Joy Reid is seriously worked up tonight

[Nexus2]

She's calling for pulling all the alarms tonight and is really baffled by how the Democratic party seems to be taking the threat so calmly. Worth taking a look.

[struggle4progress]

1. Yeah, OK, they're scary fuggwits, but to beat them we need to out-think them,

and that's different from reacting to everything they say and do

[StarfishSaver]

5. And most of the people getting all worked up about what they claim Democrats aren't doing

can't come up with anything the Democrats should actually do differently (other than "FIGHT HARDER!" and other nothingness).

[qazplm135]

7. I mean I can

1. We need to make it tougher on Senators. Make it more painful to do filibusters and force them to go through more pain for obstruction. That's just the smart play, and it's fair.

2. We need to amp up the negative ads and attacks now. Sorry to say but fear works better. And we have legit reasons to fear. We only win in 2022 with our side as up in arms as they were in 2020. 2024 is probably Trump back on the ballot so that alone will juice up turnout, but we can't lose control of Congress in 2022.

3. We need to raise a crapton of money on voter suppression mitigation. Buying IDs, rides to polls, whatever we can legally do in each state to counter voter suppression we need to do twice as much as any past election.

4. We need to figure out how to reach more people of color, Black voters and Hispanics. When those groups turn out, we win. We need to keep young people engaged.

Bottom line is, we simply cannot afford another non-presidential election where we get outworked because of apathy or disillusionment.
This has to be treated as even more important than the 2020 election.

[Hamlette]

9. can you say Majority Leader McConnell?

You think McConnell won't make a sweet deal with Manchin to switch sides if it becomes uncomfortable for Joe?

Careful what you wish for.

[qazplm135]

13. no I don't

The time to switch was 2017.

[DallasNE]

16. If Manchin Switches Parties

When he runs in 2024 he will be primaried so down he goes. He is in a tough spot.

[Hamlette]

21. he could switch tomorrow

nothing stopping him from doing that

[TxGuitar]

23. And he would fade into obscurity almost overnight

He would become just another robot R senator who no longer gets invited to the Sunday shows, or gets questions from reporters in the hallways, etc. He'd be a nobody.

[Hamlette]

25. didn't seem to hurt Mike Pence.

[brooklynite]

27. "Nothing stopping him" other than the fact that he's a Democrat.

AS much as some people here refuse to accept that.

[msfiddlestix]

11. Succinctly laid out. Wish I had your skills.

You put it very well. and you're spot effin on to the last punctuation.

[c-rational]

14. +1

[StarfishSaver]

17. Point by point

I was referring to the complaints about Congressional Democrats, but you make some good points - although you mostly present things you think need to be addressed, not actual solutions - that I'll respond to each one:

1. We need to make it tougher on Senators. Make it more painful to do filibusters and force them to go through more pain for obstruction. That's just the smart play, and it's fair.

"Making it tougher" sounds good but it's pretty vague. The rules don't permit a change in the filibuster rules and process without a vote, so the Dems can't just force Republicans "go through more pain for obstruction." They'd have to get 51 votes to make that happen.

2. We need to amp up the negative ads and attacks now. Sorry to say but fear works better. And we have legit reasons to fear. We only win in 2022 with our side as up in arms as they were in 2020. 2024 is probably Trump back on the ballot so that alone will juice up turnout, but we can't lose control of Congress in 2022.

This may be a good idea. But it's not a role for the Senate Democrats and it also has risks at this stage and timing and geography are important.

3. We need to raise a crapton of money on voter suppression mitigation. Buying IDs, rides to polls, whatever we can legally do in each state to counter voter suppression we need to do twice as much as any past election.

People are already doing that work I. The states. It's a huge effort and a number of organizations are busting their butts doing it. You can donate to a number of organizations that do this work. In other words, this "we" to which you refer is you and me.

4. We need to figure out how to reach more people of color, Black voters and Hispanics. When those groups turn out, we win. We need to keep young people engaged.

Yes, we do. But that is obviously much easier said than done - as we see right here whenever the question of reaching out to minorities comes up. We also need to figure out how

[qazplm135]

18. make it tougher

can simply mean to hold repeated votes on popular legislation. It can mean using the rules to their maximum pain causing for the other party. I'm pretty sure we haven't exhausted that avenue. No, I don't think they will need 51 votes for stuff like that.
It also means more powerful statements from members of the Senate, it's time for comity to take a vacation for a bit.

It absolutely is a role for Senate Democrats. There are only a handful of Senators up for re-election in 2022 that are in competitive races, everyone else has no excuse. Time to stop being afraid and starting putting fear on the other side. You don't see them worrying about negative ads.

They aren't doing enough. And it isn't just you and me. It's everyone. It's the DSCC and DCCC and DNC and Biden and Harris and ActBlue and activists and yes you and me. We all can do more. Unless you are arguing that everyone I listed is doing 100 percent and cannot possibly redouble their efforts?

Yes, we do need to figure out how. Now. Time's not on our side.

Everyone is trying their best so stop complaining isn't an answer that's acceptable.

[Boomerproud]

2. Can't say they weren't warned.

[Peregrine Took]

3. Love Joy's passion. Fast talker .....just like me. Go girl! n/t

[StarfishSaver]

4. I turned it off

[Hamlette]

10. why did you turn it off?

[choie]

6. What is she talking about?

the threat to voting rights?

[Duppers]

8. Yes!

[HipChick]

12. When it's too late..

Don't complain no one ever mentioned it....

[qazplm135]

15. IF it turns out to be too late

feel free to say I told you so...til then work your butt off to make sure it isn't too late. And that doesn't mean quitting when HR 1 doesn't pass. It means working twice as hard.

[George II]

19. I don't know what the topic was, but I'm sure she was finding fault with Democrats, as usual.

[redstatebluegirl]

22. I used to really like her, I have stopped watching her.

[George II]

24. I did, too. I stopped about a year ago. She evolved into Chris Hayes' understudy. who is....

....his brother's understudy.

Unfortunately MSNBC is becoming difficult to watch.

[Nexus2]

26. Like Jason Johnson, Meadi Hassan, Tiffany Cross and other more passionate progressive folks

she does take issue with ostensible establishment of the Democratic Party at times, usually for not being aggressive enough and openly as mad as she is. Sometimes they have a point, other times it just feels like they imagine the party is a magic wishing well or something and are refusing to use it just to annoy them because they haven't just 'done something'. despite being boxed in.

[appmanga]

20. Maybe the compromise is not to end the filibuster...

...but reduce the votes needed for cloture from 60 to 55. The votes needed for cloture went from 67 to 60, so it's not like this hasn't happened before and it keeps the filibuster in place. The problem is Manchin seems satisfied to only use leverage against Democrats and not against Republicans.