In all the chaos surrounding the former president, the actions today of the current president, Democrat Joe Biden, seem to be getting short shrift. This is unfortunate because they say a lot about his reorientation of the U.S. government. At 3:30 this afternoon, Biden addressed the nation to update us on the crisis in central Europe as Russia threatens to invade Ukraine again. He reiterated that the U.S. has engaged in “non-stop diplomacy” for weeks and is prepared to continue that approach, proposing new measures for arms control, transparency, and strategic stability.
Amen! I was just thinking yesterday that I am SO proud of his handling of the Ukraine/Russia crisis. This alone should raise his approval numbers big time!
Yeah, that one got me. I guess because he won the election of 2016, it is in his (their) little mind(s) that she is the best enemy to attack. That is all I can think of; what I see in my head regarding Clinton is her testimony countless times over many hours over Benghazi.
I think the rant tfg made shows he his mentally ill—he still is going after Hillary because he thinks it is still 2016. He has gone back in his mind to the time of his great defeat of her.
WGAS... nice guys ( & Girls) finish last. But, the test remains.., to have done so without cheating, to graciously accept the trophy, and dispense with all that obnoxious behavior till the next time.
How are we lucky, exactly? His predecessor, a mentally ill cultist with millions of followers, is still free to roam the land spreading a brain-infecting fungal disease that rots any mind it gets a hold on.
Here is a list of Joe Biden's accomplishments, all in his first year! And there are so many more!
• American Rescue Plan
• Infrastructure bill- bipartisan
• Strengthen NATO Alliance
• Gathered allies to challenge Putin's aggression
• Ended 10-year Afghan War
• Reduced troops in Iraq
• Negotiations that begin with sanctions, not soldiers
• Rejoined WHO and Paris Climate Accord
• Jobless rate reduced by 2%
• Increased American jobs by 6 million 2021
• 5.7% economic growth in 2021
• Appointed the most diverse, highly qualified cabinet in U.S. history
• Reduced child poverty by 40%
• increased by 4 million # of Americans with healthcare
• vaccinated 210 million Americans.
• Provides access to daily White House Press conferences, speeches, panels and CDC updates on national t.v. White house.gov/live -genuine transparency
• Established a minimum international tax to end foreign tax shelters
• Formed a committee to address supply chain issues
• Created policies to increase renewable energy and energy efficiency
• Recruited Federal and military assistance to aid hospitals overwhelmed with Covid cases
• Made masks and at home tests available to all Americans
• Worked directly with American mayors to put funding for local initiatives to immediate use.
• Engaged Defense Production Act to buy more vaccines, worked with states to establish vaccine sites and Transportation to them; established vaccine centers in pharmacies across the country.
• This week, the entire city of Newark announced the eradication of all lead pipes. Amazing testimonies from citizens about the efficient, cost-free process.
Great list, and that's great news about Newark--wow! But he only reduced child poverty by 40% for 6 months. The child tax credit went down with everything else in the BBB, though he did finally say, when it was too late, that he could see reforming the filibuster to get it through. By then Manchin had axed the tax credit: "too generous."
Thank you for that, MaryPat! It can’t be posted enough! I love POTUS, FLOTUS, and the entire team. President Uncle Joe Biden is really coming into his own!
Glad is disgusting—someone wondered if he’s married. I think he’s bored living in that palace and he has a stable of gorgeous women who make sure he’s happy—a la Epstein…
I read somewhere that Rupert’s ex was Vlad’s squeeze a while back. Talk about a back channel since Wendy and Ivanka were BFFs. Would love to know if it’s true.
Ur right. Remember the Belorussian call girl arrested in Thailand, who reached out to the FBI? She had video/audio of oligarch Deriposka discussing the 2016 interference on his yacht loaded with young Russian women and a few other oIigarghs.
Also, one Defected KGB/FDSB agent accused Putin of being a pedafile among other accusations. He ended up being poisoned with Plutonium by other active agents in London. But before he died he finished his writing his memoirs, including his investigation on who and how the Moscow apartment bombings were staged, that lead to the invasion and destruction of Chechnya.
We have a large Russian population who have settled in the Boston suburbs—almost every day I get emails from them telling me there are great picture of these women who will make me so happy—it’s very funny in a way — I’m 72 and happily married with no interest in this kind of thing—so I quickly click away and certainly haven’t bothered to check our the porn they’re desperate to send.
Yo.. Liz, hohohoh..., it's perfectly fine to be a "Blondie" fan. Go easy on that "Russian population"in Boston. That 'site' you're familiar with is probably streaming out of Numbnutz' scum-pit condos in Miami Beach USA..., errrr ahh owned by some seedy Russians laundering money.
“also refers to Napoleon. But I passed along “short” genes and am short. As a kid I was patted on the head and people called me Peanut while my twin brother grew to 6’2” and my parents were relieved it wasn’t the other way around. I hope someday we get past those stereotype/generalizations so people don’t grow into them.
You Know It....Liz. Girls! Round-the-world.... Girls. Yup.., they just wanna have fun :)... ask Blondie. Have to admit, I've always liked those kinds of girls. I actually live with one!
In fact Putin was pushing Bernie Sanders as a Presidential Candidate over Biden because Putin knew Biden would beat Trump. Since it is well known could you provide a citation or two to back up your assertion? Frankly, I doubt your assertion.
I invite you to check the quotes and sources in these listings. Here is one. "Republican Senator John Kennedy says he believes Joe Biden was not assertive enough during his high-stakes phone call with Russian President Vladimir Putin." And the Washington Times (another Google source) has this rating from the Media Bias Fact Check --"Reasoning: Numerous Failed Fact Checks, Poor Sourcing, Lack of Transparency
Bias Rating: RIGHT-CENTER.
Just 'cause someone is sayin' it don't make it true.
For the record, I never said I thought Biden was weak — now or when he was VP. I was asked a question and tried to answer it without spending time I don't have to do a lot of research. If someone doesn't believe the report I heard on NPR, fine by me. I thought it was worth sharing. Also, because Putin believes something doesn't make it true. I'm sure he like many Russians believe U.S. leaders are weak. Why? Because U.S. leaders typically don't throw people out windows or poison them etc.
Well Sophia, since we have witnessed the prurient behavior of Numbnutz, they were probably concerned more about kidney cleanliness and who was in charge of the hotel mattress disposal crew.
Biden has the experience to know when it's appropriate to avoid free-association self-calming exercises and when to put away the trick squirt-gun lapel pin on very serious occasions. When Congress rewrites the Office of the President and installs anti-personnel mines between the lines to ward off interpreters face recognizable as Stephen Miller and Stevie Bannon, a sentence should be added to the oath of office that says the Oath Taker swears he or she has read and been tested on the job description. Some added assurance of threshold intelligence comes for free hereby from the demonstrative proof that the new leader-in-waiting can actually read.
Yes! A test. At least. Can’t believe that most serious jobs have serious prerequisites and qualifications. That’s missing and a glaring mistake to suggest that age and birthplace are enough to put in a bid for one of the most powerful and serious leadership positions in the world. Seriously.
Yes, I think that psychological testing would be a good idea, but I also think there should be educational and related experience as part of the application process. President of a country: our lives are in their hands. Most positions of such responsibility need a person who can analyze, be connected to the needs of all citizens. Balance a budget, relate to others, keep us safe, and much much more. It’s not(but maybe it is: tfg) a role for a play.
it would be telling enough if he was asked to sit for an interview without the hair. It's his whole personality. Are you too wondering why the public never saw him intubated in the Covid bed at Walter Reed? When you've been exposed to "the look", you've seen the only thing that matters chez Trump, and there is nothing else to see. His hairdresser confessed she/he was the only one who knew for sure, but she's DACA and has to be careful what she says.
Thank you, Spooky Singer. Apropos of your comment, I’d like to urge all readers to watch this play about Sandy Hook families. The play is put on by high school theater groups. The title is 26 Pebbles and the play is on YouTube. Captions are available. https://youtu.be/DCaPMTs5wCc. Toni A.
"Capitalism without competition is exploitation." - Pres. Joe Biden
For an American president in 2022 to associate 'capitalism' and 'exploitation', even at the distance of a qualifier, is remarkable. The Biden administration is redefining the dangers of monopolies in a way which further repudiates the Chicago school of economics' creed of 'greed is good.'
Businesses are responsible for more than profit making. Who knew? The Sandy Hook victims have proven that in court. For the victims of gun violence to win a case against a gun manufacturer, is I think unprecedented.
Thanks lin, my thoughts precisely. Particularly the repudiation of the abhorrent Chicago School of Economics. And now for more exposure of the Harvard Business School and their perversion of business in society.
With regard to the Chicago School and the dread Milton, read "Shock Doctrine" by Naomi Klein. It's a quite devastating expose of the incredible and far-reaching influence of the Chicago School - and their direct involvement in US activities such as the overthrow of Allende in Chile. "Never let a good catastrophe go to waste".
Very interesting read! In a way Amazon is the confirmation of Margaret Thatcher: "there is no state, there is only individuals". If you control the selling, you control the production and everyone in between, that costs, and you can sell cheaper as long as consumers are individuals. IKEA was founded on the same principle, and also the 18th century capitalist that founded Swedish iron industry.
Putin embraced the orthodox church with control and success. China had the one-child policy to get rid of cousins, that might be start of clans, so there is nothing out of control between the state and the individual.
For the layperson like myself, the use of the root word liberal is in reference to relaxed or minimal regulations on the so called free market! I was confused since liberal is usually associated with a very different meaning!
I was uncertain myself about its meaning. Both definitions, below, seem to be leaning toward Libertarianism.
"neoliberalism (ˌniːəʊˈlɪbərəˌlɪzəm; -ˈlɪbrəˌlɪzəm) n
1. (Government, Politics & Diplomacy) a modern politico-economic theory favouring free trade, privatization, minimal government intervention in business, reduced public expenditure on social services, etc
2. (Economics) a modern politico-economic theory favouring free trade, privatization, minimal government intervention in business, reduced public expenditure on social services, etc
This is an interesting article on the relations or similarities between neoliberalism and religion. On the other hand, the Wikipedia page on the publication Counterpunch raises a few red flags. (Not that Wikipedia is the end-all and be-all of sources.) My conclusion is that you have to judge each article individually and keep your antennae in order.
I like MediaBias/FactCheck to get a sense of the orientation of a publication or website. According to MB/FC, Counterpunch is rated as Far (but not Extreme) Left, "Mostly Factual" and "Analysis / Bias
In review, CounterPunch presents news and opinions with a strong progressive left bias in story selection. Most stories favor the left and use loaded language such as these: The Blob Fought the Squad, and the Squad Won and The Immoral Silence to the Destructive Xenophobia of “Just Leave.” This latter piece does not indicate an opinion article and provides zero hyperlinked sources to vet those opinions. CounterPunch also regularly praises and highlights Julian Assange of Wikileaks, who outright lied and created the Seth Rich conspiracy theory. CounterPunch favors Democratic Socialism such as Bernie Sanders, Anti-Imperialism, and Venezuela when it comes to politics. The general editorial position of CounterPunch is Left." In the end, as you write, one has "to judge each article individually and keep your antennae in order."
I read the article without vetting the source, but am fairly well versed (no pun intended) in far-right religious shenanigans. While I wouldn’t follow them, I did find this particular article interesting due to the quite obvious (and discussed ad nauseam in many venues) connection to Calvin, the rise of capitalism during the Reformation, Puritans and the American “work ethic”.
True! I think of it as a viewpoint connecting some dots, now that we have experience and outcomes; the whole subject is hardly open to facts / non facts, but as such I still find it interesting. When do we at all know when we are motivated by ideology, religion, fear, superstition, habit...?
Turned my head around. Excellent book. When 9/11 happened, and I was living jut 12 blocks north of the WTC, I felt like I was waking from a Rip van Winkle toe sleep. I started reading and Naomi Klein was one of the first books I picked up. What I read and understood about” disaster capitalism” was about to happen in Lower Manhattan.
In the case of Chile and the Chicago School, I believe Nixon and Kissinger planned all phases of it. First, corrupt the traditionally apolitical Chilean military. Second, have the corrupted military force under Gen. Pinochet commence a period of blitzkrieg in detaining Chilean citizens en masse; then, torturing and murdering the detainees as well as making them disappear. Finally, bringing in Milton Friedman and "the Chicago boys" to design and implement the economic system which Pres. Nixon and SoS Kissinger wanted in place. All done as a "simple" 1-2-3.
Tragically, the gun-war industries control the federal budget! Since little bush let the assault ban law lapse, no other POTUS has had the courage to take on that issue! Federal $$$$ for various ‘security’ agencies is well over a trillion $$$$$, yet school children are still being slaughtered by unchecked weapon sales!
Some became twisted by their imagined perversions of persecution infecting their soul’s conformation into a likeness of a god that could only exist in their world of self-deception.
Greed mongers with all sycophants, (complicit in their cunning silent ebullience), are always ground down into the dust’s choking suffocation of astonishment, not by the One GOD they never knew, (for HE is only Love), but by HIS faith imbued disciples in a Love that is beyond our capacity to every fully comprehend.
It is work...requires time to research and compare...listen to your heart...do not vote blind this time! Improving our American democracy is worth the effort!!!
Regarding democracy and capitalism. You have said it perfectly. Exactly.
Biden does not have the power to enforce that, but he does have the experience, guts, concern, and political savvy to nominate people who can institute and enforce that structural change to the degree that the Executive Branch is allowed by law.
“The U.S., NATO, and Ukraine are not a threat to Russia, [Biden] said, and we have no beef with Russian citizens.”
An open, democratic Ukraine is no threat to Russia. An open, democratic Ukraine is a threat to Vladimir Putin, because it might well lead to an open, democratic Russia.
I forget where I saw it, but there was an article on what is called "Finlandiszation", and it was proposed as something that Ukraine could consider. Finland is a member of the EU and they have embraced the Euro, but they are not a member of NATO (neither is Sweden). At one time, until just after WW I, Finland was a part of Russia. The article discussed how the Finns themselves prefer not to talk about this "Finlandization" because it can be perceived as a sign of weakness. In a sense, they seemingly appeased Russia by keeping them at bay by not making what could be seen as a direct threat by joining NATO. It is thought the Finns, in a way, were showing respect for their history with Russia by not antagonizing it. Russia, more than anything, does not want to directly border any country that is a member of NATO. Period. The Baltics (Lithuania, Estonia, and Latvia) are full-fledged NATO members, and have in essence, defied Russia's wishes. (However, apart of what possibly appeases Russia in this is that the Baltics are basically surrounded by Russia and don't border any other NATO country, save for a small border shared between NATO members Poland and Lithuania, and their western borders are the Baltic Sea.) Ukraine, along with Georgia, have expressed interest in joining both the EU and NATO, and even though NATO is not interested at all in military dominance or attacks, Russia still--in its Cold War, USSR mentality--perceives it as such. And like you said, Russia fears undue influence from a free and democratic Ukraine (and Georgia). It's being hemmed in by its old adversary and it is making an autocrat like Putin VERY uncomfortable. If Ukraine were to adopt a quasi-Finland-like status (no NATO membership and limited Eurozone privileges), it might keep Russia happy, but that's hard to say. Ukraine for a long time was called "the bread-basket of Russia/the USSR" because of its huge agricultural importance in providing Russia with wheat and foodstuffs. Russia doesn't want to lose that. The two countries' histories are inextricably linked, and it is logical Russia doesn't want to lose this vital part of its former empire. But Ukraine has embraced democracy and looked westward in a way that Russia did not, and that is proving to be a BIG sticking point. Putin has a lot at stake here, especially in the eyes of the Russian people. I still wonder how much of this military build-up is for show--elaborate and costly though it is--as a way to make a point with Russians. He also wants to show to the West that Russia is still an important force in the world. There are all kinds of things going on here!!
Bruce, thank you for your very thoughtful reply. I disagree with a few of your points.
"Russia, more than anything, does not want to directly border any country that is a member of NATO. Period." Putin certainly doesn't, but since, political dissent is a mortal risk in Russia, we don't really know what the Russian people honestly think about Ukraine and many other issues.
"And like you said, Russia fears undue influence from a free and democratic Ukraine..."
I said Putin fears an open and democratic Ukraine. I said in another post in the same thread that Putin and Russia are not interchangeable, though Putin may believe otherwise.
"Ukraine for a long time was called "the bread-basket of Russia/the USSR" because of its huge agricultural importance in providing Russia with wheat and foodstuffs. Russia doesn't want to lose that..." Putin doesn't want to lose control of that. The Russian people will have the same or maybe better access to Ukrainian grain under an open democratic Ukraine. They have to sell it to somebody.
This isn't about Russia, it's about Vladimir Putin, and his deep desire to re-establish the power of the former Soviet Union with him in control. Stalin is his hero and role model.
I think think you’re confusing today’s Russia with the USSR during the hight of the Cold War. Also, Ukraine as a member of NATO is not the same as Ukraine with a separate military relationship with the US.
An independent Ukraine is a threat to Putin, not to Russia. The two are not interchangeable, in spite of what Putin may think.
Biden is doing a great job drawing this country out of the abyss Trump dragged us into. And as. HCR so brilliantly points out (again!) he is leading us back to true prosperity by putting the people and the workers at the focus of his restoration politics. Onward!!!
Yet, as inflation continues to hurt American families and workers, Republicans boycotted a meeting of the Senate Banking and Housing Committee which was slated to vote on Biden’s nominee to the Fed. No vote could be taken because there was no quorum. Republicans demonstrating, once again, that they care not a whit for our country and it’s citizens, and do not intend to govern, only obstruct.
The repubs will never stop attempting to sabotage Biden and our democracy. We must persist. Thank you for the link. And at least some MSM cover this truth. Some.
"In all the chaos surrounding the former president, the actions today of the current president, Democrat Joe Biden, seem to be getting short shrift. This is unfortunate because they say a lot about his reorientation of the U.S. government.”
For this, I mostly blame the White House, leadership of the Democratic Party and all allies, for they apparently know nothing of the importance of framing. One of the key ingredients to frame issues is to always stay on the offensive with one's overarching frame. I don’t even seen a consistent frame from any Democratic Party leader! This is 1/2 heartbreaking and 1/2 agonizing to me.
