i think i agree with this. (since none of you will read it the basic idea is democrats should under no circumstances try to save trump or republicans from themselves)
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This is why Rs win. They don't give a shit about people and will make them suffer and blame the Ds. We are mostly better people and want to alleviate suffering if we can 🤷🏻♂️
Like the only reason trans people are an election issue and need our help is because Rs won't shut the fuck up and let them live their lives. They are 0.5% of the population and just want to be themselves. There are more people with Chron's disease for god's sake.
What if Dems did this? Just pitch one fit after another over ridiculous issues and keep Rs too distracted by trivial bullshit to get anything actually horrible accomplished? 😆
That would require msm cooperation & constant amplification...you know, like what they've been giving the fascist party for the past decade. I like your idea, but don't hold your breath.
Rs found the key to exploit the transgender issues: "Protecting our children." Much stronger than "bathrooms".
Dems will have to look hard for messages with similar visceral appeal and, as another skeep(?) mentions, they'd still need the press to frame it effectively.
My opinion, and, therefore worth very little. The force it will take to disengage these folks from freely gorging on the resources of this country will only be generated by a substantial amount of pain felt by the vast majority of people. Even then we can only hope to be able to break the suction.
Ahem. I did read it! (I subscribe to the Bulwark because I like reading smart people I don’t always agree with who challenge my preconceptions.). And I mostly agreed with it too.
I admit that this had not occurred to me. It would certainly save a lot of wear and tear on my heart and spirit. But I don't know if I can do it. It's not trying to save Republicans, it's trying to save the people that the Republicans are going to hurt. These are hard times.
I think the idea isn't to let bad things happen, but to...well, to be the GOP during the Obama years. Don't give him a single vote on anything ever. They want to pass horrifying legislation, they have to figure out how to do it. Their voters want something, they have to lobby for it.
No, JVL explicitly argues for more than that. He saying that if there was such a thing as a deport 15 million people bill in Congress, Dems should declare that they think it is wrong but country clearly voted for it and abstain without opposing it. Then let the public experience the results
Ah. In that case, I disagree _in the extreme_. It's true that there may not be much they can do through the legal system as a minority, but they can and should be obstinate fucks as much as possible. We need people in power to fight for us. We don't need revenge.
The problem is that going forward we won't really have anyone in power who can do this effectively and without risking great harm to themselves and people close to them. On a personal level, we can represent our values by helping those we can help where and when we are able.
Scream to the high heavens that the Trump administration is trying to do x, y, and z, it will cause a, b, and c harms, and not only is not a single Democrat going to vote for it or anything like it, but they'll do everything in their power to stop it. Deny quorum if they have to.
Not only because it's the right thing to do, but because the narrative that they're stuck with is broadly that Democrats are passive and will vote for something that's 90% horrible in the name of bipartisanship because they managed to change a few details.
I was trying to read it put it is paywalled (fair enough), but the substack's UI is so irritating - it insists you login in before it even considers showing you the price - that I stopped trying.
Sadly cannot gift the article. And Substack subsucks for a variety of reasons. If you are interested in subscribing but can't afford it it is possible to get a free subscription by contacting them. They are all center-right but write well and are funny. It gets me out of the lefty bubble a bit.
I was thinking the same thing today. I almost feel like it’s better if we don’t take the house. Let them see what a bloodbath this really is going to be. I mean, let’s just go all in and be done with this once and for all?
I don't think the assumption that they are going to learn some kind of lesson is supported by anything we've witnessed in the last nine years. They're impervious to any information or evidence that comes from outside their bubble, and constitutionally incapable of admitting they were wrong.
Exactly. Plus, the (few) people that will blame Trump if things go bad, are the people that will see the Democrats sitting on their hands and hate them for it.
I get it. It's a toss-up, but I was raised in a hard-core R family. They never understand anything until it happens to them personally. If nothing else, I'm glad they won't be spared from the consequences. I might OD on schadenfreude.
Once someone's gone down the conspiracy rabbit hole like your cousins have, it's incredibly hard to reason them out again. But I think there's a larger swathe of voters so politically disconnected that they genuinely don't grasp what they're voting for by casting a ballot for Trump.
I'd argue that many Trump voters having also voted for a multitude of progressive ballot measures (including overturning a total abortion ban in Missouri of all places) is evidence of that. And I do have some hope that those people might still be reachable.
Yeah, fair point. There definitely are different types of Trump voter, and some are more far gone than others. I have a hard time grasping that there are voters who don't understand what they're doing when they vote for Trump, but the results do suggest there are an awful lot of them.
