"[Glenn Youngkin] won, largely thanks to the votes of non-college-educated white voters, 76% of whom backed him rather than McAuliffe."
I'm a retired construction/building trades worker. I spent my working life along side the non-college-educated white voter. Hell, I am one. How I became a far left progressive liberal Democrat is a story for another day. It made for some "energetic" political/historical discussions at work. I know all about the willful ignorance, the prideful stupidity, and the clinging to comfotable myths, all of which are re-enforced daily by various "news" outlets.
Democrats are not going to make a lot of inroads with NCEWV's without abandoning much of what we've gained in the last forty years. Stacey Abrams is our future. Leave the shrinking NCEWV demographic to the Republicans; it's all they have.
More importantly, all of this illustrates the fundamental importance of education as an essential pillar of a healthy democracy. Education is not a luxury; it's a necessity. This should be a permanent plank in the platform of the Democratic Party.
I’m really not in agreement that lack of education causes people to coalesce around Trump and Trumps in sheep’s clothing.
America is profoundly, irreconcilably split. That is an absolute rock solid, take it to the bank certainty.
Trump touched the dark places in tens of millions of American souls. He awoke and aroused those who hate and fear cities, hated a black President, hated the smug entitlement of Hillary Clinton, hated being preached to about climate, hated the speed with which the new economy had trashed their towns and workplaces. Above all they felt looked down upon by others whom they perceived to be riding a higher horse.
The podcast “S***Town” opened millions of eyes to present day life in the poorer regions of the South. The characters in this extraordinarily interesting true saga live lives bereft of meaning. Their expressed philosophy, uttered before they do anything illegal, dangerous or profoundly anti-social, is “Fuck it.” Meaning this will probably bite me in the ass, but I’m going to do it anyway. How much worse can my life get?
Those are the people Trump galvanized. They’d been waiting decades for someone to spit on those whom they perceived to be elites and Trump did that and then some.
They followed him and gradually the movement became larger and larger, spreading like wildfire, propelling Trump to an election win that shocked everybody, including those who felt they were just along for a good ride.
Trump became a god to many of them. They would criticize nothing he did, twisting every evil word and deed around until they could make it sound moral or at least, justified in the opportunity to give “the elites” another well-deserved kick.
The movement became a cult. It is now fully engraved in the psyche of half - give or take - of America. Their fealty is limitless. “I’d walk behind Trump and clean up his shit”, one proud to be a Trump serf declared to the media just before the 2020 election.
These people are not going away. Democrats are going to lose key elections to them if the candidate makes the slightest error. And so, McAuliffe last night.
But Democrats, when they are fully and fiercely engaged are going to win in unexpected places. Look at Georgia on January 5 for a case in point.
It’s exhausting, but every crucial election is going to be razor thin in the margin of victory or defeat until this fever breaks.
Does McAuliffe’s loss doom the Democrats in 2020? Not necessarily - the zeitgeist will be changed in some way we can’t predict at this moment. The Democrats may once again summon up fierce energy for yet another battle in this seemingly endless war.
The hot take from last night is going to be crystallized into truth if we are not careful. It’s already on CNN. Democrats lost because they are too progressive. They aren’t where the “people” are. Once again the myth of a centrist America has risen.
No. No. No. All of the policies in Biden’s soft infrastructure bill are wildly popular and inspiringly progressive. Poll after poll has said this. Yet the media is going to refit the centrist Democrat allegory, until progressive Democrats retreat - if they have their way.
Two things are certain. President Manchin woke up this morning feeling the wind behind his sails and he will be further persuaded not to yield an inch. It is to weep.
The other is, and I occasionally have made this point in the past, it’s way past time to arrest some people with name recognition.
I agree - its not lack of education - more lack of interest outside your own personal experiences - or not wanting to hear/see/read anything that you might not agree with.
Most telling, Trump 'touched the dark places' because the rigged economic system and the political not only didn't listen, 'they' didn't address the people's real problems in a major way.
Most fundamentally, Trump aroused TRIBALISM as no one else had.
“The art of tribal politics is that it shapes reality,” .... “Lies become truth and explain everything in simple terms.” And political struggles... “become a war between good and evil that demands unconditional support for the leader of the tribe. If you talk against your own camp you betray it and get expelled from the tribe.” (NY Times) See link below.
Did the Democrats abandon the unions (softly, softly, so that it took many a long time to wake up to it because Reagan and successors decimated them to the point that what was once a bastion of power in the Party became an embarrassing relic, a millstone virtually?
Or did the unions achieve so much that their members were (temporarily) vaulted into a clas where they had their own wealth to protect and saw the Republican Party as the more traditional vehicle for doing so?
I lived at this time in a GM city. That company and its subsidiaries dominated the economic landscape. The UAAw had done so well so long that it became hard to imagine what more they could want. So they were reduced to granting absurd requests, such as the right to one’s birthday off with pay.
There was an arrogance to that union, a sense that the emoyer had the corporation by the short and curlies. So strong was it that a culture of drinking in the GM parking lot after work, which eventually resulted in a traffic death caused by an intoxicated worker, became a major union-management battle.
The union lost humility and with that its soul, and eventually its relevance. Today that town begs GM to deliver it work.
Small wonder that Reagan’s astonishing act of bravura in firing air traffic controllers so wrong-footed the Democrats. And much, much worse was to come.
In the 70s, few recognized that pendulums eventually swing, and always from their greatest height.
To acquaint yourself a bit more about the history of labor unions in the USA, this article, 'State of the Unions' in The New Yorker provides a general idea and, importantly, a number of excellent books you may want to check out.
Dems messages have always been weak and some candidates are just terrible at getting their thoughts, their plans, across to people. The DNC must employ some of the awful tactics of the Repubs. I am not talking about deceit, thievery, or sex. Talking about some of the underhandedness that gets their candidates elected. It’s shitty but what’s good for the goose is good for the gander.
Forget the D. N. C. they are in bed with the same special interests the republicans are in bed with!!!
We have to face it folks, we live in a country that is governed by a VERY corrupt political system, an most of that corruption is in the way we fund and conduct our elections!!! And we had better do something about it pretty damn quick or we are SUNK…… in fact it is quite likely to late already…….. What we’re going to do about it now,,, I really don’t know, but to put it bluntly, I think we’re fucked,,, pardon my language,,,, but I see no sense in sugar coating it!!!
. We’ve got to somehow get behind a good progressive candidates and good progressive agenda……….
And yet the Dems have dropped the free comm college plank from the bill. The Dems are NOT in any way explaining themselves about these two big bills. They aren't explaining that comm college trains for the trades or for university requirements to transfer easily. I went that route (did all my gen ed courses at my local comm college and transfered to a state university) and it was cheaper in the long run. We need landscapers, chefs, CNAs & RNs, diesel mechanics ad infinitum!! Maybe some of these NCEWVs could become CEWVs, even if for a two-year AA or AS degree. But Dems are not pushing this education benefit. All the NCEWVs hear is that More Taxes will be needed to fund this program. Not the benefits. More missed opportunities you Dems in Washington. I'm frustrated at best.
I agree and would add that the Dems have not effectively communicated anything that is in this bill. Republicans are saying that the government is going to be monitoring everyone’s bank accounts. I pay a lot of attention to what’s happening with this bill and I am not sure if this is still in the bill, and if it is, what exactly it entails. Where is the Democratic communication to counter this Rep. narrative? Republicans are attacking child care and universal pre-school as the government deciding where your children can go to school to be indoctrinated. Dems need to counter this fear mongering with clear, constant messaging.
Democratic messaging in general is abysmal. Watching CSpan this morning I saw the Rep. guest refer continuously to “the American people” and the Democratic guest refer to “America”, one small example of the Dems penchant for abstractions. Additionally when the Dem. guest was questioned about policy, she spoke about what she was fighting for using “I” The Republican guest spoke about “we”, (Republicans) indicating throughout a strong, unified message.
Dems need to up their communication strategy and get people like Stacy Abrams out there constantly delivering a clear, pragmatic message that “the American people” can understand and relate to in their everyday lives.
Regardless of their message(s) Republicans, for decades, have been following a playbook that tells them the words and phrases to use with the media and the American People when discussing issues and answering question. They have been well schooled, consequently they message very well.
Your observation of the differences in language between the Democrat & Republican guests is significant - particularly impacts of I/we, America/American People. Democrats may have fantastic ideas and goals but they lack consistent, powerful, collaborative language and communication skills.
Old but true axiom: In general, it is much easier to disprove a hypothesis than prove it. Any number of supporting evidence helps raise our confidence in the stated hypothesis, however, it takes only a single set of evidence against the hypothesis to disprove it. In other words, Democrats have a far more difficult path trying to sell the American people on a plan when they can't prove the plan will help you, and you, and you.
Messaging for Democrats is inherently problematic. It would help enormously if they were 100% united in supporting their vision for America. All Republicans have to do is sit on the sideline taking cheap shots that are usually unprovable lies and half-truths.
Bottom line is, actions speak louder than words. Talk is cheap! Most people, right or wrong, ask what have you done for me lately? In a political squabble or war of words, most people just tune it out and become disengaged, hence a large number of no-shows come election time. That is my take on what happened in Virginia, for e.g.
Exactly on point! Perhaps Democrats should consult with a successful ad agency. The majority of people in this country would benefit greatly from democratic programs and ideas but if they don’t know what they are and how they help them, they will be oblivious. If the Republican playbook is not exposed in such a way that people understand how disastrous it is we will continue to have great inequality. Manchin and Sinema are disastrous for successfully passing Biden’s build back better plan and their actions will put democratic control, such as it is, in jeopardy.
Yes, and they can thank the Federalist Society for supplying that playbook. The Society gets ‘em young so that they can mold them into the deceitful humans they are.
lRepublicans are saying that the government is going to be monitoring everyone’s bank accounts. I pay a lot of attention to what’s happening with this bill and I am not sure if this is still in the bill, and if it is, what exactly it entails.
Gina, I don’t believe it is as I researched a little after mention by a Fox News watching friend. As I recall,the original proposal called for banks to report data on any accounts over $600(does seem low)so it could be compared to the account holder’s filing with IRS. Subsequent proposal raised the account amount considerably, maybe 10k ? but it still didn’t go.
Interestingly the same friend who complained was having an issue with the IRS double reporting on their end a big chunk of her unearned income, of course deposited into her bank account.
I emphatically agree with you. As a retired educator of special education for 35 years, all students hear is you aren't going college on those grades. Most of my students didn't have ability or inclination to attend a university, but they demonstrated hands-on skills, determination, and other quality skills that a community college or trades school or an apprenticeship would mold into a lifelong craft. With the college goals thrown at them for 12 years, many gave up and graduated with no bearings on what to strive for in life. We must provide some opportunities for the kids who just can't cut the university goals, and get them into well-paying skills. Community colleges are perfect for this.
Well said Ralph. Willful ignorance, “prideful stupidity, clinging to comfortable myths” and gleeful acceptance of bad behavior are contributing to a meltdown in democracy. Education is key along with the restoration of respect and logic.
Very true, but the problem is that the R's have been whole heartedly endorsing the DeVos concept of school vouchers (taking public education funds and giving them to private/religious schools and home schooler families-a chunk of cash for each child that participates) then after stealing that money then the legislature cut the public ed. monies even more. The Republican majority NH legislators did just that this year and totally disregarded public input that was very much opposed to the plan. In remote public hearings, 8000 opposed the school voucher plan and much fewer (less than 1000) supported it. The plan has not been studied as to actual cost effects and there is minimal oversight as to how it will be monitored. The public outcry was so strong that those legislators went so far as to hide the bill in the State budget (as was the "Divisive Concept" bill-i.e. no one can publicly discuss things like racism and implicit/systemic bias,) The expected result of the school voucher plan will be increased property taxes for poor towns. In NH, the public education monies aside from federal/state funds are mostly provided by property taxes, which was been deemed unconstitutional over 10 years ago. Of course the rich towns will very likely not have the increases in property taxes. Yeah, as you can guess, I live in NH.
I observe Retrumplicans for several years now inciting emotions in a group of people that do not want or are unable to learn that Retrumplicans' inciting topics, words, and phrases are mostly lies, distortions, and empty words. CRT is a prime example. Public schools do not teach this, and yet the phrase CRT is so frightening and stokes anger. It's that word "race" in the middle. Cancel culture, Dr. Seuss, white fragility, and those murderous, raping immigrants dripping in COVID at the southern border, George Soros, etc. are all meant to keep this group active. In other words a true "patriot" owns a gun, wears red, white, and blue clothing, carries a defiant flag, gives Dems the middle finger, believes a psychopath is a god, and screams about Brandon. Isn't it compelling that Drump never achieved higher than a short-lived 49% approval rating, and Biden has dropped to a similar level, yet Biden is a horrible president setting out to destroy America? Biden has never said a word about getting rid of everything while that was Drump's first direction to his Cabinet. And, it is verified that Drump uttered 42,000 plus lies during his four years while no one is keeping track of Biden's because mostly his mistruths are errors. I think I am frustrated because no one can really fight a delusional control over a minority of easily provoked people. Unless Democrats stoop low and take on similar tactics, we are doomed. But, I know that I would begin to reject this type of group dynamics if the Dems were to become this. I think at this point we desperately need Manchin to allow passage of voter rights and infrastructure in order for all to begin seeing the benefits this administration has to offer.
Great summary. The delusional control over these people defies logic. I struggle every day to stay optimistic that this segment of the population will join us in reality.
I agree. I also work among the NCEWV demographic (catchy acronym!), and I don't see much hope there for progressive governance. Better for Dems to work as hard as they can to forge a broad coalition of all underserved and under-represented people in this country, because I'm guessing that taken together they're the largest voter bloc out there. And I like to think EDUCATED white voters would be glad to join!
I belong to several local forums here on Salem on Facebook. One is Salem Progressives and frankly a lot of them are very naive. So I stuck my neck out and said that after the primaries they need to get behind all the D candidates even if they don't check all the boxes. One person did agree with me and one posted something that really made no sense. Thankfully, it looks like I will not have to hold my nose and vote for Kurt Schrader who is preferable to any radical far right seditionist wing nut. I haven't looked yet this am to see if anyone else has posted.
Ds should take note about the school issue which killed them in VA which is my estimation has taken a large step backwards and hopefully will regret it.
Education is certainly key and that’s why my second career was as an educator. However, our public school systems all over our country are in bad shape. I’ve been retired for over 5 years now and worked in an inner city middle school serving special education needs. I can’t imagine how difficult it would be to deal with the pandemic issues let alone having parents threaten administrators and teachers.
Yes, education is threatened.. We have to remember the pandemic is real. What the screaming groups of parents are doing at school board meeting is intimidating and bullying. Trying to stand up to other people in your face like that would take a lot of courage. Some school board members have it. Electing far right members who absolutely have no idea of what schools and school boards are for is a huge threat. And the public school system is vulnerable. The school boards and thus the curriculum should function in response to community standards and that does not limit that function to appeasing far right demands. Public schools are charged with bringing all students together for an equal education, not indoctrinating them with far right propaganda. Students are currently being used, weaponized, for the political needs of the far right. There has to be a pushback.
The school issue in Virginia was a killer. Parents do have a right to say what should be taught, but all parents, not just a screaming mob of far righters who don't follow science or the history curriculum.
McAuliffe also was relying on and resting on his past history. He offered nothing new; no real vision. As my old man would say, 'Never rest on your laurels."
We also need to remember that when state legislatures and the federal education department (late 1990s) began undermining teachers and turning our curriculum into a testing focus and blaming schools and teachers for lost test scores, things started to crumble with government and public support.
My very dear friend has a work/education history similar to yours. Like you, he is a liberal, progressive Democrat. He is also one of the most intelligent men I've ever known. Having a college education doesn't make a person intelligent - just look at the Hawley, Cruz, Kennedy, and other dummies who are busily grifting off our dime while they destroy our country. I don't consider their ability to thieve in broad daylight "intelligence" as much as I consider it pure evil. They have figured out how to control the minds of the NCEWVs - that's their only real attribute.
Ralph, I spent 29 years in the office of a construction, then construction management company which had its start as a masonry business. At the time, had no idea what anyone's politics were (this was pre-2004) but the men and, later, the women that worked as carpenters, masons, laborers were great people who worked hard (and still do). We had a really good local building trade organization. I watched the breakdown of OSHA during the pandemic (meat packing plants?) & remembered bringing on a Safety person of our own to deal with the jobsites in order to be aware of any violations, also to work with OSHA reps. What in the world happened? Education? absolutely, but I believe in building trades & the ability of young people to apprentice and have a good, meaningful way of making a living. I get kind of resentful, I guess, when I read & hear that the ONLY path to a good life is for everyone to get a college education. That IS the path for many - but not ALL. In the not too distant future, if we dont already, we will be without, carpenters, masons, plumbers, electricians - people to repair & maintain all these necessities of life! What then?
I agree. Education takes many forms, college is one of them. What is taught in primary, middle, and high school is the most important and that isn’t happening. That is what I meant about the importance of education. Apprenticeships are great. I did an apprenticeship as an electrician. I was on the facilities staff of a large, well-known state university. Many of the students would have been better off in a trade school/apprenticeship, but they weren’t interested. They all wanted to be dot com millionaires. Trade schools, union apprenticeships, contractors were begging.
I am the first male in my family to earn not just one degree, but two. We were farming folk. My brother is a retired truck driver, cross country, for 40 years. I am a retired business executive and ordained graduate seminarian. We get along just fine.
I personally believe that many of our colleges are vocational technical schools. An MBA is the journeyman equivalent to the "trades" & the MBA trade is business. I would like to see the college educated (& everyone else) be more all encompassing with history, humanities, philosophy & the sciences. We also need to embrace being life long learners.
I agree - and the all encompassing should start in grade school! Remember civics?? Sadly, it wasnt being taught when I was in school - dont remember mention of it at least. But possibly some of the teachings at that point were covered in social studies? I did learn the 3 branches of government - which, it appears, some of our elected "officials" did not!! How about that? And yes, life long learners is a good thing - why would it not be? It is possible for someone to change their opinion after learning or experiencing something different over a period of time. Well, some people anyhow.
