This Democratic leader just went off on the 'woke' left

[brooklynite]

CNN

Hakeem Jeffries is sick of hearing from liberals carping about how Democrats – and their leaders, of which he is one – aren’t doing enough to advance progressive policies.

“The extreme left is obsessed with talking trash about mainstream Democrats on Twitter, when the majority of the electorate constitute mainstream Democrats at the polls,” Jeffries, the Democratic caucus chairman, told The New York Times on Wednesday. “In the post-Trump era, the anti-establishment line of attack is lame — when President Biden and Democratic legislators are delivering millions of good-paying jobs, the fastest-growing economy in 40 years and a massive child tax cut.”

Jeffries’ fiery comments came after Rep.-elect Shontel Brown, the establishment favorite, triumphed over Nina Turner, an outspoken liberal former legislator, in an Ohio special election on Tuesday. Brown’s win marked the latest in a series of victories by more pragmatic candidates over more liberal alternatives.

In New York City earlier this summer, moderate Eric Adams defeated Maya Wiley, a liberal favorite, to claim the Democratic nomination for mayor. In a Louisiana House special election in April, Troy Carter defeated Karen Carter Peterson in a contest that CNN cast as a “gauge of the direction of the party more than three months into Biden’s tenure, with voters in the largely Black congressional district choosing between two divergent approaches to politics.”

[Raven123]

1. The Twitter/media intra-party battles amount to a suicide mission

There is a line between making your point and eating your own. It doesn’t make sense.

[BeyondGeography]

7. +1

Jeffries wants to be our next Speaker. He has a bitter feud going with AOC since she took out his buddy Crowley. He needs to get over it if he wants to be an effective leader and not take the bait every time a reporter tees a hippie punch up for him.

[StarfishSaver]

11. And yet, people cheer AOC, et al when she goes after other Democrats

When they do it, they are "speaking truth to power," etc. But when someone calls them out - or when people even THINK they're being called out (Jeffries didn't mention anyone by name) - suddenly we have to hear about how people need to watch what thy say and "not take the bait."

[BeyondGeography]

12. Jumping into each and every scrum is the opposite of leadership

If you want what’s best for Jeffries and the party, you shouldn’t be cheering this nonsense on.

[StarfishSaver]

13. Uh-huh

OK

[Hortensis]

134. Blindness to giant, existential battles is the opposite of smart citizenship also.

"Little scrums?" !!! Wake up, Beyond.

In spite of all the signs of grave danger, dreadfully many are clueless or in denial when they should be feeling the same fear motivating Jeffries and many, many others to give these warnings.

Link to tweet

[BeyondGeography]

136. Lol...You don't know Jeffries too well, do you?

Progressives who challenge incumbents is his greatest fear. Nothing gets him charging harder into any given day than that. Not the best trait for someone with leadership ambitions if you ask me.

[Hortensis]

140. His biggest fear people who want basically what he does?!

People who mainly just agitate for more sooner than he thinks CAN be realistically accomplished and don't count costs he thinks must be to succeed?

That's literally horrifying and shocking to read here on DU.

Our enormous fear is that the extremist white male nationalist Republican Party will gain power again and that they will purge liberalism and progressivism from America, along with everyone who objects.

Is a RW authoritarian state, possibly a fascist dictatorship, completely beyond comprehension? Even while RW governors encourage policies that kill ordinary citizens, including allowing executing people in the streets, and pass laws intended to erase what we believe are our most basic rights?

With the support of millions of the kind of people who spread deadly disease out of spite and think you're the enemy they have to destroy? Many of whom are practically slathering to?

Btw, as a good progressive, how do you feel about prison and even execution for abortion and deviant sexual (LGBTQ+) behavior, or elimination of most labor protections, unemployment insurance, Medicaid, MediCare, the ACA, and mandatory public education and funding for it? Those all and far worse than those have laws passed on the books and waiting in some states.

[JoanofArgh]

54. +1

[mcar]

114. Yes, and they're "hippie punching"

[Cha]

124. Exactly.. like it's OK then but

Hakeem says something about it then it's NOT ok.. even a little bit.

Well it's Good with me.. TY Hakeem Jeffries!

[panader0]

102. What is a "hippie punch"?

Signed, an old hippie.

[Sympthsical]

129. When people with power punch down at the powerless on the Left

They think it enhances their credibility. "I am a serious, sensible moderate, unlike those filthy, crazy leftists over there."

It's ok. This used to be done against the LGBT community all the time. Until President Obama came on board. Then everyone pretended they were 100% supportive for ever and ever throughout all human history.

It reminds me of when a great dane tries to hide. They stick their head under the couch and think you can't see the 150 lbs of great dane ass sticking out into the room.

