I’m glad congressional Democrats are finally taking steps to deal with their sclerotic, ineffective and increasingly out-of-touch leadership and building a future with younger—oh wait.
The thing that made me so pessimistic about the future of this country was when I learned that the people who advised Hillary’s 2016 campaign were still advising Harris’ 2024 campaign. They failed multiple times and the consequences have been catastrophic, but they held on to their positions anyway. I have no reason to think they won’t be back in 2028, because the people who have a say in who gets party leadership are people selected by the old leadership. We need a borderline hostile takeover of the Democrat party, and after Trump did it to the Republicans, the existing powers in the Democrat party only entrenched themselves further.
The mayor from Jaws 1 was still the mayor in Jaws 2.
Follow the money.
AOC runs several investigations that lead to results.
Connelly… Is old and has seniority.
Great fucking job Democrats. Getting my seat warmer ready for
20222026 already!AOC should abandon the Democratic party. She should join Bernie as an god-damned Independent.
She and Bernie should start a progressive party.
I’m tired of Democrats bowing to oligarchs.
I read that as Democrats blowing oligarchs… Same feel tho
Look up the spoiler effect to learn why they don’t.
We’re already spoiled due to a fucking useless DNC. A complete replacement is warranted at this point.
Replacement takes years, during which it’s spoiling every race and letting us slip into fascism.
We’re already in the age of an authoritarian oligarchy.
Do you think this is the worst it could get?
Republicans have the majority in all 3 houses and it’s 4 years until the next presidential election. When should they be trying to reform things?
They can worry about the spoiler effect… Or they can worry about the massive amount of people who don’t vote because they feel it’s pointless or barely muster enough care to do it.
The fact that these experienced politicians whose judgment you appear to trust, have both decided to work within the existing system should probably sway your opinion of what the optimal strategy is at least a bit more.
There are usually two parties because the game-theoretic dynamic of this electoral system has a significant channelizing effect on the likeliest outcomes. Once you’ve accepted that reality, the (admittedly unsatisfying) optimal strategy becomes apparent.
I say this all with zero rancor - I do not like these arguments either, but the logic of it is difficult to see past. I would prefer the system be overthrown entirely but, and this is key, you go into the revolution with the populace that exists - and they’re going to have their own ideas for what comes next. I’m not so sure I’d like what they bring to the table.
The fact that these experienced politicians whose judgment you appear to trust, have both decided to work within the existing system should probably sway your opinion of what the optimal strategy is at least a bit more.
I like them but would I don’t think I would consider them that successful in respective of their peers. This system is literally against them being successful.
That’s so.
A career in politics hasn’t attracted much high quality talent in general, I think they’d be more successful if there was more of a sense of politics being a good option for good people. It mainly attracts scum these days.
Unfortunately, you are correct. Politicians [in general, not all of them] suck.
Nobody needs to worry about people who don’t vote.
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Worrying about the spoiler effect is why were here in the first place.
The spoiler effect will work in the short term, but if a progressive party can oust the DNC in even a few states Congress should look a lot different to how it is now. A bit of pain is worth it to escape the slow death promised by the DNC.
We’re not really in a position to sacrifice the short term to fascists right now
Stares at the election results I don’t think they needed to wait for anyone to sacrifice anything.
My point is we shouldn’t also be sacrificing the short term, because the wealthy elite in the dnc don’t care, they win either way. We don’t. Ousting them is less destructive than ignoring the biggest flaw of first past the post election systems
My point is we shouldn’t also be sacrificing the short term, because the wealthy elite in the dnc don’t care, they win either way.
That’s preferable, but it’s nearly certain that a strong left wing party would result in more Republican victories due to the spoiler effect. As far as I understand you can only have one or the other (or neither) here.
Yeah… That’s what I was saying
That’s a false worry.
As a Canadian with multiple political parties in our house of parliament, numbers don’t change.
If one left party gets 100 seats, the second left party gets 20, and the right leaning party gets 115 (for example) The right leaning party, yes technically, gets to say they’re in charge. But they can’t really do anything without cooperation from the left.
115 < 120 regardless of the number of parties.
Parties matter less than right vs left matters.
Yes, but if one left party gets 100 votes, the second left party gets 20 votes, and the right leaning party gets 115 (for example) The right leaning party gets the seat.
I’m sure you’ve seen examples of Liberal and NDP votes combined outnumbering the Conservative votes on a riding but the Conservative still won.
Yes. That’s my point. It’s called a minority government and it means no one side can do anything without collaboration from the other side no matter who’s nominally “in charge”.
I’m not talking about total seats, I’m talking about in one specific riding. Whatever district you are in, if the Conservative MP in your area gets 40% of the vote, and the liberal and NDP MPs each get 30% of the vote, the Conservative wins the seat and the other parties get nothing in that district, despite 60% of voters voting for left leaning parties.
I think it’s awesome that Canada is able to support more than 2 parties, but that doesn’t mean the spoiler effect doesn’t exist.
I get that. But my initial comment was/is about total seats, so what are you trying to argue here?
Your initial comment was how the spoiler effect doesn’t exist. When it comes to individual seats it still does.
Make the DNC the spoiler… I think Bernie and the squad could pull enough Dems away, plus get enough new people, to actually have a bigger party than the DNC
“Everyone sort of made the case that they would be the best to help change the message across the country. … He’s a very good communicator,” said Beyer.
