dailykos--2020-08-20--Barry Goldwater vs Today's GOP

Barry Goldwater vs Today's GOP

Goldawater was no liberal .
Libertarian for damned sure and for pure ones like him the seeming contradictions ( to staunch adherents of both Liberalism and Conservatism ) that go along with it .
I ’ ve read some pieces over time where some conservatives try to rationalize some pretty hard to believe things about Goldwater given the image he evokes in most people ’ s minds .
The old line so many love to toss out that Goldwater actually won the 64 election but that it took until Reagan in 1980 for the votes to be counted is outrageous @ @ @ @ @ @ @ without joining forces with the zealots of the religious right-wing religious leaders and their flock .
What would wind up pissing them off and at times even consider dropping organized activism was Reagan not doing enough to move their agenda .
Not that Reagan didn ’ t throw them some pretty big bones because he did .
It was the only way he could keep them on board and voting for the GOP and that dismantle the New Deal economic agenda .
So they got anti-gay stuff like defining the HIV breakout as @ @ @ @ @ @ @ on by their “ sinful lifestyle ” and some conservative judges .
But it was nowhere near enough for them .
What they always wanted , and which we have been seeing in spades is someone like Trump who wouldn ’ t just say , but via judges and Justices and with a wide range of pronouncements and policy be a mouthpiece and activist for their extremism .
Goldwater saw through their bullshit from the very beginning .
The new brand of Republican/conservative that was willing to “ marry ” the religious right @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Jerry Falwell Sr. and the rest of them .
And Falwell & the others returned the contempt .
Goldwater held views about keeping the government out of people ’ s private lives that were and remain infuriating to liberals .
But he was consistent and incredible as it is to believe he held views that are even more infuriating to the conservative “ Christians ” who ’ ve taken over the GOP and its agenda .
Goldwater ’ s wife Peggy founded Planned Parenthood in Arizona back in the 1930s !
He didn @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Planned Parenthood was about .
Even more incredibly , in the 1950s when his daughter was in college and engaged she became pregnant and while she looked forward to one day being a wife and mother she wasnt ready for that at that point in her life .
So , when it was illegal to do so he arranged for her to have an abortion , something which when they revealed it decades later he was unapologetic for — again on the principle that such decisions were none of the government ’ s @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Reagan who was after all once a Democrat and part of the Hollywood scene ( he even was — “ horrors ” to conservatives — divorced from his first wife ( actress Jane Wyman and he was the one that dumped her because he was the one with the roving eye ) and surely knew and didn ’ t have a problem with people he knew and worked with who at a time when it was illegal arranged for or had abortions , or would when birth control become available use it even @ @ @ @ @ @ @ places as well !
How many movies did Reagan make with actors he knew to be gay ?
He sure as hell didn ’ t mind working and even socializing with them , at least once upon a time .
The difference between Reagan and Goldwater is that unlike Goldwater who wouldn ’ t suck up to the religious zealots Reagan was willing to pretend he too was aghast at abortion , birth control and homosexuality .
And worse , willing to work that ( although again not as much as the wingnuts @ @ @ @ @ @ @ country as President .
So in the end , dislike Goldwater if you want to ( as I do ) over his refusal to get on board with Civil Rights legislation in the 1960s or willingness to consider use of nukes in Vietnam ( and if you don ’ t know Westmoreland quietly made contingency plans for their use at Khe Sanh in 1968 — IOW Goldwater was far from the only person to consider use of “ small yield ” tactical nukes in that war ) but as I said he was @ @ @ @ @ @ @ beliefs that taxes should be low and government should be limited as much as possible — and damned sure shouldn ’ t get into stuff in people ’ s personal lives like making laws or policies that restricted their ability to worship ( or not ) how they wanted , love who they wanted whether it was someone of the opposite gender or their own , and to stay out of people ’ s lives and decisions when it came to whether and when to have a child .
And he lived those @ @ @ @ @ @ @ days about the unlikely friendship between Biden and McCain which was a true , deep friendship despite sometimes profound political differences .
Goldwater had something similar with JFK .
The two of them had actually kicked around the idea of traveling together on the same plane and holding a modern version of Lincoln-Douglas debates only actual back and forth discussions of policy .
It might well have happened had JFK not been assassinated , and I think it would have set a standard that would have made us into a far better country @ @ @ @ @ @ @ has a funny way of bouncing around in the early drafts , and it will probably take quite a few more generations to write a fairly definative review but when I see and hear some of the stuff coming from Republicans ( or former ones who ’ ve become “ independent ” ) with the Lincoln Project or RVAT even if most of them sheepishly avoid taking responsibility for creating the conditions that allowed a Donald Trump to grab hold of the GOP its pretty clear they realize they are culpable in what @ @ @ @ @ @ @ if they are loathe to admit it out loud .
So , for the moment they are trying to make amends .
And I think they are wishing they and those who came before them had tried to be more like Goldwater ’ s version of conservatism and kept the religious right zealots at arm ’ s length .
And the racists too since like Goldwater they realize that the racism in those folks carries with it a modern Nazi type white supremacism .

Goldawater was no liberal. Libertarian for damned sure and for pure ones like him the seeming contradictions (to staunch adherents of both Liberalism and Conservatism) that go along with it.
I’ve read some pieces over time where some conservatives try to rationalize some pretty hard to believe things about Goldwater given the image he evokes in most people’s minds. The old line so many love to toss out that Goldwater actually won the 64 election but that it took until Reagan in 1980 for the votes to be counted is outrageous bullshit. Reagan could never have won without joining forces with the zealots of the religious right-wing religious leaders and their flock. What would wind up pissing them off and at times even consider dropping organized activism was Reagan not doing enough to move their agenda. Not that Reagan didn’t throw them some pretty big bones because he did. It was the only way he could keep them on board and voting for the GOP and that dismantle the New Deal economic agenda. So they got anti-gay stuff like defining the HIV breakout as a problem for gays only, brought on by their “sinful lifestyle” and some conservative judges. But it was nowhere near enough for them. What they always wanted, and which we have been seeing in spades is someone like Trump who wouldn’t just say, but via judges and Justices and with a wide range of pronouncements and policy be a mouthpiece and activist for their extremism.
Goldwater saw through their bullshit from the very beginning. The new brand of Republican/conservative that was willing to “marry” the religious right was anathema to him. He despised Jerry Falwell Sr. and the rest of them. And Falwell & the others returned the contempt. Goldwater held views about keeping the government out of people’s private lives that were and remain infuriating to liberals. But he was consistent and incredible as it is to believe he held views that are even more infuriating to the conservative “Christians” who’ve taken over the GOP and its agenda. Goldwater’s wife Peggy founded Planned Parenthood in Arizona back in the 1930s! He didn’t see anything wrong with what Planned Parenthood was about. Even more incredibly, in the 1950s when his daughter was in college and engaged she became pregnant and while she looked forward to one day being a wife and mother she wasnt ready for that at that point in her life. So, when it was illegal to do so he arranged for her to have an abortion, something which when they revealed it decades later he was unapologetic for — again on the principle that such decisions were none of the government’s business.
Frankly, on reproductive issues Reagan who was after all once a Democrat and part of the Hollywood scene (he even was — “horrors” to conservatives — divorced from his first wife (actress Jane Wyman and he was the one that dumped her because he was the one with the roving eye) and surely knew and didn’t have a problem with people he knew and worked with who at a time when it was illegal arranged for or had abortions, or would when birth control become available use it even though it was orginally illegal in most places as well! How many movies did Reagan make with actors he knew to be gay? He sure as hell didn’t mind working and even socializing with them, at least once upon a time. The difference between Reagan and Goldwater is that unlike Goldwater who wouldn’t suck up to the religious zealots Reagan was willing to pretend he too was aghast at abortion, birth control and homosexuality. And worse, willing to work that (although again not as much as the wingnuts wanted) into his governance of the country as President.
So in the end, dislike Goldwater if you want to (as I do) over his refusal to get on board with Civil Rights legislation in the 1960s or willingness to consider use of nukes in Vietnam (and if you don’t know Westmoreland quietly made contingency plans for their use at Khe Sanh in 1968 — IOW Goldwater was far from the only person to consider use of “small yield” tactical nukes in that war) but as I said he was pretty damned consistent in the old-school conservative beliefs that taxes should be low and government should be limited as much as possible — and damned sure shouldn’t get into stuff in people’s personal lives like making laws or policies that restricted their ability to worship (or not) how they wanted, love who they wanted whether it was someone of the opposite gender or their own, and to stay out of people’s lives and decisions when it came to whether and when to have a child.
And he lived those things personally.
People are talking these days about the unlikely friendship between Biden and McCain which was a true, deep friendship despite sometimes profound political differences. Goldwater had something similar with JFK. The two of them had actually kicked around the idea of traveling together on the same plane and holding a modern version of Lincoln-Douglas debates only actual back and forth discussions of policy. It might well have happened had JFK not been assassinated, and I think it would have set a standard that would have made us into a far better country that we’ve become.
History has a funny way of bouncing around in the early drafts, and it will probably take quite a few more generations to write a fairly definative review but when I see and hear some of the stuff coming from Republicans (or former ones who’ve become “independent”) with the Lincoln Project or RVAT even if most of them sheepishly avoid taking responsibility for creating the conditions that allowed a Donald Trump to grab hold of the GOP its pretty clear they realize they are culpable in what’s happened to our country even if they are loathe to admit it out loud. So, for the moment they are trying to make amends. And I think they are wishing they and those who came before them had tried to be more like Goldwater’s version of conservatism and kept the religious right zealots at arm’s length. And the racists too since like Goldwater they realize that the racism in those folks carries with it a modern Nazi type white supremacism.


