Memo to Moon and Person

To Josh Moon and David Person:

I listened to your below podcast.

This week, a discussion of a week of utter stupidity in Alabama politics. It's been a doozy.

Plus, Tabitha Isner joins the show to talk redistricting, gerrymandering, and how to ensure free and fair elections.#alpoliticshttps://t.co/YSayOEmLlU

— Alabama Politics This Week (@alathisweek) September 17, 2021

I am not trying to contribute anything on redistricting front. I wish success to all those who are. As you say in podcast, the outcome will be bad no matter what.

I wish mainly to discuss what you say about Alabama Dems seeming not being able to get inspired and motivated candidates running and campaigning hard for office against Repubs, and what you say about the poor messaging and communicating by Dems in Alabama.

My platform
I agree with what you say about Alabama Dems seeming not being able to get inspired and motivated candidates running and campaigning hard for office against Repubs, and what you say about the poor messaging and communicating by Dems in Alabama.

I think what I wish to discuss connected to what you say is to set it in the context of what I will call my platform.

I was a Republican. I am now an Independent. I think our politics and political discourse are controlled and determined by the "extremes" on the two sides, and the leaders on the two sides who have their power and position by playing to their respective "extremes." The "extremes" are oppositional on just about everything.

I think a  majority (maybe 80%), who are in the middle, do not partake of the extreme opposition that the "extremes" engage in, and that majority could live with many compromise resolutions of issues that the "extremes" prevent from happening. See, for example, my discussion of the immigration issue at  https://al6thcongdist-ihaveuntiljan13.blogspot.com/2018/01/joint-town-hall-script.html .

I believe that the "extremes" create the situation of the two sides not talking to each other, and are the cause of the horrible polarization of the country and the impairment of the country's governance that flows from that. See my discussion at https://al6thcongdist-ihaveuntiljan13.blogspot.com/2018/02/can-two-sides-talk.html

Getting inspired Dem candidates running; better messaging
Here are my suggestions:

There are Alabamians who feel very strongly about particular issues. Urge them to declare as candidates and start their campaigns with a focus on the issue they feel strongly about. This is to translate their strong feelings into motivation to undertake needed efforts, and attract others to make needed efforts, in order to communicate to other Alabamians on the issue and potentially persuade them on the issue in question.

Two issues about which there are Alabamians with strong feelings are abortion and guns.

I am trying to stir @aldemocrats to get inspired candidates running on issues (like abortion) they feel strongly about.@AlaYoungDems @ttownyoungdems @BAYD_Alabama @EastALYoungDems @MCYD_AL @AUCDems @ALCollegeDems @YoungdemsBham @rocketcityydhttps://t.co/vMIDC749A3#alpolitics

— Rob Shattuck (@RobShattuckAL06) September 19, 2021

[to be continued]