This frame could be “Competency and compassion in leadership.” For example. Repeat again and again, and have every Democratic leader speak to competence. "Competency translates as maintaining steadfast attention and consistency to purpose, as in maintaining one’s vision on the end result,” Pres Biden could say. Have Senators repeat a similar refrain....
"Every successful person knows the value of steadfastness in their work and in relationships. Here, I remain steadfast to reach agreement with Mr Putin on what is best for Americans, and all Russians and people throughout the world. You can count on my steadfastness, to build a fresh, lasting relationship with Mr Putin.”
I would then expect Sen King to finally say something worthwhile, as simple as, “Jut like previous examples of airlifting safely more than 100,000 people out of Afghanistan and getting NATO to recently respond in unison, the President shows maturity and steadfastness ....”
In this case, compassion and competency along with related language must be a continuing thread SPOKEN BY LIBERALS AND ALLIES (were this the frame the Biden people and Dems wish to use) ..........
Is there anyone else on this board who understands the significance of framing, other than practically every conservative, and thankfully there are not many on this board ....
Very well stated, and absolutely true. Democrats and liberals are bad at messaging. We drone on too long when explaining what we did; we try to cram in too much nuance; we come up with incredibly damaging slogans like "Defund the police"; and we don't come up with bumper sticker slogans that grab people by the hair: "Fake News!" That slogan may be false, but it sold the Republican lie beautifully. And we never, ever attack Republicans as the lying cowards they are, in simple, brutal language.
I used to do that, and sent my suggestions to the Democratic National Committee. Not a peep in return. DNC appears committed to its strategy of over-talking and underselling everything, unfortunately. Maybe we should hire the nastiest and most effective GOP slogan writers and turn them loose for our side . . .
Keep trying…competence is what we need and what everyone understands. Good things are getting done and our gov is moving in the right direction again with real confidence.
I agree, Keith, that our government is doing great things again. The problem is that you can't just do great things, you have to be seen as doing great things. That's where Democrats have traditionally fallen down: on taking credit for the great things we do in easy-to-digest slogans and memes.
I am seeing a great improvement in the technical and logistical support the Democratic Party is giving our candidates in Michigan. "Dr.Bob" Lorinser, Medical Officer for the Marquette Health Department, is running against incumbent seditionist Republican congressman, Jack lived-in-Louisiana -all-his-life Bergman. Dr. Bob's website is dynamite. His stand on the issues clear. His events at local restaurants all over our sprawling region are well advertised and linked to Act Blue. Feedback is prompt. Dr. Bob's messages Liberty and Honesty.
Some time ago I wrote to my Portland newspaper, The Oregonian, and asked why there wasn’t more national news coverage. The answer was because it’s a local newspaper. Therefore, it seems the state of Oregon has to rely on TV and internet news! I also contacted Democrat national committee and told it I would no longer contribute until I saw some action. As William stated, “not a peep” was given.
The Oregonian used to be a flagship paper. It is now fishwrap paper. It is still better than what has become of the Eugene Register Guard (disguised Gatehouse publication). If we get 4 local stories it is a miracle, and many are written by the best photographer I know of.
Frederick has an excellent piece on "Democracy Capitalism" and framing the democratic party message that I think Heather's Herd may find really insightful
I will forward to you and Annette and Cathy for consideration. Thanks!
I am so underwhelmed by democratic lack of push back to republican idiocy that I cannot respond to their continuous request for money. I sincerely hope I will not regret this in the midterms or 2024. Donations to Georgia, Ohio and other races are compelling yet I feel dollars sent will be lost for nothing. Would donations to the DNC, Move On or Act Blue be more or less helpful? In 2020 the cause was obvious and I thought the dollars would be spent well.
If our discretionary piggy banks aren't empty By November whatever remains in it will be worth a lot less if the R's steal Congress because we failed to adequately support our incumbents and candidates. ACTBLUE is a very effective power.
Anna you and Ally house (Val Demmings) have the courage to light these names up. This how I see things: Gym Jordan = Synonym for Prurient. Demmings & Abrams are the antonym. Rough statement I know.
What if all the commenters to HCR began to share who/or what issue they are voting for with the idea of expecting intelligent fact based discussion by others...a type of brain-storming.
I will bet such discussions will become extremely valuable to others less able/inclined to do the research required for the critical thinking required for intelligent voting...
Two days ago I published a list of Biden's accomplishments here. Most were taken from Heather's posts, along with notes from watching live events like the National Mayors' Council, The Newark NJ panel that responded to lead pipe eradication, etc., Sadly, very little was extracted from the media. Readers expressed appreciation and suggested places I should send it. I published it here so everyone could take that ball and run with it, edit, add other events, post wherever you post. It is all good news and it is buried daily in comparatively worthless stuff about the former. I think we tend to have a deer in headlights response to anything he does. Way too much oxygen and it brings us all down to what Fred calls critiques and complaints. A simple list. Send it. Send it. Send it.
I’m writing about the use of consistent language, which we never do. I appreciate your effort Nancy, which I missed. I feel we are pointing to two separate specifics here. You have a list of accomplishments. OK. Good, I’d like to see that myself!
My point about framing is to use consistent language to get use to a particular goal.
In framing, my goal would be "Democracy Capitalism, where Democracy always guides our economy and capitalism. In order to ensure our basic promise of 'liberty and justice for all’” Use “democratic capitalism” when appropriate. I would NOT lead with that, because it sounds like I’m referring to a partisan party (democrats) controlling capitalism - no, I’m referring to Democracy and all promises therein to guide capitalism.
I’d love to see your list, Nancy, if you respond I’ll email to you my email address
(I hope it is all right to have reformatted and re-posted)
I'm sorry your President has disappointed you. Mine is a superhero. I started a list of his accomplishments -all in his first year! And there are so many more: Here are a few of the Biden administration's most outstanding achievements:
• American Rescue Plan
• Infrastructure bill- bipartisan
• Strengthen NATO Alliance
• Gathered allies to challenge Putin's aggression
• Ended 10-year Afghan War
• Reduced troops in Iraq
• Negotiations that begin with sanctions, not soldiers
• Rejoined WHO and Paris Climate Accord
• Jobless rate reduced by 2%
• Increased American jobs by 6 million 2021
• 5.7% economic growth in 2021
• Appointed the most diverse, highly qualified cabinet in U.S. history
• Reduced child poverty by 40%
• increased by 4 million # of Americans with healthcare
• vaccinated 210 million Americans.
• Provides access to daily White House Press conferences, speeches, panels and CDC updates on national t.v. White house.gov/live -genuine transparency
• Established a minimum international tax to end foreign tax shelters
• Formed a committee to address supply chain issues
• Created policies to increase renewable energy and energy efficiency
• Recruited Federal and military assistance to aid hospitals overwhelmed with Covid cases
• Made masks and at home tests available to all Americans
• Worked directly with American mayors to put funding for local initiatives to immediate use.
• Engaged Defense Production Act to buy more vaccines, worked with states to establish vaccine sites and Transportation to them; established vaccine centers in pharmacies across the country.
• This week, the entire city of Newark announced the eradication of all lead pipes. Amazing testimonies from citizens about the efficient, cost-free process.
Many thanks to Nancy Morgan (who created the following list of Biden benefits), Ron Boyd (for reformatting) and Frederick (for "messaging" inspiration) - I posted this:
"My President is a Super Hero!!
Here is a list of Joe Biden's accomplishments, all in his first year! And there are so many more!
• American Rescue Plan
• Infrastructure bill- bipartisan
• Strengthen NATO Alliance
• Gathered allies to challenge Putin's aggression
• Ended 10-year Afghan War
• Reduced troops in Iraq
• Negotiations that begin with sanctions, not soldiers
• Rejoined WHO and Paris Climate Accord
• Jobless rate reduced by 2%
• Increased American jobs by 6 million 2021
• 5.7% economic growth in 2021
• Appointed the most diverse, highly qualified cabinet in U.S. history
• Reduced child poverty by 40%
• increased by 4 million # of Americans with healthcare
• vaccinated 210 million Americans.
• Provides access to daily White House Press conferences, speeches, panels and CDC updates on national t.v. White house.gov/live -genuine transparency
• Established a minimum international tax to end foreign tax shelters
• Formed a committee to address supply chain issues
• Created policies to increase renewable energy and energy efficiency
• Recruited Federal and military assistance to aid hospitals overwhelmed with Covid cases
• Made masks and at home tests available to all Americans
• Worked directly with American mayors to put funding for local initiatives to immediate use.
• Engaged Defense Production Act to buy more vaccines, worked with states to establish vaccine sites and Transportation to them; established vaccine centers in pharmacies across the country.
• This week, the entire city of Newark announced the eradication of all lead pipes. Amazing testimonies from citizens about the efficient, cost-free process.
Well, Ellie, since you asked...I said unsavory and possibly incendiary remarks about TFG and his family like how they should be hung, upside down, in the town square, and left there until the blood runs out of their bodies! My sister got banned too for saying that Kimberly Guilfoyle was a whore. :) :)
When I was 10 years old (in 1948) I heard Harry Truman at a whistle stop in my home town. His message, in the 5 or 10 minutes at the stop was: "Democrats are the ones who work hard to make sure there are good jobs and good pay for regular people. Republicans care only about their own pocketbooks, not yours. So go out and vote, and make sure you vote for the Democrats on the ticket."
I believed it then, and absolutely know it to be true now. Good framing? Methinks so.
HST knew the republicans for what they were then - and now in spades. Love his “Socialism is the epithet they have hurled at every advance the people have made in the last 20 years.” Make that 90 years HST and it nails the greedy bastards.
Socialism. The word itself, is on a hair-trigger. Say it... you're toast.., burnt toast. It rhymes with Communism which is synonymous with Russia or China or N. Korea, all bad news as far as most regular people (voters) are concerned. Huh? Oh.., really, you want to enlighten the "regular voter" as to what it means? DO NOT Bother! It's bad. Got that? BAD. And, (un-admittedly) it was a factor causing a serious loss of votes for Bernie. Did you hear me? Now is not the time to attempt a re-education of the American Voter. Once more, DID you hear me? No? You lose/we lose/the bus is coming.
Framing and messaging are important. But no amount of better wordsmithing will change the minds of the Radical Right. Maybe it could sway some independents. Let's hope so. "Competency and Compassion" work for me. It perfectly encapsulates our world view.
The single factor that matters the most is election day turnout. That's it. Nothing else changes things. I believe there are more folks who are not haters than there are bigots.
While positive messaging is important, for sure, apathy is our enemy and positive messaging has it's limits in terms of disrupting couch potato routines.
I think it is possible that we need to scare Americans with the truth. Frighten them to the polls?
Bill, framing is NOT about changing “the minds of the Radical Right” Framing is simply saying what you mean and mean what you say.
Our focus must be to appeal to our base using language that can also appeal to people who are also liberal on various key issues, while also conservative on others. But we must forever give-up with attempts to appeal to people who simply disagree with us - because this delusion of moving to the "middle” will loose our base --- people who believe in governance and a democratic economy, for example.
I don't disagree. But how many Americans are left that need convincing? Turnout is the goal. Good messaging, for sure. But truth telling that scares us to the polls might help. Some good old fashioned anger at corruption and planetary destruction?
Well evidently, the “majority” in Virginia did not agree with whatever Terry McAuliffe was selling, and now VA has a right wing GOV and assorted “kooks” running the show for the next four years. First statewide loos in VA own more than a decade - and THAT too some doing to loose to a snake charmer selling ONLY to his base (school board scare tactics)
We have conservative to moderate Republican governors in VT, MD, and MA - first time in my 60+ years! In states that gave us Raskin, Kennedys, and Bernie Sanders and Patrick Leahy - we have conservative leadership!??
We must honor our Democracy by allowing it to reign in the destructive nature of greed and corruption rampant throughout our economy (capitalism). EVERYONE dislikes corporate abuse, but evidently Dems do not call it out - because I don’t consistently read about it here on HCR
We here must attempt to reach younger voters and I see framing as a way to do it. Outreach to local newspapers with the competency and compassion message will leave a mark but social media remains the method of choice for engagement for those under 50, for the most part.
I agree about reading out to younger people. However, it is still a worthy effort to reach elected officials - at the city and state level as well as beginning with staff at Congressional and Senator’s offices. WHEREVER there are people in positions of responsibility - and these tend to be older people, I feel.
BLAMMO.. ELECTION DAY TURNOUT. Bulls eye. Not to harp on it and distract from the valuable insight(s) HCR's lobster-boat brings home, but that's the horse that'll pull this wagon to the big house... NOTHING ELSE WILL. Where in the heck is the DNC?
Don't Think of an Elephant by George Lakoff is such a great book on this topic. I encourage everyone who is not already immersed in the subject to read it.
Agree. Even if you’ve read it before, it’s worth reading again! The section on finding common ground between all the different types of Democrats to get to a message all can agree on is particularly good.
I have Lakoff’s work consistently! He is brilliant - and I LOVE the metaphor of the family, and now have greater understanding from where people come who hold conservative views. Within my own family, as my peers who were raised in a very conservative household hold the ‘discipline, punishment’ view toward politics which is beheld by most conservatives ....
And THAT appears to be a big part of the problem! I'm concerned that to many of the vulnerable people (listening to the Rs rhetoric) nuanced means elite!! The Repubs scary title of the "other side" they blame in far too many cases. Pretty frustrating when the actual "elite" exists far more often with the Rs politicians.
The freedom to tell simplified lies exploited by the RNC puts us at a disadvantage. Horrific lies, socialist pedophiles we all are. Lies are more visceral and engaging. Framing is all very well, but it's still comparatively boring.
We must maintain a simple overarching frame - and explaiit consistence in every day terms.
When Reagan attacked school teachers and labor unions, it was absolutely anathema UNTIL the conservative movement won over union member households because they appealed on VERY important social issues and appealed to these emotional and heart felt issues.
Lakoff frequently writes about our liberal’s lack of connectivity - more rules and regulations are NOT the way to win over people’s hearts.
and many of those issues they created, and lied about Dems all the way. Adlai said it best "if my republican friends will stop lying about Democrats, we will stop telling the truth about them.
It really is. One of my pet peeves is when Democrats continue to use the phrase “tax relief” - a favorite of Republicans. Taxes are framed by Republicans as a bad thing that should be done away with, hence tax relief. In actuality, taxes are an investment in America and Americans that make everyday life better in all kinds of ways, now and in the future. Whether you think taxes are good or bad is all about how they are framed.
Yes, I’ve read Lakoff (recommended some time ago by another LFAA commenter). He really makes it easy to understand the importance of framing as well as getting into the thinking processes of people so you know how to frame things properly based on your goals. The family metaphor is spot on!
And yes, taxes are indeed a membership payment for our freedom and Liberty and everyone needs to pay their fair share!
Yup, and such phrases serve the r's well. They enamor their fan-base, as yet another example of the LibTard advance toward ""Socialism"". And, don't worry, Foh-nooze is 'on it' like stink on Stilton. Cheese lovers, pulease relax, I too like cheeses okay? I'd just prefer a beer and snax at Watkins Glen.
Yes, I have an interest in framing because as a Democrat I have been so frustrated with what I see as a lack of a cogent message being shared with voters from this Party. Jen Psaki is a stellar press secretary and she gets across the President's agenda so well (sharp, on point and makes me say "attagirl" every time). But, from the Party leaders? No. I thought Ed Rendell did a pretty good job of communicating a well-defined message. After Ed, I haven't seen a Democrat Party Chairperson step up, and tell the voters what we stand for in a consistent, thought-provoking way. It is a though the Party Chair has evaporated. "Defund the Police" set my hair on fire. What a lousy message! (My son is a police officer). Yes, I know what framing is and I hear my husband every day ask why the Democrats can't do better with getting across their message. Every. Day. Jon Meacham knows how to frame a message. Hire him! Pay him triple overtime.
I agree that "defund the police" was an unfortunate verbiage to use. People, especially black folks (and rightfully so) were enraged. We white people, who have not been confronted/harassed on a daily basis by police officers in their cities, finally got to see, in real time, a man losing his life right before our very eyes. This action made it really tough for the honest cops out there but we were finally awakened.
I certainly agree with you 100 % that the Dems messaging totally sucks and it always has. I watched Rick Wilson (from the Lincoln Project)give a lecture on the lousy messaging that the Democrats do. They could learn a lot from him and his cohorts since they were all once Republicans. They know exactly how to call out the opponents and if the Dems take their advice, we would see a lot of progression. Jon Meacham would be an excellent choice!
It seems understandable, however as a member of this board, marketing is not my forte. Marketing via social media and attention to Framing by MSM seems to be based primarily agitating the audience for clicks and likes. This seems to the antithesis of Biden’s approach to an honest and ethical Administration that focuses in truth and transparency
Your point is taken, however how you suggest that Framing gather the clicks and likes the media use as their marketing model?
Framing is going to have to come from a small, consistent band of advocates who gather support and success stories at the local and state level - and find a few national allies, like Senators Sheldon Whitehouse and Sherrod Brown. Along with organizational allies - though leadership in these groups are trapped in the mindset that got them to leadership, in my experience.
Well sure, but how do you encourage “clucks and likes” from positive Framing when the model for clicks and likes is negativity and division?
Without the potential for dissension the Media necessarily ignores the messaging entirely, as we are currently witnessing. The media talking heads are becoming shills for the ad selling segment of the business
How do you reconcile that with Biden’s approach to normalize and unify? His “good news” doesn’t generate the clash needed
Very informative column. While the situation surrounding Ukraine & Russia continues to be tense, I have less stress than I would if the previous WH occupant were still in office. What we are watching (with more international players) reminds me of the JFK/Khrushchev tense standoff over the Cuban missile crisis. I also appreciate the straight-forward presentation of information by Biden. Again, so different than it would be if the other one were still in office.
As a side note, I just hope that anyone complaining about inflation is reminded of how not one Republican on the committee showed up today to vote on the 4 Biden nominees to the Federal Reserve - the place that could start addressing the inflation. Another day of The McConnell Two-Step Shuffle.
If the fat old traitor was in office, he'd be supplying Russia with the intelligence to invade Ukraine, and doing everything he could to screw up NATO.