dailykos--2020-08-21--Joe Found His Andrew Shepherd Moment Tonight. The Perfect Speech For The Moment At Hand

Joe Biden said tonight ... ” I am an American ” At the end of the movie The American President @ @ @ @ @ character Andrew Shepherd , a Democratic incumbent candidate gave the speech that saved his presidency @ @ @ @ @ kind of speech tonight .
The perfect speech for the moment at hand .

Joe Biden said tonight...” I am an American”
At the end of the movie The American President, Michael Douglas’s character Andrew Shepherd, a Democratic incumbent candidate gave the speech that saved his presidency. Joe Biden gave that kind of speech tonight. The perfect speech for the moment at hand.


dailykos--2020-08-21--Discussion: Political Conventions as Greek Drama

I am intrigued by the art of politics , the craft of political storytelling , and the theater of political campaigns .
I am by no means well-versed in ancient Greek drama , but even a smattering of familiarity allows one to notice archetypes when they occur in modern storytelling .
The most striking example of this was Barack Obama ’ s appearance on Wednesday night .
The setting was , well… Olympian .
He stood in a marble Temple to Democracy , and the camera angle - slightly below eye level - had us gazing upon him as if @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the required boxes : Criticism of Trump , ( an elevated “ disappointment ” in PBO ’ s case ) , empathy for struggling Americans , and praise for the Democratic candidates .
But in the “ elective ” part of his message , he spoke from the Olympian heights of The Constitution — to remind us of our ancient heritage , and our sacred obligation to protect it for future generations .
Hillary Clinton spoke to us from her home , right down here on Earth .
She looked us in the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
She too , hit the required themes , but like the heroine of a Greek tragedy , she warned us against human folly : Americans who made the wrong choice in 2016 , or failed to choose at all .
The other thing that I noticed was the repeated attention given to the late Beau Biden .
It seemed to be a bit more than family sentiment would call for .
I suspect that it served more than one purpose : • To show us another of Joe Biden ’ s wounds @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
• To blunt further attacks on Hunter Biden .
• To create connection between the elderly Joe Biden and white male voters of Beau Biden ’ s generation .
But perhaps , in the realm of archetype , Beau Biden is “ Fallen Achilles ” , the lost hero , whose civic qualities we must strive to honor and emulate .
For the record , I don ’ t feel cynical about any of this .
I think that all of these presentations were conceived by geniuses and crafted by experts .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ the GOP ’ s crude attempts to ape them next week .
One question remains .
Which hero-archetype does Joe Biden himself fulfill ?
Is he Odysseus , returning from exile to “ clean house ” ?
Is he Pericles , come to banish the corrupt Cimon from Athens ?
Perhaps others who are better-read than I could elaborate .

I am intrigued by the art of politics, the craft of political storytelling, and the theater of political campaigns. I am by no means well-versed in ancient Greek drama, but even a smattering of familiarity allows one to notice archetypes when they occur in modern storytelling.
The most striking example of this was Barack Obama’s appearance on Wednesday night. The setting was, well… Olympian. He stood in a marble Temple to Democracy, and the camera angle - slightly below eye level - had us gazing upon him as if from below.
His speech checked all the required boxes: Criticism of Trump, (an elevated “disappointment” in PBO’s case), empathy for struggling Americans, and praise for the Democratic candidates. But in the “elective” part of his message, he spoke from the Olympian heights of The Constitution — to remind us of our ancient heritage, and our sacred obligation to protect it for future generations.
Hillary Clinton spoke to us from her home, right down here on Earth. She looked us in the eye, as one mortal to another. She too, hit the required themes, but like the heroine of a Greek tragedy, she warned us against human folly: Americans who made the wrong choice in 2016, or failed to choose at all.
The other thing that I noticed was the repeated attention given to the late Beau Biden. It seemed to be a bit more than family sentiment would call for. I suspect that it served more than one purpose:
To show us another of Joe Biden’s wounds - the source of his great humanity.
To blunt further attacks on Hunter Biden.
To create connection between the elderly Joe Biden
and white male voters of Beau Biden’s generation.
But perhaps, in the realm of archetype, Beau Biden is “Fallen Achilles”, the lost hero, whose civic qualities we must strive to honor and emulate.
For the record, I don’t feel cynical about any of this. I think that all of these presentations were conceived by geniuses and crafted by experts. It will be ghastly fun to watch the GOP’s crude attempts to ape them next week.
One question remains. Which hero-archetype does Joe Biden himself fulfill? Is he Odysseus, returning from exile to “clean house”? Is he Pericles, come to banish the corrupt Cimon from Athens?
Perhaps others who are better-read than I could elaborate.


dailykos--2020-08-21--Battle of the Underdogs: Cindy Banyai vs. Byron Donalds in Southwest Florida's congressional race

