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Senator Chuck Schumer: Sucking Black Hole of Bad

Trying to make sense of a crazy world, with limited success mostly
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p0rtia
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Senator Chuck Schumer: Sucking Black Hole of Bad

#1

Post by p0rtia »

Schumer is my senator. I have never voted for him because of his support of corporatocracy and what I perceived, when he was minority leader, to be a feeble push back to McConnell's excesses. Lots of progressive talk, next to zero ideas and actions (he did a sit-in in the Senate for an evening, once).

I am, of course, a partisan. Moreover, I am someone who believes that we have been at war since shortly after Jan 6, 2021 (specifically, when the congressional GOP opted for fascism and aligned itself with the right-wing State governors and legislators).

That said, Schumer has no more clue how to lead in a crisis than a tree frog. He can't hold his caucus together when under existential threat. He talks and he talks and he talks and then go calls a recess and goes home.

Then he calls for unilaterally opening the US border with Canada--a position espoused by my despicable Congresswoman, Elise Stefanuk #GQP21 (it's an issue for NY big business)--just as COVID is rising again due to Delta.

I think he has decided that he has no chance to pass any progressive legislation. I think he is not interested in passing the Biden agenda. I think he is content to let our country rot on the vine that has been cut off at the root by the neo-fascists. Because he is a terrible, terrible leader.

I listen to progressive analysts a lot, and they have lots of ideas about what the Dems could be doing with the House, Senate, and Presidency. To me, Schumer is in the "no point in trying because we're bound to fail" camp. That is not my camp.

I don't have any articles to post to get this topic started. I just think Schumer is a huge part of the problem. I'm tired of emailing him and calling his office and leaving messages (never a live voice with Schumer). So I sure would like to hear what the rest of you think.
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Re: Senator Chuck Schumer: Sucking Black Hole of Bad

#2

Post by raison de arizona »

He's a douche. He lives across the park from my place in Brooklyn, there are frequent protests by progressives in front of his house. He deserves it. Seems like they could find someone better out of the fifty they have in there. I can think of many better ones just off the top of my head. I really hated it when he started threatening the Supreme Court. We have crazies on our side as well that don't need that sort of encouragement.
“Remember, democracy never lasts long. It soon wastes, exhausts, and murders itself. There never was a democracy yet that did not commit suicide.” —John Adams
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Re: Senator Chuck Schumer: Sucking Black Hole of Bad

#3

Post by northland10 »

I am not sure how realistic it really is to expect that Congress, especially the Senate can pass a progressive agenda, even without the filibuster in the way. The Senate is 50-50. While Republicans can get their folks to toe the line, that has never been a strong suit for the Democrats. Their base is far too diverse. They are not all progressive. Also remember, Republicans, don't usually pass any agenda. They stop others' agendas, pass tax cuts, put in judges, but that is basically it. Social Security, Immigration, ACA have had no changes despite all of the promises.

While many in the Democratic leadership is most definitely spineless, they are also walking a fine line. Every time they pass something, it becomes a big item for Republicans to campaign against, and they have been very good at it. Republicans excel at what they are against, and Democrats don't push back (don't bother complaining that the press doesn't help since it is far past time to expect them to do the heavy lifting). In 1994 and 2010, laws that were leaning more progressive passed, and the Congress was lost (and some centrist democrats even jumped ship). This likely makes some leaders rather skittish. And remember, when the Republicans go after politicians to defeat, it is not the progressives in safe districts, it is those closest to the center. So, to avoid losing, these center ones may go against the Democratic majority.

They can only really push a more progressive agenda if they can find a way to cut the legs out from under the GOP's anti-everything method and protect the middle. Some of the areas they need to cut into is the rural and white working-class in order to blunt the advantage. Unfortunately, there is a perception in those communities that the progressives only care about the rural and non-white folk. While the GOP as spent decades pushing this perception to the hilt, that big lie is based on a bit of truth. I have seen it myself. In short, some of the progressive side see the others as just backward, Fox-addicted poor white trash and not worth their time. And we wonder why they vote against their own interests. We can't expect them to think like us so stop treating them like they do.

There are people who come from generations of steelworkers and coal miners that have seen their jobs fade away. How do they see the political parties approaching them? One side tells them who they can blame and the other says, well, it's just one of those things, get over it. Who would you vote for? We can tell them that the progressive agenda will help all people, they tend to see that to mean the urban folks. When they are living on a basic living, watching opiates and meth destroy their once tight-knit community, and not sure how they will even buy meals next week (and living with the embarrassment of having to take public welfare) they need to see the benefits in a more concrete way if they would get past the emotional blame someone plea of the GOP.

