Senator Jeanne Shaheen just threw the minority leader under the bus.
Senator Jeanne Shaheen revealed that Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer knew the entire time about the plan for a few Democrats to capitulate to Republicans on the government shutdown.
Shaheen, one of the seven Democrats (and one independent) who dropped their demand for a guaranteed extension of Obamacare subsidies, spoke to Fox News’s Brian Kilmeade on Monday morning.
Aside from serving as further proof that the Democrats are failing to act as an opposition party in any meaningful way, Shaheen’s comments also reveal one of two possible scenarios. Either Schumer was scheming to end the shutdown behind the scenes, only pretending to be against it while pinning the blame on the eight people who aren’t up for reelection anytime soon, or he has no control over his party. Either way, it proves the need for Democrats to jettison the minority leader.
The voters handed the dems huge gains during the shutdown election, there’s no clearer way they could have signaled we were behind them, and yet they betray us.
It seems to me that this might have been a strategic move to get the best result out of the midterms. The Republicans have shown their true colors. Trump throwing lavish parties while conducting a legal battle in the supreme court to ensure that millions of Americans are denied the food aid that was specifically put aside for that purpose, is about as much political capital as you could hope to gain from this. But why is it so important to Trump, to see Americans starve? I believe the reason is that starvation is what you need to instigate a violent insurrection, and that’s Trump’s plan for staying in power indefinitely. He will declare a state of emergency, martial law, suspend the midterms until the present crisis is dealt with, etc. The Dems caving in denies him the chance to do this, while still showing the maga party for the evil bastards they are. And maybe we get to see the Epstein files now? I could be giving establishment Dems more benefit of the doubt than they deserve, but that’s how it looks to me.
Im not convinced. Trump has demonstrated time and time again he doesnt need to institute martial law to remain in power. All branches of goverment have capitulated to him and effectively given him the power of a king. I keep seeing “Trump wants violence so he can stay in power” and it really reads as “if you dont want fascism, make sure you roll over when confronted with it”
All branches of goverment have capitulated to him and effectively given him the power of a king.
It’s not 100% capitulation. There’s pushback here and there. And it’s a house of cards. In order to secure his position he needs to remove all potential opposition, including within his own party. There has to be a violent purge. Things need to be stepped up a notch.
Same goes for his oppression of the people. His recent use of the armed forces to intimidate and silence the people is just a dress rehearsal. Testing out the process.
“if you dont want fascism, make sure you roll over when confronted with it”
Democrats roll over all the time, and it’s infuriating, but just occasionally it might actually be the smart move. If the democratic process can still operate, it offers a way to hamstring this administration. And if not, it delegitimises their position to a point where organized large scale resistance is both feasible and necessary. That might work out better than full scale escalation right now.
Interesting take, thanks.
Shaheen, one of the seven Democrats (and one independent) who dropped their demand for a guaranteed extension of Obamacare subsidies, spoke to Fox News’s Brian Kilmeade on Monday morning.
So she was bragging to Fox on her and her co-collaborators conservative bonafides.
Democrats as a party do have an issue with Republicans infiltrating…
The possibility of infiltrators is meaningless when the Democrats are themselves a pro-capitalist neoliberal party. Their fundamental class interests do not allow them to make reform that is beneficial to the working class. This is why whenever the Dems are in power they either outright refuse to do anything meaningful, or the reforms they do pass are so convoluted and means-tested-to-hell that they end up making things worse in some way.
this explains the perpetual right-wing movement of the government when it comes to social, ethnic and minority rights. “left-wing” parties do not reverse authoritarian changes in their terms of power, allowing the far right party to resume course when they toggle back into power.
You lost me when you called Dems neoliberal.
There are like 3 neoliberal democrats.
Democrats are mostly modern liberals.
Republicans are classical liberals and neoliberals.
Would it really hurt you to learn the definition of a few words? Reagan was the US neoliberal movement.
What are you talking about? Every President since Reagan has been neoliberal.
Sure if you are a Marxist Leninist.
