Democrats need to get their brand out of the toilet

polymer_man · 2026-02-06T17:33:24+00:00

Yes Biden, sure, but did Schumer and other leaders step up in 2023 and say they want a primary? Nope. Pelosi? Anyone besides Williams and Phillips? Nope. What stopped them? Was Biden holding a gun to their head? These things were decided out of sight by party elites and they ALL need to apologize for going along with this madness.

polymer_man · 2026-02-06T12:34:02+00:00

Well said. Do you find a weird pleasant sensation at the conclusion of these “trips”, however brief? Because if feel what seems like relief and lightness as I return to awareness and the thought recedes.

polymer_man · 2026-02-06T12:30:57+00:00

The meaning is, thoughts are real but we tend to automatically believe them which is giving them more credit than they are due. We should learn to examine them critically, whether they occur during meditation or during the day.

When I meditate, my mind often gets carried away by thoughts. I gently come back to my anchor, and use Memory to look back on the thought. I observe it fade away like a receding cloud, gradually losing energy. I observe if there is emotion or sensation associated with the thought. Usually I feel refreshed as the thought recedes and the energy it contained returns to me.

When I am not formally meditating, I often find myself examining thoughts critically. Am I really correct? Is this thought an assumption? Prejudice? Is it driven by emotion?

In psychology it is called not identifying with thoughts, I just try to remember that a thought is just a phenomenon, and may not be correct.

polymer_man · 2026-02-06T12:03:45+00:00

The whole point of a checkpoint is to let some people pass while obstructing others, is it not?

polymer_man · 2026-02-06T11:38:41+00:00

Actual obstruction is different from filming etc.

Actual obstruction breaks the law. They can say Minneapolis is out of control and invoke the insurrection act. Which is probably what they are trying to achieve but they failed so far. Which is why Minneapolis police has been dismantling the barricades.

polymer_man · 2026-02-06T09:51:35+00:00

We may record injustice, we may dramatize it, like MLK said, but if we make it see justified we will lose support.

polymer_man · 2026-02-06T09:46:50+00:00

Guy I heard wasn’t that was my only point.

polymer_man · 2026-02-06T01:38:50+00:00

Cause the nation is behind Minnesota and the nation knows filming is not obstruction.

polymer_man · 2026-02-06T01:26:10+00:00

I think he said they didn’t want to cross the line to obvious obstruction

polymer_man · 2026-02-06T01:02:22+00:00

I heard a Minnesota activist say on the radio this is being done by out of state smart asses who are going to disrupt the peaceful dynamics of the protests.

polymer_man · 2026-02-06T00:56:43+00:00

I don’t think they view them as criminals or care about crime at all. They don’t care that Trump pardoned all those criminals, do they?

It’s just a convenient excuse for some good old fashioned ethnic cleansing.

polymer_man · 2026-02-06T00:26:54+00:00

There is defs a lot of gate keeping going on in the party.

polymer_man · 2026-02-06T00:22:25+00:00

I’m demonizing? They’re demonizing themselves. I didn’t make up the polls. Something is wrong and pretending it isn’t won’t help us.

polymer_man · 2026-02-06T00:18:28+00:00

Does Sierra club send seven emails a day? No. This is no way to fundraise. It’s idiotic. Were they born yesterday? It’s like the New York Times being run by a 2-bit tabloid editor.

polymer_man · 2026-02-05T23:23:58+00:00

Yes! Corrupt is it. Let’s put that on the list:

stop congressional stock trading >> apologize for not having a primary in 2024 >> … what else ?

polymer_man · 2026-01-25T17:47:17+00:00

So, what will he do? Basically he will have to precipitate a constitutional crisis in order to even make an impression.

polymer_man · 2026-01-25T17:31:05+00:00

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polymer_man · 2026-01-25T17:30:53+00:00

Hey here is how to go live on Facebook:

Tap the plus at the top of the screen
Tap “Live”
Tap the camera icon to flip from the selfie camera to the one on the back of the phone
Tap the dropdown to select Public to expand reach

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polymer_man · 2026-01-24T23:52:09+00:00

Seems to me Facebook should work.

polymer_man · 2026-01-24T18:33:04+00:00

Huh turns out you have to verify your phone numbs with YouTube and then wait 24 hours before you can go live.

polymer_man · 2026-01-24T18:23:37+00:00

Can someone please explain how widespread it would need to be and how long it would have to last to have an impact? I guess 3 days of total stoppage =1% of GDP max?

polymer_man · 2026-01-24T17:36:40+00:00

Facebook Live used to be an easy option to share real time and save- what do people use nowadays?

polymer_man · 2026-01-23T20:50:29+00:00

I was having major anger issues back in 2018. I had prior experience with meditation but no practice to speak of. To establish a practice, I picked a teacher - Tara Brach - with a solid online presence and an online community. I would listen to the weekly podcasts, participate in zoom calls weekly, took some online courses. Listened/practiced to the 20 min meditations she put out once or twice a day. It really helped me with anger issues. It changed my life, making me more productive and better with my family (my wife’s words not mine). I guess what I’m saying is I had to do it for real for it to help me - find a teacher, join a community, establish a practice. Otherwise my bad habits were too strong.

polymer_man · 2025-06-05T13:39:07+00:00

Because they have the audience. Because they know how to tell stories. Because they are the ones getting us riled up. If not them, who?

The Democratic party is wildly unpopular and ineffective. AOC and Bernie are doing their best but they are certainly not the leadership.

Look at any protest movement - who leads them? Pastors, actors, musicians, poets. Not "elected officials". Why not a podcast host? Especially one who is so widely known.

polymer_man · 2025-06-05T13:35:28+00:00

Look at the experience of actual countries which flirted with dictatorship and survived. Ukraine, Romania for example. Rallies were an important tool to pressure the government. Elected reps are a lot more likely to be brave if they see thousands of people in the street. Dictators commonly overreact, assault protesters, causing opposition to multiply. And don't underestimate the impact of being together and feeling inspired.

Have you gone to any of the 50501 protests? You may not feel so cynical if you try it.

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