It suddenly occurred to me that each day you are writing the equivalent of a well researched paper for a college course with the requirement to do research, analysis and then write it within a constrained deadline. No mean feat. Given what I hear repeatedly from college kids who struggle to get even one paper in on time - what you do is heroic and I am sure exhausting. Thank you for all your efforts! My despair level is high - but your perspective serves to lessen it (for about 10 minutes!) Derek
Will the people of Kentucky reelect Rand Paul? Supporting Putin and Russia, as Paul does, suggests that he's not worried for November. He should be. Former state rep and activist Charles Booker is an effective politician who is worth a look. See Lens political notes #408
One thing I’ve noticed is that the media treats the candidates running in Ohio (Josh Mandel, JD Vance) and Pennsylvania (the famous doctor Oz) as completely normal candidates. In one report on NPR a few days ago, there was no discussion of their extremism or of their peddling of the Big Lie. The reporter was simply talking about the primaries, as if everything were normal and amusing!
Maybe it’s wishful thinking but I think more people approve of the unassuming steady job that Biden is doing and the polls don’t reflect how people are feeling. People answer questions by pollsters that don’t measure or talk about feelings. We must remember that Biden is not running in the mid terms local candidates are and incumbents have to be held accountable for their rhetoric; actions and voting record. Voters need to be reminded of the House members who voted against certifying the election in January 2021 and those who defended the attack on the Congress and supported the Big Lie. Now is the time for accountability and we must be actively promoting this approach. All of us need to write letters to all local newspapers respectfully pointing out and reminding people how candidates have voted and questioning whom those candidates are representing. Many voters have forgotten all about those attacks on our democracy. We need to remind them.
What has Putemkin shown us here in the US? That the American people understand serious threats, and that their response is not divided, at least not entirely, along party lines. 74 percent of Americans support arms for Ukraine. Indeed, many think we are not sending enough. (They do not grasp the realities of the situation or know anything about logistics.). Does that have a message for our off-year elections? I suggest that it does. If Americans can understand a threat in a faraway county, between people of whom we know nothing—as Neville Chamberlain said so unfortunately in 1938–they can understand a threat to the Constitution here at home, if Democrats explain it to them and keep hitting away at it non-stop from now to November 8th. Young people want student-loan forgiveness? Fine, but do they want it more than the Constitution? Black and Asian citizens want real progress toward equality? We are with them all the way, but we can’t move toward that goal if the Constitution is overthrown. Farmers need help, both in the market and in dealing with climate change? They certainly do, and the best assurance of getting them assistance is our democratic, constitutional system. None of this is rocket science, but the reality of the threat that democratic government faces has to be brought home, hard and often.
We often claim that Republicans and the media have normalized subversion and authoritarian tendencies, but have Democrats spoken out loudly and frequently enough against those tendencies? I say that we have not. Fortunately, the elections are six months away, so there is still time, if we start right now.
Rupert has thrown his lot in with Putin and is betting that he can turn America away from supporting Ukraine. The cult will follow his lead. How many others? It is a battle for the soul of America, may the greedy, old bastard lose this one.
I fear until we have a naive young citizen point out to all that the emperor walks among us naked and the scales fall from the eyes of so many, we will continue to suffer from a failure to recognize the absurd realities before us. I daily celebrate your efforts to be that brave young lad pointing out that the emperor wears no clothes. Thank you.
I’m afraid part of the problem is that Biden looks and sounds so old. Young people just can’t relate to some of that much older than are. To compensate for this he must have more galvanizing people around him. His staff is great but it’s not flashy. When he presents he should have students with him, speaking their cause In their own language. He should have Mallory from Michigan talking about how great he is. When he ran for office he ran as a team. Now he’s kind of out there all by himself.
It's hard to believe that Rand Paul graduated from Baylor and Duke Medical School. His positions and rantings are not those of someone who is well educated. Hard to see how he belongs in the senate. I wonder how the citizens of Kentucky can keep returning him as their senator.
I would attribute the decline in support among the youngest voters to the fact that progressives in Congress overpromised and under delivered. They assumed that they would ultimately be able to steamroll Manchin and Sinema, and that Biden would be a reliable ally in this effort. Unfortunately they failed, and this is the result. Young Democrats have received a valuable lesson in the realities of politics, and once they get over their disappointment, will be more effective as a result.
What you say about the VOX article is true, but these headline-grabbing articles affect the PERCEPTION in young voter’s minds, especially those who only read those headlines. R.Zavod
I am more of a Progressive than Biden is. And. I totally applaud his skillfull handling of stunningly complex issues that NO President has ever faced in the last century. Do the younger generation feel the Republicans would have supported their goals better? The wonderful Progressives whom I voted for until Biden was vs Trump, would NOT have won. How would the complex world we are in be if the Orange Team was still in power? Listen to Rand Paul and the Traitors and Liars who support the Big Lie and all the treasonous actions they are taking. Really now. Biden is as old as your grandfather, dear young ones, as is Trump and Sanders. The reality of who could win and lead is Biden. Get active, get out the vote and keep him there. It is our only hope of a more stable, progressive and fair agenda.
Wow. I can already see Cushman & Wakefield writhing under the bus. The T Organization: "We didn't do anything wrong. We just used the stats C&W gave us. It isn't our fault they used different numbers for different purposes".
Really, the EU is calling it blackmail? That's a little rich as you can make a case that sanctions (on Russia) are blackmail. Mind you, I am totally supportive of all the existing, and even more, sanctions.