Thank you. Well said! Very well said. I’m copying your post to read in the future when I need a dose of reality. Or when I’m angry with the Democratic establishment. They’ve been so dumb at candidate selection and messaging. ❤️🤍💙
My husband is a non college educated white Fox News watching Trump supporter. The mandates have hurt Democrats. But the social issues are really swaying them away from Dems. Parents want to control what their children learn and the Republicans pushing constantly the narrative that liberal Dems are going to teach CRT and include books in the reading list they don't like is really moving these whites away from Dems. We have to control the narrative and it doesn't seem that we've been able to do that. I can ignore my husband since there is no discussing with him but there are others who I feel would listen if Dems could get their talking points in place.
FACT: CRT has not been taught and is not being taught in secondary schools. Parents are not equipped to determine the correct curricula for teaching their children. Watching the outraged, enraged anti-learning vigilantes at school board meetings sickens me. Parents should be allowed to SUGGEST, but not run roughshod over school boards and teachers. The faux moral outrage poised in thuggish outrage and bullying simply achieves nothing and harms the students. As to the Dems, they are doing themselves in.
Since I am a "product of the fifties", I suspect my worldview is vastly different from most folk who post comments on this site. I had the blessing of graduating from a high school that was 2nd in academics in my state. And we had an awesome athletics program as well as free and open discussion in our "Problems of Democracy" course. I was a frequent debater and contributor in those discussions. I do not recall any level of rage, outrage, hatred or dissension as we must witness today.
I agree - so exactly WHEN are the Dems going to learn how to put talking points in place! The Repubs. have controlled the narratives for far too long & it appears the Dems just continue to believe they wont pull away the football again!!! (Charlie Brown) Manchin is doing exactly what we all knew he would - now he can blame the Va. loss on "people unhappy with Biden's legislation"?????????? Which isnt true - its another case of yet another politician (Dem) who didnt have "good talking points"! It appeared his sole talking point was Trump! Why in ?? wouldnt he have been prepared better? He seemed to be opening his mouth & jamming his foot in! As a former governor of that state - seems he should have known better.
Things I want to know: 1)How to deal with Fox News, the greatest Pied Piper that democracy has ever known, for its shameless manipulation of our country. When will we call racism for what it is rather than tip-toeing around "CRT" rhetoric, parent control of curricula, voter repression, et al? Acknowledge that NCEWVs are shills to Republicans. They are merely a tool to be used? That Reaganomics are grinding us down to a withering autocracy?
100% agree with that, Ralph. Public education is the common good. It’s why they are obsessed with controlling it and trying to privatize it completely. Critical Race Theory my foot…. Or boot.
McAuliffe failed, period. He was resting on his laurels, believing that his somewhat celebrated past would carry the day for him. McAuliffe is sympotamtic and emblematic of the crisis pervading the Democratic Party, locally and nationally. 2022 wil be the bellwether. 2024 may well be the knockout punch, putting Republican fascists in control across the land. Democrats think brain and overwhelm brawn. Not in today's political milieux.
Agreed 100%. When Hillary Clinton referred to Trump's supporters as "deplorables", I cringed. I might have agreed with her (which I did and do), but it is better to offend one's opponent; not their supporters. She effectively wrote off any fence sitters at that point.
As I recall, HRC said most of Trump’s supporters were hardworking people who had been left behind by rapid economic changes, others were something else I don’t recall, and the “rest are a bunch of deplorables.” She was taken completely out of context, even by her own party.
Seventy six percent of non college educated voters supported Youngkin, the Republican, in the Virginia race for Governor. 76%!
My late husband was a middle school shop teacher- yes they call it Industrial technology teacher now but shop teacher is what he called himself.
Glen ranted against the defunding of Industrial education that happened over his 30 year career because he understood that “his kids” would not likely graduate college. That they could, in fact, be good plumbers, carpenters and even wind turbine technicians and make good money that would support their families didn’t make much difference to his principal(s) nor to many school board members. Those folks wanted lower taxes so programs had to be cut. Music, Art, Theater and Industrial Tech were always on the chopping block and got smaller and smaller and smaller.
Looking at the results in Virginia makes me want to drill down in that white non college educated voter demographic and find out what they do or did for a living. The one thing I’m certain of is that the stories I would hear would include the idea that they feel entitled to all the toys and lifestyle “stuff” they see in the media - and they didn’t get it and someone else is responsible. They feel “left out,” and don’t want black and brown people taking their share through higher taxes. Climate crisis? Don’t you dare try to take away my big ass truck, or my boat/RV/weekends at NASCAR races. Yup, pretty certain we are talking racism and an abiding sense of entitlement- along with a huge streak of snobbery from highly educated white dems stupid enough to use the phrase deplorable. I voted for Clinton but that phrasing was the singular most tone deaf comment ever. They already feel left out so let’s insult them and push them off a cliff. So incredibly damaging!
Locally, we voted in three excellent school board members and turned away the anti vaxxer/anti mandates/defund education BS. The top vote getter was Sakawdin Mohamed, a Somali-born man, Muslim, with a career in public service and six kids in the district. Yes!
I love my little bubble of democracy. How the hell do we make it so appealing that we can expand and replicate it in places like Outstate Virginia?
The next generation understands, I believe. I’m a adjunct instructor at a local nursing school in a solidly red Christian town in Michigan. My students are in their 20s and are all solidly democratic. Environment is their biggest issue, pandemic issues (pro-vaccine, pro mask) even more so than single payer healthcare. They are pissed. It will be interesting to hear what they have to say about this election. I think we need to do more to mobilize this age group.
From what I can tell they are mostly even year voters. Michigan did not have any controversial measures that effected our part of the state, so as busy nursing students I suspect they didn’t make it to the polls yesterday. But voting/holding office to take control of the country after boomers messed everything up is a constant theme.
This is exactly why it is so important to have both early voting and mail voting. Many people have been effectively disenfranchised because they work jobs and schedules which do not allow for Tuesday voting and have no paid voting time.
Agree! An online/mail in voting system would be ideal for this group I think. They do everything online. They all take notes on their iPads. We communicate via Blackboard and texts. I see those long lines of people quad up to vote and find them heartening, and at the same time I think “voter suppression”. The voter rights and the infrastructure bills absolutely must get done!
I was just wondering about this as Kornacki was talking about the Republicans largely vote in person on Election Day and Dems tend to vote absentee or early. I have always fallen in the latter group because of my work schedule. What does this tell us about Republicans and work?
I am a boomer. I respectfully request you do some serious homework on what things you take for granted today that are the result of political action by boomers.
Barbara, I too am a boomer and take great umbrage at that whole blame game the young people play. And then to be "too busy" to not vote--pathetic. To have a better country, be a better citizen ALL THE TIME, not just when it suits your schedule. All politics is local, pay attention. Boomers did NOT mess everything up but it's so easy for them to blame us, n'est pas?
Easy now, I’m just sharing my observations after listening to my students’ thoughts and opinions during leadership discussions. My role as an instructor is to facilitate a discussion on leadership, not influence political opinion/activism. Please reread my original post. And yes, I think they were probably too busy to vote this last election or perhaps the motivation was not there as there were no controversial issues on the ballot in our part of the state.
They need to vote and stop blaming other generations for what is wrong. It really is that simple.
We raised families and worked. And voted.
People find the time to do what they really want to do. The motivation is that we live in a Democracy and the right to a free and fair election is precious. No important issues?!
“Looking at the results in Virginia makes me want to drill down in that white non college educated voter demographic and find out what they do or did for a living.”
"America is[not]back" and I'm sure Biden understands this in his bones, because the Bush and Trump Administrations-in particular-mangled domestic and foreign policy.
Frankly, I don't want an America that constantly militarily interferes when other countries choose other paths.
Throughout the 20th and 21st Centuries American administrations have wreaked havoc in nations where policy goals have clashed, like Central and South America, the Middle East, and etcetera.
I'm not an isolationist, but if Democrats don't respond more proactively to the assault on voting rights, climate change (and other rights) at home, other nations will begin to chart their own paths (which some have already done and more will do).
Succesive U.S. governments haven't treated our own population with the dignity we deserve (and other nations see this), so why does our government just assume other countries will tow the U.S. government's line?
If folks have ideas for “how” Democrats (I’m assuming you mean elected officials) can respond more proactivelyI wish they would share them here so I could share them. It looks to me like the propaganda continues to win minds and fill hearts with venom and voters are the ones controlling the strings. It’s unfathomable in my mind this morning that so many US voters want an authoritarian state. Our MSM isn’t much better than Fox at this point. It’s extremely disheartening. We have to vote for more “liberals”. Where was the outrage at civil rights being stripped in Virginia? Or New Jersey? It’s not happening.
Christy, I am extremely disheartened that my state decided to fall back in line with Trumpism with a governor who touts many of the same thoughts his mentor Trump does. Biden hasn't even been in office a year yet and the voters in VA decided to glom on to what they see as a shiny star who has nothing but promises that will not turn out well for the middle and lower classes. I just can't understand why people are so short-sighted and forget the lessons of four years of Trump so easily. In my field, a large part of what we rely on from project to project is our Lessons Learned. Apparently, much of the country, and the state of Virginia, doesn't understand what that means.
Exactly. I, for one, do not believe the sky has fallen. I think McAullif was an uninteresting/disinterested candidate, who rested on his laurels and did not do his homework. Stuff happens. It is not the end of the world, but maybe the end of old school Dems. I take heart in the down-ballot Democratic winners who seem to be multi-dimensional people with convictions and goals.
I agree with you. McAuliffe appeared to run a half-hearted campaign perhaps thinking he was "entitled" to the Blue State win. (I call this the "Clinton2016 syndrome). At the end of the day Youngkin was more hungry than McAuliffe.
The media is playing the sky is falling. There were some wins as well. And the Democrats sure need to come up with some fresh faces that are vigorous and hungry to win.
Would love a Stacy Abrams to vote for, yet the opposing party had no problem at all voting for lousy candidates. Dems have long had majority support for their policies but so many of them have a purity test when it comes to the candidate running that we lose out on all the good stuff on the party platform
I may be confused Frederick, I’m asking how our elected officials can respond more proactively. I understand your comment to be about voters, which was my point. Voters must elect more liberals. Yes we need better choices. More Stacy Abrams would be great. But how do we identify the stars and lift them up?
Good question, Christy. Thoughtful and probing. imho. And, imho ...>
1) Personally. Get to know your officials. Donate. Call them. Go to their events. 2) Dems Groups. Join the local and county Dems group. 3) Interest groups. Get involved. In Maine, we have TWO very big referenda next year, hopefully. We’re collecting signatures now thru Jan 15:
a) Medicare for All for Maine, to create a statewide universal medical plan
b) People Power, to establish a PUBLIC utility for Maine (not privately owned)
* Get involved in a solid progressive citizens group.
btw, where do you live Christie? Do you interest in framing, Christie? The ‘art’ of creating a dynamic vision, through simple language, that creates a context for progressive thinkers, to be successful. A BIG task!
Cincinnati elected its first Asian American mayor, Aftab Pureval. His father was born in India and mother was born in Tibet. Cincinnati also elected majority of Democrats to City Council. I'm optimistic for our future. Dems ran a good slate.
I agree. Virginia has a history of flipping governorship in off years. I can't control it and I refuse to succumb to "conventional wisdom" and doom from too many sources. So I'm going to focus on what's going on in my own front yard, which to me is pretty positive.
I wonder how a large American city actually elects any conservatives to it city council. I know SW Ohio is conservative, but in its major city? Do tell, if you would like
Cincinnati/Hamilton County have been blue since about 2008. The City had mostly Democrats but the County was mostly Republican (had been for decades). Hamilton County Democratic Party has done an outstanding job of flipping county offices, commissioners, and judges from red to blue in the past few years. In fact our new mayor, Aftab Pureval, was the first Democrat elected to Clerk of Courts in I don't know how many years. I subscribe to the Cincinnati Business Courier, which is one of the best publications I've seen anywhere. Their coverage of the campaign and candidates was informative and fair. They had an article today about how Hamilton County was building a Dem machine. It's very exciting to live in this environment.
Thanks Kathleen. Hopefully this portends good thing for Tim ryan in the open OH Senate seat! I feel a kinship for Cincinnati, because I’m from Pittsburgh, which always seemed like an 'older brother’ to Cinci. I’ve followed the Pirates since the 1960s, and always loved the rivalry with the Reds, Big Red Machine. Time now for a Big Blue Machine! And of corse the Steelers have owned Bengals since the 1970s; well, times are about to change with the Bengals ... but Cincinnati and Pittsburgh and other urban areas seem to be experiencing the “blue-ing” of the counties, but beyond them is sometimes rabidly conservative. I wonder how much effect the Kentucky suburbs have on Cinci? I think of the suburban moms, who are turning more democratic. Is this happening in the Ohio suburbs of Cinci. There seems to be some kind of a red barrier at a certain miles from downtown Pittsburgh, where we have Congressional Republicans who do not acknowledge Biden as Pres. Ahhh, but Tim Ryan has the persona to appeal to them, don’t you think?
I'd love to visit Pittsburgh. I've heard such wonderful things! We used to have cable cars on Inclines to our 7 hills and I hear Pittsburgh still has 2 of them operating. I have affection for the Pirates because the first baseball game I saw was at Candlestick Park in San Francisco when the Giants played the Pirates back in 1960. Roberto Clemente lead off with a triple. I'll never forget that game after all these years. And I'm enough of a contrarian to like the Steelers even though I'm not a big football fan. My grandson graduated from Lennard High School with Diontae Johnson. He was also on the football team but mostly rode the bench. He is still friends with Diontae and says he's a very cool guy.
Regarding politics in Cincinnati's surrounding suburbs/exurbs it's a mixed bag. Kate Schroeder (Dem) ran against Steve Chabot in Ohio1. Thanks to gerrymandering she lost Warren County but won Hamilton County but Warren County killed her bid. I understand a suburban school district elected a decent school board (I don't know if they run on party affiliation). In addition to Warren County we are also bordered alongside Clermont and Butler counties and they're still pretty rabidly red. I've heard Butler County is getting a tad better (John Boehner's home county). But the more rural bordering counties are still bad. I have a gut feeling Ryan may have a shot because he's got that scrappy Irish Catholic working class kid thing going for him. At this point it looks like the Rethugs are imploding with Vance and Mandel trying to out crazy each other. But Ohio Republicans always manage to pull a rabid racist rabbit out of the hat at the last minute to get their voters out so we'll see. Hamilton and Franklin (Columbus) Counties are the most reliably blue. I've heard Cuyahoga and the other northern counties are struggling but I don't know that for a fact. It will be interesting!
I did learn something interesting from Twitter this morning, which was that Republicans fielded some of the rabid right wing candidates to run for school board in our red rural counties. Many of those candidates lost (I don't have exact numbers). I thought that was great news!
Yea! I like your feeling of “that scrappy Irish Catholic kid” as the Repugs try to out-crazy one another. So, according to the fiction writer running for the US Senate, the problem ion the world are ... THE school teachers! I’d love to spend a couple months win northwestern suburban Pittsburgh, a few miles east of Youngstown, where I can be a grunt worker to turn two Senate seats and one US House seat blue in the Pittsburgh suburbs. Besides being absolutely gorgeous, with the three rivers, steep hills and hundreds of bridges, the city has so many creatives - and ALL that dough from the robber barons, and their foundations doing very good things, like the Buhls, Mellons, Carnegies, and Fricks, as well as as the Heinz family
Kathleen, ahhh, being introduced to the national pastime with Roberto Clemente and Willie Mays, in San Francisco during the beat era, 1960 - the magical year of the Mazeroski home run to WIN the World Series for the Pirates!
"The best argument against democracy is a five minute conversation with the average voter." - Winston Churchill
I think tonight pretty much demonstrated the truth of Churchill's observation. The average American has never been 1,000 miles from where they were born, and has no actual clue there is a world out there. And as I have made my way through the average Americans during my time on the planet, I have come to the realization that people like those who gather here are a pretty distinct minority. Thank goodness they exist, and that I have been able to spend a very active life with a very minimal contact with the average Americans while I spend my time with the descendants of the 5% of the apes in Africa who didn't "descend from the trees" - they were pushed.
There's a lot to be said about the "Grand Tour" that English young men took way back when. I've lived in a few mostly west coast places & even that has been eye opening.
‘If a nation expects to be ignorant and free, in a state of civilization, it expects what never was and never will be.’
Thomas Jefferson, 1816
The news clip you cited, Beth, of the 'average' American voter being asked about Critical Race Theory (CRT) a subject frequently raised, misrepresented and derided by Republican politicians was a perfect nugget. The voter answered several times in words to the effect, 'I don't know anything about it, but I'm against it'. How is that for Republican propaganda and an example of America's easily indoctrinated citizenry?
Yes, I saw that yesterday. It's more than being brainwashed. Anyone that man's age saying, "I don't know what it is but I'm against it", has likely made a lot of very poor decisions throughout life simply because he is so incurious he refuses to dig in and educate himself. Now, in the 21st century, it's easy to learn about anything – the internet is at our fingertips 24/7. Even Wikipedia, which isn't always the best resource, can be a good starting point as it frequently provides further resources in the bibliography. As the saying goes, "Google* is your friend."
I do think this country has a responsibility, though, to take the microphones away from all the liars. People are busy. People work for a living. People go to church. People aren't bad because they didn't read the play by play in the Washington Post on the January 6th insurrection, or the college thesis on Critical Race Theory. They listen to folks like themselves who they trust, or to charismatic leaders and broadcasters who persuade them. Putin, along with other foreign and national oligarchs, have fed the airwaves and internet and church lecterns with crap, dressed up in Sunday suits. Enough. If not a resurrection of The Fairness Doctrine, we need an ascension of The Truth.
We absolutely need the resurrection of the Fairness Doctrine. Period. Here's the thing about people being busy: No, people aren't bad because they don't read the play by play in WaPo, however, that's not where you're going to get a straightforward definition of CRT or much else, like the definition of socialism or communism. It's not necessary to read a college thesis on CRT to learn that it is not taught in K-12. Googling CRT and reading the Wikipedia entry is not going to gobble up too much of someone's time ESPECIALLY if it's something that is driving votes for or against a candidate. And that's the problem – people who don't research issues don't vote the issues or policies they vote party. I'm sorry, being "busy" is not an excuse for being poorly informed and remaining willfully ignorant. Saying ,"I don't know what it is but I don't like it", is someone being willfully ignorant and proud of it.
