Democracy Is On the Ballot in Ohio Today

Buckeye State Republicans want to make it harder to change their state constitution. Plus the latest on that Alabama dock brawl. And Ne-Yo says sorry, not sorry for anti-transgender remarks.

Photo by Adam Cairns / Columbus Post Dispatch

Hello and thanks for rising up with me on this Tuesday, August 8, 2023.

On this day in 1844, Brigham Young was selected to lead the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints, aka the Mormons. He succeeded Joseph Smith, the church’s founder, who was murdered along with his brother Hyrum two weeks earlier by a mob at an Illinois prison.

President Richard Nixon announced he would resign on this night in 1974, becoming the first U.S. leader to do so. Vice President Gerald Ford took the presidential oath within minutes of Nixon’s departure from the White House the following day. Ford swiftly pardoned his predecessor, setting in motion events that historians believe did not heal the nation of its divisions, as he intended, but in fact exacerbated them and emboldened presidents who followed.

And it was on this night in 1988 that the Chicago Cubs hosted the Philadelphia Phillies for the first-ever night baseball game at Wrigley Field. For 74 seasons, the nation’s second-oldest ballpark held only day games, and The Friendly Confines was the last in the MLB to erect lights. A 91-year-old Cubs fan named Harry Grossman flipped the switch on 8-8-88, as fans chanted “Let there be light!” Unfortunately, storms blew in and the game was called in the fourth inning. That meant the first official night game at Wrigley was held the following night, Aug. 9, with the final: Cubs 6, New York Mets 4. Some will say the fans were the ones who lost, others believe that they won.

Photo from Getty Images

Here Now the News:

FUNERAL FOR SINÉAD O’CONNOR DRAWS HUGE CROWD: Associated Press

OHIO REPUBLICANS HOPE TO CHANGE THE RULES TO PREVENT REPRODUCTIVE RIGHTS SUPPORTERS FROM WINNING IN NOVEMBER: That’s what’s really behind Issue No. 1 on the ballot today in Ohio. Voters are headed to the polls to decide whether to make it more difficult to pass ballot measures in the state. —NBC News and the Columbus Dispatch

• Issue 1 would raise the threshold of support required to pass state constitutional amendments to 60% instead of a simple majority. That will make it harder for a ballot measure enshrining abortion rights in the state constitution to pass this fall.

• The GOP’s ballot measure would also toughen rules for groups trying to place future ballot measures before voters, as they would need to obtain signatures from voters in all 88 counties, instead of the 44 now required.

• In addition, the measure would eliminate a 10-day “curing” period during which groups are currently allowed to gather additional signatures to replace any previous signatures that officials deem invalid.

STORMS FORCE THOUSANDS OF FLIGHT DELAYS, CAUSE 2 DEATHS: CNN

MULTIPLE WARRANTS FOR ARREST ISSUED FOLLOWING ALABAMA RIVERDOCK BRAWL: CBS News

• WHAT WE KNOW ABOUT WHAT HAPPENED IN MONTGOMERY: Washington Post and ABC News

STOCK MARKETS TUMBLE AFTER MOODY’S DOWNGRADE: CNBC

WRITERS STRIKE UPDATE: THE END IS NOWHERE IN SIGHT — CNN

THOUSANDS OF HAITIANS MARCH FOR SECURITY AND SAFETY: A.P.

ANOTHER BLOW TO BIDEN PLAN FOR STUDENT DEBT RELIEF: NBC News

JIMMY CARTER’S GRANDSON SHARES HEALTH UPDATE FOR FORMER PRESIDENT AND FIRST LADY: Entertainment Weekly

Politicukoos

Photo by Sarah Kallis, GPB News

DONALD TRUMP’S NEXT SCENE IN REALITY DRAMA “THE INDICTED:” ATLANTA, GEORGIA — The Hill

• FEDERAL JUDGE IN JAN. 6 CASE TO HOLD HEARING ON PROTECTIVE ORDER REGARDING EVIDENCE: Trump’s attorneys want a “less restrictive alternative” to the government’s requested order, framing their revisions as an effort aimed at “preserving the First Amendment rights of President Trump and the public.”

