Thanks Dan!! I love reading this. I think we need to stage a massive protest at the Supreme Court on the first day of their new term. They have just signaled that they may gut what is left of the Voting Rights Act--the heart of the act which gives minority voters the ability to be represented. That and so many disastrous, lawless decisions by the SCOTUS 6 are intolerable. We need them to understand from their ivory tower that we, the People, see what they are doing and we will not stand for it. We need those of you with big platforms (including you Strict Scrutiny Sisters) to get this off the ground. Please. Also excited for Crooked Com!!!!! Thanks for all u guys are doing.
Hi, Dan! One thing I keep wondering is when and how Democrats will explicitly tie everything that’s happening to the entire Republican Party, not just to Trump. Throughout the Trump era, I’ve almost never heard Democrats say things like
-“This could all be stopped right now if Republicans in Congress voted to (whatever), but instead they all voted (whatever).”
-“Every Republican Senator and House member is helping Trump do this by …”
-“The only way to stop (thing people overwhelmingly oppose) is to vote for a Democrat in every category on the ballot in this election, because Republicans are enabling everything Trump does and we will stop him.”
Instead, it seems like Democratic politicians expect the average voter (or non-voter) to figure this out, and many of those potential voters aren’t paying enough attention to the details of how government works to do so. They may hate everything Trump is doing, but also continue to vote for Republicans in local races because they don’t see the connection between them and Trump.
When and how can/should Democratic candidates and pundits start making that explicit leading up to the 2026 and 2028 elections?
Happy 5 years! I love reading this newsletter. I know you’ve touched on this before but would love your thoughts on how Democrats can convince voters that democracy is good for them financially; that we need to preserve it not just because it’s what the country was built on but because it’s good for the economy and acknowledge that it allows us to help individuals succeed.
Dan, do you archive your message box posts? If you write another book (even years from now) about this crazy political time, archived posts from the past five years would be s great resource.
Congratulations on five years of Message Box. That milestone is a testament not just to your stamina as a writer, but to your unwavering commitment to defending democracy.
As someone watching from Europe — I’m from the Netherlands — I want to thank you sincerely. The fight you’re engaged in is not only vital for the United States, but also deeply consequential for the rest of the democratic world. Your clarity, strategy, and persistence give structure and hope to those of us who sometimes feel overwhelmed by the global rise of authoritarianism.
Your work — in Message Box, Pod Save America, and The PollerCoaster (with the amazing Caroline Reston — hope I spelled that right!) — isn’t just commentary. It’s part of the resistance. You help organize the chaos, sharpen the message, and keep people focused on what really matters: winning the battle for liberal democracy.
Thank you for continuing the fight when walking away might have been easier. Know that your voice reaches far beyond U.S. borders, and that your work empowers many of us abroad to stay engaged — and hopeful.
With gratitude and admiration, from The Netherlands
Dan, I appreciate the strategy, good communications, and the humor you bring to your very valuable, down to earth writing. The content is always great and always a good read.
Not only are your Message Box posts valuable for their insights into the events of the moment, but they clarify how we can help. Whether by spreading your comments through our own social media, joining in firect action when those opportunities come about, volunteering, snd financial support for yhose who can.
You keep us tethered to hope and practical politics.
Thank you, Dan, for making the decision and commitment to keep writing this newsletter. There’s a quote that’s attributed to Leo Tolstoy that goes something like this: a writer is someone for whom writing is harder than it is for the average person (although it may actually have been Thomas Mann who said this). Thanks for doing this hard work for five years. Congratulations on this milestone!
I just subscribed to the Message Box for 1 year. I have an idea. We need a 2-day work stoppage nation-wide. No one goes to work, sends kids to school, shops for anything, etc. I suggest Tuesday-Wednesday, Sept. 30-Oct. 1. We need Dan Pfeiffer, Indivisible, Mobilize, Robert Reich, David Hogg, Women's March, Swing Left, Third Act, Heather Cox, Richardson, Jess Craven, Robert Hubble, etc to promote, endorse the work stoppage. It is one of the only powers we have at the moment.
Biden is a great patriot and fine person, but he should never have gotten the Democratic Party nomination. The presidency is not a gold watch reward for service. Our candidate must have the grit and strength to address the current disastrous reality. I suspect others are holding back from Democratic Party contributions because this problem has never been addressed. We were misled--just like gullible Republicans are misled.
The reason Biden got the nomination in 2020 was that the party was divided between plurality of Bernie supporters (around 35%) and everyone else, and no one of the other candidates running could get enough traction to get the others to step aside, until Clyburn’s endorsement and a resounding win in the South Carolina primary led to a majority coalescing around Biden. It wasn’t like Biden was much of anyone’s first choice, but he was most Democrats second choice, and that was enough to turn away the threat of a brokered convention. There is no way forward via papering over factional differences—which is at the root of what went wrong with the Biden presidency and Democrats’ inability to grapple with the threat of a second Trump administration.
Thanks Dan!! I love reading this. I think we need to stage a massive protest at the Supreme Court on the first day of their new term. They have just signaled that they may gut what is left of the Voting Rights Act--the heart of the act which gives minority voters the ability to be represented. That and so many disastrous, lawless decisions by the SCOTUS 6 are intolerable. We need them to understand from their ivory tower that we, the People, see what they are doing and we will not stand for it. We need those of you with big platforms (including you Strict Scrutiny Sisters) to get this off the ground. Please. Also excited for Crooked Com!!!!! Thanks for all u guys are doing.