We all function within echo chambers. Some echo chambers are filled with curious, interested and compassionate people. Some echo chambers are filled with nitwits. This is an echo chamber of the first sort. We're lucky.
Yes, I agree, but Republican messaging, targeting emotions, is effective. Dems need to learn from this. They use fear and anger. Dems could use caring, love, hope, pride, inspiration or any other positive emotions.
When I say “They use fear and anger”, I’m referring to Republicans. Rereading this I see it’s unclear. My main point is Dems need to sell their programs using emotion rather than wonky, abstract argument.
Here you go, Lynell, and progressive Virginians, and people supporting progressive Virginians, and people supporting progressive people everywhere--from Robert Hubbell's letter of 11/02/2021 on hardening our resolve:
"I understand the angst and the disappointment, but if the losses materialize, the lesson is that we must do more, not less. We must increase our commitment and harden our resolve, not retreat in pity or fear. If you need a day or two to feel bad, that’s fine. But if the people reading this newsletter aren’t willing to take a loss, pick themselves up, and fight even harder, then we are lost. Whatever happens, we can’t panic. Indeed, if there is a pattern to the losses that can help us change the outcome in future elections, we are fortunate to have Virginia as a wake-up call.
My favorite email tonight is the following from a reader who is writing postcards even as she watches the dismal election returns:
'These losses are discouraging, but I'm maintaining my faith in our Democracy! Losses will happen, but it only means we have to work even harder. I'm prepared for the fact that the media is going to be all over this, regardless of how all of the races turn out, saying that it's a sign that Biden's Presidency is doomed. But that's wrong - He has 3+ years to achieve his goals, This is a marathon, not a sprint. Now we know what we have to do in 2022 and 2024. These handful of elections happening in an odd number year, with predictably dismal turnout, cannot be used to judge how well Biden is doing.
I won't listen to the naysayers, I plan to just keep writing postcards, and anything else I can do, to get this big ship pushed around in the right direction. It takes time to right the course, but we'll do it, we have to.'
There is no doubt that Democrats will prevail over time. It is inevitable. Republicans are attempting to perpetuate minority rule with a minority that is shrinking and will continue to do so. Our job is to hold the fort long enough for the inevitable change to become permanent.
The next few days may be difficult. They will pass. We cannot dwell on losses; we have much work to do and cannot tarry. If you can, be a source of strength and inspiration for others who are struggling to remain positive. The democracy you save may be your own!"
Worker-bees are an essential part - the heart of soul of Democracy. Robert Hubbell is encouraging the heart - the pump - to keep running as you are, Ellie. What of the Democratic Party? What about its organization? Who is talking to the American people? What' is the message? What is there to feel good about? Where are the voices in states around the country to be the voices, the chorus singing the song of what Biden has already accomplished and what is ahead:
* investment in children and caregiving - save most American families more than half of their spending on child care - deliver two years of free preschool for every 3- and 4-year-old in America - give more than 35 million families a major tax cut by extending the expanded Child Tax Credit - expand access to high-quality home care for older Americans and people with disabilities - cut greenhouse gas pollution by well over one gigaton in 2030, reduce consumer energy costs - give our kids cleaner air and water -create hundreds of thousands of high-quality jobs - investing in a 21st century clean energy economy – from buildings, transportation, industry, electricity, and agriculture to climate smart practices across our lands and waters - biggest expansion of affordable health care coverage in a decade - reduce premiums for more than 9 million Americans - extending the expanded Premium Tax Credit - deliver health care coverage to up to 4 million uninsured people - help older Americans access affordable hearing care by expanding Medicare ...
Biden cannot be alone is selling THE BUILD BACK BETTER PLAN. It represents AMERICA for the AMERICAN PEOPLE. We need representatives around the country to sing that song.
Thank You Fern! I keep thinking about what HCR said about Harriet Beecher Stowe writing "Uncle Tom's Cabin" to reach the hearts of white women to get them to stop slavery and practices like separating negro children from their mothers. My neighbor, a history teacher, says President Lincoln said to her, in 1862 when introduced, "“So this is the little lady who made this big war.” And there are other woman who have literally made a world of difference by sitting back and thinking, "What can I do, that will get at the heart of this injustice and change minds?" Can we write a new "Common Sense" pamplet ala Thomas Paine? A National Quilting Bee? Something to bring The Truth and end the big-oted lie.
As sisters MaryPat, along with our brothers, we need a People's Party (lobby) to influence the Democratic Party, Independents, willing Republicans and the President to serve the people. We need to have new tools, which will enable us to be more powerful and influential. Enemies of the People have captured levers of government, which is destroying democracy.
When Biden originally presented the $6-trillion BBB plan, he received broad and deep acclaim. It was bold and progressive and the Democratic faithful were ecstatic. So many were saying that they knew this was the Biden they voted for and isn't he a great leader. And, then ....
Plop, followed by more plops. You could just sense how demoralized people became as they saw the DINO's (or whatever the hell you want to call them) starting to back off, nitpicking and questioning fundamental improvements, and finally throwing a wrench into the whole works. They knew full well that the Democratic margins in Congress were slim and that they wielded more power than Biden or the Democratic leadership. It has been downhill ever since and a $6-trillion plan has been pared to less than $2-trillion. The point is that the rank and file were fully on board and excited to support a $6-trillion plan. They are not the ones that wavered and floundered or gave up.
Your last sentence reminded me - Obama cannot be alone in selling the ACA. It represents America for the American People. Our Democratic representatives in Congress immediately dropped the ball and the Republicans picked it up and ran with it and scored again and again because of Democratic incompetence. If the BBB plan gets done, Republicans will do the same thing to it as they did to the ACA - they already are doing it!
Here's the punchline, we progressives have been here many times before and we know for certain that the Democratic Party (the politicians) will find a way to snatch defeat from certain victory. I can't prove it but I firmly believe, if the Dems united to pass the $6-trillion BBB plan and had indicted and started prosecuting the treasonous Republicans who participated in the Jan. 6 coup, they would be cruising to invincibility in future elections.
The Democrats lose, not because the faithful don't turn out to vote or fail to contribute generously, but because enough Democratic politicians sell out to their mega-donors and the corporate lobbyists, and because they are willing to sabotage their own party and the will of the people for their own personal benefit. The Manchin's of the world are more concerned about getting money from their donors than they are in helping their constituency. Every time Democrats compromise their principles and their agenda to protect a DINO, they undercut the entire party and those who want to support the party. And, they lose elections!!!
So Fern I disagree with you. The party faithful and political activists (worker bees like you and many others in this substack community) are doing yeoman service despite being undercut and not supported by every Democrat in office. People expect and deserve a return on their loyal support and Democratic politicians seldom deliver and usually it is a token of what they promised to begin with. Even Progressive Democrats pay a price as they are singled out by their own and blamed for every failure of the Democratic leadership. It's gotten old.
Fern, you are truly a progressive and you have spoken persuasively to progressive causes. You have talked the talk and walked the walk. You and millions like you should not be blamed - it's the Democratic centrists and moderates in Washington and at the local level who are beholden to their corporate masters who have failed us. If Democrats are to ever succeed, they have to hold their elected representatives accountable. As monstrous as the Republican Party has become, they have succeeded and persevered because of their zero-tolerance toward politicians who don't sing their song. Sometimes they lose a seat or two but in the long run, they have leveraged a minority of adherents into a majority powerhouse.
Don, You know I like proof - the evidence - however, we are in complete agreement. I didn't see a smidgen of disagreement between us and cannot imagine why you wrote that there was. Withal, your passion meets our cause and our needs. Expect me to write more about the depth of commitment and determination that the Congressional Progressive Caucus has for the welfare of all Americans. See the link below.
Sorry, if I misread. I was responding to, "Where are the voices in states around the country to be the voices, the chorus singing the song..." and "We need representatives around the country to sing that song." I think you have a good voice but unfortunately, I guess, too often we are singing to the choir.
To take my mind off the Democrat's latest loss, I continued reading WaPo's excellent Before, During, and After article about January 6. While reading, I remembered that January 6 was a direct result of the Big Lie that the 2020 election was stolen by nefarious means.
I dare say the Democrats will accept yesterday's defeat and not claim it was fraudulent or stolen. Perhaps that will be more important for the country than a gubernatorial win for Virginia.
I started to chuckle at your "lite" WaPo reading material, until recalling my it-can-always-be-worse go-to reading is Holocaust memoirs from an era of another Big Lie. Be well!
Ellie: Thought I'd share this email I just received from Loudoun County Democrats. Dems did pretty well overall!
"I am sure I am not alone in my disappointment in last night's elections. This election was so deeply important for us, for our neighbors, and for our communities. Our progress comes not in a straight line, but in a jagged path. As we zig and zag along that path, Loudoun Democrats delivered up and down the ballot.
"Loudoun Democrats held every House of Delegates seat in Loudoun.
"Loudoun Democrats delivered a double-digit county victory for our statewide candidates.
"Loudoun Democrats won 7 of 8 magisterial districts.
"Loudoun Democrats delivered the most votes to a statewide Democratic ticket in modern history."
Woo hoo! Congratulations to you and Loudoun County Democrats! Zigzag progress is so true, and the zags so frustrating--good to keep an eye on the zigs!
I'm not quite through the Post's extraordinary piece about events that make Watergate look like jaywalking. If only the House select committee would do televised hearings, using the article's chronological narrative...it won't but a movie studio somewhere is already looking for someone to write and direct the screenplay.
Maybe we could evaluate though? The propaganda from the right continues to grow the cult. How do we stop the torrential downpour of lies we are bathed in?
Can’t stop free speech, but HCR has said she writes these Letters to counter the narrative, to take up oxygen. So amplify the truths and positive progress, like Biden’s accomplishments to date.
Ellie, Free Speech does not have to mean the right to spew lies across the land on every new technology. The adults in the room need to set healthy limits on the chaos and deconstruction of the administrative state. I’ve been laser focused on what you suggest. IT IS NOT WORKING.
Yes we need regulation of social media. Dollars have more immediate impact, like the big lawsuit against Fox. And this is long term work along with short term. “It is not working” is not a verifiably true statement. It may be how you feel, so take a break, regroup, then join in hardening our resolve.
One reason to clobber Zuckerberg and FB for letting the spread of propaganda to global citizens. Sickening of the power that is possessed by Twitter, FB, and Google owners!
I’m slowly working at creating a searchable pdf document of all LFAA letters including text/screenshots of each day’s links and subscriber comments also with text/screenshots for links included in those comments. Progress is very slow, but it will be worth the effort to have a permanent record of something so valuable. Teaching myself indexing and applying it to getting the project done properly is going to be a challenge - I’m saving that part for last.
Lena, that is an amazing project! Have you checked with HCR to see if she already has some sort of system in place for tracking her production and/or preparing a future book?
We all have our subjective takes on what HCR writes and says. In her video chat of 11/02/2021 fast forward to near the end at 1:01:00 where she says even if the worst happens that the US becomes an authoritarian state, she is optimistic that we will have the courage to continue to speak up to assert government by consent of the governed, as declared in the Declaration of Independence. As people did in the 1890s keeping the flame that fueled the 1960s.
Yeah! I’m still baffled about the allowance the Fox propaganda machine is being given. How is it that they aren’t required to acknowledge & clearly display on the screen that what they are reporting is only opinion?
Not the truth!
It’s unnerving and dangerous to the retainment of our Democracy!
Yes. They should have been required to remove the word 'news' as soon as they admitted in court that they were merely an entertainment and opinion station.
Lynell, Thank you. I think this is an article to be forwarded to as many state and local Democratic Party organizations and grassroots organizations. The article reported that party moved late but finally moved. It seems to be an example of the Democratic Party organization asleep at the wheel until it was almost too late. Articles like these are wakeup calls for local and state party officials to WAKEUP! Thank you Lynell. Will you or I copy it to Ellie? Great work!
If we had the cajones to charge the treasonous traitors to our country promptly and make the country see we are serious about criminals and fascists before this election...it would not have been so narrow. We are allowing the cult to strengthen by not acting swiftly whilst we can. They would have. This is not a ballgame where both sides play fair or even agree to the rules. They lie and deceive and we need to show strength and power. Right now.
Listen to HCR'S chat yesterday. The DOJ and AG Garland are making great progress investigating, arresting and flipping traitors to guarantee convictions (Juliani might be next) of the big fish. It must be done right. Look at Garland's past success like the Oklahoma bombing. Not in time for 2021 elections, but in plenty of time for 2022 elections.
Oh, MaryPat! Are you serious? I was really sinking just now. After my walk, I will listen. Thank you, you were just an answer to my deepening grief over the demise of our democracy and justice system!!
Did you note that in the post-election debriefing by the media, no one mentioned the January 6 coup, one way or another? Seemingly, many people have moved on, probably sick of what has become a political squabble. Because Democrats didn't seize the moment, the Republican propaganda over a few months has obliterated the facts and truth of what was a serious coup d'etat in America. This epitomizes Democratic incompetence at the senior level! Actions speak louder than words.
It is so frustrating and feels just like what happened in the Mueller investigation. We The People pin our hopes on justice and consequences for very bad, now treasonous behavior, for naught? What is the fear that strangles the democrats from making a decision to stand up for our democracy against thugs? What??
Gosh, I've asked that question of myself so many times. Here's the best take I have on the situation.
I think politicians generally are exceptionally insular. Even though they are elected to do the people's business, the environment they operate in is almost surreal. They spend most of their time shlepping for the wealthy who fund their campaigns. I call it a symbiotic relationship. Lawyers call it quid pro quo. After all, the donors provide the air for politicians to survive. Deprived of air, they die.
What about elections - people have one vote, regardless of how much they contribute to a campaign. The mega-wealthy hire smart and devious attorneys and political operatives who know all the ins and outs of federal, state, and local election laws, and they systematically try and suppress the vote of their opponents, or gerrymander winning districts, or nullify votes and leave it up to the courts and state officials to decide elections. When the Democrats caved and let the Supreme Court decide who should be president over the will of the people, that was the official end of democracy.
The Constitution and the Rule of Law have been co-opted and misconstrued to serve the needs of ideological fanatics and robber barons. The wealthy have been relentless in pushing past the boundaries and guardrails of governance by abusing long-held institutions. Why didn't Obama appoint a liberal Supreme Court justice when Congress was adjourned as he was advised after McConnell and the Republicans refused to advise and consent as was their duty?
If Democrats were serious about restoring integrity to politics and governance then why are they not going after elected politicians who openly and brazenly forsake their oath of office? Most Americans hopefully believe that we have nothing in the way of a government if we allow our elected representatives to disabuse their oath of office.
So, to put it all together politicians need air to keep on living and it matters little what is good and right for the country if all they care about is getting elected and staying in power. (Bernie Sanders disabused us of their self-serving erroneous conclusion.) Most politicians are lazy freeloaders who quickly learned how to turn a fast buck with little effort. Exhibit A & B: Manchin and Sinema.
Republicans are far and beyond the worst abusers of the institution of government, but the one thing Republicans have never been hypocritical about is they know money is the key to power. Keep the wealthy happy and they will support you at every turn. Democrats have a far more difficult path because the arch-enemy of the wealthy are progressives and the Democratic Party has enough progressives to make their political fortunes dim.
The Democratic Party has concluded that the key to their winning is supporting candidates who can bring in the most money to the party, hence the Clintons (a fundraising juggernaut,) Obama and Biden as opposed to any progressive candidate. Now Obama and Biden may not bring in the money like the Clintons but they know how to triangulate their way to a victory - make a lot of liberal promises only to back down after the first hint of resistance.
Democrats are not going to go out of their way to hold the Republicans accountable - they have their marching orders from the wealthy plutocrats who expect them to toe the line. The best Dems can do is continue to triangulate their way to a slow demise. Let's not forget most of the power in the Democratic Party is held by political dinosaurs whose "Sell by" date has long expired. They know they're financially secure for whatever time remains in their lives.
Thanks for your well-thought out ideas on that big question, Don. When I was much younger and visited Europe for about a month with a Eurail pass. A year later, I crossed America with my new husband (a Brit) and we visited Mt. Rushmore and witnessed all the state flags a-flying, and read our Declaration of Independence together. Despite the shadows of the decimation of my of my Native American ancestors by my white Euro immigrant ancestors, and my disgust of slavery to build this nation, I was amazed at how I felt about this incredible Experiment we have attempted, a VAST land under One precious Government. What an amazing thing to try to accomplish!
Europe is so small with so many countries with their own governments, cultures and languages. And yet here we trying to govern so many under one roof. And the roof is caving in because of we are stuck in living in a caste system that won't let go. Greed and capitalism gone awry. Repeating history again and again.
I wrote more but it just got more and more depressing. So, it is time for the woods and the beaver pond to put my mind back in order. Taking a little break for a few days.
Yes, and here in Florida, St. Petersburg elected its first Black mayor, Ken Welch. The other good thing is that his campaign opponent was promoted by a Lauren Boebert wanna be, Anna Paulina Luna.
That was so surprising to me. Especially with great things Dems have done in Virginia. Lately it seemed every time I heard him speak or comment, he’d talk about Youngkins sweater vests.
Other than that, I can only guess that Independents, especially newly minted former Republicans, must have cast a vote for someone not affiliated (supposedly) with the former.
Keep up with the deep breath and exhale. Other results around the country to look at.
Christine, I think you’ve uncovered an important fact. The Republican Party has been shrinking, with many of them now calling themselves Independents. But if they continue to vote for Republicans, the smaller number of registered Rs should give us no optimism.
Me, too, Sara. My delegate candidate lost as well to a Trumper. He has held the office for several years before TFG came on the scene, but was at January 6 riot which I thought surely would unseat him...NOT!! I did see that McCauliffe won in my county, Loudoun...not that it matters.
I am happy to see others on this page reporting wins for their areas, so that's good to hear.
