Seth Moulton is my congressman. I like him, but I like Ed Markey a little more. He is very strong on the environment and a good, reliable senator. However, we don't know if we will have another Republican governor come the fall. Markey's age will present a significant risk that the governor might need to appoint a replacement, and a Republican senator would be too be a risk in these crazy times. That's why I'm leaning towards voting for Moulton.
I wrote the following to scratch an itch but the point applies to The Bulwark as well. I am an early supporter and FULLY support your values and goals, BUT across all alternative media I sense a growing urge to monetize the platform for the "benefit of the cause", and grow the enterprise. There must be a limit. "Only" $5 a month or $100 a year and a ball cap and a logo t-shirt and a premium seat at the next event - what is enough?
As a concerned "senior" activist who can afford the indulgence I could easily spend $200+ to supporting thoughtful analysts on topics of interest, but runaway redundancy is a threat to all who ply your trade.
Re: Rachael Maddow
On Monday May 18th a religiously motivated shooting resulted in 5 deaths, three shot at a San Diego Muslin Center and the two young killers. The story dominated the national news for the remainder of the news day. Hated-related gun violence was the lead topic on all news outlets.
At 9:00 pm eastern time Rachael Maddow’s MSNow show came on the air nationally. She opened the show with a two minute tease announcing her newest book, Department of Fate (due out next November), pitched her coming book tour and urged viewers to early order her book. She followed that piece by pitching tickets for a MSNow event in Philadelphia later in June.
Finally, at 9:03 pm she turned to report the San Diego Shooting, apparently considered the third most important story of the day by show editors.
Rachael is a very smart, thoughtful, leading voice for the left side of our body politic and is rightfully seen as the “star” of MSNow. Her Salary at MSNow is reported to be $25 million per year ($480,000/show). She did not have to lead with such a blatant self-promotion. The book will sell, and she’ll get many more times to promote it without taking upfront air on her show.
As “we” struggle to hopefully establish the highest moral and ethical grounds against the most direct and threatening attack on our country in its history, at a time where morality and ethics are traits being mocked daily by Trump and his fellow-travelers, we must demand and expect more from our side of the game.
Where does “enough” end and too much begin? In a country where the median household income hovers around $89,000 how many millions does it take to be comfortable? Without side hustles.
Eighty is the new seventy, Tim! While I agree there ought to be age and SC term limits, I also think it's time we move past the 1950s idea of what is considered old, retired and ineffective. I'm in my early-60s and MANY of my friends are in great shape and still working. People are living longer, healthier lives now and that will extend even more in the future. The generation who are children now could easily live to 100 if they get good health care.
But I agree that 82 might be a bit too old, but for me that's due more to an unwillingness to see the world / future through the eyes and needs of a younger constituency. Some amount of being "set in our ways" is inevitable.
I am glad I’m not a Mainer. Susan Collins’ time should be up. A guy with a Nazi tattoo is not to my taste. The establishment candidate did want to run herself but ended up doing so at the behest of the establishment. Now she is out because there is no market for her ideas. Planter vs. Collins? Glad I am not a Mainer.
To me, Seth Moulton has been interesting since he entered Congress. At one time, so was Markey. As you said, when was the last time you heard Markey in the news? The answer: I don’t remember. Time for Markey to retire voluntarily or at the ballot box.
Except what you have written above about Mahan, I know nothing about him. Although coziness with the tech bros and by extension their doomsday machine gives me a long pause. Your essential point, that California needs something different is absolutely correct.
Except for the Epstein files, Massie is wrong about everything. Before times, I would wish for the end of his political career. In recognition of his courage, I hope he survives.
OK, Tim, this is admittedly a bit of a nit to pick, and this is from a big fan of nearly all of your commentary even if I don't always agree with it, so please indulge me here. But you're talking about shaking up the status quo, and it's hard to notice that the four candidates you throw up there are all straight, white men. Not that, numerically, there aren't a lot of straight white men in America, but there are also a lot of women and people of color, some of whom are very interested in, and quite capable of, shaking up the status quo. One name that comes immediately to mind is Mallory Mcmorrow. You're much more thoroughly versed in the current politcal landscape than I (which partially accounts for why I'm a fan), but I'm just wondering, do none of them merit an "honorable mention" here?
