How are we doing? - In a few words, that is the “Midweek Question” we wanted to post to all of you today.
We are a couple months into our Steady newsletter experience and we could not be more grateful to all of you who have joined us on this journey. Our hope, from the onset, was to create a community, a place for people from across the country and even around the world to gather for reflection and civil discussion about the big issues of the day and also the broader themes of life.
We eagerly read many of the comments you share to our posts and value the feedback. Every once in a while, however, we want to check in with you in a more formal way - such as today.
We see Steady as a work in progress, an ability to evolve and present new ideas in new ways. So in addition to the overall question of how you think we are doing we have a few more specifics to guide your responses, if it helps:
What features do you like about Steady?
What aspects do you not like?
For those of you have have paid, do you feel like you are getting what you expected for the subscription?
Have you shared our posts with others, why or why not?
And perhaps most importantly: what topics do you wish for us to cover? (We would love to hear ideas from you!)
I have had many chapters in my life, and I can honestly say this is becoming one of the most rewarding. Thank you all for joining me, and please, if you are so inclined, spread the word.
Some ground rules for these Wednesday chats (and also the comments sections on other posts):
I want a space where people feel safe to express their views, as long as they are offered in good faith.
I want a space where ideas can be challenged, especially my own.
I want debate. But I want it to be civil.
I want people to come here with open minds, and open hearts.
I want this to be fun as well as serious.
We can agree to disagree without being disagreeable.
I got my first shot last week. I felt a bit relieved and am sure I will feel a lot of relief after the second. I was not at all skeptical, just curious what the side effects might be. I did not pursue the vaccine as aggressively as many people, because I have been in the position as a retiree (without children or grandchildren) to stay fairly isolated for as long as it took. I truly wanted essential workers, long-term care residents, and others who were vulnerable to have a chance first. I registered with a couple of state vaccine site online, joined a Facebook vaccine finder group, and watched emails from my pharmacy and from my clinic. I got my first chance at a shot through the stepmother of an in-law, although I don't know how she learned of it. I unfortunately had to cancel that appointment, but, almost simultaneously, got an alert from the health system of which my clinic is a part and scheduled with them. I will say it comforted me to have the shot in a clinic setting. Between the time I made the appointment and actually got the shot, I got at least four alerts of openings from the state sites where I registered, so it appeared the vaccines were becoming more available.
I don't personally know anyone who was hesitant or who has refused (although I have a niece who is waiting because she is pregnant). One thing I heard weeks ago was that the vaccines have essentially been in development for years, and 2020 was an intensive tweaking of what had been underway for a very long time. Knowing that might help those who are hesitant because they think the vaccine was created "too fast.
Wisconsin seems to be making a lot of progress in administering vaccines in part because they've focused on supplying public and private clinics.
I'm puzzled why I haven't seen PSAs on TV about getting the vaccine, which I believe would help.
Mr. Rather, Have you met Professor Heather Cox Richardson? If not, I think you should. You have been my 'steady' anchors the past 1.5 years. Thank you.
The past four years have been psychologically painful and exhausting for most of Americans. The steady voice of reason from you and other veterans of journalism has kept me sane and well-informed. This is why I subscribed to Steady and follow you on Twitter. We need to have intelligent discourse and solid leadership in journalism. You have proven to be that voice the rises above the noise of novice and biased individuals in our nation today. Thank you for your expertise and wisdom. You have earned my respect and gratitude.
Love the exchange of thoughts! I am concerned about the events of 1.6. The FBI is asking citizens to help find all the perpetrators. Why were they all not arrested on 1.6.21. Now the insidious lies are being bandied about that the people behind this were Democrats posing as trump supporters. This lie is growing fast. How can a regular citizen really know that people are being punished? It seems to have left the news entirely.
I think Steady is just wonderful. Of course I agree practically all the time with the ideas and opinions of Dan, so it helps a lot, but I love this pklace because I know I could express my disagreement in a quiet way. Debates are essential as they often bring new ideas. There's no aspect that I don't like. I love the different subjects brought to different days, I love the twitters as I do not have always time to check Twitter.
My daughter, who is of course brilliant (!) works as an analyst for a fund and is now interviewed often by Bloomberg, Yahoo and CNBC, and I wonder if once a month it wouldn't be interesting to have a subject on the new small companies who are dealing with environment. There is really a new movement of new companies towards finding solutions and its pretty fascinating, so this is my only humble idea of new subjects.
So much gratitude for this wonderful web site and his wonderful Journalist.
Dan you and the steady team have created a wonderful coffee house type of atmosphere where people from around the world and of different or no religion can converse with each other so we may better understand each other which will help to remove the fear and hate people feel from the dark unknown.
I am a paid subscriber and believe my money was well spent. Thank you for creating this place for all to express their thoughts, feelings, fears, in a warm peaceful atmosphere.
Conversation topic: Feelings, like how does one feel when one bathes in a cold Spring run-off waterfall, or when one walks out onto the dirt bank where new sprouting flora are raising their heads trying to reach the sun. And the sun rays warmly increase the temperature of one's skin.
1. What features do you like about Steady? I enjoy the articles, subject matter, and the completeness of each coverage of that subject. This gives the reader the opportunity to comment on their thoughts, with an open mind.
