What should the left make of the US election result?
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7:43 am, November 10th, 2020 - 76 comments
Categories: Donald Trump, election 2020, jacinda ardern, Joe Biden, uncategorized, us politics -
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What should we make of the election result? My responses as the results have rolled in have varied from fear to hope to optimism to happiness to what the f&*k happened?
I am pleased, so pleased that Trump lost. But why was it even close? Sure Biden dominated the East Coast and the West Coast and the North and the urban centres and he won the popular vote by over 4 million votes but how did Trump get 70 million people voting for him?
Was it a triumph for the progressive left in America? If so why was the result so close?
When you look at the tactics this suggests that the Democratic Brains Trust continues to think that the electorate can be thought of as a bell curve. There is a rich wad of votes in the middle that can be persuaded over as long as the policies are not too radical. They need to present an alternative to what the opposition is proposing, but it cannot be too different, just in case it scares the punters.
But what happened? On one side was a netherandal who has separated kids from their parents just for political kicks, has just fired the Secretary for Defence because he thought keeping Military bases named after Confederate Generals was a good idea and who took delight at trashing anything to do with addressing climate change and on the other side there was Joe. I would have voted for Joe. I can’t think of anyone who would be challenged making the decision of who to support.
This was not a battle for the middle of the bell curve. This was a fight over two completely divided parts of the electorate about who managed to get the most of their supporters to vote.
Alexandria Ocasio Cortez has pointed out as much in this Guardian article:
“There’s a reason Barack Obama built an entire national campaign apparatus outside of the Democratic National Committee,” she told the Times’ Astead Herndon. “And there’s a reason that when he didn’t activate or continue that, we lost House majorities. Because the party – in and of itself – does not have the core competencies, and no amount of money is going to fix that.”
Ocasio-Cortez, who defeated a longtime Democratic politician in 2018 and who won re-election in her Bronx district by more than 50 points, endorsed the Vermont senator, Bernie Sanders, over Joe Biden in the Democratic presidential primary.
The truce is over. The failure of the party to operate an online strategy “in a real way that exhibits competence”, Ocasio-Cortez told the Times, made it hypocritical for the party to advance criticism of progressive messaging.
“If I lost my election, and I went out and I said: ‘This is moderates’ fault. This is because you didn’t let us have a floor vote on Medicare for all.’ And they opened the hood on my campaign, and they found that I only spent $5,000 on TV ads the week before the election?” Ocasio-Cortez said. “They would laugh. And that’s what they look like right now trying to blame the Movement for Black Lives for their loss.”
Grassroots activism that produced large turnout in Detroit, Philadelphia and Georgia was crucial to Biden’s win, and if the Democratic party fails to recognise that and incorporate the grassroots, the party disintegrates at the ballot box, Ocasio-Cortez said.
“It’s really hard for us to turn out nonvoters when they feel like nothing changes for them. When they feel like people don’t see them, or even acknowledge their turnout,” Ocasio-Cortez said.
Naomi Klein describes the problem in this way:
I think about that moment in 2018, when the Democrats took back the House of Representatives. They were expecting their victory parade and instead had their offices occupied by the Sunrise movement and [Ocasio-Cortez] greeting them and pledging to introduce Green New Deal legislation. That sort of inside-outside pincer is what we need to be replicating again and again and again. That is a glimpse of the kind of dynamic that we will need if we are going to win the policies that are actually enough to begin to keep us safe.
What we have seen with the failure of the Democratic party to do the one thing that we look to from a political party, which is be good at winning elections. I don’t need to outline all the things we had going in our favor but this election should have been a repeat of Herbert Hoover’s loss in 1933. We are in the grips of a pandemic, a desperate economic depression and and Trump has done absolutely everything wrong.
This should have been a sweep. It should have been the sweep that we were promised. And the fact is, the Democratic leadership bungled it up on every single front. It wasn’t just a mistake. They did not want to offer people what they needed. They are much more interested in appeasing the donor class than they are in meeting the needs of their constituents, who need them now more than ever.
This boils back to who would have been better? Joe or Bernie? The polls and the doning class said Joe but you have to wonder if Bernie may have enjoyed greater success.
There is a further problem for progressives in America. There does not appear to be a downside if you want to bend the rules to breaking point. At least for the right and I say this because I cannot think of a similar situation where the left have bent the rules so egregiously. From Glynn Greensmith at Crikey (paywalled):
Look at what can be achieved when you simply deny a Supreme Court candidate a vote eight months out from an election, then force a different candidate through within days of the next one. Because you can. All you have to do is accept the charge of hypocrisy and you can change the fundamental balance of constitutional law, and potentially elections themselves.
Accountability, so underrated for so long as to be thought to be inherent in the system, is now found wilting through a prism of fanaticism, polarisation, and gerrymandering. Without electoral accountability, the structures holding civilised society together have found themselves at the mercy of the awesome power of shamelessness.
The question, then, is how to put structural integrity back at the heart of democracy.
Politicians own the ability to claim a mandate from the people after every election. But that does not mean/should not mean/was not designed to mean they then own the very essence of the concept of governance.
Maybe it is just that the electorate is hopelessly divided and bell curve analyses no longer apply. Maybe turnout is king and the Democrats should do nothing more than what Stacey Abrams has been doing in Georgia and get people enrolled and make sure they vote. And offer them hope.
The result should be contrasted and compared with the recent result in Aotearoa New Zealand. Labour should be exceedingly thankful to support from Maori and Pacifica communities. And we need to reflect on how competence and passion worked so well with the electorate. And how incompetence and passion in America nearly gave Donald Trump a second term.
