I’ve been a teacher for most of my life. Teaching energizes me and enables me to stay curious and present. The best part of teaching is the community conversation, the energy humming in a room as questions find answers which find more questions. While I can’t look each of you in the eyes to see your mind gears turning (and I doubt all of you could fit in my office), I’d love for you to join me for Office Hours here every Wednesday.
Democrats will have to give up on the idea that present-day Republicans are reasonable and willing to be bi-partisan. Dems need to develop stronger spines, use their power to overturn filibuster, expand SCOTUS, and just take off the damn gloves!
Rhoda, I agree. The first step is to debunk the idea of "bipartisanship" in the current structure of American politics. The fact is, there's no midpoint between democracy and authoritarianism, between inclusion and white supremacy, or between an economy that works for most people and one that siphons off almost all gains to the top. The Republican Party has become the party of the latter of these choices. Under these circumstances, being a "moderate" or extolling "bipartisanship" makes absolutely no sense.
"The fact is, there's no midpoint between democracy and authoritarianism, between inclusion and white supremacy, or between an economy that works for most people and one that siphons off almost all gains to the top."
I agree with you, but how do we not turn into them? Most Dems I know actually want a bi-partisan government. How do you hold true to the ideals of the Democratic party, but play by the new rules forced upon us by a rogue Republican party?
We have no choice but to play by their obnoxious rules, however, if it results in getting rid of the Jim Crow filibuster then moving forward with the ideals of the so called Democratic Party will be somewhat possible.
It is not just the filibuster. A lot of antiquated stuff needs to go overboard.
. Money in politics == Corruption & Lobyists.
. Corporate personhood == What a crock, it will never be a person.
. Electoral College == Hillary C had 3 million more votes than Trump, but loses the presidency.
. Gerrymandering == Politicians get to choose their voters.
. First Past The Post == Anybody who loses has zero chance of input to political process. Which is why policy wildly swings between Republican versus Democrats.
. SC appointments == The more judges there are, the less important each appointment will be.
. The Election circus == No time to govern, we want to be elected for next round. Gobbles up insane amounts of money and time.
I believe most dems have a hierarchy of needs/wants. & bipartisanship is not at the top. They are just too afraid (not enough courage) to admit it. Furthermore, just because you vote democrat does not mean you fit the "let's all just get along" narrative. So I believe it is wishful thinking to (& projection) to think that the majority of the democratic base wants bipartisanship. As for me, I want to live (& not die of covid), I want to live, work and play in a world that is fair, honest and true. That does not mean I will hesitate to defend (fully!) my right to these freedoms.
Tough call because there really isn't a coherent Democratic party anymore. The largest block are corporate democrats who are basically indistinguishable at this point from Gingrich republicans. Same policies, same donors... not a coincidence. Sigh. Then you have a block of progressives, the true core of which is still quite small. These folks, as a group, have been reluctant to cohesively push their agenda in knife-edge balance in the house. If not now, when? Then you have a block (of 2 in the Senate, and maybe 5-10 in the House) who are basically from Republican states and who would, in most previous decades, be "moderate" republicans. Since that species no longer exists, they are basically forced to run as Democrats.
None of these groups actually has a majority, and they have shown little willingness to actually band together, compromise on some edge points, and ram through any kind of legislation that would actually help the vast majority of Americans in their everyday lives.
While the situation is complicated, the only real reasons for getting little done lie with a Democratic unwillingness to do it. Were the Democrats united in, and committed to, delivering results for the people (rather than for donors), they could do so at any time (well, up until they get smoked in the midterms for not doing so). They haven't which tells you all you really need to know. Judge actions, not words.
Current grade: D- (and the trend is down, not up... this student should be brought to the attention of his advisor)
Brian, I'd give them a slightly higher grade so far. Remember when Democrats were in the majority during two Democratic administrations -- Bill Clinton's and Barack Obama's -- and they didn't take full advantage of it to enact major reforms (in fact, I'd argue that they went backwards under Clinton). The current group of Democrats, in both the House and the Senate, has many more true progressives. And here's the surprising thing -- both Nancy Pelosi and Joe Biden seem more willing to join them than to join the "moderate" Democrats, at least so far. Again, we'll know far more in a few weeks.
I suppose it depends whether you are subjectively grading or objectively grading. It's certainly a fair observation to say that the Obama/Clinton administrations failed to take full advantage of their situations (which had much greater majorities). And it's also true that progressives have been making inroads so that the current caucus is larger and stronger than it has probably ever been. However, as my father used to say to me (and I to my kids), "True, but irrelevant."
