The reasonable middle keeps losing primaries and can't figure out why. Turns out agreeing with somebody and organizing with somebody are two completely different sports.
It’s hard to talk about the boring work of actual governance with enough fire to bring people out in the Primaries
Conversely, the issues that tend to really light people up are exactly the wedge culture wars issues that get directly in the way of actual governance
One side of the room tried to leverage that and are now hostages to it
The other side is still sanding around, concussed, and wondering what the fuck happened
There actually *is* a fire that can be lit, that can be fanned to bring people out and angry and engaged
It’s the Constitution, Bill of Rights, later amendments, right down the line
The floor under the rug, that can also *be* the rug, if we let it
Article by article, line by line, it holds up a mirror that anyone who actually cares can get behind
It is the first list of questions to ask any candidate of any party: do you support the Constitution, as-written, without hedging? Do you believe that it applies equally to all, and not just the people who look/act/pray/vote like you do? No caveats, no carve-outs, no dodging
And then hold them accountable to their answers
Individual rights and freedoms, individual responsibility and accountability, boundaries that exist both between the government and the people and also between people - the old idea that “your rights end where I begin, and vice versa”
The idea that no faith or religion has the right to impose it’s beliefs via law (the Establishment clause)
That every person in the US is entitled to due process
That everyone born here is a citizen
Line by line
These are things that can light a flame, around which both the center and the activist edges can gather ‘round
There is no cheat code, there is no line hopping. There is a LOT of work, and to be a success, you have to roll up your sleeves and get to it every day.
If you aren't willing to do that, you should sit down and leave it to those with the drive, passion, and commitment.
Every bit of all of this
It’s hard to talk about the boring work of actual governance with enough fire to bring people out in the Primaries
Conversely, the issues that tend to really light people up are exactly the wedge culture wars issues that get directly in the way of actual governance
One side of the room tried to leverage that and are now hostages to it
The other side is still sanding around, concussed, and wondering what the fuck happened
There actually *is* a fire that can be lit, that can be fanned to bring people out and angry and engaged
It’s the Constitution, Bill of Rights, later amendments, right down the line
The floor under the rug, that can also *be* the rug, if we let it
Article by article, line by line, it holds up a mirror that anyone who actually cares can get behind
It is the first list of questions to ask any candidate of any party: do you support the Constitution, as-written, without hedging? Do you believe that it applies equally to all, and not just the people who look/act/pray/vote like you do? No caveats, no carve-outs, no dodging
And then hold them accountable to their answers
Individual rights and freedoms, individual responsibility and accountability, boundaries that exist both between the government and the people and also between people - the old idea that “your rights end where I begin, and vice versa”
The idea that no faith or religion has the right to impose it’s beliefs via law (the Establishment clause)
That every person in the US is entitled to due process
That everyone born here is a citizen
Line by line
These are things that can light a flame, around which both the center and the activist edges can gather ‘round
Spot on Earl, you get what I was driving towards.
There is no cheat code, there is no line hopping. There is a LOT of work, and to be a success, you have to roll up your sleeves and get to it every day.
If you aren't willing to do that, you should sit down and leave it to those with the drive, passion, and commitment.
Thanks for reading!