Robert, I am with you…Biden will win and it’s because there are more of us than there are of them. R’s are busy creating fear-mongering chaos while Dems are hard at work at organizing, speaking, questioning, and signing people up to register to vote. Look at the younger people especially in Michigan…62%. That’s magnificent! The one thing we have that Germany didn’t is social media where we can converse, like this. Newspaper reporting is negative towards Biden, so screw them. We have Fox and NewsMax who are more than willing to spew their BS on the air. Young GenZers, like Victor Shi, David Hogg, and Olivia Julianna are political activists who influence others. Shi and Hogg were at Parkland when the shooting occurred. So is Maxwell Frost, the youngest member of Congress, who represents Florida’s 10th District. Economy is in great shape. Alito and Thomas were the emperors with no clothes this week. Jamie Raskin and Jim McGovern just destroyed Comer and Jordan in the Oversight Committee. Nope, I am not afraid.
Marlene, I so appreciate you writing and simply would add that these GenZers, who largely are focused on battleground state legislature and U.S. House seats, have devised a brilliant plan—energizing young people around local leaders whose coattails conceivably will propel young voters to the top of the ticket. I noted David Hogg, in particular, regularly asks donors for names to add to his Leaders We Deserve list.
I am a creaky senior who spends most of my activist time writing letters & postcards and phonebanking. But I make donations to groups led by young activists (Leaders We Deserve, Run for Something, GenZ for Change, Future Voters of America, TurnUP) and those focused on registering young voters (The Civics Center, Campus Vote Project).
Screw them and the horse they rode in on. We also have pride on our side. But not false pride, not hubris. It’s based on achievement and embracing a big idea we know in our hearts is right and good. It is following a leader who is a good and honest man. He also is a man tempered by catastrophic suffering. I grew up in MAGA country and know something about what makes Trumpsters tick. Motivated by fear and resentment their feelings of inferiority prevent them from knowing what true pride is all about.
@Marlene. The only way " there are more of us than there are of them" is IF we register the millions who are unregistered but trend Democratic. Takes a lot of work.
Yes, and there was more of us than there in 2016 when Hillary won the popular vote, but the "thems" were able to win in enough of the so-called "battleground" states. That's why we have to support the targeted efforts of fieldteam6, Force Multiplier, David Hogg, and other GOTV efforts, throughout the country, yes, but especially in the battlegrounds. We also have to be proud and confident to tamp down the despair on the part of Democrats ("Wah, Wah, Wah, if Joe Biden weren't so old!") even among those who will vote for Joe. We need full-throated, confidence and hard work. My self-talk today is "Don't lead with your worry. Lead with your confidence, especially when you are talking to independents, Republicans, and lukewarm Democrats. Wear the Biden shirt. No one, especially young people want to follow an uncertain trumpet, and I'm not talking Trumpian braggadocio. [His trumpet is so uncertain he doesn't know whether he fears sharks or electric batteries more. Notice how he qualifies everything with "People say," or "I don't know, I might," etc. He is a behind the rtain sort of demagogue, a mob-boss and a lier, the most uncertain of trumpets.] Be calm, work hard, have the conversations. Learn from the people gathered here."
Also, we need to connect with, and inspire, the 77 million Democrats who did not vote in 2020 to head to the polls for the November 5, 2024 election. Imagine the impact if we motivate 10% or 15% or 20% or more 💪 to vote!
Listening to those we engage with to hear their story, and then telling our story results in the type of conversations that will make a difference on Election Day. One voter at a time. That’s how we do it! 🇺🇸
As well, something that Germany had that we don't was Article 48, the section in the Weimar Constitution that allowed the president/chancellor to suspend the rights enshrined there in an "emergency" - a major contributor to the rise of fascism there in the 30's.
The simplest and best response to those who say that “medical science about gender-affirming care is unsettled” is this:
ALL science is unsettled. Permanently. That is the nature of the enterprise. That’s what makes it so wonderful and so frustrating.
At one time hermaphrodites were carnival attractions and malaria was caused by bad air. Eight years after I was born, it was discovered that the human cell has 46 chromosomes, not 48…(!)… and I was 20 before continental drift became widely accepted.
The more we learn about genetics and cellular biology, the clearer it becomes that there is an extremely broad spectrum of human sexuality….that genetic sex, gender identification, and sexual orientation are three very different entities…and that the only reasonably well understood topic is genetic sex. The field is in its infancy and as Robert well articulates, basic science belongs with scientists, not with people who contort facts to meet their preconceived ideologies.
The last thing I thought I would see in my lifetime was not simply a replay of the Scopes Trial, but its extension into SCOTUS and our governing bodies in a way that truly threatens our entire polity.
THAT is the reason I am writing personal postcards to folks in Philly and Virginia Beach. It’s the reason that my time will absolutely not be my own for the foreseeable future. I don’t for a minute believe that Trump’s defeat in November will settle the matter. But it’s an important and crucial beginning, and will be a gift to my grandkids.
Yes doctor, science is ‘unsettled’, just as all things in life are, in varied degrees, unsettled. Buddhists wisely refer to the impermanence of all things in life, beginning with our own lives. Grasping this realization is an effective gratitude builder. Desantis is damaged goods!
Additionally, the science is settled enough to have become a standard-of-care for patients. Pediatric and medical organizations do not come to that conclusion lightly. That does not mean it's immutable - I think it's fair to say it's emerging. Within the last 10 years the standard was updated to emphasize that the patient needs to define their end goal, not the doctor.
As with all things conservative, there is a huge propaganda campaign to try to contradict the standards. The Cass report out of the UK is an example of that, and became an catalyst for anti-trans viewpoints, but there are some serious biases in the report and in the people who produced it.
Yes! And even genetic sex is turning out to be much more complex. See the work of Dr Vincent Rosario, 2009. “Quantum sex: Intersex and the molecular deconstruction of sex.” GLQ: A Journal of Lesbian and Gay Studies, 15(2): 267-284. He shows that even at the chromosomal level there are no inevitable pathways to male and female.
PS, not simply at the chromosomal level. There are dozens of point mutations and other nuclei acid alterations that disrupt normal enzymatic pathways, resulting in alterations in estrogenic/androgenic ratios. Some of these have been understood for decades; others are quite new. Further, we have zero idea what influences so-called “forever chemicals” may be having. Many of them are known to influence/disrupt those same pathways.
