Rep. Pelosi lost me with her undermining Representative Ocasio-Córtez for ranking member of the Oversight Committee. Representative Connolly is a good man battling cancer at seventy-four years old. People my age on up need to step aside for younger, much younger, leadership. 🙏
It is not our world anymore. 🤭
If Rep. Ocasio-Córtez is too out there, there are other moderates in the Democratic Party like Rep. Moulton. The younger members need to work things out to establish a coalition that addresses needs too long neglected by out of touch Congress(wo)men. Unless, of course, we more shocks like that of two months election. 😰
I firmly agree. Ms. Pelosi made a bad choice for our future.
I talk to everyone I meet about voting and running for office, and why it's so important to be active when it comes to our governance. I've been told, 'run for office. I'll vote for you!' My response is that at 71 yrs. young, I am not the future. But I will give my full support to the youth among us who want to serve to protect their futures and those of future generations.
Democrats will continue to lose elections if they insist on retaining the oldest representatives, many who themselves have become self-serving having gained wealth and power in their positions, and failing to pass legislation to stop that behavior in our politics.
The one thing I am looking into is running for the local board of education. I feel it is vital that our youth is taught civics and know how important it is to their futures to be active in choosing who speaks for them in government. This lesson should be taught early on in schools. It's something I would pursue in that position, and the least I can do for the health of our Democracy.
AOC has made a career out of attacking Democrats. The Justice Dems PAC for which she was VP of the Board tweeted in 2017 its mission was to destroy the Democratic Party . She continued her role as VP during her first campaign (which was illegal) then finally resigned. Her first Chief of Staff called Sharice Davids, the first Native American rep who flipped a red seat in Kansas a "racist". She threatened to primary CBC incumbents and called out Hakeem Jeffries specifically. Justice Dems primaried several Democratic incumbents in Blue seats (never Republicans) causing them to expend money and energy that would have been better spent against Republican candidates. On her first day in office she participated in a protest in the Speaker Pelosi's office. She credited Bernie Sanders for her parents having CHIP insurance for her when she was a child. (??). Oh, and she hasn't introduced any bills which have been passed. In 3 sessions of Congress. In the face of the danger posed by the Trump administration I thought her efforts to sabotage and undermine the opposition party not helpful and I'm being very kind here.
Now I'm sure there are liberals who applaud her actions as "taking it to the old, evil and corrupt Democrat man/woman" But the reality is success in any endeavor or organization is based on negotiating and forming alliances with colleagues to accomplish goals which benefit that organization and the people in it. Gaining respect of your peers is critical to success. If you're serious about your constituents you listen to them, craft legislation to address their concerns, and forge the alliances needed to do the work of achieving the desired outcome. She has behaved the the new company hire who on the first day on the job trashes the lunches in the fridge and leaves a plate of Kelp Krunch with the note "I've noticed you all need to lose some weight. You're welcome."
Before she assumes any leadership roles in the Democratic caucus she needs to demonstrate an ability to do the work required to actually legislate which includes working with and supporting Democratic Congressional colleagues.
She was so active last year—last year!—in recruiting lefty Democrats to challenge incumbent House Dems that she made a point in her campaign to win the ranking member slot to pledge not to to it anymore.
I am not at all surprised that incumbent dems voted against her 2 to 1.
She could never win election in a swing district and seems to have no understanding of what it takes to win in Ohio, FL, or many other red or purple locales.
Let's not get too focused on just AOC. The Democratic Party needs to develop their younger talent. They are already there--waiting for the old guard to step aside.
Perhaps its time for a bit less "negotiation" and a bit more change in the Democratic Party.
The idea that a 74 year old man with esophageal cancer would be a better choice than a very sharp woman half his age? That makes me seriously wonder about the choices of the Democrats in charge. They have made quite a few questionable choices lately.
I quit the Dems when Clinton was in office. He slashed welfare and pushed NAFTA through. Most Dems have moved right ever since. Biden got some great stuff done. Bernie and AOC and a few others have been pushing for a return to the New Deal. Most Dems are angling for corporate money to fund their campaigns. Lower income Americans support the changes that Bernie and AOC work on. Last night James Carville said on The Beat, MSNBC, that Dems need to get work done immediately that working people will see is to their benefit. Raise the minimum wage. Start UBI. Get child care. Get more prices down on RX.
President Clinton lost me, too. I voted for Vice President Gore only because I felt anyone who worked under President Clinton for eight years and was not a complete sleaze-bag. In the 2016, I vote for Senator / Secretary Clinton but felt the wrong Party's Elders intervened. Senator Sanders should have permitted to run and my erstwhile Party's Elders should not have caved to Trump. They should have intervened and nominated someone with similar politics but not an evident Mussolini facsimile.
I do not agree with a lot of the politics of Representative Ocasio-Córtez. Yet her voice counts, too. It is her future and that of moderate Democrats; they will have to work out a coalition, which a sclerotic Party leadership hinders. That Chief of Staff resigned soon after making a statement that Representative Davids had voted for a racist measure. Since your commentary is more of a diatribe, I will step off the merry-go-round here.
Making alliances, learning how to negotiate has very little to do with following anyone’s footsteps but taking it all in, leaning from past mistakes and being transparent about what one stands for. While I recognize important and revenant policies and leadership by Pelosi, no one should feel ashamed of saying the truth about Democratic establishment and Big Money.To that effect, Bill Moyers, throughout his active career (so very grateful) did an incredible service to journalism, civics, and raising the bar and alarms (disregarded by many Big Money Dems) of money and politics. Ever wonder why Bernie remains an Independent? And by the way, don’t miss his interview with Alex Friedman (check Podcast). That level of transparency and true commitment to a government that works for all Americans is what has been missing.
celeste, Local school board positions are very important because regressives are trying to take control of them. We have had a few messes here in Oregon thanks to that element.
"My response is that at 71 yrs. young, I am not the future.”
In one way yes, but you may well be the repository of knowledge upon which that future will be built. Democracy is a very long game, and its maintenance requires those who understand the nature of long games and the ability to play them with skill and patience as well as those who have the force and the impatience of youth.
Democracy is as much about character as it is about anything else.
¡BINGO! I re-read 'The Culture of Narcissism' by Christopher Lasch. Supposedly a Marxist, he sounded more like a mourning communalist when he wrote: "The real value of accumulated wisdom of a lifetime is that it can be handed on to future generations. Our society, however, has lost this conception of wisdom and knowledge. It holds an instrumental view of knowledge, according to which technological change constantly renders knowledge obsolete and, therefore, non-transferable."
The key point for me, as an oldster, is that age and time do confer wisdom, but not universally. The differentiating ingredient here may well be humility -- a tricky quality to see in one's self. Yet I can see it in Celeste et al. This humility may well be why Representative Ocasio-Córtez backed Senator Markey -- a man who impresses me as having wisdom -- over Representative Joseph Kennedy III. Thanks.
Yes, humility is an essential. I’m with Socrates on this one (or, as always, what Plato said he said) - the wisest man among us is he who understands that he doesn’t know everything.
As to Lasch, I haven’t read his book, but I believe he missed something crucial. Technological change can change nearly everything except human nature itself (at least not yet, although if those genetic engineers continue to play with their new toys, that may change as well). And so in a very crucial way, it changes nothing.
We are a hopelessly parochial species, something clearly reflected in our stubborn determination to separate ourselves into a plethora of different groups by any means and for any reason we can come up with, and then all too often glare at each other balefully over the artificial boundaries we’ve thus created. Periodically of course, we turn the glares into something far more destructive. And here our ceaseless technological advances have made it possible for that destructive capacity to increase geometrically.
Ned, you are right, wisdom does not always come with age especially if someone's ego is involved. That applies to everybody of whatever political persuasion. it requires humility and the ability to listen which is often in short supply among all people. I want to see progress and agree with many progressive principles. To me politics is the art of the possible. AOC's politics would not do well in my congressional district here in Oregon. This is why I had to hold my nose and vote for Kurt Schraeder for a few years. His opponents were always worse and no one calling themselves a socialist was going to win. Now we have two districts. One is mine, represented by a Latina; the other, by a black woman. She beat the R who is now on tap to be labor secretary. So she can claim to be bipartisan, but somehow that rings false.
Actually, it’s not as much about character as it is about policy.
Character doesn’t determine the agenda conditions on the ground determine the agenda. And policies and agenda are what impact every American and every day. Certainly a person of character can make a good impression AND A DIFFERENCE , and it would be great to find a person like that. The last person who had the kind of character that we’re all looking for just died the other day by the name of Jimmy Carter and there hasn’t been one since then. Reagan was close perhaps but Carter did more after his presidency than any president in recent history. He was a genuine, good man, and a genuine man of character. But in today’s society, I doubt there ever will be another like him
If you’re looking for someone with character, don’t vote for president
Vote for his agenda vote for his policies, vote for what you think will make the citizens of America safer, more prosperous and freer that’s just my opinion
Good policies don’t come from a void. And the man or woman who is, by definition one who ought to share and promote the ideals upon which we were founded ought to stand out as just that. If that is not a question of character, I really don’t know what is.
Three of the most basic elements of our Republic are the validity of our electoral process, the rule of law, and adherence to the basic elements Constitution'
Freedom itself is a much a question of accepting the responsibilities it demands as it is of the range of actions it allows.
A nation’s safety as well as its definition depend on a reasonable balance of individual rights and community safety.
A nation’s prosperity is measured not by the great prosperity of a few, but of the adequate prosperity of as many as possible and a reasonable levle of support for those who fall below that level.
I’m not going to involve myself in a discussion of the characters of all our presidents, but it is clear that when we most needed men (so far) of character, we got them. Washington, Lincoln, FDR to name a few. None of them were perfect, but each one brought to the job a full sense of who were designed to be and a willingness to do what they could to promote that. In the process one helped to build a nation, one saved that nation, and one helped greatly to save the world from the worst two scourges it has ever endured.
Donald Trump is so far from anything resembling those three men in both character and understanding of and adherence to those three pillars of our Republic as is imaginable.
Why not vote on the basis of whether he actually delivers what he promised whilst campaigning? Trump failed to deliver last time and to top it off he allowed hundreds of thousands of Americans to die unnecessarily from SARS-CoV-2.
You see what I mean I was right you're over the top. Your blood pressure is boiling. You're saying things you shouldn't be saying and I feel sorry for you that your hate is so strong.
There's nothing worse than armchair quarterback, so think they know how to stop a once a century global pandemic with a new virus that was caused by the way by American participation.
Go take a couple of Xanax and calm down we'll talk another time when you calm down and come to your senses
The young people are the future, and they have to learn how to lead, and how to get things done. We must teach and then trust them to take on the responsibility of the government in the future. AOC is learning, and one day I hope will be a Nancy Pelosi.
And, yet, if it were not for Nancy Pelosi for the last 8 years Democrats in the House would not have been at all relevant. She kept us all from the total Trump mess in his first administration. She knows all the ways and rules to make things happen and guard the democracy. She stepped down from Speaker when Biden won and supported fully the new Democratic Leader of the House. Leader Jeffries has had her support and he truly has become the leader. Thus, in general the Democrats have stayed together. And are much better able against this new administration.
The new generations have to learn from the past as well as lead in this new reality. I plan to encourage these bright representatives to push hard for democracy and the good of the people they represent.
Representative Jeffries's speech after Squeaker Johnson's re-election to a hot-seat was statesmanlike, principled, and magnanimous. ❤️ He will, hopefully, be a fine Speaker in 2027 when his season comes. 🤞 https://youtu.be/FPjtQtzHwJY
It seems that running a campaign is becoming a effort only the wealthy can afford. While many of us here have budgets, then again, there are many of us here! I would encourage you or any others who run for office to include links so we can send $5 or $10 to the campaigns.
Youth is good, Celeste, if it's accompanied by savvy. We need people in leadership positions who know what they're doing and how to get it done. Age is not a factor in and of itself in that calculation.
100% agree. It is so weird that there has not been a national uprising with Democratic Party voters to oust these worn-out stale leaders who managed to lose this election. We need a clean sweep of the Democratic Party Leadership.
Yes.... let's not go overboard in our zeal to focus on 'new blood'. We need both youth AND the experience of age in order to combat Mumpism. Please let's not get into infighting that ends up weakening the party further.
Electing younger persons to office should not be done willy-nilly. There are good people in the House who could advise and mentor young folks. But there are older people in office (both parties) who are past their prime. Change is inevitable. Done wisely, it can be great for everyone.
Maybe you need to research what the Dems have accomplished in the last four years - while battling MAGA the entire time...and just a note, the Dems did not LOSE this election. Start researching that as well.
Ma'am. I have memorized Joe Biden's accomplishments starting with the first 90 days when his Administration vaccinated 200 million Americans.
The need to kick some Democratic Party ass is in no way negating the massive legacy of the Biden Administration.
When people stop letting the Republicans push us around and welcome new leadership into the Party, we will stop being drowned out by the madness engulfing the Country.
Agreed....big mistake on Pelosi. T won because the nation wants to tear down a government that increasingly works only for the rich. Her move reflected that ideology.
Some on the Left are not learning. They still believe division is a winning strategy. It is not.
I agree that a gerontocracy is a disservice. And in fact, the extraordinary Nancy Pelosi stepped aside for the much younger Hakeem Jeffries who is doing a fine job in leadership.
We cannot be 'one issue' voters - unless that issue is democracy. And we unite behind Democratic candidates and Democratic elected officials.
We cannot let our feelings get in the way of our strategy to effectively take power. Fits of pique get in the way of using the power we have and of winning the power we need to stop the Republican 'legal' revolution which is replacing a democratic republic with a Corporate ChristoFascist state.
Thank you. Let's stop the infighting and the tritely referred to circular firing squad.
There is one powerful issue that can be the center pole of the Democratic Party. Economic Justice. Economic Populism.
Every Democrat, most Independents and even some Republicans will agree that the billionaires are taking over, growing their already massive fortunes as a result. While workers wages have barely budged in 40 years.
The Waltons have over $400 BILLION. And FULL TIME Walmart workers are on Medicaid and eligible for SNAP benefits. Taxpayers are subsidizing the rich. It is socialism for the wealthy!
