I declare where I stand every time I go grocery shopping.
I keep a Biden shirt next to my reusable grocery bags and wear it on every grocery run.
I’m in Florida. I chose this route to rally for Biden because grocery stores feel safe, well lit, family friendly and it is where people face each other traveling opposite directions every day.
When I first googled “Biden Shirt” to find one to buy, almost EVERY link led to ANTI-Biden shirts. The algorithm was concerning and motivating.
I finally found an Etsy shop called “Beantown Strong”that sold not only pro-Biden shirts... but red “Republicans for Biden” shirts.
Beyond a New Year’s resolution to wear my Biden shirt, I’ve made it my mission to make my solo Biden Grocery Rally a “thing.”
Imagine the random thrill of grocery shopping, exchanging knowing glances with others in Biden gear. Imagine how it could snowball to become a sign of the strength of Democracy.
Or imagine the fellow Democrat in your red state (or simply in despair) who suddenly feels hope as Biden T-Shirt Grocery Shoppers make them feel less alone.
That’s why I do it. And I do it because it feels like doing SOMETHING.
Hi Laurie, I'm in the same boat. My Biden T-shirt mission is mostly for grocery trips. On neighborhood dog walks, I'm not yet ready to provoke the ire of neighbors. Once we hit October, I will. Until then, my neighbors will only know... if we have a run in at Trader Joes. Somehow, seeing a familiar face at the grocery story always elicits a bit of delight. So I'll have that going for me too.
Laurie, What do you fear in the public square? You might be pleasantly surprised to find people of like mind. Could be a good way to expand your community.
Shawn . . . I do that,, too! And now I know there are others doing it . .. and after your post, I have no doubt even more! Thank you for starting a real campaign! My shirt proclaims this vertical list: Pro-Science Pro-Kindness Pro-Honesty Pro-Equality . . .. PRO BIDEN. Who can resist? And I smile a lot. Who can resist?
I wear shirts with similar themes...some of my faves are about reading more/banning less. I always get positive comments. And I always follow up with asking if they are registered to vote. I think issues (making one’s own healthcare decisions, common sense gun laws, etc.) perhaps can be less “in your face” than candidates...
I ordered it online, Shawn, but I don't remember from which company. (I, too, was appalled by all the anti-Biden shirts that popped up in my search.) I just now did a quick Google search but was not successful. I'll bet you and others might be though! It's "out there" somewhere! Glad you like it. And thank you again for this initiative. Proof of what just one person can do. And, of course, we thank Robert for the platform and his encouragement to do something! I am feeling better on this third day of 2024!
Thanks, Karen. That makes me feel so good. I've been sitting on the idea for a while but decided to be more vocal about it and the commenters here have been very supportive. Thanks for the three exclamation points!!!
That's a good way to strike up a conversation in the checkout line. I've found that since cashiers can be chatty, they are often quick to compliment my Biden shirts.
LOVE! I have done that with issues though not yet with candidates. It also can lead to comments that allow me to ask the question , “Are you registered to vote.” I carry applications with me.
There are no "reasonable" or "moderate" or "good" Republicans left. The people those labels described have left the collection of treasonous Confederate scum masquerading as "Republicans." Forget reasoning with them. Go out and convince the people who don't vote to realize the free ride is over.
I cannot go this route. You just haven't gotten outside of the box. And there is plenty of room out here.
As long as Adam Kinzinger, Liz Cheney, and Jeff Flake (to name just 3) are around our route to ridding ourselves of the scourge of Trump is to do our best to empower these folks. Yes, they are not Bernie or AOC and we can't vote with them every time but they CAN represent a vast group of Americans who will NEVER vote for Bernie or AOC and they ARE familiar with and respectful of the Constitution. If we are to preserve the country we must insure that the Republican masses have a chance to drink the water they can carry and not just Trump's Kool-aid. I have subscribed to Kinzinger's blog to hammer on him in the comment section to get back in the ring. Another commentor on that blog yesterday suggested a Kinzinger/Raskin ticket; not my favorite but could we actually have a bi-partisan administration. An end to the crippling partisanship that is crippling the country. That would be fantastic. For the record I like Adam Kinzinger/Michele Obama. Tell me that wouldn't bring in millions of votes.
Wear your Biden shirt but don't shut out those Republicans who are drinking the Kool-aid only because there is no other liquid around.
Yes, I know that and that's why I put her in the VP position. She already does good things as a former first lady and she'd be a dream representative to so many foreign countries. A fellow can hope.
I’d go for Governor Whitmer and Hakeem Jeffries. Right now, any of these and others will provide an excellent group of new faces for the country’s future.
Liz Cheney voted against the interests of our country 93% of the time. I'm so sick of people lionizing her. We wouldn't be in this position now if people like her had voted FOR our country.
I have no idea what you mean when you say she voted against the interests of our country. Perhaps some examples would help. I do know she had the nerve to stand up to the Trumpites and paid dearly for that. Compared to the other Republicans, she's got both courage and respect for the Constitution. I just wish my Representative had half her commitment to good government.
I'm not doing your homework for you. It's well known and public knowledge that she voted party (republican) line 93% of the time throughout her tenure. Do the work. J6 doesn't absolve her for harming our country throughout her time on the hill.
Robert, your reply to the reader who stated that ". . . his 'reasonable' conservative friends viewed the list of [Trump's] accomplishments as reasons to vote against Biden" is a gem. I have always been puzzled as to how any self-respecting woman, of any political persuasion, could ever bring herself to support Trump after he "bragged about grabbing women by the genitals". It boggles my mind.
Obedience is an important part of cult membership.
In the early days of the pandemic, after the defendant told us on live TV during the Coronavirus Task Force presser : ""I see the disinfectant that knocks it out in a minute, one minute. And is there a way we can do something like that by injection inside or almost a cleaning? As you see, it gets in the lungs, it does a tremendous number on the lungs, so it would be interesting to check that."
