Policy wonkery has not won elections in almost 100 years (new deal)... I've said for decades that voters care only about emotional connection to a political party or leaders. They will never read a bill or policy white paper. They WILL have feelings about whatever it is. From the start of Biden's amazing policy presidential term I said that few voters would care about EV car battery factories, lead pipe removal, or massive climate change fighting incentives. Unfortunately I was correct. Emotion always Trumps policy.
It barely even registered with people who actually care about this stuff. The IRA might as well have happened in Germany, you could fit the number of people who cared in an NBA arena.
Pete’s a good communicator, but this theory of change just suffered a massive blow. The three major investment bills championed by the Administration — which I think were mostly very good, on their face —appear to have generated little to no political benefit for Democrats. The exit polls, which need additional confirmation, point to even greater loss margins among union members than in 2020.
I wish he were right. But basically, one lesson might be that people don't actually WANT less stressful lives because at root stress--when not overwhelming--is more fun. A bad commute gives you a watercooler story. A good commute is boring. What Americans cannot STAND is to be bored.
I wonder if trump wold keep PETE on as Transportation Sec? And if he'd accept--with conditions that he be allowed to do it with no obstacles including firing because he criticized the new admin for being an obstacle? And put it in writing--and with a hefty raise! Just an out of the box musing...
This requires an attention span, a memory, a willingness to pay attention to how things actually work and a disciplined approach to policy. I put to you that broadly, the American people are not interested in doing much or any of that right now. Fear, anger and lies are pushing out dopamine hits via various vectors at alarming rates and until there's an overriding dopamine hit for the other stuff or something goes terribly wrong that shocks the system, that also looks immediate, I think we're stuck here.
While it may sound less relevant to the infrastructure product, the more appropriate approach might be for the workers to conduct the ribbon-cutting, praising the union success and give the president due kudos for pulling it together, showing pride in excellence and working class benefit for public safety
Mayors, former Mayors perhaps above all other elected officials…even the POTUS….are at the ground level what elected officials are :hired” to do: respond in ways that government is uniquely suited (without BS) to what citizens’ need to function and prosper in their lives.
But might we dispose of the “Fascism” click bait? Can liberal/progressives/centrists “speak” with actions instead cheapening the currency of trigger labels with overuse? Read Nancy Pelosi’s recent interview with the NYT. Her main critique of the Biden Harris team is that they failed to communicate their accomplishments effectively, with empathy, with the very working class, non -college educated voter we used to be(and arguably) still are.
What she left unsaid was that while Biden Harris and the Dem congress was racking up programmatic victories for working class citizens they/we were simultaneously flooding the zone with Liberal/progressive virtual signaling, purity test pieties, cultural judgements. As we worked to deliver and delivered excellent programs for working folks we told people how they SHOULD talk and we did it with a not so subtle sneering righteousness. We became…or were perceived by a broad swath of citizens as a scolding party of pronoun police instead of a party with a helping hand.
It is a truism if you repeat a word often enough or apply it indiscriminately enough…any word…that it can become meaningless. Has that not become the fate of words like “racist” and “fascist”?
Call me a name while you deliver me a benefit?
To be sure., fascism lurks, racism is still very real. But can we please focus on the work, brag effectively about it, without giving up our principles, and trust American citizens to come to their own conclusions based on their lived experiences.
Policy wonkery has not won elections in almost 100 years (new deal)... I've said for decades that voters care only about emotional connection to a political party or leaders. They will never read a bill or policy white paper. They WILL have feelings about whatever it is. From the start of Biden's amazing policy presidential term I said that few voters would care about EV car battery factories, lead pipe removal, or massive climate change fighting incentives. Unfortunately I was correct. Emotion always Trumps policy.
It barely even registered with people who actually care about this stuff. The IRA might as well have happened in Germany, you could fit the number of people who cared in an NBA arena.
Pete’s a good communicator, but this theory of change just suffered a massive blow. The three major investment bills championed by the Administration — which I think were mostly very good, on their face —appear to have generated little to no political benefit for Democrats. The exit polls, which need additional confirmation, point to even greater loss margins among union members than in 2020.
Exactly
I wish he were right. But basically, one lesson might be that people don't actually WANT less stressful lives because at root stress--when not overwhelming--is more fun. A bad commute gives you a watercooler story. A good commute is boring. What Americans cannot STAND is to be bored.
I wonder if trump wold keep PETE on as Transportation Sec? And if he'd accept--with conditions that he be allowed to do it with no obstacles including firing because he criticized the new admin for being an obstacle? And put it in writing--and with a hefty raise! Just an out of the box musing...
This requires an attention span, a memory, a willingness to pay attention to how things actually work and a disciplined approach to policy. I put to you that broadly, the American people are not interested in doing much or any of that right now. Fear, anger and lies are pushing out dopamine hits via various vectors at alarming rates and until there's an overriding dopamine hit for the other stuff or something goes terribly wrong that shocks the system, that also looks immediate, I think we're stuck here.
While it may sound less relevant to the infrastructure product, the more appropriate approach might be for the workers to conduct the ribbon-cutting, praising the union success and give the president due kudos for pulling it together, showing pride in excellence and working class benefit for public safety
Love the INK!, Love Pete Buttieg!
Mayors, former Mayors perhaps above all other elected officials…even the POTUS….are at the ground level what elected officials are :hired” to do: respond in ways that government is uniquely suited (without BS) to what citizens’ need to function and prosper in their lives.
But might we dispose of the “Fascism” click bait? Can liberal/progressives/centrists “speak” with actions instead cheapening the currency of trigger labels with overuse? Read Nancy Pelosi’s recent interview with the NYT. Her main critique of the Biden Harris team is that they failed to communicate their accomplishments effectively, with empathy, with the very working class, non -college educated voter we used to be(and arguably) still are.
What she left unsaid was that while Biden Harris and the Dem congress was racking up programmatic victories for working class citizens they/we were simultaneously flooding the zone with Liberal/progressive virtual signaling, purity test pieties, cultural judgements. As we worked to deliver and delivered excellent programs for working folks we told people how they SHOULD talk and we did it with a not so subtle sneering righteousness. We became…or were perceived by a broad swath of citizens as a scolding party of pronoun police instead of a party with a helping hand.
It is a truism if you repeat a word often enough or apply it indiscriminately enough…any word…that it can become meaningless. Has that not become the fate of words like “racist” and “fascist”?
Call me a name while you deliver me a benefit?
To be sure., fascism lurks, racism is still very real. But can we please focus on the work, brag effectively about it, without giving up our principles, and trust American citizens to come to their own conclusions based on their lived experiences.