So if it’s going to be a base election, we’ve got to find a way to excite our base. And I think we’ll see the Democratic enthusiasm number rise with investigations into Trump. That is a major reason this House was elected -to be a roadblock to Trump’s worst instincts and ideas, and to investigate his manifest corruption.
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Quot homines, tot sententiae.
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Every time the Mueller story flares up, Trump’s popularity sinks by a few points. Then time passes, the conversation moves on, and his numbers rise again. An atmosphere of normality and basic prosperity is what Republican strategists are dreaming of.
Also worth repeating: Trump will not cooperate with the impeachment process. He will destroy that Congressional power just as he’s destroyed House oversight. The impeachment objective of Democrats should not be to convict the guy in the Senate, but to (1) publicize all the dirt; and (2) say that Trump is above the law and our democracy can only be saved at the ballot box.
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You know, I think this may be one of the few elections where "enthusiasm’ may not be so strong a factor. Meaning, by the time the election rolls around, the Dem base may not be wild about the Dem candidate but they’ll be willing to vote for them. IF they can get to the polls.
Why do I say that? Well, as of yesterday, China instituted retaliatory tariffs on $60B in US goods. They are not playing around and they will fight to the end.
China’s tariff hikes on US goods come into force
This doesn’t even include tariffs from Mexico.
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I wish there was a bumper-sticker on this:
THERE IS A REASON TRUMP IS HIDING EVERYTHING ABOUT HIM
Try this:
Trump. Is. Guilty.
Now, I have mentioned Democratic incompetence in messaging…but I believe that everyone knows that.
What I would like to point out, however, in all fairness to the Democrats, is this:
WHY WOULD IT BE NECESSARY TO “EDUCATE” PEOPLE ABOUT A MAN ACTING GUILTIER THAN ANY POLITICIAN IN UNITED STATES HISTORY?
All of us on the progressive side should try to answer that question before we go forward in accurately describing ourselves…
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Even the Chamber of Commerce has figured out that Trump is “baaad for bidniz”.
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“We’re trying to ensure we do what’s necessary to educate the public, make sure the public understands exactly what we’re doing, why we’re doing it, so people won’t misinterpret this as being a political move on our part,” he continued.
Just be sure the education is not about process. The education has to be about the criminality and corruption of Trump. Clear evidence and facts. Presented understandably and repeatedly with simple, unified messaging. More and more I think an impeachment inquiry with the focus on establishing conclusively one set of impeachable acts, then moving to the next and the next and the next, and then tying them up at the end is preferable to the multiple committee investigations now that have their own timelines, topics, needs, and messaging.
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Dems already have a true majority in the House. And that majority exists because of the reaction against Trump –
Unpacking this: Yes, Dems have a true majority in the House and most of it was backlash against Rump. But, - there are still some Dem districts where Madame Speaker is an effective conservative target. My guess is that she is very good at gauging the sentiment of the overall caucus and all of them aren’t there yet.
ETA: @ralph_vonholst Really, the folks that the Chamber needs to focus on to get rid of Rump is the Republican Party. Get them on board, and Rump is pretty much outdone.
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She has been delivering the right message from the start.
The measured pace of moving toward the inevitable impeachment hearings is an essential part of the message.
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Here’s the republicans and their congressional representatives going to vote!
All of us on the progressive side should try to answer that question before we go forward in accurately describing ourselves…
Because White fragility and toxic masculinity.
There’s your answer. It’s ugly and, quite frankly, intractable. but there it is.
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Precisely.
The whole impeachment process must be managed in such a way that the revelation that the Republicans treat a stunningly incompetent and corrupt Trump as above the law will result in a crushing defeat for them at the box office.
I am confident this is Pelosi’s plan.
I view those who are bashing Pelosi for not moving immediately to impeach with equanimity. They too, are part of the necessary strategy. The Democrats do not, and cannot, speak with one voice as they aren’t Fascists with Fascist top-down thought control. A growing swell of voices to impeach are part of the scenario that must exist to create the necessary public support.
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The problem is that the herders want to go one way, and most of the herd wants to go in a different direction.
As a result, the message put out by the leadership is “we’re with you, lets go!” as they walk away in the opposite direction from where the herd is heading…
Tap dancing…amazing that it is always attributed to African Americans, stereotypically…
If it makes one feel any better, all academic departments in the social sciences study all the dimensions of this…and have for 90+ years. It just never makes it out of those departments+++.
If anything, the problems we have are arising because of all the progress we have MADE in those 90+ years…a backlash…
+++ oh…the professors write the books (which they read themselves)…and an occasional classic gets out…and every now and then, a loquacious prof makes the rounds on TV. but, for the most part, it’s gloves-on.
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People tell leaders what they want to hear.
Nancy Pelosi doesn’t want to invoke impeachment – and what she hears from people confirms that.
“I’m not hearing that from my members” isn’t a good excuse, when you’ve told your members what you don’t want to hear.
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Asking regular citizens if they want their president impeached is like asking kids if they want their folks to get a divorce. Even when they know that lots of bad shit has gone down…nobody “wants” that.
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I am so impressed with your consistent and productive optimism at this point in the struggle. Trump is now at the Gotterdammerung mode…Rule or Ruin. It is a power deal with him and going forward, and the struggle is not for the faint of heart.
Saying, “we’re fucked” only gets you in a better seat on the boxcar going East.
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I think even @georgeh would chuckle at the idea the Democrats have to be all "shhhh don’t give the bad guys the idea of oliticizing-pay the you-know-what estion-quay. I know I did. George? Bridge too far? 
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Yes. We should definitely all succumb to despair.
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That’s some quality snark there, I’d love to have the contact info for your dealer, when you have some time…
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