This is ridiculous. Steve will never be anything but a conservative and refuses to see that the Dems haven’t become a far left party. The bills they have passed and want to pass aren’t radical and extremist. He didn’t say this explicitly but it’s what he implied. Imagine allowing Medicare to negotiate with drug companies to control costs. Imagine better health care like Medicare and Veterans.’ Dealing with the health care system recently, it’s even more broken than I realized. Something must be done! And what about efforts to combat climate change? Tell me how many of those “moderate” GOP members voted or will vote for any of these things? And I didn’t even start on the “cultural” issues like gay marriage or women’s right to choose.
Steve also completely ignores gerrymandering and what has caused half of the nation to see the Dems as evil: RW propaganda media. He also neglects to add that a growing number on the right want a strongman to control everything; they actually want an authoritarian system as long as it squashes those they do not like.
Polls have consistently show that Americans want the things Dems are working for and which Joe Biden has delivered so far. Just how would this “moderate” leader work with the president and the majority of the House? About the best we could hope for would be raising the debt ceiling, keeping the extremists off committees, and curbing the sham “investigations.” However, McConnell is already under attack for allowing some of his memebers in the Senate to vote with the Dems on bills. You really think this won’t happen to this “moderate GOP Speaker”?
Steve is his own fantasy world--the one he accuses Dems of living in.
I said what I said. Respectfully, the absence of the things that you’ve written about is not evidence of an absence of belief on my part around anything I didn’t write about.
The Republican Party won control of the House of Representatives. They hold a majority of 219-216. This is why a Republican civil war has broken out. That majority means that it is ungovernable. None of these things that you’re talking about will occur in any Republican Congress. The very best that you — and we — can hope for is that because of the closeness of the result, Democrats can work with moderates to put down the extremists.
To be clear, I’m not a conservative. I’ve always been a New Jersey moderate, who found a home, like other moderates, in the Republican Party — a Republican Party that has turned extreme and that I have fought as hard against as any person in America.
I am confident that there are millions of Republicans on Social Security and Medicare..These people are also constituents, parents or grandparents of constituents.. In my view, it would be political suicide for these programs to be damaged in any way..
I would argue that the "moderate" Republican Steve refers to understands this..I have to believe they do, because the shitshow that is coming cannot move the country forward, there must be pragmatic critical thinking on both sides of the aisle..Our Democracy depends on it..
What moderate will challenge the crazies? It isn’t the left threatening them if they don’t stand by the likes of Trump and the extremists, it’s the GOP base. With few exceptions these moderates have demonstrated their callous cowardice consistently over the past five years. Dems have worked with the GOP; how many times has Biden talked about his friends on the other side. Yet the minute Dems don’t capitulate to every demand, they are excoriated for not “playing nicely.”
Dems ran on saving Democracy. Yet many GOP voters still voted for the authoritarians. Why is that Steve? Why do they hate Dems so much? Maybe it’s 30 years of brainwashing that has gone from extreme hyperbole to outright lies. That isn’t going to change while RW media is highly profitable.
Boehner and Ryan could not control their caucus. There is no way they can or will keep the crazies off committees and in positions of leadership. It just don’t happen. They are too fearful for their positions and frankly their lives. And what’s coming behind Trump is worse. Some have begun to rally around DeSantis, a Harvard educated Trump on steroids. The Dems will do the right thing. But stop pretending as if the two parties are disliked equally because they aren’t addressing the needs of the people. That is the message I hear from Steve.
I totally agree with what you so clearly articulated is happening and what we should do. I do not, however agree that all Democrats see this election as simply a Democrat partisan victory. For example, President Biden tweeted after the election::
====================
Joe Biden
@JoeBiden
In this year’s midterm elections, we saw the strength and resilience of American democracy in action.
There was a strong rejection of political violence, voter intimidation, and election deniers at every level.
The American people proved—once again—democracy is who we are.
He rightfully called it a victory for democracy which you also do. So I’m puzzled why you are so reluctant to give credit where it is due instead of seemingly painting a broad negative brushstroke on Democrats. I’d be interested to hear your thoughts.
