"I can’t be part of the problem because nobody ever listens to me."
Welcome to my world. Back when Clintonomics was a thing, the only fist in the air among Dems that I remember was Robert Reich, who warned that exactly what has happened would happen. These days, I think Prof Reich gets short thrift because he's considered an establishment Democrat, but he's been shouting in the wind for decades.
I remember saying to people back then, "Clintonomics is going to bring the Democratic Party down like a house of cards," and it did. Still hasn't recovered.
We turn to Democrats because they're all we have. Maybe we need to take over the Green Party or something. The Dems had one job to do this election cycle. It should have been pretty easy, given the mendacity of the Republican candidate.
I fully believe that the life-long politicians on both sides need to be removed and term limits must be established. I also believe that we need more than just a two party system because this is not working. Somehow, we the people need to remind all politicians that they are supposed to be voices of their constituents, that they are working for us. We need to find and support the new leaders and start to actually fight for what we all say we believe in.
Thank you. Your portrayal of the upper echelon Democrats huddling in their mansions really hit home. What motivates them or demotivates them?
I theorize that large numbers of them were not silver spoon kids, in contrast with a higher proportion of such privileged folk among the Republican hierarchy. Having achieved money and status, they may be understandably reluctant to risk what they worked hard to acquire. The love of money is still the root of all evil.
This is what Ralph Ellison meant when he wrote about being an Invisible Man: we exist, and yet they pretend we do not because it is convenient for them to do so.
Good article. You are fighting the good fight. I would also add that Democrats need to stop being snobs about their potential voters in red states. The Democratic 'elite' abandoned us progressives and restive Republicans in red states, leaving us to twist in the wind. This mile-high electoral college strategy is stupid. Perhaps an electoral college strategy that ignores, for instance, my state of Texas (40 electoral college votes) might have made sense about twenty years ago. But the blue wall is crumbling under the weight of Democratic Party loss of the working class.
Furthermore, why pray tell, did the Democratic Party apply the electoral college strategy to all the other races too? My state of Texas has been left to the tender mercies of radical, reactionary Republicans at the local level for decades. There are people in Texas who are not only progressive, but pragmatic, including beaucoups Republicans. The harmful effects of Republican policy are manifest here in Texas.
But I was regularly berated on the Washington Post's comment boards for suggesting Democrats try to flip Republicans. Replies admonished me over and over that the people I interact with every day are lower forms of life unworthy of political outreach. Talk about a stupid policy. There is a real lesson in the old story about the bank robber who said the reason he robbed banks was because that's where the money is.
We should reach out to Republicans in red states because that's where the votes are. Duh. And we don't need to move right either. Rural people are populists. They can see who is their friend and who isn't. Remember Woody Guthrie?
We had a working class candidate...we had a bartender that worked hard to get where she was and was the most qualified candidate we've seen in forever.
The first problem was right wing propaganda overcoming the algorithms. Social media was so flooded that if you didn't subscribe, you only saw a fraction of the Democrats message over the noise and lies .
The second problem was that she was a woman, a woman of color no less. Let's face it, many of us, even progressives just can't stomach voting for a woman...
And yes, the numbers didn't make sense and no one had the courage to investigate.🤯😡
Love the article .. I have decided that any elected official needs to be working for me, and my needs .. I don’t care what party, but I do care that they need to focus on the working class. I thought Biden had a good theme when he said bottom up, middle out. However it never seemed to take off, I guess to many of us don’t want to think that we are middle class. I am and that’s OK. In talking to people who I know are trumpers this theme resonates with them as well, what they don’t realize is that they are being lied to. The entire issue of misinformation is one is enormous, take President Musks actions that he did on X as an example. Flood the market with untruths, after a few days the untruths become truth. The democrats need to start listening, if they do, and take some positive steps forward it would be very rewarding for everyone.
Walter thank you this is a very good read. And I believe that our progressive ideas would work even in red states. I live in a very blue progressive state and in the red areas in my state they really don’t object to progressive policies. What they object to is who and how they will be paid for.
They all want good roads, good schools and all of the other comforts in life they just don’t want to pay for them.
