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[FireAndBlood]

It seems like there's a good chance Republicans may control at least 60 Senate seats.

 

[mreddie]

Spread the word, get young Dems into midterms.

Looking up in the sky and hoping for a miracle does nothing.

 

[Ac30]

the ACA was a minor patch on a totally broken system that continued to fail the american electorate during obama's tenure. the fact that republican policies are worse does not excuse the fact that democratic policies have been bad.

So you'd rather he didn't push through anything? Because he needed the 60 votes and that was the compromise. Obama didn't fail the US electorate. The US electorate failed Obama. Every time I hear some crap from him about the "goodness in all of us" I can't help but roll my eyes.

 

[balladofwindfishes]

progressives do not feel like the current democratic party represents their interests. that is the problem.

when we don't change course and the republicans can unilaterally pass constitutional amendments after 2020 i'll be laughing pretty hard just before i put a bullet in my fucking head.

The most liberal state in the country gave Hillary record numbers of votes.

If progressives absolutely detest the Democrats, they sure have a funny way of showing it, considering how every single progressive state in the country voted.

It seems like there's a good chance Republicans may control at least 60 Senate seats.

Democrats losing that many seats in a midterm where they don't hold the presidency would be unheard of.

 

[aeolist]

I know you're shitposting because your magical Progressive Fairy didn't leave you the treats you feel entitled to, but if you have these thoughts, please get help.

i love how i keep having to point out that i voted democrat in 2016 and every election since i was 18. the party has utterly failed me and every other constituent that counted on it to oppose overtly evil republican policies. i have a right to be angry and demand change.

 

[StoOgE]

Lets give this another 12 months before we throw in the towel.

Keep working for it. We were competitive in MO with Trump on the ticket. We can be competitive in many of these states. And Trump and the GOPs popularity is sinking.

We just need to turn out and we can keep the Senate close enough and try and flip the house.

 

[hodayathink]

he thinks there's nothing wrong with the policies that obama and clinton pushed and that there's just a messaging problem.

the 2016 election was the biggest refutation of the democratic party's policies and history imaginable, but party leaders are ignoring the giant warning signs and continuing to drive us over a cliff.

You mean the 2016 policies that were heavily influenced by Sanders and the most liberal the party platform has ever been? That policy?

The issue wasn't that the policy was bad. The issue is that people concentrated so much on their dislike (or like) of Hillary Clinton and Donald Trump that no one actually paid attention to the policies. When Republicans win on policy that is actively screwing over their base, you can't sit here and tell me that the biggest issue is policy.

 

[Empyrean Heaven]

Reminder: if Republicans pick up just 8 seats in the Senate, which is very likely, they will have a supermajority and can pass constituional amendments uncontested. And then we'll have a LITERAL dictatorship.

 

[aeolist]

So you'd rather he didn't push through anything? Because he needed the 60 votes and that was the compromise. Obama didn't fail the US electorate. The US electorate failed Obama. Every time I hear some crap from him about the "goodness in all of us" I can't help but roll my eyes.

HE DID NOT EVEN TRY

the very first thing he did was go to insurance and pharmaceutical companies to get their input. those people are the fucking enemy and any real positive healthcare change has to come in the face of their objections. they profit from our sickness and death and want nothing good for us, we should not even consider their best interests.

obama started from a fatally compromised position and disillusioned his passionate base immediately.

 

[Blader]

Reminder: if Republicans pick up just 8 seats in the Senate, which is very likely, they will have a supermajority and can pass constituional amendments uncontested. And then we'll have a LITERAL dictatorship.

Constitutional amendments have to be ratified by 38 states.

 

[hipsterpants]

We are a little under two years away from 2018 elections, why are we acting like Democrats are already doomed? I mean ffs the article calls Heller an "early favorite" even though he's a GOP senator in a state that went overwhelmingly blue 2 months ago.

Maybe wait a couple months before freaking out.

 

[Empyrean Heaven]

Constitutional amendments have to be ratified by 38 states.

Oh hey look, Republicans have control of 37 state legislatures.