There was NOT! a "strong rejection". A "strong rejection" would have appeared as The House staying a definitive blue as well as a Senate with a larger margin than 50/50 with the Senate President breaking the tie. Come on you guys, what the hey? Biden stating that the midterm elections were a STRONG rejection is plain propaganda to anyone who isn't following the final tallies this week. Biden is trying to paint a rosier picture than what is reality. As is Schumer. The economy sucks due to crazy inflation for the middle class, but it is amazing for the rich, and even better for the superrich, and corporations making RECORD profits. That is what is reality. And the Dems can't seem to find any solution stopping the middleclass blood bath and redistribution of wealth upward from those with 401 K's every time there is a huge drop in the market, making a viable Social Security and Medicare that much more important. This midterm can most accurately be described as razor thin for democracy, and a viable economy and social safety net barely hanging onto that coattail. That doesn't discount that democracy came out on top. But it came out on top just barely. What good is democracy when the next generation is poorer than the one before? Seems to me that there are more than Rep moderates that have been the spoilers on a lot of fronts these past few years, from the gal in Maine to the gal in Alaska to the Dem guy in WV. Maybe NH has some different kinds of Moderates than what are at the National level now. I don't pretend to know the solution, but it also occurs to me that more rational, bipartisan discussion has to occur on both sides in the near term for Democracy to get a stronger footing on the cliff it finds itself on these days.
Hi Mary, ii think you missed my point. What I was trying to contest was that not all democrats looked at this from purely a political viewpoint. In that tweet I posted, Joe Biden didn’t say: see my policies over the last two years were right and the election proved me right. No, he was looking at it from a little “d” point of view for democracy winning. All of us would have liked a blue wave engulfing the red. Instead, what we got was a blue shield mostly keeping the status quo and the red from guaranteeing an autocratic takeover by election subversion. Also, there is a good chance the final Senate count will be 51 to 49 (not 50 as you said) which will give significant advantage to Democrats. In a broken political system, as Steve points out we have and which i agree, this is more of an accomplishment than many are willing to give the current administration credit for and I think that is unfortunate.
I know that wasn't what he said. And I didn't miss your point. It was you that cherry picked what he said and in fact, I will say it again, there was NOT a STRONG rejection of anything . . . political violent, election deniers, or voter intimidation. If there was, then there would have been more dems voted into the House so that Dems could retain that branch. And I'd like to add, where is it that you see that Steve is "so reluctant to give credit where credit is due"? See, I don't read that at all in Steve's stuff, but what I noticed is that more than just yourself seem to have this psychological need for Steve to pat the dems on the head and say, "good job." To me that's weird. I think maybe the dems here can't quite accept Steve at face value and seem to think he's still on the "other" side. And until he pats the dems on the head and says, "good job", then dems will always think he is coming from a severe republican side.
I understand your point but don’t see it as addressing what i had said. I don’t disagree that many have put a political spin on the election which is about as natural as a rock falling to the ground. I just pointed out it was not everyone who did so. You are free to make your own points about how weak the rejection of the authoritarianism threat and the fudging of the election returns were but the results speak for themselves that there was a rejection and for that I am grateful to everyone who put their heart and soul, and sweat - all lovers of democracy including Steve, the never Trumpers and the Democrats - into helping make it happen in the current broken political climate.
Nov 15, 2022·edited Nov 15, 2022Liked by Steve Schmidt
One of the best things about this message - and there are many - is that you offer a solution. that entails collaboration. I was watching Governor Baker from MA last night and he was talking about just that. Collaboration. Between that and this whole lobbying issue, which I will comment on as well, this is clearly a choice point, an inflection point a golden opportunity to set a new course that will matter to us and most importantly, to our kids. My son who is 31, is deeply concerned about the planet and deeply disillusioned by the lack of civil discourse. We need people like him to come back to the table.
