President Biden’s speech was likely the best of his Presidency. It was inspiring, and he didn't pull any punches, a combination that is hard to pull off. One of the things that has been widely discussed is the segment where Biden discusses Trump’s disrespect for the office of the President and his open contempt for the military that serves it. He took a long pause after describing one particularly heinous example as if to calm himself and mentioned his Irish temper. “How dare he?” he said, referring to Trump. This is the type of thing we all need to repeat over and over. Trump disrespects our Democratic norms, our system of government, our military, and the people of this country. He does it daily. A recent poll found that a majority of independents believe Trump loves this country. We know he does not. He tells us he does not. It’s essential to communicate these facts, not just by Joe Biden, but by everyone who truly believes in Democracy. Not in a “oh look what Trumo said” type of way, but in a manner that communicates the contempt that this man has for the country and the people he claim to want to lead. It needs to be on everyone’s lips every day. How dare he, indeed.
I particularly enjoyed a point where President Biden almost said a particular word descriptive of tfg but stopped himself... sure appeared to me to be a word beginning with 'b'.
Stephen-- I have a favor to ask. I am trying to keep the Comment section a place where people can exchange ideas and lift up one another during difficult times. You are a thoughtful, respectful contributor in the comments section most of the time. But you consistently pour cold water on people's comments as you did above--"True, but not enough people were listening."
Any good development can be dismissed or minimized. But to what end? To discourage people who see a ray of hope? I am not saying that we must limit ourselves to happy talk or deny reality, but your comment above was gratuitously negative. If you want to note that Biden's speech was not widely viewed, feel free to make that comment--as a stand alone point. Posting that comment in response to Dean's analysis is a downer. That may be how you feel, and I respect and understand that feeling. But trying to make everyone else feel that way is not a path to success--which I know is what you want.
Maybe not, but that's what we need to change. I was encouraged by this morning’s NYT headline.
“Clashing Over Jan. 6, Trump and Biden Show Reality Is at Stake in 2024”
We need more of this from more of the media. We need more people speaking out, and not just Democrats. I’ve given up on elected Republicans, but we need more former Republican officials. Every lie needs to be challenged by a broad set of voices.
Yo, Dean. Great to see you hear sharing your wisdom and insight. I don't read the comments regularly so I apologize if you've been around longer than I realized.
We need a DBT caucus here. Maybe it can become a movement!
As the NYTs and other MSM outlets persist with anti-Biden reporting, it critical that we organize an effective pushback across the Substack Newsletters in which we participate. Over the next two weeks, I'm working on organizing a pushback.
Here's a letter I sent to Nate Cohn at the NYTs in response to his article a few days ago that maybe, just maybe Biden might defy the pollsters (like Cohn) and squeak out a surprise victory in 2024. He compared Biden's chances to Truman's surprise win against Dewey in 1948. Irresponsibly, Cohn left out any mention of Biden's 2020 electoral success.
I wrote this:
Mr. Cohn,
I appreciate your comparison of President Biden to Truman based on current poll numbers.
The NYTs with your guidance, might want to consider a different set of numbers in your analysis of Biden's 2024 chances.
In 2020, Joe Biden, in the midst of COVID, running from a campaign bunker, won election with 81 million votes, the largest number any presidential candidate ever received and beating Trump by 7 million votes who has spent the last three years trying to falsify those results.
The media seems to be having trouble finding many of these 81 Biden voters to talk to. But don't worry. We're all still here ready to vote for Joe in 2024!
We believe, Joe Biden is likely to pick up an additional 7 million votes from Independents, Republicans and ~16 million 18-22 year olds in 2024! He'll get close to 90 million votes.
The question for Trump is how many voters he'll lose from his 74 million total.
If you can point out where the 17 million new Trump votes are likely to come from to give Trump a win please let us know..
It bothers me to no end when a poll states that it surveyed a paltry number, say 1200, of “likely voters”. The last time I checked, there are about 169 million “likely voters”. I’m no statistician, but how do 1200 respondents predict who Americans will vote for? To paraphrase: polls, damned polls, and BS.
I’d also like to know how they are reaching these people. Most individuals between the ages of 20 and 50 do not even have land lines anymore. I’m 64, I don’t have a landline at this time, and I never get calls from pollsters. I don’t pay much attention to these polls, but I’d like each of these poll analyses to show the age groups, locations, and political affiliations of these “likely voters,” whatever the heck that means.
I have wondered about this, too. I haven't had a landline for many years. When I did, all I got were calls from Republicans (I kept my status as "unaffiliated" in those days) in a then purple state. Also, I don't answer the phone unless I know who it is. If it's important, a message will be left. I suspect I'm not alone in these habits.
According to SurveyMonkey's sample size calculator, <https://www.surveymonkey.com/mp/sample-size-calculator/>, for a population of 169,000,000, a confidence level of 95%, and a margin of error of 3%, the sample size is 1,068. It's surprising, but it's mathematically sound.
It's also worth remembering that polls don't predict who Americans will vote for next November. The most they can claim to show is who Americans would have voted for if the election had taken place on the day the poll was conducted.
Mathematically, a quantitative survey size for a large population like 169 million is +/- 1060. This can work (with lots of qualifications) for daily use consumer items like favorite toothpaste or laundry soap combined with top product features. However, topics as
complex and subjective as political candidates and related political issues are highly variable from day to day and among small respondent groups. If journalists are going to use small polls as forecasting data a 10 months out, they need to dial way back on claims they make about the "horse race". To more accurately forecast who's leading, the data set should be .001% of voters or about 150,000 which is not practical. I think the more accurate forecast is to take the 2020 results and determine which candidate is adding and which is losing voters. This analytical hypothesis would indicate Biden is well on track to beat Trump by a significantly larger margin than in 2024. The NYTs should go back to its headline the evening of the Dewey-Truman race in 1948. Or to quote Neils Bohr "Predictions are very difficult especially about the future"
Sample population sizes significantly greater than ~1300 people will add only more pseudo-accuracy to most polls. Why? In practice, the polls are not based on genuinely *random* samples.
(Other posters have already cited such weaknesses of the polls.)
Also they are "push polls" in that they stack them with partisan info.
If I wrote the questions for acknowledged MAGATS, I'd discount people who deny that Trump hates dogs and stole from kids with cancer and disabled war veterans.
I'm really glad you are willing to work on "fixing" the press on Biden. I want to get a daily list of articles and contacts going so we can begin to bring pressure on journalists to stop their anti-Biden bias and write factual, positive articles. I'd be happy to discuss this if you email me at, mweingrod@china-strategies.com
Ilene, like you I work each and every day to help elect Democrats at the national level and up and down the ballot. Part of getting folks motivated to volunteer (I am volunteer lead for the Volunteer Blue coalition) is to get the media accurately reporting the truth of what a great job Biden is doing, how inept the GOP and MAGA leads are and what a dictator Trump will become. So, I applaud letters to the editors and would like for @Robert Hubbell to keep us informed about who to write and what to write. I have written to the NYTimes but happy to broaden my reach.
Good job, love seeing those numbers (you probably already know this but you left out the word “million” after 81 Biden voters”...nevertheless the rest was great!)
In the recent past, it has been suggested we dialogue with those we with whom we disagree and who are of a different opinion regarding the 2024 elections. Last week, my wife and I checked in to a Charleston, South Carolina hotel and met a charming, sincere, young black man clerking at the desk who greeted us with a big smile. Intelligent and disarming we had a brief exchange that brought laughter to the process. The following morning, as we were checking out, we wished each other well as I presented hope for a peaceful and 'sane' New Year. It somehow, in our parting words, became apparent that this young man was a Trump supporter. To say the least, I was flummoxed. It's not that I anticipate every person of an ethnic or racial background to vote homogeneously. I simply associated his sweetness, warmth, kindness with a political philosophy that was not threatening of his future.
I take no credit when I say that I signaled my wife that I would be a moment. I asked how he came to a decision in favor of Trump. He spoke to Biden's age and the age of other South Carolina legislators. He addressed his concern about the status quo, and how we needed new blood, new ideas and a change in direction. Well, without presenting a plethora of counter arguments, I simply pointed out what was at stake. What was at stake to him personally as a black man. To believe the threat that looms over all those who fail to align with Trump - blacks, Jews, gays, trans, artists, historians, liberals, and women. I pleaded for him to realize that under an authoritarian regime, led by a maniacal dictator there is no escape hatch. His and all our lives will be (I never say forever) changed in untold ways.
I listened politely. He listened politely. We shared from our hearts. We cannot know the future. I cannot know the outcome. However, in that moment two individuals of divergent points of view came together. "I will think abut it", he said. That was enough.
