Totally understand, Rebecca...and you’re not alone. (Rebecca has always been one of my favorite names)
It does feel like that.
After a week where Democrats finally had momentum...finally had clarity...finally had a story that cut through the noise… eight senators walked in and fired a bullet straight into their own foot and the party’s messaging advantage.
But here’s the part I want you to hold onto...
This wasn’t “the Democrats.”
This was eight Democrats.
Forty-plus held the line.
Forty-plus understood the stakes.
Forty-plus stayed unified after a massive Tuesday win.
And that matters.
Does it still sting? Oh, F*ck yes!!
Does it undercut a moment that could’ve been a turning point? Absolutely.
Is heartsick the right word? Honestly… yeah.
But this wasn’t a structural collapse...it was a betrayal...by a small group who will now carry the weight of this decision on their backs.
They didn’t represent the party.
They represented themselves.
And the backlash they’re getting right now...from every corner of the base...proves the coalition hasn’t lost its clarity. In fact...it’s making people more determined...not less.
It’s okay to feel gutted.
Just don’t confuse eight bad actors with the movement that’s still fighting like hell. And, yes...I have to remind myself of that as well.
IT’S NOT OVER UNTIL THE VOTE IS TAKEN. AMERICANS SHOULD FLOOD THE STREETS. PARTICULARLY THE CONSTITUENTS OF THESE TURNCOATS MUST LET THEM KNOW THE PENALTY FOR BETRAYING OUR DEMOCRACY.
There is no penalty for any of the senators who have announced their retirements. However, there is the penalty of all of us living with what happens to our country as a consequence of their breaking. While it is good that some people’s suffering will stop for now, what trust do we have in our leaders? What guarantee is there that the inflictors of such pains will refrain from causing more pain at the expense of many people?
Mary E., so much is happening to the detriment of people who deserve better. While no president has such a right, you are right to be suspicious, and probably in number of ways.
Jack, I read this commentary, with great care, but I still don’t get it. Yes, I get the implications. What mI don’t get, specifically why in that moment when they were dealing with a strong hand, those eight Democrats broke rank and caved
Looks like it might be AIPAC, as all eight of those senators get a lot of money from them apparently. What the specific connection is, I still don’t know.
Don't necessarily disagree, though my thinking is it's likely bigger than that (while acknowledging that for some nothing is bigger than AIPAC).
Q: What's bigger?
A: Sunk costs associated with AI/data center build-out. We're talking multiple trillions here. The current USA economy is dependent on the associated software and hardware, which feed otherwise dying industrial sectors, e.g, oil and natgas; construction and, to some degree, labor; manufacturing (heavy equipment, components,..); etc.
All this feeds the widely-acknowledged overvalued stock market, which is pretty much the only thing keeping our USA economy afloat right now, and for the foreseeable future.
This is just disgusting! The Democrats still think the Republicans will bargain in good faith. The Dems are just Charlie Brown to Reps Lucy’s promise that she won’t pull the football out. They have learned NOTHING! It’s bad enough that we, the rank & file, are battling against Trump and the dismantling of our country, we now have to battle against our cowardly party. Especially Tim Cain from Virginia. Did he not learn a thing from the great election results in his own state? Time to hit the phones today.
Further, the capitulators didn’t give We the People even a brief moment, a chance, to rally and mitigate potential harm flowing from the SNAP impasse. We must see to it that all our resources (not just donation dollars but also time & energy) go to primarying every one of the timid, feckless, political-malpracticing ten.
Further, no more donation dollars to any incumbent Democratic Party members in leadership positions who failed to maintain cohesion and unity.
Chuck Schumer needs to go. He may have voted no but it is rumored he helped to broker the deal. No matter as the outcome is the same. We showed ourselves as weak, disorganized, and afraid. However, this is nothing new. The democratic leadership has been weak and silent for months.
When 7 million of us showed up as we have for months, they thought they enough "cover" to side with The People. Meanwhile The People working locally were scrambling for resources and food for the vulnerable. Enter stage right, the capitulating democrats with Schumer hiding in plain sight.
Friends have called me that they are changing their affiliation. They definitely are stopping contributions to the party, individuals only. Every single projected fallout you wrote, Jack, will come to pass if this leadership continues.
