Robert Kuttner has an article on the great efforts by the Biden Administration on behalf of American consumers. Specifically, the work of the Consumer Financial Protection Board (CFPB), led by the incorruptible Rohit Chopra.
The CFPB, a fine example of well-regulated capitalism in practice, is the brainchild of Senator Elizabeth Warren, with whom President Biden and his team are working closely.
I think there might be some link errors in today's second post, too. The "NYT poll has Biden up 2 points" and the "share Biden's flag video" don't seem to be directing to the expected info.
Thank you Simon for this post today and I just shared it on my social media platforms. The careful and wise stewardship of the American economy and ship of state by President Biden must be proclaimed. It still discourages me that this economic reality of success doesn't seem to breakthrough to the working class but like you I'm going to keep on fighting. And we here on Hopium are going to fight Trump to defeat in November. President Biden is in Normandy this weekend commemorating the 80th anniversary of D-Day while at the same time fighting Trump on the beaches with very fine speeches and comments. I stole that line from Susan Glasser's article in the New Yorker and here's the link. She's been writing some great columns lately and warning Americans about the Trump fascist scourge. Carry on my fellow Americans. I'm a New Deal Democrat and voted for FDR 4 times just like Ronald Reagan. :)
Fighting Trump on the Beaches
Biden’s fiery D Day speech in Normandy warns against the ex-President’s isolationism, while Trump is back home, targeting “the enemy within.”
Simon - what do you think is more effective at convincing swing voters in critical states? 1) Biden has been and will continue to be a good president, or 2) Trump is crazy, mentally deteriorating and will implement a kleptocratic theocracy with himself as the primary beneficiary?
I believe that the center right leaning Trump Skeptical voters are in the Biden camp. It's the working class voters primarily in Nevada, Arizona, and Pennsylvania. I think we will be OK in Wisconsin and Michigan but we need to see this traditional democratic base come home. The conservative media death star is working overtime to install Donald Trump, America's first autocrat in office. We must stop this!
I read a great quote 20 years ago in US News & World Report. "Voting for a Republican for President is tantamount to voting for a recession." A recession hits the 99% much harder than it hits the 1%. The Senate, under Moscow Mitch McConnell, made recovery from the Great Recession so much harder than it had to be. He did so just to score points against Obama. The Republican party of today is the equivalent of the southern enslavers of Civil War times. They have NO interest in the common good. They only want to line their pockets. Their guiding philosophy is "What's mine is mine. What yours is mine also."
People should check out Chris Hayes' segment on Biden's brilliant and unprecedented strategy that broke OPEC -- at a time when we were looking at unrestrained oil price inflation that would have staggered the economic recovery. High oil prices means fewer jobs (etc.).
Excluding Trump's last year in office, when jobs plummeted due to Covid, and President Biden's first year in office, when job growth rebounded, you are left with these numbers:
Trump: 6.38 million jobs added in 36 months (2017 - 2019).
Biden: 8.78 million jobs added in just 29 months (2022 - May 2024)
Do the math: American employers have created at least 2.4 million more jobs during the Biden Administration than they did during the Trump Administration. That's an increase of more than 37%!
Are we better off than we were four years ago? If job growth matters, clearly the answer is YES.
*****
2. Let's blame the president for everything we don't like.
We all know that people blame the incumbent for everything they don't like, especially inflation.
Does anyone really think that President Biden would not lower gas or grocery prices if he could? What can the President do to help people who are under financial pressure? Force businesses to roll back prices? Of course not. Cut taxes? Issue stimulus payments? Not with a Republican House. Time to get real.
I remember when President Biden was releasing gas from the US Strategic Petroleum Reserves. Strikingly, Marjorie Taylor Green was screaming bloody murder – which definitely reinforced my conviction that Biden was doing something good.
Biden sold high and bought low. I am curious, does anyone know where the profit went? Does the Biden Administration have any flexibility as to how our taxpayers’ windfall is to be spent?