I like that you keep driving home these seemingly small things, because people of any political affiliation can relate to them, and that is really the only way to make headway with someone who is under the MAGA spell.
It just frosts me that Trump constantly gets away with shyte that no one else would even try (yet...just wait, though). Can you imagine the media hullaballoo had a prominent Democrat been caught acquiring 8 mill from foreign nationals??? I swear that the orange slobbo has made a pact with the devil that has allowed him to slither away from all his missteps and evil deeds.
I can't wait until "old Scratch" appears, holds up the contract and demands his dues. No squirming out from under that deal!
I knew somehow that Trump was going to get caught taking huge sums of money from foreigners during his presidency because he kept accusing Biden of that. Every accusation that comes out of the mouth of Trump, MAGA Republicans, and MAGA fanatics is simply a confession of their own guilt.
More importantly, why is bringing in new blood in the presidency important, when this president has truly delivered under impossible odds, in a decidedly impactful way?!
It isn't...my comment was inreply to someone else's comment of what they heard from a trumpist, that Trump would bring in new blood and that's why they liked him. SMH! If the trumphumpers get any more delusional--we're gonna run out of psych ward spaces, pdq.
I don't give a particle of a care whether it's new blood in government or not--I just want HONEST blood.
Brilliant and beautiful, David. You just modeled deep canvassing for each one of us here. Let's all follow David's astute, caring and thoughtful lead as we go about our days. Each one reach one; eventually, we'll reach all who can/will hear.
It would be wonderful if we could take the Senate and the House but it’s not going to happen unless a miracle occurs. TC is right, the Senate is a mess. it’s possible the House would be ours still with Jeffries at the helm. That’s a big hope. I grit my teeth every frigging day and night knowing that we have only a few more months to get our act together. I cannot even fathom how SCOTUS will rule on these cases and I don’t want to even speculate. Lawrence Tribe said at the get-go that we needed to expand the colurt. With Thomas unlikely to recuse himself, and if Biden wins, that should be one of his goals. Right now, I am just trying to get through each day but there was good news today, other than Biden’s brilliant speech, and that is Harry Dunn’s announcement that he’s running for Congress in Maryland. Hallelujah!!
Marlene, if you keep telling people that we won't retake the House and increase our margin in the Senate, they will believe you and give up. We have 10 months to affect the outcome. Remember that time--a year ago--when Democrats were going to lose the House by 40 seats? It didn't happen--and we didn't need a miracle. Just hard work.
You are a regular commenter and I know these comments don't reflect your commitment to winning. So, please reconsider your messaging.
Hugs Marlene. I can’t control my fear and sadness on some days. I try not to put it in print, but a lot of times it comes out that way. I do get what Robert is trying to do though and I appreciate it.
Stop fretting about SCOTUS and focus on getting people registered and voting and the rest will take care of itself. We can’t fix the court without controlling Congress so lets make that happen
My "tea leaves" suggest that we may re-elect Joe Biden and retake the House. The Senate does look scary. But without a GQP puppet president, "they" can't feed us Federalist Fascist judges.
My optimistic coffee tells me two things:
If we resume House Leadership, Jeffries will likely replace MAGA Dark Money Mike as second in line for the presidency. Let's not underestimate just how critical that is. In a world where surprises are normal, that would be reassuring. And the Putin friendly obstacles in the House could lose their power to obstruct efforts to support democracy in Ukraine. In the Senate (even among many Republicans) support for Ukraine is more assured.
And...pollsters like Nate Cohen are as wrong as they are right. If pollsters actually could predict, Truman would have lost to Dewey, "W" would have lost to Gore, Bush senior would have beaten Clinton, Jimmy who? Hillary would be completing her second term. You get my drift.
During FDR's presidency, there was definitely an attempt to enlarge the Supreme Court. It didn't happen. But the very thought of it altered the court's behavior. Sometimes subtleties can work for us. And sometimes unthinkable stuff happens.
I received Harry Dunn's book as a holiday gift. I guess I should dive into it right away. Go Harry, go!
Bill, I think there’s a very good chance that we will not just retake the house, but retake it with a decent number. I’m not talking 20 or 30 seats, but somewhere between 6 to 10 seats, perhaps, on my most optimistic days. This court ruling in New York State that will fix these gerrymandered districts could give us five additional seats right there, according to a couple of attorneys I read and others. I think we are going to get rid of Lauren Boebert in my district. It’s likely that in the special election for Kitara Revache’s district, Tom Sozzi will win. I have hope! Also, happy new year.
Not only that, but this darn spellchecker on my iPhone app has a mind of its own and keeps changing things. I have to reread everything I type, and I always find that it has deliberately, without my permission, changed the spelling of words and put in punctuation that is wrong or unnecessary. It drives me up a wall. I could do this from my computer, but I don’t want to be tied to a computer when I’m trying to get other things done.
Unsure why you don't see the edit button but I still have it. I do my substack reading on my laptop. A few people have mentioned an issue on phones but I suspect the 3 dots are simply hidden somewhere off the right margin. A solution would be for Substack to put the dots back following Like/Reply/Share as they were previously.
I just finished Cassidy Hutchinson's book "Enough". The beginning is a bit slow going but important for understanding Cassidy's commitment to her work, and her belief in both her boss Mark Meadows and his boss (The Boss), tfg, then her gradual recognition that what she had been witness to in the White House was a threat to American democracy. Her experiences and struggle to find legal representation when she learned she would likely receive a subpoena are especially informative of who she really is. I recommend the book to all of you.
It really is time to expand the court. The country has grown, and if I'm not mistaken, there are 13 federal districts, but only 9 high court justices. The first things we have to do is re-elect Biden, take back the House, and increase the Senate majority. There are tons of things that we've learned need to be updated. BUT first! VOTE BLUE ALL THE WAY DOWN THE LINE!
Marlene, right now it’s one day at a time, with both Senate and House in reach if we are all diligent one day at a time. The special elections out there bring us all hope, and so many are jumping ship early, especially in the House giving Dems some opportunity to pick up seats. Let’s get to work and make things happen.
Thank you Daniel for that link. Wow. My greatest 2024 election concern has been and continues to be a lackluster turn out by Gen Y and Z. If Taylor Swift can send some of her fans (there are SO many) to the voting booths, it literally could solidify a win for us.
I don't listen to her songs (as accomplished as she is) because I'm an old guy still enjoying "my" music - which could be apropos. As Bob said, "No, woman, no cry..."
And Obama! He showed up very late in the midterms and I think he had some effect. I've been disappointed in his verbal support for Biden. I wish he wouldn't wait until late in 2024 to come out strong for Biden.
My gut tells me Taylor Swift will get far more votes for Biden than Obama will. I I don't pay much attention to popular culture, but Taylor Swift apparently is HUGE. Still, every vote we get counts, and O should get out there.
Just heard on NPR that Taylor Swift has now surpassed Elvis Presley's record for albums as #1 on the Billboard 200 chart for solo artists. Clearly, there are a *lot* of Taylor Swift lovers out there, a large number of whom will hopefully follow her lead voting in November.
"With the latest chart, Swift has now earned a total of 68 times at No. 1, over 13 of her LPs, which surpasses Elvis Presley for the most appearances in the top slot for a solo artist. Of all acts, only the Beatles have been at No. 1 more times — 132 — in the history of Billboard’s flagship album chart, which dates to 1956." NYT 01/02/24
Not to pick on your post, David, but its repeating the “should get out there” theme pushed one of my mental buttons:
Richard Nixon was mostly a very bad guy, but he was an astute political strategist. One of his maxims was that a political campaign should not “peak” too soon: the peak of the campaign should coincide with election day.
Trying to bring notables in early during a campaign means that the power of their endorsements may have dissipated when votes are cast.
One athlete who is liberal and very political, although I believe he’s at least 75 years old now, is Kareem Abdul-Jabbar. He has a wonderful Substack newsletter that comes out about twice a week, and it is extremely well written.
He is a genuinely wonderful human being. I think about a month ago he broke his hip. He tripped while he was at a Manhattan Transfer concert. He is recovering and still writing.
It’s good that he’s running and I wish him well, but there’s a passel of other Democrats running in that safe district, and I, for one, am not going to take sides unless it will make a difference in the ultimate outcome.
I get it, Jon, and yes, he is in a safe district. What I like about him is that he does not have a law degree but has one in Public Health. He is compassionate and recognizable, not only in stature, but what happened to him in J6.
As a long time reader, it's getting more and more difficult to understand what the Times considers news worthy to print and how the editorial board sees the paper shaping public opinion.
Our president, Joe Biden, kicked off his election campaign yesterday with a powerful condemnation of both Trump and the MAGA movement. He gave exactly the speech that's an answer to the horror movie/nightmare scenarios many of your journalists have described if Trump wins a 2nd term.
