Today, as the Democratic Joe Biden-Kamala Harris team began to campaign together to win the 2020 election, the contours of the upcoming political contest became clearer.
Regarding the self-contradictory messaging on Kamala Harris from the Trump campaign: this reminds me of something common when I was on my high school debate team. If an opposing team was entirely unprepared for the argument introduced by our team, and responded all over the place like the Trump campaign, we'd say they're "just throwing all their cards at us", since the talking points and scraps of information used by high school debaters were usually kept on index cards. The Trump campaign has no idea how to parse through the Harris nomination and its ramifications, so they are just throwing things to see if they stick. (The index card was the information retrieval method commonly used back in the pre-Cambrian age when I grew up. No judgment, please.)
But I think this also points out something about Trump and his team: they are exclusively interested in power, and not really in policy except insofar as it keeps them in power. They never had a coherent policy point-of-view, not to mention political philosophy. It was about winning, and keeping the base well-fed with propaganda. It's the "Southern Strategy" Prof. Richardson talks about in her book: the oligarchs/plutocrats want their aristocratic libertarianism to prevail, so they convince poor/working class/middle class/suburban white people that the "others" are stealing their cookie-crumbs and messing up their pretty suburban lawns, and thus get them to buy into the cults of wealth and whiteness that keeps them on top.
I think that the women falling into this broad "white, non-one-percenter" category are beginning to see through this ruse, if not the men. That's why, given a free and fair election, Trump is toast. So it's the "free and fair" part we need to look out for with an eagle-eye. That and any post-November-3 antics that Darth Realtor and his imperial storm-troopers might have in mind.
The difference between Biden and Harris’s intelligent, coherent address and Trump’s vague word-salad ramblings and misogynistic and racist name calling couldn’t be more stark. I had almost forgotten what it was like to hear from real leaders who can speak clearly and knowledgeably about a topic. We must all do whatever we can within each of our own abilities to ensure that Biden and Harris win this one in a landslide. And then be willing to support their victory when it is inevitably challenged by trump. Finally, there is hope.
The Biden-Harris speeches yesterday beginning their campaign where wonderful to watch. Clear, concise, and inspiring to a 68 year old white “suburban housewife”. Trump and his Republican Senators must be voted out in November. I really found the Native American schools to be opened in September very disturbing news. I missed that before reading your letter. To mandate the reopening of schools during the pandemic which has already affected the Native Americans disproportionately is smallpox, Trail of Tears, and every single despicable action against the indigenous peoples is just more of the same racist behavior being repeated.
Goes back to economic exploitation, corruption and "conversion therapy" ("kill the indian, save the man!!!!) orchestrated by the Bureau of Indian Affaires. When the Minister of War controlled the BIA it was slightly less disastrous as the army maintained in part a greater respect for the fighting spirit of the Native American but when it was given over to control by "administrative" agencies of the Federal government all hell let loose and their was "money to be made"!
Kamala Harris will give intelligent bark and incisive bite to Biden's more dignified, decent, unifying man approach. She is going to be a very sharp, strong, loyal and absolutely essential support in enflaming the Democrats and the whole nation to get rid of Trump while offering hope for a better medium/long term future even if Biden is a one-term-President. She'll follow on from Paula Reid and make Trump "walk out" when confronted with his lies, racist/sexist obscenities and socio-economic inanities.
I was brought to tears listening to Biden and Harris. As someone else here suggested, I had forgotten what it's like to hear intelligent and articulate people present their case to the American people. There is so much suffering and sadness at this time, it was genuinely uplifting to hear words that convey caring for the American people. Senator Harris will do much to bring the Biden campaign alive, while continuing to point out the "huge" failures of the tRump administration. We must keep watch on ways the tRump thugs will threaten the election, and then be sure to VOTE.!
Trump calling Harris a radical is almost laughable. He is the most radical president in my lifetime. He and his GOP enablers have dismantled 60 years of social and environmental progress, and they've made a joke of the rule of law or adherence to the Constitution.
And yesterday this asswipe said he would turn back the methane omissions standard to roll back greenhouse gas emissions reduction. He’s like a one man wrecking ball
Bienvenidos to the community on this side of the Atlantic. With the difference of hours and HCR's late night work habits we tend to be amongst the first to see the latest message.
Yes indeed! If Heather only knew - morning coffee break around here usually revolves around the arrival of her latest post. Keep fighting the good fight!
As others here have stated, it is so nice to hear articulate and logical ppl speaking without the hateful incoherent ramblings coming from the White House the last 3 years. However, with the abject ignorance that seems to have infected a majority of Americans, both with the pandemic and politics, I fear that the idiots will still win the election by deception.
