“If we regain control of Congress...”. That’s a big IF, Robert. I won’t be voting for anyone other than Biden. I also want to encourage everyone to write to Kamala and discourage her from attending that meeting. I could not stomach her being in the same place with Musk. I can just see him making Nazi symbols. Why would anyone sane want him at their venue? I don’t care if he’s the richest man in the world. He’s a fascist pig!
Joe is a master negotiator and juggler of all things. I just am not certain anyone else with his vast diplomatic experience could do what he’s done. Hamas is cagey though. You just never know when they will try pulling the rug out from everyone. So, we wait with baited breath for any of the releases.
Always....and these days I vote solid blue, actually that's been true since the Newt days. Blue right down to the local school board--it has one holdout R who got re-elected by several dozen votes.
Beyond important. Down ballot becomes more important all the time, especially if the two candidates who don't get the Senate nomination aren't going to return to the House.
I wish Katie Porter, who is polling way out of competitive with 16% while Schiff and Barbara Lee are close to each other in the 40s, would read the writing on the wall and drop out; she is the only Democrat who can likely win that district, but she'll have to put more effort into doing so than she would to become a US Senator from California. It pisses me off that she's making her calculations from this perspective. She's needed and valuable in the House. It's almost a dereliction of duty to carry on when she is losing as badly as she is and has no likelihood of turning that around since her fund raising is in the tank with her numbers.
I agree. All of the Californians I know have a great deal of respect for Katie as an actual working Congresswoman. While I understand the desire of anyone with a family to get off the biennial fundraising treadmill, her loss in the House, especially if it costs a Democratic seat, would be almost tragic. Maybe if the DCCC came across with enough funding to take the burden off of her, she'd be more amenable to staying where she is.
Hi TC - I was surprised by your numbers relating to Schiff and Lee polling in the 40’s and Porter at 16%. I thought I may have missed something. Or perhaps you’re looking at a particular subset of voters?
I just did a search and found that Porter & Schiff are neck-in-neck, as they have been all along with 16% to 17% for each depending on the poll. And Lee is in at around 9%.
I do like all 3 candidates, and each is a high quality individual who will serve Californians well. Since both Schiff and Lee are in safe, Blue districts, I do have the same concern as you about the real risk of losing CA-47. That being said I think Katie will really kick *ss in the Senate and I love how she skewers all the rich, white corporate bajillionaires in congressional hearings.
And did I mention that she takes no corporate PAC money? And that the younger voters are energized by her? A group that we really need to be engaged in voting.
I think she should go for it, and the rest of us in California need to work like hell to keep CA-47 Blue.
Can we stop calling the enemy "conservatives"? These people are the furthest thing from "conservative." When you writer "they want to take us back to..." you describe them as they are: REACTIONARIES. Radical, revolutionary, reactionaries. There's a seen letter word that begins with "f" and ends with "t" that is a one word synonym for that word salad.
So far as Elmo and his lawsuit is concerned, this is a preview of the kind of "rule of law" that will exist with the fascist scum take power. Elmo - everybody's favorite unreconstructed Afrikaner apartheid enthusiast - needs "termination... with extreme prejudice... "
Yeah, that's a fair criticism. I usually refer to them as reactionaries, but Josh Marshall's piece referred to them as conservatives so I was distracted.
Wow, this is exactly what I scream at the television more often than I like to admit. They are not conservatives. I will cede that term to people like Judge Buttig, Liz Cheney, and a few others, but calling The likes of the Gaetz, Boebert, and MTG conservative is just wrong.
Yes, we need to stop calling the MAGAts conservatives. They want to destroy EVERYTHING and leave the country a smoldering ruin. They want to destroy that which they claim to protect. They do want to protect the power they have gained through decisions like Citizens United and gutting the voting rights act. Conservatism is not popular because it privileges a few and takes from the many. John Kenneth Galbraith said, "The modern conservative is engaged in one of man's oldest exercises in moral philosophy;that is the search for a superior moral justification for selfishness." Conservative is a polysyllabic word for GREED. Let's just be real here.
Here's a good example of what Elon is trying to conserve: google "elon musk child support texas". He apparently sold his property in California and moved to a rental house in Texas, where child support laws cap his possible support payments to Grimes to $2760 per month for three kids. Yup, the guy who was willing to spend $44 billion to buy Twitter as a vanity project is willing to splurge a whole $920 per kid to support his own offspring, while Mom provides the rest of the funding and nearly 100 percent of the labor required to raise them.
Grimes has lots of her own money, so the kids won't suffer. But Elmo's lack of interest in his own flesh and blood, besides showing how he values his kids versus his bank account, reflects the "conservative" concern for children right up to the point where they pop out of the womb. After that, it's thoughts and prayers.
Yes! Stop calling them "Christian" and call them what they are: Fundamentalists, a religion that has nothing to do with the various religions it tries to hijack.
Reaction is a big part of conservatism in America. That’s because liberalism has been so successful, thanks to the inspiration of the Declaration of Independence. Thus, the trajectory of the country since its founding has been irredeemably liberal. The conservatives who believe in government by the privileged few who “know best” what is good for society have been fighting a desperate rear guard action since day one. That is why today they seem so reactionary and even fascist. But they mean conservative.
"Elmo" is that cute little guy on Sesame Street, right? Geez Louise, all this stuff is really getting to me! I don't have a clue how to actually reach Kamala Harris....nothing seems to actually get through to them! But SHE should know better than to share a stage with the Idiot of X! Yes, please everyone have a peaceful holiday tomorrow and be thankful for the efforts of Mr. Hubble and Biden/Blinken!
Thank you very very much, Robert for all the information and for putting it in as positive a perspective as possible. That's a gift. And I hope you have a very Thanksgiving with Jill and your family.
Nov 22, 2023·edited Nov 22, 2023Liked by Robert B. Hubbell
Thank you again Robert. Their fear is palpable for sure A cornered animal gets vicious. What is left of the GOP is clinging to power, what little it has left, violently.
Last night quite a few said they had Joe Biden to be thankful for, for which I complemented them, and now we know how effective Biden has been in engaging in the Hams/Israel negotiations since October 7th. Non stop. On his 81st birthday, he is hitting his stride. Too old? To all those clammering for a cease fire, they have no idea how difficult the negotiations will be be in any such siruation. They think he can just flip a switch, and for that they are critical of him. If the truce holds, I hope he explains clearly how difficult such work is. The TWO THUMB TEXTING generation has to have to it NOW. They have no clue.
Elmo, Paxton The 8th circuit and all can wait untill next week.
Have a very pleasant long weekend Robert and, if you eat too much, one little slice more of something nice won't hurt! Enjoy
The problem I see with everyone on the side of Good and Sanity (Harris et al.) refusing to appear anywhere alongside the current king of Bad and Crazy (no, wait; Trump still claims that honor) -- is that it leaves too much space open for people like Musk and Trump to do damage. I've been very happy to see Pete Buttigieg frequently appear on Fox because that's the only place millions of people get their information. If we abandon those spaces, we're abandoning some opportunities, I believe. Unpleasant as it is to even breathe some of the same air molecules as the likes of Musk.
