What it really comes down to is how can we change society based on a vision of creating more wellbeing for the vast majority of people in our country and around the world? "Demanding" a progressive agenda is part of the answer, but of course there's more. Few if any elected officials can lead the change because they're far too dependent …
What it really comes down to is how can we change society based on a vision of creating more wellbeing for the vast majority of people in our country and around the world? "Demanding" a progressive agenda is part of the answer, but of course there's more. Few if any elected officials can lead the change because they're far too dependent on money, media, and public perception shaped by wealthy influencers. I think we all know who that leaves. Changing how and what people think happens one person at a time and we all have a role to play.
Your point is well-made, Peter. Many of us are overwhelmed at the complex challenges we face– politically, economically, psychologically, physically that all results in mass confusion, noisy debates as we all continue treading in the mud puddle and getting nowhere besides anticipating the results of the coming election. what seems to be driving this is collective fear of the results of the coming election and it's aftermath. That is why you are correct in urging us to get back to the basics just as human life begins with a minuscule cell dividing, so must we strategize one person at a time by speaking to friends, acquaintances, and any who will listen to the need to do the right thing with our lives for the sake of all of us.
I try not to demand specific choices from others. Each of us gets to ask ourself how can I make the biggest difference? How can I draw other people to join me? For me finding peace within, learning from others to become well informed, and demonstrating kindness and compassion feels important. Often it seems the more one side pushes against, the more the other side pushes back.
How long do I expect...? I see changes occurring but also that it happens slowly. I think Trump and many Republicans will be defeated because they don't represent what most people want: honesty, integrity, fairness, and compassion. Reigning in Wall Street will take longer and needs to be done in a way that is seen as fair without punishing people for playing by the rules. As I see it "Bidenomics" is starting to grow the economy "from the bottom up and the middle out" and also benefit the wealthy. Supply side crony capitalism has not really been good for the economy. The evidence is there, it's just a matter of time for more people to cognize the reality.
War still doesn't work. What's different now is that instead of jumping to join in, more countries and leaders are looking for ways to contain the conflict or de-escalate.
Well said. It is difficult to converse with someone who merely lobs a challenge without substantiating the challenge or offering an opinion to counter what is being challenged.
Actually, AT THIS POINT, we will all benefit if we do NOT let Republicans take the White House or Congress in November. We will all benefit if we vote blue.
Absolutely, even though Democrats make huge mistakes, they are not trying to undo our entire government and usher in an autocracy.
OH, yes, disagree with Dems and point out where they are going astray. That’s a good thing, and we need to keep it up way past just the election, so we can get some things addressed that badly need addressing.
Don’t for a minute, though, think Republicans would do better — especially not in this day and age.
Couple of questions or you, Janet:
1. You watched Obama sell out to Wall Street? Do you mean the bailout that was voted in by Republicans in the Bush administration {which for the record BROUGHT ON the crash of 2008, before Obama ever set foot in office}, and that bailout was passed on to Obama in his first months in office, with no provisions made to help homeowners or other non-rich people? Do you mean there was no money in that REPUBLICAN-CREATED recovery package for homeowners whose lives were upended by the Financial Industry, which then tried to put all the blame on those very homeowners for taking out loans that the Financial Industry perverted ….? You mean that? {Hint: that was a Right Wing contrivance!}
Now, I DO think Obama had too many Wall Street types in his administration and on his cabinet, and I say it all the time. Criticizing Democratic heroes is not a bad thing. But to get literally ANYTHING done on health care, Obama had to give in to Republican demands that the plan include prerogatives for the insurance industry, and STILL the Rs did not vote for it!! Do you mean THAT when you criticize him?
If you mean something else, be specific, please …
2. Bill Clinton DID sell out to the bankers on welfare reform. Ostentatiously and horribly. I hate that and criticize him all the time. That and on criminal justice changes he made that were horrendous. AND YET, you said Clinton sold out TO the people on welfare. Did you mean he betrayed people on welfare and sold them out? Because he did NOT provide poor people with anything of value, nothing that hard-working poor people deserve …He did no sell out TO them!
So, was that a misstatement? Or, if you meant it, please be specific.
BECAUSE, sure it’a fine to criticize how the Dems are handling things—- but how about you do it accurately, with some specifics, and some thoughts on what they could have done better.
Otherwise, you just come off like a crank or a troll. I don’t think you want to sound that way.
Instead of a 600 page monster of ACA. All it took was athree word change to the Medicare enabling legislation and that is "eligible at birth"
Voila, problem solved, but Rahm Emanuel, a neo liberal and privatizer, did not allow any single payor advocates into the White House when discussions about the ACA were going on and neither did Nancy Pelosi allow any debate.
There is a reason, the Association of Health Insurance Providers(AHIP) are deep pockets, as is PhRMA.
