24 Comments
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Doreen Frances's avatar

I feel like the Democrats are like those I've worked with in Academia; they have to talk and discuss and have committee meetings forever before anything gets done, and meanwhile, the house is burning.

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David Hurwitz's avatar

Doreen.

This is partly why they are utterly useless and worthless. Many of them lack basic common sense and seem completely clueless to me regarding what is actually happening in the United States. They just voted a few weeks ago for an 81-year-old man who has been in Congress forever over 34-year-old Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez to head a key leadership post in the House Democratic Conference.

There has been woefully inadequate noise by them in protest of Trump’s unconscionable and reckless pardons of the January 6 thugs and all around depravity since last Monday.

Democrats should be raising hell about Trump’s madness and cruelly and not doing anything to facilitate his rein of terror by voting to confirm his manifestly unfit cabinet nominees like sadist Kristy Noem at DHS and Steele dossier truther John Radcliffe for CIA director.

And Chuck Schumer needs to go immediately before his ineptness enables a crisis that Trump engenders through his malice and rank

incompetence. He is an absolute disaster as Senate Minority Leader and is the perfect example of someone who is complacent and indifferent to the existential threat Trump is to our nation because he has zero idea what is going on outside of the Hart Senate Office Building.

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Doreen Frances's avatar

They need to be yelling from the rooftops. Do you follow Malcolm Nance by any chance? He tells it like it is, and more Dems should follow his lead. Where is the outrage? I'm fortunate to call Elizabeth Warren and Ed Markey my senators, but we need to hear from more than just those two.

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David Hurwitz's avatar

Doreen,

I absolutely do subscribe to Malcolm Nance’s Substack. And I really like Senator Warren and Senator Markey. Senator Warren has been one of the small number of Democrats willing to push back hard on Trump.

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Don Soucy's avatar

What 'magic' do you expect them to do?

They are not sitting on their hands and all they have to do is get to it.

Trump cleared out everyone he could not dominate.

Musk has thousands of agents, with orders to break things. authorized by Musk with a nod & blind eye from trump.

We too are exhausted by the insanity. Trumps insanity.

So while I understand your impatience, please at least provide a suggestion because he won.

He WON.

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Doreen Frances's avatar

Being outraged would be a nice start. My representatives from MA are a good example. Jasmine Crockett, Eric Swallwell, etc. are also good examples. Making noise is about it is better than laying down. We don't have the luxury of being exhausted and this is only the beginning.

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Steve's avatar

Exhausted?… you better rest up and get ready… this is just starting… don’t act weak

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Laura Who's avatar

Are they? That’s wicked funny.

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Sue R's avatar

Thank you. We need more to do ideas. Time to move forward.

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David Hurwitz's avatar

Reed,

Your analogy is spot-on. There is vey little that Democrats can do to stop Trump from wreaking havoc on the American people and others except raise enough hell about it so that maybe he will back down from some of his most insane and cruel proposals. And they can’t even figure out how to do that.

Grind the government to a f______ halt so that the American people are alarmed and Trump feels the heat about playing politics regarding natural disaster assistance to California and his other psychotic policies. The minutes he f____ up by exacerbating or causing a crisis through his malice and recklessness, pummel the living s___ out of him, verbally of course. Forget about national unity a time of national crisis, Trump’s presidency is a national crisis in and of itself.

His malevolence and stupidity will cause him to self-destruct, hopefully without taking the rest of us down with him. Democrats can help accelerate the process if they play their cards right.

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hw's avatar

A year ago, Pelosi was asked what the strategy was to prevent a 2nd Trump term.

Her response: "He can't win, he just can't."

This was the beginning and end of Democratic leadership's "Plan B": wishful thinking and denial.

I hope what remains of our frayed judicial system holds, but I fully expect Trump to defy direct SCOTUS rulings...effectively neutering their power.

The only speed bumps I see is that our allies (and likely some adversaries) will create new alliances, marginalizing the US and Trump will inevitably crash the economy.

