With all attention being paid (and rightly so) to Republican efforts to rig upcoming elections in their favor by making it harder to vote, especially harder for African Americans and other Democratic-leaning groups, the steady improvement during 2021 of Republicans in the quarterly Gallup survey of party identification may not have received the attention it deserves.
In the first quarter of 2021, Democrats had a nine-point lead (combining those who described themselves as Democrats with those who said they leaned Democratic). In the second quarter, it shrank to six. In the third quarter, the Democratic advantage was down to a single percentage point, 45-44.
Gallup’s recently-published numbers for the fourth quarter of 2021 show that Republicans and Republican leaners outnumbered Democrats and Dem-leaners by 47-42 percent.
According to the Gallup writeup of this trend, Republicans haven’t held a quarterly advantage this large since 1995.
The biggest shift, in the case of both parties, was among “leaners.” Democrats dropped just two points (from 30-28) among those who identified as Democrats, and Republicans gained by just three (from 25 to 28). But those identifying as Democratic leaners fell by five points of the course of 2021 (19 to 14) and Republican leaners grew by four (15 to 19).
1. The authoritarianism of mandates and bans.
2. The total disregard for the safety of the citizenry as democrats take the side of the criminals over their victims.
3. The authoritarianism of attempting to centralize and federalize the elections, banning state Voter ID laws and codifying those voting policies that they employed in 2020, using the pandemic as an excuse which enabled them to cheat.
“authoritarianism of attempting to centralize and federalize the elections”
The irony here is rich, that promoting free and fair elections that prioritize increased participation is cast as “authoritarianism.”
Or the perception of the above, fueled by right-wing media and the uncritical “both sides-ism” of the mainstream media.
Wow! You are a god of gaslighting. In 2016, you happily elected a known mobster for President and can still jabber about Democrats (maybe you really did mean “democrats,” as in people who believe in democracy over autocracy?) taking “the side of the criminals over their victims,” you can pretend that outright acts of voter discrimination and repression are something other than cheating, and imagine that any attempt at protecting the public health is “authoritarianism,” when that is exactly the kind of government what passes for “conservatives” are outright trying to enact now. You know that when you look in a mirror, you are seeing a reversed image, right? That does not mean the actual world is the polar opposite from reality.
You label state voting bills “outright acts of voter discrimination and repression”. But don’t these bills simply return voting to pre-Covid standards?
You’re calling it authoritarianism, to protect our people from this pandemic that has raged due to repub opposition to safe, as we close in on almost 900,000 deaths?
Dems taking the sides of criminals? Let’s talk about criminals in the repub party who attempted a violent coup, who walk around with guns threatening peaceful demonstrators, who are so fearful, they won’t leave the house without a loaded weapon?
Federalizing elections…despite repub efforts to undo our elections with some repub states trying for laws that they could use to overturn a legitimate election in their state. If you repubs weren’t undermining the sanctity of our elections, few federal laws would be needed.
Repubs love to desire Voter IDs despite the fact that the fraud is so minuscule it’s far far less than 1%. What repubs have learned is that that about 30% of those eligible to vote, do not have a id and most of these vote Dem…so just another corrupt attempt by repubs to undo the sanctity of our elections…and cheat.
Time for patriots to stand up for their country:
1. The authoritarianism of mandates and bans.
Like gas rationing and other restraints on citizens during WW2. During times of crisis patriots are asked to make sacrifices for the good of the country.
2. The total disregard for the safety of the citizenry as democrats take the side of the criminals over their victims.
The line of criminality is pretty clear: From Derek Chauvin on George Floyd’s neck to his union leader, Bob Kroll, who enabled and supported “warrior tactics” for his officers to Kroll’s chosen candidate, Donald Trump who would urge his rally attenders “just beat the hell out of him” to any rally dissenters. Total disregard for the law.
3. The authoritarianism of attempting to centralize and federalize the elections, banning state Voter ID laws and codifying those voting policies that they employed in 2020, using the pandemic as an excuse which enabled them to cheat.
“Enabled them to cheat” If you have any faith in the Constitution we know that there was no cheating as evidenced by the total failure, 65 to 1 in court decisions, to prove cheating.
To paraphrase Michelle Bachmann, are you:
“pro-America or anti-America?”
Absent any underlying explanations, my take is that the GOP strategy of obstruction is working, again.
As usual, it is always easy and a mistake to underestimate the power of stupid.
This is a performance review for the DNC and DFL leadership. They once again are going to seize defeat from the jaws of victory.