Agreed. But I've never seen that kind of solidarity in this situation. It would be nice if they did and also made sure that some mainstream media entity communicated the reason; but I don't see that happening. Similarly to how everyone should have abandoned Twitter/X but they haven't done so.
Perhaps VP Harris will be looking forward to squaring off with Elon Musk. She doesn't have to yell directly at him. But she is quite capable of stating a position wrapped in few barbs that will be unmistakably aimed at anti-semitism and those who participate in it. Moscow Musk should be afraid.
I LOVE to hear Harris speak -- I miss her in Senate hearings, but she's doing a great job, as I assumed she would, right where she is now. And, really, unless you're a right-wing scaredy cat afraid of everything and esp. intelligent women -- her presence, as I heard Heather Cox Richardson note yesterday, should greatly ease any fears of 'Biden's age.' Not only is he doing just fine as an elder statesman and wily old fox -- but should the unthinkable happen, Harris would be more than able to stand in. Moscow Musk doesn't seem to have fear, so I don't know about that...
It is astounding to me that Harris has such negative polling. She has a terrific background. Was an excellent AG and Senator, speaks clearly with intelligence and passion. With an older president, she is an outstanding insurance policy for America. And for those who simply don't like her because of her sex or race, please name a VP who has done more or has done a better job!
I often dream of a past where Willy Clinton kept his libido under control and Al became his successor. Much of the Hell the world is experiencing right now might have been avoided.
On her FB History & Politics Chat yesterday, HC Richardson talked about this (you can access the video on her FB page if you'd like to hear it) and mentioned that she's very well thought of by younger people and Hispanics -- I think it was Hispanics, but certainly someone other than older White folks. And, those are the people we really need to consider, esp. for the future (assuming we have one). :)
I gotta tell you, I really didn't like her, even after Biden picked her. But I realized that given that she wasn't going anywhere, it was counterproductive of me, and so I've switched my feelings about her. And I dream of the same past you do, as well as the past where RFK doesn't get assassinated, and gets two terms, and does such a great job (which I think he would have been capable of) that the Dems just keep on winning. But, yeah, Gore would have probably been great.
Thanks for sharing how you came upon a change of heart, David. There are places where I need to be more open to see where my ways are counterproductive. And about RFK, I have often wondered what life and history would have been had he not been assassinated. And today, I've been mindful of the anniversary of JFK's assassination. Another grave loss we may never fully comprehend, for reasons unimaginable.
You're welcome Jean. I'm less mindful of JFK's assassination than usual on 11/22. Not sure why, but maybe it's just 60 years have passed! I was 10. School got out at noon on Friday's. I was going to my best friend's house for the night, having to take a bus to Harvard Square and then a taxi. The taxi was a new '64 Chevrolet--my favorite car--and I was thrilled to ride in it. And of course, to see my best friend. The houses around the driveway were arrayed in a horseshoe. At length, a kid who neither of us liked much or trusted came out. "The President's been shot!" We figured he was making it up. I'd read a scholastic book service book about the secret service three weeks earlier, which said that it was impossible to assassinate a president because of the SS.
We continued playing. A while later, the kid came out again: "The President is dead, and they're playing the Star Spangled Banner on the radio!" We went in, me figuring it would be easy now to check on what this kid was saying. I was thinking I'd have to slowly turn the dial until we found a station where they were playing the star spangled banner. And of course, all the stations were consumed with this event.
The next day my mother picked me up, drove me home. First time I saw her cry.
My sister was 10 months old at the time. She says she has vague memories of sitting in front of the television--her first memories.
A great book: 11/22/1963 by Stephen King. It's not a horror book, althoiugh he uses horror to good effect in spots (I don't read horror books--not interested). High school English teacher goes back in time to try to save JFK. The worm hole at the diner only goes back to Sept 9, 1958. So he has five years to make a life back there, and to try to get a sense of Oswald, and support himself in the past, which he does teaching drama at a high school an hour outside of Dallas. Wonderful romance with the school librarian... And much more. I read the book three times! And then, after Nov. 3, 2016, I picked it up again to distract myself, which it did, to some degree.
I agree. I don’t think VP Harris will decline because she must be aware of the negative commentary about her. This is an opportunity to be out front and center, her “bully pulpit” and she should take full advantage of it. Regardless of whatever stated topic might be on the agenda, once she has an open mike she should denounce Musk, antisemitism and intolerance and violence against all races as well as the MAGA extremists. It should be so forceful that the media has to pay attention.
My sister has a friend who knows them, and babysits for them. And she bumped into them on P'town before they had kids. When she sent me a photo of her with them, I was confused. Chasten looks vaguely like her older son, and I was trying to figure out who the other guy was... and then it dawned on me. Email me if you want to see that photo holzmandc@outlook.com
All good signs! Republicans on the defense, Biden admin returns US to respected international leader, while Musk and the 8th circuit likely tank their own agendas. Thank you Robert for your upbeat view into the holiday!
I can't help but feel hopeful having read your synopsis following Rosenberg, & Hartman's similarly optimistic, fact-based analysis of where we stand vs the Republicons.
If you don't subscribe, both are also worth reading today for excellent talking points! The contrast couldn't be more striking.
I sometimes feel as one might floating in space without an umbilical - sometimes lost, sometimes lonely, and sometimes doubting survival. That feeling of being untethered is offset by our community of civil, kind, vulnerable, thoughtful and fearless participants in dialog. I do not think I stand alone when I say that participation in a democracy is not easy. I am not sure it is natural to wake up in the morning thinking about what needs to be defended. In the average life, getting by is enough...and I respect that. Today, the day before Thanksgiving, I do feel pride. Not a personal pride, but a communal pride of people willing to take on the hard work. I am grateful for the leadership and guidance of people like Robert and Joyce Vance, and Heather Cox Richardson, and others. I am thankful to all of you who remain but a name yet choose to continue to struggle for truth and change that matters for the greater good. Happy Thanksgiving.
David, I am honored to be in communities like Robert's, Joyce's, Heather's and other writers urging us all to do whatever we can to preserve what has become a fragile democracy. Here's to success for all of us and to a lovely Thanksgiving. Let's hope our political efforts this coming year will let us continue in future years to be thankful for our freedom and rights.
Nov 22, 2023·edited Nov 22, 2023Liked by Robert B. Hubbell
Yesterday, in another case of the Republican Party at war with itself, my representative in the Texas legislature announced he was not seeking reelection after ten years in the Texas House. As a conservative Republican and the grandson of a former Texas governor Coke Stevens in red Texas, Representative Andrew Murr looked like a politician on the rise and destined for great things. With his signature handlebar mustache, he is someone you felt was listening to your position and also taking the time to explain his position to you. He was known for writing strong bills and, indeed, he was very proud of authoring the Constitution Carry Law (permitless carry of guns). He also had a hand in the "Heartbeat" Antiabortion Law (I call it the "heartless" bill) which included vigilante injustice allowing bounty hunters to sue women and people helping them get abortions which was a way of circumventing the US Constitution before Roe was overturned. He also investigated Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton's corruption and led the effort to impeach him which failed in the Texas Senate much like the Republicans acted in the Trump impeachments. Rep. Murr had done the right thing for the Rule of Law. Although Rep. Murr is now the target of Paxton and his friends and claims that had nothing to do with his decision, it sure feels like another example of the GOP out of control and fearful. Texas is turning purple despite the minority rule of the Republicans. Non-Hispanic whites are less than half the population now. So, we all need to keep our eyes on prize - a more perfect union for ALL of us this time. Your vote and encouraging others to vote is the gift of democracy for all of us. Rep. Murr is also an example of why every vote counts. Coke Stevens ran for US Senator against Lyndon Baines Johnson. LBJ won the seat by 60 votes (including some suspect results from one county). So Coke Stevens went back to Junction and married Rep. Murr's grandmother. Yes, that means if just a few votes had gone to Stevens, he wouldn't have gone back to Junction and married Murr's grandmother and Andrew Murr would not exist. It is gratifying to see that there are a few Republicans that will do the right thing even if it costs them their political careers. I tip my hat to Rep. Murr for doing the right thing and keeping his personal integrity. We, the People, all of us giving the gift of our vote for this democratic republic.