I told my retired RN, tRumpublican mother what he said and her reply was "he must have been just joking".
No Mother. At the onset of a pandemic when 800 people are dying each day in the NYC region, this is not a time for jokes. Her cult leader is a joke, albeit a dangerous one.
I've often wondered how many thousands or hundreds of thousands of people would still be alive today if Trump had just "Shut the **** up!!" He is as stupid as a bag of bricks but went on and on about how he knew so much more than the docs. And his acolytes believed every word. His behavior there was almost as criminal as the insurrection.
He is stupid and exceptionally dangerous. His conduct during the pandemic was inexcusable. It is mind boggling that we still have to pay attention to this narcissistic, misogynistic, moron.
Michael, he is stupid in so many ways, yet there are way too many who embrace his vulgar and vitriolic character as though we are watching reality TV rather than George Orwell’s 1984 where gaslighting offers all the lies people are willing to accept.
Isn’t that the regrettable truth? Has your mother gotten any wiser since those early COVID times? Did she turn on her TV on January 6, 2021? Or, is it an old model, broken and set to Fox?
It's very strange how indoctrinated cult members are. My Dad passed that the beginning of the pandemic, so that isolation, along with the pandemic isolation (we could just visit from afar in her garage) really did a number on her brain and the dementia she has developed is very limiting. I got her off of listening to right wing talk radio all day and instead watching TCM, which she loves. BUT, at her recent birthday celebration, a friend mentioned to her "when you get your birthday card from the president...." and she shouted out "I hate Biden!". She has no idea what has happened in this country, and has forgotten what happened 5 minutes ago, but "knows" she "hates Biden".
It's not what I wish to remember about her when she's gone, but it's what she's chosen.
As you wrote, “indoctrinated cult.” That is not a thinking, questioning outlook. Certainly, the dementia locks it in. Give her your love and leave the politics for others.
Thank you John for your thoughts. Unfortunately her dementia does not allow for anything to be locked into her brain. It would be encouraging to think that is even a possibility these days. She's been programmed from her many years of listening to right wing radio and watching OAN. Loving her and leaving politics for others is what I have had to do for many years now. On a very optimistic note, I have finally won the battle in having all family members on board with me regarding that, and life has been much better for us all. (no politics!)
You’ve nailed it, Lynn. There is absolutely no way to reason with people who have passed the point you describe. Once absorbed into this kind of cult, only some earth shattering event, if that, will release people from the spell. They either condone what Trump says, dismiss it, or claim he never said it if it troubles them in the least.
The women I know are horrified by Trump et al. I'm working hard to talk to new women to try to make a dent. I'm starting with my sometimes-uncomfortable book club this month. I'm going to start wearing a Biden button and see what happens ...
Indeed, it has been "time to declare where we stand" for a very long time!!! Shame on house Republicans and the GOP primary candidates for continuing to be Trump's cover. Thanks Rob for never failing to say what needs to be said!!
I've been a bit too loud about where I stand for most of my life and those who still speak with me ARE my friends. I am certainly tactful in starting or being drawn into a discussion of political import, and will not hesitate to share the values my positions are based on, while trying to draw out others' stands on issues. The coming year will be a test for all of us of good will.
"After I linked to a list of Biden’s accomplishments in yesterday’s newsletter, a reader wrote to say that his “reasonable” conservative friends viewed the list of accomplishments as reasons to vote against Biden.”
It’s incredibly hard to change the minds of anyone who has been immersed in “conservative” media. They’ve been given lots of reasons to disapprove of Biden and no thoughtful analysis of his actions or positions. And tRump is portrayed as a victim. This is repeated until it’s accepted as truth. And yet, many of these people are our neighbors and can be reasonable and decent otherwise. I live in an area with many neighbors like this and need to get along with them. Generally we don’t talk about politics. That’s not where our opportunity is anyway.
Our opportunity is with getting out Democratic votes, reaching people who are infrequent voters because they are tuned out or lead very stressful, busy lives in conversations or where voting can be very inconvenient that are respectful. Why are they tuned out? What would make it easier to vote? Why do some call themselves independent? What do they care about?
Some non-voters don’t even believe we have a democracy or the corruption and inequality in our system has so alienated them that they feel that voting is futile. We can speak to such things. I.e., Rebecca Solnit’s saying that voting isn’t sending a valentine, it’s making a chess move to allow our ideals to remain possible.
With reluctant or infrequent voters, if we want to reach them, it’s about hearing them and if they’re pretty stuck maybe leaving them with a searching question, so we don’t actively turn them off to our views by too forcefully declaring ourselves.
There are basically only two views that defines everyone and is all wrapped up in how you define the role of government. Democrats believe in investing in people and infrastructure and education which creates jobs and provides benefits to support the health of the citizens and Republicans want to shrink government, reduce taxes and hope that free enterprise with generate jobs and the economy with states rights. No wonder they don’t like Biden’s accomplishments while they benefit everyday from them.
Republicans don't spend their ill gotten tax cuts because they don't have to. Voodoo economics is just that, smoke and mirrors, spells trying to make a lie into the truth.
Par for the course. Rep. Kevin Brady (R-TX) said he expected companies would pick up drivers' per diem expenses. REALLY???!!! Is he that seriously stupid? Of course, he is because he's in politics for himself, not someone else. Companies would not increase their costs by taking on per diem costs. The drivers are just out of luck losing that deduction. Today's Republicans are always about the wealthy. They are not the party of Lincoln.
1. 40% of the prospective electorate are Gen Z and they don't use MSM. Channel Taylor Swift.
2. "It’s incredibly hard to change the minds of anyone who has been immersed in “conservative” media. "
Mostly visceral. I don't support her but Nikki Haley can beat Trump. Needs to attack his character. His age. His appearance. His odor ("I'm the only one on this stage who was in a position to smell him."). Most effective:
I don't have many Republican friends, but in my community I hear comments from time to time. It seems to me that there is a politically important bloc of people who aren't voting for Trump because they like him but because they are reacting to what they perceive as overreach by progressive Democrats. I don't understand it and I certainly don't agree with it, but I hear it. They react to controversies on college campuses, major cities, and on the border and believe that permissive progressive policies are ruining the country.
