If Omicron turns out to be more like the common cold and out-competes Delta, Dems stand a chance. If it turns out to be as virulent as Delta, nothing else the Democrats do will make a damn bit of difference.
On top of that …
My roots are working class, and they are being SLAMMED by inflation right now. Dems are as tone deaf to that as they were back when Pelosi said the Trump tax cuts didn’t do anything for the working class. I’m also reminded of Bush’s shock at the price of milk when he lowered himself to walk in a store. Sadly, I’m no longer surprised when a Democrat is as out of touch as a Republican.
People who are struggling to make ends meet NOW don’t care that they will be better off LATER, especially when the people making predictions come back and say “Ooops, it looks like it will last longer than I expected. My bad.”
On top of that …
Do you have any feel for what it’s like to be a low wage worker with health insurance hear the president say “You can get reimbursed for those $12 a swab tests. And people without insurance can get them for free.”? Do you? I guarantee you that not a single soul in the White House does.
There’s a “Let them eat cake” feel to every fucking pronouncement that impacts the working class from the White House these days. They may not intend it, but they sure as hell send it. It begs the question as to whether they have any ground level connections to the working class.
Go ahead and shoot the messengers bringing bad news, but it would make the attempts of people like me to influence our working class relatives that Democrats care about them if they would put their brains in gear before engaging their clueless mouths.
You are so spot on; I live in PA06 (Chrissie Houlahan territory) and people do NOT care one whit about how BIF will help down the road. They care about GAS PRICES NOW. Now, as I am 74, I can tell any of you younger people out there that this too, will pass. Been there and done that so many many times. But voters do think in the NOW; they DO vote their wallets.
there's definitely an opportunity for better messaging, because it isn't really "inflation" as much as corporations raising prices... because they can, and they're getting away with it: https://popular.info/p/inflation-exposed-the-real-reason
Whose job is it to tell them how much they can charge? I’d be REALLY careful with that message; it has boomerang written all over it.
But even if the Biden had rock solid evidence of your claim, they’d still fuck up applying it. Exhibit A is the test reimbursement SNAFU I noted. They really had to work at it to screw that up.
I want to be positive, I really do, but I live in a gerrymandered district in Wisconsin. I have no elected official who represents my point of view in any way, not even in a marginal way. Not only that, but based on the makeup of the WI Supreme Court, there is no way to un-gerrymander my district. In the last election the first Democratic challenger to the incumbent (who is Robin Vos if that means anything to anyone) had to drop out because he was getting death threats against himself and his family. I phone bank, talk to others, post signs in my yard and have recurring donations to the WI Dem party along with several other progressive groups. It's so, so, so frustrating to me that every time the GOP does these things the only message that comes from the our side is for us to donate more money so they can elect more Democrats. But we CAN'T elect any Democrats with the maps the way they are. And we can't go to either the state or federal courts. So we are stuck. I'm so demoralized by the whole thing. And that's just in my little corner of the world. I am afraid for what the future holds for my daughter on so many levels and I feel impotent to affect any change on her behalf. I literally feel guilty for having brought her into this world. Like I said, I want to be positive, but I'm having a really hard time getting there. So what can one person do??
I am so very sorry to hear this. Here in PA, for our State Rep, it's totally impossible to unseat him and he's a career, do-nothing, politician. We had an incredible candidate take him on in the last election and thought we had a chance, yet gerrymandering totally ruined it for him. I worked hard for him and I'm still not over it, going on over a year now. I do understand. Until gerrymandering is OUTLAWED (HELLO JOE BIDEN, can you say VOTING RIGHTS?) we are at the mercy of this disgusting practice. There is no fairness in our electoral system.
Sorry to hear that Andy. I’m obviously a complete stranger so I don’t know if you really need to hear this, but here is one thing I can say: You’re not alone. There are hundreds of thousands of Americans who like you are represented by politicians who don’t represent their point of view, and they are still positive. Life is more than politics. You said you have a daughter - Enjoy time with her. Don’t get sucked into the doom loop. And the more you’re able to do that, the more you’ll be able to stay positive and have a better outlook on politics even if nothing really ever changes.
I'm laying back now but fully intend to be involved in the Houlahan re-election campaign as well as the Muth (State Sen here in PA) campaign. BUT, and I am asking you Dan, can there, will there, be a carve-out in the filibuster for VOTING RIGHTS, because everyone from Edward Luce (@EdwardGLuce (Financial Times) to Tom Nichols @RadioFreeTom to Marc Elias @marceelias to Josh Marshall @joshtpm is shouting from the rootops. Is BIDEN tone-deaf here? Or will his 'nothing we can't do if we do it together' un-warranted optimision, going to take us right off the cliff???? I'd like to see Manchin and Sinema say 'no' to a carve-out.
If Omicron turns out to be more like the common cold and out-competes Delta, Dems stand a chance. If it turns out to be as virulent as Delta, nothing else the Democrats do will make a damn bit of difference.
