Vice-Chairs Report for January 13th and February 10, 2024
February 2024 Report from John Helge 2nd CD Committee Vice-Chairperson
THE WORDS BELOW ARE FROM PROFESSOR ROBERT REICH
Outrage can be a positive force if it fuels activism — if it gets people off their butts to do any number of things that individually don’t seem like much but taken together can have a big impact. For Example:
1. Becoming even more politically active. For some of us, this will mean taking more time out of our normal lives — up to and including getting out the vote in critical swing states. For others, it will mean phone banking, making political contributions, writing letters to editors, and calling friends and relations in key states.
2. Starting now to organize. Even if you cannot take much time out of your normal life for direct politics, you will need to organize, mobilize, and energize your friends, colleagues, and neighbors. A number of effective groups can help you (I’ve added their names and web addresses at the end).
3. Countering lies with truth. When you hear someone repeating a Trump Republican lie, correct it. This will require that you prepare yourself with facts, logic, analysis, and sources.
4. Not tolerating bigotry and hate. When you come across it, call it out. Stand up to it. Denounce it. Demand that others denounce it, too.
5. Not resorting to name-calling, bullying, intimidation, violence, or any of the other tactics that Trump followers may be using. We cannot save democracy through anti-democratic means.
6. Being compassionate toward hardcore followers of Trump but remaining firm in your opposition. Understanding why someone might decide to support Trump is fine. But you don’t want to waste your time and energy trying to convert them. Use your time and energy on those who still have open minds.
7. Not wasting your time complaining. Don’t gripe, whine, or kvetch about how awful Trump and his Republican enablers are. Or about how ineffective Biden and the Democrats are in communicating how bad Trump and his Republican enablers are. None of this will get you anything except an upset stomach or worse.
8. Asking everyone you know to vote for Biden and not sit this election out or vote for a third-party candidate. Even if they don’t especially like Biden — even if they’re tired of voting for the “lesser of two evils” or fed up not “voting my conscience” — they still have to vote for Joe Biden. He may not be perfect, but Trump is truly evil.
9. Demonstrating, but not confusing demonstration for political action. You may find it gratifying to stand on a corner in Berkeley or Cambridge or any other liberal precinct with a sign asking drivers to “honk if you hate fascism” and elicit lots of honks. But this is as politically effectual as taking a warm shower. Organize people who don’t normally vote to vote for Biden. Mobilize get-out-the-vote efforts in your community. Get young people involved.
10. Not getting distracted by the latest outrageous Trump post or speech or story. Don’t let Trump’s hunger for immediate attention or the media’s complicity with that hunger divert your eyes from the prize — the survival of American democracy during one of the greatest stress tests it has had to endure, organized by one of the worst demagogues in American history.
My point is to use your outrage. Please don’t let it wear you down. Don’t try to smother it. Using it will make you feel and be powerful. And your power is desperately needed right now.
THE WORDS BELOW ARE FROM PROFESSOR ROBERT REICH
Outrage can be a positive force if it fuels activism — if it gets people off their butts to do any number of things that individually don’t seem like much but taken together can have a big impact. For Example:
1. Becoming even more politically active. For some of us, this will mean taking more time out of our normal lives — up to and including getting out the vote in critical swing states. For others, it will mean phone banking, making political contributions, writing letters to editors, and calling friends and relations in key states.
2. Starting now to organize. Even if you cannot take much time out of your normal life for direct politics, you will need to organize, mobilize, and energize your friends, colleagues, and neighbors. A number of effective groups can help you (I’ve added their names and web addresses at the end).
3. Countering lies with truth. When you hear someone repeating a Trump Republican lie, correct it. This will require that you prepare yourself with facts, logic, analysis, and sources.
4. Not tolerating bigotry and hate. When you come across it, call it out. Stand up to it. Denounce it. Demand that others denounce it, too.
5. Not resorting to name-calling, bullying, intimidation, violence, or any of the other tactics that Trump followers may be using. We cannot save democracy through anti-democratic means.