Poor governance, one would expect, will peel off some voters. And their current coalition is only held together by a weird cult of personality, and it's not at all clear that they have anyone else who can replicate it.
(But that only matters if there are more elections.)
I get it. FWIW, I was reading a Reddit thread last night where people were explaining their reasons for voting for him, most of which boiled down to "the economy" with little elaboration. One person shared that their mom voted for him the first time but reconsidered after learning about January 6th.
Exactly. There is nothing to be gained by NOT doing everything in our power to prevent terrible policies and laws from taking effect. We won't be able to stop everything, unfortunately, to not try is wrong AND won't work.
Moreover, we should hound Rs when they don’t deliver on their promises. They get away with saying inflammatory stuff and their plan is that Ds will keep hem in check. Not this time - FAFO all the way
How do we reduce harm to other people if we stop fighting cruel policy? I get the strategy might be effective, but what are we even doing if we sacrifice people?
Yes, Democrats saved their constituents from the 1864 law and helped Republicans avoid upsetting the pro-lifers, but if they didn't intervene, Democrats probably would have upset their own base.
And Trump's strategy to stop the immigration bill worked,he got elected.
Read it. Came across to me as “Democrats, stand back and let the GOP hurt people they way they promised.” I’m upset, too. I understand wanting these people to see firsthand exactly what they voted for. But it’s unethical not to stand in the way of people being harmed.
The Dems have an obligation to stand in the way of people being harmed, if they possibly can. If they don’t, you and I both know, if you’re prepared to admit it, *the Dems will be blamed* for not doing anything.
It’s like a planet-sized meteor ☄️ is coming and there’s nothing we can do about it. I’m off tv news and political podcasts. (I listened to 10 a day! No more.) Elon hacked election, Joe & Garland didn’t protect us. (They were warned last year and probably before.) We are on our own. It’s over.
And I did read up until the point where I hit the pay wall. But I am considering joining, as I think the Bulwark generally does good work. I can use the $ I used to spend on the NYT, WAPO & NPR.
Anyway, I have been making this same argument for yrs! We need to let them hang themselves!!
After years of saying the Trump/GOP policies will lead to disaster, I fear people need (yet another) disaster to be reminded just how terrible they are. Especially since Trump won the popular vote. Which is a dreadful thought for all the people that will hurt… but I can’t think of another way.
I once had a boss who initiated a policy that made problems for our clients. My staff said, “Tell us we’re not really going to do this!?” I said, “No, we’re going to follow the policy religiously, & refer every complaint to my boss.” The policy didn’t last half a year.
I read as far as I could and got the gist. I mostly agree. If they somehow see a chance to help pass a decent bill, do that. But if the GoP is doing things to damage themselves, definitely let them.
Sitting back and doing nothing is what enabled Hitler to take total control. You guys are sleeepwalking into fascism - because your exceptionalism makes you think it'll never happen in the US.
Fair. I couldn't read it all either. But I know the Bulwark people wouldn't say sit back and do nothing. But Dems need to master not helping before they can fight.
Last time he ended up trying to convince people to inject themselves with bleach and take horse medicine. I'm happy to sit back and eat my popcorn now.
Let’s be honest-at this point, with these mandates, we’re powerless. All we can do is watch it burn. Like Texas, Democrats are stuck. Since the abortion ban, 26k rape victims were forced to carry their rapist’s baby. If that didn’t wake people up, I don’t know what will. We are doomed
I think that Democrats should give the people what they want. Do nothing, pass no helpful legislation, and, indeed, vote in favor of every idiotic piece of legislation the Republicans propose. After things get bad enough, things will improve.
I share this instinct and I look at that AZ example and I think of the lives that are ruined by standing by (but I guess fewer lives are ruined by ushering the blowback.)
And if there's an environmental disaster of some type I'll help out any region that has an in place plan to become carbon neutral. But not otherwise. If you're not helping yourself, I'm not helping you.
Can't read the article, but just last night I was thinking "if the majority of Americans want this America, let them have it and wait to actually pick up the pieces when it fully breaks." But, like, the amount of collateral damage globally would be devastating.
I would agree with you if Trump only affected America. But climate change is a danger to us all (and some other of his policies too, but the environment issue is the more urgent one).
I have thought this and said this from the start. It’s a jujitsu move. Let them have the bad energy let it play itself out. We couldn’t have a bigger cast of morons on that side. And of course if I’m wrong, they’ll be successful and that will help America.