They don’t know how to message, to unify, to message, or to empathize with the average voter. The DFL is run by loyalists who control the caucuses that leaves “outsiders” befuddled and alienated by arcane rules and people who think that voters “should” conform. In the meantime, anyone know who the chair of the DNC is? Have they done anything of note during Biden’s year in office? And when you have Schumer and Pelosi as leaders, it hardly inspires even middle-aged voters to followthem. Schumer can’t talk with his reading glasses and written comments, while Pelosi–although remarkably successful–is all about power, which is necessary for her to do her job but does little for the party’s future.
Finally, it reveals the power of social media and the public’s inability to distinguish facts from opinions, Mr. Tester’s bullet points being a good case in point. There was no more authoritarian figure than Trump was, while public health has a long history of mandates and bans to protect the public health. He completely ignores the biggest threat to US citizens of the past few decades being the Jan. 6 insurrection, followed by the lawlessness of the Trump administration and Republicans. And the continuing lie about Democrats “cheating” in the 2020, for which there is zero proof–to the contrary, the Republicans are pulling out all the stops to chat on the next election by cutting election hours, absentee-ballot availability and use, and voter ID laws that are especially onerous for minority populations.
It is beyond comprehension as to why anyone supports this repub party, which works for only the wealthy, who refuse to invest in education, as we see the vast majority of worst k-12 educational systems and poverty in repub states, attempted a violent coup and still defending these insurrectionists, while refusing to investigate it, who choose to make voting difficult, who refuses to invest in our people and country, who appear to love the autocrats of the world, such as Putin and other far right leaders in Europe, while it is repub leaders who are the ones destroying our economy with their record deficits and reckless wars?
I believe I’ve awoken in a Dumb and Dumber world where inanity has value but not morality or our democracy.
Gene, Minnesota is the worst state in the union as far as black vs white student graduation rate. Last I looked Minnesota was not a red state!
Minnesota has a smaller black population (a bit over 6%) than most red states.
That biases the sample.
Paul, that doesn’t change a thing. 19% of Minneapolis is black people, the same poor performance shows up and is actually worse.
I don’t think it’s a sample problem. The problem in MN is the gap. We have a really good education system overall, but it leaves some people behind, who tend to be black. Joe is trying to claim that red states are better because they deliver a crappier education more evenly.
What MN has to do is close the gap by delivering a better education to the few being left behind. Joe seems to think the better system is to poorly educate everyone.
Or, the changes in opinion, unlike Mr. Tester’s assertions, might be due to:
1. The sad fondness displayed by some Americans toward the authoritarian (actually, fascist) tendencies of the Republican Party.
2. The total disregard of the Republican Party for the law and order they claim to revere when it came to the 2020 election.
3. The uniform efforts of Republicans and Republican legislatures to disenfranchise millions of Americans as their only viable
means of winning a national (and likely state and local) election, after losing in the cleanest, fairest national election we’ve ever had in 2020. This is being done via bald-faced lies and innuendo, a Republican/”Conservative” specialty. The only cheating going on in the 2020 election – if Mr. Tester would read a bit more widely, including fact-based accounts, he would know this – was being done by Mr. Trump and his henchmen. Heather Cox Richardson has an excellent essay online that lays out much of the case, point by point.
4. Finally, in fairness, observers have to admit that, in historically Democratic fashion, Democrats, at least at the national level, have shot themselves in the foot at the very beginning of Biden’s term with deference to Senators Sinema and Manchin, who sound more sincere than our former would-be dictator on TV, but appear to be just as self(and corporate)-serving.
The GOP has become a neofascist personality cult of habitual liars, which Mr. Tester will apparently defend to the death.
These polls represent for me the effectiveness of right wing propaganda. As reflected by Mr. Tester’s comment above and in his other posts, this propaganda is characterized by a few simple and simplistic “memes”, catchwords or phrases that freezes further thought or debate. I contrast this with the bumbling and incompetent attempts by others (e.g. “defund the police”) which are then dismissed as being from the “left”. Which is to say they fail completely as propaganda because they require further explanation, thought and some intellectual engagement by the hearer or audience. Unfortunately, the problems which this great country faces cannot be solved by simplistic slogans or by sticking our collective heads ostrich like in the sand. But the right and it’s propaganda succeeds by telling people it is simple, just be happy, don’t think and ignore those “leftists” telling you otherwise.
People “say” they want change or “reform”, or “peace” or to “drain the swamp” or to “make America great again” but then they vote for Republicans, or “conservatives” as they have mostly for the past 40 plus years and they get war, more corruption and America made worse, i.e. more of the same old sad song. These polls tell us that Americans are not getting any better at seeing through the propaganda for what it is and running away from confronting the real problems facing the United States today.
