Hope springs eternal. Thank you for reminding us that we are not helpless and powerless. Now if we could just get that message across to our elected Democrats! We have tried all the ways you are suggesting, and are getting some soothing answers, but we need them to act!!
I think Jim is spot on about his advice. Too many of us Democrats are hobbyist and virtue signalers. Yea, what's going on nationally it worrying, but if change is going to happen it has begin locally. Participate locally! Don't squander your attention on what you can't change.
If you live in a county with an active and well organized democratic party organization, get involved with it! If it has an office, visit it! If your county is sleeping, try asking the state party people what you can do to get it going!
I fought the takeover of the D party by neoliberals (term is not pol but econ, meaning pro corporate and pro trickle up.) They abandoned the New Deal and the working class majority. 40 years watching control of the party sink deeper into neoliberalism. So I don't trust the recent populist rhetoric of smug elitist hacks like James Carville and Rahm Emmanuel.
But let's assume the emerging party leadership is sincere. Or at least that they want to win. What needs to be done? I organized and ran local campaigns in the days when the D party won because it had large numbers of rank and file (grassroots) activists. This must be revived; especially since the anti-democratic forces on the right have been organizing for decades.
1. Learn WHY the right is surging. It's a bad read on history, not to mention horrible strategically, to write off desperate people who voted for the Rs as stupid or uninformed.
2. Consider D party silence on econ devastation. They did FOR the hurting unemployed of the Rust Belt/Appalachia as they did TO the Wall St. vultures who caused the '08 crash--NOTHING! In '08 millions of working people lost jobs, houses, and pensions. It's no coincidence RB/Appalachia became drug abuse central and leads in what are called 'deaths of despair.'
3. The last election probably would have looked very different had the campaign taken up the issue Les Leopold urged. (Look up his book //Wall Street's War on the Working Class// and his blog.) Since 1996, 30 million (!) workers have been laid off to finance stock buybacks, which benefit only CEOs and banksters. Also resulting in no investment in new products or expansion. New Deal regulations that once sharply curtained such behavior were repealed by Clinton.
4. Coalition building is not easy. Think about what it's like to have members of a traditional Catholic men's group and feminists; small business owners and labor union activists; developers and ecologists...all in the same room. Nobody got exactly what they wanted, but nobody was left out, either. We were heirs of the New Deal, and we were acting for the common good.
5. The overwhelming majority of people in the U.S. are believers of some sort. A growing % are "spiritual, not religious," and it's a minority who align with what Chris Hedges described in his book //American Fascism// and Kevin Phillips (former R advisor) in //American Theocracy//, both written in 2006. But that minority is very, very well financed by very, very wealthy right wingers after total power. It won't help to tell marginalized people they aren't "real" Christians or that all religion is silly. If they can't have security in this life, they'll aim for the next one. How about giving them some tangible reasons for trust in this life?
I certainly hope you are right. If, if the Democrats learn from their mistakes and build on the things necessary to get elected and have their messages resonate all across America, with Americans in every part of America. (1) One area that needs to be addressed is the Psychological Warfare that is being waged by the right for the control of the minds of the American people. And right now they are winning. With the loss of the Fairness Doctrine and the right's control of a large chunk of the media landscape (especially rural am radio and things like Fox) they get their messages out 24/7/365. There is some hope on this front as different groups are working to get control of media outlets to share other messages (Chorus, Patriotic Millionaires, etc.). (2) Also attention must be paid to RURAL America. Right now if you look at most any state (including Ken Martin's Minnesota and Jane Kleeb's Nebraska) you will see most of the rural portions of those states are deep deep red. That has to change and must be addressed if the Democratic party is to have any chance to turn things around. Here again a number of groups nationwide are focused on doing just that (Rural Urban Bridge Initiative, Rural Organizing, Dirtroad Organizing, etc.). (3) And year round, nationwide, but even more focused statewide and county wide (every single county in America) actions must be taken. All elections need to be paid attention to, not just federal. Getting out and listening to and learning from local residents is vital to have a handle on what matters to those that live where they do. People will listen to and interact with those that they know and trust - who have taken the time to really listen to them and understand what they care about. Doing this year round and not just during election cycles is how real progress is made.
A recent commentary on where things stand or not that may (or may not) provide insight:
Absolutely agree. One Democrat, who is on Substack, is doing just that: getting out there listening and learning, traveling the dirt roads and the city streets, talking to voters of both parties His name is Lucas Kunce, who ran against Josh Hawley for senator from Missouri. He lost, but instead of whining about it, he set out to understand why, and what can be done. Check him out. Jim, you probably know about him!
