The Democrats are already in the center. America doesn’t really have a Left (at least as one would be understood in other countries!) we have a Far Right, a Mid-Right and a Center.
This is why it’s so hilarious when Republicans accuse Democrats of promoting Socialism or even Communism. They have no idea what they are talking about! (As usual.)
The Democrats are now the Stupid Party. The country itself is already to the left of them, so a shift to the center is in the opposite direction to the Republicans. 70% of Americans want universal healthcare, higher taxes on the wealthy, and tighter gun controls.
In the spring of 2016, hypothetical polls gave Sanders a lead of 70/30 over Trump. What a coincidence! Trump had his racist base, while Sanders represented average Americans. Yet the DNC kneecapped Sanders and gave the nod to Hillary, who was 35/35 against Trump, with 30% undecided.
The DNC is numerically challenged. They often say polls don't matter. Yes they do! Using the Sign Test for the swing states, it was readily possible to predict a Trump victory in November 2024. And why on earth is Clyburn and his South Carolina cronies still calling the shots?
Except that the problem, as pointed out in this newsletter, is that too many Democrats are in the pockets of the wealthy donors who have slanted campaign finance so far in the "Stupid" direction that they are about to be a major cause of disaster for themselves and all of humanity - don't forget global warming or the value of democracy over greed...
The money is never going away. Rich democrats want to remain rich and make even more money. This is a fairytale if we Dems. believe it. I hate to sound this way but it’s the same old crap just a different era. Money talks BS walks.
In the 1930s it took a wealthy man to straighten out and prop up the economy. He was called a socialist, a "traitor to his class." Where is today's upper-class savior? Where can we now find a rich "socialist?"? Who said, "A rising tide lifts all boats?" Where are these thoughts today? Has anyone else here ever heard this phrase?
Actually, I believe it was a woman (Francis Perkins) who worked out the safety net in the 1930's. She only took the job once Roosevelt, the rich guy, would agree to enact social legislation that would help. So maybe what we need is a good woman who can twist the arm of a rich man!
We had one this year running for President as a Democrat in our primaries. She had an economic bill of rights to complete FDR's plan, and she was suppressed by the corporate arm of the DNC. Her name: Marianne WIlliamson. Her fabulous plans are still on the Internet:
Marianne's root cause, problem-solving platform is revolutionary, exactly what's needed! And her speeches were compelling, her oration skills combined with her very different content than "other" candidates.
Sharon, I worked on her campaign for over a year and one-half and learned heartbreaking truths about how things are fairly managed or not by so-called party leaders, MSM, etc.--mostly not. Her integrity, knowledge of U.S. history, and ability to forgive, while enduring pain, remains indelible within me: she is a trailblazer for all sentient beings.
I am so tired of lazy, arrogant men who spout off without doing a lick of homework, and expect their wholly uninformed opinion to be given credibility without providing anything to back it up. It's the arrogance that gets me the most.
Joan Halgren: Unfortunately, it's necessary to get into a politics of wide support, which is why we have political parties. I, like Marianne Williamson, have great ideas about taking us leftward, but I've never imagined that I alone, with my good ideas, would be able to win an election. Marianne needs to successfully go through the dismal process with one of the two big parties before she has a chance.
Reich:"It’s time for Democrats to commit to getting big money out of American politics."
Me:"It’s time for Democrats to commit to getting big BALLS into American politics."
FYI: NO ONE TAKES THE WHITE HOUSE RECOMMENDED INOCULATION FOR ANXIETY("Do one thing every day that scares you."--Ms.FDR)?
FYI: No American knows the names of anxiety science("desensitization," "exposure," "anti-fragile"... on AnxiousGenreation.com... "child's play"...?)?
All Americans know the name VALIUM(Purdue Pharma marketing perpetuated billionaires that launched the opioid crises..."Our pills AREN'T HABIT FORMING!!")?
It is a non-sequitur to name yourself "PowerCorrupts" and then say it's time for "getting big balls into..." I think the comments about Eleanor Roosevelt and Marianne Williamson and "arrogant men who spout off" are more to the point. It's time to get a brave woman to call the shots for a change, isn't it? That's what this combat veteran says... Frank Talk, Jr.
Kelly Nessle, read "The Defining Moment" by Jonathan Alter. He aptly shows us how the New Deal was largely cooked up by Eleanor, Frances, and Eleanor's new love, Lorena Hickok, (the first woman reporter at the New York Times). They wrote it all out and sent it down the hall to Franklin for presentation. I want the movie! Streep as Eleanor, Kathy Bates as "Hick" and any other mature actress as Frances. Susan Sarandon? That was fifteen years ago when they were all younger and Cathy Bates was still overweight. There's a great scene with Eleanor and Lorena on the train from New York to Washington.
Let’s make it happen. Now!! Now! 2025 to 2026 and beyond. It is long past time to push back hard against the billionaire class and the politics of big money floods. (Thank you, Mitch McConnell. Isn’t it time you set out to pasture?)
-don't forget global warming or the value of democracy over greed-... Indeed, for it seems the world is on a runaway train to climate catastrophe of destruction and with the likes of Trump and GOP, they have and always will, put big oil interests and CEO and shareholder profits as well as their own private $ interests, way ahead of protecting people and planet, for the way they see it, natures loss is their financial gain, EVIL!!!
I am still getting, I want your money letters from the Democratic Party. Screw 'em. I am back where I was before Trump. That the Democratic Party are reverse side of a coin of which the Republican is the obverse.
This is obscene. I was so into Fetterman, and Clyburn has made my jaw drop. WTF is up with that. Looking out for No. 1 "trumps" principle
I've had it. It is as if Hans Scholl, Sophie Scholl, Christoph Probst, Willi Graf, and Alexander Schmorell had just threw up their hands and joined the Hitler Youth. If they had they would not have lost their heads, maybe that is what this is all about.
The same logic Obama and Pelosi used when they said the day after Obama won that they would not pursue any legal action against Bush, who was recognized by other countries, like Canada, as a war criminal. That was the day I became an Independent.
I don't think money has anything to do with it. It's just their strategy, which is logically flawed, but who doesn't make such errors? It's our task to stop that madness. Maybe we're wrong, but I don't think so; therefore, I'm against pardoning Trump and moving to the center, which is just Republican Lite.
In the aftermath of the 1968 election, I ascertained that the two parties were just different sides of the same coin, and I stopped voting, until that filthy pig Trump came down the escalator and opened his foul mouth.
I hung on to the hope that now things were different. Now as I watch John Fetterman, James Clyburn, Hakeem Jefferies, and yes Gerry Connolly jump ship. I am convinced that Jan 21st will not be the day of a new administration, but the first day of a new regime. and there is a difference between a regime and an administration.
The phrase "loyal opposition: has new meaning.
Old meaning, loyal to the constitution and nation, new meaning loyal to the regime.
We are now Hungary and Russia, as all of the pol's rush to jump on the winning side.
Two sides of same coin?🤔 you say or is it more, the lesser bad of the only two choices, as for John Fetterman, James Clyburn, Hakeem Jefferies, and Gerry Connolly, as for the four mentioned, I take deference to Jefferies, I do not really see him kissing Trumps ass nor to his cabinet of cronies, he seems to have a real fighting stance against just sucking up, like say Fetterman.
By the lesser of two choices. Please explain the two choices John. What are the two choices
As for Hakeem and others in the Democratic party "Leadership" lets wait and see.
Donald Trum;p and his allies don't care what kind of lefitst you are. You are either with him or against him. If you are against him and the right wing agenda,you are the enemy and doomed, now that he has control of the police power of the state, DNA, FBI and Justice.
When George W Bush was elected, I watched on TV, White shirted storm troopers, stomp down the aisle of the chapel of Texas A&M, in Nuremberg Style. I saw that as a portend of the future. I do not recall if Bush as on the stage. but I rhink he was.
Will Christian nationalism fall? if so how, will it self destruct? If so how?
Will it fall from outside forces? What forces?
Christian nationalism is the glue that binds MAGAts together, it is white, black and brown.
Yes, this is not just your father's loss of a political election, because Trump is and will be an autocrat. He will do what he wants with little, if anything, to stop him except the Republicans' refusal on certain financial matters; for example, some Republicans want to cut or balance the budget no matter what and won't allow Trump to go crazy on money matters. But Trump doesn't care that much about the federal budget. He cares about Donald Trump.
We haven't just lost a battle; we lost the war. Now it's down to terms, probably prison terms for some of Trump's worst enemies. If I were Liz Cheney, Adam Kinzinger, Bernie Thompson, or Adam Schiff, I would get out of America ASAP, because their fate is in Trump's merciless hands, and he is out for revenge. And his lackeys are meaner than him and ready, willing, and able to get to their foul work. It's payback time in the new White House.
And here we have another person (James) that has the temerity to face reality. All I've seen so far is wishful thinking, and a forlorn belief that the Trump will be just another administration, and we can set the ship aright by
doing some self examination and correcting mistakes, like messaging.
At the Turning Point convention, Trump said that he is going to sign Executive Orders on just about everything from Trans to immigration.
Those executive order will of course be challenged in court, and the courts are by an large populated by Republican and Trump appointees,incuding SCOTUS, and we know what will happen to a ruling that winds up in front of SCOTUS. 99.9% of time the ruling will sustain Trump and right wing policies.
And unless a court issues a stay (and even if it does) Trump will plow ahead with his agenda regardless.
I am dismayed by the number of people who think the midterms or the next four year elections will matter. I question if they will happen at all. How quickly will the Repugs pass legislation to allow the orange man to run again? How many changes will take place to cut back on voting rights?
Trump will never willingly leave the White House. Congress will pass whatever laws are necessary to allow as many terms as a Trumpist can win. And Republicans have laws, regulations, systems, officials, and ways now in place in various states to ensure that their side always wins. It's game, set, match for them. See, democracy was on the ballot this time. It lost.
Those in denial, because reality is too hard to bear
Professionals whose income and social status depend on perpetuation of the idea of politics as usual.
Do you nave any idea of how many Democratic strategists, analysts, lobbyist, staffers will be out of the job, if there isn't a mid term election, for them to fund raise, cajole and receive rewards.
I am sure there will be a mid term election, too much money is to be made and spent, but only of vetted and approved candidates, and the image of a democracy has to be maintained. Look at Hungary for an example, even Russia it too has a (pre approved) opposition party and an election.
You got the google machine. Type the criteria you are looking for and then insert the name of countries that you would consider.
I like Belize, Costa Rica, Panama., then again I speak Spanish. You can try New Zealand and Australia, being in the Southern Hemisphere, they might escape the effects of global warming.
Yes, William. It is pathetic and disgusting. My guess is that these individuals hope that the wave of resentment Trump is surfing on will come crashing down and will put an end to his "strongman" posturing. We are duty bound to do all we can to prevent that wave, and its despicable rider, from crushing the Constitution.
I agree Victor, but what can I do. Sending money to actblue isn't a cure or an answer.
As I,and I emphasize the I, assess the history of Empires, tyranny and dictatorships the only time they come crashing down is from outside.
A case can be made that Alexanders Empire came crashing down from the inside. He died without naming a successor, and thus followed the war of the diadochi, where his "generals" (if that is what you can call them) fought what is basically a civil war over the empire and settled it by carving it up.
The Roman Empire, the Islamic Empire grew fat, soft and lazy, and were kicked aside by more vigorous and hungry "barbarians", same with the Turkish Empire.
Hitler's Empire never got the chance to be fat and lazy,and it probably would have been perpetual war for perpetual peace.
The Russian Empire, can be said to have collapsed from within,but from aid from without, in the form of Max Warburg and Germany.
The Soviet Empire, after a run of 70 years, did collapse from within, but assisted from without by impetus from the Bank for International Settlements and international financial institutions, and trade.
The American Empire stopped of it's own accord after the Spanish American and Banana Wars, at least the military expansion.
Nationalism was replaced by corporatism and globalism, trade.
It was no longer the nation that was imperialist, but the corporations who used their money and power to control and direct the affairs of he nation.
That is why the Trilateral Commission and the Council on Foreign relations were such big players in politics and why presidential aspirants had to have foreign service credentials, until Trump.
And now we are back on the empire stage, with the virtually unlimited wealth backing Trump he is trying to make demands that Greenland, Panama and Mexico submit or else.
I guess, for some, American Empire is OK, so long as it gives Putin and Xi a free hand to expand theirs.
Climate change wasn't even an issue in the election. When the candidates were interviewed, they weren't even asked about it. How does the most important issue of the day get completely ignored?
That in many ways tells a person all they need to know to answer the question of how well our democracy is doing.
A healthy democracy has a healthy media that informs the public of vital risks. And a public that hears that message and responds accordingly at the voting booth and in other areas of their lives.
We have neither. We have Sen Whitehouse giving speeches to probably a mostly empty Senate chamber and a few thousand viewers on youtube on the coming dramatic consequences to the housing markets and the financial system.
We have a colossal societal failure with consequences in this "3rd phase".
As a country America has had every advantage possible and it has squandered that advantage because of greed and ignorance. Perhaps this is just what Empires do.
I did notice, where Whitehouse is speaking to essentially an empty chamber, but I do like his attempts to shine a light on the sheer absolute corruption via the utter stench that emanates from the rotten bunch of far-right conservatives, who wipe their derrieres with the Constitution and the rule of law, made Trump a King and he can do anything? he wants, The Supreme's make up their own rules via so called Originalism🤔
"Kill your TV" used to be a popular bumper sticker, and it was good advise. TV ate the brains of several generations all around the world. Now social media is telling us : "kill yourself."
The powers to be, and indeed at least half of the electorate don't want to confront climate change, they are like children who pull the sheet over their head, believing if they can't see the boogey man, it doesn't exist. And the looming human extinction is something that their descendants will have to deal with,not them.
this will become the no. 1 issue in the next 5 years. There is already a huge reduction in our rivers and it will get worse. Agriculture and urban centers will begin to run out of water. Global warming is going faster than expected as some of the effects such as permafrost melting are making the warming increase much faster. Climates will change as the ocean warms and its currents change and create different weather patterns than we've had before. I was happily surprised at the tremendous investments that Biden made in alternative energy and EVs moving us toward a more sustainable future. Trump will have a hard time overturning all that because many of the factories and jobs for these things are in red states.
People will not be able to get insurance for their homes so they won’t be able to get a mortgage so housing prices will drop even the financial system could get rocked. this is what sen Whitehouse, and many other experts are saying.
“An exclamation point on global warming”: Climate scientists warn 2024 was marked by broken records
Soaring temperatures are translating into more powerful freak storms and wildfires, an ominous trend for humanity
The year 2024 is on track to be the hottest in recorded history, as humanity has officially exceeded the 1.5º C threshold established by the 2015 Paris climate accord. Despite this milestone, President-elect Donald Trump is pushing environmental scientists out of the government. According to Dr. Mark Serreze and many other climate scientists who spoke with Salon, the new reality created in 2024 by unprecedented rising temperatures is the biggest news story today, despite relative lack of coverage. It raised many unanswered questions — as well as ominous prospects for the future of our species.
100% agree, Michael! Even though I wasn't all that great at math, 70% is more than half, right? If that many Americans was universal healthcare, higher taxes on the rich, and tighter gun controls, that means more Americans want those things than do not, right? The DNC was wrong to kneecap Bernie Sanders. He would have won I believe. Polls may not always get it right, but they are strong indicators of which way the wind is blowing!
They still are trashing Bernie and Liz, and AOC. A MEMBER ON HERE, BY THE NAME -WHAT LOLA WANTS ,BLASTED Saunders yesterday. Clearly a GOP operator. I BLOCKED HIM.
Peggy, Yes, limit ownership of automatic weapons to members of the militia. Develop a new system to underwrite medical care for those not on existing programs. Allow folks to migrate to it, away from employer based plans.
For the life of me, William, I cannot understand why republicans think socialism is a bad word! It is just a theory that production, distribution and exchange should be owned or regulated by the community as a whole. Isn't that just saying We the people should have a say as to how these things should be regulated?
Penny Barrons, we need more youth, more women, more black, more Latino, more undervalued labor, etc. etc. etc. But we also need elders in place who have wisdom, know the system, the issues, the solutions, and have connections and networks. Bad (all or mostly self-serving) politicians are very easy to find. But finding all or mostly people serving politicians are much, much harder to find. Imagine if tomorrow, we were to throw out Sanders, Warren, Whitehouse, Raskin, etc. We the people would lose. And Big Bad donors would win. They'd be jumping for joy because we threw the great ones out. Term limits on all politicians are a very, very bad, no good idea. It might make people feel better to vote on a ballot for term limits out of justifief anger for politicians but it is shooting ourselves in the foot, cutting our noses off to spite our face. Wholly unstrategic. Instead we the people need to be more discerning in our primary and general election votes. And once in office, if they show themselves to be quite self-serving, then we the people need to talk about it with friends, neighbors, coworkers and spread the word, and spread it through a people's media system also, and then vote the bums out!
Penny Barrons, there should be bipartisan policies in place, oversight, and administration when a medical condition prevents a member from short or long term fulfillment of their respinsiblities. Obviously in this case, someone or some people knew. and did not take proper action. There should a
good faith investigation that is made public, with consequences for people if appropriate.
I suspect that a lot of people knew about this case, including Democrats in the House. I think people would notice someone's 6 month absence from the floor and especially from committees. This kind of nonsense was being covered up mostly by Republicans, but it is an institutional problem that must be addressed.
It's because nobody wants to tell Mom and Dad to hand over their car keys. But we need somebody with that kind of courage. Perhaps a geriatrician to evaluate members over 70.
If we have a mandatory retirement age, we lose people like Bernie Sanders.
I'm fine with Sanders retiring - he's more than earned it (unlike most congresscritters). It makes way for more people like AOC, especially in the Senate. 20% of Congress is over 70 years old, and the median age just keeps getting older.
For every Sanders we lose, it also forces out (roughly) 2 Grassleys or McConnells.
I've still never forgiven Nancy Pelosi for forcing Al Franken to step down! SMH... he could've been censured, what with the disgusting creeps that live on the "right"...
"Senator Kirsten Gillibrand militantly bullied out Senator Al Franken who remorsefully regretted doing less than 1% of what the savage sexual predator Donald Trump has done. Yet Kirsten, by remaining silent all these months, gives Trump a pass. What a coward she is." --- Ralph Nader
Excuse me? House member Pelosi had essentially NOTHING to do with the resignation of Senator Franken. It was a matter that was being handled by the Senate Ethics Committee. It was Senate Minority Leader Schumer who asked for his resignation.
But repubs and MAGA love the bums. They think it's funny trying to own the libs. They don't even know what it means to be a liberal. They think liberals are communists; and they don't know what Communism is either.
Jim Rogers, true. R's have been very successful at conditioning people to think nonsense and believe lies. And D's lacking in countering and deconditioning.
Gerald Rogan, wisdom of the elders needs to be present and accessible in every moment, not diminished and relegated to who knows where. Anything good and just that has ever happened in humanity, in families, in other institutions, happened because of the accessible wisdom of elders and ancestors. Cutting off, limiting, access to wisdom would be foolish.
Term Limits put the power into the hands of party bosses. If you play ball with them, you get nominated and promoted. If you don’t, your career is over. Seats in legislative bodies become revolving doors of anonymous party hacks. showboating to attain the next level.
What we need is strict Campaign Finance Reform to take away part of the advantage of incumbency.
But people who do their jobs should remain.
An institution (or business) loses its collective memory when there is too much turnover. The bureaucrats wind up running the show. We already have too many PolitiTainers.
Don't look now, but Musk is going to primary Democrats he doesn't like out of office. As the world's richest man, he's buying the American political system.
steve reed, I agree with you. I'm fervently opposed to term limits on legislators. We need to think beyond our anger. Be strategic. Can you tell me what your acronymn means?
I know some will disagree about congressional term limits However, this can be implemented in a way that helps our democracy and does not cede it over to party bosses or the oligarchy. The oligarchy through SC judicial rulings has bought our politicians through "Citizens United." That needs to be repealed and the only way is by voting in candidates for Congress that will create the legislation to get rid of 'Citizens United."
