Hi Kate! In response to your question about what specific things I have done -- I joined my State Democratic Committee and was elected a voting member for my district. I also have been active with the Working Families Party, which endorses Democratic candidates and works on issue campaigns. This has connected me to some local people I didn't know before, so I've expanded by network of contacts.
Chris, I have a follow-up question for you: what has been the vibe of the Democratic meetings you have attended. Have you seen any real soul searching?
I'm working with a group in my community to help preserve the rural area and the Highland Rim forest in the face of heavy development pressure. Local democracy, but that's not what I'm writing about. I want to talk about James Carville's op-ed.
Many years ago, I was a young prep cook in a kitchen where utensils like ladles and spatulas hung on something that was designed for displaying dresses. I was getting a hotel spoon, and knocked a spatula down. I caught it and in the process of hanging it up knocked down a ladle. Caught that, hung it up, knocked down a few more things. This continued for several rounds when I realized the futility. I stepped back and let everything fall, and took it all to the dishwasher.
We might have to step back and let everything crash. And then clean up, and have a plan for hanging it all up properly.
Hi Nina! I love this story! :) However, I have some reservations about applying this analogy to current events--mainly that the spoons, spatulas, and ladles are in many cases real people suffering real harm and that repairs in some instances may take years if not decades. Because of this, I'm inclined to think that those who can--and again that's not everyone--should be fighting like hell. If Trump & Co. were only hurting themselves, I'd be on Team Carville; because they're on track to do a great deal of damage to others, I think it's important to hold the line, or at least try to mitigate the harm, wherever possible.
I really truly don't know what to do or if I even have bandwidth to do anything. The guilt is eating at me regularly. This post doesn't necessarily make me feel better, but it does make me feel seen. I'm trying to pace myself more than anything. Staying informed, donating to important causes, listening in on town hall meetings held by our congressional leaders, sending emails & making phone calls to said leaders, and commisserating with friends and family about the state of our nation. As someone who works in operations, I understand the tremendous effort and resources needed to organize a resistance that actually effects change and I hope on a daily basis that there are others who have the bandwidth and support to make it happen. Thank you for doing what you can, Kate! For what it's worth, I think you'd be brilliant in politics.
Oh dear Jen: it's with people exactly like you in mind that I wrote this. I mean it when I say: YOU ARE HOLDING UP THE SKY. I understand the guilt--it's the curse of competent, public-spirited people everywhere--but I sincerely hope you can purge it from your system. At the very least: please convince yourself that Congress needs to do its job (power of the purse, checks and balances etc.) before someone like you--who could not possibly be going harder--adds "save the country" to her to-do list.
Thanks for reading, Leslie. Reality is humbling indeed *and* FWIW: I love-love-love the comms you are doing on the public health front. Chipping away at misinformation--the OG rot, as I call it--is necessary if not sufficient, and you are so well equipped to play a role in that important effort.
Carville is wrong about rolling over. I believe that much is clear from the history of courageous individuals who kept fighting at times like these, when they were alone in standing up for what is right.
If Thurgood Marshall hadn’t challenged the doctrine of “separate but equal,” if Emmett Till’s mother hadn’t insisted on an open casket, and if Rosa Parks hadn’t refused to give up her seat on the bus, the civil rights movement would not have gained traction and become a force for change.
Kate, you are generous to consider running for office. I agree with Jen about your brilliance. I am wondering which office you have in mind, but I wouldn’t expect you to be more specific.
I attended Pramila Jayapal’s community forum last week. Overall, I think she’s doing a good job, and her staff is responsive with constituent casework.
Thank you for your thought leadership at this difficult time, Kate.
Hi Laurie! Thank you for your thoughtful post and kind words. I appreciate your encouragement. I also appreciate the links you sent, which I will definitely check out! Speaking of Gluesenkamp Perez, whom I, too, admire in many ways, did you happen to see this University of Chicago event from a week or so ago? https://www.youtube.com/live/sofj0ECODeU If not, I think you might find it interesting.
