During this period in our history, I have been seeking the Edward R. Murrow of our times. The journalist who brought down Senator McCarthy. The journalist that organized and held an integrated dinner in a downtown Atlanta in the 1930s without incident. The voice for America on the Blitz in England before America got into WWII. Read his biography "Edward R. Murrow -- His Life and Times" by A.M. Sperber. One of my favorite books ever. Murrow set the standards for TV journalism for the last half of the 20th century. I am getting more and more disgusted with 21st century "journalism" if you can still call it that. I'm writing my concerns to the media as much as to my elected representatives now.
Here's one quote from Mr. Murrow:
"When the politicians complain that TV turns the proceedings into a circus, it should be made clear that the circus was already there, and that TV has merely demonstrated that not all the performers are well trained."
Right now even the so-called liberal media is making the same huge gift of air time to the sensational, the negative, the celebrity -- the stuff that got the Former Guy elected. It is all about the bottom line, the ratings and not about integrity and "doing the right thing".
I was disturbed to see that CNBC hired Mick Mulvaney to be a commentator (this per HCR). Mulvaney is likely a co-conspirator in the plot to extort Ukraine. But the NBC editor said he wanted the "access" that Mulvaney could get to Republican sources, "since Republicans are going to win the midterms." Read HCR's piece. It is a shocking turn of events and viewers should rise up in unison to object.
Yes, it was CBS who hired Mick Mulvany. Edward R. Murrow after a long career at CBS resigned from CBS over disagreement with then Chairman Paley who ran equal time to subjects who felt wronged by Murrow's See It Now program saying he was tired of having constant stomach aches when Murrow aired a controversial subject. Sounds like many of the staff at CBS are now caught in a similar dilemma on whether to resign or not.
Sen. McCarthy today would be on all the talk shows being lionized just like the former president because it would sell ads and generate clicks. There is no Murrow, because there is no longer a wall between the news and entertainment divisions in any of the media. That was a CBS idea too and the hiring of Mulvaney just demonstrates how far they've fallen. Your comments, BTW, are spot on.
I always found it telling the guy sitting next to Sen. McCarthy in those hearings was Roy Cohn who was the Trump family lawyer who taught DJT to double down.
Agreed, I've never understood why anyone was surprised at Trump's fundamentally criminal behavior since he was trained to it early and guided by experts.
I agree with you with the exception of ABC Evening News with David Muir. I think that he is a very good journalist. I wish his news program was longer than 30 minutes because he delivers the news and always ends with some human interest story that is uplifting. He delivers the news in a way that lets the viewer see how this impacts her or him.
I must get that biography of Edward R. Murrow. I grew up with Walter Cronkite. We watched him every night in my family’s home.
And I will go watch David Muir. I just cancelled by Hulu ad-free subscription because of the horrid ads that MSNBC insists on despite Hulu's ad-free cost. I have now been watching ABC news. Obviously, I won't watch CBS News now. I also like BBC World news, BBC Good morning from Britain, and the PBS Newshour. I'm a little older than you I suspect because in the 50s I enjoyed watching This Is Your Life with Mr. Murrow.
I watch BBC News as well. I also watch NPR. One of the best journalists in the field is Christiane Amanpour. She is on NPR and CNN. She is very good at interviews, too. She is respectfully dogged in getting answers to her questions.
I doubt you are older than I am. I will be 73 in June. I remember seeing Mr. Morrow on tv, but I don’t know whether it was live or a memory of him that news people used to show years ago.