1. Vote in people for Congress who will do the job and get rid of Citizens United.
2. Create legislation that will remove campaign fundraising from the campaigning process. Believe it or not, there is a process of contributing to the election process that does not require fundraising. Look on your yearly tax form: there is a check box for contributing to Federal elections. Currently, it is optional, but imagine if everyone contributed from the taxes at least $5.00. Like SS it would be managed by the Treasury. The good thing about this it is anonymous. No candidate would be beholden to any contributor.
3. Create legislation that creates a mandatory retirement age of 70 from Congress. This would apply to anyone who has served 20 years or more.
I am 77 y.o. and while I still have cognitive thinking skills, I also recognize that I am not as quick as I used to be. Recognizing your limitations should not be a sin.
Agree with getting rid of Citizens United. Don't agree that $ in politics and length of service are in the same category. WHAT ABOUT how do we get rid of people who have no idea about what government even does? or how it works!
Everyone keeps focusing on Citizens United. It was the abrogation of the Johnson's Voting Rights Act of 1964 that was the undoing of our system. Jim Crow is alive and well in the South.
Penny, yes, but first we have to get the Dems to win in a landslide, and playing nice to Wall Street ain't gonna do that. A landslide win, and anything is possible.
I was watching a TV interview of Hakeem Jeffries. Nice man. Intelligent. BUT, when asked what the DNC should do differently, while he should have said "we got shellacked and we have to work very hard indeed to figure out how to win," what he actually said was: on the one hand this, and on the other hand that, waffle waffle waffle, with "going forward" thrown in 3 times for good measure (always the sign of a bullshitter).
It is time for our political system, to listen to the urging of 70% of our Americans. If our government cannot respond to the vast majority of Americans or serve them properly then once again, we have to look and see if our current system of democracy really works for the people.
Our system is most definitely NOT working for the people! It is crystal clear to me that democrats and republicans in political positions are actually serving the ultra rich. They deliver platitudes to "the people" thinking that will keep us calm because we the people are going to believe them when they say "We care about you", "We hear you", "We will work hard for you" and so on. Those phrases mean nothing to me right now because that was all they were - platitudes! I don't trust or believe any of them now. I have heard it said that trust is hard to earn, easy to lose and should never be taken lightly. It will be a while before I trust anyone in politics again.
I hear that. But read what Senator Chris Murphy (CT) is saying. We need to be the party of Economic Populism. Money in this country needs a rearrangement.
One side has THE most successful president in HISTORY and a SUCCESSFUL PROSECUTOR.
The other? A 34 time convicted felon also civily liable for RAPE AND was finally outed as he PEDOPHILE he always was the day before the election. Oh! And the guy romantically linked to . . . couches.
Our current system would work if Americans weren't so stupid. Vote for people who will try to make our country , and your lives, better. If 70% of Americans want the same things then how does someone like trump get elected? Right wing lies and propaganda that morons can't see through.
Jim, I wouldn’t be so quick to just label the Trump voters as “stupid.“ They are likely ill informed and due to the decades of deficiency in our education system, they have not been taught critical thinking. Compared to developed European countries, our students are woefully, ill equipped to understand and decipher the B. S. That is coming out of the media. This is not a fault of low I.Q., but of a chronically underfunded public education system.
Exactly right. We are a KAKISTOCRACY, or ruled by THE least competent or able. (Hell! The obese rapist pedophile at the top CANNOT CLIMB STAIRS OR DO ONE SIT-UP!)
Systems now malfunctioning for both political parties. Americans lost their grasp of true democracy that doesn't bow to party leaders who are supposed to support the will of the people! Now our world is in peril: we all must collectively fight even against asses, like Fetterman and Jeffries: pathetic weak guys.
If 70% want democratic principals why the heck didn’t the Dems win? More likely 59% of the electorate is stupid and ignorant and oblivious to politics in general. They don’t read or listen to trusted news sources (where are they?). Every shiny object distracts them…. And trump is a big fat ugly shiny object they seem fascinated by. He’s still ‘The Apprentice’ a movie start in the ignorant’s world view!
Forget about the MAGA devotees. They are never going to vote another way. Bigotry and hate for the "other" are in their DNA. They represented about 30% of the eligible voters. A bigger percentage (90 million!) did not vote. And it isn't because they are stupid.
Huge numbers of eligible voters have tuned out. They don't believe that there are politicians who really care about them. They are partially right.
Please look up Senator Chris Murphy's (CT) Substack. He is leading the way with respect to a new "Economic Populism". There is too much money in the hands of the few. The rest of us can't afford housing, food, insurance, child care, elder care - you name it.
Democrats need to return to their roots of being there for the workers (most of us!). If not, we need a new party devoted to ECONOMIC JUSTICE.
I would add that many of those voters never tuned in in the first place. For some it's not just that they don't believe pols don't care about them, it's that they see no relation between politics and their lives. Profoundly ignorant.
Steve Reed, democracy is not an easy thing. We slide into autocracy because it's simple. Between 1870 and 1920 the US nearly doubled its white population through immigration from Europe to ensure there could never be a Black majority. The coin had two sides. Many of these Europeans came from families who had been serfs for more than a thousand years. Democracy was as foreign to them as it was to our own "serf" population at the time. Now we have millions of white people who don't vote, because we all mostly get our politics from our families, not from what we (fail to) learn in school.
Sandra. Good points. Most of the media is making money by avoiding talking about things like economics, climate, etc. Most of the local evening news is eaten up with the latest crime, weather and sports coverage. When we are "out" of the political season we never see much about how our government works, family economics, foreign relation or world climate problems. It seems folks would rather just be entertained than really understanding how the "system" does and doesn't work for them. To much thinking involved! All the best for '25... GH
Agree, Pat Forbes. Election not lost by Dems on right-left spectrum. Lost due to indifference/ignorance of the electorate. Trump as the “shiny object” sounds right to me. Let’s not resurrect “ageism“. Biden and Trump too old to run? But no one says that about Bernie Sanders. Let’s not throw out the gold nuggets amongst the shiny objects. Like Bernie, like Ruth Bader Ginsburg. Let’s make sure there is good “vetting“ with regarding cognition and health. But let us acknowledge the value of experience. Biden’s term as president exemplifies that. As usual, the Dem party will present a mixture of candidates: new and exciting like AOL and Kamala and more familiar and trustworthy like Bernie and Joe. As to issues and policies, that’s where we need consensus, not a rule about if you’re young or old enough to play the game.
I heard through the grapevine about many young women who couldn't care less about politics. They want to have fun and shop.No sense of civic responsibility or understanding that politics concerns their lives.
(yes I'm sure it's not just young women, that just happens to be the people I heard about)
Romilly. Sorry to disagree about Ginsberg. She should have retired in Obama's first term. Anyone who can do political math, knows that a new Pres. usually loses one or both houses of congress after their first two years. If it is the Senate, then that Pres. will have a harder time getting their judges confirmed. She knew this and yet her ego made her stay in past both Obama terms, thereby giving her seat to DT. She was 83 in 2016 and in very poor health.
She could have retired in 2008 at age 75 and Obama could have replaced her then. Remember, Mitch McConnell, the day after the election promised to make Obama a one term Pres. and block anything he and the DEMs would try to pass.
He didn't get the one term but between him and RGB the GOP got to seat two new justices. While she was a good justice for liberal causes, she let her ego overcome her common sense. Her selfish decision will haunt our country for decades to come. All the best for '25... GH
Yes, many of those who voted for Trump thought he would deliver economically for them. So contra Marc in a sense our election system is working just fine. It's the people who are ignorant and misinformed. Each of us has in our iphones a weapon of mass distraction. Drunken Monkeys.
"If 70% want democratic principals why the heck didn’t the Dems win?"
Because they weren't offered these things by Harris-Walz. That is my point. I think a lot of Democrats stayed home because they didn't see any real difference between the two parties. They weren't going to vote for Trump, but they were uninspired by Harris. If Harris had offered these things, she would have won in a landslide.
This resonates with me. I believe that Harris-Walz would have served the country better with a more robust (Bernie Sanders) type of plan. The people don't want more politics as usual. More middle of the road is not what we needed in the past and it's not what we need going forward. Many don't pay close attention to politics and politicians in general, so we need Democrats who will stand out with approaches that are well outside of the run of the mill speak.
Whomever is going to bring us out of this will have to be a bit like FDR, shrewd in their approach and offering what the people want and need.
Thank you for telling the truth. Bernie could have won the election in 2016 and we would be in a wonderful position now. Trump would have been out of the picture completely!
I have to say that, even then, I was not happy with Bernie’s Russia history and am cheered that he backed Ukraine—eventually. Now it seems that all Republicans have their hands in Putin’s pocket. Economic populism is the way to go and always was for those of us with principles and an attachment to fair play. End Citizens United (now or as soon as feasible) and tell Hakeem to grow a spine. Very disappointed in him right now.
Susan Iwanisziw, "principles and attachment to fair play" doesn't cut it. We need to spread the word that there is no marketplace unless there are plenty of customers. Without well-paid middle and lower classes, there are no customers. Nobody can get rich in this scenario. On the other hand, "A rising tide lifts all boats." (Who said that?)
How does a people supposedly to the left of democrats vote for trump? I think there’s a disconnect in your reasoning.
The American public, as the last election showed, is clueless, uneducated and ill informed. Trump et al. Brilliantly took advantage of this fact, figuring out how to get these people to vote against their own best interests by figuring out how to inundate these people with lies.
We should be figuring out how to combat this new way of snagging these voters, via social media, instead of further talking about how awful the Democratic Party is, which can only lose votes.
Jim Clyburn put us in the shape we are in when he supported Biden over Bernie 4 years ago. All the DNC candidates abandoned their campaigns because of the DNC in favor of Biden.
Spot on, Wes, but sadly your comment got lost in the fray. The fact is Clyburn had/has too much clout because the DNC caters too much to factions rather than policy.
The Democrats need a common sense revolution. You can be progressive on social economic policies that focus on the wealth gap ( healthcare is an obvious place to start), while jettisoning some of the more extreme positions that dictate how people must think. For lack of a better term less wokeness. The examples are plentiful. The border crisis was a crisis, yet Dems sat on their hands. I could go on, but polls aren’t the answer. Every Congressman has constituents that they can meet where they are. The party needs to move from a top down hierarchy to better gain actionable insights from the ranks and leadership needs to be responsive. Leadership roles should not be solely dictated by seniority but rather by competency and relevance to the times in which we live.
Americans voted against healthcare, instead voting for a concept of a plan that trump has been working on for 9 years while on the golf course. And they voted against Social Security because it has the word "social" in it. And they voted against Medicare, Medicaid, gun control, school lunches, teaching true history in school, infrastructure, freedom of religion, freedom to love whoever you want to love, etc. etc. Instead Americans voted for hate. The only thing that Americans seem to agree on is supporting Israel with their Genocide of the Palestinian People. Americans seem to be pretty stupid.
Jim. Palestinians can improve their situation by offering long term peace with the State of Israel, forgoing their self-destructive mission to drive the Jews out of Israel.
Directionally correct but slightly off the mark. They were fed alarmist BS rather than a factual assessment of the BS policies of Trump and his billionaire robber baron clan, by an all too willing media. Think of CNN. When Hillary ran they literally had a count clock for the days she didn’t give them an interview. Trump never gave them an interview. They allowed Trump pundits to spread propaganda forcing Dem pundits into a he said she said debacle. Dems should have called it out. So the media landscape at large is compromised and the Dems fatally allowed Biden to run, when he was obviously not up to the task, playing into the media narrative that he was fine. The Dems got played. Ironically if any party should be attacking the media for being fake it’s the Dems, but Trump beat them to it. So yes those who voted for him will lose programs and the Media will tell them it’s just fine. And the wealth gap will grow. But their hubris may come home to roost, if the Dems can decouple from their own billionaire class and focus on policies, not pronouns that deliver tangible results they can feel in their daily lives. Healthcare should have been front and center. Alleviating the cost of Healthcare would remove a proverbial foot on the neck of most Americans. PS they didn’t vote against healthcare, Trump said that he would make it better. Why they believed him is because they were grasping for answers and the Dems just weren’t up to the fight.
Dems have been frightened for the past fifty years, of accusations that they're part of the "red scare". This fear that came out of the 1950s has obliterated the left. This is why, as you say, "the Dems just weren't up to the fight." Even the terms, communism and socialism aren't being used as much any longer because so many people don't know what the words mean. Do you know the difference between the two? There IS a difference and I learned it in 9th grade social science. I also learned to separate them from the word, "totalitarianism" thanks to Scandinavia.
Michael, let me observe that there are approximately 244 million eligible voters in the U.S. (U.S. News & World Report). Of these, 77,284,000 voted for trump, which amounts to 31.7% of eligible voters. Presumably, few of these voters want universal healthcare, higher taxes on the wealthy, or tighter gun controls, since the Republican ticket has doggedly denied any of these as viable policy choices. That leaves 68% of Americans who must be the ones who desire those benefits. The fact is that about 38% of those didn't even bother to vote, to make a choice to potentially stave off their complete ruin. They just don't know enough to choose life over death. As for base Republican voters since 1968, they are notorious for voting in favor of their own destruction.
When people are asked about specific policies, their answers indicate they are to the left but when they vote, they vote for people who will never pass those policies. Painting politicians as radical leftists or socialists seems to work for the republicans.
He doesn’t want it, and the Danes will not give up Greenland. I heard part of his speech before Turning Point, and it’s obvious he and his audience are living in unreality.
Unfortunately, I could see him wanting to start a war against Denmark to get it, and they are a NATO ally. What has he been smoking, crack?
Of course Kathy, he is an idiot. But the problem is politics and big money.
There should be limits in donations; that will mean that a financing system should be developed. Public media also need a mixed financing to ban big money or at least build a system where freedom can reign.
trump can't buy Greenland, or the Panama Canal. He barely has money to buy the three apples he's always talking about. And he couldn't find the apples in a grocery store anyway. He thinks they sell them at Home Depot.
I think we need to look at the enormous changes taking place in the world. Climate Change continues to raise the temperature as emissions remain high and rise. China with all it's past manufacturing for US global companies is now taking over world automobile manufacturing with their own companies, as Trump dreams about tariffs moving US manufacturing back to the US. It isn't going to work, the damage has been done, we can't catch up.
We continue to think that Trump won against Harris. Do the Math, Trump barely won because Evangelicals voted 24 million for Trump and 6 million for Harris. All due to abortion?? I doubt that it was due to respect for Trump, immigration, or hatred of 'wokeness'. If they had voted like the 122 million other voters, Harris would have won with a 12% margin.
If democrats want to win, they have to tell the truth about what is happening, and have a plan that makes sense. In addition, it wouldn't hurt to make our election process more sensible. Now, all votes in mostly Red or mostly Blue states don't matter at all, as long as the outcome is in agreement with the majority.
Now the presidential result is only determined in 'swing' states - characterized by about 50-50 red/blue voting. And in all cases, the votes of the loosing party in any state (except two), are thrown in the trash as all the electors go to the majority. Add to that dark money, the the US is going down the tubes.
And when a minority like the Evangelicals decides to vote in a block for a candidate that belongs in jail, they have to be called out, and the majority needs to counter that threat.
We need to get rid of unlimited "dark money" financing of elections, the electoral college system, and unethical, criminal Supreme Court Justices and lifetime appointments for all of them. We absolutely need to prioritize preventing further global warming and preventing the total immunity from prosecution of a criminal chief executive who willfully caused hundreds of thousands of deaths during the pandemic by refusing to adhere to the advice based on sound scientific evidence that he was urged to implement by medical and public health officials.
Yeah Michael. When you have established dems embracing neo-con repubs - ie the Cheneys - and fawning all over their newfound hero Liz; when you have established dems refusing to criticize the administration's stance on Israel in its war on Gaza and espousing the concept that criticism of Israel is akin to treachery - well then - where is the Democratic Party? It seems pretty clear it's not shifting leftward.
That's exactly what I was about to say. For “time to move to the centre” you can read “time to move to the right”. It's no better here in the UK. Tony Blair moved the Labour Party firmly to the centre and Keir Starmer is even more Blairite than Blair! That left the Lib-Dems as the most left-wing party until Nick Clegg sold out by going into coalition with Cameron and the Tories. The Lib-Dems got hammered at every election until this year's. The result of Blair's lurch to the right not only took the Labour Party to the centre/centre-right, it took the whole of British politics with it. Despite fourteen years of Tory corruption and misrule, the Labour Party only increased their share of the vote by 1.5% from Jeremy Corbyn's ‘disastrous’ 2019 result and that was with a concerted media hatchet job on him. When you take into account turnout, Labour's share of the vote actually decreased! When polls on Corbyn's policies were taken without mentioning him they received over 70% approval. When the same policies were asked about and attributed to him they got less than 30% 🤪. Ever since the fall of the Berlin wall and the collapse of the Soviet Union it's as if left-wing has become anathema to politicians, a dirty word. Yet when you total up the votes of left-wing parties against right-wing, the left-wing invariably has the bigger share. I'm convinced that Michael Moore was right when he said that a significant majority of people's sympathies are left-wing. We need to stop buying into the right-wing's propaganda, their claim that they represent the majority. The problem isn't that the Democrats or Labour are too left-wing, the problem left that so many of us have been left disenfranchised by the move to the right. I also believe that that's the reason behind people's disenchantment and disengagement with politics in general and that it's at the root of the polarization and support for Trump. He's seen by many as disestablishmentarian and they want to register their protest, however ignorant and foolhardy that judgement is: Trump may be a disrupter and anti the political establishment, but his wealth, privilege and his behaviour, especially his total disregard for decency (“Rules are for you plebs, not for me! I'm special, I can do whatever I want!”) clearly mark him out as part of the establishment elite.
I agree. The thing is, in the US, in addition to what we have seen in the UK, there is an institutional fear of anything remotely left. This goes back to the post-war era, the Cold War and the McCarthy Witch Hunts. The US fought two wars to prevent the spread of Communism.
As a result, they no longer really understood what extreme Left Wing policies look like. When I speak to the locals about things like “Nationalization”, it just doesn’t compute! They think having a single-payer healthcare is Communism!!!!
They have been seriously misinformed by Fox News and the rest of the wingnut media apparatus. As John Stoehr notes, we need to get the old guard of the DLC out, dump neoliberal economics, get rid of the out of touch pollsters and political consultants and start letting the new guard take over. Stoehr also notes Democrats should have been creating their own media apparatus to counter that of the wingnuts. These people still think we’re in the 1990s, we’re not, and we are on the verge of losing constitutional government for good. Mr. Clyburn seems to have forgotten we are in this mess in part due to Ford’s pardon of Nixon.
David Hogg had a Democratic political consultant shut him down when he tried to tell the consultant what is actually going on. The Democrats need to move over and listen to David Hogg, AOC and the other young people. They are far more in touch with the real wold than the old guard at the DNC. Unfortunately, until they start listening and making way, we will have evil people like Musk and Trump running things and preventing any real change. I fear we may experience two disasters ahead, an H5N1 bird flu pandemic (we have a very limited vaccine supply and an antivax maladministration coming in) and Great Depression 2.0 caused by unregulated cryptocurrency.
Agree. Not an experienced strategist here, but my thoughts are that when a term becomes negatively associated with negative extremes, we need to move beyond the latest buzzword and describe these ideas with concrete examples of how these plans would assist the average person. Maybe sloganeering that most people cannot relate to does not work well in attracting voters. And once elected, the promises need to be enacted.
Yes, MargaretT and thanks! However, I suggest an additional step before going into the phase: "describe these ideas with..." - since I'm afraid your statement here has already lost the attention of many if not most modern-day readers (as mine might have also done).
Let's consider: KISS = Keep It Simple (and) Sincere.
Most people these days are accustomed to short bursts of information and lose interest in the message quickly if it doesn't immediately connect with their speeding brains.
That's why I suggest slogans like:
> "Progress is Our Most Important Purpose!"
> "Democratic Progressive Capitalism - which is fair and benefits everyone - is needed now!"
> "No one should go bankrupt because they get sick!"
As you stated where Trump has said- I can do whatever I want!” clearly mark him out as part of the establishment elite. - I say, well of course, just ask "HIS" corrupt Supreme Court, they have effectively made him a King, hence declaring him, " Above the Law" as the right-wing Supremes, wipe their derrieres with the Constitution in favor of their unending defense of Trump, "their guy", a wannabe dictator.
