Focus, people

Tl;Dr: Please pick the most urgent & important political issues and focus on those, let the rest go til later.

Today I saw a post by somebody wondering what had happened to the Ban on TickTock. Not to put too fine a point it: who fucking cares?

Remember Gish Gallop? It’s a rhetorical tactic to raise so many issues that your opponent can’t respond meaningfully to _anything_.

Looking at the 5calls site, I see 61 issues to call your senator/representative about. Not including TickTock. That’s too many. If you want influence and change, pick what matters most and focus on that. I may try to make a template to help people prioritize.

Reading my socials, it’s hard to understand where the issue explosion is coming from. Is it a dastardly scheme to dilute focus? Is it a moment of opportunity for organizers who suddenly have an audience and a soapbox? Or just well meaning people who are agitated and looking to make their mark? Probably all 3. Regardless, it detracts. I will be down voting issues that seem unimportant and not urgent, as well as important issues best left for a better day.

I don’t think my ranking of issues is well thought out yet, but intuitively I think these are both Important and Urgent

• Support due process: particularly around immigration
• Fight executive abuser of power/support the judiciary
• Stabilize our economy, with a focus on retirement (Social Security)
• Protect free speech & political organizing:

These are broad categories, and many individual insults are wrapped up in these issues, but as themes I think these are more deserving of attention than say: Bicycle Infrastructure (and that’s saying a lot coming from me).