 

[Pyrokai]

I will accuse them of self sabotage. They didn't give a fuck until after Trump got elected and they realized how little power they actually had. Now it's too late and we're all doomed to at least 8 years of GOP domination. Probably more since they're gonna gerrymander us even more.

Well, I guess there IS this happening. If RBG is alive and Kennedy votes the correct way, we can hopefully fix this whether or not Neil Gagsworth is confirmed yet or not.

 

[thecouncil]

It's wild how fast things went from "Republicans are a dying party who really need to change their platform to appeal" to "Democrats are a dying party who really need to change their platform to appeal". It happened in about a day, literally.

 

[aeolist]

You mean the 2016 policies that were heavily influenced by Sanders and the most liberal the party platform has ever been? That policy?

The issue wasn't that the policy was bad. The issue is that people concentrated so much on their dislike (or like) of Hillary Clinton and Donald Trump that no one actually paid attention to the policies. When Republicans win on policy that is actively screwing over their base, you can't sit here and tell me that the biggest issue is policy.

progressive policies that the clinton camp fought tooth and nail to avoid, policies that she did not run on, policies that were openly disdained by the partisans who would have made up the clinton administration and cabinet. hillary clinton is not a fucking progressive.

 

[Foffy]

the ACA was a minor patch on a totally broken system that continued to fail the american electorate during obama's tenure. the fact that republican policies are worse does not excuse the fact that democratic policies have been bad.

Should it be something that the Dems take in solace regarding that the ACA is really a Republican idea? Of course it's not going to be ideal or fully accountable: it's linked to Republican ideas and policies.

 

[balladofwindfishes]

Reminder: if Republicans pick up just 8 seats in the Senate, which is very likely, they will have a supermajority and can pass constituional amendments uncontested. And then we'll have a LITERAL dictatorship.

This isn't how it works

 

[Kthulhu]

You mean the 2016 policies that were heavily influenced by Sanders and the most liberal the party platform has ever been? That policy?

The issue wasn't that the policy was bad. The issue is that people concentrated so much on their dislike (or like) of Hillary Clinton and Donald Trump that no one actually paid attention to the policies. When Republicans win on policy that is actively screwing over their base, you can't sit here and tell me that the biggest issue is policy.

The issue is Hillary's campaign rested on their laurels and assumed that the rust belt was behind them.

 

[Rentahamster]

Reminder: if Republicans pick up just 8 seats in the Senate, which is very likely, they will have a supermajority and can pass constituional amendments uncontested. And then we'll have a LITERAL dictatorship.

Reminder: That's not how it works.

 

[Carpe Carnim]

i love how i keep having to point out that i voted democrat in 2016 and every election since i was 18. the party has utterly failed me and every other constituent that counted on it to oppose overtly evil republican policies. i have a right to be angry and demand change.

I didn't claim you don't vote DEM, I'm just pointing out you're outnumbered by the 'moderates' or 'neo-lib' activists and voters. You decide whether you're going to throw your hands on the air, or vote Nader 2020, or whatever. The rest of us will be putting in work while you nurse your grievances about being a philosophical minority in the party.

 

[aeolist]

Should it be something that the Dems take in solace regarding that the ACA is really a Republican idea? Of course it's not going to be ideal or fully accountable: it's linked to Republican ideas and policies.

maybe we should start by asking why signature democratic policies from the last two time we held the presidency were basically republican ideas

 

[samn]

Reminder: if Republicans pick up just 8 seats in the Senate, which is very likely, they will have a supermajority and can pass constituional amendments uncontested. And then we'll have a LITERAL dictatorship.

In this context a supermajority is two thirds of the Senate and the House. Stop spreading apocalyptic nonsense without even a glance at Wikipedia. Things are bad enough as they are.

 

[tearsintherain]

Reminder: if Republicans pick up just 8 seats in the Senate, which is very likely, they will have a supermajority and can pass constituional amendments uncontested. And then we'll have a LITERAL dictatorship.

A constitutional amendment requires 2/3'ds majority vote in senate AND house -- they would need 67 seats in the senate and 293 in the house. They currently hold 52/240. It would also have to be approved by 38 of 50 state legislatures.

34 of the 50 states can also convene a constitutional convention to change the constitution, currently Republicans control 32 states and its much more likely that would be a path for constitutional change than at the federal level.

