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Mel Sokotch's avatar

Dan, I’m an ex-ad exec. Asked AI app I use to take your key points and create 30 sec TV commercial below. How can I/we get Dems to run spots like this:

Scene: Somber music plays as images of empty classrooms, closed childcare centers, and worried parents flash on screen.

Voiceover:

“Across the country, Head Start programs and childcare centers are shutting their doors. Federal payment systems remain inaccessible, leaving staff unpaid and children without meals. When kids can’t go to school, parents can’t work. Families are being forced to choose between their livelihoods and their children’s care.”

Scene shifts to a mother holding her child, looking out a window.

Voiceover:

“This crisis is not just numbers on a budget—it’s real lives, real futures. Our children deserve better.”

Text on screen: “Take Action Now”

Voiceover:

“Call your representatives today. Demand they fix these payment issues and protect the programs our families rely on. Together, we can make a difference.”

Screen fades to black with the message: “Call 1-800-555-CHANGE or visit www.fixfundingnow.org.”

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Lew Friedland's avatar

I do work on political advertising. This is disturbingly good for a quick AI hit. But yes, we should be all over the air/online with this kind of ad. Mostly online, on the cheap.

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Mel Sokotch's avatar

Thanks Lew, I’ve tried to get suggestions like this to the Dem leadership but very difficult to get hearing.

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Mark's avatar

Make it personal.

1. It’s pronounced “dodge” it’s petty but effective and ties into the accountability narrative.

2. Reminded everyone that Elon is a deadbeat dad.

3. Emphasize that Elon got rich on the back of tax payers via a government bailout.

These might seem petty but it’s effective. I fucking hate Elon musk.

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Tom's avatar

Not to defend Musk, but I thought he got rich being one of the original founders ofPayPal? Then added to his fortune through Tesla?

Though it is clear that Tesla's stock price is a bubble, inflated originally through his P. T. Barnum-style lies and exaggerations that autonomous cars are just around the corner (Musk has been claiming this since his takeover of Tesla as chairman in 2008). There are no states that allow fully autonomous cars to operate on its roads. Tesla stock has been further inflated by Musk's closeness to Trump and his sway over Federal regulators. Most rating agencies opine that Tesla stock is overvalued by as much as 80%, making it a poor investment.

What government bailout did he participate in/benefit from?

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Susan Hofstader's avatar

He’s benefitted from government subsidies for electric cars and selling carbon credits to other car companies that make ICE vehicles, is what I’ve heard.

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Tom's avatar

Still, those are legit moves. How do we propose to shame Musk? By telling everyone his financial advisors have been astute?

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Susan Hofstader's avatar

I don’t think it’s shameful, but apparently Musk does. I recall him being extremely offended by the notion that he might owe any of his fortune to federal largesse.

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Adam Muller's avatar

https://ir.tesla.com/press-release/tesla-gets-loan-approval-us-department-energy

This was just a quick search. I think there were other programs during the Great Recession they participated in.

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Callie Palmer's avatar

Last week in the small, Eastern Oregon town where I work, Cliff Bentz held a town hall. I live half a block from the EOU campus where he held it, and people were parking and walking in (tons of parking on campus, all full). This is a town of 12,000 - so the turnout was massive compared to past events. I didn't attend, but people I spoke with have said that everyone was angry and yelling at Bentz. This county and most of Eastern Oregon went for Trump, and it's a safe Republican seat for the House member. But it is also home to a lot of federal employees and farmers. Both turned out. If it is that tumultuous here, I think it is safe to extrapolate.

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Karin Janssen's avatar

I live in Spokane County--our rep., Michael Baumgartner, hasn't held a town hall since January 11th. He also doesn't respond to phone calls or emails. Ask me how I know. Grrrr.

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Callie Palmer's avatar

Tough neighborhood, there. Most of my family is in Spokane and the surrounding areas - and some are all for the current regime.

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Karin Janssen's avatar

Yeah, I live in the liberal West Central neighborhood--formerly known as Felony Flats, lol--I use the term liberal loosely in this county. It probably just means independent at best.

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Callie Palmer's avatar

I am familiar with Felony Flats :)

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Karin Janssen's avatar

Haha!

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Tom's avatar

Really off-topic opinion:

In the next presidential election go after Alabama and Mississippi.

I realize that sounds crazy, but: Given its voter profile, MS is a democratic state. They just never can get organized, and can't find high-quality candidates.

Alabama's largest city is Huntsville, a very left-leaning city with a mayor who has an R label but is in reality very much a D in how he governs. Birmingham, the previous largest city, has a voter profile that in any other state would be Dem. Their are very many rural counties with a large Dem population but their turnout is very poor.