Robert, I live in a rural area in upstate New York. It IS a stronghold of Trumpsters and evangelicals. However, in my small village, we finally elected a Village Council that is all democrats. So, it is possible for democrats to win in rural areas. Our Town Council is 75% democrat. That said, people moved from New York City at the start of Covid, telecommuted, and decided to buy homes and move here permanently. Sadly, there is now great division and ugly lawn signs that suggest all democrats should crawl back into the holes from which they came. So, it is possible to win in rural areas but it can be very uncomfortable and contentious. My conversations are guarded everywhere I go for the republicans turn everything into a political argument even if one talks about the weather, which to them is a statement on climate change and because they are evangelicals it morphs into religion and "the Lord Jesus will take care of everything because are you not aware that we're in the "end-times?" (Book of Revelations.) 🙄😫
Ask those people what Jesus—who spoke of the least of us and cast the money-lenders out of the Temple—would say about T___p and his band of thieves and traitors.
There is a great short story by Dostoyevsky called the Grand Inquisitor. Jesus returns to earth during the Inquisition. The priests recognize Jesus as the Messiah who has returned to earth, as promised. What do they do? The arrest him and kill him. Why? Because his return undermines their power and contradicts their perversion of his teachings.
Thanks, Robert, I did not know this story, and it would not surprise me to learn it was true. We can draw parallels between increasing oppressive man-made laws claiming to be "God's will" (priestly celibacy was to protect property not piety) and increasing power-grabbing among the members of hierarchy. (Did Constantine start this?!)
I heard a talk last year by a woman who wrote a book on why people are comfortable with authoritarian leaders (darn this 76 year old brain...I can't remember her name) and one of the factors was belonging to a religion with authoritarian leaders. Another was growing up in a household with authoritarian fathers. My own sense is that it is comforting for some folks to belong to a group that is absolutely certain what is God's will, and not experience any need to question if a particular exhortation is actually right or just. This comfort feels much better than facing any inner conflicts or fears, many of which are unconscious. I'm afraid I can't imagine Jesus blowing up an abortion clinic or emotionally torturing an LGBTQ+ child. But somehow they don't see a contradiction because they are encouraged to obey, not to think, and that works for them. My prayer is that their numbers decrease and the number of us who are willing to work for peace and justice and a government that really is 'for the people" increases.
Thanks again for creating space for this thoughtful community!
I like to reply " the good lord helps him who helps himself". 😁 And you can remind Evangelicals that the greatest commandment is to love your neighbor as yourself. Then ask why they hate themselves (ok, don't do the last part...)
During the prelude to the 2020 election, I got into it with some Trumpers online and I reminded them of those words of Jesus. It did shut them down a bit. Republicans are so filled with hatred!
My grandchildren’s other grandparents are Trumpsters and very religious. My grandchildren don’t agree with their politics. The two older grandchildren have also been turned off of religion because religion has become part of politics. I still have my faith, but even I have been turned off of organized religion.
I sat in gas lines in 1974 and carpooled then and later to save fuel. It seemed so obvious nearly 50 years ago that we needed energy independence. Too many Americans are too slow to wake up.
David, you are right. But whatever we do to mitigate the ongoing damage will be worth the effort. It may take centuries to see the benefits, but we owe it to our descendants.
I did, too. I was having my children in those days. We had to be sure that we had enough gas in the car to make it to the hospital 30 minutes away when my time came.
As is not uncommon, the Concluding Thoughts are the most important and positive part of today's letter. Congress should straightaway finalize and pass an update to the Electoral Count Act and then move on. I'd still like to see the Lewis Act passed but the situation is not as dire as proponents suggest.
In respect of the former president and current traitor, I'll join you in apologizing to Mr. Garland on the day he sees Trump locked in a maximum security prison for the rest of his life. In the meantime, I don't see a reason for his hesitation that doesn't reflect poorly on the entire system's lack of courage and moral standards.
