As the mother of three daughters I can attest to the positive power of Taylor Swift. I would move it up to suggestion #1. Boy bands used to hold sway over young women; now it is Taylor. That alone is hugely significant. Suggestion #2: local news. More stories (which I'm writing) about on-the-ground 'you can see' work emanating from the infrastructure bill, along with other Biden achievements. People in rural areas will get it; they are more thinking than we think. Suggestion #3.....already mined. Better for Democrats to focus on immigration as THE key issue the Republicans will seize on, and one in which they have a legitimate complaint. Sometimes It's useful to have right wing family and friends. They can tell you a lot. But they will never read the Atlantic. Fake news. And so sad.
The U.S. is chock full of people who immigrated to escape authoritarian regimes. They would recognize strongman tactics. If those communities form significant blocs in the swing states, there might be potential to alert and mobilize them.
The right wing chaos machine has been working to perfection. I notice so many people have just tuned everything out, and have no idea of Biden's accomplishments or the threat of a Trump 2nd term.
Taylor Swift might provide a viable opportunity to snap some people out of the spell that they are under.
Margaret, I think you are totally on to something....I firmly believe that Ms Swift is a very bright woman as well as star. She has traveled this country this year and is in a position to be heard...and let's face it we need women...and. girls to tell this story...and vote with integrity and commitment. I imagine that she would love to meet you and see where this can go...Trump has used the media to his advantage for years. With your contacts, I'm pretty sure there is a meeting in the making. Best of luck.
Hello, Margaret--For months, I’ve been telling anyone who would listen about how helpful Ms. Swift’s support for democracy would be. It is not a far-out notion; she spoke out boldly to help get out the vote in earlier elections, despite being advised of the danger that “politics” might pose for her “brand”. Would she be wary about losing some fans if she opposed Trump directly? Perhaps. But she has a well-deserved reputation for both courage and intelligence, and could
undoubtedly find a way to avoid too much damage while doing us all an enormous amount of good.
My mistake, (my editor is on strike),and I apologize for the error in the first sentence and probably throughout my written rant. I have no excuse; I do not own a dog and cannot afford a personal editor. All mistakes are my own. I was in a hurry. Mea Culpa.
As someone who has been reading a lot of world history lately, I have alarmed at the disintegration of our democratic institutions and norms. One of them is "the media". I like your idea! We now need a popular "Democracy Movement", similar and dynamic like the ones that electrified voters with Obama and Sanders. (not saying the same). Maybe a popular hero like Taylor Swift might help unify us. I'd like to tell the DNC to stop nickel and timing me for contributions in my email. If they think the democratic candidates will win with on-line ads for money and media commercials, I think there is some swampland they should buy in Yuma, AZ.
You mentioned the disintegration of local news. How True! The Washington Post's "Metro" section is the very first section I read each morning. I'm angry and dismayed to read (in my husband's 'online Washington Post) that Jeff Bezos does not think paying the Washington Post's employees is important. Who is he fooling? Laura Vozella and
Gregory S. Schneider, Erin Cole, Michelle Boorstein and fellow reporters, must be supported! News in my Northern VA neighborhood needs a "face on a milk carton"! Our local "shoppers' "Connection" is missing in action. The Wash.Post Local "list of events" is gone. No wonder working and retired community members feel isolated and forgotten. Finally, "Tik-Tok, Twitter and Facebook are never going to be a substitute for true reporters writing articles, vetted for the truth by a worthwhile newspaper. Perhaps, Jeff would consider selling one of his mega-yachts, or one of his many toys to fund TRUTH and DEMOCRACY.
Dec 7, 2023·edited Dec 7, 2023Liked by Margaret Sullivan
Margaret, one significant aspect of TFG's dangerousness is his psychopathological way of concealing his vicious intentions behind a mask of normalcy. But he also wants us to know how angry he is so he says, in effect, "I'll only be Hitler on day one," concealing and revealing his real motives at the same time. Psychopaths and abusive men do this automatically and unconsciously.
