I have analyzed in depth all 450 House CDs and found only 20 held by republicans that are truly “competitive” this election! Biden actually carried most of them in 2020 but the Rs running for Congress managed to squeak thru or in 2022! The most effective and efficient way to secure a really significant majority going forward is to generously contribute to the most effective tax deductible 501C3 which is run by brilliant Harvard students who are registering hundreds of thousands Community College students & HS seniors only in those truly “competitive” CDs! So please tonight and tomorrow go to www.TurnUp.US and contribute generously, get a full tax deduction and know you are empowering a real defense for Democracy! Thank you!
Most of the Democratic politicians will foolishly spend the contributions everyone on this list sent them on TV commercials, political consultants, and direct mail flyers that 95% of the citizens who received them throw into the trash unopened! What they almost unanimously don’t do is pay ambitious and enthusiastic younger folks to run constant voter registration drives for the senior class at their high schools and all the students at their local Community College based on three currently prevalent issues that matter to most if not all 18 to 29s: protection of abortion rights, banning assault weapons (particularly near or in school) and fighting climate change so that they can have a decent life before they turn 40 years old! Political folks say :”But Ira, young folks don’t vote!” True, only about 35% of younger folks vote!
BUT Statistics prove that 70%+ of younger folks who are registered DO VOTE, particularly when motivated by abortion bans, school shootings and climate change! So www.TurnUp.US needs your tax deductible contributions to register those young voters and the same stats prove that 70% or more of them will vote Democrat from the top of the ballot all the way down!
So that’s why your contribution to nonpartisan TurnUp.US which doesn’t directly support candidates is so important!In order to win this election in those congressional districts that are “truly competitive,” those thousands of new enthusiastic younger voters in each CD will recognize which candidates support abortion protections, gun control and the climate fight! Please help today and tomorrow and pass the word to your family and friends? Www.TurnUP.US and thank you!
Many thanks; your contribution will make a REAL difference in registering young women and men who want to protect abortion rights, gun control and effective policies vs climate change!
I agree with you completely, Steven. The hour is late, as it is, so very important to coalesce around Kamala Harris as quickly as possible and keep the momentum going. Especially since choosing anyone else would have significantly adverse consequences anyway
The Brits can hold a national election in six weeks. The French held two national elections in 2 weeks! That, IMHO, is one reason Americans are turned off on politics because our “election season” is based in years not months or weeks!
The NYT has apparently a story headlined "some black voters feel Kamala can't win" presumably because she's black/biracial. Uh, remember Obama? The woman part is more concerning, but since Hillary "lost" the electoral college a lot of the misogyny has settled down into those already converted to the cult. The constant harping about what "real men" are is going to attract those folks to trump if they aren't already there.
I am getting really tired of the arrogance of pundits--self-appointed ones at that. I think you guys are right--disunity drives clicks, not votes.
Wonderful and succinct discussion. I could understand some concerns if Kamala was some random member of the House or Senate. She is actually the VP and was on the ticket with Biden. Who better to carry the torch for Biden and his accomplishments than the person he endorsed when he stepped aside? Right, no one. If folks wanted to support Biden, at the very least they were supporting Harris by proxy if not outright. The rest of this is just noise trying to get clicks.
As Jon Stewart said in May, "Outrage is the engine of our modern media economy." Graeme Wood and the Atlantic obviously subscribe to and embrace this mindset and apparently feel they must generate outrage and discontent where none exists. I'm not buying it.
After reading your post and Graeme Wood’s view, I’ll add my own slanted opinion about the US election process. I’ve often wondered why our neighbors to the South hold such long election campaigns. The US is now in the midst of a very different one with Biden’s decision to step aside. The short period of time that it took Americans to coalesce around Kamala Harris was a surprise not only to me but also it seems to a lot of US voters, including the money that has been raised in her support. Should Kamala maintain her momentum and handily puts Trump in the proverbial back seat, perhaps the US will want to review its election protocols to reduce the electioneering process to a month or two. If Canada, the UK and France can hold elections in a timely fashion, why not the US.