These are cheap media markets, and in fact each state's media markets blend into the other state.

Can you imagine the MAGA consternation if Dems broke their "Solid South"? Can you imagine Dem satisfaction if we won a couple of Seats and a half-dozen House districts?

Something to think about. Especially since today's message box will resonate in those states.

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Karin Janssen's avatar

I often think about the fact that if the tides turn, all that gerrymandering could work in democracies favor.

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Tom's avatar

Most important part of the message today and absolutely true: "If this is an argument about the size of government or a reflexive defense of institutions or protocols, we lose. If it’s about what Trump, Musk, and their enablers in Congress are taking from people, we win."

My wife and I have been working on expanding our own reach through select social media groups (there are plenty of very effective ones who aim to NOT be an echo chamber of Dems, but who work to include swing voters who voted R in the 2024 election.

We participate and get Dan's Message Box columns out to these folks.

Today's message was one of the best and most practical he's written.

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Glenda Perry's avatar

I noticed you mentioned Birmingham in the list of cities that would be negatively impacted by these widespread cuts. I recently heard their young mayor on a Michael Steel podcast. He is quite impressive. He speaks with an air of humility and quiet wisdom not often seen, His leadership style seems to be that of the Servant/Leadership style. He is very active in his community. I feel his area would be an excellent place to get the word out. His name is Randall Woodfin, he has recently published a book.

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Deepak Puri's avatar

Democracy Labs is following Dan's advice of making it about Musk. I use maps and infographics to show how DOGE's actions hurt people where they live by county and overlay this with who their Republican rep is. Time to hold them accountable! Here are 7 recent articles:

1. Hold MAGA reps accountable for cutting your benefits to pay back Elon Musk: Start with these key swing districts

https://thedemlabs.org/2025/02/15/hold-maga-reps-accountable-for-cutting-your-benefits-to-pay-back-elon-musk-start-with-these-key-swing-districts/

2. Which Public Schools May Be Closed To Pay For Musk’s Federal Armored Tesla Contract? Check this map!

https://thedemlabs.org/2025/02/12/public-schools-may-be-closed-to-pay-for-musks-federal-cybertruck-contract-check-this-map/

3. Deadliest Flu Epidemic In 15 Years: Check Your Risk Level With This Map

https://thedemlabs.org/2025/02/12/deadliest-flu-epidemic-in-15-years-check-your-risk-level-with-this-map/

4. Four fatal plane crashes in 10 days: The deadly cost of crippling the FAA to give tax cuts to billionaires

https://thedemlabs.org/2025/02/11/4-fatal-plane-crashes-in-10-days-the-deadly-cost-of-crippling-the-faa-to-give-tax-cuts-to-billionaires/

5. Use maps to connect an issue to the politician to hold accountable

https://thedemlabs.org/2025/02/11/use-maps-to-connect-an-issue-to-the-politician-to-hold-accountable/

6. American farmers ruined by Musk killing USAID: Check this map

https://thedemlabs.org/2025/02/08/american-farmers-ruined-by-musk-killing-usaid-check-this-map/

7. Follow the Musk seizure of the U.S. Treasury and your Social Security with this interactive map.

https://thedemlabs.org/2025/02/01/musk-seizes-u-s-treasury-and-your-social-security-follow-the-robbery-with-this-crime-chart/

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Karin Janssen's avatar

I looked at a few maps, Deepak. I don't fully understand them though. There's not enough information...is green shading good or bad for wheat growers? Are all public schools going to close? People are more cynical than ever. The message needs to be unequivocal--unless your audience is maga. They're the only group I know of that will fall for anything you put in front of them hook, line, and sinker.

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Richard Dorset's avatar

I have zero confidence the Dems, especially the useless Dems in the Senate, with the exception of Chris Murphy, who has been a ferocious opponent of Doge, Trump, and Musk, will do anything to organize the overwhelming pushback that this illegal government takeover requires. Tell me with a straight face, Dan, that Schumer, Durbin, et al are capable of what is necessary, or even recognize what is necessary. The only way this happens is if liberal interest groups make it so uncomfortable for these fossils that they have no choice but to emerge from their torpor. Maybe the best use of Town Halls is for Dems, who are always looking for a way to make a deal and be “reasonable “ to have to face the music

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Tom's avatar

Blanket criticism? I have heard Brian Schatz, Sheldon Whitehouse, Adam Schiff, Amy Klobuchar, Andy Kim, and several others offer pretty devastating takedowns of Doge, Musk, and their illegal activities. While I agree that Schumer and Durbin are far past their "Best By" dates, there are senators stepping up. I have made it a habit of sending each senator / rep I hear making the argument a note thanking them and encouraging them to find additional outlets for their message. Neither Schumer nor Durbin are going anyplace no matter what we say right now, so my approach is to reinforce the positive and not spend my time trying to chase any Dem from the field.

