Dear Joe, I couldn't agree more with your above essay, especially about our immigrant population in the service industry. I'm married to a filipina woman who I met in NYC after my first wife passed away. She came here about 25 years ago from Manila in order to send money back to the Philippines for her 5 sons' education. And like her, all of the filipinos I've met in the last few years all work in the service at jobs like nurse, nanny and caretaker. They're a happy, fun-loving people who love to party and sing and dance. And never complain about the people and country they left behind to come here and have a better life. It leaves me feeling very fortunate that I was born in this great country 80 years ago and have enjoyed that advantage ever since
This is a wonderful column and required reading for those of us who find ourselves appalled by the present Administration's shabby authoritarianism, but repelled by modern-day Democrats, who somehow managed to devolve into a failed coalition of (1) offensive activists who embrace reverse-racism and ruinous policies on education; (2) public-union trough-feeders; and (3) moderates who seem feeble, unconvincing, and excessively risk-averse (e.g., former President Biden, Kamala Harris, Chuck Schumer, etc.).
Indeed, Democratic moderates have emerged as a historically feckless group during our hour of crisis: they routinely dodge issues, seem to pander at every turn, are remarkably inarticulate, and almost never lead public opinion on any issue of importance. Presidents Clinton and Obama were centrists who could lead opinion and educate the public. What happened?
We will also require and likely have a strong, independent judiciary. Above all, all of us in civil society must jealously protect our essential civil liberties and exercise them by speaking out without fear or favor. America will reward that kind of behavior.
Joe, this is a superb essay, not only because you call on the wise David Brooks for support to your diagnosis, and because your thesis for treatment is reflecting the emerging good sense of wise American thought leaders, but also because you call us all to have the courage to celebrate American immigrant diversity and the strength and unique advantage it gives us as a country. Bravo!,
Joe, first off, I am so very glad your cardiac event was a non-event. I spent some time in the Valley Hospital in NJ recently -- ankle problems, long story -- and I had the same multiethnic experience.
There is a lot of good in this column, but if I were editing you, I would ask you to rethink and rework this passage:
"The Democrats have been hamstrung by their conflicting sensitivities for the past decade. They won major cultural victories—on race, on gender, on sexuality—over the past 50 years and never took credit for them. Indeed, they denied the victories had been won. They refused to admit, against all evidence, that any progress had been made; they caved to their “activist” supporters."
The logic here is scrambled. In the first place, the proposition that the Democrats have not taken credit for those victories is dubious. "Wrong" might be the more accurate word. I think smug self-congratulation on the part of so many Democrats is one of the most annoying and commonplace things about the party. In the second place, what you actually mean then when you say that they "caved to their "activist" [those scare quotes are beneath you] supporters is deeply unclear. They have caved all right,in the sense that liberal Democrats have been too silent about the excesses of the left cultural fringe, but how can you say on the one hand that those Democrats aren't taking credit for cultural breakthroughs, and on the other that they are caving to the people who probably pushed for those breakthroughs most strongly.
I'm not so sure you want to be so dismisssive of the AOC/Bernie cohort. These are the only people who are coming out and showing up, and energy and commitment in politics -- see MAGA -- really matters.
Gerry--First, I hope the ankle is fine and Susanne, too. But I had numerous conversations with Democratic politicians over the past decade--most notably, a female former Secretary of State--who would end her stump speech with a list of grievances and rights obstructed, and never once congratulated the folks in the South, the Midwest and Appalachia for their role in these remarkable advances. I've never heard a single Democrat running for office acknowledge that. Here's why: they thought they would lose the support of the activists--the phone-bankers, the door-knockers--in the party. They lost the support of the American people, too. Take a close listen and you'll hear the silence.
One other thing. There's a generational issue here. The first generation to fight for civil, women's and guy rights were incredibly heroic people. The more recent generations of "activists," who grew up under far more favorable circumstances, have often overplayed their hand--people like Ta-Nehisi Coates, who refuse to acknowledge that anything has changed, who says that white racism is immutable. They feast on white liberal guilt. They alienate the rest of America. It's time to stop indulging them.
You're on a roll too, if I may say so. The first half of this post is good, the second sublime. My life partner and muse is currently redoing our house. The work is being done by Hispanic men, whose work ethic is nothing short of epic. In my neck of the woods, no construction or renovation (or picking of produce, for that matter) happens without them. They are the kind of people who have made America great.
Excellent piece, as always, Joe! I also noticed that Senator Brown omitted any comments on social issues in his NYT opinion piece, as did Congressman Ro Khanna when I saw him speak at the City Club of Cleveland a couple of weeks ago. I think that Brown's stand on transgender rights contributed to his defeat last November. I also agree that his opinion piece seems to suggest that we can bring back those long gone unionized manufacturing jobs. Democrats need to confront these social issues and have a plan for restoring working class jobs that pay well and have benefits.
