We are moving deeper into the 21st century, which is almost a quarter behind us. Perhaps it too will be remembered as an “American Century,” but it doesn’t feel that way. Everywhere there is brittleness, intolerance and division. Something has gone completely off the rails in America over the last 20 years. Now we stand at the edge of an abyss with the end of liberty in America at hand and in sight.
Steve, if you are so worried that you are constantly writing jeremiads, then why are you working for a democrat challenger to Biden? It makes no sense. You are literally helping to bring about the end that you fear and warn us about.
Steve writes about Teddy Roosevelt: "He was a young president with a vision for the future who understood what was happening around him." Steve plays the age card once again! It is BIDEN who has a VISION for the future who understands what is happening around him. BIDEN is reversing triple down economics and is passing legislation that hails back to the greatness of FDR. Why, Steve, are you failing to write about this? Consider, also, that if Biden steps out of POTUS during his term/s and Kamala Harris becomes POTUS, we'll then SEE what a BLACK WOMAN can do to lead this country. She will continue the outstanding work of Biden's team, which IS building our country from the bottom up and the middle out which is what the 21st century is calling for. BIDEN is the visionary we need now during this critical time, domestically and internationally.
I agree. No one seems to like Kamala, but would you rather an orange dictator? ...because those ARE the *likely* choices. Truthfully, I have never been one to want her to run for president, but I'm willing to roll the dice vs. the idiot and the end of democracy. I think we should have had a more thoughtful consideration about Kamala before adding a primary opponent.
Steve, I know you have declared that she is unfit to be president and as I stated previously, she would not be my first choice. I hope we can agree though that America and American politics are NOWHERE near pro-woman (representation, laws, Dobbs, etc). Even Nancy Pelosi received a little extra rage because *she* was telling everyone what to do. Just like with Hillary, many Americans (men & women) need to check their *true* unconscious bias in this situation. I shamefully try to face mine all the time, even with women.
Steve, I don't know you and I'm certainly not accusing you of anything, I just think that there are many factors that can lead to compromise instead of throwing a bomb into the middle of the room.
But the bomb he's throwing is going to make him even richer. And that's all he cares about. Try to wean yourself off of his hollow platitudes. He never believed in any of it.
I hear you. This decision may be catastrophic. I feel similarly, but, I have followed Steve for a long time. I don't doubt his sincerity, intellect, or love for America. I also do not think this is about money. These people make a LOT of money all over the place (speaking, consulting, even Substack). I really think he believes in this candidate, or at least wants to change the system. It is just painful for many of us who feel that this may end horribly because of someone we really trusted. Politics is gambling at its worst.
A week before the announcement, I decided to not renew my subscription because a lot of "the Warning" was getting a little dark for me. After all of this happened, I can say I was not regretful of my decision.
"It is just painful for many of us who feel that this may end horribly because of someone we really trusted." Sadly, this is true for many of us.
I've been considering, lately, that Steve was a lead campaign strategist for a Republican nominee for POTUS not long ago. Who does he think he is now being a lead campaign strategist for a Democrat nominee for POTUS?
He was great at fighting MAGA. This Phillips deal is discouraging.
I have an angle he may be using. I don’t know more than anyone who is a subscriber or been on the planet for a while. Let me put the idea forward that Steve, who is married to a Canadian, may not fully care about the future for all US citizens. He may see the writing on the wall, feel, let the chips fall where they may, if not me, someone else will take the opportunity. Big pay day and a crap shoot Phillips looses early in the game to do little harm to Joe. Or go all the way, chipping at Joe’s long fought and long deserved record of pro democracy. Bigger money. Steve knows Phillips can’t win. Steve is willing to gamble not just the security of the US, but the welfare of women facing permanent draconian laws permitting full access to medical science as we know it practiced. So while we fight for women’s rights and better health care and better medicine costs here, Steve may have access to the Canadian system? I don’t know but it’s a guess. I’ve met many from Canada here in Arizona. They live in the US for one day less than half a year and go back to Canada for the balance. They keep all benefits of Canadian citizenship and thaw out for six months, enjoying our country with less responsibilities to the US.
I found earlier if I unsubscribe, the subscription by Substack is cut off. I got conned into resubscribing by what Steve led me to believe he supported. I even got a Christmas subscription for a friend last year. The discount I was offered didn’t take and ya know, I didn’t bother feeling like a Scrooge in the the season. So ... I’ll just hang around to comment and see how things go.
