I LOVE Ben Wikler! As a WI resident and someone who has been deeply involved in WisDems here (our Dem party where Ben is at the helm) his MO has been mobilize, mobilize, MOBILIZE all year long….we have a very strong presence here and he made sure that all 72 counties here have a presence, and thru his leadership, WisDems runs a very well,run and tight ship. Thru his tutelage, we now have more of a democracy than we had in 12-15 years!!! Being involved w/ WisDems, I saw first hand how these efforts actually WORKED!!! Ben is fiery, motivated, organized, and has such a strong work,ethic and he doesn’t get discouraged by BIG challenges!!! Ok, if he wins, (I think he has probably the best shot w/ his proven record) I would be sad to,see him go, but knowing him-he wouldn’t leave without having a firm, developed program strongly in place to continue his work….as we sure don’t want to lose the gains we’ve made here with democracy so under threat STILL here in WI. The WISCO court race is a case in point! We have to CONTINUE the groundwork he has laid as WI CHAIR, esp as our State Supreme Court Dem majority seems absolutely ESSENTIAL in holding democracy in place. GOOD LUCK, BEN!!!! You seem to have the STRONGEST CHANCE OF WINNING!!!!!👏👏🙏
Idaho Dems desperately needs a man like that here. We have 14 Democrats Republicans 91 and it gets worse with every election cycle. I don't even recognize my birth state anymore and I'm scared to death for my grandchildren.
Encouraging to see WI and MN results and progress. Kamala sure could have spread the billion around the Country as her swing states all lost. Kept saying for 3 months she is putting the same destination on her plane flight plan. Stephanie, one of her managers, campaign looked micromanaged to me. No long term plan to reach millions.
We could use Ben’s brand of leadership in Indiana for sure. Pretty sure I won’t have to look far to find volunteer options close to home that will help democracy prevail. Even better if all states are following the same path!
I’ll say!!!! Ever since he came on board in 2018, he has transformed our state into more of a working democracy in more than a decade! He actually was successful at tearing into the destructive and disastrous things Scott Walker had done to WI. NO SMALL FEAT!
Thank you for having Ben on the show! Marc, you’re an excellent interviewer among other great qualities of yours. Both of you are true patriots and have done so much for your country! Thank you!
We need a Ben Wikler in every State! Marc, your mission, should you choose to accept, is to help bring to light the Ben's in each state! 🥰 Thanks to both of you for a great discussion!
Yes! please communicate with the citizens! People want transparency and information on GOOD policies as much as possible and it must be delivered. The other side is constantly flooding the zone with so much disinformation.
Idaho tv air has 4 far-right republican channels to watch, Democrat channels ZERO. The Democrat party here us literally being snuffed out. It scary as hell!!
I'm pleased to hear the enthusiasm and concern in Mr. Wikler's voice. I hope he can deliver on some of his projections. I have been deeply disappointed--nay, disgusted, with the lackluster in the leadership of the last few Chairs. Time to harness the power of the DNC and get something done!
Ben's one of the few elected officials I go out of my way to listen to. Thank you Marc! I wish I could afford to pay for a membership but am on a tight, fixed income
Love Ben. What we stand for has to be paired with specific policies and how to get them passed. Commodification of essential human needs must stop. Trudeau resigned today because of his neoliberal ideology. Don’t be afraid of democratic socialism ….the youth are not. We need them back. I’m 74 btw
Chuck Schumer endorsing Ben Wikler was very surprising but gives me some hope that even the Party Establishment gets it. If Ben wins the election I'll have hope for the Dems moving forward.
Just learning who Mr Ben Wikler is. Blessings to you and I love the conversation and the well articulated Vision for Democrats to speak to the people ongoing. The last guy was MIA except when something disastrous happened. Just what we need here.
I agree. It is time to focus on local elections in 2025. Taking back Congress in 2026 and a full sweep of the White House, the House, and the Senate in 2028
What are democratic leaders going to do to address the corruption of the oligarchs, specifically, Musk who bought influence and who is in breach of federal Contracts Rules AND security?
I remain livid with the Dem Party writ large, starting with Joe Biden's hubris to run for a 2nd term as President, essentially excluding any viable, younger Dem challengers. I was so disgusted with Biden running for a 2nd term, that as lifelong Dems, my husband and I sat out the 2024 Dem Primary in North Carolina as a protest. If Biden had stayed at the top of the ticket, we would have stayed home and not voted at all in November 2024. However, we showed up and voted for Kamala Harris and Dems down-ballot all the way. Thankfully, in North Carolina, some Dem candidates, including for Governor and Attorney General, won their races. However, I remain livid at the DNC overall and the entire top-of-house Dem leadership, for choosing to disregard national polls that showed Biden had abysmal numbers amongst all American voters and amongst Dem registered voters, too, well before Biden ran in the Dem primary. Biden, his inner circle, and our elected Dem leaders in Washington, DC, disregarded all of the early, national polling at their and our peril. I emailed the White House and various Dem officials at least 1 year before the Dem Primary, and begged Biden to please, "pass the baton" to a new generation of younger leaders and not run for a 2nd term. This was well before Biden's abysmal debate with Trump in which Biden's confusion and apparent, significant declines in physical health and mental acuity. I believe that Dem leadership and Biden's inner circle all knew he had declined significantly but chose not to disclose this to the American people. The Dem Party leadership has severely damaged the Dem Party brand, especially at the national level.
I am a late generation Boomer ll. The problem is, and has been since the 1970s, an ever worsening club of establishment corporatist Democrats... especially the Clinton era Democrats. Just look at their past three presidential elections... the DNC no longer even holds legitimate primaries. Their candidates were 'not elected'... instead, they were selected through 'rigged primaries or no primaries at all'... by their big monied donors, party establishment, and the DC elites.. The old guard are just Clinton-era establishment, corporatists, and elitist type democrat shills. Both of these types need to go. There are those that are in the game 'that play to win'... and then there are those 'that just play to stay in the game'... sadly, both of these types have a long, long established history of 'doing only just enough' to keep themselves in the game... 'Do Nothing Democrats' is not just a label... it is a very well earned descriptor. It is also the reason Trump was ever elected after the Obama era of half-measures and appeasements. Once the Democrats get in power, they appease Republicans and deliver little much to their electorate other than watered down, half-measures at best. The American people know the difference between 'reasons and excuses'... There are, in fact, two distinct groups of Boomers. "Boomers I and ll" refers to a way of dividing the Baby Boomer generation into two distinct groups: "Boomers l" being those born earlier in the Baby Boomer range (typically 1946-1954), and "Boomers ll" (also sometimes called "Generation Jones") being those born later in the range (typically 1955-1964), experiencing different social and political landscapes during their formative years; essentially, the "early boomers" and the "late boomers.". Perhaps the only thing Generation Jones have in common with the older Boomers is high birth rates. Unlike the older Boomers, Generation Jones were not born immediately after the Second World War. They were not born during those early years of heady, post-war optimism and prosperity. Boomers II were the ones who came after, and we have borne firsthand witness to the selfishness of Boomers I, who have selfishly pulled the ladder up and destroyed all of the opportunities for everyone else that they, themselves took full advantage of.
