If Democrats had committed these nefarious acts it would be different.....BUT WHY?

[tableturner]

It’s almost taken as gospel by many of us that if Obama or Clinton had done even a tenth of what Trump has done, they’d already be out of office and in prison by now, or soon on the way.

I think that most on this site would agree that if a Democratic led Senate had prevented the funding and activation of efforts to secure our elections from Russian interference, just like McConnell, et al, did today, the airwaves would right now be full of Republicans in the throes of non-stop semi-orgasmic eruptions about the traitorous Putin loving Democrats, to be followed by non-stop hearings FOR YEARS, which would be further accompanied by similar non-stop semi-orgasmic eruptions. That would be especially so if the Russians had helped elect a Democratic president in the prior election.

Well….THAT’S why it’s different! They attack, attack, attack, and they keep it up, and they get their points across (mostly fake ones!) in the minds of a huge number of voters. Not us. Are we doing that tonight about what is a real, and exceedingly serious, problem? No! Oh, there’s some well deserved bitching and moaning going on by our reps, but it is not even one tenth as vigorous as the Republicans usually do, EVEN WHEN WHAT THEY CHARGE IS TOTAL NONSENSE!

Why do we have to be so nice, ethical, and plodding in our approach when fighting against vile, unethical scumbags who, when the tables are turned, go in for the kill at lightning speed? There are plenty of reasons why Joe Scarborough is not my cup of tea, but he was totally correct today. We are fighting against lying, traitorous scumbags with switch blades and brass knuckles, but we are competing according to the Marquess of Queensberry rules of engagement. IT’S TIME TO FIGHT FIRE WITH EVEN HOTTER FIRE! ENOUGH!

By the way……could somebody please give Jerry Nadler some Red Bull?

[kentuck]

1. Good question!

[DownriverDem]

48. Going back decades

when the repubs were all about law and order and ran on race white folks flocked to them. (trump is just using this same plan) The Dems have been trying to win them back ever since. Election after election I watched in horror as the repubs won. They are the party of business and have a ton of money to lie to we the people. I'm really hoping the young folks who have shown their support for the Dems continue their shift left.

[democratisphere]

2. Rethuglicons are expected to be criminals by lying, cheating

and stealing whereas Democrats don't conduct themselves in that way.

[tableturner]

4. AT LEAST WE CAN FIGHT HARD! Jeez.....

Look…..they are running all over us! Yes……they have been stealing elections, they’ve basically stolen the Supreme Court.....they have been rampantly committing crimes with impunity......and they win way too often! They impeached a Democratic president over lying about sex, but their guy is still standing, even though his offenses are hundreds of times worse.

AT LEAST WE CAN FIGHT HARD! It’s sad but true……if we keep doing what we have been doing, the lying, thieving Republicans will keep on winning.

[BigmanPigman]

32. I just said this to my sister almost word for word.

Next time I will put you on the phone since I get too upset and can't articulate as well as you do. The best point I could make for being tough ASAP is that the GOP has been cheating its way into our our govt and lives for over 30 years and they have brainwashed the American public with their propaganda. It must stop NOW! It is almost too late to fight...we MUST fight tooth and nail or the country has no future.

[faymer7]

3. The 30% of the country that supports Trump, hate the rest of the country because it doesn't

hate like they do.

[Me.]

5. Because The Media Would Put The Dems In The Frame

and pile on

[Tech]

6. I will take Nadlers quiet intelligence over Gym Jordan and Matt Gaetz anytime.

Those boys are either hard of hearing or are indulging in too much testosterone and it's not flattering.

[tableturner]

8. It's not a binary choice.....can't we at least fight hard?

[Crunchy Frog]

9. Apparently not. It wouldn't be nice and people might get mad at us.

[smirkymonkey]

26. +1000

[Celerity]

30. Matt Gaetz is so so frustrating, he actually is very very intelligent and in an interview I saw

yesterday he did admit that Rumps tweets were racist and also that is was outrageous what was going on with the torture of the asylum seekers, BUT he still just chooses to play a fucking pantomime villain and still carry water for the monsters.

