192 Comments
Dec 20, 2019Liked by Judd Legum

I've been impressed by your ability to call out people and organizations for malpractice/hypocrisy, and pleasantly surprised that many of them have changed their ways shortly thereafter.

Keep it up!

Cheers!

Expand full comment

Our media has largely been a failure at holding those in power accountable. But in a very short time Judd has shown that it is possible. Thank you so much for your efforts so far.

Expand full comment

It seems like Republicans are much better (read: more insidious) at working for structural advantages in electoral politics. Such as redistricting, purging voters, making voting harder, etc. Should progressives be focused on win-at-all costs structural changes as well? Are there any groups working on this and receiving funding for it? To me, the last handful of years have proven that unilateral disarmament really doesn't work.

Expand full comment

Judd, I love your articles. It's the future of journalism, IMHO. I don't understand why Democrats and Progressives don't talk more about the economic impact of public investment. I believe the economic benefits of low health care costs and low student debt are way more important than the virtue signaling. There are many other examples such as public investment in scientific research, etc. I hope that the Democratic platform returns to basic principles of public investment and make those cases in a clear and strong way, rather than all the virtue signaling. Do notice trends in this regard?

Expand full comment

re media, why are they giving Trump children a pass (for profiting from their parents), but not Hunter Biden?

Expand full comment

Judd - amazing work this year! Every time I read your scoops I wonder: how is it possible that the progressives don't pay for 50 or 100 full-time Judd Legums? With Think Progress going under, and the continued asymmetry of massive Republican media shops, and tiny progressive media shops, what do you think is causing this? Why are Republican billionaires more willing to fund media? Why are Democratic consumers not as supportive of efforts like Air America, Current TV and other progressive alternative media that ultimately failed?

Expand full comment

Why do you think the media has avoided covering the truly scandalous and many intersections if Trump with Russians going back to the 80s with the fervor of a non-event like Hillary's emails? Top-down financial pressure? A calculation that long term Trump coverage better than blowing up his spot and ending the cash cow? There is so much "there" there that it seems like journalistic malpractice to largely avoid as they do.

Expand full comment

Thank you for all your research and information! I am astonished by the things you discover and the effect your publication has on making change in a complex and complicated system. You have a very nice balancing act, too.

Expand full comment
Dec 20, 2019Liked by Judd Legum

lots of great comments...here's mine: thank you!!!

Expand full comment

Hi Judd, Did you ever get answers from the Trump campaign about the dinner contests? If not, are you going to sue them for not following the rules about disclosing winners? Keep up the great work!

Expand full comment

Hi Judd,

I wanted to share an observation and get your thoughts.

All of Democratic candidates are (in one form or another) proposing various government solutions to the various challenges our country and its citizens face. But it seems to me that none of them are making a case that the government (vs the private sector) is the right entity to address these challenges.

Here's why I think this is a problem - for almost the entirety of my life (I’m in my mid 40s), Reagan's remark that "government is not the solution....government is the problem" has been an unspoken but potent political belief for many, many Americans. When government solutions (particularly progressive ones) are suggested, I’ve observed that many people – even those who would otherwise categorize their beliefs as left-leaning – are immediately skeptical or even pessimistic about such a solution. I can understand (and share) a general skepticism for any solution that lacks detail, but I think the distaste for government intervention goes beyond that. It almost seems an instinctive reaction that’s been fed by four decades of conservative political messaging and the fearful reactions of Democrats trying to prove they aren’t “big government liberals.”

As much as it pains me to say this, Republicans have done a good job at stating their overarching philosophy of the role of government and then framing their policy recommendations within that philosophy. Why do the Democrats have so much trouble articulating a macro view on the role of government?

As mentioned, I’m interested in your thoughts on this.

