I agree 100 percent that Democrats must speak out against the dangers in Trump's agenda rather than try to "get along."
I heard a Republican dedicated to opposing Trump, speak forcefully just last week on MSNBC, about organizing good speakers to combat all the lies and misinformation spewed by the non-stop "fascist media war machine" (my words.) She said it was critically important.
Tonight Senator Sheldon Whitehouse on MSNBC said Democrats absolutely need to speak up in the same sort of organized fashion to combat the rapid fire propaganda machine firing on all cylinders from the right. He too sounded fed up with the Democrats lack of organized media campaign against Republican lies.
How hard is it to start with ONE simple point raised tonight in Professor Cox Richardson's newsletter:
Republicans big goal is to keep transfering money from the already suffering middle and lower classes to the millionaires and billionaires at the top of the financial heap, who are already so rich they couldn't spend their money in two lifetimes. In order to try and divert attention from their constant addiction to sucking up everyone else's money, they are continually starting loud, flashy divisive media wars about other issues like immigration or abortion.
Americans on the right and left need to stop falling for the shiny objects being tossed in their faces continually by the Republicans and start FOLLOWING THE MONEY.
Is anyone organizing this clearly necessary media campaign on behalf of the Democrats and majority of average American citizens? If not WHY NOT???
I consider myself a centrist, and have written several times about the need for compromise and consideration of the needs of the minority. While I'm not abandoning those ideals, we are clearly at a point right now where the middle ground is strewn with debris from the right. Until such time as the right begins to recognize and respect the rights of the rest of us, our "opposistance" is our only hope for a fair and equitable future.
Every time I hear of someone (usually Dems) cautioning us to "play nice" and "remember the norms" (which no longer exist), I think of Dorothy Thompson's warning about "going Nazi." I agree with you that "opposistance" is our best, our only hope and I, for one, will not be tamped down or shushed into silence.
That's a good question, Paula, and all the more reason that the right's tactics are wrong. But we won't prevail upon their good graces because they have none right now. For now, we have to play hardball, and make them own the disasters they cause.
“I will be the first to sue Donald Trump,” Tong declared, adding that he and a coalition of 23 Democratic attorneys general already have lawsuits drafted and ready to file. “In Trump 1.0, we created a firewall to stop him, and I have the plan and the recipe for how we will stop him again.”
These are positive moves Kathy. And it's good we know about them. I was impressed listening to William Tong, the Attorney General of Connecticut speak forcefully on MSNBC about the group of Democratic Attorneys General who are ready on day one to combat Trump's anti-democratic moves as president. And it's great that the Meidas Touch Network is growing in popularity. They do a good job getting to the heart of each issue they discuss.
However, what we need in addition, and what people like Sarah Longwell, political strategist and publisher of The Bulwark and Senator Sheldon Whitehouse are saying, is we need our own response team to go on offense across all media platforms.
Democrats and anti-Trump crusaders of any party, need to put together a group of excellent speakers to work essentially full time appearing on all the media locations--those frequented by Democrats AND especially those frequented by MAGA Republicans, to immediately combat Republican "alternative facts."
That means when the official Republican trolls come out within hours in response to something like Judge Juan Marchan's announcement today that Trump will be sentenced on January 10 in the "hush money case" (actually the evidence tampering case) resulting in 34 felony counts, a Democratic "truth squad" responds very quickly to that Republican gaslighting.
Today's Republican gaslighters brought out all their old favorites:
They claimed Judge Marchan was "deeply conflicted." Pathetic drivel.
They dusted off their favorite "witch hunt." So overused it's almost meaningless at this point.
They claimed this was "a lawless case." So big a lie it even rivals Trump's best fabricated narcissistic whoopers.
They claimed our "Constitution demands" this whole case be dismissed. Another monster lie said with no shame by the party that can never have enough money to satisfy their greedy egos.
And they even threw in that his case was "a hoax." Because when you're throwing in the Republican's kitchen sink of krap klaims on any Trump related subject, "hoax" is a perennial crowd favorite guaranteed to bring on that Pavlovian response after so many years.
