The Peanut Gallery
I’m over here in the peanut gallery and I know that. But I’m wondering if I’m alone on this one issue.
I am all for the Democratic House investigating Trump. Good idea. Needs doing.
But first, above all, we have got to address health care. We have got to send a health care bill (and that includes prescription drug prices) to the senate every damn day until they finally give in or don’t have any answers left. That has to be first and that has to be constant. We’ve got to personalize it. We have to run ads on teevee. We need billboards that say insurance and drug companies are ripping you off, and dammit, for profit hospitals ain’t helping the situation any at all.
Democrats were elected to get something done. If we spend the next two years doing nothing but fighting Trump and then exchange him for something even worse, then shame on us in 2020.
I don’t think we can get anyone worse than tRump.
1I’m with you on this one. The problem is this: It is really a whole lot of fun to run Republicans into the ground, and then maul them. A lot more fun than legislating and governing.
2Agreed. My husband and I daily face the fact that if we were to become seriously ill, that would just be the end because there is no way we could pay the out-of-pocket expenses.
3Amen to that.
4That last paragraph neatly sums up my thoughts so Miz JJ you’re not alone in the peanut gallery. Also just having the threat of investigations/impeachment might make the narcissist baby in the White House reveal even more of his authoritarian self than if he heads into full mode rage war against a real threat. Let him entangle himself out of paranoia instead of handing him and faux news a rallying call to the rabid base.
5With glass half full optimism, it is walk and chew gum time for the Democrats. 230~ or so House members plus staff should be able to provide oversight on the Dotard45 maladministration and legislate at the same time. As to all sniveling outcries about a subpoena cannonade by Donnie and/or the snacilbupeR, remind them again about how many Benghazi investigations, Hilz e-mails, etc. ad nauseum were conducted by Gowdy & Chaffetz & Issa. Or, a simple picture of Devin Nunes doing his “midnight Potomac ride” to the WH with a leaking classified pouch. Then hit them with a reality check: there wouldn’t be so many subpoenas forthcoming now had they done their checks & balance job in the previous 2 years. Get it done.
Then aim the legislation cannon square between Old Scratch McConnell’s eyes lighting him up with the truth that obstruction in Congress begins and ends with him.
6Hopefully our congress critters are able to chew gum and walk at the same time. They should be able to do both!!!
7You are not alone, I’m right there with you. It was the FOCUS of the entire ‘blue wave’ campaign 2018, they’d better put all that talk into action. I’m sure they can multitask, though, and work on other things in committee. Some campaign finance and immigration legislation would be nice, but heath care reform should be job #1.
8You’re absolutely right, JJ.
The problem is, the “news” right now is mostly excoriating the Democrats for not putting impeachment on the table.
And OF COURSE they’re right not to do that — as entertaining as it might be. There’s this little thing called ‘an investigation’ that needs to happen first — and hasn’t so far.
So, yes, let the committees whose job it is to investigate investigate — meantime, let the main body run the country. And if they listened to their own polls AT ALL they know that means real, in depth, health care reform that doesn’t run scared in the face of Republican tantrums.
The vast majority of the newbies entering the House in January ran on health care. It’s put-up-or-shut -up time.
9this seems to be a pretty good roadmap for house democrats….
https://www.washingtonpost.com/opinions/the-first-five-things-the-democrats-should-do-with-their-house-majority/2018/11/06/54e99b3a-e1fc-11e8-ab2c-b31dcd53ca6b_story.html?utm_term=.dcc9ebad8640&wpisrc=nl_most&wpmm=1
10Yes on health care.
11It would be a welcome change if we’d see government officials act like adults in Washington DC. People who spoke in clear, complete sentences, and accomplished much needed legislation for the 99%.
Tough choice: do we fight every Trump stratagem for two years, or do we strive for better healthcare?
I’m inclined to think Trump will leave us with no choice but to fight him every step of the way. That’s what he does.
So, essentially there is not a real choice at all, just a warm desire for one. I vote for the fight.
12These first three are required to restore the healthy functioning of our republic:
voting rights first
the rule of law second
media re-regulation third
global warming fourth (should be first, but without a functioning republic, fossil fuel companies will buy the government)
then healthcare
13IMO, the Democrats will never be able to best Trump in a media contest. Many people think he is an idiot, that may be true. But, he has been able to convince 40 something % of us that he is a god, while simultaneously neutering the congress.
The citizens of this nation and the Democratic party will be better off with them doing what they know how to do, govern. They need to get busy on healthcare. And hire a very creative person to handle PR.
14No senate majority, no healthcare upgrade. Sorry folks, but that’s the truth.
Best we can hope to do is DEFEND healthcare. See my rationale in post 11.
15The House has committees that can be assigned various tasks to split the workload. Like circuits that work in parallel, they should be able to complete disparate parts of the monumental job they are facing. There are 27 committees; they require a plan and good management!
@Cheryl, I remember when we couldn’t get worse than Bush-Cheney, sigh. And now we have this!
