Barbara Boxer actually supporting a big tent Democratic party, which by extension

[Baitball Blogger]

supports the DNC's endorsement of anti-abortion Democratic candidates for the primary in two states over pro-choice candidates.

Boxer and Terry O'Neil were on Mehdi Hassan's show on MSNBC this morning. The big question was why didn't we codify Roe during Obama's presidency and Boxer said that we didn't have 60 votes. Then O'Neill pointed out our party's weakness, is that we are probably not going to see 60 votes in the Senate, and it doesn't help that we can't even find 100% support for pro-choice legislation because of anti-abortion Democrats who get into office. (I am paraphrasing) And then she pointed out the fact that two states have anti-abortion Democrats that were endorsed by the party , (which I assumed she meant the DNC), over qualified pro-choice candidates.

Boxer found the statements offensive. She responded that she did not like Democrats criticizing/fighting other Democrats and, instead, pushed the Big Tent meme.

I was surprised by it. It was like she was trying to be PC, at the same time that she wasn't recognizing why we fail. I disagree with Boxer, because, you're going to be fighting against them when they reach Congress and their positions continue to sink agendas that define the Democratic platform.

And Mehdi did point out one reality. When Boxer said, we need to vote more Democrats in office, he pointed out that people have already voted for Democrats and they're thinking that nothing happened. Nothing improved. Why vote for them again?

My take on his comment is that Democrats should be willing to fall on their swords in order to deliver the agenda they campaigned on. And we're not seeing it. Falling on your sword means that you should be willing to remove the filibuster to satisfy the promise you made to your voters. The Republicans don't fail to do it when it comes time to satisfy their voters, and here we are facing a hostile take-over of this country, because they are determined to win, at all cost.

It's our sad reality. Democrats play by Marquess of Queensberry Rules while the Republicans are playing by Marquis de Sade's Rules. Maybe SNL should do a skit to make this point clear, to anyone who doesn't understand the difference.

[pwb]

1. Democrats accept things they may not approve of.

Pukes do not accept. I am with her on this.

[Walleye]

2. The few Republicans who claim to be pro-choice vote against it anyway

[no_hypocrisy]

3. Where the Parties differ:

Republicans vote as a Party, a clan, despite their differences of issues.

Democrats are just the opposite: They won't vote as a block, married to their ideologies.

[empedocles]

8. There is a significant cost to that

[RandiFan1290]

4. She supported Lieberman over Lamont as well.

[AntivaxHunters]

5. Don't even get me started

We'll be here all day long.

Things must change. Fast.

[MagickMuffin]

6. Here in Texas there is a runoff concerning this very issue

I wish I had a vote but alas I don't live that far south. I do however, hope Jessica Cisneros wins against Henry Cuellar who is against a women's reproductive health care.


The DNC backs Henry which is very unfortunate. The DNC usually stays out of Texas races but not this time around. I certainly hope they'll come back to campaign with Jessica if she succeds in beating Henry.

[Baitball Blogger]

9. +1

[Scrivener7]

7. How the hell is it the Democrats' weakness that we won't get 60 votes in the Senate?

This is NOT due to any Democratic weakness! This is due to Republican hatred for women and willingness to treat us like chattel!

My GOD, our messaging is so bad!

[harumph]

10. Precisely.

With the exception of Sinema and Manchin, the Democratic block seems to stick together pretty well.
The message of Republicans is hate for Democrats which is driven by racism, greed and fear. It's a simple
message devoid of nuance, and apparently attractive to a non-trivial percentage of Americans. I don't know
what Democrats are supposed to do about that. As, my daughter pointed out, "Dad, you give people
too much credit - most of them are just dumb or uninformed." I don't think much will change in our trajectory until
a generation of older white men (and their subordinate wives who vote to please their husbands) die off.
I take heart that organized religion is in decline in this country among the young.

[CrispyQ]

11. Pelosi backs her House incumbents even if they are anti-choice.

A tent so big anyone can get in.

[Baitball Blogger]

12. Including moles

[Phoenix61]

13. I really like Pelosi but she's wrong on this one.

We claim to be pro-choice and then have the speaker of the house endorsing an anti-choice candidate. Sometimes silence truly is golden.

[gulliver]

14. Mehdi did not "point out one reality" (he's just giving voice and encouragement to MSM drivel)

The media, even Mehdi, through ignorance and vanity I would say, feel empowered to make inept assertions about how voters feel about things and assumptions about the questions voters "would" ask. It's one of the worst, most arrogant things done by the MSM.

I'm going to assume you related what Mehdi said accurately and simply say that the question, "Why vote for (Dems) again?" (when supposedly "nothing improved" ) is idiotic, arrogant, presumptuous, and lazy. It conceals the execrable hidden premises that nothing improved and that, moreover, instant gratification controls the thinking of the (supposedly) "dumb" voters. It's phony and destructive rhetoric at its worst. It doesn't matter at all what the intentions were; I assume the intentions were good.

And I even like Mehdi and MSNBC. Just tired of these terrible, negative, catastrophizing, demoralizing narrative "habit tics" they have.

[Demsrule86]

15. You need a big tent in the Democratic Party. It is the only way of having a majority.

Barbara Boxer is correct. It is not her fault some but her email types didn't vote for Hillary in the 2016 General. There would be no need to codify anything. Roe would be safe if Hillary had been elected...and falling on your sword means the GOP wins...not a good idea. We need enough votes so that who would be hurt by a vote can be allowed to vote no or even present. It is politics. Maybe we win hearts and minds and actually elect those who would not be falling on their swords to vote for our agenda.

[jalan48]

16. Hell, we not only have one of the biggest apologists for the fossil fuel industry among our

ranks (Joe Manchin) we've elevated him to the powerful position of Chairman of the Senate Energy Committee. Very big tent indeed.

[Demsrule86]

17. You need a big tent in the Democratic Party. It is the only way of having a majority.

Barbara Boxer is correct. It is not her fault some but her email types didn't vote for Hillary in the 2016 General. There would be no need to codify anything. Roe would be safe if Hillary had been elected...and falling on your sword means the GOP wins...not a good idea. We need enough votes so that those who would be hurt by a vote can be allowed to vote no or even present. It is politics. Maybe we win hearts and minds and actually elect those who would not be falling on their swords to vote for our agenda.