It's not clear that the first is relevant at all. The fact that the former administrations failed badly and that this administration has not (yet) failed as badly, doesn't strike me as compelling. The situations were different, politically, socially, culturally, economically. I would argue that there are many more Americans struggling now than in either of those situations. The potential for a truly popular (and populist, in the historical sense as opposed to the current warped usage) set of policies that would deliver real aid to struggling citizens is greater now that at any time in my life (60 years). The struggles cut across virtually all (non-wealthy) demographics and the entire political spectrum. Yet, the party in power is not (again) taking advantage of this reality to make its case to the people, coalesce, and drive change. They remain fractured with too many individuals and sub-groups focused on only certain things that matter to them. In the mean time, the party seems to spend most of its time whittling down its own proposals before they ever even talk to Republicans, and, as a result, the baby may be on the way out with the bath water.
The second point is (to me) encouraging. And, yes, Biden has definitely taken steps left. However, in practice, more of those steps have been rhetorical than actual. To actually make the politics match the rhetoric, the filibuster probably has to go (or be significantly carved out). Where is the pressure? The personnel in the area of anti-trust look good in terms of the potential for changes that matter, but there are other areas where the opposite is probably true. There are many things that Biden could do with executive action, but he has chosen to only do a handful. There were many bad rules put in place by the previous administration that could have been voided, but there was little pressure to do so and the clock expired on most of them, leaving the policies in place absent the longer review and modification process that would be required for change. Even the very good things in the pandemic rescue package were largely temporary, so many of the baby steps that Biden has taken can sunset and return to the more centrist, corporate status quo absent new legislative intervention (which may not be possible going forward, especially after midterms). So, the progressives have probably changed the rhetorical center point, resulting in a rhetorical shift left by Biden. The shift has come with some tiny steps in the right direction by Biden, but most of these are smaller in scope and/or shorter in duration that what he could have accomplished with serious conviction and intent.
Like you say, we'll see. The semester is not over, and there is still time for the student to improve the grade. However, as we know, waiting too long, or doing too little, makes raising the grade increasingly difficult.
Thank you for your comments. I completely agree. A D- on their progress report. Let’s see if they can pull up their grade in 6 weeks when the report card comes out.
The absence of "Democratic willingness to do it" is DEFINITELY the vibe I get. In my personal opinion it seems that moderate and corporate Democrats thrive in times like this where they can explain away in action by pointing to the thin majority they have and blaming Republicans refusal to work with them. Then come midterms they lose that majority as a result of their inaction while they had it. But then they campaign next election cycle that they CAN do something once they have the majority again! The vicious cycle repeats so that they can avoid doing the jobs they were elected for all while the average American suffers for it.
Yes. Beware "moderate" Democrats who use Republican recalcitrance as a shield to justify their inaction. Joe Manchin, for example, is telling everyone who will listen that he's in a "Republican" state, so has to be middle-of-the-road. To me, that's rubbish. West Virginia used to be a Democratic state. Its people are mostly working class and poor. They need all the initiatives now in Biden's $3.5 trillion reconciliation bill. Manchin can't be allowed to pretend it's all about the power of Republicans in his state.
Thank you for the reply, Dr. Reich! I absolutely agree. The time to act is now, and I appreciate the efforts of groups like Repairers of the Breach to put pressure on Manchin regarding these issues. The policies included in the reconciliation bill will directly help his electorate, and his continuous disregard of that reality tells us much about his true intentions.
I think, as Jennifer Rubin recently pointed out, that Democrats seem to think it's sufficient to support a policy and everyone will just somehow magically "see" that it benefits them. The GOP is so much better at messaging, and the Democrats don't seem to want to commit to the kind of pointed messaging of the Lincoln Project.
The Democrats haven't used their majority effectively, they need to quit trying to bargain with Republicans who are just hoping to run out the clock and get to the mid term elections. I am particularly disappointed in senate Democrats because they haven't put political pressure on Joe Manchin to get him on board. I wish they would expose him for what he is, a Democrat in name only who constantly undermines the agenda that the majority of Americans voted for.
Robert, I’m curious to know how much donations matter in all this. I sign petitions and make comments as often as possible, but am frustrated by continual requests for donations. As much as I’d like to contribute, I’m lucky to make it month to month.
