It does this grandmother and retired teacher’s heart good to hear that the youth are so enthusiastic about voting. For the decades that I taught middle school, I found opportunities to encourage my students to exercise their right snd great privilege to vote. Imagine how my heart swelled when our Penn State freshman grandchild volunteered to register fellow students to vote, rallied for Shapiro and Fetterman, and worked as a poll greeter. My hope is rekindled.
Nov 11, 2022·edited Nov 11, 2022Liked by Robert Reich
Professor, Because I agree with virtually every one of your assertions, I merely wish to add that, for me, the biggest take-away from Tuesday’s midterms was the decisive defiance of MAGA extremism, largely due to GenZ’s historic engagement. Moreover, I would note, by 2024, that millions more will be eligible to vote, a factor, indeed, that substantially will drive up Democratic wins in federal, state, and local elections.
As a final point, aside from the December 6th Georgia runoff, I wish to amplify a second front-burner issue: the importance of calling attention to at least two pressing legislative clean-up and structural priorities for the so-called “lame duck” Congressional session. While Dems still control both chambers, I would suggest we urge particularly the Senate (a) to complete its reforms of the Electoral Count Act and (b) to use reconciliation to prophylactically raise the debt ceiling to preclude Republicans, were they to control the House in January, from threatening to default on the national debt as pretext for extracting concessions on protections, including Social Security, Medicare, Veterans benefits, and more.
I’m breathing a sigh of relief… but also sending a donation and writing VoteForward letters for Raphael Warnock.
Thank you for all of the fantastic work you do… educating all of us. Young people made a huge difference but it was also the powerful voices like yours that never gave up on democracy through these crazy times and continue to lead the way out of Trumpian MAGA hell.
Thank you too to President Biden who is our Luke Skywalker, Barack Obama—the epitome of class and excellent communication skills and Michael Moore who spoke truth to power.
As always, your comments are valuable, hopeful, and well-reasoned. Thank you.
More than encouraged, I'm relieved. I need to wait and see how Cong. shapes up in 2023 before lightening up much. Too many corporate Dems and RW whackos still slither around the Capitol.
One point re TFG making "his presence conspicuous as he always does:" Imo MSM made his presence conspicuous as IT ALWAYS DOES. A major speech by the President of the United States is COMPLETELY ignored by all major news outlets, but EVERY rally TFG attends is headline news. That's disgusting and enraging.
If democracy dies in darkness, it will be hard to say who flipped the switch: Repub Fascists or MSM.
Good to be reminded that youth are the torchbearers and that American youth and people of colour are getting out and doing just that. Thanks Robert for another vision of optimism.
I’m really excited to read that this generation of young people is so politically active. I am also not quite ready for a victory lap. We need to run through the tape. There’s an urgent need to help Raphael Warnock’s campaign in the run-off to hold his senate seat against his disreputable, unqualified and Trump-endorsed opponent, Herschel Walker. As of tonight, holding that seat may keep the Democrats in a narrow majority. Vote Forward has a letter writing campaign to get out the vote in Georgia. My wife and I have already given $100 more to his campaign and have prepared 60 Vote Forward letters. Those letters can improve voter turnout by about 2 - 4 %.
Jessica Craven is a SubStack blogger who has a comprehensive document on actions we can take to help the Warnock campaign, including a way for people out of state to travel there and knock on doors. If you find her latest post, there’s a link to that document. I wish I knew how to share it here! Let’s hold the Senate and maybe even gain a seat!
First I want to say thank you for your service and I wish you a good Veterans Day. Our President inspires the good in us and am happy we did well in the midterms. Even more by the young people who turned out to vote. They are the future and aren’t easily hoodwinked. The pandemic turned their world upside down and some missed proms and graduations. Some lost friends or loved ones to Covid or because of the rampant shootings in schools, churches or grocery stores. We are united with one goal, to continue fighting disinformation and the threat of authoritarianism.
