Everybody, and I do mean Every. Body. - including 21 Democratic long-time incumbents who are voting with their feet and retiring - says 2022 is going to be awful for the Democrats, which will leave us with A Horrible Future in 2024. Yeah, there are a lot of reasons to believe this is the case. There’s the traditional “president’s party fails” the off-year election after an administration change; there’s all the complaining about inflation; there’s all the media reporting that “both sides” things to conflate lies as being equal to truth without comment or explanation - which can confuse even the best-informed; there’s the “disappointment” over BBB, and Joe Manchin, and Kyrsten Sinema, and, and, and...
I usually read your article(s) the morning after, since I retire to Rachel and crew in the evening. I love this one, TC. I want to add another drip or drop of hope to this by sharing an anecdotal ray of sunshine.
My small town, 30 miles SSE of Austin, is inhabited by a mix of people, about 15,000 or so, who basically split 51/49 in most elections with the rethugs usually eking out a win. Right now, this county has a record number of unvaccinated Covid folks - 1 out of 3 have tested positive. And guess who does not wear a mask, does not believe in Covid, does not practice social distancing? Rethugs.
So, I just found out last night that Aweful Abbott paid a visit here this week. I didn't know about it and no one I know even mentioned it on FB. Apparently he came here to campaign and Smitty's BBQ (rethug bastion in this town which is the co-called BBQ Capital of Texas) hosted his entourage. A friend who saw this "rally of rethugs" said there were fewer than 200 who showed up...more like 100. Contrast that to Beto's visit here when he was running against Cancun Cruz - the lines of people (of every persuasion and party) literally wrapped around the theater where he spoke. It only seats 300, so folks in line had to wait for TICKETS (free, of course) to get inside. After the event, they bombarded him and he must have stayed another HOUR signing autographs, listening to folks, sharing his vision for Texas, etc.
In summary, this town (and county) has now managed to kill off many of its more senior white rethugs and the rest are not wanting to risk their lives at an Aweful Abbott rally. By November, we can divide that measly little mob of <200 probably in half, since they basically launched a super spreader right here in the center of town and then squeezed into a small restaurant to further spread the virus.
Hope springs eternal. And don't go to Smitty's if you value your life.
I had a poignant (yeah, right) comment to make but it's been overshadowed by "Another One Bites The Dust" that now keeps playing in my head. Alas, another thought bites the dust! Thanks, TC, and Christine.
It will be helpful if the Democrats pick good quality candidates who campaign on positive and achievable platforms. Ben Samuels is one such, running for Congress in MO-2 and seems to have a reasonable shot at flipping the seat. The current occupant is not much more than a placeholder and her departure would be a gift to her constituents. Working on it.
"It’s hard work. But there is Hope.
Hope isn’t optimism. Hope is something it takes courage to have and keep.
Hard work and effort, combined with hope, has changed many things people didn’t think at the time could change."
That's such a meaningful way of understanding hope. Thank you, TC!
Thank You. Hope! And much work to do. But can you feel the tide beginning to turn?!
I usually read your article(s) the morning after, since I retire to Rachel and crew in the evening. I love this one, TC. I want to add another drip or drop of hope to this by sharing an anecdotal ray of sunshine.
My small town, 30 miles SSE of Austin, is inhabited by a mix of people, about 15,000 or so, who basically split 51/49 in most elections with the rethugs usually eking out a win. Right now, this county has a record number of unvaccinated Covid folks - 1 out of 3 have tested positive. And guess who does not wear a mask, does not believe in Covid, does not practice social distancing? Rethugs.
So, I just found out last night that Aweful Abbott paid a visit here this week. I didn't know about it and no one I know even mentioned it on FB. Apparently he came here to campaign and Smitty's BBQ (rethug bastion in this town which is the co-called BBQ Capital of Texas) hosted his entourage. A friend who saw this "rally of rethugs" said there were fewer than 200 who showed up...more like 100. Contrast that to Beto's visit here when he was running against Cancun Cruz - the lines of people (of every persuasion and party) literally wrapped around the theater where he spoke. It only seats 300, so folks in line had to wait for TICKETS (free, of course) to get inside. After the event, they bombarded him and he must have stayed another HOUR signing autographs, listening to folks, sharing his vision for Texas, etc.
In summary, this town (and county) has now managed to kill off many of its more senior white rethugs and the rest are not wanting to risk their lives at an Aweful Abbott rally. By November, we can divide that measly little mob of <200 probably in half, since they basically launched a super spreader right here in the center of town and then squeezed into a small restaurant to further spread the virus.
Hope springs eternal. And don't go to Smitty's if you value your life.
I had a poignant (yeah, right) comment to make but it's been overshadowed by "Another One Bites The Dust" that now keeps playing in my head. Alas, another thought bites the dust! Thanks, TC, and Christine.
It will be helpful if the Democrats pick good quality candidates who campaign on positive and achievable platforms. Ben Samuels is one such, running for Congress in MO-2 and seems to have a reasonable shot at flipping the seat. The current occupant is not much more than a placeholder and her departure would be a gift to her constituents. Working on it.