Mississippi's Mail-In Ballot Victory, Seattle's Democracy Vouchers, and Illinois' Reproductive Rights Expansion

In this episode of Good News for Lefties, host Beowulf Rochlen dives into a series of uplifting stories that illuminate the ongoing fight for democracy and progressive values across America. We start with a crucial case in Mississippi, where state officials are advocating for the restoration of a five-day grace period for mail-in ballots at the U.S. Supreme Court. This vital safeguard ensures that votes from military personnel and rural voters are counted, emphasizing the importance of accessibility in the electoral process for marginalized communities.

Next, we celebrate the renewal of Seattle's innovative democracy voucher program, which empowers residents with vouchers to donate to local candidates. This initiative has successfully amplified the voices of underrepresented groups and has led to a more diverse political landscape in the city, showcasing a model for campaign finance reform that prioritizes everyday citizens over big money donors.

Turning to clean energy, we highlight a groundbreaking partnership between T1 Energy and Corning to establish a fully domestic solar panel supply chain. This collaboration promises to create thousands of jobs while bolstering energy security and supporting the U.S. economy, marking a significant step toward a sustainable future.

We also discuss a landmark ruling from a federal appeals court in Texas that protects student expression and LGBTQ rights by blocking a ban on drag performances at West Texas A&M University. This decision reaffirms the importance of free speech on campus and supports the rights of students to express their identities.

Additionally, we share exciting news from Illinois, where Governor J.B. Pritzker has signed two new laws expanding access to reproductive health care. These measures ensure that essential reproductive services remain available even in the face of potential federal rollbacks, positioning Illinois as a leader in protecting reproductive rights.

Join us for this episode filled with stories of hope, resilience, and the belief that positive change is not just possible but happening right now in America!

Mississippi's Mail-In Ballot Case Seattle's Democracy Voucher Program T1 Energy and Corning Solar Partnership Federal Court Ruling on Drag Performances Illinois Expands Reproductive Health Care Access

If you have thoughts, ideas, or more good news to share, we’d love to hear from you! Call or message us at 202-656-6271 or drop us a line at [e-mail].




More about today's stories:

https://www.democracydocket.com/news-alerts/mississippi-asks-scotus-to-restore-mail-in-ballot-grace-period-after-gop-bid-to-kill-it/

https://reasonstobecheerful.world/how-100-per-voter-makes-seattles-elections-more-inclusive/

https://www.reuters.com/sustainability/climate-energy/t1-corning-reach-deal-make-fully-american-made-solar-panels-2025-08-15/?utm_campaign=Newsletter&utm_medium=email&_hsenc=p2ANqtz--59W_rkh4b52DjScaJwPiAqGOBsZpsv7fkBESwOWWqdDjyfDXuwITdWcQL7Rh9INZ5t5Kcau6BXr5kQhVeXV0pduZ7aA&_hsmi=376077533&utm_content=376077533&utm_source=hs_email

https://www.metroweekly.com/2025/08/west-texas-am-drag-ban/

https://capitolnewsillinois.com/news/new-laws-aim-to-shield-providers-of-abortion-meds-ban-ticketing-in-schools/

Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/good-news-for-lefties-daily-news-for-democracy--6256627/support.

Episode Transcript

Speaker 1 (00:06):
Good News for Lefties and America. Hello, and thank you
for joining me for another episode of good News for Lefties.
I'm Beowulf Rocklin, your host, ready to help you swap
out doom scrolling for hope scrolling with uplifting stories for
democracy defenders, progressives, liberals, socialists, leftists, and anyone who believes

(00:30):
in making America a better place for everyone. Today's headlines
often overwhelm us with troubling news, and I'm sure if
you follow the news like I do, you'll read or
hear about them today. All the bad news makes it
easy to lose sight of hope, and that's exactly why
it's vital to highlight the positive progressive wins happening every

(00:53):
day in the United States of America to help us
spread the positivity. If you enjoy the show, please rate
and review us on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or your podcast
platform of choice. It helps more lefties like you hear
more good news stories and stay positive and motivated for
the days ahead. Now, let's get to some good news

(01:15):
headlines designed to brighten your day. Mississippi's fight to protect
mail in ballot access has taken center stage at the
US Supreme Court as the state urges justices to restore
its five day post election grace period after a recent
conservative court ruling threatened to cut it short. This grace period,

