This plus never, ever happen with Harris, thank God. She is a staunch ally. I have friends in TX who’ve broke bread with her several times in the past year and she’s listened intently to their needs as parents of trans kids. This is one of the primary reasons I’m excited to see her take over the nomination. Her heart lies with us on this. I truly believe that.
Harris has staff who are Trans. She knows our concerns and personal story and history. She is even more caring and knowledgeable than Biden when it comes to our issues. She will follow the science and sense concerning our issues.
Absolutely appalling, NYT - stunningly shameless. I wonder if they gave that same advice to John Kerry in 2004 regarding gay marriage. The stomach turns.
This continues despite reasonable pushback at the NYT as a whole. What individual should be confronted? Does anyone know anyone at the NYT who can say? It does not seem credible it is the owner, but who knows?
Absolute nonsense. All Harris needs to say to claim the "moderate" position on "gender issues" is, "I don't believe government should be in the business of dictating medical treatments. I believe that parents, in consultation with their doctors, know what's best for their kids"
This statement seizes the "parents' rights" argument from conservatives and protects health care for trans children with supportive parents. It's also basically the same argument for protecting abortion access.
Two points need to be noted about Leonhardt's political, uh, "advice."
One is that it is not driven by either real conviction or the merits of the case but buy an underlying attitude of "Well, this doesn't matter to ME, therefore it shouldn't matter to anyone else other than a few flakes who don't count."
Perhaps more to the point, though, is that it presents a line of argument that's been used against every liberal, every Democrat, every progressive, every radical, every individual anywhere on the entire left half of the US political spectrum, one that says your arguments must not be couched in the words of conviction or conscience, the words of justice or moral necessity, but rather must be framed by fear, fear of what "they" might say about it, what nasty name "they" might call you.
In fact, unless what you propose is overwhelmingly popular (and even if it is), if "they" can say something nasty, it's likely best not only to not mention it at all, but to openly attack it.
It's a far too common practice that at times has been called "duck and cover" (and if you know what that means without checking, you are older than you look), of politically curling into a defensive position. But I prefer my own name for it: "preemptive capitulation," surrendering before the battle has even been joined.
That is exactly what Leonhardt has proposed Harris do on transgender rights: don't mention it and when asked, hold it as far away from you as you can get away with. And I guarantee you there will be a good number of "old hands" among the political jibber-jabberers and the consultant coterie who will regard that as wise counsel.
At moments like this I can't help but draw a comparison to the right-wingers, who, when they are called on their latest lizard-brain inanity will double- and triple-down and after a round or three the media gets bored with asking and the issue fades from the headlines and then from memory. It's sitzfleisch as political strategy* while we act like we're playing rapid transit**.
Personally, I'm tired of it. This doesn't mean we don't pay attention to how we say things; in fact, one of my all-time favorite compliments was when after a debate I learned that someone in the audience said I had the ability "to make the most radical positions sound like a voice of sweet moderation." I paid attention to how I said things, there was never any doubt about what it was I meant. What it does mean is that we should speak the truth as we understand it and when challenged on what we have said, Don't. Back. Down.
It's only a handful. Some of which without any experience in treating transchildren ever.
The way it's worded comes over as the "Just look at..." to make it sound like a shared, broad view under doctors.
And since Europe is viewed through a lens that almost exclusively names all the "communist" things that supposedly happen here, you can see where that drive comes from.
The suggestion needs to strongly be that the US is an outlier in providing this care without the "walkbacks" 4 countries (Finland, Sweden, France and the UK, well to a degree, their backpedalling happened before leaving the EU).
Other countries are still very much trusting the science and believing the doctors.
Or, as I sometimes say to people: "Do you honestly believe doctors are responsible for medical malpractice at such a wide scale that it would be impossible that not a single parent would speak up?"
Yes plural, so at least there are two doctors of this opinion. It's a very misleading statement. There are at least a couple of anti trans doctors in America too but their opinions don't speak for the overwhelming majority of doctors ( currently licensed, practicing medical doctors), of which Cass would not be included
Ms. Cass' opinions should be disqualified based on her lack of current medical License and lack of recent clinical experience. I've been disqualified for jobs that I'm perfectly licensed and qualified for because my experience was more than three years old.
