As a historian, I am bemused by instant analyses after a political (or football) event. The Democrats are ‘frantic and had a disastrous game plan’ because of what occurred in the Virginia or New Jersey (where polls had Governor Murphy comfortably ahead) elections. Were I to analyze election results in Southold NY (Congressman Lee Zeldin’s territory—his major distinction with Trump sycophant Jim Jordan is that Zeldin wears a jacket), I would find that the Democrats have scored a resounding victory by ousting a long-entrenched Republican government.
“White back lash”in Virginia, still studying the entrails of the NJ results, mass repudiation of President Biden—-blah, blah, blah. Of course, when election results are disappointing, there is an immediate blame game. However, this is a four-quarter ‘game,’ and an agile quarterback, as is President Biden, is capable of getting his team more focused before half time in 2022. The Democrat cat fight over the physical and social infrastructure bills was debilitating for all to see. Quarterback Biden seems capable of giving several recalcitrant Dems in Congress catnip to obtain some of the most significant legislation since LBJ’s Great Society.
Many Americans are distressed by the ups-and-downs of the pandemic (in which the Biden administration has performed admirably, after the previous quarterback was dismissed). The supply snafu, which is world wide, may impede Christmas shopping, but by mid-2022 consumers should again be happy, the economy should be growing robustly, and President Biden’s quarterbacking is likely to be applauded for his PROMISES MADE/RESULTS DELIVERED as contrasted to Republican cheap shots and policy-less braying.
Traditionally the party that’s in the White House loses Congressional seats in mid-term elections. However, this is not written in stone nor are these traditional times. I am not in a funk at the end of the first quarter. My team has a seasoned quarterback with a flexible playbook. I have a bag of popcorn and a beer in hand, as I await the second quarter.
"Boston elected its first woman and first person of color as mayor. Pittsburgh and Kansas City, Kan., each elected its first Black mayor. Cincinnati chose an Asian American mayor, and Dearborn, Mich.’s next mayor is going to be an Arab American Muslim.
Cheer up, people. We made it through another election."
Gail Collins NYT November 4, 2021
And on a further positive note. We had another free and fair election day in this Country.
Excellent, Barbara!! And, yes, I made the comment yesterday that I was pretty sure when we lost, there wouldn't be cries of voter/election fraud. So far, I've not heard any such.
I am a student of history & believe Democrats must pass both infrastructure bills to provide a growing social safety net for ALL Americans. This is what European countries did after WWII to combat fascism. I think they learned the lessons of post WWI. Today's fascists are the Republicans, read "How Fascism Works". Democratic Patriots must get active for the 2022 midterms, to save our democratic republic. Don't trust me, read "On Tyranny" by historian Timothy Snyder. History instructs.
Thanks for the book recommendations, Brian. I am very pleased to be introduced to the work by Jason Stanley, "How Fascism Works." Timothy Snyder is a Frequently Mentioned Author on this substack, as you may know. "On Tyranny" was chilling in 2017, and it is terrifying now.
Milton Mayer's "They Thought They Were Free" another good but scary read re how fascism can ooze into a society. I have to say that "Adventures of a Bystander," by Peter Drucker was a game changer for me. Started before turn of the century and all the way through the horror. Hard to believe that those same forces are still at work. And in our America, but oozing they are.
Try Friendly Fascism by Bertram Gross. He was writing before 1985 and before internet & cell phones. As cynical as I find this book, he was headed in the right direction of corporate rule.
Timothy Snyder has a substack. He has been presenting the 20 Lessons from Tyranny, along with some recent thoughts as well as addressing other subjects. The link is below.
Which substack is better, Robert Reich or Timothy Snyder? I am inclined to stick with one historian (Heather) & Reich who has synthesizes several "Siloes of Knowledge".
Brian, It is a difficult call. Timothy Snyder's, 'Thinking about... 'couldn't be more different than the others. With Snyder, the combination, for me, of deep reflection and sense of soul is highly unusual. We are at different stages in life, Brian, and it is impossible to know how much we are alike and different. I sum, I believe you would do well with either, and Reich may be closest to where you are now. You cannot lose, either way. Cheers!
Ever the optimist, I think the VA loss will scare up more "good votes" for 2022. It is all about turnout. Millions of new young voters will be eligible to vote. Most of them are smart and inclusive.
If the legislative log jam can be broken on BBB, there will be significant momentum to secure two more Senate seats. And then...and then a voting rights bill can be carved out from filibuster foolishness.
Which sets the stage for 2024. I know, I am a dreamer. But a positive dream and a strong cup of coffee starts my day better than hysterical gloom/doomism.
"AOC and co" - including MA Senator Ed Markey - are advocating policies supported by more than 70% of all Americans. That makes them the centrists. It is why Joe Biden, a centrist for half a century and a very practical politician, is aligned with them.
Good move! Mid Coast Maine is a slice of heaven. Just be careful if you wander west - unless you are headed for the Lost Kitchen :)
Joe can't keep AOC in a box. How would he do that? And the progressive gang is mainstreaming faster than we can paddle against the tide. McAuliffe lost for two reasons. His comment about parents and schools was a bridge jump into oblivion. And he was old news that failed to get the young and forward thinking youth to the voting booths. Dem turnout was lame. And I would bet that it was progressives who stayed home. "Oh, Terry, more of the same." You could call it the Hillary effect.
BTW, on your way to Maine, stop in Boston for a bit. There is new progressive sheriff in town!
Sorry Bill, but the republican party is nothing but fascism. It needs to be screamed from the rooftops. Yes, McAuliffe's comment gave me a horrible sinking feeling, but Youngkin gave me a vision of trump
According to HCR in one of her recent history or political chat, AOC is more of a “traditionalist” and “conservative” when you consider the writing in the Constitution. I’m with AOC and HCR.
Thank you! That was my reaction to the incredibly pessimistic reporting. I do though, hope this may push the democrats to finish their bargaining and pass the bills so we can focus on how to get voting rights legislation passed.