Your two leading, above the fold, stories on today's front page were about heavy rain in Europe and Trump's ballot case in Colorado. Biden's kickoff speech was covered on pg 11.
For the sake of our democracy, I hope the Times will soon join the fight to save it.
The solution is really simple. Elect Joe Biden to a second term. That's the News that's fit to Print.
I don't support her but Nikki Haley can beat Trump in the primaries. Needs to attack his character. His age. His appearance. His odor ("I'm the only one on this stage who was in a position to smell him."). Most effective:
When Mitch McConnell (R-KY) decided that the courts could assess Trumps' perfidy so that he and his senate colleagues wouldn't have to, he did the country a massive disservice. He's also the one who denied Obama his rightful Supreme Court pick. Both those crimes against the country's traditions are roiling our body politic. Joined by the feckless Lindsey Graham (R-SC), McConnell's name will, I predict, live in infamy.
He brought this situation on himself and the rest of us. I wish he would retire, but he would likely be replaced by someone equally horrible. We must hold onto the Senate!
Turtleman Addison McConnell has made a lifetime career from his disservices--both big and small--to our country. I can only hope that his upcoming eternal sojourn in Hell seems worth it to him.
I can't help wondering if any of those Republican senators who voted against convicting tfg are now regretting what they unleashed on the American people.... and on themselves & their so-called party.
According to the recent McKay Coppins book, Mitt Romney stated that many of his Senate colleagues were actually fearful of voting for Trump’s impeachment because they had received vicious threats from MAGA supporters if they did. Romney claimed he spent thousands of dollars on private security for himself and his family. This continues into primary season, with House GOP members threatened with “primarying” by Trump and threats of violence by his supporters.
I hope so. Because that would mean they have consciences. Which, heretofore have not been in evidence. Or decency. Or honesty. Or hope for the growth and betterment of our republic.
We now have the required verified signatures to get abortion/reproductive health care access on the ballot ! The Florida Supreme Court must now approve the ballot initiative’s language.🤞
Westgate Resorts canceled a planned celebration of the January 6th attack.David Siegel, billionaire founder and owner of Westgate, has been a vocal and financial supporter of Trump.
Such wonderful news! Now we have to ensure that the despicable Ashley Moody doesn’t prevail in convincing the state Supreme Court to disallow the wording.
Excellent advice, Robert: "Let’s not be distracted by events over which we have no control; instead, we should focus on those outcomes where our efforts will make a difference."
If we chase every fire truck, we'll only wear ourselves out. Choose wisely, and work relentlessly. Have faith in our institutions and the good people who make them work, but call out those who would tear them down.
"What should we do? Gain control of the House, increase our margin of control of the Senate, re-elect Joe Biden—and then expand the Supreme Court to break the death-grip of the reactionary majority on the liberties guaranteed in the Constitution. We cannot wait a generation for membership on the Court to change. Expanding the Court requires only a majority vote in both chambers of Congress and the signature of the president."
Let me know when we get 62 Democrats in the Senate. Even better, tell me which states we'll get those 12 senators from. The Senate is now completely broken and so long as it is formed the way it was by a group of people who obviously couldn't see five minutes into the future any better than anyone else could, it will continue to be the biggest obstruction besides the unsupreme court.
First, we don't need 62 Democrats in the Senate. We need 51. It doesn't take 60 votes to create an exception to (or abolish) the filibuster. It only takes 51 votes. Ask Mitch McConnell, who eliminated the 60 vote margin for confirming Supreme Court justices by allowing a nomination to go to the floor with 51 votes. Once it happens once, that is then "precedent" that is binding on all subsequent votes on the same subject matter.
So, again, with a majority in the House and the Senate and Biden in the White House, we can expand the Supreme Court to a size that reflects the hundred-fold increase in population since 1789, when we had six justices.
You are of course right, Bob. But with something as "momentous" as expanding the court - which too many members of both parties think is "illegal," it will take a filibuster-proof majority to keep the nervous nellies on our side in line to do the right thing. There's "the rules are... " and then there's "but the politicians are... " Wish it was different.
There are those who claim the United States is a republic, not a democracy. We are a republic in that we have no king. We began as a democracy and have grown our democratic character:
1. Declaration of Independence: "We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal".
2. US Constitution: "We the People of the United States, in Order to form a more perfect Union...do ordain and establish this Constitution for the United States of America"
3. Late 18th century, early 20th century: gradual, state by state expansion of voting rights and ending property requirement to vote. (My personal favorite as a native of Rhode Island is the 1841 Dorr Rebellion against the land owning requirement to vote and the 1843 state constitutional change extending voting rights to all free men. Still it took RI until the 20th century to get rid of requirements for being a tax payer to vote.)
4. The post-Civil War 15th Amendment to the US Constitution: "The right of citizens of the United States to vote shall not be denied or abridged by the United States or by any State on account of race, color, or previous condition of servitude." (Not that the right to vote for Black people was clear sailing after the amendment was passed, but the right to vote was enunciated.)
5. As the failure of Reconstruction deprived Blacks of the right to vote, through the last half of the 19th century, Native Americans and Chinese-Americans were also deprived of the right to vote. The right to vote for people in these groups was restored through state and federal legislation in the 20th century.
6. 17th Amendment to the US Constitution: US Senators were elected by the people of each state rather than by the state legislatures.
7. 19th Amendment to the US Constitution: Women were guaranteed the right to vote.
8. Early 1960s: The Warren Court ruled that state and federal legislatures (excluding the US Senate) must be roughly equal in size (creating democratically based legislatures)
9. 24th Amendment to the US Constitution: Prohibition of poll taxes
10. Voting rights act of 1965: One more step toward ensuring that everyone had the right to vote.
11. 26th Amendment to the US Constitution: Expanded voting rights to age 18 (the same as the draft age for fighting in wars)
There have been plenty of setbacks during the history of expanding democracy in the United States as well as further progress as those with felony convictions are gaining the right to vote. We are currently living with the Supreme Court's retreat from the Voting Rights Act. Despite the various setbacks and some recent retreats, for most of us, the American commitment to democracy is clear.
12. 9th Amendment. The enumeration in the Constitution, of certain rights, shall not be construed to deny or disparage others retained by the people.
Like common law. The right to vote. Freedom to travel. Until recently, I would have said privacy. Who needs a constitution if we don't have a right of privacy?
How about unenumerated duties: To pay taxes. To sit on juries. Posse comitatus - to stand for the draft, to otherwise be called to serve,
We are a Republic but to most voters it doesn’t make a difference and they don’t really understand how good they have it compared to the rest of the world.
For me the first step is an overwhelming win for Tom Suozzi in NY 3. Homebound I'm just writing post cards over 300 to be sent before Feb 13 special election. After his win I'll find other actions. Biden has challenged us each to do what we can.
Taking a slightly different tack from the Biden speech -- which was excellent -- and all the Trumpian horrors we confront every day; as a woman and as a person in America, which is now struggling under some of most vicious reproductive healthcare laws in the world; I'd like to ask a few questions: Where is the AMA? Where are the healthcare providers, especially doctors; but, all healthcare providers who've taken oaths to protect life? Where are more of the men who have a pretty large stake in this even though they're not directly affected? As Jessica Valenti notes about women now in America, "Of course they want us dead," and that's not an exaggeration when we're hearing more and more horror stories of how little women's lives are valued. That's all. I just think there should be way more pushback, particularly from healthcare and medicine ... they have some power in this society and I don't see them speaking out and up.
Meredith, one small story of encouragement on medical care for women from my back yard.
My former state representative, Ruth Richardson, resigned her elected post on September, 2023, specifically to focus on her work as president and CEO of Planned Parenthood of Minnesota and the Dakotas. Last January, MN passed a bill protecting access to appropriate medical care - including abortion care. (We also passed a family medical leave act and another bill that formed the nation’s first state office focused on missing and murdered black women - also critical in the big picture) Since the heavy lifting on legislation was done, Richardson narrowed her focus to her crucially important day job - Planned Parenthood here has seen a dramatic uptick in women seeking medical care from out of state - we are surrounded by red or red leaning states that have restricted or outlawed abortion and access to birth control.
Both of my daughters carry the MN Obamacare insurance called Minnesotacare. They have access to all appropriate medical care, including abortion and birth control if needed. Yes, state taxpayer dollars are involved!
The only thing that I feel like I can contribute to protecting women’s access to medical care is to keep volunteering my time to help get out the vote. Postcards, calls, texts, donations to help elect great candidates. That is the only control I have. And living in blue trifecta Minnesota shows me just how critical that is - regionally.
AMA be damned for their inaction. As Biden states, it is we the people who will get this done. Let’s do it.
