We Democrats do not have a Senate Majority

[Cyrano]

We have two pseudo-Democrats, (Manchin and Sinema), who are helping to flush American democracy down the sewer. So let's stop the bullshit that we "control" the Senate.

America is fucked. Perhaps beyond repair.

We are teetering on the edge of fascism. And if the Republicans manage to win/steal many of their races in 2022, then 2024 will be the year in which this "American experiment" in democracy fails. Some motherfucker like Tom Cotton, or Ted Cruz, or Hawley, or even some total imbecile such as Louie Gohmert, or Marjory Taylor Greene might end up in the White House. (Think that can't happen? How did a brain dead cretin like Trump get into the Oval Office?)

Let's stop believing our own propaganda of "senate control." Let's face reality. The Republicans are at "war" with us, (they own people like Manchin and Sinema), and it's time we started behaving like we are at "war" to save American democracy. How? Good question. And your answer is ...?

[In It to Win It]

1. We have what i like to call a "spades hand" - 48 and 2 possibles.

[leftieNanner]

2. The only thing we have in the Senate

is Schumer running the agenda. Mitch can't sit on legislation. He can filibuster it though. But with the two iffy Democrats in there messing things up, we could indeed end up with a lost Democracy.

[BlueTsunami2018]

3. It's more than just the two of them.

They’re just the ones taking all the heat. There are other Democratic senators who don’t want to end the filibuster, they’re hiding behind Manchin and Sinema.

There’s simply no way that these people don’t understand what’s at stake here. The question is, why don’t they care about it? Why do they want the inevitable ending? What’s in it for them?

[Lonestarblue]

14. Do you know who the others are?

I suspect Feinstein might be one as she is old school and perhaps not as aware as she once was. I don’t really think of others.

[BlueTsunami2018]

18. I don't.

I forget which show I was watching, it might have been Joy Reid. She had an analyst on and when she brought up the gruesome twosome, he said “you know it’s more than just them, there are nine or ten Democrats opposed to ending the filibuster.” And she said yes, without naming names, but wanted to focus on those two as they were the ones out front about it.

I’m also guessing Feinstein is one. She claimed never to have even heard of the proposal when she’s on record talking about it. I would imagine the others are red state Dems but that’s just speculation.

[Escurumbele]

26. If you don't know who they are, how can you make that claim?

I have not heard any other Democrat, besides Manchin and Sinema who are refusing to eliminate the filibuster.

[BlueTsunami2018]

40. Because credible people who know better than I say so.

And I totally believe it. I saw what went down when we had sixty in 2009 for a short time.

[DetroitLegalBeagle]

42. You haven't heard of them

Because there is no reason for them to say anything publicly. Manchin and Sinema are the lightning rods. Their public opposition makes them the target and let's the others sit back and say little or nothing on the matter. BlueTsunami2018 is correct as I also remember hearing an analyst on MSNBC say there others besides Manchin and Sinema who are unwilling to nuke the filibuster. It was either on Reid, Hayes, or Maddow's shows as those are the ones I usually have on when I'm at home. I'm thinking it was Reid as well.

[Cyrano]

27. I can't name them either

But they are there. And they are hiding in the Democratic Party because the districts in which they run are Democratic. But they are exactly, exactly, the same shits that inhabit the Republican Party.

Those who have always desired power, while voicing empty words about their belief in true democracy, have been been around forever. Their sheep disguises are usually sufficient to cover the fur of the wolves they are.

Better to have an "enemy" out in the open where we can fight them, rather than put up with the bullshit that Mancin and Sinema are throwing in our faces.

Biden may somehow, someway, win them over, but I doubt it. I also wonder exactly how much shit you have to eat to make the world a better place.

[Texin]

34. There may be old school Dems reluctant to blow up the filibuster.

But "reluctance" is not truculence. Sinema is clearly intractable. She will not be moved unless Biden can call her into his office with someone in Intelligence who can open up his folder with the *information* they've gathered on her*. I don't know about Manchin or DIFI (but she appears to one of "those". But unless a couple of rethugs keel over and die, I don't see anything getting done.

*This is just fanciful speculation on my part.

[PatrickforB]

38. Well, I called my US Senators on this matter, specifically passing the new Voting

Rights Act, and Hickenlooper's staffer said he is committed to ending the filibuster. Bennet's staffer did not specifically say, just that she'd pass on my comments.

