dagblog - Comments for "Tea Party of the Left?"

I'm trying to peer through

Michael Wolraich — Wed, 08 Mar 2017 04:55:27 +0000

In reply to Michael, like a half hour ago

I'm trying to peer through the fog, and yeah, it sure is foggy, but the fundamental landscape is stable. Whatever Trump's theatrics, Republicans just don't seem to have the votes for repeal or replace. With moderates and conservatives rejecting the current mishmash from both sides, there's no room to maneuver.

I wouldn't say that they don't have a message so much as they don't have a program. They've been operating as an opposition party for the last 10 years (despite 6 years of congressional majority) and seem to have lost the capacity for constructive legislation. A strong president might be able to rally the troops, but Trump isn't strong, and he also ran as an opposition candidate without a plan.

Again, that's good news for the country in the sense that the disarray limits the damage, but there's also less sense of impending doom, which could lull progressives back into complacence.

Just one example from my

artappraiser — Tue, 07 Mar 2017 21:07:46 +0000

In reply to Tea Party of the Left?

Just one example from my Inbox. I think the whole Trump thing is causing major change from the ground up vis-a-vis many traditional interest groups. The usual lobbying associations who have served interests for a long time are being split by wanting to react to Trump one way or another.

Here's the new architecture group with "millenial" values started up because AIA is pro-Trump:

http://architecture-lobby.org/

they don't really care about the current political parties, it is Trump that has caused them to form, they want their lobby to represent them a certain way on certain issues, no matter what current party is in power. Seems to me everyone will still think very much like Independents do for the foreseeable future. With the power of the internet, who needs politicians except for having to bully them into doing your will?

Yup, nothing is going to

artappraiser — Tue, 07 Mar 2017 19:17:53 +0000

In reply to So far looks like Trump seems

Yup, nothing is going to happen on health care tomorrow, there is no coalition to fight:

Powerful conservative groups line up against House GOP health plan

Heritage calls it 'bad policy.' FreedomWorks pans it as 'Obamacare-lite.' And the Club for Growth called it a 'warmed-over substitute for government-run health care.'

Politico.com, Updated 03/07/17 02:11 PM EST

So far looks like Trump seems

artappraiser — Tue, 07 Mar 2017 18:14:04 +0000

In reply to Some Republicans want to play

So far looks like Trump seems to want to take ownership of the House plan, but he's gonna add stuff on drugs. But that's a knee-jerk tweet. As we have come to learn, once he finds someone he trusts to actually read the House plan, that could be walked back tomorrow. But the Tea Party of the right is already unhappy with how much it costs >

http://www.politico.com/story/2017/03/trump-health-care-plan-tweets-235761

So even though it would be slightly risky for me to do so, at this point I'd still be willing to bet nothing major is going to happen in the next couple years, not enough change for outrage on the left to coalesce.

The hits refuse to stop!

Bruce Levine — Tue, 07 Mar 2017 01:31:55 +0000

In reply to Michael, like a half hour ago

The hits refuse to stop!

Michael, like a half hour ago

artappraiser — Tue, 07 Mar 2017 01:18:29 +0000

In reply to Some Republicans want to play

Michael, like a half hour ago I was thinking of replying along the lines of well put, I agree, yadda yadda. NEVERMIND! Multitasking various chores, I took too long, and now see in my Inbox a news alert that the House has released their health care bill. This is reality in the Trump era: you can't analyze anything, new upside down shit is happening every hour. Can't do a damn blog comment without it becoming obsolete in short order.

I have no idea what's in the bill, haven't look at a single link, wanted to comment on the greater zeitgeist I get from this happening.

So what does this mean? The principal we were getting at still stands: just like I can't do a blog comment before the situation changes, neither can the Dems try to unify on any one issue, as what is happening on that issue might change at a moment's notice. Until we have a more stable GOP government, you can't fight anything except maybe the concept of chaos. The only thing that comes to mind right now: Pence would be a perfect enemy to work with. The GOP has to have a message for Dems to fight the message, and offer and alternative, and they don't right now, they've got a nut at the top who insists on not having a stable message. He may well pan the House's package, wouldn't surprise me in the least.

Some Republicans want to play

Michael Wolraich — Mon, 06 Mar 2017 21:22:14 +0000

In reply to this is a very good point on

Some Republicans want to play Kabuki. Other Republicans insist on full repeal. That's why they're having so much trouble coming up with a plan that can pass. The Freedom Caucus insists on repealing the taxes and the mandate, which means people will lose coverage. But Senate moderates insist that people must not lose coverage. So they have no way to pass a bill without Democrats, but Dems won't support rollback, not even Kabuki rollback.

I won't be surprised if Republicans fail to pass anything, which would be wonderful for America though perhaps not so great for Indivisible's recruitment effort.

p.s. so it follows: Dems

artappraiser — Mon, 06 Mar 2017 20:40:42 +0000

In reply to this is a very good point on

p.s. so it follows: Dems should not bet the house on GOP radically affecting health care access in two years time.Nor should they bet on them causing chaos for GOP state governments over Medicaid money. Rather, it would be smartest for them to just let costs accelerate, including especially higher premiums for the bigger population covered by employers.

this is a very good point on

artappraiser — Mon, 06 Mar 2017 20:32:38 +0000

In reply to Anger is the driver, not the

this is a very good point on the whole health care thing, more complex than it first sounds:

depending on what the Republicans do.

makes me realize why I am following their antics on it closely. I may be wrong, but so far it seems the majority of them, they are doing Kabuki theater for their anti-Obamacare base, and don't fully intend to leave a lot of people high and dry without most of the protections provided by Obamacare. They want to do something to make it look like radical change, but without any real teeth. And this will run up costs down the line and they know it but that is their usual "I'll deal with it tamara" Scarlett O'Hara thing, that is why we always end up with huge deficit problems from GOP in power.

I think the town hall protests are just piling on to what many of them instinctively already knew, especially those with any sophisticated knowledge of all the problems inherent, and therefore with more power to do something, i.e., not Trump-like post agitprop wonder at how complicated it really is.

Edit to add: never forget that Obamacare is really Romneycare and is not at all what Dems and Obama meant to happen, that it already has a lot of GOP theology built into it!

Wolraich... an example...

oldenGoldenDecoy — Mon, 06 Mar 2017 18:45:55 +0000

In reply to Indivisible is fantastic and

Wolraich... an example...

Locally here CA 29 is a safe blue district. CA 25 is the district of Steve Knight.

Knight is in favor of repealing the Affordable Care Act. He opposes federal regulation of greenhouse gas emissions. Knight called Social Security "a bad idea." Knight is a Roman Catholic and opposes abortion.

By combining forces of CA29 and CA25 Indivisibls with seachangeprogram.org the focused organizing can help flip this district.

twitter.com/IndivisibleCA29/status/838512092047015937

The "Power" is in the "People."

~OGD~