"The best way for Biden and the Democrats to counteract Trump’s “strength or weakness” is by taking aim at the real bullies of America — the C-suite oligarchs, Wall Street plutocrats, billionaire monopolists who have been riding roughshod over the vast majority of Americans. End their big-monied corruption of our democracy. Stop their monopolizing of the economy."
If Biden is on our side, he needs to use the bully pulpit to point out that the rightwing trickle down, unfunded wars, free trade, capitalist healthcare, corporate welfare, bank bailouts, immigration, interest on the national debt and much more has cost the middle class over 100 trillion dollars the last 60 years. The left needs to buy time on antenna TV and buy cheap commercial time on the western channel and country music channel and NASCAR and wrestling and the rodeos... like the lawyers do. Running thousands of ads educating the dictator lovers what a dictatorship is. A dictatorship can take your guns, torture you, starve you, poison you, take your organs, chop you up in a bathroom, abolish the minimum wage, abolish social security and they will do much more as well. You're doing a great job Robert.
I agree with Robert. Being part of the Big Machine of government means you have answer to people above you who are primarily interested in getting votes.
Need to put a face on the enemy. Total profits from nine of the biggest energy companies approached US$100 billion for the first three months of 2023, and annual profits for 2022 from the same firms totalled $457 billion. How much of that goes to Saudi Arabia?
How about Exxon? "Exxon Mobil Corporation today announced first-quarter 2023 earnings of $11.4 billion, or $2.79 per share assuming dilution. Results included unfavorable identified items of approximately $200 million associated with additional European taxes on the energy sector"
To simplify the equation, the Presidential race in 2024 will be between a criminal that wants to tear down our Democracy and replace it with a reasonable facsimile of the Forth Reich and one aging good man who has wanted nothing but the best for his country ever since he entered politics. Trump wants power and wealth, the only two elements he coverts in life. Biden wants a vibrant country free from the negative influences foreshadowed by Trump's white nationalism and the antisemitism that movement carries with it. Trump lost in 2016, he lost in 2020, and with his shrinking support he'll lose for the third time in 2024. As long as there are good down to Earth Americans going to the poles Trump will never win anything ever again. This country feeds off of the positive energy it derives from its population not from a degenerate that hasn't told the truth about anything since he first said the word Mommie.
As predicted, this next election does not rely on Trump to continue the agenda of the kleptocratic party, "formerly known as Republicans."
There is NO Republican running that would change the avalanche of hate now, because the logical extension of Republican agendas since Reagan has been exactly this. Read Jeff Sharlet's documentaries, especially C-STreet -- and he is not alone in documenting the corruption now known to be international crime.
@--I agree and hold mutual feelings, the Republican party has become a sess pool filled with individuals whose mental abilities embrace the thought processes of the Boeberts, Greenes, and honest men like Santos. The negative aspects of todays Republican party has created a pathogen so invasive its eating itself through the heart of the entire party. They will either see the error of that line of thinking or they will mutate into something entirely new, good or bad we'll have to wait and see.
I think that is precisely why the courts have not set bail for him, have not taken his passport and have not grounded his private jet. The case against him is so strong that he is going to jail, and the courts fear that will bring about a revolution here, so they are allowing him to skip to Saudi Arabia, most likely for a golf tournament that he will not return from.
I think he'll skip too, but he'll continue to do as he does now, playing the victim who simply cannot return to the "home land" till his faithful followers "fix" things for him.
Wow, is that how some people see that Trump was befriending Putin and Xi and undoing the {probably not all that deserved} power of the US presidency around the world, and they see that as Trump being STRONG? Chasing Putin around a banquet table like a puppy dog?
Dems are like Nazis? Egad. I am trying to put myself in a place where that makes ANY sense at all. Trying NOT to be so biased that it strikes me as just plain ludicrous … Just saying “Trump scared everyone and we were respected …” Gad, he was an international joke.
Question: Does “scaring” people mean they “respect” you? Think about it. That sounds like the thinking of an adolescent gang of ne’er-do-wells, not something countries need to aspire to …
The REASON this country is getting more push-back from other countries now MIGHT be on account of Trump making us look like idiots on the world stage, pulling out of important treaties, ignoring climate issues, pretending we were NOT in a pandemic and taking credit for a vaccine that was almost ready to go by the time he “fast-tracked” it, looking like an idiot on foreign trips, and pillaging the public purse with his family businesses {one of which was right near the White House in that foolish hotel that has now been sold!}.
I know what you mean, but it just grates on the nerves to read "Trump's America." That's how HE thinks of it, but let good, sane people never employ the language or thought processes of a deranged despot!
Oh Patricia, you really did find and drink the Kool-Ade. Democrats Nazis? Unbelievable! I am sorry you have fallen into the Republican morass of lying, whining, blaming, and having no real ideas. You have bought into the naming things exactly opposite of what they are that Republicans have gotten really good at. It might be better for all of you if you spent your time trying to actually help people instead of the lying, whining, etc. regularly practiced by Republicans for about the past 50 years or so. I think I caught a touch of racism in your post too. How sad!
The entire issue is about money. International money, domestic money. Who controls the money? It is the major stock owners of the corporations? Of all the corporations. And which party is openly favorable to the big money? The Republican party of course. Who gives tax breakes to the billionaires? The Republican party of course.
All of this noise about abortion, China, LGBT Q, Woke, Strength, etc is just to suck in the ignorant to vote for the party that votes to suck money from the poor to give to the rich.
This isn't to say the Democratic party is without significant support for the billionaires. But at least they try to inact policies that lift those born into poverty.
Nazies? Strength? Look at Bidens response to Russia's invasion of Ukraine. It is probably the best response to lawless agression ever done. Trump would be funding Russia!
Trump scared other countries with his crazy "hate em all" policies. But, he didn't get even a microgram of respect.
Believe me, Patricia - as someone living in Ireland, much of Europe sees Trump as the complete idiot he really is. The only time I found myself agreeing with Tucker Carlson was when he said there really is no upside to the guy. Scared of Trump? I can hardly contain my laughter.
I suppose I'd have to watch it first before knowing whether I want it, but...
Did some russofascist troll take over this account? As I recall, the real Patricia Paulson had some relatively reasonable posts before.
Obama was widely respected around the world while Trump was despised & ridiculed. Biden has brought back some sense of cohesion among democratic nations, but...
Many people around the world are looking at what's happening to us in horror & great concern. They can't understand why Trump & other republofascist insurrectionists & seditionists from his administration & Congress have not been imprisoned, most not even charged yet. Brazil took care of their equivalent insurrectionists & seditionists in a short but reasonable span of time. The US apparently accepts lawbreakers & traitors much more than Brazil or any other nation in the world.
Biden's problem, as both Trump & Reich pointed out, is he's too weak & laissez-faire/hands off. Garland & Wray are likewise weak & even act compromised & pusillanimous with the way they've slow walked prosecution of Trump & his co-conspirators.
Stay tuned for another coup that is apparently going to be allowed, like the last one. This time the perps will not even be monitored as they make their plans.
Jaime Ramirez ; with the latest 'Supreme' court ruling it looks like the intelligence community is not allowed to do surveillance of Twitter and TikTok and other internet platforms because they are considered 'free speech' and sacrosanct. Hmmm, we have an election coming up and the Russians have shown they are in support of tfg. If intelligence can't 'interfere' with plans for a coup, what does that say about the Supreme Court' ? Scary stuff!
Except that the average voter doesn't understand that. They understand your not making enough money to meet you ends because millionaires and Billionaires are giving money to Republican candidates to keep wages low.
I was going to send a different comment some what but yours is better. In addition though Trump needs to be prosecuted and the SCOTUS expanded. (If those two things aren't accomplished the Democratic Party with either be destroyed or lost for the next 50 years).
Daniel Boone ; I think it will be the other way around ; the Majority will overwhelmingly hate the Republican party and will pledge to NEVER vote for them again! It has happened in the past and lasted awhile. Never say never, but bad just doesn't sell! We are talking about the majority here ; not the 30 % disaffected and clueless. It may not take long to go up fool's hill ; But getting down will take effort and time!
You missed the most important point, that the interest on the national debt and the exploding debt itself is the result of Republican tax cuts for those same economic elites who are the enemy of democracy. The hate democracy because they are a small minority that holds power by brainwashing the public through their financial leverage, much of it over the mainstream media. The wars and bailouts as bad as they are, are one-time expenditures. The tax cuts compound year after year to overwhelm us. Bailouts do have some positive results like saving jobs, but the tax cuts for the super rich are used to corrupt out government.
And as much of a fuss Republicans keep making about reducing the deficit, they refuse the thing that Democrats like Biden, Warren, Sanders & Reich have been calling for that will have the greatest impact: wiping out those tax cuts & raising taxes on the rich & on corporations
Boy oh howdy do you ever have this right! He's got his work cut out for them for the people who watch those channels are nothing if not stubborn. I grew up with these people and that's their story and they're stickin' to it. Right or wrong. Come Hell or high water.
It's called humility. He's old school and they don't toot their own horns. They believe in being humble, Jesus promises His blessings...Biden is one of the last true Christians on the hill.
Thank you ALL for all your support. Anything I write belongs to you. Feel free to do battle with the right using these truths. Hopefully we can generate enough interest that the commercials could pay for themselves by asking for donations to a GoFundMe page. There are several groups out there making commercials that are very effective. Peace.
Agree. But Trump/GOP are masterful at fear based messaging, so I would offer two refinements: 1) Research has shown the most important emotional "hook" for Americans to counter Trump's bizarre form of strength is FREEDOM. Americans identify freedom as a top value. Dems must position themselves as fighting for and preserving freedom, which can be done consistently with economic messaging--freedom to pursue American dream, etc. 2) Similarly, studies show our emotional response to getting things we have never had is weak. But our response to having things taken away from us is very strong and visceral. Therefore, Dems should also emphasize all the ways MAGA GOP seeks to rip away economic freedom (and democracy). Again, emphasizing all the ways failed "trickle down" policies (tax cuts, bail outs, certain subsidies, school vouchers) worked as mechanisms to take money away from the bottom 90% and push mass wealth to the top works and has extensive data to support.
Celia, I like your idea of using the concept of freedom through positive economics and getting the message out regularly to the American people. We need to communicate better that Republicans are working to take away people's economic freedom, therefore their/our freedom in general. Republicans are using the term to mean freedom for themselves and their rich friends to do whatever they want while everyone else is left behind or suffers from the results of Republican "freedom."
America Strong. People seem to like the idea of strength also. Put them both in a short sound byte with a catchy acronym. FREEDOM makes AMERICA STRONGER (FMAS).
Fascism has creeped in and many who do not know their history, do not recognize it! Education is the key. Some really good ads showing brown shirts vs red hats!
I would include a counter message that stands ol' Tweety's "strength vs weakness" message on its ear. Something that focuses on ol' Tweety's weakness, that demonstrates how his "strength" is bluster and fraud. Portray him as a pickpocket posing as a culture warrior. Get your best psy-op people on his message and pick it to pieces, destroying each piece in detail.
Portray ol' Tweety for the traitor he is posing as a patriot - to whom?
Predictable. LOL! I almost proclaimed my mental deficiency in my previous response. I see no need to do otherwise with such cunning wit as yours. I know you're bringing out your very best tropes. LOL!
Allow me to remind you that when you personally attacked me, rather than practicing as you damn-well preach - and screw your heretical avatar, too - you made it clear you're not interested in serious discussion. I doubt you're even anywhere closer than at least a standard deviation of the middle - to the right. Go wank elsewhere. Everything from your graven image avatar to your claim to being in the middle screams right-wing fraud. You don't >deserve< a thoughtful, sober response, and I'm just the guy to give it to "let you have it." LOL!
(Have your keen observational skills gleaned that I'm not a polite person? I always do my best to speak truth to power - the ultimately most impolite behavior of all. It can get you killed in the kind of country the likes of you would support. Don'cha like how bravely I "tell it like it is? You're ilk >always< like to praise guys who "tell it like it is, like you always did with ol' Tweety. I'll be delighted to give you a gut load of "like it is.")