Thank you, Sheila, for that really encouraging note. I live in Texas, so you can imagine what it's like here ... I was thinking last night how strange it feels to have lived ~50 years somewhere where the state's gov't. reflected most or any of my most basic values. Lots of reasons why I didn't leave including the necessity to raise a child as a single parent; TX has always had a good employment outlook ... But, it's so tiring to decade after decade continue to push the rock uphill. Then again -- as a check against my Whine -- it could be worse; I could live in MS or AL.
If I had more money and were a little younger (75 now) I'd move north, partly to escape the killing summer heat and partly because there are at least some places like yours where I could breathe more easily and feel less bewildered/depressed. Thanks for your great post!
Meredith, you continue to shine as a model to your friends, family, neighbors, and community in Texas. You can take a breath, and there are lots of other warriors for democracy in Texas, including Blue Horizons Texas and League of Women Voters.
As a retired doc I was thinking about this very thing the other day. The AMA is a weak-kneed conservative organization that has never, IMO, spoken for the majority of physicians. And now that most physicians are employees of large health care organizations, they truly do not have access to a unified voice. Perhaps if they woke up and considered unionization, they could more effectively buck the profit-driven systems they work in, and perhaps even speak up for equal and unuiversal access to healthcare (including necessary women’s health).
I understand the position of physicians in this very capitalistic-healthcare society. But. Women didn't fight for the right to vote or to have their own credit cards or to have reproductive health freedom because they were unionized or even very well organized. I'm really really upset with the timidity of healthcare professionals on this issue. If they wait until they have a secure framework and support to say or do anything about these decisions that are killing women -- it will obviously be too late.
So true, Meredith. I feel angst for doctors and nurses in these abortion-denied states. They are being caught between a rock and hard place. Some are leaving those states because they are worn down and worn out from the draconian laws imposed upon them. Change only works when a majority stand up to the powers that be. We women have been fighting for decades, centuries, and I don’t see us giving up.
Absolutely, we're not giving up. And, women didn't have unions or organized support or much money -- unlike many physicians and physicians organizations -- which is one reason I'm not as sympathetic as perhaps I should be. Yes, they're conflicted and threatened w/losing their jobs. And, yes, women and their families are actually being threatened, lied to, and sometimes purposefully made to suffer because the laws are unclear and the medical profession is ... uncertain.
That doesn't change my belief that the medical profession, particularly its highest-paid and most well-respected members perhaps, aren't stepping up to the plate. I don't care what their gender is in this issue; that's part of my point. Men everywhere should be joining in the pushback to these deadly practices.
For that matter, where is HIPAA? How is it that state Attorneys General, or anyone else, can demand medical records of individuals to determine if they have sought an abortion, in state or out of state?
Exactly. Good point -- I hadn't thought about that. This whole thing is a hijacking and some of the people who could be helping are asleep at the wheel. We all have been terrified by Trump, MAGA, and the complicit media among others for too long. They're thugs, pure and simple, and we've got to stand up on our 2 legs and fight back. And, I don't mean 'violence,' needless to say I hope? Just push back and refuse to put up with this terrorizing.
I spend about a half hour each morning writing comments (where one can) to WaPo and the TIMES about their appalling coverage. Yesterday the TIMES had a good front page piece about our great economy WITHOUT ONCE MENTIONING BIDEN ---- I wrote to them. Then, under that, a piece about the reasons we should not have house plants?? Say what?? This is news? I wrote a scathing comment, as did others, and by the time I wanted to show my wife - the piece was gone. Coincidence?? The content of Biden's speech was forceful, articulate and delivered with intensity. Unlike the press, I don't repeat the daily mantra --- he's too old --- but I worry. He is looking old. I judge him by his experience and accomplishments --- but I worry. A friend of mind, solidly democratic, an authority on WWII, antisemitism and an author of several historical books wrote to me about his concern about Biden's age --- I worry. So many comments are about wanting 'flash', and 'youth' without mentioning experience and getting things done. And yet - with all due respect, we have not had a president qualified for the job since Bush Senior. Clinton had flash - but no experience. W - well W was W. Obama was an orator --- remember 2004 - and was 'cool' - with no experience in dealing with government, refusing to schmooze with congress. As an experienced psychiatrist - I sometime reflect with embarrassment how my lack of experience when I was 40 was quite limiting. I was 'cool' and had 'flash' (hahaha) - but my work now in my late 70s has a perspective that I never had back then. When will the press learn?
Insurrection Day: repeat the words several times. January 6th should be remembered in our history as Insurrection Day, the day a small group of brave and dedicated Americans defended the seat of our Democracy from a violent mob who stood for the rule of Law and resisted the force of Tyranny. The names of those who stood their ground and held back the mob should be remembered and honored, just like the heroes of America's past.
At the same time, Americans who have dedicated their time and energy to promoting the truth, who spend days writing postcards, making phone calls, sending texts, registering Democrats, and opening their homes for events, should also be remembered. In years to come, when somebody asked us what we did to save Democracy, the response should be, "I was a fact-checker, I brought him down."
President Biden’s speech was likely the best of his Presidency. It was inspiring, and he didn't pull any punches, a combination that is hard to pull off. One of the things that has been widely discussed is the segment where Biden discusses Trump’s disrespect for the office of the President and his open contempt for the military that serves it. He took a long pause after describing one particularly heinous example as if to calm himself and mentioned his Irish temper. “How dare he?” he said, referring to Trump. This is the type of thing we all need to repeat over and over. Trump disrespects our Democratic norms, our system of government, our military, and the people of this country. He does it daily. A recent poll found that a majority of independents believe Trump loves this country. We know he does not. He tells us he does not. It’s essential to communicate these facts, not just by Joe Biden, but by everyone who truly believes in Democracy. Not in a “oh look what Trumo said” type of way, but in a manner that communicates the contempt that this man has for the country and the people he claim to want to lead. It needs to be on everyone’s lips every day. How dare he, indeed.
I particularly enjoyed a point where President Biden almost said a particular word descriptive of tfg but stopped himself... sure appeared to me to be a word beginning with 'b'.
True but not enough people are listening.
Stephen-- I have a favor to ask. I am trying to keep the Comment section a place where people can exchange ideas and lift up one another during difficult times. You are a thoughtful, respectful contributor in the comments section most of the time. But you consistently pour cold water on people's comments as you did above--"True, but not enough people were listening."
Any good development can be dismissed or minimized. But to what end? To discourage people who see a ray of hope? I am not saying that we must limit ourselves to happy talk or deny reality, but your comment above was gratuitously negative. If you want to note that Biden's speech was not widely viewed, feel free to make that comment--as a stand alone point. Posting that comment in response to Dean's analysis is a downer. That may be how you feel, and I respect and understand that feeling. But trying to make everyone else feel that way is not a path to success--which I know is what you want.
Maybe not, but that's what we need to change. I was encouraged by this morning’s NYT headline.
“Clashing Over Jan. 6, Trump and Biden Show Reality Is at Stake in 2024”
We need more of this from more of the media. We need more people speaking out, and not just Democrats. I’ve given up on elected Republicans, but we need more former Republican officials. Every lie needs to be challenged by a broad set of voices.
Agree but remember not everyone reads the NYT. The messages have to be broader and local
Just curious, did you see Robert’s comment to you above? We are all living in reality here, but negativity simply does not help.
Hear, hear! to both of your comments, Dean.
Yo, Dean. Great to see you hear sharing your wisdom and insight. I don't read the comments regularly so I apologize if you've been around longer than I realized.
We need a DBT caucus here. Maybe it can become a movement!
As the NYTs and other MSM outlets persist with anti-Biden reporting, it critical that we organize an effective pushback across the Substack Newsletters in which we participate. Over the next two weeks, I'm working on organizing a pushback.
Here's a letter I sent to Nate Cohn at the NYTs in response to his article a few days ago that maybe, just maybe Biden might defy the pollsters (like Cohn) and squeak out a surprise victory in 2024. He compared Biden's chances to Truman's surprise win against Dewey in 1948. Irresponsibly, Cohn left out any mention of Biden's 2020 electoral success.
I wrote this:
Mr. Cohn,
I appreciate your comparison of President Biden to Truman based on current poll numbers.
The NYTs with your guidance, might want to consider a different set of numbers in your analysis of Biden's 2024 chances.
In 2020, Joe Biden, in the midst of COVID, running from a campaign bunker, won election with 81 million votes, the largest number any presidential candidate ever received and beating Trump by 7 million votes who has spent the last three years trying to falsify those results.
The media seems to be having trouble finding many of these 81 Biden voters to talk to. But don't worry. We're all still here ready to vote for Joe in 2024!
We believe, Joe Biden is likely to pick up an additional 7 million votes from Independents, Republicans and ~16 million 18-22 year olds in 2024! He'll get close to 90 million votes.