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- Release: Labour honours memory of Sir Robert MartinThe Labour Party is saddened to learn of the death of Sir Robert Martin, a globally renowned disability advocate who led the way for disability rights both in New Zealand and internationally. ...7 days ago
- Release: 130,000 cattle saved from live exportLabour is calling for the Government to urgently rethink its coalition commitment to restart live animal exports, Labour animal welfare spokesperson Rachel Boyack said. ...1 week ago
- Central Bank makes clear Government is pouring fuel on housing crisis fireToday’s Financial Stability Report has once again highlighted that poverty and deep inequality are political choices - and this Government is choosing to make them worse. ...1 week ago
- New unemployment figures paint bleak pictureThe Green Party is calling on the Government to do more for our households in most need as unemployment rises and the cost of living crisis endures. ...1 week ago
- Release: National’s job cuts already starting to bite as unemployment risesUnemployment is on the rise and it’s only going to get worse under this Government, Labour finance spokesperson Barbara Edmonds said. Stats NZ figures show the unemployment rate grew to 4.3 percent in the March quarter from 4 percent in the December quarter. “This is the second rise in unemployment ...1 week ago
- Release: National hiking transport costs for families and young New ZealandersWeekly expenses will grow for more than 1.6 million New Zealanders as the Government ends free and half price public transport fares tomorrow. ...1 week ago
- Release: Labour welcomes EU free trade agreementThe New Zealand Labour Party welcomes the entering into force of the European Union and New Zealand free trade agreement. This agreement opens the door for a huge increase in trade opportunities with a market of 450 million people who are high value discerning consumers of New Zealand goods and ...1 week ago
- Surprise: Landlord tax cuts don’t trickle downThe Green Party is renewing its call for rent controls following reports of rental prices hitting an all-time high. ...1 week ago
- Release: $1.7b for no increase in access to medicineThe National-led Government continues its fiscal jiggery pokery with its Pharmac announcement today, Labour Health spokesperson Ayesha Verrall says. “The government has increased Pharmac funding but conceded it will only make minimal increases in access to medicine”, said Ayesha Verrall “This is far from the bold promises made to fund ...1 week ago
- Release: National should heed Tribunal warning and scrap coalition commitment with ACTThis afternoon’s interim Waitangi Tribunal report must be taken seriously as it affects our most vulnerable children, Labour children’s spokesperson Willow-Jean Prime. ...1 week ago
- Release: More accountability for preventable workplace deaths this Workers’ Memorial DayLabour is calling for more accountability for preventable workplace deaths because everybody who goes to work deserves to come home safely. ...1 week ago
- Gaza: Aotearoa Must Support Independent Investigation into Mass GravesTe Pāti Māori are demanding the New Zealand Government support an international independent investigation into mass graves that have been uncovered at two hospitals on the Gaza strip, following weeks of assault by Israeli troops. Among the 392 bodies that have been recovered, are children and elderly civilians. Many of ...2 weeks ago
- Release: Working together on consistent support for veterans this Anzac DayOur two-tiered system for veterans’ support is out of step with our closest partners, and all parties in Parliament should work together to fix it, Labour veterans’ affairs spokesperson Greg O’Connor said. ...2 weeks ago
- Release: Penny drops – but what about Seymour and Peters?Stripping two Ministers of their portfolios just six months into the job shows Christopher Luxon’s management style is lacking, Labour Leader Chris Hipkins said. ...2 weeks ago
- Another ‘Stolen Generation’ enabled by court ruling on Waitangi Tribunal summonsTonight’s court decision to overturn the summons of the Children’s Minister has enabled the Crown to continue making decisions about Māori without evidence, says Te Pāti Māori spokesperson for Children, Mariameno Kapa-Kingi. “The judicial system has this evening told the nation that this government can do whatever they want when ...2 weeks ago
- Release: Budget blunder shows Nicola Willis could cut recovery fundingIt appears Nicola Willis is about to pull the rug out from under the feet of local communities still dealing with the aftermath of last year’s severe weather, and local councils relying on funding to build back from these disasters. ...2 weeks ago
- Further environmental mismanagement on the cardsThe Government’s resource management reforms will add to the heavy and ever-growing burden this Government is loading on to our environment. ...2 weeks ago
- Release: RMA changes will be a disaster for environmentThe Government is making short-sighted changes to the Resource Management Act (RMA) that will take away environmental protection in favour of short-term profits, Labour’s environment spokesperson Rachel Brooking said today. ...2 weeks ago
- Release: Labour supports urgent changes to emergency management systemLabour welcomes the release of the report into the North Island weather events and looks forward to working with the Government to ensure that New Zealand is as prepared as it can be for the next natural disaster. ...2 weeks ago
- Release: Labour calls for New Zealand to recognise PalestineThe Labour Party has called for the New Zealand Government to recognise Palestine, as a material step towards progressing the two-State solution needed to achieve a lasting peace in the region. ...2 weeks ago
- Release: Three strikes law political posturing of worst kindThe Government is bringing back a law that has little evidential backing just to look tough, Labour justice spokesperson Duncan Webb said. ...2 weeks ago
- Release: Government cuts unbelievably target child exploitation, violent extremism, ports and airpor...Some of our country’s most important work, stopping the sexual exploitation of children and violent extremism could go along with staff on the frontline at ports and airports. ...2 weeks ago
- Three strikes has failed before and will fail againResurrecting the archaic three-strikes legislation is an unwelcome return to a failed American-style approach to justice. ...2 weeks ago
- Release: Environmental protection vital, not ‘onerous’The Government’s Fast Track Approvals Bill will give projects such as new coal mines a ‘get out of jail free’ card to wreak havoc on the environment, Labour Leader Chris Hipkins said today. ...2 weeks ago
- Ferris – Three Strikes targets those ‘too brown to be white’The government's decision to reintroduce Three Strikes is a destructive and ineffective piece of law-making that will only exacerbate an inherently biased and racist criminal justice system, said Te Pāti Māori Justice Spokesperson, Tākuta Ferris, today. During the time Three Strikes was in place in Aotearoa, Māori and Pasifika received ...2 weeks ago
- Release: Govt cuts doctors and nurses in hiring freezeCuts to frontline hospital staff are not only a broken election promise, it shows the reckless tax cuts have well and truly hit the frontline of the health system, says Labour Health spokesperson Ayesha Verrall. ...3 weeks ago
- Fast-track submissions period must be extendedThe Green Party has joined the call for public submissions on the fast-track legislation to be extended after the Ombudsman forced the Government to release the list of organisations invited to apply just hours before submissions close. ...3 weeks ago
- Release: Progress on climate will be undone by GovtNew Zealand’s good work at reducing climate emissions for three years in a row will be undone by the National government’s lack of ambition and scrapping programmes that were making a difference, Labour Party climate spokesperson Megan Woods said today. ...3 weeks ago
- NZ – European Union ties more critical than ever
Your Excellency Ambassador Meredith, Members of the Diplomatic Corps and Ambassadors from European Union Member States, Ministerial colleagues, Members of Parliament, and other distinguished guests, Thank you everyone for joining us. Ladies and gentlemen - In diplomacy, we often speak of ‘close’ and ‘long-standing’ relations. ...12 hours ago - Therapeutic Products Act to be repealedThe Therapeutic Products Act (TPA) will be repealed this year so that a better regime can be put in place to provide New Zealanders safe and timely access to medicines, medical devices and health products, Associate Health Minister Casey Costello announced today. “The medicines and products we are talking about ...15 hours ago
- Decisions on Wellington City Council’s District PlanThe Minister Responsible for RMA Reform, Chris Bishop, today released his decision on twenty recommendations referred to him by the Wellington City Council relating to its Intensification Planning Instrument, after the Council rejected those recommendations of the Independent Hearings Panel and made alternative recommendations. “Wellington notified its District Plan on ...17 hours ago
- Rape Awareness Week: Government committed to action on sexual violenceRape Awareness Week (6-10 May) is an important opportunity to acknowledge the continued effort required by government and communities to ensure that all New Zealanders can live free from violence, say Ministers Karen Chhour and Louise Upston. “With 1 in 3 women and 1 in 8 men experiencing sexual violence ...17 hours ago