My Gen Z kids are so excited for any and all civic engagement. They see a 31% turnout a a challenge to overcome and are all in. They know the cost of guns, the opioid crisis, lack of single payer healthcare and the fact that their femal friends will be denied healthcare and they are coming out fighting.
It does none of us any good to not resist. They will do ANYTHING to maintain their privilege and oppress others denying human and longstanding legal rights. The US is not a signatory to Universal Human Rights and appears to have the same or worse barriers to access to Justice for all these groups so there is certainly lots of room for improvement and for us not to be kidded in any way just how far the elite will go to continue to lie to us all. Even in countries like NZ laws and human rights plus access to services and Justice, even being signatories and long history in law of same Government doesn’t implement or act on any law or human rights to ensure equity let alone progressive law. We only had abortion decriminalised a couple of years ago and still have an economy based in free or cheap labour so here’s to hoping the youth, women, working classes and unpaid contributors and POC don’t get hoodwinked by all these rich folk maintaining their power and privilege any more. The US certainly looks like a particular basket case in that regard from here. I think the structural and corruption issues by private interests were identified about 100 years ago there but nothing much has been done about it. Democracy and individual rights are about the only thing the US has to be proud of...certainly not emissions profile and contribution to climate change which I think are second only to Chinas. Correct me if I’m wrong on that. The US may be the number 1 polluter which would be ironic given the rhetoric emanating on that. Blame everyone else 😂
Absolutely agree on Kentucky. Appalachia needs attention so badly, but that would take some of the high and mighty Dem’s coming down from their pedestal and paying attention. They really need to take a page out of John Fetterman’s book and meet people where they live.
I turned off the news this morning because of course they had to circle back to talking about how TFG’s feelings are hurt and the showdown that is coming between him and Desantis. What people don’t realize is that Desantis has no personality and most likely will do poorly on the national stage. He keeps his rallies private and holds them in places he knows will support him and bans the local media. His wife runs everything behind the scenes. Make no mistake, she is evil.
The GOP are already complaining about the youth voting Dem. They are going to try their best to suppress the youth vote in upcoming elections. They are blaming it on schools and the media. Which is hilarious considering 90% of all media is corporate/right wing owned. Even those outlets posing as left are right wing owned. Thankful for the youth and their ability to see through these assholes. They are a more diverse multi-cultural group who are over the bigotry that the GOP sells. As any sane human being with a heart would be. Can't wait for the younger open minded generation to get the vote. Tired of the old racist establishment. Especially those brought up prior to civil rights. They need to go. Quickly.
This is hard for many to get. Biden and others on the left has been a good example of how to criticize, be angry but civil and rational. Many just don't get it that cruelty, name calling, invites more. Taunts, blame, and lies about progressives from the right and even within the left have made progressivism a curse word. The sad truth is that people love to hate. Lack of civility collects people; Trump okayed it and used it. This is the appeal on the right. Liz Cheney is a good example of how to be on the right but to be open and civil and respectful. Ultimately those that are not civil, demean themselves.
I too am thrilled that young people have become more enthusiastic about democratizing our nation. As a Gender Equity Educator who gives in-person law & language-focused sexual harassment prevention presentations, I'm oft surprised, frankly, that feminists (like Robert Reich) use "female erasure" language with such ease, the way some use racist language. Language matters. Otherwise fabulous Reich writes: "Don’t get me wrong. The growing numbers and political power of young people, as well as people of color and women, is not an argument for complacency." Heads up: Approximately HALF of "young people" ARE females; approximately HALF of "people of color" ARE women. Adding "women" the way some may add salt to a bland meal is not cool. Such language is called "female erasure" language. We hear it a lot when folks say "Black people--and women," or "at-risk youths--and females," or "Asian-Americans--and women," or "Police violence against Brown people--and women," etc. Yes, language matters to people...until and unless is doesn't.
It does this grandmother and retired teacher’s heart good to hear that the youth are so enthusiastic about voting. For the decades that I taught middle school, I found opportunities to encourage my students to exercise their right snd great privilege to vote. Imagine how my heart swelled when our Penn State freshman grandchild volunteered to register fellow students to vote, rallied for Shapiro and Fetterman, and worked as a poll greeter. My hope is rekindled.