Mike Madrid has been posting for a while on twitter that Democrats have a problem with Latinos in this cycle. He writes today "It’s getting harder to find a voter model scenario where Biden is picking up enough Republican college educated defectors to offset the losses he’s getting with US born Latinos." (https://x.com/madrid_mike/status/1799553724022661177) He followed this up with "There are tons of Republicans that have been waiting for the Biden campaign to reach out and nothing. There are tons of Latinos raising alarm bells and nothing." This needs to be addressed ASAP.
That seems to be be his entire shtick. Not saying he's wrong but - but I stopped listening to the politicology podcast because it seems that's all he ever says when he's on there.
I heard him speaking with Tim Miller of the Bulwark. I've had limited exposure to Madrid - primarily through his early work with the Lincoln Project. But I found him to be honest and reliable pollster. For 18+ months, he's believed things looked good for Biden. He was saying it when others were not. But apparently, his analysis factored in a consolidation of the Dems by this date - which he believes has not happened. (Opposite of Republicans, of course.) Hearing Madrid (someone I've found reliable in the past) simply express this concern in the very beginning of the podcast made me so anxious that I had to turn it off. (Not like me to do that.) I should probably check whether he was one of the red wave predictors before I allow myself to get swept up into worrying about his negative comments. Maybe he isn't as reliable as I remember. Regardless, if there's consolidation that's happening too slowly, I'd like to know whether there's anything we, as individuals, can do to help speed up the process. Because if there's some way I might be able to help, I'd like to do it. (You know - Do more, worry less.)
I don’t know anything about Mike Madrid or the veracity of his claims. But this article highlights media developments that are highly relevant with regards to Hispanic/Latino voters in Florida and other states. In short, Univision ain’t what it used to be.
(Just before the 2016 election, we saw a concerted Spanish-language propaganda effort by Republicans, especially in Florida. And we saw the late swing towards Trump in the polls.)
In 2024, I very much doubt Democrats will fail to counter such efforts.
Also I cannot believe the Biden campaign is not already/will not be on this in some fashion. Neither Biden nor is team are stupid. Perhaps they aren't using the channels/tactics Madrid and company expect ? Pure speculation on my part .
Seconding Ralston. He’s always been the go-to guy for Nevada.
The press and pundits really really want “Revada” to happen, it seems. They want a swing-seat Republican upset soooooo bad, and Arizona is increasingly out of reach for them because of the epic awfulness of Kari Lake, and ditto Wisconsin with Eric Hovde. Sam Brown is still in the Very Bad Republican Candidate category, but he’s been out-awfulled by Hovde and Lake, so the pundits are falling all over themselves with “so you’re saying there’s a chance?”
(and it’s also completely possible that Sam Brown does not get the nomination; everyone expected the Trump endorsed candidate in NJ to win but she was beaten out by…I can’t remember his name, but he is one of those rich self-funder guys. Not that New Jersey is in play. The state is very blue on the federal level, and Andy Kim an excellent candidate. Not just an upgrade to a Republican, but an upgrade over Gold Bar Bob.)
Yup, I too trust Jon Ralston. Although he voices concerns, he rarely makes premature predictions – and he’s rarely wrong. This is why I quoted the recent observations by Ralston.
One of the most reliable voices in Nevada is Jon Ralston.
"FOX has new poll showing Trump up 5 in NV in post-verdict survey. It's RVs, shows Biden has small lead among Hispanics, RFK Jr. wouldn't change much. (Done by D and R firms.)
"Still early, but Biden has not led in a public NV poll for more than 6 months."
Go into the bathroom, close the door, light a candle, look into the mirror, and chant “Harry Reid” three times! I do think the Reid Machine will come through for us, as it always has in the past. And I think Jacky Rosen is not to be underestimated, either. She’s hitting the ground running with the funding she’s already accumulated.
It also helps us that the NV-GOP and the Clark County GOP chairs are both under indictment as false electors, and that the DNC and DSCC have a LOT more cash to splash on candidates than the RNC and RNSC. (Hey, a guy’s gotta pay his lawyers!)
Keep in mind Madrid is a repub and still very conservative. Take his statements with a grain of salt but it’s good to be aware of them. I trust the campaign is also working on outreach to US born Latinos.