I truly hope Ben will lead Democratic National Committee and that the DNC will partner with the Poor People's Campaign to reach the low wealth people in this nation. They should not be ignored, but partnered with.
Get involved at your local level. School boards, city, county and town councils make decisions that affect you and your children's everyday lives. They're also feeders for higher office. Get the good ones in local and they can climb the ladder to state or even national.
Regardless of how disengaged voters were/are, I will NEVER understand HOW anyone could miss how terrible tRump is and aleays has been. Blows my mind completely.I am glad there are some that can see a window to DO something. I am concerned that djt supporters will still not pay closr enough attention to media that reports accurately.
The OG MAGA base is a lost cause, full stop. But that still leaves a lot of Republicans as we learned during the 2024 election. And we don't need the OG MAGA base in order to win . It's also important to remember that Trump didn't even get 50% of the vote. Same point I'm trying to make to you. Also good to remember that mis and disinformation played a big roll in the election hence why it's so important that we Improve our messaging skills a lot! Democracies around the world are leaning far right thanks to social media and weaponized data. Anyway, listen to these two men for the win and sign up to volunteer on Mobilize US!
No one in these comments is talking about how racist the country is. That hasn't gone away and won't. Absolutely part of why Harris lost. We are getting closer to the time when white people will be the minority in the country. So MAGA will focus on that as well.
They need to start talking about corporate America and the affects it's has on the average American..Also how the BRICS alliance is going to affect America...No one is talking about what is going on internationally that is going to have bad consequences for the average American..It's wasn't talked about doing the presidential campaign and still isn't..They are focusing on Trump when America is about to have bigger financial problems than Trump...The rich will be okay..The average American is not..
I agree with what you're saying. Sadly, even as a progressive Democrat, it was rather hard for a positive case to be made on whether/why Democrats should be favored on foreign policy. Trump views all policy as a way to enrich himself and his family, but the Democrats seem to be content to increase the military budget for more forever wars, not to challenge interests like Israel, and enlist US soldiers to fight on behalf of foreign nations like Saudi Arabia. As good as Wikler may be, I don't think he has the power to turn that around. And, I don't see any other leading Democratic politician willing to try and change it.
@@66zebulon the dems are beholden to their corporate donors. those donors just happen to be the military industrial complex. until the dems remove pac money from primaries this will continue. the dems have just as much of an oligarchy problem as the repubs, the repubs just are brazen about it.
I kind of disagree. Yes it's important to remember to talk about the attempted take over of North Korea, Russia, Iran, and China but I think it's also important to remember that each of these government's and leaders has a different agenda which makes it a lot harder for them to accomplish what they want to do. A lot like Trump and the MAGA party. Brics isn't a done deal for that same reason. Russia is the main instigator in all this and China has put Russia back in its subservient place more than once. However China is suffering from very serious internal economic and political problems itself hence its power is vastly weakened just like Russia's power is weakened due to the war in Ukraine. Guess I am saying that all is hardly lost.
Imho, the Dems need to shore up their marketing plan, employee people who understand social media and will use it to our best advantage, and be more assertive when it comes to tooting our own horn. If no one knows the good that’s been done, then no one knows the good that’s been done. I really feel whoever comes in to lead the Dems needs to be a lot more in tune. Please!!!
Problem - the party did not listen to people. They had no way to contract the party and representatives can't help when it involves elections. I wanted to help. I talked to people and I had information to share. I have skills I could share. I created a lot of ads, etc. that I would have donated. I wrote for Disney and wanted to share my skills to promote democrats. But all the party ever did was ask for money. It was constant. Doors never opened. Just give us your money. That was the message. Even what I wrote here is just shouting into the void. I know Ben will not read it. I don't think he wants to listen to anyone who is not already in power.
the dems at the national level don't actually want people to come in and help because they view it as a power grab from the people. it would upset the corporate donors too much. i vote we take it over anyway
Have you tried Mobilze US? They are always looking for a multitude of volunteers in various capacities. They're the only Democratic volunteer org that isn't funded by the DNC if I remember correctly. I've worked for them in the past and plan to do so again as I've been impressed with them.
Oh, and no you're not shouting into the void although I know it can feel like it sometimes. Let me know what you think of Mobilize US but do give them a chance. 🙏
Indivisible used to be solid and reputable. What a wasted billion with Citizens United still unchallenged. Jeffries doesn't want to fight. Common Ground? Really? He may have been to church 📣 few too many times.
I think the top progressive content creators should have a gathering, live or zoom, to organize around a set of principles. Start by finding out what you agree upon and work outward towards the points of disagreement and figure out how to deal with the radical right.
And government needs to do the things that affect our everyday lives: cinnamon and water should not have poisonous levels of lead; line workers, teachers, hospital workers need to make a living wage; billionaires and corporations and their lobbyists need to have limits on donations and influence. Etc.
Why even allow billionares to exist? They have too much UNELECTED sway and can make or break pols with threats and bribes. I'm with FDR; he didn't want them and neither do I!
Bottom line: we must get money out of politics. The Republicans and some corporate Democrats love that donations from the wealthy. Money is the obvious reason our government is going downhill.
There are groups that write postcards. Sign up at Indivisible or you Democratic local Committee. They can find some thing for you to do and help you run for office.
Democrats should work on marketing 24hrs. We should put up signs that could be put on telephone poles in cities and rural areas so everyone sees them all day everyday. And use a slogan that is simple and effective like “ DEMOCRATS WORK FOR WORKING PEOPLE “. And after awhile it will set into their subconscious. And do all kinds of simple messaging that people see everyday. Do it on the internet and tv commercials. We need to start today and never stop. Put them in union halls, bowling alleys, restaurants, and places where people go. Short and easy to understand. Plz do it. I want my country back!!!
If non-informed voters didnt vote for Harris, how can that change if they don't change the method they get information? What makes you believe they'll listen to podcasts?
But the contrast needs to be called out on the floor and in public. 2. Get money out of our government. 3. Ethical conflicts rules for SCOTUS, if broken they are out and get no pension. Period.
I’ve lived in many state and I don’t see them unless I make an effort to go to County fairs. In WA Patty Murray , is fairly easy to communicate with if you don’t mind not getting a response, but you see it in her actions. She’s been great for VETs🇺🇸
a great conversation. I'd love to see you address the part propaganda plays in the very possible disintegration of democracy in our country. We must find a way to defeat it.
How were ELECTORAL COLLEGE VOTES tabulated yesterday when apparently 21 STATES NEVER SUBMITTED THEIR ELECTORAL COLLEGE VOTES ? WERE THEY IGNORED ? RECOUNT RECOUNT RECOUNT...🇺🇸💙📮🗳⚖🗽
MAGA money, propagation of lies, lack of understanding or interest/public apathy were insurmountable. We must educate the public; every time MAGA acts in its own self-interest, rather than the public's interest, we must use multiple venues to inform the public. When Democrats promote policies in the best interest of the public @ state, local/federal levels, inform the public when MAGA refuses to function on a bipartisan basis. There shouldn't be one public office that goes unopposed.