$50 Trillion has gone to the top 1%. That is what I call the theft of our national treasure. This is a "Let them eat cake" moment.
In the richest nation in the history of the world, there is no excuse for millions of Americans to have housing and food insecurity. No excuse for any American to go without good healthcare. No valid excuses. NONE.
So please. Let's stop the bickering about AOC or Nancy or anything else that distracts us from a unified attack on the Oligarchy being installed by President elect Putz.
Well spoken, Bill. And it's the message that the Biden admin (and Harris campaign) tried to convey, with an honest record of results. But it's still discouraging to see Trump flags and and banners displayed in front of beaten-down houses, whether in the city or countryside, in the expectation that he is their economic savior. That they didn't see what Biden has done for our country, or the promise that Harris/Walz had to continue this economic growth is infuriating, and will be a difficult hurdle to overcome.
Who will the next Democratic "savior" be? It's a rhetorical question at the moment. I do agree with those who say the Dem party has become ossified.
I wonder if the ossification is due less to age and more to the distressing reality that Big Money now seems to control everything, including whether or not one can get elected. R's can focus their energy on winning bc this is not a concern for them, but D's who don't want to be beholden to Big Money have to figure out another way to win. We absolutely must find a way to overturn rulings like Citizens United and other forms of permission for legalized bribery.
And yet they spent $2 billion on his pass campaign, so much for not caring about money and had at least 80 billionaire donors, but supposedly had over a double that including down ballots
Rump is their savior because Fox News told them that.
I went for a short drive the other day, and I was disgusted by how many of those flags are still hanging outside homes in my rural community... though I did see one handmade flag that said "Hate does not make America great," a sentiment that I wholeheartedly share.
Hooray. I admire one relative immensely. He runs a small business and believes he would benefit more under Trump. But he did not vote for Trump because of his utter lack of decency and character.
If there will ever be a Democratic Savior” I believe we have learned the hard way that it must be US. All of us, everyday, in every way demanding the change we know most Americans want. The way out of this shit show is as complex as the reasons we are here in it. So, all the spaghetti of ideas we must thrown at the wall. Let’s figure out what sticks and build on that.
Could not agree more. This remark reflects my age: the Democrats need to stop looking for the next President John or Senator Robert Kennedy or the next President Obama; the Democrats need to quit worrying so much about 'winnable' candidates.
Senator McGovern and Vice President Mondale, both fine men, were shellacked two-to-three generations ago. Their shadows should be the better elements of their platforms which may have been ahead of their time.
Truth be told, I have to chuckle because, as a College Republican, I penned an article advocating that Senator McGovern's idea of $3 billion of reparations to Viêt Nam proposed in the late 1970s (roughly $13 billion today) should proceed. Now reconstruxion aid is a routine part of intra-and-post-conflict funding packages.
Sadly, it is routine because conflicts have become routine.
Why can’t we all agree on term limits which will stop average citizens will become Congress people for a life and of course multimillionaires after that.
The ossification is not a problem about either the Democratic or the Republican Party - it is our binary political party system, initiated during Washington’s administration and formalized in the 1830’s. Ever since, it has acted to force voters into an either/or (read ‘us and them’) situation which has seldom allowed for the kind of multi-faction situation that Madison envisioned and which would give us far more alternatives.
You have a fine insight there, James. I come from families of Republicans, yet my parents broke with many of their relatives to vote for Presidents Kennedy, Johnson, and Carter as well as Senator Humphrey. Starting in 1980, they voted Republican until their deaths. Knowing my parents, they would never have supported Trump.
Like many others, I have feet on both sides of the continental divide.
In my misbegotten youth, my straddling leaned oh so slightly left; then more heavily right; now left again. The election of Trump and the kowtowing to him broke my allegiance to the Republican Party; the confirmation of Justice Kavanaugh ended it.
These days, I am a hapless Indie in my rageing and ageing. I used to be a curmudgeon before my time. Pathetically, I am simply a curmudgeon on schedule. 😉🤬🥳
The trumpers with whom I have spoken are not ogres or stupid. At least in our conversations, they indicate that they have not given up on the republican experiment but have come to believe that the republican experiment has given up on them.
Please keep in mind that I have spoken only to a few such voters, and not ones with the beaten down houses.
Nonetheless, I would not be surprised however, if these few, including half my extended family, comprise a representative sample and their feelings are close to those in the beaten down houses.
Do you know what’s interesting to me as I’ve been a nonpartisan for over 40 years my four favorite presidents are two Democrats and two Republicans . I don’t understand how people can vote by party versus voting for the individual that most resembles their ideals, and what they can do for the country as a whole. I live in Nevada now, and very interestingly Nevada’s largest party at 40% of the electorate Are the NP’S
nonpartisan. Followed by about 30% Democrat and 20% Republican and I think there’s one more state in the northeast that has the same breakdown.
Policy shouldn’t be relegated to one party or the other
And that creates the divide as they become more black and white with little agreement. Albeit the foundations of the thoughts and the essence of the baseline policy, might be agreed-upon if we weren’t so divided.
Again....Sun Tzu says in The Art of War......do not interupt your enemy when they argue and disagree. Bill and Bob are correct is calling out to stop the infighting!!!!!
This time needs to be used to pull together and form the resistance.
In 6 months when to deportations and tariffs start to take effect.......those maggot flags and signs will start to vanish.......
Grocery prices are going up....food shortages???? Who will be working the fields???? You already know about the tariffs.........
Bravo, Bill Alstrom! Everyone in public life, being human, makes mistakes. That’s what paying attention is about—being ready to congratulate for good decisions.
Hakim Jeffries showed the wisdom of Nancy Pelosi yesterday with a really excellent passing-the-gavel speech.
These things need to be sorted out Bill. These issues of how the election was lost, who in Democratic Leadership needs to step aside and what exactly is the Democratic Party today must, must be dealt with before we can move forward.
The Democratic Party failed in its mission in 2024. We need to build a completely new Party and this includes some bickering, hurt feelings and honest discussions.
Bickering is indeed normal. Demonizing each other over favorite and pet issues is self destructive. We need a forceful platform presented by a charismatic leader. And IMHO, it is economic justice.
Agree. I have no idea how to break the sound barriers of a biased media, brainwashed voter bloc and a massive disinformation campaign. The Democrats do wonderful work for the Country. It boggles the mind this doesn't get realized. Let's coalesce around a strong platform and stronger leaders. Meanwhile the next few years will take everyone's wits to combat.
We could all use big National Democratic Party group hug about now.
So pursuant to your statement about the billionaires, what has either party done about this? Because both parties have been in power.
And billionaires are simply yesterday, millionaires with inflation being considered. Many people in this country aspire to be millionaires that’s the American dream. And how do you think all these millionaires became billionaires?
Racist right wing religious extremists appropriated Civil Rights Movement strategic voting.
The blood heirs and ideological heirs of the Confederacy - the GOP of god, guns, and greed - united at the ballot box in order to overturn civil rights progress.
Let's stop whining and cavilling about who's right or wrong in their opinions. Let's vote for able representatives and leave it at that. This endless critique of our own is pointless. If you want someone who stands for civil rights, get him or her on the ballot and vote for them. That's all it takes.
Lauren, we've done that. But the other side has been reasonably successful at nominating and electing those who don't stand for civil rights (in the broadcast sense of the term.)
Lauren, you are so right you are so correct. But it goes far beyond civil rights. Vote for the candidate I wish nonpartisan candidates had a better chance of winning an election
How “Empowering” is it for a person to break laws and get away with it?
How “Empowering” is it for a person to do crappy business things and get away with it?
How “Empowering” is it for a person to do immoral behaviors and get away with it?
The purpose of Punishment is to (hopefully) prevent future law breaking, crappy business crap, and immorality. If a person continually “gets away with it” and never gets punished, then why would that person change his/her behavior?
More importantly: If a nation has laws, rules, standards, expectations, etc. for its citizens and doesn’t enforce its laws, rules, standards, expectations, etc., how strong, viable, honorable is that nation? WHEN will that nation eventually collapse?
MOST importantly, if that law-breaking, crappy business, immoral person is one of the leaders of the nation, will that nation’s collapse be escalated?
The only thing I disagree with, Paul, is that the President Neglect can ever change, no matter how much he's censured or how few vote for him. He takes his less-than-50% of the vote as a mandate to be exactly who he is. He doesn't just lie to all of us, he lies to himself. A very small person with a very big megaphone.
Yes, I agree that Trump will never change. However, my FOCUS is not on Trump. It is on the United States and We, the People. There are MILLIONS of US citizens who “celebrate” getting away with stuff - law-breaking, crappy business deals, immorality, etc. and Trump, Musk, Bezos, Ramaswamy, Gaetz, Bannon, Tucker, Miller, Hegseth…the list goes on and on - these folks our fellow Americans honor and respect. We, the People are in deep doo-doo.
Indeed we are. We were put into deep doodoo by 60% of white voters, 70% of white working class voters, and 80% of white evangelical voters. Those voters insist on doodoo. They flood the zone with it at every opportunity.
lin+ I've never been a one issue voter, but after reading today's letter what ran through my mind is "is there not a SINGLE woman worthy of chairing a committee? Seriously?" I wish the female GOP voters would AT LEAST get annoyed enough that they vote for the females in the primaries.
Here's to Wisconsin Dems example and to WI Dems chair Wikler for DNC chair. They've demonstrated the diligence and tenacity for what it takes to make significant progress at the state level.
If we are to stop “beating the January 6th drum”, then we might as well stop beating the Constitutional drum as well. The question is not how many voters do or do not care about what happened that day, but how many ought to if they truly understand the nation we were designed to be.
The Jan 6 Trump insurrection and Republican election denial are not political issues, they are an historical fact.
Spotlighting, investigating, and speaking of it is not an exercise in 'shaming.' It is an exercise in 'truth and reconciliation.' It is an exercise in coming to consensus through reasoned debate of empirical evidence.
We preserve the Constitution by upholding the rule of law.
As we prepare for the next president of the US pardoning his insurrectionists (much as GHW Bush, Bill Barr et al put the Iran-Contra miscreants beyond the reach of the law, much as Mitch McConnell and the Roberts Court put Trump beyond the reach of the law) - we must focus on this remarkable event in American history.
"Similarly, judges, lawyers, and the law were among the things Hitler most despised, and his regime was one long assault on the rationality, predictability, and integrity of the law."
Benjamin Carter Hett, The Death of Democracy: Hitler's Rise to Power and the Downfall of the Weimar Republic
If simply winning elections were the only criteria involved in preserving the Constitution, we would have lost it long ago, well before the Civil War.
‘Shaming' is a wholly inaccurate way of describing those who incited and participated in the assault on the capital.
The only thing which will save the Constitution, if it is to be saved at all is if enough Americans who both understand and care about its promise defeat in the voting booth those who do not. And that understanding has to include a clear comprehension of and a willingness to call out those who do not.
You know and I know this is not what I was saying.
Again. We need to stop trying to use January 6 as a means to convince the MAGA and non MAGA voter that this one issue is why they should vote Democratic.
For Hakeem Jeffries to stand before the House of Representatives after the Republicans just executed a clean sweep in the 2024 election and try and shame them about January 6 is not a good game plan nor is it an appropriate way to remember J6. Jeffries came across as self-righteous and condescending.
Stop using the January 6 tragedy as a political wedge folks.
Barbara Mullen, I know the J6 Perp conviction data pretty well, DOJ titled "CapitolAttack" data.
I will be intently investigating which convicted persons are NOT pardoned such as a valuable Seditionists (1 name) who cooperated with DC's USAO & escaped incarceration or those who were never sung in the "Choir".
Totally agree. People in our age demographic need to serve as mentors and build leadership and step aside. Work to guide those young people understanding they will make mistakes. Have the problem throughout the Congress in both parties. It is hard to give up power, but only when one starts to share power does one get stronger. As in sports, the best coaches build leader on the playing field and in their coaching staff. The best coachews get their staff members plucked for new positions. Same in business. If only our politicians did the same. Money is the issue, too lucrative to be a politician.
100%. As a nurse, I have years of experience that I am now using as an instructor to cultivate the next generation of nurses. I can't be at the bedside forever. Our elected leadership are killing our future by hanging onto power for too long. They need to step aside and be the elder statesmen. They'll still make tons of money. We need so much reform.
True, the G.O.P. is clogged, too, though it has made some head-way. I think it is less political than generational (i.e., the self-centeredness of too many baby boomers).
Yeah, so long as the Democrats continue the practice of name-calling such as fascist misogynist, xenophobic and other isms, they’re going to continue to lose so you’re right they’re not learning.
If they want to win, they have to go back to their long suit which is fighting for the middle class and those unable to fight for themselves. they lost the fight in this cycle by needlessly attacking their opponent versus talking about what they’re good at. They also ruined it for themselves by the coup that they staged against Joe Biden, and installing a candidate who is not the most capable that they had in the party which they could’ve avoided if they would’ve invoke the 25th amendment shortly into his presidency, acknowledging his declining mental Capacity
Of what country? She had no policies….no direction..no plan. AND IF you think that her VIEW interview didn’t bury here, which indicated she would just follow Joe’s agenda she would have gotten swamped in the election. 68% of the country on almost ALL POLLS said the country was headed in the wrong direction.
If there had been polls all throughout our history, we’d have found that at various times they favored slavery, excluding women from the franchise, Jim Crow, Vietnam, etc
Of course people favored slavery. Do you ever hear about the civil war do you ever hear of women’s rights to vote? Did you not see the protest during Vietnam? What are you talking about? Those were Physical LIVE polls not written polls
There have always been Polls only now people like the lady in Nebraska has potentially ruined that and all those poles that suggested that Pamela and Trump were retired when they obviously were not including her own internal poll that they themselves took
That is wrong "Rick"; you are now a contractually defined "Reader" bound by Substack Inc's 9/24 TOU & the Platform's choice of law that requires good faith & fair dealing.
Well, I can point this out. You have to prove to me that he’s a fascist because he’s not because people in this country in government aren’t able to become fascist because they have checks and balances unless you wanna consider executive orders like forgiving student loans or stopping fracking or natural gas or commuting sentences of the most vehement vile criminals we’re sending money to other countries to incite a war with no end when we need the money here to help our homeless and our poor.
