The Democratic Base Is Marching Right Past Its Leaders

[workinclasszero]

The Democratic Base Is Marching Right Past Its Leaders
Newly minted activists want Democrats in Washington to actually fight against Trump — or get out of the way.
01/26/2017 04:12 pm ET | Updated 1 hour ago

This week, when progressive champions Elizabeth Warren (D-Mass.) and Sherrod Brown (D-Ohio) voted in a Senate committee to approve the thoroughly unqualified Ben Carson to head the Housing and Urban Development Department, there was little criticism from established liberal organizations in Washington. But the grassroots lit up ― blasting them on Twitter, Facebook, in calls to their offices, and in countless emails to Huffington Post reporters, asking us what on earth their one-time heroes were doing.

Warren clearly felt the backlash. “OK, let’s talk about Dr. Ben Carson,” she began a lengthy Facebook post on Wednesday.

That the votes came just days after millions poured into the streets in more than 650 women’s marches on Saturday made it that much more jarring. Those marches, after all, had not been sparked by Planned Parenthood, or the Democratic Party, or unions, or MoveOn.org, even if they did pitch in to help once it got going. Instead, they came from regular, angry people ― people who may try to replace the ones in power.

This newfound energy is driving throngs of people into the political process ― and it’s quickly being turned against Democratic politicians for being soft on Trump, whether it’s by approving his cabinet nominees or signaling a willingness to work with him.

“Senate Dems’ response to millions taking to the streets is beyond disappointing,” said Shaunna Thomas, co-founder of the women’s online advocacy group Ultra Violet. “It is outright shameful.”

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/entry/womens-march-democrats-base_us_588a490ce4b061cf898d7e98?

[vlyons]

1. Primary those who vote for stupid Republican bills and candidates

[global1]

2. So How Did Warren Justify Her Vote For Carson?....nt

[bravenak]

3. It was basically a 'I'll give him a chance to fuck us over, then I'll be first to fight him.' :(

[workinclasszero]

4. I have no idea but the thought of democrats voting for a nutcase like Ben Carson

for any government job higher than dog catcher makes me ill.

[vi5]

5. I think she said...

..that another candidate could be worse.

The thing I keep going back to and repeating is that these appointments are going to pass and be approved even without a single Democratic vote. So what do any of them gain by having their fingerprints on any of these clowns?

[workinclasszero]

7. Then vote against that asshole too and every fucking unqualified American hating fascist

Dumpf puts up!

FUCK the Washington DC game!

This is fucking WAR!

[uponit7771]

9. +1

[vi5]

13. I agree.....

And the Dems aren't even playing the current Washington DC game. They are playing the game as though it's still the 70's and 80's and bipartisanship is a thing that could actually exist and happen, as well as the notion that we have a fair and reasonable media.

[workinclasszero]

14. IKR?

Bipartisanship is a weapon that the alt-right republican party and the news media use to kill all democratic progress in the country!

How much bipartisanship did the republicans give President Obama?

That's as much as we should give to the most dangerous con man lyin bully that ever soiled the halls of the White House!

[FreeStateDemocrat]

6. Her way of letting us know she is not interested in every running for the White House and I do

appreciate her early withdrawal from consideration for the 2020 Democratic nomination.

[workinclasszero]

8. There's a new generation coming on strong from the left

They filled the streets of America a few days ago. I stand with them!

Trump the p*ssy grabber radicalized them into a mass movement that can take him and his stinking party down eventually.

The democratic party should be with them 1000%!

2018 is coming on fast!

[crosinski]

17. Yep, and I'm glad to see them.

They are passionate, far left, and they won't play by the old rules. I think Occupy and Standing Rock helped shape them, and Trump was the final push they needed to emerge angry as hell. Dems need to make room for 'em.

[yurbud]

10. Democrats don't seem to understand optics at all. Voters DO NOT CARE about comity and process

They care about results and standing up for progressive values on the way.

Playing nice with Republicans paid few to no dividends to Obama, and arguably lost him the Congress in 2010.

I still hold out hope for Brown and Warren, but they need to stop listening to the business as usual crowd.

[workinclasszero]

12. The republicans fought President Obama from day one to his last day in office

Now they have total control of this government!

I demand the same treatment for the loser of the popular vote that is leaving his shit stains all over the oval office for the next 4 years!

NO compromises! NO cooperation! RESIST 100%!!!

Trump will be the worst piss poor excuse of a President this country has ever had to endue. If our Senators and House members are on record for going along with his horrible agenda in any way, they and the party will never live it down!

[Blaukraut]

11. The Dems just can't seem to get out of their own way

I wonder what goes on in their minds when they try to compromise. Have they been asleep the last decade or so?

[workinclasszero]

16. To insulated from everyday americans I guess

Its really sad.

The republicans will put 40,000 plus Americans per year in an early grave and elected democratic party members think we have to get along and go along with that shit?

OMG what does it take to light a fire under these people then?

And that's just for starters for Tyrant Trump and his American hating party.

[gratuitous]

15. If the people lead, our leaders will follow

This is really the only way things are going to change on the progressive side. Elected officials who get too far out in front, even a little too far, tend to get relegated to irrelevance (cf. Sen. Sanders). Repressives can be ahead of the fascist curve, and they're rewarded when the rest of their ilk catch up. It's not fair, but that's the way I've seen it work all my life.

We need to stake out our position way ahead of our elected officials, and demonstrate to them that they've got cover for progressive positions. We'll be there to volunteer on their campaigns, stuff envelopes, register voters, knock on doors, and most important of all, turn out and vote on election day, even in off years. When politicians are assured of this, they can take up our banner in the corridors of power, where the default setting is status quo and movement backward is easier to effect.

Keep up the pressure, keep turning out, keep working. Our elected officials will be along, and if they tarry, we'll replace them from our numbers.

[vi5]

18. You're too optimistic...

...if the people lead, more than likely we'll be told to just sit down, that they've got this and that we don't understand how things really work.

As someone who has been a hardcore, party loyalist since the mid 80's, and who continually until the past few years insisted on working within the establishment structure and "trusting" the well paid folks to look out for my best interest I'm not having any more of that.

[gratuitous]

19. Then I guess I'll just sit down and wait for something else, eh?

Thank you for your input.

[vi5]

20. No, we should still fight....

....But until we get changes of leadership and control within the party, I'm not personally optimistic that anything we'll change. Personally I'm going to keep fighting, but I'm not counting on the actual Democratic party to do anything for me and I'm not going through their channels to get stuff done.

[Blue_true]

22. Then, Primary them all.

I would rather deal with an enemy that I know than a supposed friend that I don't know. I can eliminate the enemy.

[vi5]

23. I would love that...

...but again, then we're told we're looking for "purity tests" or that we want ponies or that we just don't understand the way things really are.

The Democratic party has come to care more about keeping it's gravy train running for loyalists than it does doing what it's supposed to do which is fight for progressive and liberal ideals.

[milestogo]

21. + 100000000