Mike McCready

Tag: history

  • We Are The Ones We Are Waiting For—And It Might Be You

    We Are The Ones We Are Waiting For—And It Might Be You

    If you’re frustrated with the Democratic Party right now, you’re not alone. I get it. Watching Chuck Schumer cave on the latest CR vote was just the latest gut punch in a long line of disappointments. We are watching democracy itself be chipped away, and far too many elected Democrats are still playing politics as usual—negotiating with fascists as if they’re just another political party instead of what they are: an existential threat to the country.

    And yes, there are some fighters. Gavin Newsom, Jamie Raskin, Katie Porter, and Sheldon Whitehouse have shown real backbone. They call out corruption, they don’t back down, and they actually seem to understand the urgency of this moment. But they are outnumbered by career politicians who think we’re still living in the 1990s, where compromise was possible and bipartisanship wasn’t a bad joke.

    We need brave Democrats. Democrats who won’t flinch in the face of Trump’s authoritarian takeover. Democrats who understand that what we’re dealing with isn’t just another Republican administration—it’s the unraveling of American democracy.

    So here’s the real question: why not you?

    If you’re reading this and thinking, I wish we had better leaders, then maybe it’s time to step up. Running for office doesn’t have to mean gunning for Congress right away. Start local.

    • School Board – Right-wing activists have taken over school boards across the country to push book bans, erase history, and force their ideology on kids. This is where the fight starts.

    • City Council & Mayor – Local government is where real change happens. Policies on policing, housing, and economic development all start here.

    • State Legislatures – The GOP has spent decades stacking state governments with extremists, and that’s how they’ve managed to pass some of the most dangerous laws in history. We need to take those seats back.

    • Congress & Senate – The Democratic Party desperately needs new blood—people who will fight for democracy without constantly looking over their shoulder for permission.

    Think about it. Look up the filing deadlines in your state. Start showing up to local meetings. Build a network. And if you’re not ready to run, support someone who is.

    We cannot wait for the old guard to suddenly grow a spine. If we want to save democracy, we have to do it ourselves.

  • The Great Wealth Transfer Is Finally Here, But With A Plot Twist

    The Great Wealth Transfer Is Finally Here, But With A Plot Twist

    Remember when everyone was hyping the “Great Wealth Transfer,” where aging baby boomers were set to pass down $84 trillion to younger generations? Well, surprise! Plot twist. Instead of money trickling down from Grandma and Grandpa, we’re watching it rocket up from the pockets of the middle and working class straight into the bank accounts of the already-rich.

    This is all thanks to the infinite wisdom of the American voter.

    Exhibit A: Trump’s latest move, rolling back the minimum wage for federal contractors. Biden had bumped it up to $15/hour (adjusted recently to $17.75/hour), trying to give working folks a chance at affording something wild—like rent or food. But Trump swung the pendulum back down to $13.30 an hour—or potentially as low as the $7.25 federal minimum. Because apparently, “Making America Great” involves making sure the billionaire class can afford that extra yacht.

    Here’s how the rich-get-richer machine works: cut wages for workers, boost corporate profits, and voila! The wealth gap grows faster than your credit card debt after a Taylor Swift concert. The rich buy more assets—real estate, stocks, private islands—and the rest of us keep renting our dreams from them.

    It’s the Great Wealth Transfer, alright—but in reverse gear, accelerating uphill.

    We’ve gotta stop fueling a system rigged against regular folks. Investing in working people isn’t charity—it’s smart economics. Time to shift gears and actually build a future that benefits everyone, not just the privileged few. It may have sounded like buzz words but “building from the middle out” really meant something .

  • I Saw You Post That You’re “Proud To Be An American”

    I Saw You Post That You’re “Proud To Be An American”

    Let’s be honest: if the only thing you did to “be American” was be born here, that’s not exactly a flex. That’s just geography. You didn’t earn it—you inherited it.

    Now think about the immigrant who left everything familiar, learned a new language, studied U.S. history better than most of us ever did, passed a citizenship test, and took an oath to uphold the Constitution. That’s earning it. That’s pride rooted in effort.

    And let’s not forget those who have served in the military. They’ve stepped up in a way that commands respect. Risking your life in service to your country is a contribution few make—and that sacrifice is absolutely worthy of personal pride.

    So the real question isn’t, “Are you proud to be an American?” It’s, “Are you proud of America—and are you doing anything to help it live up to its values?”

    Because right now? That promise is in rough shape.

    Let’s talk about what used to make America great—not in slogan, but in substance:

    • We stood up to dictators. Now we’ve got a president cozying up to them—inviting Orbán to the Oval, downplaying Putin’s aggression, and undermining NATO alliances we spent decades building.

    • We led with compassion and influence. But now Trump has gutted USAID, turning off the lights on programs that helped lift countries out of poverty and built goodwill for generations. That’s not just cruel—it’s shortsighted. Helping others made America safer, stronger, and admired.

    • We championed human rights and civil liberties. Now, they’re being eroded in real time—censorship, crackdowns, and executive overreach have become normalized under the guise of “efficiency.”

    • We set the gold standard for the rule of law. Now we have a president who’s still facing criminal trials while attacking the very institutions designed to hold power accountable.

    This isn’t left vs. right. It’s right vs. wrong. It’s democracy vs. decay.

    So if you were born here, cool. But don’t confuse birthplace with earned patriotism. Don’t chant “Proud to be an American” without asking whether America, right now, is acting in a way that deserves your pride.

    Because if we want to keep calling this the greatest country in the world, we’ve got to start acting like it again.