The party has to ask itself: who are your constituents? Who are you fighting for?
I don't think they know. The people who have been reading your newsletter know. The people who are out in the streets protecting their neighbors know. The people meeting in garages for strategies know. Gavin Newsom knows. Bernie knows. AOC knows. Whitehouse knows and Warren and Swalwell and Crockett and Jamie Raskin and others. Union members and teachers and nurses and doctors all know.
After losing 1.5 billion $$ in the last presidential election, the Democrat leaders still dont know. It is why no one cared to speak to The People. No one could explain what happened nor wanted to talk about it. So the Right filled in the narrative and kept filling in for the dearth of response.
When all else fails to make sense, we know the answer in America is money. Follow the money.
All eight of these…Democrats that voted yes take AIPAC money. Especially Rosen, Durbin, Hassen and Kaine are getting super big bucks, not to mention the incredible donation that the fearless leader Schumer gets from AIPAC. Trump and the Netanyahu are in lock step which implies that there is pressure from that quarter. I don’t think it’s just altruism that’s pushing the Dem Party. What do they say on crime shows; “Follow The Money”.
Totally hear you, Vbaklini...and you’re pointing to something very real...and here’s how I’d frame it so we stay grounded...accurate...and strategically lethal...instead of drifting into territory the right will twist against us:
You’re absolutely right that AIPAC money is a major factor in who broke ranks. You're damn right it was. That’s not speculation...it’s publicly documented.
These eight all take donations from them...and some of them take a LOT. That influence doesn’t disappear just because a vote happens to be domestic instead of foreign-policy related.
But here’s the critical distinction...
It’s not that some foreign leader is pulling strings.
It’s that a powerful donor network is buying access...influence...and comfort...and eight Democrats are far too willing to play along.
That’s the real story.
It’s not altruism.
It’s not political courage.
It’s not “doing what’s right for constituents.”
It’s power, pressure, and money... in exactly the proportions we’ve come to expect...from the worst corners of Capitol Hill.
You’re dead-on with the crime-show line:
Follow the money.
And when you do...the picture becomes painfully clear...
These eight weren’t thinking about long-term strategy.
They weren’t thinking about leverage in December.
And they sure as hell weren’t thinking about the millions who’ll pay the price for this vote
.
They were thinking about donors...relationships...and the path of least resistance.
But here’s the silver lining...
The backlash they’re getting...from the base...from activists...from everyday voters...is the strongest I’ve seen in years. People are connecting the dots. People are naming names.
And people are done...treating this stuff like it’s untouchable.
So you’re not wrong.
But you’re also not alone...a lot of Democrats...independents...and even moderates are suddenly realizing the same pattern:
When you follow the money...you find out who’s serving the public…
and who’s serving their benefactors.
And now we know exactly which eight belong in the second category.
By the way, am I still cursing more than usual today? You better believe I am.
Want to thank you. Your work has helped get me through the rage and the sadness and provided tools to help me think things through, and stuff that needs to be done. Keep up the good resistance, we hear ya.
The Dems may never recover from this. It seems like it is time for the Working Peoples Party to rise up and claim the mantle of middle and lower class America. The Democrats have shown that they can't be trusted to win a tough fight. They had the Republicans on the ropes, then backed off and gave them the win. The fight for our democracy just got twice as hard. We must redouble our efforts! Keep the faith in the Constitution!
Durbin retiring is exactly why his vote looks confusing, Charli...but here’s the part most people miss:
Retirement doesn’t free a Senator from pressure.
It frees them from voters.
And when voters are no longer the pressure…
other forces take their place.
That includes:
1. Committee legacy:
Durbin cares deeply about the Judiciary Committee. Retiring senators often try to protect their institutional relationships...their protégés...and their final-year influence.
2. Donor networks and long-term alliances:
Retirement doesn’t cancel decades of relationships. In fact...it’s often when those relationships matter most...for future roles...foundations...boards...and post-Senate positions.
3. Leadership expectations:
Durbin is part of leadership. If leadership signaled, “We need someone to take this hit,” he’s one of the people who can do it...without facing reelection consequences.
4. The freedom to absorb blame:
Retirees are useful to leadership...because they can absorb backlash without risking the seat.
