I am a 2%-er, if you will. And the Democratic Party is not getting another goddamn dollar out of me nor a single hour of my free labor unless or until the majority of them stop fucking around a la the stupid and very dangerous advice of James Carville, telling them to act like spineless and polite parliamentarian cowards.
I’m not interested in paying these fucking people in money and time just to permanently lose what used to be this constutional democratic republic prior to 20 January.
Only candidates who act like they’re worth a serious damn instead of like something that deserves to be jerked up and immediately and fired for extreme dereliction of duty are getting anywhere near more wallet or my volunteer-activities calendar.
The Democratic Party is not getting another goddamn dollar out of me nor a single hour of my free campaign labor unless or until the majority of them stop fucking around a la the stupid and very dangerous advice of James Carville, who keeps doubling down on telling them to act like spineless, cowardly polite parliamentarians.
I’m not interested in paying these fucking people in money and time for them to commit to inexcusable failure and there y permanently lose what used to be this constutional democratic republic prior to 20 January.
Only candidates who act like they’re worth a serious damn instead of like something that deserves to be jerked up and immediately fired for extreme dereliction of duty are getting anywhere near my wallet or my volunteer-activities calendar going forward.
And I don’t grade on a curve. Being inexcusably graded on a curve by politicians, the media, and the electorate for a solid decade is how Trump achieved the ability to enter the Oval Office in the first place, be absolved for mounting an insurrection in a bid to refuse to leave it when he was fired, then be permitted to re-enter it and perpetrate his ongoing rapid and deliberate, targeted destruction of our constitutional democratic republic, our national security and relationships with reputable democracies, the entire economy, and 90%+ of the entire citizenry living in this open-air madhouse of a regime that is deliberately psychologically terrorizing us on an hourly basis.
He intends to make this a permanent and irreversible condition of the American experience that will outlive him. And he flat-out succeed at that if the passive electorate and the craven majority of the confessional Democrats following the “do nothing and let it break and then just ‘fix it’ later” dangerously ruinous advice of the James Carvilles of this world, however well-intentioned they may be.
The Dems have to get way more aggressive and combat the low information voters with a new narrative, basically how Donald Trump, Elon Musk and the Republican party are screwing them. Until this MAGA group wakes up and realizes how badly they are being hurt, namely Medicaid, FEMA, Social Security, and Medicare, they’ll keep cheering the destruction of both the government and countless lives. Once it hits them they may sour but it will be too late. I agree that Democrats like AOC are the best for this moment. We can’t be timid or kind. It’s time to play hardball and focus on winning. It also means the gerontocracy needs to go. Let new voices lead as obviously the ones in charge are losing the day and our country is suffering untold damage. It will be a long two years to the midterms if we don’t get aggressive now.
I would argue that the Democratic Party had its chance to save the country and itself before Joe Biden was nominated. They screwed the pöch on that one. And I fear it is now too late now that the Far Right has elected our new emperor.
I am in agreement with your message in this post and I just wanted to add a few things
look at how many people think that the Democratic response to Trump‘s litany of lies was pathetically weak? when are the Dems going to get the message?
this is also not a time to argue amongst each other
The Democratic platform should adopt a variation of what Trump did to get elected in 2024 - which is to look at the things that people are expressing that they want fixed and figure out solutions to solve those - there are issues that show that the people of this country are 60% 70% 80% behind - rather than listening to political consultants, advising the Dems on what they should stand for - listen to the people and come up with key issues that we can all get behind rather than trying to please every faction of the Democratic coalition
If the Dems cannot get stronger voices and unified solutions that counter all of the lies deception and propaganda coming from the right, then they will lose the next election toop
Horrific testimony reaction to Mayor Wu. Stupid and racist on an epic level! We have to bring some good trouble to those Republican districts. Awful people.
Heather Cox Richardson pointed out the other day, in a zoom meeting, that historically in this country big change has not been led by the elected leadership. It’s come from the people, from their activism and leadership. And for inspiration, see the documentary about the Ukrainian Maidan Revolution, called Winter on Fire.
There are citizen groups working hard, pressuring and/or cheering on our electeds. You can join them, and get inspiration for actions you can take.
I think it’s good to pay attention to what our elected Democrats are doing, such as the amicus briefs filed and other efforts in the courts (see Jamie Raskin); their questioning of Trump appointees; the 23 Democratic Attorneys General who besides their efforts in the courts are holding town halls all over the country to present the stories of real people hurt by Trump/Musk.
Words of wisdom Sir! It is way beyond time to take the gloves off. The younger generations of Democrats who grew up in working families need to be ALLOWED to speak & take the lead! Most of the older generations of leaders have forgotten where they came from. It is time for New Blood. We need young, aggressive, quick witted folks leading the charge! We don’t have the luxury of Time to Bull S-it around! It is time for action & decisive movement!!!