Today I've been listening to the musical composition "La Valse" by Maurice Ravel written at the end of WWI. Another composer, George Benjamin, describes it: "Whether or not it was intended as a metaphor for the predicament of European civilization in the aftermath of the Great War, its one-movement design plots the birth, decay and destruction of a musical genre: the waltz." For me and many others, although Ravel himself would refute this, it has always been about the deterioration of Europe from height of Viennese culture at the end of the 19th century to its decay into World War I. We have seen a lot of parallels with that time to our current time with its pandemic, the rise of authoritarianism, the monopolists, the diminution of truth and integrity, and even now war. Take a listen and see if you hear it: https://www.youtube.co/watch?v=FQ54hhvIQaY
While I remain hopeful that your concluding thoughts today offer promise, I remain fearful that gerrymandered districts, our electoral college system for Presidential elections, and the composition of our Senate over representing land and under representing people remain significant challenges to better, more representative governance.
I am presently reading “100% Democracy: The Case for Universal Voting” by E.J. Dionne Jr. And Miles Rapoport. I also find the exploration of this topic by the Brennan Center for Justice to be held on April 12th including the authors of this book of interest and have registered to attend virtually here: https://www.brennancenter.org/events/universal-voting. I suggest othersattend as well.
I am quite familiar with the Australian requirements for mandatory participation in elections and its enforcement and impact. I believe this is a topic worth exploring and considering seriously.
Most Americans are unaware that “the secret ballot” we now consider sacred in the U.S. was an innovation taken from Australia to the U.S. In the late 19th century. When first introduced in the U.S. It was known as the Australian ballot and highly controversial. You can learn more about that here:
This is a great example of the civics ignorance of most Americans. I am appalled at the lack of a sound civics education and teaching of responsible history in many public education systems in the U.S.
The authors spoke yesterday evening about 100% Democracy. It's futile to consider this when we can't even get federal laws passed so that our zip code doesn't determine access to the ballot box or the processing of ballots, money in politics etc. We need the Senate to pass the Freedom to Vote John R Lewis Act now.... universal vote is a pipe=dream.
I like Tom Friedman—not just because we both went to Brandeis (not at the same time)—but when he criticizes Biden for seeking short-term relief in greater oil supplies, he’s betraying some elitism. With very challenging elections in a few months, and inflation from other causes already roiling the public (even though it’s not that high by historical standards), do you really think Joe should tell voters to tighten their belts, suck it up and pay over $4.00 a gallon for gas? It’s easy for me to do that—I’ve worked from home for two years, 2020 was my best year ever in terms of income, and my small hybrid (which went fewer than 10,000 miles in three years) gets up to 60 miles a gallon. To me, higher prices at the pump are mostly just numbers. But I’m a rarity, and I don’t expect working people who are stuck with having to drive their gas guzzlers to work every day to be insensitive to what’s happening. Sure, I can tell them that they should have made better choices, but we can’t change the past, but only deal with it’s effects. So, yes, Joe, do what you need to to bring gas prices down and give us a better chance in November.
Hi, Jon. You raise valid points. But there will always be an election just a few months away. I think it might be just as effective to say, "See?? This is why we are doing a "moon shot" to get the US off of gasoline cars in five years . . . . " instead of, "Let's make a deal with a murderous strongmen in VEnezuela and Saudi Arabia" to get more oil. We could do it if we wanted to. But we don't want to because some people want to preserve their financial stake in the fossil fuel industry (Manchin).
Friedman's premise is both brilliant and pathetic. We have known forever that oil dependency has empowered evil. We know it is the cause of the climate crisis and that billions of people and animals face death as a result. That habitats (entire regions and countries) are in the process of losing their capacity to support the life of most vertebrates. We know. We knew.
We have had the tools to address this for decades. We really think we are a smart species. But we are not smart enough to plan a future safe for our progeny. I use the term "we" in its broadest collective sense. "Me" has become dominant. "We" are in a spiral dive. Can we pull out of it?
I was reading a comment someone made about how we protest in these forums. But not in the streets. But where to start? What would my sign say? When will we get angry enough?
I've mentioned this before: Prescott, Arizona, the home of the late Barry Goldwater and adopted home of Paul Gosar, gave Trump 63.7% of the vote, in 2020, an increase of .4%. At the city level, the results in 2020 were more mixed: A moderate conservative beat an incumbent Republican, of indeterminate political leanings, in a landslide. The winners "running mates" were two progressive Democrats and a moderate Independent, for the City Council seats. These candidates beat three Ever-Trumpers. Rural voters are not cookie-cutter, lock-step anything. They (we) are of basically sound mind and weigh options very carefully.