Hope and change, baby!
I think you mean “bait and switch”. Republican voters are deceived every election and always blame the “Democrats” for all that’s wrong in their lives and in the world. Never mind that the right has had full control of the apparatus since 1980.
In 2016 they blamed the Republicans too, and elected Trump over the objections of senior leaders. Say what you want, that was remarkable.
Thanks for sharing this survey.
The more important question is “Why” have these numbers shifted in such a dramatic way? Just think of what the numbers would be without the protection of the press?
Back in August Mr. Black observed the following concerning the cratering numbers of Biden…”But if the trend of the past six months or so holds up, Biden could find himself below water soon. (E.B. 8/19)
Mr. Black refused to speculate why the Biden numbers were crashing (I won’t speculate on what’s driving them. E.B. 8/19) And will not speculate on why these current numbers are shifting in favor of the GOP.
A failure to answer the “why” question is important but could wage a nasty debate in politically liberal circles.
In my opinion – the current trend and the democrats ignorance is bliss.
“The more important question is “Why”?”
Indeed. Two main contributing factors are:
1) some of the prior support was more anti-Trump than pro-Biden.
2) The dems are unable to pass their policy agenda, leaving voters to look for another option.
In my opinion, this has always been the risk of the Biden candidacy. He’s not particularly inspiring, and his approach at bipartisanship is outdated – the modern GOP has learned that obstructionism hurts the incumbent more than the obstructors, so they oppose good policy to hurt Biden – unless or until they start to get blamed. When that happens McConnell folds. See debt ceiling negotiations for examples.
As long as the true nature of the “conservative” movement and Repub party are not well understood, they will continue to be seen as a legitimate alternative and viable party whose members can be entrusted with power. That’s the true danger of the “Both Sides addiction of the corporate media (and others). Most Americans remain profoundly ignorant of politics and how the national government functions, especially those whose info now comes from social media (not that there aren’t some good twitter threads; but they are a needle in the haystack).
The “conservative” movement has no ideas for any of the problems facing the nation, and have determined that the only answer for them is to escalate the Culture War even higher, into a Total War footing. This is their (natural) response to the crises that were brought to the fore post-Floyd, which they have manufactured into a jeremiad against Critical Race Theory in the elementary schools, of all things. And of course they fan the flame of fear of crime and (minority) criminals, that’s a well they gone to many times before.
As with all these polls, God knows what is in the minds of those “leaners” responding. Is it crime? Is it worries of inflation? Is it Covid exhaustion? It can’t be performance of the overall economy, since as a result of Dem-sponsored legislation, the US economy has rebounded exceedingly well from the Covid Depression, wages especially. (So much for the idea of “economic anxiety” motivating working class whites; Trump was always about nothing more than stoking the Culture War.)
And whatever is in these “leaners” minds, what in God’s name do they think the plutocrat-owned, Do-Nothing Repub party is going to do about any of it, should they control Congress? Yes, Repubs can pass a federal law banning “CRT in the schools” (despite its unconstitutionality). No, they can’t do anything about supply chain inflation, or commodity prices, such as oil. No, they can’t suppress Covid, and wouldn’t if they could. Yes, they can give the states more money for more police, not that wages are the problem. Leave aside the fact that the Repubs themselves won’t say what they would do to address any of these issues. I suppose we’ll hear the “Energy Independence!” chant again; an Oldie but Goodie that usually gets some takers.
The Repub party is intellectually exhausted and morally bankrupt. It has nothing substantial to offer the country and doesn’t even pretend it does. It is simply now the non-Dem party. And that’s likely enough for those who don’t really know what they “want”, they just want to Throw The Bums Out. Well, you can do so, leaners, but you will almost certainly find the Repubs have decided that, upon attaining power this time, they ain’t gonna ever be thrown out again….
“As long as the true nature of the “conservative” movement and Repub party are not well understood, they will continue to be seen as a legitimate alternative and viable party whose members can be entrusted with power.”
Jennifer Rubin has a good piece on this subject in the WaPost today. She points out that the media still covers Repubs – and Trump specifically – as though they’re normal. She cites his apparently unhinged rally this week, where he claimed white people can’t get medical care, as an example. The media called it “airing grievances” without noting the claims are delusional.