"As the Nevada GOP warmly welcomes Donald Trump to Las Vegas this weekend, the party is violating its own bylaw that states it "shall neither recognize nor support any candidate for public office who has been convicted of a felony...""
Another state to fight for. A fight for every last electoral vote to the end. Like Simon always says " ...close and competitive...". The only blue wall is the one all from the Biden campaign on down to us campaigners build.
I wish there was some way of banishing, once and for all, the idea that Republicans are somehow “better on the economy.” Is there a postcard campaign for that? (Only half kidding.) It seems to have wormed itself into popular consciousness without any basis in fact, much like “don’t go out with wet hair or you will catch a cold.” It’s so obvious to me that Republicans are far worse; I remember the halcyon days of the 90’s when just about anyone who wanted a job could have one.
The problem with job hunting now is the layers of automation between resumes and human eyes that produce delays, snafus, and slowness in hiring. I also think that in some places there’s a mismatch, so that there is a surplus of people for some categories of job and a dire shortage in others (health care and the trades being two).
But obviously the jobs are there. (Don’t go on Reddit, or at least don’t venture past the VoteDem subreddit, because you will hear endless complaining about how the economy, in fact, sucks.) Democrats are better for the economy. Republicans don’t create jobs; the tax cuts for their rich friends don’t lift a single boat that is not a luxury yacht.
I too am interested in a campaign to amplify Biden's economic achievements. I would love to throw some energy into spreading the word as part of a coordinated effort.
It is tough to find decent work if you are over 55; wife has been out since Oct with nary an offer, and only one interview. They blatantly say, "entry level" in the scientific community, code words for young....how entry level can you be if the job requires a masters at minimum?
Temp agencies are usually a good route and can lead to permanent jobs. Other than that - I absolutely believe the job numbers, and know how bad it was during the recession or even in the early oughts when we had “rebounded” from the 2001 recession. I wonder if part of the problem is that there are people who are in demand and spoiled for choice, and others who are in fields or categories which are over saturated, or employers feel that they can still “hold out.”
This has been raised over on Alison Green’s Ask A Manager blog: if *some* employers, or even a majority in some fields, believe they can just patiently wait for the next recession when job seekers are once again on the begging end. Or they still have holdover mentalities from 2010.
Thanks. Not even temp agencies will touch her. Part of it is big pharma is increasingly using offshore options. Some theory too, that they are pissed about Biden's drug plans and are being churlish over it. Don't know, but the market for research scientists has dried up, unless you are under 50. And even there it is not a hot market. People know when you are in your late 50s or older, you are not on a career path anymore; you are looking to work a few more years and survive to SS. This is why the loss of pensions is so odious. We need a new national plan, such as that advocated by Theresa Ghillarducci at the New School.
Just joined as a paid subscriber. First time commenter. I'm sure the info I'm seeking is somewhere in the comments, but I've not been able to find anything yet. I would like to spend June writing postcards and/or letters to support voter registration. Any ideas where to get started would be most appreciated.
Thank you Janet. It feels great to be here. I ended up signing up for Turnoutpac (postcards to swing states). I'm also signing up with Field Team 6, because they focus on registering. Gotta do all we can this election season.
I will be donating this month as much as possible. And if all goes well, I'll write some post cards. (I've been skimming everyone's comments for postcard-writing recommendations.)
In the meantime ... Simon ... I know you're extraordinarily busy ... and I am but a peon. ... But, if you haven't done so already, I urge you to listen to Tim Miller's recent Bulwark podcast with Mike Madrid. In my (admittedly very) limited experience, I have found Madrid to be honest, excellent, reliable pollster. For 18 mths, he's been seeing/projecting a Biden win. But now he's concerned - noting, in particular, that (unlike 2020) Dems have problematically failed to consolidate by this late date and we're running out of time. (Gotta admit I was already worrying about this topic before I listened to the podcast.)
You've stressed the importance of June. In addition to everything else you've suggested we do, is there anything else more specific we can do to help speed up this consolidation? You keep saying - yes, some of our coalition is still wandering & we need to gather them. If possible, I'd like to help gather them up a bit faster. Seems necessary. Hopium is hope with a plan, right? I guess I need a more focused plan. Any suggestions? Thanks.
