I believe what’s missing is a unifying platform of problems, ideas, and solutions to rally round and use as candidate filters. Without North Stars, we’re sailing, but who knows where? Trump is good at grievance but not at solutions. We should create a topic-problem-end-state solution- plan grid for education, national security, health, science, climate, taxation, budgeting, environment, race relations, immigration, campaign finance, etc saying, if you are with us or support us or run for us, this is what we’ll do our best to deliver.
We should have major and minor platform items, such as “we believe and will work for and education system that prepares our youth a retraining to succeed in future work and life endeavors. We should not be elevating fringe topics like pushing biological men competing as women as our lead topics. Beside that’s unfair to biological women.
You're right that there's a lot of talk among Progressives about what direction to take. So we need to choose platform we can generally agree is a good push into the heart of our objectives.
Here's my starting point for such a discussion:
- Ranked choice voting in all elections. We need to agree on a specific RCV system that is simple and effective.
- Cut military funding by 50%. Use those funds to rebuild our manufacturing capabilities as public entities, as well as boosting small farms and facilitating getting their crops to grocers.
- Strike down Citizens United by any means possible. Ban corporate campaign and PAC contributions and include PAC contributions in campaign contribution limit laws.
- Try all key figures responsible for any substantial part of this mess. Leading members of The Heritage Foundation. Trump. Musk. Everyone accused in the Epstein files. Every ICE agent and their affiliates who violated any person's civil or human rights.
- Ban construction of private data centers and ideally nationalize the many newly built ones for use in powering public research. These are extremely water, land, and power-hungry, and cause awful infrasound* injuries to the local area:
- Single payer healthcare and programs to train substantially more doctors.
- Free pre-k through Phd education at public schools. End all subsidies for private schools and funnel that money back into public schools.
- Reduce taxes on the working class. Scrap property tax. Implement a wealth tax. In states like Illinois that have a flat income tax, push for a progressive income tax. Remove taxes on medical supplies and groceries.
- Expand the supreme court or create a process for congress to remove justices and eliminate fascist loyalists from the court.
- Criminal justice reform to prioritize rehabilitation and justice over punitive action, ensure humane conditions, and eliminate for-profit prisons.
You left out court reform. We will get nowhere if we do not expand the SCOTUS (in order to dilute the power of the corrupt Federalist Society Six), and impose and enforce ethics rules.
Replied to your email, signed up at the new site, and am reporting for duty, sir.
I understand and support the screening you describe as "not so prescriptive that it ends up being a manifesto." But damn. I'd love to see candidates run not just on "Medicare for All" for example, but something, ANYTHING, more specific, like, "Medicare for All, by lowering the age of access by five years every five years." This would gain (and keep) an enormous and ever-growing slice of the electorate.
Thought re: today's newsletter: Although it's almost certainly not original to me, I've long observed that capitalism *requires* a "permanent underclass." Unless that "underclass" is a temporary status, something akin to a required national service from all members of society, capitalism in its existing forms will always be deeply and irredeemably immoral.
I wondered why I hadn’t heard from you, Corbin, in weeks. I finally checked my junk folder, even though I am a subscriber, and there were 4 posts I hadn’t seen!
I think it’s deliberate blocking of you from the tech bros ! 😡😡
Hey Corbin, some housekeeping items, for your site.
Under 5 - We help them win. The candidate you reference is Nida, not Nita, and she was running in a federal congressional primary, not for state house.
Perhaps I missed it, but there was no contact info on the toolbar, nor at the bottom. People need to have an easy way to contact the site to offer suggestions, info, etc.
Also, merch? I know some may quibble, but a t-shirt is a billboard, and instead of costing money, can add to your PAC’s coffers as well as spread the word.
I'm glad you got your PAC going Corbin. This is going to be a great thing. Take a look at Talarico. I think he could be a candidate y'all could support. And we need it here in Texas because the dark money is coming after him with a vengeance. Texas Democratic candidates are working together as a slate, with Talarico as the standard-bearer at the top of the ticket. It's pretty exciting.
And I think it's getting Republicans' goat too. Let's make the National Republicans shoot their wad in Texas defending seats. We see how scared Trump is of losing Texas.
I just visited the AFWH website and it's extraordinary. I've sent it to my friends and fellow travelers.
Paul Krugman's piece this morning documented how the Troligarchs are purposely using Trump's erratic oval office decrees to make millions in the stock market via insider trading. Adam Tooze's Chartbook this morning had a piece on the efforts of Troligarchs like Musk (and before his demise, Epstein) to father (literally) a generation of what they believe will be superhumans who will change the course of human history. I am as depressed about the state of things as I ever have been. My wife and I watched a zombie movie last night that made more sense than what we're seeing come out of Washington every day.
Corbin's writings and AFWH give me some hope. And if I have to bet on something working to turn this mess around, this seems as good a bet as any. If it doesn't work, at least I contributed to something I believe in.
Feels very needed in a climate that is increasingly favourable to left-wing challengers. We just need to figure out wider unity, a full movement, and ensuring that those we elect will be willing to take on esstablishment dems as much as our fascist opponents in government.