I too noticed that right away about this quartet of candidates. Unfortunately, if the last 10 years have taught us anything, it’s that the majority of Americans are uncomfortable with women having equal political power. To win in many places, Dems need men who will shake up the status quo by refusing to strip women of their rights or erase them from public discourse, but who are also palatable to people who don’t think women should lead (a nation, a state, a church).
I’m 74, a “youngish” member of the gerontocracy (how sick is that) and am voting for Platner. Olds need to retire. As the Grateful Dead sang, we are old and in the way. Youngs need to assume leadership. Blow it up. Incremental change is a BS line I’ve followed my entire voting life and it has gotten this country exactly nowhere.
I don’t know about Collins. Thank you for bringing him to us. I feel a particular empathy for him losing his life to a brain tumor, as I had a friend lose his life to brain cancer in his early 30s, and my aunt died of it as well at retirement. There is something deeply heartbreaking about a malignant brain tumor. Clearly he was a courageous man on multiple fronts. I wish I’d followed his career more. I’m more a college ball vs NBA fan.
I’m a Californian. Mahan is not labor friendly and he is an ally of tech bros. He’s not status quo? Katie Porter would have been the choice should you want to shake things up. Or even Steyer. I’m not voting for a billionaire using his money to buy the governorship. Katie is just not in the running. So it’s Bercerra. Am I enthusiastic? No, but he’ll be fine. None of the candidates thrill me but I’ll be damned if we’re going to have a Fox News host for governor.
I'm going to be honest. I hate Graham Platner. I hate the Nazi tattoo. Not the discourse, that's fine: I hate the tattoo itself. I hate his toxic and phony working class act. That appeals to rich people, but I came from the actual working class and it makes me gag. But you can't convince rich people that working class cosplay is really easy for poor people to see through. Rich people think we are dumb and that won't change. But I can't stop young people from wanting to blow up the system. In fact, the biggest change for me is that I now want to blow up the system.
The people I talk to in Downeast know him, know his family … he’s authentic and honest. Flawed for sure but willing to take accountability for past actions and words. I’ll take that over a consultant-driven, afraid to upset Dem Party insiders, every day and twice on Sunday!
The Washington Free Beacon is a right-wing publication. Are there true statements in the article? I'm sure there are, but this was written clearly to slam Platner by people who do not want to working class to demand their fair share. The Beacon likes things just they way they are, the wealthy controlling all the money and power.
God this pains me again. The Mahan endorsement is another surface level reading of CA politics by east coast folks (folks who I happen to be a big fan of!). I don't see how all of CAs failings mean Mahan is the one to fix them. He keeps talking about homelessness (one of the most important issues, I concede) but there is a lot more to governing this state. Mahan begs giant eyerolls from me. I BEG SARAH TO DO A CA FOCUS GROUP, PLEASE! Crazy thing is, you would get totally different vibes between NorCal and SoCal voters, I think. Better still, I love the idea of having a Bulwark staffer based in the west. I think that would be cool.
Totally disagree with you on Mahan…..he’s backed by Peter Thiel and Palantir! He would be the Trojan Horse to allow the Republicans a back door to get a foot hold into California. Also checked into his claims about the homeless…..his story isn’t quite on the up and up. He’s sharp but anyone who is getting backing from Thiel…..that’s a no go for me!
As a Californian who lives in San Jose, I’d vote for Mahan if he had a chance to win. But given the stakes of having a 2 republican general election, especially with these two republicans is not worth the risk.
So with that in mind, I’m waiting to see which dem is ahead in the polls come June 2 and cast my vote. Likely at this time for Bacerea
Trey, you hit on exactly (well, perhaps not *exactly*... I wouldn't have been so cogent) my reaction to Sarah's point in TNL. I said to myself, "These protests are to what end?" Nobody on the R side cares about them. Even with a Massie or Rand Paul, how many additional R's has that convinced to oppose Trump?
Indiana is going to gerrymander (or at least try again) any D representation out of my state: does Mike Braun give a shit how many people show up for or a rally? I can promise you Jim Tomes and Mark Messmer don't, and all of the emails and calls aren't going to make them either. It feels like the only way out of this is to hope for some kind of R own-goal that makes them more toxic than they already should be.
Thank you Plant! We always hear: "...The US has X Trn$ in failing infrastructure!" So say the Association of Civil Engineers, who would benefit from the money thrown at that.