What is settled is that suicide rates are very high among youth experiencing gender dysphoria and who are not supported and affirmed by family and their communities. When deprived of support and treatment their mental health is at risk. That is reason enough!
Robert, Regarding your concluding thoughts, I would note neither I nor Ken Burns nor Robert Reich nor anyone I respect is giving up on American democracy. Speaking for myself and for the others through inference, no one should doubt that fighting to preserve democracy is a far cry from trying to recover it once it’s lost. As for your reference to “greater threats than Trump,” I believe, as Burns has indicated, we are on the cusp of someplace we’ve never been before in our history in which a presidential nominee largely has absorbed the legislative and judicial branches and also has pledged to purge the entire executive landscape that is not aligned with his quest for power and install loyalists.
Accordingly, I believe we preserve our democracy by telling the truth, which very much includes the issues you cited in your near-penultimate paragraph. That said, if Trump, heaven forbid, were to win and we were to find ourselves in a place we’ve never been before in our nation’s history, I don’t imagine most of us possibly could know how we would respond unless we found ourselves there.
Agree with your comments but the theme of saving democracy is not going to convince the Independent and on the fence voters to vote for Biden. The reason is no one knows what a loss of Democracy looks or feels like. It’s too esoteric
Stephen, You’re right. Hence my reason for working with groups to drive home what it would mean to lose our democracy and how our way of life would change. We note Trump already has stated he would authorize the Insurrection Act on Day 1 of his presidency. He’s also already spoken about rounding up his political enemies. In a word, we press the importance of prevailing upon people, whatever their concerns about Biden, to imagine what America would look like were the President to start moving the military around to put down our voices, our right to protest policy with which we disagree, perhaps indefinitely detaining us. I would note this is not without precedent. Trump had wanted to criminalize protesters around Black Lives Matter for the murder of George Floyd.
Admittedly, given time constraints, I’ve barely touched upon rights and freedoms that would be ripped away, nor have I mentioned women losing control of their bodies, nor what it would mean were we unable to depend on an independent judiciary (we’re already starting to see what that would look like), or depend on the rule of law, or an independent Justice department, or an independent Federal Communications Commission—all things Trump has said he would do, and I’m just getting started.
Ultimately, we have less than 5 months to urge so-called persuadable voters before the General to listen to the things Trump says and the people he admires. No one should doubt that whatever freedoms we have in this country, whatever one likes about this country, dramatically would change.
The folks on this page do not reflect the people we need to impress. Many veterans who voted for Trump twice are ready to flip. Takes persistence. Same is true for a lot of "Republican women." "Persuadable" groups includes G Z who trend 60-40, renters, who trend 70-30, other identifiable groups.
When I call on the lists FT6 provides, I speak to virtually no Trump supporters. FT 6 advises:
Our most successful openings:
“Excuse me, can you help me save our democracy? I’m registering Democrats to vote.”
“Good morning! Can I register you as a Democrat today?”
Or connect on the issues:
“Excuse me, can you help me fight for abortion rights today?”
“Hello, can you help me fight for civil rights?”
“Hi! Can you help us save the environment?”
“Good morning, can you help me save Social Security and Medicare?”
“Can you help me fight for affordable healthcare?”
If someone shows interest, follow up with:
“Great! I’m registering Democrats to vote! Are you a citizen?”
...and start registering them right away! Make these your own!
And once you register someone, ask them:
If they’d like to get handy election reminders
If they’d like to volunteer with us to help register Democrats
If they’d like help with voting – if so, introduce them to BlueVoterGuide.org – the progressive voter guide that turns your sample ballot into a simple ballot. And have them aim their phone’s camera at the QR code https://voterizer.org/
Thank you, Daniel. This material is very useful for someone like me who takes great pride in the many postcards I write while feeling hesitant about phone banking, concerned about imposing on people.
From "History will remember Joe Biden as a great president whose exemplary conduct in office sets the gold standard for future presidents." to "we are going to beat Donald Trump. But it will take every ounce of effort we can muster. Motivating and sustaining one another is an essential component of our strategy." this is a great column.
WaPo has become a huge disappointment with the exception of some fine editorialists, notably Jennifer Rubin. I deplore what has become of what were formerly some of our best newspapers.
I hadn't read Solnit's piece for a while, and your comment prompted me to. It is soooo good!
A sample, to entice others here to check it out:
"I think our side, if you’ll forgive my ongoing shorthand and binary logic, has something to offer everyone and we can and must win in the long run by offering it, and offering it via better stories and better means to make those stories reach everyone. We actually want to see everyone have a living wage, access to healthcare, and lives unburdened by medical, student, and housing debt. We want this to be a thriving planet when the babies born this year turn 80 in 2100. But the recommended compromise means abandoning and diluting our stories, not fortifying and improving them (and finding ways for them to actually reach the rest of America, rather than having them warped or shut out altogether). I’ve spent much of my adult life watching politicians like Bill Clinton and, at times, Barack Obama sell out their own side to placate the other, with dismal results, and I pray that times have changed enough that Joe Biden will not do it all over again.
[This piece was published November 19th, 2020.]
"Among the other problems with the LA Times’s editor’s statement is that one side has a lot of things that do not deserve to be called facts, and their values are too often advocacy for harming many of us on the other side. Not to pick on one news outlet: Sunday, the Washington Post ran a front-page sub-head about the #millionMAGAmarch that read “On stark display in the nation’s capital were two irreconcilable versions of America, each refusing to accept what the other considered to be undeniable fact.” Except that one side did have actual facts, notably that Donald J. Trump lost the election, and the other had hot and steamy delusions."
This dim view of life was understandable, given the living conditions and circumstances of William Shakespeare’s time. Quite sometime later, George Bernard Shaw replied:
“This is the true joy in life, the being used for a purpose recognized by yourself as a mighty one;
the being a force of nature instead of a feverish, selfish little clod of ailments and grievances complaining that the world will not devote itself to making you happy.
I am of the opinion that my life belongs to the whole community,
and as long as I live
it is my privilege to do for it whatever I can.
I want to be thoroughly used up when I die, for the harder I work the more I live.
