Thank you for recommending the podcast The Sacred. I just listened to her interview with David French from July. I lfelt like it was what my heart needed after the Charlie Kirk murder and the name-throwing and all the shutdown.
Parenting teenagers is so damn demoralizing. I feel ridiculously unfit and question myself constantly... and the stakes are so high now. It does get better ❤️ life is hard for all of us at times, and they're learning to stand on their own as problems get more and more complicated. It sucks to guide them through it. It sucks to watch it happen. It sucks when it can't be fixed.
This episodes Outside of Politics had me tearing up. It was just so, dang accurate about how holding a baby gives you muscle memory; Sarah, well done. You held that baby for all of us💕. Also, just the rawness of how we used to be able to tell what was wrong with our kids with physical signs & now that they’re teens/young adults it’s a complete mystery again. The camaraderie will get us through.
My kids share a lot with me, which is nice. What really kills me is how my own unresolved issues and inadequacies show up in hard moments, right in my face, and I watch it impact them in real time. I can apologize and try to do better, but it's so hard to notuce I'm breaking them because I'm still broken. I have more grace for my own parents, but man... I really wanted to be a perfect parent 🫣😔
A few people mentioned the Daily episode that says the polls haven’t changed. While that’s infuriating i think what i took from that is that the majority of people said they are tired of the partisanship- they are tired of looking at their neighbors as their enemy. I think that’s important. I think with the shutdown and how the republicans are blaming the radical left - even putting that on government websites is what Dems need to grab on to. They should be saying “we are looking out for all Americans - we are trying to save all Americans from a 400% increase in health insurance premiums. We don’t care if you are D or R - we are trying to save Medicaid for all Americans” but as we have already established their messaging is terrible and they can’t figure it out
I’ve said this since he was inaugurated, we should have a website with a ticking number line—President Trump and anyone who he is close with – every few weeks update where their bank account started in January and where they currently are. The American people will see how much he’s making off them.
I'm so down with this idea. Maybe not even a website but a graphic with hey- this government paid Tiffany Trump's husband this much money. Jared Kushner has made this, etc. Really, no bad ideas at this point!
I took my cousin’s baby from her and her husband because they could not calm her down at a Christmas party. The grandparents said “she is just a hard baby.” No, not on my watch. The aggressive bounce for the win. Plus I’m more squishy than they are and a soft place for a baby to lean on. Both parents are twigs. I felt great calming this poor stressed baby, my cousins husband was not fond of me. I’ve also done this to a stressed dad and a baby that would not drink a bottle. Poor baby drank the bottle while I held her. It’s like a super power.
I don’t know if this is acceptable but I’d love to see the democrats bring forth structural change like national bipartisan districting, term limits on house and senate, adding to Supreme Court, give a limit on campaign costs. Each candidate gets xyz amount period. Get scrappy? Maybe make an app for voting from your couch. If I can bank from my couch then I should be able to vote from there as well. I’d love to see things like this that would bring more equality in voice that would then change things down the road.
Yes to community but many people just can’t get to the polls and it’s many times people whose voices are stifled. If someone has to work three jobs to put food on the table or is disabled and can’t get out to vote, they should be able to vote on a break or from their homes.
Frankly, I don't know what Democrats should do about the shutdown, but here we are. But this is my idea to rebuild trust. Because I think Sarah really hit on something when she said we are tired of hating each other. This is long, so buckle up.
I think Democrats need to do a spin on JFK and ask what can you do for your country AND what can your country do for you? So for the next 6 months, every single Democrat at every level of government (so local, state, and federal) needs to hold a 4+ hour town hall every month. And not just in their district, but across the country. So San Francisco reps go to rural Kansas. New York goes to Mississippi, Texas goes to California. The message is 'I don't just work for my constituents, but all of the American people.' And I want them to ask 2 questions- what does the government do that works for you and what does not work for you? And ask clarifying questions. Have a staffer on stage taking notes (with paper and pen, preferably.) And another staffer that is getting every one's name and phone number so that they can follow up with them. And for the love of God, do not add them to a mailing list. The goal is to NOT go viral, but to listen well. Also, add a form to your website if someone isn't able to get to the town hall. And actually follow up with people! Even if it's just a 2 minute phone call of "I appreciate you coming to the town hall and you gave me a lot to think about."
