He took a bold stand and talked about how coming out can change our loved ones' politics.
“We see it now: The hate has shifted to the trans community,” Walz said. “They see that as an opportunity. If you’re watching any sporting events right now, you see that Donald Trump’s closing arguments are to demonize a group of people for being who they are.”
“We’re out there trying to make the case that access to healthcare, a clean environment, manufacturing jobs, and keeping your local hospital open are what people are really concerned about,” he continued. “They’re running millions of dollars of ads demonizing folks who are just trying to live their lives.”
Unfortunately, in the US, demonizing groups of people works. It gets voters to the polls. In 2028, it will just be the next group in line. It never ends.
I'm honestly heartened to hear Waltz specfically voice support for trans folk. This is opposed to Harris who said she would follow the law in regards to my community, which sounds good but I need everyone to understand that it could be said by a governor in a southern state enforcing anti trans legislation. Waltz actually went the distance to say we should to be legally left alone. There is a stark difference between these two statements, even if I glad to hear both.
I completely understand that and I do not fault Harris for giving a precise diplomatic answer in the Fox interview on what some voters see as a sensitive issue. Which is difficult for me to even type because the concept of my existence is a "political issue" to some.
However, I do take exception with it being characterized as "Harris announce support for trans community", because that's just not what she said. Which is why I am happy to hear Waltz clarify and go further.
It's insane the amount of trans hate I have been hearing this past month alone (in real life). I have to explain: Sure, they weren't always front and center as today's political issues make them seem but they still existed. Their existence is not a recent development in any way. Tiktok isn't turning your kids into anything.
It's not just people who identify as Republicans or religious people either. I can see why the anti-queer vote is important to both parties; their numbers are staggering.
Do you think swing voters might in fact be fucking morons? I'm so tired of the fate the world resting in the hands of low information people who seemingly command the memory and political acumen of the proverbial goldfish.
Honestly called the gov office right after he got the nomination.
I’m a teacher, I want to still be at least, but they’ve made it dangerous for trans people to exist in Oklahoma. There’s currently a court hold on ANY investigation based on gender identity discrimination in schools.
Harris spoke in support of funding all transgender healthcare as doctors see necessary, including for inmates, years ago and when asked to double down on that stance recently she did so.
He doesn't get nearly as much press as Vance which is sad. He just seems like a nice guy and awesome Dad and for that alone I'd be glad to have him as VP.
I’m glad Harris framed it that way. It’s a position that’s easy to make into a rough sound bite. The goal is always to not make the election about trans people. Politicians harping on trans issues regardless of position do poorly. Call opposition to us a real freak show move and talk about how real Americans want the Midwestern values of all of us just getting along at our manufacturing jobs.
Now wait a minute, he may speak perfect English without the faintest trace of a French accent, but I'm doubting he was born and raised in France like Captain Picard and his brother and his brother's family.
He ain't no Frenchie. I think you mean Archer, or you're probably as narrow-minded as the Vulcans, WHO WON'T LET US EXPLORE SPACE IN PEACE, which is what we have been working hard for and what daddy wanted for us 🎶🤠🎸🚀🦅🎶 Space pregnancy? Trip~! 😂👏🤣👏😅👏🤣👏😂
bro for real space exploring is hard tho, my dog peed on some apparently sacred tree and the aliens flipped out, it's like sorry where else am I supposed to walk my dog? Maybe don't have sacred sites that my dog thinks are for peeing on?
I like to imagine the primary we could have had if Biden had not insisted he could handle a campaign. But I also think Walz would not have been able to separate from the fracas of a Battle Royale. Kamala would have won, but who knows if she would have been battle-hardened or beat up.
Federal law prohibits contributions, donations, expenditures(including independent expenditures) and disbursements solicited, directed, received or made directly or indirectly by or from foreign nationals in connection with any federal, state or local election. So unless you know somebody with an international corporation then you cannot donate.
While still to the right of center of the political compass, I do really like how much closer to the center Walz is than the other and previous candidates.