My biggest fear right now is the openly brazen attack on our Postal Service by the Posemaster General, Louis DeJoy, installed by #45. How can someone with clear conflict of interest hold that position and also implement clearly destructive policies (cutting staff, removing sorting machines) continue in that position without being challenged in some substantive way except calling him out? Is there no course of action to remove him immediately? The complicit Repugnant Party is so corrupt, but how can they so blatantly get away with what should be an illegal action?
But the question of DeJoy's conflict of interest and his hit on the mail-in vote process is becoming a subject of open political discussion at congressional level. It should lead to some way of removing him and reversing his structural changes to USPS....; but in time?
Congressional discussion and removal? Dream on. This is the same senate that kept this maniac in office when they had the chance to remove him and the same House Republicans who didn’t vote with the Dems. Oh, and who are now not up in arms about their (probable) new Q-anon colleague.
We might just have to content ourselves with a conviction for election fraud, grand larceny or something for him and his whole Board of Directors after Jan 20.
I have been stating this for weeks to friends and family, but they all seem oblivious to this, like I'm making it up because they have not been hearing anything about this in the news cycle. I am so mad and frustrated that this is not FRONT AND CENTER in the news!!
Ohhhhh, I've been told to my face by a family member I'm making things up against the president and his administration. And, of course, Fox was blaring full tilt in the background all the while.
Has everyone forgotten the mail carries many types of mail and parcels, like checks, medication, bills, etc. The USPS may be under the Ex Branch, but does that mean decoy can just dump sorting machines? Where is Congress?
Put down my “please vote” postcard pen. Turned on TV for first time since the Cuomo daily briefings to watch the virtual VP announcement. Both acquitted themselves well. Kamala has a genuine warmth and speaks to the camera audience naturally. It’s going to be a pleasure to hear her “lay out the case” for Joe Biden. I was expecting him to pick Susan Rice and so jubilant and impressed that he chose Kamala instead. He knew what he and we needed going into the future-VP Kamala Harris! At the end, both couples stood together looking so blessedly “normal” when compared with the Trumps and Pences. ❤️🤍💙
I was in tears watching two honorable, compassionate, intelligent people speak to the heart and souls of not just the US, but the world. I wonder if the Trump family is already working on asylum arrangements with Putin. He certainly owes them a favor or two.
For eight years, Americans grew conditioned to well-seasoned clarity, compassion, and intelligence from Obama. And, for eight years, the attacks never ceased from the Tea Party crowd. Just enough trash-talk stuck, and combined with a cup of racism and pinch of youth-complacency, 2016 cooked up an electoral college win for Trump. Now, for four years, we've grown conditioned to lies, insults, stupidity, racism, bigotry, and crudeness from Trump. Doubling down on this recipe is not going to work for Trump, I don't think. Americans have become numb to it -- it is no longer motivational. I think the contrast with Biden/Harris is too strong and the contrast with where we were/versus where we are is too stark. Only idiots want four more years of this crap. We just need to keep Joe and Kamala safe and healthy!!
Besides all the other hideous things going on, the mainstreaming of QAnon by politicians hortifying. Think about this: we have a president who suggests bizarre treatments for the corona virus and praises a crackpot Texas doctor who believes alien DNA treatments and nocturnal demon sex are real. And now we have politicians who openly endorse QAnon conspiracy theory within their campaign. At what point did we, as a nation, delegitimize rational though and analytical thinking? My cynical brain tells me there are way too many Americans out there ripe for targeting by Trump and every other nut case running for office, writing for right wing publications, and/or doing the right wing talk show circuit. The people who get their information from those platforms will not turn to legitimate or trustworthy news platforms because they've been brainwashed. I am so upset by the implications I can't even articulate my thoughts clearly.
Encouraged, discouraged, but, ultimately hopeful. Thank you Professor Richardson. I was thrilled when Joe Biden picked Kamala Harris as his running mate and I was impressed while watching their first event together. We will all have to do everything we can to support them and rid our country of Trump and his henchmen and enablers.
Oops, I deleted my comment! I just said the numbers scare me! I’m a teacher back and school in training. Teachers are so worried! I’m scared! But the louder parents prevailed. Demanding we open. They pay taxes, they vote, we’ll only lose about 15 people to covid! Appalling self centered rants! Texas isn’t a union state, I don’t see any choices. But today gave me hope! 💙
I am a dental hygienist who is back to work, against the recommendation of both the CDC and WHO. I sit with my face 10-12 inches from an unmasked, open mouth for 40-50 minutes, several times a day. I go to work SCARED, but the powerful American Dental Association has spoken, stating that this is a safe thing to do ($$$). Dental offices obviously take necessary precautions, but there is still so much unknown about this virus. The stress this causes me is through the roof.
