As I write on Thursday evening, the House is in the process of voting on the portions of the reconciliation package known as the Build Back Better legislation. Speaker Pelosi holds votes only when she is confident about the outcome. The vote comes immediately after the Congressional Budget Office
It is very important to pay attention to whom we are listening. I use different kinds of listening- I listen to a lot of the news, mostly by reading journalism, I listen to public radio, I listen to my neighbors and family. And when it comes right down to it, what I embrace from what I listen to, is what nurtures my values and my hopes. I choose to use information in this way because it reminds me that what and how I respond to information influences my actions in the world. I want to pay attention to what serves democracy, community, ethical behavior, etc. because I want to serve democracy, community and ethical behavior. Robert Hubbell, I choose to listen to you because you do these things, too, and you even write about your positions with clarity. Thank you so much.
Excellent, Bob. I totally agree that preaching defeatism has to go. But while we DO need to “accentuate the positive” that we’ve accomplished, we can’t afford to “eliminate the negative” of what they’re doing. Gotta hit from both sides of the plate. Positive and negative campaigning both work. Right now we’re better at the first than the second.
Exactly!The reason we fall for the romance of our own despair is the ubiquity of digital media, the relentlessness of the news cycle, and the average citizen’s desire to be their own expert—a common trait in modern democracies. Coach, you are the best. Now for a weekend of grading papers by an open fire as the freeze sets in for Thanksgiving—away from the horrors of the GOP competition for Worst Politician Award.
I understand your frustration (and a touch of restrained anger) with those who want to give up because of the incredibly hard work it takes to overcome lies, gerrymandering, race-baiting, and other heinous acts that stir up the far right and dumbfound others. I often want to shut my eyes and ears to it all and just watch the Great British Baking Show. But you won't, I won't, most of your readers won't, and I believe the majority of Americans won't either.
The English civil war lasted 9 years and 12 days. It devastated the country. The two armys were like a plague of locusts. That lesson regarding extremism weighed heavily in the minds of or founders. Such extremists don’t belong in our government.
So in focusing our work, is the fulcrum of change with suburban women and independents? What IS it that concerns them most? Is there truly a "them"? I like your listing what has been accomplished. We all must memorize and repeat in public. A lot. Letters to the Editor at all levels, local and beyond, need our voices too. Social media too. Ugh.
Am I frustrated? Am I frightened? Am I disgusted? Am I appalled? Yes, yes, yes and yes. Will I give up because the GQP is peddling lies and gaming the system? No way.
We might lose some power in 2022. But in the longer run, Republicans have been offering the public nothing but threatened violence, vitriol and vengeance. Beyond that, bupkis.
Please keep in mind that almost everything that has happened to us has not been predicted. Biden becoming the nominee? Biden choosing Harris? Biden winning the Presidency after trying more times than I can count? Could we have pictured the nature of our Cabinet members? Could we have imagined two Democrats winning Senate seats in Georgia? Could we have predicted that a Rhodes Scholar president would have convinced a young intern to crawl under his desk? Could we have predicted that a first term black Senator could be elected President - twice?
Could we have predicted that a NYC real estate con man developer who was hated by almost every New Yorker, rejected by all but one bank, hated by contractors he refused to pay, uninvited to more social events than invited to.... could appeal to Joe and Jane Six Pack in Alabama?
Could we have imagined Covid? Could we have imagined that so many people would reject a vaccine? A vaccine that TFG touted and propelled forward with "warp speed"?
Most of what has happened to me and the world around me - if you had predicted it I would have thought you looney. Watch out. Many surprises ahead.
I'm bemused by what I have read here and elsewhere that "women and independents" are weary of hateful speech. Hello, men? When are you going to get tired of hateful speech? As for the Democratic Party having plenty to run on, we will only be successful if we learn to harness the power of language. Somehow Republicans have managed many times to come up with catchy labels (pro-life? Please, they aren't pro-life; they're anti-abortion, and yet this label has stuck), while Democrats seem to be reactive to these labels rather than coming up with ways of encapsulating what we stand for. The Tobias essay is a case in point. He lays out an amazing array of wins for Democrats, yet what does the media get hysterical about? Inflation. We should be crowing about the significant, historical infrastructure bill. Instead, we're dithering over Biden's ratings. I have to admit, I'm one who has gotten discouraged lately. Republicans have gotten so ugly! And it seems to fester in society. Okay, enough of that. I'm taking your advice and moving forward!
McCarthy's comments about Gosar, Green and Boebert (what, not Matt Gaetz?) should impel us to work harder, to make sure that he can never be in a position to reward that gang of fascists and crazies.
The sensationalism of the MSM is frustrating. (How could anyone say the people are not feeling the results of the infrastructure bill two days after it is signed? Shame on the media!) Tobias points out the great accomplishments we have made this year! That is a reason to celebrate. Quit? Not me! We did it in 2020 and we can do it in 2022! Onward!
Thank you! I’m not quitting either. I decided I am secondarily resilient. My first reaction is alway catastrophic and then a bit later I realize it is a fight we can win and we just have to keep showing up.