Rusty, Very informative comment! Particularly the no-show Republicans. That didn't get any air on the msm today, to my knowledge. We have to get better at publicity about stuff like that-- and you just did. Thanks!
The thing was, in the Cuban Missile Crisis, the government recognized the enemy. In today's world, half of the people in this country (GQP) have forgotten who the enemy is.
If TFG were still in office, Ukraine would already be a Russian satellite territory (again) and Mr. Zelensky would be languishing in the cell down the corridor from Mr. Navalny.
Good things keep rolling in and media focuses on telling us about Biden’s polls. Polls can be skewed in many directions. We don’t hear how broad the samples, how many loaded questions, how many pre-determined answers, etc., etc., etc.
We do hear these things if we look at the polls on FiveThirtyEight (formerly Nate Silver's website). That information is available, the polls listed and compared. The analysis shows--and it's very important that democracy-loving people see it--that the Republican party has been growing in popularity over the past year and is more popular now than Biden's party. I'm phone-banking or writing postcards or trying to organize former volunteers every day. There are reasons why people who voted for him think their president has let them down, but you might not realize it if you read (as I do!) HCR every night--unless you're working class or Black or a student or (tonight) a member of a military family, or among the 10s of millions without Obamacare and sickened by the carbon pollution of your segregated neighborhood: unless you're one of the people Biden isn't keeping his promises to. Prof. Richardson is a maestro at so much of what she does, that's why I read her every night, but seems to lose her judgment when it comes to this president, who's losing his base for *reasons*. I know I'll get jumped on, but I've been listening to people and hearing their problems in states all over the country, mostly Democrats, for months now: I beg you to wake up and get to work if you haven't already, persuading people to vote, vote in primaries, vote for state senators and county commissioners, attorneys general and school board members, the people who make this democracy and nation work--or, if we stay home feeling warm and cosy about the president, may doom it. I'm reporting from the field.
I want to tell such voters, use your 2022 vote to flip Biden the bird and Biden will still be president but with a Republican controlled Congress. So cut your nose to spite your face.
Your vote is not an opportunity to express your deeply held personal feelings - your heart, gut, or the voices in your head. Even if you have to hold your nose, your vote is an opportunity to strategically and tactically join hands in service of moving towards shared goals. Don't think sitting on your hands keeps them clean. In politics you don't always get what you want, you don't even get all you need - but you don't give up. You move towards a goal step by step.
I think what you are hearing is the crash of unreasonable expectations. But most people do not comprehend the structural limitations on the president in fulfilling the campaign platform agenda. And in Biden's case, not only united Republican obstructionism but the individual intransigence of a Manchin and a Sinema. Many believe 'if he meant it then he could get it done.' That magical thinking is fostered by many ideologues who know better. Especially on the left.
Racist right wing religious extremists worked for decades to achieve their goals of breaking down the Constitutional wall between church and state, gutting civil rights protections, expanding gun access, and overturning Roe vs Wade. Through it all they were a reliable Republican voting bloc and an incubator for Republican volunteers, candidates, and appointees. And despite all the damage and death, those polled and interviewed do not regret voting for Trump and taking control of the Supreme Court.
lin, I wish I could give you a thousand "likes/loves" for this post alone (but all your other ones are excellnt, as well). I try and and try to spread this concept of 'don't expect "instant gratification"; change through politics and legislation moves very slowly indeed', but still...the disappointed purists keep talking about giving Biden the boot. It makes me want to pull my hair out.
Yes, they won't see that it's not about Biden. It's the entire administration. Putting the entire Executive branch to work. Digging out and going forward. The progressive caucus totally gets this. More so than many so called progressives.
So called moderates Manchin and Sinema are clueless at best to the radical harm they've done. Complicit at worst. A photo of Sinema and Collins baldfacedly yucking it up in a Senate building elevator at the time of the big votes makes me think the latter.
Without a doubt in the world, they both know.....well, certainly Manchin knows very well the harm and chaos he's causing. Sinema is a dope whose sudden access to big donor money has clearly gone to her head, causing her to abandon everything she claimed to believe in prior to being appointed.
The big money corporations have the power as long as they can manipulate the vote. Money funnel and court packer Opus Dei Federalist Society Leonard Leo personifies the nexus of big money and organized religion driving the schemes. Amy Coney Barrett was incubated for this moment of right wing ascendency.
Biden's drive to reconsider the dangers of monopolies and reform monopoly law is a major progressive structural step. Unfortunately the ideologue left is blinkered and clueless and too resentful to unite behind the Democrats.
I am left of Bernie. I can go one on one with those angry with the party. My list of frustrations is long and detailed. But my vote is not about me. It is strategic. And Democrats are my ticket.
How one man can personify all 'the bad' is a remarkable achievement. As John Milton said of Satan ruling in pandemonium (a Milton neologism which could describe the GOP party of nihilism) 'by merit raised to that bad eminence.'
NO, what we're hearing is the rumbling of conservative propaganda/marketing campaigns undermining the foundations of the liberal agenda which comes undefended by the same caliber of marketing.
I have not been talking on the phones to the people you imagine. I have been talking to people you apparently can’t imagine. If you want to get them voting I suggest you start phonebanking too—and listen to what you hear, from people whose problems are real and deep. I listed only the problems Biden has the power to solve by executive action, and promised over and over—from a position of deep experience with a hostile Congress—that he would address. Why, I wonder, should politicians tell us their intentions in order to win our votes and then not be held to account for them? Do you just take demagoguery for granted?
I apologize. Your comment deserves a more considered response. I am not naive about politics or about government. Yes. Demagoguery is part of it. Compromise is part of it. But most importantly being committed to a 'long game' is an essential part of it. Keeping 'your eyes on the prize' is part of it.
Yes. I have canvassed the most downtrodden, disenfranchised, and down hearted people - the urban, suburban, and rural poor in several states. North Eastern, Midwestern, and MidAtlantic. Black and White. And groups in between. It is hard to make the case to someone living in her car. Someone just out of jail. Out of work. Out of options.
I will take the disillusioned any day. It need not be an end point leading to apathy or resentment.
Disillusionment is a good starting point. Illusions lead to unreal expectations. Like expecting Executive Orders rather than legislation to make meaningful structural change.
The young Black freedom fighters of the early civil rights movement were among the most down trodden and disenfranchised people in America. Black women have long been the heart and the backbone of the movement and of the Democratic party - despite their profound long term and immediate problems. They have also often been the the brains and strategists. They set out to make change and they do. But it is a never ending struggle. If they do not give up - who would defend giving up or demanding to be wooed and won.
We have a two party system. Work it smart and to your advantage. But you've got to be in the game long term.
Are you telling me I have to be in the game for the long term? I've been canvassing and organizing and fundraising and working on campaigns since 1968. I said nothing about not voting--haven't missed even a municipal election since I was 18--and the people I've talked to in various phone banks in 6 or 7 states over the last 6 months haven't said they won't vote either. I do think that people have a right to be disappointed when they feel they've been lied to or forgotten, and that I have a right and an obligation to report what I'm hearing in states from California to West Virginia.
Of course I am not talking about you. I appreciate your reporting and admire your work. ThankYou. Sincerely.
I am talking about the people we meet who may have very sound reasons for their frustration and the temptations they face to disengage.I apologize if I read into that a rejection of the Biden administration's efforts in specific, and participation in general.
But I do have nothing but contempt for privileged individuals such as Jill Stein and her enablers, for instance, who are self indulgent and non strategic at the expense of our most vulnerable neighbors, fragile planet, and destabilized democracy. And for those who are quick to throw up their hands and turn their backs on the Democratic party rather than working to reform it.
Without Sanders and Warren. Without the progressive caucus. Without serous and steadfast liberal Democrats in Congress. And without the diverse electorate which united around the Biden Harris agenda - this would be a more conservative administration at best and a second Trump administration at worst. We need to strengthen and expand the Democratic coalition. And I worry about a reversion to factions.
Hang on! - while the metaphorical buck stops at Biden's desk, there are an enormous number of staff, lobbyists etc, who are also helping steer the ship of State. But it sails in very difficult waters, think of the two rocks - Manchin and Sinema, plus a whole collection of sirens(Repubs), that he has to navigate past. I am amazed that he is succeeding.
Mr Spencer I listed only problems affecting American voters that Biden has the power to address with executive action, or failed to use the bully puppet to move, like the filibuster he was so attached to till it was too late.
Mary, is a goodly part of your message that the folks you talk to are not seeing Biden (the Democrats as a group) dealing with the things that they expect a leader to solve for them? Or, that what he and his administration are supposedly accomplishing is neither true or relevant to them? I often hear conversations from another universe, really detacted from the facts I think true and, worse, far removed from what actually needs to be done beneath the key indicators; their job security and dollars, what they pay at the pump for gas, how much bread costs, the rising cost of the things they expect available on the shelves from China, etc. I don't think it exclusively about message, but we'll about not caring what he does as that's stuff not important.
Hi Fred, are you phone banking too--is that where you're hearing "conversations from another universe"? The people I'm speaking of--adult American citizens, mostly Democrats and Independents, for the last 6 months in California, Virginia, Arizona, Delaware, Pennsylvania, Florida, NH and West Virginia--are not morons as some seem to assume. They're disappointed that Biden has not done what he could to follow up his campaign promises--in part by supporting the filibuster and caving to Manchin for so long that he lost the Build Back Better and Voting Rights bills (and thus the child credit, new green jobs in the ailing industrial and coal country of many swing states, help controlling the cost of their insulin and heart medicine, expansion of Medicaid, etc). They've watched the costs of gas, food and rent rising, seen him forget his promise to forgive tuition debt, and scratched their heads in vulnerable areas like Florida, California and Arizona when he came back from COP26 and next day launched an auction for drilling permits in 80 million acres of the Gulf waters--which the District Court for DC recently overturned as illegal. Young people were scared at that sign of his regressive climate politics. In general people were depressed by the "same old, same old." Families are still separated at the southern border, asylum seekers deported, Dreamers are still stateless. These things matter to real people.
I'm not saying Joe Biden is a demon, just answering your question about what the wide variety of voters I've talked to are disappointed about, and too weary in their disappointment to engage in politics. I try to suggest that the answer to despair is engaging with local and state politics, where among other things the security of November's and 2024's elections mostly lies. I hope everyone joins this effort!
Not so much phone banking, but listening to my fellow poll workers in the rural area in which we live. The stuff we are ruffling over doesn't even make it onto their plate of concerns or into how they feel about the issues of importance to them or even seem to have the same understanding how government works and what a single individual, Mr Biden for instance, has in his power to control. They continue to like the strong leader they saw Trump playing. And, after Tuesday's chattering with them, his roll seems to be as the figure to blame, not praise. Turnout for a school board primary was nearly 50% higher than typical February elections and really divided. Today's (2/17) NYT The Morning lead summary by Leonhart touched on what I am sensing as the great divide. His three reasons I think get at my sense of what is taking place. If true, we really are shouting truth into an empty theatre ... in perhaps not only rural areas.
Letters to the editor where I am blather Fox crap more than anything else. Propaganda works, especially on the vulnerable. Hardly fair to blame democrats for our circumstances when republicans have created our holy mess, deliberately. W/Dickie, the tea party and chump have had Rupert to spin their considerable disasters into Orwellian gold. So glad you are in the field, it’s the front line. I try from my 24/7 caregiver role, but we cannot blame Biden for not having a magic wand.
I disagree that Dr. Richardson loses her judgment regarding Biden. I think she is careful to highlight his accomplishments, because she sees the success of his administration as one of the last bulwarks to authoritarianism that we have left. These are not normal times.
Thank you for posting these fascinating and important articles, lin. With average samplings of only a thousand now and knowing how expert the idjt’s followers are at creating false identities, it is more important than ever for the media to give the poll SAMPLING totals rather than imply all Americans, democrats or republicans had responded to a poll. Those kinds of headlines put the idjt in office.
I am on a panel for a major polling entity. Out of a perverse curiosity to how polling works.
Garbage in, garbage out. I once took a seminar in designing scientific experiments to maximize collecting useful data. It is not easy and takes self discipline to set the parameters. Try to do too much and get nothing. Each additional goal exponentially complicates the process.
On the panel, when I think the questions and answers are too poorly written, I will sometimes decline and tell them why. But I doubt they factor that in.
I’ve actually questioned the poll questions asked of me in a phone survey, telling the “impartial” interviewer why the questions were misleading and designed to get a predetermined response
She started to defend the questions and debate my position openly (gun control), she got agitated and hung up
I doubt my responses were used
I wasted 30 minutes of her time
Polls conducted by disreputable sources are propaganda tools only
Totally inept surveyor. Never argue. Here in Maine, Bloomberg Everytown hired a circle jerk in-crowd who forced such stupid scripts that volunteers, like me , just quit. The inept campaign contributed to sinking gun reform here and to solidifying the GOP vote.
Read a (paywall)story in Orlando Sentinel today with a poll showing Rep Val Demings (42%)behind Sen Rubio(49%).They did state the number polled at 625. I believe latest shows over 14 million reg Fl voters. Perspective !
A pollster did mention that an incumbent polling below 50% opens the door…Go, Val !!!
Interesting articles. Crowdpac is on to something by reversing the so-called algorithm that polls use. It’s not a bad idea but I am one who despises polls. I feel that the questions are always skewed and there’s a large margin of error. Where is their data on Manchenema?
Polls are often “dated” (as well as skewed) I think the Republicans lost enough people to the pandemic to make their sure thing bid not so sure. Especially in local races.
In 2016 I volunteered doing voter outreach with my local Democratic committee for months before the primary. Once we had a candidate, I volunteered several days a week for Clinton. By early September I was unshakably certain Trump would win. The right was enthusiastically or not united behind him.
Clinton was running a totally incompetent campaign with no Electoral College strategy. Except for people just like her, no one was enthusiastic and many like myself even resentful. Her polls and PR worked against her. Too many necessary potential Democratic voters felt she could win without their vote - so they indulged in purity test sitting on their hands or following piper dreams and pied pipers. Or taking revenge for Bernie.
The pollsters, no matter Nate Silver's sophistication and self justifications, never saw it coming. In our Electoral College system the popular vote doesn't count. So work with the system and win.
Huh? Why attack Silver? He’s the one who kept telling us, based on his statistical analysis of the polls, that as you correctly intuited, Trump was going to win! And getting attacked for it by liberals who didn’t want it to be true.
Silver was too late to the game and later defended himself for predicting close to the popular vote - which is not the metric for winning the presidency.
From early Nov 2016:
Just last week, Nate Silver’s polls-only forecast gave Hillary Clinton an overwhelming 85 percent chance of winning. But as of Thursday morning, her odds have fallen down to 66.9 percent — suggesting that while Donald Trump is still the underdog, there’s a one-in-three shot he’ll end up the next president.
What a great deal of news there was today! Thank you, Heather, for sorting it all out for us with such meticulous attention and clarity.
I was especially riveted by President Biden's words to the American people:
“'This is about more than just Russia and Ukraine,' [Biden] said. 'It’s about standing for what we believe in, for the future we want for our world, for liberty…the right of countless countries to choose their own destiny, and the right of people to determine their own futures, for the principle that a country can’t change its neighbor’s borders by force. That’s our vision. And toward that end, I’m confident that vision, that freedom will prevail.'"
And of particular note is your highlighting of the fact that he serves and answers to us -- to the people. It warms the heart to hear a president place such value on that role.
I worry so about Navalny -- he will never come out of prison alive. He should never have returned to Russia. His fate is sealed by Putin, poor man.
Steven Donziger is back inside as well - for no apparent good reason - I have no doubt his life is on the line as well ... we are like ants at a picnic to global corporate entities ...............
Wow, thank you Christy - this is good to hear - the email I got was on Sunday - so hopefully, Steven will be home for good now ... so sick of the dirty tricks!!!
Yes, I share your feelings about Navalny. If Russia does invade, along with all the costs to Ukraine, Russia will suffer as well. With body bags coming home, Putin won't want the people to even imagine him as someone they might eventually be able to turn to.
It's an ironic twist of fate that this eastern-European geopolitical crisis is offering America a more compelling focus of attention than the sordid story unfolding around the 1/6/21 House Special Committee's work. It would be comforting to me to know that the committee is aiming it's investigation squarely at TFG and his immediate entourage in light of the implications for the mid-terms and 2024 election cycle. From my viewpoint, they can take all the time in the world to track down every minor player in the story in multiple states, or fail to complete that aspect of the investigation altogether in deference to exposing the behind-the-scenes White House story behind the elections fraud and interference with the business of the House in certifying the election. I care a lot more about seeing TFG "locked up", either literally or figuratively, by shining the blinding light of scrutiny on what happened at the top of the food chain to instigate and direct this sad chapter in our nation's political history. I can only hope that there is a wisdom behind the committee's current focus as well as the DOJ's relative silence on the topic with respect to the former president and his immediate advisors culpability surrounding the election and its aftermath. Please, please tell us it's something other than a failure of political courage to pursue them relentlessly to submit to the call to appear before the congress. I care not one iota for any "respect for the office of the presidency" in failing to chase this gangster right into a cell-block as soon as humanly possible. Possibly however, allowing him to continue hanging himself by inches with his own outbursts is part of the strategy instead of clamping a gag on him through indictment and closed-door depositions, hearings, pre-trial discovery activities, if he even can in fact be gagged by anything short of a dish-towel.
Biden's continued visibility on the world stage regarding a crisis with real implications for the entire world is a wonderful antidote to the garbage that has been manufactured as "news" about the effectiveness of his efforts at governance on the domestic side of his agenda. And, to think that we can thank Putin himself for that opportunity... go figure!..
Yesterday on Nicole Wallace's show, there was speculation that the 1/6 committee is being quite smart in their work. They continue to show they know more than is publicly available, and that is worrisome to those who have been/will be subpoenaed. I believe the committee is zeroing ever closer to those highest on the food chain....like Giuliani. It is my deepest hope that there is coming a huge revelation that will blow the whole thing wide open.
Feb. 15, 2022: Today Glenn Kirschner talked about what Jamie Raskin just said: Trump is Guilty as Sin" & "Will Get His Comeuppance over the Jan 6th attack..." He also described Raskin as saying tfg is a "One man crime wave" during a recent Salon interview. I delightfully chew on this as some reassurance in these bizarre times. Anyway, good news is scarce and I highly respect Jamie for passing along some helpful information to The People.
