It would be nice if Tom Steyer used his time and resources to attack and pressure Republicans

[StarfishSaver]

instead of going after Democrats.

There are so many things he could focus on, such as Mitch McConnell's abuse of power, Lindsey Graham's wholesale turnover of the Senate Judiciary Committee to the Trump Administration, Republicans who refuse to hold Trump accountable ...

And instead of running commercials demanding that DEMOCRATS do something, run commercials demanding that Republicans explain why they WON'T do anything - and call them out by name in their states and districts and hammer them over and over.

THAT would actually be more effective than running ads attacking Democrats. Well, it would be more effective if his actual goal is to hold Trump accountable and get him impeached and removed from office. If not, maybe he's doing exactly what he means to do.

[mopinko]

1. hell, the commercial is already filmed, just go to cspan and

do a side by side of these clowns from clinton's impeachment, and the benghazi hearings, and now.

[StarfishSaver]

2. But it's easier to put together a new commercial with Democrats attacking Democrats

Makes me wonder what his true endgame is.

If he REALLY wanted Trump impeached and removed, he would be going after Republicans.

[Wounded Bear]

3. Frankly, I've always been suspicious of Steyer and his motives...

Another publicity seeking rich guy. Sure, I know, I know, he's "on our side."

I'm not so sure he doesn't have his own agenda here.

[UniteFightBack]

4. I fucking agree. Most Americans don't even know about turtle...EXPOSE THEM!! nt

[bitterross]

5. What he's doing makes perfect sense. He SHOULD be pushing Dems.

I don't find it at all a problem he is trying to force the Democrats to do their duty and uphold their oath.

They are the ones in charge of impeachment. His movement is Need to Impeach, after all. Seems pretty logical he'd being holding the Democrat's feet to the fire on impeachment.

[Laura PourMeADrink]

7. Agree! Why should he keep throwing money down

the drain when our side needs to step up.

[watoos]

6. Democrats control the House, not Republicans

The #1 fucking reason that we won a blue tsunami in 2018 was because we voted to elect Democrats who would be a check on Trump, who would hold Trump accountable.

Democrats should be holding hearings every darn day. Subpoena Sater, Lewandowski, Pecker. There are enough complicit criminals to fill a phone book.

[Laura PourMeADrink]

8. Exactly

[bitterross]

9. I suspect the leaks about in-figthing w/Pelosi on Impeachment are intentional

They're trial balloons to gauge public response without having to do something like a formal poll.

I hope they mean she's using them as a way to move forward toward impeachment.

[StarfishSaver]

10. True

People seem to think if they don't see it themselves, nothing's happening. They have no idea what's going on behind the scenes.

[TwilightZone]

11. Some won't even acknowledge the stuff that's going on right before their eyes.

The number of "the Dems are doing nothing" posts around here is getting a little ridiculous.

[StarfishSaver]

13. IKR?

I'm coming to think that this isn't ignorance, but intentional. I notice the same people popping up in every thread, repeating the same arguments usually based on misinformation that they continue to spread and double down on, even when their "facts" are shown to be blatantly false. They're not stupid. This is obviously part of a plan.

[watoos]

19. I've noticed the same thing.

[Me.]

12. MJ Suggested He Focus On Getting Barr Disbared

[StarfishSaver]

14. That's a good suggestion. But that's not up to Congress to do

That has to be done with with the bar in the states where he's licensed, usually through a complaint filed by another attorney.

[Me.]

15. But He Can Push For It

Make The Case As He Has Done For Impeachment

[StarfishSaver]

16. Yes, he could

There are a lot of things he could do that would be more effective than spending millions of dollars bashing Democrats.

[Me.]

17. Quite

[watoos]

18. perjury is extremely hard to prove.

[Me.]

20. Perhaps Playing The Tape Would Be A Good Place To Start

the one where lies according to the lawyers on the show

[NewJeffCT]

23. I think Ted Lieu

or somebody filed a complaint with the Virginia bar about Barr

[wryter2000]

33. I'd like to start impeachment hearings against Barr

Let's see him refuse to show up for that.

And Mnuchin next up.

[Me.]

