As I've said a number of times, I agree with John Adams who said the worst evil to befall the Constitution would a two-party system. The winner-take-all "rules" of both houses of Congress that the party with 51% of the members gets 100% of the committee chairs and the Speaker and Majority Leader gets to have total say on what legislation will be presented and voted on is anti-democratic and stalemates the Congress too much of the time. Why not base the committee chairs on the ratio of the party member so the party with 51% of the membership gets 51% of the chairs using a process like what professional sports teams use for the player draft. I'd also get rid of the center aisle and seat members so party members intermingle. It is much harder to oppose the person sitting next to you than someone sitting across the table/aisle. Thar's one of the management techniques I used in the corporate world - sitting next to the person that was most likely to oppose me. Let's bring democracy into the Congress. Maybe start using ranked choice voting to pick the leadership... And, yes, fix the filabuster to having to have a majority to keep the fillabuster going rather than a majority to stop it. We, the People, all of us this time with a true representative democracy in both Houses of Congress.
A great idea but unfortunately government which is the largest business in the world is not run like a business and it’s really a circus with clowns and high wire acts all supported by campaign contributions and hidden agendas.
I'm not implying government should be run like a business. They are quite different animals. I do think some of the techniques of consensus building used by teams in the business world can be applied to government teams where getting to consensus in essential. When asked what party I belong to I say I'm a Synergist. The more perspectives and viewpoints we listen to helps us come up with better solutions for all than any one group might propose. The whole is greater than the sum of the parts. I call this AND thinking. Two extreme parties promotes OR thinking, us versus them, if one is up then the other is down, etc. If you are getting a bigger slice of the fixed pie than I'm getting less. Why not bake bigger pies together?
Politics today is about money and power who holds it and who doesn’t. If you look at the power in this country it’s all held by white wealthy men who have prejudices against people not like them. What is happening is the demographics in this country are changing and as a country we are becoming more diversified and less white and younger as the baby boomers are aging and dying. The world has changed and everything is global and it will take a new more integrated and diverse legislative body to undo the grid lock. We are moving in the right direction slowly.
I agree with you completely, but, in some cases, it isn't clear that people in government view teamwork as an asset. There is a great deal of egocentrism in both the legislature and the bureaucracy.
You don't think there isn't egocentrism in many corporations? I was very fortunate to work for a highly ethical Fortune 100 tech corporation which had two mottos -- "Do the right thing" and "Value differences". I would be resigning today if I were at Tesla!! We worked extremely hard at my company because we were motivated, enjoyed the exciting work we were doing, and knowing we were changing the world (and we did).
I know very well that egocentrism is a driver in many businesses and you cited an excellent example. I was fortunate to work for two of the best companies in the hotel industry and thoroughly enjoyed a long career.
Government is not business. It is sui generis, and good for that. Politicians should stand up and say, "Yes, I am a professional, and proud of it. Being a representative involves knowledge and experience and skills, and those are learned. Some people are better at it than others. The idea that anyone can be elected and walk into Congress (or the town council) and be effective is just bunk."
Boy, do we have enough proof of that. So much bunk in the Repub side of the aisle. MTG for example. However they can walk in and be total arses from the first hour.
Much of Congress would cheerfully stand up and say that if they thought it would get them votes. The fact that they'd be lying through their teeth wouldn't inhibit as many as it should.
I have to disagree, Cathy. When the United States was at the top of its influence, it was in important part because we then had two broad-based parties that overlapped. (The overlap was largely a historical accident from the Civil War, coupled with later developments, that left largely reactionary Southern Democrats in the same party with Northern liberals, while Republican heirs to the Progressives of the early 20th century were in with the big-business types.) That was when Congress was most collegial and work was done across the aisle. Could we get back to that? Perhaps, if a true conservative party can grow out of the ashes of the Republicans. But let's also realize that our present partisanship is not mandated by our system; it is, rather, the result of individual choices by millions of Americans. Would I like to be friends with those who disagree with me? Theoretically, yes. But if they don't believe women should have dominion over their lives, or that people of the same sex should be allowed to marry, or that some races or sects are superior to others, then count me out. At the same time, however, we need to have government. As my former representative, the great Barney Frank, said, "Politics is the name we give to the things we decide to do together." So we need to work with what we have.
Jon, I am not sure why you are disagreeing with Cathy. As I reread her post, it did not strike me that she was suggesting we don't need or want a two party system, but rather some balance in terms of representation when a party wins the majority of votes in a fair and equitable election. The issue seems to be one of how the congress operates, not about eliminating a conservative perspective.
At that point in history the two parties both attracted a wide range of ideologies from liberal to conservative. Today the two parties only represent only the two extreme ends - the very progressive left and the very conservative right. There is a vast middle where people like myself don't feel they have any representation at all. On the day of President Biden's Inauguration, Gallup poll on party affiliation said 25% of voters were Republican, 25% Democrat and 50% Independent. https://news.gallup.com/poll/15370/party-affiliation.aspx I don't want to be put in either extreme box that the two parties have evolved to right now. In 2016 my first choice and vote went to Gary Johnson and Bill Weld, two experienced, honest Republican governors running on the Libertarian ticket. I had already voted for Bill Weld twice for governor of Massachusetts.
