I would take your reply more seriously if we didn't just have the President of the United States sign into a law a bill that will transfer the greatest share of wealth in our lifetime to the most wealthy and literally the biggest cut in Medicaid history. Even in my imperfection what is happening today pales in comparison to both Obama and Clinton.
I do understand why so many people felt left behind, but I am totally perplexed as to why anyone would give Trump a second chance! His true believers are clearly members of a cult and have been fully brainwashed, but why anyone else would vote for him is beyond me.
The same for people who opted to stay home despite knowing what was at stake. Trump told us EXACTLY what he would do and yet so many people are now saying that they never expected any of this. THEY SHOULD HAVE!!
What will it take to get people to follow this advice from Maya Angelou?
"When someone shows you who they are, believe them the first time. People know themselves much better than you do. That's why it's important to stop expecting them to be something other than who they are".
Everybody, be sure to find an event for July 17th and start making plans to invite all your friends and family. I am hoping it is even BIGGER than No Kings! If you don't find an event near you, please host one yourself even if it is just you and a few friends standing on a street corner holding up protest signs!!
Words like that are an example of why people are reluctant to vote for Democrats.
What are you going to do about the systemic atrocities? What actions are you going to take? What policies are you going to promote? Single payer health care? Universal Basic income? Student loan forgiveness? Bernie Sanders and Elizabeth's Social Security plan? What, exactly? You are being very vague, and I find that disturbing.
Words like what? You said we were for the rich. I looked at your website and it seems that we likely agree on more than we disagree. My article was my introspection what it means to me to be a democrat….and we are not perfect. It was not a laundry list of solutions, just the importance of understanding where we are today. But one thing I do know for all that ails, us a democrat would certainly be better today than the Republican. You read my article, it was not meant to disturb you. For those reluctant to vote for a democrat, if they are happy with their decision. Good for them. If this election brings them joy then they got what they wanted. For the record, I am not an elected official, but I do my share and then some. We elect candidates who bring the issues you speak of to pass, I doubt reluctance or abstaining will move us closer the goal post. For those disappointed I hope they will get off the sidelines.
In 2009 the Democrats had the White House, a solid majority in the U.S. House, and a filibuster proof majority in the Senate, something the Republicans have not had to this day. The results:
Americans Living in Poverty in January, 2009: 43,000,000
Americans Living in Poverty in November, 2016: 49,000,000
Americans on Food Stamps in January, 2009: 30,000,000
Americans on Food Stamps in November, 2016: 49,000,000
American Homeownership Rate in January, 2009: 67.5%
American Homeownership Rate in November, 2016: 62.9%
American Labor Force Participation Rate in January, 2009: 65.7%
American Labor Force Participation Rate in November, 2016: 62.7%
American Union Members in January, 2009: ~16.1 million
American Union Members in November, 2016: ~14.6 million
From 2008 to 2016, all of the gains in the economy went to the top 10%, ALL of it, with all but a small fraction of those gains going to the top 1%. NOTHING for the bottom 90%!
The complaint against you isn't that you are imperfect, it is that you are of the rich and for the rich.
