Progressives Celebrate Walz, Pushback on Shapiro Who Was a Corp and anti-pub ed fave

The Dem Party Centrists did not win this one for a change. Harris shows a willingness to defend progressive policies instead of running away from them. Feeding kids and better healthcare are good things. 

While his background was tailor-made for moderate voters, his policies as governor have been firmly liberal, reflecting what his allies call “prairie populism.” He signed into law a Democratic wish list of bills on marijuana, paid family leave, abortion rights and gun control, something Ms. Harris highlighted in her announcement of him as the pick. Republicans call him a left-winger in homespun clothing....nyt

Just as the broad-based Dems and associates have engaged in wild enthusiasm over the Harris ascendancy, today the progressive wing of the party, relieved it was Shapiro, seemed overjoyed at Walz.

I'm tired of Dems playing it safe. Go for the gusto. Here is recent NYT take:

From obscure governor to Kamala Harris’s V.P. pick: Here’s how Gov. Tim Walz of Minnesota broke through to Democratic stardom.

Dive deeper with The Ezra Klein Show: Is Walz a safe choice, or a bold choice? And who is he, really — besides a Midwestern dad who made “weird” a powerful political critique?

The Ezra Klein Show

Kamala Harris Isn’t Playing It Safe

In picking Tim Walz, Harris is after more than just Pennsylvania.

30 MIN LISTEN

Courtesy of Governor Tim Walz The Ezra Klein Show Is Tim Walz the Midwestern Dad Democrats Need? The governor of Minnesota wants Democrats to own the normie center. 59 MIN LISTEN

I watched the corp dem center right gnash its teeth over their loss of Shapiro as a candidate. Oh my, Pennsylvania is lost. Actually, if Shapiro is so popular (49% is not so popular) picking him as Veep would actually have hurt because he would be expected to campaign in multiple states while now he can stay home and focus on his state.

Shapiro was a risky choice for Harris on a number of grounds which I will leave readers to research on their own. Walz and Beshear were my choices, so I am happy.

Today, Sam Seder laid it all out so succinctly -- the advantages of Walz and the disadvantages of Shapiro. You hear that Shapiro would bring Jewish votes. Did you hear Trump lament that he only got 25% of the Jewish vote in 2016 and after all he did for Israel as president he only got 26% in 2020. Watch the Jewish vote this election cycle be over 70% for Dems. It's in our blood because we know from history where the heavies and most vicious anti-semitism comes from and has always come from for thousands of years -- the right.

He points to Walz being unashamed or defensive about his progressive politics -- let Republicans attack, he will mock.

Note the Republican so-called Joy and almost pleading to have Josh Shapiro because they know how that would have divided the party. 

https://www.youtube.com/live/PQcvvmgC9g0?si=42SQ9lTD9LXoERza

Watch this segment until the 39th minute for Part 1.

 

 
And here is part 2:

 

 In Joe Scarboro world, these ed groups below are anti-semites:

In a letter, grassroots education groups urge VP Harris not to pick Gov. Shapiro as running mate 

July 24, 2024

The White House
Office of the Vice President
1600 Pennsylvania Avenue, N.W. Washington, DC 20500

Dear Madam Vice President,

A broad coalition of public education advocacy organizations from across the US write to you today urging you to select a running mate for Vice President of the United States who fully supports public education. It is our fervent hope that your running mate will reflect your strong history of supporting educators and students, and commitment to building the middle class which will require strong public schools across our nation. For this reason, we respectfully ask you not to select Pennsylvania Governor Josh Shapiro, who has supported education policies mirroring Project 2025.

The Heritage Foundation and other radical extremists organizations have declared war on public schools in America — and by doing so, they’ve set their sights on the end of democracy itself. Through Project 2025, they have made it abundantly clear the end goal of gutting public education and privatizing what is left via irresponsible voucher systems like those in Florida and Arizona.

For those of us across America fighting on the ground for public education, this playbook is not new. It has been enacted state by state through massive voucher programs that are decimating our local public schools and exacerbating school closures, teacher layoffs, and loss of resources — all by design. This playbook has been pushed by Betsy DeVos’ American Federation for Children, the Kochs, the Heritage Foundation, and a wide range of well-funded billionaires who do not have the interests of our children or a multi-racial, thriving democracy at heart.

The battle lines have been drawn. We urge you to select a nominee for Vice President who unabashedly supports and defends public education. For example, nominees such as Governors Roy Cooper (North Carolina), Andy Beshear (Kentucky), and Tim Walz (Minnesota) have been vocal champions for public education in their states. We find it incumbent upon us to note that Governor Josh Shapiro (Pennsylvania) has not, and instead has supported voucher schemes pushed by well-funded billionaires from Pennsylvania like Jeffrey Yass.

As education advocacy groups, we are fighting not only for 50 million students and millions of educators, but also for the future of our democracy. The stakes could not be higher, and as we fight the battle against authoritarians who would dismantle public education across our great nation, we believe it is essential that our President and Vice President be wholly committed to our nation’s public education system and willing to fight against school privatization in all its forms.

We hope you will take our urgent request into consideration as you make this critical decision.

Respectfully,

Network for Public Education Action

412 Justice (Pennsylvania)
Alliance for Educational Justice
Boston Education Justice Alliance
Center for Popular Democracy Action
Colorado Fiscal Institute
Columbus Education Justice Coalition
Community Voices for Public Education - Houston Connecticut for All
Education Rights Network (Pennsylvania)
The Education and Economic Justice Coalition (Georgia) Families for Strong Public Schools (Florida)
Game on for Kansas Schools
Grassroots Arkansas
HEAL To Win / Race Forward Action
Illinois Families for Public Schools
Indiana Coalition for Public Education
Journey for Justice Alliance
Michigan Education Justice Coalition
Ohio Public Education Partners
Parents for Public Schools of Milwaukee
Pastors for Children
Save Our Schools Arizona
Support Forest Hills Public Schools Action (Michigan) Voters for Strong Public Schools (Florida)
Wisconsin Alliance for Excellent Schools
Wisconsin Public Education Action
Wisconsin Public Education Network