thenation--2020-08-18--Whatever This Is Is Not the Future of the Democratic Party

John Kasich , the anti-labor , anti-choice former governor of Ohio who finished just a little better than last in the race for the 2016 Republican presidential nomination , is convinced that he knows how the Democratic Party should acquit itself in the 2020 presidential campaign .
The self-proclaimed “ conservative Republican ” is equally convinced that he has much more to say to Democrats than the rising star on the party ’ s left , Representative Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez .
Unfortunately , a lot of Democrats who are in charge of plotting and planning for the future of the party @ @ @ @ @ @ @ view .
While the Republican was accorded plenty of time to speak on Monday evening—in a key slot on the first night of the party ’ s first virtual convention—AOC has been accorded one minute to address the nation on Tuesday .
That was fine by Kasich , a relentless self-promoter who used a long five minutes to anoint himself as the Democratic Party ’ s Republican whisperer .
On a night when Americans tuned in to hear former first lady Michelle Obama and Vermont Senator Bernie Sanders deliver powerful addresses about the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , Kasich endeavored to assure his conservative compatriots that Biden wouldn ’ t really implement the changes that are needed in a pandemic moment characterized by mass unemployment .
“ I ’ m sure there are Republicans and independents who couldn ’ t imagine crossing over to support a Democrat , ” he chirped , in a gimmicky video that featured the former Fox News host standing at a ( literal ) crossroads .
“ They fear Joe may turn sharp left and leave them behind .
I don ’ t believe that @ @ @ @ @ @ @ man.
” Kasich ’ s blurring of the message undermined the party ’ s appeal to disenchanted and disengaged voters , as did Kasich ’ s pre-convention positioning .
Before the night kicked off , the Republican actually took a dig at AOC and the progressives—especially young progressives—whose ideals she raises up .
“ I think both parties have to have new ideas , and I think this country is moderate , ” he claimed in an interview with BuzzFeed .
“ People on the extreme , whether they ’ re on the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ get outsized publicity that tends to define their party .
You know , I listen to people all the time make these statements , and because AOC gets outsized publicity doesn ’ t mean she represents the Democratic Party .
She ’ s just a part , just some member of it.
” Donald Trump and His Postmaster General Are Sabotaging Democracy in Plain Sight AOC responded , “ Something tells me a Republican who fights against women ’ s rights doesn ’ t get to say who is or isn ’ t @ @ @ @ @ @ @ dismissal of Ocasio-Cortez , who has popularized the Green New Deal and who gave Sanders vital support at a key point in the fall of 2019 , as “ just some member ” of the Democratic Party did not sit well with progressive delegates .
“ AOC is a role model for young women on how to stand up for oneself against bullies no matter how powerful they appear to be , ” said Sanders delegate Zenaida Huerta , a Los Angeles County Democratic Party central committee member and leader of the convention @ @ @ @ @ @ @ AOC deserves a meaningful amount of time to address the young women she inspires .
I look forward to nominating her for president someday.
” Progressives fear the party is making the same mistake that it always does in the great debate over whether to go for the elusive “ swing votes ” of disappointed Republicans or to seek to expand its base .
That was what Democrats did in 2016 when they gave a major speaking slot to former Republican mayor of New York City Mike Bloomberg , who delivered an uninspired @ @ @ @ @ @ @ setting himself up for the uninspired presidential campaign he briefly ran in 2020 .
Bloomberg will reportedly get another speaking slot this year , and three more Republicans—former New Jersey governor Christine Todd Whitman , former Hewlett-Packard CEO Meg Whitman , and 2010 California GOP gubernatorial nominee and former representative Susan Molinari of New York—joined the Monday lineup .
Sawyer Hackett , an adviser to 2020 Democratic presidential contender Julián Castro , noted that “ in a year where Latino voters are poised to be the biggest non-white voting bloc , the Democratic @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Latinx speakers.
” Castro , a former Obama administration cabinet member , was not invited to speak this year ; and another 2020 contender , Andrew Yang , was given a slot only after an outcry was raised over the lack of sufficient representation of Asian Americans on the convention stage .
When all is said and done , Democratic speakers will of course outnumber Republican speakers at what is after all the Democratic National Convention .
And progressive messages will be heard .
But why , ask progressive delegates , aren ’ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to amplify the ideals that will form the next politics of this country ?
“ Congresswoman Ocasio-Cortez is the future of the Democratic Party , ” says Charlotte Clymer , a transgender activist and Biden delegate .
“ She has shown a remarkable ability to articulate a vision of our country that transcends party politics and resonates with a country crying out for leadership that will directly address the systemic inequality that has brought us to this point .
Giving her 60 seconds isn ’ t just disrespectful ; it ’ s incredibly @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to the country that our plan goes far beyond simply opposing Trump.
” Clymer joined more than 525 delegates in demanding more time for AOC .
They signed a petition , circulated over the last several days by the Young Delegates Coalition , which read : We call on you to have Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez give the keynote address at the Democratic National Convention or , at minimum , have as much time to speak as is given to Republican John Kasich .
AOC is one of the Democratic Party leaders who is @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
She is one of three scheduled Latinx speakers and one of two under 50 .
Giving her 60 seconds to speak is unacceptable .
Rep. Ocasio-Cortez must be given enough time to demonstrate respect for her and the constituencies she represents and to allow her to make the case for why and how we must unite to defeat Trump and move America forward .
Polling suggests that the American people are with the young delegates on this one .
A CBS survey released on the eve of the convention asked Americans who @ @ @ @ @ @ @ convention .
Former president Barack Obama , Michelle Obama , Biden , and California Senator Kamala Harris , the party ’ s vice presidential pick , topped the list .
More than two-thirds wanted to hear Sanders and 63 percent were excited to hear Ocasio-Cortez .
Just 38 percent were enthused about Kasich—the lowest number for any prospective speaker .
If past is prologue , AOC will do more with her minute than Kasich did with his time .
But Alan Minsky , the executive director of Progressive Democrats of America , has @ @ @ @ @ @ @ By almost any discernible metric , Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez is the rising star in the Democratic Party .
Among young Americans , her popularity is truly astronomical .
The Democrats need young people to vote this fall .
The Party would be much better served by giving her 60 minutes as opposed to 60 seconds to speak at the DNC .
”

