Great overview and commentary. Are you the only sane spokesperson for the Democrats!? I’m continually surprised (although by now I should not be) at that blatant ignorance and superficiality of these people. It’s like they have a paper bag full of platitudes and “correct” phrases, and they just reach in and grab a handful to answer questions.
Way too much common sense if your goal was to educate the folk who now run the democrat party. There almost appears to be a reverse correlation between your advice and their actions or avoidance thereof. The biggest difference is that you keep talking POLICY and they keep talking MARKETING. Since the progs are driving the bus no one who fails to market their product their way gets support. They'd rather have a prog loser on their side of the ballot than a candidate who might (in secret) consider a policy instead of a tactic.
> “ There almost appears to be a reverse correlation between your advice and their actions”
Yup. The Democrats are caught up in a purity spiral where winning the morality bidding war leads to extremism. By contrast, TLP is trying to go to common sense. Those are opposite impulses.
You can’t tell what a progressive president would do, partly because people change once in office, and no progressives really will tell you ahead of time. But you can look at past performance. I’ve always said that progressives don’t like the USA. That’s why they want put our way of life in the dumper. That dislike came from drugs, sex, and Viet Nam. A whole generation of academia and youth in general came through the 60’s and 70’s with a healthy, probably unhealthy, dislike for “the man.”
Agreed, a great overview and commentary. Progressives have huge blind spots. I watched a clearly very intelligent woman stumble and be unable to respond to Josh Hawley, when he asked if a biological male could get pregnant. She could not simply say, "No, of course not, however that is not the topic of discussion today." Watching her speak I thought it was an excellent way to lose middle ground voters.
I disagree about genocide. Hamas deserves to be crushed. For the Palestinians as a people, the Israeli response was indeed genocide.
I would have felt more sorry for the "Palestinians as a people" if I had not witnessed the overwhelming joy and celebrating they did over the jew corpses and kidnap victims being paraded around Gaza that day. All wars are "genocides". That's how wars work. The allied bombing of Dresden killed more people in 48 hours than were killed in Gaza since October 7, 2022.
Other than anti americanism, progressives have no perspective on foreign affairs. They like vacations to exotic places and ethnic food adjusted for American pallets here. That used to be enough. The Democratic establishment on the other hand is usually pretty good on China/Russia/non state entities. I'd think most of what Biden did was actually a team of 25 or so specialists. If I had one critique it would be that they are a little hawkish and crazy over spending money on weapons systems that are made in the right congressional districts.
It's great Biden mistakenly committed to defending Taiwan 3 times, probably made some Chinese generals consider for a second that belligerency could go very wrong. I lived almost a year in Taiwan. Modern democracy. I'd be happy if we stationed troops there. Better than any pile of sand in the mideast.
Venezuela was risky but it worked out. Worked out in that it scared the monkey by killing the chicken more than anything Venezuelan. Trump still has 35 months yet to go, I'm sure things will be different when he hands over to the next Prez on Jan 20 of 2029.
Respectfully, under current conditions, all a Democratic candidate progressive or otherwisem need do is pledge a thoughtful return to widely popular elements of the bipartisan foreign policy consensus pre-Trump: principled alliances with established democracies; renewed respect for the sovereignty of Canada, Mexico, and other Western Hemisphere states; depoliticized military; and disavowal of arbitrary tarriffs. When asked about Gaza, something watery about Israel’s legitimate security concerns while promising to call out immorality wherever it occurs. Throw in some feel good outreach to the Global South, whatever that is nowadays. Hell, Eisenhower did that. No need to reinvent the wheel.
If anything, her subsequent whine on TikTok further tanked her. Early on in her congressional tenure, she had made an erroneous claim about the Pentagon budget, but responded to criticism about that error with the response that it was better to be “morally right” than “100% factually correct”; on this occasion, too, she attempted to recast her blunder as proof of a higher species of virtue. Not a great move. Anyone looking to make an impact at an event like the Munich conference should know that China/Taiwan is a major issue right now, and should have some form of answer prepared for any questions about the region as a priority. I find it difficult to escape the conclusion that her problem is not a lack of knowledge or experience or an occasional dud answer, but a high level of unjustified self-preoccupation.
The cold war gives us a basis for a new foreign policy. It recognizes that there are three great powers and the United States must find a way to accommodate this new reality. Washington is no longer the world power. This should be an opportunity for arms control, the end of the nuclear triad and diverting defense budget funds to domestic programs like free school meals and expanding medical care while reducing copays, Such policies would end endless war. Progressives' do not call Israel Genocide, that is the conclusion of world bodies, scholarly opinion and just plain common sense. Republicans may wish to bless Israel but its ties to Democrats are over. China will fight over delivery of food and petroleum, but Taiwan and China are united. They do not war to destroy their island with war,. Arming Taiwan satisfies hawks but has little basis in reality. A pledge to raise the minimum wage and increase social security will neutralize the hawks.
Great overview and commentary. Are you the only sane spokesperson for the Democrats!? I’m continually surprised (although by now I should not be) at that blatant ignorance and superficiality of these people. It’s like they have a paper bag full of platitudes and “correct” phrases, and they just reach in and grab a handful to answer questions.
AOC should be reminded that it is better to remain silent and be thought a fool than to speak and remove all doubt.