"One result we can say with assurance is historic is that, for the first time in 199 years, Boston voters have chosen a mayor who is not a white man. They have elected progressive former city councilor Michelle Wu, a graduate of Harvard University and Harvard Law School. Black, Latino, and Asian residents now make up more than half of Boston’s population, and voters saw Wu as a move into the future."
Dear Heather,
Thank you for ending with the most uplifting news. I can't think of a better "move into the future!"
While the news from VA was not the best, I appreciate that you've looked at results around the country. You have a knack for looking at the overall political vista, making everything look less dreary. Your hermeneutics are a godsend, and most gratefully devoured!
Me, too, Daria. Even though it will have little impact for those of us who live west of the 495 corridor, it is good to know that Boston/MA can be ground breaking at a time when there is little good news in the political world.
For me, it was not only uplifting, it was vindicating. The young and well educated are the best choice to lead this country. They will stay true to their progressive values and they will serve We The People, not corporate donors. The progressive cause is the winning cause as long as we can have free and fair elections and we get "big money" out of elections and politics altogether. BTW, Michelle Wu is 36.
McAuliffe told to The New York Times in 1999, "I've met all of my business contacts through politics. It's all interrelated."
As a Clinton advisor and DNC Chair, Terry McAuliffe was one of the architects of rebranding the Democratic party as the party of big money. If his defeat is the last nail in coffin of Clinton neoliberalism then it may prove to be worth it. But that McAuliffe, like Hillary Clinton before him, was the party's anointed candidate at all, is an indication of larger problems within the DNC and the party.
To ensure 'Hillary's turn' the DNC suppressed the development of a deep bench of talent. This has turned off potential candidates and potential voters. It's come back to bite the party more than once.
McAuliffe's 2013 win was a one off, not a precedent. In 2021, on the stump and in comparison with the fortuitously named Youngkin, McAuliffe appeared washed up and grasping at the straws of past glory.
Yes, peel back the fresh new face of Youngkin and you see the indelible orange stain and right wing extremist sneer of Trump - but that is not what voters saw on stage.
The Democratic party has the talent. Hopefully McAuliffe's defeat will be a final purge of Clintonism and a prod to move the party forward.
'...the DNC suppressed the development of a deep bench of talent. This has turned off potential candidates and potential voters. It's come back to bite the party more than once.' Lin, These three sentences in your comment would make a perfect poster to face Democratic Party operatives. Howard Dean tried very hard to move the party it that direction, but NO! it wouldn't go there! And now, I still don't see any signs of life.
Yes. And if Clinton had followed Dean's DNC 50 state policy then she might have won. The odious and opportunist Clintonista Tom Perez taking over the DNC perpetuated the party's Clinton problem. Thank goodness for Rep. James Clyburn taking the lead on Democratic election strategy in 2020.
If you want the good news, then listen to CSpan. There is great Democratic talent at all levels of government. Right now, Rhode Island's Sheldon Whitehouse is a leading Congressional light on big money and dark money. Maybe his name is fortuitous as well;)
Whitehouse is a legal master, but not with a personality to stir the people. I think Joseph D. Neguse, U.S. Representative for Colorado's 2nd congressional district since 2019 has the temperament to win over large segments of the electorate, and he's very smart in non-inflammable way. More of a disarming light than a flame thrower. Are there others, in addition to Stacey Abrams, to get the Democratic Party together?
What's Cory Booker doing these days? Anyone know? I once saw him as one of the outstanding leaders and hopes for the Democratic Party. I've followed his career since he was in college but lost track recently.
For several years I have thought we need younger representatives at every level of government and in both parties. The world has changed a lot since many of the people in congress were first elected. I live in So. Calif. and know that Pelosi and Feinstein have done a great job but it is time for them to move on. I'm not sure if either of them have taken people under their wing to mentor. It is past time for the Dems to cultivate a farm team. Also, in this era of instant messaging learn to use all forms of communication to get out their message effectively.
Good morning all. I think that the racist and homophobic dog whistles have won this one. One reason why is that voter turnout--which seems to have been low all over--really has an effect on who wins and Dems are notoriously bad at getting out the vote until AFTER the apocalypse has happened. Maybe this will be a needed wake-up call to Dems that they need to get in gear for 2022.
The changes I am seeing as positive are in mayoral races, where some very interesting people have been elected, in cities both large and small--including Kansas City, Kansas, which elected its first Black mayor ever. KCK has the largest minority population in the state of Kansas, and it is just north of the wealthiest county in the state. In said wealthy county, the mayoral election of the largest municipality, Overland Park, was super close, but the leftier candidate won--someone who has been vocal in support of more mixed housing development in OP. School boards in the suburbs went wild for the racist dog whistle candidates, which just shows how ignorant white people who want to hide their racism behind a shield of anti "CRT" are. Unfortunately, people who run for school boards often do so because they have a single issue they flog, and racist dog whistles are the ones getting media attention these days. NPR is finally (FINALLY) pointing out in their reporting that what people are calling CRT is not actually anything like CRT. It took a while, like the refusal to refer to TFG's speech as lies until it was too late.
So maybe these election results will actually energize Democratic voters who might be thinking about sitting out 2022: Dems are fragile flowers a lot of the time, so maybe this will scare them into action. Pull the damn levers, folks.
P.S.: Why the heck doesn't substack figure out how to have an edit function?!?!? This is so stupid.
I have to feel that if Biden just had two more dependable votes in the senate, none of this(disappointing results in Virginia and New Jersey) would be happening. Why the forces that would cater to authoritarianism are able to mobilize such unity and why the democrats can not is a mystery that I wish some one would explain.
In the words of Will Rogers, "I am not a member of any organized political party. I am a Democrat."
Republican messaging is very narrowly focused on a series of cultural issues. Democrats, having a bigger "tent," have a much wider range of opinions. Hence we had people in 2016 voting for unicorn Bernie Sanders, even though he lost the Democratic primary, or worse, voted for Jill Stein. If the votes that went to Jill Stein had gone to Hillary in Michigan, Pennsylvania and Wisconsin, we would be a very different country right now.
Yes, and Democrats need to find a unified, unifying message going forward. “We are the party that makes government work for the American people.” Stop talking about ourselves as Progressives and Moderates. We are Democrats and our messaging has to be clear and unified. Identification with a particular caucus should not override identification as a Democrat. Interests still can be hammered out in Committees, without the need for labeling or separate identities.
Please try to ignore the breathless media postings about the Youngkin “victory” and focus on this. As of 11/1/2021, the Commonwealth of Virginia has 5,951,353 registered voters. Vote count is 3,287,600. that’s a lousy lousy turnout for something so important.
And the next time you see headlines shouting false conclusions about what all Americans believe in a a poll of 1,000 people, think about how our news sources have dumbed us down.
It was as many of us feared. Just because people are registered doesn't mean they will vote unless something they perceive as "important" is on the ballot. The task we all have ahead of us is getting out a reasonable message about what the Democratic Party is trying to achieve, for us and for our children, grandchildren, etc. And it has to be concise, and repeated ad nauseam. It is a trick the Republicans learned a long time ago.
While I'm rooting for Pres. Biden's efforts to prove that a liberal democracy is the best form of government, Republican cynicism has identified the weak spot and created a work around. Liberal democracy requires a populace working from a base of understanding the issues facing the country, and the range of responses available to government to manage them. It's an old strategy, but by hyping jingoist/nationalist rhetoric, and portraying every move by their opposition as an attack on freedom, or patriotism, or christian values, they inflame peoples' autonomic response systems and poison the water for reasonable debate. It stinks, but it's pretty damn effective.
What today's elections seem to show is that tfg does not have the strangle hold on the GOP that people think. Terry Mcauliffe's campaign invoking tfg as much as he could didn't work especially when he had plenty to taut in the great things Virginia Democrats have done over the past two years. And, Youngkin did not want tfg to be visible in his campaign. Yes, the dog whistles of tfg were there but not tfg himself. It was effectively in getting Republicans who had voted for Biden to get rid of tfg back to voting Republican. Is there any hope that means the Republicans may return to a more normal moderate party? Probably not, but maybe its a crack at least.
There appear to be more negative cracks than positive ones in the USA. One large crack may be the Democratic Party. Why did McAuliffe run a national campaign? What is DNC chair, Jamie Harrison up to? Has the party done anything to strengthen its identity statewide and locally? It's a big tent that looks as though the coalman is running the show. The earth is dying and Joe Manchin is Mr. Democratic Party, not Joe Biden, hard as he tries.
I was disappointed in Jamie Harrison when he ran against Lyndsey Graham. He had all the money he needed and was leading in the polls but at crunch time, he didn't close the deal. Graham slung the lies and dirt and Jamie insisted on taking the high road. The high road in politics is usually a dead-end, especially in a red state like South Carolina.
# Dominated by his mother, he wasn’t permitted to bathe himself until 81/2;
# Brought up with adults and learned not to express his personal feelings;
# Tutored in America and abroad until sent to exclusive boarding school, where, despite his cheerful letters to Mama, he was treated as a snobbish outsider;
# Did rather well at Harvard, but was devastated when he was blackballed by prestigious Porcellian Club;
# Hid secret romance from Mama until his engagement;
# Mama considered Eleanor, whose uncle was Teddy Roosevelt, an intrusion on her relationship with Franklin;
# Mama’s wedding present was a NYC brownstone next to hers, with sliding doors on all five floors;
# Franklin, lawyer, despite flunking two law school courses, was bored with practicing law;
# At age 25 he told a colleague that he sought to emulate Teddy as 1) state legislator; 2) assistant. Secretary of the Navy; 3) NY governor; and 4) president;
# He squeaked into the state legislature, where he impressed his colleagues as a superficial snob;
# Spent 1913-1920 as assistant secretary of the Navy;
# Eleanor came across love letters between Franklin and Lucy Mercer, Eleanor’s social secretary;
# Mama told Franklin that if he divorced and then married Lucy, she would cut off his significant trust fund;
# Eleanor agreed to stay on (in separate bedrooms) for their five children;
# (This event propelled Eleanor to launch her own extraordinary life);
# Franklin contracted polio in 1921. Despite heroic efforts, he would never be able to walk again unassisted;
# Louie Howe, a smelly savvy political pro, got Eleanor increasingly involved in Democratic politics;
# Franklin, from 1921-1928, experienced his ‘wilderness’ years—continuing his correspondence with Democrat politicians he had encountered during his 1920 Vice President candidacy, yachting, and establishing his beloved Warm Springs polio center;
# For the first time Eleanor had a showdown with Mama, who wanted Franklin to retire to Hyde Park with his stamp collection;
# Franklin had to appear to walk ‘unassisted’ at the 1928 Democratic presidential convention;
# He successfully nominated Alfred Smith, who Franklin succeeded as governor o NY;
# With a prolonged Great Depression, Franklin initiated innovative and successful government assistance;
# After trouncing President Herbert Hoover, he kept a low profile until March 4, 1933 inauguration;
Then commenced the 15 New Deal laws in the first hundred days, ups and downs, and World War II.
Charismatic, unprincipled, masterful politician, devious, supremely pragmatic, magnificent actor unruffled under stress, untroubled by policy contradictions, ruthless, robust sense of humor, positive image, vindictive, charming, resilient, arrogant, expedient, visionary.
At age 63 Franklin died at Warm Springs on April 12, 1945 with Lucy Mercer by his side.
Perhaps FDR saved both American democracy and Western civilization.,
Penelope I doubt it. Lucy was a Bohemian spirit who, after her family lost its money in a financial crash, was worked in a dress store and, because of her charm and suavivity
Oophs, my computer cut in abruptly—“suavivity (my word), became Eleanor Roosevelt’s social security. After Eleanor discovered Lucy’s love letters, Lucy managed to survive until she married a rich older man, whose death in 1944 brought Lucy back to the White House. Robert and Rebekah Mercer clearly lack charm and judgment.
I'm thinking about people in my family who vote Republican. It seems that, for some specific reason (probably low taxes and business deregulation), they are on the GOP team. Then, they just trust that team regardless or ignore the riffraff as unimportant/inconsequential. They explain it away as hysteria on the part of the Dems. "Oh that won't happen." "That's not happening." "The Dems are just trying to scare us."
People do not like change. Especially if the change is perceived as coming from people they don't like or trust and who do not share their values. A lot of change came not only from republicans like Reagan but also from Democrats who were pushing the “Global Citizen” concept. Change is here whether any of us like it or not but, for now at least, they can be angry, defiant and threatening at democrats. Very easy, very convenient. At the end of the day we are all the same, we are all concerned. People are distracting themselves, choosing not to face the real issues. Hopefully more people will wake up and be willing to face the real challenges ahead.
I wish I could remember the podcast and who said it, but they said that people are not afraid of change, they are afraid of losing something/loss. This has stuck with me as I contemplate things happening on a national level but also locally here in my small town. It is the kind of redefining a thing so that we can communicate with each other more efficiently and more humanely. We need to look more at what people are afraid of losing, and address that, as opposed to simply saying that they don't like change.
"[Glenn Youngkin] won, largely thanks to the votes of non-college-educated white voters, 76% of whom backed him rather than McAuliffe."
I'm a retired construction/building trades worker. I spent my working life along side the non-college-educated white voter. Hell, I am one. How I became a far left progressive liberal Democrat is a story for another day. It made for some "energetic" political/historical discussions at work. I know all about the willful ignorance, the prideful stupidity, and the clinging to comfotable myths, all of which are re-enforced daily by various "news" outlets.
Democrats are not going to make a lot of inroads with NCEWV's without abandoning much of what we've gained in the last forty years. Stacey Abrams is our future. Leave the shrinking NCEWV demographic to the Republicans; it's all they have.
More importantly, all of this illustrates the fundamental importance of education as an essential pillar of a healthy democracy. Education is not a luxury; it's a necessity. This should be a permanent plank in the platform of the Democratic Party.
I’m really not in agreement that lack of education causes people to coalesce around Trump and Trumps in sheep’s clothing.
America is profoundly, irreconcilably split. That is an absolute rock solid, take it to the bank certainty.
Trump touched the dark places in tens of millions of American souls. He awoke and aroused those who hate and fear cities, hated a black President, hated the smug entitlement of Hillary Clinton, hated being preached to about climate, hated the speed with which the new economy had trashed their towns and workplaces. Above all they felt looked down upon by others whom they perceived to be riding a higher horse.
The podcast “S***Town” opened millions of eyes to present day life in the poorer regions of the South. The characters in this extraordinarily interesting true saga live lives bereft of meaning. Their expressed philosophy, uttered before they do anything illegal, dangerous or profoundly anti-social, is “Fuck it.” Meaning this will probably bite me in the ass, but I’m going to do it anyway. How much worse can my life get?
Those are the people Trump galvanized. They’d been waiting decades for someone to spit on those whom they perceived to be elites and Trump did that and then some.
They followed him and gradually the movement became larger and larger, spreading like wildfire, propelling Trump to an election win that shocked everybody, including those who felt they were just along for a good ride.
Trump became a god to many of them. They would criticize nothing he did, twisting every evil word and deed around until they could make it sound moral or at least, justified in the opportunity to give “the elites” another well-deserved kick.
The movement became a cult. It is now fully engraved in the psyche of half - give or take - of America. Their fealty is limitless. “I’d walk behind Trump and clean up his shit”, one proud to be a Trump serf declared to the media just before the 2020 election.
These people are not going away. Democrats are going to lose key elections to them if the candidate makes the slightest error. And so, McAuliffe last night.
But Democrats, when they are fully and fiercely engaged are going to win in unexpected places. Look at Georgia on January 5 for a case in point.
It’s exhausting, but every crucial election is going to be razor thin in the margin of victory or defeat until this fever breaks.
Does McAuliffe’s loss doom the Democrats in 2020? Not necessarily - the zeitgeist will be changed in some way we can’t predict at this moment. The Democrats may once again summon up fierce energy for yet another battle in this seemingly endless war.
The hot take from last night is going to be crystallized into truth if we are not careful. It’s already on CNN. Democrats lost because they are too progressive. They aren’t where the “people” are. Once again the myth of a centrist America has risen.
No. No. No. All of the policies in Biden’s soft infrastructure bill are wildly popular and inspiringly progressive. Poll after poll has said this. Yet the media is going to refit the centrist Democrat allegory, until progressive Democrats retreat - if they have their way.
Two things are certain. President Manchin woke up this morning feeling the wind behind his sails and he will be further persuaded not to yield an inch. It is to weep.
The other is, and I occasionally have made this point in the past, it’s way past time to arrest some people with name recognition.
You need to be publishing your own rag. This kind of diatribe needs a home other than the comments section.
Thank you. That is very kind.
I shall make a point of checking yours out.
I'd have you guest post anytime based on the one comment I read. Blew me away.
I agree - its not lack of education - more lack of interest outside your own personal experiences - or not wanting to hear/see/read anything that you might not agree with.
Most telling, Trump 'touched the dark places' because the rigged economic system and the political not only didn't listen, 'they' didn't address the people's real problems in a major way.
Most fundamentally, Trump aroused TRIBALISM as no one else had.
“The art of tribal politics is that it shapes reality,” .... “Lies become truth and explain everything in simple terms.” And political struggles... “become a war between good and evil that demands unconditional support for the leader of the tribe. If you talk against your own camp you betray it and get expelled from the tribe.” (NY Times) See link below.
https://www.nytimes.com/2021/01/10/world/europe/trump-truth-lies-power.html
I agree whole heartedly with both points.
Did the Democrats abandon the unions (softly, softly, so that it took many a long time to wake up to it because Reagan and successors decimated them to the point that what was once a bastion of power in the Party became an embarrassing relic, a millstone virtually?
Or did the unions achieve so much that their members were (temporarily) vaulted into a clas where they had their own wealth to protect and saw the Republican Party as the more traditional vehicle for doing so?
I lived at this time in a GM city. That company and its subsidiaries dominated the economic landscape. The UAAw had done so well so long that it became hard to imagine what more they could want. So they were reduced to granting absurd requests, such as the right to one’s birthday off with pay.
There was an arrogance to that union, a sense that the emoyer had the corporation by the short and curlies. So strong was it that a culture of drinking in the GM parking lot after work, which eventually resulted in a traffic death caused by an intoxicated worker, became a major union-management battle.
