I have thought this for years about my party, the Democrats. Fight back for the things we believe in. Put economic inequality and the climate on center stage. Focus on the shrinking middle class.Those are winning messages. Do it with righteous anger and not pull punches anymore. Now is our moment to begin a new progressive era. Do it Dems!
When Jimmy Carter ran for President, conservatives ridiculed his Baptist faith incessantly. "Jimmy Carter went to Philadelphia, laid his hands on the liberty bell, and lo, the crack was healed! Haw haw haw!" By the time Reagan came along, however, his advisers had figured out that there were votes and money to be had in the fundamentalist community. After that they had to drop the "he's too religious" line and go with."He's a wimp, a weaking, too feminine." Since then, their playbook.has been the middle-school playground bully.
As President Biden learned the hard way, reaching across the political aisle with your arm stretched out to solve the nation's problems only gets your arm chopped off. Gavin Newsom yucking it up with Charlie Kirk rightfully got him in a heap of trouble and he eventually delivered a strong speech criticizing Drumpf and MAGAts on 06/10/2025.
It is time for the Dems to realize that these are not normal times. When you have the opposing party that lies at the drop of a hat (when the mouths are moving, they are lying) from the top to bottom, you MUST meet fire with fire and grab the torches and pitchforks. The Dems should have an army of people whose full-time job is to strongly react to each and every lie, every outrageous comment and to call them out with force and rage.
We have a country to save and the old ways of playing nice must be cast aside. The time for tepid responses is over. It's time to roll up our sleeves and show the MAGAts that we're mad as hell and we're not going to take it any more. Their very words can provide damning fodder to be used to crush them in the midterms.
Vegans don’t eat eggs OR cheese! It truly is astonishing how ignorant a third of Americans are, voting based on such nonsense. So are Peter Thiel and Tim Cook, each married to men, considered manly men? BTW, Talarico’s responses are absolutely brilliant!
People like Paxton are bigots. They like being bigots, indeed revel in it. They also think being a bigot is a good way to win elections. Let them think so. They'll learn this is not true in November.
I got to say calling some out as trans is dumb as well as bigoted unless you have good evidence. They make up a very small percentage of the population and the allegation is readily disproved. Hating trans people may go down well with people who are going to vote Republican anyway but it makes you look wierd and not very likeable to the majority of the population.
There aren’t enough Republican men to truly subjugate all those other groups. Heck, there aren’t enough to subjugate women. When push finally comes to shove, one or more of these groups will push back, and these whiny-assed “real” men will slink away, if they survive. These yahoos are so stupid, it would be fun if they weren’t also dangerous. It’s like watching Dallas all over again.
This dialogue from the Republicans sounds more like playground taunting rather than the intelligent discourse that is needed for voters to make their decisions. Pointing out the bigotry and hypocrisy will allow voters to see fascistic bent from the right and just how ugly people can be when they lack the intelligence and civility needed in these times.
Great column, but on the candidate selection issue I think you’re confusing two different things. It’s pragmatic for Dems to consider whether a perspective nominee has traits that could alienate swing voters, since (unfortunately) they often decide elections. (Full disclosure: I’m against the Dems nominating a female presidential candidate in 2028 for this reason.). I think Crockett would have been a disastrous candidate against Paxton. That’s entirely different from whether they should hit back hard against GOP attacks, especially ones like these: of course they should, or whether they should try to work with the GOP in government: of course they shouldn’t as long as the GOP is a fascist faction dedicated to attacking vulnerable populations and to destroying democracy.
20cc of levity in our dark times from Douglas Adams, The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy: “In those days spirits were brave, the stakes were high, men were real men, women were real women and small furry creatures from Alpha Centauri were real small furry creatures from Alpha Centauri.”
I have thought this for years about my party, the Democrats. Fight back for the things we believe in. Put economic inequality and the climate on center stage. Focus on the shrinking middle class.Those are winning messages. Do it with righteous anger and not pull punches anymore. Now is our moment to begin a new progressive era. Do it Dems!
