As far as progressives are concerned, our two most most key leaders in the Democratic Party are Elizabeth Warren and Bernie Sanders. As such, they are the ones who will actually have to come into contact with Fuhrer Drumphenfarten. There are also two schools of thought. Should they obstruct everything, or should they cooperate with the Fuhrer?
Leading liberals such as Sens. Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.) and Elizabeth Warren (D-Mass.) are facing the difficult question of how to deal with President-elect Donald Trump.
Trump’s rhetoric during the campaign appalled the left, and his appointments since winning the White House have only compounded liberal anxiety.
Yet the incoming president has also made promises to struggling, blue-collar Americans that echo the priorities of progressive Democrats.
The Republican has lashed out at free-trade deals and outsourcing while railing against an economy that he says is rigged for the “elites.” He has called for new spending on infrastructure and reiterated his opposition to the Trans-Pacific Partnership in a video released late Monday afternoon.
“I think it’s smart for progressives to make as much progress as they can with Trump in power,” said Tad Devine, who served as a senior adviser to Sanders during his Democratic presidential primary battle with Hillary Clinton. Devine emphasized he was speaking in a personal capacity, not on behalf of Sanders.
Trump “is going to have this authority for four years and people are hurting. They can’t wait for progress on economic issues.”
Devine asserted that Democrats could still “draw the bright lines where we need to,” even while working with Trump on some issues. To back away completely, he warned, would mean suffering the “political consequences” with working-class voters who might think the party was deaf to their concerns.
But others on the left see things differently. To cooperate with Trump, they warn, runs the risk of “normalizing” a political figure they see as an existential threat to democracy… [emphasis added]
From <The Hill>
I fall between the two positions here. I fully agree that the Fuhrer is an existential threat to democracy, and we should not give the slightest indication that we accept him or his Republican Reich. In short, there can be no cooperation with evil. However, should the Fuhrer actually, do something that benefits the people, it would be wrong to expend time and resources obstructing that particular policy and hurting the people in the process.
We have to give Americans a way to tell the difference between our righteous obstruction and the sedition Republicans committed for the last eight years. On several occasions, Republicans made a proposals, thinking Democrats would reject them. When Democrats did not, Republicans obstructed their own proposals to keep Democrats from sharing the credit. They actually filibustered their own Bills! We, on the other hand, must have a heart for the needs of the people, so if the Fuhrer blocks the TPP or spends on infrastructure that creats jobs, lets not sabotage those items.
11 Responses to “Cooperate with the Fuhrer?”
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Yes. If the opportunity arises to do or participate in something which will benefit the public, then doing so is Congress's job. Posturing and showing off how morally pure and unsullied they are is not Congress's job.
If Trump actually tries to carry out even half the evil he preached during the campaign, there will be more than enough to make use of every ounce of opposition the Democrats can muster.
No cooperation with evil – that is how I see it, too, TC. He is not my president and never will be.
To paraphrase Michelle Obama, Republicans have taken the low road these past 8 years — obstruction, shutting down the government, etc — ways too numerous to completely list. Progressives must take the high road — doing the work of the people. That is what should be at the centre of government, not partisan brinkmanship; not selective service to just a few. If progressives act like the Republicans did, then they are no better.
His quote, 'make America great again'. Weren't we great before he came along? I haven't seen one iota of caring, or compassion from DT for the concerns of the Nation. At. all.
I have the utmost respect for Ms. Warren, and Mr. Sanders, they have their work cut out for them. I can't truthfully see where he's going to help the ordinary folks out, only line the pockets of the Repugs. It will be a bitter battle to see what he does for the good, rather than evil. Time will tell.
I expect that he has no compassion for anything, or anyone, perhaps especially the fools who think he is their champion. I would not be surprised if he found a rationalization for allowing the TPP, or if his infrastructure issues were about the roads leading to his hotels.
I can appreciate your position falling in the middle, and I can envision the GOPigs having a ball with telling the fools that make up their audience that is is the fault of the Democrats who would not get on board with them, if their lives do not improve. Between false news, Faux News, fake news, and the like, they have an infrastructure of Orwellian mind control, and opinion making that is formidable! Have you heard about the "News" story that has Hillary abusing children in the rear of a pizzeria, along with her aide? The owner claims that they have been getting death threats! Unless this story is BS.
If Drumpf has something that makes sense for the common people, we must cooperate with him. We can't be seen the way that repukkklicans blocked EVERY single thing that came up in front of them! We are better than that! We need to NOT do what they did when they closed down the government for shits and giggles! Hopefully, we won't ever come to that!
Great stuff, TC! Thanks!
I have thought about this long and hard, and cannot say it any better than you do, TomCat.
I guess I should say I will be happy to cooperate with an actual good idea. But I will never cooperate with THAT PERSON. And I will examine every idea proposed VERY CLOSELY before deciding it is a good one. And listen to other progreaaives, because I have been known to make mistakes on how good an idea something is.
Trust Drumpf & Pence with all the other GOP/TP lackeys… hahahahaha!
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The short of it is: don't be a Republican and don't oppose just to oppose. Look at the merits of Trump's plans and if they are any good, tweak them to make them really good and then go along if the tweaks are accepted. Infrastructure? OK, but not at the cost of social security and healthcare and not through privatization which only makes contractors (Trump's) richer. Against TTP? OK, but make sure it is on the same terms (some) Democrats were against it before Trump was. Make sure you get the credit for it too. For everything that has no merit, resist. Resistance is not the same as blocking, you know.
Thanks and hugs to all, Please see today's lead article o the Fuhrer's infrastructure scam.