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Senate Democrats surprising strategy: trying to align with Donald Trump
- Thread starter Good Job Bob
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The GOP care more about their party's influence than the good of the country.
entremet
Member
Yeah, but why become the thing you hate.
That's worse. I'm sure the Dems will hold strong on the big issues.
The Dems are like a bend and not break defense in football.
GrizzleBoy
Banned
Democrats constantly reminding Trump, his supporters and his party of the promises he made that align heavily with more left wing politics, is a good thing.
It makes it harder for Trump to run away from the probably empty promises he made.
It reminds/reveals to his supporters that these values are not actually compatible with the republican platform.
It puts pressure on his party to decide to either join in on more left wing policies or alienate the people who voted for Trump to push them.
It makes it harder for Trump to run away from the probably empty promises he made.
It reminds/reveals to his supporters that these values are not actually compatible with the republican platform.
It puts pressure on his party to decide to either join in on more left wing policies or alienate the people who voted for Trump to push them.
plagiarize
Banned
Trump's ego will be stroked, and he will be more likely to listen to the dems, than if they just unilaterally oppose every single thing he tries to do.
I doubt there'll be much they agree on anyways, so I don't think this is a particularly risky move, but I think it's a smart one.
The only gamble is if the parts of the legislation they go along with, end up being perceived as bad for your average every day American. Certainly if Trump is highly disliked as we can reasonably expect, house and senate GOP members may try and saddle the Dems with Trump's reputation to distract from their own fuckery.
But I think that's a highly improbable outcome.
Putin didn't exactly do badly from inflating Trump's ego.
I doubt there'll be much they agree on anyways, so I don't think this is a particularly risky move, but I think it's a smart one.
The only gamble is if the parts of the legislation they go along with, end up being perceived as bad for your average every day American. Certainly if Trump is highly disliked as we can reasonably expect, house and senate GOP members may try and saddle the Dems with Trump's reputation to distract from their own fuckery.
But I think that's a highly improbable outcome.
Putin didn't exactly do badly from inflating Trump's ego.
This basically. GOP only got away with it because Obama is black too.
I got no problem working with the other side, but it is the other side that has showed no interest in working with our side over the past 8 years. But both parties are the same(lol)
Trickster
Member
I honestly think it's the right choice.
Democrats and their voters seem to not be completely blind to reality, unlike most of the republicans. So while republicans might be able to get away with being literal obstructionist villains, democrats would in all likelyhood gain a much better response, if they are able to campaign around the fact that they were willing to come together and work with Trump on issues that people want to see for the betterment of the country and the people.
Democrats and their voters seem to not be completely blind to reality, unlike most of the republicans. So while republicans might be able to get away with being literal obstructionist villains, democrats would in all likelyhood gain a much better response, if they are able to campaign around the fact that they were willing to come together and work with Trump on issues that people want to see for the betterment of the country and the people.
Maintenance
Member
Senate's own "I'm with him".
My first thought as well, and what I expected them to do. In the meantime, get some progressives we can get excited about for the midterms.
Garrett Hawke
Member
the pied piper strategy worked so well before
darkhunger
Member
Schumer and Trump are both members of the NY elite and Trump has donated to many of Schumer's campaigns, so their relationship goes back quite a bit. So I think the antagonistic relationship between Obama and the Republicans probably won't carry over.
The key is whether The Dems are able to put their feet down against Trump's more horrible policies.
The key is whether The Dems are able to put their feet down against Trump's more horrible policies.
As long as you don't compromise on morals, go for it. Stuck with him for four years, you can't just plug your ears, stomp your feet, and go lalalalala, even if the GOP did during Obama's time.
If they can turn Trump on climate change somehow, then I'd be a little less frightened of the next four years.
If they can turn Trump on climate change somehow, then I'd be a little less frightened of the next four years.
Trickster
Member
Pretty sure that any democrat who goes along with the shitty stuff that Trump has talked about would get voted out of office quickly
shinra-bansho
Member
Nothing the Democrats could support will ever come to a vote anyway.
