Robert, Yes we are taken for granted, but this eloquent response by you, and with the gratitude we all share for this community, let's endure, more than survive.
Resist dismissing Trump bringing preposterous cases against the media as merely dumb. Trump is a 'boy named sue' - SLAPP suits (Strategic Litigation Against Public Participation) have long been his MO. Not to win, but to exhaust his targets' resilience and resources. Now, though, Republican strategists are using Trump's proclivity in order to appeal media defamation cases up to the Supreme Court - where Clarence Thomas is itching to overrule NY Times v Sullivan and to strangle free speech. The Roberts Court is practically soliciting cases to overturn legal protections for constitutionally protected civil rights - including free speech. One of Trump's may do. If not strong enough for oral argument, then for the shadow docket.
Resist the Federalist Society captured court draining justice from American law and the Heritage Society Project 2025 fantastical 'unitary executive' blessing corporate clerical tyranny. (ThankYou Charles Koch et al, their bagman Leonard Leo, and everyone who did not vote for Hillary and Kamala.) And resist the specious rhetoric which splits the opposition. No, Virginia, there is not a duopoly.
Robert, as Joe says, I am so grateful for your clear vision and expression of what is true and right. You always steer me back to moving forward with firm resolve.
I so agree with your comments where VP Harris is concerned. I had the opportunity to hear her speak here in Kalamazoo Michigan and followed her speeches and appearances around the country. She did not speak down to any groups! I have stopped watching MSNBC. I will acknowledge in large measure because Joe and Mika so quickly went to Mar a Largo to meet with Trump.
Indeed Harris rocked it in Raleigh and I couldn't believe the absolute joy and wonder of being in the moment. Tears came many times. Thank you Jeaneen!
That is absolutely the atmosphere experienced here! And Michele Obama spoke that day also along with Senator Gary Peters. In 2008 I was living in E Lansing Michigan.
I had "volunteered " my husband to assist the MSU campus outreach build their data base during President Obama's first race. Joe put in hours. I provided sandwiches. I was there when Obama spoke on the campus of Michigan State University. The atmosphere that day was electric! But what I experienced this fall when Harris was here was just as intense and inspiring! I left that day feeling buoyed up and so full of hope!
This country has lost an opportunity for a second time, to elect a highly qualified,dignified and intelligent woman!
I did not attend a rally, but you could feel the hope and joy of those attending through the videos. Nobody can take that away from us. To pile on Kamala when she delivered a beautiful campaign in record time is repulsive.
And thank you for referring to the vice president as "Harris." It is so demeaning when everyone refers to "Kamala" and "Hillary" in the same sentence as "Trump" and "Obama." It is diminutive. It is like calling them cutie girlies. We are really uncovering the depths of misogyny in our society, when it even extends deeply into the unexamined psyches of liberal male Democrats writing and thinking about women political candidates.
And rocked it in Greensboro! I absolutely agree with Robert on the subject of relentlessly and pointlessly asking why she lost. The Democratic Party went further than ever in reaching out to workers, folks in rural communities, and all the other categories of voters named in these lists. She never demeaned anyone or any group. The real question is: why the hell did Trump win? And Robert has had that right from the beginning.
I'm so used to these diminishing comments (the use of first names for women candidates and last names for male candidates) that I didn't notice. You're right! Thanks for pointing it out. I've now had the pronoun discussion with two of my three sons ... for those of us who grew up in a time where we were all supposed to accept that when the pronoun "he" or "him" is used, everyone "knows" it means everyone. No, they don't. I wanted a career and only knew about teaching, nursing, or secretarial work as being appropriate or accessible for women. I was raised in a time where I expected to have children and create a flexible work-family balance. And the men of my time were raised to be patriarchal and expected the same from their "women," their chattel. What threw everything off for me was being too darned intelligent myself to be able to harness those expectations, to give in to trying to make "my man" look smarter than I am when I was ignored. I've never had a true partner, even when some of them were as smart as I am.
Saying Dems spoke down to people and ignored working class voters is a lie. Look at the platform Kamala Harris championed! An important number of people acted like this was a usual election and stayed home to show their pique. The vote in this election was to “firebomb” the country. Lots of hate filled, racist, stupid, ignorant people voted. Lots of people who should have known better stayed home. Now we are all in the same leaking boat. Look at my home state of NC to see how things can go.
Dems did not ignore anybody, at least those in the grassroots didn't. Stop pointing fingers and start figuring this out. It is way too easy to appeal to hate and fear. Trump does this so well, so very well. Do we want to be like that? Do we want our friends and neighbors deported or "outed" or have bounty hunters pursuing our daughters and granddaughters, nieces, aunts, doctors, etc.? No. No. No. People who want those things to happen to others are not our friends. This is wrong, and it smacks of greed and capitulation. This is a fight worth winning, but it is not a fight that will ever be won by the "donor class." That part is clear.
Yes! I am very proud of my home state of NC for going all blue in our Council of State and the open State Supreme Court seat. Anderson Clayton also rocks.
Kamala Harris was amazing, and don't let the press take that away from us. They have taken enough away from us already. Let them grovel at the feet of the right-wing hero and see how that goes.
Yes, I used to think they had some measure of integrity but that one act proved me wrong. I can not participate in watching their show and only watch Laurence O’Donnell and Rachel Madow. I am profoundly disappointed in many of the other pundits.
I attended VP Harris's rally in Charlotte and there were people from all walks of life in attendance - lots of young people as well as seniors ike me! And the enthusiasm was off the charts!
I am totally disgusted with Corporate Media -now that the election is OVER, they are reporting on the dangerous Trump policies like tariffs, mass deportation etc.
"No drones were observed during the capture of this image."
Robert, thank you for the beautiful astronomy images with which you end each newsletter.
Thank you for continuing to encourage us, the grassroots volunteers, although for myself, I am not yet "recovered" from the election loss, which to oversimplify was the loss of good to evil and cruelty and all that is wrong with the MAGAts, despite the existence of a few good Republicans who stood up against the evil in their midst. I am still hopeful that when the outrageous MAGAt and Project 2025 proposals are attempted that more Republicans will find their way forward to working for the good of the country.
First of all, I too am not recovered from the election results. This very dark place I find myself has nothing to do with Republican vs Democrat; and everything to do with right, fair and just vs corruption, grift and evil. It feels like the floor disappeared from under my feet and now I can’t find my footing.
Secondly, I am not at all hopeful that any Republicans in Congress will find their spines. As a whole, they have all been purchased by the oligarchs and special interests, and they value their wealth and position above all else. (Why is it that no one talks about the OPEN THREATS against these “lawmakers” if they dare to reject unqualified cabinet nominees, or proposed agendas.) This fact, along with the ascendance YKW (you know who, I refuse to write or speak his name), has made for a very dangerous coalition; and this fact terrifies me.
