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Michael Huttner has spent decades in the trenches of progressive politics. In the mid-2000s, he co-founded ProgressNow, a network of state-level liberal communications hubs that has 23 chapters and 4 million members and acts as a counterweight to right-wing think tanks and activist groups. In 2010, he organized one of the earliest meetings to push for the full decriminalization of marijuana in Colorado, setting in motion one of the first successful campaigns anywhere in America to legalize pot. Hes worked on Democratic political campaigns, ran the lefty PR agency Fenton, and most recently launched a cannabis-industry consulting firm.

On a personal level, Huttner is a climate hawk who supports a single-payer health insurance model and backed marriage equality well before the broader public came around to it. He once told an interviewer he could never marry a conservative. He did his undergrad at Brown, went to law school in San Francisco, and now lives in Boulder, Colorado, a troika of ultraliberal bastions.

Last month, Huttner surprised some of his progressive friends when he endorsed Mike Bloombergs presidential campaign. Why would a lifelong progressive back a candidate who had only recently joined the Democratic Party, who had used and defended racially discriminatory policies as mayor of New York, and who was spending ungodly sums of money to buy his way into the top tier of the presidential race?

I called up Huttner and asked if he would talk about why he supported Bloomberg. We spoke by phone last Friday and again on Monday.

This interview has been condensed and edited for clarity.

Why are you supporting Bloomberg?Right after Trump got elected, I wrote a book with [Daily Kos founder] Markos Moulitsas, The Resistance Handbook, which offered 45 ways to fight Trump. The first chapter of the book talks about how we have to frame Trump in order to make sure hes a one-term president. Its that he has been weak and hes gonna lose. That hes a loser.

The issue with progressives, with many of my colleagues, is that they keep reinforcing him by saying hes such a dictator, such an authoritarian. Words that make him sound strong. My whole point is youve got to frame him as weak and likely to lose.

Why is it important to frame him that way?Its that old saying going back thousands of years what you say is what becomes. Ive never lost an election that Ive worked on, me along with the current governor (of Colorado), Jared Polis. Weve worked on a lot of elections over the years. Going back to 2000, weve always won. The ProgressNow model was about how wed frame people a message of holding Republicans accountable. In this case, we need to hold Trump accountable.

After the Trump book, I stepped back. Ive been working in the cannabis industry. At the end of last year, I went to Costa Rica with my family, then stayed another week and went to a meditation retreat. I left that retreat with this conclusion: The only person who will beat Trump is Bloomberg. Thats the conclusion I came to. It was almost night and day.

I like all of the folks who are still in the race. but theres no single issue that to me is more important than all of the other issues combined and thats whos going to beat Trump.

My clear conclusion is that Bloomberg is strong, he seems super-organized, theyre building like crazy. And thats why you see Trump starting to attack Bloomberg more and more, because they really think hes a force to be reckoned with. Trump miscalculated. He got the early read that the single biggest threat to him was Biden. Bloomberg will beat the crap out of [Trump].

Youre making an electability argument here. Can you dig a bit deeper into why you think Bloomberg is the one who can beat Trump?Because what people really want is strength, and quite frankly hes building an unprecedented campaign solely focused on not having a lot of fighting right now. His focus is to win the general.

They have the resources and he has the credentials. Hes a self-made billionaire who is 10 times more successful than Trump. Trump is one-tenth the success of Bloomberg. Thats why youre starting to see Trump go after him more and more. He went after Biden, now hes going to start going after Bloomberg because hes scared of him.

Bloomberg deals with billionaires. Hes not scared of Trump; hes going to beat the crap out of Trump.

My expertise is really in the states. When I look at (the race), I was really looking at key states. Obviously I know Colorado well, but also Michigan, Florida. Thats where I think you have these now fairly sophisticated teams that (Bloombergs campaign) is setting up pretty quickly. In Colorado theyve hired 75 people just in the past two months. When you look at it state by state and you look at the investment in these states, thats what really matters.

Why not Elizabeth Warren or Bernie Sanders? Do you think they cant beat Trump?[My decision] was entirely based on who has the best odds of beating Trump. When I came to the conclusion that it was Bloomberg, I didnt have to go issue by issue, vote by vote.

I like them all. Their individual votes and statements pale in comparison to whats most important to progressives: beating Trump. Bloomberg is strong, his team is super-organized, and I believe hes going to be the one to beat Trump in November.