5. Personal worldview:
Durbin is known as an institutionalist...meaning he’s wired to prioritize “the stability of the system” over leverage or confrontation.
Retiring doesn’t change that; in some ways it makes it stronger.
So no, it doesn’t “add up” emotionally.
But procedurally?
Durbin was one of the safest people to take a controversial vote...because he has nothing electoral left to lose...and everything institutional left to protect.
Let’s give a shout out to Speaker Johnson. He described last week’s election victories as no big deal, as people in blue states voted Democratic. At the time, I was aghast but guess what? Apparently he was 100% correct. The four women and four men who clothe themselves in a Democratic cape should resign.
Many reports are treating them kindly by calling them “moderates”. Does this imply all others are far left wing radicals as the current president, the current vice-president, the current speaker of the house so often say?
Yes, I am beyond surprised. This Dem gang of eight has severely damaged the last remaining guardrail on this administration. The courts are weak but trying, Congress is its usual fiasco (their approval rating has been low for decades), the executive branch is made up of sexual offenders and thieves, and the voters are having middle fingers flipped at them by their own party. What needed resistance does the Dem party provide? Hmmm 🤔, that answer might be none. Perhaps we can establish our own group of unidentified, masked thugs to yank them out of Congress and deport them back to their home states.
Jack, I think you are being too kind to the eight. They didn't do this to end constituent suffering. They did this to benefit themselves, monetarily most likely. Now every bit of suffering the last 40 days and the ACA suffering to come is the Democrats fault. They will not negotiate in December. I sent Tim Whitakers post this morning to all eight.This country has needed a third party for all of the 50 years I've been voting.
You’re not wrong to feel that way, Marsha. Believe me, I uttered more expletives to the walls around me...yesterday...and hurled more name calling around in my head yesterday than I have on any recent day I can remember.
I think a lot of people are finally saying the quiet part out loud...nobody believes these eight crossed the line out of compassion. The timing...the optics...the carve-outs...the donor pressure....it all points in one direction...self-preservation and self-interest...not public service. Or, as I shouted yesterday, "Cowardly son of bitches!"
And you’re also right about the political fallout.
Republicans will now weaponize this as “Democrats caved” and use it to justify refusing to negotiate in December. The suffering gets pinned on the party that tried to hold the line...because eight people...wanted a shortcut.
But here’s the part I want you to hear...and it's the same thing I must keep reminding myself:
This isn’t the whole Democratic Party.
This is eight senators...willing to trade away leverage and public trust...and they’ve earned every ounce of scrutiny coming their way....and then some.
Your instinct to send Whitaker’s post to all eight?
Perfect. Keep the pressure high and local. These people need to feel political pain for the pain they helped inflict.
As for a third party...
I get it. I truly do. I was in "F*ck them ALL" mode yesterday for a bit.
Half the country feels politically homeless. But right now...in this moment...the danger is too high and the authoritarian machine too organized for us to fracture completely.
We fix this by punishing cowardice...not splintering the coalition that still stands between democracy and the abyss.
As Newsom put it, "Pathetic". And also sickeningly true to the Democrats' Pee Wee Herman fighting style of the past ten years. I'm thoroughly disgusted with all the AIPAC/NORPAC whores on both sides of the aisle on capitol hill, but especially with the group I hereby offiicially dub The Hateful 8.
Totally get it, Buck...and I share the disgust. Let’s channel it into leverage...not just heat. We name the “Hateful 8,” publish receipts...cut off donations...fund primaries...and light up their offices with constituent pressure. No blank checks for apostates. Consequences... loudly and locally.
I remain sick that the eight people did not see consequences to come and a precedent that such caving established. It had seemed that we could trust. Where is there to go from here?
I have seen parents crack and give into children, only to have a lifetime of stronger rebellion as their children push harder because they realize that there will always be a breaking point to get what they want. Those parents break again and again, yet they do not even realize where they went wrong, despite good advice from helpful sources. There will be a change of representation in the Senate in time, but there is much loss in the meantime, and every moment counts.
How can we come through this? How can we stop the willingness of specific people to want to torture, deprive, and even knowingly kill people by their inexcusable political actions to gain power for themselves?
