The poll question - “What is the MOST important issue” really bothers me when it gets interpreted as THIS is the only issue we should campaign on, The “kitchen table” versus “democracy” framing is the exemplar. We can campaign on more than one issue at a time, and indeed, need to! “Either-Or” should become “Yes-And.”
The next sentence in G. Elliot Morris' newsletter today will let you feel less bothered:
"When we let respondents name their top three problems, instead of forcing them to pick one, the gap widens further: 62% select prices, 40% name jobs and the economy, and 33% pick health care. Elections and democracy comes fourth at 25%."
Thank you for referring to that, I’ll turn my bother dial down a bit, but the interpretation and operationalization by the “consultant” class (or at least some of them) leaves a to to be desired. I think democracy is a bedrock issue that allows for progress in every other area. And it gets many former Republicans on board (i.e. Bulwark crew).
Yup, especially in its varied framings. Morris uses elections & democracy. I've seen it show up as democracy & rule of law, democracy & corruption, etc. In any combination, it's in the top few issues people care about.
Democracy and civil rights and civil liberties is a top tier voting issue for many many voters and should be treated that way by the family. No Kings is a voting issue, not just kitchen table issues.
The “Either-Or” framing pervades our society - I come across it frequently in environmental science where the issues are inherently multivariate and misinterpretation abounds. At our (and many species’) peril.
For we need to be clear what this data says - that Dems should be talking about prices, the economy, democracy, and health care. All of them. Even with inflation at 39% it means 61% have a different issue that matters to them and we must be talking to them too. It's not a choice, it is an "and" and yes I think this has become, somehow, confusing to people.
Of course, they are not unrelated. High prices are a result of the corruption of our democracy. Corruption is simply stealing taxpayer money. Evidently, corruption is breaking through to the apolitical as a key issue. A cool commercial might be an invoice Trump sends to each American of what we have paid him, or what he wants us to pay for. So, I just divided 1.8 billion by 160 million taxpayers. It's about $11 a person. It could go on and on to a total of what he wants EACH of us to pay him, except his cronies. Bringing the corruption home may help. Staggering numbers don't stagger anymore. Just a thought.
Your reference to the consultant class is also a concern of mine. Simon often mentions the narrow focus (blinders?) of the consultant class. He, and many others, have also criticized them, for their strategy in 2024 presidential election.
My concern is leadership might well be too sclerotic to move away from their old-fashioned approach. We can't afford to miss the opportunity presented by the midterms, and if adjustments aren't made this cycle but we still win the House and hopefully the Senate due to a desperately compromised GOP... then there will be even less incentive to make change for 2028.
I just hope these issues are really being wrestled with, and action behind the scenes will show our concerns to be unfounded.
Remember when then TX-governor Risk Perry was running for prez on 3 policies. And he could only remember 2? That's why you don't take a shotgun approach to messaging. & "democracy" was not a winning issue in 2016 or 2024. But "it's the economy, stupid" worked to focus Dems in 1992.
I think we've seen that "Yes-And" strategy discussed and employed by the many House and Senate candidates Hopium has endorsed and is supporting. In the interviews Simon has conducted, the candidates have raised numerous issues--inflation, jobs, healthcare, corruption, the importance of strengthening our democracy--that they are discussing with voters on the campaign trail. So, while polls may try to parse issues into bits and try to force respondents into saying one item is more important than the others, our candidates don't appear to be doing that. They are listening to a wide range of voter concerns and responding to them. At least, that's what I've seen in these interviews. If voters tell candidates that inflation is killing them, then candidates need to pay attention to that. But it doesn't mean they can't also say that a corrupt administration is one reason inflation is so high--tariffs, a stupid war in Iran, etc.
The recent developments in New Jersey will give our County Councilmembers more reason to support an ordinance to restrict detention facilities in the county. It should be noted: a recently elected Democrat from a rural district is leading the effort. My sense is that there is potentially widespread support for restricting detention centers among rural folks, and this Councilmember knows her constituents.
The ordinance is scheduled to be taken up this afternoon. I'm planning to attend, even though public comment is not allowed at this particular hearing. In lieu of that, I'd like to make a plug for getting to know your local officeholders. I've been working on this for over a year now. When four of the Councilmembers see me in chambers today, they will know that I'm cheering them on.
Hawaii has passed a law to over-ride CItizens United in their state. Ali Velshi reported on it this weekend. Imagine a world where Citizens United became irrelevant. Fingers crossed that this law will stand up to the inevitable appeals. Fifteen other states, including California and New York are pursuing this idea as well. Bring it on!
It got me thinking about the antisemitism conversation that we need to have. Ross' recent book is "The Secret War Against Hate: American Resistance to Antisemitism and White Supremacy"
There are whole generations who have no idea that hate and violence against Blacks and Jews went together throughout the US 1990s, that white Christian supremacists plotted and carried out violence against both (but the different groups weren't united till 2016. Prior to that, he describes them as suffering from the "too many fuhrers" problem).
I will never understand how ignorant most politicians are regarding Tech/IT. There must be someone in the center or on the left that understands what's been happening right under their noses.
The poll question - “What is the MOST important issue” really bothers me when it gets interpreted as THIS is the only issue we should campaign on, The “kitchen table” versus “democracy” framing is the exemplar. We can campaign on more than one issue at a time, and indeed, need to! “Either-Or” should become “Yes-And.”
The next sentence in G. Elliot Morris' newsletter today will let you feel less bothered:
"When we let respondents name their top three problems, instead of forcing them to pick one, the gap widens further: 62% select prices, 40% name jobs and the economy, and 33% pick health care. Elections and democracy comes fourth at 25%."
