House Democrats explode in recriminations as liberals lash out at moderates

[DonViejo]

By Mike DeBonis February 28 at 7:35 PM

House Democrats exploded in recriminations Thursday over moderates bucking the party, with liberal Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez threatening to put those voting with Republicans “on a list” for a primary challenge.

In a closed-door session, a frustrated Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.) lashed out at about two dozen moderates and pressured them to get on board. “We are either a team or we’re not, and we have to make that decision,” Pelosi said, according to two people present but not authorized to discuss the remarks publicly.

But Ocasio-Cortez (D-N.Y.), the unquestioned media superstar of the freshman class, upped the ante, admonishing the moderates and indicating she would help liberal activists unseat them in the 2020 election.

Corbin Trent, a spokesman for Ocasio-Cortez, said she told her colleagues that Democrats who side with Republicans “are putting themselves on a list.”

“She said that when activists ask her why she had to vote for a gun safety bill that also further empowers an agency that forcibly injects kids with psychotropic drugs, they’re going to want a list of names and she’s going to give it to them,” Trent said, referring to U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement.

more
https://www.washingtonpost.com/powerpost/house-democrats-explode-in-recriminations-as-liberals-lash-out-at-moderates/2019/02/28/c3d163fe-3b87-11e9-a06c-3ec8ed509d15_story.html

[manor321]

1. The media ALWAYS says "Democrats in disarray"

If this was Republicans the media would emphasize that leadership was successfully imposing discipline or something.

[beachbum bob]

2. anything to stir discourse with in democratic circles is media fodder. The problem with AOC and

others like her, they live in a small world and fail to understand what may work in their small world will not work in Illinois or Ohio or a whole host of areas. I opposed all forms of litmus ideological test for any purity in democratic party. Otherwise we become GOP-lite, Pelosi is 100% correct, behind close doors have the debate, but in the open they must be unified except when political expediency is required....for safeguarding more conservative democrats.

[Zoonart]

3. This is true.

Each congressperson is elected to represent the wants and needs of their constituents. Those needs vary from state to state and district to district.
The Gentlewoman from NY does not get to dictate the agenda for the Gentle man/woman from Idaho. That's where building consensus comes in and it takes time.
Has time become somewhat compressed? especially when we are talking environment...certainly, but right now... in this very moment the consensus needs to be more focused on getting this criminal out of the White House so we can once again work to build consensus for the betterment of the American people.

[hedda_foil]

6. It works just fine in Illinois, thank you.

[spanone]

4. The media loves this 'scenario'

[watoos]

5. Who is Mike DeBoner?

Pelosi and AOC are right, United we stand divided we fall.

[dubyadiprecession]

7. This public bickering, does nothing to but encourage republicans/Russians...

To help undermine our democracy.

[Tom Rinaldo]

8. Maybe. But the private bikering is a central aspect to keeping a caucus on message

acting with united resolve. There are differences among Democrats. Always have been and always will. But Pelosi is doing exactly what a Speaker must do to "encourage" unity in a caucus by confronting a handful of dissidents in open discussion behind closed doors. And the fact that some of that will leak is baked into the equation.

[Odoreida]

9. Eating each other again? T'was ever thus.

Let some other party be the marching in lock step guys.

[pecosbob]

10. Vote with repukes, suffer the same fate as repukes...come 2020 you're history.

get on the wave or get out of the pool. Reps in blue or purple states need to work on messaging and denounce the right-wing propaganda machine.

[smirkymonkey]

12. +1000

[pecosbob]

13. I always expect to get hammered when I post stuff like this...thanx.

[smirkymonkey]

14. You're welcome! I am so tired of Dems being constantly dragged toward the right because they

think it's going to win them elections. It hasn't been working and it is very clear that it won't serve us well in 2020.

[seaglass]

17. That's quite a generalization. AOC just voted with the Repubs against opening govt. n/t

[pecosbob]

18. Nit-picking...context is all important in this instance

[seaglass]

19. Stating fact. Context is always important however AOC was not elected judge and jury. n/t

[G_j]

11. There are few things as discouraging as Ds voting R

And I’m not sure how that qualifies as ”moderate”.

[pecosbob]

16. It's pretty simple...reject labels and dance with the one what brung ya.

[Yo_Mama_Been_Loggin]

20. While I understand the frustration

You're never going to elect someone like AOC in West Virginia and similar states.

The more moderate Dems are part of what gives the party control of the House. You may not get all you want but you'll get more of it with Nancy Pelosi in charge instead of Paul Ryan.

[Hermit-The-Prog]

22. never is a long time

[Blue_Tires]

21. Well, we knew the purge was coming sooner or later...

[Sugar Smack]

23. EXPLODE?

lashes out, slams, wallops, hits back at, decimates, destroys, nukes, smashes, reams, eviscerates, smacks down, fights back, strikes back, plows, stomps, shatters, slashes, attacks, lunges at, snaps, knocks, jabs, disembowels, beats, shoots down, strings up, whacks, assaults, slices/dices, thrashes, whips, battles, clashes, returns the blow, kicks back, hits below the belt, scuffles, at war with, scorches, burns, threatens (vows, warns, cautions), assails, brawls (& melee), fisticuffs, sacks, pummels, skirmishes, batters, fires back, sounds alarm, savages, trounces, pounces, flays, storms, pounds, punches back, hammers, tackles, shreds, blisters

I'm so tired of this Sturm und Drang in media headlines "launched at" us for two years. What the fuck ever happened to "responded", "replied", "rebutted" or even "retorted"? Every one of those words they overuse (promiscuously) evokes PAIN.

2 years is way too long for these ugly, divisive people to be in our heads. We're going to come out of this (please Jesus) with PTSD, as adrenalin junkies, or as raging alcoholics if we're not vigilantly safeguarding our sanity.