Thanks - TCL

Expand full comment
Dec 20, 2019Liked by Judd Legum

Love this thread. I have learned a lot from your newsletter Judd. And I'm learning a lot right now, too! Thanks to all

Expand full comment

You've done an immense job covering topics that the mainstream media have left by the wayside, especially Facebook's corruption of the political process. What unheralded stories do you hope to cover in 2020?

Expand full comment

I wonder if you have any insight into how the Democratic nominees for President are exploiting Facebook and other social media platforms. Candidates like Pete Buttigieg who has a relationship with Mark Zuckerberg and hired staff based on his recommendations have risen sharply in polling and I guess my post-2016 broken brain wonders if that might be a result of targeted online ad buys in Iowa and New Hampshire. We're in an ecosystem where a sophisticated understanding of FB and IG's algorithm can move advertising into primary positions. Given Zuckerberg's comments about Warren being an existential crisis and really anyone who sees a need for regulation of Silicon Valley, I'm concerned FB will start picking our candidates for us. Can you share any insight?

Expand full comment

Do you predict any political fallout from evangelical Christianity Today's editor in chief recent recommendation that Trump be removed? https://www.christianitytoday.com/ct/2019/december-web-only/trump-should-be-removed-from-office.html

Expand full comment

I’m excited about the Lincoln Project, but as a democrat I’m worried it’ll bite me later. I like environmental regulations and am worried about climate change. Is this just about getting rid of Trump, and once he’s gone will we go right back to shafting workers and the world to make a buck for the rich guys?

Expand full comment

You've rocketed all the way to the number 2 paid product on Substack. What are you doing with Substack or within the progressive community to evangelize and spread best practices on building a paid newsletter following. I was glad to be introduced to HEATED through you as well.

Expand full comment

I seem to be surrounded by people who seem to think the 2020 presidential election is already decided — even without a democratic nominee in place. I just can't be this hopeless already. And I'm afraid that hopelessness leads to inertia. Am I being a cock-eyed optimist or is there any chance of taking back the White House and/or (more importantly) the Senate? I know it's hard to call it this early but any shred of hope is welcome!

Expand full comment

So much consideration of political machinations but no mention of the Climate Crisis, why? This thread, like the all the mass media outlets, seems focused on the arrangement of the deck chairs rather than the sinking ship. Please, explain why the impending existential crisis merits so little attention.

Expand full comment

Judd - Always look forward to your morning story and topic. Sometimes though, the mornings get busy and I cannot read the story until later in the day. Was wondering if you could do a reading via a podcast. Doesn't have to be extensive but could be a way to reach others. I always listen to podcasts while on my way to work. Just a thought. Thanks for great work and looking forward to your column in 2020! Have a great holiday season.

Expand full comment

I just want to express my gratitude for your work. Your investigative work has thrown some very important light on troubling issues (I'm in particular thinking about Facebook), and your writing about them is always illuminating. Thank you. Have a happy holiday season.

Expand full comment

Can the American people file a lawsuit or have the leader of the Senate put in jail for not honoring his pledge to be a impartial juror? Or, as usual, we are screwed by Mitch. And the BIG question, what does tRump have on the republicans that they have forgotten what facts and truth are?

Expand full comment

Love the column, as well as the fact that you have turned me on to several other journalists who I now follow!

My questions: 1) Will impeaching the Orange Asscactus (sorry, "President Trump") end up backfiring on Democrats in vulnerable Congressional Districts (or cause others to flip, as Jeff Van Drew just did), or will it negatively affect the Senate races where the Democrats think that they can flip some seats? (Full Disclosure: This is something that REALLY concerns me)

2) Any chance you can do a really deep dig on the NRA and its funding sources? For a lobby group as small in numbers as it is, it seems bizarre (at least to me) that it should hold such a large hold over Congress. I'd love to know where its money REALLY comes from (my bet is on the gun manufacturers and from overseas, such as Russia and China).

Thank you again, and I hope that you have a wonderful holiday!

Expand full comment

Other than subscribing is there anything else us average folk can do to help you?