2. What aspects do you not like? Honestly, I haven't found anything about Steady I don't, or haven't liked.
3. For those of you who have paid, do you feel like you are getting what you expected for the subscription? Absolutely. Well worth my subscription fee. I highly recommend to those that haven't paid for a subscription, do so.
4. Have you shared our posts with others, why or why not? Yes, I share just about all of the Steady posts with others. I want them to get the Steady experience. Get hooked. If they don't, they're the ones missing out.
5. And perhaps most importantly: what topics do you wish for us to cover? (We would love to hear ideas from you!) As we move closer to the midterm elections, I feel it will be immensely important to maintain leverage over the Republican, (Extremesist/Seditionist) Party. We know who these candidates are, that will be seeking re-election. We need to keep up with them and their campaign. We also need to keep up with who Trump is endorsing for this election. We know we don't need any more of his kind in any office, local, state, or federal.
I enjoy your writing and wit. I consider Steady to be an opinion piece that is grounded and that I can rely on to help me sort through some of troublesome times we are in. Just take your “Ground Rules” for an example of the balance I find here.
What I enjoy is the diversity of topics and your delivery. I've shared Steady with my publisher, She Writes Press, and several writer friends. Your ability to provide the news, the truth, and life stories (just finished watching "A Concerto is a Conversation"), makes for a much better--and a much saner--day. Activism through your voice of reason makes me want to be involved in solutions rather than remain part of the problem. We need Steady and we need Dan Rather at the helm. So grateful to you.
I would love to see you dig into issues about family policies. The lobbying that drives so much policy is well-funded by those with market and/or ideological interests. The U.S. has no Council of Advisors on Families - or Nurturing - so no stated goals for supporting families and caregiving. Much of the discussion in recent decades has been focused on "working families" and that results in discriminatory policies.
It is not anti-feminist to want choice and equity for people regarding care. Families are diverse, but policymaking is focused only on some families, those who prefer to use care services.
Sometimes it helps to consider families in which a father takes on the role of at-home parent, as Dan Mulhern did in order to care for their three children when his wife, Jennifer Mulhern, was elected Governor of Michigan. Now she's the Secretary of Energy. Who would argue that Mr. Mulhern should have stayed in the paid workforce during those years? He's also an example of what many parents do -- they move in and out of the paid workforce. Public policies could help meet the needs and preferences of all kinds of families.
One large bright spot in policy is the recent (but only one-year) Refundable Child Tax Credit, which has the potential to reduce poverty among families with children. Unfortunately, there are reports that the IRS is having trouble with implementation. Some Members of Congress are already working on a permanent child allowance or child benefit. Economic analysis of the pros and cons shows a long-term benefit to society of 8x the cost (Liz Hipple, Washington Center on Equitable Growth).
Currently, there is a well-funded push to fund the "Care Economy" - and it is discriminatory. It's wrong to claim that care services are needed as infrastructure while seeking to replace unpaid family caregivers with paid caregivers. And it's paternalistic to frame this as the need to free unpaid caregivers so they can participate in paid work and in society--as though unpaid caregivers are not contributing members of society. It's an indication of values warped by the marketplace.
Funding care services without equitable funding for unpaid caregiving impacts families that prefer to provide care themselves for their children or other family members.
Recent data from the Bipartisan Policy Center's "Child Care Market Survey Analysis" shows that about 60% of parents do not want child care services (page 40).
The science of human development is being ignored in many discussions about family policy. The National Academies of Sciences have produced several reports on human development. Dr. Jack Shonkoff of Harvard's Center on the Developing Child says: "The ultimate answer is to reduce the stressors on families, so families can do what families are best capable of doing."
I've been volunteering for decades with the grassroots organization Family and Home Network, focused on parent-child time together. We offer parents affirmation, information, and advocacy. I've also done a lot of unpaid caregiving, for my children, my parents, an elder cousin, and my in-laws. My value as a person is not tied to my status or earnings in the marketplace, though some 50/50 feminists argue that doing unpaid caregiving is not a choice, and it's wrong for women to do this.
Most of our work has been accomplished by volunteers, we are a grassroots organization founded by three mothers in 1984 - see our history on our timeline.
On our website, we offer affirmation and information for parents, information and links on statistics, research on children's needs, data on parents' preferences and diversity, and more: www.familyandhome.org
Echoing what many others have said I love the newsletters. I love that I get information but not in the traditional if it bleeds it leads manner. I feel informed but hopeful and I have missed that feeling 🧡
A housekeeping question: is there a way within the substack platform to archive newsletter by category? There are substantive discussions happening but its difficult to go back and see a conversation revolving around immigration, or gun control.
I love the newsletters! I would like to see your thoughts on other things that are going on around the world once in a while. Or maybe your take on how the US should respond to whatever is going on.
I've shared a couple of Dan's essays on my Facebook page. I would easily have shared more but I try not to bring politics into my social media too much. The election last year was different. I felt it was so desperately important to our country to get it right so we could put our government back on the right track that I expressed my opinions strongly and frequently. Dan Rather has a way of putting things down on paper that say what I'm feeling and I appreciate this opportunity to thank him for continuing to engage in his favorite work, journalism. Still getting it done after all these years.
I just enjoy reading whatever tickles your fancy or conscience. I like the extrapolation on your tweets. I like lovely conversation after an article. I wish I lived closer to Texas for a day to eat at the restaurant youc championed. I think my favorite part is seeing a bit of myself in you and the comments to give me hope that being an american is being generous,kind and open to adventures.
