This is something JVL said last year and is something Democrats demonstrate time and time again: These guys have no clue what time it is. They operate as if it’s still 2004 and they’re dealing with a president with whom they have strong policy disagreements rather than a potential autocrat whose ultimate goal is to kill them all.
One of the most infuriating things this past year has been discovering in real time how few people really have a durable set of beliefs. "Democrats don't want to make an issue of DHS because they poll better on healthcare" makes it indisputable that the party needs to be cleared out and replaced from the top down if we have any hope of making it out alive
Healthcare is much more important to people who need Healthcare assistance. It may not be important to us or the Bulwark team, but to a family with limited means who need health care, its life or death.
Reigning in ICE is a whole different discussion and the writers of this article know it.
It's possible to address multiple things at the same time. The fact that DHS is actively terrorizing and attempting to militarily occupy Americans cities is as critical as healthcare. Democrats have the ability to withhold support under the condition that regulations are added to DHS funding. I made no comment on the writer of this article. I was commenting on the behavior of Congressional Democrats. The reporting here is consistent with other reporting on the topic.
On Tuesday, the Congressional Progressive Caucus officially announced that its members will oppose any proposed funding for immigration enforcement in the DHS spending bill, or any others, until changes to enforcement practices carried out by ICE are enacted.
"It's possible to address multiple things at the same time."
Which helpfully means it's always possible to point at the person addressing the thing you like least and claim Democrats "don't know what time it is."
Look, I also believe that people sometimes unfairly jump up and down on Democrats for things that are not their fault. But there is a lot of reporting out there implying that Congressional Democrats are really scrambling about the messaging related to immigration enforcement because of how certain past slogans were received, while an American city is literally under siege by a federal pseudo-military. It seems reasonable to find that outrageous.
If it helps you, public outcry against specific positions and individuals in the Democratic Party serves the purpose of pressuring the party to evolve and adapt. You don't have to participate in that. I'm participating in it right now. Other times I don't. It has value in the discourse.
Eh... every single position Democrats take is going to be deemed outrageously insufficient and/or reckless by 45% of its followers (at least the kind who discuss politics online). I'm just tired of hearing about it. Yes, you hate the thing they did, or didn't do - cool, let's do your thing, or not, so somebody else can hate it.
The best thing Democrats could do is make sure to never read things like "The Bulwark," and stay off X, and turn off cable news. We blast a concentrated beam of contradiction and ill-advised cajoling into the party and are surprised when they can't catch it like it's a baseball. Almost anybody who has won an election to national office can find their way through this with intuition better than they could taking one morsel of advice from this discontented rabble.
"We help the party adapt!" is a delusion. Because they're getting it from all sides. Are they supposed to listen to you, or the equally unqualified person saying the opposite thing is the only acceptable answer? You're just manufacturing vibes, and so is that theoretical person, and they all suck.
"The fact that DHS is actively terrorizing and attempting to militarily occupy Americans cities is as critical as healthcare."
Not from a utilitarian perspective. And not really from a deontological perspective either. Also, that's assuming arguendo that it's factually the case that "DHS is actively terrorizing and attempting to militarily occupy Americans cities." I abhor their actions, but there aren't nearly enough numbers within DHS plus the entire US National Guard plus the entire US military to successfully militarily occupy all significant American cities. And at that point, the guns would be out.
I said “attempting to occupy,” you said “successfully occupying.” It sounds like you’re more interested in scoring rhetorical points than making any sort of useful contribution to a discussion.
Ah. The inevitable accusation of bad faith. I’ve been subscribing and commenting here for years. Lately, there’s been an influx of commenters who seem to think this is Reddit. You can insult people there for free!
I’m still right, and you know it. Good luck equating healthcare with ICE abuses in the mind of politicians and the public. But you’ve registered your outrage. Excellent. I’m outraged by ICE too.
This is a false choice. They are indisputably connected. Donald Trump and his Republican enablers have decided that instead of making healthcare accessible and affordable for Americans, our tax dollars should be spent on sending in masked thugs to terrorize our cities.
This isn’t hard or complicated and one doesn’t need to be a once in a lifetime political talent to connect multiple messages. But you do have to authentically believe what you’re saying, and Schumer doesn’t believe in anything other than how to keep profiting off his seat.
I understand the argument, but I don’t think it will succeed. For years, Dems have attempted and failed to make gun control a public health issue, for example. And in any event, Dems have little to no leverage over DHS funding right now.
What does "healthcare" mean in a functional dictatorship? What does "healthcare" mean to a society where dissent - including voting - doesn't exist? Do you actually think that TrumpCo is going to scale back ICE, or only attack brown people, or not expand ICE to "protecting election integrity"? What about the suppressing effects on legal citizens who don't want to risk being assaulted or killed by a mercenary army of violent psychopaths?
Seriously - do you not understand what's going on here? There's a violent mercenary army of MAGA cultists assaulting and killing - KILLING - American citizens and residents. How about some "healthcare" for Reenee Good? Or the hundreds of American citizens and legal - legal - residents assaulted, arrested, warehoused for weeks and months, and deported?
I don't mean any disrespect, but to draw any kind of equivalency between what ICE is doing and 'prioritizing' healthcare - like it's a zero sum game - is not just inhuman, it's stupid. And the senate Dems ducking for cover behind 'healthcare' instead of showing some shred of courage, and ability to manifest that courage, are complicit in what's coming down the pike.
Schumer has shown not just profound cowardice, but zero political instincts. He only sees the past, the privileged, cocooned, moneyed world that formed him. He is the captain of the Titanic, except he will never go down with the ship. And his cowardice is viral. He and his cohort are greenlighting what ICE is doing, and I for one will never forgive or forget it.
It’s the progressive mindset. Anyone who questions the viability of what they demand is the enemy. It’s not dissimilar to the MAGA mindset. Horseshoe theory in action.
We're not mad because viability is being questioned, we're mad because NONE OF OUR ELECTED REPRESENTATIVES ARE AND PEOPLE ARE BEING BEATEN AND MURDERED IN THE STREETS and they're like "dOn't dIsTrACt fROM tHiS sQUirRel we'RE hIDInG beHiNd."
If we can't rein in ICE, nothing else matters. How do you not understand that? Lemme guess: "Nickster" is a white guy's chosen handle. Because it might be the most white guy handle ever.
This piece is disingenuous. They are meeting to discuss funding and appropriations. The Democrats main concern is Health Care funding.
The money for DHS was already appropriated. Why discuss more funding for DHS? That's what this meeting is about new appropriations. Healthcare funding is number one.
Booker states in the article that there should be restrictions on ICE, but that's part of a different but ongoing debate.
I also feel like shutting down the government over healthcare brought a discussion about healthcare to the forefront when no such discussion was previously taking place. Right now ICE is front page everywhere, everyone is already talking about it, so I don't think there's nearly the same urgent need to highlight it like there was with healthcare months ago.
Trump and the GOP are absolutely not going to cave to demands on reigning in ICE, so the Dems need to have a goal in mind if they're going to enact another shutdown over it. What's the end goal and the off ramp? Just keeping everything shut down for the rest of the year is not realistic, so at what point do the Dems cave on this if they shut everything down? Just getting people talking about ICE isn't enough, since that's already happening anyway.
I think there's a very real risk in shutting down the government this time with no plan in mind other than just voicing frustration. It runs the risk of changing the conversation from Trump's ICE overreach to "Dems keeping thousands of people without paychecks for a political stunt." You can't just assume you'll win every government shutdown fight in the court of public opinion just because you won the last one.
You are 100% correct. Conservative reporting loves to put the blame on Democrats for not reigning the Republicans. Its like blaming moms for misbehaving children.
just as a quick fun fact, the phrase "reining in" is a horse riding metaphor for controlling your horse more tightly, not a reference to the "reign" of a king or queen.
Democrats don't have to shut the government down to highlight what's going on with ICE. They are currently directing a shitload of attention towards what is going on with ICE, so they are not "ignoring it".
