Kudos to the brave warriors for your win. Now be yourself and do the right thing for the nation. Address the issues people care for (job education, health care, climate and border control). Be pragmatic and united. Work as a cohesive team. Our nation is hijacked by special interest group lobbyists. Find some ways to clean the influence. Be brave and bold. Don’t come up with frivolous slogans like the con man does. Be responsible. Refrain from “Medicare for all”, “free college education”. We have trillions of budget deficit and we have no means to pay for them. Work on deficit reduction and be fiscally accountable unlike the irresponsible Republican Party. We have high hopes for you- please do the right thing and save our nation from the descpicable acts of the con man pathological liar in the White House.
"Angry about a more inclusive nation, nostalgic for a past when white men had a monopoly on power and the rest of us knew our place."
Not a Trumpie, but if you think THIS, then you still don't get it and Democrats will have a hard time building on their victories. No, we males are not running around thinking these crazy thoughts you think we are.
1
"many other Trump loyalists sent the message that the president does indeed represent their America: Angry about a more inclusive nation, nostalgic for a past when white men had a monopoly on power and the rest of us knew our place."
This kind of silly, oversimplified rhetoric is representative of why liberals can't understand how Trump won, and the fact that the NYT would NEVER give valued op-ed space for anyone to mis-characterize liberals or their policies this way shows the bias that exists in today's MSM. (and before you comment to point out this isn't a news article, I know that, but this was approved by an editorial board that would never allow a similar slam from the other side and they make editorial news decisions with the same prejudice every day).
1) We're not mad about an inclusive America. We don't like illegality. Not in immigration or in the conduct of people here legally, regardless of their color. When you try to make us accept and embrace illegality from anyone, yes, we get angry. That reality shouldn't earn a tag of racist or xenophobe.
2) Most of us don't long for the days of white male power. Which is why we elected Kay Ivey governor in Alabama, and Kim Reynolds in Iowa, and Marsha Blackburn in TN... all over white males BTW. We happen to believe that a women's place includes governor's mansions, and Congress and in Nikki Haley's case the UN and maybe one day the White House. We just don't like liberals, of any gender, in these places.
1
Had the Feminist, MeToo, and TimesUp hadn't decided to run into the Kavanaugh hearing wearing a political suicide vest the Senate would be Democrat and the house majority even bigger. Congratulation on the "year of the women' which could have been far better and ultimately far less temporary. Women will do in Congress what they have always done when voters put them into political power, demand more free stuff, paid for by someone else.
1
Interesting take on things. The Democrats have gotten pummeled nationwide the last eight years or so while Pelosi, Feinstein, and Hillary Clinton were the face of the party.
So - if my math is correct - females grew from 113 to 117 (Both Houses and Governorships)
WOW! A whole 3%.
Roll - Female Candidates - Roll
With apologies to the Crimson Tide
1
"The women are here, and the expectation is that they will do what women so often do: act as a cleanup crew."
Why so more than the rest of the Democrats that now have a majority (which they did not earlier)? I know this is an opinion piece, but any evidence to provide other than your opinion?
Many important things have to be fought for but there isn't a "gender war" all the time, everywhere, for everything. Let's all just relax, enjoy the results and have a Margarita.
1
tiresome ms filipovic...glass ceiling, glass cliff...what's next glass tunnel, glass cloud?
glib and as glib always is, is unhelpful...generalization, jargon, classiifcation are reductive, a step toward stereotyping...not all republican are misogynistic racists, not all democrats are even true democrats much less raging factionalists...now, with the house under new management, let's see if our electeds will settle for getting even or strive to get better.
1
These women had the strength, energy, and courage to run. I have no doubt that they are up to the task of confronting injustice, especially if they band together. Never underestimate the power of women multiplied. They won't waste time seeking approval or patting themselves on the back. They'll simply do the work.
4
Prior to now, there have been two periods of great upwelling of political activism among American women. The first was in the 1910s, as the woman suffrage movement climaxed as a true mass movement. The second was in the late 1960s and into the 70s. Both of these uprisings of political engagement left great and beneficial changes in their wake.
