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Thank You for A Very Successful and Rapid Mini-Fundraiser

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I have to put on my yellow waders and go through the Democratic Victory Task Force report (here), since a kind reader sent me a copy, and so this thank you note will be briefer than your generosity warrants.

You helped me meet the $2500 goal with dispatch; I left my desk, and when I returned, the job was done! And much sooner than I expected! In fact, when the checks are counted, and the contributions that went to Yves’s account are added in, you will have beaten the goal quite comfortably; I count $3300 (!!) now. So, no angst for Lambert over the fuel bill this year. You have no idea how much I appreciate that.

And I guess this result means that I should continue with Water Cooler. That’s nice!

Thank you again!

* * *

I’m sorry for the difficulties some of you had with PayPal; I have no idea what I did to fix the contribution at $25, and I was reluctant to make changes to PayPal in midstream. And I know the hat is too small; I’ll try to remedy that in the near future.

PS One donor used this fundraiser as an excuse to send a VERY large donation to Yves as well as a separate one for me. So don’t let the end of my fundraiser stand in the way of contributions to the Tip Jar, particularly for all the intense coverage on Greece. She also thanks you for your readership and your generous support of this fundraiser.

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About Lambert Strether

Readers, I have had a correspondent characterize my views as realistic cynical. Let me briefly explain them. I believe in universal programs that provide concrete material benefits, especially to the working class. Medicare for All is the prime example, but tuition-free college and a Post Office Bank also fall under this heading. So do a Jobs Guarantee and a Debt Jubilee. Clearly, neither liberal Democrats nor conservative Republicans can deliver on such programs, because the two are different flavors of neoliberalism (“Because markets”). I don’t much care about the “ism” that delivers the benefits, although whichever one does have to put common humanity first, as opposed to markets. Could be a second FDR saving capitalism, democratic socialism leashing and collaring it, or communism razing it. I don’t much care, as long as the benefits are delivered. To me, the key issue — and this is why Medicare for All is always first with me — is the tens of thousands of excess “deaths from despair,” as described by the Case-Deaton study, and other recent studies. That enormous body count makes Medicare for All, at the very least, a moral and strategic imperative. And that level of suffering and organic damage makes the concerns of identity politics — even the worthy fight to help the refugees Bush, Obama, and Clinton’s wars created — bright shiny objects by comparison. Hence my frustration with the news flow — currently in my view the swirling intersection of two, separate Shock Doctrine campaigns, one by the Administration, and the other by out-of-power liberals and their allies in the State and in the press — a news flow that constantly forces me to focus on matters that I regard as of secondary importance to the excess deaths. What kind of political economy is it that halts or even reverses the increases in life expectancy that civilized societies have achieved? I am also very hopeful that the continuing destruction of both party establishments will open the space for voices supporting programs similar to those I have listed; let’s call such voices “the left.” Volatility creates opportunity, especially if the Democrat establishment, which puts markets first and opposes all such programs, isn’t allowed to get back into the saddle. Eyes on the prize! I love the tactical level, and secretly love even the horse race, since I’ve been blogging about it daily for fourteen years, but everything I write has this perspective at the back of it.

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8 comments

  1. craazyman

    If you can send a postal address I’ll chip in a little. My card continues to be blocked by the Paypal engine, for both the Paypal and direct donation by card route. It works everywhere else on the internet, but for some reason not here! Paypal says I need to update my ID with them. I appreciate it’s a security measure that has nothing to do with NC or your blog, but it’s something I haven’t taken/found the time to contend with.

  2. Petey

    Congrats to Lambert. Still think you’re abominably wrong in your Ukraine coverage, but at the same time think you do provide excellent value to the site otherwise, and I’m genuinely happy to see the success of this.

  6. The Infamous Oregon Lawhobbit

    Apologies for the late hit into the hat – I was gone to class and out of town/out of touch for the past buncha days.

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