I am not an extreme left Dem, I have never known any. Maybe I just root for the underdog because the Republican rich white men have ruled for much of my life (with a few exceptions). Samuel Gompers was the reason I became a Dem. Looking out for those with little and needing a voice. Best reason ever…
Cathy, I’d really be interested in hearing more specifically how or why you feel you don’t have any representation. Are you not benefiting by the good work the Biden administration has managed to do with such a slim margin? Improved healthcare benefits? Drug price negotiations? Educational opportunities? Climate initiatives? To name a few.
I regularly wonder how we managed to get to the point where parties reportedly too driven by “identity politics” while many seem to want to claim the middle/moderate ground, feel put off by “progressives” or “left leaning” Dems. And on the other side we have “right, extreme right,” “moderates republicans, etc.” And then there are what you referred to as “libertarians.” I am being serious here. In regard to policies, programs, and initiatives why do you feel not represented at the same time I do?And where do I fit? I prefer not to label anybody but if I need a label myself I would be “moderate, progressive, liberal” depending upon the issue or “scared to death & seeking reasonable initiatives that serve our common interests.”
Like not allowing gun manufacturers to get rich selling AR-15 weapons only to watch Uvalde, TX or Newtown, CT lived upended. And yes, it’s about more than assault weapons. How about a comprehensive approach to gives some measure of representation for all voices, particularly those who have given their life.
I seriously want to better understand how and why the middle majority feels unrepresented any more than the sea of different citizens?
John, First note that I live in Texas. My two US Senators are Ted Cruz and John Cornyn. My "representative" in the US House is Chip Roy. I doubt they agree with me on anything and certainly aren't working to better the well-being of anyone but their donors and the top 1%. The Governor of Texas is Greg Abbott who signed the "heartless" anti-abortion bounty hunter law to get around the US Constitution and did NOTHING but pass out DNA kits to the Uvalde parents so they could identify their mutilated children. Oh yes, he also promised to eliminate rape in Texas as his priority. My Texas state "representative" Andrew Murr wrote the permitless carry law. The Extreme Court has made me as a woman a second class citizen again. I am quite angry about that since I broke the glass ceiling in my career. Hopefully, the younger generations won't have to do that. Yes, the Biden administration has done some very good things. President Biden himself is a moderate and he's on the right track on building the economy from the bottom up and the middle out to address income disparity, but it will take several committed administrations to get anywhere with that. I feel stuffed in a very small box in either major party since I am fiscally conservative and socially liberal. President Biden is doing well in showing how the social programs are being paid for. I did vote for him but do not want to join one of the tribes even the Democrats. Does that begin to answer your question?
It is an excellent beginning. My regrets that you live in Texas as we see what Greg Abbott has done. Don’t forget, I believe he sent some immigrants to New York or Cape Cod, MA. As for being a fiscal conservative, you rightly point out that Biden has provided for funding to cover his plans. By contrast, the Republicans have cut taxes (mostly for the wealthy) adding to the deficit during the Reagan, Bush, & Trump presidency. Concurrently these administrations removed or abandon efforts to reduce emissions (Reagan, Bush, & Trump all did. I’m not sure but B. Clinton may have fallen short on that front.) And, after the Affordable Healthcare Act was passed the Republicans made 65 or 67 attempts to cut or eliminate it, while also pursuing numerous court cases to upend it. I can understand how anyone in TX feels unrepresented but I think one might not want to start from as a baseline to globally say “moderates aren’t represented.” Thank you for helping me understand.
John, I take your point that being from Texas doesn't mean all moderates aren't represented. Greg Abbott did more than send some immigrants to Massachusetts (I lived in Massachusetts for almost thirty years during my corporate career); he also sent Texas National Guard to the border costing the economy and taxpayers billions and accomplishing nothing. But at the national level I still don't see the leadership and vision we need. Citizens United has legalized corruption. That will take an amendment to the Constitution to fix that although the John Lewis Voting Rights Act would go a long way on campaign finance reform or at least transparency. Our mostly stalemated government, due to anti-democratic "rules" in the both houses of Congress is not doing enough about the Climate Conflagration. The Supreme Court is not protecting me and my freedoms. Indeed they are trying to set up a theocracy. I think we need a third Roosevelt (Teddy breaking up the monopolies and creating the National Parks; FDR and particularly Francis Perkins as Secretary of Labor giving us the New Deal) to address all these major issues. My dream is our country/government is measured on a Well Being Index equal or more important than GNP where all legislation must show how it improves the well-being of ALL the citizens. Thank you for your question. I appreciate getting to think and discuss this at a deeper level.
Thank you, Cathy!! Yes! Let's get to the point where democracy is working for us. The changes you offer would be a great start. Wait! Wait! Cathy's ideas are about important aspects of our governance, not simply sitting next to the opposition. Ranked choice voting and changes to or elimination of the filibuster are not corporate ideas. Let's not challenge ideas because of the source. We are talking about steps to take in our democratic institution, not a board of directors.