Clinton embraced some neoliberal policy. Obama was not a neoliberal and tells me you don’t understand what neoliberal means. Biden was the most progressive president we have ever had lol. (Since FDR.)
But sure “neoliberal.”
Neoliberals believe in the de-regulation of capital, which has been the outcome of every president since Reagan, regardless of the words they use to win elections.
And Biden was progressive? Lol you really have no idea what words mean.
Wrong way to look at it.
Democrats and republicans share the same donors. They may individually have different goals in mind, but their donors appeal to both sides to preserve a guaranteed outcome and to preserve the image of choice and opposition.
Really though what we have is anyone who wants to make a fast dime and has the gift of gab throwing themselves into the ring to try to get some of that sweet, sweet donor bribery.
Probably not Republicans. Just cunts that had a price tag higher than most. They are all being bought off for 10s of millions of dollars if not more. They all have an exit strategy. Make sure you are manning the doors the day they finally try to make their swift exit. They have been made promises that they and their families will be safe. Make them rue that decision.
Please let me be in me of your token Democrats when you complete your takeover. I’ll be good, and do whatever you want, if I can just stay in office.
Remember everyone. Moderate Democrats in USA are Center-Right in World Politics. They might as well be 2 sides of the same coin
If you are a voter who wants real change put in progressives, or indpendents that actually lean left in World politics
Run For Something trains progressive candidates to run and win. Couple days ago they won big for various elections when we had that very good day
They also have on Substack: RFS Feel Good which gives weekly updates about everything they have accomplished in & out of office
Volunteer to help more candidates & current officials to get things done!!
*European politics NOT “world politics”.
Not everyone is following the same trends and left/right are relative to the society in question.
We must always be extremely careful spreading Eurocentric notions as being “the world’s view” as the history of that type of thinking is extremely ugly.
Apologies, anything you would suggest for better format of talking about it?
Yes, I would use the term “European politics”. If that makes you go “wait that sounds weird”, then don’t make that comparison.
Sorry but this is a huge pet peeve of mine. Too many people assert that what is true mostly fir Western Europe is the case for all nations and that’s silly at best.
Nah, it’s really important to have external framing otherwise you start to accept the present Overton Window as just the way things are. Things like 32 of 33 developed western democracies don’t have the problems the US does with healthcare. Sure, those other countries aren’t the US, but that’s kind of the point, and still relevant to conversations about US healthcare.
But that’s a singular issue. It isn’t as if everyone agrees as to the role of the police or to what degree they may become violent and under which conditions. I would argue that is an issue that is more indicative of what a society’s views on power are than healthcare would be.
Right now the GOP would be extremely progressive in Iran. There’s no “world scale” that really works.
Would the GOP be extremely progressive in Iran?
I would suspect if the GOP was in Iran they would want to dismantle much of the State Welfare Organization which provides universal health insurance, including mental health and addiction treatment.
And even if we focus on Iran’s horrific, regressive LGBT policies, are you so confident that the majority of the GOP disagrees? The current Overton window does not allow Republicans to openly propose making gay marriage or being trans illegal, but it’s safe to say that’s what many of them want. It’s practically written in Project 2025.
And on foreign policy, the GOP would never stand for Iran’s cautious de-escalatory approach. When Israel attacks, the GOP would be braying for bloody revenge.
I don’t claim to be an Iran expert, but I feel like the GOP would be center right.
The current Overton window does not allow Republicans to openly propose making gay marriage or being trans illegal,
The GOP literally lost a case for the former yesterday.
Yes proposing the removal of Islamic theocrats to be replaced with people who lean towards theocracy but are not actively pushing for it would be progressive.
The GOP doesn’t want LGBT+ people immediately imprisoned whereas Iran does.
What de-escalatory policy do you have evidence for? Iran finances a lot of militias and terrorist/paramilitary groups that engage in violence regularly.
The GOP would be progressive for Iran.
lol but you are wrong…
Immigration, social issues, criminal justice, social safety and healthcare.
Just because YOU think of Europe doesnt mean everyone is talking about the same thing as you…
Im not sure what you are trying to day here. Can you please clarify what you mean?