Charles, I think you've hit a very important nail squarely on the head. Having grown up in the Deep South, when it was segregated, I know how deep and wide prejudices can run against liberals in large swaths of the country. Fox, Limbaugh, etc. began hammering millions of people with more and more "info" designed to amplify their distrust and bitterness, starting over 20 years ago.
So people, who wanted their moral judgments, sense of importance, and bitterness, reinforced tuned in. I don't believe any of us could listen to 20+ years of such slick propaganda on a very regular basis without dramatic changes to our values, beliefs about the "facts", decisions about who to trust, and resentments of liberals/the government.
So, I believe that basically good (overwhelmingly white) people made a terrible mistake – they allowed themselves to become propagandized over a decades, hearing nonstop lies about immigrants, Obama, the Clintons, taxes, Muslims, welfare, etc., etc. But lies don't come with labels on them; they are often presented by media in ways that sound so believable.
These people who'd opened the floodgates inevitably ended up with a worldview that the rest of us find to be dark and crazy. But that response from the majority of Americans just makes these Trumpistas ever more angry and insular. Now they've gone down the rabbit hole of feeling deeply misunderstood and persecuted. Given all that, I can see why they revere Trump and want a full fledged revolution.
I take some hope from knowing what happened to Germans after World War II. Most went through decades of deep soul-searching about how they could have become so propagandized and swept up by the Nazis in the '30s and '40s, or at the least been quietly enabling of them.
In that vein, I can imagine a scenario where Trump loses by substantial margins in November, he rejects the results, his well-armed militant supporters take to the streets, and America's military/police are required to shoot it out with thousands of these people across the country, for weeks or months. That's the type of horrific outcome that would finally awaken the rest of America to how crazy and dangerous these Trump people have been. "No, it wasn't an exaggeration that they wanted a full blown revolution and would shoot The Blue, government officials, and more to carry it out".
Exactly Tyler! They live in a world where they hear a constant drumbeat of the liberals ruining our country and it seeps into their world outlook. They find plenty of examples that supposedly justify that perspective.
I also fear another Trump incited uprising if and when he loses the election, one that goes beyond the Capitol in D.C. Unlikely, but certainly possible. There are probably thousands of his dangerous supporters who are still heeding his words to "stand back and standby".
Gary, in so many ways you may be right, but we probably do need some independent and moderate R voters. Once we get beyond 2024 with a victory, it seems really imperative that we need a LOT of civics education throughout the country whether online courses or community gatherings.
Well, Joyce Vance sure had an important warning and wake up call for us today. We have the battle with newsfeeds being customized with too many potential voters possibly not even being aware of this current threat to democracy.
You are so right Robert, we must declare where we stand, especially to young voters who stand siloed in their news and SM feeds.
"We need to stop pretending that “reasonable” Republicans (or independents) can support Trump." This statement was followed by a clear description of how appalling and dangerous Donald Trump is. The document previously provided outlining Joe Biden's accomplishments, notwithstanding the reader's friends' opinions, is persuasive.
We are not talking about persuasion here. We are experiencing the adult version of playground taunts and intimidation. Republicans have been successful on that level while Joe Biden has not.
Getting reelected is part of Joe Biden's job. As he has said, without Trump, he probably would not have run. With Trump, Joe Biden needed to run. The Democrats have a strong bench, but Whitmer, Buttigieg, Harris, Booker, Newsom and/or others all fighting it out while Trump coasted would not have been a pretty picture or a winning strategy.
Our best strategy is to be grateful for what we have in Joe Biden and to help him and Democratic candidates for the House and the Senate and elsewhere more than we ever have in the past. Our way of life is at stake.
Leonard your doing good work but the challenge is not enough people we need to vote for Biden are reading your newsletter and we need to find a better way to reach them
I agree. Here is what I suggest: Donations to candidates and organizations that support candidates. Postcards to voters or other groups that encourage turnout. Local Democratic Club organize phone calls and neighborhood door knocking -- though that happens closer to elections. Robert Hubbell urged letters to the editor to change the narrative (I had one published recently in The Washington Post criticizing the Pinocchio guy for his summary of lies of 2023 for beginning with something from Biden that was not a lie and for all but ignoring one of the worst liars of our time -- Donald Trump.
Someone very close to me listens to right and left wing radio and I can't argue against some of what he hears because I don't have the answers and I don't feel like spending 10 hours on the internet trying to find it. Like whether there is more Biden can do to control the border without the help of Congress.
If he was polled, he would say he's not happy with Biden, but he says he would never vote for Trump; he hates him.
In phonebanking, where our conversations are usually very short, I try to focus on just one issue that matters to me that I think we could agree on. (I might make a guess based on the snapshot demographics we are given.) Abortion, education, healthcare. No point wasting time on someone who is most likely past the point of persuasion.
I think a relatively quick (not 10 hours) search on the would provide some answers, such as, Congress makes the laws regarding immigration and Biden is actually trying to do what is in his power to stem the flow of migrants heading to the US by enacting new application policies using smart phones and trying to work with Mexico and other countries from which the migrants are coming.
Out of all the arguments made by Trump and his enablers in Congress and the media, there is one underlying fact that is conveniently being ignored.
Donald Trump is not arguing that he is innocent. He is arguing that he has the right to be a criminal. That the laws that apply to us do not apply to him.
You try that the next time you appear before a Judge, and see how far you get.
"Trump continues to claim that the 2020 election was “rigged.” Why does this matter? Because he is already making claims that the 2024 election will be “rigged.”