The winners of the Florida 19th Congressional District primary election on Tuesday , Aug. 18 were both underdogs in their respective primary races—but that ’ s where their similarities end .
On the Democratic side , when the race began , Cindy Banyai was the new girl in town , starting from scratch—people didn ’ t even know how to pronounce her name .
( Ban-YAY , with a hard A . )
She was a first time candidate up against David Holden who had run for Congress in 2018 .
As a result of that run , Holden was @ @ @ @ @ @ @ established fundraising networks , name recognition and a base of supporters .
Banyai never raised his kind of campaign money– $ 85,548.50 in receipts as of July 31 , compared to Holden ’ s $ 229,760.19 , according to the Federal Election Commission .
On the Republican side , Byron Donalds , although already a sitting state legislator , entered a crowded field relatively late in the game .
He was up against two wealthy , largely self-funded candidates in Casey Askar and William Figlesthaler , both of whom bought lots of TV @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Rep. Dane Eagle ( R-77-Cape Coral ) he was facing an established political figure who spent his whole adulthood in politics and served as majority leader in the state legislature .
In an additional advantage , Eagle was based in Cape Coral , the demographic center of gravity of the 19th District .
Although both Banyai and Donalds were underdogs , each responded to their underdog status in different ways .
Banyai simply worked extremely hard all the time from the moment she declared her candidacy in September , before Rep. Francis Rooney @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a constant stream of tweets , pronouncements , statements and a direct mail flyer .
She wrote op-eds that appeared on the environment and Social Security .
She held weekly virtual coffees and town halls .
She energetically built coalitions and networks , vigorously reached out to other candidates and actively sought their endorsements .
In at least one instance her outreach included Republicans .
With traditional in-person campaigning curtailed due to the coronavirus pandemic , the constant digital campaigning stood her in good stead .
As the general election battle begins , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
Having won her primary , Banyai will now be receiving new endorsements ( including one from David Holden , which should be coming since both candidates pledged to actively support the winner ) .
Local Democratic Party organizations should be offering support , volunteer efforts and funding .
If local media do their due diligence , they will acknowledge her campaign ( in the past local media outlets have just ignored Democrats ) and she may receive national media attention .
Her fundraising should be enhanced and new sources will likely open @ @ @ @ @ @ @ unlike 2018 when Rep. Rooney simply refused to debate and local organizations passively accepted his disdain , there may be actual formal debates where she ’ ll have a chance to explain her platform and gain a wider audience .
But in addition to her proven hard work and initiative , Banyai has the advantage of identifying with a popular candidate at the head of the ticket and a groundswell of urgency and desperation in the electorate that goes well beyond party divides .
In Joe Biden , Banyai connects to a figure @ @ @ @ @ @ @ by his consistently high polling data .
There also appears to be increasing support from traditional Republicans repulsed by Donald Trump .
What is more , the entire state of Florida is showing increasing signs of moving in a Democratic direction .
On the Republican side , having won his primary , Donalds will now receive the support of the local Republican Party organizations .
Presumably the PACs that helped elect him will continue their support , although they may figure that having won his nomination in a safely Republican district they ’ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ direct their resources elsewhere .
Most of all , Donalds has the advantage of the numbers on the ground , where registered Republicans outnumber Democrats .
As of this writing , in Lee County there were 202,553 registered Republicans , 129,245 Democrats , and 140,377 others including non-party affiliates ( NPAs ) and independents .
( In Florida there is an Independent Party , so NPAs are not the same as independents . )
In Collier County there are 112,044 registered Republicans , 54,380 Democrats , and 53,374 others .
The conventional wisdom @ @ @ @ @ @ @ party affiliation .
In the past , that would be true in Southwest Florida .
But now is not the past .
What ’ s new and different This year , it would be unwise for anyone to blithely assume that the Republican primary is tantamount to the election in the 19th Congressional District .
There are several factors that make this an unusual year .
One is the coronavirus pandemic .
It continues to threaten lives , especially given the elderly population in Southwest Florida—and school-age children are at risk even as @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to school .
The national and state responses have been incredibly botched and even delusional .
Another wave of infections may get worse .
Voters have taken notice of the government response at the federal and state levels and people are frustrated , fearful and angry .
The local economy has crashed and the prospects for a quick recovery are dim .
Instead , the economic effects of the botched pandemic response will continue to roll out in the days ahead , with more business closings and layoffs .
With international trade disrupted @ @ @ @ @ @ @ border obstacles to international travel , the traditional influx of foreign visitors , snowbirds and investors is curtailed , further depressing an extremely seasonal economy built on tourism , hospitality and travel .
In the past , mail-in voting was the Republican secret sauce to winning local elections as people voted from the comfort of their second homes in the Midwest .
Add to that the fact that the coronavirus has made mail-in voting essential for worried voters .
In this primary election the majority of ballots were cast by mail but these @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and his Postmaster General Louis DeJoy attacked and disrupted the mail system .
Having crippled the mails , Trump may have also crippled Republican mail-in balloting in Southwest Florida .
Republicans may not be able to count on those absentee ballots to make up their majority despite the Florida state Republican party ’ s efforts to blur—literally—Trump ’ s attacks .
There is also always the possibility that natural disasters like hurricanes , red tide or algal blooms could occur in Southwest Florida but their political impacts are impossible to measure before the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ factor in the 19th Congressional District race right now is Donald Trump .
The 2020 election is a referendum on the presidency of Donald Trump—at both the national and local levels .
As a progressive Biden Democrat , Banyai offers an alternative to the current status quo .
She is now the underdog in the race and the rebel against the existing order , both locally and nationally .
Her task in getting elected is difficult but relatively simple : she has to win over enough NPAs , never-Trumpers and newly disaffected Republicans @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the Democrats who will support her .
( To see a more detailed discussion of this topic see the article : “ Passion and Pragmatism : The Democratic path to victory.
” ) It does not hurt that she ’ s a suburban mom with school-age children who can relate directly to mothers of all ages .
But the situation is much more complex for Donalds .
Although the Casey Askar campaign played up Donalds ’ various apostasies—voting for Barack Obama , saying nice things about Mitt Romney , having impure non-Trumpist thoughts @ @ @ @ @ @ @ loudly and emphatically proclaimed his total , undying loyalty to Trump .
He ’ s now the top dog in the race and he ’ s joined at the hip to Trump .
He and the Club for Growth Action PAC played up his absolute , unvarying ideological obedience during his primary bid .
In Southwest Florida that is certainly an advantage with the committed Trumpers who decided the Republican primary—but even so he barely squeaked by .
His absolute Trumpism means that he buys the bad with the good—in addition to the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ also stands with Trump ’ s lying , meanness , cruelty , indifference , narcissism , corruption , irrationality , ineptitude and , to use Trump ’ s own words , “ hatred , prejudice and rage.
” It also means he stands with Trump policies and many of these are inimical to Southwest Florida , like destroying Social Security and trying to take away everyone ’ s healthcare ; restricting border crossings and travel and hampering local tourism and investment ; despoiling and polluting the environment ; drilling for oil in the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ immigration , which hurts local businesses and agriculture ; and excusing and justifying the sheer incompetence of Trump ’ s and Gov .
Ron DeSantis ’ coronavirus response—or perhaps better put—non-response .
Donalds has to defend and promote all this .
He has no “ Etch-A-Sketch ” option , as one of Mitt Romney ’ s aides once so memorably put it .
He can ’ t shake a toy and make all his previous statements disappear into the past and dissolve from people ’ s memories .
Some memories are indeed short @ @ @ @ @ @ @ elders , but others have memories like elephants .
Mercifully , both Banyai and Donalds say they want to conduct a clean , non-personal , dignified race that focuses on policy and Southwest Florida and appeals to our better natures .
We ’ ll see how long that lasts , especially if the polling narrows and the PACs and consultants have their way in pushing the kind of negative campaigning and advertising that fills their coffers .
So by a sheer accident of nature , history and coincidence , sleepy , swampy , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to one of the most interesting congressional races in the country .
It pits a totally ideologically orthodox conservative African American Trumper with a checkered personal past against a progressive Biden Democratic white suburban mom , who also happens to be a PhD and former professional prizefighter .
It would be fun to see the two of them go three rounds in a boxing ring .
But short of that , we ’ ll have to settle for a political bout .
Voters have a stark and definitive choice .
Don ’ t @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .

