The problem is like now the Democratic Party should announce MEDICARE FOR ALL after the Republicans have basically dismantled the ACA, but they won’t we are back to see what the Republicans did and will point fingers and do nothing for the poor and middle class that relied on Obamacare
If one thing will win the people after the Exchanges close next month, is Universal Health Care, a simple piece of legislation, amending the Medicare enabling legislation to read eligible at birth., private insurance will still be needed: Medigap. Of course the insurance industry which has so many politicians of both parties, under their thumb, will see that as an opportunity to soak the tax payer and citizen, by expanding their Medicare disAdvantabge program.s
And Repubs will cry, Socialism! as if that's a bad thing. Need to relabel it democratic socialism and Dems should enthusiastically embrace it rather than mumble. Bernie, I am convinced, would have beaten Rump in 2016.
Insurance Companies seek to drain the Medicare Trust Fund with every gimmick on the planet, the advantage plans are just another profit center for those insurance companies
The insurance lobby is another example of whole industries controlled by billionaires who desire profit and power over all else. It’s an excellent example of our messed up system of economics that depends on taking from one group to protect another’s way of life. Free money, except it’s never free.
This is an ideology that needs to be looked at. It’s a way of thinking—a belief system that says there’s not enough, so we redistribute for ourselves. It is billionaires/trillionaires thinking as well as by all that’s left, which is the vast majority.
We all think it’s right to redistribute by force. One group because they want to protect their hoarding and power and the other, because the first group designed this way of thinking and they control us all with it. So, there is lack for the majority—it’s designed that way. It enables power and control by the few over the many. It’s a system of hierarchy that we’re so entrenched in we see no way out. But, we will not really progress as a people until we all desire to make a system based on lifting up all and eliminate fake lack.
Let’s see, we’ve had thousands of wars and so many revolutions, but it always comes back to the same duality and justifications. A hand full of people believe they are more deserving than the rest because they manipulate the system and call it their right.
Would you like a nice friendly wager of 50 dollars to the Thom Hartmann program that the ACA/Obamacare will or won’t come up to a vote in the US SENATE.
Unity around a set of progressive principles, not unity around the donor class, which is what Democratic Unity has been in the past.
The Dems had unity around Hillary and Lost, Unity around Kamala and lost.
Biden won in 2020, not because of Democratic unity, but total disgust with Trump after his 45 fiasco, but he bounced back, because in your words "we wuz robbed"
The DNC put it's thumb on the scale for Hillary in S.C. and the wise women of SC control the primary there and the rest of the south follow suit, Bernie out raised Hillary from donations from us common folk, while Hillary has the weight of the DNC and PAC money behind her, but that didn't help in the election did it.
The Republican party doesn't have a big tent does it? They have a very narrowly defined and small tent, bridging the gap between billionaires and white racist Christian nationalist males. Money and media from above, votes from below.
The only way to beat that scenario is fielding a populist, before Trump all populists were third party, from Teddy Roosevelt, to Ross Perot, Bernie was a populist but the DNC shut him out. Biden was not a populist. he was known as the Senator from Wall Street.
Trump ran as a populist, a right wing, racist, nationalist populist and won, with of course help from {utin, Musk, Thiel.
And whatever happened to this lawsuit where Kamala got zero votes in a NY county
Exactly, what Daniel is advocating and getting your email address sounds like more warmed over ACT Blue BS. The party is BEHOLDEN to corporate cash especially the drug, insurance and defense contractors. It’s like a drug addict on hardcore drugs that won’t go to rehab
Platforms, smlatforms. Something run on and abandoned. Words don't matter, actions do.
As regards a big tent, one thing we don't want in it, is tech bros, we don't want the Jamie Dimons and financiers, AHIP and PhRMA, we don't want Christian nationalists, Islamists or Zionists. We want defenders of a multi cultural, tolerant, unencumbered Democratic socialists.
I have told you before I am not a card carrying member of anything, Joiners give up their sovereign right to be themselves, to think for themselves.
