I hope you’re right, Mike. But as I have said many times on these very pages, the red states have been governed by the Republican Party for 50 years, and they still rate at the bottom of every measure of social well-being. They simply do not notice that their lives are not better because of Republican rule. But at least they’re safe from all of those drag queens.
Having lived in two of those red states (KY, TN) I witnessed a lot of that "failure to notice," and yet there was also phenomenal organizing that raised consciousness of right wing failings. Thanks to Aftyn Behn, there are a lot more people in TN - 07 who are connecting the dots, so lets imagine what might come of multiplying that over the course of the next year.
No surprise in some ways. Certain words and phrases trigger nasty, irrational responses from voters, such as equality, sharing, justice, progressive, legal/illegal, ethical, affordable (Really?? Yes, really!), diversity, Democrat, democracy, inclusion- inclusive, gender, immigration-in-a-positive light, etc.) yes, Tennessee's election should have turned out differently; the Democratic candidate was a great candidate who embodies all good ethics and actions. Those trigger words, too scary for voters, moved them to chose Trump over a more-than-decent candidate. Not leaving many words and phrases to choose from, in order to get the point across to voters.
Next year this election has to be repeated. Will the Dems run the same Social Democrat? If they do, it bodes ill for the Welcome Party being able to recruit non-woke candidates for 2028. The internecine war has to be fought, compadres.
ALOHA. On the COCONUT WIRELESS..... ..Take care to you and yours... and be safe out there.... HO HO HO HO .. Happy happy joy joy holidays everybody.... ......................................... ALOHA...
The First rule of campaigns is “know your audience.” I was “woke” in the 80s, though the term has been stripped of its real meaning by the right wing. Democrats, pay attention to the culture and issues of the district. What might work in Seattle, for example, would not work where I live. We still elect Democrats, but if a far left “progressive” candidate was the nominee we might lose. The legislator’s job is to represent all of his or her constituents. No more “hail Mary’s” because you don’t think you would win because the district is deep red. So, to my very progressive friends, we can’t change things if we don’t have a voice. Now is not the time to make a principled stand—it’s how we ended up with Trump a second time.
We ended up with Trump a second time because the Democratic establishment in its infinite wisdom defended a status quo that hasn't been working for a huge swath of the electorate for many years. "I wouldn't change a thing" was the death knell for Harris.
Who or what are you willing to sacrifice so as not to be "progressive"? If you're willing to sacrifice services / programs that protect you and yours, that's one thing. So many "moderates" are willing to sacrifice someone else's protections.
We have been *brainwashed* that we the vast majority somehow Can't Afford nice things other less-wealthy countries provide their people. Somehow we don't deserve them because that CEO deserves to be paid 6,666 times what his employees are paid. So we end up with a private "healthcare" system that costs way more and delivers way less than other countries, ones with nothing like our wealth. Americans now have shorter life spans than Europeans???
Why should billionaires pay on average 1.2% of their annual intake in taxes while producing almost nothing of economic value, while people who actually generate the wealth pay around 20% in taxes?
I'm challenging you to clarify your actual values because I am sick and tired of the "punch left" reaction blessed by oligarch-owned media.
I personally find the debate between moderate and progressive to be tiring. To do good in this world, you need to both win power AND use it for good. Moderates accuse progressives of being unable to win power, and progressives accuse moderates of not being willing to use power for good.
Winning power doesn't require a "moderate" or a "progressive" candidate. It requires a candidate whose vibe works for the electorate they will face (obviously not Clinton, Biden, or Harris). Using power for good doesn't require a "moderate" or a "progressive". It requires a candidate who will honestly analyze tradeoffs and do the right thing.
These terms are tossed around so loosely they have lost meaning.
It's a more-involved conversation, but I want to know what a person or candidate's *position* is on a variety of important issues, then I'll decide where they are in relation to public opinion, not corporate preferences or demands. In no particular order: National health care? The Supreme Court? Big Money in politics? Tax code? AI and social media regulation? The wealth gap (now more like a chasm)? The environment? Unions? Crypto currency? Housing? Billionaires? Gun regulation?
Social science research findings : The Republicans legislate for the 1%. The Democrats legislate for the 10%. How is that "moderate" or "centrist" unless you are (a) a 10 percenter or (b) unaware?
Let’s see, I was part of the Civil Rights movement, read “woke” standards when they were originally published, worked with poor and marginalized people in the 80s when anyone who was diagnosed with AIDS was a pariah, worked with and trained people how to recognize victims of domestic abuse, and spent my entire legal career as a Public Defender. I’ll put my “progressive” bona fides up against anyone else's. You make a lot of assumptions about folks. I recognize everyone isn’t on the same page. A purity test is part of the problem.
BTW, we used to be called “liberals” but it was changed to “progressive” during protests against the Iraq War because Republicans made “liberal” such a negative.
Thank you … Mike, I am going to email you sometime. I actually wrote a very lengthy post but the email gods spared you by me hitting something and I lost it. I have a huge aversion to creating something I have done once that has to be recreated. Anyway … will do again eventually.
Right on, Mike
Was a long shot but they should be scared! Good read!
I hope you’re right, Mike. But as I have said many times on these very pages, the red states have been governed by the Republican Party for 50 years, and they still rate at the bottom of every measure of social well-being. They simply do not notice that their lives are not better because of Republican rule. But at least they’re safe from all of those drag queens.
Having lived in two of those red states (KY, TN) I witnessed a lot of that "failure to notice," and yet there was also phenomenal organizing that raised consciousness of right wing failings. Thanks to Aftyn Behn, there are a lot more people in TN - 07 who are connecting the dots, so lets imagine what might come of multiplying that over the course of the next year.