I was distraught when the democrats caved. But sometimes there's a greater good. It proved to the people Democrats have heart, love, empathy and connection with people. The GOP are trump bots. They are not human. I also thought there might be a long game we weren't seeing. It was....Grijalva. Moses wouldn't seat her. Because Epstein. His hand was forced when the democrats "caved". He seated her, she signed the discharge and the document tranche happened. So, maybe the house dems were chatting with the senate on what they had access to...
I think the Dems proved Reps don’t care about helping health insurance premiums go down or feeding poor people. And l am hopeful that this caught the attention of people who normally don’t pay attention and they will vote Blue next November.
I was listening to Allison Ill on a podcast and she was saying that these 8 have been bought by an airline company because of their financial support they got from this specific airline company. She feels that there were phone calls to this gang o8 and were told they had to join the repubs and get the country open because this shut down was causing to much financial loss and disruption. I think that makes perfect sense. It is all about the money. The other person on the podcast was Wajahat Ali who said he had the same feeling and looked up who was the money people for these 8 people.
After all those wins on Tuesday, this feels like the Dems just shot themselves in the balls. I am heartsick about this.
Totally understand, Rebecca...and you’re not alone. (Rebecca has always been one of my favorite names)
It does feel like that.
After a week where Democrats finally had momentum...finally had clarity...finally had a story that cut through the noise… eight senators walked in and fired a bullet straight into their own foot and the party’s messaging advantage.
But here’s the part I want you to hold onto...
This wasn’t “the Democrats.”
This was eight Democrats.
Forty-plus held the line.
Forty-plus understood the stakes.
Forty-plus stayed unified after a massive Tuesday win.
And that matters.
Does it still sting? Oh, F*ck yes!!
Does it undercut a moment that could’ve been a turning point? Absolutely.
Is heartsick the right word? Honestly… yeah.
But this wasn’t a structural collapse...it was a betrayal...by a small group who will now carry the weight of this decision on their backs.
They didn’t represent the party.
They represented themselves.
And the backlash they’re getting right now...from every corner of the base...proves the coalition hasn’t lost its clarity. In fact...it’s making people more determined...not less.
It’s okay to feel gutted.
Just don’t confuse eight bad actors with the movement that’s still fighting like hell. And, yes...I have to remind myself of that as well.
-Jack
Brings a whole new meaning to The Gang of Eight.
IT’S NOT OVER UNTIL THE VOTE IS TAKEN. AMERICANS SHOULD FLOOD THE STREETS. PARTICULARLY THE CONSTITUENTS OF THESE TURNCOATS MUST LET THEM KNOW THE PENALTY FOR BETRAYING OUR DEMOCRACY.
There is no penalty for any of the senators who have announced their retirements. However, there is the penalty of all of us living with what happens to our country as a consequence of their breaking. While it is good that some people’s suffering will stop for now, what trust do we have in our leaders? What guarantee is there that the inflictors of such pains will refrain from causing more pain at the expense of many people?
It wouldn’t surprise me if the current president floated the idea of SELECT retired Congress members losing their retiree health.
Mary E., so much is happening to the detriment of people who deserve better. While no president has such a right, you are right to be suspicious, and probably in number of ways.
Jack, I read this commentary, with great care, but I still don’t get it. Yes, I get the implications. What mI don’t get, specifically why in that moment when they were dealing with a strong hand, those eight Democrats broke rank and caved
Here's the stripped down...raw version, W.:
They weren’t playing the same game.
They weren’t at risk.
Not up for reelection. No personal cost for losing leverage.
Their incentives were different.
Donors...committees...leadership pressure...not public fallout.
This was almost certainly a “rotating villain” move.
Leadership signals who can safely break ranks.
It’s a known pattern in Washington.
They thought the PR war was already lost.
Inside the building...they believed continuing the shutdown would hurt all Democrats more than their own defection would hurt them.
Their donors love “deal-makers.”
To you it looks like surrender.
To their funding ecosystem..it looks like “adults in the room.”
They assumed outrage would fade.
That’s how senators survive messy votes...betting on short public memory.
They didn’t think they’d face consequences.
Nobody breaks like that unless they feel protected.
So the simple answer?
They didn’t collapse under pressure.
They followed their incentives...not the party’s...not the country’s.
