I'd have probably tripped over that sandbag too and I'm younger than Joe. Come on Secret Service there is a thing called gaff tape for crying out loud!!! AND he kept his sense of humor about the whole thing!!!
He is so amazing. Quietly goes about the business of creating opportunities for all Americans with no fanfare, and has a sense of humor at his own expense. Love this guy!
I am 15 years younger than Biden and I tripped walking across a parking lot. I was ok, just a black eye. Like Biden I got up and walked away and continued with my day. Even drove. All I had was a black eye. And eternal gratitude that no one was filming.
I'm 16 years younger. I was trying to put my jeans on 2 years ago and my foot got caught up in the waistband. No matter what I did, I couldn't catch myself. A week later I had surgery to put my humerus bone back up and under my shoulder joint, my shoulder joint needed pulled forward in order to do that, a plate and a whole lot of screws later....I live to tell the tale. I've tripped over countless cracks in the sidewalk, too. Once on Main St while wearing my, "I got Crabs" t-shirt. Lotta horn honking as I brushed myself off....hahaa
TFG would have attacked the person who made the sandbag, the one who filled the sandbag, and the one who placed the sandbag. And for good measure, he'd have attacked his own security detail for not protecting him from the sandbag. I'm glad Biden is okay.
“Ensuring that it will never happen again involves regaining control of Congress in 2024 and retaining the presidency. We can do that—and the GOP’s use of the debt ceiling to engage in financial terrorism should boost Democratic chances of achieving those goals.”
Three words of advice to the Democrats: Messaging, messaging, messaging.
Please hire someone really good to do this. Maybe those in charge of the messaging that came out of the House Jan. 6th Committee?
I want to see clear, concise, honest, understandable, and consistent messaging. And I want to see it on every network, in every newspaper, and on every news site online. Over and over and over for the next 17.25 months.
Poor Gerald Ford. His party could never overcome the Saturday Night Live skits. Trump is not far behind Joe in age, and if he tripped, he would roll. DeSantis is mean, mean, mean. Thank heavens for Joe Biden!
Jim, I keep thinking if it had been 45 who did the tripping, the press would have been all over it draped in concern over 45's well being as they speculated about the advisability of his seeking medical attention to make sure he wasn't permanently scarred from the ordeal.
You are a brilliant tenderhearted man who can inform
in a way that speaks tenderly while giving the news in a way that never offends when tough truth is called for.thank you for the many hours of reading you have graced me with.
Who isn't likely to trip over an object? Human beings have bodies subject to gravity and objects get in the way of bodies. The better question is why didn't one of the people in charge of protecting the POTUS make sure there was no object in his way? He's lucky he didn't break his hip. Anyone over 45 would be at risk of tripping over a sandbag. What the heck was one doing in our President's way?
Of course, by all rights, the press should be focusing on Biden's ability to stand in the sun for two hours. My father, bless his heart, is 85 years old, in pretty good health, and he could never do that! For that matter, neither could I!!
You're expecting the overpaid, over-educated, under-intelligent, otherwise-unemployable trust fund babies of the Press Corpse to have brains? A fact not in evidence!
I am going to treat President Biden's fall like we did Let's Go Brandon" and "Ok Boomer." ; with humor. Then what I always do I shift is to President Biden's accomplishments. In addition, I always say "President Biden". It elevates him immediately and reinforces the concept of him as Presidential.
Also.
Here is my quick go to list of President Biden's accomplishments courtesy of Simon Rosenberg. I tweak it with updates from time to time:
Dems = growth, lower deficits, progress for workers and families
Rs = recession, higher deficits, American decline
Joe Biden has a been a good President. The country is better off today.
Biden's 12.6m jobs is 6 times as many jobs as were created in the 16 years of the last 3 Republican Presidencies, combined.
• 33.8m jobs - 16 years of Clinton, Obama
• 12.6m jobs - 26 months of Biden
• 1.9m jobs - 16 years of Bush, Bush and Trump
The Biden economic track record, on the other hand, has been very strong:
• GDP growth over 3%, 3 times what it was under Trump
• 6 times as many Biden jobs as last 3 GOP Presidents combined
• best COVID recovery in G7
• lowest unemployment rate in peacetime economy since WWII
• lowest poverty/uninsured rates ever
• very elevated wage gains/new business starts
• 2 job openings per unemployed person, a record
• real earnings up in 2022
• the deficit went up every year under Trump and has come down every year under Biden
• domestic oil production on track to set records in 2023
• historic investments in our future prosperity (infrastructure, CHIPs, climate, health care)
Good advice about referring to our leader as "President Biden," whenever we mention him. Conversely, after TFG began his incessant whining after his inauguration's crowd size, I stopped giving him the benefit of the doubt and eventually refused to put "President" in front of his name. Now, he's "TFG," (the former guy). I can't even stand his name. I refer to his occupancy of the White House as an unpresidented period in American History.
Good list and I am also calling him President. He’s earned our respect in so many ways and is under appreciated. That part has to change. That won’t happen by listening to Fox News.
There were many protests yesterday. Scott Maxwell at the Orlando Sentinel analyzed the bill. The GOP never really wanted to crack down, especially on employers. What a mess…
This article does not give labor costs as a percentage of what you pay at the store. That cost is trivial, around 15 cents on the dollar. Farm workers are paid peanuts. In her book, The American Way of Eating, Tracie McMillan, who worked with immigrant farmers in the Central Valley reported that they were earning $2-$3/hour.
Of course being in Florida, I worry the Governor DiSaster will be the Republican nominee, with then a good chance of becoming President. He is so good at dismantling democracy here in Florida, his messaging is excellent, and I really think that progressives and moderates underestimate his abilities in the same way that we did with Trump.
