Two things strike me about the potential release of the Epstein files:
1. It will be wonderful to see accountability for the plethora of wealthy psychopathic creeps who committed these heinous actions.
2. Unfortunately, you'll find that the Trump cult's true believers fawning over their saint will also include saluting his pedophilia.
On the item about America's gerontocracy, it just seems that a gratuitous amount of America's leaders (including every president since Bill Clinton) as well as its legendary pop, media, and business figures that it's claimed have all been either Boomers or late Silents. In other words, they're people who came of age after WW2 when western society was at relative peace and prosperity, and it seems that while they've readily taken on positions of influence, they've been very reticent to give them up. That's an issue.
Mahan is my mayor and he's a hack, at best. You do not want this guy in any higher office and I sincerely hope his political career dies here. Tim, I implore you to do a little more study on this guy before you throw him in so confidently as an example option. The man has spent more time posing for photo ops than actually governing this city. His chief accomplishments include installing flock cameras and evicting homeless folks without giving them alternative arrangements.
I voted - by mail - for Mahan in the California gubernatorial primary for the many of the same reasons Tim likes him. Crucially he's not part of the Biden-Harris-Beccerra Democratic establishment that is so completely out of touch with voters.
He's my mayor and has been an absolute disappointment. I don't like the other options on the gubernatorial list much, but he's worse. He would be an R in any other state.
I sometimes wonder how it came to be that the left, which I've been a part of for 50+ years, became "the establishment", and swapped places with the right. It still baffles me.
But disruption for the sake of disruption is somethiing 19 year olds do. I'm 73. I don't want to disrupt my SS check or my 401K. Or my rural neighborhood. Or our public schools or libraries. Or the growth of organic farming. You see my point? We spent a lot of years fighting for those incremental improvements Tim started with. Now we are supposed to go with Robespierre? First the king's head, then maybe MY head?
As a practical matter, Mahan is a complete no-go. He's currently polling sixth; a vote for him dramatically increases the chances of the GOP having the only two candidates on the ballot in November.
Mahan has not been mayor of San Jose long enough to judge the results of his tenure, but he is not running for governor based on his record. He is running for governor because he went to Harvard and has lots of rich friends to fund his campaign, or so he said said to my wife's colleague in a private setting. Mahan is not going to shake up the status quo.
I have followed Seth Moulton for a decade he is very good and I never understood why he didn't get more national attention so I am glad he is getting out there.
Totally agree with your argument. Folks will maybe take issue with the specific examples you use. But the main point sits very well with me. I am retired, a long time Dem who left the democratic party for exactly the reasons you are discussing. Interesting question: how much is age confounded with being stuck in the current power structure for those who have been in elected office for so long. Its as if they cannot learn anything new. Whatever the answer to that question, we cannot stick our heads in the sand and ignore the extent to which they are all out of touch, unable to fight in the current environment. I can certainly recommend the pleasures of retirement!
100% agree with your thought process on getting younger, braver and more independent voices in Congress... and elsewhere. However, I want these folks to have some political administrative experience (that I can review) before we throw them into the senate or house... or for God's sake, the presidency. Every time I hear one of these folks with no experience trying to validate my feelings to get my vote, I can't help but think of little Johnny back in the 5th grade promising me an extra recess every day and pizza every Friday. Sure, Johnny tried once elected, but I never got my extra recess or pizza and Johnny somehow cornered the hall pass market in less than a month. Seriously though, let's not jump from the status quo to unknown wildcards 'just to shake things up.' These folks need some proven experience/qualifications for voters to review and not just a gut feeling about tattoos or stupid social media posts. At least Moulton, Mahan, and Massie have a record to review. I have nothing against Platner, I actually like what the guy has to say... but I'd be hard pressed to put him in the senate without having a track record to review. He'd get my vote for state senate though.
"I caught Platner doing some light China apologia the other day."
There's no part of his quoted justification that's inaccurate. We should be partnering with them in order to steal their stuff the way they spent decades stealing ours.
I get this but it has been an endless cycle in American politics of voting for who seems to be the most outsider candidate in terms of brand and vibes without thinking if the candidate's proposed solutions fit the problems or what the real problems even are. Voters sometimes cannot read more subtle messages that come from knowing how government works and tell people within the reach of the speaker's voice to fight as with Schumer saying that Russell Vought is so bad that he is the one most important to stop.
I try to keep in mind the fact that the past is prologue. The status quo of the 90s might be nostalgic, but it also created the conditions for 2016.
My answer to the question "how do we come back from this?" is usually "we don't." That's okay. We shouldn't try to recreate the preconditions of the present, when the present is so dysfunctional.
Two things strike me about the potential release of the Epstein files:
1. It will be wonderful to see accountability for the plethora of wealthy psychopathic creeps who committed these heinous actions.
