There is some wisdom to the strategy of letting Trump, Musk, and their enablers keep shooting themselves in the foot -- I have felt all along that the Dems in Congress were waiting for the budget fight. I suspect the rhetoric will become more focused and sharp as that heats up. I was pleased that the Dem Reps kept the House up all night …
There is some wisdom to the strategy of letting Trump, Musk, and their enablers keep shooting themselves in the foot -- I have felt all along that the Dems in Congress were waiting for the budget fight. I suspect the rhetoric will become more focused and sharp as that heats up. I was pleased that the Dem Reps kept the House up all night and used amendments to expose the Republican craven decadence. Second, there is a limit to what you can do when you are in the minority. Not only Dem Reps say that, either!! Yes, Dem Senators could have used more procedural moves to slow down confirmations, but those would have not stopped the confirmations.
We Dems certainly have the right and responsibility to criticize our Reps, but I also think we make a bad mistake if we take our eyes off the real opponent here. We also need to propose actions Reps can actually take. I am encouraged by their realization they need to improve messaging. But, people, it does take a bit of time to do that!! And I am quite encouraged by their determination to stand firm against the budget bill the Republicans have passed. Finally, I would suggest Dems write to the Reps who are voting against bills, who are members of the Courage Caucus, who are speaking out -- we need to thank them. If you are in a Dem district, and that Dem rep is voting the way you want him or her to vote, that person needs to know you have their backs. An outpouring of support for Dems who do the right thing (similar to the outpouring of outrage we need to keep expressing against Republican Reps and Senators). That would do more to convince hesitant Reps in other districts than anything else.
I discount the wisdom comment. In the time it takes to put a resistance together they will shoot themselves in the foot. Such a strategy is not on the critical path. Weak wisdom at best.
Dem leadership needs bulldogs they can call on to ramp up the heat so they don't have to.
In terms of procedural efforts to make it hurt, the dem leadership needs to put in the hours to make it hurt even if it doesn't change the result. The opposition needs to feel pain.
Your comment about keeping our eyes on the real opponent is so rich I don't even have to elaborate.
#NoConfidence_HakeemJeffries
Dear leader Jeffries: it would have been strategic to have AOC on Oversight. Katie Porter is an asset. SMH at the children's book author, but I should be shaking my finger at him.
The people want their Dem reps to punch MAGA in the face, to tell them to take their cruel, amoral, indecent policies and stick them up their arses. That is what MAGA does to the Dems...constantly...and it is far past time for some retribution.
Exactly where I am. I guess what I keep asking people on here is the following: what do you want dems to do other than scream and yell? Also why do you believe this will be successful with not hardcore political observant voters but a wider audience?
I 100% agree with your first point. Absolutely. However, do you think this will make Dems more popular with the public at large? Dem voters punish Dems for not governing (they could give a shit about republicans). Maybe that has changed, I would hope so.
On your second point, no one knows who the leaders are of any committee. Sure I agree but will make zero difference and won’t even be news. No one, and I mean no one knows who the leaders of the party are anyway.
Agree on comms but how? What exactly do you want them to do better? Saying being better on comms is kind of useless to be honest. Better how? Do what? How would they make news? Instead of protests in front of USAID do you want them to chain themselves to the building, block traffic, what?
The Democrats in Congress should also start impeachment proceedings against Trump and Vance - both men are traitors to our country as they continually violate their oaths of office.
Susan that would be worthless. A shadow cabinet to do what and how? Why would they be covered? Who will listen to them (do you really think other dem elected officials care what a shadow cabinet says…no chance. They barely listen to a dem president).
I think many of us are expressing our anger at democrats because they are still somewhat beholden to their voters. And for the most part, they aren’t so corrupt that they have as much contempt for their voters like republicans do. They are accessible to us but republican politicians and Trump himself are not.
