I want everyone to think back to 2019/2020, and the things we were talking about back then. We spent the entirety of the primaries shouting at each other about an increased minimum wage, a public option, student debt relief, ending the filibuster, free college, restoring voting rights, expanding Medicare and Medicaid, reforming our shameful immigration system, doing something (literally anything) about a fraudulent Supreme Court, and, of course, stopping the pandemic.
These were what we collectively decided were our most pressing issues. And out of all those items, we might get some Medicare expansion.
Meanwhile the "we swear it's totally transitory" inflation/cost-of-living increases are eating everybody's savings (if they're fortunate enough to have any) and effectively making everyone but the already rich even poorer.
Is it all Biden's fault? Of course not. But you don't get to pitch yourself as America's most effective and pragmatic dealmaker, the only person capable of breaking through the gridlock and crossing party lines to get shit done, and then expect people to listen when you tell them you're not the problem because members of your own party told you to eat a dick.
These were what we collectively decided were our most pressing issues. And out of all those items, we might get some Medicare expansion.
Meanwhile the "we swear it's totally transitory" inflation/cost-of-living increases are eating everybody's savings (if they're fortunate enough to have any) and effectively making everyone but the already rich even poorer.
Is it all Biden's fault? Of course not. But you don't get to pitch yourself as America's most effective and pragmatic dealmaker, the only person capable of breaking through the gridlock and crossing party lines to get shit done, and then expect people to listen when you tell them you're not the problem because members of your own party told you to eat a dick.
Good thing we're overdue for a massive market correction.
I keep forgetting he's the president tbh in my head I just imagine staffers running "The Presidency" as a corporation.
Trump still has that "Lord Voldemort, the ultimate evil we must stop" stink on him so I think he'd get whooped in another election but god forbid an exciting Republican run next time. I dont think Joe can handle a fight against someone who's trying
Yeah, that's the problem. Many American are essentially spoiled, entitled brats. They don't look into or ask why there are shortages. They just lash out with temper tantrums. These people care more about Christmas gifts than people dying from COVID.
Biden's numbers are going to get worse before they potentially get better. We're totally going to get hit by a winter Covid wave. Supply shortages near Christmas are going to piss people off. Heating bills being through the roof just going to compound things. Maybe passing the infrastructure bill might help but that shit is in complete limbo right now.
Let's also face facts: Biden's having a hard time getting anything to go through because of the Senate Republicans.
The IRS account stuff is universally off-putting
I haven't met an individual if either party IRL who thinks it's a good idea
It's so dumb he gets blame for supply chain stuff but it is what it is. Part of the issue is that the economy recovered faster than expected so companies need time to increase production on certain goods. Would people be happier with a slower recovery? Obviously not. Media is complicit in framing that as a bad thing.
Even if I'm disappointed in Biden, I'll still be voting him and straight D next election (save for maybe very local races where 3rd parties are fine) and every election. I'll vote for the most progressive candidate in the primary, then whoever won the primary in the general. The general population is far less progressive than my views and I understand that. I understand they won't just wake up one day and be in favor of Medicare for All or carbon taxes or anything big and very new, but they can be inched along (hopefully sooner rather than later on climate...)
Roe v Wade is on life support because right wingers have been consistently voting for their people every election for decades.
The needle may not move much each election, and it may move backwards relative to what's wanted, but it will only move with consistent voting and continuing to vote through setbacks.
We're in a better place in many ways than where we were 10, 20, or 30 years ago. It may not feel like much but as someone who's directly affected by the progress of the last few decades it's there because people don't give up.
So I'm right now just hoping that 2022/2024 aren't a disaster that finishes what Trump started.
Roe v Wade is on life support because right wingers have been consistently voting for their people every election for decades.
The needle may not move much each election, and it may move backwards relative to what's wanted, but it will only move with consistent voting and continuing to vote through setbacks.
We're in a better place in many ways than where we were 10, 20, or 30 years ago. It may not feel like much but as someone who's directly affected by the progress of the last few decades it's there because people don't give up.
So I'm right now just hoping that 2022/2024 aren't a disaster that finishes what Trump started.
Joe was at the top of their ticket. Time to take some responsibility.
Also, maybe they didn't have a great shot to beat Collins to begin with.