 

[JCreasy]

In 2018, all 435 House seats will be up for election.

Don't lose sight of that.

THIS

 

[TheOfficeMut]

progressive policies that the clinton camp fought tooth and nail to avoid, policies that she did not run on, policies that were openly disdained by the partisans who would have made up the clinton administration and cabinet. hillary clinton is not a fucking progressive.

The poster you quoted said the policies were influenced by Sanders. She adopted his stances. So now your talking point is that she should have had some of his stances from the beginning but because she didn't that was a problem?

Is compromise not a word in your vocabulary? The hell do some of you want.

 

[Pyrokai]

Constitutional amendments have to be ratified by 38 states.

Oh hey look, Republicans have control of 37 state legislatures.

Omg.....are they going to try to amend it with something atrocious??!?

 

[Squirrel Killer]

It's wild how fast things went from "Republicans are a dying party who really need to change their platform to appeal" to "Democrats are a dying party who really need to change their platform to appeal". It happened in about a day, literally.

Not even a day, I'd say it was November 8th, 2016 between 7p-8p EST.

 

[Lord Frieza]

A constitutional amendment requires 2/3'ds majority vote in senate AND house -- they would need 67 seats in the senate and 293 in the house. They currently hold 52/240. It would also have to be approved by 38 of 50 state legislatures.

34 of the 50 states can also convene a constitutional convention to change the constitution, currently Republicans control 32 states and its much more likely that would be a path for constitutional change than at the federal level.

Oh Lord.

 

[Prof. Bathtub]

On the topic of the dreaded demoralization, this is why the weekly mass protests were effective in boosting morale, solidarity and attention. Unfortunately, they're either planned many weeks in advance (woman's march, upcoming ones on science, tax, etc) or sparked by an sudden outrage (travel ban).

Since Republicans don't change their views after blocking their phones, running away from town halls, etc, the solution is to keep doing those things in order to perpetually remind people that they don't care about their constituents.

 

[Blader]

Oh hey look, Republicans have control of 37 state legislatures.

No they don't.

 

[balladofwindfishes]

progressive policies that the clinton camp fought tooth and nail to avoid, policies that she did not run on, policies that were openly disdained by the partisans who would have made up the clinton administration and cabinet. hillary clinton is not a fucking progressive.

Hillary ran on student loan forgiveness, public healthcare, paid family leave, closing private prisons, making sure citizens united was overruled and ensuring equal pay no matter your race or gender.

She wasn't just progressive, she would have been the most progressive president we've had in a generation.

 

[slit]

Reminder: if Republicans pick up just 8 seats in the Senate, which is very likely, they will have a supermajority and can pass constituional amendments uncontested. And then we'll have a LITERAL dictatorship.

Can some of you do some actual basic research before spouting hyperbole?

 

[Kthulhu]

THIS

The gerrymandering will prevent the Dems from getting a majority. Don't get your hopes up. In the Senate we might have a chance, but otherwise we'll get more of the same.

Well, I guess there IS this happening. If RBG is alive and Kennedy votes the correct way, we can hopefully fix this whether or not Neil Gagsworth is confirmed yet or not.

Our only reasonable hope is the justice system unless the DNC can GOTV in 2018, my faith is low.

 

[LosDaddie]

It's wild how fast things went from "Republicans are a dying party who really need to change their platform to appeal" to "Democrats are a dying party who really need to change their platform to appeal". It happened in about a day, literally.

The only people who said "The GOP is dying" last year were idiots. The GOP controlled the Senate, the House, and most state legislatures. That's not a party on its death bed.

 

[Blader]

The gerrymandering will prevent the Dems from getting a majority. Don't get your hopes up. In the Senate we might have a chance, but otherwise we'll get more of the same.

Gerrymandering does not permanently prevent Dems from winning the election, and winning the House is a likelier outcome than winning the Senate (frankly I think winning both the House AND Senate is more likely than winning just the Senate).

The only people who said "The GOP is dying" last year were idiots. The GOP controlled the Senate, the House, and most state legislatures. That's not a party on its death bed.

Even the people saying that the GOP would never win the presidency again for decades were completely deluding themselves.