@michael5323: DonVICT Trump said years ago that he didn't want to leave Office bc he would place Ivanka in his seat, then Don jr. He was planning his Dictatorship shortly after his very private meeting with Putin in Helsinki, July 2018. I believe Putin was his mentor/coach on how to DISMANTLE our democracy. He knew Putin changed Russian Constitution to remain in power & he may try the same. Look for DonVICT to try devious illegal acts without public knowledge. He has no restraints now with his Supreme Court 6 who IGNORED the Constitution and made up a NEW LAW, just FOR Donny. People insist on saying "when his term is up." Trump may NOT leave the presidency.
How about short political to commercial spots during sports...for instance a 20 second clip on what specific policy were backing. ..gollordny Call your congressmen
Thank you Marc for all that you do. So I have a bit of a different take on some of the comments I've seen. Ben is obviously brilliant, effective and for democracy which is all awesome. My concern is I didn't hear anything specifically to address why so many Americans, sickening as it might be voted for trump and not Harris and how he plans to reverse this trend. Also, a huge concern of mine is Ben sure does seem like a nice guy but being nice doesn't win in a street fight and last time I looked that's exactly what we're in. I'd be much more impressed if Ben along with his other attributes knew how to throw a damn punch (figuratively). This of course is absent in the majority of the democratic party and has been since I've been voting democrat starting back in 1978. Also, what are his plans to wrestle power in the democratic party away from the 70 and 80 yr olds? Are the younger democrat leaders that incompetent and if so, what's Ben going to do about it? We lost in near every single demographic group this past election. What specific laser focused strategies does Ben have ready to implement to turn that around? Our democracy is barely even that anymore. The same ole, same ole leaves a stale shit taste in my mouth. I donated more $ this election in the last ten yrs. combined. I got friends to vote blue in battleground states (Texas, Florida, Wisconsin, etc.) and we still got run over by maga and "trump" a thief, felon and rapist. The last thing we need is another Jamie (MIA) Harrison in charge of things. Yeah, you hear a lot of frustration here but get used to it. I don't know one democrat who thinks any differently. If we do end up losing our democracy and there's a good chance of it happening. I prefer to do it standing on my feet and fighting back.
Racism happened. I love my city, Milwaukee, and as a city we had the highest voter turnout of any major city in the US. I’m an active WisDem. The fact that Tammy won and Kamala lost reflects what happened when Tony was reelected and Mandela lost: racism in the Democratic Party. Keep on fighting, Ben. Let’s take on RACISM in Wisconsin, shall we?
Thank you gentlemen for all of your work defending democracy and supporting the working class. Mr. Wikler, Out of all the issues raging across the political landscape right now, raising the federal minimum wage is crucial for the working class and should be the #1 priority of the Democratic Party. What is going to help the American worker the most at this point in time? What single issue will bring the ignored back into the Blue Party? Higher wages! $27.00 is the minimum wage required now just to meet inflation in 2025. Raising the minimum wage is desperately needed at a time when the oligarchs have positioned themselves to crush the American worker! The Democratic Party has done a lot of good for our republic. But why hasn't our party kept up with inflation and raise the federal minimum wage accordingly? There have been 3 times in recent memory when democrats held all 3 branches of government. (1993-1995 Clinton; 2009-2011 Obama; 2021-2023 Biden) There was a modest .70 increase in 2009 from $6.55 to $7.25. Really?! Is this the best our representatives can do for us? The working class has not seen an increase in 15 years. But during the most recent crisis to fund the government this past Dec., democrats and ALL the media cried out to the heavens that cancer research for children was cut from the bill. And rightly so. Was there a cry out to the heavens when there was no provision to increase the Federal minimum wage in that RC? No. Yet congress tried to give themselves a modest pay raise of $6,600.00 a year because they haven't had a pay raise in 15 years. Where is the F'n outrage!!! Does this sound like a party that protects the working class? Allow me to elaborate. In 1993, Clinton signed a republican bill called NAFTA (constructed by Bush Sr.) that gutted the manufacturing sector and the working class. Ross Perot called this out, but to no avail. Jobs left the U.S. for Mexico so the corporations could pay lower wages. Then in 1999, Clinton repealed the Glass-Steagall Act of 1933 signed into law by FDR during the Great Depression. This act is the depression era banking regulation that kept different financial institutions separate and didn't allow them to use depositor's money in speculation. It is common knowledge that the repealing of the Glass-Steagall Act was a main factor in the cause of the 2007-2008 financial crisis. It certainly opened the door and rolled out the red carpet for the oligarchs to take over. Are democrats really the party of the American worker? Over the past 40 to 50 years, instead of raising wages regularly, our representatives have thrown us scraps and expect us to be grateful. The working class has not thrived since its creation since the 1950's and 1960's. Wages have stagnated, and union membership has steadily declined since the 1970's. Let's ask ourselves why? Lobbyists and special interests. Clearly our reps desired to be a part of the elite class more than doing the right thing. So here we are in Jan. 2025 and the working class has told the Democratic Party to F'K OFF because they/we are tired of lip service! And now we find ourselves suffering the consequences of the Democratic Party's neglect and corruption. We find ourselves fighting for our lives and our democracy because the Blue Party took the working class for granted. Ignoring the fact the American Worker is the HEART and SOUL of the party. The HEART and SOUL of democracy! We are the power that generates this country's greatness. And don't you F'N forget it. Mr. Ben Wikler. Do you agree that raising the Federal Minimum Wage to $27.00 is the most important, logical and strategic action that you can take to raise up the working class at a time when the robber barons of our time have their polished boots on our throats? Can you raise up the working class to strengthen our democracy at a time when our democracy is in serious peril? I know there are many challenges before the new chair of the DNC and it's not a job I would want. But I guarantee you that if you fight for the minimum wage increase that we have been denied all these years and restore the dignity that we deserve, we will fight like hell to preserve our democracy and our freedom. Thank you for your kind attention. ''These are the times that try men's souls: The summer soldier and the sunshine patriot will, in this crisis, shrink from the service of his country; but he that stands it now, deserves the love and thanks of man and woman. Tyranny, like hell, is not easily conquered; yet we have this consolation with us, that the harder the conflict, the more glorious the triumph." Thomas Paine: The American Crisis, No. 1, 1776
We desperately need our tax system to be overhauled. Taxes need to go up, up, up on the ultra rich. Not just on income but on all forms of compensation (thinking of all the CEOs who make $1 in salary but get millions in stock options). We need whole new tax brackets for higher earners ($1M+) and they need to be high like they were back in the day. I’m talking 70-90%. I don’t care how much we need to pour into the IRS to get these people to pay up. It’s absurd. Elon musk should not be so wealthy that he can try to buy democratic governments out. We could punitively tax his wealth at 99% and he’d still be worth more than millions of Americans combined. Democrats need to campaign and message accordingly.