Tim, nice piece, but here’s the thing: nothing changes until the Democrats can neutralize the 500 mph headwind that is Fox News and the right wing ecosystem. You guys systematically ignore this over and over and over again I assume with the idea that you can’t curtail free speech. What can you do? Well we can start talking about it. We can change the rules about media ownership. Instead of allowing Murdoch to own the Wall Street Journal, the New York Post, Harper Collins, Fox News, FOXBusiness, Fox broadcasting, he gets only one. That’s merely a legislative change. Of course, all of these laws would be passed by a Democratic trifecta and an expanded Supreme Court in 2029. Additionally the United States decides that we need a fairness doctrine applied to cable instead of just the old one that applied to the airwaves. Finally, how about if you’re going to have a news organization, and label yourself as one you don’t get to do news and opinion. You get to do one or the other. If you say you’re a News station you report the news. You don’t muddy things with opinion shows. Do these solutions entirely neutralize Rupert Murdoch’s influence on American politics, no of course they don’t, but it would go a long way to making a difference right now. There can be no permanent return of stable politics until disinformation in our system ends. The solution isn’t finding unusual heterodox different kinds of politicians, the solution is attacking the real problem, a distance information ecosystem that reduces a blowout democratic win to a 52 to 48 blue victory. Does anyone remember what Ronald Reagan‘s results look like from 1984? Have Democrats come close to a win like that in the last 30 years? The side that always needs to be perfect and get everything right can’t beat a guy that committed an insurrection, rape, fraud, the list goes on. It’s more than just weak Democratic candidates. Start addressing a project 29 disinformation neutralization campaign.
It has nothing to do with weak candidates. I'm convinced (and I really hope I'm wrong) that we'll never see a Democratic President again. Biden was the last. And it's 100% because of the information ecosystem and Murdoch's iron grip. Propaganda always wins.
Well I hope not BUT why are we the only ones bringing this up? All other issues pale in comparison. Either find some way to outlaw it or build your own propaganda machine. What we have been doing for the last 27 years (post Clinton) isn’t working….
We've been consuming news that doesn't insult our intelligence wondering why people prefer news that insults their intelligence. It's the old "you can't attract non-MAGA voters with what works on MAGA voters" trap.
I’m not suggesting that you create a mirror of Fox News. The technical definition of propaganda is information with an agenda. It doesn’t necessarily mean it’s disinformation. But we aren’t doing that. It’s the both sides legacy media versus a propaganda juggernaut. There’s enough Republican malfeasance to fill up 24 hours a day of programming. Not to mention Republican policies that don’t get enough attention and are clearly counterproductive for society. Where the Democrats in my opinion fall short is that they aren’t aggressive. They don’t take the initiative to go out and say hey, I’m here on CNN to tell you that Trump pardoned a January 6 insurrectionist who then turned around and raped a young child. Where is that? They just don’t seem to have it in their DNA to do that and that’s what’s required. That’s how lunatic Marjorie Taylor Greene got herself elected. The attack attacks don’t even have to be 100% true to be effective. The mere act of a Democrat getting in there, and owning the narrative is the sort of dominance that independent voters look for when they’re voting for a candidate. My preference would be to find ways to limit the reach of fox. If Republicans were on defense once in a while, they wouldn’t be able to be on offense. That’s the Democrats best play. But the Democrats just sit around and wait like victims for Willie Horton, prison sex, reassignment surgery, flagburning, immigration, violence, etc., etc., etc. and can never win an election. The Bulwark talking points Academy. Hire that Mockler guy and have him review Fox News every day and come up with counter talking points so that Democrats don’t look like idiots on the talk shows.
Yeah, I think the gerontocracy is a real problem here. They don't have the stamina to support politicking 24/7 and were from a more sensible age when we didn't make that unreasonable ask. But our age is not sensible and they are partially to blame. Time to let young people roar without constantly undercutting them. Adam Mockler is great - I agree we need more of him.
Seth Moulton is my congressman. I like him, but I like Ed Markey a little more. He is very strong on the environment and a good, reliable senator. However, we don't know if we will have another Republican governor come the fall. Markey's age will present a significant risk that the governor might need to appoint a replacement, and a Republican senator would be too be a risk in these crazy times. That's why I'm leaning towards voting for Moulton.
