<Exhibit A, of what Kamala Harris's campaign missed most:
https://www.downwithtyranny.com>
<i.>
Not long ago, the Squawker and I found ourselves entering a classic conversation, while we were driving around, doing our usual steady diet of mindless errands. We actually find ourselves revisiting this conversation a lot lately, one that applies to this latest election spectacle, too. The dialogue went like this:
The Squawker: Boy, I thought we'd have moved out by now. It's so hard to make friends around here.
The Reckoner: Don't forget how busy they are, or so they tell you. The way they talk, you'd think they were CEOs of some company...
Squawker: Well, some of them are CEOs! And even if they're not, they're all these older Boomers. This town is crawling with them! They have endless money, and they're always going on trips, to some foreign country, or other. I can't take it anymore, I hate it here!
Reckoner: It was like that here when I grew up. Can't say I've got a mile long invite list going, either. Still, though, you might well ask yourself this...
Squawker: What's that, exactly?
Reckoner: Here's the thing about friends, however you find them. What would you do with them, once you had them?
Squawker: What do you mean by that?
Reckoner: That's the thing, isn't it? Friendships take work to maintain, like marriages, or any other relationship. But most folks don't think about that --
Squawker: Until it's too late. I got it. (sighs) Well, I sure hope that isn't me.
<Kamala Harris, surrounded
by ghosts of Democratic Presidencies past:
by ghosts of Democratic Presidencies past:
How much longer will we hear the mantra,
"Just tinker 'round the edges, tinker 'round the edges?":
https://www.downwithtyranny.com>
"Just tinker 'round the edges, tinker 'round the edges?":
https://www.downwithtyranny.com>
<ii.>
Our conversation seems especially appropriate, in light of the train wreck that greeted last month's election result, followed by the existential dread that only a Trump restoration can uncork. in true 20-megaton style. It was as though 2020 had never happened, let alone, the biggest takeaway from the COVID programs that followed Trump's defeat -- give people enough resources, and they'll get the job done.
No such luck, as we gird for 2025. Now that all those programs -- the child tax credit, the COVID relief checks, the temporary eviction moratoriums -- have been unceremoniously halted, it's back to choosing between food and medicine, rent and medical bills, car repairs and daycare, or whatever millions of us were grappling with, before the pandemic hit.
For a nation that never stops prattling about the beauty of "choice," what's striking is how few meaningful options are ever offered on the menu. Given how so many are struggling, stranded by a system that's rendered most basic needs -- from energy, to food, housing, and back again -- as exercises in circle-the-drain frustration, what's the most important takeaway, for the Democratic Party?
Five words, it seems, judging by the emails that began flooding my inbox, with the ink barely cold on Harris's defeat: "Just give us money, folks." Hence, this arid opening nugget, blasted out from some entity or other calling itself the Harris Fight Fund (*11/14): "The results in the presidential election weren't something any of us had hoped for."
Quite. Indeed. Do tell. You think? Insert the snark of your choice here. Whatever you conjure up will suffice. Then comes the pitch:
No such luck, as we gird for 2025. Now that all those programs -- the child tax credit, the COVID relief checks, the temporary eviction moratoriums -- have been unceremoniously halted, it's back to choosing between food and medicine, rent and medical bills, car repairs and daycare, or whatever millions of us were grappling with, before the pandemic hit.
For a nation that never stops prattling about the beauty of "choice," what's striking is how few meaningful options are ever offered on the menu. Given how so many are struggling, stranded by a system that's rendered most basic needs -- from energy, to food, housing, and back again -- as exercises in circle-the-drain frustration, what's the most important takeaway, for the Democratic Party?
Five words, it seems, judging by the emails that began flooding my inbox, with the ink barely cold on Harris's defeat: "Just give us money, folks." Hence, this arid opening nugget, blasted out from some entity or other calling itself the Harris Fight Fund (*11/14): "The results in the presidential election weren't something any of us had hoped for."
