from Robert Reich 'It's important to be realistic about what were up against

[elleng]

– not just Trump and his dystopian administration but also a Republican Senate that will be difficult to dislodge in 2018. Only 8 Republican senators will be up for reelection in 2018, but 22 Democrats and 2 Independents who caucus with Democrats will be up for reelection. 10 of those Democrats are from states that Trump just won.

This requires a complete reinvention of the Democratic Party – not just a new “message” or a “shift to the middle,” as some Democratic strategists are urging. In the future, the real contest is between authoritarian populism (Trump) and progressive populism (epitomized by Bernie Sanders).

Democrats must become progressive populists.

What do you think?'
_____________________________
SENATE DEMOCRATS AND INDEPENDENTS UP FOR REELECTION IN 2018
SEATS IN STATES THAT TRUMP WON
1. Tammy Baldwin (WI)
2. Sherrod Brown OH)
3. Bob Casey: 2012 (PA)
4. Joe Donnelly (IN)
5. Heidi Heitkamp (ND
6. Joe Manchin (WVA)
7. Claire McCaskill: (MO)
8. Bill Nelson (FL)
9. Debbie Stabenow (MI)
10. Jon Tester (MT)

OTHER DEMOCRATIC AND INDEPENDENT SENATORS UP FOR REELECTION IN 2018
11. Ben Cardin (MD)
12: Maria Cantwell (WA)
13. Dianne Feinstein (CA)
14. Tom Caper (DE):
15. Kristen Gillibrand (NY)
16. Martin Heinrich (NM)
17. Mazie Hirono (HI)
18. Tim Kaine (VA)
19. Angus King (I-ME)
20. Amy Klobuchar (MN)
21. Bob Menendez (NJ)
22. Chris Murphy (CT)
23. Bernie Sanders (VT-I)
24. Sheldon Whitehouse (RI)

https://www.facebook.com/RBReich/?hc_ref=NEWSFEED&fref=nf

[DonCoquixote]

1. this is imprtant

because as bad as things look now, two years of trumpism can make these golden boys and girls look weak.

[gordianot]

3. Trump has to deliver something, in that he offers no specifics it is anyone's guess.

The GOP is now tied to Trumpism. About the only thing he does well is complain, insult people and throw tantrums. Given that his supporters are not too bright they are going to make up stuff they think he promised. Trump has no real agenda as President other than self enrichment.

[still_one]

2. The fact that every Democrat running in the swing states lost to the incumbent establishment

republican does not bode well.


The fact that in 2013 Supreme Court struck down a key provision in the voters rights act.

In addition, 14 states added new voting restrictions just in time for the 2016 election:

www.brennancenter.org/voting-restrictions-first-time-2016

North Carolina would have been included in that list, but last minute court rulings were able to get voters who had been removed from the voter registration list reinstated:

www.huffingtonpost.com/entry/north-carolina-naacp-voter-suppression_us_5817634fe4b064e1b4b385df

In spite of that, in North Carolina many of those voters did not realize they could vote in time.

Those voting restrictions which started in 2013, were not in place in 2008, and 2012, and they were definitely aimed at African Americans.

If it was as straight forward as Robert Reich suggests, Russ Feingold, Zypher, Teachout, Deborah Ross and others who had a very progressives message would have won

The fact that because enough self-identified progressives refused to vote for Hillary, and either voted third party, or didn't vote at all, they were not there to stop establishment republican incumbents from winning the Senate in the critical swing states. That made this election a generational event. Unless something extraordinary happens, it is going to take a very long time for things to change. It will have to be done first at the local and state levels, and that's going take a long time.