Democrats need smart, savvy speakers to shoot down this Republican web of lies within hours or less everywhere from Fox to 4chan and beyond. They must make sure the MAGAs hear them forcefully and frequently and can start weighing "the other side" for the first time since Trump oozed down his golden escalator.
"... Nevertheless, we get this hopelessly naïve version of centrism, of the idea that if we’re nicer to the other side there will be no other side, just one big happy family. ... the truth is not some compromise halfway between the truth and the lie ... And the ethical is not halfway between white supremacists and human rights activists, ... delusional transphobes and trans people. Who the hell wants unity with Nazis until and unless they stop being Nazis?
"Appeasement didn’t work in the 1930s and it won’t work now. That doesn’t mean that people have to be angry or hate back or hostile, but it does mean they have to stand on principle and defend what’s under attack."
The inane and insane death of Tiger cannot be described in words. I hope our community grants comfort, sympathy, and condolence hugs to Lannyl.
Also in the mire of the past 24 I noted that Schumer has supported the WisDems' Ben Wilkler. I hope this helps pave the path to new clarity and bold leadership at the DNC.
I appreciate your lead Joe, and am extending my deepest sympathies here to the family and friends of Tiger Bech. He sounds like a wonderful man who had a great life ahead of him. There is no way to make the pain any less, but I am certain there are thousands if not millions across America who are holding the families of the victims, including Tiger, in their hearts. I am definitely one of them. Peace to you Lannyl and to all of Tiger's relatives and friends. We grieve his loss too. I will be thinking of you with love in the days and weeks ahead.
Condolences to you Lannyl and to all Tiger Bech's family and friends. His loss and the loss of 15 others killed and the pain and suffering and disability of many of the survivors is a loss to all of us. Tiger Bech was a man who did so many things right -- football star and great student in high school, a model to many. Athlete and scholar at Princeton. In his life he already influenced many. What he could have done had hate not taken him away! The loss of such good, bright, achieving people means that we as a nation are deprived of many years of goodness, wealth-building, philanthropy, and community service, not to mention innovation in science, arts, and business that might enrich and strengthen the bonds that bring people together. We are diminished by the loss, even if we were personally untouched. Every life well lived sends ripples of goodness and help to the rest of us. This is what Christianity and all religious traditions used to be about. But in the zero sum games of White Christian nationalism, Islamic extremism and terrorism and haters of all kinds, cruel and horrible people willing to kill and make other suffer destroy all that the Tiger Bechs of the world, and there are many, could do and accomplish and the selfish narcissists like Trump, Musk, Hegseth, Robert Kennedy, and others hold the field. Let us aspire to lives of good influence and, yes, opposition that will honor those who died on January 1.
Yes, I join you in extending my deepest condolences to all of Tiger’s family. I pray they have the strength to get through this difficult time and hope all of us offering support is a comfort to them.
I also want to respond to your second thought about the DNC chair. Yes, Ben Wikler is far and away the best choice. And have you heard of some of the others who expressed interest? Has been Martin O’Malley, Rahm Emanuel who destroyed Obama’s successful 52 state strategy, and Marianne Williamson. Oh, dear God, please deliver us a fighter!
Lannyl, our deepest sympathies to you and Tiger's extended family. His passing is more than a senseless tragedy. His many actual and future contributions to our world have now been ended. We will keep your family in our hearts as you navigate your loss and pain. May Tiger's memory truly be a blessing and a balm for you.
Lannyl, I'm so very sorry for Tiger's loss. My son is the same age and I cannot imagine the depth of grief rippling through your family. What a horrible start to this new year.
What a power-packed newsletter. Thank You for all the thoroughly detailed and concise as well as thoughtful and honest public work you do for Americans.
Yes ditto, apt descriptor Isabella. When determining whether to, how to, and what words/ideas to employ responding to Robert's eloquence, I pause/pray upon them. Then humbly hope they are embraced by the community.
"From New Orleans to Orlando to Sandy Hook to Las Vegas, families in the US are far more likely to lose a loved one to violence than families in industrialized nations around the world."
