Hmmmmmm?
“At town halls in their districts and in one-on-one meetings with constituents and activists, Democratic members of Congress are facing a growing thrum of demands to break the rules, fight dirty — and not be afraid to get hurt,” Axiosreports.
Said one House Democrat: “This idea that we’re going to save every norm and that we’re not going to play the Republicans’ game… I don’t think that’s resonating with voters anymore.”
Said another: “Some of have suggested … what we really need to do is be willing to get shot. Our own base is telling us that what we’re doing is not good enough… that there needs to be blood to grab the attention of the press and the public.”
Democrats have been “mean” since the 60s. It’s a big reason why we have what we have today.
And Republicans have been punching down since the 60s.
It’s a big reason why we have what we have today.
Things ebb and flow and nothing is always black and white but the tactics and rhetoric of the left had always been far more caustic and meaner. Then, Trump came along.
I happen to believe that if Hillary Clinton had not used the phrase, “basket of deplorables”, Trump would never have been President, but that is just one late example.
I would mostly point to the complete and total restraint used by President George W. Bush, especially in his second term, in “fighting back” when he was called every name in the book and had his very humanity challenged played a huge part in the rise of Trump. GWB was content in his religious convictions and was able to take whatever was slung at him.
Other Republicans saw all the Hitler comparisons used against Bush, and later on against McCain and Romney also, and decided that nothing Democrats said could ever have any truth to it and instead of just taking it, they wanted someone to fight back even dirtier.
Now, many Democrats want someone to be dirtier than Trump and that is probably a recipe for disaster for what remains of our civic democracy.
U mean like ALL the Obama stuff?
U mean like ALL the Pelosi stuff?
U mean like AAL the Harris stuff?
U mean like ALL the Biden stuff?
Yup!
Democrats have been in the same league…
Oh I forgot ALL the Hillary stuff?
COME ON‼️
Democrats lag FAR behind …….
I doubt they will ever match the GOPer’s
But Yea……
People see Trump doing his thing and get annoyed
You lack the capacity to differentiate between arguments related to the current day and an historical comparison such as my offering “since the 60s.”
I mean, one can even watch the 1960 Presidential debates or read the transcripts. JFK was far more of an asshole in those than Nixon could have dreamed of being then, by the standards of the time. Nixon thought he was debating someone who was actually an old friend of his, and using collegiate debating rules. JFK had a different agenda.
I don’t know what you are talking about here. My point is that before Trump took over the Republican Party, Democrats were meaner and more personal. It was out of the Saul Alinsky playbook. Then, former Democrat Donald Trump came along and instituted the Roy Cohn playbook.
Back before Trump came along, Biden was pretty “mean.”
He told a black audience that Mitt Romney wanted to “put y’all back in chains.” It’s hard to get much meaner than that.
Mitt Romney, being a thoroughly decent human being, decided not to hold that against Joe Biden.
I do not agree
Democrats’s Do need to get tougher and move a bit to the center
What the hell does this even mean, as quoted in the article?
“willing to get shot.” Is this person being literal? This quote goes on to say “there needs to be blood…”
This is some pretty dangerous stuff. It sounds like they are talking about violent insurrection. I think those are bad things. The person saying this sound exactly like how the alt-right talks.
I do not support violence….
It is NOT the way…….
Now, that I was able to read the entire Axios article, it is clear that the activists are being literal about the violence and this is frightening the unnamed Democrat elected officials. They have good reason to be frightened and should act accordingly to protect the values of their party, before it becomes too late.
Don’t read Daily Kos
People there ain’t cutting GOPer’s any slack
But then if you travel over to Twitter ?
Same the other way, eh?
I see what goes on in Twitter. There are horrible people there on both sides.
Daily Kos is not even relevant anymore. I was well familiar and they were often discussed back in their heyday which was about 2004-2008. It was always vicious and profane and of course alternate views were never permitted on there. It was the proto-MAGA.
I do not blame Democrats or their supporters for being upset about losing to Donald Trump in 2016 and 2024 or even beyond that why they have lost so many other elections recently in so many parts of the country.
There are a lot of reasons why but I do not think one can logically make an argument that they have lost because they were not “mean” enough (putting aside the fact that I was very critical of Walz for not being tough enough in the last VP debate) or especially that they have not run far enough to the left, such as what Bernie, AOC, and Mamdani now say.
On the contrary, Democrats have been losing because voters, including so many of their former supporters, see them as being too far too to the left.
I agree or ur last and said so……
The party HAS to keep its base and expand to those unhappy with their economic situation ….
Dem’s and GOO’s see things different ….
There ARE MORE who need Democrats help
They just need them to vote
Not give up
Democrats should refrain from caricatures and characterizations based on the personal meanness and dark motives of the current régime and its congressional enablers.
Barack Obama’s slogans (as opposed to some of his actions) were Hope, Love and Peace, not Mass Deportations.
Far better to stress the meanness of the government’s policies (e.g. on immigration and social welfare), their general incomprehension and incompetence (especially in health and foreign relations) and very real dangers of the Trump administration.
Wishful thinking DSD….
And I don’t know if most Democrats would be smart enough to grasp your third paragraph….
Remember they ran against Trump and lost….
Not by much…..
But they DID LOSE….
They won’t be actually running against this time ….BUT?…You ARE RIGHT...
But Democrats HAVE TO Message your view successfully….
?
Right NOW?
The MESSENGER maybe Jeffries talking in background and Newsom about to get BACK on stage and shout…
Stay Tuned