You assume that by talking about healthcare they were only talking about Europe but those are all of the policies the US Overton window is further right than the norm. It’s more like “Europe, most of South America, Oceania parts of Africa and Asia.”
So no not just European at all lol
Ok you did not correctly follow that discussion.
OP claimed the perspective they gave was “the world’s perspective”. I pointed out that take is really only in line with Western Europe as every nation is in different places and you cannot really say “the democrats are center left” because outside of developed Western European nations that claim makes zero sense. For example the democrats would not be center right in almost any African nation or most of Eastern Asia.
Just like there are a ton of Americans who do not see other’s perspectives there is a massive amount of people who equate what is true for Europe as to being true for all.
I wish Run for Something was doing anything in my area. Only person they got is on the other side of the state. Not even anything for the nearby major city.
If there’s nobody in your area doing anything politically exciting, it’s not Run for Something’s fault. Individuals from all over the country choose to sign up with RfS. They’re not a touring group going around recruiting from some major cities, but not others.
Perhaps you need to spread the word about RfS locally? I mean if you really want local change, it can totally start with you.
Which state? Also join other state ones, & up with other cities/towns in your state. That way you can help ech other, & they can teach you how to get others active in your area along with nearby major city to get things done. Then expand to the state
Have hope, & take action at least a couple hours a day it’ll be very worth. I believe in all of us
I live in Missouri a little over 30 minutes drive from St. Louis.
Don’t have to go in person at first. They do meetings online/ phone calls/ etc. There are in person events but those are for after people are setup to get things done
Don’t waste your gas. First connect with them online, then meetup in-person. Ask them how you can get other people active too so in your area and nearby it makes it easier
RFS has an Online Community that is basically a forum too as another option to contact everybody in the community once you sign up to join. Can just use a throwaway email/Proton/Alias/etc
Look on, Bluesky/Mastodon/Lemmy/etc to contact people who are publicly posting about getting things done. Who are doing
Go at it from multiple angles. There are many people in Missouri who will want to be on your side but first you gotta find them and learn how to do together
Even though Missouri is gerrymandered it can still happen. And if not then at least none of you will be alone because you will be connected to each other along with national, & international allies
I had not heard of this. Thanks for getting the word out
No problem!! Together we can do anything! Also read my post on political discussions community here on Lemmy. It’s an informative & morale boosting post
Edit: Here’s the link:
Run For Something trains progressive candidates to run and win
Huh? They have though. I don’t understand what you’re trying to say
I think he’s saying Mayo Pete runs for preserving the status quo?
Why are any dems appearing on Fox “News”?
Why are any dems appearing on Fox “News”?
To reach their target audience.
I think it’s good that some do. I especially love Pete Buttigieg’s efforts on fox. For all those millions of chronic fox viewers, it’s the only way they’ll ever hear a rational perspective on any issues, and it might just be enough to get some of them to start thinking again.
Ehh, maybe Pete will take some notes from Mamdani and stay on a populus economic message and resist the culture war stuff.
They want to appeal to the Republicans’ Never Trump demographic again.
I mean, that’s not a bad thing to do assuming you are making the right cases. It’s more of the cases being made that’s the issue rather than where they are making them. If your case is good, you should want it to go to the people who are against you. Worse case it does nothing, best case it puts someone on the path to changing their mind.
Why do any Republicans go on CNN?
I’m guessing to get in front of millions of viewers, but I’m not an expert.
Of course he knew about it, and his career should be over. They held out all that time, so they could get a massive midterm victory, just to completely surrender all their new political capital, in exchange for literally nothing.
While American citizens see the modterm election as a victory, Democrats don’t really see it that way. That was a Progressive victory, and the Dems look at it as almost as big a loss as the MAGAs do. They weren’t about to keep holding out, and giving the Socialists another victory to run on 2028.
If AOC primaried him, she would destroy him.
I agree with everything you said except for calling this a midterm election. Midterms are next year, and primaries are ramping up, so NOW is the time for everybody to start researching and supporting ideal candidates so that you can have a shot at being proud of your vote at the general election.