Tim, JVL, Sarah
I wrote the following to scratch an itch but the point applies to The Bulwark as well. I am an early supporter and FULLY support your values and goals, BUT across all alternative media I sense a growing urge to monetize the platform for the "benefit of the cause", and grow the enterprise. There must be a limit. "Only" $5 a month or $100 a year and a ball cap and a logo t-shirt and a premium seat at the next event - what is enough?
As a concerned "senior" activist who can afford the indulgence I could easily spend $200+ to supporting thoughtful analysts on topics of interest, but runaway redundancy is a threat to all who ply your trade.
Re: Rachael Maddow
On Monday May 18th a religiously motivated shooting resulted in 5 deaths, three shot at a San Diego Muslin Center and the two young killers. The story dominated the national news for the remainder of the news day. Hated-related gun violence was the lead topic on all news outlets.
At 9:00 pm eastern time Rachael Maddow’s MSNow show came on the air nationally. She opened the show with a two minute tease announcing her newest book, Department of Fate (due out next November), pitched her coming book tour and urged viewers to early order her book. She followed that piece by pitching tickets for a MSNow event in Philadelphia later in June.
Finally, at 9:03 pm she turned to report the San Diego Shooting, apparently considered the third most important story of the day by show editors.
Rachael is a very smart, thoughtful, leading voice for the left side of our body politic and is rightfully seen as the “star” of MSNow. Her Salary at MSNow is reported to be $25 million per year ($480,000/show). She did not have to lead with such a blatant self-promotion. The book will sell, and she’ll get many more times to promote it without taking upfront air on her show.
As “we” struggle to hopefully establish the highest moral and ethical grounds against the most direct and threatening attack on our country in its history, at a time where morality and ethics are traits being mocked daily by Trump and his fellow-travelers, we must demand and expect more from our side of the game.
Where does “enough” end and too much begin? In a country where the median household income hovers around $89,000 how many millions does it take to be comfortable? Without side hustles.
Eighty is the new seventy, Tim! While I agree there ought to be age and SC term limits, I also think it's time we move past the 1950s idea of what is considered old, retired and ineffective. I'm in my early-60s and MANY of my friends are in great shape and still working. People are living longer, healthier lives now and that will extend even more in the future. The generation who are children now could easily live to 100 if they get good health care.
But I agree that 82 might be a bit too old, but for me that's due more to an unwillingness to see the world / future through the eyes and needs of a younger constituency. Some amount of being "set in our ways" is inevitable.
A note about the four amigos:
I am glad I’m not a Mainer. Susan Collins’ time should be up. A guy with a Nazi tattoo is not to my taste. The establishment candidate did want to run herself but ended up doing so at the behest of the establishment. Now she is out because there is no market for her ideas. Planter vs. Collins? Glad I am not a Mainer.
To me, Seth Moulton has been interesting since he entered Congress. At one time, so was Markey. As you said, when was the last time you heard Markey in the news? The answer: I don’t remember. Time for Markey to retire voluntarily or at the ballot box.
Except what you have written above about Mahan, I know nothing about him. Although coziness with the tech bros and by extension their doomsday machine gives me a long pause. Your essential point, that California needs something different is absolutely correct.
Except for the Epstein files, Massie is wrong about everything. Before times, I would wish for the end of his political career. In recognition of his courage, I hope he survives.
OK, Tim, this is admittedly a bit of a nit to pick, and this is from a big fan of nearly all of your commentary even if I don't always agree with it, so please indulge me here. But you're talking about shaking up the status quo, and it's hard to notice that the four candidates you throw up there are all straight, white men. Not that, numerically, there aren't a lot of straight white men in America, but there are also a lot of women and people of color, some of whom are very interested in, and quite capable of, shaking up the status quo. One name that comes immediately to mind is Mallory Mcmorrow. You're much more thoroughly versed in the current politcal landscape than I (which partially accounts for why I'm a fan), but I'm just wondering, do none of them merit an "honorable mention" here?
I too noticed that right away about this quartet of candidates. Unfortunately, if the last 10 years have taught us anything, it’s that the majority of Americans are uncomfortable with women having equal political power. To win in many places, Dems need men who will shake up the status quo by refusing to strip women of their rights or erase them from public discourse, but who are also palatable to people who don’t think women should lead (a nation, a state, a church).
