The economy's booming, crime is down, “woke” went broke, and abortion rights are King. All the GOP has left to run on is Immigration. Speaker Johnson just “showed us his hand” by ADMITTING he's been consulting with Trump, who wants NO action on immigration, so as not to give Biden a “win.”
This thing with 45 will be the kiss of death for his campaign. I’m so pissed about this I could scream. So now the border crisis is no longer a crisis cuz 45 wants to use the issue for his own purposes. AND MCCONNELL IS OKAY WITH THAT!!!! The republicans seem to be okay with people suffering trying to get across the border women and children suffering in the process. I hate him so much. Mike Johnson is a spineless shit, and they are all sick bastards.... every one of them. So Dan, I’m on board with you. I really like the pollercoaster, your new podcast.
Thank you for the very instructive suggestions about constructing credible, effective messaging in opposition to Trump and specifically with respect to the border issue. There is one further tactical consideration that every Democrat, every anti-Trumper, every sane and sensible Democracy Defender should keep in mind. With this one public instruction to the Republican Party and the Republican Congress, and with the help of Congressional critics like Romney and Tillis, Trump has transformed the border issue from a Biden problem to a Trump problem. Going forward any and all failures to address the issue, any and all failures to accomplish legislation responding to the issue, should be, and are, the responsibility of Donald Trump. Whatever the BS explanations, the fact is that all failures can be traced to the instruction of Trump. It should completely deflate all his claims about border security and Biden's failure to address the border problems. BTB, it also ought to completely defang the impeachment initiative against the Homeland Security Secretary. This is just like Nixon scotching the Vietnam negotiations until after the 1968 election and Reagan scotching the 1980 hostage negotiations until after the election -- with one exception. Trump has told us exactly what he is doing.
It made me ill to see video images you couldn't even turn off in the nyt yesterday of elder Bush and Reagan. Regardless of the supposed message. I will never forget. My wakeup call about them in my formative years was a documentary at a movie theater about elder Bush's role in the CIA and what he did. Reagan; by then it was all obvious.
I expect Repubs in Congress to be devoted to maintaining their own power at the expense of their fellow citizens. But I don't get why others don't see how denying support to Ukraine hurts the U.S. The people of Ukraine - soldiers and civilians - are losing their homes and dying every day defending western values for ALL of us. Do we think, if Ukraine goes under, that everything will be just fine here, and oh, too bad about the Ukrainians?
Unfortunately large parts of the GOP both knowingly and unknowingly have become a tool of Putin. It is no accident; Russia has been interfering with our politics for a while now. Some Republicans have just fallen prey to Russian propaganda but I believe many elected Republicans are knowingly aiding an enemy of the United States.
This is among the most dangerous and vulgar political games they are playing. Some have fallen prey; and some have simply lost their moral compass in their selfish interests.
The great white cult no longer feels it necessary to do their dirty deeds in the shadows. They are fully out in the open, daily announcing their intentions of elevating their leader to Fuhrer. They no longer are concerned about the message because they are very aware that “There is a cult of ignorance in the United States, and there always has been. The strain of anti- intellectualism has been a constant thread winding its way through our political and cultural life, nurtured by the false notion that democracy means that 'my ignorance is just as good as your knowledge.” ― Isaac Asimov. They will only succeed if we let them. In nine months or so the verdict will be rendered. Worried? Do something about it, vote and work for Democrats and Democracy.
I think Biden—who was a senator for decades—is in a unique position to shame the GOP senators for two things: 1. cowardly bending the knee to Trump instead of upholding their oath of office and responsibility to the American people, and 2. surrendering their constitutional status as an equal branch of government (along with the House) and becoming subservient to a former president who is under indictment for crimes against the United States. And then speak directly to us about why their actions are such a betrayal.