Guns. How have Australia and Canada managed to keep their citizens a lot safer than we have? Well.... they recognize that "thoughts and prayers" have their place but are not as effective as legislating.
Thoughtful, effective legislation is needed and could go a long way to preventing senseless gun violence, but are we to legislate car/truck ownership too? They also have become awful weapons for massacre. What the US needs is a bigger, stronger social safety net that includes comprehensive public education, health care (including mental health care) and equal opportunities for all — three things that are targeted by the incoming administration. The judicial and legislative branches of government and everyday Americans (all of us) have a lot of work to do.
Oh Tiger, my heart breaks, again, for you and all the others who were murdered. What does it mean, "we will recover and move forward?" I have heard that phrase since Sandy Hook, since Uvalde. I haven't and won't recover, because it is meaningless. 💔💔
These senseless tragedies are meaningless beyond belief. As for recovery, what does it mean or look like? “Recovery” has become yet another layer of desensitization, a creeping numbness that creates this despicable “new normal.” Before the unbearable tragedies of Sandy Hook and Uvalde, there was Columbine, Virginia Tech, Fort Hood, and many, many others. The only thing worse than these tragedies is that they continue to happen with so little being done in the way of prevention. Pure madness, now what? We must go forward, even if we are numb, striving to turn the tide.
Tiger Bech's family and all of the families who lost loved ones in New Orleans are forever changed. Somehow they will find ways to go on, but the senseless deaths of their family members will always be with them.
Agree … and as a parent of a twenty something year old who lives in New Orleans and easily could have been in Tiger’s place, I’m numbed thinking why my child was spared in that moment, the random senselessness affects all of us, whether we’re directly or indirectly impacted by it.
I too have a child in his early thirties who lives in NOLA. Fortunately he and his wife decided to celebrate in their neighborhood off of Magazine Street. My heart goes out to the victims and their families, especially Lannyl.
Robert Hubbell, Thank you for the info about Rep Tom Suozzi’s op-ed piece in the NYT. He won the seat after George Santos imploded. I supported his campaign as a strategy to up our Dem numbers in the House. I did realize that he could be a sneak. He ran “appealing to the middle” which makes sense in his gop area. However, pushing back on his counsel to quiet down is necessary. As you wrote: “Democrats are not the Party of No if they fail to meet trump in the middle”. Our bipartisan actions are proof. “The Middle” that trump and muskaswamy want to pull us toward is NOT the true middle. It’s over the cliff. We need to call Suozzi’s office and push back. (202-225-3335)
Yes, to all of us who worked to get Suozzi elected and gave money to his campaign his words are a betrayal. I suspect Suozzi wants us to see his comments about using words like "opposition" and "resistance" as a contribution to a lofty discussion of political strategy. These abstract nouns are easy to bandy about, but let's turn these words into imperative verbs, commands: Resist! Oppose! Did we not work to get Suozzi elected because we thought he would act to resist tyranny and oppose injustice? What is he doing in office if he is not going to resist and oppose cruelty, hatefulness, greed, and venal stupidity, misogyny, and racism -- these are the real and true "bad ideas,"
Dear @Lannyl S, the violence that ended Tiger’s life and others in NOLA caused so much physical and emotional trauma. Your speaking of the unspeakable loss to your family reminds us not to be numb. Please know that your family is supported by a network of compassionate readers and activists.
"Try to get along" and some counsel against using the term “resistance” or “opposition.” I'm here to say, been there, done that in Trump 1.0. And we all know how that turned out. I'm TIRED of Democrats being told we should try to "get along"!! Who was telling MAGA they should try to "get along" for the last 4-years? Or during the 8-years of Obama, for that matter?!! McConnell outright said he was all about stopping anything Obama or Biden tried to do!! "WE are the people we are waiting for" as Civil Rights Activist & Author Dorothy Cotton said!