Well, they've actually done some good things in their first six months and at least they're not as corrupt or anywhere near as bad as the Tories. Personally I voted Green but with our system they haven't got a snowball's chance in hell in my constituency, it's been a Labour seat since for ever. I will say that I have a lot of respect for my MP, whom I've met a couple of times. She's one of the good ones, doesn't seem the limelight and genuinely believes in public service.
There are still those of us who favor progressing with intelligence and respect for human rights and dignity and the rule of law and the recognition of well-established scientific facts.
That should be the center. And, in fact, there are still some Republicans who agree with these principles, which should not be controversial.
There are extremists who openly advocate the destruction of democracy. I find nothing witty or laughable about this and certainly not "hilarious". The Donald and the Musk-rat are not stand-up comedians, my friend.
I think you may well be one of us who are bold enough to call out the bovine fecal material like these leaders have done: Senators Warren and Sanders and former Cabinet member Reich who has provided this forum for civilized debate - for now anyway. But who knows how long this can survive?
Excuse me!? I thought u were asking for a "civilized debate", "respect... dignity", while calling Sanders, Warren and Reich "bovine fecal material" 🤔 😥👎 Yr rhetoric and name calling do not deserve my respect. As for yr arguments they can be debated in a truly civilized manner. BTW, I agree 1000% with Reich, Sanders and Warren who have consistently shown that they do care for the well-being and the interests of "We the People", defended the Constitution and the Democracy... 🙏🌹
Frank - I only speak from a place of experience not from judgment! Can't count the times something similar has happened to me. 🙄 Relax - these forums can be quite the treacherous territory at times.
Just lack of grammatical awareness or perhaps just negligent proofreading - unfortunately. Demonstrates how we all can be misinterpreted by a misplaced comma or lack of one or something else when in actuality the intent was not meant to be nefarious.
My apologies - I was trying to say (as Dusty Miller points out here) that the Dems I mentioned have been boldly calling a stinking pile of manure exactly what it is...
I respect your right to disagree, Linda Amin, as I think you do. But, it was I that was not precise with the wording I originally used in this post. I have corrected it now. I agree with Warren, Sanders, and Reich. They are the ones who have been great leaders of progressives like me.
Kathy, nice that you agree, but the problem is more than massive. We should rethink our divisions and the function of a new partysystem. That is quite a bit...
"What happened is during the whole neoliberal period, both parties shifted to the right, as well as the rest of the world. The political spectrum is broad but in an odd sense. The spectrum is basically from the center to the far extreme right, way off the spectrum. The Republican party, about 20 years ago, basically abandoned any pretense of being a normal political party. Distinguished, respected conservative commentator from the AEI, a conservative think tank, Norman Ornstein, described the Republican party as a radical insurgency, which has abandoned parliamentary politics. They don't want anything to happen. That's not a political party.
The Democrats shifted to the right as well. Today's mainstream Democrats are pretty much what used to be called moderate Republicans. They say moderate Republicans have disappeared. No they haven't. They're called Democrats. Somebody like Eisenhower would be considered way out on the left. --- Noam Chomsky, MIT, University of Arizona
The Problem with American Elections is 'Citizens United'... Special Interests have Complete Control... National Elections should be Publicly Funded, and Time Limited... This will not be easy... Any Clean-Up efforts will be opposed by a Herd-Of-Lawyers....
"We" laugh and chastize the Repubs for over-reacting or mis-accusing Dems for socialism, when they don't really know what (democratic) socialism is. But this is why Repubs win! Dems think they own hearts and minds of reasonable, rational people. But that genre like Elvis have. . "left the building." Our society has become short-minded. We don't teach/read history, and we forget what happened years. . months ago. So we're doomed to repeat ourselves. Fear mongering works with a society that's under-paid, and over-charged, and denied gov't services like health care. A frustrated electorate will grab the tip of a sword to seek any kind of "change" in hopes it brings relief.
Hilarious, maybe, but it's what the RW has worked on for 40 years, and especially since Newt. If the left was 0 and the right is 20, the middle is 10. If the right is now 100. The middle should still be 10 and not moved to 50. But every time the RW moved to uncontrolled authoritarian fascism, the left feels the need to follow rather than maintain its principles. And are elected Democrats, mainly, are corporate-based just like the Republicans. Progressive tax strategy, gun control, legalized abortion, promoting a fair community, universal health care is what we should fight for.
That’s my point. They are not hard-left or really Socialists. Sure, compared to the rest of the American political spectrum, they are at the left hand end, but that’s still central compared to REAL hard left politics!
Paul, I think they know exactly what they’re talking about, but it’s not what those words mean. They’re using them as boogeymen, knowing full well that their base doesn’t know what they mean but has been well trained to understand only that they are terrible, awful, scary things and to be very afraid. And since fear is so uncomfortable they turn that energy into anger. That’s been their game plan for at least 50 years.
Conservatives think that we have a far left, mid-left, and center. Similarly, when Dems accuse Republicans of promoting Fascism, they have no idea what they are talking about. Where Robert is correct, is in that government and politics have been corrupted. The obvious part of that which is not stated, is that it has happened under the watch of both parties; recently, moreso under democratic presidencies. Anyone who thinks politicians care about the middle class or poor is not paying attention.
Manchin isn't a mole. He's just a 1940's Democrat trying to stay relevant in West Virginia. Its worked for him till now. But he can't continue.....he's simply too old with old ideas.
Terry--Right now my thought has support from 15 others who feel as I do, where you are the only objection. I stand by what I said. Also, that Sinema was his partner in crime.
Manchin has raped WVA with his coal connections. Cutting down mountain tops and destroy the natural geology, so water runs tailings and heavy rivers into what were natural settlements. Tailings of coal poison all it touches. Small farms destroyed so Monsanto can poison seeds , the entire Midwest , which was another WVA economy when they could feed themselves. Half of my family is from a gorgeous WVA valley. No economy now. Just tourism and regional schools, hours from the furthest town. Poverty into ignorance, wants.
Please do not forget his daughter (I am reminded of the old adages: Like father, like son [daughter]" and The apple does not fall far from tgree." They are all crooks. Shameful! The real problem is with the "uneducated" and "unwise" masses. They seem to have an insatiable desire for masochistic whipping, all around. (Reminds you of some religions, does it not?) Ugh!
Sadly, Citizens United changed the political playing field so both parties go after corporate money to run campaigns. And to attract corporate money, views need to align with big business. The system itself handcuffs candidates who don’t court corporate donations. This last election is a case in point: Elon Musk’s humongous donations got Trump elected. And it was all legit. We know the political system is broken. Moving to the left, moving to the center, or to the right will not fix a broken system.
He claims he is putting country over party. It seems he is really putting his own ego and desire for publicity over party and country. And he apparently doesn't know that the election deception hush money case is a state court case, for which Biden has no power to pardon. Also, it's inappropriate for a U.S. senator to interfere in a court case, especially one in state court.
He's more like the next Kirsten Sinema, who only served one term, and left the Democratic party to become a party of one. Fetterman won't be reelected.
Another mooching, loser piece of shit, masquerading to be the people's representative. This is the "mamafockker" for whom I fundraised, when he was running in the 2020 election, based on what he was saying. I feel stupid to have actively campaigned and fundraised for him. He is a goner in my opinion, next time around.
He is not a "loose cannon" - just loose in his screws up his nonexistent noggin. (A loose cannon is okay, if that cannon fires in the right direction, at the right targets; no?)
Robert Reich is correct in calling out the Democratic party and it’s calls to “move to the center.“ For a long time Democrats have been moving to the right of Center and we have lost our right as Democratic voters to have a party that speaks on our behalf.
Once again, our two party system is giving me doubts about its long-term viability. Individuals in the Democratic party machinery are making decisions and policy choices that are not in line with Democratic values. Ever since the “knee capping“ of Bernie Sanders, I have never been an enthusiastic Democrat And now I’ve lost my trust in our supposedly Democratic system.
Finally, with the release of the report on the behavior of Matt Gaetz who was chosen to be our next top law enforcement official, I am losing any trust in the operations of the government. And now Donald Trump is demanding that the United States take over the countries of Panama and Greenland! Is there no end to this man’s arrogance?
Some participants on this forum have voiced opposition to the concept of changing our constitution. But what do we do when our treasured constitution is completely ignored by those in power? Without a system of governance that empowers “We The People” we will continue to see bad behavior on the part of the Democratic Party and outrageous behavior on the part of the Republican party . How much more proof do we need to consider a more effective form of governance? Apparently what we have seen and are soon to experience is not yet enough to motivate true patriots to take an important step into realigning the future direction of our country.
No person shall be a Senator or Representative in Congress, or elector of President and Vice-President, or hold any office, civil or military, under the United States, or under any State, who, having previously taken an oath, as a member of Congress, or as an officer of the United States, or as a member of any State legislature, or as an executive or judicial officer of any State, to support the Constitution of the United States, shall have engaged in insurrection or rebellion against the same, or given aid or comfort to the enemies thereof. But Congress may by a vote of two-thirds of each House, remove such disability.
Daniel, When in March 2024 the U.S. Supreme Court struck down the Colorado Supreme Court’s ruling disqualifying Trump from office, SCOTUS, in my view, regrettably voided Section 3 of the 14th Amendment. In a word, we face an enormous challenge rebuilding our judicial system after years of Republican dominance.
NOT TRUE. SCOTUS accepted the fact finding but said that the provision did not apply to the states, leaving open the senate option. Not a criminal standard. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Trump_v._Anderson.
The primary proponents are law professors. like Laurence Tribe. Retired Cir Judge Michael Luttig. William Baude and Michael Paulsen from the Federalist Society.
From what I read, the drop-dead date to apply the 14th Amendment to Trump is Jan 20th. There's nothing in the 14th A about running for office or even getting elected. But taking office is prohibited. And if Roberts swears Trump in, then he becomes a co-conspirator. And with it we transit from a democracy to an autocracy.
Daniel, Thank you for the link correcting my misunderstanding. Still, though I wish it weren’t so, I imagine that enforcing, as warranted, Section 3 of the 14th would be a formidable undertaking.
Terry, While the U.S. military, technically speaking, is our last guardrail, I don’t expect it would be deployed. Hence, it will be incumbent on us to maintain some amount of democracy until 2026 and achieve significant victories in the midterms—breaking MAGA’s hold on Congress and state legislatures prior to our entering the 2028 election cycle.
Tempting as it is, I don't think it would solve the problem. The backlash would be horrific. Maybe if they could make it appear to be "natural causes"? A "special sauce" on his Big Mac? 😂😎💀
It’s obvious trump is guilty of insurrection (and aiding it). But has trump officially been found guilty of insurrection? And if not, can this happen by Jan 20th? He’s already been found guilty of those 34 felonies which include something about deceiving voters, right? Is that not a form of insurrection?
Ruthie, The count on which Trump was found guilty was election interference which is not synonymous with insurrection. My advice is that we use this interregnum to organize with others in our communities who also are called to safeguard democracy and protect both our most vulnerable communities and our planet. As for me, I have chosen to start a local Indivisible chapter and join in the nationwide effort (including Indivisible’s 3000+ chapters) to develop action plans for trying to ensure the policies MAGA aims to establish federally do not conflict with a person’s freedoms and rights within states.
Can you explain this? I am not familiar with the case. What I am thinking of is that even though Judge Luttig is conservative, he is absolutely correct in his statements that Donald Trump is a profound danger for our polity.
Right u are 👍 That any judge in ANY court up to SCOTUS can openly show, act and decide according to her/his political views is simply mind blowing to me. Can anyone explain to me why on earth is the symbol of Justice blindfolded? In any civilized country, where Justice matters (... hmmm 😒...), well at least where there are some safeguards, the judges have to be NEUTRAL and are not allowed to express their political affiliation, for heaven sake!!!
That's why justice is supposed to be blind, to avoid prejudices and biases, most obviously and literally those based on appearance. You've heard the expression “Love is blind” indicative of the fact that love blinds is to a persons faults? The blindness of justice is similar, hiding what we may well performed as faults, e.g. an “I love Trump” t-shirt or a swastika tattoo or for some people any tattoo . If you can't see the colour of a person's skin you can't make racist assumptions about them. You can't be swayed by how smartly or untidily dressed someone is or how attractive they are, make assumptions about their wealth or poverty based on their appearance. We all make a huge number of assumptions based on appearance, if not consciously then subconsciously, especially on attractiveness. Research has shown time and again that attractive people are perceived as kinder, more pleasant, are more trusted and treated more leniently than unattractive ones. Basically attractive people are generally treated more favourably. Being attractive gives them considerable advantages over the unattractive, however regrettable we may find that fact. Really, the blindfold is symbolic of the impartiality and fairness of justice in general. She's also usually depicted holding a set of scales ⚖️ and a sword 🗡️. I won't elaborate on those. Suffice to say balancing the evidence and cutting to the truth 🙂. I hope that answers your question.
Despite Roberts pretenses he is a man of probity, he is presiding over a profoundly corrupt court. The Supreme Court will require another branch of government to regulate its behavior. Federal Article III and non-Article III judges (bankruptcy) judges and state court justices and judges are required to obey specific codes of ethical conduct. There is no reason the Supreme Court should be immune from similar enforceable rules of ethical conduct. Quite frankly, there is a sufficient amount of evidence to impeach Justices Alito and Thomas for their acceptance offers gifts from people with business before the court. The problem is that we do not and will not have the votes to impeach in the House or to convict in the Senate.
Roberts' wife is a legal recruiter who creates confilcts every time a client is hired by a firm that appears before him. If he were a Cir judge or aa DC judge he'd be the subject of an investigation.
Last year, he issued an order boostrapping the judicial code.
The judicial conference is genrally hell on wheels on conflicts. Forced Trump's sister to resign rather than face scrutiny.
Losing trust? I've lost it. While Democrats have accomplished some good things, they didn't attack the things that are perverting our country: Citizens United still stands. Politicians are breaking laws right and left and getting away with it. The Electoral College is still putting Republicans in power despite losing the popular vote. SCOTUS is full of corruption and the bad judges are still there. I'm fed up with the whole mess.
Support our next Constitutional Amendment. Voters of both parties agree with bipartisan campaign finance reform. The “We The People Amendment” gets big money out of politics and prevents the billionaires from having undue influence in government.
The system is too ingrained to overturn the 2-party system. Congress is built around it.
Why do you say that the system is bad when it’s Trump making the outlandish nominations and ridiculous statements? The problem with the system is that the founders did not account for the tremendous power of the media to sway the voters for a demagogue like Trump. They thought the voters would reject someone as dishonorable as him.
But our recent past - the Bushes, Reagan, and now Trump - prove that scoundrels can win as long as they are good manipulators of the media.
.... and as long as they have a lot of money. Billionaire meddling is causing all kinds of problems, because too many people are willing and able to accept a basket of cash in return for favors and looking the other way.
Marc, Because safeguarding self-governance is rooted in both our Declaration of Independence and our Constitution, while I repeatedly have urged we amend portions of the Constitution, I, presumably along with many others, would oppose a rewriting of it. Hence our fear of being only a handful of states shy of calling for a Constitutional Convention.
When calls to change the system for the better in a effectual way are ignored isn't trying to change the system in this way tantamount to gaslighting? Because that what it feels like. Believe in the system as it is. Support a party that doesnt support you. As long as it is non-violent I am open to new ideas as the current system is so corrupted by big money that it refuses to budge.
Democracy, unlike autocracy, depends on our elected officials acting in good faith, regardless of what the Constitution says. And that depends, to some extent, on the public paying attention to what they are doing in office and voting accordingly.
I think that the political party should be reinvented. It is nothing when it only finances the election of types like Gaetz, Trump and the like. It will not stimulate political participation when you get 30 seconds to speak in a rally.
The system is in disorder, so start local to make people resume their parties; then follow up with banning big money.
I think what we do is not to move to the center but rather to decentralize, In fact that is what is going to happen in that the nation state government is totally dysfunctional. The progressive states need to band together work as a decentralized entity or DXO with progressive agendas and let the red states and MAGA have their way. And in fact artificial general intelligence will demand rational and logical choices will have a major negative impact on those red states
I agree that the Constitution needs to be amended. But trying to amend it now when the inmates are running the asylum could be disastrous. They will have a say and could actually get some dangerous poison pills inserted into the Constitution.
When we do amend it, we should seriously consider getting rid of the first-past-the-post voting that allows for a plurality and not an actual majority. If a majority isn't reached, there needs to be a runoff election with the top candidates only. This would encourage third parties and would lesson the iron-grip that the current two PRIVATELY HELD parties have on our electoral process.
And obviously, the Electoral College has to go because it just isn't workable and is skewing representation towards a few undecided voters in a few states.
True Marc....The right wing has diabolically damaged the psyche of Dems by pushing/threatening Democrats to move to the right...& after the inevitable debacle/loss, the Dems debate why they've lost the working class. All the while MAGA laughs at them cruelly...mocking the Dems who have lost their convictions. FDR should be their guiding lite...not the loser (Move to the right) Ryan who lost his race against a JD Vance!
Diabolically damaged. I call B.S. they are afraid to lose their “power”. And Money. Damn. We need some real Americans to run this country. I think we do need to drain the Swamp
I'm appalled by some of this stuff. The Trump enslaved GOP could not be more ripe for loud and constant attack. The blatant hypocrisy and downright fraudulent action by this diseased crop is on public display 24/7. Now is not the time to shut up or seek unity. You want us to unite with this?! You don't hold hands with somebody trying to kill you.
Exactly! Unity is not going to work for we the people at this late stage of our so called Democracy. It hasn't actually existed in politics for decades now. About time everyone catches up.
Today’s newsletter underscores why I am writing every DNC voting member in my state to urge them to endorse Wisconsin Democratic Chair Ben Wikler for DNC Chair. Unlike the other candidates who, in my view, would perpetuate the status quo in national politics, Wikler would firmly position Democrats as advocates for working families across the country. He also would focus on improving the Party’s messaging—training and deploying effective communicators to reach voters on every platform, in every place.
I hope others will join me in seeking endorsements from their states’ DNC voting members.
Peggy, I appreciate you writing and simply would add that Wikler would infuse new ideas, vision, and energy into a mostly fundraising institution largely driven by the big-money interests of billionaires, large corporations, and Wall Street. Clearly, our Party cannot truly represent working people if it is unwilling to challenge these powerful donors.
I like David Hogg as a person and I know nothing about his politics other than anti-gun. I do not think he has the life and political experience as does Wikler for such an important position. We need one of Bernie’s committed supporters in DNC leadership to make sure working class , medicare4All, big money pays their fair taxes, etc
@Phelpsmediation, Were you to review the records of the young, courageous candidates that Hogg has advanced since co-launching, in 2023, the grassroots PAC “Leaders We Deserve,” you’d have a clearer sense of his politics. For some context, said candidates very much mirrored Rep Maxwell Frost (FL-10), who, in 2018, co-founded with Hogg “March For Our Lives.”
Sean, While I wholly subscribe to your astute analysis, I would note that in January 2022 both Biden’s “Build Back Better” and “Freedom to Vote: John R. Lewis Act” stalled in the Democratically-controlled Senate due solely to Joe Manchin and Kyrsten Sinema.
I imagine you recall that most of BBB that qualified under reconciliation requiring only 50 Senate votes, with VP Harris casting the tie breaking vote, fell short by two—Manchin & Sinema. The same occurred when through a procedural maneuver the Senate was able to hold a vote to reform the filibuster, thus allowing voting rights legislation eventually to move to the floor for an up or down majority vote. Again, Manchin and Sinema voted with the 50 Republicans to block the filibuster reform measure.
My point is that at every turn Manchin and Sinema blocked every bold initiative, allowing only edited-down versions of BBB to pass and become law. Accordingly, only a trifecta that doesn’t include the likes of a Manchin & Sinema would allow for passage of legislation that truly represents working people.
Professor Reich: isn't Gerry Connolly dying from throat cancer?
and what IS IT with nancy pelosi and AOC? and Jasmine Crockett? in view of nancy's nastiness (at times) towards obama when he was president, it makes me wonder if nancy is a closet racist?
truly, the USA is now an oligarchic authoritarian gerontocracy: a country of the rich white men, by the rich white men, for the rich white men, whilst the rest of us can go pound sand. it's utterly shameful.
