Posted Without Comment

[WHITT]

Well, no comment except for an identifier: Wellman is a west pointer with a Harvard degree. He is a combat veteran. He happens to currently be attached to the 'Lincoln Project'.

Link to tweet

[brush]

1. Agree with the sentiment but doesn't he know about Manchin and Sinema?

And possibly Feinstein. I'm sure Joe is working on them with shovel-ready infrastructure project to bring thousands of good jobs to their states. These naive and foolish senators apparently have to massaged and persuaded that the McTurtle-led republicans are never going to do anything bi-partisan on Biden's agenda, thus they have to side with the rest of the Dems that the filibuster has to go.

It's so obvious but these recalcitrant Dems are, IMO, a little slow to learn.

[KPN]

5. I think someone like LBJ would have got Manchin

and Sinema’s full attention already, as well as a few Rs’.

[RVN VET71]

12. Neither of the two pro-filibuster dweebs would have faced down LBJ

He would have eaten them for lunch, patted them on the back, and then thanked them for coming around to see reason.

I don’t think Biden has the intimidating presence of an LBJ.

(Don’t misunderstand, I love Joe Biden and think he’s been a great Chief Executive, but LBJ was something else altogether. I didn’t like him at the time because, hell, he sent me to Vietnam to get killed. I came home unscathed but angry enough that I couldn’t vote for Humphrey in ’68. With the hindsight of history, however, I’ve learned that ole cornpone Lyndon was actually one of the most complex and complicated presidents we’ve had. He did a world of good domestically because he honestly hated the injustice inflicted by white racist America on all people of color. And he was, by all accounts, a fearsome entity who you didn’t want to piss off.)

[brush]

14. LBJ's Great Society finished the job of FDR's New Deal as it included POCs.

Last edited Sat May 29, 2021, 11:46 AM - Edit history (1)

And his civil rights policies did even more. The advice he got on Vietnam from McNamara and the generals was poor. It soiled his legacy and he had enough honor to realize that and not run for re-election, quite unlike the orange nightmare we just jettisoned from the WH. And the let's not forget Nixon committed treason in Paris negotiations to win the '68 election.

LBJ's Senate Majority leader years were when he was most effective against senators who got our of line. All that to say that it's up to Schumer to get his caucus straight as he's the Majority Leader now.

This 54 to 35 vote against the commission where the 35 votes win should wake Manchin and Sinema up, but if it doesn't Schumer might have to take more drastic action and review their committee asignments.

[KPN]

24. 54 to 35 was almost 61% to 39%. Bizarre when a nation that tends to view itself as the greatest

democracy in the world is ruled by a 39 percent voting block over a 61% voting block. That's not democracy by any stretch. If our legislative bodies don't function democratically, what good is so-called "democratic" representation?

[brush]

26. Exactly. The Senate is broken and the filibuster is what's keeping it broken.

It must change or we'll lose this democracy...what's left of it. The Senate has to go back to majority rules as the framers of the Constitution intended.

[Jetheels]

43. How they always win by losing???

[RVN VET71]

40. Nixon and Kissinger were evil human beings

Kissinger especially.

Yes, I remember the successful effort these vile men made to undermine the peace talks in Paris, promising Ho Chi Minh better terms if he could just stall until after Nixon was elected. Much like Reagan’s offer to Khomeini to hold the hostages until after the American presidential election because Reagan would give Iran a better deal than they could get releasing the hostages to Carter. None of these man gave a damn about American lives and willing placed their own lurid ambitions first. Nixon/Kissinger of course lied to all America, insisting they had a “plan” to end the war honorably. 10s of thousands of Americans died after they took power, and the war continued until America was forced to capitulate and run away from the Vietnamese who had worked for them, leaving thousands to be executed or “re-educated” by the communists.

Jesus, the GOP has never given a turd for American lives. I look back at the president so many Americans said they’d like to have a beer with: GWB who, with his VP Dick Cheney and a complicit media went to war and killed 5,000+ Americans while bringing back torture as a matter of American policy. .