You need to understand the difference between policy and politics. A government shutdown is a political move because the Dems can't enact policy cause they're not in charge. Realistically they're not going to convince Republicans to pass a spending bill that defunds ICE that Trump would sign (because Trump would have to sign it), so the Dems have to have another goal in mind if they're going to shut the government down. Otherwise they'll eventually just end it and people will ask what was accomplished.
Yes, but most people are not in places where they can get shot by ICE agents. Im not minimizing the danger ICE poses, but millions of people require help in paying health care now.
The issue seems to be that the Democrats look like a group that can't do two things at once. They have to be able to handle multiple things at once and meet moments like this one with ICE. If not, people as myself will find candidates that do.
They are doing 2 things at once. They are denying DHS additional funds and the putting forth their plan for making sure everyone can afford health care. You can't assume that because they get no media coverage, they aren't doing anything. Contact your representative or go to his or her website and find out what they are doing. Since they don't have a majority in the congress there is a limit on what they can pass.
If you vote for a 3rd party, it may make you feel righteous, but it'll help elect Republicans because we have a two party system, whethet we like it or not. Most of what Trump is doing is because the Republicans control the house AND Senate.
If I’m not mistaken, Bill Kristol in his latest piece with Tim notes there are still things Dems can do about ICE even though the money has been appropriated. Fingers crossed.
But…..the polling says people like on-camera extrajudicial murder of ‘anarchists’ And ‘anti Christian fornicators’. And they’d rather keep the murders and get their health care for less $$$$. So, whaddaya gonna do? The people have spoken. And if I ignore all those people who’ll never vote for me anyway, I might not get to stay here in DC and continue my good works for the people!
This is what happens when you develop policy positions based on focus groups rather than taking focus group responses as a measure of how much organising and agitating must be done. Honestly, the US Democrats are what happens when you don’t have a Party to speak of, just a collection of people who like to be in elected positions. Absolutely shameful. Parties must fight on a number of fronts all the time. What is it with the US Dems?
Well, they are kind of like when you walk into a voting location - a “polling location” in USA-speak, and there is only one candidate listed for many positions, particularly in local government - there’s the named candidate with an “R” in parentheses next to the name, and underneath that candidate is another line with “other” and a line to write in the candidate you want, who may or may not be eligible, viable or even alive! The “D’s are the “others” in many places, my city of around 150,000 souls included- who voted for Trump by more than a two-to-one margin in 2016, 2020, and 2024. Even in a city this large, there often is not a person who might even loosely affiliate with the Dems who will even run for a congressional seat, forget a state position. They know they have no shot to win. Further, many local government positions have to deal directly with the public, which is viewed as onerous and with great trepidation due to the abuse heaped upon the office holder, even if s/he is an “R”, if ‘the people’ decide the office holder is not sufficiently MAGA enough, so even local government, again, city and state government positions are generally unappealing to any rational human being. In short, we have lost our way and our minds.
So the “D’s” are a ‘big tent’ affiliation of “others” in many locales big and small across the USA. Now, don’t get me wrong, in 23-24 states they hold the majority as well as in large cities in many red states where they also are the majority. But they’re far from a monotheist organization. So instead of espousing a, “This is What We Stand For” position and go about convincing people that, “we stand for what you stand for” through persuasion, they poll and poll and poll, and then they decide the absolute most inclusive and least controversial position to take, and then they send their candidates out to be as inoffensive as possible, thereby convincing a plurality that they stand for nothing. Sorry for the length of this response. What was the question?
"This is something JVL said last year and is something Democrats demonstrate time and time again: These guys have no clue what time it is."
I'm not going to tell you you're wrong, but I am going to tell you something unpopular: People who talk about politics online understand them even worse than the politicians they criticize do. (And the more ideological are, the more that's true.) Lot of Dunning-Krugerism in the online commentary ecosystem.
One should not underestimate the thickness of his bubble's walls.
I’ve been in electoral politics longer than you have been alive. The US Democratic Party’s general incompetence in the face of this crisis of democracy is beyond comprehension. It’s absolutely shameful.
Yep. And you almost certainly understand politics even worse than 90% of them. People who do things a lot, or do things professionally, are better at them than people who sit off in the peanut gallery and comment on them doing it - this is a simple fact of life.
It's not so much that they're great, just that you'd probably be REALLY, REALLY BAD, and so would I.
I don’t think you know what you’re talking about. I have actually done electoral politics for a long time. For over 50 yrs. The US Democratic Party is failing its partisan base and wider supporters badly. It is disorganised, rudderless and lacks any broad ‘affect’ that sticks between elections. Its Senate leadership is beyond parody. A self respecting Party would have replaced the lot after November 2024. Losers should go away.
If they don’t fight this spending on DHS and the ICE Gestapo then I’m done with the Democrats. There is not one set of balls in the Dems on the hill. We need to start speaking to, and organizing, Independents (which is what I am).
You go to war with the army that you have, not the one you want. Organizing independents has been tried many times and failed. A big reason why is that the basic structure of American governance heavily privileges the two major parties. So if you want to have an impact, you're going to need to pick a party.
I pick the Democrats -- and would suggest that there is more political courage in our congressional delegation than you give them credit for.
Wrong. Totally wrong. The generals need to be replaced. It’s doable but the Dems don’t have the balls to do it. Plenty of young blood to take the place of Schumer and Jeffries, who are incompetent and not ready for the moment.
I get that it can be satisfying to declare that someone on the Internet is wrong, but I would invite you to reread my comment. I didn't say anything about the quality of the party's leadership. I pushed back against the sweeping idea that there are no courageous Democrats in Congress.
Steve, there are many courageous Democrats in Congress. Jake Auchincloss and Jason Crow in the House, and Alyssa Slotkin and Mark Kelly in the Senate. A bright future once current leadership leaves the scene.
Sorry not intending to be controversial, and declaring that someone is wrong is not satisfying to me. I am asserting that Democratic leadership (Schumer, Jeffries) are incompetent and need to be replaced ASAP. The battle ahead for our country requires leadership capabilities they do not possess.
Dan, by saying you want Schumer and Jeffries replaced, you are agreeing with Steve in decrying anyone who would be done with all Democrats forever if they fail a litmus test on radical opposition to ICE. You want a better army. You don't want to fragment off a neo-Weatherman sect. Chuck and Hakeem are clueless spineless corporatist apparatchiks who make me want to vomit. But you don't gain anything by walking away except to leave them in place. In this I think you, Steve and I are all more or less in agreement.
Exactly. Schumer has shown not just profound cowardice, but zero political instincts. He only sees the past, the privileged, cocooned, moneyed world that formed him. He is the captain of the Titanic, except he will never go down with the ship. And his cowardice is viral. He and his cohort are greenlighting what ICE is doing, and I for one will never forgive or forget it.
I am not done but i will give no money to any democrat who doesn’t fight for this. I also want Schumer to resign his post and I vote for Corey Booker to replace him!
I've been thinking that the verifiers? The people out on the street night in night out? These groups (I'm in one) are getting more and more organized. And they should start primarying these fossilized losers.
The thing to speak to your fellow independents about is primarying some Democrats, as Democrats, not trying to do something outside the party apparatus.
It's what I really am but in Pennsylvania if you want to vote in a primary you have to be one or the other so I hold my nose and am a registered Democrat.
I'm emotionally and psychologically with you. We need to work with the crew we have, but put every ounce of money, time, and support into a new crew of people who aren't castrated by consultants, privilege, money, and fear.
They don't understand how many Americans they're alienating by being gutless, err, 'strategic,' especially the Dem senators. They don't have to shout "Abolish ICE!" from the rooftops. They just have to act like they give a shit and show courage and resolve. Which they clearly don't have. It's beyond sad, or even pathetic. It's disgusting.
Disarm ICE. They should be strictly limited to non-lethal rounds. After all they are basically tasked with logistics ops. If they need protection from dangerous thugs during a deportation they can ask local PD to assist.
