The problem is not that Democrats don't have a spine

[Dem4Life1102]

The problem is we don't have their backs enough, especially when they are forced to make compromises to get things done. Too many are willing to make the perfect the enemy of the good. But as Ted Kennedy use to say, 'sometimes you have to accept only getting a half a loaf instead of no loaf at all'.

There are still too many who require perfection from our elected Democrats whether it's liberals and progressives attacking Joe Manchin or moderates going after AOC. Say what you want about Republicans, they stay unified and are willing to accept incremental change that can take years.

Being a big tent party means that we have to accept different points of view at times and not get everything we want immediately. And that means supporting all democrats all the time.

[Alpeduez21]

1. Perfectly summarized. Thank you n/t

[LymphocyteLover]

2. Agreed. I'm hoping people now see how important it is to strongly support Dems now

as we fight this most noxious version of the GOP.

[NoMoreRepugs]

3. Well said. It's us against them, a one choice menu.

[treestar]

4. Right.

And stop calling it lockstep. It is being sensible and practical.

AOC is one of those who does this though. That’s what moderates go after her for.

[Turin_C3PO]

8. There's moderates who do the same thing.

Remember the ones in the House that refused to back Pelosi? Those were moderates, not the Squad.

[Zoonart]

5. Absolutely right.

I have witnessed this pattern for my entire voting life. Democrats work hard to get people elected and then immediately start the spitballing from the sidelines.

We aren't guided by the "Golden Rule" of the GOP: "Thou shalt not speak ill of another Republican."
Democrats do not follow blindly, but because they are intelligent and impatient for change, they are fractious. Right now, that is not what we need. We need unity more than we have ever needed it before.

Have their backs, people, we ARE their spine.

[crud]

6. I remember the ACA fight

And I still find it amazing that it was passed. Rise of the Tea idiots and how the news loved to cover them. Asking myself, who's got our backs? We were all busy fighting each other. I hope things are different now. We should act like we have a mandate, because we do!!!

[Irish_Dem]

14. The ACA fighting was a disgrace. nt

[Turin_C3PO]

7. I agree.

My only fear is that if Manchin and others don’t agree to get rid of the filibuster, then nothing will get passed and we won’t be in a good place for 2022.

[doc03]

10. If Manchin agrees with the more progressive Democrats his seat will be

filled with a Republican and we lose the Senate.

[Turin_C3PO]

18. Yeah, I know that's the problem.

We’re in a tough place (though certainly better than had we not won the Senate). 2022 Senate map is very favorable for us. If we could get up to 54 or 55 Dem senators, we wouldn’t have to worry about Manchin or Sinema or even Feinstein.

[groundloop]

20. There's actually a fair amount that we can get done with 51 votes.

This article explains it pretty well.

https://www.vox.com/22242476/senate-filibuster-budget-reconciliation-process

[cstanleytech]

21. On the other hand it could cause the Republicans to reconsider pulling the same bullshit they did

with Obama because they that people can change their minds if prodded enough to do so and they do not want to prod Manchin in that direction.
If they do then they could see things that they fear greatly like SCOTUS being increased to 13 judges for example.

[gab13by13]

9. Today's Trump party,

doesn't have a platform an agenda to negotiate with. Today's Trump party is the Nihilist party, a party that only wants to obstruct, only has 1 goal, power. Today's Trump party has no inclination to work for the betterment of the country, its only goal is to obstruct Democrats, to make Democrats fail and to use that to regain power.

Correct me if I'm wrong, but I am not aware of what the Trump's party agenda is for America that Democrats can bargain with.

How do you compromise with obstruction?

As far as the differences between the Joe Manchins and AOC's of the party I don't look at that as a problem, I look at that as a plus, as a healthy debate of ideas.

[Ponietz]

11. Unite or perish in 2022

There is too much that needs doing for any other alternative.

[2naSalit]

12. Also, patience is needed.

It took a long time to create this mess, it will take some time and careful steps to make things better. Everyone instantly went from praising our new team to a chorus of "Joe needs to do..." and "They better recognize..." without taking a breath and waiting until the Cabinet is assembled and activity begins. That is as insane as that which we just rid ourselves. We're at what, six days?

At least let him get his car started before running out in front of it.

