All purpose news and politics thread part VI: This Is Not The Time For Posing

[kidfresh512]

Joe Biden needs to call Chuck Schumer, Nancy Pelosi and other top Democrats into the Oval Office for a come to Jesus meeting ASAP. After the poor showing by Dems on Tuesday where the party lost Virginia, damn near lost New Jersey and came up short in other races, Biden has to stop being kindly Grandpa Joe, crack the goddamn whip and tell his subordinates to get their collective **** together and fight the GQP tooth and nail, or a worse outcome could befell the party in next year's midterms.

Well the first problem is none of them are Biden's "subordinates". The second being Manchin and Sinema. Everyone knows if the filibuster isnt eliminated or at least carved out for specific bills like Voting rights we can't get anything done without reconciliation.

Manchin is already taking the wrong lessons from Tuesday night saying the results validate his concerns about spending and inflation. There should be 0 argument by any Democrat about the Voting rights act federally. Bi partisan support is out of the question since we are basically talking about saving minorities rights across the country from being trampled by nearly every GOP state administration. There is no way we should go into midterms without this passed with a filibuster carve out. Yet still you hear sanctimonious I will never vote away filibuster from these two clowns.

I mean we have all seen the GOP cheerleading these two clowns in their internal meeting leaks. McConnel gets to sit back cackling with glee. All the while Minority districts are getting carved up and representation in the house is going to be even more solidly GOP leaning

[Zauriel]

Well the first problem is none of them are Biden's "subordinates". The second being Manchin and Sinema. Everyone knows if the filibuster isnt eliminated or at least carved out for specific bills like Voting rights we can't get anything done without reconciliation.

Manchin is already taking the wrong lessons from Tuesday night saying the results validate his concerns about spending and inflation. There should be 0 argument by any Democrat about the Voting rights act federally. Bi partisan support is out of the question since we are basically talking about saving minorities rights across the country from being trampled by nearly every GOP state administration. There is no way we should go into midterms without this passed with a filibuster carve out. Yet still you hear sanctimonious I will never vote away filibuster from these two clowns.

I mean we have all seen the GOP cheerleading these two clowns in their internal meeting leaks. McConnel gets to sit back cackling with glee. All the while Minority districts are getting carved up and representation in the house is going to be even more solidly GOP leaning

I am beginning to wonder if Joe Biden is more likely a lackey of the Democratic Party or a figurehead. Speaker Pelosi and Chuck Schumer are probably the true leaders of the party.

the Democratic Party has become too big and has many factions such as progressives, the liberals, the moderates and the conservatives including the Senators Manchin and Sinema.

[Panfoot]

the Democratic Party has become too big and has many factions such as progressives, the liberals, the moderates and the conservatives including the Senators Manchin and Sinema.

That's kind of the problem, when one party is the authoritarian fascist party and the other party is everyone else, that leaves half the senate and a large portion of congress completely unable to reasoned with and turns the left over half into a more classic republican vs democrat compromise.

[JB]

I am beginning to wonder if Joe Biden is more likely a lackey of the Democratic Party or a figurehead. Speaker Pelosi and Chuck Schumer are probably the true leaders of the party.

the Democratic Party has become too big and has many factions such as progressives, the liberals, the moderates and the conservatives including the Senators Manchin and Sinema.

I believe you are right in that Biden is not in control and his strings are being pulled by other old school Dems. And voters are realizing this as we see his approval rating continue to fall. Frankly they've all been in DC for too long but they're not about to relinquish control.

[JB]

The racine county sheriff is nuts and a long standing nutter at that.

He previously refused to enforce stay at home orders, for example, so he's probably an oathkeeper/constitutional sheriff.

Here's a clerk on the matter:

https://twitter.com/badachie/status/1453806035295252489

https://twitter.com/badachie/status/1455993525737345035

“Nutter” or not, those are real criminal referrals of felonies citing current WI laws. If the prosecutor’s office takes this on and prosecutes, WI is in danger as it was won by a tight margin. Media needs to be on this immediately. We can’t keep hand waving these things as “conspiracy theories” thus ignoring real actions that are happening right now. There are canvasses happening in about 20 states as I type this, maybe more.

[KNIGHT OF THE LAKE]

I am beginning to wonder if Joe Biden is more likely a lackey of the Democratic Party or a figurehead. Speaker Pelosi and Chuck Schumer are probably the true leaders of the party.

the Democratic Party has become too big and has many factions such as progressives, the liberals, the moderates and the conservatives including the Senators Manchin and Sinema.

Biden is just what he said he was. He’s an elder statesman who spent most of his time in Congress pre millennium who foolishly thought that his experience meant he could turn the clock back and succeed where a younger Obama failed in making deals and getting **** done through compromises and that they could all be civil because they are part of the same club.