6. Being compassionate toward hardcore followers of Trump but remaining firm in your opposition. Understanding why someone might decide to support Trump is fine. But you don’t want to waste your time and energy trying to convert them. Use your time and energy on those who still have open minds.
7. Not wasting your time complaining. Don’t gripe, whine, or kvetch about how awful Trump and his Republican enablers are. Or about how ineffective Biden and the Democrats are in communicating how bad Trump and his Republican enablers are. None of this will get you anything except an upset stomach or worse.
8. Asking everyone you know to vote for Biden and not sit this election out or vote for a third-party candidate. Even if they don’t especially like Biden — even if they’re tired of voting for the “lesser of two evils” or fed up not “voting my conscience” — they still have to vote for Joe Biden. He may not be perfect, but Trump is truly evil.
9. Demonstrating, but not confusing demonstration for political action. You may find it gratifying to stand on a corner in Berkeley or Cambridge or any other liberal precinct with a sign asking drivers to “honk if you hate fascism” and elicit lots of honks. But this is as politically effectual as taking a warm shower. Organize people who don’t normally vote to vote for Biden. Mobilize get-out-the-vote efforts in your community. Get young people involved.
10. Not getting distracted by the latest outrageous Trump post or speech or story. Don’t let Trump’s hunger for immediate attention or the media’s complicity with that hunger divert your eyes from the prize — the survival of American democracy during one of the greatest stress tests it has had to endure, organized by one of the worst demagogues in American history.
My point is to use your outrage. Please don’t let it wear you down. Don’t try to smother it. Using it will make you feel and be powerful. And your power is desperately needed right now.
MDP MI02 Vice Chairperson Report January 13, 2024
A. My December monthly Op-ed was published by the Manistee News Advocate To read my November Op-ed which was focused on voting and rejecting the third party option please use this link: https://www.manisteecountydemocrats.us/ B. I am a Regional Vice Chair of the MDP Rural Caucus responsible for Manistee, Mason, Wexford, Oceana, and Lake counties. The Rural Caucus will be hosting a second annual Rural Summit April 11-13, 2024 at the Shanty Creek Resort in Bellaire, MI. C. I have made regular postings to the Defund Moolenaar Facebook group that has repeatedly called out the misinformation and lies he has posted on social media. It is very important for you NOT to respond to Moolenaar’s social media posts directly as your response will do nothing but amplify his gaslighting messages and result in more people seeing his lies and misinformation. The best way to respond is to create your own post on your own page/site like I do on the DEFUND Moolenaar page. Please also utilize the #wedeservebetter on your posts as this also helps us get our messages amplified and more widely distributed. Please join this Facebook group by using this link: https://www.facebook.com/groups/993656977917278 D. Moolenaar has been pretty quiet during December. He continues to post lies and misinformation about inflation blaming Joe Biden for increased prices caused by corporate greed. We will continue to hold him accountable. Below is a recent posting on Facebook. #wedeservebetter
A. My December monthly Op-ed was published by the Manistee News Advocate To read my November Op-ed which was focused on voting and rejecting the third party option please use this link: https://www.manisteecountydemocrats.us/ B. I am a Regional Vice Chair of the MDP Rural Caucus responsible for Manistee, Mason, Wexford, Oceana, and Lake counties. The Rural Caucus will be hosting a second annual Rural Summit April 11-13, 2024 at the Shanty Creek Resort in Bellaire, MI. C. I have made regular postings to the Defund Moolenaar Facebook group that has repeatedly called out the misinformation and lies he has posted on social media. It is very important for you NOT to respond to Moolenaar’s social media posts directly as your response will do nothing but amplify his gaslighting messages and result in more people seeing his lies and misinformation. The best way to respond is to create your own post on your own page/site like I do on the DEFUND Moolenaar page. Please also utilize the #wedeservebetter on your posts as this also helps us get our messages amplified and more widely distributed. Please join this Facebook group by using this link: https://www.facebook.com/groups/993656977917278 D. Moolenaar has been pretty quiet during December. He continues to post lies and misinformation about inflation blaming Joe Biden for increased prices caused by corporate greed. We will continue to hold him accountable. Below is a recent posting on Facebook. #wedeservebetter