34. What I'd Like To See Re: Barr

is for the Marshals to be sent to pick him up for and slam his pompous self into jail

[wryter2000]

35. I'd pay to watch that

[zentrum]

21. Excellent point

[Bernardo de La Paz]

22. Democrats are not the problem. Trump-Republicons are. They are enabling him, protecting him. . . nt

[Perseus]

25. Yes, but someone has to stop them, who do you think should do it?

A video? I don't think so. It is the job of the Democrats to take action, and that is what Tom Steyer's video is all about. Many Democrats are frustrated that we see the bullies kick our butts and no one does anything real but complain.

If someone is bullying your kid in school, day after day, you talk to the principle and he/she assures you they are going to take action, but it persists, are you going to continue believing the principle or are you going to take action, proactive action?

It is the same with what we are living now, either the "ELECTED" Democratic leaders do something or we are all screwed, lets get out of the fantasy that words will create any changes on these vile people, they will not.

[ehrnst]

36. "ELECTED" Democratic leaders?

Are you saying they weren't elected?

[ehrnst]

39. What makes you think that can be done in a week?

We have a constitution, and even though you are very, very, very, very, very mad at Pelosi, that doesn't change the constitution, or legal processes.

Can you give us your sources that they are not doing their job? That they are not constrained as they say they are?

Tell us why we should trust your word over Pelosi's decades of experience.

You haven't done that.

[Bernardo de La Paz]

49. Beating up Democrats over impeachment will not persuade Republicon Senators to convict him. . . . nt

[Perseus]

24. Sorry but, it is very naive to think republicans would be moved by any video

They don't care, they don't listen, they have an agenda and that is all they care about, they are like a train with no breaks, they move forward and anything that gets in their way they destroy.

Tom Steyer is 100% correct, the ball game is on the side of the court of the Democrats, and so far they are just bouncing the ball but can't commit to serve it to the opponent.

If Democrats do not commit to making drastic moves, drastic action, like impeachment of Barr and the buffoon, we will all be sorry, make no mistake about it. I have seen it before, I have lived it, we are following the same path as other countries who are now in peril because all they did was talk, they did not act.

The moment for action is now.

To believe republicans would be moved by a video is naive, they don't care, they don't listen to anything but what agrees with them, to them racism, abortion are more important than anything else, they have no concept of consequences, they don't understand that they too will suffer the same as everyone.

[ehrnst]

37. So, if it's simple, and a no brainer to "impeach Barr and the Buffoon"

Why aren't they doing it? Why are they just "bouncing the ball" as you accuse them of, incorrectly?

Maybe they know something you don't? Years of experience vs someone who is pushing tooth and nail to elect Steyer.... which one makes more sense?

[dlk]

26. The Path of Least Resistance...

[BeyondGeography]

27. It would be nice if our own leadership did that

Unless you think calling on Republican Senators to be patriotic represents a meaningful attack and real pressure. How about a 12 days of obstruction campaign where we isolate each known instance of obstruction and on Day 13 we launch an impeachment inquiry? This could have been done over a month ago. Is there any consistent messaging at all on what we already know from the Mueller Report? Does it bother you at all that a Republican has written the strongest pro-impeachment statement coming out of the House to date while Democrats are mired in process?

[pdsimdars]

28. I don't agree with you there.

Isn't it the exact same thing that the GOP does? Namely, you can't try to correct any problems you see on your own side, but should only point at the other side. The more you do that, the more you ignore problems and ignored problems grow until you find yourself ignoring and excusing everything, just like the GOP is doing now.
If you want to be a truly great country, or a truly great party, you have to be willing to look at your own issues and not try to shame anyone who does.

[StarfishSaver]

29. There's a difference between "looking at your own issues" and buying millions of dollars worth of ad

time to go on the air and attack your side as weak and ineffective.

Not helpful at all.

[kimbutgar]

30. Something about his motives make me suspious

I refuse to sign his impeachment petition. He’s getting a future presidential run mailing list or a hit list if fat donnie gains more power.

That said, they can already come get me anyway between old posts on Facebook and DU!

[ooky]

31. That ad is unhelpful to democrats.

I see it accomplishing nothing except costing our party votes. I understand his frustration, we are all frustrated with the situation. But I wish he would have found a better way to deal with it than attacking our party. I had supported his efforts until now but he lost me on that one. It seemed more like a kneejerk reaction by someone who isn't getting his way fast enough. We need to unify, not divide from within.