And when those policies hurt those in the core Trump constituency, do nothing to help. Example: Last time, Trump’s tariffs hurt farmers so they got a bailout. This time, do everything to block aid to farmers hurt by tariffs.
We need to stop cleaning up (or even buffering) their messes. May be what this country needs is to be driven into the ground. The Union was too accommodating to the south after the Civil War. They were still allowed their flags and their monuments. Now look where we are.
I’ve always thought we should get rid of the filibuster *so that* nothing is holding back Republicans. One term of actual unchecked Republican rule would be a death knell for them.
i just worry that what’s driving all of this is a daily tsunami of right wing propaganda & no matter how many people’s lives are ruined & ended by his policies, a large part of the voting population will never understand that it is HIS FAULT
a lot of the lack of tangible policies of Biden’s term is because of things TRUMP did yet even Dem voters can’t correctly diagnose the source & i have very little hope 😭
Progress never happens because whenever political leaders fail, they blame the failure on the very people who are trying to make things better, and people buy it rather than admit they were wrong. The leaders then double down on their lousy policies, and so on.
It’s no one groups fault, there is plenty of blame at the buffet for the DNC and other groups too, but still, expecting Harris to be perfect in this race and casting a “protest” vote may not have been the brightest idea when the other side is running the guy wants to burn the constitution up.
True…there was a time when liberal and progressive were interchangeable but no more. The tik tok progressive are in for one hell of a shock if they think genocide Joe was bad.
Not only that, the filibuster is anti democratic bullshit. I would accept a filibuster only if it requires (1) actually speaking and (2) speeches MUST BE on topic. It was a seldom used rule meant to allow for fulsome debate, not to allow a minority to permanently block the majority writing a note.
Democrats can also use it sparingly. Tariffs, who cares? You voted for this! Who am I to tell you it is a bad idea disproportionately hurting yourself? They can even vote to overcome it if some of their members aren't on board.
We need to go low because we are fighting selfish dangerous idiots.
Sadly this is where I’ve landed as well. If so many Americans are willing to risk democracy for lower grocery prices. (Still haven’t heard how Trump will magically lower prices BTW) Then they need to live with what comes next. I’m tired of Dems having to do the right thing when Rs never do.
This seems to be arguing against political harm reduction, which flies in the face of what you just advocated in another post - that we stop thinking like pundits who's first thought is "how do we get votes?"
If we just let Trump be Trump, people will die. Women. Immigrants. Trans people.
At first I didn’t agree but the more I’ve thought about it the more I’ve come around. Essentially giving people exactly what they asked for. Ideally difficult lessons would change thinking but a lot of these people are deep in the tank.
You can’t read the whole thing bc you need to be a paid subscriber. But what I think they are saying is the only way ppl will change their views and opinions is if they get EXACTLY what they voted for. Will this be painful for all? Definitely. But it is the only way through
Also, it’s going to be a hardship either way. Democrats should stay out of the way and let the people have what they voted for. And the people who didn’t vote at all.
I can't read past the opening, but yeah, fuck them. I'm done giving grace that's neither wanted nor deserved. They shit the bed, they can do the laundry
I would love to read it but encountered this. I absolutely can't afford to sub to every pub out there. The media diaspora is financially punishing to readers. We need umbrella collectives for subbing.
Well, if we all leave Twitter, and focus on protecting each other, we can avoid giving them advice by criticizing them in the open. Being a vocal critic is also inviting a bullseye by techbros with access to the code, so it's safer all around. Let them cook (themselves).
I think as painful as the point is for Democrats-we do need to stop rescuing republicans from their cruel legislative actions
“Democrats fixed the problem the GOP majority had made, instead of letting the unpopular law hang there, like a millstone around the necks of Republican candidates”
This quote was abt an area I’m going to argue the Dems HAD to step in tho
However there are areas in Congress where by continually stepping in to save Rs from themselves- we are clouding the issue so much that the public doesn’t realise how extreme the Republicans are &what they really want to do
Will Republicans make even token attempts to make Trump "normal". Susie Wiles is now Chief of Staff ... but how long will she put up with driving the chaos clown car? Will she last longer than the 4 Chiefs he had last time? Or will she bail within a Scaramucci (11 days)?
I want to read the whole thing, but I cannot reconcile giving money to Substack given that they quite literally & willingly platform hateful content under the guise of free speech. I wish writers & publications would migrate away. There are alternatives.
I agree and I'll take it step further: Dems should amplify the effects of the worse policies to drive a wedge in his new coalition e.g. the inevitably haphazard mass deportation dragnet should include as many Hispanics that supported Trump as possible, especially innocent ones.