@@duanesmith5074 I don't own any of the media- and neither do the Democrats. Fox News is the mainstream media in America. it has the most viewers day in day out. Elon Musk owns one of the largest news platforms in the world and is using it so he can earn just a few more bucks by continuing to be the ultimate "welfare queen". With regard to taxes, no, we haven't. We've really only seen tax cuts since the 1960s-- and they have been on completely crazy steroids since Reagan. The top Federal tax bracket is still just $578,126, which is admittedly a shitload of money, but there are so many people earning so much more than that that we have a significant problem. In the past, earnings were much less, so a top bracket at that point made decent sense. Now we need to create new brackets at the top to adjust. In Massachusetts we instituted an additional tax for incomes over $1M - a measly 4% increase. Despite the small size, we raised almost $2B (nearly double the expected $1B) that we put towards making higher education and school meals for kids free. As someone who believes no children should starve, I like that outcome. All this said, we need to do two things - 1.) lessen the tax burden for regular folks like you and me. That will be easily done when the government has a lot juicier fish to go after by creating new brackets 2.) show a better ROI on taxes - it's hard to feel like any of it matters when we never get any return. We need tangible results. I think the most direct way is to implement a national health insurance system funded by those new brackets.
@duanesmith5074 I don’t own any of the media in this country and neither do the Democrats. By viewership, Fox News is the mainstream media today. Twitter, meanwhile, is owned by President Musk and Meta has already started changing its rules to accommodate more “conservatives” (which today means liars and hate spewers) In terms of taxes, there have really only been cuts going all the way back to the ‘60s. If you want to know why the late 40s, 50s and 60s were so “great”, it’s because we taxed the shit out of the highest earners and reinvested that money in regular people. But, as the rich got richer and richer, we failed to appropriately adjust our tax brackets. This shifted more and more of the burden to people like you and me
Dramatically reform the 14b1 program to only let highly skilled workers in the country. Currently, corporate employers are using this program to layoff American IT workers and replacing them with Indian IT workers. At the same time, more effort needs to be made to give the ordinary person a path forward in their lives with jobs that have a future that generates enough income to not only meets basic needs but have enough extra to own that home and put aside retirement money
One thing I don't see still, even in Mr. Wikler, is the full understanding for how we got here. Democracy is a SKILL. I don't see any curriculum or course in any school that teaches us citizens how to actually engage in a democracy. To do this effectively, you need Emotional Intelligence. Instead we let people wing it....and what we get is: Authoritarianism. Trump was voted in because he is an AUTHORITARIAN. People WANTED this. They aren't blind to it. They are fully intending to allow Trump to toss a bunch of people out of the lifeboat so they can hoard the remaining resources for themselves. Unchecked propaganda was the tool that shaped that acceptance. Not sure why this is STILL unchallenged? Hasn't anyone listened to Kim Cutter's podcast on what drove the Jan 6 insurrection? Propaganda. How and why it did this is not the mystery it seems to be. Dr. Becker wrote decades ago about the psychological underpinnings for this authoritarian acceptance among a population. Now Dr. Sapolsky has recently provided us with the neuroscience behind it, including how the evolution of our brain plays a part. Time for our politicians to get on board with this information as well. You can't help other humans until you understand us. Clinging to illusions like "free will" and "humans are born evil" keeps us trapped in continuing cycles of authoritarianism. And lastly, I am not sure why anyone thinks our country was every wholly a Democracy. We never left authoritarianism behind in feudalism. We just changed the "winners" and called it Capitalism. As long as this predatory economic system remains our main economic system in the US, Democracy will never fully be realized.
Help the states win every district at the federal level. Win back the states. Campaigning can't stop.
Marc and Ben - you give us hope! Thank you.
Love Ben’s positivity and enthusiasm. Thanks, Marc, for this conversation.
He said nothing new. Most of what he said Democrats are already doing.
I LOVE Ben Wikler! As a WI resident and someone who has been deeply involved in WisDems here (our Dem party where Ben is at the helm) his MO has been mobilize, mobilize, MOBILIZE all year long….we have a very strong presence here and he made sure that all 72 counties here have a presence, and thru his leadership, WisDems runs a very well,run and tight ship. Thru his tutelage, we now have more of a democracy than we had in 12-15 years!!! Being involved w/ WisDems, I saw first hand how these efforts actually WORKED!!! Ben is fiery, motivated, organized, and has such a strong work,ethic and he doesn’t get discouraged by BIG challenges!!!
Ok, if he wins, (I think he has probably the best shot w/ his proven record) I would be sad to,see him go, but knowing him-he wouldn’t leave without having a firm, developed program strongly in place to continue his work….as we sure don’t want to lose the gains we’ve made here with democracy so under threat STILL here in WI. The WISCO court race is a case in point! We have to CONTINUE the groundwork he has laid as WI CHAIR, esp as our State Supreme Court Dem majority seems absolutely ESSENTIAL in holding democracy in place.
GOOD LUCK, BEN!!!! You seem to have the STRONGEST CHANCE OF WINNING!!!!!👏👏🙏
Idaho Dems desperately needs a man like that here. We have 14 Democrats Republicans 91 and it gets worse with every election cycle. I don't even recognize my birth state anymore and I'm scared to death for my grandchildren.
Encouraging to see WI and MN results and progress.
Kamala sure could have spread the billion around the Country as her swing states all lost.
Kept saying for 3 months she is putting the same destination on her plane flight plan.
Stephanie, one of her managers, campaign looked micromanaged to me. No long term plan to reach millions.
We could use Ben’s brand of leadership in Indiana for sure. Pretty sure I won’t have to look far to find volunteer options close to home that will help democracy prevail. Even better if all states are following the same path!
You are still a Republican state. That won't change.
Ben is great. I live in WI, and what he's done for the party is impressive.
I’ll say!!!! Ever since he came on board in 2018, he has transformed our state into more of a working democracy in more than a decade! He actually was successful at tearing into the destructive and disastrous things Scott Walker had done to WI. NO SMALL FEAT!
Ben Wikler & Marc Elias are two of my democracy-valiant heroes.
Mine too.
Thank you for having Ben on the show! Marc, you’re an excellent interviewer among other great qualities of yours. Both of you are true patriots and have done so much for your country! Thank you!
Listen to this guy! He knows what he is talking about!
Thank you for bringing up the brand problem! It is a legitimate issue that needs serious discussion and attention. 💙
You two contribute so much to the democratics…….please keep the fight….we need you guys 👍👍🌈💫🙏💙
All of us must work together to save democracy, we can't rely on others to do the work for us.
We need a Ben Wikler in every State! Marc, your mission, should you choose to accept, is to help bring to light the Ben's in each state! 🥰 Thanks to both of you for a great discussion!
Good morning Marc! Thanks for your work!
Ben Wikler has SO MANY ideas!! I love watching him!! What an inspiration!!!!
ABC for Democrats = Always Be Campaigning!
Yes! I have taken many surveys. Hakeem Jeffries/Buttigieg or Whitmire as VP 🇺🇸 💙
Just an independent looking in on the Democrats... for Dems, it should stand for 'Always be capitulating
A bright light in an uncertain world.
