Does It Feel Like We're Still Moving Backwards. That Town Hall Protests Having Little Effect.

[TheMastersNemesis]

You almost feel like the GOP is still moving forward in destroying the country and what is meaningful. They do not seem to be fazed by the kick back. They appear to be doing what they want. Trump is getting away with his bullshit and the GOP is enabling him.

What will it take to rattle them? By 2018 we could be in a deep hole. What can we do next as we continue our resistance. We must persist no matter what. We have no other option.

[crazycatlady]

1. It brings attention to the general public

If anything, they could make the congresscritter more vulnerable come 2018. It worked for the tea party.

If they refuse to have a town hall, then it brings attention to the fact that they're not doing their job.

[Vinca]

2. No. They've energized a whole lot of people.

It occurred to me yesterday that we should be in good shape for the midterms because Republicans will be pissed at the GOP for not repealing Obamacare and everyone else is pissed at them for trying to repeal it. We have to make sure we've got candidates for all the congressional seats. I would especially love to see Paul Ryan go down.

[lame54]

4. Meanwhile they continue to gerrymand...

And other bullshit to suppress the vote as much as they can

[Demsrule86]

7. Fighting will be hard, but it must be done.

We can win...there are 25-30 house seats now held by the GOP in areas where Hillary won...also, the Tyrantcare bill AKA the murder bill will be very helpful. The most important thing is to keep the GOP away from a 60 majority...which means giving our conservatdems a break in order to keep the seat.

[0rganism]

15. the gerrymanders might just work to our advantage this time around

when they gerrymander, they're giving up safe seats for more seats with riskier (but still favorable) margins.

it will be easier to tip a couple of 5-point districts than a single 20-point district. not saying easy, just easier.

which means our main efforts have to concentrate on confronting direct voter suppression tactics -- i.e., make sure as many voters as possible have all the ID they need, voter registration verified beforehand, etc.

[BannonsLiver]

3. No.

Sounds like someone's got a case of the Tuesdays. Second "all hope is lost" thread o' the day.

[lame54]

5. I feel that way...

We're always told of some fan hitting reveal which will take them down

Still waiting

[BannonsLiver]

9. It's a long haul

Better make sure you've got plenty of provisions and patience handy.

[Tom the Mechanic]

6. We have to do it, you and me.

Scary when I say it that way but, that's what Obama and Bernie have been saying all along.

There are 3 things that need doing:

1) Market Bernie. Make his name as common as Coca-Cola. Republicans are listening to him.
2) Get people voting NOW! There are elections every week this year, somewhere in the country.
3) Get Dems focused on NEXT YEAR, not 4 years.

I am crawling out of my skin watching my country being disassembled before my eyes!
I have to do something, so I am.

I hand out Bernie fliers at every rally in two cities.
I post facts on conservative sites.
I mail election lists to professors.

This is simple marketing. It's a numbers game.
We just need to copy what the Tea Party did.
Organize and act.
Form a group, act in unison, every day.

[Demsrule86]

10. Bullshit...and quite the divisive post please stop.

The GOP doesn't give two shits for Bernie. And the Democrats must win in 18 and beyond...making a 76 year old man who is not a Democrat the center strategy for that effort will not work...maybe Bernie will help...I don't know. We will see.

[DemocratSinceBirth]

11. I have nothing against Bernie, but we need a new generation of leadership.

[Demsrule86]

20. I have to admit I am not a Bernie fan...that being said, it is all hands on deck.

I thought WVA was a good idea...get our message out...see what happens. I agree with you, we need a new generation of leadership that everyone can get behind.

[Tom the Mechanic]

21. You misunderstand, it's not divisive

Listen to C-SPAN, Republican voters are calling in wishing they had Bernie.
Watch the town halls in Republican states, the Republican voters like him.

Of course the GOP hates Bernie, but the VOTERS like him.
He can undermine the brainwashing that Fox news has done.

4 years is a LONG way off.

I'm talking about empowering a current Senator.

I want the same for Elizabeth Warren, but she does not have the same pull with Republican voters.

Any liberal Senator that can bring in Republican voters, should be on the tip of everyone's tongue, just like Coca-Cola.

We should not be choosing BETWEEN Dems, we should be finding MORE of them.

[stillcool]

8. thank you for reminding me

there are a lot of people walking the walk, not just talking the talk.

[Initech]

12. The GOP will push through the corporate agenda no matter who they hurt in the process.

[Caliman73]

13. Republicans have control of the House, Senate, Presidency, and most State legislatures

Town halls are good for trying to hold people accountable in public. Right now however, there isn't really a political price to pay as there aren't any significant elections until 2018. Republicans leaders are probably a bit rattled by the attention, but they probably feel safe. We have to continue to protest, but more importantly, we need to build a movement that will get people out of their homes and to the voting booth when the elections come around. Occupy Wall Street was a massive movement, that gave us the concept of the 99%, but it never became a practical movement that gave us non Wall St. candidates, or pushed progressive policies.

We have been in deep holes before, but we have survived. Unfortunately (since the 1940's) it usually takes Democratic efforts to pull us out of the hole created by Republican policies, then things get better and people fall into the stupid trap of thinking that Republican policies will work again, which they never have.

[crazycatlady]

16. there are significant elections in 2017

2 governors, 3 state houses (NJ both houses, 1 in VA). Also in November there's a special election in WA that will decide the control of the state senate. If we win there we have a trifecta.

I wouldn't call the opportunity to pick up 2 trifectas (NJ gov, WA state senate are the missing pieces) insignificant.

There's also numerous local elections that will build a bench for the next generation of Democrats.

[Caliman73]

17. Thanks for pointing that out.

I was considering the election cycles only, not state elections. My point was that we need to put people into the voting booths as well as showing up to town halls.

[crazycatlady]

19. I'm in NJ so we don't have off years

But state elections are just as important (if not more) than federal elections. That's where the business gets done. If a road near your house needs a pothole fixed, you go to your state (or local) government, not the White House.

State legislatures are also where the GOP is doing some serious damage.

I think we need to be registering new voters at every Town Hall and protest.

[DemocratSinceBirth]

14. No. We have made him very unpopular. It impacts his ability to govern.

http://www.democraticunderground.com/10028790027


He is still the president and wields enormous power but we can mitigate the damage he causes by keeping him unpopular.

[LeftInTX]

18. I feel we're moving forward in baby steps

If there weren't protests the Russia connection would be dropped.
Some of the Rs are moderating their stance.

There gerrymandered ones don't give a flying flip.

Even John Cornyn mentioned slight hesitancy about the AHCA after the CBO report. He said he wished more people would not loose coverage. Then pivoted and said some people may choose not to have insurance.

Medicaid block grants will hurt Texas. (We don't have expanded Medicaid, but we are such a poor state that we have lots of people on Medicaid) My granddaughter was born on Obamacare. Her mom goes to school and works part-time. So, she wasn't eligible for Medicaid or employer insurance.