Republicans will do anything, ANYTHING, to hold power

[Cyrano]

These are not "normal' times.

These are not times in which Democrats and Republicans have "different values." The "difference " is between freedom and dictatorship.

These are not the first times in which the haters, the neo-Nazis, the white supremacists, and the fascists have tried to seize power. They never go away. And they are always fought by sane people.

We are living in a time when the Republican Party is welcoming all of these haters. And they need their votes or they will cease to exist.

We are living in an era that future Americans will view as a horrible, despicable era of U.S. history.

We are living in a disgusting time when far too many Americans hate "The Other."

Who are "The Other?" Blacks, Muslims, Jews, brown people from Africa, South America, Asia, native Americans, and anyone and everyone else who isn't a white Christian (of the "correct sect), who doesn't "luv Jeezus."

God, how I hate ignorance. And how I hate ignorant people holding power over the rest of us.

[PubliusEnigma]

1. This is their last chance, and they know it. Do we?

[Sophia4]

4. This is their last chance. Right.

[charliea]

14. It may be...

But I hope we all realize that it might be ours too. If the Democratic party fails to at least retake the House this election we may not be able to recognize our country by 2020.

Stay woke.

#RESIST

[Patterson]

17. Evil will always be here. It will just rise up under a different name.

[Fritz Walter]

31. Nevertheless, she persisted...

While that particular phrase originated in a GOTP rebuke of Senator Elizabeth Warren last year (during the confirmation hearings of jefferson beauregard sessions the turd as Attorney General), it has had an “unintended consequence.” It continues to motivate progressives, feminists, and other left-thinking citizens. (Note to self: send a donation to her re-election campaign fund).

Meanwhile, I’m happy to share a quote that has provided me incredible support during these trying times:

“When I despair, I remember that all through history the way of truth and love has always won. There have been tyrants and murderers and for a time they seem invincible but in the end, they always fall – think of it – always.”

Mohandas K. Gandhi

[leftieNanner]

2. Ignorance and cruelty

nt

[Cyrano]

15. It's what they are. It's who they are.

[democratisphere]

3. "Anything" is the correct term.

Doesn't even have to be legal.

[gratuitous]

5. Up to and including nothing

Every day, every Republican member of Congress (both houses) gets up, has a morning cup of coffee, and looks over the day's headlines. And each and every one of them thinks, "You know, this is exactly how the government should operate. There is nothing at all that I need do about any of it. This is truly my political dream come true." And so they do nothing.

Voters who still love this country should never, ever forget the craven Republicans who let this dumpster fire of a train wreck run into a reef and stood by doing nothing. None of them should ever be let off the hook for their inexcusable inaction.

[jodymarie aimee]

6. In WI we are 10 year veterans

NONE of this surprises us...we were the petri dish for this shit....

[SWBTATTReg]

7. Then as democrats, we need to pound them into the ground by ...

exposing their hypocrisy in representing the party of the 1% or donors, and being against the 99% of us left.

Point out their obvious mistruths and gross inhumanity to the rest of us (our tax burden is higher than then theirs, by far, our health care is being yanked away (because it's hurting business (wrong!)), etc.

Business (the 1% especially) has nothing to do w/ the rest of us and basically doesn't care about the 99% of us. They proved this repeatedly.

Demand a fair share of the pie since it's obvious who owns the country (certainly not us) and enact steps to start us on the path to shared prosperity for all of us. The evidence and numbers are clearly in black and white, and keep harping on this grossly unfair distribution of wealth. If they don't, start an economic boycott (don't buy anything) for it'll hurt them far more than us, and when they are forced to the table, negotiate tough terms, and don't stray away and allow them to capture the narrative and overwhelm our elections w/ dark money.

[PuppyBismark]

26. You Bet, but for Now, the Democratic Party is Silent

I am appalled by the lack of a general Democratic message that is heard by the public. Yes, we have great things on our web sites, but we do not have a set of great messages that is reaching the public over and over. The GOP has shown us how to do that by how they treated Hillary for the past years and yet, nothing substantial from our side. When the a$$hole in the White House speaks up, what does the public hear from us? Not much.

When I talk to people of moderate intelligence, most have real vision of why they might vote for any Democrat. Given the loud message from the GOP, we are drowned out by them. Even the young people just don't see it. If our party does not mobilize soon, we will not take the house or senate and have two more years of this crap.

I am so frustrated by all of this.

[meow2u3]

28. The Democratic Party is speaking out

but their message is being drowned out by the petty, childish antics of the Toxic Tangerine. It's hard to compete, let alone win, when the other side only has all the power, but zero morals.

[Cyrano]

39. Let me say this. Yep.

[FiveGoodMen]

8. Which is why we're screwed unless we're willing to do ANYTHING to stop them.

[FakeNoose]

9. If we're serious about winning in November we need PAPER BALLOTS in every state

Immediately!

[leftieNanner]

16. We have them in Oregon

But you would have to convince all those Red states that they should follow our lead.

Or ask Mitch Mcconnell to pass a law requiring paper ballots for all Federal elections!