By the way, the Miss misogynist in chief placed two women in the highest posts and positions in his cabinet the first and second most powerful positions in his cabinet are women appointed by the misogynist
I’m just suggesting to you, David that the left keep using this rhetoric. It only isolate you more in the eyes of the right and makes them more resolute. That’s all I’m saying.
Better to stick with the policies that you want to win and not quit demeaning 77 million people because those are the same people that voted for Joe Biden four years ago
A coup would have been running someone other than Kamala Harris. When we voted in the primaries we voted for the Biden/Harris ticket. I was proud to cast my vote for Harris. History will remember Biden as one of our best Presidents even if the present-day media refuses to report on the good he has done.
Thank you, Donna. 🤝 I am still depressed about Vice President Harris and I basically have a conservative personality. 😢 She really tried to heal the country with a more open tent open to future debates and disagreements. 💔 A lot of traditional Republicans appreciated her efforts, including for Reps Cheney and Kinzinger. 😢
Yes, Senator Sanders nailed it when he said the middle class abandoned the Democrats because the Democrats had abandoned them. I disagree about the coup against President Biden. Many of us were disappointed when he announced he would run for a second term.
I would have voted for and I liked him, but he was frail and I had voted for President Biden in 2020 on the impression and premise that he was running for one term. I agree with Bill Katz on Vice President Harris. she tried really hard to build a coalition based on patriotism with room for disagreement.
Very discouraging that she and Governor Gipper lost.
Greg, I don’t know what you’re thinking. I’m not denying the truth. I’m denying fiction. The truth is that you can’t understand why the Democrats lost this election which I’ve said earlier is unfathomable to me. The party is in disarray. There is no assure and firm leader. Joe Biden was a complete disaster and that’s why you lost. And people here can’t accept that. And if you think Donald Trump was so bad, how in the hell was he reelected if things were so good under Joe Biden
The very same electorate that elected Joe Biden Joe Biden and then Donald Trump again is the same electorate.
Name-calling doesn’t work offending 77 million. People won’t work put together a qualified candidate with an agenda that is acceptable to the majority of people and regardless of sex they will win period.
I know I shouldn’t feed the troll but are you seriously unwilling to acknowledge the role that Musk played in any of this? And no one finds it strange that all swing states were win by just enough votes as to not trigger recounts? I’m personally tired of having to sound like a conspiracy theorist when pointing out clearly obvious reasons to doubt the legitimacy of this election.
So I guess you’re trying to tell me that other rich billionaires didn’t make an impact on the Democrat party and their decisions to do certain things and supporting them in an election while you should acknowledge at 80 some billionaires that donated to the democratic campaign and has been suggested that as many as 161 billionaires donated to all the democrat campaigns, including down ballots on the Democrat side.
The biggest impact on this country Recently is indeed from Elon musk, but it has nothing to do with the presidency. It has to do with him putting profits aside and investing $40 billion in a losing economic venture and cause to keep free-speech alive in this country by purchasing Twitter.
It wasn’t free on Google. It’s wasn’t free on Facebook. AND it wasn’t free on other social mediums nor legacy media, nor major newspapers in the country. And now, at least one of them is. I,m just showing you how the people here only like to hear what they think now there’s a new social media website called blue sky.
Twitter used to be 69% Democrat 31% Republican… now it’s 50-50 and because of that people are fleeing to blue sky because they don’t want to hear an opposing opinion that you might hear on X now.
Every party has its Musk’s . The Democrats have Soros, who not only got involved with presidential politics, but went all the way down to judges around the country. And was called out for it.
Let us see what D0GE is able to accomplish and see if they can streamline government and eliminate fraud and waste. But you can’t until Trump takes office so again, put away your predictions for now
President Biden was not a candidate for the 25th amendment. Period.
Harris should have been selected by the electorate and not just 'given' to us by the Biden camp which, by the way, waited too long to come to terms with 'one term only'. She would have done a fine job, but is still a member of the 'political elite'. The party needs change, and she was not it.
celeste k. -- Thanks. I've said 100 times that I will never forgive President Biden for not stepping down sooner than he did. That was, IMO, a totally selfish, self-centered and, yes, arrogant act. Given that he had waited his whole life to be President, he just couldn't give it up. His graciousness withered. Too bad.
We'll never know, Celeste, if Harris would or would not have been the change. She's smart, articulate, and compassionate. Her proposed policies would have worked wonders for our country if we'd also elected a Congress that would enable them. I agree completely that Biden should never have run for a second term, even though his first was a marvel.
She didn’t have any policies, Lauren. Even on the view and asked what you would do differently than Joe Biden she said nothing comes to mind. Those were her own words. Well, the country didn’t agree with her.
Well, by the time President Biden called it quits, there really was not enough time to run through a primary season. What might have helped is if President Biden had resigned then pledged his delegates to Vice President Harris. This situation was unprecedented. I believe President Biden intended to be a one-term President but, once he got in, could not give up the incumbency.
If you would please open your mind and Google the Wall Street Journal article that had 50 associates of Biden news people people from his administration news people, 50 linked sources, talking about his declining mental capacity, not to mention his physical in capacities
Very disappointed in our HR member VA11th. In subsequent interviews he sounds as though he is compensating for a bad decision by trying to be aggressive and forthright. I'd prefer he focus on the cancer that plagues him or even having not sought re-election knowing what he faced.
Did he find out he had cancer after entering the race? Would it have been too late to step aside? What is his prognosis? These are all personal factors we might not know.
Having watched him in so many committees and floor debates I can’t see him accepting this role if he thought it would hurt the country. I’m going to give him the benefit of the doubt.
After seeing a clip of Mr. Connolly stating that "its his turn" - that sort of polished off the whole episode! I agree - Pelosi damaged her own legacy with that charade.
Well , if Democrats didn't get the message during this election, then they better wake the hell up or we will have no chance of willing an election again. I totally agree with your statement above. It is time for the younger generation of Congress to take over. We need new ideas to gravitate people's interest.
Really? Did AOC not lose you when urging candidates to challenge incumbent Democratic House members? That’s why it was not Ms Pelosi who undermined her, but the 2 - 1 vote against her. By incumbent House members.
AOC is from a district where a ham sandwich could win election if it declared as a lefty Dem. It is not at all clear to me that AOC understands that a Democrat who wins in a swing district has to moderate some positions to win election. Does she understand that cloned Bernie Bros can’t win in more than half the districts Dems now hold? Could she win in a swing district?
This was notorious enough that as a part of campaign to win the ranking member job on Oversight, she pledged to stop recruiting candidates for Democratically-held seats.
Seems like she showed a glimmer of understanding of how to win a majority. Until now she seemed to prefer ideological purity over majority.
As long as our government is for sale to the rich, it belongs to them, and they get to decide everything. Unlimited corruption and depravity are the means to their ends, because that is the shortest distance beween two points in a game based on lies and lawlessness. Control of the money is the first (perhaps the only) way to protect democracy. Reason, argument, common sense -- none of that penetrates the near universal stupidity that permeates the people.
And who ought to control the money? And how should that be decided?
If you are going to throw out reason, argument, and common sense in our electoral process, what would be left? The answer to that ought to be obvious and as dangerous as anything of which your ‘rich’ are capable.
Don't get me wrong. Common sense is the key, as Thomas Paine taught us. My warning is that the people are not using their available reason and common sense to control the money. The rich are controlling the people like little remote-controlled toys. Things will change; they always do. But the price will almost surely be a high one to pay. By that I mean both lives and property, as has happened repeatedly in human history and is happening now daily. No sign of that changing. The depravity of the Republican Party today is beyond astounding. Yet there is no universal outrage against them. As for the money. The people own all of it; they just don't know it. Ignorance, stupidity, call it what you will.
That still doesn’t answer the question. When you say that control of the money is the only way to preserve democracy, what exactly are you talking about doing? How do ‘the people’ (I presume that’s what you mean) control the money? Because in all honesty, what you are saying sounds a bit like Somebody (I won’t say who) saying that the workers should control the means of production.
From what I recall reading, he annoyed people by showing them sexually explicit photos. (I had a former coworker who used to do that as well, and it is VERY annoying.)
Those very people should have called him out on the spot. One thing I agree with MTG on is that harassment; sexual, racial, gender, runs rampant in our politics. Oddly, she is a perpetrator of all three but doesn’t see it.
If you couldn’t get away with it in a private workplace you shouldn’t be able to get away with it in government.
These people are simply no good, period. In the real world (you know, the world where values and standards exist), these creeps are not tolerated. However, we live in a celebrity culture, borne of capitalism, that celebrates this odd behavior—behavior that wouldn’t be tolerated outside the spotlight of celebrity.
Yep, Putin turned out to be better in the long game. Then again, destroying trust and harmony is much easier than building it up. In that sense, Putin also had the longer straw to pull...
We've seen nothing yet. I believe that trump and putin have already decided that trump will allow putin to take a big chunk of Ukraine in exchange for ending the war so that trump can take credit for it and demand he be given the Nobel Peace prize....
Exactly. Don't forget that Putin put Trump in power, and he will demand something back for it. That will be: a) Ukraine, b) the rest of Europe - and that is why Rump will pull the US out of NATO. Not because of political reasons, but because Vlad has ordered him to: that way, NATO will become so weak that Europe will be easy prey for the Russians to take over.
Our last ditch effort. “The upshot is that Donald Trump remains constitutionally disqualified from the presidency and may not lawfully serve in that office or any other unless Congress removes the disqualification by two-thirds majorities of both houses. Nothing in Trump v. Anderson changes that legal reality.”
William Baude and Michael Paulsen, Harvard Law Review, Sweeping Section Three under the Rug: A Comment on Trump v. Anderson
Takes 20% of members of Congress to shift the burden to Trump.
Well, fact is that on January 20th, Putin will install his marionette in the White House. Fact is, this marionette has unchecked power because he enjoys total immunity bestowed on him by the Supreme Court. And as far as I know, the US does not have a fallback system in which new elections can be called for should the sitting government fail. In other words, there is no way to put the Convicted Orange Felon out of power save by a violent revolution. As of yet, I don't see another option.
"Cheney responded: “Donald, this is not the Soviet Union. You can’t change the truth and you cannot silence us. Remember all your lies about the voting machines, the election workers, your countless allegations of fraud that never happened? Many of your lawyers have been sanctioned, disciplined or disbarred, the courts ruled against you, and dozens of your own White House, administration, and campaign aides testified against you. Remember how you sent a mob to our Capitol and then watched the violence on television and refused for hours to instruct the mob to leave? Remember how your former Vice President prevented you from overt. "
How come Trump is taking Presidency again? There must be a deep flaw of American democratic system. It is like a plane taking off with unfastened passenger doors.
I'll miss class acts, regardless of gender. Gaetz fuels my contempt for no-class acts in revered positions, but he's not alone. Where is the class in publishing photos of Hunter Biden's genitalia, MTG? Where is the class in pursuit of impeachment for Mayorkas or Biden when the evidence is clearly tainted and/or bogus, Mr. Comer? Where is the class in trying cases in the media instead of the courts, Gym Jordan? If we want class back in Congress we must elect serious people who take legislation seriously.
I remain furious at the Democratic Party Leadership.
Shoes and a smile do not win elections.
Pelosi, Schumer and the older generation in the Democratic Party need to step aside.
Losing 2 elections to a madman is unacceptable. Putting a woman up against a misogynist the second time is insane crazy. This brought out every misogynist for miles around. We wasted a top talent in the Party--Harris. It is way past time for the younger, extremely talented members of the Democratic Party to take over.
Using the same megaphone (biased media) saying the same things is not working.
Stop trying to shame the MAGA over January 6 such as Hakeem Jeffries did yesterday. We come across as scolds and whiners. Obviously, the voters do not care.
You cannot shame a MAGA. They sold their souls years ago f the right to hate publicly, loudly and often. You cannot reason through the fog of lies, rage and disinformation perpetuated by the media. You cannot reason with a population who forgot what a Democracy is.
I am generations long Democrat. I would register Independant if it wasn't for the primary election in Kentucky to choose someone to run for McConnell's seat.
Personally, I had this wild/crazy/hopeful thought that like a black man got elected which I thought impossible, so too would be a woman, regardless of her race. I was foolish.
I am amazed at what seems to be the collective lack of short term memory of the populace. I've talked to my husband about how quickly people seem to have forgotten the terror they had over COVID! I recall the first time I went to the grocery store to find the parking lot packed, people with frantic eyes pushing overflowing carts, and fighting over the last loaf of bread! The news stories of meat-truck morgues, and mortuaries overrun and refusing more bodies...this wasn't history of our grandparents, it wasn't even a generation ago--it was just a few years! If THAT worldwide situation is that easily forgettable, what does it say about humanity? Is it admirable resilience to move past the unimaginable? It is positive attitude or optimism? Is it utter foolishness, a lack of ....something?
I also thought that people would recall the revolving door/circus in a clown car administration of Trump. Either they forgot or didn't care.
The most glaring acts were watching Republicans spend endless hours voting to reduce the pay of people they didn’t like to $1. What kind of childish BS is that?
Don't forget the extraordinary power of the media, especially to young voters who relish their disinformation. The same folks in the cartoon, plus more, contributed to lies and misinformation without shame, all for the $. Oligarchs like spoiled baby Musk dump millions to get their own way. Don't forget the manipulations of Putin, who hopes Trump will close down NATO and feed Ukraine to the wolves. Then there are the mean-spirited folks who delight in Trump's crimes and misdemeanors...All in all, this was the triumph of wrong, but right is not dead.
Why do they make me think of female versions of "Artful Dodgers," perhaps good at deceptive entertainment, but seriously short of honest and competent performance of the legitimate duties of public servants. Whom but someone like Dickens' Fagin (or themselves), would they serve?
Well old Russell was wrong and admitted it. First ever chief of staff appointed by Trump is a woman. And you can pick on the credentials all you want, but it defeats your theory about misogyny to a great degree not to mention the balance of his cabinet is so diverse without trying to be diverse and probably the first time in recent history that a president has placed two people from the opposing party in his cabinet.