I am incredulous that, knowing what we know, we are going to willingly hand over the government of the Unity States of America to this evil cabal. We KNOW what they are going to do, and we are just going to hand over the keys.
I fear, Jon, that someone such as you, a wise and deep thinker, would consider this is an option. I completely get the level of frustration, and need to find an answer, somehow. I certainly don't have one. I walk from day-to-day befuddled, not knowing how to respond to all we are witnessing. The endless onslaught of depravity and Injustice.
Still, without sounding that I am beyond reproach, most especially since I am not, in conversations where one suggests resorting to violence, I find myself turning to the words and message of Martin Luther King, Jr.: "Hate begets hate; violence begets violence; toughness begets greater toughness. We must meet the forces of hate with the power of love." And there are others of MLK, profound, and at times such as these, seemingly unreachable quotes. Still.
As is often the case, I was being facetious. I am certainly not suggesting that we should take up arms to stop the lawful transfer of the presidency, even to the low-life, traitorous Trump.
I should have known, Jon. Most especially since it would be an unlawful act. Forgive me. I am finding myself fearful far too often these days. And reactive too. When will the madness ever end?
I totally understood you were being facetious, Jon. But we may have to take to the streets to demonstrate our degree of upset with what Cathy said--this political situation is handing over the keys of the United States of America to an evil cabal. Does no one remember peaceful demonstrations? Non-violent demonstrations? Sit-ins? Gandhi and King both employed these tactics to great avail.
You are not alone in feeling the floor has dropped, it's like being in a falling elevator. wondering when and if the emergency brake (our rule of law) will stop it. The floor for me was my belief in good prevailing over evil and democracy over autocracy. I still can't quite grasp the implications that a conman using lies, threats, bribes and intimidation got more votes than Kamala Harris.
Just reading the thread here, JR, I’m seeing reflections of my own feelings, and various stages of grief. At times, I feel despair, but mostly, I feel anger - that we, of all people, with so much history of overcoming evil, could have allowed and even encouraged this outcome. In time, I hope to channel those feelings into action.
One thing we can do is remain engaged, and amplify good news, even about bad things. One bit of good news in Robert’s letter today that hasn’t gotten much attention is Judge Merchan's thorough and compelling ruling against Trump. Robert’s observation that Trump is not a convicted felon until sentencing is concerning, but may represent a step toward justice that we should support. I was disappointed that the otherwise brilliant DA Bragg expressed a willingness to defer sentencing until the end of trump’s interminable term, and hope the judge rejects it. Even a suspended sentence or a day’s house arrest would be something.
Robert’s observation that Trump is not a convicted felon until sentencing could be because if we call him something he is not then he sues and if it's on the news they give in and pay a millions. Terminology is so important for everyone except for it (dump)
yes; many media outlets are calling him a "convicted" felon. Until sentencing, he has not been convicted. A jury did find him guilty on 34 felony counts. Given the lawsuit against Stephanopolous for adopting the judge's language regarding rape under NY law, it is in everyone's best interest to be precise.
Harris was not the problem as much as “allowed lies, lies, and more damn lies” by the gop. It was aided and abetted by shareholder media. Two roads diverged in the political woods and American chose the psychopath.
Kathy, thanks for sharing this op-ed by Rebecca Solnit. Reading it made me a better and smarter person. I urge others to read it. Solnit addresses the pundits who tell Democrats they must "listen" to people who traffic in racism, misogyny, and hate as a penance for losing the 2024 presidential election.
A few choice passages from Solnit's superb essay:
"And the ethical is not halfway between white supremacists and human rights activists, rapists and feminists, synagogue massacrists and Jews, xenophobes and immigrants, delusional transphobes and trans people. Who the hell wants unity with Nazis until and unless they stop being Nazis?"
"This unilateral surrender is how misogyny and racism are baked into a lot of liberal and centrist as well as right-wing positions, this idea that some people need to be flattered and buffered even when they are harming the people who are supposed to do the flattering and buffering, even when they are the minority, even when they’re breaking the law or lost the election."
"Now is an excellent time to stand on principle and defend what we value, and I believe it’s a winning strategy too, or at least brings us closer to winning than surrender does. "
Also: the sense of being disrespected “doesn’t come from the policies advocated by the Democratic Party, and it doesn’t come from the things Democratic politicians say. Where does it come from? An entire industry that’s devoted to convincing white people that liberal elitists look down on them. The right has a gigantic media apparatus that is devoted to convincing people that liberals disrespect them, plus a political party whose leaders all understand that that idea is key to their political project and so join in the chorus at every opportunity.
Yes! Yes! Yes! on recognizing the incredible grassroots organizations. That is where my donations go because that's where I know it will go the farthest. They're also there every day, year round, and know their communities.
"Reviewing the track record of current chairs and consulting with state party groups to field new leaders, particularly where chairs have poor track records." This is so important. Just recently I had a conversation with an activist in a swing state who said their local chair was great, but state chair was terrible. We've heard stories about a number of states where the party chairs are either terrible, or fantastic, and election results are reflected in that leadership.
💯 agree. I was so fed up with the barrage of text message 'asks' for money from Dem candidates all over the US, I stopped donating to them. My $ will ONLY go to grassroots orgs until the DNC stops selling my data.
I wouldn't look at these emails since I knew that they were just asking for more money: donate once, be inundated with emails. They missed a great opportunity to discuss policy in these emails, making them ones I would have read instead of just automatically deleting.
Couldn’t agree more about the Grassroots effort and path forward - I thought the entire list was impactful. I especially liked “Making funds available for year round operations in rural areas, in every state. “ because we can’t wait for elections the communication (speaking AND listening) needs to be year round.
I think the grassroots organizations are our real superpower, but we must learn to harness it. It sounds like The Grassroots Connector is on the right track, and its “job description” for the DNC chair hits many important highlights. Two stand out for me:
Establishing a “Grassroots Coordinator” - I was concerned that so many postcarding, letter-writing, and phone calling campaigns were hitting the same targets too many times with perhaps conflicting messages. A coordinator could help to organize those efforts and shift focus to where it’s most needed and effective.
Renouncing…solicitations - These were a big turnoff to me, and I was fairly well engaged and very committed. I was getting dozens of dire requests daily, from all over the country, and many were disguised as surveys with no apparent way out but “donate” or not submit. The “crying wolf” effect was probably very harmful.
An additional aspect, related to solicitations, also relates to communication. The notion that organizations (legit or otherwise) were asking for “donations” could have been more effective if they were asking for “investments.” “Donations” conjure images of altruism or tax deductibility, neither of which apply. “Investments” is a more accurate and compelling term, IMHO.
I agree about the postcards. I found out the organization I wrote for was sending 3 to each voter on their list. Many of my friends were also writing postcards, and for different organizations than mine. All these groups were working off the same lists. Writing postcards was an easy way for people to feel engaged, but it became too much of a good thing, and turned people off. A friend in Pennsylvania, an engaged voter, was inundated.
