I always find it amazing how the sitting President is blamed for everything and sometimes takes credit for things that didn't happen on their watch. The former guy immediately took credit for the upward trend in the economy the moment he took office even though that trend was exactly a continuation of the trend established by the Obama administration. Battleships don't turn on a dime and neither should we judge Presidents that way. In fact, what I see as the problem is the long term dysfunction of the Congress. Like not funding the IRS so my tax return from LAST year has not been processed although they cashed my check in three days. We need tax reform, immigration reform, Supreme Court reform and voting rights restored. In particular we need Citizens United overturned which is legalized bribery and corruption of members of Congress by big money. In shorthand, Party and Patrons come before Country and Constituents. Seems to me that President Biden is doing an amazing job in a horrendous time including inheriting a decimated Executive Branch from the former guy. I don't agree with everything he has done; but I do feel he is holding the ship of state steady on a solid course back to restoring democracy. We, the People, all of us this time.
Tonight Robert provides a lucid, persuasive explanation of WHY Biden's very low Approval rating does NOT necessarily spell doom for the Dems in November. The size of the Disapproval cadre IS worrisome, but he brings out the key point: there are a lot of people who "disapprove" of Biden's performance but would NEVER vote for a Trump supporter (I am one of them.) Recall back in 2010 just after the passage of the ACA. The right made a big deal of their claim that a majority of voters (around 65% as I recall) DISAPPROVED of Obamacare. It was technically true, but the opposition consisted of around 40% who were against its basic intentions AND 25% who thought it didn't go far enough! Add that 25% to the 35% who firmly backed it, and the real support for the aims of the ACA comes out at 60%. And today it's closer to 70%.
Something similar is happening with Biden--a big chunk of those who "Disapprove" may simply think he is not going far and fast enough in pursuing a host of progressive goals. This group will never vote for candidates pledging fealty to Trump (as nearly ALL GOP candidates in November will have had to do.) But they might stay home and that is where our efforts, as Today's Edition constantly reminds us, must be placed. Massive Get Out The Vote efforts are what's needed--not the far more difficult job of changing people's basic views.
In my opinion (I’m a clinical psychologist) the upset, anger, pain, despair that many of us (Democrats) feel, can be primarily attributed to the failure of the Biden DOJ (Merrick Garland) to secure a single consequence for any of the criminal acts of the former deplorable administration. With time running out. I think Garland should be replaced for failure to function adequately. If Biden did that we’d see his poll numbers soar. But he won’t. Your thoughts? And thank you. Lynn
I posted this about your 4/18 column but too late to be noticed. It is worth comments: Re Amber Heard's article "Why the Democrats Think They are Going to Lose in November". Who IS Amber Heard? Safari says she is (a) a 35 year old high school drop out to go to Hollywood (b) few roles all sexy (c) married to Johnny Depp for two years and big law suit with him (c) briefly dated Elon Musk, etc. etc. Look it up yourself. She has absolutely zero qualifications re Public Policy matters. Hard to think of someone with less. And look again how the Hubbell 4/18 column explains the R slanted mistakes in her piece. Do you think that maybe Amber's publicist wrote her piece for her or does she really read on her own "Democratic campaign memos"? Of course Amber and her publicist have a right to do what they want BUT the Big Question: WHY DID THE WA PO EDITOR PRINT IT? WHY? What is the WA Po motto: something about Democracy dying if the press is silent? Let's get a WA PO response. Waiting.
Wonderful and thorough writing. Thank you. I have a question that may seem unrelated but is not. The question is: Why does Votefwd.org insist on pure pablum, bipartisan letters to be sent in advance of the 2022 midterms? I am told that we mail to ALL, or mostly, democrats. Why on this good earth is Vote Forward not taking advantage with the millions of letters being sent to inform and educate? When I submitted my draft letter, my ears were boxed for the last line, which read: Your vote is your opportunity to be heard and it can make the difference between living in a Democracy or autocracy. So, I succumbed and send their weak template letters saying nothing, not even offering reminders to help voters be prepared: Driver's License or voter registration card, or whatever is being asked for to make voting a challenge rather than a privilege. I have lost my enthusiasm regarding this exercise but do not understand their resistance to remain bipartisan when the audience are democrats. THIS IS A MISSED OPPORTUNITY FOR MESSAGING.
