Delgado is also challenging Hochul on climate, another issue about which she has staked out timid positions; this one violates the CLCPA, our climate law. I'm 75, but I agree with you wholeheartedly that it's time for the older generation to step aside. Democrats have done a poor job of mentoring a younger generation. endorsing Janet Mills, who is 77, for the Senate race in Maine is just bizarre even if she has been a good governor.
Few people talk about how Obama lost a generation of democrat talent. While he did win himself, Democrats lost 1000 seats up and down the ballot and they were the future of the party.
Democratic pollster Celinda Lake remarked, “I worry that Donald Trump is like crack cocaine for our party,” a short-term hit that distracts them from searching for longer-term recovery solutions
You raise many crucial points in this insightful post. I think many people make the mistake of handicapping coming elections, if they are real rather than Potemkin exercises, is assuming that Trump voters who now feel uncomfortable or even to some degree be betrayed by Trump will automatically vote for the Democrats as they currently exist. That’s not at all the case. There are many other choices like not voting or more likely voting against the Democrats because again if there is a real election, in 2028, Trump‘s name will not be on the ballot and those who feel regret about voting for him might “give a chance“ to somebody like the vice president or another Maga goon. Those who think that regretful Trump voters will magically become democratic voters are in denial about Maga being more than just a Trump vehicle, but being a deep rooted, social movement with an entire set of values that reject the Democrats or anything like them. Thanks for the shout out. Great post.
1) yeah for everyone marching! 2) after every march people spend way too much time arguing about how many people showed up. It really doesn't matter unless the marchers turn it into power. 3) #MarchToVote (I'd love to know how many #nokings participants vote in every single election. Local, state and federal. Primary and general.) 4) assuming we have free and fair elections ever again? 🤔
This was fantastic, as usual. In terms of the experience of democracy, I wanted to make sure you saw this great news from Jen Pahlka, in my inbox this morning: https://substack.com/home/post/p-176798302
I met Graham Platner last night and I can assure folks he is not antisemitic. Here's what he told Axios.
"I am not a secret Nazi," Platner told Vietor, adding that he got the tattoo in Croatia while deployed and was "very inebriated." Platner said he and his fellow Marines chose "a terrifying looking skull and crossbones."
I think we have been bamboozled by Mr. Platner. Evan Barker has a Substack on him and it's rather disturbing. He's not the working class oysterman he purports to be. He comes from an upper middle class family. This from Barker:
"Turns out, Platner went to a private, college-preparatory boarding school in Bangor, Maine. The school currently charges $51,750 per year for boarding school tuition. His father was a lawyer who ran for city council himself in 2020. His grandfather is an esteemed architect named Warren Platner. His notable projects include the Windows on the World restaurant in the World Trade Center and offices in the Ford Foundation building. Ironically, the Ford Foundation is known for being one of the most prolific funders of left-leaning causes."
There is also the question of who's financing him. He raised $3M rather quickly. He sounds to me like another Fetterman. Regardless, he's got a lot of 'splaining to do.
I'll paste his campaign bio below. As you can see, nowhere does he claim a working class childhood.
Graham Platner is a Marine and U.S. Army veteran, oyster farmer, and chair of the Sullivan Planning Board, and candidate running for U.S. Senate in Maine, to defeat Susan Collins and win back the seat for working Mainers.
Whether it was enlisting in the US Marine Corps, or coming back home to Maine to work in his community, or running for Senate, at the core of every decision Graham has made has been how he can best serve the people of Maine.
After graduating high school in 2003, during the height of the Iraq War, Graham snuck his birth certificate out of his father’s office to enlist in the United States Marine Corps.
After completing his infantry training, Graham was assigned to Kilo Company, 3rd Battalion 8th Marines and deployed to Al-Anbar Province, Iraq in January of 2005 where the battalion served primarily in the area east of Fallujah. In 2006, he was deployed to Ramadi, Iraq and served as machinegun section leader at the Government Center. He was deployed again in 2007.