But I digress. You are correct, of course, Schumer is going to have to get into LBJ’s shoes if he wants to bring the rebellious Manchin and Cinema back into the family. I’m waiting but not holding my breath.

[Lonestarblue]

33. I learned more about LBJ after moving to Austin.

I’ve been to the LBJ Library at least four times and learn something new every time. He was an amazingly complex man, and his administration accomplished a lot of good in spite of the bad of the Vietnam War. I also credit Lady Bird with having a positive impact on his thinking, but the taped conversations with members of Congress are something to hear. He did not suffer fools at all!

[brush]

41. I'd love to hear those conversations. Despite Vietnam...

I still think he was one of the most substantial presidents.

[susanr516]

49. LBJ was forever changed when he taught Hispanic students in Cotulla TX

He took a teaching job to earn enough money to return to Southwest TX State Teachers College (now TX State University.) LBJ grew up poor, but he was shocked by the disparity between the white and non-white school districts. Johnson was only there for one year, but the terrible conditions and lack of money non-white school districts in TX experienced stunned him. Robert Caro wrote about it in Path to Power, the 1st volume of his biography of LBJ. I believe Johnson himself said that the one year he spent in Cotulla was the main reason he pushed Congress to pass the Civil Rights Act of 1964.

[Magoo48]

30. Exactly, find some leverage and use it.

[LiberalArkie]

8. Remove them of any committee assignments

[KPN]

25. Now!

[myohmy2]

2. +1

...

[marble falls]

3. Whatever you do: don't copy and paste it here.

[pnwmom]

4. I agree that Nancy should announce multiple House investigations next week.

All with subpoena power.

[gab13by13]

9. The problem isn't with the House.

A guest on Chris Hayes suggested something I suggested months ago. Chuck Schumer needs to start bringing popular bills to the Senate floor and if Manchin and or Sinema vote down good legislation it will put pressure on them. Talking sternly to them does nothing.

I still think that Sheldon Whitehouse would make a great majority leader, "some day."

Most importantly Democrats need to coalesce around ending the filibuster and or reforming to the extent that legislation can get passed.

One of the main goals of the GQP is to delay everything.

[pnwmom]

13. Of course it isn't. But she has the power to run these investigations now and she should.

If things change -- depending on what her committees unearth -- there will be that much more pressure on Manchin and Sinema.

[brush]

27. It's pretty obvious that nothing on Jan. 6 is going to come out of the Senate soon...

Last edited Sat May 29, 2021, 05:48 PM - Edit history (1)

so Speaker Pelosi has to take it on and form select committees with subpoena power in the House which can include republican representation, preferably retired ones.

The Senate is broken and is not going to be fixed anytime soon. I'm sure Manchin and Sinema are being worked on behind the scenes by the admin with promises of shovel-ready infrastructure projects/good jobs for their states in exchange for ditching the filibuster, but who knows how far down the road that is with those two?

We have to move now on investigating Jan. 6 or McTurtle's plan to move on and have the nation forget about it will work.

[Catch2.2]

6. Agree 1000%

My frustration with the Dems grows daily. The Republicans are playing chess, while the Dems are playing checkers.

[KS Toronado]

7. Don't know if it's checkers vs chess

reQublicans use FQX news & right wing media to lie, lie, & lie and brainwash their listeners. We refuse to lie, lie,
& lie because honest people don't lie. Only way I can think of to beat them is to improve the lives/living standard
of the poor and middle class.

[wnylib]

11. So what should Dems do about

Manchin and Sinema? I'd like to hear your solution.

[Bucky]

16. Sinema is an odd duck

She posed a progressive, and only seemed a little quirky when she was running. I think she's a fundamentally flaky person. Manchin is craven, but he's not hard to figure out. He wants power and I think honestly a part of him really thinks he's holding the country together. Probably thinks he's Harry Truman.

[wnylib]

19. I know what they are like. The question

was what to do about them since they are the ones blocking Biden and Schumer from getting their programs through.

It does no good to complain about "the Dems" as if the leaders are csusing the problem when it is two Senators who are at fault for holding things up.

So, my question is, How do we resolve the problem they create instead of whining about our good leaders?