I stand behind the Democratic party so long as it stands for and behind the populist, not the elite, not the narrow minded, not the racists, not the homophobe, not the xenophobe
But I am not so open minded that my brain falls out.
But this crap, of my country right or wrong, my party right or wrong, is fodder for idiots.
I am a registered Independent voter. So is Bernie Sanders. We both represent the largest body of voting Americans and have standing by advocating for specific issues. One is ending genocide, which is exactly why you are attacking us and trying to silence us. Trump is your product of not advocating for governance but promoting division.
Fish rot from the head down. The Democratic party could and should be the party of the people, but it is staffed by professionals, who live inside the beltway echo chamber, the only people that they socialize with and talk to are lobbyists, donor. They are hired and compensated for on the basis of how big their Rolodex files are.
They are out of touch with the populace, probably don't even step inside a supermarket, they breathe rarified air and think that they are the genius' that know politics and can run a campaign.
I wonder how much of my Vote Blue donations went to padding the salaries of Biggs,.Brazile, ,Begala, Carville and others.
The only thing that the DNC cares about protecting is their own jobs and status.
I think the increased emphasis on funding (Citizens United) has pulled both parties rightward, toward the oligarchs and their money, and this is institutionalized corruption.
Here we are with a known psychopath in what's left of the White House.
The brutal truth is that 40% of this country are in neither party, but the good news is that is exactly who the TRump corruption, wars, and economy has completely turned off.
They are about to witness the collapse of rural hospitals along with the nursing homes. And we thought health care in America couldn't get worse! The Epstein truth is marching on. TRump is not, he can barely walk down steps or in a straight line. The psychos, sadists, and Nazis of the TRump regime days are numbered.
Progressives talking about economic and legal justice is working. I have Democrats to thank for everything that makes my life tolerable today. Talk to the independents you know. See you in the streets.
Right on!! Science, maths and logical thinking of the voter is anathema to this MAGA crowd and the Lame duck Felon - there are enough voters who can understand this if they are encouraged to THINK about the present disasters before they vote.
I remember my very first opportunity to vote came in 1980 when I turned 18. I was very studious about the candidates that year: Carter v Reagan. And then I turned my attention to one of the independents also running: John Anderson. I took my voting very seriously and studied up on all of the candidates. For me, Anderson seemed a perfect fit.
That turned out to be a disastrous vote that has stuck with me all my life as Reagan won. It was a wasted vote. This needs to be shouted from the rooftops:
"A VOTE FOR ANY CANDIDATE FOR PRESIDENT OTHER THAN A DEMOCRAT OR REPUBLICAN IN THIS COUNTRY IS A WASTED VOTE!"
IMO.....Hopes of a 3rd party elected as a means to solving the problems of this 2 party dysfunction will not work....same as being a centrist democrat is useless....both of these beliefs only lead to more inability among Democratic Socialists or, if you like, Liberal Progressives to enact ideas and policies that benefit all the people.....I think there should be serious changes from the past and currently how the Democratic Party goes about governing.....negotiating towards a middle ground only keeps conceding to the right...maybe little by little, but will never allow the left to put forward the types policies that truly help build a healthy, safe and prosperous nation.
Hasn't helped us yet, has it. Dems gain the presidency, because a head of cabbage could have beat Trump, but the big tent didn't come through in 2024 did it, and it doesn't come through in the Congressional elections either.
No we screwed ourselves, your blaming someone else for your failure.
The Democratic party needs to reform itself, fish rot from the head down.
The big wigs in the DNC are out of touch with the rest of America, the ones that earn paychecks, shop at PigglyWiggly, eat lunch at McDonalds.
They are a bunch of fuckin elitists, the tried to muscle out a progresssive Senator, Markey of MA, for a conservaDem, Joseph Kennedy II, the backed a homophobe for Congress against a lesbian (AOC).
The put their thumb on the scale for a member of the ruling class, against a genuine populist.
And now they won't release the autopsy report of the 2024 election, because it means that a whole bunch of people are going to be in the unemployment line.