We now may have entered a third major upsurge in political activism among American women. The election results now in hand are the strongest evidence yet that a third major assertion of women's power (demand for power wrongly denied) is occurring. If this is indeed the case, I have no doubt that the results will be large and highly beneficial.
1
You had better be "worried about all they're asked to do" because it involves a 50% of the population extension of the race war the democratic party and neo Marxists have been working to start in this nation for decades. And trying to shove all white males (but not Jewish ones!) into poverty and perhaps Gulags like they have in China is likely to not end well, because rather than lay down and wail about being victims, we - the Left's personification of all evil will fight back.
"Women made the blue wave." You're darned right! Thank you for saving our country. Without you, the fight would have been over before it could begin.
1
Women have as many differences among themselves as do men. Some of those elected to Congress came from families with political connections or had husbands worth millions. If Harry Reid is your dad's best friend (Catherine Cortez Masto) or your husband is worth $25 million (Nancy Pelosi), your road to Congress is well paved. But if your military service got you there (Duckworth) or you had to deal with a father who was an alcoholic and a compulsive gambler (Hirono), then you got there on your own and you t have little in common with those born with a silver spoon.
Treating women office holders as if they all followed the same route to power and they all have a similar agenda distorts the truth.
Totally inane! Does this woman have a clue what it takes to get elected to the House as a first time candidate? Sure, some first time candidates lost. So what? And yes each woman who won a seat in the House will make a difference...and make it easier to elect other women and others from underrepresented groups. And I sure do hope these new women do what women have always done: clean up.messes made by men!
1
Women made the wave blue.
All that we have to do is read.
Some prefer to dress like flags.
More understand Tax Cut Debt.
Those grown-ups are returning.
Raiding opportunists are outed.
The big dummy keeps-on lying.
That anchor will sink that baby.
This is true. We over anticipated with Pres.Obama. People kept forgetting he had a very hostile Republican Congress to contend with.
Now the women will just be able to do so much with a hostile Republican senate with McConnell running it. Old Mitch has no intention of cooperating with Democrats. Like he said when Obama was elected the 1st time.....he would start that very day to obstruct Obama's agenda and work toward him never getting a second term. That didn't work out well for the country or Mitch. Mitch is a selfish old man who is way past his time to serve.
Democrats stopped the bleeding and retook the House. A record number of women voted, ran, and won.
That's enough for now. Take a breath. Enjoy today.
28
By making this about identity politics you draw more attention and scrutiny. Just start producing and delivering and flying under the radar. By focusing on the output, vs input, race and gender will no longer be an issue.
When feminists start bragging about the merits of a candidate rather than myoptically focusing on their sex, then we will not only have a real revolution, but we will be more successful. Women do NOT vote based on a single criteria -sex-nor should they. When dems start realizing this, maybe we will start wining more statewide and national elections
It's not clean-up. It's amends. Fifty-two percent of white women who voted, voted for Trump and the GOP.
At least the author is honest, she is for more women in government, but only if they agree with her.
1
According to the link, there are now a total of 117 women in the Senate, the House, and elected as governors. Before the election there were 113. There are a few races undecided. But still, if there was a women's wave, it was much too small to surf. And, for the record, the as-yet undecided Arizona Senate election was between a female Trump supporter and a female Blue Dog whose campaigns were embarrassingly bad. Not all elected women are capable candidates.
A nod to another woman, who was a big part of that wave, Nancy Pelosi, who finished very strong last night. Her predecessor, Paul Ryan, skulks away with the mocking words of Donald Trump ringing in his ears.
Ms Pelosi was hammered in Republican ads, as if she was on every ballot in the nation. She has been lambasted by Dems as being too old and out of touch. Yet when all the results were tallied, she clobbered all of them.
She is going to be of great service to the newly seated House Representatives. She will help teach them the ropes and channel their enthusiasm. There are many traps for young players.
Bravo Nancy!
4
Word to the wise: you are not important. Who you are is not important. It's who the voters are that is important. If you keep insisting on serving up spinach you will be out of business and back to complaining about how unfair it all is.
