I think you're on the exact right track with this. I feel like I've been operating from a place of fear since at least 2015. Harris taking the reigns is the first hope I've felt in a long, long time - politically speaking. I think that's why you're seeing record fundraising numbers, new voter registration, and volunteering.
People are *very* tired of being on defense all the time. It's time to take the fight to any and all would-be oppressors.
A lovely online friend of mine is a mid-20s Brooklyn far-left progressive (as in they work for an NGO and wasn't physically at the Columbia protests but was tangentially involved.) Today they DMed that "people in my office have shifted from preparing primarily for Trump to actually doing prep for both outcomes."
New GA poll results this morning. When polled on Monday, the results were 48% Trump, 47% Harris. That is *huge*, considering last week DJT was up 7 points in Georgia in a hypothetical matchup.
I know many of y'all are involved in postcard outreach. If you'd like to help on a micro level, I've gotten involved with Georgia Postcard Project -- https://www.gapostcard.org/ I. I like them because they're locally based and have specific voter information on the cards. Gonna start on my stack of 100 this weekend, and I ordered $53 worth of stamps, ha. ETA: The organization has affiliates in NC, MI, and WI, if that's y'all's neck of the woods.
(And don't tell anyone, but it looks like there's a faint-but-credible chance that my participation has snagged me an invite to a Kamala Harris rally in Atlanta next week! Fingers crossed!)
I just did some postcards tonight through Postcards to Voters, while listening to the zoom call for Harris! And some letters with Vote Forward. I bought a whole bunch of stamps before the rate increase, going to put them to good use!
I'm in NJ but follow the GPP, they did amazing work for the senate campaigns.
So when I read Classic saying that Pete's currently leading, it fits with your feelings. Choosing Buttigieg would be hopeful and confrontational in the spirit of no longer playing defense.
Yesterday I was at a decently well-attended picnic of Democrats in a deep red area of my county. Like, DEEP red. I've run for office here, and Democrats in public in this town was unthinkable 3 years ago. Anyway, talking to a couple of other (white, middle-aged) women, the feeling was that maybe people--and especially women--see this as a chance to re-do 2016 and get it right. To actually do the work, talk to voters, show up and get her in office...everything that didn't happen back then because "we" assumed Trump couldn't win.
I have hope. It seems like Pete is taking the lead in the VP sweepstakes and I really hope America can vote for a Black/South Asian woman and gay man. I hope.
Looks like Kelly's soft on unions which might be a dealbreaker so if we cant have the astronaut Ill take Pete any day, dude is the best public speaker i have seen since Obama and so so smart.
Fuck. Yes. What if we reform the supreme court? What if the presence of a liberal black woman in the White House convinces enough GOP congresspeople to support a constitutional amendment stripping presidential immunity? We have a real chance to unwind the last month of desolation and make America hope again. Anybody else remember hope? I forgot about it what with all the darkness.
Just her winning and making sure that we never have to hear from him again would be a big enough victory for me. Democratic majorities in congress and the senate, preferably big enough that two wolves in sheep's clothing can't muck it all up forcing us to accept the bare minimum of her agenda would be gravy, but for now just hoping for the first part is enough.
I'm going to spend the next 3 months not just thinking it's possible, but operating under the assumption that it WILL happen and working my ass off to help make it so. I can do this. Fuck despair. Fuck fear. Fuck hate. There is plenty of time for all those emotions if the worst DOES happen, so let's all just mentally choose to NOT focus on one and focus on the other. It will happen all. I believe strongly in my gut, we got this. Now go knock on some doors, send texts and emails or do the cold calling. And let's do this.
That ad is 🔥. I watched it 3 times and got goosebumps every time. A lot can happen in these months ahead but I have some cautious hope for the first time in a long time.
What if she won and helped reshape SCOTUS? What if she won and we never heard from TFG again? What if she won and passed meaningful immigration reform? What if she won and we could listen to the news without a droning nasally list of complaints, lies, and meaningless fake anecdotes? What if we never heard of Q again?
I am on board with that! When I read and hear all of the nasty things being lobbed by the other side, instead of anger and/or fear my immediate thought is "Y'all sound scared," and the feeling is "meh." That's a nice place, a preferable place to be right now.
The feeling that the election will be about what we want to become, rather than what can be used to divide us, has been such a relief the past few days. I have no confidence it can last in this political environment, but it has been wonderful.
Also, editors -- I don't begrudge your writers the use of useful tools to clean up their articles, but you could at least remove the leading sentence of the generative AI tools that they use!
"Add it all up, and what you get is that the Democrats are about to run the walking embodiment of what America is against the avenging specter of what America was.