And putting our hard earned money toward things like Universal Healthcare Childcare and a better public transportation system to get off oil once and for all!💀👿
What are we going to do about this regrettable situation? I say let's not waste too much energy on merely complaining about it and thinking of new labels to hang on the people we need to wake up and join us. Let's re-direct that energy into practical action.
I've read down this far in the Comments and not once has there been a mention of the Dems success in getting that Continuing Resolution passed without all the crap proposed by Mump. Not a word about getting Citizens United overturned. All the focus seems to be on beating up the Democrats when it should be on fixing the elements causing our current situation. We have a "social" media system that operates on selling lies that needs to be cleaned up. The House margin is so slim right now that it is ripe for getting Dem stuff into bills that need to be passed that they can move the needle just by denying Rep votes to pass anything at all.
Yes, write state and federal legislators but harp on Citizens United and cleaning up social media. Neither of these are easy fixes, but we are loud enough and numerous enough, maybe something will move.
Frank, you have taken the words out of my mouth. It is time to look at deep and profound changes in our government. Blaming the Democrats for their ineptitude and name-calling will not bring forward meaningful solutions such as Economic Democracy.
Nice phrase, “Economic Democracy.” I hope that you mean by that, raising taxes on the plutocrats and moving toward a real “safety net” breaking up of current monopolies, and moving to… let’s call it “Universal Medicare.”
Yes, I agree, let’s get off our collective asses and do something. I include myself. I feel overwhelmed at the enormity of the challenges. I have written letters to the President and my Congress member, have represented my teachers Union, pledged donations, marched for gun control, immigration rights, but need to identify meaningful ways I can do more.
If substack forum members could share important ways they are bringing about progressive change, and resist trump, I’d lo hear your voices.
GrrlScientist, I follow you because I like how you think. I hope it is OK to communicate frankly.
Nancy Pelosi is one of 56 politicians and the only woman who has held the role of Speaker of the House of Representatives. The Speaker is the de facto head of their party. By all accounts she and Tip O'Neil rank at the top of the seven best Speakers' of the House in the history of America. The best Speakers have the ability to get the votes needed to advance their party's legislative agenda, to win elections, to keep the party united and yes, to raise money for building the party and winning elections. Speaker Pelosi excelled at all of these tasks. After thanking President Obama for Obamacare, Speaker Pelosi deserves thanks for ushering Obamacare into law and fighting off more than 30 attempts by the GOP to repeal it. Repeal Obamacare was the GOP mantra for years. I believe Speaker Pelosi gave up the gavel to Rep. Jeffries to ensure 'a peaceful transfer of power' to a younger generation of Democrats, a wise decision. That said, politics, including intra party politics, is not for the feint of heart. Extraordinarily tough decisions are part of the process. A great leader requires a steel rod for a spine in order to stay true to one's values and principles. I understand that at times of failure, there is a demand for answers, accountability, a new direction, etc; but please let's not turn on our own in the process. To be clear, we must only talk about what we know to be factual.
While I agree with you that I'm the pay she was amazing, for the past several years, she has been a complete asshole! What she just did to AOC is inexcusable! We should be supporting the younger generations, not undermining them! I think Nancy's her ego get in the way.
cindy: i recognize and stand in awe of nancy pelosi’s long and successful reign as speaker of the house. but i am gobsmacked by her sabotaging AOC’s own recent run for a democratic leadership role. i realize nancy will never explain her motives to mere mortals such as, well, all of us, but i am still completely confused why she would oppose a young and brilliant 3X congress member such as AOC for a leadership role. (i still remember when, during AOC’s first term, she was openly questioning the value of participating in the congress and was contemplating leaving for a career in something else.)
What I know to be factual is Pelosi’s politics have been neoliberal, her power came from raising $$$$$$ from the wealthy and corporate lobbyists, and for her campaign financial support she demanded loyalty. Often the money she raised was used to defeat or try to defeat progressive democrats like AOC, etc!
Big money in politics is a loathsome fact but a fact nevertheless. I dispute your claim that Pelosi 'often' used donations from big money to defeat progressive Democrats. Proof please. Of the top 10 billionaire families, two donated to Democrats. Of the $2 billion raised by the top 10 PACS, roughly $180 million went to Democrats. Only 185 Democrat candidates and 2 Republican candidates pledged not to take big money. Until Congress legislates to control campaign spending, corporate and wealthy contributors will have an outsized role in elections. I believe government should be the main funder of campaign funds, divided equally between both parties and small donations should be limited in size.
Cindy, I guess you have a convenient memory loss. It was under Pelosi, when AOC first ran, that the DNC, which she controlled, started blackballing campaign directors and others that worked for progressive democrats who were challenging the old guard neoliberals that were Pelosi’s in group.
Point well taken. Fact: Nancy P. has profited handsomely by inside trading. $1.25 million in Tesla stock (2021),Paul gained $4m in Nvidia stock (2024), making 20 times her salary in one day. He faced widespread criticism for the timing of the trade. Numerous comments on this substack have railed against Citizen’s United, as well as Robert Reich himself.
As de facto head of the Democratic Party, some introspection wouldn’t hurt her after the 2024 election.
Moving to the so-called 'centre' just means passive stagnation.
The two-thirds of Americans who DIDN'T vote for Trump want the Democrats to stand for something, so there is a reason to vote Democrat.
There must be a generational change if the Democrats are to regain the support of the majority of Americans who feel alienated from the current state of politics.
Back in 1930s Germany, under Nazi rule, there arose a phenomenon that contemporary historians have dubbed "leaning towards Hitler". By this was meant the tendency of senior state and party officials to anticipate Hitler's policies on any given issue, in particular regarding the campaign to exterminate the Jews, so that the Führer's intentions were carried out without him needing to voice them or commit them to paper.
What we are now witnessing in America, even before the president-elect assumes office, is a mass movement of GOP and business leaders "leaning towards Trump". It will end badly.
One tactic that may help is Germans were prosecuted post WW2 for deconstructing justice and lawful behaviors during hitlers reign of terror. US Congressfolk, anyone else involved could be held to account , if we ever get to a just country .
Thank you, again and again. We keep forgetting our sorry history as well as our PROUD history as Democrats. And moving to the 'center' in the Trump era? Complete disaster...as if the nation weren't already staring down the apocalypse.
Light reading, the word apocalypse actually comes from ancient Greek, and not from the Bible. Here is the definition:
The Greek word apokálypsis (ἀποκάλυψις) means "revelation", "uncovering", or "disclosure". It comes from the Greek words apo- meaning "off" and kalýptein meaning "to cover".
Based on the original meaning of apocalypse, we are not simply staring down its throat, but we are definitely in the apocalypse. What is freaking us out is the uncovering of so much corruption, greed and malintent that has been covered over until this point where it can no longer be ignored. So, in this sense, apocalypse is a blessing for we cannot fight the cancer in our government until it has been fully uncovered.
I just finished your video “Economic Myths Debunked”.
Outstanding! Every average working American needs to watch it and share it with others. In order to form a more perfect union average working Americans need to Unionize in order to regain their collective bargaining power.
Thank you Sean. That defines exactly how we got to this point. The rich are guilty of GREED, gluttony and corruption. It has taken over our government. Especially the GOP. Unions are all the working class have left to fight them with, for their proverbial piece of the pie!
The only positions are fascism or democracy ….center ,left ,and right are bullshit muddled abstractions that confuse everyone in the country let’s call the situation what it is ! I’m
That’s a good point. Unfortunately, but maybe also fortunately, the Democrats span such a wide range of positions on most of the issues and are basically anti-authority so it makes it hard to unify solidly around issues the way the Republicans do.
Basically what we’ve got now in MAGA and the Republicans who allowed them to take over is a mirror of the dark underbelly in America- they’re the shadow side of what we once strove for in the 60s, 70s.
The Democratic Party is already there and has been there on so many issues since Clinton pushed NAFTA and destroyed the party’s union/working class base in the rust belt swing states. Obama care was a bandaid to stop the push for M4All. Our tax dollars pay billions to heath insurance companies under ACA which continues their ability to have claims adjusters override doctors decisions and deny claims. They still have 30 % overhead, compared to most national plans that have between 7-12 %, which pays for giant executives salaries and bonuses and the tens of thousands of claim deniers which has no healing power and often causes death of a life with pain and/ of disability.
I know. I guess I was thinking relatively- basically no more moving toward their positions. When Obama kept trying to compromise with the Republicans on health care I was no no no, these people are not and never will be your friend- no matter what we offer they’ll just keep taking more and more. So we ended up with the ACA instead of a single payer plan. (And when he came out to announce it, for a moment Tricky Dick’s face flashed over his and I knew he’d compromised. I’m sure the White House is loaded with the ghosts of former presidents).
My goodness! This message nailed it, Mr. Reich. Thank you! Time to climb the nearest hill, soap box, dais… for starters, a re-stack. Thank you for this clarion call that speaks truth and backs it up with a sorry history which we must heed. Thank you!
We are most effective when we’re on the left. The old guard needs to be replaced. I am one of the old farts so I speak from experience, time for my peers to move aside for the next generation AOC should be leading. Pelosi needs to back out of it. My party is insane. It keeps doing the same thing and expecting a different outcome. Come on Democrats this is the 21st-century 20th century politics don’t work anymore.
We need a new party! A party that will represent the working class and bring the government back to the people. We need Economic Democracy. We need to involve young and old people alike and bring the focus back to opportunity, freedom, equality, and inclusion. We need young leaders who are among the service workers, healthcare workers, teachers, drivers, and not CEOs, bankers, real estate moguls, or celebrities. What has been needs to change. The Democratic Party AND certainly the Republican Party are steeped in corruption and greed. An economic and social upheaval will come.
Patricia, I completely agree with all of your points. While the current chaos continues and gets worse, we need to rely on those who can see a clear path forward out of this mess. A new egalitarian form of democracy, such as Economic Democracy needs to be studied and potentially adopted as our current two party democracy self-destructs. and devolves into Kleptocracy supported by our rising class of oligarchs.
You are correct in saying that something like "Economic Democracy" might be beneficial to use as a label for progressing toward sane practicalities, but I prefer the term, "Progressive Capitalism" (which is based in democracy) that Nobel-laureate Joseph J. Stiglitz (who is in my mind "liberal") used fairly recently in a guest opinion published in WAPO titled "Time is up for neoliberals" but I'm concerned that the term "neoliberal" is not well-understood by many people. Although I am not an expert, I believe it refers to what most would understand to be "extreme ultra-conservative capitalists". It seems to me that "Democratic Progressive Capitalism" might be an even better term to use that would be more readily understood by the majority of people.
I agree with your point that the labels used .....by everyone .....are generally not understood. Maybe Prof Reich could dedicate one of these sessions/videos to explaining the economic and political labels used. I'm not even sure that everyone agrees on 'left' and 'right' .
Yes whatever term works. I just finished the Stiglitz book The Road to Freedom. In fact, he was a guest of mine to our little advocacy group. I asked him out of the blue, and I'll be damned, he accepted. He does the same with other no account little groups in Africa and anywhere.
One advantage of "economic democracy" is that it doesn't have the "tainted" word "progressive" in it. The RW would struggle to make "economic" a dirty word.
Neoliberalism has been the chief guiding philosophy of liberals and conservatives in American politics, to one degree or another, not just ultra-conservatives. Until Biden's Presidency.
I post here the CO-Pilot AI list of chief neoliberal tenets/policy. In his book Stiglitz gives the progressive democracy policies that run counter to each neoliberal policy.
"Neoliberalism is a political and economic philosophy that emerged in the late 20th century, advocating for free-market capitalism, deregulation, and reduction in government spending. Here are some major policies associated with neoliberalism:
Privatization: Selling off state-owned enterprises and services to private entities to increase efficiency and reduce public sector deficits.
Deregulation: Reducing government intervention in the economy, especially in industries like finance, to promote competition and innovation.
Tax Reforms: Implementing tax cuts, particularly for corporations and the wealthy, to encourage investment and economic growth.
Trade Liberalization: Removing trade barriers such as tariffs and quotas to foster international trade and investment.
Labor Market Flexibility: Reducing regulations on hiring and firing practices, and weakening labor unions to increase the flexibility of the labor market.
Fiscal Discipline: Implementing austerity measures to control public spending and reduce budget deficits.
Monetary Policy: Emphasizing low inflation and stability by controlling the money supply and interest rates, often through independent central banks."
I think that we can revitalize the Democratic Party.
I hope you are not advocating for a violent revolution when you use terms like "a new party!" and "economic and social upheaval." I'm concerned that this rhetoric can be used by the real extremists to keep repeating their false propaganda that there is an epidemic of advocates for socialism that plays into the fears of millions of people, because they are busy trying to work to survive and thrive, who don't spend a lot of time investigating the right-wing's cattle-excrement.
Let's all join together no matter what age, gender, or other labels for groups of people one might use. At our roots we are all equal and the diversity in our branches is beautiful and healthy. "It is not our differences that divide us but our inability to recognize, respect, and celebrate those differences." Audre Lorde
From your lips to God's ear, Patricia! I have been talking about a new party that actually DOES represent us since the beginning of this past campaign! Young and Old with the young leading the way and the old infusing their knowledge and wisdom. That would be a party I would join asap!
Once beer becomes skunky it doesn't matter how you chill it the taste is offensive. Trump will never change, and neither will he alter his agenda. My opinion of that anti-American can't be purchased. He stands as the preverbal bad apple in our barrel. Merry Christmas to all good-hearted Americans everywhere.
I am so sick and tired of Democratic leadership. If Bernie Sanders, Elizabeth Warren, AOC, and what's left of the squad decided to form a Progressive party, I would go with them.
The Democrats are already in the center. America doesn’t really have a Left (at least as one would be understood in other countries!) we have a Far Right, a Mid-Right and a Center.
This is why it’s so hilarious when Republicans accuse Democrats of promoting Socialism or even Communism. They have no idea what they are talking about! (As usual.)
The Democrats are now the Stupid Party. The country itself is already to the left of them, so a shift to the center is in the opposite direction to the Republicans. 70% of Americans want universal healthcare, higher taxes on the wealthy, and tighter gun controls.
In the spring of 2016, hypothetical polls gave Sanders a lead of 70/30 over Trump. What a coincidence! Trump had his racist base, while Sanders represented average Americans. Yet the DNC kneecapped Sanders and gave the nod to Hillary, who was 35/35 against Trump, with 30% undecided.
The DNC is numerically challenged. They often say polls don't matter. Yes they do! Using the Sign Test for the swing states, it was readily possible to predict a Trump victory in November 2024. And why on earth is Clyburn and his South Carolina cronies still calling the shots?
Except that the problem, as pointed out in this newsletter, is that too many Democrats are in the pockets of the wealthy donors who have slanted campaign finance so far in the "Stupid" direction that they are about to be a major cause of disaster for themselves and all of humanity - don't forget global warming or the value of democracy over greed...
The money is never going away. Rich democrats want to remain rich and make even more money. This is a fairytale if we Dems. believe it. I hate to sound this way but it’s the same old crap just a different era. Money talks BS walks.
In the 1930s it took a wealthy man to straighten out and prop up the economy. He was called a socialist, a "traitor to his class." Where is today's upper-class savior? Where can we now find a rich "socialist?"? Who said, "A rising tide lifts all boats?" Where are these thoughts today? Has anyone else here ever heard this phrase?
Actually, I believe it was a woman (Francis Perkins) who worked out the safety net in the 1930's. She only took the job once Roosevelt, the rich guy, would agree to enact social legislation that would help. So maybe what we need is a good woman who can twist the arm of a rich man!
We had one this year running for President as a Democrat in our primaries. She had an economic bill of rights to complete FDR's plan, and she was suppressed by the corporate arm of the DNC. Her name: Marianne WIlliamson. Her fabulous plans are still on the Internet:
https://marianne2024.com/
(Read them and weep for our lost opportunity for the people. Dean Phillips suffered a similar fate. Elitism must end or we go extinct.)
I encourage Reich/Lofhouse to invite Marianne to their Coffee Klatch.
Marianne's root cause, problem-solving platform is revolutionary, exactly what's needed! And her speeches were compelling, her oration skills combined with her very different content than "other" candidates.
Sharon, I worked on her campaign for over a year and one-half and learned heartbreaking truths about how things are fairly managed or not by so-called party leaders, MSM, etc.--mostly not. Her integrity, knowledge of U.S. history, and ability to forgive, while enduring pain, remains indelible within me: she is a trailblazer for all sentient beings.
Might as well tout RFK Jr. :-(
I am so tired of lazy, arrogant men who spout off without doing a lick of homework, and expect their wholly uninformed opinion to be given credibility without providing anything to back it up. It's the arrogance that gets me the most.
I assume you're referring the to DNC donor class?
Have you read her policies? What are your sources of information?
It's been the norm for some time that the DNC chooses the candidate and not the people. Democrats are no longer recognizable.
Joan Halgren: Unfortunately, it's necessary to get into a politics of wide support, which is why we have political parties. I, like Marianne Williamson, have great ideas about taking us leftward, but I've never imagined that I alone, with my good ideas, would be able to win an election. Marianne needs to successfully go through the dismal process with one of the two big parties before she has a chance.
❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️
Reich:"It’s time for Democrats to commit to getting big money out of American politics."
Me:"It’s time for Democrats to commit to getting big BALLS into American politics."
FYI: NO ONE TAKES THE WHITE HOUSE RECOMMENDED INOCULATION FOR ANXIETY("Do one thing every day that scares you."--Ms.FDR)?
FYI: No American knows the names of anxiety science("desensitization," "exposure," "anti-fragile"... on AnxiousGenreation.com... "child's play"...?)?
All Americans know the name VALIUM(Purdue Pharma marketing perpetuated billionaires that launched the opioid crises..."Our pills AREN'T HABIT FORMING!!")?
...satirizing anti vaxxers for Halloween 2020:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gq_I1f3J51k
It is a non-sequitur to name yourself "PowerCorrupts" and then say it's time for "getting big balls into..." I think the comments about Eleanor Roosevelt and Marianne Williamson and "arrogant men who spout off" are more to the point. It's time to get a brave woman to call the shots for a change, isn't it? That's what this combat veteran says... Frank Talk, Jr.
You can't get big money out of American politics until you get republicans out of office. Problem is, people keep voting them back in.
Kelly Nessle, read "The Defining Moment" by Jonathan Alter. He aptly shows us how the New Deal was largely cooked up by Eleanor, Frances, and Eleanor's new love, Lorena Hickok, (the first woman reporter at the New York Times). They wrote it all out and sent it down the hall to Franklin for presentation. I want the movie! Streep as Eleanor, Kathy Bates as "Hick" and any other mature actress as Frances. Susan Sarandon? That was fifteen years ago when they were all younger and Cathy Bates was still overweight. There's a great scene with Eleanor and Lorena on the train from New York to Washington.
Right you are, Kelly!
I have heard it, in person. I too ask, where are the people who really care what happens to this country?
Indeed yes!
"The Three Branches of Government: Money, Television, and Bullshit" ~ P. J. O'Rourke
Let’s make it happen. Now!! Now! 2025 to 2026 and beyond. It is long past time to push back hard against the billionaire class and the politics of big money floods. (Thank you, Mitch McConnell. Isn’t it time you set out to pasture?)
BS.
Talking about a revolution. Ease back on the learned helplessness.
-don't forget global warming or the value of democracy over greed-... Indeed, for it seems the world is on a runaway train to climate catastrophe of destruction and with the likes of Trump and GOP, they have and always will, put big oil interests and CEO and shareholder profits as well as their own private $ interests, way ahead of protecting people and planet, for the way they see it, natures loss is their financial gain, EVIL!!!
I am still getting, I want your money letters from the Democratic Party. Screw 'em. I am back where I was before Trump. That the Democratic Party are reverse side of a coin of which the Republican is the obverse.
This is obscene. I was so into Fetterman, and Clyburn has made my jaw drop. WTF is up with that. Looking out for No. 1 "trumps" principle
I've had it. It is as if Hans Scholl, Sophie Scholl, Christoph Probst, Willi Graf, and Alexander Schmorell had just threw up their hands and joined the Hitler Youth. If they had they would not have lost their heads, maybe that is what this is all about.
