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Paleo's avatar

Lynch has gone past his expiration date. But he expresses what I’m diuretic is a significant attitude among congressional Democrats.

Hakeem Jeffries complains that "the extreme left protest me more than they protest Donald Trump...I think because I've chosen not to bend the knee to either people on the far left and certainly not to Donald Trump and the far right."

https://x.com/kenklippenstein/status/1894463126763937802

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Jonathan's avatar

imo Jeffries makes an important and valid point here

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Buckeye73's avatar

As usual, the far left did us no favors with their protests in 2024.

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Jonathan's avatar

ive been fighting against this electoral losing 'strategy' for 45 years; each district is different; Bernie Sanders is NOT a viable candidate for US Senate in WV; no matter what some naive thing is posted here; your post should be repeated over and over and over

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Paleo's avatar

He’s more viable than anyone else not named Joe Manchin.

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James Trout's avatar

Nah. If you think he could run a Senatorial campaign in West Virginia without addressing social issues, you're only fooling yourself. The fact that the Mountain State is now a so called "right to work" state speaks volumes over how much West Virginia has changed. He won the West Virginia primary in 2016 for the same reason Hillary Rodham Clinton won it in 2008. They weren't voting for him. They were voting against the Democratic Party.

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Jonathan's avatar

Sanders wouldnt break 40% in West Virginia on his best day; you know it, I know it, and Paleo knows it(thats why he mentioned Manchin by name)

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Jonathan's avatar

you make my point; thank you

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michaelflutist's avatar

Leaving aside the fact that no Democrat is a viable candidate for the House or Senate in WV, I agree that Sanders certainly wouldn't be, but what losing strategy are you talking about? Supporting socialist primary candidates where they can't win a general election? Yeah, that wouldn't be smart. Is that a major issue nowadays?

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Jonathan's avatar

i actually think every district and race should have a strategy based on that district or state; cookie cutter strategy is a definite loser imo; i think Bernie and AOC fit where they run but in my district and state they would bring down the entire local ticket(it is hard enough on a local level here in florida to obtain viability)

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michaelflutist's avatar

That's right, but is there any threat of a socialist winning a primary there?

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Jonathan's avatar

lol; nope not in this lifetime; however, we should all keep an eye on Trump and FEMA; dismantling of FEMA could put Florida back into play

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michaelflutist's avatar

Maybe, but I doubt it. Trumpers are not rational in general or they wouldn't support anyone like that!

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Zero Cool's avatar

How are these protests now from the far left? Are we asserting by default that anyone who is pushing Democrats in the House and Senate to do more is on the far left? Would the same be said about the Iraq War protestors back in 2006?

There are Trump voters who are protesting against House Republicans as well.

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James Trout's avatar

It's all about timing. Now that we are the out party, we can get away with protesting as opposed to two years ago when as the incumbent party, we had to make the case of keeping the White House and the government in general.

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Miguel Parreno's avatar

Anyone who makes lawmakers uneasy is the "far left".

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Zero Cool's avatar

Yeah but I think Democrats in elected office need to watch it when it comes to labeling anyone “far left.”

It’s bad enough we have the GOP and Fox News labeling liberals the way they do as the far left.

We should show we have a higher attention than Republicans do.

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Miguel Parreno's avatar

I agree with you. Elected Dems have a clear disdain for their own voters who expect more out of them. I say we send a good majority of those who believe that way, home.

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Zero Cool's avatar

If this is what ends up making Stephen Lynch be overly defensive and not as receptive to his own voters, well, then he could lose to a primary challenge next year. That is not out of the realm of possibilities.

On the other hand, I am not one who wants to get in a purity fight with fellow Democrats.

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Miguel Parreno's avatar

I don't think it's about purity, per say. I personally believe the battlefield has changed. Norms are being stripped away daily and people don't want to return to a system that doesn't work for them. I just don't believe elected officials who could vote on the Iraq War are ready for the challenge ahead and it's well past time to pass the torch to people who are ready for the fight/challenge.

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Zero Cool's avatar

I agree with what you’re saying. Fighting against Trump is not about purity at all.

Putting aside this issue for a moment, I don’t want the conversation to go beyond the issue to the extent where it’s about fighting over who is more liberal than each other. That crap pisses me off.

