I can’t say I’m surprised by the double cross on the budget agreement… But, my understanding is that Biden put a few shrewd things into that agreement that will once again make it difficult for the normal, albeit spineless Republicans in the house to vote against when push comes to shove. My guess is this is a performative bit of nonsense that will fall apart when it’s clear that they can’t get it passed through the Senate. There may be a shut down, but my guess is Biden has already laid the groundwork to outflank and outmaneuver these bumbling fools and get exactly what he and McCarthy agreed upon in the end. And by far the most important thing, is that we avoided a default, and took that bullshit off the table for two years. #GameOn
I listened to a zoom on gun control last night and something that keeps coming up as a question is “why can’t these grassroots groups come together? Wouldn’t they make more of an impact that way?” Any thoughts on this?
Hi Susan....I have a few thoughts on this, although they only amount to an opinion, so take it for what its worth.
First, I think our grassroots are much more "together" than we realize or give them credit for. I think what's happening with Biden's successes is a microcosm of all things within the Dem family.....we don't realize how good we are and how successful we are. We're like long time victims of abuse.....we've allowed the right wing to infect our collective psyche with their lies, distortions, and dystopian cynicism of all things to the point that we don't even feel like we are winning when we win. We don't feel like we've accomplished anything even when we accomplish something historic (such as a trillion+ dollar infrastructure bill, the largest climate change investment in the history of the world, beating the pharmaceutical lobby to lower prescription costs for seniors, the best midterm election performance in peacetime for a party in 80+ years, 4 consecutive popular vote wins and 7 of the past 8....the list goes on). Just like the DEMOCRATIC family doesn't even realize how good the economy is yet and how amazingly well President Biden has performed in these incredibly turbulent times (this would be a hell of a record in normal times....but in the climate we're in today with the razor thin majorities he had to work with, this guys a goddamn legend already), we don't realize how good we have gotten at politics and organizing. We're out-raising, out-calling, out-doorknocking, out-texting, out-postcarding, and out-candidate-recruiting them at every level, but we don't accept it and celebrate it.
So....my own belief is that we're doing great, and that there will never be a time when we've accomplished everything we want, because even when we do, the new normal reveals to us the reforms that would make things even better....but the presence of things we don't like and still need to work on to change doesn't mean that we aren't together and aren't doing the work. Making big changes in this country is a long, slow, complicated, and multi-layered process.....the public has to change it's mind overwhelmingly both popularly and geographically for it to have a chance to pass congress....and then we have to wait until there is both a president AND a congress willing to take the measure up, and then you have to reconcile a lot of opinions about the details in two chambers of congress and emerge with something the president believes in enough to sign his or her name to it.....so, I think we're doing great. On guns, I think we have achieved every piece of the puzzle shy of having a congress that will do it, and that means we need to take the house back, and we need more than 50 dems in the senate, OR....we need 50 dems in the senate willing to do some kind of cloture/filibuster reform in order for it to get a floor vote and pass. Manchin and Sinema were't going to allow that last term, and the R house won't let it happen now....but, Joe ably got every drop of juice out of both last congress and this congress that could be squeezed. So, let's just keep doing our work, keep the senate, get the house back and see what Joe can squeeze out of them next term.
Anyway....that's my belief....we've gotten really good at this, we're winning much more than we're losing, we're much more united in purpose than divided in pettiness.....we just don't see it because we've been trained to think we are a disorganized mess who never do anything good enough and always lose. We've been told constantly by the right wing noise machine (and in turn by the media at large) that we're a disorganized mess and that what we want is radical and out of touch with Americans, and we've been told by our own left flank that we're a bunch of sell outs who cave in too easily, compromise away our values, and never meet the moment with what is truly needed.....and you know what? It's all bullshit.....I'm proud of what we've accomplished, and I'm willing to put my money any day on the Democratic Party, our talented and visionary leaders, our rank and file foot soldiers at every level of government, and our incredible grass roots who have leveraged the internet independently to band together and save our democracy one election, and one crisis at a time. We're amazing, and we just need to see it and appreciate it about ourselves.
Thank you for all this great information and insight as always.
My very intellectual, aware, progressive nephew said something that terrified me yesterday: That he’s very happy to see Cornell West launch his presidential campaign. I explained to him what happens in these situations (he’ll lose but it’s just enough votes to make the democratic candidate also lose), why Biden has been a great, progressive president, and that change doesn’t happen overnight, but he wasn’t swayed. I got annoyed, which I’m sure made him dig in more. I need some more good arguments why voting for the more progressive underdog is potentially disastrous for young progressives and what to say. Please help!