So rather that MAGA tide cresting, I fear it is taking on a new and more effective form.
I agree that media portrayals of Biden are unfair at best, and at most, destructive.
I always wonder what the best ways are to counter those messages and hold media accountable for those negative portrayals. Usually it is to change the characterization of the message, rather than argue with it.
I know that many in the media blame themselves for failing to portray Trump accurately and helping him get elected. They hammered Hillary for her "emails", and barely mentioned Trump's ongoing business corruption. We should be pushing them to learn their lesson now.
I view Today's Edition Newsletters as a wonderful call to action to figure that out.
Hi, Judy. Yes, we should not underestimate DeSantis-or any Republican candidate. But it's too early to declare DeSantis victorious, or effective. He got no bump from his campaign announcement--something that almost always happens with serious candidates. And every day brings a new "goofy" video of DeSantis acting like a bobblehead giveaway toy. I can't explain his blowout victory in Florida, but I do know that no other state wants to be told that his plan is to make those states like Florida. It's offensive and insulting to other states to be told that Florida is superior to them. So, we shouldn't underestimate DeSantis, but we shouldn't ascribe to him abilities or skills he does not possess.
I watched all those videos of Gov. Disaster, because Nikki posts every single one with a wonderful comment. But for example, I saw the most recent where DeSantis told off a reporter, the same thing Trump did, which does attract the base of voters he is trying to appeal to. It does not appeal to you and me, because in our mind he looks ridiculous, but to people who resent "elites" or "libs", they love it. Trump appears upset because DeSantis has steadily coopted the "Woke" characterization of those of us who espouse civil rights, and used that to eliminate curriculum from schools, fire university personnel and install his own, (I won't list everything, my fingers are getting tired), and he has gerrymandered the legislature to get everything passed with his supermajority. His gerrymandering went further than that of the legislature, which is probably responsible for the Republican bare majority in the house.
This guy is very dangerous, and the best thing Floridians can do is to keep the pressure on to warn the rest of the country about what he is capable of doing.
And yes, I agree with you, Florida can and is engaged in a comeback. And I think it is possible and doable with our new leadership.
I don't know if MAGA FASCISM is "cresting" or not. Hard to measure. There are positive signs that many Americans have had "enough!". But we ignore at our peril the authoritarian bigotry and hate that exist in many states where things are getting worse not better.
Millions of Floridians LOVE DeSantis and his war on people. They are angry at people who are not just like them. They blame "others" for their misfortunes rather than looking inward or even looking at their own party for the sources of their disenfranchisement. It's like a kid loving the father who beats him daily. They are in a bubble of denial - an echo chamber of naivete.
This is a war of cultures. And it's not civil. It's a battle between inclusiveness, compassion and empathy - and intolerance, ignorance and selfishness.
Thanks, Bill. I hope nothing I wrote suggested that we should ignore the MAGA voters. But we should also be cautious about overstating their numbers or power.
Here are the facts: 4.6 million people voted for DeSantis in 2022, 3.2 million people voted against him. But there are 15.5 million people eligible to vote in Florida--of which DeSantis / Republicans suppressed at least 1 million votes. The fact of the matter is that 8 million people who did not vote in Florida in 2022 decided the election. So, I think we should be cautious in declaring that the people of Florida love DeSantis. A more accurate statement is that 30% of eligible voters in Florida voted for DeSantis. After that anti-immigration bill, the fight with Disney, the 6 week abortion ban, and the constant attacks on LGBTQ people and Black Americans, I believe that many who voted for him are reconsidering their vote. That was my point.
Florida is a Southern state, the third to succeed from the union. People forget that. We liberals and progressives have developed no strategy to work with Red States. I think Gov Newsome is trying, or at least he says he is.
We have a new Chair of the Florida Dem Party, (FDP). She is young and politically talented. She is reorganizing the party and energizing those of us who are in it. Many Floridians vote democratic and have been demoralized about the lack of organization and divisiveness within the party, and I have hopes now that this is changing.
Republicans have been involved in local politics and local communities in these types of areas for decades, with the result that white lower- and working-class people, rural Americans and evangelicals are now a solid Republican base, with the most bigoted and authoritarian of them in the South. (Think: Christian Nationalism marries former slave states to become White Christian Nationalism) It is a lot to combat.
That is DeSantis in a nutshell. I just think we have to figure out a way to chip away at this base, without lecturing moralizing or "educating" people.
See my note above. DeSantis won in 2022 with 4.6 million votes in a population of 15.5 million voters. Democrats ran a weak candidate--a former Republican-- who failed to inspire our base. We can and will win Florida in the next decade. Let's not give up (and I recognize you are not saying we should).
We have family in Brevard County. And friends in Volusia. And for many years we were "snow birds". We had a seasonal business in Maine and loved our family/ocean/down time in the winters. Now we visit for short stays of perhaps 10 days. It feels like such a different place.
I was stunned by how badly Charlie Christ did against DeSantis. Florida had a history of supporting "centerist" politicians like Bob Graham who were more uniters than dividers. It was a measure of something that Crist lost so badly.
And the thing that still boggles my mind is how in the world did the CEO of a company that perpetrated the greatest Medicare Fraud in history manage to salvage a political career. If Scott isn't a crook, he is certainly incompetent. OY!
First of all, Bill, the Democratic party in Florida was toothless. No support. If a talented person like Val Demings could not beat little Marco, you know there is something wrong here. Second, there is now finally some pushback in deep red counties. I am not sure if you read about the school board meeting in Hernando but it was fabulous. Here is a link that should be accessible to all: https://wapo.st/3oGSPSI
I had this story in mind when I wrote the title to today's newsletter about MAGA cresting, but didn't have time to include a discussion of the article. I highly recommend the article to everyone. Thanks for sharing an accessible link.
