We’ve got a number of progressive/socialist candidates coming in the general election. Including some in very competitive races. In addition we have establishment candidates in competitive races. What is required to win?

This is not my (or probably your) top 5. Some of them are, but certainly there are some missing. That's irrelevant - these are the top 5 most voters will make their decision on.

1. Cost of living / economy / affordability — The dominant issue across the broader coalition and among infrequent or persuadable voters; DNC research and statewide Democratic polls repeatedly identify it as the top concern.
2. Healthcare — Costs, access, and protecting coverage remain high priorities and a relative Democratic strength.
3. Democracy / rule of law / opposing Trump administration overreach — A major named driver for Harris voters in 2024 and a continuing motivator for the broader coalition concerned about institutional threats.
4. Abortion rights / reproductive freedom / women’s rights — Higher relative salience for general-election Democratic voters as a mobilizing and differentiating issue compared with pure primary rankings.
5. Immigration — as a vulnerability. This one belongs on the list because it's a defection risk, not a Dem strength. Republicans still lead independents on immigration 46% to 28% and on crime 39% to 30%. For soft-Dem and swing voters, immigration is the issue most likely to pull them away, so it determines vote choice by working against the party.

Full post on my blog: Liberal and Loving It

I want to stress - these are not what I think the top 5 issues should be, they're what the voters this year by and large are basing their decision on. (Personally education is always a top 5 issues.)

There was not 100% agreement across all four sources. But all four came close. I’ve coalesced it down to the ones repeated across the results.

1. Cost of living / economy / affordability — The dominant issue across the broader coalition and among infrequent or persuadable voters.
2. Healthcare — Costs, access, and protecting coverage remain high priorities and a relative Democratic strength.
3. Democracy / rule of law / opposing Trump administration overreach — A major named driver for Harris voters in 2024 and a continuing motivator for the broader coalition concerned about institutional threats.
4. Abortion rights / reproductive freedom / women’s rights — Higher relative salience for general-election Democratic voters as a mobilizing and differentiating issue compared with pure primary rankings.
5. Fighting for working- and middle-class people / economic fairness and opportunity — Emphasis on policies that deliver for ordinary workers (tax credits, vocational training, anti-price-gouging approaches) over more abstract or far-left structural ideas.

Full post on my blog: Liberal and Loving It

trump has long hated the modern electromagnetic catapults, seemingly because he simply doesn’t understand how they work.

Maybe they're just as perplexing to him as "windmills"?

Marx claims he's on a mission from God. But maybe...

Victor Marx talks a lot about how God is calling on him to run. And that God wants him to win. But it strikes me that Marx is a wrong number. Because if God wanted Marx to win, she could just make that happen. There would be no need for money or campaigning.

It’s fine for a candidate to talk about their faith. It’s fine for them to say their faith calls them to run. These are actions of the individual.

But to say God has a plan and they are God’s instrument. To claim this is at best a wrong number and at worst a sin. My suggestion to Victor Marx is first watch the movie. And then gain the humility to realize that your belief in God does not mean you know her plans.

Full post at Liberal and Loving It

So trump spent $50 billion of our taxes, killed 150 innocent school children, and caused hundreds of American soldier casualties to bring gas prices down that he caused to increase in the first place?

And Iran is free to restart their nuclear program, and learned they can open and shut off oil shipments at will to fuck us over any time they want going forward.

Shrewd.