I would include a counter message that stands ol' Tweety's "strength vs weakness" message on its ear. Something that focuses on ol' Tweety's weakness, that demonstrates how his "strength" is bluster and fraud. Portray him as a pickpocket posing as a culture warrior. Get your best psy-op people on his message and pick it to pieces, destroying each piece in detail.
As a further thought, make a special effort to lay the carcass of the message - if not ol' Tweety himself - at ol' Tweety's local, state, and congressional facilitators' doorsteps, along with any Republicans sympathetic to his message. Make sure to stay your hand with any Republicans - be there any - who are not among that group by simply not burdening them with it, unless on their own initiative, they wish to speak out against it for themselves. Express respectful approval, like affirming their patriotism or integrity, as you offer the contrasting Democratic message. Express that contrasting message as a simple difference of world view.
DZK, good points, then we need to get the message out to the people. It won't do much if no one sees or hears it. Dems are not the best at getting the message out. There is a lot of improvement needed there. We need some of that competence as we try to work through this challenge. Not one Republican candidate has any positive ideas and we need to point that out on a regular basis.
$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$. As nearly as I can reckon, that seems to be the nub of Democratic messaging problem. >That< issue must be addressed sooner rather than later. It's a dirty job, but >someone's< got to do it.
It may also entail "gruella journalism" insinuating its way into mainstream news - sidestepping the "both sides" bullshit. Actually, some Fox commentators >seem< to be doing that in their own way. It's more just a vague impression than a statement of fact. Let me hasten to add that it may be more a survival strategy than recanting their own complicity.
I would include a counter message that stands ol' Tweety's "strength vs weakness" message on its ear. Something that focuses on ol' Tweety's weakness, that demonstrates how his "strength" is bluster and fraud. Portray him as a pickpocket posing as a culture warrior. Get your best psy-op people on his message and pick it to pieces, destroying each piece in detail.
Yes, and that’s how you reach the Sane Wing of the Party. They are generally much better educated and you can make a “policy proposal/strategy” pitch to them and they will understand the benefits that these would bring to the electorate. The Whack Jobs don’t care about Policy - they just feed on attention.
I totally agree. Biden needs to use statistics to explain how the very rich companies and individuals are feathering their own nests with perks and concessions from the government. They are not creating more jobs by reinvesting but buying back stock. Working people pay the taxes that benefits these wealthy Republican supporters. Biden’s progressive programs are working far better than Trickle Down economics ever did. Also big companies need sufficient regulation so as to not exploit the public and ruin the environment. Never forget that the Sackler family created the fentanyl epidemic and walked away with billions of dollars while the right wing blames Biden for it. Call it as it is, Joe!
Jill is an educator. Use the First Lady to explain some of the charts in the "Wealth and Poverty" class that Reich uses, such as the comparison of US healthcare costs and quality with other countries of comparable wealth.
Gloria, good idea to enlist Jill Biden. In addition, Prof. Reich would be able to explain economic concepts in a positive comprehensible way. Dems will need every bit of help we can get to counter Republican lies, misinformation/disinformation, gaslighting, and the rest.
Mark, you are right that people can close their minds to truth, but we still need to try to communicate with them. They are, after all, fellow citizens, misinformed, vulnerable to the Republican lying, and often desperate for someone to listen to them. Well-presented, carefully constructed presentations could plant a seed or two for them to grow a basic understanding of what they are experiencing, and what Dems could do to help them.
Don’t care if we cause a handful of repubs to change. We’ve got to start pounding the airways with our messages to counteract all the media biases that we have put up with for the last 10 years!
HE MUST START NOW AND NOT LET UP FOR ONE MINUTE UNTIL ELECTION DAY. THE DEMOCRATIC PARTY ARE WIMPS AND HAVE TO FIGHT LIKE THE REPUBS WHO DONT GIVE A DAMN HOW THEY SOUND OR CARE---JUST ATTACK
I see you point and agree to a degree but, do we have to become total a-holes. Do we really want to see a garilla fight in our politics. tRump would love a ww style match.
I totally agree, but he can't because he knows where the obscene amounts of money come from to keep politicians in power, and it sure as hell isn't from you and mer. That money comes from the very people you suggest he expose. So he won't. Corporate America and its billionaires own and run both parties.
He needs to sing out what candidates corporate and private $ goes to and how those candidates have voted. Republicans make big Democratic donators into devils, but keep their donators in the shadows. We should not be afraid of truth in the face of Republican bullies.
You're right. I don't see most large Democratic donors hiding, but we all see most GOP donors more than a little protective of their anonymity. Fact remains, wealthy donors have Biden by the cojones, courtesy of the DNC's reluctance to elevate small donors. The left wing is terrified of the extremist candidates put up by the opposition, which makes them willing to compromise the high road to victory. Thus there's a little political whore in most moderate Democrats too. And it pays off for large donors post-election in the timidity of Democrats to reclaim their party's philosophical heritage by rejecting corporate demands.
Virginia, you are right about Biden needing to tell it like it is, but he needs to be careful with the statistics, making sure they are straight-forward, easy to comprehend and to compare, meaningful, and really show what has been going on. I read about this in Chip Heath & Karla Starr's book Making Numbers Count. Dems can use whatever help we can get for putting our message out there and have it comprehensible.
I would tweak your last line. Yes, middle and working classes (which includes the more generic poor) are shafted by the economic system controlled by corporate oligarchs, and add the plants, animals, soils, water and even air of this country and the planet. Exploitation sucks everything into the maw of the exploiter. If we want a living, healthy planet, where people, plants, animals, fungi, protists and bacteria can thrive, then we have to stop the corporate tyrants who want complete, unregulated freedom to march across the planet and leave nothing but dust in their wake (except for some private island they can reach on their yacht).
Unfortunately, in today's internet, media, cell phone interdependence, lying and believing only what you want to believe is all that matters. Visual image is paramount. Trump knows the media and image. He has shown that he can dupe millions of people through visual image. As Robert said yesterday in his 4th of July article, White Nationalism and the false "patriotism" of Trump's cult is completely embedded in 40% of America. Traditional politics and messaging will not work anymore in this media environment. World history shows us that the best/successful cult leaders are master "mind" manipulators. Hitler, Jim Jones, and Trump have developed cults by saying nothing of substance that they will do for the people, but instead, stoke fear in what the "other guy" or "system" will do. World cult leaders of yesterday would have LOVED to have the internet media/Fox News/Newsmax media of today.
I’m an atheist, but I’d support that happening in the Christian community, not to bring it down, but to shore it up.
I’m an atheist, but I’m fascinated by religious thought and “faith.” And the “person” of Christ is a bit of goodness, a personification of goodness that underlies most successful religions.
Christianity HAS been co-opted by cult leaders, and the faithful, raised to BE faithful, follow with too little questioning, because questioning is presented as doubting, and the faithful need faith.
I would SO love to see compassionate religious leaders of integrity try to lead Christians back to “Christ. “ My very dear Christian friends are already there — I know there’s a place for Christ-following Christians, if they’d be willing to search for it.
Institutional Christianity, like all major religions, has always been predominantly about power and exclusivity. I understand agnostics, but not atheists, and find the latter somewhat amusing. For myself, I cannot see how anyone cannot tell there is an transcendent Spirit behind the universe. The synchronicity is too obvious.
Most of the atheists I know are agnostic at their very base — at least a teeny little bit. Becaue there could be SOMETHING we don’t know about. We just highly doubt it.
But some atheists are adamantly certain that there’s only the physical universe in all its magnificent complexity … ageless and infinite.
There are things we don’t understand, sure, but not things one must characterize as “spirit” outside of the energy that makes up the all.
I always find it amazing that people can’t see how odd it would be to have a “creator” who put things together in such a haphazard and imperfect way, with so much left to chance, and so much so easily thrown into chaos. And so many hurt in capricious ways that can only be described as “mysterious,” if we have a God in the mix. Hmmmph.
On our tiny-winy, itsy-bitsy, completely inconsequential planet full of inconsequential bags of chemicals that have developed sentience {NOW THAT IS AMAZING}, with so many hazards and pitfalls and downright nasty things on the planet to plague us, I can’t imagine an all-loving, ALL-powerful, all-knowing being could be behind it. Just too ludicrous an idea.
A little entity with lots of power over the way things work, maybe — like Q from Star Trek or something — LOL. But not something I have to bow down to and say “Thank you,” given all the crap that comes people’s way all the time, through absolutely no fault of their own.
We do have sentience, though, our species does — and we have a brain that forms a sense of self, a sense of others, a sense of compassion and caring. It’s a neural path, and it allows our species to thrive — it has evolved to allow us to care about each other and cooperate to thrive, if we pay attention to it.
That is the basis of our value system, ethics, and morals. It’s one of the best things that have evolved in our species — caring about our own selves, and caring about other people. Love. Yep. That’s what makes our lives valuable to ourselves and the world. It’s the only thing that keeps us from preying on each other. Our ability to care.
Christians,or to be more precise, Christian leaders, are a great part of the problem, I am sorry to say. There are sane Christians of course but most are closely thethered to their religious leaders. Look at the supremes, their handlers are the rich and the Catholic bishops of America. How do I know this? It is simple.the supremes are doing exactly what the church wants. Please continue.
Cheers from the white-collar worker who pulled an all-day side hustle yesterday to keep myself going. Democrats would do wonders energizing so many of us if they’d take up that fight. Right now it feels nice to not have chaos in the White House, but I still don’t feel like Democrats care about those of us who are working all the damn time.
You have so little insight. Did Trump give you a tax break? Your employer obviously is not giving you what you need. Don't feel the trickle down? Don't feel bad. I loved Reagan too, until I got old. I learned that people who constantly have to work to get what they think they should have often lose what they valued most.
I'm obviously worth arguing with. I did what I was supposed to do. I pulled myself up by my bootstraps. I got a college education and made a better life for myself. I offered a perspective. My mother was a bar maid and my father was a garbage man. I paid for my own education. I worked 50+ hours a week. I saved for retirement. I paid my bills on time. I served my country in the military. I'm retired now and I have a right to my opinion.
Wow Paula, good for you. I am glad for your success. A whole lot of people have worked as hard as you and didn't make it. Luck has something to do with it too. And, remember, if you pull yourself up by your boot straps, you will end up on your butt. For some reason, Republicans have come to be seen as economic giants, but in reality, they are pathetic, perhaps even evil trickle-down specialists, working with a program deliberately designed to screw with the working people, the people like you and me who "made it" or could make it with a little extra help. Maybe a sign of success is whether one actually helps other people outside their immediate family, stands with those who are struggling, does not condemn people who are poor claiming they are in poverty due to their own actions, and acknowledges that success is a group effort.
Our country has been balancing "Equality of Opportunity" vs. "Protection of Property" since the beginning. If a person works hard, they should receive the rewards of their labor. But then the elite status depended on owning property and there was only so much property. When certain humans were considered property by some people it was quite divisive. Back then most Republicans were on the right side of history, but over time their concept of small government to protect property has gotten in the way of equality of opportunity.
Paula, yes it has been a struggle over time, that issue of property. Hoarding property for one's own benefit to the exclusion of everyone else is not a good practice. And, of course as you mentioned, human property is unacceptable even though some employers even today might be considered owners of humans. The idea that being mega rich is not engrained in human beings. It is a cultural development that has been promoted over time as A goal, or rather THE goal for one's life, and so many people bought into it. As for Republican "small government," they don't want small government; Republicans want a government as large as necessary to take care of every whim of the rich white men who are doing their best to run and rule everything they touch. They want to cut anything that helps people not realizing that a lot of their nutty base would be very seriously damaged by cutting those programs, they are that fixated on growing their wealth. They need an intervention just as any addiction requires.
I totally agree about the bootstraps! The bootstrap comment is roughly equivalent to every man for himself and encourages sometimes less than savory behavior. Or in its early life, it would be roughly equivalent to "let them eat cake". Neither is much help.