Losing the working class is Democrats' fault, in large part for supporting ***too much*** immigration, and for not opposing illegal immigration. Immigrants from third world countries are happy to do the jobs American workers once did, for lower pay.
Meanwhile, lately the GOP took a harder line on immigration. It was Trump's signature issue, and he, unlike the big biz GOPers, who wanted the cheap labor, understood that American workers were losing their jobs to immigrants. But he lacked the focus, or something, to pass a national, mandatory E-Verify in 2017, when a bill passed the House comfortably. It did not pass the Senate.
The Dems need to reformulate their immigration policy to get the working class on board.
David, my take on your framing of the issue is that the Democrats did not in fact support too much immigration. The Democrats have failed to frame any coherent response to the GOP attack on Democrats, nor work on reorganizing the immigration/worker visa programs to control immigration in a lawful and humane manner.
Instead, Democrats have allowed the "immigrants are taking your job" narrative to prevail.. Here in Florida, it is really big Ag and building contractors who are exploiting undocumented workers. These people are not Democrats.
Yes we have an illegal employer problem. I never hear the GOP talk about prosecuting the businesses who hire non-citizens or people without green cards, work visas etc., which is against the law. If there are workers that can be exploited then the GOP loves it, illegal or not. Even better if people are vulnerable and have no recourse to unions and other regulations.
This discussion may be far afield from what Mr. Hubbell envisions, but it is interesting, nonetheless.
Whatever mistakes some Democrats made regarding how they approached immigration, I think an analysis that blames the loss of working people to those mistakes made on immigration legislation is not useful. It is my view that there has been a decades long campaign by people like Robert Mercer, the Koch Bros, Enterprise Inst., etc. to court rural people, low and moderate white voters, and evangelical Christians to gain their minority extreme right "base" that is now the Republican Party. And they used whatever issue they could, married it to a vulnerable minority group, created what we now call a culture war and messaged it. In Nazi Germany it was called scapegoating.
They took over as much of local govt. as possible, then ultimately statehouses, so that they could gerrymander and take over the national legislature. That is why we have divided govt where a minority of extremists have way more power than their numbers should allow.
The mistakes Democrats made was to fail to recognize and respond in kind to the decades long right wing plan, not on mistakes Democrats made with immigration legislation. This, in my view, is the same thing as blaming all Democrats because Manchin and Sinema who blocked votes on police reform and voter protection laws. Once Democrats frame an issue in a manner that blames Democrats for an inability to advance that issue, I think we depress Democratic turnout, and ultimately stop us from getting enough Democrats in office to be able to get issues passed that we care about.
I understand Ted Kennedy completely regretted deep sixing Medicare for All, since Nixon would have signed on. Instead, we now have a too expensive ACA that still leaves people out of health care. Is that the fault of Democrats? And remember, Nixon is the last one to propose a guaranteed income, until Biden and the Democrats did in the Rescue Plan.
Long story short (too late), I may agree with you regarding that immigration legislation, but I do not extend that disagreement to blaming that mistake for driving voters to the republicans.
I agree with your last paragraph. Democrats need to reformulate their immigration policy. But not for the red herring you have tossed in. We need MORE immigrants because we are desperately short of workers in all manner of industry and agriculture.
Immigrants haven't "taken" anyone's jobs. Native Americans either don't want to work in fields or slaughterhouses or don't need to in a vibrant economy that offers them better jobs.
Stopping immigration by cutting the supply is just like the war on drugs. The wrong approach to a false problem.
The new "chips" factories to be built will not have the employees to staff them.
I think while you are well intentioned, you are buying the Oligarchs propaganda.
You're buying into the oligarchs' propaganda. Why do you think Big Biz backs more immigration? Why do you think the Koch organization supports it? It's all about bringing in lots of easily exploitable immigrants who will provide cheap labor!
In 1980, meat packers were Black, and made good middle class wages. By that decade's end, they were immigrants, toiling for barely more than minimum wage, under atrocious conditions where amputations were common. Similar changes were wrought throughout the trades and the low/no-skilled jobs. And in silicon valley. Why do you think Zuckerberg strongly supports bringing in foreign workers? It's not because there's a lack of American tech workers, but they are having a terrible time finding jobs because the companies all want the cheaper, more pliable foreign tech workers. It's all about wanting to pay shit wages.
The labor participation rate is very low right now. If it were as high as it was in 2000, 6 million more American workers would have jobs. But they're not counted because they have been so discouraged that they aren't looking for jobs.
Read Back of the Hiring Line: A 200-Year History of Immigration Surges, Employer Bias, and Depression of Black Wealth.
Bill, I've been steeped in immigration for the last 25 years.
I don't think DeSaster will be elected. But, even (God Forbid) if he were, he would not find the compliant and weak-minded people that he has in the Florida statehouse who passed every stupid thing he wanted. There would be pushback in the House and Senate and Mr. Thin Skin would embarrass himself daily with his rantings.
Hope you are right. It depends upon how well Democrats do in 2024. My own prediction is that so long as Biden's health holds up, the Democrats have done very well with messaging and in recapturing the momentum, particularly in the swing states. So I think we should be ok. I think it would be so helpful if we could start to put up fights in red states to force Republicans to protect their power there.
How does DeSantis stand a good chance of becoming President? What data are you seeing that supports this? Is the media adoring him like they did trump? Is he doing well out in the States?
"Adults in the room"--by all means. Yet, many do not even grasp that. Per Simon Rosenberg, D leaders and grassroots must become "information warriors". J Vance today rings a 5 - alarm bell: people are not "seeing" the fascism.
100% agree. I don't every get sucked into a culture war discussion such as President Biden's age. Simon Rosenberg is a great source for facts/data. I am not sure people will grasp the fascist MAGAs' intent because it hasn't really come into fruition yet.