Quite. Indeed. Do tell. You think? Insert the snark of your choice here. Whatever you conjure up will suffice. Then comes the pitch:
"So, now our job goes to electing these final members of Congress who will keep Trump in check these next four years. That will take resources. There will be legal challenges and recounts.
"And just like in our campaign, the vast majority of donations we receive to support the Harris Fight Fund program will come from small-dollar donations from people like you looking for something meaningful and important to channel your emotions toward.
"If everyone getting this email donated right now, we'd have what we need to finish the job in these races. But not everyone will give, so we’re urgently asking people who understand how important it is to win these races to contribute today."
How much, then? Fifty bucks, in this case. Still, the underlying assumptions behind this email seemed odd, since the Republicans had already won the Senate, and the House of Representatives' overall makeup remained uncertain, though still tilted towards the GOP. All of which naturally begs the question, "How much bang will those 50 bucks buy?" Not much, it seems, unless you're a sucker for knife-edged stalemate.
"If everyone getting this email donated right now, we'd have what we need to finish the job in these races. But not everyone will give, so we’re urgently asking people who understand how important it is to win these races to contribute today."
How much, then? Fifty bucks, in this case. Still, the underlying assumptions behind this email seemed odd, since the Republicans had already won the Senate, and the House of Representatives' overall makeup remained uncertain, though still tilted towards the GOP. All of which naturally begs the question, "How much bang will those 50 bucks buy?" Not much, it seems, unless you're a sucker for knife-edged stalemate.
<https://www.downwithtyranny.com>
<iii.>
Evidently, Team Harris's hopes for a brighter post-defeat future hadn't panned out -- at least, that's what a follow-up email (11/21/24) suggested, complete with a chart, highlighting a less than rosy turn of events on the donation front: "You can see the rise as we launched and the drop-off that happened after that. Not great."
That hardly seems surprising, considering how Harris stacked up (74.9 million votes) against her predecessor, Joe Biden (81.2 million votes). Even so, "we are counting on people like you who understand the stakes of holding Trump accountable to get it done," this email hopefully suggested. "Because if we don't have the resources to do so, we won't. It'll be another four years of chaos and confusion. It's honestly that simple."
What's the big takeaway here? That, if I don't kick in the anticipated fifty bucks, Project 2025's dystopian hellscape is all but assured? Apparently so, because the very next day (11/22/24) brought this salvo, from the Harris Fight Fund ("please don't click away"):
Donald Trump is on a mission to bring our country back to a time when we had fewer rights and freedoms than we do today. He is going on a hiring spree appointing loyalists who will do his bidding like RFK Jr.
If everyone reading this message donated even $10, we would not only have a huge number of donations, but we would have the resources to begin holding Trump accountable.
That same day brought yet another plea for funds ("we set a big goal to get our fight fund program off the ground, but the truth is, we’re not on track to hit it"), followed by the same pitch for that 50 bucks, to stop Trump ("We need every member of this team to step up and make sure he knows we won't back down"), and then, the close ("This is one of our most critical fundraising moments, so can you donate $50 for the first time today?").
Like Team Harris's blizzard of fundraising pitches, VNP's morning-after email (11/7/24) starts off on the same unintentional note of understatement:
"I’ll start by saying that the results from Tuesday's election certainly were not what many of us who champion democracy would have hoped for."
<2025 Word cloud: Just a bad dream,
or the shape of things to come?:
Citizens For Responsible Ethics In Washington>
<iv.>
Other organizations seem to have cribbed from the same notebook, such as Voters Not Politicians (VNP). The group is best known for helping to spearhead Proposal 2's passage in 2018, which led to the creation of an independent commission to oversee Michigan's redistricting process.Like Team Harris's blizzard of fundraising pitches, VNP's morning-after email (11/7/24) starts off on the same unintentional note of understatement:
"I’ll start by saying that the results from Tuesday's election certainly were not what many of us who champion democracy would have hoped for."