- Smarter lunch programme feeds more, costs lessAssociate Education Minister David Seymour has today announced that the Government will be delivering a more efficient Healthy School Lunches Programme, saving taxpayers approximately $107 million a year compared to how Labour funded it, by embracing innovation and commercial expertise. “We are delivering on our commitment to treat taxpayers’ money ...18 hours ago
- Report provides insights into marine recoveryNew research on the impacts of extreme weather on coastal marine habitats in Tairāwhiti and Hawke’s Bay will help fishery managers plan for and respond to any future events, Oceans and Fisheries Minister Shane Jones says. A report released today on research by Niwa on behalf of Fisheries New Zealand ...19 hours ago
- NZ to send political delegation to the PacificDeputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Winston Peters will lead a broad political delegation on a five-stop Pacific tour next week to strengthen New Zealand’s engagement with the region. The delegation will visit Solomon Islands, Papua New Guinea, Vanuatu, New Caledonia, and Tuvalu. “New Zealand has deep and ...20 hours ago
- Low gas production threatens energy securityThere has been a material decline in gas production according to figures released today by the Gas Industry Co. Figures released by the Gas Industry Company show that there was a 12.5 per cent reduction in gas production during 2023, and a 27.8 per cent reduction in gas production in the ...1 day ago
- Defence industry talent, commitment recognisedDefence Minister Judith Collins tonight announced the recipients of the Minister of Defence Awards of Excellence for Industry, saying they all contribute to New Zealanders’ security and wellbeing. “Congratulations to this year’s recipients, whose innovative products and services play a critical role in the delivery of New Zealand’s defence capabilities, ...1 day ago
- Speech to the Minister of Defence Awards of Excellence for IndustryWelcome to you all - it is a pleasure to be here this evening.I would like to start by thanking Greg Lowe, Chair of the New Zealand Defence Industry Advisory Council, for co-hosting this reception with me. This evening is about recognising businesses from across New Zealand and overseas who in ...1 day ago
- Speech to the Sixth Annual New Zealand Government Data SummitIt is a pleasure to be speaking to you as the Minister for Digitising Government. I would like to thank Akolade for the invitation to address this Summit, and to acknowledge the great effort you are making to grow New Zealand’s digital future. Today, we stand at the cusp of ...1 day ago
- Ceasefire agreement needed now: PetersNew Zealand is urging both Israel and Hamas to agree to an immediate ceasefire to avoid the further humanitarian catastrophe that military action in Rafah would unleash, Foreign Minister Winston Peters says. “The immense suffering in Gaza cannot be allowed to worsen further. Both sides have a responsibility to ...2 days ago
- Daily school attendance data now availableA new online data dashboard released today as part of the Government’s school attendance action plan makes more timely daily attendance data available to the public and parents, says Associate Education Minister David Seymour. The interactive dashboard will be updated once a week to show a national average of how ...2 days ago
- Ambassador to United States appointedForeign Minister Winston Peters has announced Rosemary Banks will be New Zealand’s next Ambassador to the United States of America. “Our relationship with the United States is crucial for New Zealand in strategic, security and economic terms,” Mr Peters says. “New Zealand and the United States have a ...2 days ago
- New permit proposed for recreational gold miningThe Government is considering creating a new tier of minerals permitting that will make it easier for hobby miners to prospect for gold. “New Zealand was built on gold, it’s in our DNA. Our gold deposits, particularly in regions such as Otago and the West Coast have always attracted fortune-hunters. ...2 days ago
- NZ and the UAE launch FTA negotiationsMinister for Trade Todd McClay today announced that New Zealand and the United Arab Emirates (UAE) will commence negotiations on a free trade agreement (FTA). Minister McClay met with his counterpart UAE Trade Minister Dr Thani bin Ahmed Al Zeyoudi in Dubai, where they announced the launch of negotiations on a ...2 days ago
- New Zealand Sign Language Week an opportunity for anyone to signNew Zealand Sign Language Week is an excellent opportunity for all Kiwis to give the language a go, Disabilities Issues Minister Louise Upston says. This week (May 6 to 12) is New Zealand Sign Language (NZSL) Week. The theme is “an Aotearoa where anyone can sign anywhere” and aims to ...2 days ago
- Next stop NASA for New Zealand studentsSix tertiary students have been selected to work on NASA projects in the US through a New Zealand Space Scholarship, Space Minister Judith Collins announced today. “This is a fantastic opportunity for these talented students. They will undertake internships at NASA’s Ames Research Center or its Jet Propulsion Laboratory (JPL), where ...3 days ago
- $1.9 billion investment to keep NZ safe from crimeNew Zealanders will be safer because of a $1.9 billion investment in more frontline Corrections officers, more support for offenders to turn away from crime, and more prison capacity, Corrections Minister Mark Mitchell says. “Our Government said we would crack down on crime. We promised to restore law and order, ...3 days ago
- OECD reinforces need to control spendingThe OECD’s latest report on New Zealand reinforces the importance of bringing Government spending under control, Finance Minister Nicola Willis says. The OECD conducts country surveys every two years to review its members’ economic policies. The 2024 New Zealand survey was presented in Wellington today by OECD Chief Economist Clare Lombardelli. ...3 days ago
- Agreement delivers Local Water Done Well for AucklandThe Government has delivered on its election promise to provide a financially sustainable model for Auckland under its Local Water Done Well plan. The plan, which has been unanimously endorsed by Auckland Council’s Governing Body, will see Aucklanders avoid the previously projected 25.8 per cent water rates increases while retaining ...4 days ago
- Gaza and the Pacific on the agenda with GermanyForeign Minister Winston Peters discussed the need for an immediate ceasefire in Gaza, and enhanced cooperation in the Pacific with German Foreign Minister Annalena Baerbock during her first official visit to New Zealand today. "New Zealand and Germany enjoy shared interests and values, including the rule of law, democracy, respect for the international system ...5 days ago
- Decision allows for housing growth in Western Bay of PlentyThe Minister Responsible for RMA Reform, Chris Bishop today released his decision on four recommendations referred to him by the Western Bay of Plenty District Council, opening the door to housing growth in the area. The Council’s Plan Change 92 allows more homes to be built in existing and new ...6 days ago
- Speech to New Zealand China CouncilThank you, John McKinnon and the New Zealand China Council for the invitation to speak to you today. Thank you too, all members of the China Council. Your effort has played an essential role in helping to build, shape, and grow a balanced and resilient relationship between our two ...6 days ago
- Modern insurance law will protect Kiwi householdsThe Government is modernising insurance law to better protect Kiwis and provide security in the event of a disaster, Commerce and Consumer Affairs Minister Andrew Bayly announced today. “These reforms are long overdue. New Zealand’s insurance law is complicated and dated, some of which is more than 100 years old. ...6 days ago
- Government recommits to equal payThe coalition Government is refreshing its approach to supporting pay equity claims as time-limited funding for the Pay Equity Taskforce comes to an end, Public Service Minister Nicola Willis says. “Three years ago, the then-government introduced changes to the Equal Pay Act to support pay equity bargaining. The changes were ...7 days ago
- Transforming how our children learn to readStructured literacy will change the way New Zealand children learn to read - improving achievement and setting students up for success, Education Minister Erica Stanford says. “Being able to read and write is a fundamental life skill that too many young people are missing out on. Recent data shows that ...7 days ago
- NZ not backing down in Canada dairy disputeTrade Minister Todd McClay says Canada’s refusal to comply in full with a CPTPP trade dispute ruling in our favour over dairy trade is cynical and New Zealand has no intention of backing down. Mr McClay said he has asked for urgent legal advice in respect of our ‘next move’ ...7 days ago
- Stronger oversight for our most vulnerable childrenThe rights of our children and young people will be enhanced by changes the coalition Government will make to strengthen oversight of the Oranga Tamariki system, including restoring a single Children’s Commissioner. “The Government is committed to delivering better public services that care for our most at-risk young people and ...7 days ago
- Streamlining Building Consent ChangesThe Government is making it easier for minor changes to be made to a building consent so building a home is easier and more affordable, Building and Construction Minister Chris Penk says. “The coalition Government is focused on making it easier and cheaper to build homes so we can ...1 week ago
- Minister acknowledges passing of Sir Robert Martin (KNZM)New Zealand lost a true legend when internationally renowned disability advocate Sir Robert Martin (KNZM) passed away at his home in Whanganui last night, Disabilities Issues Minister Louise Upston says. “Our Government’s thoughts are with his wife Lynda, family and community, those he has worked with, the disability community in ...1 week ago
