Democrats Can't Just Play Dead

Tuesday, March 04, 2025

Molly Jong-Fast: The public is frustrated with Trump and Elon's DOGE-ification of government. It's time for party leaders to stand up.

Posted by Gal_Tuesday at 02:33 PM | 37 COMMENTS | permalink | Comment on This Entry |

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Democrats hold the line. Do NOT agree to fund DOGE.

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-- Mueller, She Wrote (@muellershewrote.bsky.social) March 2, 2025 at 1:47 PM

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FTA:

James Carville is wrong. This is no time for Democrats to "roll over and play dead," as he advised last week in The New York Times. Sure, the veteran operative has a point that "the Republican Party flat out sucks at governing." But standing back as Donald Trump and company completely screw things up, in hopes of making the American people "miss" Democrats, is a dangerous course of action.

If Democrats don't protect norms and intuitions, no one else will. You can't count on Senator Ted Cruz to defend free and fair elections, or Speaker Mike Johnson to stand up for LGBTQ+ rights. And it's unlikely Senator Susan Collins, despite her many concerns, will hold the line. The fact that Trump was able to muscle through controversial Cabinet picks like Kash Patel, Robert F. Kennedy Jr., and Pete Hegseth shows how the party will do whatever he wants. While there is no serious resistance in the Republican Party, there is the pathetic hope that if you give Trump what he wants, he'll spare you a primary challenge. GOP elected officials seem to care more about keeping their seats in Congress regardless of whether the institution loses its constitutional authority.

#1 | Posted by Gal_Tuesday at 2025-03-04 11:54 AM | Reply

No. It's not.

It's time for them to be loud but (a) there isn't much they can do and (b) they need to let America get what it voted for while saying "We told you so."

#2 | Posted by Sycophant at 2025-03-04 11:56 AM | Reply

The goal has always been to destroy social security, medicare, medicaid, ACA, education, VA etc because those programs serve poor people.

Donold is doing that by using an illegal department to make the cuts as fast and as random as possible, call it fraud and show NO PROOF.

The proof Elmo is showing has to be retracted because it was proven to be wrong or a lie.

THe GOP is so afraid of Donold or so corrupt they refuse to even allow a hearing to call Elmo in to prove what he is doing is correct.

#3 | Posted by Nixon at 2025-03-04 12:10 PM | Reply

After your votes handing all parts of government to the gop, just what do you expect?

The earliest the dems can reclaim some power is the midterms.

We did it to ourselves. Nobody is coming.

#4 | Posted by fresno500 at 2025-03-04 12:19 PM | Reply | Newsworthy 1

3years from now is way too late.

It will be a wholly different world

In fact a collapse is coming soon

#5 | Posted by truthhurts at 2025-03-04 12:23 PM | Reply | Newsworthy 1

It's time for them to be loud but (a) there isn't much they can do and (b) they need to let America get what it voted for while saying "We told you so."

Dems need to be loud but in the right way. Bad mouthing Trump/Musk is not enough. They must expose all of the pain and suffering that is taking place. Put faces to the pain. Identify people that regret their votes and would not vote for Trump again.

Dems also need to attack republicans for sitting idly by while the sh.. hits the fan. There can be NO friendships with republicans that only voice their disapproval in private. To much is at stake.

#6 | Posted by FedUpWithPols at 2025-03-04 01:07 PM | Reply

Democrats are spineless. They'd rather sit back and watch Trump tear up the constitution than dare to speak up.

The parties are not the same but they both need to be abolished.

#7 | Posted by qcp at 2025-03-04 01:11 PM | Reply

Sorry. America has not experienced enough pain yet.

Give it 30-90 days. When the SS checks stopped flowing and mortgages get foreclosed and everyone is hungry.

Then they will get it.

When you have worms on the brain the application of pain is the only way to train them worms. That's how you train worms.

#8 | Posted by donnerboy at 2025-03-04 02:44 PM | Reply

"Give it 30-90 days."

Massive power outages in the middle of the warmest summer on record.

Deaths numbering into the tens of thousands, possibly per city.

I expect living conditions to look somewhat like the opening scene of Soylent Green, with abandoned city buses repurposed as housing for homeless Medicaid recipients kicked out of the nursing homes.

#9 | Posted by snoofy at 2025-03-04 02:48 PM | Reply | Newsworthy 2

"Give it 30-90 days."

Massive power outages in the middle of the warmest summer on record.

Deaths numbering into the tens of thousands, possibly per city.