My hand up was my military service. Before that I tried to get the standard government loans, but because I hadn't lived separate from my mother long enough I had to provide her financial statement. She refused. I was working in an office as a third-party administrator of profit-sharing and pension trusts and the company I worked for was having financial problems. They conveniently allowed someone who wasn't authorized to sign my parole check to sign it and of course, the bank refused it. There went my living expenses and my fall tuition savings.
As luck would have it, military recruiters were offering full G.I. Bill benefits to anyone who enlisted before January 1, 1977, and then the program would end. I jumped for it and enlisted. I wanted to be an electrical engineer and so I signed up for a specialty in electronics and figured I'd go to night school. I would probably have been an accountant if it weren't for the Air Force. Instead, I got to learn about the wonders of the electron while seeing a small part of the world. A lot of people will say I got a handout especially since I was a Cold Warrior. I say I fulfilled my side of a contractual obligation and received what I bargained for and it changed my life.
Paula, I am guessing that anyone who would say you got a hand-out has no idea of the challenges of our military even when not involved in a hot war. It seems you made your own luck by jumping for the chance at the Air Force. I had a friend who went for the same chance you did, but she found out that she couldn't manage it physically. She weighed 110 pounds and was 5'6" and in good shape, but not able to carry a 50-pound pack. She went to work for an insurance company for the next 35 years and was happy there. The hard thing is when the lucky breaks don't come by, a person has family responsibilities, health conditions or disabilities, or a living situation that does not permit jumping in. It seems to me our government at all levels could be their luck.
I usually agree to what you post, but not this time. My husband of 56+ years spent 42 of those in the military and state guards. It wasn’t ignorance that threw him into serving. It was a life line.
Trump gave the lower echelons a crap tax "break" that was temporary and conditional. He gave the wealthy a permanent tax break that allowed them to become even wealthier. Don't expect Jenny to thank him for that. The working poor got no damn break.
I didn't expect Jenny to thank him. I hope Jenny will recognize that her relationship with Trump is one sided. His policies have the wrong balance for her. Historically the American ideal, IMHO, has been based on the "Balance of Equality of Opportunity versus the Protection of Property". She needs equality of opportunity and Trump is protecting those who already achieved the wealth associated with the concept of property. He's the embodiment of the "bait and switch" sales techniques.
If they did understand, they'd acknowledge the "working poor" in a way that would do more than just prop them up economically. I.e., they'd make it the Party's top priority to attack economic inequality. Too much is made in campaigns of helping the "middle class," whatever that is, and not enough of tackling the systemic problems that create poverty. It's like it's not politically correct to mention the poor while running for office.
I most certainly hope you do not believe the Republicans CARE about you or anyone else who does the hard work of this country. That would be very sad. Which party gave us Social Security, etc. Never would have happened during a Republican administration.
Jenny, I’m sorry you don’t have time for yourself. God bless and keep your chin up. I do believe Joe sees you and is trying his very best to provide some comfort to you.
Unified message“ let’s rebuild the middle class together“. In every community, on every PSA, and in every energy interview emphasize the fact that we have valuable infrastructure funds to rebuild America and we need everyone to Participate.
Some people need training; some people need access to jobs; and some people will need to move. There will be more jobs than people, so figure out what you want to do. Find out what jobs are out there and go for it.
Combat the chaos messages and false claims with vision -vision for a vibrant middle class that pays taxes and enjoys the benefits of living in a great country. Make the middle class great again!
And as , Mariana Mazzucato explains , the economy will grow as the cycle of more employment leads to more income and more payment of taxes .
On Oct 1, 2024 , people will be happy . That’s what matters in a presidential election.
On a local level challenge, the legislators need to support infrastructure development even though all the Republicans voted against it.
Praise those who made the deal happen, including Joe Biden- and talk about the future.
Develop the green revolution by partnering with The auto companies, the battery companies, the solar and wind companies to develop that infrastructure .
The Democratic strategists on all levels ought to roll up their sleeves and connect the dots to develop the new green infrastructure. There are far too many people in the lower classes, who simply don’t know how to access the promised jobs.
Don’t respond to Republican chaos agenda …. At all. Stocky Clark
"The most powerful force in American politics today is anti-establishment fury at a rigged economic system.
"To counter Trump’s fake battle with cultural elites whom he accuses of undermining America’s moral core, Biden should mount a real battle against economic elites who have shafted America’s middle and working classes. "
While Trump's (and the Republican) battle with the cultural elites concerning America's moral core is fake, it is still very effective. Being perceived to be on the "wrong" side can get you crushed. Just ask the makers of Bud Light! Biden should focus on the economic battle, as Mr. Reich advocates, and attempt to stay away from the culture war as much as possible. IMHO, Biden will lose if dragged into a culture war fight!
Unfortunately, culture war fights are emotional. The GOPers have that all sewn up, because getting emotional about the poor and hungry is not their "thing." The "betrayed" middle class is their thing.
Good idea, but what can Biden as President do? " to counter Trump's fake battle with cultural elites whom he accuses of undermining America's moral core"? How does he "mount a real battle against economic elites who have shafted America's middle and working classes." I wonder what powers he has to reign in the moneyed interests?
Jul 5, 2023·edited Jul 5, 2023Liked by Robert Reich
“But I fear voters may choose strength over competence.”
You mean the mere CLAIM and ILLUSION of strength.
But Trump, who proves it with his every word and gesture, is a moral, intellectual and physical coward — manifested in his utter inability to admit and failings and error — and it really takes very little to make that abundantly obvious to even the most casual of observers. That’s not only not unique to Trump, it is the very hallmark of the coward. His bluster is a poor and transparent defense: he can be maneuvered into an attitude of lip-trembling fear with a minimum of effort. Were he not a coward, he would not be the bully, rapist, liar, cheat and crook that the string of indictments and lawsuits now being leveled at him are, and will continue to be, proving.
That means that, as good as it is statistically, President Biden cannot, must not, run on his record alone. He must go nose-to-nose with Trump and not back down. He must choose his language to simultaneously appeal to the listener with its simple clarity and also insert burrs under Trump’s skin, because when Trump loses it, he loses all.
Avie, I write because I would hope your highly astute deconstruction of Trump followed by your invaluable advice for Biden be spread far beyond a Substack comment.
Avie, If you are as many degrees of separation as I am from Biden’s inner circle, you’re not likely to be invited to come through the door and participate. Still, given your wisdom and perceptiveness, I choose to imagine you are committed to broadening your reach.
Yep, he is today's Hitler, he has his brown shirts behind him, and a population that is totally bummed out by the economics and the fascists and Christian leadership.
The point is that no Trump sycophant or former sycophant can claim any moral high ground against him the way a Democrat can. Among Republicans Chris Christie is the best-positioned to do that -- by dint of having been an effective U.S. Attorney and reasonably competent governor (his torpedoing of the badly needed Hudson River tunnel to Manhattan notwithstanding), a serviceable intellect and being well-spoken, but he too cannot scrub off the stink of opportunist, and that's how Trump will paint them.
Whether Trump has deliberately maneuvered practically every other Republican into this position is debatable; I don't know if he's mentally astute enough to play the chess game that many moves ahead, but the end result is the same: they all look like weasels. And besides, how can someone claim to have seen the light when they espouse the same basic things as Trump. The message being sent to Republican voters by Trump is Why go with a watered-down version of me when you can have ME?
I start with the host of factors that must be taken into account when those to whom we could lose our democracy believe they are fighting for their freedoms. Broadly speaking, no democracy can survive with a working/ middle class, many of whom view themselves as the victims of the establishment’s unevenly distributed opportunity and prosperity. Accordingly, Democrats rightfully have expected Biden and House and Senate leadership to go make the argument nationwide, pointing out how every Republican has voted against every Democratically-endorsed policy aimed at helping to remedy the country’s grotesque inequalities of wealth and income.
As I’ve posted in the past, imagine the impact if everyday people across the country were asked, “Who do you want here—somebody who doesn’t want to extend the child tax credit or those who do?” “Somebody who doesn’t want to pass a $15 federal minimum wage or those who do?” “Doesn’t want to provide paid sick and family leave or those who do?” “Doesn’t want affordable, quality childcare and universal Pre-K or those who do?” “Investments in housing? In eldercare? In climate?” and so forth. My point, our accomplishments aside, is that the near passage of the budget reconciliation package (BBB) leaves Democrats with an extraordinary narrative if only they would deliver it.
As a Canadian, I must say I don’t understand how Trump is even permitted to run? He has been found guilty in a court of law of sexual abuse. He has multiple indictments yet to be heard by a jury. He grifted the government during his entire tenure. He flouted every law and norm during his presidency. Seriously...how is he even allowed to run??
I have ben asking how he even was allowed to run for president in the first place! Must be that so many billionaires knew he would raid the Treasury for them! Money talks ; it's official! Money equals speech! If you don't have enough, you are Silenced!
If he’s found guilty of insurrection for his involvement in the attempted coup of January 6, the Fourteenth Amendment prohibits him from again seeking office. Unfortunately, Merrick Garland dragged his feet in initiating that investigation, belatedly turning it over to Jack Smith. According to an article in the WaPo, Garland was finally pressured to act as a result of the findings of the January 6 committee in the House of Representatives. Whether are not the Special Counsel seeks an indictment will be a test of our democracy.
Jennifer,you are Canadian our northern neighbor. Of course you don't understand why the US never grew up or why we are still the wild west. It's GUNS and Whiskey that's the problem here. tRump provides the whiskey ( cult)and the fascist party provides the guns. We are now under attack by criminals and the sheriff is getting a payoff. That is what is going on here.
As an Australian I agree! Apparently apparently strong in a bully boy way makes people fearful of calling Trump on his in office torts. Don’t forget that he’s supported by a whole bunch of wealthy Republican Party power brokers who know their long game well. Trump needed their help then and now.
Trump wouldn't be strong at all but for his enablers. When someone tries to attack Trump, his stable of junior bullies, most of them more articulate than Donald, are relentless and vicious. It's a circular mechanism, feeding Trump new bad ideas constantly.
Trump's tactics are always in this pattern: 1. deny misdeeds 2. lie about them 3. deflect with some alleged Democrat horror story (Hunter Biden at the moment) 4. cry victim 5. attack and bully those who call him on his behaviour 6. declare himself a hero of the people and raise money from it. It always works for him so he keeps doing it. Why did Republicans allow him in the game in the first place?!
Jennifer, we as a nation apparently are still trying to figure out how permissive our political system should be (and how forgiving). I'm sure I share the sentiment of a lot of Americans that we're not in a particularly forgiving mood since Trump. We understand your perplexity and outrage. Our highest court, so recently politicized, has not been helpful.
Professor Reich ~ This is a superb essay. It describes tRump’s personality very well, without going into his obvious correspondence with several diagnostic categories from the current DSM!
There was a video of tRump from some years ago, before he ran for office, and my memory of its context is not precise, but he was in some boxing setting, I think. He was speaking about conflict and “fights” and telling the circle of people with him that he likes conflict, likes to stir it up, to get people to fight, that he likes to see who is the best or strongest, that it pits people against each other. He foments it, sets it up, he likes it.
Given his WWE affiliation and its horribly violent imagery (fake or not, doesn’t entirely matter), one can see his personality at work in many settings.
He also likes chaos. He has always seemed to me to be the embodiment of the anti-weaponry device used in warfare, the flak sent up to “confuse” aircraft pilots and their use of weapons, the firing upwards of a barrage of “stuff” to fill the sky and cause “confusion.” If that were in human form, that would be tRump. Just throw things, words, nonsense out there, over and over, and then hide behind the chaos, doing crooked stuff.
I have sometimes wondered what it was like for his mother to try to raise him, to try to raise someone who lies and points fingers at others, who cheats and manipulates. He’s an Eddie Haskell but nothing funny about him. For some reason or other, he did get sent to a military school as an adolescent or young teenager. I’m sure there are other reasons, but in my experience, boys got sent to military school when they were a problem at home and/or school. Other than affecting a cringe-inducing way of saying “sir” – when referring to HIMSELF – and calling U.S. military officers “my generals”, there isn’t much evidence that it had much effect on him.
