I have two observations from today, one high level and one a social media interaction that is indicative of the times. The first is that as the world watches, they share our angst, because they took the same deep breath of relief as we did when Biden was declared the winner in 2020 and America became recognizable again. But are we recognizable if we keep doing this whiplash in our elections? If we can't depend on the soul of America having been restored? The second is the reactions to the Republican stunt with the trip to the border. On Speaker Johnson's Facebook wall, many people were plenty annoyed with the stunt, while of course others are blessing him and there is vitriol and blaming the presence of immigrants for everything that is wrong in America. (Talk about cognitive disconnect.) But one comment stood out in particular, someone who expressed his opinion about what "must be done," about shutting the border and containing the problem, and "anyone who disagreed should be removed." There it was. The suggestion that now we will "remove" (to where I don't know) American citizens simply for disagreeing over policy formulations. This is the voice of the people willing to vote for a dictator.
"This is the voice of the people willing to vote for a dictator". chilling. it's still so hard to get my mind around the apparent fact that there are millions of such people. in the USA.
Consider trump's fascination with Xi, Putin and Kim Jong Un's solutions to dissent. Label it alarmist, hyperbole or doomsaying, but I believe he'll make examples of anyone who loudly protests. Really, I could envision public executions.
Anyone voting for him because Biden didn't promise them their personalized unicorn needs to take a step back and see the big picture, because eventually, everyone runs afoul in trumps world.
Basil- saw snippets of this, but watched it in it's entirety just now- thank you!
Opponents could shrug it off as over the top, but here's a mental exercise: When trump was elected in '16, would you have thought the American situation would devolve this badly?
I expected the worst, but he even exceeded my fears. So much so, that in addition to just voting and making sure my family does also, I've become proactive and involved with a postcard effort to reach people who normally sit out elections; a first for me.
That's the whole point of saying you're only going to be a dictator for one day. There's no going back from invoking a constitutional provision that allows you to send the military into the homes of ordinary Americans. That's all it takes, that one day.
I watched it. IMHO as bad as TFG might be, this felt over-the-top. I don't want to understate my level of concern, but relying on such material will not be effective in countering the inevitable lies and propaganda from the far right. I feel it will be easily discounted by most people.
Agreed. It is a complex issue that has been reduced to a bumper sticker slogan. There was a day when the GOP supported immigration reform, but now they put it on the back burner. Cowardice. Easier to go along with the notion that immigrants are the enemy, even though they know that even from just one perspective - economic - that notion is the opposite of true.
A friend told me that her 25-year-old daughter will be voting third party. A vanity vote, a throw-away, a dangerous waste... and it kept me up last night.
I saw those comments as well, and I had to stop reading because I was literally feeling sick to my stomach. I have no idea what these people could be thinking. Clearly, they’re not thinking at all.
I'm sure that's true. There were lots of comments that sounded like bots.. But many of them sounded like people who don't really understand what we are facing after this election if they're not willing to vote or are choosing to vote for third party candidate.
Yesterday I read that Republicans in Congress are not interested in fixing the problem at the border, because it would make President Biden look better. He has been trying to work on this issue for years. Republicans are the problem!
The border is a “club” for the GOP. They can keep hitting Biden with it. If the border problem goes away, they’ll have nothing to talk about during the campaign. They have no accomplishments.
This has been the Republicans’ commitment actually for decades. Keep the border issue at the front and never do anything to resolve it, because they know there are plenty of bigoted people in America who see immigrants the way Trump sees them. This works well for Republicans, so they are never going to pass legislation. They are evil to the core.
Keep working with the 25 year old. GOP stole her reproductive freedom and she should put her vote where it will punish that kind of arrogance and misogyny.
All of these reactions to immigration are based upon hatred and bigotry toward others, plus the sad fact that they’ve been brainwashed into believing that these “others” are coming into this country to take away their jobs and their freedoms. I don’t need to repeat this here, but I will: Republicans like misinformed, deluded people. That is their base, and they strive to keep things that way.
There are some intrinsic problems, but the big issues are 1. The immigration court backlog is the major culprit. 2. the antidote is the employer sanction program.
If trump started saying that peanut butter was the root cause of all the country’s problems MAGAs would call for the destruction of peanut butter and anyone who makes, sells, or eats it. The sheer ignorance should be surprising but isn’t.
I use to think it was ignorance but it’s not. It’s people believing what they want to believe because it makes them feel better. A lot like religion for some people.
It's just a vehicle to express racism, they are not looking for an answer. They don't want to be contaminated with the blood of caravans of vermin. The language goes straight into the Id, it is Fascist propaganda. Very dangerous.
“ Reality is most MAGA have no fundamental understanding of the immigration problem …”
I’m afraid that most of the rest of us lack fundamental understanding, also. Immigration law is complicated. So would be immigration policy. Most of what I “know” – probably what others “know”, too – has been filtered through political pressure groups.
I especially like your reference to election whiplash. That is precisely the problem. Let none of us forget that 75 million low-information voters, Christian nationalists, and state rightists voted for a wannabe dictator in 2020. Some have expressed regret and will not vote for Trump again. But that does not mean they will vote for a Democrat. Furthermore, we are still left with millions of confused, alienated, cynical voters in 2024. People who either reject reality or ignore it. We will not be a healed, steady, reliable nation until the Democrats have achieved support from 60 percent of voters. Slim majorities may determine outcomes but they co not provide stability. And that is what we sorely need. Certainly it is crucial we must win in November but our job will be far from over. This is not a problem solved in two election cycles; we need at least Biden again and a strong successor in 2028 to pull America out of the foul ditch created by 45 years of ultra-conservative domination.
Agree. Biden must win this time and we must be sure a Democrat will win next time and the time after that. I do believe our republic is best when we have two healthy parties committed to democracy who can sharpen each other on policy debates. But what the Republicans have devolved into robs us of that for the foreseeable future. We don’t know what will emerge from their heap, but it can’t be MAGA and I believe it will take a generation to truly rebuild trust. And I don’t have that much lifespan left. So while I have always been a registered independent, I haven’t voted Republican anywhere on the ticket in years and cannot imagine that I would in my remaining score of years.
Hi Susan, Rick Wilson and the Lincoln Project just put out an ad regarding the MAGA evangelical movement, and he wrote a short essay about it. I think you will find this interesting. It’s a very powerful ad, but the first thing I thought upon seeing it is that the evangelicals will actually love it, even though it’s meant to scare the general public and give them an understanding of what Trump will bring us.
Also, Rick mentioned Tim Alberta's book in his post. I cannot recommend this book enough. I had listened to it on audio because we had spare Audible credits. But my print copy just arrived. So many parts haunting me that I want to be able to find again that I had to buy it.
I’ve had a number of people recommend this book and I’m going to get a physical copy of it soon. But here’s something else. I was just about to walk away from my computer because I have so much else to do today, when this Colorado Public radio news alert came through. Your rep is resigning as well.
What do you think, Janet. Can we find a Democrat to run for Lamborn’s vacated seat? I’m hoping the Rs do as they’ve done in the past, put someone up who is extreme and inarticulate.