For President Trump, it’s all over but the shouting, and he’s going to jail… or should be, and most of that shouting will come from America’s self-anointed power brokers and the intellectual pygmies of today’s right, followed by our disgusting, illiterate white trash, the so-called Christian Right, the infamous white supremacists and misguided criminals and the millions of American Black hating fearful ignorant intolerant racists that decorate and warmly support today’s Republican Party, all 50 GOP members of the senate, in short, the unadulterated white scum of our deeply troubled racist nation.
Governor DeSantis and a few other racists and misguided political whores will slide into Trump’s loafers behind Gov. George C. Wallace, and they will rise to the top of the ugly brew that lubricates 70 million or so - as the 80 odd million Democrats fail to remember ugly George C. Wallace and the Dixiecrat fascists that were no better that today’s GOPAL… or far worse, as hanging was their method… and they got away with it for decades. President Biden, for his part, will continue to do his thing, and his energy is incredible… considering his multi-burden challenge and the vanishingly small Democrat majority and the polls on coming.
We are in trouble… as all know. Putin likes to keep us off balance, but we can do that all by ourselves.. we do not need Putin the lead our circus… or the freak show off the big tent.. where we spend ourselves waiting for the fat lady to sing, thinking we are at the opera when we are really just watching old reruns of The Lone Ranger … and The Shadow… on AM radio… on Sunday night… with Jack Benny and Rochester the only class… with Clark Kent in for relief.
Meanwhile Republicans are blocking Sarah Bloom-Raskin's appointment out of spite. In fact they boycotted a committee meeting covering a number of nominees for essential appointments.
Whew. That is untrue and unfair. Please listen to CSpan from oldies like Patrick Leahy, Jim Clyburn, Hank Johnson, Bernie Sanders, Nancy Pelosi, and Angus King to newbies like AOC , Cori Bush, Hakeem Jeffries - and everyone in between like Sheldon Whitehouse, Mazie Hirano, Dick Durbin ... and too many too list here. Saying Jaimie Raskin is the best is saying a lot.
Yes, Trump is going down. But who knows what his fall will provoke. Beware of truck convoys mutating into something larger. The puppet masters of the Big Lie and Jan. 6 are still hard at work.
Big money funnel Leonard Leo will not be getting his hands or tassel loafers dirty on the road or insurrection. Nor will the Mercers et al. But they are responsible for the damage.
I have a question out to several of my Fleecebook "friends" who are supporting these "convoys" and asking them to describe how disrupting commerce, blocking international borders and threatening violence is OK but protesting police killings of Black people is not. Crickets so far.
Beware of a bunch of fat, out of shape white dudes who eat Pringles and hot dogs and spend most of their time watching football when they are not on Facebook whining?
Sure, I am worried about them. Worried they are going to clog up our health care system wtih heart disease that is.
Since the comparison is derogatory, I wonder if we could find an analogy that does not insult pygmies or fans of The Greatful Dead - or any of the 'little people' ...?
... maybe ... I was thinking "bobbleheads" - but then, since corporate entities now claim personhood some motherboard might take offense and retaliate ... I wonder if we'll ever evolve to a point where we can engage around our differences with mutual respect ... the art of harmony - a delicate dance indeed ....
Whereas the rule of law is the basis for civil society; and
whereas civil discourse is the basis for the rule of law; and
whereas recent public hearings at city council meetings and, in nearby counties, school boards, and other meetings have degenerated into disrespectful language and in some instances shoving, shouting, and veiled threats of violence; and
whereas school shootings, mass murder, targeted assassinations, threats, and hate speech are becoming more and more common, to the point where many people are beginning to accept them as inevitable or even normal;
Now therefore be it resolved that the assembled members of Bellview Grange #759 hereby declare:
1) As Grangers we aspire not to be part of “cancel culture” but rather “counsel culture,“ characterized by open and respectful conversational dialogue.
2) We renounce the use of violent metaphors, hate speech, and threats. Instead, we prefer life-affirming metaphors and well-grounded proposals that are consistent with the Grange‘s commitment to agriculture, gardening, nourishment, charity, kindness, and a sustainable way of life.
3) If and when we observe incidents or events, which appear to us to be inconsistent with our chosen code of conduct as members of the Grange, we will speak up in respectful ways and invite open and meaningful dialogue among those of differing points of view, according to the bylaws and procedures of the Grange community.
Of course. Certainly well intended. But, we have slowly become enlightened regarding some of the terms we've been (strangely) accustomed to using. So, if I were sitting across from Patricia, I would have joked that I 'think' she meant 'pinheads'... or maybe 'dickheads' (a word never uttered by "people of Integrity") . I like Kathleen, and Carla. So, let's not unconsciously be flinging us "Dead" under that bus :):) ...there are known consequents for such.
Also in the news, the judge and jury both dismissed Sarah Palin's case against the NY Times for statements that were apparently incorrect and that Palin felt were damaging to her. The Times had corrected their report immediately, before Palin had complained. The court decided she had not proven intentional malignment by the Times.
The work of the January 6th committee that shows who supported for the insurrection and overturning the 2020 election should include FOX. This plus the obvious and continuing support given by FOX to the insurrectionists, to lies about the election being stolen, to the misinformation of those opposing all public health measures addressing covid19, to the blockade in Canada affecting our commerce, all demonstrates a pattern of knowable damage to our nation that far exceeds anything that can ce justified as free speech without malice towards our nation, the American people. FOX has been a knowing perpetrator of false, misleading and intentionally seditious material, far more destructive and damaging than anything printed or aired against any one person. We should find ways to seek damages against FOX just like Sandy Hook parents pursued against Remington.
I agree, Rupert Murdoch should be under investigation for (everything). There is bound to be a mountain of dirt under his feet and the Justice Department should be digging away.
"Also in the news, the judge and jury both dismissed Sarah Palin's case against the NY Times for statements that were apparently incorrect and that Palin felt were damaging to her. The Times had corrected their report immediately, before Palin had complained. The court decided she had not proven intentional malignment by the Times."
Thanks to Democratic voters, Biden is president, and four years of abuse from TFG should have come to an end. But the dangerous buffoon has kept it up, as if anyone can stand to hear any more. He even recently boasted about the size of the crowd at the insurrection. Yet very soon, he will be put under oath and deposed in connection with civil lawsuits, and he will have to emerge from the comfort of his habitual lying.
His businesses are in the first stages of utter collapse. Which goes to show, if he had sold off his holdings when he became president - as he should have, to avoid conflicts of interest -- he wouldn't have to sell assets at fire sale prices now. A delicious irony.
He's both angry and afraid. Standing there in front of Trump Tower, he's suddenly realized a shadow has fallen over him, and he's looked up to see the grand piano of karma that got pushed off the roof and is hurtling down straight at him.
Forget imprisoning him, just leave him moneyless and publicly exposed as a fraud, and let him just stand there... with any luck, the massive fatal myocardial infarction would happen within 30 minutes.
Biden's speech hit just the right notes. Clear, candid, and reassuring about America's intentions. Imagine for a moment what would be happening if Trump was in office. There would be no unified NATO front, no U.S. arms and other support for Ukraine, no threat of devastating sanctions against Russia, and Putin would have a green light to destroy the country and kill tens of thousands of its citizens. Trump would watch news reports with perhaps the same glee he watched the Jan. 6 insurrectionists storm the Capitol. And Europe would be left with a chilling question: how far west will Russian tanks and troops go?
With the effective Lanny Davis Esq., looking on, the impressive young Representative AOC questioned Michael Dean Cohen, Esq., and he answered quickly, succinctly and honestly and buried his former client - a massively obese mafia boss with a bloated orange face and yellow hair.
The circus clown is done…
MAGA is busted.
Though connected at the waist, The New York Times was never wired… where the wiring was needed… till the brilliant Suzanne Craig received what came in the mail from the honest niece, and did the math… the inquiry will now move to the bankruptcy department.
Michael Dean Cohen’s was the first step -
AG’s James’ is close to the last.
Commercial bank loans will now be called… certain death to Trump - it’s a bit like what happened to Al Capone with his taxes… in Chicago. That went quickly… and the syndicated boss went to jail… with old Joe Kennedy watching.
Mozars USA - decision to dump Trump terminates the willingness in established accounting from certifying Trump numbers. No respectable firm will pick up this account.
For any bank… that terminates loans…
Loans in real estate have a clause that requires the CPA to approve an audit… and to certify that federal, state and local taxes and are up to snuff….
Mozars has just stated that years of audits and taxes are questionable. This is certain death to Trump et al.
No real estate concern can exist without huge footings, huge borrowed money… and the infamous willing complicit corrupt German bank will be swept into this whirlpool - and the whole damn mess will be sucked under… and drown… in liquidation.
This is a certainty. And it will happen quickly… with other banks calling in loans to the leading Trump banks…. Initiating a circular collapse and bankruptcies of subsidiaries… with the expected impact on family members… as those that serve this bastard jump ship.
Properties all over the Trump orbit will come on the market…
Trump Inc… is in liquidation. The mafia boss will have no friends.
This emperor has no clothes.
Kushner is kaput… and that marriage will dissolve.
Congratulations to Ed Pilkington and The Guardian.
Donald Trump’s legal woes threaten to engulf him as accountants abandon ship
One can only hope Trump's lifelong crime wave will now be cut to the quick and that he's left penniless and in prison for the rest of his days. May his entire crime family go down with him.
"Mozars has just stated that years of audits and taxes are questionable. "
So, why is the NY AG not going after Mozars? If Mozars was the key to Trump legitimacy, then, it seems to me that Mozars is in some ways more criminal than Trump because their JOB is to vette out the numbers provided by Trump.
Seems like Mozars is getting off after 30 years of overt, blatant lying.
I can't find it now, but something I read yesterday gave me the impression that Mazars is cooperating fully with the D.A.'s team and have turned over loads of documents pertaining to this matter, i.e. they have rolled over on the orange Mob boss.
I think maybe it has to do with the kind of preparation work they did. In a full audit they could go digging. However, in the prep work for tfg, they relied on info HE gave them (stupid).
That’s what a statement of financial position is. Statements of financial position aren’t prep work for anything, they’re a summary used by lenders and others to assess a borrower’s credit worthiness, especially for a closely held company like the TO. Where I think Mazar’s liability lies is that they absolutely should have known that the statements were unreliable. They were very clear that the statements did not follow GAAP, and that Trump himself was responsible for the numbers contained therein.
Ashley, I’m not an accountant! But I think I’ve understood their (fairly standard) letter, with some very non-standard caveats added on. George Conway has a fairly good explanation on his Twitter.
Do you think he’ll be able to get 10 cents on the dollar for his properties? I doubt it, when the sharks that have the cash 💰 to make a deal look at the position he’s in, low ball offers are all he’s going to get. He will still be on the hook 🪝 to the Russians who have a habit of poisoning people that cross them. The moron had better be very careful about what he eats.
President Biden's executive order of July 9, 2021, “to promote the interests of American workers, businesses, and consumers,” sure slipped under my radar! I think it is the most important thing he has done because it gets to the very root of our problems which I believe are largely caused by income disparity. This does put President Biden in the ranks of Teddy Roosevelt in dealing with monopolies and working for the people. This needs to be a major message of his administration! Along with restoration of voting rights! We the People, all of us this time!
I am so proud of President Biden. We’re so lucky to have him. 🌷🙏
Amen! I was just thinking yesterday that I am SO proud of his handling of the Ukraine/Russia crisis. This alone should raise his approval numbers big time!
…and his team!
And I wish he got more coverage of his accomplishments. On another note, “the Hillary Clinton-run DA’s office”???
Yeah, that one got me. I guess because he won the election of 2016, it is in his (their) little mind(s) that she is the best enemy to attack. That is all I can think of; what I see in my head regarding Clinton is her testimony countless times over many hours over Benghazi.
I think the rant tfg made shows he his mentally ill—he still is going after Hillary because he thinks it is still 2016. He has gone back in his mind to the time of his great defeat of her.
(and of course ignoring that he cheated by allowing Putin to interfere.)
He's trying to recreate the moment when every trick had worked - "Hey, I'm the President!"
I’ve thought for a long time that ultimately, Trump will get off on what has been done by his exploits by pleading insanity.
"Little minds"..for sure!
Right. And if you exhibit all nine and more, some will consider the person a sociopath.
WGAS... nice guys ( & Girls) finish last. But, the test remains.., to have done so without cheating, to graciously accept the trophy, and dispense with all that obnoxious behavior till the next time.
Bingo-9 out of 9.
Ahh yes.., and sans these 'attributes' coming onto the last lap at Riverside.., you are doomed.
How are we lucky, exactly? His predecessor, a mentally ill cultist with millions of followers, is still free to roam the land spreading a brain-infecting fungal disease that rots any mind it gets a hold on.
My President is a Super Hero!!
Here is a list of Joe Biden's accomplishments, all in his first year! And there are so many more!
• American Rescue Plan
• Infrastructure bill- bipartisan
• Strengthen NATO Alliance
• Gathered allies to challenge Putin's aggression
• Ended 10-year Afghan War
• Reduced troops in Iraq
• Negotiations that begin with sanctions, not soldiers
• Rejoined WHO and Paris Climate Accord
• Jobless rate reduced by 2%
• Increased American jobs by 6 million 2021
• 5.7% economic growth in 2021
• Appointed the most diverse, highly qualified cabinet in U.S. history
• Reduced child poverty by 40%
• increased by 4 million # of Americans with healthcare
• vaccinated 210 million Americans.
• Provides access to daily White House Press conferences, speeches, panels and CDC updates on national t.v. White house.gov/live -genuine transparency
• Established a minimum international tax to end foreign tax shelters
• Formed a committee to address supply chain issues
• Created policies to increase renewable energy and energy efficiency
• Recruited Federal and military assistance to aid hospitals overwhelmed with Covid cases
• Made masks and at home tests available to all Americans
• Worked directly with American mayors to put funding for local initiatives to immediate use.
• Engaged Defense Production Act to buy more vaccines, worked with states to establish vaccine sites and Transportation to them; established vaccine centers in pharmacies across the country.
• This week, the entire city of Newark announced the eradication of all lead pipes. Amazing testimonies from citizens about the efficient, cost-free process.
The Afghan invasion started in 2001. It lasted 20 years. Not 10. We promised to make it a democracy. As usual, we were fools.
And don't forget - he also reversed some of Trump's more-destructive environmental protection policies.
Great list, and that's great news about Newark--wow! But he only reduced child poverty by 40% for 6 months. The child tax credit went down with everything else in the BBB, though he did finally say, when it was too late, that he could see reforming the filibuster to get it through. By then Manchin had axed the tax credit: "too generous."
Thank you for that, MaryPat! It can’t be posted enough! I love POTUS, FLOTUS, and the entire team. President Uncle Joe Biden is really coming into his own!
How about efforts to obtain PPE for healthcare workers and improved access to Covid testing?
He is so presidential.
💙💙💙😊💙💙💙
And apparently it was well known that Putin considered Biden weak based on their dealings during the Obama administrations. Surprise surprise, Vlad!
Glad is disgusting—someone wondered if he’s married. I think he’s bored living in that palace and he has a stable of gorgeous women who make sure he’s happy—a la Epstein…
I read somewhere that Rupert’s ex was Vlad’s squeeze a while back. Talk about a back channel since Wendy and Ivanka were BFFs. Would love to know if it’s true.
Ur right. Remember the Belorussian call girl arrested in Thailand, who reached out to the FBI? She had video/audio of oligarch Deriposka discussing the 2016 interference on his yacht loaded with young Russian women and a few other oIigarghs.
Also, one Defected KGB/FDSB agent accused Putin of being a pedafile among other accusations. He ended up being poisoned with Plutonium by other active agents in London. But before he died he finished his writing his memoirs, including his investigation on who and how the Moscow apartment bombings were staged, that lead to the invasion and destruction of Chechnya.
We have a large Russian population who have settled in the Boston suburbs—almost every day I get emails from them telling me there are great picture of these women who will make me so happy—it’s very funny in a way — I’m 72 and happily married with no interest in this kind of thing—so I quickly click away and certainly haven’t bothered to check our the porn they’re desperate to send.
Yo.. Liz, hohohoh..., it's perfectly fine to be a "Blondie" fan. Go easy on that "Russian population"in Boston. That 'site' you're familiar with is probably streaming out of Numbnutz' scum-pit condos in Miami Beach USA..., errrr ahh owned by some seedy Russians laundering money.
Ya ya.., clearly those "Girls" were not in it for "fun". Bbbbb bboink!
Rubles not either— I bet they’ll take credit card pmts.
Actually, I feel Putin has what they call "short man syndrome". My father was a short man!
I know that “short man syndrome
“also refers to Napoleon. But I passed along “short” genes and am short. As a kid I was patted on the head and people called me Peanut while my twin brother grew to 6’2” and my parents were relieved it wasn’t the other way around. I hope someday we get past those stereotype/generalizations so people don’t grow into them.
You Know It....Liz. Girls! Round-the-world.... Girls. Yup.., they just wanna have fun :)... ask Blondie. Have to admit, I've always liked those kinds of girls. I actually live with one!
In fact Putin was pushing Bernie Sanders as a Presidential Candidate over Biden because Putin knew Biden would beat Trump. Since it is well known could you provide a citation or two to back up your assertion? Frankly, I doubt your assertion.
Doubt away. I heard the claim on NPR but can't find a link. But here's a Google page with links galore. https://www.google.com/search?client=safari&rls=en&q=putin+thinks+biden+is+weak&ie=UTF-8&oe=UTF-8
I invite you to check the quotes and sources in these listings. Here is one. "Republican Senator John Kennedy says he believes Joe Biden was not assertive enough during his high-stakes phone call with Russian President Vladimir Putin." And the Washington Times (another Google source) has this rating from the Media Bias Fact Check --"Reasoning: Numerous Failed Fact Checks, Poor Sourcing, Lack of Transparency
Bias Rating: RIGHT-CENTER.
Just 'cause someone is sayin' it don't make it true.