As to Biden vs. tRump in 2024 and your posing it as competence vs. craziness, you are being very gentle with Biden’s difficulties with communication. I would never criticize him if the communication difficulties were only due to stammering/stuttering, something he acknowledges as a problem for him. However, they are not only that. First of all, when one watches old video of Joe Biden as a Senator (or even much later as VP) he very rarely stutters or stammers. His speech and enunciation are clear. He made what he called “gaffes” and he and the media tried to posit that as a cute quirk of “Joe.” That’s not what he does now. His speech is virtually intelligible quite often. He is not making “gaffes.” He is making mistakes and repeating them, and that indicates cognitive changes, not just a missed word or transient memory glitch. It’s been reported several times lately that he has repeatedly said Russia is at war with Iraq, and that was over a span of several days.
There were two long opinion pieces in the past few days – one in Politico and one in The Hill – which raise the question of Biden’s cognitive fitness and how it is serious and important to fairly and honestly evaluate that. It is especially important if we consider that it is highly possible that Kamala Harris would become President if he fails to complete a second term and almost nobody has confidence in her ability. She would not have been elected, not even won any primary or even completed the primary “season” when she ran! It is wrong to advocate nominating someone for the Presidency just because they are the incumbent and because the alternative is so horrific and dangerous that fear drives the election.
America does need a strong leader, just not the kind of “strong man” that you describe tRump as being. We do not need a mentally deranged egomaniacal sadist in office, that is unquestionably true. But why must we accept that Biden (and tRump) are the only choices?? There is still time for the Democratic Party to address this with Biden and Harris and to bring other candidates to the fore! If Biden and Harris are the ONLY Democrats as possible choices, then the Democratic Party is in very deep trouble. I do not think that is the case. I think there are excellent possibilities, but they won’t move foreward as long as Biden and Harris insist on being the candidates.
Last point, another one on the quality and style of Biden-Harris communications: it is true that their “message” is not being conveyed, that polls show that most Americans do NOT think any good has come from their administration and that most Americans do not think Biden is doing a good job. THAT is the result of poor communication and who can fix that? Who should fix that? Biden and Harris and Democrats. So why aren’t they?!
Why aren't they constantly pounding the lecterns, the TV shows, the radio, all media with STRONG emphasis on the rotten tax system that is designed for the richest rich? Why aren't they pounding the rotten health care system (yes, it still is!) that is still causing sick people to use "crowd funding" to pay for medical bills! Why aren't they pounding environmental destruction as being an m.o. of Republican corporatists? Where are Biden-Harris on Saudi Arabia's cozy encroachment into, not only golf, but water rights in the drought-ridden southwest (and elsewhere), on Saudi's iron fist over oil production to hurt Biden and help the tRump crime family - a murderous, terrorist tyrranical "monarchy" that Biden rushed over to visit after being elected! Why aren't the Democrats standing up for and speaking out for - loud and clear - PUBLIC education, separation of church and state, against the horrific crimes in cities and the growing trends of it in major cities (when was the last time the daily horrible violence in CHICAGO was mentioned?!) - and so on and so on.
You're so right Annie. Democrats have got to make some noise. I have yet to see or hear any of the Democratic point of view on mainstream media , outside of NPR, but I don't think the tRumpets are hanging out there. Bob Johnson up at the top of these comments has a great idea. One the Democratic strategists should hear. I believe Biden's team thinks they'll piss off more tRumpets than they'll turn when they hear the truth. These are generally people who don't read. T V. And radio requiring less effort. It's much easier to be told what to think than to actually figure it out. And then too, tRumpets are not going to listen to anything with which they disagree. It's going to take some skill to get these people to listen to reason. Like getting baby to eat that green- pea crap in a jar. Ya' it's good for them, but they don't have a taste for it. Little bit at a time. Wipe it off their chin, wait a while, then give 'em another thirty seconds. "This is how tRump lied to you.". Then "This is how tRump cheated you.". Next, "Here's what tRumsp's going to do to your SS and disability payments.". Then, " Hey Veterans, guess what happens after tRump kisses you.". Maybe, "tRump's gonna grab us all by the pu##y!". I don't know if the stations we want to buy will sell but, in their corporate vision, it's all money isn't it.
I cannot quarrel with the possibility that Biden's speech reflects some cognitive decline. But what I observe more than anything is a tendency for him to hurry, to speed through things, and I think that's brought on by the stress of the office. Many demands are made upon the President, and unlike Trump, who lazed his way through his term, Biden actually gets out there and earns his salary.
I apologize for adding yet more words to my long piece, but I realized an error and what I wrote is the opposite of what I meant to write. I wrote “His speech is virtually intelligible quite often.” What I MEANT to write is “His speech is virtually UNintelligible quite often.”
I also want to add something that occurred to me recently. A poster on another site responded to the comments of somebody else who had made a negative remark about Joe Biden having fallen off his bike; the responding poster said that Biden had gotten up and gotten back on his bike.
It’s just a factual statement, but it affected my thinking in a new way. It IS an important observation about Joe Biden and his long life and many experiences, that through all of the difficulties he has had, he has “gotten up and gotten back on his bike,” figuratively speaking. The deaths in his early, young family; his several unsuccessful runs for the Presidency; his own serious health problems; his son’s death and his other son’s various problems…. And through it all, Joe Biden kept going, stayed productive, carried on. These are important LIFE messages and I think they should be his 2024 campaign theme: redemption, recovery, perseverance, dedication, good humor, productivity, etc…. These messages are the important ones, not those “glad-handing constantly campaigning pol” anecdotes he has told a million times, but the messages that America itself needs to hear, and practice. He can be the bearer of important messages about living and the fact of his age and his, observable, limitations are only one part of the big picture. He has a message, but he has to hone his delivery because it gets in the way of the message. If he is open to help, there must surely be experts who can evaluate what his problems are and perhaps help him.
As a high school History teacher, I have always thought that the pervasive mythologizing of America would eventually come back to haunt us. All the so-called "patriotic" symbols have been co-opted by the radical Right, and the Evangelicals have been hiding behind the flag for the past 100 years! we have been anointed by some perverse, omnipotent being to be the torch-bearer for all things "christian," (whatever the hell that means). Flags flying behind speeding pickup trucks and bald eagles leering menacingly at me have never felt so foreign. "America FIrst" inevitably stands for EVERYONE ELSE LAST!!! THIS has always been the historical "replacement theory" in this country!
I was trained originally as a social studies teacher. I understand your perspective. Although an Air Force "brat," I remember starting elementary school at age five and being bewildered by having to pledge my allegiance to a piece of cloth at the front of the room.
There is no excuse for Trump becoming President. This problem should have been handled while he was President. The whole idea of not holding a President accountable while in office was ridiculous. Apparently, the Democrats have their own ethical problems and as a result a fear of something they aren't revealing. Wonder what it is. As for President Biden, I fear he is having some trouble with his presentations...making him look like he may not be as effective running as is needed. If this is the case, it needs to be handled immediately. We need another choice..a powerful speaker with the interests, experience and skills of Joe Biden. S/he needs to be able to handle the Supreme Court situation immediately, if not before. The people who misrepresented themselves when they were being evaluated for office, need to be removed. I have no tolerance for not doing the right thing when it comes to the Supreme Court. It is either Supreme....or it's not. We need the people behind this plot be held accountable as well. No more shenanigans and gross abuse by people in power. I've really had it. If the leaders of our government aren't doing their jobs in the interest of the American people, we have a right to remove them per the Constitution.
Biden needs a more powerful microphone to make his voice louder and more robust.
The “we go high when they go low” idea is not working. It’s time to get down in the dirt and throw some mud. Call out Trump’s lies! Have some one liners ready in the way of jokes. People like to laugh. Get people laughing at Trump. Maybe hire some comedians to come up with them. We need to make people see the IGNORANT FOOL he is!
Marlo, please forgive me for stating the obvious -- but Criminal Defendant Trump is a known quantity. There is absolutely NOTHING obscure about him. Some people despise and deplore what they know, others -- and this is key -- admire it, celebrate it, and long to be it. Failing being able to be it, they vote for it.
tRump is too often dismissed as, to use your description, "an ignorant fool." He is, in fact, very cunning and, to use a moral term, evil. I think that the years lost to the frequent mischaracterization of him as a clown or a fool made it easier for him to remain in power and continue to wreak havoc and harm.
As to comedians viz tRump, yes! Kimmel, Colbert, Myers but the very best was (I hope I have her name right (she deserves a Pulitzer!!) Sara Cooper(?) who "performed" using tRump's own words. Those performances were BRILLIANT.
He is a vulgar, coarse, ugly bullying oaf, but an "ignorant fool"? I think not: he is the most accomplished thief, con-artist, criminal and America is his victim!!
Because he is ignorant, he is not only dangerous to our country but to himself. He goes on national TV giving the prosecutors more ammunition! He confesses repeatedly.
People that support him are also ignorant. They just like his colorful personality and his flashy lifestyle. They don’t do their homework to realize he is robbing them and filling his own pockets.
"The best way for Biden and the Democrats to counteract Trump’s “strength or weakness” is by taking aim at the real bullies of America — the C-suite oligarchs, Wall Street plutocrats, billionaire monopolists who have been riding roughshod over the vast majority of Americans. End their big-monied corruption of our democracy. Stop their monopolizing of the economy."
Couldn't agree more. It's Sanders' message, no?
If Biden is on our side, he needs to use the bully pulpit to point out that the rightwing trickle down, unfunded wars, free trade, capitalist healthcare, corporate welfare, bank bailouts, immigration, interest on the national debt and much more has cost the middle class over 100 trillion dollars the last 60 years. The left needs to buy time on antenna TV and buy cheap commercial time on the western channel and country music channel and NASCAR and wrestling and the rodeos... like the lawyers do. Running thousands of ads educating the dictator lovers what a dictatorship is. A dictatorship can take your guns, torture you, starve you, poison you, take your organs, chop you up in a bathroom, abolish the minimum wage, abolish social security and they will do much more as well. You're doing a great job Robert.
Robert should be in our government with an influential position.
He SHOULD, but he has declined to do so. In his defense, being in the factually and morally correct independent media is ALSO great for Our Democracy!
yes but....we are further channeled by it.
I totally agree - I wish he were.
I agree with Robert. Being part of the Big Machine of government means you have answer to people above you who are primarily interested in getting votes.
Randy Rainbow is a jewel.
Yes he is - he has a very nice voice and his command of “Snark” is delightful.
Need to put a face on the enemy. Total profits from nine of the biggest energy companies approached US$100 billion for the first three months of 2023, and annual profits for 2022 from the same firms totalled $457 billion. How much of that goes to Saudi Arabia?
How about Exxon? "Exxon Mobil Corporation today announced first-quarter 2023 earnings of $11.4 billion, or $2.79 per share assuming dilution. Results included unfavorable identified items of approximately $200 million associated with additional European taxes on the energy sector"
To simplify the equation, the Presidential race in 2024 will be between a criminal that wants to tear down our Democracy and replace it with a reasonable facsimile of the Forth Reich and one aging good man who has wanted nothing but the best for his country ever since he entered politics. Trump wants power and wealth, the only two elements he coverts in life. Biden wants a vibrant country free from the negative influences foreshadowed by Trump's white nationalism and the antisemitism that movement carries with it. Trump lost in 2016, he lost in 2020, and with his shrinking support he'll lose for the third time in 2024. As long as there are good down to Earth Americans going to the poles Trump will never win anything ever again. This country feeds off of the positive energy it derives from its population not from a degenerate that hasn't told the truth about anything since he first said the word Mommie.
As predicted, this next election does not rely on Trump to continue the agenda of the kleptocratic party, "formerly known as Republicans."
