Hi Jay!,

Brian here again. Thanks for reading my rambles. I think we’re pretty close to the same page, actually.

I love your analogy, despite a deep dislike of the game of bowling. As someone who has bowled an actual score of 1 without the bumpers, I know would have gotten a much higher score with them in place. I only bowl under extreme duress, but have gotten my score up to the nineties (that’s pretty terrible). I never bowled with the bumpers. It would have been nice to have them when I started out—I might still be bowling today, who knows?

Backing away from the analogy now, obviously the best thing to do is to be active in the local Democratic party, to know all the candidates by name, to have relationships with the people running for office, to know their policy positions, their character, and their identity. But that’s a luxury. As a person who makes a living by accumulating political commentary, you’re much better positioned to take that approach. But many people put those working week hours someplace else, and rely upon you for a lot of that information. Thank you for your service!

Where to put one’s limited free time? I don’t want people to just pick the first name on the ballot with the right party affiliation. Primaries are where we decide what the party is, after all.

Last election, there were dozens, possibly a hundred, different decisions to make. Not many people have the time to research all of those dozens (or hundred) political contests. Having that kind of time is a privilege of its own. So which elections are okay for someone to apply the simplified methodology of picking the brown lesbian first, when available?

If the line exists at all, then moving it is just an exercise in one’s individual circumstances. You could do much worse by starting at policy, considering the rate at which politicians break campaign promises. You’ll certainly spend a lot more time. I’d rather they participate than sit the primary out. I can’t control the information level of the electorate. They have a self-evident right to their political power. I want them to use it how they want to use it. I think that’s my liberalism over progressivism voice. Not that there isn’t a whole bunch of overlap.

All this being said, Grant’s methodology isn’t the one I use. I am just saying it’s a valid way to exert political power in pursuit of racial justice, and that it’s quick and easy. It’s likely to knock down more pins than throwing the ball down the lane without any bumpers on, which was your point. By voting to be represented by the oppressed, at least I know they will have a perspective to present and a seat at the table when the legislation is proposed.

Bumpers pretty much guarantee a score of 10, ten times higher than my bowling score was. 20, if you use the bumpers strategically (and can aim the ball to the left or the right, which I don’t think I ever managed to do).

Brian in Austin