Different polls show different results. Last week I read about a poll w an accompanying graph that showed the youngest voter blocks were trending strongly DEM and said if they show up to vote it cb a game changer. Voting–and this is the key for all Americans–is what’s required, by large numbers, along with a truly informed citizenry. Therein lies the rub. And of course all of the recent REP gerrymandering–which sb illegal!–will make voting ever more challenging for many in the next election cycle. Unless Sinema & Manchin are locked in a closet or go on extended vacations or something…so meaningful and helpful new laws/safeguards can finally be passed to protect all voters rights the country faces the end of democracy and the solidification of fascism. This is a pivotal and defining moment.
Or, it could just mean that the MAGAnets are more stirred up and more likely to answer polls. And that offering people incompatible rewards is good politics.
I think Tester is right about number 2. The increase in crime is real, even if the effect of it is overstated. Defund the police was a terrible self-own, and we have these big city district attorneys who have decided not to prosecute some crimes. John Choi in Ramsey county isn’t going to charge people for felony warrants on traffic stops. The priority for Democrats has become protecting criminals.
Nonsense.
We have far more (and disproportionately black) people incarcerated than the civilized world. And there’s little logic in what is classified as a felony. Most traffic stops don’t rate a felony. If the driver has an outstanding warrant, then there’s a real crime to charge them with. Otherwise, let’s not waste police time on matters that could be done just as well by other services. We could free up enough court time to honor the right to a speedy trial stated in the Sixth Amendment to the U.S. Constitution.
Should we jail everyone who violates a city building code?
“And there’s little logic in what is classified as a felony.”
What does that even mean. As an attorney, I can tell you exactly what is classified as a felony.
“Should we jail everyone who violates a city building code?”
Those aren’t felonies other than in extreme cases – i.e. a code violation results in a fatal fire. And in those cases people should be jailed.
“Most traffic stops don’t rate a felony. If the driver has an outstanding warrant, then there’s a real crime to charge them with.”
That is my point. They are not being picked up for their outstanding warrants for real crimes. This isn’t about the traffic stops – its about the warrants.
I am all for not prosecuting drug crimes. The problem is that violent crimes are not being prosecuted.
“As an attorney I can tell you exactly what is classified as a felony. ”
And as a behavioral psychologist there can be a big gap between the words and their physical referents.
That’s nice, I guess. Not sure what it has to do with felony charges.
I agree with Pat 100%. I’m a registered Democrat but sincerely disappointed in local elected officials allowing repeat offenders to walk out the door. And changing the laws/not enforcing existing laws is wrong and the Democrats will pay the price at the polls next fall. And no one to blame except themselves. Paul U says I’m really a Republican. I guess on this issue I am.
Agreed but I would also add that inflation and Covid performance vs expectations are hurting polling as much as crime. Inflation was downplayed as transitory for months prior to finally walking back the narrative. Then declaring independence from coronavirus in his 4th of July speech only hurt in retrospect.
I feel like his messaging advisors let him down big time on this stuff. He ran on being an adult and if you need to issue some frank guidance so be it. Transparency and over hedging would have played into his election narrative. Now you have over promised and under delivered on two large issues that were totally unnecessary.
I guess if his advisors were just that wrong Biden couldn’t do anything but I would take a long look around the room to see if he has the right people in the right seats.
Yes, the increase in violent crime (not all crime) is real. But let’s get some perspective, eh? The levels of violent crime we’re seeing are on par with the levels seen in the mid-90’s and WAAAAY down from what we saw in the 80’s (Reagan was president, and the R’s controlled the Senate for most of that time). We saw a two-year (2020-2021) increase in violent crime, with a single year jump (2020) that was unmatched in recorded history…but again, perspective. We were in the middle of a pandemic and the middle of civil strife. These last 2 years are not normal in any sense of the word. And the policies that are in place now are the same policies that were in place before we saw the jump in crime. No major policies have changed. The GOP is all about “law and order” but the increase in violent crime included members of their own (including the effective “sick out” of many law enforcement officers). They’re not really serious about law and order for everyone, just “those” people. The Dems aren’t actually for criminals, but I guess if the trope gets repeated enough even those who know better start believing it.
You’re missing the point, or perhaps you’re just not aware of it. Prosecutors like John Choi in Ramsey county are on record as saying they’d like to minimize the jail and prison populations. His defenders claim it’s because of Covid, but that’s not his reasoning. It’s ideological. He doesn’t believe in prisons. And in Hennepin County, Mike Freeman said the other day in response to this criticism that “We can’t incarcerate our way out of this problem.” Exhibit 1B.
The reason the cops are quitting and calling in sick is because they’re tired of doing their jobs and have it go to waste when the criminals are not prosecuted to the full extent of the law. The democrats will pay for it in November.