Exactly. Does anyone actually think that TrumpCo is going to scale back ICE, or only attack brown people, or not expand ICE to "protecting election integrity"? What about the suppressing effects on legal citizens who don't want to risk being assaulted or killed by a mercenary army of violent psychopaths?
FFS, there's a violent mercenary army of MAGA cultists assaulting and killing - KILLING - American citizens and residents. How about some "healthcare" for Reenee Good? Or the hundreds of American citizens and legal - legal - residents assaulted, arrested, warehoused for weeks and months, and deported?
Drawing any equivalency between what ICE is doing and 'prioritizing' healthcare - like it's a zero sum game - is not just inhuman, it's stupid. And the senate Dems ducking for cover behind 'healthcare' instead of showing some shred of courage, and ability to manifest that courage, are complicit in what's coming down the pike.
Dems out of touch. That's like saying a nuclear blast is warm. They don't have the first clue about the level of rage among their beloved constituents.
In sounds to me that you are a man of exceptional vision, political fortitude and connection to the people. When are you going to run for office and show the Democrats how it should be done?
Lovely, but your snark is a little mis-aimed. I'm not a Democrat, I'm an apostate RINO. And I'm very aware how mad y'all get when we gratuitously lecture you on effective politics. But my presence here, on the same side of the barricades as you, is a fact that will remain in place for the duration. We can shit on each other later, but we've all got more fish on the grill for the moment.
I love your attitude, George! And contrary to my lame-assed tribe members, I think we could learn a lot from Republicans. If only that engrained smugness and superiority complex didn't keep kicking and belching, polluting the air until everybody is gagging and going home, again, without having accomplished much in this circular firing squad thus created. We have so much more in common than not. We keep letting them divide us, and unfortunately, the Ds aren't any more astute in figuring out how we're being manipulated than the Rs. So much for superiority.
I think it's a mistake to not join this fight on DHS and ICE.
But even if they don't shut it down over that, they have multiple winning issues to force: (1) healthcare, which the senate can force the bill that has now passed the House as a shutdown, and (2) the Epstein files, which DOJ is sitting on, and they can pass a law making sure there is enforcement against Bondi and DOJ, (3) war powers. These are all areas where the Democratic caucus is on the same page, and they enjoy the support of the American people.
If they actually care about healthcare, score a win. They can still campaign on healthcare in 2026 even if they manage to extend the Obamacare subsidies. On Epstein, the public is like 80%-20% and they can force it back into the spotlight, which will be great for 2026. On war powers, no one wants us to invade Greenland. It should be extremely easy to shut the government down in favor of a resolution making it 100% clear Trump cannot attack Greenland.
The idea that they'd roll over when ICE is destroying US cities, Trump is covering up the crimes of Epstein and associates, and Trump is threatening to implode NATO and take us back 100 years to imperialist and colonialist policy, my god.
"Next steps on Greenland could come as soon as a few 'weeks,' a US official tells USA TODAY in an exclusive interview...President Donald Trump's desire to annex Greenland will not be thwarted and there could be meaningful U.S. action related to the Arctic island within 'weeks or months,' according to a senior administration official."
"A House Republican on Monday introduced legislation that would give President Trump the authority to annex Greenland and turn it into a U.S. state. Why it matters: The bill is an extreme long-shot, but it serves as a stark display of Republicans' eagerness to prove their loyalty to the president as he muses publicly about acquiring the island territory by force. Lawmakers in both parties have brushed off the notion of invading Greenland and sovereign countries like Mexico and Colombia, but Trump has continued to hammer the idea. An invasion of Greenland, which is an overseas territory of Denmark, could trigger a NATO response under Article 5 of the organization's charter. Driving the news: Rep. Randy Fine, a staunch Trump loyalist from Florida, introduced the two-page bill, called the Greenland Annexation and Statehood Act."
"DHS funding, period, is a red line for me until they start answering Congress’s questions,” Booker said. “I’ve sent questions about training and professional standards to them for months now, and they haven’t even responded. So if they’re not in compliance with simple oversight questions, why should they get their resources? They have to answer to Congress.”
Come on, Cory, go for the jugular, the federal and state background checks for these madmen with automatic weapons who have no sense of shame or anything other than cuffing, carting off to non-overseen detention facilities, and even killing the Felon's opponents.
How many of them are pardoned J6ers who were properly and legally convicted of federal offenses, or their Oath Keeping, Proud Boy buddies who were there but got away? I bet dollars to donuts that those stats do not exist, not because they have been destroyed, but because they were never collected in the first place. The Felon bought their loyalty with his pardons and they are paying him back in spades.
And much to the consternation of the Democratic leadership, as quasi-federal employees, they get healthcare! So, not very likely to be swayed to the D’s as they continue the battle for just enough healthcare to survive long enough for ICE to expand the scope of their detainment imprimatur….
Yep. There's a violent mercenary army of MAGA cultists assaulting and killing - KILLING - American citizens and residents. How about some "healthcare" for Reenee Good? Or the hundreds of American citizens and legal residents assaulted, arrested, warehoused for weeks and months, and deported? And the senate Dems ducking for cover behind 'healthcare' instead of showing some shred of courage, and ability to manifest that courage, are complicit in what's coming down the pike.
I mean, FFS, we are watching the violent authoritarian takeover of this country in real time. I think it's way too much for many people to see and realize this, that this isn't something that we can hope for a miracle - like the midterms - to reverse.
They're not going to stop. At anything. And if anyone thinks that TrumpCo are going to allow or respect any dissent, including electoral dissent, is not living in reality.
Ugh. THEY DONT LEARN. Is it naïveté or willful CYA ignorance?? THEY GUY WHO MURDERED RENEE GOOD WAS HIGHLY TRAINED AND HIGHLY EXPERIENCED. He’s been in ICE for 13 years and has marinated in the culture of CBP through all of its racism and corruption and lawlessness. He’s a firearm’s instructor!! Mark Warner, do you believe that “more training” would have stopped that murder???? I hate these people.
I am an independent who will donate money to any candidate from any party who stands up for democracy and the rule of law. I understand the philosophical differences between the parties but right now I am more concerned about the QUALITY of the candidates. Everyone should do their homework and financially support high quality candidacies and the integrity of the electoral system. And every one should VOTE! One third of eligible voters did not show up in 2024.
In the real world, the experiment has been done. Frogs will reliably jump out of pots of water being heated towards a boil.
Democrats need to stand firmly against Trump's fascist private army. Stop being dumber than frogs! A portion of the Republicans who like ICE like it because they worship strength. Act stronger than the Trumpists, and some of them will come over to us.
Health care is better for them, so they’re going to tiptoe around the whole bashing in doors and shooting people in the heads Nazi-fascism thing. It might not “play well.”
We need a better system than this two-party, winner take all, “one is weak and one is strong” farcical form of democracy.
"Health care is better for them, so they’re going to tiptoe around the whole bashing in doors and shooting people in the heads Nazi-fascism thing. It might not “play well.”
Thank you for summarizing this attitude so calmly and eloquently. This is exactly what they're doing, this is always their calculation, it's why I have come to literally despise them, and no amount of whataboutism from Democrats' apologists on Substack and other places will convince me that this isn't as despicable and contemptible as I feel it is. I can't stay calm enough to get into all the levels at which this attitude is destructive and irresponsible, and ultimately detrimental to our future.
To draw any kind of equivalency between what ICE is doing and 'prioritizing' healthcare - like it's a zero sum game - is not just inhuman, it's stupid. And the senate Dems ducking for cover behind 'healthcare' instead of showing some shred of courage, and ability to manifest that courage, are complicit in what's coming down the pike.
Schumer and Jeffries have shown not just profound cowardice, but zero political instincts. They only see and care about the privileged, cocooned, moneyed world that formed them, especially Schumer. He is the captain of the Titanic, except he will never go down with the ship. And his cowardice is viral. He and his cohort are greenlighting what ICE is doing, and I for one will never forgive or forget it.