- Speech to New Zealand Institute of International Affairs, Parliament – Annual Lecture: Challenges ...Good evening – Before discussing the challenges and opportunities facing New Zealand’s foreign policy, we’d like to first acknowledge the New Zealand Institute of International Affairs. You have contributed to debates about New Zealand foreign policy over a long period of time, and we thank you for hosting us. ...1 week ago
- Accelerating airport security linesFrom today, passengers travelling internationally from Auckland Airport will be able to keep laptops and liquids in their carry-on bags for security screening thanks to new technology, Transport Minister Simeon Brown says. “Creating a more efficient and seamless travel experience is important for holidaymakers and businesses, enabling faster movement through ...1 week ago
- Community hui to talk about kina barrensPeople with an interest in the health of Northland’s marine ecosystems are invited to a public meeting to discuss how to deal with kina barrens, Oceans and Fisheries Minister Shane Jones says. Mr Jones will lead the discussion, which will take place on Friday, 10 May, at Awanui Hotel in ...1 week ago
- Kiwi exporters win as NZ-EU FTA enters into forceKiwi exporters are $100 million better off today with the NZ EU FTA entering into force says Trade Minister Todd McClay. “This is all part of our plan to grow the economy. New Zealand's prosperity depends on international trade, making up 60 per cent of the country’s total economic activity. ...1 week ago
- Mining resurgence a welcome signThere are heartening signs that the extractive sector is once again becoming an attractive prospect for investors and a source of economic prosperity for New Zealand, Resources Minister Shane Jones says. “The beginnings of a resurgence in extractive industries are apparent in media reports of the sector in the past ...1 week ago
- Ō-Rākau Remembrance Bill passes first readingThe return of the historic Ō-Rākau battle site to the descendants of those who fought there moved one step closer today with the first reading of Te Pire mō Ō-Rākau, Te Pae o Maumahara / The Ō-Rākau Remembrance Bill. The Bill will entrust the 9.7-hectare battle site, five kilometres west ...1 week ago
- Government to boost public EV charging networkEnergy Minister Simeon Brown has announced 25 new high-speed EV charging hubs along key routes between major urban centres and outlined the Government’s plan to supercharge New Zealand’s EV infrastructure. The hubs will each have several chargers and be capable of charging at least four – and up to 10 ...1 week ago
- Residential Property Managers Bill to not progressThe coalition Government will not proceed with the previous Government’s plans to regulate residential property managers, Housing Minister Chris Bishop says. “I have written to the Chairperson of the Social Services and Community Committee to inform him that the Government does not intend to support the Residential Property Managers Bill ...1 week ago
- Independent review into disability support servicesThe Government has announced an independent review into the disability support system funded by the Ministry of Disabled People – Whaikaha. Disability Issues Minister Louise Upston says the review will look at what can be done to strengthen the long-term sustainability of Disability Support Services to provide disabled people and ...1 week ago
- Tikanga is the first law of Aotearoa
A senior lawyer has filed a complaint about tikanga becoming a required law school module. Law lecturer Carwyn Jones explains what he’s getting wrong. “…the first law of Aotearoa, a law that served the needs of tangata whenua for a thousand years before the arrival of tauiwi.” – Ani Mikaere ...34 mins ago - ‘Your agency is taken away’: When endometriosis treatment changes without your consentIn 2019, an Auckland woman woke up from surgery to find that she had undergone a treatment she didn’t consent to. She tells Alex Casey about her experience. From her very first period at the age of 14, Laura experienced “debilitating” levels of pain that forced her to withdraw from ...39 mins ago
- Green shoots pruned
Comment: Concerns about the state of the economy are creeping up to the top of firms’ list of challenges. That’s evident in both surveys and the tone of our recent client discussions. Skimming the past few weeks of eco-news, it’s not hard to see why. – Retail card spending fell ...39 mins ago - Daily crossword, Thursday 9 MayThe post Daily crossword, Thursday 9 May appeared first on Newsroom. ...39 mins ago
- How the Greens could be contendersOpinion: Could former co-leader James Shaw still make a difference to working with National? The post How the Greens could be contenders appeared first on Newsroom. ...39 mins ago
- The ‘war on drugs’ is really a ‘war on people who use drugs’ – and it doesn’t workOpinion: What if we got rid of our existing drug laws and replaced them with a new law that legalised and carefully regulated all psychoactive substances, from cannabis to MDMA, methamphetamine and LSD to magic mushrooms? And which also included legal drugs such as alcohol and nicotine. “Wow,” you might ...39 mins ago
- David Seymour – not the associate education minister you expectedAnalysis: David Seymour’s school lunches programme goes further than Labour’s The post David Seymour – not the associate education minister you expected appeared first on Newsroom. ...39 mins ago
- Wayne Brown’s port deal seeks to end five years of dramaSeeking a mandated shift for Port of Auckland before he was mayor, Wayne Brown has tried demanding huge returns and leasing operations The post Wayne Brown’s port deal seeks to end five years of drama appeared first on Newsroom. ...39 mins ago
- DoC set to cut permanent jobs on Chatham IslandsIn the gloom following director-general Al Morrison’s job cuts in 2013, the Department of Conservation restructured its operations arm. Eleven conservancy districts were whittled into six new “conservation delivery” regions, under which the Rēkohu/Wharekauri/Chatham Islands area, comprising 40 scattered islands more than 800km east of Christchurch, was tethered to the ...39 mins ago
- Levels of litigation rising with economic hardshipOne of th e country’s top litigation lawyers says New Zealand is seeing a lift in court action between companies. Chapman Tripp partner Justin Graham, who oversees a team of around 80 litigation specialists, says the courts are now so log-jammed that it’s taking over two years to get cases ...39 mins ago
- Newsroom daily quiz, Thursday 9 MayLoading…(function(i,s,o,g,r,a,m){var ql=document.querySelectorAll('A,DIV,A[data-quiz],DIV[data-quiz]'); if(ql){if(ql.length){for(var k=0;k<ql.length;k++){ql[k].id='quiz-embed-'+k;ql[k].href="javascript:var i=document.getElementById('quiz-embed-"+k+"');try{qz.startQuiz(i)}catch(e){i.start=1;i.style.cursor='wait';i.style.opacity='0.5'};void(0);"}}};i['QP']=r;i[r]=i[r]||function(){(i[r].q=i[r].q||[]).push(arguments)},i[r].l=1*new Date();a=s.createElement(o),m=s.getElementsByTagName(o)[0];a.async=1;a.src=g;m.parentNode.insertBefore(a,m)})(window,document,'script','https://take.quiz-maker.com/3012/CDN/quiz-embed-v1.js','qp'); Got a good quiz question? Send Newsroom your questions. The post Newsroom daily quiz, Thursday 9 May appeared first on Newsroom. ...39 mins ago
- China challenges must be managed if opportunities are to be sustainedOpinion: A continuation of the previous Labour government’s ‘China-plus’ diversification strategy The post China challenges must be managed if opportunities are to be sustained appeared first on Newsroom. ...39 mins ago
- Gas is good until 2050 and beyond, under Albanese gas strategy
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Michelle Grattan, Professorial Fellow, University of Canberra The Albanese government is talking up the crucial role of gas as a transition fuel “through to 2050 and beyond”. In a gas strategy to be released on Thursday, the government envisages the fuel’s ...4 hours ago - Politics with Michelle Grattan: James Paterson on prospects for passage of the government’s deport...Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Michelle Grattan, Professorial Fellow, University of Canberra Next week the government will again next try to get its legislation through to deal with non-citizens who won’t cooperate with efforts to deport them. The bill, which the opposition and crossbench refused to rush ...9 hours ago
- NZCTU Launch Project To Set Out Alternative Vision For Aotearoa
A long-term project that will set out an alternative vision for Aotearoa that looks beyond the narrow confines of the policy straight jacket adopted by successive governments. ...11 hours ago - Yes, Australia’s big supermarkets have been price gouging. But fixing the problem won’t be easySource: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Bree Hurst, Associate Professor, Faculty of Business and Law, QUT, Queensland University of Technology TK Kurikawa/Shutterstock A much-awaited report into Coles and Woolworths has found what many customers have long believed – Australia’s big supermarkets engage in price gouging. What started ...11 hours ago
- The government wanted to avoid an inquiry into its deportation bill. Given the findings, it’s easy...Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Daniel Ghezelbash, Associate Professor and Deputy Director, Kaldor Centre for International Refugee Law, UNSW Law & Justice, UNSW Sydney The Albanese government wanted to avoid an inquiry into its migration amendment bill. The report, handed down yesterday by a senate committee that ...12 hours ago
