One thing I've come to believe is that Democratic leaders have to start talking about Republicans the way Republicans talk about Democrats. No more "Our friends on the other side of the aisle" more-in-sorrow-than-in-anger pieties, which everyone hates. Say what they are over and over. It matters. - ThreadSky

markharris.bsky.social • 5 days ago

One thing I've come to believe is that Democratic leaders have to start talking about Republicans the way Republicans talk about Democrats. No more "Our friends on the other side of the aisle" more-in-sorrow-than-in-anger pieties, which everyone hates. Say what they are over and over. It matters.

Reposted from Sahil Kapur

Speaker Mike Johnson declines to say whether or not he thinks California Gov. Gavin Newsom should be arrested: "That's not my lane. I'm not going to give you legal analysis on whether Gavin Newsom should be arrested. But he ought to be tarred and feathered, I'll say that."

Comments

seamau5.bsky.social•2 days ago

but dems in congress actually like republicans and want to be friends with them so you're actually asking a lot of them

markharris.bsky.social•5 days ago

Obviously I don't believe we're going to post our way out of this. But when people look at polls and say "I can't believe Trump's support is still so high," maybe they should consider that it's because Republicans are told every day that they're in a war for America against a contemptible enemy.

ibc.bsky.social•5 days ago

The wonderful @jbf1755.bsky.social wrote a great book about the slow transition of Northeast Congressional liberals from timid normie politicians to "fighters" in the face of Southern belligerence during the mid-19th century. That's the dynamic at play here.

ehattswank.bsky.social•5 days ago

Every now & then I listen to Lawrence O’Donnell’s MSNBC show and he’ll often go on about how “stupid” Trump is. I always wonder: why don’t any Dem politicians speak like this? Trump himself calls people stupid all the time. Screw decorum, just let it rip. What do they have to lose at this point?

sexomarxist.bsky.social•5 days ago

They would lose a bit of their wealth and privilege, so they're willing to sacrifice us to maintain it

ruffhouse.bsky.social•5 days ago

You also must consider, Mark, that Democrats do say those things. But I challenge you to scroll through BlueSky right now and see who is being posted, by Democrats, on their posts. Amplifying Republicans saying there nonsense for engagement while complaining that Democrats aren't being vocal.

electionfrenzy.bsky.social•5 days ago

Problem is many are genuinely friends.

thewilliamgeorge.bsky.social•5 days ago

They only say that because they go to the same Wall Street donor dinner parties, and pass insider trading tips with each other, and use the same catering services, and pal around with the same lobbyists.

bearpondboy.bsky.social•5 days ago

100% #GlovesComeOff

paularead.bsky.social•5 days ago

wtf is this new "It's not in my lane" line they all seem to be using to wriggle away from questions? Was there some sort of memo that went out?

brentwokmaster.bsky.social•5 days ago

This has been obvious for at least a decade now

jessicabess.bsky.social•5 days ago

They should have started years ago. “Esteemed colleague” my ass.

xydexxunicorn.bsky.social•5 days ago

"We want a strong Republican party" should have been an instant disqualifier.

eman41.bsky.social•5 days ago

Need safe seat dems to actually start insulting these guys from Louisiana. Stand up for your constituents.

runningoutwest.bsky.social•5 days ago

They should have started this when Gingrich was speaker. But better late than never

judybott.bsky.social•5 days ago

It’s just Advertising/Propaganda 101

thebestwords.bsky.social•14 hours ago

Tarring and feathering is mortal injury, as many died from their burns. Tell it like it is: Advocating violence.

kathrynruud.bsky.social•4 days ago

Dems must avoid the scapegoating, stereotyping and dehumanization that is laced so thoroughly through right-wing extremist communications. Be blunt, fierce, direct - but do not mirror these linguistic strategies of deep propaganda.
AOC, Jasmine Crockett, Buttigieg, Sanders, Murphy, Newsom get it.

brooklynkid53bskys.bsky.social•5 days ago

maybe

but I don't see how acting in a bad, awful terrible way is a good thing

surely there must be some other way to do this, without staring in to the abyss and becoming monsters ?