Loved your analysis! And so completely agree with you! Give the guy a break! As much as I respect most of the media personalities, why, why, why are you undermining everything Biden and the Democrats do or try to do. Just stop It! You look foolish! It's a long road to success and the climb is difficult but slowly they will get there! Already they had one republican go against the pack and vote with the Dems. Give it time, try to stay positive and do what you can to help. It's just the beginning of the second quarter. Who gives up a game after the first quarter, not us!
Time is running out. It will soon be 2022 and in Floriduh, Gov. DeathSantis is getting another unnecessary goon squad to monitor elections, like the mad emperor's own nameless federal goons sent to intimidate and break up peaceful demonstrations that one time was an American civil right.
They are already here threatening school officials, teachers, election officials and getting into the face of everyone. Some good things happened here in Oregon where the small town where I worked did pass a fire levy, so they could have 24/7 professional fire service on hand not staffed with volunteers. In our fire district, it took three elections to get our fire/medic service up to snuff. This I do not understand.
I've been watching this since Nixon, been a long haul for me. Always tried to think "it's not as bad as it seems." But rupert keeps spewing bull schitt faster than Dems can shovel. Dems should have had their own bull horn since Ronnie, but he had his own script writer (Noonan) and PR expert (Deaver) to show him better than he ever was. Same with Rupert and trump. Propaganda works, sad to say
Propaganda works for both sides when it's employed properly. For every Lord Haw Haw, there has been a Churchill so far but we appear to still be searching for an antidote to Crockwork Orange.
I think we can always pick out the democrat/progressive-leaning media. They seem to bend over so much to not show bias that they end up speaking in superbly critical terms as to what are the imperfections of the good; holding their preferred policies/leaders/candidates to standards never imagined for the other side. And, we can not help but be discouraged when our side does what is possible, ok, pretty good, the right thing, even if not the perfect, the impossible, anything more than the other side would even think doing. We dare not defend what we do that is right and, like a good mid-westerner, point out that it could have been better before someone here in Lake Wobegon points out our lack of humility or the sin of bragging. Perhaps, we are simply too concerned with the potential of our integrity falling short that our media starts off with the apology for shortcomings, most of which would go unnoticed but for the most decerning of our opposition, leaving our message and achievements unheard of. Like this post, we twist ourselves in our own knickers, impure that they are, of course. 😏
Hello Keith. I'm drinking a cool, glass of water from the kitchen sink. Modest as that may seem, I still bring good election news,. 'In elections across the country, candidates of color made history Tuesday night.'
'..., bringing diversity to leadership roles in some of America's biggest cities, and in some states as well.'
'Boston, New York, Pittsburgh and Dearborn, Mich., were among the places that a majority of voters embraced minority candidates.'
'Michelle Wu is the first woman and person of color to be elected Boston's mayor
The city councilor and daughter of Taiwanese immigrants broke Boston's 199-year streak of white, male city leaders. Michelle Wu defeated fellow Democratic City Councilor Annissa Essaibi George, a self-described first-generation Arab-Polish American.'
"For many, the race came down to competing visions of the future with Essaibi George's version cast as more of the old guard and Wu's perceived as new-school Boston."
'Pittsburgh elects Ed Gainey, the city's first Black mayor ever.' "We know how people have talked about Pittsburgh, how siloed it is, how segregated it is," Gainey told supporters on Tuesday, according to member station WESA. "But today, you changed that."
'The western Pennsylvania metropolis, which is 23% Black, largely favored the Democrat Ed Gainey over Republican challenger Tony Moreno. Gainey was born and raised by a single mother in Pittsburgh, where he lived in public housing and later found a career in politics.'
'Cincinnati elects Aftab Pureval as its first Asian American mayor'
'The 39-year-old Democrat started his political career six years ago as an outsider, member station WVXU reports, and last night, he defeated 82-year-old opponent David Mann, "a longtime pillar of Cincinnati City Hall."
The Tibetan-Indian son of immigrants, Aftab Pureval, earned his law degree and worked for Procter & Gamble before running successfully for Hamilton County Clerk of Courts in 2016.
Morning Fern and Lynell! The good news is there in abundance. Media needs to do the little digging it takes with a tablespoon instead of spewing alarm. I mean, really people? 🙄
Nice analysis. With over 40 years working in government, to include writing and passing legislation, it slays me that people expected Biden to deliver a sweeping agenda within the first year of his Presidency. It took Obama three plus years to get the Affordable Care Act (which needs serious fixing) passed.
The Dems in Congress would have been better served to pass the Infrastructure bill, then tackle the other major pieces of legislation. Instead of writing gigantic legislation (meaning over hundreds, if not thousands of pages), focused on specific issues and pass the bill. This gives Americans a better chance to understand the message versus having so many things thrown at them at once.
Very much so, and with no need to do it. Far better to under promise and over deliver. Also, much more effective to discuss the positive impact of an action than the notional cost, especially when the 10 year total is presented as though it will be spent next week.
Terrible messaging and no apparent effort to work past it. Hard to imaging what the back story creators are thinking about, if they have any concept at all.
LK, Timing has to be considered when posing the options as you have. While the Build Back Better Plan may be enormous, what would the odds be to divide the package into or three or four bills, in addition to passing one or two national voting bills before the midterm elections? Go big or smaller several times over? A puzzlement?
Consider this. Americans are so distracted by so much, when you see large legislation like this, it becomes overwhelming. Sometimes going back to basics would help keep people focused and forces the debate between the parties.
Consider the child tax credit, apparently popular with many Americans. Make both parties make the case, for and against. Thus a record is clearly established that can be used at election time.
These huge bills cover so many issues, that a vote against it could easily be interpreted as I'm was for child tax credits, but didn't buy into the billionaire tax scheme that was originally proposed.