"The contrast between Vice President Kamala Harris and convicted felon Donald Trump could not be more clear, and that contrast should benefit Harris in every conceivable way. Harris is a person who wouldn’t be allowed to finish her sentences in Trump’s America, much less hold political and legal power. The distinction is now between a youthful, vibrant, and tolerant vision of the country, versus an aging, aggrieved, and absolutist version of America."
Goddamn this hits me so hard. Also from Beyonce's Lemonade, Sorry came on the radio in my car on the way to work that awful November day in 2016 after Trump got elected. I was impotently RAGE-scream-crying along with it to Trump and all the assholes who voted for him "MIDDLE FINGERS UP, PUT EM HANDS HIGH." To have Freedom from the same album be an anthem of hope for Kamala and a new order and a sign that this long national nightmare is nearly over...it's so full circle for me. Now I am JOY-scream-crying-singing and it's so much better!
I will be SUCH a wreck when she wins and walks out to that song. It's going to be amazing.
Good stuff. I want nothing more than a continuation of The Harris Ascendancy.
Along the way, I'd like to see her also remind the white Christian nationalist/supremacist cult of the fact their beloved "founding fathers" were men who placed the ability to practice one's religion without regard for affiliation among this country's foundational freedoms. As it is, their idea of freedom is starkly different than hers.
This post scares me. There is so much work that needs to be done before ruminating on what a world would look like with Kamala as president. I voted for Hillary in 2016. The entire election day I asked anyone I encountered if they voted. Not one person said they voted. I asked them please vote. What is the strategy to convince people that don’t usually vote to please vote (such as the under 30 contingent)? What is the strategy to convince Trump voters to migrate to vote for Kamala? A large shift needs to happen for Kamala to win. I am thrilled to vote for her and will help others to vote. But there needs to be a strongly focused strategy to win.
It was mentioned in the article that a large portion of the new voter registrations were young voters, but it was 83% of those registrations. Which is pretty huge.
There was a Never Trump group of Nikki Haley voters that has already thrown their support behind Harris (Haley sent them a cease and desist on using her name, and they basically told her to stuff it). Former Lt Governor of Georgia Geoff Duncan announced he's endorsing Harris--he was one of the ones targeted by Trump trying to get them to deny Biden's win. Not sure about other big Never Trumper names, but I know there were previously some who had endorsed Biden, who will hopefully switch over.
Memes are going to carry Kamala to victory just like they did Trump. Whoever has the best memes wins with the youth and reportedly youth registration has skyrocketed since she took over, its going to be ok.
I hope so. I work at an ivy leagueish university. The students are nice polite kids. But they aren’t too engaged. They think the world is a f*cked up place but their parents are managing everything so they succeed. I don’t see them realizing how close we are to losing our democracy so they are fired up to vote. But if cool meme motivates them to vote, that’s great.
I love this so much. A week or so ago, I was PISSED at the thought of Biden dropping out and convinced it was a sure-fire way to get Trump reelected. Now, I feel like there's a very, very good chance that Kamala can win. The reenergized feeling, the buzz of hope, it's awesome. I hadn't heard that Pete was leading in the VP race, I figure the Pennsylvania guy will take it, since that state is so important. I'm still cynical, so I do think this very messed up country can't do the one-two punch of first woman/first gay man on the same ticket. I LOVE Pete, and I can't wait for him to be president someday, but I don't think he's quite ready? I saw him on Bill Maher, and as amazing as a speaker and friendly debater that he is, I was struck by how nervous he was! He kept gulping, and it surprised me. He's always so smooth. If Bill makes him nervous, perhaps he needs a couple more years to fine tune.
Same. Super pissed about how Biden was treated and being pushed out and the fact that they were trying to bypass Harris. President Biden was masterful in his maneuver and his endorsement of her was powerful. I'm in PA and initially thought Shapiro had a good chance, even though he was less known (until the Trump shooting anyway), but I'm doubtful now as his stance and actions regarding Israel/Palestine has been bad. That and some stuff about the way he's handled some sexual harassment stuff - settling a lawsuit brought against one of his male staff ers, and it looks like that guy had a history of stuff.
I think you're on the exact right track with this. I feel like I've been operating from a place of fear since at least 2015. Harris taking the reigns is the first hope I've felt in a long, long time - politically speaking. I think that's why you're seeing record fundraising numbers, new voter registration, and volunteering.
People are *very* tired of being on defense all the time. It's time to take the fight to any and all would-be oppressors.
Hope really is nice, isn't it?