Progressive activists left it all on the field this election, and yes, we reached out to turn out working class voters. But I don't think Trump increased the popularity of the appeal of his dark message. The far right's dominance of many media properties and their ability to mine data from social media made them very effective in suppressing potential Democratic votes, according to a Washington Post article. I'm unable to find the citation. Maybe someone can provide it.
Trump didn't win many more voters. Democratic turnout was weaker than the 2020 election. An analysis that builds on this observation and addresses longer-term underlying causes was recommended by Jessica Craven in Threads. Elad Nehorai writes that neither party is adequately addressing deeper issues held by potential voters who have given up. These have built up over years and are 1) existential dread; 2) failure to hold bad actors accountable; and 3) deadened hope. Nehorai goes into details of recent history that drive these dispiriting factors. It is well worth a read.
I agree that the ongoing danger of guns is greater than the danger of drones. But drones can carry guns and bombs and be useful in planning battle tactics, so there would be reason for concern if drones are being flown by those who mean us harm.
Trump to meet with Netflix co-CEO Ted Sarandos. What is all this obeying in advance? Are we headed for a State media-washing? Is the Idiocracy so bad that all media—even entertainment media— are going to fold?
Legacy media sane-washed #45 before the election, and it continues. The outlets, afraid of lawsuits and being shut down, are in line to capitulate.
Folks, I’m scared that “State Media” will become the new normal.
I guess we will have to cancel Netflix, along with Amazon, Twitter, X, WAPO, and META to stop the flow of cash to oligarchs. I’ve done this as soon as I identify one and hope you all will put your $ where our mouths are as well.
Thank you for cutting through the “Why the Democrats Lost” chatter. Harris ran a heartfelt campaign in a limited time frame. It can be analyzed to death but I believe the reason she lost is racism and misogyny. It has nothing to do with being out of touch with the working class or any of the other plethora of reasons. I look forward everyday to your dose of encouragement, it is deeply appreciated.
Harris lost in 2024 because the Democratic Party is perceived as a Party of old people, Biden, Pelosi and others. Biden should have rested on his laurels and given the Presidency up to a younger party. Even now Pelosi who just broke her hip at 84 is supporting Rep Connaly a 74 year old suffering from cancer against AOC for a Democratic leadership position. Is it any wonder that 8 million people didn’t vote in 2024 when faced with the choice between old people and felons. ? The Party needs to rid itself of old leaders who lost the working class.
Many of trump’s uber rich pals are old too- the good old white boys in congress - I can sit here and list them, but I don’t need to waste my precious time
Age was a secondary factor in this election. Faced with Biden or Trump, on the ballot, on election day, Biden would have won. The underlying issue behind every "excuse" (age, border, economy, etc) is race, misogyny, and white supremacy. Ask yourself that about every Trump supporter. Which of those fit them? You won't find one, unless they are very isolated or uneducated.
The main factor in the Dems loss this election was ignorance on the part of voters, as is being shown every day on TV and online, as Trump supporters cry and whine, "I didn't know". The media plays a huge part in this and will end up paying the price. Ageism is just an excuse...... And yes there is a very deep lineup of up and coming, younger Dems candidates in the wings, male/female, multiple races. The future is bright once we defeat the clown show.
I also believe Biden could and would have beaten Trump. And I will never forget the Dem turncoats and what they did to him (and us). I firmly believe it's why Sherrod Brown lost in OH.
Just a correction: close to 90 million age-eligible voters did not vote in 2024. The number of registered voters is much smaller. We need to do more as a nation to sell this one major civic duty to the citizens. Voting is the key to a continued democracy.
Many people have given up on Democrats because they know that the Democratic gerontocracy will never, ever put the country first. They will never willingly give up their positions to younger, more progressive politicians who aren’t Corporate Democrats like themselves. They gave up on caring about anyone not in their 1% Club a long, long time ago. Their egos and bank accounts matter more than anything else, including the fate of our country. Look at Biden’s choice to run again after saying he would act as a one-term, bridge President. He, his family and his team chose his ego over what was best for the rest of us, for the country. It took utter humiliation to force them to back down. There are many other examples of them putting themselves first, the latest being voting for Connolly over AOC - an absolutely perfect example of this.
Give Biden a break. Biden thought the accomplishments of his term as President would extinguish Trump as a political force, so he could retire from politics.
But after his Democratic “allies” repeatedly undermined his Administration but *finally*, only after inordinate effort, they pulled together and enacted a couple of landmark bills – and especially after Trump’s candidacy re-emerged, Biden decided to run for a second term. He probably thought he’d again be the strongest Democratic candidate (this is before he unraveled during his ‘debate’ with Trump).
Up to that point, Biden was doing a good job, his Administration getting stronger through palpable accomplishments (domestic and foreign). He could have had a strong candidacy.
His weakest point was metaphorically hiding his considerable accomplishments under a bushel basket. Few other Democrats helped (to put it mildly).
P.S. Connolly is a fine, solid legislator; AOC et al. have a small base of support and many who dislike them.
Michael, we don’t need a fine legislature in Oversight, we need a good communicator. Someone who can get the message across to Americans how Trump is screwing in over. It was a huge mistake and it shows me that Democratic leadership is incapable of meeting the moment.
I agree that we need a good communicator. But we do not need a good communicator with a bad message. For success, content and effective communication are hand-in-glove.
Are you implying that AOC has a bad message? She one of the best the party has. She connecting with the very people we need. Young, non-white voters who either stayed home or voted for Trump.
George there are just as many old people on the Republican side like Trump, McConnell, Graham etc. The fact is most young voters are not happy with our government even though they benefited more under Biden but Trump sold them on shaking things up and Biden and Harris were more of the same.
George, you are absolutely right. The Democrats are doing a great disservice to the country by allowing septuagenarians and octogenarians to cling to power. Kudos to Jerry Nadler to make place to Jamie Raskin on the House Judiciary Committee. Unfortunately it looks like the old guard is able to squash AOC efforts to breathe some fresh air into the House Oversight Committee.
I don't share your conclusions though, that it is no wonder that people didn't go to vote as they were faced with the choice between old people and felons. It is!
Fully agree - she's still immature. And how she's treated Jewish people, including her own constituents (well known for refusing to meet with them) is awful. I worked tirelessly on her first campaign (on the ground & financially), and after what she's done to us, I won't make that mistake again. She constantly flip flops, aligns herself with the DSA, squad & Bernie, and then thinks she should be head of the most powerful committee on the hill, with only a few years of experience?
There are several extremely smart & talented (GenX) options. Look what Nadler did with Raskin? I'm sick of people saying it's AOC or bust, when that's not the case at all.