LK, The Build Back Better package and all items within it are popular. Your point concerning why is should have been divided into smaller portions was not persuasive to me as public interest has not been problematic. Manchin and Sinema and the delay as a result of their demands have caused public disappointment. My point was what were the odds of passing one large package plus one or two national voting rights bills vs 3 or 4 bills (pulled out the the entire pace) plus voting rights bills before the midterms. My guess is hard as it may be, going big ASAP made more sense. Doing anything worthwhile for the benefit of the American people now goes up against the Republican Wall, including a few Democrats.
Fern just listened to Former NJ Governor Whitman about the NJ elections. And then saw a truck driver (R) beat out the top NJ Democrat for a Senate seat. Whitman's comment was telling, though I can't verify the fact.
She said that over 50% of Americans are either Independent or non-affiliated with any political party. First time in the "history of political parties." She also said a majority of Americans are tired of the divisiveness brought on by the extremes of parties. And while it's easy to blame Repubs, the Dems are just as guilty and have been when they're out of power.
There are things that people agree with, i.e. Medicare having dental coverage. Why hold this popular bill hostage to other parts of Build Back America that are not popular.
The problem Dems have right now, and is constantly blared across cable commentary media, in the newspapers, social media of every stripe, is they haven't demonstrated the ability to govern. Getting the Infrastructure bill pass in the Senate was great. But being held up in the House for Build Back Better is ridiculous. Having passed a major piece of legislation that Trump and the Republicans didn't do, would be a thumb's up on Biden's agenda. Getting specific legislation passed by the midterms shows the Dems can govern. Putting all their eggs in one basket, to include the voting rights bills, and giving Repubs and others the ability to stall them just demonstrates they can't lead the nation. And that doesn't bode well for them in the midterms.
LK, The Democratic Party, under the big tent, has plenty of problems, however, the media presses on the negative. Let's not wait to communicate, but definitely do so again after the 2 infrastructure plans and a national voting rights bill are passed. I, actually, believe that they will be. Let's see where Biden and the Democratic party are about 7 months after that.
Biden and the Democratic Party have gotten a lot done. The positives, if reported, are usually in the small print. The party's messaging -- I won't get into that. Here are a few of the positives.
'He’s ended America’s longest war, got vaccines distributed at no cost nationwide and halved the child poverty rate. So why all the stories about ‘Biden‘s Cruel Summer’?'
'The facts of Biden’s presidency are there for all of us to see. When he took office, Biden inherited a country in the midst of a pandemic and an economic crisis, reeling from an unprecedented attack on its political system and wracked by social divisions the last president systematically sought to make worse. Our international standing had been battered by racist policies, nationalist, anti-immigrant rhetoric, attacks on our allies, corruption, efforts to undermine international institutions, embrace of our enemies, and rejection of our own core democratic values.'
'In just eight months, the president and his team have engineered transformational progress on many fronts. Where there had been no plan to administer vaccines, today over 200 million Americans have received at least one shot and the vaccines are available to every American free of charge and are now required of federal workers as part of a sweeping effort to contain the spread of the virus here. Our vaccine diplomacy efforts lead the world, with commitments to share 600 million doses to countries in need worldwide. Biden’s $1.9 trillion American Rescue Plan has cut the child poverty rate in half. More jobs, 4.1 million, were created in the first six months of this administration than in the 12 years of the Trump and Bush administrations combined. The U.S. economy grew at an extraordinary annualized rate of 6.5 percent during the second quarter of this year. Biden implemented scores of executive orders undoing Trump administration policies that damaged the environment, put our security at risk, or violated the rights of Americans.'
'Biden made combatting climate change a priority again. The U.S. re-entered the Paris Climate Accords and re-joined the World Health Organization. The U.S. repaired damaged relations with allies. Biden has appointed new judges at a faster rate than his predecessors. He has appointed the most diverse cabinet in American history as well as the most diverse set of judges. Vice President Kamala Harris has led efforts to oversee police reform, to work with the nations of Central American to curb the flow of undocumented immigrants into the U.S., and to shore up our alliances to ensure stability in Asia. Secretary of State Antony Blinken has worked to usher in a new era in U.S. foreign policy in which America focuses on the emerging challenges of the 21st century. And the administration has been swift to provide essential aid when disasters like wildfires in the West, hurricanes in the South, and flooding in the East brought pain to millions.'
'The president ended the 20-year war in Afghanistan, something none of his three predecessors had the courage to do even as the costs of that war were compounded daily. And he negotiated a bipartisan bill now before the Congress to finally invest as we must in America’s neglected infrastructure, while outlining additional investments of $3.5 trillion as part of America’s Build Back Better package that will, taken with the infrastructure bill, represent the biggest investment in American competitiveness, health, and security in almost a century.'
'You might not agree with every one of these policies. Aspects of their implementation may not have been perfect. There are certainly areas where criticism is fair.'
'But somehow, this unprecedented record of achievement in the face of extraordinary challenges and a toxic political environment coming on the heels of the most incompetent and corrupt administration in American history, another narrative has emerged. It is so divorced from reality that it seems as if it is reporting on a different universe. It’s so crazy that you might dismiss it as the work of hacks or just the politically motivated, but it has taken on a life of its own.' (Daily Beast)
By the way, I am not demeaning or disparaging the truck driver and his occupation. We may need more like him in elected offices. He won because he listened to the people of his district. Or at least they think he did. Actions will tell.
Lynell Popcorn for you, beer for me, that’s a compromise that I gladly accept. If only our Dem cats in Congress could compromise and get the infrastructure enchiladas signed with swift implementation.
Thank you for the reminder that the "game" is not lost! I was a cheerleader back in the day; the team we cheered for didn't always win but our cheer team won all our competitions. We worked hard as a team and had faith in ourselves. No beer or popcorn for this old cheerleader; gotta get the squad in shape for the next "game"😉
After a couple of hours watching the hand wringing last night, I tuned in to Survivor and thence back to Rachel. She, thank goodness, had the perspective you share here, plus a bottle of good whiskey for her friend Steve. That was enough levity to re-right my ship!