Agreed....I also seem to recall what the DNC did to, who was it, David Hog ?.... for him wanting to have democrats that were progressives primary democrats that were conservative centrists (Blue Dems ?) that were giving people that same old, same old capitulation to the right and getting the majority of people as a whole nowhere...except for the Corps and the rich.....again, my take and opinion.
A tent big enough for convicted felon Hennry Cuellar to be installed again by party operatives to have power over American citizens is TOO BIG. That kind of corruption is why Independent registered voters are growing and both cartel parties are losing members. That has been happening for over a decade. One of the parties has to shape up to represent the nation and its citizens. A monied ruling class currently owns both.
Thank you, Thom, for educating people on voting for third party candidates. How ironic that the votes for Nader and Stein actually prevented the country from doing the things they advocated. Progressive solutions like affordable housing, Medicare for all, Tax equity etc. are the only way the USA is going to stop the huge gap between the ultra rich and everyone else.
Spot on. Grrrr. Imagine! Gore. Clinton. Healthier. Happier. Safer. Greener. Invite us all to go back and watch Michael Moore’s wonderful documentary, “Where to Invade Next” and to take a look at the Gallup “World Happiness Report”.
Thom, “American exceptionalism” is killing us too. That people have been taught to think the U.S. has all the answers is such a disservice. Looking at Moore’s documentary and the report on nations that measure their success by the happiness and well-being of their people?
That is a gift and a shift we could be making together.
MAGA folks may not be open to the fact that the U.S. doesn’t have “the best” or even the 10th best whatever. But seeing how other nations solve healthcare, caregiving, consumer protection and more? Perhaps that could be an opening. Envy. Helping people evoke envy for the way others are living. Since greed, fear, exclusively, and guilt seem to be the prime motivators here, this is how we could win more at their own game.
We progressives want to vote for what we want, and who is most likely to deliver on it, but the system as it is constrains us to vote for Democrats, even if they pay us no more than lip service. It's a tough pill to have to swallow. Best immediate solution: we need better turnout in our primaries. But better still, we need lots of electoral reforms, some requiring constitutional amendments.
Thanks for this post. For many years I voted for socialists, or third party progressives and it was not until I got involved in politics through my union that I realized that getting pro-union Democrats in office made a real difference in the every day lives of working people. That doesn't mean we have to abandon struggling for major change. But incremental change is also meaningful in people's lives. It is much easier to get working folks involved in politics if they are not struggling day to day just to survive. Having standards of living and protections in place for folks to allow the luxury of getting involved in politics is important. I don't mean to dismiss the roadblocks. The rich and powerful were not going to allow Bernie to be our candidate. But by running he made a big difference in the outlook of folks about possibilities for our future.
All the fascist GOP and their fascist "tech bros" have to do is pay out the fascist Murdochs to scream, "The non-Whites are coming." "The non-Whites are coming."
Or some such rubbish pish posh, and Bob's your uncle, we've got hill billy fascist President Vance.
J.D. Vance is facing public scrutiny and rumors about his marriage to Usha Vance (née Chandra), stemming from online speculation about her being seen without her wedding ring, comments he made about her Hindu faith/HINDUISM and hopes for her conversion to Christianity, and broader commentary on their differing backgrounds (her Indian/elite vs. his working-class/conservative), though both have publicly stated their marriage is strong and they joke about the rumors. He's also defended her from racist attacks by far-right figures like Nick Fuentes.
Thanks to all who responded to my post yesterday. It simply seemed to me that what we all need is a place from which we can rally together against the vile powers that are controlling our lives—robbing us of our heritage both here and abroad and in the process destroying it for the next generation or even several. Young people are beginning to experience the effects firsthand—we must join them and provide whatever leadership they might ask us for. As a “boomer” and a teacher of law and public policy in several business schools, I feel an obligation both personally and professionally to encourage us to speak out, leave our comfort zones and just “show up” wherever and whenever we are able.
Give our personal rage a rest and keep our eyes focused on November and beyond. Do not be tempted to believe that the tide has turned and everything will be “all right”. Stand against the machine in every way you are able.