Find out what people want and sell that. Years down the line, you may find they will buy what you're selling today. But they won't necessarily buy it now.
I worked on an all female campaign staff for local State Senator, also a woman. The volunteers were largely women and they were like locusts descending; they tore through any phone bank, canvass, fundraising, poll monitoring - you name it. They were out planting signs at 11pm at night, making calls to a low turnout precinct last night at 7:30 - there was nothing they wouldn't do and they wouldn't stop. This was my reality and I should be able to say this without men feeling condemned or identity politiks losing their damn minds. Obviously, women are not represented in government at the same rate as their population, but a sea change is underway. So let's give a shout out to the pink hats today!
33
Yes, but remember the US Senate voted to confirm judge Brett Kavanaugh to the supreme court, handing Donald Trump a major victory and America a bench expected to tilt to the right for the next generation.
1
I don’t agree that it’s a clean up job. No one can quickly eradicate the damages done. It is really instead an evolution of consciousness and cultural revolution in which women are gaining political power for the first time.
1
@Southern Boy re your celebration of Martha Blackburn's win as a woman with her advocacy for the unborn.
I too wish that everyone who conceived a child were a fully responsible adult, emotionally and financially prepared to nurture the child to adulthood.
Given that this is not always the case, I ask that you note the biological fact that it takes a male as well as a female to conceive a child.
If you are going to try to legislate that all conceptions must be brought to term, I would ask you to also note that, once the child is born, he or she will need to be raised well to adulthood, starting with 24-hour care, food, shelter, etc.--costing money for at least a couple of decades.
Now, with DNA technology, we have the ability to determine paternity. If the government is going to require that the pregnancy be brought to term, it makes sense that the government should also require that the biological father financial support the child for at least 2 decades, whether the pregnancy is the result of a 1-night stand or a long term relationship. As a Southern Boy, you I'm sure appreciate honor and responsibility.
The government should keep a database of men's DNA and hold to account men who might otherwise be tempted to shirk their share of responsibility for the life of the child.
If you advocate for this as full-heartedly as you fight against abortion, I would at least respect you as an honorable, morally consistent Southern Man.
9
"Mr. Trump’s win 'showed you that anyone can do this,'"
On the contrary. Trump's inadequate policy knowledge, lack of understanding of science, history and global geopolitics, and his insular experience as the head of his family business is causing us problems that we'll be solving long after he's gone.
1
I think it is possible that at least a few of the voters who picked Republicans were not actually "angry about a more inclusive nation, nostalgic for a past when white men had a monopoly on power and the rest of us knew our place."
Serious commentators should not become political agitators - on either side. I would expect an honest effort to avoid clichés and gratuitous insults. Liberals are right to fault Trump for his no-holds-barred rhetoric, but they debase their arguments if they don't behave any better.
3
I am a male but I support a women's wave....Republican women. We need diversity of views. Most liberal D women don't think R women count. That's very unfortunate.
3
It is wonderful that more women ran and more women won. Let us first celebrate this fact in and of itself. Even if the women are conservatives, even if they are anti-abortion, the simple fact of having more women in congress is great. And let's hope we soon reach a point where it'll be about 50/50 and we won't even talk about it anymore.
We liberals need to be very careful about placing extra expectations on female candidates. In addition to all the other pressures that every politician faces, we assume the right to expect them to support our liberal, feminist agenda, to be strongly in favor of abortion rights, to be dubious about Brett Kavanaugh or whatever.
But while most women will fit this pattern, we do not have the right to place this added burden more on women than we do on men - because in doing so, we're limiting them. In fact, possibly what the US needs right now, more than anything else, is more women and people of color on the Conservative side of the aisle, as this might do wonders for bi-partisanship and communication between the two parties.
I have no problem with women in politics; the first candidate whose campaign I worked on in the late 1960's was a female who won a seat on the Niagara County legislature. However, it was her position on the issues which inspired me, not her position while urinating.
