing for more than 1,000 homeless veterans through formal partnerships with veterans service organizations, Democratic acting Gov. Tahesha Way announced. The program, a joint effort by state offices and private service providers, is intended to streamline the process by which unhoused veterans seek housing assistance, the New Jersey Monitor reports. Stateline Daily

NATIONAL AND THE FEDS

Want to know what academic political scientists think happened in the presidential election? And what comes next? Maybe you don’t. Still, here is a really nerdy roundup by the New York Times columnist Tom Edsall, whose email list of academic political scientists is endless.

The news has been undoubtedly grim, and sometimes it’s a temptation to take a break from the tumble of events. But change is going on and you won’t benefit, at all, from not hearing about it.

Here is Megan E’s first bulletin post-election. She is, as you know, our regular national keeper-upper and federal affairs director for our national affiliate, People’s Action. As this entry implies, there are lots of us out there, and we are all ready to fight back.

Hi People's Action,

I hope you are all hanging in there as we’re all still reeling from  the results of the federal elections. I know there were also many victories in our network and we need to celebrate those as well! Congratulations to all who had a victory this week. We’ll be celebrating those victories on next Thursday’s call. See registration link below.  

ICYMI, you can watch November 7th’s Making Meaning of the Moment call at this link:   https://weareworthfightingfor.org/.  The organizers are encouraging organizations to list any in-person absorption events that you may host on their mobilize page at the same website. They had around 140,000 people on the call last night so it may be a good opportunity to promote your events. 

Events you can still get in on:

Nov 13th 2pm ET: People’s Action is cosponsoring EconCon Presents 2024 where progressive experts, activists, and economists will chart our path toward building a more just economy in 2025 and defending against Trump’s tax code and his planned handouts to corporations and the billionaires. Register here to join us virtually! 

Thurs. Nov 14th -   8pm ET

We Are What’s Next: Making Meaning and Moving to Action after the Election

Network Wide & Volunteer Meaning Making & Move to Action Call

RSVP link (ppls.ac/MeaningMakingPostElection)!

This event targets staff, members, and volunteers of our groups – progressive Marylanders, members or no, are invited.

Please share with state policymakers & their staff! Cogovern with Us! People’s Policy Briefings for State Elected Officials Between November 15th and November 26th, 2024

Audience: State & Local Electeds & Policymakers; also open to the public 

Here is a template email invitation you can use to invite folks. The registration link is here. Please send invitations as soon as possible after the election. 

Essential resource -- Read our Organizing Revival White Paper - The Antidote to Authoritarianism 

And speaking of the New York Times (above): why did inflation take hold so quickly and bring such misery to working families? Academic economists (don’t flinch) found “price gouging” is not a savage act of an individual capitalist but a coolly calculated, opportunistic and routine business practice across sectors.

I hope you all get some rest and time with loved ones this weekend. 

In solidarity,

Megan