Hopefully he sees the fucking light, but I doubt it. Gutless POS.

[procon]

7. Dems aren't up to the Marquess of Queensberry rules.

No, they're more likely to be worrying over the sensibilities of Emily Post's Etiquette Book for Young Ladies. We're civil to a fault. We're polite beyond reason. We would rather negotiation a fair solution even while Republicans are trying to garrot us with our own intestines.

Our character is different. Our morals, values and ethics are positive traits, the sort of stuff we try to instill in our children.

Republicans are hardwired differently. They are the screeching, poo throwing baboons, terrified of the world outside their secure habitat in the primate exhibit. It's all fight or flight, and since they can't flee the world they've made, they're reduced to screaming fits of impotent rage.

We don't want to be like them. That said, there's nothing better than a good plan, a well conceived message, and articulate spokes people to inform the public. It's a starting point..

[DemocracyMouse]

19. Articulate x Moral Intensity equals Winning

Democrats, we will vote you out if you come to your next hearing on quaaludes again. Drink more alcohol and take more cocaine like the Republicans please. See? I said "please." Now do it!

[DemocracyMouse]

21. What? You think you'll be branded "extreme"?

These are EXTREME times mush-mushers. Get motivated! You don't even have to feign concern. You SHOULD be naturally concerned about all the traitors in our midst. What? Someone yelled at you on social media? So what! Be BOTH emotional AND policy leaders or get out of the way.

[jalan48]

10. Good question. I think Fox and right wing radio make it happen.The left doesn't have all

day political talk shows pushing an agenda (propaganda) like the right does.

[pansypoo53219]

11. ronnie reagan + the gnewz media is still licking his dead balls.

[GulfCoast66]

12. I respect the spirit of you argument.

But at the end of the day what you are saying is we need to be more like the republicans. Or that’s how I read your post.

Sorry. Not going there. Fight a pig in mud and the pig not only wins but likes the mud.

Our focus needs to be on winning in 2020. Like we did in 18. Have forgotten that!

[tableturner]

13. Only like the GOP when it comes to coordination, effort, persistence, and aggressive approach.

Not like them when it comes to hypocrisy, hate, dishonesty, evil motivations, taking on falsely based crusades, on and on.....

But we DO need to fight just as hard and do so in a highly coordinated way.

[DemocracyMouse]

22. Being intense doesn't have to be hateful. Be INTENSELY concerned!

[Catch2.2]

14. Because the Dems....

are horrible about getting out their message, framing an argument, etc.

[FiveGoodMen]

15. They're pretty good at it in the emails they send me.

I just want them to say the same things everywhere.

[Catch2.2]

16. Ha! True

I am informed and fellow DUers are, but the majority of America is not! Even if a person is not a right winger, they still aren't aware of what's going in politics. It's up to the Dems to inform them.

[certainot]

17. the talk radio monopoly is the only unique advantage republicans have and liberals ignore it

1500 coordinated radio stations in a 20-1 monopoly can attack and lie all day. all other media forms have free easy alternatives a click away. democrats stupidly believe con talk radio is part of the free speech spectrum and don't want to listen to it because it gives us headaches - so we ignore it.

[DemocracyMouse]

23. I second your DO SOMETHING ABOUT THE 1500 RADIO STATIONS!

[Caliman73]

18. The difference is in the desired distribution of power.

It is easy to blame the Democratic Party because of there seeming "lack of fire". The reality is even more concerning. It isn't different because they attack attack attack, and we don't. If we attacked like they do, we would be painted as belligerent, unreasonable, overly emotional etc...

You have to look at the bigger picture. The difference is in the fact that the Democratic party wants to distribute the benefits of society on a more equitable basis (although people further left would argue that the Democrats are still too moderate). That doesn't serve to preserve the structures of power and wealth that have been established.