You nailed it. Things do feel overwhelming.....the Ukranian horror alone would have brought that on. Remember the picture of the three-year old Syrian boy washed up on the beach in Italy as his family tried to escape the Syrian war (run by the same Russian general know heading up Putin's War)? We each have daily conversations with people outside our families and there is a good place to start with a sentence or two of clarity and uplift. I said to someone in the grocery store line who was bemoaning gas prices, "You know the President has nothing to do with gas prices......even if it is a President you like! He is just an easier target than the oil companies and Putin." She actually smiled and said "you are right". There were lots of ears in that conversation.
Regarding "perspective"; I remain appalled by Mitch McConnell. His policy of -0- support for anything proposed by a Democrat president is unchanged since Obama. He has calculated that party is more important than country. Every single time, every single year. He will fight his formerly good friend Joe Biden in the trenches, in the newspapers, and in the ballot box. I hope there is a special place in history reserved for him, right next to Theodore Bilbo.
Regarding decisions by right wing voters. A good read is The Sum of Us by Heather McGee. She does a great job of explaining how racism may be the cause of the votes against a voter's self interest. I'm only about 100 pages into the book, but the examples have been eye-opening.
I want to comment on the low favorability polls. I have been knocking on doors canvassing for Democrats in the June primaries here in Southern California. I just remind you that we, who read the newsletter, know about the low polls. But many people (most?) don’t. They don’t know we got redistricted after the census. They don’t know the primary ballots come in less than 3 weeks. And they don’t know a single candidate they will see on that ballot. So I don’t think those polls are going to influence their votes. That said, the Party associated with high inflation, which everyone has noticed, has a lot of splainin to do. Same phenomenon. Not driven by the Party, but they don’t know that. That’s what I’m doing. Explaining it if I can. And I’m not really finding that as the major complaint.
Robert today’s Edition addressed several issues I had including the Charles Blow column. I live in NC and there have been a flood of political ads hitting the airwaves. As I was watching them I started to realize that voters need to look at the ads and candidate’s differently and ask different questions. When a candidate says “ We need to make America Great Again” does that mean try and overthrow the government and enact voter restriction laws. When the candidates say “ We need to bring conservative values to Congress” what does that mean relative to woman’s reproductive rights and LGBTQ rights and marriage and of course the sure winner “ Endorsed by Trump basically says hey this candidate supports everything I Donald Trump stand for. Really, What I am recommending is for all of us the “ Hubbell Humble Masses “ to write letters to every local newspaper in our communities asking these questions. The bigger question to ask is what are the candidates position and platform about voting rights, inflation, taxes, infrastructure and education to name a few. Hey candidates show us your platform and tell me what are you going to do for me and my family. Show us what you will actually do. I think letter writing campaigns around these ads will call attention to the frivolous content and information lacking in these ads. I am composing my letters as I am writing this response. Good Luck.
Despite the confluence of terrible events and the "dismal" "failing" numbers the media wallow in every day, let's remember that Joe Biden's approval ratings are in fact ABOVE what Trump's were when he was President. I don't recall the press saying that those ratings made Trump an impossible election candidate. (See 538, https://projects.fivethirtyeight.com/biden-approval-rating/).
Long ago, the distant mirror shows us a Ukraine besieged by Mongol hordes. A small group of defenders, in a remote forest of western Ukraine, held out-and defeated one of the Mongols' key generals. Ukraine was battered, burned, but resilient, and kept its identity.
More recently, South Korea was virtually occupied in toto by Mao Tse-tung's forces. A small area around Pusan held out, the Chinese and their North Korean puppets were beaten back, by an international force, and South Korea today is a healthy, democratic society. Dark is followed by light.