Because he’s lost some ground in the Iowa primary polling, he’s already claiming ahead of time that Iowa is rigging the election against him. This insanity is never going away until Trump is gone and off the face of the Earth. Anytime he loses, or when there is a potential loss, he will whine about this and drag his crazed cult deeper and deeper into the abyss with him. Also, as far as I’m concerned, Republicans are “rigging” elections by doing everything in their power to remove voters from the rolls, to gerrymander districts, and to make voting as difficult as possible.
I just read the American Oversight amicus brief to the D.C. Circuit arguing that the appellate court lacks subject matter jurisdiction to hear an interlocutory appeal of Judge Chutkin’s order denying Trump’s Presidential Immunity defense. It seems compelling; in fact, dispositive. And it leaves me wondering why Jack Smith’s team did not raise this jurisdictional argument in their briefing. Any thoughts?
Good question!!! I think Smith's team was focused (too much) on getting the US Supreme Court to grant certiorari before judgment. But in fairness to Smith, EVERY legal commentator in major media agreed that the order was appealable.
Thank you, Robert. I noted those Arnold & Porter lawyers who wrote the amicus brief had impressive credentials and wrote a very fine brief. Am glad the D.C. Circuit seems to have taken note of their jurisdiction argument. Seems like it may be a winner.
Hello, people. I don't mean to be disrespectful by repeating those words, but oh my Lord, my blood just runs cold when I think of them. Also mocking the disabled, dissing the stranger, and the whole litany of things that Robert reminds us of. I am a person of faith and the actions and language that are in the ascendance are not even in the same universe with what I believe to be right and good. I'm grateful for this community, for Robert, and all the angels out there -- even the shy ones like me! -- who are learning to step up and speak out!
I am so blue that one of my sons has forbidden me to talk politics in front of his conservative future in-laws. I talked about it anyway....He should know that his hippie mother who fought for Roe v Wade while in college at the University of Alabama when it was passed is not going to shut up. MY BODY MY CHOICE
I plagiarized this line from Joyce Vance this morning. The entire posting is a must read. It deals with the serious problem with us, the informed ( and I include all of Robert's readers in that group). In our own bubble, we assume that most people are up to date on Trump, the GOP and other nefarious bad actors. BUT THEY ARE NOT! Shockingly, young college educated persons having been fed their news and interests by algorithms through social media, have huge blind spots and voids when it comes to politics. It explain why turnout levels for those under 30 are so low. Each of us must take some action, whatever makes sense to you, to become a secondary source of information to that subset. We need to become the alternative to algorithms!
I read Joyce Vance and today she posted that she was working out with a young woman born after 9/11 and in the course of discussion about the Giuliani bankruptcy asked “ who is Rudy Giuliani. She checked in with her 21 old son and of course he knew who Giuliani was but mentioned that young people don’t read or listen to conventual news like we do and customized their news feeds on social media to align with their own interests. This in part explains why many voters are totally uninformed about the dangers of a Trump presidency and are not accurately knowledgeable about the alleged crimes Trump has committed. We can not naively assume that voters have objective fact based information to base a decision on and are even aware of the continuous Republicans assault on Democracy. There needs to be an extensive focus on these younger individuals and to get them registered to vote and aware of the issues and the threats. Republicans might be shooting themselves in the foot but if no one knows about it then there is no collateral damage.
I’m hoping as the year goes on that Taylor Swift gets more directly involved. To this point, she’s been more about specific issues, but I can see that changing. That would go a long way toward getting at least a large segment of young people engaged.
I’m not sure she will come out specifically for Biden but will encourage her voting age fans to register and vote and that is a subtle endorsement for Biden . She doesn’t need to be attacked by the crazies.
She’s already starting to be attacked as she's made her views more widely known. That said, I agree she doesn't need to endorse Biden to be effective. Encouraging voter registration would be perfect.
True, the Charlie Kirks of the world are already going after her because that’s all they know how to do. Misogyny is having an unfortunate revival in America thanks to Trump.
I declare where I stand every time I go grocery shopping.
I keep a Biden shirt next to my reusable grocery bags and wear it on every grocery run.
I’m in Florida. I chose this route to rally for Biden because grocery stores feel safe, well lit, family friendly and it is where people face each other traveling opposite directions every day.
When I first googled “Biden Shirt” to find one to buy, almost EVERY link led to ANTI-Biden shirts. The algorithm was concerning and motivating.
I finally found an Etsy shop called “Beantown Strong”that sold not only pro-Biden shirts... but red “Republicans for Biden” shirts.
Beyond a New Year’s resolution to wear my Biden shirt, I’ve made it my mission to make my solo Biden Grocery Rally a “thing.”
Imagine the random thrill of grocery shopping, exchanging knowing glances with others in Biden gear. Imagine how it could snowball to become a sign of the strength of Democracy.
Or imagine the fellow Democrat in your red state (or simply in despair) who suddenly feels hope as Biden T-Shirt Grocery Shoppers make them feel less alone.
That’s why I do it. And I do it because it feels like doing SOMETHING.
I love this! May your grocery shopping runs be frequent. You have inspired me.
It's a bit nippy here for wearing T-shirts to the store, but when the weather warms up, I'm joining you. In the meantime, I talk to people.
T shirt over a turtleneck, maybe?
I ordered several from Beantown Strong - for me and friends - thanks for the tip!!!
Awesome, Laine! So glad to hear. I've been thinking, I should share my idea with them!
I live in Idaho. I regret that I lack the courage to provoke the ire of my neighbors. There are far too many of them and few of “us”. Just sayin.
Hi Laurie, I'm in the same boat. My Biden T-shirt mission is mostly for grocery trips. On neighborhood dog walks, I'm not yet ready to provoke the ire of neighbors. Once we hit October, I will. Until then, my neighbors will only know... if we have a run in at Trader Joes. Somehow, seeing a familiar face at the grocery story always elicits a bit of delight. So I'll have that going for me too.
Laurie, What do you fear in the public square? You might be pleasantly surprised to find people of like mind. Could be a good way to expand your community.
