18 Comments

Thanks very much for what you are doing. You are among a handful of sensible, informed, thoughtful commentators on the fight of our lives. And, yes, until we have excised Trump and Trumpery from the body politic, every election is the most important election of our lives. As a cancer survivor, I can say it's just like every successive chemo treatment is the most important of your life, until you beat the disease.

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Well put. And thanks for "Trumpery" - I plan to steal/use is liberally (in every sense).

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I love this, but one major thing that I think is missing from the discourse is local elections. If we can get people to care about local offices it will have up ballot effects. local elected officials are the ones that actually implement the laws. I live in texas. You hate the abortion bans? 3 of the 9 TX supreme court members are up for election. You feel like the IRA has not come your way? you are right, TX legislature and government has been actively stymying that. You know about the tennesee 3 that got kicked out of their ultra republican legislature for talking about gun control... You know who re-instated them? their city council members. Flood for climate change can include parks and native plants that everyone can enjoy, or it can be dredging canals deeper and wider so that more oil tankers can enter shipping channels. One of the reasons we have 2 old folks running for president is that for years we have ignored the bench, ignored the left and right feild ignored 2nd base and just talked about the pitcher. it's a team, we need a deep bench. we need folks on local levels to inspire folks to vote down the whole ballot, and vote in the 4 elections that will happen in texas this year (primary, primary run off, school board, general election..... and honestly some special elections too). mobilizing people to understand the local stakes and local elections IMHO will help get that football field of voters out to vote. the ones that are kind of Meh.. about this whole thing. If they see it as just a repeat of biden v. trump... it isn't motivating. local issues are more salient. focussing on the exact perfect thing that biden should do is looking for a silver bullet. the complex problems we are facing require silver buck shot. we need lots of local and grass roots solutions and voices in order to make biden successful and in order to put a power check on trump if he wins.

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so one tiny way maybe we can all help connect at least each other is if we know of--and I do not, Sorry In PA--similar info sources to MB but aimed at much more focused locales, can we share them here, or could Dan include a list somewhere (remembering old blogroll lists)?

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"Defending democracy" will not resonate with a lot of people; it will ultimately fail as a message. We have to acknowledge that building a democracy that works for everyone is an unfinished project, that the democracy we have is still imperfect, that corporations still have too much power, that inequality of opportunity is the rule rather than the exception. Building a democracy that's worth defending should be our ultimate goal, but that can only happen if we win in 2024. If we don't win, then every bit of progress that we've made will be lost. Every freedom marcher who was beaten or killed in the streets, every laborer who worked a lifetime for little comfort or gain, every community that was devastated by an environmental disaster, every person who starved to death living in a world of plenty, every soldier who died or was injured in a war that did not need to be fought: all of that countless, endless suffering will have been in vain.

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We women warriors are ON IT

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100% sister

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Thank you so much for all you’re doing, Dan. I appreciate so many things about the Message Box, and the thoughtfulness with which you’ve just spelled out your plans for it in 2024 is only the latest. Definitely a paid subscriber and I recommend it to my friends. Your work is making a difference.

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Dan, thank you. If you’re able to provide lists of the President’s accomplishments as an occasional feature I think that would be helpful, too. Perhaps broken down by subject? I’ve been looking for months, for example, for a list of everything Biden has done so far on climate. Can’t find it. It’s remarkable how many “regular Americans” are still laboring under the delusion that he’s “done nothing” for them. The WH team has started to make some efforts on this front but we need more and we need them soon. Also their graphics are all very Norman Rockwell. Not great for the Gen Z kids.

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Thanks Dan! Nothing like the threat of facism to get folks off the couch (it's me, I'm the on the couch guy, hi 👋).

Maybe we can restore some good faith in political discussion amongst all willing Americans again while we're at it. America is stronger when we talk to eachother! We have to shake ourselves out of these silos a bit.

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"I won’t argue this is the most important election in history because I did that in 2016, 2018, and 2020. I’m sure you are sick of people making that claim every two to four years."

There is absolutely nothing wrong with making this claim every 2-4 years. Until this Radical Right-wing Extremism thing dies down (!) this WILL be our truth for every future election cycle.

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As a Buckeye, that pic really spoke to me because the election year feels like it’s going to be a longer, more painful version of the cotton bowl 💀

Always appreciate your optimism and advice!

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So glad I subscribed. Yours was my first substack, and I appreciate the level of engagement you provide, especially since I can't figure out Discord 😳

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I appreciate all that you do, Dan, in researching and putting together information that helps us all understand this crazy political landscape we are in. Being a subscriber to The Message Box is money so well spent. Keep up the good work!

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Jan 3·edited Jan 3

Thanks Dan. The more intelligent people putting the word about trump and his real threat to our democracy the better. As a retired Coast Guard and Navy veteran I take the oath I took to support and defend the Constitution seriously, I wish trump and his lackeys would too.

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the more people that vote the better the outcome. So yes, we have to be focused and take action. Now is the time to walk the talk, get out the vote, and be fearless but polite when convincing people to vote for Biden. My greatest fear and greatest opportunity to the Palestinian / American will not vote at all as a punishment for Biden's Zionism (that is the word the Palestinian word I hear although not sure I would call Biden a Zionist). Biden hopefully will speak to this. Not voting is not an option, it gives it to Trump.

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Thank you Dan.

Message Box is my go to and has the most influence on how I talk to friends and family. The downside is that now many of them think I know what I'm talking about. So, yes for the sake of the country, but also for my pride, I'm very glad you'll be keeping it up.

Interestingly, over the holidays, the points I most struggled to get across are why it is that so many people have no clue what's going on, and why politics and campaigning is more dependent on individual common citizens than ever. I'm going to share this with them since, as always, you say it so much better than I ever could.

Also a request... I have a LOT of friends and family who want to be active starting now (I may have browbeat them about what their top New Year's resolution should be). The sooner VSA starts identifying high effort:impact ratio organizations for them to volunteer for, the better. Right now, I'm referring them to VoteRiders, Field Team 6, and Voto Latino. Hoping VSA will be ramping up ASAP.

Happy New Year to all, and as the kids say, LFG!

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Let’s get this done. Less worry, more action. You can help out with the NY-3 and FL House special elections today! Jess Craven and Simon Rosenberg both have a bunch of ways to help and can be found on Substack.

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