You know the saying “ Don’t bring a 🔪 to a 🔫 fight… it seems the Dems who control the House, Senate and White House have come armed with “strong words” which have been clearly ineffective in getting the work done that is necessary to save our nation. Voting rights are circling the drain as are reproductive rights, our infrastructure is falling apart and gun violence and sales are booming. One might have thought we’d have learned a few things by now….
Strong words are no substitute for strong action. I had hoped -- I still hope -- Biden will have the courage to push for the things he says he wants to do. All of us need to push him in that direction -- not just criticizing him when he doesn't but praising him when he does. I was impressed with his original executive orders, and the boldness of his stimulus plan and now his infrastructure and reconciliation bills. But the window of opportunity is closing fast on all this, as well as voting rights, reproductive rights, a higher minimum wage, and much else.
The Democrats are doing what they always do - squander their majority .....It's so frustrating - and someone else said it here - they don't push hard enough when it really matters. This is what 'moderate' got us the middle of nowhere. I wish I could be more hopeful.
failing grade? failure to eliminate the filibuster shows cowardice and willingness to ignore undemocratic and racism based rules that could be terminal for all of us. wake up. it may already be too late.
Agree. One worry I have is that Biden served in the Senate so long that he became inured to the increasing abuse of the filibuster, especially under McConnell. Other old-timers, like Diane Feinstein, find it hard to think about the Senate without the filibuster. In reality, everything changed after Obama's election. The filibuster returned to its previous role of being a cover for racism and authoritarianism. They need to wake up to this
I'm extremely disappointed that the Dems are squandering the chances of several lifetimes. Through trying to play "fair" with Rethuglicans that own the book on playing dirty, to allowing "moderates" to control what does and doesn't get done, to letting Manchin and Sinema even stay as Dems since they are both DINOs. They need to let Bernie and the Gang takeover and get things done. NOW!
Giving obstructionist Republicans the option of bipartisanship is the equivalent to giving climate deniers equal time on the news as the scientists. Ultimately, it's a delay tactic and very counterproductive!
Thus far Congress has been very effective in fulfilling Biden's campaign message, stating that under his administration, "nothing would fundamentally change." I'm extremely frustrated with how little has been done since January while Democrats hold the House, Senate, and Executive branch all at the same time. It is likely that they will lose seats in the 2022 midterms, and should they lose the House and/or Senate majority, it will only become that much harder to push through an agenda to help the working class and protect civil rights. And if we lose enough of those seats, it is very likely (in my opinion) that we will not get any meaningful legislation passed before 2024 due to obstructionists like Mitch McConnell.
I am desperate to see more of a backbone from the progressive caucus when it comes to enacting their agenda. I understand there is a game to politics and at times you have to work to please people behind the scenes, but I worry that some members will start to bow too easily to the whims of a party leadership. I hope that they will fulfill their promise to withhold votes should their demands not be met on items like the infrastructure and voting rights bills. Ir Manchin and Sinema can do it with their two votes, they can do the same with a much larger voting block.
I'm old enough to remember when there was no progressive caucus, and few if any Democrats of color or Democrats who called themselves "democratic socialists." The fact is America is changing even faster than the Democratic Party is changing -- demographically and ideologically (if you don't believe me, just look at the polls on almost all of the current Democratic agenda). If Democrats want to remain in power, they have to keep up with where most Americans are. Otherwise, Republicans will continue to attempt to suppress votes and shift as much power as they can to white, rural America.
Very good points; couldn't have said it better myself. It's imperative that we protect voting rights and work to prevent further attempts at gerrymandering while we have the chance. Republicans will not play fair on this; they've proven so already by buying into the Big Lie. If they cannot win an election the honest way, they'll legislate and manipulate their way into power and STAY in power. That cannot be allowed to happen.
I'll look forward to have a 'conversation' with you. I highly respect your opinions and want to find some concrete actions that I can take to help turn this country around. I think that Dems in Congress should be bolder, enough with 'Mr/Ms NiceGuy/Gal'. Cheers
Brenda, thank you (and others) for joining me today. One thing I can tell you, based on many years in the political muck of America, is that politicians are remarkably sensitive to constituent letters and phone calls. If you organize and mobilize others in your congressional district or state as well, you will help push them in the right direction.
Never in my life have I've sent so many letters, made so many phone calls and donated so much money! McConnell, Sinema and Collins are still in the Senate. Abrams didn't get elected.