Thank you! That makes me very happy! If we have to have Space Command, then it makes sense to have it here where it basically already was, rather than spending billions moving it to Alabama because Trump had a grudge as he left office. Lamborn fought for that. But otherwise, he has been useless and annoying for All. This. Time. I shall go onto his Facebook wall and congratulate him. Also, another wonderful book is Jesus and John Wayne by Kristin DuMez, a history professor who has developed a specialty in this area of why, historically, evangelicals have developed this conflation between theology and national identity, including elevating white men and keeping women in their place.
Thank you. The extremists will think it's an ad for them. Evangelicals who still read their Bibles (and I know plenty) will be horrified. Yet they still voted for Trump twice, mostly "for the babies." Well, okay, allegedly now you have saved the babies, so what is your excuse for voting for him a third time? I think those are people who will just not vote at the top of the ticket or welcome for a third party candidate who will allow them to vote their conscience without having to vote for a Democrat.
It's not just 60% of voters but we need strong, reliable margins in both houses of Congress and also in the states. It will take a generation of 25 or more years for these toxic people to be without power and die off. No matter how the elections turn out, the new template is to deny the outcomes. 3 years later we are litigating the obviously fake claims of a psychopath.
They're going to be removed to "camps!" It reminds me of the family-separations that happened early in Trump's presidency. That was the brainchild of Stephen Miller. You can bet he will be part of the 2nd Trump presidency, if, God forbid, that were to happen.
Good time to re-watch Judgement at Nuremberg. It starts early, with making and enforcing immoral, illegal laws that become the new norms of hideous ideology.
Working on postcards for Tom Suozzi's election to NY-03 to replace George Santos. Afterwards, I will be sending out postcards in support of Joe Biden. Activate America has a campaign going called "Amplify." I will check out the details as soon as I finish with Tom's campaign!
That is a great recommendation you've given for Activate America, and the team is practically in my backyard. There are some (dare I say) exciting opportunities to make a difference, looking at their webpage:
I'm also working on cards to Tom Suozzi. I coordinate 8,000 cards locally (VA) every summer, but this is my first personally hand-written campaign since breaking my wrist 1 year+ ago. I'm so happy to be back! I got 100 great VOTE cards with @VoterMailbag on Etsy.
Susan, I am writing cards through Activate America for Suozzi as Lynell is, but I have used "Postcards to Swing States" in the past. Looks like PTSS is starting a writing campaign in May. In one project I did with them I had to supply the postcards and in another, they supplied the postcards. The postcards they supplied were great- on the front it had the license plate of the state we were writing to. Eye catching. Last year the people they had us send postcards to were registered Democrats who had a recent history of not voting.
Thanks. I have been writing with Postcards to Voters and have written for both Suozzi and Tom Keen recently as well as generally to voters in Florida who may not know they have to reenroll in mail-in voting because Republicans there have made that program expire without telling voters. I have to supply the cards. Just bought more. But so far they haven't offered me something for the presidential race. I'm going to check out these other options.
I too signed up for writing postcards for Suozzi via Activate America. Thanks to you, I just subscribed to the 'Amplify' newsletter. And postcards in support of Biden sounds like a plan to me. Thank you, Lynell.
O, I agree, Lynell. Thanks again for making me aware. Just off a zoom (along with 140+ others) meeting with Tom Suozzi and Hakeem Jeffries sponsored by The NY Buddy Group. Markers for Democracy also had a part in getting the word out (and kindly responsive to my inquiries along the way). Jessica Craven had it posted on her Chop Wood, Carry Water newsletter, and I noticed a reader posted it in Robert's Today's Edition Newsletter as well. I'm so glad I attended.
Oh, dear; my bad, Ann...and everyone! I might have misread how the Amplify link works in that you don't write postcards but, rather, copy their "announcements" to post on Facebook, TikTok, Twitter, et cetera.
I'll look into it more as soon as I finish postcarding for Tom Suozzi!
Hi Ann. The Progressive Turnout Project will be starting a postcard campaign in May- "Postcard to Swing States". I volunteered in two of their projects in 2022, and for the big postcard project before the midterms, they even supplied the postcards. We were able to ask for a particular swing state to write to, or they assigned one. The postcards they supplied were eye-catching, with that particular state's license plate on the front of the card
I walked a precinct today then came home and compared the (publicly available) voter roll to Google maps. I identified 81 houses with no registered voters. Of course, they may be ineligible. I’m going to mail each a note with a couple of mail-in applications. And my one focus will be our children--Texas’s Republican politicians had four special sessions and still did not fund our public schools.
All, the craziness we see in Washington is equaled in red states like mine. Maybe the closer to home message will hit a few.
Thank you for your incredible work! 93% of registered voters voted in ‘22 here. Sending that good energy your way along with my deepest gratitude for the yeoman’s efforts. Vote blue!
If House Republicans were so concerned about the problems at the border, then why did they high tail it out of DC to take their Christmas break at the first opportunity instead of staying in session to work out solutions on this problem? Answer-They don’t want solutions.They want to use the border as a hammer to bludgeon Biden and Dems with as a campaign issue this year. The trip that the holier-than-thou Speaker and other R's made down there was just photo optics to pander to the noxious base.
They’ve been doing this for decades. It’s never going to stop until someone makes it stop, and that can only be done with a majority Democratic Congress.
Perplexed, I must ask, why would anyone in their right mind not want to keep subscribing to you???
Asking since I noticed that you have this last sentence in boldface in this issue... (or maybe I've not noticed that it has been boldfaced before)
"If you no longer want to receive Today’s Edition, click the “Unsubscribe” link next to my name at the bottom of this newsletter." I will never do that! Your voice is invaluable. I am grateful for you.
Lots of people feel overwhelmed by the news, and sometimes my newsletter is too much. I respect that. I want the newsletter to be a net positive for them. If it's not, they should do what they need to protect their emotional health.
I feel overwhelmed by the news these past few months since November on top of my personal situation and thus haven't read most of the Substacks that I subscribe to, but yours is a beacon of hope even when the news isn't so palatable, and I can't imagine not being a subscriber. I am starting to feel a little hopeful about a couple of job openings I've applied for, which is why I read this issue and another one from you, plus a recent Joyce Vance and her chickens, and TCinLA and Roscoe, and finally, Steady this past Saturday with A Reason to Smile.
I do understand the tsunami of current events can be overwhelming, but then I just don't read for awhile, only selectively. A subscription doesn't obligate me to read every issue... but if I was more concerned about finances, then maybe I'd take a closer look at what to unsub from.
I wrote on here recently about my intention to wear my Biden shirt on every grocery run as my way of amplifying support for Democracy. The response and encouragement I received was heartening!
I reached out to many who had applauded the idea asking them to share it on their facebook pages in hopes of sparking a movement. And additional Biden Grocery Shoppers.
Instead, friends who loved the idea said they could not post about for fear of being targeted by Republicans.
The GOP is taking their anger to the next inevitable level, intimidation.
