Thread by @MollyMcKew

I normally hate the State of the Union (or whatever). Dribs and drabs of partisan clap points that I eyeroll through to get to one or two lines on foreign policy.

But — but — Joe Biden is here outlining a moonshot to drag American governance & society into the 21st century. /1

I know a lot of people won’t see it that way. You can hear the painful and somewhat blind GOP “woke socialism” response that is coming.

They would do better to leave Boebert and Cruz out of the frontline, and come to the table and engage on these proposals. /2

This is a transformative vision to invest in a more competitive American economy connected to a more competitive American workforce that defines more support from the government to enhance their chances of success. And their kids’ success. Also it says how to pay for it. /3

Republicans are glued to their seats during the speech. They know if they stand, if they discuss, if they compromise, they will be attacked by the minority of the loudest who are not attached to reality anymore.

Be brave, and the rest is easy — as a famous Republican said /4

Come to the table and help define these proposals for a new century of American growth and leadership. Don’t just sandbag it. Matter. Stand for something. This is the best shot we are going to have to catch up to a century that is outpacing us while we eat ourselves alive. /5

I say all these things not as a Democrat (I’m not).

I say these things as an American who has spent my life fighting for other places to have what we have — what we have but seem so goddamn willing to squander for absolutely no reason at all. /6

We need two parties in this country (at least) willing to negotiate in good faith for a reality-based future in which we maintain the position we can’t even imagine not having. /7

I know this won’t happen. I know it will be an administration trying to make advances, then another one unraveling all that — the national equivalent of the Republican-led House of Representatives bringing back styrofoam plates in the cafeteria in 2010 to stick it to Nancy /8

Are Republicans not clapping for ending violence against women? Are they not clapping for expanded childcare & schooling that will SUPPORT AMERICAN FAMILIES—even tho many of them ramble in closed fundraisers about how Americans need to have babies? They can’t connect the dots? /9

There are things here that won’t happen. But there’s a lot to negotiate on.

Come to the table for a better American future. Shape the century to come. Set us up to win.

All of us — stop electing people who won’t. Stop electing the clowns and caricatures from either party. /10

Bring back the grown-ups.

Because I don’t want to think about all this. I just want to go back to fighting autocrats who are far, far from America’s borders. /11

We can have competent people in charge.

People who don’t think we need to be a nation of militias and go-fund-me healthcare to have the rights we deserve.

People who want government to, well, govern. /12

We can be a nation that doesn’t pay twice as much for healthcare than other developed nations, only to be sicker & die younger. /13

We can be a nation that celebrates science & research & innovation, because a bunch of “influencers” selling vitamin powders & podcasts won’t win the century. We need rockets and vaccines and trains and better energy and smart infrastructure for that. /14

So let’s have infrastructure & healthcare & education and ELECTED OFFICIALS WHO WANT US TO HAVE THESE THINGS in a nation that is aiming to compete & win, because America needs to be America or the world won’t look the same, or have the same possibilities, in this dumb century /15

Come on Republicans — come to the table. Find an issue. More like this.

https://twitter.com/riegerreport/status/1387594616501948426