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Laura Who's avatar

I was a longtime Republican voter, but changed to independent during trumps first term. I totally agree with everything you wrote. Bravo 👏

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Martha's avatar

This is a sad summation, but it feels apt. I am doing what I know how to do. I am a voracious reader, and write “cliff notes” versions of info I think people should know, posting it on social media. I contact my elected officials. (My next move is to contact Democrats, reminding them that the rules have changed and they need to get tough and make noise.) I volunteer at my local Democratic office. And I’m a psychotherapist who listens to people who don’t feel safe venting to anyone else, as we strategize about how to find their voice and make a difference. It’s not much, but I encourage everyone to be a presence in this world! You count. Your voice counts. If we are not heard, the toxic message is all we will be left with.

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KMcDSon's avatar

An apt metaphor. We can only watch, weep, then work, as the saying goes…

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Steve's avatar

Democrats need to learn how to read the room… they obviously dropped that ball by 1. Making excuses for JB and pushing it to the end to avoid hurting his feelings.. and then not being able to run an actual real candidate. 2. Next time you vett a VP candidate… do some actual research on the person so the “explaining” crap and actual facts of what they did are known to avoid the explaining and double taking and apologies for over exploitation of experience. 3. Look at what’s actually important to most of the country…and shave an actual plan to address the problems. 4. Don’t ever say you wouldn’t change anything after 4 years… the dumbest comment made and that was a deal changer. 5. Next time Adam Schiff wants to investigate something.. tell him no. 6. You have between now and 2026 to get some actual viable candidates to run against the moron republicans… better find them and change the houses. 7. You until 2028 to find a real candidate…better figure it out

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Laura Who's avatar

I agree with most of this, but i think Kamala did an amazing job with the time limit she had. I absolutely agree that she should’ve made more space between her and JB.

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Margaret Weant's avatar

TELL US WHAT WE CAN DO TO FIGHT BACK. Since 2016 I have volunteered with phone banks, protested, written postcards, etc etc etc and nothing seems to have made the slightest difference. The Democratic Party seems to be twiddling its thumbs while Trump and Musk dismantle our government. There are plenty of us ready to fight - but we need direction!

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Laura Who's avatar

Nailed it!! I feel the same way

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Anne Minckley's avatar

Like, really soon ?? I hope you can help us figure how to be involved. If you do you will be one of a tiny select group.

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Clarissa Sr, American Grandma's avatar

Could our fellow Americans be on the brink of realizing the implications of their votes?

As we look ahead, will the 1/3 of Americans who supported Trump’s agenda finally recognize the consequences of cruelty? And what about the 1/3 who chose not to vote or research his policies—will they engage with the issues that matter?

Our 🇺🇸 grandchildren may soon face the fallout of decisions made today, as funding is diverted away from low-income families in order to shield big corporations and billionaires from contributing their fair share. The future is approaching, and it prompts us to reflect on the trajectory we’re setting for the next generation.

• Subscribe, like, share, and reply to independent media posts. 👀🫶🏼🇺🇸👇🏼

https://youtu.be/i0Gyl3Et5qs?si=NxTGi0Rl3BllXpD4

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Carol B.'s avatar

Perfect summary.

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Maxine Hunter's avatar

Thanks Reed. I agree, this inflection point that folks speak of is more of an infection that has spread like a pandemic for more years than I realized. Yep, and old Mich's vote was a no-never-mine act that meant nothing at all. Frankly, how can we use the changing rules to cause our own disruption and chaos as we swim for our lives?

On another unrelated point, I do have a question: I look forward to the book club, but just not sure how to tune in or what to read?

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Andre Bonneau's avatar

There are a few leaders in the Democratic Party: OAC, Jimmy Raskin, Adam Schiff, and a few others.

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Pamela Fickes-Miller's avatar

He started with COVID now

he wants to f--k everyone.

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