I am going to get kicked probably regarding this post. It is my opinion and maybe mine only. I think the Shutdown was political posturing. 45 had a big fundraiser. That is over. 45 waffled on his promises… Big surprise..The man lies about everything. McConnell did not even know where 45 stood on immigration and the democrats had one card to play. That card was The Dreamers. We have been in a big mess over CHIP in the middle of a Flu Epidemic. We have ICE and other Law enforcement raiding Greyhound buses in Florida. We are being laughed at all over the world and we can’t get any deal that works in our favor Had I been Shumer I would have wanted a deal in blood ink.
Do I think we can do anything that even remotely looks strong? No. Shutting down the government was a big waste of time and possibly even cost us some political points because the Republicans know how to take hostages and lie so much they actually convince people even though they are in control, and control everything that the dems are not patriotic. The democratic party shut it all down. Well they didn’t. Republicans know how to put the democratic party in such a position to try and look weak and it works. They send their liars out to the talk shows. They put messages on the WH comment phone line and media starts waffling as well on who is to blame. We end up giving more to the party in power than even if we just voted to stay open. Why? Because we always go high and they always go low. We give up many things to try and pretend the republican party actually cares what one half of the country wants. I think not keeping the government open just gave those in power and holding the majority more to complain and point fingers at regarding our patriotism. They can say, “ Look who doesn’t care about taking care of widows and orphans” while flag draped coffins show up at Dover.
They can say, “ Democrats do not care about everyday people”. They message very very differently than we do. We try to be there for all the people. We are stuck in a 70’s and 80’s mode of governing and messaging. We have not evolved We hold the majority of nothing.
I am of the opinion, those people who are making deals and hurting our base are just pandering to the majority and also to make everyone feel they are doing something. I was against the shutdown.
If democrats want to make a difference, they have to find a way to become relevant . All the hundreds of thousands that marched on behalf of justice and women rights barely got noticed on MSM. Maybe we should just tell Trump how beautiful he is and stroke his ego and then he will turn on the majority. (snark).
I think we need some more Duckworth messaging or just go all in kissing the majority’s butt because to tell you the truth..this past way of messaging is just not working because now they have a buttload of talking points. We are talking but no one is listening. We are just running around in circles with no message with no spine or backbone. Don’t lose your enthusiasm to keep up a fight, we just need better tools and weaponry. A party divided and a country divided will not stand.
We just keep going higher and higher. Anyone of these legislators ever hear of Machiavellian tactics? The republicans are really good at that !
We HAVE TO FIND A WAY TO BREAK THROUGH AND I do not think shutting down the government is the way. To be honest we need people’s voices everyday leaning on legislators in ways they can’t refuse. I do not think emails and phone calls work that much.. They just disconnect or shred. I don’t know what has to be done but what has been done is not working.