Hmm. Really? In any event, VNP also doesn't believe in letting the grass grow under its feet, as the next two paragraphs make plain:
"We are happy to have helped secure wins for Michigan Supreme Court candidates Kimberly Thomas and Kyra Harris-Bolden. But still, the presidential results and the loss of the pro-voter majority in the Michigan House of Representatives are casting a heavy shadow.
"There will be a lot of analysis in the coming days, weeks, and months, but one thing that’s clear is that democracy is going to need defending, and that's what we do best."
The closing paragraph of the next email, blasted out two days later, is even less subtle, if you consider the self-serving nature of the pitch: "If you're looking for a place to channel your activism right now, please consider making a contribution to our people-powered movement that is working to defend democracy from election deniers and the dangerous promises made in Project 2025."
Still, re-electing Harris-Bolden and Thomas is a big win against the not-so-shadowy, far right interests who hoped to unseat them. As a result, Michigan voters have suffered far less, compared to other Democratic-led states that lack high court majorities. (Ask Wisconsin's Governor Tony Evers how well that situation works for him.)
And yes, losing the House majority isn't ideal, but at least our high court will likely check whatever power grabs the Republicans dream up. We'll see how much of their originalist fever holds, once those losses start coming to them. The moral of the story? If you show up and vote, you've still got a chance. If you stay home, next time, you may not be so lucky.
<"Ghosts Of Democratic Presidencies Past"/
Take II: The Reckoner
“No space of regret can make amends
for one life's opportunity misused...”
Charles Dickens: "A Christmas Carol">
<v.>
Even so, it feels troubling when you're hearing from an organization like the Democratic Party only when it wants something, whether it's your vote, or your money. Though both items are essential building blocks of politics, they're not the be-all and end-all, either, nor should anyone accept them as such.That's because, first and foremost, politics is a relationship business. The best -- and worst -- politicos instinctively grasp this principle, when it comes to getting things done. We're all more likely to go the limit for someone who's demonstrated the same quality, even if it's only symbolically. Makes sense, right?
Team Harris seemed to instinctively grasp this principle. Or so it seemed, until a different picture emerged, via media reports of its alleged $20 million campaign debt. The figure included $15 million for "event production," $4 million for private jets, and $1 million paid to Oprah Winfrey's production company. What's more, the Harris-Walz campaign blew through some $1.5 billion in four months -- a mind-blowing figure, when you consider how much it underperformed with all its key constituencies.
Not surprisingly, it's a development that's generated tidal waves of ill will within Democratic Party circles. Democratic megadonor John Morgan's widely quoted statement probably ranks among the more printable responses: "I think this disqualifies her forever. If you can't run a campaign, you can't run America." Naturally, Team Harris disputes the estimate, though it's yielded one net positive -- by the first week in December, all the email begging had finally stopped.
The moral? It's not how much you spend, but where you spend it, that matters. As much as Harris hoped to distance herself from memories of Hillary Clinton's losing run in 2016, both campaigns shared two ironic qualities in common -- a fetish for high-gloss. feelgood-type events, coupled with a heavy reliance on traditional media, and paid advertising.
All the emphasis on aging superstars -- from Beyonce, to The Boss, and beyond -- proved no match for the GOP's noise machine. Unless you count Bluesky, and MSNBC, there is no obvious Democratic counterweight to the likes of FOX News, Joe Rogan, and a social disinformation space that never rests. Without one, the climb back to contention will prove painful, prolonged, and difficult -- especially when donors remain so stuck on Star Trek-style social engineering schemes.
Not surprisingly, it's a development that's generated tidal waves of ill will within Democratic Party circles. Democratic megadonor John Morgan's widely quoted statement probably ranks among the more printable responses: "I think this disqualifies her forever. If you can't run a campaign, you can't run America." Naturally, Team Harris disputes the estimate, though it's yielded one net positive -- by the first week in December, all the email begging had finally stopped.