Back in the speech, Reagan made to CPAC back in the 1980s, he reminded the conservatives that they could not just run around saying how right their ideas were but needed to sell them, in a positive way, to folks on the other side. Only that way they could build a sustainable conservative majority. Later they opted for the scare them technique as that is always the shortcut method, but it has prevented them from cementing a long-term majority.
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Re: Senator Chuck Schumer: Sucking Black Hole of Bad

#4

Post by Suranis »

Cant think where else to put this, but it shows what the Man is up against.

Hic sunt dracones
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Re: Senator Chuck Schumer: Sucking Black Hole of Bad

#5

Post by p0rtia »

Read the replies. Seems I'm not the only one thinks Schumer is failing his country.

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Re: Senator Chuck Schumer: Sucking Black Hole of Bad

#6

Post by Suranis »

Hic sunt dracones
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Re: Senator Chuck Schumer: Sucking Black Hole of Bad

#7

Post by raison de arizona »

Full letter:
► Show Spoiler
I'll believe it when I see it, but definitely looks promising. I guess.
“Remember, democracy never lasts long. It soon wastes, exhausts, and murders itself. There never was a democracy yet that did not commit suicide.” —John Adams
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Senator Chuck Schumer: Sucking Black Hole of Bad

#8

Post by raison de arizona »

Image
“Remember, democracy never lasts long. It soon wastes, exhausts, and murders itself. There never was a democracy yet that did not commit suicide.” —John Adams
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Senator Chuck Schumer: Sucking Black Hole of Bad

#9

Post by RVInit »

I have always thought Schumer is a lightweight when it comes to playing the game of politics. McConnell walks all over him.
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Senator Chuck Schumer: Sucking Black Hole of Bad

#10

Post by p0rtia »

Did I read that right? Chuck wrote a stern letter and promises to do...nothing?
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Senator Chuck Schumer: Sucking Black Hole of Bad

#11

Post by raison de arizona »

p0rtia wrote: Wed Feb 22, 2023 5:07 pm Did I read that right? Chuck wrote a stern letter and promises to do...nothing?
Hey now, he strongly objects.
“Remember, democracy never lasts long. It soon wastes, exhausts, and murders itself. There never was a democracy yet that did not commit suicide.” —John Adams
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Senator Chuck Schumer: Sucking Black Hole of Bad

#12

Post by Kriselda Gray »

p0rtia wrote: Wed Feb 22, 2023 5:07 pm Did I read that right? Chuck wrote a stern letter and promises to do...nothing?
What can he do? I don't think there's any way to stop this from happening, except perhaps a court injunction, and even then, it may already be too late if Carlson's gotten the tapes.

I hate seeing these tapes being made public, but if it was going to be done then ALL networks should have been given equal access to the tapes, and I hope we see some suits from the other networks to get access to them.
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Senator Chuck Schumer: Sucking Black Hole of Bad

#13

Post by p0rtia »

Kriselda Gray wrote: Thu Feb 23, 2023 1:34 am
p0rtia wrote: Wed Feb 22, 2023 5:07 pm Did I read that right? Chuck wrote a stern letter and promises to do...nothing?
What can he do? I don't think there's any way to stop this from happening, except perhaps a court injunction, and even then, it may already be too late if Carlson's gotten the tapes.

I hate seeing these tapes being made public, but if it was going to be done then ALL networks should have been given equal access to the tapes, and I hope we see some suits from the other networks to get access to them.
I think the obvious step it to hold hearings on what the fuck happened and let the many professionals who abhor this step to speak to the American public. (NB He should also be doing this for various Jan-6-related events, and things like the insanity of allowing a fraud like Santos to be in the Capitol--yes, I know the Santos is House and Schumer is Senate but this is so historic he again needs to let the professionals speak to the American public about how horrific this is.) He needs to call out McCarthy as the greedy little liar and leech he is.

IOW, he needs to use his platform to just tell the fucking truth about what the R's are doing to this country.
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Senator Chuck Schumer: Sucking Black Hole of Bad

#14

Post by Ben-Prime »

I mean, I get Kevin is Speaker and all, but if these tapes were originally from the Capitol Police, why can't the Majority Leader request them, as well, so that less hostile media have access to them to counter the narrative? Or is there some rule that means that Only Kevin has the authority to issue orders like these?
But the sunshine aye shall light the sky,
As round and round we run;
And the truth shall ever come uppermost,
And justice shall be done.

- Charles Mackay, "Eternal Justice"
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