I don't think we're at extinction-level event for the Dem elites yet. They're still going to fight to their last breath for the next two to three years. Hong winning is a step in the right direction, but there are still plenty of secure & geriatric elites clinging to political power for the foreseeable future.
Our Govenor here in Washington State has passed a bill to do that. Now, we have a billionaire here trying to get it repealed by making the low income voters panick with fear they will be next.
Whatever quibbles I might have with Hong on the particulars (there might be many, I don't live in Wisconsin and know too little about her) I also think a lot more people in America have long been socialists in their views without attaching that label to it than is generally recognized by media. They've liked a socialist vision as a practical solution to chronic problems in America, long before Bernie made such a big "socialist" splash in 2016. Most people in America do think everybody should get health care. Most people do think there should be full government support for education. Direct payments to the disabled. Affordable housing. They do think greedy bastards are the only reason we don't already have these things. Neoliberalism is a freak show and maybe the only way to get voters attention away from it was to shock them by saying: "I'm running as a socialist." Gasp! Riveting. What will they say next? And when they listen they realize: "Hey, that's what I've thought all along."
The day I saw two white guys, probably in their 60s, around 2015, with a sandwich style board that said get your government hands off my medicare, I was sure dems messaging problem was not getting addressed. A decade later and we are in the same spot. The old guard must go.
I do live in northern Wisconsin (after 45 years in Madison) and agree with you, although the old school Republicans accuse all Democrats of being socialists (and the Republican candidate for governor-my current Congressman who's all in with Drumpf including election denying is doing this now in TV ads), even Biden. They don't know what socialism is. I recall going to protest a Tea Party rally in Madison about seventeen years ago seeing a woman with a sign demanding hands off her Medicare, which I told her I was paying for, and would like to have it too.
Her site mentions that a 17% tax on everything over a million dollars would lower property taxes by 44%. 17% is silly.
A 1% increase to 8.85% as a top rate seems reasonable. She may want to update her site. I prioritize accuracy over my political leanings!
"Here’s how it would work: We stop squeezing working families and ask the extremely wealthy and large corporations to pay their fair share. Fran’s plan adds a small 1% increase to the top tax bracket (for couples making over $431,000 or individuals making over $323,000) and creates a new tax bracket for millionaires and large corporations that kicks in on the millionth dollar of income or profit. The Department of Revenue estimates that if millionaires and corporations chip in 17 cents out of every dollar earned after that first million, it could lower all our property taxes by 44%."
Most of Manufacturing Consent still holds true. You see what the elites want you to see. However, that is changing, and it is the internet writ large. Substack and the ability to hear voices you had to go way out of your way to hear in the late 80s and 90s. People are done with being pandered to, like, “We need to find a holistic solution and…” blah, blah, blah.
I grew up in Wisconsin in the 60’s and 70’s - and watched the impact of deindustrialization, the evisceration of the unions, and the monopoly destruction of family farms and agriculture. With a deep streak of ‘Protestant work ethic’ (it’s a very German state) people blamed themselves, the unions,and foreigners.
BUT - during the time that Wisconsin had a thriving working class, it also boasted one of the best run state governments in the country. Decisions and votation was done by caucus, so people learned to show up on the municipal level. Schools were so well funded that even the speech teams had paid travel to meets, schools had theater, orchestra, jazz band, choir etc - and I mean just regular factory town and rural schools. School lunch and school breakfast was just how kids got fed.
Streets, parks, lakefronts were cared for. Your state legislators picked up the phone. In all governing aspects, Wisconsin was deeply socialist.
I don’t want to paint the state as some sort of leftist utopia- these same people were red necked racists (race was the wedge used to destroy the unions,) uber religious, patriotic, socially conservative, and deeply anti-intellectual. Still, it was a very good government state.
It will be interesting to see how donor class reacts if their early and aggressive efforts to stamp out Democratic populism continue to fail. They got lucky in Maine — Platner made it easy and even then they really had to work to maneuver him into a place where he had to drop out after he absolutely shellacked the establishment approved Mills.