And the 26 women who've accused Trump of sexual assault, including E, Jean Carroll to whom he owes over $80m? Or perhaps Matt Gaetz, Pete Hegseth or Brett Kavanaugh? Whataboutism doesn't serve you well at all in this case.
Well, now I hear the best of all which makes it even more incredulous to be honest with you! I I remember the release of the tape but did not pay attention to the dates of the comments that he made but I just read and this is what now blows me away that you could be sucked in so easily whereas these things could've readily happened and I'm not denying it or defend
But how the hell do they come out literally one month before he was about to be elected?
That doesn't strike you?
Weather true or not, and it may well be true. I'm not defending it. I find it absolutely positively political warfare as to the timing of the release of the tape I haven't yet determined when the actual tape was made, but I'll go check that out now
But I say the timing of this make the allegations a little bit dubious to say the least
You probably don't like what I'm gonna say but I'm gonna say it anyway most people honestly feel that Brett Cavanaugh was what they call now CavanaughEd. In other words, nothing was said about his past until an alleged incident that happened 20 years before became public once he was nominated for the supreme BUT NOT A MOMENT BEFORE? Coincidence?
We are obviously dealing with the same thing here interestingly enough these came to light in 2016 as I read now. Wow. Another interesting coincidence
Well, I have to get deeper into this, but I have to laugh as the only time that these occurrences came forward was after Trump made the infamous statement on a radio with an open mic and many back in the 1970s when most of these occurred or allegedly occurred
Honestly, I haven't heard about them and I'm just being honest
As I suggested earlier, if you want to vote for someone of character, don't vote for the president. The last president with assemblance of character was Ronald Reagan, but the only one that had really true character was Jimmy Carter.
Everyone since has had their peccadillos including the Kennedy family on many counts, including Chappaquiddick, which is a little bit worse than sexual assault including Mr. Clinton
And the bushes were just both dim bulbs Obama was the divider in chief under which sprung BLM and antifa
So men at the top all have a past. And they all have their secrets some more than others
But as I said, I've honestly never heard about 26 women
I'll look it up
But when you talk about equal justice, if you'd like to talk about equal justice, Trump is going to be sentenced for a garbage trial that was twisted from a misdemeanor into a felony whereas Bill Clinton paid $850,000 for an NDA
And there was not an investigation there was no follow up. There was no trial. There was no judge. There was no jury and nobody to this day knows where the money came from. Hmmmmm $850,000.30 years ago versus $75,000 today and the key witnesses where a stripper porn star and a convicted perjurer.
Okay. I was referring to Linda McMahon, not Susan Wiles, but let's see if she (Wiles) last any longer than Trump's other chiefs. As for Bondi, she's clearly crooked. She accepted a bribe of $25k from Trump to drop an investigation into his crooked university. She claimed there was no quid pro quo and that the real reason was that there were insufficent grounds to take action but this is risible since the university was so crooked Trump had to pay $25m in compensation and dissolve the organisation. This was not the first time she's been linked with fundraising controversies - just take a look at her Wiki page. She may not be the most crooked lawyer in America, but she's crooked enough to suit Trump and that's plenty crooked.
Russell, Rick Sender is a bot, it can post negative, recycled drivel all day, every day. The lights are always on, but no one is ever home. Best practice is to simply not engage with it.
Wow negative in advance, huh? Shocker. Keep in mind, she was his campaign manager during his campaign and boy did they take crap from the world, including two assassination attempts
First attempt was a staged event, otherwise we would have a FULL report on the shooter, medical report with actual photos of the hole in the ear.
Also, the whole election was weird. Who runs saying he needs "no more votes, I have all I need." and then proceeds to act like he did? He and his enablers have made a total mockery of the election system in America. Putin's cronies, Musk involvement, and the "little secret" all point to something much more nefarious than a free and clear election process.
It was a campaign of relentless lies as you are about to find out. Trump is not going to reduce your cost of living. He's not going to fix anything because he's already got what he wants i.e. winning the election was the only way he stayed out of jail. Stand back and stand by!
What ? We’ll she sounds exactly like James Comey. No sensible prosecutor would prosecute Hillary Clinton for destroying 33,000 emails and bleach bitting her phone . Woah. Or keeping a computer in a hidden bathroom in the middle of the United States.
There are controversies all over the world Including the ones Involving judge Marchan, Fani Willis, or judge Engeron ? and the three people I name below.
Or maybe Kim Fox in Chicago?
So let me say it again she’s been Attorney General for quite a few years and has done a good job for Florida.
Maybe he should’ve picked Alvin Bragg instead or Tisha james? Lol
Pam Bondi is laughable; the fact that you invoke her name here is also laughable. But not surprising given the tenor of all the rest of your posts, which truly make me shake my head.
Shake your head all you want. She’s the third most powerful Attorney General in the country and has done a good job for Florida. Anything else you wanna know? The tenor of my post is a different perspective that has seen on this website almost never. If you look at all the posts here it’s all agreement. It’s all congratulations. It’s all congratulating each other and patting each other on the back without ever seeing dissension or understanding perspectives of other people that don’t agree with you. I grew up in South Florida when the whole state was democrat other than some outlying rural areas and now look at it someone above just said it’s all red. How does that happen? That’s a question. You should be asking yourself not laughing at Pam Bondi.
I actually came back to delete my response because I had forgotten not to feed the resident troll, and found that you were already all over it. My bad, it will not happen again.
he values loyalty above all else. Right or wrong. Qualified or not. the appointment of a couple of women does not make him less of a misogynist. His entire history is one of misogyny
The first ever chief of staff, a woman. First, ever and the second most powerful person in the country Attorney General is also a woman named by Trump. Pretty good for a misogynist.
Did you ever know of a president who actually appointed somebody against him versus a loyalist. Or somebody who agreed with him
Every president does that. Did you ever know a person I could pick someone who’s against him? Nope.
Trump is going beyond that this time he’s actually even for the first time appointed two people from the opposite party …amazing.
I find it’s interesting that there are some experts here , who know exactly how to pick up Cabinet from their vast Reservoir of experience.
Trump assaults women….. brags about it….then pays others to keep their mouths shut about it.
Every single other thing about the creep is just noise. He is not fit for any office. He is not fit to shine my shoes.
I have 2 daughters and 1 grand daughter in my family. I spit on trump because their safety from the likes of him, and those like him, is far more important than anything that falls out of the creeps mouth. Any woman or man who supports the creep is no better than he is - I spit on all of them.
There is a huge difference in appointing a qualified loyalists and one that kisses butt. Huge difference. I would say that taking a $25,000 bribe and dropping a case is disqualifying - at least it used to be.
I also point out that th 2 he picked from the "opposite" party left the party ideas behind. RFK is a certified nut, Gabbard supports Putin.
You can point out differences and share you opinions, but please be fully truthful.
That’s your opinion and you’re entitled to it. As I’ve said here many times if you’re looking for someone of devout character, don’t vote for president. The last president that had the kind of character that you’re looking for just died a few days ago. I’m not gonna sit here and delineate all their flaws, but everyone of them had them many more severe many that should’ve not allow them to be president but in many cases, and this is the point I’m trying to make out many of them who who had let’s call it wandering pee, pees, were some of the best presidents in our life, and by chance happened to be Democrats.
Don’t be a one item voter… Judge a President that from the day he gets in office Till the last day he leaves, he works fervently for the benefit of all Americans. THAT’S IT Much of what they do before doesn’t matter when it comes to the task of being president as I pointed out above
Well, I’m gonna Google it just for S & G and I’m not sure why she running for office at the time and it was a campaign contribution. I don’t know. But if you can’t find something wrong with every single candidate, that’s running there’s a big problem because everybody has a flaw a peccadillo a mistake because they’re human.
And I thought the left was particularly good at forgiving, for example, parole for murder victims lower sentences for misdemeanors no cash bail for murderers.
And I hate to say this, but if you’re looking for character in the president, don’t vote for president The last person I think that had any real character in this country is president just passed away the other day.
On Jan 21, 2021 the top responsibility of President Biden and the leadership of the Democratic Party was to prosecute the criminals who led the conspiracy to steal the Executive Branch of the government. Trump and his bad faith cronies played "rope-a-dope" and the Democrats were lulled into letting him off the legal hook. The Dems failed then and they are failing now.
Until January 19, 2025 President Biden continues to have the power and the responsibility to "execute the laws" and "protect and defend the Constitution". The Supreme Court gave the office of the President the green light to take "bold and decisive action" to defend the nation from "enemies, foreign and domestic". Trump and his crime cult are a domestic enemy. Will the Dems have the guts to do what's right? Or allow the criminals back into the White House?
Winston Churchill was castigated, for years, for his claims that Hitler was a threat to world civilization. Who will be the Churchill in this time? The autocrats and oligarchs, the self-styled "masters of the universe" egomaniacs like Musk and Putin and their underlings Trump and Johnson threaten self-rule in America. Democracy is about to be crushed by billionaire thugs and the DNC leaders mill around silent.
No one was stealing this country let alone in 1000 unarmed protesters. And the more you’re going to hear about the evidence as it comes out unless you’re gonna like it. Including Pelosi, admitting to her daughter, that was her fault to a great extent, including the FBI hiding the fact that there were 23 FBI agents in the crowd that we’re not supposed to be in the crowd and that actually assisted people in coming through the barriers and even though they were unannounced FBI agents Inside the crowd, not one of them got arrest, arrested you you’re gonna hear more about the 10,000 troops that Trump requested and you’re gonna hear more about the denial of help from the local mayor of DC
It was a protest gone wrong but it was never a protest to overthrow the government of the United states
Liz Cheney’s simple honesty, and Nancy Pelosi’s smile in flats, are both class acts. I will miss women chairs in this Congress.
Rep. Pelosi lost me with her undermining Representative Ocasio-Córtez for ranking member of the Oversight Committee. Representative Connolly is a good man battling cancer at seventy-four years old. People my age on up need to step aside for younger, much younger, leadership. 🙏
It is not our world anymore. 🤭
If Rep. Ocasio-Córtez is too out there, there are other moderates in the Democratic Party like Rep. Moulton. The younger members need to work things out to establish a coalition that addresses needs too long neglected by out of touch Congress(wo)men. Unless, of course, we more shocks like that of two months election. 😰
The Democrats are not learning.😵
I firmly agree. Ms. Pelosi made a bad choice for our future.
I talk to everyone I meet about voting and running for office, and why it's so important to be active when it comes to our governance. I've been told, 'run for office. I'll vote for you!' My response is that at 71 yrs. young, I am not the future. But I will give my full support to the youth among us who want to serve to protect their futures and those of future generations.
Democrats will continue to lose elections if they insist on retaining the oldest representatives, many who themselves have become self-serving having gained wealth and power in their positions, and failing to pass legislation to stop that behavior in our politics.
The one thing I am looking into is running for the local board of education. I feel it is vital that our youth is taught civics and know how important it is to their futures to be active in choosing who speaks for them in government. This lesson should be taught early on in schools. It's something I would pursue in that position, and the least I can do for the health of our Democracy.
Please let us know if you accomplish this. I support you 100% in the desperate need for civic education (which we once had …).
I will, and thanks.
¡I second MLMinET's commotion! 😉
AOC has made a career out of attacking Democrats. The Justice Dems PAC for which she was VP of the Board tweeted in 2017 its mission was to destroy the Democratic Party . She continued her role as VP during her first campaign (which was illegal) then finally resigned. Her first Chief of Staff called Sharice Davids, the first Native American rep who flipped a red seat in Kansas a "racist". She threatened to primary CBC incumbents and called out Hakeem Jeffries specifically. Justice Dems primaried several Democratic incumbents in Blue seats (never Republicans) causing them to expend money and energy that would have been better spent against Republican candidates. On her first day in office she participated in a protest in the Speaker Pelosi's office. She credited Bernie Sanders for her parents having CHIP insurance for her when she was a child. (??). Oh, and she hasn't introduced any bills which have been passed. In 3 sessions of Congress. In the face of the danger posed by the Trump administration I thought her efforts to sabotage and undermine the opposition party not helpful and I'm being very kind here.
Now I'm sure there are liberals who applaud her actions as "taking it to the old, evil and corrupt Democrat man/woman" But the reality is success in any endeavor or organization is based on negotiating and forming alliances with colleagues to accomplish goals which benefit that organization and the people in it. Gaining respect of your peers is critical to success. If you're serious about your constituents you listen to them, craft legislation to address their concerns, and forge the alliances needed to do the work of achieving the desired outcome. She has behaved the the new company hire who on the first day on the job trashes the lunches in the fridge and leaves a plate of Kelp Krunch with the note "I've noticed you all need to lose some weight. You're welcome."
Before she assumes any leadership roles in the Democratic caucus she needs to demonstrate an ability to do the work required to actually legislate which includes working with and supporting Democratic Congressional colleagues.
I have seen AOC mature from an overly independent, ambitious new Congressperson to a person who can speak in clear words for the Democratic Party/
She was so active last year—last year!—in recruiting lefty Democrats to challenge incumbent House Dems that she made a point in her campaign to win the ranking member slot to pledge not to to it anymore.
I am not at all surprised that incumbent dems voted against her 2 to 1.
She could never win election in a swing district and seems to have no understanding of what it takes to win in Ohio, FL, or many other red or purple locales.
Let's not get too focused on just AOC. The Democratic Party needs to develop their younger talent. They are already there--waiting for the old guard to step aside.
Yes. Time is now.
That would be a good thing. Time will tell.
Thank you, Barbara.
Kathleen, I have not paid much attention to AOC and your post is enlightening. Thank you.
Perhaps its time for a bit less "negotiation" and a bit more change in the Democratic Party.
The idea that a 74 year old man with esophageal cancer would be a better choice than a very sharp woman half his age? That makes me seriously wonder about the choices of the Democrats in charge. They have made quite a few questionable choices lately.
I quit the Dems when Clinton was in office. He slashed welfare and pushed NAFTA through. Most Dems have moved right ever since. Biden got some great stuff done. Bernie and AOC and a few others have been pushing for a return to the New Deal. Most Dems are angling for corporate money to fund their campaigns. Lower income Americans support the changes that Bernie and AOC work on. Last night James Carville said on The Beat, MSNBC, that Dems need to get work done immediately that working people will see is to their benefit. Raise the minimum wage. Start UBI. Get child care. Get more prices down on RX.