The prevalence of “F*** Biden” flags encourage escalation from the worst language to the next logical step, physical altercation. Shirts that say, “F*** Biden and F*** you for voting for him” take that message one step closer, demonizing anyone who participates in Democracy with a different POV than the GOP.
One friend wrote: “Ha! Love this. I am terrified of sharing anything by political on any social platform. People come for me HARD and it ruins relationships—some of those with family, like the people who made me.”
The battle lines are being drawn and if we don’t speak out against threats, it’ll normalize them until they boil over into a replacement of Democracy.
You are 100% correct. This is a very real, very insidious problem that is one of the clearest signs that we are living in a Hitler-esque world. They have stolen our flags and the word “patriot” and made us all afraid to declare our love of democracy and country. They have the big trucks and the guns and they are nuts. Is there anything we can do about this? It is a worthy topic for discussion. Thank you for addressing this and bringing it up for us to consider, and for your own bravery.
Thanks, Pamsy. Pushing back can backfire. Winning elections and listening is the best approach. It feels good to be surrounded here by likeminded free thinkers. All is not lost.
Shawn,you’ve inspired me and I hope to be able to take that “next step” with my activism here in my red,Fl county where those Trump flags/signs abound.
I write frequent Letters To Ed and one of my published letters elicited an anonymous, snail-mailed response quoting me and full of Faux news talking points. My first thought…this is creepy. Second thought…they want me to stop writing. Hell, NO ! Yes, the battle lines are being drawn and we need to keep speaking out.
Thanks, Kathy! The disconnect between people liking my message and people unwilling to amplify it gives me hope. Once people SEE Biden pride, they will FEEL safe to let theirs shine. 👕🛒🇺🇸😎
Hello, Bob. I just attended a zoom meeting, in the company of 140 + others, with Tom Suozzi and Hakeem Jeffries. Leader Jeffries said, "This is a moment for people of good will."
Hey Bob. I can tell you that I often live in a place of anger and frustration with seemingly ‘people of bad faith’ – bad actors. Just for the moment, I’m choosing not to go there. Just completed a meditation practice where, without sounding ‘pie in the sky,’ I imagined those who I day-to-day stand in judgement of, many close in, friends and family members, in their white Christian nationalist viewpoint – and attempting to love them instead. Ought to be an interesting journey and may well be one that won’t last too long. O well, just for this moment. And maybe the next.
Jean, there is a practice in Buddhism called Tonglen that is based on the same principle. It is often practiced for people who are ill or suffering; but it can be used as you did in your meditation, which is to send healing to people who disturb you, or have caused you pain, or who seem to be self-destructive. And people who have been sucked up into the MAGA cult are definitely self-destructive. I took a seminar on this years ago at Naropa University in Boulder, CO, and with what we are facing, this is a good practice. Anyone can do it, and you do not have to be a practicing Buddhist. I am sharing this link for those who are interested.
I applaud your resolve! I usually try to take the high road, where there's a lot less traffic. But once in a while, I'm forced (or maybe provoked) to take a detour.
Thank you for your kindness, Bob. I understand the feeling of being ‘forced’ or even ‘provoked.’ My intention was grounded in an inquiry about seeking what I know to be true, about my purpose. What seems to be a natural inclination is that I am here to love. Sounds lofty, I know. And most often unattainable. Though for now, I’m going to attempt to love those whose beliefs are contrary to my own. And I don’t mean to suggest a religious perspective. Simply a belief in the fundamental principles of our shared humanity.
And thank you for your openness to ponder with me. I'm grateful.
I personally don't disagree one bit but I'm deeply concerned that so many young people my children's age (late 30's) and younger now put Biden in the "evil" camp--a direct result of his tacit support (and active with the supply of missiles and bombs) for Israel's indiscriminate strikes against Palestinians in Gaza. I have argued with them endlessly about the nuances of this--but more and more are saying they would rather vote for one of the 3rd party candidates, even though they know how bad Trump would be. "I just won't pull the lever for someone who is aiding and abetting genocide of the Palestinian people."
If I put the quote from Biden that Robert has cited in recent days, “to restore the soul, honor, dignity, and decency” of America, in front of them I know what their response will be. It will be "What honor? What decency?"
I agree we've got to do everything we can to get Joe Biden reelected, but his stance on this hot button issue is alienating so many. Could we put Tom Friedman in charge of this issue?
Please ask those people your children’s age (late 30s) how they define genocide.
Ask how their notions of genocide compare to what happened to Armenians around 1915 and Jews in the 1940s.
Ask if they know that Hamas founding Charter pledged to remove all Jews “from the river to the sea”, and whether that would constitute genocide. And ask whether they *care*.
And please ask how they feel about Hamas’s atrocities during attack on Israeli settlements, and hostage-taking.
Please, please don't apologize for not writing about every important issue in the news. Who can do that? Entire news programs that are an hour long only scratch the surface of the world's chaos and triumphs.
What you wrote today was eloquent, clear and a solid statement of the facts surrounding two presidential terms. Thank you!
Plenty of others will fill in the gory details of Trumps "emoluments" during office and all his other obscenities.
Beautiful, clear, compelling statement about what Biden has given us and how we should reward him. It's not that the objections aren't valid. It is that they pale in comparison to the greater truth. I totally agree with you that not voting is not a good choice. Thank you.
I'm not sure another 4 years of bruising political battles is much of a reward, but President Biden certainly deserves our deepest thanks and undying support! The reward for another 4 years will be to our country and President Biden's legacy.
I find it curious that people will email you to suggest "that they will not vote or will vote for a third-party candidate." Why don't they come right out and admit it to all of us in the comments? Are they too embarrassed to admit they will strike a vote against maintaining our democracy?
Let's remember the Constitutional Convention on September 17, 1787:
"As Dr. James McHenry first recorded the story of Elizabeth Powel, Benjamin Franklin, and the new Constitution in his journal, it was only twenty-six words. This was the entire exchange he wrote down (exact words, different formatting):
Powel: Well, Doctor what have we got—a republic or a monarchy?
Franklin: A republic, if you can keep it.
Powel: And why not keep it?
Franklin: Because the people, on tasting the dish, are always disposed to eat more of it than does them good."
I think most Americans are ready to stand up to preserve our democracy. I certainly am.
Oh, you would be surprised about what people say to me in private.
For example, the immigration issue has stirred up a lot of anger among readers, especially those from NY. Sadly, many Democrats have bought the false narrative that what happens at the border is "Joe Bidens fault." Wrong. Biden is enforcing the US asylum law and Republicans don't like that fact.
So, in an effort to change the law to something that does not have support to get through Congress, Republicans are flat out lying. But readers from New York are angry that asylum seekers are being bussed to NY by Abbott. He is succeeding in distracting them from the fact that it is Congress's failure to act that is the problem. The last time Congress passed immigration reform was in the last century.
Thank you for this, Robert. If I may in your response to Lynn, I don’t view it as digression. Rather, it is an understanding of the reality that deserves to be ‘amplified.’ And NY–03 special election seems to be an important place to make it known. With your permission, I’d like to share your thoughts. (Since you note this in the comment section, and not in the body of your newsletter, I feel it’s important to ask permission.)