Fun fact: of the eight non-Republicans to cave, exactly ZERO of them are up for reelection in 2026. To be clear, 2 of them have terms ending at the start of 2027, but they’re both retiring and therefore not running. Nobody will remember this in 3 years, so they’re suffering exactly zero consequences for this sellout.
You’re right, it wasn’t a Midterm. I lost my head for a moment because this off year election almost had the feeling and energy of a Midterm, and also the exultant feeling you get after a big Midterm win.
The real Midterms next year are going to be much different than usual. The stakes haven’t been this high since before the Civil War, and the campaign is actually going to be scary, and very likely violent.
And that’s if he allows elections. If he doesn’t, there will DEFINITELY be violence.
Of course he did.
His whip was publicly swaying traitors ahead of the vote. And all the “yes” votes are people who aren’t up next year or who are actively retiring. That is how they do stuff like this. Protect the traitors who can get re-elected and make the people getting their lobbyist payouts the bogeymen.
So Chuck Schumer knew this would Happy and Therefore PURPOSELY let People get Kicked off SNAP during the Holidays? GREAT! THAT"S my Type of Leader!
That’s the double whammy to me. It’s bad enough that we lost and got nothing for it, but we paid a huge price.
For like, the longest time, I got tired of people saying both sides are bad. There has to be some good in the Democrats somewhere to balance out or overtake the shittyness of Republicans.
But now, after however many stupid avoidable moves the Democrats have made, including this one. I’m not sure anymore. Possibly, now.
The only good person in my book is Bernie Sanders, still.
This is just standard Democrat strategy.
Their job - the service their rich donors pay them for - is to provide the illusion of opposition to the steady expansion of the wealth and privilege of those same rich donors.
So they posture in order to appear to be opposition, but then they inevitably cave, one way or another, whatever it takes.
There was never any question that the Dems were going to cave - that’s what they always do. The only questions were specifically how and when they were going to do it
And now we know.
There is no hope left. The only cure for the corruption is to cut it out. Guillotines make for an excellent blade for excision.
Part of the reason there is no hope is comments like these.
You aren’t going to do that, so stop focusing on fictional power fantasies.
As opposed to what? Fantasies on voting ourselves into progress? Fantasies on believing some candidate is going to save us? We all voted for Bernie in 2016. We’re all voting against Trump. America is pissed. Where is our outrage supposed to be aimed at and what can we do?
As opposed to what? Fantasies on voting ourselves into progress?
These aren’t fantasies. They’re at least plausible.
Fantasies on believing some candidate is going to save us?
Beliefs that any one person can save you are part of the problem.
We all voted for Bernie in 2016.
Yeah, and you keep voting for progressive elements within the only party that is even possible to shift towards that element until you’ve taken them over. It takes a shit ton of time, is unfun, and wont get you anything near instant results, but its the cards you’re dealt. You deal with them or don’t.
We’re all voting against Trump. America is pissed. Where is our outrage supposed to be aimed at and what can we do?
Discouraging people from doing anything is the opposite of helpful though, and encouraging people is something you can do. That along with participating in more than just federal politics.
I still can’t get used to being quote replied. It’s weird. Feels like being dissected.
Anyways. History doesn’t show substantial victory in voting. Voting keeps a citizen government moving policies around slowly. Unfortunately our current system is anything but by the people It’s chaos, uncertain, and most definitely untenable to people. This is a government of blue corporates who want a president with decorum to make deals with the world, and red oligarchs who thrive on the chaos, privatization, and a rauntier economy. Unfortunately the past 10 years the oligarchs have won. No 4 year Biden presidency is going to fix what the country has become. Not a 2 term social democratic administration can fix this without absolutely dismantling what the country has become. And unfortunately that is going to be violent.
Aristotle wrote when the oligarchal system is created with the inequities we see now, the only two choices are tyranny or revolution.
Even in your comment you point out it won’t be fixed in one term as if that’s the expectation, but that’s what I’m talking about here. It was never going to be 1, 2 or even 3 terms. Its a long, slow process.