If he's anything like I was and like every other young man I've ever known, just give him some time to mull on it.....it's important to most young men to feel like it was their own idea to change positions on things. If you push too hard, he'll dig his feet in out of defiance....but you made your case, and Joe Biden will be making his case as the election season goes along....AND....at some point Joe Biden will have a single opponent to contrast against, and that will bring the whole election into sharper focus. Once it's clear that it's Joe or whatever MAGA apologist/horror show he is up against, I'm certain that our base will tighten up and close ranks as long as we do the work. Be sure to compliment him for being engaged and committed to civic improvement at such a young age....that's always to be commended :-)
Bravo! I love this and I think you’re right. I like the comparison to an abusive relationship which is what we’ve been in with DT and the MAGA crowd for years. I’m a Democrat and I’m fed up with the negativity of the extremes. Politics is a roll up your sleeves and get things done today. Then do the same tomorrow. Your well thought out and inspiring comment made my day. And now back to writing postcards for young voters in Ohio🙏
Ohio is my darkhorse to watch for in the 24.....it's a heavy lift, but MAGA has done enough there to create a window of opportunity for us, especially with this abortion/ballot initiative reform nonsense.....with Sherrod Brown on the ticket, if we run a good enough campaign and do our part out in the grass roots.....I could see that being one of the states that unexpectedly flips blue if we actually "Get to 55" nationally.....#FingersCrossed! ;-)
I’m really interested in flipping Ohio. My folks grew up there then moved to Berkeley after the war. I have fond memories of happy family vacations on my mother’s family farm. I later learned her dad once let the Klan have a March on his property 😠. I have cousins there who are democrats and might well want to help flip the st. Any suggestions where to direct them?
A few ideas... There's the League of Women Voters of Ohio (https://www.lwvohio.org/). Vote Riders (https://www.voteriders.org/) provides voter id assistance and that's important because Ohio changed their Voter ID requirements recently! I just donated thru Force Multiplier to several grass roots organizations in Ohio and Montana (https://www.forcemultiplierus.org/empower-voters). Force Multiplier is great because it researches grass roots organizations for you. And I agree that we need to flip Ohio!
I am concerned that the Dems are not countering the maga disinformation about Biden being a crook and an autocrat. People will believe it if there is not a strong response. Dems must gi on offensive!
I can’t say I’m surprised by the double cross on the budget agreement… But, my understanding is that Biden put a few shrewd things into that agreement that will once again make it difficult for the normal, albeit spineless Republicans in the house to vote against when push comes to shove. My guess is this is a performative bit of nonsense that will fall apart when it’s clear that they can’t get it passed through the Senate. There may be a shut down, but my guess is Biden has already laid the groundwork to outflank and outmaneuver these bumbling fools and get exactly what he and McCarthy agreed upon in the end. And by far the most important thing, is that we avoided a default, and took that bullshit off the table for two years. #GameOn
Re DeSantis: never underestimate the common sense of the great unwashed!
As always hope here. Thank you!
I listened to a zoom on gun control last night and something that keeps coming up as a question is “why can’t these grassroots groups come together? Wouldn’t they make more of an impact that way?” Any thoughts on this?
Hi Susan....I have a few thoughts on this, although they only amount to an opinion, so take it for what its worth.
First, I think our grassroots are much more "together" than we realize or give them credit for. I think what's happening with Biden's successes is a microcosm of all things within the Dem family.....we don't realize how good we are and how successful we are. We're like long time victims of abuse.....we've allowed the right wing to infect our collective psyche with their lies, distortions, and dystopian cynicism of all things to the point that we don't even feel like we are winning when we win. We don't feel like we've accomplished anything even when we accomplish something historic (such as a trillion+ dollar infrastructure bill, the largest climate change investment in the history of the world, beating the pharmaceutical lobby to lower prescription costs for seniors, the best midterm election performance in peacetime for a party in 80+ years, 4 consecutive popular vote wins and 7 of the past 8....the list goes on). Just like the DEMOCRATIC family doesn't even realize how good the economy is yet and how amazingly well President Biden has performed in these incredibly turbulent times (this would be a hell of a record in normal times....but in the climate we're in today with the razor thin majorities he had to work with, this guys a goddamn legend already), we don't realize how good we have gotten at politics and organizing. We're out-raising, out-calling, out-doorknocking, out-texting, out-postcarding, and out-candidate-recruiting them at every level, but we don't accept it and celebrate it.