The moral? It's not how much you spend, but where you spend it, that matters. As much as Harris hoped to distance herself from memories of Hillary Clinton's losing run in 2016, both campaigns shared two ironic qualities in common -- a fetish for high-gloss. feelgood-type events, coupled with a heavy reliance on traditional media, and paid advertising.
All the emphasis on aging superstars -- from Beyonce, to The Boss, and beyond -- proved no match for the GOP's noise machine. Unless you count Bluesky, and MSNBC, there is no obvious Democratic counterweight to the likes of FOX News, Joe Rogan, and a social disinformation space that never rests. Without one, the climb back to contention will prove painful, prolonged, and difficult -- especially when donors remain so stuck on Star Trek-style social engineering schemes.
<https://www.downwithtyranny.com>
<Coda>
Even if little appetite exists for creating a Democratic answer to FOX, it's worth remembering how many organizations, large and small, could really use the funding. The fateful priority shift that took hold during the early '90s -- chasing the tech money, to erase the traditional Republican advantage in fundraising -- has proven catastrophic, in more ways than one.
Cool beans, maaan!
Look at the gadgets that all these crazy techo bros keep cranking out for us! They're just big kids at heart, only with lots of money!
Who doesn't want some of that? Besides, hoovering up all those little guys' cash is sooo muuuchhh wooorrrkkk, man. Why do that?
I remember all the rhapsodies that accompanied this strategic shift -- about the "information economy," and all those "wired workers" who couldn't help but prosper, because they were going to be so busy "connecting," and "sharing," who'd ever have time for anything else?
How anybody would ever earn any money -- because all this "sharing" was supposed to happen for free, remember -- seemed elusive, but looking back, it made all those debt-raddled slacker kids feel like big shots. And if it's that what it took to fool them, then that was enough.
Little did we know, of course -- or should I say, little did the Democratic Party leaders of the time care, from Senator Charles Schumer, to former House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, and her sidekick, James Clyburn (imagine a more lethally careerist Sancho Panza, to an OTT Don Quixote) -- that these tech bros turned out to be feral turds, whose deeply-held beliefs seem slightly inclined to the right of Attila the Hun, Adolf Hitler, and Louis XIV, combined.
And guess what? Their every waking moments are driven by two of man's most malignant impulses. First, to squeeze as much money from as many as possible, in as short a time as possible. Second, bending the world to their will, by any means necessary, to coin a phrase In polite circles, it's called the march of progress; in less polite ones, psychopathy. LIke great white sharks, they show an alarming lack of interest in sleep.
And, for those still bothering to keep score of such things, the chickens just won't stop coming to roost. Or so it seems, anyhow. But, if any of the Democratic National Committee's dinosaur hierarchy actually are taking notes, a few lessons seem worth repeating, and underscoring. Therefore, once more, with feeling:
Point #1: A relationship based solely on how much money some-entity-or other hopes to extract from you, isn't one that's built to last.
Point #2: When the rank and file suggest, "We really would appreciate something/someone else than the ding-dong nominees/policies you're serving up," it pays to heed the popular outcry.
Point #1: A relationship based solely on how much money some-entity-or other hopes to extract from you, isn't one that's built to last.
Point #2: When the rank and file suggest, "We really would appreciate something/someone else than the ding-dong nominees/policies you're serving up," it pays to heed the popular outcry.
Point #3: An ally who doesn't share your vision, and throws in their lot for convenience's sake with you, isn't one. And relying on them is a dangerous strategy. In fact, it's like having no strategy at all.
Point #4: Those who don't learn from the past are condemned to repeat it. Those who don't read the room are doomed to play empty houses.