After his third deployment, Graham enrolled at The George Washington University using the GI Bill. Graham quickly realized that his time serving in uniform was not over. So in 2009, he joined the Maryland Army National Guard. He was deployed to Afghanistan the following year where he served as a rifle team leader.
He returned from Afghanistan and went back to school at The George Washington University in 2011. Like many veterans, Graham struggled with undiagnosed PTSD and physical challenges that come from heavy infantry combat. Graham eventually withdrew from George Washington University and moved back home to Maine where he used the resources from the Department of Veterans Affairs to get the help he needed.
After four tours overseas, Graham was deeply disillusioned with America’s failed foreign policy and endless wars and decided to focus on serving his local community in Maine.
In 2018, Graham started working on his friend’s small oyster farm in his hometown of Sullivan. He quickly felt deeply connected with the sea and the community. He eventually took over the oyster farm and built it into a business that produces high quality oysters. Graham also began a diving and mooring service to help out around the bay, and serves the town of Sullivan as Harbormaster and Planning Board Chair.
He met Amy Gertner in 2023, fell in love, and got married soon after. They now reside in Sullivan—three doors down from where Graham grew up—with their two dogs Gryffin and Zevon and their cat Neptune.
As for "who is financing him," the $3 million is not in a billionaire-funded SuperPAC - it's his regular campaign account where every contribution over $200 is public info on fec.gov. I would guess a lot of that money came in from small donors nationwide after he was endorsed by Bernie Sanders.
Delgado is also challenging Hochul on climate, another issue about which she has staked out timid positions; this one violates the CLCPA, our climate law. I'm 75, but I agree with you wholeheartedly that it's time for the older generation to step aside. Democrats have done a poor job of mentoring a younger generation. endorsing Janet Mills, who is 77, for the Senate race in Maine is just bizarre even if she has been a good governor.
Few people talk about how Obama lost a generation of democrat talent. While he did win himself, Democrats lost 1000 seats up and down the ballot and they were the future of the party.
Thought this good re focus on Trump.
Democratic pollster Celinda Lake remarked, “I worry that Donald Trump is like crack cocaine for our party,” a short-term hit that distracts them from searching for longer-term recovery solutions
https://open.substack.com/pub/theliberalpatriot/p/the-diminishing-returns-of-democrats?utm_source=share&utm_medium=android&r=zi4f
You raise many crucial points in this insightful post. I think many people make the mistake of handicapping coming elections, if they are real rather than Potemkin exercises, is assuming that Trump voters who now feel uncomfortable or even to some degree be betrayed by Trump will automatically vote for the Democrats as they currently exist. That’s not at all the case. There are many other choices like not voting or more likely voting against the Democrats because again if there is a real election, in 2028, Trump‘s name will not be on the ballot and those who feel regret about voting for him might “give a chance“ to somebody like the vice president or another Maga goon. Those who think that regretful Trump voters will magically become democratic voters are in denial about Maga being more than just a Trump vehicle, but being a deep rooted, social movement with an entire set of values that reject the Democrats or anything like them. Thanks for the shout out. Great post.
You always give me nuggets to chew up and some to be amazed by. Thank you.
1) yeah for everyone marching! 2) after every march people spend way too much time arguing about how many people showed up. It really doesn't matter unless the marchers turn it into power. 3) #MarchToVote (I'd love to know how many #nokings participants vote in every single election. Local, state and federal. Primary and general.) 4) assuming we have free and fair elections ever again? 🤔
This was fantastic, as usual. In terms of the experience of democracy, I wanted to make sure you saw this great news from Jen Pahlka, in my inbox this morning: https://substack.com/home/post/p-176798302
I met Graham Platner last night and I can assure folks he is not antisemitic. Here's what he told Axios.