For the record, I never said I thought Biden was weak — now or when he was VP. I was asked a question and tried to answer it without spending time I don't have to do a lot of research. If someone doesn't believe the report I heard on NPR, fine by me. I thought it was worth sharing. Also, because Putin believes something doesn't make it true. I'm sure he like many Russians believe U.S. leaders are weak. Why? Because U.S. leaders typically don't throw people out windows or poison them etc.
Well Sophia, since we have witnessed the prurient behavior of Numbnutz, they were probably concerned more about kidney cleanliness and who was in charge of the hotel mattress disposal crew.
Biden has the experience to know when it's appropriate to avoid free-association self-calming exercises and when to put away the trick squirt-gun lapel pin on very serious occasions. When Congress rewrites the Office of the President and installs anti-personnel mines between the lines to ward off interpreters face recognizable as Stephen Miller and Stevie Bannon, a sentence should be added to the oath of office that says the Oath Taker swears he or she has read and been tested on the job description. Some added assurance of threshold intelligence comes for free hereby from the demonstrative proof that the new leader-in-waiting can actually read.
Yes! A test. At least. Can’t believe that most serious jobs have serious prerequisites and qualifications. That’s missing and a glaring mistake to suggest that age and birthplace are enough to put in a bid for one of the most powerful and serious leadership positions in the world. Seriously.
Yes!
I think a simple psychiatric screening like the ones required to enter the military would suffice, don't you?
Yes, I think that psychological testing would be a good idea, but I also think there should be educational and related experience as part of the application process. President of a country: our lives are in their hands. Most positions of such responsibility need a person who can analyze, be connected to the needs of all citizens. Balance a budget, relate to others, keep us safe, and much much more. It’s not(but maybe it is: tfg) a role for a play.
it would be telling enough if he was asked to sit for an interview without the hair. It's his whole personality. Are you too wondering why the public never saw him intubated in the Covid bed at Walter Reed? When you've been exposed to "the look", you've seen the only thing that matters chez Trump, and there is nothing else to see. His hairdresser confessed she/he was the only one who knew for sure, but she's DACA and has to be careful what she says.
Thank you, Spooky Singer. Apropos of your comment, I’d like to urge all readers to watch this play about Sandy Hook families. The play is put on by high school theater groups. The title is 26 Pebbles and the play is on YouTube. Captions are available. https://youtu.be/DCaPMTs5wCc. Toni A.
"Capitalism without competition is exploitation." - Pres. Joe Biden
For an American president in 2022 to associate 'capitalism' and 'exploitation', even at the distance of a qualifier, is remarkable. The Biden administration is redefining the dangers of monopolies in a way which further repudiates the Chicago school of economics' creed of 'greed is good.'
Businesses are responsible for more than profit making. Who knew? The Sandy Hook victims have proven that in court. For the victims of gun violence to win a case against a gun manufacturer, is I think unprecedented.
There is hope. And a lot of hard work ahead.
Thanks lin, my thoughts precisely. Particularly the repudiation of the abhorrent Chicago School of Economics. And now for more exposure of the Harvard Business School and their perversion of business in society.
With regard to the Chicago School and the dread Milton, read "Shock Doctrine" by Naomi Klein. It's a quite devastating expose of the incredible and far-reaching influence of the Chicago School - and their direct involvement in US activities such as the overthrow of Allende in Chile. "Never let a good catastrophe go to waste".
Here's an interesting viewpoint - https://www.counterpunch.org/2022/02/11/the-political-theology-of-neoliberalism/
Very interesting read! In a way Amazon is the confirmation of Margaret Thatcher: "there is no state, there is only individuals". If you control the selling, you control the production and everyone in between, that costs, and you can sell cheaper as long as consumers are individuals. IKEA was founded on the same principle, and also the 18th century capitalist that founded Swedish iron industry.
Putin embraced the orthodox church with control and success. China had the one-child policy to get rid of cousins, that might be start of clans, so there is nothing out of control between the state and the individual.
For the layperson like myself, the use of the root word liberal is in reference to relaxed or minimal regulations on the so called free market! I was confused since liberal is usually associated with a very different meaning!
I was uncertain myself about its meaning. Both definitions, below, seem to be leaning toward Libertarianism.
"neoliberalism (ˌniːəʊˈlɪbərəˌlɪzəm; -ˈlɪbrəˌlɪzəm) n
1. (Government, Politics & Diplomacy) a modern politico-economic theory favouring free trade, privatization, minimal government intervention in business, reduced public expenditure on social services, etc
2. (Economics) a modern politico-economic theory favouring free trade, privatization, minimal government intervention in business, reduced public expenditure on social services, etc
https://www.thefreedictionary.com/neoliberalism
This is an interesting article on the relations or similarities between neoliberalism and religion. On the other hand, the Wikipedia page on the publication Counterpunch raises a few red flags. (Not that Wikipedia is the end-all and be-all of sources.) My conclusion is that you have to judge each article individually and keep your antennae in order.
I like MediaBias/FactCheck to get a sense of the orientation of a publication or website. According to MB/FC, Counterpunch is rated as Far (but not Extreme) Left, "Mostly Factual" and "Analysis / Bias
In review, CounterPunch presents news and opinions with a strong progressive left bias in story selection. Most stories favor the left and use loaded language such as these: The Blob Fought the Squad, and the Squad Won and The Immoral Silence to the Destructive Xenophobia of “Just Leave.” This latter piece does not indicate an opinion article and provides zero hyperlinked sources to vet those opinions. CounterPunch also regularly praises and highlights Julian Assange of Wikileaks, who outright lied and created the Seth Rich conspiracy theory. CounterPunch favors Democratic Socialism such as Bernie Sanders, Anti-Imperialism, and Venezuela when it comes to politics. The general editorial position of CounterPunch is Left." In the end, as you write, one has "to judge each article individually and keep your antennae in order."
Some of the links in the Wikipedia article on Counterpunch, for example, https://www.algemeiner.com/2012/07/25/guardian-praises-anti-semitic-site-counterpunch-as-progressive/, which raises even more questions. You can follow this thread forever. It's very disturbing.
I read the article without vetting the source, but am fairly well versed (no pun intended) in far-right religious shenanigans. While I wouldn’t follow them, I did find this particular article interesting due to the quite obvious (and discussed ad nauseam in many venues) connection to Calvin, the rise of capitalism during the Reformation, Puritans and the American “work ethic”.
True! I think of it as a viewpoint connecting some dots, now that we have experience and outcomes; the whole subject is hardly open to facts / non facts, but as such I still find it interesting. When do we at all know when we are motivated by ideology, religion, fear, superstition, habit...?
Thank you, Hugh. Between Heather’s daily lessons and contributions and sources like this article on Neoliberalism, I’m in school every day. All day.
Turned my head around. Excellent book. When 9/11 happened, and I was living jut 12 blocks north of the WTC, I felt like I was waking from a Rip van Winkle toe sleep. I started reading and Naomi Klein was one of the first books I picked up. What I read and understood about” disaster capitalism” was about to happen in Lower Manhattan.
"Never let a good catastrophe go to waste".
In the case of Chile and the Chicago School, I believe Nixon and Kissinger planned all phases of it. First, corrupt the traditionally apolitical Chilean military. Second, have the corrupted military force under Gen. Pinochet commence a period of blitzkrieg in detaining Chilean citizens en masse; then, torturing and murdering the detainees as well as making them disappear. Finally, bringing in Milton Friedman and "the Chicago boys" to design and implement the economic system which Pres. Nixon and SoS Kissinger wanted in place. All done as a "simple" 1-2-3.
Tragically, the gun-war industries control the federal budget! Since little bush let the assault ban law lapse, no other POTUS has had the courage to take on that issue! Federal $$$$ for various ‘security’ agencies is well over a trillion $$$$$, yet school children are still being slaughtered by unchecked weapon sales!
Solution:
Simple...
VOTE OUT REPUBLICANS...
VOTE JUDICIOUSLY!
Some became twisted by their imagined perversions of persecution infecting their soul’s conformation into a likeness of a god that could only exist in their world of self-deception.
Greed mongers with all sycophants, (complicit in their cunning silent ebullience), are always ground down into the dust’s choking suffocation of astonishment, not by the One GOD they never knew, (for HE is only Love), but by HIS faith imbued disciples in a Love that is beyond our capacity to every fully comprehend.
Love ALWAYS trumps hate!
ALWAYS!!!
VOTE INTELLIGENTLY, Please.
We have too many that don't vote intelligently. Many people are not intelligent, or we would not be where we are today.
It is work...requires time to research and compare...listen to your heart...do not vote blind this time! Improving our American democracy is worth the effort!!!
I wish they would!
Democracy must guide capitalism or they are both lost. Biden has the experience and guts to enforce that.
Regarding democracy and capitalism. You have said it perfectly. Exactly.
Biden does not have the power to enforce that, but he does have the experience, guts, concern, and political savvy to nominate people who can institute and enforce that structural change to the degree that the Executive Branch is allowed by law.
YES!!
Thanks yet again, lin!
“The U.S., NATO, and Ukraine are not a threat to Russia, [Biden] said, and we have no beef with Russian citizens.”
An open, democratic Ukraine is no threat to Russia. An open, democratic Ukraine is a threat to Vladimir Putin, because it might well lead to an open, democratic Russia.
Letters from Ukraine
https://pen.org/letters-from-ukraine/
Thank you for the link.
From what I read, an open, free Ukraine, apart from Uncle Putin’s kind guidance, is the goal.
💔
This....."An open, democratic Ukraine is a threat to Vladimir Putin, because it might well lead to an open, democratic Russia."
I forget where I saw it, but there was an article on what is called "Finlandiszation", and it was proposed as something that Ukraine could consider. Finland is a member of the EU and they have embraced the Euro, but they are not a member of NATO (neither is Sweden). At one time, until just after WW I, Finland was a part of Russia. The article discussed how the Finns themselves prefer not to talk about this "Finlandization" because it can be perceived as a sign of weakness. In a sense, they seemingly appeased Russia by keeping them at bay by not making what could be seen as a direct threat by joining NATO. It is thought the Finns, in a way, were showing respect for their history with Russia by not antagonizing it. Russia, more than anything, does not want to directly border any country that is a member of NATO. Period. The Baltics (Lithuania, Estonia, and Latvia) are full-fledged NATO members, and have in essence, defied Russia's wishes. (However, apart of what possibly appeases Russia in this is that the Baltics are basically surrounded by Russia and don't border any other NATO country, save for a small border shared between NATO members Poland and Lithuania, and their western borders are the Baltic Sea.) Ukraine, along with Georgia, have expressed interest in joining both the EU and NATO, and even though NATO is not interested at all in military dominance or attacks, Russia still--in its Cold War, USSR mentality--perceives it as such. And like you said, Russia fears undue influence from a free and democratic Ukraine (and Georgia). It's being hemmed in by its old adversary and it is making an autocrat like Putin VERY uncomfortable. If Ukraine were to adopt a quasi-Finland-like status (no NATO membership and limited Eurozone privileges), it might keep Russia happy, but that's hard to say. Ukraine for a long time was called "the bread-basket of Russia/the USSR" because of its huge agricultural importance in providing Russia with wheat and foodstuffs. Russia doesn't want to lose that. The two countries' histories are inextricably linked, and it is logical Russia doesn't want to lose this vital part of its former empire. But Ukraine has embraced democracy and looked westward in a way that Russia did not, and that is proving to be a BIG sticking point. Putin has a lot at stake here, especially in the eyes of the Russian people. I still wonder how much of this military build-up is for show--elaborate and costly though it is--as a way to make a point with Russians. He also wants to show to the West that Russia is still an important force in the world. There are all kinds of things going on here!!
Bruce, thank you for your very thoughtful reply. I disagree with a few of your points.
"Russia, more than anything, does not want to directly border any country that is a member of NATO. Period." Putin certainly doesn't, but since, political dissent is a mortal risk in Russia, we don't really know what the Russian people honestly think about Ukraine and many other issues.
"And like you said, Russia fears undue influence from a free and democratic Ukraine..."
I said Putin fears an open and democratic Ukraine. I said in another post in the same thread that Putin and Russia are not interchangeable, though Putin may believe otherwise.
"Ukraine for a long time was called "the bread-basket of Russia/the USSR" because of its huge agricultural importance in providing Russia with wheat and foodstuffs. Russia doesn't want to lose that..." Putin doesn't want to lose control of that. The Russian people will have the same or maybe better access to Ukrainian grain under an open democratic Ukraine. They have to sell it to somebody.
This isn't about Russia, it's about Vladimir Putin, and his deep desire to re-establish the power of the former Soviet Union with him in control. Stalin is his hero and role model.
Plus, IMO, Putin’s goal in to rebuild/reunite the countries of the former USSR.
To be fair guys, it's not hard to imagine Russia seeing a US-allied Ukraine as a threat. How has the US reacted to Russian allies in our sphere?
I think think you’re confusing today’s Russia with the USSR during the hight of the Cold War. Also, Ukraine as a member of NATO is not the same as Ukraine with a separate military relationship with the US.
An independent Ukraine is a threat to Putin, not to Russia. The two are not interchangeable, in spite of what Putin may think.
Did yoi read this, Dave - from people who live there and know the inside story ...:
Letters from Ukraine
https://pen.org/letters-from-ukraine/
Precisely.
Biden is doing a great job drawing this country out of the abyss Trump dragged us into. And as. HCR so brilliantly points out (again!) he is leading us back to true prosperity by putting the people and the workers at the focus of his restoration politics. Onward!!!
Yet, as inflation continues to hurt American families and workers, Republicans boycotted a meeting of the Senate Banking and Housing Committee which was slated to vote on Biden’s nominee to the Fed. No vote could be taken because there was no quorum. Republicans demonstrating, once again, that they care not a whit for our country and it’s citizens, and do not intend to govern, only obstruct.
https://rollcall.com/2022/02/15/senate-banking-republicans-to-skip-vote-on-fed-nominees-to-protest-raskin/
The repubs will never stop attempting to sabotage Biden and our democracy. We must persist. Thank you for the link. And at least some MSM cover this truth. Some.
😡
"In all the chaos surrounding the former president, the actions today of the current president, Democrat Joe Biden, seem to be getting short shrift. This is unfortunate because they say a lot about his reorientation of the U.S. government.”
For this, I mostly blame the White House, leadership of the Democratic Party and all allies, for they apparently know nothing of the importance of framing. One of the key ingredients to frame issues is to always stay on the offensive with one's overarching frame. I don’t even seen a consistent frame from any Democratic Party leader! This is 1/2 heartbreaking and 1/2 agonizing to me.
This frame could be “Competency and compassion in leadership.” For example. Repeat again and again, and have every Democratic leader speak to competence. "Competency translates as maintaining steadfast attention and consistency to purpose, as in maintaining one’s vision on the end result,” Pres Biden could say. Have Senators repeat a similar refrain....
"Every successful person knows the value of steadfastness in their work and in relationships. Here, I remain steadfast to reach agreement with Mr Putin on what is best for Americans, and all Russians and people throughout the world. You can count on my steadfastness, to build a fresh, lasting relationship with Mr Putin.”
I would then expect Sen King to finally say something worthwhile, as simple as, “Jut like previous examples of airlifting safely more than 100,000 people out of Afghanistan and getting NATO to recently respond in unison, the President shows maturity and steadfastness ....”
In this case, compassion and competency along with related language must be a continuing thread SPOKEN BY LIBERALS AND ALLIES (were this the frame the Biden people and Dems wish to use) ..........
Is there anyone else on this board who understands the significance of framing, other than practically every conservative, and thankfully there are not many on this board ....
Very well stated, and absolutely true. Democrats and liberals are bad at messaging. We drone on too long when explaining what we did; we try to cram in too much nuance; we come up with incredibly damaging slogans like "Defund the police"; and we don't come up with bumper sticker slogans that grab people by the hair: "Fake News!" That slogan may be false, but it sold the Republican lie beautifully. And we never, ever attack Republicans as the lying cowards they are, in simple, brutal language.
How about applying your talents with some constructive suggestions?
I used to do that, and sent my suggestions to the Democratic National Committee. Not a peep in return. DNC appears committed to its strategy of over-talking and underselling everything, unfortunately. Maybe we should hire the nastiest and most effective GOP slogan writers and turn them loose for our side . . .
Rick Wilson of The Lincoln Project
Keep trying…competence is what we need and what everyone understands. Good things are getting done and our gov is moving in the right direction again with real confidence.
I agree, Keith, that our government is doing great things again. The problem is that you can't just do great things, you have to be seen as doing great things. That's where Democrats have traditionally fallen down: on taking credit for the great things we do in easy-to-digest slogans and memes.
I used to believe actions speak louder than words. Not so much in today's world.
I am seeing a great improvement in the technical and logistical support the Democratic Party is giving our candidates in Michigan. "Dr.Bob" Lorinser, Medical Officer for the Marquette Health Department, is running against incumbent seditionist Republican congressman, Jack lived-in-Louisiana -all-his-life Bergman. Dr. Bob's website is dynamite. His stand on the issues clear. His events at local restaurants all over our sprawling region are well advertised and linked to Act Blue. Feedback is prompt. Dr. Bob's messages Liberty and Honesty.
https://www.votedrbob.com/
Outstanding news! Now that's a savvy candidate who knows how to get things done in a 24/7/365 media environment.
In addition to working as a family physician fir 20 years, he served 10 years in the I.S. Diplomatic Corps in Iraq, Afghanistan and many more!
Thanks for the update, MaryPat. Dr. Bob rocks:)
We WILL get him elected!!
So excited!! We CAN get him elected!
William, So, so many of my letters/suggestions go unanswered.I’ll keep writing though…
Some time ago I wrote to my Portland newspaper, The Oregonian, and asked why there wasn’t more national news coverage. The answer was because it’s a local newspaper. Therefore, it seems the state of Oregon has to rely on TV and internet news! I also contacted Democrat national committee and told it I would no longer contribute until I saw some action. As William stated, “not a peep” was given.
The Oregonian used to be a flagship paper. It is now fishwrap paper. It is still better than what has become of the Eugene Register Guard (disguised Gatehouse publication). If we get 4 local stories it is a miracle, and many are written by the best photographer I know of.
Frankly, I am sick of the DNC. They pander to big business as much as the RNC but with less chutzpah. Money - too much of it - perverts.
