Yes, yes, and yes! I have long said that America without immigrants is a country in big trouble. Thanks for the arguments proving the point.
I’m going to look for Springfield companies who are online, to see what I can order to support them. tffg is vile and they need to know he doesn’t speak for most Americans.
What a great idea! I would never have thought of that! It's relatively easy today with the internet, to find these small businesses and support them. I've already started and found Woeber's Mustard. My extended family are lovers of all kinds of mustard. Why not try Woeber's? If I've learned one thing working with grass roots groups, it's that every little bit counts. I used to feel that my little effort would never make a difference. Robert has shown me different. Thanks!
“You may have heard of Springfield, Ohio, this week,” Legend, 45, said in a lengthy Instagram video on Thursday, noting how his hometown had been “discussed by our presidential candidates” at the previous night’s debate.
“Nobody’s eating cats. Nobody’s eating dogs,” the two-time Emmy Award-winning singer insisted, bluntly dismissing the now-viral claims shared by former President Donald Trump.
“How about we love another?” he asked, calling himself by his real name, “John R. Stevens from Springfield.”
I thought the City Manager of Springfield gave a good talk about what they're doing and where they are going. I hope they will be thriving in the next 5-10 years.
Following up on this awesome suggestion, I found a city directory for Springfield and more or less randomly called one of the city commissioners. The city manager’s mailbox was full. Tracy Tackett picked up the phone so I was able to express to her first of all the support people throughout the country feel for Springfield, but more important I was able to suggest that many people around the country would love to support Springfield businesses if they could figure out a way for us to do that. She appreciated the support and the suggestion and she said she would see if they could put something together.
Fantastic idea Cathy! A few ideas of non profits that are working to support the infrastructure of Springfield are mentioned in the PBS Newshour report on Monday, including St Vincent De Paul .
"In a building across town, Viles Dorsainvil runs a support center that helps Haitians integrate into American life."
Daniel, thanks for noting Wittenberg College. (I know Wittenberg well from my time as president at a North Coast Athletic Conference football rival, Wabash College, in Crawfordsville, Indiana.) Wittenberg is a fine college, and its role in the economic life of Springfield is enormous, bringing students from all over the country to Springfield and people who travel there for athletic events and other activities enrich the local economy. (I remember spending a chunk of my own money at the Dairy Queen in Springfield treating the Wabash Track Team after we won the conference championship at Wittenberg in 2011 -- long story.) Please, realize that the economic vitality of many hundred small towns and citiees throughout the country is bolstered by their local private -- and public -- colleges and universities. So if you are a graduate of one of these places -- big or small -- and you give to your college, you are supporting the economic, cultural, and social welfare of communities that are often ignored. How many of us had ever heard of Springfield, Ohio, before Trump and Vance lied about the city? And donations to your colleges are almost always tax deductible.
I used to have close friends in Springfield. Once upon a time Wittenberg was a small college basketball power. Fed into professional schools.
Wabash has an excellent academic reputation. Although Ohio and Indiana are now red states, these small colleges produce people who can think -- and students and alumni should be fertile territory for the Harris campaign.
Most of the college presidents I know (and 3 of my cousins were) are master fundraisers and have access to literally millions of educated people.
Robert, your background information about Springfield is excellent and important. I would like to see it reach VP Harris, as she can use it to both further discredit her hate-filled conspiracy spewing racist opponent AND describe an important story about efforts to renew areas of America that have been buffeted by nearly overwhelming events and trends.
Excellent response, GPE, to Robert's incredible analysis! I was all set to ask what we can do to Stand Up For Springfield, and you nailed it! Let's keep the ideas going, and maybe the Harris/Walz campaign will join us.
Politico used to be known as "Tiger Beat On The Potomac" (for the quality of its reportage, being a leader of the DC Press Corpse groupthinkers) until it was sold to far right German media mogul and rabid Trump supporter Axel Springer - who forces the media he owns to become pro-Trump and MAGA - has now become "Volkischer Beobachter On The Potomac," and should be accorded the respect that name conjures.
My husband and I were unaware that Politico had been sold, but noticed a rightward shift in their reporting, especially with negative articles about Biden's age this year. That shift makes total sense now!
