Instead of fleeing the Democratic Party, we must reach out & tell our leaders that we have their backs. That they can afford to be brave, and together we can save our freedoms and our republic
What a great op-ed today (they are always great) but this one is so enlightening. It really helps to hear the history and to also see more steps of what we can do. I'm sharing those steps with friends and contacting my elected representatives and senators. Thank you Thom!!
This article is spot on about Democratic leadership needing to take power back and become aggressive pushing agenda to benefit every American. Just this morning on a local news channel it was announced more Americans are considering changing from Democrat to Republican. I’m angry at this self defeating stupidity. Seriously?. The party that constantly proposes policies that benefit the rich and make the rest of us pay for everything? How can any senior vote for the party that proposes privatization of SSI and Medicare? Or for younger voters that need safe, living wage level jobs and health care, housing,etc. I can’t fathom voting for the party that is anti union, anti women’s rights, anti LGBQT, as well as end the separation of church and state. Perhaps I’m naive but the answer for me is not to “sit out” and not vote, or consider voting for any Republican in protest. The reality to me is that Americans are fairly moderate (or conservative if you will ) in ideology and afraid of the notion of any policy that smells like socialism. Never mind that many of our public works are benefits we all pay taxes to fund. Americans tend to vote name recognition and generally lazy about studying public policy or how government works. Remember 2016. That should be a red flag going forward. So for me it’s important to vote Democrat down the line, and let our representatives know where we stand on fighting back for our democracy.
I think you're coming around Thom. Hopefully it's not too late. The problem with this piece is that Democratic leadership does not care if we have their backs or not. In 2009, as a concerned physician I went to my Congressman Danny Davis's offices to discuss Medicare for All. He listened to me, nodded his head and agreed that a single-payer program might be helpful but gave me the Barack Obama line "now is not the time." Needless to say, I am not voting for him in today's Illinois primary election, but the broader point is that Democratic leadership (the old guard) does not want change Thom. They are content to fundraise off our misery, as I have been getting the same barrage of nonsensical, desperate e-mails from Pelosi et al that you receive from Trump. This leadership is rudderless, and unfortunately your support for them, including your calling Pelosi a progressive and such, has led to this moment. How can I possibly have their back when for 50 years they haven't had mine? Who is supposed to be protecting who in this political system??
Two takeaways from this excellent piece. 1) A young voter said that Democrats have had 50 years to codify Roe, but they kept it hanging out there because it’s great for fundraising. 2) The Democratic Party is losing voters by failing to stand up to the bullies on the Supreme Court and two corrupt Democratic senators. I especially liked the idea of LBJ kicking butt all the way down Pennsylvania Avenue.
I agree that the R’s would do away with the filibuster in a second, if that gave them what they wanted. The filibuster is responsible for much misery in this country, allowing the minority to rule the day. Enough already! Get done what needs to be done for the country !
As ever, Thom, your grasp of history, your keen political insight, and your unapologetic humanity have hit the nail on the head. My daily lament is seeing the Democrat Party leadership flail spinelessly in the face of a full frontal assault by the MAGA goons in the U.S. Congress.
The image of LBJ frog-marching our two DINO senators down Pennsylvania Ave. brought a smile to my face! Alas, our president and our top leaders do not have that “ride with the brand” or be banished type of courage. We will likely lose our Democracy as a result.
Thank-you again for being the voice of reason, intelligence, and passion that you are. As difficult as it is to hear the truth that you present to us, I’m deeply grateful that you’re speaking it.
There is an underlying assumption that the political parties operate in a democratic manner. In 1944 the three term Vice President Henry A. Wallace, a progressive, was dumped by the Democratic Party bosses and replaced with Harry S. Truman. Voters did not get a choice as to who the next president would be. In 2016 the party sidelined Bernie Sanders as they did in 2008. So we got an Obama who chose not to introduce universal health care and a Joe Biden who is in the pocket of Wall Street and the military contractors and big pharma. Clinton was selected to run on the ticket and we got a man who deregulated the banks and the commodities markets which resulted in the Great Recession and who double the U.S. prison population during his 8 years in office.
Tell me why I should vote for a neoliberal Democratic Party candidate instead of a neoliberal Republican Party candidate as I see too little difference to matter at the national level. I have seen a severe slide to the right by both parties over the past 50 years. A Republican president Richard Nixon supported abortion rights and created the EPA and signed the Clean Water Act.
Much of the control of government now is in the hands of those working for the military for which no one gets to vote and much is in the hands of appointed judges. Karl Rove has been very successful in getting right wing extremists appointed to the bench to serve for life. He needed the financial backing of people like the Kochs and the Waltons, but he was one of the pivotal players and he is outside the system.