It's like, you know we can see you, right?

[Bettie]

166. Thank you for pointing this out

though, you will anger those who choose division.

[hlthe2b]

16. Yup... That 'they' (worst offenders) can't see this is inexplicable to me.

Which only underscores the fact that SOME (like Nina Turner, IMHO) only wanted the attention.

[empedocles]

24. . . . and fund-raising

[robbedvoter]

48. It's not "intra-party" if some of them don't even consider themselves Democrats

Our Revolution was started a a different party. Conveniently is also a PAC. Dark money.

[JohnSJ]

2. The most disappointing thing about the Turner loss is her "trump-like" concession speech

Instead of graciously congratulating Brown, and saying she would do whatever is necessary to see Brown succeed, she choose to blame her loss on "outside" money from her opponent, and issued a declaration to the effect that she would fight against this "Democratic establishment conspiracy" against progressive candidates running for office.

In contrast, in the NY mayor race Maya Wiley graciously conceded and congratulated Adams for his win.

The point being, not everyone who aligns with the progressive caucus, feel the same way, and it would be unwise to paint them with the same brush

[WA-03 Democrat]

5. Maya has a lot of class

Nina lost her last race

[JohnSJ]

9. Without a doubt

[hlthe2b]

17. Yes. I believe Maya would have been an excellent mayor. Perhaps future elective office?

Maya was hurt by a number of conjoining issues--including backlash from those concerned about rising crime (among POC as well), given RW effective propagandizing & weaponization of "defund the police." That's a pity.

[empedocles]

26. 'defund the police', does not need to be 'weaponized'. It is already a weapon - waiting to be fired

[robbedvoter]

49. Maya had a good chance. Once Our Revolution and such jumped in, she lost

She lost me for sure.

[Tom Rinaldo]

8. Exactly

Adams did indeed come in first in the NYC mayoral primary and that was a significant victory. But Maya Wiley was not initially seen as the leading progressive candidate in that race, she closed strong and came in a very close second. She also would have been NYC's first female Mayor, a not insignificant glass ceiling that she came very close to shattering. Both Adams and Wiley were strong candidates who did well. Maya Wiley is a very different person than Nina Turner as you rightfully point out.

[robbedvoter]

50. Sorry, but Maya came in 3rd. Garcia wa second with 0.8% difference from Adams.

Don't erase.

[Tom Rinaldo]

117. Yup, I stand corrected

My memory failed me. Accuracy is important, but that little changes any point I was making. Two strong female candidates. Had either Maya or Garcia not been in the race there's at least a decent chance that whoever was might have actually won

[George II]

79. I don't know if I heard the whole thing, but in what I saw she didn't congratulate Brown....

....and didn't even mention her name. Nor did she specifically mention that she even lost.

[OilemFirchen]

110. Rep. Hakeem Jeffries is a member of the Progressive Caucus.

One suspects that most of the members of the caucus are happy that Ms. Turner lost.

[WA-03 Democrat]

3. I'm sick of it too n/t

Proud of Jeffries, Pelosi, Biden, Harris and Clyburn!

[PortTack]

51. Yes! We need to support our dem leaders and stop with the arm chair comments!!

[Cha]

127. Thank you.. as am I!

[nycbos]

4. Eric Adams won with the support of working class people of color.

Miley Wiley's message of "rethinking public safety" as a means of social justice for people of color actually appealed to white hipsters not its intended audience.

I'm New Yorker who now lives in Chicago.

For the record I'm not the biggest fan of Eric Adams because he seems to be the type of person who changes his message based on the political winds of that particular day. However you can't deny that the people who wine about the establishment and talk about how they are the ones who are advocating for justice for marginalized people don't seem to realize or care that the people they claim to be allies for aren't buying their agenda. And instead of saying how do we adjust our message so we win the next time they say corporate moderates are out to get us.

And another poster noted unlike Wiley who graciously congratulated Adams, Nina turner threw a temper tantrum in her concession speech.

[StarfishSaver]

6. I love Hakeem Jeffries

I think he's going to be the next Speaker.

[JohnSJ]

10. Yes, he knows how to work with people. He would be a great speaker

[WA-03 Democrat]

14. He would be wonderful!

[mcar]

116. I hope he is

Steny Hoyer has been a good leader, but it seems like the future of House leadership is Jeffries.

[-misanthroptimist]

15. Never pay attention to anything after the words "extreme (or far) left"

IME, what follows those words rarely is worth listening to and usually overly emotional.

It's a real time saver -doubly so since we don't really have a far or extreme left of any consequence in the US.

