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Response to DoBW (Original post)
PeaceWave This message was self-deleted by its author.
Jose Garcia
(3,497 posts)
xocetaceans
(4,431 posts). . . when the Democratic Party tries to cleave to Wall Street . . . or maybe not so funny. Sec. Clinton failed against Trump . . . VP Harris failed against Trump . . . . That might be a pattern that should be considered. It seems that there is no world in which the Democratic Party can win while running candidates that don't center the message that turning toward greater economic populism is the most important change they want to make if elected.
It is often said that the current election (whenever an election is occurring) is the most important election ever: well, this time it is actually that. More unchecked time in office for Trump means less or no democracy in the USA.
If the Senate election in Maine is to be won by Democrats, perhaps it is time for Sen. Schumer and Rep. Jeffries to look at the reality of politics as seen through the lens of the success of Zohran Mamdani.
Gov. Mills is purportedly Sen. Schumer's political project. Who did he support in 2016 and in 2024? Maybe that should be a lesson to him and to the Democratic Party. "If you go old, they'll stay home" could be a parody of Field of Dreams that the Democratic Party should consider.
However, will they consider that?
Jeffries, Schumer keep refusing to endorse Mamdani
October 21, 2025 | 12:56 PM CDT
Nearly four months after Zohran Mamdani became the Democratic nominee for New York mayor, the two top Democrats in Congress are still withholding their endorsement.
https://www.washingtonpost.com/video/politics/jeffries-schumer-keep-refusing-to-endorse-mamdani/2025/10/21/2e71cdb2-19fd-4d4a-841b-b297d0ae98b8_video.html
It appears that answer is in the negative.
Gee . . . I wonder how that will work out when they successfully displace Platner, put Mills in the race, and the election is held . . .
I expect the same result as Clinton versus Trump and also as Harris versus Trump. Should Collins be relatively easy to defeat? Yes, but at least we'll always have the strongly worded letters that we can read for solace.
Also, recall that when pressed to change healthcare fundamentally, a Republican plan was selected, and RomneyCare became Obamacare. And recall that the financial collapse at the end of Bush's second term was met not with the prosecution of bankers, but with their bailout and the loss of homes for many of the people who were greatly disadvantaged by that collapse. Was the groundswell of support that Obama received to defeat McCain repeated in the midterm elections? No. It was clear by then that the needed changes to help people were being slow walked or done in half measures. Calls for single payer healthcare were met by the a protestation from within the White House that the left is "fucking retarded".
History goes forward from there: the Tea Party, Boehner's government shutdown, . . . RBG's demise, McConnel's refusal to hold hearings for Garland, Clinton's loss, etc.
So, here we are now. I hope that the Democratic Party will learn something from its semi-recent history of abject failure (What else can losing to Trump twice be politely called?) and lean into progressive, economic populism as manifested by the new field of younger candidates. If the senior Democrats refuse to modernize and continue to hold on to power individually in the way that RBG did without regard for retiring and making way for younger voices, their collective legacy might be to do to the USA as a whole what RBG's refusal to retire except by death did to the Supreme Court.
Response to xocetaceans (Reply #14)
PeaceWave This message was self-deleted by its author.
MichMan
(17,103 posts)xocetaceans
(4,431 posts)
Quiet Em
(2,906 posts)This Platner guy is not.
Horrible comparison. Just horrible.
chowder66
(12,212 posts)
karynnj
(60,944 posts)I agree with you why pick someone with so many red flags. It is not like there are no good alternatives.
Not to mention, I have not heard any of the people defending him make the case of why he is so special that he is worth running even with these pretty big negatives from his past.
I also resent the calling anyone who had a public service career "an elite".
Quiet Em
(2,906 posts)but that is not what he is doing here. He is creating a scapegoat to blame for his own mistakes. He's not a victim. He's a grown man who does not have to run for Senate. There all other candidates without the baggage.
nycbos
(6,711 posts)I am not saying we should back Millie (she is 77) but there has to be better options than both of them.
betsuni
(29,041 posts)Ten years of hearing that nutty old BS against the Democratic Party.
