Sure. AND ALSO, they're not the only people who can be politicians. Virtually everyone screaming that Democratic MoCs should be better politicians (some should, some are not getting credit) have a better platform to do politics themselves, including @brandonfriedman.bsky.social. - ThreadSky

emptywheel.bsky.social • 100 days ago

Sure.

AND ALSO, they're not the only people who can be politicians.

Virtually everyone screaming that Democratic MoCs should be better politicians (some should, some are not getting credit) have a better platform to do politics themselves, including @brandonfriedman.bsky.social.

Reposted from Brandon Friedman

Democrats are fundamentally misunderstanding the moment: We're not asking them to be *legislators* right now. We need them to be *politicians.*

There's nothing to be done about the legislative situation. They're right about that. But there's PLENTY to be done as politicians.

Comments

oeishik.bsky.social•100 days ago

We should start looking for our next champion. We should focus our energy on finding the person who will take down Donald's tyranny. https://youtu.be/aUQM2MFPmRw

stephaniejones.com•100 days ago

We need to stop looking for "champions" and start being champions ourselves.

muggsy6363.bsky.social•100 days ago

Hmm. Mocs?

norsemanil.bsky.social•100 days ago

The best thing Dems can do is ignore the backseat punditry and focus on developing unified messaging that reaches out on issues of importance to middle America.

reallydebl.bsky.social•100 days ago

Thank you. There are leaders everywhere! Don’t know why ppl are focusing on congressional electeds and expecting a superhero/daddy to make it all better

dbonowitz.bsky.social•100 days ago

Maybe (and I credit Friedman for the colloquy in the comments). But there are some things that ONLY electeds can do effectively, no?

https://bsky.app/profile/dbonowitz.bsky.social/post/3lial4c6xwk2p

emptywheel.bsky.social•100 days ago

At least two of the things you're saying can only be done by elected can be done by non-electeds, as proven by the fact that you say Buttigieg should do one of them (and would be a natural for a shadow cabinet).

And if Hakeem and Schumer ARE busy in backrooms, it would not & should not be visible

dbonowitz.bsky.social•100 days ago

100% agree on Schumer and Jeffries. (The less we hear from them the better,)

Buttigieg is an effective speaker, but he can't name himself to a Dem party leadership role.

In any case, there is plenty of work for all. Best for everyone to do what they do best,

emptywheel.bsky.social•100 days ago

Jeffries has one job right now--a make or break chance to make a mess of the budget/reconciliation process. Thus far, he has not missed on his House stewardship, but this one really is a make or break and I do worry he'll botch it. But that should not be visible, nor should he be showing his cards.

rwarnick.bsky.social•100 days ago

Dems used to claim they were "keeping their powder dry," which is an 18th Century expression referring to gunpowder. At least that implied future action.

Now they just get angry at their own voters when we ask them to do or say anything.

ewigeliberal.bsky.social•100 days ago

as I stated, Jeffries is a fucking coward:

https://bsky.app/profile/atrupar.com/post/3liu2nl3e2c2h

ewigeliberal.bsky.social•100 days ago

Jeffries has a demonstrable low intellectual ceiling and is incapable of being a better politician. Like a moth to centrist flame, you seem to expect the most from the cut out politicians. puzzling...yet. 🐇

muggsy6363.bsky.social•100 days ago

He’s busy with book tour

dbonowitz.bsky.social•100 days ago

100%
(Either stop the book tour or turn it into something more like a teach-in & voter registration -- the daily brief & town hall. But really, get back to DC.)

emptywheel.bsky.social•100 days ago

The one thing these town halls have not included are 2026 candidates -- eg, I'd have loved to see Rebecca Cooke in that Eau Claire event. But those town halls are 2026 election (again, assuming we have the luxury of having them).

nvandenhouten.bsky.social•100 days ago

Keep it simple. Model a hybrid of AOC, Pete Buttigieg and Josh Shapiro.

dbonowitz.bsky.social•100 days ago

That's what I mean by starting the 2026 election now. Campaign activities that Dems have historically put off until election year need to start now, in a more uniform way. But that's a job for the party, not for pundits -- unless pundits want to run, which might also work, to Friedman's point.

emptywheel.bsky.social•100 days ago

Which party? How is it that two of these were in OK, for example? Would you see party involvement from where you are sitting, and would it primarily be in DC?

Besides, that's an old-fashioned way of thinking. Certainly the fascists don't think that timidly.

54321blastoff.bsky.social•100 days ago

My fear is we have elections but they're stolen/fraud. I don't trust MAGA fka GOP at all.

allmellow.bsky.social•100 days ago

100% this. Cooke would have a real shot in 2026. Voters already know her for the most part, and nobody is a bigger bootlicker coward than her opponent Van Orden.

cdwilsher.bsky.social•100 days ago

Does anybody know when the government is going to run out of money? When Trump assumed power, the estimate was March 14, but I haven't heard anything since and the folks at Treasury who monitor this situation have been fired or quit.