The difference between his idol-worshipping followers and us is that we know that we are seeing an angry, murderously vengeful child, hiding his violent fantasies behind the outward appearance of calm and confidence. He puts on an act, like he did as a child, hiding the long-bladed knives in his room until his father found them and kicked him out of the house. We also kicked him out of the House, and this time he's telling us how he feels. Just look at all the photos of him full of glaring hatred for whatever judge he's sitting before. He doesn't show THAT face when he's in front of a microphone. But that's the face we need to see over and over again because that angry, murderously vengeful face, is the real him.
I would love for this unconscious duplicity to be discussed and illustrated over and over again in print and electronic media. Juxtapose his public and his private faces, again and again, so more people begin to see the way he masks his true intentions, assuming, in his childlike brain, that we're not going to notice. THIS is what makes him so dangerous and what more of us need to actually SEE.
Those who are fully informed about political matters may underrate that Atlantic issue, since it covers so many things about which they're already aware. We have some relatives, however, who are broadly politically active but don't follow things very closely. We will be obtaining additional copies of the print version and sending it to them, and we expect they will take it seriously.
The Atlantic issue on Trump is the best single source of high-quality thought about a future Trump administration that we've seen. As well, it's written at a very readable level. That kind of product is by itself a public service, needing no further justification.
It's concerning to me that the editor of a major journalism outlet in 2023 seriously thinks anyone is 1. handing someone a print copy of a magazine 2. to try to get them out of a cult. I'm an Atlantic subscriber and I have used info I've read (in the digital version) in conversations with people to support my points. Not sure I've changed any minds, though.
I agree that celebrities/musicians/actors/tik tok'ers or who ever the Trump people pay attention to could help by talking about the consequences of putting Trump back in office, assuming there are any influencers in that group that do not want Trump back in office. Meet people where they are.
We are two retired editors in upstate NY who do a newsletter here and have written a lot about the selling out to Trump by our congresswoman, Elise Stefanik. We're in a majority Republican area but working to get the word out about Trump. A recent column on local support for him --https://kentingley.substack.com/p/hate-looms-with-local-backing -- drew 101 comments.
As the mother of three daughters I can attest to the positive power of Taylor Swift. I would move it up to suggestion #1. Boy bands used to hold sway over young women; now it is Taylor. That alone is hugely significant. Suggestion #2: local news. More stories (which I'm writing) about on-the-ground 'you can see' work emanating from the infrastructure bill, along with other Biden achievements. People in rural areas will get it; they are more thinking than we think. Suggestion #3.....already mined. Better for Democrats to focus on immigration as THE key issue the Republicans will seize on, and one in which they have a legitimate complaint. Sometimes It's useful to have right wing family and friends. They can tell you a lot. But they will never read the Atlantic. Fake news. And so sad.
The U.S. is chock full of people who immigrated to escape authoritarian regimes. They would recognize strongman tactics. If those communities form significant blocs in the swing states, there might be potential to alert and mobilize them.
Good point, Mirko! I hope those people are contributing to groups that are organizing to put Democrats in office.
Thanks, Madeline. And I hope Democrats are reaching out to those communities to get out the vote!
What a great idea to use Taylor Swift! I hope it's possible.
The right wing chaos machine has been working to perfection. I notice so many people have just tuned everything out, and have no idea of Biden's accomplishments or the threat of a Trump 2nd term.
Taylor Swift might provide a viable opportunity to snap some people out of the spell that they are under.
Margaret, I think you are totally on to something....I firmly believe that Ms Swift is a very bright woman as well as star. She has traveled this country this year and is in a position to be heard...and let's face it we need women...and. girls to tell this story...and vote with integrity and commitment. I imagine that she would love to meet you and see where this can go...Trump has used the media to his advantage for years. With your contacts, I'm pretty sure there is a meeting in the making. Best of luck.
Hello, Margaret--For months, I’ve been telling anyone who would listen about how helpful Ms. Swift’s support for democracy would be. It is not a far-out notion; she spoke out boldly to help get out the vote in earlier elections, despite being advised of the danger that “politics” might pose for her “brand”. Would she be wary about losing some fans if she opposed Trump directly? Perhaps. But she has a well-deserved reputation for both courage and intelligence, and could
undoubtedly find a way to avoid too much damage while doing us all an enormous amount of good.
My mistake, (my editor is on strike),and I apologize for the error in the first sentence and probably throughout my written rant. I have no excuse; I do not own a dog and cannot afford a personal editor. All mistakes are my own. I was in a hurry. Mea Culpa.