When Nixon and Kissinger stalled the Paris peace talks, they became responsible for half the deaths in the Vietnam war. They kept it secret for twenty years. Had they been stupid enough to do it openly, they would have lost in a landslide, and maybe been prosecuted for conducting foreign policy as private citizens. Trump and company doing this in public view is not so much arrogance as it is stupidity. It’s like they play poker with their cards held face out. And think the voters are two stupid to notice.
Handled as Dan advises, and if office-seekers have the patience to repeat it consistently and endlessly—it takes a long time to penetrate the consciousness of the average voter—we can win big in November.
Republicans walking away from this deal and screwing Ukraine makes me so angry. Those with any character like Liz Cheney and Mitt Romney have been been ejected or are walking away from the party. All that’s left in the GOP are treasonous Putin lackeys and those who refuse to stand up to them. We need to deal a crushing blow to MAGA in November. I am donating and volunteering and I hope you all are finding ways to get involved. Action is the cure to anxiety. We can win this if we do the work starting now.
I hate being a downer and beating a dead horse, but I still have to say that I believe the press--the political media out there--ought to be helping more with this communication. I realize the candidate and the Party has a responsibility for its own messaging, but it is as if the Democrats have two opponents--the Anti-Democracy Trump Party, and the Press--who so wants to play the horse-race game on even terms. For example, digging for stories that show that Biden is failing at the border--from CNN to MSNBC and NPR--is mind boggling. The worst in my mind has been the crumbling of PBS--a source I have spent a lifetime seeking out, but now, to my dismay, to hear the worst form of false equivalency and caving in to an illusory idea of themselves. The "border issue" right now is NOT Biden's failure to control the crisis--the issue is the wild obstruction and craven politics at work here. The Press is helping the voting public believe that all sides are rotten, both sides are bad, and all is crap. That is exactly what Trump desires.
The thought that Donald Trump, indicted for trying to overturn the 2020 election, is dictating to the GOP Senate leader to put any meaningful Congressional bipartisan border solution on hold for a year is shocking. (Only Congress has the legislative authority to create, amend, or repeal federal immigration laws.)
Doesn't Trump care about the damage and impact that this selfish and politically motivated delay will have on the already oppressed border towns like:
El Paso, Texas: A central crossing point .Laredo, Texas: Known for its busy ports of entry.
Nogales, Arizona: An essential port of entry that sees a lot of trade and pedestrian traffic.
Brownsville, Texas: Located at the eastern end of the borders
San Diego, California: This city of about 1.4 million people is the largest and most populous border town in the U.S
Yuma, Arizona: This city of about 100,000 people has seen a surge of migrants
McConnell went as far as to site Trump criticizing the emerging bipartisan proposal, which Sen. Lankford (R-Ok) has been crafting with Sens. Sinema (I-Ariz.) and Murphy (D-Conn.). McConnell acknowledged that the former president wants to use the border as a "campaign strategy leveraging immigration."
Trump is telling McConnell and Congress to "stand by" until I tell you I'm ready? Sen.Romney called the move "appalling." Others see it as a cynical self-server who puts his own personal interests ahead of the nation’s wellbeing.
Sadly, this sick game sounds eerily similar to McConnell's decision to delay by more than a year replacing Justice Antonin Scalia who passed away in February 2016, during President Barack Obama's last year in office. Neil Gorsuch was sworn into the Supreme Court on April 10, 2017.
I have no love whatsoever for McConnell, but I have to wonder if his explicit acknowledgement of Trump's actions (and reasons for same) are not some kind of attempt to undermine Trump's election chances... by making this information both clear and public.
Dan, where are places for whatever great two people lose the CA seat, where are places for people like Cheney and Romney who retain sanity, what can they do besides rant from the sides? Seriously, what, where?
I am waiting patiently for some regular-order Republican to start a new party. It would have to be several former politicians with name recognition, at least regionally, some money, connection to big donors, and peer respect. Also some amount of charisma (a lower bar for Republicans).