(01:37):
common in sixteen states and the District of Columbia, ensures
that ballot's postmarked on or before election day but delayed
in the mail, especially those from military overseas or rural voters,
won't be needlessly disqualified. By defending this voter friendly safeguard,
Mississippi is championing the rights of those whose voices have

(02:00):
historically faced barriers at the polls. State officials and voting
rights advocates warned that eliminating the grace period would jeopardize
the right to vote for thousands, particularly for those serving
abroad or living far from election offices. Research shows that
these late arriving ballots are frequently the only way some residents,

(02:22):
disproportionately younger and non white voters can participate fully in democracy,
particularly in parts of Mississippi and beyond where mail delays
are common and options are limited. The appeal to the
Supreme Court asserts that the federal law does not require
ballots to be received by election day, and that states

(02:43):
have long had the authority to implement common sense protections
that keep elections truly accessible. As the Supreme Court considers
this pivotal case, millions of voters across Mississippi, Louisiana, Texas,
and other states await clarity on whether they where mailed
votes will count if delayed by circumstances out of their control.

(03:04):
The potential rollback of grace periods threatens decades of bipartisan
consensus and innovation designed to expand the franchise and protect
the integrity of the vote, especially for communities on the
margins and those with the fewest resources. This moment is
a testament to the ongoing movement to make voting in
America fairer and more inclusive and more resilient amid continued

(03:27):
attacks on ballot access. Mississippi's stance gives hope to all
who would vision a future where democracy is not limited
by zip code or circumstance, but vigorously protected through laws
that put voters first. Seattle has renewed its groundbreaking democracy
voucher program, with voters passing Proposition IE by a clear

(03:48):
margin in the August election. For the next decade, every
Seattle resident will continue to receive four to twenty five
dollars vouchers to donate to the local candidate of their
choice that everyday people, not just big money donors, can
help shape the city's democracy. This innovative approach to campaign
finance removes barriers for first time candidates and amplifies the

(04:11):
voices of young, working class, and marginalized communities. Since its launch,
studies show the program has helped Seattle elect a more
diverse group of leaders and expand political participation, particularly among
residents who were previously left out of campaign funding. With
the help of Democracy Vouchers, candidates from all walks of

(04:32):
life can mount viable campaigns, freeing them to focus on
community engagement rather than courting wealthy contributors. In the most
recent cycle, a record number of Seattleites, many of them
young in lower income, became donors for the first time,
fueling competitive races and challenging entrenched incumbents. City officials are

(04:55):
already planning further improvements to boost participation and make the
program even more inclusive. Grants to community groups will expand
education and outreach, and a new working group will bring
together voucher users to help guide future reforms. Potential changes
include raising the cap on how many vouchers a candidate

(05:15):
can accept, making it easier for residents' voices to be
heard and ensuring democracy vouchers outpace the influence of outside spending.
In an era of rising concern over money in politics,
Seattle's renewed commitment to democracy vouchers stands as a progressive
model for making elections fairer, more accessible, and more representative

(05:37):
of the city's diversity. Advocates believe this people powered experiment
is transforming who gets to run and who gets to
win in local politics. T One Energy and Corning have
announced a landmark deal to create a fully domestic solar
panel supply chain, a pivotal step forward for clean energy

(05:59):
manufacturing in the U s United States. Under the agreement,
Corning will supply t One with American made solar wafers
from its Michigan facility starting in the second half of
twenty twenty six, enabling t one to produce solar cells
in Austin, Texas and assemble panels near Dallas, Texas. This
collaboration will cover the entire process polysilicon wafers, cells and

(06:22):
final panels rooted entirely in the US. The significance of
this deal extends well beyond the companies involved. By producing
all key solar components within the country, t One and
Corning address both the urgent need for energy security and
supply chain stability, making it easier to comply with new
federal regulations that restrict tax credits for products sourced from

(06:46):
foreign entities of concern like China. This move directly boosts
American manufacturing jobs, with the company's forecasting employment for around
six thousand workers in Michigan and Texas. Corning's commitment to
advanced menu manufacturing, and t One's focus on scaling up
operations signal renewed momentum for US made clean technologies. This

(07:07):
step forward and vertical integration in the solar sector arrives
at an important moment as the US seeks to meet
rising demand for renewable energy while reducing reliance on overseas suppliers.
Beyond energy independence, the deal paves the way for innovation
and cost reductions in solar panel manufacturing, giving developers and

