by Rick Hubbard | Oct 16, 2023
Friday and Saturday, I hiked partway up Pikes Peak with my friend Kemper, staying at the
legendary Barr Camp Friday night at an elevation of 10,200 feet. Although it snowed Thursday, and a snow squall in the mountains can be life threatening, we had blue sky and saw the eclipse as we hiked down. A 13-mile hike — exhausting but satisfying for two 81 year olds!
The weather has NOT been so good in the U.S. House of Representatives, where the stormy search for a new Speaker of the House is emblematic of the disfunction of our government. The majority in Congress care more about agendas than getting work done for the people. Extremists get elected because only +/-10% of Republican Voters and 15-20% of Democrats – mostly party activists – vote in a primary.
Imagine how different the results would be with single ballot open primaries and ranked choice voting, where extremists are less likely to make it to the general election, and more rational, responsive candidates could rise to the top!
This Tuesday, October 17th at 4 p.m., I’ll be taking that message to folks in Colorado
Springs outside the Pioneers Museum, then walking 15 minutes down to Rico’s Wine Bar for a Q&A with folks who care about the future of our Democracy. Both events are free admission (food and drinks on you) and I’m really looking forward to it. RSVP here, and please share with your like-minded friends in Colorado.
From here, it’s north to Denver, Fort Collins, and possibly Boulder, before heading east into Nebraska. Thanks for all your notes of encouragement and your donations. Together, we’re convincing a lot of people to take action!
Onward!
Rick
Rick Hubbard
PS: A thank you to my new friends Katrina Nguyen and at Colorado Forward for all their logistical efforts for the rally and walk!
by Rick Hubbard | Sep 29, 2023
I walked into Walsenburg, Colorado Thursday, and am taking a day off Friday to catch up on my email and rest my weary feet!
New Podcast Upload: Reason #5 to Fix Democracy
I also have some great news: I’ve completed the
fifth installment of my “Reasons to Fix Our Democracy” podcast. This is is an important one. In past episodes, we’ve made the case that Congress isn’t serving the common good — the oath our elected representatives took when they swore to uphold the Constitution of the United States.
Congress gets away with it, in part because our media follows the horse race and not the substance. My fifth episode discusses why the majority of our national, mainstream media isn’t asking the right questions of our elected representatives, and not giving citizens enough information to realize they’re not being served as our Constitution intended. I ask you to please take a listen, and SHARE it with your friends, or with your local media. Let them know you want more informative coverage about our Democracy!
New Colorado Spring Rally & Walk Event Oct. 17th
Thanks to my hosts the Colorado Forward Party, and independent candidate for Congress Katrina Nguyen, we now have a planned rally and walk in downtown Colorado Springs. If you are in Colorado Springs or know someone who is, RSVP/Share at our Colorado Springs event page. Coming up are hopefully Pueblo, Denver, Fort Collins and possibly others.
I don’t endorse candidates or parties, but it is heartening to see candidates and parties working to fix Democracy, not tear it down or mangle it beyond recognition.
You Made Me Smile!
Thank you for your emails of encouragement, and the donations you sent last week. I’m humbled by your generosity, and energized by your support for Democracy.
Thank you.
Rick
Rick Hubbard
P.S. – Don’t forget to SHARE message with your friends!
by Rick Hubbard | Sep 21, 2023
Just three days ago, I passed the 1,000 mile mark of my
journey, and I’m just a couple of days from the Colorado border. With the help of some amazing people in New Mexico, we had a very successful rally at the state capitol, known as the Round House.
Round House Rally
My visit Sept. 1 rally at the Round House could not have been possible without the help of a number of volunteers, including Bruce Berlin, Joh
n House, Leslie House, Sheila Burns, and Marilyn Winter-Tamkin who did much of the on-the-ground organizing and publicity. In addition, four state organizations promoted the event and attended: Common Cause NM, Indivisible Santa Fe, Represent.Us NM, and Breaking Money’s Grip on America. THANK YOU all, and keep the pressure on for reform in New Mexico!
Getting Out the Message
Through the hard work of those volunteers, I got two solid radio interviews, and pictures and long caption in the Santa Fe New Mexican. No TV coverage, despite our best efforts.
- August 29, 2023, KTRC Santa Fe/SantaFe.com – The Richard Eeds Show
- September 6, 2023, Santa Fe New Mexican
– Walker encourages fixing democracy (3 photos)
- September 11, 2023, KCEI Cultural Energy, Taos, NM – Interview with Rick Hubbard
- September 13, 2023, Taos News, My Turn Op-Ed: “Why I’ve been walking across the country at 82 years old”
Watch & Share the Santa Fe Video
If you missed the event,
a video has now been posted to YouTube of the rally, including some of my solutions for getting our elected representatives working for US, instead of their party agenda and special interest donors! Apologies: There’s a video gap at the 45 minute mark which skips a topic!