Money talks, politicians walk. And the problem is compounded because most congress critters have investment portfolios, with insurance and PhRMA stocks, not to mention insider trading.
Nancy and Barak excluded single payor from imput and discussions.
All the most-heard voices dissed single payer health insurance -- until Bernie got a voice -- even people who should have known better dissed it.
I agree there was not full-throated support of a health care system that wan't based on for-profit care and insurance companies.
I think Democrats MIGHT have heard reason if they had not been working for bi-partisanship with Republicans, but maybe I'm crazy.
I know that Democrats are not trying to dismantle the Constitution and usher in even greater migration of wealth to Oligarchs and bring us into a new age of Robber Barons and Autocrats.
The Heritage Societies template for changing our government, and their plan for next year {2025} are primary in my sights at the moment. ,
I ALWAYS make a point of pointing out {!!} that we can't only care about our government once every four years and expect anything to get better.
But we had better NOT try to get through the NEXT four years with the weight of Donald J. Trump and the Oligarchs dragging us under.
VOTE BLUE
And keep arguing your guts out to make the Dems and th Left better -- but Vote Blue.
You should absolutely disagree with them. I think most people here do. We have a lot of work to do to change them but it's difficult because this is essentially a conservative country. Doesn't mean we won't keep trying though.
I am doing other things though, just nothing that will affect Gaetz. I write letters and make calls. I also help keep people up to date on what's going on. This fall I plan to write tons of letters to voters. I always do that but this year my fingers are going to bleed.
Janet, I don't know from what source you are getting your "facts" but I would strongly suggest you broaden your sources. I'm quite sure none of us here on Substack would proclaim the Democrats a perfect party. What we do say is, don't let the MAGAts anywhere near the seat of government, then start working on the kind of party we want. Work to dethrone any legislator who is 'on the take' Strive to overturn 'Citizens United' and return to maximum $2500 per year per candidate - or better yet - limited funds for all. Pass our own code of ethical conduct for ALL governmental officials, Demand an independent Ethics Watchdog Bureau. Unless we, the citizens of the United States, start demanding the kind of government we want, we will never achieve good government. And there will always be a small crowd that prefers a corrupt government to achieve their own greedy goals.
What it really comes down to is how can we change society based on a vision of creating more wellbeing for the vast majority of people in our country and around the world? "Demanding" a progressive agenda is part of the answer, but of course there's more. Few if any elected officials can lead the change because they're far too dependent on money, media, and public perception shaped by wealthy influencers. I think we all know who that leaves. Changing how and what people think happens one person at a time and we all have a role to play.
Your point is well-made, Peter. Many of us are overwhelmed at the complex challenges we face– politically, economically, psychologically, physically that all results in mass confusion, noisy debates as we all continue treading in the mud puddle and getting nowhere besides anticipating the results of the coming election. what seems to be driving this is collective fear of the results of the coming election and it's aftermath. That is why you are correct in urging us to get back to the basics just as human life begins with a minuscule cell dividing, so must we strategize one person at a time by speaking to friends, acquaintances, and any who will listen to the need to do the right thing with our lives for the sake of all of us.
I try not to demand specific choices from others. Each of us gets to ask ourself how can I make the biggest difference? How can I draw other people to join me? For me finding peace within, learning from others to become well informed, and demonstrating kindness and compassion feels important. Often it seems the more one side pushes against, the more the other side pushes back.
How long do I expect...? I see changes occurring but also that it happens slowly. I think Trump and many Republicans will be defeated because they don't represent what most people want: honesty, integrity, fairness, and compassion. Reigning in Wall Street will take longer and needs to be done in a way that is seen as fair without punishing people for playing by the rules. As I see it "Bidenomics" is starting to grow the economy "from the bottom up and the middle out" and also benefit the wealthy. Supply side crony capitalism has not really been good for the economy. The evidence is there, it's just a matter of time for more people to cognize the reality.
War still doesn't work. What's different now is that instead of jumping to join in, more countries and leaders are looking for ways to contain the conflict or de-escalate.
Well said. It is difficult to converse with someone who merely lobs a challenge without substantiating the challenge or offering an opinion to counter what is being challenged.
Whoa, that’s just not true.
Actually, AT THIS POINT, we will all benefit if we do NOT let Republicans take the White House or Congress in November. We will all benefit if we vote blue.
Absolutely, even though Democrats make huge mistakes, they are not trying to undo our entire government and usher in an autocracy.
OH, yes, disagree with Dems and point out where they are going astray. That’s a good thing, and we need to keep it up way past just the election, so we can get some things addressed that badly need addressing.
Don’t for a minute, though, think Republicans would do better — especially not in this day and age.