The fact that Trumski-dumbski went to the lengths of an actual official filing of candidacy papers with the FEC before his announcement tonight is proof of just how terrified he is, because doing so now means he is limited in funds that can be raised and must now report expenditures, and cannot coordinate with his buddies and their PACs, all of which he has been doing the past 18 months. He's so scared that this limitation on his ability to scam money from the morons is OK. "Look at me! I'm a for-real candidate! You can't go after me now! Witch hunt! Partisan political witch hunt!"
Which is just more of "I'll huff, and I'll puff, and I'll blow your house down!" Except he's 76 in bad health and can't walk ten feet, so his huffing and puffing won't even be noticeable.
And it won't stop the indictments, arrests and arraignments, not to mention the high bail amounts and the requirement he hand over his passport and shut down Trump Force One because otherwise he's a flight risk.
I'll be happier when I see some of the activities you describe in the closing paragraph TC. The election was posited as the last barrier to action by Mr. Garland and the state of GA and it is now, except for parts of CA, over. Time for the DoJ to fish or hand the pole to someone who will.
I haven't seen much commentary on what strikes me as a notable number of women being elected this past week. Their faces were everywhere! Like almost equal in numbers - sometimes on both sides of a race. It seemed notable to me. Times, they are a-changing!
Well, I’d like to see more women on the right show some solidarity with their sisters when it comes to women’s health care. I had Hope Susan Collins’ shallow embrace of Kavanaugh and Amy Comey- Barrett might get greater pushback.
The lame duck session should raise the debt limit first and foremost. I'd suggest doing it through January 2025. All the other worthwhile legislative efforts pale when considered in the light of a US default. The crazy wing of the Repubs will crash the car into the guardrails before they'll pull over and think about international consequences. Want to see middle America suffer? Just wait until the Fed has to pay a high risk premium on new debt - much being issued to meet obligations incurred under Trump.
Jeri, you are right. The bills that I listed either have support to overcome a veto or are not subject to the filibuster. Voting rights would be subject to the filibuster and does not have bipartisan support.
Might that not have changed a bit after the election and with Mr. Sasse leaving at the end of the session? Mr. Blunt might also be willing to make a departing gesture and I'm writing him to suggest that.
Thanks for the promised detailing of DeSantis abominations and the linking to Froomkin's article. I've printed both your letter and Froomkin's. Please keep up the scrutiny of DeSantis. I believe there is no way that Trump will end up the Republican nominee. I think we have to begin now to do everything we can to defeat DeSantis especially in Florida. I have a digital subscription to the Naples Daily News and will be reading it daily for opportunities to write letters to the editor. . If I can keep his misdeeds publicized on a continuous basis maybe it will hurt him even in heavily Republican Collier County. Your help is greatly appreciated.
Yeah, not only because reading your take, Robert, on that guy, shall we call him DeSatanist, is so satisfying, but because I don't have time to read all the papers to find those morsels. You are doing the heavy lifting - which is why I'm willing to pay for the pleasure of reading what you write!!!!
If I had Sen. Warnock’s ear, I’d whisper very loudly into it that the slogan for the last weeks of the campaign should be, “Don’t embarrass Georgia.” I wish that Sen. Warnock had told Walker during their debate that he (Walker) is just not qualified to be a senator, but there’s still time to make that point. (Another possible theme: “You wouldn’t put Raphael Warnock out on the field—don’t put Herschel Walker in the Senate.”)
On another subject, as I’m sure most readers know by now, it seems that the missile that fell in Poland yesterday was fired by Ukrainian forces trying to bring down a Russian missile. Good that Joe Biden did not try to make hay out of it before getting actual facts.
Yeah, the disgraced former president would have used it as a reason to praise Putin and condemn that man (actor/comedian) that caused his first impeachment! He has always, and consistently, been on the wrong side of decency and logic (not to mention truth) and it is nice to see Americans show their understanding of those qualities in leaders of our country and put their feet down.
I don’t understand the last paragraph under “Trumps legal jeopardy.” How can Trump fire Garland? Why do you say Garland’s days are numbered? Yes, the House will be somewhat radicalized but perhaps some will realize that Garland might be the one to get Trump removed from their lives.
If Trump is elected in 2024 and Garland is still engaged in a plodding investigation, Trump will appoint a new attorney general and fire Garland. The attorney general's term does not automatically end with the installation of a new president. So, the clock is ticking Garland's tenure--and it may be two years, not six.
Robert, Yes! You are correct. But, let’s begin this very moment with the positive outlook that Trump is not going to win in 2024. I have strong doubts he will even get the Party nomination. I’d consider Nikki Haley as a strong candidate who would definitely challenge whoever becomes the Democratic candidate. But yes, as you always do, we want to be realistic as always and not discount a criminal who has evade justice for his entire life,
While you quoted the Washington Post and NY Times headlines on Trump’s”big” announcement, you missed the best one. At the very bottom of the front page of the NY Post, it read: FLORIDA MAN MAKES ANNOUNCEMENT (See page 26)
Agree! I will discuss tonight! But I believe it was on page 16 of NYPost. As some commentators have noted, the reporter who wrote the article also covers car crashes and charity balls in NYC, so it was demoted from political news to "man bites dog" beat.