My goodness, yet another (claimed) reason for why the coppers are supposedly all quitting their posts. I’ve now heard: lack of vociferous support by community, being talked about in non-valorous terms too frequently, suddenly-diagnosed PTSD, having their “hands tied”, having to wear body cams, uncertainty about funding, and now having their efforts “go to waste” via lib’rul prosecutors.
It’s really quite a litany at this point, with virtually every social development in the 21st Century causing job dissatisfaction! The only things that never seems to get mentioned are (1) widespread cultural responses to brazen police brutality, and (2) the reality that cops now have to expect that every Tom, Dick and Harry with whom they have to interact is now likely to be heavily armed, thanks to the newly-minted religious doctrine of (genuflect) the Holy Second Amendment.
All I can say is that after watching decades of TV and film crime dramas, I hardly think it’s some new development that perps “are not prosecuted to the full extent of the law”, once nabbed by the Boys in Blue. That’s a critical feature of the system, as it couldn’t function if everyone went to trial, or even was held in jail awaiting trial. As for our violent juveniles/teens, at every step for the past 20 years they have been made more and more likely to be tried as adults. If that has slightly altered during the pandemic, it hardly constitutes a sea change.
As for the Dems “paying for” increases in urban crime come November, that should only bring delight to law and order “conservatives”.
Hey, it was way worse in the 1980s isn’t much of an electoral slogan.
In Democratic world, people are sad about friendly, promising young man Daunte Wright being killed by a cop.
In Republican world, Daunte Wright is known as the guy who choked a woman with a gun to her head while robbing and sexually assaulting her. Who allegedly shot a kid in the head leaving him permanently disabled. Who allegedly shot another guy while carjacking him. Who is facing civil lawsuits against his estate for all of these things.
No, in Republican land Duante Wright is another Black man that should be in prison, like all the rest of them. That you choose to give nuance to their base racism is a choice YOU make, and one that ties you to their bias implicitly, because the rest of us understand EXACTLY what they’re about.
The idea that someone belongs in prison for being a violent criminal isn’t nuance. There is a substantive difference between people who are violent criminals and people who are not. The idea that one of the violent criminals people want to see locked up is Black doesn’t make them racists.
He’s not in prison. He’s dead. It’s sad that you think that the two things are interchangeable. I would not be sad if he were in prison. But I’ll remind you, he’s dead. No matter how bad a person he was, and even with the crimes he probably committed, he did not commit any capital offenses. And even if he did, the situation that led to his death neither merited capital punishment nor followed judicial procedure. That the perpetrator of this injustice (and it is, no matter how bad Mr. Wright was) was merely incompetent vs maliciously incompetent does not change the fact that he should not be dead. Those of us you keep scorning for being sad that Daunte Write is dead are not mourning the person he was, but that injustice was served by those who are supposed to uphold justice. Daunte Wright was not a hero, but he should not be dead. He’s not in prison. He’s dead. I am going to give you the benefit of the doubt by assuming that you simply can’t distinguish mourning about injustice from celebrating the misdeeds of the person to whom injustice was served. Though the gap is obvious. To believe otherwise is to assume maliciousness.
You are missing the point.
Wright should not be dead. And Potter belongs in prison.
But Wright IS being treated as a hero. Most people on the left have no idea of the terrible crimes Wright had been charged with and was later accused of. But everyone on the right does. To them, a cop made a mistake arresting a violent criminal who was trying to flee. NPR is calling him a jokester and doting dad.
https://www.mprnews.org/story/2021/04/15/daunte-wright-slain-by-police-known-as-jokester-doting-dad
Who is the focus on? Protecting violent criminals? Or protecting innocent people from violent criminals.
When Trump & the REPS toss out the term ‘law & order’ everyone assumes they mean regular police, etc.
NO. They refer to the fascist form of law & order: full force, oppression, heavily militaristic, weaponry and so on. Think Trump sending troops to Portland & Chicago, w plans to do so all over the country. Think armed troops shocking the crowds in DC so Trump could walk through to hold up an upside down Bible for a planned PR attempt. Think Trump et al planning and inciting his base to attempt a militaristic armed violent coup in DC on Jan 6th, complete w million$ in damage, hunts for Pelosi, and chants to “Hang Pence” w a guillotine standing ready. He ALWAYS tells us what he’s gonna do. Why? Cuz he’s a Narcissist and wants lots of attn and full credit for every sick, twisted thing. God forbid anyone get the headlines or praise. He couldn’t handle that.
