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Kelly O'Brien's avatar

Your observations are always welcome, Kathryn.

I was brought up in Brooklyn, NY, not far from Trump’s nest in Queens. I left NYC in my teens to get away from that nasty, bigoted, small minded white culture he characterized.

He uses the same language used colloquially in the 50’s and 60’s. “Bigly” = Big League, a way of expressing major importance. “Like you’ve neva seen befaw” = you’ll be in awe.

He desperately wanted to fit in to the NYC social scene. He was almost uniformly rejected. His nascent unapologetic hate, crude manner, cynical attitude and narcissistic behavior emerged as a reaction to that rejection. And this is the kind of person with whom we are saddled.

I thought I left him behind… but, I underestimated the degree of his desperation turned into revenge.

Thanks for your good work, Kathryn!

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Neueklasse's avatar

Well said and an accurate assessment of our current situation

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Kathryn Anne Edwards's avatar

Thank you!

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ArizonaGregg's avatar

Sorry to contact you this way but I could find no other way to do so, so I apologize in advance. I was friended tonight on TikTok by an account claiming to be you with lots of followers and other indicators such that it is hard to distinguish that it is a fake profile. Almost immediately, the account, which goes by “keds_ec0n0mist,” messaged me (and then took the conversation to What’s App…which has your name attached to it… to further apprise me of their scheme) about investing in cryptocurrency. The scheme involved a minimum of $300 investment (later reduced to $100 after I proved skeptical) in which he/she would take 15% for services rendered with guaranteed profits for all. This was a very high pressure sales tactic that was used replete with screen shots of successful investments done by others and with the scammer even sending me a short female voice recording claiming to be you to help assuage my caution! In short order, after such tactics I knew this was a total scam and firmly declined. (I was always skeptical). Coda: After I expressed a need to “think about it” after repeated hard sales tactics, I went back to the fake TikTok page and discovered I’d been blocked! I do hope you’ll be able to shut down the imposters using your likeness and bio to con people through this cryptocurrency con job.

Best of luck.

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Joe Hawkes-Cates's avatar

This definitely rings true. My concern is that the right wing propaganda machine (tv and social media) will largely shield Trump and the GOP from the blame for the issues that they are causing so future elections may not manifest the consequences they deserve and we may continue down the path they are setting much longer than we should.

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Heather Powers's avatar

Cleverly crafted and unfortunately true. I still struggle to reconcile views on motherhood, childcare and need for skilled workers (as moms are) to drive the economy. But again, this administration defies rational logic.

Thank you for helping us understand it!

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Alfie Mahmoud's avatar

Nothing more elitist than calling out a demographic. Dr. Edwards, you are so much better than this. The reason the article wasn’t printed is because it is typical divisive, domesday editorial. Probably the worst I’ve read from you, and your bias is really starting to erode your credibility.

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TD bach's avatar

I'm sorry: what demographic callout are you referring to? White men without a degree? Seriously? That one, very brief, reference in an otherwise reasonable takedown of Trump's return-to-the-50s fantasy platform? And do you really not think his rhetoric about bringing back manufacturing wasn't aimed at exactly that demographic, which is a sizable part of his base? You clearly have extremely sensitive triggers. I won't speculate what those are and where they come from, but I sincerely hope Kathrine continues to write so cogently about the world as she sees and understands it, without compromise to avoid stepping on someone's exotic toes. She's always edifying that way, whether one agrees 100% or not.

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Alfie Mahmoud's avatar

There was an article in the WSJ recently that stated America’s post WW2 manufacturing work force was the most educated in the world, at that time of course. Dr. Edwards made her statement without citing a source, and we are supposed to “just believe” that most or a large part of the ‘50s workforce lacked high school educations? Additionally today’s manufacturing jobs will require a skilled workforce.

Don’t forget President Trump made in-roads across all demographics. It’s nonsense to think that only uneducated white males support President Trump. Keep thinking that and we will have more presidents like him. It’s also naive to generalize about a 50s fantasyland. That doesn’t help anything and avoids the real issues that exist now and existed in the last administration.

Anyway, I love listening to or reading Dr. Edward’s content. I wish I had time to listen/read all of it. Her ability to explain complex topics understandably and influence is a gift. I plan to continue reading/listening to her. This is why when I read articles like the one above I get disappointed. Divisive editorials like this one are a dime a dozen, and she can win on unbiased facts - when she is at her best. She has great ideas for real problems. If she consistently takes that high road, she can win more people over. She can be a light that brings people together in open dialogue. She dilutes her own capacity to influence and her brand when she moves from fact to divisive, mindless rhetoric even if some of the article was solid.

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Kathryn Anne Edwards's avatar

Well! This is a very awkward way to discover a typo! It's supposed to say "white men with a high school degree," not "white men withOUT a high school degree." Risk of substack is that I don't have an editor here to catch things like that. I fixed it above but wanted to respond to you here.

If you want to see more about what I mean of the relative privilege of white high school educated males, you can read this article in the NYT about the earnings of race/gender/education groups. I didn't particularly like the article, but they show you what I was referring to.

https://www.nytimes.com/interactive/2024/10/26/upshot/census-relative-income.html

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Alfie Mahmoud's avatar

Oh my. Changed my thoughts as well. Thanks for the clarification. I’m honored you replied. I’d like to update my response when I get a minute.

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Noodles & Cabbage's avatar

Nailed it Kathryn, as usual. This will indeed regain an accurate read four years from now, ten years from now, 25 years from now.

I just hope the resistance and the courts can hold on until the'26 midterms. There will be a lot of rebuilding to do.

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Amie Sprinkle's avatar

This made me feel a bit better. Thanks!

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Kathryn Anne Edwards's avatar

I love to hear that.

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