Then what you can do for your country has 3 parts. It's framed as 'the algorithms want us to hate our neighbors and we aren't going to let them control us anymore.' The algorithm is the enemy. So 1. twice a week, go into your community and have a pleasant interaction with someone that you don't live or work with- the grocery store clerk, the fast food worker, post office worker, bank teller. And if you don't have a pleasant interaction, give them the benefit of the doubt that they're having a bad day and find someone else. 2. Once a week, find a way to help- pick up trash in your neighborhood, cook dinner for your coworker that is having a hard week, volunteer at your local school, drop off flowers at your local DFCS. 3. For 24 hours, put your phone down, preferably on a day that you don't do paid labor. Don't go on social media, don't order anything on your phone, turn off your notifications. If you want to buy something, go in a store. But go for a walk, read a book, learn a new game, cook a good dinner. But the ask isn't for them to do something for YOU but for their fellow Americans. So don't ask them to vote or knock doors or make phone calls. Ask them to make their community better. And also, the elected leaders need to be doing the same thing.
Again, don't go viral. DO THE WORK. And show that Republicans aren't.
I love this and I have to say that a quick phone call really does make a difference.
My daughter recently got a special retainer put in her mouth to deter thumb sucking and the orthodontist called me the next week to check in and ask how my daughter was doing, if she had any struggles, and told me how proud he was of her for kicking the habit so quick (it was almost instantaneous!) and that short phone call meant so much to me, that he personally would call to check on her. Patient for life!!
I don't think the Democrats have done a good job of messaging around the shutdown, but I'm not convinced there is much they can say or any specific policy that they could target that would persuade non-Dems/non-liberals. Especially since a dominant perception of the Dems is that they have been catastrophizing about Trump since 2016 - I think that makes it difficult for many people to see how this case is different.
I have been wondering what would happen if all of the Dems in Congress agreed that, for as long as the shutdown lasts and federal workers aren't being paid, they would donate all of their salaries to federal workers. I understand that not everyone in Congress is wealthy, but if you're going to effectively take away the livelihood of thousands of people, you should be willing to do the same yourself. I think that Democrats having a united message of "We think so-and-so policies in this budget are so uniquely terrible that we are willing to forgo our own salaries until changes are made" would go a long way with convincing people that the Democrats genuinely care about their constituents.
Our politics are like football. Many people don't pay attention to any of it until the Presidential election (superbowl) and even then they aren't too invested, just want to be a part of the cultural moment. Then they go right back to not paying any attention at all. The messaging will not break through as long as it's political... because politics is a game that most people don't get or can't stand. Cultural moments matter. If Dems can't create a cultural moment, the messaging is not important because no one is listening anyway.
I watched the livestream of the Hegseth meeting with the top brass (once Trump got up there and started rambling without a prepared speech I turned it off). The conspiracy theorist in me thinks he wanted an in person meeting so he could record their facial expressions and identify who to fire next.
The content wasn't surprising. I don't know how I feel about it yet. I haven't served since 2004. I'm concerned if they rollback too much, the old military culture will come back, increasing the likelihood for sexual assault, extreme hazing, and shit like Abu Ghraib. But I also think the stuff they have tried was not very effective... it just made people resentful of the intended purpose and created bureaucracy, not cultural change.
The message Donald Trump is 4x richer since he took office, are you? Paired with stories of every day Americans describing how life is harder this year than before seems like it would be 🔥
Oh the baby bounce. I'm a master of the baby bounce. It's one of the only things I miss. And why won't our teenagers let us love on them like that anymore??? 😭
Thank you for recommending the podcast The Sacred. I just listened to her interview with David French from July. I lfelt like it was what my heart needed after the Charlie Kirk murder and the name-throwing and all the shutdown.