Wow, with all his support of those odious bills he’s been cast out (figuratively speaking) just for the Paxton investigation? I guess they figure they can get someone else in who will continue the anit-abortion and gun bills without the fear of investigation corruption in their own house?! And thanks for the history lesson and reminders of how things could have gone if another road was taken by even one person!
I was introduced to your newsletter by a good friend as a place of hope instead of doom and despair, and I really appreciate your interpretation of events.. but.. the Times hosting an evening with Musk!?? for this I might cancel my expensive subscription ( to the Times).. I can’t agree with your twisting this into something we should all be happy about, let alone the subversion of our judiciary to the machinations of the uber corrupt Federalist Society..
I totally agree that Biden has been a pretty phenomenal president, against all expectations, he was not only the anti trump choice, he’s been amazing at passing legislation that is helping to repair the disaster of 40 years of Reaganism.
But.. he needs to speak to the people! This is what is missing, because being the President isn’t simply being a good administrator.. Leadership means inspiring people. this is how demagogues like you know who work.. they never stop talking. Joe needs to figure out how to talk to the people, and that is not his strong suit nor does it seem like it’s become any easier for him, only harder with his propensity for misspeaking..
I have no doubt he’s a very busy man, doing all the good work, but if he can’t come out swinging, and shouting, making people stop and listen, I’m afraid he’ll lose.
Robert, thank you for today’s newsletter, truly. I am grateful for your optimism at a time when I, and so many others, struggle to find it. My wife and I are staying with out-of-town family this week, and they are avid readers of yours as well. As we discussed your work the other night, I pointed out that I often disagree with some of your optimistic takes, and it was pointed out to me that in this battle, we all have our roles to play and that yours is as a cheerleader of sorts. I wholeheartedly agreed with that and also decided that role was sorely needed. Others on Substack have different roles, with Professor Richardson putting things in historical context, Joyce Vance getting deep in the weeds into the legalese, and Jeff Tiedrich being able to channel rage into humor. So many others are filling roles, too, including other Substack writers and even the commenters in the community. All are important, and there are days, today being one, where yours may be one of the most essential. To fight, one needs hope, and you provide that even in the darkest of times. Thank you so much for that.
It is called discourse, the written or spoken communication or debate. So the NYTimes has Musk and McCarthy at the same venue with VPOTUS? That does not mean that the Vice President will be contaminated, it means that the various attendees, if given the opportunity, might actually have, you know, a conversation. Or maybe the Moderator of the Most Complex Issues forum will ask Musk pointed questions and get pointed answers. Or maybe gets him mad and he walks off the stage.
We should not be afraid of dissenting opinions and individuals, or at least we did not used to be. In today's extreme polarized atmosphere, it is difficult, but it can happen.
This newsletter is a very important part of my daily media consumption, and it the first thing I read every morning. On Thursday, we will be hosting 8 friends for our Friendsgiving, and I will be very thankful for their companionship. So to everybody here, tomorrow give thanks for what you have and for what you are. Happy Thanksgiving, and somebody pass the Cranberry Relish. Enjoy.
I can relate to how the reader mentioned in the beginning of Today’s Edition is feeling because it seems like there is always something going on by MAGA Republicans everyday to push the limits of decency and legality. The Musk situation in Texas is just another example
where someone is trying to game the system to protect their outrageous behaviors and views with Trump appointed judges who want to bend the law. When these situations happen readers and voters get frustrated and lose confidence in our legal system and are feeling inadequate because in part they feel helpless they can’t do anything about what is happening. In reality we cannot do anything about the maverick judges in Texas so the only viable action we can take is through the courts of public opinion and embarrass these individuals and hold them accountable where it hurts which is their revenue. If more voters would actively boycott companies who support these actions and make it loud and clear we might have a different result. Imagine if everyone boycotted Tesla or the X advertisers then we might see a different result. We all need to be thankful for many things especially Robert and this forum which gives us all the opportunity to vent. For that I am thankful.
I share the feelings of despair of many other readers. Yesterday, for example, I either watched or read at least 3 articles about Biden’s poor poll numbers with key constituencies. Why don’t the the pollsters show us a comparison of that with Trump? How’s he doing with young people, blacks, Latinos, or in fact, previous Trump voters??? Even MSNBC spends an inordinate amount of time on this topic, much to my chagrin. It must be agony to be Biden or anyone in the White House. And never does anyone add that “on the other hand, Joe Biden is trying to serve America while Trump and his followers are moving toward fascism”. That’s what we need to pound into the awareness of our voters. No one is perfect, but don’t we prefer someone who actually spends his days helping Americans rather than turning us into a theocratic dictatorship??? I’m reading HCR’s book, Democracy Awakening, and that is not easy to take. We see that all of this happening now is not new, but a steady and relentless drumbeat from the Republicans to take over this country - based on two horrible principles: 1. White men should be in charge. 2. Government should not really exist, but if it does, they want to abuse its power to turn us into a different kind of nation than a democracy. We are not just further down the road on their plans from the very beginning. Slavery is at the core of all of this. And they just can’t past that. However, HCR does always show how Americans who refute this relentless march to a dictatorship have continued to keep our eyes on the ultimate prize - an America that lives up to the ideals of the Founding Fathers and the Declaration of Independence. We all just have to recognize that we must be those people. It is not up to others. It’s up to us to stay strong and resist the dark vision of our country. I will try to take that into this Thanksgiving week. Thanks for all you do, Robert, to give us ammunition.
I believe Senator Sanders’ piece is simply naïveté in action, leading with one’s heart rather than one’s head.
The upshot of his poorly reasoned recommendations will likely be a return of Hamas to power in Gaza.
People should not be blinded by their intense dislike of Netanyahu (a dislike that I share). They should focus on discrete *policies* aimed at building a Gazan government that will be good to its citizenry and not a threat to others. That’s why I’ve advocated an occupation similar to the post-World War II Occupation that drained Germany of Naziism and helped it become an upstanding member of the European community.
Bernie wants Hamas replaced. Sanders doesn't suggest that Hamas be allowed to run Gaza or a Palestinian state. But asking Israel to run (manage) Gaza would be the painful and hugely expensive reality of a total and complete occupation. Israeli soldiers would be picked off like the Red Coats were in the US. And who would pay for this occupation and rebuilding of an entire region? Muslim countries would send money to Israeli occupiers? The US?