[NurseJackie]

19. Luz!

[-misanthroptimist]

44. Thanks for your thoughtful and well-reasoned response

[NurseJackie]

53. You're very welcome. It matches perfectly the post to which I was responding.

[-misanthroptimist]

57. Well, reading comprehension isn't for everyone.

Just keep doing the best you can.

[NurseJackie]

60. Oh, honey! This has nothing to do with reading comprehension. I understood that post perfectly...

-misanthroptimist
57. Well, reading comprehension isn't for everyone.
Just keep doing the best you can.

Oh, honey! This has nothing to do with reading comprehension. I understood that post perfectly. It was a ridiculous post. But, let's be honest here... what I did was to give that post the response it deserved. Nothing more, nothing less.

But answer me this: I haven't tried to insult YOUR intelligence, why do you think it's okay to insult MY intelligence by insinuating that I lack reading comprehension skills?

[NurseJackie]

87. Only when it's deserved.

Still nothing approaching substance?

Only when it's deserved. Keep trying.

[-misanthroptimist]

89. I accept your concession, then.

Have a good day, Marcia.

(Keep looking for that far left, though! Maybe under the sofa with the dust bunnies?)

[NurseJackie]

92. What a bizarre thing to say.

I accept your concession, then.

What a bizarre thing to say.

[-misanthroptimist]

94. Still no examples of the "far left" at all...

...let alone any examples of it existing any meaningful way? Yeah, see...that's a concession.

You tried to take a cheap shot and got caught. Move on...unless you can substantively reply to the point. (Which you can't.)

You have a good one. (This has been kind of fun...and funny.)

[NurseJackie]

98. Ridiculous.

Move on...unless you can substantively reply to the point.

No "point" has been made that deserves a substantive response.

[-misanthroptimist]

104. Okay, so you can't respond substantively.

I'll leave you to babble and meme for your audience.

But do let me know if you ever find that far left! I might want to join them...or not.

[-misanthroptimist]

120. Best of luck to you.

[NurseJackie]

153. LOL!

Still here? Responding TWICE to a single post of mine? (104 & 120)
Wow! That's also hysterical! Face it. It's over.

[mcar]

118. Where do you get the idea that you have the right to set the terms

under which another DUer can post?

[-misanthroptimist]

119. The same place from where you pulled whatever that was LOL

[mcar]

121. From you. LOL

Move on...unless you can substantively reply to the point.

[-misanthroptimist]

122. Then you're welcome, I guess.

That was my way of saying that a food fight, while fun in moderation, is no substitute for answering substantive statements such as "there is no far-left in the US of any consequence".

Would have thought that that context was obvious, but here we are.

[mcar]

123. DU is so lucky to have you here to give us all this sage advice

How have we managed the last 20 years?

[-misanthroptimist]

125. They've probably gotten by on your sarcasm.

[mcar]

126. Aww, bless your heart

[-misanthroptimist]

128. Who's the lyin' bastard that said I had a heart?!

[mcar]

144. OK now you made me laugh

[NurseJackie]

154. Lots of laughs, eh?

[mcar]

155. ...

[George II]

162. I thought your name is Jackie. Was that "Marcia" meant to be an insult?

[Budi]

75. A more factual world would not have you diagnosing & critiqing others ...

...others "reading comprehension skills".

"i live in a more factual world."

Apparantly not 🤔

[-misanthroptimist]

81. No, I do live in a more factual world.

I live in a world where words mean something. Terms like "far left" have a meaning to me. That meaning exists outside of myself and has been invented by those who study such things. There is no "far left" of any consequence in the US. That, Budi, is a fact.

[Budi]

90. If the word "far left" bothers you then how do you square that with your insulting words...

.-misanthroptimist
57. "Well, reading comprehension isn't for everyone.
Just keep doing the best you can. "

Defending an insult with another personally debasing insult makes you no different than the other.

Do you address those having actual learning disabilities with the same 'tone'?

That is a direct insult from your own words.
'Far Left' is hardly an insult since even those within that group refer to themselves as that.
Farther left, left of center, Far Left.

[-misanthroptimist]

97. Your entire post is nonsense

Good-bye.

[Budi]

101. Predictable it would end this way. Nothing left nor far left to say?

My work here is done.

[Cha]

132. Actually her post makes excellent sense..

[-misanthroptimist]

137. No, it doesn't

But like anyone else, you are welcome to your opinion.

[Cha]

139. YES It Made Perfect Sense to Me.

[-misanthroptimist]

141. That's okay.

You're completely entitled to be wrong.

[Cha]

143. Don't tell me how i feel about it.

[NurseJackie]

157. Really now, that poster surely deserves a "substantive reply"...

... but, I guess she'll just have to accept the concession.

Hello? Still there?