Just a quick example of what we’re dealing with on the other side: on FB, I posted the news that Colin Kaepernick and Dr. Fauci are receiving Robert Kennedy humanitarian awards. Someone said she hopes Fauci enjoys his in Gitmo, where he’ll go for crimes against humanity, saying DO your research people! I said I think she and I don’t do research in the same places. She said, show me what you have to refute that hydroxychloroquine is a cure for Covid! So I posted over 15 studies published in NEJM, JAMA, etc. and including studies from Brazil, Germany, and Australia, who I assume are not controlled by Dr. Fauci. In particular, the Germans are so good at studies, theirs alone should have put the argument to bed. She said all those are Deep State players, that doctors on the ground have the answer and it works but they get fired etc. for saying so, and I can go with “my” science but she trusts the “doctors.” She’s a nurse, someone I had thought was conservative but not a conspiracy monger.
Plain cult behavior - don't believe your eyes or your ears, don't believe world wide science, believe the latest thing the cult leader is telling you. I still don't understand how people get trapped in that.
Exactly. It is mind-boggling. Both my husband and I are in the medical field. Every day, the news, and things we see our friends comment about is Twilight Zone bizarre.
Regarding the self-contradictory messaging on Kamala Harris from the Trump campaign: this reminds me of something common when I was on my high school debate team. If an opposing team was entirely unprepared for the argument introduced by our team, and responded all over the place like the Trump campaign, we'd say they're "just throwing all their cards at us", since the talking points and scraps of information used by high school debaters were usually kept on index cards. The Trump campaign has no idea how to parse through the Harris nomination and its ramifications, so they are just throwing things to see if they stick. (The index card was the information retrieval method commonly used back in the pre-Cambrian age when I grew up. No judgment, please.)
But I think this also points out something about Trump and his team: they are exclusively interested in power, and not really in policy except insofar as it keeps them in power. They never had a coherent policy point-of-view, not to mention political philosophy. It was about winning, and keeping the base well-fed with propaganda. It's the "Southern Strategy" Prof. Richardson talks about in her book: the oligarchs/plutocrats want their aristocratic libertarianism to prevail, so they convince poor/working class/middle class/suburban white people that the "others" are stealing their cookie-crumbs and messing up their pretty suburban lawns, and thus get them to buy into the cults of wealth and whiteness that keeps them on top.
I think that the women falling into this broad "white, non-one-percenter" category are beginning to see through this ruse, if not the men. That's why, given a free and fair election, Trump is toast. So it's the "free and fair" part we need to look out for with an eagle-eye. That and any post-November-3 antics that Darth Realtor and his imperial storm-troopers might have in mind.
I judged a high school debate tournament two years ago. They still use index cards. ;-)
I think you meant Darth Vader but I’m liking the image of Darth realtor!
No, I meant Darth Realtor. My euphemism for 45. I think it fits!
The difference between Biden and Harris’s intelligent, coherent address and Trump’s vague word-salad ramblings and misogynistic and racist name calling couldn’t be more stark. I had almost forgotten what it was like to hear from real leaders who can speak clearly and knowledgeably about a topic. We must all do whatever we can within each of our own abilities to ensure that Biden and Harris win this one in a landslide. And then be willing to support their victory when it is inevitably challenged by trump. Finally, there is hope.
Bingo. What I would give to be proud of the position once again.
The Biden-Harris speeches yesterday beginning their campaign where wonderful to watch. Clear, concise, and inspiring to a 68 year old white “suburban housewife”. Trump and his Republican Senators must be voted out in November. I really found the Native American schools to be opened in September very disturbing news. I missed that before reading your letter. To mandate the reopening of schools during the pandemic which has already affected the Native Americans disproportionately is smallpox, Trail of Tears, and every single despicable action against the indigenous peoples is just more of the same racist behavior being repeated.
"the federal government intends to reopen the 53 Bureau of Indian Education schools over which it has direct control on September 16".
I have to ask WHY does the federal government have control over the Bureau of Indian Education?!?
Goes back to economic exploitation, corruption and "conversion therapy" ("kill the indian, save the man!!!!) orchestrated by the Bureau of Indian Affaires. When the Minister of War controlled the BIA it was slightly less disastrous as the army maintained in part a greater respect for the fighting spirit of the Native American but when it was given over to control by "administrative" agencies of the Federal government all hell let loose and their was "money to be made"!
It feels like a kind of genocide to me.