If Biden wins another term and we can regain majority in the House and solidify control in the Senate, then we can pass immigration reform. This is an example of what Rebecca Solnit means by “voting is a chess move, not a Valentine.” We must keep our eye on the ball and we need to explain why the stakes are so high to Democrats who may be losing faith in Biden over one or two issues. It cannot be over-emphasized: if you don’t vote for Biden, you are effectively throwing your support behind Trump.
It seems to me that Robert’s description of these people as ‘readers’ was too kind. They may have read but they haven’t comprehended a word of his writing. Why else would they put their ‘personalized unicorn’ (to borrow a phrase from another commenter) ahead of the common good and threaten to vote for a 3rd party candidate? Not voting for Biden Harris will put another candidate in the office of presidency and guess who that’ll be. I’ve lived through 15 presidents’ terms and, while not perfect, Biden will surely be judged one of the best. Please don’t overlook the good for the perfect.
And let's not forget pettiness. James Comer (R-KY) has managed to elevate congressional frivolity to new heights investigating Hunter Biden and his mis-spent life. All the while, he's managed to keep his stupid Oversight Committee from looking at the order of magnitude greater questionable dealings of the Trump family including son-in-law Jared Kushner with his real estate transactions:
It’s not just pettiness. Comer is targeting Hunter Biden who has never been part of the Biden administration. Jared Kushner and Ivanka Trump were raking in money from foreign governments while acting as “Senior Advisors” in the trump administration. How is this an equivalency?
The extremist MAGAts in Congress at Trump's urging are trying to pin crimes on Biden that he has not committed. Calling the Bidens a crime family is projection at its highest level. The tffg is a criminal in the same frame as a Mafia don. He was taught by his father and mob lawyer, Roy Cohn. If tffg won a second term, does anyone think they would be safe from the predators in the tffg administration? These are people who kidnap babies from their parents after all.
He will likely rue the day he decided to make Trump's vengeance agenda his own. I find it hard to believe that he won't inspire pay-back the next time the Dems are in charge. Fun and worthwhile as that will be to watch, it's really not in the best interests of our national government to waste time and money on gratifying his petty little boy instincts.
I couldn't agree more. Why hasn't the Dem Senate opened investigations into Kushner and Mnuchin for Middle East profiteering? Would that look "too political"?
Another recommendation: Must read Rachel Maddow’s book “Prequel”. It’s a frightening reminder that fascism a la Trump did exist here right under our noses until several external forces laid waste to it. Took a long time to uncover and bring pressure to stop it. Need the same now.
📣Columnist and Substack author,Jessica Valenti. Not hyperbole !
“ How many more ways can they make it clear that they want us dead? And I mean that literally. As I wrote in 2022, it’s not just that Republican lawmakers and the anti-abortion movement see women dying as an unfortunate but acceptable consequence of making abortion illegal. To them, the most noble thing a pregnant woman can do is die so that a fetus can live.”
Robert’s post today couple’s nicely with Nate Cohn’s NYTimes piece yesterday. Cohn points to an apt if not exact historical corollary in citing Harry Truman's come from behind victory in 1948. The perception of normalcy that he perceives as key to Truman’s narrow victory did not just seep into the national consciousness, however. The war against nazism has been won; electoral victory needed to be fought on a wider front of restoring a post-war economy and the promise of opportunity and shared prosperity for all. Give 'em hell Harry took that fight to the Republicans just as Joe Biden needs to do. To effectively reach that former Democratic coalition, he needs to join his struggle for democracy and bottom up economics arguments into a simple, powerful frame. There is a winning message that clearly poses the stark choice between political and economic oligarchy (the distortion of capitalism that characterizes Russia, Hungary and the other autocracies the Republican Party is emulating) and the democratic political and economic vision that passes from FDR, through HST and LBJ that Joe Biden is struggling to channel. The "soul of America" and “bidenomics" need some Ted Sorenson word-crafting to effectively convince the nation that normalcy and opportunity are again close at hand.
For a comment that ends with a plea for word-crafting, i feel a need to apologize for my typos. They should read: "... couples nicely ..." and "The war... had been won ...".
I read the same article and agree and hope that as we get closer to the elections Biden finds his soul. I think someone else will assist in the soul searching
I have two observations from today, one high level and one a social media interaction that is indicative of the times. The first is that as the world watches, they share our angst, because they took the same deep breath of relief as we did when Biden was declared the winner in 2020 and America became recognizable again. But are we recognizable if we keep doing this whiplash in our elections? If we can't depend on the soul of America having been restored? The second is the reactions to the Republican stunt with the trip to the border. On Speaker Johnson's Facebook wall, many people were plenty annoyed with the stunt, while of course others are blessing him and there is vitriol and blaming the presence of immigrants for everything that is wrong in America. (Talk about cognitive disconnect.) But one comment stood out in particular, someone who expressed his opinion about what "must be done," about shutting the border and containing the problem, and "anyone who disagreed should be removed." There it was. The suggestion that now we will "remove" (to where I don't know) American citizens simply for disagreeing over policy formulations. This is the voice of the people willing to vote for a dictator.
"This is the voice of the people willing to vote for a dictator". chilling. it's still so hard to get my mind around the apparent fact that there are millions of such people. in the USA.
Consider trump's fascination with Xi, Putin and Kim Jong Un's solutions to dissent. Label it alarmist, hyperbole or doomsaying, but I believe he'll make examples of anyone who loudly protests. Really, I could envision public executions.
Anyone voting for him because Biden didn't promise them their personalized unicorn needs to take a step back and see the big picture, because eventually, everyone runs afoul in trumps world.
i don't think your belief is hyperbolic. hard to exaggerate how horrendous things could get if he wins or grabs power.
I saw this from Eleven Films yesterday and it made my stomach drop and gave me chills. Horrifying glimpse into what TFG 2.0 might be.
https://youtu.be/gIvHf-GbpuQ?si=plWBDQz9KfIzpODD
Basil- saw snippets of this, but watched it in it's entirety just now- thank you!
Opponents could shrug it off as over the top, but here's a mental exercise: When trump was elected in '16, would you have thought the American situation would devolve this badly?
I expected the worst, but he even exceeded my fears. So much so, that in addition to just voting and making sure my family does also, I've become proactive and involved with a postcard effort to reach people who normally sit out elections; a first for me.
Hope others follow in their own way.
That's the whole point of saying you're only going to be a dictator for one day. There's no going back from invoking a constitutional provision that allows you to send the military into the homes of ordinary Americans. That's all it takes, that one day.
I watched it. IMHO as bad as TFG might be, this felt over-the-top. I don't want to understate my level of concern, but relying on such material will not be effective in countering the inevitable lies and propaganda from the far right. I feel it will be easily discounted by most people.
Wow. Thanks(?) for sharing that Basil. If it's not a wakeup call, there won't be one.
It truly defies reason, Lani.
And yet, we must get our minds around it and get out the vote, talk to family and friends. Let’s make it happen in. 2024.
Tens of millions...
Reality is most MAGA have no fundamental understanding of the immigration problem or the desire to understand it.