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John Kasich, the anti-labor, anti-choice former governor of Ohio who finished just a little better than last in the race for the 2016 Republican presidential nomination, is convinced that he knows how the Democratic Party should acquit itself in the 2020 presidential campaign. The self-proclaimed “conservative Republican” is equally convinced that he has much more to say to Democrats than the rising star on the party’s left, Representative Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez.
Unfortunately, a lot of Democrats who are in charge of plotting and planning for the future of the party, seem to share Kasich’s view. While the Republican was accorded plenty of time to speak on Monday evening—in a key slot on the first night of the party’s first virtual convention—AOC has been accorded one minute to address the nation on Tuesday.
That was fine by Kasich, a relentless self-promoter who used a long five minutes to anoint himself as the Democratic Party’s Republican whisperer. On a night when Americans tuned in to hear former first lady Michelle Obama and Vermont Senator Bernie Sanders deliver powerful addresses about the need for structural responses to systemic injustices, Kasich endeavored to assure his conservative compatriots that Biden wouldn’t really implement the changes that are needed in a pandemic moment characterized by mass unemployment. “I’m sure there are Republicans and independents who couldn’t imagine crossing over to support a Democrat,” he chirped, in a gimmicky video that featured the former Fox News host standing at a (literal) crossroads. “They fear Joe may turn sharp left and leave them behind. I don’t believe that because I know the measure of the man.”
Kasich’s blurring of the message undermined the party’s appeal to disenchanted and disengaged voters, as did Kasich’s pre-convention positioning. Before the night kicked off, the Republican actually took a dig at AOC and the progressives—especially young progressives—whose ideals she raises up. “I think both parties have to have new ideas, and I think this country is moderate,” he claimed in an interview with BuzzFeed. “People on the extreme, whether they’re on the left or on the right, they get outsized publicity that tends to define their party. You know, I listen to people all the time make these statements, and because AOC gets outsized publicity doesn’t mean she represents the Democratic Party. She’s just a part, just some member of it.” More From John Nichols A GOP Debate Without Trump Is the Definition of Pointlessness August 11, 2023 A Win for Abortion Rights, a Win for Democracy: Ohio Voters Reject Issue 1 August 9, 2023 The Biggest Threat to Donald Trump Could Be the Constitution Itself August 4, 2023
AOC responded, “Something tells me a Republican who fights against women’s rights doesn’t get to say who is or isn’t representative of the Dem party.”
The dismissal of Ocasio-Cortez, who has popularized the Green New Deal and who gave Sanders vital support at a key point in the fall of 2019, as “just some member” of the Democratic Party did not sit well with progressive delegates. “AOC is a role model for young women on how to stand up for oneself against bullies no matter how powerful they appear to be,” said Sanders delegate Zenaida Huerta, a Los Angeles County Democratic Party central committee member and leader of the convention’s Young Delegates Coalition. “AOC deserves a meaningful amount of time to address the young women she inspires. I look forward to nominating her for president someday.” Popular "swipe left below to view more authors"Swipe → The Evisceration of a Public University The Evisceration of a Public University Lisa M. Corrigan The Patronizing Moralism of David Brooks The Patronizing Moralism of David Brooks Chris Lehmann “The Blind Side” Was Always Trash “The Blind Side” Was Always Trash Dave Zirin A Grim Chronicle of Trump’s Corrupt Public Life A Grim Chronicle of Trump’s Corrupt Public Life Chris Lehmann Popular "swipe left below to view more authors"Swipe → The Evisceration of a Public University The Evisceration of a Public University Lisa M. Corrigan The Patronizing Moralism of David Brooks The Patronizing Moralism of David Brooks Chris Lehmann “The Blind Side” Was Always Trash “The Blind Side” Was Always Trash Dave Zirin A Grim Chronicle of Trump’s Corrupt Public Life A Grim Chronicle of Trump’s Corrupt Public Life Chris Lehmann
Progressives fear the party is making the same mistake that it always does in the great debate over whether to go for the elusive “swing votes” of disappointed Republicans or to seek to expand its base. That was what Democrats did in 2016 when they gave a major speaking slot to former Republican mayor of New York City Mike Bloomberg, who delivered an uninspired address that seemed to be primarily about setting himself up for the uninspired presidential campaign he briefly ran in 2020. Bloomberg will reportedly get another speaking slot this year, and three more Republicans—former New Jersey governor Christine Todd Whitman, former Hewlett-Packard CEO Meg Whitman, and 2010 California GOP gubernatorial nominee and former representative Susan Molinari of New York—joined the Monday lineup. Current Issue View our current issue
Sawyer Hackett, an adviser to 2020 Democratic presidential contender Julián Castro, noted that “in a year where Latino voters are poised to be the biggest non-white voting bloc, the Democratic convention will feature more Republican speakers than Latinx speakers.” Castro, a former Obama administration cabinet member, was not invited to speak this year; and another 2020 contender, Andrew Yang, was given a slot only after an outcry was raised over the lack of sufficient representation of Asian Americans on the convention stage.
When all is said and done, Democratic speakers will of course outnumber Republican speakers at what is after all the Democratic National Convention. And progressive messages will be heard. But why, ask progressive delegates, aren’t visionary progressives being given the time to amplify the ideals that will form the next politics of this country?
“Congresswoman Ocasio-Cortez is the future of the Democratic Party,” says Charlotte Clymer, a transgender activist and Biden delegate. “She has shown a remarkable ability to articulate a vision of our country that transcends party politics and resonates with a country crying out for leadership that will directly address the systemic inequality that has brought us to this point. Giving her 60 seconds isn’t just disrespectful; it’s incredibly shortsighted if we Democrats want to demonstrate to the country that our plan goes far beyond simply opposing Trump.” Clymer joined more than 525 delegates in demanding more time for AOC. They signed a petition, circulated over the last several days by the Young Delegates Coalition, which read:
We call on you to have Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez give the keynote address at the Democratic National Convention or, at minimum, have as much time to speak as is given to Republican John Kasich. AOC is one of the Democratic Party leaders who is most respected by young Democrats and progressives. She is one of three scheduled Latinx speakers and one of two under 50. Giving her 60 seconds to speak is unacceptable. Rep. Ocasio-Cortez must be given enough time to demonstrate respect for her and the constituencies she represents and to allow her to make the case for why and how we must unite to defeat Trump and move America forward.
Polling suggests that the American people are with the young delegates on this one. A CBS survey released on the eve of the convention asked Americans who they would like to hear address the convention. Former president Barack Obama, Michelle Obama, Biden, and California Senator Kamala Harris, the party’s vice presidential pick, topped the list. More than two-thirds wanted to hear Sanders and 63 percent were excited to hear Ocasio-Cortez. Just 38 percent were enthused about Kasich—the lowest number for any prospective speaker.
If past is prologue, AOC will do more with her minute than Kasich did with his time.
But Alan Minsky, the executive director of Progressive Democrats of America, has a point when he says, “By almost any discernible metric, Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez is the rising star in the Democratic Party. Among young Americans, her popularity is truly astronomical. The Democrats need young people to vote this fall. The Party would be much better served by giving her 60 minutes as opposed to 60 seconds to speak at the DNC.”