A timely article for someone (like me) who voted for Harris, but was sorely tempted to support a 3rd party (like the Green,) because I didn't view Harris as being progressive enough. Today's "progressive" outlook, would have, in earlier times, been considered Centrist. - at least relative to today's position.
What would be great fir this election is getting all the progressive candidates to work together to establish a platform that they then campaign on, in lockstep as much as possible, painting the picture of what they stand for. As if they ARE a 3rd Party, espousing what they all believe is what America wants.
We all know what it says when Democrats lose to fascist candidate. How bad to you have to be to lose to fascism? It's because the Progressive platform is never fully laid out. I have no sense that they can all lay out and paint the picture of the entire platform being enacted. The DNC Would do their damndest to railroad it yet again, but aggressive spreading of the word - - - the UNIFIED word - - - would go a long way towards getting more people to THIINK.
We need graphs and effective illustrators, used and disseminated by ALL the progressives. We need straight shooting teachers that recognize the damage that has been done through "The Scheme" and more. I don't need to articulate the platform; the Progressive wing does.
RCV and campaign finance reform would make such a difference, as would leadership willing to embrace and extol democratic, and Democratic, values. Current leadership demonstrates no comprehension of why so many Democrats are so deeply frustrated with their party, thereby enhancing the appeal of a third party. Said leadership continues to promote neoliberal-lite, AIPAC-approved candidates, while hitting me up for contributions. I won’t vote third party, but I won’t help them torpedo progressive candidates the way they torpedoed Bernie in 2016.
Thom, You are so right about the danger of spoiler candidates. But I think we can come up with some creative options in this coming year's election and for 2028.
Both Political Parties are Disappointing
Like many citizens, I'm deeply disappointed with the Republican Party and with the Democratic Party this year. Going into this election period, those who share this disappointment have a fundamental choice to make. We can support the least objectionable major party or candidate campaign and try to help that party reform to better reflect our values and the interests of the middle class. Or...
We can help to build a powerful social and political movement outside of the two major parties (call it the Swing Vote Coalition for now). This coalition would not run its own candidates or support spoiler candidates that would undermine any Democrats. The coalition would use the movement to try to shift both parties closer to the middle and to engage non-voters. We could also encourage members of this coalition to promote reform candidates in both party's primaries and in the November elections.
I'm convinced that this strategy would engage those who do not vote, and would lead to a strong Democratic vote in November. And, we can use this movement to promote specific reforms and hold elected officials accountable to a reform agenda over the next few years.
Thank you for a great summary of how third parties have ruined the chance for a progressive Democratic Party. I have hated Ralph Nader ever since his selfishness ruined Al Gore’s win in 2000.
The problem is like now the Democratic Party should announce MEDICARE FOR ALL after the Republicans have basically dismantled the ACA, but they won’t we are back to see what the Republicans did and will point fingers and do nothing for the poor and middle class that relied on Obamacare
If one thing will win the people after the Exchanges close next month, is Universal Health Care, a simple piece of legislation, amending the Medicare enabling legislation to read eligible at birth., private insurance will still be needed: Medigap. Of course the insurance industry which has so many politicians of both parties, under their thumb, will see that as an opportunity to soak the tax payer and citizen, by expanding their Medicare disAdvantabge program.s
And Repubs will cry, Socialism! as if that's a bad thing. Need to relabel it democratic socialism and Dems should enthusiastically embrace it rather than mumble. Bernie, I am convinced, would have beaten Rump in 2016.
Insurance Companies seek to drain the Medicare Trust Fund with every gimmick on the planet, the advantage plans are just another profit center for those insurance companies
Preachin to the choir Patrick, That is why I said Medicare disAdvantage.
The insurance lobby is another example of whole industries controlled by billionaires who desire profit and power over all else. It’s an excellent example of our messed up system of economics that depends on taking from one group to protect another’s way of life. Free money, except it’s never free.
This is an ideology that needs to be looked at. It’s a way of thinking—a belief system that says there’s not enough, so we redistribute for ourselves. It is billionaires/trillionaires thinking as well as by all that’s left, which is the vast majority.