This is obscene. I was so into Fetterman, and Clyburn has made my jaw drop. WTF is up with that.? Indeed, I shake my head too and as well say, WTF???🙄
So was I....I cannot believe Fetterman OR Clyburn would have the audacity to say "Pardon Trump"??
The same logic Obama and Pelosi used when they said the day after Obama won that they would not pursue any legal action against Bush, who was recognized by other countries, like Canada, as a war criminal. That was the day I became an Independent.
I understand your feelings, Barbara, but keep in mind that power comes with organization. An isolated Independent is powerless.
Pardon, yeah like, WTF??? is going on here,🙄 talk about the twilight zone
follow the money. what's in it for them?
I don't think money has anything to do with it. It's just their strategy, which is logically flawed, but who doesn't make such errors? It's our task to stop that madness. Maybe we're wrong, but I don't think so; therefore, I'm against pardoning Trump and moving to the center, which is just Republican Lite.
It's a false moment; they're caught up in Trumpomania. They'll recover soon.
We can only hope they wake up from the anesthesia
Do you suppose the trumpistas are holding their grandchildren hostage??
In the aftermath of the 1968 election, I ascertained that the two parties were just different sides of the same coin, and I stopped voting, until that filthy pig Trump came down the escalator and opened his foul mouth.
I hung on to the hope that now things were different. Now as I watch John Fetterman, James Clyburn, Hakeem Jefferies, and yes Gerry Connolly jump ship. I am convinced that Jan 21st will not be the day of a new administration, but the first day of a new regime. and there is a difference between a regime and an administration.
The phrase "loyal opposition: has new meaning.
Old meaning, loyal to the constitution and nation, new meaning loyal to the regime.
We are now Hungary and Russia, as all of the pol's rush to jump on the winning side.
Two sides of same coin?🤔 you say or is it more, the lesser bad of the only two choices, as for John Fetterman, James Clyburn, Hakeem Jefferies, and Gerry Connolly, as for the four mentioned, I take deference to Jefferies, I do not really see him kissing Trumps ass nor to his cabinet of cronies, he seems to have a real fighting stance against just sucking up, like say Fetterman.
By the lesser of two choices. Please explain the two choices John. What are the two choices
As for Hakeem and others in the Democratic party "Leadership" lets wait and see.
Donald Trum;p and his allies don't care what kind of lefitst you are. You are either with him or against him. If you are against him and the right wing agenda,you are the enemy and doomed, now that he has control of the police power of the state, DNA, FBI and Justice.
The two choices, one represents darkness, the other, with their flaws, are still far better than the alternative.
Jeffries should have been speaker, but thanks to gerrymandering by fascist GOP, seats were absconded.
GOP=Grand Ole Poo Party, if they cannot win fairly, then cheat by whatever means necessary
You sure about Jeffries. Check out open secrets for who owns him
https://www.opensecrets.org/members-of-congress/hakeem-jeffries/summary?cid=N00033640
agree... I don't feel that way about Jeffries at all.
Jeffries, I like his way of speaking, very good speaker
Filthy Pig Trump and the stench that follows him
Now maybe one can to understand the anger of the so called "uneducated". We are now becoming angry at those we should be angry at.
Yes, but christian nationalism will fail in the US. It likely will remain localized, as it is now.
No chance of it falling.
When George W Bush was elected, I watched on TV, White shirted storm troopers, stomp down the aisle of the chapel of Texas A&M, in Nuremberg Style. I saw that as a portend of the future. I do not recall if Bush as on the stage. but I rhink he was.
Will Christian nationalism fall? if so how, will it self destruct? If so how?
Will it fall from outside forces? What forces?
Christian nationalism is the glue that binds MAGAts together, it is white, black and brown.
If Christian Nationalism Fails, What Will Fail With It? Will It Really Disappear?
Does bigotry disappear? Of course Christian Nationalism will not fail or fall, nor will it disappear.
All religions are, by their nature and of necessity, exclusionary and triumphalist, and to survive they must dominate.
Truth is absolute, there can't be many truths, your truth, their truth, only the truth and all who don't subscribe to the same truth are threats.
My ulcer acts up every time I hear someone say "My truth"., what they mean is "i believe" and belief exists in the absence of evidence.
Yes, this is not just your father's loss of a political election, because Trump is and will be an autocrat. He will do what he wants with little, if anything, to stop him except the Republicans' refusal on certain financial matters; for example, some Republicans want to cut or balance the budget no matter what and won't allow Trump to go crazy on money matters. But Trump doesn't care that much about the federal budget. He cares about Donald Trump.
We haven't just lost a battle; we lost the war. Now it's down to terms, probably prison terms for some of Trump's worst enemies. If I were Liz Cheney, Adam Kinzinger, Bernie Thompson, or Adam Schiff, I would get out of America ASAP, because their fate is in Trump's merciless hands, and he is out for revenge. And his lackeys are meaner than him and ready, willing, and able to get to their foul work. It's payback time in the new White House.
And here we have another person (James) that has the temerity to face reality. All I've seen so far is wishful thinking, and a forlorn belief that the Trump will be just another administration, and we can set the ship aright by
doing some self examination and correcting mistakes, like messaging.
At the Turning Point convention, Trump said that he is going to sign Executive Orders on just about everything from Trans to immigration.
Those executive order will of course be challenged in court, and the courts are by an large populated by Republican and Trump appointees,incuding SCOTUS, and we know what will happen to a ruling that winds up in front of SCOTUS. 99.9% of time the ruling will sustain Trump and right wing policies.
And unless a court issues a stay (and even if it does) Trump will plow ahead with his agenda regardless.
As Roy Orbison sang "It's Over"https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=h9JArvEJ64M
I am dismayed by the number of people who think the midterms or the next four year elections will matter. I question if they will happen at all. How quickly will the Repugs pass legislation to allow the orange man to run again? How many changes will take place to cut back on voting rights?
Trump will never willingly leave the White House. Congress will pass whatever laws are necessary to allow as many terms as a Trumpist can win. And Republicans have laws, regulations, systems, officials, and ways now in place in various states to ensure that their side always wins. It's game, set, match for them. See, democracy was on the ballot this time. It lost.
These people are of three kinds Barbara.
Wishful thinkers
Those in denial, because reality is too hard to bear
Professionals whose income and social status depend on perpetuation of the idea of politics as usual.
Do you nave any idea of how many Democratic strategists, analysts, lobbyist, staffers will be out of the job, if there isn't a mid term election, for them to fund raise, cajole and receive rewards.
I am sure there will be a mid term election, too much money is to be made and spent, but only of vetted and approved candidates, and the image of a democracy has to be maintained. Look at Hungary for an example, even Russia it too has a (pre approved) opposition party and an election.
DJT will not Live Forever... Like the 'Stones Song... Time Waits For No One... In this Universe, Time Flows Only One Way...
Got a passport?
But, Go Where?
You got the google machine. Type the criteria you are looking for and then insert the name of countries that you would consider.
I like Belize, Costa Rica, Panama., then again I speak Spanish. You can try New Zealand and Australia, being in the Southern Hemisphere, they might escape the effects of global warming.
Fetterman is a loud mouth libertarian. As reliable to democrats as the corporatists Sinema and Manchin. Shameful.
Sinema and Manchin-I am glad to see them go!
Yes, William. It is pathetic and disgusting. My guess is that these individuals hope that the wave of resentment Trump is surfing on will come crashing down and will put an end to his "strongman" posturing. We are duty bound to do all we can to prevent that wave, and its despicable rider, from crushing the Constitution.
I agree Victor, but what can I do. Sending money to actblue isn't a cure or an answer.
As I,and I emphasize the I, assess the history of Empires, tyranny and dictatorships the only time they come crashing down is from outside.
A case can be made that Alexanders Empire came crashing down from the inside. He died without naming a successor, and thus followed the war of the diadochi, where his "generals" (if that is what you can call them) fought what is basically a civil war over the empire and settled it by carving it up.
The Roman Empire, the Islamic Empire grew fat, soft and lazy, and were kicked aside by more vigorous and hungry "barbarians", same with the Turkish Empire.
Hitler's Empire never got the chance to be fat and lazy,and it probably would have been perpetual war for perpetual peace.
The Russian Empire, can be said to have collapsed from within,but from aid from without, in the form of Max Warburg and Germany.
The Soviet Empire, after a run of 70 years, did collapse from within, but assisted from without by impetus from the Bank for International Settlements and international financial institutions, and trade.
The American Empire stopped of it's own accord after the Spanish American and Banana Wars, at least the military expansion.
Nationalism was replaced by corporatism and globalism, trade.
It was no longer the nation that was imperialist, but the corporations who used their money and power to control and direct the affairs of he nation.
That is why the Trilateral Commission and the Council on Foreign relations were such big players in politics and why presidential aspirants had to have foreign service credentials, until Trump.
And now we are back on the empire stage, with the virtually unlimited wealth backing Trump he is trying to make demands that Greenland, Panama and Mexico submit or else.
I guess, for some, American Empire is OK, so long as it gives Putin and Xi a free hand to expand theirs.
Climate change wasn't even an issue in the election. When the candidates were interviewed, they weren't even asked about it. How does the most important issue of the day get completely ignored?
That in many ways tells a person all they need to know to answer the question of how well our democracy is doing.
A healthy democracy has a healthy media that informs the public of vital risks. And a public that hears that message and responds accordingly at the voting booth and in other areas of their lives.
We have neither. We have Sen Whitehouse giving speeches to probably a mostly empty Senate chamber and a few thousand viewers on youtube on the coming dramatic consequences to the housing markets and the financial system.
We have a colossal societal failure with consequences in this "3rd phase".
As a country America has had every advantage possible and it has squandered that advantage because of greed and ignorance. Perhaps this is just what Empires do.
I did notice, where Whitehouse is speaking to essentially an empty chamber, but I do like his attempts to shine a light on the sheer absolute corruption via the utter stench that emanates from the rotten bunch of far-right conservatives, who wipe their derrieres with the Constitution and the rule of law, made Trump a King and he can do anything? he wants, The Supreme's make up their own rules via so called Originalism🤔
"Kill your TV" used to be a popular bumper sticker, and it was good advise. TV ate the brains of several generations all around the world. Now social media is telling us : "kill yourself."
The powers to be, and indeed at least half of the electorate don't want to confront climate change, they are like children who pull the sheet over their head, believing if they can't see the boogey man, it doesn't exist. And the looming human extinction is something that their descendants will have to deal with,not them.
Sorrow, 🥹 for once many animal species are gone, their gone forever!
We will not solve the "climate change" problem until we solve the economic dysfunction of America.
Oil Cartel, they own many of our politicians, the health of Mother Earth is for Sale$
Willful ignorance, wishful thinking. Denial acts like a drug.
The Democrats contract out their political consulting to David Plouffe and Stephanie Cutter who get paid huge money whether they win or lose.
Makes you wonder🤔
this will become the no. 1 issue in the next 5 years. There is already a huge reduction in our rivers and it will get worse. Agriculture and urban centers will begin to run out of water. Global warming is going faster than expected as some of the effects such as permafrost melting are making the warming increase much faster. Climates will change as the ocean warms and its currents change and create different weather patterns than we've had before. I was happily surprised at the tremendous investments that Biden made in alternative energy and EVs moving us toward a more sustainable future. Trump will have a hard time overturning all that because many of the factories and jobs for these things are in red states.
People will not be able to get insurance for their homes so they won’t be able to get a mortgage so housing prices will drop even the financial system could get rocked. this is what sen Whitehouse, and many other experts are saying.
The writing is on the wall, for it has been happening already and senator Whithouse, I really like him
“An exclamation point on global warming”: Climate scientists warn 2024 was marked by broken records
Soaring temperatures are translating into more powerful freak storms and wildfires, an ominous trend for humanity
The year 2024 is on track to be the hottest in recorded history, as humanity has officially exceeded the 1.5º C threshold established by the 2015 Paris climate accord. Despite this milestone, President-elect Donald Trump is pushing environmental scientists out of the government. According to Dr. Mark Serreze and many other climate scientists who spoke with Salon, the new reality created in 2024 by unprecedented rising temperatures is the biggest news story today, despite relative lack of coverage. It raised many unanswered questions — as well as ominous prospects for the future of our species.
https://www.salon.com/2024/12/19/an-exclamation-point-on-global-warming-climate-scientists-warn-2024-was-marked-by-broken-records/?lh_aid=135402&lh_cid=98657wspa6&lh_em=Jondlar4251%40yahoo.com&di=c7b4e1fb3ab84bae79a761fd65337b20
Unfortunately true!👿💀😢
100% agree, Michael! Even though I wasn't all that great at math, 70% is more than half, right? If that many Americans was universal healthcare, higher taxes on the rich, and tighter gun controls, that means more Americans want those things than do not, right? The DNC was wrong to kneecap Bernie Sanders. He would have won I believe. Polls may not always get it right, but they are strong indicators of which way the wind is blowing!
I stopped donations to the Republican Lite DNC!
I have, too, Edie! I hope when they begin to see grassroots donations starting to dry up, they might rethink what they are doing!
I donate only to candidates, not organizations. I want to know what my money is being used for.
They still are trashing Bernie and Liz, and AOC. A MEMBER ON HERE, BY THE NAME -WHAT LOLA WANTS ,BLASTED Saunders yesterday. Clearly a GOP operator. I BLOCKED HIM.
Stay well informed. Listen to everybody. Blocking is not the answer.
Peggy, Yes, limit ownership of automatic weapons to members of the militia. Develop a new system to underwrite medical care for those not on existing programs. Allow folks to migrate to it, away from employer based plans.
Republicans would have knee capped him as a socialist and the uneducated masses would have said, by god, we can't have socialism.
For the life of me, William, I cannot understand why republicans think socialism is a bad word! It is just a theory that production, distribution and exchange should be owned or regulated by the community as a whole. Isn't that just saying We the people should have a say as to how these things should be regulated?
Agreed. Time for term limits so we can get new blood and progressive ideas. Supreme Court term limits- And Get the Big Money Out!!
Penny Barrons, we need more youth, more women, more black, more Latino, more undervalued labor, etc. etc. etc. But we also need elders in place who have wisdom, know the system, the issues, the solutions, and have connections and networks. Bad (all or mostly self-serving) politicians are very easy to find. But finding all or mostly people serving politicians are much, much harder to find. Imagine if tomorrow, we were to throw out Sanders, Warren, Whitehouse, Raskin, etc. We the people would lose. And Big Bad donors would win. They'd be jumping for joy because we threw the great ones out. Term limits on all politicians are a very, very bad, no good idea. It might make people feel better to vote on a ballot for term limits out of justifief anger for politicians but it is shooting ourselves in the foot, cutting our noses off to spite our face. Wholly unstrategic. Instead we the people need to be more discerning in our primary and general election votes. And once in office, if they show themselves to be quite self-serving, then we the people need to talk about it with friends, neighbors, coworkers and spread the word, and spread it through a people's media system also, and then vote the bums out!
Right. I agree but what about the rep from Texas who has been in a home since July with dementia and still has her post Damn
Penny Barrons, there should be bipartisan policies in place, oversight, and administration when a medical condition prevents a member from short or long term fulfillment of their respinsiblities. Obviously in this case, someone or some people knew. and did not take proper action. There should a
good faith investigation that is made public, with consequences for people if appropriate.
I suspect that a lot of people knew about this case, including Democrats in the House. I think people would notice someone's 6 month absence from the floor and especially from committees. This kind of nonsense was being covered up mostly by Republicans, but it is an institutional problem that must be addressed.
John L Clifford, agree.
With the foxes in charge of the henhouse, change is not coming.
It's because nobody wants to tell Mom and Dad to hand over their car keys. But we need somebody with that kind of courage. Perhaps a geriatrician to evaluate members over 70.
If we have a mandatory retirement age, we lose people like Bernie Sanders.
I'm fine with Sanders retiring - he's more than earned it (unlike most congresscritters). It makes way for more people like AOC, especially in the Senate. 20% of Congress is over 70 years old, and the median age just keeps getting older.
For every Sanders we lose, it also forces out (roughly) 2 Grassleys or McConnells.
Kay Granger? Why didn’t the GQP get her to retire?
Because they were more interested in the "numbers" - keeping their tiny majority intact. Classic. Power instead of integrity.
I've still never forgiven Nancy Pelosi for forcing Al Franken to step down! SMH... he could've been censured, what with the disgusting creeps that live on the "right"...
"Senator Kirsten Gillibrand militantly bullied out Senator Al Franken who remorsefully regretted doing less than 1% of what the savage sexual predator Donald Trump has done. Yet Kirsten, by remaining silent all these months, gives Trump a pass. What a coward she is." --- Ralph Nader
Excuse me? House member Pelosi had essentially NOTHING to do with the resignation of Senator Franken. It was a matter that was being handled by the Senate Ethics Committee. It was Senate Minority Leader Schumer who asked for his resignation.
The women in the house and senate insisted on it. As a Minnesotan, I am still furious.
Oops! My bad (as the kids say). I guess I'll never forgive HIM then. But Nancy was very vocal about it...
But she wasn't there to actually vote. Why didn't the whip notice she was gone?
That one's on the Texas GOP - and at least she didn't vote for their hate and stupidity after she left!
People in assisted living need representation too. Have they reported her as demented, or just physically compromised?
But repubs and MAGA love the bums. They think it's funny trying to own the libs. They don't even know what it means to be a liberal. They think liberals are communists; and they don't know what Communism is either.
Jim Rogers, true. R's have been very successful at conditioning people to think nonsense and believe lies. And D's lacking in countering and deconditioning.
M-Tree I wholeheartedly agree! I have never known exactly how to describe my feelings on this but you hit all the right notes. THANKS
M Tree. I support term limits. Elders can be consultants.
Gerald Rogan, wisdom of the elders needs to be present and accessible in every moment, not diminished and relegated to who knows where. Anything good and just that has ever happened in humanity, in families, in other institutions, happened because of the accessible wisdom of elders and ancestors. Cutting off, limiting, access to wisdom would be foolish.
I agree with the goal. MOCs should retire at 78, then they can be advisors and focus on staying alive.
No!
Term Limits put the power into the hands of party bosses. If you play ball with them, you get nominated and promoted. If you don’t, your career is over. Seats in legislative bodies become revolving doors of anonymous party hacks. showboating to attain the next level.
What we need is strict Campaign Finance Reform to take away part of the advantage of incumbency.
But people who do their jobs should remain.
An institution (or business) loses its collective memory when there is too much turnover. The bureaucrats wind up running the show. We already have too many PolitiTainers.
Campaign finance reform!! Number 1. Nobody should be able to buy an election like Musk did- Get that big money out!!
Don't look now, but Musk is going to primary Democrats he doesn't like out of office. As the world's richest man, he's buying the American political system.
Term limits also shift power away from the electeds to the lobbyists.
It can create a short-term outlook IBGYBG by electeds.
The results at state level show it is a bad idea.
Term limits is one of those ideas that has great perennial appeal to the public.
Well, we have tried the experiment and it does not work well.
steve reed, I agree with you. I'm fervently opposed to term limits on legislators. We need to think beyond our anger. Be strategic. Can you tell me what your acronymn means?
i'll be gone you'll be gone
so, don't bother about any longer term consequences of the bills we pass
steve reed, ha thanks!
You say that like the party bosses aren't already in control...which, if you've bought that, I have a bridge to sell you.
I know some will disagree about congressional term limits However, this can be implemented in a way that helps our democracy and does not cede it over to party bosses or the oligarchy. The oligarchy through SC judicial rulings has bought our politicians through "Citizens United." That needs to be repealed and the only way is by voting in candidates for Congress that will create the legislation to get rid of 'Citizens United."
1. Vote in people for Congress who will do the job and get rid of Citizens United.
2. Create legislation that will remove campaign fundraising from the campaigning process. Believe it or not, there is a process of contributing to the election process that does not require fundraising. Look on your yearly tax form: there is a check box for contributing to Federal elections. Currently, it is optional, but imagine if everyone contributed from the taxes at least $5.00. Like SS it would be managed by the Treasury. The good thing about this it is anonymous. No candidate would be beholden to any contributor.
3. Create legislation that creates a mandatory retirement age of 70 from Congress. This would apply to anyone who has served 20 years or more.
