Again, it’s really simple: the GOP can pass massive tax cuts for the rich 51-49 or 50-50 with a tiebreaker without nuking it. Dems cannot enact their priorities without 60 votes.
Yeah, there are risks and it’s scary what could happen… But we cannot let fear of the unknown leave us on the path to certain demise.
For example:
2020: Democrats lose AL, but win in CO/ME/IA/NC/AZ, plus TX and GA too, because what the hell?
2022: Democrats hold everything, and pick up WI/PA/OH/NC/IA/FL.
This is ABSURDLY optimistic, and STILL only gets us to 59.
Exactly. And of course for it to matter, 2022 is going to be a midterm election for a Dem president so we’re at a disadvantage as-is. Then 2024 is the 2018 map again, and that was contested in a blue wave so there’s not much to target there for pickups (I guess TX, FL, MO are the best) and plenty to defend (AZ, WI, MI, OH, PA, WV, VA, NV).
My point is really just that if McConnell thinks nuking the filibuster is important he would do it without hesitation. Whether or not the Dems nuke it will have little if any effect on whether or not the GOP does it.
So as you guys can see finding a credible argument for keeping the filibuster is hard in theory and absolutely impossible in practice. Wanting to keep the filibuster pretty much outs a Dem Senator as being a straight up traitor to everything they no doubt claim to be for…
It needs to be very clear to Democratic legislators that this is not negotiable and will be a career ending position. They’d better get a hell of an exit package from their paymasters if they take that line basically.
This is true as well. Any expectation of the GOP respecting any norms just for the sake of respecting norms is foolish and plays right into their hands.
Manchin’s probably going to retire in WV after this term, so unless something major happens, expect that to go red.
idk man it seems like he’s made himself one of the most important senators in the chamber behind Moscow Mitch. And even if blue wave comes 2020 he’ll still be able to extract his own concessions from the dems. He’s an asshole, of course
Yeah except I doubt any right wing Jews are flippable at this point; I imagine my parents are just nodding along at whatever garbage Trump says about Jewish people and saying “Yup he’s right as usual.” My mom recently had a conversation with one of her right-wing Israeli friends who told her that 1) Israel is very liberal (because liberal countries often make far-right warmongers President for life) and 2) the majority of Palestinians are happy under Israeli rule and only 15% are making trouble despite no polling finding anything close to this. She also said they pay 60% in taxes which I guess might be close to accurate.
He’ll find out soon how much the country loves him (not much).
Smart and/or liberal people: Let’s make sure that these monsters working for the Trump administration, lying to erode our democracy and carrying water for a racist president are forced to forever answer for that and not treated like people working in past administrations. We must not normalize this behavior.
ABC: Mr. Spicer, how would you like to be on Dancing With the Stars?
Blame Bob Iger, who was on Trump’s business council or whatever it was until Trump became too offensive after the election. He could very easily stamp his foot down here, but has no interest in doing that.
Let me guess, we just need to build the wall, ban Muslims, ease background checks, give teachers guns, lay off the white nationalists, and give people a discount for bulletproof vests if they join the NRA?