Senator Gillibrand just apologized to Mamdani for her comments; New York Governor Kathy Hochus also condemned Gillibrand’s comments. This is excellent news, and suggests the party has (at least in this instance!) decided to reject these ugly politics and find a better way forward.
He’s been in D politics for a while; he’s getting union support; he’s getting a ndorsements from key political leaders; he won’t the D primary. For a lot of pols, that’s going to be the ball game.
I am so sick of the treatment of American Jews as (a) being a monolith that doesn’t allow for nuance in thought or actions and (b) in lockstep when it comes to Israel’s government. As a former New Yorker and a Jew (albeit a non-religious one) who hates Netanyahu and all he stands for, I am really disgusted by the pile-on of Democratic establishment leaders against Mamdani and his religion. His existence as a potential mayor of NYC has literally no bearing on foreign policy, nor do any of his stances suggest he’s a threat to the Jewish population of the city. What Schumer-crats are doing is protecting their own hides, trying to stem the tide of their own eventual unseating that Mamdani’s election suggests. The masses have been awakened by the insanity that is our oligarchy and the fascism they use to keep the rest of us in line. So if smearing Mamdani is what it takes, then, by golly, they’re going to sling as much mud of different varieties as they can to see what sticks to stop his forward momentum. All the more reason to give to leaderswedeserve.com to support Mamdani’s campaign, and others like it.
It's much the same with the Liberal and Conservative Parties here in Canada. They care more about winning elections and retaining power than the greater good, and that hurts all of us.
Centrist Democrats are big headache. I find knee jerk Islamophobia tedious and so so so unnecessary. It’s genuinely terrible when Democrats treat anyone like that.
We’re supposed to be the good guys, remember! What party are Muslims supposed to caucus with, if the white Christian nationalists are with the republicans?! Us!
A few things no one mentions, or at least not enough. Mandani received about 20 percent of the Jewish vote. The other thing is they talk about Zoinists being far right isolationism. Which is flat out not true. Zionists believe in the free state of Israel granted to them after WW2. That Israel has a right to exist and any Jew has the right to become a citizen. I went to Israel as a teenager in the 70’s. When Gaza and the West Bank were all part of Israel. It was considered their golden years because of years of no conflicts.
I don’t believe any state has a right to exist. States are created through power, not rights. I think it’s important to realize that people have rights, not states. Otherwise, you create a situation where certain people’s freedom and lives are seen as disposable in the name of a nationalist project.
I get what you’re saying and you can see it happening in Israel right now with their far right. Kinda of like here where the far right discrimates anyone they perceive as “other”. Like immigrants, trans people, brown and black. And anyone else who isn’t a fake Christian white privileged person.
No wonder Democrats have like a 27% approval rating from the public. First, they lose to Trump not once but twice. Second, they’re smearing another person for their religion. Pathetic, to say the least.
Sorry, but to call this fascism and to analogize it to what MAGA is doing is just the most insane and ridiculous thing I’ve heard in a long time. Get a grip..
It’s not an analogy; it’s the same thing. Trump is literally saying the same things about Mamdani that Gillibrand is, and for the same reasons; to build power and keep Muslims in their place.
There are a lot of partisan incentives to give Ds a pass when they do this. But I think that makes it harder to fight trump, which, imo, is bad.
Yeah, pointing a gun at someone and shooting is the same tactic! People are free to argue that Democrats should use those tactics for morally superior reasons but that doesn’t change what Dems are catering to when they invoke bigotry as cudgel.
For instance, I think Mamdani’s point about not policing language is especially valid (and not a cop out) considering that pro-Israel politicians/pundits have argued that the word “Zionist” is now antisemitic (a blatant attempt to make it all but impossible to argue against Zionism without getting smeared as antisemitic)
I think unfortunately there's always more than one thing that's important.
I wrote about the horrible budget bill at Public Notice earlier this week. I think that getting Ds to be better is also important if we're ever going to get out of this.