Yes, and here’s the thing: That “autopsy report” the DNC ordered - they’re now keeping it under wraps. Because they don’t like what it shows, because the way they fucked up isn’t the approved version of the official fuckup. Well, fuck! It called their bluff, I suppose, and they don’t want us to follow along and identify every misstep that they’re making from hereon out that the report indicated would be detrimental. But WE don’t need to see the report to know how badly they’re screwing this up, again. Yesterday David Plouffe wrote in the New York Times that unless the Democrats change real fast, they’re going to lose in 28. Again!!! HOWEVER - there will not be any legitimate elections in 28 or even this November. I think it’s our only hope to finally yank that security blanket out of their stupid pudgy hands. They’re banking on our anger to carry them through that election. But there won’t be an election. Will that finally convince them to man up?
I don't think they can or will. It will have to be an end-around, takeover, or irresistible force, like a critical mass of the people and Dem caucus telling him to go. A thought - more of an intimation or image - occurred to me recently of Schumer, clearly stunned and visibly defeated, stepping down following some kind of catastrophic event that made it inarguably clear he's in over his head. Which he is, badly. I think it's my brain telling me some kind of truth. If this is the case - that Schumer truly believes he's the best man for this moment, if his cocoon is so complete that nothing short of catastrophe can penetrate it - then.....I don't know. Just listen to his responses to MN.
It's exactly what happened with Biden, it's endemic to the Dem power structure, and it's a mortal weakness. I think it's time for Indivisible - and everyone else - to make getting him out a priority.
He’s not stepping down any time soon - the Senate is in play now, with the newly declared Alaskan candidate whom he personally recruited - he’s riding high. There’s no way he’s going anywhere. And also, who is there with any clout who could replace him? Who actually is in the senate right now who is a Democrat and under 55? It has to be a leader type figure that people listen to. People like that don’t emerge overnight. They need time to develop their skills. If you are aware of anyone, Steven, please share. And no, I don’t see AOC as a leader in the Senate, I think the world of her, I would love to see her as president one day, but I don’t think she should be in the Senate, not the way it is now. They’re so brow-beaten into defeat, they’re conditioned to be losers. Right now, the Senate is a place where people go to die.
Yeah, Schumer's not going anywhere right now, but after the midterms he has to step down. AOC is awesome, but no. I'm talking about reality. Brian Schatz is my first choice. Watch the interviews with him on youtube - he's smart as hell, quick minded, leads on the front foot, but most of all he's a fighter, a leader, not a technocrat or bloodless parliamentarian. He's 'progressive' but not dogmatically so, makes bipartisan deals but beats people like Hawley up, he's not ugly (this counts), he's the opposite of abrasive even when he's being passionate, he's in his early fifties, and he's been in the Senate since 2012. He hits all the right buttons. He's the guy. I've had my eye on him for over a year after I saw a couple of video interviews.
The problem is the Democratic machine and its stranglehold on Dem politics, but what we're seeing from TrumpCo now is just the beginning. It's going to get much, much worse. If we have elections in November I predict people's patience for Democratic bullshit will be gone. Indivisible's base and power is increasing exponentially, and the number of folks who are more or less in agreement with what we stand for is also going up, every day. It's actually kind of sick, but this is what it took to break the corporatist Clintonian hold on Dem internal politics - a breakdown of society, which is as damning an indictment of functional malevolence as I can imagine.
I am not a Dem basher. I rooted and voted for Hillary (after Sanders in the primary), voted for Obama, voted for Biden. I’ve knocked on thousands of doors for Dems, made hundreds of phone calls, mailed hundreds of letters and postcards. I’ve shut down ‘leftists’ with their bullshit “both sides are equally evil” Dem bashing. But Bernie was right all along, it wasn’t just political rhetoric. The establishment Democratic machine was a willing, even eager partner in our national dance to fascism, and now they want us to just let them back into power? Not a fucking chance. And whether it’s fair or not Schumer is the poster boy for this. If we don’t collapse into complete autocracy I’m going to make it a point to do everything I can to get him out and Schatz or someone like him in. But I’ve had it with working for and defending corporatist incompetents. If the Democratic Party doesn’t fundamentally change, no matter what else happens we WILL end up back where we are now.
ICE is a lawless army, shock troops in the Republican war on blue state America--on Democratic states and cities. The fact that the Democratic leadership is too craven to stand up for the people who put them in office, people who are being harassed, beaten, threatened, jailed, silenced, and gunned down for standing up for their fellow humans and their First Amendment rights fills me with a wild blend of emotions: the two at the top are contempt and despair.
Gotta be honest. I stopped reading past the 2nd "Democrat (and yes hate when it's used that way)!Legislator" . I blame their fecklessness almost as much as I blame the GOP's flat out misanthropy for the the fact the DOJ is currently acting as accessories after the fact of Nicole Good's murder. Too G-damned lame to call things as they are. ICE is a state-sanctioned domestic terror organization, ramping up political terror on the American people. The Administration and it's apoaratchiks consistently engage in stochastic terror (EG: "One of us, all of yours"?) and ICE is will be what the IRGC will be in Iran (only "Christo" as opposed to Islamofacist) and these mooks will be posing with cartons of eggs
Exactly. And it's pathetic that so many here - and assumedly in this country - cannot or will not see this. The "whattaboutism" is rampant. Just because ICE hasn't assaulted, terrorized, jailed, or killed someone they know or care about apparently means that ICE isn't a violent mercenary army of MAGA cultists rampaging through TrumpCo's perceived political enemies. We are in deep shit.
Thank you for mentioning Rep Scott Perry, who along with Jim Jordan ignored Congress’s subpoenas from the January 6th committee. Typical Republicans going after anyone who featured in the Epstein files that they have allowed to be published, who is not a Republican. Still haven’t released all the files. I wonder why. Great work Joe.
So when the funding for ICE is passed, dems will be asked why they voted to increase spending for a murderous, trump, cult, goon squad and they will be put on defense AGAIN, lose the narrative, bumble the message and talk in circles about how they had to do it to lower prices? Dems are back on the path of snatching defeat from the jas of victory.I despise republicans, but cogressional dems, as a whole, make me nauseous. More squeamish, weak dems should take on the attitude of Minneapolis mayor who eloquently said about ICE: “Get the f*ck out of Minneapolis.” Be strong or be gone dems. This is a real statement fro a real person who knows what is at stake. They are already trying to spin this as an action of self-defense. Having seen the video myself, I want to tell everybody directly: That is bullshit. This was an agent recklessly using power that resulted in somebody dying, getting killed. … To ICE, get the fuck out of Minneapolis. We do not want you here.”
This is something JVL said last year and is something Democrats demonstrate time and time again: These guys have no clue what time it is. They operate as if it’s still 2004 and they’re dealing with a president with whom they have strong policy disagreements rather than a potential autocrat whose ultimate goal is to kill them all.
One of the most infuriating things this past year has been discovering in real time how few people really have a durable set of beliefs. "Democrats don't want to make an issue of DHS because they poll better on healthcare" makes it indisputable that the party needs to be cleared out and replaced from the top down if we have any hope of making it out alive
Healthcare is much more important to people who need Healthcare assistance. It may not be important to us or the Bulwark team, but to a family with limited means who need health care, its life or death.
Reigning in ICE is a whole different discussion and the writers of this article know it.
It's possible to address multiple things at the same time. The fact that DHS is actively terrorizing and attempting to militarily occupy Americans cities is as critical as healthcare. Democrats have the ability to withhold support under the condition that regulations are added to DHS funding. I made no comment on the writer of this article. I was commenting on the behavior of Congressional Democrats. The reporting here is consistent with other reporting on the topic.
ICE is also a matter of life and death.
On Tuesday, the Congressional Progressive Caucus officially announced that its members will oppose any proposed funding for immigration enforcement in the DHS spending bill, or any others, until changes to enforcement practices carried out by ICE are enacted.
"It's possible to address multiple things at the same time."
Which helpfully means it's always possible to point at the person addressing the thing you like least and claim Democrats "don't know what time it is."