Bill Clinton accomplished a Republican agenda, and Obama allowed the Tea Party to steal the economic populist moment, says Thomas Frank on Reality Asserts Itself with Paul Jay; Frank is the author of "What's the Matter with Kansas" and "Listen, Liberal"
First, your comment above about YOU ARE OF THE RICH is presumptuous, wrong, and not a valid argument. The Tea Party was the under belly of the racist rise in this country -- and you blindly assign this fault to Obama not being to mount a populist movement when forgetting the crowd spitting on John Lewis (2010) Rep. Andre Carson, D-Ind., told a reporter that as he left the Cannon House Office Building with Rep. John Lewis, D-Ga., a leader of the civil rights era, some among the crowd chanted "the N-word, the N-word, 15 times." Before you go after any woman friend of mine who calls herself "imperfect" - who is being humble - and offering a real world assessment - you should look hard in the mirror and check your anger. Democrats are a party - an institution - and yes, are fallible. But people have to make choices in a bicameral government. Frederick Douglass understood this dilemma -- this isn't about blind loyalty to a party, but about strategically supporting the political force that seemed most likely to advance the cause of equality. Right now, we only have one choice - imperfect as it may be.....To your comment about - YOU ARE OF THE RICH - check yourself Ted. You make assumptions. I am guessing you did not grow up as a Black girl in a working class family on the rural Eastern shore in the very Jim Crow state of Virginia - so check yourself Ted. Maybe you didn't lose your dad in 8th grade - a dad who shucked clams and laid cable ground lines- or have to rely on social security aid to survive. But Ted, you are so disappointed in Obama. Our first African American President - who was so hated by the racist Tea Party and Mitch the turtle who promised Barack would fail - that was the goal of the GOP. Failure for the people. So - your arguments that Dems -- especially Obama (and Clinton) - let us down - has truth running through it - meaning Clinton's agenda did pander to republicans - but you totally ignore Gingrich and the government shutdown, the rise of the crazy religious right - and the complete under hatred of Clinton by GOP. Clinton spent the latter part of his term dealing with Lott and Gingrich - but they did reach a deal that cut spending, reduced the deficit enough to balance the budget, and cut taxes. "President Clinton presided over one of the most impressive economic turnarounds in modern history. By the end of his term, 22.7 million new jobs had been created, unemployment dropped to a 30-year low, and gross domestic product grew by 35 percent overall through the longest period of sustained growth in U.S. history.
What’s more, the growth was broadly shared and unemployment plummeted across the board, including those groups for whom the economy never worked very well. Average hourly wages increased by 6 percent after accounting for inflation, and median household income grew by 14 percent, the highest increase for a two-term president. The median income of African American families increased by a third and Hispanic families saw their median incomes rise by almost $7,000. Poverty rates dropped to near record lows." CAP Oct 28, 2011 - Ted, I am from Ohio and our steel mills closed in 1979 - Reagan was no friend of the working class or unions. Jump to Bush years - and Karl Rove - tax cuts = gerrymandering the way to power and then Citizens United - dark money - and entry into the Iraq wars - which 23 Dems signed onto as well - sent our economy into a tail spin with the Great Recession. You failed to even mention the Great Recession that Obama inherited - and yes - you rightly point out - no one went to jail - Obama did let these white boys off the hook. You try being the first Black President -- who has been called a marxist, muslim and not a REAL American - Ted - just blow that up your ass a bit - the racism and the hate - and the real back room rigging by Reps to take back the state house in 2011. Yes, we get it - that Dems aligned with corporate America in those dealings with the Affordable Care act - and the GOP spent years killing any good - killing any benefits to the people.I do agree with your assessment about corporations having a grip on both parties - but I would draw a stark contrast between Rep and Dems - Citizens United and Leonard Leo? GOP breaks unions, votes against wage increases, and is against health care for all. And - the assessment that Jan 6th and Occupy Wall Street are even related is offensive to those of us who were actively involved. Occupy were not white supremacists -- and the majority of insurrectionists were totally misinformed -- they did believe their government was under attack by evil democrats - propaganda fueled their attack. Occupy were not mislead - they were peaceful. So, yes, income inequality is the biggest threat to our country - along with climate change. I disagree with your limited argument that this was the only reason that Dems lost in 2016. It was more complex -- the Russian propaganda, Comey, sexism, Clinton/Bush fatigue, the Bernie bros -- and the people wanting change from the establishment. It is complex - Trump is good at lying and understands how to appeal to white grievance - it is a real thing amongst the working class - this is why using immigrants as the reason people are not doing well works -- too well. Biden Admin did try to deliver for the working class - on so many levels with all the MAGA levers in play to stop it or undermine it. Even the Supreme Court happily withheld relief or progress. But yes, here we are - and Dems at the top have not been mounting the fight we want right now - we get it. But it still is clear choice right now - we reject the king the GOP is anointing - and the police state they are funding.