Bob Corker, Mitt Romney, Jeff Flake, Liz Cheney, Adam Kinzinger? I have heard Kinzinger and Romney vow to return the GOP to normalcy. That’s like waiting around for chicken salad to reconstitute itself into your pet chicken, Fluffy. Or maybe a better analogy is a pound of chicken shit.
Dan for the life of me i cannot understand why nikki is still in this. She has no path to victory on the republican ticket. Even if Trump gets the hamburger from heaven. if she continues to punch at trump it will ruin any future electoral chances that she has as a republican (if indeed she has any now). the only person she is helping is Biden (which is fab as far as i’m concerned.) what am i missing? there is no path for her. none.
Meanwhile X is aflame with Republicans declaring support for Greg Abbott's defiance of the Supreme Court and continuing to escalate his standoff with the Border Patrol. Gov. Noem even called the border the "the war zone". There is a strong echo with Jan 6 here. In this case, Republican House members, Senators, and Governors are the mob attacking the government and rule of law at Trump's bidding, against the interests and wellbeing of American citizens, and solely for Trump's benefit. I hope Biden reams each and everyone of them a new orifice in his SOTU.
My social media footprint is small and mostly libs but I reposted the piece thinking at least it gets it out into the twittersphere! Thanks for the reminder, Dan.
The economy's booming, crime is down, “woke” went broke, and abortion rights are King. All the GOP has left to run on is Immigration. Speaker Johnson just “showed us his hand” by ADMITTING he's been consulting with Trump, who wants NO action on immigration, so as not to give Biden a “win.”
Vote BLUE.
This thing with 45 will be the kiss of death for his campaign. I’m so pissed about this I could scream. So now the border crisis is no longer a crisis cuz 45 wants to use the issue for his own purposes. AND MCCONNELL IS OKAY WITH THAT!!!! The republicans seem to be okay with people suffering trying to get across the border women and children suffering in the process. I hate him so much. Mike Johnson is a spineless shit, and they are all sick bastards.... every one of them. So Dan, I’m on board with you. I really like the pollercoaster, your new podcast.
You said it perfectly. Your rage is mine as well. Thanks.
Mine too! So infuriating.
Thank you for the very instructive suggestions about constructing credible, effective messaging in opposition to Trump and specifically with respect to the border issue. There is one further tactical consideration that every Democrat, every anti-Trumper, every sane and sensible Democracy Defender should keep in mind. With this one public instruction to the Republican Party and the Republican Congress, and with the help of Congressional critics like Romney and Tillis, Trump has transformed the border issue from a Biden problem to a Trump problem. Going forward any and all failures to address the issue, any and all failures to accomplish legislation responding to the issue, should be, and are, the responsibility of Donald Trump. Whatever the BS explanations, the fact is that all failures can be traced to the instruction of Trump. It should completely deflate all his claims about border security and Biden's failure to address the border problems. BTB, it also ought to completely defang the impeachment initiative against the Homeland Security Secretary. This is just like Nixon scotching the Vietnam negotiations until after the 1968 election and Reagan scotching the 1980 hostage negotiations until after the election -- with one exception. Trump has told us exactly what he is doing.
Thank you! I forgot about Nixon and Reagan!!! They own this now. And Dan indeed you gave us good instructions on handling this issue
It made me ill to see video images you couldn't even turn off in the nyt yesterday of elder Bush and Reagan. Regardless of the supposed message. I will never forget. My wakeup call about them in my formative years was a documentary at a movie theater about elder Bush's role in the CIA and what he did. Reagan; by then it was all obvious.
I expect Repubs in Congress to be devoted to maintaining their own power at the expense of their fellow citizens. But I don't get why others don't see how denying support to Ukraine hurts the U.S. The people of Ukraine - soldiers and civilians - are losing their homes and dying every day defending western values for ALL of us. Do we think, if Ukraine goes under, that everything will be just fine here, and oh, too bad about the Ukrainians?
Unfortunately large parts of the GOP both knowingly and unknowingly have become a tool of Putin. It is no accident; Russia has been interfering with our politics for a while now. Some Republicans have just fallen prey to Russian propaganda but I believe many elected Republicans are knowingly aiding an enemy of the United States.