I appreciate having you available to read as you are a voice of sanity. I also have your original "What Unites Us" and have shared that with friends. I want you to keep up the good work!
IF we could get more people to agree to disagree without being disagreeable it could change a toxic culture to one that could be healthier and more constructive. We’ve lost an abiding sense of mutual respect and personal accountability. I remain hopeful. Thanks, Dan
During the worst of the pandemic (not that it is better yet in some places) I had a library copy of --What Unites Us--book on tape checked out. Each night when I went to bed I popped in a tape, and listened until I fell asleep (which was not because of the tape, but because it was bedtime!). I often listened to tapes several times. Over the nights, I internalized both the soothing nature of your voice as well as the calming reasonableness of what you were reading. I subscribed to Steady because of that experience. When I read your posts I sort of "hear" your voice as I read. I truly enjoyed the recent article on wildflowers. I shared that with a local man who does a program called "the Gestalt Gardener" on our local public radio station. Oh, I also read --The Lying Life of Adults--after your recommendation per your wife.
I'm a subscriber and have really enjoyed your posts. Along with Heather Cox Richardson, you keep me informed, enlightened, and "steady." I've occasionally shared the posts. I would love even more of a focus on international issues.
What I love about Steady is the combination of researched information and personal experience. I listened to the audiobook, What Unites Us, and fell in love with Mr. Rather’s voice and “voice.” As I read Steady, I hear his wise, calming voice that matches the informative yet rational, calming content.
THANK YOU SO MUCH for creating this space, Dan.... for creating a community! Your topics are always meaningful, and your writing clear and compassionate. Your commentary got me through the tRump administration by validating my own reality and preserving my sanity! I wish my dad and mom were still living. We watched your newscasts as a family every night, and they would be overjoyed to see your career metamorphose over the years, remaining relevant to the times and generations. Blessings to you and those you love!!!
Thank you for taking the time to create a space for dialogue - our country is so divided and your voice has been one of reason and empathy. We can no longer sit on the sides and think that rationale minds will prevail. Steady is a good place to start connecting and creating meaningful conversations. Thank you Dan Rather for your lifetime commitment to trustworthy journalism
Well, sir -- I think you're doing fine. The reportage is as rock-solid as I expected, and the discussions it fosters are lively, respectful, and sometimes cover several days, a nice change from the frenetic pace of today's "traditional media." I do really appreciate the variety of subjects covered, too.
I have shared Steady with family members and friends. I plan to give a Steady subscription as future gifts for upcoming birthdays and other holidays. I appreciate the light you provide as well as the opportunity to share your insight. Thank you!
First of all, I follow you because I feel you represent fair, unbiased opinion. I have followed you since your days in Vietnam. I particularly enjoy your essays. Thank you for offering this opportunity for a sane conversation on current world situations!
I just want to say thank you. You have been a constant in my life. I remember you reporting from the Battlefield in Vietnam. I had never been afraid of my own government until trump. I feel a lot safer now with Biden/Harris in office.
I am very angry how this Rescue check is being rolled out. I am Disabled and get Social Security Disability. Those of us who need it most are always left until last.
My reason for being here and my reason for staying & subscribing, is still you Dan Rather. I like the Steady format, and enjoy reading a little about what other people "on the street" are saying and thinking. I'm not a huge fan of social media. I use it to get pics of my family in far away places, and on special days, and share a little bit of what I care to publicize. I am far more comfortable with Steady. No threats (yes, I have felt berated by even family members for my outlooks) and not so much judgement. I get the feeling of being part of this big picture without the alienation of the past years. Dan, you remain the voice of reason, sanity and reality for me - you keep me grounded and more accepting of others myself, as well as informing me in the most intelligent and humane way! It's wonderful.
Beautifully written and interesting! I do subscribe because I agree with supporting journalism.
I wonder if Mr. Rather could do the occasional live Q and A? Heather Cox Richardson does these occasionally on FB and they are quite illuminating. (I apologize if you are already doing this and I've missed it.) Specifically, since I am 68 and was a teenager and young adult during the Vietnam War era, I'd like to ask Mr. Rather to comment about his perspective on those events, and to comment on the process by which a young reporter comes to realize the corruption behind the events he is covering. I think we are all realizing the extent to which the media sells the public a "story" about current events. This received narrative, in retrospect, turns out to have obscured many critical facts of the case, which, had they been known, might have changed public opinion. A more recent example of this from 2016 is how the media couldn't shut up about "Hillary's emails," yet Donald Trump's documented cozy relationship with Putin was kept from us. Who benefits from this? is my question. I think Mr. Rather, whose career has spanned many decades, is in the best possible position to help us understand how past is prologue.
I appreciate all aspects of Steady. I seem to struggle with internal dialogs about is there any hope for the US and saying, my goodness we just put an explorer on Mars (even if it's not a human explorer, it's still and explorer!) that will send back info few even dreamed about years ago, what a great time to be alive. I don't want to have any kind of false hope, but having at least a balance of hopefulness with the reality of the challenges that face us is important to me. I live in Missouri where the will of the people no longer matters..the legislature just decided to ignore the medicaid expansion that the voters approved (with one legislator bragging how he is proud to stand against the will of the people) and it feels pretty hopeless here so hearing about hopeful situations in other states is helpful.