I’ll work on it!
Yes on Taylor Swift for largest impact
I see The Atlantic articles/whole issue as a prod for people who know what trump is, but are taking th3 ostrich approach and ‘just living their lives’
They will not vote for him, but to build the movement to protect democracy, they must speak up and not remain silent.
As someone who has been reading a lot of world history lately, I have alarmed at the disintegration of our democratic institutions and norms. One of them is "the media". I like your idea! We now need a popular "Democracy Movement", similar and dynamic like the ones that electrified voters with Obama and Sanders. (not saying the same). Maybe a popular hero like Taylor Swift might help unify us. I'd like to tell the DNC to stop nickel and timing me for contributions in my email. If they think the democratic candidates will win with on-line ads for money and media commercials, I think there is some swampland they should buy in Yuma, AZ.
You mentioned the disintegration of local news. How True! The Washington Post's "Metro" section is the very first section I read each morning. I'm angry and dismayed to read (in my husband's 'online Washington Post) that Jeff Bezos does not think paying the Washington Post's employees is important. Who is he fooling? Laura Vozella and
Gregory S. Schneider, Erin Cole, Michelle Boorstein and fellow reporters, must be supported! News in my Northern VA neighborhood needs a "face on a milk carton"! Our local "shoppers' "Connection" is missing in action. The Wash.Post Local "list of events" is gone. No wonder working and retired community members feel isolated and forgotten. Finally, "Tik-Tok, Twitter and Facebook are never going to be a substitute for true reporters writing articles, vetted for the truth by a worthwhile newspaper. Perhaps, Jeff would consider selling one of his mega-yachts, or one of his many toys to fund TRUTH and DEMOCRACY.
Wouldn’t that be great to see? But I doubt it
Margaret, one significant aspect of TFG's dangerousness is his psychopathological way of concealing his vicious intentions behind a mask of normalcy. But he also wants us to know how angry he is so he says, in effect, "I'll only be Hitler on day one," concealing and revealing his real motives at the same time. Psychopaths and abusive men do this automatically and unconsciously.
The difference between his idol-worshipping followers and us is that we know that we are seeing an angry, murderously vengeful child, hiding his violent fantasies behind the outward appearance of calm and confidence. He puts on an act, like he did as a child, hiding the long-bladed knives in his room until his father found them and kicked him out of the house. We also kicked him out of the House, and this time he's telling us how he feels. Just look at all the photos of him full of glaring hatred for whatever judge he's sitting before. He doesn't show THAT face when he's in front of a microphone. But that's the face we need to see over and over again because that angry, murderously vengeful face, is the real him.
I would love for this unconscious duplicity to be discussed and illustrated over and over again in print and electronic media. Juxtapose his public and his private faces, again and again, so more people begin to see the way he masks his true intentions, assuming, in his childlike brain, that we're not going to notice. THIS is what makes him so dangerous and what more of us need to actually SEE.
Those who are fully informed about political matters may underrate that Atlantic issue, since it covers so many things about which they're already aware. We have some relatives, however, who are broadly politically active but don't follow things very closely. We will be obtaining additional copies of the print version and sending it to them, and we expect they will take it seriously.
The Atlantic issue on Trump is the best single source of high-quality thought about a future Trump administration that we've seen. As well, it's written at a very readable level. That kind of product is by itself a public service, needing no further justification.
It's concerning to me that the editor of a major journalism outlet in 2023 seriously thinks anyone is 1. handing someone a print copy of a magazine 2. to try to get them out of a cult. I'm an Atlantic subscriber and I have used info I've read (in the digital version) in conversations with people to support my points. Not sure I've changed any minds, though.
I agree that celebrities/musicians/actors/tik tok'ers or who ever the Trump people pay attention to could help by talking about the consequences of putting Trump back in office, assuming there are any influencers in that group that do not want Trump back in office. Meet people where they are.
We are two retired editors in upstate NY who do a newsletter here and have written a lot about the selling out to Trump by our congresswoman, Elise Stefanik. We're in a majority Republican area but working to get the word out about Trump. A recent column on local support for him --https://kentingley.substack.com/p/hate-looms-with-local-backing -- drew 101 comments.
I’ll check it out, Will.