Hi, all, and happy Wednesday. Tonight is the first Republican debate; I won’t be watching. I’m not interested in giving Republicans’ toxic messaging any additional oxygen. Even if I wanted to check out the show, moreover, I don’t have cable. So best of luck to those of you who are going to watch, and I mean that sincerely. I expect it will be painful and disheartening; expect to hear lies, dog whistles, and insults against those who least deserve them. Do
With You Can Vote in NC. We were at UNCSA and we ran out of reg forms! We are definitely going back there in a few weeks. But the young people were ready! Going to another college on Friday nearby. Probably half Unaffiliated and half Dem. And some even checked they wanted to be poll workers! We handed out 85 fridge cards. I mean they were READY! I will let you know how Friday goes. Thanks for all your encouragement Jess! I am out here becuz of your inspiration!
Watch "Bargain Block" on HGTV at 9/8c tonight instead of you-know-what. The guys, Keith and Evan, are rehabbing inner-city Detroit one block at a time. They are AWESOME. I met Keith briefly on Father's Day at a downtown Detroit restaurant, and he was genuinely nice. Take back our cable; don't give your eyeballs to FOX!!
Thanks for posting the link to the effective communication article. I always assumed my reps were, if anything at all, just keeping a basic tally, and assuming they weren't reading communications in depth. Although, my congress person is Stefanik, so it's hard not to feel like my communications will have zero effect. But hey, I do it anyway because at least I can feel like I'm doing my part in our democracy, even if she isn't.
Thanks for all you do, I've recommended your newsletter to so many people! ❤️❤️❤️
Sure thing! I thought it was really interesting, actually. And don't give up on Stefanik. She won't change, but she may be given pause if you continue to send her well-informed dissent.
Aug 23, 2023·edited Aug 24, 2023Liked by Jessica Craven
The Senate can address promotions individually, but with debate and procedures, it could take several days per promotion. Tuberville is holding up group promotions by blocking Unanimous Consent.
Gotta chime in as a librarian- you can get 2040: A Handbook for the Regeneration on AbeBooks and Better World Books and your local library! Sounds like a great workshop.
I would like to second Jessica’s plug for the Crew class. One of the most encouraging things I learned is that it matters very much what EACH of us can do as individuals and households. Rather than just worrying and blaming political inaction and the oil industry, we can all have an impact.
Ahhh right. I’d forgotten that part. When I order postcards I do so in the thousands (I have a large volunteer base here) so I forgot to consider the single writer. Apologies!
Finishing up some postcards to CA-27 and going to the Huntington for a presentation tonight - neither one up for debate. 😈 Thanks for the info about Carbon CREW!
Thanks for the ResistBot nod, Jess! I hope it helps!
I'm going to try to suffer thru the "debate" tonight so I can see for myself what we might be up against if TFG finally faces justice. I've started an essay on what I expect to be an exhibition of dungslinging.
Whatever happens, we need a massive BLUE WAVE to wash away the toxic RED TIDE!
Latest letter from my darling wife to Albany Times-Union
Dear Letters Editor,
We just passed the one year anniversary of the Inflation Reduction Act, for which not one Republican voted, even though many have taken credit for the local infrastructure projects it’s funding.
It is the single largest investment in addressing climate change ever made.
It caps insulin prices for Medicare recipients and many others at $35 a month and out-of-pocket drug costs for Medicare beneficiaries at $2000 a year.
U.S. Steel’s CEO said the law should be renamed the “Manufacturing Renaissance Act.”
The most hilarious endorsement of this course-changing legislation came from Marjorie Taylor Greene who complained it fulfills the promise of FDR’s New Deal and finishes the work LBJ started when he created Medicare.
Republicans’ backhanded compliments won’t prevent them from trying to destroy this achievement and Biden’s presidency, but they do indicate that President Biden is working hard for all Americans and accomplishing goals we all want for ourselves.
I’m having a hard time being heard on these two points which I believe are valuable insights into messaging for Democrats in 2023-2024
---------------------------------------
Why so many think the Economy is bad
It’s the Prices Stupid !
Everyday I keep hearing pundits and political consultants bemoaning the fact that Biden is not getting the credit he deserves for his incredible and amazing good results with the economy. He really has overseen a remarkable recovery and everyone keeps scratching their heads, “I don’t know why so many think he has done poorly managing the economy - unemployment is down, new jobs are up, inflation is down. I just don’t understand it. Now they’ve added a new inquiry, “How long does it usually take for a President to get credit for a good economy?”