Agreed. It is a complex issue that has been reduced to a bumper sticker slogan. There was a day when the GOP supported immigration reform, but now they put it on the back burner. Cowardice. Easier to go along with the notion that immigrants are the enemy, even though they know that even from just one perspective - economic - that notion is the opposite of true.
A friend told me that her 25-year-old daughter will be voting third party. A vanity vote, a throw-away, a dangerous waste... and it kept me up last night.
See Robert Reich substack yesterday. Many disturbing comments. Scary.
I saw those comments as well, and I had to stop reading because I was literally feeling sick to my stomach. I have no idea what these people could be thinking. Clearly, they’re not thinking at all.
What's making you sick Janet is the suspicion that you know exactly what they're thinking.
True, and in my naïve moments, I don’t want to believe how lost and perverted these Trump voters have become.
Lots of lurkers. Bots.
I'm sure that's true. There were lots of comments that sounded like bots.. But many of them sounded like people who don't really understand what we are facing after this election if they're not willing to vote or are choosing to vote for third party candidate.
Yes, Mr. Reich’s website, because he’s generous and allows nonpaying subscribers to comment, gets a lot of these intrusions from bots and trolls.
Yesterday I read that Republicans in Congress are not interested in fixing the problem at the border, because it would make President Biden look better. He has been trying to work on this issue for years. Republicans are the problem!
The border is a “club” for the GOP. They can keep hitting Biden with it. If the border problem goes away, they’ll have nothing to talk about during the campaign. They have no accomplishments.
This has been the Republicans’ commitment actually for decades. Keep the border issue at the front and never do anything to resolve it, because they know there are plenty of bigoted people in America who see immigrants the way Trump sees them. This works well for Republicans, so they are never going to pass legislation. They are evil to the core.
Keep working with the 25 year old. GOP stole her reproductive freedom and she should put her vote where it will punish that kind of arrogance and misogyny.
Talk to your friend, share your concern with the daughter if she is willing. Give her an opportunity to be listened to and to listen. Good luck.
All of these reactions to immigration are based upon hatred and bigotry toward others, plus the sad fact that they’ve been brainwashed into believing that these “others” are coming into this country to take away their jobs and their freedoms. I don’t need to repeat this here, but I will: Republicans like misinformed, deluded people. That is their base, and they strive to keep things that way.
There are some intrinsic problems, but the big issues are 1. The immigration court backlog is the major culprit. 2. the antidote is the employer sanction program.
I laid some of this out yesterday.
I probably missed your comment in Roberts Hubbell’s newsletter yesterday, but I can go back and try to search for it later today.
If trump started saying that peanut butter was the root cause of all the country’s problems MAGAs would call for the destruction of peanut butter and anyone who makes, sells, or eats it. The sheer ignorance should be surprising but isn’t.
I use to think it was ignorance but it’s not. It’s people believing what they want to believe because it makes them feel better. A lot like religion for some people.
Sounds like a Jordan Klepper segment!
It's just a vehicle to express racism, they are not looking for an answer. They don't want to be contaminated with the blood of caravans of vermin. The language goes straight into the Id, it is Fascist propaganda. Very dangerous.
It’s also dangerous
“ Reality is most MAGA have no fundamental understanding of the immigration problem …”
I’m afraid that most of the rest of us lack fundamental understanding, also. Immigration law is complicated. So would be immigration policy. Most of what I “know” – probably what others “know”, too – has been filtered through political pressure groups.
I especially like your reference to election whiplash. That is precisely the problem. Let none of us forget that 75 million low-information voters, Christian nationalists, and state rightists voted for a wannabe dictator in 2020. Some have expressed regret and will not vote for Trump again. But that does not mean they will vote for a Democrat. Furthermore, we are still left with millions of confused, alienated, cynical voters in 2024. People who either reject reality or ignore it. We will not be a healed, steady, reliable nation until the Democrats have achieved support from 60 percent of voters. Slim majorities may determine outcomes but they co not provide stability. And that is what we sorely need. Certainly it is crucial we must win in November but our job will be far from over. This is not a problem solved in two election cycles; we need at least Biden again and a strong successor in 2028 to pull America out of the foul ditch created by 45 years of ultra-conservative domination.
Agree. Biden must win this time and we must be sure a Democrat will win next time and the time after that. I do believe our republic is best when we have two healthy parties committed to democracy who can sharpen each other on policy debates. But what the Republicans have devolved into robs us of that for the foreseeable future. We don’t know what will emerge from their heap, but it can’t be MAGA and I believe it will take a generation to truly rebuild trust. And I don’t have that much lifespan left. So while I have always been a registered independent, I haven’t voted Republican anywhere on the ticket in years and cannot imagine that I would in my remaining score of years.
Hi Susan, Rick Wilson and the Lincoln Project just put out an ad regarding the MAGA evangelical movement, and he wrote a short essay about it. I think you will find this interesting. It’s a very powerful ad, but the first thing I thought upon seeing it is that the evangelicals will actually love it, even though it’s meant to scare the general public and give them an understanding of what Trump will bring us.
https://open.substack.com/pub/therickwilson/p/the-maga-church?r=2vk1c6&utm_medium=ios&utm_campaign=post
Also, Rick mentioned Tim Alberta's book in his post. I cannot recommend this book enough. I had listened to it on audio because we had spare Audible credits. But my print copy just arrived. So many parts haunting me that I want to be able to find again that I had to buy it.
I’ve had a number of people recommend this book and I’m going to get a physical copy of it soon. But here’s something else. I was just about to walk away from my computer because I have so much else to do today, when this Colorado Public radio news alert came through. Your rep is resigning as well.
https://www.cpr.org/2024/01/05/doug-lamborn-retirement/
What do you think, Janet. Can we find a Democrat to run for Lamborn’s vacated seat? I’m hoping the Rs do as they’ve done in the past, put someone up who is extreme and inarticulate.
Thank you! That makes me very happy! If we have to have Space Command, then it makes sense to have it here where it basically already was, rather than spending billions moving it to Alabama because Trump had a grudge as he left office. Lamborn fought for that. But otherwise, he has been useless and annoying for All. This. Time. I shall go onto his Facebook wall and congratulate him. Also, another wonderful book is Jesus and John Wayne by Kristin DuMez, a history professor who has developed a specialty in this area of why, historically, evangelicals have developed this conflation between theology and national identity, including elevating white men and keeping women in their place.
Thank you. The extremists will think it's an ad for them. Evangelicals who still read their Bibles (and I know plenty) will be horrified. Yet they still voted for Trump twice, mostly "for the babies." Well, okay, allegedly now you have saved the babies, so what is your excuse for voting for him a third time? I think those are people who will just not vote at the top of the ticket or welcome for a third party candidate who will allow them to vote their conscience without having to vote for a Democrat.
It's not just 60% of voters but we need strong, reliable margins in both houses of Congress and also in the states. It will take a generation of 25 or more years for these toxic people to be without power and die off. No matter how the elections turn out, the new template is to deny the outcomes. 3 years later we are litigating the obviously fake claims of a psychopath.