If we are to take on board what has happened as Joe so brilliantly put it. He pinpointed the major problem. They just didn't know when to stop.
Once a Blackman became President, it then had to be a woman, then a black woman, then a gay man, then a lesbian, then a trans person, then a disabled person.
Once again, they didn't know when to stop.
Then women got a lift up, girls can do anything, but they wouldn't leave it alone and appreciate the advances they had made. No way, before long, men had to become toxic. Couldn't stop themselves. Guess who put Trump in power? So called toxic men. Maybe a lesson learned?
This constant drum beat for unceasing change has put the Democrats where they are today.
Now Joe is suggesting that resistance be the new thing.
But for every action there is a reaction.
So stop and think, if activists don't stop, growing bands of white men will appear dressed in brown shirts, seeking to keep some order and clean up the streets. That's how it starts when you you cant stop. 1930's anybody?
No one wants that to happen.
So be careful and let Trump be Trump. He won, it's his time to shine. Only time and the natural order of things will change the situation.
What a wonderful and insightful bit of writing. For it to work, the useful idiots, the Progressives, must be dismissed and isolated, not unlike the John Birch of yore. What they have to learn in their isolation, is that anger is the least useful of all of our emotions. It does little more than blind us to what needs to be done, instead people go off after their desired aims, completely unaware of the uselessness of their activities. At this point, even thought the Democrats should retake the House, based on history, if the economy survives its present shocks, and rebounds, the Republicans will increase their majorities in both chambers.
There is nothing to resist, the Democrats have no power in the House and minimal in the Senate.
Your bit on immigrants was well justified and worth the read.
Mr. Klein - I'm responding to express my disappointment in you with this sentence you've just published:
"...I feel sorry for those poor souls, Trump supporters, who react reflexively against people like the immigrants who cared for me"
In that sentence you've tarred an entire category of people, Trump supporters, as being xenophobic racists. What you misrepresent is that (most) Trump supporters are in reaction only to immigrants who are in the country illegally. ILLEGALLY.
How can you blithely overlook that? I can't tell if you've written this to purposefully reinforce a pejorative stereotype for partisan purposes, or if you believe that it’s true. Either way, shame on you. How dare you casually propagate such a lie? There’s a fundamental difference between people who have followed the laws of the USA and those who purposefully ignore those laws. Do you not agree?
For any who do hate immigrants just because they are immigrants, then shame on them. There is no defense for their ignorance.
I’ve voted democrat in every election since ’72. I wanted to vote for Bernie in 2016, but the DNC wanted Hillary at any cost, so they blocked his path – what kind of democratic action is that? Yet, I voted for Hillary because I’m a democrat. In 2020 was disappointed, that Biden was the best the democrats could offer, but I voted for him anyway, because I’m a democrat with TDS. By the time 2024 rolled around my disappointment had turned to full-fledged anger toward what used to be my party. I see dreaded neocons who’ve slipped in with the dems after Bush/Cheney. Those who are now supporting what the democrats have evolved into seem like victims of Stockholm Syndrome, defending their captors.
I still grimace even at the word republican, so deep was my opposition to what they represented, but what I finally see is that the democrats are not who they used to be (or what I hoped they could be). I’m grateful to Trump for derailing all the neocons that the previous set of republicans had lined up for us. Anyone remember Jeb Bush? I’m not about to then support democrats who have taken over that mantle.
I upgraded my free subscription to your substack just so that I could express my disappointment in you. I’ve enjoyed much of your past writing and expected more from you. I’ll be cancelling my paid subscription once I see that my comment has been posted.
My apologies for the duplicate posts. An error was returned (something went wrong) on my initial submissions so it was a surprise to see that they all had been accepted. Sorry for the clutter.
Sorry, you have a point...but I disagree with your characterization of my sentence. I obviously didn't mean all Trump supporters, only those who, as you say, "hate immigrants just because they are immigrants." That's why I used the word "those" rather than "all." The problem is, there are too many Trump supporters--egged on by the President--who consider immigrants inferior or criminal or, holy cow, insane rather than the solid citizens the vast majority of them are. Shame on Trump for pushing that nativist button and, shame, as you say, to those who respond to it. I applaud Trump for closing the border; I wish he'd expand legal immigration so we can have more of these people. The overwhelming majority become splendid Americans.