- Senate report on lobbying passes the buck on improving transparency or legislationSource: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Joo-Cheong Tham, Professor, Melbourne Law School, The University of Melbourne Lobbying is at the heart of government. Who has access to and influence over key government officials shapes the decisions governments make – and how they make them. The ability to influence ...12 hours ago
- Ngāti Toa rallies against Fast Track Approvals Bill
Iwi would not allow the government to degrade its whenua, moana or awa for the purpose of urban development, ministers were told. ...12 hours ago - Free school lunches: Labour MP apologises over 'offensive' Hamas tweet to SeymourDuncan Webb had queried if the ACT leader did not like hummus because it is too close to Hamas. ...13 hours ago
- Australia’s Eurovision entry this year is the first to sing in First Nations language: meet Electr...Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Myfany Turpin, Associate Professor, Ethnomusicology, Linguistics and Ethnobiology, University of Sydney The act representing Australia at this year’s Eurovision contest has sadly not qualified for the grand final. Yet for Zaachariaha Fielding and Michael Ross, the duo that makes up Electric Fields, ...14 hours ago
- Labour claims win as govt commits to new free school lunches modelThe Labour Party is claiming a win for its campaign that the government commit to keeping and funding free school lunches. ...14 hours ago
- A definitive list of woke and non-woke foodsIn announcing changes to the school lunches programme, David Seymour said kids would no longer be served ‘woke’ foods. To clear up any confusion, The Spinoff has compiled a guide to the wokeness levels of some common food items. Apple = NOT WOKE Avocado = WOKE Avocado, smashed = EVEN ...14 hours ago
- Future of the planet more important than the Greens survival, former co-leader James Shaw saysFormer Green Party co-leader James Shaw calls out tribalism and hyper-partisanship - including in his own party. ...15 hours ago
- Fourth urgent inquiry by the Waitangi Tribunal, this time on Māori wardsThe Tribunal is conducting another urgent inquiry into plans to require councils to hold a binding referendum on Māori wards. ...15 hours ago
- NCSC Briefs IPAC Representatives On Response To Malicious Cyber ActivityThe Minister Responsible for GCSB and the Inspector-General of Intelligence and Security have been notified of this review, and have been provided a finalised Terms of Reference. ...15 hours ago
- How is China being taught at Australian universities? And why does this matter? Here’s what our re...Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Minglu Chen, Senior Lecturer, Government and International Relations, University of Sydney Robert Way/Shutterstock As the past few years have illustrated so clearly, the Australia-China relationship is complicated. As such, it is crucial for Australians to develop a more nuanced understanding of ...15 hours ago
- Saving the Mary River turtle: how the people of Tiaro rallied behind an iconic speciesSource: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Mariana Campbell, Research Lecturer, Conservation, Charles Darwin University Marilyn Connell Australian freshwater turtles are facing an alarming trend. Almost half of these species are listed as vulnerable, endangered or critically endangered. The Mary River turtle (Elusor macrurus) is one of Australia’s ...15 hours ago
- Why are algorithms called algorithms? A brief history of the Persian polymath you’ve likely never ...Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Debbie Passey, Digital Health Research Fellow, The University of Melbourne Algorithms have become integral to our lives. From social media apps to Netflix, algorithms learn your preferences and prioritise the content you are shown. Google Maps and artificial intelligence are nothing without ...15 hours ago
- Neuroaffirming care values the strengths and differences of autistic people, those with ADHD or othe...Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Josephine Barbaro, Associate Professor, Principal Research Fellow, Psychologist, La Trobe University Unsplash We’ve come a long way in terms of understanding that everyone thinks, interacts and experiences the world differently. In the past, autistic people, people with attention deficit hyperactive disorder ...15 hours ago
- ‘Reckless’ kina devaluation spells disaster for PNG, says NomanePNG Post-Courier Papua New Guinea’s deputy opposition leader James Nomane has accused the government of “reckless economic management” that has forced devaluation to manage loan repayments in foreign currency and placate the International Monetary Fund (IMF). Prime Minister James Marape “must stop lying to the people of Papua New Guinea”, ...15 hours ago
- Modernising Census – Stats NZFrom today, members of the public can have their say on what Aotearoa New Zealand’s census could look like in the future. ...16 hours ago
- ‘I do love a good funnysad novel’: Jane Arthur on her favourite booksWelcome to The Spinoff Bookseller Confessional, in which we get to know Aotearoa’s booksellers. This week: Jane Arthur, author of Brown Bird, and former bookseller at Good Books. The book I wish I’d written I have been working on not comparing myself to others. On accepting that what I can ...16 hours ago
- RMA Minister rejects Wellington council's bid to remove heritage protections from buildingsCouncil did not provide sufficient evidence to support its reasons for removing the 10 buildings from the Heritage schedule, Chris Bishop says. ...16 hours ago
- War for Wellington: Minister approves sweeping upzoning, rejects heritage changesThe final decision on the Wellington District Plan makes it official: High-density housing is legal across most of Wellington. Housing minister Chris Bishop has announced his decision on the Wellington District Plan, approving a series of amendments to radically upzone most of Wellington, allowing tens of thousands of new townhouses ...16 hours ago
- Bryce Edwards Analysis – Following the political moneyAnalysis by Dr Bryce Edwards – Democracy Project (https://democracyproject.nz) Political scientist, Dr Bryce Edwards. “Follow the money” is the classic directive to journalists trying to understand where power and influence lie in society. In terms of uncovering who influences various New Zealand political parties and governments, it therefore pays to ...17 hours ago
- Free school lunches: Year 7 students and above to shift to alternative modelA new interim delivery model will kick in next year to allow time for a full redesign of the scheme before any more money is dedicated. ...17 hours ago
- Rafah ‘last place of safety’ in Gaza, UN aid boss warnsRNZ News As Israel presses ahead with strikes in Rafah and seizing the Rafah crossing from Egypt, aid agencies are sounding the alarm of a “catastrophic humanitarian situation”. Rafah was “significant” because it was the only part in Gaza that had not been terribly damaged by the conflict, United Nations ...17 hours ago
- Foreign Affairs minister to lead Pacific delegationThe Foreign Affairs minister is heading on a five-stop Pacific tour, which he says will strengthen New Zealand's engagement in the region. ...17 hours ago
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The house of representatives moved slightly to the right,the Senate moved slightly to the left while the Presidency moved slightly to the left.
Diplomacy will be the currency of the new US govt a refresh of the divisive Bullying of recent times.
Community organising to overcome gerrymandering and voter suppression is the key.
Alexandria Ocasio Cortez needs to be a Presidential candidate in 2024, she will meet the age criteria by a month apparently, along with her friends for Congress and Senate.
Mr Biden got a narrow victory, indeed significantly due to black voter turnout.
Nature may elevate Kamala Harris sooner rather than later, to President, or acting President, but AOC will be required to achieve a blue landslide.
She and her ethos reaches working class people whose pain Trump pretended to recognise, the orange tumour in human form of course never intended to actually do anything, like raise the minimum wage, to relieve that pain.
The “Yuge” vote for Trump will be analysed for months to come and interesting statistics are already emerging. But the most interesting statistics are already out there–the wealth corralled by the 1%ers, and Covid deaths–until the Democrats address that, take on the donor class, they should expect cliff hanger elections.
AOC is better off staying in Congress, working to get legislation across the line. She could still be there in the 40's or even 50's (feels weird typing that), where was she has a max of 8 at the white house.
CNN exit polls found that Biden-Harris support amongst ALL minority groups dropped compared to Hillary Clinton in 2016. Trumps support amongst minority groups increased compared to his 2016 numbers.
Biden's big gain came from white men with no college education. They made up for the drop in all the other groups and put him over the top.
How does that fit into the popular narratives?
Harris was supposed to bring out the black vote, but the black Democratic vote dropped instead.
Trump promised jobs to the angry working class white men and then didn't deliver, so they went with Biden.
But didn't Trump and his team of State lackeys make it as difficult as possible by cutting back on polling places in many of the black communities? Assuming the poorest among them don't have access to online voting they probably gave up because there was nowhere for them to vote.
That would affect the total number of votes cast, not the percentage of people whom, having cast votes, told CNN they voted for Biden vs Trump.