When you posted on Facebook about native plants, I responded about my native plant garden and someone with a yellow Dan Rather icon answered and said message me. I did and then I got the message “how are you doing?” Which sounded more like a spammer. I went back to that post and saw the person said the same to others so I blocked them. Can you report it? Thanks, Barb
All of them, and probably the diversity of features is one of the things I like best
What aspects do you not like?
No complaints
For those of you have have paid, do you feel like you are getting what you expected for the subscription?
Well worth having a trusted source of information, historical perspective in a well written format, sometimes with humor, but always with a sense of making our lives a bit better today
Have you shared our posts with others, why or why not?
Yes, as discussion points, your reputation adds to the value of the conversation
And perhaps most importantly: what topics do you wish for us to cover? (We would love to hear ideas from you!) I like the contrast of today's events to past events: have we learned anything? what worked before what didn't; where can we find information we can trust. As one facing the option of retirement in the next few years: how did you approach that part of your life; how did you find a path to your current journey?
Maybe because I'm a paid subscriber, I read thoroughly and with intent more than I do in a gloss over the nightly television news or social media blips. Steady forces me to slow down and connect with the text and respond to the text in a way, outside of reading novels, I don't otherwise do these days. I appreciate the content and tone here, and look forward to the emails alerting me to a new post. When I begin reading a new post, I don't brace myself in fear of the rabbit hole down which I'll go. The content is productive, forward-thinking though respectful of important history and historical context, and I don't have constructive feedback to offer.
I like it all. The written essays, the user question of the week responses, and the week of tweets (bc sometimes I miss some gems!)
What aspects do you not like?
No complaints.
For those of you have have paid, do you feel like you are getting what you expected for the subscription?
I am a satisfied paying customer. I didn't have any expectations because this was all new, but I like what it's become.
Have you shared our posts with others, why or why not?
I have discussed some posts w my wife, but besides Twitter I'm not on social media for sharing things with online friends.
And perhaps most importantly: what topics do you wish for us to cover? (We would love to hear ideas from you!)
Nothing right now. I see lots of good suggestions from others. I'm in the middle of reading Dan's book which is wonderful. Just more of the same. Essays. Sane discussion. Dan's humor.
I support ProPublica and enjoy their in-depth investigative stories, so for Steady I'm looking for something lighter and more first-person perspectives from Dan.
I've been looking for a place to follow up on the pay-per-view model you recently wrote about. I wanted to explore that, but neither the email or the site made it clear how to sign up. Marketing Fail! I'm excited by the thought of heading in that direction and hope our options will become more clear.
As for Steady, I'm quite happy. I'm aware that I can't continue to pile up Substack subscriptions, just like I can't afford endless streaming entertainment channels, and I think ultimately it's a self-limiting platform. But this is a safe space where the conversation is thoughtful and enlightening, and that alone is a tremendous relief these days.
I'm enjoying the historical pieces more than I thought--they often highlight a time I lived through but was too young to absorb nuances. I love the "shade pieces" because they cut through baloney to illustrate everyone's common sense reaction. I love the critical thinking pieces because they help me think more critically myself. I guess I'm just smitten!
I've also missed having Dan Rather on the nightly news. When I share with people about Steady they are surprised. What do you think about Bidens job so far?
I like that the variety of features. Always keeping it fresh as well as topical. Can’t say that I don’t like any aspects. Keep up the great writing! I paid and glad I did, and I get what I expected and more; sane discourse and informative articles. The bonus, comments that are thoughtful and courteous. I have shared with others and a couple now subscribe. As far as what topics to cover, just keeping a mix of keeping up with what’s currently happening and what strikes your fancy works for me. Thanks, and glad you are here Dan.
The best part of Steady, of course, is your excellent writing. The meditation on Spring was, indeed, beautiful. I also find myself agreeing with everything you write, so far. As traditional media has fragmented (don't know a better word to use), individual organizations and individual bloggers, like ProPublica, John Oliver, and yourself, are meeting the needs of discerning readers and viewers. I am definitely getting my money's worth. New types of stories to cover: I would try to find enterprising government officials, civil servants, entrepreneurs who are doing the right thing with integrity and finding good solutions to hard to solve problems. That is a bit of a departure from your armchair view, but people need role models. What better idea than for you, a role model for many, to find others? Rather's Raiders :)
TOPIC: There is one issue which underlies nearly all the other issues. It's why we have been unable to move forward with thoughtful solutions to our major problems. It should be a major focus of our discussions. I'm talking about the structural elements in our system which incentivize division rather than cooperation.
For example, multi-billion dollar industries are built through disinformation -- it is rewarded, not punished. Most proposed solutions will fail because the profit motive is still incentivizing the wrong behavior.
And for example, our winner-take-all election structure encourages opposing extremes rather than building a strong cooperative middle. It is explained well in this Harvard Business Review article. A solution is proposed, and a few jurisdictions have already adopted such changes, but how can we accelerate this to where it really makes a difference? https://hbr.org/2020/07/fixing-u-s-politics
I would like to see discussions focused on finding real solutions to these structural issues which, once solved, would then help greatly in solving most of the other problems we face.
First off, I am proud to be a part of this ground breaking new group. I’m pleased you have posted some rules and guidelines. It’s refreshing to see so many posts and ideas for improvement in our society. I’m all for people getting back to truth, respectability and acknowledging each other’s ideas/beliefs. Let’s start using manners, our quiet voices and our listening skills more. (Yes, I was a teacher)
I'm truly enjoying this subscription. I do feel more steady, and hopeful, when I read your words, and the words of so many thoughtful & informed community members. I'm glad to know this is a particularly rewarding chapter in your life. That's inspiring.