New “Reasons to Fix Our Democracy” Podcast Next Week!
Later next week, we’ll have a new podcast on the how Congress isn’t doing its job, and how better reporting by the media could strengthen our Democracy. See past episodes and subscribe for free
here, or at your favorite podcast platform.
I Couldn’t Do This Without YOU!
Onward,
Rick
P.S. — It’s OK to SHARE this email with your like-minded friends and ask them to
sign up!
by Rick Hubbard | Aug 27, 2023
After an expensive stop to fix the car’s AC 🥵 on the way, I finally arrived in Arizona!
I’m happy to say the Walking to Fix Our Democracy RV survived the summer’s scorching temperatures, and I’m headed toward Santa Fe, NM for a September 1 rally outside the capital, known as the Round House.
I’ll be arriving in Santa Fe,
NM Friday morning, September 1 and will walk to the east side of the Round House for a rally at 12:10 p.m. hosted by Indivisible Santa Fe, Breaking Big Money’s Grip on America, and Represent.Us NM. The nonpartisan event is free and all are welcome.
My thanks to Bruce Berlin, John House and their activists for putting the event together! Even if you don’t live locally, please share this email with your friends in New Mexico, and send them to https://www.fixourdemocracy.us/santa-fe-nm to RSVP.
Just before I left Vermont, I finished #4 in my Reasons to Fix Democracy podcast series. This time something near and dear to my heart having just gone through it with Sally: To fix our democracy to ensure that those who represent us establish and support a health care system that provides high quality healthcare to all 330+ million of us at the lowest, system-wide total cost, and is financially and socially sustainable into the future. I’ve got links to some great resources on this topic, and I hope you’ll take a few minutes to listen.
To my friends in Colorado, please be thinking about walks, rallies or speaking events you’d like to plan with me in the coming weeks. Check out my walking route to see where I’m headed, and contact me so we can work out the details.
Last thing for today: My need to leave the road last year to attend to Sally meant that some of the volunteers who were lined up to help drive the RV and help with organizing weren’t able to this year. If you can spare a day or week helping Democracy out for a week, let me know!
Until we talk again,
Rick
Rick Hubbard
P.S. – Now that we’re back on the road, can you chip in to help keep us there? Thank you!
by powershift | Aug 18, 2023
As you read this, I am driving from Vermont to New Mexico to resume Walking to Fix Our Democracy.
It’s a been a long few months since Sally passed in April. So many memories and feelings with which to grapple, let alone dealing with the staggering expenses and paperwork generated by our dysfunctional U.S. healthcare system. But I think I’m ready to pick up my American flag, lace up my walking shoes, and get back to mobilizing Americans to save our teetering Democracy.
This fall and early winter, I’m going to walk until it’s too cold, then perhaps take some off-road time talking with Presidential candidates in Iowa, New Hampshire and South Carolina. If you know me, you know I’ll give them an earful! I’ll resume the walk in April and be in Washington, DC by just after the inauguration in 2025.
In addition to reminding our citizens what their elected representatives SHOULD be doing to serve the greater good, I’ll also be talking about the Freedom to Vote Act and John Lewis Voting Rights Advancement Act, and WHAT YOU CAN DO to help get them passed. The FTVA was just reintroduced in the U.S. Senate in June, and will be a big step forward in keeping our country for We the People, instead of We the Special Interests.
I’ve also just loaded a new podcast, continuing my series of Reasons to Fix Our Democracy. This one is entitled “Reason #3 to Fix Our Democracy – So Capitalism Will Broadly Benefit We the People and Strengthen Our Nation.” I hope you’ll take a listen. and please share the link with your friends. Reasons #4 and #5 will be out shortly.
Finally, although I’m “back,” some days may be more putting one foot in front of the other, rather than a crusade to save our Democracy. So I’m going to need your help, and the help of your friends and your friends’ friends. Together, we’ll make a difference.
Thanks for all your love and support,
Rick Hubbard
by Rick Hubbard | Apr 11, 2023
I have sad news to share with you about my life-partner, Sally Howe. The cancer has finally overwhelmed her. Please read my journal message at the link below.
Thank you for all the emails of love and support these past days. Your friendship has helped make the unbearable, bearable.
Love,
Rick