Hi Corbin, I am so happy to hear about your new website. It is so refreshing to hear the views of someone I agree with on almost every political topic.
I know the feeling. I think they are both expensive, hard, and unlikely paths. I think the goal will be a united group of Democrats and Independents. If you build a bloc of candidates and they win then you'd have the power to push the idea of a new party. There is nothing about being elected a democrat that ensures loyalty other than human nature.
Very likely as they're "controlled opposition" and are very unlikey to be taken over. It's surely a fine idea, but it appears they're a set-up and part of the "problem."
I'd pull in Marianne Williamson. She has the best political mind that's informed by what's bigger than all minds. She's the real deal for her insight into being human, and is an inspiration to everyone who listens to her. I don't know who your gang is, but it could only be enhanced by her participation. Here's a playlist of her videos I've posted: https://suzannetaylor.substack.com/s/marianne-williamson
This didn't sound right: "...we will try to build candidate unity around a big idea." I don't know who "we" is, and, since it's a be-all idea, that you're going to deliver it from a back room makes me an observer to somethign massive coming from something teeny. Sounds off-caliber.
It all had that air. I was not invited in -- until the very end, where the offer was to help you. I feel left out.
Good ideas, good plan. I hope you can find plenty of candidates willing to challenge the status quo. I am disappointed to hear that Mamdani and AOC are not strongly leading that charge.
I'm endlessly amazed that the Democratic Party seems so inept (sometimes almost deliberately so) when it comes to messaging. The GOP has their messaging impresarios like Grover Norquist and Frank Luntz (and whoever else does it today) to ensure that all Republicans stay on message and parrot the same talking points. Then, Democrats all too willing to let the other side set the terms of the discussion.
Not that we want Democrats to be mindless parrots, but for godsakes, there are vital issues that need to be consistently hammered upon for the general public! The current case in point is the so-called “SAVE” Act. Call it what it is:
Trump is hell-bent to take away American’s right to vote — and he’s using extortion to do so: “Give me what I want or I’ll freeze all of the government services you depend upon in order to get my way!”
If a "leader" is too afraid to be that direct, they'd serve us all by getting out of the way for someone who can.
I believe what’s missing is a unifying platform of problems, ideas, and solutions to rally round and use as candidate filters. Without North Stars, we’re sailing, but who knows where? Trump is good at grievance but not at solutions. We should create a topic-problem-end-state solution- plan grid for education, national security, health, science, climate, taxation, budgeting, environment, race relations, immigration, campaign finance, etc saying, if you are with us or support us or run for us, this is what we’ll do our best to deliver.
We should have major and minor platform items, such as “we believe and will work for and education system that prepares our youth a retraining to succeed in future work and life endeavors. We should not be elevating fringe topics like pushing biological men competing as women as our lead topics. Beside that’s unfair to biological women.
You're right that there's a lot of talk among Progressives about what direction to take. So we need to choose platform we can generally agree is a good push into the heart of our objectives.
Here's my starting point for such a discussion:
- Ranked choice voting in all elections. We need to agree on a specific RCV system that is simple and effective.
- Cut military funding by 50%. Use those funds to rebuild our manufacturing capabilities as public entities, as well as boosting small farms and facilitating getting their crops to grocers.
- Strike down Citizens United by any means possible. Ban corporate campaign and PAC contributions and include PAC contributions in campaign contribution limit laws.
- Try all key figures responsible for any substantial part of this mess. Leading members of The Heritage Foundation. Trump. Musk. Everyone accused in the Epstein files. Every ICE agent and their affiliates who violated any person's civil or human rights.
- Ban construction of private data centers and ideally nationalize the many newly built ones for use in powering public research. These are extremely water, land, and power-hungry, and cause awful infrasound* injuries to the local area:
- https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_bP80DEAbuo
- https://higherplainmusic.com/2026/02/19/benn-jordans-deep-dive-into-data-centres-highlight-a-terrifying-infrasound-issue/
- Single payer healthcare and programs to train substantially more doctors.
- Free pre-k through Phd education at public schools. End all subsidies for private schools and funnel that money back into public schools.
- Reduce taxes on the working class. Scrap property tax. Implement a wealth tax. In states like Illinois that have a flat income tax, push for a progressive income tax. Remove taxes on medical supplies and groceries.
- Expand the supreme court or create a process for congress to remove justices and eliminate fascist loyalists from the court.
- Criminal justice reform to prioritize rehabilitation and justice over punitive action, ensure humane conditions, and eliminate for-profit prisons.
Court reform. See comment above.
You left out court reform. We will get nowhere if we do not expand the SCOTUS (in order to dilute the power of the corrupt Federalist Society Six), and impose and enforce ethics rules.
Thanks! I've added that, plus criminal justice reform.
Replied to your email, signed up at the new site, and am reporting for duty, sir.
I understand and support the screening you describe as "not so prescriptive that it ends up being a manifesto." But damn. I'd love to see candidates run not just on "Medicare for All" for example, but something, ANYTHING, more specific, like, "Medicare for All, by lowering the age of access by five years every five years." This would gain (and keep) an enormous and ever-growing slice of the electorate.