I think it’s time to organize the organizers. I think the bad vibes are dampening enthusiasm in some part of the Dem activist base. So, one thing I am doing, you could do is to think of everyone you know with connections in the swing states. This could be someone going to college in those states, someone who has a second home, someone who lives there and contact them and gently share info about the campaign and encourage them to canvass, get involved. I’ve been amazed about the people I know who fit this category once I got going (I know people in MIchigan, WI, Penn, NC). The hit rate will be low but every volunteer/organizer you can reach and activate is pure good. FWiW.
but look at it this away they keep saying it's neck & neck it that's so and Biden is having trouble consolidating his base all the while being neck & neck that tells me Trump is the one in trouble .I'm thinking both Clinton & Obama were in the same shape in their re-election campaigns around the same respective times. However correct me if I'm wrong.
true and if I'm not wrong everytime there's been a realignment in politics per certain demographics supporting certain parties it's showed up somewhere before the election whereas we haven't seen it in midterms, special elections ,special votes like abortion per Kentucky,Kansas or Ohio or getting things like abortion on the ballot this november or the primaries this year.
I sure hope you're correct - that Trump's the one in trouble. For the life of me, part of me still can't comprehend how this election could even be close! How could people still vote for Trump?! How could the GOP - even in its dumpster fire state - actually support this guy?! It's like we're living on Earth 2. And the whole world is looking at us thinking: What the Hell's wrong with these people?! OK. That's enough for today. I'm not being helpful to anyone. Please forgive me. I'm going to take the advice of people in Hopium's forums & do something positive.
Well on the midterms the 2023 elections Wisconsin judge election Kentucky Kansas and Ohio abortion amendment elections special elections and primaries so far it's been Trump and Republicans underperforming. Democrats have definitely been strong where they needed to be
1) Any DC folks want to join a July 4th Biden Harris contingent for the Takoma Park 4th of July Parade? I’m organizing a group because there is not one and because my very activist community has gone quiet because of bad Gaza vibes. Goal is to show the flag and wake people up and get them to sign up for the campaign, volunteer, put up yard signs. If you want to join - email me at mlittlejohn63 (at) the Google email There will be a RFK Jr contingent for sure… I will send you emails about the effort. The TP parade is a lot of fun - it will be an experience and hopefully helpful to the campaign.
2) Trying to figure out how I can get a bunch of bumper stickers, yard signs, cards, If any one has ideas, advice, please email at the address above.
June is a great month for voter registration!
Register Democrats -- save the world.
https://www.fieldteam6.org/
Terrific news!
Robert Kuttner has an article on the great efforts by the Biden Administration on behalf of American consumers. Specifically, the work of the Consumer Financial Protection Board (CFPB), led by the incorruptible Rohit Chopra.
https://prospect.org/blogs-and-newsletters/tap/2024-06-07-window-on-corporate-deceptions/
The CFPB, a fine example of well-regulated capitalism in practice, is the brainchild of Senator Elizabeth Warren, with whom President Biden and his team are working closely.
Simon, it looks like you’ve posted two duplicate Hopium updates today.
second post had corrected link
Perhaps the comments can be collated, lest discussion happen in two separate rooms?
I think there might be some link errors in today's second post, too. The "NYT poll has Biden up 2 points" and the "share Biden's flag video" don't seem to be directing to the expected info.
Thank you Simon for this post today and I just shared it on my social media platforms. The careful and wise stewardship of the American economy and ship of state by President Biden must be proclaimed. It still discourages me that this economic reality of success doesn't seem to breakthrough to the working class but like you I'm going to keep on fighting. And we here on Hopium are going to fight Trump to defeat in November. President Biden is in Normandy this weekend commemorating the 80th anniversary of D-Day while at the same time fighting Trump on the beaches with very fine speeches and comments. I stole that line from Susan Glasser's article in the New Yorker and here's the link. She's been writing some great columns lately and warning Americans about the Trump fascist scourge. Carry on my fellow Americans. I'm a New Deal Democrat and voted for FDR 4 times just like Ronald Reagan. :)
Fighting Trump on the Beaches
Biden’s fiery D Day speech in Normandy warns against the ex-President’s isolationism, while Trump is back home, targeting “the enemy within.”