Republicans, even with their insane devolution to directly supporting White Supremacy, are closer to defending the structures of power. The media is controlled by corporations who want to make money and not pay anything in taxes, who supports that more? The Republicans.

The Democrats are operating within the structures and system to preserve the system. Republicans are trying to shift the system to the right which in a capitalist system is the natural flow. We are fighting against the tide.

[SouthernProgressive]

20. A Democrat did commit obstruction.

Was one of the charges in Clinton’s impeachment. That is very noteworthy. Republicans are on record as saying it’s an impeachable offense.

[Kingofalldems]

24. A Democrat did commit obstruction?

Most certainly did not.

[SouthernProgressive]

25. One of the charges they found Clinton guilty of in the house.

Obstruction of Justice.

[Kingofalldems]

28. Any charges from Newt and the republicans are not valid.

[SouthernProgressive]

29. That stinks.

I kind of thought it was nice that we have them on record stating that Obstruction of Justice is an impeachable offense.

[Kingofalldems]

31. Looks like you totally missed the point.

It's impeachable if you are actually guilty of it.

[dawg day]

27. "Shamelessness is their superpower"

I really think this is hard to combat. We say, "That's wrong! That's illegal! That's unpatriotic! That's corrupt!"

And they shrug. Ethics are for Democrats. Rules are for others.

I don't know what to do about it, except hope that enough Americans want to back away from this.

I've tried to talk to my GOPer relatives (who were not Trumpers-- mostly for Jeb Bush back in 2016) about this, about how disquieting and disturbing it is that Trump not only breaks the law but brags about it, that he brags about benefitting from Russian interference, that he calls on his followers to hate their fellow citizens...
And they look at me mildly and tell me not to be so upset, that he's not really doing that, that they haven't seen him doing that. I say, "That's because you refuse to watch and listen to him!" And that's the truth. They don't even really watch Fox News. As long as the stock market's okay, they're content to ignore everything else. It's weird, but it's because they sense if they paid attention, they'd have to realize how bad he is.

I hate to say it, but the only thing that would puncture this blind complacency would be a recession that affected their investments.

THEN they might decide Trump isn't worth the trouble.

[Sogo]

33. Couldn't disagree more....

....the Dems have entered the "i" territory with little/no fanfare and no raging tweetstorm in response.

It's almost like he doesn't know it's happening....wait, that's the point....

[BlancheSplanchnik]

34. They own a tv network, a telecom corporation and 1500 am radio stations

Correct me if I’m wrong on the number of radio stations, maybe it’s more.
At any rate, all are dedicated to an arrogant, aggression-fueled narrative of Liberal/Democrat hating, reich wing propaganda. We don’t have anything like this.

That’s why a Democrat would be pilloried before you can say “Double Standard”.

[tableturner]

36. Correct...but at least we could be aggressive, fight hard, and persistent!

We could at least do those things even though they have those built in advantages, but we don't!

[BlancheSplanchnik]

37. Yes, we have to!

Nevertheless, she persisted.

[treestar]

35. It is a mystery

some hint may be that we are decent and don't like how we feel when doing the type of thing the republicans do. They have no shame. We don't feel right doing those things. We'd live with the guilt. That does not appear to bother them.

[demigoddess]

38. because republican politicians believe only republicans should be elected to

office in the US. They are like the Russians in that they want one party rule and a dictator at the helm.

[JI7]

39. becsuse the Republican party is mainly for White Xtian Hetero Bigots

they support anything that will advance their white supremacy.

while everyone else supports equality and democracy.