Hi, Dan! One thing I keep wondering is when and how Democrats will explicitly tie everything that’s happening to the entire Republican Party, not just to Trump. Throughout the Trump era, I’ve almost never heard Democrats say things like
-“This could all be stopped right now if Republicans in Congress voted to (whatever), but instead they all voted (whatever).”
-“Every Republican Senator and House member is helping Trump do this by …”
-“The only way to stop (thing people overwhelmingly oppose) is to vote for a Democrat in every category on the ballot in this election, because Republicans are enabling everything Trump does and we will stop him.”
Instead, it seems like Democratic politicians expect the average voter (or non-voter) to figure this out, and many of those potential voters aren’t paying enough attention to the details of how government works to do so. They may hate everything Trump is doing, but also continue to vote for Republicans in local races because they don’t see the connection between them and Trump.
When and how can/should Democratic candidates and pundits start making that explicit leading up to the 2026 and 2028 elections?
Happy 5 years! I love reading this newsletter. I know you’ve touched on this before but would love your thoughts on how Democrats can convince voters that democracy is good for them financially; that we need to preserve it not just because it’s what the country was built on but because it’s good for the economy and acknowledge that it allows us to help individuals succeed.
Yes! Love this idea
Dan, do you archive your message box posts? If you write another book (even years from now) about this crazy political time, archived posts from the past five years would be s great resource.
Hi Dan,
Congratulations on five years of Message Box. That milestone is a testament not just to your stamina as a writer, but to your unwavering commitment to defending democracy.
As someone watching from Europe — I’m from the Netherlands — I want to thank you sincerely. The fight you’re engaged in is not only vital for the United States, but also deeply consequential for the rest of the democratic world. Your clarity, strategy, and persistence give structure and hope to those of us who sometimes feel overwhelmed by the global rise of authoritarianism.
Your work — in Message Box, Pod Save America, and The PollerCoaster (with the amazing Caroline Reston — hope I spelled that right!) — isn’t just commentary. It’s part of the resistance. You help organize the chaos, sharpen the message, and keep people focused on what really matters: winning the battle for liberal democracy.
Thank you for continuing the fight when walking away might have been easier. Know that your voice reaches far beyond U.S. borders, and that your work empowers many of us abroad to stay engaged — and hopeful.
With gratitude and admiration, from The Netherlands
Dan, I appreciate the strategy, good communications, and the humor you bring to your very valuable, down to earth writing. The content is always great and always a good read.
Dan,
Not only are your Message Box posts valuable for their insights into the events of the moment, but they clarify how we can help. Whether by spreading your comments through our own social media, joining in firect action when those opportunities come about, volunteering, snd financial support for yhose who can.
You keep us tethered to hope and practical politics.
Thank you.
Thank you so much for continuing to write Message Box! It’s essential reading.
Thank you, Dan, for making the decision and commitment to keep writing this newsletter. There’s a quote that’s attributed to Leo Tolstoy that goes something like this: a writer is someone for whom writing is harder than it is for the average person (although it may actually have been Thomas Mann who said this). Thanks for doing this hard work for five years. Congratulations on this milestone!
I just subscribed to the Message Box for 1 year. I have an idea. We need a 2-day work stoppage nation-wide. No one goes to work, sends kids to school, shops for anything, etc. I suggest Tuesday-Wednesday, Sept. 30-Oct. 1. We need Dan Pfeiffer, Indivisible, Mobilize, Robert Reich, David Hogg, Women's March, Swing Left, Third Act, Heather Cox, Richardson, Jess Craven, Robert Hubble, etc to promote, endorse the work stoppage. It is one of the only powers we have at the moment.
I really appreciate you, Dan! I often think of how much valuable info you share for free, or minimal cost, here. Keep going!
Thank you Dan. You keep me sane.
Typo? I think you mean "After the 2020" election...
"After the 2024 campaign was over, I figured I would write during the transition and in the first few months of the Biden Administration..."
Thank you for the level of commitment it takes to put this out. We really appreciate your talent and appreciate you sharing these with us all.
Biden is a great patriot and fine person, but he should never have gotten the Democratic Party nomination. The presidency is not a gold watch reward for service. Our candidate must have the grit and strength to address the current disastrous reality. I suspect others are holding back from Democratic Party contributions because this problem has never been addressed. We were misled--just like gullible Republicans are misled.
The reason Biden got the nomination in 2020 was that the party was divided between plurality of Bernie supporters (around 35%) and everyone else, and no one of the other candidates running could get enough traction to get the others to step aside, until Clyburn’s endorsement and a resounding win in the South Carolina primary led to a majority coalescing around Biden. It wasn’t like Biden was much of anyone’s first choice, but he was most Democrats second choice, and that was enough to turn away the threat of a brokered convention. There is no way forward via papering over factional differences—which is at the root of what went wrong with the Biden presidency and Democrats’ inability to grapple with the threat of a second Trump administration.
Thank you Dan!
Thank you Dan. I have been a subscriber for about 6 months and in that time I think your posts have improved dramatically. Keep up the good work!!!