Look, I also believe that people sometimes unfairly jump up and down on Democrats for things that are not their fault. But there is a lot of reporting out there implying that Congressional Democrats are really scrambling about the messaging related to immigration enforcement because of how certain past slogans were received, while an American city is literally under siege by a federal pseudo-military. It seems reasonable to find that outrageous.
If it helps you, public outcry against specific positions and individuals in the Democratic Party serves the purpose of pressuring the party to evolve and adapt. You don't have to participate in that. I'm participating in it right now. Other times I don't. It has value in the discourse.
Eh... every single position Democrats take is going to be deemed outrageously insufficient and/or reckless by 45% of its followers (at least the kind who discuss politics online). I'm just tired of hearing about it. Yes, you hate the thing they did, or didn't do - cool, let's do your thing, or not, so somebody else can hate it.
The best thing Democrats could do is make sure to never read things like "The Bulwark," and stay off X, and turn off cable news. We blast a concentrated beam of contradiction and ill-advised cajoling into the party and are surprised when they can't catch it like it's a baseball. Almost anybody who has won an election to national office can find their way through this with intuition better than they could taking one morsel of advice from this discontented rabble.
"We help the party adapt!" is a delusion. Because they're getting it from all sides. Are they supposed to listen to you, or the equally unqualified person saying the opposite thing is the only acceptable answer? You're just manufacturing vibes, and so is that theoretical person, and they all suck.
"The fact that DHS is actively terrorizing and attempting to militarily occupy Americans cities is as critical as healthcare."
Not from a utilitarian perspective. And not really from a deontological perspective either. Also, that's assuming arguendo that it's factually the case that "DHS is actively terrorizing and attempting to militarily occupy Americans cities." I abhor their actions, but there aren't nearly enough numbers within DHS plus the entire US National Guard plus the entire US military to successfully militarily occupy all significant American cities. And at that point, the guns would be out.
I said “attempting to occupy,” you said “successfully occupying.” It sounds like you’re more interested in scoring rhetorical points than making any sort of useful contribution to a discussion.
Yeah, he's is either a troll or some kind of arguendo pedant.
Ah. The inevitable accusation of bad faith. I’ve been subscribing and commenting here for years. Lately, there’s been an influx of commenters who seem to think this is Reddit. You can insult people there for free!
I’m still right, and you know it. Good luck equating healthcare with ICE abuses in the mind of politicians and the public. But you’ve registered your outrage. Excellent. I’m outraged by ICE too.
This is a false choice. They are indisputably connected. Donald Trump and his Republican enablers have decided that instead of making healthcare accessible and affordable for Americans, our tax dollars should be spent on sending in masked thugs to terrorize our cities.
This isn’t hard or complicated and one doesn’t need to be a once in a lifetime political talent to connect multiple messages. But you do have to authentically believe what you’re saying, and Schumer doesn’t believe in anything other than how to keep profiting off his seat.
I understand the argument, but I don’t think it will succeed. For years, Dems have attempted and failed to make gun control a public health issue, for example. And in any event, Dems have little to no leverage over DHS funding right now.
What does "healthcare" mean in a functional dictatorship? What does "healthcare" mean to a society where dissent - including voting - doesn't exist? Do you actually think that TrumpCo is going to scale back ICE, or only attack brown people, or not expand ICE to "protecting election integrity"? What about the suppressing effects on legal citizens who don't want to risk being assaulted or killed by a mercenary army of violent psychopaths?
Seriously - do you not understand what's going on here? There's a violent mercenary army of MAGA cultists assaulting and killing - KILLING - American citizens and residents. How about some "healthcare" for Reenee Good? Or the hundreds of American citizens and legal - legal - residents assaulted, arrested, warehoused for weeks and months, and deported?
I don't mean any disrespect, but to draw any kind of equivalency between what ICE is doing and 'prioritizing' healthcare - like it's a zero sum game - is not just inhuman, it's stupid. And the senate Dems ducking for cover behind 'healthcare' instead of showing some shred of courage, and ability to manifest that courage, are complicit in what's coming down the pike.
Schumer has shown not just profound cowardice, but zero political instincts. He only sees the past, the privileged, cocooned, moneyed world that formed him. He is the captain of the Titanic, except he will never go down with the ship. And his cowardice is viral. He and his cohort are greenlighting what ICE is doing, and I for one will never forgive or forget it.
Joe is reporting what he was told...he is a reporter, not an opinion columnist.
I don't think he deserves your attack on him.
(And only he writes it)
It’s the progressive mindset. Anyone who questions the viability of what they demand is the enemy. It’s not dissimilar to the MAGA mindset. Horseshoe theory in action.
We're not mad because viability is being questioned, we're mad because NONE OF OUR ELECTED REPRESENTATIVES ARE AND PEOPLE ARE BEING BEATEN AND MURDERED IN THE STREETS and they're like "dOn't dIsTrACt fROM tHiS sQUirRel we'RE hIDInG beHiNd."
If we can't rein in ICE, nothing else matters. How do you not understand that? Lemme guess: "Nickster" is a white guy's chosen handle. Because it might be the most white guy handle ever.
This piece is disingenuous. They are meeting to discuss funding and appropriations. The Democrats main concern is Health Care funding.
The money for DHS was already appropriated. Why discuss more funding for DHS? That's what this meeting is about new appropriations. Healthcare funding is number one.
Booker states in the article that there should be restrictions on ICE, but that's part of a different but ongoing debate.
I also feel like shutting down the government over healthcare brought a discussion about healthcare to the forefront when no such discussion was previously taking place. Right now ICE is front page everywhere, everyone is already talking about it, so I don't think there's nearly the same urgent need to highlight it like there was with healthcare months ago.
Trump and the GOP are absolutely not going to cave to demands on reigning in ICE, so the Dems need to have a goal in mind if they're going to enact another shutdown over it. What's the end goal and the off ramp? Just keeping everything shut down for the rest of the year is not realistic, so at what point do the Dems cave on this if they shut everything down? Just getting people talking about ICE isn't enough, since that's already happening anyway.
I think there's a very real risk in shutting down the government this time with no plan in mind other than just voicing frustration. It runs the risk of changing the conversation from Trump's ICE overreach to "Dems keeping thousands of people without paychecks for a political stunt." You can't just assume you'll win every government shutdown fight in the court of public opinion just because you won the last one.
You are 100% correct. Conservative reporting loves to put the blame on Democrats for not reigning the Republicans. Its like blaming moms for misbehaving children.
just as a quick fun fact, the phrase "reining in" is a horse riding metaphor for controlling your horse more tightly, not a reference to the "reign" of a king or queen.
It was raining in Kemblesville Pennsylvania on Monday.
😁
He also isn't a conservative...sigh
ICE is destroying our country. It is big and Democrats cannot ignore it. Can't they do 2 things at the same time?
Democrats don't have to shut the government down to highlight what's going on with ICE. They are currently directing a shitload of attention towards what is going on with ICE, so they are not "ignoring it".
You need to understand the difference between policy and politics. A government shutdown is a political move because the Dems can't enact policy cause they're not in charge. Realistically they're not going to convince Republicans to pass a spending bill that defunds ICE that Trump would sign (because Trump would have to sign it), so the Dems have to have another goal in mind if they're going to shut the government down. Otherwise they'll eventually just end it and people will ask what was accomplished.
I don't think health care means that much if you can get shot because you're being naughty. Go to the woodshed to get the goons off our streets first.
Yes, but most people are not in places where they can get shot by ICE agents. Im not minimizing the danger ICE poses, but millions of people require help in paying health care now.
Health or freedom. It comes to that.
Not yet. We're not there yet, Mr. Jim. We may be.
Oh but we are really really close.
The issue seems to be that the Democrats look like a group that can't do two things at once. They have to be able to handle multiple things at once and meet moments like this one with ICE. If not, people as myself will find candidates that do.
Two things.
They are doing 2 things at once. They are denying DHS additional funds and the putting forth their plan for making sure everyone can afford health care. You can't assume that because they get no media coverage, they aren't doing anything. Contact your representative or go to his or her website and find out what they are doing. Since they don't have a majority in the congress there is a limit on what they can pass.