Well done, Mark, much appreciated! Ben Wikler articulated a very implementable framework for success…it’s time to all get behind it 🙏🏼🇺🇸💪🏾🌈💙✨
Yes! please communicate with the citizens! People want transparency and information on GOOD policies as much as possible and it must be delivered. The other side is constantly flooding the zone with so much disinformation.
Idaho tv air has 4 far-right republican channels to watch, Democrat channels ZERO. The Democrat party here us literally being snuffed out. It scary as hell!!
Thank you Ben Wikler, we need you!
Thank you for keeping us informed
I'm pleased to hear the enthusiasm and concern in Mr. Wikler's voice. I hope he can deliver on some of his projections. I have been deeply disappointed--nay, disgusted, with the lackluster in the leadership of the last few Chairs. Time to harness the power of the DNC and get something done!
Ben's one of the few elected officials I go out of my way to listen to. Thank you Marc! I wish I could afford to pay for a membership but am on a tight, fixed income
Same. 😢
Thank you 🙏🏽
Thanks Marc and Ben for all your hard work
Watching from Wisconsin 💙💙💙
I pray you are right, and we need more people like you.
Very articulate!! And good new stats about what happened in the last election. Yes, we have to stand and act on our national values!!
Did they talk about those stats and I somehow missed it or???
Thank you Marc and Ben.
Ben is a freaking rock star!
Love Ben. What we stand for has to be paired with specific policies and how to get them passed. Commodification of essential human needs must stop. Trudeau resigned today because of his neoliberal ideology. Don’t be afraid of democratic socialism ….the youth are not. We need them back. I’m 74 btw
Thank you. 💙💙💙💙💙💙💙
Thank you Mr. ELIAS
Yes, local is so important. Advertising is key. Billboards in places where people don't get tye news
Chuck Schumer endorsing Ben Wikler was very surprising but gives me some hope that even the Party Establishment gets it. If Ben wins the election I'll have hope for the Dems moving forward.
Same! Thankful for Ben!
Ben is so inspiring of hope!
Ben...you have such a wonderful smile and soothing voice... i hope you win the DNC Chair position!!!
I hope that David Hogg wins.
@@msvulcanspock Both can happen, they are running for different positions.
@msvulcanspock is David Hogg running for Chairman or Vice Chairman. I thought I saw something where he said he was running for Vice Chairman???
Ben’s vision is spot on and realistic.
Just learning who Mr Ben Wikler is. Blessings to you and I love the conversation and the well articulated Vision for Democrats to speak to the people ongoing. The last guy was MIA except when something disastrous happened. Just what we need here.
Ty for being realistic. All avenues have been investigated We lost. Moving forward 💙
I agree. It is time to focus on local elections in 2025. Taking back Congress in 2026 and a full sweep of the White House, the House, and the Senate in 2028
Mr. Wikler’s strategy to build locally towards the next Presidential election is sound.
Tripple Red states pull local meeting shenanigans.
Trend is to meet at private homes.
The voters need to be educated in civics lesson and how the government works. They need to understand the branches of government and how it works.
True. But can they turn off sports for more than hour?
Civics doesn't interest them. I'm not sure we can change that. 😮
I just can't understand why Civics isn't taught in school any longer. Who decided civics isn't important?
What are democratic leaders going to do to address the corruption of the oligarchs, specifically, Musk who bought influence and who is in breach of federal Contracts Rules AND security?
Bring back Civics as a mandatory course in high school and college.
Why is no one talking about Elon musk and Trump misinformation. Biden sanction Russia and China that help Trump with the election
I remain livid with the Dem Party writ large, starting with Joe Biden's hubris to run for a 2nd term as President, essentially excluding any viable, younger Dem challengers. I was so disgusted with Biden running for a 2nd term, that as lifelong Dems, my husband and I sat out the 2024 Dem Primary in North Carolina as a protest. If Biden had stayed at the top of the ticket, we would have stayed home and not voted at all in November 2024. However, we showed up and voted for Kamala Harris and Dems down-ballot all the way. Thankfully, in North Carolina, some Dem candidates, including for Governor and Attorney General, won their races. However, I remain livid at the DNC overall and the entire top-of-house Dem leadership, for choosing to disregard national polls that showed Biden had abysmal numbers amongst all American voters and amongst Dem registered voters, too, well before Biden ran in the Dem primary. Biden, his inner circle, and our elected Dem leaders in Washington, DC, disregarded all of the early, national polling at their and our peril. I emailed the White House and various Dem officials at least 1 year before the Dem Primary, and begged Biden to please, "pass the baton" to a new generation of younger leaders and not run for a 2nd term. This was well before Biden's abysmal debate with Trump in which Biden's confusion and apparent, significant declines in physical health and mental acuity. I believe that Dem leadership and Biden's inner circle all knew he had declined significantly but chose not to disclose this to the American people. The Dem Party leadership has severely damaged the Dem Party brand, especially at the national level.
And they wasted our money on a goofball campaign strategy.
Then, explain how Trump won in 2016 despite his abysmal poll numbers. I don't think we should use polls anymore in the country.
I am a late generation Boomer ll. The problem is, and has been since the 1970s, an ever worsening club of establishment corporatist Democrats... especially the Clinton era Democrats. Just look at their past three presidential elections... the DNC no longer even holds legitimate primaries. Their candidates were 'not elected'... instead, they were selected through 'rigged primaries or no primaries at all'... by their big monied donors, party establishment, and the DC elites..
The old guard are just Clinton-era establishment, corporatists, and elitist type democrat shills. Both of these types need to go. There are those that are in the game 'that play to win'... and then there are those 'that just play to stay in the game'... sadly, both of these types have a long, long established history of 'doing only just enough' to keep themselves in the game...
'Do Nothing Democrats' is not just a label... it is a very well earned descriptor. It is also the reason Trump was ever elected after the Obama era of half-measures and appeasements. Once the Democrats get in power, they appease Republicans and deliver little much to their electorate other than watered down, half-measures at best. The American people know the difference between 'reasons and excuses'...
There are, in fact, two distinct groups of Boomers. "Boomers I and ll" refers to a way of dividing the Baby Boomer generation into two distinct groups: "Boomers l" being those born earlier in the Baby Boomer range (typically 1946-1954), and "Boomers ll" (also sometimes called "Generation Jones") being those born later in the range (typically 1955-1964), experiencing different social and political landscapes during their formative years; essentially, the "early boomers" and the "late boomers.".
Perhaps the only thing Generation Jones have in common with the older Boomers is high birth rates. Unlike the older Boomers, Generation Jones were not born immediately after the Second World War. They were not born during those early years of heady, post-war optimism and prosperity. Boomers II were the ones who came after, and we have borne firsthand witness to the selfishness of Boomers I, who have selfishly pulled the ladder up and destroyed all of the opportunities for everyone else that they, themselves took full advantage of.
I truly hope Ben will lead Democratic National Committee and that the DNC will partner with the Poor People's Campaign to reach the low wealth people in this nation. They should not be ignored, but partnered with.
