A Noah Opinion 1/N
I actually subscribe to a substack (even though I have a rule to never ever pay for web content). I have made 2 exceptions Talking Points Memo and Noahpinion.
That written, one of the ways in which I find Noah Smith extremely stimulating is that I often, almost always, disagree with some of the many ideas he packs into each post. I this case, I object to one “two”. Noah wrote “Unfortunately, neither of America’s two political movements seems especially interested in harnessing or validating the American majority’s love of country these days.” I contest his assertion that the number of political movements in America is 2.
“Bill Clinton . . . “Franklin D. Roosevelt, John F. Kennedy, and Barack Obama . . . Joe Biden”. Uh Noah that’s a pretty impressive list of exceptions to your assertion.
Also you left out Bryant, Wilson, Smith, Truman, Stevenson, Johnson (who was not just a patriot but a bloodthirsty chauvinist) Humphrey (read his private correspondence which is even more gushing than his speeches), McGovern (who earned a Distinguished Flying Cross serving his country), Carter, Mondale, Dukakis, Gore, Kerry, and Hillary Clinton. Not to mention this guy who didn’t even get the nomination, all the currently serving Democratic governors, all Democratic Senators, and at least 90% of the Democratic representatives.
update: Let me quote Noah’s title and subtitle
“Try patriotism There’s a pro-American majority out there with no one to represent them” except for “Joe Biden”, “Barack Obama”, “Bill Clinton” all Democratic Senators, all Democratic Governors and at least 90% of Democratic Representatives. |
I am being picky, but I think I may have a point or two:
First there are many political movements in America (and a habit of pretending that there are two). One is the mainstream of the Democratic Party which is ostentatiously patriotic. Another is the left which mainstream Democrats verbally fight (which is an improvement — I can remember Chicago ’68 and don’t even mention the South). They aren’t the same. It would be more practical for Democratic strategists to listen to Louis Gomert and try to change the orbit of the moon than to try to discipline people motivated by, among other things, deep passionate hatred of Democratic strategists.
Second, at least 40% of Americans have been convinced that the angry left and the Democratic Party are identical. The mighty Wurlitzer puke funnel of Foxaganda has managed this using the scantiest of raw materials. It is a fact of US political life. Everything that Democratic politicians and strategists can do about it has been done. It would be nice if leftists (like me) understood that frank criticism of the USA just helps Republicans (especially when it angers people (like me) who know that it is valid). It would also be nice if all people understood that they are brothers and sisters and fell in love with one another. Neither will happen. Even if 90% of the current inconveniently angry and outspoken leftists shut up, there would still be plenty left for Fox News et al.
Democrats face one practical choice: hippy punch or ignore hippies. Both have costs. The cost of the second is that no one is arguing with the united disciplined conservatives and Republicans who claim that Democrats are America hating hippies. The first is a good way to drive down youth turnout and guarantee GOP victory. The problem is hard and the proposal to “try patriotism” (as Democrats have since 1865) has been partially successful but isn’t the solution to the current political problem which it hasn’t solved after 136 years of trying.
Shy internet service for a few more days. Those sub stacks are the current wave right now. Who knows how long they will last?
I subscribe to “Letters From An American” which is more of a history lesson by Prof. Heather Cox-Richardson from Boston U. Good reads though.
Good to read you again.
To add to your points now tat I can read this on a laptop rather than my IPhone . . . there is so much in common between the two groups of Democrats coming from different perspectives. Soon enough, the older group will be dying off.
It is silly for the two groups from one party to be arguing in public giving Repubs more fuel to feed to their constituency in blurred terms reinforcing their obstinance to accept that some, or much of it may work in helping them. My wife and I made the trip west to Arizona stopping in various motels located in small and slightly larger towns. Some prosperous and others not so. We stayed in towns such as Des Moines, Kearney, Las Vegas NM, Holbrook on the way to Denver and down to Phoenix.
My youngest son and I also took off from Denver to the Little Big Horn, stayed in Hardin Montana and then Cody Wyoming. The contrast is huge between the two areas.
There is much which can be done in these smaller areas of the country to assist.