One of the confounding things I encounter, is people who understand the threat of the extreme right wing that is embodied by the Trump candidacy, who continue to engage in the same behavior that got us to Trump 2016. I deal with them every day in my activities in Florida.
Today's Edition is about media mistakes. Why in the world would some in the NY Times, Washington Post, the Sunday interview shows, mainstream media, continue to engage in the same type of journalism that normalizes Trumpian racism, autocratic policy and behavior, including threats and actions designed to destroy the First Amendment and the Fourth Estate?
I was listening to the ABC interview of Sen. Scott who was blathering on about the bump stock decision, not answering the question, and the interviewer allowing him to blather on. I stopped listening to the program altogether.
We need the media. We need the Fourth Estate and the First Amendment. We need to consume media. Our responsibility is to applaud those who have learned from 2016 and call out those who continue the mistakes. Rather than refusing to consume the media, continue to call it out. Thank you for doing just that.
By the way, I have never heard those on Morning Joe apologize for their part in 2016, giving Trump gobs of airtime, never confronting him on his shady business deals, racism, promises of autocracy, continually highlighting Hillary Clinton's "untrustworthiness". But guess what? This time, they are calling out Trump completely, and they are making fun of the NY Times, Wash Post and other media focus on Biden's age or the polls. They get it, they stopped, and I am very glad.
Now in my backyard: Why in the world do some very smart, sincere activists continue to engage in the same divisive and competitive behavior, that got Florida into the mess we are now in? Competition is pretty standard and is a part of human nature. however, the level of it in the past, in Florida, rendered Democrats ineffective, at best.
But now, Democrats are coming back.
Because of changes at the state party level in early 2023 with a new party chairwoman, the Florida Democratic Party has had several electoral victories and successful campaign activities. One most recent campaign success includes the historic candidate recruitment achievement that now has ensured that no Republican will run unopposed in every state legislative race, both houses, and every congressional race. 100%. We did it.
The other success is that the Biden/Harris campaign is devoting resources and setting up headquarters in Florida, saying that they believe Florida is now in play, which is true. As Biden would say "not a joke". And voters will be able to vote to restore abortion rights in the November general election.
Now comes the hard part: The state party, and various Democratic organizations and individual activists, all are responsible for these successes. All of us should give one another credit and accolades, not devolve into competition regarding who did the most. If we cannot work together effectively, without all the competition, I fear all we have gained will be lost.
We have a lot of work to do to support all those candidates we recruited and got qualified. We cannot do it if we won't work with each other.
Equally important, liberal and progressive groups MUST recognize that the Florida Democratic Party is back, gaining in effectiveness, energizing Democrats to get to the polls in the August primary and the November general election. Whatever past grievances you have, get over it. The Democratic Party in Florida is all of us, the over 4 million registered Democrats, not the person who made you mad in 2020 or 2018, or 2000.
Continuing to put down the state and local parties will harm our ability to get Democrats out to vote. Cut it out.
We all need to work together now to end the one-party autocratic rule in Florida, and stop it from happening in the U.S. There is no excuse for continuing behavior that got us Trump 2016.
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