A lovely online friend of mine is a mid-20s Brooklyn far-left progressive (as in they work for an NGO and wasn't physically at the Columbia protests but was tangentially involved.) Today they DMed that "people in my office have shifted from preparing primarily for Trump to actually doing prep for both outcomes."
New GA poll results this morning. When polled on Monday, the results were 48% Trump, 47% Harris. That is *huge*, considering last week DJT was up 7 points in Georgia in a hypothetical matchup.
I know many of y'all are involved in postcard outreach. If you'd like to help on a micro level, I've gotten involved with Georgia Postcard Project -- https://www.gapostcard.org/ I. I like them because they're locally based and have specific voter information on the cards. Gonna start on my stack of 100 this weekend, and I ordered $53 worth of stamps, ha. ETA: The organization has affiliates in NC, MI, and WI, if that's y'all's neck of the woods.
(And don't tell anyone, but it looks like there's a faint-but-credible chance that my participation has snagged me an invite to a Kamala Harris rally in Atlanta next week! Fingers crossed!)
I just did some postcards tonight through Postcards to Voters, while listening to the zoom call for Harris! And some letters with Vote Forward. I bought a whole bunch of stamps before the rate increase, going to put them to good use!
I'm in NJ but follow the GPP, they did amazing work for the senate campaigns.
So when I read Classic saying that Pete's currently leading, it fits with your feelings. Choosing Buttigieg would be hopeful and confrontational in the spirit of no longer playing defense.
"Operating from a place of fear"- that is perfectly phrased, I agree 100%.
Yesterday I was at a decently well-attended picnic of Democrats in a deep red area of my county. Like, DEEP red. I've run for office here, and Democrats in public in this town was unthinkable 3 years ago. Anyway, talking to a couple of other (white, middle-aged) women, the feeling was that maybe people--and especially women--see this as a chance to re-do 2016 and get it right. To actually do the work, talk to voters, show up and get her in office...everything that didn't happen back then because "we" assumed Trump couldn't win.
I have hope. It seems like Pete is taking the lead in the VP sweepstakes and I really hope America can vote for a Black/South Asian woman and gay man. I hope.
Looks like Kelly's soft on unions which might be a dealbreaker so if we cant have the astronaut Ill take Pete any day, dude is the best public speaker i have seen since Obama and so so smart.
I think the union thing is too big to ignore.
Time will tell soon enough either way.
You're in DC, right? Is that the local poop? Nationally, the news hasn't said much other than the initial dozen or so potentials.
It seems to be the local media chatter and some Hill people I poked at. But no idea honestly.
Fuck. Yes. What if we reform the supreme court? What if the presence of a liberal black woman in the White House convinces enough GOP congresspeople to support a constitutional amendment stripping presidential immunity? We have a real chance to unwind the last month of desolation and make America hope again. Anybody else remember hope? I forgot about it what with all the darkness.
Just her winning and making sure that we never have to hear from him again would be a big enough victory for me. Democratic majorities in congress and the senate, preferably big enough that two wolves in sheep's clothing can't muck it all up forcing us to accept the bare minimum of her agenda would be gravy, but for now just hoping for the first part is enough.
I'm going to spend the next 3 months not just thinking it's possible, but operating under the assumption that it WILL happen and working my ass off to help make it so. I can do this. Fuck despair. Fuck fear. Fuck hate. There is plenty of time for all those emotions if the worst DOES happen, so let's all just mentally choose to NOT focus on one and focus on the other. It will happen all. I believe strongly in my gut, we got this. Now go knock on some doors, send texts and emails or do the cold calling. And let's do this.
That ad is 🔥. I watched it 3 times and got goosebumps every time. A lot can happen in these months ahead but I have some cautious hope for the first time in a long time.
It reminds me of when Buffy realized that they can win...I feel hopeful and ready to keep fighting.
Thank you for bringing up Buffy like that. I remember the warm and fuzzies I felt when that happened and it feels good to feel that way again.
What if she won and helped reshape SCOTUS? What if she won and we never heard from TFG again? What if she won and passed meaningful immigration reform? What if she won and we could listen to the news without a droning nasally list of complaints, lies, and meaningless fake anecdotes? What if we never heard of Q again?
I wonder if "Q" has had anything to say about Harris...they're so quiet now, wonder why...
Probably because JFK Jr didn't get the VP nod. Although he would probably have better numbers as a corpse than ol JD
I am on board with that! When I read and hear all of the nasty things being lobbed by the other side, instead of anger and/or fear my immediate thought is "Y'all sound scared," and the feeling is "meh." That's a nice place, a preferable place to be right now.
The feeling that the election will be about what we want to become, rather than what can be used to divide us, has been such a relief the past few days. I have no confidence it can last in this political environment, but it has been wonderful.