Good advice. I refuse to see all as lost. There were things that happened Tuesday to give hope. Last night we did not watch the national news because we didn't want to hear all the nay saying. I confess to having a Facebook page and I did post that all is not lost and it's time to get to work. I am truly sorry about VA because they just took a giant step backwards. I have an ex-student who lives in Lynchburg and I am sure she is not happy.
All is definitely not lost but the potential remains there unless a positive, coherent and unifying strategy becomes clear fairly quickly. Right now, the public exchange that amounts to "my way or the highway" serves no purpose other than to drive media notice and make life easy for sensationalistic punditry of which we have an overabundance. Youngkin probably won't be quite as bad as he's been portrayed, Murphy did end up winning and your former student, like the rest of us, will do well to start working on 2022 and '24 to ensure a better set of results.
Don't give up completely, I fall into the "a pox on both their houses" thought line from time to time and it's tempting right now until I remember that the Democrats have always behaved more or less like they are at the moment while Republicans have, at times past, supported the concepts and process of government as we'd like to know it.
I too am very hopeful for the 2nd Qtr. however that does not mean I am not deeply troubled that so many fellow Americans are thoughtlessly following a propaganda spewing cult and I strongly believe there needs to be security and safety from undue influence. This is 2021 not 1776. We have progressed in understanding minds and prosocial behaviors over the past 300 years. We should be able to figure out the difference between freedom of speech and propaganda
Cults are by definition irrational, strange and likely sinister. They do not deprogram themselves. Ike knew that. We apparently don’t. Your last sentence is the crux of our problems
Do human instincts change? Some of them may be quiet but arousable. I am thinking about tribalism. It has been ignited and one of our most serious problems. How to tamp it back down, hopefully, we will learn how.
We have learned that neural pathways can be changed. Instincts are gut level reactions (I believe) and can be over-ridden by executive function. It’s the ability to engage executive function or not, that matters. Emotional trauma, shame, poor ego development, lack of attunement from caregivers, all effect the ability of executive function. Most Democrats understand parents need support as those “things” are difficult to deliver under stress. Republicans, I argue, want to keep a fertile ground for their propaganda to work.
You're going to need more beer. I respect your optimism and hope you're right but the coaching staff is debating which playback to use and it's unclear that the whole offense is agreed on the strategy. BIF isn't exactly 3 yards and a cloud of dust but it is only one down and the BBB touchdown will still be an option. Right now the defense is feeling and acting pretty smug and that's usually a good time to hit them hard; there might even be a breakthrough play for a score.
I like your optimism. Very much. Yet, we progressives will over analyze and rewrite until the deadline is about to pass and then wring our hands over not winning everything. I hope the coach and quarterback give the rest of the team a good talking to. An few neither know on what line the ball is placed nor the direction of the scoreable goal post. You sound like the coach in this scenario, Keith. I'm trying to identify the coach in the real game. Some might suggest that Mr Biden is too divided between being coach and/quarterback. Thanks.
Some, at least one, would agree with your closing comment and suggest that there are either too many coaches who aren't clear on the concept or no coach at all.
Keith, I look at stats. The Republicans gained territory in every single county, not just for the Governor position. Candy coat it all you want, I'm choosing the reality of mathematics.
1. JD Vance is a hypocrite. His entire point in the book that gave him this platform was that education, especially at the college level, made the difference for him. Who’s giving that to him if not the professors?
2. The trick is going to be reminding people that by not voting, they become less equal. Every time a person doesn’t vote, they make the vote of someone else more powerful.
I volunteer with unhomed teens and often think about this. They have so little power to begin with but then they give over the little bit of power they do have to other people.
As a historian, I am bemused by instant analyses after a political (or football) event. The Democrats are ‘frantic and had a disastrous game plan’ because of what occurred in the Virginia or New Jersey (where polls had Governor Murphy comfortably ahead) elections. Were I to analyze election results in Southold NY (Congressman Lee Zeldin’s territory—his major distinction with Trump sycophant Jim Jordan is that Zeldin wears a jacket), I would find that the Democrats have scored a resounding victory by ousting a long-entrenched Republican government.
“White back lash”in Virginia, still studying the entrails of the NJ results, mass repudiation of President Biden—-blah, blah, blah. Of course, when election results are disappointing, there is an immediate blame game. However, this is a four-quarter ‘game,’ and an agile quarterback, as is President Biden, is capable of getting his team more focused before half time in 2022. The Democrat cat fight over the physical and social infrastructure bills was debilitating for all to see. Quarterback Biden seems capable of giving several recalcitrant Dems in Congress catnip to obtain some of the most significant legislation since LBJ’s Great Society.
Many Americans are distressed by the ups-and-downs of the pandemic (in which the Biden administration has performed admirably, after the previous quarterback was dismissed). The supply snafu, which is world wide, may impede Christmas shopping, but by mid-2022 consumers should again be happy, the economy should be growing robustly, and President Biden’s quarterbacking is likely to be applauded for his PROMISES MADE/RESULTS DELIVERED as contrasted to Republican cheap shots and policy-less braying.
Traditionally the party that’s in the White House loses Congressional seats in mid-term elections. However, this is not written in stone nor are these traditional times. I am not in a funk at the end of the first quarter. My team has a seasoned quarterback with a flexible playbook. I have a bag of popcorn and a beer in hand, as I await the second quarter.
"Boston elected its first woman and first person of color as mayor. Pittsburgh and Kansas City, Kan., each elected its first Black mayor. Cincinnati chose an Asian American mayor, and Dearborn, Mich.’s next mayor is going to be an Arab American Muslim.
Cheer up, people. We made it through another election."
Gail Collins NYT November 4, 2021
And on a further positive note. We had another free and fair election day in this Country.
Excellent, Barbara!! And, yes, I made the comment yesterday that I was pretty sure when we lost, there wouldn't be cries of voter/election fraud. So far, I've not heard any such.
Thank you, Barbara. When possible, if suggesting a source please include a link to it.
https://www.nytimes.com/2021/11/03/opinion/election-results.html
Thanks, Tom.
