Why are Democrats not talking about the Planfor2025??? This is the most important issue of our lifetime and one of the critical issues ever. We have the potential to avoid dictatorship, but not if we ignore it when it is staring us in the face. I am finding it too painful to watch the stupidity.
Upside down tax policy that favors the rich and hollows out the middle class and poor. Nobody would care about inflation if $50 billion in profits over the last 40 years had not been transferred to the top 1% of the population and with minimal taxation.
Excellent recap and coverage of most of the issues to be debated . I would also include the War with Ukraine on Foreign Policy Issues including China and Iran . Also CNN Reps conducting the debate should invite their views and comments on SCOTUS and current status / issues .
I think you’re pretty spot on. But, I think Trump ultimately wins the debate. I don’t like saying it. There isn’t a shower hot enough in the world to wash the away the disgust I feel saying it.
But Biden isn’t a great debater. And I think he ultimately tries too hard to make the jabs stick so all the blue voters can fill their Twitter timelines with the obligatory “he really got him there” tweets, which leaves very little substance to his argument.
On the economy I don’t think Biden makes it stick. People are realizing over the last few years that the jobs and employment numbers don’t make a lot of sense to every day life. Trump will tout his no income tax plan, which is ridiculous on its merits, but gives the right message to voters.
Trump wins on the border. Because you’re right. Biden’s plan is nearly identical to his.
It’s going to be a sad showing of how disconnected politics and the candidates really are. At the end of the day, the real losers are the voters.
This is blisteringly good. I read scores of articles across mainstream media daily, and this stands out as a tour de force in analysis and depth of knowledge.
I have too many thoughts to share here, so let me speak to a few issues highlighted by Qasim here:
With respect to immigration Biden needs to highlight was he has recently done to protect the rights of undocumented immigrants after he points out how the toughest bipartisan legislation under his presidency was "vetoed" by the former president to keep the issue alive.
On the economy, most people falsely think whether the are democrats, MAGA Republicans, or independents that Trump was or would be better than Biden. Nothing could be further from the Regarding the Trump economy even before the pandemic, his 2.5 growth was in eight place among all presidents since WWII; his two trillion dollar debt was the highest in U.S. history; his tariffs raised taxes on average Americans and contributed to the inflation that Biden inhereited. With respect to inflation that we currently have and complain about, for perspective, it is the lowest in the world.
Finally, with respect to the present economy; it's never been better for the past 50 years and unemployment has never been lower and average wages are at its highest.
See Mehdi Hasan’s questions for Trump on Zeteo, which directly challenge him. Oh how I long to see Trump squirm. And if only someone would ask Biden how the US can presume to be a broker of negotiations between Israel and Palestinians when it’s so squarely in Israel’s camp, what with providing weapons being used to erase Palestinians.
I am doubtful that Biden will "win" tonight's debate and it saddens me greatly. He has accomplished a great many things, but some of the issues that affect folks who struggle (why it's always called the Middle Class has never made sense to me -- there is a huge population of working poor and people who are impoverished. Period.) have not been addressed during his presidency. Affordable housing is extremely important, funding mental healthcare, healthcare in general, keeping abortion legal in all states, ensuring a permanent ceasefire in Gaze, and the list goes on.
Your post is an excellent analysis. But no one is going to win tonight. The election will decide who “wins” the presidency. The real question is will our country be the winner given the result in November. That is the only “poll” we should be concerned about.
For me, the debate is inconsequential, n/w/s the media frenzy. I'm voting for Biden, no matter what. There is no other option when authoritarianism is rising.
As disappointed as I am with Democrats and Biden, critical legislation was passed over the past 3.5 years.
More importantly, Trump will destroy our remaining freedoms, gut the administrative state, destroy the economy with tariffs, Implode NATO, deport millions of Latinos and Muslins, and build condominiums in the West Bank.
Anyone who thinks they're "voting their conscience" by withholding their vote or voting 3rd party is under the delusion that Trump 2.0 will be "business as usual", and wildly underestimates Schedule F, Project 2025, and the unlimited powers of the Insurrection Act.
The issues that you point out related to Project 2025 are important... and are NOT getting attention. As for legislation; getting anything passed is extremely difficult with a republican House and filibuster which favors republicans in the senate.
