As we continue our audit of the 2024 election results, I talk to former Republican Reed Galen on how Democrats must adopt an authentic economic populist message to win over the masses.
Yes, she lives in a fairly typical red state that once was a battleground state, and is quite tuned into the needs & desires of Missourians, while promoting progressive solutions for their problems
While I’m passing on this interview, I’ve listened to many of the never trump republicans over the years and leading up to this election. I’m tired of the both sidesism of maga and the left. And how the left is what’s ruining the Democratic Party. Progressives have no party power at all. None. Look at who runs Washington: it’s the moderates, and mostly white men at that. I think democrats will win by turning out their base, and god forbid that includes progressives.
(Sorry Waj I do love your Supstack and I know you’re being open. I’m just tired of their narrative.)
I’m with you, Karin. Listening to the right wingers who worked along to the road to get to this place is not relevant. Its furthering normalizing the meta-move to the right.
Hear, hear. It's easy and convenient for Dems to scapegoat progressives, especially when they have almost zero political power here and most Americans have been conditioned into thinking the progressive agenda is "radical"/bad. I'm done bearing the burden of the Dem's failures--and being fodder for their "oh we are the good guys and we tried! We lost because....but give us more money and we will get 'em next time!" This loss is entirely on the Democratic establishment being out of touch and yes, elitist.
Senate Democrats are not showing any will to adapt by keeping their stale, geriatric leadership in power. They would've been well-advised to give more power & leadership to younger, more progressive members who are more in tune with the needs of the public, such as Cory Booker, Jeff Merkley & Sheldon Whitehouse (not that young, I admit, but there aren't that many young to choose from in the Senate; at least these three are more progressive, activist & full of good ideas to improve our lives than the current top echelons of the Senate Democrats). So many in Congress are very out of touch with American people, especially the young.
Supporting groups at the state and local level is the only option.
House Democrats are dethroning their toothless senior leadership, but Senate Democrats have (once again) selected the ineffectual Schumer...
I don't expect Democrats at the federal level to learn the correct lessons from this loss. It takes courage and humility...senior leadership has exhibited neither since this catastrophic loss.
If they double down on "centrism" with a side of "incrementalism", they'll lose in 2026 and 2028.
Dem candidates should start telling the truth about everything. In my opinion, it would be better to say something like "Yes, we're all in it for the money and power, but at least we will protect some civil rights".
Somebody said to me that people like absolutes. Certainty. That's why Trump is so successful. It's because he acts 100 percent sure of what he's saying, lies or not. Trump makes people believe he's going to bring down prices. Then, when he gets in office, it's too late for people to change their minds but eggs go up to $12 a dozen.
Reed makes a lot of sense. But keep in mind: you might get in trouble for criticizing Democrats but if I criticize Republicans I worry for my personal safety.
And Waj: a friend posited that the murder of that CEO could be like the shooting of Archduke Ferdinand. Interesting point.
You're right. We need to pound the 1%. Keep pointing out the amount of personal wealth Trump's cabinet holds compared to the wealth of those in Biden's cabinet. And that they pay taxes nowhere near what the rest of us pay, based on personal wealth.
Chatted to a 19 year old, thoughtful, Aussie recently. He would have voted for Trump in part because what “Trump says is mostly a joke…no sane person could believe him. Otherwise he thought both parties were similar except the Decomacrats wasted more( believed that bit from Trump) Thought that was a bit revealing.
I like listening to many of the Chai Talk interviews and don't know one person who would also like them, sad to say. If I liked tight jackets I might wear the one labeled socially liberal and economically conservative. Thanks for bringing your world into the open.
I wish I had time to listen to this podcast today, but I thought I might suggest today's article from the Liberal Patriot to add nuance to the suggestion that "Democrats must adopt an authentic economic populist message to win over the masses." I'd be so curious to hear your response to this article:
Just read it. First of all, the writer is clearly right-wing, who is in sync with most of the right-wing talking points against the left, most of which are false or misleading.