Maybe we do an end run. Focus on President Biden's statements such as his Philadelphia speech content and his accomplishments.
gQp: looks like fascism, tastes like fascism, smells like fascism, goosesteps like fascism, votes for fascism, governs like fascism, delivers judgements like fascism...
"Florida destroys itself." I'm good with that. Let all the gator-bait white trash and the senile ex-New Yokka's in The Villages all reap what they sow.
Tell us how you really feel. There are more retired individuals living across Florida outside of the villages who are good people. Blame poor Democratic leadership and poor get out the vote strategies not the good people living in horror in Florida
"Give me your tired, your poor, Your huddled masses yearning to breathe free, The wretched refuse of your teeming shore." into
"Give me your rich, your rested, your privileged masses yearning for a tee. The wretched refuse whom you never see, are at your beck and call across our shores, and we will make them suffer even more."
Awesome news letter today. Eloquent. Powerful. Moving. Thank you. I post your newsletters everywhere I can with the hopes of educating others and steering them in your direction.
In April, Kevin McCarthy persuaded moderate Republicans to vote for the MAGA spending cut package ("Limit, Save, Grow Act") even though they did not support many of its provisions, particularly repeal of tax incentives and subsidies that are popular in their home districts. Mr. McCarthy's plea was that the party needed to project unity.
But when the real debt-limit bill ("Fiscal Responsibility Act") came to the floor, unity was no longer a priority. With 79 (!) "No" votes from MAGA, the moderates were again being asked to vote for something they didn't fully support, this time a bill with fewer cuts than they wanted. Worse, it's a bill with more Democratic votes than from their own party.
The question is, with moderate Republicans having been manipulated by Kevin McCarthy twice on the same issue, and MAGA being furious at Mr. McCarthy for betraying them on that issue as well, isn't he vulnerable to being removed as Speaker? More specifically, couldn't the same bipartisan majority that passed the debt limit bill also pass a motion to vacate the chair and elect a moderate Republican Speaker?
( I represent a network of ordinary citizens who have been opposed to Kevin McCarthy becoming Speaker since early last December, and have been working to see him replaced ever since. We are urging both moderate Republicans and Democratic leaders to take this step. You can learn more here: https://www.FeathersOfHope.net or here: JerryWeiss.substack.com )
Hi, Jerry. First, thanks for what you do and for the link to Feathers of Hope on Substack. Looks very interesting!
Second, I think your blogpost "If McCarthy's out, who is in? / You can't be somebody with nobody." Although you identify four possible successors, who their right mind would want the position? The debt ceiling vote demonstrated that the GOP caucus is ungovernable. Having 1/3 of your caucus vote against a bill of national urgency is a monumental failure. If McCarthy can't do that, who can? I think that is the problem.
Thanks so much for your answer, Robert. To be honest, that's always been my concern as well. We're so accustomed to asssuming that any politician would love to hold the high position of Speaker of the House. It's sobering to recognize what a truly difficult job it is day-to-day.
Like you, I'm something of an idealist, always trying to envision a future where the old barriers to progress have fallen. In that spirit, I think of the Speakership as being an office like the Presidency -- one where the occupant's party matters, but their responsibility is to all Americans.
My hope is that a bipartisan centrist majority would appeal to the patriotism and experienced leadership of someone like retired Brig. General Don Bacon (R-NE), who could preside over a House more united than divided. The very act of working together to replace Kevin McCarthy with a moderate Republican would create a more cooperative dynamic. In such a future, the country's problems could be seriously addressed and solutions more likely reached. So that's what we're working toward.
Yeah, I know. You don't have to say it.
Keep the faith, Robert, and thanks again for all you do.
You know the expression “ follow the money”. Well McCarthy is well funded by extremely wealthy individuals and PAC’s and corporations and has Wall Street’s ear and because of that for now McCarthy is safe and even Majorie Taylor Greene knows she will lose valuable funding if she tries to get McCarthy ousted.
As if to confirm your comment, Stephen, Kevin McCarthy was in San Francisco yesterday for an un-announced lunch (not dinner!) at a private residence (Pacific Heights mansion). It was an invite-only affair with tickets priced at $100,000, $50,000 and some cheap seats at $25,000.
Yes, I said in San Francisco. There are wealthy Republicans everywhere.
I'd have probably tripped over that sandbag too and I'm younger than Joe. Come on Secret Service there is a thing called gaff tape for crying out loud!!! AND he kept his sense of humor about the whole thing!!!
He is so amazing. Quietly goes about the business of creating opportunities for all Americans with no fanfare, and has a sense of humor at his own expense. Love this guy!
We are so damn lucky to have Biden in the White House. And, yes, he handled it beautifully.
Agree!
I am 15 years younger than Biden and I tripped walking across a parking lot. I was ok, just a black eye. Like Biden I got up and walked away and continued with my day. Even drove. All I had was a black eye. And eternal gratitude that no one was filming.
Watch out for those evil black sandbag.
I broke my toe tripping over my own feet.
You know what’s really refreshing is that Biden is human like the rest of us and doesn’t pretend to be something he’s not.
I broke my wrist a few years ago when I fell on it after tripping over my own feet.
I'm 16 years younger. I was trying to put my jeans on 2 years ago and my foot got caught up in the waistband. No matter what I did, I couldn't catch myself. A week later I had surgery to put my humerus bone back up and under my shoulder joint, my shoulder joint needed pulled forward in order to do that, a plate and a whole lot of screws later....I live to tell the tale. I've tripped over countless cracks in the sidewalk, too. Once on Main St while wearing my, "I got Crabs" t-shirt. Lotta horn honking as I brushed myself off....hahaa
I've been called clumsy...lol
TFG would have attacked the person who made the sandbag, the one who filled the sandbag, and the one who placed the sandbag. And for good measure, he'd have attacked his own security detail for not protecting him from the sandbag. I'm glad Biden is okay.