The question for Trump is how many voters he'll lose from his 74 million total.
If you can point out where the 17 million new Trump votes are likely to come from to give Trump a win please let us know..
Thanks
Merrill Weingrod
401-480-8003
Please let us know how we can assist you in your pushback efforts. It’s a great idea.
It bothers me to no end when a poll states that it surveyed a paltry number, say 1200, of “likely voters”. The last time I checked, there are about 169 million “likely voters”. I’m no statistician, but how do 1200 respondents predict who Americans will vote for? To paraphrase: polls, damned polls, and BS.
I’d also like to know how they are reaching these people. Most individuals between the ages of 20 and 50 do not even have land lines anymore. I’m 64, I don’t have a landline at this time, and I never get calls from pollsters. I don’t pay much attention to these polls, but I’d like each of these poll analyses to show the age groups, locations, and political affiliations of these “likely voters,” whatever the heck that means.
I have wondered about this, too. I haven't had a landline for many years. When I did, all I got were calls from Republicans (I kept my status as "unaffiliated" in those days) in a then purple state. Also, I don't answer the phone unless I know who it is. If it's important, a message will be left. I suspect I'm not alone in these habits.
According to SurveyMonkey's sample size calculator, <https://www.surveymonkey.com/mp/sample-size-calculator/>, for a population of 169,000,000, a confidence level of 95%, and a margin of error of 3%, the sample size is 1,068. It's surprising, but it's mathematically sound.
It's also worth remembering that polls don't predict who Americans will vote for next November. The most they can claim to show is who Americans would have voted for if the election had taken place on the day the poll was conducted.
Mathematically, a quantitative survey size for a large population like 169 million is +/- 1060. This can work (with lots of qualifications) for daily use consumer items like favorite toothpaste or laundry soap combined with top product features. However, topics as
complex and subjective as political candidates and related political issues are highly variable from day to day and among small respondent groups. If journalists are going to use small polls as forecasting data a 10 months out, they need to dial way back on claims they make about the "horse race". To more accurately forecast who's leading, the data set should be .001% of voters or about 150,000 which is not practical. I think the more accurate forecast is to take the 2020 results and determine which candidate is adding and which is losing voters. This analytical hypothesis would indicate Biden is well on track to beat Trump by a significantly larger margin than in 2024. The NYTs should go back to its headline the evening of the Dewey-Truman race in 1948. Or to quote Neils Bohr "Predictions are very difficult especially about the future"
Sample population sizes significantly greater than ~1300 people will add only more pseudo-accuracy to most polls. Why? In practice, the polls are not based on genuinely *random* samples.
(Other posters have already cited such weaknesses of the polls.)
Also they are "push polls" in that they stack them with partisan info.
If I wrote the questions for acknowledged MAGATS, I'd discount people who deny that Trump hates dogs and stole from kids with cancer and disabled war veterans.
Wonderful letter
A great letter but pollsters only look at numbers not people so your comments won’t register with him but motivates us.
Stop looking at the polls and just join in efforts to change things.
Ilene has the sentence of the day!
Gari
I'm really glad you are willing to work on "fixing" the press on Biden. I want to get a daily list of articles and contacts going so we can begin to bring pressure on journalists to stop their anti-Biden bias and write factual, positive articles. I'd be happy to discuss this if you email me at, mweingrod@china-strategies.com
Tks
You’re not alone. Check out the Media and Democracy Project (MAD):
https://www.mediaanddemocracyproject.org/
Ilene, like you I work each and every day to help elect Democrats at the national level and up and down the ballot. Part of getting folks motivated to volunteer (I am volunteer lead for the Volunteer Blue coalition) is to get the media accurately reporting the truth of what a great job Biden is doing, how inept the GOP and MAGA leads are and what a dictator Trump will become. So, I applaud letters to the editors and would like for @Robert Hubbell to keep us informed about who to write and what to write. I have written to the NYTimes but happy to broaden my reach.
I wonder whether he can offer these newsletters as op eds in newsmedia?
Love the iron fist in the velvet glove!
Really well done and very good questions about where the Times and their colleagues in the media are looking for people to talk with.
Good job, love seeing those numbers (you probably already know this but you left out the word “million” after 81 Biden voters”...nevertheless the rest was great!)
In the recent past, it has been suggested we dialogue with those we with whom we disagree and who are of a different opinion regarding the 2024 elections. Last week, my wife and I checked in to a Charleston, South Carolina hotel and met a charming, sincere, young black man clerking at the desk who greeted us with a big smile. Intelligent and disarming we had a brief exchange that brought laughter to the process. The following morning, as we were checking out, we wished each other well as I presented hope for a peaceful and 'sane' New Year. It somehow, in our parting words, became apparent that this young man was a Trump supporter. To say the least, I was flummoxed. It's not that I anticipate every person of an ethnic or racial background to vote homogeneously. I simply associated his sweetness, warmth, kindness with a political philosophy that was not threatening of his future.
I take no credit when I say that I signaled my wife that I would be a moment. I asked how he came to a decision in favor of Trump. He spoke to Biden's age and the age of other South Carolina legislators. He addressed his concern about the status quo, and how we needed new blood, new ideas and a change in direction. Well, without presenting a plethora of counter arguments, I simply pointed out what was at stake. What was at stake to him personally as a black man. To believe the threat that looms over all those who fail to align with Trump - blacks, Jews, gays, trans, artists, historians, liberals, and women. I pleaded for him to realize that under an authoritarian regime, led by a maniacal dictator there is no escape hatch. His and all our lives will be (I never say forever) changed in untold ways.
I listened politely. He listened politely. We shared from our hearts. We cannot know the future. I cannot know the outcome. However, in that moment two individuals of divergent points of view came together. "I will think abut it", he said. That was enough.
Did that guy own a pet? Trump hates dogs! https://www.nytimes.com/2019/11/05/opinion/trump-military-dog.html
Would he support someone who stole from kids with cancer? https://ag.ny.gov/press-release/2019/donald-j-trump-pays-court-ordered-2-million-illegally-using-trump-foundation
I like that you keep driving home these seemingly small things, because people of any political affiliation can relate to them, and that is really the only way to make headway with someone who is under the MAGA spell.
I get favorable responses on Facebook pet/animal groups. Cancer charities.
I love Frank Bruni’s word play. Thanks for refreshing my memory of this delightfully dead on piece.
Those two references should sink any politician.
A great story which illustrates why we need to focus on what a day in the life of a Trump presidency looks like and what new blood does Trump bring?
That was my wondering, as well. Trump won't bring in new blood; what he will bring is corruption beyond our most horrfying nightmares.
Nobody asks what will be different and he just got caught with about 8 M in bribes so it will be more of the same
It just frosts me that Trump constantly gets away with shyte that no one else would even try (yet...just wait, though). Can you imagine the media hullaballoo had a prominent Democrat been caught acquiring 8 mill from foreign nationals??? I swear that the orange slobbo has made a pact with the devil that has allowed him to slither away from all his missteps and evil deeds.
I can't wait until "old Scratch" appears, holds up the contract and demands his dues. No squirming out from under that deal!
I knew somehow that Trump was going to get caught taking huge sums of money from foreigners during his presidency because he kept accusing Biden of that. Every accusation that comes out of the mouth of Trump, MAGA Republicans, and MAGA fanatics is simply a confession of their own guilt.
“I knew somehow that Trump was going to get caught taking huge sums of money from foreigners during his presidency …”
Trump didn’t “get caught”. He took the money openly and, in effect, dared people to do something about it.
As I recall (correctly?), some people went to court to stop DJT from taking emoluments, but their cases were thrown out.
(Is that account missing something important? Was there any way of getting at DJT than those court cases?)
Yep...in fact that is a common saying these days: "every accusation is a confession..."
More importantly, why is bringing in new blood in the presidency important, when this president has truly delivered under impossible odds, in a decidedly impactful way?!
It isn't...my comment was inreply to someone else's comment of what they heard from a trumpist, that Trump would bring in new blood and that's why they liked him. SMH! If the trumphumpers get any more delusional--we're gonna run out of psych ward spaces, pdq.
I don't give a particle of a care whether it's new blood in government or not--I just want HONEST blood.
We're on the same page TL!
Brilliant and beautiful, David. You just modeled deep canvassing for each one of us here. Let's all follow David's astute, caring and thoughtful lead as we go about our days. Each one reach one; eventually, we'll reach all who can/will hear.
We win by one vote at a time...thanks for taking the time to try and persuade a Trump voter. It's the hardest work we can do.