Professor Reich is a good person, a loyal Democrat. Now that MAGA elected their convicted felon and other criminals we will be living in a MAGA world of hate, bigotry, destruction, and death. WHO LISTENS TO WHOM? I am devastated as I and others will lose their social security and health care among other cruel demonic evil that spews from MAGA and the religious right wing nuts So, people voted against their own interests. I am a humanitarian and liberal Californian. MAGA is all about destruction, murder, genocide. anti-scrience and anti-education and they hate the elderly, the poor, the disabled, and anyone who does not think like they do. Do not blame DEMS for the loss. The people that elected MAGA Nazis hate the elderly, women, disabled, the poor, and people of color. MAGAS plans a slow genocide by canceling of thousands of social security and medicare recipients monies. Millions will be without healthcare and without medicine. It is their planned genocide of America unless you are male, white, and a christian nationalist. it is sad.
🤔 I thought Meta dismantled fact-checking and left the gates wide open for anything to be posted. But when my readers try to share this article on Facebook, those gates mysteriously slam shut. Denied.
"I can’t be part of the problem because nobody ever listens to me."
Welcome to my world. Back when Clintonomics was a thing, the only fist in the air among Dems that I remember was Robert Reich, who warned that exactly what has happened would happen. These days, I think Prof Reich gets short thrift because he's considered an establishment Democrat, but he's been shouting in the wind for decades.
I remember saying to people back then, "Clintonomics is going to bring the Democratic Party down like a house of cards," and it did. Still hasn't recovered.
We turn to Democrats because they're all we have. Maybe we need to take over the Green Party or something. The Dems had one job to do this election cycle. It should have been pretty easy, given the mendacity of the Republican candidate.
I read his columns, he's very good. The nonsensical argument that they have to to go the right to attract the moderates is why they keep losing.
When they go low, we go right!!!
Judging that we lost by 100,000 votes in battlegrounds, and 6 million Dems didn't vote, I'd say you're correct. Speak truth to power
I fully believe that the life-long politicians on both sides need to be removed and term limits must be established. I also believe that we need more than just a two party system because this is not working. Somehow, we the people need to remind all politicians that they are supposed to be voices of their constituents, that they are working for us. We need to find and support the new leaders and start to actually fight for what we all say we believe in.
I agree.
Thank you. Your portrayal of the upper echelon Democrats huddling in their mansions really hit home. What motivates them or demotivates them?
I theorize that large numbers of them were not silver spoon kids, in contrast with a higher proportion of such privileged folk among the Republican hierarchy. Having achieved money and status, they may be understandably reluctant to risk what they worked hard to acquire. The love of money is still the root of all evil.
This is what Ralph Ellison meant when he wrote about being an Invisible Man: we exist, and yet they pretend we do not because it is convenient for them to do so.
Good article. You are fighting the good fight. I would also add that Democrats need to stop being snobs about their potential voters in red states. The Democratic 'elite' abandoned us progressives and restive Republicans in red states, leaving us to twist in the wind. This mile-high electoral college strategy is stupid. Perhaps an electoral college strategy that ignores, for instance, my state of Texas (40 electoral college votes) might have made sense about twenty years ago. But the blue wall is crumbling under the weight of Democratic Party loss of the working class.
Furthermore, why pray tell, did the Democratic Party apply the electoral college strategy to all the other races too? My state of Texas has been left to the tender mercies of radical, reactionary Republicans at the local level for decades. There are people in Texas who are not only progressive, but pragmatic, including beaucoups Republicans. The harmful effects of Republican policy are manifest here in Texas.
But I was regularly berated on the Washington Post's comment boards for suggesting Democrats try to flip Republicans. Replies admonished me over and over that the people I interact with every day are lower forms of life unworthy of political outreach. Talk about a stupid policy. There is a real lesson in the old story about the bank robber who said the reason he robbed banks was because that's where the money is.
We should reach out to Republicans in red states because that's where the votes are. Duh. And we don't need to move right either. Rural people are populists. They can see who is their friend and who isn't. Remember Woody Guthrie?
