Flame away..but I feel we have zero overall

[Laura PourMeADrink]

Democratic leadership right now. It's like Schiff pulling the whole load. Is this our strategy ? To just lay low? If it is tell us.

[Kirk Lover]

1. I understand what you are saying...but on the other hand Maybe it's not a good

idea for Dem's to be out there banging the drum daily either. But I do see other Dem's on the shows I do.

[Laura PourMeADrink]

5. Perhaps...just feels like we always make some

Excuse..heard poll tonight that people think FBI corrupted. So wtf? We aren't doing something right. Starting to make me think our leaders are being blackmailed or something. We offer zero alternate view? Like the other team (us) didn't show up

[StuckInTexas]

6. We're not playing the same game

We all love when "they go low, we go high", but it should be when "they go low, we go high and knock their god damned block off".

[Laura PourMeADrink]

17. Would be great if someone was in charge to

Knock their block off....

[Hortensis]

27. This makes me think of climate deniers who point to

cold winters as proof that climate warming can't be real. The very statement suggests they never spent 10 minutes educating themselves on the subject.

No one in charge. Well, you could find that one out without taking away much time from this kind of post.

Knock their block off. I recommend an old Steven Segal movie to assuage those frustrations.

Learning even a few of the ways members of congress knock each others' "blocks" off would take a bit more than 10 minutes. It'd take terrible video, though, which is no doubt why most people seem to imagine if they can follow a football game they can certainly see when anything is happening in congress. Heck, they don't even wear helmets.

[InAbLuEsTaTe]

29. Yes Laura, seems like Adam Schiff is fighting off the Rethug propaganda machine

all by himself... would be nice if he could get a little back up!

[Hermit-The-Prog]

28. when they go low ...

When they go low, stand straight, point and laugh at them wallowing in the shit. Don't let 'em out of it until everybody gets a good look and laugh.

[Hortensis]

40. And for sure don't block the cameras.

After all, these guys are mostly working for us these days.

[BlueDog22]

2. Best Leaders

Some of the best Democratic leaders aren't the guys up top, it's the guys at the local, grassroots level.

[Laura PourMeADrink]

3. Agree!!! Maybe we are in a rebuilding phase?

[BlueDog22]

4. Precinct Chairs

If you want something done in a large body, I found that the guys most able to get stuff done is the precinct chairs.

[Laura PourMeADrink]

9. I know..just thinking that we have a situation where

the Republican president is lying every single day and it is ALL the low info voters are hearing. Proof? Majority think FBI corrupt! If that is some cutting edge strategy on our part to remain silent..it is beyond my world view.

[InAbLuEsTaTe]

30. I don't get it either. We need to FIGHT like the survival of our country depends on it...

cuz it DOES!!!

[JI7]

7. Adam Schiff is a top member on the Committee which is dealing with this issue

and all the Nunes crap which is why we are hearing from him more than others on this.

we didn't hear much from Schiff before all this crap and he has been in the house for years. did he lay low then ? NO, he was doing the same as now but right now the news of the day has to do with his job so he gets more attention.

[Laura PourMeADrink]

10. Hey no slight to him whatsoever. Is he then the

Leader of our party?

[JI7]

11. he is one of the party leaders right now because of his position on the committee

[Laura PourMeADrink]

15. Right. Get that.

[karynnj]

60. On the Nunes memo and the House Intelligence committee

Yes

On immigration, environment, the economy, healthcare, the tax bill and government funding ... no, othere are.

[GulfCoast66]

8. Not flaming, but what do you want?

Our Congress members have stuck together where it counts.

We are winning across the board in state races.

I do not think you are new to this. Who were our leaders in 03, 04, 05?

Cause we cleaned up in 06.

We do not have a President

[Laura PourMeADrink]

13. To be honest want a leader. Want someone to

tie all this together and lead us to influence people. Like we are playing defense only. No ads...when the criminal repukes are airing ads. Wtf! There's a gold mine of material. What a mistake to think we might get on board with the instant information phenomenon. Sadly, we deserve only the scraps we get.

[GulfCoast66]

16. Of course we are playing defense

We hold no cards. They control big houses of Congress and the presidency.

Not much we can do.

And why do we deserve our ‘scraps’.

Maybe you are new to this. We win when we get more votes.

[Laura PourMeADrink]

18. New to what!!! ?? You do not have to control

Congress to control message...we have zero...other than nothing.

[Demsrule86]

41. The media plays a role in controlling the 'message'...and I have heard plenty of Democrats with a

message.

[NCTraveler]

45. Facts show we are not playing defense.

All of this is happening and we are the minority.

Our leaders are out there every single day delivering a progressive message along with an anti-Trump message. The minority is fighting to bring Trump to justice, move forward on DACA, secured funding for children’s healthcare, etc.