I’m glad Biden’s okay and I’m glad TFG is in the rear view mirror.
Unfortunately, I think problems in your rear view mirror may still be larger than they appear.
I love his sense of humor.
Same! I'm known for my tripping over unknown objects in my path.
I trip over cracks in the sidewalk :(
Me too 😊
“Ensuring that it will never happen again involves regaining control of Congress in 2024 and retaining the presidency. We can do that—and the GOP’s use of the debt ceiling to engage in financial terrorism should boost Democratic chances of achieving those goals.”
Three words of advice to the Democrats: Messaging, messaging, messaging.
Please hire someone really good to do this. Maybe those in charge of the messaging that came out of the House Jan. 6th Committee?
I want to see clear, concise, honest, understandable, and consistent messaging. And I want to see it on every network, in every newspaper, and on every news site online. Over and over and over for the next 17.25 months.
You mean like the twitter that came out of President Biden's twitter account when DeSantis' announcement crashed?
President Biden simply said to try this link--which pointed to his reelection site.
You mean like that?
100%!
YES YES YES!
Totally agree!!
Sounds good to me. We had to watch and listen to four plus years of a lying bully and his fan club. No more.
Poor Gerald Ford. His party could never overcome the Saturday Night Live skits. Trump is not far behind Joe in age, and if he tripped, he would roll. DeSantis is mean, mean, mean. Thank heavens for Joe Biden!
🤣😂🤣😂 'If he tripped, he would roll' 🤣😂🤣😂
Jim, I keep thinking if it had been 45 who did the tripping, the press would have been all over it draped in concern over 45's well being as they speculated about the advisability of his seeking medical attention to make sure he wasn't permanently scarred from the ordeal.
He did “ slip” at West Point.
Here's the video: https://www.nytimes.com/video/us/politics/100000007190494/trump-ramp-west-point-speech.html
Thank you for posting this.
Jill green
You are a brilliant tenderhearted man who can inform
in a way that speaks tenderly while giving the news in a way that never offends when tough truth is called for.thank you for the many hours of reading you have graced me with.
I second that, Jill!
Who isn't likely to trip over an object? Human beings have bodies subject to gravity and objects get in the way of bodies. The better question is why didn't one of the people in charge of protecting the POTUS make sure there was no object in his way? He's lucky he didn't break his hip. Anyone over 45 would be at risk of tripping over a sandbag. What the heck was one doing in our President's way?
Was it perhaps planted in an effort to undermine our President?
See how cynical I have become?
Still, I can not entirely dismiss the possibility.
Nor I.
Absolutely correct.
👏👏
Of course, by all rights, the press should be focusing on Biden's ability to stand in the sun for two hours. My father, bless his heart, is 85 years old, in pretty good health, and he could never do that! For that matter, neither could I!!
You're expecting the overpaid, over-educated, under-intelligent, otherwise-unemployable trust fund babies of the Press Corpse to have brains? A fact not in evidence!
You're absolutely right, of course!
You may have hit on something here. I think you should expand on that.
I am going to treat President Biden's fall like we did Let's Go Brandon" and "Ok Boomer." ; with humor. Then what I always do I shift is to President Biden's accomplishments. In addition, I always say "President Biden". It elevates him immediately and reinforces the concept of him as Presidential.
Also.
Here is my quick go to list of President Biden's accomplishments courtesy of Simon Rosenberg. I tweak it with updates from time to time:
Dems = growth, lower deficits, progress for workers and families
Rs = recession, higher deficits, American decline
Joe Biden has a been a good President. The country is better off today.
Biden's 12.6m jobs is 6 times as many jobs as were created in the 16 years of the last 3 Republican Presidencies, combined.
• 33.8m jobs - 16 years of Clinton, Obama
• 12.6m jobs - 26 months of Biden
• 1.9m jobs - 16 years of Bush, Bush and Trump
The Biden economic track record, on the other hand, has been very strong:
• GDP growth over 3%, 3 times what it was under Trump
• 6 times as many Biden jobs as last 3 GOP Presidents combined
• best COVID recovery in G7
• lowest unemployment rate in peacetime economy since WWII
• lowest poverty/uninsured rates ever
• very elevated wage gains/new business starts
• 2 job openings per unemployed person, a record
• real earnings up in 2022
• the deficit went up every year under Trump and has come down every year under Biden
• domestic oil production on track to set records in 2023
• historic investments in our future prosperity (infrastructure, CHIPs, climate, health care)
Good advice about referring to our leader as "President Biden," whenever we mention him. Conversely, after TFG began his incessant whining after his inauguration's crowd size, I stopped giving him the benefit of the doubt and eventually refused to put "President" in front of his name. Now, he's "TFG," (the former guy). I can't even stand his name. I refer to his occupancy of the White House as an unpresidented period in American History.
And I refer to him as the twice impeached, indicted, defamer, sexual assaulter, criminal defendant, former guy loser.
Good list and I am also calling him President. He’s earned our respect in so many ways and is under appreciated. That part has to change. That won’t happen by listening to Fox News.
Thank you, Barbara. I'm on your team!!
There were many protests yesterday. Scott Maxwell at the Orlando Sentinel analyzed the bill. The GOP never really wanted to crack down, especially on employers. What a mess…
https://www.orlandosentinel.com/2023/05/30/florida-immigration-crackdown-will-it-target-employers-or-just-employees-commentary/?share=oawcooialiegaeag2sme
Thanks for the link. good article; no paywall.