We all think it’s right to redistribute by force. One group because they want to protect their hoarding and power and the other, because the first group designed this way of thinking and they control us all with it. So, there is lack for the majority—it’s designed that way. It enables power and control by the few over the many. It’s a system of hierarchy that we’re so entrenched in we see no way out. But, we will not really progress as a people until we all desire to make a system based on lifting up all and eliminate fake lack.
Let’s see, we’ve had thousands of wars and so many revolutions, but it always comes back to the same duality and justifications. A hand full of people believe they are more deserving than the rest because they manipulate the system and call it their right.
Dec 20, 2025 — Four Republicans teamed up with Democrats to require a vote to revive ACA funds in early 2026.
This is the Trump response. Note the date. https://www.whitehouse.gov/articles/2025/12/all-50-states-will-receive-historic-funding-from-trump-administration-to-strengthen-rural-health-care/
Although there's supposed to be a vote in the Senate on the Obamacare extension, Trump acholytes will apparently not permit it.
Thune is the key. What if every South Dakotan in jeopardy makes a personal visit to him for New Years?
That’s DOA in the senate, like it won’t come up for a vote ever
That kind of defeatist resignation is what they want.
When the going gets tough, the tough get going.
Would you like a nice friendly wager of 50 dollars to the Thom Hartmann program that the ACA/Obamacare will or won’t come up to a vote in the US SENATE.
This is your opportunity to be heard. https://blueprint.democrats.org/
To take advantage, we need unity, not carping.
Unity around a set of progressive principles, not unity around the donor class, which is what Democratic Unity has been in the past.
The Dems had unity around Hillary and Lost, Unity around Kamala and lost.
Biden won in 2020, not because of Democratic unity, but total disgust with Trump after his 45 fiasco, but he bounced back, because in your words "we wuz robbed"
The DNC put it's thumb on the scale for Hillary in S.C. and the wise women of SC control the primary there and the rest of the south follow suit, Bernie out raised Hillary from donations from us common folk, while Hillary has the weight of the DNC and PAC money behind her, but that didn't help in the election did it.
The Republican party doesn't have a big tent does it? They have a very narrowly defined and small tent, bridging the gap between billionaires and white racist Christian nationalist males. Money and media from above, votes from below.
The only way to beat that scenario is fielding a populist, before Trump all populists were third party, from Teddy Roosevelt, to Ross Perot, Bernie was a populist but the DNC shut him out. Biden was not a populist. he was known as the Senator from Wall Street.
Trump ran as a populist, a right wing, racist, nationalist populist and won, with of course help from {utin, Musk, Thiel.
And whatever happened to this lawsuit where Kamala got zero votes in a NY county
https://www.latintimes.com/lawsuit-challenging-2024-election-results-moves-forward-after-kamala-harris-received-zero-votes-584787
Yet she conceded at 4 pm Nov 6 while votes were still being counted.
What do we gain if the Democratic party and i's President are more gentle versions of the Republican party?
Exactly, what Daniel is advocating and getting your email address sounds like more warmed over ACT Blue BS. The party is BEHOLDEN to corporate cash especially the drug, insurance and defense contractors. It’s like a drug addict on hardcore drugs that won’t go to rehab
I tried to donate directly to a candidate, but damn if my donation didn't wind up in Act Blue, to pay some strategists salary.
Give it a break..you don't even know what the friggin' platform is. You've udermined any attempt at a big tent.
Platforms, smlatforms. Something run on and abandoned. Words don't matter, actions do.
As regards a big tent, one thing we don't want in it, is tech bros, we don't want the Jamie Dimons and financiers, AHIP and PhRMA, we don't want Christian nationalists, Islamists or Zionists. We want defenders of a multi cultural, tolerant, unencumbered Democratic socialists.
I have told you before I am not a card carrying member of anything, Joiners give up their sovereign right to be themselves, to think for themselves.
I stand behind the Democratic party so long as it stands for and behind the populist, not the elite, not the narrow minded, not the racists, not the homophobe, not the xenophobe
But I am not so open minded that my brain falls out.
But this crap, of my country right or wrong, my party right or wrong, is fodder for idiots.
