The current majority of the senate mitch McConnell should be replaced by somebody like Mitt Romney if the Gop still has a majority. mitch has done quite enough damage to democracy for a lifetime. Lincoln is probably spinning in his grave.
Democratic leadership (Pelosi, Schumer, etc.) are continuing their catastrophic 'leadership-by-ignoring-the-problem-and-pretending-it-will-disappear-while-failing-to-hold-anyone-accountable' strategy that failed so spectacularly (McConnell packed the courts, Barr destroyed the DOJ, Pompeo trashed the State Department). $10B in weaponry will be sent to the UAE and no one knows why. Is Trump even now selling off any remaining state secrets as the GOP provides cover for a purported authoritarian coup? How is this not a constitutional crisis? The media as usual has no idea what to do, so they are forcing coverage into their safe place. Democracy may not be dead but it's clearly on life support, and only because the people rose up, brilliant activists such as Stacey Abrams and Ben Winkler took the reigns, and Marc Elias's team countered every insane lawsuit. Without new leadership in the House or any coherent messaging, we are on track to see the House majority flip in 2022.
I wanted Pelosi to hold non-stop hearings on Barr, DeJoy, Pompeo, etc. The point was to create speed bumps to fascism....with the GOP fully on board, the House could not have stopped Trump's lawlessness, but they could have slowed it down. I wanted Richard Neal to formally interview the IRS whistleblower who had information about the Trump audit. I wanted Pelosi to fight for election security and a stimulus bill that would last for a year. I wanted Democratic leadership to clearly message what was at stake...Pete Buttigieg was one of the few who bothered to appear on Fox News. The GOP used the word 'socialism' 1,000 times/day for 4 years, and many voted for Trump and GOP Senators because they feared a 'socialist' US. Where was the coordinated counter-messaging from Democratic leadership debunking this conspiracy theory and explaining the very real autocracy occurring in plain sight? If the parties were reversed, we would have seen 4 years of non-stop hearings in the House, and the word 'fascism' would have been spread far and wide. If you think Pelosi and Schumer did absolutely everything possible, then you will be satisfied with their leadership for 4 more years. I believe that absent new leadership, we will lose the House in 2022. We will have to agree to disagree.
I'm inclined to agree with you about Pelosi and the House Democratic caucus doing more to expose GOP malfeasance with committee hearings and investigations. However, I don't believe that Pelosi and Schumer should be the primary sources for developing the meta narratives to attack the GOP as a treasonous, fascistic cabal. They have their hands tied down with trying to manage their respective caucuses and craft legislation while engaging in legislative knife and executive branch fights you and I never see.
I think much more of the blame for developing effective political attack strategies lies with the DNC. DCCC, and DSCC. I keep wondering "Where is Tom Perez? Where are the heads of the DCCC and DSCC? What are they doing to blast the GOP as an authoritarian cult and promote fundamentals of America and our democracy?". I keep seeing Rona Romney McDowell's face all over the place spewing lies and garbage, but Perez has been completely MIA. I literally never saw him speak publicly during the 2020 campaign. Have you? If he and those around him aren't willing or capable of going to war to save our democracy, they are the ones who need to be replaced.
You make excellent, nuanced points, thank you. I completely agree with your arguments. I know that Cheri Bustos is stepping aside as DCCC chief after the House debacle. She was, for all intents and purposes, completely invisible for the past 4 years. It's painful to remember that Tom Perez (who perpetually behaves as though he is an extra on a movie set) won the DNC chair position over Pete Buttigieg, who would have been an infinitely better choice as a leader and communicator. I don't even know who heads the DSCC, which itself is an issue. I truly believe that there was a perception throughout the Democratic leadership (despite the evidence, despite the words of Trump supporters) that all that was necessary was to show the public how terrible Trump was, the pandemic speaks for itself, voters can 'figure it out'. Propaganda is a potent drug...it requires early and continual intervention to change the trajectory. How is it possible that such a basic truth was not acted upon?
Heard chatter about appointing Jaime Harrison to be either DNC or DSCC chairman and he'd be a vast improvement over either of them. Suspect Stacey Abrams will continue to call her own shots and that's for the best. Dems need to stop rewarding loyal mediocrity and embolden the more progressive, media-savvy voices that abound.
Wholly agree...Dems have perpetually brought knives to a gunfight and then whined when they're outgunned. Who can really support the premise that Schumer is an effective party leader? Stacey Abrams, LaTosha Brown, Ben Wikler, and Pete Buttigieg are the future Dem leaders who capitalize on each media appearance and force the public to confront reality. If Dems hope to compete in today's gladiatorial politics, they need to push Schumer and Pelosi aside and not apologize.
They're just not going to let us have a functional democracy. Their policy priorities are unpopular and non-negotiable, so they're finished with democracy. They will need to be forced into submission or removed from office.