By Susan B. Glasser
https://www.newyorker.com/news/letter-from-bidens-washington/fighting-trump-on-the-beaches
Simon - what do you think is more effective at convincing swing voters in critical states? 1) Biden has been and will continue to be a good president, or 2) Trump is crazy, mentally deteriorating and will implement a kleptocratic theocracy with himself as the primary beneficiary?
I believe that the center right leaning Trump Skeptical voters are in the Biden camp. It's the working class voters primarily in Nevada, Arizona, and Pennsylvania. I think we will be OK in Wisconsin and Michigan but we need to see this traditional democratic base come home. The conservative media death star is working overtime to install Donald Trump, America's first autocrat in office. We must stop this!
I read a great quote 20 years ago in US News & World Report. "Voting for a Republican for President is tantamount to voting for a recession." A recession hits the 99% much harder than it hits the 1%. The Senate, under Moscow Mitch McConnell, made recovery from the Great Recession so much harder than it had to be. He did so just to score points against Obama. The Republican party of today is the equivalent of the southern enslavers of Civil War times. They have NO interest in the common good. They only want to line their pockets. Their guiding philosophy is "What's mine is mine. What yours is mine also."
https://rvat.org/
We absolutely must and we have to counter the Death Star with hope, love, community, and ACTION.
People should check out Chris Hayes' segment on Biden's brilliant and unprecedented strategy that broke OPEC -- at a time when we were looking at unrestrained oil price inflation that would have staggered the economic recovery. High oil prices means fewer jobs (etc.).
Link: https://youtu.be/9-q2PWkZKIA?si=MLSR3f1imcomq6_e
Thank you for sharing this!
Wow! Who knew? Well hopefully they’ll know now.
I've been wearing my FDR campaign button and my Eisenhower campaign button all morning. We must defeat Trump.
Check out Chris hayes msnbc story about what Biden did to big oil. Dems should be shouting from the rooftops.
Two comments:
1. Chris Hayes had a great segment on job growth last night:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=72p944tLQSk
Here's a summary:
Excluding Trump's last year in office, when jobs plummeted due to Covid, and President Biden's first year in office, when job growth rebounded, you are left with these numbers:
Trump: 6.38 million jobs added in 36 months (2017 - 2019).
Biden: 8.78 million jobs added in just 29 months (2022 - May 2024)
Do the math: American employers have created at least 2.4 million more jobs during the Biden Administration than they did during the Trump Administration. That's an increase of more than 37%!
Are we better off than we were four years ago? If job growth matters, clearly the answer is YES.
*****
2. Let's blame the president for everything we don't like.
We all know that people blame the incumbent for everything they don't like, especially inflation.
Does anyone really think that President Biden would not lower gas or grocery prices if he could? What can the President do to help people who are under financial pressure? Force businesses to roll back prices? Of course not. Cut taxes? Issue stimulus payments? Not with a Republican House. Time to get real.
I remember when President Biden was releasing gas from the US Strategic Petroleum Reserves. Strikingly, Marjorie Taylor Green was screaming bloody murder – which definitely reinforced my conviction that Biden was doing something good.
Biden sold high and bought low. I am curious, does anyone know where the profit went? Does the Biden Administration have any flexibility as to how our taxpayers’ windfall is to be spent?
Mike Madrid has been posting for a while on twitter that Democrats have a problem with Latinos in this cycle. He writes today "It’s getting harder to find a voter model scenario where Biden is picking up enough Republican college educated defectors to offset the losses he’s getting with US born Latinos." (https://x.com/madrid_mike/status/1799553724022661177) He followed this up with "There are tons of Republicans that have been waiting for the Biden campaign to reach out and nothing. There are tons of Latinos raising alarm bells and nothing." This needs to be addressed ASAP.
That seems to be be his entire shtick. Not saying he's wrong but - but I stopped listening to the politicology podcast because it seems that's all he ever says when he's on there.