They're going to be removed to "camps!" It reminds me of the family-separations that happened early in Trump's presidency. That was the brainchild of Stephen Miller. You can bet he will be part of the 2nd Trump presidency, if, God forbid, that were to happen.
Good time to re-watch Judgement at Nuremberg. It starts early, with making and enforcing immoral, illegal laws that become the new norms of hideous ideology.
Yes.
Yikes!! “The voice of the people willing to vote for a dictator.”
Working on postcards for Tom Suozzi's election to NY-03 to replace George Santos. Afterwards, I will be sending out postcards in support of Joe Biden. Activate America has a campaign going called "Amplify." I will check out the details as soon as I finish with Tom's campaign!
https://www.activateamerica.vote/amplify
Update: Seems I was mistaken about sending postcards for Biden. Website is geared toward sending messages through social media, FB, X, et cetera.
That is a great recommendation you've given for Activate America, and the team is practically in my backyard. There are some (dare I say) exciting opportunities to make a difference, looking at their webpage:
https://www.activateamerica.vote/ourraces2024
Thanks so much, Lynell!
Thank you, too, JJ! I will check out your link.
I'm also working on cards to Tom Suozzi. I coordinate 8,000 cards locally (VA) every summer, but this is my first personally hand-written campaign since breaking my wrist 1 year+ ago. I'm so happy to be back! I got 100 great VOTE cards with @VoterMailbag on Etsy.
Wow, Linda. You're the best! Hope your wrist holds up this year!
I write more slowly, but all is well. As Robert reminds us, we all have to pace ourselves; we're in this for the long haul!
I’m sure I would like to write for Biden-Harris.
Susan, I am writing cards through Activate America for Suozzi as Lynell is, but I have used "Postcards to Swing States" in the past. Looks like PTSS is starting a writing campaign in May. In one project I did with them I had to supply the postcards and in another, they supplied the postcards. The postcards they supplied were great- on the front it had the license plate of the state we were writing to. Eye catching. Last year the people they had us send postcards to were registered Democrats who had a recent history of not voting.
https://www.turnoutpac.org/postcards/?emci=0170ddf6-c39a-ee11-bea1-002248223f36&emdi=1388419f-899e-ee11-bea1-002248223f36&ceid=11735866
Fieldteam 6. https://www.fieldteam6.org/
Thanks Daniel! Here is where Jason Berlin was interviewed by Leigh McGowan on her "PoliticsGirl" podcast.
https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/register-democrats-save-the-world-a-conversation/id1595408601?i=1000628379891
"know that non-voters are actually the key to democratic victories across this country. "
Thanks. I have been writing with Postcards to Voters and have written for both Suozzi and Tom Keen recently as well as generally to voters in Florida who may not know they have to reenroll in mail-in voting because Republicans there have made that program expire without telling voters. I have to supply the cards. Just bought more. But so far they haven't offered me something for the presidential race. I'm going to check out these other options.
Working on my Suozzi cards, too, Lynell.
Yay!
I too signed up for writing postcards for Suozzi via Activate America. Thanks to you, I just subscribed to the 'Amplify' newsletter. And postcards in support of Biden sounds like a plan to me. Thank you, Lynell.
Yes, Jean. I'm glad we have this opportunity to promote Biden. Better than having to wait til November to vote.
O, I agree, Lynell. Thanks again for making me aware. Just off a zoom (along with 140+ others) meeting with Tom Suozzi and Hakeem Jeffries sponsored by The NY Buddy Group. Markers for Democracy also had a part in getting the word out (and kindly responsive to my inquiries along the way). Jessica Craven had it posted on her Chop Wood, Carry Water newsletter, and I noticed a reader posted it in Robert's Today's Edition Newsletter as well. I'm so glad I attended.
Glad it worked for you, Jean!
Lynell, I signed up with Amplify, but did not see the link to write postcards for Biden starting now. I would be quite willing to do so!
Oh, dear; my bad, Ann...and everyone! I might have misread how the Amplify link works in that you don't write postcards but, rather, copy their "announcements" to post on Facebook, TikTok, Twitter, et cetera.
I'll look into it more as soon as I finish postcarding for Tom Suozzi!
Hi Ann. The Progressive Turnout Project will be starting a postcard campaign in May- "Postcard to Swing States". I volunteered in two of their projects in 2022, and for the big postcard project before the midterms, they even supplied the postcards. We were able to ask for a particular swing state to write to, or they assigned one. The postcards they supplied were eye-catching, with that particular state's license plate on the front of the card
https://www.turnoutpac.org/postcards/?emci=0170ddf6-c39a-ee11-bea1-002248223f36&emdi=1388419f-899e-ee11-bea1-002248223f36&ceid=11735866
Lynell, thanks for the postcard link. Looking forward to pitching in support with my pen.
I walked a precinct today then came home and compared the (publicly available) voter roll to Google maps. I identified 81 houses with no registered voters. Of course, they may be ineligible. I’m going to mail each a note with a couple of mail-in applications. And my one focus will be our children--Texas’s Republican politicians had four special sessions and still did not fund our public schools.
All, the craziness we see in Washington is equaled in red states like mine. Maybe the closer to home message will hit a few.
Thank you for your incredible work! 93% of registered voters voted in ‘22 here. Sending that good energy your way along with my deepest gratitude for the yeoman’s efforts. Vote blue!
https://www.fieldteam6.org/
Outstanding - thank you, Daniel, for the link.
Cathy, thanks for your outstanding commitment and effort. Inspiring!
The red states have gone unchecked for too long.
Wasn't aware of this resource - thanks!
If House Republicans were so concerned about the problems at the border, then why did they high tail it out of DC to take their Christmas break at the first opportunity instead of staying in session to work out solutions on this problem? Answer-They don’t want solutions.They want to use the border as a hammer to bludgeon Biden and Dems with as a campaign issue this year. The trip that the holier-than-thou Speaker and other R's made down there was just photo optics to pander to the noxious base.
They’ve been doing this for decades. It’s never going to stop until someone makes it stop, and that can only be done with a majority Democratic Congress.
Robert,
Perplexed, I must ask, why would anyone in their right mind not want to keep subscribing to you???
Asking since I noticed that you have this last sentence in boldface in this issue... (or maybe I've not noticed that it has been boldfaced before)
"If you no longer want to receive Today’s Edition, click the “Unsubscribe” link next to my name at the bottom of this newsletter." I will never do that! Your voice is invaluable. I am grateful for you.
Lots of people feel overwhelmed by the news, and sometimes my newsletter is too much. I respect that. I want the newsletter to be a net positive for them. If it's not, they should do what they need to protect their emotional health.
I feel overwhelmed by the news these past few months since November on top of my personal situation and thus haven't read most of the Substacks that I subscribe to, but yours is a beacon of hope even when the news isn't so palatable, and I can't imagine not being a subscriber. I am starting to feel a little hopeful about a couple of job openings I've applied for, which is why I read this issue and another one from you, plus a recent Joyce Vance and her chickens, and TCinLA and Roscoe, and finally, Steady this past Saturday with A Reason to Smile.