Oh yeah that’s exactly what’s going to fix the problem Democrats have. Electing another old ass Clinton era Democrat to a position of power. It’s not like everybody’s pissed at them for losing the Presidency, the House, and the Senate all in one go.
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AOC loses key vote in House Oversight race to Gerry Connolly
an Old. White. man.
Seriously. It’s pissing me off; more so the republicans doing it. we need minority voices. We can’t expect the republicans to do it- lets just be honest here. and I doubt very much if Connolly will be able to push back nearly as much as AOC can and will. (never mind, whether or not he’s willing.)
An old white man with cancer that he announced a month ago. He should be focusing on his treatment, not adding more to his plate.
What the fuck? This is a special dipshit cherry to put on top of just automatically choosing the oldest option. Even if the leadership still hate AOC, choose someone who’s definitely going to be at the top of their game, not award important positions to so he can be proud while taking time off for his pressing health needs.
What the fuck? This is a special dipshit cherry to put on top of just automatically choosing the oldest option.
He won because Pelosi wanted him to win. That is literally the answer.
And give up all that juicy government funded healthcare?
Don’t they get it for life as a perk? All he’d lose is the power
For the moment, maybe.
but I’m fairly certain he’d get better healthcare as a serving rep over a ‘former’ rep.
Gerry Connolly
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gerry_Connolly
The Congressman’s Congressman. He represents the district right outside DC. Also, prior to running for office he worked as an aide to the United States Senate Committee on Foreign Relations where he managed committee oversight of international economic issues, international narcotics control, and United Nations and Middle East policies, and published reports on U.S. policy in El Salvador, Central America, Israel, and the Persian Gulf region.
So, expect a guy who will toe the line on all our accumulated foreign policy blunders while banging a gavel to silence another generation of anti-war protesters.
It gets worse than that, of course.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gerry_Connolly#Legislation_sponsored
Sponsoring legislation with Darrell Issa - a shameless, virulent Silicon Valley shill of a politician - as Trump lards up his cabinet with Friends of Peter Thiel is a bleak sign for the future.
Dude is probably already in diapers. Old as fuck
Apparently diagnosed with cancer, on top of it all.
Democrats would rather nominate a corpse to high office than a Millennial.
Yeah, the cancer diagnosis should have been enough for him to be out. What a shit-show.
HEADLINE: AFTER SEVERAL BEATINGS, DEMOCRATS LEARN NO LESSONS
More the stupid us for thinking things would be any different this time.
A 74-year-old who is dying of cancer was chosen over a 35-year-old rising star at the insistence of an 84-year-old woman (who is currently undergoing hip replacement surgery) just months after an 81-year-old Presidential candidate was forced to drop out of the race because he showed sever symptoms of cognitive decline during a debate. If this were a satire about a gerontocracy, I would think it was too over the top.
And a 78 year old is president elect
Oh yeah, if we’re talking Republicans too, don’t forget that the 82-year-old Senate minority leader, who has had mysterious freezing spells this year, was hospitalized for a fall just last week.
What…
…are you…
talking about?
Are you talking about this? The guy who has cancer?
In my original comment, yes, he is the person with cancer I’m referencing. In the comment you’re replying to, I’m referring to Mitch McConnell, who suddenly froze mid sentence during a press conference.. Twice.
The state of politics is truly terrifying.
Cool a 74 year old, that’s the life expectancy of a male in the US.
Hopefully
Somebody arrest this man.
Wait, what’s your salary?
A 74-year-old with cancer.
What they’re saying: Rep. Don Beyer (D-Va.), a Connolly ally, acknowledged Connolly’s greater seniority likely played a role in his win but argued “it wasn’t just that.”
It wasn’t just that. He also has a penis
This country is totally capable of fighting off creeping fascism. It’s the Democrat leadership that’s not up to the task.
She lost to a 74yr old…yeah that guy needs to retire. Get out of the fucking way.
Connolly had 34 and AOC had 27, but there is a full caucus vote tomorrow.
Could you explain what this means? I learned a lot back in 2016, a bit more in 2020, but find I’m still a bit ignorant.
In the US House there are 16 committees. There are ranking chairs and minority chairs for each committee, along with committee members. The ranking chairs are for the majority, in this Congress the Republicans. The minority chairs are, of course, for the Dems. The chairs dictate subjects, schedule and rules. The Republicans choose their chairs, the Democrats vote for theirs. AOC is running for the minority chair of the Oversight Committee, which is the main investigative committee of Congress. They took a straw vote today and AOC lost, but all of the Dems will vote tomorrow.
Thank you for the overview. I wasn’t aware of these nuances. Our system is so damned complicated.
Democrats running out of foot to shoot themselves in
Gerry Connolly more like Gerry Atric.
If AOC sticks with the Democratic party instead of going independent she proves the DNC was right to deny her power. Why bother caving to AOC’S demands if she will keep sheepdogging people to the party and get nothing in return?
One House Democrat aligned with Ocasio-Cortez told Axios that steering is “made up of the most senior members,” making it not her most receptive venue.
Because having senior members has worked so well so far…I get senior also means experience, but we need some new blood too, not status quo. And the past experience so far with AOC’s roles in committees shows she has what’s needed.