I am getting seriously tired of billionaires buying up the media to force their world-view on us. The list of news sources I trust gets smaller by the day.
Yes, and much of the msm is so obviously gunning for TFG and Russia, dictatorships, and authoritarianism. I follow MSNBC and some very good people on Substack!!!
Thanks for that info, TC. I've been wondering if Politico had changed its politics. It's been very disappointing to read lately. It's tough to counter the right wing strategy to buy up or pressure the media. After watching the debate, it seems like ABC is still OK.
Chalk Politico off the list of publications to read and take seriously. Right up there with The Epoch Times, right wing publication, put out by a Chinese cult.
Like what exactly do republicans think are going to renew and expand American cities on an individual level and American at large? Forced gestation of American women? Cute.
But republicans persist in giving American families and American women fuck all in the way of supporting children and families after the birth. And even during. What with no universal sick leave, guaranteed access to healthcare, no paid parental leave, no universal pre kindergarten, like Biden was trying to provide, and the list goes on and on and on and on.
It is a rational choice to limit gestation and family sizes, regardless of how many children that family wanted, in light of the many huge financial and social barriers that there are in the face of gestating. And ought to include the right of these children to not be mowed down in schools!
Increased immigration and immigration supports to cities, excellent and both very needed. Increased gestation and family and children supports like the Democratic Party have been working to provide and have been trying to push through federal legislation (and were blocked by Manchin and Sinema…) very needs done and expanding on.
Every generation of immigrants gets whacked by the one two steps up the ladder. That the Irish and Italians - given the history of their immigrations ("Dogs and Irish Keep Off The Grass", "guinea/dago/wop") are the two urban ethnicities most likely to engage in this racist shit (As a person of Irish heritage I find the Mick Morons despicable), is ironic as hell. My Lithuanian refugee late wife could tell all kinds of stories about the "welcome" her family and the other Lithuanians got in Chicago from their "fellow Catholics."
I lived in northwest Ohio for 17 years, six years in a small rural town of mostly German descendants; the other 11 years were spent outside Toledo, which is very multicultural. The small town is currently 90% white. Springfield currently has a population that is 68% white. Is it going to be challenging to assimilate new residents of different colors and culturally traditions? Yes. Is it impossible? Absolutely not! I applaud Springfield for trying to revive their city. F-off DonOLD of the millions of inherited money and JD Vance, who can’t decide what his name is and who throws his family of origin as well as his current multi ethnic family under the bus. If I were JD Whoever’s wife I might be considering my long term options. He doesn’t seem like a good person to give up a career for.
I’m both Irish and Italian. I remember going to a friends house to ask if she wanted to play. Her father answered the door and said “Betty it’s the little “guinea” kid from around the block”. I was six it was 1951. Funny, I have my mothers fair skin and blue eyes, most people are shocked to learn I’m Italian, as they are with my three siblings. I had no idea what he meant so I asked my father. Later that day, I saw my father speaking with my friends father at the backyard fence.
It makes me angry, my grandparents were Italian immigrants. They had 5 sons. Three served in WWII, and the youngest served in Korea. They loved this country and were proud to call themselves Americans. My grandparents owned their own home and the property in the back. My grandfather worked hard, learned the language.
My mother never spoke of her Irish and Scottish heritage. But she had the beautiful red hair and temper to match. My father adored her, and he was the calm voice of reason.
I miss them both. My mother and my older sister spoke fluent Italian.
We are a nation of immigrants. The only true Americans are on reservations. But that’s a story.
How about we start treating others with the dignity, respect and kindness.
I can’t wait to vote my straight democratic ballot.
The GOP wants to make the Handmaids Tale a reality, while Democrats want to keep politicians out of women's reproductive healthcare and make it easier for people who want to grow their families to do so by providing an economic backstop for those families. The contrast couldn't be any starker than that!
So tell me why does anyone except misogynistic men who are afraid of strong successful women back the Trump/Vance ticket???
I wish I knew the answer to your question, Cheryl, but it is evident that many women, young and old, religious and not, rich and just getting by, still support Trump/Vance. We have to keep that in mind.