I disagree. For example, I called my (Dem) senators today and mentioned the BBB, which I already know they've been fighting from the outset. What I was really concerned about today is that Trump has just lifted sanctions on Russia and refused to deliver arms to Ukraine that are already sitting in Poland. Many things can be occuring all at once. Everything does not go on the back burner simply because we have a massive disaster looming on one front.
The BBB has already passed. You can put as much pressure on your House reps as you like. The GOP will not relent. Anyone voting no is being allowed to performatively protest. The others are being threatened financially and politically but mostly physically and their friends, family and colleagues as well. Anyone who tanks this bill would be brutally met with a vindictive administration who do not care how much suffering they influct on their enemies. The crueler the punishment, the better. Wake up.
We might as well be talking about Mamdani, who is building a coalition that will move mountains. If Dems get the fuck out of their own way. Dude.
Per my comment above, there are Republican holdouts; I called 4 today to thank them for standing up against a $3 trillion deficit.
+++
We progressives lose, and lose, and lose, because we don't prioritize, we give up quickly, we squabble and attack each other over nonsense, and WE DON'T PRIORITIZE.
+++
Great progressive organizations like Indivisible, MoveOn, and others are RIGHT NOW fighting for real people living real lives who stand to lose the most if this horror goes through.
If progressive organizers who know their stuff say don't give up, then we don't give up.
Indivisible.org reminds us that in trump 1.0 we all thought the Affordable Care Act was a goner, but effective mobilization -- and the core decency of Senator John McCain -- saved it.
Tried to volunteer with MoveOn phone bank this evening, but like FAR TOO MANY progressive organizations, their training "ux" is inordinately time consuming and their live Zoom orientation was infuriating, glitchy, and a time suck.
Will call more gop reps tomorrow, and will try to find a progressive organization that can run a phone bank efficiently (the Dems did a great job in fall 2024).
+++
Struggling to remain kind here, but ... don't you DARE tell me to wake up.
I hate to say I told you so but positivity and optimism in the face of facts is just sad. Any holdout votes were purely performative and not intended to actually stop passage. It was very naive for you and any of the activist movement to think you could move the needle far enough on this to make a difference. Putin is directing Trump. Trump is directing Congress. They are enacting a very specific agenda intended to destroy democracy in the US as we know it.
I did, in fact, contact my Democratic lawmakers with the full knowledge that there was nothing they could do that wasn't also purely performative. I appreciate your efforts but a lot of this stuff has been inevitable since November and 100% since January. There are no guardrails. No one on that side is going to suddenly and voluntarily stand up and stop this madness.
No one is coming to save us. We're doing our best but we're badly outnumbered. I'll keep fighting in whatever small ways I can. I'm also going to keep my eyes and ears open and not believe that I can change certain things when there's all the evidence to the contrary.
I really wish you had been right. I don't like this anymore than you do. It's eugenics. They want certain people to just die, in concentration camps, broke on the streets or from lack of healthcare, whatever. They don't care. We don't have a charismatic leader on our side. There are many,any great politicians who have been kneecapped. But none that can truly rally us. Mamdani is the closest thing we've got right now. If you want to fight, fight the Islamaphobia from the Dems and fight for him.
(2) This short essay by Anne Lamott (gift link) - “Does Trumpland chaos bode better times ahead? I say yes. Happy Fourth! If difficult times mean something good is trying to be born, let’s celebrate this Independence Day.”
p.s. Regarding your concern that "we're badly outnumbered."
☠️ They have the corrupted Roberts court, dark money from certain (but not all) billionaires, and very likely additional support from, er, foreign lien-holders who would be overjoyed to see our country destroyed.
☠️ They have hate, bigotry, lies, and a corrupted, twisted caricature of Christianity.
