What I am about to share with you is just over two weeks old, so some things, such as the House Speaker fiasco, are a bit dated, but the tone and point of this newsletter from Robert Hubbell dated October 19^th, remain as relevant today as they were two weeks ago.  Hubbell is intelligent and insightful, and I found his newsletter encouraging.  No, it didn’t convince me that all will end well, but it encouraged me not to give up … which is the title of his piece …

Don’t give up! (A pep talk.)

Robert B. Hubbell

19 October 2023

This is a pep talk to my family (and myself). You can listen in.

          We are living through an extraordinary time. The world is being rocked by multiple overlapping crises: The terrorist attack on Israel on October 7; Israel’s subsequent declaration of war on Hamas; protests throughout the Middle East sparked by a Hamas missile strike on a hospital in Gaza; the ongoing war against the Ukrainian people by Vladimir Putin; the inability of the majority party in the House to elect a Speaker; the possibility of a government shutdown before Thanksgiving; upcoming elections in Virginia and Ohio that will serve as bellwethers for 2024; the hottest year (2023) and hottest month (July) since scientists began keeping climate records; and a new term of the US Supreme Court that could fundamentally reshape American society and personal liberties (or not).

          That’s a lot.

          It is easy to feel overwhelmed, to withdraw, to look away.

          Don’t.

          Emotional exhaustion and intentional disengagement are the goals of bad-faith tactics used by Republicans to undermine democracy. During a time when Republicans should be joining Democrats in a national unity government, they continue to push an extremist agenda. When Rep. Tom Cole nominated Jim Jordan for Speaker of the House on Wednesday morning, Cole said that one of Jordan’s leading qualifications is that he is committed to cutting Medicare, Medicaid, and Social Security. The media yawned.

          Our generation has one job: To endure, to abide, to keep the faith until this moment of reactionary extremism subsides. If we can do that, we will leave our heirs a healthier, stronger democracy.

          This pep talk is prompted by a recent Pew Research poll and a personal anecdote. Let’s start with the anecdote and expand from there.

          My wife and I saw an acquaintance for the first time in four years. We have never discussed politics with this acquaintance—because it was clear that she was a Trump supporter (before the COVID shutdown). At some point in our conversation today, the acquaintance said, “I have given up on politics. I won’t talk about it. I am done with it.”

          A survey by Pew Research (“Americans’ Dismal Views of the Nation’s Politics”) confirms that millions of Americans are feeling the same way as our acquaintance. Dan Pfeiffer discussed the Pew survey in his Substack newsletter, The Message Box, The Poll that May Explain our Insane Politics.

          As explained by Pfeiffer, the Pew survey shows the following:

• 65% of respondents describe themselves as “exhausted” when thinking about politics.
• 55% say they are “angry” about American politics.
• Only 4% say politics makes them feel hopeful.
• Pew also asked people to describe American politics in one word. The second most common description was “corrupt”—behind the first-place finisher, “divisive.”

          It is no wonder that people want to disengage and look away. The events in the Middle East, Ukraine, and the US Congress are exacerbating pre-existing feelings of exhaustion, anger, and divisiveness.

          Exhaustion is the point of MAGA extremism. Republicans say:

Impeach Trump? We’ll impeach Joe Biden, Merrick Garland, Jack Smith, Alejandro Mayorkas, and Christopher Wray.

Indict Trump? We’ll indict Hunter Biden, Hillary Clinton, Nancy Pelosi, and Joe Biden.

Recognize the equality of LGBTQ people? We’ll legalize discrimination against them.

Protect Americans from a deadly virus? We’ll undermine trust in science.

Fight human-caused climate change? We will make it illegal to discuss climate change in the classroom.

          We must recognize those responses as a mind game designed to make us give up and go away.

          We have one job: To endure, to abide, to keep the faith until this moment of reactionary extremism subsides. If we can do that, we will leave to our heirs a healthier, stronger democracy.

          We can do that. We must do so. We have no other choice.

          No matter how much you want to give up and look away, don’t.

          Don’t.