Oh, please...your cynical conspiracy theory has little, if any, merit. I don't doubt Steve's sincerity and integrity, even though I may disagree with his plan.
Musings of a woman who has seen a lot of scams. Not conspiracy. My support was real in thought and deed of $300. My opinion is that Steve has gone in a very different direction and that is his choice. It seems to me and others seem to agree by commenters that this new gig of bringing Phillips to the public is more than a job but an ideological stance in conflict with his prior platform of intent.
"We", I am angry. I feel duped and left aside. As a consumer I feel cheated and I have no recourse. I don't understand the changes and it seems to me I can have have some thoughts to try to square it up. How do I pigeon hole my experience with Steve Schmidt and my paid subscription? Steve....?
And "oh please"?... Oh, please. We can just talk here.
Have you read or listened to Steve over the past few months? He has said many times that he gives a lot of credit to Biden; however, the fact is MOST Dems don’t want Biden to run again. Have u seen Biden’s polling numbers? This is very disapppointing, to say the least. We here tend to agree Biden has done a very, very good job at being president. Seriously how well do you think Candidate Biden will do? Compared to Trump or any one else, he will look old and tired. No quick knee jerk witty comments while on the campaign trail. He will be exhausted. That’s candidate Biden for all to see. We don’t see President Biden sitting with advisors where he is given time to contemplate decisions. I think Steve is trying to go for what most Dem voters are asking for: a Biden alternative.
Steve is a chess player, not a fortune teller. He’s proven time and again he sees what we don’t. His brain is always a few moves ahead. It’s why we read his Substack.
I see his new gig as contingency planning because, well, who knows? What’s our Plan B, anyway?
As far as your theory of his convenient escape to Canada, that would be good contingency planning, too. I have no doubt there will be a price on his head if this country starts saluting the flag of Gilead. (You don’t really think I’m a Grump?!)
Name me any other subscription on Substack that cuts you off immediately if you unsubscribe. I unsubscribed a couple of months ago and was cut off. I contacted customer service and said if you cut me off now, please refund the balance of my payment. I was then re-added, until the end of my subscription... in December.... but yeah, I'm out then. He does not need my $$.
While I admire your interest in our nations history I am troubled by drawing inferences from past cycles of upheaval. Other than rejected on an immediate basis the obvious risks to freedom of thought (though not of that history which does not fit who we’ve been) we need to establish some fundamental priorities.
I suggest among the first of them is to assure Trump never again sits in the White House.
Refusing to disconnect from the Steve Schmidt discussion since I want to know what he says and how he sees the chaos. I think Phillips is a bright, articulate young man who is not playing the negative card! Biden has the fixed age issue but feels he is able to cope with another term? Many of us who have had to stand by and watch the aging process of a loved one, and perhaps resulting memory loss problem, just do not want to see it or have to handle the decline in our politics!
We want job prediction with our President and do not want to see it with Biden. We do not want to elect VP Kamala Harris to serve eventually instead of 80+ Biden!
The goal of fascism proponents is to divide the people , then establish an authoritarian replacement. We seem to be unable to recognize this while it’s right in our face! MAGA has overtaken the US House already!
The end of Liberty is in sight- and you think that RK will help? I am so surprised ! He is not credible and we need unity- For someone that speaks about T and his dangers, you are not helping.
I agree with Steve, - Historically, all great republics have lasted about 200-250 years, and our number is up. As Lincoln predicted, the United States will be toppled from “within”. That is surely what’s happening. Steven, I would like to see Phillips put out a video about what he proposes to do about all (or at least some) of the issues he mentions. In the two videos you posted, he does what ANY of us can do, which is to list the problems we face, and there are many. Solutions are what people are looking for. I don’t mind seeing a good primary. At the very least, Phillips as a challenger will cause Biden to “up his game” pre-election. Phillips needs to come up with more substance by way of specifying sound solutions to the issues he cites; I hope you’re working on that. May the best person win.