President Clinton lost me, too. I voted for Vice President Gore only because I felt anyone who worked under President Clinton for eight years and was not a complete sleaze-bag. In the 2016, I vote for Senator / Secretary Clinton but felt the wrong Party's Elders intervened. Senator Sanders should have permitted to run and my erstwhile Party's Elders should not have caved to Trump. They should have intervened and nominated someone with similar politics but not an evident Mussolini facsimile.
Your last paragraph sounds like advice that needs to reach AOC's ears. Write her. She is young, and good advice is usually welcomed.
So you think AIC should work with the “corporate Democrats” that continue to favor their corporate donors over individuals?
Until the Democrats become as progressive as Bernie and AOC, they are just Republican-lite. "Centrist" Democrats are the reason
America cannot have nice things.
MAGA and GOP hypocrites are the reasons.
I do not agree with a lot of the politics of Representative Ocasio-Córtez. Yet her voice counts, too. It is her future and that of moderate Democrats; they will have to work out a coalition, which a sclerotic Party leadership hinders. That Chief of Staff resigned soon after making a statement that Representative Davids had voted for a racist measure. Since your commentary is more of a diatribe, I will step off the merry-go-round here.
Making alliances, learning how to negotiate has very little to do with following anyone’s footsteps but taking it all in, leaning from past mistakes and being transparent about what one stands for. While I recognize important and revenant policies and leadership by Pelosi, no one should feel ashamed of saying the truth about Democratic establishment and Big Money.To that effect, Bill Moyers, throughout his active career (so very grateful) did an incredible service to journalism, civics, and raising the bar and alarms (disregarded by many Big Money Dems) of money and politics. Ever wonder why Bernie remains an Independent? And by the way, don’t miss his interview with Alex Friedman (check Podcast). That level of transparency and true commitment to a government that works for all Americans is what has been missing.
Kathleen,
very well said!
Thank you.
celeste, Local school board positions are very important because regressives are trying to take control of them. We have had a few messes here in Oregon thanks to that element.
Thank you, Michele! Go, Celeste, go!
Wise words and thank you.
"My response is that at 71 yrs. young, I am not the future.”
In one way yes, but you may well be the repository of knowledge upon which that future will be built. Democracy is a very long game, and its maintenance requires those who understand the nature of long games and the ability to play them with skill and patience as well as those who have the force and the impatience of youth.
Democracy is as much about character as it is about anything else.
Precisely why I think the board of education would be a good fit.
¡BINGO! I re-read 'The Culture of Narcissism' by Christopher Lasch. Supposedly a Marxist, he sounded more like a mourning communalist when he wrote: "The real value of accumulated wisdom of a lifetime is that it can be handed on to future generations. Our society, however, has lost this conception of wisdom and knowledge. It holds an instrumental view of knowledge, according to which technological change constantly renders knowledge obsolete and, therefore, non-transferable."
The key point for me, as an oldster, is that age and time do confer wisdom, but not universally. The differentiating ingredient here may well be humility -- a tricky quality to see in one's self. Yet I can see it in Celeste et al. This humility may well be why Representative Ocasio-Córtez backed Senator Markey -- a man who impresses me as having wisdom -- over Representative Joseph Kennedy III. Thanks.
Yes, humility is an essential. I’m with Socrates on this one (or, as always, what Plato said he said) - the wisest man among us is he who understands that he doesn’t know everything.
As to Lasch, I haven’t read his book, but I believe he missed something crucial. Technological change can change nearly everything except human nature itself (at least not yet, although if those genetic engineers continue to play with their new toys, that may change as well). And so in a very crucial way, it changes nothing.
We are a hopelessly parochial species, something clearly reflected in our stubborn determination to separate ourselves into a plethora of different groups by any means and for any reason we can come up with, and then all too often glare at each other balefully over the artificial boundaries we’ve thus created. Periodically of course, we turn the glares into something far more destructive. And here our ceaseless technological advances have made it possible for that destructive capacity to increase geometrically.
Ned, you are right, wisdom does not always come with age especially if someone's ego is involved. That applies to everybody of whatever political persuasion. it requires humility and the ability to listen which is often in short supply among all people. I want to see progress and agree with many progressive principles. To me politics is the art of the possible. AOC's politics would not do well in my congressional district here in Oregon. This is why I had to hold my nose and vote for Kurt Schraeder for a few years. His opponents were always worse and no one calling themselves a socialist was going to win. Now we have two districts. One is mine, represented by a Latina; the other, by a black woman. She beat the R who is now on tap to be labor secretary. So she can claim to be bipartisan, but somehow that rings false.
Well said, there, Michele. Most of the time, for me at least, voting entails a significant dose of ambivalence.
Actually, it’s not as much about character as it is about policy.
Character doesn’t determine the agenda conditions on the ground determine the agenda. And policies and agenda are what impact every American and every day. Certainly a person of character can make a good impression AND A DIFFERENCE , and it would be great to find a person like that. The last person who had the kind of character that we’re all looking for just died the other day by the name of Jimmy Carter and there hasn’t been one since then. Reagan was close perhaps but Carter did more after his presidency than any president in recent history. He was a genuine, good man, and a genuine man of character. But in today’s society, I doubt there ever will be another like him
If you’re looking for someone with character, don’t vote for president
Vote for his agenda vote for his policies, vote for what you think will make the citizens of America safer, more prosperous and freer that’s just my opinion
Good policies don’t come from a void. And the man or woman who is, by definition one who ought to share and promote the ideals upon which we were founded ought to stand out as just that. If that is not a question of character, I really don’t know what is.
Three of the most basic elements of our Republic are the validity of our electoral process, the rule of law, and adherence to the basic elements Constitution'
Freedom itself is a much a question of accepting the responsibilities it demands as it is of the range of actions it allows.
A nation’s safety as well as its definition depend on a reasonable balance of individual rights and community safety.
A nation’s prosperity is measured not by the great prosperity of a few, but of the adequate prosperity of as many as possible and a reasonable levle of support for those who fall below that level.
I’m not going to involve myself in a discussion of the characters of all our presidents, but it is clear that when we most needed men (so far) of character, we got them. Washington, Lincoln, FDR to name a few. None of them were perfect, but each one brought to the job a full sense of who were designed to be and a willingness to do what they could to promote that. In the process one helped to build a nation, one saved that nation, and one helped greatly to save the world from the worst two scourges it has ever endured.
Donald Trump is so far from anything resembling those three men in both character and understanding of and adherence to those three pillars of our Republic as is imaginable.
Why not vote on the basis of whether he actually delivers what he promised whilst campaigning? Trump failed to deliver last time and to top it off he allowed hundreds of thousands of Americans to die unnecessarily from SARS-CoV-2.
You see what I mean I was right you're over the top. Your blood pressure is boiling. You're saying things you shouldn't be saying and I feel sorry for you that your hate is so strong.
There's nothing worse than armchair quarterback, so think they know how to stop a once a century global pandemic with a new virus that was caused by the way by American participation.
Go take a couple of Xanax and calm down we'll talk another time when you calm down and come to your senses
Celeste, you make many good points.
The young people are the future, and they have to learn how to lead, and how to get things done. We must teach and then trust them to take on the responsibility of the government in the future. AOC is learning, and one day I hope will be a Nancy Pelosi.
And, yet, if it were not for Nancy Pelosi for the last 8 years Democrats in the House would not have been at all relevant. She kept us all from the total Trump mess in his first administration. She knows all the ways and rules to make things happen and guard the democracy. She stepped down from Speaker when Biden won and supported fully the new Democratic Leader of the House. Leader Jeffries has had her support and he truly has become the leader. Thus, in general the Democrats have stayed together. And are much better able against this new administration.
The new generations have to learn from the past as well as lead in this new reality. I plan to encourage these bright representatives to push hard for democracy and the good of the people they represent.
So beautifully said. Thank you.
Representative Jeffries's speech after Squeaker Johnson's re-election to a hot-seat was statesmanlike, principled, and magnanimous. ❤️ He will, hopefully, be a fine Speaker in 2027 when his season comes. 🤞 https://youtu.be/FPjtQtzHwJY
It seems that running a campaign is becoming a effort only the wealthy can afford. While many of us here have budgets, then again, there are many of us here! I would encourage you or any others who run for office to include links so we can send $5 or $10 to the campaigns.
Love this, Miselle!! I’m totally with you !!
¡Hear, here! 🥳
Youth is good, Celeste, if it's accompanied by savvy. We need people in leadership positions who know what they're doing and how to get it done. Age is not a factor in and of itself in that calculation.
Unless it becomes self-centered and selfish.
100% agree. It is so weird that there has not been a national uprising with Democratic Party voters to oust these worn-out stale leaders who managed to lose this election. We need a clean sweep of the Democratic Party Leadership.
One ought to be careful about new brooms. They can sweep away critical experience as easily as they sweep away stale methods.
Yes.... let's not go overboard in our zeal to focus on 'new blood'. We need both youth AND the experience of age in order to combat Mumpism. Please let's not get into infighting that ends up weakening the party further.
Electing younger persons to office should not be done willy-nilly. There are good people in the House who could advise and mentor young folks. But there are older people in office (both parties) who are past their prime. Change is inevitable. Done wisely, it can be great for everyone.
Maybe you need to research what the Dems have accomplished in the last four years - while battling MAGA the entire time...and just a note, the Dems did not LOSE this election. Start researching that as well.
Ma'am. I have memorized Joe Biden's accomplishments starting with the first 90 days when his Administration vaccinated 200 million Americans.
The need to kick some Democratic Party ass is in no way negating the massive legacy of the Biden Administration.
When people stop letting the Republicans push us around and welcome new leadership into the Party, we will stop being drowned out by the madness engulfing the Country.
It also does not hurt to be civil to each other.
Agreed 111%, Barbara.
Celeste, I would vote for you even if you were 72 !!!!!🤩
Good one! 😊
Agreed....big mistake on Pelosi. T won because the nation wants to tear down a government that increasingly works only for the rich. Her move reflected that ideology.
Good luck with the Board election, your ideas are excellent.
Education, not election!! Easy slip I've made myself!
Is anyone even qualified to teach Civics anymore??? :(
Well said Celeste.
Right on, Celeste!
✅️💯
Some on the Left are not learning. They still believe division is a winning strategy. It is not.
I agree that a gerontocracy is a disservice. And in fact, the extraordinary Nancy Pelosi stepped aside for the much younger Hakeem Jeffries who is doing a fine job in leadership.
We cannot be 'one issue' voters - unless that issue is democracy. And we unite behind Democratic candidates and Democratic elected officials.
We cannot let our feelings get in the way of our strategy to effectively take power. Fits of pique get in the way of using the power we have and of winning the power we need to stop the Republican 'legal' revolution which is replacing a democratic republic with a Corporate ChristoFascist state.
Thank you. Let's stop the infighting and the tritely referred to circular firing squad.
There is one powerful issue that can be the center pole of the Democratic Party. Economic Justice. Economic Populism.
Every Democrat, most Independents and even some Republicans will agree that the billionaires are taking over, growing their already massive fortunes as a result. While workers wages have barely budged in 40 years.
The Waltons have over $400 BILLION. And FULL TIME Walmart workers are on Medicaid and eligible for SNAP benefits. Taxpayers are subsidizing the rich. It is socialism for the wealthy!
$50 Trillion has gone to the top 1%. That is what I call the theft of our national treasure. This is a "Let them eat cake" moment.
In the richest nation in the history of the world, there is no excuse for millions of Americans to have housing and food insecurity. No excuse for any American to go without good healthcare. No valid excuses. NONE.
So please. Let's stop the bickering about AOC or Nancy or anything else that distracts us from a unified attack on the Oligarchy being installed by President elect Putz.
Well spoken, Bill. And it's the message that the Biden admin (and Harris campaign) tried to convey, with an honest record of results. But it's still discouraging to see Trump flags and and banners displayed in front of beaten-down houses, whether in the city or countryside, in the expectation that he is their economic savior. That they didn't see what Biden has done for our country, or the promise that Harris/Walz had to continue this economic growth is infuriating, and will be a difficult hurdle to overcome.
Who will the next Democratic "savior" be? It's a rhetorical question at the moment. I do agree with those who say the Dem party has become ossified.
I wonder if the ossification is due less to age and more to the distressing reality that Big Money now seems to control everything, including whether or not one can get elected. R's can focus their energy on winning bc this is not a concern for them, but D's who don't want to be beholden to Big Money have to figure out another way to win. We absolutely must find a way to overturn rulings like Citizens United and other forms of permission for legalized bribery.
Fine insight there, C.L.S. Thank you.
Exactly
And yet they spent $2 billion on his pass campaign, so much for not caring about money and had at least 80 billionaire donors, but supposedly had over a double that including down ballots
Rump is their savior because Fox News told them that.
I went for a short drive the other day, and I was disgusted by how many of those flags are still hanging outside homes in my rural community... though I did see one handmade flag that said "Hate does not make America great," a sentiment that I wholeheartedly share.
Hooray. I admire one relative immensely. He runs a small business and believes he would benefit more under Trump. But he did not vote for Trump because of his utter lack of decency and character.
If there will ever be a Democratic Savior” I believe we have learned the hard way that it must be US. All of us, everyday, in every way demanding the change we know most Americans want. The way out of this shit show is as complex as the reasons we are here in it. So, all the spaghetti of ideas we must thrown at the wall. Let’s figure out what sticks and build on that.
Could not agree more. This remark reflects my age: the Democrats need to stop looking for the next President John or Senator Robert Kennedy or the next President Obama; the Democrats need to quit worrying so much about 'winnable' candidates.
Senator McGovern and Vice President Mondale, both fine men, were shellacked two-to-three generations ago. Their shadows should be the better elements of their platforms which may have been ahead of their time.
Truth be told, I have to chuckle because, as a College Republican, I penned an article advocating that Senator McGovern's idea of $3 billion of reparations to Viêt Nam proposed in the late 1970s (roughly $13 billion today) should proceed. Now reconstruxion aid is a routine part of intra-and-post-conflict funding packages.