I guess the devil is in the details. In your wording it was not obvious to me but thank you for clarifying your intent. I'm liking you better now ;-). And thanks for pointing out problems with examples like the obnoxious attempt to normalize Latinx. That’s a pretty profound example of being disrespectful of another’s culture.
Perhaps I'm feeling overly defensive as the tactic of indiscriminate smearing is so common among those with TDS (I should know as I still feel its residue in my brain). Keep in mind that what Trump actually says is often very different than what’s reported and repeated endlessly. It's pathetically sad that we even feel the need to point out that the overwhelming majority (of legal immigrants) become splendid Americans.
I’ve had open heart surgery too, in 2019, and my doctors and nurses were from such far-flung locals as Iran (my surgeon), India, Ireland, Canada, Mexico, the Philippines, and I don’t even know where else. These people were all awesome to me while I was in a totally vulnerable state, and I’ll always feel enormous gratitude and respect toward them for their skill, caring and kindness (the same is not true for most of the hospital administrators and health care officials). Finally, you’re still holding on to blaming Trump for egging on idiots. I don’t see him as particularly unique among politicians around the world in that regard. It’s mainly a problem when they aren’t our idiots. I’d suggest blaming the idiots directly and not scapegoat to score political points. Just my opinion.
Consultants got to consult and activists got to- activate? While I too, would love to see Cornel, Kandi and a few others crawl across Harvard Yard in sackcloth and ashes, it seems unlikely - few are those, especially at the wrong end of the horse shoe, who are inclined to admit they were wrong.
If, however, you look at the actual officeholders, the picture brightens. The media savvy superstars notwithstanding, most Dem office holders have moderated their tone and are focusing on steady opposition. If Mikie Sherrill is able to win the New Jersey gubernatorial race, we will have a pretty good string of governors from Annapolis to Boston. The two candidates running in New York against Republicans in Lawler’s and Stefanik’s district are decent moderates saying the right things so far. The Midwest continues to produce attractive candidates (mostly women) who provide a good base to build in.
What we need to avoid is a circular firing squads. David Hogg, bless his heart, should be booted from the DNC. All these left wingers challenging incumbents should be pummeled. Hitler was beaten by a diverse coalition, to say the least - this despot needs to be as well.
Dear Joe, I couldn't agree more with your above essay, especially about our immigrant population in the service industry. I'm married to a filipina woman who I met in NYC after my first wife passed away. She came here about 25 years ago from Manila in order to send money back to the Philippines for her 5 sons' education. And like her, all of the filipinos I've met in the last few years all work in the service at jobs like nurse, nanny and caretaker. They're a happy, fun-loving people who love to party and sing and dance. And never complain about the people and country they left behind to come here and have a better life. It leaves me feeling very fortunate that I was born in this great country 80 years ago and have enjoyed that advantage ever since
This is a wonderful column and required reading for those of us who find ourselves appalled by the present Administration's shabby authoritarianism, but repelled by modern-day Democrats, who somehow managed to devolve into a failed coalition of (1) offensive activists who embrace reverse-racism and ruinous policies on education; (2) public-union trough-feeders; and (3) moderates who seem feeble, unconvincing, and excessively risk-averse (e.g., former President Biden, Kamala Harris, Chuck Schumer, etc.).
Indeed, Democratic moderates have emerged as a historically feckless group during our hour of crisis: they routinely dodge issues, seem to pander at every turn, are remarkably inarticulate, and almost never lead public opinion on any issue of importance. Presidents Clinton and Obama were centrists who could lead opinion and educate the public. What happened?
That is why we need a new centrist party that can tip the balance of a deadlocked Congress to enact or prevent policies. I have written a short post on the matter at https://williammarkham.substack.com/p/to-save-the-world-from-trump-democrats
We will also require and likely have a strong, independent judiciary. Above all, all of us in civil society must jealously protect our essential civil liberties and exercise them by speaking out without fear or favor. America will reward that kind of behavior.
Joe, this is a superb essay, not only because you call on the wise David Brooks for support to your diagnosis, and because your thesis for treatment is reflecting the emerging good sense of wise American thought leaders, but also because you call us all to have the courage to celebrate American immigrant diversity and the strength and unique advantage it gives us as a country. Bravo!,
Also, I am happy that you are well, Joe!
Joe, first off, I am so very glad your cardiac event was a non-event. I spent some time in the Valley Hospital in NJ recently -- ankle problems, long story -- and I had the same multiethnic experience.
There is a lot of good in this column, but if I were editing you, I would ask you to rethink and rework this passage:
"The Democrats have been hamstrung by their conflicting sensitivities for the past decade. They won major cultural victories—on race, on gender, on sexuality—over the past 50 years and never took credit for them. Indeed, they denied the victories had been won. They refused to admit, against all evidence, that any progress had been made; they caved to their “activist” supporters."