I live in Florida. I have for most of my life. I love this state. I am saddened by the turn that it has taken with its politics. That said, living through the likes of Jeb Bush, Republican version Charlie Crist, and Rick Scott, I can sadly say the worst of them all is Ron DeSantis (or as I refer to him, Ron DeSatan). I do not know much about David Faris, but his opinion piece (see link) has many valid points. It is my belief that well before 2024, DeSantis will be revealed as the Fascist wannabe dictator that he is. I certainly hope that even the most die-hard MAGA sycophants that are willing to rip their lips from Trump's rump will not turn to DeSantis as their king. I know moderates of all kinds will not and those of us that are farther to the left will do everything we can to see that he gets nowhere near 1600 Pennsylvania Ave.
I think something happen during the midterms that is starting to manifest itself across the country. The media before the elections were almost unanimous in predicting a “ red wave” based on historical history and polls that were in some cases flooded by Republicans. Very few journalists took the time to go into the field and actually interview voters themselves. They were lazy. The American public once again had reasons not to believe or trust the media because they got the election wrong on multiple levels. The media took another major creditably hit. Fast forward to the Trump announcement and as Robert mentioned the media is finally defining Trump for what he really is. Trump got a pass in 2016 from the media and partially in 2020 and because of the undeniable overwhelming evidence and potential criminal prosecutions awaiting him are finally telling it like it is. This is important because it’s the Independent and conservative moderate Republicans whose votes are required to re-elect Trump and based on the message Trump delivered last night his show is on reruns.
I missed yesterday so noting here, director Nahid Persson, Iran, documentary 'My Stolen Revolution' on Netflix (at least here) tells an intimate portrait of four women who survived the prison system after the revolution.
Persson directs very personal films from Sweden and also re-entering Iran.
Speaking of Iran, this week there was an excellent two-part American Experience on PBS about the hostage crisis and its origins. Our overthrow of Mossadegh in 1953, acquiescence to the Shah, the failed mission, and Jimmy Carter’s work to get the hostages released all the way up to the last hours before Reagan’s inauguration and his meeting with them after their release.
Thanks. I was not sure people would follow the connection between entropy and ignorance, but glad someone did. I am beginning to believe polls are anti democratic.
Thank you for the Dan Froomkin article pointing out the awfulness of DeSantis. I live in Florida - the guy is creepy. He is Trump all dressed up with a Harvard degree and can put complete sentences together. Please share the article with anyone you know who is relieved that there is an alternative candidate to DJT. At least now lots of folks are onto Trump. I hope it won’t take another 6 years to get the truth about DeSantis.
I recommend listening to Pod Save America and subscribing to Dan Pfeiffer’s newsletter The Message Box. More good stuff!
Pod Save America and The Daily are responsible podcasts.
Lawrence O'Donnell is my favorite news anchor (after Rachel pulled back to one day a week).
I think the Josh Marshall at Talking Points memo is the best political commentator around. If you are a paying subscriber to TPM, you have access to his "Editors Blog", which is just superb.
Jennifer Rubin at WaPo has been great for the last four years.
Two weeks before Nov. 8 Michael Moore’s daily on Substack and Tom Bonier & Simon Rosenberg’s early voter data on Target Smart pointed me to The Meidas Touch podcast which is excellent. Those sources moved me to divorce myself from most of MSNBC. Lawrence O’Donnell only one I never miss along with Rachel on Mondays. The now proven misleading “conventional wisdom” pushed by MSM about midterms was the catalyst for my avoiding most cable news shows. The Substack subscriptions: HCR, Robert Hubbell, TAFM (TCinLA), The Status Kuo, Joyce Vance are the best. YouTube has The Meidas Touch, Trevor Noah, and animal videos!
You subscribe to the same people I do! I rarely watch TV news, and when I do it's PBS Newshour, but sometimes it's just a repeat of what I've read in the morning. I also subscribe to Dan Rather (Steady).
You all have probably noticed that Substack has replaced the heart icon beneath comments with a number. I guess they acknowledged complaints about the heart icon not responding reliably. Let's hope the number will work better.
Well, I must walk that back. Apparently the heart button is here, along with numbers. That was not the case a few minutes ago. Sigh.
As I've said a number of times, I agree with John Adams who said the worst evil to befall the Constitution would a two-party system. The winner-take-all "rules" of both houses of Congress that the party with 51% of the members gets 100% of the committee chairs and the Speaker and Majority Leader gets to have total say on what legislation will be presented and voted on is anti-democratic and stalemates the Congress too much of the time. Why not base the committee chairs on the ratio of the party member so the party with 51% of the membership gets 51% of the chairs using a process like what professional sports teams use for the player draft. I'd also get rid of the center aisle and seat members so party members intermingle. It is much harder to oppose the person sitting next to you than someone sitting across the table/aisle. Thar's one of the management techniques I used in the corporate world - sitting next to the person that was most likely to oppose me. Let's bring democracy into the Congress. Maybe start using ranked choice voting to pick the leadership... And, yes, fix the filabuster to having to have a majority to keep the fillabuster going rather than a majority to stop it. We, the People, all of us this time with a true representative democracy in both Houses of Congress.