I have lived in Prescott, Az since 1973 and politics are changing at a crawl. That said,My husband ran for County Supervisor and had more Republican support than any Democratic candidates previously. He lost but is now the leader of our local Democratic Party and we are making headway. The advocacy and votes of ALL Democrats/left leaning Independents are needed more than ever. No the time to abandon the ship! The Trump caravans with Confederate flags waving, are still disgracing our town but they are fewer and weaker. We must prevail!
Thank you, Linda, for this longer view of Prescott politics than my own (11 years). Yes, Tuesday is still "Trump Day"-for the two dozen who either stand at the corners of Gurley Street and the Courthouse area, or honk their horns in support. John had my support in the last election and will continue to have it.
I'm surprised that anyone believes anything that Vlad says. He's like Lucy with the football. And yet the media continues to breathlessly report his every word as if it's to be believed. Has the media lost the ability to discern the truth? I'm beginning to wonder if their reason for existing has nothing to do with actual reporting, and instead has only to do with sales. As for the Washington Post, they put out a bunch of broad hints under the guise of reporting about Hunter Biden yesterday. It was full of innuendo and dark mutterings that would have done the right wing proud. And finally, I wouldn't get too excited about the anti-lynching legislation. If the Republicans win in 2022, their first order of business will likely be to reverse the bill.
First, I listened “live” to last night’s podcast, something I am unable to do on Saturdays, and very much enjoyed it. Thanks. Now I’d like your opinion, Robert, on this morning’s news about the intensified investigation into Hunter Biden and the fact that there is a grand jury asking questions, yet nothing on Trump and his cronies. I am choking on my Cheerios.
I have no opinion on Hunter Biden. If he broke the law (and I have no opinion on that), he should be prosecuted like every other American. So should Trump. Why Merrick Garland believes that Trump deserves special treatment is the mystery . . .
Regarding the emphasis by Democrats in the rural areas, it should be remembered that the adage “all politics is local” means that friends and neighbors have influence on each other’s voting preferences. By making reasonable entrees into rural districts with offers to help lives , Democrats can change some opinions. Those swayed or at least doubtful of right wing promises and slander will have influence on some relatives and friends, thereby shifting the balance. Evena slight shift can affect the future politics in the area.
Reclaim Our Vote has set up vote centers in rural south to provide access to internet and help register voters. Andrea Miller said today that they wrote 13m postcards into the rural south to give information on local precincts and deadlines on voting. And I learned today that North Carolina purged some 400k voters this week from the voting rolls.!
Friedman may indeed be on target with his analysis, but in our circumstances now, where the Europeans are paying for Putin's war by buying his gas and oil, some short term action is required to alleviate that dependence. The only possible upside to the EU weaning itself off Russian fossil fuel to slow/stop a war, is that it could provide a shock sufficient for them, and the rest of us, to take the fossil fuel problem seriously. I am no doubt far too wildly optimistic in imagining that might work.
During this period in our history, I have been seeking the Edward R. Murrow of our times. The journalist who brought down Senator McCarthy. The journalist that organized and held an integrated dinner in a downtown Atlanta in the 1930s without incident. The voice for America on the Blitz in England before America got into WWII. Read his biography "Edward R. Murrow -- His Life and Times" by A.M. Sperber. One of my favorite books ever. Murrow set the standards for TV journalism for the last half of the 20th century. I am getting more and more disgusted with 21st century "journalism" if you can still call it that. I'm writing my concerns to the media as much as to my elected representatives now.
Here's one quote from Mr. Murrow:
"When the politicians complain that TV turns the proceedings into a circus, it should be made clear that the circus was already there, and that TV has merely demonstrated that not all the performers are well trained."