thenation--2020-08-17--Bernie Sanders on How He’ll Rally Progressives

Bernie Sanders will address the Democratic National Convention this week , not as the nominee of the party he had hoped to lead against Donald Trump but as a supporter of the ticket of former vice president Joe Biden and Senator Kamala Harris .
Since Sanders and Biden stopped competing for the nomination , Sanders has worked with Biden to unify the party .
He will continue to do so this fall .
But the senator from Vermont still sees himself as an outsider , who is battling against status quo politics and the caution of contemporary Democrats who lack @ @ @ @ @ @ @ outlined in his 1944 “ Economic Bill of Rights.
” This is a subject Sanders and I began to explore last year when I interviewed him for my new book , The Fight for the Soul of the Democratic Party ( Verso ) .
We returned to it last week when the senator and I discussed whether Covid-19 , mass unemployment , and the demand for racial justice might create an opening for the bolder politics he advocates .
Sanders offered a vision for the party that is rooted in its history and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of what he ’ ll talk about at the convention .
ohn ichols : When you were campaigning for president , you spoke quite frequently about the New Deal and Franklin Roosevelt ’ s “ Economic Bill of Rights.
” It was part of your effort to frame the 2020 election around fundamental issues and the need for structural change .
Obviously , you didn ’ t know at the time that Covid and mass unemployment , and a rising demand for racial justice , would heighten the sense of urgency .
But @ @ @ @ @ @ @ saw a need for a politics that was focused on transformative change .
Whatever This Is Is Not the Future of the Democratic Party Donald Trump and His Postmaster General Are Sabotaging Democracy in Plain Sight ernie anders : Absolutely .
Absolutely .
It is imperative that we not only deal with all of the injustices and inequalities that exist in our society today , which of course have been made worse by the pandemic and the economic meltdown , but it is also imperative that we start , in the 21st century @ @ @ @ @ @ @ What Roosevelt did in his State of the Union speech in 1944 was really quite extraordinary .
For whatever reason—we were in the middle of a war then and , of course , he died a year later ; the media was not particularly sympathetic—what he said back in 1944 has been largely forgotten .
But what he said was extraordinarily profound and revolutionary .
What he said is that , yes , our country has political freedom .
We have a Constitution .
We have a Bill of Rights .
We have @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , freedom of religion , etc.
, and that ’ s all great .
But what we have to do is go beyond just political rights and into economic rights .
In other words , it ’ s not good enough that you just have the constitutional right to vote ( that ’ s good ! )
, to protest ( that ’ s great ! )
, to assemble ( that ’ s wonderful ! )
, and freedom of religion ( great ! )
.
What we have got to be @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , is that economic rights are human rights , and that means you are entitled , as an American , to decent housing , to decent health care , to a decent job , to a decent retirement .
Economic rights are human rights , and you ’ re not going to be a really free person unless we guarantee those rights .
That was an extraordinarily profound statement !
What I tried to do in the 2020 campaign is talk about Roosevelt ’ s 1944 speech and how we make it relevant @ @ @ @ @ @ @ You often said during the 2020 campaign that the Democratic Party had to engage more with movements and ideas , that it had to extend its vision in order to not just beat Trump but frame the future .
I presume that you still believe that this is the most morally and politically valid way to go forward .
BS : Yes , I do .
Look .
I think—and you ’ re beginning to see it—that our movement , which is taking on the entire corporate establishment , and the political establishment @ @ @ @ @ @ @ not only in congressional races but in state legislative races , in county prosecutor races , and in school board races .
I mean , really , it ’ s all across the board.… I think what we are forging is a movement that is prepared to ask questions that have not been asked for a long time .
To ask , as Roosevelt did in 1944 , what are we guaranteed ?
What are our human rights ?
What are we entitled to as human beings in a democratic , civilized society @ @ @ @ @ @ @ understand that every person in this country is entitled to a dignified standard of living .
That ’ s decent housing , decent jobs , decent educational opportunity , a decent retirement , a clean environment .
JN : You now have a proposal to get serious about taxing the rich at a level that FDR and Henry Wallace and others might have thought appropriate .
As with the Pentagon cuts you have proposed , that ’ s a battle .
You ’ re going to have to work to get the Democratic @ @ @ @ @ @ @ What ’ s your sense of the progress there ?
BS : I think it ’ s going to be very hard .
What we ’ re trying to do right now , by the way—which is above and beyond the fight for progressive taxation—is that in this terrible pandemic and this economic meltdown , when 30 million people have lost their jobs , when half the people in this country are living paycheck to paycheck , when people are losing their health insurance , when people are being evicted from their apartments @ @ @ @ @ @ @ is absolutely unacceptable that , I think , 467 billionaires have seen their wealth just during this pandemic , John , increase by over $ 700 billion .
Progressives , Get Ready to Push Them Left For people like Jeff Bezos , for the Walton family , for Elon Musk , for a tiny , tiny sliver , a tiny fraction of 1 percent of the people , they are doing phenomenally well , while so many of the people of this country are falling into desperation .
What this amendment says is @ @ @ @ @ @ @ are going to have a pandemic tax of 60 percent on the huge increase in wealth that we have seen among the richest people in this country just in the last four or five months.
” We ’ re going to take that money , many hundreds of billions of dollars , and use it during this pandemic , use it for the next year , to make sure that , A , everybody in America has health care ( if you don ’ t have health care , we will provide it @ @ @ @ @ @ @ B , if you do have health care , we ’ ll make sure that you ’ re not going to be paying out-of-pocket expenses , because Medicare will cover those out-of-pocket expenses .
This is a struggle to begin changing the priorities of America , John .
Should we allow 467 billionaires to make huge profits ?
An unbelievable increase in wealth !
Or should we provide health care for all people as a right , at least during this crisis ?
That ’ s what it is : It ’ s @ @ @ @ @ @ @ examine .
I think the American people are with us .
Just as I think they are with us in support of Medicare for All , which we ’ ll continue to fight for .
JN : The polls suggest the American people are with you .
I ’ m interested in whether you think that Democrats in Congress and perhaps a President Biden will be with you .
BS : Well , all I can say is that taking on the ruling class of this country is not easy .
They have @ @ @ @ @ @ @ movement to create a Democratic Party that is prepared to do that .
Are we there now ?
No , we ’ re not .
We started off with this amendment having , I think , two cosponsors , Ed Markey and Kirsten Gillibrand .
We ’ ll probably get a couple more .
But taking on the corporate elite and the big money interests is not so easy , and we ’ re going to have to rally the American people to move the Democratic Party in that direction .
JN : @ @ @ @ @ @ @ you believe electing Joe Biden is a big deal because of the necessity to beat Donald Trump , But it ’ s also fair to say that you have developed a relationship with Joe Biden where you think you can talk to this guy and—even if you do not always agree on everything—to work with him on at least some issues .
BS : Well , number one , the first absolute necessity is to defeat Donald Trump .
Trump is the most dangerous president in American history .
Trump is an authoritarian @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
Trump is a pathological liar .
Trump does not understand or believe in the Constitution of the United States or the separation of powers .
He does not respect Congress .
He is a racist , a sexist , a homophobe , a xenophobe , and a religious bigot .
For all those reasons and more , Trump must be defeated .
My view is that after we elect Biden , what we ’ re going to do is everything that we possibly can to move his administration in a progressive direction @ @ @ @ @ @ @ I would not say it if he hadn ’ t made the same statement publicly , that he intends to be the most progressive president since FDR .
That ’ s a noble ambition , and our job is to hold him to that goal .
I think millions of people are prepared to do that .
JN : There ’ s a story , told with many variations , that FDR , when confronted by activists making demands for economic and social and racial justice , would say , “ Go out @ @ @ @ @ @ @ : So the hope is that a good Democratic president , a wise Democratic president , understands this dynamic of wanting to have pressure for a more progressive agenda , or at least to have the activism that makes demands , that opens things up .
That makes it easier for a president to move into a more progressive space .
BS : Right !
Look , on issue after issue , the American people are supporting the progressive agenda , while the corporate elite is vigorously opposed to that agenda .
Our @ @ @ @ @ @ @ understand that it makes a lot more sense to be supportive of what the American people want rather than what the moneyed interests want .
That ’ s what our task will be the day after the election .
Right now , obviously , the most important task is to elect Biden .
I think it ’ s going to be difficult .
I know a lot of people are assuming , “ Oh , the polls look so good , Biden ’ s going to win—no problem.
” I don ’ t @ @ @ @ @ @ @ think this is going to be a very tough election for a whole lot of reasons .
I worry very much about what happens on Election Day and the counting of ballots , how mail-in ballots are counted , whether people in fact can even cast those ballots , whether the Postal Service is going to be sabotaged , etc .
What I am pledged to do in the next three months is everything I can to see that Biden is elected ; and the day after that election , when he wins @ @ @ @ @ @ @ him in a progressive direction .
JN : We ’ re speaking shortly before the Democratic National Convention begins .
This is going to be the weirdest Democratic Convention in history , because nobody ’ s going to be there .
You ’ ll be a speaker at the convention .
What will the message be ?
BS : The message will be that at this particular moment , tens of millions of working-class people are living in fear and desperation .
We have got to hear their pain .
We have got @ @ @ @ @ @ @ got to respond to their pain in an unprecedented way , in a bold manner .
We need to create the jobs that people need .
We need to provide the wages , decent wages that people need .
We have to make sure that workers have the right to join unions .
We have to provide health care to all people as a human right and quality education as a human right .
We have to create millions of jobs by addressing the existential threat of climate change .
We have to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and wealth inequality .
On one hand , obviously we have got to beat Trump for all the reasons and more that I just mentioned .
But it is not good enough just to defeat Trump .
We need to create a new America and a government and an economy that works for all and not just a few .
And it ’ s absolutely the case that when we talk about creating an economy and a government based on justice , it means racial justice , the end of systemic racism in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ well beyond police brutality and police murders .
It goes to every aspect of our lives .
We have , as a nation , got to be as aggressive as we can in ending all forms of racism and bigotry .

