And Biden has been masterful at linking the fight for democracy here with fights for democracy in Ukraine and elsewhere. It's the same stuff Reagan and Bush 41 did back in the day. So I would force Johnson and his caucus to show their hand and what sort of world they want. And then fucking hammer them with it.
Part of that has to be (I think) a reminder to the American people of how good our place in the world is. We have the world's strongest military. We sit atop the strongest and most successful alliance in the history of the world. We are a net oil exporter and are on pace to produce more oil in 2023 than any year in our history. We have the world's reserve currency and there aren't any serious alternatives on the horizon. In short, we've got the world by the ass.
The only thing that can screw things up for us is to shoot ourselves in the foot. We can do this one of two ways, both of which the Republicans are trying to do. 1) Hand Russia a victory in Ukraine which will shatter confidence in our alliance members and embolden those who want to disrupt the US-led global order. 2) Screw up our economy by shutting our government down and causing the world to doubt whether they can trust the US to do simple things like pay its bills.
Now I'd stop there on the initial message. When the inevitable pushback comes, I'd push hard on how our place atop the global order cannot be up for debate, but that Democrats are more than ready to discuss ways of helping the middle class take better advantage of our great situation by doing things like making medicines more affordable, expanding opportunities for post high-school learning (including trade schools), and rolling back Trump's tax cuts for the wealthy that have contributed to high inflation, higher national debt, and the illusion that we can't afford to confront a failing state like Russia by supporting the free people of Ukraine who have been the victims of an unprovoked invasion.
And what you describe is a very *positive* message. Stuart Stevens likes to talk about how, during the Reagan years, there was a feeling that being born in America was an incredibly lucky thing and you've essentially hit the jackpot. But the Trump years have done away with that optimism. I will never understand the lack of gratitude that these people have. Jim Jordan was able to win election to the House of Representatives even though he's a fucking idiot. Mike Johnson has been free to practice his virulent form of Christianity without any interference from the State. And yet these people want to destroy the very foundation that gave them the freedom to live their lives they way they've lived them. And why? What makes them so special? Imagine the level of self regard Mike Johnson has to have to believe that The Divine has ordained him to be the Speaker of the House. I mean, really, did The Divine ordain Putin, Xi, and Orban, too, or did He sit those elections out?
For me, the conservative, small-c, party is now the Democrats, and I never thought I'd see that day.
I struggle with understanding religion on many fronts, but the one you mention is a big one. Ask them who is responsible for all the bad people you mention, and they'll come up with Satan. Ask who made Satan and allows him to operate....well then the answer is free will. And of course if it is free will, exactly how is God ordaining this or that person as his instrument on earth? Not to put too fine a point on it, but it is turtles all the fucking way down.
Man is responsible for man's problems. We suck, knowltok. We fucking suck. Imagine the mental gymnastics required to believe that Donald Trump was elected in 2016 to save America and he was chosen by The Divine? And then imagine the rationalization you have to do to excuse every morally despicable action the man took while in office. Did God make them do that? Do they not have agency (free will)? Did God say it was OK for Trump to violate E. Jean Carroll?
"Convincing humans to do evil in the name of the Enemy is still one of our finest maneuvers, and you will find it highly enjoyable."
And Biden has been masterful at linking the fight for democracy here with fights for democracy in Ukraine and elsewhere. It's the same stuff Reagan and Bush 41 did back in the day. So I would force Johnson and his caucus to show their hand and what sort of world they want. And then fucking hammer them with it.
Part of that has to be (I think) a reminder to the American people of how good our place in the world is. We have the world's strongest military. We sit atop the strongest and most successful alliance in the history of the world. We are a net oil exporter and are on pace to produce more oil in 2023 than any year in our history. We have the world's reserve currency and there aren't any serious alternatives on the horizon. In short, we've got the world by the ass.
The only thing that can screw things up for us is to shoot ourselves in the foot. We can do this one of two ways, both of which the Republicans are trying to do. 1) Hand Russia a victory in Ukraine which will shatter confidence in our alliance members and embolden those who want to disrupt the US-led global order. 2) Screw up our economy by shutting our government down and causing the world to doubt whether they can trust the US to do simple things like pay its bills.
Now I'd stop there on the initial message. When the inevitable pushback comes, I'd push hard on how our place atop the global order cannot be up for debate, but that Democrats are more than ready to discuss ways of helping the middle class take better advantage of our great situation by doing things like making medicines more affordable, expanding opportunities for post high-school learning (including trade schools), and rolling back Trump's tax cuts for the wealthy that have contributed to high inflation, higher national debt, and the illusion that we can't afford to confront a failing state like Russia by supporting the free people of Ukraine who have been the victims of an unprovoked invasion.
And what you describe is a very *positive* message. Stuart Stevens likes to talk about how, during the Reagan years, there was a feeling that being born in America was an incredibly lucky thing and you've essentially hit the jackpot. But the Trump years have done away with that optimism. I will never understand the lack of gratitude that these people have. Jim Jordan was able to win election to the House of Representatives even though he's a fucking idiot. Mike Johnson has been free to practice his virulent form of Christianity without any interference from the State. And yet these people want to destroy the very foundation that gave them the freedom to live their lives they way they've lived them. And why? What makes them so special? Imagine the level of self regard Mike Johnson has to have to believe that The Divine has ordained him to be the Speaker of the House. I mean, really, did The Divine ordain Putin, Xi, and Orban, too, or did He sit those elections out?
For me, the conservative, small-c, party is now the Democrats, and I never thought I'd see that day.
Agreed.
I struggle with understanding religion on many fronts, but the one you mention is a big one. Ask them who is responsible for all the bad people you mention, and they'll come up with Satan. Ask who made Satan and allows him to operate....well then the answer is free will. And of course if it is free will, exactly how is God ordaining this or that person as his instrument on earth? Not to put too fine a point on it, but it is turtles all the fucking way down.
Man is responsible for man's problems. We suck, knowltok. We fucking suck. Imagine the mental gymnastics required to believe that Donald Trump was elected in 2016 to save America and he was chosen by The Divine? And then imagine the rationalization you have to do to excuse every morally despicable action the man took while in office. Did God make them do that? Do they not have agency (free will)? Did God say it was OK for Trump to violate E. Jean Carroll?
"Convincing humans to do evil in the name of the Enemy is still one of our finest maneuvers, and you will find it highly enjoyable."