[Cha]

152. Wikipedia.. "Far Left Politics"..

Far-left politics are politics further to the left of the left–right political spectrum than the standard political left.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Far-left_politics

[StarfishSaver]

80. You might want to just leave this alone

You're out of your league.

[-misanthroptimist]

82. Yeah, but I enjoy a good game of softball every now and then

[StarfishSaver]

83. I think you've missed the point

[-misanthroptimist]

86. Back atcha!

Disagreement is the spice of life.

[Budi]

93. Lobbing personal debasing insults via those who Do Have Disabilities is not acceptable, ...

...nor is mocking any such group considered "the spice of life".


It is quite appalling.

[-misanthroptimist]

95. Down to making up things about which to be insulted, eh?

That must fill up a day.

[Budi]

105. Apparantly it does for you.

SEE POST #93

"Lobbing personal debasing insults via those who Do Have Disabilities is not acceptable, ...
...nor is mocking any such group considered "the spice of life".
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Do better.

[Me.]

159. Well, Acting Civilly As This Board Requires Isn't For Everyone.

[Budi]

73. Wow! This how you address those with Actual 'reading comprehension' issues or learning disabilities?

It reeks.
What a smug debasing comment.

Do we now address people who have dyslexia or actual diagnosed 'reading comprehension' issues, the same way?

Perhaps an apology would be appropriate
No one deserves to be talked down to, like this & you have no creds to diagnose anyone's "reading comprehension"

Maybe just self delete that post.

*********

misanthroptimist

57. Well, reading comprehension isn't for everyone.
Just keep doing the best you can.

[11 Bravo]

106. Mouthy, aggressively acerbic noobs are enjoying a comeback at DU

They generally provide a temporary diversion prior to the inevitable flame out.

[Budi]

107. Turner's OH-11 Flameout will resonate through social media FOREVER!!

"It was RIGGED!" they say.

(It's now just become a game of "Who said it best ?" )
🤔

[11 Bravo]

108. How can we miss her if she refuses to go the fuck away?

[Budi]

111. Exactly! I don't know how anyone can rally behind her vile rage.

I'd prefer we become a civil society again.
Led by the Democratic Party, than raging tribalism.
But I guess if ya really wanted to Burn the Whole thing Down & destroy Democracy, then that tribal rage has to be continuously fed.
Like a toxic fuming coal fired engine has to be fed .

Today it's "RIGGED!!" , tomorrow it'll be another toxic lump of coal in the furnace of burning rage.

Meanwhile, back on the sane side of life, we have this.
She will do Marcia Fudge proud 💙👍

[BradAllison]

160. The slip certainly shows itself, doesn't it? n/m

[Mister Ed]

36. Agreed. But likewise, ignore "establishment", "corporatist", etc.

In most cases, I think that sort of lazy phrasing amounts to a broad-brush smear.

[-misanthroptimist]

46. "In most cases"

That's the important phrase. I agree with that. But sometimes, it's a fair criticism.

[certainot]

43. last 30 years we let the right define what and who is too far left for america - using limbaugh and

the 1500 coordinated (limbaugh set the tone) unchallenged radio stations

we let that national and locally coordinated buzz influence what is acceptable, what is racist, what is sexist, what is cruel, who can be a supreme court justice, what taxes are too high, who is 'productive', how national resources are distributed and to who, what regulations are too much, create an alternate reliity in which gw bush and later trump could even get close to the whiite house. the whole country would be 15 points left if the 'left' had not ignored talk radio.

now limbaugh rots somewhere but the city-dwelling 'leaders' have no clue and blame it on social media and fox so it will probably have to fall apart on its own without limbaugh while a fantastic opportunity to destroy the rw radio monopoly is beingwasted.

conservative dems like manchin actually think global warming -denying trump republicans and other conservative constituencies are legitimate because liberals/progressives/left have never pointed out to them those made-to-order constituencies basically flew out of limbaugh's ass and whatever american and russian think tanks that were spooning daily bullshit to him.

while limbaugh was normalizing racism etc by defining 'political correctness' and 'wokeness' he was the biggest loudest political correctness cop on the planet - his listeners couldn't call him so they called/policced other hosts and made sure all 1500 radio stations were 100% and dittohead/trumper/teabag.

and while progressives complain about 'moderate' democrats they let their own universities broadcast on radio stations that sell voter suppression, deny covid and global warming, and take free potshots and generate death threats toward AOC and candidates they say they like.

it been working great for republicans that liberals ignore rw radio and blame secondary effects and symptoms like social media and fox and 'moderate' dems that never see any activism aimed at the radio stations that call them traitors and child eaters all day and are afraid to be labeled too far left by a few hundred lying assholes reaching 50 mil a week.