Sadly, it is routine because conflicts have become routine.
Why can’t we all agree on term limits which will stop average citizens will become Congress people for a life and of course multimillionaires after that.
The ossification is not a problem about either the Democratic or the Republican Party - it is our binary political party system, initiated during Washington’s administration and formalized in the 1830’s. Ever since, it has acted to force voters into an either/or (read ‘us and them’) situation which has seldom allowed for the kind of multi-faction situation that Madison envisioned and which would give us far more alternatives.
You have a fine insight there, James. I come from families of Republicans, yet my parents broke with many of their relatives to vote for Presidents Kennedy, Johnson, and Carter as well as Senator Humphrey. Starting in 1980, they voted Republican until their deaths. Knowing my parents, they would never have supported Trump.
Like many others, I have feet on both sides of the continental divide.
In my misbegotten youth, my straddling leaned oh so slightly left; then more heavily right; now left again. The election of Trump and the kowtowing to him broke my allegiance to the Republican Party; the confirmation of Justice Kavanaugh ended it.
These days, I am a hapless Indie in my rageing and ageing. I used to be a curmudgeon before my time. Pathetically, I am simply a curmudgeon on schedule. 😉🤬🥳
Can’t find your most recent hyperbole on “character”.
Policies come from two main places…..experience, translated and evaluated many times through “ common sense”.
And Evidence that they’ve worked before. Not a void ….correct
AND certainly not about Character?
The trumpers with whom I have spoken are not ogres or stupid. At least in our conversations, they indicate that they have not given up on the republican experiment but have come to believe that the republican experiment has given up on them.
Please keep in mind that I have spoken only to a few such voters, and not ones with the beaten down houses.
Nonetheless, I would not be surprised however, if these few, including half my extended family, comprise a representative sample and their feelings are close to those in the beaten down houses.
Do you know what’s interesting to me as I’ve been a nonpartisan for over 40 years my four favorite presidents are two Democrats and two Republicans . I don’t understand how people can vote by party versus voting for the individual that most resembles their ideals, and what they can do for the country as a whole. I live in Nevada now, and very interestingly Nevada’s largest party at 40% of the electorate Are the NP’S
nonpartisan. Followed by about 30% Democrat and 20% Republican and I think there’s one more state in the northeast that has the same breakdown.
Policy shouldn’t be relegated to one party or the other
And that creates the divide as they become more black and white with little agreement. Albeit the foundations of the thoughts and the essence of the baseline policy, might be agreed-upon if we weren’t so divided.
Again....Sun Tzu says in The Art of War......do not interupt your enemy when they argue and disagree. Bill and Bob are correct is calling out to stop the infighting!!!!!
This time needs to be used to pull together and form the resistance.
In 6 months when to deportations and tariffs start to take effect.......those maggot flags and signs will start to vanish.......
Grocery prices are going up....food shortages???? Who will be working the fields???? You already know about the tariffs.........
Stop infighting now!!!
Bravo, Bill Alstrom! Everyone in public life, being human, makes mistakes. That’s what paying attention is about—being ready to congratulate for good decisions.
Hakim Jeffries showed the wisdom of Nancy Pelosi yesterday with a really excellent passing-the-gavel speech.
Great, good news there, Virginia. 🤝 You are a gem. ❤️
These things need to be sorted out Bill. These issues of how the election was lost, who in Democratic Leadership needs to step aside and what exactly is the Democratic Party today must, must be dealt with before we can move forward.
The Democratic Party failed in its mission in 2024. We need to build a completely new Party and this includes some bickering, hurt feelings and honest discussions.
Bickering is indeed normal. Demonizing each other over favorite and pet issues is self destructive. We need a forceful platform presented by a charismatic leader. And IMHO, it is economic justice.
Agree. I have no idea how to break the sound barriers of a biased media, brainwashed voter bloc and a massive disinformation campaign. The Democrats do wonderful work for the Country. It boggles the mind this doesn't get realized. Let's coalesce around a strong platform and stronger leaders. Meanwhile the next few years will take everyone's wits to combat.
We could all use big National Democratic Party group hug about now.
Nicely stated, as always, Bill. ✌🏽⚖️🤝
Anyone to your knowledge forcing people to work there? Not to mention what does Walmart have to do with Trump?
Let’s pick on Bezos next and then Zuckerberg and then Gates and so on.
NOTHING TO DO WITH TRUMP and OLIGARCHY.
So pursuant to your statement about the billionaires, what has either party done about this? Because both parties have been in power.
And billionaires are simply yesterday, millionaires with inflation being considered. Many people in this country aspire to be millionaires that’s the American dream. And how do you think all these millionaires became billionaires?
Collapse
Amen.
lin. New campaign badge “Proud I’m not a single issue voter; Get the Big Picture”
"Eyes on the prize."
Racist right wing religious extremists appropriated Civil Rights Movement strategic voting.
The blood heirs and ideological heirs of the Confederacy - the GOP of god, guns, and greed - united at the ballot box in order to overturn civil rights progress.
Let's stop whining and cavilling about who's right or wrong in their opinions. Let's vote for able representatives and leave it at that. This endless critique of our own is pointless. If you want someone who stands for civil rights, get him or her on the ballot and vote for them. That's all it takes.
Lauren, we've done that. But the other side has been reasonably successful at nominating and electing those who don't stand for civil rights (in the broadcast sense of the term.)
It is not enough to "vote for able representatives."
We operate in essentially a two party system. We must nominate and vote for able Democratic candidates. Reform the party from within.
Lauren, you are so right you are so correct. But it goes far beyond civil rights. Vote for the candidate I wish nonpartisan candidates had a better chance of winning an election
Hooray, Lauren!
And southern Democrats created the Ku Klux Klan, and supported Jim Crow laws so what’s your point. As were they also slaveholders
How “Empowering” is it for a person to break laws and get away with it?
How “Empowering” is it for a person to do crappy business things and get away with it?
How “Empowering” is it for a person to do immoral behaviors and get away with it?
The purpose of Punishment is to (hopefully) prevent future law breaking, crappy business crap, and immorality. If a person continually “gets away with it” and never gets punished, then why would that person change his/her behavior?
More importantly: If a nation has laws, rules, standards, expectations, etc. for its citizens and doesn’t enforce its laws, rules, standards, expectations, etc., how strong, viable, honorable is that nation? WHEN will that nation eventually collapse?
MOST importantly, if that law-breaking, crappy business, immoral person is one of the leaders of the nation, will that nation’s collapse be escalated?
Happy New Year
The only thing I disagree with, Paul, is that the President Neglect can ever change, no matter how much he's censured or how few vote for him. He takes his less-than-50% of the vote as a mandate to be exactly who he is. He doesn't just lie to all of us, he lies to himself. A very small person with a very big megaphone.
Yes, I agree that Trump will never change. However, my FOCUS is not on Trump. It is on the United States and We, the People. There are MILLIONS of US citizens who “celebrate” getting away with stuff - law-breaking, crappy business deals, immorality, etc. and Trump, Musk, Bezos, Ramaswamy, Gaetz, Bannon, Tucker, Miller, Hegseth…the list goes on and on - these folks our fellow Americans honor and respect. We, the People are in deep doo-doo.
Indeed we are. We were put into deep doodoo by 60% of white voters, 70% of white working class voters, and 80% of white evangelical voters. Those voters insist on doodoo. They flood the zone with it at every opportunity.
lin+ I've never been a one issue voter, but after reading today's letter what ran through my mind is "is there not a SINGLE woman worthy of chairing a committee? Seriously?" I wish the female GOP voters would AT LEAST get annoyed enough that they vote for the females in the primaries.
But then again.........MTD, Boebert, etc, etc.
What a world, what a world.
Yes, that's very discouraging.
Nobody who’s been paying attention should have expected otherwise.
lin, Thank you for this. Right now is not the time for protest votes like still voting for Jill not green Stein or protest not voting.
Well said. Make democracy our one issue.
Here's to Wisconsin Dems example and to WI Dems chair Wikler for DNC chair. They've demonstrated the diligence and tenacity for what it takes to make significant progress at the state level.
Thank you for this info., lin. 🤝✌🏽🙏
Thank you, as always for redirecting the conversation back into line with what we are faced with and our duty to unite and fight.
We need to stop beating the January 6 drum. Voters do not care. And we come across as bitter.
If we are to stop “beating the January 6th drum”, then we might as well stop beating the Constitutional drum as well. The question is not how many voters do or do not care about what happened that day, but how many ought to if they truly understand the nation we were designed to be.
It is an emotional issue that is not gaining traction. We preserve the Constitution by winning elections. Shaming does not work.
The Jan 6 Trump insurrection and Republican election denial are not political issues, they are an historical fact.
Spotlighting, investigating, and speaking of it is not an exercise in 'shaming.' It is an exercise in 'truth and reconciliation.' It is an exercise in coming to consensus through reasoned debate of empirical evidence.
We preserve the Constitution by upholding the rule of law.
As we prepare for the next president of the US pardoning his insurrectionists (much as GHW Bush, Bill Barr et al put the Iran-Contra miscreants beyond the reach of the law, much as Mitch McConnell and the Roberts Court put Trump beyond the reach of the law) - we must focus on this remarkable event in American history.
"Similarly, judges, lawyers, and the law were among the things Hitler most despised, and his regime was one long assault on the rationality, predictability, and integrity of the law."
Benjamin Carter Hett, The Death of Democracy: Hitler's Rise to Power and the Downfall of the Weimar Republic
If simply winning elections were the only criteria involved in preserving the Constitution, we would have lost it long ago, well before the Civil War.
‘Shaming' is a wholly inaccurate way of describing those who incited and participated in the assault on the capital.
The only thing which will save the Constitution, if it is to be saved at all is if enough Americans who both understand and care about its promise defeat in the voting booth those who do not. And that understanding has to include a clear comprehension of and a willingness to call out those who do not.
I agree with you, James. Beat that 06jan21 drum. But make sure that it is not the only drum.
"We need to stop beating the January 6 drum. Voters do not care. And we come across as bitter."
Speak for yourself.
No sweeping the Trump insurrection under the rug.
You know and I know this is not what I was saying.
Again. We need to stop trying to use January 6 as a means to convince the MAGA and non MAGA voter that this one issue is why they should vote Democratic.
For Hakeem Jeffries to stand before the House of Representatives after the Republicans just executed a clean sweep in the 2024 election and try and shame them about January 6 is not a good game plan nor is it an appropriate way to remember J6. Jeffries came across as self-righteous and condescending.
Stop using the January 6 tragedy as a political wedge folks.
Barbara Mullen, I know the J6 Perp conviction data pretty well, DOJ titled "CapitolAttack" data.
I will be intently investigating which convicted persons are NOT pardoned such as a valuable Seditionists (1 name) who cooperated with DC's USAO & escaped incarceration or those who were never sung in the "Choir".
More soon.
Yes,
Im not blaming this bs on pelosi. Try the American media before you blast women.
Moulton stabbed Biden in the back...
Totally agree. People in our age demographic need to serve as mentors and build leadership and step aside. Work to guide those young people understanding they will make mistakes. Have the problem throughout the Congress in both parties. It is hard to give up power, but only when one starts to share power does one get stronger. As in sports, the best coaches build leader on the playing field and in their coaching staff. The best coachews get their staff members plucked for new positions. Same in business. If only our politicians did the same. Money is the issue, too lucrative to be a politician.
100%. As a nurse, I have years of experience that I am now using as an instructor to cultivate the next generation of nurses. I can't be at the bedside forever. Our elected leadership are killing our future by hanging onto power for too long. They need to step aside and be the elder statesmen. They'll still make tons of money. We need so much reform.
Beautifully stated, Kathleen! 🙏Thank you. 🤝 I salute your mentoring younger nurses. 😇
... and stateswomen, Kathleen. :)
True, the G.O.P. is clogged, too, though it has made some head-way. I think it is less political than generational (i.e., the self-centeredness of too many baby boomers).
Yeah, so long as the Democrats continue the practice of name-calling such as fascist misogynist, xenophobic and other isms, they’re going to continue to lose so you’re right they’re not learning.
If they want to win, they have to go back to their long suit which is fighting for the middle class and those unable to fight for themselves. they lost the fight in this cycle by needlessly attacking their opponent versus talking about what they’re good at. They also ruined it for themselves by the coup that they staged against Joe Biden, and installing a candidate who is not the most capable that they had in the party which they could’ve avoided if they would’ve invoke the 25th amendment shortly into his presidency, acknowledging his declining mental Capacity
WRONG!!! Harris would have made an excellent president.
Totally agree Bill. Was so hoping she would win 😢
Even her internal Poll told her she didn’t have a chance and that information came out right after the election loss from her own campaign.
👍
Of what country? She had no policies….no direction..no plan. AND IF you think that her VIEW interview didn’t bury here, which indicated she would just follow Joe’s agenda she would have gotten swamped in the election. 68% of the country on almost ALL POLLS said the country was headed in the wrong direction.
If there had been polls all throughout our history, we’d have found that at various times they favored slavery, excluding women from the franchise, Jim Crow, Vietnam, etc
Of course people favored slavery. Do you ever hear about the civil war do you ever hear of women’s rights to vote? Did you not see the protest during Vietnam? What are you talking about? Those were Physical LIVE polls not written polls
There have always been Polls only now people like the lady in Nebraska has potentially ruined that and all those poles that suggested that Pamela and Trump were retired when they obviously were not including her own internal poll that they themselves took
Fascist, misogynist,xenophobic is what they are. Are you saying that those things can’t be pointed out? Thats ridiculous.
He’s a bot. He has to say things like that
Not convinced Rick is bot-&-paid-for; martyr complex comes more to mind. It sounds familiar to me; I sometimes go in for the negative attention.
I’m not a bot just a person with an opposing view from most of the people here that’s all
That is wrong "Rick"; you are now a contractually defined "Reader" bound by Substack Inc's 9/24 TOU & the Platform's choice of law that requires good faith & fair dealing.
I realize that now.