Get involved at your local level. School boards, city, county and town councils make decisions that affect you and your children's everyday lives. They're also feeders for higher office. Get the good ones in local and they can climb the ladder to state or even national.
This is an outstanding video. What wonderful questions Marc had for Ben, and he answered admirably.
I would love to see Ben Wikler as Chair and Maxwell Frost as Co-Chair!!!
I don't think Maxwell Frost is running for the position. However, David Hogg is running to be co-chair and I hope he gets it🎉
@@sandraknowles7853David Hogg winning (along with Ben) would be amazing! I hope we can have nice things occasionally.
Harris ran a flawless campaign. We lost to profound stupidity and ignorance.
Regardless of how disengaged voters were/are, I will NEVER understand HOW anyone could miss how terrible tRump is and aleays has been. Blows my mind completely.I am glad there are some that can see a window to DO something. I am concerned that djt supporters will still not pay closr enough attention to media that reports accurately.
Republicans engaged in voter suppression and racial gerrymandering that stopped many from voting.
Disinformation is the problem.
The OG MAGA base is a lost cause, full stop. But that still leaves a lot of Republicans as we learned during the 2024 election.
And we don't need the OG MAGA base in order to win
. It's also important to remember that Trump didn't even get 50% of the vote. Same point I'm trying to make to you.
Also good to remember that mis and disinformation played a big roll in the election hence why it's so important that we Improve our messaging skills a lot!
Democracies around the world are leaning far right thanks to social media and weaponized data.
Anyway, listen to these two men for the win and sign up to volunteer on Mobilize US!
No one in these comments is talking about how racist the country is. That hasn't gone away and won't. Absolutely part of why Harris lost.
We are getting closer to the time when white people will be the minority in the country. So MAGA will focus on that as well.
His MAGA supporters will not. Dems can win over the independent low information voters that swung his way though.
On WI!!!
They need to start talking about corporate America and the affects it's has on the average American..Also how the BRICS alliance is going to affect America...No one is talking about what is going on internationally that is going to have bad consequences for the average American..It's wasn't talked about doing the presidential campaign and still isn't..They are focusing on Trump when America is about to have bigger financial problems than Trump...The rich will be okay..The average American is not..
I agree with what you're saying. Sadly, even as a progressive Democrat, it was rather hard for a positive case to be made on whether/why Democrats should be favored on foreign policy. Trump views all policy as a way to enrich himself and his family, but the Democrats seem to be content to increase the military budget for more forever wars, not to challenge interests like Israel, and enlist US soldiers to fight on behalf of foreign nations like Saudi Arabia. As good as Wikler may be, I don't think he has the power to turn that around. And, I don't see any other leading Democratic politician willing to try and change it.
@@66zebulon the dems are beholden to their corporate donors. those donors just happen to be the military industrial complex. until the dems remove pac money from primaries this will continue. the dems have just as much of an oligarchy problem as the repubs, the repubs just are brazen about it.
I kind of disagree. Yes it's important to remember to talk about the attempted take over of North Korea, Russia, Iran, and China but I think it's also important to remember that each of these government's and leaders has a different agenda which makes it a lot harder for them to accomplish what they want to do. A lot like Trump and the MAGA party. Brics isn't a done deal for that same reason.
Russia is the main instigator in all this and China has put Russia back in its subservient place more than once. However China is suffering from very serious internal economic and political problems itself hence its power is vastly weakened just like Russia's power is weakened due to the war in Ukraine.
Guess I am saying that all is hardly lost.
Since most Americans don't have passports and never travel internationally they barely know what the EU is never mind BRICS.
Assess what it is or has become vs what you envision it should be, do the shake up needed, reconstruct where needed and sell your heart out.
💙💙💙
Thank you…
Just joined with special. Please keep up the fight and the information flowing. Thank you for all you all do.
Imho, the Dems need to shore up their marketing plan, employee people who understand social media and will use it to our best advantage, and be more assertive when it comes to tooting our own horn. If no one knows the good that’s been done, then no one knows the good that’s been done. I really feel whoever comes in to lead the Dems needs to be a lot more in tune. Please!!!
Problem - the party did not listen to people. They had no way to contract the party and representatives can't help when it involves elections. I wanted to help. I talked to people and I had information to share. I have skills I could share. I created a lot of ads, etc. that I would have donated. I wrote for Disney and wanted to share my skills to promote democrats. But all the party ever did was ask for money. It was constant. Doors never opened. Just give us your money. That was the message. Even what I wrote here is just shouting into the void. I know Ben will not read it. I don't think he wants to listen to anyone who is not already in power.
the dems at the national level don't actually want people to come in and help because they view it as a power grab from the people. it would upset the corporate donors too much. i vote we take it over anyway
@@Derfturtlesounds good to me I think.
Have you tried Mobilze US? They are always looking for a multitude of volunteers in various capacities. They're the only Democratic volunteer org that isn't funded by the DNC if I remember correctly. I've worked for them in the past and plan to do so again as I've been impressed with them.
Oh, and no you're not shouting into the void although I know it can feel like it sometimes. Let me know what you think of Mobilize US but do give them a chance. 🙏
Indivisible used to be solid and reputable.
What a wasted billion with Citizens United still unchallenged.
Jeffries doesn't want to fight.
Common Ground? Really?
He may have been to church 📣 few too many times.
I like him. I think he'd be good for the party.
Here.. run on this. "Get rid of corrupt and high dollar politics. "
I think the top progressive content creators should have a gathering, live or zoom, to organize around a set of principles. Start by finding out what you agree upon and work outward towards the points of disagreement and figure out how to deal with the radical right.
The DNC needs Ben!!!
We need younger candidates, get rid of the members who have been in office too long and have grown complacent.
And government needs to do the things that affect our everyday lives: cinnamon and water should not have poisonous levels of lead; line workers, teachers, hospital workers need to make a living wage; billionaires and corporations and their lobbyists need to have limits on donations and influence. Etc.
Why even allow billionares to exist? They have too much UNELECTED sway and can make or break pols with threats and bribes. I'm with FDR; he didn't want them and neither do I!
Otherwise, we agree.
I’m with you. Teachers are really poorly paid. Even the bus drivers make more money.
Bottom line: we must get money out of politics. The Republicans and some corporate Democrats love that donations from the wealthy. Money is the obvious reason our government is going downhill.
Does Crisis=Danger+ Opportunity?🤔
UNIVERSAL HEALTHCARE
I live in North Carolina. How can I help?
There are groups that write postcards. Sign up at Indivisible or you Democratic local Committee. They can find some thing for you to do and help you run for office.
Join Mobile US! That's what I did for phone banking but they offer all sorts of volunteering opportunities including postcard writing. :)
@@MsDogLoverRun For Something is the org to go to if you want to run! :)
Ask A.G. if Cleta is still messing with College Campus' voting locations?
Local Commissions and Clerks are key.
Many meet at private homes now. For many reasons.
Thank you, Marc !!
Canadian here. I haven't read any comments yet but it looks essential to me to get huge and dark money out of elections/politics. What is your plan?
