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Dear reader,
I launched Off Message in September 2023 with commitments to welcoming vigorous but good-faith debate over the country’s future, and to rekindling a liberalism that fights. That was the proposition of my very first piece [ [link removed] ], and we’ve never wavered from it.
A year and a half later, under drastic circumstances, Democrats and the broad left-of-center are finally moving our way. Suddenly Democratic voters are rising in anger at their representatives for lacking the will to fight, and Democratic elected officials are responding. The keepers of moderate and centrist conventional wisdom have called for Democrats to “moderate [ [link removed] ]and [ [link removed] ] fight [ [link removed] ]” and for the party to recruit more “combative centrists [ [link removed] ]” implicitly acknowledging that the party establishment had erred too far in the direction of timidity.
I don’t know if we’ve won the argument yet, but we’re making headway. And it’s in large part because of you. Off Message has enjoyed explosive growth since the election. Some of that was surely due to the darkening climate in the country. But we’ve also been fortunate to have earned the recommendation of Heather Cox Richardson, whose newsletter is an inspiration to millions of people. Many of you found Off Message through her; and while I puzzle over how to repay her, for now I will pay her kindness forward by offering a steep discount [ [link removed] ] to subscribers who want to upgrade to paid.
If you upgrade now, or before the week is out, you’ll lock in a low price well into 2026, when midterm elections will be in full swing. You’ll gain access to the full Off Message archive, the ability to comment on everything we publish, invitations to live chats and other interactive features, along with other special perks.
I’ve done my best to be a steady guide through the long and ongoing crisis of democracy in the United States, and have been undeterred since the election set us on an troubling path. In recent days, I’ve laid out in granular detail how Democrats can use their limited power to slow or stop Donald Trump’s authoritarian takeover [ [link removed] ], and how the party can rebuild in ways that increase its appeal without sacrificing key principles [ [link removed] ].
That same ethic will guide me and my guest writers through whatever awaits us in the coming year and beyond.
I imagine your inbox is cluttered already, and apologize for filling it up further. But these occasional subscription drives are the lifeblood of this publication. They allowed us to establish a modest but meaningful freelance budget within our first year. And, before too long, they should allow me to begin hiring a small staff.
You can help me put that goal within reach. I hope you’ll consider signing up at a discounted price [ [link removed] ]. You can also buy a discounted subscription to Off Message as a gift for family or friends who are seeking truly independent media for the coming four years.
Thanks sincerely for your support. It means everything.
Brian

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