The logic here is scrambled. In the first place, the proposition that the Democrats have not taken credit for those victories is dubious. "Wrong" might be the more accurate word. I think smug self-congratulation on the part of so many Democrats is one of the most annoying and commonplace things about the party. In the second place, what you actually mean then when you say that they "caved to their "activist" [those scare quotes are beneath you] supporters is deeply unclear. They have caved all right,in the sense that liberal Democrats have been too silent about the excesses of the left cultural fringe, but how can you say on the one hand that those Democrats aren't taking credit for cultural breakthroughs, and on the other that they are caving to the people who probably pushed for those breakthroughs most strongly.
I'm not so sure you want to be so dismisssive of the AOC/Bernie cohort. These are the only people who are coming out and showing up, and energy and commitment in politics -- see MAGA -- really matters.
Blah blah, but at least you have me engaged.
Gerry--First, I hope the ankle is fine and Susanne, too. But I had numerous conversations with Democratic politicians over the past decade--most notably, a female former Secretary of State--who would end her stump speech with a list of grievances and rights obstructed, and never once congratulated the folks in the South, the Midwest and Appalachia for their role in these remarkable advances. I've never heard a single Democrat running for office acknowledge that. Here's why: they thought they would lose the support of the activists--the phone-bankers, the door-knockers--in the party. They lost the support of the American people, too. Take a close listen and you'll hear the silence.
One other thing. There's a generational issue here. The first generation to fight for civil, women's and guy rights were incredibly heroic people. The more recent generations of "activists," who grew up under far more favorable circumstances, have often overplayed their hand--people like Ta-Nehisi Coates, who refuse to acknowledge that anything has changed, who says that white racism is immutable. They feast on white liberal guilt. They alienate the rest of America. It's time to stop indulging them.
You're on a roll too, if I may say so. The first half of this post is good, the second sublime. My life partner and muse is currently redoing our house. The work is being done by Hispanic men, whose work ethic is nothing short of epic. In my neck of the woods, no construction or renovation (or picking of produce, for that matter) happens without them. They are the kind of people who have made America great.
Excellent piece, as always, Joe! I also noticed that Senator Brown omitted any comments on social issues in his NYT opinion piece, as did Congressman Ro Khanna when I saw him speak at the City Club of Cleveland a couple of weeks ago. I think that Brown's stand on transgender rights contributed to his defeat last November. I also agree that his opinion piece seems to suggest that we can bring back those long gone unionized manufacturing jobs. Democrats need to confront these social issues and have a plan for restoring working class jobs that pay well and have benefits.
If we are to take on board what has happened as Joe so brilliantly put it. He pinpointed the major problem. They just didn't know when to stop.
Once a Blackman became President, it then had to be a woman, then a black woman, then a gay man, then a lesbian, then a trans person, then a disabled person.
Once again, they didn't know when to stop.
Then women got a lift up, girls can do anything, but they wouldn't leave it alone and appreciate the advances they had made. No way, before long, men had to become toxic. Couldn't stop themselves. Guess who put Trump in power? So called toxic men. Maybe a lesson learned?
This constant drum beat for unceasing change has put the Democrats where they are today.
Now Joe is suggesting that resistance be the new thing.
But for every action there is a reaction.
So stop and think, if activists don't stop, growing bands of white men will appear dressed in brown shirts, seeking to keep some order and clean up the streets. That's how it starts when you you cant stop. 1930's anybody?
No one wants that to happen.
So be careful and let Trump be Trump. He won, it's his time to shine. Only time and the natural order of things will change the situation.
What a wonderful and insightful bit of writing. For it to work, the useful idiots, the Progressives, must be dismissed and isolated, not unlike the John Birch of yore. What they have to learn in their isolation, is that anger is the least useful of all of our emotions. It does little more than blind us to what needs to be done, instead people go off after their desired aims, completely unaware of the uselessness of their activities. At this point, even thought the Democrats should retake the House, based on history, if the economy survives its present shocks, and rebounds, the Republicans will increase their majorities in both chambers.
There is nothing to resist, the Democrats have no power in the House and minimal in the Senate.
Your bit on immigrants was well justified and worth the read.
Mr. Klein - I'm responding to express my disappointment in you with this sentence you've just published:
"...I feel sorry for those poor souls, Trump supporters, who react reflexively against people like the immigrants who cared for me"
In that sentence you've tarred an entire category of people, Trump supporters, as being xenophobic racists. What you misrepresent is that (most) Trump supporters are in reaction only to immigrants who are in the country illegally. ILLEGALLY.