Thanks for this Robert. Your piece needs to be placed on a national platform so the country can read it. What a great service you have provided the Springfield community for the positive efforts they are making to build their community! I wish them all health, wealth and prosperity! Go Springfield!
I believe Donald Trump really stepped in it when he lied about the Haitian immigrant community in Springfield, Ohio. His hateful and racist words could put the community backwards when they are working so diligently to grow their city, it’s economy, and it’s population. However, the Republican Governor of Ohio debunked that lie about the immigrants “eating dogs, cats, and pets”). There have been no credible reports of such occurrences. Facebook has been full of dog bloggers showing their dogs’, and some cats’, responses to Trump’s voice lying about people’s pets being eaten by the immigrants. They are hilarious! Also, I found separate videos of cats supposedly hurrying to leave Springfield as well as a car full of dogs driving themselves out of that city. Trump made himself a laughingstock!
“According to the Migration Policy Institute, Haitians are more likely to be naturalized U.S. citizens than immigrants overall, which means that many can vote.”
In order to control turnout, register more Democrats. Last night Tom Bonior said that enthusiasm for Harris, as measured by several polls, is equal to or greater than 2008,
I went to college near the city of Utica, NY in the 1970's. GE had pulled out of the area and the upstate NY cities and villages were losing population and their economic base. Utica began attracting immigrants and while the city struggled with all the same issues of the influx of immigrants noted in this newsletter, the people have managed to overcome many of the problems. While still a work in progress I think you can say Utica is a success. I hope Springfield is learning from cities like Utica to improve the standing of the population. And don't listen to Trump/Vance. Keep your eyes focused on the prize.
I am particularly grateful to you today Robert. How do you manage to do so much so well?! Your analysis of Springfield’s recent past does any historian proud (I am one) and your account of its present is also compelling! Thank you. As for the NYT 😡😡😡.
Kamala should go to Springfield Ohio and campaign there. She should meet with the city manager and with some long time residents and with some Haitians. She should expose the callous lying of Trump and Vance by showing up in Springfield Ohio and giving the city her energizing message of hope and inclusion! In fact I’m guessing her savvy campaign managers are already planning the trip.
I'm worried that this is the next Trump distraction. Don't get me wrong. What he and his media machine are doing is despicable, and Robert's column makes a lot of important points showing how willing they are to harm all kinds of Americans (and legal immigrants) to further their political fortunes. We should know about that, and I do wonder how many more bigoted people Trump can shake loose as voters. At the same time, though, we need two stories about Harris/Walz and the good Democrats can do for America (for example, she has just released her plan to help rural communities) for every story about the horrors of Trumpism.
Just after typing the above, I sat down to write my first 10 postcards of the day while listening to Pod Save America. The first 15 minutes includes a discussion of the debate and which things Harris said that resonated the most with test panels--almost all were the POSITIVE messages: "I represent a new generation," "Americans don't want leaders who divide us," "The true measure of a leader is who they lift up instead of who they beat down." Basically, views on Trump seem unchangeable. For us, he is irredeemable, for his fans, he's perfect, and for the undecided, they mostly think he's a jerk but like his policies. They know all about the horrible things he does, and they don't find it disqualifying.
An educated woman I know is voting for Trump because "he will protect my 401(k)." People are adhering rigidly to their old unexamined beliefs. They are not paying attention to stark new developments. We may lose the election to unthinking, knee-jerk, reactive voters.
Very important comment, while we must pay attention, every time we wail and gnash our teeth about Trump's latest, we risk being distracted from more positive work.
I keep counting the ways Harris hit it out of the park Tuesday night. I enjoyed Steven Beschloss’s substack today—she told him TO HIS FACE that he was an absurd person and world leaders are laughing at him. He had to stand there and hear that, and his followers who were watching did, too.
Turnout, turnout, turnout…..if we turnout they don’t have a chance regardless of the rigged electoral college system. Trump’s strategy is to smear Harris to decrease our turnout He won’t debate anymore because once you see the comparison between the two it’s no contest.