From Sanders:
"For those of us who want not only to bring this war to an end, but to avoid a future one, we must first be cleareyed about facts. On Oct. 7, Hamas, a terrorist organization, unleashed a barbaric attack against Israel, killing about 1,200 innocent men, women and children and taking more than 200 hostage. On a per-capita basis, if Israel had the same population as the United States, that attack would have been the equivalent of nearly 40,000 deaths, more than 10 times the fatalities that we suffered on 9/11."
"To achieve the political transformation that Gaza needs, new Palestinian leadership will be required..."
In his article, Sanders mouths pieties, not concrete plans. “… new Palestinian leadership will be required” is a wish, not a program. It finesses the hard issues, like “what kind of leadership” [surely not the PLO]; and how does one get those leaders; and, if Israeli soldiers will be picked off by residual Hamas operatives, why won’t new leaders of Gaza meet the same fate?
Sanders is quite explicit about the need to do away with Hamas and find a partner willing to engage in a two-state solution, a partner that does not take the bulk of money intended for schools, hospitals, food and electrical power plants and use it to build tunnels and buy rockets from the safety of a Qatari villa.
The issue, as I noted below, is that no such partner seems to exist at present. That means the other Arab nations will need to step up or the UN or some other international body will need to step in... neither of which would preclude the deHamasization you suggest.
I don’t have your apparent confidence that other Arab nations — and most assuredly not the collaborationist UN — will competently and thoroughly pacify Gaza and purge Gaza of its Jew-hatred. Or that they will *believe* in the task.
Pacification and de-Hamasification are the preconditions for lasting peace. The alternative will be a resurgence of Hamas – a stronger Hamas - that will attack Israel, having procured ever more lethal armaments.
Thank you, Alan. This was a brilliant piece by Bernie. It is accurate and balanced. It IS a way forward. But I suspect it will only happen when Netanyahu is gone. 75% of Israelis say he should resign at the end of the war. Why wait? BTW, when did the "war" start? It was well before October 7th. As long as Bibi the crook is at the helm along with the radicals who allow the crimes in the West Bank, Israel will be deadlocked with Hamas and continue to lose international support.
The issue there is that the opposiiton is not united. Labor, which was the Israelli version of the Democrats and the party that ran the state from independence throught the 1970s and then traded off with Likud--dissolved after the Second Intifada when the entire Israeli Left dissovled.
So now we are left with a panolopy of parties, new parties formed around specific politicians, notably Gantz (Kachol Lavan) and Lapid (Yesh Atid) and they will need to unite and present an undivided front-- they did not in the last round of elections and Bibi was able to slither in by uniting with the Far Right Crazies. It is also worth noting that the prior Bennett/Lapid government was in power thanks to one of the Arab parties. Because the Arab citizens of Israel do participate in Israeli democracy and even have their own parties, though there are Arabs who align with Meretz and other left-wing parties as well.
As for the settlers, there is a real disgust with them now in Israel, a feeling that they and thei enablers in the government were why the IDF was not paying attention to Gaza and that to much time, money and lives are being spent to indulge their Quixotic attempts to play Cowboys and Indians in the West Bank, often in open defiance of the IDF and the courts.
But that, Bill, is the least of the problems.
The real problem, one that Senator Sanders alluded to, is that there really is no logical candidate right now to take over Gaza.
The Palestinian Authority is run by 87 year old Abbas, and he has no clear successor. There is a very real fear that when he dies, the PA will splinter into various factions. Plus the PA and Hamas fought a civil war in Gaze about 15 years ago, so there is still much bad blood there.
The other Arab nations will need to step up as much as they can, but they don't seem to have much heart of it. It seems they would love for Hamas and Gaza to just go away- see this piece from the Economist on the recent Arab League Summit https://www.economist.com/middle-east-and-africa/2023/11/16/many-arab-governments-would-like-to-see-hamas-gone but will need to intervene to ensure that whoever takes over is actually a reliable partner for peace.
Well explained and expressed. Nothing is easy or simple. I do find the end (for the most part) of the "Troubles" in Ireland to be a lens to look through. Two warring people - cousins just like in the Middle East - with a history of battles going back centuries. Finally. Could it erupt again? Of course. After all, look at us. The Civil War has resumed for many of us.
Yes. Indeed. We have cousins (by marriage for me) that live in Israel. She teaches alongside Arabs. They have lived well together. They are friends. So sad.
Are you arguing that *Netanyahu* started the war? Don’t be blinded by your justified hatred of Netanyahu.
Have you forgotten what Hamas *is*? Hamas planned and executed the execrable, *inhuman* attack on Israel. If there is to be peace in the region, Hamas must be *extirpated*, so Gazans can be helped to be a peaceable people.
The West Bank must be dealt with separately. ( People, there, are caught between “settlers” who must be curbed, Palestinian terrorists, and a corrupt PLO “government”.)
Perhaps VP Harris, an experienced prosecuter, intends to teach Musk a history lesson! However, the loathsome, mega billionaire lives in his own world. He is everything that is fatally corrupt about rogue capitalism.
As is (more and more) frequently the case, just when I am feeling almost desperate about the state of affaires in America, your words help me pull up my bootstraps and carry on! Thank you for your amazing ability to put things into a “dealable perspective.” Bless you for all that you do for so many! Happy Thanksgiving to you and your family, Robert.
“If we regain control of Congress...”. That’s a big IF, Robert. I won’t be voting for anyone other than Biden. I also want to encourage everyone to write to Kamala and discourage her from attending that meeting. I could not stomach her being in the same place with Musk. I can just see him making Nazi symbols. Why would anyone sane want him at their venue? I don’t care if he’s the richest man in the world. He’s a fascist pig!
Joe is a master negotiator and juggler of all things. I just am not certain anyone else with his vast diplomatic experience could do what he’s done. Hamas is cagey though. You just never know when they will try pulling the rug out from everyone. So, we wait with baited breath for any of the releases.
It's important that you vote down ballot. We need the California congressional delegation in office. We need Adam Schiff in the Senate.
Thank you for this TC and Robert for all of your hard work. I am grateful everyday for the clarity you provide.
Always....and these days I vote solid blue, actually that's been true since the Newt days. Blue right down to the local school board--it has one holdout R who got re-elected by several dozen votes.
Beyond important. Down ballot becomes more important all the time, especially if the two candidates who don't get the Senate nomination aren't going to return to the House.
I wish Katie Porter, who is polling way out of competitive with 16% while Schiff and Barbara Lee are close to each other in the 40s, would read the writing on the wall and drop out; she is the only Democrat who can likely win that district, but she'll have to put more effort into doing so than she would to become a US Senator from California. It pisses me off that she's making her calculations from this perspective. She's needed and valuable in the House. It's almost a dereliction of duty to carry on when she is losing as badly as she is and has no likelihood of turning that around since her fund raising is in the tank with her numbers.
I agree. All of the Californians I know have a great deal of respect for Katie as an actual working Congresswoman. While I understand the desire of anyone with a family to get off the biennial fundraising treadmill, her loss in the House, especially if it costs a Democratic seat, would be almost tragic. Maybe if the DCCC came across with enough funding to take the burden off of her, she'd be more amenable to staying where she is.