I do understand the tsunami of current events can be overwhelming, but then I just don't read for awhile, only selectively. A subscription doesn't obligate me to read every issue... but if I was more concerned about finances, then maybe I'd take a closer look at what to unsub from.
Regardless, I am grateful to you, and to Jill.
By the same token, why would anyone vote for their dog or a write-in candidate when there is such a stark choice between democracy and autocracy?
I wrote on here recently about my intention to wear my Biden shirt on every grocery run as my way of amplifying support for Democracy. The response and encouragement I received was heartening!
I reached out to many who had applauded the idea asking them to share it on their facebook pages in hopes of sparking a movement. And additional Biden Grocery Shoppers.
Instead, friends who loved the idea said they could not post about for fear of being targeted by Republicans.
The GOP is taking their anger to the next inevitable level, intimidation.
The prevalence of “F*** Biden” flags encourage escalation from the worst language to the next logical step, physical altercation. Shirts that say, “F*** Biden and F*** you for voting for him” take that message one step closer, demonizing anyone who participates in Democracy with a different POV than the GOP.
One friend wrote: “Ha! Love this. I am terrified of sharing anything by political on any social platform. People come for me HARD and it ruins relationships—some of those with family, like the people who made me.”
The battle lines are being drawn and if we don’t speak out against threats, it’ll normalize them until they boil over into a replacement of Democracy.
You are 100% correct. This is a very real, very insidious problem that is one of the clearest signs that we are living in a Hitler-esque world. They have stolen our flags and the word “patriot” and made us all afraid to declare our love of democracy and country. They have the big trucks and the guns and they are nuts. Is there anything we can do about this? It is a worthy topic for discussion. Thank you for addressing this and bringing it up for us to consider, and for your own bravery.
Yes,I agree.Rs have made a mockery of the words “patriot”, “conservative “”freedom” and others.Hell they are making a mockery of our own flag ffs.
Thanks, Pamsy. Pushing back can backfire. Winning elections and listening is the best approach. It feels good to be surrounded here by likeminded free thinkers. All is not lost.
Shawn,you’ve inspired me and I hope to be able to take that “next step” with my activism here in my red,Fl county where those Trump flags/signs abound.
I write frequent Letters To Ed and one of my published letters elicited an anonymous, snail-mailed response quoting me and full of Faux news talking points. My first thought…this is creepy. Second thought…they want me to stop writing. Hell, NO ! Yes, the battle lines are being drawn and we need to keep speaking out.
I’ll keep you posted on my progress.👕
Thanks, Kathy! The disconnect between people liking my message and people unwilling to amplify it gives me hope. Once people SEE Biden pride, they will FEEL safe to let theirs shine. 👕🛒🇺🇸😎
It is a choice between good and evil, pure and simple.
My suggestion for a slogan:
"Joe Biden - For Goodness Sake!"
Hello, Bob. I just attended a zoom meeting, in the company of 140 + others, with Tom Suozzi and Hakeem Jeffries. Leader Jeffries said, "This is a moment for people of good will."
May it all be so.
Awesome! I'd add these presumably unspoken words to Leader Jeffries' comment, "...to stand up to people of bad faith."
*Stand up to people of bad faith* – a terrific motto!
Hey Bob. I can tell you that I often live in a place of anger and frustration with seemingly ‘people of bad faith’ – bad actors. Just for the moment, I’m choosing not to go there. Just completed a meditation practice where, without sounding ‘pie in the sky,’ I imagined those who I day-to-day stand in judgement of, many close in, friends and family members, in their white Christian nationalist viewpoint – and attempting to love them instead. Ought to be an interesting journey and may well be one that won’t last too long. O well, just for this moment. And maybe the next.
Jean, there is a practice in Buddhism called Tonglen that is based on the same principle. It is often practiced for people who are ill or suffering; but it can be used as you did in your meditation, which is to send healing to people who disturb you, or have caused you pain, or who seem to be self-destructive. And people who have been sucked up into the MAGA cult are definitely self-destructive. I took a seminar on this years ago at Naropa University in Boulder, CO, and with what we are facing, this is a good practice. Anyone can do it, and you do not have to be a practicing Buddhist. I am sharing this link for those who are interested.
https://www.lionsroar.com/how-to-practice-tonglen/
I applaud your resolve! I usually try to take the high road, where there's a lot less traffic. But once in a while, I'm forced (or maybe provoked) to take a detour.
Thank you for your kindness, Bob. I understand the feeling of being ‘forced’ or even ‘provoked.’ My intention was grounded in an inquiry about seeking what I know to be true, about my purpose. What seems to be a natural inclination is that I am here to love. Sounds lofty, I know. And most often unattainable. Though for now, I’m going to attempt to love those whose beliefs are contrary to my own. And I don’t mean to suggest a religious perspective. Simply a belief in the fundamental principles of our shared humanity.
And thank you for your openness to ponder with me. I'm grateful.
Bob, your way with words is truly wonderful. 😊 I often try to take the high road as well, but I’ve been on several detours these days.
In red states: "Joe Biden -- For Christ's Sake"
Orange Antichrist Trump stole from kids with cancer and disabled war veterans.
https://ag.ny.gov/press-release/2019/donald-j-trump-pays-court-ordered-2-million-illegally-using-trump-foundation
Not only that, but we've been subsidizing his gluttonous lifestyle for decades.
I personally don't disagree one bit but I'm deeply concerned that so many young people my children's age (late 30's) and younger now put Biden in the "evil" camp--a direct result of his tacit support (and active with the supply of missiles and bombs) for Israel's indiscriminate strikes against Palestinians in Gaza. I have argued with them endlessly about the nuances of this--but more and more are saying they would rather vote for one of the 3rd party candidates, even though they know how bad Trump would be. "I just won't pull the lever for someone who is aiding and abetting genocide of the Palestinian people."
If I put the quote from Biden that Robert has cited in recent days, “to restore the soul, honor, dignity, and decency” of America, in front of them I know what their response will be. It will be "What honor? What decency?"
I agree we've got to do everything we can to get Joe Biden reelected, but his stance on this hot button issue is alienating so many. Could we put Tom Friedman in charge of this issue?
Mark,
Please ask those people your children’s age (late 30s) how they define genocide.
Ask how their notions of genocide compare to what happened to Armenians around 1915 and Jews in the 1940s.
Ask if they know that Hamas founding Charter pledged to remove all Jews “from the river to the sea”, and whether that would constitute genocide. And ask whether they *care*.
And please ask how they feel about Hamas’s atrocities during attack on Israeli settlements, and hostage-taking.
Robert,
Please, please don't apologize for not writing about every important issue in the news. Who can do that? Entire news programs that are an hour long only scratch the surface of the world's chaos and triumphs.
What you wrote today was eloquent, clear and a solid statement of the facts surrounding two presidential terms. Thank you!
Plenty of others will fill in the gory details of Trumps "emoluments" during office and all his other obscenities.
Beautiful, clear, compelling statement about what Biden has given us and how we should reward him. It's not that the objections aren't valid. It is that they pale in comparison to the greater truth. I totally agree with you that not voting is not a good choice. Thank you.