The Paradise Progressive Analysis August 21, 2020 8 Minutes
Aug. 21, 2020 by David Silverberg
The winners of the Florida 19th Congressional District primary election on Tuesday, Aug. 18 were both underdogs in their respective primary races—but that’s where their similarities end.
On the Democratic side, when the race began, Cindy Banyai was the new girl in town, starting from scratch—people didn’t even know how to pronounce her name. (Ban-YAY, with a hard A.) She was a first time candidate up against David Holden who had run for Congress in 2018. As a result of that run, Holden was well known in Collier County, had established fundraising networks, name recognition and a base of supporters. Banyai never raised his kind of campaign money–$85,548.50 in receipts as of July 31, compared to Holden’s $229,760.19, according to the Federal Election Commission.
On the Republican side, Byron Donalds, although already a sitting state legislator, entered a crowded field relatively late in the game. He was up against two wealthy, largely self-funded candidates in Casey Askar and William Figlesthaler, both of whom bought lots of TV air time. In his fellow state Rep. Dane Eagle (R-77-Cape Coral) he was facing an established political figure who spent his whole adulthood in politics and served as majority leader in the state legislature. In an additional advantage, Eagle was based in Cape Coral, the demographic center of gravity of the 19th District.
Although both Banyai and Donalds were underdogs, each responded to their underdog status in different ways.
Banyai simply worked extremely hard all the time from the moment she declared her candidacy in September, before Rep. Francis Rooney announced his retirement. She sent out a constant stream of tweets, pronouncements, statements and a direct mail flyer. She wrote op-eds that appeared on the environment and Social Security. She held weekly virtual coffees and town halls. She energetically built coalitions and networks, vigorously reached out to other candidates and actively sought their endorsements. In at least one instance her outreach included Republicans. With traditional in-person campaigning curtailed due to the coronavirus pandemic, the constant digital campaigning stood her in good stead.
Donalds came by his underdog status because of the amount of money arrayed against him. He could not outraise or provide personal funds that could match Askar or Figlesthaler. But Donalds compensated by pledging his ideological soul to the conservative cause and winning the endorsement of organizations like Club for Growth, Americans for Prosperity and the National Rifle Association. Super political action committees (PACs) that could spend unlimited amounts supporting his candidacy made up the difference. It did not hurt him that, as he himself said: “I’m everything the fake news media says doesn’t exist: a Donald Trump-supporting, liberty-loving, pro-life, pro-2nd Amendment black man.” As one of the very few African American conservative Trumpers (another one, Herman Cain, died of COVID after attending a Trump rally unmasked), Donalds had the potential to inoculate the Trump right from charges of racism, making him extremely valuable to the Trumpist cause. Of all the candidates endorsed by Club for Growth, he was the only African American. The outside PAC funding ultimately made the difference for Donalds, allowing him to narrow the broadcast advertising gap. Although Eagle received a higher vote total than Donalds in Lee County, late on election night he conceded to Donalds, as did Figlesthaler. As of this writing, nothing public has been heard from Casey Askar or the other Republican candidates, although none of their vote totals came close to Donalds’.
State of play
As the general election battle begins, both candidates have their strengths and weaknesses.
Having won her primary, Banyai will now be receiving new endorsements (including one from David Holden, which should be coming since both candidates pledged to actively support the winner). Local Democratic Party organizations should be offering support, volunteer efforts and funding. If local media do their due diligence, they will acknowledge her campaign (in the past local media outlets have just ignored Democrats) and she may receive national media attention. Her fundraising should be enhanced and new sources will likely open up to her. This year, unlike 2018 when Rep. Rooney simply refused to debate and local organizations passively accepted his disdain, there may be actual formal debates where she’ll have a chance to explain her platform and gain a wider audience.
But in addition to her proven hard work and initiative, Banyai has the advantage of identifying with a popular candidate at the head of the ticket and a groundswell of urgency and desperation in the electorate that goes well beyond party divides. In Joe Biden, Banyai connects to a figure who has wide acceptance, as demonstrated by his consistently high polling data. There also appears to be increasing support from traditional Republicans repulsed by Donald Trump. What is more, the entire state of Florida is showing increasing signs of moving in a Democratic direction.
On the Republican side, having won his primary, Donalds will now receive the support of the local Republican Party organizations. Presumably the PACs that helped elect him will continue their support, although they may figure that having won his nomination in a safely Republican district they’re able to ignore the 19th and direct their resources elsewhere.
Most of all, Donalds has the advantage of the numbers on the ground, where registered Republicans outnumber Democrats. As of this writing, in Lee County there were 202,553 registered Republicans, 129,245 Democrats, and 140,377 others including non-party affiliates (NPAs) and independents. (In Florida there is an Independent Party, so NPAs are not the same as independents.) In Collier County there are 112,044 registered Republicans, 54,380 Democrats, and 53,374 others.
The conventional wisdom is that people reflexively vote their registered party affiliation. In the past, that would be true in Southwest Florida. But now is not the past.
What’s new and different
This year, it would be unwise for anyone to blithely assume that the Republican primary is tantamount to the election in the 19th Congressional District.
There are several factors that make this an unusual year. One is the coronavirus pandemic. It continues to threaten lives, especially given the elderly population in Southwest Florida—and school-age children are at risk even as the state presses parents to send them to school. The national and state responses have been incredibly botched and even delusional. Another wave of infections may get worse. Voters have taken notice of the government response at the federal and state levels and people are frustrated, fearful and angry.
The local economy has crashed and the prospects for a quick recovery are dim. Instead, the economic effects of the botched pandemic response will continue to roll out in the days ahead, with more business closings and layoffs. With international trade disrupted by Trump administration trade wars and new border obstacles to international travel, the traditional influx of foreign visitors, snowbirds and investors is curtailed, further depressing an extremely seasonal economy built on tourism, hospitality and travel.
In the past, mail-in voting was the Republican secret sauce to winning local elections as people voted from the comfort of their second homes in the Midwest. Add to that the fact that the coronavirus has made mail-in voting essential for worried voters. In this primary election the majority of ballots were cast by mail but these were mailed out and returned before Trump and his Postmaster General Louis DeJoy attacked and disrupted the mail system. Having crippled the mails, Trump may have also crippled Republican mail-in balloting in Southwest Florida. Republicans may not be able to count on those absentee ballots to make up their majority despite the Florida state Republican party’s efforts to blur—literally—Trump’s attacks.
There is also always the possibility that natural disasters like hurricanes, red tide or algal blooms could occur in Southwest Florida but their political impacts are impossible to measure before the event.
But the single biggest political factor in the 19th Congressional District race right now is Donald Trump.
In Trump’s shadow
The 2020 election is a referendum on the presidency of Donald Trump—at both the national and local levels.
As a progressive Biden Democrat, Banyai offers an alternative to the current status quo. She is now the underdog in the race and the rebel against the existing order, both locally and nationally. Her task in getting elected is difficult but relatively simple: she has to win over enough NPAs, never-Trumpers and newly disaffected Republicans to form a majority coalition along with the Democrats who will support her. (To see a more detailed discussion of this topic see the article: “Passion and Pragmatism: The Democratic path to victory.”) It does not hurt that she’s a suburban mom with school-age children who can relate directly to mothers of all ages.
But the situation is much more complex for Donalds. Although the Casey Askar campaign played up Donalds’ various apostasies—voting for Barack Obama, saying nice things about Mitt Romney, having impure non-Trumpist thoughts in the dark mists of the past—Donalds loudly and emphatically proclaimed his total, undying loyalty to Trump.
He’s now the top dog in the race and he’s joined at the hip to Trump. He and the Club for Growth Action PAC played up his absolute, unvarying ideological obedience during his primary bid. In Southwest Florida that is certainly an advantage with the committed Trumpers who decided the Republican primary—but even so he barely squeaked by.
His absolute Trumpism means that he buys the bad with the good—in addition to the credits he gets for fealty, he also stands with Trump’s lying, meanness, cruelty, indifference, narcissism, corruption, irrationality, ineptitude and, to use Trump’s own words, “hatred, prejudice and rage.”
It also means he stands with Trump policies and many of these are inimical to Southwest Florida, like destroying Social Security and trying to take away everyone’s healthcare; restricting border crossings and travel and hampering local tourism and investment; despoiling and polluting the environment; drilling for oil in the Gulf of Mexico; attacking immigrants and immigration, which hurts local businesses and agriculture; and excusing and justifying the sheer incompetence of Trump’s and Gov. Ron DeSantis’ coronavirus response—or perhaps better put—non-response.
Donalds has to defend and promote all this. He has no “Etch-A-Sketch” option, as one of Mitt Romney’s aides once so memorably put it. He can’t shake a toy and make all his previous statements disappear into the past and dissolve from people’s memories. Some memories are indeed short, especially among Southwest Florida’s elders, but others have memories like elephants.
Mercifully, both Banyai and Donalds say they want to conduct a clean, non-personal, dignified race that focuses on policy and Southwest Florida and appeals to our better natures. We’ll see how long that lasts, especially if the polling narrows and the PACs and consultants have their way in pushing the kind of negative campaigning and advertising that fills their coffers.
So by a sheer accident of nature, history and coincidence, sleepy, swampy, sweltering Southwest Florida this year is home to one of the most interesting congressional races in the country. It pits a totally ideologically orthodox conservative African American Trumper with a checkered personal past against a progressive Biden Democratic white suburban mom, who also happens to be a PhD and former professional prizefighter.
It would be fun to see the two of them go three rounds in a boxing ring. But short of that, we’ll have to settle for a political bout.
Voters have a stark and definitive choice. Don’t prejudge the outcome before the final bell.
Liberty lives in light
© 2020 by David Silverberg