I think Americans would love shorter campaigns. In the ‘old days’ they didn’t kick into gear until Labor Day. Imagine funding for charitable causes that would be available. I suspect it would need a new legal interpretation of ‘free speech’. This is the land of Supreme Court rulings saying “corporations are people” and “money = speech” in politics. Political speech is supposed to be a highly protected form of speech. Meaningful change would need to apply to candidates, campaigns & supporters and be enforceable. I see a lot potholes to navigate.
I should add, France is a tad smaller than the state of TX. The US is about 40x larger than the UK. CAN and the US are roughly the same geographic size, I don’t know if the same time period would work. It would take a lot to dismantle the monster & replace it.
The coalescing around Kamala Harris is overwhelming. Aside from (and because of) all her great qualities, she & Biden had a joint campaign. Therefore a handoff to her of all campaign efforts & funds could be almost seamless. (The GOP is suing anyway.) For other candidates, major complications & delays. (more serious lawsuits) For instance, returning all donations to donors and asking them to donate to a new fund. She is the most practical choice to meet the moment & a short timeframe. We’re very fortunate Biden chose her as VP.
To really get in the weeds … I don’t know about CAN, but the US Constitution says each state runs its elections. We have different processes & deadlines. Ohio supposedly ‘fixed’ its deadline issue for the Dems (commonly done for both parties). After repeatedly refusing in regular session, the governor called a special session. A bill passed which he signed.
The deadline is currently August 7th and the bill doesn’t become law until September 1. The Heritage Foundation says it will sue in OH (and other states) - despite the DNC early virtual roll call vote planned before Biden withdrew to meet the Aug 7 deadline. Another reason campaigns are so expensive.
Thank you for your comprehensive response. Although Canada is larger than the US in area, our population is much smaller with slightly over 40M people or 9%. Our Federal elections are run by the Feds, provincial ones by each of the provinces and all municipal elections are run by each municipality including school trusties, under guidelines set by the province. Big difference in our system is that we do not elect our law enforcement personnel, civic or provincial court judges or crown prosecutors. We also have 5 1/2 time zones, making it challenging to run federal elections. Party leaders are elected by delegates within the respectives parties. I wasn’t advocating for similar process but I can say that US election fatigue must have an impact on voter turnout. Currently your process could take as long as 2-years, and most candidates run their campaigns far longer than 6-8 weeks. As I said, Kamala’s late entry into the pool will demonstrate whether a shorter campaign could be entertained in future elections.
No doubt election fatigue pushes people away. Katy Tur about lost her mind when both reporters in the field the day after Biden withdrew said some people weren’t aware of it. Chris Jensen and the reporters discussed how this isn’t new. People become overloaded, turn off their notifications, etc. A campaign industry has developed over time. It is a monster than soaks up a lot of time, energy & money.
Voters also get ‘ballot fatigue’ when the ballots expand to 2-3 pages. They either skip portions or vote for the first name or a familiar name.
Police are usually state or municipal entities with an appointed chief or commissioner. Sheriffs are county creatures & usually elected.
In our state the Constitution puts them in charge of security at court houses & collection of certain taxes. Otherwise their duties vary from county to county depending on whether & how much local law enforcement exists and agreements between them on duties.
Mr. Wood may want to reflect upon the views of what the grassroots people want. Delegates will be voting their choices and have already given support. It seems most Democratic strongholds are not interested in infighting, but interested in democracy and winning the presidency. This is not a reality show. We are fighting for our lives. This guy needs to go away with his drama.
I read that piece in The Guardian too and thought it was…..off base, to put it nicely, so I am in complete agreement that UNITY is not a bad thing. I mean, come on!!
It’s always rewarding to read, and listen, to your thoughts regarding all things Political,
Media(news), Democracy, etc. And, I suppose, what I once imagined was “Common” sense.
I continue to learn from you both, and more relevant to me personally, find you to be Kindred Spirits. No one/writer will spoil that for me. Especially now that my “Hopes” are realized.
