I have watched and read this newsletter a lot this weekend. My initial response was a simple thank you; thank you for saying what I’ve been thinking for so damn long a time. This whole Triad has now taken up residence in my heart and in my mind. It’s actually a very simple ask, and so few of us actually make that ask anymore. So I am saving this one right next to the the one you shared at New Years about what a society looks like in collapse. But this time you gave me baby cheetahs purring as they wound around each other, and Star Trek. I find myself happier, and more hopeful. I read all the comments, too. As long as there are people in this country who can agree on these fundamentals, I get a little glimmer of possibility. Maybe we really can pull out of the death spiral. Thanks again, and bless you for your work. Keep it up. You are really good at it.
I think this is about right "A political party can only be as good as its voters let it be."
The engine of the modern Republican party is its desire to hurt its enemies. Politicians by and large act like politicians and have for centuries. But it's rare to see so many politicians indulging, encouraging and celebrating bad behavior because the most enthusiastic Republican voters love having a license to be self-consciously malicious.
I think I would be satisfied with, "I am going to behave like a politician within normal parameters, but I am not going to actively encourage evil. That's where I draw the line."
Late to comment today, but I agree 100% withe #1 from Friday’s Triad.
However, I do have one thing to add, yes I do expect elected leaders to put their country and constituents ahead of their political career. If someone puts their name forward to lead, then I expect them to show the courage and self sacrifice shown by the men and women of the armed forces who are willing to give their life if necessary to defend their country.
JVL, You went over the horizontal bar an' smack between the uprights with your comment: "Am I supporting my party's nut job....no comment." Touche' Comment made already!
I sure enjoy The Bulwark (and all of its offerings) and appreciate the sub SO MUCH!
Thank you. I have been saying that I want serious people who have positions on the issues, who understand that their job is to legislate and have some idea what that entails. They don't have to be lawyers, but they need to understand what their job is and treat their voters as serious people with the ability to understand the issues.
Is Scalise talking about the days prior to the 6th? There are many questions around the lead up to the 6th that haven't gotten a lot of air time given the number and viciousness of the threats. If so, someone could walk into a trap responding with how great she was during the crisis. Not defending him, just asking questions.
This: "Democrats in Georgia crossed over to vote for Brad Raffensperger and Democrats in Utah made way for Evan McMullin. I want this street to run both ways.
Yes the before times. I voted Republican for most of my voting life. We had decent Republicans in NJ. One governor even chose to increase taxes to pay for schools. He was out after one term. Governor Kean was another one. The party needs to be willing to support difficult policies. But its policies are really just tax cuts and slogans. A good example is Florida. They have real environmental challenges - yet development continues. The Governor does little re the challenges but instead looks to excite the anger of the Republican base over issues that are irrelevant in the big picture.
In NJ in the 1990s Democratic Gov. Florio raised the income tax to put the state on a sound footing (re pensions and other commitments) replaced by Gov. Whitman, she reduced taxes and set the states finances back into a black hole. Another GOP governor, Chris Christie cancelled the capstone to a 20 year public transportation project in order to use the money for other projects - and to embellish his chances to run for president.
While there remain competent GOP governors (Ohio's is an example) the GOP has no overall platform to address the problems we have - all they have is debater's points to attack Democrats.
Crime is an example. In NJ and NY, the cash bail program has resulted in real injustice to the poorest of those arrested. And bail reform does not appear to be related to the rise in crime over the last 3 years. But it is an easy attack point.
Homelessness is another problem. Cities attract the homeless, especially cities with multi family housing and public transit. And our laws make simplistic ideas of how to deal with the problem impossible. So one cannot just arrest or otherwise inter the homeless. And COVID took away many of the jobs that the poor relied on. So folks lost their support system - and homelessness increased. Is there a genuine GOP idea about how to deal with it? No - but GOP candidates continue to insist that it is Democratic ideas that created homelessness.
So the GOP needs a lot more to regain my support. Yes the liberals can be tiresome. But they are honest about the problems.
The lack of a program on the right is an interesting point. It's gotten so bad now that, for the most part, the GOP doesn't even pretend to have a vision for the country, let alone any specific policy proposals (other than tax cuts and nods toward isolationism).
