Progressives turned out for Joe Biden. Now they want a big role in his administration.

[Yo_Mama_Been_Loggin]

Joe Biden won't be sworn in for another 64 days, but the President-elect is already under pressure from activist groups to bring progressive leaders into his administration -- and close its doors to establishment figures with cozy relationships to Wall Street, defense contractors and the fossil fuel industry.

The pressure campaign has played out in public, with the release of open letters and lists of acceptable candidates for top Cabinet positions, via private calls with potential nominees, and on social media, where progressive groups have warned the incoming administration against reneging on Biden's promise to forge an aggressive new path in the fight against climate change.

Top progressives are, for now, sounding a cautiously optimistic tone following the release of Biden's "agency review teams" and his quick decision to name longtime adviser Ron Klain, who has built bonds across ideological lines, as his White House chief of staff. But there are potential fights on the horizon and the uncertainty surrounding control of the Senate could further complicate a detente that has largely carried over from the campaign. If Democrats fail to win both run-off elections in Georgia early next year, the body will remain under the control of Republican Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell -- and everything from Biden's legislative agenda to his Cabinet nominations would likely face partisan blockades.

There are also concerns among some progressives over whether the coalition has the capacity to speak with one voice on a broad range of issues, including arenas where it is less organized and engaged, like national security.

https://www.msn.com/en-us/news/politics/progressives-turned-out-for-joe-biden-now-they-want-a-big-role-in-his-administration/ar-BB1b5ydh?li=BBnb7Kz

[still_one]

1. I trust Joe Biden knows what to do

[LakeArenal]

2. Joe is progressive. He won; he can have whomever he wants.

I’m still upset about the “war on Established Democrats.

Those folks lost in the primary so too bad.
Don’t expect a post in established Democratic government.

[frazzled]

3. People from all across the spectrum turned out for Joe

Even Republicans and Independents. Everybody wants a piece of the pie, so no one group should expect all the ponies.

[SleeplessinSoCal]

4. I believe China is fully on board the fight climate change train.

Russia is not. If China and the U.S. can agree to do business with the goal of co-leadership on the world stage to fight CC, how will the fossil fuel industry block that effort?

[Roisin Ni Fiachra]

5. Of course. Diversity has many faces, and progressive is one of them.

Big tent.

[Budi]

6. Well get in line! The 78,000,000 Biden Voters, staff, media, pollsters, lawyers, ...

campaign workers in 50 States, donors, security, speech writers, & more, and all together should equal roughly 100,000,000 fellow Biden supporters will be right there in line with ya.

Maybe pack a lunch, it's A REALLY LONG LINE !!

[Sneederbunk]

8. Hear, hear!

[Cha]

10. Biden & Harris Broke the "79 Million Barrier"

last night!

[Budi]

19. Wow! Add another million to that list then. Better get in line for requests I guess!

Thanks Cha!

[Hortensis]

7. Democrats turned out for Dems, and to be Dem is to be progressive.

Last edited Tue Nov 17, 2020, 04:06 PM - Edit history (2)

Liberal Democrats elect liberal Democrats, not anti-Democrats who claim we're all corrupt. 3/4 of Sanders' primary supporters in 2016 were solid Democrats, fewer in 2018 and 2020 because of the others, that other hostile 1/4. Of course they turned out for Biden because they're DEMOCRATS.

And of course Biden's administration and goals represent the choice of progressive liberal Democrats.

As for others, the far fewer in the radical fringe who claim Democrats are corrupt and without principles, what's not to understand what only 4 or so of them out of 235 elected to the house Democratic caucus means? With the help of hostile MSM? While all other candidates were rejected by Democratic voters every election?

Or that most promise every election not to vote for the Democratic candidate? We owe those the obscurity that will come with return of wellbeing.

Bottom line for this OP is: Every attack on Democrats gets the "Progressives" fringe enormous press from hostile media, MSM and everything else. That's why they CAN'T take on a big role working WITH Democrats on our progressive agenda, instead of against, even if they wanted to.

And of course they don't. Working with progressive legislators to actually achieve progressive goals would cost them not just their usefulness and with it their media exposure, but their political identity and reason for political being. What they want is more power to oppose.

They know that. The Biden team knows that. Everyone should know that.

[Cha]

9. Joe is Progressive.. 79 Million Turned Out for

his Platform.. including The Democratic Base that is POC in Detroit, Philly, Georgia & all over the Nation.

[notinkansas]

11. No, Joe is not progressive,

but I have hopes that he is wise enough to not discount progressive voices.

While many may have approved of his platform, I suspect that ridding the country of trump was a larger consideration.

[ismnotwasm]

12. He's not?

Why do you say that?

[JI7]

16. Biden doesn't call himself progressive but he has gotten

more things done than those claiming to be progressives.

[Cha]

14. YES JOE BIDEN & Kamala Harris ARE

PROGRESSIVE. They WON.. They Got the Votes.

Joe Won Overwhelmingly on his Platform to Be our Candidate EVEN Before the GE.

[Cuthbert Allgood]

13. So, look,

you can't spend the primary and the election talking about how the progressives just need to be quiet and someone like Sanders can't win because he's too liberal, but just turn out and vote for Biden like you are supposed, and, then, when that happens act like Biden is Sanders. He's not a liberal progressive. And I'm fine with that. I'm ridiculously happy that he won. But the progressives did what was asked of them. Recognize that. Reward that.

[JI7]

15. Biden isn't Sanders. Biden actually has a record of a getting things done

Biden also won the Primary.

[Cuthbert Allgood]

17. Yes, thanks, because that's so on track with the point being made about progressives.

Thanks. You've cleared it all up for me.

for the impaired.

[JI7]

18. Actually making progress is better than just labeling oneself

as such.

[Budi]

20. "I am not a socialist".. Joe Biden ... BUT..he is a Democrat & his policies ARE most progressive

The thing he declares he is definately not, is a socialist.

He made that clear at the 1st Primary debate.

[Budi]

21. Biden's policies & legislative bills certainly ARE progressive

What he is not, is a Socialist.

How anyone can say Biden isn't progressive hasn't learned of his progressive & Democratic legislative history.

Joe has always done the heavy lifting to get Democratic & progressive policies pushed thru , often succeeding against the hard headed Republucans.

He's done more than grandstand for his political image, he's quietly done his job in the trenches of our legislature.
And that record is why Joe Biden is America's next President.

People of all stripes know his might & his fight.
And his unwavering ethics has earned him the trust of 79,000,000 voters as of Nov 3, 2020.