Socrates could have been half his chronological age and been charged with “corrupting the youth”. His age was less important than his opponents’ desire to be rid of him.
Sadly, you are right. The Democrats need a strong message of helping working people survive financially. For the first time in our history younger people don't think they can have a better life than their parents. They are discouraged and feeling like the system is geared towards the moneyed class. Which is true.
Here is a campaign idea. If you work full time, you should have housing, clean water, adequate food, healthcare and an opportunity for an equal education. I think that's called a baseline in a civilized country. Other developed nations provide that and they don't have anywhere near the collective wealth we have.
Why are Walmart workers surviving off of Food Stamps? If Mark Zuckerberg has TWO mega yachts, why are there hungry people?
I call out Zuck as saying "let them eat cake". A million bucks for a Trump party? If I was a young pup, I would be furious. And why would I vote? Who is my hero?
I suspect the biggest reason Walmart workers need food stamps is that Minimum Wage laws have set minimum wages unreasonably low. Please focus on *that*.
Whatever happened to respecting elder statesmen who have a proven track record? The difference in experience, wisdom, success, real diplomatic savvy, and decency between these two "elderly" candidates clearly showed who was capable of leading American democracy forward, and who wasn't. During his term, Biden demonstrated his ability to make good programs happen in the US, and earned back respect on the world stage by engaging with and supporting US allies. And Biden also showed amazing humility in stepping back to support Kamala Harris in her campaign, to try to save America from Trump.
The November 2024 election results were a sad result of manufactured confusion, sown by internal and external bad actors, as well as the willing dumbing down of Americans who seem ignorant of history, and unable to tell the difference between good and evil, truth and lies. I don't care whether young or old, working class (whatever that means) or not, the American electorate have failed badly this time, and we all will be paying the price in the next 4 years.
George the Democrats in the House are changing committee heads and exiting many older committee chairs and bringing in new blood. After reading about the new changes and the age of the old leaders I agree a generational change is needed and I am happy they are staring the process
Count me among those who no longer watches MSNBC, to which I was addicted prior to Nov 5. Count me among the tens of thousands who canceled their Washington Post subscription. Count me among those who got sick and tired of ceaseless texts from the DNC and many no doubt worthy candidates begging for money. I gave what money I felt I could afford to a few candidates, like Sherrod Brown and Kamala Harris, and I wrote a ton of letters and postcards. I don't think the Democrats had the wrong messages. I just think this country has a lot of really gullible, hateful, misogynistic, racist, and greedy people, 77 million of them. Okay, they got what they wanted, and they'll get what they deserve. Am I bitter? Yes. Will I vote for Democrats again in 2026? Yes.
I think this idea of leveraging the vast, effective grassroots organization that we still,have is critical. Dem leaders, are there ways you can use us in a biggest ever Listening Campaign? Not polls. Face to face town halls, door knocks, phone calls…. Not asking for money, not pushing a candidate. Listening.
“Rather, we need to thank and lift-up those grassroots volunteers who did exactly what pundits are claiming Democrats failed to do in 2024—listen to working-class voters, rural voters, Black and Hispanic men, and voters who did not attend college.”
The resurgence of visible misogyny as the animating force within today's GOP is a mystery to me.
It seems to me that the men who run FOX, NewsMax, One America have found misogyny is very effective in marketing the products of whomever are their program sponsors. So..... not supporting their sponsors, not buying their cars or their beers or their cereals would be the most effective way to de-fang them. Maybe we should focus on listing from big to small the advertisers? Then, to the extent possible, stop buying and re-direct our purchasing.
I've seen only one post, that was about not buying Sargento cheese from James Leprino. I'll be unsubscribing on Jan 20th from all billionaire's products and business as much as possible. I'd love to see a list of sponsors of those media platforms!
Thank you for the push-back perspective, Robert. I weary of our self-flagellation and political mental illness. We simply must abandon the old trope that winning is all—a Trumpian trope—and return to the principles of winning by fair means. Democracy is everything or democracy is nothing.
Excellent newsletter, Robert (as always). Just mentioning that another reason why MSNBC is bleeding viewers is that the hosts of “Morning Joe” sought to bow down to Trump. My husband and I just can’t stomach MSNBC after that, and I’ve heard the same thing from close family friends.
Messaging for Dems against the RW propaganda machine is the primary goal. But, what the pundits never mention is that Trump campaigned for over 8 years and Kamala had 3 months. The energy and participation by her supporters in that time frame was extraordinary. If we had those 8 years, things could have been so different.
Instead of rehashing the past ( we won’t go back) we must create the future. If I could change one approach the Democratic Party must change is they need to stop being the nice person and start from day one going on the offensive and making the Republicans go on defense for a change. Given the unqualified and incompetent members of the new administration we should have a rich amount of content. Instead of attacking the person leading the agency we need to attack the action or lack of action in executing the agency operations and most importantly how it impacts the average voter and their family. The mistake we made under Biden with the House is we focused on the representatives like Green and Gaetz and not on how the Republican House as a body could not govern and the lack of any meaningful legislation.
Exactly! I am astounded that we have yet to hear anything from the Dem leadership, except from AOC, Bernie Sanders, Elizabeth Warren, and I only read or see them on social media channels.
Robert, Yes we are taken for granted, but this eloquent response by you, and with the gratitude we all share for this community, let's endure, more than survive.
And dare to thrive!
Survive, endure, thrive ... RESIST!
Resist dismissing Trump bringing preposterous cases against the media as merely dumb. Trump is a 'boy named sue' - SLAPP suits (Strategic Litigation Against Public Participation) have long been his MO. Not to win, but to exhaust his targets' resilience and resources. Now, though, Republican strategists are using Trump's proclivity in order to appeal media defamation cases up to the Supreme Court - where Clarence Thomas is itching to overrule NY Times v Sullivan and to strangle free speech. The Roberts Court is practically soliciting cases to overturn legal protections for constitutionally protected civil rights - including free speech. One of Trump's may do. If not strong enough for oral argument, then for the shadow docket.
Resist the Federalist Society captured court draining justice from American law and the Heritage Society Project 2025 fantastical 'unitary executive' blessing corporate clerical tyranny. (ThankYou Charles Koch et al, their bagman Leonard Leo, and everyone who did not vote for Hillary and Kamala.) And resist the specious rhetoric which splits the opposition. No, Virginia, there is not a duopoly.
AMEN, lin! AMEN!!
Robert, as Joe says, I am so grateful for your clear vision and expression of what is true and right. You always steer me back to moving forward with firm resolve.
I so agree with your comments where VP Harris is concerned. I had the opportunity to hear her speak here in Kalamazoo Michigan and followed her speeches and appearances around the country. She did not speak down to any groups! I have stopped watching MSNBC. I will acknowledge in large measure because Joe and Mika so quickly went to Mar a Largo to meet with Trump.