I'm a big advocate for calling them up. Yeah, I know that hasn't had the results we hoped, at least with the giant irresponsible tax cut for billionaires the GOP ramrodded through in 2017, but we gotta do something.

I call my US Senators at least 1 to 2 times a month on issues, and I am definitely willing to do it more often.

[Dark n Stormy Knight]

49. I'm not sure, but people who know say that calling our congresspersons is influential.

I hate calling them, but I do it once or twice a month, and should do it more.

Unfortunately, very few Dems ever do. I'll bet that if we did a poll on DU (and people answered honestly), we'd find that most of us here call our Representatives & Senators very infrequently, if ever.

[forthemiddle]

51. 32 Democrats signed a letter in 2017 to keep the fillibuster when they were in the minority

https://www.cnn.com/2017/04/07/politics/senate-filibuster-rules-letter/index.html

Along with 29 Republicans. So I am sure some of them still support the filibuster.
Remember, without the filibuster, we would have Trumps Border Wall (his leading campaign promise), The Born Alive Bill, and a much smaller Covid relief bill that, theoretically, could have aided in a reelection of Trump.

[Fiendish Thingy]

21. That's why Schumer will push for a showdown, to put all senators on record. Nt

[Texin]

35. Frankly, how would that do anything?

It's not like the constituents of those senators who waffle don't know that.

[BGBD]

47. Manchin does this regularly

The Tanden confirmation was another. Bernie Sanders and some others would have blocked her had she came up, but Manchin took all of the fire from liberals for it. Hes fairly immune to pressure from the left, so it doesn't hurt him.

He's a tank, for all the MMORPG players here.

[UTUSN]

4. My answer is: K&R

[secondwind]

5. I truly believe that these posts do not serve us any good.

I’m an optimist, we are fighting hard, and I refuse to give up now.

[PortTack]

8. Agree..I for one will never say we are f..ked..too defeatist.

What if the dem leaders and president Biden sent that message?

We do have a majority, or turtle would be appointing more judges and Biden would not have gotten his cabinet posts and other appointees... and we would not have control over committees. Nor would we have been able to pass the American Relief package

[ShazzieB]

16. Adding my vote to yours and secondwind's

I groan inwardly when I see posts like this. They serve no useful purpose, imo, and do more harm than good.

[BannonsLiver]

24. They're good for a laugh.

[Fiendish Thingy]

28. You can be an optimist, and still face the stark reality that awaits if HR1 doesn't pass

To wish away posts that detail the ongoing dismantling of American Democracy is to engage in a dangerous form of denial that, for some, could result in complacency and a misinformed belief that if Dems just work really, really hard, they can overcome the voter suppression laws being enacted across the country.

I’m an optimist, and I believe Dems have just begun to fight, and we haven’t seen even an ounce of the ferocity that is set to unfold over the summer in the fight for voting rights. Manchin, Sinema, and other democracy-hesitant Dem senators won’t know what hit them come August recess...

[PatrickforB]

39. Let's hope so. You are alluding to town halls, I'm thinking, and I do agree.

We need to pack them.

[stillcool]

6. outside the box

work-arounds. There's got to be a way to get from where we are to where we want to be, with what we have. Can the federal government give grants to states who submit infrastructure plans that are approved...or adopt voting rights legislation according to a federal format? If it could be a state-by-state issue, wouldn't the pressure be on those who will not participate?

[BlueJac]

7. K&R

This is a n emergency and we must act accordingly!

[bucolic_frolic]

9. Find and release the kompromat that keeps them in line.

There was a time when Hastert had just about total control of the House. Remember?

[TheRickles]

10. Agreed, but who has control over that material? Putin, J. Epstein, the CIA...?

[bucolic_frolic]

12. No, I'm not suggesting that at all

Information leaks. If something suspect went down, the information is out there. Could be campaign coffers, stock deals, affairs. Think of the range of scandals over the last 40 years in public life. It's sort of like a self-regulating mechanism tethered to reality that could surface at any time. And in the most disciplined organizations (which let's face it, described the GOP more than other parties), the suppression of that info is strongest, so when it surfaces it's like a mini-earthquake.