[Bucky]

20. It's a hostage situation. You handle it like that

You constantly negotiate for this advantage or that, build a rapport with the hostage taker, try to keep them from getting an inflated sense of power from the dynamic, use your reasoning ability to wear them down, like water erosion along a sandy bank, until they see it's in their advantage to cooperate.

Then we fight like fuck to pick up a couple more Senate seats in 22.

[wnylib]

21. We'll be lucky not to lose the Senate next year.

By all means, we must fight to keep and expand the Senate, especially since we might lose the House.

Meantime, it's best to dtay united together in that fight instead of complaining that "the Dems" aren't doing anything.

[brush]

28. Nah, see post 27. Things are going on behind the scenes.

Don't completely underestimate Dems, especially Nancy Pelosi.

[Jon King]

10. Manchin and Sinema, when Repugs take the House in 2022....

Lets face it, the House map is almost going to guarantee Repugs get it in 2022. Redistricting is going to take a brutal toll that even the best Dem campaigns can't overcome.

So what power will Manchin and Sinema have in 18 months? Absolutely nothing will get done, House Repugs will impeach and start 1000 investigations of Dems.

I have no idea what Manchin and Sinema's long term play here is. Sure they will remain Senators, but in a body that has zero ability to govern.

[uponit7771]

23. If they do we lose the union as a democracy, they'll do their best to keep power

[Laura PourMeADrink]

15. Bottom line we've been outwitted for many years now. We

always seem to lose . My only hope now is that former guy gets indicted.

[calimary]

17. I've got a comment. Damn Fucking Straight!

STOP wasting time, Dems!

Fuck ‘em!

Roll over them in TANKS, Dammit!

Set up the damn select committee and go all out in the January 6th insurrection, Dammit!

NO MORE with the “oh we gotta be bipartisan” shit!!!

Just get the job done that we hired you to do!!!

[kooth]

36. To Calimary ...

Right-on!

[BlueJac]

45. Time to kick ass and take names!

Go all in Pelosi!

[BootinUp]

18. politics is not easy. I recommend relaxation techniques. nt

[WHITT]

22. LBJ In The USA

Biden needs to tell Manchin that Schumer is bringing the big bill to the floor, and if he votes no and it goes down, we will have to seek a deal with some Repubs on a tiny bill, but we will no longer need your vote, so we will zero-out any infrastructure funds for W Virginia. Then you get to go home and explain to your constituents why you voted against the infrastructure legislation and why W Virginia is not getting any infrastructure money.

Then do the same with Sinema and anyone else.

[kooth]

37. To WHITT ...

Right-on!!!

[brush]

42. Agreed. Play hardball, as the hated Nixon used to say.

[UpInArms]

29. Gee ... wtf was Fred Wellman doing for the past 25 years

Other than propping up republicans and setting the table for DJT?

His criticism of democratic officeholders rings hollow for me.

We are trying to clean up the messes from Raygun still

So .. I say .. F you, Fred.

[housecat]

31. If we underestimate the danger Manchin, Sinema, and Feinstein pose,

then we've learned nothing from the last four years. This isn't a dress rehearsal. This is the real thing. We got lucky on Jan 6 when the coup attempt missed the target. Next time they will be organized, and an armed militia will lead an attack instead of a herd of stoned and deranged "tourists" taking selfies.

[WHITT]

34. Good Point

Not to mention:

1) If nothing is done to overturn the over 400 voter suppression laws the Repubs have enacted, the midterms will be very difficult, and in '24, many states will throw the electoral college choices to their legislatures, never-mind how their pesky citizens actually voted.

2) Now that Schumer has convinced the parliamentarian that there can be three reconciliation bills in one calendar year, if the Repubs retake the Senate, they will lay waste to any advances the Dems have made, and worse. Amerika will no longer be America.

[llashram]

32. +++

we cannot be civil at all. This is a tooth and nail fight. Ears and noses are bitten off. Eyes gouged out, no quarter given, no mercy shown. Get with it Democratic Party leadership!!!!..

[JHB]

35. Hey, Fred, how successful was TLP at ousting Trump-supporting Republicans?

It's a lot easier to "act like you are the majority" when the majority is solid enough that a couple of gadflys/quislings can't block the whole road.