There is NO Republican running that would change the avalanche of hate now, because the logical extension of Republican agendas since Reagan has been exactly this. Read Jeff Sharlet's documentaries, especially C-STreet -- and he is not alone in documenting the corruption now known to be international crime.
@--I agree and hold mutual feelings, the Republican party has become a sess pool filled with individuals whose mental abilities embrace the thought processes of the Boeberts, Greenes, and honest men like Santos. The negative aspects of todays Republican party has created a pathogen so invasive its eating itself through the heart of the entire party. They will either see the error of that line of thinking or they will mutate into something entirely new, good or bad we'll have to wait and see.
I still think Trump'll skip.
I think that is precisely why the courts have not set bail for him, have not taken his passport and have not grounded his private jet. The case against him is so strong that he is going to jail, and the courts fear that will bring about a revolution here, so they are allowing him to skip to Saudi Arabia, most likely for a golf tournament that he will not return from.
I hear that he cheats when playing golf!
My hope is that he skips to North Korea! Perfect retirement spot. He and the "Dear Leader" seem to love each other.
Why wouldn't he skip to Russia?
I think he'll skip too, but he'll continue to do as he does now, playing the victim who simply cannot return to the "home land" till his faithful followers "fix" things for him.
I am with you on trump skipping and I now think it will be, to the UAE.
Daniel--A thought I've had myself, fingers crossed.
Do you think he will find a way to “rule” in exile? The run away candidate will still take some followers with him in spite of his cowardice.
It would be too much to hope for Daniel.
I want to copy that and post it everywhere ….. !
Pat--Have at it my friend.
Can I say it’s from you — or post as an internet interlocutor?
Wow, is that how some people see that Trump was befriending Putin and Xi and undoing the {probably not all that deserved} power of the US presidency around the world, and they see that as Trump being STRONG? Chasing Putin around a banquet table like a puppy dog?
Dems are like Nazis? Egad. I am trying to put myself in a place where that makes ANY sense at all. Trying NOT to be so biased that it strikes me as just plain ludicrous … Just saying “Trump scared everyone and we were respected …” Gad, he was an international joke.
Question: Does “scaring” people mean they “respect” you? Think about it. That sounds like the thinking of an adolescent gang of ne’er-do-wells, not something countries need to aspire to …
The REASON this country is getting more push-back from other countries now MIGHT be on account of Trump making us look like idiots on the world stage, pulling out of important treaties, ignoring climate issues, pretending we were NOT in a pandemic and taking credit for a vaccine that was almost ready to go by the time he “fast-tracked” it, looking like an idiot on foreign trips, and pillaging the public purse with his family businesses {one of which was right near the White House in that foolish hotel that has now been sold!}.
Egad. I can’t even …
Uh-oh PG OBrien: Think we got a live one here. The kool-aid smells pretty strong!
Pat--Scaring people means they fear you, respect comes from mutual compassion for each other's points of view.
The diapered, baby Trump Ballon begs to differ!
Patricia,
I live in Germany and work as part of an international team. Trust me: nobody I ever spoke with here respected Trump's America.
I know what you mean, but it just grates on the nerves to read "Trump's America." That's how HE thinks of it, but let good, sane people never employ the language or thought processes of a deranged despot!
Patricia--I'm a registered Republican and viewing what is going on in this country I just can't give your position any real relevance.
Oh Patricia, you really did find and drink the Kool-Ade. Democrats Nazis? Unbelievable! I am sorry you have fallen into the Republican morass of lying, whining, blaming, and having no real ideas. You have bought into the naming things exactly opposite of what they are that Republicans have gotten really good at. It might be better for all of you if you spent your time trying to actually help people instead of the lying, whining, etc. regularly practiced by Republicans for about the past 50 years or so. I think I caught a touch of racism in your post too. How sad!
Reset!
The entire issue is about money. International money, domestic money. Who controls the money? It is the major stock owners of the corporations? Of all the corporations. And which party is openly favorable to the big money? The Republican party of course. Who gives tax breakes to the billionaires? The Republican party of course.
All of this noise about abortion, China, LGBT Q, Woke, Strength, etc is just to suck in the ignorant to vote for the party that votes to suck money from the poor to give to the rich.
This isn't to say the Democratic party is without significant support for the billionaires. But at least they try to inact policies that lift those born into poverty.
Nazies? Strength? Look at Bidens response to Russia's invasion of Ukraine. It is probably the best response to lawless agression ever done. Trump would be funding Russia!
Trump scared other countries with his crazy "hate em all" policies. But, he didn't get even a microgram of respect.
Excuse me. Which democrat is banning books?
Believe me, Patricia - as someone living in Ireland, much of Europe sees Trump as the complete idiot he really is. The only time I found myself agreeing with Tucker Carlson was when he said there really is no upside to the guy. Scared of Trump? I can hardly contain my laughter.
Troll!
Oh my, your BOT is ailing.
Yeah yeah please go on your merry way patticakes!
I suppose I'd have to watch it first before knowing whether I want it, but...
Did some russofascist troll take over this account? As I recall, the real Patricia Paulson had some relatively reasonable posts before.
Obama was widely respected around the world while Trump was despised & ridiculed. Biden has brought back some sense of cohesion among democratic nations, but...
Many people around the world are looking at what's happening to us in horror & great concern. They can't understand why Trump & other republofascist insurrectionists & seditionists from his administration & Congress have not been imprisoned, most not even charged yet. Brazil took care of their equivalent insurrectionists & seditionists in a short but reasonable span of time. The US apparently accepts lawbreakers & traitors much more than Brazil or any other nation in the world.
Biden's problem, as both Trump & Reich pointed out, is he's too weak & laissez-faire/hands off. Garland & Wray are likewise weak & even act compromised & pusillanimous with the way they've slow walked prosecution of Trump & his co-conspirators.
Stay tuned for another coup that is apparently going to be allowed, like the last one. This time the perps will not even be monitored as they make their plans.
Jaime Ramirez ; with the latest 'Supreme' court ruling it looks like the intelligence community is not allowed to do surveillance of Twitter and TikTok and other internet platforms because they are considered 'free speech' and sacrosanct. Hmmm, we have an election coming up and the Russians have shown they are in support of tfg. If intelligence can't 'interfere' with plans for a coup, what does that say about the Supreme Court' ? Scary stuff!
Except that the average voter doesn't understand that. They understand your not making enough money to meet you ends because millionaires and Billionaires are giving money to Republican candidates to keep wages low.
and their return on investment in congress is amazing.
I was going to send a different comment some what but yours is better. In addition though Trump needs to be prosecuted and the SCOTUS expanded. (If those two things aren't accomplished the Democratic Party with either be destroyed or lost for the next 50 years).
Daniel Boone ; I think it will be the other way around ; the Majority will overwhelmingly hate the Republican party and will pledge to NEVER vote for them again! It has happened in the past and lasted awhile. Never say never, but bad just doesn't sell! We are talking about the majority here ; not the 30 % disaffected and clueless. It may not take long to go up fool's hill ; But getting down will take effort and time!
We can only hope you are right!
👍🏼
Or never to be seen again I’m afraid.
You missed the most important point, that the interest on the national debt and the exploding debt itself is the result of Republican tax cuts for those same economic elites who are the enemy of democracy. The hate democracy because they are a small minority that holds power by brainwashing the public through their financial leverage, much of it over the mainstream media. The wars and bailouts as bad as they are, are one-time expenditures. The tax cuts compound year after year to overwhelm us. Bailouts do have some positive results like saving jobs, but the tax cuts for the super rich are used to corrupt out government.
And as much of a fuss Republicans keep making about reducing the deficit, they refuse the thing that Democrats like Biden, Warren, Sanders & Reich have been calling for that will have the greatest impact: wiping out those tax cuts & raising taxes on the rich & on corporations
Thank you Jamie!
Boy oh howdy do you ever have this right! He's got his work cut out for them for the people who watch those channels are nothing if not stubborn. I grew up with these people and that's their story and they're stickin' to it. Right or wrong. Come Hell or high water.
Biden’s allergic to the Bully pulpit, and probably for very good reason.
It's called humility. He's old school and they don't toot their own horns. They believe in being humble, Jesus promises His blessings...Biden is one of the last true Christians on the hill.
Please see my reply. Thank you.
Selina Sweet ; Maybe he is not a bully!
Please elaborate. I don’t know what you are referring to. Thank you.
I believe it's a play on words ("bully pulpit").
She seems deliberately obtuse!
You wouldn't have a clue. Are you a bot? or a Russian troll?
Thank you ALL for all your support. Anything I write belongs to you. Feel free to do battle with the right using these truths. Hopefully we can generate enough interest that the commercials could pay for themselves by asking for donations to a GoFundMe page. There are several groups out there making commercials that are very effective. Peace.
Bob Johnson - what a large IF,
Excellent passionate summary!
Wow! Perfect!!
Agree. But Trump/GOP are masterful at fear based messaging, so I would offer two refinements: 1) Research has shown the most important emotional "hook" for Americans to counter Trump's bizarre form of strength is FREEDOM. Americans identify freedom as a top value. Dems must position themselves as fighting for and preserving freedom, which can be done consistently with economic messaging--freedom to pursue American dream, etc. 2) Similarly, studies show our emotional response to getting things we have never had is weak. But our response to having things taken away from us is very strong and visceral. Therefore, Dems should also emphasize all the ways MAGA GOP seeks to rip away economic freedom (and democracy). Again, emphasizing all the ways failed "trickle down" policies (tax cuts, bail outs, certain subsidies, school vouchers) worked as mechanisms to take money away from the bottom 90% and push mass wealth to the top works and has extensive data to support.
Celia, I like your idea of using the concept of freedom through positive economics and getting the message out regularly to the American people. We need to communicate better that Republicans are working to take away people's economic freedom, therefore their/our freedom in general. Republicans are using the term to mean freedom for themselves and their rich friends to do whatever they want while everyone else is left behind or suffers from the results of Republican "freedom."
America Strong. People seem to like the idea of strength also. Put them both in a short sound byte with a catchy acronym. FREEDOM makes AMERICA STRONGER (FMAS).
And add: history has shown Fascism to be a killer. WWIi was started by a fascist and his brown shirts. Don't put a fascist into the white house?
Or some such..
Fascism has creeped in and many who do not know their history, do not recognize it! Education is the key. Some really good ads showing brown shirts vs red hats!
Freedom to, or freedom from? For me, that’s the question...
oh Jerry get back on your meds, you are being delusional again!!!
Idiot!
And you pay to make comments like that? The NRA paying for your membership?
Get back on your meds Jerry, your being delusional again!!!
Free to vote him in or out!
Oh please!
I would include a counter message that stands ol' Tweety's "strength vs weakness" message on its ear. Something that focuses on ol' Tweety's weakness, that demonstrates how his "strength" is bluster and fraud. Portray him as a pickpocket posing as a culture warrior. Get your best psy-op people on his message and pick it to pieces, destroying each piece in detail.
Portray ol' Tweety for the traitor he is posing as a patriot - to whom?
Oh woe is me. I'm so morally deficient. You've mortified me sir! LOL!
Whataboutism at it's finest. Screw Clinton. Screw your whataboutism. And while I'm at it, screw you. (Wanker.)
LOL!
And screw the DNC!
They >do< have a lot to answer for, don't they ‽
Predictable. LOL! I almost proclaimed my mental deficiency in my previous response. I see no need to do otherwise with such cunning wit as yours. I know you're bringing out your very best tropes. LOL!
Allow me to remind you that when you personally attacked me, rather than practicing as you damn-well preach - and screw your heretical avatar, too - you made it clear you're not interested in serious discussion. I doubt you're even anywhere closer than at least a standard deviation of the middle - to the right. Go wank elsewhere. Everything from your graven image avatar to your claim to being in the middle screams right-wing fraud. You don't >deserve< a thoughtful, sober response, and I'm just the guy to give it to "let you have it." LOL!