Perhaps I am an aberration, but I do not care about a candidate's gender, religion, race, or hair color. I care about the candidate's ability to represent my ideas and ideals, the candidate's ability to logically process the facts and come up with reasonable responses, and the candidate's ability to work with others of every party. These, to me, are the only important factors in determining who I vote for.
5
I appreciate your worries Ms. Filipovic, these are worrying times; but rather than wheeling out the old tropes about what obstacles women have to face, why not start a new set of tropes? About how effective they can be, how tough they can be? What I fear almost more than the underhanded tricks of the Republicans is the "non-partisan mainstream media" picking up on these old tropes and piling onto these women, like they did when Elizabeth Warren released her DNA. There are always 2 possible narratives, as Republicans know well; it is time that Democrats and the mainstream media learn to lean on those narratives.
1
Yes, women will have to work harder than men, and the pressure on them will be greater than on their male colleagues. I look forward to women continuing to gain power, and men having to give up some of theirs. We will continue working as hard as long as it takes, and it will get easier every time we gain a seat at the table.
Democratic women who lost in states where insecure voting machines, and suspicious snarls and snafus took place should demand transparent recounts. A small sampling:
- Kentucky: rampant problems
http://www.wdrb.com/story/39407281/kentucky-officials-defend-voting-mach...
- Missouri: Ballot-counting machines fail again...
https://www.kansascity.com/news/politics-government/election/article2212...
- Arizona: Maricopa Co. with 3/4 of state's voters; continuous problems....
https://www.azcentral.com/story/news/politics/elections/2018/11/06/arizo...
4
It is about time and encouraging that women made so many gains in seeking political power and I hope women may bring more humanity and civility to our method of governing. But two words of caution: Marsha Blackburn, whom I hope is the exception that proves the rule.
5
Can't we just have one day to rejoice? I have a feeling this op-ed piece was all written and ready to go, knowing there would be a lot of women elected to Congress this term. Personally, despite the nay-saying, I think women are up to the challenge, and it's up to us to get behind them and support them every way we can.
Our Democratic woman House candidate defeated by a comfortable margin the Republican woman House candidate in MI-11.
A Democratic woman also won our State House district 41. Well done.
This is a welcome shift after a series of awful Republican men held those seats for many years.
However, notice that either way, a woman was going to win it. It is not just Democratic women who have arrived. It is all women. We also elected a woman as Governor and re-elected another as our Senator. For my various offices, it is women top to bottom, Federal and State too, and all Democrats.
In other places, Republican women won too. For me, some would have been women even if Republican.
The story of women in politics is much bigger than just the narrow focus. Things will never be all-men again.
9
Don't rain on their parade! There will undoubtedly be a few setbacks for these women, but they will succeed. We will see even more female and minority winners in future elections.
Hooray!
7
The author of this article is no doubt right that the women who gained house seats for the Democrats "face the monumental task of cleaning up our current mess, one made, for the most part, by men — without taking credit for their efforts." We know that they will take abuse for their efforts.
Hate-speech tweets and speeches will continue, aimed at Trump's new congressional opponents.
It falls to the responsibility of journalists, then, to deal with the continuous, oppressive attacks coming from the White House. The new female contingent in the House of Representatives has its work cut out for every one of these newly elected members. They should not be distracted by Trump's personal racist or sexist attacks.
News workers, report on their efforts, their successes and failures. Do not focus first on Trump's noisemaking about their efforts to restore decency and balance to government. If you lead with reports on their work, you may wake up some of his somnulent supporters who want to see a functional federal government restored.
4
I continue to be struck by how white and male the Republican officials are and the contrast with the Democrats' field of well, every kind of person there is.
And I tire of the men who write in complaining about "identity politics." How might you feel if there were no white men in leadership positions? Just think, you might feel like laws were written without your legitimate concerns in mind. You might feel like you were voiceless and unheard. And you might just think that it was a really good thing when someone who shared your life experiences was elected to government.
94
@democritic "the contrast with the Democrats' field of well, every kind of person there is"
Not looking very hard are you. Plenty of women and non-white people in the Republican Party, both supporters and officials. Besides, shouldn't we want to elect the person who we decide is the best for the position and not base it on ethnicity or gender.