Indeed Harris rocked it in Raleigh and I couldn't believe the absolute joy and wonder of being in the moment. Tears came many times. Thank you Jeaneen!
That is absolutely the atmosphere experienced here! And Michele Obama spoke that day also along with Senator Gary Peters. In 2008 I was living in E Lansing Michigan.
I had "volunteered " my husband to assist the MSU campus outreach build their data base during President Obama's first race. Joe put in hours. I provided sandwiches. I was there when Obama spoke on the campus of Michigan State University. The atmosphere that day was electric! But what I experienced this fall when Harris was here was just as intense and inspiring! I left that day feeling buoyed up and so full of hope!
This country has lost an opportunity for a second time, to elect a highly qualified,dignified and intelligent woman!
I did not attend a rally, but you could feel the hope and joy of those attending through the videos. Nobody can take that away from us. To pile on Kamala when she delivered a beautiful campaign in record time is repulsive.
And thank you for referring to the vice president as "Harris." It is so demeaning when everyone refers to "Kamala" and "Hillary" in the same sentence as "Trump" and "Obama." It is diminutive. It is like calling them cutie girlies. We are really uncovering the depths of misogyny in our society, when it even extends deeply into the unexamined psyches of liberal male Democrats writing and thinking about women political candidates.
Yes I make a point of that. That is a sign of respect.
And rocked it in Greensboro! I absolutely agree with Robert on the subject of relentlessly and pointlessly asking why she lost. The Democratic Party went further than ever in reaching out to workers, folks in rural communities, and all the other categories of voters named in these lists. She never demeaned anyone or any group. The real question is: why the hell did Trump win? And Robert has had that right from the beginning.
I'm so used to these diminishing comments (the use of first names for women candidates and last names for male candidates) that I didn't notice. You're right! Thanks for pointing it out. I've now had the pronoun discussion with two of my three sons ... for those of us who grew up in a time where we were all supposed to accept that when the pronoun "he" or "him" is used, everyone "knows" it means everyone. No, they don't. I wanted a career and only knew about teaching, nursing, or secretarial work as being appropriate or accessible for women. I was raised in a time where I expected to have children and create a flexible work-family balance. And the men of my time were raised to be patriarchal and expected the same from their "women," their chattel. What threw everything off for me was being too darned intelligent myself to be able to harness those expectations, to give in to trying to make "my man" look smarter than I am when I was ignored. I've never had a true partner, even when some of them were as smart as I am.
Saying Dems spoke down to people and ignored working class voters is a lie. Look at the platform Kamala Harris championed! An important number of people acted like this was a usual election and stayed home to show their pique. The vote in this election was to “firebomb” the country. Lots of hate filled, racist, stupid, ignorant people voted. Lots of people who should have known better stayed home. Now we are all in the same leaking boat. Look at my home state of NC to see how things can go.
Dems did not ignore anybody, at least those in the grassroots didn't. Stop pointing fingers and start figuring this out. It is way too easy to appeal to hate and fear. Trump does this so well, so very well. Do we want to be like that? Do we want our friends and neighbors deported or "outed" or have bounty hunters pursuing our daughters and granddaughters, nieces, aunts, doctors, etc.? No. No. No. People who want those things to happen to others are not our friends. This is wrong, and it smacks of greed and capitulation. This is a fight worth winning, but it is not a fight that will ever be won by the "donor class." That part is clear.
Yes! I am very proud of my home state of NC for going all blue in our Council of State and the open State Supreme Court seat. Anderson Clayton also rocks.
NC had the great Clayton Anderson leading the charge. What a dynamic young woman!
YES! I saw VP Harris speak in Greensboro, NC...WOW! She is a natural and her sincerity is real for ALL the people!
Kamala Harris was amazing, and don't let the press take that away from us. They have taken enough away from us already. Let them grovel at the feet of the right-wing hero and see how that goes.
We cut the cable cord to weaken the insipid funding of the surrender monkeys and Fox propaganda
Yes, I used to think they had some measure of integrity but that one act proved me wrong. I can not participate in watching their show and only watch Laurence O’Donnell and Rachel Madow. I am profoundly disappointed in many of the other pundits.
I am only watching Lawrence now. I religiously watched Nicolle Wallace and Rachel along with Lawrence but not now.
I attended VP Harris's rally in Charlotte and there were people from all walks of life in attendance - lots of young people as well as seniors ike me! And the enthusiasm was off the charts!
I am totally disgusted with Corporate Media -now that the election is OVER, they are reporting on the dangerous Trump policies like tariffs, mass deportation etc.
"No drones were observed during the capture of this image."
Robert, thank you for the beautiful astronomy images with which you end each newsletter.
Thank you for continuing to encourage us, the grassroots volunteers, although for myself, I am not yet "recovered" from the election loss, which to oversimplify was the loss of good to evil and cruelty and all that is wrong with the MAGAts, despite the existence of a few good Republicans who stood up against the evil in their midst. I am still hopeful that when the outrageous MAGAt and Project 2025 proposals are attempted that more Republicans will find their way forward to working for the good of the country.
First of all, I too am not recovered from the election results. This very dark place I find myself has nothing to do with Republican vs Democrat; and everything to do with right, fair and just vs corruption, grift and evil. It feels like the floor disappeared from under my feet and now I can’t find my footing.
Secondly, I am not at all hopeful that any Republicans in Congress will find their spines. As a whole, they have all been purchased by the oligarchs and special interests, and they value their wealth and position above all else. (Why is it that no one talks about the OPEN THREATS against these “lawmakers” if they dare to reject unqualified cabinet nominees, or proposed agendas.) This fact, along with the ascendance YKW (you know who, I refuse to write or speak his name), has made for a very dangerous coalition; and this fact terrifies me.
I am incredulous that, knowing what we know, we are going to willingly hand over the government of the Unity States of America to this evil cabal. We KNOW what they are going to do, and we are just going to hand over the keys.
I feel you! I like this writer on Substack too. He argues we need to change our narrative from Left vs right, to Billionaires vs the Working Folk.
https://thetonymichaels.substack.com
Should we, then, take up arms? Perhaps we should meet at the Capitol on January 6th..
I’m not in any way, shape or form suggesting that, but am merely venting my frustration and feeling of helplessness.
I fear, Jon, that someone such as you, a wise and deep thinker, would consider this is an option. I completely get the level of frustration, and need to find an answer, somehow. I certainly don't have one. I walk from day-to-day befuddled, not knowing how to respond to all we are witnessing. The endless onslaught of depravity and Injustice.
Still, without sounding that I am beyond reproach, most especially since I am not, in conversations where one suggests resorting to violence, I find myself turning to the words and message of Martin Luther King, Jr.: "Hate begets hate; violence begets violence; toughness begets greater toughness. We must meet the forces of hate with the power of love." And there are others of MLK, profound, and at times such as these, seemingly unreachable quotes. Still.