Robert
It suddenly occurred to me that each day you are writing the equivalent of a well researched paper for a college course with the requirement to do research, analysis and then write it within a constrained deadline. No mean feat. Given what I hear repeatedly from college kids who struggle to get even one paper in on time - what you do is heroic and I am sure exhausting. Thank you for all your efforts! My despair level is high - but your perspective serves to lessen it (for about 10 minutes!) Derek
Will the people of Kentucky reelect Rand Paul? Supporting Putin and Russia, as Paul does, suggests that he's not worried for November. He should be. Former state rep and activist Charles Booker is an effective politician who is worth a look. See Lens political notes #408
One thing I’ve noticed is that the media treats the candidates running in Ohio (Josh Mandel, JD Vance) and Pennsylvania (the famous doctor Oz) as completely normal candidates. In one report on NPR a few days ago, there was no discussion of their extremism or of their peddling of the Big Lie. The reporter was simply talking about the primaries, as if everything were normal and amusing!
Maybe it’s wishful thinking but I think more people approve of the unassuming steady job that Biden is doing and the polls don’t reflect how people are feeling. People answer questions by pollsters that don’t measure or talk about feelings. We must remember that Biden is not running in the mid terms local candidates are and incumbents have to be held accountable for their rhetoric; actions and voting record. Voters need to be reminded of the House members who voted against certifying the election in January 2021 and those who defended the attack on the Congress and supported the Big Lie. Now is the time for accountability and we must be actively promoting this approach. All of us need to write letters to all local newspapers respectfully pointing out and reminding people how candidates have voted and questioning whom those candidates are representing. Many voters have forgotten all about those attacks on our democracy. We need to remind them.
What has Putemkin shown us here in the US? That the American people understand serious threats, and that their response is not divided, at least not entirely, along party lines. 74 percent of Americans support arms for Ukraine. Indeed, many think we are not sending enough. (They do not grasp the realities of the situation or know anything about logistics.). Does that have a message for our off-year elections? I suggest that it does. If Americans can understand a threat in a faraway county, between people of whom we know nothing—as Neville Chamberlain said so unfortunately in 1938–they can understand a threat to the Constitution here at home, if Democrats explain it to them and keep hitting away at it non-stop from now to November 8th. Young people want student-loan forgiveness? Fine, but do they want it more than the Constitution? Black and Asian citizens want real progress toward equality? We are with them all the way, but we can’t move toward that goal if the Constitution is overthrown. Farmers need help, both in the market and in dealing with climate change? They certainly do, and the best assurance of getting them assistance is our democratic, constitutional system. None of this is rocket science, but the reality of the threat that democratic government faces has to be brought home, hard and often.
We often claim that Republicans and the media have normalized subversion and authoritarian tendencies, but have Democrats spoken out loudly and frequently enough against those tendencies? I say that we have not. Fortunately, the elections are six months away, so there is still time, if we start right now.
Rupert has thrown his lot in with Putin and is betting that he can turn America away from supporting Ukraine. The cult will follow his lead. How many others? It is a battle for the soul of America, may the greedy, old bastard lose this one.
I fear until we have a naive young citizen point out to all that the emperor walks among us naked and the scales fall from the eyes of so many, we will continue to suffer from a failure to recognize the absurd realities before us. I daily celebrate your efforts to be that brave young lad pointing out that the emperor wears no clothes. Thank you.
I’m afraid part of the problem is that Biden looks and sounds so old. Young people just can’t relate to some of that much older than are. To compensate for this he must have more galvanizing people around him. His staff is great but it’s not flashy. When he presents he should have students with him, speaking their cause In their own language. He should have Mallory from Michigan talking about how great he is. When he ran for office he ran as a team. Now he’s kind of out there all by himself.
It's hard to believe that Rand Paul graduated from Baylor and Duke Medical School. His positions and rantings are not those of someone who is well educated. Hard to see how he belongs in the senate. I wonder how the citizens of Kentucky can keep returning him as their senator.
I would attribute the decline in support among the youngest voters to the fact that progressives in Congress overpromised and under delivered. They assumed that they would ultimately be able to steamroll Manchin and Sinema, and that Biden would be a reliable ally in this effort. Unfortunately they failed, and this is the result. Young Democrats have received a valuable lesson in the realities of politics, and once they get over their disappointment, will be more effective as a result.
What you say about the VOX article is true, but these headline-grabbing articles affect the PERCEPTION in young voter’s minds, especially those who only read those headlines. R.Zavod
I am more of a Progressive than Biden is. And. I totally applaud his skillfull handling of stunningly complex issues that NO President has ever faced in the last century. Do the younger generation feel the Republicans would have supported their goals better? The wonderful Progressives whom I voted for until Biden was vs Trump, would NOT have won. How would the complex world we are in be if the Orange Team was still in power? Listen to Rand Paul and the Traitors and Liars who support the Big Lie and all the treasonous actions they are taking. Really now. Biden is as old as your grandfather, dear young ones, as is Trump and Sanders. The reality of who could win and lead is Biden. Get active, get out the vote and keep him there. It is our only hope of a more stable, progressive and fair agenda.
Wow. I can already see Cushman & Wakefield writhing under the bus. The T Organization: "We didn't do anything wrong. We just used the stats C&W gave us. It isn't our fault they used different numbers for different purposes".
Exactly, Robert: every citizen is a potential leader.
Really, the EU is calling it blackmail? That's a little rich as you can make a case that sanctions (on Russia) are blackmail. Mind you, I am totally supportive of all the existing, and even more, sanctions.
❤