I’ve been phone-banking for Kamala. Yesterday, our first assignment was to follow up on people who had said they wanted to attend today’s rally in Wilkes-Barre. The first man I spoke lives in New Jersey, 2 1/2 hours away. He is going to try to take his one and four-year-old children. I said that his four year old would remember it for the rest of her life. He said that was why he was going to do it. Please think of him when the pollsters talk about voter enthusiasm.
Yes, yes, and yes! I have long said that America without immigrants is a country in big trouble. Thanks for the arguments proving the point.
I’m going to look for Springfield companies who are online, to see what I can order to support them. tffg is vile and they need to know he doesn’t speak for most Americans.
Share those Springfield companies you find? Thats such a clever idea.
Yes, please!
What a great idea! I would never have thought of that! It's relatively easy today with the internet, to find these small businesses and support them. I've already started and found Woeber's Mustard. My extended family are lovers of all kinds of mustard. Why not try Woeber's? If I've learned one thing working with grass roots groups, it's that every little bit counts. I used to feel that my little effort would never make a difference. Robert has shown me different. Thanks!
I will order some today! Thank you!
Order placed just now, including a message of encouragement for them.
While folks find Springfield OH companies to support, here are some other ways to support Ohio at large (and of course, we're all in this together):
Blue Ohio to run Dems in previously unchallenged Repub seats:
https://blueohio.org/
Sen. Sherrod Brown for his Must-Keep seat in the U.S. Senate:
https://www.sherrodbrown.com/
David Pepper, author of Laboratories of Autocracy and Saving Democracy, and an all-round expert on state level politics, particularly in Ohio:
https://dpepper.substack.com/
John Legend, a son of Springfield, Ohio, who has something to say about Haitian immigrants in Springfield:
https://www.instagram.com/reel/C_1bH9QIptN/?utm_source=ig_web_copy_link&igsh=MzRlODBiNWFlZA==
If he hasn't already done so, this would be an auspicious time for John to endorse Vice President Harris.
That video on Instagram is excellent! I encourage everyone to watch it. A voice of calm in a climate of chaos.
John Legend's video is also on YouTube, for those who don't use Meta products.
https://youtu.be/24L7IhrvYFc?si=iCvjj0fODMhGZWvx
“You may have heard of Springfield, Ohio, this week,” Legend, 45, said in a lengthy Instagram video on Thursday, noting how his hometown had been “discussed by our presidential candidates” at the previous night’s debate.
“Nobody’s eating cats. Nobody’s eating dogs,” the two-time Emmy Award-winning singer insisted, bluntly dismissing the now-viral claims shared by former President Donald Trump.
“How about we love another?” he asked, calling himself by his real name, “John R. Stevens from Springfield.”
I thought the City Manager of Springfield gave a good talk about what they're doing and where they are going. I hope they will be thriving in the next 5-10 years.
Following up on this awesome suggestion, I found a city directory for Springfield and more or less randomly called one of the city commissioners. The city manager’s mailbox was full. Tracy Tackett picked up the phone so I was able to express to her first of all the support people throughout the country feel for Springfield, but more important I was able to suggest that many people around the country would love to support Springfield businesses if they could figure out a way for us to do that. She appreciated the support and the suggestion and she said she would see if they could put something together.
Excellent action, Sherry! Way to go!
Great idea. How else can we help the folks of Springfield? Let's brainstorm and put some great Dem. energy behind it! My thinking cap is on!
( Even a bigger slap to Dump ;-)
I love this! Will also research some non-profits there…clearly challenged.
Here’s the Chamber of Commerce link to non-profits:
https://business.greaterspringfield.com/list/category/nonprofit-organizations-1231?q=&c=1231&sa=False
Fantastic idea Cathy! A few ideas of non profits that are working to support the infrastructure of Springfield are mentioned in the PBS Newshour report on Monday, including St Vincent De Paul .
