456 Comments

It has been more than two weeks since this column was written, and I am also one of those who fear it is now too late. And I'm wondering if I should get the hell out of this country while I still can.

Expand full comment

I appreciate you Charlie Sykes. Blessed be.

Expand full comment

Charlie, thanks for being there. And of course the necessary dog pictures.

Action step to help Democrats in very tight races that aren’t called yet - We need to act in the next few days. Ballot curing! Many US House races are not called, and there’s at least one Senate race (Bob Casey in PA) we can still win.

This NPR article shows which races are not yet called. Getting even a few more Democrats in Congress (and down ballot races, too) would offer some protection against Trump.

https://www.npr.org/2024/11/07/g-s1-33301/2024-house-seats-undecided-control

Ballot curing is making phone calls to help voters whose ballots were set aside due to small issues (an incomplete return address on the flap of a mail-in ballot’s envelope, an illegible signature, etc.). You can easily do it by phone.

Curing ballots could well make the difference in which party controls the US House of Representatives.

More ballot curing opportunities: Field Team 6 - https://www.fieldteam6.org/ballot-curing

Folks, we can’t give up! That’s how tyrants win.

Expand full comment

Democrats have assumed for too long that the legacy of 1960’s pro-worker giants like MLK and Cesar Chavez translates into automatic support from today’s working class. It does not. Meanwhile, we spend 90% of our energy and political capital pushing things like The 1619 Project and gender-neutral language, and 10% on creating living-wage jobs for working people of all races whose real wages have not increased since 1980. Those priorities should be reversed. No wonder most working people find the Democratic Party irrelevant, and Republican snake-oil so appealing.

Expand full comment

Do you know Charlie I’ve seen this before from America. And it was Lance Armstrong. The same hung ho followers. The same disregard for Europe. The same chants of “USA, USA”. And it all came to exactly nothing. Tragic for America .

Expand full comment

SS was just increased again.

But also was the amt Medicare pays each month. Biden signed a one yr $7 reduction in Medicare premium. Then the next yr was increased by $10. Now in 2025 it’s been increased to $185/ per month.

Many of us will be kicks out of Medicare plans because insurance companies use must maintain $2000 max on drugs per person.

I can no longer get the migraine drug that works best for me. ( It’s not offered in my zip code on Medicare)( The avg range would cost me 5k- 6 / per yr). That translates to $300 per month

That I’ve now taken for the last 6 yrs. The one drug that allows me to function thr beat w least side effects. This drug cost $12/ per month for 4 pills and. I migraine person is fortunate enuf to get 4 migraines per month.

Then I realized on my own I could get this drug for free at a different pharmacy.

Thr $2000/ per person Medicare dropped or increased what they would cover. And many Dra dropped Medicare.

Medicare someone actually in MEDICARE needs to be in on these decisions. And nothing should be discussed without this!!

Expand full comment

Just saw the front page of our Saturday Paper down here (Aus).

Headline: "This is Not Good"

I wonder if American media has an equivalent mainstream publication willing to do that, or at least one that isn't in the right wing megalith?

Expand full comment

Anyone of us can be enamored and affirmed with our own die hard self praise.

The article aptly named, This is Us.

Everyone of us knows someone who is either so fear triggered, so wrongly believe that Trump was targeted by thr courts( even while “ all Knowing and watching themselves” with “ EYES WIDE SHUT”, that much if the law delayed his sentence or down right

Dismissed or gave him a pass.

CONSEQUENCES come in many forms.

If we follow any train that DT has ladies out. We’ve given him a pass.

On every front.

He is a convicted felon( but maybe Merchant won’t sentence him?( why?)

Documents case is just dismissed so the Appealate Court what votes to just STOP THAT LEGAL PROCESS?)

DUMPTY fell off the wall, but the entire DOJ, entire SC6 DID PUT HUMPTY TOGETHER AGAIN.

WELL we r writing our future in concrete granite rock. The USA will not recover.