[Haggis for Breakfast]

36. Better still

Vote like we do in Washington -- via mail-in ballot. There is NO postage required. It can also be dropped off at official drop boxes (like at Post Offices, libraries, City Hall, etc.). That way you can vote safely in the privacy of your own home, take the time to consider your vote, and have plenty of time to get your vote into the system. No moving/closure of voting places at the last minute. No intimidation at the polls. No blocking people from their right to vote.

And out "voter turn-out" is good. Sure, not everyone takes advantage of the right extended to them, but at least there are no physical barriers to voting. And no intimidation of voters.

[leftieNanner]

37. Same in Oregon

All vote by mail. We have a drop box just down the hill from us.

And our voter turn out is very good too. We also instituted automatic voter registration recently.

They were going to do it for the special election in Montana to replace Zinke last year only the Republicans in charge said OUT LOUD that that would mean too many Democrats voting. So, even though it cost the state many thousands of dollars more, they had in person voting instead of VBM. Sick.

[Awsi Dooger]

10. I agree, and that's why I don't put full stock in Nate Silver's 75% likelihood to regain the House

Polling and fundamentals are not going to be the full story in 2018.

We will have an avalanche of despicable acts by the other side. I can't pretend to predict them. No question they have been in motion since 2016 if not earlier.

We look back and loudly complain while they quietly scheme

[leftieNanner]

18. Yes on Nate Silver's predictions

Remember when he said 84% likelihood of Hillary winning.

[Awsi Dooger]

30. That was early...later down to 65-72% nearing election

Nate's methodology is sound. His math fits everything he's putting into the model. Like the OP I believe there will be extras out there, ones that are devious and despicable and can't work in our favor. Given those extras I would never give 3/1 odds on Democrats taking the House, which is the number Nate currently proposes.

After all, look at the Al Franken debacle last fall. I viewed that as a warmup for the right wing bastards. Trump was at low point in the polls and they had to do something to shake up the dialog and impact the politics of the nation.

Mission accomplished, via partial truth and mostly bullshit. They had to be grinning and celebrating everywhere. And nothing is going to stop the GOP from similarly attempting to mangle important Democrats in the 2018 races, and obviously Trump will do everything in his Roy Cohn playbook against our nominee in 2020.

[erronis]

11. "of the 'correct' sect" - and sects/cults/tribes are self-defined to be exclusive

So if you don't give the correct handshake in Florida, you can be assumed to be threatening - stand-your-ground.

Personally, I've always enjoyed watching the various xian/muslim/voodoo/woo groups hate each other.

Now us atheists/agnostics/wiccans/etc. also have our own divisions but usually not as lethal.

[RVN VET71]

12. November will make or break us.

If the elections are not tampered with, I think the GOP will be history.

But I do not believe the elections will not be tampered with, largely because the GOP is a Party of ugly, unprincipled, Trump loving haters of our values, our principles and, goes without saying, our Constitution.

Still, even with tampering, the Dems can still prevail, but not as dramatically as an honest vote across the board would have shown.

[murielm99]

19. Even if we do not get everything we want

or need in November, we keep fighting. They are hated from coast to coast and overseas. We keep fighting, no matter what.

Remember how they tried to keep Al Franken from being seated as a Senator? He kept fighting. Yes, I hated what happened to him, but I don't think we have seen the last of him.

During World War II, Hitler took country after country in Europe. Britain stood firm. We, the U.S., fought him when it looked like we would lose.

We never give up. And as someone else said upthread, we fight them any way necessary. They go low? We hit them harder. They cheat and steal? We slash and burn. We need ruthlessness now more than ever.

[cstanleytech]

13. I am willing to bet if they thought they could get away with arresting and or assassinating

our people running for office to keep power that they would.

[mahannah]

20. Step away from hate.

[Kajun Gal]

21. Did they get rid of History class in the schools? Or Civics? Perhaps Reading, as in books?

I mean, do some people get their information only from social media? If so, then I suggest at the very least, that Civics class be mandatory.

[zentrum]

22. America has its

....own Taliban.

[1cheapbeemr]

23. I don't think there's been any great increase in the numbers of the undead....

but they do respond to flattery.

Which began with the Southern Strategy, and Trump does with white hot abandon.

[Honeycombe8]

24. Yes. They'll do anything. nt

[ooky]

25. Ignorant and CORRUPT people

holding power over us.

Hopefully we shut this down in November. Every one of us has to go vote, and take as many people as we know who will vote with us. Its "SHUT THIS CRAP DOWN" time.

[nancy1942]

27. Ditto!

[TryLogic]

29. "The 'difference' is between freedom and dictatorship."

Absolutely true. Republicans, conservatives, right wing religiosos all was power, not democratic processes. They have become traitors.

[Cracklin Charlie]

32. They must retain power to hide their criminal behavior.

Sad times.

I loathe them all.

[JAD]

33. They are complicit.

The Republicans knew before the Republican Convention in 2016 that Trump was a Russian asset. Knowing about treason and not reporting it to the FBI is treason.

[Duppers]

35. So true!

[yuiyoshida]

34. The Ignorance one can fix, not sure about the Arrogance.

And they are mostly Arrogant fuckers in the GOP!

[Cyrano]

38. How can anyone argue with that, my dear yuiyshda?