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Bernie Sanders will address the Democratic National Convention this week, not as the nominee of the party he had hoped to lead against Donald Trump but as a supporter of the ticket of former vice president Joe Biden and Senator Kamala Harris. Since Sanders and Biden stopped competing for the nomination, Sanders has worked with Biden to unify the party. He will continue to do so this fall.
But the senator from Vermont still sees himself as an outsider, who is battling against status quo politics and the caution of contemporary Democrats who lack the bold vision that Franklin Delano Roosevelt outlined in his 1944 “Economic Bill of Rights.” This is a subject Sanders and I began to explore last year when I interviewed him for my new book, The Fight for the Soul of the Democratic Party (Verso). We returned to it last week when the senator and I discussed whether Covid-19, mass unemployment, and the demand for racial justice might create an opening for the bolder politics he advocates. Sanders offered a vision for the party that is rooted in its history and focused on its future—and gave a glimpse of what he’ll talk about at the convention.
—John Nichols
J ohn N ichols: When you were campaigning for president, you spoke quite frequently about the New Deal and Franklin Roosevelt’s “Economic Bill of Rights.” It was part of your effort to frame the 2020 election around fundamental issues and the need for structural change. Obviously, you didn’t know at the time that Covid and mass unemployment, and a rising demand for racial justice, would heighten the sense of urgency. But even before the crisis unfolded, you saw a need for a politics that was focused on transformative change. More From John Nichols A GOP Debate Without Trump Is the Definition of Pointlessness August 11, 2023 A Win for Abortion Rights, a Win for Democracy: Ohio Voters Reject Issue 1 August 9, 2023 The Biggest Threat to Donald Trump Could Be the Constitution Itself August 4, 2023
B ernie S anders: Absolutely. Absolutely. It is imperative that we not only deal with all of the injustices and inequalities that exist in our society today, which of course have been made worse by the pandemic and the economic meltdown, but it is also imperative that we start, in the 21st century, to rethink our value systems.
What Roosevelt did in his State of the Union speech in 1944 was really quite extraordinary. For whatever reason—we were in the middle of a war then and, of course, he died a year later; the media was not particularly sympathetic—what he said back in 1944 has been largely forgotten. But what he said was extraordinarily profound and revolutionary.
What he said is that, yes, our country has political freedom. We have a Constitution. We have a Bill of Rights. We have freedom of speech, freedom of assembly, freedom of religion, etc., and that’s all great. But what we have to do is go beyond just political rights and into economic rights. Popular "swipe left below to view more authors"Swipe → The Evisceration of a Public University The Evisceration of a Public University Lisa M. Corrigan The Patronizing Moralism of David Brooks The Patronizing Moralism of David Brooks Chris Lehmann “The Blind Side” Was Always Trash “The Blind Side” Was Always Trash Dave Zirin A Grim Chronicle of Trump’s Corrupt Public Life A Grim Chronicle of Trump’s Corrupt Public Life Chris Lehmann Popular "swipe left below to view more authors"Swipe → The Evisceration of a Public University The Evisceration of a Public University Lisa M. Corrigan The Patronizing Moralism of David Brooks The Patronizing Moralism of David Brooks Chris Lehmann “The Blind Side” Was Always Trash “The Blind Side” Was Always Trash Dave Zirin A Grim Chronicle of Trump’s Corrupt Public Life A Grim Chronicle of Trump’s Corrupt Public Life Chris Lehmann Current Issue View our current issue
In other words, it’s not good enough that you just have the constitutional right to vote (that’s good!), to protest (that’s great!), to assemble (that’s wonderful!), and freedom of religion (great!).
What we have got to be talking about, Roosevelt said in 1944, is that economic rights are human rights, and that means you are entitled, as an American, to decent housing, to decent health care, to a decent job, to a decent retirement. Economic rights are human rights, and you’re not going to be a really free person unless we guarantee those rights. That was an extraordinarily profound statement!
What I tried to do in the 2020 campaign is talk about Roosevelt’s 1944 speech and how we make it relevant to the year 2020.
JN: You often said during the 2020 campaign that the Democratic Party had to engage more with movements and ideas, that it had to extend its vision in order to not just beat Trump but frame the future. I presume that you still believe that this is the most morally and politically valid way to go forward.
BS: Yes, I do. Look. I think—and you’re beginning to see it—that our movement, which is taking on the entire corporate establishment, and the political establishment, is bringing some major victories, not only in congressional races but in state legislative races, in county prosecutor races, and in school board races. I mean, really, it’s all across the board.…
I think what we are forging is a movement that is prepared to ask questions that have not been asked for a long time. To ask, as Roosevelt did in 1944, what are we guaranteed? What are our human rights? What are we entitled to as human beings in a democratic, civilized society?
I think more and more people understand that every person in this country is entitled to a dignified standard of living. That’s decent housing, decent jobs, decent educational opportunity, a decent retirement, a clean environment.
JN: You now have a proposal to get serious about taxing the rich at a level that FDR and Henry Wallace and others might have thought appropriate. As with the Pentagon cuts you have proposed, that’s a battle. You’re going to have to work to get the Democratic Party on your side for that. What’s your sense of the progress there?
BS: I think it’s going to be very hard. What we’re trying to do right now, by the way—which is above and beyond the fight for progressive taxation—is that in this terrible pandemic and this economic meltdown, when 30 million people have lost their jobs, when half the people in this country are living paycheck to paycheck, when people are losing their health insurance, when people are being evicted from their apartments, that in this terrible moment it is absolutely unacceptable that, I think, 467 billionaires have seen their wealth just during this pandemic, John, increase by over $700 billion. Push Them Left Progressives, Get Ready to Push Them Left Robert L. Borosage
For people like Jeff Bezos, for the Walton family, for Elon Musk, for a tiny, tiny sliver, a tiny fraction of 1 percent of the people, they are doing phenomenally well, while so many of the people of this country are falling into desperation.
What this amendment says is, “You know what? We are going to have a pandemic tax of 60 percent on the huge increase in wealth that we have seen among the richest people in this country just in the last four or five months.”
We’re going to take that money, many hundreds of billions of dollars, and use it during this pandemic, use it for the next year, to make sure that, A, everybody in America has health care (if you don’t have health care, we will provide it to you through Medicare), and B, if you do have health care, we’ll make sure that you’re not going to be paying out-of-pocket expenses, because Medicare will cover those out-of-pocket expenses.
This is a struggle to begin changing the priorities of America, John. Should we allow 467 billionaires to make huge profits? An unbelievable increase in wealth! Or should we provide health care for all people as a right, at least during this crisis?
That’s what it is: It’s a choice that we have got to examine. I think the American people are with us. Just as I think they are with us in support of Medicare for All, which we’ll continue to fight for.
JN: The polls suggest the American people are with you. I’m interested in whether you think that Democrats in Congress and perhaps a President Biden will be with you.
BS: Well, all I can say is that taking on the ruling class of this country is not easy. They have enormous power. We are growing our movement to create a Democratic Party that is prepared to do that.
Are we there now? No, we’re not. We started off with this amendment having, I think, two cosponsors, Ed Markey and Kirsten Gillibrand. We’ll probably get a couple more.
But taking on the corporate elite and the big money interests is not so easy, and we’re going to have to rally the American people to move the Democratic Party in that direction.
JN: You’ve made it clear that you believe electing Joe Biden is a big deal because of the necessity to beat Donald Trump, But it’s also fair to say that you have developed a relationship with Joe Biden where you think you can talk to this guy and—even if you do not always agree on everything—to work with him on at least some issues.
BS: Well, number one, the first absolute necessity is to defeat Donald Trump. Trump is the most dangerous president in American history. Trump is an authoritarian who is trying to undermine American democracy. Trump is a pathological liar. Trump does not understand or believe in the Constitution of the United States or the separation of powers. He does not respect Congress. He is a racist, a sexist, a homophobe, a xenophobe, and a religious bigot. For all those reasons and more, Trump must be defeated.
My view is that after we elect Biden, what we’re going to do is everything that we possibly can to move his administration in a progressive direction. Biden has told me, and I would not say it if he hadn’t made the same statement publicly, that he intends to be the most progressive president since FDR. That’s a noble ambition, and our job is to hold him to that goal. I think millions of people are prepared to do that.
JN: There’s a story, told with many variations, that FDR, when confronted by activists making demands for economic and social and racial justice, would say, “Go out and make me do it.”
BS: Right.
JN: So the hope is that a good Democratic president, a wise Democratic president, understands this dynamic of wanting to have pressure for a more progressive agenda, or at least to have the activism that makes demands, that opens things up. That makes it easier for a president to move into a more progressive space.
BS: Right! Look, on issue after issue, the American people are supporting the progressive agenda, while the corporate elite is vigorously opposed to that agenda. Our job is to make the Biden administration understand that it makes a lot more sense to be supportive of what the American people want rather than what the moneyed interests want.
That’s what our task will be the day after the election. Right now, obviously, the most important task is to elect Biden. I think it’s going to be difficult. I know a lot of people are assuming, “Oh, the polls look so good, Biden’s going to win—no problem.” I don’t believe that for a second.
I think this is going to be a very tough election for a whole lot of reasons. I worry very much about what happens on Election Day and the counting of ballots, how mail-in ballots are counted, whether people in fact can even cast those ballots, whether the Postal Service is going to be sabotaged, etc.
What I am pledged to do in the next three months is everything I can to see that Biden is elected; and the day after that election, when he wins, to make sure that we move him in a progressive direction.
JN: We’re speaking shortly before the Democratic National Convention begins. This is going to be the weirdest Democratic Convention in history, because nobody’s going to be there. You’ll be a speaker at the convention. What will the message be?
BS: The message will be that at this particular moment, tens of millions of working-class people are living in fear and desperation. We have got to hear their pain. We have got to acknowledge their pain. We have got to respond to their pain in an unprecedented way, in a bold manner.
We need to create the jobs that people need. We need to provide the wages, decent wages that people need. We have to make sure that workers have the right to join unions. We have to provide health care to all people as a human right and quality education as a human right. We have to create millions of jobs by addressing the existential threat of climate change. We have to deal with the grotesque level of income and wealth inequality.
On one hand, obviously we have got to beat Trump for all the reasons and more that I just mentioned. But it is not good enough just to defeat Trump. We need to create a new America and a government and an economy that works for all and not just a few.
And it’s absolutely the case that when we talk about creating an economy and a government based on justice, it means racial justice, the end of systemic racism in this country. That goes well, well beyond police brutality and police murders. It goes to every aspect of our lives. We have, as a nation, got to be as aggressive as we can in ending all forms of racism and bigotry.


thenation--2020-08-18--College Football Should Be Totally Shut Down, Even if It Hurts