On his first point, any overreach by "cultural leftism" should be solved by reducing their excesses, which I agree there are, but which are perpetrated by only a minority of Democrats, least of all progressives, who are the prime promoters of economic populism, which has been their main focus rather than political correctness. Replacing (not supplementing) cultural leftism with economic populism as their main focus would help Democrats regain a lot of the working class they've lost since Reagan. Not expounding economic justice as a way to solve their problems with the public from cultural extremism is exactly the wrong strategy for Democrats. The author also lists a number of concerns by voters that are less factual than misleading propaganda by the right, which only goes to show that Democrats have been ineffective in promoting the achievements of Biden & other Democrats in charge, & in counteracting the lies propounded by the right, while progressives, having relatively little influence in the federal government, have been unable to sufficiently explain how their ideas would make life better for most Americans, as they certainly would.
He does not support with any evidence or reason his case that economic populism would not affect turnout, his second point. His third point about Democratic governance of cities is more a reflection of the nature of urban environments. And even with all the problems associated with cities, the economy & crime is generally worse in red rural states than blue urban states, so yet another of his points is rendered moot. Except... he does have a point that some of these grand schemes for improving mass/rapid transportation, broadband communication, & transformation of our energy structure toward renewable energy, has been faced with delays & their implementation has been underwhelming. That is probably more likely to do with reduced efficiency & effectiveness in our government due to longtime undermining & obstruction of government from the right.
The writer appears to be a spokesman for wealthy right-wingers, who are in virtually complete control of our government, media, business, economy & society, & is giving us their views, of which we've had far too much already. Economic injustice is the one form of injustice that has remained largely unaddressed in our society, although Bernie Sanders has been talking about it for decades now, gaining lots of support for his economically populist ideas. Racial & social injustice have been largely addressed (although clearly not completely cured), thanks a lot to Martin Luther King & other civil rights leaders. King was starting to address economic injustice, which he saw as the most important task to take on, which affected many Americans of all races, when he was assassinated, and that really dampened advocacy for economic justice from then on until Bernie others started bringing it up. Corporations & billionaires, who had by then already entrenched their power in our system, have done everything they can to quash economic populism, & this is just another of their efforts.
How about. Talking to Jess Piper of Missouri who is a real expert and who is on Substack
I'll reach out!
She's awesome.
Yes, she lives in a fairly typical red state that once was a battleground state, and is quite tuned into the needs & desires of Missourians, while promoting progressive solutions for their problems
While I’m passing on this interview, I’ve listened to many of the never trump republicans over the years and leading up to this election. I’m tired of the both sidesism of maga and the left. And how the left is what’s ruining the Democratic Party. Progressives have no party power at all. None. Look at who runs Washington: it’s the moderates, and mostly white men at that. I think democrats will win by turning out their base, and god forbid that includes progressives.
(Sorry Waj I do love your Supstack and I know you’re being open. I’m just tired of their narrative.)
I’m with you, Karin. Listening to the right wingers who worked along to the road to get to this place is not relevant. Its furthering normalizing the meta-move to the right.
Hear, hear. It's easy and convenient for Dems to scapegoat progressives, especially when they have almost zero political power here and most Americans have been conditioned into thinking the progressive agenda is "radical"/bad. I'm done bearing the burden of the Dem's failures--and being fodder for their "oh we are the good guys and we tried! We lost because....but give us more money and we will get 'em next time!" This loss is entirely on the Democratic establishment being out of touch and yes, elitist.
Senate Democrats are not showing any will to adapt by keeping their stale, geriatric leadership in power. They would've been well-advised to give more power & leadership to younger, more progressive members who are more in tune with the needs of the public, such as Cory Booker, Jeff Merkley & Sheldon Whitehouse (not that young, I admit, but there aren't that many young to choose from in the Senate; at least these three are more progressive, activist & full of good ideas to improve our lives than the current top echelons of the Senate Democrats). So many in Congress are very out of touch with American people, especially the young.
Supporting groups at the state and local level is the only option.
House Democrats are dethroning their toothless senior leadership, but Senate Democrats have (once again) selected the ineffectual Schumer...
I don't expect Democrats at the federal level to learn the correct lessons from this loss. It takes courage and humility...senior leadership has exhibited neither since this catastrophic loss.
If they double down on "centrism" with a side of "incrementalism", they'll lose in 2026 and 2028.
We need to fight about this with our senators. They cannot consent to garbage. https://hotbuttons.substack.com/p/write-your-senator?r=3m1bs
Dem candidates should start telling the truth about everything. In my opinion, it would be better to say something like "Yes, we're all in it for the money and power, but at least we will protect some civil rights".