3
@democritic
"How might you feel if there were no white men in leadership positions? Just think, you might feel like laws were written without your legitimate concerns in mind. "
Any examples of what would "legitimate concerns" limited to white men be?
1
This middle-aged white guy is sick of middle-aged white guys and would love for anyone else to be in charge.
6
It's about time we hear from Jill again, always concise in her comments, and pointing out that women, our better half, have always been the 'cleaning crew' after we men screw things up. Granted, there are a few exceptions 'a la Marsha Blackburn', but the vast majority of women are more down to earth than we men are, and protective of Mother Earth, and more ready to compromise so the noble job of serving others in the community may be achieved. This, by participating in the political process and by contributing as candidates in their onw elections. Now that the House is in democrats' hands, a sense of justice shall return, and allow a stoppage of the malevolent abuse of power 'a la Trump and a la McConnell'. There is nothing sweeter than a balance of power, so this democracy con work as intended. Still worried? I guess that's the name of the game, but now at least a chance to restore order, to muzzle the constant lies and insults of a runaway ugly American in-chief gone 'loco'. Women will be the vehicle to reduce the violence of inequality, and promote the essential discussions needed to restore decency, and based on the facts (reality as is), and the truth, so sorely absent until today.
5
From this old white male, thank you to the women who stepped up as candidates and supporters to save the ship of state from its cruel captain.
40
I felt this same way when Lisa Murkowski and Susan Collins were put under the spotlight and challenged to resist, block, the confirmation of Brett Kavanaugh as a Supreme Court Justice. Why were the moderate Republican women expected to save us all from a judge who had displayed himself as vengeful, childish, and self-pitying .... and, most likely, a liar ?
Why weren’t those big strong moderate Republican men, including those who planned to run for re-election, expected to lift a finger?
109
@Deborah
There are "big strong moderate Republican men?"
Where?
27
@Deborah. Because that's the expectation YOU put on them. Collins didn't want anything to do with it, and Murkowski didn't even bother voting (she just hide behind Manchin's no vote for her). The only one who did any heavy lifting when it came to Brett Kavanaugh was Jeff Flake.
Congrats YOUNG Democrats, female and male alike. Please, save us from our parents.
4
If you want to maintain or grow female membership in Congress, the formula is simple.
Don't govern as women, govern as Americans.
Obama learned this. He ran as an American and not as an identity obsessed black.
Hillary ran as an identity obsessed female and not as an American.
Obama served two terms and Hillary was relegated to the trash heap political history.
11
This article is much too negative and predicated on fear. Stop fearing the female! They will all do well. They bring overwhelmingly enthusiasm, momentum, fresh outlooks, and a strong morals to do right for this country. They are backed by countless women and they will do great. The time of the white male domination is over, the tide has turned.
25
@Tj Dellaport I think the article is spot on. In the work place women have continually been made the scapegoat for when things go wrong and when things go right women don’t get the credit they deserve. This is not something that is isolated to the workplace. We see it in politics quite often.
15
@Tj Dellaport
I agree with you...we need to celebrate these qualities more and stop buying into the impossibilities that have stifled possibilities for too long.
4
@Tj Dellaport totally agree it is negative and fear mongering- actually demeaning to the accomplishments of these women and our culture who elected them
3
"The disastrous, proto-authoritarian presidency of Donald Trump came to be because a black man occupied the office before him, and then a woman challenged him"
No it didn't. What an incredibly simplistic statement. If it was so horrible to have a black man in the White House, how did he get re-elected? Fairly easily, I might add?
Does Hilary Clinton have any personal qualities at all? Were we supposed to just look at "Woman Candidate" and vote for or against her based on that alone?
A very lazy statement indeed, and one that shows the author's contempt for the American people in bold colors.
8
You have hit exactly on all my concerns (e.g. that women only get given the job when it's a close-to-hopeless task, that women who lost will again be chastised about "identity politics" notwithstanding that politics has always been about identity and who deserves what, etc etc.)
