All good Democrats seem to revere James, the good old boy who has often been smart in his predictions and predilections about how the party should position itself. But he went off the rails this week in basically telling folks to just cool it while the Republicans shoot themselves in the foot.
He would have us “roll over and play dead. Allow the Republicans to crumble beneath their own weight and make the American people miss us. Only until the Trump administration has spiraled into the low 40s or high 30s in public approval polling percentages should we make like a pack of hyenas and go for the jugular. Until then, I’m calling for a strategic political retreat.”
He then cites Muhammad Ali’s famous rope-a-dope strategy of evading punches, tiring out the opponent, and then blasting back for the knockout. Well, I can’t think of a worse idea to combat the Trumpian chaos. What about the irreversible damage that will occur while the Dems sit on their hands—or hang on the ropes? What’s the matter with Carville? He’s not playing with a full deck.
Susan B. Glasser of The New Yorker: “Carville’s call for ‘strategic political retreat’ sure seems like something a lot closer to unilateral disarmament.”
One of the many comments (they went both ways) on Carville’s proposal: “It will take years to undo five weeks of damage. If Dems just sit back without protest, law suits, or weaponized nation-wide strikes that immobilize the nation’s economic engine, there won’t be an opposition party left. Trump will arrest their leaders at their weakest moments, not when they wield the will of the people.”
Instead of emulating Winston Churchill, Carville would have us become Neville Chamberlains. Another pertinent comment: “Doing nothing is what got us here in the first place.”
Meanwhile the White House is taking over the press pool and openly stifling free speech on the part of the media. The Associated Press has already been censured and banned from access to the president. Now all reporters will be screened to eliminate the nonbelievers. The model seems to be how the media were treated in Russia and Turkey.
As I’ve said many times, the Dems need—now especially—to grow some spine. Set up and promote a shadow cabinet, hold press conferences and theatrical protests, do talk shows, hit the streets, get arrested, make some noise! Trump has betrayed the founding principles of this country. The crucial thing is to make that betrayal personal and shout it out. Pay no attention to James Carville.
Carville is a has been. He thinks he still has ” the right insight” when in fact, he has shown us he has No insight. Dems HAVE to do something as you suggest-but they need to start now. There is no choice to roll over if our country is to survive this fascist regime.
Yes!! I’m so disappointed in our Democratic “leaders” and elder statesmen.
The king bully is speaking to Congress Tuesday. Here’s what the Dems should do:
https://open.substack.com/pub/snyder/p/five-failures-in-the-oval-office?utm_source=direct&r=74het&utm_campaign=comment-list-share-cta&utm_medium=web&comments=true&commentId=96983290
I’m gonna join 50505’s “March 4th” anti Trump protest noon at the MN State Capitol. There’s another one March 8 same location in association with International Women’s Day. Yesterday was 24 hour don’t buy jack day from DEI sellouts Target, Amazon, etc. Small waves make big ones eventually. It’s on Goods, it’s definitely on.
The Democratic Party is desperately afraid of unleashing the organized power of working people. They know they will be left in the dust.
charlottesville has been doing protests and at least one town hall. But of course Charlottesville is a bubble. Just preaching to the choir, as they say.
Set up and promote a shadow cabinet, hold press conferences and theatrical protests, do talk shows, hit the streets, get arrested, make some noise! 🍒🍒🍒