[llashram]

15. this++

[onecaliberal]

11. THIS!

[yaesu]

13. tru dat. nt

[Lonestarblue]

17. How about negotiating with Sinema and Manchin to eliminate the filibuster only for voting rights?

It’s what was done for the SC. They save face and maintain their position while an important piece of legislation gets passed. Much of Biden’s agenda can be passed through reconciliation. Then work like hell to elect at least two new Senators in 2022 and cut these two off from their power plays.

[yellowdogintexas]

29. Changeing the rules is a good start. We'd still have filibuster

but they'd have to play by the rules>

The Dems could take a page from the Texas Senate & what Wendy Davis had to abide by when she filibustered for 13 hours and ran out the clock.

The Republicans had called her on all 4 of her allowed rules breaches leaving enough time for a vote, but the rest of the Senate Dems took over with some obscure rule waving, then Leticia Van De Putte walked in and finished the job.

Wendy could not sit down, eat, lean on or touch furniture, take a restroom break, or stop talking. She wore a damn catheter.

None of this "I call filibuster" nonsense! THey would really have to do the work.

[George II]

19. So what do you propose doing? Who do you think can win as a Democrat in AZ or WV?

At least, despite the gnashing of teeth, they're Democrats and the vote with Biden more than a number of other Democrats. Since this session opened, they've voted with Biden 100% of the time - ONE HUNDRED PERCENT OF THE TIME! You can't get better than that.

On the other hand we have at least one member of the Democratic Caucus who votes with republicans far too frequently.

https://projects.fivethirtyeight.com/biden-congress-votes/

[Elessar Zappa]

30. AZ is not the same as WV.

It’s a purple state and a mainstream candidate can win there. No, not a squad-like candidate but one who votes more often with the Democratic Party.

[Botany]

20. 2 things

1) If things keep going our way the democrats are gonna crush the GOP in 2022.

b) We have to face reality and that is Sinema and or Muchin are being paid off somehow.

[TomDaisy]

22. Biden needs to move Sinema to a Federal Appeals court seat (lifetime) and we elect

a real Dem in her place


I have a feeling Sinema would not as much of a menace as a judge, she only gets off on the public spectacle of screwing people and there's just less of an opportunity to be so showing on a daily basis as a judge

[DetroitLegalBeagle]

43. Bad idea

AZ Gov is GOP. He'd appoint a GOP Senator and McConnell would be back as majority leader.

[infullview]

23. Let's buy them off

Money. They walk the line because they are in Trump country and don't want to piss of to many crossover votes. So lets pay them off either stuff their re-election coffers so full they can't loose, or buy them off out right with a bribe. That's how the repugs would do it!

[doc03]

37. Maybe give Manchin's daughter better job then

he got her in WV.

[Escurumbele]

25. I said the same thing a few weeks ago and lots of people jumped at me.

With a filibuster and two pseudo-Democrats in the Senate, you are 100% correct, we do not have a majority we have 48 Senators and that is it.

Manchin's excuse is always that he is in a red district, but the reality is that he won because his constituents want Democratic solutions, otherwise they would have voted for a republican. The problem with Manchin is that he doesn't have the balls to go out there and convince his constituents why Democratic proposals are good for them, it should be that easy. Who told him they voted for a Democrat so that he could vote as a republican? That is insane.

I hope that from your post people realize and accept that it is a fact we don't have a majority.

The filibuster must be eliminated, same as the Electoral College, more now with the EC when it is the tool republicans are using to turn elections their way.

[Elessar Zappa]

33. We will get our judges through and that's huge.

It’s still beneficial to us that Republicans don’t control the Senate

[Silent3]

31. We definitely have something better than being in a clear minority...

...but not anywhere as good as we need to have in order to face the challenge of the slow-motion Republican coup.

[betsuni]

32. I'm glad that Biden is saying this, that he can't get what he wants done because two members

of his own party won't cooperate and zero from Republicans.

The Obama administration had a filibuster proof majority in the senate for only four months during his first two years. Too many people thought, and still think, he had full control of Congress for two years.

[doc03]

36. Would it be possible to beat the filibuster if

we got a couple Republicans to vote with us? If so maybe we would have a better chance than with Manchin and Sinama.
Republicans always fall in line for us it like hearding cats.

