Comments section open for the weekend!
October 8, 2022
As we are closing in on the midterms, I am once again opening the weekend Comments section to everyone (usually reserved for paying subscribers). But there is much to talk about, and I encourage readers to use the Comments section to promote volunteer opportunities and to seek out such opportunities.
The Comments section is an important part of the community of this newsletter; I encourage you to check it out every day as it adds depth, context, and some disagreement to the opinions I express. I know that some of you with lots to say have been sitting on the sidelines. Why not let others know what you are thinking? As always, be respectful, add citations to sources where appropriate, and use paragraph breaks to enhance readability.
Over the next week, I am going to lean on the regular contributors (see list below) to the Comments section more than usual to flesh out the conversation. Our youngest daughter is getting married in a week, and our household is brimming with activity. I hope to stick to my regular schedule but know that you will understand if I make accommodations for important family events.
A special note to Founding Members: We have a Zoom conference scheduled for Tuesday, October 11th at 11:00 AM Pacific / 2:00 PM Eastern. You should have received a separate email with the Zoom link (if not, email me). If all goes well, we will have a special guest: Rep. Tim Ryan—the Democratic candidate for the US Senate seat in Ohio. Tim is locked in a close contest with JD Vance. Tim plans to join our conversation if the internet gods cooperate (Tim will be calling in from a bus between appearances in Ohio). This should be a great opportunity for Founding Members to speak directly to Tim Ryan.
A note to all readers: I am working to set up an event open to all readers that will be a conversation between Tim Ryan and me about the Senate race in Ohio. Stay tuned for details.
The following subscribers regularly make substantive contributions in the comments section (in addition to many others). I don’t always agree with everything they say, but I respect the thoughtful way they advance the conversation. So, to those contributors listed below and many others, thank you—and keep up the good work! Your contributions are helping to lift up others during these challenging times.
Kathy Learoyd, Stewart Whisenant, Bill Alstrom, Swbv, Jon Margolis, Bronwyn Fryer, Stephen Berg, Dean Robertson, Hope Lindsay, Barbara Jo Krieger, Ellie Kona, Annette D, Yehawes, John Cooper, Carole Ferguson, DK Brooklyn, Jennifer Berg, Andrew Bermant, Bruce Carpenter, Chaplain Terry Nicholetti, Gary Bolvin, TCinLA, Dave Conant, Richard Glovsky, Richard Mathes, John Quinn, Cathy Murphree, Doug Schwab . . . and many others!
Talk to you on Monday!
For some strange reason, the "liberal" media seem intent on putting the most negative (for Biden and for Democrats) interpretation possible on nearly every news event and polling results. Just today, MSNBC showed the results of an NPR Marist poll asking respondents to cite what is their "Top Issue." In this case, the answer given by the largest cohort, 37%, was "Inflation." This is, in my opinion, a proxy for "the economy" which almost invariably is the #1 concern voters cite. Of course, it is usually unclear what that choice exactly says about someone's political inclinations. The MSNBC reporter placed great emphasis on that 37% being almost triple the 13% who cited "Abortion" as their primary concern. This might be reasonably seen as worrisome for Democrats IF it were not for the fact that an amazing 27% cited "Preserving Democracy" as their top issue. (This poll, unlike most others, required each respondent to cite only ONE issue.) My educated guess is that nearly every person naming the preservation of democracy as their primary concern is a Democratic voter. Yet not even MSNBC thought its citation by 27% of those interviewed worthy of comment. But I suggest that this answer, which wasn't even on the radar two years ago, speaks volumes about the massive impact that Trump and the MAGA movement is having on our politics, an impact that will make itself strongly felt on November 8th. We progressives must stop giving into a gloomy pessimism and, while continuing to work to rally all of our supporters, allow ourselves to believe in the essential decency of a majority of the American electorate. It may be a slim majority, but the extreme excesses of the MAGA Right will work importantly in our favor, and the Democrats will IMHO retain their House majority--and increase their Senate majority.
I apologize for this rather personal "comment," unrelated to "Today's Edition." I just got power and internet access back after Hurricane Ian blew through my city on 9/28. What I want to share are the lessons I learned. I'm 65 years old, have lived in Florida most of my life, and Ian was not my proverbial "first rodeo," but it was, by far the worst.
Personally, I am incredibly fortunate. My home came through this beast virtually unscathed. My yard of all native plants and trees is in ruins, but this is Florida, so I am confident, once the chainsaws have done their job, that the flora will rebound, if not quickly, certainly in time.
The real point of this post is to share the amazing lessons in humility, generosity, and caring I have learned over the past 10 days. Neighbors I did not know came to offer me water, food, and any assistance they could. This is not a "tight knit" neighborhood. Most people tend to keep to themselves, or so that's the way I've always perceived it, and I've lived in my home 22+ years. But, in this harrowing time, several have truly stepped up to offer a much needed helping hand.
I am a retired public school educator and was blessed to form close relationships with hundreds of what I have always referred to as "my kids." One of "my kids" from 30 years ago, and his wife (also a student in the same class) drove from Gainesville to bring me and 9 other of their former classmates and teachers food, water, ice, and other necessities. Another who still lives in Cape Coral, has been delivering supplies to many, including me. A dear teacher friend, who recently moved from here to N.J. has been keeping me informed when I was cut off from information as to what was going on. My god-brother mailed me a "care package" from Tallahassee. Countless offers and inquiries from former students, and colleagues have buoyed me through the darkness, heat, and despair. Today, I will be able to get online and view some of the destruction for myself. I have only heard reports of what Fort Myers Beach, Sanibel, Captiva, Pine Island, Matlacha, and so many of the places that are a part of my hometown look like post-Ian. I expect it will bring tears to my eyes, but it is the people for whom those areas were home that the tears should be shed. It is for those that lost loved ones, and those who lost their lives that tears should and will be shed.
I am not a person of "faith," certainly not of what passes for "Christian values" in 2022, but I have my beliefs and I know that I am blessed. I am grateful, I am deeply humbled, and in many ways, I'm forever changed. And for this "old dog," that's quite the accomplishment. Please keep the people of SW Florida in your thoughts and prayers (and in this circumstance those are appropriate, unlike the offers given after mass shootings by certain politicians...but I digress, my apologies). Let us not forget those in Puerto Rico, Alaska, and other places affected recently by natural disasters, but the sad truth is that SW FL will never be quite the same and it will take years for any sense of "normal" to be restored.
Thank you for indulging this personal "comment."