I got my first shot last week. I felt a bit relieved and am sure I will feel a lot of relief after the second. I was not at all skeptical, just curious what the side effects might be. I did not pursue the vaccine as aggressively as many people, because I have been in the position as a retiree (without children or grandchildren) to stay fairly isolated for as long as it took. I truly wanted essential workers, long-term care residents, and others who were vulnerable to have a chance first. I registered with a couple of state vaccine site online, joined a Facebook vaccine finder group, and watched emails from my pharmacy and from my clinic. I got my first chance at a shot through the stepmother of an in-law, although I don't know how she learned of it. I unfortunately had to cancel that appointment, but, almost simultaneously, got an alert from the health system of which my clinic is a part and scheduled with them. I will say it comforted me to have the shot in a clinic setting. Between the time I made the appointment and actually got the shot, I got at least four alerts of openings from the state sites where I registered, so it appeared the vaccines were becoming more available.
I don't personally know anyone who was hesitant or who has refused (although I have a niece who is waiting because she is pregnant). One thing I heard weeks ago was that the vaccines have essentially been in development for years, and 2020 was an intensive tweaking of what had been underway for a very long time. Knowing that might help those who are hesitant because they think the vaccine was created "too fast.
Wisconsin seems to be making a lot of progress in administering vaccines in part because they've focused on supplying public and private clinics.
I'm puzzled why I haven't seen PSAs on TV about getting the vaccine, which I believe would help.
Mr. Rather, Have you met Professor Heather Cox Richardson? If not, I think you should. You have been my 'steady' anchors the past 1.5 years. Thank you.
The past four years have been psychologically painful and exhausting for most of Americans. The steady voice of reason from you and other veterans of journalism has kept me sane and well-informed. This is why I subscribed to Steady and follow you on Twitter. We need to have intelligent discourse and solid leadership in journalism. You have proven to be that voice the rises above the noise of novice and biased individuals in our nation today. Thank you for your expertise and wisdom. You have earned my respect and gratitude.
Love the exchange of thoughts! I am concerned about the events of 1.6. The FBI is asking citizens to help find all the perpetrators. Why were they all not arrested on 1.6.21. Now the insidious lies are being bandied about that the people behind this were Democrats posing as trump supporters. This lie is growing fast. How can a regular citizen really know that people are being punished? It seems to have left the news entirely.
I think Steady is just wonderful. Of course I agree practically all the time with the ideas and opinions of Dan, so it helps a lot, but I love this pklace because I know I could express my disagreement in a quiet way. Debates are essential as they often bring new ideas. There's no aspect that I don't like. I love the different subjects brought to different days, I love the twitters as I do not have always time to check Twitter.
My daughter, who is of course brilliant (!) works as an analyst for a fund and is now interviewed often by Bloomberg, Yahoo and CNBC, and I wonder if once a month it wouldn't be interesting to have a subject on the new small companies who are dealing with environment. There is really a new movement of new companies towards finding solutions and its pretty fascinating, so this is my only humble idea of new subjects.
So much gratitude for this wonderful web site and his wonderful Journalist.
Dan you and the steady team have created a wonderful coffee house type of atmosphere where people from around the world and of different or no religion can converse with each other so we may better understand each other which will help to remove the fear and hate people feel from the dark unknown.
I am a paid subscriber and believe my money was well spent. Thank you for creating this place for all to express their thoughts, feelings, fears, in a warm peaceful atmosphere.
Conversation topic: Feelings, like how does one feel when one bathes in a cold Spring run-off waterfall, or when one walks out onto the dirt bank where new sprouting flora are raising their heads trying to reach the sun. And the sun rays warmly increase the temperature of one's skin.
My favorite feature about Steady are your words, Dan!
1. What features do you like about Steady? I enjoy the articles, subject matter, and the completeness of each coverage of that subject. This gives the reader the opportunity to comment on their thoughts, with an open mind.
2. What aspects do you not like? Honestly, I haven't found anything about Steady I don't, or haven't liked.
3. For those of you who have paid, do you feel like you are getting what you expected for the subscription? Absolutely. Well worth my subscription fee. I highly recommend to those that haven't paid for a subscription, do so.
4. Have you shared our posts with others, why or why not? Yes, I share just about all of the Steady posts with others. I want them to get the Steady experience. Get hooked. If they don't, they're the ones missing out.
5. And perhaps most importantly: what topics do you wish for us to cover? (We would love to hear ideas from you!) As we move closer to the midterm elections, I feel it will be immensely important to maintain leverage over the Republican, (Extremesist/Seditionist) Party. We know who these candidates are, that will be seeking re-election. We need to keep up with them and their campaign. We also need to keep up with who Trump is endorsing for this election. We know we don't need any more of his kind in any office, local, state, or federal.
I enjoy your writing and wit. I consider Steady to be an opinion piece that is grounded and that I can rely on to help me sort through some of troublesome times we are in. Just take your “Ground Rules” for an example of the balance I find here.