16Mr. Charles R Phillips, I’d like to insert a note of optimism into the next 2 years. #1 Democrats will control the House. #2 Lyin’ Ryan will no longer be there to run protection for miscreants like Issa and Nunes. So load up the legislation cannon in the House and aim it square at Old Scratch McConnell over at the Senate.
And, as others have suggested Democrats in both the House and Senate need to beef up their PR and messaging staff. Write the legislation, pass it in the House and if/when Old Scratch attempts to stiff arm it roast him in a blaze of PR as to what a mofu obstructionist he is. Make Tiny Donnie grip his veto pen until his fingers bleed.
Demonstrate that YES Democrats can govern and we the people can have nice things, if not for the snacilbupeR in Congress and Dotard45. Make it perfectly clear that the legislation is ready and that all that is required is a clean sweep of snacilbupeR in 2020. Get done what can be done now while showing what can & should be done in the future.
17PKM, as always, you’ve come to the party with plans. Good. It would be nice if your plan works. However, we must stay the course of resistance first, before anything else can be accomplished. We must legislate with the knowledge we won’t be able to push anything through alone, and the senate almost certainly won’t help. Blame The Turtle, blame Cheeto Jesus, blame whomever you please, but sustain the effort we must.
18My eye are “wide open,” Mr. Phillips. Like you, we don’t suggest eliminating anything from the range of possibilities to shame the Congressional snacilbupeR into some semblance of cooperation, while expecting nothing but platitudes and lies from them. ;D
You are correct. Resistance. Indeed. With reasonable expectations of full on obstruction from Old Scratch. But yes, write that legislation and pass it in the House. All of it. Make Old Scratch and Senate Republicans OWN any and all bloody hands they have in preventing the will of the people from being represented; especially on the obvious issues like health care and gun safety. The point of having the legislation ready is to make the Rs OWN that they could care less about immigration or anything.
Write the legislation and while attempting to pass it forge the 2020 ads to corral the lying snacilbupeR who brazenly campaigned on how they “would protect pre-existing conditions.” Resist, yes. And, construct a trap door below every lie that can be anticipated that they will tell in 2020.
Abortion? No problem. Fight back with ads of all those hypocrites paying for their mistresses abortions. Same with every last damn one of their supposed “hot button” issues. Show that they truly do not care and merely cling to that claptrap as a means of dividing the country.
19Democrats!!! Stop this waste of time! We all know trumpkin is a criminal psychopathic liar, and general sexist ahole. Get something done that helps the ‘merican people and scream very loud when the rePUKEian senate stops any thing good.
20Then in 2020 we can get most of them kicked out!
solve the Abortions and health care issues for all would be nice!
shame the Congressional snacilbupeR into some semblance of cooperation
If it were possible to shame the Rs into anything, this might be a hope. As, however, they have demonstrated conclusively (Garland, Kavanaugh, shut-downs, blue-slip rule, Benghazi)
that they have no shame, it’s simply a delusion.
Get something done that
What part of “McConnell is still in control of the Senate, and Trump has veto power” is not clear to you?
21Bud votes Aye!
22joel hanes, it’s true that the snacilbupeR are shameless. However, that does not preclude the possibility that in 2020 some of the independent electorate might catch on to that fact. Might not hurt for the ladies in the Senate to introduce Senators Collins and Murkowski into the club of sanity, or have Senators King and Sanders explain what independent means.
Most “get” that Old Scratch McConnell has numbers in the Senate and Dotard45 has a veto pen. But again, make THEM show that they are the obstructionists by presenting them with sound legislation. That the legislation may not pass until after the 2020 elections is no reason to quit. Use it as a cudgel to take the House, Senate and WH. Write the legislations to allow the campaign ads to “write themselves.”
23Ah.
You want _gestures_.
I’m fine with that, but in my book, things like “symbolically” repealing the ACA 23 times in the House do not amount to “getting things done”, and are rather the opposite.
I’d guess that Pelosi has more important things in mind.
24Like investigations and subpoenas.
No joel, it is not “gestures” that I want. Again, with 230+ Democrats and staff, it is not unreasonable to expect legislation along with investigations and subpoenas. While it is obviously that Old Scratch and Dotard45 are obstacles, that’s no excuse for folding without playing the hand we’ve been dealt.
Instead of being frightened by Dotard45’s bluster, call his bluff.
25We have to do something about US bankruptcy law. As it stands, people are losing everything to pay medical bills. People in other countries never have to worry this.
I think those ads should empasize that the very people elected to office have comprehensive medical benefits that are paid by us, the citizens who elected them.
@Joel Hanes #13
I’d add to your list:
Abolish the electoral college. One vote for each voting citizen for ALL elections. No other country in the world has an electoral college that gets the last word of who get elected president.
26I am with you 100%
27Philosphicaly and if we had any sanity in the thuglicans I would agree with you.
28But….