I disagree entirely. That mentality is why the GOP just kicked our ass. We are full of soft people more concerned with meaningless moralizing than doing what is necessary to win power and keep it. Nothing in politics matters more than winning.
Doing things that are popular isn't as hard as the Dems make it look. For instance, there's no reason that marijuana legalization wasn't passed in Biden's first 100 days. Actually following through on fully eliminating student loan debt. So many issues they refuse to push.
The dems *have* moved the ball on these things as well as many other things. The public didn't give a fuck. They *wanted* a fascist authoritarian. Acting like legal weed would have changed their mind is absurd.
This is my coping mechanism right now. Contrary to all of the speculation, I think the reason Trump won was peoples' perception of the economy was bad and that's the beginning and end of it. If he nukes the economy, Rs get killed in the midterms.
This is a much better take than the title makes it sound from what I could read.
"The Lankford bill was easily the toughest immigration law in generations—Democrats gave away the store and asked for nothing in return. Republicans got everything they ever said they wanted."
I would be more inclined to agree with it if good people weren't locked in the burning building with them while they go around setting more things on fire.
Literally had this thought today in an existential haze. Let them do all the things they want to do and don’t Liz Warren-style “FIGHT.” Let all these unpopular ideas come to fruition. 200% tariffs. Nationwide abortion ban. Punish broke student borrowers. Ultra tax break for the top tier.
Oh I'm done.
I am out.
I am going to be the ignorant one who doesn't watch the news. I don't want to see his name, face or hear his voice.
I am out until we get to the next election. Then we will see.
This is my meme now.
I could not read the entire article, as most was behind a paywall, however I implore anyone putting this sentiment forward to think through the implications for the lives of vulnerable people.
As a trans person this strategy could be my life. Disabled people, women, queer folk, immigrants, Black and all PoC people shouldn't be put forward as collateral damage to hoist the conservatives on their own petard (as tempting as that is).
If you need a strategic reason, these people bearing the brunt of the bad policy outcomes are the Democratic base. It would be hurting our own people and depressing their turnout. It would feed into the "do nothing Democrats" narrative.
Voting rights could be completely and utterly and fully destroyed. Then how would we pick up the pieces after letting them rampage in hopes of political wins after?
I did that enough up to and through high school. In college I broke up with someone because she kept trying to get me to sign up so she could feed her addiction to Columbia House and BMG.
I read it down to the paywall. Yesterday someone opined that young people (with less disposable income than I) didn’t vote Democrat because the views they should have been exposed to were all paywalled.
Agree
Even the information from WSJ that I managed to read by circumventing the paywall exposed the illusion /lie that ppl were financially better off under trumps economy
That information from a conservative outlet might have helped voters understand how trump TikTok Rogan were hoodwinking them
I was only able to see some of those stories because I had a subscription to Apple+ News but even that is deceptive, because it’s not *all* of the stories from WSJ or The Economist.
Any restriction / impediment to the free flow of information is bad for democracy, just as any intentional effort to promote misinformation and disinformation is a threat to democracy.
Whatever happened to the early 2000s mantra that “the Internet wants to be free”?
And when my evangelical Christian family members have hardships, my response will be: It's God's will. Trump was God's chosen president, so all this must be God's will. I'm gonna "God's-will" the SHIT outta these people.
If you believe abortion restrictions are killing women you have to jump in with the 6-month measure if at all possible even if it lets Republicans of the hook. Not something to play games with.
He makes a compelling argument . However, it’s like saying the house is on fire and let’s not try to put it out because we need a new roof. Also, there have been times when Dems did nothing, remember McCarthy losing the Speakership, he and his supporters blamed Democrats.
Quick question: what the hell is wrong with the person who wrote this & everyone in the comments supporting it?
The concept of giving up on helping in some kind of vindictive political chess move is unconscionable. This isn’t an abstract thought exercise; it’s REAL PEOPLE’S LIVES.
Politically speaking this would do little to nothing to help in the long run because it would sow distrust from all factions; but more importantly, it’s morally bankrupt. The moment we start seeing any people as unworthy of political/legislative help, we’ve lost more in all the ways that matter.
“Good” people are everywhere — including “red” states — & deserve to not be thrown under the bus. & here’s the hottest take: not even Trump supporters deserve to be abandoned to the full consequences of their disgusting & often ignorant decisions. Leadership for all means something & it’s not this.
I’m in FL. So are 5 million other Dems. Are we sacrificial political pawns?