We need governance, not partisan finger-pointing and snarky speeches.
You are not a Democrat -- worked to undermine us. Have no standing.
The party is democratic (small d). We vote on our platform. We do not have a dictatorship.
I am a registered Independent voter. So is Bernie Sanders. We both represent the largest body of voting Americans and have standing by advocating for specific issues. One is ending genocide, which is exactly why you are attacking us and trying to silence us. Trump is your product of not advocating for governance but promoting division.
Fish rot from the head down. The Democratic party could and should be the party of the people, but it is staffed by professionals, who live inside the beltway echo chamber, the only people that they socialize with and talk to are lobbyists, donor. They are hired and compensated for on the basis of how big their Rolodex files are.
They are out of touch with the populace, probably don't even step inside a supermarket, they breathe rarified air and think that they are the genius' that know politics and can run a campaign.
I wonder how much of my Vote Blue donations went to padding the salaries of Biggs,.Brazile, ,Begala, Carville and others.
The only thing that the DNC cares about protecting is their own jobs and status.
I think the increased emphasis on funding (Citizens United) has pulled both parties rightward, toward the oligarchs and their money, and this is institutionalized corruption.
Hence VOTE for the candidate who will invalidate "Citizens United".
I suspect that will be every "young" Democrat, and no Republican.
I understand virtue voters, but....
Here we are with a known psychopath in what's left of the White House.
The brutal truth is that 40% of this country are in neither party, but the good news is that is exactly who the TRump corruption, wars, and economy has completely turned off.
They are about to witness the collapse of rural hospitals along with the nursing homes. And we thought health care in America couldn't get worse! The Epstein truth is marching on. TRump is not, he can barely walk down steps or in a straight line. The psychos, sadists, and Nazis of the TRump regime days are numbered.
Progressives talking about economic and legal justice is working. I have Democrats to thank for everything that makes my life tolerable today. Talk to the independents you know. See you in the streets.
Right on!! Science, maths and logical thinking of the voter is anathema to this MAGA crowd and the Lame duck Felon - there are enough voters who can understand this if they are encouraged to THINK about the present disasters before they vote.
IMHO "Bubba" and similar issues are anethema to TRUMP. It's up to us to take advantage.
I remember my very first opportunity to vote came in 1980 when I turned 18. I was very studious about the candidates that year: Carter v Reagan. And then I turned my attention to one of the independents also running: John Anderson. I took my voting very seriously and studied up on all of the candidates. For me, Anderson seemed a perfect fit.
That turned out to be a disastrous vote that has stuck with me all my life as Reagan won. It was a wasted vote. This needs to be shouted from the rooftops:
"A VOTE FOR ANY CANDIDATE FOR PRESIDENT OTHER THAN A DEMOCRAT OR REPUBLICAN IN THIS COUNTRY IS A WASTED VOTE!"
IMO.....Hopes of a 3rd party elected as a means to solving the problems of this 2 party dysfunction will not work....same as being a centrist democrat is useless....both of these beliefs only lead to more inability among Democratic Socialists or, if you like, Liberal Progressives to enact ideas and policies that benefit all the people.....I think there should be serious changes from the past and currently how the Democratic Party goes about governing.....negotiating towards a middle ground only keeps conceding to the right...maybe little by little, but will never allow the left to put forward the types policies that truly help build a healthy, safe and prosperous nation.
We win with a big tent -- everyone is welcome.
Hasn't helped us yet, has it. Dems gain the presidency, because a head of cabbage could have beat Trump, but the big tent didn't come through in 2024 did it, and it doesn't come through in the Congressional elections either.
We wuz screwed. We actually won. Even you admit it.
No we screwed ourselves, your blaming someone else for your failure.
The Democratic party needs to reform itself, fish rot from the head down.
The big wigs in the DNC are out of touch with the rest of America, the ones that earn paychecks, shop at PigglyWiggly, eat lunch at McDonalds.
They are a bunch of fuckin elitists, the tried to muscle out a progresssive Senator, Markey of MA, for a conservaDem, Joseph Kennedy II, the backed a homophobe for Congress against a lesbian (AOC).