Professor, Because I agree with virtually every one of your assertions, I merely wish to add that, for me, the biggest take-away from Tuesday’s midterms was the decisive defiance of MAGA extremism, largely due to GenZ’s historic engagement. Moreover, I would note, by 2024, that millions more will be eligible to vote, a factor, indeed, that substantially will drive up Democratic wins in federal, state, and local elections.
As a final point, aside from the December 6th Georgia runoff, I wish to amplify a second front-burner issue: the importance of calling attention to at least two pressing legislative clean-up and structural priorities for the so-called “lame duck” Congressional session. While Dems still control both chambers, I would suggest we urge particularly the Senate (a) to complete its reforms of the Electoral Count Act and (b) to use reconciliation to prophylactically raise the debt ceiling to preclude Republicans, were they to control the House in January, from threatening to default on the national debt as pretext for extracting concessions on protections, including Social Security, Medicare, Veterans benefits, and more.
I’m breathing a sigh of relief… but also sending a donation and writing VoteForward letters for Raphael Warnock.
Thank you for all of the fantastic work you do… educating all of us. Young people made a huge difference but it was also the powerful voices like yours that never gave up on democracy through these crazy times and continue to lead the way out of Trumpian MAGA hell.
Thank you too to President Biden who is our Luke Skywalker, Barack Obama—the epitome of class and excellent communication skills and Michael Moore who spoke truth to power.
Amen!!
Perhaps the 2022 midterms are the tipping point, where The Emperor is understood to have no clothes.
As always, your comments are valuable, hopeful, and well-reasoned. Thank you.
More than encouraged, I'm relieved. I need to wait and see how Cong. shapes up in 2023 before lightening up much. Too many corporate Dems and RW whackos still slither around the Capitol.
One point re TFG making "his presence conspicuous as he always does:" Imo MSM made his presence conspicuous as IT ALWAYS DOES. A major speech by the President of the United States is COMPLETELY ignored by all major news outlets, but EVERY rally TFG attends is headline news. That's disgusting and enraging.
If democracy dies in darkness, it will be hard to say who flipped the switch: Repub Fascists or MSM.
Good to be reminded that youth are the torchbearers and that American youth and people of colour are getting out and doing just that. Thanks Robert for another vision of optimism.
I’m really excited to read that this generation of young people is so politically active. I am also not quite ready for a victory lap. We need to run through the tape. There’s an urgent need to help Raphael Warnock’s campaign in the run-off to hold his senate seat against his disreputable, unqualified and Trump-endorsed opponent, Herschel Walker. As of tonight, holding that seat may keep the Democrats in a narrow majority. Vote Forward has a letter writing campaign to get out the vote in Georgia. My wife and I have already given $100 more to his campaign and have prepared 60 Vote Forward letters. Those letters can improve voter turnout by about 2 - 4 %.
Jessica Craven is a SubStack blogger who has a comprehensive document on actions we can take to help the Warnock campaign, including a way for people out of state to travel there and knock on doors. If you find her latest post, there’s a link to that document. I wish I knew how to share it here! Let’s hold the Senate and maybe even gain a seat!
First I want to say thank you for your service and I wish you a good Veterans Day. Our President inspires the good in us and am happy we did well in the midterms. Even more by the young people who turned out to vote. They are the future and aren’t easily hoodwinked. The pandemic turned their world upside down and some missed proms and graduations. Some lost friends or loved ones to Covid or because of the rampant shootings in schools, churches or grocery stores. We are united with one goal, to continue fighting disinformation and the threat of authoritarianism.
My Gen Z kids are so excited for any and all civic engagement. They see a 31% turnout a a challenge to overcome and are all in. They know the cost of guns, the opioid crisis, lack of single payer healthcare and the fact that their femal friends will be denied healthcare and they are coming out fighting.