It would be wonderful if we could take the Senate and the House but it’s not going to happen unless a miracle occurs. TC is right, the Senate is a mess. it’s possible the House would be ours still with Jeffries at the helm. That’s a big hope. I grit my teeth every frigging day and night knowing that we have only a few more months to get our act together. I cannot even fathom how SCOTUS will rule on these cases and I don’t want to even speculate. Lawrence Tribe said at the get-go that we needed to expand the colurt. With Thomas unlikely to recuse himself, and if Biden wins, that should be one of his goals. Right now, I am just trying to get through each day but there was good news today, other than Biden’s brilliant speech, and that is Harry Dunn’s announcement that he’s running for Congress in Maryland. Hallelujah!!
Marlene, if you keep telling people that we won't retake the House and increase our margin in the Senate, they will believe you and give up. We have 10 months to affect the outcome. Remember that time--a year ago--when Democrats were going to lose the House by 40 seats? It didn't happen--and we didn't need a miracle. Just hard work.
You are a regular commenter and I know these comments don't reflect your commitment to winning. So, please reconsider your messaging.
However, to give due credit: Marlene mentioned that Harry Dunn - a Jan 6 hero - is running for Congress. Good for her!
😋
I will, Robert. You’re right...absolutely, I will get off this gravy train!! Thanks for the wake-up call. 👍🏼
Hugs Marlene. I can’t control my fear and sadness on some days. I try not to put it in print, but a lot of times it comes out that way. I do get what Robert is trying to do though and I appreciate it.
Stop fretting about SCOTUS and focus on getting people registered and voting and the rest will take care of itself. We can’t fix the court without controlling Congress so lets make that happen
That’s exactly what Marlene just said.
Perfect.
Yup. My teeth grinding is alarming.
My "tea leaves" suggest that we may re-elect Joe Biden and retake the House. The Senate does look scary. But without a GQP puppet president, "they" can't feed us Federalist Fascist judges.
My optimistic coffee tells me two things:
If we resume House Leadership, Jeffries will likely replace MAGA Dark Money Mike as second in line for the presidency. Let's not underestimate just how critical that is. In a world where surprises are normal, that would be reassuring. And the Putin friendly obstacles in the House could lose their power to obstruct efforts to support democracy in Ukraine. In the Senate (even among many Republicans) support for Ukraine is more assured.
And...pollsters like Nate Cohen are as wrong as they are right. If pollsters actually could predict, Truman would have lost to Dewey, "W" would have lost to Gore, Bush senior would have beaten Clinton, Jimmy who? Hillary would be completing her second term. You get my drift.
During FDR's presidency, there was definitely an attempt to enlarge the Supreme Court. It didn't happen. But the very thought of it altered the court's behavior. Sometimes subtleties can work for us. And sometimes unthinkable stuff happens.
I received Harry Dunn's book as a holiday gift. I guess I should dive into it right away. Go Harry, go!
Remember the midterms while drinking your optimistic coffee!
Bill, I think there’s a very good chance that we will not just retake the house, but retake it with a decent number. I’m not talking 20 or 30 seats, but somewhere between 6 to 10 seats, perhaps, on my most optimistic days. This court ruling in New York State that will fix these gerrymandered districts could give us five additional seats right there, according to a couple of attorneys I read and others. I think we are going to get rid of Lauren Boebert in my district. It’s likely that in the special election for Kitara Revache’s district, Tom Sozzi will win. I have hope! Also, happy new year.
I like your carefully reasoned optimism. Happy New Year to you as well!
That should have been Suozzi.
Can’t stand it that Substack got rid of their edit button!
Not only that, but this darn spellchecker on my iPhone app has a mind of its own and keeps changing things. I have to reread everything I type, and I always find that it has deliberately, without my permission, changed the spelling of words and put in punctuation that is wrong or unnecessary. It drives me up a wall. I could do this from my computer, but I don’t want to be tied to a computer when I’m trying to get other things done.
I get it!! Same thing occurs with my iPhone. Grrrr
Unsure why you don't see the edit button but I still have it. I do my substack reading on my laptop. A few people have mentioned an issue on phones but I suspect the 3 dots are simply hidden somewhere off the right margin. A solution would be for Substack to put the dots back following Like/Reply/Share as they were previously.
My iPhone doesn’t allow me to edit and neither does my iPad. Must be something with Apple products.
You're rolling Bill. Enjoy the book. I'm just finishing Heather Richardson's latest.
I just finished Cassidy Hutchinson's book "Enough". The beginning is a bit slow going but important for understanding Cassidy's commitment to her work, and her belief in both her boss Mark Meadows and his boss (The Boss), tfg, then her gradual recognition that what she had been witness to in the White House was a threat to American democracy. Her experiences and struggle to find legal representation when she learned she would likely receive a subpoena are especially informative of who she really is. I recommend the book to all of you.
I just picked up her book at my local bookstore. Looking forward to diving in.
It's excellent, and just as readable as LFAA.
Me too.
It really is time to expand the court. The country has grown, and if I'm not mistaken, there are 13 federal districts, but only 9 high court justices. The first things we have to do is re-elect Biden, take back the House, and increase the Senate majority. There are tons of things that we've learned need to be updated. BUT first! VOTE BLUE ALL THE WAY DOWN THE LINE!
Yes to all!
Great response, Bill, as always!
Marlene, right now it’s one day at a time, with both Senate and House in reach if we are all diligent one day at a time. The special elections out there bring us all hope, and so many are jumping ship early, especially in the House giving Dems some opportunity to pick up seats. Let’s get to work and make things happen.
https://www.msnbc.com/opinion/msnbc-opinion/taylor-swift-save-joe-biden-rcna130344
Thank you Daniel for that link. Wow. My greatest 2024 election concern has been and continues to be a lackluster turn out by Gen Y and Z. If Taylor Swift can send some of her fans (there are SO many) to the voting booths, it literally could solidify a win for us.
I don't listen to her songs (as accomplished as she is) because I'm an old guy still enjoying "my" music - which could be apropos. As Bob said, "No, woman, no cry..."
Given that many entertainers and athletes are liberal why are they quiet at a time their influence is needed?
And Obama! He showed up very late in the midterms and I think he had some effect. I've been disappointed in his verbal support for Biden. I wish he wouldn't wait until late in 2024 to come out strong for Biden.
My gut tells me Taylor Swift will get far more votes for Biden than Obama will. I I don't pay much attention to popular culture, but Taylor Swift apparently is HUGE. Still, every vote we get counts, and O should get out there.
Just heard on NPR that Taylor Swift has now surpassed Elvis Presley's record for albums as #1 on the Billboard 200 chart for solo artists. Clearly, there are a *lot* of Taylor Swift lovers out there, a large number of whom will hopefully follow her lead voting in November.
"With the latest chart, Swift has now earned a total of 68 times at No. 1, over 13 of her LPs, which surpasses Elvis Presley for the most appearances in the top slot for a solo artist. Of all acts, only the Beatles have been at No. 1 more times — 132 — in the history of Billboard’s flagship album chart, which dates to 1956." NYT 01/02/24
Not to pick on your post, David, but its repeating the “should get out there” theme pushed one of my mental buttons:
Richard Nixon was mostly a very bad guy, but he was an astute political strategist. One of his maxims was that a political campaign should not “peak” too soon: the peak of the campaign should coincide with election day.
Trying to bring notables in early during a campaign means that the power of their endorsements may have dissipated when votes are cast.
Great question.
Money? Don't want to alienate some fans? Don't want to lose endorsements?
I really don't know. But it's time for EVERYONE to step up and speak out.
One athlete who is liberal and very political, although I believe he’s at least 75 years old now, is Kareem Abdul-Jabbar. He has a wonderful Substack newsletter that comes out about twice a week, and it is extremely well written.
Kareem is my hero. He exudes peaceful ways of solving problems. I really need him in my back pocket.
He is a genuinely wonderful human being. I think about a month ago he broke his hip. He tripped while he was at a Manhattan Transfer concert. He is recovering and still writing.
He played for the wrong basketball team. :-)
Yes, but is playing for the right team now! 😁
HA! So who should he have played for?
Ill find Dunn's campaign and get to work for him. Thanks
Such great news that Harry Dunn is running. I just donated to his campaign.
Yes, as soon as I heard he was running, I donated also.
It’s good that he’s running and I wish him well, but there’s a passel of other Democrats running in that safe district, and I, for one, am not going to take sides unless it will make a difference in the ultimate outcome.
I get it, Jon, and yes, he is in a safe district. What I like about him is that he does not have a law degree but has one in Public Health. He is compassionate and recognizable, not only in stature, but what happened to him in J6.
Here's my letter to editorial@nytimes.com about today's NYTs print edition.
Sirs,
As a long time reader, it's getting more and more difficult to understand what the Times considers news worthy to print and how the editorial board sees the paper shaping public opinion.