Good article 🙏
This article does not give labor costs as a percentage of what you pay at the store. That cost is trivial, around 15 cents on the dollar. Farm workers are paid peanuts. In her book, The American Way of Eating, Tracie McMillan, who worked with immigrant farmers in the Central Valley reported that they were earning $2-$3/hour.
Of course being in Florida, I worry the Governor DiSaster will be the Republican nominee, with then a good chance of becoming President. He is so good at dismantling democracy here in Florida, his messaging is excellent, and I really think that progressives and moderates underestimate his abilities in the same way that we did with Trump.
So rather that MAGA tide cresting, I fear it is taking on a new and more effective form.
I agree that media portrayals of Biden are unfair at best, and at most, destructive.
I always wonder what the best ways are to counter those messages and hold media accountable for those negative portrayals. Usually it is to change the characterization of the message, rather than argue with it.
I know that many in the media blame themselves for failing to portray Trump accurately and helping him get elected. They hammered Hillary for her "emails", and barely mentioned Trump's ongoing business corruption. We should be pushing them to learn their lesson now.
I view Today's Edition Newsletters as a wonderful call to action to figure that out.
Hi, Judy. Yes, we should not underestimate DeSantis-or any Republican candidate. But it's too early to declare DeSantis victorious, or effective. He got no bump from his campaign announcement--something that almost always happens with serious candidates. And every day brings a new "goofy" video of DeSantis acting like a bobblehead giveaway toy. I can't explain his blowout victory in Florida, but I do know that no other state wants to be told that his plan is to make those states like Florida. It's offensive and insulting to other states to be told that Florida is superior to them. So, we shouldn't underestimate DeSantis, but we shouldn't ascribe to him abilities or skills he does not possess.
I watched all those videos of Gov. Disaster, because Nikki posts every single one with a wonderful comment. But for example, I saw the most recent where DeSantis told off a reporter, the same thing Trump did, which does attract the base of voters he is trying to appeal to. It does not appeal to you and me, because in our mind he looks ridiculous, but to people who resent "elites" or "libs", they love it. Trump appears upset because DeSantis has steadily coopted the "Woke" characterization of those of us who espouse civil rights, and used that to eliminate curriculum from schools, fire university personnel and install his own, (I won't list everything, my fingers are getting tired), and he has gerrymandered the legislature to get everything passed with his supermajority. His gerrymandering went further than that of the legislature, which is probably responsible for the Republican bare majority in the house.
This guy is very dangerous, and the best thing Floridians can do is to keep the pressure on to warn the rest of the country about what he is capable of doing.
And yes, I agree with you, Florida can and is engaged in a comeback. And I think it is possible and doable with our new leadership.
I sincerely hope so.
I don't know if MAGA FASCISM is "cresting" or not. Hard to measure. There are positive signs that many Americans have had "enough!". But we ignore at our peril the authoritarian bigotry and hate that exist in many states where things are getting worse not better.
Millions of Floridians LOVE DeSantis and his war on people. They are angry at people who are not just like them. They blame "others" for their misfortunes rather than looking inward or even looking at their own party for the sources of their disenfranchisement. It's like a kid loving the father who beats him daily. They are in a bubble of denial - an echo chamber of naivete.
This is a war of cultures. And it's not civil. It's a battle between inclusiveness, compassion and empathy - and intolerance, ignorance and selfishness.
But "Clear eyes, full hearts, can't lose!" Right?
Thanks, Bill. I hope nothing I wrote suggested that we should ignore the MAGA voters. But we should also be cautious about overstating their numbers or power.
Here are the facts: 4.6 million people voted for DeSantis in 2022, 3.2 million people voted against him. But there are 15.5 million people eligible to vote in Florida--of which DeSantis / Republicans suppressed at least 1 million votes. The fact of the matter is that 8 million people who did not vote in Florida in 2022 decided the election. So, I think we should be cautious in declaring that the people of Florida love DeSantis. A more accurate statement is that 30% of eligible voters in Florida voted for DeSantis. After that anti-immigration bill, the fight with Disney, the 6 week abortion ban, and the constant attacks on LGBTQ people and Black Americans, I believe that many who voted for him are reconsidering their vote. That was my point.
Robert,
You are exactly right on the Florida voter numbers.. DeSantis didn't "win". Florida Democrats lost by staying home.
It's now incombent on the voters in Florida to Wake Up and get rid of DeSantis..
Thanks for the clarification. 8 million people did not vote in that election. I will need a day or more to digest that.
I like looking at the numbers. The righ wing is so good at making noise and chest thumping that is can be disheartening.
Florida is a Southern state, the third to succeed from the union. People forget that. We liberals and progressives have developed no strategy to work with Red States. I think Gov Newsome is trying, or at least he says he is.
We have a new Chair of the Florida Dem Party, (FDP). She is young and politically talented. She is reorganizing the party and energizing those of us who are in it. Many Floridians vote democratic and have been demoralized about the lack of organization and divisiveness within the party, and I have hopes now that this is changing.
Republicans have been involved in local politics and local communities in these types of areas for decades, with the result that white lower- and working-class people, rural Americans and evangelicals are now a solid Republican base, with the most bigoted and authoritarian of them in the South. (Think: Christian Nationalism marries former slave states to become White Christian Nationalism) It is a lot to combat.
That is DeSantis in a nutshell. I just think we have to figure out a way to chip away at this base, without lecturing moralizing or "educating" people.
See my note above. DeSantis won in 2022 with 4.6 million votes in a population of 15.5 million voters. Democrats ran a weak candidate--a former Republican-- who failed to inspire our base. We can and will win Florida in the next decade. Let's not give up (and I recognize you are not saying we should).