(Have your keen observational skills gleaned that I'm not a polite person? I always do my best to speak truth to power - the ultimately most impolite behavior of all. It can get you killed in the kind of country the likes of you would support. Don'cha like how bravely I "tell it like it is? You're ilk >always< like to praise guys who "tell it like it is, like you always did with ol' Tweety. I'll be delighted to give you a gut load of "like it is.")
I would include a counter message that stands ol' Tweety's "strength vs weakness" message on its ear. Something that focuses on ol' Tweety's weakness, that demonstrates how his "strength" is bluster and fraud. Portray him as a pickpocket posing as a culture warrior. Get your best psy-op people on his message and pick it to pieces, destroying each piece in detail.
As a further thought, make a special effort to lay the carcass of the message - if not ol' Tweety himself - at ol' Tweety's local, state, and congressional facilitators' doorsteps, along with any Republicans sympathetic to his message. Make sure to stay your hand with any Republicans - be there any - who are not among that group by simply not burdening them with it, unless on their own initiative, they wish to speak out against it for themselves. Express respectful approval, like affirming their patriotism or integrity, as you offer the contrasting Democratic message. Express that contrasting message as a simple difference of world view.
DZK, good points, then we need to get the message out to the people. It won't do much if no one sees or hears it. Dems are not the best at getting the message out. There is a lot of improvement needed there. We need some of that competence as we try to work through this challenge. Not one Republican candidate has any positive ideas and we need to point that out on a regular basis.
Thanks Ruth!
$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$. As nearly as I can reckon, that seems to be the nub of Democratic messaging problem. >That< issue must be addressed sooner rather than later. It's a dirty job, but >someone's< got to do it.
It may also entail "gruella journalism" insinuating its way into mainstream news - sidestepping the "both sides" bullshit. Actually, some Fox commentators >seem< to be doing that in their own way. It's more just a vague impression than a statement of fact. Let me hasten to add that it may be more a survival strategy than recanting their own complicity.
EXACTLY.
for over 30 years.
I would include a counter message that stands ol' Tweety's "strength vs weakness" message on its ear. Something that focuses on ol' Tweety's weakness, that demonstrates how his "strength" is bluster and fraud. Portray him as a pickpocket posing as a culture warrior. Get your best psy-op people on his message and pick it to pieces, destroying each piece in detail.
Love your "pickpocket posing as a culture warrior" description. Perfect.
Yes, and that’s how you reach the Sane Wing of the Party. They are generally much better educated and you can make a “policy proposal/strategy” pitch to them and they will understand the benefits that these would bring to the electorate. The Whack Jobs don’t care about Policy - they just feed on attention.
ABSOLUTELY. And the argument that the 1% rigged the economy and the tax codes to their specific benefit has the virtue of being 100% TRUE.
I totally agree. Biden needs to use statistics to explain how the very rich companies and individuals are feathering their own nests with perks and concessions from the government. They are not creating more jobs by reinvesting but buying back stock. Working people pay the taxes that benefits these wealthy Republican supporters. Biden’s progressive programs are working far better than Trickle Down economics ever did. Also big companies need sufficient regulation so as to not exploit the public and ruin the environment. Never forget that the Sackler family created the fentanyl epidemic and walked away with billions of dollars while the right wing blames Biden for it. Call it as it is, Joe!
Jill is an educator. Use the First Lady to explain some of the charts in the "Wealth and Poverty" class that Reich uses, such as the comparison of US healthcare costs and quality with other countries of comparable wealth.
Gloria, good idea to enlist Jill Biden. In addition, Prof. Reich would be able to explain economic concepts in a positive comprehensible way. Dems will need every bit of help we can get to counter Republican lies, misinformation/disinformation, gaslighting, and the rest.
Better to have her than Harris, who is such a trigger now that right wing media has demonized her unfairly.
Good idea Gloria!
Facts are meaningless to people who have already decided Democrats are demons.
It’s the independents that Biden needs to reach.
Mark, you are right that people can close their minds to truth, but we still need to try to communicate with them. They are, after all, fellow citizens, misinformed, vulnerable to the Republican lying, and often desperate for someone to listen to them. Well-presented, carefully constructed presentations could plant a seed or two for them to grow a basic understanding of what they are experiencing, and what Dems could do to help them.
I so agree, Ruth.
And, it’s the hardest part of this, eking away at the misinformation.
To loosely quote X-Files: "They WANT to believe." I always hear that when I consider appealing to the Cult with logic.
Don’t care if we cause a handful of repubs to change. We’ve got to start pounding the airways with our messages to counteract all the media biases that we have put up with for the last 10 years!
HE MUST START NOW AND NOT LET UP FOR ONE MINUTE UNTIL ELECTION DAY. THE DEMOCRATIC PARTY ARE WIMPS AND HAVE TO FIGHT LIKE THE REPUBS WHO DONT GIVE A DAMN HOW THEY SOUND OR CARE---JUST ATTACK
I see you point and agree to a degree but, do we have to become total a-holes. Do we really want to see a garilla fight in our politics. tRump would love a ww style match.
That, too.
Wow, it’s a tightrope to walk. But Dems need to be ready and willing to walk it — daily!
24/7
I totally agree, but he can't because he knows where the obscene amounts of money come from to keep politicians in power, and it sure as hell isn't from you and mer. That money comes from the very people you suggest he expose. So he won't. Corporate America and its billionaires own and run both parties.
He needs to sing out what candidates corporate and private $ goes to and how those candidates have voted. Republicans make big Democratic donators into devils, but keep their donators in the shadows. We should not be afraid of truth in the face of Republican bullies.
You're right. I don't see most large Democratic donors hiding, but we all see most GOP donors more than a little protective of their anonymity. Fact remains, wealthy donors have Biden by the cojones, courtesy of the DNC's reluctance to elevate small donors. The left wing is terrified of the extremist candidates put up by the opposition, which makes them willing to compromise the high road to victory. Thus there's a little political whore in most moderate Democrats too. And it pays off for large donors post-election in the timidity of Democrats to reclaim their party's philosophical heritage by rejecting corporate demands.
Virginia, you are right about Biden needing to tell it like it is, but he needs to be careful with the statistics, making sure they are straight-forward, easy to comprehend and to compare, meaningful, and really show what has been going on. I read about this in Chip Heath & Karla Starr's book Making Numbers Count. Dems can use whatever help we can get for putting our message out there and have it comprehensible.
Nope
I thought it was opioids, guess it could be fentanyl!
I would tweak your last line. Yes, middle and working classes (which includes the more generic poor) are shafted by the economic system controlled by corporate oligarchs, and add the plants, animals, soils, water and even air of this country and the planet. Exploitation sucks everything into the maw of the exploiter. If we want a living, healthy planet, where people, plants, animals, fungi, protists and bacteria can thrive, then we have to stop the corporate tyrants who want complete, unregulated freedom to march across the planet and leave nothing but dust in their wake (except for some private island they can reach on their yacht).
Yes if things continue as they are this plant will be destroyed and the oligarchs will be taking rockets to Mars to destroy that planet next!
Ah, the lofty plans of mice and men.
Who'd want to go live on Mars anyway? It takes 100 years to Terraform. Risky travel and no oxygen? Water? Very cold, too.
That would be one way to get rid of them.
Unfortunately, in today's internet, media, cell phone interdependence, lying and believing only what you want to believe is all that matters. Visual image is paramount. Trump knows the media and image. He has shown that he can dupe millions of people through visual image. As Robert said yesterday in his 4th of July article, White Nationalism and the false "patriotism" of Trump's cult is completely embedded in 40% of America. Traditional politics and messaging will not work anymore in this media environment. World history shows us that the best/successful cult leaders are master "mind" manipulators. Hitler, Jim Jones, and Trump have developed cults by saying nothing of substance that they will do for the people, but instead, stoke fear in what the "other guy" or "system" will do. World cult leaders of yesterday would have LOVED to have the internet media/Fox News/Newsmax media of today.
1. Challenge every authentic religious denomination to oppose white nationalism.
2. Make the social gospel and the beatitudes the policy of every authentic Christian denomination.
I’m an atheist, but I’d support that happening in the Christian community, not to bring it down, but to shore it up.
I’m an atheist, but I’m fascinated by religious thought and “faith.” And the “person” of Christ is a bit of goodness, a personification of goodness that underlies most successful religions.
Christianity HAS been co-opted by cult leaders, and the faithful, raised to BE faithful, follow with too little questioning, because questioning is presented as doubting, and the faithful need faith.
I would SO love to see compassionate religious leaders of integrity try to lead Christians back to “Christ. “ My very dear Christian friends are already there — I know there’s a place for Christ-following Christians, if they’d be willing to search for it.
Institutional Christianity, like all major religions, has always been predominantly about power and exclusivity. I understand agnostics, but not atheists, and find the latter somewhat amusing. For myself, I cannot see how anyone cannot tell there is an transcendent Spirit behind the universe. The synchronicity is too obvious.
Most of the atheists I know are agnostic at their very base — at least a teeny little bit. Becaue there could be SOMETHING we don’t know about. We just highly doubt it.
But some atheists are adamantly certain that there’s only the physical universe in all its magnificent complexity … ageless and infinite.
There are things we don’t understand, sure, but not things one must characterize as “spirit” outside of the energy that makes up the all.
I always find it amazing that people can’t see how odd it would be to have a “creator” who put things together in such a haphazard and imperfect way, with so much left to chance, and so much so easily thrown into chaos. And so many hurt in capricious ways that can only be described as “mysterious,” if we have a God in the mix. Hmmmph.
On our tiny-winy, itsy-bitsy, completely inconsequential planet full of inconsequential bags of chemicals that have developed sentience {NOW THAT IS AMAZING}, with so many hazards and pitfalls and downright nasty things on the planet to plague us, I can’t imagine an all-loving, ALL-powerful, all-knowing being could be behind it. Just too ludicrous an idea.
A little entity with lots of power over the way things work, maybe — like Q from Star Trek or something — LOL. But not something I have to bow down to and say “Thank you,” given all the crap that comes people’s way all the time, through absolutely no fault of their own.
We do have sentience, though, our species does — and we have a brain that forms a sense of self, a sense of others, a sense of compassion and caring. It’s a neural path, and it allows our species to thrive — it has evolved to allow us to care about each other and cooperate to thrive, if we pay attention to it.
That is the basis of our value system, ethics, and morals. It’s one of the best things that have evolved in our species — caring about our own selves, and caring about other people. Love. Yep. That’s what makes our lives valuable to ourselves and the world. It’s the only thing that keeps us from preying on each other. Our ability to care.
But a God? Hell no.
And that’s as honest as I can be …
Christians,or to be more precise, Christian leaders, are a great part of the problem, I am sorry to say. There are sane Christians of course but most are closely thethered to their religious leaders. Look at the supremes, their handlers are the rich and the Catholic bishops of America. How do I know this? It is simple.the supremes are doing exactly what the church wants. Please continue.
There’s nothing strong about a bully.
Except the smell.
Good point.
It seems Patti, you have never before experienced the Oppression of a bully. His MO is schadenfreude.
Cheers from the white-collar worker who pulled an all-day side hustle yesterday to keep myself going. Democrats would do wonders energizing so many of us if they’d take up that fight. Right now it feels nice to not have chaos in the White House, but I still don’t feel like Democrats care about those of us who are working all the damn time.
You have so little insight. Did Trump give you a tax break? Your employer obviously is not giving you what you need. Don't feel the trickle down? Don't feel bad. I loved Reagan too, until I got old. I learned that people who constantly have to work to get what they think they should have often lose what they valued most.
You obviously aren’t worth arguing with. I didn’t realize trolls scoured substack too.
I'm obviously worth arguing with. I did what I was supposed to do. I pulled myself up by my bootstraps. I got a college education and made a better life for myself. I offered a perspective. My mother was a bar maid and my father was a garbage man. I paid for my own education. I worked 50+ hours a week. I saved for retirement. I paid my bills on time. I served my country in the military. I'm retired now and I have a right to my opinion.