Thinking about it, Biden is in trouble with having to campaign in 2024 when he has little charisma and isn't likely to get big crowds like Trump's Maga rallies. Biden got lucky in 2020 because he didn't have to hold many in person events due to Covid. He should probably just stick to virtual campaigning as much as possible.
I mean Bidens never been my favorite. While in some places he seems to be more progressive than previously, its only on the backs of people whove been pushing to normalize liberal social policies in the past 10 years or so. He himself will risk nothing to push us further in that direction. He will however risk his popularity to deal with the pandemic which is something I do appreciate.
Hes kinda fucked in that regard, anyone whos not a belligerent dictator type who lies through his teeth is going to have a tough time convincing people to just fucking be intelligent in dealing with covid. People are insistent that both its not a big deal and also it needs to end while also getting angry at being told to do anything to make the situation better for everyone.
Hes kinda fucked in that regard, anyone whos not a belligerent dictator type who lies through his teeth is going to have a tough time convincing people to just fucking be intelligent in dealing with covid. People are insistent that both its not a big deal and also it needs to end while also getting angry at being told to do anything to make the situation better for everyone.
Pretty much, yeah. It was less about wanting a moderate but more of getting rid of Trump.
People in here are kidding if they think these Latinos and independents in the poll are pro open borders immigration policy. A large swath of them probably want a wall.
Stock market hits all time high today but of course conservatives don't champion it like when Trump was patting himself on the back over stock market jumps.
I think Biden's biggest issue is he's simply uncharismatic and sucks at connecting with the American people. Charisma can go along way when you're struggling politically.
I think Biden's biggest issue is he's simply uncharismatic and sucks at connecting with the American people. Charisma can go along way when you're struggling politically.
The Democrats decided this. They have the majority. They can set the Senate rules. No excuses.
Biting the political bullet on the vaccine mandate was probably the best thing he could have done for 2024. Yes people are pissed in the short term but by 2024 they'll forget and the Covid numbers will be down.
Even if it's disappointing, isn't the best thing to do, vote Dems so they get a workable majority in the Senate to get the shit you want done. Just being, boo you suck Biden while two bellends are blocking his agenda then handing it on plate to Republicans who will block everything, surely people realise this?
The goalposts keep moving. When is it okay to expect better from democrats?
This is the way.
At the very least, we can do good in our local communities.
First-past-the-post voting continues to ruin American politics.
In Europe the reaction to dissatisfaction with a ruling government opens three options for the voter: to either blame the opposition and continue to support the government, blame the government and vote for the opposition or vote for more radical allies of the government to try to force it into action. Besides not voting, you only got the first two options in the US. :-(
In Europe the reaction to dissatisfaction with a ruling government opens three options for the voter: to either blame the opposition and continue to support the government, blame the government and vote for the opposition or vote for more radical allies of the government to try to force it into action. Besides not voting, you only got the first two options in the US. :-(
Most of my apolitical friends who never utter a word about politics have been complaining loudly about gas and food prices. I know that isn't really Biden's fault, but a lot of people are blaming him directly
Price increases plus covid not being over are going to weigh him down no matter what, plus being mired in months of haggling on his big spending bill. People fucking hate long debates because it goes against their "bringing people together" notion of how things are supposed to get done. Hopefully the pride stuff is transitory, and if some bill comes out people pivot to a "stuff got done" mentality instead of "wah they're fighting in the government, we hate conflict".
The immigration stuff I'm not sure there's anything you can do. No matter what the immigration situation actually is, media will be able to produce images that make it look like a "crisis". I don't think there's any policy that will actually satisfy people there.
The immigration stuff I'm not sure there's anything you can do. No matter what the immigration situation actually is, media will be able to produce images that make it look like a "crisis". I don't think there's any policy that will actually satisfy people there.
This is why politics are messed up. The reason why Biden has been unable to fulfill a lot of his promises is because he's being placated by Republicans and his own party members and because he got dealt a really TERRIBLE hand by Trump.
Trump left a legacy of vaccine-denying lunatics that want to overthrow the government because they believe lies. I don't think Biden's a perfect President, heck, he might not even be a good one but I don't think any other Candidate could do much better than he's done with the current state of affairs.