I rejoice in life for its own sake.
Life is no "brief candle" for me.
It is a sort of splendid torch which I have got hold of for the moment,
and I want to make it burn as brightly as possible before handing it on to future generations.”
Each of us makes this crucial call minute by minute and day by day.
Is today
going to be a brief candle or a splendid torch?
Do we experience the joy of putting our shoulders to the purpose of the whole community
or creep from day to day, complaining of what is before us?
Bern, thank you for the quote from Shakespeare. A gloomy vision indeed, but, as you note, this vision is voiced by the character of Macbeth when his murder of the rightful king, the slaughter of innocent women and children (Macduff's family), the murder of his friend, ally and loyal soldier Banquo and the throwing of his kingdom into horror, lies, and cruelty, have brought him nothing -- his wife's and accomplice's suicide and his own coming perdition. The despair is evident, but it comes from a character who has earned that despair -- deserves it. Would that Donald Trump would come to see the evil he has wrought and the gloom he has brought to the world. Macbeth feels it though he does not blame himself. Trump does not see it, nor would he ever take any responsibility for anything....except the achievements of others. Notice how he now denies he ever said, "Lock her up," regarding Hillary Clinton. Roll the tape. Abundant evidence tumbles from his own mouth.
Will Shakespeare continues to teach us and your evocation of England's second greatest dramatist, George Bernard Shaw, is welcome. He was a constant polemicist, an ardent socialist, sometimes wrong (he was not alone in his admiration for what he thought Stalin was doing), and a man who lived his 94 years deeply engaged and in the fray.
Hi Patrick, thank you for moving the conversation forward by creating more context around Shakespeare’s writing. That Macbeth feels the impact of his actions and doesn’t blame himself is interesting. It opens up an opportunity to distinguish blame from responsibility which would be useful if not powerful as it’s clear many treat them as the same.
There’s no question Trump doesn’t take responsibility at all as I distinguish it and I say it
actually doesn’t exist for him. Further, it’s actually a false equivalence to talk about taking responsibility and not taking responsibility as if he was in the arena of responsibility taking in the way the word general means. You don’t yell at the dog for not answering the phone.
Heidegger embracing Nazi thought for a time in an effort to steer the party in a better direction failed and his later writings were marred by that association. Still, like Shaw, was a great thinker and contributed greatly.
Perhaps Heidegger and Shaw’s greatest common denominator was how fully they both flew the flag of engagement. Speak of being “thoroughly used up when I die”!
I was at the dog park Monday night as I am quite often. The park shares a parking lot with four soccer fields and Tuesday is a practice night. Busy doesn’t describe it.
I made my usual laps with Kiri, my Mountain cur/American Staffordshire Terrier mix and sat at the picnic tables to chat afterwards. The conversation was about how poor the choices were for President. I listened for about 30 seconds before interjecting with my “list” of Biden’s accomplishments. Suddenly the conversation literally just stopped. One woman, voice dripping with sarcasm, asked if I was serious. I asked her to clarify the question.
This woman’s premise was that neither Trump nor Biden were acceptable because they were old and couldn’t put two sentences together. Others jumped in with ideas mostly related to how their lives haven’t improved under Biden.
The mom in me wanted to smack a few entitled brats upside the head. Instead, I went with facts.
Carefully, I listed Biden’s policy accomplishments and compared them with Trump’s (with deep thanks to Robert Hubbell, Heather Cox Richardson and Simon Rosenberg). I mentioned how much those policies had improved the economy and made us the envy of the world - at which point one of the guys challenged me. i pulled up the Wall Street Journal article which he asked me to send him via email. I added the recent article from the Atlantic.
This went on for another 15 minutes before someone mentioned Israel and their recent attacks in Gaza. A guy named Arnie stepped up.
Arnie was born in Russia, raised in Israel and is now a dual citizen of the US/Israel. He started by mentioning that he is a Republican. He then eloquently talked about why he will vote for Biden - to protect Ukraine, Israel AND the Palestinians AND the economy. Arnie grinned at me and stopped talking.
The conversation turned back to the dogs - literally.
Messy, uncomfortable, slightly heated around the edges. Democracy at ground level is so not a spectator sport.
I so admire your willingness to discuss this. I am trying to follow your example. Interestingly, I find "Biden is old" as an excuse for indifference, though not to vote for Trump, even among lifelong liberals.
The Washington State Republican shill, Rob McKenna was stumbling all over himself trying to explain how Hunter's conviction was bad for Biden. They really don't know what to do with this.
The far-righters, being unable in this case to take "yes" for an answer, were gonna have it both ways no matter what the trial outcome. Either it would be proof of total DoJ corruption under Biden or it would be a "distraction" or "coverup" of some unspecified and undocumented Biden evil or other.
McKenna apparently didn't get the Miller/Stefanik memo in time and showed that he doesn't have the wattage to pull off the "damned if you do and damned if you don't" sophistry on his own.
It will take a few days, but their horrifyingly good message makers will come up with some appallingly effective message about that. Then all Republicans will begin singing from that script, like a big choir of parrots. They did it with the felony conviction. They do sort of seem to have shot themselves in the foot with convicting Hunter of doing bad paperwork, though, haven't they? Let's see what the polished script looks like.
* As a (retired) OB/GYN, I can attest I have delivered babies with ambiguous genitalia, and genetics includes proof of people with multiple (and various) combinations of sex hormones.
Therefore, take "trans" people as biological FACT.
* Individuals are "othering" a persecuted minority.
The minority is more likely to be victimized than a threat.
* "Bathroom Bills" are bad law.
They were bad when they were segregated.
They are bad when there are more men's bathrooms available than women's (who hasn't seen the long lines at public events?!)
They are bad when family members need access together (example: mother and son, father and daughter.)
They are bad for business.
The issue of bathroom use can be solved by the system.
If necessary, simply make ALL bathrooms single occupancy, unisex.
What is your reasonable option? Deny an individual access to a toilet OR suffer the individual "having an accident" and then having to clean up afterward?
* WHO is policing genitalia?!
You REALLY want coaches inspecting crotches?
* ADMIT GENDER INEQUALITY is a factor in identity.
Consider - if children are claiming to be one sex or another BEFORE PUBERTY,
the "pigeon-holing" of characteristics is part of making them feel "out of place."