What is YOUR plan? I'm nervous about Canada making a hard right turn like some other countries that I thought were smarter than that.
Democrats should work on marketing 24hrs. We should put up signs that could be put on telephone poles in cities and rural areas so everyone sees them all day everyday. And use a slogan that is simple and effective like “ DEMOCRATS WORK FOR WORKING PEOPLE “. And after awhile it will set into their subconscious. And do all kinds of simple messaging that people see everyday. Do it on the internet and tv commercials. We need to start today and never stop. Put them in union halls, bowling alleys, restaurants, and places where people go. Short and easy to understand.
Plz do it. I want my country back!!!
We also need to hold corporate media accountable.
Need to do more of what Pete Butigeig has done--go into the lion's den & face the questions of interviewers there.
Democracy Docket Rocks
Can you do a show on the rules for chosing a Speaker at various state levels?
Getting 'Cooked' in Texas.
lets go ben wikler!
If non-informed voters didnt vote for Harris, how can that change if they don't change the method they get information? What makes you believe they'll listen to podcasts?
And we need to bring back civics education.
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But the contrast needs to be called out on the floor and in public. 2. Get money out of our government. 3. Ethical conflicts rules for SCOTUS, if broken they are out and get no pension. Period.
Love ❤
I'm an independent voter I live in southwestern Illinois and I hardly ever seen the candidates come to my neck of the woods at any level
All votes count. Deliver a better and more equitable government for citizens.. Fight in America.
I’ve lived in many state and I don’t see them unless I make an effort to go to County fairs. In WA Patty Murray , is fairly easy to communicate with if you don’t mind not getting a response, but you see it in her actions. She’s been great for VETs🇺🇸
Sad
a great conversation. I'd love to see you address the part propaganda plays in the very possible disintegration of democracy in our country. We must find a way to defeat it.
How were ELECTORAL COLLEGE VOTES tabulated yesterday when apparently 21 STATES NEVER SUBMITTED THEIR ELECTORAL COLLEGE VOTES ? WERE THEY IGNORED ? RECOUNT RECOUNT RECOUNT...🇺🇸💙📮🗳⚖🗽
Ben Winkler is very beloved and his energy is boundless.
MAGA money, propagation of lies, lack of understanding or interest/public apathy were insurmountable. We must educate the public; every time MAGA acts in its own self-interest, rather than the public's interest, we must use multiple venues to inform the public. When Democrats promote policies in the best interest of the public @ state, local/federal levels, inform the public when MAGA refuses to function on a bipartisan basis. There shouldn't be one public office that goes unopposed.
I heard both of those things from Harris and I do not listen to mainstream news. Why did I hear it and others not?
Algorithms.
Like he stated, those that got the news Kamala +8
Those that didn't do news -16 points.
Let’s hope we have actual elections to win
@michael5323: DonVICT Trump said years ago that he didn't want to leave Office bc he would place Ivanka in his seat, then Don jr.
He was planning his Dictatorship shortly after his very private meeting with Putin in Helsinki, July 2018.
I believe Putin was his mentor/coach on how to DISMANTLE our democracy.
He knew Putin changed Russian Constitution to remain in power & he may try the same.
Look for DonVICT to try devious illegal acts without public knowledge.
He has no restraints now with his Supreme Court 6 who IGNORED the Constitution and made up a NEW
LAW, just FOR Donny. People insist on saying "when his term is up."
Trump may NOT leave the presidency.
How about short political to commercial spots during sports...for instance a 20 second clip on what specific policy were backing. ..gollordny Call your congressmen
That has possibilities!
Thank you Marc for all that you do. So I have a bit of a different take on some of the comments I've seen. Ben is obviously brilliant, effective and for democracy which is all awesome. My concern is I didn't hear anything specifically to address why so many Americans, sickening as it might be voted for trump and not Harris and how he plans to reverse this trend. Also, a huge concern of mine is Ben sure does seem like a nice guy but being nice doesn't win in a street fight and last time I looked that's exactly what we're in. I'd be much more impressed if Ben along with his other attributes knew how to throw a damn punch (figuratively). This of course is absent in the majority of the democratic party and has been since I've been voting democrat starting back in 1978. Also, what are his plans to wrestle power in the democratic party away from the 70 and 80 yr olds? Are the younger democrat leaders that incompetent and if so, what's Ben going to do about it? We lost in near every single demographic group this past election. What specific laser focused strategies does Ben have ready to implement to turn that around? Our democracy is barely even that anymore. The same ole, same ole leaves a stale shit taste in my mouth. I donated more $ this election in the last ten yrs. combined. I got friends to vote blue in battleground states (Texas, Florida, Wisconsin, etc.) and we still got run over by maga and "trump" a thief, felon and rapist. The last thing we need is another Jamie (MIA) Harrison in charge of things. Yeah, you hear a lot of frustration here but get used to it. I don't know one democrat who thinks any differently. If we do end up losing our democracy and there's a good chance of it happening. I prefer to do it standing on my feet and fighting back.
Racism happened. I love my city, Milwaukee, and as a city we had the highest voter turnout of any major city in the US. I’m an active WisDem. The fact that Tammy won and Kamala lost reflects what happened when Tony was reelected and Mandela lost: racism in the Democratic Party. Keep on fighting, Ben. Let’s take on RACISM in Wisconsin, shall we?
I'm from Wisconsin, apparently the state DNC didn't do enough for supporting Kamala
Thank you gentlemen for all of your work defending democracy and supporting the working class.
Mr. Wikler,
Out of all the issues raging across the political landscape right now, raising the federal minimum wage is crucial for the working class and should be the #1 priority of the Democratic Party. What is going to help the American worker the most at this point in time? What single issue will bring the ignored back into the Blue Party? Higher wages! $27.00 is the minimum wage required now just to meet inflation in 2025. Raising the minimum wage is desperately needed at a time when the oligarchs have positioned themselves to crush the American worker!
The Democratic Party has done a lot of good for our republic. But why hasn't our party kept up with inflation and raise the federal minimum wage accordingly? There have been 3 times in recent memory when democrats held all 3 branches of government. (1993-1995 Clinton; 2009-2011 Obama; 2021-2023 Biden) There was a modest .70 increase in 2009 from $6.55 to $7.25. Really?! Is this the best our representatives can do for us? The working class has not seen an increase in 15 years. But during the most recent crisis to fund the government this past Dec., democrats and ALL the media cried out to the heavens that cancer research for children was cut from the bill. And rightly so. Was there a cry out to the heavens when there was no provision to increase the Federal minimum wage in that RC? No. Yet congress tried to give themselves a modest pay raise of $6,600.00 a year because they haven't had a pay raise in 15 years. Where is the F'n outrage!!! Does this sound like a party that protects the working class?
Allow me to elaborate. In 1993, Clinton signed a republican bill called NAFTA (constructed by Bush Sr.) that gutted the manufacturing sector and the working class. Ross Perot called this out, but to no avail. Jobs left the U.S. for Mexico so the corporations could pay lower wages.