Yes it's their hypocrisy that irritates me the most.
Somebody said to me that people like absolutes. Certainty. That's why Trump is so successful. It's because he acts 100 percent sure of what he's saying, lies or not. Trump makes people believe he's going to bring down prices. Then, when he gets in office, it's too late for people to change their minds but eggs go up to $12 a dozen.
Reed makes a lot of sense. But keep in mind: you might get in trouble for criticizing Democrats but if I criticize Republicans I worry for my personal safety.
And Waj: a friend posited that the murder of that CEO could be like the shooting of Archduke Ferdinand. Interesting point.
You're right. We need to pound the 1%. Keep pointing out the amount of personal wealth Trump's cabinet holds compared to the wealth of those in Biden's cabinet. And that they pay taxes nowhere near what the rest of us pay, based on personal wealth.
Chatted to a 19 year old, thoughtful, Aussie recently. He would have voted for Trump in part because what “Trump says is mostly a joke…no sane person could believe him. Otherwise he thought both parties were similar except the Decomacrats wasted more( believed that bit from Trump) Thought that was a bit revealing.
I like listening to many of the Chai Talk interviews and don't know one person who would also like them, sad to say. If I liked tight jackets I might wear the one labeled socially liberal and economically conservative. Thanks for bringing your world into the open.
So wrong
So wrong
I wish I had time to listen to this podcast today, but I thought I might suggest today's article from the Liberal Patriot to add nuance to the suggestion that "Democrats must adopt an authentic economic populist message to win over the masses." I'd be so curious to hear your response to this article:
https://www.liberalpatriot.com/p/economic-populism-opiate-of-the-democrats?utm_source=post-email-title&publication_id=239058&post_id=152601288&utm_campaign=email-post-title&isFreemail=true&r=1831a&triedRedirect=true&utm_medium=email
Just read it. First of all, the writer is clearly right-wing, who is in sync with most of the right-wing talking points against the left, most of which are false or misleading.
On his first point, any overreach by "cultural leftism" should be solved by reducing their excesses, which I agree there are, but which are perpetrated by only a minority of Democrats, least of all progressives, who are the prime promoters of economic populism, which has been their main focus rather than political correctness. Replacing (not supplementing) cultural leftism with economic populism as their main focus would help Democrats regain a lot of the working class they've lost since Reagan. Not expounding economic justice as a way to solve their problems with the public from cultural extremism is exactly the wrong strategy for Democrats. The author also lists a number of concerns by voters that are less factual than misleading propaganda by the right, which only goes to show that Democrats have been ineffective in promoting the achievements of Biden & other Democrats in charge, & in counteracting the lies propounded by the right, while progressives, having relatively little influence in the federal government, have been unable to sufficiently explain how their ideas would make life better for most Americans, as they certainly would.
He does not support with any evidence or reason his case that economic populism would not affect turnout, his second point. His third point about Democratic governance of cities is more a reflection of the nature of urban environments. And even with all the problems associated with cities, the economy & crime is generally worse in red rural states than blue urban states, so yet another of his points is rendered moot. Except... he does have a point that some of these grand schemes for improving mass/rapid transportation, broadband communication, & transformation of our energy structure toward renewable energy, has been faced with delays & their implementation has been underwhelming. That is probably more likely to do with reduced efficiency & effectiveness in our government due to longtime undermining & obstruction of government from the right.
The writer appears to be a spokesman for wealthy right-wingers, who are in virtually complete control of our government, media, business, economy & society, & is giving us their views, of which we've had far too much already. Economic injustice is the one form of injustice that has remained largely unaddressed in our society, although Bernie Sanders has been talking about it for decades now, gaining lots of support for his economically populist ideas. Racial & social injustice have been largely addressed (although clearly not completely cured), thanks a lot to Martin Luther King & other civil rights leaders. King was starting to address economic injustice, which he saw as the most important task to take on, which affected many Americans of all races, when he was assassinated, and that really dampened advocacy for economic justice from then on until Bernie others started bringing it up. Corporations & billionaires, who had by then already entrenched their power in our system, have done everything they can to quash economic populism, & this is just another of their efforts.