“A Harris/Trump election draws clear lines: the Democrats, for all their flaws, are the party of multi-racial democracy; the Republicans are the party of violent white patriarchy.”
This is exactly it. This history of the GOP over the last several decades has led to this moment. That is undeniable and a lot of centrist pundits need to stop denying that.
The Republican Party has been trending in this direction since the Civil Rights era and that was often denied to our nation’s detriment. The coalition included multiple motivations but it was held by a reactionary ideological core that grew into something ugly.
Yes they have and behind the scenes while out front they kept pushing "we're the party of fiscal responsibility" well, we all know the truth about that, tax cuts for the already stinking rich. "We're the party of personal responsibility." Ha, show us that again please. Doesn't exist except in their daily 'meditations' for their pathetic little cult who long ago picked up the message and repeated it mindlessly.
Excellent summary. One note, about the marijuana convictions. Only 45 of these 1900 marijuana convictions went on to have prison sentences imposed though. It’s a widespread misconception.
Still and all—ONE prison sentence for marijuana is too many! And she really was a hardass on the issue, and other "lifestyle crimes", as a prosecutor—one reason I'm less than delighted about her, and will likely remain so.
But...She's Not Donald Trump, and is definitely able to clearly draw the contrasts. I still worry this is a mistake, but the majority of the Democratic Party throwing its support behind her so quickly shows they consider her both capable and electable. Also, I'm certainly petty enough to bathe in the *schadenfreude* of Trump and his Fake Hillbilly Fascist Toady losing their shit over having to run against a young, energetic Black Woman, which makes the contrast between the two parties so much clearer than Joe Biden was able to as Another Old White Man dragging a Lot of Corporate and Racial Baggage with him.
Social acceptance of cannabis and then rapid changes in the laws happened after Harris was a prosecutor. It is called "evolving," changing with the times and social attitudes.
Strikes me that anybody who went hard after marijuana, which was decriminalized by the mid-1970s when I lived in California, is a self-righteous prig—as does anybody who goes hard after sex industry workers rather than the higher-ups who (so I've been told) engage in human trafficking, addiction, and other forms of organized crime. Kamala Harris has been seriously behind the curve on so many social issues that I'm shocked she didn't originally run as a Republican!
Don't try making excuses for her to me—she's FAR from perfect. That she's a lot LESS far than Donald Trump is enough for me, but don't expect me to hail her as some Great Progressive Hope when she's clearly not....
If that's the best you have to put me down, which is all you're doing?
You've failed.
I'm a recovering alcoholic who cannabinoids affect...badly. I tried CBD when I had lower back pain as a way to get off Aspirin and Ibuprofen, and ended up having White Nights because cannabis causes my brain to race and I can't get to sleep.
But...just because MY brain chemistry can't handle alcohol or cannabinoids doesn't mean I want to prohibit EVERYBODY from it, law or no law.
Kamala is the second woman to run for President. Hillary Clinton created the crease for her, winning the popular vote by millions. Clinton’s mistake was undervaluing key swing states — a mortal miscalculation for her. Kamala’s multicultural attributes are a massive bonus for us Dems, I believe. She is the right candidate at the right time to become our next president and to beat the Felon in a true landslide. The energy and joy are palpable — watch this “Cat Lady” ROAR 🦁!!!
People tend to forget that Hilary won the popular vote and that America at the time was crabby and hungry for a change with Hilary seeming more to the status quo and Trump certainly representing change. It's also hard to win the Presidency for a party that's just won it two times in a row. But while I think people are over-doing the hype of Kamala in the initial rush of excitement I reckon that Kamala is a more natural politician than Hilary.
Hillary would have been a good President. She was a good SOS. For sure there are things not to like, as with everyone, but Trump was going to be, and was, a disaster. That it was and is so close has really made me take note of our electoral system, how it can be gamed ( it's flaws), the political immaturity of the voter, and probably at bottom the lack of education as to what this country is about,( or what I learned it is about in the great public school system of NYC years ago.)
Agreed. In a presidential campaign there's a level of showmanship and theater that feels a bit like late-night cable host selections: "liked by most, hated by few". Clinton had a tendency to "laugh at her own jokes" and generally look smug that did her no favors. Plenty of people held their noses (Hassan Minhaj notably compared voting for her to 'eating broccoli'), but 2016 was hers to lose.
Vote Kamala! When I take a minute and quietly look at what Democrats want for our country and ALL the people who live here, I see hope, progress, and positivity. When I look at what Republican MAGAs want for our country and a limited amount of people who live here, I see doom, gloom, and negativity. I honestly don't understand how everyone can't see, even feel, all of this.