We have
🇺🇸 Numbers - way more of us than of them
🇺🇸 The Constitution and the Declaration of Independence -- and battalions of lawyers and judges fighting for the rule of law
🇺🇸 A long history as a democracy -- unlike Hungary, a fascist favorite
🇺🇸 Reality. Reality always wins in the end. Climate change is happening whether they "believe" in it or not. Maga voters are gonna lose their health insurance, hospitals, food support, jobs, and worse. Some of them will realize they've been had.
🇺🇸 And (IYKYK) ... we have friends everywhere 🇺🇸
P.S. Our comments posted almost exactly same time! Thanks for your empathetic response. Yes, we're in it together. - Rachel in Austin
I will take your words to heart. I will not give in to despair! I believe that most of us are finally joining together to see things for what they really are. That people are ready to understand and then actually admit that this is not what they voted for. As most are, though, I am continuing to life my life the best I can. I love on and appreciate my family every day. Despite some cynicism, I do have hope for our future still. I must continue to fight for my kids and my values. Anxiety may be a constant refrain on the back of my head but I won't let them steal my joy.
I'm glad to stand up with people like you. I'm glad you're helping to fight for what's right. And I'm really glad you didn't take my comment as a personal affront. Stay strong, my friend. We're in this together.
Senator Gillibrand just apologized to Mamdani for her comments; New York Governor Kathy Hochus also condemned Gillibrand’s comments. This is excellent news, and suggests the party has (at least in this instance!) decided to reject these ugly politics and find a better way forward.
I fear that these public turnarounds mean that they have chosen a different tack. They certainly are not resigned to him being mayor.
I think they might be.
He’s been in D politics for a while; he’s getting union support; he’s getting a ndorsements from key political leaders; he won’t the D primary. For a lot of pols, that’s going to be the ball game.
I am so sick of the treatment of American Jews as (a) being a monolith that doesn’t allow for nuance in thought or actions and (b) in lockstep when it comes to Israel’s government. As a former New Yorker and a Jew (albeit a non-religious one) who hates Netanyahu and all he stands for, I am really disgusted by the pile-on of Democratic establishment leaders against Mamdani and his religion. His existence as a potential mayor of NYC has literally no bearing on foreign policy, nor do any of his stances suggest he’s a threat to the Jewish population of the city. What Schumer-crats are doing is protecting their own hides, trying to stem the tide of their own eventual unseating that Mamdani’s election suggests. The masses have been awakened by the insanity that is our oligarchy and the fascism they use to keep the rest of us in line. So if smearing Mamdani is what it takes, then, by golly, they’re going to sling as much mud of different varieties as they can to see what sticks to stop his forward momentum. All the more reason to give to leaderswedeserve.com to support Mamdani’s campaign, and others like it.
thanks especially for resource!
Sure thing. This is David Hogg’s organization. You know, the guy the DNC kicked out for speaking truth to power.
I was not a fan of spending limited donor dollars primarying Democrats instead of routing maga.
Yes, we need more inspiring Democratic leaders who can lead us with a real vision for making life better for EVERYONE (except maybe Elon Musk ;).
I don't care if those leaders are 20, 40, or 105 if they are EFFECTIVE.
The flagship Democrat organizations (DNC, DSCC, DCCC, etc) have thus far proven to be full-on useless trash with regard to any of that.
But imo David Hogg's priorities at the DNC were not helping.
We need a coherent big-tent vision (let's start with no more language policing) and we MUST PRIORITIZE on the issues.
With the exception of AOC, Bernie, and a few others, we aren't.
We’ll agree to disagree. There’s no way establishment Democrats will get the message unless their seats are challenged.
I agree on that. I just don't agree on spending limited $ to replace sitting Dems when we could spend that $ to flip maga seats
We can do both. And should.
It's much the same with the Liberal and Conservative Parties here in Canada. They care more about winning elections and retaining power than the greater good, and that hurts all of us.
Centrist Democrats are big headache. I find knee jerk Islamophobia tedious and so so so unnecessary. It’s genuinely terrible when Democrats treat anyone like that.