That’s all it was.
-Jack
Ultimately, follow the money.
I, for one, don’t know what that specific connection is, yet. But it’s there.
Looks like it might be AIPAC, as all eight of those senators get a lot of money from them apparently. What the specific connection is, I still don’t know.
Don't necessarily disagree, though my thinking is it's likely bigger than that (while acknowledging that for some nothing is bigger than AIPAC).
Q: What's bigger?
A: Sunk costs associated with AI/data center build-out. We're talking multiple trillions here. The current USA economy is dependent on the associated software and hardware, which feed otherwise dying industrial sectors, e.g, oil and natgas; construction and, to some degree, labor; manufacturing (heavy equipment, components,..); etc.
All this feeds the widely-acknowledged overvalued stock market, which is pretty much the only thing keeping our USA economy afloat right now, and for the foreseeable future.
Airline Pac… I heard they who dissented all get $ from them
I believe — now — that you’ve nailed it.
This is just disgusting! The Democrats still think the Republicans will bargain in good faith. The Dems are just Charlie Brown to Reps Lucy’s promise that she won’t pull the football out. They have learned NOTHING! It’s bad enough that we, the rank & file, are battling against Trump and the dismantling of our country, we now have to battle against our cowardly party. Especially Tim Cain from Virginia. Did he not learn a thing from the great election results in his own state? Time to hit the phones today.
Further, the capitulators didn’t give We the People even a brief moment, a chance, to rally and mitigate potential harm flowing from the SNAP impasse. We must see to it that all our resources (not just donation dollars but also time & energy) go to primarying every one of the timid, feckless, political-malpracticing ten.
Further, no more donation dollars to any incumbent Democratic Party members in leadership positions who failed to maintain cohesion and unity.
Agree 💯!
Chuck Schumer needs to go. He may have voted no but it is rumored he helped to broker the deal. No matter as the outcome is the same. We showed ourselves as weak, disorganized, and afraid. However, this is nothing new. The democratic leadership has been weak and silent for months.
When 7 million of us showed up as we have for months, they thought they enough "cover" to side with The People. Meanwhile The People working locally were scrambling for resources and food for the vulnerable. Enter stage right, the capitulating democrats with Schumer hiding in plain sight.
Friends have called me that they are changing their affiliation. They definitely are stopping contributions to the party, individuals only. Every single projected fallout you wrote, Jack, will come to pass if this leadership continues.
The party has to ask itself: who are your constituents? Who are you fighting for?
I don't think they know. The people who have been reading your newsletter know. The people who are out in the streets protecting their neighbors know. The people meeting in garages for strategies know. Gavin Newsom knows. Bernie knows. AOC knows. Whitehouse knows and Warren and Swalwell and Crockett and Jamie Raskin and others. Union members and teachers and nurses and doctors all know.
After losing 1.5 billion $$ in the last presidential election, the Democrat leaders still dont know. It is why no one cared to speak to The People. No one could explain what happened nor wanted to talk about it. So the Right filled in the narrative and kept filling in for the dearth of response.
When all else fails to make sense, we know the answer in America is money. Follow the money.
All eight of these…Democrats that voted yes take AIPAC money. Especially Rosen, Durbin, Hassen and Kaine are getting super big bucks, not to mention the incredible donation that the fearless leader Schumer gets from AIPAC. Trump and the Netanyahu are in lock step which implies that there is pressure from that quarter. I don’t think it’s just altruism that’s pushing the Dem Party. What do they say on crime shows; “Follow The Money”.
Totally hear you, Vbaklini...and you’re pointing to something very real...and here’s how I’d frame it so we stay grounded...accurate...and strategically lethal...instead of drifting into territory the right will twist against us:
You’re absolutely right that AIPAC money is a major factor in who broke ranks. You're damn right it was. That’s not speculation...it’s publicly documented.
These eight all take donations from them...and some of them take a LOT. That influence doesn’t disappear just because a vote happens to be domestic instead of foreign-policy related.
But here’s the critical distinction...
It’s not that some foreign leader is pulling strings.
It’s that a powerful donor network is buying access...influence...and comfort...and eight Democrats are far too willing to play along.
That’s the real story.
It’s not altruism.
It’s not political courage.