I heard him speaking with Tim Miller of the Bulwark. I've had limited exposure to Madrid - primarily through his early work with the Lincoln Project. But I found him to be honest and reliable pollster. For 18+ months, he's believed things looked good for Biden. He was saying it when others were not. But apparently, his analysis factored in a consolidation of the Dems by this date - which he believes has not happened. (Opposite of Republicans, of course.) Hearing Madrid (someone I've found reliable in the past) simply express this concern in the very beginning of the podcast made me so anxious that I had to turn it off. (Not like me to do that.) I should probably check whether he was one of the red wave predictors before I allow myself to get swept up into worrying about his negative comments. Maybe he isn't as reliable as I remember. Regardless, if there's consolidation that's happening too slowly, I'd like to know whether there's anything we, as individuals, can do to help speed up the process. Because if there's some way I might be able to help, I'd like to do it. (You know - Do more, worry less.)
I don’t know anything about Mike Madrid or the veracity of his claims. But this article highlights media developments that are highly relevant with regards to Hispanic/Latino voters in Florida and other states. In short, Univision ain’t what it used to be.
https://www.dailykos.com/stories/2024/4/8/2223769/-How-Spanish-language-giant-Univision-suddenly-became-Trump-s-ally
(Just before the 2016 election, we saw a concerted Spanish-language propaganda effort by Republicans, especially in Florida. And we saw the late swing towards Trump in the polls.)
In 2024, I very much doubt Democrats will fail to counter such efforts.
Like I said - I find it very hard to believe Team Biden is unaware of/ or blowing this off. My impression is they're firing on all cylinders.
I think we shouldn't assume anything these days.
Also I cannot believe the Biden campaign is not already/will not be on this in some fashion. Neither Biden nor is team are stupid. Perhaps they aren't using the channels/tactics Madrid and company expect ? Pure speculation on my part .
Apparently Nevada does not look good and this is almost entirely due to shift in Hispanics toward the Republicans.
According to who - Mike Madrid ? I hope they're working hard on it either way. The expert I trust most for Nevada is Jon Ralston
Seconding Ralston. He’s always been the go-to guy for Nevada.
The press and pundits really really want “Revada” to happen, it seems. They want a swing-seat Republican upset soooooo bad, and Arizona is increasingly out of reach for them because of the epic awfulness of Kari Lake, and ditto Wisconsin with Eric Hovde. Sam Brown is still in the Very Bad Republican Candidate category, but he’s been out-awfulled by Hovde and Lake, so the pundits are falling all over themselves with “so you’re saying there’s a chance?”
(and it’s also completely possible that Sam Brown does not get the nomination; everyone expected the Trump endorsed candidate in NJ to win but she was beaten out by…I can’t remember his name, but he is one of those rich self-funder guys. Not that New Jersey is in play. The state is very blue on the federal level, and Andy Kim an excellent candidate. Not just an upgrade to a Republican, but an upgrade over Gold Bar Bob.)
By the way, on his Election Blog, Jon Ralston just posted the figures and his thoughts from Nevada’s ongoing primaries. Interesting stuff!
https://thenevadaindependent.com/article/the-early-voting-blog-primary-2024
Yup, I too trust Jon Ralston. Although he voices concerns, he rarely makes premature predictions – and he’s rarely wrong. This is why I quoted the recent observations by Ralston.
One of the most reliable voices in Nevada is Jon Ralston.
"FOX has new poll showing Trump up 5 in NV in post-verdict survey. It's RVs, shows Biden has small lead among Hispanics, RFK Jr. wouldn't change much. (Done by D and R firms.)
"Still early, but Biden has not led in a public NV poll for more than 6 months."
– Jon Ralston, Editor, Nevada Independent, 6 June
Eeeesshhh. Well having played with the blank electoral map at 270towin.com numerous times, I know Biden can without Nevada.
Unions are very strong in Nevada. I expect them to launch extremely effective GOTV operations on behalf of Biden-Harris and Team Blue!