Open your f-ing eyes ! It’s the Prices Stupid !
Past inflation has driven up the prices of groceries and other items we purchase everyday. We went for years with very little inflation and the average person internalized a sort of “set price” for most items. When they go to the store now they see:
Food. 2020 & Precious Prices. 2023 Prices
Eggs. $1.40 - 1.50/doz. $2.50- $4.83
Milk. $3.20 - $3.50. $4.00 / gal
Bread. $1.30 — $1.50 / lb. $1.90 / lb
Bacon. $5.30 — $5.80 / lb. $6.20- $6.80 / lb
Etc.
This is a whopping increase in percentage and in actual dollar price increase -- and it hits the average consumer in the face every day. Every time he or she goes shopping for anything. The cost is way above the range they had been used to for years and years.
We sound like idiots and/or liars when we try to tell them inflation is no longer a problem. Or that we think they are idiots – it’s insulting. It doesn’t match what they see at the store with their own eyes every day. They know what they used to pay and how much they have to pay now. It’s a lot more.
The Republicans are very successful at blaming this on the Dems with their tired old tropes about massive Democratic spending. "Of course prices are up: it’s the result of too many dollars chasing too few goods — and the Dems caused this with their massive deficit spending."
I believe many Dem strategists and pundits must rarely go shopping and/or when they go they just buy what they want and don’t pay much attention to the price; sometimes never even checking the total bill at checkout. It just isn’t important to them -- they have plenty of money and this is just an incidental expense. I think this must be how most of our analysts and political consultants still operate, or worse - they don’t know how to observe from another’s point of view.
But if they start paying attention and trying to put themselves in the position of the average family that lives paycheck to paycheck, they would be shocked at the price of everyday goods from the perspective of someone that has to make his or her dollars stretch. AND THAT IS THE EXPERIENCE OF MOST OF OUR COUNTRY — PRICES ARE HIGH AND MY DOLLAR DOESN’T GO AS FAR. — I AM WORSE OFF AND I SEE IT EVERY DAY.
Abstract concepts like the "rate of inflation” coming down have no impact on the day-to-day prices the average consumer confronts again and again. Inflation moving from 6%--9% down to 3% doesn’t change the prices at the store. In fact, the prices at the store mostly stay the same and/or they continue to rise, just not as fast.
We Dems have to confront and recognize this experience. We have to acknowledge it. And then start a full-on blitz of all media that inflation was a GLOBAL phenomenon brought on by the pandemic, Ukraine, supply chain disruption etc. it is easy to demonstrate this by using a chart showing the inflation rates of the industrialized countries around the globe. It’s a simple and direct illustration to understand.
The accompanying message is: “Inflation was everywhere and It was not the result of Democratic spending. -- Yes Biden and Dems (along with Republicans who joined in passing the legislation) spent money that was needed to bring us out of the pandemic induced Great Recession”. Did this have some impact on inflation? Probably some, but that was a necessary cost to bring us out of the tailspin of losing 800,000 jobs a month.
In fact, Biden and the Dems have worked to bring inflation down in the US tremendously compared to other countries [show chart again]. Yes, prices are up, across the globe. But Bidonomics has worked to bring us out of the recession and set us on a road to future growth and stability. This is a remarkable accomplishment -- remember Trump turned over to Biden an economy that was hemorrhaging hundreds of thousand jobs a month, our economy was so bad it was coined “The Great Recession.” Biden has helped lead our economy back to health and mostly tamed the inflation genie. Yep we now have to adjust to the higher price levels, but for most of us, our wages are up too. (Note to reader: I don’t really know if this is true – I hope so).
We need to put the political and communication experts on delivering this message — I watch show after show where all the pundits throw their hands in the air and say they don’t understand why Biden’s good economic results aren’t being recognized. They don’t understand because they don’t see what the average American living paycheck to paycheck sees every day. — prices are way up ! That the RATE of inflation is down doesn’t change this everyday reality.
Dominion Systems showed us how. Make him show his fear of being sued again.
Every time Trump is available he should be hit with something like the following:
“You continue to say the 2020 Election was stolen. Approximately 60 independent Courts looked at the evidence presented and rejected that claim every time, yet you still persist in this lie.