Apr 19, 2022·edited Apr 19, 2022Liked by Robert B. Hubbell
You offer us perspective and remind us we all have choices and encourage us all to choose wisely. This is great advice for virtually everything in life, not least of all who we place in positions of leadership.
Here is my first reaction to your advice on perspective. Let's briefly revisit how we got here, which includes revisiting and examining and evaluating our prior choices. In 2020 we were faced with the choice of returning Trump and those surrounding him to office for another four years after experiencing his first term or making a switch to Biden who had been Obama’s V.P. That was the choice we had to make. You cannot imagine there was a different choice because that was the only choice we had presented to us. So I ask all... Reflecting on all we experienced during the prior four years and what we knew then and now (without bothering here to recount all of the events of those four years) did America make the right choice? What might your life and the world look like today had we collectively made a different choice?
Now think carefully on that question because in November 2022 we, each of us individually and collectively, will again be asked to make similar choices. Frankly, it is far more important to think about those choices and their importance than how to answer a pollster about whether you like Joe Biden or not, or how you feel about the state of your life and the world.
Elections are always about choices and possibilities. The choices are finite. You cannot imagine choices not on the ballot. You can only decide between the alternatives you are presented. What is often missed is the importance of what choices you make and what you do in between election days. If you don't like the choices you are asked to make on any Election Day the time to do something about it has passed. You must choose between the alternatives offered. However, you can be assured that in two years you will be asked again to make choices.
So each day as you wake and plan your day, grousing about your prior choices or blaming the state of your life on the outcome of those prior choices is of little help to provide you with better alternatives the next time you are asked to choose. So here is my suggested polling question, “What are you going to do today so that the next time you are asked to make a choice you are presented with the best alternatives to create a better future?
Robert sorry I didn’t chime in yesterday about the audio, which I use regularly. I’ve been fine with it and figure it’s a work in progress…always grateful to have it! If I didn’t understand something in the audio, I simply look at the written word.
I always find it amazing how the sitting President is blamed for everything and sometimes takes credit for things that didn't happen on their watch. The former guy immediately took credit for the upward trend in the economy the moment he took office even though that trend was exactly a continuation of the trend established by the Obama administration. Battleships don't turn on a dime and neither should we judge Presidents that way. In fact, what I see as the problem is the long term dysfunction of the Congress. Like not funding the IRS so my tax return from LAST year has not been processed although they cashed my check in three days. We need tax reform, immigration reform, Supreme Court reform and voting rights restored. In particular we need Citizens United overturned which is legalized bribery and corruption of members of Congress by big money. In shorthand, Party and Patrons come before Country and Constituents. Seems to me that President Biden is doing an amazing job in a horrendous time including inheriting a decimated Executive Branch from the former guy. I don't agree with everything he has done; but I do feel he is holding the ship of state steady on a solid course back to restoring democracy. We, the People, all of us this time.
Tonight Robert provides a lucid, persuasive explanation of WHY Biden's very low Approval rating does NOT necessarily spell doom for the Dems in November. The size of the Disapproval cadre IS worrisome, but he brings out the key point: there are a lot of people who "disapprove" of Biden's performance but would NEVER vote for a Trump supporter (I am one of them.) Recall back in 2010 just after the passage of the ACA. The right made a big deal of their claim that a majority of voters (around 65% as I recall) DISAPPROVED of Obamacare. It was technically true, but the opposition consisted of around 40% who were against its basic intentions AND 25% who thought it didn't go far enough! Add that 25% to the 35% who firmly backed it, and the real support for the aims of the ACA comes out at 60%. And today it's closer to 70%.
Something similar is happening with Biden--a big chunk of those who "Disapprove" may simply think he is not going far and fast enough in pursuing a host of progressive goals. This group will never vote for candidates pledging fealty to Trump (as nearly ALL GOP candidates in November will have had to do.) But they might stay home and that is where our efforts, as Today's Edition constantly reminds us, must be placed. Massive Get Out The Vote efforts are what's needed--not the far more difficult job of changing people's basic views.