Steve, that audio is by far the best advice I've heard about how to fix Washington. I think the house is now so narrowly divided that this is the chance to do what you are suggesting. I'm hopeful that the dems see the benefit of participating to fix things and of course we have to have one good republican who can stand above the rest. Someone with some courage, someone who can be accepted by both sides. If we can do that, we may be on the road to recovery.
Agree. I hope the Democrats do look at all this and say, “We have a problem”. I don’t know if they will and have concerns about their leaders being able to step up and do so. The Republicans. Who knows., it is such a mess. The real losers, us the American people.
Thank you Lisa, I believe that the right has deliberately erased it from our education system'
It is much easier to control the uneducated and it is hard to sell their ideology which does not benefit the poor, the middle class or blue collar workers. They only cater to the wealthy. They demonize the dems and encourage people to only watch Fox News etc.
Hi Marjo, I sure agree with what you say. If Americans had better creative and critical thinking skills, the ability to discern fact from fiction, inquiry skills, etc., they'd be much harder to control.
A lot of real and lasting change, I feel, will happen at the educational level, whether we empower students, or dumb-them down. This awareness and conversation is so important. Thanks!
It seems the GOP party leaders are now like monkeys with their hands caught in a hole in a juicy coconut, the coconut inside being their power, greed, deception, corruption, cowardice, MAGA conspiracy theory Idiocracy? The monkey trap is that monkeys have to have their hands cut off to LET GO of the coconut inside, and typically they will let their hands be cut off instead of let go of the coconut. I.E. the collapsing star that is getting hotter until it collapses as Steve said. So this is a perilous predicament for our nation. We need a few GOP house reps to STEP UP, TO GROW UP, TO COLLABORATE, and likely new solutions that have not been thought of before, We need to evolve into new and better politics. Let go of the coconut and get it together!
Steve had suggested on Twitter that the Democrats with a handful of Republicans should pick Liz Cheney as House Speaker ( it turns out you don’t have to be an elected official to be speaker). Nice and creative out of the box idea and maybe worth at least trying.
Is there anyone else out there enjoying a little satisfaction knowing that Donny boy will most certainly announce his candidacy from Mara Lago today...and that he most certainly will not win?
Help - I just looked up House Republican Moderates and recognized almost none and the policy positions of the leader, David Joyce, were contrary to the values I hold. I want this to work, but how?
It was your voice, Steve, that gave me hope as you spoke out about DT being finished and about the coming coup before anyone else was saying any of those things way back in 2020-21. It is why since then I have remained alert to all you say and there is no reason to stop being alert now. You seem to have your finger on the pulse of the zeitgeist of the moments at hand in our politics and express it in a masterful voice and command of language. Your posts are daily must reads for at least me and many others. Thank you for your courage in speaking out. We need you.
Steve, your analysis is sensible and pragmatic..I must admit that other than the most public facing republican house members, I am unfamiliar with who the “moderate” members of their conference are.. In this moment I agree with this path forward, but who does one approach to motivate them into stepping up as you point out? It will likely need to be a sizable group who can be persuaded that this is the way forward as you have proffered..
I’m concerned everything we do in the US is becoming shaped by politics. Similar to the the 60’s and some of the ‘70’s. One difference is the economy. Life seemed to soar with art and music and fashion. It seemed optimistic. Today is tech and soft clothes and drawing battlegrounds. There was a kind of vision of the future then, as Steve is talking about that I don’t sense now. The vision was a clear path up. To all sort of positive traits. Education, equality, health for everyone, an extended life through science. You could feel it everywhere. That’s gone. People don’t want it. They are skeptical and angry. They will deny themselves a beautiful life if it means they get to deprive others of the same. It’s gridlock in the government in pivotal positions as in McConnell.
My focus in life was art. It’s become impossible as I knew it. Corporations have ruined it. Made it so only institutions can own the heritage that is the worlds. That’s ok and understandable. What is not is the dreck it dubs “fine” from what is being produced today. It has a parallel in the White House of the 45th. The problems we are facing in the world are not confined to politics.