Right now even the so-called liberal media is making the same huge gift of air time to the sensational, the negative, the celebrity -- the stuff that got the Former Guy elected. It is all about the bottom line, the ratings and not about integrity and "doing the right thing".
I was disturbed to see that CNBC hired Mick Mulvaney to be a commentator (this per HCR). Mulvaney is likely a co-conspirator in the plot to extort Ukraine. But the NBC editor said he wanted the "access" that Mulvaney could get to Republican sources, "since Republicans are going to win the midterms." Read HCR's piece. It is a shocking turn of events and viewers should rise up in unison to object.
Yes, it was CBS who hired Mick Mulvany. Edward R. Murrow after a long career at CBS resigned from CBS over disagreement with then Chairman Paley who ran equal time to subjects who felt wronged by Murrow's See It Now program saying he was tired of having constant stomach aches when Murrow aired a controversial subject. Sounds like many of the staff at CBS are now caught in a similar dilemma on whether to resign or not.
CBS, I think, rather than CNBC. Otherwise, I agree completely.
Yes, normalize Mulvany. Who wants to follow laws and norms anymore.
Sen. McCarthy today would be on all the talk shows being lionized just like the former president because it would sell ads and generate clicks. There is no Murrow, because there is no longer a wall between the news and entertainment divisions in any of the media. That was a CBS idea too and the hiring of Mulvaney just demonstrates how far they've fallen. Your comments, BTW, are spot on.
I always found it telling the guy sitting next to Sen. McCarthy in those hearings was Roy Cohn who was the Trump family lawyer who taught DJT to double down.
Agreed, I've never understood why anyone was surprised at Trump's fundamentally criminal behavior since he was trained to it early and guided by experts.
I agree with you with the exception of ABC Evening News with David Muir. I think that he is a very good journalist. I wish his news program was longer than 30 minutes because he delivers the news and always ends with some human interest story that is uplifting. He delivers the news in a way that lets the viewer see how this impacts her or him.
I must get that biography of Edward R. Murrow. I grew up with Walter Cronkite. We watched him every night in my family’s home.
And I will go watch David Muir. I just cancelled by Hulu ad-free subscription because of the horrid ads that MSNBC insists on despite Hulu's ad-free cost. I have now been watching ABC news. Obviously, I won't watch CBS News now. I also like BBC World news, BBC Good morning from Britain, and the PBS Newshour. I'm a little older than you I suspect because in the 50s I enjoyed watching This Is Your Life with Mr. Murrow.
I don’t watch MSNBC much anymore. I really don’t care for the talking heads. I like journalists. I can form my own opinions after hearing the facts.
I watch BBC News as well. I also watch NPR. One of the best journalists in the field is Christiane Amanpour. She is on NPR and CNN. She is very good at interviews, too. She is respectfully dogged in getting answers to her questions.
I doubt you are older than I am. I will be 73 in June. I remember seeing Mr. Morrow on tv, but I don’t know whether it was live or a memory of him that news people used to show years ago.
Actually I two months older than you. I will be 73 this month!
Well, Happy Birthday, Cathy!
Robert, I live in a rural area in upstate New York. It IS a stronghold of Trumpsters and evangelicals. However, in my small village, we finally elected a Village Council that is all democrats. So, it is possible for democrats to win in rural areas. Our Town Council is 75% democrat. That said, people moved from New York City at the start of Covid, telecommuted, and decided to buy homes and move here permanently. Sadly, there is now great division and ugly lawn signs that suggest all democrats should crawl back into the holes from which they came. So, it is possible to win in rural areas but it can be very uncomfortable and contentious. My conversations are guarded everywhere I go for the republicans turn everything into a political argument even if one talks about the weather, which to them is a statement on climate change and because they are evangelicals it morphs into religion and "the Lord Jesus will take care of everything because are you not aware that we're in the "end-times?" (Book of Revelations.) 🙄😫
Ask those people what Jesus—who spoke of the least of us and cast the money-lenders out of the Temple—would say about T___p and his band of thieves and traitors.