I expect living conditions to look somewhat like the opening scene of Soylent Green, with abandoned city buses repurposed as housing for homeless Medicaid recipients kicked out of the nursing homes.

#10 | Posted by snoofy at 2025-03-04 02:48 PM | Reply | Newsworthy 1

A double post? It's like old times!

#11 | Posted by snoofy at 2025-03-04 02:56 PM | Reply

Re 8

To carry that thought forward ... Yes. We can train "worms" with the fear of pain.

But here's a clue to what we are in for..

Humans are not worms and do not respond well to fear or pain.

So while there will be that initial shock and disbelief (which we are currently experiencing) later comes the backlash and the anger resistance and then open defiance.

That's what's coming. Some of it is already here.

#12 | Posted by donnerboy at 2025-03-04 02:58 PM | Reply

Nope, this isn't going to cut it. If they attend at all, they should be wearing black:

Why Democratic women are wearing pink and white at tonight's Trump speech

The change in color reflects a shift in how they're thinking about opposing Trump in his second term.

19thnews.org

#13 | Posted by Gal_Tuesday at 2025-03-04 02:59 PM | Reply

Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez
@aoc.bsky.social

I'm not going to the Joint Address. I will be live posting and chatting with you all here instead. Then going on IG Live after.

#14 | Posted by Gal_Tuesday at 2025-03-04 03:01 PM | Reply

Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez
@aoc.bsky.social
Already hearing that Republican members have been showing up to the House floor trying to take up the Dem side seats for the joint address '

SOTU seats are not assigned. There are general seating areas for each body (House, Senate, SCOTUS,etc) but there are honored seats for each party's leadership and they're even trying to squat those.

If it doesn't sort out, be aware you may see applause on both sides of the aisle but they may be GOP

#15 | Posted by Gal_Tuesday at 2025-03-04 03:29 PM | Reply

If it doesn't sort out, be aware you may see applause on both sides of the aisle but they may be GOP

#15 | POSTED BY GAL_TUESDAY

I am finna watch it to see how Dems behave (or preferably not).

As you just made clear Republicans have gotten really good at "gaming the system".

Dems need to take gloves off and stop playing nice. We can be respectful and kind and compassionate as we take them on and promote the agenda of a caring America but we need to take gloves off and become more relentless and stop playing by "traditional" rules and game the system right back like Republicans do and counter every move they make.

Like in chess we don't have to WIN in this game. But we do need to stay even and hold them in check. A Stalemate with Republicans and especially MAGA is still a win now. Until the next election. Then we can throw the bums out.

#16 | Posted by donnerboy at 2025-03-04 03:38 PM | Reply

What AOC and other Democrats will do during Trump's big dumb speech

www.dailykos.com

#17 | Posted by Gal_Tuesday at 2025-03-04 05:35 PM | Reply

Dems don't need to play dead. They are kaput as a serious party! Their mission is frivolous propaganda and past tense and screaming like children. They've created all the problems. Now,Trump needs to expose.

#18 | Posted by Robson at 2025-03-04 07:43 PM | Reply | Newsworthy 2

@#18 ... Dems don't need to play dead. ...

"Never interrupt your enemy when he is making a mistake."
- Napoleon Bonaparte

#19 | Posted by LampLighter at 2025-03-04 07:56 PM | Reply

"Luke, ---- me in the Ass. Luke, ---- me in The Ass.".

"Do Me Daddy, Do me Daddy."

"Who's Yer Daddy"?

#20 | Posted by Effeteposer at 2025-03-05 12:10 AM | Reply

@#20

Is your current alias describing how the relationship between Pres Trump and Pres Putin might go?

Or is it just trying to degrade the conversation, as it usually seems to do?

#21 | Posted by lamplighter at 2025-03-05 01:15 AM | Reply

After your votes handing all parts of government to the gop, just what do you expect?

The earliest the dems can reclaim some power is the midterms.

We did it to ourselves. Nobody is coming.

#4 | Posted by fresno500 at 2025-03-04 12:19 PM | Reply | Flag:
(Choose)

Right, it was pretty simple, the last administration and the Democratic did such a bad job over the last 4 years that they go DOGED by the American people. And apparently from the actions of most Dems they are incapable of learning from it which is another reason their poll numbers continue to plunge.

#22 | Posted by fishpaw at 2025-03-05 01:56 PM | Reply

What AOC and other Democrats will do during Trump's big dumb speech

www.dailykos.com

#17 | Posted by Gal_Tuesday at 2025-03-04 05:35 PM | Reply | Flag:
(Choose)

Oh wow, that will make a big difference. Bunch of toddlers. Nice to see them sit on their hands when the little boy that recovered from brain cancer was introduced. That will bring more people into the party.