Hi Robert,
In my opinion (I’m a clinical psychologist) the upset, anger, pain, despair that many of us (Democrats) feel, can be primarily attributed to the failure of the Biden DOJ (Merrick Garland) to secure a single consequence for any of the criminal acts of the former deplorable administration. With time running out. I think Garland should be replaced for failure to function adequately. If Biden did that we’d see his poll numbers soar. But he won’t. Your thoughts? And thank you. Lynn
I posted this about your 4/18 column but too late to be noticed. It is worth comments: Re Amber Heard's article "Why the Democrats Think They are Going to Lose in November". Who IS Amber Heard? Safari says she is (a) a 35 year old high school drop out to go to Hollywood (b) few roles all sexy (c) married to Johnny Depp for two years and big law suit with him (c) briefly dated Elon Musk, etc. etc. Look it up yourself. She has absolutely zero qualifications re Public Policy matters. Hard to think of someone with less. And look again how the Hubbell 4/18 column explains the R slanted mistakes in her piece. Do you think that maybe Amber's publicist wrote her piece for her or does she really read on her own "Democratic campaign memos"? Of course Amber and her publicist have a right to do what they want BUT the Big Question: WHY DID THE WA PO EDITOR PRINT IT? WHY? What is the WA Po motto: something about Democracy dying if the press is silent? Let's get a WA PO response. Waiting.
Wonderful and thorough writing. Thank you. I have a question that may seem unrelated but is not. The question is: Why does Votefwd.org insist on pure pablum, bipartisan letters to be sent in advance of the 2022 midterms? I am told that we mail to ALL, or mostly, democrats. Why on this good earth is Vote Forward not taking advantage with the millions of letters being sent to inform and educate? When I submitted my draft letter, my ears were boxed for the last line, which read: Your vote is your opportunity to be heard and it can make the difference between living in a Democracy or autocracy. So, I succumbed and send their weak template letters saying nothing, not even offering reminders to help voters be prepared: Driver's License or voter registration card, or whatever is being asked for to make voting a challenge rather than a privilege. I have lost my enthusiasm regarding this exercise but do not understand their resistance to remain bipartisan when the audience are democrats. THIS IS A MISSED OPPORTUNITY FOR MESSAGING.
You nailed it. Things do feel overwhelming.....the Ukranian horror alone would have brought that on. Remember the picture of the three-year old Syrian boy washed up on the beach in Italy as his family tried to escape the Syrian war (run by the same Russian general know heading up Putin's War)? We each have daily conversations with people outside our families and there is a good place to start with a sentence or two of clarity and uplift. I said to someone in the grocery store line who was bemoaning gas prices, "You know the President has nothing to do with gas prices......even if it is a President you like! He is just an easier target than the oil companies and Putin." She actually smiled and said "you are right". There were lots of ears in that conversation.
Regarding "perspective"; I remain appalled by Mitch McConnell. His policy of -0- support for anything proposed by a Democrat president is unchanged since Obama. He has calculated that party is more important than country. Every single time, every single year. He will fight his formerly good friend Joe Biden in the trenches, in the newspapers, and in the ballot box. I hope there is a special place in history reserved for him, right next to Theodore Bilbo.
Regarding decisions by right wing voters. A good read is The Sum of Us by Heather McGee. She does a great job of explaining how racism may be the cause of the votes against a voter's self interest. I'm only about 100 pages into the book, but the examples have been eye-opening.
I want to comment on the low favorability polls. I have been knocking on doors canvassing for Democrats in the June primaries here in Southern California. I just remind you that we, who read the newsletter, know about the low polls. But many people (most?) don’t. They don’t know we got redistricted after the census. They don’t know the primary ballots come in less than 3 weeks. And they don’t know a single candidate they will see on that ballot. So I don’t think those polls are going to influence their votes. That said, the Party associated with high inflation, which everyone has noticed, has a lot of splainin to do. Same phenomenon. Not driven by the Party, but they don’t know that. That’s what I’m doing. Explaining it if I can. And I’m not really finding that as the major complaint.