I am 77 y.o. and while I still have cognitive thinking skills, I also recognize that I am not as quick as I used to be. Recognizing your limitations should not be a sin.
Agree with getting rid of Citizens United. Don't agree that $ in politics and length of service are in the same category. WHAT ABOUT how do we get rid of people who have no idea about what government even does? or how it works!
Prime example: former football coach Tommy Tuberville who does not know the three branches of government!!
You don't have to be quick; you have to be wise.
Everyone keeps focusing on Citizens United. It was the abrogation of the Johnson's Voting Rights Act of 1964 that was the undoing of our system. Jim Crow is alive and well in the South.
And, will we be able to vote again?
Penny, yes, but first we have to get the Dems to win in a landslide, and playing nice to Wall Street ain't gonna do that. A landslide win, and anything is possible.
I was watching a TV interview of Hakeem Jeffries. Nice man. Intelligent. BUT, when asked what the DNC should do differently, while he should have said "we got shellacked and we have to work very hard indeed to figure out how to win," what he actually said was: on the one hand this, and on the other hand that, waffle waffle waffle, with "going forward" thrown in 3 times for good measure (always the sign of a bullshitter).
Hopeless, just hopeless.
That’s Kaye Granger republican rep from Texas.
Yes, we should have term limits for senators and congressmen. How many terms do you suggest, Penny.
It is time for our political system, to listen to the urging of 70% of our Americans. If our government cannot respond to the vast majority of Americans or serve them properly then once again, we have to look and see if our current system of democracy really works for the people.
Our system is most definitely NOT working for the people! It is crystal clear to me that democrats and republicans in political positions are actually serving the ultra rich. They deliver platitudes to "the people" thinking that will keep us calm because we the people are going to believe them when they say "We care about you", "We hear you", "We will work hard for you" and so on. Those phrases mean nothing to me right now because that was all they were - platitudes! I don't trust or believe any of them now. I have heard it said that trust is hard to earn, easy to lose and should never be taken lightly. It will be a while before I trust anyone in politics again.
I hear that. But read what Senator Chris Murphy (CT) is saying. We need to be the party of Economic Populism. Money in this country needs a rearrangement.
It's never to late to be the Party you were meant to be.
Oh please. Stop with the BOTH SIDES crap.
One side has THE most successful president in HISTORY and a SUCCESSFUL PROSECUTOR.
The other? A 34 time convicted felon also civily liable for RAPE AND was finally outed as he PEDOPHILE he always was the day before the election. Oh! And the guy romantically linked to . . . couches.
Unfortunately our current system has led us from democracy to electoral autocracy. We're now in the same category as Hungary, Israel and India.
Our current system would work if Americans weren't so stupid. Vote for people who will try to make our country , and your lives, better. If 70% of Americans want the same things then how does someone like trump get elected? Right wing lies and propaganda that morons can't see through.
The right-wing owns the media ecosystem.
Jim, I wouldn’t be so quick to just label the Trump voters as “stupid.“ They are likely ill informed and due to the decades of deficiency in our education system, they have not been taught critical thinking. Compared to developed European countries, our students are woefully, ill equipped to understand and decipher the B. S. That is coming out of the media. This is not a fault of low I.Q., but of a chronically underfunded public education system.
Exactly right. We are a KAKISTOCRACY, or ruled by THE least competent or able. (Hell! The obese rapist pedophile at the top CANNOT CLIMB STAIRS OR DO ONE SIT-UP!)
We are a "kleptocracy."
Systems now malfunctioning for both political parties. Americans lost their grasp of true democracy that doesn't bow to party leaders who are supposed to support the will of the people! Now our world is in peril: we all must collectively fight even against asses, like Fetterman and Jeffries: pathetic weak guys.
well it doesn't...a Parliamentary system would work better. The Senate is a relic and needs to go.
It doesn't, clearly.
If 70% want democratic principals why the heck didn’t the Dems win? More likely 59% of the electorate is stupid and ignorant and oblivious to politics in general. They don’t read or listen to trusted news sources (where are they?). Every shiny object distracts them…. And trump is a big fat ugly shiny object they seem fascinated by. He’s still ‘The Apprentice’ a movie start in the ignorant’s world view!
Forget about the MAGA devotees. They are never going to vote another way. Bigotry and hate for the "other" are in their DNA. They represented about 30% of the eligible voters. A bigger percentage (90 million!) did not vote. And it isn't because they are stupid.
Huge numbers of eligible voters have tuned out. They don't believe that there are politicians who really care about them. They are partially right.
Please look up Senator Chris Murphy's (CT) Substack. He is leading the way with respect to a new "Economic Populism". There is too much money in the hands of the few. The rest of us can't afford housing, food, insurance, child care, elder care - you name it.
Democrats need to return to their roots of being there for the workers (most of us!). If not, we need a new party devoted to ECONOMIC JUSTICE.
I would add that many of those voters never tuned in in the first place. For some it's not just that they don't believe pols don't care about them, it's that they see no relation between politics and their lives. Profoundly ignorant.
Steve Reed, democracy is not an easy thing. We slide into autocracy because it's simple. Between 1870 and 1920 the US nearly doubled its white population through immigration from Europe to ensure there could never be a Black majority. The coin had two sides. Many of these Europeans came from families who had been serfs for more than a thousand years. Democracy was as foreign to them as it was to our own "serf" population at the time. Now we have millions of white people who don't vote, because we all mostly get our politics from our families, not from what we (fail to) learn in school.
Sandra. Good points. Most of the media is making money by avoiding talking about things like economics, climate, etc. Most of the local evening news is eaten up with the latest crime, weather and sports coverage. When we are "out" of the political season we never see much about how our government works, family economics, foreign relation or world climate problems. It seems folks would rather just be entertained than really understanding how the "system" does and doesn't work for them. To much thinking involved! All the best for '25... GH
Not sure that's why turnout was so poor
Turn on to politics or politics will turn on you.
Agree, Pat Forbes. Election not lost by Dems on right-left spectrum. Lost due to indifference/ignorance of the electorate. Trump as the “shiny object” sounds right to me. Let’s not resurrect “ageism“. Biden and Trump too old to run? But no one says that about Bernie Sanders. Let’s not throw out the gold nuggets amongst the shiny objects. Like Bernie, like Ruth Bader Ginsburg. Let’s make sure there is good “vetting“ with regarding cognition and health. But let us acknowledge the value of experience. Biden’s term as president exemplifies that. As usual, the Dem party will present a mixture of candidates: new and exciting like AOL and Kamala and more familiar and trustworthy like Bernie and Joe. As to issues and policies, that’s where we need consensus, not a rule about if you’re young or old enough to play the game.
I heard through the grapevine about many young women who couldn't care less about politics. They want to have fun and shop.No sense of civic responsibility or understanding that politics concerns their lives.
(yes I'm sure it's not just young women, that just happens to be the people I heard about)
Many women only care about indulging in shopping, spending a man's hard earned money or posting selfies or idiocy on social media. LOL!
Romilly. Sorry to disagree about Ginsberg. She should have retired in Obama's first term. Anyone who can do political math, knows that a new Pres. usually loses one or both houses of congress after their first two years. If it is the Senate, then that Pres. will have a harder time getting their judges confirmed. She knew this and yet her ego made her stay in past both Obama terms, thereby giving her seat to DT. She was 83 in 2016 and in very poor health.
She could have retired in 2008 at age 75 and Obama could have replaced her then. Remember, Mitch McConnell, the day after the election promised to make Obama a one term Pres. and block anything he and the DEMs would try to pass.
He didn't get the one term but between him and RGB the GOP got to seat two new justices. While she was a good justice for liberal causes, she let her ego overcome her common sense. Her selfish decision will haunt our country for decades to come. All the best for '25... GH
Yes, many of those who voted for Trump thought he would deliver economically for them. So contra Marc in a sense our election system is working just fine. It's the people who are ignorant and misinformed. Each of us has in our iphones a weapon of mass distraction. Drunken Monkeys.
"If 70% want democratic principals why the heck didn’t the Dems win?"
Because they weren't offered these things by Harris-Walz. That is my point. I think a lot of Democrats stayed home because they didn't see any real difference between the two parties. They weren't going to vote for Trump, but they were uninspired by Harris. If Harris had offered these things, she would have won in a landslide.
This resonates with me. I believe that Harris-Walz would have served the country better with a more robust (Bernie Sanders) type of plan. The people don't want more politics as usual. More middle of the road is not what we needed in the past and it's not what we need going forward. Many don't pay close attention to politics and politicians in general, so we need Democrats who will stand out with approaches that are well outside of the run of the mill speak.
Whomever is going to bring us out of this will have to be a bit like FDR, shrewd in their approach and offering what the people want and need.
Thank you for telling the truth. Bernie could have won the election in 2016 and we would be in a wonderful position now. Trump would have been out of the picture completely!
I have to say that, even then, I was not happy with Bernie’s Russia history and am cheered that he backed Ukraine—eventually. Now it seems that all Republicans have their hands in Putin’s pocket. Economic populism is the way to go and always was for those of us with principles and an attachment to fair play. End Citizens United (now or as soon as feasible) and tell Hakeem to grow a spine. Very disappointed in him right now.
Susan Iwanisziw, "principles and attachment to fair play" doesn't cut it. We need to spread the word that there is no marketplace unless there are plenty of customers. Without well-paid middle and lower classes, there are no customers. Nobody can get rich in this scenario. On the other hand, "A rising tide lifts all boats." (Who said that?)
How does a people supposedly to the left of democrats vote for trump? I think there’s a disconnect in your reasoning.
The American public, as the last election showed, is clueless, uneducated and ill informed. Trump et al. Brilliantly took advantage of this fact, figuring out how to get these people to vote against their own best interests by figuring out how to inundate these people with lies.
We should be figuring out how to combat this new way of snagging these voters, via social media, instead of further talking about how awful the Democratic Party is, which can only lose votes.
Jim Clyburn put us in the shape we are in when he supported Biden over Bernie 4 years ago. All the DNC candidates abandoned their campaigns because of the DNC in favor of Biden.
Spot on, Wes, but sadly your comment got lost in the fray. The fact is Clyburn had/has too much clout because the DNC caters too much to factions rather than policy.
The Democrats need a common sense revolution. You can be progressive on social economic policies that focus on the wealth gap ( healthcare is an obvious place to start), while jettisoning some of the more extreme positions that dictate how people must think. For lack of a better term less wokeness. The examples are plentiful. The border crisis was a crisis, yet Dems sat on their hands. I could go on, but polls aren’t the answer. Every Congressman has constituents that they can meet where they are. The party needs to move from a top down hierarchy to better gain actionable insights from the ranks and leadership needs to be responsive. Leadership roles should not be solely dictated by seniority but rather by competency and relevance to the times in which we live.
Americans voted against healthcare, instead voting for a concept of a plan that trump has been working on for 9 years while on the golf course. And they voted against Social Security because it has the word "social" in it. And they voted against Medicare, Medicaid, gun control, school lunches, teaching true history in school, infrastructure, freedom of religion, freedom to love whoever you want to love, etc. etc. Instead Americans voted for hate. The only thing that Americans seem to agree on is supporting Israel with their Genocide of the Palestinian People. Americans seem to be pretty stupid.
Jim. Palestinians can improve their situation by offering long term peace with the State of Israel, forgoing their self-destructive mission to drive the Jews out of Israel.
Directionally correct but slightly off the mark. They were fed alarmist BS rather than a factual assessment of the BS policies of Trump and his billionaire robber baron clan, by an all too willing media. Think of CNN. When Hillary ran they literally had a count clock for the days she didn’t give them an interview. Trump never gave them an interview. They allowed Trump pundits to spread propaganda forcing Dem pundits into a he said she said debacle. Dems should have called it out. So the media landscape at large is compromised and the Dems fatally allowed Biden to run, when he was obviously not up to the task, playing into the media narrative that he was fine. The Dems got played. Ironically if any party should be attacking the media for being fake it’s the Dems, but Trump beat them to it. So yes those who voted for him will lose programs and the Media will tell them it’s just fine. And the wealth gap will grow. But their hubris may come home to roost, if the Dems can decouple from their own billionaire class and focus on policies, not pronouns that deliver tangible results they can feel in their daily lives. Healthcare should have been front and center. Alleviating the cost of Healthcare would remove a proverbial foot on the neck of most Americans. PS they didn’t vote against healthcare, Trump said that he would make it better. Why they believed him is because they were grasping for answers and the Dems just weren’t up to the fight.
Dems have been frightened for the past fifty years, of accusations that they're part of the "red scare". This fear that came out of the 1950s has obliterated the left. This is why, as you say, "the Dems just weren't up to the fight." Even the terms, communism and socialism aren't being used as much any longer because so many people don't know what the words mean. Do you know the difference between the two? There IS a difference and I learned it in 9th grade social science. I also learned to separate them from the word, "totalitarianism" thanks to Scandinavia.
Sad.
Michael, let me observe that there are approximately 244 million eligible voters in the U.S. (U.S. News & World Report). Of these, 77,284,000 voted for trump, which amounts to 31.7% of eligible voters. Presumably, few of these voters want universal healthcare, higher taxes on the wealthy, or tighter gun controls, since the Republican ticket has doggedly denied any of these as viable policy choices. That leaves 68% of Americans who must be the ones who desire those benefits. The fact is that about 38% of those didn't even bother to vote, to make a choice to potentially stave off their complete ruin. They just don't know enough to choose life over death. As for base Republican voters since 1968, they are notorious for voting in favor of their own destruction.
When people are asked about specific policies, their answers indicate they are to the left but when they vote, they vote for people who will never pass those policies. Painting politicians as radical leftists or socialists seems to work for the republicans.
Parties will disappoint everyone, as long they see their function as a mill of donations.
Trump should not buy Greenland, but use the money to buy popular democracy...
He doesn’t want it, and the Danes will not give up Greenland. I heard part of his speech before Turning Point, and it’s obvious he and his audience are living in unreality.
Unfortunately, I could see him wanting to start a war against Denmark to get it, and they are a NATO ally. What has he been smoking, crack?
Of course Kathy, he is an idiot. But the problem is politics and big money.
There should be limits in donations; that will mean that a financing system should be developed. Public media also need a mixed financing to ban big money or at least build a system where freedom can reign.
he just wants to grab attention and cause a stir. Distraction for thievery
trump can't buy Greenland, or the Panama Canal. He barely has money to buy the three apples he's always talking about. And he couldn't find the apples in a grocery store anyway. He thinks they sell them at Home Depot.
I don't think he eats apples. Does he even know where Greenland or Panama are?
I think we need to look at the enormous changes taking place in the world. Climate Change continues to raise the temperature as emissions remain high and rise. China with all it's past manufacturing for US global companies is now taking over world automobile manufacturing with their own companies, as Trump dreams about tariffs moving US manufacturing back to the US. It isn't going to work, the damage has been done, we can't catch up.
We continue to think that Trump won against Harris. Do the Math, Trump barely won because Evangelicals voted 24 million for Trump and 6 million for Harris. All due to abortion?? I doubt that it was due to respect for Trump, immigration, or hatred of 'wokeness'. If they had voted like the 122 million other voters, Harris would have won with a 12% margin.
If democrats want to win, they have to tell the truth about what is happening, and have a plan that makes sense. In addition, it wouldn't hurt to make our election process more sensible. Now, all votes in mostly Red or mostly Blue states don't matter at all, as long as the outcome is in agreement with the majority.
Now the presidential result is only determined in 'swing' states - characterized by about 50-50 red/blue voting. And in all cases, the votes of the loosing party in any state (except two), are thrown in the trash as all the electors go to the majority. Add to that dark money, the the US is going down the tubes.
And when a minority like the Evangelicals decides to vote in a block for a candidate that belongs in jail, they have to be called out, and the majority needs to counter that threat.
We need to get rid of unlimited "dark money" financing of elections, the electoral college system, and unethical, criminal Supreme Court Justices and lifetime appointments for all of them. We absolutely need to prioritize preventing further global warming and preventing the total immunity from prosecution of a criminal chief executive who willfully caused hundreds of thousands of deaths during the pandemic by refusing to adhere to the advice based on sound scientific evidence that he was urged to implement by medical and public health officials.
Absolutely spot on, Michael!
Yeah Michael. When you have established dems embracing neo-con repubs - ie the Cheneys - and fawning all over their newfound hero Liz; when you have established dems refusing to criticize the administration's stance on Israel in its war on Gaza and espousing the concept that criticism of Israel is akin to treachery - well then - where is the Democratic Party? It seems pretty clear it's not shifting leftward.
That's exactly what I was about to say. For “time to move to the centre” you can read “time to move to the right”. It's no better here in the UK. Tony Blair moved the Labour Party firmly to the centre and Keir Starmer is even more Blairite than Blair! That left the Lib-Dems as the most left-wing party until Nick Clegg sold out by going into coalition with Cameron and the Tories. The Lib-Dems got hammered at every election until this year's. The result of Blair's lurch to the right not only took the Labour Party to the centre/centre-right, it took the whole of British politics with it. Despite fourteen years of Tory corruption and misrule, the Labour Party only increased their share of the vote by 1.5% from Jeremy Corbyn's ‘disastrous’ 2019 result and that was with a concerted media hatchet job on him. When you take into account turnout, Labour's share of the vote actually decreased! When polls on Corbyn's policies were taken without mentioning him they received over 70% approval. When the same policies were asked about and attributed to him they got less than 30% 🤪. Ever since the fall of the Berlin wall and the collapse of the Soviet Union it's as if left-wing has become anathema to politicians, a dirty word. Yet when you total up the votes of left-wing parties against right-wing, the left-wing invariably has the bigger share. I'm convinced that Michael Moore was right when he said that a significant majority of people's sympathies are left-wing. We need to stop buying into the right-wing's propaganda, their claim that they represent the majority. The problem isn't that the Democrats or Labour are too left-wing, the problem left that so many of us have been left disenfranchised by the move to the right. I also believe that that's the reason behind people's disenchantment and disengagement with politics in general and that it's at the root of the polarization and support for Trump. He's seen by many as disestablishmentarian and they want to register their protest, however ignorant and foolhardy that judgement is: Trump may be a disrupter and anti the political establishment, but his wealth, privilege and his behaviour, especially his total disregard for decency (“Rules are for you plebs, not for me! I'm special, I can do whatever I want!”) clearly mark him out as part of the establishment elite.
I agree. The thing is, in the US, in addition to what we have seen in the UK, there is an institutional fear of anything remotely left. This goes back to the post-war era, the Cold War and the McCarthy Witch Hunts. The US fought two wars to prevent the spread of Communism.
As a result, they no longer really understood what extreme Left Wing policies look like. When I speak to the locals about things like “Nationalization”, it just doesn’t compute! They think having a single-payer healthcare is Communism!!!!
SMH
They have been seriously misinformed by Fox News and the rest of the wingnut media apparatus. As John Stoehr notes, we need to get the old guard of the DLC out, dump neoliberal economics, get rid of the out of touch pollsters and political consultants and start letting the new guard take over. Stoehr also notes Democrats should have been creating their own media apparatus to counter that of the wingnuts. These people still think we’re in the 1990s, we’re not, and we are on the verge of losing constitutional government for good. Mr. Clyburn seems to have forgotten we are in this mess in part due to Ford’s pardon of Nixon.
David Hogg had a Democratic political consultant shut him down when he tried to tell the consultant what is actually going on. The Democrats need to move over and listen to David Hogg, AOC and the other young people. They are far more in touch with the real wold than the old guard at the DNC. Unfortunately, until they start listening and making way, we will have evil people like Musk and Trump running things and preventing any real change. I fear we may experience two disasters ahead, an H5N1 bird flu pandemic (we have a very limited vaccine supply and an antivax maladministration coming in) and Great Depression 2.0 caused by unregulated cryptocurrency.
Agree neolberal economic policies need to be dumped big time.
The DNC prioritized chasing elusive Republican voters instead of prioritizing the Democratic base. 2024 was a carbon-copy of 2016.
Agree. Not an experienced strategist here, but my thoughts are that when a term becomes negatively associated with negative extremes, we need to move beyond the latest buzzword and describe these ideas with concrete examples of how these plans would assist the average person. Maybe sloganeering that most people cannot relate to does not work well in attracting voters. And once elected, the promises need to be enacted.