Trump is taking the oxygen out of the room. That is to be expected.

[ehrnst]

57. Why is buying ads the the job of our elected officials, when NGOs do that?

Coordinated messaging is the most effective, especially in an era where huge numbers of people never see ads on television.

Duplicating efforts is not.

I am seeing ALL kinds of memes and messaging on FB.

[ismnotwasm]

12. Jesus Christ

Where do you get your information? Who the fuck is laying low? The Democrats of Washington State are not laying low. We’re going to demand no offshore drilling in our state among other things we are doing. Do you live in a red state? Every time I see this sentiment on here I’m quite frankly confused and a bit irritated.

[Laura PourMeADrink]

14. Yes you are being.myopic it's ok....it's a big picture thing.

Glad Washington state on the right path and doing good things !!!!

[ismnotwasm]

19. Thats the thought I usually calm myself down with

One of my daughters realized she had never been exposed to Trunps “side” so she went looking for and was shocked and horrified at how his base expresses themselves. We have good, very good but not perfect Democrats up here. We also have Republicans, thank goodness they are not in charge right now. And Seattle is a liberal cocoon, with a VERY irritating soupçon of active Libertarians. We have anti-fa and anarchists as well of course.

[BannonsLiver]

48. Pretty much the same question I had

This poster is the consummate doomsayer anyway but at least try and be a little informed about things in the process of spreading gloom.

[MFM008]

20. It's hard to get

Any message past the maggot.
He sucks all the air out of the news
With his barrel of monkeys antics.

[gratuitous]

21. I tend to agree

Practically anything any Democrat says right now just gets caught up in the slipstream of Trump's gish gallop. I'm not one to advocate keeping the powder dry, but it's best to hold fire until you can see the target. When the media are too distracted to listen, the best message in the world gets lost in the babble. Democrats need to screw up their collective resolve and do something they don't like to do: Pound the table, scream at the top of their lungs, and repeat themselves again and again.

[Laura PourMeADrink]

23. Yes...but they have to put their heads together first for the common scream and

pound the table unison

I'd also like to see sympathetic media - scroll his last week's, last month's sins/outrages on the bottom of the screen every single day.

[Demsrule86]

39. We can't control the media. I personally would like a pink unicorn but I won't get it.

Like some, you think the Democratic leadership should be our savior and swoop in and save us which they have done in some cases (ACA) but it is not possible to do so across the board with our current lack of power...the Dems were kneecapped (not saying by you), and some of those screaming the loudest about what Dems should do participated in this... so cry me a river. Elections have consequences and it looks like the Obama economy will be one of them...maybe next time, we won't hear how the parties are the 'same'.Maybe people including Democrats will realize the GOP are economy killers and in general care nothing for this country.

[KTM]

47. We dont have to control it, just feed it.

If a few of our congresscritters were on the Capitol steps daily, giving press conferences, collectively talking about current issues, and constantly pulling some focus onto the main stage instead of Donnie's Daily Outrage, I think we'd be in better shape.

A constant, steady drumbeat, a never-ending bucket brigade of fuel, making sure the correct fires are kept aflame, is what it takes to put reins on the narrative, and they should be out there doing doing that, loudly and incessantly.

We know they are up against an Orwellian noise machine - what I think a lot of people want is to see them out there daily, no matter what, without fear of optics, fighting to be seen and heard.

[Demsrule86]

66. We feed it...I see multiple Democrats out there...but it is never enough for some...sick of it.

Some (not you) are constantly harping on Democrats and their perceived faults...they should go after Republicans. In the end the results would be much more satisfying and maybe we wouldn't drive voters aways and might even win 18 and 20 which we need to do.

[Laura PourMeADrink]

22. So true...guess I was hoping that a group of "think outside the box" Dems would

come up with a strategy to combat this. Left-sided news outlets haven't - other than showing outrage today with today's antics. His book lays it out - throw many balls up in the air and not one sticks and tomorrow throw another ball up and they will forget about yesterday's ball. It is working. And no one coming up with a defense against it. Now the bastard is campaigning for 2020.

[treestar]

42. True. Getting rid of the maggot might be

the way to win - people will get so sick of him, the Democrats hardly need a message other than being not him.

[writerJT]

24. Agree about Adam Schiff, and if I had to pick

one person to be doing that, it would be him. So I’m fine with it.

[Drunken Irishman]

25. Tammy Duckworth? Schiff? Kennedy? Harris? All have stepped the fuck up. Even Manchin has!

[mcar]

56. Swallwell, Coons, Blumenthal too

And people should follow Pelosi on Twitter. She is unrelenting.

