37 Comments
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SusanA's avatar

A hopeful vision for our future that is well worth contemplation.

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DamnBlondi's avatar

Constant reinforcement of this vision gives it a much greater chance of coming about. Thank you.

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Marty's avatar

That would feel so good!

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Dave Conant - MO's avatar

No revenge feels so much better than the alternative and your vision is excellent. While there's no doubt about the difficulty, the timeline is fixed and we need to be about it. Saturday is when it starts.

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Stewart Whisenant's avatar

Thanks for this positive vibe. I like the way your mind works, Bill. Your scenario resonates with poet Gary Snyder’s idea that “Since it doesn’t seem practical or even desirable to think that direct bloody force will achieve much, it would be best to consider this a continuing ‘revolution of consciousness’ which will be won not by guns but by seizing the key images myths, archetypes, eschatologies and ecstasies so that life won’t seem worth living unless one’s on the transforming energy’s side.”

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Bill Alstrom (MA/Maine/MA)'s avatar

Thanks for the comment!

I am a naive creative visualizer. Set a vision, repeat it over and over in your head. Over time, you will make decisions that will lead to the vision becoming a reality.

Some will call it unrealistic and too optimistic. But I am a "Ted Lasso" fan. Believe!

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Fay Reid's avatar

Great fun, Bill. I would love to see President Gretchen Whitmer, but with a male VP. I think it would be great to start a tradition of male/female genders running the country. Maybe 8 years of Whitmer/Booker or Booker/Harris followed by 8 years of Jeffires/AOC. I absolutely love your map.

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Bill Alstrom (MA/Maine/MA)'s avatar

Thanks Fay,

Good point on the male/female balance. I'd go with any of your choices. But let's be sure "Pete" is a major player. I chose Sec of State because that position should really be the PRIMARY partner and adviser to the president. But he would be excellent as Chief of Staff or Defense!

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Gail Adams VA/FL's avatar

Flashbacks to the joy I felt January 20, 2021. It was fun for a minute.

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Bill Alstrom (MA/Maine/MA)'s avatar

For four years I slept better. Hope I live long enough to experience that again.

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Don Quixote's Reckless Son's avatar

We don't need revenge. We do need these criminals to face legal consequences so that future wannabe dictators are forewarned.

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Dave Balderstone's avatar

Pure fantasy.

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Bill Alstrom (MA/Maine/MA)'s avatar

True, Dave. As Freddie said: "Is this the real life, or just a fantasy...?"

Maybe it's both. Maybe they blur. Maybe one leads to another.

I'm a Down to Earth realist. But I need to imagine a hopeful future. An addiction to aspiration, perhaps. :)

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OregonBoatingGuy's avatar

I loved this. We have to dream about the future before we achieve it. And I hadn’t thought about brain chemistry and revenge but it sure makes sense. My guess is toxic narcissists are especially susceptible or pre-programmed for that anyway, and an informed electorate needs to be better to identify it and weed it from ballots.

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nora macintyre's avatar

What a lovely fantasy.

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Rich D's avatar

This is important and a welcomed breath of fresh air. We need a hopeful stories of how we defeated American fascism and put ourselves in the path to restoring our democracy and environment. Without stories like this, we can’t generate the hope and strength needed to fight this. Will it workout this way? Probably not. Will it be this easy or rosy? No. Is this possible and do we need to fight for this reality? HELL YES!!

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Esme's avatar

A much-needed vision for the future. What we project in our minds creates our reality. The Right wing did it. Now it is time for the rest of us to do the same.

And while we’re at it, bring back the peace sign. Merchandise the hell out of it. ☮️

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Bill Alstrom (MA/Maine/MA)'s avatar

👍☮️♥️

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James T. Saunders's avatar

How fun. Bet you enjoyed writing that.

Just one q: who is Melanie Stansbury??

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Bill Alstrom (MA/Maine/MA)'s avatar

One our most eloquent and powerful members of the House of Representatives. She is from New Mexico. Her speeches (found on YouTube) are powerful and spot on. Here is a recent one:

https://youtu.be/cMsH7h8d_QQ

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James T. Saunders's avatar

👍

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Julia Morrell's avatar

Sounds like a fever dream but in Mine it has Pete as President

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Bill Alstrom (MA/Maine/MA)'s avatar

Works for me. I am not alone in thinking he is one the smartest, most well spoken figures in the Democratic Party. Speaks several languages including "truth".

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Kathy Price's avatar

You need to put Utah in that blue group. The population is a lot more purple than you think and only red because of the people holding office. We were one of 2 states that swung to the left in the last election. Please don't color is red.

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Bill Alstrom (MA/Maine/MA)'s avatar

Good to know! We have close family in Utah. Glad to hear this. Thanks.

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Rosemary Siipola's avatar

We could do this. Courage,resolve and love for our country will be necessary. Thanks for the image. Let’s resolve to make it a reality.

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