I am a student of history & believe Democrats must pass both infrastructure bills to provide a growing social safety net for ALL Americans. This is what European countries did after WWII to combat fascism. I think they learned the lessons of post WWI. Today's fascists are the Republicans, read "How Fascism Works". Democratic Patriots must get active for the 2022 midterms, to save our democratic republic. Don't trust me, read "On Tyranny" by historian Timothy Snyder. History instructs.
Thanks for the book recommendations, Brian. I am very pleased to be introduced to the work by Jason Stanley, "How Fascism Works." Timothy Snyder is a Frequently Mentioned Author on this substack, as you may know. "On Tyranny" was chilling in 2017, and it is terrifying now.
Paul Krugman yesterday, "you should be terrified".
I prefer, “scary, but not afraid.” (To quote myself..🙋🏽!)
I quoted you on "be scared but not afraid" to another comment today--healthy fear followed by courage!
Necessary step in problem solving such as the situation facing democracy. Thank you Ellie. Onward!
Milton Mayer's "They Thought They Were Free" another good but scary read re how fascism can ooze into a society. I have to say that "Adventures of a Bystander," by Peter Drucker was a game changer for me. Started before turn of the century and all the way through the horror. Hard to believe that those same forces are still at work. And in our America, but oozing they are.
Always good to pick up book recommendations from this group. Thank you all.
Try Friendly Fascism by Bertram Gross. He was writing before 1985 and before internet & cell phones. As cynical as I find this book, he was headed in the right direction of corporate rule.
Welcome Brian.
Timothy Snyder has a substack. He has been presenting the 20 Lessons from Tyranny, along with some recent thoughts as well as addressing other subjects. The link is below.
We'll meet here again on the Forum.
https://snyder.substack.com/
Which substack is better, Robert Reich or Timothy Snyder? I am inclined to stick with one historian (Heather) & Reich who has synthesizes several "Siloes of Knowledge".
Brian, It is a difficult call. Timothy Snyder's, 'Thinking about... 'couldn't be more different than the others. With Snyder, the combination, for me, of deep reflection and sense of soul is highly unusual. We are at different stages in life, Brian, and it is impossible to know how much we are alike and different. I sum, I believe you would do well with either, and Reich may be closest to where you are now. You cannot lose, either way. Cheers!
You can try before you buy for free. That's what I've been doing.
Ever the optimist, I think the VA loss will scare up more "good votes" for 2022. It is all about turnout. Millions of new young voters will be eligible to vote. Most of them are smart and inclusive.
If the legislative log jam can be broken on BBB, there will be significant momentum to secure two more Senate seats. And then...and then a voting rights bill can be carved out from filibuster foolishness.
Which sets the stage for 2024. I know, I am a dreamer. But a positive dream and a strong cup of coffee starts my day better than hysterical gloom/doomism.
✊🏼United.
"AOC and co" - including MA Senator Ed Markey - are advocating policies supported by more than 70% of all Americans. That makes them the centrists. It is why Joe Biden, a centrist for half a century and a very practical politician, is aligned with them.
Good move! Mid Coast Maine is a slice of heaven. Just be careful if you wander west - unless you are headed for the Lost Kitchen :)
Joe can't keep AOC in a box. How would he do that? And the progressive gang is mainstreaming faster than we can paddle against the tide. McAuliffe lost for two reasons. His comment about parents and schools was a bridge jump into oblivion. And he was old news that failed to get the young and forward thinking youth to the voting booths. Dem turnout was lame. And I would bet that it was progressives who stayed home. "Oh, Terry, more of the same." You could call it the Hillary effect.
BTW, on your way to Maine, stop in Boston for a bit. There is new progressive sheriff in town!
Sorry Bill, but the republican party is nothing but fascism. It needs to be screamed from the rooftops. Yes, McAuliffe's comment gave me a horrible sinking feeling, but Youngkin gave me a vision of trump
Don't apologize to me! I agree with all three of your sentences. I just choose optimism today.
amen!
Yep.
Yeah, I am not a city guy anyway. I am jealous, of course. I can smell the salt air and seaweed. Enjoy!
I guess we can count on you to vote? LePage is on the loose again! And Bozo Collins endorsed him! Danger, Will Robinson!
According to HCR in one of her recent history or political chat, AOC is more of a “traditionalist” and “conservative” when you consider the writing in the Constitution. I’m with AOC and HCR.
Are you suggesting a shellacking in VA or the USA?
Thought police? Sounds like wishing and hoping.
And tfg is not behind the presidential podium. I am grateful every day
Now, Jeri, this is a huge reminder for all of us!
Thank you! That was my reaction to the incredibly pessimistic reporting. I do though, hope this may push the democrats to finish their bargaining and pass the bills so we can focus on how to get voting rights legislation passed.
But will the two Trojan Horses play ball or stall at the gate
Gate opened for Murkowski. Let ‘em in!
Loved your analysis! And so completely agree with you! Give the guy a break! As much as I respect most of the media personalities, why, why, why are you undermining everything Biden and the Democrats do or try to do. Just stop It! You look foolish! It's a long road to success and the climb is difficult but slowly they will get there! Already they had one republican go against the pack and vote with the Dems. Give it time, try to stay positive and do what you can to help. It's just the beginning of the second quarter. Who gives up a game after the first quarter, not us!
Time is running out. It will soon be 2022 and in Floriduh, Gov. DeathSantis is getting another unnecessary goon squad to monitor elections, like the mad emperor's own nameless federal goons sent to intimidate and break up peaceful demonstrations that one time was an American civil right.
Goon squads coming all over soon, brown shirts anybody?
They are already here threatening school officials, teachers, election officials and getting into the face of everyone. Some good things happened here in Oregon where the small town where I worked did pass a fire levy, so they could have 24/7 professional fire service on hand not staffed with volunteers. In our fire district, it took three elections to get our fire/medic service up to snuff. This I do not understand.