As is often the case, I was being facetious. I am certainly not suggesting that we should take up arms to stop the lawful transfer of the presidency, even to the low-life, traitorous Trump.
I should have known, Jon. Most especially since it would be an unlawful act. Forgive me. I am finding myself fearful far too often these days. And reactive too. When will the madness ever end?
I totally understood you were being facetious, Jon. But we may have to take to the streets to demonstrate our degree of upset with what Cathy said--this political situation is handing over the keys of the United States of America to an evil cabal. Does no one remember peaceful demonstrations? Non-violent demonstrations? Sit-ins? Gandhi and King both employed these tactics to great avail.
You are not alone in feeling the floor has dropped, it's like being in a falling elevator. wondering when and if the emergency brake (our rule of law) will stop it. The floor for me was my belief in good prevailing over evil and democracy over autocracy. I still can't quite grasp the implications that a conman using lies, threats, bribes and intimidation got more votes than Kamala Harris.
Just reading the thread here, JR, I’m seeing reflections of my own feelings, and various stages of grief. At times, I feel despair, but mostly, I feel anger - that we, of all people, with so much history of overcoming evil, could have allowed and even encouraged this outcome. In time, I hope to channel those feelings into action.
One thing we can do is remain engaged, and amplify good news, even about bad things. One bit of good news in Robert’s letter today that hasn’t gotten much attention is Judge Merchan's thorough and compelling ruling against Trump. Robert’s observation that Trump is not a convicted felon until sentencing is concerning, but may represent a step toward justice that we should support. I was disappointed that the otherwise brilliant DA Bragg expressed a willingness to defer sentencing until the end of trump’s interminable term, and hope the judge rejects it. Even a suspended sentence or a day’s house arrest would be something.
Robert’s observation that Trump is not a convicted felon until sentencing could be because if we call him something he is not then he sues and if it's on the news they give in and pay a millions. Terminology is so important for everyone except for it (dump)
yes; many media outlets are calling him a "convicted" felon. Until sentencing, he has not been convicted. A jury did find him guilty on 34 felony counts. Given the lawsuit against Stephanopolous for adopting the judge's language regarding rape under NY law, it is in everyone's best interest to be precise.
So we should switch from calling him a convicted felon, to calling him a guilty felon.
Why couldn’t Judge Merchon pronounce sentence and, essentially simultaneously, defer its execution until 1/21/2029?
Robert?
That would certainly be preferable to delaying sentencing, but I'd prefer to get it over with (not by dropping it though).
Harris was not the problem as much as “allowed lies, lies, and more damn lies” by the gop. It was aided and abetted by shareholder media. Two roads diverged in the political woods and American chose the psychopath.
This 2020 article by Rebecca Solnit is still relevant and explains why the GOP rhetoric and lies about Dems being elitist was so powerful.
https://lithub.com/rebecca-solnit-on-not-meeting-nazis-halfway/
Kathy, thanks for sharing this op-ed by Rebecca Solnit. Reading it made me a better and smarter person. I urge others to read it. Solnit addresses the pundits who tell Democrats they must "listen" to people who traffic in racism, misogyny, and hate as a penance for losing the 2024 presidential election.
A few choice passages from Solnit's superb essay:
"And the ethical is not halfway between white supremacists and human rights activists, rapists and feminists, synagogue massacrists and Jews, xenophobes and immigrants, delusional transphobes and trans people. Who the hell wants unity with Nazis until and unless they stop being Nazis?"
"This unilateral surrender is how misogyny and racism are baked into a lot of liberal and centrist as well as right-wing positions, this idea that some people need to be flattered and buffered even when they are harming the people who are supposed to do the flattering and buffering, even when they are the minority, even when they’re breaking the law or lost the election."
"Now is an excellent time to stand on principle and defend what we value, and I believe it’s a winning strategy too, or at least brings us closer to winning than surrender does. "
Also: the sense of being disrespected “doesn’t come from the policies advocated by the Democratic Party, and it doesn’t come from the things Democratic politicians say. Where does it come from? An entire industry that’s devoted to convincing white people that liberal elitists look down on them. The right has a gigantic media apparatus that is devoted to convincing people that liberals disrespect them, plus a political party whose leaders all understand that that idea is key to their political project and so join in the chorus at every opportunity.
It's amazing to me that Solnit wrote this in 2020 and it is even more relevant now!
Exactly!!!! What’s to be done when Fox News perpetuates lies and 70plus million believe it?
Yes! Yes! Yes! on recognizing the incredible grassroots organizations. That is where my donations go because that's where I know it will go the farthest. They're also there every day, year round, and know their communities.
"Reviewing the track record of current chairs and consulting with state party groups to field new leaders, particularly where chairs have poor track records." This is so important. Just recently I had a conversation with an activist in a swing state who said their local chair was great, but state chair was terrible. We've heard stories about a number of states where the party chairs are either terrible, or fantastic, and election results are reflected in that leadership.
💯 agree. I was so fed up with the barrage of text message 'asks' for money from Dem candidates all over the US, I stopped donating to them. My $ will ONLY go to grassroots orgs until the DNC stops selling my data.
I wouldn't look at these emails since I knew that they were just asking for more money: donate once, be inundated with emails. They missed a great opportunity to discuss policy in these emails, making them ones I would have read instead of just automatically deleting.
Couldn’t agree more about the Grassroots effort and path forward - I thought the entire list was impactful. I especially liked “Making funds available for year round operations in rural areas, in every state. “ because we can’t wait for elections the communication (speaking AND listening) needs to be year round.
I think the grassroots organizations are our real superpower, but we must learn to harness it. It sounds like The Grassroots Connector is on the right track, and its “job description” for the DNC chair hits many important highlights. Two stand out for me:
Establishing a “Grassroots Coordinator” - I was concerned that so many postcarding, letter-writing, and phone calling campaigns were hitting the same targets too many times with perhaps conflicting messages. A coordinator could help to organize those efforts and shift focus to where it’s most needed and effective.
Renouncing…solicitations - These were a big turnoff to me, and I was fairly well engaged and very committed. I was getting dozens of dire requests daily, from all over the country, and many were disguised as surveys with no apparent way out but “donate” or not submit. The “crying wolf” effect was probably very harmful.
An additional aspect, related to solicitations, also relates to communication. The notion that organizations (legit or otherwise) were asking for “donations” could have been more effective if they were asking for “investments.” “Donations” conjure images of altruism or tax deductibility, neither of which apply. “Investments” is a more accurate and compelling term, IMHO.
I agree about the postcards. I found out the organization I wrote for was sending 3 to each voter on their list. Many of my friends were also writing postcards, and for different organizations than mine. All these groups were working off the same lists. Writing postcards was an easy way for people to feel engaged, but it became too much of a good thing, and turned people off. A friend in Pennsylvania, an engaged voter, was inundated.