I hope you’re right.
Watching Trump's demise from Cascadia, happily here on the northleft coast.
Prentiss
No surprise in some ways. Certain words and phrases trigger nasty, irrational responses from voters, such as equality, sharing, justice, progressive, legal/illegal, ethical, affordable (Really?? Yes, really!), diversity, Democrat, democracy, inclusion- inclusive, gender, immigration-in-a-positive light, etc.) yes, Tennessee's election should have turned out differently; the Democratic candidate was a great candidate who embodies all good ethics and actions. Those trigger words, too scary for voters, moved them to chose Trump over a more-than-decent candidate. Not leaving many words and phrases to choose from, in order to get the point across to voters.
Next year this election has to be repeated. Will the Dems run the same Social Democrat? If they do, it bodes ill for the Welcome Party being able to recruit non-woke candidates for 2028. The internecine war has to be fought, compadres.
Truly a message that fits the moment like a pair of tailored made boxing gloves. I'm feeling ready to unite and fight for a better tomorrow.
ALOHA. On the COCONUT WIRELESS..... ..Take care to you and yours... and be safe out there.... HO HO HO HO .. Happy happy joy joy holidays everybody.... ......................................... ALOHA...
Asheville, NC. Still paying attention.
Jess Piper agrees.
We have work to do for the midterms. The gerrymanders like in TN-07 must be neutered.
https://hotbuttons.substack.com/p/uneven-playing-field?r=3m1bs
What a joke. Democrats could have paid off the national debt in that election.
They need to pay attention. NOBODY BELIEVES YOU'RE COMMUNIST LIES
"your”, dannyboi.
And communist? Look it up.
You're obsessed.
I was like many others hoping she could pull it off but losing by that margin is still awesome.
The First rule of campaigns is “know your audience.” I was “woke” in the 80s, though the term has been stripped of its real meaning by the right wing. Democrats, pay attention to the culture and issues of the district. What might work in Seattle, for example, would not work where I live. We still elect Democrats, but if a far left “progressive” candidate was the nominee we might lose. The legislator’s job is to represent all of his or her constituents. No more “hail Mary’s” because you don’t think you would win because the district is deep red. So, to my very progressive friends, we can’t change things if we don’t have a voice. Now is not the time to make a principled stand—it’s how we ended up with Trump a second time.
We ended up with Trump a second time because the Democratic establishment in its infinite wisdom defended a status quo that hasn't been working for a huge swath of the electorate for many years. "I wouldn't change a thing" was the death knell for Harris.
Who or what are you willing to sacrifice so as not to be "progressive"? If you're willing to sacrifice services / programs that protect you and yours, that's one thing. So many "moderates" are willing to sacrifice someone else's protections.
We have been *brainwashed* that we the vast majority somehow Can't Afford nice things other less-wealthy countries provide their people. Somehow we don't deserve them because that CEO deserves to be paid 6,666 times what his employees are paid. So we end up with a private "healthcare" system that costs way more and delivers way less than other countries, ones with nothing like our wealth. Americans now have shorter life spans than Europeans???
Why should billionaires pay on average 1.2% of their annual intake in taxes while producing almost nothing of economic value, while people who actually generate the wealth pay around 20% in taxes?
I'm challenging you to clarify your actual values because I am sick and tired of the "punch left" reaction blessed by oligarch-owned media.
I personally find the debate between moderate and progressive to be tiring. To do good in this world, you need to both win power AND use it for good. Moderates accuse progressives of being unable to win power, and progressives accuse moderates of not being willing to use power for good.
Winning power doesn't require a "moderate" or a "progressive" candidate. It requires a candidate whose vibe works for the electorate they will face (obviously not Clinton, Biden, or Harris). Using power for good doesn't require a "moderate" or a "progressive". It requires a candidate who will honestly analyze tradeoffs and do the right thing.
Well said!
These terms are tossed around so loosely they have lost meaning.
It's a more-involved conversation, but I want to know what a person or candidate's *position* is on a variety of important issues, then I'll decide where they are in relation to public opinion, not corporate preferences or demands. In no particular order: National health care? The Supreme Court? Big Money in politics? Tax code? AI and social media regulation? The wealth gap (now more like a chasm)? The environment? Unions? Crypto currency? Housing? Billionaires? Gun regulation?
Social science research findings : The Republicans legislate for the 1%. The Democrats legislate for the 10%. How is that "moderate" or "centrist" unless you are (a) a 10 percenter or (b) unaware?
Let’s see, I was part of the Civil Rights movement, read “woke” standards when they were originally published, worked with poor and marginalized people in the 80s when anyone who was diagnosed with AIDS was a pariah, worked with and trained people how to recognize victims of domestic abuse, and spent my entire legal career as a Public Defender. I’ll put my “progressive” bona fides up against anyone else's. You make a lot of assumptions about folks. I recognize everyone isn’t on the same page. A purity test is part of the problem.
BTW, we used to be called “liberals” but it was changed to “progressive” during protests against the Iraq War because Republicans made “liberal” such a negative.
Hey Mike and Team … as an annual paying member, why can’t y’all remove the pay ads off our pages. AI can getter done … just do it!
Hi! Best I can tell I can't segment like that in Substack but I will try. I promise!
Thank you … Mike, I am going to email you sometime. I actually wrote a very lengthy post but the email gods spared you by me hitting something and I lost it. I have a huge aversion to creating something I have done once that has to be recreated. Anyway … will do again eventually.
Afterall … I am paying but you treat me like I am not. Not nice.