Hi TC - I was surprised by your numbers relating to Schiff and Lee polling in the 40’s and Porter at 16%. I thought I may have missed something. Or perhaps you’re looking at a particular subset of voters?
I just did a search and found that Porter & Schiff are neck-in-neck, as they have been all along with 16% to 17% for each depending on the poll. And Lee is in at around 9%.
Here are the sources for this info.
Emerson College
https://emersoncollegepolling.com/california-2024-tight-race-for-u-s-senate-nomination-between-schiff-porter-garvey-and-lee-plurality-remain-undecided/
LA Times
https://www.latimes.com/politics/story/2023-11-03/porter-schiff-runoff-california-senate-election-poll
Sacramento Bee
https://www.sacbee.com/news/politics-government/election/california-elections/article281688388.html
I do like all 3 candidates, and each is a high quality individual who will serve Californians well. Since both Schiff and Lee are in safe, Blue districts, I do have the same concern as you about the real risk of losing CA-47. That being said I think Katie will really kick *ss in the Senate and I love how she skewers all the rich, white corporate bajillionaires in congressional hearings.
And did I mention that she takes no corporate PAC money? And that the younger voters are energized by her? A group that we really need to be engaged in voting.
I think she should go for it, and the rest of us in California need to work like hell to keep CA-47 Blue.
That's the support each had at the recent Democratic Party convention here.
I've said the same thing about Porter. She's great at what she does and we need her to remain there. It's not her time.
I agree completely!
You are only voting for Biden? Does that mean you are you not casting ballots for the other Dems on the ballot (Rep, Senate, Gov, local state races)?
We need Dems across the full spectrum of positions.
Oh please, if you read his newsletters surely you know that's not what he meant.
Just checking !
Imagine the result if Trump were president. People need to see the difference and there needs to be more compare and contrast Scenarios
Trump-et would merely bombast in a 2am "truth" that Hamas would never have attacked Israel on his watch.....never!!
Why only Biden??
Can we stop calling the enemy "conservatives"? These people are the furthest thing from "conservative." When you writer "they want to take us back to..." you describe them as they are: REACTIONARIES. Radical, revolutionary, reactionaries. There's a seen letter word that begins with "f" and ends with "t" that is a one word synonym for that word salad.
So far as Elmo and his lawsuit is concerned, this is a preview of the kind of "rule of law" that will exist with the fascist scum take power. Elmo - everybody's favorite unreconstructed Afrikaner apartheid enthusiast - needs "termination... with extreme prejudice... "
Yeah, that's a fair criticism. I usually refer to them as reactionaries, but Josh Marshall's piece referred to them as conservatives so I was distracted.
On Monday, "fascist" made it into the NYT in describing Trump's latest BS. Progress, ever progress...
Wow, this is exactly what I scream at the television more often than I like to admit. They are not conservatives. I will cede that term to people like Judge Buttig, Liz Cheney, and a few others, but calling The likes of the Gaetz, Boebert, and MTG conservative is just wrong.
Yes, we need to stop calling the MAGAts conservatives. They want to destroy EVERYTHING and leave the country a smoldering ruin. They want to destroy that which they claim to protect. They do want to protect the power they have gained through decisions like Citizens United and gutting the voting rights act. Conservatism is not popular because it privileges a few and takes from the many. John Kenneth Galbraith said, "The modern conservative is engaged in one of man's oldest exercises in moral philosophy;that is the search for a superior moral justification for selfishness." Conservative is a polysyllabic word for GREED. Let's just be real here.
Again I ask ‘what are they trying to conserve’, Other than white supremacy and authoritarian rule??
Here's a good example of what Elon is trying to conserve: google "elon musk child support texas". He apparently sold his property in California and moved to a rental house in Texas, where child support laws cap his possible support payments to Grimes to $2760 per month for three kids. Yup, the guy who was willing to spend $44 billion to buy Twitter as a vanity project is willing to splurge a whole $920 per kid to support his own offspring, while Mom provides the rest of the funding and nearly 100 percent of the labor required to raise them.
Grimes has lots of her own money, so the kids won't suffer. But Elmo's lack of interest in his own flesh and blood, besides showing how he values his kids versus his bank account, reflects the "conservative" concern for children right up to the point where they pop out of the womb. After that, it's thoughts and prayers.
Money, power.
And they are equally far from being Christian.
Yes! Stop calling them "Christian" and call them what they are: Fundamentalists, a religion that has nothing to do with the various religions it tries to hijack.
Reaction is a big part of conservatism in America. That’s because liberalism has been so successful, thanks to the inspiration of the Declaration of Independence. Thus, the trajectory of the country since its founding has been irredeemably liberal. The conservatives who believe in government by the privileged few who “know best” what is good for society have been fighting a desperate rear guard action since day one. That is why today they seem so reactionary and even fascist. But they mean conservative.
So … call them “reactionary”, if/since that’s what they are.
Reactionary is a version of conservatism, from a political/ideological perspective. So I think they belong together
"Elmo" is that cute little guy on Sesame Street, right? Geez Louise, all this stuff is really getting to me! I don't have a clue how to actually reach Kamala Harris....nothing seems to actually get through to them! But SHE should know better than to share a stage with the Idiot of X! Yes, please everyone have a peaceful holiday tomorrow and be thankful for the efforts of Mr. Hubble and Biden/Blinken!
No. "Elmo" in this case is Elon, who hates being called "Elmo," so.....
I agree!! I am constantly commenting about the use of the word conservative to describe extremists and radical anti democracy activists
Thank you very very much, Robert for all the information and for putting it in as positive a perspective as possible. That's a gift. And I hope you have a very Thanksgiving with Jill and your family.
Thank you again Robert. Their fear is palpable for sure A cornered animal gets vicious. What is left of the GOP is clinging to power, what little it has left, violently.
Last night quite a few said they had Joe Biden to be thankful for, for which I complemented them, and now we know how effective Biden has been in engaging in the Hams/Israel negotiations since October 7th. Non stop. On his 81st birthday, he is hitting his stride. Too old? To all those clammering for a cease fire, they have no idea how difficult the negotiations will be be in any such siruation. They think he can just flip a switch, and for that they are critical of him. If the truce holds, I hope he explains clearly how difficult such work is. The TWO THUMB TEXTING generation has to have to it NOW. They have no clue.
Elmo, Paxton The 8th circuit and all can wait untill next week.
Have a very pleasant long weekend Robert and, if you eat too much, one little slice more of something nice won't hurt! Enjoy
The problem I see with everyone on the side of Good and Sanity (Harris et al.) refusing to appear anywhere alongside the current king of Bad and Crazy (no, wait; Trump still claims that honor) -- is that it leaves too much space open for people like Musk and Trump to do damage. I've been very happy to see Pete Buttigieg frequently appear on Fox because that's the only place millions of people get their information. If we abandon those spaces, we're abandoning some opportunities, I believe. Unpleasant as it is to even breathe some of the same air molecules as the likes of Musk.
If everyone else canceled, the NYTimes would see the error of its ways and uninvite Musk. That's the real point.
Agreed. But I've never seen that kind of solidarity in this situation. It would be nice if they did and also made sure that some mainstream media entity communicated the reason; but I don't see that happening. Similarly to how everyone should have abandoned Twitter/X but they haven't done so.