Shawn . . . I do that,, too! And now I know there are others doing it . .. and after your post, I have no doubt even more! Thank you for starting a real campaign! My shirt proclaims this vertical list: Pro-Science Pro-Kindness Pro-Honesty Pro-Equality . . .. PRO BIDEN. Who can resist? And I smile a lot. Who can resist?
I wear shirts with similar themes...some of my faves are about reading more/banning less. I always get positive comments. And I always follow up with asking if they are registered to vote. I think issues (making one’s own healthcare decisions, common sense gun laws, etc.) perhaps can be less “in your face” than candidates...
Marcia, I LOVE that shirt. Is it your own creation? Or did you find it somewhere?
I ordered it online, Shawn, but I don't remember from which company. (I, too, was appalled by all the anti-Biden shirts that popped up in my search.) I just now did a quick Google search but was not successful. I'll bet you and others might be though! It's "out there" somewhere! Glad you like it. And thank you again for this initiative. Proof of what just one person can do. And, of course, we thank Robert for the platform and his encouragement to do something! I am feeling better on this third day of 2024!
Just found! https://www.amazon.com/Pro-Kindness-Biden-Joe-Prez/dp/B08FB83DK6
I love it!!!
Thanks, Karen. That makes me feel so good. I've been sitting on the idea for a while but decided to be more vocal about it and the commenters here have been very supportive. Thanks for the three exclamation points!!!
Excellent, Shawn. You are offering a good role model. Go to the grocery often.
Thanks, John. Come to think of it... I'm all out of eggs. Heading on a grocery run for eggs and Democracy.
Amazon has Biden Harris 2024 totes.
That's a good way to strike up a conversation in the checkout line. I've found that since cashiers can be chatty, they are often quick to compliment my Biden shirts.
I'll be getting one of those shirts today! I love this idea!
Kathleen, So glad to hear it. It feels good to see the momentum building already.
Good for you!❤️
LOVE! I have done that with issues though not yet with candidates. It also can lead to comments that allow me to ask the question , “Are you registered to vote.” I carry applications with me.
There are no "reasonable" or "moderate" or "good" Republicans left. The people those labels described have left the collection of treasonous Confederate scum masquerading as "Republicans." Forget reasoning with them. Go out and convince the people who don't vote to realize the free ride is over.
I cannot go this route. You just haven't gotten outside of the box. And there is plenty of room out here.
As long as Adam Kinzinger, Liz Cheney, and Jeff Flake (to name just 3) are around our route to ridding ourselves of the scourge of Trump is to do our best to empower these folks. Yes, they are not Bernie or AOC and we can't vote with them every time but they CAN represent a vast group of Americans who will NEVER vote for Bernie or AOC and they ARE familiar with and respectful of the Constitution. If we are to preserve the country we must insure that the Republican masses have a chance to drink the water they can carry and not just Trump's Kool-aid. I have subscribed to Kinzinger's blog to hammer on him in the comment section to get back in the ring. Another commentor on that blog yesterday suggested a Kinzinger/Raskin ticket; not my favorite but could we actually have a bi-partisan administration. An end to the crippling partisanship that is crippling the country. That would be fantastic. For the record I like Adam Kinzinger/Michele Obama. Tell me that wouldn't bring in millions of votes.
Wear your Biden shirt but don't shut out those Republicans who are drinking the Kool-aid only because there is no other liquid around.
Michelle Obama has made it clear that she is not interested in running for anything. We need to look elsewhere after 2024 - 2028.
Yes, I know that and that's why I put her in the VP position. She already does good things as a former first lady and she'd be a dream representative to so many foreign countries. A fellow can hope.
"Hope is the thing with feathers
That perches in the soul..." said Emily Dickinson
A fellow CAN hope!
See below. We have lots of great options.
I’d go for Governor Whitmer and Hakeem Jeffries. Right now, any of these and others will provide an excellent group of new faces for the country’s future.
Liz Cheney voted against the interests of our country 93% of the time. I'm so sick of people lionizing her. We wouldn't be in this position now if people like her had voted FOR our country.
Erica,
I have no idea what you mean when you say she voted against the interests of our country. Perhaps some examples would help. I do know she had the nerve to stand up to the Trumpites and paid dearly for that. Compared to the other Republicans, she's got both courage and respect for the Constitution. I just wish my Representative had half her commitment to good government.
I'm not doing your homework for you. It's well known and public knowledge that she voted party (republican) line 93% of the time throughout her tenure. Do the work. J6 doesn't absolve her for harming our country throughout her time on the hill.
Robert, your reply to the reader who stated that ". . . his 'reasonable' conservative friends viewed the list of [Trump's] accomplishments as reasons to vote against Biden" is a gem. I have always been puzzled as to how any self-respecting woman, of any political persuasion, could ever bring herself to support Trump after he "bragged about grabbing women by the genitals". It boggles my mind.
Obedience is an important part of cult membership.
In the early days of the pandemic, after the defendant told us on live TV during the Coronavirus Task Force presser : ""I see the disinfectant that knocks it out in a minute, one minute. And is there a way we can do something like that by injection inside or almost a cleaning? As you see, it gets in the lungs, it does a tremendous number on the lungs, so it would be interesting to check that."
I told my retired RN, tRumpublican mother what he said and her reply was "he must have been just joking".
No Mother. At the onset of a pandemic when 800 people are dying each day in the NYC region, this is not a time for jokes. Her cult leader is a joke, albeit a dangerous one.
They see what they want to see..
I've often wondered how many thousands or hundreds of thousands of people would still be alive today if Trump had just "Shut the **** up!!" He is as stupid as a bag of bricks but went on and on about how he knew so much more than the docs. And his acolytes believed every word. His behavior there was almost as criminal as the insurrection.
He is stupid and exceptionally dangerous. His conduct during the pandemic was inexcusable. It is mind boggling that we still have to pay attention to this narcissistic, misogynistic, moron.
Michael, he is stupid in so many ways, yet there are way too many who embrace his vulgar and vitriolic character as though we are watching reality TV rather than George Orwell’s 1984 where gaslighting offers all the lies people are willing to accept.
