Yup, I just used the J-word in my headline, in the illustration I chose, and I won’t be shy about using it in my diary, either. It’s on everyone’s lips right now, and for good reason. It legitimately describes how the Democratic grassroots feel. We got the transformative candidate we wanted, and she backed it up by picking a running mate who’s a legitimate Liberal.
The money isn’t too happy. Awww, too bad for them. If having the right enemies counts for something, Harris and Walz are knocking it out of the park. It also justifies the joy felt by those of us who are Liberals at heart. The Harris-Walz campaign is turning down the millions of dollars which would serve as bribes speech in favor of ending antitrust regulation, hobbling decarbonization of the economy, making sure the legalized casino known as cryptocurrency stays unregulated, and a lot more. Is it wrong if that makes me joyful? Not in my mind.
Oh, and the Harris-Walz ticket has a real shot at peeling off a significant number of Republican votes without having to sell Liberals down the river in the process. If that’s not cause for joy, I don’t know what is.
All of which is a long way around the mountain to my point. We NEED the joy. It gets us off the dime, on our feet, and doing things. Hopelessness, I think we all realize, is not motivational. In fact, it’s paralyzing. As it turns out, cynicism isn’t really any better. Telling ourselves we live in a one party state, as valid as that appears, and that no matter what we do it can’t be changed, may make us feel smart when things go badly. What it won’t do is create any incentive to TRY to change anything.
We need the right balance of hopefulness and skepticism. The hopefulness gives us the motivation to get out their and work for something better. It turns us into volunteers and small dollar donors. Those things are now in ample supply, and I think they will continue to be.
As for the skepticism, that’s what will keep the pressure on a President Harris and Vice President Walz, assuming we all do enough to push them over the finish line. I think we will. I think we have the energy and motivation to get them moved into the Presidential Residence and the Naval Observatory, respectively. And when they do, I’m going to hold them to their promises. We all should. It’s how we make sure we get a truly Liberal administration rather than one filled with reactionary centrists...and build a Democratic Party up from the grassroots in the process.