Robert today’s Edition addressed several issues I had including the Charles Blow column. I live in NC and there have been a flood of political ads hitting the airwaves. As I was watching them I started to realize that voters need to look at the ads and candidate’s differently and ask different questions. When a candidate says “ We need to make America Great Again” does that mean try and overthrow the government and enact voter restriction laws. When the candidates say “ We need to bring conservative values to Congress” what does that mean relative to woman’s reproductive rights and LGBTQ rights and marriage and of course the sure winner “ Endorsed by Trump basically says hey this candidate supports everything I Donald Trump stand for. Really, What I am recommending is for all of us the “ Hubbell Humble Masses “ to write letters to every local newspaper in our communities asking these questions. The bigger question to ask is what are the candidates position and platform about voting rights, inflation, taxes, infrastructure and education to name a few. Hey candidates show us your platform and tell me what are you going to do for me and my family. Show us what you will actually do. I think letter writing campaigns around these ads will call attention to the frivolous content and information lacking in these ads. I am composing my letters as I am writing this response. Good Luck.
Despite the confluence of terrible events and the "dismal" "failing" numbers the media wallow in every day, let's remember that Joe Biden's approval ratings are in fact ABOVE what Trump's were when he was President. I don't recall the press saying that those ratings made Trump an impossible election candidate. (See 538, https://projects.fivethirtyeight.com/biden-approval-rating/).
Long ago, the distant mirror shows us a Ukraine besieged by Mongol hordes. A small group of defenders, in a remote forest of western Ukraine, held out-and defeated one of the Mongols' key generals. Ukraine was battered, burned, but resilient, and kept its identity.
More recently, South Korea was virtually occupied in toto by Mao Tse-tung's forces. A small area around Pusan held out, the Chinese and their North Korean puppets were beaten back, by an international force, and South Korea today is a healthy, democratic society. Dark is followed by light.
You offer us perspective and remind us we all have choices and encourage us all to choose wisely. This is great advice for virtually everything in life, not least of all who we place in positions of leadership.
Here is my first reaction to your advice on perspective. Let's briefly revisit how we got here, which includes revisiting and examining and evaluating our prior choices. In 2020 we were faced with the choice of returning Trump and those surrounding him to office for another four years after experiencing his first term or making a switch to Biden who had been Obama’s V.P. That was the choice we had to make. You cannot imagine there was a different choice because that was the only choice we had presented to us. So I ask all... Reflecting on all we experienced during the prior four years and what we knew then and now (without bothering here to recount all of the events of those four years) did America make the right choice? What might your life and the world look like today had we collectively made a different choice?
Now think carefully on that question because in November 2022 we, each of us individually and collectively, will again be asked to make similar choices. Frankly, it is far more important to think about those choices and their importance than how to answer a pollster about whether you like Joe Biden or not, or how you feel about the state of your life and the world.
Elections are always about choices and possibilities. The choices are finite. You cannot imagine choices not on the ballot. You can only decide between the alternatives you are presented. What is often missed is the importance of what choices you make and what you do in between election days. If you don't like the choices you are asked to make on any Election Day the time to do something about it has passed. You must choose between the alternatives offered. However, you can be assured that in two years you will be asked again to make choices.
So each day as you wake and plan your day, grousing about your prior choices or blaming the state of your life on the outcome of those prior choices is of little help to provide you with better alternatives the next time you are asked to choose. So here is my suggested polling question, “What are you going to do today so that the next time you are asked to make a choice you are presented with the best alternatives to create a better future?
Great newsletter today - as always! Thanks, Robert!!!! 🙏 I'm going to check out the ISW....
Robert sorry I didn’t chime in yesterday about the audio, which I use regularly. I’ve been fine with it and figure it’s a work in progress…always grateful to have it! If I didn’t understand something in the audio, I simply look at the written word.
Thank you, as always Robert to help us keep perspective.