Our president, Joe Biden, kicked off his election campaign yesterday with a powerful condemnation of both Trump and the MAGA movement. He gave exactly the speech that's an answer to the horror movie/nightmare scenarios many of your journalists have described if Trump wins a 2nd term.
Your two leading, above the fold, stories on today's front page were about heavy rain in Europe and Trump's ballot case in Colorado. Biden's kickoff speech was covered on pg 11.
For the sake of our democracy, I hope the Times will soon join the fight to save it.
The solution is really simple. Elect Joe Biden to a second term. That's the News that's fit to Print.
Thanks
Merrill Weingrod
Here's mine from yesterday.
I don't support her but Nikki Haley can beat Trump in the primaries. Needs to attack his character. His age. His appearance. His odor ("I'm the only one on this stage who was in a position to smell him."). Most effective:
1. Trump hates dogs.
https://www.nytimes.com/2019/11/05/opinion/trump-military-dog.html
2. Trump family charity stole from kids with cancer and disabled war veterans.
https://ag.ny.gov/press-release/2019/donald-j-trump-pays-court-ordered-2-million-illegally-using-trump-foundation
She can point out that he has been the poster boy for employer sanctions for hiring illegals.
that he had to pay $25 million to Trump University marks.
that he misled his donors that he had a "defense fund."
that he committed assault of at least one woman -- and has more trials coming up.
Only use that he increased the deficit. that he is in bed with Saudi Arabia, that he created the inflation when questioned.
Any more?
Daniel F. Solomon
Miami
Outstanding letter, Merrill, especially your opening paragraph!
When Mitch McConnell (R-KY) decided that the courts could assess Trumps' perfidy so that he and his senate colleagues wouldn't have to, he did the country a massive disservice. He's also the one who denied Obama his rightful Supreme Court pick. Both those crimes against the country's traditions are roiling our body politic. Joined by the feckless Lindsey Graham (R-SC), McConnell's name will, I predict, live in infamy.
He brought this situation on himself and the rest of us. I wish he would retire, but he would likely be replaced by someone equally horrible. We must hold onto the Senate!
Turtleman Addison McConnell has made a lifetime career from his disservices--both big and small--to our country. I can only hope that his upcoming eternal sojourn in Hell seems worth it to him.
Turtleneck is just plain mean and evil. Wish he would exit the Senate but he knows no one else is as devious and smart as he is.
I can't help wondering if any of those Republican senators who voted against convicting tfg are now regretting what they unleashed on the American people.... and on themselves & their so-called party.
According to the recent McKay Coppins book, Mitt Romney stated that many of his Senate colleagues were actually fearful of voting for Trump’s impeachment because they had received vicious threats from MAGA supporters if they did. Romney claimed he spent thousands of dollars on private security for himself and his family. This continues into primary season, with House GOP members threatened with “primarying” by Trump and threats of violence by his supporters.
Just yesterday, I read McKay Coppins' essay in Jan.-Feb. 2024 issue of The Atlantic: "Loyalists, Lapdogs, and Cronies". In it, he looks at what we could expect if tfg is reelected, enumerating some of the many individuals tfg would choose to fill critical roles in government and ending with explanation of tfg's Executive Order "Schedule F" which would enable any civil service employee to be discharged without reason and either replaced by a loyalist or that position simply left vacant. Gifted link: https://www.theatlantic.com/magazine/archive/2024/01/donald-trump-2024-reelection-cabinet-appointments/676121/?gift=-ok2lUeADxVZmgvbdNVA1awBMg2vc11jzbn7h5nKQMM&utm_source=copy-link&utm_medium=social&utm_campaign=share
I hope so. Because that would mean they have consciences. Which, heretofore have not been in evidence. Or decency. Or honesty. Or hope for the growth and betterment of our republic.
Not enough to change their stripes at numerous inflection points.
Of course not, they're out and out cowards. Or opportunists. Or both.
How have they suffered? They seem to be getting along rather well (altho they shouldn’t be).
Many have been 'kept in line' by threats against them and their family members.
Good news from Florida !😎
We now have the required verified signatures to get abortion/reproductive health care access on the ballot ! The Florida Supreme Court must now approve the ballot initiative’s language.🤞
https://abcnews.go.com/Politics/florida-abortion-rights-initiative-secures-signatures-ballot-november/story?id=106139994
Westgate Resorts canceled a planned celebration of the January 6th attack.David Siegel, billionaire founder and owner of Westgate, has been a vocal and financial supporter of Trump.
⬇️
https://www.wesh.com/article/florida-event-canceled-marjorie-taylor-greene/46299870
Trump actually speaks truth!😂
https://www.tallahassee.com/story/news/politics/2024/01/05/trump-pac-mocks-desantis-in-billboards-hitting-him-on-polls-insurance/72119456007/
Thank you! I will check out the reference. I always appreciate it when readers alert me to possible stories and provide links.
Such wonderful news! Now we have to ensure that the despicable Ashley Moody doesn’t prevail in convincing the state Supreme Court to disallow the wording.
I love that 2 of MGT’s book-signing events were cancelled!!🤣🤣🤣🤣
Hallelujah!!!!!🎉🎉🎉🎉
Excellent advice, Robert: "Let’s not be distracted by events over which we have no control; instead, we should focus on those outcomes where our efforts will make a difference."
If we chase every fire truck, we'll only wear ourselves out. Choose wisely, and work relentlessly. Have faith in our institutions and the good people who make them work, but call out those who would tear them down.
Fits well with today’s refresher from Timothy Snyder “On Tyranny:”
https://open.substack.com/pub/snyder/p/on-tyranny?r=6pp8t&utm_medium=ios&utm_campaign=post
"What should we do? Gain control of the House, increase our margin of control of the Senate, re-elect Joe Biden—and then expand the Supreme Court to break the death-grip of the reactionary majority on the liberties guaranteed in the Constitution. We cannot wait a generation for membership on the Court to change. Expanding the Court requires only a majority vote in both chambers of Congress and the signature of the president."
Let me know when we get 62 Democrats in the Senate. Even better, tell me which states we'll get those 12 senators from. The Senate is now completely broken and so long as it is formed the way it was by a group of people who obviously couldn't see five minutes into the future any better than anyone else could, it will continue to be the biggest obstruction besides the unsupreme court.
And yes, I wish it was otherwise, but it isn't.
First, we don't need 62 Democrats in the Senate. We need 51. It doesn't take 60 votes to create an exception to (or abolish) the filibuster. It only takes 51 votes. Ask Mitch McConnell, who eliminated the 60 vote margin for confirming Supreme Court justices by allowing a nomination to go to the floor with 51 votes. Once it happens once, that is then "precedent" that is binding on all subsequent votes on the same subject matter.
See this link, which explains how the filibuster can be changed through the use of "precedent." https://www.brookings.edu/articles/what-is-the-senate-filibuster-and-what-would-it-take-to-eliminate-it/
So, again, with a majority in the House and the Senate and Biden in the White House, we can expand the Supreme Court to a size that reflects the hundred-fold increase in population since 1789, when we had six justices.
600 Justices?
:-)
You are of course right, Bob. But with something as "momentous" as expanding the court - which too many members of both parties think is "illegal," it will take a filibuster-proof majority to keep the nervous nellies on our side in line to do the right thing. There's "the rules are... " and then there's "but the politicians are... " Wish it was different.
As Robert said, you only need simple majority for some of what he is proposing
There are those who claim the United States is a republic, not a democracy. We are a republic in that we have no king. We began as a democracy and have grown our democratic character:
1. Declaration of Independence: "We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal".
2. US Constitution: "We the People of the United States, in Order to form a more perfect Union...do ordain and establish this Constitution for the United States of America"
3. Late 18th century, early 20th century: gradual, state by state expansion of voting rights and ending property requirement to vote. (My personal favorite as a native of Rhode Island is the 1841 Dorr Rebellion against the land owning requirement to vote and the 1843 state constitutional change extending voting rights to all free men. Still it took RI until the 20th century to get rid of requirements for being a tax payer to vote.)
4. The post-Civil War 15th Amendment to the US Constitution: "The right of citizens of the United States to vote shall not be denied or abridged by the United States or by any State on account of race, color, or previous condition of servitude." (Not that the right to vote for Black people was clear sailing after the amendment was passed, but the right to vote was enunciated.)
5. As the failure of Reconstruction deprived Blacks of the right to vote, through the last half of the 19th century, Native Americans and Chinese-Americans were also deprived of the right to vote. The right to vote for people in these groups was restored through state and federal legislation in the 20th century.
6. 17th Amendment to the US Constitution: US Senators were elected by the people of each state rather than by the state legislatures.
7. 19th Amendment to the US Constitution: Women were guaranteed the right to vote.
