James Comey: Democrats, please, please don't lose your minds and rush to the socialist left.

[demmiblue]

Democrats, please, please don’t lose your minds and rush to the socialist left. This president and his Republican Party are counting on you to do exactly that. America’s great middle wants sensible, balanced, ethical leadership.

Link to tweet

[tavernier]

1. Socialist?

Like Putin?

I think someone else is already doing that.

[DoctorJoJo]

21. Putin Is the Opposite of Socialist--He Is an Oligarchic Dictator!

[Wwcd]

39. Oligarch Dictators are perfect alignment for socialists.

Apparently.
Bernie Sanders did just that with his alignment of Fidel Castro in Cuba & the Sandinistas.

He actually supported the dictatorial regimes.

Here:
https://www.thedailybeast.com/when-bernie-sanders-thought-castro-and-the-sandinistas-could-teach-america-a-lesson

When Bernie Sanders Thought Castro and the Sandinistas Could Teach America a Lesson

You won't find this dark past on wikipedia since at the start of Bernie's 2016 campaign, Tad Devine threatened Wikipedia with a lawsuit if they didn't remove it from the site.

Hiding your dark past works only if you hide every piece of it.

It's a very Enlightening Read.
And it's not the only one still out there.

Just saying.

TAD did with Bernie precisely what he & Paul did in the Ukraine.

This isn't a slam on Sanders. Its simply the truth of his past affiliations that has not been talked about.

This is who he was.

Everyone has a past..and at 70 yrs old, its a long past.

Just adding this to the discussion.

Thanks

[shanny]

46. Codswollop.

[KPN]

86. Yep.

[Celerity]

94. I think you might want to go brush up on basic Political Science 101 level definitions

Castro as oligarchic dictator? Also, Cuba is run as a doctrinaire Marxist-Leninist communist state, not socialist.

Ukraine is not socialist either, not under the Orange Revolution-installed Viktor Yushchenko and Yulia Tymoshenko, not under Viktor Yanukovych, not under Leonid Kravchuk, nor Leonid Kuchma. Its been a corrupt form of gangster capitalism for most of the post USSR period. Massive privtization schemes with IMF help and oligarchs grabbing billions in formerly state-owned enterprises.

[shanny]

48. Uh, Russia is a corrupt oligarchy run by a international criminal enterprise

headed by Putin. It hasn't been "socialist" for 2 1/2 decades. Where you been?

[True Dough]

2. James Comey, please don't lose your mind and announce that the FBI is reopening the investigation

into Hillary's emails.

Oops, too late! But thanks anyway for the advice, Mr. Comey.

[lunamagica]

6. James Comey, Hillary, everyone who voted for her, the children being held in cages and their paents

ans many more are still waiting for you to take responsibility and apologize

[uponit7771]

29. +1

[InAbLuEsTaTe]

53. Seriously!! Why would anyone listen to that asshole Comey?!

[Downtown Hound]

3. We had a pretty good centrist candidate, James

You sabotaged her candidacy and helped elect a traitor and a fascist. Remember that?

[lapucelle]

77. I wonder who James would consider the "socialist left".

Not everyone is good at gauging political philosophy.

[vi5]

4. Oh shut the fuck up Comey....

....you are the last person that should be lecturing us about anything. Go away.

Yeah, one Senator from Vermont and one possible rep from one district in New York is such a fucking massive rush to "socialism".

Don't worry the party is still well overrun with safe, sensible, moderate centrists, and they still pretty much control everything.

[lapucelle]

78. Our leadership.

[50 Shades Of Blue]

5. Define "sensible."

Because if it isn't pro-choice, pro-union, pro-LGBT rights, pro-immigration/Dreamers, pro-Obamacare, pro-environment. pro- animal rights, and anti-NRA, it's not "sensible" to me!

[bigtree]

7. this ought to produce some interesting gymnastics

[Cha]

87. Oh bigtree, really?

[Squinch]

8. Comey, please, please shut up and mind your own damn business. For once.

[Tipperary]

108. Thank you. The man is a legend in his own mind.

[Vinca]

9. Sure - because Republicans can't possibly want affordable healthcare.

That said, the GOP is known for getting hung up on words like "socialism" so I suggest we come up with another way to say it.

[DemocracyMouse]

42. Packaging can sabotage a good product.

I recommend that we abandon the "socialism vs capitalism" nonsense and call for a "people's economy."

Democrats should emphasize a "people's infrastructure" of public roads, education and healthcare to foster a "people's economy" of small, innovative businesses.