Re. type of office: it'll be something at the local, county, or state level. Nothing flashy but especially since I tend to be pretty hard on our elected officials, I figure I should at least be prepared to serve a turn in the arena myself. That said, there's wanting to serve and then there's the quite separate question of whether the stars align. As you well know, we already have a lot of solid public servants in our fair state. If there isn't an open seat that makes sense for me, I'll just do what I've always done and support those whose work I most admire.
Before I call it a night, I feel compelled to come to Carville's defense, at least a tiny bit. :) To my understanding anyway, he wasn't advocating rolling over, and I'm quite sure (having just read his book Love & War) that he shares your regard for the country's many civil rights heroes. I think what he was saying was that it's not incumbent on the Democratic Party to do anything since in his view the current administration is imploding of its own accord. My feeling is that even if Trump & Co. are on a path to self-destruction, they are doing too much damage to the country every day for Dems to just stand back and let it happen. That might be politically effective (Carville is a political strategist, after all), but it wouldn't, in my view, be the leadership we need.
Thank you for sharing the University of Chicago panel. Yes, I believe that Marie is on to something. “The original sin of politics is condescension,” she said. So much of public service is nonpolitical, and she understands that.
When you mentioned running for office, I immediately thought of Congress. I can see you there, Kate.
Hi Kate! In response to your question about what specific things I have done -- I joined my State Democratic Committee and was elected a voting member for my district. I also have been active with the Working Families Party, which endorses Democratic candidates and works on issue campaigns. This has connected me to some local people I didn't know before, so I've expanded by network of contacts.
Hi Chris! Thanks for sharing. Also what great news—I’m so heartened to hear that someone as skilled and thoughtful as you has taken this step.
Chris, I have a follow-up question for you: what has been the vibe of the Democratic meetings you have attended. Have you seen any real soul searching?
Hi Kate!
I'm working with a group in my community to help preserve the rural area and the Highland Rim forest in the face of heavy development pressure. Local democracy, but that's not what I'm writing about. I want to talk about James Carville's op-ed.
Many years ago, I was a young prep cook in a kitchen where utensils like ladles and spatulas hung on something that was designed for displaying dresses. I was getting a hotel spoon, and knocked a spatula down. I caught it and in the process of hanging it up knocked down a ladle. Caught that, hung it up, knocked down a few more things. This continued for several rounds when I realized the futility. I stepped back and let everything fall, and took it all to the dishwasher.
We might have to step back and let everything crash. And then clean up, and have a plan for hanging it all up properly.
Hi Nina! I love this story! :) However, I have some reservations about applying this analogy to current events--mainly that the spoons, spatulas, and ladles are in many cases real people suffering real harm and that repairs in some instances may take years if not decades. Because of this, I'm inclined to think that those who can--and again that's not everyone--should be fighting like hell. If Trump & Co. were only hurting themselves, I'd be on Team Carville; because they're on track to do a great deal of damage to others, I think it's important to hold the line, or at least try to mitigate the harm, wherever possible.
I really truly don't know what to do or if I even have bandwidth to do anything. The guilt is eating at me regularly. This post doesn't necessarily make me feel better, but it does make me feel seen. I'm trying to pace myself more than anything. Staying informed, donating to important causes, listening in on town hall meetings held by our congressional leaders, sending emails & making phone calls to said leaders, and commisserating with friends and family about the state of our nation. As someone who works in operations, I understand the tremendous effort and resources needed to organize a resistance that actually effects change and I hope on a daily basis that there are others who have the bandwidth and support to make it happen. Thank you for doing what you can, Kate! For what it's worth, I think you'd be brilliant in politics.