The problem with this "extra" candidate is that he will not be able to stay positive the whole time. He will need to differentiate himself and the evil right will grab that and use it against Biden in the election. Also, this strategy of a challenger to an incumbent president has never ended well for the challenger or the incumbent. They have both lost in all previous attempts, which means we could have the orange dictator back : ((
I have wondered which is more likely: (1) We Amend the Constitution to do away with the Electoral College in the way the Constitution prescribes for the amendment process, or (2) American democracy collapses and after a period of upheaval and suffering we start up all over again with a new Constitutional Convention to rewrite the Constitution itself but with no Electoral College?
Steve, I enjoyed your concise history lesson. One thread that ran through the essay, at least in my opinion, was the fact that the Americans mentioned, and the things done by Americans were all forward looking; not trying to go backwards in time!
Our country, even with all of its flaws, has always been forward looking. The party of trump, unfortunately seems to always look backward; just as "the church" did during the "Dark Ages". will this period of time be America's "Dark Age"? It will if we don't believe in the following things: protecting the rights of all American citizens- black/brown/Asian/Jews/Muslims/women/LGBTQ+/Indigenous Peoples; climate change and science; quality public education and libraries, not banning ideas and history; the right for all to vote safely and easily; the right to sensible gun reform, the right for sensible tax reform for all citizens, etc.
One party wants to move forward, to help America move to a better future for its citizens. One party, however would want us to live in the "Dark Ages". That party would like to stifle progress. That party would like to stifle the rights of fellow citizens. Why? To punish those who do not believe the way that they believe? That is how the church behaved during the "Dark Ages"! Stagnation occurred, ideas were squelched, innocent people were punished and many died, science was a crime, only the rich and members of the church could get an education. That could be what the "American Dark Ages" might also become, and unfortunately, many citizens will vote for that way of life. Not that they would want to live that way, but because they are being tricked into thinking that that will be a better life for them and for their families.
We will have a choice in 2024. To reach out toward the future. To give a better, hopefully more humane future for our children, grandchildren, great-grandchildren, etc. Or we can vote to go backwards.
I hope and pray that the great majority of American citizens will choose to keep going forward with our American experiment and history. That we will see in our American future, great educators, scientists, doctors and nurses, peacemakers, etc., form all walks of life. If the American citizens choose to vote differently, we will no longer experience the possibility of another FDR, or a JFK, or a Martin Luther King Jr., or an Edison, or a Sally Ride, or a Dorothy Day, etc. Will our children be taught only what the extreme right want our children to be taught? Will minorities and the poor be punished even more severely than they are now? Will most of us live in poverty, while the 1% give their scraps to their dogs? What will our dear country , that we all love so much, look like if the majority votes in 2024 to look backward, not forward?
We all must vote for the future, in 2024! We must help others vote as well! Take elderly members of the family and/or friends to the polls. Make sure mail-in ballots get mailed., or dropped off at drop off boxes. We must be honest with our children on the possibilities if the extreme right wins out! Our young citizens are getting mixed messages 24/7 from social media, friends, and other sources.
The fight for our democracy and for our rights will continue until Election Day 2024 is over. If we look forward, and not backward, we will win with a great majority! We will keep our democracy, the Constitution, and our rights as American citizens. If not? Well, we can only imagine what might happen.
May God bless all American citizens, and help us to make the right choices when we vote in 2024!
“The Dark Ages.” Spot on, Donna. Perfect branding for the disaster they are promoting. Now if only every democracy-forward politician and pundit uttered those three words over and over, perhaps it would flash the warning sign that everyone’s way of life is being threatened—so it starts getting through to the misinformed and uninformed.
It’s proven to work. It’s right out of the MAGA playbook.
Thank you, for your kind words! I liked your suggestion, and I will contact my two Senators to suggest them using "The Dark Ages" brand. Maybe it will take off in my state! If everyone contacts their Democratic Senators and Representatives, wouldn't that be great! Let's give it a try!
Common sense is no longer common, it’s scarce. The belief in a greater good beyond ourselves is gone or at lease not worth standing up for when it’s not beneficial to our personal wellbeing. We elect hollow people based on performance rather than competence. One’s job in congress is more important than the good of the country.
They have all been bought and paid for by special interest. A third party is nothing more than a means to rig an election, to divide votes not to elect their sham candidate. Like hollow chocolate Santa’s sold at Christmas time.
The sentinel event of the 20th century for me was women’s suffrage. The right to vote and be counted of over half the population is fundamental to democratic civilization.