"In a building across town, Viles Dorsainvil runs a support center that helps Haitians integrate into American life."
https://www.pbs.org/video/ohio-city-with-haitian-migrant-influx-thrust-into-spotlight-1725923126/
https://www.wittenberg.edu/
Daniel, thanks for noting Wittenberg College. (I know Wittenberg well from my time as president at a North Coast Athletic Conference football rival, Wabash College, in Crawfordsville, Indiana.) Wittenberg is a fine college, and its role in the economic life of Springfield is enormous, bringing students from all over the country to Springfield and people who travel there for athletic events and other activities enrich the local economy. (I remember spending a chunk of my own money at the Dairy Queen in Springfield treating the Wabash Track Team after we won the conference championship at Wittenberg in 2011 -- long story.) Please, realize that the economic vitality of many hundred small towns and citiees throughout the country is bolstered by their local private -- and public -- colleges and universities. So if you are a graduate of one of these places -- big or small -- and you give to your college, you are supporting the economic, cultural, and social welfare of communities that are often ignored. How many of us had ever heard of Springfield, Ohio, before Trump and Vance lied about the city? And donations to your colleges are almost always tax deductible.
I used to have close friends in Springfield. Once upon a time Wittenberg was a small college basketball power. Fed into professional schools.
Wabash has an excellent academic reputation. Although Ohio and Indiana are now red states, these small colleges produce people who can think -- and students and alumni should be fertile territory for the Harris campaign.
Most of the college presidents I know (and 3 of my cousins were) are master fundraisers and have access to literally millions of educated people.
Channel Michelle......
Robert, your background information about Springfield is excellent and important. I would like to see it reach VP Harris, as she can use it to both further discredit her hate-filled conspiracy spewing racist opponent AND describe an important story about efforts to renew areas of America that have been buffeted by nearly overwhelming events and trends.
I've the feeling Springfield's gonna see "Christmas in Sept," no thanks to DJT and JDV.
Bad press in Ohio. https://www.vindy.com/wire/?category=4&ID=340738
Excellent response, GPE, to Robert's incredible analysis! I was all set to ask what we can do to Stand Up For Springfield, and you nailed it! Let's keep the ideas going, and maybe the Harris/Walz campaign will join us.
All I can think about right now is coffee, so maybe a coffee roaster? Here’s a link to the Springfield Chamber of Commerce:
https://business.greaterspringfield.com/list/
Great idea about supporting Springfield businesses. I’ll try it, too.
Politico used to be known as "Tiger Beat On The Potomac" (for the quality of its reportage, being a leader of the DC Press Corpse groupthinkers) until it was sold to far right German media mogul and rabid Trump supporter Axel Springer - who forces the media he owns to become pro-Trump and MAGA - has now become "Volkischer Beobachter On The Potomac," and should be accorded the respect that name conjures.
Which is NONE.
My husband and I were unaware that Politico had been sold, but noticed a rightward shift in their reporting, especially with negative articles about Biden's age this year. That shift makes total sense now!
I am getting seriously tired of billionaires buying up the media to force their world-view on us. The list of news sources I trust gets smaller by the day.
Yes, and much of the msm is so obviously gunning for TFG and Russia, dictatorships, and authoritarianism. I follow MSNBC and some very good people on Substack!!!
Thanks for that info, TC. I've been wondering if Politico had changed its politics. It's been very disappointing to read lately. It's tough to counter the right wing strategy to buy up or pressure the media. After watching the debate, it seems like ABC is still OK.
Chalk Politico off the list of publications to read and take seriously. Right up there with The Epoch Times, right wing publication, put out by a Chinese cult.
Add The Daily Beast to your list. Their headlines alone are unreadable.
Like what exactly do republicans think are going to renew and expand American cities on an individual level and American at large? Forced gestation of American women? Cute.
But republicans persist in giving American families and American women fuck all in the way of supporting children and families after the birth. And even during. What with no universal sick leave, guaranteed access to healthcare, no paid parental leave, no universal pre kindergarten, like Biden was trying to provide, and the list goes on and on and on and on.
It is a rational choice to limit gestation and family sizes, regardless of how many children that family wanted, in light of the many huge financial and social barriers that there are in the face of gestating. And ought to include the right of these children to not be mowed down in schools!
Increased immigration and immigration supports to cities, excellent and both very needed. Increased gestation and family and children supports like the Democratic Party have been working to provide and have been trying to push through federal legislation (and were blocked by Manchin and Sinema…) very needs done and expanding on.