There is a great short story by Dostoyevsky called the Grand Inquisitor. Jesus returns to earth during the Inquisition. The priests recognize Jesus as the Messiah who has returned to earth, as promised. What do they do? The arrest him and kill him. Why? Because his return undermines their power and contradicts their perversion of his teachings.
Thanks, Robert, I did not know this story, and it would not surprise me to learn it was true. We can draw parallels between increasing oppressive man-made laws claiming to be "God's will" (priestly celibacy was to protect property not piety) and increasing power-grabbing among the members of hierarchy. (Did Constantine start this?!)
I heard a talk last year by a woman who wrote a book on why people are comfortable with authoritarian leaders (darn this 76 year old brain...I can't remember her name) and one of the factors was belonging to a religion with authoritarian leaders. Another was growing up in a household with authoritarian fathers. My own sense is that it is comforting for some folks to belong to a group that is absolutely certain what is God's will, and not experience any need to question if a particular exhortation is actually right or just. This comfort feels much better than facing any inner conflicts or fears, many of which are unconscious. I'm afraid I can't imagine Jesus blowing up an abortion clinic or emotionally torturing an LGBTQ+ child. But somehow they don't see a contradiction because they are encouraged to obey, not to think, and that works for them. My prayer is that their numbers decrease and the number of us who are willing to work for peace and justice and a government that really is 'for the people" increases.
Thanks again for creating space for this thoughtful community!
😮. I have not read that book. That should be on my reading list!
Oh, yeah!
Sigh . . . Thanks for sharing. Progress is hard. But at least it is progress.
I like to reply " the good lord helps him who helps himself". 😁 And you can remind Evangelicals that the greatest commandment is to love your neighbor as yourself. Then ask why they hate themselves (ok, don't do the last part...)
During the prelude to the 2020 election, I got into it with some Trumpers online and I reminded them of those words of Jesus. It did shut them down a bit. Republicans are so filled with hatred!
My grandchildren’s other grandparents are Trumpsters and very religious. My grandchildren don’t agree with their politics. The two older grandchildren have also been turned off of religion because religion has become part of politics. I still have my faith, but even I have been turned off of organized religion.
I sat in gas lines in 1974 and carpooled then and later to save fuel. It seemed so obvious nearly 50 years ago that we needed energy independence. Too many Americans are too slow to wake up.
David, you are right. But whatever we do to mitigate the ongoing damage will be worth the effort. It may take centuries to see the benefits, but we owe it to our descendants.
I did, too. I was having my children in those days. We had to be sure that we had enough gas in the car to make it to the hospital 30 minutes away when my time came.
As is not uncommon, the Concluding Thoughts are the most important and positive part of today's letter. Congress should straightaway finalize and pass an update to the Electoral Count Act and then move on. I'd still like to see the Lewis Act passed but the situation is not as dire as proponents suggest.
In respect of the former president and current traitor, I'll join you in apologizing to Mr. Garland on the day he sees Trump locked in a maximum security prison for the rest of his life. In the meantime, I don't see a reason for his hesitation that doesn't reflect poorly on the entire system's lack of courage and moral standards.
Well said! I agree with you totally!
Thank you, Robert. I especially appreciate you comments on Friedman’s article on oil. The thoughts expressed occur to me daily.
Today I've been listening to the musical composition "La Valse" by Maurice Ravel written at the end of WWI. Another composer, George Benjamin, describes it: "Whether or not it was intended as a metaphor for the predicament of European civilization in the aftermath of the Great War, its one-movement design plots the birth, decay and destruction of a musical genre: the waltz." For me and many others, although Ravel himself would refute this, it has always been about the deterioration of Europe from height of Viennese culture at the end of the 19th century to its decay into World War I. We have seen a lot of parallels with that time to our current time with its pandemic, the rise of authoritarianism, the monopolists, the diminution of truth and integrity, and even now war. Take a listen and see if you hear it: https://www.youtube.co/watch?v=FQ54hhvIQaY
Thanks, Cathy ! Wonderful listen and respite from all things political. Moved me to waltz:)
“ We are dancing on the edge of a volcano”
https://www.nycballet.com/discover/ballet-repertory/la-valse/
Thank you. Just finishing listening to this stunning music. Benjamin Britton's War Requiem is another tour de force..