Justin Fields is one of the great talents in college football .
The Ohio State quarterback was supposed to be a leading contender for the Heisman Trophy this season , and the Buckeyes in turn were poised to win a national championship .
That all changed last week , when the Big Ten Conference canceled the fall football season because of the continued spread of Covid-19 .
Fields , terribly desperate to get on the field and further prove his worth to the NFL , has started a MoveOn petition to get the Big Ten to change their minds .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ Fields is building on the # WeWantToPlay hashtag , which college athletes used on Twitter to implore conference leaders not to cancel the 2020 season .
So far , two of the Power Five conferences , the Pac-12 and the Big Ten , have done just that .
We , the football players of the Big Ten , together with the fans and supporters of college football , request that the Big Ten Conference immediately reinstate the 2020 football season .
Allow Big Ten players/teams to make their own choice as to whether @ @ @ @ @ @ @ this fall season .
Allow Big Ten players/teams who choose to opt out of playing a fall season to do so without penalty or repercussion.… We want to play .
We believe that safety protocols have been established and can be maintained to mitigate concerns of exposure to Covid 19 .
We believe that we should have the right to make decisions about what is best for our health and our future .
Don ’ t let our hard work and sacrifice be in vain .
# LetUsPlay !
It ’ s understandable @ @ @ @ @ @ @ He has a lucrative NFL future ahead of him , and losing a year could harm his development and prospects .
His plea also speaks to the frustration that many college athletes feel over the fact that they do not have a say in what will happen this upcoming season .
They have no players ’ association , no seat at the table , and therefore no agency about this decision that will so thoroughly affect their lives .
On one side of this fight are medical professionals and school presidents ; on @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , and many parents—some of whom are traveling to Big Ten headquarters in Illinois to protest the decision .
The doctors advising on this decision focused on myocarditis , an inflammation of the heart muscle , that can be an aftereffect of Covid-19 .
It was found to be present in five to 15 Big-Ten athletes who contracted Covid-19 during the off-season .
This is a rare and potentially deadly condition—it can kill you if the heart is subjected to strenuous exertion .
Canceling the season will cost millions if not billions of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ out .
Meanwhile , this entire ordeal has exposed a reality that athletes understand all too well .
They are not so-called “ student athletes.
” They are minor league players taking their shot at the National Football League .
Many have no problem if the entire campus is learning remotely if it means they get to play , even if that means carrying a risk that other students do not have to shoulder .
That ’ s just par for the course .
Preventing them from taking the field is also preventing @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the major league—something that only a minuscule fraction will actually achieve .
The desire to get back on the field no matter the risk is understandable , because football itself holds the element of risk in every play .
Just this past week , the NFL celebrated the return of quarterback Alex Smith , two years after he almost died and nearly lost his leg from a vicious hit during a game .
It ’ s been framed as an inspirational story , with Smith saying , “ It ’ s amazing to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Players don ’ t dwell on the dangers , because if they did so , they might never walk onto the field .
This is precisely why you need medical professionals to step in and assess the risks .
It exposes the worst about college football that the other conferences that include schools already experiencing Covid breakouts as students return to campus have no centralized mechanism for shutting it all down , and instead cherry-pick the medical information they want to hear so they can keep the trains running .
It ’ s @ @ @ @ @ @ @ science , and young people whose goal is to play by any means necessary will pay the price .
Make no mistake about it : There is no college football for Ohio State for two reasons .
One is because of the ways in which the Trump administration has mishandled the pandemic response at the cost of thousands of lives .
The other is because this country—thanks to a bipartisan consensus forged over a generation—has no kind of social safety net to effectively keep people at home , save people ’ s jobs @ @ @ @ @ @ @ worst has passed .
If we obfuscate that truth , we lose clarity as to where the responsibility for this calamity lies , and we doom ourselves to never seeing it come under any semblance of control .
You can feel for players like Justin Fields and still recognize this truth .

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Justin Fields is one of the great talents in college football. The Ohio State quarterback was supposed to be a leading contender for the Heisman Trophy this season, and the Buckeyes in turn were poised to win a national championship. That all changed last week, when the Big Ten Conference canceled the fall football season because of the continued spread of Covid-19.
Fields, terribly desperate to get on the field and further prove his worth to the NFL, has started a MoveOn petition to get the Big Ten to change their minds. Already amassing more than 250,000 signatures, Fields is building on the #WeWantToPlay hashtag, which college athletes used on Twitter to implore conference leaders not to cancel the 2020 season. So far, two of the Power Five conferences, the Pac-12 and the Big Ten, have done just that.
In his petition, Fields writes:
We, the football players of the Big Ten, together with the fans and supporters of college football, request that the Big Ten Conference immediately reinstate the 2020 football season. Allow Big Ten players/teams to make their own choice as to whether they wish to play or opt out this fall season. Allow Big Ten players/teams who choose to opt out of playing a fall season to do so without penalty or repercussion.… We want to play. We believe that safety protocols have been established and can be maintained to mitigate concerns of exposure to Covid 19. We believe that we should have the right to make decisions about what is best for our health and our future. Don’t let our hard work and sacrifice be in vain. #LetUsPlay!
It’s understandable why Fields is taking this step. He has a lucrative NFL future ahead of him, and losing a year could harm his development and prospects. His plea also speaks to the frustration that many college athletes feel over the fact that they do not have a say in what will happen this upcoming season. They have no players’ association, no seat at the table, and therefore no agency about this decision that will so thoroughly affect their lives.
On one side of this fight are medical professionals and school presidents; on the other side are coaches, players, and many parents—some of whom are traveling to Big Ten headquarters in Illinois to protest the decision. The doctors advising on this decision focused on myocarditis, an inflammation of the heart muscle, that can be an aftereffect of Covid-19. It was found to be present in five to 15 Big-Ten athletes who contracted Covid-19 during the off-season. This is a rare and potentially deadly condition—it can kill you if the heart is subjected to strenuous exertion.
Canceling the season will cost millions if not billions of dollars, but the medical experts won out. Meanwhile, this entire ordeal has exposed a reality that athletes understand all too well. They are not so-called “student athletes.” They are minor league players taking their shot at the National Football League. Many have no problem if the entire campus is learning remotely if it means they get to play, even if that means carrying a risk that other students do not have to shoulder. That’s just par for the course. Preventing them from taking the field is also preventing them from pursuing an opportunity to make the major league—something that only a minuscule fraction will actually achieve. Current Issue View our current issue
The desire to get back on the field no matter the risk is understandable, because football itself holds the element of risk in every play. Just this past week, the NFL celebrated the return of quarterback Alex Smith, two years after he almost died and nearly lost his leg from a vicious hit during a game. It’s been framed as an inspirational story, with Smith saying, “It’s amazing to return to do something you love.” Players don’t dwell on the dangers, because if they did so, they might never walk onto the field.
This is precisely why you need medical professionals to step in and assess the risks. It exposes the worst about college football that the other conferences that include schools already experiencing Covid breakouts as students return to campus have no centralized mechanism for shutting it all down, and instead cherry-pick the medical information they want to hear so they can keep the trains running. It’s the Trumpian triumph of the negation of science, and young people whose goal is to play by any means necessary will pay the price.
Make no mistake about it: There is no college football for Ohio State for two reasons. One is because of the ways in which the Trump administration has mishandled the pandemic response at the cost of thousands of lives. The other is because this country—thanks to a bipartisan consensus forged over a generation—has no kind of social safety net to effectively keep people at home, save people’s jobs, and keep businesses afloat until the worst has passed. If we obfuscate that truth, we lose clarity as to where the responsibility for this calamity lies, and we doom ourselves to never seeing it come under any semblance of control. You can feel for players like Justin Fields and still recognize this truth.


thenation--2020-08-18--The First Night of the DNC Felt Like a Really Brutal Doctor’s Appointment