So Vance says Harris has done nothing the last 20 years. His party says Harris is the architect of all policies the last 3 1/2 years while hiding Biden’s unfitness. 🤷🏼♀️
I like ADJUDICATED RAPIST better than " A jury found Trump liable for sexually assaulting writer and journalist E. Jean Carroll" sexual assault softens what he did to E Jean Carrol and the Judge himself said it was "Rape" as commonly understood so it is correct to call it that and in no way defamatory towards Trump. Also "guilty of 34 felony" offers more clarity than detailing the underlying business falsification scheme. " He also faces charges involving mishandling of classified documents...." Also strikes me as weak and confusing wording for what Trump did. Trump is charged with STEALING, SHARING, AND FAILING TO SECURE HIGHLY CLASSIFIED NATIONAL SECURITY SECRETS that endangers our allies, agents and informants abroad and national security, more clearly conveys the criminality and deviousness of Trumps actions. Clinton, Biden, Pence and others arguably "mishandled classified documents" it just didn't rise to the level of intentional criminality.
Just to be clear - "voters" voted for Clinton, the Electoral College elected Trump. That is, he got votes from most of the land, not most of the people.
That being said, repeating the same misogynist strategy used on Clinton just won't work again. We see it now through the lens of the rights they have taken away and the intentions they have to make it all much, much worse. All the accusations they threw at Clinton just were not true, as we see now; in four years there was never an attempt to prosecute her for anything. People now know, even if they don't want to, that misogynist and racist attacks are only a sign of weakness and fear. Now is the time to vote for the candidate who is not a criminal.
"Trump claimed he wouldn’t sign a national abortion ban and that he wants to leave the issue up to the states,". "Leaving it up to the states" does NOT mean leaving it up to the people in those states, but rather, leaving it up to the repugs who are elected in heavily gerrymandered areas and financed (where I came from) by guys like christian nationalist Tim Dunn. I worked for Planned Parenthood in Houston for 17 years. Harris County, (which is huge and populous) given the choice, would never have outlawed abortion.
Vance said that Harris is not grateful enough for what this country has done for her?? Wow.
Trump sure picked a winner. This should go viral. Harris has been working for this country many years. What has Vance, the opportunist, the wet behind the ears candidate for VP, done besides sow hate and division?
"A Harris/Trump election draws clear lines: the Democrats, for all their flaws, are the party of multi-racial democracy; the Republicans are the party of violent white patriarchy."
Democrats are for tolerance and inclusion and internationally for world order amongst peaceful nations. Republicans are for intolerance ( racial and male gender supremacy), fighting and division internally to gain power, and isolation from the rest of the world except for brother authoritarians and oligarchs.
To me, a leader’s number one job: inspire people to act - at the right time - in the right way. Kamala was correctly positioned - and Biden’s timing turned out to be just right. The next 100 days will in fact be fun and it’s a relief.
Questions still out there: will the party infuse down ballot candidates with the same enthusiasm? Will they communicate that Harris needs a D Congress to bury Trump policies forever & codify Roe, Voting Rights, Election money, worker protections, minimum wage, etc?
Could we amend the Constitution?
It’s go big or go home time. Will the party put some democracy-sized holes in the walls that need to be torn down? Can’t wait to find out.
Political scientists will be writing books about the last eight weeks (and the coming backlash to right wing money) for decades. (I hope we’re all keeping journals! lol.)
This is a good question. In terms of policy, it feels like there's been a slow groundswell of support for SCOTUS / Federal court reform. Systemic change will require political capital (see, eg, Obamacare vs climate change). And the political winds behind abortion rights seem to be aligning with concerns about gerontocracy, judicial ethics, and representative democracy (eg gerrymandering, judicial activism). And as SCOTUS approval plummets, they could make a very attractive target to focus reform efforts on (ie, efficient use of political capital).
Maybe Kamala Harris did, and maybe it's being stressed, but it needs to be again that giving birth is not necessarily mothering and mothering does not have to mean giving birth. By giving birth you are a mother. You can be a mother without giving birth. And father's can "mother". The meaning of words as we use them needs to be clarified. Is this so difficult for common discourse?
“A Harris/Trump election draws clear lines: the Democrats, for all their flaws, are the party of multi-racial democracy; the Republicans are the party of violent white patriarchy.”
This is exactly it. This history of the GOP over the last several decades has led to this moment. That is undeniable and a lot of centrist pundits need to stop denying that.
The Republican Party has been trending in this direction since the Civil Rights era and that was often denied to our nation’s detriment. The coalition included multiple motivations but it was held by a reactionary ideological core that grew into something ugly.