The only thing to say is "GOP Delenda Est"
The current majority of the senate mitch McConnell should be replaced by somebody like Mitt Romney if the Gop still has a majority. mitch has done quite enough damage to democracy for a lifetime. Lincoln is probably spinning in his grave.
Democratic leadership (Pelosi, Schumer, etc.) are continuing their catastrophic 'leadership-by-ignoring-the-problem-and-pretending-it-will-disappear-while-failing-to-hold-anyone-accountable' strategy that failed so spectacularly (McConnell packed the courts, Barr destroyed the DOJ, Pompeo trashed the State Department). $10B in weaponry will be sent to the UAE and no one knows why. Is Trump even now selling off any remaining state secrets as the GOP provides cover for a purported authoritarian coup? How is this not a constitutional crisis? The media as usual has no idea what to do, so they are forcing coverage into their safe place. Democracy may not be dead but it's clearly on life support, and only because the people rose up, brilliant activists such as Stacey Abrams and Ben Winkler took the reigns, and Marc Elias's team countered every insane lawsuit. Without new leadership in the House or any coherent messaging, we are on track to see the House majority flip in 2022.
They impeached Trump and only one Senator from the GOP voted to convict. What else do you want? Try to be remotely realistic.
I wanted Pelosi to hold non-stop hearings on Barr, DeJoy, Pompeo, etc. The point was to create speed bumps to fascism....with the GOP fully on board, the House could not have stopped Trump's lawlessness, but they could have slowed it down. I wanted Richard Neal to formally interview the IRS whistleblower who had information about the Trump audit. I wanted Pelosi to fight for election security and a stimulus bill that would last for a year. I wanted Democratic leadership to clearly message what was at stake...Pete Buttigieg was one of the few who bothered to appear on Fox News. The GOP used the word 'socialism' 1,000 times/day for 4 years, and many voted for Trump and GOP Senators because they feared a 'socialist' US. Where was the coordinated counter-messaging from Democratic leadership debunking this conspiracy theory and explaining the very real autocracy occurring in plain sight? If the parties were reversed, we would have seen 4 years of non-stop hearings in the House, and the word 'fascism' would have been spread far and wide. If you think Pelosi and Schumer did absolutely everything possible, then you will be satisfied with their leadership for 4 more years. I believe that absent new leadership, we will lose the House in 2022. We will have to agree to disagree.
I'm inclined to agree with you about Pelosi and the House Democratic caucus doing more to expose GOP malfeasance with committee hearings and investigations. However, I don't believe that Pelosi and Schumer should be the primary sources for developing the meta narratives to attack the GOP as a treasonous, fascistic cabal. They have their hands tied down with trying to manage their respective caucuses and craft legislation while engaging in legislative knife and executive branch fights you and I never see.
I think much more of the blame for developing effective political attack strategies lies with the DNC. DCCC, and DSCC. I keep wondering "Where is Tom Perez? Where are the heads of the DCCC and DSCC? What are they doing to blast the GOP as an authoritarian cult and promote fundamentals of America and our democracy?". I keep seeing Rona Romney McDowell's face all over the place spewing lies and garbage, but Perez has been completely MIA. I literally never saw him speak publicly during the 2020 campaign. Have you? If he and those around him aren't willing or capable of going to war to save our democracy, they are the ones who need to be replaced.
You make excellent, nuanced points, thank you. I completely agree with your arguments. I know that Cheri Bustos is stepping aside as DCCC chief after the House debacle. She was, for all intents and purposes, completely invisible for the past 4 years. It's painful to remember that Tom Perez (who perpetually behaves as though he is an extra on a movie set) won the DNC chair position over Pete Buttigieg, who would have been an infinitely better choice as a leader and communicator. I don't even know who heads the DSCC, which itself is an issue. I truly believe that there was a perception throughout the Democratic leadership (despite the evidence, despite the words of Trump supporters) that all that was necessary was to show the public how terrible Trump was, the pandemic speaks for itself, voters can 'figure it out'. Propaganda is a potent drug...it requires early and continual intervention to change the trajectory. How is it possible that such a basic truth was not acted upon?
Heard chatter about appointing Jaime Harrison to be either DNC or DSCC chairman and he'd be a vast improvement over either of them. Suspect Stacey Abrams will continue to call her own shots and that's for the best. Dems need to stop rewarding loyal mediocrity and embolden the more progressive, media-savvy voices that abound.
Wholly agree...Dems have perpetually brought knives to a gunfight and then whined when they're outgunned. Who can really support the premise that Schumer is an effective party leader? Stacey Abrams, LaTosha Brown, Ben Wikler, and Pete Buttigieg are the future Dem leaders who capitalize on each media appearance and force the public to confront reality. If Dems hope to compete in today's gladiatorial politics, they need to push Schumer and Pelosi aside and not apologize.
They're just not going to let us have a functional democracy. Their policy priorities are unpopular and non-negotiable, so they're finished with democracy. They will need to be forced into submission or removed from office.