Parenting teenagers is so damn demoralizing. I feel ridiculously unfit and question myself constantly... and the stakes are so high now. It does get better ❤️ life is hard for all of us at times, and they're learning to stand on their own as problems get more and more complicated. It sucks to guide them through it. It sucks to watch it happen. It sucks when it can't be fixed.
This episodes Outside of Politics had me tearing up. It was just so, dang accurate about how holding a baby gives you muscle memory; Sarah, well done. You held that baby for all of us💕. Also, just the rawness of how we used to be able to tell what was wrong with our kids with physical signs & now that they’re teens/young adults it’s a complete mystery again. The camaraderie will get us through.
My kids share a lot with me, which is nice. What really kills me is how my own unresolved issues and inadequacies show up in hard moments, right in my face, and I watch it impact them in real time. I can apologize and try to do better, but it's so hard to notuce I'm breaking them because I'm still broken. I have more grace for my own parents, but man... I really wanted to be a perfect parent 🫣😔
A few people mentioned the Daily episode that says the polls haven’t changed. While that’s infuriating i think what i took from that is that the majority of people said they are tired of the partisanship- they are tired of looking at their neighbors as their enemy. I think that’s important. I think with the shutdown and how the republicans are blaming the radical left - even putting that on government websites is what Dems need to grab on to. They should be saying “we are looking out for all Americans - we are trying to save all Americans from a 400% increase in health insurance premiums. We don’t care if you are D or R - we are trying to save Medicaid for all Americans” but as we have already established their messaging is terrible and they can’t figure it out
Yes! All Americans and not just their constituents!
I’ve said this since he was inaugurated, we should have a website with a ticking number line—President Trump and anyone who he is close with – every few weeks update where their bank account started in January and where they currently are. The American people will see how much he’s making off them.
I'm so down with this idea. Maybe not even a website but a graphic with hey- this government paid Tiffany Trump's husband this much money. Jared Kushner has made this, etc. Really, no bad ideas at this point!
I took my cousin’s baby from her and her husband because they could not calm her down at a Christmas party. The grandparents said “she is just a hard baby.” No, not on my watch. The aggressive bounce for the win. Plus I’m more squishy than they are and a soft place for a baby to lean on. Both parents are twigs. I felt great calming this poor stressed baby, my cousins husband was not fond of me. I’ve also done this to a stressed dad and a baby that would not drink a bottle. Poor baby drank the bottle while I held her. It’s like a super power.
I don’t know if this is acceptable but I’d love to see the democrats bring forth structural change like national bipartisan districting, term limits on house and senate, adding to Supreme Court, give a limit on campaign costs. Each candidate gets xyz amount period. Get scrappy? Maybe make an app for voting from your couch. If I can bank from my couch then I should be able to vote from there as well. I’d love to see things like this that would bring more equality in voice that would then change things down the road.
I love this except the voting from the sofa. People need to be in their communities more, not less.
Yes to community but many people just can’t get to the polls and it’s many times people whose voices are stifled. If someone has to work three jobs to put food on the table or is disabled and can’t get out to vote, they should be able to vote on a break or from their homes.
“You’re his mama, you got this” energy is EXACTLY what we need in community right now! Love this sentiment!
Frankly, I don't know what Democrats should do about the shutdown, but here we are. But this is my idea to rebuild trust. Because I think Sarah really hit on something when she said we are tired of hating each other. This is long, so buckle up.
I think Democrats need to do a spin on JFK and ask what can you do for your country AND what can your country do for you? So for the next 6 months, every single Democrat at every level of government (so local, state, and federal) needs to hold a 4+ hour town hall every month. And not just in their district, but across the country. So San Francisco reps go to rural Kansas. New York goes to Mississippi, Texas goes to California. The message is 'I don't just work for my constituents, but all of the American people.' And I want them to ask 2 questions- what does the government do that works for you and what does not work for you? And ask clarifying questions. Have a staffer on stage taking notes (with paper and pen, preferably.) And another staffer that is getting every one's name and phone number so that they can follow up with them. And for the love of God, do not add them to a mailing list. The goal is to NOT go viral, but to listen well. Also, add a form to your website if someone isn't able to get to the town hall. And actually follow up with people! Even if it's just a 2 minute phone call of "I appreciate you coming to the town hall and you gave me a lot to think about."