We have family in Brevard County. And friends in Volusia. And for many years we were "snow birds". We had a seasonal business in Maine and loved our family/ocean/down time in the winters. Now we visit for short stays of perhaps 10 days. It feels like such a different place.
I was stunned by how badly Charlie Christ did against DeSantis. Florida had a history of supporting "centerist" politicians like Bob Graham who were more uniters than dividers. It was a measure of something that Crist lost so badly.
And the thing that still boggles my mind is how in the world did the CEO of a company that perpetrated the greatest Medicare Fraud in history manage to salvage a political career. If Scott isn't a crook, he is certainly incompetent. OY!
First of all, Bill, the Democratic party in Florida was toothless. No support. If a talented person like Val Demings could not beat little Marco, you know there is something wrong here. Second, there is now finally some pushback in deep red counties. I am not sure if you read about the school board meeting in Hernando but it was fabulous. Here is a link that should be accessible to all: https://wapo.st/3oGSPSI
I had this story in mind when I wrote the title to today's newsletter about MAGA cresting, but didn't have time to include a discussion of the article. I highly recommend the article to everyone. Thanks for sharing an accessible link.
Now you need a few more million people like the teacher.
Thank you for gifting this article. Makes me hopeful !!!
Losing the working class is Democrats' fault, in large part for supporting ***too much*** immigration, and for not opposing illegal immigration. Immigrants from third world countries are happy to do the jobs American workers once did, for lower pay.
Meanwhile, lately the GOP took a harder line on immigration. It was Trump's signature issue, and he, unlike the big biz GOPers, who wanted the cheap labor, understood that American workers were losing their jobs to immigrants. But he lacked the focus, or something, to pass a national, mandatory E-Verify in 2017, when a bill passed the House comfortably. It did not pass the Senate.
The Dems need to reformulate their immigration policy to get the working class on board.
David, my take on your framing of the issue is that the Democrats did not in fact support too much immigration. The Democrats have failed to frame any coherent response to the GOP attack on Democrats, nor work on reorganizing the immigration/worker visa programs to control immigration in a lawful and humane manner.
Instead, Democrats have allowed the "immigrants are taking your job" narrative to prevail.. Here in Florida, it is really big Ag and building contractors who are exploiting undocumented workers. These people are not Democrats.
Yes we have an illegal employer problem. I never hear the GOP talk about prosecuting the businesses who hire non-citizens or people without green cards, work visas etc., which is against the law. If there are workers that can be exploited then the GOP loves it, illegal or not. Even better if people are vulnerable and have no recourse to unions and other regulations.
This discussion may be far afield from what Mr. Hubbell envisions, but it is interesting, nonetheless.
Whatever mistakes some Democrats made regarding how they approached immigration, I think an analysis that blames the loss of working people to those mistakes made on immigration legislation is not useful. It is my view that there has been a decades long campaign by people like Robert Mercer, the Koch Bros, Enterprise Inst., etc. to court rural people, low and moderate white voters, and evangelical Christians to gain their minority extreme right "base" that is now the Republican Party. And they used whatever issue they could, married it to a vulnerable minority group, created what we now call a culture war and messaged it. In Nazi Germany it was called scapegoating.
They took over as much of local govt. as possible, then ultimately statehouses, so that they could gerrymander and take over the national legislature. That is why we have divided govt where a minority of extremists have way more power than their numbers should allow.
The mistakes Democrats made was to fail to recognize and respond in kind to the decades long right wing plan, not on mistakes Democrats made with immigration legislation. This, in my view, is the same thing as blaming all Democrats because Manchin and Sinema who blocked votes on police reform and voter protection laws. Once Democrats frame an issue in a manner that blames Democrats for an inability to advance that issue, I think we depress Democratic turnout, and ultimately stop us from getting enough Democrats in office to be able to get issues passed that we care about.
I understand Ted Kennedy completely regretted deep sixing Medicare for All, since Nixon would have signed on. Instead, we now have a too expensive ACA that still leaves people out of health care. Is that the fault of Democrats? And remember, Nixon is the last one to propose a guaranteed income, until Biden and the Democrats did in the Rescue Plan.
Long story short (too late), I may agree with you regarding that immigration legislation, but I do not extend that disagreement to blaming that mistake for driving voters to the republicans.
I agree with your last paragraph. Democrats need to reformulate their immigration policy. But not for the red herring you have tossed in. We need MORE immigrants because we are desperately short of workers in all manner of industry and agriculture.
Immigrants haven't "taken" anyone's jobs. Native Americans either don't want to work in fields or slaughterhouses or don't need to in a vibrant economy that offers them better jobs.
Stopping immigration by cutting the supply is just like the war on drugs. The wrong approach to a false problem.
The new "chips" factories to be built will not have the employees to staff them.
I think while you are well intentioned, you are buying the Oligarchs propaganda.
You're buying into the oligarchs' propaganda. Why do you think Big Biz backs more immigration? Why do you think the Koch organization supports it? It's all about bringing in lots of easily exploitable immigrants who will provide cheap labor!
In 1980, meat packers were Black, and made good middle class wages. By that decade's end, they were immigrants, toiling for barely more than minimum wage, under atrocious conditions where amputations were common. Similar changes were wrought throughout the trades and the low/no-skilled jobs. And in silicon valley. Why do you think Zuckerberg strongly supports bringing in foreign workers? It's not because there's a lack of American tech workers, but they are having a terrible time finding jobs because the companies all want the cheaper, more pliable foreign tech workers. It's all about wanting to pay shit wages.
The labor participation rate is very low right now. If it were as high as it was in 2000, 6 million more American workers would have jobs. But they're not counted because they have been so discouraged that they aren't looking for jobs.
Read Back of the Hiring Line: A 200-Year History of Immigration Surges, Employer Bias, and Depression of Black Wealth.