In 1838 Lincoln said this in a speech in Springfield: "Let every American pledge his life, his property, and his sacred honor - let every man remember that to violate the law, is to trample upon the blood of his father, and to tear the charter of his own and his children's liberty. Let reverence for the laws be breathed by every American mother, ... let it be taught in schools. in seminaries, and in colleges; let it be written in Primmers, spelling books, and in Almanacs - let it be preached from the pulpit, proclaimed in legislative halls, and enforced in the courts of justice." And, he further said: "At what point shall we expect the approach of danger? Shall we expect some transatlantic military giant, to step the Ocean and crush us with a blow? Never! I answer, if it ever reach us, it must spring up amongst us... If destruction be our lot, we must ourselves be its author and finisher." How prescient and prophetic!
Project much??? "When future generations rekindle what has been lost through cynicism and insatiable taking they will disdain this era of hollow men... who believe in nothing. They will revile this era." Ok, let's look at that. "Cynicism:" what Steve says vs what he does. "Insatiable taking:" Steve riding the Dean Phillips cash cow and therefore helping to elect trump. "Revulsion:" what I feel towards Steve for his cynical and insatiable taking of the cash from Dean Phillips which undermines everything he claimed he stood for. Not that I ever believed a word he said, though.
Then what the hell are you doing on this forum? You apparently loathe whatever Steve says and support nothing any of us say. hmmmm you sound like a MAGA troll and I for one will be glad to see the end of you as you contribute nothing of substance
Lifelong liberal Democrat here who believes in actual democracy. My criticisms of Steve are valid. Very valid. As to "what the hell I'm doing on this forum", I paid $110 for the pleasure.
Well, Hugh, To disagree or to criticize are different things. To disagree means you hold a different position and implies a conversation is in the offing and respect. To criticize implies the other person is a no-good rat who can go shit in his hat and pull it down over his ears. I sometimes disagree with Steve. I criticize MAGA Johnson. i.e disagreeing keeps the door open; criticizing slams the door in one's face.
Well, Barbara... I'm intentionally criticizing Steve. As are many others here. So excuse me while, as you put it, I "slam the door" on this pointless exchange.
The end of America is not in sight, it is upon us, it is here. At 71 years old I've lived in perhaps the best time to be an American. But who would have thought we would see the insanity, greed , corruption and disinformation on a scale so grand as it is today. We have destroyed ourselves through apathy - not enough people vote, suppression and rigging of the voting system(not elections) and the ability of the richest individuals and Corporate Interests to buy and influence politicians and judges. We are truly living in ideocracy. A Handmaid's Tale future or some version of it is possible - look at the unanimous support by R's for speaker and the religious zealotry and insanity and hypocrisy that is the fabric of America. I'm blue all the way, but our irresponsible lack of vetting as to who comes through our borders is part of our downfall. We have Muslims in Government who sympathize with Hamas. It is the very Freedom that has Made America what it is, that has been exploited and brought us down.
Why is the MAGA party full of nutters and a smattering of normies cowering in the background? Is it all the chemicals in our adulterated food supply? The moronic corporate media playing to the lowest common denominator? The news networks going for the sensational rather the simple truth because of profits? The public education funding being raided and funneled into private and religious schools? The rise of militant religions? I don't recognize my country anymore. If the MAGA's win, that's all she wrote and who knows for how long? Will the US schism? If I were younger, I'd leave this mess and I see us deteriorating.
Steve, if you are so worried that you are constantly writing jeremiads, then why are you working for a democrat challenger to Biden? It makes no sense. You are literally helping to bring about the end that you fear and warn us about.
Steve writes about Teddy Roosevelt: "He was a young president with a vision for the future who understood what was happening around him." Steve plays the age card once again! It is BIDEN who has a VISION for the future who understands what is happening around him. BIDEN is reversing triple down economics and is passing legislation that hails back to the greatness of FDR. Why, Steve, are you failing to write about this? Consider, also, that if Biden steps out of POTUS during his term/s and Kamala Harris becomes POTUS, we'll then SEE what a BLACK WOMAN can do to lead this country. She will continue the outstanding work of Biden's team, which IS building our country from the bottom up and the middle out which is what the 21st century is calling for. BIDEN is the visionary we need now during this critical time, domestically and internationally.