Wow Paula, good for you. I am glad for your success. A whole lot of people have worked as hard as you and didn't make it. Luck has something to do with it too. And, remember, if you pull yourself up by your boot straps, you will end up on your butt. For some reason, Republicans have come to be seen as economic giants, but in reality, they are pathetic, perhaps even evil trickle-down specialists, working with a program deliberately designed to screw with the working people, the people like you and me who "made it" or could make it with a little extra help. Maybe a sign of success is whether one actually helps other people outside their immediate family, stands with those who are struggling, does not condemn people who are poor claiming they are in poverty due to their own actions, and acknowledges that success is a group effort.
Our country has been balancing "Equality of Opportunity" vs. "Protection of Property" since the beginning. If a person works hard, they should receive the rewards of their labor. But then the elite status depended on owning property and there was only so much property. When certain humans were considered property by some people it was quite divisive. Back then most Republicans were on the right side of history, but over time their concept of small government to protect property has gotten in the way of equality of opportunity.
Paula, yes it has been a struggle over time, that issue of property. Hoarding property for one's own benefit to the exclusion of everyone else is not a good practice. And, of course as you mentioned, human property is unacceptable even though some employers even today might be considered owners of humans. The idea that being mega rich is not engrained in human beings. It is a cultural development that has been promoted over time as A goal, or rather THE goal for one's life, and so many people bought into it. As for Republican "small government," they don't want small government; Republicans want a government as large as necessary to take care of every whim of the rich white men who are doing their best to run and rule everything they touch. They want to cut anything that helps people not realizing that a lot of their nutty base would be very seriously damaged by cutting those programs, they are that fixated on growing their wealth. They need an intervention just as any addiction requires.
I totally agree about the bootstraps! The bootstrap comment is roughly equivalent to every man for himself and encourages sometimes less than savory behavior. Or in its early life, it would be roughly equivalent to "let them eat cake". Neither is much help.
My hand up was my military service. Before that I tried to get the standard government loans, but because I hadn't lived separate from my mother long enough I had to provide her financial statement. She refused. I was working in an office as a third-party administrator of profit-sharing and pension trusts and the company I worked for was having financial problems. They conveniently allowed someone who wasn't authorized to sign my parole check to sign it and of course, the bank refused it. There went my living expenses and my fall tuition savings.
As luck would have it, military recruiters were offering full G.I. Bill benefits to anyone who enlisted before January 1, 1977, and then the program would end. I jumped for it and enlisted. I wanted to be an electrical engineer and so I signed up for a specialty in electronics and figured I'd go to night school. I would probably have been an accountant if it weren't for the Air Force. Instead, I got to learn about the wonders of the electron while seeing a small part of the world. A lot of people will say I got a handout especially since I was a Cold Warrior. I say I fulfilled my side of a contractual obligation and received what I bargained for and it changed my life.
Paula, I am guessing that anyone who would say you got a hand-out has no idea of the challenges of our military even when not involved in a hot war. It seems you made your own luck by jumping for the chance at the Air Force. I had a friend who went for the same chance you did, but she found out that she couldn't manage it physically. She weighed 110 pounds and was 5'6" and in good shape, but not able to carry a 50-pound pack. She went to work for an insurance company for the next 35 years and was happy there. The hard thing is when the lucky breaks don't come by, a person has family responsibilities, health conditions or disabilities, or a living situation that does not permit jumping in. It seems to me our government at all levels could be their luck.
And ignorance
I usually agree to what you post, but not this time. My husband of 56+ years spent 42 of those in the military and state guards. It wasn’t ignorance that threw him into serving. It was a life line.
Probably is just bone tired, and needs a break.
Ad hominem
Response to a different post
Jenny are you having a bad day?
Trump gave the lower echelons a crap tax "break" that was temporary and conditional. He gave the wealthy a permanent tax break that allowed them to become even wealthier. Don't expect Jenny to thank him for that. The working poor got no damn break.
I didn't expect Jenny to thank him. I hope Jenny will recognize that her relationship with Trump is one sided. His policies have the wrong balance for her. Historically the American ideal, IMHO, has been based on the "Balance of Equality of Opportunity versus the Protection of Property". She needs equality of opportunity and Trump is protecting those who already achieved the wealth associated with the concept of property. He's the embodiment of the "bait and switch" sales techniques.
If they did understand, they'd acknowledge the "working poor" in a way that would do more than just prop them up economically. I.e., they'd make it the Party's top priority to attack economic inequality. Too much is made in campaigns of helping the "middle class," whatever that is, and not enough of tackling the systemic problems that create poverty. It's like it's not politically correct to mention the poor while running for office.
I most certainly hope you do not believe the Republicans CARE about you or anyone else who does the hard work of this country. That would be very sad. Which party gave us Social Security, etc. Never would have happened during a Republican administration.
Jenny, I’m sorry you don’t have time for yourself. God bless and keep your chin up. I do believe Joe sees you and is trying his very best to provide some comfort to you.
Unified message“ let’s rebuild the middle class together“. In every community, on every PSA, and in every energy interview emphasize the fact that we have valuable infrastructure funds to rebuild America and we need everyone to Participate.
Some people need training; some people need access to jobs; and some people will need to move. There will be more jobs than people, so figure out what you want to do. Find out what jobs are out there and go for it.
Combat the chaos messages and false claims with vision -vision for a vibrant middle class that pays taxes and enjoys the benefits of living in a great country. Make the middle class great again!
And as , Mariana Mazzucato explains , the economy will grow as the cycle of more employment leads to more income and more payment of taxes .
On Oct 1, 2024 , people will be happy . That’s what matters in a presidential election.
On a local level challenge, the legislators need to support infrastructure development even though all the Republicans voted against it.
Praise those who made the deal happen, including Joe Biden- and talk about the future.
Develop the green revolution by partnering with The auto companies, the battery companies, the solar and wind companies to develop that infrastructure .
The Democratic strategists on all levels ought to roll up their sleeves and connect the dots to develop the new green infrastructure. There are far too many people in the lower classes, who simply don’t know how to access the promised jobs.
Don’t respond to Republican chaos agenda …. At all. Stocky Clark
You put it well:
"The most powerful force in American politics today is anti-establishment fury at a rigged economic system.
"To counter Trump’s fake battle with cultural elites whom he accuses of undermining America’s moral core, Biden should mount a real battle against economic elites who have shafted America’s middle and working classes. "
Totally agree!!!
While Trump's (and the Republican) battle with the cultural elites concerning America's moral core is fake, it is still very effective. Being perceived to be on the "wrong" side can get you crushed. Just ask the makers of Bud Light! Biden should focus on the economic battle, as Mr. Reich advocates, and attempt to stay away from the culture war as much as possible. IMHO, Biden will lose if dragged into a culture war fight!
Unfortunately, culture war fights are emotional. The GOPers have that all sewn up, because getting emotional about the poor and hungry is not their "thing." The "betrayed" middle class is their thing.
Good idea, but what can Biden as President do? " to counter Trump's fake battle with cultural elites whom he accuses of undermining America's moral core"? How does he "mount a real battle against economic elites who have shafted America's middle and working classes." I wonder what powers he has to reign in the moneyed interests?
“But I fear voters may choose strength over competence.”
You mean the mere CLAIM and ILLUSION of strength.
But Trump, who proves it with his every word and gesture, is a moral, intellectual and physical coward — manifested in his utter inability to admit and failings and error — and it really takes very little to make that abundantly obvious to even the most casual of observers. That’s not only not unique to Trump, it is the very hallmark of the coward. His bluster is a poor and transparent defense: he can be maneuvered into an attitude of lip-trembling fear with a minimum of effort. Were he not a coward, he would not be the bully, rapist, liar, cheat and crook that the string of indictments and lawsuits now being leveled at him are, and will continue to be, proving.
That means that, as good as it is statistically, President Biden cannot, must not, run on his record alone. He must go nose-to-nose with Trump and not back down. He must choose his language to simultaneously appeal to the listener with its simple clarity and also insert burrs under Trump’s skin, because when Trump loses it, he loses all.
Avie, I write because I would hope your highly astute deconstruction of Trump followed by your invaluable advice for Biden be spread far beyond a Substack comment.
Paraphrasing Archimedes, Give me a soapbox high enough, and I will move the earth.
Avie, If you are as many degrees of separation as I am from Biden’s inner circle, you’re not likely to be invited to come through the door and participate. Still, given your wisdom and perceptiveness, I choose to imagine you are committed to broadening your reach.
Yep, he is today's Hitler, he has his brown shirts behind him, and a population that is totally bummed out by the economics and the fascists and Christian leadership.
But isn't that what DeSantis is doing? Trying to provoke Trump by challenging him on his own turf? It's not working out well for Rhonda.
It would take some real psychological canniness to hit Trump where he is most emotionally vulnerable. What would you suggest?
The point is that no Trump sycophant or former sycophant can claim any moral high ground against him the way a Democrat can. Among Republicans Chris Christie is the best-positioned to do that -- by dint of having been an effective U.S. Attorney and reasonably competent governor (his torpedoing of the badly needed Hudson River tunnel to Manhattan notwithstanding), a serviceable intellect and being well-spoken, but he too cannot scrub off the stink of opportunist, and that's how Trump will paint them.
Whether Trump has deliberately maneuvered practically every other Republican into this position is debatable; I don't know if he's mentally astute enough to play the chess game that many moves ahead, but the end result is the same: they all look like weasels. And besides, how can someone claim to have seen the light when they espouse the same basic things as Trump. The message being sent to Republican voters by Trump is Why go with a watered-down version of me when you can have ME?
Good plan. If he doesn’t there won’t be anything much left worth saving soon frankly.
I start with the host of factors that must be taken into account when those to whom we could lose our democracy believe they are fighting for their freedoms. Broadly speaking, no democracy can survive with a working/ middle class, many of whom view themselves as the victims of the establishment’s unevenly distributed opportunity and prosperity. Accordingly, Democrats rightfully have expected Biden and House and Senate leadership to go make the argument nationwide, pointing out how every Republican has voted against every Democratically-endorsed policy aimed at helping to remedy the country’s grotesque inequalities of wealth and income.
As I’ve posted in the past, imagine the impact if everyday people across the country were asked, “Who do you want here—somebody who doesn’t want to extend the child tax credit or those who do?” “Somebody who doesn’t want to pass a $15 federal minimum wage or those who do?” “Doesn’t want to provide paid sick and family leave or those who do?” “Doesn’t want affordable, quality childcare and universal Pre-K or those who do?” “Investments in housing? In eldercare? In climate?” and so forth. My point, our accomplishments aside, is that the near passage of the budget reconciliation package (BBB) leaves Democrats with an extraordinary narrative if only they would deliver it.
When you show MAGAts on paper that they lose $300/month per child, sometimes they have an attitude adjustment.
Daniel, If amplifying the BBB legislative package induces some restructuring among MAGAts, indeed, that is good news. Thanks for writing.
As a Canadian, I must say I don’t understand how Trump is even permitted to run? He has been found guilty in a court of law of sexual abuse. He has multiple indictments yet to be heard by a jury. He grifted the government during his entire tenure. He flouted every law and norm during his presidency. Seriously...how is he even allowed to run??
I have ben asking how he even was allowed to run for president in the first place! Must be that so many billionaires knew he would raid the Treasury for them! Money talks ; it's official! Money equals speech! If you don't have enough, you are Silenced!
If he’s found guilty of insurrection for his involvement in the attempted coup of January 6, the Fourteenth Amendment prohibits him from again seeking office. Unfortunately, Merrick Garland dragged his feet in initiating that investigation, belatedly turning it over to Jack Smith. According to an article in the WaPo, Garland was finally pressured to act as a result of the findings of the January 6 committee in the House of Representatives. Whether are not the Special Counsel seeks an indictment will be a test of our democracy.
Jennifer,you are Canadian our northern neighbor. Of course you don't understand why the US never grew up or why we are still the wild west. It's GUNS and Whiskey that's the problem here. tRump provides the whiskey ( cult)and the fascist party provides the guns. We are now under attack by criminals and the sheriff is getting a payoff. That is what is going on here.