I never read bots or respond to them
Well, I can point this out. You have to prove to me that he’s a fascist because he’s not because people in this country in government aren’t able to become fascist because they have checks and balances unless you wanna consider executive orders like forgiving student loans or stopping fracking or natural gas or commuting sentences of the most vehement vile criminals we’re sending money to other countries to incite a war with no end when we need the money here to help our homeless and our poor.
By the way, the Miss misogynist in chief placed two women in the highest posts and positions in his cabinet the first and second most powerful positions in his cabinet are women appointed by the misogynist
I’m just suggesting to you, David that the left keep using this rhetoric. It only isolate you more in the eyes of the right and makes them more resolute. That’s all I’m saying.
Better to stick with the policies that you want to win and not quit demeaning 77 million people because those are the same people that voted for Joe Biden four years ago
Correct. And the fact that she lost proves.that. The same electorate that voted for Joe Biden voted for Donald Trump.
A coup would have been running someone other than Kamala Harris. When we voted in the primaries we voted for the Biden/Harris ticket. I was proud to cast my vote for Harris. History will remember Biden as one of our best Presidents even if the present-day media refuses to report on the good he has done.
Thank you, Donna. 🤝 I am still depressed about Vice President Harris and I basically have a conservative personality. 😢 She really tried to heal the country with a more open tent open to future debates and disagreements. 💔 A lot of traditional Republicans appreciated her efforts, including for Reps Cheney and Kinzinger. 😢
Let me respond again by saying this reread your post Ghana if there was no clue Joe Biden would’ve been the candidate. But they pushed him out.
Rick, you have made your position clear and I respect that we differ. 🤝You need not beat your dead horse into glue. 🙄
Sorry, Ned. But I will try to say this nicely my horse is not only alive, but will be president in a couple weeks. I think everything will be fine
Well, you can go on believing that but 70% of the country doesn’t agree with you
Yes, Senator Sanders nailed it when he said the middle class abandoned the Democrats because the Democrats had abandoned them. I disagree about the coup against President Biden. Many of us were disappointed when he announced he would run for a second term.
I would have voted for and I liked him, but he was frail and I had voted for President Biden in 2020 on the impression and premise that he was running for one term. I agree with Bill Katz on Vice President Harris. she tried really hard to build a coalition based on patriotism with room for disagreement.
Very discouraging that she and Governor Gipper lost.
Rick Henry what a troll
The truth must hurt, Rick. You spend so much time here denying it.
Actually he spends about 5 seconds on each five paragraph response. AI is fast
It’s a new technology day called voice texting five times faster than typing maybe more
Greg, I don’t know what you’re thinking. I’m not denying the truth. I’m denying fiction. The truth is that you can’t understand why the Democrats lost this election which I’ve said earlier is unfathomable to me. The party is in disarray. There is no assure and firm leader. Joe Biden was a complete disaster and that’s why you lost. And people here can’t accept that. And if you think Donald Trump was so bad, how in the hell was he reelected if things were so good under Joe Biden
The very same electorate that elected Joe Biden Joe Biden and then Donald Trump again is the same electorate.
Name-calling doesn’t work offending 77 million. People won’t work put together a qualified candidate with an agenda that is acceptable to the majority of people and regardless of sex they will win period.
I know I shouldn’t feed the troll but are you seriously unwilling to acknowledge the role that Musk played in any of this? And no one finds it strange that all swing states were win by just enough votes as to not trigger recounts? I’m personally tired of having to sound like a conspiracy theorist when pointing out clearly obvious reasons to doubt the legitimacy of this election.
So I guess you’re trying to tell me that other rich billionaires didn’t make an impact on the Democrat party and their decisions to do certain things and supporting them in an election while you should acknowledge at 80 some billionaires that donated to the democratic campaign and has been suggested that as many as 161 billionaires donated to all the democrat campaigns, including down ballots on the Democrat side.
The biggest impact on this country Recently is indeed from Elon musk, but it has nothing to do with the presidency. It has to do with him putting profits aside and investing $40 billion in a losing economic venture and cause to keep free-speech alive in this country by purchasing Twitter.
It wasn’t free on Google. It’s wasn’t free on Facebook. AND it wasn’t free on other social mediums nor legacy media, nor major newspapers in the country. And now, at least one of them is. I,m just showing you how the people here only like to hear what they think now there’s a new social media website called blue sky.
Twitter used to be 69% Democrat 31% Republican… now it’s 50-50 and because of that people are fleeing to blue sky because they don’t want to hear an opposing opinion that you might hear on X now.
Every party has its Musk’s . The Democrats have Soros, who not only got involved with presidential politics, but went all the way down to judges around the country. And was called out for it.
Let us see what D0GE is able to accomplish and see if they can streamline government and eliminate fraud and waste. But you can’t until Trump takes office so again, put away your predictions for now
President Biden was not a candidate for the 25th amendment. Period.
Harris should have been selected by the electorate and not just 'given' to us by the Biden camp which, by the way, waited too long to come to terms with 'one term only'. She would have done a fine job, but is still a member of the 'political elite'. The party needs change, and she was not it.
celeste k. -- Thanks. I've said 100 times that I will never forgive President Biden for not stepping down sooner than he did. That was, IMO, a totally selfish, self-centered and, yes, arrogant act. Given that he had waited his whole life to be President, he just couldn't give it up. His graciousness withered. Too bad.
We'll never know, Celeste, if Harris would or would not have been the change. She's smart, articulate, and compassionate. Her proposed policies would have worked wonders for our country if we'd also elected a Congress that would enable them. I agree completely that Biden should never have run for a second term, even though his first was a marvel.
She didn’t have any policies, Lauren. Even on the view and asked what you would do differently than Joe Biden she said nothing comes to mind. Those were her own words. Well, the country didn’t agree with her.
Bullshit.
Well, by the time President Biden called it quits, there really was not enough time to run through a primary season. What might have helped is if President Biden had resigned then pledged his delegates to Vice President Harris. This situation was unprecedented. I believe President Biden intended to be a one-term President but, once he got in, could not give up the incumbency.
If you would please open your mind and Google the Wall Street Journal article that had 50 associates of Biden news people people from his administration news people, 50 linked sources, talking about his declining mental capacity, not to mention his physical in capacities
Chris cizilla ring a bell. Check it out.
You are not opening my mind now with this hectoring. 🙄
You are closing my eye-lids. 🙄🙄
ZZZZZZZZZZZzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz. 🤭
I don’t blame you. as much If I didn’t like Trump as much as you don’t like Trump, I would close my eyes too.
Very disappointed in our HR member VA11th. In subsequent interviews he sounds as though he is compensating for a bad decision by trying to be aggressive and forthright. I'd prefer he focus on the cancer that plagues him or even having not sought re-election knowing what he faced.
Did he find out he had cancer after entering the race? Would it have been too late to step aside? What is his prognosis? These are all personal factors we might not know.
Having watched him in so many committees and floor debates I can’t see him accepting this role if he thought it would hurt the country. I’m going to give him the benefit of the doubt.
After seeing a clip of Mr. Connolly stating that "its his turn" - that sort of polished off the whole episode! I agree - Pelosi damaged her own legacy with that charade.
Well , if Democrats didn't get the message during this election, then they better wake the hell up or we will have no chance of willing an election again. I totally agree with your statement above. It is time for the younger generation of Congress to take over. We need new ideas to gravitate people's interest.
Sorry, I am obviously not keeping up. AOC always has my vote. My opinion about Pelosi was based solely on her performance of resistance.
Really? Did AOC not lose you when urging candidates to challenge incumbent Democratic House members? That’s why it was not Ms Pelosi who undermined her, but the 2 - 1 vote against her. By incumbent House members.
AOC is from a district where a ham sandwich could win election if it declared as a lefty Dem. It is not at all clear to me that AOC understands that a Democrat who wins in a swing district has to moderate some positions to win election. Does she understand that cloned Bernie Bros can’t win in more than half the districts Dems now hold? Could she win in a swing district?
This was notorious enough that as a part of campaign to win the ranking member job on Oversight, she pledged to stop recruiting candidates for Democratically-held seats.
Seems like she showed a glimmer of understanding of how to win a majority. Until now she seemed to prefer ideological purity over majority.
Agreed. Move the dinosaurs aside.
Wonderful!
SO AGREE
We’ll said, Ned!
Thank you, Nancy! 🤝
"It is not our world anymore”
Then whose world is it, and who is it that gets to decide that?
As long as our government is for sale to the rich, it belongs to them, and they get to decide everything. Unlimited corruption and depravity are the means to their ends, because that is the shortest distance beween two points in a game based on lies and lawlessness. Control of the money is the first (perhaps the only) way to protect democracy. Reason, argument, common sense -- none of that penetrates the near universal stupidity that permeates the people.
And who ought to control the money? And how should that be decided?
If you are going to throw out reason, argument, and common sense in our electoral process, what would be left? The answer to that ought to be obvious and as dangerous as anything of which your ‘rich’ are capable.
Don't get me wrong. Common sense is the key, as Thomas Paine taught us. My warning is that the people are not using their available reason and common sense to control the money. The rich are controlling the people like little remote-controlled toys. Things will change; they always do. But the price will almost surely be a high one to pay. By that I mean both lives and property, as has happened repeatedly in human history and is happening now daily. No sign of that changing. The depravity of the Republican Party today is beyond astounding. Yet there is no universal outrage against them. As for the money. The people own all of it; they just don't know it. Ignorance, stupidity, call it what you will.
There may be close to universal outrage but people have acquiesced and their voices may be muted.
That still doesn’t answer the question. When you say that control of the money is the only way to preserve democracy, what exactly are you talking about doing? How do ‘the people’ (I presume that’s what you mean) control the money? Because in all honesty, what you are saying sounds a bit like Somebody (I won’t say who) saying that the workers should control the means of production.
I believe Celeste stated it better that it is not our future.
- Pulled Quote -
And I argue the most important quote...
''...When the clerk announced that Gaetz would not take a seat in the 119th Congress, applause broke out.''
Why? It is indicative of the mood in Congress and the entire country that people are fed up. And when the people are fed up things change...
Hope that is true. He is the most despicable of all of them. Shake the dust off our shoes and move on.
From what I recall reading, he annoyed people by showing them sexually explicit photos. (I had a former coworker who used to do that as well, and it is VERY annoying.)
Those very people should have called him out on the spot. One thing I agree with MTG on is that harassment; sexual, racial, gender, runs rampant in our politics. Oddly, she is a perpetrator of all three but doesn’t see it.
If you couldn’t get away with it in a private workplace you shouldn’t be able to get away with it in government.
These people are simply no good, period. In the real world (you know, the world where values and standards exist), these creeps are not tolerated. However, we live in a celebrity culture, borne of capitalism, that celebrates this odd behavior—behavior that wouldn’t be tolerated outside the spotlight of celebrity.
I do think that Liz Cheney is wrong: America is turning into a Soviet Union, or rather, a Putin vassal state, at high speed.
Seems to me, Vlad’s cronies are in high gear
We have lost the cold war. His agent or willing idiot will be sworn on the 20th, although he is ineligible to be president.
Dictator from day 1.
Yep, Putin turned out to be better in the long game. Then again, destroying trust and harmony is much easier than building it up. In that sense, Putin also had the longer straw to pull...
We've seen nothing yet. I believe that trump and putin have already decided that trump will allow putin to take a big chunk of Ukraine in exchange for ending the war so that trump can take credit for it and demand he be given the Nobel Peace prize....
Exactly. Don't forget that Putin put Trump in power, and he will demand something back for it. That will be: a) Ukraine, b) the rest of Europe - and that is why Rump will pull the US out of NATO. Not because of political reasons, but because Vlad has ordered him to: that way, NATO will become so weak that Europe will be easy prey for the Russians to take over.
Republicans thought Trump could declare martial law to keep Biden from taking office, why can’t Biden invoke the 14th amendment?
Our last ditch effort. “The upshot is that Donald Trump remains constitutionally disqualified from the presidency and may not lawfully serve in that office or any other unless Congress removes the disqualification by two-thirds majorities of both houses. Nothing in Trump v. Anderson changes that legal reality.”
William Baude and Michael Paulsen, Harvard Law Review, Sweeping Section Three under the Rug: A Comment on Trump v. Anderson
Takes 20% of members of Congress to shift the burden to Trump.
They sure are.
The US is in fact not the Soviet Union. Our job is to keep it from becoming like it. And facts are crucial to that effort.
Well, fact is that on January 20th, Putin will install his marionette in the White House. Fact is, this marionette has unchecked power because he enjoys total immunity bestowed on him by the Supreme Court. And as far as I know, the US does not have a fallback system in which new elections can be called for should the sitting government fail. In other words, there is no way to put the Convicted Orange Felon out of power save by a violent revolution. As of yet, I don't see another option.
"Cheney responded: “Donald, this is not the Soviet Union. You can’t change the truth and you cannot silence us. Remember all your lies about the voting machines, the election workers, your countless allegations of fraud that never happened? Many of your lawyers have been sanctioned, disciplined or disbarred, the courts ruled against you, and dozens of your own White House, administration, and campaign aides testified against you. Remember how you sent a mob to our Capitol and then watched the violence on television and refused for hours to instruct the mob to leave? Remember how your former Vice President prevented you from overt. "
How come Trump is taking Presidency again? There must be a deep flaw of American democratic system. It is like a plane taking off with unfastened passenger doors.
I’m only hoping before the inauguration the orange man has a stroke
My spouse's sentiment, also. Leaving him with no ability to speak, and a drool cup.
I'll miss class acts, regardless of gender. Gaetz fuels my contempt for no-class acts in revered positions, but he's not alone. Where is the class in publishing photos of Hunter Biden's genitalia, MTG? Where is the class in pursuit of impeachment for Mayorkas or Biden when the evidence is clearly tainted and/or bogus, Mr. Comer? Where is the class in trying cases in the media instead of the courts, Gym Jordan? If we want class back in Congress we must elect serious people who take legislation seriously.
I remain furious at the Democratic Party Leadership.
Shoes and a smile do not win elections.
Pelosi, Schumer and the older generation in the Democratic Party need to step aside.
Losing 2 elections to a madman is unacceptable. Putting a woman up against a misogynist the second time is insane crazy. This brought out every misogynist for miles around. We wasted a top talent in the Party--Harris. It is way past time for the younger, extremely talented members of the Democratic Party to take over.