Then what you can do for your country has 3 parts. It's framed as 'the algorithms want us to hate our neighbors and we aren't going to let them control us anymore.' The algorithm is the enemy. So 1. twice a week, go into your community and have a pleasant interaction with someone that you don't live or work with- the grocery store clerk, the fast food worker, post office worker, bank teller. And if you don't have a pleasant interaction, give them the benefit of the doubt that they're having a bad day and find someone else. 2. Once a week, find a way to help- pick up trash in your neighborhood, cook dinner for your coworker that is having a hard week, volunteer at your local school, drop off flowers at your local DFCS. 3. For 24 hours, put your phone down, preferably on a day that you don't do paid labor. Don't go on social media, don't order anything on your phone, turn off your notifications. If you want to buy something, go in a store. But go for a walk, read a book, learn a new game, cook a good dinner. But the ask isn't for them to do something for YOU but for their fellow Americans. So don't ask them to vote or knock doors or make phone calls. Ask them to make their community better. And also, the elected leaders need to be doing the same thing.
Again, don't go viral. DO THE WORK. And show that Republicans aren't.
THIS. THIS THIS THIS THIS THIS.
I love this and I have to say that a quick phone call really does make a difference.
My daughter recently got a special retainer put in her mouth to deter thumb sucking and the orthodontist called me the next week to check in and ask how my daughter was doing, if she had any struggles, and told me how proud he was of her for kicking the habit so quick (it was almost instantaneous!) and that short phone call meant so much to me, that he personally would call to check on her. Patient for life!!
I don't think the Democrats have done a good job of messaging around the shutdown, but I'm not convinced there is much they can say or any specific policy that they could target that would persuade non-Dems/non-liberals. Especially since a dominant perception of the Dems is that they have been catastrophizing about Trump since 2016 - I think that makes it difficult for many people to see how this case is different.
I have been wondering what would happen if all of the Dems in Congress agreed that, for as long as the shutdown lasts and federal workers aren't being paid, they would donate all of their salaries to federal workers. I understand that not everyone in Congress is wealthy, but if you're going to effectively take away the livelihood of thousands of people, you should be willing to do the same yourself. I think that Democrats having a united message of "We think so-and-so policies in this budget are so uniquely terrible that we are willing to forgo our own salaries until changes are made" would go a long way with convincing people that the Democrats genuinely care about their constituents.
Our politics are like football. Many people don't pay attention to any of it until the Presidential election (superbowl) and even then they aren't too invested, just want to be a part of the cultural moment. Then they go right back to not paying any attention at all. The messaging will not break through as long as it's political... because politics is a game that most people don't get or can't stand. Cultural moments matter. If Dems can't create a cultural moment, the messaging is not important because no one is listening anyway.
I watched the livestream of the Hegseth meeting with the top brass (once Trump got up there and started rambling without a prepared speech I turned it off). The conspiracy theorist in me thinks he wanted an in person meeting so he could record their facial expressions and identify who to fire next.
The content wasn't surprising. I don't know how I feel about it yet. I haven't served since 2004. I'm concerned if they rollback too much, the old military culture will come back, increasing the likelihood for sexual assault, extreme hazing, and shit like Abu Ghraib. But I also think the stuff they have tried was not very effective... it just made people resentful of the intended purpose and created bureaucracy, not cultural change.
The message Donald Trump is 4x richer since he took office, are you? Paired with stories of every day Americans describing how life is harder this year than before seems like it would be 🔥
Yes! Coupled with, "I'm tired of being pitted against my neighbor," I think we can work with this in our personal relationships.
Agreed! I think this is the message!
Do we think Dems would have done this without the direct call to shutdown from Ezra?
Incredible that a shooting at a church this past weekend is so ……common as to be already let go of in the “news”. Yuk and yikes
Oh the baby bounce. I'm a master of the baby bounce. It's one of the only things I miss. And why won't our teenagers let us love on them like that anymore??? 😭