I'm totally fed up with the way things are going...

[dutch508]

Star Member apcalc (4,222 posts)
https://www.democraticunderground.com/100215517066

I'm totally fed up with the way things are going...

Democrats-stop trying to work with the R’s!!!!!

Dump the filibuster
Eff bipartisanship

Do whatever is required. Manchin is a lost cause.

We need to get this country moving.

 

Star Member MineralMan (138,362 posts)

1. See, the thing is...

Things have to have majorities to pass in Congress. There's that small sticking point, and we don't always have one we can use.

So, how does the filibuster get dumped, and how do we pass bills in the Senate? Manchin is one of the Democrats who gives us 50 seats in the Senate. Sinema, too. Without them, McConnell would still be Majority Leader. How would that work out, do you think.


You're frustrated. We all are, but we can't change how the system works. Not without a 2/3 majority in both houses of Congress, and we're not even close to that.

We're all going to have to be patient and communicate with our lawmakers, of whichever party. They don't read DU, either, so you'll have to communicate with them in some other way.

Progressive Jones (4,363 posts)

2. I say the Democrats need to GOP on the GOP.

Get them on the ropes and start punching fast and hard. Don't stop punching until the screaming stops.

Star Member wryter2000 (41,104 posts)

17. How do you propose to do that?

Lock them up until they behave? Kidnap their children? Pour sugar in their gas tanks? How, exactly, are we going to get them on the ropes and slug away? What would that look like?

Caliman73 (7,982 posts)

22. Thank you.

When people start up with how Democrats need to start acting like the GOP, my questions are exactly as yours are.

What do you mean "act like the GOP"? What does that look like in your view?

Cause you know, the GOP cheats. They use the rules in place to be destructive, because they are trying to show that Government, as we know it to be right now, does not work. Because they do not care about democracy and governing by consent of the governed. That is how the GOP operates and WHY they operate how they do.

They have 62% of the leadership within our Federal system of government while representing around 35% of the people in the country. They did not get where they are through consent of the majority.

So again, what does "acting like the GOP" look like? Do we use the same tactics? Create gridlock and blame the GOP? Make up crazy conspiracies about pedophilia? Do we pass voter suppression laws?

How is it that we "go GOP on the GOP"?

 

Star Member StarfishSaver (16,579 posts)

45. Thank you

I'm realizing that many people.on our side have no problem with authoritarian leaders who break rules and abuse power - as long as that's done in pursuit of what WE want.

no shit

Star Member CrackityJones75 (413 posts)

3. Your post reads like you need a civics class.

Not to be rude but the things you talk about can’t happen without the other.

Star Member apcalc (4,222 posts)

9. No. Do not need a civics class...

I know how things work. Tired of them NOT working and Republican obstructionism . This country has great needs.

There must be a solution. Creative people need to find ways to out-maneuver R’s. McConnell seems to always find ways.

ck4829 (30,150 posts)

4. This is how it works every single time. Republicans just have to run out the clock and they know it

The less effective they can make the government, the more of a chance they can get a majority.

They are running on things not being done.

quakerboy (12,810 posts)

16. Could have many years ago

Early in the Obama administration. Could have dumped the filibuster and enacted a set of Obama policy that would have set the course of the nation for many decades and cemented the power of what Democrats do when they are in charge

But we squandered the majorities we had.

And now we are in a pickle.

But also.. there will ALWAYS be an excuse why it cant happen now. And that excuse will always fall flat when the voters get their ballot.

If Biden/Schumer/Pelosi cant find some way to get Manchin on board.. I dread the fallout over the next few elections.

you decide to force through Obamacare... after that the people shut you down.

Star Member StarfishSaver (16,579 posts)

30. LOL!

You seen to have forgotten that the Democrats did not have the votes to get rid of the filibuster early in Obama's term.

You also may have forgotten that the Dems got rid of the filibuster for lower court judges - but only over the strong objection of many in the progressive community who were afraid that this would come back to bite us if Republicans took power again. And then when the GOP came in and got rid of the filibuster for Supreme Court justices, lots of progressives blamed Harry Reid for "opening the door" - as if Mitch McConnell needed the Democrats to do something before he tried it.

And you probably don't remember how in 2005 and 2006, Republicans were threatening to blow up the filibuster (the "nuclear option" and progressive groups - particularly civil rights groups - and the Democrats fought like hell to keep that from happening since, at the time, the filibuster was the only thing we had to stop Bush's judges from being rammed through.

So you can talk about what the Democrats SHOULD have done or repeat that tired, ahistorical claim that Democrats "squandered the majorities we had," but you can't change what actually happened.

quakerboy (12,810 posts)

39. Except for being backward, right on

I pretty clearly remember Progressives that I was aware of were in the "its about time to get this done" camp. And more timid "centrists" being the ones fearful that it would "come back to bite us".

Also Obama was at that point on record speaking in favor of the filibuster. So of course they didnt get the votes.

Re 2005-6.. Gee. instead of some Bush judges, we got 8 years of Obama appointees being blocked, and then a Big ol Load of trump judges. Trump judges are sooo much better than Bush and Obama judges.

I wish we could change what actually happened. Imagine a world where Obama administration policy was mostly enacted, helping the majority of citizens, instead of being blocked at every turn. Where people had the benefits of the ACA in action before the 2010 elections and Democrats had that to campaign on instead of being beaten about the head with a boogeyman stick that they could misrepresent any way they wanted. Where we had 8 years of Obama with continued democratic majorities, and now were entering our second term of Biden, with the same? Geez I wish we could change from the massive destruction that we experienced to that.

quakerboy (12,810 posts)

40. We didnt have the will

If we'd had the will.

We had 57 dems and two independents who caucused with dems, as I recall.

Thats a pretty nice margin, you can afford to lose a landrieu or 9.

If you have the majority leader and the president pushing for it, anyway. When you dont have that, it probably doesn't matter how many votes you have.

And then you lose access to those votes.

yaesu (5,959 posts)

14. Dems trying to work with the fascists falls right inline with McTurtles plan. nt

Star Member Poiuyt (15,743 posts)

34. Republicans look at politics as a fight to the death, an all out battle.

They are united and use whatever tactic they can to achieve their goals. Their goals, BTW, have nothing to do with helping America and everything to do with maintaining their power.

Star Member Paladin (23,397 posts)

47. We're not going to beat the Republicans until we get just as vicious.

It's just that simple. We can hand out Good Conduct Medals sometime in the future.

 

[ADsOutburst]

Um, hey dems? You barely have a majority in the house. You don't even have technically have a majority in the senate. Biden's approval is dropping. And you act like you have some sort of mandate?  Our system is designed not to change unless there is widespread consensus that it should. In other words, it's working as intended.