If you are not merely a dishonest Con Man, tell us exactly who rigged the election and how. Give us a name. Tell us when and where. Unless you give us that simple information it is clear that you are nothing more than dishonest con man abusing the trust of your followers. . So who did it ? When and Where? Are you too afraid to give us a name? Or is it that you really are just a con man who has been abusing the trust of your followers for years? Which is it? Are you a con man or will you give us a name and when and where? Or have you just been abusing for years the confidence your followers have placed in you ?”
Something like this. And don’t let up until he gives a straight answer — that he can’t give a name or a when and how. Everyone has to do this. Hit him with this over and over. Stick with the line of questioning to its conclusion. Over and over.
Give him a choice: give us the goods or admit you’ve been abusing the confidence of your followers for years – you’re just a con man.
There are now 875,000,000+ reasons why he won’t name a name, and we have push hard on this leverage point again and again.
Don’t argue facts with his followers use this question to show they’ve been conned.
Ron
PS — this will work for all the other election deniers as well.
Ciao, little late to the game - but just wanted to tell you that I loved the info on how to get our reps to pay attention to our communications. I definitely plan to use their suggested best practices! Thanks.
Signed up 22 college students to vote in NC today!
WOW! With what group? Or did you just go out by yourself? HERO!
With You Can Vote in NC. We were at UNCSA and we ran out of reg forms! We are definitely going back there in a few weeks. But the young people were ready! Going to another college on Friday nearby. Probably half Unaffiliated and half Dem. And some even checked they wanted to be poll workers! We handed out 85 fridge cards. I mean they were READY! I will let you know how Friday goes. Thanks for all your encouragement Jess! I am out here becuz of your inspiration!
OMG you made my day. THANK YOUOOOOO!
Hugs Jess! Don’t ever doubt the impact you have!
Ok, friends. Here's my idea of the week:
Watch "Bargain Block" on HGTV at 9/8c tonight instead of you-know-what. The guys, Keith and Evan, are rehabbing inner-city Detroit one block at a time. They are AWESOME. I met Keith briefly on Father's Day at a downtown Detroit restaurant, and he was genuinely nice. Take back our cable; don't give your eyeballs to FOX!!
I love it! Again, no cable, so if it's not on Hulu or Netflix I can't watch it but it sounds awesome.
Thanks for posting the link to the effective communication article. I always assumed my reps were, if anything at all, just keeping a basic tally, and assuming they weren't reading communications in depth. Although, my congress person is Stefanik, so it's hard not to feel like my communications will have zero effect. But hey, I do it anyway because at least I can feel like I'm doing my part in our democracy, even if she isn't.
Thanks for all you do, I've recommended your newsletter to so many people! ❤️❤️❤️
Sure thing! I thought it was really interesting, actually. And don't give up on Stefanik. She won't change, but she may be given pause if you continue to send her well-informed dissent.
Hi, my senators are Rubio and Scott so I feel your pain! The advice about including relevant research about the topic is gold!
My condolences!
I’m not aware of the option you speak about with the military promotions. Can you elaborate?
The Senate can address promotions individually, but with debate and procedures, it could take several days per promotion. Tuberville is holding up group promotions by blocking Unanimous Consent.
Here's a good explanation:
https://www.npr.org/2023/07/15/1187530846/tuberville-senate-rules-abortion-military
He’s a self absorbed idiot and narcissist.
Gotta chime in as a librarian- you can get 2040: A Handbook for the Regeneration on AbeBooks and Better World Books and your local library! Sounds like a great workshop.
Ah! Did not know! Thank you I looked but couldn't find it for some reason. Now I'll know.
Katie, you and others may be interested in a free sticker(s).
https://act.moveon.org/survey/support-your-local-librarians-sticker
I would like to second Jessica’s plug for the Crew class. One of the most encouraging things I learned is that it matters very much what EACH of us can do as individuals and households. Rather than just worrying and blaming political inaction and the oil industry, we can all have an impact.
Right! I agree!
Postcards ro Swing States has a minimum of 100 cards requirement. YIKES ! Way too many.
Ahhh right. I’d forgotten that part. When I order postcards I do so in the thousands (I have a large volunteer base here) so I forgot to consider the single writer. Apologies!
You are my hero.
💜
It's not a "debate" - it's a disinfotainment sh!tshow.
