"The speaker is trying to convince his Republican conference that there will heavy political fallout from a shutdown"
Good luck trying to convince them of that. They're almost all in safely gerrymandered districts. They've chosen their voters, and this is what the voters they've chosen want. And if they don't give it to them, those voters…
"The speaker is trying to convince his Republican conference that there will heavy political fallout from a shutdown"
Good luck trying to convince them of that. They're almost all in safely gerrymandered districts. They've chosen their voters, and this is what the voters they've chosen want. And if they don't give it to them, those voters will elect someone else who will. Which brings me to Joe Klein:
"So, I tend to write about Biden’s age more than Trump’s sociopathy, and about the Dems’ identity and woke obsessions more than the Republicans’ fundamental corruption. Because the Dems have to find a way to 51%, lest we lapse into Hungary or Russia."
If only that were true! No, the Dems don't just have to find a way to 51%, because what we have here isn't a democracy where the party that gets the most votes gets the most representatives. What we have is a gerrymandered shitshow as well as an Electoral College, where your Wyoming voter has more say than your California voter, and where rural land has more of a say than urban voters. Democrats need to do more than get to 51% just to try to maintain the current substandard level of democracy in this country (sorry, I've been reading The Tyranny of the Minority by Ziblatt and Levitsky, and it's horrifying).
"So, I tend to write about Biden’s age more than Trump’s sociopathy, and about the Dems’ identity and woke obsessions more than the Republicans’ fundamental corruption. Because the Dems have to find a way to 51%, lest we lapse into Hungary or Russia."
And Klein thinks that attacking the Democrats while giving the Republicans a pass is going to help?
I get you, but Biden’s not the nominee yet. When he is, the naysayers—among whom I trepidatiously count myself—will jump onboard and happily fly his flag. But in the meantime, we are hoping for better.
I understand your nervousness. I'm nervous, too. I think most Democrats would prefer a candidate who was younger and possessed at least some charisma.
I think that partly accounts for Biden's low ratings in the polls. Which, in turn, just reinforces the nervousness.
We are a long way away from the election and much will happen between now and then but barring something unforseen and unlikely Biden will be our candidate. No one in the party shows signs of stepping forth as an alternative and it's getting late to do so.
I am cautiously optimistic that he will win over Trump.
No one will step forward unless Biden steps aside. It would appear rude and disrespectful. As the days pass, it is ever more likely that he will be the nominee. In which case, I’m all in, 100%.
Not looking for a debate, but I knew I was inviting one with my comment. I can think of 7 people off the top of my head, all of whom might have broader appeal than Biden. Do you honestly believe there is no one—only Biden—that can beat Trump? That speaks very poorly our party.
What we don’t know is how any other Dems will hold up when the MAGA/GOP/FOX machine goes after them full throttle. None of them have been tested. Not even by the regular “mainstream” press.
Absolutely true, but the calendar plays in their favor. Right wing media has had years to beat up on Hunter and the Biden Crime Family. A fresh candidate would knock them off their game.
Also, if I may, if we replace the tired buzz word 'woke' and expand our view to include its right-wing counterpart 'culture war', we'd have a more complete perspective on our current political situation. And therein lies the rub: while we have red states passing 'anti-woke' legislation to stifle the speech of one side of the electorate, we don't see blue states passing 'anti-culture war' legislation to silence the right.
The same people who've been screaming for decades that 'government is the problem' are now using government to create problems. It's asymmetrical political warfare.
In fact, what we have is a Democratic president sending money to red states to develop infrastructure and bring them high-paying jobs. And he will get zero credit for it from the electorate in those states. Because Republicans want the god of the Old Testament while professing their love for Jesus while Democrats act as the Jesus of the Gospels while being pilloried as atheist Communists.
Boy, did you hit the nail on the head, Don! Democrats acting like the Jesus of the Gospels get pilloried as pinko commie-socialists because republicans only recognize their Rambo-style, Second Amendment Jesus, not that hippie in the Bible.