Before the election, TLP was crowing about how it "knew how Republican thought" and advertised how they were working to defreat a bunch of Trump-enablers in congress.

Namely:

Mitch McConnell
Lindsay Graham
Susan Collins
Thom Tillis
Joni Ernst
John Coryn
James Inhofe
Mike Rounds

They were all re-elected, most by wider margins than they'd had previously.

"We're out here fighting"? Bullshit. You guys are old hands at Republican messaging and conservative media. Open up the closets and bring out the skeletons. Wreck some careers among your former pals.

Convince "moderate" Republicans to stop knuckling under to McConnell and McCarthy. Get them to stop being mealy-mouthed about which party is working in the country's interests. Tell them to shut the f*** up about deficits, because their party is responsible for them ("Reagan taught us that deficits don't matter" ).

Go on the attack against the driving force of this cancer, conservative media. Radio ranters, FOX, all the "FOX is is a slacker" bottom-feeders", even the high(er)brow stuff like The National Review (it'd be nice to be able to read one of their articles that didn't spend 40% of its space laying contempt on Democrats with a trowel the size of an airplane wing). Break down the echo chamber. Burst the bubble.

You guys made this hellbeast. You want to complain about how we fight it, maybe maybe spear some pikes into it and show you can do real damage, hey?

[spanone]

38. this may be how it looks to uninformed voters?????

even smart people can be spectacularly stupid.

[SWBTATTReg]

39. Yeah, I'm wondering where our democratic leadership is...I'm kind of frustrated to see

democratic issues get bounced off the floor and it pretty well goes nowhere it seems like.

We have majorities in both houses (barely one in the Senate) and we have the Executive Branch, and yet a lot of time and effort is spent on trying to bring the GOP on board (republicans). Where are our leaders? Where are the drum beaters that harp on the pros of democratic ideas AND knock the hypocrites in the GOP that try and get away w/ claiming credit for democratic bills that repugs fought every step of the way? Time being wasted IMHO and our clock for 2022 is being run down by the GOP.

This trying to work with republicans isn't working nor are republicans even trying to work w/ us. Repeatedly. Republican goals as Moscow Mitch has claimed, are to obstruct and obscure the truth, muddle the issue(s) and not get anything constructive done, flood the airwaves w/ non-relevant "red button issue(s)" and confuse, in short, don't govern but obstruct. We need to nail republicans who are not truly interested in doing anything under the Biden administration. Nail them as the ultimate hypocrites, who refuse to try and negotiate bills in good faith, with their democratic colleagues, and instead, still listen to the failed former PINO in FL.

Pass the damn bills and move on.

Pres. Biden has mentioned this in mocking republicans who falsely claimed credit in the passage of Biden bills (e.g., repugs fight his proposals every step of the way yet claim credit for passing such legislation, etc.).

[Jetheels]

44. How bout they just issue a warrant for trumps arrest for inciting riot, attempting coup.

We can discover the finer details in the trial.

[Yavin4]

46. The Democratic party needs to accept the fact that they are the only real political party right now.

The Republican party has devolved into a political theater clown show. They have no interest in governing. They don't want to even acknowledge a major crisis like COVID-19 or the on-going crisis of income inequality and climate change. They have no answers or solutions to anything. No one even knows their consensus opinion on foreign affairs or even defense.

They exist only to "own the libs" with their alternative version of "facts" and "f***ck your feelings". It's no accident that Marjorie Taylor Green and Matt Gaetz are popular within the party. MTG has raised a ton of money for the party.

[BobTheSubgenius]

47. Well....what about it?

Why aren't the party leaders...hell, every elected member...on a stump every day, kicking the living s_ out of these bastards? Metaphorically, at least. Doing it literally would be fine with me, as well.

[Historic NY]

48. I want to know just what the Democratic Senate Whip was doing to let 2 votes go by the wayside....

why Sen Murray & Sinema didn't add to the votes....


[link:https://www.washingtonpost.com/politics/interactive/2021/january6-commission-senators-vote/|]