The union lost humility and with that its soul, and eventually its relevance. Today that town begs GM to deliver it work.
Small wonder that Reagan’s astonishing act of bravura in firing air traffic controllers so wrong-footed the Democrats. And much, much worse was to come.
In the 70s, few recognized that pendulums eventually swing, and always from their greatest height.
To acquaint yourself a bit more about the history of labor unions in the USA, this article, 'State of the Unions' in The New Yorker provides a general idea and, importantly, a number of excellent books you may want to check out.
https://www.newyorker.com/magazine/2019/08/26/state-of-the-unions
Plus, Biden is a huge proponent of unions.
edit for missing word: '... the rigged economic system and political 'parties' not only didn't listen...'
Dems messages have always been weak and some candidates are just terrible at getting their thoughts, their plans, across to people. The DNC must employ some of the awful tactics of the Repubs. I am not talking about deceit, thievery, or sex. Talking about some of the underhandedness that gets their candidates elected. It’s shitty but what’s good for the goose is good for the gander.
Forget the D. N. C. they are in bed with the same special interests the republicans are in bed with!!!
We have to face it folks, we live in a country that is governed by a VERY corrupt political system, an most of that corruption is in the way we fund and conduct our elections!!! And we had better do something about it pretty damn quick or we are SUNK…… in fact it is quite likely to late already…….. What we’re going to do about it now,,, I really don’t know, but to put it bluntly, I think we’re fucked,,, pardon my language,,,, but I see no sense in sugar coating it!!!
. We’ve got to somehow get behind a good progressive candidates and good progressive agenda……….
Make your escape plan in case you need it. Look to Afghanistan to see what happens when things suddenly collapse due to corruption.
The DNC should get the hell out of the way and let Bernie have his moment. ;)
He has been more outspoken lately, thank goodness!
And yet the Dems have dropped the free comm college plank from the bill. The Dems are NOT in any way explaining themselves about these two big bills. They aren't explaining that comm college trains for the trades or for university requirements to transfer easily. I went that route (did all my gen ed courses at my local comm college and transfered to a state university) and it was cheaper in the long run. We need landscapers, chefs, CNAs & RNs, diesel mechanics ad infinitum!! Maybe some of these NCEWVs could become CEWVs, even if for a two-year AA or AS degree. But Dems are not pushing this education benefit. All the NCEWVs hear is that More Taxes will be needed to fund this program. Not the benefits. More missed opportunities you Dems in Washington. I'm frustrated at best.
I agree and would add that the Dems have not effectively communicated anything that is in this bill. Republicans are saying that the government is going to be monitoring everyone’s bank accounts. I pay a lot of attention to what’s happening with this bill and I am not sure if this is still in the bill, and if it is, what exactly it entails. Where is the Democratic communication to counter this Rep. narrative? Republicans are attacking child care and universal pre-school as the government deciding where your children can go to school to be indoctrinated. Dems need to counter this fear mongering with clear, constant messaging.
Democratic messaging in general is abysmal. Watching CSpan this morning I saw the Rep. guest refer continuously to “the American people” and the Democratic guest refer to “America”, one small example of the Dems penchant for abstractions. Additionally when the Dem. guest was questioned about policy, she spoke about what she was fighting for using “I” The Republican guest spoke about “we”, (Republicans) indicating throughout a strong, unified message.
Dems need to up their communication strategy and get people like Stacy Abrams out there constantly delivering a clear, pragmatic message that “the American people” can understand and relate to in their everyday lives.
Regardless of their message(s) Republicans, for decades, have been following a playbook that tells them the words and phrases to use with the media and the American People when discussing issues and answering question. They have been well schooled, consequently they message very well.
Your observation of the differences in language between the Democrat & Republican guests is significant - particularly impacts of I/we, America/American People. Democrats may have fantastic ideas and goals but they lack consistent, powerful, collaborative language and communication skills.
Old but true axiom: In general, it is much easier to disprove a hypothesis than prove it. Any number of supporting evidence helps raise our confidence in the stated hypothesis, however, it takes only a single set of evidence against the hypothesis to disprove it. In other words, Democrats have a far more difficult path trying to sell the American people on a plan when they can't prove the plan will help you, and you, and you.
Messaging for Democrats is inherently problematic. It would help enormously if they were 100% united in supporting their vision for America. All Republicans have to do is sit on the sideline taking cheap shots that are usually unprovable lies and half-truths.
Bottom line is, actions speak louder than words. Talk is cheap! Most people, right or wrong, ask what have you done for me lately? In a political squabble or war of words, most people just tune it out and become disengaged, hence a large number of no-shows come election time. That is my take on what happened in Virginia, for e.g.
Exactly.
Exactly on point! Perhaps Democrats should consult with a successful ad agency. The majority of people in this country would benefit greatly from democratic programs and ideas but if they don’t know what they are and how they help them, they will be oblivious. If the Republican playbook is not exposed in such a way that people understand how disastrous it is we will continue to have great inequality. Manchin and Sinema are disastrous for successfully passing Biden’s build back better plan and their actions will put democratic control, such as it is, in jeopardy.
Yes, and they can thank the Federalist Society for supplying that playbook. The Society gets ‘em young so that they can mold them into the deceitful humans they are.
Exactly.
lRepublicans are saying that the government is going to be monitoring everyone’s bank accounts. I pay a lot of attention to what’s happening with this bill and I am not sure if this is still in the bill, and if it is, what exactly it entails.
Gina, I don’t believe it is as I researched a little after mention by a Fox News watching friend. As I recall,the original proposal called for banks to report data on any accounts over $600(does seem low)so it could be compared to the account holder’s filing with IRS. Subsequent proposal raised the account amount considerably, maybe 10k ? but it still didn’t go.
Interestingly the same friend who complained was having an issue with the IRS double reporting on their end a big chunk of her unearned income, of course deposited into her bank account.
Thanks, Kathy. That’s what I thought, but if it is out of the bill, Dems need to make this clear. Sigh.
Agreed.
I emphatically agree with you. As a retired educator of special education for 35 years, all students hear is you aren't going college on those grades. Most of my students didn't have ability or inclination to attend a university, but they demonstrated hands-on skills, determination, and other quality skills that a community college or trades school or an apprenticeship would mold into a lifelong craft. With the college goals thrown at them for 12 years, many gave up and graduated with no bearings on what to strive for in life. We must provide some opportunities for the kids who just can't cut the university goals, and get them into well-paying skills. Community colleges are perfect for this.
I so very much agree, Christi!
"They aren't explaining that comm college trains for the trades or for university requirements to transfer easily."
Barbara, you are spot on!
Great points to lobby Democratic Party with. Please spell out your abbreviations in the future. Thanks.
Yes, that frustrated me also.
Well said Ralph. Willful ignorance, “prideful stupidity, clinging to comfortable myths” and gleeful acceptance of bad behavior are contributing to a meltdown in democracy. Education is key along with the restoration of respect and logic.
Very true, but the problem is that the R's have been whole heartedly endorsing the DeVos concept of school vouchers (taking public education funds and giving them to private/religious schools and home schooler families-a chunk of cash for each child that participates) then after stealing that money then the legislature cut the public ed. monies even more. The Republican majority NH legislators did just that this year and totally disregarded public input that was very much opposed to the plan. In remote public hearings, 8000 opposed the school voucher plan and much fewer (less than 1000) supported it. The plan has not been studied as to actual cost effects and there is minimal oversight as to how it will be monitored. The public outcry was so strong that those legislators went so far as to hide the bill in the State budget (as was the "Divisive Concept" bill-i.e. no one can publicly discuss things like racism and implicit/systemic bias,) The expected result of the school voucher plan will be increased property taxes for poor towns. In NH, the public education monies aside from federal/state funds are mostly provided by property taxes, which was been deemed unconstitutional over 10 years ago. Of course the rich towns will very likely not have the increases in property taxes. Yeah, as you can guess, I live in NH.
I observe Retrumplicans for several years now inciting emotions in a group of people that do not want or are unable to learn that Retrumplicans' inciting topics, words, and phrases are mostly lies, distortions, and empty words. CRT is a prime example. Public schools do not teach this, and yet the phrase CRT is so frightening and stokes anger. It's that word "race" in the middle. Cancel culture, Dr. Seuss, white fragility, and those murderous, raping immigrants dripping in COVID at the southern border, George Soros, etc. are all meant to keep this group active. In other words a true "patriot" owns a gun, wears red, white, and blue clothing, carries a defiant flag, gives Dems the middle finger, believes a psychopath is a god, and screams about Brandon. Isn't it compelling that Drump never achieved higher than a short-lived 49% approval rating, and Biden has dropped to a similar level, yet Biden is a horrible president setting out to destroy America? Biden has never said a word about getting rid of everything while that was Drump's first direction to his Cabinet. And, it is verified that Drump uttered 42,000 plus lies during his four years while no one is keeping track of Biden's because mostly his mistruths are errors. I think I am frustrated because no one can really fight a delusional control over a minority of easily provoked people. Unless Democrats stoop low and take on similar tactics, we are doomed. But, I know that I would begin to reject this type of group dynamics if the Dems were to become this. I think at this point we desperately need Manchin to allow passage of voter rights and infrastructure in order for all to begin seeing the benefits this administration has to offer.
Great summary. The delusional control over these people defies logic. I struggle every day to stay optimistic that this segment of the population will join us in reality.
Yes allow passage BEFORE everything "great" is removed from the bills!
I agree. I also work among the NCEWV demographic (catchy acronym!), and I don't see much hope there for progressive governance. Better for Dems to work as hard as they can to forge a broad coalition of all underserved and under-represented people in this country, because I'm guessing that taken together they're the largest voter bloc out there. And I like to think EDUCATED white voters would be glad to join!
I belong to several local forums here on Salem on Facebook. One is Salem Progressives and frankly a lot of them are very naive. So I stuck my neck out and said that after the primaries they need to get behind all the D candidates even if they don't check all the boxes. One person did agree with me and one posted something that really made no sense. Thankfully, it looks like I will not have to hold my nose and vote for Kurt Schrader who is preferable to any radical far right seditionist wing nut. I haven't looked yet this am to see if anyone else has posted.
Ds should take note about the school issue which killed them in VA which is my estimation has taken a large step backwards and hopefully will regret it.
Education is certainly key and that’s why my second career was as an educator. However, our public school systems all over our country are in bad shape. I’ve been retired for over 5 years now and worked in an inner city middle school serving special education needs. I can’t imagine how difficult it would be to deal with the pandemic issues let alone having parents threaten administrators and teachers.
Yes, education is threatened.. We have to remember the pandemic is real. What the screaming groups of parents are doing at school board meeting is intimidating and bullying. Trying to stand up to other people in your face like that would take a lot of courage. Some school board members have it. Electing far right members who absolutely have no idea of what schools and school boards are for is a huge threat. And the public school system is vulnerable. The school boards and thus the curriculum should function in response to community standards and that does not limit that function to appeasing far right demands. Public schools are charged with bringing all students together for an equal education, not indoctrinating them with far right propaganda. Students are currently being used, weaponized, for the political needs of the far right. There has to be a pushback.
The school issue in Virginia was a killer. Parents do have a right to say what should be taught, but all parents, not just a screaming mob of far righters who don't follow science or the history curriculum.
McAullife bungled this issue horribly, and it's among the main reasons he lost.
McAuliffe also was relying on and resting on his past history. He offered nothing new; no real vision. As my old man would say, 'Never rest on your laurels."
We also need to remember that when state legislatures and the federal education department (late 1990s) began undermining teachers and turning our curriculum into a testing focus and blaming schools and teachers for lost test scores, things started to crumble with government and public support.
Absolutely...a big part of the picture with education.
My very dear friend has a work/education history similar to yours. Like you, he is a liberal, progressive Democrat. He is also one of the most intelligent men I've ever known. Having a college education doesn't make a person intelligent - just look at the Hawley, Cruz, Kennedy, and other dummies who are busily grifting off our dime while they destroy our country. I don't consider their ability to thieve in broad daylight "intelligence" as much as I consider it pure evil. They have figured out how to control the minds of the NCEWVs - that's their only real attribute.
Ralph, I spent 29 years in the office of a construction, then construction management company which had its start as a masonry business. At the time, had no idea what anyone's politics were (this was pre-2004) but the men and, later, the women that worked as carpenters, masons, laborers were great people who worked hard (and still do). We had a really good local building trade organization. I watched the breakdown of OSHA during the pandemic (meat packing plants?) & remembered bringing on a Safety person of our own to deal with the jobsites in order to be aware of any violations, also to work with OSHA reps. What in the world happened? Education? absolutely, but I believe in building trades & the ability of young people to apprentice and have a good, meaningful way of making a living. I get kind of resentful, I guess, when I read & hear that the ONLY path to a good life is for everyone to get a college education. That IS the path for many - but not ALL. In the not too distant future, if we dont already, we will be without, carpenters, masons, plumbers, electricians - people to repair & maintain all these necessities of life! What then?
I agree. Education takes many forms, college is one of them. What is taught in primary, middle, and high school is the most important and that isn’t happening. That is what I meant about the importance of education. Apprenticeships are great. I did an apprenticeship as an electrician. I was on the facilities staff of a large, well-known state university. Many of the students would have been better off in a trade school/apprenticeship, but they weren’t interested. They all wanted to be dot com millionaires. Trade schools, union apprenticeships, contractors were begging.
Our society aldo denigrsted folks in the trades. Which I find unforgiveable. But tRump found them ripe for the picking.
I am the first male in my family to earn not just one degree, but two. We were farming folk. My brother is a retired truck driver, cross country, for 40 years. I am a retired business executive and ordained graduate seminarian. We get along just fine.
I personally believe that many of our colleges are vocational technical schools. An MBA is the journeyman equivalent to the "trades" & the MBA trade is business. I would like to see the college educated (& everyone else) be more all encompassing with history, humanities, philosophy & the sciences. We also need to embrace being life long learners.
I agree - and the all encompassing should start in grade school! Remember civics?? Sadly, it wasnt being taught when I was in school - dont remember mention of it at least. But possibly some of the teachings at that point were covered in social studies? I did learn the 3 branches of government - which, it appears, some of our elected "officials" did not!! How about that? And yes, life long learners is a good thing - why would it not be? It is possible for someone to change their opinion after learning or experiencing something different over a period of time. Well, some people anyhow.
Yup.
Thank you. Well said! Very well said. I’m copying your post to read in the future when I need a dose of reality. Or when I’m angry with the Democratic establishment. They’ve been so dumb at candidate selection and messaging. ❤️🤍💙
Please spell out your abbreviations. Thank you.
Non Collège Educated White Voters
Thank you, Marcy.
THANK YOU
I Had North Carolina East West Virginia voters.
But then they don't call me a space cadet for no reason.
😄
Yes. That's what I came up with as well.
Thank you Fern. I came up with North Carolinaand. East West Virginia!
HA! I definitely came up with West Virginia but that was it. My brain can only get a little more imaginative. 😆
My husband is a non college educated white Fox News watching Trump supporter. The mandates have hurt Democrats. But the social issues are really swaying them away from Dems. Parents want to control what their children learn and the Republicans pushing constantly the narrative that liberal Dems are going to teach CRT and include books in the reading list they don't like is really moving these whites away from Dems. We have to control the narrative and it doesn't seem that we've been able to do that. I can ignore my husband since there is no discussing with him but there are others who I feel would listen if Dems could get their talking points in place.
FACT: CRT has not been taught and is not being taught in secondary schools. Parents are not equipped to determine the correct curricula for teaching their children. Watching the outraged, enraged anti-learning vigilantes at school board meetings sickens me. Parents should be allowed to SUGGEST, but not run roughshod over school boards and teachers. The faux moral outrage poised in thuggish outrage and bullying simply achieves nothing and harms the students. As to the Dems, they are doing themselves in.
Liberal Democrats want to control what their children are taught as well; history as it happened; not the myth.
So do we propose partisan schools?
Since I am a "product of the fifties", I suspect my worldview is vastly different from most folk who post comments on this site. I had the blessing of graduating from a high school that was 2nd in academics in my state. And we had an awesome athletics program as well as free and open discussion in our "Problems of Democracy" course. I was a frequent debater and contributor in those discussions. I do not recall any level of rage, outrage, hatred or dissension as we must witness today.
I agree - so exactly WHEN are the Dems going to learn how to put talking points in place! The Repubs. have controlled the narratives for far too long & it appears the Dems just continue to believe they wont pull away the football again!!! (Charlie Brown) Manchin is doing exactly what we all knew he would - now he can blame the Va. loss on "people unhappy with Biden's legislation"?????????? Which isnt true - its another case of yet another politician (Dem) who didnt have "good talking points"! It appeared his sole talking point was Trump! Why in ?? wouldnt he have been prepared better? He seemed to be opening his mouth & jamming his foot in! As a former governor of that state - seems he should have known better.
I like the Charlie Brown / Lucy analogy. I am beginning to wonder if in fact the Dems are secret facilitators for the Republicans.
At this point - it does make you question, doesnt it?
Well, with friends like the Dems, the Repubniks need no more enemies.
Frankly not concerned whether the Repubs have enemies - the Dems really need to wake up & start using offense!
Things I want to know: 1)How to deal with Fox News, the greatest Pied Piper that democracy has ever known, for its shameless manipulation of our country. When will we call racism for what it is rather than tip-toeing around "CRT" rhetoric, parent control of curricula, voter repression, et al? Acknowledge that NCEWVs are shills to Republicans. They are merely a tool to be used? That Reaganomics are grinding us down to a withering autocracy?
I hate to say this but I have a dear friend who is completely charmed by Tucker Carlson.
Ugh
Ditto
100% agree with that, Ralph. Public education is the common good. It’s why they are obsessed with controlling it and trying to privatize it completely. Critical Race Theory my foot…. Or boot.
Christine(FL) That has already happened in NH-see my post above)
So well articulated, Ralph!
McAuliffe failed, period. He was resting on his laurels, believing that his somewhat celebrated past would carry the day for him. McAuliffe is sympotamtic and emblematic of the crisis pervading the Democratic Party, locally and nationally. 2022 wil be the bellwether. 2024 may well be the knockout punch, putting Republican fascists in control across the land. Democrats think brain and overwhelm brawn. Not in today's political milieux.
