I am a former white do-nothing liberal who has joined my local community activist group. We are fighting against racial profiling by our police, against the power of big ag that is using up and polluting our water for profit, school vouchers that are defending public education, and tax cuts defending municipal budgets (except police budgets which are exempt.) I now have an understanding of what we are up against. We need everyone who thinks this is wrong to commit to the fight in whatever way fits in with their lives. You don't have to do it all. Start small, find a niche that uses your skills. For those interested, check out People's Action, a national organization with state and local affiliates you can look into. It's non partisan. This work is hard and can be demoralizing, but the solidarity keeps us going.
Thanks Jonathan. I'd been thinking about after Trump but only in terms of "the voting never stops." I've also been a little concerned about how the idea of "vote blue no matter who" isn't a long term strategy given the number of never trumpers looking for a new political home. It would also be nice to not need our own billionaires (because they're never really "ours" are they?) so the idea of making the party the servents of activism rather than the other way round is spot on.
The other important bit is that we gotta keep engaged even when things don't go our way overnight. There's a lot of political and social inertia to overcome. Doesn't mean we can't aim high. Also doesn't mean President Harris can't ask for her opponents to publically explain why something can't happen. But it does mean we may not get everthing we want when we demand it.
I feel like I say this after every post, and I hope you don’t get tired of it: thank you. For the hope, for pointing in the right direction, for helping me fight the fucking fatigue. This subscription is worth every penny.
Trump is cartoon Gingrich. The movement that made Trump isn't going anywhere. Structures of authoritarianism are still in place - (mostly one-sided) voter suppression, gerrymandering, court packing... not to mention the MIC essentially owning the federal government and fascist porkers from the deep state to local street cops up in all the deep places, deeply policing certain skin tones and fashion choices and running their own criminal gangs. And go ahead and prepare yourself for 2028 Republican presidential nominee Marj-three-names. She's the next rung on the ladder. The conservative propaganda matrix built Trumpism. They're not slowing down.
"Stop aiming for what you think is possible. Start aiming for what you think America should be."
It is so good to read those words. I can quote (or, more accurately, paraphrase) myself from decades ago saying much the same thing:
"The left prefers to all but exclusively focus on the question of 'What might pass this year?' and then ask for that instead of the actual goal - with the inevitable result that we end up with even less than that. More importantly, what we want remains off the table precisely because we don't push for it, turning it into a self-fulfilling prophecy.
"At some point we have to stake out the ground and say this is where we want to be, this where we should be, this is where we have to go, knowing that doing so will not mean immediate victory but will mean pushing it into the discussion and from there by our persistence into the mainstream."
I'll leave any specifics of what that target should be for another time beyond the summary I offered over 40 years ago which I think still stands up pretty well, which is the right to "a decent life free of huger, fear, and oppression" based on an ethos of, as I now express it, "justice, compassion and community."
Republicans complain about liberal bias in the media, but it was the media that killed both Bernie’s & then Hillary’s campaigns. Even now the media keeps sanewashing thump’s words. How about those religions that don’t pay taxes but preach politics? It’s only because thump is DO horrible that Dems have a chance. (& many Dems are so indebted to corporations or PACs that they’re referred to as Repub light)
For example, this past primary cycle AIPAC spent millions on house races to eject Progressive congresspeople for their preferred toadies.
^^^^^^^^ the most important part of your entire article!
People need to realize, especially now, the Republicans have played a 50-year long game getting our country to this fucking point. It's time for Freedom loving, democracy loving Americans to wake up.
EVERY SINGLE ELECTION MATTERS.
From school board election all the way up to the midterms to the general election - they all matter and people need to show up to vote if they want to keep America free from fuckwads like tRump and theocracy and autocracy. Voter engagement especially with low income is a real problem......but that can be fixed.
1. The party of Trump has shoved the Overton window so far to the right that moderate centrism now looks like left-wing radicalism.
2. FDR, the suffragists, the abolitionists,and all the civil rights movements of the 60s and 70s didn’t have to deal with Citizens United. Corporate greed has swelled to the point where some single individuals now have more money than the entire budget of some countries.
And as long as that’s the case, those who are elected will have to face the risk of destruction if they piss off an American oligarch. The playing field is not what it once was. How to achieve universal health care when it necessitates tearing down gigantic insurance companies? Just for one example.
I’m so tired of it all—I’ve been fighting since the 1960s—but I just try to remember that, to paraphrase the good rabbi, I don’t have to achieve ultimate victory; I just have to be able to say that I tried.
Defunding not defending. Damn autocorrect!
I am a former white do-nothing liberal who has joined my local community activist group. We are fighting against racial profiling by our police, against the power of big ag that is using up and polluting our water for profit, school vouchers that are defending public education, and tax cuts defending municipal budgets (except police budgets which are exempt.) I now have an understanding of what we are up against. We need everyone who thinks this is wrong to commit to the fight in whatever way fits in with their lives. You don't have to do it all. Start small, find a niche that uses your skills. For those interested, check out People's Action, a national organization with state and local affiliates you can look into. It's non partisan. This work is hard and can be demoralizing, but the solidarity keeps us going.