They also got lucky with Trump/MAGA. Voters weren’t buying what the GOP was selling after Bush II. Remember the infamous RNC “autopsy” that prescribed a kinder, gentler, less culture war obsessed and more immigrant friendly pivot for the GOP? They just didn’t have the stomach or the messenger for the opposite approach of reaching for the most bigoted non-voters in the most gerrymandered states: Then along comes Trump and the Heritage types saw the opportunity to use his cult of personality to get everything they ever wanted and more…
But they over-reached and probably didn’t account for how little Trump gives a shit about what they want when it doesn’t benefit him directly. Now, the backlash that is brewing looks like it might actually overwhelm their backstop: The donor-controlled Democratic establishment. Maybe — just maybe — it had to get this bad to break their hold on both parties and the silver lining of the Trump years will be We the People reasserting control of our government and using it to put the oligarchs back in their place.
"what the election will really come down to is that people want to elect someone — anyone — willing to challenge a broken system and think big, bold, even brash, and are willing to say so."
But be careful, rage at the system is what got Trump elected. I even recall him saying that the system is rigged. What he didn't say is he wanted the system to be rigged for him and his family. Mission accomplished.
I think a great majority of Americans have felt that the system has been rigged for some time in favor of profit and the investor class but they were divided into those who were so angry they would put anyone (Trump) in even if a vandal and those who thought it was hopeless to change things voting for candidates that were selected to avoid change.
Okay, I totally agree, death to old school politics. Scary part is that is exactly what got Trump elected, twice. I know, I know, but we aren't stupid crazy MAGA nuts... hopefully.
I too am rooting for the asteroid. Democratic socialism wrought by FDR is under seige. Time for a refresh and update.
I don't think we're at extinction-level event for the Dem elites yet. They're still going to fight to their last breath for the next two to three years. Hong winning is a step in the right direction, but there are still plenty of secure & geriatric elites clinging to political power for the foreseeable future.
oh this is gonna take years but i think they're playing out the end game
"Hong answered with specifics that she would increase the millionaire tax rate to 8.85 percent."
Millionaire tax rate meaning the marginal rate on someone making over $1 million per year in income?
I believe so yes
Our Govenor here in Washington State has passed a bill to do that. Now, we have a billionaire here trying to get it repealed by making the low income voters panick with fear they will be next.
Whatever quibbles I might have with Hong on the particulars (there might be many, I don't live in Wisconsin and know too little about her) I also think a lot more people in America have long been socialists in their views without attaching that label to it than is generally recognized by media. They've liked a socialist vision as a practical solution to chronic problems in America, long before Bernie made such a big "socialist" splash in 2016. Most people in America do think everybody should get health care. Most people do think there should be full government support for education. Direct payments to the disabled. Affordable housing. They do think greedy bastards are the only reason we don't already have these things. Neoliberalism is a freak show and maybe the only way to get voters attention away from it was to shock them by saying: "I'm running as a socialist." Gasp! Riveting. What will they say next? And when they listen they realize: "Hey, that's what I've thought all along."
The day I saw two white guys, probably in their 60s, around 2015, with a sandwich style board that said get your government hands off my medicare, I was sure dems messaging problem was not getting addressed. A decade later and we are in the same spot. The old guard must go.
I do live in northern Wisconsin (after 45 years in Madison) and agree with you, although the old school Republicans accuse all Democrats of being socialists (and the Republican candidate for governor-my current Congressman who's all in with Drumpf including election denying is doing this now in TV ads), even Biden. They don't know what socialism is. I recall going to protest a Tea Party rally in Madison about seventeen years ago seeing a woman with a sign demanding hands off her Medicare, which I told her I was paying for, and would like to have it too.
Her site mentions that a 17% tax on everything over a million dollars would lower property taxes by 44%. 17% is silly.
A 1% increase to 8.85% as a top rate seems reasonable. She may want to update her site. I prioritize accuracy over my political leanings!