An example: Girls can be assertive/aggressive, boys can be empathetic and cry.
If you see you are being placed into a disadvantaged class or caste,
wouldn't you wonder where you fit in?
STOP MAKING EDUCATORS "OUT" THEIR STUDENTS.
Abuse or rejection at home may be why the kids are going to their teachers for information and support.
Give kids "safe spaces" to ask questions and express their ideas and feelings.
And, finally,
* RECOGNIZE "Trans" persecution is the pathway being used to end access to hormones and contraception.
"They" are trying to make hormones and medication the danger, so they can deny their application and appropriate use.
I'm stumped. Am I naïve in thinking that Elise Stefanik (Harvard) and Stephen Miller (Duke), and Steve Bannon (Virgina Tech BA, Harvard MBA) at some level appreciate the freedoms and privilege they've enjoyed by being American citizens? They're not dummies. And yet hitching their horses to Donald Trump could end those very privileges for their kids and grand-kids. Don't they see it?
Agreed, sad. Look at Hawley, Cruz and others, they all know better. Here's some speculation. They're all united by "I'm sick of the US system of checks and balances not leading to my fascist policy outcomes backed up by force. An authoritarian approach to enforce my conservative world view gets me where I want, I'm tired of all this respectful, "woke" balancing of forces. And BTW, I hold a generally racist, pre-Civil War hierarchical view of the world, where MY demographic creates order for everyone and minorities should obey and understand their place. And I want to get to this world fast". For Bannon, that means burning everything down first. A pretty screwed up, entitled world view IMHO..... https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Project_2025
No, they are not dummies. But Bannon and Miller have a diametrically opposed understanding of values, freedoms and privilege compared to yours and, hopefully, the majority of Americans. Stefanik is probably different. Intelligent, articulate and utterly devoid of scruples, ready to hop on any bandwagon that will further her political career.
Being the right mix of lapdog and attack dog I still think she might be on the short list to join the convicted felon on the ticket.
I think "devoid of scruples" is excellent phrasing. With little difficulty, I can see it accurately attached to Ron Johnson, JD Vance, Gym Jordan, James Comer, and Donald Trump Jr.
I too am not giving up on our hard won democracy. I still have a hard time believing that there are enough people in the US that can elect a felon.
I saw a picture of Muffasa and Simba looking over the savanna with these words on the pic: “What’s out there, Dad?” Muffasa answers, “Ignorance, son, on a scale I’ve never seen before”.
It makes me so sad deep down inside but I know we can fight that ignorance with the truth about the party that has done so much for our country. And the truth about Biden and how he leads us. I am holding on to that and hoping for a surprise landslide victory for the party known for taking care of working people.
My latest letter to the editor will be published in several our rural weekly papers in SW Wisconsin today and tomorrow. The timing turned out pretty good given Hunter's conviction yesterday.
"Republicans are making a huge amount of noise about how Trump’s multiple indictments and convictions are politically motivated by President Biden. This includes Representative Derrick Van Orden and Senator Ron Johnson. In fact, Senator Johnson is so upset that he signed a statement vowing to no longer cooperate with any Democrat legislative priorities or nominations. He has effectively vowed to stop doing the job we elected him to do.
I have a question. If Biden is so corrupt that he is orchestrating Trump’s multiple indictments and convictions, why hasn’t he made his son Hunter’s troubles go away? He could have fired the Trump-appointed prosecutor, but he didn’t. Hunter is currently undergoing a trial on gun charges; President Biden could easily pardon him, but he hasn’t. Instead, he is allowing the justice system to work as intended by our founding fathers and is only providing emotional support, as a loving father. This is because Biden actually believes in the rule of law…unlike MAGA Republicans."
"Hunter Biden guilty verdict could take personal toll on president
The political impact is less clear, as even some Republicans dismiss the legal violation as a minor offense." is the headline in today's Washington Post.
Joe Biden has endured multiple personal tragedies (the horrific death of his first wife and daughter, severe injuries to his young sons in a car crash, a brain aneurysm that threatened his own life, the death of his oldest son). Instead of becoming selfish and bitter, he is empathetic and more understanding of what typical Americans suffer and need. I believe Hunter Biden's guilty verdict will not take the personal and physical, or even political toll on President as the Washington Post implies. Instead, it will only make President Biden emotionally, cognitively, and physically stronger. This is just another hit job.
As for the "Biden Crime Family", as Mondale said, Where's the Beef?" There is nothing to it. It is just more pure projection by someone who for all his adult life engaged in just those crimes.
As always, I am SO GRATEFUL to you Robert. First for highlighting what a decent human being Oresident Biden is—I really appreciate his answer to the heckler about genocide. Second thanks for showing us how to show up. And third, I am grateful for your unflagging daily commitment to securing democracy. Gratitude 🙏
Robert, I am with you…Biden will win and it’s because there are more of us than there are of them. R’s are busy creating fear-mongering chaos while Dems are hard at work at organizing, speaking, questioning, and signing people up to register to vote. Look at the younger people especially in Michigan…62%. That’s magnificent! The one thing we have that Germany didn’t is social media where we can converse, like this. Newspaper reporting is negative towards Biden, so screw them. We have Fox and NewsMax who are more than willing to spew their BS on the air. Young GenZers, like Victor Shi, David Hogg, and Olivia Julianna are political activists who influence others. Shi and Hogg were at Parkland when the shooting occurred. So is Maxwell Frost, the youngest member of Congress, who represents Florida’s 10th District. Economy is in great shape. Alito and Thomas were the emperors with no clothes this week. Jamie Raskin and Jim McGovern just destroyed Comer and Jordan in the Oversight Committee. Nope, I am not afraid.
Marlene, I so appreciate you writing and simply would add that these GenZers, who largely are focused on battleground state legislature and U.S. House seats, have devised a brilliant plan—energizing young people around local leaders whose coattails conceivably will propel young voters to the top of the ticket. I noted David Hogg, in particular, regularly asks donors for names to add to his Leaders We Deserve list.
I am a creaky senior who spends most of my activist time writing letters & postcards and phonebanking. But I make donations to groups led by young activists (Leaders We Deserve, Run for Something, GenZ for Change, Future Voters of America, TurnUP) and those focused on registering young voters (The Civics Center, Campus Vote Project).