And, to be clear, for someone like me, that's really a shame. I would have loved to see some innovative conservative proposals on how to improve health care. E.g. a smart mix of market-based incentives with safety nets. And, the ideas are out there, if you look. The GOP had almost 10 years to come up with something and they delivered bubkis.
What's interesting is the attitude of the various segments on the right to this situation. Many of the anti-antis don't seem to care. They claim to have taken a page from the left and are simply voting to stop the Dems (i.e. the comparison is to folks that voted for anyone but Trump in 2020).
So, by imagining that the Dems are equivalent to Trumpism, they need no further justification for supporting the GOP, including its Trumpy elements. A completely dysfunctional gov't that does nothing whatsoever is fine. Now, of course, there's the illiberal authoritarian aspect of Trumpism these folks have to rationalize away, but that's a separate issue.
I could not agree more about cash bail. Judges are not supposed to use bond as a sub rosa system of preventive detention. If the court believes someone charged with a dangerous or violent crime poses too great a risk to community safety, have a hearing, order him or her detained. To use money bail to accomplish this goal is contrary to the spirit--and, in many jurisdictions, the letter--of the law.
I think JVL gives way to much credit to the Republicans. I have yet to meet a single one who voted for Trump in 2020 change there minds about voting for him or his Ilk in the midterms or in 2024. Ill be generous and not call them actual Republicans anymore... they are cultists. However JVL and the rest of the Bulwark writers need to stop trying to convince us that these people are redeemable.. they arent.. so please, for Heavens sakes. STOP!
I took a 6 week leave from my job in 2008 to work my butt off in a swing state to help get Obama elected...and thing I want most right now is to have John McCain back...(and to play with a baby Cheetah.)
Gosh, I wish I had seen Darmok so I could use a clever reference to appreciate this post. Best shot: Sometimes, you're better than right.
That was not a soapbox rant. That was the cornerstone of why I read you, and in fact why I subscribe to the Bulwark. Thank you.
I have watched and read this newsletter a lot this weekend. My initial response was a simple thank you; thank you for saying what I’ve been thinking for so damn long a time. This whole Triad has now taken up residence in my heart and in my mind. It’s actually a very simple ask, and so few of us actually make that ask anymore. So I am saving this one right next to the the one you shared at New Years about what a society looks like in collapse. But this time you gave me baby cheetahs purring as they wound around each other, and Star Trek. I find myself happier, and more hopeful. I read all the comments, too. As long as there are people in this country who can agree on these fundamentals, I get a little glimmer of possibility. Maybe we really can pull out of the death spiral. Thanks again, and bless you for your work. Keep it up. You are really good at it.
I think this is about right "A political party can only be as good as its voters let it be."
The engine of the modern Republican party is its desire to hurt its enemies. Politicians by and large act like politicians and have for centuries. But it's rare to see so many politicians indulging, encouraging and celebrating bad behavior because the most enthusiastic Republican voters love having a license to be self-consciously malicious.
I think I would be satisfied with, "I am going to behave like a politician within normal parameters, but I am not going to actively encourage evil. That's where I draw the line."
Those cheetahs made my morning. Thank you for posting.
Late to comment today, but I agree 100% withe #1 from Friday’s Triad.
However, I do have one thing to add, yes I do expect elected leaders to put their country and constituents ahead of their political career. If someone puts their name forward to lead, then I expect them to show the courage and self sacrifice shown by the men and women of the armed forces who are willing to give their life if necessary to defend their country.
JVL, You went over the horizontal bar an' smack between the uprights with your comment: "Am I supporting my party's nut job....no comment." Touche' Comment made already!
I sure enjoy The Bulwark (and all of its offerings) and appreciate the sub SO MUCH!
Thank you. I have been saying that I want serious people who have positions on the issues, who understand that their job is to legislate and have some idea what that entails. They don't have to be lawyers, but they need to understand what their job is and treat their voters as serious people with the ability to understand the issues.
Is Scalise talking about the days prior to the 6th? There are many questions around the lead up to the 6th that haven't gotten a lot of air time given the number and viciousness of the threats. If so, someone could walk into a trap responding with how great she was during the crisis. Not defending him, just asking questions.