While I remain hopeful that your concluding thoughts today offer promise, I remain fearful that gerrymandered districts, our electoral college system for Presidential elections, and the composition of our Senate over representing land and under representing people remain significant challenges to better, more representative governance.
I am presently reading “100% Democracy: The Case for Universal Voting” by E.J. Dionne Jr. And Miles Rapoport. I also find the exploration of this topic by the Brennan Center for Justice to be held on April 12th including the authors of this book of interest and have registered to attend virtually here: https://www.brennancenter.org/events/universal-voting. I suggest othersattend as well.
I am quite familiar with the Australian requirements for mandatory participation in elections and its enforcement and impact. I believe this is a topic worth exploring and considering seriously.
Most Americans are unaware that “the secret ballot” we now consider sacred in the U.S. was an innovation taken from Australia to the U.S. In the late 19th century. When first introduced in the U.S. It was known as the Australian ballot and highly controversial. You can learn more about that here:
https://www.abc.net.au/news/2020-10-11/us-election-voting-changed-by-secret-australian-ballot-history/12726686
This is a great example of the civics ignorance of most Americans. I am appalled at the lack of a sound civics education and teaching of responsible history in many public education systems in the U.S.
The authors spoke yesterday evening about 100% Democracy. It's futile to consider this when we can't even get federal laws passed so that our zip code doesn't determine access to the ballot box or the processing of ballots, money in politics etc. We need the Senate to pass the Freedom to Vote John R Lewis Act now.... universal vote is a pipe=dream.
I like Tom Friedman—not just because we both went to Brandeis (not at the same time)—but when he criticizes Biden for seeking short-term relief in greater oil supplies, he’s betraying some elitism. With very challenging elections in a few months, and inflation from other causes already roiling the public (even though it’s not that high by historical standards), do you really think Joe should tell voters to tighten their belts, suck it up and pay over $4.00 a gallon for gas? It’s easy for me to do that—I’ve worked from home for two years, 2020 was my best year ever in terms of income, and my small hybrid (which went fewer than 10,000 miles in three years) gets up to 60 miles a gallon. To me, higher prices at the pump are mostly just numbers. But I’m a rarity, and I don’t expect working people who are stuck with having to drive their gas guzzlers to work every day to be insensitive to what’s happening. Sure, I can tell them that they should have made better choices, but we can’t change the past, but only deal with it’s effects. So, yes, Joe, do what you need to to bring gas prices down and give us a better chance in November.
Hi, Jon. You raise valid points. But there will always be an election just a few months away. I think it might be just as effective to say, "See?? This is why we are doing a "moon shot" to get the US off of gasoline cars in five years . . . . " instead of, "Let's make a deal with a murderous strongmen in VEnezuela and Saudi Arabia" to get more oil. We could do it if we wanted to. But we don't want to because some people want to preserve their financial stake in the fossil fuel industry (Manchin).
It was surprising to see polls that people wanted to expand the exploration and use of fossil fuels. What planet are they on???
Planet B And there is no Planet B....
Friedman's premise is both brilliant and pathetic. We have known forever that oil dependency has empowered evil. We know it is the cause of the climate crisis and that billions of people and animals face death as a result. That habitats (entire regions and countries) are in the process of losing their capacity to support the life of most vertebrates. We know. We knew.
We have had the tools to address this for decades. We really think we are a smart species. But we are not smart enough to plan a future safe for our progeny. I use the term "we" in its broadest collective sense. "Me" has become dominant. "We" are in a spiral dive. Can we pull out of it?