The cynic in me is telling me that taking time to speak about such a small demographic, all of whom already have a clear reason to side with him, won't gain a single extra vote.
Of course it will get votes. Reminding people of basic human decency is a time honored campaign tactic, especially when the opponent is being a giant jerkface.
The point isn't to get the trans vote. Like you say it's kinda a no brainer for trans people to vote for anyone running against a transphobic guy.
The point is to put out a rational response to what Trump is doing. Explain to people that might be worried about trans people that it's just a tactic meant to distract people from the real issues.
So get people to be less scared of trans people so they'll focus on actual issues and vote Dem.
And notably the first one does "gain extra votes". And those voters who like rather than just accept their most closely aligned candidates will talk to other people in their orbit to get them out to vote. The votes to gain aren't just a few clueless people in the center.
So late into the elections you wont get anything better than this with anything short of armed revolution. So I find it hard to understand what is your end game. If you keep going this path you will end up with this guy
And alienate a large part of their voting base weeks before the election? Yeah... No.
I will wait for after they win before criticizing their Gaza plans. But until then, there are only two choices, and one of them has said that Biden is too hard on Netanyahu...
And alienate a large part of their voting base weeks before the election? Yeah… No.
Pro-genocide centrists are a valued constituency while anti-genocide progressives are not. You can tell by who the party listens to and who the party demands "blue no matter who" from.
A true Zionist would want the result that gives Israel the most freedom to act as it wishes. Given that a trump victory would enable this, I can only assume that you yourself are a zionist.
I would crawl across barbed wire to vote Harris this year, but I think she'd happily backstab the trans community if she got republican votes in exchange.
She defended trans people while on Fox in front of that republican audience. She shut down the line of anti-trans questioning fairly quickly
She reaffirmed her commitment to following the law, which requires that transgender inmates receive medically necessary care, which includes gender affirming care. When pressed further, she pushed back, comparing Trump's disproportionate spending on this issue to his lack of focus on the larger issues affecting the American people.
Everyone's overlooking the fact that she legitimized gender-affirming healthcare as medically necessary on live tv. And refused to walk it back. She's not really what I'd consider a true ally, but she did us a real solid there.
"I'm just gonna do what the law says, and btw he did it too" is not a defense of trans people. It's minimizing the issue, which may be a wise sell towards actual Republicans, but it's not an active defense of why you should be ok with trans people existing.
Walz walks the walk. MN is a sanctuary state for trans people in the Midwest. Age appropriate gender affirming care for minors is protected by law, and the state refuses to work with subpoenas about traveling for healthcare.
Walz promptly responded by discussing possible actions that he and Democratic presidential nominee Vice President Kamala Harris could take.
He talked about antidiscrimination laws he wanted, judge appointment, helping education about LGBTQ related topics, etc
Mind you that Walz got a lot of policies through to help trans and queer people in Minnesota with a single seat majority
He also was a founding faculity advisor of a gay-straight alliance in the early 90s when it was very not socially acceptable at all. He supported same-sex marriage before it was legalized nationally when running in a deep red seat despite that not really netting him any political points there
The deep red seat can't be understated. That part of Minnesota makes absofuckinglutely no sense in its political distribution. It's got what, two or three college towns, the Mayo Clinic, and the rest is a mix of redneck "country types" and farmers.
Super highly educated area, but not densely populated. Big ol bunch of religious types too.
What are Republicans offering for trans rights? For something so polarizing I'd argue that simply standing up for it is anything but a hollow platitude. Let's normalize it
Oh man, they offer so much. They offer the opportunity to be called by your deadname for the rest of your life. They offer the opportunity to be use the wrong bathroom for the rest of your life. They offer to limit the sports that you can play. They offer the ability to prove you can stay ready and defensively yourself.
Some red states label cross dressing in front of children a sex crime, so they offer the chance to go to prison for wearing clothes they disapprove of! Not the easiest environment for exploring your gender.