It almost seems like the Texas Rs are saying he can’t be a man because he’s religious. Irony
When Jimmy Carter ran for President, conservatives ridiculed his Baptist faith incessantly. "Jimmy Carter went to Philadelphia, laid his hands on the liberty bell, and lo, the crack was healed! Haw haw haw!" By the time Reagan came along, however, his advisers had figured out that there were votes and money to be had in the fundamentalist community. After that they had to drop the "he's too religious" line and go with."He's a wimp, a weaking, too feminine." Since then, their playbook.has been the middle-school playground bully.
As President Biden learned the hard way, reaching across the political aisle with your arm stretched out to solve the nation's problems only gets your arm chopped off. Gavin Newsom yucking it up with Charlie Kirk rightfully got him in a heap of trouble and he eventually delivered a strong speech criticizing Drumpf and MAGAts on 06/10/2025.
It is time for the Dems to realize that these are not normal times. When you have the opposing party that lies at the drop of a hat (when the mouths are moving, they are lying) from the top to bottom, you MUST meet fire with fire and grab the torches and pitchforks. The Dems should have an army of people whose full-time job is to strongly react to each and every lie, every outrageous comment and to call them out with force and rage.
We have a country to save and the old ways of playing nice must be cast aside. The time for tepid responses is over. It's time to roll up our sleeves and show the MAGAts that we're mad as hell and we're not going to take it any more. Their very words can provide damning fodder to be used to crush them in the midterms.
Vegans don’t eat eggs OR cheese! It truly is astonishing how ignorant a third of Americans are, voting based on such nonsense. So are Peter Thiel and Tim Cook, each married to men, considered manly men? BTW, Talarico’s responses are absolutely brilliant!
…After all, Paxton and Miller are ugly fucks, and are going to lose.’ Exactly!!
People like Paxton are bigots. They like being bigots, indeed revel in it. They also think being a bigot is a good way to win elections. Let them think so. They'll learn this is not true in November.
I got to say calling some out as trans is dumb as well as bigoted unless you have good evidence. They make up a very small percentage of the population and the allegation is readily disproved. Hating trans people may go down well with people who are going to vote Republican anyway but it makes you look wierd and not very likeable to the majority of the population.
It is still bigoted to demonize someone who is trans even with good evidence Michael. Leave trans people alone.
There aren’t enough Republican men to truly subjugate all those other groups. Heck, there aren’t enough to subjugate women. When push finally comes to shove, one or more of these groups will push back, and these whiny-assed “real” men will slink away, if they survive. These yahoos are so stupid, it would be fun if they weren’t also dangerous. It’s like watching Dallas all over again.
Speaking of trans … Stephen Miller seems to be transforming himself into a white Evangelical Christian.
Republican Texan maga moron men and their deranged, misplaced 'manhood'. "The lady doth protest too much, methinks"
Let's all stand shoulder to shoulder and sing Bette Midler's anthem, "All You Fascists Gonna Lose"!
This dialogue from the Republicans sounds more like playground taunting rather than the intelligent discourse that is needed for voters to make their decisions. Pointing out the bigotry and hypocrisy will allow voters to see fascistic bent from the right and just how ugly people can be when they lack the intelligence and civility needed in these times.
Great column, but on the candidate selection issue I think you’re confusing two different things. It’s pragmatic for Dems to consider whether a perspective nominee has traits that could alienate swing voters, since (unfortunately) they often decide elections. (Full disclosure: I’m against the Dems nominating a female presidential candidate in 2028 for this reason.). I think Crockett would have been a disastrous candidate against Paxton. That’s entirely different from whether they should hit back hard against GOP attacks, especially ones like these: of course they should, or whether they should try to work with the GOP in government: of course they shouldn’t as long as the GOP is a fascist faction dedicated to attacking vulnerable populations and to destroying democracy.
Every Democrat needs to read this.
20cc of levity in our dark times from Douglas Adams, The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy: “In those days spirits were brave, the stakes were high, men were real men, women were real women and small furry creatures from Alpha Centauri were real small furry creatures from Alpha Centauri.”