My deepest sympathy to reader Lannyl S and her family for the loss of beloved Tiger. What a fantastic sounding young guy. May his family and friends take some comfort from the beauty of his memory. The fact that his promising young life was taken in this manner (as were the lives of all the victims) should fill us with resolve to demand better responses to domestic terrorism.
There is so much in this newsletter today, Robert, that I want to respond to --- but I'll choose the last point. Tom Suozzi is (as he seems to be more and more) completely wrong. I understand that he represents a swing district, but he has not failed to disappoint lately. I speak as someone who worked hard for his campaign. He already voted yes on the Non-Profit Killer legislation. What a betrayal he is becoming.
But here is the larger thing -- the Dems have no choice but to work as the opposition. Half of this country who voted voted for Harris. If the Dems do not work assiduously in opposition, those of us who voted for Harris have no party. Of course the Dems have a strong history of working in a bipartisan manner when we can -- recent examples are the bipartisan border bill (killed by Trump's order) and the bipartisan bill to keep the gov't open. So, Suozzi's remarks are as nonsensical as they are complicit with the GOP.
I was relieved to see Schumer endorse Ben Wickler the other day and I believe he can lead us forward as an opposition party -- which is fully needed now. As you said, there is no middle ground.
Robert, I am so disappointed to see your example of Tom Suozzi claiming that "resistance is a bad idea." I wrote postcards to help get him elected!!! We the people must always resist and speak up when evil corrupt subhumans like tffg and his cronies inflict cruel and senseless policies on others. smh. We must not obey in advance!
"I have been disappointed to see several politicians and commentators advise Democrats to “tone it down” and “to be less confrontational” in opposing Trump's policies. Some counsel against using the term “resistance” or “opposition.” (One example is Tom Suozzi’s recent op-ed in NYTimes in which he said describing efforts to oppose Trump as “resistance” is a “bad idea.”)"
His op ed is worse than I described. He trashes the progressive wing of the Democratic Party. Many progressive helped him win. I have a bad feeling about Suozzi. Starting to sound like Joe Manchin.
I was stunned to see this from Suozzi. So many of us, especially followers of Simon’s Hopium Chronicles, worked our tails off to get him elected. I am furious and disappointed as hell.
Oh Robert, you are so right! Many of us have lived too long to “go gentle into that good night” and enable villains with concessions. History teaches where that leads (eg, Munich, 1938). Roberts is a particularly noxious example of the kind of duplicitous authority with which we as a nation are now infected. A recent book reviewed in the Times Literary Supplement points to the influence of Opus Dei in his appointment as well as Barrett’s. At the risk of sounding like the plot of a Louise Penney thriller, we don’t really know what forces we are dealing with. We do know, however, that the corruption of influence is widespread among the billionaire class, and that should motivate all of us who care about democracy—even good billionaires—to resist.
I agree 100 percent that Democrats must speak out against the dangers in Trump's agenda rather than try to "get along."
I heard a Republican dedicated to opposing Trump, speak forcefully just last week on MSNBC, about organizing good speakers to combat all the lies and misinformation spewed by the non-stop "fascist media war machine" (my words.) She said it was critically important.
Tonight Senator Sheldon Whitehouse on MSNBC said Democrats absolutely need to speak up in the same sort of organized fashion to combat the rapid fire propaganda machine firing on all cylinders from the right. He too sounded fed up with the Democrats lack of organized media campaign against Republican lies.
How hard is it to start with ONE simple point raised tonight in Professor Cox Richardson's newsletter:
Republicans big goal is to keep transfering money from the already suffering middle and lower classes to the millionaires and billionaires at the top of the financial heap, who are already so rich they couldn't spend their money in two lifetimes. In order to try and divert attention from their constant addiction to sucking up everyone else's money, they are continually starting loud, flashy divisive media wars about other issues like immigration or abortion.
Americans on the right and left need to stop falling for the shiny objects being tossed in their faces continually by the Republicans and start FOLLOWING THE MONEY.
Is anyone organizing this clearly necessary media campaign on behalf of the Democrats and majority of average American citizens? If not WHY NOT???