Thank you for referring to that, I’ll turn my bother dial down a bit, but the interpretation and operationalization by the “consultant” class (or at least some of them) leaves a to to be desired. I think democracy is a bedrock issue that allows for progress in every other area. And it gets many former Republicans on board (i.e. Bulwark crew).
Yup, especially in its varied framings. Morris uses elections & democracy. I've seen it show up as democracy & rule of law, democracy & corruption, etc. In any combination, it's in the top few issues people care about.
Democracy and civil rights and civil liberties is a top tier voting issue for many many voters and should be treated that way by the family. No Kings is a voting issue, not just kitchen table issues.
Thanks Simon - that is why I am here at Hopium and out on the streets every week.
The “Either-Or” framing pervades our society - I come across it frequently in environmental science where the issues are inherently multivariate and misinterpretation abounds. At our (and many species’) peril.
For we need to be clear what this data says - that Dems should be talking about prices, the economy, democracy, and health care. All of them. Even with inflation at 39% it means 61% have a different issue that matters to them and we must be talking to them too. It's not a choice, it is an "and" and yes I think this has become, somehow, confusing to people.
Of course, they are not unrelated. High prices are a result of the corruption of our democracy. Corruption is simply stealing taxpayer money. Evidently, corruption is breaking through to the apolitical as a key issue. A cool commercial might be an invoice Trump sends to each American of what we have paid him, or what he wants us to pay for. So, I just divided 1.8 billion by 160 million taxpayers. It's about $11 a person. It could go on and on to a total of what he wants EACH of us to pay him, except his cronies. Bringing the corruption home may help. Staggering numbers don't stagger anymore. Just a thought.
Your reference to the consultant class is also a concern of mine. Simon often mentions the narrow focus (blinders?) of the consultant class. He, and many others, have also criticized them, for their strategy in 2024 presidential election.
My concern is leadership might well be too sclerotic to move away from their old-fashioned approach. We can't afford to miss the opportunity presented by the midterms, and if adjustments aren't made this cycle but we still win the House and hopefully the Senate due to a desperately compromised GOP... then there will be even less incentive to make change for 2028.
I just hope these issues are really being wrestled with, and action behind the scenes will show our concerns to be unfounded.
Remember when then TX-governor Risk Perry was running for prez on 3 policies. And he could only remember 2? That's why you don't take a shotgun approach to messaging. & "democracy" was not a winning issue in 2016 or 2024. But "it's the economy, stupid" worked to focus Dems in 1992.
He was going to shut down 3 federal agencies. One was Energy, but he couldn't remember it. Then some idiot made that idiot Secretary of Energy.
I think we've seen that "Yes-And" strategy discussed and employed by the many House and Senate candidates Hopium has endorsed and is supporting. In the interviews Simon has conducted, the candidates have raised numerous issues--inflation, jobs, healthcare, corruption, the importance of strengthening our democracy--that they are discussing with voters on the campaign trail. So, while polls may try to parse issues into bits and try to force respondents into saying one item is more important than the others, our candidates don't appear to be doing that. They are listening to a wide range of voter concerns and responding to them. At least, that's what I've seen in these interviews. If voters tell candidates that inflation is killing them, then candidates need to pay attention to that. But it doesn't mean they can't also say that a corrupt administration is one reason inflation is so high--tariffs, a stupid war in Iran, etc.
thank you, NCDems for using the felon's quote against him in your ad. Could more Dems, or Democratically-aligned superpacs, etc do this please?
The Pope has been one of the bright spots. I'm a Twins fan... but I'll cheer for the White Sox at least just a little bit.
Thank you for your report this morning.
The recent developments in New Jersey will give our County Councilmembers more reason to support an ordinance to restrict detention facilities in the county. It should be noted: a recently elected Democrat from a rural district is leading the effort. My sense is that there is potentially widespread support for restricting detention centers among rural folks, and this Councilmember knows her constituents.
The ordinance is scheduled to be taken up this afternoon. I'm planning to attend, even though public comment is not allowed at this particular hearing. In lieu of that, I'd like to make a plug for getting to know your local officeholders. I've been working on this for over a year now. When four of the Councilmembers see me in chambers today, they will know that I'm cheering them on.
Here is a link to the draft ordinance:
https://whatcom.legistar.com/LegislationDetail.aspx?ID=8035476&GUID=50E5A067-DC1B-4A57-A725-4FECB4FA8D3B#docaccess-7e3a9ccd32c0da566fa1b86b287fd2bd
Hawaii has passed a law to over-ride CItizens United in their state. Ali Velshi reported on it this weekend. Imagine a world where Citizens United became irrelevant. Fingers crossed that this law will stand up to the inevitable appeals. Fifteen other states, including California and New York are pursuing this idea as well. Bring it on!
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oBGpEcPrbso
Last night's Rachel Maddow hour showed her interview with Steven J Ross at the 92nd St Y in NYC. On YouTube, it's audio only: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Elebwq3VjqU
It got me thinking about the antisemitism conversation that we need to have. Ross' recent book is "The Secret War Against Hate: American Resistance to Antisemitism and White Supremacy"
https://www.bloomsbury.com/us/secret-war-against-hate-9781635578010/
There are whole generations who have no idea that hate and violence against Blacks and Jews went together throughout the US 1990s, that white Christian supremacists plotted and carried out violence against both (but the different groups weren't united till 2016. Prior to that, he describes them as suffering from the "too many fuhrers" problem).
I will never understand how ignorant most politicians are regarding Tech/IT. There must be someone in the center or on the left that understands what's been happening right under their noses.
https://substack.com/@thiswillhold/note/p-194987381?r=2w2fkz