What I wish journalists and editorialists would do is tell us, the public, how we can contribute to giving the women and men fighting for us more tools they can use to help them do the job we need them to do. Are there legal options to challenging gerrymandering, are there ways to create successful public awareness of policy proposals meant to harm people economically, how to present content to people who don't want to hear it or have been brainwashed to disbelieve correct information, and on and on.
33
And what of Tennessee? The woman Senator-elect is a more ardent Trump supporter than a lot of other Republicans.
6
There will always be Russia to influence politics and powerful trillionnaires to finance the next round of Cambridge Analytica (under whatever name).
So any apparent Democratic victory is only temporary.
1
Very good - take a victory and immediately turn it into a problem. Nothing like a little handwringing on the morning after the election. Oh, and let us know if your worries include, just for two examples, Nancy Pelosi and Elizabeth Warren.
5
There is no question that having more women in Congress will be a good thing for the US. Unfortunately redeeming this benighted nation is going to fall squarely on their shoulders. But they can hardly do worse than the men who have been running the show and their ascendance gives me at least a small bit of hope for this country.
43
African-Americans are also stereotypically cast in roles of cleaning up others' messes. Barack Obama inherited a major mess, and he did a decent cleanup job, despite the added burden of strong opposition from Senate Republican leader Mitch McConnell and billionaire Republican campaign contributors. Women will be put to the test. Those who won, by definition, ran very effective campaigns, so now they need to turn their talents to governing.
10
From my male and feminist point of view, I say- we must keep fighting. 2020 is right around the corner, and there's a lot of Republican senators who will be hanging on by a chad, Trump will probably still be blathering offensively, and we could take the Senate AND the Presidency. Let's keep fighting!
I personally am happy since I live in Ny-19, where Antonio Delgado beat John Faso handily. That's HUGE for this rural area!
21
Yes, but the women winning were doing so on the basis of their own accomplishments, not as feminist icons. It's a very different thing I think.
13
@Mike Livingston. Many women would not be able to perform their accomplishments without the feminist icons running interference, clearing the path.
9
@Mike Livingston. Women win on the basis of our accomishments, yes, not on the basis of white male privilege.
12
My heart is singing that Ms. Kelly beat the traitorous, cheating Kobach. Thank You, Ms. Kelly, for having the courage to run and to your supporters for working diligently to win. Congratulations.
Thanks to ALL the courageous women who stepped up to take one-half the power to bring balance to OUR United States of America. We are counting on you to be Socially Conscious when doing your work.
Women must continue to challenge the male power-over model in every segment of society and fight to protect the human rights their creator endowed them with. Powerful men will not give up easily but they are no match for over one-half the population of OUR United States of America and the world.
Press on girls, ladies, women in all walks of life. NOW is the time for real change in America and the world. Do not give up the rights our female ancestors fought so hard to win.
Not now. Not ever again.
44
That, Mr. Pikul, is because men have tried to suppress women since the catholic church started the crusades centuries ago.
OUR story of balanced power starts now because Socially Conscious Women will not stand by and "ask" for rights. They will DEMAND and fight like hell for them.
8
Yes, it was a woman's wave led by the historic victory of Marsha Blackburn in Tennessee, the first woman to represent the Volunteer state in the US Senate. Ms. Blackburn is a staunch defender of the unborn, she speaks for those who have no voice, who have no say in the fact they were the result of selfish reckless behavior. An inconvenience. I wish her luck over the next 6 years. Thank you.
8
@Southern Boy
Blackburn isn’t leading and doesn’t represent the movement of women who won office yesterday. Also, FYI, the CSA lost its bid to exist as a nation sanctioning and depending on slavery.
10
@Southern Boy
Ms. Blackburns's support of the current POTUS' worst traits is unfortunate. It's unfortunate for Tennessee that she did win.
9
@Southern Boy Sorry kid, but some of the people who 'have no voice' are in their mid-50's and any other age group you might think of. The 'unborn' are not the only voiceless creatures in this country, or the world. But some of you 'southern boys' don't seem to care one snit about them. What do they have to do to earn your 'concern'?