I'll bet five peaches no one here will find this sufficiently pithy to respond to... but I hope one or two thinks about the implications of socially responsible INFRASTRUCTURE as ECONOMICALLY GENERATIVE.

[Madam Mossfern]

60. "People's?"

Did you forget the sarcasm smilie?

[suprcali]

47. Well

I mean republicans will hurt themselves just to own the libs. Look at what the tariffs are doing to farmers. Some said they would still vote for trump.

[bucolic_frolic]

10. He means as the visible face of the party

It's a little late to change all the candidates for November

But it is true that MSM will amplify any socialists we have running to try to save it for Trump. That's what the MSM always does. Like, you know, amplifying EMAILS! EMAILS! EMAILS! on Halloween

[theaocp]

11. Thanks for the advice, Republican.

Pass.

[Iliyah]

12. The Democratic Party is considered left of Republicans

So far as to the Democratic Party, we are diverse and it seems to be moving forward . . .

That is, we are conservative, moderate, centrist, progressive and liberal all rolled into a group that gets along.

As for your party of traitors, one mind trolls, who don't give a shit about anything or anybody except for that mean green.

[George II]

104. I love the party we have. It can use some adjustments and tweaks here and there, but...

....I don't want some "outsider" coming in and trying to totally transform it.

As you point out, unlike the republican party we welcome everyone from all sorts of ideologies.

And yes, our Party is to the left of the republican party. If we're not "winning" (which is grossly exaggerated anyway) we're sure and hell not going to win more by moving FURTHER from the ideology of mainstream America.

[Autumn]

13. Fuck this president and his republican party. We almost had that but then...

well you know what happened Comey.

[wcmagumba]

14. Comey was on Wait Wait...Don't Tell Me on NPR...

Last edited Mon Jul 23, 2018, 07:42 AM - Edit history (1)

this morning, apparently he is continuing his book tour and image
softening tour (or whatever it is, he's still a jerk in my book). The
host and cast got in a couple of good digs on him but he just laughed
it off and did his own sort of self depreciating "humor".

[3catwoman3]

68. They most definitely got in some...

...very good digs.

I was somewhat surprised that WWDTM would have him on.

[rainin]

76. It was funny. Caught me off guard and turned my frown upside down.

That's hard to do these days. I laughed out loud.

[CountAllVotes]

15. I don't trust pukes

Why do you James Comey think you are the exception to my rule.

You are in it up to your eyeballs, that is quite apparent!!

[beachbum bob]

16. America has never been a leftist country and never will be

We are a center-left and it's how we win elections....going full socialist, we will lose. Period

[theaocp]

26. Good news.

No one is advocating that ... except Republicans.

[fallout87]

57. Parading Alexandria Ocasio Cortez...

a self avowed socialist... is telling the country EXACTLY that. Do you want me to post the headlines stating that she's the new face of the Democratic Party?

[theaocp]

62. No, not really.

In actuality, I'd like to see her avow herself as a socialist. Seriously. I haven't seen that.

[bigtree]

70. good company for your attack on this Democratic nominee

...the man most folks here believe swung the election from Hillary to Trump.

This is who you're partnering up with on AOC hate. Nice company.

[Celerity]

91. She identifies (as does Bernie) as a democratic socialist, but in reality

they are not at all. They are social democrats, along the lines of the Nordic countries and other major European social democratic parties. A key part of bog standard socialism is state control of the means of production, and the dissolution of private profit. Neithet Sanders nor AOC have ever, ever advocated that at all. They are NOT socialists under almost all measures and tests.

I have no idea why they wrongly call themselves democratic socialists. It only invites confusion and attacks. Now, that all said, the DSA actually is, in majority, full stop socialists. I strongly suggest that AOC and Bernie and all Dems stay away, as the DSA is a microscopic (up until 2017 they had at most 5000, 6000 members for decades) organisation full of cranks and crackpots (and some decent people too, but the wingnuts are who will get attention).

[Baitball Blogger]

17. You would have had the perfect Centrist President if you had just followed best practices, Comey.

[lapucelle]

79. Why should anyone allow Comey to frame our party's narrative?

I won't play into fear mongering or inaccurate invective.

[DoctorJoJo]

18. I'll Always Blame Comey for Giving Us Trump, But He Is Correct Here:

Swinging too far left is a death sentence for our party. And the ideological purists, like Sarandon, Turner, and Stein, were as complicit as Comey in our loss. I consider myself Center/Left and I think that is the best strategy for the near term. Demographics will continue to be to our advantage, but dividing ourselves is always a losing strategy--as we've amply proven!