Pathetic, embarrassing. Their disunity stems from two real problems. (1) the "party" never had the discussion they needed to have after Bernie Sanders proved they weren't listening to the 99 percent; and (2) congress remains a "millionaires club" sucking up money from K street, yes, even on the democrats' side. Highlights that a multi-party system would be more capable of governing.
Brian, much truth to what you say. But there's also another factor that I haven't yet mentioned but needs to be added to the discussion: Republican politicians tend to the authoritarian side of the nation's conscience. By that I mean they're disciplined. They do what they're told. They march to the same drummer. Democratic politicians are the opposite. They're almost impossible to discipline, in my experience. They let a thousand flowers bloom. They pride themselves on having a big tent. As a practical matter, what this means is they have no coherent message, and often no coherent strategy.
Because I view voting rights as preservative of every other right, it will serve as my iterative example for comment. For several months we have observed GOP controlled state legislatures unilaterally pass bill after bill that restricts voting. At the same time, certain Senate Democrats thus far have refused, without support from Republicans, to pass legislation that would ensure (1) that all eligible voters easily could register to vote and stay enrolled and (2) that eligible votes were cast, counted correctly, and certified without interference and without their being diluted through partisan gerrymandering. Be it a failure to change the Senate rules to advance voting legislation or a failure to pull together to advance a human infrastructure reconciliation package, I fear that Democrats surely could lose control of one or both Houses in 22 and the White House in 24.
I fear/believe that many Congressional Democrats are so heavily invested [!] in their corporate funding that they will block any action they see as a risk to that funding -- e.g., taxing corporations, taxing uber-wealthy individuals, halting support for fossil fuel industries.
Friends, I'm going to have to head off now. Hope this was helpful to you. (I hope this newsletter is helpful, too!).
Thank you!, it’s incredibly helpful .
Democrats will have to give up on the idea that present-day Republicans are reasonable and willing to be bi-partisan. Dems need to develop stronger spines, use their power to overturn filibuster, expand SCOTUS, and just take off the damn gloves!
Rhoda, I agree. The first step is to debunk the idea of "bipartisanship" in the current structure of American politics. The fact is, there's no midpoint between democracy and authoritarianism, between inclusion and white supremacy, or between an economy that works for most people and one that siphons off almost all gains to the top. The Republican Party has become the party of the latter of these choices. Under these circumstances, being a "moderate" or extolling "bipartisanship" makes absolutely no sense.
Shout this from the top of mountains.
"The fact is, there's no midpoint between democracy and authoritarianism, between inclusion and white supremacy, or between an economy that works for most people and one that siphons off almost all gains to the top."
Rhoda Hill- I totally agree
This.
YES!!!!!
I agree with you, but how do we not turn into them? Most Dems I know actually want a bi-partisan government. How do you hold true to the ideals of the Democratic party, but play by the new rules forced upon us by a rogue Republican party?
We have no choice but to play by their obnoxious rules, however, if it results in getting rid of the Jim Crow filibuster then moving forward with the ideals of the so called Democratic Party will be somewhat possible.
The fight over the future of the Senate filibuster is going to be intense -- and critical. It needs to go.
It is not just the filibuster. A lot of antiquated stuff needs to go overboard.
. Money in politics == Corruption & Lobyists.
. Corporate personhood == What a crock, it will never be a person.
. Electoral College == Hillary C had 3 million more votes than Trump, but loses the presidency.
. Gerrymandering == Politicians get to choose their voters.
. First Past The Post == Anybody who loses has zero chance of input to political process. Which is why policy wildly swings between Republican versus Democrats.
. SC appointments == The more judges there are, the less important each appointment will be.
. The Election circus == No time to govern, we want to be elected for next round. Gobbles up insane amounts of money and time.
I believe most dems have a hierarchy of needs/wants. & bipartisanship is not at the top. They are just too afraid (not enough courage) to admit it. Furthermore, just because you vote democrat does not mean you fit the "let's all just get along" narrative. So I believe it is wishful thinking to (& projection) to think that the majority of the democratic base wants bipartisanship. As for me, I want to live (& not die of covid), I want to live, work and play in a world that is fair, honest and true. That does not mean I will hesitate to defend (fully!) my right to these freedoms.