 

[Kthulhu]

It's wild how fast things went from "Republicans are a dying party who really need to change their platform to appeal" to "Democrats are a dying party who really need to change their platform to appeal". It happened in about a day, literally.

People have been saying it for years. The base and the party leaders were in denial.

 

[TheOfficeMut]

Hillary ran on student loan forgiveness, public healthcare, paid family leave, closing private prisons, making sure citizens united was overruled and ensuring equal pay no matter your race or gender.

She wasn't just progressive, she would have been the most progressive president we've had in a generation.

These points will never matter to some people who claim to be progressive because to those individuals her cons outweigh her policies.

 

[Lord Frieza]

These points will never matter to some people who claim to be progressive because to those individuals her cons outweigh her policies.

It's amazing what a lack of charisma will convince some people of. Man, our politics suck so much ass. I'm sure other countries have a similar problem, but it never seems to be as pronounced as ours.

 

[Averon]

This myopic view that taking the Senate or not is all or nothing is poisonous and is setting up Democrats for another mid-term of depressed turnout and getting blown out by the GOP.

I just hope (probably in vain) that you all with this view snap out of it by November 2018.

 

[Carpe Carnim]

These points will never matter to some people who claim to be progressive because to those individuals her cons outweigh her policies.

Progs in the fog, want to be handed the levers of power in the DEM party and have them snatched from the activists and voters who both outnumber, and out-organize them. Then they want to be told that their intransigence and inability to compromise was REALLY the fault of 'neo-libs' and Conserva-Dems. And a pony that shits rainbows.

 

[Fenderputty]

It sounds like people from Cali and NY need to move to red states and get those to turn blue.

Yeah fuck that noise

 

[jph139]

I feel like the Senate is going to be a losing battle for the foreseeable future. There's just too many red states - the states on the midwest and the south are just too numerous, and they're getting more and more conservative as young people flock to the coasts.

At this point we just need to make what gains we can in the House and hope that local governments weather the storm until 2020.

And pray for those stuck in red states.

 

[Lord Frieza]

This myopic view that taking the Senate or not is all or nothing is poisonous and is setting up Democrats for another mid-term of depressed turnout and getting blown out by the GOP.

I just hope (probably in vain) that you all with this view snap out of it by November 2018.

I mean, I always vote in midterms. My vote doesn't matter, though, because I'm in TN, but I do it anyway.

 

[Ogodei]

Heller is still the only Republican with reason to be afraid, despite early polling in his advantage. All that popular anger against Trump? He's going to have to defeat it, as well as the well-oiled Democratic machine in Nevada.

The Dems will have a headwind because they can't really be blamed for anything right now, aside from folks like Manchin with ties to corruption.

 

[Fenderputty]

Our chances in 2018 revolve entirely around how much damage the GOP does before the mid term. If Paul Ryan fucks with SS and Medicare we will slaughter. Of the GOP blows the Obamacare repeal we have a good chance of performing better in red states than we currently do. If all the GOP does is fiddle fuck around for 2 years regarding a wall and keeping brown people out, things look sketchy

 

[NandoGip]

The response is to get angry, not "Woe is me" and hide under a rock though.

Agreed.

 

[Not]

Hey, it was looking bad with Bush. Maybe it's a pendulum. Maybe post-millennials will have some decency.

Spoiler

Otherwise, uh, time to get the fuck out of here

 

[Blader]

Heller is still the only Republican with reason to be afraid, despite early polling in his advantage. All that popular anger against Trump? He's going to have to defeat it, as well as the well-oiled Democratic machine in Nevada.

The Dems will have a headwind because they can't really be blamed for anything right now, aside from folks like Manchin with ties to corruption.

Flake runs the risk of being primary'd, too.

 

[Foffy]

maybe we should start by asking why signature democratic policies from the last two time we held the presidency were basically republican ideas

The country is dangerously right and conservative, and thus we act from this shitty place.

That much is obvious. We're a danger to ourselves, and this should be more obvious now than ever.

 

[Zophar]

Folks in this thread seem to be forgetting that the GOP congress is now obliged to take ownership of every last thing that happens to the country between now and 2018.