I've been watching this since Nixon, been a long haul for me. Always tried to think "it's not as bad as it seems." But rupert keeps spewing bull schitt faster than Dems can shovel. Dems should have had their own bull horn since Ronnie, but he had his own script writer (Noonan) and PR expert (Deaver) to show him better than he ever was. Same with Rupert and trump. Propaganda works, sad to say
Propaganda works for both sides when it's employed properly. For every Lord Haw Haw, there has been a Churchill so far but we appear to still be searching for an antidote to Crockwork Orange.
Is this a self-fulfilling prophecy?
God I hope not. Donate all I can, but old, retired school counselor's retirement pay won't cut it.
I think we can always pick out the democrat/progressive-leaning media. They seem to bend over so much to not show bias that they end up speaking in superbly critical terms as to what are the imperfections of the good; holding their preferred policies/leaders/candidates to standards never imagined for the other side. And, we can not help but be discouraged when our side does what is possible, ok, pretty good, the right thing, even if not the perfect, the impossible, anything more than the other side would even think doing. We dare not defend what we do that is right and, like a good mid-westerner, point out that it could have been better before someone here in Lake Wobegon points out our lack of humility or the sin of bragging. Perhaps, we are simply too concerned with the potential of our integrity falling short that our media starts off with the apology for shortcomings, most of which would go unnoticed but for the most decerning of our opposition, leaving our message and achievements unheard of. Like this post, we twist ourselves in our own knickers, impure that they are, of course. 😏
Hello Keith. I'm drinking a cool, glass of water from the kitchen sink. Modest as that may seem, I still bring good election news,. 'In elections across the country, candidates of color made history Tuesday night.'
'..., bringing diversity to leadership roles in some of America's biggest cities, and in some states as well.'
'Boston, New York, Pittsburgh and Dearborn, Mich., were among the places that a majority of voters embraced minority candidates.'
'Michelle Wu is the first woman and person of color to be elected Boston's mayor
The city councilor and daughter of Taiwanese immigrants broke Boston's 199-year streak of white, male city leaders. Michelle Wu defeated fellow Democratic City Councilor Annissa Essaibi George, a self-described first-generation Arab-Polish American.'
"For many, the race came down to competing visions of the future with Essaibi George's version cast as more of the old guard and Wu's perceived as new-school Boston."
'Pittsburgh elects Ed Gainey, the city's first Black mayor ever.' "We know how people have talked about Pittsburgh, how siloed it is, how segregated it is," Gainey told supporters on Tuesday, according to member station WESA. "But today, you changed that."
'The western Pennsylvania metropolis, which is 23% Black, largely favored the Democrat Ed Gainey over Republican challenger Tony Moreno. Gainey was born and raised by a single mother in Pittsburgh, where he lived in public housing and later found a career in politics.'
'Cincinnati elects Aftab Pureval as its first Asian American mayor'
'The 39-year-old Democrat started his political career six years ago as an outsider, member station WVXU reports, and last night, he defeated 82-year-old opponent David Mann, "a longtime pillar of Cincinnati City Hall."
The Tibetan-Indian son of immigrants, Aftab Pureval, earned his law degree and worked for Procter & Gamble before running successfully for Hamilton County Clerk of Courts in 2016.
(NPR, WNYC) See link to article below.
And there are a lot more.
https://www.npr.org/2021/11/03/1051811110/election-night-2021-results-michelle-wu-eric-adams-ed-gainey-mayor
Cleveland, OH also good news. https://www.cleveland.com/cityhall/2021/11/justin-bibb-wins-cleveland-mayoral-election-in-dominating-fashion-over-kevin-kelley-to-succeed-frank-jackson.html
Morning Fern and Lynell! The good news is there in abundance. Media needs to do the little digging it takes with a tablespoon instead of spewing alarm. I mean, really people? 🙄
Democracy! 🙋🏻🙋🏼🙋🏽🙋🏾🙋🏿
LET'S GO TO CLEVELAND!
*Cleveland's new mayor wasting no time in making sure his administration is ready day one
*BREAKING: There Will Soon Be More Women than Kevins on Cleveland City
Council
*Cleveland zoo welcomes baby gorilla in historic first
*Officials hold Opportunity Corridor ribbon-cutting; road expected to open by end of next week
*Lee’s Seafood Boil opens new location in Uptown Cleveland
Such exciting news, Fern...bring it on!
Yes, Ma'am, we sure do relish that good news. It make take some digging, but it's there. Top of the morning to you, Lynell!
typo correct: 'It 'may' take some digging....'
Nice analysis. With over 40 years working in government, to include writing and passing legislation, it slays me that people expected Biden to deliver a sweeping agenda within the first year of his Presidency. It took Obama three plus years to get the Affordable Care Act (which needs serious fixing) passed.
The Dems in Congress would have been better served to pass the Infrastructure bill, then tackle the other major pieces of legislation. Instead of writing gigantic legislation (meaning over hundreds, if not thousands of pages), focused on specific issues and pass the bill. This gives Americans a better chance to understand the message versus having so many things thrown at them at once.
Thank you for this. Are the Democrats guilty of over promising and under delivering?
Very much so, and with no need to do it. Far better to under promise and over deliver. Also, much more effective to discuss the positive impact of an action than the notional cost, especially when the 10 year total is presented as though it will be spent next week.
So there is also a bad messaging problem.
Terrible messaging and no apparent effort to work past it. Hard to imaging what the back story creators are thinking about, if they have any concept at all.
Neither. All this is long overdue.
LK, Timing has to be considered when posing the options as you have. While the Build Back Better Plan may be enormous, what would the odds be to divide the package into or three or four bills, in addition to passing one or two national voting bills before the midterm elections? Go big or smaller several times over? A puzzlement?
Consider this. Americans are so distracted by so much, when you see large legislation like this, it becomes overwhelming. Sometimes going back to basics would help keep people focused and forces the debate between the parties.
Consider the child tax credit, apparently popular with many Americans. Make both parties make the case, for and against. Thus a record is clearly established that can be used at election time.
These huge bills cover so many issues, that a vote against it could easily be interpreted as I'm was for child tax credits, but didn't buy into the billionaire tax scheme that was originally proposed.