(07:28):
installers greater confidence in the stability of their supply chains.
As solar companies and policymakers look to the future, the
t One and Corning partnership demonstrates the transformative potential of
investing in American clean energy infrastructure, a leap toward more sustainable, resilient,
and equitable energy economy for all. A federal appeals court

(07:52):
has delivered a sweeping victory for student expression and LGBTQ
Plus rights in Texas, temporarily blocking West Texas A and
M University's ban on student drag performances and reaffirming that
drag shows are protected speech under the First Amendment. The
fight began in twenty twenty three when campus leaders canceled
a drag fundraiser organized by the school's LGBTQ Plus group,

(08:16):
Spectrum WT, meant to support the Trevor Project. That decision
prompted outrage across campus and led to a high profile
lawsuit champion by the Foundation for Individual Rights and Expression.
Writing for the majority, Judge Leslie Southwick declared that all
theatrical performances, including drag, are forms of expressive conduct shielded

(08:40):
by the Constitution and must be treated with the highest
legal protection. The court found that the administration's blanket ban
on drag was not only unjustified, but also posed a
substantial threat of irreparable harm to students' free speech rights.
The court's ruling recognizes that student groups like Spectrum WT

(09:00):
have every right to perform on campus, sending important messages
of inclusion, and raise funds for critical causes. The Court's
decision is not just a win for Spectrum WT, but
for every student at a public university who fears being
silenced simply for expressing their identity or supporting marginalized peers.
The ruling blocks West Texas A and M and its

(09:22):
president from enforcing the ban, while making it clear that
viewpoint based discrimination on campus cannot stand, restoring a vital
platform for creativity, solidarity, and celebration. Up next, a listener
comment back in a moment, And now a comment from

(09:42):
a listener on Spotify. Here it is my wife and
I listen every day. I might only change the volume
of the ding that indicates a switch in stories. It's
kind of aggressive to our poor ears. We appreciate all
you do. You're helping us so much. Well, thank you
so much. I really appreciate that comment. Thank you so

(10:03):
much for your kind words. It really means a lot
to us. And yes, we heard you loud and clear
about the bell and as you may be able to hear.
You've turned down the volume so your ears and your
wife's can relax from now on. Thanks for helping us
make good news for lefties even better, and for being
a part of our community. Illinois is making bold strides

(10:26):
to protect and expand reproductive health care access with two
important new laws signed by Governor J. B. Pritzker. This
August one bill ensures that even if the federal government
revokes approval for abortion medications like mifepristone, Illinois will continue
to allow healthcare providers to prescribe these vital drugs through
twenty thirty four. This law extends shield protections to all

(10:50):
healthcare workers, safeguarding them from prosecution or disciplinary actions for
providing services legal in Illinois but potentially banned elsewhere. Building
on this commitment, the state also passed a landmark law
requiring all public colleges and universities to provide contraception and
medication abortion access on campus starting with the twenty twenty

(11:12):
five twenty twenty six school year. Schools with on site
pharmacies must dispense prescribed reproductive health products, while others must
facilitate access via student health centers or telehealth. This legislation,
championed by student advocates and lawmakers like Representative Barbara Hernandez
and Senator Selina Villanueva, removes critical barriers for young people

(11:35):
seeking care conveniently and confidentially. Governor Pritsker described these laws
as essential defenses against ongoing federal and regional attacks on
reproductive freedom, emphasizing Illinois's role as a safe haven for
healthcare access in the Midwest. The legislation also builds on
earlier efforts to embed reproductive rights in state law and

(11:58):
expands protections for writers who face threats from anti choice
policies in neighboring states. Together, these laws affirm that reproductive
healthcare is medical care and a fundamental right. Illinois is
setting a national example by prioritizing equity, dignity, and autonomy,
making sure every woman and student can access the care

(12:19):
they need, regardless of geographic or political challenges. That's a
wrap for today's edition of Good News for Lefties. Remember
if these stories brighten your outlook, please help us spread
the word by rating and reviewing us on Apple Podcasts, Spotify,
or your podcast platform of choice. A big thanks to

(12:40):
our production team, Rosabel Hine and Aaron Watson for making
all of this possible behind the scenes. I'm bia Wolf Franklin,
weird name good news for lefties and America. Stay tuned

(13:07):
after this commercial break for more of me, your humble
and obedient servant, as I speak with Jen and Dan
of the band Camp Podcast.