[Evolve Dammit]

56. excellent points.

[leftstreet]

59. Very good points n/t

[Ligyron]

64. Right again.

FDR could never get elected nowadays or even re-elected. Even after pulling millions out of poverty and starvation.

The RW smear machine would have those imbeciles believing Hitler did it somehow.

[Bettie]

167. Absolutely right

Right now, what is considered the "far left" is actually what most of the world considered moderate.

But here? Voting rights, health care for all, and climate action are considered far left lunatic fringe stuff...go figure.

[George II]

68. Wha'?

[Farmer-Rick]

77. Yeah, FDR would be defined as "extreme (or far) left" today

In fact many of the government systems he recommended before he died are lumped into that "extreme" label. For example: the right of every person to have free healthcare, food, minimal shelter and education.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Second_Bill_of_Rights#:~:text=His%20remedy%20was%20to%20declare,from%20unfair%20competition%20and%20monopolies

This country has moved so far right that advocating for even simple equality is considered "extreme" left today.

[-misanthroptimist]

84. But "considered" doesn't mean "is"

The "far left" in America more or less is center-left in most of the Western world. IOW, 1. There is no far left of any consequence in the US; and B. Those that claim there is a far left are misusing the term -whether deliberately or through ignorance.

[Cha]

133. Your loss.. Hakeem Jeffries is a great Democratic Leader..

Link to tweet

[-misanthroptimist]

135. What loss is that?

Ignoring him when he says something inaccurate? Something like "the far left" (which again, doesn't exist to any extent in the US)?

That doesn't mean I don't like and/or respect Jeffries (in point of fact, I do like and respect him). That comment is just out to lunch and bears little relation to reality.

[Cha]

150. The "loos" is Hakeem Jeffries is exactly right.. he's

an excellent Democratic Leader and he knows exactly what's going on.

He wants to Win & Hold the House for 2022.

[Historic NY]

18. CNN has to stir the pot, it was only a matter of when Chris the Lizard would write a poke article

[BeyondGeography]

22. And Jeffries delivered for him today

From the link in the OP:

Some of this is just normal human stuff. Pelosi and Jeffries are in leadership positions and are tasked with trying to manage the entire Democratic caucus -- from its most liberal end to its most conservative. Liberals like AOC don't have to do that -- they are free to push for their preferred solutions without any real concern for what the most conservative members among House Democrats think about it.

But the obvious emotion -- as evidenced by that Jeffries quote -- suggests that there is more here than just the usual tensions that exist between leaders and the rank-and-file. And since the Twitter left is a perpetual outrage machine, it's hard to imagine that they will take the attacks by the likes of Jeffries without some significant reaction.

The battle highlights the reality that even with Democrats in charge of the White House, House and Senate, things are not all kumbaya for the majority party. Not even close.

[Cha]

151. Good On the Democratic Leader Hakeem Jeffries..

he's right.. The Dem Party is always getting pot shots and it's time it was called out.

The "extreme left" or whatever they call themselves does what it does.. Hakeem has a perfect right to call them Out.

[brooklynite]

23. Did you perhaps notice that this was a build on a NYT story?

Grousing about the author doesn't make the story any less factual.

[DinahMoeHum]

20. "Left" and "Progressive" candidates should learn from India Walton. . .

. . .who won the Democratic primary for Mayor of Buffalo, NY back in June:

https://www.nytimes.com/2021/06/24/opinion/india-walton-progressive.html

Walton is a woman with a working-class background and an inspiring personal story who knows how to make progressive ideas sound like common sense.

“The challenge of the left is that we use our jargony activist language and don’t take time to fully explain what we mean to those who may not be as ‘woke’ as we are.”

[wnylib]

37. There is more to the story of India Walton's primary win.

Since there is no Republican opponent for the general, she was expected to be a shoo in. She has the backing of the Democratic Socialists and the Working Families party.

But, 4 time incumbent Byron Brown has decided to run against Walton again in the general, as a write in candidate.

However, Brown is a political friend of Cuomo, so his connection to Cuomo might not serve him well now.

OTOH, there is some speculation that Brown might decide to run for governor.

[DinahMoeHum]

65. Lt Gov Kathy Hochul may have something to say about that last item.

https://nymag.com/intelligencer/2021/08/who-is-andrew-cuomos-lieutenant-governor-kathy-hochul.html#comments

[wnylib]

168. For sure, Hochul will become governor if/when

Cuomo resigns or is impeached.

But there is a governor's race coming up in 2022. Hochul can run for her own term then. So can Brown. That is what I meant when I said there is speculation about Brown running for governor.

