How To be An Opposition with Senator Chris Murphy
Episode 315
VOTE FOR THE WORST OF THE TRUMP ADMIN
James and Al welcome Connecticut Senator Chris Murphy to lay out the implications of our attack on Iran’s nuclear sites, explore the risk of blowback in the face of regime change, and investigate the role of Israel and our domestic MIC in our foreign policy. They also examine the threats Trump’s budget bill poses to the country, particularly those who rely on social programs. Then, our hosts discuss Mamdani’s win in the NYC Mayoral primary, and what his triumph over former NY Governor Andrew Cuomo means for the future of the party and who its voters will ultimately support.
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I was disappointed about your remarks about Mamdani and I think you're wrong in suggesting that he could throw the mayoral race to a Republican for several reasons.
(1) He is appealing, bluntly and straightforwardly, to what Democrats shy away from: material self-interest. Democrats have sunk themselves with voters by promising to do for the Other--the environment, migrants, and all the wretched of the earth rather than appealing to voters plain selfish self-interest in money and material benefits: free busses, rent freezes, childcare. Voters are telling Democrats 'you can take your virtue and shove it--GIMME! Gimme money, gimme stuff--gimme for ME'.
(2) Rhetoric about 'Communists' sounds comic now--the Cold War has been over for decades. Trumpsters use the rhetoric--'communists, far-left lunatics' etc. liturgically--no one knows or cares what it means much less takes it seriously;
(3) Judging from myself--I'm someone that hates cool politicians which isn't to say I don't vote for them. Couldn't stand Obama--can't stand Buddigieg (sp?) or Beto. I hate cool--my gut feeling on this are with the working class. I like this guy so I think that's a predictor of the sentiment of others who are offended by cool, and by 'elites'.
Also, I think you're misrepresenting him in saying he wants to take over grocery stores. What he's proposing--on which he's unlikely to deliver--is to get something more like supermarkets into neighborhoods. Been to any bodegas recently? When my husband and I were young and foolish we lived in a slum tenement in the lower east side before gentrification. And there were indeed bodegas on every corner. And they were very expensive because they couldn't take advantage of economies of scale; they didn't sell fresh veg; they were dirty and the food was crap.
Everyone running for office will have some issues. We should support primaries and the candidates elected in them. A bigger tent will work much better than ideological purity. What works for NYC may not work in Virginia but it is not a reason to run it down. As an FYI, Richmond Va has had fare free public transportation since COVID, it is very popular with broad support. James’s continuing rant against progressives is getting old. We’re better off with a tent that has room for an AOC and a Joe Manchin.