I consider myself a centrist, and have written several times about the need for compromise and consideration of the needs of the minority. While I'm not abandoning those ideals, we are clearly at a point right now where the middle ground is strewn with debris from the right. Until such time as the right begins to recognize and respect the rights of the rest of us, our "opposistance" is our only hope for a fair and equitable future.
Every time I hear of someone (usually Dems) cautioning us to "play nice" and "remember the norms" (which no longer exist), I think of Dorothy Thompson's warning about "going Nazi." I agree with you that "opposistance" is our best, our only hope and I, for one, will not be tamped down or shushed into silence.
Where are YOU? https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tiqdBem7FQU
Who is the minority here, Bob?
That's a good question, Paula, and all the more reason that the right's tactics are wrong. But we won't prevail upon their good graces because they have none right now. For now, we have to play hardball, and make them own the disasters they cause.
100% agree. Occupy Democracy has started a youtube channel to do that, speak out against the GOP acts.
Occupy Democrats. https://youtube.com/@occupydemocratsyoutube?feature=shared
Unless Biden stands up, we friggin' lost the cold war. Whether it will look like the Nazis won, we'll soon find out.
“MeidasTouch Network is now leading Fox News, ESPN College Football, ABC, and CBS in the YouTube charts.”
https://open.substack.com/pub/meidastouch/p/wowmeidas-mighty-stood-up-to-elon?r=fqsxl&utm_campaign=post&utm_medium=email
Also…
“I will be the first to sue Donald Trump,” Tong declared, adding that he and a coalition of 23 Democratic attorneys general already have lawsuits drafted and ready to file. “In Trump 1.0, we created a firewall to stop him, and I have the plan and the recipe for how we will stop him again.”
https://open.substack.com/pub/meidastouch/p/connecticuts-ag-is-showing-how-to?r=fqsxl&utm_campaign=post&utm_medium=email
Their daily newsletter is quite good. And Ron Filipkowski's social media accounts are appropriately scathing.
They are not reporting on our last ditcch effort.
I've been cancelling my subscriptions to all the pundits who did not take on Trump. We were attacked by Russia. Trump can be disqualified.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tiqdBem7FQU
These are positive moves Kathy. And it's good we know about them. I was impressed listening to William Tong, the Attorney General of Connecticut speak forcefully on MSNBC about the group of Democratic Attorneys General who are ready on day one to combat Trump's anti-democratic moves as president. And it's great that the Meidas Touch Network is growing in popularity. They do a good job getting to the heart of each issue they discuss.
However, what we need in addition, and what people like Sarah Longwell, political strategist and publisher of The Bulwark and Senator Sheldon Whitehouse are saying, is we need our own response team to go on offense across all media platforms.
Democrats and anti-Trump crusaders of any party, need to put together a group of excellent speakers to work essentially full time appearing on all the media locations--those frequented by Democrats AND especially those frequented by MAGA Republicans, to immediately combat Republican "alternative facts."
That means when the official Republican trolls come out within hours in response to something like Judge Juan Marchan's announcement today that Trump will be sentenced on January 10 in the "hush money case" (actually the evidence tampering case) resulting in 34 felony counts, a Democratic "truth squad" responds very quickly to that Republican gaslighting.
Today's Republican gaslighters brought out all their old favorites:
They claimed Judge Marchan was "deeply conflicted." Pathetic drivel.
They dusted off their favorite "witch hunt." So overused it's almost meaningless at this point.
They claimed this was "a lawless case." So big a lie it even rivals Trump's best fabricated narcissistic whoopers.
They claimed our "Constitution demands" this whole case be dismissed. Another monster lie said with no shame by the party that can never have enough money to satisfy their greedy egos.
And they even threw in that his case was "a hoax." Because when you're throwing in the Republican's kitchen sink of krap klaims on any Trump related subject, "hoax" is a perennial crowd favorite guaranteed to bring on that Pavlovian response after so many years.
Democrats need smart, savvy speakers to shoot down this Republican web of lies within hours or less everywhere from Fox to 4chan and beyond. They must make sure the MAGAs hear them forcefully and frequently and can start weighing "the other side" for the first time since Trump oozed down his golden escalator.