It will be a hulluva thing if government checks start bouncing.

quirkygrrrl.bsky.social•100 days ago

Why are they not maximizing their YouTube channel and actually providing media resources to connect directly with constituents? They could make the channel a real Democracy News source. Reporting, info, organizing, interviews from the grass roots on up.

lisamonanet.bsky.social•100 days ago

People should do better to support and empower them other than constantly cutting them down. This is how we lost the election. All the bad mouthing of Democrats on both sides.

hughdelendaest.bsky.social•100 days ago

This is not group therapy. They are not your friends and family. They are adults who wanted their jobs. They should be supported when they are messaging or acting effectively, and they should be criticized when they are not. If they can't handle that, they should step down or be replaced.

lisamonanet.bsky.social•100 days ago

Why don’t you use your energy to attack the fascists? Better yet go protest. It’s easy to sit on the sidelines and critique what you think is not good enough against the evil we are facing. This is why we lost.

hughdelendaest.bsky.social•100 days ago

I need the people who are in positions of power and leadership to oppose fascists if I want fascism to be effectively opposed. That doesn't happen by coddling them as they're fucking up.

lisamonanet.bsky.social•100 days ago

Well good. You keep up the good work shit posting about democrats. This will solve everything unless you are a troll which I strongly suspect.

upwardfalling13.bsky.social•100 days ago

America needs one or more leaders who can establish a loyal opposition with the goals of 1) Speak truth to lies, 2) take the initiative, 3) Coordinate the opposition, and 4) Assist in taking back the White House.

So far there is no apparent effective opposition.

brandonfriedman.bsky.social•100 days ago

The difference is, I never told anyone I was the best person for this job. Every member of Congress did, so they are held to a higher standard than someone like me or you.

emptywheel.bsky.social•100 days ago

But they didn't say they were the best politician--and there are MANY pundits who are obviously better politicians than elected MoCs are. They said they'd be the best legislator.

You are really trying to dodge all agency yourself, and wasting a lot of hot air choosing to be impotent.

brandonfriedman.bsky.social•100 days ago

The job requires proficiency at both — being a legislator and being a politician. In session, the former is more important. During a campaign, the latter. During a fascist attack on the U.S. government, also very much the latter. Anyone who's not very good at it should step aside for someone who is.

emptywheel.bsky.social•100 days ago

And YOUR job requires the latter.

And yet, you are doing worse than nothing by screaming at people, rather than taking action yourself.

Again, stop dodging your own agency. Start focusing your attacks on the fascists.

brandonfriedman.bsky.social•100 days ago

What exactly do you think my job is? In real life, I am an appointed public official in Dallas, currently doing what *my* job requires in this moment. If things go sideways, my job may require more, which I'm prepared to do. I hold myself to the same standard as members of Congress: Do *your* job.

marietoto.bsky.social•100 days ago

Respect

emptywheel.bsky.social•100 days ago

Okay. Then your imagined activism IN THIS MOMENT is to choose to be as maximally impotent as possible.

Whatever. Your choice.

emptywheel.bsky.social•100 days ago

It may be, if we have the luxury of elections again, the people taking action now will easily replace the legislators who didn't. But that's a battle to have down the road, if we have that luxury.

elhelster.bsky.social•100 days ago

Yes, yes and yes. Attack the fascists and nothing else.

zmach.bsky.social•100 days ago

Agreed! Also, not sure “why aren’t more stories about dem politicians doing something showing up in my social media owned by billionaires trying to get me to vote against dem politicians?” is a sensible take.

vslacks.bsky.social•100 days ago

It’s why Biden’s presidency overall was a failure. He acted like legislating was all that matters. And he, of course, was an entirely ineffective communicator which means that the politician role was a poor fit to begin with.

elideep.bsky.social•100 days ago

They said they’d be the best *representative* for us. That includes representing voters both legislatively and through political leadership. Successful legislating requires successful politicking.

pjkaz.bsky.social•100 days ago

I don’t think that’s the case. The average casual politicker doesn’t understand there’s a difference so this is truly helpful.

MOCs could absolutely be organizing more instead of doing media hits where they complain and leaking to Axios that Indivisible hurt their feelings

rariel81.bsky.social•100 days ago

Yeah also a BlueSky account and a Congressional seat are slightly different platforms.

jaksbel.bsky.social•100 days ago

Congress needed Katie Porter! She would’ve been a great Senator! Adam Schiff matches his last name reminds me of a sleaze human you would walk across the street to avoid him.

timpranillo.bsky.social•100 days ago

It is mindblowing the lengths you'll stoop to in order to absolve anyone with actual power from using their power.

stanzanarotti.bsky.social•100 days ago

The Senate Dems should appoint an official spokesperson with the requisite skills. Chris Murphy comes to mind.

joellava.bsky.social•100 days ago

PROTEST MUSK
We ALL need to get out and stop Musk by any legal means!
Saturday Feb 22 -Americana
#teslatakeover #coup #musk #musk
YouTube
https://youtube.com/shorts/0OI3sQrdnkc?si=3yHlVgNf2oSZIHrA
Tiktok
https://www.tiktok.com/t/ZP8YtEM9q/

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