Screw them and the horse they rode in on. We also have pride on our side. But not false pride, not hubris. It’s based on achievement and embracing a big idea we know in our hearts is right and good. It is following a leader who is a good and honest man. He also is a man tempered by catastrophic suffering. I grew up in MAGA country and know something about what makes Trumpsters tick. Motivated by fear and resentment their feelings of inferiority prevent them from knowing what true pride is all about.
Hear! Hear! Marlene!
@Marlene. The only way " there are more of us than there are of them" is IF we register the millions who are unregistered but trend Democratic. Takes a lot of work.
https://www.fieldteam6.org/
Yes, and there was more of us than there in 2016 when Hillary won the popular vote, but the "thems" were able to win in enough of the so-called "battleground" states. That's why we have to support the targeted efforts of fieldteam6, Force Multiplier, David Hogg, and other GOTV efforts, throughout the country, yes, but especially in the battlegrounds. We also have to be proud and confident to tamp down the despair on the part of Democrats ("Wah, Wah, Wah, if Joe Biden weren't so old!") even among those who will vote for Joe. We need full-throated, confidence and hard work. My self-talk today is "Don't lead with your worry. Lead with your confidence, especially when you are talking to independents, Republicans, and lukewarm Democrats. Wear the Biden shirt. No one, especially young people want to follow an uncertain trumpet, and I'm not talking Trumpian braggadocio. [His trumpet is so uncertain he doesn't know whether he fears sharks or electric batteries more. Notice how he qualifies everything with "People say," or "I don't know, I might," etc. He is a behind the rtain sort of demagogue, a mob-boss and a lier, the most uncertain of trumpets.] Be calm, work hard, have the conversations. Learn from the people gathered here."
I have a Dark Brandon shirt my daughter bought me that I haven’t worn yet but I will!
Also, we need to connect with, and inspire, the 77 million Democrats who did not vote in 2020 to head to the polls for the November 5, 2024 election. Imagine the impact if we motivate 10% or 15% or 20% or more 💪 to vote!
Listening to those we engage with to hear their story, and then telling our story results in the type of conversations that will make a difference on Election Day. One voter at a time. That’s how we do it! 🇺🇸
It’s being accomplished, Daniel. Hard work is what we Dems are doing.
As well, something that Germany had that we don't was Article 48, the section in the Weimar Constitution that allowed the president/chancellor to suspend the rights enshrined there in an "emergency" - a major contributor to the rise of fascism there in the 30's.
As long as they show up and vote.
The simplest and best response to those who say that “medical science about gender-affirming care is unsettled” is this:
ALL science is unsettled. Permanently. That is the nature of the enterprise. That’s what makes it so wonderful and so frustrating.
At one time hermaphrodites were carnival attractions and malaria was caused by bad air. Eight years after I was born, it was discovered that the human cell has 46 chromosomes, not 48…(!)… and I was 20 before continental drift became widely accepted.
The more we learn about genetics and cellular biology, the clearer it becomes that there is an extremely broad spectrum of human sexuality….that genetic sex, gender identification, and sexual orientation are three very different entities…and that the only reasonably well understood topic is genetic sex. The field is in its infancy and as Robert well articulates, basic science belongs with scientists, not with people who contort facts to meet their preconceived ideologies.
The last thing I thought I would see in my lifetime was not simply a replay of the Scopes Trial, but its extension into SCOTUS and our governing bodies in a way that truly threatens our entire polity.
THAT is the reason I am writing personal postcards to folks in Philly and Virginia Beach. It’s the reason that my time will absolutely not be my own for the foreseeable future. I don’t for a minute believe that Trump’s defeat in November will settle the matter. But it’s an important and crucial beginning, and will be a gift to my grandkids.
Yes doctor, science is ‘unsettled’, just as all things in life are, in varied degrees, unsettled. Buddhists wisely refer to the impermanence of all things in life, beginning with our own lives. Grasping this realization is an effective gratitude builder. Desantis is damaged goods!
Well said. Thank you.
Additionally, the science is settled enough to have become a standard-of-care for patients. Pediatric and medical organizations do not come to that conclusion lightly. That does not mean it's immutable - I think it's fair to say it's emerging. Within the last 10 years the standard was updated to emphasize that the patient needs to define their end goal, not the doctor.
As with all things conservative, there is a huge propaganda campaign to try to contradict the standards. The Cass report out of the UK is an example of that, and became an catalyst for anti-trans viewpoints, but there are some serious biases in the report and in the people who produced it.
Yes! And even genetic sex is turning out to be much more complex. See the work of Dr Vincent Rosario, 2009. “Quantum sex: Intersex and the molecular deconstruction of sex.” GLQ: A Journal of Lesbian and Gay Studies, 15(2): 267-284. He shows that even at the chromosomal level there are no inevitable pathways to male and female.
PS, not simply at the chromosomal level. There are dozens of point mutations and other nuclei acid alterations that disrupt normal enzymatic pathways, resulting in alterations in estrogenic/androgenic ratios. Some of these have been understood for decades; others are quite new. Further, we have zero idea what influences so-called “forever chemicals” may be having. Many of them are known to influence/disrupt those same pathways.
You lend great perspective Edward, thanks!
What is settled is that suicide rates are very high among youth experiencing gender dysphoria and who are not supported and affirmed by family and their communities. When deprived of support and treatment their mental health is at risk. That is reason enough!
Robert, Regarding your concluding thoughts, I would note neither I nor Ken Burns nor Robert Reich nor anyone I respect is giving up on American democracy. Speaking for myself and for the others through inference, no one should doubt that fighting to preserve democracy is a far cry from trying to recover it once it’s lost. As for your reference to “greater threats than Trump,” I believe, as Burns has indicated, we are on the cusp of someplace we’ve never been before in our history in which a presidential nominee largely has absorbed the legislative and judicial branches and also has pledged to purge the entire executive landscape that is not aligned with his quest for power and install loyalists.
Accordingly, I believe we preserve our democracy by telling the truth, which very much includes the issues you cited in your near-penultimate paragraph. That said, if Trump, heaven forbid, were to win and we were to find ourselves in a place we’ve never been before in our nation’s history, I don’t imagine most of us possibly could know how we would respond unless we found ourselves there.