Infrastructure is not a priority; so says McConnell.
Infrastructure is not a priority; so says McConnell.
Or they are actually trying to help govern the country according to their values...
TheOfficeMut
Unconfirmed Member
And that's something they'll have to deal with. But for now if you can mitigate damage, why wouldn't you?
FireAndBlood
Member
The democrats attempting to work with the president is a good thing. Government should try to work together.
This doesn't sound like some master plan of 12 dimensional chess to get the GOP to fight each other. It sounds like basic governing for an opposition party out of power.
I guess it sounds incredible because we've have governmental gridlock due to the GOP's obstruction for the past 6 years.
I guess it sounds incredible because we've have governmental gridlock due to the GOP's obstruction for the past 6 years.
Good, Dem taking a page right out the Republican playbook.
As much as we all detest trump, we need to work in good faith for the best interests of the country. If that means working with trump when our ideals align then we should do it. And then fight like hell when he tries to do something shitty. We shouldn't be like republicans were with Obama in office
If you're a party of bitter asshole like the GOP. To think some people want the Democrats to be like that boggles my mind.
Camp Freddie
Member
This seems sensible. It's also how government should work.
It sends a clear message that Dems have not given up on working class people, and clearly shows that their problem with Trump is his racist and sexist views and not his "help the working/middle class" objectives.
Democrats absolutely have to show that they can help the working class, and that racist bullshit and ridiculous promises do not help the working class.
Besiade, the Reps control everything now, so they can't "Fuck Trump" with obstructionism like the Reps did for 8 years under Obama.
Fuck knows if it'll work though. It'll be interesting to see if Trump backs away from Keynsian spending policies or backs away from low taxes and massive deficit spending.
He's proposed massive spending and significant tax cuts, so something's got to give. I can see Trump attempting to use tarrif wars to raise money for his spending programs, but that is likely to backfire spectacularly, since tarrifs are effectively a tax on consumer spending (and retaliatory tarrifs will cripple US manufacturing exports).
It sends a clear message that Dems have not given up on working class people, and clearly shows that their problem with Trump is his racist and sexist views and not his "help the working/middle class" objectives.
Democrats absolutely have to show that they can help the working class, and that racist bullshit and ridiculous promises do not help the working class.
Besiade, the Reps control everything now, so they can't "Fuck Trump" with obstructionism like the Reps did for 8 years under Obama.
Fuck knows if it'll work though. It'll be interesting to see if Trump backs away from Keynsian spending policies or backs away from low taxes and massive deficit spending.
He's proposed massive spending and significant tax cuts, so something's got to give. I can see Trump attempting to use tarrif wars to raise money for his spending programs, but that is likely to backfire spectacularly, since tarrifs are effectively a tax on consumer spending (and retaliatory tarrifs will cripple US manufacturing exports).
PeskyToaster
Member
It might not be a bad play, try to force some of Trump's promises that they agree with. If they pass, hurray, if they are blocked, give that some air time.
Anoregon
The flight plan I just filed with the agency list me, my men, Dr. Pavel here. But only one of you!
I understand why they think this is a good strategy, but I can't imagine it actually working out in reality. It relies on the Trump administration actually having reasonable proposals that the Dems can work with, and if the likely makeup of the cabinet is any indication that does not seem likely.
Sounds like compromise to me, doubling down and taking a hardline stance against the few progressive initiatives of the Trump campaign sends the wrong message to the working class voters they lost. I get why that's viewed unfavorably here but they have to cooperate to some extent on more moderate policies like this if they're ever going to win those voters back.
RumblingRosco
Member
Took the words right outta my keyboard.
Anoregon
The flight plan I just filed with the agency list me, my men, Dr. Pavel here. But only one of you!
The Republicans proved it's a strategy that absolutely works over the last 8 years. You can't blame people for wanting the Dems to try the same thing, especially if it means actually successfully blocking particularly heinous legislation. It's an easy thing to point to and say "this works, so do that."