Way too much common sense if your goal was to educate the folk who now run the democrat party. There almost appears to be a reverse correlation between your advice and their actions or avoidance thereof. The biggest difference is that you keep talking POLICY and they keep talking MARKETING. Since the progs are driving the bus no one who fails to market their product their way gets support. They'd rather have a prog loser on their side of the ballot than a candidate who might (in secret) consider a policy instead of a tactic.
Hang in there Ruy it must be lonely out there.
> “ There almost appears to be a reverse correlation between your advice and their actions”
Yup. The Democrats are caught up in a purity spiral where winning the morality bidding war leads to extremism. By contrast, TLP is trying to go to common sense. Those are opposite impulses.
https://unherd.com/2020/01/cast-out-how-knitting-fell-into-a-purity-spiral/
You can’t tell what a progressive president would do, partly because people change once in office, and no progressives really will tell you ahead of time. But you can look at past performance. I’ve always said that progressives don’t like the USA. That’s why they want put our way of life in the dumper. That dislike came from drugs, sex, and Viet Nam. A whole generation of academia and youth in general came through the 60’s and 70’s with a healthy, probably unhealthy, dislike for “the man.”
Agreed, a great overview and commentary. Progressives have huge blind spots. I watched a clearly very intelligent woman stumble and be unable to respond to Josh Hawley, when he asked if a biological male could get pregnant. She could not simply say, "No, of course not, however that is not the topic of discussion today." Watching her speak I thought it was an excellent way to lose middle ground voters.
I disagree about genocide. Hamas deserves to be crushed. For the Palestinians as a people, the Israeli response was indeed genocide.
I would have felt more sorry for the "Palestinians as a people" if I had not witnessed the overwhelming joy and celebrating they did over the jew corpses and kidnap victims being paraded around Gaza that day. All wars are "genocides". That's how wars work. The allied bombing of Dresden killed more people in 48 hours than were killed in Gaza since October 7, 2022.
Other than anti americanism, progressives have no perspective on foreign affairs. They like vacations to exotic places and ethnic food adjusted for American pallets here. That used to be enough. The Democratic establishment on the other hand is usually pretty good on China/Russia/non state entities. I'd think most of what Biden did was actually a team of 25 or so specialists. If I had one critique it would be that they are a little hawkish and crazy over spending money on weapons systems that are made in the right congressional districts.
It's great Biden mistakenly committed to defending Taiwan 3 times, probably made some Chinese generals consider for a second that belligerency could go very wrong. I lived almost a year in Taiwan. Modern democracy. I'd be happy if we stationed troops there. Better than any pile of sand in the mideast.
Venezuela was risky but it worked out. Worked out in that it scared the monkey by killing the chicken more than anything Venezuelan. Trump still has 35 months yet to go, I'm sure things will be different when he hands over to the next Prez on Jan 20 of 2029.
Excellent piece!
Very sound advice I’m sure Newsom, Harris, and AOC will ignore. Hopefully one or more of the more sensible Dems running will follow it.
Which "sensible" Dems are you referring to? Check out the X accounts of those Dems, most are posting extremist positions.
Respectfully, under current conditions, all a Democratic candidate progressive or otherwisem need do is pledge a thoughtful return to widely popular elements of the bipartisan foreign policy consensus pre-Trump: principled alliances with established democracies; renewed respect for the sovereignty of Canada, Mexico, and other Western Hemisphere states; depoliticized military; and disavowal of arbitrary tarriffs. When asked about Gaza, something watery about Israel’s legitimate security concerns while promising to call out immorality wherever it occurs. Throw in some feel good outreach to the Global South, whatever that is nowadays. Hell, Eisenhower did that. No need to reinvent the wheel.
Good advice. But it will never happen.
If anything, her subsequent whine on TikTok further tanked her. Early on in her congressional tenure, she had made an erroneous claim about the Pentagon budget, but responded to criticism about that error with the response that it was better to be “morally right” than “100% factually correct”; on this occasion, too, she attempted to recast her blunder as proof of a higher species of virtue. Not a great move. Anyone looking to make an impact at an event like the Munich conference should know that China/Taiwan is a major issue right now, and should have some form of answer prepared for any questions about the region as a priority. I find it difficult to escape the conclusion that her problem is not a lack of knowledge or experience or an occasional dud answer, but a high level of unjustified self-preoccupation.
The cold war gives us a basis for a new foreign policy. It recognizes that there are three great powers and the United States must find a way to accommodate this new reality. Washington is no longer the world power. This should be an opportunity for arms control, the end of the nuclear triad and diverting defense budget funds to domestic programs like free school meals and expanding medical care while reducing copays, Such policies would end endless war. Progressives' do not call Israel Genocide, that is the conclusion of world bodies, scholarly opinion and just plain common sense. Republicans may wish to bless Israel but its ties to Democrats are over. China will fight over delivery of food and petroleum, but Taiwan and China are united. They do not war to destroy their island with war,. Arming Taiwan satisfies hawks but has little basis in reality. A pledge to raise the minimum wage and increase social security will neutralize the hawks.
> "Progressives' do not call Israel Genocide, that is the conclusion of world bodies, scholarly opinion and just plain common sense"
I always use this to calibrate people who think Israel is committing genocide. Evaluate this expression:
"If the Muslims laid down their guns, there'd be no war. If the Israelites laid down their weapons, there would be no Israel."