872 Comments

"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?

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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.

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Robert should be in our government with an influential position.

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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!

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yes but....we are further channeled by it.

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I totally agree - I wish he were.

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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.

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July 5, 2023Edited
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Randy Rainbow is a jewel.

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Yes he is - he has a very nice voice and his command of “Snark” is delightful.

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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"

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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.

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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.

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@--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.

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I still think Trump'll skip.

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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.

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I hear that he cheats when playing golf!

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My hope is that he skips to North Korea! Perfect retirement spot. He and the "Dear Leader" seem to love each other.

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Why wouldn't he skip to Russia?

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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.

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I am with you on trump skipping and I now think it will be, to the UAE.

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Daniel--A thought I've had myself, fingers crossed.

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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.

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It would be too much to hope for Daniel.

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I want to copy that and post it everywhere ….. !

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Pat--Have at it my friend.

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Can I say it’s from you — or post as an internet interlocutor?

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July 5, 2023
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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 …

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Uh-oh PG OBrien: Think we got a live one here. The kool-aid smells pretty strong!

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Pat--Scaring people means they fear you, respect comes from mutual compassion for each other's points of view.

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The diapered, baby Trump Ballon begs to differ!

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July 5, 2023
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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.

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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!

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July 5, 2023
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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.

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July 5, 2023
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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!

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July 5, 2023
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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.

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Excuse me. Which democrat is banning books?

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July 5, 2023
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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.

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July 5, 2023
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Oh my, your BOT is ailing.

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Yeah yeah please go on your merry way patticakes!

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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.

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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.

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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!

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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.

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and their return on investment in congress is amazing.

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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).

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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!

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We can only hope you are right!

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👍🏼

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Or never to be seen again I’m afraid.

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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.

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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

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Thank you Jamie!

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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.

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Biden’s allergic to the Bully pulpit, and probably for very good reason.

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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.

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Please see my reply. Thank you.

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Selina Sweet ; Maybe he is not a bully!

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Please elaborate. I don’t know what you are referring to. Thank you.

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I believe it's a play on words ("bully pulpit").

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She seems deliberately obtuse!

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You wouldn't have a clue. Are you a bot? or a Russian troll?

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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.

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Bob Johnson - what a large IF,

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Excellent passionate summary!

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Wow! Perfect!!

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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.

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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."

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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).

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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..

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Freedom to, or freedom from? For me, that’s the question...

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July 5, 2023
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oh Jerry get back on your meds, you are being delusional again!!!

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Idiot!

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And you pay to make comments like that? The NRA paying for your membership?

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Get back on your meds Jerry, your being delusional again!!!

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Free to vote him in or out!

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Oh please!

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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?

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July 5, 2023
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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!

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And screw the DNC!

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They >do< have a lot to answer for, don't they ‽

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July 5, 2023
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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.")

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July 5, 2023
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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.

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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.

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Thanks Ruth!

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$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$. 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.

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EXACTLY.

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for over 30 years.

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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.

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Love your "pickpocket posing as a culture warrior" description. Perfect.

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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.

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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.

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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!

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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.

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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.

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Better to have her than Harris, who is such a trigger now that right wing media has demonized her unfairly.

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Good idea Gloria!

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Facts are meaningless to people who have already decided Democrats are demons.

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It’s the independents that Biden needs to reach.

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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.

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I so agree, Ruth.

And, it’s the hardest part of this, eking away at the misinformation.

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To loosely quote X-Files: "They WANT to believe." I always hear that when I consider appealing to the Cult with logic.

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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!

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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

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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.

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That, too.

Wow, it’s a tightrope to walk. But Dems need to be ready and willing to walk it — daily!

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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.

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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.

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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.

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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.

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