[Squinch]

25. I wish you could make everyone read your post and understand it. We're in a crisis. We should be

thinking of NOTHING but getting Congress. That means we should be spending ALL our time and money turning purple to blue and red to purple, and protecting what is already blue.

This IS a war. We need to start understanding that.

[lapucelle]

80. What a refreshing idea.

Those like Comey, intent on creating the great divide, have an agenda counter to our interests.

Flip purple blue.
Shift red purple.
Protect what is already ours.

Win back the House.
Work on the Senate.
Garner the power to exercise government.
Progress will follow.

[OnDoutside]

31. 100%. It's the mistake the British Labour Party made by choosing an ex-Marxist as leader, making

them almost un-electable.

[JCanete]

38. Nonsense. Other nations have moved left over time. You certianly don't get there by hiding your

beliefs and not fighting for policies that will ultimately get the people behind you. How has our middle of the road approach worked out, because if that's the best we can hope for, we're just biding time.

[Chemisse]

63. 'Over time' is the key phrase.

I think we could have moved leftward, gradually, following Obama's presidency. I had hopes for a slow motion change toward single payer, for instance, as medicare and medicaid expanded.

It's good to have fringe Dems talking about far-left ideas; it introduces them in a nonthreatening way. But when we move too far, too fast, and put forward candidates who want to leap leftward, we scare away a lot of swing voters.

Right now we need to be the sensible, adult party, which offers compassionate policies and steady leadership. If we don't, we're going to be wondering, again, in a few years how come we can't seem to win, no matter how atrocious the GOP is.

[shanny]

44. Nope.

[pnwmom]

49. I agree. There's a large group in the middle who are persuadable.

But not interested in anything with the word "socialist" in it, which reminds them of the Soviet Socialist Republic .

Unfortunately, many people hear the word "socialist" and that's their first association. We can't change that. Do we really want to lose their votes because that word has negative connotations for them?

Or how about just not using that word?

[KPN]

52. Swinging too far to the left? You mean like

we did swinging too far to the right over the past 30-40 years?

[AlexSFCA]

19. 100% correct and dems are scared to admit it

Democratic party is the party of capitalism; gop is a party of crony capitalism. But none has anything to do with socialism (state owned economy). To save capitalism, affordable care and education are necessary.

[JI7]

22. actually they aren't scared to admit it. they have said it depends on the districts

in some places it will work and in others it won't.

that's true even among solid blue areas .

[JCanete]

33. Do you know what socialism is? It exists in this nation and it doesn't threaten capitalism. wow. nt

[AlexSFCA]

56. webster dictionary

Socialism: a system of society or group living in which there is no private property.
It is HORRIBLE

[JCanete]

58. that is a very limited and incomplete definition. Look it up on wiki. by the way, capitalism can

often also be horrible. There are things that SHOULD be socialized rather than privatized.

[AlexSFCA]

65. no argument there

crony capitalism can lead to fascism. But we are talking anout two distinct economic systems: capitalism and socialism. What we want is social capitalism like in Scandinavia and Canada not socialism. I don’t need to go to wiki, socialism is an economic term that is not subject to change. Red is red and blue is blue.

[ck4829]

82. LOL, oh my God... This is hilarious, good one pal

"Socialism" is shockingly fluid, that's what I get from American politics anyway.

Anything Barack Obama did was "socialist".

Liberals are all secretly "socialist". You are a "socialist" according to conservatives and Republicans despite your protests against it.

Wanting everyone to have healthcare is "socialist".

Not wanting to die for a billionaire is "socialist".

We don't actually use terms that are "not subject to change" in political discourse, this naivety is going to get us killed, and with the alt 'collective psychosis' right gaining power, maybe not just politically killed, but literally.

Case in point - No matter who the 2020 candidate against Trump is, this person will be called by Fox News, by conservative pundits, by Breitbart, and others a "socialist". Take it to the bank. We need to stop with it being a strawman, it only benefits them.

[AlexSFCA]

83. those were RW 'accusations'

dems never referred to anything Obama did as socialism, only RW did. But now that democrats themselves use the word, decades of repub accusations are being vindicated.

[KPN]

54. Plus strong unions and a more regulated

capitalism.

[exboyfil]

20. Comey will go to his grave never admitting

that he was trying to thread the needle - knowing Clinton was going to win but denying her majorities in Congress.

I am looking for Mueller's candid assessment of your feckless leadership of the FBI once all the legal matters have cleared.

[NRaleighLiberal]

23. wow, right wing nut code word - "sensible" - aka "common sense" - aka right wing bullshit.