McCauliffe ran on “I’m not Trump.”
Dems need to concentrate on what we are, not what we aren’t.
“Donald who?”
Agreed 100%. When Hillary Clinton referred to Trump's supporters as "deplorables", I cringed. I might have agreed with her (which I did and do), but it is better to offend one's opponent; not their supporters. She effectively wrote off any fence sitters at that point.
As I recall, HRC said most of Trump’s supporters were hardworking people who had been left behind by rapid economic changes, others were something else I don’t recall, and the “rest are a bunch of deplorables.” She was taken completely out of context, even by her own party.
Thank you for this clarification. But! She should have avoided that depiction. That simply fueled the image of her as a "down-the-nose" liberal.
Agreed. HRC’s big weakness was telling it like it is. Politicians who do that are doomed.
AND NCEWV ? Sorry - dont know what that stands for. ??
It's in the first paragraph, quoted from the letter. It stands for Non-College-Educated-White-Voters. Hope that helps.
Thanks - apparently I slid right over that!!! Age related maybe?
Seventy six percent of non college educated voters supported Youngkin, the Republican, in the Virginia race for Governor. 76%!
My late husband was a middle school shop teacher- yes they call it Industrial technology teacher now but shop teacher is what he called himself.
Glen ranted against the defunding of Industrial education that happened over his 30 year career because he understood that “his kids” would not likely graduate college. That they could, in fact, be good plumbers, carpenters and even wind turbine technicians and make good money that would support their families didn’t make much difference to his principal(s) nor to many school board members. Those folks wanted lower taxes so programs had to be cut. Music, Art, Theater and Industrial Tech were always on the chopping block and got smaller and smaller and smaller.
Looking at the results in Virginia makes me want to drill down in that white non college educated voter demographic and find out what they do or did for a living. The one thing I’m certain of is that the stories I would hear would include the idea that they feel entitled to all the toys and lifestyle “stuff” they see in the media - and they didn’t get it and someone else is responsible. They feel “left out,” and don’t want black and brown people taking their share through higher taxes. Climate crisis? Don’t you dare try to take away my big ass truck, or my boat/RV/weekends at NASCAR races. Yup, pretty certain we are talking racism and an abiding sense of entitlement- along with a huge streak of snobbery from highly educated white dems stupid enough to use the phrase deplorable. I voted for Clinton but that phrasing was the singular most tone deaf comment ever. They already feel left out so let’s insult them and push them off a cliff. So incredibly damaging!
Locally, we voted in three excellent school board members and turned away the anti vaxxer/anti mandates/defund education BS. The top vote getter was Sakawdin Mohamed, a Somali-born man, Muslim, with a career in public service and six kids in the district. Yes!
I love my little bubble of democracy. How the hell do we make it so appealing that we can expand and replicate it in places like Outstate Virginia?
The next generation understands, I believe. I’m a adjunct instructor at a local nursing school in a solidly red Christian town in Michigan. My students are in their 20s and are all solidly democratic. Environment is their biggest issue, pandemic issues (pro-vaccine, pro mask) even more so than single payer healthcare. They are pissed. It will be interesting to hear what they have to say about this election. I think we need to do more to mobilize this age group.
Did they vote yesterday? Do they vote in every election, no matter how "small" and local?
Do they vote? This demographic historically has not been big voters. How involved are they politically?
From what I can tell they are mostly even year voters. Michigan did not have any controversial measures that effected our part of the state, so as busy nursing students I suspect they didn’t make it to the polls yesterday. But voting/holding office to take control of the country after boomers messed everything up is a constant theme.
This is exactly why it is so important to have both early voting and mail voting. Many people have been effectively disenfranchised because they work jobs and schedules which do not allow for Tuesday voting and have no paid voting time.
Yes Yes Yes, Candace. Those fed voting bills, IMO, are WAY more crucial to our survival than the infrastructure bills. (Which are indeed vital)
Agree! An online/mail in voting system would be ideal for this group I think. They do everything online. They all take notes on their iPads. We communicate via Blackboard and texts. I see those long lines of people quad up to vote and find them heartening, and at the same time I think “voter suppression”. The voter rights and the infrastructure bills absolutely must get done!
Seems so easy to hack though?
I was just wondering about this as Kornacki was talking about the Republicans largely vote in person on Election Day and Dems tend to vote absentee or early. I have always fallen in the latter group because of my work schedule. What does this tell us about Republicans and work?
I am a boomer. I respectfully request you do some serious homework on what things you take for granted today that are the result of political action by boomers.
Too busy to vote? Interesting concept.
Barbara, I too am a boomer and take great umbrage at that whole blame game the young people play. And then to be "too busy" to not vote--pathetic. To have a better country, be a better citizen ALL THE TIME, not just when it suits your schedule. All politics is local, pay attention. Boomers did NOT mess everything up but it's so easy for them to blame us, n'est pas?
Fact is many people of all ages have different levels of interest in politics, and voter turnout does depend on how many barriers are placed
Easy now, I’m just sharing my observations after listening to my students’ thoughts and opinions during leadership discussions. My role as an instructor is to facilitate a discussion on leadership, not influence political opinion/activism. Please reread my original post. And yes, I think they were probably too busy to vote this last election or perhaps the motivation was not there as there were no controversial issues on the ballot in our part of the state.
They need to vote and stop blaming other generations for what is wrong. It really is that simple.
We raised families and worked. And voted.
People find the time to do what they really want to do. The motivation is that we live in a Democracy and the right to a free and fair election is precious. No important issues?!
Good for you, Sheila.
“Looking at the results in Virginia makes me want to drill down in that white non college educated voter demographic and find out what they do or did for a living.”
“They” will not replace me. “They” will not!!!
"America is[not]back" and I'm sure Biden understands this in his bones, because the Bush and Trump Administrations-in particular-mangled domestic and foreign policy.
Frankly, I don't want an America that constantly militarily interferes when other countries choose other paths.
Throughout the 20th and 21st Centuries American administrations have wreaked havoc in nations where policy goals have clashed, like Central and South America, the Middle East, and etcetera.
I'm not an isolationist, but if Democrats don't respond more proactively to the assault on voting rights, climate change (and other rights) at home, other nations will begin to chart their own paths (which some have already done and more will do).
Succesive U.S. governments haven't treated our own population with the dignity we deserve (and other nations see this), so why does our government just assume other countries will tow the U.S. government's line?
Thanks for the post.
If folks have ideas for “how” Democrats (I’m assuming you mean elected officials) can respond more proactivelyI wish they would share them here so I could share them. It looks to me like the propaganda continues to win minds and fill hearts with venom and voters are the ones controlling the strings. It’s unfathomable in my mind this morning that so many US voters want an authoritarian state. Our MSM isn’t much better than Fox at this point. It’s extremely disheartening. We have to vote for more “liberals”. Where was the outrage at civil rights being stripped in Virginia? Or New Jersey? It’s not happening.
Christy, I am extremely disheartened that my state decided to fall back in line with Trumpism with a governor who touts many of the same thoughts his mentor Trump does. Biden hasn't even been in office a year yet and the voters in VA decided to glom on to what they see as a shiny star who has nothing but promises that will not turn out well for the middle and lower classes. I just can't understand why people are so short-sighted and forget the lessons of four years of Trump so easily. In my field, a large part of what we rely on from project to project is our Lessons Learned. Apparently, much of the country, and the state of Virginia, doesn't understand what that means.
How much of this outcome lies at the feet of the Democratic Candidate? Was he a strong candidate?
Exactly. I, for one, do not believe the sky has fallen. I think McAullif was an uninteresting/disinterested candidate, who rested on his laurels and did not do his homework. Stuff happens. It is not the end of the world, but maybe the end of old school Dems. I take heart in the down-ballot Democratic winners who seem to be multi-dimensional people with convictions and goals.
I agree with you. McAuliffe appeared to run a half-hearted campaign perhaps thinking he was "entitled" to the Blue State win. (I call this the "Clinton2016 syndrome). At the end of the day Youngkin was more hungry than McAuliffe.
The media is playing the sky is falling. There were some wins as well. And the Democrats sure need to come up with some fresh faces that are vigorous and hungry to win.
Would love a Stacy Abrams to vote for, yet the opposing party had no problem at all voting for lousy candidates. Dems have long had majority support for their policies but so many of them have a purity test when it comes to the candidate running that we lose out on all the good stuff on the party platform
Hmmmm
You are so right
See my recent message Christy. We must speak to our base, which is some 60+ % if we include moderates who have not bought conservatism.
I may be confused Frederick, I’m asking how our elected officials can respond more proactively. I understand your comment to be about voters, which was my point. Voters must elect more liberals. Yes we need better choices. More Stacy Abrams would be great. But how do we identify the stars and lift them up?
Good question, Christy. Thoughtful and probing. imho. And, imho ...>
1) Personally. Get to know your officials. Donate. Call them. Go to their events. 2) Dems Groups. Join the local and county Dems group. 3) Interest groups. Get involved. In Maine, we have TWO very big referenda next year, hopefully. We’re collecting signatures now thru Jan 15:
a) Medicare for All for Maine, to create a statewide universal medical plan
b) People Power, to establish a PUBLIC utility for Maine (not privately owned)
* Get involved in a solid progressive citizens group.
btw, where do you live Christie? Do you interest in framing, Christie? The ‘art’ of creating a dynamic vision, through simple language, that creates a context for progressive thinkers, to be successful. A BIG task!
Well said. Thank you.
Three cheers for you, Deborah.
our population doesn't deserve a lot of dignity at this critical time.
https://twitter.com/ianbremmer/status/1455600343224569861?s=21
Do as we say, not as we do!
Cincinnati elected its first Asian American mayor, Aftab Pureval. His father was born in India and mother was born in Tibet. Cincinnati also elected majority of Democrats to City Council. I'm optimistic for our future. Dems ran a good slate.
That’s a pretty big deal for Cincinnati.
And a huge deal in Ohio!
Congratulations, Cincinnati!
Thank you!
I can't wait to tell my husband when he wakes up! He is an Ohioan and will be delighted!
That is so cool!
He was sooo happy
Now we need to have Tim Ryan elected to the senate!
And get Jim Jordan out of the House.
Escort him to jail. He and his very big mouth.
Yay Cinci! I heard that on NPR this morning and it cheered me up.
I agree. Virginia has a history of flipping governorship in off years. I can't control it and I refuse to succumb to "conventional wisdom" and doom from too many sources. So I'm going to focus on what's going on in my own front yard, which to me is pretty positive.
I wonder how a large American city actually elects any conservatives to it city council. I know SW Ohio is conservative, but in its major city? Do tell, if you would like
Cincinnati/Hamilton County have been blue since about 2008. The City had mostly Democrats but the County was mostly Republican (had been for decades). Hamilton County Democratic Party has done an outstanding job of flipping county offices, commissioners, and judges from red to blue in the past few years. In fact our new mayor, Aftab Pureval, was the first Democrat elected to Clerk of Courts in I don't know how many years. I subscribe to the Cincinnati Business Courier, which is one of the best publications I've seen anywhere. Their coverage of the campaign and candidates was informative and fair. They had an article today about how Hamilton County was building a Dem machine. It's very exciting to live in this environment.
Thanks Kathleen. Hopefully this portends good thing for Tim ryan in the open OH Senate seat! I feel a kinship for Cincinnati, because I’m from Pittsburgh, which always seemed like an 'older brother’ to Cinci. I’ve followed the Pirates since the 1960s, and always loved the rivalry with the Reds, Big Red Machine. Time now for a Big Blue Machine! And of corse the Steelers have owned Bengals since the 1970s; well, times are about to change with the Bengals ... but Cincinnati and Pittsburgh and other urban areas seem to be experiencing the “blue-ing” of the counties, but beyond them is sometimes rabidly conservative. I wonder how much effect the Kentucky suburbs have on Cinci? I think of the suburban moms, who are turning more democratic. Is this happening in the Ohio suburbs of Cinci. There seems to be some kind of a red barrier at a certain miles from downtown Pittsburgh, where we have Congressional Republicans who do not acknowledge Biden as Pres. Ahhh, but Tim Ryan has the persona to appeal to them, don’t you think?
I'd love to visit Pittsburgh. I've heard such wonderful things! We used to have cable cars on Inclines to our 7 hills and I hear Pittsburgh still has 2 of them operating. I have affection for the Pirates because the first baseball game I saw was at Candlestick Park in San Francisco when the Giants played the Pirates back in 1960. Roberto Clemente lead off with a triple. I'll never forget that game after all these years. And I'm enough of a contrarian to like the Steelers even though I'm not a big football fan. My grandson graduated from Lennard High School with Diontae Johnson. He was also on the football team but mostly rode the bench. He is still friends with Diontae and says he's a very cool guy.
Regarding politics in Cincinnati's surrounding suburbs/exurbs it's a mixed bag. Kate Schroeder (Dem) ran against Steve Chabot in Ohio1. Thanks to gerrymandering she lost Warren County but won Hamilton County but Warren County killed her bid. I understand a suburban school district elected a decent school board (I don't know if they run on party affiliation). In addition to Warren County we are also bordered alongside Clermont and Butler counties and they're still pretty rabidly red. I've heard Butler County is getting a tad better (John Boehner's home county). But the more rural bordering counties are still bad. I have a gut feeling Ryan may have a shot because he's got that scrappy Irish Catholic working class kid thing going for him. At this point it looks like the Rethugs are imploding with Vance and Mandel trying to out crazy each other. But Ohio Republicans always manage to pull a rabid racist rabbit out of the hat at the last minute to get their voters out so we'll see. Hamilton and Franklin (Columbus) Counties are the most reliably blue. I've heard Cuyahoga and the other northern counties are struggling but I don't know that for a fact. It will be interesting!
I did learn something interesting from Twitter this morning, which was that Republicans fielded some of the rabid right wing candidates to run for school board in our red rural counties. Many of those candidates lost (I don't have exact numbers). I thought that was great news!
Yea! I like your feeling of “that scrappy Irish Catholic kid” as the Repugs try to out-crazy one another. So, according to the fiction writer running for the US Senate, the problem ion the world are ... THE school teachers! I’d love to spend a couple months win northwestern suburban Pittsburgh, a few miles east of Youngstown, where I can be a grunt worker to turn two Senate seats and one US House seat blue in the Pittsburgh suburbs. Besides being absolutely gorgeous, with the three rivers, steep hills and hundreds of bridges, the city has so many creatives - and ALL that dough from the robber barons, and their foundations doing very good things, like the Buhls, Mellons, Carnegies, and Fricks, as well as as the Heinz family
Kathleen, ahhh, being introduced to the national pastime with Roberto Clemente and Willie Mays, in San Francisco during the beat era, 1960 - the magical year of the Mazeroski home run to WIN the World Series for the Pirates!
Wonderful!
Yes it is! Thank you!
"The best argument against democracy is a five minute conversation with the average voter." - Winston Churchill
I think tonight pretty much demonstrated the truth of Churchill's observation. The average American has never been 1,000 miles from where they were born, and has no actual clue there is a world out there. And as I have made my way through the average Americans during my time on the planet, I have come to the realization that people like those who gather here are a pretty distinct minority. Thank goodness they exist, and that I have been able to spend a very active life with a very minimal contact with the average Americans while I spend my time with the descendants of the 5% of the apes in Africa who didn't "descend from the trees" - they were pushed.
I agree. The problem is that no one listens anymore. They just “do” which a very reactionary response. Thus, a truly tragic one in many cases.
There's a lot to be said about the "Grand Tour" that English young men took way back when. I've lived in a few mostly west coast places & even that has been eye opening.
All I can do is think about the video of the guy in Virginia who said when asked what was the most important issue was.
CRT, however, he doesn't know anything about it, he just knows it's bad.
This is what you get when you go with emotions instead of policy.
In some ways, I'm hoping my daughter in law decides to move back to Canada, because I will be joining them.
Which, sadly looks better than moving to freaking TX.
‘If a nation expects to be ignorant and free, in a state of civilization, it expects what never was and never will be.’
Thomas Jefferson, 1816
The news clip you cited, Beth, of the 'average' American voter being asked about Critical Race Theory (CRT) a subject frequently raised, misrepresented and derided by Republican politicians was a perfect nugget. The voter answered several times in words to the effect, 'I don't know anything about it, but I'm against it'. How is that for Republican propaganda and an example of America's easily indoctrinated citizenry?
and the pushbacks were where???? Didn't hear one, but I finally gave up on watching anything
Jeri, The voter was answering questions from a reporter. It was just him and a reporter. There wasn't anyone around them to push back.
Thank you.
Yes, I saw that yesterday. It's more than being brainwashed. Anyone that man's age saying, "I don't know what it is but I'm against it", has likely made a lot of very poor decisions throughout life simply because he is so incurious he refuses to dig in and educate himself. Now, in the 21st century, it's easy to learn about anything – the internet is at our fingertips 24/7. Even Wikipedia, which isn't always the best resource, can be a good starting point as it frequently provides further resources in the bibliography. As the saying goes, "Google* is your friend."
*Or some other search engine
I do think this country has a responsibility, though, to take the microphones away from all the liars. People are busy. People work for a living. People go to church. People aren't bad because they didn't read the play by play in the Washington Post on the January 6th insurrection, or the college thesis on Critical Race Theory. They listen to folks like themselves who they trust, or to charismatic leaders and broadcasters who persuade them. Putin, along with other foreign and national oligarchs, have fed the airwaves and internet and church lecterns with crap, dressed up in Sunday suits. Enough. If not a resurrection of The Fairness Doctrine, we need an ascension of The Truth.
Think the mics should go dead when they start with their BS. That should happen at debates also.
YES!!!!
We absolutely need the resurrection of the Fairness Doctrine. Period. Here's the thing about people being busy: No, people aren't bad because they don't read the play by play in WaPo, however, that's not where you're going to get a straightforward definition of CRT or much else, like the definition of socialism or communism. It's not necessary to read a college thesis on CRT to learn that it is not taught in K-12. Googling CRT and reading the Wikipedia entry is not going to gobble up too much of someone's time ESPECIALLY if it's something that is driving votes for or against a candidate. And that's the problem – people who don't research issues don't vote the issues or policies they vote party. I'm sorry, being "busy" is not an excuse for being poorly informed and remaining willfully ignorant. Saying ,"I don't know what it is but I don't like it", is someone being willfully ignorant and proud of it.