#23 | Posted by fishpaw at 2025-03-05 02:01 PM | Reply

"the little boy that recovered from brain cancer"

Trump Team Dismantles Efforts to Find a Cure for Cancer and Other Deadly Disorders and Diseases
democrats-appropriations.house.gov

#24 | Posted by snoofy at 2025-03-05 02:02 PM | Reply

"The biggest single, best predictor of how someone's going to vote in American politics now is education level. That is now the new fault line in American politics," Sosnik told David Chalian on the "CNN Political Briefing" podcast.

Trump's rise over the past three election cycles, Sosnik argued, "accelerated and completed this political realignment based on education that had been forming since the early '70s, at the beginning of the decline in the middle class."

As the US transitions to a 21st century economy, there's a rift between the people who attain education " "that's become the basic Democratic Party," he said, comparing them with people who feel left behind, "that group of voters is now the modern Republican Party base."

www.cnn.com

The less educated we are, the more Trumpers there are.

Which makes perfect sense, really, as demonstrated by the rwingers that post here.

#25 | Posted by Corky at 2025-03-05 02:09 PM | Reply

"The biggest single, best predictor of how someone's going to vote in American politics now is education level."

That's the plan.

That's why Republicans have been watering down the American education experience for the past thirty years.

#26 | Posted by snoofy at 2025-03-05 02:19 PM | Reply

"been forming since the early '70s, at the beginning of the decline in the middle class."

That sounds about right.
"Since 1975, practically all the gains in household income have gone to the top 20% of households."

I went back to school and got an advanced degree to get into that top 20%.
Just in time for Trump to launch a New Great Depression.

#27 | Posted by snoofy at 2025-03-05 02:21 PM | Reply

The earliest the dems can reclaim some power is the midterms.

We did it to ourselves. Nobody is coming.

#4 | Posted by fresno500 at 2025-03-04 12:19 PM | Reply | Flag:

And that's only IF Democrats do something other than what they've been doing. Midterms may be a reckoning Dems don't want to see depending on the outcome of Trumps changes.

#28 | Posted by lfthndthrds at 2025-03-05 02:36 PM | Reply

#23 | Posted by fishpaw

Agreed. It was lame.

#29 | Posted by rstybeach11 at 2025-03-05 02:37 PM | Reply

The Democrats can tie up the House of Representatives April 1st due to the fact that there are two special elections then as well as Stefanie being confirmed for the UN ambassador gig. It's doable from what I gathered.

#30 | Posted by LauraMohr at 2025-03-05 02:48 PM | Reply

The less educated we are, the more Trumpers there are.

Which makes perfect sense, really, as demonstrated by the rwingers that post here.

#25 | Posted by Corky at 2025-03-05 02:09 PM | Reply | Flag:
(Choose)

That's right, the Democratic party, the party of the highly educated, the party that wasn't smart enough to beat a "convicted felon."
And sorry Corky, you thought Harris was brilliant.

#31 | Posted by fishpaw at 2025-03-05 02:53 PM | Reply

#25 And btw Corky, not very smart citing CNN polls where one of their lead journalists wasn't smart enough to not-------- during a zoom call.

#32 | Posted by fishpaw at 2025-03-05 02:59 PM | Reply

#32

But enough about your hobbies.

Everything you say only substantiates the facts... the less education one has, the more one participates in the Trump Cult.

#33 | Posted by Corky at 2025-03-05 04:49 PM | Reply

They're going to keep speaking lies to truth though

x.com

#34 | Posted by THEBULL at 2025-03-05 06:03 PM | Reply

Why is the Democrat party now so ugly in disposition and appearance and lack of commonsense. We need to put all of these absurd anti USA policies into a comprehensive bill can be publicly voted on by both sides in Congress. We need to actually see which side supports sense.

#35 | Posted by Robson at 2025-03-05 08:20 PM | Reply

"'Can't play dead'?! Hold my ice cream!" - Biden & Pelsoi

As the plague barge sinks lower and lower, their bodies once steering are now exposed as corpses, consumed by the paralytic swamp of fascism.

#36 | Posted by redlightrobot at 2025-03-05 08:36 PM | Reply

#33 Sure Corky, didn't you agree with the highly educated Democratic congressman Hank Johnson when he said Guam would tip over if we increased the size of it's military base?

#37 | Posted by fishpaw at 2025-03-06 12:11 PM | Reply