Agree with your comments but the theme of saving democracy is not going to convince the Independent and on the fence voters to vote for Biden. The reason is no one knows what a loss of Democracy looks or feels like. It’s too esoteric
Stephen, You’re right. Hence my reason for working with groups to drive home what it would mean to lose our democracy and how our way of life would change. We note Trump already has stated he would authorize the Insurrection Act on Day 1 of his presidency. He’s also already spoken about rounding up his political enemies. In a word, we press the importance of prevailing upon people, whatever their concerns about Biden, to imagine what America would look like were the President to start moving the military around to put down our voices, our right to protest policy with which we disagree, perhaps indefinitely detaining us. I would note this is not without precedent. Trump had wanted to criminalize protesters around Black Lives Matter for the murder of George Floyd.
Admittedly, given time constraints, I’ve barely touched upon rights and freedoms that would be ripped away, nor have I mentioned women losing control of their bodies, nor what it would mean were we unable to depend on an independent judiciary (we’re already starting to see what that would look like), or depend on the rule of law, or an independent Justice department, or an independent Federal Communications Commission—all things Trump has said he would do, and I’m just getting started.
Ultimately, we have less than 5 months to urge so-called persuadable voters before the General to listen to the things Trump says and the people he admires. No one should doubt that whatever freedoms we have in this country, whatever one likes about this country, dramatically would change.
The folks on this page do not reflect the people we need to impress. Many veterans who voted for Trump twice are ready to flip. Takes persistence. Same is true for a lot of "Republican women." "Persuadable" groups includes G Z who trend 60-40, renters, who trend 70-30, other identifiable groups.
When I call on the lists FT6 provides, I speak to virtually no Trump supporters. FT 6 advises:
Our most successful openings:
“Excuse me, can you help me save our democracy? I’m registering Democrats to vote.”
“Good morning! Can I register you as a Democrat today?”
Or connect on the issues:
“Excuse me, can you help me fight for abortion rights today?”
“Hello, can you help me fight for civil rights?”
“Hi! Can you help us save the environment?”
“Good morning, can you help me save Social Security and Medicare?”
“Can you help me fight for affordable healthcare?”
If someone shows interest, follow up with:
“Great! I’m registering Democrats to vote! Are you a citizen?”
...and start registering them right away! Make these your own!
And once you register someone, ask them:
If they’d like to get handy election reminders
If they’d like to volunteer with us to help register Democrats
If they’d like help with voting – if so, introduce them to BlueVoterGuide.org – the progressive voter guide that turns your sample ballot into a simple ballot. And have them aim their phone’s camera at the QR code https://voterizer.org/
https://www.fieldteam6.org/
Thank you, Daniel. This material is very useful for someone like me who takes great pride in the many postcards I write while feeling hesitant about phone banking, concerned about imposing on people.
Well said!
Thank you, Eadie.
From "History will remember Joe Biden as a great president whose exemplary conduct in office sets the gold standard for future presidents." to "we are going to beat Donald Trump. But it will take every ounce of effort we can muster. Motivating and sustaining one another is an essential component of our strategy." this is a great column.
WaPo has become a huge disappointment with the exception of some fine editorialists, notably Jennifer Rubin. I deplore what has become of what were formerly some of our best newspapers.
I have stopped reading the Washington Post, with the exception of Jennifer Rubin. I am not interested in the Post's woe is Biden attitude.
I left off thinking since Bezos owns WaPo and he is not a fan of Trump, that the paper would be okay going forward. What happened?
"Democracy Dies in Both-Sidesing" - now there's a more accurate slogan for what the WaPo is doing.
Helpful resources for me on these critical issues:
https://qz.com/1054694/a-philosophical-principle-coined-in-1945-could-be-a-key-us-defense-against-white-supremacists/
https://johnpavlovitz.com/2022/03/18/no-all-opinions-are-not-equally-valid/
https://lithub.com/rebecca-solnit-on-not-meeting-nazis-halfway/
Thanks for these, Eric. John Pavlovitz says it well.
And I can't tell you how much I love this article by Rebecca Solnit. It will now change my approach toward my right wing relatives for sure.
I hadn't read Solnit's piece for a while, and your comment prompted me to. It is soooo good!
A sample, to entice others here to check it out:
"I think our side, if you’ll forgive my ongoing shorthand and binary logic, has something to offer everyone and we can and must win in the long run by offering it, and offering it via better stories and better means to make those stories reach everyone. We actually want to see everyone have a living wage, access to healthcare, and lives unburdened by medical, student, and housing debt. We want this to be a thriving planet when the babies born this year turn 80 in 2100. But the recommended compromise means abandoning and diluting our stories, not fortifying and improving them (and finding ways for them to actually reach the rest of America, rather than having them warped or shut out altogether). I’ve spent much of my adult life watching politicians like Bill Clinton and, at times, Barack Obama sell out their own side to placate the other, with dismal results, and I pray that times have changed enough that Joe Biden will not do it all over again.
[This piece was published November 19th, 2020.]
"Among the other problems with the LA Times’s editor’s statement is that one side has a lot of things that do not deserve to be called facts, and their values are too often advocacy for harming many of us on the other side. Not to pick on one news outlet: Sunday, the Washington Post ran a front-page sub-head about the #millionMAGAmarch that read “On stark display in the nation’s capital were two irreconcilable versions of America, each refusing to accept what the other considered to be undeniable fact.” Except that one side did have actual facts, notably that Donald J. Trump lost the election, and the other had hot and steamy delusions."
Who will get the WaPo (or the NYT) Presidential endorsement?
Readers click on negative headlines?
ICYMI, Greg Sergeant, former opinion writer for WaPo, is now at The New Republic and has a podcast "The Daily Blast".
The Bard had Macbeth said
“Tomorrow, and tomorrow, and tomorrow,
Creeps in this petty pace from day to day,
To the last syllable of recorded time;
And all our yesterdays have lighted fools
The way to dusty death.
Out, out, brief candle!
Life's but a walking shadow, a poor player,
That struts and frets his hour upon the stage,
And then is heard no more.
It is a tale
Told by an idiot,
full of sound and fury,
Signifying nothing.”