Tough call because there really isn't a coherent Democratic party anymore. The largest block are corporate democrats who are basically indistinguishable at this point from Gingrich republicans. Same policies, same donors... not a coincidence. Sigh. Then you have a block of progressives, the true core of which is still quite small. These folks, as a group, have been reluctant to cohesively push their agenda in knife-edge balance in the house. If not now, when? Then you have a block (of 2 in the Senate, and maybe 5-10 in the House) who are basically from Republican states and who would, in most previous decades, be "moderate" republicans. Since that species no longer exists, they are basically forced to run as Democrats.
None of these groups actually has a majority, and they have shown little willingness to actually band together, compromise on some edge points, and ram through any kind of legislation that would actually help the vast majority of Americans in their everyday lives.
While the situation is complicated, the only real reasons for getting little done lie with a Democratic unwillingness to do it. Were the Democrats united in, and committed to, delivering results for the people (rather than for donors), they could do so at any time (well, up until they get smoked in the midterms for not doing so). They haven't which tells you all you really need to know. Judge actions, not words.
Current grade: D- (and the trend is down, not up... this student should be brought to the attention of his advisor)
Brian, I'd give them a slightly higher grade so far. Remember when Democrats were in the majority during two Democratic administrations -- Bill Clinton's and Barack Obama's -- and they didn't take full advantage of it to enact major reforms (in fact, I'd argue that they went backwards under Clinton). The current group of Democrats, in both the House and the Senate, has many more true progressives. And here's the surprising thing -- both Nancy Pelosi and Joe Biden seem more willing to join them than to join the "moderate" Democrats, at least so far. Again, we'll know far more in a few weeks.
I suppose it depends whether you are subjectively grading or objectively grading. It's certainly a fair observation to say that the Obama/Clinton administrations failed to take full advantage of their situations (which had much greater majorities). And it's also true that progressives have been making inroads so that the current caucus is larger and stronger than it has probably ever been. However, as my father used to say to me (and I to my kids), "True, but irrelevant."
It's not clear that the first is relevant at all. The fact that the former administrations failed badly and that this administration has not (yet) failed as badly, doesn't strike me as compelling. The situations were different, politically, socially, culturally, economically. I would argue that there are many more Americans struggling now than in either of those situations. The potential for a truly popular (and populist, in the historical sense as opposed to the current warped usage) set of policies that would deliver real aid to struggling citizens is greater now that at any time in my life (60 years). The struggles cut across virtually all (non-wealthy) demographics and the entire political spectrum. Yet, the party in power is not (again) taking advantage of this reality to make its case to the people, coalesce, and drive change. They remain fractured with too many individuals and sub-groups focused on only certain things that matter to them. In the mean time, the party seems to spend most of its time whittling down its own proposals before they ever even talk to Republicans, and, as a result, the baby may be on the way out with the bath water.
The second point is (to me) encouraging. And, yes, Biden has definitely taken steps left. However, in practice, more of those steps have been rhetorical than actual. To actually make the politics match the rhetoric, the filibuster probably has to go (or be significantly carved out). Where is the pressure? The personnel in the area of anti-trust look good in terms of the potential for changes that matter, but there are other areas where the opposite is probably true. There are many things that Biden could do with executive action, but he has chosen to only do a handful. There were many bad rules put in place by the previous administration that could have been voided, but there was little pressure to do so and the clock expired on most of them, leaving the policies in place absent the longer review and modification process that would be required for change. Even the very good things in the pandemic rescue package were largely temporary, so many of the baby steps that Biden has taken can sunset and return to the more centrist, corporate status quo absent new legislative intervention (which may not be possible going forward, especially after midterms). So, the progressives have probably changed the rhetorical center point, resulting in a rhetorical shift left by Biden. The shift has come with some tiny steps in the right direction by Biden, but most of these are smaller in scope and/or shorter in duration that what he could have accomplished with serious conviction and intent.
Like you say, we'll see. The semester is not over, and there is still time for the student to improve the grade. However, as we know, waiting too long, or doing too little, makes raising the grade increasingly difficult.
Thank you for your comments. I completely agree. A D- on their progress report. Let’s see if they can pull up their grade in 6 weeks when the report card comes out.
Agree with going backwards under Clinton
YES.
Key word, "seem". 😥
The absence of "Democratic willingness to do it" is DEFINITELY the vibe I get. In my personal opinion it seems that moderate and corporate Democrats thrive in times like this where they can explain away in action by pointing to the thin majority they have and blaming Republicans refusal to work with them. Then come midterms they lose that majority as a result of their inaction while they had it. But then they campaign next election cycle that they CAN do something once they have the majority again! The vicious cycle repeats so that they can avoid doing the jobs they were elected for all while the average American suffers for it.