Expand full comment

Hi Judd! Congrats on all the stories you've broken and reported this year. I'm curious about your creative process for turning an idea or tip into a published post? Do you work best at night or in the morning? Any cool rituals or routines that work for you? Thanks in advance and here's to a powerful 2020!

Expand full comment

Why didnt the House use the subpoena power to summon Mulvaney et. al. to testify? The house was the only place we could sway public opinion. I just dont understand why this wasn't fought as hard as possible given the gravity of the situation.

Expand full comment

What more can you tell us about the Facebook ads that Trump ran promising “Dinner With Trump?” Is there any legal action being taken to make the campaign or Facebook aaccountable?

Expand full comment

Zero to 100, what percent chance do you think the US has of having an election result we can trust, and what’s the percentage chance of Trump attempting to overturn/invalidate it should he lose?

Expand full comment

I can only see a future where every political move is burn-it-down, dirty tricks, forever. We impeached their guy, they'll go for any of ours from now on. All appointments sat on forever - except when it's our turn, then cram them all through. Complete disregard for law and process. Is there any way back? I feel utterly without hope.

Expand full comment

Appreciate your work, Judd. I'm an author with 125 K FB followers. Several weeks ago, I wrote my last FB post (for the time being), letting readers know that I would no longer use the platform due to (popular) information about Zuckerberg's unprincipled stand on political ads they know to be misleading or false. I'm wondering whether my gesture can make any positive difference, or whether I'd be better off continuing use of the FB platform in positive ways. Thanks again for your contributions.

Expand full comment

Why are GOP senators so subservient to Sen. McConnell? He's ruining their brand.

Expand full comment

What do you think of Pete Buttigieg’s chances for winning in Iowa & New Hampshire? The media seems enchanted with him. He started out progressive, & has now shifted toward the center, saying he is being practical. I wonder if he has strong progressive convictions, or is going whichever way the wind blows. What are your thoughts?

Expand full comment

Is it possible to shame the national media? I believe a good deal of our divisiveness is a result of our failure to hold those in power accountable. Elections are one way to do that, but they have not been as effective as they need to be. The media is another vehicle for holding the powerful accountable. But they have failed miserably. And some of our other avenues for holding the powerful accountable, like elections, have failed because of the media's failure. Judd has shown through his work with Facebook that a corporation tied to a single, identifiable person can be influenced. But what about faceless media corporations? I like the content analysis studies that document how many minutes the national nightly news devotes to substantial issues versus, say, the royal family or the weather. Can we use data like that to challenge the priorities of the media? The current administration apparently can't be shamed. Can the media for their failings?

Expand full comment

For the longest time, you were pushing for impeachment. I don't disagree with that, but I was very concerned that it would not result in any substantive results due to the Rs not giving any indication of impartiality. It seemed like a very short-sighted move considering the somewhat likely result of it emboldening Trump with his base. We now seem to be at that stage and I am so frustrated with this stalemate. Do you still think it was worth the effort? Obviously, there is more to take place on this subject, but considering what has occurred to this point, seems like an effort that may hurt Democrats instead of helping our country

Expand full comment

Will mainstream media ever report on how Vladimir Putin’s endgame with Trump is to lift Russian sanctions, and why that is of interest to them both?

Expand full comment

Do you think the electoral college will ever go away?

Expand full comment

I know it sounds incredibly cynical, but I am convinced that Trump, et al, have control over the Republican party partly through the imposition of fear tactics, but more so due to having "dirt" on key members. Who, if anyone, might have a stake in uncovering what dirt Trump has on key members? It would seem to me there could be a pattern of investigation into the interaction patterns between Trump and them. Are Presidential call logs available through FOIA? Are Presidential meeting schedules still not being shared?

Expand full comment

In the interests of accuracy, could you fix the reference to Tina Smith in this article - https://popular.info/p/the-racists-and-the-antiracists? You show her as: Tina Smith (D-MI). I'm sure both Michigan and Minnesota will thank you!