Here in Minnesota we used to have a Democratic Party, a Republican Party, and a Farmer-Labor Party. The Democrats and the Farmer-Labor Party merged https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Minnesota_Democratic%E2%80%93Farmer%E2%80%93Labor_Party Maybe it's time to split them up and form a National Farmer-Labor Party. There's a lot of farmers and laborers out there who swing right because that seems to be their only option.
I am ready to "rumble" any way required against the orange man and his minions. I have a question. Would it be OK for me not to recite the pledge of allegiance or stand for the Star Spangled Banner as long as trump is in office. O Canada is easier to sing and the Finland's National Anthem is great. The land of my ancestors. I often did not pledge or sing 2016-2020
I know the episode about d.e.i. was a few weeks ago but while its still relevant I gotta say, d.e.i. would never pick a nominee as bad as Matt Gaetz for attorney General. Gaetz turned the republican house into a circus when he fired Mcarthy without a clue or a plan to replace him. I have to ask was he nominated because P.T.Barnum was unavailable??? R.F.K. jr. for department of health and human services really??? Was Hitler unavailable? Before any more nominations are voted on democrats need to put down their quaalude infused kool aid and tell Republicans to pull their heads out of trumps ass long enough to get the air required to figure out they put a known womanizing drunk with a history of bad management at the v.a. in charge of national defense!!! Without any research I am going to go out on a limb lying on the ground and say Hedgseth is the most unqualified secretary of defense ever. The same people who don't want unqualified d.e.i. people working at McDonald's don't care about qualifications for one of the most important jobs in America. W.elome T.o F.lorida what is in their kool-aid
Hope springs eternal. Thank you for reminding us that we are not helpless and powerless. Now if we could just get that message across to our elected Democrats! We have tried all the ways you are suggesting, and are getting some soothing answers, but we need them to act!!
I think Jim is spot on about his advice. Too many of us Democrats are hobbyist and virtue signalers. Yea, what's going on nationally it worrying, but if change is going to happen it has begin locally. Participate locally! Don't squander your attention on what you can't change.
Thank you for the reassurance.
If you live in a county with an active and well organized democratic party organization, get involved with it! If it has an office, visit it! If your county is sleeping, try asking the state party people what you can do to get it going!
This is great news. We need to make voter registration and protection a high priority with Greg Palast's guidance
Jim, thanks for the suggestions. You are a treasure!
Ken Martin: the fellow who will gladly take bribes from "good" billionaires.
I'm never gonna see a progressive party during my lifetime (well, as long as I still live here).
I fought the takeover of the D party by neoliberals (term is not pol but econ, meaning pro corporate and pro trickle up.) They abandoned the New Deal and the working class majority. 40 years watching control of the party sink deeper into neoliberalism. So I don't trust the recent populist rhetoric of smug elitist hacks like James Carville and Rahm Emmanuel.
But let's assume the emerging party leadership is sincere. Or at least that they want to win. What needs to be done? I organized and ran local campaigns in the days when the D party won because it had large numbers of rank and file (grassroots) activists. This must be revived; especially since the anti-democratic forces on the right have been organizing for decades.
1. Learn WHY the right is surging. It's a bad read on history, not to mention horrible strategically, to write off desperate people who voted for the Rs as stupid or uninformed.
2. Consider D party silence on econ devastation. They did FOR the hurting unemployed of the Rust Belt/Appalachia as they did TO the Wall St. vultures who caused the '08 crash--NOTHING! In '08 millions of working people lost jobs, houses, and pensions. It's no coincidence RB/Appalachia became drug abuse central and leads in what are called 'deaths of despair.'
3. The last election probably would have looked very different had the campaign taken up the issue Les Leopold urged. (Look up his book //Wall Street's War on the Working Class// and his blog.) Since 1996, 30 million (!) workers have been laid off to finance stock buybacks, which benefit only CEOs and banksters. Also resulting in no investment in new products or expansion. New Deal regulations that once sharply curtained such behavior were repealed by Clinton.
4. Coalition building is not easy. Think about what it's like to have members of a traditional Catholic men's group and feminists; small business owners and labor union activists; developers and ecologists...all in the same room. Nobody got exactly what they wanted, but nobody was left out, either. We were heirs of the New Deal, and we were acting for the common good.