We all function within echo chambers. Some echo chambers are filled with curious, interested and compassionate people. Some echo chambers are filled with nitwits. This is an echo chamber of the first sort. We're lucky.
"being willfully ignorant and proud of it." Says it all
and our citizenry is gullible and/or stupid. Just so used to Rupert's non-stop BS
Yes, I agree, but Republican messaging, targeting emotions, is effective. Dems need to learn from this. They use fear and anger. Dems could use caring, love, hope, pride, inspiration or any other positive emotions.
What??? No group pushes hate and fear like republlicans. Dems have been too kumbaya and nice for decades. Bit them in the arse too.
When I say “They use fear and anger”, I’m referring to Republicans. Rereading this I see it’s unclear. My main point is Dems need to sell their programs using emotion rather than wonky, abstract argument.
I'm in freaking TX. where propaganda rules
Stupid ignorant man
Is there a link to this video?
Never mind. Found it,
https://twitter.com/i/status/1455243036795998212
🤦♂️
Morning, all!! Morning, Dr. R!! Reporting from Virginia: Double Dang.
Here you go, Lynell, and progressive Virginians, and people supporting progressive Virginians, and people supporting progressive people everywhere--from Robert Hubbell's letter of 11/02/2021 on hardening our resolve:
"I understand the angst and the disappointment, but if the losses materialize, the lesson is that we must do more, not less. We must increase our commitment and harden our resolve, not retreat in pity or fear. If you need a day or two to feel bad, that’s fine. But if the people reading this newsletter aren’t willing to take a loss, pick themselves up, and fight even harder, then we are lost. Whatever happens, we can’t panic. Indeed, if there is a pattern to the losses that can help us change the outcome in future elections, we are fortunate to have Virginia as a wake-up call.
My favorite email tonight is the following from a reader who is writing postcards even as she watches the dismal election returns:
'These losses are discouraging, but I'm maintaining my faith in our Democracy! Losses will happen, but it only means we have to work even harder. I'm prepared for the fact that the media is going to be all over this, regardless of how all of the races turn out, saying that it's a sign that Biden's Presidency is doomed. But that's wrong - He has 3+ years to achieve his goals, This is a marathon, not a sprint. Now we know what we have to do in 2022 and 2024. These handful of elections happening in an odd number year, with predictably dismal turnout, cannot be used to judge how well Biden is doing.
I won't listen to the naysayers, I plan to just keep writing postcards, and anything else I can do, to get this big ship pushed around in the right direction. It takes time to right the course, but we'll do it, we have to.'
There is no doubt that Democrats will prevail over time. It is inevitable. Republicans are attempting to perpetuate minority rule with a minority that is shrinking and will continue to do so. Our job is to hold the fort long enough for the inevitable change to become permanent.
The next few days may be difficult. They will pass. We cannot dwell on losses; we have much work to do and cannot tarry. If you can, be a source of strength and inspiration for others who are struggling to remain positive. The democracy you save may be your own!"
https://roberthubbell.substack.com/p/todays-edition-hardening-our-resolve
Worker-bees are an essential part - the heart of soul of Democracy. Robert Hubbell is encouraging the heart - the pump - to keep running as you are, Ellie. What of the Democratic Party? What about its organization? Who is talking to the American people? What' is the message? What is there to feel good about? Where are the voices in states around the country to be the voices, the chorus singing the song of what Biden has already accomplished and what is ahead:
* investment in children and caregiving - save most American families more than half of their spending on child care - deliver two years of free preschool for every 3- and 4-year-old in America - give more than 35 million families a major tax cut by extending the expanded Child Tax Credit - expand access to high-quality home care for older Americans and people with disabilities - cut greenhouse gas pollution by well over one gigaton in 2030, reduce consumer energy costs - give our kids cleaner air and water -create hundreds of thousands of high-quality jobs - investing in a 21st century clean energy economy – from buildings, transportation, industry, electricity, and agriculture to climate smart practices across our lands and waters - biggest expansion of affordable health care coverage in a decade - reduce premiums for more than 9 million Americans - extending the expanded Premium Tax Credit - deliver health care coverage to up to 4 million uninsured people - help older Americans access affordable hearing care by expanding Medicare ...
Biden cannot be alone is selling THE BUILD BACK BETTER PLAN. It represents AMERICA for the AMERICAN PEOPLE. We need representatives around the country to sing that song.
Keep singing, Fern. We have a chorus!
Louder, stronger and more of us!
Oh! We need a sing! A new national anthem! Who here is musical?!
Song
Thank You Fern! I keep thinking about what HCR said about Harriet Beecher Stowe writing "Uncle Tom's Cabin" to reach the hearts of white women to get them to stop slavery and practices like separating negro children from their mothers. My neighbor, a history teacher, says President Lincoln said to her, in 1862 when introduced, "“So this is the little lady who made this big war.” And there are other woman who have literally made a world of difference by sitting back and thinking, "What can I do, that will get at the heart of this injustice and change minds?" Can we write a new "Common Sense" pamplet ala Thomas Paine? A National Quilting Bee? Something to bring The Truth and end the big-oted lie.
As sisters MaryPat, along with our brothers, we need a People's Party (lobby) to influence the Democratic Party, Independents, willing Republicans and the President to serve the people. We need to have new tools, which will enable us to be more powerful and influential. Enemies of the People have captured levers of government, which is destroying democracy.
Edit: '...which 'are' destroying democracy.
When Biden originally presented the $6-trillion BBB plan, he received broad and deep acclaim. It was bold and progressive and the Democratic faithful were ecstatic. So many were saying that they knew this was the Biden they voted for and isn't he a great leader. And, then ....
Plop, followed by more plops. You could just sense how demoralized people became as they saw the DINO's (or whatever the hell you want to call them) starting to back off, nitpicking and questioning fundamental improvements, and finally throwing a wrench into the whole works. They knew full well that the Democratic margins in Congress were slim and that they wielded more power than Biden or the Democratic leadership. It has been downhill ever since and a $6-trillion plan has been pared to less than $2-trillion. The point is that the rank and file were fully on board and excited to support a $6-trillion plan. They are not the ones that wavered and floundered or gave up.
Your last sentence reminded me - Obama cannot be alone in selling the ACA. It represents America for the American People. Our Democratic representatives in Congress immediately dropped the ball and the Republicans picked it up and ran with it and scored again and again because of Democratic incompetence. If the BBB plan gets done, Republicans will do the same thing to it as they did to the ACA - they already are doing it!
Here's the punchline, we progressives have been here many times before and we know for certain that the Democratic Party (the politicians) will find a way to snatch defeat from certain victory. I can't prove it but I firmly believe, if the Dems united to pass the $6-trillion BBB plan and had indicted and started prosecuting the treasonous Republicans who participated in the Jan. 6 coup, they would be cruising to invincibility in future elections.
The Democrats lose, not because the faithful don't turn out to vote or fail to contribute generously, but because enough Democratic politicians sell out to their mega-donors and the corporate lobbyists, and because they are willing to sabotage their own party and the will of the people for their own personal benefit. The Manchin's of the world are more concerned about getting money from their donors than they are in helping their constituency. Every time Democrats compromise their principles and their agenda to protect a DINO, they undercut the entire party and those who want to support the party. And, they lose elections!!!
So Fern I disagree with you. The party faithful and political activists (worker bees like you and many others in this substack community) are doing yeoman service despite being undercut and not supported by every Democrat in office. People expect and deserve a return on their loyal support and Democratic politicians seldom deliver and usually it is a token of what they promised to begin with. Even Progressive Democrats pay a price as they are singled out by their own and blamed for every failure of the Democratic leadership. It's gotten old.
Fern, you are truly a progressive and you have spoken persuasively to progressive causes. You have talked the talk and walked the walk. You and millions like you should not be blamed - it's the Democratic centrists and moderates in Washington and at the local level who are beholden to their corporate masters who have failed us. If Democrats are to ever succeed, they have to hold their elected representatives accountable. As monstrous as the Republican Party has become, they have succeeded and persevered because of their zero-tolerance toward politicians who don't sing their song. Sometimes they lose a seat or two but in the long run, they have leveraged a minority of adherents into a majority powerhouse.
Don, You know I like proof - the evidence - however, we are in complete agreement. I didn't see a smidgen of disagreement between us and cannot imagine why you wrote that there was. Withal, your passion meets our cause and our needs. Expect me to write more about the depth of commitment and determination that the Congressional Progressive Caucus has for the welfare of all Americans. See the link below.
https://progressives.house.gov/
Sorry, if I misread. I was responding to, "Where are the voices in states around the country to be the voices, the chorus singing the song..." and "We need representatives around the country to sing that song." I think you have a good voice but unfortunately, I guess, too often we are singing to the choir.
Thanks, morning, Ellie!!
To take my mind off the Democrat's latest loss, I continued reading WaPo's excellent Before, During, and After article about January 6. While reading, I remembered that January 6 was a direct result of the Big Lie that the 2020 election was stolen by nefarious means.
I dare say the Democrats will accept yesterday's defeat and not claim it was fraudulent or stolen. Perhaps that will be more important for the country than a gubernatorial win for Virginia.
I started to chuckle at your "lite" WaPo reading material, until recalling my it-can-always-be-worse go-to reading is Holocaust memoirs from an era of another Big Lie. Be well!
Be safe, Ellie!
Ellie: Thought I'd share this email I just received from Loudoun County Democrats. Dems did pretty well overall!
"I am sure I am not alone in my disappointment in last night's elections. This election was so deeply important for us, for our neighbors, and for our communities. Our progress comes not in a straight line, but in a jagged path. As we zig and zag along that path, Loudoun Democrats delivered up and down the ballot.
"Loudoun Democrats held every House of Delegates seat in Loudoun.
"Loudoun Democrats delivered a double-digit county victory for our statewide candidates.
"Loudoun Democrats won 7 of 8 magisterial districts.
"Loudoun Democrats delivered the most votes to a statewide Democratic ticket in modern history."
Woo hoo! Congratulations to you and Loudoun County Democrats! Zigzag progress is so true, and the zags so frustrating--good to keep an eye on the zigs!
Fern wanted me to send this article to you, Ellie, from the Knoxville Sentinel (TN). https://www.knoxnews.com/
I'm not quite through the Post's extraordinary piece about events that make Watergate look like jaywalking. If only the House select committee would do televised hearings, using the article's chronological narrative...it won't but a movie studio somewhere is already looking for someone to write and direct the screenplay.
I believe it was Shiff. Maybe Raskin who said the hearings will be televised.
I did the same last night, Lynell. I finally finished the piece, just wow. And good morning!
I'm almost finished. Keep getting interrupted. Wow, indeed. Morning!
It took me three days. I did one section per day. And feel like I only absorbed half of it!
I picked up quite a bit of info I hadn't read about before.
Good plan. Thanks.
Maybe we could evaluate though? The propaganda from the right continues to grow the cult. How do we stop the torrential downpour of lies we are bathed in?
Can’t stop free speech, but HCR has said she writes these Letters to counter the narrative, to take up oxygen. So amplify the truths and positive progress, like Biden’s accomplishments to date.
Ellie, Free Speech does not have to mean the right to spew lies across the land on every new technology. The adults in the room need to set healthy limits on the chaos and deconstruction of the administrative state. I’ve been laser focused on what you suggest. IT IS NOT WORKING.
Yes we need regulation of social media. Dollars have more immediate impact, like the big lawsuit against Fox. And this is long term work along with short term. “It is not working” is not a verifiably true statement. It may be how you feel, so take a break, regroup, then join in hardening our resolve.
One reason to clobber Zuckerberg and FB for letting the spread of propaganda to global citizens. Sickening of the power that is possessed by Twitter, FB, and Google owners!
https://mobile.twitter.com/TheGoodLiars/status/1455243036795998212?fbclid=IwAR1uRvs7ag8sRJWc7_Pilvg7qD2MmFCNmyYQXqvv13q7LP2yr9C1jH5eFAk
That brief interview says it all about Critical Race Theory.
His party. Whatever they say. They know what is good for me. Like a robot. Like the military. Do what I say.
😣
Ellie, but there will come the day that she won't be permitted to. She knows that.
Hard to 🤍 such a truth.
I’m slowly working at creating a searchable pdf document of all LFAA letters including text/screenshots of each day’s links and subscriber comments also with text/screenshots for links included in those comments. Progress is very slow, but it will be worth the effort to have a permanent record of something so valuable. Teaching myself indexing and applying it to getting the project done properly is going to be a challenge - I’m saving that part for last.
Lena, that is an amazing project! Have you checked with HCR to see if she already has some sort of system in place for tracking her production and/or preparing a future book?
WOW! Thanks!
We all have our subjective takes on what HCR writes and says. In her video chat of 11/02/2021 fast forward to near the end at 1:01:00 where she says even if the worst happens that the US becomes an authoritarian state, she is optimistic that we will have the courage to continue to speak up to assert government by consent of the governed, as declared in the Declaration of Independence. As people did in the 1890s keeping the flame that fueled the 1960s.
https://fb.watch/92IN3L-dIm/
Yeah! I’m still baffled about the allowance the Fox propaganda machine is being given. How is it that they aren’t required to acknowledge & clearly display on the screen that what they are reporting is only opinion?
Not the truth!
It’s unnerving and dangerous to the retainment of our Democracy!
Yes. They should have been required to remove the word 'news' as soon as they admitted in court that they were merely an entertainment and opinion station.
Unfortunately, when the word News is removed, no one will notice.
Maybe if it had been done immediately and a point made of it, it would have been noticed, but now? Likely not.
A headline from the Knoxville paper: “Republicans tried party politics to win city elections, but motivated Democratic voters”
Rocking it in Tennessee!
https://www.knoxnews.com/story/news/politics/2021/11/02/knoxville-knox-county-tennessee-city-council-election-results-2021-democrats-gop/6191913001/
Marcy, Can you post a link to that article?
Here you go, Fern: https://www.knoxnews.com/
Glad to see wins for Dems in other parts of the country!
Lynell, Thank you. I think this is an article to be forwarded to as many state and local Democratic Party organizations and grassroots organizations. The article reported that party moved late but finally moved. It seems to be an example of the Democratic Party organization asleep at the wheel until it was almost too late. Articles like these are wakeup calls for local and state party officials to WAKEUP! Thank you Lynell. Will you or I copy it to Ellie? Great work!
Found Ellie somewhere on this page and sent her the link.
If we had the cajones to charge the treasonous traitors to our country promptly and make the country see we are serious about criminals and fascists before this election...it would not have been so narrow. We are allowing the cult to strengthen by not acting swiftly whilst we can. They would have. This is not a ballgame where both sides play fair or even agree to the rules. They lie and deceive and we need to show strength and power. Right now.
Listen to HCR'S chat yesterday. The DOJ and AG Garland are making great progress investigating, arresting and flipping traitors to guarantee convictions (Juliani might be next) of the big fish. It must be done right. Look at Garland's past success like the Oklahoma bombing. Not in time for 2021 elections, but in plenty of time for 2022 elections.
Oh, MaryPat! Are you serious? I was really sinking just now. After my walk, I will listen. Thank you, you were just an answer to my deepening grief over the demise of our democracy and justice system!!
Truer words seldom heard!
Did you note that in the post-election debriefing by the media, no one mentioned the January 6 coup, one way or another? Seemingly, many people have moved on, probably sick of what has become a political squabble. Because Democrats didn't seize the moment, the Republican propaganda over a few months has obliterated the facts and truth of what was a serious coup d'etat in America. This epitomizes Democratic incompetence at the senior level! Actions speak louder than words.
It is so frustrating and feels just like what happened in the Mueller investigation. We The People pin our hopes on justice and consequences for very bad, now treasonous behavior, for naught? What is the fear that strangles the democrats from making a decision to stand up for our democracy against thugs? What??
Gosh, I've asked that question of myself so many times. Here's the best take I have on the situation.
I think politicians generally are exceptionally insular. Even though they are elected to do the people's business, the environment they operate in is almost surreal. They spend most of their time shlepping for the wealthy who fund their campaigns. I call it a symbiotic relationship. Lawyers call it quid pro quo. After all, the donors provide the air for politicians to survive. Deprived of air, they die.
What about elections - people have one vote, regardless of how much they contribute to a campaign. The mega-wealthy hire smart and devious attorneys and political operatives who know all the ins and outs of federal, state, and local election laws, and they systematically try and suppress the vote of their opponents, or gerrymander winning districts, or nullify votes and leave it up to the courts and state officials to decide elections. When the Democrats caved and let the Supreme Court decide who should be president over the will of the people, that was the official end of democracy.
The Constitution and the Rule of Law have been co-opted and misconstrued to serve the needs of ideological fanatics and robber barons. The wealthy have been relentless in pushing past the boundaries and guardrails of governance by abusing long-held institutions. Why didn't Obama appoint a liberal Supreme Court justice when Congress was adjourned as he was advised after McConnell and the Republicans refused to advise and consent as was their duty?
If Democrats were serious about restoring integrity to politics and governance then why are they not going after elected politicians who openly and brazenly forsake their oath of office? Most Americans hopefully believe that we have nothing in the way of a government if we allow our elected representatives to disabuse their oath of office.
So, to put it all together politicians need air to keep on living and it matters little what is good and right for the country if all they care about is getting elected and staying in power. (Bernie Sanders disabused us of their self-serving erroneous conclusion.) Most politicians are lazy freeloaders who quickly learned how to turn a fast buck with little effort. Exhibit A & B: Manchin and Sinema.
Republicans are far and beyond the worst abusers of the institution of government, but the one thing Republicans have never been hypocritical about is they know money is the key to power. Keep the wealthy happy and they will support you at every turn. Democrats have a far more difficult path because the arch-enemy of the wealthy are progressives and the Democratic Party has enough progressives to make their political fortunes dim.