[Richard58]

40. Bravo! Bravo! Bravo!

I get so sick and tired of seeing the Trump and the GOP walk all over us all the time! The GOP lies, cheats and does whatever the hell it wants and the Democratic "leadership" just makes a frowny face and says, Hey, that's not nice!" Ugh! Grow a spine for crying out loud! Can you imagine how the GOP would have responded if, during the Obama administration, they wanted to see Obama's taxes and were simply told "Nope". Or when the Starr report was completed if the AJ said that it totally exonerated Clinton but no one else was allowed to read it? The GOP would have demanded Clinton's head on a platter!
If a Democratic President had done a tenth of what Trump had done he would have been impeached long ago! But yet, the Dems keep playing nice with Trump and not wanting to make waves and just sending "strongly worded letters" to the Oval office. It just drives me nut! And now Mitch McConnell won't do anything to prevent Russian interference in the 2020 election! Why aren't Pelosi and the rest screaming to the high heavens about this and calling it what it is---treason! I want to see the Democrats go on the news every night and point fingers and DEMAND action! I want them to get mad and shake their fists in the air and say that the GOP is a cancer on America! That's what the GOP would do if the situation were reversed. But they probably won't and will continue to act like timid milquetoasts who are all about being "nice" and "civil" while the GOP ruins everything. I can't stand it!

[tableturner]

42. Yes! That was my point.... Fight!

[onecaliberal]

41. We need leaders to stand up and say no.

[PatrickforO]

43. This is a good post. One that I quite agree with.

While our party is my 'political' home, we do have a couple of major shortcomings. One of those, to my mind, is the seeming inability of many elected Dems to stay on message.

Now, it's not maybe as bad as you're saying - all of the presidential candidates did pretty well in their first debate.

But they could have said more.

Trump asked a hostile foreign power to help him win an election. They helped. He lied about it. He has obstructed justice on at least ten occasions, and he has tampered with several witnesses.

Furthermore, he has continued to enrich himself and his family while in office.

He is a race-baiter, and definitely supports the white nationalist cause.

He has lied to the American people over 10,000 times. Since he's been in power for 932 days, this means he is averaging nearly 11 lies per day. ELEVEN LIES PER DAY.

He has been credibly accused of sexual assault and is an avowed 'grabber' of women's genitalia.

He mocked a disabled reporter.

And let's not forget the private for-profit concentration camps that are allowing Wall Street greed-heads to earn $750/day/head of our tax dollars to keep undernourished people in filthy, overcrowded cages without showers and with only aluminum blankets.

GOD, LET'S NEVER, EVER, EVER, EVER FORGET THAT.

WE SHOULD BE POUNDING ON THOSE THINGS EVERY DAY ON EVERY SINGLE NEWS SHOW. I think the only mitigating factor here is that Trump is so far out of the pale, so abnormal, it is difficult to do this with a new outrage every day.

But we have to try.

Again, good post.

[tableturner]

44. I 100% agree! Fight!

[LiberalLovinLug]

45. I think acting lessons would be good for some of the Democratic politicians.

So that they can at least LOOK like they are upset, and angry. LOOK like they take very seriously the attack on the democratic voting security of the country.

We know the Republicans are great actors. Just look at Graham and others insulting Trump before the primaries were over, and now lick his boots? Which was the act? Who knows? During Clinton's term lying about a BJ was a disgusting horrible thing, but obviously that was acting, as now they worship a cheating, porn star screwing, multiple sexual assault accusing women, including a 13 year old at the time. Someone spewing sexist insults all the time.
Its obvious they lie about being so upset with debt and deficits which they rail on about during a Democratic term. Once in, they hand themselves lavish tax cuts to be paid by future generations somehow.

Yes give Nadler a Red Bull, and a few others. But can they at least pretend to be not just frowny face ,but actually emotionally upset and angry about what is happening to the country? Even if just for show. Because this is now a reality show whether we like it or not. The Orange Turd has dragged the nation into it, we have to play along. Just like an actual reality show, the producer (the MSM) will focus on the players that make the most noise, that lash out with the most dramatic accusations etc...And we don't even have to make anything up!

[tableturner]

46. Yes, they get more mileage w/sham charges than we get from exposing actual malignant acts!

They fight hard no matter what. We don't fight nearly as hard even when we are right.

[Vinca]

47. I don't know what it is, but Republicans approach things from the perspective of wild animals with

advanced rabies and Democrats are more inclined to calmly provide help for the sick animal. We need a little foaming at the mouth!!