There was no cheering .
There were no costumes .
There was no Macarena .
The first night of the virtual Democratic National Convention was less of a pep rally and more of a cancer diagnosis .
America is sick , and the Democrats asked us to stare that truth right in the face .
For me , a person who is well aware that the country is being compromised by a malignant tumor in the White House , I found the non–Michelle Obama portions of the proceedings a little dispiriting .
I know we ’ re dying ; I @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Are we attacking the sickness or just the symptoms ?
Are we going with aggressive chemotherapy , or are the Democrats merely offering chicken soup , Dayquil , and Sprite ?
Still , even as I sagged in my chair , I tried to remind myself that the Democrats are playing for a larger audience than people like me .
I tried to remember that some people do not already know that we are dangerously ill .
Some patients have to be convinced that they are sick before they will take any medicine @ @ @ @ @ @ @ been touched by the death and destruction wrought by the Trump administration and Republican apathy .
That ’ s why , I think , the Democrats spent the first night of their convention doing the uncomfortable work of bringing those deaths to life .
The dead are not statistics , and the Democrats brought forth surviving loved ones to put a human face on the suffering caused by the current government .
George Floyd ’ s brother spoke .
Before calling for a moment of silence , he listed names of others who @ @ @ @ @ @ @ police or systemic racism .
He said , “ George should be alive today .
Breonna Taylor should be alive today .
Ahmaud Arbery should be alive today .
Eric Garner should be alive today .
Stephon Clark , Atatiana Jefferson , Sandra Bland , they should all be alive today.
” I know these names ( and many others ) like other people know the names of their saints .
I can see their faces and , too often , their final moments .
Naming them reminds people that behind every viral @ @ @ @ @ @ @ out .
The Democrats didn ’ t stop there , because the deaths haven ’ t stopped there .
The first night featured videos from “ regular ” Americans who have suffered during these past four years .
The most poignant was from Kristin Urquiza , a woman who lost her father to Covid-19 .
She said , “ His only preexisting condition was that he trusted Donald Trump .
And for that , he paid with his life.
” At one point , the Democrats even ran an “ In Memoriam ” @ @ @ @ @ @ @ at the Oscars , only instead of dead actors , the names and pictures were those of Americans who have died from Covid-19 .
It was heavy stuff .
Even Billy Porter , who can usually make me smile with a mere flick of his train , played the convention out with his rendition of “ For What It ’ s Worth.
” This is not the Hamilton convention .
This is the Les Misérables convention .
Of course , the first night of the convention wasn ’ t billed as the “ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ” night it felt like .
Instead , the theme was “ unity.
” I ’ ve written before about how misguided I think it is to include Republicans in the Democratic National Convention and , frankly , I thought former Ohio governor John Kasich standing at a literal crossroads like he was the Scarecrow in the Wizard of Oz proved my point for me .
I do not live at a crossroads where deciding between a bigoted , misogynist mediocrity who is partially responsible for 170,000 American deaths versus anybody else is @ @ @ @ @ @ @ I ’ ve never seen any evidence that a Republican who no longer holds elected office changes the mind of a single Republican voter .
I don ’ t think the endorsement of Christine Todd-Whitman , or Meg Whitman , or even Dick Whitman means anything to anybody .
But since the DNC bothered to drag these Republicans out here , since we are doing this whole big policy-agnostic tent thing , I was surprised that none of them could fix their mouths to say the words “ I ’ m sorry.
” @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in some way that this upcoming election is “ the most important election of our lifetime , ” and that is just not true : 2016 was the most important election of our lifetime .
All of the Republicans and some of the Democrats who spoke last night failed to recognize that four years ago , and hundreds of thousands of people are dead because of it .
“ I ’ m sorry ” is an entirely appropriate threshold statement that acknowledges our collective failure to meet yesterday ’ s challenges .
I @ @ @ @ @ @ @ people who are unwilling to admit they ’ ve been walking around with an ax .
But whatever .
I can not judge the effectiveness of this messaging , because , again , I ’ m not the intended audience for this show .
My vote is not up for grabs , and my moral judgement of people whose votes are is not particularly helpful , I suppose .
All I can do is worry .
I worry about a convention that is focused more on the problems than on the solutions .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ a clearer idea about what it ’ s against than about what it ’ s for .
The Democratic Convention Is Shaping Up to Be a Centrist Hoedown I worry , most of all , that next week Trump is going to show up driving a race car , publicly execute a man he kidnapped from Wuhan , China , burn a cross on the South Lawn , and call it a day .
And The New York Times headline will be : “ Happy Warrior Lights Up First Night of Convention.
” @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Trump will offer spectacle .
Unfortunately , America doesn ’ t have a great track record when it comes to recognizing the difference .
Only Michelle Obama saved me from this overpowering dread , because she was the only one who stitched together the deadly seriousness of the moment with a rousing call to action .
Her speech did not give in to despair , and instead called upon Americans to pack dinner , and even breakfast , put on comfortable shoes , and be prepared to stand in line all night to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ how dangerous Trump is , good , go vote .
If you needed a whole convention night to remind you of how dangerous Trump is , good , go vote .
If you are a Republican who thinks Trump is dangerous but can not recognize your complicity in creating him , I despise you , but go vote anyway .
I ’ m not sure who this convention is for , but if it is for you , please go vote .

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Thank you for signing up for The Nation’s weekly newsletter.
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Sign up for our Wine Club today. Did you know you can support The Nation by drinking wine?
There was no cheering. There were no costumes. There was no Macarena. The first night of the virtual Democratic National Convention was less of a pep rally and more of a cancer diagnosis. America is sick, and the Democrats asked us to stare that truth right in the face.
For me, a person who is well aware that the country is being compromised by a malignant tumor in the White House, I found the non–Michelle Obama portions of the proceedings a little dispiriting. I know we’re dying; I want to hear about the treatment. Are we attacking the sickness or just the symptoms? Are we going with aggressive chemotherapy, or are the Democrats merely offering chicken soup, Dayquil, and Sprite?
Still, even as I sagged in my chair, I tried to remind myself that the Democrats are playing for a larger audience than people like me. I tried to remember that some people do not already know that we are dangerously ill. Some patients have to be convinced that they are sick before they will take any medicine at all. Some voters have not been touched by the death and destruction wrought by the Trump administration and Republican apathy.
That’s why, I think, the Democrats spent the first night of their convention doing the uncomfortable work of bringing those deaths to life. The dead are not statistics, and the Democrats brought forth surviving loved ones to put a human face on the suffering caused by the current government. George Floyd’s brother spoke. Before calling for a moment of silence, he listed names of others who have died at the hands of brutal police or systemic racism. He said, “George should be alive today. Breonna Taylor should be alive today. Ahmaud Arbery should be alive today. Eric Garner should be alive today. Stephon Clark, Atatiana Jefferson, Sandra Bland, they should all be alive today.” I know these names (and many others) like other people know the names of their saints. I can see their faces and, too often, their final moments. Naming them reminds people that behind every viral video is a life that was snuffed out. Current Issue View our current issue
The Democrats didn’t stop there, because the deaths haven’t stopped there. The first night featured videos from “regular” Americans who have suffered during these past four years. The most poignant was from Kristin Urquiza, a woman who lost her father to Covid-19. She said, “His only preexisting condition was that he trusted Donald Trump. And for that, he paid with his life.”
At one point, the Democrats even ran an “In Memoriam” scroll, like you’d see at the Oscars, only instead of dead actors, the names and pictures were those of Americans who have died from Covid-19.
It was heavy stuff. Even Billy Porter, who can usually make me smile with a mere flick of his train, played the convention out with his rendition of “For What It’s Worth.” This is not the Hamilton convention. This is the Les Misérables convention. Popular "swipe left below to view more authors"Swipe → The Evisceration of a Public University The Evisceration of a Public University Lisa M. Corrigan The Patronizing Moralism of David Brooks The Patronizing Moralism of David Brooks Chris Lehmann “The Blind Side” Was Always Trash “The Blind Side” Was Always Trash Dave Zirin A Grim Chronicle of Trump’s Corrupt Public Life A Grim Chronicle of Trump’s Corrupt Public Life Chris Lehmann Popular "swipe left below to view more authors"Swipe → The Evisceration of a Public University The Evisceration of a Public University Lisa M. Corrigan The Patronizing Moralism of David Brooks The Patronizing Moralism of David Brooks Chris Lehmann “The Blind Side” Was Always Trash “The Blind Side” Was Always Trash Dave Zirin A Grim Chronicle of Trump’s Corrupt Public Life A Grim Chronicle of Trump’s Corrupt Public Life Chris Lehmann
Of course, the first night of the convention wasn’t billed as the “let’s have a good cry” night it felt like. Instead, the theme was “unity.” I’ve written before about how misguided I think it is to include Republicans in the Democratic National Convention and, frankly, I thought former Ohio governor John Kasich standing at a literal crossroads like he was the Scarecrow in the Wizard of Oz proved my point for me. I do not live at a crossroads where deciding between a bigoted, misogynist mediocrity who is partially responsible for 170,000 American deaths versus anybody else is all that difficult a choice. And I’ve never seen any evidence that a Republican who no longer holds elected office changes the mind of a single Republican voter. I don’t think the endorsement of Christine Todd-Whitman, or Meg Whitman, or even Dick Whitman means anything to anybody.
But since the DNC bothered to drag these Republicans out here, since we are doing this whole big policy-agnostic tent thing, I was surprised that none of them could fix their mouths to say the words “I’m sorry.” All of the politicians who spoke suggested in some way that this upcoming election is “the most important election of our lifetime,” and that is just not true: 2016 was the most important election of our lifetime. All of the Republicans and some of the Democrats who spoke last night failed to recognize that four years ago, and hundreds of thousands of people are dead because of it. “I’m sorry” is an entirely appropriate threshold statement that acknowledges our collective failure to meet yesterday’s challenges. I can’t bury the hatchet with people who are unwilling to admit they’ve been walking around with an ax.
But whatever. I cannot judge the effectiveness of this messaging, because, again, I’m not the intended audience for this show. My vote is not up for grabs, and my moral judgement of people whose votes are is not particularly helpful, I suppose. All I can do is worry. I worry about a convention that is focused more on the problems than on the solutions. I worry about a party that has a clearer idea about what it’s against than about what it’s for. More from Mystal The Democratic Convention Is Shaping Up to Be a Centrist Hoedown Elie Mystal
I worry, most of all, that next week Trump is going to show up driving a race car, publicly execute a man he kidnapped from Wuhan, China, burn a cross on the South Lawn, and call it a day. And The New York Times headline will be: “Happy Warrior Lights Up First Night of Convention.”
Democrats are offering America science, while Trump will offer spectacle. Unfortunately, America doesn’t have a great track record when it comes to recognizing the difference.
Only Michelle Obama saved me from this overpowering dread, because she was the only one who stitched together the deadly seriousness of the moment with a rousing call to action. Her speech did not give in to despair, and instead called upon Americans to pack dinner, and even breakfast, put on comfortable shoes, and be prepared to stand in line all night to vote.
If you have always known how dangerous Trump is, good, go vote. If you needed a whole convention night to remind you of how dangerous Trump is, good, go vote. If you are a Republican who thinks Trump is dangerous but cannot recognize your complicity in creating him, I despise you, but go vote anyway.
I’m not sure who this convention is for, but if it is for you, please go vote.