[samnsara]

16. i agree..if joe did nothing he would still be a better prez...

[samnsara]

13. we tend to play too nicely....

[mcar]

15. This exactly!

[Yavin4]

17. The Republican agenda is simple. Cut taxes. Conservative judges. De-regulate. That's it.

It's far easier to form a consensus among Republicans for their agenda and push them through.

The Democratic agenda is to use government as much as possible to help people because Americans need help. A lot of people are in dire situations and that was before the pandemic.

So, I think that people get angry when they see Republicans getting everything they want, and Congressional Democrats struggle to get even the most basic help passed into law. They don't take into account the heavy lift that the Democrats have to do on taxes, income inequality, healthcare, education, climate change, and on and on and on.

In the end, the actual, real problem is that the Republican party has completely abdicated their role in governning the nation. They don't have to offer any solutions at all to any crisis, including the pandemic. If they were made to offer a real solution to a problem, e.g. healthcare, then we could move forward as a nation to solving some of our problems.

But they won't. So, the answer to everyone's frustrations with the Democrats is to elect more Democrats.

[mountain grammy]

19. Well said, and I completely agree! n/t

[CentralMass]

22. The GOP is a morally bankrupt entity with a destructive agenda.

Support compromise with that pack of jackals. No way.

[Dem4Life1102]

26. No but support Democrats

if they are forced to compromise.

[CentralMass]

29. 40 years of the compromise between trickle down and 3rd Way policies has

left the bottom 99% spiral down the toilet.
Support Democrats but hold their feet to the fire and don't settle for the status quo in the name of compromise.

[Dem4Life1102]

30. This is the kind of zero tolerance thinking

that ends up getting nowhere and only hurts Democrats.

[Sucha NastyWoman]

23. I am thankful for all our Dems - from Manchin to AOC

As long as they aren’t hypocrites or corrupt, they are fine with me.

I’ve never heard AOC say anything that upset me, and I understand and make allowances for Manchin doing what he needs to do to keep our 50th seat in the Senate.

[ancianita]

24. imo, Americans don't have time any more for political labels, attitudes or approaches.

Democrats are not used to thinking that nothing -- nothing -- will stop opponent attacks, will stop opponents' double standard of perfection games, will stop opponents' breaking norms, rules and laws.

They reactreact too much to their opponents' sophomoric logic and threats because they want validation, even negative validation.
They still can't get over how they will never get respect from Republicans or the cult. Never.

Democrats already have an attack wing -- the Squad and the Lincoln Project. They do the defense and counterattacks. They are the Democrats' spine, think circles around the cults' calculating tired, old school bullshit, and never back down from a verbal or personal fight.

Democrats just have to get on with their own work, and validate their identity by doing what works by any means necessary.

Americans want what works, and they want Democrats to do what works.
They know that our governmental successes are our spine and they stand with us.

[CaptainTruth]

25. We should also stop blaming them for not doing things they can't do.

I'm sure we've all seen at least a thousand examples of that.

Complaints like "Democrat X should do Thing Y in the House/Senate TOMORROW!!!"

Some folks will exert 100 lbs of effort complaining like that & getting mad at Democrat X but they won't exert 5 lbs of effort to learn about how the House/Senate function so they can understand why it CAN'T happen TOMORROW. And in many cases, once they understand the situation they could do something productive & exert another 10 lbs of effort contacting their representatives & giving informed feedback on legislative steps that could be taken to improve the situation next time & potentially fix the problem they're so mad about.

To me it seems like too many folks get stuck at the "complain/blame" point & never move on to the "understand & do something productive" phase. That's on each & every one of us individually. It's part of our responsibility if we want to be helpful participants in our democratic republic.

[treestar]

31. +1

If that energy could go to persuading and organizing voters, more good things could happen!

[Demsrule86]

27. +10000

[aikoaiko]

28. Nobody has ever expected perfection from our Democratic Presidents or elected higher officicals.

[mtnsnake]

32. Republicans stay unified alright, but not for the reason you're saying

They stay unified because they don't accept no for an answer from any of their members. They stay unified because whenever they control the WH and both branches of Congress, they punish the shit out of us, rather than including us in the conversation. Of course we should have the backs of our Democrats, but Sinema and Manchin need to have OUR backs first, especially at such an incredibly important time like this.