1. I don’t know if the reports of crimes reflects any increase in crime but I’m pretty sure that Tester’s claim that “Democrats favor criminals over their victims” is sheer agit- prop. Democrats are no less “tough on crime” than Republicans and the recurring GOP charge that they favor criminals smacks of the same racism that tainted George H.W. Bush’s campaign against Mike Dukakis. When the right raises crime as a political issue, that’s the dog whistle for “crimes by blacks” to sir up that known prejudice among white voters. I’m sorry to see that it works even for those of us who should know better.
2. The Ramsey County Attorney’s policy is not to refuse prosecuting “felony warrants” but not prosecuting alleged felonies that arise out of minor traffic stops. The purpose of that policy is to discourage police from using traffic stops as a pretext for searches to find evidence of contraband or otherwise to trump up more serious felony charges. That doesn’t mean traffic violations will not be prosecuted because those are prosecuted by city attorneys not the County Attorney under Minnesota law. Neither does it mean people will not be arrested if there is a felony warrant outstanding nor that they will not be prosecuted just because the arrest was incident to a traffic stop.
3. In my opinion, the right does not want to have any honest debate about crime in the US because they don’t want to address the underlying causes. They conflate ant attempt to address policy with prosecution of crime and incarceration rates because it’s easier to get people riled up emotionally over that. And to get votes to elect opticians who have and can ever have any solutions. Misinformation and disinformation are useful in shaping propaganda and generating false issues and “debates” over nonissues.
I don’t know where you live, Mr. Kingstad, but most of the victims of crime in this town are Black.
Is that so? And your basis for that statement is ???? Anyway, “this town” is comprised of at least 80 municipalities and towns including three or four major cities, two counties and Lord knows how many electoral districts. Most of the population covering “this town” and those who vote are “white.” They, like you, are susceptible to subliminally racist appeals to the “rising crime rate” by a cynical political party to gain votes with the promise of “getting tough on crime” . They know, if you don’t that “this town” is always “tough on crime” but it never changes a thing. Because tough enforcement of the criminal laws has very little effect on the crime rate.
Check out the Strib article from Sunday re crime and business.
Check the race of most murder victims in Msp
Take note of the 3 kids who were shot.
That just isn’t true. The prosecutors in L.A., San Francisco, Philadelphia etc. very much favor criminals over their victims.
You can pretend it isn’t happening, but it is.
“Pretending”? I don’t pretend to know what the policies of the district attorney’s in these areas are or their laws. I do know something about Wisconsin and Milwaukee County where the right has been trying to make an issue of the fact that the accused in the Waukesha parade homicides was released on minimal bail from another charge. The Milwaukee DA states that was a mistake by an overworked assistant. Making political issues out of “rising crime rates” or the public’s perception of such rates is dog whistle politics.
Well, I do know what the policies are. And they are feeding right into Republican talking points.
And while the Milwaukee release was a mistake, their DA has been doing the same thing, albeit not as bad as some others. But its still an electoral disaster. Violent criminal set free and then murders a bunch of people, including children. Of course the Republicans are going with that, as they should.
“That just isn’t true. [Conclusory statement. Conclusory statement, false dilemma.]”
Then make your case. With data. Bonus if you can provide evidence of causation, not mere correlation.
Sorry, I assumed that people actually read the news before commenting here.
https://www.nbcbayarea.com/news/local/san-francisco/exclusive-two-sf-prosecutors-quit-join-effort-to-oust-former-boss-district-attorney-chesa-boudin/2698511/
https://www.nytimes.com/2021/11/17/magazine/george-gascon-los-angeles.html
https://www.pottsmerc.com/2022/01/21/guest-column-soft-on-crime-philadelphia-district-attorney-krasner-must-be-held-accountable
https://nypost.com/2022/01/20/manhattan-da-alvin-bragg-stands-by-soft-on-crime-staff-memo/
Well said…thanks.
Yeah, I think we have a bad case of Moronic, Americans, Going, Awry!
So the choices in November is an ineffective party trying to pass bad policy, or irrational trumpets in favor of Insurrection.
Really?
Respectfully, no one’s in favor of insurrection.
You are, so that’s a patently false statement. Still waiting on that retraction regarding indictments. Guess those goalposts were heavier than you expected?
No, I don’t support insurrection. Nor does anyone else. And the previous argument was over whether Jan. 6 was planned and coordinated. I didn’t think it was, and will be happy to admit if I’m wrong. But I’m not wrong yet. The Oath Keepers who were indicted did not lead the riot. They actually entered well after the Capital had been breached:
https://www.justice.gov/opa/pr/leader-oath-keepers-and-10-other-individuals-indicted-federal-court-seditious-conspiracy-and
There it is, so now it’s not charges of sedition, but charges of sedition for ONLY the folks you deem important. I suppose the next one will be ONLY if its the man himself? You’re certainly predictable, so I guess you’ve got that going for you.