2. Unfortunately, you'll find that the Trump cult's true believers fawning over their saint will also include saluting his pedophilia.
On the item about America's gerontocracy, it just seems that a gratuitous amount of America's leaders (including every president since Bill Clinton) as well as its legendary pop, media, and business figures that it's claimed have all been either Boomers or late Silents. In other words, they're people who came of age after WW2 when western society was at relative peace and prosperity, and it seems that while they've readily taken on positions of influence, they've been very reticent to give them up. That's an issue.
No no no no no no on Temu Gavin Newsom.
Mahan is my mayor and he's a hack, at best. You do not want this guy in any higher office and I sincerely hope his political career dies here. Tim, I implore you to do a little more study on this guy before you throw him in so confidently as an example option. The man has spent more time posing for photo ops than actually governing this city. His chief accomplishments include installing flock cameras and evicting homeless folks without giving them alternative arrangements.
AMEN. And, AMEN!!!
I voted - by mail - for Mahan in the California gubernatorial primary for the many of the same reasons Tim likes him. Crucially he's not part of the Biden-Harris-Beccerra Democratic establishment that is so completely out of touch with voters.
He's my mayor and has been an absolute disappointment. I don't like the other options on the gubernatorial list much, but he's worse. He would be an R in any other state.
I sometimes wonder how it came to be that the left, which I've been a part of for 50+ years, became "the establishment", and swapped places with the right. It still baffles me.
But disruption for the sake of disruption is somethiing 19 year olds do. I'm 73. I don't want to disrupt my SS check or my 401K. Or my rural neighborhood. Or our public schools or libraries. Or the growth of organic farming. You see my point? We spent a lot of years fighting for those incremental improvements Tim started with. Now we are supposed to go with Robespierre? First the king's head, then maybe MY head?
Let's take a breath on this ok?
As a practical matter, Mahan is a complete no-go. He's currently polling sixth; a vote for him dramatically increases the chances of the GOP having the only two candidates on the ballot in November.
Mahan has not been mayor of San Jose long enough to judge the results of his tenure, but he is not running for governor based on his record. He is running for governor because he went to Harvard and has lots of rich friends to fund his campaign, or so he said said to my wife's colleague in a private setting. Mahan is not going to shake up the status quo.
I have followed Seth Moulton for a decade he is very good and I never understood why he didn't get more national attention so I am glad he is getting out there.
I live in San Jose, and I just want Matt Mahan to finish one job before starting another one.
Totally agree with your argument. Folks will maybe take issue with the specific examples you use. But the main point sits very well with me. I am retired, a long time Dem who left the democratic party for exactly the reasons you are discussing. Interesting question: how much is age confounded with being stuck in the current power structure for those who have been in elected office for so long. Its as if they cannot learn anything new. Whatever the answer to that question, we cannot stick our heads in the sand and ignore the extent to which they are all out of touch, unable to fight in the current environment. I can certainly recommend the pleasures of retirement!
100% agree with your thought process on getting younger, braver and more independent voices in Congress... and elsewhere. However, I want these folks to have some political administrative experience (that I can review) before we throw them into the senate or house... or for God's sake, the presidency. Every time I hear one of these folks with no experience trying to validate my feelings to get my vote, I can't help but think of little Johnny back in the 5th grade promising me an extra recess every day and pizza every Friday. Sure, Johnny tried once elected, but I never got my extra recess or pizza and Johnny somehow cornered the hall pass market in less than a month. Seriously though, let's not jump from the status quo to unknown wildcards 'just to shake things up.' These folks need some proven experience/qualifications for voters to review and not just a gut feeling about tattoos or stupid social media posts. At least Moulton, Mahan, and Massie have a record to review. I have nothing against Platner, I actually like what the guy has to say... but I'd be hard pressed to put him in the senate without having a track record to review. He'd get my vote for state senate though.
Mahan is very tied down to the entrenched interests of the tech bros!
"I caught Platner doing some light China apologia the other day."
There's no part of his quoted justification that's inaccurate. We should be partnering with them in order to steal their stuff the way they spent decades stealing ours.
I get this but it has been an endless cycle in American politics of voting for who seems to be the most outsider candidate in terms of brand and vibes without thinking if the candidate's proposed solutions fit the problems or what the real problems even are. Voters sometimes cannot read more subtle messages that come from knowing how government works and tell people within the reach of the speaker's voice to fight as with Schumer saying that Russell Vought is so bad that he is the one most important to stop.
I try to keep in mind the fact that the past is prologue. The status quo of the 90s might be nostalgic, but it also created the conditions for 2016.
My answer to the question "how do we come back from this?" is usually "we don't." That's okay. We shouldn't try to recreate the preconditions of the present, when the present is so dysfunctional.
I’m 70. Millennials think I’m a young 70. Gen Z