Awesome Cathy. Not just 'max-mix' seating, but real democratic decision making processes. Something valuable and intelligent might actually get done.
A great idea but unfortunately government which is the largest business in the world is not run like a business and it’s really a circus with clowns and high wire acts all supported by campaign contributions and hidden agendas.
I'm not implying government should be run like a business. They are quite different animals. I do think some of the techniques of consensus building used by teams in the business world can be applied to government teams where getting to consensus in essential. When asked what party I belong to I say I'm a Synergist. The more perspectives and viewpoints we listen to helps us come up with better solutions for all than any one group might propose. The whole is greater than the sum of the parts. I call this AND thinking. Two extreme parties promotes OR thinking, us versus them, if one is up then the other is down, etc. If you are getting a bigger slice of the fixed pie than I'm getting less. Why not bake bigger pies together?
Politics today is about money and power who holds it and who doesn’t. If you look at the power in this country it’s all held by white wealthy men who have prejudices against people not like them. What is happening is the demographics in this country are changing and as a country we are becoming more diversified and less white and younger as the baby boomers are aging and dying. The world has changed and everything is global and it will take a new more integrated and diverse legislative body to undo the grid lock. We are moving in the right direction slowly.
That Stephen is why we must eventually overturn Citizens United.
Exactly.
Excellent Cathy. I Synergist. Fabulous!
I agree with you completely, but, in some cases, it isn't clear that people in government view teamwork as an asset. There is a great deal of egocentrism in both the legislature and the bureaucracy.
You don't think there isn't egocentrism in many corporations? I was very fortunate to work for a highly ethical Fortune 100 tech corporation which had two mottos -- "Do the right thing" and "Value differences". I would be resigning today if I were at Tesla!! We worked extremely hard at my company because we were motivated, enjoyed the exciting work we were doing, and knowing we were changing the world (and we did).
I know very well that egocentrism is a driver in many businesses and you cited an excellent example. I was fortunate to work for two of the best companies in the hotel industry and thoroughly enjoyed a long career.
Government is not business. It is sui generis, and good for that. Politicians should stand up and say, "Yes, I am a professional, and proud of it. Being a representative involves knowledge and experience and skills, and those are learned. Some people are better at it than others. The idea that anyone can be elected and walk into Congress (or the town council) and be effective is just bunk."
Boy, do we have enough proof of that. So much bunk in the Repub side of the aisle. MTG for example. However they can walk in and be total arses from the first hour.
Much of Congress would cheerfully stand up and say that if they thought it would get them votes. The fact that they'd be lying through their teeth wouldn't inhibit as many as it should.
And we haven't had a lot of luck electing 'businesspeople' to run the government as a business. One can, and must, continue to hope for improvement.
Business is profits before anything else, at least in our iteration. Too much of that for the cretins who profess public service.
I have to disagree, Cathy. When the United States was at the top of its influence, it was in important part because we then had two broad-based parties that overlapped. (The overlap was largely a historical accident from the Civil War, coupled with later developments, that left largely reactionary Southern Democrats in the same party with Northern liberals, while Republican heirs to the Progressives of the early 20th century were in with the big-business types.) That was when Congress was most collegial and work was done across the aisle. Could we get back to that? Perhaps, if a true conservative party can grow out of the ashes of the Republicans. But let's also realize that our present partisanship is not mandated by our system; it is, rather, the result of individual choices by millions of Americans. Would I like to be friends with those who disagree with me? Theoretically, yes. But if they don't believe women should have dominion over their lives, or that people of the same sex should be allowed to marry, or that some races or sects are superior to others, then count me out. At the same time, however, we need to have government. As my former representative, the great Barney Frank, said, "Politics is the name we give to the things we decide to do together." So we need to work with what we have.
Jon, I am not sure why you are disagreeing with Cathy. As I reread her post, it did not strike me that she was suggesting we don't need or want a two party system, but rather some balance in terms of representation when a party wins the majority of votes in a fair and equitable election. The issue seems to be one of how the congress operates, not about eliminating a conservative perspective.
At that point in history the two parties both attracted a wide range of ideologies from liberal to conservative. Today the two parties only represent only the two extreme ends - the very progressive left and the very conservative right. There is a vast middle where people like myself don't feel they have any representation at all. On the day of President Biden's Inauguration, Gallup poll on party affiliation said 25% of voters were Republican, 25% Democrat and 50% Independent. https://news.gallup.com/poll/15370/party-affiliation.aspx I don't want to be put in either extreme box that the two parties have evolved to right now. In 2016 my first choice and vote went to Gary Johnson and Bill Weld, two experienced, honest Republican governors running on the Libertarian ticket. I had already voted for Bill Weld twice for governor of Massachusetts.