If you vote for a 3rd party, it may make you feel righteous, but it'll help elect Republicans because we have a two party system, whethet we like it or not. Most of what Trump is doing is because the Republicans control the house AND Senate.
If I’m not mistaken, Bill Kristol in his latest piece with Tim notes there are still things Dems can do about ICE even though the money has been appropriated. Fingers crossed.
But…..the polling says people like on-camera extrajudicial murder of ‘anarchists’ And ‘anti Christian fornicators’. And they’d rather keep the murders and get their health care for less $$$$. So, whaddaya gonna do? The people have spoken. And if I ignore all those people who’ll never vote for me anyway, I might not get to stay here in DC and continue my good works for the people!
This is what happens when you develop policy positions based on focus groups rather than taking focus group responses as a measure of how much organising and agitating must be done. Honestly, the US Democrats are what happens when you don’t have a Party to speak of, just a collection of people who like to be in elected positions. Absolutely shameful. Parties must fight on a number of fronts all the time. What is it with the US Dems?
Well, they are kind of like when you walk into a voting location - a “polling location” in USA-speak, and there is only one candidate listed for many positions, particularly in local government - there’s the named candidate with an “R” in parentheses next to the name, and underneath that candidate is another line with “other” and a line to write in the candidate you want, who may or may not be eligible, viable or even alive! The “D’s are the “others” in many places, my city of around 150,000 souls included- who voted for Trump by more than a two-to-one margin in 2016, 2020, and 2024. Even in a city this large, there often is not a person who might even loosely affiliate with the Dems who will even run for a congressional seat, forget a state position. They know they have no shot to win. Further, many local government positions have to deal directly with the public, which is viewed as onerous and with great trepidation due to the abuse heaped upon the office holder, even if s/he is an “R”, if ‘the people’ decide the office holder is not sufficiently MAGA enough, so even local government, again, city and state government positions are generally unappealing to any rational human being. In short, we have lost our way and our minds.
So the “D’s” are a ‘big tent’ affiliation of “others” in many locales big and small across the USA. Now, don’t get me wrong, in 23-24 states they hold the majority as well as in large cities in many red states where they also are the majority. But they’re far from a monotheist organization. So instead of espousing a, “This is What We Stand For” position and go about convincing people that, “we stand for what you stand for” through persuasion, they poll and poll and poll, and then they decide the absolute most inclusive and least controversial position to take, and then they send their candidates out to be as inoffensive as possible, thereby convincing a plurality that they stand for nothing. Sorry for the length of this response. What was the question?
Well your answer was comprehensive and it underscored my point re failure to organise in between elections rather than turn up a month before.
JVL also thought that the shutdown last fall should have been over DC statehood.
"This is something JVL said last year and is something Democrats demonstrate time and time again: These guys have no clue what time it is."
I'm not going to tell you you're wrong, but I am going to tell you something unpopular: People who talk about politics online understand them even worse than the politicians they criticize do. (And the more ideological are, the more that's true.) Lot of Dunning-Krugerism in the online commentary ecosystem.
One should not underestimate the thickness of his bubble's walls.
I’ve been in electoral politics longer than you have been alive. The US Democratic Party’s general incompetence in the face of this crisis of democracy is beyond comprehension. It’s absolutely shameful.
Yep. And you almost certainly understand politics even worse than 90% of them. People who do things a lot, or do things professionally, are better at them than people who sit off in the peanut gallery and comment on them doing it - this is a simple fact of life.
It's not so much that they're great, just that you'd probably be REALLY, REALLY BAD, and so would I.
I don’t think you know what you’re talking about. I have actually done electoral politics for a long time. For over 50 yrs. The US Democratic Party is failing its partisan base and wider supporters badly. It is disorganised, rudderless and lacks any broad ‘affect’ that sticks between elections. Its Senate leadership is beyond parody. A self respecting Party would have replaced the lot after November 2024. Losers should go away.
If they don’t fight this spending on DHS and the ICE Gestapo then I’m done with the Democrats. There is not one set of balls in the Dems on the hill. We need to start speaking to, and organizing, Independents (which is what I am).
You go to war with the army that you have, not the one you want. Organizing independents has been tried many times and failed. A big reason why is that the basic structure of American governance heavily privileges the two major parties. So if you want to have an impact, you're going to need to pick a party.
I pick the Democrats -- and would suggest that there is more political courage in our congressional delegation than you give them credit for.
Wrong. Totally wrong. The generals need to be replaced. It’s doable but the Dems don’t have the balls to do it. Plenty of young blood to take the place of Schumer and Jeffries, who are incompetent and not ready for the moment.
I get that it can be satisfying to declare that someone on the Internet is wrong, but I would invite you to reread my comment. I didn't say anything about the quality of the party's leadership. I pushed back against the sweeping idea that there are no courageous Democrats in Congress.
Steve, there are many courageous Democrats in Congress. Jake Auchincloss and Jason Crow in the House, and Alyssa Slotkin and Mark Kelly in the Senate. A bright future once current leadership leaves the scene.
Sorry not intending to be controversial, and declaring that someone is wrong is not satisfying to me. I am asserting that Democratic leadership (Schumer, Jeffries) are incompetent and need to be replaced ASAP. The battle ahead for our country requires leadership capabilities they do not possess.
Dan, by saying you want Schumer and Jeffries replaced, you are agreeing with Steve in decrying anyone who would be done with all Democrats forever if they fail a litmus test on radical opposition to ICE. You want a better army. You don't want to fragment off a neo-Weatherman sect. Chuck and Hakeem are clueless spineless corporatist apparatchiks who make me want to vomit. But you don't gain anything by walking away except to leave them in place. In this I think you, Steve and I are all more or less in agreement.
Yes, I want a better army.
Exactly. Schumer has shown not just profound cowardice, but zero political instincts. He only sees the past, the privileged, cocooned, moneyed world that formed him. He is the captain of the Titanic, except he will never go down with the ship. And his cowardice is viral. He and his cohort are greenlighting what ICE is doing, and I for one will never forgive or forget it.
I don't agree with incompetent but agree 100 percent with not ready for the moment.
I meant not competent to lead in this moment, which I believe.
I am not done but i will give no money to any democrat who doesn’t fight for this. I also want Schumer to resign his post and I vote for Corey Booker to replace him!
I've been thinking that the verifiers? The people out on the street night in night out? These groups (I'm in one) are getting more and more organized. And they should start primarying these fossilized losers.
It's a problem that they are so tied into wall street, private equity and the consultants and lobbyists.
The thing to speak to your fellow independents about is primarying some Democrats, as Democrats, not trying to do something outside the party apparatus.
It's what I really am but in Pennsylvania if you want to vote in a primary you have to be one or the other so I hold my nose and am a registered Democrat.
There are gonads in some of those women though.
More gonads than in the men for sure.
I'm emotionally and psychologically with you. We need to work with the crew we have, but put every ounce of money, time, and support into a new crew of people who aren't castrated by consultants, privilege, money, and fear.
They don't understand how many Americans they're alienating by being gutless, err, 'strategic,' especially the Dem senators. They don't have to shout "Abolish ICE!" from the rooftops. They just have to act like they give a shit and show courage and resolve. Which they clearly don't have. It's beyond sad, or even pathetic. It's disgusting.
Disarm ICE. They should be strictly limited to non-lethal rounds. After all they are basically tasked with logistics ops. If they need protection from dangerous thugs during a deportation they can ask local PD to assist.
Don’t the Democrats realize that he is building his own private military, but calling it ICE? He is getting ready for the midterms.
Exactly. Does anyone actually think that TrumpCo is going to scale back ICE, or only attack brown people, or not expand ICE to "protecting election integrity"? What about the suppressing effects on legal citizens who don't want to risk being assaulted or killed by a mercenary army of violent psychopaths?
FFS, there's a violent mercenary army of MAGA cultists assaulting and killing - KILLING - American citizens and residents. How about some "healthcare" for Reenee Good? Or the hundreds of American citizens and legal - legal - residents assaulted, arrested, warehoused for weeks and months, and deported?