Robert writes, "Where is the middle ground in appointing an Attorney General credibly accused of paying minors for sex?..." Exactly.
Also see Rebecca Solnit's excellent essay On Not Meeting Nazis Halfway (https://lithub.com/rebecca-solnit-on-not-meeting-nazis-halfway/).
"... Nevertheless, we get this hopelessly naïve version of centrism, of the idea that if we’re nicer to the other side there will be no other side, just one big happy family. ... the truth is not some compromise halfway between the truth and the lie ... And the ethical is not halfway between white supremacists and human rights activists, ... delusional transphobes and trans people. Who the hell wants unity with Nazis until and unless they stop being Nazis?
"Appeasement didn’t work in the 1930s and it won’t work now. That doesn’t mean that people have to be angry or hate back or hostile, but it does mean they have to stand on principle and defend what’s under attack."
The inane and insane death of Tiger cannot be described in words. I hope our community grants comfort, sympathy, and condolence hugs to Lannyl.
Also in the mire of the past 24 I noted that Schumer has supported the WisDems' Ben Wilkler. I hope this helps pave the path to new clarity and bold leadership at the DNC.
I appreciate your lead Joe, and am extending my deepest sympathies here to the family and friends of Tiger Bech. He sounds like a wonderful man who had a great life ahead of him. There is no way to make the pain any less, but I am certain there are thousands if not millions across America who are holding the families of the victims, including Tiger, in their hearts. I am definitely one of them. Peace to you Lannyl and to all of Tiger's relatives and friends. We grieve his loss too. I will be thinking of you with love in the days and weeks ahead.
Yes. My deepest sympathy to Tiger’s family and the others who are forever changed by this tragedy.
Thanks CC. Tiger's life now reverberates through all of us.
Condolences to you Lannyl and to all Tiger Bech's family and friends. His loss and the loss of 15 others killed and the pain and suffering and disability of many of the survivors is a loss to all of us. Tiger Bech was a man who did so many things right -- football star and great student in high school, a model to many. Athlete and scholar at Princeton. In his life he already influenced many. What he could have done had hate not taken him away! The loss of such good, bright, achieving people means that we as a nation are deprived of many years of goodness, wealth-building, philanthropy, and community service, not to mention innovation in science, arts, and business that might enrich and strengthen the bonds that bring people together. We are diminished by the loss, even if we were personally untouched. Every life well lived sends ripples of goodness and help to the rest of us. This is what Christianity and all religious traditions used to be about. But in the zero sum games of White Christian nationalism, Islamic extremism and terrorism and haters of all kinds, cruel and horrible people willing to kill and make other suffer destroy all that the Tiger Bechs of the world, and there are many, could do and accomplish and the selfish narcissists like Trump, Musk, Hegseth, Robert Kennedy, and others hold the field. Let us aspire to lives of good influence and, yes, opposition that will honor those who died on January 1.
Yes.
Yes, I join you in extending my deepest condolences to all of Tiger’s family. I pray they have the strength to get through this difficult time and hope all of us offering support is a comfort to them.
I also want to respond to your second thought about the DNC chair. Yes, Ben Wikler is far and away the best choice. And have you heard of some of the others who expressed interest? Has been Martin O’Malley, Rahm Emanuel who destroyed Obama’s successful 52 state strategy, and Marianne Williamson. Oh, dear God, please deliver us a fighter!
Thank you for the news Joe, that Schumer is supporting Ben Wikler. 🤞🤞🤞 With new Wikler DNC leadership at the wheel we can turn this bus around!
Yes that was a good one Natalie. Algorithms are all not bad.
Lannyl, our deepest sympathies to you and Tiger's extended family. His passing is more than a senseless tragedy. His many actual and future contributions to our world have now been ended. We will keep your family in our hearts as you navigate your loss and pain. May Tiger's memory truly be a blessing and a balm for you.
💗 Sheila
I couldn't have said it any better than this.