The put their thumb on the scale for a member of the ruling class, against a genuine populist.
And now they won't release the autopsy report of the 2024 election, because it means that a whole bunch of people are going to be in the unemployment line.
Agreed....I also seem to recall what the DNC did to, who was it, David Hog ?.... for him wanting to have democrats that were progressives primary democrats that were conservative centrists (Blue Dems ?) that were giving people that same old, same old capitulation to the right and getting the majority of people as a whole nowhere...except for the Corps and the rich.....again, my take and opinion.
Hogg is still a member of the party. He is a free agent.
All politics is (and are) local and a round peg doesn't fit well into a square hole.
Hogg BTW comes from South Florida and should know that he doesn't translate well in Espanish.
You guys never read Pope's Essay on Criticiism.
A tent big enough for convicted felon Hennry Cuellar to be installed again by party operatives to have power over American citizens is TOO BIG. That kind of corruption is why Independent registered voters are growing and both cartel parties are losing members. That has been happening for over a decade. One of the parties has to shape up to represent the nation and its citizens. A monied ruling class currently owns both.
Non sequitur as usual. Go home.Voice of Putin.
Thank you, Thom, for educating people on voting for third party candidates. How ironic that the votes for Nader and Stein actually prevented the country from doing the things they advocated. Progressive solutions like affordable housing, Medicare for all, Tax equity etc. are the only way the USA is going to stop the huge gap between the ultra rich and everyone else.
Spot on. Grrrr. Imagine! Gore. Clinton. Healthier. Happier. Safer. Greener. Invite us all to go back and watch Michael Moore’s wonderful documentary, “Where to Invade Next” and to take a look at the Gallup “World Happiness Report”.
Thom, “American exceptionalism” is killing us too. That people have been taught to think the U.S. has all the answers is such a disservice. Looking at Moore’s documentary and the report on nations that measure their success by the happiness and well-being of their people?
That is a gift and a shift we could be making together.
MAGA folks may not be open to the fact that the U.S. doesn’t have “the best” or even the 10th best whatever. But seeing how other nations solve healthcare, caregiving, consumer protection and more? Perhaps that could be an opening. Envy. Helping people evoke envy for the way others are living. Since greed, fear, exclusively, and guilt seem to be the prime motivators here, this is how we could win more at their own game.
Love you, Louise, your team, your work!
Carey
We progressives want to vote for what we want, and who is most likely to deliver on it, but the system as it is constrains us to vote for Democrats, even if they pay us no more than lip service. It's a tough pill to have to swallow. Best immediate solution: we need better turnout in our primaries. But better still, we need lots of electoral reforms, some requiring constitutional amendments.
Biden was the best progressive president since LBJ.
Thanks for this post. For many years I voted for socialists, or third party progressives and it was not until I got involved in politics through my union that I realized that getting pro-union Democrats in office made a real difference in the every day lives of working people. That doesn't mean we have to abandon struggling for major change. But incremental change is also meaningful in people's lives. It is much easier to get working folks involved in politics if they are not struggling day to day just to survive. Having standards of living and protections in place for folks to allow the luxury of getting involved in politics is important. I don't mean to dismiss the roadblocks. The rich and powerful were not going to allow Bernie to be our candidate. But by running he made a big difference in the outlook of folks about possibilities for our future.
All the fascist GOP and their fascist "tech bros" have to do is pay out the fascist Murdochs to scream, "The non-Whites are coming." "The non-Whites are coming."
Or some such rubbish pish posh, and Bob's your uncle, we've got hill billy fascist President Vance.
Maybe fascist VP Thiel.
Out Vote these loons and their fasc-ICE-st goons.
Vance has a problem with his non white wife Usha
J.D. Vance is facing public scrutiny and rumors about his marriage to Usha Vance (née Chandra), stemming from online speculation about her being seen without her wedding ring, comments he made about her Hindu faith/HINDUISM and hopes for her conversion to Christianity, and broader commentary on their differing backgrounds (her Indian/elite vs. his working-class/conservative), though both have publicly stated their marriage is strong and they joke about the rumors. He's also defended her from racist attacks by far-right figures like Nick Fuentes.
