At some point Democrats are going to get back in control of the Presidency

[samsingh]

if we made sure that the Republicans understood that however they treat us, we will use the same rules against them, then they may hesitate before attacking our Senators.

However, from the past, they rightfully believe that we will take a high road, spend 4 years naval gazing, and give back our power without much resistance.

Republicans do not take us seriously while we are rightfully in fear of what they will do with power.

[flvegan]

1. Okay

"if we made sure that the Republicans understood that however they treat us, we will use the same rules against them"

How would you (or anyone) propose we do this in such a way that anyone anywhere believed it (see your second paragraph)?

[samsingh]

13. we actually need to do something

[LexVegas]

2. Yeah, like that guy Garland. He really made them pay. nt

[samsingh]

12. exactly - he should never have been put in that role

[InAbLuEsTaTe]

28. Garland was utterly weak... our next President won't make that mistake again!!

[CincyDem]

3. The issue is we will not attack their senators because that who they are, not who we are.

[RockRaven]

4. SOME Democrat who plans on running in the primary needs to start talking like this.

Somebody, even if it be a fringe figure with np chance of ever winning the prinary, ought to start making noise that every single apparent abuse of power which Congress and SCOTUS fails to constrain will be turned against Trump, his goons, and Congress/SCOTUS themselves. The public will have an appetite for revenge/comeuppance, that appetite should be exploited.

[Celerity]

5. 2028 is our last chance before the post-2030 census redistricting likely slams the EC map to the RW's favour

even more. The 2030 midterms will be the last US House elections not negatively impacted.

We could see a net +20 (or more) Rethug swing as Blue states haemorrhage population (and thus House seats) to Red and Purple/Pink (some like NC and WI that are Rethug controlled to a huge degree at state legislature level due to RW gerrymandering) swing states.

[harumph]

6. The terms "high road" and "low road" imply a kind of false symmetry.

The situation is asymmetric because the R party has abandoned democracy because the majority don't want what they're selling - full stop. When one side abandons the rules in order to create a permanent underclass, you will probably need to "go low." Do we believe in one person, one vote? Habeas Corpus? Due Process? Then...you fight like hell and in whatever way you can to retain those ideals.

Also, R's don't need to know shit. Don't telegraph actions beforehand.

[Oopsie Daisy]

7. More shitting on Democrats and naysaying

... Ho hum. 🥱😴💤🤪🥸🤡

[samsingh]

14. seriously? We have lost the house, the Senate, and the Presidency (to a convicted Felon)

I really hope we learn some lessons from this before all our freedoms are gone

[Oopsie Daisy]

22. Here's a lesson for you. The more people denigrate and shit on Democrats *

* the less likely it will be that people will VOTE FOR Democrats. The treachery of portraying our great party and its loyal stalwart leadership as being "too old" or "incompetent" or "corrupt" or "oligarchs" or "no different than the GOP" ... then what that just weakens the party and empowers the GOP. Why do that?

[samsingh]

24. trump just said: Trump Said Padilla Deserved to Be Handcuffed Because He Looked Like an Illegal

should anyone on our side be making this an issue?

[Oopsie Daisy]

25. Sorry. I will not play that game. I will not justify the wholesale shitting on Democrats *

* by anyone, simply because they wanted more of an entertaining public performance... shouting, stomping and hair-pulling hissy-fits. It's one thing to be an armchair critic, but it's quite another to take it to the extremes and denigrate Democrats because they do not give Oscar-winning over-the-top performances for every new Trump outrage.

[InAbLuEsTaTe]

29. Demanding that our leaders be leaders is NOT "wholesale shitting on Democrats."

[Oopsie Daisy]

35. Sorry. Hissy fits and other performative grandstanding should not be confused with actual "leadership."

Personally, I find finger wagging, shouting, stomping, teeth-gnashing, hand-wringing and other hair-on-fire theatrics to be rather lowbrow. I guess I just have higher standards and find that sort of thing unnecessary and counterproductive.

Ultimately, true leadership transcends those types of theatrics. Authentic leadership is demonstrated through composure, reason, and a steadfast commitment to progress. The substance of one's actions speaks volumes louder than any theatrical displays. Let's raise the bar and focus on what truly moves us forward.

[InAbLuEsTaTe]

38. Is it possible you're confusing the passion of certain leaders with "throwing a hissy fit"?!

I'm just curious, which of our Democratic leaders are you saying is guilty of "finger wagging, shouting, stomping, teeth-gnashing, hand-wringing and other hair-on-fire theatrics"??

[Oopsie Daisy]

39. No, that's not what I'm saying. Read what I wrote again.

>> I'm just curious, which of our Democratic leaders are you saying is guilty of "finger wagging, shouting, stomping, teeth-gnashing, hand-wringing and other hair-on-fire theatrics"??
LOL. I said no such thing. And I made no such accusations. What I'm telling you is that the individuals who spend the most time nit-picking, denigrating, and otherwise shitting on Democrats for NOT doing those things, are the ones who are feel like that type of behavior is synonymous with "leadership". It's not.

Let me just repeat: true leadership transcends those types of theatrics. Authentic leadership is demonstrated through composure, reason, and a steadfast commitment to progress. The substance of one's actions speaks volumes louder than any theatrical displays. Let's raise the bar and focus on what truly moves us forward.

All I'm trying to say is that people should aim their contempt where it's DESERVED (at the GOP) and NOT at the Democrats.

