I completely disagree with this “let’s be wishy-washy, middle of the road” approach. I think we need to be bravely progressive, and in particular to support those who are being targeted by the Republicans in leadership right now. Yes, we need to create a big tent, but we don’t need to throw selected groups under the bus to get there.
I feel that what we need is someone that breaks out with a real vision. Trustworthiness and a backbone. I think it’s pretty crazy that they think they are gonna lock us down in a pay to play Christian hellscape. F that. Not on my watch.
Voters (at least the voters who change their minds and swing elections) don’t vote on policy issues. They vote on vibes.
Full stop.
Candidates need to be authentic…better to be authentic & to the left of your voters than be like Harris or HRC & have a good policy match to voters but be perceived as fake.
Yes Suzanne! While it is often said that winning parties legislate, it is clear that this paradigm of national politics is seriously perverted. A more accurate picture of American politics is a state such as Arizona who just swept the top executive and judicial posts of governance, and rejected trumpism and rightwing nationalism. Our diversity better reflects the national demographic than West Virginia and Montana. While our state houses still reflect local needs, they actually reflect the districting based on political ideology of the single party dominance over several election cycles. Our representation of people should be determined on zones of economic influence and we will see people electing, or unelecting if you may, the people whose personal interests define their legislative agendas.
I would like to ask Laura Egan SPECIFICALLY, which causes favored by Democrats she would have us not mention.
Is it the abandonment of those asylum seekers who, without proof, have been kidnapped and sent to a hellhole in El Salvador because "the border" polls well?
Is it the obvious acceptance of bribery by crooks foreign and domestic wishng to do business with the United States government?
Is it the decimation of useful functions of the government in the name of ending "fraud, waste, and abuse" in government? I would note here that waste is a subjective matter, abuse has no real meaning, and fraud is a crime. If fraud has been committed, WHERE ARE THE INDICTMENTS? The people who have lost their jobs are not fraudsters, but the bitcoin-pushing bloodsuckers may very well be. Should we not mention this because Musk had some popularity?T
Maybe it's the participation of trans athletes in women's sports. I actually think there is some validity to the idea that this might be unfair in some cases. But would stopping support for it stop Republicans from talking about it? See "defund the police" which maybe half a dozen dems ran on in 2020 but was still a potent weapon for the GOP .
in 2024!
Donald Trump does many things that poll extremely poorly. But he does them anyway. And pays not enough political price for it. Because he's seen as bold, not timid.
In every case, Egan seems to favor bowing to the Trump line as pushed by Fox and the rest of right-wing media. Whatever Fox says is what the American people want and we just need to accept that fact.
We need people who fight, not people who obsess about polls.
To expand further on this, we can see splits in MAGA now. Laura Loomer is deeply disappointed in Trump’s acceptance of a bribe in the form of a Qatari jet. Of course she opposes it for Islamophobic reasons but she isn’t wrong that this deal stinks to high heaven as corruption.
Instead of trying to pound wedges into the R’s rotten coalition, why is the Bulwark spending so much time pounding wedges into ours??
The very fact that Manchin won elections in West Virginia, and Tester being able to last until 2024. Both way outperformed the Dems at the top of the ticket.
If you want to talk about those who are still in office, there's Ruben Gallego.
Montana had 2 Dem Senators and a Dem governor as recently as 2014. It’s historically been a pretty purple state. An influx of right wing voters escaping CA, WA & other places has pushed it far to the right.
Tester didn’t change policy positions in a meaningful way over his 3 terms, the state moved around him.
Beshear deviates from the party on certain issues such as on gun control and let's not forget that he's a nepo baby and is likely only governor because of his last name.
AOC only outperformed Kamala because the Dem collapse was especially bad in NYC and AOC has exceptional constituent services and retail politics skills. Other Squad members underperform and badly.
“Retail politics skills”—stop right there. THAT is the whole enchilada. All this talk of “needing to moderate” is just hot air. People respond to the candidates. Reagan beat Carter and Mondale, Clinton beat GHW Bush and Dole, and Obama beat McCain and Romney because of the charisma gap. Political junkies shudder to acknowledge that it’s just that basic for most voters 🤷🏻♀️.
And would you care to name those “certain issue”? Are you saying we should run Mike Johnson candidates to appeal to the base nature of the politics of theocracy? Please stop the code speak and tell me what you mean to say.
I completely disagree with this “let’s be wishy-washy, middle of the road” approach. I think we need to be bravely progressive, and in particular to support those who are being targeted by the Republicans in leadership right now. Yes, we need to create a big tent, but we don’t need to throw selected groups under the bus to get there.
I feel that what we need is someone that breaks out with a real vision. Trustworthiness and a backbone. I think it’s pretty crazy that they think they are gonna lock us down in a pay to play Christian hellscape. F that. Not on my watch.