I didn't want Biden to withdraw, bur people are overwhelmingly thrilled that Harris is running. The solidarity of the Democratic party and their getting behind Harris, along with ordinary voters who have donated hugely to her new campaign, brings great hope that I didn't feel a few days ago. Trump cannot bear Harris, and he knows it, which is why he's going to try to assassinate her character and play the misogynist card. As if he's as pure as the driven snow, ha!
I think there is something to be said for allowing voters a say in the choice of Biden’s successor. For practical reasons it is probably for the best that Harris got such a warm reception. But if we were fighting anyone but Trump, I think democracy suggests everyone has a voice. Thus—open convention. This year it would have been a mess and given Trump an edge. Also there is the argument that we elected Harris. But we all know we voted for the top of the ticket. At this point in time I am absolutely fine with Harris, but I don’t feel like I ever elected her to anything—she was part of a package deal. It is not in keeping with the democratic ideal of having a say to have a legacy candidate.
In a way it would have been better (in terms of democracy in action—not in real life) if Biden had resigned. Then she would have become President, and run in the election as such. Frankly, I’m not sure why the sitting President should end up being the Party nominee. After all, it is the contest which allows the candidates to air their views. Then the voter knows what they are voting.for.
The media, be it The Atlantic or FoxNews, thrives by promoting drama and controversy. It is not enough to report the news, the media wants to generate the stories that will enhance the chances of a desired outcome, ultimately enhance core profit.
Donald Trump should have been discredited, buried and forgotten long ago. Instead, he has been kept in the news, because his bullshit story is thought to enhance revenue.
From my point of view, the media has conspired to discredit itself and seriously erode whatever trust it may have once processed.
I have analyzed in depth all 450 House CDs and found only 20 held by republicans that are truly “competitive” this election! Biden actually carried most of them in 2020 but the Rs running for Congress managed to squeak thru or in 2022! The most effective and efficient way to secure a really significant majority going forward is to generously contribute to the most effective tax deductible 501C3 which is run by brilliant Harvard students who are registering hundreds of thousands Community College students & HS seniors only in those truly “competitive” CDs! So please tonight and tomorrow go to www.TurnUp.US and contribute generously, get a full tax deduction and know you are empowering a real defense for Democracy! Thank you!
Most of the Democratic politicians will foolishly spend the contributions everyone on this list sent them on TV commercials, political consultants, and direct mail flyers that 95% of the citizens who received them throw into the trash unopened! What they almost unanimously don’t do is pay ambitious and enthusiastic younger folks to run constant voter registration drives for the senior class at their high schools and all the students at their local Community College based on three currently prevalent issues that matter to most if not all 18 to 29s: protection of abortion rights, banning assault weapons (particularly near or in school) and fighting climate change so that they can have a decent life before they turn 40 years old! Political folks say :”But Ira, young folks don’t vote!” True, only about 35% of younger folks vote!
BUT Statistics prove that 70%+ of younger folks who are registered DO VOTE, particularly when motivated by abortion bans, school shootings and climate change! So www.TurnUp.US needs your tax deductible contributions to register those young voters and the same stats prove that 70% or more of them will vote Democrat from the top of the ballot all the way down!
So that’s why your contribution to nonpartisan TurnUp.US which doesn’t directly support candidates is so important!In order to win this election in those congressional districts that are “truly competitive,” those thousands of new enthusiastic younger voters in each CD will recognize which candidates support abortion protections, gun control and the climate fight! Please help today and tomorrow and pass the word to your family and friends? Www.TurnUP.US and thank you!
Thanks for this great information! Will make a donation today!
Many thanks; your contribution will make a REAL difference in registering young women and men who want to protect abortion rights, gun control and effective policies vs climate change!
Done.
Please pass it on to your friends? Thanks
Done.
done
Please copy and pass it on to your friends Thanks
Facebook, my corner of it, now has the link.
Many thanks; really the most effective use of contributions!
Done
I agree with you completely, Steven. The hour is late, as it is, so very important to coalesce around Kamala Harris as quickly as possible and keep the momentum going. Especially since choosing anyone else would have significantly adverse consequences anyway
The Brits can hold a national election in six weeks. The French held two national elections in 2 weeks! That, IMHO, is one reason Americans are turned off on politics because our “election season” is based in years not months or weeks!