I am not an extreme left Dem, I have never known any. Maybe I just root for the underdog because the Republican rich white men have ruled for much of my life (with a few exceptions). Samuel Gompers was the reason I became a Dem. Looking out for those with little and needing a voice. Best reason ever…
Cathy, I’d really be interested in hearing more specifically how or why you feel you don’t have any representation. Are you not benefiting by the good work the Biden administration has managed to do with such a slim margin? Improved healthcare benefits? Drug price negotiations? Educational opportunities? Climate initiatives? To name a few.
I regularly wonder how we managed to get to the point where parties reportedly too driven by “identity politics” while many seem to want to claim the middle/moderate ground, feel put off by “progressives” or “left leaning” Dems. And on the other side we have “right, extreme right,” “moderates republicans, etc.” And then there are what you referred to as “libertarians.” I am being serious here. In regard to policies, programs, and initiatives why do you feel not represented at the same time I do?And where do I fit? I prefer not to label anybody but if I need a label myself I would be “moderate, progressive, liberal” depending upon the issue or “scared to death & seeking reasonable initiatives that serve our common interests.”
Like not allowing gun manufacturers to get rich selling AR-15 weapons only to watch Uvalde, TX or Newtown, CT lived upended. And yes, it’s about more than assault weapons. How about a comprehensive approach to gives some measure of representation for all voices, particularly those who have given their life.
I seriously want to better understand how and why the middle majority feels unrepresented any more than the sea of different citizens?
John, First note that I live in Texas. My two US Senators are Ted Cruz and John Cornyn. My "representative" in the US House is Chip Roy. I doubt they agree with me on anything and certainly aren't working to better the well-being of anyone but their donors and the top 1%. The Governor of Texas is Greg Abbott who signed the "heartless" anti-abortion bounty hunter law to get around the US Constitution and did NOTHING but pass out DNA kits to the Uvalde parents so they could identify their mutilated children. Oh yes, he also promised to eliminate rape in Texas as his priority. My Texas state "representative" Andrew Murr wrote the permitless carry law. The Extreme Court has made me as a woman a second class citizen again. I am quite angry about that since I broke the glass ceiling in my career. Hopefully, the younger generations won't have to do that. Yes, the Biden administration has done some very good things. President Biden himself is a moderate and he's on the right track on building the economy from the bottom up and the middle out to address income disparity, but it will take several committed administrations to get anywhere with that. I feel stuffed in a very small box in either major party since I am fiscally conservative and socially liberal. President Biden is doing well in showing how the social programs are being paid for. I did vote for him but do not want to join one of the tribes even the Democrats. Does that begin to answer your question?
It is an excellent beginning. My regrets that you live in Texas as we see what Greg Abbott has done. Don’t forget, I believe he sent some immigrants to New York or Cape Cod, MA. As for being a fiscal conservative, you rightly point out that Biden has provided for funding to cover his plans. By contrast, the Republicans have cut taxes (mostly for the wealthy) adding to the deficit during the Reagan, Bush, & Trump presidency. Concurrently these administrations removed or abandon efforts to reduce emissions (Reagan, Bush, & Trump all did. I’m not sure but B. Clinton may have fallen short on that front.) And, after the Affordable Healthcare Act was passed the Republicans made 65 or 67 attempts to cut or eliminate it, while also pursuing numerous court cases to upend it. I can understand how anyone in TX feels unrepresented but I think one might not want to start from as a baseline to globally say “moderates aren’t represented.” Thank you for helping me understand.
John, I take your point that being from Texas doesn't mean all moderates aren't represented. Greg Abbott did more than send some immigrants to Massachusetts (I lived in Massachusetts for almost thirty years during my corporate career); he also sent Texas National Guard to the border costing the economy and taxpayers billions and accomplishing nothing. But at the national level I still don't see the leadership and vision we need. Citizens United has legalized corruption. That will take an amendment to the Constitution to fix that although the John Lewis Voting Rights Act would go a long way on campaign finance reform or at least transparency. Our mostly stalemated government, due to anti-democratic "rules" in the both houses of Congress is not doing enough about the Climate Conflagration. The Supreme Court is not protecting me and my freedoms. Indeed they are trying to set up a theocracy. I think we need a third Roosevelt (Teddy breaking up the monopolies and creating the National Parks; FDR and particularly Francis Perkins as Secretary of Labor giving us the New Deal) to address all these major issues. My dream is our country/government is measured on a Well Being Index equal or more important than GNP where all legislation must show how it improves the well-being of ALL the citizens. Thank you for your question. I appreciate getting to think and discuss this at a deeper level.
Thank you, Cathy!! Yes! Let's get to the point where democracy is working for us. The changes you offer would be a great start. Wait! Wait! Cathy's ideas are about important aspects of our governance, not simply sitting next to the opposition. Ranked choice voting and changes to or elimination of the filibuster are not corporate ideas. Let's not challenge ideas because of the source. We are talking about steps to take in our democratic institution, not a board of directors.
The fact that Trumski-dumbski went to the lengths of an actual official filing of candidacy papers with the FEC before his announcement tonight is proof of just how terrified he is, because doing so now means he is limited in funds that can be raised and must now report expenditures, and cannot coordinate with his buddies and their PACs, all of which he has been doing the past 18 months. He's so scared that this limitation on his ability to scam money from the morons is OK. "Look at me! I'm a for-real candidate! You can't go after me now! Witch hunt! Partisan political witch hunt!"