I agree. He has no business anywhere near the Oval Office. WE must work harder.
Isn’t that the regrettable truth? Has your mother gotten any wiser since those early COVID times? Did she turn on her TV on January 6, 2021? Or, is it an old model, broken and set to Fox?
It's very strange how indoctrinated cult members are. My Dad passed that the beginning of the pandemic, so that isolation, along with the pandemic isolation (we could just visit from afar in her garage) really did a number on her brain and the dementia she has developed is very limiting. I got her off of listening to right wing talk radio all day and instead watching TCM, which she loves. BUT, at her recent birthday celebration, a friend mentioned to her "when you get your birthday card from the president...." and she shouted out "I hate Biden!". She has no idea what has happened in this country, and has forgotten what happened 5 minutes ago, but "knows" she "hates Biden".
It's not what I wish to remember about her when she's gone, but it's what she's chosen.
As you wrote, “indoctrinated cult.” That is not a thinking, questioning outlook. Certainly, the dementia locks it in. Give her your love and leave the politics for others.
Thank you John for your thoughts. Unfortunately her dementia does not allow for anything to be locked into her brain. It would be encouraging to think that is even a possibility these days. She's been programmed from her many years of listening to right wing radio and watching OAN. Loving her and leaving politics for others is what I have had to do for many years now. On a very optimistic note, I have finally won the battle in having all family members on board with me regarding that, and life has been much better for us all. (no politics!)
You’ve nailed it, Lynn. There is absolutely no way to reason with people who have passed the point you describe. Once absorbed into this kind of cult, only some earth shattering event, if that, will release people from the spell. They either condone what Trump says, dismiss it, or claim he never said it if it troubles them in the least.
The women I know are horrified by Trump et al. I'm working hard to talk to new women to try to make a dent. I'm starting with my sometimes-uncomfortable book club this month. I'm going to start wearing a Biden button and see what happens ...
That's great Sheila. Keep us posted. Thank you.
Indeed, it has been "time to declare where we stand" for a very long time!!! Shame on house Republicans and the GOP primary candidates for continuing to be Trump's cover. Thanks Rob for never failing to say what needs to be said!!
To stand with Biden is to stand with democracy.
I've been a bit too loud about where I stand for most of my life and those who still speak with me ARE my friends. I am certainly tactful in starting or being drawn into a discussion of political import, and will not hesitate to share the values my positions are based on, while trying to draw out others' stands on issues. The coming year will be a test for all of us of good will.
"After I linked to a list of Biden’s accomplishments in yesterday’s newsletter, a reader wrote to say that his “reasonable” conservative friends viewed the list of accomplishments as reasons to vote against Biden.”
It’s incredibly hard to change the minds of anyone who has been immersed in “conservative” media. They’ve been given lots of reasons to disapprove of Biden and no thoughtful analysis of his actions or positions. And tRump is portrayed as a victim. This is repeated until it’s accepted as truth. And yet, many of these people are our neighbors and can be reasonable and decent otherwise. I live in an area with many neighbors like this and need to get along with them. Generally we don’t talk about politics. That’s not where our opportunity is anyway.
Our opportunity is with getting out Democratic votes, reaching people who are infrequent voters because they are tuned out or lead very stressful, busy lives in conversations or where voting can be very inconvenient that are respectful. Why are they tuned out? What would make it easier to vote? Why do some call themselves independent? What do they care about?
Some non-voters don’t even believe we have a democracy or the corruption and inequality in our system has so alienated them that they feel that voting is futile. We can speak to such things. I.e., Rebecca Solnit’s saying that voting isn’t sending a valentine, it’s making a chess move to allow our ideals to remain possible.
With reluctant or infrequent voters, if we want to reach them, it’s about hearing them and if they’re pretty stuck maybe leaving them with a searching question, so we don’t actively turn them off to our views by too forcefully declaring ourselves.
Like: "Our opportunity is with getting out Democratic votes, reaching people who are infrequent voters"
There are basically only two views that defines everyone and is all wrapped up in how you define the role of government. Democrats believe in investing in people and infrastructure and education which creates jobs and provides benefits to support the health of the citizens and Republicans want to shrink government, reduce taxes and hope that free enterprise with generate jobs and the economy with states rights. No wonder they don’t like Biden’s accomplishments while they benefit everyday from them.
Republicans don't spend their ill gotten tax cuts because they don't have to. Voodoo economics is just that, smoke and mirrors, spells trying to make a lie into the truth.
90% of MAGATs lost on tax cuts. My favorite are truck drivers who voted about 80% for Trump but lost the ability to write off expenses. https://www.motherjones.com/politics/2019/04/trump-tax-bill-truckers-truck-drivers-deduction/
Par for the course. Rep. Kevin Brady (R-TX) said he expected companies would pick up drivers' per diem expenses. REALLY???!!! Is he that seriously stupid? Of course, he is because he's in politics for himself, not someone else. Companies would not increase their costs by taking on per diem costs. The drivers are just out of luck losing that deduction. Today's Republicans are always about the wealthy. They are not the party of Lincoln.
1. 40% of the prospective electorate are Gen Z and they don't use MSM. Channel Taylor Swift.
2. "It’s incredibly hard to change the minds of anyone who has been immersed in “conservative” media. "
Mostly visceral. I don't support her but Nikki Haley can beat Trump. Needs to attack his character. His age. His appearance. His odor ("I'm the only one on this stage who was in a position to smell him."). Most effective:
a. Trump hates dogs. https://www.nytimes.com/2019/11/05/opinion/trump-military-dog.html
b. Trump family charity stole from kids with cancer and disabled war veterans. https://ag.ny.gov/press-release/2019/donald-j-trump-pays-court-ordered-2-million-illegally-using-trump-foundation
She can point out that he has been the poster boy for employer sanctions for hiring illegals.
that he had to pay $25 million to Trump University marks.
that he misled his donors that he had a "defense fund."
that he committed assault of at least one woman -- and has more trials coming up.