LK, The Build Back Better package and all items within it are popular. Your point concerning why is should have been divided into smaller portions was not persuasive to me as public interest has not been problematic. Manchin and Sinema and the delay as a result of their demands have caused public disappointment. My point was what were the odds of passing one large package plus one or two national voting rights bills vs 3 or 4 bills (pulled out the the entire pace) plus voting rights bills before the midterms. My guess is hard as it may be, going big ASAP made more sense. Doing anything worthwhile for the benefit of the American people now goes up against the Republican Wall, including a few Democrats.
Fern just listened to Former NJ Governor Whitman about the NJ elections. And then saw a truck driver (R) beat out the top NJ Democrat for a Senate seat. Whitman's comment was telling, though I can't verify the fact.
She said that over 50% of Americans are either Independent or non-affiliated with any political party. First time in the "history of political parties." She also said a majority of Americans are tired of the divisiveness brought on by the extremes of parties. And while it's easy to blame Repubs, the Dems are just as guilty and have been when they're out of power.
There are things that people agree with, i.e. Medicare having dental coverage. Why hold this popular bill hostage to other parts of Build Back America that are not popular.
The problem Dems have right now, and is constantly blared across cable commentary media, in the newspapers, social media of every stripe, is they haven't demonstrated the ability to govern. Getting the Infrastructure bill pass in the Senate was great. But being held up in the House for Build Back Better is ridiculous. Having passed a major piece of legislation that Trump and the Republicans didn't do, would be a thumb's up on Biden's agenda. Getting specific legislation passed by the midterms shows the Dems can govern. Putting all their eggs in one basket, to include the voting rights bills, and giving Repubs and others the ability to stall them just demonstrates they can't lead the nation. And that doesn't bode well for them in the midterms.
Whitman, Did not hit the bull's-eye.
2021 Sep 1‑17 (Gallup)
R I D
29 40 29
LK, The Democratic Party, under the big tent, has plenty of problems, however, the media presses on the negative. Let's not wait to communicate, but definitely do so again after the 2 infrastructure plans and a national voting rights bill are passed. I, actually, believe that they will be. Let's see where Biden and the Democratic party are about 7 months after that.
Biden and the Democratic Party have gotten a lot done. The positives, if reported, are usually in the small print. The party's messaging -- I won't get into that. Here are a few of the positives.
'He’s ended America’s longest war, got vaccines distributed at no cost nationwide and halved the child poverty rate. So why all the stories about ‘Biden‘s Cruel Summer’?'
'The facts of Biden’s presidency are there for all of us to see. When he took office, Biden inherited a country in the midst of a pandemic and an economic crisis, reeling from an unprecedented attack on its political system and wracked by social divisions the last president systematically sought to make worse. Our international standing had been battered by racist policies, nationalist, anti-immigrant rhetoric, attacks on our allies, corruption, efforts to undermine international institutions, embrace of our enemies, and rejection of our own core democratic values.'
'In just eight months, the president and his team have engineered transformational progress on many fronts. Where there had been no plan to administer vaccines, today over 200 million Americans have received at least one shot and the vaccines are available to every American free of charge and are now required of federal workers as part of a sweeping effort to contain the spread of the virus here. Our vaccine diplomacy efforts lead the world, with commitments to share 600 million doses to countries in need worldwide. Biden’s $1.9 trillion American Rescue Plan has cut the child poverty rate in half. More jobs, 4.1 million, were created in the first six months of this administration than in the 12 years of the Trump and Bush administrations combined. The U.S. economy grew at an extraordinary annualized rate of 6.5 percent during the second quarter of this year. Biden implemented scores of executive orders undoing Trump administration policies that damaged the environment, put our security at risk, or violated the rights of Americans.'
'Biden made combatting climate change a priority again. The U.S. re-entered the Paris Climate Accords and re-joined the World Health Organization. The U.S. repaired damaged relations with allies. Biden has appointed new judges at a faster rate than his predecessors. He has appointed the most diverse cabinet in American history as well as the most diverse set of judges. Vice President Kamala Harris has led efforts to oversee police reform, to work with the nations of Central American to curb the flow of undocumented immigrants into the U.S., and to shore up our alliances to ensure stability in Asia. Secretary of State Antony Blinken has worked to usher in a new era in U.S. foreign policy in which America focuses on the emerging challenges of the 21st century. And the administration has been swift to provide essential aid when disasters like wildfires in the West, hurricanes in the South, and flooding in the East brought pain to millions.'
'The president ended the 20-year war in Afghanistan, something none of his three predecessors had the courage to do even as the costs of that war were compounded daily. And he negotiated a bipartisan bill now before the Congress to finally invest as we must in America’s neglected infrastructure, while outlining additional investments of $3.5 trillion as part of America’s Build Back Better package that will, taken with the infrastructure bill, represent the biggest investment in American competitiveness, health, and security in almost a century.'
'You might not agree with every one of these policies. Aspects of their implementation may not have been perfect. There are certainly areas where criticism is fair.'
'But somehow, this unprecedented record of achievement in the face of extraordinary challenges and a toxic political environment coming on the heels of the most incompetent and corrupt administration in American history, another narrative has emerged. It is so divorced from reality that it seems as if it is reporting on a different universe. It’s so crazy that you might dismiss it as the work of hacks or just the politically motivated, but it has taken on a life of its own.' (Daily Beast)
https://www.thedailybeast.com/bidens-achievements-are-big-his-press-coverage-is-small
From Daily Kos:
Run a real and important investigation into January 6th
Got the US is back in the UN Human Rights Council
Wind Farms Are Seeing Huge Expansion
Biden and the Democrats raised social security for 70 million people
Biden negotiated an international deal to end tax havens
Biden eliminated some student debt
Biden strengthened protections for dreamers
Biden strengthened unions
Biden ordered all federal contractors to pay their workers a $15 minimum wage and provide emergency paid leave.
Reuniting families Trump tore apart (Daily Kos) See link below.