thenation--2020-08-18--Progressives, Get Ready to Push Biden and Harris

The symbolism and significance of Joe Biden ’ s selecting Senator Kamala D. Harris ( D-Calif. ) as the first Black woman and first Asian American on a major party ticket matters to progressives .
Still , it ’ s an open question how committed a Biden-Harris administration would be to real structural change .
Biden has never been a particularly progressive politician , and in choosing Harris , he has selected a second-in-command with a similar tendency to align with the establishment .
In a crisis moment that calls for bold reform , chances are that reform won ’ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a Biden-Harris administration to take charge .
Instead , progressives will have to push hard—in the streets , on the campaign trail , and in the halls of Congress .
In recent years , we ’ ve seen a rebirth of major protest movements—from the grassroots groundswells for Medicare for All and the Green New Deal , to the massive Women ’ s March and March for Our Lives , to nationwide walkouts for climate justice and mass demonstrations against police brutality .
These movements were mostly aimed at Republican policies and politicians @ @ @ @ @ @ @ on the Democratic side , too—evidenced by this year ’ s party platform , which is more progressive than some thought possible .
To be sure , some have noted that the 2020 Democratic platform falls short in not endorsing Medicare for All—and some convention delegates , such as Representative Ro Khanna ( D-Calif. ) , will vote against the platform for this reason .
In a statement , Khanna and the other cochairs of Senator Bernie Sanders ’ s ( I-Vt. ) presidential campaign argued , “ By voicing their dissent , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ for a humane , rational , cost-effective healthcare system will be heard during the convention—and this will benefit the Democratic Party.
” Read the full text of Katrina ’ s column here .

EDITOR’S NOTE: Each week we cross-post an excerpt from Katrina vanden Heuvel’s column at the WashingtonPost.com. Read the full text of Katrina’s column here.
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The symbolism and significance of Joe Biden’s selecting Senator Kamala D. Harris (D-Calif.) as the first Black woman and first Asian American on a major party ticket matters to progressives. Still, it’s an open question how committed a Biden-Harris administration would be to real structural change. Biden has never been a particularly progressive politician, and in choosing Harris, he has selected a second-in-command with a similar tendency to align with the establishment. In a crisis moment that calls for bold reform, chances are that reform won’t happen if progressives simply wait for a Biden-Harris administration to take charge. Instead, progressives will have to push hard—in the streets, on the campaign trail, and in the halls of Congress.
In recent years, we’ve seen a rebirth of major protest movements—from the grassroots groundswells for Medicare for All and the Green New Deal, to the massive Women’s March and March for Our Lives, to nationwide walkouts for climate justice and mass demonstrations against police brutality. These movements were mostly aimed at Republican policies and politicians. But they resulted in real change on the Democratic side, too—evidenced by this year’s party platform, which is more progressive than some thought possible.
To be sure, some have noted that the 2020 Democratic platform falls short in not endorsing Medicare for All—and some convention delegates, such as Representative Ro Khanna (D-Calif.), will vote against the platform for this reason. In a statement, Khanna and the other cochairs of Senator Bernie Sanders’s (I-Vt.) presidential campaign argued, “By voicing their dissent, these delegates have ensured that the call for a humane, rational, cost-effective healthcare system will be heard during the convention—and this will benefit the Democratic Party.”
Read the full text of Katrina’s column here.


thenation--2020-08-18--The Moral Power of Michelle Obama’s Anti-Politics

Michelle Obama and Bernie Sanders delivered the two most effective speeches on the first night of the Democratic National Convention , taking very different angles .
Sanders spoke as the leader of one faction within the Democratic Party , making the case for his supporters to unify behind Biden .
He emphasized the danger Donald Trump poses to American democracy , which requires a popular front of opposition that runs from progressives to moderates and even includes conservatives .
If Sanders made the political case against Trump , Michelle Obama focused on the moral case .
This was hardly surprising @ @ @ @ @ @ @ dislike of politics .
Further , her previous position as first lady was an essentially nonpolitical one .
To be sure , there have been first ladies with strong political profiles , notably Eleanor Roosevelt and Hillary Clinton .
But unlike Roosevelt or Clinton , Obama has been chary of using her stature for overtly partisan or ideological goals .
Michelle Obama practices the politics of anti-politics , which allows her words to reach people who tune out normal political discourse .
“ You know I hate politics , ” she explained in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ also know that I care about this nation .
You know how much I care about all of our children.
” Caring for children is , of course , a quality that transcends partisanship .
Not to say she ’ s been completely apolitical .
Rather , she ’ s held back from political battles until her involvement was necessary .
As former Barack Obama aide David Axelrod notes , “ Because she is not a politician and doesn ’ t think or speak like one , @ MicheleObama is such a powerful @ @ @ @ @ @ @ here , she speaks with a moral authority few in public life can summon.
” QAnon Is the Future of the Republican Party Why Trump Is Using Birtherism Against Harris The Ambition of Kamala Harris Will Serve America Well It ’ s exactly that “ moral authority ” that Obama brought to bear in her speech , which was focused not on Trump ’ s policy failures but on his lack of the human qualities that are needed in a leader .
The major theme of her speech was empathy , again a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ : “ Empathy : that ’ s something I ’ ve been thinking a lot about lately , ” Obama reflected .
“ The ability to walk in someone else ’ s shoes ; the recognition that someone else ’ s experience has value , too.
” According to Obama , Trump ’ s personal lack of empathy was changing American society : They see people shouting in grocery stores , unwilling to wear a mask to keep us all safe .
They see people calling the police on folks minding their own @ @ @ @ @ @ @ their skin .
They see an entitlement that says only certain people belong here , that greed is good , and winning is everything because as long as you come out on top , it doesn ’ t matter what happens to everyone else .
And they see what happens when that lack of empathy is ginned up into outright disdain .
They see our leaders labeling fellow citizens enemies of the state while emboldening torch-bearing white supremacists .
They watch in horror as children are torn from their families and thrown into @ @ @ @ @ @ @ bullets are used on peaceful protestors for a photo-op .
The speech earned surprisingly positive reviews from Dana Perino and Chris Wallace on Fox News .
“ You got the sense when you talk about authenticity , she has it in spades .
She has that voice , she has clarity , and she knows what she is out there wanting to do , ” Perino enthused .
Wallace emphatically agreed : “ She really flayed , sliced , and diced Donald Trump talking about the chaos and confusion and lack of empathy @ @ @ @ @ @ @ this White House , spoke more about the deficits of Donald Trump than the pluses of Joe Biden , but did talk about especially , not so much policies , but especially his empathy and what he has been through and his care for average Americans.
” It could be argued that the moral case against Trump was already made in 2016 and didn ’ t convince enough voters .
There ’ s an element of truth in this argument , in the sense that a moral argument might not be sufficient .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ only speaker in the convention .
Other speakers like Sanders are on hand to flay Trump ’ s policies .
The moral argument is one arrow in the quiver , and there is no one better able to deliver it than Michelle Obama .
The former first lady did what she had to do .