What I enjoy is the diversity of topics and your delivery. I've shared Steady with my publisher, She Writes Press, and several writer friends. Your ability to provide the news, the truth, and life stories (just finished watching "A Concerto is a Conversation"), makes for a much better--and a much saner--day. Activism through your voice of reason makes me want to be involved in solutions rather than remain part of the problem. We need Steady and we need Dan Rather at the helm. So grateful to you.
I would love audio content, even if it’s just a narrated version of the articles themselves.
I would love to see you dig into issues about family policies. The lobbying that drives so much policy is well-funded by those with market and/or ideological interests. The U.S. has no Council of Advisors on Families - or Nurturing - so no stated goals for supporting families and caregiving. Much of the discussion in recent decades has been focused on "working families" and that results in discriminatory policies.
It is not anti-feminist to want choice and equity for people regarding care. Families are diverse, but policymaking is focused only on some families, those who prefer to use care services.
Sometimes it helps to consider families in which a father takes on the role of at-home parent, as Dan Mulhern did in order to care for their three children when his wife, Jennifer Mulhern, was elected Governor of Michigan. Now she's the Secretary of Energy. Who would argue that Mr. Mulhern should have stayed in the paid workforce during those years? He's also an example of what many parents do -- they move in and out of the paid workforce. Public policies could help meet the needs and preferences of all kinds of families.
One large bright spot in policy is the recent (but only one-year) Refundable Child Tax Credit, which has the potential to reduce poverty among families with children. Unfortunately, there are reports that the IRS is having trouble with implementation. Some Members of Congress are already working on a permanent child allowance or child benefit. Economic analysis of the pros and cons shows a long-term benefit to society of 8x the cost (Liz Hipple, Washington Center on Equitable Growth).
Currently, there is a well-funded push to fund the "Care Economy" - and it is discriminatory. It's wrong to claim that care services are needed as infrastructure while seeking to replace unpaid family caregivers with paid caregivers. And it's paternalistic to frame this as the need to free unpaid caregivers so they can participate in paid work and in society--as though unpaid caregivers are not contributing members of society. It's an indication of values warped by the marketplace.
Funding care services without equitable funding for unpaid caregiving impacts families that prefer to provide care themselves for their children or other family members.
Recent data from the Bipartisan Policy Center's "Child Care Market Survey Analysis" shows that about 60% of parents do not want child care services (page 40).
The science of human development is being ignored in many discussions about family policy. The National Academies of Sciences have produced several reports on human development. Dr. Jack Shonkoff of Harvard's Center on the Developing Child says: "The ultimate answer is to reduce the stressors on families, so families can do what families are best capable of doing."
I've been volunteering for decades with the grassroots organization Family and Home Network, focused on parent-child time together. We offer parents affirmation, information, and advocacy. I've also done a lot of unpaid caregiving, for my children, my parents, an elder cousin, and my in-laws. My value as a person is not tied to my status or earnings in the marketplace, though some 50/50 feminists argue that doing unpaid caregiving is not a choice, and it's wrong for women to do this.
Most of our work has been accomplished by volunteers, we are a grassroots organization founded by three mothers in 1984 - see our history on our timeline.
On our website, we offer affirmation and information for parents, information and links on statistics, research on children's needs, data on parents' preferences and diversity, and more: www.familyandhome.org
Echoing what many others have said I love the newsletters. I love that I get information but not in the traditional if it bleeds it leads manner. I feel informed but hopeful and I have missed that feeling 🧡
A housekeeping question: is there a way within the substack platform to archive newsletter by category? There are substantive discussions happening but its difficult to go back and see a conversation revolving around immigration, or gun control.
I love the newsletters! I would like to see your thoughts on other things that are going on around the world once in a while. Or maybe your take on how the US should respond to whatever is going on.
I've shared a couple of Dan's essays on my Facebook page. I would easily have shared more but I try not to bring politics into my social media too much. The election last year was different. I felt it was so desperately important to our country to get it right so we could put our government back on the right track that I expressed my opinions strongly and frequently. Dan Rather has a way of putting things down on paper that say what I'm feeling and I appreciate this opportunity to thank him for continuing to engage in his favorite work, journalism. Still getting it done after all these years.
I just enjoy reading whatever tickles your fancy or conscience. I like the extrapolation on your tweets. I like lovely conversation after an article. I wish I lived closer to Texas for a day to eat at the restaurant youc championed. I think my favorite part is seeing a bit of myself in you and the comments to give me hope that being an american is being generous,kind and open to adventures.
I appreciate having you available to read as you are a voice of sanity. I also have your original "What Unites Us" and have shared that with friends. I want you to keep up the good work!
Visited my daughter and her husband Monday & Tuesday on their mini farm in Michigan and left with 4 dozen farm fresh eggs.
IF we could get more people to agree to disagree without being disagreeable it could change a toxic culture to one that could be healthier and more constructive. We’ve lost an abiding sense of mutual respect and personal accountability. I remain hopeful. Thanks, Dan
During the worst of the pandemic (not that it is better yet in some places) I had a library copy of --What Unites Us--book on tape checked out. Each night when I went to bed I popped in a tape, and listened until I fell asleep (which was not because of the tape, but because it was bedtime!). I often listened to tapes several times. Over the nights, I internalized both the soothing nature of your voice as well as the calming reasonableness of what you were reading. I subscribed to Steady because of that experience. When I read your posts I sort of "hear" your voice as I read. I truly enjoyed the recent article on wildflowers. I shared that with a local man who does a program called "the Gestalt Gardener" on our local public radio station. Oh, I also read --The Lying Life of Adults--after your recommendation per your wife.
