TLP Weekend Edition (September 7-8, 2024)
TLP Weekend Edition (September 7-8, 2024)
What we're reading, watching, and listening to this weekend.
📖 "College Educated Voters Are Ruining Politics," by Eitan Hersh. Writing in The Atlantic, Hersh analyzes the impact that "political hobbyists" are having on American political society. Political hobbyists, a term he coined, are a certain type of voter—usually college-educated—who engages with politics in a way akin to how a fan engages with sports. They watch the news religiously to stay current on the latest developments in the horse race and share articles to social media or with friends, often to signal to their peers how engaged they are. Meanwhile, they rarely take concrete steps like joining an organization or gathering petition signatures that could help make a concrete, tangible difference in people's lives.
Hersh writes:
If you think the status quo in politics isn’t great, then the time wasted on political hobbyism is pretty tragic. But political hobbyism is worse than just a waste of time. [...] Hobbyism also cultivates skills and attitudes that are counterproductive to building power. Rather than practicing patience and empathy...hobbyists cultivate outrage and seek instant gratification.
Worth reading in full.
📖 “Kamala Harris and the Black Elite,” by Reihan Salam. Related and also in The Atlantic, Reihian Salam makes a compelling case that Harris's political vision appeals more to college graduates than to the majority of black Americans. Food for thought in understanding the evolution of the black electorate.
📖 “The Senator Warning Democrats of a Crisis Unfolding Beneath Their Noses,” by James Pogue. Provocative NYT profile of Senator Chris Murphy before the Democratic National Convention about his efforts to understand where the Democratic Party is falling short.
America’s leaders—from both parties—have long been guided by what’s often called the neoliberal consensus: the idea that “barrier-free international markets, rapidly advancing communications technology and automation, decreased regulation and empowered citizen-consumers would be the keys to prosperity, happiness and strong democracy,” as Mr. Murphy put it. More simply, it’s a shared assumption that what’s good for markets is good for society.
This assumption shapes our politics so deeply that it’s almost invisible. But the idea that modern life is a story of constant economic and technological progress steadily making the world a better place has stopped lining up with how Americans feel. You can look at statistics about suicide, depression, overdoses and declining life expectancy. You can point to the fact that roughly 70 percent of wild animals on Earth have disappeared since 1970 or examine the astonishingly pervasive sense of loneliness that now seems to color so many American lives. But no statistics really capture the feeling, shared by growing numbers of Americans, that the world is just getting worse.
🎧 “The Depolarizers: The Decline of Racial Polarization,” a new podcast from WelcomeStack. TLP friend Lauren Harper Pope interviews Ruy and his old pal Patrick Ruffini on her great new podcast The Depolarizers that explores what’s behind partisan polarization and how we might reduce it. This episode, recorded prior to the ascent of Kamala Harris as the Democrats’ presidential nominee, explores how racial polarization has counterintuitively lowered somewhat in recent in years. Why?
Teixeira points out that many non-white voters, particularly working-class minorities, are more ideologically moderate or conservative than Democratic elites assume. He argues that the Democratic Party's leftward shift on cultural issues and embrace of "woke" politics has alienated some of these voters. Additionally, as minority communities become more integrated and economically diverse, the power of identity politics appears to be waning, especially among younger generations.
Trump's brash, populist style and "anti-politician" image have appealed to working-class voters across racial lines. His willingness to challenge political correctness and critique globalization resonates with those who feel the political establishment has failed them. As Ruffini observes, Trump's deliberate outreach to minority communities, even if not always substantive, sends a signal that he values their support in a way previous Republican candidates did not. He highlights things like Trump attending UFC fights and holding rallies in Detroit, Philadelphia and the South Bronx that might appeal to young men of color.
🎸 “On the Intricate Inner Workings of the System,” by The Bug Club. Ace Welsh duo, The Bug Club, have just released their first full-length record on Sub Pop. Full of catchy melodies and fun lyrics, this album is a perfect launch to a weekend of relaxation and not thinking about politics. If you liked The Vaselines, you’ll probably love this pair.
Enjoy some “Quality Pints” in your town!