It is very important to pay attention to whom we are listening. I use different kinds of listening- I listen to a lot of the news, mostly by reading journalism, I listen to public radio, I listen to my neighbors and family. And when it comes right down to it, what I embrace from what I listen to, is what nurtures my values and my hopes. I choose to use information in this way because it reminds me that what and how I respond to information influences my actions in the world. I want to pay attention to what serves democracy, community, ethical behavior, etc. because I want to serve democracy, community and ethical behavior. Robert Hubbell, I choose to listen to you because you do these things, too, and you even write about your positions with clarity. Thank you so much.
Excellent, Bob. I totally agree that preaching defeatism has to go. But while we DO need to “accentuate the positive” that we’ve accomplished, we can’t afford to “eliminate the negative” of what they’re doing. Gotta hit from both sides of the plate. Positive and negative campaigning both work. Right now we’re better at the first than the second.
Exactly!The reason we fall for the romance of our own despair is the ubiquity of digital media, the relentlessness of the news cycle, and the average citizen’s desire to be their own expert—a common trait in modern democracies. Coach, you are the best. Now for a weekend of grading papers by an open fire as the freeze sets in for Thanksgiving—away from the horrors of the GOP competition for Worst Politician Award.
I understand your frustration (and a touch of restrained anger) with those who want to give up because of the incredibly hard work it takes to overcome lies, gerrymandering, race-baiting, and other heinous acts that stir up the far right and dumbfound others. I often want to shut my eyes and ears to it all and just watch the Great British Baking Show. But you won't, I won't, most of your readers won't, and I believe the majority of Americans won't either.
RE: Gop extremists
The English civil war lasted 9 years and 12 days. It devastated the country. The two armys were like a plague of locusts. That lesson regarding extremism weighed heavily in the minds of or founders. Such extremists don’t belong in our government.
So in focusing our work, is the fulcrum of change with suburban women and independents? What IS it that concerns them most? Is there truly a "them"? I like your listing what has been accomplished. We all must memorize and repeat in public. A lot. Letters to the Editor at all levels, local and beyond, need our voices too. Social media too. Ugh.
Thanks, Mr. Hubble, for the positive outlook in your newsletter. Much needed.
Bravo!
I am not giving up!
Thank You!! I needed this!
Yes and yes again!
Am I frustrated? Am I frightened? Am I disgusted? Am I appalled? Yes, yes, yes and yes. Will I give up because the GQP is peddling lies and gaming the system? No way.
We might lose some power in 2022. But in the longer run, Republicans have been offering the public nothing but threatened violence, vitriol and vengeance. Beyond that, bupkis.
Please keep in mind that almost everything that has happened to us has not been predicted. Biden becoming the nominee? Biden choosing Harris? Biden winning the Presidency after trying more times than I can count? Could we have pictured the nature of our Cabinet members? Could we have imagined two Democrats winning Senate seats in Georgia? Could we have predicted that a Rhodes Scholar president would have convinced a young intern to crawl under his desk? Could we have predicted that a first term black Senator could be elected President - twice?
Could we have predicted that a NYC real estate con man developer who was hated by almost every New Yorker, rejected by all but one bank, hated by contractors he refused to pay, uninvited to more social events than invited to.... could appeal to Joe and Jane Six Pack in Alabama?
Could we have imagined Covid? Could we have imagined that so many people would reject a vaccine? A vaccine that TFG touted and propelled forward with "warp speed"?
Most of what has happened to me and the world around me - if you had predicted it I would have thought you looney. Watch out. Many surprises ahead.
I'm bemused by what I have read here and elsewhere that "women and independents" are weary of hateful speech. Hello, men? When are you going to get tired of hateful speech? As for the Democratic Party having plenty to run on, we will only be successful if we learn to harness the power of language. Somehow Republicans have managed many times to come up with catchy labels (pro-life? Please, they aren't pro-life; they're anti-abortion, and yet this label has stuck), while Democrats seem to be reactive to these labels rather than coming up with ways of encapsulating what we stand for. The Tobias essay is a case in point. He lays out an amazing array of wins for Democrats, yet what does the media get hysterical about? Inflation. We should be crowing about the significant, historical infrastructure bill. Instead, we're dithering over Biden's ratings. I have to admit, I'm one who has gotten discouraged lately. Republicans have gotten so ugly! And it seems to fester in society. Okay, enough of that. I'm taking your advice and moving forward!
McCarthy's comments about Gosar, Green and Boebert (what, not Matt Gaetz?) should impel us to work harder, to make sure that he can never be in a position to reward that gang of fascists and crazies.
The sensationalism of the MSM is frustrating. (How could anyone say the people are not feeling the results of the infrastructure bill two days after it is signed? Shame on the media!) Tobias points out the great accomplishments we have made this year! That is a reason to celebrate. Quit? Not me! We did it in 2020 and we can do it in 2022! Onward!
Thank you! I’m not quitting either. I decided I am secondarily resilient. My first reaction is alway catastrophic and then a bit later I realize it is a fight we can win and we just have to keep showing up.