Every generation of immigrants gets whacked by the one two steps up the ladder. That the Irish and Italians - given the history of their immigrations ("Dogs and Irish Keep Off The Grass", "guinea/dago/wop") are the two urban ethnicities most likely to engage in this racist shit (As a person of Irish heritage I find the Mick Morons despicable), is ironic as hell. My Lithuanian refugee late wife could tell all kinds of stories about the "welcome" her family and the other Lithuanians got in Chicago from their "fellow Catholics."
I lived in northwest Ohio for 17 years, six years in a small rural town of mostly German descendants; the other 11 years were spent outside Toledo, which is very multicultural. The small town is currently 90% white. Springfield currently has a population that is 68% white. Is it going to be challenging to assimilate new residents of different colors and culturally traditions? Yes. Is it impossible? Absolutely not! I applaud Springfield for trying to revive their city. F-off DonOLD of the millions of inherited money and JD Vance, who can’t decide what his name is and who throws his family of origin as well as his current multi ethnic family under the bus. If I were JD Whoever’s wife I might be considering my long term options. He doesn’t seem like a good person to give up a career for.
I’m both Irish and Italian. I remember going to a friends house to ask if she wanted to play. Her father answered the door and said “Betty it’s the little “guinea” kid from around the block”. I was six it was 1951. Funny, I have my mothers fair skin and blue eyes, most people are shocked to learn I’m Italian, as they are with my three siblings. I had no idea what he meant so I asked my father. Later that day, I saw my father speaking with my friends father at the backyard fence.
It makes me angry, my grandparents were Italian immigrants. They had 5 sons. Three served in WWII, and the youngest served in Korea. They loved this country and were proud to call themselves Americans. My grandparents owned their own home and the property in the back. My grandfather worked hard, learned the language.
My mother never spoke of her Irish and Scottish heritage. But she had the beautiful red hair and temper to match. My father adored her, and he was the calm voice of reason.
I miss them both. My mother and my older sister spoke fluent Italian.
We are a nation of immigrants. The only true Americans are on reservations. But that’s a story.
How about we start treating others with the dignity, respect and kindness.
I can’t wait to vote my straight democratic ballot.
Yes indeed.
Forced gestation of American women?
⬆️
The GOP wants to make the Handmaids Tale a reality, while Democrats want to keep politicians out of women's reproductive healthcare and make it easier for people who want to grow their families to do so by providing an economic backstop for those families. The contrast couldn't be any starker than that!
So tell me why does anyone except misogynistic men who are afraid of strong successful women back the Trump/Vance ticket???
I wish I knew the answer to your question, Cheryl, but it is evident that many women, young and old, religious and not, rich and just getting by, still support Trump/Vance. We have to keep that in mind.
Thanks for this Robert. Your piece needs to be placed on a national platform so the country can read it. What a great service you have provided the Springfield community for the positive efforts they are making to build their community! I wish them all health, wealth and prosperity! Go Springfield!
I believe Donald Trump really stepped in it when he lied about the Haitian immigrant community in Springfield, Ohio. His hateful and racist words could put the community backwards when they are working so diligently to grow their city, it’s economy, and it’s population. However, the Republican Governor of Ohio debunked that lie about the immigrants “eating dogs, cats, and pets”). There have been no credible reports of such occurrences. Facebook has been full of dog bloggers showing their dogs’, and some cats’, responses to Trump’s voice lying about people’s pets being eaten by the immigrants. They are hilarious! Also, I found separate videos of cats supposedly hurrying to leave Springfield as well as a car full of dogs driving themselves out of that city. Trump made himself a laughingstock!
48% of US Haitians live in Florida. Most have been apathetic. Hopefully, this will get them off their derrieres.
https://www.lefloridien.com/category/latest-news/
https://www.local10.com/news/local/2024/09/11/a-low-blow-outrage-grows-in-south-florida-after-trump-repeats-false-haitian-pet-eating-claim/
“According to the Migration Policy Institute, Haitians are more likely to be naturalized U.S. citizens than immigrants overall, which means that many can vote.”
https://floridapolitics.com/archives/695697-haitian-american-leaders-continue-to-condemn-racist-and-xenophobic-gop-pet-eating-claims/
GOTV !!!
Need to get them to register.
