[See later caveats about what the DNC actually does. No, I’m not an idiot.]
As a former Deaniac, and veteran of the ‘Indiana Miracle’ in 2008, I was thrilled to hear that Barack wants to rebuild the party:
In an in-depth interview with The New Yorker on Thursday, the President told how he would help his successor Donald Trump settle in to the role before vacating it.
Once out of office, he hopes to dedicate himself to training and advising a new wave of politicians, the next 'Michelle and Barack... who right now is sitting out there'.
You wanna know What's the Matter with Kansas?
The answer is Indiana. Lemmee tell ya about it.
We used to have a majority in the state house. And when we lost it, Mitch (Daniels) went back on his promise not to convert us into a right-to-work state (ask any union person in Indiana — we used to be an agency state.)
After that, we got Mike Pence:
If you’re not familiar with that image,
the sign reads: “FIRE MIKE PENCE.”
(If you think Pence is some kind of “antidote” to Trump, you’re [mostly] kidding. The only thing Pence can be counted upon is to stop The Orange Menace from dropping the bomb on a whim.)
You’ll see those signs all over Indiana, along with those that say “PROUD UNION HOME” and the rainbow flag.
Hoosier Democrats got about 45% of the generic vote for Congress and the State Legislature in 2016.
Unfortunately, we won only 22% of the seats in the U.S. Congress, and things don’t look a lot better next year in the state legislature (yes that’s a 2016 link, but we only got a few state house seats back last year. As usual, we lost every single statewide race.)
A big part of me wishes that Bernie had won the nomination, although I’m not sure he could’ve beaten The Orange Menace:
I understand that there are a number of other excellent candidates for DNC Chair.
I’m also keenly aware that the DNC Chair position is by no means as ‘powerful’ as many folks think it is.
All I can say is that things are rapidly “going to Kansas” here in Indiana (read this Alternet piece if you don’t know what I mean by that — Sam Brownback Gutted Kansas: How America’s Worst Governor and an Ultra-Conservative Ideology Wrecked an Entire State.
Darn it, the whole of red America is going to Hades.
While NO ONE RESPECTS BERNIE MORE THAN I DO, Indiana is NOT Vermont. Neither is Kansas. Or Alabama.
Someone else can follow up on this post to describe what’s going on in our sister states such as North Carolina or Missouri. Or all across Red America.
I also yield to no one in my appreciation for Howard Dean as the former DNC Chair, or to any number of folks who have built the party.
I am SO SAD that Hillary is not the next President of the United States.
(My focus was on providing her with another Senator. *sigh*, guess I got that really wrong, didn’t I?!)
Gay rights, women’s rights, union rights, and also the rights of Trump voters could be in question here in this red states. We won’t even be able to drive (freely) on our roads because the Repubs are going to sell them off. Never mind the fact that Trump is quite likely going to convert America into a fascist state: No, you are *not* 'Safe' in the blue states. What everyone needs to know about Federal Preemption
Thank you Bernie for running (for Pres.). You ROCK. Please step in and help! You have been 100% consistent over the years, and would’ve made a great president (as Hill would’ve). My stated policy is to support any Dem in the GE. Any nominee of our party is worthy of my support, and I will keep knocking doors for ALL DEMOCRATS.
As I said in my most oft-read Diary, here in the Red States, we welcome support from EVERYONE.
As JFK apparently said during the Cuban Missile Crisis:
“We need all the help we can get.”