I’m 74, a “youngish” member of the gerontocracy (how sick is that) and am voting for Platner. Olds need to retire. As the Grateful Dead sang, we are old and in the way. Youngs need to assume leadership. Blow it up. Incremental change is a BS line I’ve followed my entire voting life and it has gotten this country exactly nowhere.
I don’t know about Collins. Thank you for bringing him to us. I feel a particular empathy for him losing his life to a brain tumor, as I had a friend lose his life to brain cancer in his early 30s, and my aunt died of it as well at retirement. There is something deeply heartbreaking about a malignant brain tumor. Clearly he was a courageous man on multiple fronts. I wish I’d followed his career more. I’m more a college ball vs NBA fan.
I’m a Californian. Mahan is not labor friendly and he is an ally of tech bros. He’s not status quo? Katie Porter would have been the choice should you want to shake things up. Or even Steyer. I’m not voting for a billionaire using his money to buy the governorship. Katie is just not in the running. So it’s Bercerra. Am I enthusiastic? No, but he’ll be fine. None of the candidates thrill me but I’ll be damned if we’re going to have a Fox News host for governor.
I'm going to be honest. I hate Graham Platner. I hate the Nazi tattoo. Not the discourse, that's fine: I hate the tattoo itself. I hate his toxic and phony working class act. That appeals to rich people, but I came from the actual working class and it makes me gag. But you can't convince rich people that working class cosplay is really easy for poor people to see through. Rich people think we are dumb and that won't change. But I can't stop young people from wanting to blow up the system. In fact, the biggest change for me is that I now want to blow up the system.
Idk man, I was born to a working class family too and Playner comes off pretty authentic to me.
The people I talk to in Downeast know him, know his family … he’s authentic and honest. Flawed for sure but willing to take accountability for past actions and words. I’ll take that over a consultant-driven, afraid to upset Dem Party insiders, every day and twice on Sunday!
So he doesn't work for his mother?
https://freebeacon.com/democrats/meet-working-class-mainer-graham-platners-oyster-farming-business-partner-an-elite-boarding-school-graduate-who-drinks-foraged-spring-water-and-owns-the-island-where-the-farm-is-based/
The Washington Free Beacon is a right-wing publication. Are there true statements in the article? I'm sure there are, but this was written clearly to slam Platner by people who do not want to working class to demand their fair share. The Beacon likes things just they way they are, the wealthy controlling all the money and power.
Bless your heart 💕
God this pains me again. The Mahan endorsement is another surface level reading of CA politics by east coast folks (folks who I happen to be a big fan of!). I don't see how all of CAs failings mean Mahan is the one to fix them. He keeps talking about homelessness (one of the most important issues, I concede) but there is a lot more to governing this state. Mahan begs giant eyerolls from me. I BEG SARAH TO DO A CA FOCUS GROUP, PLEASE! Crazy thing is, you would get totally different vibes between NorCal and SoCal voters, I think. Better still, I love the idea of having a Bulwark staffer based in the west. I think that would be cool.
Portland, Oregon would be an interesting location for a Bulwarkian. I keep begging!
I love Portland! What a great city.
Totally disagree with you on Mahan…..he’s backed by Peter Thiel and Palantir! He would be the Trojan Horse to allow the Republicans a back door to get a foot hold into California. Also checked into his claims about the homeless…..his story isn’t quite on the up and up. He’s sharp but anyone who is getting backing from Thiel…..that’s a no go for me!
As a Californian who lives in San Jose, I’d vote for Mahan if he had a chance to win. But given the stakes of having a 2 republican general election, especially with these two republicans is not worth the risk.
So with that in mind, I’m waiting to see which dem is ahead in the polls come June 2 and cast my vote. Likely at this time for Bacerea
A Nazi tattoo is a deal killer. Canceling my subscription.
Trey, you hit on exactly (well, perhaps not *exactly*... I wouldn't have been so cogent) my reaction to Sarah's point in TNL. I said to myself, "These protests are to what end?" Nobody on the R side cares about them. Even with a Massie or Rand Paul, how many additional R's has that convinced to oppose Trump?
Indiana is going to gerrymander (or at least try again) any D representation out of my state: does Mike Braun give a shit how many people show up for or a rally? I can promise you Jim Tomes and Mark Messmer don't, and all of the emails and calls aren't going to make them either. It feels like the only way out of this is to hope for some kind of R own-goal that makes them more toxic than they already should be.