Bill, I've been steeped in immigration for the last 25 years.
That is very helpful to me in trying to understand what is going on in Florida.🙏
That was well said. 🙏
I don't think DeSaster will be elected. But, even (God Forbid) if he were, he would not find the compliant and weak-minded people that he has in the Florida statehouse who passed every stupid thing he wanted. There would be pushback in the House and Senate and Mr. Thin Skin would embarrass himself daily with his rantings.
Hope you are right. It depends upon how well Democrats do in 2024. My own prediction is that so long as Biden's health holds up, the Democrats have done very well with messaging and in recapturing the momentum, particularly in the swing states. So I think we should be ok. I think it would be so helpful if we could start to put up fights in red states to force Republicans to protect their power there.
How does DeSantis stand a good chance of becoming President? What data are you seeing that supports this? Is the media adoring him like they did trump? Is he doing well out in the States?
He also has zero name recognition outside of Florida.
"Adults in the room"--by all means. Yet, many do not even grasp that. Per Simon Rosenberg, D leaders and grassroots must become "information warriors". J Vance today rings a 5 - alarm bell: people are not "seeing" the fascism.
100% agree. I don't every get sucked into a culture war discussion such as President Biden's age. Simon Rosenberg is a great source for facts/data. I am not sure people will grasp the fascist MAGAs' intent because it hasn't really come into fruition yet.
Maybe we do an end run. Focus on President Biden's statements such as his Philadelphia speech content and his accomplishments.
Dark Brandon Also Rises
Love it!
gQp: looks like fascism, tastes like fascism, smells like fascism, goosesteps like fascism, votes for fascism, governs like fascism, delivers judgements like fascism...
"Florida destroys itself." I'm good with that. Let all the gator-bait white trash and the senile ex-New Yokka's in The Villages all reap what they sow.
Tell us how you really feel. There are more retired individuals living across Florida outside of the villages who are good people. Blame poor Democratic leadership and poor get out the vote strategies not the good people living in horror in Florida
Ron Desantis has turned
"Give me your tired, your poor, Your huddled masses yearning to breathe free, The wretched refuse of your teeming shore." into
"Give me your rich, your rested, your privileged masses yearning for a tee. The wretched refuse whom you never see, are at your beck and call across our shores, and we will make them suffer even more."
Disgusting.
Awesome news letter today. Eloquent. Powerful. Moving. Thank you. I post your newsletters everywhere I can with the hopes of educating others and steering them in your direction.
Thanks!
Robert, I have a question for you.
In April, Kevin McCarthy persuaded moderate Republicans to vote for the MAGA spending cut package ("Limit, Save, Grow Act") even though they did not support many of its provisions, particularly repeal of tax incentives and subsidies that are popular in their home districts. Mr. McCarthy's plea was that the party needed to project unity.
But when the real debt-limit bill ("Fiscal Responsibility Act") came to the floor, unity was no longer a priority. With 79 (!) "No" votes from MAGA, the moderates were again being asked to vote for something they didn't fully support, this time a bill with fewer cuts than they wanted. Worse, it's a bill with more Democratic votes than from their own party.
The question is, with moderate Republicans having been manipulated by Kevin McCarthy twice on the same issue, and MAGA being furious at Mr. McCarthy for betraying them on that issue as well, isn't he vulnerable to being removed as Speaker? More specifically, couldn't the same bipartisan majority that passed the debt limit bill also pass a motion to vacate the chair and elect a moderate Republican Speaker?
( I represent a network of ordinary citizens who have been opposed to Kevin McCarthy becoming Speaker since early last December, and have been working to see him replaced ever since. We are urging both moderate Republicans and Democratic leaders to take this step. You can learn more here: https://www.FeathersOfHope.net or here: JerryWeiss.substack.com )
Hi, Jerry. First, thanks for what you do and for the link to Feathers of Hope on Substack. Looks very interesting!
Second, I think your blogpost "If McCarthy's out, who is in? / You can't be somebody with nobody." Although you identify four possible successors, who their right mind would want the position? The debt ceiling vote demonstrated that the GOP caucus is ungovernable. Having 1/3 of your caucus vote against a bill of national urgency is a monumental failure. If McCarthy can't do that, who can? I think that is the problem.
Thanks so much for your answer, Robert. To be honest, that's always been my concern as well. We're so accustomed to asssuming that any politician would love to hold the high position of Speaker of the House. It's sobering to recognize what a truly difficult job it is day-to-day.
Like you, I'm something of an idealist, always trying to envision a future where the old barriers to progress have fallen. In that spirit, I think of the Speakership as being an office like the Presidency -- one where the occupant's party matters, but their responsibility is to all Americans.
My hope is that a bipartisan centrist majority would appeal to the patriotism and experienced leadership of someone like retired Brig. General Don Bacon (R-NE), who could preside over a House more united than divided. The very act of working together to replace Kevin McCarthy with a moderate Republican would create a more cooperative dynamic. In such a future, the country's problems could be seriously addressed and solutions more likely reached. So that's what we're working toward.
Yeah, I know. You don't have to say it.
Keep the faith, Robert, and thanks again for all you do.
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You know the expression “ follow the money”. Well McCarthy is well funded by extremely wealthy individuals and PAC’s and corporations and has Wall Street’s ear and because of that for now McCarthy is safe and even Majorie Taylor Greene knows she will lose valuable funding if she tries to get McCarthy ousted.
As if to confirm your comment, Stephen, Kevin McCarthy was in San Francisco yesterday for an un-announced lunch (not dinner!) at a private residence (Pacific Heights mansion). It was an invite-only affair with tickets priced at $100,000, $50,000 and some cheap seats at $25,000.
Yes, I said in San Francisco. There are wealthy Republicans everywhere.
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