Bill Clinton also signed into law The Commodity Futures Modernization Act of 2000 and the Gramm-Leach-Bliley Act, both of which allowed the people at the very top to steal from everyone else, causing the greatest financial crash since 1929. Obama bailed them out. Not one of them went to prison, despite committing multiple felonies, while people on the bottom got prosecuted.
"We've had a uh decades-long uh basically uh trial period of testing out uh the idea of Reform from the top down reformed by reformed by Highly Educated White Collar Elites uh we gave it the ultimate test I'd say in the Barack Obama administration when he's faced with a world historic economic catastrophe and uh and he brings in a whole bunch of uh you know of of experts in the subject the president of Harvard Larry uh you know a whole a bunch of Wall Street Bankers to solve the problem what do they do they um they bail out their friends they make sure their friends get all their bonuses and they don't lift a finger for homeowners they do very little for homeowners and none of the bankers who committed obvious fraud I mean obvious prima facie fraud um none of them get punished okay so I would say that the model of social democracy from the top down has been tried and utterly failed and I'd say the same thing about Obamacare."
I just want to interject that the past is the past. My read is that Finale, as a Democrat, may be sharing acknowledgements of wrongs and / or shortcomings AND is saying that it’s new day and that we care. …And a new day in a world rift with such systemic atrocities at the hands of the greatest appearing people all around us. People who care ALL need to come together in this present moment. That’s the most important strategy IMHO.
Ted,
I would take your reply more seriously if we didn't just have the President of the United States sign into a law a bill that will transfer the greatest share of wealth in our lifetime to the most wealthy and literally the biggest cut in Medicaid history. Even in my imperfection what is happening today pales in comparison to both Obama and Clinton.
You are so right!
I do understand why so many people felt left behind, but I am totally perplexed as to why anyone would give Trump a second chance! His true believers are clearly members of a cult and have been fully brainwashed, but why anyone else would vote for him is beyond me.
The same for people who opted to stay home despite knowing what was at stake. Trump told us EXACTLY what he would do and yet so many people are now saying that they never expected any of this. THEY SHOULD HAVE!!
What will it take to get people to follow this advice from Maya Angelou?
"When someone shows you who they are, believe them the first time. People know themselves much better than you do. That's why it's important to stop expecting them to be something other than who they are".
Everybody, be sure to find an event for July 17th and start making plans to invite all your friends and family. I am hoping it is even BIGGER than No Kings! If you don't find an event near you, please host one yourself even if it is just you and a few friends standing on a street corner holding up protest signs!!
https://goodtroubleliveson.org/
https://thepeopledissent.substack.com/p/free-america-weekend-411-and-july *
*check back next week for this substack for an updated list of protests
BRAVA!
Love this!
Thank you, Finale. I needed that.
Thank you, Finale.
Finale - we, Democrats are not perfect, yet we are the party that cares.
Words like that are an example of why people are reluctant to vote for Democrats.
What are you going to do about the systemic atrocities? What actions are you going to take? What policies are you going to promote? Single payer health care? Universal Basic income? Student loan forgiveness? Bernie Sanders and Elizabeth's Social Security plan? What, exactly? You are being very vague, and I find that disturbing.
Me? The answers to those questions are at https://www.pascoactivist.org
Words like what? You said we were for the rich. I looked at your website and it seems that we likely agree on more than we disagree. My article was my introspection what it means to me to be a democrat….and we are not perfect. It was not a laundry list of solutions, just the importance of understanding where we are today. But one thing I do know for all that ails, us a democrat would certainly be better today than the Republican. You read my article, it was not meant to disturb you. For those reluctant to vote for a democrat, if they are happy with their decision. Good for them. If this election brings them joy then they got what they wanted. For the record, I am not an elected official, but I do my share and then some. We elect candidates who bring the issues you speak of to pass, I doubt reluctance or abstaining will move us closer the goal post. For those disappointed I hope they will get off the sidelines.