Yes they have and behind the scenes while out front they kept pushing "we're the party of fiscal responsibility" well, we all know the truth about that, tax cuts for the already stinking rich. "We're the party of personal responsibility." Ha, show us that again please. Doesn't exist except in their daily 'meditations' for their pathetic little cult who long ago picked up the message and repeated it mindlessly.
Can't say it started out particularly good looking but it's definitely really ugly now!
Excellent summary. One note, about the marijuana convictions. Only 45 of these 1900 marijuana convictions went on to have prison sentences imposed though. It’s a widespread misconception.
Still and all—ONE prison sentence for marijuana is too many! And she really was a hardass on the issue, and other "lifestyle crimes", as a prosecutor—one reason I'm less than delighted about her, and will likely remain so.
But...She's Not Donald Trump, and is definitely able to clearly draw the contrasts. I still worry this is a mistake, but the majority of the Democratic Party throwing its support behind her so quickly shows they consider her both capable and electable. Also, I'm certainly petty enough to bathe in the *schadenfreude* of Trump and his Fake Hillbilly Fascist Toady losing their shit over having to run against a young, energetic Black Woman, which makes the contrast between the two parties so much clearer than Joe Biden was able to as Another Old White Man dragging a Lot of Corporate and Racial Baggage with him.
Social acceptance of cannabis and then rapid changes in the laws happened after Harris was a prosecutor. It is called "evolving," changing with the times and social attitudes.
Strikes me that anybody who went hard after marijuana, which was decriminalized by the mid-1970s when I lived in California, is a self-righteous prig—as does anybody who goes hard after sex industry workers rather than the higher-ups who (so I've been told) engage in human trafficking, addiction, and other forms of organized crime. Kamala Harris has been seriously behind the curve on so many social issues that I'm shocked she didn't originally run as a Republican!
Don't try making excuses for her to me—she's FAR from perfect. That she's a lot LESS far than Donald Trump is enough for me, but don't expect me to hail her as some Great Progressive Hope when she's clearly not....
You seem nice.
Hey, maybe smoke some weed to help you relax.
If that's the best you have to put me down, which is all you're doing?
You've failed.
I'm a recovering alcoholic who cannabinoids affect...badly. I tried CBD when I had lower back pain as a way to get off Aspirin and Ibuprofen, and ended up having White Nights because cannabis causes my brain to race and I can't get to sleep.
But...just because MY brain chemistry can't handle alcohol or cannabinoids doesn't mean I want to prohibit EVERYBODY from it, law or no law.
Kamala is the second woman to run for President. Hillary Clinton created the crease for her, winning the popular vote by millions. Clinton’s mistake was undervaluing key swing states — a mortal miscalculation for her. Kamala’s multicultural attributes are a massive bonus for us Dems, I believe. She is the right candidate at the right time to become our next president and to beat the Felon in a true landslide. The energy and joy are palpable — watch this “Cat Lady” ROAR 🦁!!!
People tend to forget that Hilary won the popular vote and that America at the time was crabby and hungry for a change with Hilary seeming more to the status quo and Trump certainly representing change. It's also hard to win the Presidency for a party that's just won it two times in a row. But while I think people are over-doing the hype of Kamala in the initial rush of excitement I reckon that Kamala is a more natural politician than Hilary.
Hillary would have been a good President. She was a good SOS. For sure there are things not to like, as with everyone, but Trump was going to be, and was, a disaster. That it was and is so close has really made me take note of our electoral system, how it can be gamed ( it's flaws), the political immaturity of the voter, and probably at bottom the lack of education as to what this country is about,( or what I learned it is about in the great public school system of NYC years ago.)
Agreed. In a presidential campaign there's a level of showmanship and theater that feels a bit like late-night cable host selections: "liked by most, hated by few". Clinton had a tendency to "laugh at her own jokes" and generally look smug that did her no favors. Plenty of people held their noses (Hassan Minhaj notably compared voting for her to 'eating broccoli'), but 2016 was hers to lose.
All in for Harris-Whomever as VP.
Vote Kamala! When I take a minute and quietly look at what Democrats want for our country and ALL the people who live here, I see hope, progress, and positivity. When I look at what Republican MAGAs want for our country and a limited amount of people who live here, I see doom, gloom, and negativity. I honestly don't understand how everyone can't see, even feel, all of this.
I like your contrast: "hope-progress-positivity" versus "doom-gloom-negativity."
I also like living in a diverse community! Where's the fun in everybody being the same??