Bloomberg has rightly faced a lot of criticism for his use of stop-and-frisk as mayor, for apparently describing a woman as a horsey-faced lesbian, for using NDAs to silence women who made sexual harassment allegations. How do you respond to progressives who say these things make Bloomberg an unacceptable nominee?Hes definitely made mistakes in the past. And it seems to me that hes genuine in his apology and hes actually willing to listen and learn from folks. I think were seeing that in the cannabis space and elsewhere. To me, I think he needs to continue to listen, to evolve, especially on a lot of federal issues, because he hasnt been a D.C. politician.

But the most important thing to keep in mind is this: All of these candidates, their strengths and weaknesses, the number-one question is who is going to beat Trump. As much as a lot of these issues are important, thats the most important one.

My progressive friends say: How about this issue? Or this incident? You know what? Im not arguing with the issues. Im like, No, I hear you, and look, Im more progressive than most on the issues, but the most important thing to me is that Trump loses.

Do you believe that Bloomberg, once in office, will feel that pressure to work with progressives and follow through on his progressive campaign pledges?Let me give you an example. Im very engaged in the cannabis industry. I helped pull together the first meeting to get adult-use legalized (in Colorado) back in 2010.

Ive been getting a lot of calls from my cannabis-industry colleagues. Ive been sharing them with the campaign. Im just a co-chair. I dont get paid. Im doing this because I believe it. Already, were starting to see Bloomberg and the top people around him become more educated on the industry. The more they get educated, the better for everybody. In the past, to be fair, he hasnt been great on some of our issues.

The way to do this is weve gotta help him, support him, get him there, then well be able to have a real dialogue with him. Hes a science guy, a research guy; hell learn theres a lot of advantages to the cannabis industry.

For how powerful and successful hes been, he relies on a lot of good people around him. Thats part of why hes going to win and Trump lose. Trump is all about himself thats why he turns over so many people and fires people.

Bloomberg has now spent more on advertising than any other presidential candidate in history. Does it make you queasy to see him spending this much money? Hes effectively bought his way into the upper tier of the polls, and onto the debate stage.We absolutely need campaign finance reform. This is a unique challenge where its going to take a massive investment of resources of time, of really top-notch people, and they have to be super-organized to be successful. Thats why I think Bloombergs in the best position to make Trump lose. Thats why Trump is scared.

This is a once-in-a-lifetime circumstance. The biggest, most critical problem that cuts across all the issues we care about is one single problem, and thats Donald Trump.

Whatever issue progressives are concerned about, the real question is [do they want] four more years of Donald Trump on that issue? Thats the question each of us has to ask ourselves. On every issue I can go through, whats clear to me is that Bloomberg would be better than Trump. Thats the question of once he gets into office. The question right now is: Who has the best shot at beating Trump?

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An Honest Conversation with a Real Progressive Who Supports Mike Bloomberg - Rolling Stone

On Tuesday, Massachusetts and 12 other states will vote in the presidential primaries. The stakes for our democracy this election season could not be higher.

Removal of the impeached president is essential for progressive Democrats, but even then a functioning progressive democracy is a distant pipe dream unless we also rescue the US Senate from the McConnell Republican majority, maintain the Democratic House majority and, wherever possible, elect Democrats to down-ballot offices in the several states.

Lets also understand that progress in 2020 is a relative term not an absolute, self-defined ideological litmus test.

Democrats must win eight presidential battleground states to attain an Electoral College 270 majority and the presidency. We must also win four of eight Senate battleground states to reclaim the Senate. Must-win battleground states are by definition hotly contested centrist political arenas where independent and swing voters are key.

Although Donald Trump was not on the ballot in the 2018 midterm elections, he asked voters to make that election a referendum on his presidency. Swing and independent voters in more than 40 traditionally Republican districts did just that, crossing over to express their disapproval. As a result, newly elected Democrats accounted for the 2019 House majority and its productive legislative record. Most of those first-year members of Congress courageously voted to impeach the president. They will be maliciously targeted and widely outspent by the Trump campaign in November.

Maintaining the House majority will depend on the reelection of these freshman moderates. Their success, as well as the election of progressive US Senate nominees, will depend in significant part on a positive image of the partys presidential nominee as well as a practical party platform acceptable to independent and centrist swing voters who love our democracy as much as progressives do.

Moderate and pragmatic by disposition, those voters abhor hyperpartisan dysfunctional congressional gridlock and have little regard for far-left or far-right proposals that are unaffordable and have no realistic chance of becoming law any time soon. Drawing these independent and swing voters to the Democratic banner in the must-win battleground districts and states in November will be critical to the election of our next president, the US Senate and House, and thus to the future of our democracy.