dailykos--2020-08-23--A Day’s Delay in Mail Delivery, could re-elect Trump

In five `` swing states '' , local officials must have mail-in ballots in hand by Election Day , or they will not be counted .
Thirty-four states and DC currently allow mail-in and/or absentee voting , as long as they are postmarked by Election Day .
However , in five key swing states ( listed below in a table ) mail-in ballots must be in the hands of local officials by Election Day .
Any ballots that were postmarked by then but were not delivered to the county clerk by Election Day can not by law be counted .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ US Postal Service ( USPS ) could result in many properly completed ballots being thrown out .
Any delay in delivering mail will likely impact a higher number of voters in urban areas than in lower turnout rural areas , because their post offices ’ workload will be heavier .
Urban voters usually veer toward Democrats and not Republicans , discarding ballots from those areas would favor Trump winning a state ’ s electoral votes in the election .
Democrats ’ concerns were raised when Trump-appointed Louis DeJoy , one of his mega-donors @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
Trump has repeatedly said that USPS is poorly administered and running over budget , calling USPS `` one of the disasters of the world ” , in an interview with `` Fox and Friends . ''
It has been losing nearly $ 9 billion annually before the pandemic , which has increased by about 50 % .
Consequently , Democrats are pushing hard to allocate $ 25 billion from the negotiated stimulus package to fund a mail service that can deliver on time .
That amount of support was recommended unanimously by @ @ @ @ @ @ @ postal service , with a majority of Republicans on it and all appointed by President Donald Trump .
In addition , a recent poll found that 92 % of American voters said they supported direct financial aid for USPS as part of the next coronavirus relief bill .
CNN reported how Trump , in a Fox News interview , said if those funds were not provided to the USPS , he believes “ you ca n't have universal mail-in voting because you they 're not equipped to have it , '' That does @ @ @ @ @ @ @ if you have a mail-in election , “ you ’ ll never elect another Republican.
” He may have seen the Wall Street Journal/NBC News poll which found that Biden supporters are more likely than Trump supporters to say they will vote by mail .
While Trump has denied asking for the mail to be delayed , he also tweeted in May , using all caps : “ MAIL-IN VOTING WILL LEAD TO MASSIVE FRAUD AND ABUSE.
” The Trump administration has provided no evidence that is a true statement .
Those who @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Office can read his attacks on mail-in voting .
As a result , Trump ’ s message is bifurcated , to the public he says , “ Speed up the mail , not slow the mail , ” but to his subordinates he says , don ’ t worry about not enabling mail-in voting because it will lead to massive fraud and endanger Republicans from winning elections .
DeJoy apparently understood Trump ’ s tweets .
He immediately reduced USPS costs he deemed to be critical to make before the November elections .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ eliminate overtime for mail carriers .
In response , the American Postal Workers Union president , Mark Dimondstein , released data showing that nearly 20 % of all work by mail handlers , city carriers , and postal drivers is done in overtime .
The Trump administration has not challenged their findings .
A significant portion of USPS ’ s labor budget is devoted to pre-fund 75 years of retiree health benefits , a period of time almost never seen in other agencies or private companies .
The law was passed with the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
Consequently , it is more cost-efficient to pay for overtime than hire new employees .
However , DeJoy has no plans to hire more employees to make up for the cut in hours .
He has recently acknowledged that he may extend hours as needed .
Given his cost-cutting orientation , the definition of what is needed will probably be very narrow .
The second major cost-cutting change Dejoy made was to remove high-speed sorting machines from a number of cities .
A list of those cities was not released to the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ documents showing that 671 such machines are slated for `` reduction '' in dozens of cities this year .
The agency did start removing machines in June , according to postal workers .
USPS spokesperson David Partenheimer told the media outlet Motherboard , “ The Postal Service routinely moves equipment around its network as necessary to match changing mail and package volumes.
” However , he did not say where they were being reassigned , or even if they were to be .
DeJoy has begun other cost saving changes such as leaving @ @ @ @ @ @ @ shift , taking of mailboxes off the streets , and reducing post office operating hours .
The accumulation of so many changes over a short period of time had been initiated without input from line workers as to what would be most effective , and apparently without concern as to the impact on citizens being able to vote .
Looking at the Numbers To help understand the potential impact of slowing mail delivery , I have compiled the table below from various sources .
It shows how a just a one-day delay of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in a county could result in ballots not being counted if they were received after Election Day .
To be clear , if voters mailed their ballots a week before Election Day , there is a high probability that they would arrive in time to be counted .
Understandably citizens do have some responsibility to mail early .
Nevertheless , a study by Tulane professors using National Election Studies data found that in the past 2 decades , between 15 % and 24 % of voters in Presidential elections do not decide who @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and up to Election Day .
Human nature as it is , this pattern will likely be unchanged in November .
The increase in projected mail-in ballots from the mid-term 2018 elections to this November ’ s 2020 election is shown in column ( 4 ) .
This figure should not include in-person absentee voting , which allow voters ( excused or no-excuse ) to fill out and drop off their absentee ballots in person , rather than through the mail .
Column ( 5 ) shows how each state ’ s 7 @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Normally these would be leaning to vote for Democrats since they contain the largest cities .
But in 2016 the majority of the most populated counties in Arizona and Wisconsin voted for Donald Trump .
Column ( 6 ) shows what the total vote for Hillary Clinton from the 7 counties from each state was in 2016 .
It then shows what a 5 % drop-off from that total Clinton vote would be .
There is no way at this point in time determining what the voter turnout will be for either former @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Donald Trump .
However , it is evident from these numbers that if the USPS slows or hinders the collection or delivery of ballots from these particular counties in these states , it will widen the gap for Biden to overcome Trump ’ s vote from 2016 .
In Michigan and Pennsylvania , the impact would more than double the gap .
In response to bi-partisan concerns , the Postmaster agreed to appear before the Senate Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Committee in a virtual hearing on Friday at 9 a.m. and before @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Monday , Aug. 24 , at 10 a.m .
Shortly after announcing that he would appear before Congress , Dejoy announced that he is suspending any further changes until after the election is concluded .
Hence , no further mail processing equipment and blue collection boxes will be removed from the streets .
Maryland Attorney General Brian Frosh said DeJoy ’ s commitment to hold back on operational changes is insufficient and not specific enough .
If USPS does not return sorting machines and override earlier instructions about leaving mail undelivered at the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ pursue filing a lawsuit with over a dozen other state AG ’ s demanding such actions be taken .
No Republican AG ’ s as of this posting have signed onto this effort .
At the core of Democrats concerns , is whether the USPS will be prepared to efficiently handle a projected significant increase in mail-in ballots so that all citizens have an opportunity to have their mail-in ballots counted .
The majority of mail is handled by Sectional Center Facilities that sort , compile and then truck mailed-in ballots to the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ around Election Day , delaying a single truck for a single day could be enough to reverse that state 's electoral vote .
The vast majority of Americans as a recent Pew Research Center poll found that more than 70 % of Americans think any voter who wants to vote by mail should be able to do so .
It is not just Democrats who want that right guaranteed , since 49 % of Republicans where in that majority .
Republican support for mail-in balloting even jumps to almost 70 % in states @ @ @ @ @ @ @ already votes by mail .
If DeJoy does decide to have USPS properly prepare to meet its obligation to deliver mail-in ballots on time , having a fair presidential election will move forward .
Nevertheless , it is still not immune from various types of interventions that are underway to tilt the election results .
All concerned citizens need to be aware of those practices and who is promoting them .
An educated and informed electorate is our ultimate guarantee of maintaining a functional and responsive democracy .
Nick Licata is author of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ served 5 terms on the Seattle City Council , named progressive municipal official of the year by The Nation , and is founding board chair of Local Progress , a national network of 1,000 progressive municipal officials .
Subscribe to Licata ’ s newsletter Urban Politics