On top of that …
My roots are working class, and they are being SLAMMED by inflation right now. Dems are as tone deaf to that as they were back when Pelosi said the Trump tax cuts didn’t do anything for the working class. I’m also reminded of Bush’s shock at the price of milk when he lowered himself to walk in a store. Sadly, I’m no longer surprised when a Democrat is as out of touch as a Republican.
People who are struggling to make ends meet NOW don’t care that they will be better off LATER, especially when the people making predictions come back and say “Ooops, it looks like it will last longer than I expected. My bad.”
On top of that …
Do you have any feel for what it’s like to be a low wage worker with health insurance hear the president say “You can get reimbursed for those $12 a swab tests. And people without insurance can get them for free.”? Do you? I guarantee you that not a single soul in the White House does.
There’s a “Let them eat cake” feel to every fucking pronouncement that impacts the working class from the White House these days. They may not intend it, but they sure as hell send it. It begs the question as to whether they have any ground level connections to the working class.
Go ahead and shoot the messengers bringing bad news, but it would make the attempts of people like me to influence our working class relatives that Democrats care about them if they would put their brains in gear before engaging their clueless mouths.
You are so spot on; I live in PA06 (Chrissie Houlahan territory) and people do NOT care one whit about how BIF will help down the road. They care about GAS PRICES NOW. Now, as I am 74, I can tell any of you younger people out there that this too, will pass. Been there and done that so many many times. But voters do think in the NOW; they DO vote their wallets.
there's definitely an opportunity for better messaging, because it isn't really "inflation" as much as corporations raising prices... because they can, and they're getting away with it: https://popular.info/p/inflation-exposed-the-real-reason
And they are getting away with it bec ppl buy at the inflated price....they stop buying and the price comes down.
Whose job is it to tell them how much they can charge? I’d be REALLY careful with that message; it has boomerang written all over it.
But even if the Biden had rock solid evidence of your claim, they’d still fuck up applying it. Exhibit A is the test reimbursement SNAFU I noted. They really had to work at it to screw that up.
Super good lay of the land, Dan. Affirmed and re-energised, thank you.
I want to be positive, I really do, but I live in a gerrymandered district in Wisconsin. I have no elected official who represents my point of view in any way, not even in a marginal way. Not only that, but based on the makeup of the WI Supreme Court, there is no way to un-gerrymander my district. In the last election the first Democratic challenger to the incumbent (who is Robin Vos if that means anything to anyone) had to drop out because he was getting death threats against himself and his family. I phone bank, talk to others, post signs in my yard and have recurring donations to the WI Dem party along with several other progressive groups. It's so, so, so frustrating to me that every time the GOP does these things the only message that comes from the our side is for us to donate more money so they can elect more Democrats. But we CAN'T elect any Democrats with the maps the way they are. And we can't go to either the state or federal courts. So we are stuck. I'm so demoralized by the whole thing. And that's just in my little corner of the world. I am afraid for what the future holds for my daughter on so many levels and I feel impotent to affect any change on her behalf. I literally feel guilty for having brought her into this world. Like I said, I want to be positive, but I'm having a really hard time getting there. So what can one person do??
I am so very sorry to hear this. Here in PA, for our State Rep, it's totally impossible to unseat him and he's a career, do-nothing, politician. We had an incredible candidate take him on in the last election and thought we had a chance, yet gerrymandering totally ruined it for him. I worked hard for him and I'm still not over it, going on over a year now. I do understand. Until gerrymandering is OUTLAWED (HELLO JOE BIDEN, can you say VOTING RIGHTS?) we are at the mercy of this disgusting practice. There is no fairness in our electoral system.
Sorry to hear that Andy. I’m obviously a complete stranger so I don’t know if you really need to hear this, but here is one thing I can say: You’re not alone. There are hundreds of thousands of Americans who like you are represented by politicians who don’t represent their point of view, and they are still positive. Life is more than politics. You said you have a daughter - Enjoy time with her. Don’t get sucked into the doom loop. And the more you’re able to do that, the more you’ll be able to stay positive and have a better outlook on politics even if nothing really ever changes.
We needed this, thanks Dan.
One of your best -- thanks!
I'm laying back now but fully intend to be involved in the Houlahan re-election campaign as well as the Muth (State Sen here in PA) campaign. BUT, and I am asking you Dan, can there, will there, be a carve-out in the filibuster for VOTING RIGHTS, because everyone from Edward Luce (@EdwardGLuce (Financial Times) to Tom Nichols @RadioFreeTom to Marc Elias @marceelias to Josh Marshall @joshtpm is shouting from the rootops. Is BIDEN tone-deaf here? Or will his 'nothing we can't do if we do it together' un-warranted optimision, going to take us right off the cliff???? I'd like to see Manchin and Sinema say 'no' to a carve-out.
Thank you sir!
Thanks so much for this.