The Electoral College landslides of 1964, 1972, and 1984 taught us that party tickets and platforms viewed as too far right or left of centrist mainstream thought can be demonized by the opposition as radically extreme and doomed in the Electoral College.

In those worst cases, nominees for the US Senate and other down-ballot offices felt compelled to run away from or against their national party tickets and platforms in order to get even a respectful hearing from moderate potential constituents. Thats not a formula for down-ballot success.

In past elections, identity politics and ideological purity may have been determining factors in choosing a presidential nominee. But not this year; with the stakes as high as they are, 2020 must be a head over heart election.

Here are three pragmatic questions we progressives must answer before Tuesday:

Which candidate will have the best chance to defeat Trump in the centrist must-win battleground states in November?

Which candidate will be the strongest asset to Democratic Senate and House nominees and to other down-ballot candidates in the must-win battleground states and districts?

Which will, by experience and qualifications, be best prepared to preside and lead America forward, restore a spirit of patriotic unity and a culture of public service committed to decency, civility, inclusion, bipartisanship, constitutional order, and, on Jan. 20, 2021, be held immediately in high esteem, trust, and confidence by other world leaders?

If we exercise our best judgment in answering these questions on Super Tuesday, we will have made a significant contribution to a more hopeful and progressive future for our democracy.

Paul G. Kirk Jr., retired chairman of the Democratic National Committee, is a former US senator from Massachusetts.

See more here:
Progressive thoughts for Super Tuesday - The Boston Globe

(Progressive/Facebook photo)

PHOENIX Progressive Insurance is forecasting nationwide growth and new job opportunities for 2020.

Part of that expansion will mean Progressives workforce in Phoenix will grow via 180 new job openings.

The release states that customer sales, service, bilingual Spanish customer sales and service and claims representatives will be among the new jobs available for Phoenicians.

Other cities to be part of of Progressives expansion include Tampa, Nashville, Austin, Cleveland, Colorado Springs, Sacramento and St. Petersburg.

New hires are eligible to participate in the companys annual bonus plan according to the release.

Progressive also offers eligible employees medical, dental, vision and life insurance benefits, as well as four weeks of paid parental leave for moms and dads including same-sex partners, adoptive parents and foster parents.

With total revenues of more than $39 billion, the company intends to hire around 8,000 new employees by years end, according to a press release.

Those interested in learning more can apply online.

Continued here:
Progressive Insurance announces 180 new jobs in Phoenix - KTAR.com

As I was working on another post, I had the realization that the Progressives will never be successful in transforming our country into a Leftist state. Their goals are to create a perfect country run by perfect people to create a perfect future. What they never seem to understand is how deeply flawed their aspirationsand theyare.

First, they are the most nave people among us. No matter how intelligent they are, they have no wisdom. No matter how educated they are, they dont understand human nature. Regardless of their passion for changing the country and everyone else, they are the ones who are incapable of learning deeply and understanding (as James Madison did) the vulnerabilities and weaknesses of human beings.

They think by offering a flawless world that we will all line up behind them. But we only need to look at them to realize the impossibility of their goals. These are people who need to feed off others accomplishments, steal the results of others successes, and are prepared to try to destroy the very elements of human nature that allow us to thrive and grow. It is our diversity, which they celebrate, that forecasts the failure of their dreams.

We have had too much success as a country and as a people for them to enlist or coerce us. We are a country born in freedom with more wealth and opportunity than any country in the world. Why would we give that up?

Most Americans (who arent Progressives) at some level realize the bounties they have realized. They can pursue any job they might desire. They can live anywhere in the country. They can have families of any size. They can travel wherever they choose. They can worship however they wish, in any community they choose, and can change their allegiance at any time.

Progressivism doesnt take into account that Americans, of all the peoples in the world, are incredibly blessed. They dont need to steal from others or give up any of the prospects for their futures. We speak the language of gratitude, opportunity, creativity, possibility, and fulfillment.

Progressives dont have a chance.

Read more here:
Why Progressives Will Always Fail - Ricochet.com

The campaign to push ward committees to the left represents a broader shift of the political landscape in Boston, according to interviews with political analysts and insiders.

The effort, dubbed Fresh Slate," is trying to harness the grass-roots energy that has grown out of the frustration with national politics a movement that has produced a new swath of elected officials, including US Representative Ayanna Pressley and unleash it at the local level.