We need to get him peacefully the hell out of office and all of his ilk out of government ASAP. I have offered solutions but to few are paying attention.
Blow themselves up and rebuild a strong, unapologetically “for the people only” Government WITH A BACKBONE TO PROTECT THE PEOPLE! Unlike today’s Democratic party that i have supported for the better of 50 years.
We do not have the luxury of waiting for the midterms in two years time. Those elections, if they are allowed to happen at all, are going to be a predetermined farce. We need to rid ourselves of this regime now. Now, before it can wreak more havoc upon this country as well as upon Europe.
We have to bring our country to a grinding halt through strikes, work-stoppages on a national scale, shopping embargos. To accomplish this in a meaningful way, however, we need a united Democratic opposition. All that we have to date are lone voices, examples of whom you have mentioned in your essay. Timothy Snyder's call for the formation of a Shadow Cabinet becomes all the more compelling in that such a cabinet could provide the unified leadership that's needed.
A geriatric waving a cane in Congress is not going to cut the mustard.
100%! Rep. Al Green had the right idea. I'm going to stop short of comparing the 10 Dems who voted to censure him to Neville Chamberlain, but if one "reveres" democratic institutions, as Rep. Jim Himes (D-CT), one of the 10, claims to do, is it really OK to remain silent while they're attacked by the president and his party? A fundraising email I just received from another one of the 10, Marie Gluesenkamp Perez (who lives on the opposite coast from me), deplores "hyperpartisanship" without apparently realizing that the Republicans have been indulging in it for decades.
The gutlessness of the Democratic Party as a whole really is shocking. It may turn out to be a serious stain on Nancy Pelosi's legacy. Since the Reagan administration, we've had a pretty good idea of where the Republican Party was heading, though (I'm guessing) few of us imagined it could get this bad, even if we knew about Project 2025. Pelosi's carefully cultivated successors in the House clearly aren't up to the moment, and they've tended to marginalize the House members who understand what's happening and take it seriously.
It is my opinion that the Democrat party has been infiltrated by the GOP.
https://torrancestephensphd.substack.com/p/has-the-dnc-been-infiltrated-by-the
If the midterms are your very best chance at turning this ship around then you have already sunk
I am a 2%-er, if you will. And the Democratic Party is not getting another goddamn dollar out of me nor a single hour of my free labor unless or until the majority of them stop fucking around a la the stupid and very dangerous advice of James Carville, telling them to act like spineless and polite parliamentarian cowards.
I’m not interested in paying these fucking people in money and time just to permanently lose what used to be this constutional democratic republic prior to 20 January.
Only candidates who act like they’re worth a serious damn instead of like something that deserves to be jerked up and immediately and fired for extreme dereliction of duty are getting anywhere near more wallet or my volunteer-activities calendar.
The Democratic Party is not getting another goddamn dollar out of me nor a single hour of my free campaign labor unless or until the majority of them stop fucking around a la the stupid and very dangerous advice of James Carville, who keeps doubling down on telling them to act like spineless, cowardly polite parliamentarians.
I’m not interested in paying these fucking people in money and time for them to commit to inexcusable failure and there y permanently lose what used to be this constutional democratic republic prior to 20 January.
Only candidates who act like they’re worth a serious damn instead of like something that deserves to be jerked up and immediately fired for extreme dereliction of duty are getting anywhere near my wallet or my volunteer-activities calendar going forward.
And I don’t grade on a curve. Being inexcusably graded on a curve by politicians, the media, and the electorate for a solid decade is how Trump achieved the ability to enter the Oval Office in the first place, be absolved for mounting an insurrection in a bid to refuse to leave it when he was fired, then be permitted to re-enter it and perpetrate his ongoing rapid and deliberate, targeted destruction of our constitutional democratic republic, our national security and relationships with reputable democracies, the entire economy, and 90%+ of the entire citizenry living in this open-air madhouse of a regime that is deliberately psychologically terrorizing us on an hourly basis.
He intends to make this a permanent and irreversible condition of the American experience that will outlive him. And he flat-out succeed at that if the passive electorate and the craven majority of the confessional Democrats following the “do nothing and let it break and then just ‘fix it’ later” dangerously ruinous advice of the James Carvilles of this world, however well-intentioned they may be.