"I am not a secret Nazi," Platner told Vietor, adding that he got the tattoo in Croatia while deployed and was "very inebriated." Platner said he and his fellow Marines chose "a terrifying looking skull and crossbones."
https://www.axios.com/2025/10/21/graham-platner-maine-senate-candidate-tattoo
Did you ask him if he has gotten the tattoo removed?
no that story hadn't hit the news yet. he announced yesterday he would remove it.
I think we have been bamboozled by Mr. Platner. Evan Barker has a Substack on him and it's rather disturbing. He's not the working class oysterman he purports to be. He comes from an upper middle class family. This from Barker:
"Turns out, Platner went to a private, college-preparatory boarding school in Bangor, Maine. The school currently charges $51,750 per year for boarding school tuition. His father was a lawyer who ran for city council himself in 2020. His grandfather is an esteemed architect named Warren Platner. His notable projects include the Windows on the World restaurant in the World Trade Center and offices in the Ford Foundation building. Ironically, the Ford Foundation is known for being one of the most prolific funders of left-leaning causes."
There is also the question of who's financing him. He raised $3M rather quickly. He sounds to me like another Fetterman. Regardless, he's got a lot of 'splaining to do.
I'll paste his campaign bio below. As you can see, nowhere does he claim a working class childhood.
Graham Platner is a Marine and U.S. Army veteran, oyster farmer, and chair of the Sullivan Planning Board, and candidate running for U.S. Senate in Maine, to defeat Susan Collins and win back the seat for working Mainers.
Whether it was enlisting in the US Marine Corps, or coming back home to Maine to work in his community, or running for Senate, at the core of every decision Graham has made has been how he can best serve the people of Maine.
After graduating high school in 2003, during the height of the Iraq War, Graham snuck his birth certificate out of his father’s office to enlist in the United States Marine Corps.
After completing his infantry training, Graham was assigned to Kilo Company, 3rd Battalion 8th Marines and deployed to Al-Anbar Province, Iraq in January of 2005 where the battalion served primarily in the area east of Fallujah. In 2006, he was deployed to Ramadi, Iraq and served as machinegun section leader at the Government Center. He was deployed again in 2007.
After his third deployment, Graham enrolled at The George Washington University using the GI Bill. Graham quickly realized that his time serving in uniform was not over. So in 2009, he joined the Maryland Army National Guard. He was deployed to Afghanistan the following year where he served as a rifle team leader.
He returned from Afghanistan and went back to school at The George Washington University in 2011. Like many veterans, Graham struggled with undiagnosed PTSD and physical challenges that come from heavy infantry combat. Graham eventually withdrew from George Washington University and moved back home to Maine where he used the resources from the Department of Veterans Affairs to get the help he needed.
After four tours overseas, Graham was deeply disillusioned with America’s failed foreign policy and endless wars and decided to focus on serving his local community in Maine.
In 2018, Graham started working on his friend’s small oyster farm in his hometown of Sullivan. He quickly felt deeply connected with the sea and the community. He eventually took over the oyster farm and built it into a business that produces high quality oysters. Graham also began a diving and mooring service to help out around the bay, and serves the town of Sullivan as Harbormaster and Planning Board Chair.
He met Amy Gertner in 2023, fell in love, and got married soon after. They now reside in Sullivan—three doors down from where Graham grew up—with their two dogs Gryffin and Zevon and their cat Neptune.
https://www.grahamforsenate.com/about
His wikipedia page links to John Bapst Memorial High School
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/John_Bapst_Memorial_High_School
For John Bapst and other publicly funded private schools, the State of Maine sets secondary tuition annually (in 2009-10, at $9,154.37)
As for "who is financing him," the $3 million is not in a billionaire-funded SuperPAC - it's his regular campaign account where every contribution over $200 is public info on fec.gov. I would guess a lot of that money came in from small donors nationwide after he was endorsed by Bernie Sanders.
Platner is getting the tattoo removed
Great, though it sure seems too late.