Then in 1999, Clinton repealed the Glass-Steagall Act of 1933 signed into law by FDR during the Great Depression. This act is the depression era banking regulation that kept different financial institutions separate and didn't allow them to use depositor's money in speculation. It is common knowledge that the repealing of the Glass-Steagall Act was a main factor in the cause of the 2007-2008 financial crisis. It certainly opened the door and rolled out the red carpet for the oligarchs to take over. Are democrats really the party of the American worker?
Over the past 40 to 50 years, instead of raising wages regularly, our representatives have thrown us scraps and expect us to be grateful. The working class has not thrived since its creation since the 1950's and 1960's. Wages have stagnated, and union membership has steadily declined since the 1970's. Let's ask ourselves why? Lobbyists and special interests. Clearly our reps desired to be a part of the elite class more than doing the right thing.
So here we are in Jan. 2025 and the working class has told the Democratic Party to F'K OFF because they/we are tired of lip service! And now we find ourselves suffering the consequences of the Democratic Party's neglect and corruption. We find ourselves fighting for our lives and our democracy because the Blue Party took the working class for granted. Ignoring the fact the American Worker is the HEART and SOUL of the party. The HEART and SOUL of democracy! We are the power that generates this country's greatness. And don't you F'N forget it.
Mr. Ben Wikler. Do you agree that raising the Federal Minimum Wage to $27.00 is the most important, logical and strategic action that you can take to raise up the working class at a time when the robber barons of our time have their polished boots on our throats? Can you raise up the working class to strengthen our democracy at a time when our democracy is in serious peril? I know there are many challenges before the new chair of the DNC and it's not a job I would want. But I guarantee you that if you fight for the minimum wage increase that we have been denied all these years and restore the dignity that we deserve, we will fight like hell to preserve our democracy and our freedom.
Thank you for your kind attention.
''These are the times that try men's souls: The summer soldier and the sunshine patriot will, in this crisis, shrink from the service of his country; but he that stands it now, deserves the love and thanks of man and woman. Tyranny, like hell, is not easily conquered; yet we have this consolation with us, that the harder the conflict, the more glorious the triumph."
Thomas Paine: The American Crisis, No. 1, 1776
We desperately need our tax system to be overhauled. Taxes need to go up, up, up on the ultra rich. Not just on income but on all forms of compensation (thinking of all the CEOs who make $1 in salary but get millions in stock options). We need whole new tax brackets for higher earners ($1M+) and they need to be high like they were back in the day. I’m talking 70-90%. I don’t care how much we need to pour into the IRS to get these people to pay up. It’s absurd. Elon musk should not be so wealthy that he can try to buy democratic governments out. We could punitively tax his wealth at 99% and he’d still be worth more than millions of Americans combined. Democrats need to campaign and message accordingly.
You've been doing that for the last 20 years you own the media or at least three quarters of it.
@@duanesmith5074 I don't own any of the media- and neither do the Democrats. Fox News is the mainstream media in America. it has the most viewers day in day out. Elon Musk owns one of the largest news platforms in the world and is using it so he can earn just a few more bucks by continuing to be the ultimate "welfare queen".
With regard to taxes, no, we haven't. We've really only seen tax cuts since the 1960s-- and they have been on completely crazy steroids since Reagan. The top Federal tax bracket is still just $578,126, which is admittedly a shitload of money, but there are so many people earning so much more than that that we have a significant problem. In the past, earnings were much less, so a top bracket at that point made decent sense. Now we need to create new brackets at the top to adjust.
In Massachusetts we instituted an additional tax for incomes over $1M - a measly 4% increase. Despite the small size, we raised almost $2B (nearly double the expected $1B) that we put towards making higher education and school meals for kids free. As someone who believes no children should starve, I like that outcome.
All this said, we need to do two things - 1.) lessen the tax burden for regular folks like you and me. That will be easily done when the government has a lot juicier fish to go after by creating new brackets
2.) show a better ROI on taxes - it's hard to feel like any of it matters when we never get any return. We need tangible results. I think the most direct way is to implement a national health insurance system funded by those new brackets.
@duanesmith5074 I don’t own any of the media in this country and neither do the Democrats. By viewership, Fox News is the mainstream media today. Twitter, meanwhile, is owned by President Musk and Meta has already started changing its rules to accommodate more “conservatives” (which today means liars and hate spewers)
In terms of taxes, there have really only been cuts going all the way back to the ‘60s. If you want to know why the late 40s, 50s and 60s were so “great”, it’s because we taxed the shit out of the highest earners and reinvested that money in regular people. But, as the rich got richer and richer, we failed to appropriately adjust our tax brackets. This shifted more and more of the burden to people like you and me
8:42 Hell yeah! This is what was missing for SO long in the Democratic Party!
Why have they not been doing that before? I wonder...
A.G.
Ben Wikler for DNC party chair!
Education by State is the problem. Im not suggesting Federal mgmt - rather, ignorance and gullibility by "faith", "guns" and apathy
Dramatically reform the 14b1 program to only let highly skilled workers in the country. Currently, corporate employers are using this program to layoff American IT workers and replacing them with Indian IT workers.
At the same time, more effort needs to be made to give the ordinary person a path forward in their lives with jobs that have a future that generates enough income to not only meets basic needs but have enough extra to own that home and put aside retirement money
I hope Ben Winkler wins the DNC chair position. He is so positive!!
Next month gotta finish paying off Christmas cc😅😅😅😅😊
There are analysis ongoing regarding the irregularities in the vote distribution. The bell pattern has a consistent abnormality in the swing states.
Yes!
Ben has it exactly right!! Get him in the DNC chair!
One thing I don't see still, even in Mr. Wikler, is the full understanding for how we got here. Democracy is a SKILL. I don't see any curriculum or course in any school that teaches us citizens how to actually engage in a democracy. To do this effectively, you need Emotional Intelligence. Instead we let people wing it....and what we get is: Authoritarianism.
Trump was voted in because he is an AUTHORITARIAN. People WANTED this. They aren't blind to it. They are fully intending to allow Trump to toss a bunch of people out of the lifeboat so they can hoard the remaining resources for themselves. Unchecked propaganda was the tool that shaped that acceptance. Not sure why this is STILL unchallenged? Hasn't anyone listened to Kim Cutter's podcast on what drove the Jan 6 insurrection? Propaganda.
How and why it did this is not the mystery it seems to be. Dr. Becker wrote decades ago about the psychological underpinnings for this authoritarian acceptance among a population. Now Dr. Sapolsky has recently provided us with the neuroscience behind it, including how the evolution of our brain plays a part. Time for our politicians to get on board with this information as well. You can't help other humans until you understand us. Clinging to illusions like "free will" and "humans are born evil" keeps us trapped in continuing cycles of authoritarianism.
And lastly, I am not sure why anyone thinks our country was every wholly a Democracy. We never left authoritarianism behind in feudalism. We just changed the "winners" and called it Capitalism. As long as this predatory economic system remains our main economic system in the US, Democracy will never fully be realized.
WIkler for DNC head.