In five "swing states", local officials must have mail-in ballots in hand
by Election Day, or they will not be counted.
How Slowing Mail Delivery Affects the Vote Count
Thirty-four states and DC currently allow mail-in and/or absentee voting, as long as they are postmarked by Election Day. However, in five key swing states (listed below in a table) mail-in ballots must be in the hands of local officials by Election Day. Any ballots that were postmarked by then but were not delivered to the county clerk by Election Day cannot by law be counted.
Leading Democrats have argued that a misfunctioning US Postal Service (USPS) could result in many properly completed ballots being thrown out. Any delay in delivering mail will likely impact a higher number of voters in urban areas than in lower turnout rural areas, because their post offices’ workload will be heavier. Urban voters usually veer toward Democrats and not Republicans, discarding ballots from those areas would favor Trump winning a state’s electoral votes in the election.
Democrats’ concerns were raised when Trump-appointed Louis DeJoy, one of his mega-donors, as the Postmaster General in May. Trump has repeatedly said that USPS is poorly administered and running over budget, calling USPS "one of the disasters of the world”, in an interview with "Fox and Friends."
It has been losing nearly $9 billion annually before the pandemic, which has increased by about 50%. Consequently, Democrats are pushing hard to allocate $25 billion from the negotiated stimulus package to fund a mail service that can deliver on time. That amount of support was recommended unanimously by the Board of Governors of the US postal service, with a majority of Republicans on it and all appointed by President Donald Trump. In addition, a recent poll found that 92% of American voters said they supported direct financial aid for USPS as part of the next coronavirus relief bill.
CNN reported how Trump, in a Fox News interview, said if those funds were not provided to the USPS, he believes “you can't have universal mail-in voting because you they're not equipped to have it," That does not bother Trump, publicly saying that if you have a mail-in election, “you’ll never elect another Republican.” He may have seen the Wall Street Journal/NBC News poll which found that Biden supporters are more likely than Trump supporters to say they will vote by mail.
While Trump has denied asking for the mail to be delayed, he also tweeted in May, using all caps: “MAIL-IN VOTING WILL LEAD TO MASSIVE FRAUD AND ABUSE.” The Trump administration has provided no evidence that is a true statement. Those who he has appointed to run the Post Office can read his attacks on mail-in voting. As a result, Trump’s message is bifurcated, to the public he says, “Speed up the mail, not slow the mail,” but to his subordinates he says, don’t worry about not enabling mail-in voting because it will lead to massive fraud and endanger Republicans from winning elections.
DeJoy apparently understood Trump’s tweets. He immediately reduced USPS costs he deemed to be critical to make before the November elections. One of his first acts was to eliminate overtime for mail carriers. In response, the American Postal Workers Union president, Mark Dimondstein, released data showing that nearly 20% of all work by mail handlers, city carriers, and postal drivers is done in overtime. The Trump administration has not challenged their findings.
A significant portion of USPS’s labor budget is devoted to pre-fund 75 years of retiree health benefits, a period of time almost never seen in other agencies or private companies. The law was passed with the support of the George W. Bush administration. Consequently, it is more cost-efficient to pay for overtime than hire new employees. However, DeJoy has no plans to hire more employees to make up for the cut in hours. He has recently acknowledged that he may extend hours as needed. Given his cost-cutting orientation, the definition of what is needed will probably be very narrow.
The second major cost-cutting change Dejoy made was to remove high-speed sorting machines from a number of cities. A list of those cities was not released to the public by DeJoy, although CNN obtained documents showing that 671 such machines are slated for "reduction" in dozens of cities this year. The agency did start removing machines in June, according to postal workers. USPS spokesperson David Partenheimer told the media outlet Motherboard, “The Postal Service routinely moves equipment around its network as necessary to match changing mail and package volumes.” However, he did not say where they were being reassigned, or even if they were to be.
DeJoy has begun other cost saving changes such as leaving mail undelivered at the end of a shift, taking of mailboxes off the streets, and reducing post office operating hours. The accumulation of so many changes over a short period of time had been initiated without input from line workers as to what would be most effective, and apparently without concern as to the impact on citizens being able to vote.
Looking at the Numbers
To help understand the potential impact of slowing mail delivery, I have compiled the table below from various sources. It shows how a just a one-day delay of just 5% of the mail-in ballots in a county could result in ballots not being counted if they were received after Election Day.
To be clear, if voters mailed their ballots a week before Election Day, there is a high probability that they would arrive in time to be counted. Understandably citizens do have some responsibility to mail early. Nevertheless, a study by Tulane professors using National Election Studies data found that in the past 2 decades, between 15% and 24% of voters in Presidential elections do not decide who to vote for until 2 weeks before and up to Election Day. Human nature as it is, this pattern will likely be unchanged in November.
The increase in projected mail-in ballots from the mid-term 2018 elections to this November’s 2020 election is shown in column (4). This figure should not include in-person absentee voting, which allow voters (excused or no-excuse) to fill out and drop off their absentee ballots in person, rather than through the mail.
Column (5) shows how each state’s 7 most populous counties voted in 2016. Normally these would be leaning to vote for Democrats since they contain the largest cities. But in 2016 the majority of the most populated counties in Arizona and Wisconsin voted for Donald Trump.
Column (6) shows what the total vote for Hillary Clinton from the 7 counties from each state was in 2016. It then shows what a 5% drop-off from that total Clinton vote would be. There is no way at this point in time determining what the voter turnout will be for either former Vice President Joe Biden or current President Donald Trump. However, it is evident from these numbers that if the USPS slows or hinders the collection or delivery of ballots from these particular counties in these states, it will widen the gap for Biden to overcome Trump’s vote from 2016. In Michigan and Pennsylvania, the impact would more than double the gap.
Going Forward
In response to bi-partisan concerns, the Postmaster agreed to appear before the Senate Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Committee in a virtual hearing on Friday at 9 a.m. and before the House Oversight and Reform Committee on Monday, Aug. 24, at 10 a.m.
Shortly after announcing that he would appear before Congress, Dejoy announced that he is suspending any further changes until after the election is concluded. Hence, no further mail processing equipment and blue collection boxes will be removed from the streets.
Maryland Attorney General Brian Frosh said DeJoy’s commitment to hold back on operational changes is insufficient and not specific enough. If USPS does not return sorting machines and override earlier instructions about leaving mail undelivered at the end of a shift, he will pursue filing a lawsuit with over a dozen other state AG’s demanding such actions be taken. No Republican AG’s as of this posting have signed onto this effort.
At the core of Democrats concerns, is whether the USPS will be prepared to efficiently handle a projected significant increase in mail-in ballots so that all citizens have an opportunity to have their mail-in ballots counted. The majority of mail is handled by Sectional Center Facilities that sort, compile and then truck mailed-in ballots to the county clerk. Because of the volume around Election Day, delaying a single truck for a single day could be enough to reverse that state's electoral vote.
The vast majority of Americans as a recent Pew Research Center poll found that more than 70% of Americans think any voter who wants to vote by mail should be able to do so.
It is not just Democrats who want that right guaranteed, since 49% of Republicans where in that majority. Republican support for mail-in balloting even jumps to almost 70% in states where a sizable amount of the population already votes by mail.
If DeJoy does decide to have USPS properly prepare to meet its obligation to deliver mail-in ballots on time, having a fair presidential election will move forward. Nevertheless, it is still not immune from various types of interventions that are underway to tilt the election results. All concerned citizens need to be aware of those practices and who is promoting them. An educated and informed electorate is our ultimate guarantee of maintaining a functional and responsive democracy.
Nick Licata is author of Becoming A Citizen Activist, and
has served 5 terms on the Seattle City Council, named progressive municipal official of the year by The Nation, and is founding board chair of Local Progress, a national network of 1,000 progressive municipal officials.
Subscribe to Licata’s newsletter Urban Politics