Go into the bathroom, close the door, light a candle, look into the mirror, and chant “Harry Reid” three times! I do think the Reid Machine will come through for us, as it always has in the past. And I think Jacky Rosen is not to be underestimated, either. She’s hitting the ground running with the funding she’s already accumulated.
It also helps us that the NV-GOP and the Clark County GOP chairs are both under indictment as false electors, and that the DNC and DSCC have a LOT more cash to splash on candidates than the RNC and RNSC. (Hey, a guy’s gotta pay his lawyers!)
RV though it seems Biden does much better in LV model
Keep in mind Madrid is a repub and still very conservative. Take his statements with a grain of salt but it’s good to be aware of them. I trust the campaign is also working on outreach to US born Latinos.
Wishful thinking. They thought they had Hispanics after W. But they are not reliably R. trump's conviction is gonna hurt.
Apropos Nevada, here’s a fun fact:
"As the Nevada GOP warmly welcomes Donald Trump to Las Vegas this weekend, the party is violating its own bylaw that states it "shall neither recognize nor support any candidate for public office who has been convicted of a felony...""
– Jon Ralston, Editor, Nevada Independent
Another state to fight for. A fight for every last electoral vote to the end. Like Simon always says " ...close and competitive...". The only blue wall is the one all from the Biden campaign on down to us campaigners build.
Fun fact indeed. The Las Vegas casinos were big supporters of convicted felon trump from the beginning.
I wish there was some way of banishing, once and for all, the idea that Republicans are somehow “better on the economy.” Is there a postcard campaign for that? (Only half kidding.) It seems to have wormed itself into popular consciousness without any basis in fact, much like “don’t go out with wet hair or you will catch a cold.” It’s so obvious to me that Republicans are far worse; I remember the halcyon days of the 90’s when just about anyone who wanted a job could have one.
The problem with job hunting now is the layers of automation between resumes and human eyes that produce delays, snafus, and slowness in hiring. I also think that in some places there’s a mismatch, so that there is a surplus of people for some categories of job and a dire shortage in others (health care and the trades being two).
But obviously the jobs are there. (Don’t go on Reddit, or at least don’t venture past the VoteDem subreddit, because you will hear endless complaining about how the economy, in fact, sucks.) Democrats are better for the economy. Republicans don’t create jobs; the tax cuts for their rich friends don’t lift a single boat that is not a luxury yacht.
I too am interested in a campaign to amplify Biden's economic achievements. I would love to throw some energy into spreading the word as part of a coordinated effort.
It is tough to find decent work if you are over 55; wife has been out since Oct with nary an offer, and only one interview. They blatantly say, "entry level" in the scientific community, code words for young....how entry level can you be if the job requires a masters at minimum?
Temp agencies are usually a good route and can lead to permanent jobs. Other than that - I absolutely believe the job numbers, and know how bad it was during the recession or even in the early oughts when we had “rebounded” from the 2001 recession. I wonder if part of the problem is that there are people who are in demand and spoiled for choice, and others who are in fields or categories which are over saturated, or employers feel that they can still “hold out.”
This has been raised over on Alison Green’s Ask A Manager blog: if *some* employers, or even a majority in some fields, believe they can just patiently wait for the next recession when job seekers are once again on the begging end. Or they still have holdover mentalities from 2010.
Either way, I wish your wife good luck.
Thanks. Not even temp agencies will touch her. Part of it is big pharma is increasingly using offshore options. Some theory too, that they are pissed about Biden's drug plans and are being churlish over it. Don't know, but the market for research scientists has dried up, unless you are under 50. And even there it is not a hot market. People know when you are in your late 50s or older, you are not on a career path anymore; you are looking to work a few more years and survive to SS. This is why the loss of pensions is so odious. We need a new national plan, such as that advocated by Theresa Ghillarducci at the New School.
Just joined as a paid subscriber. First time commenter. I'm sure the info I'm seeking is somewhere in the comments, but I've not been able to find anything yet. I would like to spend June writing postcards and/or letters to support voter registration. Any ideas where to get started would be most appreciated.
Welcome!
Here are a few I’ve come across. I signed up with turnoutpac to write postcards to swing states, but there are several others too.