Those in the center stand for nothing at all.

[ananda]

24. James Comey -- STFU

nt

[ucrdem]

27. Way to completely misunderstand the problem.

It's not ideology that threatens Democrats, certainly not socialism. It's egotism and duplicity, and worse. Maybe much worse.

[uponit7771]

28. In other words don't care too much about working people

[guillaumeb]

30. Says the man who contributed to the Clinton loss.

Balance, in GOP speak, means right wing.

[JI7]

32. shouldn't he be trying to help immigrant kids get back with their parents

[Squinch]

35. That would be nice. But it doesn't give him time to play the

reluctant hero to the cameras while wrecking the geopolitical balance of the world.

Because of Wieners dick pics.

[wasupaloopa]

34. The people who brought you trump

are now asking us to save their asses and please be the Repubs we wish we really had.

[oberliner]

36. James Comey? Are you kidding me?

[hatrack]

37. A Republican who swung the 2016 election through his cowardice and ineptitude . . .

. . . . and now he's giving advice to Democrats?

[Wwcd]

41. K & R

[Lunabell]

40. Lmao

We're never gonna be Republican lite.

[shanny]

43. James Comey can fuck right off. eom

[wonkwest]

45. James Comey, please, please don't lose your mind

and rush to think that any of us give a single fuck about what you have to say.

[Laffy Kat]

50. Hahahahaha. Too late. nt

[Liberalhammer]

51. Fuck Him

If affordable healthcare, SS, Medicare, and helping the poor is the socialist far left sign me up!

[Wounded Bear]

55. Haven't you done enough damage, Jimmy...?

[JDC]

59. If I didn't know better, I'd say someone has political aspirations

F James Comey, and not just for this tweet.

He needs to STFU. Immediately

[muntrv]

61. Socialist? Is that what you call Conor Lamb and Doug Jones?

[KCDebbie]

64. James Comey - your concern is noted. Now STFU!

[VOX]

66. Once more from the guy who torpedoed HRC's bid...

With Putin and “Good Guy” Comey, and who-knows-who-else leaning on the scale, Jesus Christ himself couldn’t have beaten tRump.

And I’m at the point where unadulterated socialism itself seems more and more like “sensible, balanced, ethical leadership.“

[totodeinhere]

67. James Comey, you have done enough damage already. Please just shut up. n/t

[JHB]

69. Tell me, Jim, what's "socialist"? Was the New Deal "socialist"?

Was Ike a "socialist" for accepting its basic framework?

And if your answer to any of those is "no" them shut the fuck up because you put the people who say "yes" in power. You. Fuck your excuses.

[Fiendish Thingy]

72. The actual "middle" is what the GOP calls "socialist"

I don't think the Dems should take advice from Comey, the party doesn't need any encouragement to run more Third Way Neoliberal candidates.

[ck4829]

73. Now, what's this "socialism" again?

I've heard "supporting the USSR" is socialism, I've heard "wanting everyone to have healthcare" is socialism, I've heard "supporting Barack Obama" is socialism, I've heard "being a surv... crisis actor of a school shooting and wanting to be an activist" is socialism, and I'm sure "Not supporting throwing a virgin into a volcano to appease the Job Creators" will be socialism tomorrow.

I just want some clarification, thanks.

[Luciferous]

74. Comey can stfu

[Garrett78]

75. Comey's an idiot. Like most Republicans and many Democrats, he doesn't have a clue...

...what socialism is. And, like so many Republicans, I'm sure Comey has a very warped sense of what's "extremist" or "radical."

I swear, it seems your average Republican thinks everyone having health care is just as radical (if not more so) as arming toddlers. I can just hear a Republican saying something like, "Yeah, well, I guess kids under 4 probably shouldn't have automatic weapons, so I sorta get your point. But health care for everyone is pretty extremist, too, you have to admit."

It doesn't help that the mainstream media loves nothing more than false equivalencies.

How fucked up that we live in a society where the likes of McCain and Collins are considered moderates. It's madness. Absolute, stark-raving madness.

[SubjectTrip]

81. "Sensible"?

Mr. Comey, what exactly isn't "sensible" about a living wage? About healthcare for all? About a healthy, peaceful planet? About free higher education and/or free trade schools? About food and housing as a human right in the wealthiest country in the history of the world? About justice for the oppressed?

[Snake Plissken]

84. He's right, and just like in 2004 I can see the Democrats grabbing defeat our of the jaws of victory

By allowing this election to become about social wedge issues that energize the right wing nutters and turn off the moderates.