Any body that has accepted marcia blackman, and others of her ilk, cannot be dealt with in a sane and rational manner.
As soon as D’s push something the thugs will take it hostage and tie the system up as long as possible before “shooting the hostage” ( bill/ initiative) remeber the ACA.
Also would point out that thuglicans did nothing but obstruct for 8 years and were rewarded with complete control of house, senate, judiciary and wh.
I believe first thing is to totally discredit entire thuglican party to the point that as soon as they open their mouths it is labelled a lie in the minds of the public.
Dig deep, leak often, smear with truth at every oppurtunity, Show no merct, no respect and no consideartion of difficulties of oppenents no matter who they are.
First make sure people start seeing Collins as the whack job she is versus the sane moderate she is marketed as.
Make the thugs try to defend the indefensible.
Use kavanaug perjury hearings to smear and discredit every judge that thugs have appointed.
Have no concern about protecting the reputation of any instititions that is just giving cover the thuglicans as they use that “respect” againt the d’s while they destroy the institions from the inside.
Investigate, leak and smear until thugs cry for mercy then repeat until there are no thugs left in government.
Do not allow “retirement” to stop hounding thuglican crooks hound them into their graves.
It’s not “fighting Trump” it’s protecting America from a criminal president.
29I did see that the Dems plan to revive the House climate committee. Healthcare is big, but we need a livable planet.
30I am proud to say that my Kansas district is sending Sharice Davids to Congress. Her focus is health care. She will be a force on that issue. Throughout the campaign she was relentless in talking about it. She knows the issue inside and out. That is why her republican opponent lost big time.
31Our Dems will likely find it difficult going to govern. The Cons will obstruct of course. Dems who can think only of investigatin’, subpoenain’, and impeachin’, while enjoyable to watch, will not get ACA repaired and made permanent. Of course a little fun and a little work makes for a great job. Injuring the current potus might be more useful than impeaching him. Seeing him squirm would make great tv. So for only Puty has seen THAT. D!*k holster don’t y’know.
32As much as I’d like to ignore Trump, it is painfully obvious we cannot. He is a traitor and out to wreak havoc in democracies around the globe. In that he is a globalist.
Healthcare is a must, but we must first protect the system which allows it.
33I pretty much agree with you, but I think it can work this way. First priority is a return to regular order. That means hearings on legislation (healthcare, infrastructure, voting rights, defence bugdet, etc.) Public committee meetings to mark up the bills. Show the public how a legislature works to do the people’s business in public. No votes on things that appear, fully written, from the Speakers office.
In addition, the appropriate committees can investigate Trump and his cabinet where warranted. The hard part will be to do it without grandstanding. Let the staff lawyers get the facts, then sober public hearings to show America the truth. Blackball any Democrat who showboats. Trump will attack and lie, but don’t give him any good targets. Be the grownups to Trumps tantrums. Anything else will play to Trump’s strengths (lying and mudslinging).
34How about we multitask and do both?
35I am a little slow so please forgive me.
36But (always a but) I finally identified what was bothering me about this question/statement “Democrats were elected to get something done.”
The d’s only control the House 1/3 of the legislative/executive branches and face an increasingly number of ideological hacks in the judiciary.
By framing question in this matter accepts the responsibility of the D’s to “get something done” and leaves the thuglicans outside of the public framing.
So, just have they did through out the Obama administration, the thugs can be as obstructive and offensive as they wish but it is always the democratic legislators who are responsible for the failure NO matter what the thugs have done to create that failure.
Think ACA.
Please let us not fall into that trap again.
@Cheryl – “I don’t think we can get anyone worse than tRump.”
In 2000, I said, “I don’t think we can get anyone worse than W.” Well, Yes. We. Can.
37JJ, You can rest assured that the eager, bright-eyed policy wonks who do the congressional grunt work to come up with things like health care bills are not the same people who pick through wastebaskets looking for something they can subpoena someone over. The beauty of this, we can do both. ( : But I agree, healthcare on the front burner.
38I am with Bill F
Republicans seem to believe governing means destroying anything that is a hindrance to their sponsors while simultaneously lining their own pockets and buttering up the President
Democrats were elected to clean up, something we have a lot of experience with. Oversight and enforcing accountability at government agencies are mandated in the Constitution, it is part of their job but I would hope that we do it openly and honestly. Not in a spirit of revenge, we are better than that.
Any progressive legislation that passes the house will almost certainly be sidelined by McConnell but that road runs both ways and the power of the purse is a wonderful thing.
No time to rest on our laurels this lame duck session is going to be very dangerous, cornered rats fight hard and dirty. If we work harder and smarter and can prevent Chuck from giving away the farm for a dozen eggs . . . the list of opportunistic and self serving damage in the last two years is daunting
Protect Mueller, healthcare, the elderly and working poor, first. Stop babbling about impeachment which can’t get to 60 in the Senate at this time Most important remember that while it is a good thing to let your reps know what you don’t like it is equally important to tell them when they have done well #CarrotAndStick
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