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Connect! Unite! Act! Longing for an elder who acts the part [1]

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Date: 2022-09-03

I’ve been in meetings (I’m sure some of you have too) where I hear things said like: “Once the old people die off, things will shift our way.” What a terrible way to view the world! It implies that not only are young people universally Democratic, which is unfortunately untrue, but it also prevents us from recognizing the powerful role that elders have served in raising the current generation of liberal thinkers, and the parts of their own lives they have sacrificed on behalf of the rights of those younger than they are, and that they continue to make that sacrifice every day.

I laugh when Republicans mock Biden for comments he’s made showing that he works every day to listen to young people and has accomplished more progressive goals than any president in my lifetime. I mean that, seriously.

I loved President Barack Obama. I was a child under President Jimmy Carter. But President Joe Biden went into office and delivered on one of the most progressive agendas I can ever remember. In fact, when people were bemoaning Biden getting the nomination, the claim was that he would be too middle of the road.

Is that the presidency we have experienced? It’s a presidency where student loan debt has been tackled, excise tax on stock buybacks has been accomplished, giving the Environmental Protection Agency back some power after a terrible Supreme Court ruling has been done, and there has been pushing for rule changes at the Department of Education and Medicare to help assist persons with disabilities. Joe Biden’s agenda has been significant and full of absolute wins.

This isn’t to say President Biden is perfect—he certainly is not. Every day, though, Biden steps into the role in a way many cannot remember. Young people who were excited about Bernie Sanders and others have flooded TikTok because these are the kinds of accomplishments they didn’t expect. Some felt as though they only voted for Biden because they had no choice. Now Biden looks like the kind of president who can accomplish the things they want, and who wants the kinds of things they want as well.

Opening up protection for women seeking reproductive rights? Check. Using the bully pulpit to talk about the risk to our nation from MAGA and white supremacy? Check.

President Biden has become that grandfather figure who, when he sees people he loves in trouble, comes out and is the kind of defender no one wants to mess with, and everyone remembers it. Have you ever had a grandparent stand up for you? An uncle? Your own father? Think about how powerful it may have been in your own life to have someone come in and say, “I’ve got your back.”

That’s President Biden.

This month, we were able to see a nation that is inspired, dedicated, and looking forward. It began with my home state of Kansas voting to preserve access to abortion. It ended with Alaska electing a Democratic House of Representatives member. It happened because people are motivated. They are excited. They are prepared to stand up to bullies around them and say that they have had enough.

Part of what inspires the Connect! Unite! Act! community here on Daily Kos is that we support each other and build with each other for the future. The midterms are coming. Republicans want too many to believe the midterms will be theirs and they will take the Senate and the House. They want bans on abortion. They want to block any chance at judicial nominations. They want to stop any progress at all costs.

We know something they don’t: This is not a normal election. We are excited. We know we can do this, we know we can win. We can win in places that are difficult for us, from Kansas to Alaska. We can win in states that are open to us, like Wisconsin and Pennsylvania. We can give fantastic candidates a chance to defeat Trump lickspittles in Florida and North Carolina. It will take work, but I say we must go into this with everything we have and spread the word: Be optimistic and put everything we have into every race in the country. If you want to join the Connect! Unite! Act! community in working toward getting out the vote, then follow this excellent diary.

Keep the ball rolling to get us through Election Day and help us hold the House, retain the Senate, and send a powerful message to Republicans in every race on the ballot. Whether that race is governor or county commissioner, state attorney general or county prosecutor, now is the time to fight for change.

We can do this, and it is important for our future that we succeed.

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[1] Url: https://www.dailykos.com/stories/2022/9/3/2120298/-Connect-Unite-Act-Longing-for-an-elder-who-acts-the-part

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