The Dems have to get way more aggressive and combat the low information voters with a new narrative, basically how Donald Trump, Elon Musk and the Republican party are screwing them. Until this MAGA group wakes up and realizes how badly they are being hurt, namely Medicaid, FEMA, Social Security, and Medicare, they’ll keep cheering the destruction of both the government and countless lives. Once it hits them they may sour but it will be too late. I agree that Democrats like AOC are the best for this moment. We can’t be timid or kind. It’s time to play hardball and focus on winning. It also means the gerontocracy needs to go. Let new voices lead as obviously the ones in charge are losing the day and our country is suffering untold damage. It will be a long two years to the midterms if we don’t get aggressive now.
I would argue that the Democratic Party had its chance to save the country and itself before Joe Biden was nominated. They screwed the pöch on that one. And I fear it is now too late now that the Far Right has elected our new emperor.
Thank you, David -
I am in agreement with your message in this post and I just wanted to add a few things
look at how many people think that the Democratic response to Trump‘s litany of lies was pathetically weak? when are the Dems going to get the message?
this is also not a time to argue amongst each other
The Democratic platform should adopt a variation of what Trump did to get elected in 2024 - which is to look at the things that people are expressing that they want fixed and figure out solutions to solve those - there are issues that show that the people of this country are 60% 70% 80% behind - rather than listening to political consultants, advising the Dems on what they should stand for - listen to the people and come up with key issues that we can all get behind rather than trying to please every faction of the Democratic coalition
If the Dems cannot get stronger voices and unified solutions that counter all of the lies deception and propaganda coming from the right, then they will lose the next election toop
Horrific testimony reaction to Mayor Wu. Stupid and racist on an epic level! We have to bring some good trouble to those Republican districts. Awful people.
Here is Sen. Jeff Merkley questioning Trump appointees https://substack.com/@politicsusa46/note/c-98391080?r=ac69z&utm_medium=ios&utm_source=notes-share-action
Heather Cox Richardson pointed out the other day, in a zoom meeting, that historically in this country big change has not been led by the elected leadership. It’s come from the people, from their activism and leadership. And for inspiration, see the documentary about the Ukrainian Maidan Revolution, called Winter on Fire.
There are citizen groups working hard, pressuring and/or cheering on our electeds. You can join them, and get inspiration for actions you can take.
I think it’s good to pay attention to what our elected Democrats are doing, such as the amicus briefs filed and other efforts in the courts (see Jamie Raskin); their questioning of Trump appointees; the 23 Democratic Attorneys General who besides their efforts in the courts are holding town halls all over the country to present the stories of real people hurt by Trump/Musk.
Words of wisdom Sir! It is way beyond time to take the gloves off. The younger generations of Democrats who grew up in working families need to be ALLOWED to speak & take the lead! Most of the older generations of leaders have forgotten where they came from. It is time for New Blood. We need young, aggressive, quick witted folks leading the charge! We don’t have the luxury of Time to Bull S-it around! It is time for action & decisive movement!!!
We need to get him peacefully the hell out of office and all of his ilk out of government ASAP. I have offered solutions but to few are paying attention.
Blow themselves up and rebuild a strong, unapologetically “for the people only” Government WITH A BACKBONE TO PROTECT THE PEOPLE! Unlike today’s Democratic party that i have supported for the better of 50 years.
A New Center left Democratic Party is needed without Fetterman
AMEN.
We do not have the luxury of waiting for the midterms in two years time. Those elections, if they are allowed to happen at all, are going to be a predetermined farce. We need to rid ourselves of this regime now. Now, before it can wreak more havoc upon this country as well as upon Europe.
We have to bring our country to a grinding halt through strikes, work-stoppages on a national scale, shopping embargos. To accomplish this in a meaningful way, however, we need a united Democratic opposition. All that we have to date are lone voices, examples of whom you have mentioned in your essay. Timothy Snyder's call for the formation of a Shadow Cabinet becomes all the more compelling in that such a cabinet could provide the unified leadership that's needed.
A geriatric waving a cane in Congress is not going to cut the mustard.
100%! Rep. Al Green had the right idea. I'm going to stop short of comparing the 10 Dems who voted to censure him to Neville Chamberlain, but if one "reveres" democratic institutions, as Rep. Jim Himes (D-CT), one of the 10, claims to do, is it really OK to remain silent while they're attacked by the president and his party? A fundraising email I just received from another one of the 10, Marie Gluesenkamp Perez (who lives on the opposite coast from me), deplores "hyperpartisanship" without apparently realizing that the Republicans have been indulging in it for decades.
The gutlessness of the Democratic Party as a whole really is shocking. It may turn out to be a serious stain on Nancy Pelosi's legacy. Since the Reagan administration, we've had a pretty good idea of where the Republican Party was heading, though (I'm guessing) few of us imagined it could get this bad, even if we knew about Project 2025. Pelosi's carefully cultivated successors in the House clearly aren't up to the moment, and they've tended to marginalize the House members who understand what's happening and take it seriously.