Which is just more of "I'll huff, and I'll puff, and I'll blow your house down!" Except he's 76 in bad health and can't walk ten feet, so his huffing and puffing won't even be noticeable.
And it won't stop the indictments, arrests and arraignments, not to mention the high bail amounts and the requirement he hand over his passport and shut down Trump Force One because otherwise he's a flight risk.
I'll be happier when I see some of the activities you describe in the closing paragraph TC. The election was posited as the last barrier to action by Mr. Garland and the state of GA and it is now, except for parts of CA, over. Time for the DoJ to fish or hand the pole to someone who will.
I haven't seen much commentary on what strikes me as a notable number of women being elected this past week. Their faces were everywhere! Like almost equal in numbers - sometimes on both sides of a race. It seemed notable to me. Times, they are a-changing!
Progressive, democracy-supporting women, who defeated a few female fascists in the mix!
Well, I’d like to see more women on the right show some solidarity with their sisters when it comes to women’s health care. I had Hope Susan Collins’ shallow embrace of Kavanaugh and Amy Comey- Barrett might get greater pushback.
The NYT has has been continually bland about criticizing Republican antics and unsupportive of Biden.
That has been annoying me no end. The "newspaper of record" is not treating all sides the same way.
Then, I think our recourse is to write letters to the editor - both the managerial editors and the opinion editors,
Definitely!!
The lame duck session should raise the debt limit first and foremost. I'd suggest doing it through January 2025. All the other worthwhile legislative efforts pale when considered in the light of a US default. The crazy wing of the Repubs will crash the car into the guardrails before they'll pull over and think about international consequences. Want to see middle America suffer? Just wait until the Fed has to pay a high risk premium on new debt - much being issued to meet obligations incurred under Trump.
Voting Rights Act should be near the top
Jeri, you are right. The bills that I listed either have support to overcome a veto or are not subject to the filibuster. Voting rights would be subject to the filibuster and does not have bipartisan support.
Might that not have changed a bit after the election and with Mr. Sasse leaving at the end of the session? Mr. Blunt might also be willing to make a departing gesture and I'm writing him to suggest that.
All 4 of those actions should be near the top. Schumer has apparently scheduled a vote on the Respect for Marriage Act today.
Near.
Thanks for the promised detailing of DeSantis abominations and the linking to Froomkin's article. I've printed both your letter and Froomkin's. Please keep up the scrutiny of DeSantis. I believe there is no way that Trump will end up the Republican nominee. I think we have to begin now to do everything we can to defeat DeSantis especially in Florida. I have a digital subscription to the Naples Daily News and will be reading it daily for opportunities to write letters to the editor. . If I can keep his misdeeds publicized on a continuous basis maybe it will hurt him even in heavily Republican Collier County. Your help is greatly appreciated.
Yeah, not only because reading your take, Robert, on that guy, shall we call him DeSatanist, is so satisfying, but because I don't have time to read all the papers to find those morsels. You are doing the heavy lifting - which is why I'm willing to pay for the pleasure of reading what you write!!!!
If I had Sen. Warnock’s ear, I’d whisper very loudly into it that the slogan for the last weeks of the campaign should be, “Don’t embarrass Georgia.” I wish that Sen. Warnock had told Walker during their debate that he (Walker) is just not qualified to be a senator, but there’s still time to make that point. (Another possible theme: “You wouldn’t put Raphael Warnock out on the field—don’t put Herschel Walker in the Senate.”)
On another subject, as I’m sure most readers know by now, it seems that the missile that fell in Poland yesterday was fired by Ukrainian forces trying to bring down a Russian missile. Good that Joe Biden did not try to make hay out of it before getting actual facts.
Yeah, the disgraced former president would have used it as a reason to praise Putin and condemn that man (actor/comedian) that caused his first impeachment! He has always, and consistently, been on the wrong side of decency and logic (not to mention truth) and it is nice to see Americans show their understanding of those qualities in leaders of our country and put their feet down.
I don’t understand the last paragraph under “Trumps legal jeopardy.” How can Trump fire Garland? Why do you say Garland’s days are numbered? Yes, the House will be somewhat radicalized but perhaps some will realize that Garland might be the one to get Trump removed from their lives.
If Trump is elected in 2024 and Garland is still engaged in a plodding investigation, Trump will appoint a new attorney general and fire Garland. The attorney general's term does not automatically end with the installation of a new president. So, the clock is ticking Garland's tenure--and it may be two years, not six.
Robert, Yes! You are correct. But, let’s begin this very moment with the positive outlook that Trump is not going to win in 2024. I have strong doubts he will even get the Party nomination. I’d consider Nikki Haley as a strong candidate who would definitely challenge whoever becomes the Democratic candidate. But yes, as you always do, we want to be realistic as always and not discount a criminal who has evade justice for his entire life,
Surely Garland will increase his gait to a gallop down the road.
I think because of the time it takes to prosecute cases. Just in case Dems don't win in 2024.