Finishing up some postcards to CA-27 and going to the Huntington for a presentation tonight - neither one up for debate. 😈 Thanks for the info about Carbon CREW!
Thank you for your hard work!
Thanks, Jessica, for the actions. Doing them now and the TED talk is sad but informative. Shows how much we’ve screwed up and need to change.
Yeah, I do think there's hope in it, though. Transformation is possible!
I’m a fall fellow with Movement Labs! Thank you so much for highlighting our work, Jess. :)
Oh thank YOU for what you're doing! They're such an important and valuable org.
Thanks for the ResistBot nod, Jess! I hope it helps!
I'm going to try to suffer thru the "debate" tonight so I can see for myself what we might be up against if TFG finally faces justice. I've started an essay on what I expect to be an exhibition of dungslinging.
Whatever happens, we need a massive BLUE WAVE to wash away the toxic RED TIDE!
We sure do! And good luck!
Latest letter from my darling wife to Albany Times-Union
Dear Letters Editor,
We just passed the one year anniversary of the Inflation Reduction Act, for which not one Republican voted, even though many have taken credit for the local infrastructure projects it’s funding.
It is the single largest investment in addressing climate change ever made.
It caps insulin prices for Medicare recipients and many others at $35 a month and out-of-pocket drug costs for Medicare beneficiaries at $2000 a year.
U.S. Steel’s CEO said the law should be renamed the “Manufacturing Renaissance Act.”
The most hilarious endorsement of this course-changing legislation came from Marjorie Taylor Greene who complained it fulfills the promise of FDR’s New Deal and finishes the work LBJ started when he created Medicare.
Republicans’ backhanded compliments won’t prevent them from trying to destroy this achievement and Biden’s presidency, but they do indicate that President Biden is working hard for all Americans and accomplishing goals we all want for ourselves.
Patricia Goldsmith
Wow! Did this get printed?
Not yet but will submit to another newspaper.
It’s The Prices Stupid !
The reason folks think the economy is bad
+
How to hit Trump
I’m having a hard time being heard on these two points which I believe are valuable insights into messaging for Democrats in 2023-2024
---------------------------------------
Why so many think the Economy is bad
It’s the Prices Stupid !
Everyday I keep hearing pundits and political consultants bemoaning the fact that Biden is not getting the credit he deserves for his incredible and amazing good results with the economy. He really has overseen a remarkable recovery and everyone keeps scratching their heads, “I don’t know why so many think he has done poorly managing the economy - unemployment is down, new jobs are up, inflation is down. I just don’t understand it. Now they’ve added a new inquiry, “How long does it usually take for a President to get credit for a good economy?”
Open your f-ing eyes ! It’s the Prices Stupid !
Past inflation has driven up the prices of groceries and other items we purchase everyday. We went for years with very little inflation and the average person internalized a sort of “set price” for most items. When they go to the store now they see:
Food. 2020 & Precious Prices. 2023 Prices
Eggs. $1.40 - 1.50/doz. $2.50- $4.83
Milk. $3.20 - $3.50. $4.00 / gal
Bread. $1.30 — $1.50 / lb. $1.90 / lb
Bacon. $5.30 — $5.80 / lb. $6.20- $6.80 / lb
Etc.
This is a whopping increase in percentage and in actual dollar price increase -- and it hits the average consumer in the face every day. Every time he or she goes shopping for anything. The cost is way above the range they had been used to for years and years.
We sound like idiots and/or liars when we try to tell them inflation is no longer a problem. Or that we think they are idiots – it’s insulting. It doesn’t match what they see at the store with their own eyes every day. They know what they used to pay and how much they have to pay now. It’s a lot more.
The Republicans are very successful at blaming this on the Dems with their tired old tropes about massive Democratic spending. "Of course prices are up: it’s the result of too many dollars chasing too few goods — and the Dems caused this with their massive deficit spending."
I believe many Dem strategists and pundits must rarely go shopping and/or when they go they just buy what they want and don’t pay much attention to the price; sometimes never even checking the total bill at checkout. It just isn’t important to them -- they have plenty of money and this is just an incidental expense. I think this must be how most of our analysts and political consultants still operate, or worse - they don’t know how to observe from another’s point of view.