So Vance says Harris has done nothing the last 20 years. His party says Harris is the architect of all policies the last 3 1/2 years while hiding Biden’s unfitness. 🤷🏼♀️
"Don't mess me up with facts," said the Little Red Toady. <g>
What was I thinking?! Ha!
This substack was beautifully written. Great job Noah.
WE'RE NOT GOING BACK!✊🏻✊🏻
I like ADJUDICATED RAPIST better than " A jury found Trump liable for sexually assaulting writer and journalist E. Jean Carroll" sexual assault softens what he did to E Jean Carrol and the Judge himself said it was "Rape" as commonly understood so it is correct to call it that and in no way defamatory towards Trump. Also "guilty of 34 felony" offers more clarity than detailing the underlying business falsification scheme. " He also faces charges involving mishandling of classified documents...." Also strikes me as weak and confusing wording for what Trump did. Trump is charged with STEALING, SHARING, AND FAILING TO SECURE HIGHLY CLASSIFIED NATIONAL SECURITY SECRETS that endangers our allies, agents and informants abroad and national security, more clearly conveys the criminality and deviousness of Trumps actions. Clinton, Biden, Pence and others arguably "mishandled classified documents" it just didn't rise to the level of intentional criminality.
Just to be clear - "voters" voted for Clinton, the Electoral College elected Trump. That is, he got votes from most of the land, not most of the people.
That being said, repeating the same misogynist strategy used on Clinton just won't work again. We see it now through the lens of the rights they have taken away and the intentions they have to make it all much, much worse. All the accusations they threw at Clinton just were not true, as we see now; in four years there was never an attempt to prosecute her for anything. People now know, even if they don't want to, that misogynist and racist attacks are only a sign of weakness and fear. Now is the time to vote for the candidate who is not a criminal.
💯 agree. we have also wised up to MSM ‘both sides’ shenanigans and manufactured drama for $ clicks.
"Trump claimed he wouldn’t sign a national abortion ban and that he wants to leave the issue up to the states,". "Leaving it up to the states" does NOT mean leaving it up to the people in those states, but rather, leaving it up to the repugs who are elected in heavily gerrymandered areas and financed (where I came from) by guys like christian nationalist Tim Dunn. I worked for Planned Parenthood in Houston for 17 years. Harris County, (which is huge and populous) given the choice, would never have outlawed abortion.
Exactly this ^^^
My bumper sticker: ¡QUIERO KAMALA!
Shouldn't it be ME QUIERE KAMALA? <g,d,r>
spanglish
Does it come with guacamole?
you know it!
Vance said that Harris is not grateful enough for what this country has done for her?? Wow.
Trump sure picked a winner. This should go viral. Harris has been working for this country many years. What has Vance, the opportunist, the wet behind the ears candidate for VP, done besides sow hate and division?
"A Harris/Trump election draws clear lines: the Democrats, for all their flaws, are the party of multi-racial democracy; the Republicans are the party of violent white patriarchy."
Democrats are for tolerance and inclusion and internationally for world order amongst peaceful nations. Republicans are for intolerance ( racial and male gender supremacy), fighting and division internally to gain power, and isolation from the rest of the world except for brother authoritarians and oligarchs.
Thanks Aaron!
To me, a leader’s number one job: inspire people to act - at the right time - in the right way. Kamala was correctly positioned - and Biden’s timing turned out to be just right. The next 100 days will in fact be fun and it’s a relief.
Questions still out there: will the party infuse down ballot candidates with the same enthusiasm? Will they communicate that Harris needs a D Congress to bury Trump policies forever & codify Roe, Voting Rights, Election money, worker protections, minimum wage, etc?
Could we amend the Constitution?
It’s go big or go home time. Will the party put some democracy-sized holes in the walls that need to be torn down? Can’t wait to find out.
Political scientists will be writing books about the last eight weeks (and the coming backlash to right wing money) for decades. (I hope we’re all keeping journals! lol.)
This is a good question. In terms of policy, it feels like there's been a slow groundswell of support for SCOTUS / Federal court reform. Systemic change will require political capital (see, eg, Obamacare vs climate change). And the political winds behind abortion rights seem to be aligning with concerns about gerontocracy, judicial ethics, and representative democracy (eg gerrymandering, judicial activism). And as SCOTUS approval plummets, they could make a very attractive target to focus reform efforts on (ie, efficient use of political capital).
It feels a lot like 2008.
Maybe Kamala Harris did, and maybe it's being stressed, but it needs to be again that giving birth is not necessarily mothering and mothering does not have to mean giving birth. By giving birth you are a mother. You can be a mother without giving birth. And father's can "mother". The meaning of words as we use them needs to be clarified. Is this so difficult for common discourse?