Thank you for just laying it on the line... the madness is out of control let it stay on the MAGA side..you are a breath of fresh air every day
The NYT has apparently a story headlined "some black voters feel Kamala can't win" presumably because she's black/biracial. Uh, remember Obama? The woman part is more concerning, but since Hillary "lost" the electoral college a lot of the misogyny has settled down into those already converted to the cult. The constant harping about what "real men" are is going to attract those folks to trump if they aren't already there.
I am getting really tired of the arrogance of pundits--self-appointed ones at that. I think you guys are right--disunity drives clicks, not votes.
Wonderful and succinct discussion. I could understand some concerns if Kamala was some random member of the House or Senate. She is actually the VP and was on the ticket with Biden. Who better to carry the torch for Biden and his accomplishments than the person he endorsed when he stepped aside? Right, no one. If folks wanted to support Biden, at the very least they were supporting Harris by proxy if not outright. The rest of this is just noise trying to get clicks.
As Jon Stewart said in May, "Outrage is the engine of our modern media economy." Graeme Wood and the Atlantic obviously subscribe to and embrace this mindset and apparently feel they must generate outrage and discontent where none exists. I'm not buying it.
The MAGA emperor has (and never had) no clothes. More folks are finally starting to notice….
My 18 year old granddaughter who follows Tik Tok and Instagram says everybody is excited about and supports Harris.
United is part of our American language - The UNITED States of America.
After reading your post and Graeme Wood’s view, I’ll add my own slanted opinion about the US election process. I’ve often wondered why our neighbors to the South hold such long election campaigns. The US is now in the midst of a very different one with Biden’s decision to step aside. The short period of time that it took Americans to coalesce around Kamala Harris was a surprise not only to me but also it seems to a lot of US voters, including the money that has been raised in her support. Should Kamala maintain her momentum and handily puts Trump in the proverbial back seat, perhaps the US will want to review its election protocols to reduce the electioneering process to a month or two. If Canada, the UK and France can hold elections in a timely fashion, why not the US.
I think Americans would love shorter campaigns. In the ‘old days’ they didn’t kick into gear until Labor Day. Imagine funding for charitable causes that would be available. I suspect it would need a new legal interpretation of ‘free speech’. This is the land of Supreme Court rulings saying “corporations are people” and “money = speech” in politics. Political speech is supposed to be a highly protected form of speech. Meaningful change would need to apply to candidates, campaigns & supporters and be enforceable. I see a lot potholes to navigate.
I should add, France is a tad smaller than the state of TX. The US is about 40x larger than the UK. CAN and the US are roughly the same geographic size, I don’t know if the same time period would work. It would take a lot to dismantle the monster & replace it.
The coalescing around Kamala Harris is overwhelming. Aside from (and because of) all her great qualities, she & Biden had a joint campaign. Therefore a handoff to her of all campaign efforts & funds could be almost seamless. (The GOP is suing anyway.) For other candidates, major complications & delays. (more serious lawsuits) For instance, returning all donations to donors and asking them to donate to a new fund. She is the most practical choice to meet the moment & a short timeframe. We’re very fortunate Biden chose her as VP.
To really get in the weeds … I don’t know about CAN, but the US Constitution says each state runs its elections. We have different processes & deadlines. Ohio supposedly ‘fixed’ its deadline issue for the Dems (commonly done for both parties). After repeatedly refusing in regular session, the governor called a special session. A bill passed which he signed.
The deadline is currently August 7th and the bill doesn’t become law until September 1. The Heritage Foundation says it will sue in OH (and other states) - despite the DNC early virtual roll call vote planned before Biden withdrew to meet the Aug 7 deadline. Another reason campaigns are so expensive.
I think we’re going to learn that shorter campaigns are more than enough.