Drawing any equivalency between what ICE is doing and 'prioritizing' healthcare - like it's a zero sum game - is not just inhuman, it's stupid. And the senate Dems ducking for cover behind 'healthcare' instead of showing some shred of courage, and ability to manifest that courage, are complicit in what's coming down the pike.
Yup, gonna be interesting at the polls in November.
Dems out of touch. That's like saying a nuclear blast is warm. They don't have the first clue about the level of rage among their beloved constituents.
In sounds to me that you are a man of exceptional vision, political fortitude and connection to the people. When are you going to run for office and show the Democrats how it should be done?
Lovely, but your snark is a little mis-aimed. I'm not a Democrat, I'm an apostate RINO. And I'm very aware how mad y'all get when we gratuitously lecture you on effective politics. But my presence here, on the same side of the barricades as you, is a fact that will remain in place for the duration. We can shit on each other later, but we've all got more fish on the grill for the moment.
I love your attitude, George! And contrary to my lame-assed tribe members, I think we could learn a lot from Republicans. If only that engrained smugness and superiority complex didn't keep kicking and belching, polluting the air until everybody is gagging and going home, again, without having accomplished much in this circular firing squad thus created. We have so much more in common than not. We keep letting them divide us, and unfortunately, the Ds aren't any more astute in figuring out how we're being manipulated than the Rs. So much for superiority.
Thank you Marguerite.
"We're all ignorant, just on different topics" - Mark Twain
She's right us Democrats got a lot to answer for.
That's the first step to recovery.
👍👍
I would jump into the breech except for the fact that I am unelectable for various reasons. Although if the orange thing can be elected.......
James Byham in 28 !
They wouldn't want to upset wall street and their lobbyists and disrupt the money flow. Stock markets at 46 thousand, everything is fine and dandy.
As a Democrat I agree with you fully.
I think it's a mistake to not join this fight on DHS and ICE.
But even if they don't shut it down over that, they have multiple winning issues to force: (1) healthcare, which the senate can force the bill that has now passed the House as a shutdown, and (2) the Epstein files, which DOJ is sitting on, and they can pass a law making sure there is enforcement against Bondi and DOJ, (3) war powers. These are all areas where the Democratic caucus is on the same page, and they enjoy the support of the American people.
If they actually care about healthcare, score a win. They can still campaign on healthcare in 2026 even if they manage to extend the Obamacare subsidies. On Epstein, the public is like 80%-20% and they can force it back into the spotlight, which will be great for 2026. On war powers, no one wants us to invade Greenland. It should be extremely easy to shut the government down in favor of a resolution making it 100% clear Trump cannot attack Greenland.
The idea that they'd roll over when ICE is destroying US cities, Trump is covering up the crimes of Epstein and associates, and Trump is threatening to implode NATO and take us back 100 years to imperialist and colonialist policy, my god.
Meanwhile (!!!):
"Next steps on Greenland could come as soon as a few 'weeks,' a US official tells USA TODAY in an exclusive interview...President Donald Trump's desire to annex Greenland will not be thwarted and there could be meaningful U.S. action related to the Arctic island within 'weeks or months,' according to a senior administration official."
https://www.usatoday.com/story/news/world/2026/01/13/us-greenland-trump-action-news/88145613007/
MEANWHILE (!!!!!!):
"A House Republican on Monday introduced legislation that would give President Trump the authority to annex Greenland and turn it into a U.S. state. Why it matters: The bill is an extreme long-shot, but it serves as a stark display of Republicans' eagerness to prove their loyalty to the president as he muses publicly about acquiring the island territory by force. Lawmakers in both parties have brushed off the notion of invading Greenland and sovereign countries like Mexico and Colombia, but Trump has continued to hammer the idea. An invasion of Greenland, which is an overseas territory of Denmark, could trigger a NATO response under Article 5 of the organization's charter. Driving the news: Rep. Randy Fine, a staunch Trump loyalist from Florida, introduced the two-page bill, called the Greenland Annexation and Statehood Act."
https://www.axios.com/2026/01/12/trump-greenland-annex-republican-bill-congress
Isn't Randy related to the late Larry ? It should be called the Stooge act.
So we can't make DC or Puerto Rico states, but Greenland can be one?
More white folks and white polar bears.
Greenland is demographically 89% inuit -
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Demographics_of_Greenland#Ethnic_groups
My stupid assumption. I was picturing a whole bunch of Danes.
Articles like this normalize the insane.
And here we thought last year was quite the ride! Buckle up as it looks like this rollercoaster is about to do a few loops!
Or go merrily rolling off the tracks.
"DHS funding, period, is a red line for me until they start answering Congress’s questions,” Booker said. “I’ve sent questions about training and professional standards to them for months now, and they haven’t even responded. So if they’re not in compliance with simple oversight questions, why should they get their resources? They have to answer to Congress.”
Come on, Cory, go for the jugular, the federal and state background checks for these madmen with automatic weapons who have no sense of shame or anything other than cuffing, carting off to non-overseen detention facilities, and even killing the Felon's opponents.
How many of them are pardoned J6ers who were properly and legally convicted of federal offenses, or their Oath Keeping, Proud Boy buddies who were there but got away? I bet dollars to donuts that those stats do not exist, not because they have been destroyed, but because they were never collected in the first place. The Felon bought their loyalty with his pardons and they are paying him back in spades.
And much to the consternation of the Democratic leadership, as quasi-federal employees, they get healthcare! So, not very likely to be swayed to the D’s as they continue the battle for just enough healthcare to survive long enough for ICE to expand the scope of their detainment imprimatur….
Yep. There's a violent mercenary army of MAGA cultists assaulting and killing - KILLING - American citizens and residents. How about some "healthcare" for Reenee Good? Or the hundreds of American citizens and legal residents assaulted, arrested, warehoused for weeks and months, and deported? And the senate Dems ducking for cover behind 'healthcare' instead of showing some shred of courage, and ability to manifest that courage, are complicit in what's coming down the pike.
I mean, FFS, we are watching the violent authoritarian takeover of this country in real time. I think it's way too much for many people to see and realize this, that this isn't something that we can hope for a miracle - like the midterms - to reverse.
They're not going to stop. At anything. And if anyone thinks that TrumpCo are going to allow or respect any dissent, including electoral dissent, is not living in reality.
Ugh. THEY DONT LEARN. Is it naïveté or willful CYA ignorance?? THEY GUY WHO MURDERED RENEE GOOD WAS HIGHLY TRAINED AND HIGHLY EXPERIENCED. He’s been in ICE for 13 years and has marinated in the culture of CBP through all of its racism and corruption and lawlessness. He’s a firearm’s instructor!! Mark Warner, do you believe that “more training” would have stopped that murder???? I hate these people.
They are extremely pathetic.
I am an independent who will donate money to any candidate from any party who stands up for democracy and the rule of law. I understand the philosophical differences between the parties but right now I am more concerned about the QUALITY of the candidates. Everyone should do their homework and financially support high quality candidacies and the integrity of the electoral system. And every one should VOTE! One third of eligible voters did not show up in 2024.
Democrats are like frogs in boiling water.
In the real world, the experiment has been done. Frogs will reliably jump out of pots of water being heated towards a boil.
Democrats need to stand firmly against Trump's fascist private army. Stop being dumber than frogs! A portion of the Republicans who like ICE like it because they worship strength. Act stronger than the Trumpists, and some of them will come over to us.
Yup. And they attack YOU when you point this out.
Jeez.
Health care is better for them, so they’re going to tiptoe around the whole bashing in doors and shooting people in the heads Nazi-fascism thing. It might not “play well.”
We need a better system than this two-party, winner take all, “one is weak and one is strong” farcical form of democracy.
What a joke.
"Health care is better for them, so they’re going to tiptoe around the whole bashing in doors and shooting people in the heads Nazi-fascism thing. It might not “play well.”