I agree. No one seems to like Kamala, but would you rather an orange dictator? ...because those ARE the *likely* choices. Truthfully, I have never been one to want her to run for president, but I'm willing to roll the dice vs. the idiot and the end of democracy. I think we should have had a more thoughtful consideration about Kamala before adding a primary opponent.
Steve, I know you have declared that she is unfit to be president and as I stated previously, she would not be my first choice. I hope we can agree though that America and American politics are NOWHERE near pro-woman (representation, laws, Dobbs, etc). Even Nancy Pelosi received a little extra rage because *she* was telling everyone what to do. Just like with Hillary, many Americans (men & women) need to check their *true* unconscious bias in this situation. I shamefully try to face mine all the time, even with women.
Steve, I don't know you and I'm certainly not accusing you of anything, I just think that there are many factors that can lead to compromise instead of throwing a bomb into the middle of the room.
I think Kamala is great...I don’t understand the antipathy
Female. Non-white. Smart. There you go.
Media doesn’t care for her.
But the bomb he's throwing is going to make him even richer. And that's all he cares about. Try to wean yourself off of his hollow platitudes. He never believed in any of it.
I hear you. This decision may be catastrophic. I feel similarly, but, I have followed Steve for a long time. I don't doubt his sincerity, intellect, or love for America. I also do not think this is about money. These people make a LOT of money all over the place (speaking, consulting, even Substack). I really think he believes in this candidate, or at least wants to change the system. It is just painful for many of us who feel that this may end horribly because of someone we really trusted. Politics is gambling at its worst.
A week before the announcement, I decided to not renew my subscription because a lot of "the Warning" was getting a little dark for me. After all of this happened, I can say I was not regretful of my decision.
Steve is fully, very fully, aware of the danger he is creating. He does not care, IMO.
BTW, I'm also out of here at the end of this month.
"It is just painful for many of us who feel that this may end horribly because of someone we really trusted." Sadly, this is true for many of us.
I've been considering, lately, that Steve was a lead campaign strategist for a Republican nominee for POTUS not long ago. Who does he think he is now being a lead campaign strategist for a Democrat nominee for POTUS?
He was great at fighting MAGA. This Phillips deal is discouraging.
I have an angle he may be using. I don’t know more than anyone who is a subscriber or been on the planet for a while. Let me put the idea forward that Steve, who is married to a Canadian, may not fully care about the future for all US citizens. He may see the writing on the wall, feel, let the chips fall where they may, if not me, someone else will take the opportunity. Big pay day and a crap shoot Phillips looses early in the game to do little harm to Joe. Or go all the way, chipping at Joe’s long fought and long deserved record of pro democracy. Bigger money. Steve knows Phillips can’t win. Steve is willing to gamble not just the security of the US, but the welfare of women facing permanent draconian laws permitting full access to medical science as we know it practiced. So while we fight for women’s rights and better health care and better medicine costs here, Steve may have access to the Canadian system? I don’t know but it’s a guess. I’ve met many from Canada here in Arizona. They live in the US for one day less than half a year and go back to Canada for the balance. They keep all benefits of Canadian citizenship and thaw out for six months, enjoying our country with less responsibilities to the US.
I found earlier if I unsubscribe, the subscription by Substack is cut off. I got conned into resubscribing by what Steve led me to believe he supported. I even got a Christmas subscription for a friend last year. The discount I was offered didn’t take and ya know, I didn’t bother feeling like a Scrooge in the the season. So ... I’ll just hang around to comment and see how things go.
Oh, please...your cynical conspiracy theory has little, if any, merit. I don't doubt Steve's sincerity and integrity, even though I may disagree with his plan.
Thank you, Craig.
Yes, I mostly disagree with it, too. But am willing to wait and see for now.
Musings of a woman who has seen a lot of scams. Not conspiracy. My support was real in thought and deed of $300. My opinion is that Steve has gone in a very different direction and that is his choice. It seems to me and others seem to agree by commenters that this new gig of bringing Phillips to the public is more than a job but an ideological stance in conflict with his prior platform of intent.
"We", I am angry. I feel duped and left aside. As a consumer I feel cheated and I have no recourse. I don't understand the changes and it seems to me I can have have some thoughts to try to square it up. How do I pigeon hole my experience with Steve Schmidt and my paid subscription? Steve....?
And "oh please"?... Oh, please. We can just talk here.
