5922

Yeah dude, governing used to be a thing that happened even when one party didn’t control all three branches of government.

If you want to be in government, figure that shit out.

5923

She doesn’t have to succeed in two years. She’s unproven. I don’t know how you can say someone is the future of the party when they have not actually done anything in or for the party. Also she’s a straight up socialist. That’s not even proven to be the future of the party.

5924

Anyone know anything about this Swallwell dude? He apparently has presidential aspirations, which seems a bit of a stretch for a plain 'ol Congressman, but then what do I know.

I liked his interview quite a bit. He advocates backing Pelosi, by the way.

5925

Oh exactly.

That is why I hope she can use her first term to sit back and learn the ropes, so she can match her extremely good PR game with really good policy game.

ya burnt.

5926

And we used to have a modicum of cooperation from both parties. Haven’t seen that in years. As long as we have leaders like “no Supreme Court nominations for a Democrat” McConnell plugging up the works, I don’t put any responsibility on Democrats to make divided government work.

5927

Now, admittedly, the gut level reaction of many Democrats to Mitchy McTurtle’s ‘bipartisanship’ comment last week was to shout ‘get fucked’.

I know it was mine.

This does not mean I oppose any such efforts, but rather that I oppose the notion that striving for bipartisan action as a valid and worthy goal in and of itself is the case. If there are specific areas where bipartisan action is possible with the non insane members? Sure. But there has been too long where the instinctive aim for bipartisanship has been twisted to achieve nefarious ends, or construed as weak.

5928

Yeah there are some things you simply cannot negotiate or be bipartisan on. Minorities are not boogeymen to stoke fear and place blame. Women are not center pieces. LGTBQA+ members deserve protections. Going to the table like those are options serves no one but the bigoted right.

5929

Exactly. And with the modern rights stance on environmental issues and public interest there? I’d put them nearly on the same level.

5930

He’s my rep! He’s on Maddow a lot. I like him. Probably no chance at POTUS, though. Not yet.

5931

That can’t happen when one party takes their ball and goes home. The only way to get something done now is through executive orders or if you own all three branches of government. So 2020, here we come.

5932

Damn she’s smooth

5933

I share some of @Timex’s reservations about AOC: I think she’s saying all the right things, but we don’t yet know how effective she will be at working at making her goals a reality. She hasn’t had an opportunity to do so yet and she’s a brand new Congresswoman, so we’ll see over the coming years.

That being said, her savvy with modern media is a hugely important skill IMO, and I’m excited to see a Democrat that appears to be able to counter right-wing dipshittery. In the age of Trump and InfoWars, I don’t think that can be overlooked. I’m really looking forward to watching her over the next couple years.

5934

Yeah, I feel like everyone could back off a bit and just let her learn the ropes and represent her district.

It’s true however that lightning political careers don’t always amount to a bunch of conventional dues-paying, putting in the years, etc. Lincoln had two unremarkable years in Congress, went back to private life, lost a Senate election, and then was President. Obama was a state senator for a while but was practically running for President as soon as he got into the Senate. His '04 DNC speech boosted him more than any vote in his day job would likely have done.

5935

And let’s remember, many politicians start that way, hopeful, long list, can change attitude. Despite popular belief, not everyone joins politics just so people can tell them what an awful politician they are decades later. She needs to prove herself… like everyone else new to a job.

5936

I think that, through faults not her own, she is being brought to the front by outlets like Fox News, and other GOP pundits.

5937

That’s too bad. Find a way to make it work. That’s what their job is.

Oh, i don’t fault her at all for this crap. I just don’t mistake reacting to idiotic attacks as a sign of great leadership. It’s not a bad thing at all.

5938

Such a thoughtful answer. ‘Make the GOP agree to what you want or it’s your own fault for failing.’ Sounds like the people complaining about Obama not getting enough done instead of the GOP stonewalling to me, ie. not dealing with reality. But then again, Timex does claim to be libertarian, so the not dealing in reality thing might be a feature and not a bug.

5939

Their job is to represent their constituents’ interests. That should involve working with either party to advance legislation. It also may involve blocking the opposing party from harming their districts. We’ve likely to see a lot more of the latter than the former this term.

5940

Has there been a “young Democrat firebrand” since Weiner’s implosion? I feel like people have been waiting. Schiff is fine, I guess, but he doesn’t have the same media presence.

5941

It doesn’t feel like it, which I think explains some of the pull for Bernie in the 2016 primaries. I know I’m a little tired of having to walk on eggshells lest we provide ammunition for the propaganda arm of the GOP. Compromise is well and good, but Democrats have been frantically tacking to the ever-shifting middle while the GOP pulls the country to the right. I’m fine with ending up in the middle, but I’m really sick of starting out there and have the GOP refuse to budge an inch.

It’s one of the things I like about AOC, when she’s confronted by the “OMG SOCIALIST!” attack she’s just kind of like “yeah, so?”. There’s nothing to apologize for or explain away when you say we should have a single player healthcare system or providing avenues for people to get an education without becoming an indentured servant for half of their lives.