It is
Kamala Harris will give intelligent bark and incisive bite to Biden's more dignified, decent, unifying man approach. She is going to be a very sharp, strong, loyal and absolutely essential support in enflaming the Democrats and the whole nation to get rid of Trump while offering hope for a better medium/long term future even if Biden is a one-term-President. She'll follow on from Paula Reid and make Trump "walk out" when confronted with his lies, racist/sexist obscenities and socio-economic inanities.
Let’s hope it’s a walk of shame
I was brought to tears listening to Biden and Harris. As someone else here suggested, I had forgotten what it's like to hear intelligent and articulate people present their case to the American people. There is so much suffering and sadness at this time, it was genuinely uplifting to hear words that convey caring for the American people. Senator Harris will do much to bring the Biden campaign alive, while continuing to point out the "huge" failures of the tRump administration. We must keep watch on ways the tRump thugs will threaten the election, and then be sure to VOTE.!
How many of us felt this way
Trump calling Harris a radical is almost laughable. He is the most radical president in my lifetime. He and his GOP enablers have dismantled 60 years of social and environmental progress, and they've made a joke of the rule of law or adherence to the Constitution.
And yesterday this asswipe said he would turn back the methane omissions standard to roll back greenhouse gas emissions reduction. He’s like a one man wrecking ball
Yes. It's like his mission is to trash the place.
Saludos from a US expat in Spain! Happy to be one of those 150,000 new donors.
Bienvenidos to the community on this side of the Atlantic. With the difference of hours and HCR's late night work habits we tend to be amongst the first to see the latest message.
Yes indeed! If Heather only knew - morning coffee break around here usually revolves around the arrival of her latest post. Keep fighting the good fight!
Edward, I have the same experience here in Germany. Starting the day informed by the good Professor.
Germany here: Where are you Stuart?
In (aulignan, a small village in Haut Provence. And you?
Taulignan
Cologne
As others here have stated, it is so nice to hear articulate and logical ppl speaking without the hateful incoherent ramblings coming from the White House the last 3 years. However, with the abject ignorance that seems to have infected a majority of Americans, both with the pandemic and politics, I fear that the idiots will still win the election by deception.
My biggest fear right now is the openly brazen attack on our Postal Service by the Posemaster General, Louis DeJoy, installed by #45. How can someone with clear conflict of interest hold that position and also implement clearly destructive policies (cutting staff, removing sorting machines) continue in that position without being challenged in some substantive way except calling him out? Is there no course of action to remove him immediately? The complicit Repugnant Party is so corrupt, but how can they so blatantly get away with what should be an illegal action?
But the question of DeJoy's conflict of interest and his hit on the mail-in vote process is becoming a subject of open political discussion at congressional level. It should lead to some way of removing him and reversing his structural changes to USPS....; but in time?
Congressional discussion and removal? Dream on. This is the same senate that kept this maniac in office when they had the chance to remove him and the same House Republicans who didn’t vote with the Dems. Oh, and who are now not up in arms about their (probable) new Q-anon colleague.
We might just have to content ourselves with a conviction for election fraud, grand larceny or something for him and his whole Board of Directors after Jan 20.
I have been stating this for weeks to friends and family, but they all seem oblivious to this, like I'm making it up because they have not been hearing anything about this in the news cycle. I am so mad and frustrated that this is not FRONT AND CENTER in the news!!
Ohhhhh, I've been told to my face by a family member I'm making things up against the president and his administration. And, of course, Fox was blaring full tilt in the background all the while.
Perhaps we need to move past political appointees and cronyism in our governance?
What DeJoy is doing (18 U.S. Code 1703 Delay of mail) is illegal but the enforcer apparently is the Postmaster General - a catch 22 of our laws.
https://twitter.com/roboyte/status/1293726161005154304?s=20
Has everyone forgotten the mail carries many types of mail and parcels, like checks, medication, bills, etc. The USPS may be under the Ex Branch, but does that mean decoy can just dump sorting machines? Where is Congress?
Put down my “please vote” postcard pen. Turned on TV for first time since the Cuomo daily briefings to watch the virtual VP announcement. Both acquitted themselves well. Kamala has a genuine warmth and speaks to the camera audience naturally. It’s going to be a pleasure to hear her “lay out the case” for Joe Biden. I was expecting him to pick Susan Rice and so jubilant and impressed that he chose Kamala instead. He knew what he and we needed going into the future-VP Kamala Harris! At the end, both couples stood together looking so blessedly “normal” when compared with the Trumps and Pences. ❤️🤍💙
I was in tears watching two honorable, compassionate, intelligent people speak to the heart and souls of not just the US, but the world. I wonder if the Trump family is already working on asylum arrangements with Putin. He certainly owes them a favor or two.