He was always destined to be wrong on that and now he’s realizing he will get no help from the GOP and that his own party is too weak to reign in their more corporate members.

We are getting a repeat of the ACA fight. Manchin and Sinema are playing Joe Lieberman, all the popular BBB provisions that were gutted are the new single payer, Virginia is the Brown vs Coakley race that was the harbinger of things to come, and Biden is steering down a disaster where he’s about to pass a bill that spends a lot but because of what it lacks it’s going to be easy to campaign against.

The only key difference is that Republicans lost control of their base. In 2012 they got stuck with Romney who their Tea Party nuts hated. If Trump runs, he’s getting the nom. If Trump doesn’t, it will be a bit like Desantis who will come in guaranteeing Florida. Either way, it’s far more dangerous for Dems having someone in re-election that will go up against Republican base darling

[Tendrin]

“Nutter” or not, those are real criminal referrals of felonies citing current WI laws. If the prosecutor’s office takes this on and prosecutes, WI is in danger as it was won by a tight margin. Media needs to be on this immediately. We can’t keep hand waving these things as “conspiracy theories” thus ignoring real actions that are happening right now. There are canvasses happening in about 20 states as I type this, maybe more.

They are absolutely conspiracy theories not really backed up by evidence at all. The demands for audits and canvasses exist purely to undermine democratic governance and you've bought into it.

[JB]

They are absolutely conspiracy theories not really backed up by evidence at all. The demands for audits and canvasses exist purely to undermine democratic governance and you've bought into it.

Re-read what I wrote. We can't ignore actions being taken right now by various groups. I do not believe there was fraud but some powerful people do and are throwing their weight around while the media ignores it.

[Tendrin]

Re-read what I wrote. We can't ignore actions being taken right now by various groups. I do not believe there was fraud but some powerful people do and are throwing their weight around while the media ignores it.

Fair. I misread what you wrote. Curse my ADD.

That said, Joe Biden is absolutely not having his 'strings' pulled. He just doesn't have the leverage or power that people seem to want a president to have. The problem is our legislature and the Senate. They're broken. The president, not even LBJ, could make things happen on these margins like people want to. The only answer is More and Better Democrats.

[JB]

Fair. I misread what you wrote. Curse my ADD.

That said, Joe Biden is absolutely not having his 'strings' pulled. He just doesn't have the leverage or power that people seem to want a president to have. The problem is our legislature and the Senate. They're broken. The president, not even LBJ, could make things happen on these margins like people want to. The only answer is More and Better Democrats.

I just think it's dangerous to sugarcoat his performance. It's easy for us to say it's the fault of Congress but I agree with every word WestPhillyPunisher said, he needs to fight more. There doesn't seem to be much fight in him and many are just accepting that as "it is what it is." We saw this week the impact that's having.

[babyblob]

I keep hearing people say that they hope Biden toughens up and starts to talk more control and light a fire under the Dems. But the sad thing is he is not the guy for that. I mean he is not dumb he knows the GOP will not work with him. He knows that they will not support his stuff. Yet pretty much every time he is asked about it he does the whole "We will work with them. I want them on board and hope and think they will come around." He is not strong enough to just try and bully his way through them. I dont like Trump at all but he did have the "You dont work with us? Fine I will steam roll you out of the way." Not of this "I hope to have you on board." stuff. Biden just doesnt have the fire to be a strong leader because he is spending all of his time taking the high road and trying so hard to prove he can work with everyone that no one even a couple people in his own party are working with him.

I voted for Biden. I like the man and respect what he is trying to get done. But at some point his has to dig in his heels and say enough is enough. You guys are Dems start acting like it. Let's get crap done. Everyone says the guy in the White House is the Leader of the Party. Well Biden needs to act like more. How much crap has he let get dropped from his bill because he is being held hostage by 2 members of his own party? And let me tell you what. The GOP is running like Hell with those talking points.

[Tendrin]

I just think it's dangerous to sugarcoat his performance. It's easy for us to say it's the fault of Congress but I agree with every word WestPhillyPunisher said, he needs to fight more. There doesn't seem to be much fight in him and many are just accepting that as "it is what it is." We saw this week the impact that's having.

It's easy to say because it's absolutely true. Congress is the problem. It's BEEN the problem, but everyone instead want to focus on the person of the president and demand they 'make things happen', and it just doesn't work like that with margins like presently exist in congress especially.

Congress is the problem. It's going to keep being the problem until we deliver margins that can reform it, which is not the ground-level work anyone wants to talk about, not when we can just shout at Biden to 'fight'.