[betsuni]

158. Yes, common sense, stop "jargony activist language."

Stop using a list of slogans (Medicare for All, Green New Deal, etc) as a test: if you don't repeat the slogans, you're not a progressive. Into the establishment "corporate Democrat" group you go. You're a "them," the enemy. Our Revolution is easing up on that finally, deciding that pragmatism isn't a sin anymore. Incrementalism isn't a sin. Time for common sense. Use your own words.

[WhiskeyGrinder]

21. "The extreme left is obsessed with talking trash about mainstream Democrats on Twitter"

I mean I guess that's one way to describe people who are passionate about an issue and are trying to push their elected officials about it. I'm also old enough to remember Obama telling activists to hold his feet to the fire and then ignoring them, so.

Also, nice scare quotes and good job introducing the word "woke." Really upping your game here.

[empedocles]

28. Hard to rationalize 'the passionate' trurner fiasco

[WhiskeyGrinder]

30. How was it a fiasco?

[MrsCoffee]

171. It was a bowl of shit.

[yardwork]

31. Nina Turner talks trash about Democrats. It's a fact.

[WhiskeyGrinder]

33. Oh huh sounded to me like Jeffries was calling out "liberals."

[StarfishSaver]

34. Yes.

The extreme left consistently talks trash about mainstream Democrats - and people cheer them on for being brave and honest and "passionate." But when anyone pushes back on them, folks complain that they're being picked on.

[WhiskeyGrinder]

55. There's talking trash and there's criticism. And there's constructive critcism, and criticism for

the sake of it. People pushing activist ideas inside the system are inherently going to be seen as "trashing" or "criticizing" because the system is designed to derail and weaken activist ideas (for better and for worse).

[StarfishSaver]

63. Whether something is trash talking or constructive criticism is often in the eye of the beholder

However, in my view, using Twitter to criticize colleagues usually falls in the "trash talking" bucket, since criticism intended to be constructive can much more easily be done by going down the hall to a colleague's office or just walking up to them on the House or Senate floor and discussing the issue with them directly. Calling out a fellow Senator or House Member on social media is neither constructive nor likely to result in a positive outcome - it is more likely intended to throw red meat at one's fans and taunt colleagues, i.e., the very definition of trash talk.

[WhiskeyGrinder]

66. We see what goes on on social media, we do not see the conversations in the hallways

or among staff members; and every member of Congress understands the game at some level or another. Influencing colleagues includes firing up your own supporters to display support, and influencing colleagues also includes detailed policy discussions in offices, casual conversations over coffee and notes run up and down the hallways by staff. They're still caucusing as Democrats; it's a big tent, and sometimes there will be skirmishes.

ETA: I want to make it clear that I would not describe myself on any particular "side" when it comes to this discussion specifically about representatives and their tactics or where they stand. I've voted for stodgy establishment Dems who actively disagreed with one of my top issues, firebrands, and pragmatic but warm and personable non-boat-rockers. Voting is not my primary outlet for making the change I want, though, so I definitely come at this from a different angle.

[StarfishSaver]

70. I do know for a fact that a lot of the people who do this kind of "mobilizing" on social media

do not privately talk to their colleagues about these things. Often, the first that they know about their views or points of disagreement is when they see the tweets. That's one of the reasons there is a lot of resentment - their colleagues know they're using social media to call them out, not to get anything done, but to pump up their followers and raise their profiles. In fact, many of them treat reaching out to and working with those "Establishment Dems" (which would necessarily require some give and take and compromise), is "selling out."

[WhiskeyGrinder]

91. Fair enough.

[Magoo48]

25. What a load of bullshit.

[Cha]

142. No.. Democratic Leader Hakeem Jefferies does NOT talk

"Bullshit", Magoo.

He has a right to his opinion like anyone else.

[Magoo48]

170. You are correct, and I call bullshit.

[Cha]

174. No Hakeem is Correct!

[yardwork]

29. I agree with him.

[StarfishSaver]

32. Funny how the "woke left" can go off all they want on fellow Democrats, but when anyone pushes back,

it's pearl-clutching time ...

[yardwork]

76. One might even call them snowflakes.

[PunkinPi]

109. +1 nt

[Cha]

147. Hakeem Jeffries is exactly right.. some just don't

want to hear it.

You know how grateful he must be that Shontle Brown won the Dem Primary in Ohio!

Link to tweet

[Warpy]

35. Generational tension rears uts ugly head

Old folks are sick to death of young snowflakes and their "microagression" crapola. No, kids, it's overt verbal aggression and often well targeted. Young folks are sick to death of their elders using terms they find counterproductive and offensive, as though if we eliminate the language, we'll eliminate the anger behind it.

