There is a true revolt in the GOP but the country is still losing the battle

[Cosmocat]

This is as fractured as the GOP has been in my life.

But, somehow they still are advancing their agenda.

We have seen the House pass a bill cutting assistance and we remain in a constant state of being a pubic hair from cuts to SS and Medicade.

SOMEHOW despite their infighting, the GOP continues to control the messaging and attitudes of the public relative to economics and our safety net.

This country is getting meaner toward and increasingly focused on those who are struggling.

We don't have enough jobs for everyone and far too many of the jobs that exist do not provide the compensation necessary to put a roof over people's heads, feed and cloth them, provide health care coverage and the ability to save for retirement.

But, the accepted reality most people operate from is that everyone lives in this fantasy world where all you have to do is "work hard" and you will get ahead.

Not the real world were most often the people who actually "work hard" don't get near the compensation for that hard work that they deserve.

"Hard work" is trumped by "getting ahead."

And, only so many people can get ahead.

The people who have REALLY "gotten ahead" have successfully managed to direct the public discourse in this country to pit the other 95% of us against one another by putting the blame for not getting ahead on those who can't get ahead.

The missing element - the counter argument.

Occupy was an active and effective effort to properly focus this country's attention on the reality of our imbalanced politics.

But, of course, the republicans and the "liberal" media negatively framed and marginalized it.

The problem is the democratic party being the democratic party - unfocused and lacking a centralized message, and more importantly, elected officials too scared and/or incapable of going out into public and making the counter argument.

We will continue to lose ground, even with the republican party fractured, if Democrats continue to meekly stand in the shadows and let events unfold around them.

[bemildred]

1. When the Congress is divided, the public's work cannot be done. nt

[UCmeNdc]

2. The News Media is controlled by the GOP

So that is the messaging that most people hear and read about.

[on point]

3. 'Too scared or incapable' is a phrase that translates to 'Leadership'

Conned, craven or corrupt these pols are not working on behalf of people in this country and continue to head in the wrong direction to support the 1%

[Bluenorthwest]

4. I think you give the Republicans way too much credit

I don't agree with this: "SOMEHOW despite their infighting, the GOP continues to control the messaging and attitudes of the public relative to economics and our safety net"
All they are doing is fucking with the House of Reps, they are not controlling the attitudes of the public, the public is detesting the Republicans more every day. Claiming that people playing petulant parliamentarians have the public's support requires some sort of support, I challenge that assertion.

[Cosmocat]

6. Nothing to challenge

Two different things.

To US, there is a connection between them acting like jackasses in the House and their mean and draconian broader messaging.

The public at large does not connect the two.

In fact, most often the public assigns their jackass behavior in the house to "all of them."

The general attitudes and tones of this country toward economics in general and our safety net still are driven by the republican party's relentless drone of how our country is one step from disaster and cutting the safety net is the only thing to avoid it. While at the same time, you can count on one hand the number of democrats who are fighting the good fight to counter their bullshit.

That isn't even debatable.

[blkmusclmachine]

5. The GOP **always** advances its Agenda. Good old DC "bi-partisanship." You can smell it from here.