5. The overwhelming majority of people in the U.S. are believers of some sort. A growing % are "spiritual, not religious," and it's a minority who align with what Chris Hedges described in his book //American Fascism// and Kevin Phillips (former R advisor) in //American Theocracy//, both written in 2006. But that minority is very, very well financed by very, very wealthy right wingers after total power. It won't help to tell marginalized people they aren't "real" Christians or that all religion is silly. If they can't have security in this life, they'll aim for the next one. How about giving them some tangible reasons for trust in this life?
I certainly hope you are right. If, if the Democrats learn from their mistakes and build on the things necessary to get elected and have their messages resonate all across America, with Americans in every part of America. (1) One area that needs to be addressed is the Psychological Warfare that is being waged by the right for the control of the minds of the American people. And right now they are winning. With the loss of the Fairness Doctrine and the right's control of a large chunk of the media landscape (especially rural am radio and things like Fox) they get their messages out 24/7/365. There is some hope on this front as different groups are working to get control of media outlets to share other messages (Chorus, Patriotic Millionaires, etc.). (2) Also attention must be paid to RURAL America. Right now if you look at most any state (including Ken Martin's Minnesota and Jane Kleeb's Nebraska) you will see most of the rural portions of those states are deep deep red. That has to change and must be addressed if the Democratic party is to have any chance to turn things around. Here again a number of groups nationwide are focused on doing just that (Rural Urban Bridge Initiative, Rural Organizing, Dirtroad Organizing, etc.). (3) And year round, nationwide, but even more focused statewide and county wide (every single county in America) actions must be taken. All elections need to be paid attention to, not just federal. Getting out and listening to and learning from local residents is vital to have a handle on what matters to those that live where they do. People will listen to and interact with those that they know and trust - who have taken the time to really listen to them and understand what they care about. Doing this year round and not just during election cycles is how real progress is made.
A recent commentary on where things stand or not that may (or may not) provide insight:
https://www.thenation.com/article/politics/how-to-save-democrats/
Absolutely agree. One Democrat, who is on Substack, is doing just that: getting out there listening and learning, traveling the dirt roads and the city streets, talking to voters of both parties His name is Lucas Kunce, who ran against Josh Hawley for senator from Missouri. He lost, but instead of whining about it, he set out to understand why, and what can be done. Check him out. Jim, you probably know about him!
Here in Minnesota we used to have a Democratic Party, a Republican Party, and a Farmer-Labor Party. The Democrats and the Farmer-Labor Party merged https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Minnesota_Democratic%E2%80%93Farmer%E2%80%93Labor_Party Maybe it's time to split them up and form a National Farmer-Labor Party. There's a lot of farmers and laborers out there who swing right because that seems to be their only option.
LET'S DO SOMETHING ABOUT THAT!
I am ready to "rumble" any way required against the orange man and his minions. I have a question. Would it be OK for me not to recite the pledge of allegiance or stand for the Star Spangled Banner as long as trump is in office. O Canada is easier to sing and the Finland's National Anthem is great. The land of my ancestors. I often did not pledge or sing 2016-2020
I know the episode about d.e.i. was a few weeks ago but while its still relevant I gotta say, d.e.i. would never pick a nominee as bad as Matt Gaetz for attorney General. Gaetz turned the republican house into a circus when he fired Mcarthy without a clue or a plan to replace him. I have to ask was he nominated because P.T.Barnum was unavailable??? R.F.K. jr. for department of health and human services really??? Was Hitler unavailable? Before any more nominations are voted on democrats need to put down their quaalude infused kool aid and tell Republicans to pull their heads out of trumps ass long enough to get the air required to figure out they put a known womanizing drunk with a history of bad management at the v.a. in charge of national defense!!! Without any research I am going to go out on a limb lying on the ground and say Hedgseth is the most unqualified secretary of defense ever. The same people who don't want unqualified d.e.i. people working at McDonald's don't care about qualifications for one of the most important jobs in America. W.elome T.o F.lorida what is in their kool-aid
Thank you for this. We are strong and we need to get stronger. Trump/musk/maga Are turds in a bowl and we need to flush them down the drain.
Congrats. Like a pistachio, lets get crackin'.
We need coordination of all the many Trump lawsuits and a weekly press conference to address all of them.
The pro democratic forces need to unite to oppose and beat the dark forces behind Fascist Trumpolini.