[SHRED]

4. Robert, I think we are phuked.

[C Moon]

5. California's govorner seat is up in 2018 as well. It's going to be an interesting election year.

[MrPurple]

6. Wouldn't Gavin Newsom win that in a landslide?

[Crash2Parties]

7. He's not a shoe-in, he has numerous failings to various democrats.

[MrPurple]

19. I wish he was Cali governor now, so he could run for President in 2020

I'm mainly aware of Newsom from his numerous times as a guest on Bill Maher's show. But, he seems so intelligent, thoughtful, authentic, charismatic that I think he'd make a strong Presidential candidate. But, if he didn't take office as Governor until 2019, that would be too soon.

[LenaBaby61]

9. Wouldn't Gavin Newsom win that in a landslide?

Gavin would definitely win the governorship here in California unless ....

There's "cyber-help" given to the thuglican running for Governor here in California by tRump's ruskie boy toy putin.

And Dems are (excuse my French) FUCKED in 2018 AND 2020 if under a tRump DOJ cyber-hacking is "allowed" to help thuglicans out AGAIN which will turn red states BLOOD red, and can take governorships away from the Blue states that have Dem governors (IE: See Gavin Newsome here in California.)

[MrPurple]

20. scariest thing about Trump

Of my infinite fears of Trump's Presidency, that kind of thing is at the top of my list. If he's already corrupted the process with Russian hacking, why wouldn't it continue? And, when his minions have access to US surveillance capabilities, is it reasonable to expect that they won't abuse that? I'd think his crew will make the stuff that Nixon pulled seem quaint by comparison.

[AlexSFCA]

12. ?

Why is that even an issue? Thankfully we have open primaries in California so it's gonna come down to two democratic choices, Gavin Newsom and likely LA mayor Antonio Villaragosa. Both are good choices, I prefer Newsom - very bold uncomprimsing progressive agressive leader, exactly what we need right now.

Frankly, I'd be laser focused on rust belt states for the foreseeable future, California will be just fine. Good luck winning elections without PA, WI, MI, OH, etc. FL may become blue due to high minority population with agressive campaigning.

[Granny M]

8. Moving to the center is no alternative. nt

[elleng]

10. I agree.

'between authoritarian populism (Trump) and progressive populism (epitomized by Bernie Sanders).

Democrats must become progressive populists.'

[AlexSFCA]

11. things will likely get worse

There is a high probability that rebublicans will have 60 votes senate majority after 2018 election. Things can get progresdively worse for the next 4 years with no easy way out.

[elleng]

13. Yes.

[YOHABLO]

14. Let's give Trump enough time to tank the economy and not live up to

his promises to his supporters. Perhaps when Trump has made a total disaster of his reign, which probably won't take very long, the outlook for Dems could look very positive. The Dems better get tenaciously tough.

[Pacifist Patriot]

15. Messaging is irrelevant if we don't have confidence our votes count.

Something has stunk in Florida for well over a dozen years now. I'm sure folks in other states feel similarly. I don't have any confidence whatsoever that the gerrymandering, voter suppression tactics, and vulnerable electronic systems give us a level playing field where messaging matters.

[elleng]

16. I too have had no confidence in the 'system' for well over a dozen years.

Florida, Ohio, name your system. BAD news.

[ramapo]

17. Two years is a lifetime. We have no friggin clue.

No doubt the numbers in 2018 are challenging.

It could be a Republican blowout. Or blowback on an overzealous Republican agenda. Or the status quo is maintained (maybe the least likely).

But politics is like the weather. Constantly changing, sometimes with great speed and ferocity.

2008 was all Dems. That was good for less than two years.

1964. Republicans were in the wilderness. Four years later Nixon was elected.

2004 Bush and Republicans were on top. It all came apart two years later.

1976. Democrats cleaned up on Watergate backlash. 1980 the Reagan-era was underway.

Events will mostly determine which way things go.

[JudyM]

18. We need to focus on distilling our positions to short, catchy lines, as well as critiquing him on

policy more than on personality, again, in short easy to grasp catchphrases.

We have to focus on these states with e erything that we've got, become more active than we've ever been, if we want to make any progress in congress.