The Horse Race Won't Matter If They Burn Down the Track
In which the Rickipedian wonders whether our conventional categories of political analysis are even useful any more.
Matthew Sheffield is one of the most compelling analysts of American politics I've encountered in recent years. (Here's a profile I did of him in 2024.) We just carried out a wide-ranging conversation that might spur some interesting conversations here. Share your thoughts in the comments!
Having forced myself, for many, many years, to work in local Democratic party politics as a sort of moral obligation, I can attest it has rarely been fun and never interesting. Events, whether required meetings or potlucks or whatever, are always exceedingly dull or cheer-leading sessions, which never energize anyone; local party establishments work like the national party establishment in prioritizing control, and thus resistance to change, over everything. You touched on the over-bureaucratized Democratic Party and the establishment’s unwillingness to relinquish control as impediments in energizing its base, and that is so true. The fact that Mamdani won without support from the Democrat establishment or even the main media outlets hopefully mean others can too. True, Mamdani is transparent and consistent on his political agenda, but even more important, he seems to have a life; he even performed in a rap group! So that brings me to Piker; you obviously aren’t a big fan but at least understand his appeal. Piker obviously enjoys engaging with others, keeping the conversation going rather than shutting it down, and is more than willing to defend his politics, unlike Fuentes, who is now hiding away in a basement, representing the “dark Gothic strain” and encouraging the resentment and anger of the lost boys. In my opinion, the main task for Democrats, in taking advantage of the current disaster that is MAGA, is by recruiting and supporting candidates who aren’t necessarily perfect but at least honest and who find politics enjoyable and interesting and maybe even fun; candidates who people can relate to. Based on my experience, I don’t see this as viable if the party system continues to exist in its current form, but one can always hope.
I grew up in Texas and lived in Arizona; thus, I found Before the Storm fascinating. I now have three copies, two of the original printing and one from The Nation; I buy used copies (always hard to find) to give as gifts; they are always appreciated. Looking forward to your new forward.