To extend the sports metaphor, you knocked it out of the park, Jonathan! I will keep this one close by and share the hell out of it. Thank you.
Thanks Jonathan. I'd been thinking about after Trump but only in terms of "the voting never stops." I've also been a little concerned about how the idea of "vote blue no matter who" isn't a long term strategy given the number of never trumpers looking for a new political home. It would also be nice to not need our own billionaires (because they're never really "ours" are they?) so the idea of making the party the servents of activism rather than the other way round is spot on.
The other important bit is that we gotta keep engaged even when things don't go our way overnight. There's a lot of political and social inertia to overcome. Doesn't mean we can't aim high. Also doesn't mean President Harris can't ask for her opponents to publically explain why something can't happen. But it does mean we may not get everthing we want when we demand it.
Thank you for this, you esteemed patriot. Timing is perfection. 💖💕
I feel like I say this after every post, and I hope you don’t get tired of it: thank you. For the hope, for pointing in the right direction, for helping me fight the fucking fatigue. This subscription is worth every penny.
Teacher will rap their knuckles and call them Bernie Sanders and ask them how they’ll pay for it.
We can tax the everloving fuck out of the rich and bring back a reasonable corporate tax rate, off the top of my head.
Trump is cartoon Gingrich. The movement that made Trump isn't going anywhere. Structures of authoritarianism are still in place - (mostly one-sided) voter suppression, gerrymandering, court packing... not to mention the MIC essentially owning the federal government and fascist porkers from the deep state to local street cops up in all the deep places, deeply policing certain skin tones and fashion choices and running their own criminal gangs. And go ahead and prepare yourself for 2028 Republican presidential nominee Marj-three-names. She's the next rung on the ladder. The conservative propaganda matrix built Trumpism. They're not slowing down.
This is a great organisation? I look for you emails every day. Please keep going
"Stop aiming for what you think is possible. Start aiming for what you think America should be."
It is so good to read those words. I can quote (or, more accurately, paraphrase) myself from decades ago saying much the same thing:
"The left prefers to all but exclusively focus on the question of 'What might pass this year?' and then ask for that instead of the actual goal - with the inevitable result that we end up with even less than that. More importantly, what we want remains off the table precisely because we don't push for it, turning it into a self-fulfilling prophecy.
"At some point we have to stake out the ground and say this is where we want to be, this where we should be, this is where we have to go, knowing that doing so will not mean immediate victory but will mean pushing it into the discussion and from there by our persistence into the mainstream."
I'll leave any specifics of what that target should be for another time beyond the summary I offered over 40 years ago which I think still stands up pretty well, which is the right to "a decent life free of huger, fear, and oppression" based on an ethos of, as I now express it, "justice, compassion and community."
Republicans complain about liberal bias in the media, but it was the media that killed both Bernie’s & then Hillary’s campaigns. Even now the media keeps sanewashing thump’s words. How about those religions that don’t pay taxes but preach politics? It’s only because thump is DO horrible that Dems have a chance. (& many Dems are so indebted to corporations or PACs that they’re referred to as Repub light)
For example, this past primary cycle AIPAC spent millions on house races to eject Progressive congresspeople for their preferred toadies.
Thank you for doing this, Jon. I'm proud to know you.
"Nothing changes until we flood the field."
^^^^^^^^ the most important part of your entire article!
People need to realize, especially now, the Republicans have played a 50-year long game getting our country to this fucking point. It's time for Freedom loving, democracy loving Americans to wake up.
EVERY SINGLE ELECTION MATTERS.
From school board election all the way up to the midterms to the general election - they all matter and people need to show up to vote if they want to keep America free from fuckwads like tRump and theocracy and autocracy. Voter engagement especially with low income is a real problem......but that can be fixed.
Trump's successor will be the same billionaires that propped him up. But who will be the new puppet?
Two thoughts:
1. The party of Trump has shoved the Overton window so far to the right that moderate centrism now looks like left-wing radicalism.
2. FDR, the suffragists, the abolitionists,and all the civil rights movements of the 60s and 70s didn’t have to deal with Citizens United. Corporate greed has swelled to the point where some single individuals now have more money than the entire budget of some countries.
And as long as that’s the case, those who are elected will have to face the risk of destruction if they piss off an American oligarch. The playing field is not what it once was. How to achieve universal health care when it necessitates tearing down gigantic insurance companies? Just for one example.
I’m so tired of it all—I’ve been fighting since the 1960s—but I just try to remember that, to paraphrase the good rabbi, I don’t have to achieve ultimate victory; I just have to be able to say that I tried.
Excellent observation regarding the Overton Window.
1. We need Supreme Court reform; citizens united can then be overturned along with several other corrupt rulings.
2. And we need to get rid of the archaic and racist electoral college.
Imagine how much better this country would be if just these two things were done.
Spot on! Thank you.