Trump left a legacy of vaccine-denying lunatics that want to overthrow the government because they believe lies. I don't think Biden's a perfect President, heck, he might not even be a good one but I don't think any other Candidate could do much better than he's done with the current state of affairs.
Whenever Republicans get control, it's going to make the Trump years look like paradise. Now they know how much they can get away with(basically everything), and they can do it more effectively than Trump.
I think there's been alot of radical entitlement in here and I'm sure in alot of places but Biden shouldn't be the one to fix all this he should be a beacon to continue the mess that was Trump and the last 4 years do people really wanna take a chance and go back to that again?
Biden don't get to complain on the supply chain as long as he keep Trump terrible trade policies in place.
Like it's not 100% this but it's contribute a whole lot.
Like it's not 100% this but it's contribute a whole lot.
Before an election when they ask you for money. That's when they are at their strongest, they are all FDR 2.0, sometime FDR 3.0.
Joe Biden ran on being a deal maker who understood how power works in Congress unlike his more ideologically consistent and pure opponent.
He also ran on the fact that his "moderate" stances would win down ballot races.
None of this has happened. The pundits were wrong and the people who championed a morally flawed candidate who "we needed" to defeat Trump were wrong
Your perfered candidate would have lost. Any other candidate would have lost.
Yep, spot on too.
When talking about the price increases on chicken wings, for instance, I'm bringing up supply chain disruptions, transitive inflation, statistics about how X% of chicken wings come from 3 chicken suppliers in the US and their COVID numbers in Iowa are X and so the plant has closed and now....... blah blah blah.
A talking head can go on TV or facebook or whatever and say "Biden wants you to eat vegan chicken and so he's not letting you buy chicken wings for cookouts. Is the American dream dead?" And while that's -false- it's a much better selling narrative.
And on the flipside, when Trump is president, his trade war with China can be an indefensible failure, China can play him, and we can pay 40% more for electronics devices, but Trump or his apologists will say "The Chinese Communists are destroying the American dream, we have to ban Huewei, TikTok, etc..." And he'll wrap it up in nativism and xenophobia, and it sells. It's effective.
If you tell the average joe or even the average ResetEra poster that their used car costs X% more because of pandemic supply and demand, and rental agencies selling their fleet and buying used and supply restrictions from overseas preveenting ...... blah blah blah ... THey don't care. If you tell them that it's Joe's fault they do care. If you tell conservative/independents it's China's fault, they do care.
It's false, but it's a selling narrative.
Absolutely.
Biden is being decimated for being a President presiding over chaos - Afghanistan, unclear messaging around and a resurge of COVID, and a congress that can't pass legislation it promised.
He needs to cut through the noise with sweeping executive decisions IMO - demonstrate forceful leadership on issues that are popular among democrats and independents.
Limited student debt cancellation (force the conservative leaning supreme court to strike it down, and motivate your base to pass it by legislation in 2023) would be a seismic boost for Biden among his base.
This is the real heart of the matter.
All of this discussing is fine and good under normal circumstances, but we're not under normal circumstance. We continue to push insanely hard to straight vote D or we sit back and accept a far right dictatorship. There is zero room for complaining about what does and doesn't get done. There is ONE existential challenge before us (american politics, not like earth ending climate change even though they're related). You either keep pushing hard for democracy (dems) or you are basically just ceding to despotism.
dems don't have the critical mass to overcome inter-party obstruction from a fringe minority of senators. People can say "dems are doing this" all they want, but it doesn't change reality, which is that because we don't have ENOUGH dems, we cannot overcome the few obstructionist powers. Any claim that "well the president and establishment just isn't trying hard enough" is just bullshit. You cannot "try harder" than Sinema and Manchin's abject greed.
Even though people here complain, i don't expect they'll actually not vote for dems for this reason. But, the real gamble is, will independents remember what they voted against in 2020.
2016 and 2020 were not normal elections. It was really all about Trump.
Not sure where we are now. Its post Trump and there are like 15 disasters happening at the same time. There is some general anger and people are upset but I don't think there is anything that anyone really agrees on.
The country is insanely divided. In general the Dems have a majority (which is also weakened because it is concentrated in cities and doesn't carry over the middle of the country) but what does the party actually agree on? For many the most important issue is their own personal civil rights (whether it be BLM, gay rights, voting rights, etc). But that is not the most important issue to all democrats. A lot of democrats are greedy assholes that just agree with one particular issue with the party. Could be climate change, animal rights, foreign policy, etc. There is not a unified message outside of no to Trump that resonates even within the party.