8. Early 1960s: The Warren Court ruled that state and federal legislatures (excluding the US Senate) must be roughly equal in size (creating democratically based legislatures)
9. 24th Amendment to the US Constitution: Prohibition of poll taxes
10. Voting rights act of 1965: One more step toward ensuring that everyone had the right to vote.
11. 26th Amendment to the US Constitution: Expanded voting rights to age 18 (the same as the draft age for fighting in wars)
There have been plenty of setbacks during the history of expanding democracy in the United States as well as further progress as those with felony convictions are gaining the right to vote. We are currently living with the Supreme Court's retreat from the Voting Rights Act. Despite the various setbacks and some recent retreats, for most of us, the American commitment to democracy is clear.
12. 9th Amendment. The enumeration in the Constitution, of certain rights, shall not be construed to deny or disparage others retained by the people.
Like common law. The right to vote. Freedom to travel. Until recently, I would have said privacy. Who needs a constitution if we don't have a right of privacy?
How about unenumerated duties: To pay taxes. To sit on juries. Posse comitatus - to stand for the draft, to otherwise be called to serve,
We are a Republic but to most voters it doesn’t make a difference and they don’t really understand how good they have it compared to the rest of the world.
In sum: the US is a *democratic republic*.
For me the first step is an overwhelming win for Tom Suozzi in NY 3. Homebound I'm just writing post cards over 300 to be sent before Feb 13 special election. After his win I'll find other actions. Biden has challenged us each to do what we can.
Taking a slightly different tack from the Biden speech -- which was excellent -- and all the Trumpian horrors we confront every day; as a woman and as a person in America, which is now struggling under some of most vicious reproductive healthcare laws in the world; I'd like to ask a few questions: Where is the AMA? Where are the healthcare providers, especially doctors; but, all healthcare providers who've taken oaths to protect life? Where are more of the men who have a pretty large stake in this even though they're not directly affected? As Jessica Valenti notes about women now in America, "Of course they want us dead," and that's not an exaggeration when we're hearing more and more horror stories of how little women's lives are valued. That's all. I just think there should be way more pushback, particularly from healthcare and medicine ... they have some power in this society and I don't see them speaking out and up.
Meredith, one small story of encouragement on medical care for women from my back yard.
My former state representative, Ruth Richardson, resigned her elected post on September, 2023, specifically to focus on her work as president and CEO of Planned Parenthood of Minnesota and the Dakotas. Last January, MN passed a bill protecting access to appropriate medical care - including abortion care. (We also passed a family medical leave act and another bill that formed the nation’s first state office focused on missing and murdered black women - also critical in the big picture) Since the heavy lifting on legislation was done, Richardson narrowed her focus to her crucially important day job - Planned Parenthood here has seen a dramatic uptick in women seeking medical care from out of state - we are surrounded by red or red leaning states that have restricted or outlawed abortion and access to birth control.
Both of my daughters carry the MN Obamacare insurance called Minnesotacare. They have access to all appropriate medical care, including abortion and birth control if needed. Yes, state taxpayer dollars are involved!
The only thing that I feel like I can contribute to protecting women’s access to medical care is to keep volunteering my time to help get out the vote. Postcards, calls, texts, donations to help elect great candidates. That is the only control I have. And living in blue trifecta Minnesota shows me just how critical that is - regionally.
AMA be damned for their inaction. As Biden states, it is we the people who will get this done. Let’s do it.
Thank you, Sheila, for that really encouraging note. I live in Texas, so you can imagine what it's like here ... I was thinking last night how strange it feels to have lived ~50 years somewhere where the state's gov't. reflected most or any of my most basic values. Lots of reasons why I didn't leave including the necessity to raise a child as a single parent; TX has always had a good employment outlook ... But, it's so tiring to decade after decade continue to push the rock uphill. Then again -- as a check against my Whine -- it could be worse; I could live in MS or AL.
If I had more money and were a little younger (75 now) I'd move north, partly to escape the killing summer heat and partly because there are at least some places like yours where I could breathe more easily and feel less bewildered/depressed. Thanks for your great post!
Meredith, you continue to shine as a model to your friends, family, neighbors, and community in Texas. You can take a breath, and there are lots of other warriors for democracy in Texas, including Blue Horizons Texas and League of Women Voters.
As a retired doc I was thinking about this very thing the other day. The AMA is a weak-kneed conservative organization that has never, IMO, spoken for the majority of physicians. And now that most physicians are employees of large health care organizations, they truly do not have access to a unified voice. Perhaps if they woke up and considered unionization, they could more effectively buck the profit-driven systems they work in, and perhaps even speak up for equal and unuiversal access to healthcare (including necessary women’s health).
I understand the position of physicians in this very capitalistic-healthcare society. But. Women didn't fight for the right to vote or to have their own credit cards or to have reproductive health freedom because they were unionized or even very well organized. I'm really really upset with the timidity of healthcare professionals on this issue. If they wait until they have a secure framework and support to say or do anything about these decisions that are killing women -- it will obviously be too late.
So true, Meredith. I feel angst for doctors and nurses in these abortion-denied states. They are being caught between a rock and hard place. Some are leaving those states because they are worn down and worn out from the draconian laws imposed upon them. Change only works when a majority stand up to the powers that be. We women have been fighting for decades, centuries, and I don’t see us giving up.
Absolutely, we're not giving up. And, women didn't have unions or organized support or much money -- unlike many physicians and physicians organizations -- which is one reason I'm not as sympathetic as perhaps I should be. Yes, they're conflicted and threatened w/losing their jobs. And, yes, women and their families are actually being threatened, lied to, and sometimes purposefully made to suffer because the laws are unclear and the medical profession is ... uncertain.
But Meredith, many of those doctors are women too.
That doesn't change my belief that the medical profession, particularly its highest-paid and most well-respected members perhaps, aren't stepping up to the plate. I don't care what their gender is in this issue; that's part of my point. Men everywhere should be joining in the pushback to these deadly practices.
For that matter, where is HIPAA? How is it that state Attorneys General, or anyone else, can demand medical records of individuals to determine if they have sought an abortion, in state or out of state?
Exactly. Good point -- I hadn't thought about that. This whole thing is a hijacking and some of the people who could be helping are asleep at the wheel. We all have been terrified by Trump, MAGA, and the complicit media among others for too long. They're thugs, pure and simple, and we've got to stand up on our 2 legs and fight back. And, I don't mean 'violence,' needless to say I hope? Just push back and refuse to put up with this terrorizing.
I spend about a half hour each morning writing comments (where one can) to WaPo and the TIMES about their appalling coverage. Yesterday the TIMES had a good front page piece about our great economy WITHOUT ONCE MENTIONING BIDEN ---- I wrote to them. Then, under that, a piece about the reasons we should not have house plants?? Say what?? This is news? I wrote a scathing comment, as did others, and by the time I wanted to show my wife - the piece was gone. Coincidence?? The content of Biden's speech was forceful, articulate and delivered with intensity. Unlike the press, I don't repeat the daily mantra --- he's too old --- but I worry. He is looking old. I judge him by his experience and accomplishments --- but I worry. A friend of mind, solidly democratic, an authority on WWII, antisemitism and an author of several historical books wrote to me about his concern about Biden's age --- I worry. So many comments are about wanting 'flash', and 'youth' without mentioning experience and getting things done. And yet - with all due respect, we have not had a president qualified for the job since Bush Senior. Clinton had flash - but no experience. W - well W was W. Obama was an orator --- remember 2004 - and was 'cool' - with no experience in dealing with government, refusing to schmooze with congress. As an experienced psychiatrist - I sometime reflect with embarrassment how my lack of experience when I was 40 was quite limiting. I was 'cool' and had 'flash' (hahaha) - but my work now in my late 70s has a perspective that I never had back then. When will the press learn?
Thank you for your ongoing work to hold WaPo and the NY Times accountable.
Best consideration ever made: 'Who are we?' America is so lucky to have Biden.
Insurrection Day: repeat the words several times. January 6th should be remembered in our history as Insurrection Day, the day a small group of brave and dedicated Americans defended the seat of our Democracy from a violent mob who stood for the rule of Law and resisted the force of Tyranny. The names of those who stood their ground and held back the mob should be remembered and honored, just like the heroes of America's past.
At the same time, Americans who have dedicated their time and energy to promoting the truth, who spend days writing postcards, making phone calls, sending texts, registering Democrats, and opening their homes for events, should also be remembered. In years to come, when somebody asked us what we did to save Democracy, the response should be, "I was a fact-checker, I brought him down."
Insurrection Day January 6th 2021.
“Insurrection Day” — Yes!
The Supreme Court has put itself on trial with the Colorado case. They must decide if they are jurists or politicians. Full stop.
Exactly right.