11
Lets be honest. Trump wasn't elected because Obama occupied the office before him, or Hillary challenged him. Trump came to power because the Democrats in their desire to placate left wing of the party abandoned working class voters. Trump came to power because the left wing of the party is dragging us into culture wars we will never win. The left never stops mocking the working class. You're bad for eating factory-farmed meat, owning a rifle, & driving an SUV. You're bad for speaking the language of micro-aggressions, patriarchy, & cultural appropriation.The left has become self-righteous & obsessed with trivial issues that have made Dems a national laughing stock. The working class has legitimate concerns & we aren't listening anymore. All of this done in a desperate attempt to please the strident advocates of identity politics. Progressive Democrats misunderstand diversity. Spend 3 minutes listening to them being interviewed about almost anything and the conversation inevitably turns to the “number” of women, Latinos, LGBTQ, African-Americans running to be the FIRST to do this or that. How about allowing the color of people’s skin to speak for itself & invest time & energy touting how the party... or even better...how THEY will craft superior legislation. Diversity is about harnessing everyone’s strengths to accomplish common objectives ...yes? Until the Dems can engage working class voters on actual economic OUTCOMES, they will continue to be beaten by the GOP machine.
25
@Bill Brown Yup. The irony is that a progressive agenda (living wage, good public schools, healthcare, fair tax system) benefits the working and lower middle class. The progressive agenda is certainly better for working class voters than the Republican agenda of expanding the deficit with more tax cuts for the rich paid for by gutting public schools, Medicaid and Medicare. (When those are gutted more, say goodbye to your local hospital even if you're not on M or M.)
23
@Bill Brown,
I completely agree with you; your's is a voice of sanity from California, one of the few I have heard, maybe the only one allowed to speak. Yours and Victor Davis Hansen's. Thank you.
4
You mean the white working class of course. They did indeed vote more to "own the libs" than on economics in the last election. But that's always been true -- people vote on feelings and tribalism rather than facts. And I don't agree that Dems should pander to white working class voters (especially those ironically raging against "identity politics" while they are stewing in identity grievances/resentment themselves). Telling large segments of your base -- (many of whom have been marginalized for a lot longer than 3 minutes) to effectively "sit down and shut up" because it annoys the old, shrinking portion of the base isn't good strategy.
3
It is thrilling to see so many women run for office and unabashedly talk about their families in their campaign.
But isn't it time to put to rest the implied notion that women are a monolithic group? Aren't there women who openly support Trump and his misogyny? Aren't there women who don't think that a woman could be the POTUS?
It is time to start talking about women in a more textured manner. Just as in the case of African Americans or Hispanics or Asians.
30
@chickenlover Those are the 'dishonest' women who wish to keep out of sight while pulling strings on their spouse. I'd rather see women who claim their own ideas, and actually GET THE CREDIT for the good ones they have, while taking the heat for the bad ones.
3
I am sick of identity politics. Policy is what motivates me. Green Party and RANKED VOTING is our only hope.
8
@Richard Katz DO. Ranked Choice voting for sure. Time to lobby the state legislatures.
1
@Richard Katz DO. If we had a Parliamentary system, third or fourth parties would work. We don't. The Greens gave us Trump. Look at the numbers. If the Greens had voted for Clinton, she would have won Pennsylvania. That is how it works. We do not have a Parliamentary system.
8
@Richard Katz DO. The Green Party, regardless of its worthy ideas, has thrown many an election to the wolves. Better they should run somewhere they could actually win and put their ideas into play.
5
For this supporter of Due Process of Law, it was a relief to see Claire McCaskill voted out of the Senate.
Thank you Missouri for your support of decency and fairness.
10
"The disastrous, proto-authoritarian presidency of Donald Trump came to be because a black man occupied the office before him, and then a woman challenged him; "
Ms. Filipovic this statement stands on its own answering the questions, Who, What, Why, When we find ourselves living in a climate of extreme turbulence. This statement speaks to the authentic character of the private djt.
I believe his win was a tipoff from the universe that prejudice, discrimination, or antagonism directed against someone of a different race and gender has been hiding in the woodwork for a long time.