Have you read or listened to Steve over the past few months? He has said many times that he gives a lot of credit to Biden; however, the fact is MOST Dems don’t want Biden to run again. Have u seen Biden’s polling numbers? This is very disapppointing, to say the least. We here tend to agree Biden has done a very, very good job at being president. Seriously how well do you think Candidate Biden will do? Compared to Trump or any one else, he will look old and tired. No quick knee jerk witty comments while on the campaign trail. He will be exhausted. That’s candidate Biden for all to see. We don’t see President Biden sitting with advisors where he is given time to contemplate decisions. I think Steve is trying to go for what most Dem voters are asking for: a Biden alternative.
I’ve listened and read yes for one year plus.
Because of the GOP policies. Please open your mind to that. It’s in their own words. America first agenda is
Trump we ther in body or not. Any candidate except Christe has his stamp of approval.
https://www.presidency.ucsb.edu/documents/resolution-regarding-the-republican-party-platform
You know that your link is previous to the 20/20 presidential election?
Steve is a chess player, not a fortune teller. He’s proven time and again he sees what we don’t. His brain is always a few moves ahead. It’s why we read his Substack.
I see his new gig as contingency planning because, well, who knows? What’s our Plan B, anyway?
As far as your theory of his convenient escape to Canada, that would be good contingency planning, too. I have no doubt there will be a price on his head if this country starts saluting the flag of Gilead. (You don’t really think I’m a Grump?!)
.
Ditto to the many Canadians who escape the cold and winter in Florida! They adore it!
🙏
Name me any other subscription on Substack that cuts you off immediately if you unsubscribe. I unsubscribed a couple of months ago and was cut off. I contacted customer service and said if you cut me off now, please refund the balance of my payment. I was then re-added, until the end of my subscription... in December.... but yeah, I'm out then. He does not need my $$.
Oh please. You’re just wrong. Sorry. But you’re wrong.
He never meant a word of what he said.
While I admire your interest in our nations history I am troubled by drawing inferences from past cycles of upheaval. Other than rejected on an immediate basis the obvious risks to freedom of thought (though not of that history which does not fit who we’ve been) we need to establish some fundamental priorities.
I suggest among the first of them is to assure Trump never again sits in the White House.
Voting BLUE can do that! Kick him to the curb but be careful of the Electoral College!
WE cannot have Trump back running this country! GET IT?
He "gets it." He just doesn't care, though.
I’m trying hard to love reading Steve Schmidt like I have in the past….but it’s a struggle.
Refusing to disconnect from the Steve Schmidt discussion since I want to know what he says and how he sees the chaos. I think Phillips is a bright, articulate young man who is not playing the negative card! Biden has the fixed age issue but feels he is able to cope with another term? Many of us who have had to stand by and watch the aging process of a loved one, and perhaps resulting memory loss problem, just do not want to see it or have to handle the decline in our politics!
We want job prediction with our President and do not want to see it with Biden. We do not want to elect VP Kamala Harris to serve eventually instead of 80+ Biden!
Don't work so hard. He's not worth it.
The goal of fascism proponents is to divide the people , then establish an authoritarian replacement. We seem to be unable to recognize this while it’s right in our face! MAGA has overtaken the US House already!
AND, the U.S. Supreme Court!
You're wrong. It was over 20 years ago in 1989 & it started with the vile Newt Gingrich.
Trump was so evil he rewarded Newt by making Callista Gingrich ambassador to the Vatican.
Steve I have just subscribed to
The Warning you promised you would continue to write thoughtfully, honest comment and separate your political
Options your choices to fight to beat BIDEN…I still believe in respecting all
Opinions and my own moral compass
I shall Be Supporting BIDEN 100%
Up to winning 2024 election……
I have cherished you, your family and
Truly felt love for each of you including your dogs….my parents good Midwest
Stock raised me to have a voice and express my opinions So grateful for
The Warning and I Am a paid Subscriber
And respected this publication Marsha
Thank you, Marsha.
The end of Liberty is in sight- and you think that RK will help? I am so surprised ! He is not credible and we need unity- For someone that speaks about T and his dangers, you are not helping.