I've often had that thought! Oh wouldn't that be great! The whole family nestled in their little dacha on the Black Sea! Be still my heart!
(On the other hand, they wouldn't be an asset to Putin anymore. Trump will need lots of people to taste-test his Big Macs.....)
For eight years, Americans grew conditioned to well-seasoned clarity, compassion, and intelligence from Obama. And, for eight years, the attacks never ceased from the Tea Party crowd. Just enough trash-talk stuck, and combined with a cup of racism and pinch of youth-complacency, 2016 cooked up an electoral college win for Trump. Now, for four years, we've grown conditioned to lies, insults, stupidity, racism, bigotry, and crudeness from Trump. Doubling down on this recipe is not going to work for Trump, I don't think. Americans have become numb to it -- it is no longer motivational. I think the contrast with Biden/Harris is too strong and the contrast with where we were/versus where we are is too stark. Only idiots want four more years of this crap. We just need to keep Joe and Kamala safe and healthy!!
Besides all the other hideous things going on, the mainstreaming of QAnon by politicians hortifying. Think about this: we have a president who suggests bizarre treatments for the corona virus and praises a crackpot Texas doctor who believes alien DNA treatments and nocturnal demon sex are real. And now we have politicians who openly endorse QAnon conspiracy theory within their campaign. At what point did we, as a nation, delegitimize rational though and analytical thinking? My cynical brain tells me there are way too many Americans out there ripe for targeting by Trump and every other nut case running for office, writing for right wing publications, and/or doing the right wing talk show circuit. The people who get their information from those platforms will not turn to legitimate or trustworthy news platforms because they've been brainwashed. I am so upset by the implications I can't even articulate my thoughts clearly.
When we lost interest in and Funding for education
Apologies for the typos. My fat fingers aren't tablet friendly. I wish we could edit.
I remember that book. I hope so too.
Encouraged, discouraged, but, ultimately hopeful. Thank you Professor Richardson. I was thrilled when Joe Biden picked Kamala Harris as his running mate and I was impressed while watching their first event together. We will all have to do everything we can to support them and rid our country of Trump and his henchmen and enablers.
I’m thrilled about Biden-Harris. But 1,500 Americans lost in one day? Horrifying.
Oops, I deleted my comment! I just said the numbers scare me! I’m a teacher back and school in training. Teachers are so worried! I’m scared! But the louder parents prevailed. Demanding we open. They pay taxes, they vote, we’ll only lose about 15 people to covid! Appalling self centered rants! Texas isn’t a union state, I don’t see any choices. But today gave me hope! 💙
I am a dental hygienist who is back to work, against the recommendation of both the CDC and WHO. I sit with my face 10-12 inches from an unmasked, open mouth for 40-50 minutes, several times a day. I go to work SCARED, but the powerful American Dental Association has spoken, stating that this is a safe thing to do ($$$). Dental offices obviously take necessary precautions, but there is still so much unknown about this virus. The stress this causes me is through the roof.
I hear you loud and clear Cathy. Strength be with you.
Just a quick example of what we’re dealing with on the other side: on FB, I posted the news that Colin Kaepernick and Dr. Fauci are receiving Robert Kennedy humanitarian awards. Someone said she hopes Fauci enjoys his in Gitmo, where he’ll go for crimes against humanity, saying DO your research people! I said I think she and I don’t do research in the same places. She said, show me what you have to refute that hydroxychloroquine is a cure for Covid! So I posted over 15 studies published in NEJM, JAMA, etc. and including studies from Brazil, Germany, and Australia, who I assume are not controlled by Dr. Fauci. In particular, the Germans are so good at studies, theirs alone should have put the argument to bed. She said all those are Deep State players, that doctors on the ground have the answer and it works but they get fired etc. for saying so, and I can go with “my” science but she trusts the “doctors.” She’s a nurse, someone I had thought was conservative but not a conspiracy monger.
Plain cult behavior - don't believe your eyes or your ears, don't believe world wide science, believe the latest thing the cult leader is telling you. I still don't understand how people get trapped in that.
Oh God.
Exactly. It is mind-boggling. Both my husband and I are in the medical field. Every day, the news, and things we see our friends comment about is Twilight Zone bizarre.
Just saw this Washington Post article about a Florida Sheriff who is banning the use of masks in his department. It’s unconscionable. https://www.washingtonpost.com/nation/2020/08/12/masks-florida-ban-billy-woods/
When Joe Biden chose Kamala Harris, my husband said, “Yay! 46, 47 I like to call them.” I have hope!