dailykos--2020-08-23--Biden’s missing mantra: It’s Our Purpose, Stupid.

Democrats still don ’ t get it .
Sure , we have an ongoing pandemic that is still out of control .
The unemployment rate spiked in July to 15 % .
Yet the stock market is soaring .
The Standard and Poors Index ( S & P ) hit an all-time high .
What does this tell us ?
More and more of us have no purpose in the corporatocracy .
Not even as consumers .
The market has moved on without millions of us .
The stimulus that put adrenaline into the financial system kept it healthy .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ Republicans , saw that corporate America was good , they decided that it was AOK for forty million Americans to lose their homes .
Many are renters .
Landlords get tax breaks for empty units .
Home sales slipped again in July , but the telling number is that homes in that “ middle class ” belt of $ 400-600K took the biggest hit in sales , dropping 18.1 % in July , 2020 .
Still , prices remain reasonably strong .
We ’ re not surprised that Republicans voted more than 70 @ @ @ @ @ @ @ at its bottom line , kept more poor people healthy .
It kind of makes sense , too , that Leader McConnell sat on his hands and let Trump bollux up the COVID-19 pandemic response .
Taking a quarter million people out of a population is , apparently acceptable to them .
Democrats , as the pitches made at their convention , last week , attest , are completely clueless about how to win friends and influence potential voters , especially young ones .
They are not only the future of the country @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , debts , and social issues go to the heart of what will move America forward into the progressive vision of a future world that looks a bit more like “ Star Trek ” than the dystopian universe of a “ Ready Player One.
” At least Republicans know who they ’ re trying to do in , and why .
Democrats still believe , apparently , that it ’ s 1985 , and that we ’ re in an environment where workers still have some measure of power .
All we need @ @ @ @ @ @ @ team in government , and , with the help of unions , and social organizers , we ’ re going to find our way back to the post New Deal America that conservatives have been wiping out since the “ Reagan Revolution ” of the late 1980s .
Joe Biden ’ s acceptance speech for his party ’ s nomination as a presidential candidate was chock-full of the same old ‘ we ’ ll get your good jobs back ’ platitudes , that , along with appearances by powerful SEIU union , and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ’ ll be able to get the work situation right-as-rain in no time .
Every economic downturn accelerates automation .
America needs to adjust towards that tectonic shift in capitalism where robots and AI will replace millions of us .
Walmart has its cashierless stores in more remote parts of the country , like Montana .
Amazon ’ s GO stores , in Washington , are the leading edge of a cashierless Whole Foods .
Automated cars , and other vehicles , are around the corner .
AI is being used already for @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of workers , at hospitals , corporations , and more .
Automated surgery is weeding down the number of doctors who are needed to perform operations .
Highly mechanized construction , to robotics are already here .
For the luddites who say nay , nay , I point out that the “ they ’ ll always need me ” theory worked poorly for farriers , livery stables , carriage drivers , and other folks in the horse -drawn world , when the Model T rolled in .
It wasn ’ t much better @ @ @ @ @ @ @ either , facing automation on their floors , masked in a bit of job-offshoring to set off the xenophobes ; or clerical workers in the early 2000 ’ s , who found that the three letters of PDF removed them from a J-O-B .
The only person , in the democratic candidate pack who touched heavily on the realities of this future was Andrew Yang .
His forward vision of moving us towards universal basic income ( UBI ) , was a good start , as was finally having a real conversation about @ @ @ @ @ @ @ twenty , or fifty years down road .
Democrats could win back a lot of young voters by helping begin big-think discussions about what that 21st century America will become , and how to carry all of our citizens , not just our wealthiest , into it .
The Democratic Convention 2020 showed no evidence that Democrats agenda for the future is well thought out past November 3rd .
If they don ’ t become relevant , there will be a thirst , especially with the young , for a party to evolve @ @ @ @ @ @ @ future .
If we don ’ t need to be educated for a repetitive skill , like law , or business , in the white collar , or bolting on parts , or flipping burgers , in the blue , is there a value to understanding a new way of looking at humanity , and our worth ?
We ’ ve typically underpaid for the education , and socialization of children .
Is the future a place where teachers , coaches , stay-at-home parents , elderly caregivers , people who socialize kids , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ parity for their hard work ?
Should the government commit to a new “ New Deal , ” educating more of us on the dime of corporate America , which is the overwhelming beneficiary of that education ?
How do we incentivize students to become more entrepreneurial , and create new industries , and technologies , that open up heretofore unknown jobs that improve opportunities for their peers , and keep our Gross Domestic Product ( GDP ) growing , and strong ?
Is there a way to incentivize the infrastructure , within @ @ @ @ @ @ @ food , banking , commerce , that big corporates , who fear operating in many of America ’ s inner-city neighborhoods , refuse to provide ?
Just Keep Quiet and No One Gets Hurt Democrats are working on the theory that Trump should hang himself .
Biden , and most of the Democrats , seem to feel that a winning strategy is just keeping reasonably still , and not standing stand up for too much , is a winning strategy .
Kamala Harris is a party-faithful pick .
She has the record , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ for Trump to attack her with his usual array of slurs .
There are those who find her not only out of touch with the younger generation of voters , but with people of color , given her record as a prosecutor in California .
She , like Biden , does not inspire as many young people .
They wanted to see , and largely did not , that the ideas of Sanders , Yang , and Warren were part of the big tent .
They were handed a couple of canned moments @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , but nothing of substance .
Democrats are still catering heavily to that older , unaligned white voter , whom they hope to steal out of Trump ’ s column .
By doing so , they are ignoring millions of Americans in college , or recently out , who face billions of dollars in lifetime-crushing loan repayments .
Whole American generations are struggling with crushing debts , and expenses that outstrip their earning power .
They will never know the piece of mind of the Greatest Generation , who did very well for @ @ @ @ @ @ @ States rose again into the $ 70,000- $ 80,000 range , per year , this year .
Most of these students , even if they get a discounted rate , will spend decades repaying this money .
Many will struggle to ever afford the same kind of housing that their parents enjoyed .
Biden , and the Democratic hierarchy , worry about talking about progressive ideas , because Fox News , and Trump , will try to rile up older middle-of-the-road conservative whites , who DO vote , and bring them back into @ @ @ @ @ @ @ that their advantage , and privileges , will be stripped away .
The party powerful think that the short-term win can be had by sticking their heads in the political sand , and pretending that this is another age .
Democrats need to understand that it ’ s our , ultimately , that defines who we are , what we do , how we do it , and how we get paid to do it .
What we heard from Biden , Harris & Co. at the convention was pitiful little about that @ @ @ @ @ @ @ our existential crisis , and our environmental crises , for big visions , and bold new ideas .
Instead , our choice apparently seems to be between bats**t crazy grandpa , and cooler grandpa , both with their heads up the… rearview mirror .

