1. This is probably the best possible political strategy for the Democrats, since they don't have any policies they can run on given their choice of nominees, their embrace of Republicans and their disdain for progressives and socialists.
2. This sucks long-term, both as policy and as strategy, for the reasons outlined in the article.
It's unnerving how fast the bar has fallen regarding what makes a core characteristic for a national leader. I mean, decency?! Really?! It has me punch drunk and scrambling to get a hold of my basic sanity. I also hate the Catch 22 trap we are in now. No candidate has zero skeletons in the closet, but we get to this place where the liberal candidate needs to be near perfect as they try to win on high moral principles (but can't because there's always something) and the conservative candidate can be a total piece of crap human being as long as they are willing to win at all costs. I'm at the point of the roller coaster where all I can do is hang on and hope I survive. Looks like I picked the wrong year to quit sniffing glue.
Having raped at least one woman, and having sustained a system that is so dependent on slave labor that the NYT calls releasing prisoners from COVID infested hellholes, so they can't be coerced to risk their lives fighting wildfires for free, isn't anywhere 'near perfect'.
This is a good piece, Jack, but I think I'm a little more bullish on "seeming generally decent" being a winning strategy these days. With politics having become reality TV completely unmoored from public service, governing, outcomes that affect peoples lives in any way--it's simply some garbage view of leadership that people are voting for since I think most people have just accepted that no politician is ever going to do anything for them. Hence why millions don't bother to vote, etc. But the fact that Biden seems decent enough is honestly a winning strategy--I made the mistake of watching a few short clips from Trump's speech today and when he mentioned Obama a guy in the room loudly and clearly shouted "monkey!" The bar is so fucking low.
If, like me, you want a healthcare system for all, immigration policies, and a plan to tackle climate change, housing needs, affordable college education, you need to vote in Congressional candidates such as those who won seats in 2016. They passed hundreds of bills tackling all these issues and almost none of these bills even reached the Senate floor because of Mitch McConnel. If the The Senate majority leader could be Elizabeth Warren, with Bernie Sanders help, These progressive bills will pass in the Senate. I do not think Biden would veto these bills. He is a compromiser and helped the ACA passed by the Senate with barely any Republican votes. He cares about the future, not his own ego, and listens to younger leaders, including kamala Harris and Cory Booker and others who are endorsing him. So vote down ticket and encourage everyone to defeat some of the Republicans in the Senate and House who will vote against every Progressive propasal. A Progressive Senate is needed and the turnout has to be huge to get that.
Two things can be true:
1. This is probably the best possible political strategy for the Democrats, since they don't have any policies they can run on given their choice of nominees, their embrace of Republicans and their disdain for progressives and socialists.
2. This sucks long-term, both as policy and as strategy, for the reasons outlined in the article.
It's unnerving how fast the bar has fallen regarding what makes a core characteristic for a national leader. I mean, decency?! Really?! It has me punch drunk and scrambling to get a hold of my basic sanity. I also hate the Catch 22 trap we are in now. No candidate has zero skeletons in the closet, but we get to this place where the liberal candidate needs to be near perfect as they try to win on high moral principles (but can't because there's always something) and the conservative candidate can be a total piece of crap human being as long as they are willing to win at all costs. I'm at the point of the roller coaster where all I can do is hang on and hope I survive. Looks like I picked the wrong year to quit sniffing glue.
Having raped at least one woman, and having sustained a system that is so dependent on slave labor that the NYT calls releasing prisoners from COVID infested hellholes, so they can't be coerced to risk their lives fighting wildfires for free, isn't anywhere 'near perfect'.
Calls it a mistake, god every disgusting thing leads to so many others so quick nowadays it's easy to lose track when you list them.
Restore decency to America.
Vote RAPE/COP 2020
This is a good piece, Jack, but I think I'm a little more bullish on "seeming generally decent" being a winning strategy these days. With politics having become reality TV completely unmoored from public service, governing, outcomes that affect peoples lives in any way--it's simply some garbage view of leadership that people are voting for since I think most people have just accepted that no politician is ever going to do anything for them. Hence why millions don't bother to vote, etc. But the fact that Biden seems decent enough is honestly a winning strategy--I made the mistake of watching a few short clips from Trump's speech today and when he mentioned Obama a guy in the room loudly and clearly shouted "monkey!" The bar is so fucking low.
If, like me, you want a healthcare system for all, immigration policies, and a plan to tackle climate change, housing needs, affordable college education, you need to vote in Congressional candidates such as those who won seats in 2016. They passed hundreds of bills tackling all these issues and almost none of these bills even reached the Senate floor because of Mitch McConnel. If the The Senate majority leader could be Elizabeth Warren, with Bernie Sanders help, These progressive bills will pass in the Senate. I do not think Biden would veto these bills. He is a compromiser and helped the ACA passed by the Senate with barely any Republican votes. He cares about the future, not his own ego, and listens to younger leaders, including kamala Harris and Cory Booker and others who are endorsing him. So vote down ticket and encourage everyone to defeat some of the Republicans in the Senate and House who will vote against every Progressive propasal. A Progressive Senate is needed and the turnout has to be huge to get that.
Joe Biden has a history of being too nice at funerals