We have often had prediction threads for the new year and had not seen one yet this year, so I figured I would post it. What are you’re predictions or hopes, especially politically, for 2019? How did we do for 2018?
I also have a bit of an ulterior motive for posting this, which is I hope it brings a few BMGers out of the woodwork. It seems in recent weeks only a handful of us have stuck with us and activity has slowed way down. My own diary from Tuesday about a Mitt Romney op-ed is STILL the most recent diary before this one. There are a few very prolific contributors we have not “seen” in awhile (Ryan, Sabutai, and even JConway come to mind). Time was I had to sign on to BMG multiple times a day to keep up, but recently it seems a couple times a week is sufficient to not fall too far behind. Hope everyone is OK and had a good holiday season.
Hiya Christopher.
It’s true I’m not here as often as I’ve been in the past. I’ve got a family now, which takes up some time. But there are really two main reasons:
1. I’m not critical of any changes needed on this site, but on my setup at least it takes 5 or 6 clicks, instead of the old 1, to get to the point of actually typing. The logging on and going through welcome screens is well and good, but not worth a quick comment.
2. At this point, I see the Massachusetts Democratic Party as the main obstacle to the political changes I believe in. The governor is a good man for cutting ribbons, but I’ve been around long enough – like many here – to remember the days when the Democrats would do things the Republican governor didn’t like, and they’d just override him. So, in this age of increasing anti-worker, anti-education policy, I see it as happening because Democrats DO like that. Some of them may not, but the hack gravy train is more interesting to most of them than actually standing up to DeLeo. I haven’t been to a state convention in years because they seem like a waste of time. My local town committee exists to get money from my pocket into candidates’.
This past year, I put most of my work unto getting an override passed that will have a greater impact on my community than a lot of the crap in Boston. I’m very active in my union. I’ll be doing some stuff for the Warren campaign. But for the party that’s the main focus of the page, well, they’re not worth my time.
All that said, I do have great fondness for many commenters here, and had some great experiences through my membership on BMG. I’m not going away, but….just putting my energies elsewhere.
PS: My main hope for this year is the triumph of experience over hope, Beto and AOC are all shiny and nice, but let’s not make them the new saviours. There are too many policymakers with relevant experience to worship people based on his/her ability to Twitter.
Hopes!