Frederick has an excellent piece on "Democracy Capitalism" and framing the democratic party message that I think Heather's Herd may find really insightful
I will forward to you and Annette and Cathy for consideration. Thanks!
Frederick, you know that a lot of folks on this board understand framing. We can pressure the top--pass it on to DNC Chair Jaime Harrison:
@harrisonjaime
However, we seem to be not the only people underwhelmed with Harrison's performance:
https://www.nbcnews.com/politics/elections/dnc-chair-jaime-harrison-has-considered-early-exit-amid-white-n1288208
In the meantime, we can still take up oxygen by amplifying the benefits created by the Democrats and the Biden administration.
I am so underwhelmed by democratic lack of push back to republican idiocy that I cannot respond to their continuous request for money. I sincerely hope I will not regret this in the midterms or 2024. Donations to Georgia, Ohio and other races are compelling yet I feel dollars sent will be lost for nothing. Would donations to the DNC, Move On or Act Blue be more or less helpful? In 2020 the cause was obvious and I thought the dollars would be spent well.
I'm sending money to specific candidates; Val Demings among them.
Yup. Though occasionally Emily’s List. The alphabet soup of solicitations I receive is maddening.
Yes!
If our discretionary piggy banks aren't empty By November whatever remains in it will be worth a lot less if the R's steal Congress because we failed to adequately support our incumbents and candidates. ACTBLUE is a very effective power.
Agreed! Although Stacy Abrams still inspires hope.
Anna you and Ally house (Val Demmings) have the courage to light these names up. This how I see things: Gym Jordan = Synonym for Prurient. Demmings & Abrams are the antonym. Rough statement I know.
I donate to specific candidates through Act Blue. So far, Val Demings & Mark Kelly.
What if all the commenters to HCR began to share who/or what issue they are voting for with the idea of expecting intelligent fact based discussion by others...a type of brain-storming.
I will bet such discussions will become extremely valuable to others less able/inclined to do the research required for the critical thinking required for intelligent voting...
Where are the people who understand framing?
I read mostly critiques and complaints.
I suggest that the people on this board who understand framing begin to solely discuss framing in some capacity; such as a break-out group.
I have spent twenty years mulling over this issue. We are going to have to create the frames for liberalism - because NO ONE else is doing it
Two days ago I published a list of Biden's accomplishments here. Most were taken from Heather's posts, along with notes from watching live events like the National Mayors' Council, The Newark NJ panel that responded to lead pipe eradication, etc., Sadly, very little was extracted from the media. Readers expressed appreciation and suggested places I should send it. I published it here so everyone could take that ball and run with it, edit, add other events, post wherever you post. It is all good news and it is buried daily in comparatively worthless stuff about the former. I think we tend to have a deer in headlights response to anything he does. Way too much oxygen and it brings us all down to what Fred calls critiques and complaints. A simple list. Send it. Send it. Send it.
I had to go back to find it since it was posted after I had finished reading that day's LFAA. It was worth the trip. Thank you very much.
I’m writing about the use of consistent language, which we never do. I appreciate your effort Nancy, which I missed. I feel we are pointing to two separate specifics here. You have a list of accomplishments. OK. Good, I’d like to see that myself!
My point about framing is to use consistent language to get use to a particular goal.
In framing, my goal would be "Democracy Capitalism, where Democracy always guides our economy and capitalism. In order to ensure our basic promise of 'liberty and justice for all’” Use “democratic capitalism” when appropriate. I would NOT lead with that, because it sounds like I’m referring to a partisan party (democrats) controlling capitalism - no, I’m referring to Democracy and all promises therein to guide capitalism.
I’d love to see your list, Nancy, if you respond I’ll email to you my email address
(I hope it is all right to have reformatted and re-posted)
I'm sorry your President has disappointed you. Mine is a superhero. I started a list of his accomplishments -all in his first year! And there are so many more: Here are a few of the Biden administration's most outstanding achievements:
• American Rescue Plan
• Infrastructure bill- bipartisan
• Strengthen NATO Alliance
• Gathered allies to challenge Putin's aggression
• Ended 10-year Afghan War
• Reduced troops in Iraq
• Negotiations that begin with sanctions, not soldiers
• Rejoined WHO and Paris Climate Accord
• Jobless rate reduced by 2%
• Increased American jobs by 6 million 2021
• 5.7% economic growth in 2021
• Appointed the most diverse, highly qualified cabinet in U.S. history
• Reduced child poverty by 40%
• increased by 4 million # of Americans with healthcare
• vaccinated 210 million Americans.
• Provides access to daily White House Press conferences, speeches, panels and CDC updates on national t.v. White house.gov/live -genuine transparency
• Established a minimum international tax to end foreign tax shelters
• Formed a committee to address supply chain issues
• Created policies to increase renewable energy and energy efficiency
• Recruited Federal and military assistance to aid hospitals overwhelmed with Covid cases
• Made masks and at home tests available to all Americans
• Worked directly with American mayors to put funding for local initiatives to immediate use.
• Engaged Defense Production Act to buy more vaccines, worked with states to establish vaccine sites and Transportation to them; established vaccine centers in pharmacies across the country.
• This week, the entire city of Newark announced the eradication of all lead pipes. Amazing testimonies from citizens about the efficient, cost-free process.
Thanks for reposting this Ron. I’ll copy, post and save - let’s try to work this list into a competent frame -
I love "Democracy Capitalism, where Democracy Guides a Healthy Capitalism”
I’ll see what I can come up. Thx. again
Send it.
Many thanks to Nancy Morgan (who created the following list of Biden benefits), Ron Boyd (for reformatting) and Frederick (for "messaging" inspiration) - I posted this:
"My President is a Super Hero!!
Here is a list of Joe Biden's accomplishments, all in his first year! And there are so many more!
• American Rescue Plan
• Infrastructure bill- bipartisan
• Strengthen NATO Alliance
• Gathered allies to challenge Putin's aggression
• Ended 10-year Afghan War
• Reduced troops in Iraq
• Negotiations that begin with sanctions, not soldiers
• Rejoined WHO and Paris Climate Accord
• Jobless rate reduced by 2%
• Increased American jobs by 6 million 2021
• 5.7% economic growth in 2021
• Appointed the most diverse, highly qualified cabinet in U.S. history
• Reduced child poverty by 40%
• increased by 4 million # of Americans with healthcare
• vaccinated 210 million Americans.
• Provides access to daily White House Press conferences, speeches, panels and CDC updates on national t.v. White house.gov/live -genuine transparency
• Established a minimum international tax to end foreign tax shelters
• Formed a committee to address supply chain issues
• Created policies to increase renewable energy and energy efficiency
• Recruited Federal and military assistance to aid hospitals overwhelmed with Covid cases
• Made masks and at home tests available to all Americans
• Worked directly with American mayors to put funding for local initiatives to immediate use.
• Engaged Defense Production Act to buy more vaccines, worked with states to establish vaccine sites and Transportation to them; established vaccine centers in pharmacies across the country.
• This week, the entire city of Newark announced the eradication of all lead pipes. Amazing testimonies from citizens about the efficient, cost-free process.
Ellie, you have an actual address for Harrison for us folks who got kicked off of Twitter?
Oh my, Marlene, dare we ask what you did for that badge of honor?
DNC
430 South Capitol Street SE,
Washington, D.C. 20003
Happened to me too. I got kicked off Nov 1, 2020 for comparing chump to Hitler/Nazis in the 30’s. That was before legions more have done same.
I got kicked off youtube three years ago for, probably, the same. I have been saying it since 2016... but they would not tell me why I was banned.
Well, Ellie, since you asked...I said unsavory and possibly incendiary remarks about TFG and his family like how they should be hung, upside down, in the town square, and left there until the blood runs out of their bodies! My sister got banned too for saying that Kimberly Guilfoyle was a whore. :) :)
I'm with you, no doubt. No apologies, they had no apologies for their attempts to destroy the country.
When I was 10 years old (in 1948) I heard Harry Truman at a whistle stop in my home town. His message, in the 5 or 10 minutes at the stop was: "Democrats are the ones who work hard to make sure there are good jobs and good pay for regular people. Republicans care only about their own pocketbooks, not yours. So go out and vote, and make sure you vote for the Democrats on the ticket."
I believed it then, and absolutely know it to be true now. Good framing? Methinks so.
I love it, Carolyn.
Good jobs and good pay for regular people - and that is what Democracy can do for capitalism.
HST knew the republicans for what they were then - and now in spades. Love his “Socialism is the epithet they have hurled at every advance the people have made in the last 20 years.” Make that 90 years HST and it nails the greedy bastards.
Socialism. The word itself, is on a hair-trigger. Say it... you're toast.., burnt toast. It rhymes with Communism which is synonymous with Russia or China or N. Korea, all bad news as far as most regular people (voters) are concerned. Huh? Oh.., really, you want to enlighten the "regular voter" as to what it means? DO NOT Bother! It's bad. Got that? BAD. And, (un-admittedly) it was a factor causing a serious loss of votes for Bernie. Did you hear me? Now is not the time to attempt a re-education of the American Voter. Once more, DID you hear me? No? You lose/we lose/the bus is coming.
Terrific!
Framing and messaging are important. But no amount of better wordsmithing will change the minds of the Radical Right. Maybe it could sway some independents. Let's hope so. "Competency and Compassion" work for me. It perfectly encapsulates our world view.
The single factor that matters the most is election day turnout. That's it. Nothing else changes things. I believe there are more folks who are not haters than there are bigots.
While positive messaging is important, for sure, apathy is our enemy and positive messaging has it's limits in terms of disrupting couch potato routines.
I think it is possible that we need to scare Americans with the truth. Frighten them to the polls?
Bill, framing is NOT about changing “the minds of the Radical Right” Framing is simply saying what you mean and mean what you say.
Our focus must be to appeal to our base using language that can also appeal to people who are also liberal on various key issues, while also conservative on others. But we must forever give-up with attempts to appeal to people who simply disagree with us - because this delusion of moving to the "middle” will loose our base --- people who believe in governance and a democratic economy, for example.
I don't disagree. But how many Americans are left that need convincing? Turnout is the goal. Good messaging, for sure. But truth telling that scares us to the polls might help. Some good old fashioned anger at corruption and planetary destruction?
Well evidently, the “majority” in Virginia did not agree with whatever Terry McAuliffe was selling, and now VA has a right wing GOV and assorted “kooks” running the show for the next four years. First statewide loos in VA own more than a decade - and THAT too some doing to loose to a snake charmer selling ONLY to his base (school board scare tactics)
We have conservative to moderate Republican governors in VT, MD, and MA - first time in my 60+ years! In states that gave us Raskin, Kennedys, and Bernie Sanders and Patrick Leahy - we have conservative leadership!??
We must honor our Democracy by allowing it to reign in the destructive nature of greed and corruption rampant throughout our economy (capitalism). EVERYONE dislikes corporate abuse, but evidently Dems do not call it out - because I don’t consistently read about it here on HCR
We here must attempt to reach younger voters and I see framing as a way to do it. Outreach to local newspapers with the competency and compassion message will leave a mark but social media remains the method of choice for engagement for those under 50, for the most part.
I agree about reading out to younger people. However, it is still a worthy effort to reach elected officials - at the city and state level as well as beginning with staff at Congressional and Senator’s offices. WHEREVER there are people in positions of responsibility - and these tend to be older people, I feel.
BLAMMO.. ELECTION DAY TURNOUT. Bulls eye. Not to harp on it and distract from the valuable insight(s) HCR's lobster-boat brings home, but that's the horse that'll pull this wagon to the big house... NOTHING ELSE WILL. Where in the heck is the DNC?
Don't Think of an Elephant by George Lakoff is such a great book on this topic. I encourage everyone who is not already immersed in the subject to read it.
Agree. Even if you’ve read it before, it’s worth reading again! The section on finding common ground between all the different types of Democrats to get to a message all can agree on is particularly good.
Support a local book store of your choice: https://bookshop.org/books/the-all-new-don-t-think-of-an-elephant-know-your-values-and-frame-the-debate/9781603585941
I have Lakoff’s work consistently! He is brilliant - and I LOVE the metaphor of the family, and now have greater understanding from where people come who hold conservative views. Within my own family, as my peers who were raised in a very conservative household hold the ‘discipline, punishment’ view toward politics which is beheld by most conservatives ....
Thanks for bringing Lakoff into the conversation. Among the most cogent and intelligent voices of our generation.
I read his original and then the update. He makes it sound so simple, yet Dems do such a poor job!
While I agree with you, Frederick, the simpler the message the better. There are so many people who will not understand a nuanced explanation.
And THAT appears to be a big part of the problem! I'm concerned that to many of the vulnerable people (listening to the Rs rhetoric) nuanced means elite!! The Repubs scary title of the "other side" they blame in far too many cases. Pretty frustrating when the actual "elite" exists far more often with the Rs politicians.
exactly, has always been so, at least for the 60 years I have been paying attention
The freedom to tell simplified lies exploited by the RNC puts us at a disadvantage. Horrific lies, socialist pedophiles we all are. Lies are more visceral and engaging. Framing is all very well, but it's still comparatively boring.
or even a sensible one. Repubs jumped the shark years ago
We must maintain a simple overarching frame - and explaiit consistence in every day terms.
When Reagan attacked school teachers and labor unions, it was absolutely anathema UNTIL the conservative movement won over union member households because they appealed on VERY important social issues and appealed to these emotional and heart felt issues.
Lakoff frequently writes about our liberal’s lack of connectivity - more rules and regulations are NOT the way to win over people’s hearts.
and many of those issues they created, and lied about Dems all the way. Adlai said it best "if my republican friends will stop lying about Democrats, we will stop telling the truth about them.
True. Framing is key!
It really is. One of my pet peeves is when Democrats continue to use the phrase “tax relief” - a favorite of Republicans. Taxes are framed by Republicans as a bad thing that should be done away with, hence tax relief. In actuality, taxes are an investment in America and Americans that make everyday life better in all kinds of ways, now and in the future. Whether you think taxes are good or bad is all about how they are framed.
You’ve read Lakoff too, Lena? Great example! We simply haven’t stated something like “taxes are a membership payment for our freedom and liberty"
Yes, I’ve read Lakoff (recommended some time ago by another LFAA commenter). He really makes it easy to understand the importance of framing as well as getting into the thinking processes of people so you know how to frame things properly based on your goals. The family metaphor is spot on!
And yes, taxes are indeed a membership payment for our freedom and Liberty and everyone needs to pay their fair share!
Yup, and such phrases serve the r's well. They enamor their fan-base, as yet another example of the LibTard advance toward ""Socialism"". And, don't worry, Foh-nooze is 'on it' like stink on Stilton. Cheese lovers, pulease relax, I too like cheeses okay? I'd just prefer a beer and snax at Watkins Glen.
Do you have interest in framing Carla? What is your understanding of framing?
Yes, I have an interest in framing because as a Democrat I have been so frustrated with what I see as a lack of a cogent message being shared with voters from this Party. Jen Psaki is a stellar press secretary and she gets across the President's agenda so well (sharp, on point and makes me say "attagirl" every time). But, from the Party leaders? No. I thought Ed Rendell did a pretty good job of communicating a well-defined message. After Ed, I haven't seen a Democrat Party Chairperson step up, and tell the voters what we stand for in a consistent, thought-provoking way. It is a though the Party Chair has evaporated. "Defund the Police" set my hair on fire. What a lousy message! (My son is a police officer). Yes, I know what framing is and I hear my husband every day ask why the Democrats can't do better with getting across their message. Every. Day. Jon Meacham knows how to frame a message. Hire him! Pay him triple overtime.
I agree that "defund the police" was an unfortunate verbiage to use. People, especially black folks (and rightfully so) were enraged. We white people, who have not been confronted/harassed on a daily basis by police officers in their cities, finally got to see, in real time, a man losing his life right before our very eyes. This action made it really tough for the honest cops out there but we were finally awakened.
I certainly agree with you 100 % that the Dems messaging totally sucks and it always has. I watched Rick Wilson (from the Lincoln Project)give a lecture on the lousy messaging that the Democrats do. They could learn a lot from him and his cohorts since they were all once Republicans. They know exactly how to call out the opponents and if the Dems take their advice, we would see a lot of progression. Jon Meacham would be an excellent choice!
I so agree, Marlene.
Does "Build Back Better" qualify?
Focus commentary on the values and actions that are supporting our republic. "Competency and Values" --- seem pretty good too along with BBB.
It seems understandable, however as a member of this board, marketing is not my forte. Marketing via social media and attention to Framing by MSM seems to be based primarily agitating the audience for clicks and likes. This seems to the antithesis of Biden’s approach to an honest and ethical Administration that focuses in truth and transparency
Your point is taken, however how you suggest that Framing gather the clicks and likes the media use as their marketing model?
Framing is going to have to come from a small, consistent band of advocates who gather support and success stories at the local and state level - and find a few national allies, like Senators Sheldon Whitehouse and Sherrod Brown. Along with organizational allies - though leadership in these groups are trapped in the mindset that got them to leadership, in my experience.
Well sure, but how do you encourage “clucks and likes” from positive Framing when the model for clicks and likes is negativity and division?
Without the potential for dissension the Media necessarily ignores the messaging entirely, as we are currently witnessing. The media talking heads are becoming shills for the ad selling segment of the business
How do you reconcile that with Biden’s approach to normalize and unify? His “good news” doesn’t generate the clash needed
100% right, thought maybe they could pay Frank Luntz enough so that he might give a few pointers.
Very informative column. While the situation surrounding Ukraine & Russia continues to be tense, I have less stress than I would if the previous WH occupant were still in office. What we are watching (with more international players) reminds me of the JFK/Khrushchev tense standoff over the Cuban missile crisis. I also appreciate the straight-forward presentation of information by Biden. Again, so different than it would be if the other one were still in office.
As a side note, I just hope that anyone complaining about inflation is reminded of how not one Republican on the committee showed up today to vote on the 4 Biden nominees to the Federal Reserve - the place that could start addressing the inflation. Another day of The McConnell Two-Step Shuffle.
If the fat old traitor was in office, he'd be supplying Russia with the intelligence to invade Ukraine, and doing everything he could to screw up NATO.