Thought re: today's newsletter: Although it's almost certainly not original to me, I've long observed that capitalism *requires* a "permanent underclass." Unless that "underclass" is a temporary status, something akin to a required national service from all members of society, capitalism in its existing forms will always be deeply and irredeemably immoral.
Love it. Hope i live to see it.
I wondered why I hadn’t heard from you, Corbin, in weeks. I finally checked my junk folder, even though I am a subscriber, and there were 4 posts I hadn’t seen!
I think it’s deliberate blocking of you from the tech bros ! 😡😡
Hey Corbin, some housekeeping items, for your site.
Under 5 - We help them win. The candidate you reference is Nida, not Nita, and she was running in a federal congressional primary, not for state house.
Perhaps I missed it, but there was no contact info on the toolbar, nor at the bottom. People need to have an easy way to contact the site to offer suggestions, info, etc.
Also, merch? I know some may quibble, but a t-shirt is a billboard, and instead of costing money, can add to your PAC’s coffers as well as spread the word.
Peace, t
I'm glad you got your PAC going Corbin. This is going to be a great thing. Take a look at Talarico. I think he could be a candidate y'all could support. And we need it here in Texas because the dark money is coming after him with a vengeance. Texas Democratic candidates are working together as a slate, with Talarico as the standard-bearer at the top of the ticket. It's pretty exciting.
And I think it's getting Republicans' goat too. Let's make the National Republicans shoot their wad in Texas defending seats. We see how scared Trump is of losing Texas.
I just visited the AFWH website and it's extraordinary. I've sent it to my friends and fellow travelers.
Paul Krugman's piece this morning documented how the Troligarchs are purposely using Trump's erratic oval office decrees to make millions in the stock market via insider trading. Adam Tooze's Chartbook this morning had a piece on the efforts of Troligarchs like Musk (and before his demise, Epstein) to father (literally) a generation of what they believe will be superhumans who will change the course of human history. I am as depressed about the state of things as I ever have been. My wife and I watched a zombie movie last night that made more sense than what we're seeing come out of Washington every day.
Corbin's writings and AFWH give me some hope. And if I have to bet on something working to turn this mess around, this seems as good a bet as any. If it doesn't work, at least I contributed to something I believe in.
Feels very needed in a climate that is increasingly favourable to left-wing challengers. We just need to figure out wider unity, a full movement, and ensuring that those we elect will be willing to take on esstablishment dems as much as our fascist opponents in government.
Hi Corbin, I am so happy to hear about your new website. It is so refreshing to hear the views of someone I agree with on almost every political topic.
Best,
Rob
I'm sorry, Corbin, you can't change the Democratic party. It needs to be replaced with a BRAND NEW PARTY.
I know the feeling. I think they are both expensive, hard, and unlikely paths. I think the goal will be a united group of Democrats and Independents. If you build a bloc of candidates and they win then you'd have the power to push the idea of a new party. There is nothing about being elected a democrat that ensures loyalty other than human nature.
Progressive Dems need to take over the Libertarian Party , structure is
already there in all 50 states. Work with their leadership , they are never going to do more than be a spoiler.
Very likely as they're "controlled opposition" and are very unlikey to be taken over. It's surely a fine idea, but it appears they're a set-up and part of the "problem."
I'd pull in Marianne Williamson. She has the best political mind that's informed by what's bigger than all minds. She's the real deal for her insight into being human, and is an inspiration to everyone who listens to her. I don't know who your gang is, but it could only be enhanced by her participation. Here's a playlist of her videos I've posted: https://suzannetaylor.substack.com/s/marianne-williamson
This didn't sound right: "...we will try to build candidate unity around a big idea." I don't know who "we" is, and, since it's a be-all idea, that you're going to deliver it from a back room makes me an observer to somethign massive coming from something teeny. Sounds off-caliber.
It all had that air. I was not invited in -- until the very end, where the offer was to help you. I feel left out.
ok got it!
Good ideas, good plan. I hope you can find plenty of candidates willing to challenge the status quo. I am disappointed to hear that Mamdani and AOC are not strongly leading that charge.
Sweet jeebus, let us win one for a change.
I'm endlessly amazed that the Democratic Party seems so inept (sometimes almost deliberately so) when it comes to messaging. The GOP has their messaging impresarios like Grover Norquist and Frank Luntz (and whoever else does it today) to ensure that all Republicans stay on message and parrot the same talking points. Then, Democrats all too willing to let the other side set the terms of the discussion.
Not that we want Democrats to be mindless parrots, but for godsakes, there are vital issues that need to be consistently hammered upon for the general public! The current case in point is the so-called “SAVE” Act. Call it what it is:
Trump is hell-bent to take away American’s right to vote — and he’s using extortion to do so: “Give me what I want or I’ll freeze all of the government services you depend upon in order to get my way!”
If a "leader" is too afraid to be that direct, they'd serve us all by getting out of the way for someone who can.
A plan that most people won't do isn't worth much.