The Republicans are a minority but they are united behind whatever cause their media and party puts out for the week. And no matter what Dems introduce under the current climate they will never get any Republican support and as you can clearly see just from this board there is not even any agreement on what they should do with the limited time they get to control the government. For Republicans its easy. Cut taxes, save rich people some bucks and relax a few things for businesses. Everything else is just something to appeal to their ignorant base.
You might find one or two policies or ideas that resonate with this incredibly left and progressive board, but good luck getting the majority of the country or even the majority of Dems to be enthusiastic about it.
I am ok with shitting on the Dems, they are often weak and don't really have an idea of what to do, but this board often oversimplifies how hard it is to pass legislation or get things done.
You can't even get people to agree on affordable healthcare and secondary education. We need to keep our expectations in line with reality sometimes.
When congress is actively torpedoing any thing good he's attempting it's hard to see how he gets a second term. Looking at you, Child Tax Credit.
That being said I am so sick of the media narrative of "this spells doom for Biden" on literally everything. Shelves are bare, blame Biden. Shipping is a nightmare, blame Biden. As if he waved a magic wand that started the pandemic and he can wave another one and undo everything.
That being said I am so sick of the media narrative of "this spells doom for Biden" on literally everything. Shelves are bare, blame Biden. Shipping is a nightmare, blame Biden. As if he waved a magic wand that started the pandemic and he can wave another one and undo everything.
I agree with all of this but I believe that capitalism has gotten worse and because the rich are getting richer it is getting harder for both parties to agree that's not the answer can you really say it's been this bad getting legislation passed since the 60s 70s and 80s?
Things cost a ton. Too many shortages. Rent and housing costs are insane. Covid is still around. Never did that student loan forgiveness. Sure it's great not having the toddler in chief in charge, but I'm guessing a lot of people were expect more out of Biden.
One party wants more legislation and another wants less. To get legislation passed, the party needs stronger numbers to pass legislation. And because Dems are a big tent, we need stronger numbers of dems of a certain type. When those numbers aren't achieved to pass the legislation, people lose faith in the party and the numbers dwindle again. It's really a Gordian knot, and you can't really blame the populace for not "getting it." You're not going to get shit done with a marginal majority, as we've seen with Biden and Obama. LBJ and FDR had huge dem leads in congress. If there were more progressives or just more dems, we might have a shot at getting rid of the filibuster and ramming legislation through. Without voting rights carved out, I don't see how this cycle ends until fascism wins.
Of course, I wasn't intending to imply that. I'm saying the populace is stupid and their expectations are misguided, their blame misplaced, and a lot of them are single issue voters that are just going to approve or disapprove based on that one metric.
Just for an example, how many dumbasses voted "disapprove" simply because they disagree with basic public health measures like vaccine mandates?
They have the count to get rid of the filibuster. The Senators won't do it. (Manchin and Sinema are the faces of this dissent)
only ONE of those issues is even remotely in the president's actual control.
Or maybe explain how over the last several decades Democrats have willingly let corporate money influence their policy making and thats how you get shitheels like Manchin and Sinema who sink the coalition because they're incentivized by corporations and billionaires. Its an incredibly elementary analysis of the present moment when every major democratic failure of the past 20 years can be directly tied back to (Democratic) Congresspeople dismantling or blocking legislation because their donors have been telling them to. New Jersey reps in the pocket of Big Pharma. Virginia Reps in the pocket of Military Contractors. The issue is not Manchin playing to a base of West Virginian voters, the issue is that Manchin is even allowed to be in Congress at all.
This is how the cycle always works. This time its Manchin. Last time it was Lieberman. The three branches are fundamentally broken. But especially Congress, who achieve nothing but constructing slush funds they call campaign fundraising and rewarding corporate donors with money and practically letting them write all major legislation that ends up getting passed. The issue is so much more fundamental. Until voters realize this problem is fundamental, simply voting in new people wont fix it.
If Manchin and Sinema went for it, I don't see why other moderates wouldn't follow along. They have less clout in general to big dick with. But maybe you're right.