"The speaker is trying to convince his Republican conference that there will heavy political fallout from a shutdown"
Good luck trying to convince them of that. They're almost all in safely gerrymandered districts. They've chosen their voters, and this is what the voters they've chosen want. And if they don't give it to them, those voters will elect someone else who will. Which brings me to Joe Klein:
"So, I tend to write about Biden’s age more than Trump’s sociopathy, and about the Dems’ identity and woke obsessions more than the Republicans’ fundamental corruption. Because the Dems have to find a way to 51%, lest we lapse into Hungary or Russia."
If only that were true! No, the Dems don't just have to find a way to 51%, because what we have here isn't a democracy where the party that gets the most votes gets the most representatives. What we have is a gerrymandered shitshow as well as an Electoral College, where your Wyoming voter has more say than your California voter, and where rural land has more of a say than urban voters. Democrats need to do more than get to 51% just to try to maintain the current substandard level of democracy in this country (sorry, I've been reading The Tyranny of the Minority by Ziblatt and Levitsky, and it's horrifying).
"So, I tend to write about Biden’s age more than Trump’s sociopathy, and about the Dems’ identity and woke obsessions more than the Republicans’ fundamental corruption. Because the Dems have to find a way to 51%, lest we lapse into Hungary or Russia."
And Klein thinks that attacking the Democrats while giving the Republicans a pass is going to help?
Sheesh, what a maroon.
I get you, but Biden’s not the nominee yet. When he is, the naysayers—among whom I trepidatiously count myself—will jump onboard and happily fly his flag. But in the meantime, we are hoping for better.
I understand your nervousness. I'm nervous, too. I think most Democrats would prefer a candidate who was younger and possessed at least some charisma.
I think that partly accounts for Biden's low ratings in the polls. Which, in turn, just reinforces the nervousness.
We are a long way away from the election and much will happen between now and then but barring something unforseen and unlikely Biden will be our candidate. No one in the party shows signs of stepping forth as an alternative and it's getting late to do so.
I am cautiously optimistic that he will win over Trump.
No one will step forward unless Biden steps aside. It would appear rude and disrespectful. As the days pass, it is ever more likely that he will be the nominee. In which case, I’m all in, 100%.
Who is better to take Trump on in 2024?
Not looking for a debate, but I knew I was inviting one with my comment. I can think of 7 people off the top of my head, all of whom might have broader appeal than Biden. Do you honestly believe there is no one—only Biden—that can beat Trump? That speaks very poorly our party.
What we don’t know is how any other Dems will hold up when the MAGA/GOP/FOX machine goes after them full throttle. None of them have been tested. Not even by the regular “mainstream” press.
Absolutely true, but the calendar plays in their favor. Right wing media has had years to beat up on Hunter and the Biden Crime Family. A fresh candidate would knock them off their game.
A lot of them are also much more comfortable working in the minority than they are the majority.
Yes, because then they're not expected to do anything except gripe about the Democrats.
But the record of the current House majority is somewhat WEAK on passing bills this session.
I mean, when was the last time a House majority couldn't pass a Farm bill or the Defense appropriations?
Also, if I may, if we replace the tired buzz word 'woke' and expand our view to include its right-wing counterpart 'culture war', we'd have a more complete perspective on our current political situation. And therein lies the rub: while we have red states passing 'anti-woke' legislation to stifle the speech of one side of the electorate, we don't see blue states passing 'anti-culture war' legislation to silence the right.
The same people who've been screaming for decades that 'government is the problem' are now using government to create problems. It's asymmetrical political warfare.
In fact, what we have is a Democratic president sending money to red states to develop infrastructure and bring them high-paying jobs. And he will get zero credit for it from the electorate in those states. Because Republicans want the god of the Old Testament while professing their love for Jesus while Democrats act as the Jesus of the Gospels while being pilloried as atheist Communists.
Boy, did you hit the nail on the head, Don! Democrats acting like the Jesus of the Gospels get pilloried as pinko commie-socialists because republicans only recognize their Rambo-style, Second Amendment Jesus, not that hippie in the Bible.