"I've met the Republican voter on the street. And he's a c*nt." To slightly paraphrase Sid Vicious.
So well said JVL. It shouldn’t be too much to ask but I’m afraid right now, it is.
Thanks JVL - not too much to ask. We need sensible, honest adults who believe government can work and are able to make it work in elective office.
This: "Democrats in Georgia crossed over to vote for Brad Raffensperger and Democrats in Utah made way for Evan McMullin. I want this street to run both ways.
I want Republicans to STOP FUCKING LYING."
Thank you again for a brilliant post, JVL.
Yes the before times. I voted Republican for most of my voting life. We had decent Republicans in NJ. One governor even chose to increase taxes to pay for schools. He was out after one term. Governor Kean was another one. The party needs to be willing to support difficult policies. But its policies are really just tax cuts and slogans. A good example is Florida. They have real environmental challenges - yet development continues. The Governor does little re the challenges but instead looks to excite the anger of the Republican base over issues that are irrelevant in the big picture.
In NJ in the 1990s Democratic Gov. Florio raised the income tax to put the state on a sound footing (re pensions and other commitments) replaced by Gov. Whitman, she reduced taxes and set the states finances back into a black hole. Another GOP governor, Chris Christie cancelled the capstone to a 20 year public transportation project in order to use the money for other projects - and to embellish his chances to run for president.
While there remain competent GOP governors (Ohio's is an example) the GOP has no overall platform to address the problems we have - all they have is debater's points to attack Democrats.
Crime is an example. In NJ and NY, the cash bail program has resulted in real injustice to the poorest of those arrested. And bail reform does not appear to be related to the rise in crime over the last 3 years. But it is an easy attack point.
Homelessness is another problem. Cities attract the homeless, especially cities with multi family housing and public transit. And our laws make simplistic ideas of how to deal with the problem impossible. So one cannot just arrest or otherwise inter the homeless. And COVID took away many of the jobs that the poor relied on. So folks lost their support system - and homelessness increased. Is there a genuine GOP idea about how to deal with it? No - but GOP candidates continue to insist that it is Democratic ideas that created homelessness.
So the GOP needs a lot more to regain my support. Yes the liberals can be tiresome. But they are honest about the problems.
The lack of a program on the right is an interesting point. It's gotten so bad now that, for the most part, the GOP doesn't even pretend to have a vision for the country, let alone any specific policy proposals (other than tax cuts and nods toward isolationism).
And, to be clear, for someone like me, that's really a shame. I would have loved to see some innovative conservative proposals on how to improve health care. E.g. a smart mix of market-based incentives with safety nets. And, the ideas are out there, if you look. The GOP had almost 10 years to come up with something and they delivered bubkis.
What's interesting is the attitude of the various segments on the right to this situation. Many of the anti-antis don't seem to care. They claim to have taken a page from the left and are simply voting to stop the Dems (i.e. the comparison is to folks that voted for anyone but Trump in 2020).
So, by imagining that the Dems are equivalent to Trumpism, they need no further justification for supporting the GOP, including its Trumpy elements. A completely dysfunctional gov't that does nothing whatsoever is fine. Now, of course, there's the illiberal authoritarian aspect of Trumpism these folks have to rationalize away, but that's a separate issue.
I could not agree more about cash bail. Judges are not supposed to use bond as a sub rosa system of preventive detention. If the court believes someone charged with a dangerous or violent crime poses too great a risk to community safety, have a hearing, order him or her detained. To use money bail to accomplish this goal is contrary to the spirit--and, in many jurisdictions, the letter--of the law.
I think JVL gives way to much credit to the Republicans. I have yet to meet a single one who voted for Trump in 2020 change there minds about voting for him or his Ilk in the midterms or in 2024. Ill be generous and not call them actual Republicans anymore... they are cultists. However JVL and the rest of the Bulwark writers need to stop trying to convince us that these people are redeemable.. they arent.. so please, for Heavens sakes. STOP!
I took a 6 week leave from my job in 2008 to work my butt off in a swing state to help get Obama elected...and thing I want most right now is to have John McCain back...(and to play with a baby Cheetah.)
Never forget this, watch it over and over to remind yourself:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JIjenjANqAk
We all had a preview of the future and most of us ignored it.