Yes. Beware "moderate" Democrats who use Republican recalcitrance as a shield to justify their inaction. Joe Manchin, for example, is telling everyone who will listen that he's in a "Republican" state, so has to be middle-of-the-road. To me, that's rubbish. West Virginia used to be a Democratic state. Its people are mostly working class and poor. They need all the initiatives now in Biden's $3.5 trillion reconciliation bill. Manchin can't be allowed to pretend it's all about the power of Republicans in his state.
Thank you for the reply, Dr. Reich! I absolutely agree. The time to act is now, and I appreciate the efforts of groups like Repairers of the Breach to put pressure on Manchin regarding these issues. The policies included in the reconciliation bill will directly help his electorate, and his continuous disregard of that reality tells us much about his true intentions.
The moderates have to realize how ineffective they are now - I can't even believe I'm going to call them Republican-lite - but here we are.
Worse than rubbish, it's rotting garbage
It’s true and beyond frustrating. A real third pay is what is needed
I think, as Jennifer Rubin recently pointed out, that Democrats seem to think it's sufficient to support a policy and everyone will just somehow magically "see" that it benefits them. The GOP is so much better at messaging, and the Democrats don't seem to want to commit to the kind of pointed messaging of the Lincoln Project.
The Democrats haven't used their majority effectively, they need to quit trying to bargain with Republicans who are just hoping to run out the clock and get to the mid term elections. I am particularly disappointed in senate Democrats because they haven't put political pressure on Joe Manchin to get him on board. I wish they would expose him for what he is, a Democrat in name only who constantly undermines the agenda that the majority of Americans voted for.
Robert, I’m curious to know how much donations matter in all this. I sign petitions and make comments as often as possible, but am frustrated by continual requests for donations. As much as I’d like to contribute, I’m lucky to make it month to month.
You describe my position exactly. Also there is no point in calling my senators who are decidedly far right
You know the saying “ Don’t bring a 🔪 to a 🔫 fight… it seems the Dems who control the House, Senate and White House have come armed with “strong words” which have been clearly ineffective in getting the work done that is necessary to save our nation. Voting rights are circling the drain as are reproductive rights, our infrastructure is falling apart and gun violence and sales are booming. One might have thought we’d have learned a few things by now….
Strong words are no substitute for strong action. I had hoped -- I still hope -- Biden will have the courage to push for the things he says he wants to do. All of us need to push him in that direction -- not just criticizing him when he doesn't but praising him when he does. I was impressed with his original executive orders, and the boldness of his stimulus plan and now his infrastructure and reconciliation bills. But the window of opportunity is closing fast on all this, as well as voting rights, reproductive rights, a higher minimum wage, and much else.
Must be done before the next elections.
The Democrats are doing what they always do - squander their majority .....It's so frustrating - and someone else said it here - they don't push hard enough when it really matters. This is what 'moderate' got us the middle of nowhere. I wish I could be more hopeful.
As I've said before, I don't think the word "moderate" is at all helpful any longer. The truth is they're "corporate" Democrats.
So frustrating.
Totally agree!
the obstructionists are ruining everything
failing grade? failure to eliminate the filibuster shows cowardice and willingness to ignore undemocratic and racism based rules that could be terminal for all of us. wake up. it may already be too late.
Agree. One worry I have is that Biden served in the Senate so long that he became inured to the increasing abuse of the filibuster, especially under McConnell. Other old-timers, like Diane Feinstein, find it hard to think about the Senate without the filibuster. In reality, everything changed after Obama's election. The filibuster returned to its previous role of being a cover for racism and authoritarianism. They need to wake up to this
I'm extremely disappointed that the Dems are squandering the chances of several lifetimes. Through trying to play "fair" with Rethuglicans that own the book on playing dirty, to allowing "moderates" to control what does and doesn't get done, to letting Manchin and Sinema even stay as Dems since they are both DINOs. They need to let Bernie and the Gang takeover and get things done. NOW!
YES!!!
Yes
Giving obstructionist Republicans the option of bipartisanship is the equivalent to giving climate deniers equal time on the news as the scientists. Ultimately, it's a delay tactic and very counterproductive!