This is among the most dangerous and vulgar political games they are playing. Some have fallen prey; and some have simply lost their moral compass in their selfish interests.
The great white cult no longer feels it necessary to do their dirty deeds in the shadows. They are fully out in the open, daily announcing their intentions of elevating their leader to Fuhrer. They no longer are concerned about the message because they are very aware that “There is a cult of ignorance in the United States, and there always has been. The strain of anti- intellectualism has been a constant thread winding its way through our political and cultural life, nurtured by the false notion that democracy means that 'my ignorance is just as good as your knowledge.” ― Isaac Asimov. They will only succeed if we let them. In nine months or so the verdict will be rendered. Worried? Do something about it, vote and work for Democrats and Democracy.
I think Biden—who was a senator for decades—is in a unique position to shame the GOP senators for two things: 1. cowardly bending the knee to Trump instead of upholding their oath of office and responsibility to the American people, and 2. surrendering their constitutional status as an equal branch of government (along with the House) and becoming subservient to a former president who is under indictment for crimes against the United States. And then speak directly to us about why their actions are such a betrayal.
When Nixon and Kissinger stalled the Paris peace talks, they became responsible for half the deaths in the Vietnam war. They kept it secret for twenty years. Had they been stupid enough to do it openly, they would have lost in a landslide, and maybe been prosecuted for conducting foreign policy as private citizens. Trump and company doing this in public view is not so much arrogance as it is stupidity. It’s like they play poker with their cards held face out. And think the voters are two stupid to notice.
Handled as Dan advises, and if office-seekers have the patience to repeat it consistently and endlessly—it takes a long time to penetrate the consciousness of the average voter—we can win big in November.
Right...this is the best and strongest path in front of us.
Will Biden work this into his SOTU?
good thought! he definitely should!
Republicans walking away from this deal and screwing Ukraine makes me so angry. Those with any character like Liz Cheney and Mitt Romney have been been ejected or are walking away from the party. All that’s left in the GOP are treasonous Putin lackeys and those who refuse to stand up to them. We need to deal a crushing blow to MAGA in November. I am donating and volunteering and I hope you all are finding ways to get involved. Action is the cure to anxiety. We can win this if we do the work starting now.
I hate being a downer and beating a dead horse, but I still have to say that I believe the press--the political media out there--ought to be helping more with this communication. I realize the candidate and the Party has a responsibility for its own messaging, but it is as if the Democrats have two opponents--the Anti-Democracy Trump Party, and the Press--who so wants to play the horse-race game on even terms. For example, digging for stories that show that Biden is failing at the border--from CNN to MSNBC and NPR--is mind boggling. The worst in my mind has been the crumbling of PBS--a source I have spent a lifetime seeking out, but now, to my dismay, to hear the worst form of false equivalency and caving in to an illusory idea of themselves. The "border issue" right now is NOT Biden's failure to control the crisis--the issue is the wild obstruction and craven politics at work here. The Press is helping the voting public believe that all sides are rotten, both sides are bad, and all is crap. That is exactly what Trump desires.
The thought that Donald Trump, indicted for trying to overturn the 2020 election, is dictating to the GOP Senate leader to put any meaningful Congressional bipartisan border solution on hold for a year is shocking. (Only Congress has the legislative authority to create, amend, or repeal federal immigration laws.)
Doesn't Trump care about the damage and impact that this selfish and politically motivated delay will have on the already oppressed border towns like:
El Paso, Texas: A central crossing point .Laredo, Texas: Known for its busy ports of entry.
Nogales, Arizona: An essential port of entry that sees a lot of trade and pedestrian traffic.