We’re supposed to be the good guys, remember! What party are Muslims supposed to caucus with, if the white Christian nationalists are with the republicans?! Us!
So why is any Democrat acting messy? Sigh.
A few things no one mentions, or at least not enough. Mandani received about 20 percent of the Jewish vote. The other thing is they talk about Zoinists being far right isolationism. Which is flat out not true. Zionists believe in the free state of Israel granted to them after WW2. That Israel has a right to exist and any Jew has the right to become a citizen. I went to Israel as a teenager in the 70’s. When Gaza and the West Bank were all part of Israel. It was considered their golden years because of years of no conflicts.
Zionism can mean various things for sure.
I don’t believe any state has a right to exist. States are created through power, not rights. I think it’s important to realize that people have rights, not states. Otherwise, you create a situation where certain people’s freedom and lives are seen as disposable in the name of a nationalist project.
I get what you’re saying and you can see it happening in Israel right now with their far right. Kinda of like here where the far right discrimates anyone they perceive as “other”. Like immigrants, trans people, brown and black. And anyone else who isn’t a fake Christian white privileged person.
No wonder Democrats have like a 27% approval rating from the public. First, they lose to Trump not once but twice. Second, they’re smearing another person for their religion. Pathetic, to say the least.
https://abcnews.go.com/Politics/jeffries-holds-back-endorsing-democratic-nyc-mayoral-candidate/story?id=123308358
Jeffries’ response was not much better.
Sorry, but to call this fascism and to analogize it to what MAGA is doing is just the most insane and ridiculous thing I’ve heard in a long time. Get a grip..
It’s not an analogy; it’s the same thing. Trump is literally saying the same things about Mamdani that Gillibrand is, and for the same reasons; to build power and keep Muslims in their place.
There are a lot of partisan incentives to give Ds a pass when they do this. But I think that makes it harder to fight trump, which, imo, is bad.
Yeah, pointing a gun at someone and shooting is the same tactic! People are free to argue that Democrats should use those tactics for morally superior reasons but that doesn’t change what Dems are catering to when they invoke bigotry as cudgel.
For instance, I think Mamdani’s point about not policing language is especially valid (and not a cop out) considering that pro-Israel politicians/pundits have argued that the word “Zionist” is now antisemitic (a blatant attempt to make it all but impossible to argue against Zionism without getting smeared as antisemitic)
strongly disagree. For one thing
Not fascists = rule of law
Fascists = power über alles
could go on, but busy calling to try to stop big beautiful suffering, death, and deficit bill
Subscriber and pretty loyal reader here.
Gotta say, as we need to be fighting the deficit & death bill with everything we have, this column is SUPER ILL TIMED.
Thing in rhetoric called "kairos," the opportune moment.
All energy today focus on getting gop holdouts to vote NO on "Big Beautiful Bill" Act.
Post stuff like this later!
Fan of your work, but dude.
I think unfortunately there's always more than one thing that's important.
I wrote about the horrible budget bill at Public Notice earlier this week. I think that getting Ds to be better is also important if we're ever going to get out of this.
I agree. And yet.
Timing is everything. I am in a constant state of rage and grief. I look at your newsletter every time it drops in my box.
Right now millions of us are looking to leaders -- and writers we trust -- for what WE CAN DO, NOW.
Respect from Austin, Texas. 🇺🇸
Calling your d reps and telling them to speak up for mamdani is worth doing I think!
yes. Good idea. Looks like the maga gop death bill is going through.
And maybe a call thanking Rep Hakeem Jeffries, just now, including wrapping up his marathon speech by quoting the Rev MLK Jr
"We must keep moving. If you can't fly, run; if you can't run, walk; if you can't walk, crawl; but by all means keep moving."
