Speaker Pelosi announces she is running for reelection

[BumRushDaShow]

42. Truly

and I go by my friends and family and former coworkers - most people are not focused like we are who frequent and post in the bubble of a political discussion board, on "politicians" and "in-fighting". Few have any idea about things like "how a bill becomes a law" or other Civics 101 issues, which is even a HUGE problem with posters right here on DU.

And no - I don't think people see Republicans "speaking in unison". Perhaps those Democrats who are drowning in red areas may see that but those of us in blue and purple areas are not focused on that but are focused on things like why our water or other utility bills have gone up, which is not a "federal" problem but a state/local one... or why hospitals are eliminating maternity wards or are even closing, requiring a longer trip to get to one if required to take care of issues requiring treatment beyond "urgent care".

But what has happened in the GOP's case is that their party and supporters have fully embraced "dark money" (that Democrats refuse to use as a funding strategy) in order to primary dissenting voices - particularly at the federal level - and this has been going on, in earnest and in a planned way, since the astroturf teabaggers came into existence in the 2010s. I.e., they have deep pockets to "pay for" the imagery where we are left nickel-and-diming our own constituencies (I get dozens of begathon emails daily), many of whom are some of the poorest among us.

Oddly enough, I remember following the drama of the fall of Republican Bob Bennett and rise of Mike Lee in UT and that was the shot across the bow that would be replicated nationwide in the conservative-leaning states. In fact, in direct response to that primary, Bennett's colleague, the well-known Orrin Hatch, got the message and went HARD RIGHT LOON from his already very conservative position. So FUD and threats "work" for their party and it was certainly barely covered "nationally" because it was during a "Republicans in disarray" period to get to where they are today.

But interestingly enough what also only gets "local coverage", IS happening in many blue areas like mine, as more progressives are coming into the pipeline in a similar manner. But that becomes a "Democrats in disarray" narrative at the national level, so there needs to be some kind of waving away of that characterization, although note that Democrats have traditionally embraced the "big tent" because it does capture more electors. However for any of these new progressives to eventually take the next step up is going to require more funding than the nickel-and-dime strategy.

I also believe there truly are "personality types" where "birds of a feather flock together" and you have that break-out of world-views that are tapped and gravitate towards a party's persona. So those who believe in "individualism" and "for self" promote those who believe the same (and pay for the megaphone to blare it out). Those who believe in collectivism will try to "do" what they can but in order to do the same "megaphone blare", it requires the same level of funding and we continually refuse to go there in fear of then being co-opted by the funders. So that is a conundrum that really needs to be hashed out in a real way.

When Biden was campaigning, he was trying to tap into the "local issues" and the big take-away here is that many of our state party apparatuses are either non-existent or are weak/non-responsive and there is a need for many of them to touch base with all the thousands of grass-roots organizations that have popped up to be the "boots on the ground" and "hyper local", with direct contact to "the people". From what I understand, the way the national party is structured, their hands are tied regarding what they can and cannot do (and I don't know if that is by law or what, although I expect some of it is).

So IMHO, there needs to be a deep dive into how the national party apparatus can develop better relationships with the state and local party leadership, but also knowing full well that a large percentage of "politicians" (no matter what party) ARE "politicians" and have an overlay of "politics" that has enveloped them that can be hard to break through.