Only use that he increased the deficit. that he is in bed with Saudi Arabia, that he created the inflation when questioned.
Any more?
She's already said she's going to support him as the candidate if (when) he gets the nomination.
I don't have many Republican friends, but in my community I hear comments from time to time. It seems to me that there is a politically important bloc of people who aren't voting for Trump because they like him but because they are reacting to what they perceive as overreach by progressive Democrats. I don't understand it and I certainly don't agree with it, but I hear it. They react to controversies on college campuses, major cities, and on the border and believe that permissive progressive policies are ruining the country.
Charles, I think you've hit a very important nail squarely on the head. Having grown up in the Deep South, when it was segregated, I know how deep and wide prejudices can run against liberals in large swaths of the country. Fox, Limbaugh, etc. began hammering millions of people with more and more "info" designed to amplify their distrust and bitterness, starting over 20 years ago.
So people, who wanted their moral judgments, sense of importance, and bitterness, reinforced tuned in. I don't believe any of us could listen to 20+ years of such slick propaganda on a very regular basis without dramatic changes to our values, beliefs about the "facts", decisions about who to trust, and resentments of liberals/the government.
So, I believe that basically good (overwhelmingly white) people made a terrible mistake – they allowed themselves to become propagandized over a decades, hearing nonstop lies about immigrants, Obama, the Clintons, taxes, Muslims, welfare, etc., etc. But lies don't come with labels on them; they are often presented by media in ways that sound so believable.
These people who'd opened the floodgates inevitably ended up with a worldview that the rest of us find to be dark and crazy. But that response from the majority of Americans just makes these Trumpistas ever more angry and insular. Now they've gone down the rabbit hole of feeling deeply misunderstood and persecuted. Given all that, I can see why they revere Trump and want a full fledged revolution.
I take some hope from knowing what happened to Germans after World War II. Most went through decades of deep soul-searching about how they could have become so propagandized and swept up by the Nazis in the '30s and '40s, or at the least been quietly enabling of them.
In that vein, I can imagine a scenario where Trump loses by substantial margins in November, he rejects the results, his well-armed militant supporters take to the streets, and America's military/police are required to shoot it out with thousands of these people across the country, for weeks or months. That's the type of horrific outcome that would finally awaken the rest of America to how crazy and dangerous these Trump people have been. "No, it wasn't an exaggeration that they wanted a full blown revolution and would shoot The Blue, government officials, and more to carry it out".
Exactly Tyler! They live in a world where they hear a constant drumbeat of the liberals ruining our country and it seeps into their world outlook. They find plenty of examples that supposedly justify that perspective.
I also fear another Trump incited uprising if and when he loses the election, one that goes beyond the Capitol in D.C. Unlikely, but certainly possible. There are probably thousands of his dangerous supporters who are still heeding his words to "stand back and standby".
Gary, in so many ways you may be right, but we probably do need some independent and moderate R voters. Once we get beyond 2024 with a victory, it seems really imperative that we need a LOT of civics education throughout the country whether online courses or community gatherings.
Well, Joyce Vance sure had an important warning and wake up call for us today. We have the battle with newsfeeds being customized with too many potential voters possibly not even being aware of this current threat to democracy.
You are so right Robert, we must declare where we stand, especially to young voters who stand siloed in their news and SM feeds.
https://joycevance.substack.com/p/a-warning
Maybe share Jess Craven on TikTok📣
https://www.tiktok.com/@jesscraven101
Great idea Kathy! I think Leigh McGowan is also on Tilk Tok .- “I am Politics Girl”.
Thanks for sharing this idea. I need to get using TiK Tok for more than just funny animal videos!
Channel Taylor Swift. https://time.com/6342806/person-of-the-year-2023-taylor-swift/
https://www.facebook.com/photo.php?fbid=914152127007346&set=p.914152127007346&type=3&__cft__[0]=AZWrcFSCpYAh2gBKvUnj_59oLXw9-gJlW3GKRJ-X1yWuxdA8DLcRh-CuH6PZPtjCO9y-uafzNBeWAqmRsx6GC5hvgIJtbd1N32ETtgMpqUYwPHbKI-9TnBTxIHMuOtpx7uJDkbJkQTRTt3wt5FPXxi8MfBHdtyECysrisd6BmzpdCA&__tn__=R]-R
I also read it and agree! I don't use TikTok so don't know if Dems use it to communicate with young voters.
"We need to stop pretending that “reasonable” Republicans (or independents) can support Trump." This statement was followed by a clear description of how appalling and dangerous Donald Trump is. The document previously provided outlining Joe Biden's accomplishments, notwithstanding the reader's friends' opinions, is persuasive.
We are not talking about persuasion here. We are experiencing the adult version of playground taunts and intimidation. Republicans have been successful on that level while Joe Biden has not.
Getting reelected is part of Joe Biden's job. As he has said, without Trump, he probably would not have run. With Trump, Joe Biden needed to run. The Democrats have a strong bench, but Whitmer, Buttigieg, Harris, Booker, Newsom and/or others all fighting it out while Trump coasted would not have been a pretty picture or a winning strategy.
Our best strategy is to be grateful for what we have in Joe Biden and to help him and Democratic candidates for the House and the Senate and elsewhere more than we ever have in the past. Our way of life is at stake.
That is the goal I work towards with my newsletter Len's Political Notes https://lenspoliticalnotes.com
Leonard your doing good work but the challenge is not enough people we need to vote for Biden are reading your newsletter and we need to find a better way to reach them
I agree. Here is what I suggest: Donations to candidates and organizations that support candidates. Postcards to voters or other groups that encourage turnout. Local Democratic Club organize phone calls and neighborhood door knocking -- though that happens closer to elections. Robert Hubbell urged letters to the editor to change the narrative (I had one published recently in The Washington Post criticizing the Pinocchio guy for his summary of lies of 2023 for beginning with something from Biden that was not a lie and for all but ignoring one of the worst liars of our time -- Donald Trump.