How can you blithely overlook that? I can't tell if you've written this to purposefully reinforce a pejorative stereotype for partisan purposes, or if you believe that it’s true. Either way, shame on you. How dare you casually propagate such a lie? There’s a fundamental difference between people who have followed the laws of the USA and those who purposefully ignore those laws. Do you not agree?
For any who do hate immigrants just because they are immigrants, then shame on them. There is no defense for their ignorance.
I’ve voted democrat in every election since ’72. I wanted to vote for Bernie in 2016, but the DNC wanted Hillary at any cost, so they blocked his path – what kind of democratic action is that? Yet, I voted for Hillary because I’m a democrat. In 2020 was disappointed, that Biden was the best the democrats could offer, but I voted for him anyway, because I’m a democrat with TDS. By the time 2024 rolled around my disappointment had turned to full-fledged anger toward what used to be my party. I see dreaded neocons who’ve slipped in with the dems after Bush/Cheney. Those who are now supporting what the democrats have evolved into seem like victims of Stockholm Syndrome, defending their captors.
I still grimace even at the word republican, so deep was my opposition to what they represented, but what I finally see is that the democrats are not who they used to be (or what I hoped they could be). I’m grateful to Trump for derailing all the neocons that the previous set of republicans had lined up for us. Anyone remember Jeb Bush? I’m not about to then support democrats who have taken over that mantle.
I upgraded my free subscription to your substack just so that I could express my disappointment in you. I’ve enjoyed much of your past writing and expected more from you. I’ll be cancelling my paid subscription once I see that my comment has been posted.
Please do better, Mr. Klein.
My apologies for the duplicate posts. An error was returned (something went wrong) on my initial submissions so it was a surprise to see that they all had been accepted. Sorry for the clutter.
Sorry, you have a point...but I disagree with your characterization of my sentence. I obviously didn't mean all Trump supporters, only those who, as you say, "hate immigrants just because they are immigrants." That's why I used the word "those" rather than "all." The problem is, there are too many Trump supporters--egged on by the President--who consider immigrants inferior or criminal or, holy cow, insane rather than the solid citizens the vast majority of them are. Shame on Trump for pushing that nativist button and, shame, as you say, to those who respond to it. I applaud Trump for closing the border; I wish he'd expand legal immigration so we can have more of these people. The overwhelming majority become splendid Americans.
I guess the devil is in the details. In your wording it was not obvious to me but thank you for clarifying your intent. I'm liking you better now ;-). And thanks for pointing out problems with examples like the obnoxious attempt to normalize Latinx. That’s a pretty profound example of being disrespectful of another’s culture.
Perhaps I'm feeling overly defensive as the tactic of indiscriminate smearing is so common among those with TDS (I should know as I still feel its residue in my brain). Keep in mind that what Trump actually says is often very different than what’s reported and repeated endlessly. It's pathetically sad that we even feel the need to point out that the overwhelming majority (of legal immigrants) become splendid Americans.
I’ve had open heart surgery too, in 2019, and my doctors and nurses were from such far-flung locals as Iran (my surgeon), India, Ireland, Canada, Mexico, the Philippines, and I don’t even know where else. These people were all awesome to me while I was in a totally vulnerable state, and I’ll always feel enormous gratitude and respect toward them for their skill, caring and kindness (the same is not true for most of the hospital administrators and health care officials). Finally, you’re still holding on to blaming Trump for egging on idiots. I don’t see him as particularly unique among politicians around the world in that regard. It’s mainly a problem when they aren’t our idiots. I’d suggest blaming the idiots directly and not scapegoat to score political points. Just my opinion.
Stay well.
"be honest and forthcoming about their mistakes" Joe, are you serious?
Consultants got to consult and activists got to- activate? While I too, would love to see Cornel, Kandi and a few others crawl across Harvard Yard in sackcloth and ashes, it seems unlikely - few are those, especially at the wrong end of the horse shoe, who are inclined to admit they were wrong.
If, however, you look at the actual officeholders, the picture brightens. The media savvy superstars notwithstanding, most Dem office holders have moderated their tone and are focusing on steady opposition. If Mikie Sherrill is able to win the New Jersey gubernatorial race, we will have a pretty good string of governors from Annapolis to Boston. The two candidates running in New York against Republicans in Lawler’s and Stefanik’s district are decent moderates saying the right things so far. The Midwest continues to produce attractive candidates (mostly women) who provide a good base to build in.
What we need to avoid is a circular firing squads. David Hogg, bless his heart, should be booted from the DNC. All these left wingers challenging incumbents should be pummeled. Hitler was beaten by a diverse coalition, to say the least - this despot needs to be as well.
Agree. As usual.