Seems to me that when republicans are in charge, they get whatever they want.

[NewHendoLib]

When Democrats are in charge, we get pretty much whatever republicans want (aided by DINOs).

I know, I know - it isn't that black and white...but, wow, do they know how to play the game - and of course they are aided by decades of their right wing flavor propaganda on TV and radio.

[intrepidity]

1. I have the same perception nt

[blueinredohio]

3. Same here!

[JI7]

2. Because of disproportionate representation

[FoxNewsSucks]

4. You're not wrong.

What's even more aggravating is that when filthy republicons are in the minority, they can stop EVERYTHING, but when Democrats are in the minority, they can't seem to stop ANYTHING.

[Blue Owl]

5. They told me to be a man and take one on the chin

[brush]

6. It's simple math. With a 50-50 split in the Senate we can't...

afford to lose one Dem vote, and Manchin and Sinema are happy to oblige the republicans. To get the relief bill passed we have to make compromises.

Maybe in '22 we can get a couple more Dem senators so we don't have to bend over backwards to get the two Dinos votes.

[USAFRetired_Liberal]

10. The OP is right

Even when the numbers were larger in 2009 we had the same problem....and that was with a 59-40 and 60-40 Democratic Senate

[brush]

14. Not quite. 59-40 is not 60-40, the votes needed to pass...

non-reconciliation bills (overcome the filibuster). And if you research history you'll find that the Democrats only had a 60-40 majority for a total of five months, what with the illness and death of Ted Kennedy, the long, on-going and contested Al Franken v Coleman vote and the long Senate summer recess accounting for much of that time so the advantage was not even contiguous.

You can find the info here: The non-contiguous, stop-start nature of the 60-40 advantage gave little time for Dems to be in town together, caucus and write up bills to pass.

https://www.outsidethebeltway.com/did-the-democrats-ever-really-have-60-votes-in-the-senate-and-for-how-long/

[USAFRetired_Liberal]

15. I know the history

[brush]

16. Well you see what I mean then.

[dustyscamp]

11. If Dem Senators keep voting like this for essential bills we won't do so good in '22

I'm hoping the top Dems can find a way to convince these guys to vote with the party soon

[Autumn]

7. I thought I was the only one seeing that. We never have any RINOS that come to our rescue.

[Salviati]

12. There are no RINOS...

... unless you mean all of them, because they're really fascists, who call themselves republicans.

[Autumn]

13. That why we never have RHINOS run to our rescue. There aren't any, Republicans caused

them to go extinct.

[Budi]

8. They lie & cheat to get elected

Democrats don't

That's why.

[harumph]

9. Yes and No

Republicans vote generally as a 'block' which obviously allows them to be strategic. They're able to do this b/c their constituency isn't
as diverse. However, we are definitely passing worthwhile bills that would not be possible without the critical number of Dems in the house and senate.

[Irish_Dem]

17. The GOP is a crime syndicate, and they get what they want.

Letting the Dems clean up their messes is part of the pattern.
But they make sure the peons don't get too much in the clean up.

[moondust]

18. Big money in politics.

At any given time there *may* be some Dinos who fear losing big donors if they support legislation like $15 that helps the little guy at the expense of the wealthy that prey on them. Raising the minimum wage cuts into their profit margins. It doesn't work in the reverse because the GQP don't give a rat's ass about the little guy.

Get the big money out of politics and the Dinos may not need those big donors to campaign and win elections.

[Yo_Mama_Been_Loggin]

19. They do?

You mean Obamacare was repealed and we didn't know about it?

[WA-03 Democrat]

21. Could they just pass a law banning all abortions?

Yes.

[Ferrets are Cool]

22. Here is my take on your post.

I am not saying I'm right and you are wrong...it's just the way I see it.

There are many things that the repuq's "say" they are against, but will never vote to overturn. Obamacare and abortion being two of them. Why? Because they are GREAT vote-getting platforms in the states they represent. And THAT is all they care about...staying in office so they can make more money as a "public servant".

[Hugh_Lebowski]

23. The ACA is almost the exact plan come up with by right-wing think tanks in the 1990's

as a proposal to counter 'Hillary-Care', which the PuQ's were terrified might get passed after Bill won.