"We can look at this new Congress and see more women and people of color dotting the long-monochrome landscape of overwhelmingly white, mostly-male faces, and recognize that progress has come, fragile as it may be."
I agree, as "fragile as it may be" we answered the wakeup call. I celebrate this day for this is the beginning of a long journey bringing our nation back to the middle. 'This' is who WE are.
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It's progress. The more balanced representation is the more fair and less bullying government will be. Republicans became even more openly racist and misogynistic. DeSantis and Kemp and others did not just skirt racism, xenophobia and abuse of power, they crossed the line.
It is telling with Trump that instead of governing the country, he ricocheted (at taxpayer expense) around from one red state to another claiming a black Yale law graduate or an experienced and charismatic mayor were unfit and unqualified while continuing to attack victims of sexual assault.
No coalition building, no reaching out to women or young people or minorities. Inciting angry white men through some 30 lies a day, tweeting about invasions of brown children, and campaigning with Fox propagandists is not being an American president. It is auditioning for a reality show dictator.
Meanwhile you have determined and awakened voters who came within two or three percentage points of replacing deep red state GOP cookie cutter smug callous white men with new leaders who actually cared about healthcare, rights, and the concerns of men, women, and children.
Next time.
30
One wonders how long it will take to simply elect the best person for the job?
Seems quaint in a way.
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@Plennie Wingo, in America it is often assumed that the man is the best person for the job. We are not as enlightened as the Swiss.
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I hate to break this to you, but in one of the local races here, I voted for a man (democrat) against a women (republican and Trump wannabe). That sounds like it was against the resistance but I would do it again. We need to stop this genderizing of politics that women are fighting against Trump and Men are supporting him as that could turn into a self-fulfilling prophecy. There were many women candidates tonight who were Trump supporters and who could not have won without women's support. And at least 2 female senators lost their seats because women voted in larger numbers for the Trump supporting male candidates. Never forget that 53% of white women voted for Trump in 2016 and that it will take both men and women to save us from that disastrous decision.
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"In addition to Ms. Abrams’s contest, Claire McCaskill and Heidi Heitkamp did not hold on to their Senate seats."
Women or not, both burned following the cultural Marxist -Feinstein-Pelosi agenda.
Pelosi's House comportment and ability to get things done will determine the DNC Politburo's fortune in 2020--i.e., expectations are high center left and Antifa left. The Senate and the Executive will not make it a simple task.
Good news for RNC Politburo--no Bernie Socialism on the horizon.
8
Tuesday was triumphant for a great number of women. Still, it felt bittersweet to also consider that refusal to support Kavanaugh also led to defeats.
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@NM
An attack based on vaporware from a generation ago and Feinstein malfeasance. Such nastiness the Senate has not seen in more than a generation.
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@NM
Yes but what did Sarah Palin say and think about this election?
Michelle Bachman?
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@NM
Supporting sexual assaulters and liars while attacking victims is the GOP playbook these days. If there had been an actual investigation of Kavanaugh including interviews with the almost 40 witnesses who could collaborate the accusations in part, the outcome would have been different. Most Americans believed Dr. Blasey Ford and opposed Kavanaugh. These were votes of true conscience and courage. Collins should be ashamed.
31
Our own Senator Murray (WA) has been a wonderful representative for us. Yes, everything Ms. Filipovic says is correct. In particular, the deplorably unfit Mr. Trump will represent an unprecedented challenge for these new legislators. All the same I hope they can follow Murray's example, and I hope she can show them how she was able to accomplish so much on our behalf.
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@Robert
Yes but the Republican Party is still the partisan political preference of a majority of white females of every significant socioeconomic educational ethnic sectarian age geographic demographic.
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@Blackmamba
Thanks for your reply. I agree. The only possible explanation is that they are motivated by the same thing that motivates the Trump white men, namely, fear of losing their unearned and unmerited white entitlements and prerogatives. Yes, they are also sucked in like the rest of the Trump cult by the Trump lies, demonization and fear.
4