[Kirk Lover]

73. JIM HIMES is on TV often and speaking out. GO DEMS! nt

[mcar]

74. Our Dems are standing strong!

[bigtree]

26. this isn't a spectator sport

...but you do have to look further than the headliners.

Pelosi and Schumer have been very active. Richard Blumenthal,
Cory Booker, and Diane Feinstein have been very addressing individual issues.

Dick Durbin has been outstanding.

Chris Coons has crafted a bipartisan Dreamer/immigration bill.

Chris Murphy has been very outspoken and on point.

Mark Warner, Sheldon Whitehouse, and Ron Wyden have all been in front and vocal.

This is such an ill-informed post, from someone who is so prolific here, it's nonsense that they can't do better than this sorry piece of flamebait.

Link to tweet

Link to tweet

Link to tweet

Link to tweet

Link to tweet

Link to tweet

Link to tweet

Link to tweet

Link to tweet

[sprinkleeninow]

31. 'stooge nunes...'

Whoa! Most excellent! Ha!
💙🇺🇸💪🗽

[chowder66]

32. K&R. Don't forget Eric Swalwell! Nearly every time Schiff speaks, he follows.

[bigtree]

33. I was trying to think of his name

...he's been really good.

I just left off the House because there are literally dozens who are excellent and leading their own resistance movements.

[chowder66]

69. Understood! I had to mention him because I almost always see him after Schiff gives an interview. nt

[betsuni]

34. +1 (I don't understand what these "Dems don't have leadership" posts even mean)

[kcr]

68. I think they're meaningless.

I suspect some people stick to their self-curated bubble of Twitter and Facebook, and it shows.

[lillypaddle]

37. Hear hear

You are right on and I am greatly encouraged by the wealth of strong Dems.

[mcar]

58. And you can get all this in just a few minutes

But it's time for the Tuesday bash Dems thread so here we are.

[DFW]

35. It's a lot easier to shoot at a charging elephant than at an attacking swarm of bees.

I'm not for presenting them with an elephant target any earlier than we have to.

[Laura PourMeADrink]

76. That just seems so reminiscent of times past where we always say

there's something big coming or there's a secret strategy...just wait. Only it doesn't come. If he was declining in popularity - I would agree with you 1000% but he is not. He hit 40% approval in some poll. More people are now thinking, yes the FBI IS corrupt. To me, it's like a one sided PR campaign. And, we have no defense at all. There is nothing I want more than to see our side sweep it all...nothing. But, it's the instant news, hyper-media world now...and sadly, we've got nothing - Standing up for what is pure and right hasn't worked for many years. We need some out-of-the-box thinking and fast. Hell, we have the best and brightest admen in NYC - the creatives in Hollywood with tons of capital. At least someone could come up with a couple brilliant ads.

[DFW]

78. I was referring to having a front-running presidential candidate too early

I want to deluge the elections with a swarm of candidates for low-level positions--exactly the way they did, from the bottom up. City governments, school boards, state legislature.

As for Madison avenue--that's a sticking point. As long as there is a Citizens United (and probably even after its repeal), they will have more money than we do because the Exxons and Monsantos of the world will spend more on their financial self-preservation than we will trying to cut them down to size. Apple and Microsoft are financial juggernauts, too, but they are not run by inherently evil people, and thus will not spend enough money to hire the likes of Frank Luntz away from the Republicans. I've met the guy, by the way, and he was a gun for hire to the highest bidder 20 years ago. He values his wad (and probably his life, at this point), so he's not going to turn on his Republican benefactors now. But if we want talent at that level, it would probably cost us more than we could raise.

You know why there are no brilliant Republican comedians? Because the most brilliant among them are working political PR and Fox Noise, and not late night talk shows. Another Republican advantage is, unfortunately, one we don't want. Their audience is unquestioning and proudly ignorant. There is a reason they like Betsy DeVos as Secretary of education. Ignorance and gullibility begets Republican voters. Plus, they are easily produced and cheap. We champion intellectual curiosity and skepticism. That makes for great discussions, but poor mass obedience. We will always have an uphill battle in that regard, no matter how brilliant our ads may be.

[lillypaddle]

36. Eric Swalwell

Chris Murphy, Mark Warner, Cory Booker, Kamala Harris, and more. Maybe there isn't a clear front runner right now, but I think that's a good thing. A strong foundation is being laid by and for many of them.

[Demsrule86]

38. Not this again...we have no power...and our leaders have done a fantastic job...considering...this

is not helpful and you really should delete.

[Laura PourMeADrink]

53. You delete

[Demsrule86]

63. Why attack Dem leaders with so many GOP targets out there less than a year away from an

important election...I see no upside in this post.