Hi Gari and Sean, I very much appreciate your posts today. I feel we are not funding art-based programs in school. Art is Life! Art is creative-problem solving! Art can be free-thinking and feeling. (and so on) Art-based programs in public schools, if they exist at all, usually have very low support in almost every way. Science and sports, I feel, are important, but not at the expense of the arts and humanities. The digital world is much more passive than a felt and physically embodied art, dance, theatre, etc. experience. We are increasingly disconnected from our planet, ourselves and each other. The arts are a powerful modality for healing, individuality, and connecting. I hope we can revisit this thread in the future. Best to you:)
Your comment resonates with me so very much. I feel very much the same about all the programs that are missing from the ed. system. I was a primary ballet teacher for maybe 25+ years. What has happened in education and funding for it is so much of the story as is how communities are more transient than in the past. Kids and parents are also so different than when ballet was a usual thing in a community. Drawing and painting skills are also so needed. Understanding color, form, line. All make for better consumers as well. I always felt I was cultivating a loving dance audience rather than a lot of dancers. Although I was lucky enough to make one or two.
I really appreciate your note here, Gari. It is interesting to study a bit of physiology and how movement (and not moving) affect the mental process, and processing of experience and emotion -ever more important in wellness and trauma therapies, and just staying centered in a chaotic world. The mind-body connection, I'm very sure you know, is integrally important to what it means to be human. Movement integrates the right and left brain and SO much more! We are more than heads on a stick! Thanks:)
This is ridiculous. Steve will never be anything but a conservative and refuses to see that the Dems haven’t become a far left party. The bills they have passed and want to pass aren’t radical and extremist. He didn’t say this explicitly but it’s what he implied. Imagine allowing Medicare to negotiate with drug companies to control costs. Imagine better health care like Medicare and Veterans.’ Dealing with the health care system recently, it’s even more broken than I realized. Something must be done! And what about efforts to combat climate change? Tell me how many of those “moderate” GOP members voted or will vote for any of these things? And I didn’t even start on the “cultural” issues like gay marriage or women’s right to choose.
Steve also completely ignores gerrymandering and what has caused half of the nation to see the Dems as evil: RW propaganda media. He also neglects to add that a growing number on the right want a strongman to control everything; they actually want an authoritarian system as long as it squashes those they do not like.
Polls have consistently show that Americans want the things Dems are working for and which Joe Biden has delivered so far. Just how would this “moderate” leader work with the president and the majority of the House? About the best we could hope for would be raising the debt ceiling, keeping the extremists off committees, and curbing the sham “investigations.” However, McConnell is already under attack for allowing some of his memebers in the Senate to vote with the Dems on bills. You really think this won’t happen to this “moderate GOP Speaker”?
Steve is his own fantasy world--the one he accuses Dems of living in.
What a bunch of hooey.
I said what I said. Respectfully, the absence of the things that you’ve written about is not evidence of an absence of belief on my part around anything I didn’t write about.
The Republican Party won control of the House of Representatives. They hold a majority of 219-216. This is why a Republican civil war has broken out. That majority means that it is ungovernable. None of these things that you’re talking about will occur in any Republican Congress. The very best that you — and we — can hope for is that because of the closeness of the result, Democrats can work with moderates to put down the extremists.
To be clear, I’m not a conservative. I’ve always been a New Jersey moderate, who found a home, like other moderates, in the Republican Party — a Republican Party that has turned extreme and that I have fought as hard against as any person in America.
Steve
Nancy Pelosi managed the Democratic caucus with a similar majority.
I am confident that there are millions of Republicans on Social Security and Medicare..These people are also constituents, parents or grandparents of constituents.. In my view, it would be political suicide for these programs to be damaged in any way..
I would argue that the "moderate" Republican Steve refers to understands this..I have to believe they do, because the shitshow that is coming cannot move the country forward, there must be pragmatic critical thinking on both sides of the aisle..Our Democracy depends on it..
Map,
Pretty interesting comment but I think you missed the point.
No, I heard him loud and clear. I just happen to disagree with most of what he said.
How?