Well, US intelligence still would not have known that Xi told Vladimir not to do anything on the ground before the Olympics were over.
Could be. Don't mess with my parade, old friend and comrade. Next week, ok. Then we can talk about your support for repatriating Taiwan. I
Rusty, Very informative comment! Particularly the no-show Republicans. That didn't get any air on the msm today, to my knowledge. We have to get better at publicity about stuff like that-- and you just did. Thanks!
The thing was, in the Cuban Missile Crisis, the government recognized the enemy. In today's world, half of the people in this country (GQP) have forgotten who the enemy is.
They didn't forget, propaganda overwhelmed their good sense. It always does
Tried to "heart" this!
If TFG were still in office, Ukraine would already be a Russian satellite territory (again) and Mr. Zelensky would be languishing in the cell down the corridor from Mr. Navalny.
Moscow Mitch will shuffle until the ground gives way; if chump were still in WH, it would be Helsinki all over again. Whatever Vlad wants….
I call him Cowardly Lion Mitch now.
The only thing McTurtleneck has done right is that he is behind Biden's "diplomacy" about Putin's eventual invasion of Ukraine.He said that today.
If the other one was still in office. And, the R party’s position on Russia, there would be no push back. Putin could march into Kyiv unmolested.
Yes, I am appreciating the comments and ideas here today.
Just imagine what his reaction would be if he won and Zelinsky DIDN’T help him with his Hunter Biden BS story?
Ya ya....ANY feigned respect (by Mr Z) or lack thereof, will be treated at the Gulag Kitchen (chamber-of-doom)..., baba...,babooom.
Good things keep rolling in and media focuses on telling us about Biden’s polls. Polls can be skewed in many directions. We don’t hear how broad the samples, how many loaded questions, how many pre-determined answers, etc., etc., etc.
We do hear these things if we look at the polls on FiveThirtyEight (formerly Nate Silver's website). That information is available, the polls listed and compared. The analysis shows--and it's very important that democracy-loving people see it--that the Republican party has been growing in popularity over the past year and is more popular now than Biden's party. I'm phone-banking or writing postcards or trying to organize former volunteers every day. There are reasons why people who voted for him think their president has let them down, but you might not realize it if you read (as I do!) HCR every night--unless you're working class or Black or a student or (tonight) a member of a military family, or among the 10s of millions without Obamacare and sickened by the carbon pollution of your segregated neighborhood: unless you're one of the people Biden isn't keeping his promises to. Prof. Richardson is a maestro at so much of what she does, that's why I read her every night, but seems to lose her judgment when it comes to this president, who's losing his base for *reasons*. I know I'll get jumped on, but I've been listening to people and hearing their problems in states all over the country, mostly Democrats, for months now: I beg you to wake up and get to work if you haven't already, persuading people to vote, vote in primaries, vote for state senators and county commissioners, attorneys general and school board members, the people who make this democracy and nation work--or, if we stay home feeling warm and cosy about the president, may doom it. I'm reporting from the field.
I want to tell such voters, use your 2022 vote to flip Biden the bird and Biden will still be president but with a Republican controlled Congress. So cut your nose to spite your face.
Your vote is not an opportunity to express your deeply held personal feelings - your heart, gut, or the voices in your head. Even if you have to hold your nose, your vote is an opportunity to strategically and tactically join hands in service of moving towards shared goals. Don't think sitting on your hands keeps them clean. In politics you don't always get what you want, you don't even get all you need - but you don't give up. You move towards a goal step by step.
I think what you are hearing is the crash of unreasonable expectations. But most people do not comprehend the structural limitations on the president in fulfilling the campaign platform agenda. And in Biden's case, not only united Republican obstructionism but the individual intransigence of a Manchin and a Sinema. Many believe 'if he meant it then he could get it done.' That magical thinking is fostered by many ideologues who know better. Especially on the left.
Racist right wing religious extremists worked for decades to achieve their goals of breaking down the Constitutional wall between church and state, gutting civil rights protections, expanding gun access, and overturning Roe vs Wade. Through it all they were a reliable Republican voting bloc and an incubator for Republican volunteers, candidates, and appointees. And despite all the damage and death, those polled and interviewed do not regret voting for Trump and taking control of the Supreme Court.
lin, I wish I could give you a thousand "likes/loves" for this post alone (but all your other ones are excellnt, as well). I try and and try to spread this concept of 'don't expect "instant gratification"; change through politics and legislation moves very slowly indeed', but still...the disappointed purists keep talking about giving Biden the boot. It makes me want to pull my hair out.
Yes, they won't see that it's not about Biden. It's the entire administration. Putting the entire Executive branch to work. Digging out and going forward. The progressive caucus totally gets this. More so than many so called progressives.
So called moderates Manchin and Sinema are clueless at best to the radical harm they've done. Complicit at worst. A photo of Sinema and Collins baldfacedly yucking it up in a Senate building elevator at the time of the big votes makes me think the latter.
Without a doubt in the world, they both know.....well, certainly Manchin knows very well the harm and chaos he's causing. Sinema is a dope whose sudden access to big donor money has clearly gone to her head, causing her to abandon everything she claimed to believe in prior to being appointed.
The purists want their unicorns and do not realize the gritty facts of how the business of governance is done.
❤️ since my iPad can’t simply like your comment again today.
Wish we could change Dem blue to gray, encompassing gray matter and gray area.
Racist right wing religious extremists + American corporations lin.
Both of these entties work in concert and the one with the real power is: American corporations.
The big money corporations have the power as long as they can manipulate the vote. Money funnel and court packer Opus Dei Federalist Society Leonard Leo personifies the nexus of big money and organized religion driving the schemes. Amy Coney Barrett was incubated for this moment of right wing ascendency.
Biden's drive to reconsider the dangers of monopolies and reform monopoly law is a major progressive structural step. Unfortunately the ideologue left is blinkered and clueless and too resentful to unite behind the Democrats.
I am left of Bernie. I can go one on one with those angry with the party. My list of frustrations is long and detailed. But my vote is not about me. It is strategic. And Democrats are my ticket.
Leonard Leo gives me shivers and makes me so damn angry!
How one man can personify all 'the bad' is a remarkable achievement. As John Milton said of Satan ruling in pandemonium (a Milton neologism which could describe the GOP party of nihilism) 'by merit raised to that bad eminence.'
❤️ this!
NO, what we're hearing is the rumbling of conservative propaganda/marketing campaigns undermining the foundations of the liberal agenda which comes undefended by the same caliber of marketing.
I have not been talking on the phones to the people you imagine. I have been talking to people you apparently can’t imagine. If you want to get them voting I suggest you start phonebanking too—and listen to what you hear, from people whose problems are real and deep. I listed only the problems Biden has the power to solve by executive action, and promised over and over—from a position of deep experience with a hostile Congress—that he would address. Why, I wonder, should politicians tell us their intentions in order to win our votes and then not be held to account for them? Do you just take demagoguery for granted?
I apologize. Your comment deserves a more considered response. I am not naive about politics or about government. Yes. Demagoguery is part of it. Compromise is part of it. But most importantly being committed to a 'long game' is an essential part of it. Keeping 'your eyes on the prize' is part of it.
Yes. I have canvassed the most downtrodden, disenfranchised, and down hearted people - the urban, suburban, and rural poor in several states. North Eastern, Midwestern, and MidAtlantic. Black and White. And groups in between. It is hard to make the case to someone living in her car. Someone just out of jail. Out of work. Out of options.
I will take the disillusioned any day. It need not be an end point leading to apathy or resentment.
Disillusionment is a good starting point. Illusions lead to unreal expectations. Like expecting Executive Orders rather than legislation to make meaningful structural change.
The young Black freedom fighters of the early civil rights movement were among the most down trodden and disenfranchised people in America. Black women have long been the heart and the backbone of the movement and of the Democratic party - despite their profound long term and immediate problems. They have also often been the the brains and strategists. They set out to make change and they do. But it is a never ending struggle. If they do not give up - who would defend giving up or demanding to be wooed and won.
We have a two party system. Work it smart and to your advantage. But you've got to be in the game long term.
Are you telling me I have to be in the game for the long term? I've been canvassing and organizing and fundraising and working on campaigns since 1968. I said nothing about not voting--haven't missed even a municipal election since I was 18--and the people I've talked to in various phone banks in 6 or 7 states over the last 6 months haven't said they won't vote either. I do think that people have a right to be disappointed when they feel they've been lied to or forgotten, and that I have a right and an obligation to report what I'm hearing in states from California to West Virginia.
Of course I am not talking about you. I appreciate your reporting and admire your work. ThankYou. Sincerely.
I am talking about the people we meet who may have very sound reasons for their frustration and the temptations they face to disengage.I apologize if I read into that a rejection of the Biden administration's efforts in specific, and participation in general.
But I do have nothing but contempt for privileged individuals such as Jill Stein and her enablers, for instance, who are self indulgent and non strategic at the expense of our most vulnerable neighbors, fragile planet, and destabilized democracy. And for those who are quick to throw up their hands and turn their backs on the Democratic party rather than working to reform it.
Without Sanders and Warren. Without the progressive caucus. Without serous and steadfast liberal Democrats in Congress. And without the diverse electorate which united around the Biden Harris agenda - this would be a more conservative administration at best and a second Trump administration at worst. We need to strengthen and expand the Democratic coalition. And I worry about a reversion to factions.
My view is informed almost entirely by decades of phone-banking and door knocking. In 2016 and 2020 almost full time for months.
I am just not naive about politics.
Dang it, lin! Can't "heart" your reply!! Manchenema must not see brighter days and the sooner they are put out to pasture, the better.
Hang on! - while the metaphorical buck stops at Biden's desk, there are an enormous number of staff, lobbyists etc, who are also helping steer the ship of State. But it sails in very difficult waters, think of the two rocks - Manchin and Sinema, plus a whole collection of sirens(Repubs), that he has to navigate past. I am amazed that he is succeeding.
Mr Spencer I listed only problems affecting American voters that Biden has the power to address with executive action, or failed to use the bully puppet to move, like the filibuster he was so attached to till it was too late.
Mary, is a goodly part of your message that the folks you talk to are not seeing Biden (the Democrats as a group) dealing with the things that they expect a leader to solve for them? Or, that what he and his administration are supposedly accomplishing is neither true or relevant to them? I often hear conversations from another universe, really detacted from the facts I think true and, worse, far removed from what actually needs to be done beneath the key indicators; their job security and dollars, what they pay at the pump for gas, how much bread costs, the rising cost of the things they expect available on the shelves from China, etc. I don't think it exclusively about message, but we'll about not caring what he does as that's stuff not important.
Hi Fred, are you phone banking too--is that where you're hearing "conversations from another universe"? The people I'm speaking of--adult American citizens, mostly Democrats and Independents, for the last 6 months in California, Virginia, Arizona, Delaware, Pennsylvania, Florida, NH and West Virginia--are not morons as some seem to assume. They're disappointed that Biden has not done what he could to follow up his campaign promises--in part by supporting the filibuster and caving to Manchin for so long that he lost the Build Back Better and Voting Rights bills (and thus the child credit, new green jobs in the ailing industrial and coal country of many swing states, help controlling the cost of their insulin and heart medicine, expansion of Medicaid, etc). They've watched the costs of gas, food and rent rising, seen him forget his promise to forgive tuition debt, and scratched their heads in vulnerable areas like Florida, California and Arizona when he came back from COP26 and next day launched an auction for drilling permits in 80 million acres of the Gulf waters--which the District Court for DC recently overturned as illegal. Young people were scared at that sign of his regressive climate politics. In general people were depressed by the "same old, same old." Families are still separated at the southern border, asylum seekers deported, Dreamers are still stateless. These things matter to real people.
I'm not saying Joe Biden is a demon, just answering your question about what the wide variety of voters I've talked to are disappointed about, and too weary in their disappointment to engage in politics. I try to suggest that the answer to despair is engaging with local and state politics, where among other things the security of November's and 2024's elections mostly lies. I hope everyone joins this effort!
Not so much phone banking, but listening to my fellow poll workers in the rural area in which we live. The stuff we are ruffling over doesn't even make it onto their plate of concerns or into how they feel about the issues of importance to them or even seem to have the same understanding how government works and what a single individual, Mr Biden for instance, has in his power to control. They continue to like the strong leader they saw Trump playing. And, after Tuesday's chattering with them, his roll seems to be as the figure to blame, not praise. Turnout for a school board primary was nearly 50% higher than typical February elections and really divided. Today's (2/17) NYT The Morning lead summary by Leonhart touched on what I am sensing as the great divide. His three reasons I think get at my sense of what is taking place. If true, we really are shouting truth into an empty theatre ... in perhaps not only rural areas.
https://messaging-custom-newsletters.nytimes.com/template/oakv2?campaign_id=9&emc=edit_nn_20220217&instance_id=53470&nl=the-morning&productCode=NN®i_id=79278305&segment_id=83041&te=1&uri=nyt%3A%2F%2Fnewsletter%2F262c18f8-f6a4-5c48-8ac9-b30c43a8365a&user_id=0cecef8c2dcc36c65ac2d66f95da2ebd
Had a hard time finding your post. Would have responded earlier.
Letters to the editor where I am blather Fox crap more than anything else. Propaganda works, especially on the vulnerable. Hardly fair to blame democrats for our circumstances when republicans have created our holy mess, deliberately. W/Dickie, the tea party and chump have had Rupert to spin their considerable disasters into Orwellian gold. So glad you are in the field, it’s the front line. I try from my 24/7 caregiver role, but we cannot blame Biden for not having a magic wand.
I disagree that Dr. Richardson loses her judgment regarding Biden. I think she is careful to highlight his accomplishments, because she sees the success of his administration as one of the last bulwarks to authoritarianism that we have left. These are not normal times.
Not normal by any measure whatsoever. Although republicans want it to be, normal political discourse, my arse…
https://projects.fivethirtyeight.com/polls/
Re: polling
Jill Lepore, history and critique of polling
http://www.newyorker.com/magazine/2015/11/16/politics-and-the-new-machine
https://www.newyorker.com/magazine/2020/03/09/the-problems-inherent-in-political-polling
Jill Lepore and Nate Silver on polling and democracy
https://www.wnycstudios.org/podcasts/otm/segments/polling-democracy-uneasy-relationship2
Thank you for posting these fascinating and important articles, lin. With average samplings of only a thousand now and knowing how expert the idjt’s followers are at creating false identities, it is more important than ever for the media to give the poll SAMPLING totals rather than imply all Americans, democrats or republicans had responded to a poll. Those kinds of headlines put the idjt in office.
I am on a panel for a major polling entity. Out of a perverse curiosity to how polling works.
Garbage in, garbage out. I once took a seminar in designing scientific experiments to maximize collecting useful data. It is not easy and takes self discipline to set the parameters. Try to do too much and get nothing. Each additional goal exponentially complicates the process.
On the panel, when I think the questions and answers are too poorly written, I will sometimes decline and tell them why. But I doubt they factor that in.
I’ve actually questioned the poll questions asked of me in a phone survey, telling the “impartial” interviewer why the questions were misleading and designed to get a predetermined response
She started to defend the questions and debate my position openly (gun control), she got agitated and hung up
I doubt my responses were used
I wasted 30 minutes of her time
Polls conducted by disreputable sources are propaganda tools only
Totally inept surveyor. Never argue. Here in Maine, Bloomberg Everytown hired a circle jerk in-crowd who forced such stupid scripts that volunteers, like me , just quit. The inept campaign contributed to sinking gun reform here and to solidifying the GOP vote.
Read a (paywall)story in Orlando Sentinel today with a poll showing Rep Val Demings (42%)behind Sen Rubio(49%).They did state the number polled at 625. I believe latest shows over 14 million reg Fl voters. Perspective !
A pollster did mention that an incumbent polling below 50% opens the door…Go, Val !!!
Interesting articles. Crowdpac is on to something by reversing the so-called algorithm that polls use. It’s not a bad idea but I am one who despises polls. I feel that the questions are always skewed and there’s a large margin of error. Where is their data on Manchenema?
Polls are often “dated” (as well as skewed) I think the Republicans lost enough people to the pandemic to make their sure thing bid not so sure. Especially in local races.
Let’s keep our collective fingers crossed!
the polls showed Hillary winning too.
Seems like the polls are often incorrect now.
In 2016 I volunteered doing voter outreach with my local Democratic committee for months before the primary. Once we had a candidate, I volunteered several days a week for Clinton. By early September I was unshakably certain Trump would win. The right was enthusiastically or not united behind him.
Clinton was running a totally incompetent campaign with no Electoral College strategy. Except for people just like her, no one was enthusiastic and many like myself even resentful. Her polls and PR worked against her. Too many necessary potential Democratic voters felt she could win without their vote - so they indulged in purity test sitting on their hands or following piper dreams and pied pipers. Or taking revenge for Bernie.
The pollsters, no matter Nate Silver's sophistication and self justifications, never saw it coming. In our Electoral College system the popular vote doesn't count. So work with the system and win.
Huh? Why attack Silver? He’s the one who kept telling us, based on his statistical analysis of the polls, that as you correctly intuited, Trump was going to win! And getting attacked for it by liberals who didn’t want it to be true.
Silver was too late to the game and later defended himself for predicting close to the popular vote - which is not the metric for winning the presidency.
From early Nov 2016:
Just last week, Nate Silver’s polls-only forecast gave Hillary Clinton an overwhelming 85 percent chance of winning. But as of Thursday morning, her odds have fallen down to 66.9 percent — suggesting that while Donald Trump is still the underdog, there’s a one-in-three shot he’ll end up the next president.
https://www.vox.com/2016/11/3/13147678/nate-silver-fivethirtyeight-trump-forecast
What a great deal of news there was today! Thank you, Heather, for sorting it all out for us with such meticulous attention and clarity.
I was especially riveted by President Biden's words to the American people:
“'This is about more than just Russia and Ukraine,' [Biden] said. 'It’s about standing for what we believe in, for the future we want for our world, for liberty…the right of countless countries to choose their own destiny, and the right of people to determine their own futures, for the principle that a country can’t change its neighbor’s borders by force. That’s our vision. And toward that end, I’m confident that vision, that freedom will prevail.'"
And of particular note is your highlighting of the fact that he serves and answers to us -- to the people. It warms the heart to hear a president place such value on that role.