Oh, there are a few hard fighting words I don't use out of politeness, although I sprinkle f bombs like the morning dew. However, I viscerally resent the sort of obfuscation and circumlocution demanded by the pious young just as much as they abhor my occasional breaches of verbal etiquette.

We all need to wince and move on.

As my salty tongued mother once pointed out, ladies who objected to her language had outed themselves as not being ladies at all, since they knew what the words meant.

[Fiendish Thingy]

38. And yet, the Progressive Caucus has 95 members, who will not be ignored

Progressives make up Nearly half of the Democratic caucus in the House, and represent a significant portion of the population. Biden’s “go big” agenda is largely a reflection of that fact.

Jefferies comments are the latest attempt to craft a new narrative to soften the blow or cast the blame should Biden’s agenda fail to pass due to the obstruction of two “pragmatic” moderates: Manchin and Sinema.

Jefferies is trying to set the stage to pressure the Progressive caucus to cave on passing the bipartisan bill without the senate passing the reconciliation bill first.

Instead, he should be uniting his entire caucus to stand firm against the games of Manchin and Sinema, so that the heat and consequences fall on the shoulders of those two, and not on the 95 members of the Progressive Caucus.

[aocommunalpunch]

39. Not to worry.

Manchin and Sinema won’t face any consequences. Everyone else will be told to suck it up, eat their peas, or put on their big kid pants. The condescension that comes from always fighting for what CAN’T be accomplished is apparently quite intoxicating. That table is never bare.

[Fiendish Thingy]

45. We shall see - it will only take 6 members of the Progressive Caucus to kill the bipartisan bill

I suspect there would be far more than 6 No votes if the reconciliation bill hasn’t also passed the senate.

And Pelosi is smart enough not to bring the bill to the floor for a vote if it is doomed to fail.

So, Jefferies might try to pressure the Progressives to “eat their peas”, but I am doubtful he will be successful.

[CentralMass]

58. +1

[Celerity]

96. +2

[OilemFirchen]

115. As I noted upthread, Rep. Jeffries is a member of the Progressive Caucus.

What were you saying again?

[Fiendish Thingy]

131. I refer you back to my original comment

Jefferies attacks on the “woke left” work against unifying the party and passing Biden’s agenda.

The Progressive Caucus won’t be bullied or shamed into compliance.

[OilemFirchen]

138. Shamed into compliance? Good grief.

Perhaps his was a poor choice of words, but, as I said, it's likely that the majority of the Progressive Caucus agrees with his sentiment. More so, his comments no doubt reflect the opinions of the vast majority of the Democratic Congress. They are the ones, if any, who will not be "bullied or shamed into compliance" by a tiny minority.

[Fiendish Thingy]

156. 95 members of the PC is not a "tiny minority "

And most of them appear to put principles above Politics As Usual.

[OilemFirchen]

163. And how many of those 95 disagree with Rep. Jeffries?

I do believe you are completely missing the point.

[Fiendish Thingy]

164. The point will be made when the bipartisan bill does/does not come to the floor for a vote. Nt

[MrsCoffee]

172. Pretty sure you got that completely backwards.

About the unifying, bullying and shaming that is.

Just sayin…

[CentralMass]

40. It is a matter of opinion but looking at the last two presidential election

cycle trying to deny that Bernie Sanders, with the level of support he has managed, hasn't influenced the agenda and focus of the party would be a mistake. The last election with its dozen candidates was in the end pretty amicable. I think the Biden camp played a big part in that in the way it dealt with the progressives. Likewise Bernie and the other progressive candidates reciprocated. It wasn't a scorched earth campaign that
devolved into an ugly situation. Biden and the party, I believe, both recognized the growing concern of that faction of the party as well as the need to change the focus. More of the build the country from the bottom up strategy. The so called 3rd Way or status quo agenda of the past seems to have shifted. I consider Bernie and the support that he has garnered playing a major role in this shift. Nina Turner, IMO, did not do the "movement" any good running the style of campaign she did. I would not have voted for her. However I would not jump to conclusions on the outcome of that one race and the pulse of progressive democratic voters. I like Joe Biden. He is a good man and a far better politician and leader then I thought he would be. He is trying to change the direction of the country. The relief that he has provided to families to immediately reduce childhood poverty as an example. However there is far more to
do and to assume that the party can ignore the progressive movement and shift right to try and win republican votes would be a mistake.

[people]

52. A matter of opinion . . .

Agreed!

[Sympthsical]

41. I'm not sure the word "woke" is being used here properly

Woke isn't a synonym for progressive, so not sure why it's being used as one. I know plennnnnnnty of woke people who are anti-Left. Some of the wokest people I know absolutely loathed Turner. Heck, look at this board.