Thank you for your comprehensive response. Although Canada is larger than the US in area, our population is much smaller with slightly over 40M people or 9%. Our Federal elections are run by the Feds, provincial ones by each of the provinces and all municipal elections are run by each municipality including school trusties, under guidelines set by the province. Big difference in our system is that we do not elect our law enforcement personnel, civic or provincial court judges or crown prosecutors. We also have 5 1/2 time zones, making it challenging to run federal elections. Party leaders are elected by delegates within the respectives parties. I wasn’t advocating for similar process but I can say that US election fatigue must have an impact on voter turnout. Currently your process could take as long as 2-years, and most candidates run their campaigns far longer than 6-8 weeks. As I said, Kamala’s late entry into the pool will demonstrate whether a shorter campaign could be entertained in future elections.
No doubt election fatigue pushes people away. Katy Tur about lost her mind when both reporters in the field the day after Biden withdrew said some people weren’t aware of it. Chris Jensen and the reporters discussed how this isn’t new. People become overloaded, turn off their notifications, etc. A campaign industry has developed over time. It is a monster than soaks up a lot of time, energy & money.
Voters also get ‘ballot fatigue’ when the ballots expand to 2-3 pages. They either skip portions or vote for the first name or a familiar name.
Police are usually state or municipal entities with an appointed chief or commissioner. Sheriffs are county creatures & usually elected.
In our state the Constitution puts them in charge of security at court houses & collection of certain taxes. Otherwise their duties vary from county to county depending on whether & how much local law enforcement exists and agreements between them on duties.
Mr. Wood may want to reflect upon the views of what the grassroots people want. Delegates will be voting their choices and have already given support. It seems most Democratic strongholds are not interested in infighting, but interested in democracy and winning the presidency. This is not a reality show. We are fighting for our lives. This guy needs to go away with his drama.
I read that piece in The Guardian too and thought it was…..off base, to put it nicely, so I am in complete agreement that UNITY is not a bad thing. I mean, come on!!
Steven and Mark, thank you both!
It’s always rewarding to read, and listen, to your thoughts regarding all things Political,
Media(news), Democracy, etc. And, I suppose, what I once imagined was “Common” sense.
I continue to learn from you both, and more relevant to me personally, find you to be Kindred Spirits. No one/writer will spoil that for me. Especially now that my “Hopes” are realized.
Nice to hear!
Let’s work hard enough to get Kamala elected so that Mr. Wood can have his big dish of crow to eat.
This is a good sharing of two like minds. Both of you are making it a pleasant experience. Keep up the good work!
I didn't want Biden to withdraw, bur people are overwhelmingly thrilled that Harris is running. The solidarity of the Democratic party and their getting behind Harris, along with ordinary voters who have donated hugely to her new campaign, brings great hope that I didn't feel a few days ago. Trump cannot bear Harris, and he knows it, which is why he's going to try to assassinate her character and play the misogynist card. As if he's as pure as the driven snow, ha!
I think there is something to be said for allowing voters a say in the choice of Biden’s successor. For practical reasons it is probably for the best that Harris got such a warm reception. But if we were fighting anyone but Trump, I think democracy suggests everyone has a voice. Thus—open convention. This year it would have been a mess and given Trump an edge. Also there is the argument that we elected Harris. But we all know we voted for the top of the ticket. At this point in time I am absolutely fine with Harris, but I don’t feel like I ever elected her to anything—she was part of a package deal. It is not in keeping with the democratic ideal of having a say to have a legacy candidate.
In a way it would have been better (in terms of democracy in action—not in real life) if Biden had resigned. Then she would have become President, and run in the election as such. Frankly, I’m not sure why the sitting President should end up being the Party nominee. After all, it is the contest which allows the candidates to air their views. Then the voter knows what they are voting.for.
The media, be it The Atlantic or FoxNews, thrives by promoting drama and controversy. It is not enough to report the news, the media wants to generate the stories that will enhance the chances of a desired outcome, ultimately enhance core profit.
Donald Trump should have been discredited, buried and forgotten long ago. Instead, he has been kept in the news, because his bullshit story is thought to enhance revenue.
From my point of view, the media has conspired to discredit itself and seriously erode whatever trust it may have once processed.