It does none of us any good to not resist. They will do ANYTHING to maintain their privilege and oppress others denying human and longstanding legal rights. The US is not a signatory to Universal Human Rights and appears to have the same or worse barriers to access to Justice for all these groups so there is certainly lots of room for improvement and for us not to be kidded in any way just how far the elite will go to continue to lie to us all. Even in countries like NZ laws and human rights plus access to services and Justice, even being signatories and long history in law of same Government doesn’t implement or act on any law or human rights to ensure equity let alone progressive law. We only had abortion decriminalised a couple of years ago and still have an economy based in free or cheap labour so here’s to hoping the youth, women, working classes and unpaid contributors and POC don’t get hoodwinked by all these rich folk maintaining their power and privilege any more. The US certainly looks like a particular basket case in that regard from here. I think the structural and corruption issues by private interests were identified about 100 years ago there but nothing much has been done about it. Democracy and individual rights are about the only thing the US has to be proud of...certainly not emissions profile and contribution to climate change which I think are second only to Chinas. Correct me if I’m wrong on that. The US may be the number 1 polluter which would be ironic given the rhetoric emanating on that. Blame everyone else 😂
We fervently hope this is a growing trend and not a phenomenon based on one urgent issue, reproductive health rights, as important as that is.
The audacity of hope....
It keeps us going.
Serving in our country's military is an honor, an education, and a great risk to one's life. To all those who served, hoooo yah!
Absolutely agree on Kentucky. Appalachia needs attention so badly, but that would take some of the high and mighty Dem’s coming down from their pedestal and paying attention. They really need to take a page out of John Fetterman’s book and meet people where they live.
I turned off the news this morning because of course they had to circle back to talking about how TFG’s feelings are hurt and the showdown that is coming between him and Desantis. What people don’t realize is that Desantis has no personality and most likely will do poorly on the national stage. He keeps his rallies private and holds them in places he knows will support him and bans the local media. His wife runs everything behind the scenes. Make no mistake, she is evil.
The GOP are already complaining about the youth voting Dem. They are going to try their best to suppress the youth vote in upcoming elections. They are blaming it on schools and the media. Which is hilarious considering 90% of all media is corporate/right wing owned. Even those outlets posing as left are right wing owned. Thankful for the youth and their ability to see through these assholes. They are a more diverse multi-cultural group who are over the bigotry that the GOP sells. As any sane human being with a heart would be. Can't wait for the younger open minded generation to get the vote. Tired of the old racist establishment. Especially those brought up prior to civil rights. They need to go. Quickly.
"No, we fight it with openness and civility."
This is hard for many to get. Biden and others on the left has been a good example of how to criticize, be angry but civil and rational. Many just don't get it that cruelty, name calling, invites more. Taunts, blame, and lies about progressives from the right and even within the left have made progressivism a curse word. The sad truth is that people love to hate. Lack of civility collects people; Trump okayed it and used it. This is the appeal on the right. Liz Cheney is a good example of how to be on the right but to be open and civil and respectful. Ultimately those that are not civil, demean themselves.
I too am thrilled that young people have become more enthusiastic about democratizing our nation. As a Gender Equity Educator who gives in-person law & language-focused sexual harassment prevention presentations, I'm oft surprised, frankly, that feminists (like Robert Reich) use "female erasure" language with such ease, the way some use racist language. Language matters. Otherwise fabulous Reich writes: "Don’t get me wrong. The growing numbers and political power of young people, as well as people of color and women, is not an argument for complacency." Heads up: Approximately HALF of "young people" ARE females; approximately HALF of "people of color" ARE women. Adding "women" the way some may add salt to a bland meal is not cool. Such language is called "female erasure" language. We hear it a lot when folks say "Black people--and women," or "at-risk youths--and females," or "Asian-Americans--and women," or "Police violence against Brown people--and women," etc. Yes, language matters to people...until and unless is doesn't.
Happy Veterans Day to all--women, men, others.
R.D. in La Mesa, CA