But that was the whole argument. Whether Jan. 6 has a leader. If you want to fight about something insignificant, go find someone else.
Listen to Trump and his buddies on 1/6.
You may quote if you can. An imaginative interpretation doesn’t count.
What, Jan 6 crowd I. The Capitol was what, a scavenger hunt?
In one year with President Biden you have Afghan disaster, gas prices exploding, more COViD deaths than previous year, supply chain debacle, empty shelves in stores, crime waves crushing big cities, southern border being overrun, inflation crushing middle class and no clear message on how to fix any of the problems…… Geez, can’t understand why the Dems are under water,,!
All I can say is the Conservative Universe seems truly terrifying.
The problem is that this is indeed the vision being peddled by the Rightwing Noise Machine and allied Hate Radio network, with the corporate TV media being a very poor counterweight…
Really, it seems the Lib universe is pretty terrified.
An oath keeper under every bed
Yeah here we go with the BS again. What is the Afgan debacle, T**** signed us up to get out, now we are out, getting out is never clean, remember Saigon, what’s your issue we should go back in? Gas price explosion, really? They haven’t hit over $4 like they did in 2008! Covid deaths, perhaps a look at the anti-Vax anti mask anti distance folks (typically republican, persuasion), they are dead or dying because of personal ignorance to proper medical advice, and now, blame the medical folks that the these folks died of their own ignorance, as the Right Wing supreme court along with the Right Wing states continue sabotaging sound medical efforts. Empty shelves, OK what are you missing? What had to get your TP at Menard’s vs. Target? Suspect our shelves have more goods on them than 99.99% of the other countries around the world, guess to some folks that is the new definition of poverty. Fix what problems, a Moronic Re[publican party hell bent on stopping any positive movement to make the country better? Yeah, keep pouring gasoline on the fire and turning off the water to the fireman and then blaming them that they can’t put the fire out, one H of a new height in hypocracy! But being a jerk, and trying to drive America into an authoritarian, minority rule 3rd world country is the mantra for the “R” party! Even some “R” Gov’s recognize the hatred!
https://thehill.com/homenews/campaign/590192-sununu-says-he-passed-on-senate-bid-because-he-didnt-want-to-just-be-a
Yes, we know the right wing talking point Jo. All are easily debunked. What we’re looking for is something new? Have you worked on your act for the fall, I’d like to hear some of that material.
Yes, Trump sure screwed us when he got rolled by the Taliban. That’s what happens with a president with no business sense or negotiations skills.
Yeah — he discovered that he couldn’t sue the Talibs in civil court.
The debacle in Afghanistan wasn’t about Trump’s agreement to leave (which could have been modified by Biden), it was the moronic decision to remove the military BEFORE he removed the civilians, and closing the only military airport that could have provided air support to fight back against the Taliban attacks on the civilian airport and could have provided a safer evacuation than that provided by the civilian airport. And although his pentagon is incompetent, they at least told him not to do those things and he did them anyway.
We got attacked by the terrorists Trump released. Trump set this up to fail because he got out-negotiated like he always does.
Trump did not have the courage to get out…Biden did, and republicans know that.
It all started w Trump and continues w McConnell and the REPs & Senate obfuscating, lying and obstructing 24/7. Their sole goal is to do whatever they can think of to not support Biden and to make him look bad. Just like they did w Obama. What maladjusted middle school aged little bullies they continue to be:(
Let’s see now.
1. Trump released 5,000 Taliban prisoners. Do you think that had no effect on anything? What about the Afghan troops, “trained” to the tune of billions of dollars, who surrendered as soon as they saw the Taliban coming over the horizon?
2. Presidents do not control gas prices. The price fluctuations of the past two years are easily explainable by something that right-wingers love to worship: market forces as the nation went from very few people driving in 2020 to most people going back to near-normal driving in 2021. Anybody who claims that presidents control these prices is either ignorant or lying to appeal to the ignorant.
3. What is Biden supposed to do about people refusing to be vaccinated or viruses mutating as a result of hanging out in the bodies of unvaccinated people? I suppose he could have the army go house to house and vaccinate people at gunpoint, but that would be totalitarian, and even leftists wouldn’t like it.
4. Empty shelves? Yes, a few items have been hard to find, but never anything essential, and they have been reappearing over the past two weeks. Yet the right-wing noise machine likes to act as if we’re Cuba during the “special period.”
