Can you be "too woke"?
Is it possible for Democrats to move too far left on any issue at all?
“Are Democrats too woke, Senator.”
A lot of liberals are upset that CNN’s Dana Bash asked US Senator mark Warner (D-VA), “Are Democrats too woke, Senator.”
Progressive writer and commentator Wajahat Ali crystallized liberal opposition to Bash’s question:
Now, I agree with Wajahat, that Bash was parroting, and thus reinforcing, right-wing talking points. But I also believe that her underlying question is fair, and important. In response, there was much gnashing of teeth.
Here’s what I wrote, then let’s talk:
One of the immediate responses I got from several people was that you CAN’T be “too woke” on racism, aka you can’t be too anti-racist. But is that really true? It’s not possible to be too far left on civil rights issues? Reparations are about racism, they’re a civil rights issue, but you can certainly feel that they go too far, and still be pro- civil rights. Or how about defunding the police? That’s an anti-racism proposal. But lots of people admit that that slogan, and actually defunding the police department, was/IS a bad idea in terms of both policy and electoral politics. Or how about Critical Race Theory? It’s one thing to argue that no one is teaching it in kids’ schools, or that the GOP is using the issue as a racist dog-whistle (both true), but is it really not acceptable for someone on the left to think that CRT itself goes too far?
So, in fact, you can be too “anti-racist.”
More generally, the opposition to Dana Bash’s question isn’t simply that she’s parroting right-wing talking points. It’s opposition to the very notion that any proposal or point of view can be too far left. This is something I witnessed first-hand a few years back when I was having an online spat with the boys from the self-proclaimed “socialist” podcast, Chapo Trap House. I got accused of “punching left.” The underlying theory was that it’s okay to criticize someone who’s to your right politically, as I am to Chapo, but not someone who is to your left politically, as Chap is to me. Thus, Chapo should have free rein to criticize me, but I have no right to respond, ever.
But it’s deeper than that. I think a good number of liberals don’t agree that you can be “too far left.” Or at the very least, “punching left,” e.g., criticizing “the Squad,” is wrong. But the Squad has the right to label the rest of us “corporate Dems” whenever they want.”
For me, the issue comes down to winning, on elections and policy. Even if your positions are reasonable, and worthy, you can still market them in a way that totally turns people off. See much of the Democratic party’s agenda! Our proposals often poll really well. (Obamacare comes to mind.) But our policies are marketed so poorly, and the Republicans do such a good demonizing them, that the public ends up hating them anyway (Obamacare comes to mind, again — at least for 8 years, it was hated).
I will always come back to messaging. It doesn’t matter how much YOU love an issue. It doesn’t matter how much YOU think it’s abominable for anyone to criticize YOUR issue. And it doesn’t matter if YOU think the criticism is unfair. What matters is whether you’re losing the messaging war. And if you are, you need to fix it. Sometimes that can be via messaging. Other times, it means you need move further to the left, or yes, further to the middle.
Infrastructure Week!
Well that was fun. President Biden accomplished more on infrastructure in nine months than Donald Trump accomplished in four years. Also meritorious, the legislation passed the US Senate with 20 or so Republican votes, including Mitch McConnell’s, and it passed the House with 13 Republican votes. (Six Democrats who make up the Squad voted against it. Still think you can’t be too far left?) It’s a hugely important victory for Democrats, and America overall. But it’s also a big win for bipartisanship. It’s been a while since we’ve had Democrats and Republicans this together on any legislation. Democrats should do more to market the bill this way.
Finally, while Republicans whine about how “expensive” the legislation is, at $1.2 trillion — even though it’s paid for — the previous GOP tax cuts for the rich under Trump and Bush were entirely unpaid for. And they cost taxpayers $2.3 trillion (Trump) and $2.8 trillion (Bush). And voters would know that if Democrats messaged better.
The Buttigieg Baby is Better!
Pete Buttigieg and his husband Chasten let it be known this weekend that their two premature babies had to be rushed to the hospital, and one was on a ventilator for a week, because of non-Covid respiratory virus.
You’ll recall that Fox News’ Tucker Carlson, and far-right GOP congresswoman Lauren Boebert, both mocked Buttigieg for taking parental leave to take care of his premie children. There really is a special place in hell for these people.
QAnon hits Dallas
QAnon cult adherents have been in Dallas all week, hoping to get a glimpse of JFK, Jr., who they think is still alive.
Amazing shots of last week’s Aurora
This one too:
Straight out of the North Korean playbook
People had fun responding in the comments. In particular, there was a lot of Winnie the Poohs. (The Chinese got very upset, previously, when people noted that Xi looks an awful lot like Pooh.)
We finally found some voter fraud!
The son of the winner of Virginia’s governor’s race, Republican Glenn Youngkin, tried to vote twice on election day at the wrong precinct, and where he wasn’t even registered. Why wasn’t he registered? Because he’s 17. When he was told he’s too young to vote, he came back 20 minutes later and tried again. And was again turned away.
Election officials say it’s not fraud. But it strikes me as pretty odd that the son of Virginia’s next governor didn’t even know whether or not he could vote for his dad in Tuesday’s election. What 17-year-old, let alone a “son of",” isn’t aware that you have to be 18 in order to vote?
Great photo
And another great photo
Look at her face:
Okay that’s it for today. Chat with you all again in a few days.
JOHN
As with messaging, it matters how a question is phrased. And Dana Bash's question was right wing nonsense. As for the Democratic Party being too far left, not in the least. If she asked, Senator, is there any elected member of the Democratic Party at any level of office around the country who is too far left of the country as a whole, well sure. But is the Democratic Party and the positions staked out by the Party as represented by its platform and its leader President Biden too far left? No. not at all. Its positions are hugely popular among Democrats, independents and on many issues (like making the rich and corporations pay their fair share of taxes) hugely popular with Republicans. Maybe they don't message it well but the positions of the Dem Party and its President are mainstream, popular and in most other major allies of ours would be seen as moderately conservative rather than liberal. Let's not confuse the position of any single member of Congress (or Mayor or Governor or state Attorney General) with the party as a whole. Unlike the Republicans, the Democrats actually welcome a healthy range of viewpoints. We see that as a strength, not a weakness.