Also, editors -- I don't begrudge your writers the use of useful tools to clean up their articles, but you could at least remove the leading sentence of the generative AI tools that they use!
Elie Mystal had some great lines:
https://www.thenation.com/article/politics/america-is-ready-for-first-black-woman-president/
"Add it all up, and what you get is that the Democrats are about to run the walking embodiment of what America is against the avenging specter of what America was.
"The contrast between Vice President Kamala Harris and convicted felon Donald Trump could not be more clear, and that contrast should benefit Harris in every conceivable way. Harris is a person who wouldn’t be allowed to finish her sentences in Trump’s America, much less hold political and legal power. The distinction is now between a youthful, vibrant, and tolerant vision of the country, versus an aging, aggrieved, and absolutist version of America."
Goddamn this hits me so hard. Also from Beyonce's Lemonade, Sorry came on the radio in my car on the way to work that awful November day in 2016 after Trump got elected. I was impotently RAGE-scream-crying along with it to Trump and all the assholes who voted for him "MIDDLE FINGERS UP, PUT EM HANDS HIGH." To have Freedom from the same album be an anthem of hope for Kamala and a new order and a sign that this long national nightmare is nearly over...it's so full circle for me. Now I am JOY-scream-crying-singing and it's so much better!
I will be SUCH a wreck when she wins and walks out to that song. It's going to be amazing.
Good stuff. I want nothing more than a continuation of The Harris Ascendancy.
Along the way, I'd like to see her also remind the white Christian nationalist/supremacist cult of the fact their beloved "founding fathers" were men who placed the ability to practice one's religion without regard for affiliation among this country's foundational freedoms. As it is, their idea of freedom is starkly different than hers.
This post scares me. There is so much work that needs to be done before ruminating on what a world would look like with Kamala as president. I voted for Hillary in 2016. The entire election day I asked anyone I encountered if they voted. Not one person said they voted. I asked them please vote. What is the strategy to convince people that don’t usually vote to please vote (such as the under 30 contingent)? What is the strategy to convince Trump voters to migrate to vote for Kamala? A large shift needs to happen for Kamala to win. I am thrilled to vote for her and will help others to vote. But there needs to be a strongly focused strategy to win.
It was mentioned in the article that a large portion of the new voter registrations were young voters, but it was 83% of those registrations. Which is pretty huge.
There was a Never Trump group of Nikki Haley voters that has already thrown their support behind Harris (Haley sent them a cease and desist on using her name, and they basically told her to stuff it). Former Lt Governor of Georgia Geoff Duncan announced he's endorsing Harris--he was one of the ones targeted by Trump trying to get them to deny Biden's win. Not sure about other big Never Trumper names, but I know there were previously some who had endorsed Biden, who will hopefully switch over.
Memes are going to carry Kamala to victory just like they did Trump. Whoever has the best memes wins with the youth and reportedly youth registration has skyrocketed since she took over, its going to be ok.
I hope so. I work at an ivy leagueish university. The students are nice polite kids. But they aren’t too engaged. They think the world is a f*cked up place but their parents are managing everything so they succeed. I don’t see them realizing how close we are to losing our democracy so they are fired up to vote. But if cool meme motivates them to vote, that’s great.
Sadly, rich kids live in a different world than the rest of us, they are fine either way so why should they care?
I love this so much. A week or so ago, I was PISSED at the thought of Biden dropping out and convinced it was a sure-fire way to get Trump reelected. Now, I feel like there's a very, very good chance that Kamala can win. The reenergized feeling, the buzz of hope, it's awesome. I hadn't heard that Pete was leading in the VP race, I figure the Pennsylvania guy will take it, since that state is so important. I'm still cynical, so I do think this very messed up country can't do the one-two punch of first woman/first gay man on the same ticket. I LOVE Pete, and I can't wait for him to be president someday, but I don't think he's quite ready? I saw him on Bill Maher, and as amazing as a speaker and friendly debater that he is, I was struck by how nervous he was! He kept gulping, and it surprised me. He's always so smooth. If Bill makes him nervous, perhaps he needs a couple more years to fine tune.
Same. Super pissed about how Biden was treated and being pushed out and the fact that they were trying to bypass Harris. President Biden was masterful in his maneuver and his endorsement of her was powerful. I'm in PA and initially thought Shapiro had a good chance, even though he was less known (until the Trump shooting anyway), but I'm doubtful now as his stance and actions regarding Israel/Palestine has been bad. That and some stuff about the way he's handled some sexual harassment stuff - settling a lawsuit brought against one of his male staff ers, and it looks like that guy had a history of stuff.