So....my own belief is that we're doing great, and that there will never be a time when we've accomplished everything we want, because even when we do, the new normal reveals to us the reforms that would make things even better....but the presence of things we don't like and still need to work on to change doesn't mean that we aren't together and aren't doing the work. Making big changes in this country is a long, slow, complicated, and multi-layered process.....the public has to change it's mind overwhelmingly both popularly and geographically for it to have a chance to pass congress....and then we have to wait until there is both a president AND a congress willing to take the measure up, and then you have to reconcile a lot of opinions about the details in two chambers of congress and emerge with something the president believes in enough to sign his or her name to it.....so, I think we're doing great. On guns, I think we have achieved every piece of the puzzle shy of having a congress that will do it, and that means we need to take the house back, and we need more than 50 dems in the senate, OR....we need 50 dems in the senate willing to do some kind of cloture/filibuster reform in order for it to get a floor vote and pass. Manchin and Sinema were't going to allow that last term, and the R house won't let it happen now....but, Joe ably got every drop of juice out of both last congress and this congress that could be squeezed. So, let's just keep doing our work, keep the senate, get the house back and see what Joe can squeeze out of them next term.
Anyway....that's my belief....we've gotten really good at this, we're winning much more than we're losing, we're much more united in purpose than divided in pettiness.....we just don't see it because we've been trained to think we are a disorganized mess who never do anything good enough and always lose. We've been told constantly by the right wing noise machine (and in turn by the media at large) that we're a disorganized mess and that what we want is radical and out of touch with Americans, and we've been told by our own left flank that we're a bunch of sell outs who cave in too easily, compromise away our values, and never meet the moment with what is truly needed.....and you know what? It's all bullshit.....I'm proud of what we've accomplished, and I'm willing to put my money any day on the Democratic Party, our talented and visionary leaders, our rank and file foot soldiers at every level of government, and our incredible grass roots who have leveraged the internet independently to band together and save our democracy one election, and one crisis at a time. We're amazing, and we just need to see it and appreciate it about ourselves.
Thank you for all this great information and insight as always.
My very intellectual, aware, progressive nephew said something that terrified me yesterday: That he’s very happy to see Cornell West launch his presidential campaign. I explained to him what happens in these situations (he’ll lose but it’s just enough votes to make the democratic candidate also lose), why Biden has been a great, progressive president, and that change doesn’t happen overnight, but he wasn’t swayed. I got annoyed, which I’m sure made him dig in more. I need some more good arguments why voting for the more progressive underdog is potentially disastrous for young progressives and what to say. Please help!
If he's anything like I was and like every other young man I've ever known, just give him some time to mull on it.....it's important to most young men to feel like it was their own idea to change positions on things. If you push too hard, he'll dig his feet in out of defiance....but you made your case, and Joe Biden will be making his case as the election season goes along....AND....at some point Joe Biden will have a single opponent to contrast against, and that will bring the whole election into sharper focus. Once it's clear that it's Joe or whatever MAGA apologist/horror show he is up against, I'm certain that our base will tighten up and close ranks as long as we do the work. Be sure to compliment him for being engaged and committed to civic improvement at such a young age....that's always to be commended :-)
Bravo! I love this and I think you’re right. I like the comparison to an abusive relationship which is what we’ve been in with DT and the MAGA crowd for years. I’m a Democrat and I’m fed up with the negativity of the extremes. Politics is a roll up your sleeves and get things done today. Then do the same tomorrow. Your well thought out and inspiring comment made my day. And now back to writing postcards for young voters in Ohio🙏
Ohio is my darkhorse to watch for in the 24.....it's a heavy lift, but MAGA has done enough there to create a window of opportunity for us, especially with this abortion/ballot initiative reform nonsense.....with Sherrod Brown on the ticket, if we run a good enough campaign and do our part out in the grass roots.....I could see that being one of the states that unexpectedly flips blue if we actually "Get to 55" nationally.....#FingersCrossed! ;-)
I’m really interested in flipping Ohio. My folks grew up there then moved to Berkeley after the war. I have fond memories of happy family vacations on my mother’s family farm. I later learned her dad once let the Klan have a March on his property 😠. I have cousins there who are democrats and might well want to help flip the st. Any suggestions where to direct them?
A few ideas... There's the League of Women Voters of Ohio (https://www.lwvohio.org/). Vote Riders (https://www.voteriders.org/) provides voter id assistance and that's important because Ohio changed their Voter ID requirements recently! I just donated thru Force Multiplier to several grass roots organizations in Ohio and Montana (https://www.forcemultiplierus.org/empower-voters). Force Multiplier is great because it researches grass roots organizations for you. And I agree that we need to flip Ohio!
I am concerned that the Dems are not countering the maga disinformation about Biden being a crook and an autocrat. People will believe it if there is not a strong response. Dems must gi on offensive!
Thank you for these. Much appreciated 😊
Joan, Thanks again for this. Just forwarded it to my cousin in Ohio who wants very much to help flip his state blue😊