Punditocracy ignores racism – @JonFavs and @DanPfeiffer disappoint

Punditocracy ignores racism – @JonFavs and @DanPfeiffer disappoint

by | Oct 8, 2018 | 2018 midterms, Democratic Party, Pundits, Resistance

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Punditocracy ignores racism – #whiteprivilege on the podcasts

punditocracy ignores racism

Pod Save America – Favreau, Lovett, Vietor on Tuesdays, Favreau and Pfeiffer on Thursdays.

The Punditocracy ignores racism

Pundits like the ObamaBros of Crooked Media dance around the main issue. In last Thursday’s Pod Save America ep, Favreau and Pfeiffer say all the right things, except one. They fail when it comes to addressing racism.

Southern Strategy Racism

punditocracy ignores racism

LBJ knew what would happen

LBJ got it right when it comes to Southern Strategy racism. He knew that signing the Civil Rights Act of 1964 would set the Democratic Party back generations in the rebel states. Nixon turned LBJ’s concern into a full-blown strategy. He ran on it and won in 1968. While Nixon’s corruption ended his administration, racism remained.

Carter’s defeated Ford because Nixon was a crook. Reagan defeated Carter because Ronnie ran as a racist. Reagan knew how to bring fear from a simmer to a boil. His rhetoric on the Black Panthers in California contributed to the fear and uncertainty of white voters. Nixon teed up the racism. Ronnie added the fear. Carter wanted people to practice compassion. Reagan wanted a 600-ship Navy.

Nixon to Reagan to Trump

The racism never left. Radical clerics like Falwell and Robertson gave racism a cross. Trump expanded the hate. Now it includes brown folks from the Middle East. When Al Qaeda and ISIS cooled down, Donnie added MS13, promoting fear.

Why don’t the pundits address racism?

It’s simple: #whiteprivilege. The Crooked Media pundits outsourced race relations to Deray McKesson. A former teacher, now full-time activist, and author, Deray hosts Pod Save The People on Crooked Media.

While Deray, along with regulars Brittany Packnett, and Sam Singyangwe, and Clint Smith, III, address racial issues, the white guys focus on white pundits. In Thursday’s ep, Favs describes how Republican pundits freaked out when talking to reporters. They told the world the nomination was on life support.

Talking to the Punditocracy

But, of course, it wasn’t. That’s because McConnell had the votes. So-called knowledgeable liberals pointed out the delays. They argued McConnell didn’t have the votes. By Saturday, they all lined up.

And the guys can’t figure out how that happened? They understand the strategy. They know Republicans raise the flags of racism and fear. While they get it, they soft-pedal the whole thing. MS13 becomes “immigration”. They don’t even mention black folks.

Those Republicans knew they had the votes. They operate with different motives. Republican operatives want guest editorials. They want spots on Tapper’s CNN show. The never-Trumpers want mentions from Hayes and Maddow. If they say, we have the votes, those opportunities dry up.

Favreau and Pfeiffer need to get off twitter. They need to talk more to their own colleagues. We’re not going to affect change by ignoring racism.

 

Voter Registration Louisiana – TOMORROW – LAST DAY

Voter Registration Louisiana – TOMORROW – LAST DAY

by | Oct 8, 2018 | 2018 midterms, Louisiana, New Orleans, Resistance

Support Edward Branley on Patreon!

Voter Registration Louisiana – TOMORROW IS LAST DAY

Voter Registration Louisiana

TOMORROW, Tuesday, 9-October, is the last day you can register to vote in the November 6th election in Louisiana. So, it’s important!

Check Your Registration

voter registration louisiana

“But I’m already registered”, “I’ve lived in my house for twenty years”, “It’s not a problem.”
Or is it? While you think you’re registered, the Republicans purge!
Go to ResistBot and find out. ResistBot verifies your registration. So, it’s not a scam!

Text CHECK to 50409 and follow the instructions.

Vote Save America

The ObamaBros at Crooked Media run VoteSaveAmerica.com. The site helps folks check their registration. If they’re not registered, they receive instructions.

Registering in Louisiana

Register online in Louisiana. Go to the Louisiana Secretary of State website and follow the instructions. It’s simple and important. Therefore, there’s no excuse.

You can always register in person. Do it, today or tomorrow! Here’s the procedure from the LA SOS:

Apply in person to register to vote at any Registrar of Voters Office.

You may also register in person at any of the following locations:

  • Louisiana Office of Motor Vehicles;
  • Louisiana Department of Children and Family Services;
  • WIC offices;
  • food stamp offices;
  • Medicaid offices;
  • offices serving persons with disabilities such as the Deaf Action Centers and Independent Living Offices; or
  • Armed Forces recruitment offices.

To review:

  • Check your registration
  • GO REGISTER, in person or online, if you’ve been purged

You’re not done!

The November 6th elections are extremely important. Verify your registration (and fix things if necessary). So, then, TELL YOUR FRIENDS. It’s not enough that you go vote. You need to check with TEN friends. Make sure they get out to the polls.

Go tell the Texans!