[arthritisR_US]

85. It wasn't just 2004 that we did that to ourselves.

[demosincebirth]

88. He may be right, we dems have a habit of shooting ourselves in the foot.

[Comatose Sphagetti]

89. He's right.

The right is praying the left will run Sanders or Warren so they can scream, "Socialist!"
To too many ignorant Americans - especially here in rural dumbfuckistan - any form of socialism is equated with communism.
If Warren or Sanders are our nominee, it's over.

[RandiFan1290]

90. Nice try

Your friends on the right call every Democratic candidate a 'socialist'

[ck4829]

96. +1. But Good God, they just don't call them all 'socialist', everything we do is also 'socialism'

Want to ensure everyone has the ability to go to college... SOCIALISM!

Want to give everyone access to healthcare... SOCIALISM!

Barack Obama's policies even before he says what those policies even are... SOCIALISM! SUPER SOCIALISM!

Angry about school shootings and want to do something about them... SOCIALISM! (Which is especially funny as Karl Marx said that the proletariat needs to be armed, and armed with guns, not just hammers or knives)

Don't want to die so a billionaire can get more money... SOCIALISM!

[vi5]

97. Note how many of the people on here saying he's right...

...and their post counts. I'm not saying it's ALWAYS a correlation but it sure does seem that way.

[RandiFan1290]

99. They are deeply embedded at this point. nt

[Raine]

92. STFU Comey

go away and don't let the door hit your ass on the way out!

[BeckyDem]

93. James Comey, go start your own party.You've done more than enough damage to last a lifetime. Go away

[maxrandb]

95. Dear James

ahem..."GO FUCK YOURSELF SIDEWAYS WITH A FIRST EDITION, HARD COVER COPY OF ATLAS SHRUGGED, YOU WORTHLESS PIECE OF AMPHIBIAN SHIT!"

[Bettie]

98. STFU Mr. Comey

YOU are a big part of the reason we're in this mess.

[standingtall]

100. Fuck Comey!

He actually has the nerve to say some shit like that after helping Trump and the Russians steal the election. He was a repuke up until Trump fired him and next time we have a Democratic President you can bet your behind he will go back to being one.

His opinion isn't worth jack and he's wrong anyway. This is not the time or the place for down the middle bipartisan politics that would only enable republicans. Democrats have only had the house of congress for a total 4 years sense 1994 and the one time we took it back was when we moved away from the center right of the party in 2006. Bipartisanship only works when both sides are willing to cooperate and repukes have no interest in cooperating. We cannot return to down the middle bipartisan politics until repukes have been broken. If we keep doing what we've been doing for the last 25 years republicans will continue to outpace us in their crusades to take benefits and rights away from people than we can in our efforts to help people.

[NCTraveler]

101. 1) There is no socialist left in this county.

2) Fuck you Comey.

[Nanjeanne]

102. Oh what a winning strategy. Listen to Comey, LIEberman. Good grief.

[DFW]

103. Comey is like the King of Didd buried in oobleck

It won't start to get better until he comes clean, admits what he did, and says, "I'm sorry."

Until then, his "advice" won't get a lot of attention, and deservedly so.

In case he hits a wrong button and happens to see this thread: ummmm, Jim? Only Fox Noise says we have lost our minds and are rushing to some "socialist left" whatever you might imagine that to be. But fear not. Fox lies. Don't scare me and tell me this is news to you.

[lagomorph777]

105. Yeah, we should take political advice from the jackass who got Trump elected.

[disillusioned73]

106. Yeah..

let's listen to Republicans - they have our best interest at heart.. WTF?!?!

[jalan48]

107. Corpo Comey.

[snowybirdie]

109. James Comey

You've outlived your usefulness. Democrats won't listen to you and republicans think you're the devil incarnate. Good luck in oblivion

[andym]

110. Comey's opinion that Democrats should not embrace socialism is in line with many posts on DU

But he is not getting the support that similar posts do, even though it is clear he is criticizing Bernie Sanders indirectly. Why? Because he helped Trump into office more than anyone-- even Putin IMHO. The stench of an active FBI investigation was too much for a candidate to survive 10 days before the election. Now, with Trump being investigated for over a year, and his constant public denigration of the FBI, it's possible that a FBI investigation would not have the same impact. But history has been written.

[moondust]

111. Oh right.

I'll bet if you asked Comey to explain "socialism" it would be pretty standard Republican propaganda like "big government controls everything and nobody has any freedumb."

[milestogo]

112. James Comey please shut the fuck up.

[ecstatic]

113. The timing of this socialist rebranding effort is really interesting

And not in a good way.