• The government had proposed in Friday’s filing to bar Trump from disclosing sensitive materials, defined in part as “recordings, transcripts, interview reports, and related exhibits of witness interviews."—NBC News

• HEADLINE OF THE DAY: “Trump’s Team Argues for His Right to Post All-Caps Threats Amid Jan. 6 Charges” — Rolling Stone

• BERNIE KERIK MEETS WITH SPECIAL PROSECUTOR’S INVESTIGATORS: The disgraced former NYPD commissioner and ex-con is a key ally of Trump and unindicted co-conspirator Rudy Giuliani. — CNN

• TRUMP LOSES IN COURT, AGAIN: COUNTERSUIT AGAINST E. JEAN CARROLL TOSSED — NPR

DeSANTIS FIRES CAMPAIGN MANAGER IN LATEST SHAKEUP: Politico

FLORIDA’S “ANTI WOKE” LAWS ARE COSTING STATE BIG BUCKS: CNN

Healthwatch

NURSING PILLOWS TIED TO DEATHS OF 160 INFANTS: NBC News

OMGnews

WHITE MEN CLAIM THEY WERE DISCRIMINATED AGAINST IN PANDEMIC RELIEF THAT HELPED WOMEN AND PEOPLE OF COLOR: Boston Globe

AIRPODS NOW ON SALE AT LOWEST PRICE IN ADVANCE OF NEXT MODEL: nj.com

LGBTQ Revue

IT’S TIME FOR US TO STAND UP FOR MEGAN RAPINOE: Ken Schultz with an excellent essay in Outsports in defense of the embattled icon.

WAYNE BRADY COMES OUT AS PANSEXUAL: People Magazine

• WHAT DOES IT MEAN TO BE “PANSEXUAL”? USA Today explains.

POPE FRANCIS SAYS CHURCH IS OPEN TO LGBTQ PEOPLE… BUT: PinkNews

J.K. ROWLING WANTS YOU TO KNOW NAZIS SUPPORT HER AND POSIE PARKER’S TERF RALLIES VOLUNTARILY: The Mary Sue

NE-YO RETRACTS APOLOGY TO DEFEND HIS TRANSPHOBIA: The singer believes children should not undergo gender transition. —Rolling Stone

NE-YO

NE-YO on Instagram: “Ok. This shit is getting out of hand. FROM THE HORSE’S MOUTH. I WILL NOT BE BULLIED INTO APOLOGIZING FOR HAVING AN OPINION. AGREEING TO DISAGREE IS NOT A DECLARATION OF WAR. Lord knows I ain’t perfect, I’ve made my mistakes indeed. And I’ve apologized to the people I’ve hurt for those mistakes. I couldn’t cast a stone if I wanted to, which I don’t. And I haven’t. My intention is never to offend anybody…but my opinion is MINE and I’m entitled to it. I don’t care what y’all do with yours. That’s YOURS. This is how I FEEL. If one of my 7 kids were to decide that he or she wanted to be something other than what they were born as, once they’re old enough and mature enough to make that decision…so be it. Not gonna love em’ any less. Daddy is still Daddy and he loves you regardless. But this isn’t even a discussion until they are MENTALLY MATURE ENOUGH to have such a discussion.
Period. Point blank. Whatever. Y’all do y’all, imma do me and we can agree to disagree and coexist PEACEFULLY.
LOVE IS THE ONLY TRUE POWER.”

August 7, 2023

Star Trek Corner

From left to right: Rong Fu as Mitchell, Rebecca Romijn as Una, Ethan Peck as Spock, uncredited extra at helm and Anson Mount as Capt. Pike Photo by Michael Gibson/Paramount+

A PREVIEW OF STRANGE NEW WORLDS EPISODE 10, “HEGEMONY:” The season two finale streams on Paramount+ tomorrow night, early Thursday morning, and TrekMovie has your SPOILER-FREE preview. Note in the photo above Pike (Anson Mount) is wearing Away Team gear and someone other than Erica Ortegas (Melissa Navia) is seated in the helmsman’s chair. Hmmm. I’ve seen the episode and it’s a banger that will please nearly everyone, I believe… except for the ending. I’ll have my SPOILER-FILLED review Thursday morning, and soon, my long-promised video of my interviews with the stars!

• HOW TO VIEW EVERY SEASON OF EVERY STAR TREK SERIES: Click here to subscribe to Paramount+

That’s all for this edition! I’ll be back Wednesday morning with the stories you need to rise up and start your day. Until then… May your news be good news!

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