Thank you. A simple heartfelt thank you for the insightful kind and thought provoking commitment you have undertaken for your many followeres
I'm a subscriber and have really enjoyed your posts. Along with Heather Cox Richardson, you keep me informed, enlightened, and "steady." I've occasionally shared the posts. I would love even more of a focus on international issues.
What I love about Steady is the combination of researched information and personal experience. I listened to the audiobook, What Unites Us, and fell in love with Mr. Rather’s voice and “voice.” As I read Steady, I hear his wise, calming voice that matches the informative yet rational, calming content.
I really enjoy this. I’d liked to see content relating to books, recommendations, analysis, etc
Far less talk about politics works with me. There is so much more to life than the divisive political world in which we live. So much more.
I find Steady to be very refreshing. Thank you Dan
THANK YOU SO MUCH for creating this space, Dan.... for creating a community! Your topics are always meaningful, and your writing clear and compassionate. Your commentary got me through the tRump administration by validating my own reality and preserving my sanity! I wish my dad and mom were still living. We watched your newscasts as a family every night, and they would be overjoyed to see your career metamorphose over the years, remaining relevant to the times and generations. Blessings to you and those you love!!!
Thank you for taking the time to create a space for dialogue - our country is so divided and your voice has been one of reason and empathy. We can no longer sit on the sides and think that rationale minds will prevail. Steady is a good place to start connecting and creating meaningful conversations. Thank you Dan Rather for your lifetime commitment to trustworthy journalism
Well, sir -- I think you're doing fine. The reportage is as rock-solid as I expected, and the discussions it fosters are lively, respectful, and sometimes cover several days, a nice change from the frenetic pace of today's "traditional media." I do really appreciate the variety of subjects covered, too.
I have shared Steady with family members and friends. I plan to give a Steady subscription as future gifts for upcoming birthdays and other holidays. I appreciate the light you provide as well as the opportunity to share your insight. Thank you!
First of all, I follow you because I feel you represent fair, unbiased opinion. I have followed you since your days in Vietnam. I particularly enjoy your essays. Thank you for offering this opportunity for a sane conversation on current world situations!
I just want to say thank you. You have been a constant in my life. I remember you reporting from the Battlefield in Vietnam. I had never been afraid of my own government until trump. I feel a lot safer now with Biden/Harris in office.
I am very angry how this Rescue check is being rolled out. I am Disabled and get Social Security Disability. Those of us who need it most are always left until last.
My reason for being here and my reason for staying & subscribing, is still you Dan Rather. I like the Steady format, and enjoy reading a little about what other people "on the street" are saying and thinking. I'm not a huge fan of social media. I use it to get pics of my family in far away places, and on special days, and share a little bit of what I care to publicize. I am far more comfortable with Steady. No threats (yes, I have felt berated by even family members for my outlooks) and not so much judgement. I get the feeling of being part of this big picture without the alienation of the past years. Dan, you remain the voice of reason, sanity and reality for me - you keep me grounded and more accepting of others myself, as well as informing me in the most intelligent and humane way! It's wonderful.
Beautifully written and interesting! I do subscribe because I agree with supporting journalism.
I wonder if Mr. Rather could do the occasional live Q and A? Heather Cox Richardson does these occasionally on FB and they are quite illuminating. (I apologize if you are already doing this and I've missed it.) Specifically, since I am 68 and was a teenager and young adult during the Vietnam War era, I'd like to ask Mr. Rather to comment about his perspective on those events, and to comment on the process by which a young reporter comes to realize the corruption behind the events he is covering. I think we are all realizing the extent to which the media sells the public a "story" about current events. This received narrative, in retrospect, turns out to have obscured many critical facts of the case, which, had they been known, might have changed public opinion. A more recent example of this from 2016 is how the media couldn't shut up about "Hillary's emails," yet Donald Trump's documented cozy relationship with Putin was kept from us. Who benefits from this? is my question. I think Mr. Rather, whose career has spanned many decades, is in the best possible position to help us understand how past is prologue.
I appreciate all aspects of Steady. I seem to struggle with internal dialogs about is there any hope for the US and saying, my goodness we just put an explorer on Mars (even if it's not a human explorer, it's still and explorer!) that will send back info few even dreamed about years ago, what a great time to be alive. I don't want to have any kind of false hope, but having at least a balance of hopefulness with the reality of the challenges that face us is important to me. I live in Missouri where the will of the people no longer matters..the legislature just decided to ignore the medicaid expansion that the voters approved (with one legislator bragging how he is proud to stand against the will of the people) and it feels pretty hopeless here so hearing about hopeful situations in other states is helpful.
When you posted on Facebook about native plants, I responded about my native plant garden and someone with a yellow Dan Rather icon answered and said message me. I did and then I got the message “how are you doing?” Which sounded more like a spammer. I went back to that post and saw the person said the same to others so I blocked them. Can you report it? Thanks, Barb
What features do you like about Steady?
All of them, and probably the diversity of features is one of the things I like best
What aspects do you not like?
No complaints
For those of you have have paid, do you feel like you are getting what you expected for the subscription?
Well worth having a trusted source of information, historical perspective in a well written format, sometimes with humor, but always with a sense of making our lives a bit better today
Have you shared our posts with others, why or why not?
