Being reasonable when starting negotiations in politics is not how it's done. Democrats take note.

[NCTraveler]

Many of us here have a very similar concern when it comes to elected Democrats in the house and senate and how they start negotiations. For decades Democrats have taken the common sense approach that you go into negotiations with a reasonable and fair starting point. In business and most all other areas of life that makes perfect sense. . In politics it does not. Over the years, when in a position to, Democrats have laid out their starting point and it doesn't even contain all they want; much less what they will get. Many of us from all spectrum's of the party have noticed and taken issue with this aspect of our leadership.

Forget if Trumps budget is going to pass or not. These fuckers have set it up to where a win for us would be saving Meals on Wheels. No shit.

I get the difference in numbers right now and recognize that makes a difference in negotiations. But many of us think the ACA could have started at a much better point and still received the same votes in the end. Certain Republicans were going to make it out to be a monster no matter what Democrats put on the table. Just using that as an example.

We need to get power back. We need it bad. When we do the party leadership cannot have short memories. We need to put forward legislation that will make even the most left in our party blush. That is where we need to start with our legislation.

[Juliusseizure]

1. Generally agree

You should start on the outer bounds of reasonable otherwise it's just posturing that's not taken seriously.

But yes, if you're negotiating with someone who takes an extreme position, you don't start with a compromise position. That's interpreted as weakness, and stiffens their resolve to maintain that position. You start with your own extreme position, and the natural tendency is to meet in the middle. Obviously political disputes are a lot more complicated than a business business one, but same general concept.

This btw drove me batty with Obama. He seemed to always want to appease and compromise. Find common ground with Republicans who said they'd oppose any legislation proposed from the start. He thought the public would respect that. I think they respect strong stands followed by compromise, not bending over.

Sanders was attractive that way. He proposed Scandinavian type tax increases on millionaires and billionaires. If he became president, that couldn't have happened. But wtf, if Republicans are going to oppose everything, you publicly oppose everything they offer. Then you budge a little and look like a hero. That forces them to budge or they look like dicks.