The total number of votes cast actually went up by huge numbers. The US had the highest voter participation rate this election since 1900, and in 1900 only white male landowners voted.
Biden received the highest number of votes ever cast in a presidential race. The second highest number of votes ever cast in US presidential race history went to Trump.
ÀOC will never be President of the US.
Big business has to much power unless you get 66% of Congess to change the electoral college to have proportional representation ie 1 man 1 vote nothing will change and that's not going to happen as voter suppression will continue to happen unless more mail in voting.
Voter suppression is endemic like voting day was moved to Tuesday so employers can keep voters at work during voting hours giving them compulsory overtime to prevent workers from voting.
This is maybe why Arizona a normally republican state has flipped as they have moved to mail in ballots for all elections.
Google is your friend.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Election_Day_(United_States)#History
Arizona has used mail ballots for decades, it's nothing new for this election. So it's unlikely to be a significant factor in Arizona going blue.
It's not as if there weren't less far-right alternatives to Biden. Elizabeth Warren had the smarts and the energy to formulate genuine economically-based progressive change. It remains to be seen whether Biden has.
Biden was Corporate America's choice for president.
Democrat leaders sidelined the man of the people,
America had a chance to change but Democratic rule threw it away in favor of Corporate America.
Nancy Polisi is too old, so is Biden, the world belongs to the millenials now and that should be reflected in their leaders
Do you fail to understand how voting works? How more than half of the Democrat primary voters, ordinary people, chose Biden? While roughly a quarter of them chose your "man of the people", roughly half the support that Biden got.
Do you not remember Bernie leading the primary until all the other contenders dropped out an endorsed Biden?
I remember the argument against Sanders was that he'd be called a socialist and that would be disastrous!
But then…
https://www.npr.org/2020/08/25/905895428/republicans-blast-democrats-as-socialists-heres-what-socialism-is
https://www.nytimes.com/2020/10/14/business/socialist-biden-trump.html
The GOP will always try and demonise their opponents, no Dem would ever be acceptable to them, the trick would be to appeal to their voters, not the politicians.
So?
How much did Bernie's support share increase after the others dropped out? Sweet fuck-all. So all that tells you is he entered the race with a dedicated base of cultists and was unable to attract significant support beyond that cult.
Yeah cos all the other candidates endorsed Biden?
We already know what you think about Sanders, it's tired at this point.
What is important is how does the left in the US continue to expand the electorate? Stacey Abrams and others have shown that increasing voter registration is great, as opposed to large ad spends. Meeting people where they are at and offering them material improvement in their lives has shown to be effective also.
Actually, my opinion of Sanders himself is much higher than my opinion of his cultists that can't get their heads around the realities of politics and why Sanders doesn't win contests that require winning votes from a broad and diverse electorate.
As opposed to those with some connection to reality that supported Sanders while his chances were still live, but when reality hit home, they switched their support to the best remaining option to get progress towards what they believed in.
People like Mayor Pete and Ms Warren fudged their withdrawals on purpose, they stayed in long enough to draw votes that may have gone to Sanders while intending to leave the race, and keeping that to themselves.
A straight Biden/Sanders fight would have been interesting, but it was not to be. The “Obama call” set the play really, and Rep. James Clyburn in South Carolina did the rest. Bloomberg played a spoiler role too.
Think I’m wrong? Biden’s campaign was a joke until the DNC big guns got directly involved in strategy, and Covid probably did not help either. The thing is a lot of Bernie and the movements that backed him, policies are supported by working class Americans, including Republicans as the various referenda showed on Nov. 3.
The truth is out there, for those that want to believe.
Biden’s campaign was a joke until the DNC big guns got directly involved in strategy
What part of leading a crowded field for over a year, then destroying the opposition the first time Black voters got a say in the primary, suggests his campaign was "a joke"?
Do you not remember Bernie leading the primary until all the other contenders dropped out an endorsed Biden?
https://www.realclearpolitics.com/epolls/2020/president/us/2020_democratic_presidential_nomination-6730.html
Bernie led national primary polling for less than a month, after Biden's poor showing in the first couple of states. By the time the rest of the field dropped out after South Carolina (the first large delegate haul and, more importantly, the first state with a "majority-minority" electorate) it was abundantly clear that the moderate/centrist part of the party was significantly more favored by primary voters than the left part of the party.
Half of the country still voted Trump despite everything. Why?
co-optedperverted by charlatans (QAnon)Neither party governs for "We The People" any longer, but instead of organising a revolution against Wall St mega-thieves, Americans have turned on each other
+100. Trump could've won with a more considered approach. Biden didn't convince many and Harris appeared to be the difference in key swing urban areas.
The politics of division, corporate media and an electorate that by design lacks the ability to think critically about the messaging makes for interesting times.
Even Harris not that great a candidate. Little support for her in California Primary …Lost her own state. Not liked by many blacks/BLM as she was 'a lock 'em up & throw away the key' prosecutor. Many call her Cop Kamala. Her selection as VP was just more of the same old pandering to 'diversity' … a shallow diversity that basically just folds minority elites into the smothering embrace of the white elite. As if a top university/rich Lawyer elitist semi-black woman knows the struggle of the masses of black working class women & can claim to represent them just by virtue of her 'blackness'. Mainline Dems are just all about the surface wokeism with no real care/policy for the ordinary working/poor/unemployed people
Even Harris not that great a candidate. Little support for her in California Primary …Lost her own state.
Harris dropped out of the primary in December. That's two months before a single vote was cast the Iowa caucus, let alone the California primary a month after that.
"Trump
could'vewould have won with a slightly more considered approach."FIFY
The Dems scraped this election against an idiot. I was impressed with Harris's mana in her speech accepting victory…maybe there is something hopeful to look forward to when she becomes president.
Was talking to a wise gentleman about it last evening and he had one word to say why 70 million people voted for Trump. NAFTA.
My memory of that agreement was scant so looked it up. An excerpt which sums up what he was saying:
And therein lies the origin of the current situation?
Most of the rednecks in the southern and central states of America probably don't understand what was done to them. All they know is they lost their jobs and many have been living hand to mouth since. Then along came this rich Neanderthal who convinced them he was going to raise their standard of living again. Even the meme MAGA was coined to fool them into thinking they were going to be front and centre of his administration. Its going to take a long time before they even begin to read the writing on the wall.
Yes. The basic problem is class warfare, as Warren Buffett pointed out years ago. The 0.01% class is winning, and the American people are losing. But they can’t see it.
Yes Anne the Bush era changed the playing field, just as Bill Birch did here.
Nailed it.
The Left ended up being totally sidelined..they were simply their as observers..I would feel far more hopeful and reassured if I thought, for one second, that the Centrists were capable of doing some soul searching..meantime inequality will continue to flourish, Americans are still going to be bankrupted if they get sick, mothers are still going to send their kids down to the shop and have to pray they don't get shop by a cop……and multiple countries are going to have to brace themselves for War in its various guises…oh yeah, and the Planet is still going to burn..maybe slower…but barely….its just everyone can hide their head under the pillow a little longer….
I was thinking about women's position in the voting for T or B. It's decision time now, if ever for them in the USA. They have to decide whether they are going to be thoughtful and opinionated, or be an attachment to some bloke or blokess with a loud mouth and a confident air. Blowhards come in all genders.
Some of the USA states are retreating into separation and cult mentality as we see at Gloriavale or whatever glorious name it is called. Which is, on the look of it, partly modelled on the Amish, with a mix of prosperity church, and patriarchy rules. The old saying of 'Keeping women barefoot and pregnant' is at the back of the male minds prevailing.
And some of the states have no doubt gone so far in their desire for control over women (and sexuality) that they've made it hard to buy contraceptives. That was the case in parts of Australia as close as the 1970's. All that thinking women have agitated for is on a slide towards the rubbish heap. It isn't being nostalgic to grab it back and say this is not for throwing out, it has lots of good wear in it still!