[Tendrin]

I keep hearing people say that they hope Biden toughens up and starts to talk more control and light a fire under the Dems. But the sad thing is he is not the guy for that. I mean he is not dumb he knows the GOP will not work with him. He knows that they will not support his stuff. Yet pretty much every time he is asked about it he does the whole "We will work with them. I want them on board and hope and think they will come around." He is not strong enough to just try and bully his way through them. I dont like Trump at all but he did have the "You dont work with us? Fine I will steam roll you out of the way." Not of this "I hope to have you on board." stuff. Biden just doesnt have the fire to be a strong leader because he is spending all of his time taking the high road and trying so hard to prove he can work with everyone that no one even a couple people in his own party are working with him.

I voted for Biden. I like the man and respect what he is trying to get done. But at some point his has to dig in his heels and say enough is enough. You guys are Dems start acting like it. Let's get crap done. Everyone says the guy in the White House is the Leader of the Party. Well Biden needs to act like more. How much crap has he let get dropped from his bill because he is being held hostage by 2 members of his own party? And let me tell you what. The GOP is running like Hell with those talking points.

The sausage-making being leaked so heavily is absolutely hurting the dems, especially when the things being dropped have huge support among the populace.

[kidfresh512]

It's easy to say because it's absolutely true. Congress is the problem. It's BEEN the problem, but everyone instead want to focus on the person of the president and demand they 'make things happen', and it just doesn't work like that with margins like presently exist in congress especially.

Congress is the problem. It's going to keep being the problem until we deliver margins that can reform it, which is not the ground-level work anyone wants to talk about, not when we can just shout at Biden to 'fight'.

100% accurate. I mean I want the FBI and CIA to hand Biden the goods on Manchin and Sinema too . throw it on their desks and say you assholes will get in line with what the country wants. But, short of that the situation he ahs been handed means progressives have to keep giving up parts of popular legislation because they HAVE TO.

At the end of the day Manchin and Sinema will at least vote for some parts of the Biden Agenda. Its the only reason they can partially be called Democrats. And some of this agenda MUST be passed.

At the end of the day. The Vast big tent Democratic base wants a lot of results on a lot of issues quite fairly. The GOP when in control delivered absolutely nothing but tax breaks to the rich, conservative judges they are hoping will curtail their pet evils, abortion, and "the gays". So obviously there is a lot of catching up to do and people were excited when they hear we have the majority and the whole laundry list of things real people need are on the table finally.

The problem is understanding that this stuff was never going to get done so quickly and all Democrats are not the same. And it will take a concerted continuous effort of showing up for ALL elections local, and federal and voting these assholes into obscurity before we see real change. The whole "both parties are the same" thing that keeps voters at home means we will get more of the same.

[Tendrin]

100% accurate. I mean I want the FBI and CIA to hand Biden the goods on Manchin and Sinema too . throw it on their desks and say you assholes will get in line with what the country wants. But, short of that the situation he ahs been handed means progressives have to keep giving up parts of popular legislation because they HAVE TO.

At the end of the day Manchin and Sinema will at least vote for some parts of the Biden Agenda. Its the only reason they can partially be called Democrats. And some of this agenda MUST be passed.

At the end of the day. The Vast big tent Democratic base wants a lot of results on a lot of issues quite fairly. The GOP when in control delivered absolutely nothing but tax breaks to the rich, conservative judges they are hoping will curtail their pet evils, abortion, and "the gays". So obviously there is a lot of catching up to do and people were excited when they hear we have the majority and the whole laundry list of things real people need are on the table finally.

The problem is understanding that this stuff was never going to get done so quickly and all Democrats are not the same. And it will take a concerted continuous effort of showing up for ALL elections local, and federal and voting these assholes into obscurity before we see real change. The whole "both parties are the same" thing that keeps voters at home means we will get more of the same.

Congress needs to see real reform. The permanent apportionment act needs repealed, voting rights needs to pass, and gerrymandering needs to be broken -- and until it is, Democrats needs to be as ruthless about it as Republicans, like with Ohio's 12-R, 2-D map, or Wisconsin's brutally gerrymandered maps, or North Carolina's brutally gerrymandered maps. Fortunately, we're starting to see the Dems wake to this necessity. Fixing gerrymandering in some places and not others just works to the advantage of the party that benefits more from gerrymandering which, at the moment especially, is the GOP. This goes double for state legislatures, which are as bad or worse.

And that's not even diving into the Senate, but obviously, the filibuster needs to go. Congress' general paralysis helps pave the way for an autocratic populist, which should scare everyone, except an anti-democratic demagogue who rules by decree is exactly what the GOP wants.