In my opinion, we've already lost our democracy. How democratic was it to redistrict New York 16th, where Jamaal Bowman was running against an AIPAC- and Republican-supported candidate, losing because of the $25 million spent against him? How democratic was it when Clinton signed the GATS treaty into law, which made it possible for multinational corporations to sue entire countries if they established socialized medicine, or put warning signs on cigarette packages as this would cause the companies to lose money? (He also won with less than 50% of the vote.) And how democratic is a system where you'd have to hold your nose in order to vote for the "lesser of two evils"? Watching Democracy Now! and seeing video of starved children is just too much. If this country devolves into an autocracy or dictatorship because people cannot stomach voting for Biden, then we will see the truth about this country, watch it fail, maybe die while it does so. But then, like Germany after World War Two, those still alive could create something that works for everyone. I'm sorry, but I don't have much hope these days. (Full disclosure: I made over 200 phone calls to people urging them to vote for Bowman. It was people over money, and the money won.)
Can you convince someone like me to vote for Biden without guilt-tripping, denigration, insults, or yelling? I could learn from this.
Agee on all the points you have made; we should all boycott the DNC for primarying and supporting primarying of progressives. BUT we cannot allow trump to finish the job and completely undermine the Constitution, establish himself as dictator. That is what the Project for 2025 is all about, as noted earlier... and we would not be able to undo this. Better to do all possible to maintain what we have and organize seriously to confront the realities of the Dem party. Bernie Sanders has laid out the truth of US politics for years... we should follow him while he is still alive...
Agreed. I'm a huge fan of Bernie Sanders and walked precincts for him, both in 2016 and 2020. The last election, in 2020, I walked in the poorer parts of town. Registered democrats hadn't voted in a number of elections, and my job was getting them interested in voting again. Unfortunately, their lives don't change no matter who is president--it's always a struggle--which is why they don't vote. Sanders was my only hope, and now? Now I don't have hope. Only fear.
I'm not a fan of AIPAC, but Bowman was down double digits before AIPAC's involvement. Bowman voted against the Infrastructure Act, which might be seen as a principled stance, but infuriated many of his constituents.
We're all frustrated with government, but look at Mississippi if you want to see what a true absence of democracy looks like. It will be a nationwide reality if Republicans win.
Not voting or 3rd party votes are votes for a GOP takeover. If you expect others to save you or you choose to stand on principle to deflect reality, you're choosing to help others the MAGA movement whatever you tell yourself.
Read Project 2025 (or any of the excellent summaries). Read about Schedule F, read analyses of the Insurrection Act.
If you do this, you won't need convincing.
This fantasy stoked by "Democracy Now" that something glorious will arise from the ashes of democracy ignores the reality that the US pulled the world out of autocracy in the 1940s.
"Democracy Now" has no alternative form of government to replace democracy. Look at the rise of fascism in Europe, socialism isn't helping them.
"Democracy Now" ignores the reality that the majority of the people who actually vote in this country are centrist not progressive. This is true across every category. Young progressives are rare and inconsistent voters.
Finally, the war I'm Gaza is gut-wrenching, so are the multiple less publicized genocides, civil wars and military coups that have been raging for years. Why does no one care about these victims?
The idea that things can't get immeasurably worse for generations is pure fantasy. Democracy Now cherrypicks facts for a vulnerable audience.
There is plenty at stake with respect to the future of democracy. It is at risk because of Trump, of course, and because of our terrible election process and not publicly financed elections. Here's more about the stakes of the election from my Salon piece last weekend:
Thank you for this rundown of topics. Your assessment seems well thought through. We the People need to be looking for a free enterprise, pro civil and human/LGBTQ rights, pro women’s rights, law abiding, properly raised human to lead us and maintain a representative form of government. Of these 2, there is only one choice if America is to remain a democracy, not a corporate takeover that will mercilessly fleece us with no restrictions. Only federal laws will stop this corporate corruption. Look what happened to Dodd Frank.
Why are Democrats not talking about the Planfor2025??? This is the most important issue of our lifetime and one of the critical issues ever. We have the potential to avoid dictatorship, but not if we ignore it when it is staring us in the face. I am finding it too painful to watch the stupidity.
Upside down tax policy that favors the rich and hollows out the middle class and poor. Nobody would care about inflation if $50 billion in profits over the last 40 years had not been transferred to the top 1% of the population and with minimal taxation.
Excellent recap and coverage of most of the issues to be debated . I would also include the War with Ukraine on Foreign Policy Issues including China and Iran . Also CNN Reps conducting the debate should invite their views and comments on SCOTUS and current status / issues .