[Laura PourMeADrink]

75. Ridiculous ! Not attacking any Dem leader. where in the hell did you get

that ??? think MUCH much deeper dude.

[betsuni]

43. Could you please give an example of what you mean by leadership?

I don't understand. Democrats are big tent, it's-like-herding-cats, "I don't belong to any organized party, I'm a Democrat" -- there's no ideological, authoritarian centralized message. Democrats know who and what they are without anyone telling them what to think.

[doodsaq]

44. Wholeheartedly agree

Does anyone even remember the "Better Deal" strategy that was announced last year? Hardly anybody does.

They need a linguist like George Lakoff (who the Democratic leadership never listened to) to frame arguments in an effective manner to the masses, and then have a coordinated effort to repeat those messages 24/7. You never hear of a Democratic echo chamber like the rightwingers have.

[Laura PourMeADrink]

55. Thank you! Message improvement ideas!!

[FSogol]

46. Translation: Leadership equals Appearing on Cable TV "News-Talk" shows that I watch & getting in

zingers.

[BannonsLiver]

50. Plus fucking one

[DarthDem]

52. Yeah, Seriously

ENOUGH of the circular firing squad already. Support Democrats!! That's what this site is for!

[mcar]

49. It's been a few days since the last

"Where are the Dems!!11" thread.

It was a nice break. Me, I'm putting my efforts into electing more Democrats.

[Demsrule86]

64. But for some it is so much more fun to attack Democrat elected and the party...it seems.

[mcar]

70. With vague "why aren't the Dems doing anything?"

And "why aren't the Dems leading?" Then they call it constructive criticism.

[Demsrule86]

71. Of course whatever Dems do is never enough for this sort.

[samnsara]

51. Im not sure.. im hearing Mika and Joe jump all over (someone)

...about releasing the Dem memo..saying Nunes memo is a bust, do dems reallllly need to correct the record? So we get Damned if we do and Damned if we don't.

[tonyt53]

54. This IS an issue that Schiff should be leading the flock with his position on that committee

Not sure why someone would think otherwise. Schiff knows exactly what the committee saw together. For anybody else to be speaking louder would amount to a person speaking with secondhand information. And just how the hell is anybody laying low? Schiff is on TV daily speaking about this, and as I said, HE is the best spokesperson on this matter. Not exactly sure of what you are expecting.

[karynnj]

59. I think that on any topic one or more Democrats take the lead

You are now looking at the issues around the Nunes memo where he is taking the lead. Yet just a few weeks ago, Durbin and then schumer was the lead voice on immigration. Note that yesterday, it was Duckworth taking the lead against Trump calling not clapping at the SOTU un-American and unpatriotic and maybe treason. Markey or Gore or Kerry have been the ones out there on climate change and other environmental issues. Obama has been there on several issues.


Having the person with either the greatest cred or the knowledge and position be the voice on that issue makes sense. Our voice is clearer and harder to reject.

[Golden Raisin]

61. Schiff, Lieu, Swalwell and a very few others are keeping me sane.

They are out there visibly fighting the good fight. Have Pelosi, Schumer and Perez even commented publicly on Trump's OUTRAGEOUS State of the Union "treasonous Democrats" bullcrap?

[ehrnst]

62. Who do you consider "democratic leadership" and what do you think they should be doing

that they are not currently doing?

[Demsrule86]

65. Why they should miraculously be on every talk show simultaneously...pull some magic out of their

hat and win votes in Congress- stop all cabinet picks and judicial picks that we don't like, get single payer now damn it... even without enough votes in Congress if only they would try harder...and of course make every single member of the Democratic Party ecstatic at all times and feel 'validated' and special...they should be everything to everyone...of course! (sarcasm)

[Proud Liberal Dem]

67. I don't know

but I feel like everytime we get an aggressive, outspoken Democrat out there attacking the Republicans, somebody digs up some dirt on them and, justifiably or not, they get unceremoniously tossed out. I guess that most Democratic politicians are just too busy with doing their jobs to spend time running a full-time propaganda campaign/war against the Republicans, which is truly just about the only thing that Republicans are good at, even though they are massively dishonest and misleading about just about everything they say and do.

[JI7]

72. actually trying to get stuff done. just because talking heads aren't spouting off about it on cable

news all day doesn't mean things it's not happenign.

[radius777]

77. Agree - boring and wimpy.

Dems as a party depend (more than the GOP) on exciting young people and various marginalized groups that get much of their info from informal and entertainment (TV, internet, etc) sources.

Hence we only do well with charismatic leaders and candidates.

We currently lack that energy, or any cohesive message.

Basically, the party is going through a rebuilding phase and 'soul searching' time in the wake of the unexpected 2016 loss.

It'll take some time to 'find out who we are' (it clearly isn't what it is now).