The Politics Thread

[Ponds]

I quite sure that Native Americans appreciate his sense of history!

[DRW50]

Look, everybody - MORE can-kicking!

 

[Juliajms]

^ I'm glad they at least got the infrastructure bill passed.

I hate to even say this, but I'm glad she's going to prison. She probably won't even do the full two months, but entitled people like this need to learn their place.

[Wendy]

And infrastructure has now passed - with some GOP voting for it, and those known as the "squad" voting against.

https://www.washingtonpost.com/us-policy/2021/11/05/house-infrastructure-reconciliation-vote/

[amybrickwallace]

Does anyone think at this point that BBB will ever pass? I'm not holding my breath.

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[Vee]

I do, yes.

[DRW50]

I hope so. I think Manchin and Sinema will drag as long as possible.

I'm glad something, anything passed, but the way the infrastructure bill passed sets up a very ugly path for more progressive legislation. 

[JaneAusten]

I am normally an optimist but seeing how the press has buried Biden with Afghanistan and then buried the dems in Vi with their cheering of a white nationalist for Governor,(McCauliffe did run a tepid campaign) I don't see him getting one ounce of credit. The bill was passed with GOP support. And the impact of an infrastructure bill won't be felt for a couple of years.

I think Biden has done a great job just as Obama did and that includes Afghanistan. Acting like 5% inflation is the same as the 1970's inflation of 25% is garbage. COVID will likely be past us by next year and the press will still find some way to blame the dems for COVID versus the party of NO. 

Im past at this point believing it's just a messaging problem for the democrats. It's gone on too long to believe it's not deliberate or at a minimum malpractice

 

Is messaging the successes really that hard.

 

Edited November 6, 2021 by JaneAusten

[Vee]

Right now, the Beltway pundits just seem very depressed the Dems passed the bill at all and got something done. I don't agree that they 'buried him with Afghanistan' - the public did not care and does not care about that withdrawal, which led to a lot of tantrums for the DC press over it.

We'll see what happens with BBB, but Biden seems very committed and I think Pelosi and the CPC played out the stalemate for as long as they reasonably could and possibly beyond. They secured a lot of conditions from the moderates so we'll see what comes next.

The Beltway above all wants a 'normal' GOP they can cheer on back, and will chase any potential hopeful or whitewash any 'just folks' GOP voters story in the hopes of getting it. But I do think 2022 is a long way away right now and this bill will be a part of it - if the Dems get behind it in real messaging. They also need to face the race issue, voting rights and the lies about stuff like CRT head-on instead of running from the debate, which too many do.

 

[Vee]

 

[JaneAusten]

@vee  I hear you and I partially agree. But messaging and ignoring the culture wars that actually work on voters has been an issue for as long as I can remember. I wish these dems from places like Illinois or New York who know what it's like to play dirty and play for power would educate some of these folks and I don't mean Rahm Emmanuel.

Critical Race Theory is an easy one IMO.  Say first it's not being taught in grade and public school and it shouldn't be and then pivot to talking about why we should teach full American history warts and all.  I never learned the full story of reconstruction, never heard about the Trail of Tears, very little about Jim crow in US History class in High school but I did learn about it. History is messy - it's not all rainbows and sunshine. People are not stupid.

Edited November 6, 2021 by JaneAusten

[Vee]

 

[DramatistDreamer]

This scandal is something that I am unfamiliar with, despite the fact that I watch the BBC News world broadcast several days a week. 

 

[amybrickwallace]

I know. What's the harm of giving it to school kids straight?

[DRW50]

Pretty much sums up the media coverage. 

I don't think the public cares about Afghanistan, but the media will never let it go, because Biden took away what made them feel special - "saving" the poor brown people - as well as book deals, and the lucrative ties they had to the military-industrial complex. It gives them an easy narrative to hang their negatives on - they can will people into believing Afghanistan was the reason, because they  control the copy. 

I'm not saying this to claim that Biden was wrong to pass the infrastructure bill or to say it will be pointless. Something had to pass. The media that lies about the economy and obsesses over a Trump-loving family who must bathe in milk will downplay this and say it's a gift to Republicans and so on, but at least it's a building block. 

A lot of parents don't want their kids to  learn actual history. They want what makes them feel special. That's the allure of the anti-CRT hysteria. It  makes parents feel like loving and tough guys and gals who are fighting the out of touch elites. It doesn't matter if you say CRT isn't being taught, because they need that  high anyway.