We had a working class candidate...we had a bartender that worked hard to get where she was and was the most qualified candidate we've seen in forever.
The first problem was right wing propaganda overcoming the algorithms. Social media was so flooded that if you didn't subscribe, you only saw a fraction of the Democrats message over the noise and lies .
The second problem was that she was a woman, a woman of color no less. Let's face it, many of us, even progressives just can't stomach voting for a woman...
And yes, the numbers didn't make sense and no one had the courage to investigate.🤯😡
I really think the GOP cheated. If that's the case, then we can dismiss the argument that it was because she was a woman.
Oh, and nobody listens to me either, I'm just a woman 🤨
We need more women in charge, I absolutely believe that.
Love the article .. I have decided that any elected official needs to be working for me, and my needs .. I don’t care what party, but I do care that they need to focus on the working class. I thought Biden had a good theme when he said bottom up, middle out. However it never seemed to take off, I guess to many of us don’t want to think that we are middle class. I am and that’s OK. In talking to people who I know are trumpers this theme resonates with them as well, what they don’t realize is that they are being lied to. The entire issue of misinformation is one is enormous, take President Musks actions that he did on X as an example. Flood the market with untruths, after a few days the untruths become truth. The democrats need to start listening, if they do, and take some positive steps forward it would be very rewarding for everyone.
Thank you Gene!
Walter thank you this is a very good read. And I believe that our progressive ideas would work even in red states. I live in a very blue progressive state and in the red areas in my state they really don’t object to progressive policies. What they object to is who and how they will be paid for.
They all want good roads, good schools and all of the other comforts in life they just don’t want to pay for them.
You have to explain that in red states they still pay, they just don't get anything in return because all the money goes to billionaires.
Professor Reich is a good person, a loyal Democrat. Now that MAGA elected their convicted felon and other criminals we will be living in a MAGA world of hate, bigotry, destruction, and death. WHO LISTENS TO WHOM? I am devastated as I and others will lose their social security and health care among other cruel demonic evil that spews from MAGA and the religious right wing nuts So, people voted against their own interests. I am a humanitarian and liberal Californian. MAGA is all about destruction, murder, genocide. anti-scrience and anti-education and they hate the elderly, the poor, the disabled, and anyone who does not think like they do. Do not blame DEMS for the loss. The people that elected MAGA Nazis hate the elderly, women, disabled, the poor, and people of color. MAGAS plans a slow genocide by canceling of thousands of social security and medicare recipients monies. Millions will be without healthcare and without medicine. It is their planned genocide of America unless you are male, white, and a christian nationalist. it is sad.
You hit the nail on the head - thanks
Same
🤔 I thought Meta dismantled fact-checking and left the gates wide open for anything to be posted. But when my readers try to share this article on Facebook, those gates mysteriously slam shut. Denied.
🌀 𝗔𝗻 𝗢𝗽𝗲𝗻 𝗟𝗲𝘁𝘁𝗲𝗿 𝗳𝗿𝗼𝗺 𝗖𝗵𝗮𝗿𝗹𝗲𝘀 𝗠𝗮𝗻𝘀𝗼𝗻 𝘁𝗼 𝗗𝗼𝗻𝗮𝗹𝗱 𝗧𝗿𝘂𝗺𝗽
𝘾𝙤𝙣𝙜𝙧𝙖𝙩𝙪𝙡𝙖𝙩𝙞𝙤𝙣𝙨 𝙤𝙣 𝙊𝙪𝙩-𝘾𝙧𝙖𝙯𝙮𝙞𝙣𝙜 𝙈𝙚: 𝙃𝙤𝙬 𝙔𝙤𝙪 𝙏𝙪𝙧𝙣𝙚𝙙 𝙈𝙮 𝘾𝙪𝙡𝙩 𝙋𝙡𝙖𝙮𝙗𝙤𝙤𝙠 𝙄𝙣𝙩𝙤 𝙖 𝙉𝙖𝙩𝙞𝙤𝙣𝙖𝙡 𝙎𝙥𝙚𝙘𝙩𝙖𝙘𝙡𝙚
https://patricemersault.substack.com/p/an-open-letter-from-charles-manson