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Michelle Obama and Bernie Sanders delivered the two most effective speeches on the first night of the Democratic National Convention, taking very different angles. Sanders spoke as the leader of one faction within the Democratic Party, making the case for his supporters to unify behind Biden. He emphasized the danger Donald Trump poses to American democracy, which requires a popular front of opposition that runs from progressives to moderates and even includes conservatives.
If Sanders made the political case against Trump, Michelle Obama focused on the moral case. This was hardly surprising, since she is notorious for her dislike of politics. Further, her previous position as first lady was an essentially nonpolitical one. To be sure, there have been first ladies with strong political profiles, notably Eleanor Roosevelt and Hillary Clinton. But unlike Roosevelt or Clinton, Obama has been chary of using her stature for overtly partisan or ideological goals.
Michelle Obama practices the politics of anti-politics, which allows her words to reach people who tune out normal political discourse. “You know I hate politics,” she explained in her pretaped speech. “But you also know that I care about this nation. You know how much I care about all of our children.” Caring for children is, of course, a quality that transcends partisanship.
Not to say she’s been completely apolitical. Rather, she’s held back from political battles until her involvement was necessary. As former Barack Obama aide David Axelrod notes, “Because she is not a politician and doesn’t think or speak like one, @MicheleObama is such a powerful communicator. As she is showing again here, she speaks with a moral authority few in public life can summon.” More From Jeet Heer The Indigenous Roots of Robbie Robertson’s Rock and Roll Revolution August 14, 2023 Why Does This Racist Keep Getting Silicon Valley Money? August 11, 2023 When Phallocrats Go Limp August 4, 2023
It’s exactly that “moral authority” that Obama brought to bear in her speech, which was focused not on Trump’s policy failures but on his lack of the human qualities that are needed in a leader.
The major theme of her speech was empathy, again a quality that is separate from party affiliation: “Empathy: that’s something I’ve been thinking a lot about lately,” Obama reflected. “The ability to walk in someone else’s shoes; the recognition that someone else’s experience has value, too.”
According to Obama, Trump’s personal lack of empathy was changing American society:
They see people shouting in grocery stores, unwilling to wear a mask to keep us all safe. They see people calling the police on folks minding their own business just because of the color of their skin. They see an entitlement that says only certain people belong here, that greed is good, and winning is everything because as long as you come out on top, it doesn’t matter what happens to everyone else. And they see what happens when that lack of empathy is ginned up into outright disdain. They see our leaders labeling fellow citizens enemies of the state while emboldening torch-bearing white supremacists. They watch in horror as children are torn from their families and thrown into cages, and pepper spray and rubber bullets are used on peaceful protestors for a photo-op.
The speech earned surprisingly positive reviews from Dana Perino and Chris Wallace on Fox News. “You got the sense when you talk about authenticity, she has it in spades. She has that voice, she has clarity, and she knows what she is out there wanting to do,” Perino enthused. Current Issue View our current issue
Wallace emphatically agreed: “She really flayed, sliced, and diced Donald Trump talking about the chaos and confusion and lack of empathy, especially coming from this president and this White House, spoke more about the deficits of Donald Trump than the pluses of Joe Biden, but did talk about especially, not so much policies, but especially his empathy and what he has been through and his care for average Americans.”
It could be argued that the moral case against Trump was already made in 2016 and didn’t convince enough voters. There’s an element of truth in this argument, in the sense that a moral argument might not be sufficient. But Michelle Obama isn’t the only speaker in the convention. Other speakers like Sanders are on hand to flay Trump’s policies. The moral argument is one arrow in the quiver, and there is no one better able to deliver it than Michelle Obama. The former first lady did what she had to do.


thenation--2020-08-18--Swelling Protests in Belarus Signal a Possible Revolution of Love

elarus—On August 9 , after the presidential election , people throughout Belarus came out to protest , and they are still protesting now .
On election day in Minsk , some of the people went to their polling places to learn how the commissions were tallying the ballots , while others went to Victors Avenue to show that they were against falsification .
We knew about the falsification even before the final count—there were many forgeries in the so-called early voting .
The peaceful protest on Victors Avenue ended with law enforcement officers showering the crowd with flash grenades , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ grabbing them , beating them , and taking them away to detention centers .
We thought we were in hell then .
But then it got worse .
The next day , they shot an unarmed man point blank near the Pushkinskaya metro station , and a few days later we learned that people were being tortured in the Okrestino detention center , where doctors had to fight with the police to get the most seriously wounded into hospitals .
We were no longer talking about state violence .
This was torture .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ agenda .
Added to the demands for the release of political prisoners and for honest elections without Alexander Lukashenko was the demand for an immediate halt to violence and torture .
On August 12 , the first women ’ s solidarity action took place—several hundred women formed a living chain in Minsk near Komarovka , the country ’ s largest food market .
They were dressed in white and many carried flowers .
This was a markedly peaceful protest against violence and torture , and now this action and subsequent ones are called @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ’ s revolution .
The first women ’ s solidarity chain was a turning point .
Such chains appeared all over the country .
It happens spontaneously : To join a protest , you simply come out on a more or less major street in your city and stand near the road .
It doesn ’ t matter what color your dress is or whether you have flowers in your hands .
Drivers understand and support the protesters by honking their horns .
The Factory Joins the Square : Putin ’ s Nightmare @ @ @ @ @ @ @ be alive from early morning until very late at night .
People organize themselves in a magically mysterious way : Some women line up along the roads ; other women with their husbands bring the protesters water and food ; yet other individuals bring large garbage bags and clean up .
If necessary , drivers help protesters get home .
Many women are so eager to show that they support purely peaceful resistance that they ignore all the rules about suitable garb for protests .
They come up in dresses and sandals , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ inappropriate clothing for running away from beatings , arrests , grenades , and rubber bullets .
However , some of them believe that the authorities won ’ t raise their hands to arrest—and certainly not to torture !
—well-dressed women .
The women ’ s solidarity protests are some of the largest in recent decades .
Some come out only to protest state violence and torture ; others continue to talk about the resignation of Lukashenko and the government , to assert that the people who give criminal orders and those who execute @ @ @ @ @ @ @ say that no one could have given an order to torture people .
The riot police must be acting on their own to beat people until they are in shock from pain and their internal organs burst , leaving deep bruises and threatening prisoners with rape and death all on their own initiative .
We recently learned that 81 people are missing .
We do not know where they are or whether they are all alive .
The revolution of love has not ( yet ) won .

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b elarus—On August 9, after the presidential election, people throughout Belarus came out to protest, and they are still protesting now. On election day in Minsk, some of the people went to their polling places to learn how the commissions were tallying the ballots, while others went to Victors Avenue to show that they were against falsification. We knew about the falsification even before the final count—there were many forgeries in the so-called early voting.
The peaceful protest on Victors Avenue ended with law enforcement officers showering the crowd with flash grenades, shooting at people with rubber bullets, grabbing them, beating them, and taking them away to detention centers. We thought we were in hell then. But then it got worse. The next day, they shot an unarmed man point blank near the Pushkinskaya metro station, and a few days later we learned that people were being tortured in the Okrestino detention center, where doctors had to fight with the police to get the most seriously wounded into hospitals. We were no longer talking about state violence. This was torture.
The information on torture changed the protest agenda. Added to the demands for the release of political prisoners and for honest elections without Alexander Lukashenko was the demand for an immediate halt to violence and torture. On August 12, the first women’s solidarity action took place—several hundred women formed a living chain in Minsk near Komarovka, the country’s largest food market. They were dressed in white and many carried flowers. This was a markedly peaceful protest against violence and torture, and now this action and subsequent ones are called the revolution of love and the women’s revolution.
The first women’s solidarity chain was a turning point. Such chains appeared all over the country. It happens spontaneously: To join a protest, you simply come out on a more or less major street in your city and stand near the road. It doesn’t matter what color your dress is or whether you have flowers in your hands. Drivers understand and support the protesters by honking their horns. In the Streets The Factory Joins the Square: Putin’s Nightmare Unfolds in Belarus Stephen Crowley
Some streets seem to be alive from early morning until very late at night. People organize themselves in a magically mysterious way: Some women line up along the roads; other women with their husbands bring the protesters water and food; yet other individuals bring large garbage bags and clean up. If necessary, drivers help protesters get home.
Many women are so eager to show that they support purely peaceful resistance that they ignore all the rules about suitable garb for protests. They come up in dresses and sandals, skirts and T-shirts. It is very inappropriate clothing for running away from beatings, arrests, grenades, and rubber bullets. However, some of them believe that the authorities won’t raise their hands to arrest—and certainly not to torture!—well-dressed women.
The women’s solidarity protests are some of the largest in recent decades. Some come out only to protest state violence and torture; others continue to talk about the resignation of Lukashenko and the government, to assert that the people who give criminal orders and those who execute them must be condemned. They often say that no one could have given an order to torture people. The riot police must be acting on their own to beat people until they are in shock from pain and their internal organs burst, leaving deep bruises and threatening prisoners with rape and death all on their own initiative.
We recently learned that 81 people are missing. We do not know where they are or whether they are all alive. The revolution of love has not (yet) won.
Translated by Antonina W. Bouis.