Voters (at least the voters who change their minds and swing elections) don’t vote on policy issues. They vote on vibes.
Full stop.
Candidates need to be authentic…better to be authentic & to the left of your voters than be like Harris or HRC & have a good policy match to voters but be perceived as fake.
Nailed it
Yes Suzanne! While it is often said that winning parties legislate, it is clear that this paradigm of national politics is seriously perverted. A more accurate picture of American politics is a state such as Arizona who just swept the top executive and judicial posts of governance, and rejected trumpism and rightwing nationalism. Our diversity better reflects the national demographic than West Virginia and Montana. While our state houses still reflect local needs, they actually reflect the districting based on political ideology of the single party dominance over several election cycles. Our representation of people should be determined on zones of economic influence and we will see people electing, or unelecting if you may, the people whose personal interests define their legislative agendas.
Then why is it that the best electoral performers in Democratic politics were Tester and Manchin?
By what measure were they the best performers in Democratic politics? Neither one is in office any more.
I would like to ask Laura Egan SPECIFICALLY, which causes favored by Democrats she would have us not mention.
Is it the abandonment of those asylum seekers who, without proof, have been kidnapped and sent to a hellhole in El Salvador because "the border" polls well?
Is it the obvious acceptance of bribery by crooks foreign and domestic wishng to do business with the United States government?
Is it the decimation of useful functions of the government in the name of ending "fraud, waste, and abuse" in government? I would note here that waste is a subjective matter, abuse has no real meaning, and fraud is a crime. If fraud has been committed, WHERE ARE THE INDICTMENTS? The people who have lost their jobs are not fraudsters, but the bitcoin-pushing bloodsuckers may very well be. Should we not mention this because Musk had some popularity?T
Maybe it's the participation of trans athletes in women's sports. I actually think there is some validity to the idea that this might be unfair in some cases. But would stopping support for it stop Republicans from talking about it? See "defund the police" which maybe half a dozen dems ran on in 2020 but was still a potent weapon for the GOP .
in 2024!
Donald Trump does many things that poll extremely poorly. But he does them anyway. And pays not enough political price for it. Because he's seen as bold, not timid.
In every case, Egan seems to favor bowing to the Trump line as pushed by Fox and the rest of right-wing media. Whatever Fox says is what the American people want and we just need to accept that fact.
We need people who fight, not people who obsess about polls.
Wow! One of the ten likes I got to the above is from someone going by the name "Hillary Clinton". Could this possibly be Hillary Rodham Clinton?
To expand further on this, we can see splits in MAGA now. Laura Loomer is deeply disappointed in Trump’s acceptance of a bribe in the form of a Qatari jet. Of course she opposes it for Islamophobic reasons but she isn’t wrong that this deal stinks to high heaven as corruption.
Instead of trying to pound wedges into the R’s rotten coalition, why is the Bulwark spending so much time pounding wedges into ours??
The very fact that Manchin won elections in West Virginia, and Tester being able to last until 2024. Both way outperformed the Dems at the top of the ticket.
If you want to talk about those who are still in office, there's Ruben Gallego.
Montana had 2 Dem Senators and a Dem governor as recently as 2014. It’s historically been a pretty purple state. An influx of right wing voters escaping CA, WA & other places has pushed it far to the right.
Tester didn’t change policy positions in a meaningful way over his 3 terms, the state moved around him.
EEEEUUUUUUUWWWWW!!!
AOC also out performed Harris. So did other progressives. You can't compare a race in Montana to the nation.
For every Manchin there is an Andy Beshear, who won in Kentucky while being progressive.
Voters, especially independents, are not looking for the perfect midpoint between the parties.
Beshear deviates from the party on certain issues such as on gun control and let's not forget that he's a nepo baby and is likely only governor because of his last name.
AOC only outperformed Kamala because the Dem collapse was especially bad in NYC and AOC has exceptional constituent services and retail politics skills. Other Squad members underperform and badly.
“Retail politics skills”—stop right there. THAT is the whole enchilada. All this talk of “needing to moderate” is just hot air. People respond to the candidates. Reagan beat Carter and Mondale, Clinton beat GHW Bush and Dole, and Obama beat McCain and Romney because of the charisma gap. Political junkies shudder to acknowledge that it’s just that basic for most voters 🤷🏻♀️.
And would you care to name those “certain issue”? Are you saying we should run Mike Johnson candidates to appeal to the base nature of the politics of theocracy? Please stop the code speak and tell me what you mean to say.
Yes that’s why she and Bernie are drawing enormous crowds in red states. Because she is an underperformer that nobody likes.
Well said, Suzanne. Thank you.