It's a very specific term used for social justice issues. Racism, sexism, homophobia, etc.

I don't consider myself very woke in terms of the usual Twitter crusades. But I am very much an economic progressive and advocate of social justice.

That word is misused here.

And wokeness had very, very, very little to do with that election. It was between two black women. Outside of the minor transphobia kerfuffle with Brown - which went away pretty rapidly - I don't see how this headline tracks at all.

Guy who wants to be Speaker doesn't like the Left much. Film at 11? This isn't news. And the journalist doesn't seem to know what they're talking about.

So that's neat.

[CentralMass]

169. Well said.

[betsuni]

42. K&R

[LiberatedUSA]

47. I remember when Amy Schumer had to apologize...

...for staring in an Amy Schumer movie. Woke Twitter complained she was too white privileged for the role.

[Bernardo de La Paz]

61. "woke left" is not the same as the extreme left; "woke left" is much larger. . . . nt

[BannonsLiver]

62. Totally agree with Hakeem

I don’t think the people he’s talking about are very helpful and aren’t particularly good at winning elections either.

[George II]

67. I can't wait to see him wielding the Speaker's gavel.

[KPN]

71. Hakeem's Rahm Emmanuel moment.

[David__77]

74. Silly.

I am thankful there are people organizing to rein in the cops, house the homeless, criticize reactionaries, and confront fascists.

[Cha]

149. No, Hakeem Jeffries is Not "silly".. he dead on.

Link to tweet

[h2ebits]

78. Not buying the trash talk either way

Historically, in simple terms, it was the Democrats that were FOR slavery and the Republicans who fought a war to abolish it. Thus we have the party of Lincoln.

We NEED the "woke" liberals screaming in order to make the pendulum swing off center and to the "liberal" side in order to achieve our goals for the good of all us.

[beaglelover]

88. Eric Adams was on Bill Maher last week. He's SUPER impressive. I can definitely see him running

for POTUS one day after he's elected Mayor of NYC.

[Hortensis]

99. The extreme left has ALWAYS been obsessed with talking trash about mainstream Democrats.

They're extremists and that destructive behavior is a defining trait of their type.

They're a small minority but, as Jeffries and many others worry, are now much more dangerous than ever before. Our large enemies multiply their effect to deliver their anti-Democratic attacks and deceits to millions of screens, 24/7/365.

RW-serving MSM malignantly smear Democratic progressives with LW extremists as the same and call their poison media product a "wing" of the Democratic Party. And even many sensible progressives believe what they're hearing and don't realize what's being done to them.

In 2016, augmented attacks of the anti-Democrat left helped throw progressivism itself under the Republican bus. They know what they did was necessary and right, though, and their work only begun. Their usefulness also to those using them in their RW authoritarian takeover.

Truth's the only thing that will kill them. Political extremism requires pathological levels of irrational delusion and dishonesty. (If it's true, it's not extremism.) All anyone has to do is examine the sophisticated-sounding narratives on the internet (which typically include all the seeming good sense and facts of any Fox episode) for truth, and they fall apart.

Where there is deceit, there will be predatory beasts.

[betsuni]

161. +1

[iemanja]

100. The Twitter left isn't reality

According to this opinion piece by Jennifer Rubin.

https://www.democraticunderground.com/1016298554

[PunkinPi]

103. K&R

[jalan48]

112. Wake up Hakeem. The polar ice caps are melting and folks outside your bubble are concerned.

[Cha]

145. The Democratic Leader Hakeem Jeffries is quite AWAKE.. he supported Shontl Brown!

Link to tweet

[mcar]

113. He is correct

[Deminpenn]

130. Turner is just,

Last edited Fri Aug 6, 2021, 02:05 PM - Edit history (1)

je ne sais quoi... Outre.

[Cha]

146. What?..

[Deminpenn]

173. Outre'

https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/outr%C3%A9

[Cha]

175. Hakeem Jeffries is Correct!

[TheFarseer]

148. Bad headline

They are trying to conflate wanting policies like MFA, Green New Deal, $15/hr minimum wage with being woke. Those are not the same things!!!

[Cha]

165. Here's Hakeem Welcoming Shontel Brown

to Congress.. that is WOKE!

Link to tweet

[Tarc]

176. It depends on who we're talking about. "Far-left" like AOC and the Squad actually accomplish things

in Congress. I cheer them on even if they sometimes go a bit further left than my own positions on things, as it is just a degree of difference, not a gulf.

But those with no positions of power who just snipe from the sidelines all day? Perhaps a certain loser of a recent primary? Those types can take a flying fuck at a rolling donut hole. They squawk, and then they fundraise off the squawking. Nothing else.