Perhaps VP Harris will be looking forward to squaring off with Elon Musk. She doesn't have to yell directly at him. But she is quite capable of stating a position wrapped in few barbs that will be unmistakably aimed at anti-semitism and those who participate in it. Moscow Musk should be afraid.
I LOVE to hear Harris speak -- I miss her in Senate hearings, but she's doing a great job, as I assumed she would, right where she is now. And, really, unless you're a right-wing scaredy cat afraid of everything and esp. intelligent women -- her presence, as I heard Heather Cox Richardson note yesterday, should greatly ease any fears of 'Biden's age.' Not only is he doing just fine as an elder statesman and wily old fox -- but should the unthinkable happen, Harris would be more than able to stand in. Moscow Musk doesn't seem to have fear, so I don't know about that...
It is astounding to me that Harris has such negative polling. She has a terrific background. Was an excellent AG and Senator, speaks clearly with intelligence and passion. With an older president, she is an outstanding insurance policy for America. And for those who simply don't like her because of her sex or race, please name a VP who has done more or has done a better job!
Al Gore
I often dream of a past where Willy Clinton kept his libido under control and Al became his successor. Much of the Hell the world is experiencing right now might have been avoided.
And Nader didn't run.
On her FB History & Politics Chat yesterday, HC Richardson talked about this (you can access the video on her FB page if you'd like to hear it) and mentioned that she's very well thought of by younger people and Hispanics -- I think it was Hispanics, but certainly someone other than older White folks. And, those are the people we really need to consider, esp. for the future (assuming we have one). :)
I hope it was Hispanics. We need them.
I gotta tell you, I really didn't like her, even after Biden picked her. But I realized that given that she wasn't going anywhere, it was counterproductive of me, and so I've switched my feelings about her. And I dream of the same past you do, as well as the past where RFK doesn't get assassinated, and gets two terms, and does such a great job (which I think he would have been capable of) that the Dems just keep on winning. But, yeah, Gore would have probably been great.
Thanks for sharing how you came upon a change of heart, David. There are places where I need to be more open to see where my ways are counterproductive. And about RFK, I have often wondered what life and history would have been had he not been assassinated. And today, I've been mindful of the anniversary of JFK's assassination. Another grave loss we may never fully comprehend, for reasons unimaginable.
You're welcome Jean. I'm less mindful of JFK's assassination than usual on 11/22. Not sure why, but maybe it's just 60 years have passed! I was 10. School got out at noon on Friday's. I was going to my best friend's house for the night, having to take a bus to Harvard Square and then a taxi. The taxi was a new '64 Chevrolet--my favorite car--and I was thrilled to ride in it. And of course, to see my best friend. The houses around the driveway were arrayed in a horseshoe. At length, a kid who neither of us liked much or trusted came out. "The President's been shot!" We figured he was making it up. I'd read a scholastic book service book about the secret service three weeks earlier, which said that it was impossible to assassinate a president because of the SS.
We continued playing. A while later, the kid came out again: "The President is dead, and they're playing the Star Spangled Banner on the radio!" We went in, me figuring it would be easy now to check on what this kid was saying. I was thinking I'd have to slowly turn the dial until we found a station where they were playing the star spangled banner. And of course, all the stations were consumed with this event.
The next day my mother picked me up, drove me home. First time I saw her cry.
My sister was 10 months old at the time. She says she has vague memories of sitting in front of the television--her first memories.
A great book: 11/22/1963 by Stephen King. It's not a horror book, althoiugh he uses horror to good effect in spots (I don't read horror books--not interested). High school English teacher goes back in time to try to save JFK. The worm hole at the diner only goes back to Sept 9, 1958. So he has five years to make a life back there, and to try to get a sense of Oswald, and support himself in the past, which he does teaching drama at a high school an hour outside of Dallas. Wonderful romance with the school librarian... And much more. I read the book three times! And then, after Nov. 3, 2016, I picked it up again to distract myself, which it did, to some degree.
I hope you're right, Bill!
And here is her ammunition, should she care to employ it.
https://www.mediamatters.org/elon-musk/new-york-times-plans-event-elon-musk-despite-his-history-attacking-outlet
I agree. I don’t think VP Harris will decline because she must be aware of the negative commentary about her. This is an opportunity to be out front and center, her “bully pulpit” and she should take full advantage of it. Regardless of whatever stated topic might be on the agenda, once she has an open mike she should denounce Musk, antisemitism and intolerance and violence against all races as well as the MAGA extremists. It should be so forceful that the media has to pay attention.
Yes – it will play to Kamala Harris’s strength as a prosecutor.
I'm glad to hear Pete Buttigieg is still going on Fox.
He's awesome...a quick-witted counterpoint to Fox "news".
My sister has a friend who knows them, and babysits for them. And she bumped into them on P'town before they had kids. When she sent me a photo of her with them, I was confused. Chasten looks vaguely like her older son, and I was trying to figure out who the other guy was... and then it dawned on me. Email me if you want to see that photo holzmandc@outlook.com
Agree and will be VERY interested on what Harris has to say and how it's received.
Agree.
All good signs! Republicans on the defense, Biden admin returns US to respected international leader, while Musk and the 8th circuit likely tank their own agendas. Thank you Robert for your upbeat view into the holiday!
I can't help but feel hopeful having read your synopsis following Rosenberg, & Hartman's similarly optimistic, fact-based analysis of where we stand vs the Republicons.
If you don't subscribe, both are also worth reading today for excellent talking points! The contrast couldn't be more striking.
https://open.substack.com/pub/simonwdc/p/giving-americans-permission-to-love?utm_source=share&utm_medium=android&r=3lzb6
https://open.substack.com/pub/thomhartmann/p/dear-republicans-we-tried-your-way-810?utm_source=share&utm_medium=android&r=3lzb6
Happy Thanksgiving to all!
Yes!
Other “must reads” besides Robert.
How fortunate we are to have such a gold mine of support through these chaotic, disheartening times! Forever grateful to these warriors.
I sometimes feel as one might floating in space without an umbilical - sometimes lost, sometimes lonely, and sometimes doubting survival. That feeling of being untethered is offset by our community of civil, kind, vulnerable, thoughtful and fearless participants in dialog. I do not think I stand alone when I say that participation in a democracy is not easy. I am not sure it is natural to wake up in the morning thinking about what needs to be defended. In the average life, getting by is enough...and I respect that. Today, the day before Thanksgiving, I do feel pride. Not a personal pride, but a communal pride of people willing to take on the hard work. I am grateful for the leadership and guidance of people like Robert and Joyce Vance, and Heather Cox Richardson, and others. I am thankful to all of you who remain but a name yet choose to continue to struggle for truth and change that matters for the greater good. Happy Thanksgiving.
David, I am honored to be in communities like Robert's, Joyce's, Heather's and other writers urging us all to do whatever we can to preserve what has become a fragile democracy. Here's to success for all of us and to a lovely Thanksgiving. Let's hope our political efforts this coming year will let us continue in future years to be thankful for our freedom and rights.
So beautifully expressed, David. Even the painfully true parts. Thank you.
Yes, my sentiments and others in this commenting forum. I am uplifted by all of your views and insights.