The reason enough DINO's were willing to go along with it ... was because it was actually a Republican plan that Obama resurrected.

The PuQ's have of course made like they hate it and they were never consulted and all that shit, but it has been a front. They got what they wanted.

Well, I mean they wanted NO changes of course, but they knew something was going to change, and in that context, they got what they wanted.

The individual mandate (which is now gone) was really the only part the PuQ's legitimately objected to, cause it wasn't part of the 90's plans. It was DISCUSSED at that time, mind you, but in the end more PuQ's were against it than not, and it was dropped.

IOW, the ACA is 'only so compelling' as a counter-argument to the OP's point

[Yo_Mama_Been_Loggin]

26. You didn't answer my question but went on a tangent instead,

The ACA gave healthcare to many who didn't have it.

[Politicub]

32. And ended job-lock for many unhappy workers.

I always point this out because it is such a wonderful thing that I was able to leave a job that was bad for my mental health and not worry about insurance coverage.

There is so much good about the ACA. I hate seeing it getting the short shrift on DU.

[Ferrets are Cool]

20. It sure feels that way, doesn't it?

[Raine]

24. Repubs usually all fall in line and stick together

that's why they get what they want most of the time.

[Drum]

25. New campaign finance laws...

...and get rid of the misnomered “Citizens United” perversity.

Let’s go publically funded, level-ground elections with a 1—ONE—year election-publicity policy.

[tableturner]

27. They are ruthless....we are nice.....sigh.....

[NewHendoLib]

28. THIS. they...power over people. Us... ALL people first.

[maxrandb]

29. Please don't perpetuate the myth

That's what the media...well at least some of the media...and the Retrumplican Party wants you to believe.

Really, other than a tax cut and some judges, what did Donnie Dipshit get? Just about his entire Moscow aided "residency" is being undone by Joe.

I've said it before, but if you listen to some in the media and the Retrumplicans, you'd think President Obama's presidency was a waste as he was out maneuvered at every turn by a strategically superior Retrumplican Party, and not the most accomplished and successful progressive presidency since FDR.

They want you to feel discouraged. They want you to think there's no reason to vote.

This OP is really nothing more than Janet from Rocky Horror Picture Show saying; "Hillary is just as bad as Donnie Dipshit".

I will give you this. The Retrumplicans have embraced that tried and true "fake it til you make it" illusion.

Everything they do is described as the "greatest, best in the world, no one has seen such numbers, amazing, stupendous, double-plus good". It's all bragadoscious bullshit.

Let the MAGAt rubies fall for that.

We Democrats will never get everything we want. The country is simply not ready for that...yet

We'd be better off accepting the slow, but palpable and significant movement toward a more just, free, equitable and responsive government as the "greatest, amazing and successful" progress it truly is.

The alternative is simply NOT acceptable.

A win is a win. We can either be excited and motivated by the progress the country is making, or we can turn governance over to a bunch of fascists and white supremacists.

It really does come down to that.

Complain about Joe Manchin all you want, but with him, Moscow Mitch is back in his fucking shithole.

That alone is worthy of patience.

[mammasbaby]

30. The new definition of "bipartisan" is, give the republicans anything and everything they want.

Democrats, in our deep need to appear fair and balanced, have allowed the republicans to run the show whether they are in power, or not.

Our problem is that we refuse to play by the same rules. We could obliterate them with the truth. We don't have to lie, cheat and steal. Controlling the message and narrative IS the game.

We have only just begun to take the gloves off, and see how much we have accomplished. We need to get serious and have a team set aside to do just that, and tear them a new one every time they open their mouths with their lies.

mb

[TwilightZone]

31. "We could obliterate them with the truth."

Unfortunately, this isn't representative of our current political environment. These people and their supporters are wholly invested in right-wing media and their "message", and the truth just gets buried and obfuscated, regardless of how much we try.

A healthy chunk still think the election was stolen in the face of overwhelming evidence to the contrary. If they aren't going to believe 60+ court rulings, including a clearly right-of-center Supreme Court, combined with a barrage of facts from the impeachment and subsequent trial, they're unlikely to believe anything.