What moderate will challenge the crazies? It isn’t the left threatening them if they don’t stand by the likes of Trump and the extremists, it’s the GOP base. With few exceptions these moderates have demonstrated their callous cowardice consistently over the past five years. Dems have worked with the GOP; how many times has Biden talked about his friends on the other side. Yet the minute Dems don’t capitulate to every demand, they are excoriated for not “playing nicely.”
Dems ran on saving Democracy. Yet many GOP voters still voted for the authoritarians. Why is that Steve? Why do they hate Dems so much? Maybe it’s 30 years of brainwashing that has gone from extreme hyperbole to outright lies. That isn’t going to change while RW media is highly profitable.
Boehner and Ryan could not control their caucus. There is no way they can or will keep the crazies off committees and in positions of leadership. It just don’t happen. They are too fearful for their positions and frankly their lives. And what’s coming behind Trump is worse. Some have begun to rally around DeSantis, a Harvard educated Trump on steroids. The Dems will do the right thing. But stop pretending as if the two parties are disliked equally because they aren’t addressing the needs of the people. That is the message I hear from Steve.
Thank you Mr Dunne for your voice of reason.
I totally agree with what you so clearly articulated is happening and what we should do. I do not, however agree that all Democrats see this election as simply a Democrat partisan victory. For example, President Biden tweeted after the election::
====================
Joe Biden
@JoeBiden
In this year’s midterm elections, we saw the strength and resilience of American democracy in action.
There was a strong rejection of political violence, voter intimidation, and election deniers at every level.
The American people proved—once again—democracy is who we are.
11/14/22, 5:45 PM
======================
https://twitter.com/joebiden/status/1592287518405189633?s=12&t=J_Im0dcJQtXxIUOGCebrRg
https://twitter.com/joebiden/status/1592287518405189633?s=12&t=J_Im0dcJQtXxIUOGCebrRg
He rightfully called it a victory for democracy which you also do. So I’m puzzled why you are so reluctant to give credit where it is due instead of seemingly painting a broad negative brushstroke on Democrats. I’d be interested to hear your thoughts.
Exactly. I took the roundabout way to say what you clearly articulate here.
There was NOT! a "strong rejection". A "strong rejection" would have appeared as The House staying a definitive blue as well as a Senate with a larger margin than 50/50 with the Senate President breaking the tie. Come on you guys, what the hey? Biden stating that the midterm elections were a STRONG rejection is plain propaganda to anyone who isn't following the final tallies this week. Biden is trying to paint a rosier picture than what is reality. As is Schumer. The economy sucks due to crazy inflation for the middle class, but it is amazing for the rich, and even better for the superrich, and corporations making RECORD profits. That is what is reality. And the Dems can't seem to find any solution stopping the middleclass blood bath and redistribution of wealth upward from those with 401 K's every time there is a huge drop in the market, making a viable Social Security and Medicare that much more important. This midterm can most accurately be described as razor thin for democracy, and a viable economy and social safety net barely hanging onto that coattail. That doesn't discount that democracy came out on top. But it came out on top just barely. What good is democracy when the next generation is poorer than the one before? Seems to me that there are more than Rep moderates that have been the spoilers on a lot of fronts these past few years, from the gal in Maine to the gal in Alaska to the Dem guy in WV. Maybe NH has some different kinds of Moderates than what are at the National level now. I don't pretend to know the solution, but it also occurs to me that more rational, bipartisan discussion has to occur on both sides in the near term for Democracy to get a stronger footing on the cliff it finds itself on these days.
Hi Mary, ii think you missed my point. What I was trying to contest was that not all democrats looked at this from purely a political viewpoint. In that tweet I posted, Joe Biden didn’t say: see my policies over the last two years were right and the election proved me right. No, he was looking at it from a little “d” point of view for democracy winning. All of us would have liked a blue wave engulfing the red. Instead, what we got was a blue shield mostly keeping the status quo and the red from guaranteeing an autocratic takeover by election subversion. Also, there is a good chance the final Senate count will be 51 to 49 (not 50 as you said) which will give significant advantage to Democrats. In a broken political system, as Steve points out we have and which i agree, this is more of an accomplishment than many are willing to give the current administration credit for and I think that is unfortunate.