But this is the trouble with friends, as I've already suggested. What will you do with them, once you have them? And, assuming they turn up, how well does the Democratic hierarchy read the room? We'll know, soon enough. -- The Reckoner
PS I know this essay is long enough already, but I just happened to stumble across a couple of observations from James Zogby, a longtime DNC member who's critical of its practices. His recent comments, aired on "Breaking Points," make the case for the prosecution quite well:
"I grew up, my mom was a precinct captain and I used to go door to door with her, and go to Ward meetings, and on Election Day we'd get poll cards and we'd go to the polls and pass them out. You belonged to something, and you felt like this was part of who you were. "That's no longer the case. Being a member of the Democratic Party means nothing more than: I'm on a email list, I'm on a text message list, I'm on a hard mail list, I'm on a phone list, and I get asked for money. Nobody asks my opinion. There is no way to record your feeling about an issue." Well-said, and well-stated, but evidently, not enough to force failures who fell upwards in previous administrations to start clearing their throats, and insist that they've earned the promotion -- such as Rahm Emanuel, Obama's former chief of staff, the same strategic genius who notoriously insisted, "I don't give a f#uck about filling federal judgeships." We all know who did, and how that movie played out, and how well it worked for the Democrats, right? I'm not sure if Rahm's trial balloon is terribly serious, as the smart money seems to be on Wisconsin party chair Ben Wikler, the only candidate to earn a major nod -- in this case, Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer -- in the run-up to next month's DNC leadership election. We'll see soon enough, I suppose, how much they've learned from their recent misfortunes. PPS (UPDATE: 1/14/25): Or, maybe I spoke too soon. Look what arrived in my mailbox, yesterday, and it's from -- you guessed it -- the "Harris Fight Fund":
Point #4: Those who don't learn from the past are condemned to repeat it. Those who don't read the room are doomed to play empty houses.
But this is the trouble with friends, as I've already suggested. What will you do with them, once you have them? And, assuming they turn up, how well does the Democratic hierarchy read the room? We'll know, soon enough. -- The Reckoner
PS I know this essay is long enough already, but I just happened to stumble across a couple of observations from James Zogby, a longtime DNC member who's critical of its practices. His recent comments, aired on "Breaking Points," make the case for the prosecution quite well:
"I grew up, my mom was a precinct captain and I used to go door to door with her, and go to Ward meetings, and on Election Day we'd get poll cards and we'd go to the polls and pass them out. You belonged to something, and you felt like this was part of who you were. "That's no longer the case. Being a member of the Democratic Party means nothing more than: I'm on a email list, I'm on a text message list, I'm on a hard mail list, I'm on a phone list, and I get asked for money. Nobody asks my opinion. There is no way to record your feeling about an issue." Well-said, and well-stated, but evidently, not enough to force failures who fell upwards in previous administrations to start clearing their throats, and insist that they've earned the promotion -- such as Rahm Emanuel, Obama's former chief of staff, the same strategic genius who notoriously insisted, "I don't give a f#uck about filling federal judgeships." We all know who did, and how that movie played out, and how well it worked for the Democrats, right? I'm not sure if Rahm's trial balloon is terribly serious, as the smart money seems to be on Wisconsin party chair Ben Wikler, the only candidate to earn a major nod -- in this case, Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer -- in the run-up to next month's DNC leadership election. We'll see soon enough, I suppose, how much they've learned from their recent misfortunes. PPS (UPDATE: 1/14/25): Or, maybe I spoke too soon. Look what arrived in my mailbox, yesterday, and it's from -- you guessed it -- the "Harris Fight Fund":
"Last Monday afternoon, I did what I have done my entire career—honor the oath to support and defend the Constitution of the United States. That includes ensuring the people of America have their votes counted, that those votes mattered, and that they determined the outcome of an election.
"America's democracy is only as strong as our willingness to fight for it.
"Every single person. That includes me, and you.
"And today, I am asking you to stay in that fight, and to do something important — especially as Republicans take control of Congress and in less than one week, the White House.
"Please make a contribution to the Democratic National Committee. Give $5, $50...whatever you can afford. A strong Democratic Party has never been more important than it is right now -- and that's only possible together."
“Men's courses will foreshadow certain ends, to which,
if persevered in, they must lead," said Scrooge. "But if the courses be departed from, the ends will change.”
>"A Christmas Carol"<
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