Micah Sifry ❌👑

Micah Sifry ❌👑

@msifry.bsky.social

Writer, organizer, theconnector.substack.com. Podcast: https://centerforballotfreedom.org/this-old-democracy/

7.9K followers1.6K following505 posts

Micah Sifry ❌👑
@msifry.bsky.social

Here's Talarico's message in a few sentences: Trickle-down economics is not a theory. It is theft. For 50 years, [cheering and applause] For 50 years, billionaire mega donors and their puppet politicians have been stealing from the American people...(1/n)

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Micah Sifry ❌👑
@msifry.bsky.social

Since the late 1970s, mega donors and corporate special interests have been buying politicians in both political parties. And then those politicians turned around and rigged the economy to benefit their wealthy donors at our expense. (3/n)

Micah Sifry ❌👑
@msifry.bsky.social

We have an affordability crisis because we have a corruption crisis. We are getting screwed. Whether you’re a little more conservative or a little more progressive, we’re all getting screwed." Where did he get this view, and why is it working so well now? theconnector.substack.com/p/why-talari...

theconnector.substack.comWhy Talarico Could be the Mamdani of 2026Plus notes on the fight to define the 2026 election before all the votes are counted from the Dems’ corporate wing, and Meta’s No Kings mess.
Micah Sifry ❌👑
@msifry.bsky.social

Here's Talarico's message in a few sentences: Trickle-down economics is not a theory. It is theft. For 50 years, [cheering and applause] For 50 years, billionaire mega donors and their puppet politicians have been stealing from the American people...(1/n)

Micah Sifry ❌👑
@msifry.bsky.social

Stealing the wealth that we created with their bribes, their bailouts, and their billionaire tax breaks. This affordability crisis isn’t something that happened over the last 5 years. This affordability crisis has been 50 years in the making. (2/n)

Micah Sifry ❌👑
@msifry.bsky.social

With 1/5 of voters angry at both parties, this election could be a banner year for independents and 3rd-parties. But until we change to a multi-party system, the anger won’t have a productive channel. It's a systemic problem needing a systemic solution. theconnector.substack.com/p/independen...

theconnector.substack.comIndependents, Double-Haters, & Third-PartiesOur broken two-party system keeps generating refugees seeking change. But if we want politics to work for us, we need to change the system itself.
Micah Sifry ❌👑
@msifry.bsky.social

Really enjoyed getting to talk with @spenceroverton.bsky.social, one of democracy’s long distance runners, about the challenges and opportunities of our current moment.

Center for Ballot Freedom@centerforballotfreedom.org

On the latest episode of This Old Democracy, Micah Sifry talks with Spencer Overton about what democracy reformers should be doing before the next political opening arrives. substack.com/home/post/p-...

substack.comPodcast: Spencer Overton Says Now Is the Time to Get AlignedOn the latest episode of This Old Democracy, Micah Sifry talks with Spencer Overton about what democracy reformers should be doing before the next political opening arrives.
Micah Sifry ❌👑
@msifry.bsky.social

Meet the new boss, same as the old boss? If you don’t want to get fooled again, pay attention to how we keep the organizing going and push for new models of two-way engagement. There’s a wave of organizers about to go to DC, it’s time for something new. theconnector.substack.com/p/the-starfi...

theconnector.substack.comThe Starfish and the Sandcastle: When A Community Organizer Goes to CongressThere’s a lively group of new leaders headed for Washington after November. Will they figure out how to sustain the local organizing that fueled their rise?
Micah Sifry ❌👑
@msifry.bsky.social

Thread.

Center for Ballot Freedom@centerforballotfreedom.org

THE LATEST FROM OUR SUBSTACK: People don't actually hate political parties. They hate that the government keeps failing them, and parties make an easy scapegoat. So what's the real fix? Two competing visions are on the table. 🧵

Micah Sifry ❌👑
@msifry.bsky.social

A data-driven look at what Democrats and progressives are working on as the election approaches, plus a deeper dive into the fight against Flock cameras and some concerning news coming out of the Maine senate race. theconnector.substack.com/p/how-were-m...

theconnector.substack.comHow We’re Mobilizing as Election Day ApproachesThe big picture as it surfaces via the organizing platform Mobilize.us. Plus why the anti-Flock upswelling gives privacy advocates fresh hope, and worrisome news from the battleground state of Maine.
Micah Sifry ❌👑
@msifry.bsky.social

In MN, organizing against ICE from the winter is now powering a surge of growth across the whole Democratic Party's base. Plus, why the GOP power-grab underway in the South shows it's time to junk the "battleground" map. theconnector.substack.com/p/why-we-nee...

theconnector.substack.comWhy We Need a Bigger MapHow the deep investment in year-round state-level organizing is paying dividends in one state, and why the old-fashioned "battleground" map isn't helping.

Micah Sifry ❌👑 reposted

Center for Ballot Freedom
@centerforballotfreedom.org

A noted civil rights lawyer and law professor makes the constitutional case for reviving fusion voting (and fusion parties) — and explains why he thinks the timing is right. @sbagen.bsky.social @msifry.bsky.social Read more: substack.com/home/post/p-...

substack.comPodcast: Sam Bagenstos on litigating our way to a multi-party system in MichiganA noted civil rights lawyer and law professor makes the constitutional case for reviving fusion voting (and fusion parties) — and explains why he thinks the timing is right.
Micah Sifry ❌👑
@msifry.bsky.social

Going out on a limb here. But if Ken Martin steps down, I predict the next DNC chair will be another ex-corporate lobbyist like Jaime Harrison. If the main metric for judging the chair is the DNC bank account, that is.