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Mike Johnson's avatar

Not really since polling shows a growing majority of the Dem base wants the Dems to be more forceful in opposing Trump. The fact the house dem leader attempts to obfuscate the broader dem base like this is instructive to his limitations as a leader.

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Feb 26
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Mike Johnson's avatar

Posting isn’t politics, but it’s a great hobby for folks not built for the current political moment. Enjoy your keyboarding mate.

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Feb 26
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Mike Johnson's avatar

I don’t have naive opinions I’ve been working on ‘state, local, and national’ campaigns since i was 10 years old, but some of us aren’t obsessed with being yesterday’s man. Tell your neighbor your old war stories don’t tell em to me.

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Jonathan's avatar

my record as a campaign manager for the Democratic Party is 15-0 ..I am real curious about your winning percentage, mate..

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michaelflutist's avatar

That's really impressive!

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Ben F.'s avatar

Thank you for your work... but about your attitude, a little modesty might suit you better.

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Jonathan's avatar

could be; could be not; i must admit that being called a Trumper maybe set me off a tad; I now apologize for some of my posts today

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Ben F.'s avatar

And I've been a bit critical too, I apologize. And you definitely aren't a Trumper, it's unfortunate you've been called that. Again, thanks for the work that you've done, Jonathan.

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David Nir's avatar

Deleted some absolutely unacceptable comments on here. Attacks on other users are never okay. Don't do that again.

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Jonathan's avatar

apologies; you have a valuable site; i would never intentionally disrespect you or your work

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Paleo's avatar

Yes, the “far left,” anyone who rocks the boat, is the same as the Republicans.

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Jonathan's avatar

not what is being argued here; pretty sure you know those of us here that are grounded on winning elections(you included)agree with you on many points; maybe just not this one

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Frank Downey's avatar

No he doesn't, because he IS "bending the knee to Donald Trump." It's not the far left that want him to stand up to these fascists, it's all Democrats. In normal times, he can worry about the "far left" pushing him to, I don't know, vote for Single Payer. But that's not what Democrats are asking him to do.

Less Hakeem Jeffries, more Jasmine Crocketts. That's what we want.

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Jonathan's avatar

no one is bending any knee; Jeffries is trying to keep his caucus together long enough for the Republicans to start eating their own; give Trump some time and Jeffries strategy will win out

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JanusIanitos's avatar

Jeffries' response would make sense if they were telling him to support Medicare for All or whatever part of the progressive policy agenda. Except they aren't. They're telling him to oppose republicans.

In what world is "oppose republicans" equal to "extreme left" ? The complacency from some parts of our leadership and their internal allies is utterly baffling at times. Right now I don't care about progressive vs moderate. We need leadership that wants to do their job and protect our country and its people as best they can. Seeking comity with their republican colleagues — who will never, ever, ever return the favor — is a proven failed strategy and they need to dig their heads out of the sand and act accordingly. There are people in the party of all ideological stripes that can do this right.

Jeffries' language use comes across as tailor made to make people see the group he speaks of as their enemy. Except that group is a major part of his base. We can see the results in the replies right here; democrats going into an insulting intraparty ideological slugfest.

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Miguel Parreno's avatar

Lynch is actually the ideal candidate to primary from the Left. District Vote share of 70%, in office for 20+ years, 70+ years old. I think the time is right to send him back home.

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Jonathan's avatar

I dont disagree with this, but I think Lynch will easily win that primary; we shall see

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Miguel Parreno's avatar

I'm sure people said the same thing about a bartender taking on the Speaker in waiting. I think that's been a huge upgrade and whoever takes on Lynch would be too.

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Paleo's avatar

Leadership doesn’t want anyone tampering with their strategy that has brought us Republican control of the White House and both houses of congress.

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Jonathan's avatar

this is hyperbole; certainly our strategy has been flawed(I have argued your point on this site from the start); but your post is overboard imo

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michaelflutist's avatar

What word was "diuretic" meant to be? I hadn't realized Jeffries had been making what on the face of it are such terrible statements. Leftist activists are not calling for dictatorship, corruption and impunity.

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Paleo's avatar

Spellcheck screwup

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bythesea's avatar

I too was perplexed, but figured typo.

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