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General overview 2012: the state of play
Welcome to all the new readers. Traffic is booming. First, a brief update. Several weeks ago I showed that convention bounces (and other fluct...
Politics & Polls #26: Indivisible!
Since the election, Democrats have struggled with how to respond to a Donald Trump presidency. But one group is starting to get some traction – the authors of an online guide that is going viral: “Indivisible: A Practical Guide for Resisting the Trump Agenda.”
In episode #26 of Politics & Polls, Julian Zelizer and I discuss Indivisible with two of its co-authors: Ezra Levin and Angel Padilla, former Democratic Congressional staffers. In 2010, they saw the impressive power of Tea Party activists as they swept through the halls of Congress. Ezra and Angel describe how those staffers occupied offices, yelled through mail slots, and even spat on one of them. They recommend that Democrats take a page from the Tea Party book – minus the spitting of course.
Let’s understand, though, that the Tea Party had two advantages that the Indivisible movement will have to create by other means.
1. Anger. The Tea Party had talk radio and Fox News to keep people in a constant state of anger, which would help keep the energy level up.
2. Money. The Tea Party was originally a Roger Ailes funded AstroTurf movement to protest the Obama administration.
Will, I agree with your observations. But I actually think a lot of people are angry at Trump and consider him an illegitimate president. He is very despised by the majority of people. That will not go away. I suspect that the left will soon have its version of talk radio and or tv shows that will keep the anger alive and sparked. As far as money goes, there is always Soros, Gates, Bezos, Warren Buffet and Ted Turner who has made his life’s work about saving the environment. I suspect that we will see people out in the streets which may not be a bad thing. I always thought that Gandhi got it right. If we follow his example it would only take a 2-3 day time off work for prayer and meditation for peace by all immigrants, grandchildren and children of immigrants and those who support them. That should make the politicians and corporations wake up. They would all fold like a cheap suitcase. 3 days of profit loss should do it. What are they going to say? You should not pray?
Sam, I am so glad that you are continuing to post during these critical times! Also following your Twitter feed. I have many thoughts on the topics you highlight, but look forward to joining the discussion later.
Keep up the good work!
Normally I delete abuse. But today I will allow one through. Here is a comment from reader James Longstreet: A blog that would bring in both sides (you know, that “diversity” that leftists always prate about but never practice) would be of some intellectual value.
The PEC is just a left wing circle jerk, headed by an insect-eating “Trump will never get 240″ “expert” whose predictions have proven monumentally wrong.
What is there to say about this. First, as PEC readers know, our comment section is thoughtful and filled with people who bring evidence to the table. If the evidence is good, then we can discuss it. Second, although the PEC readership tilts left, I am very interested in ideological diversity. However, it has to be civil.
Here, Longstreet does not show any indication of meeting either criterion.
Sam….. I love you, love your podcast, and you seem to be the most “in tune” with what is going on in this country as far as polarization is concerned. The media, youtubers, podcasters, etc don’t ever seem to mention polarization as a driving force as to what is going on in this country and why Trump is now president.
However, I still don’t find data driven people like you and in general liberals talking about a very important issue. Republicans fall in line, and liberals fall in love. Yes it’s an old saying, but it’s just as relevant in 2016 as it was whenever it was coined. We say it play out perfectly in 2016. We had a historically large undecided vote in 2016, and what happened? Republicans fell in line behind Trump at the last minute while Democrats in large didn’t vote or voted 3rd party. Until democrat voters vote “smarter” (for lack of a better term), Democrats will always be at the mercy of how charismatic their candidate is rather than advancing liberal policies. Bernie Sanders, Keith Ellison, Elizabeth Warren, or someone popular really needs to go on a campaign educating liberal voters about the importance of actually winning elections to advance policy. Republicans seem to have a HUGE advantage here.