I think one really useful thing philanthropists could do is to fund local radio stations that tell the truth. Most local radio in the USA has been deliberately bought up by right wing organisations that push right wing views and hate. If these new decent stations also promoted community eg events sports arts and music that could help to rebuild community and connection.
People in the USA drive a lot and listen to a lot of car radio.
I agree entirely with the observation that the right has been patient in building networks and careers and worldviews. And the liberals are way too timid and unwilling to fight for decency and unwilling to ally with the left or working class.
My husband and I drove from Vermont to Utah. He listened to whatever radio was on. Just like Alice wrote, lots of right wing misinformation, Christian stations many of which did not sound very Christian, and a few stations with actual news. The Trump voters are not all hateful, vindictive ,irrational, mean people. They are misinformed but my limited experience is that they are as likely to be polite and helpful as Democrats, and much more reasonable and tolerant than those on the far left.
To address a point raised by Our Host. The center and left have a potent and well-organized intellectual infrastructure. It is called "universities" and "professions." Once upon a time, the right tried to counter this infrastructure, with things like the American Enterprise Institute. But then they discovered that facts have a well-known liberal bias, and shifted to full-time centrally organized propaganda instead. It worked! Center and left propaganda is disorganized and generally incompetent.
Dems, climate folk, etc. have to up their rhetoric. Every "natural" disaster has to be loudly called out: This wildfire (heat wave, drought, flash flood, storm, etc.) brought to you by the fossil fuel industry and their paid lackeys, republican elected officials.
Two significant differences between the Left Progressive Advocate (LPA) funders & Right Wing Authoritarian (RWA) funders:
1) The RWA doesn't care if some of the money is grifted/stolen/misallocated, etc... they accept this as part of doing business.
2) RWA assholes don't fight fair, they have a zero-sum game mentality
Until the LPA gets more comfortable with easing funding restrictions and adopting a (near) zero-sum game mentality, then they will lose more than they win.
I think one really useful thing philanthropists could do is to fund local radio stations that tell the truth. Most local radio in the USA has been deliberately bought up by right wing organisations that push right wing views and hate. If these new decent stations also promoted community eg events sports arts and music that could help to rebuild community and connection.
People in the USA drive a lot and listen to a lot of car radio.
I agree entirely with the observation that the right has been patient in building networks and careers and worldviews. And the liberals are way too timid and unwilling to fight for decency and unwilling to ally with the left or working class.
Good interview thanks to both of you. .
My husband and I drove from Vermont to Utah. He listened to whatever radio was on. Just like Alice wrote, lots of right wing misinformation, Christian stations many of which did not sound very Christian, and a few stations with actual news. The Trump voters are not all hateful, vindictive ,irrational, mean people. They are misinformed but my limited experience is that they are as likely to be polite and helpful as Democrats, and much more reasonable and tolerant than those on the far left.
To address a point raised by Our Host. The center and left have a potent and well-organized intellectual infrastructure. It is called "universities" and "professions." Once upon a time, the right tried to counter this infrastructure, with things like the American Enterprise Institute. But then they discovered that facts have a well-known liberal bias, and shifted to full-time centrally organized propaganda instead. It worked! Center and left propaganda is disorganized and generally incompetent.
We don't know how to reach the Fox news audiance.
Dems, climate folk, etc. have to up their rhetoric. Every "natural" disaster has to be loudly called out: This wildfire (heat wave, drought, flash flood, storm, etc.) brought to you by the fossil fuel industry and their paid lackeys, republican elected officials.
Two significant differences between the Left Progressive Advocate (LPA) funders & Right Wing Authoritarian (RWA) funders:
1) The RWA doesn't care if some of the money is grifted/stolen/misallocated, etc... they accept this as part of doing business.
2) RWA assholes don't fight fair, they have a zero-sum game mentality
Until the LPA gets more comfortable with easing funding restrictions and adopting a (near) zero-sum game mentality, then they will lose more than they win.