I know that wasn't what he said. And I didn't miss your point. It was you that cherry picked what he said and in fact, I will say it again, there was NOT a STRONG rejection of anything . . . political violent, election deniers, or voter intimidation. If there was, then there would have been more dems voted into the House so that Dems could retain that branch. And I'd like to add, where is it that you see that Steve is "so reluctant to give credit where credit is due"? See, I don't read that at all in Steve's stuff, but what I noticed is that more than just yourself seem to have this psychological need for Steve to pat the dems on the head and say, "good job." To me that's weird. I think maybe the dems here can't quite accept Steve at face value and seem to think he's still on the "other" side. And until he pats the dems on the head and says, "good job", then dems will always think he is coming from a severe republican side.
Hi Mary,
I understand your point but don’t see it as addressing what i had said. I don’t disagree that many have put a political spin on the election which is about as natural as a rock falling to the ground. I just pointed out it was not everyone who did so. You are free to make your own points about how weak the rejection of the authoritarianism threat and the fudging of the election returns were but the results speak for themselves that there was a rejection and for that I am grateful to everyone who put their heart and soul, and sweat - all lovers of democracy including Steve, the never Trumpers and the Democrats - into helping make it happen in the current broken political climate.
One of the best things about this message - and there are many - is that you offer a solution. that entails collaboration. I was watching Governor Baker from MA last night and he was talking about just that. Collaboration. Between that and this whole lobbying issue, which I will comment on as well, this is clearly a choice point, an inflection point a golden opportunity to set a new course that will matter to us and most importantly, to our kids. My son who is 31, is deeply concerned about the planet and deeply disillusioned by the lack of civil discourse. We need people like him to come back to the table.
Steve,
I will continue my drumbeat until you get on board.
Tim Ryan for President in 2024
Steve Schmidt as Campaign Manager
Liz Cheney for VP on a “Unity Ticket”.
After we help Rev. Warnock win re-election on December 6, let’s get started, Steve.
Robert Lehrer
Albemarle,NC
Sounds good Robert but what do you think about Steve's current comment?
Steve, that audio is by far the best advice I've heard about how to fix Washington. I think the house is now so narrowly divided that this is the chance to do what you are suggesting. I'm hopeful that the dems see the benefit of participating to fix things and of course we have to have one good republican who can stand above the rest. Someone with some courage, someone who can be accepted by both sides. If we can do that, we may be on the road to recovery.
And might this moderate be? Liz Cheney is no moderate.
Agree. I hope the Democrats do look at all this and say, “We have a problem”. I don’t know if they will and have concerns about their leaders being able to step up and do so. The Republicans. Who knows., it is such a mess. The real losers, us the American people.
Thank you Lisa, I believe that the right has deliberately erased it from our education system'
It is much easier to control the uneducated and it is hard to sell their ideology which does not benefit the poor, the middle class or blue collar workers. They only cater to the wealthy. They demonize the dems and encourage people to only watch Fox News etc.
Hi Marjo, I sure agree with what you say. If Americans had better creative and critical thinking skills, the ability to discern fact from fiction, inquiry skills, etc., they'd be much harder to control.
A lot of real and lasting change, I feel, will happen at the educational level, whether we empower students, or dumb-them down. This awareness and conversation is so important. Thanks!
Totally agree with you Marjo about the uneducated, had this conversation just today.
It seems the GOP party leaders are now like monkeys with their hands caught in a hole in a juicy coconut, the coconut inside being their power, greed, deception, corruption, cowardice, MAGA conspiracy theory Idiocracy? The monkey trap is that monkeys have to have their hands cut off to LET GO of the coconut inside, and typically they will let their hands be cut off instead of let go of the coconut. I.E. the collapsing star that is getting hotter until it collapses as Steve said. So this is a perilous predicament for our nation. We need a few GOP house reps to STEP UP, TO GROW UP, TO COLLABORATE, and likely new solutions that have not been thought of before, We need to evolve into new and better politics. Let go of the coconut and get it together!