Democrats still don’t get it.
It’s our purpose, stupid.
Sure, we have an ongoing pandemic that is still out of control. The unemployment rate spiked in July to 15%. Yet the stock market is soaring. The Standard and Poors Index (S&P) hit an all-time high.
What does this tell us?
More and more of us have no purpose in the corporatocracy. Not even as consumers. The market has moved on without millions of us.
We are surplus. Unnecessary. Excess.
Republicans ‘Get’ Their Mission
The stimulus that put adrenaline into the financial system kept it healthy. Once Mitch McConnell, and his Senate Republicans, saw that corporate America was good, they decided that it was AOK for forty million Americans to lose their homes. Many are renters. Landlords get tax breaks for empty units. Home sales slipped again in July, but the telling number is that homes in that “middle class” belt of $400-600K took the biggest hit in sales, dropping 18.1% in July, 2020. Still, prices remain reasonably strong.
We’re not surprised that Republicans voted more than 70 times to repeal Obamacare, which, at its bottom line, kept more poor people healthy.
It kind of makes sense, too, that Leader McConnell sat on his hands and let Trump bollux up the COVID-19 pandemic response. Taking a quarter million people out of a population is, apparently acceptable to them.
Democrats, as the pitches made at their convention, last week, attest, are completely clueless about how to win friends and influence potential voters, especially young ones.
They are not only the future of the country, and the party. Their needs, debts, and social issues go to the heart of what will move America forward into the progressive vision of a future world that looks a bit more like “Star Trek” than the dystopian universe of a “Ready Player One.”
Liberals Lost
At least Republicans know who they’re trying to do in, and why. Democrats still believe, apparently, that it’s 1985, and that we’re in an environment where workers still have some measure of power. All we need, by gum, is a good team in government, and, with the help of unions, and social organizers, we’re going to find our way back to the post New Deal America that conservatives have been wiping out since the “Reagan Revolution” of the late 1980s.
Joe Biden’s acceptance speech for his party’s nomination as a presidential candidate was chock-full of the same old ‘we’ll get your good jobs back’ platitudes, that, along with appearances by powerful SEIU union, and other union leaders, suggest that they’ll be able to get the work situation right-as-rain in no time.
It’s a LIE. (Shhhh.)
Every economic downturn accelerates automation. America needs to adjust towards that tectonic shift in capitalism where robots and AI will replace millions of us.
Walmart has its cashierless stores in more remote parts of the country, like Montana. Amazon’s GO stores, in Washington, are the leading edge of a cashierless Whole Foods. Automated cars, and other vehicles, are around the corner. AI is being used already for paper-pushing that unemploys hundreds, to thousands of workers, at hospitals, corporations, and more. Automated surgery is weeding down the number of doctors who are needed to perform operations. Highly mechanized construction, to robotics are already here.
For the luddites who say nay, nay, I point out that the “they’ll always need me” theory worked poorly for farriers, livery stables, carriage drivers, and other folks in the horse -drawn world, when the Model T rolled in.
It wasn’t much better for factory workers in the 1980s, either, facing automation on their floors, masked in a bit of job-offshoring to set off the xenophobes; or clerical workers in the early 2000’s, who found that the three letters of PDF removed them from a J-O-B.
The only person, in the democratic candidate pack who touched heavily on the realities of this future was Andrew Yang. His forward vision of moving us towards universal basic income (UBI), was a good start, as was finally having a real conversation about what a JOB might be ten, twenty, or fifty years down road.
Democrats could win back a lot of young voters by helping begin big-think discussions about what that 21st century America will become, and how to carry all of our citizens, not just our wealthiest, into it.
The Democratic Convention 2020 showed no evidence that Democrats agenda for the future is well thought out past November 3rd. If they don’t become relevant, there will be a thirst, especially with the young, for a party to evolve that represents their needs, and their future.
If we don’t need to be educated for a repetitive skill, like law, or business, in the white collar, or bolting on parts, or flipping burgers, in the blue, is there a value to understanding a new way of looking at humanity, and our worth?
We’ve typically underpaid for the education, and socialization of children. Is the future a place where teachers, coaches, stay-at-home parents, elderly caregivers, people who socialize kids, and others, finally achieve some salary parity for their hard work?
Should the government commit to a new “New Deal,” educating more of us on the dime of corporate America, which is the overwhelming beneficiary of that education?
How do we incentivize students to become more entrepreneurial, and create new industries, and technologies, that open up heretofore unknown jobs that improve opportunities for their peers, and keep our Gross Domestic Product (GDP) growing, and strong?
Is there a way to incentivize the infrastructure, within low-income communities, to support needs for food, banking, commerce, that big corporates, who fear operating in many of America’s inner-city neighborhoods, refuse to provide?
Just Keep Quiet and No One Gets Hurt
Democrats are working on the theory that Trump should hang himself.
Biden, and most of the Democrats, seem to feel that a winning strategy is just keeping reasonably still, and not standing stand up for too much, is a winning strategy.
Kamala Harris is a party-faithful pick. She has the record, and pedigree, that make her hard for Trump to attack her with his usual array of slurs. There are those who find her not only out of touch with the younger generation of voters, but with people of color, given her record as a prosecutor in California.
She, like Biden, does not inspire as many young people. They wanted to see, and largely did not, that the ideas of Sanders, Yang, and Warren were part of the big tent. They were handed a couple of canned moments with their political, and intellectual leadership, but nothing of substance.
Democrats are still catering heavily to that older, unaligned white voter, whom they hope to steal out of Trump’s column.
By doing so, they are ignoring millions of Americans in college, or recently out, who face billions of dollars in lifetime-crushing loan repayments. Whole American generations are struggling with crushing debts, and expenses that outstrip their earning power. They will never know the piece of mind of the Greatest Generation, who did very well for themselves.
College tuitions in the United States rose again into the $70,000-$80,000 range, per year, this year. Most of these students, even if they get a discounted rate, will spend decades repaying this money. Many will struggle to ever afford the same kind of housing that their parents enjoyed.
Biden, and the Democratic hierarchy, worry about talking about progressive ideas, because Fox News, and Trump, will try to rile up older middle-of-the-road conservative whites, who DO vote, and bring them back into the GOP fold. These folks fear that their advantage, and privileges, will be stripped away.
The party powerful think that the short-term win can be had by sticking their heads in the political sand, and pretending that this is another age.
Democrats need to understand that it’s our purpose , ultimately, that defines who we are, what we do, how we do it, and how we get paid to do it.
What we heard from Biden, Harris & Co. at the convention was pitiful little about that. This is a time, between our existential crisis, and our environmental crises, for big visions, and bold new ideas.
Instead, our choice apparently seems to be between bats**t crazy grandpa, and cooler grandpa, both with their heads up the… rearview mirror.
It’s the purpose, stupid.