I disagree. For example, I called my (Dem) senators today and mentioned the BBB, which I already know they've been fighting from the outset. What I was really concerned about today is that Trump has just lifted sanctions on Russia and refused to deliver arms to Ukraine that are already sitting in Poland. Many things can be occuring all at once. Everything does not go on the back burner simply because we have a massive disaster looming on one front.
The BBB has already passed. You can put as much pressure on your House reps as you like. The GOP will not relent. Anyone voting no is being allowed to performatively protest. The others are being threatened financially and politically but mostly physically and their friends, family and colleagues as well. Anyone who tanks this bill would be brutally met with a vindictive administration who do not care how much suffering they influct on their enemies. The crueler the punishment, the better. Wake up.
We might as well be talking about Mamdani, who is building a coalition that will move mountains. If Dems get the fuck out of their own way. Dude.
"The BBB has already passed."
False.
Perhaps you're unaware of how the legislative process works.
The House has to pass the bill now that it's come back from the Senate.
https://www.nbcnews.com/politics/trump-administration/live-blog/trump-big-beautiful-bill-house-taxes-immigration-live-updates-rcna215840
Per my comment above, there are Republican holdouts; I called 4 today to thank them for standing up against a $3 trillion deficit.
+++
We progressives lose, and lose, and lose, because we don't prioritize, we give up quickly, we squabble and attack each other over nonsense, and WE DON'T PRIORITIZE.
+++
Great progressive organizations like Indivisible, MoveOn, and others are RIGHT NOW fighting for real people living real lives who stand to lose the most if this horror goes through.
If progressive organizers who know their stuff say don't give up, then we don't give up.
Indivisible.org reminds us that in trump 1.0 we all thought the Affordable Care Act was a goner, but effective mobilization -- and the core decency of Senator John McCain -- saved it.
Tried to volunteer with MoveOn phone bank this evening, but like FAR TOO MANY progressive organizations, their training "ux" is inordinately time consuming and their live Zoom orientation was infuriating, glitchy, and a time suck.
Will call more gop reps tomorrow, and will try to find a progressive organization that can run a phone bank efficiently (the Dems did a great job in fall 2024).
+++
Struggling to remain kind here, but ... don't you DARE tell me to wake up.
I hate to say I told you so but positivity and optimism in the face of facts is just sad. Any holdout votes were purely performative and not intended to actually stop passage. It was very naive for you and any of the activist movement to think you could move the needle far enough on this to make a difference. Putin is directing Trump. Trump is directing Congress. They are enacting a very specific agenda intended to destroy democracy in the US as we know it.
I did, in fact, contact my Democratic lawmakers with the full knowledge that there was nothing they could do that wasn't also purely performative. I appreciate your efforts but a lot of this stuff has been inevitable since November and 100% since January. There are no guardrails. No one on that side is going to suddenly and voluntarily stand up and stop this madness.
No one is coming to save us. We're doing our best but we're badly outnumbered. I'll keep fighting in whatever small ways I can. I'm also going to keep my eyes and ears open and not believe that I can change certain things when there's all the evidence to the contrary.
I really wish you had been right. I don't like this anymore than you do. It's eugenics. They want certain people to just die, in concentration camps, broke on the streets or from lack of healthcare, whatever. They don't care. We don't have a charismatic leader on our side. There are many,any great politicians who have been kneecapped. But none that can truly rally us. Mamdani is the closest thing we've got right now. If you want to fight, fight the Islamaphobia from the Dems and fight for him.
Hi Angie. Thanks for your thoughtful and kind response.
+++
YES AND
I take issue with “naive” — continuing to hope, continuing to fight, continuing to refuse despair is essential in the face of fascism.
Hope and optimism aren’t naive; they’re strategic.
Organizers like Indivisible and MoveOn, in fighting the bill to the last gasp, are setting an example for us all.
That said, I’m 100% with you in your grief and largely agree with your analysis of the facts.
But I hope you’ll hear me out a moment,
+++
AGAINST DESPAIR
Despair is poison and it’s what the fascists want.