Activateamerica.vote
Turnoutpac.org/postcards
Momsrising.org
Votefwd.org/campaigns
Postcardstovoters.org
Thank you Janet. It feels great to be here. I ended up signing up for Turnoutpac (postcards to swing states). I'm also signing up with Field Team 6, because they focus on registering. Gotta do all we can this election season.
👍🏻 thank you!
I will be donating this month as much as possible. And if all goes well, I'll write some post cards. (I've been skimming everyone's comments for postcard-writing recommendations.)
In the meantime ... Simon ... I know you're extraordinarily busy ... and I am but a peon. ... But, if you haven't done so already, I urge you to listen to Tim Miller's recent Bulwark podcast with Mike Madrid. In my (admittedly very) limited experience, I have found Madrid to be honest, excellent, reliable pollster. For 18 mths, he's been seeing/projecting a Biden win. But now he's concerned - noting, in particular, that (unlike 2020) Dems have problematically failed to consolidate by this late date and we're running out of time. (Gotta admit I was already worrying about this topic before I listened to the podcast.)
https://www.thebulwark.com/p/mike-madrid-the-latino-century?r=7j9g6&utm_campaign=post&utm_medium=web
I want to do more & worry less.
You've stressed the importance of June. In addition to everything else you've suggested we do, is there anything else more specific we can do to help speed up this consolidation? You keep saying - yes, some of our coalition is still wandering & we need to gather them. If possible, I'd like to help gather them up a bit faster. Seems necessary. Hopium is hope with a plan, right? I guess I need a more focused plan. Any suggestions? Thanks.
I think it’s time to organize the organizers. I think the bad vibes are dampening enthusiasm in some part of the Dem activist base. So, one thing I am doing, you could do is to think of everyone you know with connections in the swing states. This could be someone going to college in those states, someone who has a second home, someone who lives there and contact them and gently share info about the campaign and encourage them to canvass, get involved. I’ve been amazed about the people I know who fit this category once I got going (I know people in MIchigan, WI, Penn, NC). The hit rate will be low but every volunteer/organizer you can reach and activate is pure good. FWiW.
but look at it this away they keep saying it's neck & neck it that's so and Biden is having trouble consolidating his base all the while being neck & neck that tells me Trump is the one in trouble .I'm thinking both Clinton & Obama were in the same shape in their re-election campaigns around the same respective times. However correct me if I'm wrong.
Not as bad IIRC. But it was a different polling universe.
true and if I'm not wrong everytime there's been a realignment in politics per certain demographics supporting certain parties it's showed up somewhere before the election whereas we haven't seen it in midterms, special elections ,special votes like abortion per Kentucky,Kansas or Ohio or getting things like abortion on the ballot this november or the primaries this year.
I sure hope you're correct - that Trump's the one in trouble. For the life of me, part of me still can't comprehend how this election could even be close! How could people still vote for Trump?! How could the GOP - even in its dumpster fire state - actually support this guy?! It's like we're living on Earth 2. And the whole world is looking at us thinking: What the Hell's wrong with these people?! OK. That's enough for today. I'm not being helpful to anyone. Please forgive me. I'm going to take the advice of people in Hopium's forums & do something positive.
Well on the midterms the 2023 elections Wisconsin judge election Kentucky Kansas and Ohio abortion amendment elections special elections and primaries so far it's been Trump and Republicans underperforming. Democrats have definitely been strong where they needed to be
Correct!
Good ideas. Thanks.
Hopium DC folks.
1) Any DC folks want to join a July 4th Biden Harris contingent for the Takoma Park 4th of July Parade? I’m organizing a group because there is not one and because my very activist community has gone quiet because of bad Gaza vibes. Goal is to show the flag and wake people up and get them to sign up for the campaign, volunteer, put up yard signs. If you want to join - email me at mlittlejohn63 (at) the Google email There will be a RFK Jr contingent for sure… I will send you emails about the effort. The TP parade is a lot of fun - it will be an experience and hopefully helpful to the campaign.
2) Trying to figure out how I can get a bunch of bumper stickers, yard signs, cards, If any one has ideas, advice, please email at the address above.
Thanks!
#factsmatter