Transportation professor here: ASCE is not an impartial body. Advocating for funding that creates jobs for civil engineers is their job.
Thank you Plant! We always hear: "...The US has X Trn$ in failing infrastructure!" So say the Association of Civil Engineers, who would benefit from the money thrown at that.
Tim, nice piece, but here’s the thing: nothing changes until the Democrats can neutralize the 500 mph headwind that is Fox News and the right wing ecosystem. You guys systematically ignore this over and over and over again I assume with the idea that you can’t curtail free speech. What can you do? Well we can start talking about it. We can change the rules about media ownership. Instead of allowing Murdoch to own the Wall Street Journal, the New York Post, Harper Collins, Fox News, FOXBusiness, Fox broadcasting, he gets only one. That’s merely a legislative change. Of course, all of these laws would be passed by a Democratic trifecta and an expanded Supreme Court in 2029. Additionally the United States decides that we need a fairness doctrine applied to cable instead of just the old one that applied to the airwaves. Finally, how about if you’re going to have a news organization, and label yourself as one you don’t get to do news and opinion. You get to do one or the other. If you say you’re a News station you report the news. You don’t muddy things with opinion shows. Do these solutions entirely neutralize Rupert Murdoch’s influence on American politics, no of course they don’t, but it would go a long way to making a difference right now. There can be no permanent return of stable politics until disinformation in our system ends. The solution isn’t finding unusual heterodox different kinds of politicians, the solution is attacking the real problem, a distance information ecosystem that reduces a blowout democratic win to a 52 to 48 blue victory. Does anyone remember what Ronald Reagan‘s results look like from 1984? Have Democrats come close to a win like that in the last 30 years? The side that always needs to be perfect and get everything right can’t beat a guy that committed an insurrection, rape, fraud, the list goes on. It’s more than just weak Democratic candidates. Start addressing a project 29 disinformation neutralization campaign.
It has nothing to do with weak candidates. I'm convinced (and I really hope I'm wrong) that we'll never see a Democratic President again. Biden was the last. And it's 100% because of the information ecosystem and Murdoch's iron grip. Propaganda always wins.
Well I hope not BUT why are we the only ones bringing this up? All other issues pale in comparison. Either find some way to outlaw it or build your own propaganda machine. What we have been doing for the last 27 years (post Clinton) isn’t working….
We've been consuming news that doesn't insult our intelligence wondering why people prefer news that insults their intelligence. It's the old "you can't attract non-MAGA voters with what works on MAGA voters" trap.
I’m not suggesting that you create a mirror of Fox News. The technical definition of propaganda is information with an agenda. It doesn’t necessarily mean it’s disinformation. But we aren’t doing that. It’s the both sides legacy media versus a propaganda juggernaut. There’s enough Republican malfeasance to fill up 24 hours a day of programming. Not to mention Republican policies that don’t get enough attention and are clearly counterproductive for society. Where the Democrats in my opinion fall short is that they aren’t aggressive. They don’t take the initiative to go out and say hey, I’m here on CNN to tell you that Trump pardoned a January 6 insurrectionist who then turned around and raped a young child. Where is that? They just don’t seem to have it in their DNA to do that and that’s what’s required. That’s how lunatic Marjorie Taylor Greene got herself elected. The attack attacks don’t even have to be 100% true to be effective. The mere act of a Democrat getting in there, and owning the narrative is the sort of dominance that independent voters look for when they’re voting for a candidate. My preference would be to find ways to limit the reach of fox. If Republicans were on defense once in a while, they wouldn’t be able to be on offense. That’s the Democrats best play. But the Democrats just sit around and wait like victims for Willie Horton, prison sex, reassignment surgery, flagburning, immigration, violence, etc., etc., etc. and can never win an election. The Bulwark talking points Academy. Hire that Mockler guy and have him review Fox News every day and come up with counter talking points so that Democrats don’t look like idiots on the talk shows.
Yeah, I think the gerontocracy is a real problem here. They don't have the stamina to support politicking 24/7 and were from a more sensible age when we didn't make that unreasonable ask. But our age is not sensible and they are partially to blame. Time to let young people roar without constantly undercutting them. Adam Mockler is great - I agree we need more of him.