Yes, MargaretT and thanks! However, I suggest an additional step before going into the phase: "describe these ideas with..." - since I'm afraid your statement here has already lost the attention of many if not most modern-day readers (as mine might have also done).
Let's consider: KISS = Keep It Simple (and) Sincere.
Most people these days are accustomed to short bursts of information and lose interest in the message quickly if it doesn't immediately connect with their speeding brains.
That's why I suggest slogans like:
> "Progress is Our Most Important Purpose!"
> "Democratic Progressive Capitalism - which is fair and benefits everyone - is needed now!"
> "No one should go bankrupt because they get sick!"
And so forth...
Yes, was mainly offering ideas without expecting exact words to be used. I do not have much time to spend here, and better editing takes more time.
As you stated where Trump has said- I can do whatever I want!” clearly mark him out as part of the establishment elite. - I say, well of course, just ask "HIS" corrupt Supreme Court, they have effectively made him a King, hence declaring him, " Above the Law" as the right-wing Supremes, wipe their derrieres with the Constitution in favor of their unending defense of Trump, "their guy", a wannabe dictator.
😢 I was so happy for the UK when the Labour Party won until I read about how conservative they became! I wish people would learn from our mistakes!
Well, they've actually done some good things in their first six months and at least they're not as corrupt or anywhere near as bad as the Tories. Personally I voted Green but with our system they haven't got a snowball's chance in hell in my constituency, it's been a Labour seat since for ever. I will say that I have a lot of respect for my MP, whom I've met a couple of times. She's one of the good ones, doesn't seem the limelight and genuinely believes in public service.
There are still those of us who favor progressing with intelligence and respect for human rights and dignity and the rule of law and the recognition of well-established scientific facts.
That should be the center. And, in fact, there are still some Republicans who agree with these principles, which should not be controversial.
There are extremists who openly advocate the destruction of democracy. I find nothing witty or laughable about this and certainly not "hilarious". The Donald and the Musk-rat are not stand-up comedians, my friend.
I think you may well be one of us who are bold enough to call out the bovine fecal material like these leaders have done: Senators Warren and Sanders and former Cabinet member Reich who has provided this forum for civilized debate - for now anyway. But who knows how long this can survive?
Excuse me!? I thought u were asking for a "civilized debate", "respect... dignity", while calling Sanders, Warren and Reich "bovine fecal material" 🤔 😥👎 Yr rhetoric and name calling do not deserve my respect. As for yr arguments they can be debated in a truly civilized manner. BTW, I agree 1000% with Reich, Sanders and Warren who have consistently shown that they do care for the well-being and the interests of "We the People", defended the Constitution and the Democracy... 🙏🌹
The wording above was I believe meaning to say that we call out the BS like Sanders, Warren, and Reich do - he was not meaning to insult them.
Exactly.
I’m glad you clarified that reading, but it’s true that it is ugly phrasing.
Sorry, I need to start proofreading before I hit send. My mistake.
Frank - I only speak from a place of experience not from judgment! Can't count the times something similar has happened to me. 🙄 Relax - these forums can be quite the treacherous territory at times.
Just lack of grammatical awareness or perhaps just negligent proofreading - unfortunately. Demonstrates how we all can be misinterpreted by a misplaced comma or lack of one or something else when in actuality the intent was not meant to be nefarious.
You are right, I was in too much of a hurry.
I think you read it incorrectly. Sanders, Warren and Reich are NOT being called “bovine…”
Thanks for giving me the benefit of the doubt. I'll be more careful from now on - I hope.
My apologies - I was trying to say (as Dusty Miller points out here) that the Dems I mentioned have been boldly calling a stinking pile of manure exactly what it is...
I believe he's saying that those folks are calling it (BS) out, as their supporter, but i did have to read it twice.
Voted for Sanders in 2016
Ooops, my mistake. I agree with Reich, Sanders, and Warren also.
Absolutely DO NOT. They are the extremists, not you
I respect your right to disagree, Linda Amin, as I think you do. But, it was I that was not precise with the wording I originally used in this post. I have corrected it now. I agree with Warren, Sanders, and Reich. They are the ones who have been great leaders of progressives like me.
Politics is not "we or us", not left or right, but answering the question what nation we want to be: decent, honest, or richman's paradise...
Kathy, nice that you agree, but the problem is more than massive. We should rethink our divisions and the function of a new partysystem. That is quite a bit...
"What happened is during the whole neoliberal period, both parties shifted to the right, as well as the rest of the world. The political spectrum is broad but in an odd sense. The spectrum is basically from the center to the far extreme right, way off the spectrum. The Republican party, about 20 years ago, basically abandoned any pretense of being a normal political party. Distinguished, respected conservative commentator from the AEI, a conservative think tank, Norman Ornstein, described the Republican party as a radical insurgency, which has abandoned parliamentary politics. They don't want anything to happen. That's not a political party.
The Democrats shifted to the right as well. Today's mainstream Democrats are pretty much what used to be called moderate Republicans. They say moderate Republicans have disappeared. No they haven't. They're called Democrats. Somebody like Eisenhower would be considered way out on the left. --- Noam Chomsky, MIT, University of Arizona
So true. The neoliberal corporate duopoly has two right wings, basically.
The Problem with American Elections is 'Citizens United'... Special Interests have Complete Control... National Elections should be Publicly Funded, and Time Limited... This will not be easy... Any Clean-Up efforts will be opposed by a Herd-Of-Lawyers....
"We" laugh and chastize the Repubs for over-reacting or mis-accusing Dems for socialism, when they don't really know what (democratic) socialism is. But this is why Repubs win! Dems think they own hearts and minds of reasonable, rational people. But that genre like Elvis have. . "left the building." Our society has become short-minded. We don't teach/read history, and we forget what happened years. . months ago. So we're doomed to repeat ourselves. Fear mongering works with a society that's under-paid, and over-charged, and denied gov't services like health care. A frustrated electorate will grab the tip of a sword to seek any kind of "change" in hopes it brings relief.
Hilarious, maybe, but it's what the RW has worked on for 40 years, and especially since Newt. If the left was 0 and the right is 20, the middle is 10. If the right is now 100. The middle should still be 10 and not moved to 50. But every time the RW moved to uncontrolled authoritarian fascism, the left feels the need to follow rather than maintain its principles. And are elected Democrats, mainly, are corporate-based just like the Republicans. Progressive tax strategy, gun control, legalized abortion, promoting a fair community, universal health care is what we should fight for.
Paul, you need glasses of the highest prescription….🙄🙄🙄
This forum appears full of hard-left socialists - are these folks not Democrats?
That’s my point. They are not hard-left or really Socialists. Sure, compared to the rest of the American political spectrum, they are at the left hand end, but that’s still central compared to REAL hard left politics!
Paul, I think they know exactly what they’re talking about, but it’s not what those words mean. They’re using them as boogeymen, knowing full well that their base doesn’t know what they mean but has been well trained to understand only that they are terrible, awful, scary things and to be very afraid. And since fear is so uncomfortable they turn that energy into anger. That’s been their game plan for at least 50 years.
Yes, but the problem is that Republican voters also have no idea what they are talking about, so believe Republican nonsense.
Exactly
Conservatives think that we have a far left, mid-left, and center. Similarly, when Dems accuse Republicans of promoting Fascism, they have no idea what they are talking about. Where Robert is correct, is in that government and politics have been corrupted. The obvious part of that which is not stated, is that it has happened under the watch of both parties; recently, moreso under democratic presidencies. Anyone who thinks politicians care about the middle class or poor is not paying attention.
What is John Fetterman, the next Joe Manchin?
Manchin is and always has been a Republican mole.
Manchin isn't a mole. He's just a 1940's Democrat trying to stay relevant in West Virginia. Its worked for him till now. But he can't continue.....he's simply too old with old ideas.
Terry--Right now my thought has support from 15 others who feel as I do, where you are the only objection. I stand by what I said. Also, that Sinema was his partner in crime.
Manchin wanted to protect his personal coal interests.
Manchin has raped WVA with his coal connections. Cutting down mountain tops and destroy the natural geology, so water runs tailings and heavy rivers into what were natural settlements. Tailings of coal poison all it touches. Small farms destroyed so Monsanto can poison seeds , the entire Midwest , which was another WVA economy when they could feed themselves. Half of my family is from a gorgeous WVA valley. No economy now. Just tourism and regional schools, hours from the furthest town. Poverty into ignorance, wants.
All they want is to get rich! Manchin succeeded!
Manchin is already rich from years in politics.
@Kathy Hughes,
Please do not forget his daughter (I am reminded of the old adages: Like father, like son [daughter]" and The apple does not fall far from tgree." They are all crooks. Shameful! The real problem is with the "uneducated" and "unwise" masses. They seem to have an insatiable desire for masochistic whipping, all around. (Reminds you of some religions, does it not?) Ugh!
Sadly, Citizens United changed the political playing field so both parties go after corporate money to run campaigns. And to attract corporate money, views need to align with big business. The system itself handcuffs candidates who don’t court corporate donations. This last election is a case in point: Elon Musk’s humongous donations got Trump elected. And it was all legit. We know the political system is broken. Moving to the left, moving to the center, or to the right will not fix a broken system.
Wacked over the head with conservative money bags (like Sinema). That or he is afraid of all the T supporters in PA just like the conservatives are.
He is a traitor. He ran for office as a progressive and now shows his true colors!
Money 💰 and power corrupt
Fettermen is a loud mouth libertarian. Like you say, a turncoat.
Yes. What happened to Fetterman?? They say once you hit D.C. you are changed by the “machine” that needs to Go-
He claims he is putting country over party. It seems he is really putting his own ego and desire for publicity over party and country. And he apparently doesn't know that the election deception hush money case is a state court case, for which Biden has no power to pardon. Also, it's inappropriate for a U.S. senator to interfere in a court case, especially one in state court.
Sure looks like it, Mike!
He's more like the next Kirsten Sinema, who only served one term, and left the Democratic party to become a party of one. Fetterman won't be reelected.
Looks like it.
This CURRENT Comment of his SURE APPEARS that WAY. I hope NOT., We just got rid of Munckin and Cinnamon roll, (SINEMA)
Another mooching, loser piece of shit, masquerading to be the people's representative. This is the "mamafockker" for whom I fundraised, when he was running in the 2020 election, based on what he was saying. I feel stupid to have actively campaigned and fundraised for him. He is a goner in my opinion, next time around.
Fetterman cannot be trusted. He is a loose cannon.
He is not a "loose cannon" - just loose in his screws up his nonexistent noggin. (A loose cannon is okay, if that cannon fires in the right direction, at the right targets; no?)
Robert Reich is correct in calling out the Democratic party and it’s calls to “move to the center.“ For a long time Democrats have been moving to the right of Center and we have lost our right as Democratic voters to have a party that speaks on our behalf.
Once again, our two party system is giving me doubts about its long-term viability. Individuals in the Democratic party machinery are making decisions and policy choices that are not in line with Democratic values. Ever since the “knee capping“ of Bernie Sanders, I have never been an enthusiastic Democrat And now I’ve lost my trust in our supposedly Democratic system.
Finally, with the release of the report on the behavior of Matt Gaetz who was chosen to be our next top law enforcement official, I am losing any trust in the operations of the government. And now Donald Trump is demanding that the United States take over the countries of Panama and Greenland! Is there no end to this man’s arrogance?
Some participants on this forum have voiced opposition to the concept of changing our constitution. But what do we do when our treasured constitution is completely ignored by those in power? Without a system of governance that empowers “We The People” we will continue to see bad behavior on the part of the Democratic Party and outrageous behavior on the part of the Republican party . How much more proof do we need to consider a more effective form of governance? Apparently what we have seen and are soon to experience is not yet enough to motivate true patriots to take an important step into realigning the future direction of our country.
14th Amenment Section 3
No person shall be a Senator or Representative in Congress, or elector of President and Vice-President, or hold any office, civil or military, under the United States, or under any State, who, having previously taken an oath, as a member of Congress, or as an officer of the United States, or as a member of any State legislature, or as an executive or judicial officer of any State, to support the Constitution of the United States, shall have engaged in insurrection or rebellion against the same, or given aid or comfort to the enemies thereof. But Congress may by a vote of two-thirds of each House, remove such disability.
Daniel, When in March 2024 the U.S. Supreme Court struck down the Colorado Supreme Court’s ruling disqualifying Trump from office, SCOTUS, in my view, regrettably voided Section 3 of the 14th Amendment. In a word, we face an enormous challenge rebuilding our judicial system after years of Republican dominance.
NOT TRUE. SCOTUS accepted the fact finding but said that the provision did not apply to the states, leaving open the senate option. Not a criminal standard. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Trump_v._Anderson.
The primary proponents are law professors. like Laurence Tribe. Retired Cir Judge Michael Luttig. William Baude and Michael Paulsen from the Federalist Society.
From what I read, the drop-dead date to apply the 14th Amendment to Trump is Jan 20th. There's nothing in the 14th A about running for office or even getting elected. But taking office is prohibited. And if Roberts swears Trump in, then he becomes a co-conspirator. And with it we transit from a democracy to an autocracy.
Daniel, Thank you for the link correcting my misunderstanding. Still, though I wish it weren’t so, I imagine that enforcing, as warranted, Section 3 of the 14th would be a formidable undertaking.
Seal Team 6 ??
Terry, While the U.S. military, technically speaking, is our last guardrail, I don’t expect it would be deployed. Hence, it will be incumbent on us to maintain some amount of democracy until 2026 and achieve significant victories in the midterms—breaking MAGA’s hold on Congress and state legislatures prior to our entering the 2028 election cycle.
Tempting as it is, I don't think it would solve the problem. The backlash would be horrific. Maybe if they could make it appear to be "natural causes"? A "special sauce" on his Big Mac? 😂😎💀
At a minimum, it would force negotiation.
It’s obvious trump is guilty of insurrection (and aiding it). But has trump officially been found guilty of insurrection? And if not, can this happen by Jan 20th? He’s already been found guilty of those 34 felonies which include something about deceiving voters, right? Is that not a form of insurrection?
Ruthie, The count on which Trump was found guilty was election interference which is not synonymous with insurrection. My advice is that we use this interregnum to organize with others in our communities who also are called to safeguard democracy and protect both our most vulnerable communities and our planet. As for me, I have chosen to start a local Indivisible chapter and join in the nationwide effort (including Indivisible’s 3000+ chapters) to develop action plans for trying to ensure the policies MAGA aims to establish federally do not conflict with a person’s freedoms and rights within states.
I think these judges are correct.
IMHO the logic in Anderson was irrational.
Can you explain this? I am not familiar with the case. What I am thinking of is that even though Judge Luttig is conservative, he is absolutely correct in his statements that Donald Trump is a profound danger for our polity.
SCOTUS can't read anymore. There was no valid reason to decide states, who control elections, cant apply the Constitution.
Here's a law professor's take. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gOXsuiyWu4w
Right u are 👍 That any judge in ANY court up to SCOTUS can openly show, act and decide according to her/his political views is simply mind blowing to me. Can anyone explain to me why on earth is the symbol of Justice blindfolded? In any civilized country, where Justice matters (... hmmm 😒...), well at least where there are some safeguards, the judges have to be NEUTRAL and are not allowed to express their political affiliation, for heaven sake!!!
That's why justice is supposed to be blind, to avoid prejudices and biases, most obviously and literally those based on appearance. You've heard the expression “Love is blind” indicative of the fact that love blinds is to a persons faults? The blindness of justice is similar, hiding what we may well performed as faults, e.g. an “I love Trump” t-shirt or a swastika tattoo or for some people any tattoo . If you can't see the colour of a person's skin you can't make racist assumptions about them. You can't be swayed by how smartly or untidily dressed someone is or how attractive they are, make assumptions about their wealth or poverty based on their appearance. We all make a huge number of assumptions based on appearance, if not consciously then subconsciously, especially on attractiveness. Research has shown time and again that attractive people are perceived as kinder, more pleasant, are more trusted and treated more leniently than unattractive ones. Basically attractive people are generally treated more favourably. Being attractive gives them considerable advantages over the unattractive, however regrettable we may find that fact. Really, the blindfold is symbolic of the impartiality and fairness of justice in general. She's also usually depicted holding a set of scales ⚖️ and a sword 🗡️. I won't elaborate on those. Suffice to say balancing the evidence and cutting to the truth 🙂. I hope that answers your question.
Despite Roberts pretenses he is a man of probity, he is presiding over a profoundly corrupt court. The Supreme Court will require another branch of government to regulate its behavior. Federal Article III and non-Article III judges (bankruptcy) judges and state court justices and judges are required to obey specific codes of ethical conduct. There is no reason the Supreme Court should be immune from similar enforceable rules of ethical conduct. Quite frankly, there is a sufficient amount of evidence to impeach Justices Alito and Thomas for their acceptance offers gifts from people with business before the court. The problem is that we do not and will not have the votes to impeach in the House or to convict in the Senate.
Roberts' wife is a legal recruiter who creates confilcts every time a client is hired by a firm that appears before him. If he were a Cir judge or aa DC judge he'd be the subject of an investigation.
Last year, he issued an order boostrapping the judicial code.
The judicial conference is genrally hell on wheels on conflicts. Forced Trump's sister to resign rather than face scrutiny.
https://www.uscourts.gov/administration-policies/governance-judicial-conference
https://www.pbs.org/newshour/politics/trumps-sister-retires-from-the-bench-negating-judicial-ethics-complaints
Always great, valid info. Thank you.
THANK YOU BARBARA JO
Frank, Please note that Daniel corrected a misconception on my part.
THANK YOU, DANIEL
Losing trust? I've lost it. While Democrats have accomplished some good things, they didn't attack the things that are perverting our country: Citizens United still stands. Politicians are breaking laws right and left and getting away with it. The Electoral College is still putting Republicans in power despite losing the popular vote. SCOTUS is full of corruption and the bad judges are still there. I'm fed up with the whole mess.
So am I
Support our next Constitutional Amendment. Voters of both parties agree with bipartisan campaign finance reform. The “We The People Amendment” gets big money out of politics and prevents the billionaires from having undue influence in government.
https://www.movetoamend.org/
The system is too ingrained to overturn the 2-party system. Congress is built around it.
Why do you say that the system is bad when it’s Trump making the outlandish nominations and ridiculous statements? The problem with the system is that the founders did not account for the tremendous power of the media to sway the voters for a demagogue like Trump. They thought the voters would reject someone as dishonorable as him.
But our recent past - the Bushes, Reagan, and now Trump - prove that scoundrels can win as long as they are good manipulators of the media.
.... and as long as they have a lot of money. Billionaire meddling is causing all kinds of problems, because too many people are willing and able to accept a basket of cash in return for favors and looking the other way.
And the GOP manipulation will continue until the fairness in media act is restored and enforced.
Some Midwest states have no Progressive news media but they do have several Fox entertainment channels. Sorry, I ment Fox news.
Scary times. Nobody’s got the balls to counter trump. He’s a bully. Needs to be slapped down, so to speak. Ugh
Marc, Because safeguarding self-governance is rooted in both our Declaration of Independence and our Constitution, while I repeatedly have urged we amend portions of the Constitution, I, presumably along with many others, would oppose a rewriting of it. Hence our fear of being only a handful of states shy of calling for a Constitutional Convention.
Your concern is justified, Barbara.
When calls to change the system for the better in a effectual way are ignored isn't trying to change the system in this way tantamount to gaslighting? Because that what it feels like. Believe in the system as it is. Support a party that doesnt support you. As long as it is non-violent I am open to new ideas as the current system is so corrupted by big money that it refuses to budge.
Democracy, unlike autocracy, depends on our elected officials acting in good faith, regardless of what the Constitution says. And that depends, to some extent, on the public paying attention to what they are doing in office and voting accordingly.
Marc, agreed but what next?
I think that the political party should be reinvented. It is nothing when it only finances the election of types like Gaetz, Trump and the like. It will not stimulate political participation when you get 30 seconds to speak in a rally.
The system is in disorder, so start local to make people resume their parties; then follow up with banning big money.
I think what we do is not to move to the center but rather to decentralize, In fact that is what is going to happen in that the nation state government is totally dysfunctional. The progressive states need to band together work as a decentralized entity or DXO with progressive agendas and let the red states and MAGA have their way. And in fact artificial general intelligence will demand rational and logical choices will have a major negative impact on those red states
I agree that the Constitution needs to be amended. But trying to amend it now when the inmates are running the asylum could be disastrous. They will have a say and could actually get some dangerous poison pills inserted into the Constitution.