It’s not “doing what’s right for constituents.”
It’s power, pressure, and money... in exactly the proportions we’ve come to expect...from the worst corners of Capitol Hill.
You’re dead-on with the crime-show line:
Follow the money.
And when you do...the picture becomes painfully clear...
These eight weren’t thinking about long-term strategy.
They weren’t thinking about leverage in December.
And they sure as hell weren’t thinking about the millions who’ll pay the price for this vote
.
They were thinking about donors...relationships...and the path of least resistance.
But here’s the silver lining...
The backlash they’re getting...from the base...from activists...from everyday voters...is the strongest I’ve seen in years. People are connecting the dots. People are naming names.
And people are done...treating this stuff like it’s untouchable.
So you’re not wrong.
But you’re also not alone...a lot of Democrats...independents...and even moderates are suddenly realizing the same pattern:
When you follow the money...you find out who’s serving the public…
and who’s serving their benefactors.
And now we know exactly which eight belong in the second category.
By the way, am I still cursing more than usual today? You better believe I am.
-Jack
Want to thank you. Your work has helped get me through the rage and the sadness and provided tools to help me think things through, and stuff that needs to be done. Keep up the good resistance, we hear ya.
Thank you. Gotta admit...my eyes got damp on that one. YOU...are strong. You're welcome.
-Jack
Thank you, that explains a lot
Why do you think in that moment?
Punishment for last Tuesday. Can’t have We the People truly believing in self-determination or consent of the governed.
Pragmatically, not as long as big money donations run the election campaigns.
Ps: Its a damn good thing that yesterday you gave us the techniques to stay calm!
Sorry, I am not staying calm. This just fired me up more.
:)
The Dems may never recover from this. It seems like it is time for the Working Peoples Party to rise up and claim the mantle of middle and lower class America. The Democrats have shown that they can't be trusted to win a tough fight. They had the Republicans on the ropes, then backed off and gave them the win. The fight for our democracy just got twice as hard. We must redouble our efforts! Keep the faith in the Constitution!
Senator Dick Durbin from Illinois has already announced his retirement. Why would he crack? Something is not adding up.
Maybe it’s for what he gets after he retires.🤷🏼♀️
Durbin retiring is exactly why his vote looks confusing, Charli...but here’s the part most people miss:
Retirement doesn’t free a Senator from pressure.
It frees them from voters.
And when voters are no longer the pressure…
other forces take their place.
That includes:
1. Committee legacy:
Durbin cares deeply about the Judiciary Committee. Retiring senators often try to protect their institutional relationships...their protégés...and their final-year influence.
2. Donor networks and long-term alliances:
Retirement doesn’t cancel decades of relationships. In fact...it’s often when those relationships matter most...for future roles...foundations...boards...and post-Senate positions.
3. Leadership expectations:
Durbin is part of leadership. If leadership signaled, “We need someone to take this hit,” he’s one of the people who can do it...without facing reelection consequences.
4. The freedom to absorb blame:
Retirees are useful to leadership...because they can absorb backlash without risking the seat.
5. Personal worldview:
Durbin is known as an institutionalist...meaning he’s wired to prioritize “the stability of the system” over leverage or confrontation.
Retiring doesn’t change that; in some ways it makes it stronger.
So no, it doesn’t “add up” emotionally.
But procedurally?
Durbin was one of the safest people to take a controversial vote...because he has nothing electoral left to lose...and everything institutional left to protect.
That's the part most people don’t see.
-Jack
Thank you for taking the time to explain provide some insight to this seemingly crazy move.
Let’s give a shout out to Speaker Johnson. He described last week’s election victories as no big deal, as people in blue states voted Democratic. At the time, I was aghast but guess what? Apparently he was 100% correct. The four women and four men who clothe themselves in a Democratic cape should resign.
Many reports are treating them kindly by calling them “moderates”. Does this imply all others are far left wing radicals as the current president, the current vice-president, the current speaker of the house so often say?
Yes, I am beyond surprised. This Dem gang of eight has severely damaged the last remaining guardrail on this administration. The courts are weak but trying, Congress is its usual fiasco (their approval rating has been low for decades), the executive branch is made up of sexual offenders and thieves, and the voters are having middle fingers flipped at them by their own party. What needed resistance does the Dem party provide? Hmmm 🤔, that answer might be none. Perhaps we can establish our own group of unidentified, masked thugs to yank them out of Congress and deport them back to their home states.