Someone very close to me listens to right and left wing radio and I can't argue against some of what he hears because I don't have the answers and I don't feel like spending 10 hours on the internet trying to find it. Like whether there is more Biden can do to control the border without the help of Congress.
If he was polled, he would say he's not happy with Biden, but he says he would never vote for Trump; he hates him.
Share📣 from the conservative, Libertarian Cato Institute
“ New Data Show Migrants Were More Likely to Be Released by Trump Than Biden”
https://www.cato.org/blog/new-data-show-migrants-were-more-likely-be-released-trump-biden
In phonebanking, where our conversations are usually very short, I try to focus on just one issue that matters to me that I think we could agree on. (I might make a guess based on the snapshot demographics we are given.) Abortion, education, healthcare. No point wasting time on someone who is most likely past the point of persuasion.
But this person is persuadable with someone informed.
I think a relatively quick (not 10 hours) search on the would provide some answers, such as, Congress makes the laws regarding immigration and Biden is actually trying to do what is in his power to stem the flow of migrants heading to the US by enacting new application policies using smart phones and trying to work with Mexico and other countries from which the migrants are coming.
Out of all the arguments made by Trump and his enablers in Congress and the media, there is one underlying fact that is conveniently being ignored.
Donald Trump is not arguing that he is innocent. He is arguing that he has the right to be a criminal. That the laws that apply to us do not apply to him.
You try that the next time you appear before a Judge, and see how far you get.
"Trump continues to claim that the 2020 election was “rigged.” Why does this matter? Because he is already making claims that the 2024 election will be “rigged.”
Because he rigs elections, maybe?
Because he’s lost some ground in the Iowa primary polling, he’s already claiming ahead of time that Iowa is rigging the election against him. This insanity is never going away until Trump is gone and off the face of the Earth. Anytime he loses, or when there is a potential loss, he will whine about this and drag his crazed cult deeper and deeper into the abyss with him. Also, as far as I’m concerned, Republicans are “rigging” elections by doing everything in their power to remove voters from the rolls, to gerrymander districts, and to make voting as difficult as possible.
I just read the American Oversight amicus brief to the D.C. Circuit arguing that the appellate court lacks subject matter jurisdiction to hear an interlocutory appeal of Judge Chutkin’s order denying Trump’s Presidential Immunity defense. It seems compelling; in fact, dispositive. And it leaves me wondering why Jack Smith’s team did not raise this jurisdictional argument in their briefing. Any thoughts?
Good question!!! I think Smith's team was focused (too much) on getting the US Supreme Court to grant certiorari before judgment. But in fairness to Smith, EVERY legal commentator in major media agreed that the order was appealable.
Thank you, Robert. I noted those Arnold & Porter lawyers who wrote the amicus brief had impressive credentials and wrote a very fine brief. Am glad the D.C. Circuit seems to have taken note of their jurisdiction argument. Seems like it may be a winner.
Also, don't forget: America's war dead and wounded are "suckers" and "losers."
Hello, people. I don't mean to be disrespectful by repeating those words, but oh my Lord, my blood just runs cold when I think of them. Also mocking the disabled, dissing the stranger, and the whole litany of things that Robert reminds us of. I am a person of faith and the actions and language that are in the ascendance are not even in the same universe with what I believe to be right and good. I'm grateful for this community, for Robert, and all the angels out there -- even the shy ones like me! -- who are learning to step up and speak out!
I am so blue that one of my sons has forbidden me to talk politics in front of his conservative future in-laws. I talked about it anyway....He should know that his hippie mother who fought for Roe v Wade while in college at the University of Alabama when it was passed is not going to shut up. MY BODY MY CHOICE
"Who's Rudy Giuliani?” she asked.
I plagiarized this line from Joyce Vance this morning. The entire posting is a must read. It deals with the serious problem with us, the informed ( and I include all of Robert's readers in that group). In our own bubble, we assume that most people are up to date on Trump, the GOP and other nefarious bad actors. BUT THEY ARE NOT! Shockingly, young college educated persons having been fed their news and interests by algorithms through social media, have huge blind spots and voids when it comes to politics. It explain why turnout levels for those under 30 are so low. Each of us must take some action, whatever makes sense to you, to become a secondary source of information to that subset. We need to become the alternative to algorithms!
“Shockingly, young college educated persons …”
Perhaps that should read “Shockingly, young college *credentialed* persons …”
Credentials are not proof of genuine education
I read Joyce Vance and today she posted that she was working out with a young woman born after 9/11 and in the course of discussion about the Giuliani bankruptcy asked “ who is Rudy Giuliani. She checked in with her 21 old son and of course he knew who Giuliani was but mentioned that young people don’t read or listen to conventual news like we do and customized their news feeds on social media to align with their own interests. This in part explains why many voters are totally uninformed about the dangers of a Trump presidency and are not accurately knowledgeable about the alleged crimes Trump has committed. We can not naively assume that voters have objective fact based information to base a decision on and are even aware of the continuous Republicans assault on Democracy. There needs to be an extensive focus on these younger individuals and to get them registered to vote and aware of the issues and the threats. Republicans might be shooting themselves in the foot but if no one knows about it then there is no collateral damage.
I’m hoping as the year goes on that Taylor Swift gets more directly involved. To this point, she’s been more about specific issues, but I can see that changing. That would go a long way toward getting at least a large segment of young people engaged.
I’m not sure she will come out specifically for Biden but will encourage her voting age fans to register and vote and that is a subtle endorsement for Biden . She doesn’t need to be attacked by the crazies.
She’s already starting to be attacked as she's made her views more widely known. That said, I agree she doesn't need to endorse Biden to be effective. Encouraging voter registration would be perfect.
True, the Charlie Kirks of the world are already going after her because that’s all they know how to do. Misogyny is having an unfortunate revival in America thanks to Trump.