5. Crime waves? Yes, if you read more than your local news, you will see crimes increasing in red and blue cities and in small towns.
6. Inflation? Yes, but interestingly enough, inflation is occurring even in countries where Biden ISN’T president.
I will grant you “no clear message.” The Democrats are so inept at messaging that I sometimes suspect that they’re PR people are Republican moles.
Hilariously all you get from Dems is excuses for the terrible job Biden has done. Remember he was going to “shut down the virus, not economy”…… He even yelled it a couple times, for what purpose only Joe knows, but he’s ruined the economy and the virus is worse…. Please no more excuses, Biden has a 33% approval rating, everyone can’t be wrong.
Weird, because economy is much stronger under Biden than Trump. Of course, the economy under everyone going back to the great depression in the 1930s was better than under Trump.
If Shutting down pipelines, having small businesses go under left and right, having record amount of folks not working or looking for work is success then your boy Joe is killing it.
No one cares about pipelines, that’s why you are the only one mentioning it. Small businesses fail, all the time, at about a 50% clip as I recall. There’s only one baby boom, and it’s resulting children are now old. They’ll soon be dead. Since you hate immigration there aren’t enough people to take their places, thankfully. The distortion their sheer mass has put in our economy is finally ended, and workers have some power again. Hopefully they don’t squander it and put the screws to the elitist ownership class to which you belong.
Well Matt we agree on one thing, us baby boomers are now old farts! And what really drives the “R” folks is that most of us old farts are “R-wingers” (self not totally included) and theoretically speaking ~ 3 M old fart R-wingers die a year and are replaced by 3M theoretically left leaning folks. Just saying, perhaps the Machiavellian folks despite their close mindedness are seeing some writing on the wall? Going to take some tremendous BS to turn that train around.
Matt, Please stop with the excuses…. Biden has a 48% approval rating from Democrats, 23% from independents and 2% from Republicans… He’s really killing it alright.
Yes, he is killing it compared to Trump, which isn’t hard because Trump was such an epic failure.
Please no more FOX, OAN, Newsmax and other R wing propaganda sites’ messaging! Some of you are on constant repeat.. Widen your reading/viewing scope and open your minds. You are like a broken record hitting the same spot incessantly: Biden bad…Biden bad…Biden bad… Developing some critical thinking skills would help you assess more info and do comparatives and broaden your scope, which in turn might contribute to elevating these group discussions. Thank you
Hyperbolic, and simultaneously untrue. Well done rush.
Just one more thing. When you have your first press conference in months and the first one of 2022, it is always bad when your press secretary (Jan Psaki) has to come out right after presser to clarify remarks. President Biden said a small incursion into Ukraine by Russia would be fine but nothing big will be tolerated. The White House collectively fell over and the spin machine had to go into overdrive.
That is why folks are leaving Democratic Party like rats off of a sinking ship. Less than 50% of Democrats feel that Biden should run in 2024 and 23% of Independents feel he should run. Not good numbers.
Even w a few minor gaffes Biden touched on more serious content in that one press conference than Trump ever did in 4 years, or since. I’ve never seen any other public figure with such limited messaging! Indeed, to this day he always and only whines about the 2020 election. The one he legitimately lost. The one he’s STILL trying to steal in every way imaginable, in the states and federally and all illegal & criminal –>The one he incited a violent coup over! Yet folks like you just simple-mindedly poo poo any & all suggestions of wrongdoing on his part and continue to blindly support him. Yet you also want to be taken seriously. Lol. You can’t have your cake and eat it, too. It doesn’t work that way.
Joe, when Trump essentially never held press conferences over his 4 year term, and ultimately even dispensed with press briefings (giving the press secretary job to an unqualified, silly lick-spittle fool), can you see how a Trump admirer indicting Biden for “holding [his] first press conference in months” (despite its 2 hour length) and “the first one of 2022” (on Jan 19th!) might be seen as not really arguing in good faith?
The Dems are doing their best effort to lose, but the Republicans refuse to gather interest sensible middle uncomfortable we with progressive politics. The instead stubbornly cling to trump, racis6, and stupidity.
Well, I certainly agree with your last sentence. But let us assume that in numerous cities there have been some modifications to criminal procedure which were introduced as attempts to make the criminal justice system less hostile and unfair to racial minorities (such as bail reform) and that you presumably would call this “progressive politics”.
Obviously this has nothing to do with what’s going on in DC. So aside from “crime”, I’d be curious to know in what way “the Dems are doing their best to lose”. And lose what? Every office they hold?