The Democratic Party has concluded that the key to their winning is supporting candidates who can bring in the most money to the party, hence the Clintons (a fundraising juggernaut,) Obama and Biden as opposed to any progressive candidate. Now Obama and Biden may not bring in the money like the Clintons but they know how to triangulate their way to a victory - make a lot of liberal promises only to back down after the first hint of resistance.
Democrats are not going to go out of their way to hold the Republicans accountable - they have their marching orders from the wealthy plutocrats who expect them to toe the line. The best Dems can do is continue to triangulate their way to a slow demise. Let's not forget most of the power in the Democratic Party is held by political dinosaurs whose "Sell by" date has long expired. They know they're financially secure for whatever time remains in their lives.
Thanks for your well-thought out ideas on that big question, Don. When I was much younger and visited Europe for about a month with a Eurail pass. A year later, I crossed America with my new husband (a Brit) and we visited Mt. Rushmore and witnessed all the state flags a-flying, and read our Declaration of Independence together. Despite the shadows of the decimation of my of my Native American ancestors by my white Euro immigrant ancestors, and my disgust of slavery to build this nation, I was amazed at how I felt about this incredible Experiment we have attempted, a VAST land under One precious Government. What an amazing thing to try to accomplish!
Europe is so small with so many countries with their own governments, cultures and languages. And yet here we trying to govern so many under one roof. And the roof is caving in because of we are stuck in living in a caste system that won't let go. Greed and capitalism gone awry. Repeating history again and again.
I wrote more but it just got more and more depressing. So, it is time for the woods and the beaver pond to put my mind back in order. Taking a little break for a few days.
We also had wins! Let’s focus on those for now.
Yes, and here in Florida, St. Petersburg elected its first Black mayor, Ken Welch. The other good thing is that his campaign opponent was promoted by a Lauren Boebert wanna be, Anna Paulina Luna.
Yes! Here in Maine we did defeat the propagandists! Amazing considering the nonstop blatant lies being broadcast nonstop in glittery ads!
Thanks for posting Ellie. As long as we learn from whatever mistakes were made in this election, we can create a better outcome next year.
Morning, Lynell! You are so polite.
Morning, Daria!! Silver Lining: New guy promises to eliminate VA's grocery tax!
Welk, that IS something!
Morning, Lynell! Yes, VA was a tad disappointing, wasn't it?
I'm not surprised, Rowshan. IMHO, in his campaign, McAuliffe spent too much time focusing on the national rather than Virginia.
That was so surprising to me. Especially with great things Dems have done in Virginia. Lately it seemed every time I heard him speak or comment, he’d talk about Youngkins sweater vests.
Other than that, I can only guess that Independents, especially newly minted former Republicans, must have cast a vote for someone not affiliated (supposedly) with the former.
Keep up with the deep breath and exhale. Other results around the country to look at.
Christine, I think you’ve uncovered an important fact. The Republican Party has been shrinking, with many of them now calling themselves Independents. But if they continue to vote for Republicans, the smaller number of registered Rs should give us no optimism.
Morning, Christine!! Your take on what you saw just about says it all.
In the meantime, outgoing Northam announced his latest accomplishment regarding offshore wind turbines!
https://www.governor.virginia.gov/
OMG how’d I miss this. Painful co-opting of people of color. How.
Virginia’s newly elected Lieutenant Governor, Winsome Sears. I saw the campaign picture with the rifle and thought it was a joke.
https://twitter.com/drericding/status/1455781613074268161?s=21
https://www.cnn.com/2021/11/03/politics/winsome-sears-virginia-lieutenant-governor-race/index.html
No joke!
Oh dear God, I hadn’t seen that either. 😡
And co-opting women, but in this scenario, that seems less egregious.
Damn.
Sorry, Lynell. I so hoped this would not be the outcome.
Thanks, Pam. There are worse things, though it's hard to see that right now!
Florida feels your pain!
Boy, howdy, Kathy. Pardon me when I say to you..."Move over, I'll be sitting at your 'table' now!"
😂……😢
Lynell, I’m wringing my hands now. In my area of VA, we lost almost every election.
Me, too, Sara. My delegate candidate lost as well to a Trumper. He has held the office for several years before TFG came on the scene, but was at January 6 riot which I thought surely would unseat him...NOT!! I did see that McCauliffe won in my county, Loudoun...not that it matters.
I am happy to see others on this page reporting wins for their areas, so that's good to hear.
So, so sorry!!
"One result we can say with assurance is historic is that, for the first time in 199 years, Boston voters have chosen a mayor who is not a white man. They have elected progressive former city councilor Michelle Wu, a graduate of Harvard University and Harvard Law School. Black, Latino, and Asian residents now make up more than half of Boston’s population, and voters saw Wu as a move into the future."
Dear Heather,
Thank you for ending with the most uplifting news. I can't think of a better "move into the future!"
While the news from VA was not the best, I appreciate that you've looked at results around the country. You have a knack for looking at the overall political vista, making everything look less dreary. Your hermeneutics are a godsend, and most gratefully devoured!
I am delighted for Boston! Huzzah!
Me, too, Daria. Even though it will have little impact for those of us who live west of the 495 corridor, it is good to know that Boston/MA can be ground breaking at a time when there is little good news in the political world.
For me, it was not only uplifting, it was vindicating. The young and well educated are the best choice to lead this country. They will stay true to their progressive values and they will serve We The People, not corporate donors. The progressive cause is the winning cause as long as we can have free and fair elections and we get "big money" out of elections and politics altogether. BTW, Michelle Wu is 36.
Thanks for "hermeneutics" Rowshan.
McAuliffe told to The New York Times in 1999, "I've met all of my business contacts through politics. It's all interrelated."
As a Clinton advisor and DNC Chair, Terry McAuliffe was one of the architects of rebranding the Democratic party as the party of big money. If his defeat is the last nail in coffin of Clinton neoliberalism then it may prove to be worth it. But that McAuliffe, like Hillary Clinton before him, was the party's anointed candidate at all, is an indication of larger problems within the DNC and the party.
To ensure 'Hillary's turn' the DNC suppressed the development of a deep bench of talent. This has turned off potential candidates and potential voters. It's come back to bite the party more than once.
McAuliffe's 2013 win was a one off, not a precedent. In 2021, on the stump and in comparison with the fortuitously named Youngkin, McAuliffe appeared washed up and grasping at the straws of past glory.
Yes, peel back the fresh new face of Youngkin and you see the indelible orange stain and right wing extremist sneer of Trump - but that is not what voters saw on stage.
The Democratic party has the talent. Hopefully McAuliffe's defeat will be a final purge of Clintonism and a prod to move the party forward.
'...the DNC suppressed the development of a deep bench of talent. This has turned off potential candidates and potential voters. It's come back to bite the party more than once.' Lin, These three sentences in your comment would make a perfect poster to face Democratic Party operatives. Howard Dean tried very hard to move the party it that direction, but NO! it wouldn't go there! And now, I still don't see any signs of life.
Yes. And if Clinton had followed Dean's DNC 50 state policy then she might have won. The odious and opportunist Clintonista Tom Perez taking over the DNC perpetuated the party's Clinton problem. Thank goodness for Rep. James Clyburn taking the lead on Democratic election strategy in 2020.
If you want the good news, then listen to CSpan. There is great Democratic talent at all levels of government. Right now, Rhode Island's Sheldon Whitehouse is a leading Congressional light on big money and dark money. Maybe his name is fortuitous as well;)
https://harvardjol.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/17/2020/05/Sen.-Whitehouse_Dark-Money.pdf
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cjcXVKg43qY
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hwlfFRFoW3k
Whitehouse is a legal master, but not with a personality to stir the people. I think Joseph D. Neguse, U.S. Representative for Colorado's 2nd congressional district since 2019 has the temperament to win over large segments of the electorate, and he's very smart in non-inflammable way. More of a disarming light than a flame thrower. Are there others, in addition to Stacey Abrams, to get the Democratic Party together?
You are spot-on there Fern!
What's Cory Booker doing these days? Anyone know? I once saw him as one of the outstanding leaders and hopes for the Democratic Party. I've followed his career since he was in college but lost track recently.
For several years I have thought we need younger representatives at every level of government and in both parties. The world has changed a lot since many of the people in congress were first elected. I live in So. Calif. and know that Pelosi and Feinstein have done a great job but it is time for them to move on. I'm not sure if either of them have taken people under their wing to mentor. It is past time for the Dems to cultivate a farm team. Also, in this era of instant messaging learn to use all forms of communication to get out their message effectively.
Good morning all. I think that the racist and homophobic dog whistles have won this one. One reason why is that voter turnout--which seems to have been low all over--really has an effect on who wins and Dems are notoriously bad at getting out the vote until AFTER the apocalypse has happened. Maybe this will be a needed wake-up call to Dems that they need to get in gear for 2022.
The changes I am seeing as positive are in mayoral races, where some very interesting people have been elected, in cities both large and small--including Kansas City, Kansas, which elected its first Black mayor ever. KCK has the largest minority population in the state of Kansas, and it is just north of the wealthiest county in the state. In said wealthy county, the mayoral election of the largest municipality, Overland Park, was super close, but the leftier candidate won--someone who has been vocal in support of more mixed housing development in OP. School boards in the suburbs went wild for the racist dog whistle candidates, which just shows how ignorant white people who want to hide their racism behind a shield of anti "CRT" are. Unfortunately, people who run for school boards often do so because they have a single issue they flog, and racist dog whistles are the ones getting media attention these days. NPR is finally (FINALLY) pointing out in their reporting that what people are calling CRT is not actually anything like CRT. It took a while, like the refusal to refer to TFG's speech as lies until it was too late.
So maybe these election results will actually energize Democratic voters who might be thinking about sitting out 2022: Dems are fragile flowers a lot of the time, so maybe this will scare them into action. Pull the damn levers, folks.
P.S.: Why the heck doesn't substack figure out how to have an edit function?!?!? This is so stupid.
Democrats swept yesterday’s St Petersburg, FL local elections. Ken Welsh is our first black mayor. I’m hanging on to every glimmer of hope.
Congratulations St. Petersburg!
I have to feel that if Biden just had two more dependable votes in the senate, none of this(disappointing results in Virginia and New Jersey) would be happening. Why the forces that would cater to authoritarianism are able to mobilize such unity and why the democrats can not is a mystery that I wish some one would explain.
In the words of Will Rogers, "I am not a member of any organized political party. I am a Democrat."
Republican messaging is very narrowly focused on a series of cultural issues. Democrats, having a bigger "tent," have a much wider range of opinions. Hence we had people in 2016 voting for unicorn Bernie Sanders, even though he lost the Democratic primary, or worse, voted for Jill Stein. If the votes that went to Jill Stein had gone to Hillary in Michigan, Pennsylvania and Wisconsin, we would be a very different country right now.
Yes, and Democrats need to find a unified, unifying message going forward. “We are the party that makes government work for the American people.” Stop talking about ourselves as Progressives and Moderates. We are Democrats and our messaging has to be clear and unified. Identification with a particular caucus should not override identification as a Democrat. Interests still can be hammered out in Committees, without the need for labeling or separate identities.
From your lips to Pelosi and Schumer's ears!
Please try to ignore the breathless media postings about the Youngkin “victory” and focus on this. As of 11/1/2021, the Commonwealth of Virginia has 5,951,353 registered voters. Vote count is 3,287,600. that’s a lousy lousy turnout for something so important.
https://www.elections.virginia.gov/resultsreports/registration-statistics/
And the next time you see headlines shouting false conclusions about what all Americans believe in a a poll of 1,000 people, think about how our news sources have dumbed us down.
That's the more important of your two points.
It was as many of us feared. Just because people are registered doesn't mean they will vote unless something they perceive as "important" is on the ballot. The task we all have ahead of us is getting out a reasonable message about what the Democratic Party is trying to achieve, for us and for our children, grandchildren, etc. And it has to be concise, and repeated ad nauseam. It is a trick the Republicans learned a long time ago.
Over 2 million did NOT vote?? That’s abysmal
While I'm rooting for Pres. Biden's efforts to prove that a liberal democracy is the best form of government, Republican cynicism has identified the weak spot and created a work around. Liberal democracy requires a populace working from a base of understanding the issues facing the country, and the range of responses available to government to manage them. It's an old strategy, but by hyping jingoist/nationalist rhetoric, and portraying every move by their opposition as an attack on freedom, or patriotism, or christian values, they inflame peoples' autonomic response systems and poison the water for reasonable debate. It stinks, but it's pretty damn effective.
What today's elections seem to show is that tfg does not have the strangle hold on the GOP that people think. Terry Mcauliffe's campaign invoking tfg as much as he could didn't work especially when he had plenty to taut in the great things Virginia Democrats have done over the past two years. And, Youngkin did not want tfg to be visible in his campaign. Yes, the dog whistles of tfg were there but not tfg himself. It was effectively in getting Republicans who had voted for Biden to get rid of tfg back to voting Republican. Is there any hope that means the Republicans may return to a more normal moderate party? Probably not, but maybe its a crack at least.
There appear to be more negative cracks than positive ones in the USA. One large crack may be the Democratic Party. Why did McAuliffe run a national campaign? What is DNC chair, Jamie Harrison up to? Has the party done anything to strengthen its identity statewide and locally? It's a big tent that looks as though the coalman is running the show. The earth is dying and Joe Manchin is Mr. Democratic Party, not Joe Biden, hard as he tries.
You know I’ve been shouting “where in the world is Jamie Harrison?”
I was disappointed in Jamie Harrison when he ran against Lyndsey Graham. He had all the money he needed and was leading in the polls but at crunch time, he didn't close the deal. Graham slung the lies and dirt and Jamie insisted on taking the high road. The high road in politics is usually a dead-end, especially in a red state like South Carolina.
Agree, Cathy, 100%.
FRANKLIN DELANO ROOSEVELT
# Born on an estate in patrician Duchess County’
# Dominated by his mother, he wasn’t permitted to bathe himself until 81/2;
# Brought up with adults and learned not to express his personal feelings;
# Tutored in America and abroad until sent to exclusive boarding school, where, despite his cheerful letters to Mama, he was treated as a snobbish outsider;
# Did rather well at Harvard, but was devastated when he was blackballed by prestigious Porcellian Club;
# Hid secret romance from Mama until his engagement;
# Mama considered Eleanor, whose uncle was Teddy Roosevelt, an intrusion on her relationship with Franklin;
# Mama’s wedding present was a NYC brownstone next to hers, with sliding doors on all five floors;
# Franklin, lawyer, despite flunking two law school courses, was bored with practicing law;
# At age 25 he told a colleague that he sought to emulate Teddy as 1) state legislator; 2) assistant. Secretary of the Navy; 3) NY governor; and 4) president;
# He squeaked into the state legislature, where he impressed his colleagues as a superficial snob;
# Spent 1913-1920 as assistant secretary of the Navy;
# Eleanor came across love letters between Franklin and Lucy Mercer, Eleanor’s social secretary;
# Mama told Franklin that if he divorced and then married Lucy, she would cut off his significant trust fund;
# Eleanor agreed to stay on (in separate bedrooms) for their five children;
# (This event propelled Eleanor to launch her own extraordinary life);
# Franklin contracted polio in 1921. Despite heroic efforts, he would never be able to walk again unassisted;
# Louie Howe, a smelly savvy political pro, got Eleanor increasingly involved in Democratic politics;
# Franklin, from 1921-1928, experienced his ‘wilderness’ years—continuing his correspondence with Democrat politicians he had encountered during his 1920 Vice President candidacy, yachting, and establishing his beloved Warm Springs polio center;
# For the first time Eleanor had a showdown with Mama, who wanted Franklin to retire to Hyde Park with his stamp collection;
# Franklin had to appear to walk ‘unassisted’ at the 1928 Democratic presidential convention;
# He successfully nominated Alfred Smith, who Franklin succeeded as governor o NY;
# With a prolonged Great Depression, Franklin initiated innovative and successful government assistance;
# After trouncing President Herbert Hoover, he kept a low profile until March 4, 1933 inauguration;
Then commenced the 15 New Deal laws in the first hundred days, ups and downs, and World War II.
Charismatic, unprincipled, masterful politician, devious, supremely pragmatic, magnificent actor unruffled under stress, untroubled by policy contradictions, ruthless, robust sense of humor, positive image, vindictive, charming, resilient, arrogant, expedient, visionary.
At age 63 Franklin died at Warm Springs on April 12, 1945 with Lucy Mercer by his side.
Perhaps FDR saved both American democracy and Western civilization.,
Is Lucy Mercer related to the nut jobs, Robert and Rebekah Mercer?
Penelope I doubt it. Lucy was a Bohemian spirit who, after her family lost its money in a financial crash, was worked in a dress store and, because of her charm and suavivity
Oophs, my computer cut in abruptly—“suavivity (my word), became Eleanor Roosevelt’s social security. After Eleanor discovered Lucy’s love letters, Lucy managed to survive until she married a rich older man, whose death in 1944 brought Lucy back to the White House. Robert and Rebekah Mercer clearly lack charm and judgment.
Thanks for that info, Keith!
I'm thinking about people in my family who vote Republican. It seems that, for some specific reason (probably low taxes and business deregulation), they are on the GOP team. Then, they just trust that team regardless or ignore the riffraff as unimportant/inconsequential. They explain it away as hysteria on the part of the Dems. "Oh that won't happen." "That's not happening." "The Dems are just trying to scare us."
People do not like change. Especially if the change is perceived as coming from people they don't like or trust and who do not share their values. A lot of change came not only from republicans like Reagan but also from Democrats who were pushing the “Global Citizen” concept. Change is here whether any of us like it or not but, for now at least, they can be angry, defiant and threatening at democrats. Very easy, very convenient. At the end of the day we are all the same, we are all concerned. People are distracting themselves, choosing not to face the real issues. Hopefully more people will wake up and be willing to face the real challenges ahead.
I wish I could remember the podcast and who said it, but they said that people are not afraid of change, they are afraid of losing something/loss. This has stuck with me as I contemplate things happening on a national level but also locally here in my small town. It is the kind of redefining a thing so that we can communicate with each other more efficiently and more humanely. We need to look more at what people are afraid of losing, and address that, as opposed to simply saying that they don't like change.
That's true of some of my family members.
Have the courage to speak up against them.