I think its the fact that were reaching a boiling point here in the city, of folks just tired of the same-old, same-old, said Segun Idowu, a Hyde Park resident and director of the Black Economic Council of Massachusetts, an advocacy group for the citys Black community.

Members of the existing ward committees in East Boston and Hyde Park, meanwhile, have teamed up to create their own unity slate, leading to rare local clashes on a ballot that has been overshadowed by the presidential primary.

Voters decide on ward committee members every four years, during a presidential election, and can vote for individual candidates or for a slate of candidates who organize as one team.

Idowu has joined a team of nearly three dozen new candidates looking to represent Ward 18, which includes Hyde Park and parts of Roslindale and Mattapan, saying the party could do more to reflect the neighborhoods values, as opposed to just talking about them.

The team includes local politicians who have already served as flag-bearers for the progressive movement, including City Councilor Michelle Wu, the councils top vote-getter in the last election. She has been mentioned as a potential challenger of Mayor Martin J. Walsh. Shes already a committee member but has joined the new slate of candidates pushing for more diverse representation.

Councilor Ricardo Arroyo, elected to represent the district in November, is also part of the new group. Though his family has been involved in local politics for decades, he believes he would be the first Arroyo to serve on the committee.

Similar campaigns have been mounted in the South End, downtown, and in East Boston.

The effort follows the recent history-making transformation of the City Council from a white, male-dominated panel just a few years ago to a body with its first-ever majority of women and councilors of color. At a time when Boston is grappling with a housing crisis and a transportation mess, the progressive ward candidates say their activism can push city government to act more boldly on reforms.

People are ready to embrace that Boston has shifted, and lets make it shift in more ways, said Rachel Poliner, of the Roslindale and West Roxbury chapter of Progressive Massachusetts. She said the independent growth of the Fresh Slate campaigns in separate neighborhoods shows a citywide desire for change.

Thomas M. Menino, the late mayor, was known to stock ward committees with hand-picked candidates, helping him influence who won local races, such as for district councilors and state representatives.

But newer, progressive candidates have been clashing with the local establishment in recent years, finding committee members to be out of touch.

Arroyo overcame the establishments support of his opponent in the fall election, for instance, and is now the first councilor to represent Hyde Park and not be a member of the committee. Likewise, City Councilor Lydia Edwards shocked the political establishment in East Boston with her first council win just over two years ago. She is also part of the new slate.

Several members of the current committees, including the chairs, welcomed the newfound interest in the committee positions, saying the excitement with local politics is the same reason they got involved. Yet they said they share the same policy visions with the newer progressive candidates. They believe that the new interest is centered more on the frustration with Washington, D.C., politics than on whats happening in Boston.

Anyone who wants to run for office is a good thing, said Rob Consalvo, a former city councilor and Boston Public Schools employee who runs the Ward 18 committee. He said his slate similarly includes locals from every one of the wards neighborhoods, including politicians, business people, and Little League coaches everyone who makes up the civic and social fabric of our community.

I just see it as a sign of people wanting to be involved, be engaged, and have a voice in the representation of their neighborhood, he said.

Claudia Correa, a member of the East Boston ward who also works for the city, agreed, saying the ward committee was the organization she went to when she was looking to get involved in neighborhood politics two decades ago.

Its great to see other peoples platforms its what were advocating for, too, she said. Were advocating for more housing, to have conversations about climate change, to be more diverse when were putting this all together . . . the people on the list represent what were all trying to accomplish here.

But the new candidates cited what they called a history of their committees failing to be truly inclusive of new residents, and often deferring to insiders or an old guard. Several complained that their committees arent active enough, dont promote their agendas, and dont look to excite the party with get-out-the-vote drives or other events.

Brian Gannon, who is behind the new effort in East Boston, identified as Group 2 on the ballot, said he has seen for the first time a movement thats based in the neighborhoods, and not centralized in City Hall.

We just felt [the East Boston committee] wasnt as active and representative of the neighborhood, as inclusive as wed like it to be, and wed like to see more advocacy coming from the ward committee standpoint, Gannon said. Theres a lot of our neighbors that made this a great place to live, and wed be better if we could represent them.

Milton J. Valencia can be reached at milton.valencia@globe.com. Follow him on Twitter @miltonvalencia.

Read more:
Progressives target the political sausage-making in Boston - The Boston Globe