Thus far Congress has been very effective in fulfilling Biden's campaign message, stating that under his administration, "nothing would fundamentally change." I'm extremely frustrated with how little has been done since January while Democrats hold the House, Senate, and Executive branch all at the same time. It is likely that they will lose seats in the 2022 midterms, and should they lose the House and/or Senate majority, it will only become that much harder to push through an agenda to help the working class and protect civil rights. And if we lose enough of those seats, it is very likely (in my opinion) that we will not get any meaningful legislation passed before 2024 due to obstructionists like Mitch McConnell.
I am desperate to see more of a backbone from the progressive caucus when it comes to enacting their agenda. I understand there is a game to politics and at times you have to work to please people behind the scenes, but I worry that some members will start to bow too easily to the whims of a party leadership. I hope that they will fulfill their promise to withhold votes should their demands not be met on items like the infrastructure and voting rights bills. Ir Manchin and Sinema can do it with their two votes, they can do the same with a much larger voting block.
I'm old enough to remember when there was no progressive caucus, and few if any Democrats of color or Democrats who called themselves "democratic socialists." The fact is America is changing even faster than the Democratic Party is changing -- demographically and ideologically (if you don't believe me, just look at the polls on almost all of the current Democratic agenda). If Democrats want to remain in power, they have to keep up with where most Americans are. Otherwise, Republicans will continue to attempt to suppress votes and shift as much power as they can to white, rural America.
Very good points; couldn't have said it better myself. It's imperative that we protect voting rights and work to prevent further attempts at gerrymandering while we have the chance. Republicans will not play fair on this; they've proven so already by buying into the Big Lie. If they cannot win an election the honest way, they'll legislate and manipulate their way into power and STAY in power. That cannot be allowed to happen.
Missouri is a good example of going backwards.
Yes and why aren’t they doing anything? I don’t hear any real ideas from AOC or even Bernie!
**If Manchin
Still missed typos after all that proofreading.
Yes!
I'll look forward to have a 'conversation' with you. I highly respect your opinions and want to find some concrete actions that I can take to help turn this country around. I think that Dems in Congress should be bolder, enough with 'Mr/Ms NiceGuy/Gal'. Cheers
Brenda, thank you (and others) for joining me today. One thing I can tell you, based on many years in the political muck of America, is that politicians are remarkably sensitive to constituent letters and phone calls. If you organize and mobilize others in your congressional district or state as well, you will help push them in the right direction.
Never in my life have I've sent so many letters, made so many phone calls and donated so much money! McConnell, Sinema and Collins are still in the Senate. Abrams didn't get elected.
So frustrating.
Pathetic, embarrassing. Their disunity stems from two real problems. (1) the "party" never had the discussion they needed to have after Bernie Sanders proved they weren't listening to the 99 percent; and (2) congress remains a "millionaires club" sucking up money from K street, yes, even on the democrats' side. Highlights that a multi-party system would be more capable of governing.
Brian, much truth to what you say. But there's also another factor that I haven't yet mentioned but needs to be added to the discussion: Republican politicians tend to the authoritarian side of the nation's conscience. By that I mean they're disciplined. They do what they're told. They march to the same drummer. Democratic politicians are the opposite. They're almost impossible to discipline, in my experience. They let a thousand flowers bloom. They pride themselves on having a big tent. As a practical matter, what this means is they have no coherent message, and often no coherent strategy.
But at least the Dems DO have a platform, even if they are terrible at messaging and fighting for it.
Do they? Because it seems like they say they have a platform, but what’s actually being done?
Sadly.
Because I view voting rights as preservative of every other right, it will serve as my iterative example for comment. For several months we have observed GOP controlled state legislatures unilaterally pass bill after bill that restricts voting. At the same time, certain Senate Democrats thus far have refused, without support from Republicans, to pass legislation that would ensure (1) that all eligible voters easily could register to vote and stay enrolled and (2) that eligible votes were cast, counted correctly, and certified without interference and without their being diluted through partisan gerrymandering. Be it a failure to change the Senate rules to advance voting legislation or a failure to pull together to advance a human infrastructure reconciliation package, I fear that Democrats surely could lose control of one or both Houses in 22 and the White House in 24.
I fear/believe that many Congressional Democrats are so heavily invested [!] in their corporate funding that they will block any action they see as a risk to that funding -- e.g., taxing corporations, taxing uber-wealthy individuals, halting support for fossil fuel industries.