In 2009 the Democrats had the White House, a solid majority in the U.S. House, and a filibuster proof majority in the Senate, something the Republicans have not had to this day. The results:
Americans Living in Poverty in January, 2009: 43,000,000
Americans Living in Poverty in November, 2016: 49,000,000
Americans on Food Stamps in January, 2009: 30,000,000
Americans on Food Stamps in November, 2016: 49,000,000
American Homeownership Rate in January, 2009: 67.5%
American Homeownership Rate in November, 2016: 62.9%
American Labor Force Participation Rate in January, 2009: 65.7%
American Labor Force Participation Rate in November, 2016: 62.7%
American Union Members in January, 2009: ~16.1 million
American Union Members in November, 2016: ~14.6 million
From 2008 to 2016, all of the gains in the economy went to the top 10%, ALL of it, with all but a small fraction of those gains going to the top 1%. NOTHING for the bottom 90%!
That is why Donald Trump and the Republicans won.
lets kolabor8?
The complaint against you isn't that you are imperfect, it is that you are of the rich and for the rich.
Bill Clinton accomplished a Republican agenda, and Obama allowed the Tea Party to steal the economic populist moment, says Thomas Frank on Reality Asserts Itself with Paul Jay; Frank is the author of "What's the Matter with Kansas" and "Listen, Liberal"
https://youtu.be/gTghUNKF78o
First, your comment above about YOU ARE OF THE RICH is presumptuous, wrong, and not a valid argument. The Tea Party was the under belly of the racist rise in this country -- and you blindly assign this fault to Obama not being to mount a populist movement when forgetting the crowd spitting on John Lewis (2010) Rep. Andre Carson, D-Ind., told a reporter that as he left the Cannon House Office Building with Rep. John Lewis, D-Ga., a leader of the civil rights era, some among the crowd chanted "the N-word, the N-word, 15 times." Before you go after any woman friend of mine who calls herself "imperfect" - who is being humble - and offering a real world assessment - you should look hard in the mirror and check your anger. Democrats are a party - an institution - and yes, are fallible. But people have to make choices in a bicameral government. Frederick Douglass understood this dilemma -- this isn't about blind loyalty to a party, but about strategically supporting the political force that seemed most likely to advance the cause of equality. Right now, we only have one choice - imperfect as it may be.....To your comment about - YOU ARE OF THE RICH - check yourself Ted. You make assumptions. I am guessing you did not grow up as a Black girl in a working class family on the rural Eastern shore in the very Jim Crow state of Virginia - so check yourself Ted. Maybe you didn't lose your dad in 8th grade - a dad who shucked clams and laid cable ground lines- or have to rely on social security aid to survive. But Ted, you are so disappointed in Obama. Our first African American President - who was so hated by the racist Tea Party and Mitch the turtle who promised Barack would fail - that was the goal of the GOP. Failure for the people. So - your arguments that Dems -- especially Obama (and Clinton) - let us down - has truth running through it - meaning Clinton's agenda did pander to republicans - but you totally ignore Gingrich and the government shutdown, the rise of the crazy religious right - and the complete under hatred of Clinton by GOP. Clinton spent the latter part of his term dealing with Lott and Gingrich - but they did reach a deal that cut spending, reduced the deficit enough to balance the budget, and cut taxes. "President Clinton presided over one of the most impressive economic turnarounds in modern history. By the end of his term, 22.7 million new jobs had been created, unemployment dropped to a 30-year low, and gross domestic product grew by 35 percent overall through the longest period of sustained growth in U.S. history.
