Senate Democrats strategy: help Trump and other Republicans get re-elected

[geek tragedy]

http://mobile.nytimes.com/2016/11/17/us/politics/democrats-house-senate.html

WASHINGTON — Congressional Democrats, divided and struggling for a path from the electoral wilderness, are constructing an agenda to align with many proposals of President-elect Donald J. Trump that put him at odds with his own party.

On infrastructure spending, child tax credits, paid maternity leave and dismantling trade agreements, Democrats are looking for ways they can work with Mr. Trump and force Republican leaders to choose between their new president and their small-government, free-market principles. Senator Chuck Schumer of New York, elected Wednesday as the new Democratic minority leader, has spoken with Mr. Trump several times, and Democrats in coming weeks plan to announce populist economic and ethics initiatives they think Mr. Trump might like.

Democrats, who lost the White House and made only nominal gains in the House and Senate, face a profound decision after last week’s stunning defeat: Make common cause where they can with Mr. Trump to try to win back the white, working-class voters he took from them, or resist at every turn, trying to rally their disparate coalition in hopes that discontent with an ineffectual new president will benefit them in 2018.

Mr. Trump campaigned on some issues that Democrats have long championed and Republicans resisted: spending more on roads, bridges and rail, punishing American companies that move jobs overseas, ending a lucrative tax break for hedge fund and private equity titans, and making paid maternity leave mandatory.

Some Democrats are even co-opting Mr. Trump’s language from the campaign. “Every single person in our caucus agrees the system is rigged,” said Senator Debbie Stabenow, Democrat of Michigan.

Hard to describe how foolish this is. Trump and the Republicans will get all of the credit, Democrats will get none.

So, the skids get greased for this fascist, racist, pollution-loving animal to get another 8 years of Congressional majorities to roll back the New Deal and Great Society.

Were they asleep during 2009-2010?

[wisteria]

1. Yeah, it's called making Trump look good, too.

[geek tragedy]

2. While he destroys the environment and the ACA and Medicare

They're handing 2020 to them on a silver platter.

I miss Harry Reid already.

[BeyondGeography]

3. We suck

Wait-and-see should be as far as we go in terms of signalling. But you knew this would happen. We're the "reasonable" party.

[geek tragedy]

5. Democrats have no idea how to behave as an opposition party

Schumer already confirming the worst fears about him.

[GeorgeGist]

4. Quislings

[yurbud]

6. Trump and some other conservatives used talking points Dems should have adopted decades ago

and acted on: crony capitalism, the system is rigged, etc.

The difference is, at least progressive Democrats actually believe those talking points and want to enact those policies.

[yurbud]

7. the irony is I doubt Trump will get much GOP support for those proposals

if it costs their corporate masters money, they simply will refuse to do it.

For some of those, Democrats voting for them could be a preview of the new Democratic Party.

[monmouth4]

8. No wonder Bernie remains an Independent. Can't blame him..n/t

[geek tragedy]

10. Bernie is part of the problem now.

He's going along with this. He's making the same pledges.

[CrispyQ]

9. So they console themselves that they won the popular vote & it's business as usual.

So if white voters see dems working nicely with Trump/GOP, why would they return to the fold?

Good fucking grief, this is why I'm no longer a registered dem!

[geek tragedy]

11. yeah, stuff those swing voters wants happens, when the GOP

gets control of Congress. What will they do in the future? Hmmm.

[MurrayDelph]

12. I've said it a million times

To Republicans "bipartisanship" means "do it our way, then we'll blame YOU when it fails."