This isn’t about “not saving” Republicans. It’s about “saving” the people affected by the very real harm R’s cause to everyday people, including you & me. We share this country. Our ability to survive it must be defended.
I can get behind that unless it would be a situation where sticking their neck out means helping the American people in the end. Let voters see how horrible these people are.
Friends, wife and I, are all discussing this very thing. At this point we are hunkering down. Not in fear, or to prepare for an onslaught against us personally. Because we know if no one restrains him, it will be absolute chaos. They wanted it, now let them burn. Pay up suckers.
My entire political life has been fighting extremists who are relentlessly tryin to destroy everything because they can’t abide a compromise, while the ‘oppositional left’ frantically keeps the lights on. So, put gently, fuck ‘em. Nighty night.
I get that up to the point where people die. I mean, why is there no thought of repeating a Jan6 scenario? Because as much as progressives support defunding the police? We would never riot and kill police officers. I want the leopard to eat their face, but all citizens are not MAGA.
The subtitle to this essay is why...it would be one thing if Trump had lost the popular vote but he didn't...so give a majority of the American people what they asked for, I say
I’d put it somewhat differently; I don’t think a majority of Americans voted for Trump’s agenda, despite the mandate he will claim. Nonetheless I think there is a certain virtue in letting everyone see how bad he is and quickly. That doesn’t preclude fighting back sometimes.
We don't need to pretend the Republican Party is something noble that Trump The Aberration corrupted. Anyway gonna read this...I feel challenged to, somehow, like I've received a hint
I think there are some circumstances—for instance, anything that might stop the infrastructure for mass deportation from being built/expanded will be well worth doing.
I have to admit this is one reason why I like Westminster parliament style government. The “elected dictator” nature of it all makes accountability *really* easy.
The US has so many checks and balances and alternative levers that it hampers clarity in who you need to blame for outcomes.
Not a single person in the world is smart enough to figure out the cost/benefit of this in total harm, but the cost/benefit to our souls of just standing aside and watching feels off.
I'm skeptical of how much Democratic effort can slow this particular train because it will likely be built on top of the unaccountable goon squads created on a bipartisan basis with the creation of the Department of Homeland Security.
Strategic focus vs. right/wrong is going to be a challenge. But I think this is right, and also that Dems should be loud and on message about it. Drive some of the news cycle, show strength instead of reacting and being outraged.
Quite aside from the very convenient position on the part of the Bulwark to let oppressed groups suffer to prove a point, the entire last decade and more have seen the unvarying message that only Democrats have agency, so they'd be blamed for not stopping the GOP regardless.
I mean, if we were able to make it so that only Republicans that voted for Trump bore the weight of his policies, fine. Reap, sow, etc. But after all the infuriating normalization of the Dems having to be the only adults in the room, do they think it'd be forgotten that Dems stood by unresisting?
I genuinely don't know how to turn this back on the GOP. My inclination is to fight the worst of it by any means necessary, with the understanding that's a losing battle, and that said resistance will be ruthlessly repressed. That repression will eventually be the moral authority to govern.
And I genuinely mean "eventually". It's going to be a long, dark road. Snapping red America out of their bigotry won't happen short of confronting them with atrocities on the level of "marching German civilians through Birkenau and Auschwitz in 1945."
the first example being abortion is legitimately one of the hardest to swallow tbh. i am sure it addresses something about this later but the cost is human lives.
also this only works if dems actually use their powers for meaningful change when they have them, which... not a great track record
This is really hard. If you get in the way, you’re the internal enemy subverting their greatness. direct resistance will mostly fail anyway outside of the law & culture. People need to see his failure and how it affects their lives, putting bumpers on it will prevent that.
My concern is that this version of Trump will be less chaotic, more effective & more ruthless. Trump was barely interested in being President the 1st time. Now he has nothing to lose. He has immunity from the SC & has outsourced everything to a legion evildoers with free reign to do what they want.
I think this is a real possibility - and I think it’s because of the Vance team behind him. There’s nothing left tying this admin to even the crappy parts of the traditional GOP. What’s behind him is even worse.
I am a bit more optimistic that mass deportations aren’t going to happen. I think as soon as he makes a serious attempt, execs from ADM, DR Horton and the hospitality industry are going to call him and tell him to knock it off. He can just tell his supporters he deported them anyway.
The geniuses who gave us child separations at the border are definitely going to deport a much larger group of people than anyone currently anticipates. The execs you're talking about are in for a rude awakening.