Couple of questions or you, Janet:
1. You watched Obama sell out to Wall Street? Do you mean the bailout that was voted in by Republicans in the Bush administration {which for the record BROUGHT ON the crash of 2008, before Obama ever set foot in office}, and that bailout was passed on to Obama in his first months in office, with no provisions made to help homeowners or other non-rich people? Do you mean there was no money in that REPUBLICAN-CREATED recovery package for homeowners whose lives were upended by the Financial Industry, which then tried to put all the blame on those very homeowners for taking out loans that the Financial Industry perverted ….? You mean that? {Hint: that was a Right Wing contrivance!}
Now, I DO think Obama had too many Wall Street types in his administration and on his cabinet, and I say it all the time. Criticizing Democratic heroes is not a bad thing. But to get literally ANYTHING done on health care, Obama had to give in to Republican demands that the plan include prerogatives for the insurance industry, and STILL the Rs did not vote for it!! Do you mean THAT when you criticize him?
If you mean something else, be specific, please …
2. Bill Clinton DID sell out to the bankers on welfare reform. Ostentatiously and horribly. I hate that and criticize him all the time. That and on criminal justice changes he made that were horrendous. AND YET, you said Clinton sold out TO the people on welfare. Did you mean he betrayed people on welfare and sold them out? Because he did NOT provide poor people with anything of value, nothing that hard-working poor people deserve …He did no sell out TO them!
So, was that a misstatement? Or, if you meant it, please be specific.
BECAUSE, sure it’a fine to criticize how the Dems are handling things—- but how about you do it accurately, with some specifics, and some thoughts on what they could have done better.
Otherwise, you just come off like a crank or a troll. I don’t think you want to sound that way.
Pat I disagree with you on health care and Obama.
Instead of a 600 page monster of ACA. All it took was athree word change to the Medicare enabling legislation and that is "eligible at birth"
Voila, problem solved, but Rahm Emanuel, a neo liberal and privatizer, did not allow any single payor advocates into the White House when discussions about the ACA were going on and neither did Nancy Pelosi allow any debate.
There is a reason, the Association of Health Insurance Providers(AHIP) are deep pockets, as is PhRMA.
Money talks, politicians walk. And the problem is compounded because most congress critters have investment portfolios, with insurance and PhRMA stocks, not to mention insider trading.
Nancy and Barak excluded single payor from imput and discussions.
All the most-heard voices dissed single payer health insurance -- until Bernie got a voice -- even people who should have known better dissed it.
I agree there was not full-throated support of a health care system that wan't based on for-profit care and insurance companies.
I think Democrats MIGHT have heard reason if they had not been working for bi-partisanship with Republicans, but maybe I'm crazy.
I know that Democrats are not trying to dismantle the Constitution and usher in even greater migration of wealth to Oligarchs and bring us into a new age of Robber Barons and Autocrats.
The Heritage Societies template for changing our government, and their plan for next year {2025} are primary in my sights at the moment. ,
I ALWAYS make a point of pointing out {!!} that we can't only care about our government once every four years and expect anything to get better.
But we had better NOT try to get through the NEXT four years with the weight of Donald J. Trump and the Oligarchs dragging us under.
VOTE BLUE
And keep arguing your guts out to make the Dems and th Left better -- but Vote Blue.
You should absolutely disagree with them. I think most people here do. We have a lot of work to do to change them but it's difficult because this is essentially a conservative country. Doesn't mean we won't keep trying though.
The worst offender, clearly are not Democrats.
Sad to accept deficiency, but at least it is deficiency we can work to improve.
The R's idea of improvement its rule by economic elites.
[And "consent of the governed" will be enforced by the governors]
I live in Florida, so fuck you!
Well why are they voting for the orange monster then?
As for Gaetz, he's under investigation again. Fingers crossed.
I'm still hoping. Since I have zero influence that's about all I can do. What a loser though.
I am doing other things though, just nothing that will affect Gaetz. I write letters and make calls. I also help keep people up to date on what's going on. This fall I plan to write tons of letters to voters. I always do that but this year my fingers are going to bleed.
Janet, I don't know from what source you are getting your "facts" but I would strongly suggest you broaden your sources. I'm quite sure none of us here on Substack would proclaim the Democrats a perfect party. What we do say is, don't let the MAGAts anywhere near the seat of government, then start working on the kind of party we want. Work to dethrone any legislator who is 'on the take' Strive to overturn 'Citizens United' and return to maximum $2500 per year per candidate - or better yet - limited funds for all. Pass our own code of ethical conduct for ALL governmental officials, Demand an independent Ethics Watchdog Bureau. Unless we, the citizens of the United States, start demanding the kind of government we want, we will never achieve good government. And there will always be a small crowd that prefers a corrupt government to achieve their own greedy goals.
WHAT are you talking about?
And WHO is “demanding” anyone vote for or anyone?
We are all asking, pleading, arguing, hoping …
I don’t get what you are saying.