[StarfishSaver]

38. The ad might be ok if it simply urged the Democrats to take certain actions

But 90% of the commercial is people attacking the Democrats and saying, "You're doing NOTHING!"

Not only is it inaccurate - a lie - it's not even constructive.

[lunatica]

32. I'm straddling the fence with him

At first he was good at bringing the idea of impeachment into our thinking and he has been consistent about it all along. He refuses to run for anything which shows he isn’t in it for anything more than what he tells us. He wants Trump to be impeached and he argues convincingly about it.

Though he could change his message to go after Republicans I really don’t feel he harms Democrats by pressuring them to impeach. His message is consistent and I think that serves a very important purpose. He has created a niche message and agenda and it serves a purpose.

For example, we are talking about his message in this thread. To me, awareness of this kind is vital because after so much repetition from Steyer we’ve grown accustomed and even comfortable with the idea of impeaching Trump. That comfort translates into us pressuring the Democratic leadership to impeach. We aren’t just accepting what Nancy Pelosi says about impeachment not being on the table anymore. I believe Steyer’s message, his impeachment drumbeat, has played a very good role in that. He very well might be good for Democracy simply because he is practicing Democracy.

We need to stand up to and fight Trump on all fronts so he can die the death of a thousand cuts.

[JHB]

40. What would be nice is for Steyer to knock off with the ads...

...and using those resources to support a long-term Democratic messaging infrastructure. The Right learned that decades ago: not just FOX, but talk radio, newsletters, websites, etc. Long-term investment in getting a message into peoples' heads and shifting the terms of debate.

There's nothing like that on the center-left to lefty side (the MSM doesn't count because they're not supposed to advocate, and thus love falling into "both sides" nonsense). That's part of how RT was able to make such inroads with lefties.

He can't fund that all by himself, but there are plenty of small newspapers around the country desperate for revenue, podcasts, and radio shows where some support would be a big help. It would be a particularly big help in the parts of the country that are saturated in conservative outlets, not just in markets that already swing Democratic.

[StarfishSaver]

44. Yes!

[earthshine]

41. The Democratic party is the only weapon we, as people, have against the Republican party.

And since it's the only weapon, we need to sharpen the spear.

That's the meaning of Steyer's commercial.

[StarfishSaver]

45. You don't sharpen the spear against Republicans by attacking Democrats

or by turning the spear on them.

It's an ineffective strategy.

[earthshine]

46. I didn't see the commercial as an attack on Democrats.

It's constructive criticism.

Obviously, you think the current strategies are working well.

[StarfishSaver]

48. I see a series of people saying "Democrats, you're doing NOTHING!" as an attack

And also as a lie.

But that's just me.

[earthshine]

52. Yep, that's just you. I don't agree it's an attack.

It's a complaint.

[StarfishSaver]

53. I was joking. It's obvious that it's not just me

[earthshine]

54. And the opposite point of view is also well-represented.

Everyday Pelosi gives an interview where she is ambiguous about enforcing the law (which means impeachment proceedings), it looks bad for her.

Trump is more than goading them. He's railroading them to impeach. He thinks he will gain popularity in impeachment.

I think he will lose following as the dirty laundry is aired.

[Duppers]

56. +100

[KY_EnviroGuy]

42. I would prefer some rich guy do ads on tRump's lies.

Just 15-second or so spots on one lie and one lie at a time. "TRUMP LIED", then briefly describe the lie....

The lies are free and there's thousands of them to choose from.........

[uponit7771]

43. Taxes are more of a deal breaker, there are a number of MAGAts paying higher taxes while he paid 0

[KY_EnviroGuy]

47. Yes, that too.....like....

"Enjoying your huge tax cut, Trump voter? Well guess who got your share. How about Jim Walton of Walmart for a start?"

...........

[Sunsky]

50. I totally agree with Steyer

I don't think the message "impeach Trump" is pro Republican.

[StarfishSaver]

51. Impeach Trump isn't pro-Republican. But saying "Democrats are doing NOTHING!" is anti-Democrat

and not just because it's a lie.

[we can do it]

55. I agree. It pissed me off.

[TeamPooka]

57. Tom Steyer is in it for Tom Steyer. That's why he and his name are featured most in those ads.