[InAbLuEsTaTe]

40. Okay, I get what you're sayin, tho I disagree somewhat... sorry for the misunderstanding.

[stillcool]

26. can't be spending time reveling

in the absolute ass-kicking pictures of 'we the people' standing up as one. No, no. Got to find a way to trash some nameless faceless Democrats. Almost like ICE... have to get their quota in

[0rganism]

8. They already understand this possibility, so no Democrat can ever be president again

They will pull out every stop and cross any line to prevent a reversal. Campaign staff down to the local level will be mercilessly harassed, media coverage will be steeply slanted, deep fakery will flow like a river, assassins will be inserted into candidate security details, everything. They absolutely cannot allow a Democrat to do to Republicans what they gleefully do to us.

Don't get me wrong, there will be voting, there will be elections. Such homage to tradition keeps us happy, feeling like special humans, comfortable in our Great American Exceptionalism. The results will be predictable and highly effective at keeping Democrats from exercising meaningful control of the power structure ever again.

The people holding near-absolute power now simply can't afford accountability. Ever.

[LR3]

11. Agree, they are working overtime to ensure no Democrat can ever be elected President again

Trump couldn't keep his blabbering mouth from admitting "you'll never have to vote again".

The rethugs absolutely CANNOT lose power, for the same reason Trump ran again: they will go to jail if they are ever out of power.

[samsingh]

15. if 10 million Democrats had voted for Kamala - who was the better candidate

but female and a minority, we would have won this time.

[0rganism]

19. If wishes were horses...

Blame whatever you like, but expect many more interesting/shocking outcomes like that one in the future.

The current power elites can't risk anyone responsible, honest, or even competent taking the presidency ever again. They'll go all-in to prevent it.

If it does happen, and I don't think it's completely impossible yet, victory will be the result of an unbelievable amount of hard work and good luck.

[JanMichael]

30. I thought it was- if wishes were snitches...

...no. if wishes were stitches.

No not that.

[InAbLuEsTaTe]

31. We abso-fuckin-lutely CAN win the next time...just put up a female minority candidate who's a progressive populist

... like AOC, Jasmine Crockett, or even Kamala Harris again (with sufficient time to put her campaign in order) who shares the principled hopes and dreams of the average American voter and you have the formula for success!!

[Oopsie Daisy]

37. And if a certain representative had not encouraged her constituents to vote for "Uncommitted" & NOT support Democrats *

* well, things would be different too. Speaking of which, they certainly have been scarce these days. Prior to the election they were EVERYWHERE echoing the choruses of "Genocide Joe" and "Killer Kamala".

Now... it's silence. Is that because of guilt, or was it simply "mission accomplished"???

Interesting, no?

[Hugin]

20. There's the follow-on question of what serious person would want to be the leader of a newly pariahed

Nation?

Few reliable allies. A paper tiger military and industrial complex. Death and disease all around. Ongoing uncivil war. The stench of diapers in every room.

[Lonestarblue]

9. I doubt today's Republicans ever plan for a Democrat to win the presidency again.

Republicans have achieved Karl Rove’s REDMAP plan from 2010, which was to gerrymander as many states as possible so only a Republican majority could be elected to state legislatures and to Congress. Change voting laws to disenfranchise as many Democratic voters as possible. Require draconian proofs of eligibility to register and vote. Change the rules for which votes count. Republicans have done all of this, and it’s possible they have also hacked voting machines to ensure wins.

Given how unpopular Trump is and the general gains of the party not in power in the midterms, if Democrats fail to take the House majority back next year, I would conclude that the fix is in.

[newdeal2]

10. It's also our members in our own party sometimes

Certain D Senators, for example, who refused to support our legislation or nominees.

Trump is strong arming his party to make sure everything passes.

[samsingh]

16. agreed

[lees1975]

17. Not unless we do more than click our tongues at their vote stealing and suppression efforts.

I do not expect there will be honest vote counts down the road, unless Democrats get their act together in places where Republicans are in charge of vote counting and programming the machines. Someone needs to be on top of that everywhere.

Sadly, we were set up by four years of insisting that the count in 2020 was accurate, while the Republicans whined about it for four years, and basically told us everything we needed to know about what they were going to do the next time around. And we didn't want to look or sound like they did, so they got away with it.

[halobeam]

21. This!

[InAbLuEsTaTe]

33. YESSS!! All we need to do is FIGHT for what we know is right!!

Simply complaining about the sorry state of affairs will not get the job done. Most Americans are on OUR side and are looking for a principled Democratic Party that represents THEM and share their progressive values, unlike the Rethuglycons!!

Comon people, let's stop with all the negativity and fight in the streets for what we know is true... it really is as simple as that!!

[Greg_In_SF]

18. Look at our approval rating right now

and then try to tell me we're in good shape for the midterms!

[samsingh]

23. we are not reaching the voters

[InAbLuEsTaTe]

36. No we are not... it's really not that hard either!!

We should start by BOLDLY proclaiming the principles we believe in without throwing whole groups of our most loyal supporters under the bus. That's what leaders do... fuckin LEAD!!

[SWBTATTReg]

27. YES, and make sure that Garland is no where to be found or heard from. I never want this worthless POS around

us anymore.

If anything, he showed us what cowards look like. Went after numerous small fry, but ignored the big shots who were far more guilty. tRUMP ended up pardoning most of them anyways.

[JanMichael]

32. Maybe as a SC Justice appointment?

You know fair and balanced. And appease Repuke senators.

[Delarage]

34. 2008

After the supreme Court installed Bush in 2000, I never thought we would have another president again. But in 2008 Barack Obama was elected with majorities in the House and Senate. Granted, they learned lessons from that and have been working overtime and spending billions of dollars gaming the system. Call me a hopeless optimist, but I feel like we can do that again. This time, no compromises on legislation.... Medicare for all, take the lead on alternative energy, no more cozying up to dictators (no matter how much money or oil they have), etc. We can aggressively push for these without being assholes like them. I think.