Thank you for summarizing this attitude so calmly and eloquently. This is exactly what they're doing, this is always their calculation, it's why I have come to literally despise them, and no amount of whataboutism from Democrats' apologists on Substack and other places will convince me that this isn't as despicable and contemptible as I feel it is. I can't stay calm enough to get into all the levels at which this attitude is destructive and irresponsible, and ultimately detrimental to our future.
To draw any kind of equivalency between what ICE is doing and 'prioritizing' healthcare - like it's a zero sum game - is not just inhuman, it's stupid. And the senate Dems ducking for cover behind 'healthcare' instead of showing some shred of courage, and ability to manifest that courage, are complicit in what's coming down the pike.
Schumer and Jeffries have shown not just profound cowardice, but zero political instincts. They only see and care about the privileged, cocooned, moneyed world that formed them, especially Schumer. He is the captain of the Titanic, except he will never go down with the ship. And his cowardice is viral. He and his cohort are greenlighting what ICE is doing, and I for one will never forgive or forget it.
Yes, and here’s the thing: That “autopsy report” the DNC ordered - they’re now keeping it under wraps. Because they don’t like what it shows, because the way they fucked up isn’t the approved version of the official fuckup. Well, fuck! It called their bluff, I suppose, and they don’t want us to follow along and identify every misstep that they’re making from hereon out that the report indicated would be detrimental. But WE don’t need to see the report to know how badly they’re screwing this up, again. Yesterday David Plouffe wrote in the New York Times that unless the Democrats change real fast, they’re going to lose in 28. Again!!! HOWEVER - there will not be any legitimate elections in 28 or even this November. I think it’s our only hope to finally yank that security blanket out of their stupid pudgy hands. They’re banking on our anger to carry them through that election. But there won’t be an election. Will that finally convince them to man up?
I don't think they can or will. It will have to be an end-around, takeover, or irresistible force, like a critical mass of the people and Dem caucus telling him to go. A thought - more of an intimation or image - occurred to me recently of Schumer, clearly stunned and visibly defeated, stepping down following some kind of catastrophic event that made it inarguably clear he's in over his head. Which he is, badly. I think it's my brain telling me some kind of truth. If this is the case - that Schumer truly believes he's the best man for this moment, if his cocoon is so complete that nothing short of catastrophe can penetrate it - then.....I don't know. Just listen to his responses to MN.
It's exactly what happened with Biden, it's endemic to the Dem power structure, and it's a mortal weakness. I think it's time for Indivisible - and everyone else - to make getting him out a priority.
He’s not stepping down any time soon - the Senate is in play now, with the newly declared Alaskan candidate whom he personally recruited - he’s riding high. There’s no way he’s going anywhere. And also, who is there with any clout who could replace him? Who actually is in the senate right now who is a Democrat and under 55? It has to be a leader type figure that people listen to. People like that don’t emerge overnight. They need time to develop their skills. If you are aware of anyone, Steven, please share. And no, I don’t see AOC as a leader in the Senate, I think the world of her, I would love to see her as president one day, but I don’t think she should be in the Senate, not the way it is now. They’re so brow-beaten into defeat, they’re conditioned to be losers. Right now, the Senate is a place where people go to die.
Yeah, Schumer's not going anywhere right now, but after the midterms he has to step down. AOC is awesome, but no. I'm talking about reality. Brian Schatz is my first choice. Watch the interviews with him on youtube - he's smart as hell, quick minded, leads on the front foot, but most of all he's a fighter, a leader, not a technocrat or bloodless parliamentarian. He's 'progressive' but not dogmatically so, makes bipartisan deals but beats people like Hawley up, he's not ugly (this counts), he's the opposite of abrasive even when he's being passionate, he's in his early fifties, and he's been in the Senate since 2012. He hits all the right buttons. He's the guy. I've had my eye on him for over a year after I saw a couple of video interviews.
The problem is the Democratic machine and its stranglehold on Dem politics, but what we're seeing from TrumpCo now is just the beginning. It's going to get much, much worse. If we have elections in November I predict people's patience for Democratic bullshit will be gone. Indivisible's base and power is increasing exponentially, and the number of folks who are more or less in agreement with what we stand for is also going up, every day. It's actually kind of sick, but this is what it took to break the corporatist Clintonian hold on Dem internal politics - a breakdown of society, which is as damning an indictment of functional malevolence as I can imagine.
I am not a Dem basher. I rooted and voted for Hillary (after Sanders in the primary), voted for Obama, voted for Biden. I’ve knocked on thousands of doors for Dems, made hundreds of phone calls, mailed hundreds of letters and postcards. I’ve shut down ‘leftists’ with their bullshit “both sides are equally evil” Dem bashing. But Bernie was right all along, it wasn’t just political rhetoric. The establishment Democratic machine was a willing, even eager partner in our national dance to fascism, and now they want us to just let them back into power? Not a fucking chance. And whether it’s fair or not Schumer is the poster boy for this. If we don’t collapse into complete autocracy I’m going to make it a point to do everything I can to get him out and Schatz or someone like him in. But I’ve had it with working for and defending corporatist incompetents. If the Democratic Party doesn’t fundamentally change, no matter what else happens we WILL end up back where we are now.
ICE is a lawless army, shock troops in the Republican war on blue state America--on Democratic states and cities. The fact that the Democratic leadership is too craven to stand up for the people who put them in office, people who are being harassed, beaten, threatened, jailed, silenced, and gunned down for standing up for their fellow humans and their First Amendment rights fills me with a wild blend of emotions: the two at the top are contempt and despair.
"I don't want to see an increase [to a recently 10x-ed budget for a criminally-bad agency]" is.... A take.
Gotta be honest. I stopped reading past the 2nd "Democrat (and yes hate when it's used that way)!Legislator" . I blame their fecklessness almost as much as I blame the GOP's flat out misanthropy for the the fact the DOJ is currently acting as accessories after the fact of Nicole Good's murder. Too G-damned lame to call things as they are. ICE is a state-sanctioned domestic terror organization, ramping up political terror on the American people. The Administration and it's apoaratchiks consistently engage in stochastic terror (EG: "One of us, all of yours"?) and ICE is will be what the IRGC will be in Iran (only "Christo" as opposed to Islamofacist) and these mooks will be posing with cartons of eggs
Geeeeez Tim, when you put it that way…….I am with you 100%. Maybe the MAGAverse had that “uniparty” thing at least partially correct.
Oh yeah they did for sure.
Sorry for the texting typos BTW. I got "stupid hands" on iOS :)
I am pickin' up what you’re putting down, Brother
Do what I do, blame the stupid phone.
Exactly. And it's pathetic that so many here - and assumedly in this country - cannot or will not see this. The "whattaboutism" is rampant. Just because ICE hasn't assaulted, terrorized, jailed, or killed someone they know or care about apparently means that ICE isn't a violent mercenary army of MAGA cultists rampaging through TrumpCo's perceived political enemies. We are in deep shit.
Thank you for mentioning Rep Scott Perry, who along with Jim Jordan ignored Congress’s subpoenas from the January 6th committee. Typical Republicans going after anyone who featured in the Epstein files that they have allowed to be published, who is not a Republican. Still haven’t released all the files. I wonder why. Great work Joe.
So when the funding for ICE is passed, dems will be asked why they voted to increase spending for a murderous, trump, cult, goon squad and they will be put on defense AGAIN, lose the narrative, bumble the message and talk in circles about how they had to do it to lower prices? Dems are back on the path of snatching defeat from the jas of victory.I despise republicans, but cogressional dems, as a whole, make me nauseous. More squeamish, weak dems should take on the attitude of Minneapolis mayor who eloquently said about ICE: “Get the f*ck out of Minneapolis.” Be strong or be gone dems. This is a real statement fro a real person who knows what is at stake. They are already trying to spin this as an action of self-defense. Having seen the video myself, I want to tell everybody directly: That is bullshit. This was an agent recklessly using power that resulted in somebody dying, getting killed. … To ICE, get the fuck out of Minneapolis. We do not want you here.”