When we do amend it, we should seriously consider getting rid of the first-past-the-post voting that allows for a plurality and not an actual majority. If a majority isn't reached, there needs to be a runoff election with the top candidates only. This would encourage third parties and would lesson the iron-grip that the current two PRIVATELY HELD parties have on our electoral process.
And obviously, the Electoral College has to go because it just isn't workable and is skewing representation towards a few undecided voters in a few states.
The Democrats are doing the same thing over and over and expecting a different result. It is disheartening and at this point normalized.
The definition of insanity is doing the same thing over and over again and expecting a different result!!!
True Marc....The right wing has diabolically damaged the psyche of Dems by pushing/threatening Democrats to move to the right...& after the inevitable debacle/loss, the Dems debate why they've lost the working class. All the while MAGA laughs at them cruelly...mocking the Dems who have lost their convictions. FDR should be their guiding lite...not the loser (Move to the right) Ryan who lost his race against a JD Vance!
Diabolically damaged. I call B.S. they are afraid to lose their “power”. And Money. Damn. We need some real Americans to run this country. I think we do need to drain the Swamp
That includes corporate democrats!🤑🤢🤮
They Need to Stand up to the garbage?? Come on… No Excuses. None. They are pussies
The right is moving Dems to the center or the Dems billionaire donors?
I'm appalled by some of this stuff. The Trump enslaved GOP could not be more ripe for loud and constant attack. The blatant hypocrisy and downright fraudulent action by this diseased crop is on public display 24/7. Now is not the time to shut up or seek unity. You want us to unite with this?! You don't hold hands with somebody trying to kill you.
Yes, plus a Russian attack on our sovereignity.
Do we take it lying down? Stand up, Joe!
The Constitution states that federal law is the supreme law of the land. Donald Trump keeps saying "let states decide," Isn't this insurrection?
Exactly! Unity is not going to work for we the people at this late stage of our so called Democracy. It hasn't actually existed in politics for decades now. About time everyone catches up.
Hypocrisy among Republcans has been called out since the Clinton/Gingrich years.
Today’s newsletter underscores why I am writing every DNC voting member in my state to urge them to endorse Wisconsin Democratic Chair Ben Wikler for DNC Chair. Unlike the other candidates who, in my view, would perpetuate the status quo in national politics, Wikler would firmly position Democrats as advocates for working families across the country. He also would focus on improving the Party’s messaging—training and deploying effective communicators to reach voters on every platform, in every place.
I hope others will join me in seeking endorsements from their states’ DNC voting members.
I have done the exact same thing, Barbara Jo! I truly believe Ben Wikler could be that voice we all need to hear to bring us together!
Peggy, I appreciate you writing and simply would add that Wikler would infuse new ideas, vision, and energy into a mostly fundraising institution largely driven by the big-money interests of billionaires, large corporations, and Wall Street. Clearly, our Party cannot truly represent working people if it is unwilling to challenge these powerful donors.
I agree with you completely, Barbara Jo!
And David Hogg as second in command.
Fawn, I unequivocally would endorse Hogg as Vice Chair.
I like David Hogg as a person and I know nothing about his politics other than anti-gun. I do not think he has the life and political experience as does Wikler for such an important position. We need one of Bernie’s committed supporters in DNC leadership to make sure working class , medicare4All, big money pays their fair taxes, etc
@Phelpsmediation, Were you to review the records of the young, courageous candidates that Hogg has advanced since co-launching, in 2023, the grassroots PAC “Leaders We Deserve,” you’d have a clearer sense of his politics. For some context, said candidates very much mirrored Rep Maxwell Frost (FL-10), who, in 2018, co-founded with Hogg “March For Our Lives.”
Sean, While I wholly subscribe to your astute analysis, I would note that in January 2022 both Biden’s “Build Back Better” and “Freedom to Vote: John R. Lewis Act” stalled in the Democratically-controlled Senate due solely to Joe Manchin and Kyrsten Sinema.
I imagine you recall that most of BBB that qualified under reconciliation requiring only 50 Senate votes, with VP Harris casting the tie breaking vote, fell short by two—Manchin & Sinema. The same occurred when through a procedural maneuver the Senate was able to hold a vote to reform the filibuster, thus allowing voting rights legislation eventually to move to the floor for an up or down majority vote. Again, Manchin and Sinema voted with the 50 Republicans to block the filibuster reform measure.
My point is that at every turn Manchin and Sinema blocked every bold initiative, allowing only edited-down versions of BBB to pass and become law. Accordingly, only a trifecta that doesn’t include the likes of a Manchin & Sinema would allow for passage of legislation that truly represents working people.
Professor Reich: isn't Gerry Connolly dying from throat cancer?
and what IS IT with nancy pelosi and AOC? and Jasmine Crockett? in view of nancy's nastiness (at times) towards obama when he was president, it makes me wonder if nancy is a closet racist?
truly, the USA is now an oligarchic authoritarian gerontocracy: a country of the rich white men, by the rich white men, for the rich white men, whilst the rest of us can go pound sand. it's utterly shameful.
Nancy P enriched herself in Congress. She’s a symptom of Old Guard oligarchy. Party of rich old men..and women.
Well, ok, but how many women are there in Congress? Our country is still ruled by old rich white guys apparently afraid of empowering women.
Remember the old say, Power is never given, it's taken. Women voters outnumber men voters.
We do need more women in political leadership and as with the men we elect we meed the right women not just women for numbers.
Past time to money out of politics including Israeli lobby.
And putting our hard earned money toward things like Universal Healthcare Childcare and a better public transportation system to get off oil once and for all!💀👿
ESPECIALLY AIPAC.
What are we going to do about this regrettable situation? I say let's not waste too much energy on merely complaining about it and thinking of new labels to hang on the people we need to wake up and join us. Let's re-direct that energy into practical action.
I've read down this far in the Comments and not once has there been a mention of the Dems success in getting that Continuing Resolution passed without all the crap proposed by Mump. Not a word about getting Citizens United overturned. All the focus seems to be on beating up the Democrats when it should be on fixing the elements causing our current situation. We have a "social" media system that operates on selling lies that needs to be cleaned up. The House margin is so slim right now that it is ripe for getting Dem stuff into bills that need to be passed that they can move the needle just by denying Rep votes to pass anything at all.
Yes, write state and federal legislators but harp on Citizens United and cleaning up social media. Neither of these are easy fixes, but we are loud enough and numerous enough, maybe something will move.
Frank, you have taken the words out of my mouth. It is time to look at deep and profound changes in our government. Blaming the Democrats for their ineptitude and name-calling will not bring forward meaningful solutions such as Economic Democracy.
Nice phrase, “Economic Democracy.” I hope that you mean by that, raising taxes on the plutocrats and moving toward a real “safety net” breaking up of current monopolies, and moving to… let’s call it “Universal Medicare.”
Yes, I agree, let’s get off our collective asses and do something. I include myself. I feel overwhelmed at the enormity of the challenges. I have written letters to the President and my Congress member, have represented my teachers Union, pledged donations, marched for gun control, immigration rights, but need to identify meaningful ways I can do more.
If substack forum members could share important ways they are bringing about progressive change, and resist trump, I’d lo hear your voices.
GrrlScientist, I follow you because I like how you think. I hope it is OK to communicate frankly.
Nancy Pelosi is one of 56 politicians and the only woman who has held the role of Speaker of the House of Representatives. The Speaker is the de facto head of their party. By all accounts she and Tip O'Neil rank at the top of the seven best Speakers' of the House in the history of America. The best Speakers have the ability to get the votes needed to advance their party's legislative agenda, to win elections, to keep the party united and yes, to raise money for building the party and winning elections. Speaker Pelosi excelled at all of these tasks. After thanking President Obama for Obamacare, Speaker Pelosi deserves thanks for ushering Obamacare into law and fighting off more than 30 attempts by the GOP to repeal it. Repeal Obamacare was the GOP mantra for years. I believe Speaker Pelosi gave up the gavel to Rep. Jeffries to ensure 'a peaceful transfer of power' to a younger generation of Democrats, a wise decision. That said, politics, including intra party politics, is not for the feint of heart. Extraordinarily tough decisions are part of the process. A great leader requires a steel rod for a spine in order to stay true to one's values and principles. I understand that at times of failure, there is a demand for answers, accountability, a new direction, etc; but please let's not turn on our own in the process. To be clear, we must only talk about what we know to be factual.
While I agree with you that I'm the pay she was amazing, for the past several years, she has been a complete asshole! What she just did to AOC is inexcusable! We should be supporting the younger generations, not undermining them! I think Nancy's her ego get in the way.
*in the past
*I think Nancy's let her ego
cindy: i recognize and stand in awe of nancy pelosi’s long and successful reign as speaker of the house. but i am gobsmacked by her sabotaging AOC’s own recent run for a democratic leadership role. i realize nancy will never explain her motives to mere mortals such as, well, all of us, but i am still completely confused why she would oppose a young and brilliant 3X congress member such as AOC for a leadership role. (i still remember when, during AOC’s first term, she was openly questioning the value of participating in the congress and was contemplating leaving for a career in something else.)
Agree that her response to AOCs run is inexplicable and a shame. It was the closet racist comment that really bothered me.
What I know to be factual is Pelosi’s politics have been neoliberal, her power came from raising $$$$$$ from the wealthy and corporate lobbyists, and for her campaign financial support she demanded loyalty. Often the money she raised was used to defeat or try to defeat progressive democrats like AOC, etc!
Big money in politics is a loathsome fact but a fact nevertheless. I dispute your claim that Pelosi 'often' used donations from big money to defeat progressive Democrats. Proof please. Of the top 10 billionaire families, two donated to Democrats. Of the $2 billion raised by the top 10 PACS, roughly $180 million went to Democrats. Only 185 Democrat candidates and 2 Republican candidates pledged not to take big money. Until Congress legislates to control campaign spending, corporate and wealthy contributors will have an outsized role in elections. I believe government should be the main funder of campaign funds, divided equally between both parties and small donations should be limited in size.
Cindy, I guess you have a convenient memory loss. It was under Pelosi, when AOC first ran, that the DNC, which she controlled, started blackballing campaign directors and others that worked for progressive democrats who were challenging the old guard neoliberals that were Pelosi’s in group.
Point well taken. Fact: Nancy P. has profited handsomely by inside trading. $1.25 million in Tesla stock (2021),Paul gained $4m in Nvidia stock (2024), making 20 times her salary in one day. He faced widespread criticism for the timing of the trade. Numerous comments on this substack have railed against Citizen’s United, as well as Robert Reich himself.
As de facto head of the Democratic Party, some introspection wouldn’t hurt her after the 2024 election.
Only two examples of Nancy and Paul Pelosi's conflict of interest. There are many others
Including a Paul P Visa stock dump, based on policy or impending DOJ lawsuit against VISA,
see : Nancy Pelosi stock tracker (on X)
Very sad!
Moving to the so-called 'centre' just means passive stagnation.
The two-thirds of Americans who DIDN'T vote for Trump want the Democrats to stand for something, so there is a reason to vote Democrat.
There must be a generational change if the Democrats are to regain the support of the majority of Americans who feel alienated from the current state of politics.
Back in 1930s Germany, under Nazi rule, there arose a phenomenon that contemporary historians have dubbed "leaning towards Hitler". By this was meant the tendency of senior state and party officials to anticipate Hitler's policies on any given issue, in particular regarding the campaign to exterminate the Jews, so that the Führer's intentions were carried out without him needing to voice them or commit them to paper.
What we are now witnessing in America, even before the president-elect assumes office, is a mass movement of GOP and business leaders "leaning towards Trump". It will end badly.
An extremely important observation and wake up call.
One tactic that may help is Germans were prosecuted post WW2 for deconstructing justice and lawful behaviors during hitlers reign of terror. US Congressfolk, anyone else involved could be held to account , if we ever get to a just country .
True and shameful! It cannot end well.
Thank you, again and again. We keep forgetting our sorry history as well as our PROUD history as Democrats. And moving to the 'center' in the Trump era? Complete disaster...as if the nation weren't already staring down the apocalypse.
Light reading, the word apocalypse actually comes from ancient Greek, and not from the Bible. Here is the definition:
The Greek word apokálypsis (ἀποκάλυψις) means "revelation", "uncovering", or "disclosure". It comes from the Greek words apo- meaning "off" and kalýptein meaning "to cover".
Based on the original meaning of apocalypse, we are not simply staring down its throat, but we are definitely in the apocalypse. What is freaking us out is the uncovering of so much corruption, greed and malintent that has been covered over until this point where it can no longer be ignored. So, in this sense, apocalypse is a blessing for we cannot fight the cancer in our government until it has been fully uncovered.
Oh heavens. Yes, even better....I'd still prefer that we had staggered on under that bold, strong, smart woman. But it didn't happen that way.
I just finished your video “Economic Myths Debunked”.
Outstanding! Every average working American needs to watch it and share it with others. In order to form a more perfect union average working Americans need to Unionize in order to regain their collective bargaining power.
More democracy in the economic sphere. The desperate need for checks and balances there too.
👏👏👏👏👏👏👏👏👏
Thank you Sean. That defines exactly how we got to this point. The rich are guilty of GREED, gluttony and corruption. It has taken over our government. Especially the GOP. Unions are all the working class have left to fight them with, for their proverbial piece of the pie!
Agreed - going to the center at this time is pure cowardice
The only positions are fascism or democracy ….center ,left ,and right are bullshit muddled abstractions that confuse everyone in the country let’s call the situation what it is ! I’m
That’s a good point. Unfortunately, but maybe also fortunately, the Democrats span such a wide range of positions on most of the issues and are basically anti-authority so it makes it hard to unify solidly around issues the way the Republicans do.
Basically what we’ve got now in MAGA and the Republicans who allowed them to take over is a mirror of the dark underbelly in America- they’re the shadow side of what we once strove for in the 60s, 70s.
The Democratic Party is already there and has been there on so many issues since Clinton pushed NAFTA and destroyed the party’s union/working class base in the rust belt swing states. Obama care was a bandaid to stop the push for M4All. Our tax dollars pay billions to heath insurance companies under ACA which continues their ability to have claims adjusters override doctors decisions and deny claims. They still have 30 % overhead, compared to most national plans that have between 7-12 %, which pays for giant executives salaries and bonuses and the tens of thousands of claim deniers which has no healing power and often causes death of a life with pain and/ of disability.
I know. I guess I was thinking relatively- basically no more moving toward their positions. When Obama kept trying to compromise with the Republicans on health care I was no no no, these people are not and never will be your friend- no matter what we offer they’ll just keep taking more and more. So we ended up with the ACA instead of a single payer plan. (And when he came out to announce it, for a moment Tricky Dick’s face flashed over his and I knew he’d compromised. I’m sure the White House is loaded with the ghosts of former presidents).
Sorry for the typos at the end.
My goodness! This message nailed it, Mr. Reich. Thank you! Time to climb the nearest hill, soap box, dais… for starters, a re-stack. Thank you for this clarion call that speaks truth and backs it up with a sorry history which we must heed. Thank you!
We are most effective when we’re on the left. The old guard needs to be replaced. I am one of the old farts so I speak from experience, time for my peers to move aside for the next generation AOC should be leading. Pelosi needs to back out of it. My party is insane. It keeps doing the same thing and expecting a different outcome. Come on Democrats this is the 21st-century 20th century politics don’t work anymore.
We need a new party! A party that will represent the working class and bring the government back to the people. We need Economic Democracy. We need to involve young and old people alike and bring the focus back to opportunity, freedom, equality, and inclusion. We need young leaders who are among the service workers, healthcare workers, teachers, drivers, and not CEOs, bankers, real estate moguls, or celebrities. What has been needs to change. The Democratic Party AND certainly the Republican Party are steeped in corruption and greed. An economic and social upheaval will come.
Patricia, I completely agree with all of your points. While the current chaos continues and gets worse, we need to rely on those who can see a clear path forward out of this mess. A new egalitarian form of democracy, such as Economic Democracy needs to be studied and potentially adopted as our current two party democracy self-destructs. and devolves into Kleptocracy supported by our rising class of oligarchs.
You are correct in saying that something like "Economic Democracy" might be beneficial to use as a label for progressing toward sane practicalities, but I prefer the term, "Progressive Capitalism" (which is based in democracy) that Nobel-laureate Joseph J. Stiglitz (who is in my mind "liberal") used fairly recently in a guest opinion published in WAPO titled "Time is up for neoliberals" but I'm concerned that the term "neoliberal" is not well-understood by many people. Although I am not an expert, I believe it refers to what most would understand to be "extreme ultra-conservative capitalists". It seems to me that "Democratic Progressive Capitalism" might be an even better term to use that would be more readily understood by the majority of people.
I agree with your point that the labels used .....by everyone .....are generally not understood. Maybe Prof Reich could dedicate one of these sessions/videos to explaining the economic and political labels used. I'm not even sure that everyone agrees on 'left' and 'right' .
Yes whatever term works. I just finished the Stiglitz book The Road to Freedom. In fact, he was a guest of mine to our little advocacy group. I asked him out of the blue, and I'll be damned, he accepted. He does the same with other no account little groups in Africa and anywhere.
One advantage of "economic democracy" is that it doesn't have the "tainted" word "progressive" in it. The RW would struggle to make "economic" a dirty word.
Neoliberalism has been the chief guiding philosophy of liberals and conservatives in American politics, to one degree or another, not just ultra-conservatives. Until Biden's Presidency.
I post here the CO-Pilot AI list of chief neoliberal tenets/policy. In his book Stiglitz gives the progressive democracy policies that run counter to each neoliberal policy.
"Neoliberalism is a political and economic philosophy that emerged in the late 20th century, advocating for free-market capitalism, deregulation, and reduction in government spending. Here are some major policies associated with neoliberalism:
Privatization: Selling off state-owned enterprises and services to private entities to increase efficiency and reduce public sector deficits.
Deregulation: Reducing government intervention in the economy, especially in industries like finance, to promote competition and innovation.
Tax Reforms: Implementing tax cuts, particularly for corporations and the wealthy, to encourage investment and economic growth.
Trade Liberalization: Removing trade barriers such as tariffs and quotas to foster international trade and investment.
Labor Market Flexibility: Reducing regulations on hiring and firing practices, and weakening labor unions to increase the flexibility of the labor market.
Fiscal Discipline: Implementing austerity measures to control public spending and reduce budget deficits.
Monetary Policy: Emphasizing low inflation and stability by controlling the money supply and interest rates, often through independent central banks."
Good luck on your book.
I think that we can revitalize the Democratic Party.
I hope you are not advocating for a violent revolution when you use terms like "a new party!" and "economic and social upheaval." I'm concerned that this rhetoric can be used by the real extremists to keep repeating their false propaganda that there is an epidemic of advocates for socialism that plays into the fears of millions of people, because they are busy trying to work to survive and thrive, who don't spend a lot of time investigating the right-wing's cattle-excrement.
Let's all join together no matter what age, gender, or other labels for groups of people one might use. At our roots we are all equal and the diversity in our branches is beautiful and healthy. "It is not our differences that divide us but our inability to recognize, respect, and celebrate those differences." Audre Lorde
I don’t read this as a call for violence, but the Republicans will definitely lie to their followers that it is a call for violence.
Join your local Democratic Party and renew it. Or join a Third Party that gets powerful enough to move the Democrats left again.
From your lips to God's ear, Patricia! I have been talking about a new party that actually DOES represent us since the beginning of this past campaign! Young and Old with the young leading the way and the old infusing their knowledge and wisdom. That would be a party I would join asap!
THANK YOU Patricia James!
Once beer becomes skunky it doesn't matter how you chill it the taste is offensive. Trump will never change, and neither will he alter his agenda. My opinion of that anti-American can't be purchased. He stands as the preverbal bad apple in our barrel. Merry Christmas to all good-hearted Americans everywhere.
I am so sick and tired of Democratic leadership. If Bernie Sanders, Elizabeth Warren, AOC, and what's left of the squad decided to form a Progressive party, I would go with them.
I would too, but I prefer a realignment of the Democratic party.
Me, too!