What a great op-ed today (they are always great) but this one is so enlightening. It really helps to hear the history and to also see more steps of what we can do. I'm sharing those steps with friends and contacting my elected representatives and senators. Thank you Thom!!
This article is spot on about Democratic leadership needing to take power back and become aggressive pushing agenda to benefit every American. Just this morning on a local news channel it was announced more Americans are considering changing from Democrat to Republican. I’m angry at this self defeating stupidity. Seriously?. The party that constantly proposes policies that benefit the rich and make the rest of us pay for everything? How can any senior vote for the party that proposes privatization of SSI and Medicare? Or for younger voters that need safe, living wage level jobs and health care, housing,etc. I can’t fathom voting for the party that is anti union, anti women’s rights, anti LGBQT, as well as end the separation of church and state. Perhaps I’m naive but the answer for me is not to “sit out” and not vote, or consider voting for any Republican in protest. The reality to me is that Americans are fairly moderate (or conservative if you will ) in ideology and afraid of the notion of any policy that smells like socialism. Never mind that many of our public works are benefits we all pay taxes to fund. Americans tend to vote name recognition and generally lazy about studying public policy or how government works. Remember 2016. That should be a red flag going forward. So for me it’s important to vote Democrat down the line, and let our representatives know where we stand on fighting back for our democracy.
I think you're coming around Thom. Hopefully it's not too late. The problem with this piece is that Democratic leadership does not care if we have their backs or not. In 2009, as a concerned physician I went to my Congressman Danny Davis's offices to discuss Medicare for All. He listened to me, nodded his head and agreed that a single-payer program might be helpful but gave me the Barack Obama line "now is not the time." Needless to say, I am not voting for him in today's Illinois primary election, but the broader point is that Democratic leadership (the old guard) does not want change Thom. They are content to fundraise off our misery, as I have been getting the same barrage of nonsensical, desperate e-mails from Pelosi et al that you receive from Trump. This leadership is rudderless, and unfortunately your support for them, including your calling Pelosi a progressive and such, has led to this moment. How can I possibly have their back when for 50 years they haven't had mine? Who is supposed to be protecting who in this political system??
Two takeaways from this excellent piece. 1) A young voter said that Democrats have had 50 years to codify Roe, but they kept it hanging out there because it’s great for fundraising. 2) The Democratic Party is losing voters by failing to stand up to the bullies on the Supreme Court and two corrupt Democratic senators. I especially liked the idea of LBJ kicking butt all the way down Pennsylvania Avenue.
I agree that the R’s would do away with the filibuster in a second, if that gave them what they wanted. The filibuster is responsible for much misery in this country, allowing the minority to rule the day. Enough already! Get done what needs to be done for the country !
As ever, Thom, your grasp of history, your keen political insight, and your unapologetic humanity have hit the nail on the head. My daily lament is seeing the Democrat Party leadership flail spinelessly in the face of a full frontal assault by the MAGA goons in the U.S. Congress.
The image of LBJ frog-marching our two DINO senators down Pennsylvania Ave. brought a smile to my face! Alas, our president and our top leaders do not have that “ride with the brand” or be banished type of courage. We will likely lose our Democracy as a result.
Thank-you again for being the voice of reason, intelligence, and passion that you are. As difficult as it is to hear the truth that you present to us, I’m deeply grateful that you’re speaking it.
There is an underlying assumption that the political parties operate in a democratic manner. In 1944 the three term Vice President Henry A. Wallace, a progressive, was dumped by the Democratic Party bosses and replaced with Harry S. Truman. Voters did not get a choice as to who the next president would be. In 2016 the party sidelined Bernie Sanders as they did in 2008. So we got an Obama who chose not to introduce universal health care and a Joe Biden who is in the pocket of Wall Street and the military contractors and big pharma. Clinton was selected to run on the ticket and we got a man who deregulated the banks and the commodities markets which resulted in the Great Recession and who double the U.S. prison population during his 8 years in office.
Tell me why I should vote for a neoliberal Democratic Party candidate instead of a neoliberal Republican Party candidate as I see too little difference to matter at the national level. I have seen a severe slide to the right by both parties over the past 50 years. A Republican president Richard Nixon supported abortion rights and created the EPA and signed the Clean Water Act.
Much of the control of government now is in the hands of those working for the military for which no one gets to vote and much is in the hands of appointed judges. Karl Rove has been very successful in getting right wing extremists appointed to the bench to serve for life. He needed the financial backing of people like the Kochs and the Waltons, but he was one of the pivotal players and he is outside the system.