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KJustine Moss's avatar

excellent comment. Hope is it ok to use some of your words with my reps. "Fossils to emerge from their torpor." Right on.

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Susan Hofstader's avatar

I was just listening to Jon Lovett’s interview with Bill Maher (I guess it’s PSA weekend?) and Maher brought up the statistic that the federal government loses something like 259 billion a year to fraud. I went home and googled how much private sector corporations lose to fraud, and got an interesting reply from their “AI” summary, that most corps lose something in the neighborhood of 5% of annual revenue to fraud. I then looked up federal revenue, which is a bit under five trillion a year (I think it was 4.9 trillion) and it turns out 259 billion is pretty close to 5% of federal revenue. So, it could be that the federal government is no more prone to losing money to fraud than private business, though I suppose that’s not going to impress anyone. Seems like this is just a very big country with a whole lotta fraudsters running around. I imagine eliminating fraud would mean anyone being paid by the federal government would have to be personally investigated by the FBI and it would cost more than just writing off the loss.

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Jane Kauer   she/her's avatar

Same value mentioned in a piece on this in The Economist this week. Spot on.

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Tom's avatar

Great analysis.

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gwHornPlayer's avatar

Great stuff as always, Dan. Seems important to emphasize also that Musk has not been elected, his position has just been invented, he has nothing but conflicts of interest (and the same goes for Trump, of course) and Musk is apparently not subject to any oversight, has no security clearance, etc.. and his tech bro cyber goons apparently have none of the above either, and much of what they have chaotically destroyed can’t be recovered, can’t be restored, can’t be repaired.

Seems important to really emphasize the chaotic destruction of the ability of so many of our agencies and institutions to carry out the indispensable work that Americans count on, and then yes, tell those stories widely!

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KJustine Moss's avatar

one of the best articles yet. sharing with friends and family and on bluesky. subscribed. thank you!

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Ron Skoletsky's avatar

Hi Dan. I subscribe to Message Box and list to Pod Save America. Sorry if this is addressed elsewhere. What I need are *specific* things that I can share with my friends and family. Plus links to the articles to back them up. I'm not a good debater, and when I post things, my conservative "friends" fire back with replies that seem realistic -- garbage, but realistic. I'm afraid to repost stuff that I see online because I don't know what's factual. Is there a place that has facts that we can share and links to data to back it up? I need a *how-to* or *what-do* doc. -Ron [Not quite a boomer, but feel like it]

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Beth Socol's avatar

Interesting Carville op-ed in the NYT today - suggesting that Dems enact strategy of laying low and letting the Republicans fall flat on their faces for six months or so and then jumping in to sort out the mess. Dan, your thoughts?

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Paul Gross's avatar

I agree with focusing attention on Elon Musk. Similarly, I think we should focus attention on Rupert Murdoch, another powerful, unattractive foreigner who I'd think even Fox viewers could be convinced to dislike. And when you add Vladimir Putin to the mix, you have a real axis of evil--Musk, Murdoch and Putin--whose wealth, moral failings and misdeeds we need to broadcast and repeat, repeat, repeat.

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John Vallee's avatar

Anybody notice the the words on that there chain bar ain't murrican? That's a foreign chainsaw from a foreigner! We can't make murrica great again with no foreign chainsaw!

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Lonnie E's avatar

THE MORE DANGEROUS CASE OF DONALD TRUMP 40 PSYCHIATRISTS AND MENTAL HEALTH EXPERTS WARN ANEW

p89

"So, what needs to be done to keep America safe from enemies from within?

... extraordinary times require extraordinary skill in applying the laws and who possess the self-understanding to fight off the twin temptations of complicity or cowardice in the face of fear .."

CALL. Especially for Democrats in Red states. Thank your Representatives.

🔸️Keep calling Attorneys General in the states.

🔸️Keep calling to stop Musk's crime spree and assault on the US government.

🔸️Keep calling your electeds and let them know you are outraged by traitorous Trump's selling out of Zelenskyy, abandonment of Europe and embrace of Putin.

DO MORE, WORRY LESS. Join us on Hopium Chronicles on SubStack.

https://open.substack.com/pub/simonwdc?utm_source=share&utm_medium=android&r=280c3q

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