Yes, as discussion points, your reputation adds to the value of the conversation
And perhaps most importantly: what topics do you wish for us to cover? (We would love to hear ideas from you!) I like the contrast of today's events to past events: have we learned anything? what worked before what didn't; where can we find information we can trust. As one facing the option of retirement in the next few years: how did you approach that part of your life; how did you find a path to your current journey?
Maybe because I'm a paid subscriber, I read thoroughly and with intent more than I do in a gloss over the nightly television news or social media blips. Steady forces me to slow down and connect with the text and respond to the text in a way, outside of reading novels, I don't otherwise do these days. I appreciate the content and tone here, and look forward to the emails alerting me to a new post. When I begin reading a new post, I don't brace myself in fear of the rabbit hole down which I'll go. The content is productive, forward-thinking though respectful of important history and historical context, and I don't have constructive feedback to offer.
I always enjoy the thoughtful reflection on the topic and the clear, concise, purposeful language. How often do you post? (I am a subscriber.)
What features do you like about Steady?
I like it all. The written essays, the user question of the week responses, and the week of tweets (bc sometimes I miss some gems!)
What aspects do you not like?
No complaints.
For those of you have have paid, do you feel like you are getting what you expected for the subscription?
I am a satisfied paying customer. I didn't have any expectations because this was all new, but I like what it's become.
Have you shared our posts with others, why or why not?
I have discussed some posts w my wife, but besides Twitter I'm not on social media for sharing things with online friends.
And perhaps most importantly: what topics do you wish for us to cover? (We would love to hear ideas from you!)
Nothing right now. I see lots of good suggestions from others. I'm in the middle of reading Dan's book which is wonderful. Just more of the same. Essays. Sane discussion. Dan's humor.
I support ProPublica and enjoy their in-depth investigative stories, so for Steady I'm looking for something lighter and more first-person perspectives from Dan.
I am very much enjoying Steady. It is well written and informative. Keep up the good work Dan, I look forward to the newsletter in my inbox.
I've been looking for a place to follow up on the pay-per-view model you recently wrote about. I wanted to explore that, but neither the email or the site made it clear how to sign up. Marketing Fail! I'm excited by the thought of heading in that direction and hope our options will become more clear.
As for Steady, I'm quite happy. I'm aware that I can't continue to pile up Substack subscriptions, just like I can't afford endless streaming entertainment channels, and I think ultimately it's a self-limiting platform. But this is a safe space where the conversation is thoughtful and enlightening, and that alone is a tremendous relief these days.
I'm enjoying the historical pieces more than I thought--they often highlight a time I lived through but was too young to absorb nuances. I love the "shade pieces" because they cut through baloney to illustrate everyone's common sense reaction. I love the critical thinking pieces because they help me think more critically myself. I guess I'm just smitten!
I am getting my money's worth. I have shared. I appreciate objective commentary on top news /stories
I've also missed having Dan Rather on the nightly news. When I share with people about Steady they are surprised. What do you think about Bidens job so far?
I like that the variety of features. Always keeping it fresh as well as topical. Can’t say that I don’t like any aspects. Keep up the great writing! I paid and glad I did, and I get what I expected and more; sane discourse and informative articles. The bonus, comments that are thoughtful and courteous. I have shared with others and a couple now subscribe. As far as what topics to cover, just keeping a mix of keeping up with what’s currently happening and what strikes your fancy works for me. Thanks, and glad you are here Dan.
The best part of Steady, of course, is your excellent writing. The meditation on Spring was, indeed, beautiful. I also find myself agreeing with everything you write, so far. As traditional media has fragmented (don't know a better word to use), individual organizations and individual bloggers, like ProPublica, John Oliver, and yourself, are meeting the needs of discerning readers and viewers. I am definitely getting my money's worth. New types of stories to cover: I would try to find enterprising government officials, civil servants, entrepreneurs who are doing the right thing with integrity and finding good solutions to hard to solve problems. That is a bit of a departure from your armchair view, but people need role models. What better idea than for you, a role model for many, to find others? Rather's Raiders :)
TOPIC: There is one issue which underlies nearly all the other issues. It's why we have been unable to move forward with thoughtful solutions to our major problems. It should be a major focus of our discussions. I'm talking about the structural elements in our system which incentivize division rather than cooperation.
For example, multi-billion dollar industries are built through disinformation -- it is rewarded, not punished. Most proposed solutions will fail because the profit motive is still incentivizing the wrong behavior.
And for example, our winner-take-all election structure encourages opposing extremes rather than building a strong cooperative middle. It is explained well in this Harvard Business Review article. A solution is proposed, and a few jurisdictions have already adopted such changes, but how can we accelerate this to where it really makes a difference? https://hbr.org/2020/07/fixing-u-s-politics
I would like to see discussions focused on finding real solutions to these structural issues which, once solved, would then help greatly in solving most of the other problems we face.
First off, I am proud to be a part of this ground breaking new group. I’m pleased you have posted some rules and guidelines. It’s refreshing to see so many posts and ideas for improvement in our society. I’m all for people getting back to truth, respectability and acknowledging each other’s ideas/beliefs. Let’s start using manners, our quiet voices and our listening skills more. (Yes, I was a teacher)
I'm truly enjoying this subscription. I do feel more steady, and hopeful, when I read your words, and the words of so many thoughtful & informed community members. I'm glad to know this is a particularly rewarding chapter in your life. That's inspiring.