Yesterday, in another case of the Republican Party at war with itself, my representative in the Texas legislature announced he was not seeking reelection after ten years in the Texas House. As a conservative Republican and the grandson of a former Texas governor Coke Stevens in red Texas, Representative Andrew Murr looked like a politician on the rise and destined for great things. With his signature handlebar mustache, he is someone you felt was listening to your position and also taking the time to explain his position to you. He was known for writing strong bills and, indeed, he was very proud of authoring the Constitution Carry Law (permitless carry of guns). He also had a hand in the "Heartbeat" Antiabortion Law (I call it the "heartless" bill) which included vigilante injustice allowing bounty hunters to sue women and people helping them get abortions which was a way of circumventing the US Constitution before Roe was overturned. He also investigated Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton's corruption and led the effort to impeach him which failed in the Texas Senate much like the Republicans acted in the Trump impeachments. Rep. Murr had done the right thing for the Rule of Law. Although Rep. Murr is now the target of Paxton and his friends and claims that had nothing to do with his decision, it sure feels like another example of the GOP out of control and fearful. Texas is turning purple despite the minority rule of the Republicans. Non-Hispanic whites are less than half the population now. So, we all need to keep our eyes on prize - a more perfect union for ALL of us this time. Your vote and encouraging others to vote is the gift of democracy for all of us. Rep. Murr is also an example of why every vote counts. Coke Stevens ran for US Senator against Lyndon Baines Johnson. LBJ won the seat by 60 votes (including some suspect results from one county). So Coke Stevens went back to Junction and married Rep. Murr's grandmother. Yes, that means if just a few votes had gone to Stevens, he wouldn't have gone back to Junction and married Murr's grandmother and Andrew Murr would not exist. It is gratifying to see that there are a few Republicans that will do the right thing even if it costs them their political careers. I tip my hat to Rep. Murr for doing the right thing and keeping his personal integrity. We, the People, all of us giving the gift of our vote for this democratic republic.
Wow, with all his support of those odious bills he’s been cast out (figuratively speaking) just for the Paxton investigation? I guess they figure they can get someone else in who will continue the anit-abortion and gun bills without the fear of investigation corruption in their own house?! And thanks for the history lesson and reminders of how things could have gone if another road was taken by even one person!
I was introduced to your newsletter by a good friend as a place of hope instead of doom and despair, and I really appreciate your interpretation of events.. but.. the Times hosting an evening with Musk!?? for this I might cancel my expensive subscription ( to the Times).. I can’t agree with your twisting this into something we should all be happy about, let alone the subversion of our judiciary to the machinations of the uber corrupt Federalist Society..
I totally agree that Biden has been a pretty phenomenal president, against all expectations, he was not only the anti trump choice, he’s been amazing at passing legislation that is helping to repair the disaster of 40 years of Reaganism.
But.. he needs to speak to the people! This is what is missing, because being the President isn’t simply being a good administrator.. Leadership means inspiring people. this is how demagogues like you know who work.. they never stop talking. Joe needs to figure out how to talk to the people, and that is not his strong suit nor does it seem like it’s become any easier for him, only harder with his propensity for misspeaking..
I have no doubt he’s a very busy man, doing all the good work, but if he can’t come out swinging, and shouting, making people stop and listen, I’m afraid he’ll lose.
I find him inspiring, a leader by example.
I cancelled my subscription this week and wrote an email telling them why. Go for it!
Robert, thank you for today’s newsletter, truly. I am grateful for your optimism at a time when I, and so many others, struggle to find it. My wife and I are staying with out-of-town family this week, and they are avid readers of yours as well. As we discussed your work the other night, I pointed out that I often disagree with some of your optimistic takes, and it was pointed out to me that in this battle, we all have our roles to play and that yours is as a cheerleader of sorts. I wholeheartedly agreed with that and also decided that role was sorely needed. Others on Substack have different roles, with Professor Richardson putting things in historical context, Joyce Vance getting deep in the weeds into the legalese, and Jeff Tiedrich being able to channel rage into humor. So many others are filling roles, too, including other Substack writers and even the commenters in the community. All are important, and there are days, today being one, where yours may be one of the most essential. To fight, one needs hope, and you provide that even in the darkest of times. Thank you so much for that.
It is called discourse, the written or spoken communication or debate. So the NYTimes has Musk and McCarthy at the same venue with VPOTUS? That does not mean that the Vice President will be contaminated, it means that the various attendees, if given the opportunity, might actually have, you know, a conversation. Or maybe the Moderator of the Most Complex Issues forum will ask Musk pointed questions and get pointed answers. Or maybe gets him mad and he walks off the stage.
We should not be afraid of dissenting opinions and individuals, or at least we did not used to be. In today's extreme polarized atmosphere, it is difficult, but it can happen.
This newsletter is a very important part of my daily media consumption, and it the first thing I read every morning. On Thursday, we will be hosting 8 friends for our Friendsgiving, and I will be very thankful for their companionship. So to everybody here, tomorrow give thanks for what you have and for what you are. Happy Thanksgiving, and somebody pass the Cranberry Relish. Enjoy.
I can relate to how the reader mentioned in the beginning of Today’s Edition is feeling because it seems like there is always something going on by MAGA Republicans everyday to push the limits of decency and legality. The Musk situation in Texas is just another example
where someone is trying to game the system to protect their outrageous behaviors and views with Trump appointed judges who want to bend the law. When these situations happen readers and voters get frustrated and lose confidence in our legal system and are feeling inadequate because in part they feel helpless they can’t do anything about what is happening. In reality we cannot do anything about the maverick judges in Texas so the only viable action we can take is through the courts of public opinion and embarrass these individuals and hold them accountable where it hurts which is their revenue. If more voters would actively boycott companies who support these actions and make it loud and clear we might have a different result. Imagine if everyone boycotted Tesla or the X advertisers then we might see a different result. We all need to be thankful for many things especially Robert and this forum which gives us all the opportunity to vent. For that I am thankful.
Agree.
I share the feelings of despair of many other readers. Yesterday, for example, I either watched or read at least 3 articles about Biden’s poor poll numbers with key constituencies. Why don’t the the pollsters show us a comparison of that with Trump? How’s he doing with young people, blacks, Latinos, or in fact, previous Trump voters??? Even MSNBC spends an inordinate amount of time on this topic, much to my chagrin. It must be agony to be Biden or anyone in the White House. And never does anyone add that “on the other hand, Joe Biden is trying to serve America while Trump and his followers are moving toward fascism”. That’s what we need to pound into the awareness of our voters. No one is perfect, but don’t we prefer someone who actually spends his days helping Americans rather than turning us into a theocratic dictatorship??? I’m reading HCR’s book, Democracy Awakening, and that is not easy to take. We see that all of this happening now is not new, but a steady and relentless drumbeat from the Republicans to take over this country - based on two horrible principles: 1. White men should be in charge. 2. Government should not really exist, but if it does, they want to abuse its power to turn us into a different kind of nation than a democracy. We are not just further down the road on their plans from the very beginning. Slavery is at the core of all of this. And they just can’t past that. However, HCR does always show how Americans who refute this relentless march to a dictatorship have continued to keep our eyes on the ultimate prize - an America that lives up to the ideals of the Founding Fathers and the Declaration of Independence. We all just have to recognize that we must be those people. It is not up to others. It’s up to us to stay strong and resist the dark vision of our country. I will try to take that into this Thanksgiving week. Thanks for all you do, Robert, to give us ammunition.
