The real test is always how these newcomers will actually perform once in office. American history is littered with supposed progressives who immediately move to the right on assuming office.
Excellent piece. Informative and analytical, but also entertaining. As for the movement, I sum it up in the words of the late, great D. Boon: the working man is pissed. News flash, too: if the majority of your income is wage or salary as opposed to equity compensation or investment income, you're in the working class. It's full income tax vs. mostly capital gains tax.
Buttigieg would be a great running mate for someone like AOC. I really believe most of this is about wanting fresh and new, but not necessarily far to the left. Bring on good ideas and institutional changes, not take a sledgehammer to everything, Trump style. That’ll just make the pendulum swing back harder.
To deny there's been a significant shift within the Democratic Party toward the young and the left is to deny facts. To say that the shift is good for America is open for debate. Politicians effective at using resentment and revenge and hate have been very successful these past ten years. But that sort of angry populism is as dangerous on the left as it is on the right.
it's not just left. i didn't include it because i didn't want the piece to go too long, but there are also many primary ousters by people who aren't progressive. this is about people wanting something new, which includes but is not limited to left progressivism
I searched for Democratic House and Senate primary defeats of incumbents and what found was that the defeated incumbents lost to candidates on their left. Could you name an example? I may very well be missing something.
It's not just the young (although I hope the young turn out in droves). There is a primary today in the state where I live so some local news outlets are door-stopping voters as they exit polling stations One couple in their 70s revealed they'd voted for the upstart candidate decades younger than the silver-haired incumbent because 'it's time for baby boomers to get out of the way".
Buttigieg lacks credibility. He and Gavin are cut from the same cloth that bankrolled Democrat Haley Steven’s,AIPAC,etc. The same billionaires who are now supporting the R in Michigan.
Great, sharp and let's hope, an accurate to be proved on the field essay. Both parties, constituting the "establishment," are corrupt and beholden to interest groups other and far smaller than the general mass of voters. Every poll confirms they consistently ignore majority citizen preferred policies. If younger positioned pols like Mayor Pete think they can shift and manage the winds, good on them. If they temporize and heaven help us further "triangulate," let them reap the whirlwind. Pitchforks out.
A significant part of this is the broad sea change in public opinion, left, right and middle, concerning Israel, genocide, Israel First foreign wars and AIPAC's consequent weakening hold on both major parties, but not yet the MSM. Kamala Harris's loss to Trump was an early harbinger that the MSM played down. More recently, it's a key to the splitting of MAGA and Trump's declining popularity. How much a part of the current upheaval is due to this shift is hard to say, but it is certainly a larger part of the mix than the captured MSM and the donor-supported leadership of the two major parties are willing to discuss in public.
This wave of youth, younger people as governor, mayor, senator or congressman started in the Northeast US a few years ago. The average age of New Jersey Senators is 52 years old and congressmen are similar. When you look across the Northeast you will see that old folk are replaced with younger more progressive individuals like AOC and Momdani for example. I think it is fitting that on the 250th anniversary of our nation that the revolution to take back our country started in the same place that was the heart of the first revolution. Now it just needs to spread across a few more than thirteen colonies.
We haven't won until I see convictions.
Turn the pressure up.
Not gonna happen, at least for POTUS. Nixon was the break moment.
The real test is always how these newcomers will actually perform once in office. American history is littered with supposed progressives who immediately move to the right on assuming office.
Excellent piece. Informative and analytical, but also entertaining. As for the movement, I sum it up in the words of the late, great D. Boon: the working man is pissed. News flash, too: if the majority of your income is wage or salary as opposed to equity compensation or investment income, you're in the working class. It's full income tax vs. mostly capital gains tax.
There are countless bars in this piece. I can’t quote them all
Buttigieg would be a great running mate for someone like AOC. I really believe most of this is about wanting fresh and new, but not necessarily far to the left. Bring on good ideas and institutional changes, not take a sledgehammer to everything, Trump style. That’ll just make the pendulum swing back harder.
AOC can't win. Harris, far less qualified than Hilary, if as entitled, should serve as a lesson.
I agree, but I think she would do better with Mayor Pete as opposed to choosing someone like Mamdani as a running mate.
To deny there's been a significant shift within the Democratic Party toward the young and the left is to deny facts. To say that the shift is good for America is open for debate. Politicians effective at using resentment and revenge and hate have been very successful these past ten years. But that sort of angry populism is as dangerous on the left as it is on the right.
it's not just left. i didn't include it because i didn't want the piece to go too long, but there are also many primary ousters by people who aren't progressive. this is about people wanting something new, which includes but is not limited to left progressivism
I searched for Democratic House and Senate primary defeats of incumbents and what found was that the defeated incumbents lost to candidates on their left. Could you name an example? I may very well be missing something.
I’m referring to republicans - sorry for confusion
It's not just the young (although I hope the young turn out in droves). There is a primary today in the state where I live so some local news outlets are door-stopping voters as they exit polling stations One couple in their 70s revealed they'd voted for the upstart candidate decades younger than the silver-haired incumbent because 'it's time for baby boomers to get out of the way".
Buttigieg lacks credibility. He and Gavin are cut from the same cloth that bankrolled Democrat Haley Steven’s,AIPAC,etc. The same billionaires who are now supporting the R in Michigan.
Great, sharp and let's hope, an accurate to be proved on the field essay. Both parties, constituting the "establishment," are corrupt and beholden to interest groups other and far smaller than the general mass of voters. Every poll confirms they consistently ignore majority citizen preferred policies. If younger positioned pols like Mayor Pete think they can shift and manage the winds, good on them. If they temporize and heaven help us further "triangulate," let them reap the whirlwind. Pitchforks out.
Thanks, Ken. Fine reporting. The losing centrist status quo is played out. Politics as usual is an anchor. Unapologetic boldness wins.
It's meteorite szn ☄️
A significant part of this is the broad sea change in public opinion, left, right and middle, concerning Israel, genocide, Israel First foreign wars and AIPAC's consequent weakening hold on both major parties, but not yet the MSM. Kamala Harris's loss to Trump was an early harbinger that the MSM played down. More recently, it's a key to the splitting of MAGA and Trump's declining popularity. How much a part of the current upheaval is due to this shift is hard to say, but it is certainly a larger part of the mix than the captured MSM and the donor-supported leadership of the two major parties are willing to discuss in public.
Excellent piece
Hope all those establishment pols racing to Michigan to hug El-Sayed aren't the kiss of death.
I hope you're right.
Really good! Rope-a-Dope! (Credit to Muhammad Ali.)
This wave of youth, younger people as governor, mayor, senator or congressman started in the Northeast US a few years ago. The average age of New Jersey Senators is 52 years old and congressmen are similar. When you look across the Northeast you will see that old folk are replaced with younger more progressive individuals like AOC and Momdani for example. I think it is fitting that on the 250th anniversary of our nation that the revolution to take back our country started in the same place that was the heart of the first revolution. Now it just needs to spread across a few more than thirteen colonies.