June 27, 2022

Love this idea from Mckibben. We need Amtrack Joe.

https://billmckibben.substack.com/p/joe-biden-could-save-america-by-going?s=r&utm_campaign=post&utm_medium=web

But taking advantage of that—saving America—requires two things

A clear and uncompromising stance on the filibuster. He needs to tell Americans in no uncertain terms that they should only vote for candidates who would ditch this archaic rule so that a Democratic congress could actually codify Roe, could actually enact sensible gun control (and not just the minimalist package of last week), could actually start rolling out (immensely popular) solar panels. Biden needs to say “I have served in the Senate most of my life. But the Senate is broken; it can’t defend what America wants from a berserk and out-of-control Supreme Court. We need control of the House, we need a real Senate majority that doesn’t depend on Joe Manchin, and we need that majority to matter.” You have to give people a reason to care; with the filibuster it’s business as usual.

A train. Biden needs to announce that in the 134 days between now and the November election he will not darken the door of the White House. Instead he and his advisors will board a train and criss cross America making the case for this republic. Biden famously loves trains. Americans love trains. And a train trip creates drama—suddenly he’s not a feeble politician mired with some of the lowest approval ratings in history. Suddenly he’s Harry Truman, waging an against-the-odds campaign in 1948. You know the last president to pull the presidential train car out of mothballs? A reasonably good politician named Ronald Reagan, in 1984. Amtrak Joe needs to go all-in.

This article is worth a read. It actually gave me hope and energy. If only Biden would do this!