Senator Bernie Sanders has an excellent piece in today's NYT about the Gaza situation and what needs to happen next
https://www.nytimes.com/2023/11/22/opinion/bernie-sanders-israel-gaza.html
I disagree.
I believe Senator Sanders’ piece is simply naïveté in action, leading with one’s heart rather than one’s head.
The upshot of his poorly reasoned recommendations will likely be a return of Hamas to power in Gaza.
People should not be blinded by their intense dislike of Netanyahu (a dislike that I share). They should focus on discrete *policies* aimed at building a Gazan government that will be good to its citizenry and not a threat to others. That’s why I’ve advocated an occupation similar to the post-World War II Occupation that drained Germany of Naziism and helped it become an upstanding member of the European community.
Bernie wants Hamas replaced. Sanders doesn't suggest that Hamas be allowed to run Gaza or a Palestinian state. But asking Israel to run (manage) Gaza would be the painful and hugely expensive reality of a total and complete occupation. Israeli soldiers would be picked off like the Red Coats were in the US. And who would pay for this occupation and rebuilding of an entire region? Muslim countries would send money to Israeli occupiers? The US?
From Sanders:
"For those of us who want not only to bring this war to an end, but to avoid a future one, we must first be cleareyed about facts. On Oct. 7, Hamas, a terrorist organization, unleashed a barbaric attack against Israel, killing about 1,200 innocent men, women and children and taking more than 200 hostage. On a per-capita basis, if Israel had the same population as the United States, that attack would have been the equivalent of nearly 40,000 deaths, more than 10 times the fatalities that we suffered on 9/11."
"To achieve the political transformation that Gaza needs, new Palestinian leadership will be required..."
In his article, Sanders mouths pieties, not concrete plans. “… new Palestinian leadership will be required” is a wish, not a program. It finesses the hard issues, like “what kind of leadership” [surely not the PLO]; and how does one get those leaders; and, if Israeli soldiers will be picked off by residual Hamas operatives, why won’t new leaders of Gaza meet the same fate?
Sanders is quite explicit about the need to do away with Hamas and find a partner willing to engage in a two-state solution, a partner that does not take the bulk of money intended for schools, hospitals, food and electrical power plants and use it to build tunnels and buy rockets from the safety of a Qatari villa.
The issue, as I noted below, is that no such partner seems to exist at present. That means the other Arab nations will need to step up or the UN or some other international body will need to step in... neither of which would preclude the deHamasization you suggest.
I don’t have your apparent confidence that other Arab nations — and most assuredly not the collaborationist UN — will competently and thoroughly pacify Gaza and purge Gaza of its Jew-hatred. Or that they will *believe* in the task.
Pacification and de-Hamasification are the preconditions for lasting peace. The alternative will be a resurgence of Hamas – a stronger Hamas - that will attack Israel, having procured ever more lethal armaments.
Thank you, Alan. This was a brilliant piece by Bernie. It is accurate and balanced. It IS a way forward. But I suspect it will only happen when Netanyahu is gone. 75% of Israelis say he should resign at the end of the war. Why wait? BTW, when did the "war" start? It was well before October 7th. As long as Bibi the crook is at the helm along with the radicals who allow the crimes in the West Bank, Israel will be deadlocked with Hamas and continue to lose international support.
If only things were so black and white....
It is far more likley that Bibi will be voted out--Likud is way down in polling and Bibi's numbers make Biden look like George Washington https://www.timesofisrael.com/poll-finds-netanyahu-would-be-pummeled-by-gantz-were-elections-held-today/
The issue there is that the opposiiton is not united. Labor, which was the Israelli version of the Democrats and the party that ran the state from independence throught the 1970s and then traded off with Likud--dissolved after the Second Intifada when the entire Israeli Left dissovled.
So now we are left with a panolopy of parties, new parties formed around specific politicians, notably Gantz (Kachol Lavan) and Lapid (Yesh Atid) and they will need to unite and present an undivided front-- they did not in the last round of elections and Bibi was able to slither in by uniting with the Far Right Crazies. It is also worth noting that the prior Bennett/Lapid government was in power thanks to one of the Arab parties. Because the Arab citizens of Israel do participate in Israeli democracy and even have their own parties, though there are Arabs who align with Meretz and other left-wing parties as well.
As for the settlers, there is a real disgust with them now in Israel, a feeling that they and thei enablers in the government were why the IDF was not paying attention to Gaza and that to much time, money and lives are being spent to indulge their Quixotic attempts to play Cowboys and Indians in the West Bank, often in open defiance of the IDF and the courts.
But that, Bill, is the least of the problems.
The real problem, one that Senator Sanders alluded to, is that there really is no logical candidate right now to take over Gaza.
The Palestinian Authority is run by 87 year old Abbas, and he has no clear successor. There is a very real fear that when he dies, the PA will splinter into various factions. Plus the PA and Hamas fought a civil war in Gaze about 15 years ago, so there is still much bad blood there.
The other Arab nations will need to step up as much as they can, but they don't seem to have much heart of it. It seems they would love for Hamas and Gaza to just go away- see this piece from the Economist on the recent Arab League Summit https://www.economist.com/middle-east-and-africa/2023/11/16/many-arab-governments-would-like-to-see-hamas-gone but will need to intervene to ensure that whoever takes over is actually a reliable partner for peace.
Well explained and expressed. Nothing is easy or simple. I do find the end (for the most part) of the "Troubles" in Ireland to be a lens to look through. Two warring people - cousins just like in the Middle East - with a history of battles going back centuries. Finally. Could it erupt again? Of course. After all, look at us. The Civil War has resumed for many of us.
It is frustrating because there is so much opportunity there-- they have a massive tourism juggernaut waiting to happen.
Yes. Indeed. We have cousins (by marriage for me) that live in Israel. She teaches alongside Arabs. They have lived well together. They are friends. So sad.
Are you arguing that *Netanyahu* started the war? Don’t be blinded by your justified hatred of Netanyahu.
Have you forgotten what Hamas *is*? Hamas planned and executed the execrable, *inhuman* attack on Israel. If there is to be peace in the region, Hamas must be *extirpated*, so Gazans can be helped to be a peaceable people.
The West Bank must be dealt with separately. ( People, there, are caught between “settlers” who must be curbed, Palestinian terrorists, and a corrupt PLO “government”.)
Michael,
to add my 2 cents
The Right Wing blames Soros for the world's ills.
The Left Wing blames Netanyahu.
It's just anti-Semitism at its worst.
Anti-Semitism has been around such a long time..."They" keep finding new Scapegoats...a term culturally appropriated from the Jews...
See how that works?
(not you Michael, them)
Perhaps VP Harris, an experienced prosecuter, intends to teach Musk a history lesson! However, the loathsome, mega billionaire lives in his own world. He is everything that is fatally corrupt about rogue capitalism.
As is (more and more) frequently the case, just when I am feeling almost desperate about the state of affaires in America, your words help me pull up my bootstraps and carry on! Thank you for your amazing ability to put things into a “dealable perspective.” Bless you for all that you do for so many! Happy Thanksgiving to you and your family, Robert.