And then there is health and needed services. And something needed is kindness; neolib has encouraged the downplaying of this by presenting it as a falsity, an hypocrisy where people are really doing something to give themselves a buzz – a good deed is equivalent to a shot of drug. Only sick minds could draw such conclusions and spread them as 'gospel'. And don't throw that back on me just because you don't want to study what neolib proponents actually think and say.
I think the way forward now is to plan from the bottom up. What are the basics, how should they be made available, when and to what extent. Get a travelling road show going with people doing a thinking exercise, and each person set stuff down which is photocopied and the original given back for later study and amendment. Then what should be the major drive and approach to life in the country. And a talk on how to get better politics and outcomes.
It would be helpful for people trying to visualise a better society to think about the way road rules apply. With all the vehicle and people movements in the country, by following the same straightforward rules, (translated for foreigners with icons or foreign language guides). That is an example of how we can be, give way when required – many people don't understand the right hand rule but when we understand the reasons and necessity of those rules most obey – the accidents are aberrations usually.
I think the left has to watch they don't get smug. They have to be balanced – all worker demands aren't justified, employers encouraged to go for long-term employment, and reasonable targets and bonuses for smooth operation of units of workers. Workers then have skin in the game to keep a reasonable efficiency going, the targets and bonuses to be set every year. The left needs to watch for ways to get around the swingeing demands of our free trade agreements. Need bright left-wing lawyers who operate quietly and don't publish all their findings for that.
I think the lesson here is clear.
Seriously?
Some minor resolution among the left is supposed to be the lesson for a very close race against an openly racist and corrupt leader responsible for the deaths of 245,000 people and who has done more to destroy the reputation of the United States than Bush W, Harding and Hoover put together?
Some interesting 2019 commentary on the M4A (healthcare resolution).
https://www.thirdway.org/memo/will-m4a-doom-democrats-in-the-general
That commentary doesn't really go into one of the key obstacles of shifting from the existing cornucopia of crapulence, where health insurance for fully half of Americans is mostly paid by their employer. Unless the transition is designed and managed extremely well (hah!), shifting that cost burden from private employers onto the government results in a massive windfall to employers and a massive cost increase onto regular taxpayers.
Biden's actual proposal of adding a public option into Obamacare is actually a very sensible middle ground, leveraging off the strengths and reach of Medicare (and Medicaid) but avoiding the pitfalls of taking everyone out of their existing arrangements.
Yes, seriously.
69% of American voters support Medicare for all, the lesson being, that when a politician campaigns on a popular policy they win elections.
Biden ran on the reputation and 'soul' of the US and explicitly against Trump and he only just scrapped in.
People want something that materially improves their lives, and unfortunately for 70 million Americans, the 'soul' of the country isn't a big motivator for them.
You don't think that perhaps a relevant factor is that all of those in your list that won are in districts that a week-dead roadkill skunk wearing a blue rosette would win, while all those that lost are in competitive Repug leaning districts?
Not my list, and lots of those that lost in 2020 had won their seat in 2018. What happened to their campaigns in those 2 years? It seems they were the ones doing the roadkill skunk impression.
In 2018 the Combover Con wasn't on the ballot, and it's very common for mid-term elections to go against House Representatives from the incumbent's party. Which is why four of the five losers on your list were first-termers.
You posted that list with a comment clearly implying endorsement of the contents, but without providing a source. You don't want to own that?
If you click on the image, it will take you to the source.
In 2018 Trump wasn't 'on the ballot' but he was still the president, and head of the GOP. That however doesn't really explain why the other 2018 first-termers that actually won reelection in 2020 just happened to support the Green New Deal and Medicare for All.
The first termers that won re-election are in districts where a week-dead road-kill skunk wearing a blue rosette would win. So they can afford to take positions that excite a particular segment of the base, but are turn-offs to moderate swing voters in competitive districts that actually decide elections.
In 2018, when progressives had a good chance to do well everywhere, progressives still lost in competitive House Districts. But moderate Dems running in competitive House districts had much better success.
https://www.vox.com/2018/11/7/18071700/progressive-democrats-house-midterm-elections-2018
Consider Nebraska's 2nd House District. In 2018, Kara Eastman was one of the progressive left's high hopes and had a good chance given it was a midterm. She lost. 49% to 51%. This year she lost 46% to 51%, even as Biden won the District 52% to 45%.
Government run healthcare polls at 72% on Fox, that's not even the Dem base.
https://www.dailydot.com/debug/fox-exit-polls-shows-americans-liberal/
Anyway, you and are aren't going to agree on this but I'm sure we can agree that 2022 is already a worry.
There's 80% support in the United States for a national mark-wearing mandate, but that didn't make 80% of voters vote for Joe Biden or for Donald Trump.
https://mcusercontent.com/ca678077bc522bd7bd74bacbf/files/2e108f31-c9fb-4043-a20e-f139b737eff5/HHP_Oct_FINAL_PRESENTATION_10_29_20.pdf
You should grant voters more intelligence than you do.
What? I haven't said anything about the intelligence of voters?
People are less affected by the 'Soul' of their country than they are by the life-saving effects of affordable medical care.
They vote on more than one issue. Even your sample of 5 know that.
Yes, hence why they made appeals to voters on affordable healthcare, rising minimum wages, swift action on climate change etc etc.
My contention is, and the polling shows, that the ‘Soul’ and reputation of the country isn’t high on voter’s list of issues.
Best of luck with that soul thing.
They won safe seats?
thread
https://twitter.com/oldladydem/status/1325522214217723910
[…]
https://twitter.com/oldladydem/status/1325523847689461762
Looks like the reckons of an old RWNJ.
The Sanders' organisational and policy support for Biden was outstanding – and enabled the remaining progressives to stay with Biden. Alexandria Ocasio Cortez was fully integrated into that shift.
So AOC can offload on organisational grounds all she wants now that they've won, but it's not hard to imagine what would happen if they had lost and Trump was back.
Even now, if she so much as mentions socialism once on tv, she should just be thrown out the Congress doors. Trump and COVID will keep expectations about Federal intervention very low for some time, and redistribution just isn't a useful part of the conversation.
Biden won by his virtue of having the only thing that half of the country wanted: calm and competence and empathy.
What we must see in the next month is proof that Biden is more than a palimpsest for Harris and key staff to write all over. He's making all the right moves to be more than that.
palimpsest
Word of the Week!
🙂
Demonstrate that he will not be a president for the Democrat Party, because he's too all party American to be a Democrat when in office?
Like Ardern having power, but using it to progress the economy, rather than anything socialist.
Yeah – I wouldn't park any faith in a transformational Harris. She's there as identity politics because the Democrats are too craven to come out with even minimal public interest policy. Yet another lawyer when you need an economist.
So America will keep trucking down the dysfunctional path of neoliberalism, shedding jobs and grinding the faces of a larger and larger class of heavily armed poor. But the next Trump will be sooo much nicer – it'll be fine.
It's interesting looking at maps of how the vote shifted from 2016 to 2020.
https://data.tallahassee.com/presidential-election-results-compare-2016-2020/
The rotting rage papaya did significantly better in Miami-Dade county, and along the Texas border with Mexico. There's a good chance that was because Repug smears of "socialist" actually stuck with Hispanic voters in those areas. So the lesson is, don't even look like embracing the label socialist, it's a massive turn-off for huge numbers of critical voters, and it won't win any votes.
Especially since what is being advocated is not actually socialism. It might be an expanded social safety net, it might be ensuring more people get more opportunity, it might even be merely shifting the balance of a mixed economy, or whatever, but it is not actual socialism.