The part of state parties was my favorite!
Progressive activists left it all on the field this election, and yes, we reached out to turn out working class voters. But I don't think Trump increased the popularity of the appeal of his dark message. The far right's dominance of many media properties and their ability to mine data from social media made them very effective in suppressing potential Democratic votes, according to a Washington Post article. I'm unable to find the citation. Maybe someone can provide it.
Trump didn't win many more voters. Democratic turnout was weaker than the 2020 election. An analysis that builds on this observation and addresses longer-term underlying causes was recommended by Jessica Craven in Threads. Elad Nehorai writes that neither party is adequately addressing deeper issues held by potential voters who have given up. These have built up over years and are 1) existential dread; 2) failure to hold bad actors accountable; and 3) deadened hope. Nehorai goes into details of recent history that drive these dispiriting factors. It is well worth a read.
https://eladnehorai.substack.com/p/the-deeper-reasons-democrats-lost
I agree that the ongoing danger of guns is greater than the danger of drones. But drones can carry guns and bombs and be useful in planning battle tactics, so there would be reason for concern if drones are being flown by those who mean us harm.
People who mean us harm can be our own countrymen.
Trump to meet with Netflix co-CEO Ted Sarandos. What is all this obeying in advance? Are we headed for a State media-washing? Is the Idiocracy so bad that all media—even entertainment media— are going to fold?
Legacy media sane-washed #45 before the election, and it continues. The outlets, afraid of lawsuits and being shut down, are in line to capitulate.
Folks, I’m scared that “State Media” will become the new normal.
I guess we will have to cancel Netflix, along with Amazon, Twitter, X, WAPO, and META to stop the flow of cash to oligarchs. I’ve done this as soon as I identify one and hope you all will put your $ where our mouths are as well.
Thank you for cutting through the “Why the Democrats Lost” chatter. Harris ran a heartfelt campaign in a limited time frame. It can be analyzed to death but I believe the reason she lost is racism and misogyny. It has nothing to do with being out of touch with the working class or any of the other plethora of reasons. I look forward everyday to your dose of encouragement, it is deeply appreciated.
Add the billionaires who didn't want to be taxed more and the Christian Nats who want to take away women's rights.
Harris lost in 2024 because the Democratic Party is perceived as a Party of old people, Biden, Pelosi and others. Biden should have rested on his laurels and given the Presidency up to a younger party. Even now Pelosi who just broke her hip at 84 is supporting Rep Connaly a 74 year old suffering from cancer against AOC for a Democratic leadership position. Is it any wonder that 8 million people didn’t vote in 2024 when faced with the choice between old people and felons. ? The Party needs to rid itself of old leaders who lost the working class.
Trump is old.
Many of trump’s uber rich pals are old too- the good old white boys in congress - I can sit here and list them, but I don’t need to waste my precious time
Trump *is* old. But unlike Biden, media don’t paint him as old.
Why?
Why should “old” have been a pejorative, even among Democrats, who are supposedly opposed to prejudices?
Age was a secondary factor in this election. Faced with Biden or Trump, on the ballot, on election day, Biden would have won. The underlying issue behind every "excuse" (age, border, economy, etc) is race, misogyny, and white supremacy. Ask yourself that about every Trump supporter. Which of those fit them? You won't find one, unless they are very isolated or uneducated.
The main factor in the Dems loss this election was ignorance on the part of voters, as is being shown every day on TV and online, as Trump supporters cry and whine, "I didn't know". The media plays a huge part in this and will end up paying the price. Ageism is just an excuse...... And yes there is a very deep lineup of up and coming, younger Dems candidates in the wings, male/female, multiple races. The future is bright once we defeat the clown show.
I also believe Biden could and would have beaten Trump. And I will never forget the Dem turncoats and what they did to him (and us). I firmly believe it's why Sherrod Brown lost in OH.
Erica, the data does not show that. Biden would have lost in a landslide. Harris was able to dig out the hole he was in but didn’t have enough time.
Just a correction: close to 90 million age-eligible voters did not vote in 2024. The number of registered voters is much smaller. We need to do more as a nation to sell this one major civic duty to the citizens. Voting is the key to a continued democracy.
Yes! As trump pushes to dumb America down - we need to educate more than ever
Well said. Thank you.
Many people have given up on Democrats because they know that the Democratic gerontocracy will never, ever put the country first. They will never willingly give up their positions to younger, more progressive politicians who aren’t Corporate Democrats like themselves. They gave up on caring about anyone not in their 1% Club a long, long time ago. Their egos and bank accounts matter more than anything else, including the fate of our country. Look at Biden’s choice to run again after saying he would act as a one-term, bridge President. He, his family and his team chose his ego over what was best for the rest of us, for the country. It took utter humiliation to force them to back down. There are many other examples of them putting themselves first, the latest being voting for Connolly over AOC - an absolutely perfect example of this.
Give Biden a break. Biden thought the accomplishments of his term as President would extinguish Trump as a political force, so he could retire from politics.
But after his Democratic “allies” repeatedly undermined his Administration but *finally*, only after inordinate effort, they pulled together and enacted a couple of landmark bills – and especially after Trump’s candidacy re-emerged, Biden decided to run for a second term. He probably thought he’d again be the strongest Democratic candidate (this is before he unraveled during his ‘debate’ with Trump).
Up to that point, Biden was doing a good job, his Administration getting stronger through palpable accomplishments (domestic and foreign). He could have had a strong candidacy.
His weakest point was metaphorically hiding his considerable accomplishments under a bushel basket. Few other Democrats helped (to put it mildly).
P.S. Connolly is a fine, solid legislator; AOC et al. have a small base of support and many who dislike them.
Michael, we don’t need a fine legislature in Oversight, we need a good communicator. Someone who can get the message across to Americans how Trump is screwing in over. It was a huge mistake and it shows me that Democratic leadership is incapable of meeting the moment.
I agree that we need a good communicator. But we do not need a good communicator with a bad message. For success, content and effective communication are hand-in-glove.
Are you implying that AOC has a bad message? She one of the best the party has. She connecting with the very people we need. Young, non-white voters who either stayed home or voted for Trump.
Yes: AOC may have inspired a minority of Democrats (a minority of a minority), but they didn‘t constitute a winning *majority*.
Need I remind some people: it takes a majority to win elections.
George there are just as many old people on the Republican side like Trump, McConnell, Graham etc. The fact is most young voters are not happy with our government even though they benefited more under Biden but Trump sold them on shaking things up and Biden and Harris were more of the same.
Stephen – Agreed. But somehow the Republicans don’t have a public *image* of being *old* (even when they are).