The petty orange MFer this country just re-elected will definitely sic the DOJ on the first business exec who tries to tell him what to do. "Enjoy your tax cuts and shut the [redacted] up" will be the message. And every other exec will smile and show Trump their bellies to signal they understand.
Yeah, Trump has a hard-on for deportations. He's not going to listen to business execs trying to dissuade him. At least, not until he's gone on a bender of several million of them.
The problem with that is. Any and every time democrats have done anything. Democrats/liberals have said it's the reason why they won't vote for them and/or will vote for republicans. And we can literally see the evidence of that in this election.
So no. There's nothing they can do anyway. Since even if they were to listen to you. They'd be labeled criminals by republicans. And 98% of democrats/liberals in america would agree. Crippling them categorically more than they already have from the same actions.
I personally will do nothing. I have fretted about abuse of immigrants and women for 9 years. I’m exhausted and besides I’ve been fighting this shit since the 60’s and they voted for trump in this election. Sorry I’m out. They need to suffer the consequences and stop blaming Dems.
In essence that is what JVL was saying and part his argument pointed back to the shift of some of those people toward Trump. It’s definitely more transactional than perhaps Democrats have been in the past.
4 years ago I would have said they should do all they can. Now, since this is the “will of the voters” I say step aside and let Trump be Trump. Let them all fucking see what they have done to this country. As a naturalized citizen who Ioves my adopted country, I have no fucks left to give.
Exactly. That's what's been helping me cope. Knowing that he has no excuse now to not do good things. Everything is on him and republicans now. He'll either actually do things he's promised that will help the country(doubtful) or crash and burn.
Let he be Trump. Half the nation will not believe one word from him nor his admin. Maybe it’s time for him to destroy in order for his voters to awake from their god like worship. They, like the rest of us will suffer. Maybe it’s needed to kill Trumpism once and for all.
the example it shows, letting women suffer under the law in AZ, shows the flaw in this: let the people affected suffer. This is just "i'm not affected, so let it happen" that led to Trump being re-elected in the first place; all the people who sat out of voting in protest, or "i'm voting Stein!"
I'd say you gotta pick your surrenders. Let em deal with their shitty wins when I won't outright hurt vulnerable people, but I think some issues have to be fought.
Like teens when you have to let them learn the hard way. Sad if grown ass humans must be managed that way while we cop fallout for generations (if we survive generations). I’d much prefer fit for office leaders capable of complex thought, hearing criticism, pivoting, non-bigoted problem solving etc
In general I agree with this. In specific I think saving folks from dying is more important. The Arizona Democrats were in the right even if it kept the Arizona Republicans from consequences.
Perhaps what we should do is build up infrastructure to help these women travel for the care they need. Though I admit, we would probably be saving lives of women that voted for them to lose their rights.
And…Start publicly shaming *loudly* the doctors who look away from lifesaving care.
I get it, I do. And I am tired of cleaning up their messes. But I worry about the innocent and good people. I stand up for the vulnerable. I always will to the best of my ability.
This is definitely the first step in dealing with the engagement baiters, the more you engage, the happier they are. Refusal to engage reduces them to just their echo chambers.
I agree up to a point. If the GOP holds the house I think that Dem votes to, say, keep the government open, should be offered - but only at a price that is popular but that the GOP won’t pay. Ex. “Fine, but enshrine reproductive rights and require Alito to wear a purple dildo like a unicorn horn…”
Nope, let it break and keep breaking, and breaking. Trying to fix things is just prolonging the inevitable at this point. Time to follow Mitch's book. Protect people, but let the government default. What's the worst that could happen Jeff Bezos
That's what I've been saying! Democrats keep pulling Republicans back every time they stick their head in a gator. Let them get their heads crushed, let the government shut down and point out WHY everything is going wrong, don't save their asses by handing a fascist control of the House.
Would it suck? Yeah, it'd suck. Of course it'd suck. But every time the Democrats pull the Republican's asses out of the fire it does nothing for the country long term. Repubs keep doing stupid-ass shit that ruins the country, and Democrats are still going to take the blame.
If they wiped their hands of it and let the Republicans make their mistakes and say "We told you this was going to happen, we just don't want to keep saving you anymore. Let the American people see what happens when Republican governance is in full effect" then maybe things would change.
I didn't read the whole article, or even the free part of it, before this spiel. His first example is pretty stupid, though I do agree with the second. Moving to the extreme far right on the border for the Republicans was a braindead stupid move that HAD to be purposeful self-sabotage.
Even if Republicans hadn't completely stopped it anyway, how was that a good idea? How is giving Republicans literally everything they wanted on the border at all acceptable?