Oh dear Jen: it's with people exactly like you in mind that I wrote this. I mean it when I say: YOU ARE HOLDING UP THE SKY. I understand the guilt--it's the curse of competent, public-spirited people everywhere--but I sincerely hope you can purge it from your system. At the very least: please convince yourself that Congress needs to do its job (power of the purse, checks and balances etc.) before someone like you--who could not possibly be going harder--adds "save the country" to her to-do list.
A thoughtful piece, Kate. I once naively felt incredulous that anyone would be passive against evil. Reality is humbling.
The challenge for me is less about time and more about determining effective action amid overwhelming circumstances.
Those town halls offer promise—mobilizing even a small Republican pushback may make a world of difference.
Thanks for reading, Leslie. Reality is humbling indeed *and* FWIW: I love-love-love the comms you are doing on the public health front. Chipping away at misinformation--the OG rot, as I call it--is necessary if not sufficient, and you are so well equipped to play a role in that important effort.
Carville is wrong about rolling over. I believe that much is clear from the history of courageous individuals who kept fighting at times like these, when they were alone in standing up for what is right.
If Thurgood Marshall hadn’t challenged the doctrine of “separate but equal,” if Emmett Till’s mother hadn’t insisted on an open casket, and if Rosa Parks hadn’t refused to give up her seat on the bus, the civil rights movement would not have gained traction and become a force for change.
However, Carville is right in saying people are tired of the same old language and progressive talking points. The success of Marie Gluesenkamp Perez in Washington’s 3rd District shows what a Democrat can do if she ditches the talking points and listens to constituents (https://www.nytimes.com/2024/11/08/us/politics/marie-gluesenkamp-perez-interview.html?unlocked_article_code=1.0k4.sM_S.qZuiWgIo3X9z&smid=nytcore-ios-share&referringSource=articleShare).
I’m supporting the Institute for Common Power (https://commonpower.org/). Last night, David Domke spoke at a Zoom event about the way forward. A recording is available here: https://youtu.be/sbfHqJXvx8g?si=RcIklNOVv37iRl8P
Kate, you are generous to consider running for office. I agree with Jen about your brilliance. I am wondering which office you have in mind, but I wouldn’t expect you to be more specific.
I attended Pramila Jayapal’s community forum last week. Overall, I think she’s doing a good job, and her staff is responsive with constituent casework.
Thank you for your thought leadership at this difficult time, Kate.
Hi Laurie! Thank you for your thoughtful post and kind words. I appreciate your encouragement. I also appreciate the links you sent, which I will definitely check out! Speaking of Gluesenkamp Perez, whom I, too, admire in many ways, did you happen to see this University of Chicago event from a week or so ago? https://www.youtube.com/live/sofj0ECODeU If not, I think you might find it interesting.
Re. type of office: it'll be something at the local, county, or state level. Nothing flashy but especially since I tend to be pretty hard on our elected officials, I figure I should at least be prepared to serve a turn in the arena myself. That said, there's wanting to serve and then there's the quite separate question of whether the stars align. As you well know, we already have a lot of solid public servants in our fair state. If there isn't an open seat that makes sense for me, I'll just do what I've always done and support those whose work I most admire.
Before I call it a night, I feel compelled to come to Carville's defense, at least a tiny bit. :) To my understanding anyway, he wasn't advocating rolling over, and I'm quite sure (having just read his book Love & War) that he shares your regard for the country's many civil rights heroes. I think what he was saying was that it's not incumbent on the Democratic Party to do anything since in his view the current administration is imploding of its own accord. My feeling is that even if Trump & Co. are on a path to self-destruction, they are doing too much damage to the country every day for Dems to just stand back and let it happen. That might be politically effective (Carville is a political strategist, after all), but it wouldn't, in my view, be the leadership we need.
Thank you for sharing the University of Chicago panel. Yes, I believe that Marie is on to something. “The original sin of politics is condescension,” she said. So much of public service is nonpolitical, and she understands that.
When you mentioned running for office, I immediately thought of Congress. I can see you there, Kate.