When people don’t see immediate rapid change and give up, instead waiting for it to get so bad, it gets even worse (fictional revolution thinking), this just makes the system as it is more entrenched. They’ll happily keep you at bay.
I’m trying to tell you there’s no slow process change out of this administration. Neither party cares for the people at large and neither will give up power without revolutionary thinking. Even if a Biden like presidency and administration runs for the next 12 years the American people will not be better off. And unfortunately the alternative that is needed for the people isn’t one that has a foot in the door to even start the slow process rolling. Look at Mamdani. The backlash is heavy and he hasn’t even started.
I’m trying to tell you there’s no slow process change out of this administration.
You better hope there is, because you certainly aren’t going to be participating in any fast “you first” ones.
There is a slim chance that people who spend more time ensuring democrats don’t get votes, bitching about them while complaining there is a solution, stopped doing that and democrats won in 2026 with sufficient margins to withstand all the bullshit levied at it.
This would of course involve things like prop 50 being in place (which passed), and thats all increasingly looking like hail mary too, all because yall wont accept anything except a perfect hail mary, which will never come.
Well said. One last point, the fucks in charge right now are just itching for violence and are scratching as hard as they can to open a wound.
They don’t need you to do anything to get the violence they want. You are in a place where masked goons are rounding up and disappearing people while your “opposition” party gives in at every opportunity.
And one last point, no where have the people above discouraged anyone from doing anything, just that what has been done has had little to no effect (true).
A progressive revolution by force isn’t going to work if you don’t have a progressive majority. If you’re waging a civil war, it’s a toss up who will win. But if you do have a majority, you can also just vote more progressives into power.
Either way, you’re going to have to convince a lot of people to join your side. That’s the first step: awareness, protests. And the recent election victories show that it’s working. Keep building this so you win all the seats in the midterms.
Schumer has zero control over his party when even the party whip pledges to defect. But he apparently refused to vote for the Democratic candidate for NYC mayor, so this is entirely expected and precedented.
At best this is a massive gamble with the absolute last of the dregs of goodwill anyone left of center has for th democratic party. I’m predicting a lot of frustration -signalling throwing of hands in the air and performative filibusters in Shumer’s future, and not much else.
New York Democrats: primary this piece of shit and get him out of the Senate. I don’t care if his gamble pays off, he shouldn’t be gambling with the future of our country against convicted fraudsters.
I wrote both of my Dem senators asking them, begging them, to hold elections on leadership. I’ve written Schumer’s office several times, begging him to step down and get the hell out of the way. I know it doesn’t do much (especially Schumer, as I’m not a constituent), if anything, but other than my vote, I have no leverage.
Well shit man, that’s more than what 99% of people do.
They should replace him with someone who has balls, like Melanie Stansbury.
The problem is we’ve heard that before, multiple times, for all the negative stunts he pulled, and yet he still sits on his Democratic throne…
He’s not up until the next elections.
But yes, the people should vote his ass out.Contact your senators and demand to vote to replace him.
Schummer doesn’t represent us.
How is the soggy assed even in his position. GET HIM THE FUCK OUT! He’s destroying the party and just a wet used fucking cum sock of a politician, no back bone. Gtfo, too much power for someone who can’t wield it at all because of their weakness. It’s sad. 😞
This is actually pretty consistent with the party.
WTF is the Democratic Party’s long term strategy?
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The DNC’s strategy is for Trump to run as a Democrat in 2028.
Sadly I could so see that happening… and some crazy stupid arguement that bypasses the term limits because democrat trump is considered a new candidate.
Though I’d also say the odds of him living to the end of this term with all his health issues, is under 25% at this point.
Sadly I could so see that happening… and some crazy stupid arguement that bypasses the term limits because democrat trump is considered a new candidate
Nah, nothing crazy. Turns out we’ve all been looking at the 22nd amendment all wrong. Here’s the relevant clause:
No person shall be elected to the office of the President more than twice,
"No person shall be elected more than twice. The 22nd amendment only applies to persons. It was never intended to apply to GodKing Trump.
The Democratic Party is a big tent party. There isn’t often a plan, because the party membership has many different opinions on every subject.