There is more -- but that is enough for now.
https://www.dailykos.com/story/2021/10/16/2058227/-50-Amazing-Things-Democrats-Have-Done-Since-Biden-Took-Office-Saturday-s-GNR
By the way, I am not demeaning or disparaging the truck driver and his occupation. We may need more like him in elected offices. He won because he listened to the people of his district. Or at least they think he did. Actions will tell.
Agree, LK!
Keep the beer, Keith, but please pass the popcorn!
Lynell Popcorn for you, beer for me, that’s a compromise that I gladly accept. If only our Dem cats in Congress could compromise and get the infrastructure enchiladas signed with swift implementation.
That's a deal, Keith. A message needs to be sent that "compromise" is not a dirty word.
Thank you for the reminder that the "game" is not lost! I was a cheerleader back in the day; the team we cheered for didn't always win but our cheer team won all our competitions. We worked hard as a team and had faith in ourselves. No beer or popcorn for this old cheerleader; gotta get the squad in shape for the next "game"😉
After a couple of hours watching the hand wringing last night, I tuned in to Survivor and thence back to Rachel. She, thank goodness, had the perspective you share here, plus a bottle of good whiskey for her friend Steve. That was enough levity to re-right my ship!
Good advice. I refuse to see all as lost. There were things that happened Tuesday to give hope. Last night we did not watch the national news because we didn't want to hear all the nay saying. I confess to having a Facebook page and I did post that all is not lost and it's time to get to work. I am truly sorry about VA because they just took a giant step backwards. I have an ex-student who lives in Lynchburg and I am sure she is not happy.
All is definitely not lost but the potential remains there unless a positive, coherent and unifying strategy becomes clear fairly quickly. Right now, the public exchange that amounts to "my way or the highway" serves no purpose other than to drive media notice and make life easy for sensationalistic punditry of which we have an overabundance. Youngkin probably won't be quite as bad as he's been portrayed, Murphy did end up winning and your former student, like the rest of us, will do well to start working on 2022 and '24 to ensure a better set of results.
I am sure she will. Her husband is of the opinion that both parties are equally bad. I gave up with him.
Don't give up completely, I fall into the "a pox on both their houses" thought line from time to time and it's tempting right now until I remember that the Democrats have always behaved more or less like they are at the moment while Republicans have, at times past, supported the concepts and process of government as we'd like to know it.
I too am very hopeful for the 2nd Qtr. however that does not mean I am not deeply troubled that so many fellow Americans are thoughtlessly following a propaganda spewing cult and I strongly believe there needs to be security and safety from undue influence. This is 2021 not 1776. We have progressed in understanding minds and prosocial behaviors over the past 300 years. We should be able to figure out the difference between freedom of speech and propaganda
Cults are by definition irrational, strange and likely sinister. They do not deprogram themselves. Ike knew that. We apparently don’t. Your last sentence is the crux of our problems
Agreed. There are experts who have spent lifetimes studying/researching cults. If only we were curious enough to learn what they know.
They don't deprogram themselves
Do human instincts change? Some of them may be quiet but arousable. I am thinking about tribalism. It has been ignited and one of our most serious problems. How to tamp it back down, hopefully, we will learn how.
We have learned that neural pathways can be changed. Instincts are gut level reactions (I believe) and can be over-ridden by executive function. It’s the ability to engage executive function or not, that matters. Emotional trauma, shame, poor ego development, lack of attunement from caregivers, all effect the ability of executive function. Most Democrats understand parents need support as those “things” are difficult to deliver under stress. Republicans, I argue, want to keep a fertile ground for their propaganda to work.
You're going to need more beer. I respect your optimism and hope you're right but the coaching staff is debating which playback to use and it's unclear that the whole offense is agreed on the strategy. BIF isn't exactly 3 yards and a cloud of dust but it is only one down and the BBB touchdown will still be an option. Right now the defense is feeling and acting pretty smug and that's usually a good time to hit them hard; there might even be a breakthrough play for a score.
Who is playing by the rules in this game?
Not sure there are still too many rules but the Democrats are more clearly attached to the original set than is the other party.
I like your optimism. Very much. Yet, we progressives will over analyze and rewrite until the deadline is about to pass and then wring our hands over not winning everything. I hope the coach and quarterback give the rest of the team a good talking to. An few neither know on what line the ball is placed nor the direction of the scoreable goal post. You sound like the coach in this scenario, Keith. I'm trying to identify the coach in the real game. Some might suggest that Mr Biden is too divided between being coach and/quarterback. Thanks.
Some, at least one, would agree with your closing comment and suggest that there are either too many coaches who aren't clear on the concept or no coach at all.
One might say that Pelosi is the coach.
Keith, I look at stats. The Republicans gained territory in every single county, not just for the Governor position. Candy coat it all you want, I'm choosing the reality of mathematics.
1. JD Vance is a hypocrite. His entire point in the book that gave him this platform was that education, especially at the college level, made the difference for him. Who’s giving that to him if not the professors?
2. The trick is going to be reminding people that by not voting, they become less equal. Every time a person doesn’t vote, they make the vote of someone else more powerful.
Your first point is EXACTLY what I was thinking. JD would have been someone else altogether (or, more likely, no one) without his education.
Beth, your #2 contains a good message for those of us writing postcards and letters to support get-out-the-vote organizations. Thank you, very much!
Thanks for the work you do. Writing GOTV postcards is hard work!
I usually do them while listening to HCR or a replay of Stacey Abrams’ documentary!
Tina and Joel, you're right. Point #2 will be going on my postcards in the future.
What a powerful campaign slogan Vance has "My ignorance is equal to your knowledge." Or as TFG would say "My ignorance is better than your knowledge."
I like how you expressed that: that by not voting, they become “less equal.” I wonder if more people saw it that way, if it would motivate them more?
I volunteer with unhomed teens and often think about this. They have so little power to begin with but then they give over the little bit of power they do have to other people.
Voter registration usually requires an address of some sort. Does that make it even harder for unhomed people to vote?