Using the same megaphone (biased media) saying the same things is not working.
Stop trying to shame the MAGA over January 6 such as Hakeem Jeffries did yesterday. We come across as scolds and whiners. Obviously, the voters do not care.
You cannot shame a MAGA. They sold their souls years ago f the right to hate publicly, loudly and often. You cannot reason through the fog of lies, rage and disinformation perpetuated by the media. You cannot reason with a population who forgot what a Democracy is.
I am generations long Democrat. I would register Independant if it wasn't for the primary election in Kentucky to choose someone to run for McConnell's seat.
Personally, I had this wild/crazy/hopeful thought that like a black man got elected which I thought impossible, so too would be a woman, regardless of her race. I was foolish.
I am amazed at what seems to be the collective lack of short term memory of the populace. I've talked to my husband about how quickly people seem to have forgotten the terror they had over COVID! I recall the first time I went to the grocery store to find the parking lot packed, people with frantic eyes pushing overflowing carts, and fighting over the last loaf of bread! The news stories of meat-truck morgues, and mortuaries overrun and refusing more bodies...this wasn't history of our grandparents, it wasn't even a generation ago--it was just a few years! If THAT worldwide situation is that easily forgettable, what does it say about humanity? Is it admirable resilience to move past the unimaginable? It is positive attitude or optimism? Is it utter foolishness, a lack of ....something?
I also thought that people would recall the revolving door/circus in a clown car administration of Trump. Either they forgot or didn't care.
The most glaring acts were watching Republicans spend endless hours voting to reduce the pay of people they didn’t like to $1. What kind of childish BS is that?
Don't forget the extraordinary power of the media, especially to young voters who relish their disinformation. The same folks in the cartoon, plus more, contributed to lies and misinformation without shame, all for the $. Oligarchs like spoiled baby Musk dump millions to get their own way. Don't forget the manipulations of Putin, who hopes Trump will close down NATO and feed Ukraine to the wolves. Then there are the mean-spirited folks who delight in Trump's crimes and misdemeanors...All in all, this was the triumph of wrong, but right is not dead.
They didn't forget; they just didn't care. This is what, in the end, will destroy us: indifference.
So wil weJim, so will we!
Well, there’s women in the two most powerful posts in this country right now placed there by the least expected person… Donald Trump. Oooops
A crooked lawyer and a wrestling promoter?!!!
Why do they make me think of female versions of "Artful Dodgers," perhaps good at deceptive entertainment, but seriously short of honest and competent performance of the legitimate duties of public servants. Whom but someone like Dickens' Fagin (or themselves), would they serve?
Well old Russell was wrong and admitted it. First ever chief of staff appointed by Trump is a woman. And you can pick on the credentials all you want, but it defeats your theory about misogyny to a great degree not to mention the balance of his cabinet is so diverse without trying to be diverse and probably the first time in recent history that a president has placed two people from the opposing party in his cabinet.
And the 26 women who've accused Trump of sexual assault, including E, Jean Carroll to whom he owes over $80m? Or perhaps Matt Gaetz, Pete Hegseth or Brett Kavanaugh? Whataboutism doesn't serve you well at all in this case.
Ohhhhhhhh myyyyyy G-d.
The taped interview actually happened in 2005 and it doesn't come out till 11 years later one month before he's about to be elected president.
Come on if this will happen to Obama, what would you have thought?
Again, not saying it didn't happen, but the timing was absolutely a political hit job
Very sad thanks for making me aware of it or making me more aware of it
And as I said it very well could have happened, but it's very suspect as to the timing and how long it took for these events to be public holy crrrral
Well, now I hear the best of all which makes it even more incredulous to be honest with you! I I remember the release of the tape but did not pay attention to the dates of the comments that he made but I just read and this is what now blows me away that you could be sucked in so easily whereas these things could've readily happened and I'm not denying it or defend
But how the hell do they come out literally one month before he was about to be elected?
That doesn't strike you?
Weather true or not, and it may well be true. I'm not defending it. I find it absolutely positively political warfare as to the timing of the release of the tape I haven't yet determined when the actual tape was made, but I'll go check that out now
But I say the timing of this make the allegations a little bit dubious to say the least
You probably don't like what I'm gonna say but I'm gonna say it anyway most people honestly feel that Brett Cavanaugh was what they call now CavanaughEd. In other words, nothing was said about his past until an alleged incident that happened 20 years before became public once he was nominated for the supreme BUT NOT A MOMENT BEFORE? Coincidence?
We are obviously dealing with the same thing here interestingly enough these came to light in 2016 as I read now. Wow. Another interesting coincidence
Well, I have to get deeper into this, but I have to laugh as the only time that these occurrences came forward was after Trump made the infamous statement on a radio with an open mic and many back in the 1970s when most of these occurred or allegedly occurred
I will continue to read
Honestly, I haven't heard about them and I'm just being honest
As I suggested earlier, if you want to vote for someone of character, don't vote for the president. The last president with assemblance of character was Ronald Reagan, but the only one that had really true character was Jimmy Carter.
Everyone since has had their peccadillos including the Kennedy family on many counts, including Chappaquiddick, which is a little bit worse than sexual assault including Mr. Clinton
And the bushes were just both dim bulbs Obama was the divider in chief under which sprung BLM and antifa
So men at the top all have a past. And they all have their secrets some more than others
But as I said, I've honestly never heard about 26 women
I'll look it up
But when you talk about equal justice, if you'd like to talk about equal justice, Trump is going to be sentenced for a garbage trial that was twisted from a misdemeanor into a felony whereas Bill Clinton paid $850,000 for an NDA
And there was not an investigation there was no follow up. There was no trial. There was no judge. There was no jury and nobody to this day knows where the money came from. Hmmmmm $850,000.30 years ago versus $75,000 today and the key witnesses where a stripper porn star and a convicted perjurer.
I'll look up the 26 and see what I see thanks
Well, you’re wrong on two counts, but you were probably thinking only one of the two we are talking about
Trump just appointed the first woman ever to be appointed chief of staff
That’s right the Mr. misogynist in chief, and Pam Bondi a very successful, experienced, Attorney General in the state of Florida.
Okay. I was referring to Linda McMahon, not Susan Wiles, but let's see if she (Wiles) last any longer than Trump's other chiefs. As for Bondi, she's clearly crooked. She accepted a bribe of $25k from Trump to drop an investigation into his crooked university. She claimed there was no quid pro quo and that the real reason was that there were insufficent grounds to take action but this is risible since the university was so crooked Trump had to pay $25m in compensation and dissolve the organisation. This was not the first time she's been linked with fundraising controversies - just take a look at her Wiki page. She may not be the most crooked lawyer in America, but she's crooked enough to suit Trump and that's plenty crooked.
Russell, Rick Sender is a bot, it can post negative, recycled drivel all day, every day. The lights are always on, but no one is ever home. Best practice is to simply not engage with it.
No he is not a bot. I’ve gotten to know him a bit. He is however, obsessed with Donald Trump. Why or how is anyone’s guess. But bot he isn’t.
There is something almost robotically inane about his remarks.
Wow negative in advance, huh? Shocker. Keep in mind, she was his campaign manager during his campaign and boy did they take crap from the world, including two assassination attempts
First attempt was a staged event, otherwise we would have a FULL report on the shooter, medical report with actual photos of the hole in the ear.
Also, the whole election was weird. Who runs saying he needs "no more votes, I have all I need." and then proceeds to act like he did? He and his enablers have made a total mockery of the election system in America. Putin's cronies, Musk involvement, and the "little secret" all point to something much more nefarious than a free and clear election process.
It was a campaign of relentless lies as you are about to find out. Trump is not going to reduce your cost of living. He's not going to fix anything because he's already got what he wants i.e. winning the election was the only way he stayed out of jail. Stand back and stand by!
What ? We’ll she sounds exactly like James Comey. No sensible prosecutor would prosecute Hillary Clinton for destroying 33,000 emails and bleach bitting her phone . Woah. Or keeping a computer in a hidden bathroom in the middle of the United States.
There are controversies all over the world Including the ones Involving judge Marchan, Fani Willis, or judge Engeron ? and the three people I name below.
Or maybe Kim Fox in Chicago?
So let me say it again she’s been Attorney General for quite a few years and has done a good job for Florida.
Maybe he should’ve picked Alvin Bragg instead or Tisha james? Lol
Rick, Hillary Clinton isn't running for any political offices these days.
Whataboutism.
Pam Bondi is laughable; the fact that you invoke her name here is also laughable. But not surprising given the tenor of all the rest of your posts, which truly make me shake my head.
Shake your head all you want. She’s the third most powerful Attorney General in the country and has done a good job for Florida. Anything else you wanna know? The tenor of my post is a different perspective that has seen on this website almost never. If you look at all the posts here it’s all agreement. It’s all congratulations. It’s all congratulating each other and patting each other on the back without ever seeing dissension or understanding perspectives of other people that don’t agree with you. I grew up in South Florida when the whole state was democrat other than some outlying rural areas and now look at it someone above just said it’s all red. How does that happen? That’s a question. You should be asking yourself not laughing at Pam Bondi.
I actually came back to delete my response because I had forgotten not to feed the resident troll, and found that you were already all over it. My bad, it will not happen again.
A "good job" for you may not be for me. What did she do that any of us can relate to?
Isnt it strange how everyone here is united.......except you as a bot trying to divide.
he values loyalty above all else. Right or wrong. Qualified or not. the appointment of a couple of women does not make him less of a misogynist. His entire history is one of misogyny
The first ever chief of staff, a woman. First, ever and the second most powerful person in the country Attorney General is also a woman named by Trump. Pretty good for a misogynist.
Did you ever know of a president who actually appointed somebody against him versus a loyalist. Or somebody who agreed with him
Every president does that. Did you ever know a person I could pick someone who’s against him? Nope.
Trump is going beyond that this time he’s actually even for the first time appointed two people from the opposite party …amazing.
I find it’s interesting that there are some experts here , who know exactly how to pick up Cabinet from their vast Reservoir of experience.
Trump assaults women….. brags about it….then pays others to keep their mouths shut about it.
Every single other thing about the creep is just noise. He is not fit for any office. He is not fit to shine my shoes.
I have 2 daughters and 1 grand daughter in my family. I spit on trump because their safety from the likes of him, and those like him, is far more important than anything that falls out of the creeps mouth. Any woman or man who supports the creep is no better than he is - I spit on all of them.
There is a huge difference in appointing a qualified loyalists and one that kisses butt. Huge difference. I would say that taking a $25,000 bribe and dropping a case is disqualifying - at least it used to be.
I also point out that th 2 he picked from the "opposite" party left the party ideas behind. RFK is a certified nut, Gabbard supports Putin.
You can point out differences and share you opinions, but please be fully truthful.
There you go again. Yapping about the usual.
That’s your opinion and you’re entitled to it. As I’ve said here many times if you’re looking for someone of devout character, don’t vote for president. The last president that had the kind of character that you’re looking for just died a few days ago. I’m not gonna sit here and delineate all their flaws, but everyone of them had them many more severe many that should’ve not allow them to be president but in many cases, and this is the point I’m trying to make out many of them who who had let’s call it wandering pee, pees, were some of the best presidents in our life, and by chance happened to be Democrats.
Don’t be a one item voter… Judge a President that from the day he gets in office Till the last day he leaves, he works fervently for the benefit of all Americans. THAT’S IT Much of what they do before doesn’t matter when it comes to the task of being president as I pointed out above
Successfully accepted a pretty obvious bribe I have heard.
Well, I’m gonna Google it just for S & G and I’m not sure why she running for office at the time and it was a campaign contribution. I don’t know. But if you can’t find something wrong with every single candidate, that’s running there’s a big problem because everybody has a flaw a peccadillo a mistake because they’re human.
And I thought the left was particularly good at forgiving, for example, parole for murder victims lower sentences for misdemeanors no cash bail for murderers.
And I hate to say this, but if you’re looking for character in the president, don’t vote for president The last person I think that had any real character in this country is president just passed away the other day.
You again?
blah, blah,blah
A Very meaningful post indeed. Have a good night
Okay, Rick, you have gotten your fix of attention. Take a lap, son, and go out for junior varsity.
Son? Try 75 years young. I could care less about attention. Sad
Any BS to bolster your lame arguments.
NEVER ON ANY SOCIAL MEDIA FOR 74 1/2 YEARS. and only came on “X “ for curiosity. Your moniker seems pretty accurate now
On Jan 21, 2021 the top responsibility of President Biden and the leadership of the Democratic Party was to prosecute the criminals who led the conspiracy to steal the Executive Branch of the government. Trump and his bad faith cronies played "rope-a-dope" and the Democrats were lulled into letting him off the legal hook. The Dems failed then and they are failing now.
Until January 19, 2025 President Biden continues to have the power and the responsibility to "execute the laws" and "protect and defend the Constitution". The Supreme Court gave the office of the President the green light to take "bold and decisive action" to defend the nation from "enemies, foreign and domestic". Trump and his crime cult are a domestic enemy. Will the Dems have the guts to do what's right? Or allow the criminals back into the White House?
Winston Churchill was castigated, for years, for his claims that Hitler was a threat to world civilization. Who will be the Churchill in this time? The autocrats and oligarchs, the self-styled "masters of the universe" egomaniacs like Musk and Putin and their underlings Trump and Johnson threaten self-rule in America. Democracy is about to be crushed by billionaire thugs and the DNC leaders mill around silent.
No one was stealing this country let alone in 1000 unarmed protesters. And the more you’re going to hear about the evidence as it comes out unless you’re gonna like it. Including Pelosi, admitting to her daughter, that was her fault to a great extent, including the FBI hiding the fact that there were 23 FBI agents in the crowd that we’re not supposed to be in the crowd and that actually assisted people in coming through the barriers and even though they were unannounced FBI agents Inside the crowd, not one of them got arrest, arrested you you’re gonna hear more about the 10,000 troops that Trump requested and you’re gonna hear more about the denial of help from the local mayor of DC
It was a protest gone wrong but it was never a protest to overthrow the government of the United states
This the Year of Being Invisible.
Me too! They are the definition of class and honor!