While you quoted the Washington Post and NY Times headlines on Trump’s”big” announcement, you missed the best one. At the very bottom of the front page of the NY Post, it read: FLORIDA MAN MAKES ANNOUNCEMENT (See page 26)
Agree! I will discuss tonight! But I believe it was on page 16 of NYPost. As some commentators have noted, the reporter who wrote the article also covers car crashes and charity balls in NYC, so it was demoted from political news to "man bites dog" beat.
I live in Florida. I have for most of my life. I love this state. I am saddened by the turn that it has taken with its politics. That said, living through the likes of Jeb Bush, Republican version Charlie Crist, and Rick Scott, I can sadly say the worst of them all is Ron DeSantis (or as I refer to him, Ron DeSatan). I do not know much about David Faris, but his opinion piece (see link) has many valid points. It is my belief that well before 2024, DeSantis will be revealed as the Fascist wannabe dictator that he is. I certainly hope that even the most die-hard MAGA sycophants that are willing to rip their lips from Trump's rump will not turn to DeSantis as their king. I know moderates of all kinds will not and those of us that are farther to the left will do everything we can to see that he gets nowhere near 1600 Pennsylvania Ave.
https://www.msn.com/en-us/news/politics/ron-desantis-is-not-the-answer-for-republicans/ar-AA14blBb?cvid=2c4c4920f1cd4b5eb488b9fac419f777
I think something happen during the midterms that is starting to manifest itself across the country. The media before the elections were almost unanimous in predicting a “ red wave” based on historical history and polls that were in some cases flooded by Republicans. Very few journalists took the time to go into the field and actually interview voters themselves. They were lazy. The American public once again had reasons not to believe or trust the media because they got the election wrong on multiple levels. The media took another major creditably hit. Fast forward to the Trump announcement and as Robert mentioned the media is finally defining Trump for what he really is. Trump got a pass in 2016 from the media and partially in 2020 and because of the undeniable overwhelming evidence and potential criminal prosecutions awaiting him are finally telling it like it is. This is important because it’s the Independent and conservative moderate Republicans whose votes are required to re-elect Trump and based on the message Trump delivered last night his show is on reruns.
I missed yesterday so noting here, director Nahid Persson, Iran, documentary 'My Stolen Revolution' on Netflix (at least here) tells an intimate portrait of four women who survived the prison system after the revolution.
Persson directs very personal films from Sweden and also re-entering Iran.
Speaking of Iran, this week there was an excellent two-part American Experience on PBS about the hostage crisis and its origins. Our overthrow of Mossadegh in 1953, acquiescence to the Shah, the failed mission, and Jimmy Carter’s work to get the hostages released all the way up to the last hours before Reagan’s inauguration and his meeting with them after their release.
Robert- I love this line! "Two years out, polls are worse than meaningless. Like entropy, they are a measure of our ignorance."
I want this to go viral!
Thanks. I was not sure people would follow the connection between entropy and ignorance, but glad someone did. I am beginning to believe polls are anti democratic.
I'm with you on the polls. Seems to me they are being created with the intention skewing public opinion, not reporting it.
Thank you for the Dan Froomkin article pointing out the awfulness of DeSantis. I live in Florida - the guy is creepy. He is Trump all dressed up with a Harvard degree and can put complete sentences together. Please share the article with anyone you know who is relieved that there is an alternative candidate to DJT. At least now lots of folks are onto Trump. I hope it won’t take another 6 years to get the truth about DeSantis.
I recommend listening to Pod Save America and subscribing to Dan Pfeiffer’s newsletter The Message Box. More good stuff!
What do you recommend for watching/listening news that's not breathless "sky is falling," or false equivalency? Something like Robert Hubble live :-)
Pod Save America and The Daily are responsible podcasts.
Lawrence O'Donnell is my favorite news anchor (after Rachel pulled back to one day a week).
I think the Josh Marshall at Talking Points memo is the best political commentator around. If you are a paying subscriber to TPM, you have access to his "Editors Blog", which is just superb.
Jennifer Rubin at WaPo has been great for the last four years.
Do others want to weigh in?
Two weeks before Nov. 8 Michael Moore’s daily on Substack and Tom Bonier & Simon Rosenberg’s early voter data on Target Smart pointed me to The Meidas Touch podcast which is excellent. Those sources moved me to divorce myself from most of MSNBC. Lawrence O’Donnell only one I never miss along with Rachel on Mondays. The now proven misleading “conventional wisdom” pushed by MSM about midterms was the catalyst for my avoiding most cable news shows. The Substack subscriptions: HCR, Robert Hubbell, TAFM (TCinLA), The Status Kuo, Joyce Vance are the best. YouTube has The Meidas Touch, Trevor Noah, and animal videos!
You subscribe to the same people I do! I rarely watch TV news, and when I do it's PBS Newshour, but sometimes it's just a repeat of what I've read in the morning. I also subscribe to Dan Rather (Steady).
You all have probably noticed that Substack has replaced the heart icon beneath comments with a number. I guess they acknowledged complaints about the heart icon not responding reliably. Let's hope the number will work better.
Well, I must walk that back. Apparently the heart button is here, along with numbers. That was not the case a few minutes ago. Sigh.