I'm not sure another 4 years of bruising political battles is much of a reward, but President Biden certainly deserves our deepest thanks and undying support! The reward for another 4 years will be to our country and President Biden's legacy.
Concise and to the point, Robert. To keep our democracy, and to make it stronger, we must all vote, and vote for Biden/Harris. Thank you.
I find it curious that people will email you to suggest "that they will not vote or will vote for a third-party candidate." Why don't they come right out and admit it to all of us in the comments? Are they too embarrassed to admit they will strike a vote against maintaining our democracy?
Let's remember the Constitutional Convention on September 17, 1787:
"As Dr. James McHenry first recorded the story of Elizabeth Powel, Benjamin Franklin, and the new Constitution in his journal, it was only twenty-six words. This was the entire exchange he wrote down (exact words, different formatting):
Powel: Well, Doctor what have we got—a republic or a monarchy?
Franklin: A republic, if you can keep it.
Powel: And why not keep it?
Franklin: Because the people, on tasting the dish, are always disposed to eat more of it than does them good."
I think most Americans are ready to stand up to preserve our democracy. I certainly am.
https://boston1775.blogspot.com/2017/03/how-dr-mchenry-operated-on-his-anecdote.html
Oh, you would be surprised about what people say to me in private.
For example, the immigration issue has stirred up a lot of anger among readers, especially those from NY. Sadly, many Democrats have bought the false narrative that what happens at the border is "Joe Bidens fault." Wrong. Biden is enforcing the US asylum law and Republicans don't like that fact.
So, in an effort to change the law to something that does not have support to get through Congress, Republicans are flat out lying. But readers from New York are angry that asylum seekers are being bussed to NY by Abbott. He is succeeding in distracting them from the fact that it is Congress's failure to act that is the problem. The last time Congress passed immigration reform was in the last century.
Sorry for the digression.
Thank you for this, Robert. If I may in your response to Lynn, I don’t view it as digression. Rather, it is an understanding of the reality that deserves to be ‘amplified.’ And NY–03 special election seems to be an important place to make it known. With your permission, I’d like to share your thoughts. (Since you note this in the comment section, and not in the body of your newsletter, I feel it’s important to ask permission.)
If Biden wins another term and we can regain majority in the House and solidify control in the Senate, then we can pass immigration reform. This is an example of what Rebecca Solnit means by “voting is a chess move, not a Valentine.” We must keep our eye on the ball and we need to explain why the stakes are so high to Democrats who may be losing faith in Biden over one or two issues. It cannot be over-emphasized: if you don’t vote for Biden, you are effectively throwing your support behind Trump.
It seems to me that Robert’s description of these people as ‘readers’ was too kind. They may have read but they haven’t comprehended a word of his writing. Why else would they put their ‘personalized unicorn’ (to borrow a phrase from another commenter) ahead of the common good and threaten to vote for a 3rd party candidate? Not voting for Biden Harris will put another candidate in the office of presidency and guess who that’ll be. I’ve lived through 15 presidents’ terms and, while not perfect, Biden will surely be judged one of the best. Please don’t overlook the good for the perfect.
Like "personalized unicorn."
And those people are out of their minds to think Dotard will do better for the people of Gaza! I mean, REALLY!?!’
Totally agree!
And let's not forget pettiness. James Comer (R-KY) has managed to elevate congressional frivolity to new heights investigating Hunter Biden and his mis-spent life. All the while, he's managed to keep his stupid Oversight Committee from looking at the order of magnitude greater questionable dealings of the Trump family including son-in-law Jared Kushner with his real estate transactions:
https://www.vanityfair.com/news/2022/12/jared-kushner-666-fifth-avenue-qatar-investigation
It’s not just pettiness. Comer is targeting Hunter Biden who has never been part of the Biden administration. Jared Kushner and Ivanka Trump were raking in money from foreign governments while acting as “Senior Advisors” in the trump administration. How is this an equivalency?
The extremist MAGAts in Congress at Trump's urging are trying to pin crimes on Biden that he has not committed. Calling the Bidens a crime family is projection at its highest level. The tffg is a criminal in the same frame as a Mafia don. He was taught by his father and mob lawyer, Roy Cohn. If tffg won a second term, does anyone think they would be safe from the predators in the tffg administration? These are people who kidnap babies from their parents after all.
It will be a full-on kleptocracy.
“Calling the Bidens a crime family is projection at its highest level.” —
Too nice: Calling the Bidens a “Crime Family” is a *lie*.
He will likely rue the day he decided to make Trump's vengeance agenda his own. I find it hard to believe that he won't inspire pay-back the next time the Dems are in charge. Fun and worthwhile as that will be to watch, it's really not in the best interests of our national government to waste time and money on gratifying his petty little boy instincts.
I couldn't agree more. Why hasn't the Dem Senate opened investigations into Kushner and Mnuchin for Middle East profiteering? Would that look "too political"?
Gosh - they could be compared to Gym Jordan, James Comer, or Kevin McCarthy, or Marjorie Taylor Greene, or Mike Johnson.
Trump stands in front of a church and debases people. Biden goes inside a church and prays for us all.
Another recommendation: Must read Rachel Maddow’s book “Prequel”. It’s a frightening reminder that fascism a la Trump did exist here right under our noses until several external forces laid waste to it. Took a long time to uncover and bring pressure to stop it. Need the same now.
📣Columnist and Substack author,Jessica Valenti. Not hyperbole !
“ How many more ways can they make it clear that they want us dead? And I mean that literally. As I wrote in 2022, it’s not just that Republican lawmakers and the anti-abortion movement see women dying as an unfortunate but acceptable consequence of making abortion illegal. To them, the most noble thing a pregnant woman can do is die so that a fetus can live.”
https://jessica.substack.com/p/of-course-they-want-us-dead
Robert’s post today couple’s nicely with Nate Cohn’s NYTimes piece yesterday. Cohn points to an apt if not exact historical corollary in citing Harry Truman's come from behind victory in 1948. The perception of normalcy that he perceives as key to Truman’s narrow victory did not just seep into the national consciousness, however. The war against nazism has been won; electoral victory needed to be fought on a wider front of restoring a post-war economy and the promise of opportunity and shared prosperity for all. Give 'em hell Harry took that fight to the Republicans just as Joe Biden needs to do. To effectively reach that former Democratic coalition, he needs to join his struggle for democracy and bottom up economics arguments into a simple, powerful frame. There is a winning message that clearly poses the stark choice between political and economic oligarchy (the distortion of capitalism that characterizes Russia, Hungary and the other autocracies the Republican Party is emulating) and the democratic political and economic vision that passes from FDR, through HST and LBJ that Joe Biden is struggling to channel. The "soul of America" and “bidenomics" need some Ted Sorenson word-crafting to effectively convince the nation that normalcy and opportunity are again close at hand.
For a comment that ends with a plea for word-crafting, i feel a need to apologize for my typos. They should read: "... couples nicely ..." and "The war... had been won ...".
I read the same article and agree and hope that as we get closer to the elections Biden finds his soul. I think someone else will assist in the soul searching