I worry so about Navalny -- he will never come out of prison alive. He should never have returned to Russia. His fate is sealed by Putin, poor man.
Steven Donziger is back inside as well - for no apparent good reason - I have no doubt his life is on the line as well ... we are like ants at a picnic to global corporate entities ...............
Erin Brockovich wrote an opinion piece in The Guardian about Steven Donziger and his battle with Chevron over polluting the Amazon.
https://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2022/feb/08/chevron-amazon-ecuador-steven-donziger-erin-brockovich
I was just about to add that link here, Lena. Thanks for doing so. It's such an important read.
Thanks to both of you - I will check it out.
He just got out again yesterday. Is he back in? https://mobile.twitter.com/SDonziger/status/1493624310501679110?ref_src=twsrc%5Egoogle%7Ctwcamp%5Eserp%7Ctwgr%5Etweet
Wow, thank you Christy - this is good to hear - the email I got was on Sunday - so hopefully, Steven will be home for good now ... so sick of the dirty tricks!!!
Thanks so much, Christy! That's excellent news!
https://www.freedonziger.com/
https://donorbox.org/steve-donziger-legal-defense-7-3-2
I also worry about Navalny—he’s so brave like a sacrificial lamb.
Yes, I share your feelings about Navalny. If Russia does invade, along with all the costs to Ukraine, Russia will suffer as well. With body bags coming home, Putin won't want the people to even imagine him as someone they might eventually be able to turn to.
It's an ironic twist of fate that this eastern-European geopolitical crisis is offering America a more compelling focus of attention than the sordid story unfolding around the 1/6/21 House Special Committee's work. It would be comforting to me to know that the committee is aiming it's investigation squarely at TFG and his immediate entourage in light of the implications for the mid-terms and 2024 election cycle. From my viewpoint, they can take all the time in the world to track down every minor player in the story in multiple states, or fail to complete that aspect of the investigation altogether in deference to exposing the behind-the-scenes White House story behind the elections fraud and interference with the business of the House in certifying the election. I care a lot more about seeing TFG "locked up", either literally or figuratively, by shining the blinding light of scrutiny on what happened at the top of the food chain to instigate and direct this sad chapter in our nation's political history. I can only hope that there is a wisdom behind the committee's current focus as well as the DOJ's relative silence on the topic with respect to the former president and his immediate advisors culpability surrounding the election and its aftermath. Please, please tell us it's something other than a failure of political courage to pursue them relentlessly to submit to the call to appear before the congress. I care not one iota for any "respect for the office of the presidency" in failing to chase this gangster right into a cell-block as soon as humanly possible. Possibly however, allowing him to continue hanging himself by inches with his own outbursts is part of the strategy instead of clamping a gag on him through indictment and closed-door depositions, hearings, pre-trial discovery activities, if he even can in fact be gagged by anything short of a dish-towel.
Biden's continued visibility on the world stage regarding a crisis with real implications for the entire world is a wonderful antidote to the garbage that has been manufactured as "news" about the effectiveness of his efforts at governance on the domestic side of his agenda. And, to think that we can thank Putin himself for that opportunity... go figure!..
Yesterday on Nicole Wallace's show, there was speculation that the 1/6 committee is being quite smart in their work. They continue to show they know more than is publicly available, and that is worrisome to those who have been/will be subpoenaed. I believe the committee is zeroing ever closer to those highest on the food chain....like Giuliani. It is my deepest hope that there is coming a huge revelation that will blow the whole thing wide open.
Feb. 15, 2022: Today Glenn Kirschner talked about what Jamie Raskin just said: Trump is Guilty as Sin" & "Will Get His Comeuppance over the Jan 6th attack..." He also described Raskin as saying tfg is a "One man crime wave" during a recent Salon interview. I delightfully chew on this as some reassurance in these bizarre times. Anyway, good news is scarce and I highly respect Jamie for passing along some helpful information to The People.
Used toilet paper 🧻 would make a very good gag don’t you think, it would be more perfectly flavored for him than a dish-towel.
For President Trump, it’s all over but the shouting, and he’s going to jail… or should be, and most of that shouting will come from America’s self-anointed power brokers and the intellectual pygmies of today’s right, followed by our disgusting, illiterate white trash, the so-called Christian Right, the infamous white supremacists and misguided criminals and the millions of American Black hating fearful ignorant intolerant racists that decorate and warmly support today’s Republican Party, all 50 GOP members of the senate, in short, the unadulterated white scum of our deeply troubled racist nation.
Governor DeSantis and a few other racists and misguided political whores will slide into Trump’s loafers behind Gov. George C. Wallace, and they will rise to the top of the ugly brew that lubricates 70 million or so - as the 80 odd million Democrats fail to remember ugly George C. Wallace and the Dixiecrat fascists that were no better that today’s GOPAL… or far worse, as hanging was their method… and they got away with it for decades. President Biden, for his part, will continue to do his thing, and his energy is incredible… considering his multi-burden challenge and the vanishingly small Democrat majority and the polls on coming.
We are in trouble… as all know. Putin likes to keep us off balance, but we can do that all by ourselves.. we do not need Putin the lead our circus… or the freak show off the big tent.. where we spend ourselves waiting for the fat lady to sing, thinking we are at the opera when we are really just watching old reruns of The Lone Ranger … and The Shadow… on AM radio… on Sunday night… with Jack Benny and Rochester the only class… with Clark Kent in for relief.
Representative Jamie Raskin said today that TFG was guilty as sin and he would get his comeuppance…
Meanwhile Republicans are blocking Sarah Bloom-Raskin's appointment out of spite. In fact they boycotted a committee meeting covering a number of nominees for essential appointments.
https://www.washingtonpost.com/us-policy/2022/02/15/raskin-toomey-boycott-fed/
What freaking crybaby bullies they are.
Well that’s infuriating 🤬
As it is meant to be. Rather than 'let's come to consensus by reasoned debate of empirical evidence' the GOP goal is 'make a liberal cry.'
Just a coincidence that she's married to Jamie Raskin, of course. /s
I highly respect Raskin and I sure hope he’s right …
Unthinkable is essential reading. Rep. Jamie Raskin is the best of the lot… which isn’t saying much.
Whew. That is untrue and unfair. Please listen to CSpan from oldies like Patrick Leahy, Jim Clyburn, Hank Johnson, Bernie Sanders, Nancy Pelosi, and Angus King to newbies like AOC , Cori Bush, Hakeem Jeffries - and everyone in between like Sheldon Whitehouse, Mazie Hirano, Dick Durbin ... and too many too list here. Saying Jaimie Raskin is the best is saying a lot.
I’m also very fond of Katie Porter.
Yes! So glad you spotlight Katie Porter. As soon as I posted, her name popped into mind. Thanks.
Best book I've read in a while.
Yes, Trump is going down. But who knows what his fall will provoke. Beware of truck convoys mutating into something larger. The puppet masters of the Big Lie and Jan. 6 are still hard at work.
Big money funnel Leonard Leo will not be getting his hands or tassel loafers dirty on the road or insurrection. Nor will the Mercers et al. But they are responsible for the damage.
Truck convoys must be made to follow the rule of law. Otherwise more of the same.
I have a question out to several of my Fleecebook "friends" who are supporting these "convoys" and asking them to describe how disrupting commerce, blocking international borders and threatening violence is OK but protesting police killings of Black people is not. Crickets so far.
Beware of a bunch of fat, out of shape white dudes who eat Pringles and hot dogs and spend most of their time watching football when they are not on Facebook whining?
Sure, I am worried about them. Worried they are going to clog up our health care system wtih heart disease that is.
At the Emer Room and other clinics in the Veterans Administration.. "They" already are... Largely UN-vaxxed, mirroring the 'losers' you mentioned.
“Intellectual pigmies” — maybe intellectual deadheads might be more fitting.
Since I’m a Grateful Dead fan, I prefer pygmies.
Since the comparison is derogatory, I wonder if we could find an analogy that does not insult pygmies or fans of The Greatful Dead - or any of the 'little people' ...?
How about "despicable fascist scum"?
... maybe ... I was thinking "bobbleheads" - but then, since corporate entities now claim personhood some motherboard might take offense and retaliate ... I wonder if we'll ever evolve to a point where we can engage around our differences with mutual respect ... the art of harmony - a delicate dance indeed ....
Resolution on Civil Discourse
Adopted by Bellview Grange, Ashland, OR
February 7, 2022
Whereas the rule of law is the basis for civil society; and
whereas civil discourse is the basis for the rule of law; and
whereas recent public hearings at city council meetings and, in nearby counties, school boards, and other meetings have degenerated into disrespectful language and in some instances shoving, shouting, and veiled threats of violence; and
whereas school shootings, mass murder, targeted assassinations, threats, and hate speech are becoming more and more common, to the point where many people are beginning to accept them as inevitable or even normal;
Now therefore be it resolved that the assembled members of Bellview Grange #759 hereby declare:
1) As Grangers we aspire not to be part of “cancel culture” but rather “counsel culture,“ characterized by open and respectful conversational dialogue.
2) We renounce the use of violent metaphors, hate speech, and threats. Instead, we prefer life-affirming metaphors and well-grounded proposals that are consistent with the Grange‘s commitment to agriculture, gardening, nourishment, charity, kindness, and a sustainable way of life.
3) If and when we observe incidents or events, which appear to us to be inconsistent with our chosen code of conduct as members of the Grange, we will speak up in respectful ways and invite open and meaningful dialogue among those of differing points of view, according to the bylaws and procedures of the Grange community.
Will require getting rid of Rupert and his stable of scum
Hmmmm.., would that include those little lambs, errr..ah.., "Christians" joining the Church of Trump?
Perhaps Mental Maladroits would do...
Of course. Certainly well intended. But, we have slowly become enlightened regarding some of the terms we've been (strangely) accustomed to using. So, if I were sitting across from Patricia, I would have joked that I 'think' she meant 'pinheads'... or maybe 'dickheads' (a word never uttered by "people of Integrity") . I like Kathleen, and Carla. So, let's not unconsciously be flinging us "Dead" under that bus :):) ...there are known consequents for such.
Also in the news, the judge and jury both dismissed Sarah Palin's case against the NY Times for statements that were apparently incorrect and that Palin felt were damaging to her. The Times had corrected their report immediately, before Palin had complained. The court decided she had not proven intentional malignment by the Times.
The work of the January 6th committee that shows who supported for the insurrection and overturning the 2020 election should include FOX. This plus the obvious and continuing support given by FOX to the insurrectionists, to lies about the election being stolen, to the misinformation of those opposing all public health measures addressing covid19, to the blockade in Canada affecting our commerce, all demonstrates a pattern of knowable damage to our nation that far exceeds anything that can ce justified as free speech without malice towards our nation, the American people. FOX has been a knowing perpetrator of false, misleading and intentionally seditious material, far more destructive and damaging than anything printed or aired against any one person. We should find ways to seek damages against FOX just like Sandy Hook parents pursued against Remington.
David,
I agree, Rupert Murdoch should be under investigation for (everything). There is bound to be a mountain of dirt under his feet and the Justice Department should be digging away.
Dirt, skeletons, and beyond, oh my!
"Also in the news, the judge and jury both dismissed Sarah Palin's case against the NY Times for statements that were apparently incorrect and that Palin felt were damaging to her. The Times had corrected their report immediately, before Palin had complained. The court decided she had not proven intentional malignment by the Times."
Excellent news.
Thanks to Democratic voters, Biden is president, and four years of abuse from TFG should have come to an end. But the dangerous buffoon has kept it up, as if anyone can stand to hear any more. He even recently boasted about the size of the crowd at the insurrection. Yet very soon, he will be put under oath and deposed in connection with civil lawsuits, and he will have to emerge from the comfort of his habitual lying.
His businesses are in the first stages of utter collapse. Which goes to show, if he had sold off his holdings when he became president - as he should have, to avoid conflicts of interest -- he wouldn't have to sell assets at fire sale prices now. A delicious irony.
He's both angry and afraid. Standing there in front of Trump Tower, he's suddenly realized a shadow has fallen over him, and he's looked up to see the grand piano of karma that got pushed off the roof and is hurtling down straight at him.
Forget imprisoning him, just leave him moneyless and publicly exposed as a fraud, and let him just stand there... with any luck, the massive fatal myocardial infarction would happen within 30 minutes.
Here we go with the “grand piano of karma” falling off the roof again …. 😂😂
I’m a bit ashamed to admit, that karmic piano imagery doesn’t get old!
Not one bit. 🤭
I keep visualizing all of his loans being called in and his properties foreclosed on.
Biden's speech hit just the right notes. Clear, candid, and reassuring about America's intentions. Imagine for a moment what would be happening if Trump was in office. There would be no unified NATO front, no U.S. arms and other support for Ukraine, no threat of devastating sanctions against Russia, and Putin would have a green light to destroy the country and kill tens of thousands of its citizens. Trump would watch news reports with perhaps the same glee he watched the Jan. 6 insurrectionists storm the Capitol. And Europe would be left with a chilling question: how far west will Russian tanks and troops go?
The puppet would have been on board with Vlad, no doubt
It’s over at FOX FIX.
Even CNN will get it.
With the effective Lanny Davis Esq., looking on, the impressive young Representative AOC questioned Michael Dean Cohen, Esq., and he answered quickly, succinctly and honestly and buried his former client - a massively obese mafia boss with a bloated orange face and yellow hair.
The circus clown is done…
MAGA is busted.
Though connected at the waist, The New York Times was never wired… where the wiring was needed… till the brilliant Suzanne Craig received what came in the mail from the honest niece, and did the math… the inquiry will now move to the bankruptcy department.
Michael Dean Cohen’s was the first step -
AG’s James’ is close to the last.
Commercial bank loans will now be called… certain death to Trump - it’s a bit like what happened to Al Capone with his taxes… in Chicago. That went quickly… and the syndicated boss went to jail… with old Joe Kennedy watching.
Mozars USA - decision to dump Trump terminates the willingness in established accounting from certifying Trump numbers. No respectable firm will pick up this account.
For any bank… that terminates loans…
Loans in real estate have a clause that requires the CPA to approve an audit… and to certify that federal, state and local taxes and are up to snuff….
Mozars has just stated that years of audits and taxes are questionable. This is certain death to Trump et al.
No real estate concern can exist without huge footings, huge borrowed money… and the infamous willing complicit corrupt German bank will be swept into this whirlpool - and the whole damn mess will be sucked under… and drown… in liquidation.
This is a certainty. And it will happen quickly… with other banks calling in loans to the leading Trump banks…. Initiating a circular collapse and bankruptcies of subsidiaries… with the expected impact on family members… as those that serve this bastard jump ship.
Properties all over the Trump orbit will come on the market…
Trump Inc… is in liquidation. The mafia boss will have no friends.
This emperor has no clothes.
Kushner is kaput… and that marriage will dissolve.
Congratulations to Ed Pilkington and The Guardian.
Donald Trump’s legal woes threaten to engulf him as accountants abandon ship
https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2022/feb/15/donald-trump-mazars-accountants-legal-woes?CMP=Share_iOSApp_Other
One can only hope Trump's lifelong crime wave will now be cut to the quick and that he's left penniless and in prison for the rest of his days. May his entire crime family go down with him.
I think Sandy knows of which he speaks. tRump et al are f$%ked.
"Mozars has just stated that years of audits and taxes are questionable. "
So, why is the NY AG not going after Mozars? If Mozars was the key to Trump legitimacy, then, it seems to me that Mozars is in some ways more criminal than Trump because their JOB is to vette out the numbers provided by Trump.
Seems like Mozars is getting off after 30 years of overt, blatant lying.
I can't find it now, but something I read yesterday gave me the impression that Mazars is cooperating fully with the D.A.'s team and have turned over loads of documents pertaining to this matter, i.e. they have rolled over on the orange Mob boss.
I think maybe it has to do with the kind of preparation work they did. In a full audit they could go digging. However, in the prep work for tfg, they relied on info HE gave them (stupid).
That’s what a statement of financial position is. Statements of financial position aren’t prep work for anything, they’re a summary used by lenders and others to assess a borrower’s credit worthiness, especially for a closely held company like the TO. Where I think Mazar’s liability lies is that they absolutely should have known that the statements were unreliable. They were very clear that the statements did not follow GAAP, and that Trump himself was responsible for the numbers contained therein.
Smooth, KR! Thank you for edifying.
Ashley, I’m not an accountant! But I think I’ve understood their (fairly standard) letter, with some very non-standard caveats added on. George Conway has a fairly good explanation on his Twitter.
That is not what Mazars stated at all. A statement of financial position is nothing like an audit or a tax return.
Do you think he’ll be able to get 10 cents on the dollar for his properties? I doubt it, when the sharks that have the cash 💰 to make a deal look at the position he’s in, low ball offers are all he’s going to get. He will still be on the hook 🪝 to the Russians who have a habit of poisoning people that cross them. The moron had better be very careful about what he eats.
I appreciate this explanation from a world class financial expert, as I have no idea what to make of all of it. Thank you.
President Biden's executive order of July 9, 2021, “to promote the interests of American workers, businesses, and consumers,” sure slipped under my radar! I think it is the most important thing he has done because it gets to the very root of our problems which I believe are largely caused by income disparity. This does put President Biden in the ranks of Teddy Roosevelt in dealing with monopolies and working for the people. This needs to be a major message of his administration! Along with restoration of voting rights! We the People, all of us this time!
I just hope there is a William Taft around to actually do the busting and make it all happen.
Time for me to learn more about President Taft....
Reading about TR leads to Taft. Doris Kearns Goodwin writes extensively about Taft in this one.
https://www.simonandschuster.com/books/The-Bully-Pulpit/Doris-Kearns-Goodwin/9781416547877
But I found this - literally "Cliff Notes". TR to Taft
https://www.cliffsnotes.com/study-guides/history/us-history-ii/the-progressive-era-19001920/progressivism-roosevelt-and-taft
and then to Wilson - a "progressive" and a racist.
https://newrepublic.com/article/158356/woodrow-wilson-racism-princeton-university
Here's a President Taft factoid that many of you may not know of. I've seen it and it is truly a huge chair! http://www.insidesocal.com/davidallen/2017/10/16/tafts-tush/