Plouffe FTW: "Time to Go to the Mattresses. Now."

[Tommymac]

Link to tweet

[Jim__]

1. Yes. Along with everything that expression implies.

[WhiskeyGrinder]

2. So what's he saying?

[Tommymac]

5. From Urban Dictionary:

https://www.urbandictionary.com/define.php?term=going%20to%20the%20mattresses

"Prepare for a battle or adopt a warlike stance.

In times of war or siege, Italian families would vacate their homes and rent apartments in safer areas. In order to protect themselves they would hire soldiers to sleep on the floor in shifts.

Ordinarily we would want to verify such stories before publishing them here as part of a phrase derivation. In this case though it isn't really important. The meaning of the phrase turns on the association in Italian folk-memory of mattresses with safety in wartime. The phrase wasn't well known outside of the USA and Italy prior to the Godfather movies. It was used there, and later in The Sopranos television series, to mean 'preparing for battle'. Whether or not the stories that originated it are true doesn't alter the fact that the screenwriters of those films used them in that context."

(*my bold)

[Laelth]

11. Interesting.

Well, I can’t afford to move to a safer location, nor can I afford to hire armed guards to sleep on mattresses in my house.

If Mr. Plouffe can, bully for him.

-Laelth

[Tommymac]

12. That is too literal an interpretation - this is a slang phrase

It's a call to action. Our Representatives have the power to fight this legally.

They need to 'go to the mattresses' to work on this full time to protect us all.

[delisen]

23. Everyone has power to act not just call for others to act

[delisen]

24. Everyone has power to act not just call for others to act

I am of the opinion that people calling for action should take action and perhaps that is the intention here and we will see some dramatic action beyond what what our reps in Congress have already done-which has been substantial.

[delisen]

25. True. Many influential Dems are in positions where bold action.

now can have an impact. Hope they are willing to seize their moment of opportunity.

[KPN]

36. Exactly what it will take. People need leaders to lead people/us into action.

The notion that just anyone can lead bold action assumes that anyone can generate a mass of followers on short notice.

[WhiskeyGrinder]

38. I know what the metaphor is. What's he saying, exactly?

[ProfessorGAC]

29. It's A Mob Term

When the families were about to enter a gang war, all the leadership would hole up somewhere, sleeping on mattresses on the floor.
In the event of an attack on that place, mattresses could be put in from of windows to slow bullets a bit.
Hence, "the matesses".
It means a footing for all-out war!

[beastie boy]

33. In troubled times, when people didn't even trust traditional financial institutions,

the safest place for your money was considered to be under the mattress that you sleep on. That was the last resort for people to safeguard their assets for a rainy day. The term later was used as a mockery of financially unsophisticated people.

Looks like he is saying it's time to forget about keeping your rainy day money, get it from under your proverbial mattress and contribute to your Democratic candidates of choice.

[uponit7771]

3. K&R, this is very very important

[c-rational]

4. +1 Agreed. Actions speak louder than words. With hindsight, we should have forced help for

the Post Office in the last stimulus bill. The reThugs play hardball threatening to kill the economy, if they do not get what they want. We need to use the same tactics.

[Tommymac]

7. Absolutely. Time for some "Good Trouble".

John Lewis would expect no less from All of Us.

[Laelth]

6. What, exactly, does he have in mind? n/t

-Laelth

[Tommymac]

8. It's time for Our Representatives to go to battle for the USPS.

[calimary]

27. Yep! Make some NOISE!!! If they think you don't care, THEY WON'T, EITHER!!!

[Sherman A1]

9. Precisely

Nice words, but few details.

[HotTeaBag]

10. They (all of Congress) did - to their comfy mattresses at home for recess

as the country is literally falling apart.

[Tommymac]

13. Well, it's time for Our Representatives to work locally.

They can go out in their districts and see the damage being caused and take legal and political action.

Working from home - most of us do it now - they need to pick up the ball and start playing the game.

(On Edit: my 2000th post! Been 16 years coming! )

[HotTeaBag]

14. 2000 !!!!

Congrats !!! Sadly, it had to be in reference to the country falling apart.

But, you're right about working their districts - unfortunately nothing can be done of consequence until September.

[Cetacea]

16. Emergency Session n/t

[HotTeaBag]

17. Sure - in the House.

But will Mitch do the same in the Senate?

Hearings would be helpful but how much time do we really have left?

[Cetacea]

19. Good point

But doing nothing while the clock is ticking is worse, imo.

[HotTeaBag]

20. Much worse.

In that we are in TOTAL agreement.

[calimary]

28. Congrats, Tommymac!

[delisen]

22. They have done much; time for other power Dems to act.

[Brother Buzz]

15. Time to go to the mattresses?

Perhaps he meant take it to the mat, as in wrestling?

[delisen]

21. Possibly he will demonstrate; become a role model like John Lewis?

[qdouble]

34. It's a mob reference meaning time for battle/war

The term was made semi-famous in The Godfather (at least the book, I forget if the movie included the term).

[fescuerescue]

18. How does one go to the mattress?

I need instructions.

[Botany]

31. Easy get Pauli to pick up some clean mattresses but "Leave the Gun, Take the Cannoli"

[Maven]

26. K&R

This is the whole ballgame folks. We either fight with all we've got now or it's over. I want to see hearings scheduled, more criminal referrals. I want to see Democratic governors and state AGs taking action on behalf of their citizens. And I really want to see our Congressional leaders on camera EVERY DAY calling this what it is: election fraud.

[Tommymac]

30. +1 You nailed it. n/t

[Marcuse]

32. We must not tolerate "good Germans".

[zentrum]

35. Good call. Now...

…..spell out the plan a little more.

[Ponietz]

37. This nation, this world, will die without direct confrontation

It’s been inevitable since January, 2017, and sooner was ALWAYS better than later. It is past time.

[Mossfern]

39. Did you see the comments below that tweet?

Very discouraging!