Here in Louisiana, we all have friends in Texas. All your exes, too. So, make sure they’re ready to vote for Beto O’Rourke.

Go tell the Georgians!

So, we know that NOLA means “Nobody Likes Atlanta”. While you hate the Falcons, make sure your friends vote! Tell them to verify their registration. Keep on them about getting out on November 6th. Make Stacey Abrams Governor!

Why is this a big deal?

Neither of our Senators from Louisiana stand for re-election in 2018. All of the CongressCritters do, and Democrats challenge each of them. So, we flip the House, if everyone votes.

Additionally, we must pass Constitutional Amendment #2, the Unanimous Juries Amendment. Louisiana is the only state where someone can be convicted of a serious felony by a non-unanimous (10-2) vote. The Louisiana Legislature voted to put the change on the ballot. Now we have to make it law.

#Timesup transition means #whypipo must change

#Timesup transition means #whypipo must change

by | Jan 13, 2018 | 2018 midterms, Democratic Party, Politics

#Timesup Transition

transitioning to #timesup

#Timesup Transition

The #metoo movement shined a huge spotlight on the treatment of women in the US. #Timesup transition begins with a change in political action. Personal stories morph into that action.

The Golden Globes are a forum for political activism. This year, that took the form of #timesup. This is a huge step in our national discourse. Hollywood takes on patriarchy and racism. The #metoo groundswell went well beyond the cathartic stories told by individuals. While this was good, it didn’t really break out past individuals.

White people need to insert/assert themselves

When people of color are brought to the forefront of any issue, white people tend to bristle a bit. The #metoo stories were overwhelmingly from white women. Weinstein didn’t even dignify allegations from women of color. The #timesup efforts deliberately carry #metoo that step further, turning the follow-spot away from the white people. As expected, white people pushed back.

transitioning to #timesup

Rinku Sen (@rinkuwrites)

Rinku Sen (@rinkuwrites) is the publisher of Colorlines.com. She wrote a piece for The Nation on #timesup. It dropped last Tuesday. So, Sen makes a number of important points on what she calls the “lefty critique” of #timesup. The list of “critiques” she offers is things is interesting. They’re things one hears from folks critical of “Hollywood.” This writer offers more.

Breaking the binary

Sen argues we’re “trapped in binaries.” It’s a good point. Therefore, transitioning to #timesup happens with broader perspective. So few things are either-or. Binary thinking avoids nuance. She returns the nuance:

No one knows exactly what formula will ward off the authoritarianism looming over our country and the world, but that formula probably doesn’t include the word “only.” There should and will be many tactical experiments in this period of political, cultural, and spiritual churn. Critique is easy. Actually running such an experiment is hard.

Absolutely. Either this or this doesn’t work. Many issues need nuance. Let’s try new approaches.

So, how does this apply to transitioning to #timesup?

Sen explains #timesup thusly:

#TimesUp is grounded in a progressive movement where racial justice, feminism, and workers’ rights meet. For years, organizations have worked to change the national narrative around work, violence, immigration, policing, and many other issues. Understanding that policy and politics were inadequate to the transformational task at hand, they added cultural change to their toolkit.

The #timesup movement expands progressive activism. Sen nails it upfront. She adds racial justice to white activism.

Cultural change

I regularly use the hashtag #checkyourprivilege in conversations. #Timesup integrates this. We must change the culture of white privilege.  We must change white people on the Left. Therefore, we’ll have a lot of tough conversations. It means hurt feelings. People will (gasp!) unfriend on social media. Cultural change means white folks need to catch up.

Senator Cory Booker is a leader of the #resistance

by | Jan 25, 2017 | 2018 midterms, Politics, Resistance

Cory Booker takes the lead

Senator Cory Booker (D-NJ) is a true leader. Watch this video. This is how a leader acts.

A Leader:

  • Doesn’t denigrate others working in the resistance.
  • Brings everyone in the effort together.
  • Works to make things better.
  • Sets a positive example.
  • Establishes goals, works to meet them, then goes further.

This is what we want and expect from our Democratic Senators. They are truly a Thin Blue Line. There are times when they will be overwhelmed by the foolishness that is the Trump administration, yes. Overall, though, we want them to stand up for us in this dark time.

2018 isn’t far away

I look to and expect Senator Booker to do the right things for the United States. Is he Presidential? Absolutely? Will he be the right person to lead the Democratic effort to evict Trump from the White House in 2020? That remains to be seen. We’ve got four years on that. We’ve got midterm elections, where all of the House, 1/3 of the Senate, and over 35 governors will stand for election. For us to stop the evil that will come forth from the White House and Congress under Trump control, we need leaders who will motivate and encourage Democrats. We need leaders who, by their actions, demonstrate they have the best interests of the people and their states in mind.

So, we need women and men like Cory Booker.

While there are others in the Senate who will also stand up and make it clear they are part of the resistance. Senator Booker is not our only leader. He is a good model for others to observe and emulate.

I plan to commit to doing at least one thing for the #resistance and one thing to build up everyone working to better our country and our homes.