[WarGamer]

41. I wouldn't call a 50-50 Senate a majority...

The VP tiebreaker gives an advantage but to be accurate... Congress is split nearly evenly.

[NurseJackie]

44. They are NOT "pseudo-Democrats". They are Democrats. Period.

America is fucked. Perhaps beyond repair.

Oh, for the luva-god...

(they own people like Manchin and Sinema),

Ridiculous. No they don't.

Let's face reality.

Let's count our blessings instead. Without them, Mitch McConnell is in charge. HE would be the gatekeeper. Think about that for a minute.

[Cyrano]

46. Dear NurseJackie: I always apprectiate and respect your views

But, I guess on this topic, we're going to have to agree to disagree.

At the very least, you must see that democracy is hanging by a thread. And that Manchin and Sinema are nibbling on that thread.

[vercetti2021]

45. Very encouraging

Might as well just sit out 22 and 24 if we are just gonna lose. This shit is a reason why we lose. Its the what's the point attitude? If you wanna save democracy. Get up off your ass and fight like hell for it.

[Cyrano]

48. You know, I make it a habit to never reply to posts like yours

But, I'll tell you what. I'm going to make an exception.

Rather that sitting here offering my thoughts and helping us lose our democracy, here's what I'm going to do. I'm going to get up off my ass and save the world. Stand back.

[Dark n Stormy Knight]

50. Sorry people don't want to hear it, but I can't see how you're wrong.

One of the Greatest Threads on DU right now is about how there won't be another insurrection. And I agree. But only because they don't need one.

The most successful GOTV efforts will not help us next election, because Rs are passing laws that basically give them the power to disregard the results of elections that Dems win. And people say "fight like hell" to oppose this. I'd like to know how. What, exactly are we supposed to do?

[Dark n Stormy Knight]

54. It won't be repeating another four years of Hell.

It will be far worse.

[Roisin Ni Fiachra]

53. Clyburn slams fellow Dem Manchin for bipartisan stance on voting bill: 'Bunch of crap'

Biba Adams
April 2, 2021·3 min read

Rep. Clyburn is ‘insulted’ that West Virginia’s Joe Manchin is the lone Democratic senator not to co-sponsor the For the People Act.

South Carolina Rep. Jim Clyburn said he was “insulted” that West Virginia’s Joe Manchin was the only Democratic senator not to co-sponsor the For the People Act, which addresses an expansion of voting rights.

“I’m insulted when he tells me that it’s more important to maintain a relationship with the minority in the U.S. Senate than it is for you to maintain a relationship with the minority of voters in America,” Clyburn said in an interview with The Huffington Post. “That’s insulting to me.”

The seasoned congressman slammed Manchin for specifically imperiling the re-election of freshman Sen. Raphael Warnock: “And you’re going to say it’s more important for you to protect 50 Republicans in the Senate than for you to protect your fellow Democrat’s seat in Georgia. That’s a bunch of crap.”

https://news.yahoo.com/clyburn-slams-fellow-dem-manchin-133303301.html

Ya gotta ask yourself, what possible reason would Manchin have for not co-sponsoring the For The People Act? Or not agreeing to at least suspend the filibuster to get it passed?

West Virginia NAACP Urges Senator Joe Manchin To Back ‘For the People Act’

The West Virginia State Conference of NAACP Branches — in throwing unanimous support behind the H.R. 1, also known as the “For the People Act of 2021” — is urging U.S. Sen. Joe Manchin, D-W.Va., to fully support the bill.

The bill would make several major changes to election laws, such as requiring states to offer same-day voter registration for federal elections, permitting voters to make changes to their registration at the polls, requiring states to hold early voting for at least two weeks establishing automatic voter registration.

“H.R.1 contains several important provisions,” State Conference President Owens Brown said, “including a set of national voter registration and mail-in voting standards, nonpartisan redistricting commissions, requiring super PACs and dark money groups to publicly disclose their donors, new ethics rules for public servants, and requiring presidential candidates to disclose their tax returns.”
snip----
Brown said that if Manchin is unable to secure a bipartisan solution, the senator must vote with the other Democratic senators to eliminate the filibuster and ensure H.R.1 reaches the Senate floor for a vote.

https://www.theintelligencer.net/news/community/2021/05/west-virginia-naacp-urges-senator-joe-manchin-to-back-for-the-people-act/