Speaker 2 (13:16):
The John Peegle Sang Podcast is now available six times
a week with me John Fugel Sang, I've been murdered
on CSI picketed by Westboro Baptist Church and host tell
me Everything. On sirius XM Progress one twenty seven. You
will hear authors, politicians, actors, filmmakers, rappers, rock stars, journalists, activists,
unhinged callers, and way too many comedians. They all have
a place of a John Feagles Sang Podcast, and so

(13:38):
do you. The John Fiegele sing Podcast Fair and Biased.
Find it on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Stitcher for wherever you
listen to Bobs.

Speaker 3 (13:46):
And Now.

Speaker 1 (13:47):
An excerpt from a recent episode of the band Camp
Podcast where I speak with hosts Jen and Dan, Then
go listen to the full show. The band Camp Podcast
That's banned with two ends band Camp, pop podcast, dot
com and just a quick trigger warning here there may
be some clips of Donald Trump played in this next segment.

(14:10):
It's time for bandcab news news speaker. They will Rocklin.
It's a weird name, but he's got good news because
he can't be.

Speaker 3 (14:21):
He's broadcasting live from the good news for lefty studios.
Buried deep inside his socialist safehouse, hidden somewhere deep in
the Oregon woods. He is Babe Well Rockland because.

Speaker 1 (14:34):
He can't Jen Dan Scary books.

Speaker 3 (14:37):
People.

Speaker 1 (14:38):
Thank you so much. I appreciate it. I want to
let you guys know about a positive story involving ice
and our planet. There is more ice and that is
a good thing for America, for the world and everyone.

Speaker 3 (14:56):
What ice are we talking about.

Speaker 1 (14:57):
We're talking about Antarctic ice. Oh that ice good, that's right,
ice ice Baby. Antarctica was in the news this week.
It was gaining ice rather than losing it. Well, that's right. Yes.
Antarctic ice sheet loss has averaged around one hundred and
forty seven gigatons per year for the period between twenty
ten and twenty twenty, and now a remarkable reversal has

(15:21):
occurred in the last couple of years. Writing in China
Or Science's researchers at Tongji University reported that East Antarctica's
Wilkes Island and Queen Maryland that region recorded one hundred
eight gigatons average ice sheet mass gained per year from
twenty twenty one to twenty twenty three. So one gigaton

(15:43):
is equivalent to one billion tons, and one hundred eight
gigatons is the equivalent weight of one point five million
of America's flagship aircraft carriers. So this is a huge
amount of ice. And while they're warning, you know things,
you're still warming. We don't want to necessarily count on
this continuing. It's a very positive sign in the midst

(16:06):
of what have been an awful lot of very bleak
data points. So more ice, good for you, good for me,
good for the planet.

Speaker 3 (16:14):
Nice.

Speaker 1 (16:14):
I love that.

Speaker 3 (16:15):
I wonder why that's happening.

Speaker 1 (16:17):
Yeah, I know, yeah, I mean they're really not sure.
They're they're trying to figure it out. They're just like
they measured that this is taking place. So maybe if
they can figure out why it's happening, they can do
things to make more of that happen. If we can
make more ice, maybe we can cool things down and
make this crazy planet of ours livable for future generation with.

Speaker 3 (16:40):
You, Bibil, I am starting to not believe in global warming.

Speaker 2 (16:45):
That's what he's saying.

Speaker 3 (16:47):
Everybody.

Speaker 1 (16:47):
No, you see, that's the weird thing. Like they've demonstrated
that the temperatures are rising and yet at the same time,
at least in this particular place, there's more ice. So
maybe there's some sort of localized effect that's going going on.
But if we can figure out what it is and
replicate it, then then maybe we can start to reverse
the trend, because it's very danger I think we've all

(17:08):
heard that. You know, the more ice that Melson the
Antarctic and the Arctic, that means sea levels you're going
to rise. There's going to be more flooding and coastal
cities around the world, and that's very dangerous for millions
and billions of people in terms of their ability to
live and get buy in the infrastructure that they depend on.

Speaker 3 (17:26):
If there does come a time, and some scientists said
we may have already passed it or really close to
the line there. We are so far gone that it's
going to be really hard to reverse or stop global
warming and climate change and everything. It's going to be
maybe too late for us as a species to continue living.

