The Republicans are trying to force wedges into the Democratic Party any

[Atticus]

place they can. DU is not immune.

Between employed and unemployed, black and white, brown and white, black and brown, gay and straight, wealthy and just getting by, liberals and moderates; they will exploit any opportunity to divide us.

And, if we are careless or just so damn frustrated that we feel we HAVE to lash out at someone, they'll encourage us to beat up on each other.

We can't stop the trolls from testing us with their wedges, but we are fools if we hand them a hammer.

I certainly understand passion and I don't propose to somehow censor what others choose to post. But, let's try to stick to facts and substance and avoid the snark and naked opinion no matter how fervently held.

[Name removed]

1. Deleted message

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[dennis4868]

3. A pair of balls....

Can't defeat a fucking fillubuster....

[elleng]

2. They're probably happy to see that they don't have to do much work in that respect,

Dems doing it for them.

x(

[readmoreoften]

4. Sorry, "wealthy and just getting by" is a real divide if you mean capitalist vs worker.

The attempt to divide the working class and the poor has been particularly noticeable tonight. Today's employed can easily become tomorrow's unemployed. But the CEO of Goldman Sachs or a hedge fund manager and a teacher under a union contract have no political interests in common that can be codified into a party.

[leftstreet]

6. +1

[Atticus]

11. I apparently sacrificed clarity for brevity. "Just getting by", to me, means living

paycheck to paycheck, but you HAVE a paycheck.

"Wealthy", to me, means anyone who, at a minimum, has any type of investments beyond their 401(k). They could last at least several months before they had to start missing mortgage payments or dodging the landlord.

The CEO of Goldman Sachs is into the "obscenely wealthy" category and I agree that few in this class have much in common with the rest of us, politically. But, we should be wary of painting with too broad a brush. Teddy Kennedy was no pauper and there were few more passionate advocates for the poor and disadvantaged than Teddy, may he rest in peace.

We are being tempted to stereoptype each other and to act as though our prejudices are factually based. We all do it from time to time, but it is not something we should be proud of, especially when it gives aid and comfort to the enemy.

Thanks for your response.

[Creative]

5. Judging from the looks of things around here, they appear to be quite successful.

[readmoreoften]

7. Dupe.

Weird.

[dennis4868]

8. The repubs...

Using the fillubuster everytime and not allowing good policy and legislation turning into law makes Obama look weak.... People here and many liberals seem to think that Obama, as president can kill a fillibuster all by himself because he's the president or perhaps he is god so therefore he caved...

[stray cat]

9. Democrats are their own enemies the GOP does not have to do anything

Demecrats simply self distruct when forced to work together

[Monique1]

10. Atticus

I agree with you - but have no idea how to change things. I do see this happening here every day.

[applegrove]

12. +100

[Individualist]

13. DLC has already accomplished that objective for the neocons.

[donco6]

15. +1

[RickFromMN]

14. I agree, You can't kill a filibuster...but you can use the bully pulpit to make them pay.

If President Obama wants something, he should go on the campaign trail.
He should travel the country. He should go to the people. He's a great speaker.

He should do as good a job marketing his policies as he did campaigning.

Then, when the Republicans filibuster, people will hear his side of the argument.
People will think their is another explanation, not just the Fox News explanation.

President Obama fought to be President. Then he stopped.
It was like...President Obama got the gold ring, and now, he can rest on his laurels.

As it stands, Fox News and the Republicans believe the Democrats will be blamed.
The Democrats will be blamed when unemployment benefits expire.
The Democrats will be blamed when taxes go up for the poor.
President Obama won't be out there giving the other side of this sorry story.

Fox News and the Republicans will be out there...on the campaign trail.
They will be putting the blame on President Obama and the Democrats in Congress.

I agree if someone says President Obama won't change the minds of the Fox News viewers.
Fox News viewers are brainwashed. They won't listen to anything that doesn't fit their world view.

That's not the people President Obama needs to reach.
President Obama needs to reach the Democrats, which he is losing, and the independents.

President Obama needs to reach people who should naturally be part of our base.
Instead, what is President Obama doing? He's resting on his laurels....

I believe President Obama has no principles he believes are worth fighting for.
I believe President Obama just wanted to be President, to have the gold ring.
Now that President Obama has the gold ring, he doesn't know what to do with it.

[Monique1]

16. I also believe there are no more principles anymore

there is nothing left.