I’m fighting it too, and I will continue to fight despair — and fascism — because I have no choice.
But we all need recharging, restorative moments.
In addition to the more obvious salves — community, walking, dogs, books — I have found these 3 things especially helpful today
(1) This gut-wrenching poem by Nickole Brown. Strongly recommend you read in MORNING and then do things in your day that restore you.
https://poets.org/poem/against-despair-kid-goat
Here’s the crucial last stanza
+++
Hope, you know by now,
is not a thing you feel
but something you do,
and this is your job. It’s what
you do; it’s what needs to be
done.
+++
(2) This short essay by Anne Lamott (gift link) - “Does Trumpland chaos bode better times ahead? I say yes. Happy Fourth! If difficult times mean something good is trying to be born, let’s celebrate this Independence Day.”
She’s funny, self-aware, and relentless.
https://wapo.st/3GuY4xL
(3) The last few minutes of House Minority leader Hakeem Jeffries’s recordbreaking speech to delay the bill
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fQCpn_h43Yk
"No matter the outcome on this single day, we're going to press on...we're going to press on for our children,
press on for our seniors,
press on for our veterans,
press on for our unions,
press on for our farmers,
press on for our dreamers,
press on for working class Americans,
press on for the middle class,
press on for all who aspire to be part of the middle class,
press on for the poor,
press on for the sick,
press on for the afflicted,
press on for the least,
press on for the lost,
press on for the left behind,
press on for rule of law,
press on for the American way of life,
press on for democracy.
We're going to press on until victory is won."
p.s. Regarding your concern that "we're badly outnumbered."
☠️ They have the corrupted Roberts court, dark money from certain (but not all) billionaires, and very likely additional support from, er, foreign lien-holders who would be overjoyed to see our country destroyed.
☠️ They have hate, bigotry, lies, and a corrupted, twisted caricature of Christianity.
We have
🇺🇸 Numbers - way more of us than of them
🇺🇸 The Constitution and the Declaration of Independence -- and battalions of lawyers and judges fighting for the rule of law
🇺🇸 A long history as a democracy -- unlike Hungary, a fascist favorite
🇺🇸 Reality. Reality always wins in the end. Climate change is happening whether they "believe" in it or not. Maga voters are gonna lose their health insurance, hospitals, food support, jobs, and worse. Some of them will realize they've been had.
🇺🇸 And (IYKYK) ... we have friends everywhere 🇺🇸
P.S. Our comments posted almost exactly same time! Thanks for your empathetic response. Yes, we're in it together. - Rachel in Austin
I will take your words to heart. I will not give in to despair! I believe that most of us are finally joining together to see things for what they really are. That people are ready to understand and then actually admit that this is not what they voted for. As most are, though, I am continuing to life my life the best I can. I love on and appreciate my family every day. Despite some cynicism, I do have hope for our future still. I must continue to fight for my kids and my values. Anxiety may be a constant refrain on the back of my head but I won't let them steal my joy.
I'm glad to stand up with people like you. I'm glad you're helping to fight for what's right. And I'm really glad you didn't take my comment as a personal affront. Stay strong, my friend. We're in this together.
Also, let's see if this'll get thru filters
PLEASE CALL
US Capitol switchboard at
(202) 224-3121
or direct numbers below
to be connected with these Congressmen:
House Budget Chair Jodey Arrington (R-Texas) - office - (888) 217-0281
https://arrington.house.gov
House Freedom Caucus, Reps. Chip Roy (R-Texas) - office - (202) 225-4236Phone: (202) 225-4236
https://roy.house.gov/
Ralph Norman (R-South Carolina) - office - (202) 225-5501
https://norman.house.gov/
Rep. Mike Kennedy (R-Utah) - office - (202) 225-7751
https://mikekennedy.house.gov/
+++
GIFT LINK TO STORY
https://wapo.st/4esAiPo