Brownsville, Texas: Located at the eastern end of the borders
San Diego, California: This city of about 1.4 million people is the largest and most populous border town in the U.S
Yuma, Arizona: This city of about 100,000 people has seen a surge of migrants
McConnell went as far as to site Trump criticizing the emerging bipartisan proposal, which Sen. Lankford (R-Ok) has been crafting with Sens. Sinema (I-Ariz.) and Murphy (D-Conn.). McConnell acknowledged that the former president wants to use the border as a "campaign strategy leveraging immigration."
Trump is telling McConnell and Congress to "stand by" until I tell you I'm ready? Sen.Romney called the move "appalling." Others see it as a cynical self-server who puts his own personal interests ahead of the nation’s wellbeing.
Sadly, this sick game sounds eerily similar to McConnell's decision to delay by more than a year replacing Justice Antonin Scalia who passed away in February 2016, during President Barack Obama's last year in office. Neil Gorsuch was sworn into the Supreme Court on April 10, 2017.
I have no love whatsoever for McConnell, but I have to wonder if his explicit acknowledgement of Trump's actions (and reasons for same) are not some kind of attempt to undermine Trump's election chances... by making this information both clear and public.
I don't do this anymore. I take them precisely at their dirty words. All I have to do is think: Amy Coney Barrett.
I agree. McConnell is usually way too slick for this kind of honest admission.
Dan, where are places for whatever great two people lose the CA seat, where are places for people like Cheney and Romney who retain sanity, what can they do besides rant from the sides? Seriously, what, where?
I am waiting patiently for some regular-order Republican to start a new party. It would have to be several former politicians with name recognition, at least regionally, some money, connection to big donors, and peer respect. Also some amount of charisma (a lower bar for Republicans).
Bob Corker, Mitt Romney, Jeff Flake, Liz Cheney, Adam Kinzinger? I have heard Kinzinger and Romney vow to return the GOP to normalcy. That’s like waiting around for chicken salad to reconstitute itself into your pet chicken, Fluffy. Or maybe a better analogy is a pound of chicken shit.
We took Dan's advice and highlighted Trump's border chaos in this DemLabs post which includes links to Mitt Romney's 1 minute video captioned with comments in English, Russian and Spanish. https://thedemlabs.org/2024/01/26/trump-creates-border-chaos-to-help-putin-invade-ukraine-ai-analysis/
Dan for the life of me i cannot understand why nikki is still in this. She has no path to victory on the republican ticket. Even if Trump gets the hamburger from heaven. if she continues to punch at trump it will ruin any future electoral chances that she has as a republican (if indeed she has any now). the only person she is helping is Biden (which is fab as far as i’m concerned.) what am i missing? there is no path for her. none.
Meanwhile X is aflame with Republicans declaring support for Greg Abbott's defiance of the Supreme Court and continuing to escalate his standoff with the Border Patrol. Gov. Noem even called the border the "the war zone". There is a strong echo with Jan 6 here. In this case, Republican House members, Senators, and Governors are the mob attacking the government and rule of law at Trump's bidding, against the interests and wellbeing of American citizens, and solely for Trump's benefit. I hope Biden reams each and everyone of them a new orifice in his SOTU.
It is sickening.
One of the prime advantages the GOP enjoys is we keep trying to fix everything.
Maybe stop fixing things and just do nothing but fuck over Republicans until November.
Like use media, say shitty lies, make them shake in their boots just how vulnerable they can be to an attack using the same tactics:
Oh, you're referring to Mr. Gaetz, the child trafficker? Oh, I didn't SAY it, I mean 'PEOPLE' are saying it...
Where's Melania? Saddle that fucker with his own wife.
Hey, you remember all the times Fat Donny and Jeffery Epstein partied together?
I heard Fat Donny caused more abortions than SCOTUS ever stopped.
Say it on MSNBC. Say it to the camera. Get nasty. Say mean, irresponsible shit.
If you're in office or running for office, you can say any old fucking thing and just walk away - remember? They do it every minute.
True.
My social media footprint is small and mostly libs but I reposted the piece thinking at least it gets it out into the twittersphere! Thanks for the reminder, Dan.