Tok many folk just have built their HOUSE ON SAND.

Expand full comment

I'm burned out on deeper commentary, but thank you for yours. Tell your dogs I said hi.

Expand full comment

Charlie,

1st, thank you for everything you do and have done 💞 from the bottom of my heart! Love seeing you on MSNBC!

Second, I’d like to repeat something ex-marine James Carville likes to say: “It’s the economy, stupid”…..

If that’s, true - why do Democrats allow Republicans to steal the truth from us ????

What truth you ask? : The actual truth that Democrats are BETTER on the ECONOMY than Republicans are:

What proof do I have:

I googled “which party does better on the economy Democrats

or Republicans?” -

here’s what it said on Wikipedia:

Washington, D.C.— In almost every measure of the economy, economic performance is stronger under Democrats than Republicans, according to a new report released by the Joint Economic Committee (JEC) Democrats. Of the 11 recessions in the modern era, 10 have begun under Republican presidents.Oct 8, 2024

https://www.jec.senate.gov › 2024/10

U.S. Economy Performs Better Under Democrats

Then there is the Pro Publica article recently PROVING (with data and graphs) that Trump WRECKED the economy for years titled:

“A Closer Look - Donald Trump Built a National Debt So Big (Even Before the Pandemic 😷) That It’ll Weigh Down The Economy for years.

The Link to read that article here:

https://www.propublica.org/article/national-debt-trump

There is other data and bar graphs on the internet that prove Democrats are better for the economy than Republicans Are…. But we let them call us “tax and spend democrats”

- we need to start referring to the truth that “Republicans reliably wreck the economy” - google it! See for yourself!!

Expand full comment

I just read the whole thing again. Thank you for the quotes at the top- they hearten me. And thank you for the dog pics- my own pup is currently asleep on my foot, and gives me good reason to keep on keeping on. I appreciate the clarity.

Expand full comment

Perhaps Trump has shone a light on who America really is - the ugly American. With all his excess baggage, he still carried the right message. He spoke in code, sounded like a demented madman and sparked outrage from the ‘elitists’ but in the end his street smarts told him “It’s the economy stupid.” His message resonated and here we are. Bernie was right - again.

Expand full comment
Nov 7·edited Nov 7

Charlie, we should change the words, ...this is who we are, to... this is where we are. There are many comments around the publishers and pods echoing the phrases, this is us,... this is who we are... America has spoken. It is so damn disheartening. We actually insult all of us who so many of us, millions, have rejected this and fought like hell in so many ways, for years, shouting the truth to others and not giving up. It's a hard truth that so many were sucked into the vortex of lies. I fought against this, we fought against this and I didn't vote for this. I choose strength and fighting forward and am not one of this is who we are. Thank you

Expand full comment

Or, this is who they are. "They" may be a larger group than we knew, may have grown more than we knew, but it is still "they" because if it is "us" and "we" then the fight for decency is already lost. There are many Americans who will never incorporate this kind of filth into our own personal narratives and agree that this is who We are. That is not to intensify the "us" "them" division, but to reject wallowing in guilt or allowing others, when there are so many of them who would love to do so, to blame us for what they have done. We need to be able to be proud of who we are or why would anyone wish to join in with us in this coming fight?

Expand full comment

I think what you say has a lot of validity. But I think for a lot of voters it comes second to their concerns about how each will govern. In my opinion it shouldn’t, but it does.

And on that governing philosophy, I think we Democrats are on the side of the past, not the future. What/why is way too long for a comment so I wrote it up here - https://liberalandlovingit.substack.com/p/what-happened

The dogs seem happy in spite of the results :)

Expand full comment
Nov 7·edited Nov 9

Oh my heart ~ reading this ,... and then the wonderful doggies. <3

merci beaucoup Charlie. Bonsoir

Expand full comment

The German shepherd puppy pics are a great comfort to me. Thanks

Expand full comment