Expand full comment

What do you think are the most important down-ballot races in 2020? We're focused on presidential picks, for good reason, but that's not where most of the policy that affects day-to-day living happens.

Expand full comment

Some really great Dem candidates are unable to get qualifying poll numbers. My question is, "who are they polling?". I've never been polled and I am a lifelong, regular voter.

Expand full comment

Would any Republican senators vote to convict given what is known now? What would it take to get enough to vote to convict for removal?

Expand full comment

I have a question about pardoning as it is stated the pardon powers of the President are based on Article Two of the United States Constitution (Section 2, Clause 1), which provides:

The President ... shall have Power to grant Reprieves and Pardons for Offenses against the United States, except in Cases of impeachment.

Does he get to pardon? Or not be pardoned?

I have received and read different answers and I’m confused.

Thank You for All You Do!!!!

Expand full comment

Hi Judd. I wanted to make a comment about a couple of issues that add tremendously to the income inequality. One is stock buybacks by corporations. They have been doing this for a long time with the result of making earnings look better because of less shares outstanding. Or better known as financial engineering. The trump tax cuts took the buybacks to a new extreme level. Combine that with ridiculously low interest rates forever. There was a Democratic amendment brought up when they were working on the trump tax cut to force companies to reinvest their cash windfall into their companies and or to raise wages. Of course this was voted down by the GOP. The only people who benefit from the buybacks are shareholders. I don’t fault the companies because they are beholden to shareholders. So the only way to fix this is to limit the financial engineering. Endless low interest rates (which trump loves) are hurting savers, especially seniors who need income from savings to live on. So many people are forced to take on more risk than is appropriate for them to get the income they need. Then if markets go south they are hurt that much more. Also the low interest rates doesn’t bleed into the interest on most of consumer debt. Credit cards still charging 20% interest on balances. So again doesn’t help the average person.Helps companies to borrow super cheap money and use that cheap borrowed money to buy back more stock, instead of R&D and new equipment and expansion which would help workers and the communities they reside in. The uncertainty from the trade issues all over the word due to trump policies just puts the destructive scenario on steroids. Taxing companies more fairly is important but the artificially low interest rates and all the financial engineering causes way more problems over time. I heard Cory Booker talk about the stock buyback issue once on a podcast. Other than that, it’s not mentioned anywhere other than fintwitter and financial media. It’s complicated but the results are clear to everyone. Would love to see more attentive to this massive legal scam. Thank you for the work you do. Best, Melinda @jeanienyc on Twitter

Expand full comment

Do you know of anyone who has tracked down a monetary reason for Brexit? In other words I've been wondering who is making money off of Brexit and whether they were some of the forces behind it.

Expand full comment

Should Democrats continue the impeachment inquiry open in the House in order to investigate Trump's taxes, emoluments (let's find a different word) and the rest of the rampant corruption?

Expand full comment

Will you and other journalists as well informed as you convey to the people that purity tests of Democratic candidates do not need to reach 100% ? And that no matter who the nominee is the most important thing is to vote.

Expand full comment

Hi Judd, I have been wondering, if DJT ends up going to prison some day, as a former President will he be entitled to Secret service protection, funded by the taxpayers?

Expand full comment

Hi, Judd. How long do you think Nancy Pelosi can hold off on sending Impeachment Articles to Senate. And do you think she can win PR war if she held them indefinitely as long as McConnell refuses to call witnesses and/or request documents?

Expand full comment

What are your thoughts about anyone else getting in the race, Eric Holder for example? I will vote for the dem who wins the primary, but no one excites me the way Obama did.

Expand full comment

In the future, what are the chances that a viable third political party will develop from this current chaos?

What are the chances that if a democrat wins the WH and the democrats control the senate that they will add two seats to the Supreme Court to balance out what McConnell has done.

Expand full comment