"Here’s how it would work: We stop squeezing working families and ask the extremely wealthy and large corporations to pay their fair share. Fran’s plan adds a small 1% increase to the top tax bracket (for couples making over $431,000 or individuals making over $323,000) and creates a new tax bracket for millionaires and large corporations that kicks in on the millionth dollar of income or profit. The Department of Revenue estimates that if millionaires and corporations chip in 17 cents out of every dollar earned after that first million, it could lower all our property taxes by 44%."
Here in Washington State that tax is only 9.9% and only on assets over the million and I don’t believe it includes property.
Most of Manufacturing Consent still holds true. You see what the elites want you to see. However, that is changing, and it is the internet writ large. Substack and the ability to hear voices you had to go way out of your way to hear in the late 80s and 90s. People are done with being pandered to, like, “We need to find a holistic solution and…” blah, blah, blah.
And folks like you who support the Substacks like this one! (Thank you)
Let the asteroids rain down!
I bet that Crowley mofo can circle back and take shit offline like nobody's business.
🤣
https://www.instagram.com/p/DPWcDVDjvYx/?igsh=eGdyeWlwMWJsbDl3
😂
“Big, bold, even brash” …Bring it!
I grew up in Wisconsin in the 60’s and 70’s - and watched the impact of deindustrialization, the evisceration of the unions, and the monopoly destruction of family farms and agriculture. With a deep streak of ‘Protestant work ethic’ (it’s a very German state) people blamed themselves, the unions,and foreigners.
BUT - during the time that Wisconsin had a thriving working class, it also boasted one of the best run state governments in the country. Decisions and votation was done by caucus, so people learned to show up on the municipal level. Schools were so well funded that even the speech teams had paid travel to meets, schools had theater, orchestra, jazz band, choir etc - and I mean just regular factory town and rural schools. School lunch and school breakfast was just how kids got fed.
Streets, parks, lakefronts were cared for. Your state legislators picked up the phone. In all governing aspects, Wisconsin was deeply socialist.
I don’t want to paint the state as some sort of leftist utopia- these same people were red necked racists (race was the wedge used to destroy the unions,) uber religious, patriotic, socially conservative, and deeply anti-intellectual. Still, it was a very good government state.
KENTIFA
The asteroid is the size of Hunter’s Hawg
He’s back!!!
Obi Wan voice: “Hunter’s Hawg will be with you…Always.”
🫶🏻
It will be interesting to see how donor class reacts if their early and aggressive efforts to stamp out Democratic populism continue to fail. They got lucky in Maine — Platner made it easy and even then they really had to work to maneuver him into a place where he had to drop out after he absolutely shellacked the establishment approved Mills.
They also got lucky with Trump/MAGA. Voters weren’t buying what the GOP was selling after Bush II. Remember the infamous RNC “autopsy” that prescribed a kinder, gentler, less culture war obsessed and more immigrant friendly pivot for the GOP? They just didn’t have the stomach or the messenger for the opposite approach of reaching for the most bigoted non-voters in the most gerrymandered states: Then along comes Trump and the Heritage types saw the opportunity to use his cult of personality to get everything they ever wanted and more…
But they over-reached and probably didn’t account for how little Trump gives a shit about what they want when it doesn’t benefit him directly. Now, the backlash that is brewing looks like it might actually overwhelm their backstop: The donor-controlled Democratic establishment. Maybe — just maybe — it had to get this bad to break their hold on both parties and the silver lining of the Trump years will be We the People reasserting control of our government and using it to put the oligarchs back in their place.
"what the election will really come down to is that people want to elect someone — anyone — willing to challenge a broken system and think big, bold, even brash, and are willing to say so."
But be careful, rage at the system is what got Trump elected. I even recall him saying that the system is rigged. What he didn't say is he wanted the system to be rigged for him and his family. Mission accomplished.
I think a great majority of Americans have felt that the system has been rigged for some time in favor of profit and the investor class but they were divided into those who were so angry they would put anyone (Trump) in even if a vandal and those who thought it was hopeless to change things voting for candidates that were selected to avoid change.
Okay, I totally agree, death to old school politics. Scary part is that is exactly what got Trump elected, twice. I know, I know, but we aren't stupid crazy MAGA nuts... hopefully.