Lannyl, I'm so very sorry for Tiger's loss. My son is the same age and I cannot imagine the depth of grief rippling through your family. What a horrible start to this new year.
What a power-packed newsletter. Thank You for all the thoroughly detailed and concise as well as thoughtful and honest public work you do for Americans.
Yes ditto, apt descriptor Isabella. When determining whether to, how to, and what words/ideas to employ responding to Robert's eloquence, I pause/pray upon them. Then humbly hope they are embraced by the community.
Rest in Peace, Martin “Tiger” Bech.
Where is the middle ground when a woman who promotes violence, in her personal and professional life, is nominated to be Secretary of Education?
Well, why even appoint a Secretary of Ed, when tffg/P25 have stated explicitly that they want to dismantle the department??
"From New Orleans to Orlando to Sandy Hook to Las Vegas, families in the US are far more likely to lose a loved one to violence than families in industrialized nations around the world."
Guns. How have Australia and Canada managed to keep their citizens a lot safer than we have? Well.... they recognize that "thoughts and prayers" have their place but are not as effective as legislating.
Thoughtful, effective legislation is needed and could go a long way to preventing senseless gun violence, but are we to legislate car/truck ownership too? They also have become awful weapons for massacre. What the US needs is a bigger, stronger social safety net that includes comprehensive public education, health care (including mental health care) and equal opportunities for all — three things that are targeted by the incoming administration. The judicial and legislative branches of government and everyday Americans (all of us) have a lot of work to do.
Oh Tiger, my heart breaks, again, for you and all the others who were murdered. What does it mean, "we will recover and move forward?" I have heard that phrase since Sandy Hook, since Uvalde. I haven't and won't recover, because it is meaningless. 💔💔
These senseless tragedies are meaningless beyond belief. As for recovery, what does it mean or look like? “Recovery” has become yet another layer of desensitization, a creeping numbness that creates this despicable “new normal.” Before the unbearable tragedies of Sandy Hook and Uvalde, there was Columbine, Virginia Tech, Fort Hood, and many, many others. The only thing worse than these tragedies is that they continue to happen with so little being done in the way of prevention. Pure madness, now what? We must go forward, even if we are numb, striving to turn the tide.
Tiger Bech's family and all of the families who lost loved ones in New Orleans are forever changed. Somehow they will find ways to go on, but the senseless deaths of their family members will always be with them.
Agree … and as a parent of a twenty something year old who lives in New Orleans and easily could have been in Tiger’s place, I’m numbed thinking why my child was spared in that moment, the random senselessness affects all of us, whether we’re directly or indirectly impacted by it.
I too have a child in his early thirties who lives in NOLA. Fortunately he and his wife decided to celebrate in their neighborhood off of Magazine Street. My heart goes out to the victims and their families, especially Lannyl.
Robert Hubbell, Thank you for the info about Rep Tom Suozzi’s op-ed piece in the NYT. He won the seat after George Santos imploded. I supported his campaign as a strategy to up our Dem numbers in the House. I did realize that he could be a sneak. He ran “appealing to the middle” which makes sense in his gop area. However, pushing back on his counsel to quiet down is necessary. As you wrote: “Democrats are not the Party of No if they fail to meet trump in the middle”. Our bipartisan actions are proof. “The Middle” that trump and muskaswamy want to pull us toward is NOT the true middle. It’s over the cliff. We need to call Suozzi’s office and push back. (202-225-3335)
Yes, to all of us who worked to get Suozzi elected and gave money to his campaign his words are a betrayal. I suspect Suozzi wants us to see his comments about using words like "opposition" and "resistance" as a contribution to a lofty discussion of political strategy. These abstract nouns are easy to bandy about, but let's turn these words into imperative verbs, commands: Resist! Oppose! Did we not work to get Suozzi elected because we thought he would act to resist tyranny and oppose injustice? What is he doing in office if he is not going to resist and oppose cruelty, hatefulness, greed, and venal stupidity, misogyny, and racism -- these are the real and true "bad ideas,"
Make the call to Suozzi's office!
YES.