I was reading a comment someone made about how we protest in these forums. But not in the streets. But where to start? What would my sign say? When will we get angry enough?
I've mentioned this before: Prescott, Arizona, the home of the late Barry Goldwater and adopted home of Paul Gosar, gave Trump 63.7% of the vote, in 2020, an increase of .4%. At the city level, the results in 2020 were more mixed: A moderate conservative beat an incumbent Republican, of indeterminate political leanings, in a landslide. The winners "running mates" were two progressive Democrats and a moderate Independent, for the City Council seats. These candidates beat three Ever-Trumpers. Rural voters are not cookie-cutter, lock-step anything. They (we) are of basically sound mind and weigh options very carefully.
I have lived in Prescott, Az since 1973 and politics are changing at a crawl. That said,My husband ran for County Supervisor and had more Republican support than any Democratic candidates previously. He lost but is now the leader of our local Democratic Party and we are making headway. The advocacy and votes of ALL Democrats/left leaning Independents are needed more than ever. No the time to abandon the ship! The Trump caravans with Confederate flags waving, are still disgracing our town but they are fewer and weaker. We must prevail!
Thank you, Linda, for this longer view of Prescott politics than my own (11 years). Yes, Tuesday is still "Trump Day"-for the two dozen who either stand at the corners of Gurley Street and the Courthouse area, or honk their horns in support. John had my support in the last election and will continue to have it.
Maybe my new shorthand for #45 will be Putin's Partner.
I'm surprised that anyone believes anything that Vlad says. He's like Lucy with the football. And yet the media continues to breathlessly report his every word as if it's to be believed. Has the media lost the ability to discern the truth? I'm beginning to wonder if their reason for existing has nothing to do with actual reporting, and instead has only to do with sales. As for the Washington Post, they put out a bunch of broad hints under the guise of reporting about Hunter Biden yesterday. It was full of innuendo and dark mutterings that would have done the right wing proud. And finally, I wouldn't get too excited about the anti-lynching legislation. If the Republicans win in 2022, their first order of business will likely be to reverse the bill.
First, I listened “live” to last night’s podcast, something I am unable to do on Saturdays, and very much enjoyed it. Thanks. Now I’d like your opinion, Robert, on this morning’s news about the intensified investigation into Hunter Biden and the fact that there is a grand jury asking questions, yet nothing on Trump and his cronies. I am choking on my Cheerios.
I have no opinion on Hunter Biden. If he broke the law (and I have no opinion on that), he should be prosecuted like every other American. So should Trump. Why Merrick Garland believes that Trump deserves special treatment is the mystery . . .
Regarding the emphasis by Democrats in the rural areas, it should be remembered that the adage “all politics is local” means that friends and neighbors have influence on each other’s voting preferences. By making reasonable entrees into rural districts with offers to help lives , Democrats can change some opinions. Those swayed or at least doubtful of right wing promises and slander will have influence on some relatives and friends, thereby shifting the balance. Evena slight shift can affect the future politics in the area.
Good point, Frank. Thanks.
Reclaim Our Vote has set up vote centers in rural south to provide access to internet and help register voters. Andrea Miller said today that they wrote 13m postcards into the rural south to give information on local precincts and deadlines on voting. And I learned today that North Carolina purged some 400k voters this week from the voting rolls.!
Friedman may indeed be on target with his analysis, but in our circumstances now, where the Europeans are paying for Putin's war by buying his gas and oil, some short term action is required to alleviate that dependence. The only possible upside to the EU weaning itself off Russian fossil fuel to slow/stop a war, is that it could provide a shock sufficient for them, and the rest of us, to take the fossil fuel problem seriously. I am no doubt far too wildly optimistic in imagining that might work.
It took over a hundred years for Congress to pass an anti lynching law. Actually, it only took a gallows on their front lawn intended for a white man