You’re right Tom. Schumer’s skill in the caucus has been “inside politics” which has its place in normal times but is not what we are facing now. It is completely amazing and astoundingly shortsighted for Democrats in leadership to fail to appreciate the depth of the Trumpian commitment to disruption and destruction of government programs. Project 2025 was a complete and mostly public package in the summer of 2023. It was a cover story in The Economist in July 2023. The Dems had plenty of time to discover, digest, and plan countermeasures to this blueprint had they used the talents they were supposed to have. The Dems have been bringing quill pens to gunfights for so long that the Party leadership is fundamentally flawed and comically underpowered. Except it’s not funny.
Here's another take that pretty much matches your assessment, Tom. Of course, Rachel Bitecofer always applies a sharper edge since that's her style. The need for stronger, energetic, vigorous (and younger) leadership remains critical.
Thanks for posting. An interesting column from a smart writer. He seems to gloss over two critical issues, though. First, he denounces the filibuster. Certainly, the filibuster could be reformed to make it a better tool, but it is ONLY a because the filibuster exists that Democrats had the opportunity this past week to do what Rothkopf is advocating - block the GOP a budget. Without the filibuster, the GOP majority in the Senate could have passed the budget without Democratic support, just ad they did in the House. To argue that the Senate should get rid of the filibuster AND that the Democrats should have blocked the CR is a contradiction. Second, the way government shutdowns work is that an enormous amount of discretionary power shifts to the Executive Branch. A shutdown would give Trump the power to permanently eviscerate the government.
I would like to think Trump's impetuousness and unstructured policies will catch up with him and if so, or regardless, voters should be open to a shift to a Democratic response. And yes, new ideas and new faces should be part of that equation.
Your analysis is off base Tom. It was the fault of the voters who chose to delude themselves about the Republicans and Trump. You can blame Democrats for not having a winning strategy but you can't make people believe the truth. These are the most ignorant voters have ever observed.
Joe Biden and others said over and over again that Trump was stupid and danger, but as I heard a voter say at polling place ,'Donald Trump is not going to do these things he says he is. "
I wish voters had chosen differently, but they didn't. Trump is President and the GOP control Congress. To keep looking backwards is to cede to Trump and Musk all they want to do. Dems need to rise to the occasion and be an effective opposition.
You’re right Tom. Schumer’s skill in the caucus has been “inside politics” which has its place in normal times but is not what we are facing now. It is completely amazing and astoundingly shortsighted for Democrats in leadership to fail to appreciate the depth of the Trumpian commitment to disruption and destruction of government programs. Project 2025 was a complete and mostly public package in the summer of 2023. It was a cover story in The Economist in July 2023. The Dems had plenty of time to discover, digest, and plan countermeasures to this blueprint had they used the talents they were supposed to have. The Dems have been bringing quill pens to gunfights for so long that the Party leadership is fundamentally flawed and comically underpowered. Except it’s not funny.
Superb, Tom!
Here's another take that pretty much matches your assessment, Tom. Of course, Rachel Bitecofer always applies a sharper edge since that's her style. The need for stronger, energetic, vigorous (and younger) leadership remains critical.
https://open.substack.com/pub/thecycle/p/stats-of-the-week-619?r=p46ew&utm_campaign=post&utm_medium=web&showWelcomeOnShare=false
This is an intriguing essay mostly pertinent to this topic:
https://open.substack.com/pub/davidrothkopf/p/there-is-no-progress-without-sacrilege?r=p46ew&utm_medium=ios
Thanks for posting. An interesting column from a smart writer. He seems to gloss over two critical issues, though. First, he denounces the filibuster. Certainly, the filibuster could be reformed to make it a better tool, but it is ONLY a because the filibuster exists that Democrats had the opportunity this past week to do what Rothkopf is advocating - block the GOP a budget. Without the filibuster, the GOP majority in the Senate could have passed the budget without Democratic support, just ad they did in the House. To argue that the Senate should get rid of the filibuster AND that the Democrats should have blocked the CR is a contradiction. Second, the way government shutdowns work is that an enormous amount of discretionary power shifts to the Executive Branch. A shutdown would give Trump the power to permanently eviscerate the government.
I would like to think Trump's impetuousness and unstructured policies will catch up with him and if so, or regardless, voters should be open to a shift to a Democratic response. And yes, new ideas and new faces should be part of that equation.
Your analysis is off base Tom. It was the fault of the voters who chose to delude themselves about the Republicans and Trump. You can blame Democrats for not having a winning strategy but you can't make people believe the truth. These are the most ignorant voters have ever observed.
Joe Biden and others said over and over again that Trump was stupid and danger, but as I heard a voter say at polling place ,'Donald Trump is not going to do these things he says he is. "
Save your wrath th for people who deserve it.
I wish voters had chosen differently, but they didn't. Trump is President and the GOP control Congress. To keep looking backwards is to cede to Trump and Musk all they want to do. Dems need to rise to the occasion and be an effective opposition.