Was listening to the finance program on NPR yesterday and a commentator suggested that it's possible if the economy keeps moving in a positive direction, Trump will just go play golf and boast about how he fixed everything. I can totally see it.
The house is on fire and going to get worse by the party who lit it, and now back in full power again, with a brand new shiny flamethrower, let the party in charge be crushed as the roof falls on top of all of us. They can't escape this, not one bit.
I've been thinking the same thing. No matter how much people are warned, some need to experience the consequences. Unfortunately, it's more people than I hoped. They were warned. They refused to believe it. Now we all pay the piper.
After surviving one trump administration because his voters seemed ignorant about what he is but now have voted for him a third time out of stupidity I am done. There’s a difference between ignorance and stupidity. Too bad their stupidity screwed us too. 🖕
I read JVL everyday even though I don't always agree with him - which is why I read him. Not sure what I think about this one. I *think* I agree that US reps and Senators should stand back at least in part because I think any attempt would be futile. But also think that local ...
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Blue state elected officials (and any decent Red state - maybe they exist?) need to do all they can to protect their constituents. NGOs and legal aid should also also do what they can. At least that's my knee-jerk take. Open to changing my mind. 2/2
I hope you write about this. Whereas I'd love to see the Republicans suffer politically for their draconian policies, I have a hard time thinking the Dems should do nothing to protect those who are most vulnerable to these policies (e.g. the example of the Arizona abortion law).
1. Stop Helping
Yes! Stop with the daddy-Dem bullshit! We've become the hero idiots and villains rely on.
Can't read anything beyond because it's paywalled. Right wingers never paywall their stuff because they want to win and now they can make bank off of that.
Not a subscriber.
AND what I’m saying =OVERLY simplified
Are they saying DEMS should just let GOP/donnie “do their worst” let people/country suffer consequences & then there’ll be backlash?
& backlash could come in form of chaos/revolt?
Risky. How will 1 fix broken?
But ? other options are there?
My one major hang up on this is that Trump and republicans will only use this as an example of why “both sides are bad”. See how the Dems do nothing? They want this bad stuff also. I think this plan hurts people and leads to more power to Trump faster. What we need is educated voters.
Break down the concepts in a simple advertisement that doesn’t shame anyone but just directly explains what a tariff is. Explain their policies so they can understand what is happening and what the impacts are from the policies being implemented.
Lord, couldn't agree with you more! I've been thinking about this since Weds. After Trump was Pres. last time, we worked our butts off to keep things on a normal scale, to prevent the worst abuses from happening, but this seems unwise for now. Biden bailed this country out, and we got railed for it.
The only caveat is Schumer and Durrbin need to confirm the rest of the judicial vacancies and get rid of the blue slips all together. Then let them fail.
I tried to read it but it's paywalled and I'll be damned if I pay for a conservative's subscription model. Harris gave the Bulwark/Lincoln Project their dream campaign platform under current circumstances, while ignoring the left, and lost. These guys will walk away blaming us
Well, we've been dealing with this jackass as a political force since at least 2011 and nothing has worked yet. If anything, he's more popular than ever.
They have the entire government. So, let them govern. Or not, as they are able.
Their credit is no good here. If they want our help, we get our end of the deal up front. THEN we deliver. Otherwise, whatever they propose, we oppose. This is "bipartisanship."
Comments
Dems will have to look hard for messages with similar visceral appeal and, as another skeep(?) mentions, they'd still need the press to frame it effectively.
https://www.ajc.com/news/georgia-news/they-could-be-deported-but-these-latino-immigrants-in-georgia-still-relish-trumps-win/WG2R3GU3INBVHAJGHXWNJYCMEA/?utm_source=substack&utm_medium=email
Hunker down and fight back at every opportunity present. Persevere and retaliate.
The same apparatus that made them think that will also make them blame the Democrats when it starts to hurt them.
(But that only matters if there are more elections.)
Yes, Democrats saved their constituents from the 1864 law and helped Republicans avoid upsetting the pro-lifers, but if they didn't intervene, Democrats probably would have upset their own base.
And Trump's strategy to stop the immigration bill worked,he got elected.
Jerry: I read!
Elaine: books... Jerry.
Jerry: oh.... Big deal!
The Dems have an obligation to stand in the way of people being harmed, if they possibly can. If they don’t, you and I both know, if you’re prepared to admit it, *the Dems will be blamed* for not doing anything.
Anyway, I have been making this same argument for yrs! We need to let them hang themselves!!