Sadly, It certainly has seemed liked the Wild West this past weekend.
Makes me very 😢 sad.
As an Australian I agree! Apparently apparently strong in a bully boy way makes people fearful of calling Trump on his in office torts. Don’t forget that he’s supported by a whole bunch of wealthy Republican Party power brokers who know their long game well. Trump needed their help then and now.
Trump wouldn't be strong at all but for his enablers. When someone tries to attack Trump, his stable of junior bullies, most of them more articulate than Donald, are relentless and vicious. It's a circular mechanism, feeding Trump new bad ideas constantly.
Trump's tactics are always in this pattern: 1. deny misdeeds 2. lie about them 3. deflect with some alleged Democrat horror story (Hunter Biden at the moment) 4. cry victim 5. attack and bully those who call him on his behaviour 6. declare himself a hero of the people and raise money from it. It always works for him so he keeps doing it. Why did Republicans allow him in the game in the first place?!
Jennifer, we as a nation apparently are still trying to figure out how permissive our political system should be (and how forgiving). I'm sure I share the sentiment of a lot of Americans that we're not in a particularly forgiving mood since Trump. We understand your perplexity and outrage. Our highest court, so recently politicized, has not been helpful.
The Supreme Court is a whole other story!
Amen!
Professor Reich ~ This is a superb essay. It describes tRump’s personality very well, without going into his obvious correspondence with several diagnostic categories from the current DSM!
There was a video of tRump from some years ago, before he ran for office, and my memory of its context is not precise, but he was in some boxing setting, I think. He was speaking about conflict and “fights” and telling the circle of people with him that he likes conflict, likes to stir it up, to get people to fight, that he likes to see who is the best or strongest, that it pits people against each other. He foments it, sets it up, he likes it.
Given his WWE affiliation and its horribly violent imagery (fake or not, doesn’t entirely matter), one can see his personality at work in many settings.
He also likes chaos. He has always seemed to me to be the embodiment of the anti-weaponry device used in warfare, the flak sent up to “confuse” aircraft pilots and their use of weapons, the firing upwards of a barrage of “stuff” to fill the sky and cause “confusion.” If that were in human form, that would be tRump. Just throw things, words, nonsense out there, over and over, and then hide behind the chaos, doing crooked stuff.
I have sometimes wondered what it was like for his mother to try to raise him, to try to raise someone who lies and points fingers at others, who cheats and manipulates. He’s an Eddie Haskell but nothing funny about him. For some reason or other, he did get sent to a military school as an adolescent or young teenager. I’m sure there are other reasons, but in my experience, boys got sent to military school when they were a problem at home and/or school. Other than affecting a cringe-inducing way of saying “sir” – when referring to HIMSELF – and calling U.S. military officers “my generals”, there isn’t much evidence that it had much effect on him.
As to Biden vs. tRump in 2024 and your posing it as competence vs. craziness, you are being very gentle with Biden’s difficulties with communication. I would never criticize him if the communication difficulties were only due to stammering/stuttering, something he acknowledges as a problem for him. However, they are not only that. First of all, when one watches old video of Joe Biden as a Senator (or even much later as VP) he very rarely stutters or stammers. His speech and enunciation are clear. He made what he called “gaffes” and he and the media tried to posit that as a cute quirk of “Joe.” That’s not what he does now. His speech is virtually intelligible quite often. He is not making “gaffes.” He is making mistakes and repeating them, and that indicates cognitive changes, not just a missed word or transient memory glitch. It’s been reported several times lately that he has repeatedly said Russia is at war with Iraq, and that was over a span of several days.
There were two long opinion pieces in the past few days – one in Politico and one in The Hill – which raise the question of Biden’s cognitive fitness and how it is serious and important to fairly and honestly evaluate that. It is especially important if we consider that it is highly possible that Kamala Harris would become President if he fails to complete a second term and almost nobody has confidence in her ability. She would not have been elected, not even won any primary or even completed the primary “season” when she ran! It is wrong to advocate nominating someone for the Presidency just because they are the incumbent and because the alternative is so horrific and dangerous that fear drives the election.
America does need a strong leader, just not the kind of “strong man” that you describe tRump as being. We do not need a mentally deranged egomaniacal sadist in office, that is unquestionably true. But why must we accept that Biden (and tRump) are the only choices?? There is still time for the Democratic Party to address this with Biden and Harris and to bring other candidates to the fore! If Biden and Harris are the ONLY Democrats as possible choices, then the Democratic Party is in very deep trouble. I do not think that is the case. I think there are excellent possibilities, but they won’t move foreward as long as Biden and Harris insist on being the candidates.
Last point, another one on the quality and style of Biden-Harris communications: it is true that their “message” is not being conveyed, that polls show that most Americans do NOT think any good has come from their administration and that most Americans do not think Biden is doing a good job. THAT is the result of poor communication and who can fix that? Who should fix that? Biden and Harris and Democrats. So why aren’t they?!
Why aren't they constantly pounding the lecterns, the TV shows, the radio, all media with STRONG emphasis on the rotten tax system that is designed for the richest rich? Why aren't they pounding the rotten health care system (yes, it still is!) that is still causing sick people to use "crowd funding" to pay for medical bills! Why aren't they pounding environmental destruction as being an m.o. of Republican corporatists? Where are Biden-Harris on Saudi Arabia's cozy encroachment into, not only golf, but water rights in the drought-ridden southwest (and elsewhere), on Saudi's iron fist over oil production to hurt Biden and help the tRump crime family - a murderous, terrorist tyrranical "monarchy" that Biden rushed over to visit after being elected! Why aren't the Democrats standing up for and speaking out for - loud and clear - PUBLIC education, separation of church and state, against the horrific crimes in cities and the growing trends of it in major cities (when was the last time the daily horrible violence in CHICAGO was mentioned?!) - and so on and so on.
You're so right Annie. Democrats have got to make some noise. I have yet to see or hear any of the Democratic point of view on mainstream media , outside of NPR, but I don't think the tRumpets are hanging out there. Bob Johnson up at the top of these comments has a great idea. One the Democratic strategists should hear. I believe Biden's team thinks they'll piss off more tRumpets than they'll turn when they hear the truth. These are generally people who don't read. T V. And radio requiring less effort. It's much easier to be told what to think than to actually figure it out. And then too, tRumpets are not going to listen to anything with which they disagree. It's going to take some skill to get these people to listen to reason. Like getting baby to eat that green- pea crap in a jar. Ya' it's good for them, but they don't have a taste for it. Little bit at a time. Wipe it off their chin, wait a while, then give 'em another thirty seconds. "This is how tRump lied to you.". Then "This is how tRump cheated you.". Next, "Here's what tRumsp's going to do to your SS and disability payments.". Then, " Hey Veterans, guess what happens after tRump kisses you.". Maybe, "tRump's gonna grab us all by the pu##y!". I don't know if the stations we want to buy will sell but, in their corporate vision, it's all money isn't it.
Corporate media is a real problem. They want to play it safe.
I cannot quarrel with the possibility that Biden's speech reflects some cognitive decline. But what I observe more than anything is a tendency for him to hurry, to speed through things, and I think that's brought on by the stress of the office. Many demands are made upon the President, and unlike Trump, who lazed his way through his term, Biden actually gets out there and earns his salary.
I apologize for adding yet more words to my long piece, but I realized an error and what I wrote is the opposite of what I meant to write. I wrote “His speech is virtually intelligible quite often.” What I MEANT to write is “His speech is virtually UNintelligible quite often.”
I also want to add something that occurred to me recently. A poster on another site responded to the comments of somebody else who had made a negative remark about Joe Biden having fallen off his bike; the responding poster said that Biden had gotten up and gotten back on his bike.
It’s just a factual statement, but it affected my thinking in a new way. It IS an important observation about Joe Biden and his long life and many experiences, that through all of the difficulties he has had, he has “gotten up and gotten back on his bike,” figuratively speaking. The deaths in his early, young family; his several unsuccessful runs for the Presidency; his own serious health problems; his son’s death and his other son’s various problems…. And through it all, Joe Biden kept going, stayed productive, carried on. These are important LIFE messages and I think they should be his 2024 campaign theme: redemption, recovery, perseverance, dedication, good humor, productivity, etc…. These messages are the important ones, not those “glad-handing constantly campaigning pol” anecdotes he has told a million times, but the messages that America itself needs to hear, and practice. He can be the bearer of important messages about living and the fact of his age and his, observable, limitations are only one part of the big picture. He has a message, but he has to hone his delivery because it gets in the way of the message. If he is open to help, there must surely be experts who can evaluate what his problems are and perhaps help him.
As a high school History teacher, I have always thought that the pervasive mythologizing of America would eventually come back to haunt us. All the so-called "patriotic" symbols have been co-opted by the radical Right, and the Evangelicals have been hiding behind the flag for the past 100 years! we have been anointed by some perverse, omnipotent being to be the torch-bearer for all things "christian," (whatever the hell that means). Flags flying behind speeding pickup trucks and bald eagles leering menacingly at me have never felt so foreign. "America FIrst" inevitably stands for EVERYONE ELSE LAST!!! THIS has always been the historical "replacement theory" in this country!
I was trained originally as a social studies teacher. I understand your perspective. Although an Air Force "brat," I remember starting elementary school at age five and being bewildered by having to pledge my allegiance to a piece of cloth at the front of the room.
This was the national anthem of the Nazis in Germany in the 1930 and 40s.
There is no excuse for Trump becoming President. This problem should have been handled while he was President. The whole idea of not holding a President accountable while in office was ridiculous. Apparently, the Democrats have their own ethical problems and as a result a fear of something they aren't revealing. Wonder what it is. As for President Biden, I fear he is having some trouble with his presentations...making him look like he may not be as effective running as is needed. If this is the case, it needs to be handled immediately. We need another choice..a powerful speaker with the interests, experience and skills of Joe Biden. S/he needs to be able to handle the Supreme Court situation immediately, if not before. The people who misrepresented themselves when they were being evaluated for office, need to be removed. I have no tolerance for not doing the right thing when it comes to the Supreme Court. It is either Supreme....or it's not. We need the people behind this plot be held accountable as well. No more shenanigans and gross abuse by people in power. I've really had it. If the leaders of our government aren't doing their jobs in the interest of the American people, we have a right to remove them per the Constitution.
Biden needs a more powerful microphone to make his voice louder and more robust.
The “we go high when they go low” idea is not working. It’s time to get down in the dirt and throw some mud. Call out Trump’s lies! Have some one liners ready in the way of jokes. People like to laugh. Get people laughing at Trump. Maybe hire some comedians to come up with them. We need to make people see the IGNORANT FOOL he is!
Marlo, please forgive me for stating the obvious -- but Criminal Defendant Trump is a known quantity. There is absolutely NOTHING obscure about him. Some people despise and deplore what they know, others -- and this is key -- admire it, celebrate it, and long to be it. Failing being able to be it, they vote for it.
tRump is too often dismissed as, to use your description, "an ignorant fool." He is, in fact, very cunning and, to use a moral term, evil. I think that the years lost to the frequent mischaracterization of him as a clown or a fool made it easier for him to remain in power and continue to wreak havoc and harm.
As to comedians viz tRump, yes! Kimmel, Colbert, Myers but the very best was (I hope I have her name right (she deserves a Pulitzer!!) Sara Cooper(?) who "performed" using tRump's own words. Those performances were BRILLIANT.
He is a vulgar, coarse, ugly bullying oaf, but an "ignorant fool"? I think not: he is the most accomplished thief, con-artist, criminal and America is his victim!!
Because he is ignorant, he is not only dangerous to our country but to himself. He goes on national TV giving the prosecutors more ammunition! He confesses repeatedly.
People that support him are also ignorant. They just like his colorful personality and his flashy lifestyle. They don’t do their homework to realize he is robbing them and filling his own pockets.
VOTE
President Biden needs lots of help from all of us who care about our democracy. If we don’t fight like hell, we won’t have a Country anymore!