Micah Sifry ❌👑
@msifry.bsky.social

A huge number of Americans are deeply alienated from politics. Many question the value of voting, and indeed, about 90M out of the total potential electorate of 245M didn’t bother to vote in '24. But here’s what’s interesting: not voting doesn’t correspond to not participating in civic life. (1/2)

Micah Sifry ❌👑
@msifry.bsky.social

And according to a new, comprehensive study of the disaffected electorate, when people feel a greater sense of belonging, they are more likely to take part in the political arena. Details in my latest post. (Plus a quick take on the good news coming out of Maine.) open.substack.com/pub/theconne...

open.substack.comWith Millions Disaffected from Politics, An Answer Beckons: Belonging.New research on "the disaffected electorate" and how to engage people in the long process of revitalizing civic life. Plus a quick take on the good news coming out of Maine.
Micah Sifry ❌👑
@msifry.bsky.social

if there’s one strategy that captured the imagination of most grassroots opponents of Trump II, it was the effort to build mass protest towards the goal of mobilizing something like 12 million Americans (ie 3.5%) in coordinated action. And sadly, that effort has not worked, giving people false hope.

Micah Sifry ❌👑
@msifry.bsky.social

In my humble opinion, that’s because we’re counting the wrong thing. What matters is not how many people turn out or even how many localities host actions; what matters is how many well-organized, locally-led groups we have. theconnector.substack.com/p/why-the-35...

theconnector.substack.comWhy the 3.5% Rule is the Wrong Metric for The DefianceOrganizers in Minnesota pushed back ICE this winter with a fraction of that number, but with a much more serious approach to capacity-building.
Micah Sifry ❌👑
@msifry.bsky.social

Looking forward to this!

Rory Truex@rorytruex.bsky.social

Going live shortly with two greats in the activism space, @jesscraven101.bsky.social and @msifry.bsky.social. We'll discuss the state of the pro-democracy movement and the most effective things people can do to make a difference. Link here: open.substack.com/live-stream/...

Micah Sifry ❌👑
@msifry.bsky.social

Everyone's debating what New York's primaries say about the Democratic Party's ideological future as if Israel or socialism were the top issues on voters minds--and all sides of those debates have good reasons to hype things out of proportion--it's good for clicks or fundraising! (1/3)

Micah Sifry ❌👑
@msifry.bsky.social

Let's be honest: This wasn't a "political earthquake"; turnout last week was half that of June 2025, when Mamdani toppled Cuomo. It was another reminder of our hollow parties and the power of small group organizing in low turnout elections. As for the ideological implications...(2/3)

Micah Sifry ❌👑
@msifry.bsky.social

NY showed that voters who are increasingly cranky and inclined to taking chances on newcomers who sound like fighters for ordinary people rather than more cautious institutionalists and appeasers. That’s the main shift underway (3/3). theconnector.substack.com/p/new-yorks-...

theconnector.substack.comNew York's Hollow Party WarsWhat last Tuesday's primaries tell us about weak Democratic institutions, organized challengers, and the limits of low-turnout victories.
Micah Sifry ❌👑
@msifry.bsky.social

In some other timeline, the last Democratic president didn't spend the last decade vacuuming up nearly a billion dollars to raise an edifice to himself and instead grassroots groups got the money they needed to do the organizing that could have tipped 2024 the other way (1/3)

Micah Sifry ❌👑
@msifry.bsky.social

...but instead here we are watching unprecedented corruption and self-dealing, a war that has already cost Americans more than $160 billion, equally gigantic cuts to the social safety net driving up food insecurity (2/3)

Micah Sifry ❌👑 reposted

Center for Ballot Freedom
@centerforballotfreedom.org

What gives us hope? Movements that expand democracy instead of shrinking it. We support fusion voting, which gives voters more choices, encourages coalition-building, and creates a politics that’s less polarized and more representative. @msifry.bsky.social theconnector.substack.com/p/what-gives...

theconnector.substack.comWhat Gives Us Hope?Seventeen organizers, politicians, academics and media makers from my "This Old Democracy" on how they are coping with our challenging times.
Micah Sifry ❌👑
@msifry.bsky.social

If fish need to be their own oceanographers, consider this my contribution to mapping what the whole school of Democratic-aligned committees, PACs, orgs and independents is up to right now, through the open porthole view provided by Mobilize. open.substack.com/pub/theconne...

open.substack.comHow the Democratic Party "Blob" RollsExploring thousands of upcoming local events on Mobilize.us to see who is doing what to engage voters, and how, as we approach the midterms and deal with Trump's brazen corruption and authoritarianism
Micah Sifry ❌👑
@msifry.bsky.social

Meanwhile, in supposedly "blue" Westchester County, NY, this is what our Democratic congressman thinks is a good idea. www.eventbrite.com/e/navigating... Trump is helicoptering into NY this Friday to boost Lawler's campaign. Latimer's office #: (202) 225-2464.

eventbrite.comNavigating Global Challenges Across the AisleCome hear Congressmen George Latimer (Democrat, NY-16) and Mike Lawler (Republican, NY-17) share their views on foreign policy challenges.
Micah Sifry ❌👑
@msifry.bsky.social

Love this whole thread.

Greg Pak@gregpak.net

Friends, the great progressive @chrisrabb.com won the D primary for PA-03 last night. He's an old college buddy and I went down to Philly to photograph the day. So here's a big thread for you. And HUGE hearts to everyone who voted for him and helped get out the vote - HEROES ALL!

Micah Sifry ❌👑
@msifry.bsky.social

Finally some good news!

VoteHub@votehub.com

Pennsylvania U.S. House District 3 Dem Primary – CALLED for Rabb 82% Reported: 🔵 Christopher Rabb – 52,349 (43.3%) 🔵 Sharif Street – 35,915 (29.7%) 🔵 Ala Stanford – 30,031 (24.8%) Votes from @DecisionDeskHQ