Big questions rarely have short answers, but real life doesn’t give us enough time to come up with long ones. Instead, the best thing we can do is add up as many short answers as we can.
That’s where this newsletter comes in — to help you sift through all the chaos happening around us, focus on what matters, and develop some answers about making lasting change.
Here at The Short Answer, we won’t solve questions like “How can Democrats get better at winning?” or “Is AI good or bad?” all in one go. But if we examine enough problems in politics, culture, the internet, and more, I’m confident some bigger answers will come into focus.
I’m still taking suggestions for fun section titles, but each week you can expect a few things:
The Short Answer: My thoughts on a question from news, politics, media, tech, business, and more; an interview with interesting people doing important work; a rant about acronyms; or something else entirely
Reads Worth Your Time: Articles, videos, podcasts, developing trends, and other pieces you may have missed that have informed my worldview recently
Good Posts: Content from people running for office and other changemakers to inspire you (read: for you to see what’s working and shamelessly try for yourself)
Cool Tools: Spotlights on specific resources to make your work easier, from website builders to accessible opposition research and beyond
It’ll all be free for the foreseeable future, but I’m an entrepreneur now and Alice isn’t paying rent, so if you like the work and want to support it you can always upgrade to paid:
And that’s The Short Answer for today. Let me know if there are topics you’d be interested in reading about in the future, and keep scrolling for all the reads, posts, and tools!
Reads Worth Your Time:
The Fun Deficit: Why the Left Keeps Losing Young People Before They Even Show Up (The Ground Game)
“The loneliest generation in history is desperate to belong to something. We keep offering them homework. They keep not showing up. And then we call them apathetic. Progressive organizing has a joy problem. And it’s killing us.”
A critical insight and practical steps to use going forward! What more could you want?
The Streets of Minneapolis (The Atlantic)
“The feeling of powerlessness that so many Americans have struggled with during Trump’s second term is giving way to a sense of greater agency. Americans are not merely corks in Trump’s raging ocean. Courage inspires courage. Success inspires imitation. Living in truth; cultivating the sphere of truth; joining together to stand for truth and against intimidation, repression, and state-sanctioned violence—all of this still matters.”
Creators Sound Off On ‘New’ TikTok — Here’s Why (Forbes)
“As TikTok enters a new era under U.S. ownership, creators and brands are already feeling changes. Disruptions are plaguing the platform like missed payouts, stalled commerce, and content seemingly lost to the algorithm, calling into question the platform’s integrity and long-term viability.”
I’m biased because I’m quoted in this one — but TikTok’s glitches are changing day to day and it’s critical to keep up.
What MAGA Can Teach Democrats About Organizing—and Infighting (The New Yorker)
“Today’s Democratic Party is great at mobilizing: it can propel people into the streets with big marches, raise billions of dollars for national candidates, and get liberals to bombard congressional offices with letters and phone calls. However, it’s less talented at organizing—building the kinds of local infrastructure and disparate leaders that are needed to sustain a large and ideologically diverse coalition.”
My take on this article has already sparked some great discourse (both agreeing and disagreeing) over on TikTok! The piece is chock full of observations and takes, so let me know what you think, too.
Good Posts
Maremoto launches a new, episodic(!) social series parodying ICE — mockumentary style.
West Virginia state representative Kayla Young shares her OOTDs (outfit of the day) in between legislating and keeping her constituents informed.
Planned Parenthood’s Alexis McGill Johnson joins an episode of ‘Gaydar with Anania.’
Ethan Wechtaluk, running for Congress in Maryland, listens to his staff and recorded outside.
Cool Tools
Paywalls are annoying, even if they help fund important work! That’s where the best paywall-evader on the scene comes in: archive.is
This no-frills site can get you access to articles in most major publications. In fact, you may have noticed a few archive.is links in this very newsletter! And if you didn’t, you’ve got some reading left to do. Scroll back up!
Love it!