What proof is there that it's short sighted? 'Do absolutely nothing for the new president and block him every way you can' was the exact strategy employed by Republicans for 8 years and they were rewarded with the most power they've had since 1928 and the ability to undo pretty much every single thing Obama ever did.
Normalizing and making a moderately successful Trump while getting the GOP agenda shoved down our throat will surely lead to power.
Like I said before, I hope this is all a show. I doubt the Dems will find anything to work with since Bannon is going to have Trump's ear.
Because:
1) Hoping the same strategy works for the Democrats is stupid. The strategy they're implementing is an actual strategy instead of just sitting there and hoping for the "best."
2) The government will eventually collapse--hard--if every president only has the support of a congress that aligns specifically with their ideology. Why not get things done if you can just because the president isn't from your party?
I'm not sure if I should anticipate anything actually getting done, but at the very least making a show out of not digging in your heels is a good way to try and get some voters out.
RandomHopeInc
Member
You should really take a few seconds to read, and understand how government works. This is important for progress so that congress can actually acomplish something for once for the better good. The democrats are of course going to fight things that are inherently evil.
Calamari41
41 > 38
Republicans showed this cycle that they'll band together for the good of the party and vote for whoever is on the ticket... so it seems to me that giving Trump a list of moderate/left policies that he can point to as having delivered to his Rust Belt voters will do a lot to re-elect him. If he consolidates or expands his support in Minnesota, Wisconsin, Michigan, and Pennsylvania, then whoever the Democrats put up in 2020 will just be a sacrificial lamb.
Cesare Borgia
Banned
There will be a lot of opposition to Trump...it just won't be on every issue. There's nothing wrong with that. Further driving division between Trump and establishment republicans is a good idea. I can't even see Ryan/McConnell putting infrastructure on the floor. How will Trump react?
If you truly believe Trump will be the corrupt, un-presidential disaster he promises to be you shouldn't be concerned about this. This is a fuck up waiting to happen, might as well get some good out of it while you can. He can't even get his transition team straight folks...
If you truly believe Trump will be the corrupt, un-presidential disaster he promises to be you shouldn't be concerned about this. This is a fuck up waiting to happen, might as well get some good out of it while you can. He can't even get his transition team straight folks...
Much as I hate to say it, trying to find common ground is what I want the opposition party to do. Stand up to his objectionable policies (which is most of them), support the few areas of agreement, and try to govern. It's what we wanted the GOP to do. I don't want Dems to be the other party of obstruction at all costs.
That it's also aimed a pitting the GOP against him is the sugar on top.
That it's also aimed a pitting the GOP against him is the sugar on top.
BlackLagoon
Member
They were "rewarded" with an ignorant, unpredictable gremlin hijacking their party, and rode his coattails to victory. I doubt a lot of them are thrilled about the situation, and given the lack of experience and big egos that characterize the Trump camp so far this has the potential to be a real monkey paw situation for the establishment GOP.
That assumes we're dealing with a good faith party in power. We're clearly not. The plan won't work, and the voters they're trying to woo don't follow the news or details. The Republican party is reenergized by Trump's win and will likely see it as a mandate to go in on full on crazy.
Democrats are welcome to give it a shot, but I'll be on the phone and in the streets outside their office the second this turns south.
Pretty much. I think the most important thing is to resist becoming that what you hate. Infrastructure bills is what they've been trying to pass for a while, and it's good for the country, so don't derail it for political purposes. Same with maternity leave, improving the ACA and reducing Rx drug spending. They are good ideas for the population, regardless of whose name is on them.
I think signaling an openness to work on this is smart, but I think they also need to be prepared to blow the deal up over literally anything. They need to walk a very thin line between maintaining their status as the party of reason, but also denying Trump and his platform any legitimacy. He can have his infrastructure if he capitulates to all Dem demands on it (assuming enough GOP are still willing to sign on to it). Otherwise, no negotiating with fascism and corruption.
PumpkinSpice
Banned
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