Thanks to all who responded to my post yesterday. It simply seemed to me that what we all need is a place from which we can rally together against the vile powers that are controlling our lives—robbing us of our heritage both here and abroad and in the process destroying it for the next generation or even several. Young people are beginning to experience the effects firsthand—we must join them and provide whatever leadership they might ask us for. As a “boomer” and a teacher of law and public policy in several business schools, I feel an obligation both personally and professionally to encourage us to speak out, leave our comfort zones and just “show up” wherever and whenever we are able.
Give our personal rage a rest and keep our eyes focused on November and beyond. Do not be tempted to believe that the tide has turned and everything will be “all right”. Stand against the machine in every way you are able.
The actual trenches are in Congress.
A timely article for someone (like me) who voted for Harris, but was sorely tempted to support a 3rd party (like the Green,) because I didn't view Harris as being progressive enough. Today's "progressive" outlook, would have, in earlier times, been considered Centrist. - at least relative to today's position.
What would be great fir this election is getting all the progressive candidates to work together to establish a platform that they then campaign on, in lockstep as much as possible, painting the picture of what they stand for. As if they ARE a 3rd Party, espousing what they all believe is what America wants.
We all know what it says when Democrats lose to fascist candidate. How bad to you have to be to lose to fascism? It's because the Progressive platform is never fully laid out. I have no sense that they can all lay out and paint the picture of the entire platform being enacted. The DNC Would do their damndest to railroad it yet again, but aggressive spreading of the word - - - the UNIFIED word - - - would go a long way towards getting more people to THIINK.
We need graphs and effective illustrators, used and disseminated by ALL the progressives. We need straight shooting teachers that recognize the damage that has been done through "The Scheme" and more. I don't need to articulate the platform; the Progressive wing does.
RCV and campaign finance reform would make such a difference, as would leadership willing to embrace and extol democratic, and Democratic, values. Current leadership demonstrates no comprehension of why so many Democrats are so deeply frustrated with their party, thereby enhancing the appeal of a third party. Said leadership continues to promote neoliberal-lite, AIPAC-approved candidates, while hitting me up for contributions. I won’t vote third party, but I won’t help them torpedo progressive candidates the way they torpedoed Bernie in 2016.
Hence VOTE for the candidate who will invalidate "Citizens United".
I suspect that will be every "young" Democrat, and no Republican.
Bernie will disagree with you.
Stop lying. Bernie is one of the most outspoken champions of stopping buying elections.
He supports Democrats. ALL Democrats. You don't.
Thom, You are so right about the danger of spoiler candidates. But I think we can come up with some creative options in this coming year's election and for 2028.
Both Political Parties are Disappointing
Like many citizens, I'm deeply disappointed with the Republican Party and with the Democratic Party this year. Going into this election period, those who share this disappointment have a fundamental choice to make. We can support the least objectionable major party or candidate campaign and try to help that party reform to better reflect our values and the interests of the middle class. Or...
We can help to build a powerful social and political movement outside of the two major parties (call it the Swing Vote Coalition for now). This coalition would not run its own candidates or support spoiler candidates that would undermine any Democrats. The coalition would use the movement to try to shift both parties closer to the middle and to engage non-voters. We could also encourage members of this coalition to promote reform candidates in both party's primaries and in the November elections.
I'm convinced that this strategy would engage those who do not vote, and would lead to a strong Democratic vote in November. And, we can use this movement to promote specific reforms and hold elected officials accountable to a reform agenda over the next few years.
For more information on these and related ideas, see my Sept 2nd Substack post: "The Importance of Civic Innovation Spaces and a Swing Vote Coalition." Here is the link. https://open.substack.com/pub/politicsandgov/p/the-importance-of-civic-innovation?utm_campaign=post-expanded-share&utm_medium=web
Thank you for a great summary of how third parties have ruined the chance for a progressive Democratic Party. I have hated Ralph Nader ever since his selfishness ruined Al Gore’s win in 2000.