Comment on This California Ballot Initiative Seeks to End Involuntary Servitude for Prisoners

When J. Vasquez was incarcerated at Salinas Valley State Prison in California, he worked as a porter—sweeping, mopping, and taking out the trash. It paid less than 15 cents per hour and, as the “third watch” porter, he worked from 2 to 9 p.m. The timing of his shift often coincided with prison programming, which was a source of continual frustration for Vasquez.

There are plenty of surprises that shake up the electorate every four years, but one thing is certain: An outsized level of attention—and scorn, if things go wrong—will be aimed at Black voters. This week’s episode of our sister radio show Reveal followed one person, Michaelah Montgomery, as she navigated life under the spotlight as a Donald Trump favorite, and if you haven’t caught it, it’s a deep an nuanced look at the enduring appeal of of conservatism for some Black voters, and well worth a listen:jQuery(document).ready(function(){prx("https:\/\/play.prx.org\/e?uf=http%3A%2F%2Ffeeds.revealradio.org%2Frevealpodcast&ge=prx_149_32c37052-97a2-4074-8edb-d645d7a14ae6", "prx-0", "shortcode")});Subscribe to Mother Jones podcasts on Apple Podcasts or your favorite podcast app. Now, a lively and provocative special bonus episode explores why you shouldn’t buy the pervasive election narrative that Black men are leaving the Democratic Party to support Donald Trump over Kamala Harris. Should you believe the polls?

Here’s one way Trump and his allies could disrupt and even overturn the 2024 election: It starts with stoking rumors that noncitizens voted. The Trump campaign and its allies go to court to stop certification or throw out ballots in certain precincts and counties, backed by the observations of GOP-backing poll-watchers who claim they saw non-citizens vote.

Donald Trump’s rhetoric during his 2024 campaign has been the darkest in modern memory. He has emphasized grievance and demagoguery ever since he first ran for president, most infamously with his build-up to the January 6 insurrection. But in recent months he has gone to new extremes. In numerous speeches and media appearances, he has peddled false conspiracy theories about the two assassination attempts against him and stoked fear and anger nonstop about an alleged “invasion” of murderous migrants, who he claims are “poisoning the blood of” America and “conquering” cities and towns nationwide. Throughout the election homestretch, Trump has woven these virulent strands into his core message about a supposed grand conspiracy by Democrats to steal the White House from him.

Longer and more destructive wildfire seasons. Extended stretches of 80-degree fall days. A 20-year drought. Shrinking water supplies. Coloradans are already seeing the effects of climate change in their communities and on beloved public lands. The 2024 presidential election — along with congressional and other races — will have implications for energy, federal lands and climate policies that will affect millions of people in Colorado and across the Rocky Mountain West. “The differences between the two candidates are pretty stark,” said Robert Duffy, a political science professor at Colorado State University who studies environmental policy, of Vice President Kamala Harris and former President Donald Trump. Harris, the Democratic nominee, calls climate change an existential threat and helped pass a major funding package to address the issue; it has funneled millions of dollars to Colorado projects. Trump, who’s again the GOP nominee, has said it’s all a hoax — and is among Republicans who prioritize energy development and the extraction of natural resources over the reduction of greenhouse gas emissions. RELATED: Where to find climate change on your ballot if that’s a top voting concern Climate change, the environment and natural resources as a category were among the top concerns identified in the Voter Voices survey conducted this year by 30 news outlets across the state, including The Denver Post. In Colorado, scientists say climate change will result in decreased river flows, which will impact farmers and cities as well as businesses’ ability to obtain the water they need.

The devastating and deadly impacts of Hurricanes Helene and Milton in the final weeks of the 2024 election have once again put the climate crisis top of mind for voters across the country. For many Coloradans, who’ve been impacted by severe droughts and unprecedented wildfires in recent years, climate issues have long been a priority. Climate change, the environment and natural resources, as a category, were among the top concerns identified by more than 7,000 Coloradans who have responded to the Voter Voices survey by Colorado media outlets, including The Denver Post. Self-described liberal and moderate respondents were far more likely to say climate and the environment were a top issue than conservatives — a trend that’s consistent with the results of the Colorado Health Foundation’s 2024 Pulse poll.