(17:48):
I know that the planet is going to keep going.
That's usually, but Rush Limbaugh started saying that back in
the eighties. He would be like, the planet's still going
to keep spinning, don't worry. Yeah, but we're going to
be dead. Yeah a dumb wad. Yes, of course, the
planet's not going anywhere. It's just gonna be a spinning
planet with a bunch of dead dummies with factories next

(18:11):
to me. Will the world leaders if they actually do
find out, what are the chances of them being super
honest with us, like your Morgan Freeman when that asteroid
was coming, or the president and don't look up where
they were just saying like I don't worry about that.
I wouldn't worry about this, right. Do you think who

(18:31):
is going to be honest with us? Do you think
they will be honest? And if you were president, Jennifer Davis,
I'm talking to you. You are the president, the first
lady president. Very good thing. Unfortunately, you start your job
and your head of security, Pete Hagg'sworth, he comes in

(18:53):
and he says, look, this is actually happening. There's a
big boulder coming to hit us. We can't do anything
about it. The world end on Wednesday, probably around four.
What do you do as president? Do you say anything?
There is absolutely nothing anybody can do. No, I don't
say anything worse president. This is my women can never

(19:16):
be president. They get hysterically. Oh my god, the panic
in the that's.

Speaker 1 (19:21):
The opposite of hysteria. That's like, yeah, no, like if
you can't do anything about it.

Speaker 3 (19:26):
Jenn is grabbing butcher and laying down on the couch.

Speaker 2 (19:30):
I just want people to enjoy themselves.

Speaker 1 (19:32):
Chocolate ice creak. Yes, Ben and Jerry's.

Speaker 3 (19:36):
Oh did you see Ben get arrested?

Speaker 1 (19:38):
Ben and Jerry's Ben good for Ben, I like, I
gotta go out and buy some more fish food to
honor his action.

Speaker 3 (19:45):
So I don't know if this is an old marketing
story Ben and Jerry. The reason their ice cream case
the way it does is because either Ben or Jerry
has a deficiency in their taste buds. Really, one of
them would keep looking, I'm go and I add some
more cookie, or I'm gonna add this ingredient. How does
this taste? And he'd be like, I mean it's kind
of tastes like bubble odd. Okay, let me put some more,

(20:07):
and he kept putting more and more stuff in until
finally the other guy said, all right, I can kind
of taste it, and that because of this weird deficiency
is why their ice cream is so good.

Speaker 1 (20:19):
Wow, brilliant, that's brilliant. They've raised the bar for themselves
and made a better palette for everyone else as a consequence.
That's amazing.

Speaker 3 (20:29):
Yeah, don't try, don't try to skirt it, babe. If
you're President Moulder hitting us tomorrow, Wednesday, Tuesday, whenever we're hitting,
what do.

Speaker 1 (20:37):
You do you see? Okay, So then there's nothing I
can do, absolutely nothing that I can do.

Speaker 3 (20:41):
I don't know you that well, I don't know if
you have a secret wizard powers. I'm assuming no.

Speaker 1 (20:46):
Well, first I would communicate with my spirit animals to
see if I had any wizard powers, and assuming that failed,
I would have to go to the gen route, because like,
what use is there at that point? I mean, let
people enjoy like what they're gonna be doing, Like why
send the world into hysterics. If it's really a matter
of a few days and there's really nothing that you
can do in that hypothetical situation, then I would say,

(21:10):
all right, that's what we can do. But in almost
any other situation, and knowing that we actually do have
time and we can change things, and we can save
as many people as we possibly can, and that we
can make a better life for our children and grandchildren
and great grandchildren, in almost any other circumstance, I would
take the opposite approach to everything we possibly could to

(21:33):
get rid of that boulder, or if it happens to
be climate change, lower the temperature and make sure there's
much as much ice as possible and as much ice
cream as possible, especially to Ben and Jerry's right.

Speaker 3 (21:46):
And that is why you should listen to Good News
for Lefties for a couple of reasons. Number one, a
lot of ice cream news over on here Lefties wherever
you find your podcast. But the other thing is I
find it's very helpful to have a news person who
you can't trust, who will lie to you and only
tell you the good news.

Speaker 1 (22:07):
We want to make you good with the bad. But
that's our goal because like everybody else is taking care
of the bad. So I'm gonna give you the good.
I'm gonna give you the cherry on chopping your ice cream.

Speaker 3 (22:16):
All right, everyone go listen to Good News for Lefties, Do.

Speaker 1 (22:20):
You Band the Truth Be Bad? And listen to Jen
and Dan on the band Camp Podcast at bandcamp podcast
dot com.