nopassaran.bsky.social•5 days ago

Calm them what they are
White supremacists and Nazis

vlime286.bsky.social•5 days ago

No more I wish for the old GOP

sexomarxist.bsky.social•5 days ago

That's fucking stupid. They were always horrible, fascism was always their end game

kaufmak.bsky.social•5 days ago

Kind of. But Republicans seem to revel in it. What really seems to get them is being called weird or weak. Pointing out their hypocrisy? Nothing. TACO? Major meltdown.

tbas7000.bsky.social•17 hours ago

BEEN SAYING THIS FOR MONTHS

badgero.bsky.social•4 days ago

they need to start doing something

tulip61.bsky.social•5 days ago

Been calling for this forever - how does the country know Ernst, Tillis, Collins are bad people only looking out for themselves if Dem colleague treat them with kid gloves. Make them defend themselves everyday. Jefferies should be all over Johnson.

thebestwords.bsky.social•14 hours ago

Yes. Especially once Johnson advocated violence against Newsom and Bass.

scottdagostino.ca•5 days ago

Absolutely. Voters checked out on the Democrats’ “democracy is at stake in this election!!!” rhetoric once it was obvious that they didn’t actually believe that. No criticizing their “friends across the aisle” and all that.

tunaghost.bsky.social•5 days ago

they will not do this, so either get new Democratic leaders or stop asking for groceries at the hardware store

jarathen.bsky.social•5 days ago

This would require them to value the electorate (or at least its voting power) over their co-workers, and for some reason they don't, even though the Republicans do.

nelsonrarebooks.com•5 days ago

Republican ads have bullseyes on Dems.

But Dems aren’t even allowed to call Trump dumb or fat or lazy.

sexomarxist.bsky.social•5 days ago

We shouldn't be using fat as an insult, that's gross

lefabe666.bsky.social•5 days ago

100%

20thcenturyicon.bsky.social•5 days ago

But we’re not allowed to criticize Dems or hold them to account. That helps the GOP or something.

ricosuavejd.bsky.social•5 days ago

Yeah, they still, somehow, don't realize they're in a war here.

And losing VERY BADLY

actually-patricius.bsky.social•5 days ago

It's because they aren't at war, we are. Dem leadership is representative of the same class of people as GOP, but with pretensions

wearyandangry.bsky.social•4 days ago

Don't look now, but Newsom is doing that.

ogmcduck.bsky.social•5 days ago

Here is a dramatization of what Mike Johnson believes to be "in his lane" and that he wants to see done to the governor of California

whogivesashirt.bsky.social•5 days ago

The biggest mistake they’ve made in the past decade (so many to choose from) was leashing Walz and putting an end to the “weird” jibes. That was absolutely landing as an insult, both with voters and the weirdo, thin-skinned Republicans.

petersagal.bsky.social•5 days ago

FWIW, some do. Rep Raskin, AOC, and many others in the House, Murphy, Whitehouse in the Senate often lay things out in vivid terms. Problem is nobody but us CSPAN junkies hear them.

chicyph80.bsky.social•5 days ago

I mean, to be fair, one of AOC's besties in the House, Tim Burchett, is one of the biggest assholes in Congress....

petersagal.bsky.social•5 days ago

I should also mention my own governor, JB Pritzker, who while not given to name calling has been very outspoken in his comparisons to 1930s Germany, etc.

eawinick.bsky.social•5 days ago

Something like this?

https://bsky.app/profile/ericswalwell.bsky.social/post/3lrb5j2lcn22c

sexomarxist.bsky.social•5 days ago

Pritzker shouldn't be talking, he should be spending his money to help. He's happy to do things that don't cost him anything, because his wealth is his priority. Not helping people, just helping himself

timothyjones.bsky.social•5 days ago

I wonder if trump's little ass clown understands that most people who were tarred and feathered died from the burns. What's next mikey...public admissions that you want to see people you don't agree with lynched? Another fine "christian"...

thebestwords.bsky.social•14 hours ago

That’s what I said in another post. It sounds cute and harmless, but he is actually advocating mortal violence.

timothyjones.bsky.social•13 hours ago

The speaker is as deranged as his spirtual leader

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