But if they start paying attention and trying to put themselves in the position of the average family that lives paycheck to paycheck, they would be shocked at the price of everyday goods from the perspective of someone that has to make his or her dollars stretch. AND THAT IS THE EXPERIENCE OF MOST OF OUR COUNTRY — PRICES ARE HIGH AND MY DOLLAR DOESN’T GO AS FAR. — I AM WORSE OFF AND I SEE IT EVERY DAY.
Abstract concepts like the "rate of inflation” coming down have no impact on the day-to-day prices the average consumer confronts again and again. Inflation moving from 6%--9% down to 3% doesn’t change the prices at the store. In fact, the prices at the store mostly stay the same and/or they continue to rise, just not as fast.
We Dems have to confront and recognize this experience. We have to acknowledge it. And then start a full-on blitz of all media that inflation was a GLOBAL phenomenon brought on by the pandemic, Ukraine, supply chain disruption etc. it is easy to demonstrate this by using a chart showing the inflation rates of the industrialized countries around the globe. It’s a simple and direct illustration to understand.
The accompanying message is: “Inflation was everywhere and It was not the result of Democratic spending. -- Yes Biden and Dems (along with Republicans who joined in passing the legislation) spent money that was needed to bring us out of the pandemic induced Great Recession”. Did this have some impact on inflation? Probably some, but that was a necessary cost to bring us out of the tailspin of losing 800,000 jobs a month.
In fact, Biden and the Dems have worked to bring inflation down in the US tremendously compared to other countries [show chart again]. Yes, prices are up, across the globe. But Bidonomics has worked to bring us out of the recession and set us on a road to future growth and stability. This is a remarkable accomplishment -- remember Trump turned over to Biden an economy that was hemorrhaging hundreds of thousand jobs a month, our economy was so bad it was coined “The Great Recession.” Biden has helped lead our economy back to health and mostly tamed the inflation genie. Yep we now have to adjust to the higher price levels, but for most of us, our wages are up too. (Note to reader: I don’t really know if this is true – I hope so).
We need to put the political and communication experts on delivering this message — I watch show after show where all the pundits throw their hands in the air and say they don’t understand why Biden’s good economic results aren’t being recognized. They don’t understand because they don’t see what the average American living paycheck to paycheck sees every day. — prices are way up ! That the RATE of inflation is down doesn’t change this everyday reality.
It's the Prices, Stupid !
________________________________________________________________
Bonus:
How to shut Trump down
Dominion Systems showed us how. Make him show his fear of being sued again.
Every time Trump is available he should be hit with something like the following:
“You continue to say the 2020 Election was stolen. Approximately 60 independent Courts looked at the evidence presented and rejected that claim every time, yet you still persist in this lie.
If you are not merely a dishonest Con Man, tell us exactly who rigged the election and how. Give us a name. Tell us when and where. Unless you give us that simple information it is clear that you are nothing more than dishonest con man abusing the trust of your followers. . So who did it ? When and Where? Are you too afraid to give us a name? Or is it that you really are just a con man who has been abusing the trust of your followers for years? Which is it? Are you a con man or will you give us a name and when and where? Or have you just been abusing for years the confidence your followers have placed in you ?”
Something like this. And don’t let up until he gives a straight answer — that he can’t give a name or a when and how. Everyone has to do this. Hit him with this over and over. Stick with the line of questioning to its conclusion. Over and over.
Give him a choice: give us the goods or admit you’ve been abusing the confidence of your followers for years – you’re just a con man.
There are now 875,000,000+ reasons why he won’t name a name, and we have push hard on this leverage point again and again.
Don’t argue facts with his followers use this question to show they’ve been conned.
Ron
PS — this will work for all the other election deniers as well.
Ron Feinman, Esq.
Lynchburg Virginia
rfeinman@oneworld.ws
I agree with you, Ron. “Rate of inflation” + doesn’t cut it. People.are.struggling.
#1 !!! Empathize…Prices ARE high.
Rate of inflation is global. ( The GOP loves Orban and his policies= inflation close to 20%)
Our favorite local grocery chain’s abundant profits are not being returned to your empty pockets.
Wow is that true about the 20%? Did not know that!
Yes,although Orban hopes to curb inflation below 10% by end of 2023…and good luck with that!
https://www.nasdaq.com/articles/hungary-aims-to-curb-inflation-well-below-10-by-end-of-2023-orban
Ciao, little late to the game - but just wanted to tell you that I loved the info on how to get our reps to pay attention to our communications. I definitely plan to use their suggested best practices! Thanks.