I agree with Steve, - Historically, all great republics have lasted about 200-250 years, and our number is up. As Lincoln predicted, the United States will be toppled from “within”. That is surely what’s happening. Steven, I would like to see Phillips put out a video about what he proposes to do about all (or at least some) of the issues he mentions. In the two videos you posted, he does what ANY of us can do, which is to list the problems we face, and there are many. Solutions are what people are looking for. I don’t mind seeing a good primary. At the very least, Phillips as a challenger will cause Biden to “up his game” pre-election. Phillips needs to come up with more substance by way of specifying sound solutions to the issues he cites; I hope you’re working on that. May the best person win.
The problem with this "extra" candidate is that he will not be able to stay positive the whole time. He will need to differentiate himself and the evil right will grab that and use it against Biden in the election. Also, this strategy of a challenger to an incumbent president has never ended well for the challenger or the incumbent. They have both lost in all previous attempts, which means we could have the orange dictator back : ((
shill
No, I’m no shill. Look at my profile. I write comments all the time on this and several other substacks.
??
I have wondered which is more likely: (1) We Amend the Constitution to do away with the Electoral College in the way the Constitution prescribes for the amendment process, or (2) American democracy collapses and after a period of upheaval and suffering we start up all over again with a new Constitutional Convention to rewrite the Constitution itself but with no Electoral College?
Steve, I enjoyed your concise history lesson. One thread that ran through the essay, at least in my opinion, was the fact that the Americans mentioned, and the things done by Americans were all forward looking; not trying to go backwards in time!
Our country, even with all of its flaws, has always been forward looking. The party of trump, unfortunately seems to always look backward; just as "the church" did during the "Dark Ages". will this period of time be America's "Dark Age"? It will if we don't believe in the following things: protecting the rights of all American citizens- black/brown/Asian/Jews/Muslims/women/LGBTQ+/Indigenous Peoples; climate change and science; quality public education and libraries, not banning ideas and history; the right for all to vote safely and easily; the right to sensible gun reform, the right for sensible tax reform for all citizens, etc.
One party wants to move forward, to help America move to a better future for its citizens. One party, however would want us to live in the "Dark Ages". That party would like to stifle progress. That party would like to stifle the rights of fellow citizens. Why? To punish those who do not believe the way that they believe? That is how the church behaved during the "Dark Ages"! Stagnation occurred, ideas were squelched, innocent people were punished and many died, science was a crime, only the rich and members of the church could get an education. That could be what the "American Dark Ages" might also become, and unfortunately, many citizens will vote for that way of life. Not that they would want to live that way, but because they are being tricked into thinking that that will be a better life for them and for their families.
We will have a choice in 2024. To reach out toward the future. To give a better, hopefully more humane future for our children, grandchildren, great-grandchildren, etc. Or we can vote to go backwards.
I hope and pray that the great majority of American citizens will choose to keep going forward with our American experiment and history. That we will see in our American future, great educators, scientists, doctors and nurses, peacemakers, etc., form all walks of life. If the American citizens choose to vote differently, we will no longer experience the possibility of another FDR, or a JFK, or a Martin Luther King Jr., or an Edison, or a Sally Ride, or a Dorothy Day, etc. Will our children be taught only what the extreme right want our children to be taught? Will minorities and the poor be punished even more severely than they are now? Will most of us live in poverty, while the 1% give their scraps to their dogs? What will our dear country , that we all love so much, look like if the majority votes in 2024 to look backward, not forward?
We all must vote for the future, in 2024! We must help others vote as well! Take elderly members of the family and/or friends to the polls. Make sure mail-in ballots get mailed., or dropped off at drop off boxes. We must be honest with our children on the possibilities if the extreme right wins out! Our young citizens are getting mixed messages 24/7 from social media, friends, and other sources.
The fight for our democracy and for our rights will continue until Election Day 2024 is over. If we look forward, and not backward, we will win with a great majority! We will keep our democracy, the Constitution, and our rights as American citizens. If not? Well, we can only imagine what might happen.
May God bless all American citizens, and help us to make the right choices when we vote in 2024!
Beautiful
“The Dark Ages.” Spot on, Donna. Perfect branding for the disaster they are promoting. Now if only every democracy-forward politician and pundit uttered those three words over and over, perhaps it would flash the warning sign that everyone’s way of life is being threatened—so it starts getting through to the misinformed and uninformed.
It’s proven to work. It’s right out of the MAGA playbook.