WhiskeyGrinder
(26,896 posts)Response to DoBW (Original post)
Post removed
JustAnotherGen
(38,027 posts)
Same old situation BTA.MichMan
(17,103 posts)
herding cats
(20,047 posts)Good! It lit my butt on fire like 3 foot flame when I read about this. I was mostly trying to gather information and learn before this came out. Now I'm over him. Done. He's toast!
DoBW
(3,202 posts)Last edited Wed Oct 22, 2025, 10:24 PM - Edit history (1)
The real nazis are gestapo on the streets
don't do the elites' work for them
This guy is not a good candidate.
There are other candidates running in this primary and there is still time for more to throw their hat in.
Raise your bar. This guy ain't it.
herding cats
(20,047 posts)He's a shady choice due to his own Reddit posting history and his freaking Nazi Dead Head tattoo. Way too many skeletons in his closet and if he were to be elected thanks to his high profile endorsements I won't be surprised to see him Fetterman us.
Seriously, have we learned nothing?
Response to herding cats (Reply #13)
PeaceWave This message was self-deleted by its author.
Blasphemer
(3,622 posts)Progressives need to wake up and stop promoting these highly problematic individuals. Talking “populist” has led to people getting away with too much.
DoBW
(3,202 posts)wake up
Response to DoBW (Reply #18)
PeaceWave This message was self-deleted by its author.
DoBW
(3,202 posts)The real nazis wear masks, zip tie kids, and kidnap people off the streeets, under orchestration in an on-going fascist regime. I'll go how Bernie goes
herding cats
(20,047 posts)That mess sounds like a bot on X.
herding cats
(20,047 posts)Maine Senate candidate Graham Platner admits using ‘indefensible’ antigay slurs in unearthed Reddit posts
A progressive U.S. Senate candidate in Maine, who has already apologized for earlier misogynistic and racially insensitive remarks and said he did not realize that a tattoo on his chest resembled a Nazi SS emblem, is again under scrutiny, this time for anti-LGBTQ+ comments.
In an interview on Wednesday afternoon with The Advocate, Graham Platner, a 41-year-old Marine and Army veteran running in Maine’s Democratic primary, seeking to become the nominee to challenge Republican U.S. Sen. Susan Collins, confirmed that he authored a series of Reddit comments that include homophobic slurs, anti-LGBTQ+ jokes, and sexually explicit stories denigrating gay men.
The existence of the comments, posted under the handle P-Hustle between 2016 and 2021, has not previously been reported. The Advocate obtained the posts independently this week. The revelations come on the same day Platner is scheduled to hold a town hall in Ogunquit, a seaside resort long known as one of New England’s most prominent LGBTQ+ destinations, featuring a thriving gay community and Pride celebrations that draw visitors from across the region.
snip------------------------------------------------------
The unearthed posts show a pattern of homophobic language and rhetoric that mocked or demeaned LGBTQ+ people. In some cases, Platner appeared to use slurs casually in discussions unrelated to sexuality; in others, he explicitly framed gay people as the punch line.
https://www.advocate.com/politics/graham-platner-homophobic-posts
I'm all ears to learn how this is Progressive and makes him a solid choice.
DoBW
(3,202 posts)not falling for it
herding cats
(20,047 posts)You're touting a candidate who has disrespected and espoused hate on our community.
Which you can't defend because it's truly indefensible. I get it.
DoBW
(3,202 posts)herding cats
(20,047 posts)Not one for deep thoughts or debate I see.
Look, I'm going to give you a hint here. This isn't how you defend a bad candidate.
But carry on doing nothing to further your cause. I fully support this!
Have a great evening!
thought crime
(1,530 posts)EdmondDantes_
(1,739 posts)It's responsibility.
thought crime
(1,530 posts)Platner has those qualities. He seems like someone who might do well with working class voters. And Republican attempts to smear him because of past comments or a tattoo could very well backfire.
Response to thought crime (Reply #29)
PeaceWave This message was self-deleted by its author.
DoBW
(3,202 posts)the real nazis aren't regurgitated quotes: They're real, living evil masked criminals out there now kidnapping people off the streets.
Response to DoBW (Reply #33)
PeaceWave This message was self-deleted by its author.
herding cats
(20,047 posts)You're not helping your cause here, or anywhere using language like that.
Damn, I'm seriously grateful you're not on my side on this issue.
TheProle
(3,980 posts)