Dear @Lannyl S, the violence that ended Tiger’s life and others in NOLA caused so much physical and emotional trauma. Your speaking of the unspeakable loss to your family reminds us not to be numb. Please know that your family is supported by a network of compassionate readers and activists.
Resistance to tyranny and corruption is patriotism.
And John Roberts is competing with Roger B. Taney (Dred Scott) for the title of worst chief Justice. My money’s on Roberts.
"Try to get along" and some counsel against using the term “resistance” or “opposition.” I'm here to say, been there, done that in Trump 1.0. And we all know how that turned out. I'm TIRED of Democrats being told we should try to "get along"!! Who was telling MAGA they should try to "get along" for the last 4-years? Or during the 8-years of Obama, for that matter?!! McConnell outright said he was all about stopping anything Obama or Biden tried to do!! "WE are the people we are waiting for" as Civil Rights Activist & Author Dorothy Cotton said!
Thank you!
Thanks, Robert.
My deepest sympathy to reader Lannyl S and her family for the loss of beloved Tiger. What a fantastic sounding young guy. May his family and friends take some comfort from the beauty of his memory. The fact that his promising young life was taken in this manner (as were the lives of all the victims) should fill us with resolve to demand better responses to domestic terrorism.
There is so much in this newsletter today, Robert, that I want to respond to --- but I'll choose the last point. Tom Suozzi is (as he seems to be more and more) completely wrong. I understand that he represents a swing district, but he has not failed to disappoint lately. I speak as someone who worked hard for his campaign. He already voted yes on the Non-Profit Killer legislation. What a betrayal he is becoming.
But here is the larger thing -- the Dems have no choice but to work as the opposition. Half of this country who voted voted for Harris. If the Dems do not work assiduously in opposition, those of us who voted for Harris have no party. Of course the Dems have a strong history of working in a bipartisan manner when we can -- recent examples are the bipartisan border bill (killed by Trump's order) and the bipartisan bill to keep the gov't open. So, Suozzi's remarks are as nonsensical as they are complicit with the GOP.
I was relieved to see Schumer endorse Ben Wickler the other day and I believe he can lead us forward as an opposition party -- which is fully needed now. As you said, there is no middle ground.
"I was relieved to see Schumer endorse Ben Wickler the other day and I believe he can lead us forward as an opposition party..." ✅
Robert, I am so disappointed to see your example of Tom Suozzi claiming that "resistance is a bad idea." I wrote postcards to help get him elected!!! We the people must always resist and speak up when evil corrupt subhumans like tffg and his cronies inflict cruel and senseless policies on others. smh. We must not obey in advance!
"I have been disappointed to see several politicians and commentators advise Democrats to “tone it down” and “to be less confrontational” in opposing Trump's policies. Some counsel against using the term “resistance” or “opposition.” (One example is Tom Suozzi’s recent op-ed in NYTimes in which he said describing efforts to oppose Trump as “resistance” is a “bad idea.”)"
His op ed is worse than I described. He trashes the progressive wing of the Democratic Party. Many progressive helped him win. I have a bad feeling about Suozzi. Starting to sound like Joe Manchin.
I was stunned to see this from Suozzi. So many of us, especially followers of Simon’s Hopium Chronicles, worked our tails off to get him elected. I am furious and disappointed as hell.
Let’s let him know. He likely doesn’t care.
Shall we let him know?
May Tiger rest in peace. May your family find comfort and delight in all your beautiful memories of him.
Oh Robert, you are so right! Many of us have lived too long to “go gentle into that good night” and enable villains with concessions. History teaches where that leads (eg, Munich, 1938). Roberts is a particularly noxious example of the kind of duplicitous authority with which we as a nation are now infected. A recent book reviewed in the Times Literary Supplement points to the influence of Opus Dei in his appointment as well as Barrett’s. At the risk of sounding like the plot of a Louise Penney thriller, we don’t really know what forces we are dealing with. We do know, however, that the corruption of influence is widespread among the billionaire class, and that should motivate all of us who care about democracy—even good billionaires—to resist.