This dim view of life was understandable, given the living conditions and circumstances of William Shakespeare’s time. Quite sometime later, George Bernard Shaw replied:
“This is the true joy in life, the being used for a purpose recognized by yourself as a mighty one;
the being a force of nature instead of a feverish, selfish little clod of ailments and grievances complaining that the world will not devote itself to making you happy.
I am of the opinion that my life belongs to the whole community,
and as long as I live
it is my privilege to do for it whatever I can.
I want to be thoroughly used up when I die, for the harder I work the more I live.
I rejoice in life for its own sake.
Life is no "brief candle" for me.
It is a sort of splendid torch which I have got hold of for the moment,
and I want to make it burn as brightly as possible before handing it on to future generations.”
Each of us makes this crucial call minute by minute and day by day.
Is today
going to be a brief candle or a splendid torch?
Do we experience the joy of putting our shoulders to the purpose of the whole community
or creep from day to day, complaining of what is before us?
Hear, hear!! 👏👏👏
Bern, thank you for the quote from Shakespeare. A gloomy vision indeed, but, as you note, this vision is voiced by the character of Macbeth when his murder of the rightful king, the slaughter of innocent women and children (Macduff's family), the murder of his friend, ally and loyal soldier Banquo and the throwing of his kingdom into horror, lies, and cruelty, have brought him nothing -- his wife's and accomplice's suicide and his own coming perdition. The despair is evident, but it comes from a character who has earned that despair -- deserves it. Would that Donald Trump would come to see the evil he has wrought and the gloom he has brought to the world. Macbeth feels it though he does not blame himself. Trump does not see it, nor would he ever take any responsibility for anything....except the achievements of others. Notice how he now denies he ever said, "Lock her up," regarding Hillary Clinton. Roll the tape. Abundant evidence tumbles from his own mouth.
Will Shakespeare continues to teach us and your evocation of England's second greatest dramatist, George Bernard Shaw, is welcome. He was a constant polemicist, an ardent socialist, sometimes wrong (he was not alone in his admiration for what he thought Stalin was doing), and a man who lived his 94 years deeply engaged and in the fray.
Hi Patrick, thank you for moving the conversation forward by creating more context around Shakespeare’s writing. That Macbeth feels the impact of his actions and doesn’t blame himself is interesting. It opens up an opportunity to distinguish blame from responsibility which would be useful if not powerful as it’s clear many treat them as the same.
There’s no question Trump doesn’t take responsibility at all as I distinguish it and I say it
actually doesn’t exist for him. Further, it’s actually a false equivalence to talk about taking responsibility and not taking responsibility as if he was in the arena of responsibility taking in the way the word general means. You don’t yell at the dog for not answering the phone.
Heidegger embracing Nazi thought for a time in an effort to steer the party in a better direction failed and his later writings were marred by that association. Still, like Shaw, was a great thinker and contributed greatly.
Perhaps Heidegger and Shaw’s greatest common denominator was how fully they both flew the flag of engagement. Speak of being “thoroughly used up when I die”!
Trump is a selfish little clod....I like that
I was at the dog park Monday night as I am quite often. The park shares a parking lot with four soccer fields and Tuesday is a practice night. Busy doesn’t describe it.
I made my usual laps with Kiri, my Mountain cur/American Staffordshire Terrier mix and sat at the picnic tables to chat afterwards. The conversation was about how poor the choices were for President. I listened for about 30 seconds before interjecting with my “list” of Biden’s accomplishments. Suddenly the conversation literally just stopped. One woman, voice dripping with sarcasm, asked if I was serious. I asked her to clarify the question.
This woman’s premise was that neither Trump nor Biden were acceptable because they were old and couldn’t put two sentences together. Others jumped in with ideas mostly related to how their lives haven’t improved under Biden.
The mom in me wanted to smack a few entitled brats upside the head. Instead, I went with facts.
Carefully, I listed Biden’s policy accomplishments and compared them with Trump’s (with deep thanks to Robert Hubbell, Heather Cox Richardson and Simon Rosenberg). I mentioned how much those policies had improved the economy and made us the envy of the world - at which point one of the guys challenged me. i pulled up the Wall Street Journal article which he asked me to send him via email. I added the recent article from the Atlantic.
This went on for another 15 minutes before someone mentioned Israel and their recent attacks in Gaza. A guy named Arnie stepped up.
Arnie was born in Russia, raised in Israel and is now a dual citizen of the US/Israel. He started by mentioning that he is a Republican. He then eloquently talked about why he will vote for Biden - to protect Ukraine, Israel AND the Palestinians AND the economy. Arnie grinned at me and stopped talking.
The conversation turned back to the dogs - literally.
Messy, uncomfortable, slightly heated around the edges. Democracy at ground level is so not a spectator sport.
I so admire your willingness to discuss this. I am trying to follow your example. Interestingly, I find "Biden is old" as an excuse for indifference, though not to vote for Trump, even among lifelong liberals.
The Washington State Republican shill, Rob McKenna was stumbling all over himself trying to explain how Hunter's conviction was bad for Biden. They really don't know what to do with this.
The far-righters, being unable in this case to take "yes" for an answer, were gonna have it both ways no matter what the trial outcome. Either it would be proof of total DoJ corruption under Biden or it would be a "distraction" or "coverup" of some unspecified and undocumented Biden evil or other.
McKenna apparently didn't get the Miller/Stefanik memo in time and showed that he doesn't have the wattage to pull off the "damned if you do and damned if you don't" sophistry on his own.
It will take a few days, but their horrifyingly good message makers will come up with some appallingly effective message about that. Then all Republicans will begin singing from that script, like a big choir of parrots. They did it with the felony conviction. They do sort of seem to have shot themselves in the foot with convicting Hunter of doing bad paperwork, though, haven't they? Let's see what the polished script looks like.
A few comments on the "Trans" issue:
* As a (retired) OB/GYN, I can attest I have delivered babies with ambiguous genitalia, and genetics includes proof of people with multiple (and various) combinations of sex hormones.
Therefore, take "trans" people as biological FACT.
* Individuals are "othering" a persecuted minority.
The minority is more likely to be victimized than a threat.
* "Bathroom Bills" are bad law.
They were bad when they were segregated.
They are bad when there are more men's bathrooms available than women's (who hasn't seen the long lines at public events?!)