I think you’re pretty spot on. But, I think Trump ultimately wins the debate. I don’t like saying it. There isn’t a shower hot enough in the world to wash the away the disgust I feel saying it.
But Biden isn’t a great debater. And I think he ultimately tries too hard to make the jabs stick so all the blue voters can fill their Twitter timelines with the obligatory “he really got him there” tweets, which leaves very little substance to his argument.
On the economy I don’t think Biden makes it stick. People are realizing over the last few years that the jobs and employment numbers don’t make a lot of sense to every day life. Trump will tout his no income tax plan, which is ridiculous on its merits, but gives the right message to voters.
Trump wins on the border. Because you’re right. Biden’s plan is nearly identical to his.
It’s going to be a sad showing of how disconnected politics and the candidates really are. At the end of the day, the real losers are the voters.
This is blisteringly good. I read scores of articles across mainstream media daily, and this stands out as a tour de force in analysis and depth of knowledge.
Thank you Gloria. I appreciate your kind words.
But even you haven't mentioned Project 2025/
Post coming soon. Was this supposed to be a gotcha?
The integrity of SCOTUS & rampant corruption in Congress, State & local officials & law enforcement
Gun control / prevention of further violence
Racism in our system (education, prison, housing, healthcare, etc) & embracing neoNazism & our need to reform / repair what is broken
Supporting our children & elders & veterans -- Social Security, VA, SNAP, feeding & housing our poor, taxing the rich & corporations, etc
Separation of church & state
Ukraine v Russia, North Korea, China, military industrial complex
Who really pulls the strings on our puppets?
It’s the only question worth asking.
Yes... and the person is ion the wrong side of all of these issues is trump.
Amen, Gail.
I have too many thoughts to share here, so let me speak to a few issues highlighted by Qasim here:
With respect to immigration Biden needs to highlight was he has recently done to protect the rights of undocumented immigrants after he points out how the toughest bipartisan legislation under his presidency was "vetoed" by the former president to keep the issue alive.
On the economy, most people falsely think whether the are democrats, MAGA Republicans, or independents that Trump was or would be better than Biden. Nothing could be further from the Regarding the Trump economy even before the pandemic, his 2.5 growth was in eight place among all presidents since WWII; his two trillion dollar debt was the highest in U.S. history; his tariffs raised taxes on average Americans and contributed to the inflation that Biden inhereited. With respect to inflation that we currently have and complain about, for perspective, it is the lowest in the world.
Finally, with respect to the present economy; it's never been better for the past 50 years and unemployment has never been lower and average wages are at its highest.
Hopefully, Biden will address this as well as you just did.
See Mehdi Hasan’s questions for Trump on Zeteo, which directly challenge him. Oh how I long to see Trump squirm. And if only someone would ask Biden how the US can presume to be a broker of negotiations between Israel and Palestinians when it’s so squarely in Israel’s camp, what with providing weapons being used to erase Palestinians.
I am doubtful that Biden will "win" tonight's debate and it saddens me greatly. He has accomplished a great many things, but some of the issues that affect folks who struggle (why it's always called the Middle Class has never made sense to me -- there is a huge population of working poor and people who are impoverished. Period.) have not been addressed during his presidency. Affordable housing is extremely important, funding mental healthcare, healthcare in general, keeping abortion legal in all states, ensuring a permanent ceasefire in Gaze, and the list goes on.
Your post is an excellent analysis. But no one is going to win tonight. The election will decide who “wins” the presidency. The real question is will our country be the winner given the result in November. That is the only “poll” we should be concerned about.
So true.
For me, the debate is inconsequential, n/w/s the media frenzy. I'm voting for Biden, no matter what. There is no other option when authoritarianism is rising.
As disappointed as I am with Democrats and Biden, critical legislation was passed over the past 3.5 years.
More importantly, Trump will destroy our remaining freedoms, gut the administrative state, destroy the economy with tariffs, Implode NATO, deport millions of Latinos and Muslins, and build condominiums in the West Bank.
Anyone who thinks they're "voting their conscience" by withholding their vote or voting 3rd party is under the delusion that Trump 2.0 will be "business as usual", and wildly underestimates Schedule F, Project 2025, and the unlimited powers of the Insurrection Act.