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Thank you, for your kind words! I liked your suggestion, and I will contact my two Senators to suggest them using "The Dark Ages" brand. Maybe it will take off in my state! If everyone contacts their Democratic Senators and Representatives, wouldn't that be great! Let's give it a try!
Common sense is no longer common, it’s scarce. The belief in a greater good beyond ourselves is gone or at lease not worth standing up for when it’s not beneficial to our personal wellbeing. We elect hollow people based on performance rather than competence. One’s job in congress is more important than the good of the country.
They have all been bought and paid for by special interest. A third party is nothing more than a means to rig an election, to divide votes not to elect their sham candidate. Like hollow chocolate Santa’s sold at Christmas time.
The sentinel event of the 20th century for me was women’s suffrage. The right to vote and be counted of over half the population is fundamental to democratic civilization.
Unfortunately, not for the black woman!
We still need to pass the ERA!
In 1838 Lincoln said this in a speech in Springfield: "Let every American pledge his life, his property, and his sacred honor - let every man remember that to violate the law, is to trample upon the blood of his father, and to tear the charter of his own and his children's liberty. Let reverence for the laws be breathed by every American mother, ... let it be taught in schools. in seminaries, and in colleges; let it be written in Primmers, spelling books, and in Almanacs - let it be preached from the pulpit, proclaimed in legislative halls, and enforced in the courts of justice." And, he further said: "At what point shall we expect the approach of danger? Shall we expect some transatlantic military giant, to step the Ocean and crush us with a blow? Never! I answer, if it ever reach us, it must spring up amongst us... If destruction be our lot, we must ourselves be its author and finisher." How prescient and prophetic!
Project much??? "When future generations rekindle what has been lost through cynicism and insatiable taking they will disdain this era of hollow men... who believe in nothing. They will revile this era." Ok, let's look at that. "Cynicism:" what Steve says vs what he does. "Insatiable taking:" Steve riding the Dean Phillips cash cow and therefore helping to elect trump. "Revulsion:" what I feel towards Steve for his cynical and insatiable taking of the cash from Dean Phillips which undermines everything he claimed he stood for. Not that I ever believed a word he said, though.
to oh the hughmanity:
Then what the hell are you doing on this forum? You apparently loathe whatever Steve says and support nothing any of us say. hmmmm you sound like a MAGA troll and I for one will be glad to see the end of you as you contribute nothing of substance
Lifelong liberal Democrat here who believes in actual democracy. My criticisms of Steve are valid. Very valid. As to "what the hell I'm doing on this forum", I paid $110 for the pleasure.
Well, Hugh, To disagree or to criticize are different things. To disagree means you hold a different position and implies a conversation is in the offing and respect. To criticize implies the other person is a no-good rat who can go shit in his hat and pull it down over his ears. I sometimes disagree with Steve. I criticize MAGA Johnson. i.e disagreeing keeps the door open; criticizing slams the door in one's face.
Well, Barbara... I'm intentionally criticizing Steve. As are many others here. So excuse me while, as you put it, I "slam the door" on this pointless exchange.
She’s incorrect anyway.
The end of America is not in sight, it is upon us, it is here. At 71 years old I've lived in perhaps the best time to be an American. But who would have thought we would see the insanity, greed , corruption and disinformation on a scale so grand as it is today. We have destroyed ourselves through apathy - not enough people vote, suppression and rigging of the voting system(not elections) and the ability of the richest individuals and Corporate Interests to buy and influence politicians and judges. We are truly living in ideocracy. A Handmaid's Tale future or some version of it is possible - look at the unanimous support by R's for speaker and the religious zealotry and insanity and hypocrisy that is the fabric of America. I'm blue all the way, but our irresponsible lack of vetting as to who comes through our borders is part of our downfall. We have Muslims in Government who sympathize with Hamas. It is the very Freedom that has Made America what it is, that has been exploited and brought us down.
Why is the MAGA party full of nutters and a smattering of normies cowering in the background? Is it all the chemicals in our adulterated food supply? The moronic corporate media playing to the lowest common denominator? The news networks going for the sensational rather the simple truth because of profits? The public education funding being raided and funneled into private and religious schools? The rise of militant religions? I don't recognize my country anymore. If the MAGA's win, that's all she wrote and who knows for how long? Will the US schism? If I were younger, I'd leave this mess and I see us deteriorating.