There is some wisdom to the strategy of letting Trump, Musk, and their enablers keep shooting themselves in the foot -- I have felt all along that the Dems in Congress were waiting for the budget fight. I suspect the rhetoric will become more focused and sharp as that heats up. I was pleased that the Dem Reps kept the House up all night and used amendments to expose the Republican craven decadence. Second, there is a limit to what you can do when you are in the minority. Not only Dem Reps say that, either!! Yes, Dem Senators could have used more procedural moves to slow down confirmations, but those would have not stopped the confirmations.
We Dems certainly have the right and responsibility to criticize our Reps, but I also think we make a bad mistake if we take our eyes off the real opponent here. We also need to propose actions Reps can actually take. I am encouraged by their realization they need to improve messaging. But, people, it does take a bit of time to do that!! And I am quite encouraged by their determination to stand firm against the budget bill the Republicans have passed. Finally, I would suggest Dems write to the Reps who are voting against bills, who are members of the Courage Caucus, who are speaking out -- we need to thank them. If you are in a Dem district, and that Dem rep is voting the way you want him or her to vote, that person needs to know you have their backs. An outpouring of support for Dems who do the right thing (similar to the outpouring of outrage we need to keep expressing against Republican Reps and Senators). That would do more to convince hesitant Reps in other districts than anything else.
Well stated and thought out!
I discount the wisdom comment. In the time it takes to put a resistance together they will shoot themselves in the foot. Such a strategy is not on the critical path. Weak wisdom at best.
Dem leadership needs bulldogs they can call on to ramp up the heat so they don't have to.
In terms of procedural efforts to make it hurt, the dem leadership needs to put in the hours to make it hurt even if it doesn't change the result. The opposition needs to feel pain.
Your comment about keeping our eyes on the real opponent is so rich I don't even have to elaborate.
#NoConfidence_HakeemJeffries
Dear leader Jeffries: it would have been strategic to have AOC on Oversight. Katie Porter is an asset. SMH at the children's book author, but I should be shaking my finger at him.
Vote him out Brooklyn!!
I think we need to be the bulldogs. We need to contact Congressional Republican Representatives every day. Write, call, post, march, etc.
The people want their Dem reps to punch MAGA in the face, to tell them to take their cruel, amoral, indecent policies and stick them up their arses. That is what MAGA does to the Dems...constantly...and it is far past time for some retribution.
Exactly where I am. I guess what I keep asking people on here is the following: what do you want dems to do other than scream and yell? Also why do you believe this will be successful with not hardcore political observant voters but a wider audience?
I can take this one.
I want dems to not vote for any republican budget resolutions. They did this once, keep it up.
I want them to ditch their senior (literally old people) leaders.
I want good communications about what they are doing. Look alive!
I 100% agree with your first point. Absolutely. However, do you think this will make Dems more popular with the public at large? Dem voters punish Dems for not governing (they could give a shit about republicans). Maybe that has changed, I would hope so.
On your second point, no one knows who the leaders are of any committee. Sure I agree but will make zero difference and won’t even be news. No one, and I mean no one knows who the leaders of the party are anyway.
Agree on comms but how? What exactly do you want them to do better? Saying being better on comms is kind of useless to be honest. Better how? Do what? How would they make news? Instead of protests in front of USAID do you want them to chain themselves to the building, block traffic, what?
The Democrats in Congress should form a Shadow Cabinet. See Timothy Snyder's post about that at this link: https://open.substack.com/pub/snyder/p/shadow-cabinet?r=31znat&utm_campaign=post&utm_medium=email
The Democrats in Congress should also start impeachment proceedings against Trump and Vance - both men are traitors to our country as they continually violate their oaths of office.
Susan that would be worthless. A shadow cabinet to do what and how? Why would they be covered? Who will listen to them (do you really think other dem elected officials care what a shadow cabinet says…no chance. They barely listen to a dem president).
Good questions.
Same here. I am already tired of the mindless, shrill demand that Democrats must do SOMETHING.
I think many of us are expressing our anger at democrats because they are still somewhat beholden to their voters. And for the most part, they aren’t so corrupt that they have as much contempt for their voters like republicans do. They are accessible to us but republican politicians and Trump himself are not.
Absolutely! thank you! So much easier to blame others rather than take responsibility for one’s own actions or inactions.
this