The issues that you point out related to Project 2025 are important... and are NOT getting attention. As for legislation; getting anything passed is extremely difficult with a republican House and filibuster which favors republicans in the senate.
In my opinion, we've already lost our democracy. How democratic was it to redistrict New York 16th, where Jamaal Bowman was running against an AIPAC- and Republican-supported candidate, losing because of the $25 million spent against him? How democratic was it when Clinton signed the GATS treaty into law, which made it possible for multinational corporations to sue entire countries if they established socialized medicine, or put warning signs on cigarette packages as this would cause the companies to lose money? (He also won with less than 50% of the vote.) And how democratic is a system where you'd have to hold your nose in order to vote for the "lesser of two evils"? Watching Democracy Now! and seeing video of starved children is just too much. If this country devolves into an autocracy or dictatorship because people cannot stomach voting for Biden, then we will see the truth about this country, watch it fail, maybe die while it does so. But then, like Germany after World War Two, those still alive could create something that works for everyone. I'm sorry, but I don't have much hope these days. (Full disclosure: I made over 200 phone calls to people urging them to vote for Bowman. It was people over money, and the money won.)
Can you convince someone like me to vote for Biden without guilt-tripping, denigration, insults, or yelling? I could learn from this.
Agee on all the points you have made; we should all boycott the DNC for primarying and supporting primarying of progressives. BUT we cannot allow trump to finish the job and completely undermine the Constitution, establish himself as dictator. That is what the Project for 2025 is all about, as noted earlier... and we would not be able to undo this. Better to do all possible to maintain what we have and organize seriously to confront the realities of the Dem party. Bernie Sanders has laid out the truth of US politics for years... we should follow him while he is still alive...
Agreed. I'm a huge fan of Bernie Sanders and walked precincts for him, both in 2016 and 2020. The last election, in 2020, I walked in the poorer parts of town. Registered democrats hadn't voted in a number of elections, and my job was getting them interested in voting again. Unfortunately, their lives don't change no matter who is president--it's always a struggle--which is why they don't vote. Sanders was my only hope, and now? Now I don't have hope. Only fear.
Ouch. Hard to hear.
I'm not a fan of AIPAC, but Bowman was down double digits before AIPAC's involvement. Bowman voted against the Infrastructure Act, which might be seen as a principled stance, but infuriated many of his constituents.
We're all frustrated with government, but look at Mississippi if you want to see what a true absence of democracy looks like. It will be a nationwide reality if Republicans win.
Not voting or 3rd party votes are votes for a GOP takeover. If you expect others to save you or you choose to stand on principle to deflect reality, you're choosing to help others the MAGA movement whatever you tell yourself.
Read Project 2025 (or any of the excellent summaries). Read about Schedule F, read analyses of the Insurrection Act.
If you do this, you won't need convincing.
This fantasy stoked by "Democracy Now" that something glorious will arise from the ashes of democracy ignores the reality that the US pulled the world out of autocracy in the 1940s.
"Democracy Now" has no alternative form of government to replace democracy. Look at the rise of fascism in Europe, socialism isn't helping them.
"Democracy Now" ignores the reality that the majority of the people who actually vote in this country are centrist not progressive. This is true across every category. Young progressives are rare and inconsistent voters.
Finally, the war I'm Gaza is gut-wrenching, so are the multiple less publicized genocides, civil wars and military coups that have been raging for years. Why does no one care about these victims?
The idea that things can't get immeasurably worse for generations is pure fantasy. Democracy Now cherrypicks facts for a vulnerable audience.
Absolutely, spot on...a lot of people care about Gaza... Netanyahu is to blame for the entire mess.
There is plenty at stake with respect to the future of democracy. It is at risk because of Trump, of course, and because of our terrible election process and not publicly financed elections. Here's more about the stakes of the election from my Salon piece last weekend:
https://www.salon.com/2024/06/22/trumps-dark-money-gets-darker-how-campaign-finance-loopholes-help-him-fight-criminal-cases/.
Thank you for this rundown of topics. Your assessment seems well thought through. We the People need to be looking for a free enterprise, pro civil and human/LGBTQ rights, pro women’s rights, law abiding, properly raised human to lead us and maintain a representative form of government. Of these 2, there is only one choice if America is to remain a democracy, not a corporate takeover that will mercilessly fleece us with no restrictions. Only federal laws will stop this corporate corruption. Look what happened to Dodd Frank.
May the best man win.
May DEMOCRACY win!!