The old fart Grassley
George, you are absolutely right. The Democrats are doing a great disservice to the country by allowing septuagenarians and octogenarians to cling to power. Kudos to Jerry Nadler to make place to Jamie Raskin on the House Judiciary Committee. Unfortunately it looks like the old guard is able to squash AOC efforts to breathe some fresh air into the House Oversight Committee.
I don't share your conclusions though, that it is no wonder that people didn't go to vote as they were faced with the choice between old people and felons. It is!
Until recently, AOC’s idea of bringing in fresh air was to break windows, not open them.
Surely there have been better young(ish) Democrats.
Fully agree - she's still immature. And how she's treated Jewish people, including her own constituents (well known for refusing to meet with them) is awful. I worked tirelessly on her first campaign (on the ground & financially), and after what she's done to us, I won't make that mistake again. She constantly flip flops, aligns herself with the DSA, squad & Bernie, and then thinks she should be head of the most powerful committee on the hill, with only a few years of experience?
There are several extremely smart & talented (GenX) options. Look what Nadler did with Raskin? I'm sick of people saying it's AOC or bust, when that's not the case at all.
Socrates committed suicide. Too old for the people.
Norbert Hirschhorn - that’s a revisionist theory of Socrates’s suicide.
One of the two charges against Socrates was "corrupting the youth.," though no democrat.
http://www.eyewitnesstohistory.com/socrates.htm
Socrates could have been half his chronological age and been charged with “corrupting the youth”. His age was less important than his opponents’ desire to be rid of him.
Sadly, you are right. The Democrats need a strong message of helping working people survive financially. For the first time in our history younger people don't think they can have a better life than their parents. They are discouraged and feeling like the system is geared towards the moneyed class. Which is true.
Here is a campaign idea. If you work full time, you should have housing, clean water, adequate food, healthcare and an opportunity for an equal education. I think that's called a baseline in a civilized country. Other developed nations provide that and they don't have anywhere near the collective wealth we have.
Why are Walmart workers surviving off of Food Stamps? If Mark Zuckerberg has TWO mega yachts, why are there hungry people?
I call out Zuck as saying "let them eat cake". A million bucks for a Trump party? If I was a young pup, I would be furious. And why would I vote? Who is my hero?
Bill,
I suspect the biggest reason Walmart workers need food stamps is that Minimum Wage laws have set minimum wages unreasonably low. Please focus on *that*.
Correct!
Whatever happened to respecting elder statesmen who have a proven track record? The difference in experience, wisdom, success, real diplomatic savvy, and decency between these two "elderly" candidates clearly showed who was capable of leading American democracy forward, and who wasn't. During his term, Biden demonstrated his ability to make good programs happen in the US, and earned back respect on the world stage by engaging with and supporting US allies. And Biden also showed amazing humility in stepping back to support Kamala Harris in her campaign, to try to save America from Trump.
The November 2024 election results were a sad result of manufactured confusion, sown by internal and external bad actors, as well as the willing dumbing down of Americans who seem ignorant of history, and unable to tell the difference between good and evil, truth and lies. I don't care whether young or old, working class (whatever that means) or not, the American electorate have failed badly this time, and we all will be paying the price in the next 4 years.
George the Democrats in the House are changing committee heads and exiting many older committee chairs and bringing in new blood. After reading about the new changes and the age of the old leaders I agree a generational change is needed and I am happy they are staring the process
Count me among those who no longer watches MSNBC, to which I was addicted prior to Nov 5. Count me among the tens of thousands who canceled their Washington Post subscription. Count me among those who got sick and tired of ceaseless texts from the DNC and many no doubt worthy candidates begging for money. I gave what money I felt I could afford to a few candidates, like Sherrod Brown and Kamala Harris, and I wrote a ton of letters and postcards. I don't think the Democrats had the wrong messages. I just think this country has a lot of really gullible, hateful, misogynistic, racist, and greedy people, 77 million of them. Okay, they got what they wanted, and they'll get what they deserve. Am I bitter? Yes. Will I vote for Democrats again in 2026? Yes.
I think this idea of leveraging the vast, effective grassroots organization that we still,have is critical. Dem leaders, are there ways you can use us in a biggest ever Listening Campaign? Not polls. Face to face town halls, door knocks, phone calls…. Not asking for money, not pushing a candidate. Listening.
“Rather, we need to thank and lift-up those grassroots volunteers who did exactly what pundits are claiming Democrats failed to do in 2024—listen to working-class voters, rural voters, Black and Hispanic men, and voters who did not attend college.”
The resurgence of visible misogyny as the animating force within today's GOP is a mystery to me.
It seems to me that the men who run FOX, NewsMax, One America have found misogyny is very effective in marketing the products of whomever are their program sponsors. So..... not supporting their sponsors, not buying their cars or their beers or their cereals would be the most effective way to de-fang them. Maybe we should focus on listing from big to small the advertisers? Then, to the extent possible, stop buying and re-direct our purchasing.
I've seen only one post, that was about not buying Sargento cheese from James Leprino. I'll be unsubscribing on Jan 20th from all billionaire's products and business as much as possible. I'd love to see a list of sponsors of those media platforms!
Me too. Here's a start:
https://dropfox.com/advertisers/
Thanks!
Sargento is owned by another family (a competitor to Leprino) who are also GOP donors from my google search.
Thank you for the push-back perspective, Robert. I weary of our self-flagellation and political mental illness. We simply must abandon the old trope that winning is all—a Trumpian trope—and return to the principles of winning by fair means. Democracy is everything or democracy is nothing.
Excellent newsletter, Robert (as always). Just mentioning that another reason why MSNBC is bleeding viewers is that the hosts of “Morning Joe” sought to bow down to Trump. My husband and I just can’t stomach MSNBC after that, and I’ve heard the same thing from close family friends.
Messaging for Dems against the RW propaganda machine is the primary goal. But, what the pundits never mention is that Trump campaigned for over 8 years and Kamala had 3 months. The energy and participation by her supporters in that time frame was extraordinary. If we had those 8 years, things could have been so different.
Instead of rehashing the past ( we won’t go back) we must create the future. If I could change one approach the Democratic Party must change is they need to stop being the nice person and start from day one going on the offensive and making the Republicans go on defense for a change. Given the unqualified and incompetent members of the new administration we should have a rich amount of content. Instead of attacking the person leading the agency we need to attack the action or lack of action in executing the agency operations and most importantly how it impacts the average voter and their family. The mistake we made under Biden with the House is we focused on the representatives like Green and Gaetz and not on how the Republican House as a body could not govern and the lack of any meaningful legislation.
Exactly! I am astounded that we have yet to hear anything from the Dem leadership, except from AOC, Bernie Sanders, Elizabeth Warren, and I only read or see them on social media channels.
Hopefully leading Democratic leaders will step up.
Pelosi stepped up by stepping on AOC.
AOC is going to be a force to deal with. She had matured.
Chris Murphy senator from Connecticut appears to have good leadership qualities.