Jack, I think you are being too kind to the eight. They didn't do this to end constituent suffering. They did this to benefit themselves, monetarily most likely. Now every bit of suffering the last 40 days and the ACA suffering to come is the Democrats fault. They will not negotiate in December. I sent Tim Whitakers post this morning to all eight.This country has needed a third party for all of the 50 years I've been voting.
You’re not wrong to feel that way, Marsha. Believe me, I uttered more expletives to the walls around me...yesterday...and hurled more name calling around in my head yesterday than I have on any recent day I can remember.
I think a lot of people are finally saying the quiet part out loud...nobody believes these eight crossed the line out of compassion. The timing...the optics...the carve-outs...the donor pressure....it all points in one direction...self-preservation and self-interest...not public service. Or, as I shouted yesterday, "Cowardly son of bitches!"
And you’re also right about the political fallout.
Republicans will now weaponize this as “Democrats caved” and use it to justify refusing to negotiate in December. The suffering gets pinned on the party that tried to hold the line...because eight people...wanted a shortcut.
But here’s the part I want you to hear...and it's the same thing I must keep reminding myself:
This isn’t the whole Democratic Party.
This is eight senators...willing to trade away leverage and public trust...and they’ve earned every ounce of scrutiny coming their way....and then some.
Your instinct to send Whitaker’s post to all eight?
Perfect. Keep the pressure high and local. These people need to feel political pain for the pain they helped inflict.
As for a third party...
I get it. I truly do. I was in "F*ck them ALL" mode yesterday for a bit.
Half the country feels politically homeless. But right now...in this moment...the danger is too high and the authoritarian machine too organized for us to fracture completely.
We fix this by punishing cowardice...not splintering the coalition that still stands between democracy and the abyss.
You’re not being too harsh.
You, Marsha...are being honest.
-Jack
As Newsom put it, "Pathetic". And also sickeningly true to the Democrats' Pee Wee Herman fighting style of the past ten years. I'm thoroughly disgusted with all the AIPAC/NORPAC whores on both sides of the aisle on capitol hill, but especially with the group I hereby offiicially dub The Hateful 8.
Totally get it, Buck...and I share the disgust. Let’s channel it into leverage...not just heat. We name the “Hateful 8,” publish receipts...cut off donations...fund primaries...and light up their offices with constituent pressure. No blank checks for apostates. Consequences... loudly and locally.
-Jack
I remain sick that the eight people did not see consequences to come and a precedent that such caving established. It had seemed that we could trust. Where is there to go from here?
I have seen parents crack and give into children, only to have a lifetime of stronger rebellion as their children push harder because they realize that there will always be a breaking point to get what they want. Those parents break again and again, yet they do not even realize where they went wrong, despite good advice from helpful sources. There will be a change of representation in the Senate in time, but there is much loss in the meantime, and every moment counts.
How can we come through this? How can we stop the willingness of specific people to want to torture, deprive, and even knowingly kill people by their inexcusable political actions to gain power for themselves?
Well, DAMmit!
I was distraught when the democrats caved. But sometimes there's a greater good. It proved to the people Democrats have heart, love, empathy and connection with people. The GOP are trump bots. They are not human. I also thought there might be a long game we weren't seeing. It was....Grijalva. Moses wouldn't seat her. Because Epstein. His hand was forced when the democrats "caved". He seated her, she signed the discharge and the document tranche happened. So, maybe the house dems were chatting with the senate on what they had access to...
I think the Dems proved Reps don’t care about helping health insurance premiums go down or feeding poor people. And l am hopeful that this caught the attention of people who normally don’t pay attention and they will vote Blue next November.
I was listening to Allison Ill on a podcast and she was saying that these 8 have been bought by an airline company because of their financial support they got from this specific airline company. She feels that there were phone calls to this gang o8 and were told they had to join the repubs and get the country open because this shut down was causing to much financial loss and disruption. I think that makes perfect sense. It is all about the money. The other person on the podcast was Wajahat Ali who said he had the same feeling and looked up who was the money people for these 8 people.