I’m so pleased to see you write about this. I read Leonhardt this morning and was just livid. I’ve been so excited about Biden stepping down and this put a damper on my enthusiasm, even though it’s not Harris’s fault. I mean, really, in order to win the Democrats should take on the cruelty of the Republican Party?
You know how Harris should handle this “issue”? She should say that it is not the government’s place to get between doctors and their patients - including patients who are minors - and then immediately link it to GOP intrusions into women’s healthcare, proposed IVF and contraceptive bans, and all the rest of the authoritarian MAGA culture war nonsense. She should remind people that she’s running for President - not pediatrician or psychologist in chief, and on kids sports, she’s not running to be the Commissioner of your 8 year old’s soccer team. She should point out that the GOP obsession with trans folks - which affects a minuscule number of people - is merely intended to distract from the GOP incompetence and extremism on issues that a President is supposed to be focusing on - the economy, jobs, interest rates, inflation, foreign policy. She should avoid being sucked into some nonsensical and distracting argument over this issue.
Unfortunately the NYT like many need people to pay attention to them, need clicks, need money and are short staffed. Honesty and integrity go out the window. Disseminating mis- and dis-information makes a mockery of what honest journalism is supposed to be. Can you imagine if those who were polled were actually supplied with the truth about transgender healthcare. These "news" sources and negative social media live in a transphobic echo chamber. What is important for VP Harris to do is speak the truth about who Trump and his cult are all about and hang Project 2025 around his and the Republicans necks.
This plus never, ever happen with Harris, thank God. She is a staunch ally. I have friends in TX who’ve broke bread with her several times in the past year and she’s listened intently to their needs as parents of trans kids. This is one of the primary reasons I’m excited to see her take over the nomination. Her heart lies with us on this. I truly believe that.
Harris has staff who are Trans. She knows our concerns and personal story and history. She is even more caring and knowledgeable than Biden when it comes to our issues. She will follow the science and sense concerning our issues.
Absolutely appalling, NYT - stunningly shameless. I wonder if they gave that same advice to John Kerry in 2004 regarding gay marriage. The stomach turns.
The NYT is a rag.
Hey now, no need to insult rags. Even a dirty rag can be washed out and reused. The NYT would be lucky to serve as toilet paper.
Aaaaahahahaha
Ah yes, the old "beat the fascists by becoming them" strategy. I can't foresee any downsides to this clever scheme! /s
How stupid do you have to be to think moving ideologically closer to Ron DeSantis is a winning move?
Well, it turns people of from the Democratic side, and back onto what they obviously consider the only right route: the one straight to dictatorship.
All of which makes very open to question, who -- what personality -- at the NYT is pushing this? What is their deal?
This continues despite reasonable pushback at the NYT as a whole. What individual should be confronted? Does anyone know anyone at the NYT who can say? It does not seem credible it is the owner, but who knows?
Absolute nonsense. All Harris needs to say to claim the "moderate" position on "gender issues" is, "I don't believe government should be in the business of dictating medical treatments. I believe that parents, in consultation with their doctors, know what's best for their kids"
This statement seizes the "parents' rights" argument from conservatives and protects health care for trans children with supportive parents. It's also basically the same argument for protecting abortion access.
I just said much the same thing before seeing your comment.
Two points need to be noted about Leonhardt's political, uh, "advice."
One is that it is not driven by either real conviction or the merits of the case but buy an underlying attitude of "Well, this doesn't matter to ME, therefore it shouldn't matter to anyone else other than a few flakes who don't count."
Perhaps more to the point, though, is that it presents a line of argument that's been used against every liberal, every Democrat, every progressive, every radical, every individual anywhere on the entire left half of the US political spectrum, one that says your arguments must not be couched in the words of conviction or conscience, the words of justice or moral necessity, but rather must be framed by fear, fear of what "they" might say about it, what nasty name "they" might call you.
In fact, unless what you propose is overwhelmingly popular (and even if it is), if "they" can say something nasty, it's likely best not only to not mention it at all, but to openly attack it.
It's a far too common practice that at times has been called "duck and cover" (and if you know what that means without checking, you are older than you look), of politically curling into a defensive position. But I prefer my own name for it: "preemptive capitulation," surrendering before the battle has even been joined.