Many are. We're working on the rest. We have a Haitian caucus within the Miamidems DEC.
That's awesome!!!
In order to control turnout, register more Democrats. Last night Tom Bonior said that enthusiasm for Harris, as measured by several polls, is equal to or greater than 2008,
https://www.fieldteam6.org/all-volunteer-ops/volunteer
To start, we are a nation of immigrants. Period.
I went to college near the city of Utica, NY in the 1970's. GE had pulled out of the area and the upstate NY cities and villages were losing population and their economic base. Utica began attracting immigrants and while the city struggled with all the same issues of the influx of immigrants noted in this newsletter, the people have managed to overcome many of the problems. While still a work in progress I think you can say Utica is a success. I hope Springfield is learning from cities like Utica to improve the standing of the population. And don't listen to Trump/Vance. Keep your eyes focused on the prize.
I am particularly grateful to you today Robert. How do you manage to do so much so well?! Your analysis of Springfield’s recent past does any historian proud (I am one) and your account of its present is also compelling! Thank you. As for the NYT 😡😡😡.
In finance they say: Economists have predicted 25 of the last 5 recessions. (ie they’re wrong most of the time.)
Kamala should go to Springfield Ohio and campaign there. She should meet with the city manager and with some long time residents and with some Haitians. She should expose the callous lying of Trump and Vance by showing up in Springfield Ohio and giving the city her energizing message of hope and inclusion! In fact I’m guessing her savvy campaign managers are already planning the trip.
I'm worried that this is the next Trump distraction. Don't get me wrong. What he and his media machine are doing is despicable, and Robert's column makes a lot of important points showing how willing they are to harm all kinds of Americans (and legal immigrants) to further their political fortunes. We should know about that, and I do wonder how many more bigoted people Trump can shake loose as voters. At the same time, though, we need two stories about Harris/Walz and the good Democrats can do for America (for example, she has just released her plan to help rural communities) for every story about the horrors of Trumpism.
Just after typing the above, I sat down to write my first 10 postcards of the day while listening to Pod Save America. The first 15 minutes includes a discussion of the debate and which things Harris said that resonated the most with test panels--almost all were the POSITIVE messages: "I represent a new generation," "Americans don't want leaders who divide us," "The true measure of a leader is who they lift up instead of who they beat down." Basically, views on Trump seem unchangeable. For us, he is irredeemable, for his fans, he's perfect, and for the undecided, they mostly think he's a jerk but like his policies. They know all about the horrible things he does, and they don't find it disqualifying.
I think, “I like his policies” means “I relate to his cruelty.” Do they ever specify which policy?
An educated woman I know is voting for Trump because "he will protect my 401(k)." People are adhering rigidly to their old unexamined beliefs. They are not paying attention to stark new developments. We may lose the election to unthinking, knee-jerk, reactive voters.
Very important comment, while we must pay attention, every time we wail and gnash our teeth about Trump's latest, we risk being distracted from more positive work.
I keep counting the ways Harris hit it out of the park Tuesday night. I enjoyed Steven Beschloss’s substack today—she told him TO HIS FACE that he was an absurd person and world leaders are laughing at him. He had to stand there and hear that, and his followers who were watching did, too.
https://open.substack.com/pub/america/p/snapshot-the-post-debate-glow-by?r=8vyqy&utm_medium=ios
Turnout, turnout, turnout…..if we turnout they don’t have a chance regardless of the rigged electoral college system. Trump’s strategy is to smear Harris to decrease our turnout He won’t debate anymore because once you see the comparison between the two it’s no contest.
Thnx for sharing the data on Springfield and how it is fighting to survive
Brilliant and timely! Thanks Robert!
I’ve been phone-banking for Kamala. Yesterday, our first assignment was to follow up on people who had said they wanted to attend today’s rally in Wilkes-Barre. The first man I spoke lives in New Jersey, 2 1/2 hours away. He is going to try to take his one and four-year-old children. I said that his four year old would remember it for the rest of her life. He said that was why he was going to do it. Please think of him when the pollsters talk about voter enthusiasm.
My husband and I were riveted by a (perhaps) 10 year old girl in the front row of VP Harris' rally in NC yesterday. She gets it! 🤗