Germans are watching and weeping.
Let’s be honest-at this point, with these mandates, we’re powerless. All we can do is watch it burn. Like Texas, Democrats are stuck. Since the abortion ban, 26k rape victims were forced to carry their rapist’s baby. If that didn’t wake people up, I don’t know what will. We are doomed
Ugly hard times.
I believe we need to fight to protect people...immigrants, the LGBTQI+, POC etc. but as far as his other proposals, let him/them burn.
And ONCE AGAIN, Dems will need to clean up the GOP mess.
Wut?
We need to go low because we are fighting selfish dangerous idiots.
SO we make ours.
STAND FOR FREEDOM AND LIBERATION AND REFUSE ANYTHING LESS!!!
3D2Y
If we just let Trump be Trump, people will die. Women. Immigrants. Trans people.
Are liberals doing accelerationism now?
Democrats made the argument that Republicans (other than Lankford) voted border bill down for political reasons. This article undercuts that somewhat.
“Democrats fixed the problem the GOP majority had made, instead of letting the unpopular law hang there, like a millstone around the necks of Republican candidates”
However there are areas in Congress where by continually stepping in to save Rs from themselves- we are clouding the issue so much that the public doesn’t realise how extreme the Republicans are &what they really want to do
“I guess voting isn’t rigged after all.”
Step aside and let them have what they want. All of it.
https://bsky.app/profile/did:plc:o4s55v3tsfph6whswxccpsia/feed/aaaixbb5liqbu
"The Lankford bill was easily the toughest immigration law in generations—Democrats gave away the store and asked for nothing in return. Republicans got everything they ever said they wanted."
My take exactly.
I am out.
I am going to be the ignorant one who doesn't watch the news. I don't want to see his name, face or hear his voice.
I am out until we get to the next election. Then we will see.
This is my meme now.
He is a sore lobster but an even sorer winner. He just brags and brags and oh God, he is such a
😉
You know whose views weren’t? Joe Rogan’s.
It makes sense, no?
Even the information from WSJ that I managed to read by circumventing the paywall exposed the illusion /lie that ppl were financially better off under trumps economy
That information from a conservative outlet might have helped voters understand how trump TikTok Rogan were hoodwinking them
Whatever happened to the early 2000s mantra that “the Internet wants to be free”?
The concept of giving up on helping in some kind of vindictive political chess move is unconscionable. This isn’t an abstract thought exercise; it’s REAL PEOPLE’S LIVES.
This isn’t about “not saving” Republicans. It’s about “saving” the people affected by the very real harm R’s cause to everyday people, including you & me. We share this country. Our ability to survive it must be defended.
The US has so many checks and balances and alternative levers that it hampers clarity in who you need to blame for outcomes.
But we have to resist until that point.
also this only works if dems actually use their powers for meaningful change when they have them, which... not a great track record
Should I be wanting Trump to get both houses of Congress?
Eep.
he can’t control his caucus so the Dems always save Rs from themselves because Dems don’t want the gov to shut down
This actually makes the Rs more extreme as they are safe from repercussions
What if that but for good?
Their goal is to destroy the federal government more or less and that can be accomplished through neglect.
That's not a strategy that works in this scenario.
(At the state level, though also in any situation where a filibuster or other legislative shenanigans can gum up the works)
If state governments won't do it, he could just make the military do it.
It says in short that the president can do anything that's associated with their job, and can't be tried for it.
Since everything the president does is part of their job, that's a dictator.
What part of this am I not understanding?
And…Start publicly shaming *loudly* the doctors who look away from lifesaving care.
But it seems to me that nobody can protect republicans to take their own medicine with a second term trump.
It is not China pay the tariffs, it is the US-Citizens.
Greets, Martin
How does that happen? I know many of those states get inordinately big chunks of assistance from the rest of the country 🤦♀️
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Yes! Stop with the daddy-Dem bullshit! We've become the hero idiots and villains rely on.
Can't read anything beyond because it's paywalled. Right wingers never paywall their stuff because they want to win and now they can make bank off of that.
AND what I’m saying =OVERLY simplified
Are they saying DEMS should just let GOP/donnie “do their worst” let people/country suffer consequences & then there’ll be backlash?
& backlash could come in form of chaos/revolt?
Risky. How will 1 fix broken?
But ? other options are there?
Thank you for posting
Their credit is no good here. If they want our help, we get our end of the deal up front. THEN we deliver. Otherwise, whatever they propose, we oppose. This is "bipartisanship."
Shit not getting done is their fault.