That is exactly what Leonhardt has proposed Harris do on transgender rights: don't mention it and when asked, hold it as far away from you as you can get away with. And I guarantee you there will be a good number of "old hands" among the political jibber-jabberers and the consultant coterie who will regard that as wise counsel.
At moments like this I can't help but draw a comparison to the right-wingers, who, when they are called on their latest lizard-brain inanity will double- and triple-down and after a round or three the media gets bored with asking and the issue fades from the headlines and then from memory. It's sitzfleisch as political strategy* while we act like we're playing rapid transit**.
Personally, I'm tired of it. This doesn't mean we don't pay attention to how we say things; in fact, one of my all-time favorite compliments was when after a debate I learned that someone in the audience said I had the ability "to make the most radical positions sound like a voice of sweet moderation." I paid attention to how I said things, there was never any doubt about what it was I meant. What it does mean is that we should speak the truth as we understand it and when challenged on what we have said, Don't. Back. Down.
* "Sitzfleisch" is German for "sitting flesh. See my "Rules for Right-wingers," specifically #20. https://whoviating.substack.com/p/the-rules
**Rapid transit is a form of chess where each player has five seconds per move.
What a trash writer and trash advice.
NYTimes opinion page is better for lining the cat box with. They suck. Kamala married gay couples before it was even legal. ❤️
"Doctors in Europe", huh?
What about the doctors here? Are they not good enough?
It's only a handful. Some of which without any experience in treating transchildren ever.
The way it's worded comes over as the "Just look at..." to make it sound like a shared, broad view under doctors.
And since Europe is viewed through a lens that almost exclusively names all the "communist" things that supposedly happen here, you can see where that drive comes from.
The suggestion needs to strongly be that the US is an outlier in providing this care without the "walkbacks" 4 countries (Finland, Sweden, France and the UK, well to a degree, their backpedalling happened before leaving the EU).
Other countries are still very much trusting the science and believing the doctors.
Or, as I sometimes say to people: "Do you honestly believe doctors are responsible for medical malpractice at such a wide scale that it would be impossible that not a single parent would speak up?"
Yes plural, so at least there are two doctors of this opinion. It's a very misleading statement. There are at least a couple of anti trans doctors in America too but their opinions don't speak for the overwhelming majority of doctors ( currently licensed, practicing medical doctors), of which Cass would not be included
Ms. Cass' opinions should be disqualified based on her lack of current medical License and lack of recent clinical experience. I've been disqualified for jobs that I'm perfectly licensed and qualified for because my experience was more than three years old.
I’m so pleased to see you write about this. I read Leonhardt this morning and was just livid. I’ve been so excited about Biden stepping down and this put a damper on my enthusiasm, even though it’s not Harris’s fault. I mean, really, in order to win the Democrats should take on the cruelty of the Republican Party?
You know how Harris should handle this “issue”? She should say that it is not the government’s place to get between doctors and their patients - including patients who are minors - and then immediately link it to GOP intrusions into women’s healthcare, proposed IVF and contraceptive bans, and all the rest of the authoritarian MAGA culture war nonsense. She should remind people that she’s running for President - not pediatrician or psychologist in chief, and on kids sports, she’s not running to be the Commissioner of your 8 year old’s soccer team. She should point out that the GOP obsession with trans folks - which affects a minuscule number of people - is merely intended to distract from the GOP incompetence and extremism on issues that a President is supposed to be focusing on - the economy, jobs, interest rates, inflation, foreign policy. She should avoid being sucked into some nonsensical and distracting argument over this issue.
Signed up for the 19th
NYT is as bad as tabloids at this point
Unfortunately the NYT like many need people to pay attention to them, need clicks, need money and are short staffed. Honesty and integrity go out the window. Disseminating mis- and dis-information makes a mockery of what honest journalism is supposed to be. Can you imagine if those who were polled were actually supplied with the truth about transgender healthcare. These "news" sources and negative social media live in a transphobic echo chamber. What is important for VP Harris to do is speak the truth about who Trump and his cult are all about and hang Project 2025 around his and the Republicans necks.