I have yet to find good data (and I can't be arsed trying to compile it), but I've seen asserted that in general, the surprise of the election was the Ku Klux Clown way overperforming what was expected from polling information, much more so than Biden underperforming. Unlike 2018 polling, which was generally quite accurate. This suggests that there was indeed a lot of hidden support for the Grab'em'fuhrer that survived, actually was energised, by four years of his actual behaviour.
Since the rufous loofah-faced shitgibbon seems levels beyond any other significant figure (excepting possibly Fuckwit Carlson) in shamelessly saying whatever he feels like in a way that allows the gullible to project their hopes and desires onto his words, I'm not sure there's an actual lesson there for Democrats. Certainly there's no obvious way to combat it, and trying to emulate it would be a yuuuuuge mistake.
Housing affordability in the USA is way better than NZ. Petrol, food, clothing is way cheaper. Drug laws are tending to be more relaxed. Music and culture is fantastic in many places. Their universities have most of world's best and brightest. America still has the potential to lead the world in climate change, high tech, medicine, space exploration, and peace on Earth.
If only…
Covid is the only reason Biden won . Trump was voted out Biden wasn't voted in .
Because too many people saw their job vanish offshore, their house vanish in the 2008 financial crisis and healthcare vanish out of their rural area before covid struck.
Trump gave them permission to be angry, to waive a gun around from a pick up and hate the ruling classes. He fed their ability to have a grievance but without providing any solutions. If he provided solutions he would have put money into healthcare rather than corporate tax cuts.
Labour will create the same problem here unless they stop dissing the valid concerns of the waged employees and those dependent on state support.
Already from a self selected survey apparently 20% of ACT and Nat voters think that Trump is a good idea.
https://www.nzherald.co.nz/nz/who-are-donald-trumps-supporters-in-nz-and-what-do-we-know-about-them/VFLSZUG5J6AQQZKP7M3P4OTYCA/
https://thespinoff.co.nz/society/29-10-2020/complicity-with-the-inhumanity-of-trump-should-be-disqualifying-even-if-youre-from-matamata/
I do worry about this kiwi
And didn't Judith and Simon think this was a great idea that we as a country should support? Quick way to get offside with the new administration
Biden now back to 259. RealClearPolitics have removed Pennsylvania. Has not been given to Trump yet but lots of things happening today.
First working day after the election and the States are doing their own investigations as they always do. Trump's legal challenges still to come.
RCP have "removed Pennsylvania"? When did they call it PA for Biden? Coz I've been watching a lot of sites including RCP like https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_kgRFHaNo-Y and it was always striking that RCP had not called PA.
As for "lots of things happening today", linky? I've seen nothing, except for Biden steadily increasing his lead as the votes finish getting counted. Now up to about 45,000 vote, or 0.7%, lead in PA.
I think you are correct. I only look at RCP about once a day. However, Trump legal team e.g. Sydney Powell etc. are starting to outline their argument to the public. Give them a chance, its only Monday…..
RCP is part of the wingnut 'o' sphere.
https://twitter.com/segalmr/status/1325945054779887619
Have you read it? My US Democrat friends sing its praises along with 538 for polling data and its news aggregation is the most even anywhere. I particularly like how they "pair" alternative opinions on the same topic together. They don't seem to have an editorial opinion. They are a Equal Opportunity news aggregator (unlike Drudge).
An article listing a few of the challenges and whats is behind them…..
https://www.zerohedge.com/political/election-not-over-and-media-knows-it
Not enough info to call….so much depends on which way the courts jump
Straight from
Nosferatu'sRudy's trouser pocket after he'd finished tucking his shirt in.Can't both be right – can they
Well, no, they can't both be right. But they could both be telling porkies.
We have just had four years of one of the parties making mouth-noises with zero interest in how those mouth noises related to truth and facts. So we can be very confident he's full of shit in this instance too.
The other party, well, a bit more digging is needed to form an opinion of her credibility. But it's a reasonable assumption she places some value on her credibility, so it's unwarranted to make an immediate assumption she's full of shit.
What does the left think about the US election?
Well, how honest are the ' left' ? The US election should be viewed as a complete farce.
America needs a communalist revolution and neither the Democrats or Repulicans could ever take that road, so the election should be condemned by the left, or the left is just a poor excuse for status quo capitalism with a bit of a conscious.
This assumes that the structural integrity was there in the first place which it actually wasn't. If it had been than what the author describes could not have happened.
Except for the fact that that's exactly what it does mean. That's why the ruling party is called The Government and not The People's Administration. And most democracies have that enshrined in law somewhere.
Politicians do what they want and not necessarily what the people want.
And that, of course, is why our present democracy doesn't have structural integrity. It has, quite literally, been legislated out of existence by The Government.
To understand why it's so close you have to for a minute put aside his insanity, bigotry etc.
It was bringing back jobs. I've been watching 2015 republican establishment figures now suck him up to him label his policies "progressive" and liberal.
He ran on things that the left used to run on: infrastructure , Getting rid of trade deals like nafta that middle America hates because it stole jobs, opposing the tppa , eminent domain, opposing neocon wars, dismantling neoliberalism and establishment politics , protectionism, tarrifs and yes opposing immigration it might not go over well with academics and urban liberals but it does go over very very well with the working class indeed even in NZ many working class people were excited by the lab/nzf govt wanting to ban foreign ownership and limit immigration. Hell labour the greens and NZf all opposed the tppa at one point.
The way he talks about companies like say apple pr " apple , who cares about apple they don't make their products here, China benefits from Apple, why don't they bring their factories here" that's actually left wing rhetoric. People do think he brought back jobs, people do want someone challenging china people don't support these trade deals even here.
It wasn't a rejection of Trumps economic or trade policy it was a rejection of Him, they don't mind these protectionist anti free trade policies but they don't like him that's why I think the GOP which is now the Trump party got seats and senate and governor wins but lost the presidency, alot of people want him gone but still want that kind of politics
For a hot minute when lab/nzf were elected it looked like they could be the blue print for a left wing alternative with lite nationalism, anti foreign ownership and saying things like "capitalism had failed" but they governed pretty identically to previous govts.
The lefts challenge will be to find a progressive alternative and to ditch globalism and neoliberalism for internationalism and imho lite nationalism or it needs to think a world post automation post work or it's doomed to have to play by the rules set by the right.
But so far all the left continues to do is get everyone’s hopes up and then govern round the edges and label minor tweaks huge transformational change and that disappoint just fuels these kinds of angry populist movements
That entire third paragraph is a good illustration of how the gullible got suckered by the Fraud from Fifth Avenue. He didn't actually do any of that in any kind of way that helped ordinary people. Which anyone with even a tiny bit of savvy would have predicted from even a cursory look at his backstory of business failures, stiffing contractors, preying on vulnerable people with scams like his university, etc, etc.
He mouth-noised a lot about being great for the economy, but he wasn't. Not even before he deliberately wrecked the economy by refusing to do his job and take any action against covid. Sure, he didn't manage to break the trends left over by Obama on job creation, economic growth, manufacturing increase by himself (covid helped him with that), but he sure as shit turned around Obama's trend of reducing deficits by blowing out the budget with his massive giveaways to the wealthy. For zero discernible effect on improving things for ordinary people. If someone cared about these things, surely they'd take a few seconds to check actual facts on the matter.
But if white supremacy, deliberate oppression and cruelty to minorities, stoking division, shafting the people at the bottom to coddle those at the top is your thing, then the choice was obvious. No fact checking or research or thought needed, just listen to Darth Hater and his school of spineless GOP jellyfish. Apparently that's what 70-odd million Americans wanted more of.
What lesson should the left take from the US election? If a man is stupid he is bound to be a tory -J S Mill
As the election was close (at least to start with) then both left and right should be thinking about the Safe Harbour Deadline on Dec 8.
When there is a dispute remaining about who the winner is, if this is still the case by Dec 8, then Congress becomes involved and makes the determination Dec 14.
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