R’s I’s and D’s — United! August 28, 2024 D’s are united behind Kamala and Tim, of course. You saw that at the Convention. I’s will lean blue as well, I hope. Andrew Yang, for example: I Left the Democratic Party to Start a Third Party. I’m Still Voting for Kamala and You Should Too. R’s — well, what I’m really hoping is that lifelong Republicans will heed calls like this one: In anti-Trump letter, 230 former GOP staffers say “we’re voting for Vice President Kamala Harris” (Is there a letter from former Democratic staffers endorsing Trump?) (Or even one from former Trump staffers endorsing him?) You heard Adam Kinzinger’s speech at the Convention. Here’s an email Liz Cheney just sent out: Friend- The GOP has chosen. They have nominated a man who attempted to overturn an election and seize power. Now, we have just months to save our republic & ensure Donald Trump is never anywhere near the Oval Office again. It’s up to all of us to put our love of country ahead of partisanship, to stand together for our values and our freedom in the face of a threat we’ve never faced before. So much is on the line. We must right the ship of our democracy. That’s why I launched Our Great Task. I am committing to doing everything I can to ensure we defeat Donald Trump at the ballot box this November, and I’m asking you to do the same. If you are with me, please contribute today. Every one of us – Republican, Democrat, Independent – must work together to ensure that Donald Trump and those who have appeased, enabled, and collaborated with him are defeated. This is the cause of our time. Join me in the fight for our nation’s freedom. YOUR THOUGHTS Paul W.: “Neither party cares about the staggering federal debt. More spending? Lower taxes? Just borrow. Forcing taxpayers to give $25,000 to ‘first-time homebuyers’ and paying off all ‘medical debt’ are terrible, Bernie-land ideas that will likely not stand a chance of passing Congress. Yet because I despise Trump I will vote for Harris. I even sent her money.” → I’d note that Clinton and Obama both left office with the Debt shrinking relative to GDP. I wouldn’t be surprised if Kamala does, too. (Adequately funding the IRS, so it can collect taxes that rich people and corporations owe, would be a piece of that.*) The same cannot be said for Joe Biden’s final-year deficit, but debt taken on to rebuild infrastructure — and for “social infrastructure” like childcare and education — is way more productive than (say) debt taken on to lower taxes for billionheirs. Or than the debt we took on to win World War II – necessary though it was. In the 40 or so years after the War, until Reagan over-shot the tax-cut mark and sent the National Debt — and the Inequality Index — soaring, we gradually shrank all that World War II borrowing back to pre-war, pre-Depression levels (relative to the size of the economy). With a revitalized infrastructure, thanks to Joe Biden and Kamala Harris, we should be in a good position to do that again. (As for helping first-time homebuyers, I agree it may not be enacted. But if it is, possible benefits include strengthening the middle class and reducing the dangerously gaping wealth-inequality gap . . . which in the long run, I think, would make our economy — and our society — stronger. Not bad, either, for homebuilders and their employees.) But I hear Paul’s concerns . . . and share some of them . . . and appreciate his feedback and support! *Are Trump’s tax returns still under audit? Is he still planning to release them, as promised? RFK BONUS Kudos to Pamela Paul for unearthing this from 2000: Eight at Riverkeeper Resign Over Kennedy’s Hiring of a Rare-Egg Smuggler.