They are bad when family members need access together (example: mother and son, father and daughter.)
They are bad for business.
The issue of bathroom use can be solved by the system.
If necessary, simply make ALL bathrooms single occupancy, unisex.
What is your reasonable option? Deny an individual access to a toilet OR suffer the individual "having an accident" and then having to clean up afterward?
* WHO is policing genitalia?!
You REALLY want coaches inspecting crotches?
* ADMIT GENDER INEQUALITY is a factor in identity.
Consider - if children are claiming to be one sex or another BEFORE PUBERTY,
the "pigeon-holing" of characteristics is part of making them feel "out of place."
An example: Girls can be assertive/aggressive, boys can be empathetic and cry.
If you see you are being placed into a disadvantaged class or caste,
wouldn't you wonder where you fit in?
STOP MAKING EDUCATORS "OUT" THEIR STUDENTS.
Abuse or rejection at home may be why the kids are going to their teachers for information and support.
Give kids "safe spaces" to ask questions and express their ideas and feelings.
And, finally,
* RECOGNIZE "Trans" persecution is the pathway being used to end access to hormones and contraception.
"They" are trying to make hormones and medication the danger, so they can deny their application and appropriate use.
Paula, may I quote you? I can quote saying it's anonymous if you'd like. This is important for my friends, especially my trans friends!
👏👏👏👏👏
I'm stumped. Am I naïve in thinking that Elise Stefanik (Harvard) and Stephen Miller (Duke), and Steve Bannon (Virgina Tech BA, Harvard MBA) at some level appreciate the freedoms and privilege they've enjoyed by being American citizens? They're not dummies. And yet hitching their horses to Donald Trump could end those very privileges for their kids and grand-kids. Don't they see it?
Agreed, sad. Look at Hawley, Cruz and others, they all know better. Here's some speculation. They're all united by "I'm sick of the US system of checks and balances not leading to my fascist policy outcomes backed up by force. An authoritarian approach to enforce my conservative world view gets me where I want, I'm tired of all this respectful, "woke" balancing of forces. And BTW, I hold a generally racist, pre-Civil War hierarchical view of the world, where MY demographic creates order for everyone and minorities should obey and understand their place. And I want to get to this world fast". For Bannon, that means burning everything down first. A pretty screwed up, entitled world view IMHO..... https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Project_2025
And Byron Donald is on board. Go figure.
No, they are not dummies. But Bannon and Miller have a diametrically opposed understanding of values, freedoms and privilege compared to yours and, hopefully, the majority of Americans. Stefanik is probably different. Intelligent, articulate and utterly devoid of scruples, ready to hop on any bandwagon that will further her political career.
Being the right mix of lapdog and attack dog I still think she might be on the short list to join the convicted felon on the ticket.
I think "devoid of scruples" is excellent phrasing. With little difficulty, I can see it accurately attached to Ron Johnson, JD Vance, Gym Jordan, James Comer, and Donald Trump Jr.
Don't get me started...
OK. But surely Michael Flynn, Paul Manafort, and DJT himself are in this rogues gallery
That's what I meant when writing 'Don't get me started...' Definitely those – and many more.
I think they're being paid millions and promised lifetime high positions in the oligarchy if they push the MAGA script. I think it's transactional.
Its Power
I too am not giving up on our hard won democracy. I still have a hard time believing that there are enough people in the US that can elect a felon.
I saw a picture of Muffasa and Simba looking over the savanna with these words on the pic: “What’s out there, Dad?” Muffasa answers, “Ignorance, son, on a scale I’ve never seen before”.
It makes me so sad deep down inside but I know we can fight that ignorance with the truth about the party that has done so much for our country. And the truth about Biden and how he leads us. I am holding on to that and hoping for a surprise landslide victory for the party known for taking care of working people.
My latest letter to the editor will be published in several our rural weekly papers in SW Wisconsin today and tomorrow. The timing turned out pretty good given Hunter's conviction yesterday.
"Republicans are making a huge amount of noise about how Trump’s multiple indictments and convictions are politically motivated by President Biden. This includes Representative Derrick Van Orden and Senator Ron Johnson. In fact, Senator Johnson is so upset that he signed a statement vowing to no longer cooperate with any Democrat legislative priorities or nominations. He has effectively vowed to stop doing the job we elected him to do.
I have a question. If Biden is so corrupt that he is orchestrating Trump’s multiple indictments and convictions, why hasn’t he made his son Hunter’s troubles go away? He could have fired the Trump-appointed prosecutor, but he didn’t. Hunter is currently undergoing a trial on gun charges; President Biden could easily pardon him, but he hasn’t. Instead, he is allowing the justice system to work as intended by our founding fathers and is only providing emotional support, as a loving father. This is because Biden actually believes in the rule of law…unlike MAGA Republicans."
Why do billionaire owned media outlets like the Washington Post bash Biden and promote Trump? Follow the money!
https://thedemlabs.org/2024/06/11/billionaire-owned-media-promotes-trump-for-tax-cuts/
"Hunter Biden guilty verdict could take personal toll on president
The political impact is less clear, as even some Republicans dismiss the legal violation as a minor offense." is the headline in today's Washington Post.
Joe Biden has endured multiple personal tragedies (the horrific death of his first wife and daughter, severe injuries to his young sons in a car crash, a brain aneurysm that threatened his own life, the death of his oldest son). Instead of becoming selfish and bitter, he is empathetic and more understanding of what typical Americans suffer and need. I believe Hunter Biden's guilty verdict will not take the personal and physical, or even political toll on President as the Washington Post implies. Instead, it will only make President Biden emotionally, cognitively, and physically stronger. This is just another hit job.
As for the "Biden Crime Family", as Mondale said, Where's the Beef?" There is nothing to it. It is just more pure projection by someone who for all his adult life engaged in just those crimes.
As always, I am SO GRATEFUL to you Robert. First for highlighting what a decent human being Oresident Biden is—I really appreciate his answer to the heckler about genocide. Second thanks for showing us how to show up. And third, I am grateful for your unflagging daily commitment to securing democracy. Gratitude 🙏
I receive emails from readers that say, “The medical science about gender-affirming care is unsettled.”
How is it that MORONS are attracted to this intelligent Substack?