"I know."

[senseandsensibility]

Last edited Sun May 12, 2024, 03:19 PM - Edit history (1)

I'd like to start with a very brief and funny story about my early childhood. My late mother (Happy Mother's Day in Heaven, Mom) loved to tell of when she would take me to the grocery store as a toddler and the old ladies at the store would gather around and exclaim about how cute I was. This went on for a while, and I guess at about the age of three I had had enough. When someone told me I was cute, I calmly replied, "I know." Apparently it brought down the house.

Why am I bringing this up? Well, although I found this story extremely embarrassing throughout my childhood and teen-age years, I think I knew down deep that I had not been full of myself or conceited when I three. Instead, I had had a calm self-confidence. I never really achieved that again, but if you have it, it can be very powerful.

Lately, I have been wishing that the Democratics were more like me when I was three years old. I wish they could speak the truth briefly and calmly about what
they have achieved over the past few decades and how R's will take it all away.
Civil rights? We did that. Minimum wage and 40 hour work week? We did that. Reproductive rights? We did that. Marriage equality? We did that. Et cetera.
Talk about it. Take credit. And make comparisons and contrasts.

It is not bragging if it is true. And although most Dems are nice people who don't want to brag or come off as full of themselves, those rules are gone now. We are up against a monster who take all of that away. We need to have the same confidence and boldness that I had at the age of three.

Why not? We've earned it.

[MOMFUDSKI]

1. Great insight. So many rethugs are just not

aware of all the good things in their lives that came from Democrats. They take Medicare, SS, ACA health insurance preventing pre-existing conditions from being covered, and a raft of other items for granted. They would be first in line to complain when the rug gets pulled out from under them.

[senseandsensibility]

3. I forgot Medicare!

You're right. That's such a big one. And so many don't know who started it, supports it, or will ensure it continues. We need to make sure they know before election day.

[Think. Again.]

2. Well said!

[spike jones]

4. I'm cute.

[link:

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[senseandsensibility]

7. God that's hysterical

Love Carson, love the crowd's reaction. At least in the retelling, the "crowd" in the grocery store reacted like that too.

[calimary]

17. So do I. They don't make 'em like him anymore.

And they don't make audiences like his anymore, either. Feels like too many of us have been dumbed down and amped up in the years since then.

[senseandsensibility]

21. Played that clip for my hubby

He loved it. What a great talent he was and the genuine delight he took in that response explains a lot about his appeal.

[Mr.Bill]

5. As a Boomer, I sometimes like to say

our parents may have won a war, but we stopped one.

[calimary]

20. Good one, Mr. Bill!

If only that could be the end of it. There are some days when it feels like that's an impossible dream.

[Mr.Bill]

22. It also wasn't easy,

and it took a long time.

[senseandsensibility]

23. Good point

I was a little too young to participate in that but I do remember it and it was by no means easy or without it's own sacrifices.

[Mr.Bill]

24. It's the only thing that ever

got me tear gassed. Not too badly, fortunately, just got a little whiff of it downwind. Enough to know how bad it must be close up.

[live love laugh]

6. I have a friend who's a Democrat, but we can't talk politics.I have a friend that is a democrat, but we can't talk pol

Why?

Because when I send her memes about our accomplishments or other positive news, she asks why don’t they tell us about it then?

[senseandsensibility]

8. Yes our self imposed modesty

and assumption that everyone already knows our accomplishments is a real handicap that we can actually control.

[NanaCat]

10. Tell her to wonder instead

Why the media doesn't let them tell us as often as they suck up to GQP.

That might wake her up to some reality.

[live love laugh]

25. I tried that. She's dismissive of that explanation.

And though I know it’s true, putting myself in her shoes, I kind of understand her position.

Not sure what we can do to reach people like her.

[NanaCat]

9. Similar story from my childhood

I got the beautiful little girl thing all the time, comments about my big brown eyes and all that. I think I was four when someone said what a pretty girl I was, and I retorted, 'I'd rather you notice that I'm smart.'

That story still makes the family rounds, 50+ years later.

[senseandsensibility]

11. Cute!

I think there was an element of that in my reply too. Yes, I'm cute; let's move on to other things.

[NanaCat]

13. Exactly

Funny, I can't remember an age when I didn't find most people exasperating for focusing on ridiculous things.

[Unwind Your Mind]

16. I love both of your stories

I’m step mom and auntie to two of cutest little girls you ever saw, both grown women now. I still love to chat with little girls and babies when I get a chance. I steer away from cute or pretty and usually compliment their shoes or outfit. They often respond and tell me something about them. It’s so fun 😍

[senseandsensibility]

18. As a retired teacher (elementary school)

one of my first thoughts is that you are helping them to develop their verbal skills. Can't stop thinking that way, but it's true.

[dmr]

12. I agree. Many Republicans take credit for Democratic accomplishments.

This reminds me of a video of a woman praising TFG for giving her affordable Insulin. She couldn't praise him enough.

I'm hoping somewhere along the line that someone set her straight. Though I doubt she'd believe it.

We ought to toot our own horn.

[jaxexpat]

14. That's a pretty cool sentiment, my friend. BTW, it's not lost that you were, at three, somewhat self-aware.

That's not for nothing appropriate. The arch enemy at the gate these days, along with his minions, is operating on a three-year-old level of maturity and comprehension. We would be well advised to appreciate the actual level of understanding required to persevere among our swing-voter friends. When they go low, often that's when they're reaching up.

[senseandsensibility]

19. Most three year olds are pretty cool

when you think about it. That's why (although I've been guilty of it myself) comparing three year olds to you know who is an insult to them.

[ancianita]

15. Absolutely. Thank you for

this brilliant insight. To speak with the confidence and boldness of a 3 year old. Bold children advance humanity. For such is the kingdom.

We've not only earned it, we've become it and now must talk and walk it.

[BaronChocula]

26. The Dem messaging is definitely getting better

Many elected Democrats responded to the bravado of the Reagan Bush years by rolling over and trying to prove they weren't all that liberal in hopes of trying to appeal to the lost Reagan Democrats. Even successful Democrats chirped Republican lines like Clinton's "the era of big government is over." The liberal party was scared away from being liberal.

In those days unions were the bad guys. Now we have a president who joins picket lines. Liberals are winning elections by being liberal again and it has everything to do with finding that confidence.