Steve had suggested on Twitter that the Democrats with a handful of Republicans should pick Liz Cheney as House Speaker ( it turns out you don’t have to be an elected official to be speaker). Nice and creative out of the box idea and maybe worth at least trying.
Liz Cheney is no miderate
Is there anyone else out there enjoying a little satisfaction knowing that Donny boy will most certainly announce his candidacy from Mara Lago today...and that he most certainly will not win?
Help - I just looked up House Republican Moderates and recognized almost none and the policy positions of the leader, David Joyce, were contrary to the values I hold. I want this to work, but how?
Oh how I wish this would happen! Thank you for putting this forward. Hopefully it will reach the attention of those who can act.
P.S. LOVE the AUDIO! Please keep them coming.
It was your voice, Steve, that gave me hope as you spoke out about DT being finished and about the coming coup before anyone else was saying any of those things way back in 2020-21. It is why since then I have remained alert to all you say and there is no reason to stop being alert now. You seem to have your finger on the pulse of the zeitgeist of the moments at hand in our politics and express it in a masterful voice and command of language. Your posts are daily must reads for at least me and many others. Thank you for your courage in speaking out. We need you.
Steve, your analysis is sensible and pragmatic..I must admit that other than the most public facing republican house members, I am unfamiliar with who the “moderate” members of their conference are.. In this moment I agree with this path forward, but who does one approach to motivate them into stepping up as you point out? It will likely need to be a sizable group who can be persuaded that this is the way forward as you have proffered..
I’m concerned everything we do in the US is becoming shaped by politics. Similar to the the 60’s and some of the ‘70’s. One difference is the economy. Life seemed to soar with art and music and fashion. It seemed optimistic. Today is tech and soft clothes and drawing battlegrounds. There was a kind of vision of the future then, as Steve is talking about that I don’t sense now. The vision was a clear path up. To all sort of positive traits. Education, equality, health for everyone, an extended life through science. You could feel it everywhere. That’s gone. People don’t want it. They are skeptical and angry. They will deny themselves a beautiful life if it means they get to deprive others of the same. It’s gridlock in the government in pivotal positions as in McConnell.
My focus in life was art. It’s become impossible as I knew it. Corporations have ruined it. Made it so only institutions can own the heritage that is the worlds. That’s ok and understandable. What is not is the dreck it dubs “fine” from what is being produced today. It has a parallel in the White House of the 45th. The problems we are facing in the world are not confined to politics.
Hi Gari and Sean, I very much appreciate your posts today. I feel we are not funding art-based programs in school. Art is Life! Art is creative-problem solving! Art can be free-thinking and feeling. (and so on) Art-based programs in public schools, if they exist at all, usually have very low support in almost every way. Science and sports, I feel, are important, but not at the expense of the arts and humanities. The digital world is much more passive than a felt and physically embodied art, dance, theatre, etc. experience. We are increasingly disconnected from our planet, ourselves and each other. The arts are a powerful modality for healing, individuality, and connecting. I hope we can revisit this thread in the future. Best to you:)
Your comment resonates with me so very much. I feel very much the same about all the programs that are missing from the ed. system. I was a primary ballet teacher for maybe 25+ years. What has happened in education and funding for it is so much of the story as is how communities are more transient than in the past. Kids and parents are also so different than when ballet was a usual thing in a community. Drawing and painting skills are also so needed. Understanding color, form, line. All make for better consumers as well. I always felt I was cultivating a loving dance audience rather than a lot of dancers. Although I was lucky enough to make one or two.
I really appreciate your note here, Gari. It is interesting to study a bit of physiology and how movement (and not moving) affect the mental process, and processing of experience and emotion -ever more important in wellness and trauma therapies, and just staying centered in a chaotic world. The mind-body connection, I'm very sure you know, is integrally important to what it means to be human. Movement integrates the right and left brain and SO much more! We are more than heads on a stick! Thanks:)
Go Lisa!!❤️