What’s more, the growth was broadly shared and unemployment plummeted across the board, including those groups for whom the economy never worked very well. Average hourly wages increased by 6 percent after accounting for inflation, and median household income grew by 14 percent, the highest increase for a two-term president. The median income of African American families increased by a third and Hispanic families saw their median incomes rise by almost $7,000. Poverty rates dropped to near record lows." CAP Oct 28, 2011 - Ted, I am from Ohio and our steel mills closed in 1979 - Reagan was no friend of the working class or unions. Jump to Bush years - and Karl Rove - tax cuts = gerrymandering the way to power and then Citizens United - dark money - and entry into the Iraq wars - which 23 Dems signed onto as well - sent our economy into a tail spin with the Great Recession. You failed to even mention the Great Recession that Obama inherited - and yes - you rightly point out - no one went to jail - Obama did let these white boys off the hook. You try being the first Black President -- who has been called a marxist, muslim and not a REAL American - Ted - just blow that up your ass a bit - the racism and the hate - and the real back room rigging by Reps to take back the state house in 2011. Yes, we get it - that Dems aligned with corporate America in those dealings with the Affordable Care act - and the GOP spent years killing any good - killing any benefits to the people.I do agree with your assessment about corporations having a grip on both parties - but I would draw a stark contrast between Rep and Dems - Citizens United and Leonard Leo? GOP breaks unions, votes against wage increases, and is against health care for all. And - the assessment that Jan 6th and Occupy Wall Street are even related is offensive to those of us who were actively involved. Occupy were not white supremacists -- and the majority of insurrectionists were totally misinformed -- they did believe their government was under attack by evil democrats - propaganda fueled their attack. Occupy were not mislead - they were peaceful. So, yes, income inequality is the biggest threat to our country - along with climate change. I disagree with your limited argument that this was the only reason that Dems lost in 2016. It was more complex -- the Russian propaganda, Comey, sexism, Clinton/Bush fatigue, the Bernie bros -- and the people wanting change from the establishment. It is complex - Trump is good at lying and understands how to appeal to white grievance - it is a real thing amongst the working class - this is why using immigrants as the reason people are not doing well works -- too well. Biden Admin did try to deliver for the working class - on so many levels with all the MAGA levers in play to stop it or undermine it. Even the Supreme Court happily withheld relief or progress. But yes, here we are - and Dems at the top have not been mounting the fight we want right now - we get it. But it still is clear choice right now - we reject the king the GOP is anointing - and the police state they are funding.
A thorough history lesson! Thank you!
Bill Clinton also signed into law The Commodity Futures Modernization Act of 2000 and the Gramm-Leach-Bliley Act, both of which allowed the people at the very top to steal from everyone else, causing the greatest financial crash since 1929. Obama bailed them out. Not one of them went to prison, despite committing multiple felonies, while people on the bottom got prosecuted.
"We've had a uh decades-long uh basically uh trial period of testing out uh the idea of Reform from the top down reformed by reformed by Highly Educated White Collar Elites uh we gave it the ultimate test I'd say in the Barack Obama administration when he's faced with a world historic economic catastrophe and uh and he brings in a whole bunch of uh you know of of experts in the subject the president of Harvard Larry uh you know a whole a bunch of Wall Street Bankers to solve the problem what do they do they um they bail out their friends they make sure their friends get all their bonuses and they don't lift a finger for homeowners they do very little for homeowners and none of the bankers who committed obvious fraud I mean obvious prima facie fraud um none of them get punished okay so I would say that the model of social democracy from the top down has been tried and utterly failed and I'd say the same thing about Obamacare."
Thomas Frank
https://youtu.be/e3B2wRx_gio?t=3016
I just want to interject that the past is the past. My read is that Finale, as a Democrat, may be sharing acknowledgements of wrongs and / or shortcomings AND is saying that it’s new day and that we care. …And a new day in a world rift with such systemic atrocities at the hands of the greatest appearing people all around us. People who care ALL need to come together in this present moment. That’s the most important strategy IMHO.
That’s the greediest, not greatest!!! The importance of checking what you dictate can’t be stressed enough…