Testify!

But I'll say it again:

I DON'T WANT TO GET ALONG WITH CRAZY PEOPLE.

Seriously, what is so hard to understand about this?

Is it all just about fundraising for them?

you are going to lose a body part.

Thank you for sharing it.

Do NOT negotiate with the mentally ill Tea Party but always remember that the strategy of the bankers is to divide and conquer. Sp if the Tea Party ever becomes pissed off about the SOME o the same things we are then it is to our advantage to unite on that issue. The only issue I see this as a possibility is the loss of jobs and the surveillance war on citizens. Remember that this whole our team vs their team has stagnated any real progress. Try to look at the Tea Party as spoiled children but children nonetheless who we always have to try an persuade. There is always hope...people can change.

They can got to hell.

It's the same thing that used to drive me crazy about Obama until he didn't have a choice but to identify them as the problem.

If she runs, she needs to get out of that habit quickly or she'll have a real fight on her hands because some challenger will figure it out and quickly.

I would love for her to be on the Supreme Court, though.

That would be AWESOME.

It would be hard though to get her nomination through.

For me 2016 is still far away. So I am just going to wait and see what happens and who actually runs. But I do like Hillary and if she is the Dem Nominee I will support her but then again I will support whoever the Dem's eventually nominate.

Bring up good points. While I think Grayson is entertaining, he is not a statesman and we can do better than that.

And it isn't just my opinion - it is one of those crazy "fact things" that always destroys a good prejudice.

http://www.slate.com/articles/news_and_politics/politics/2013/07/florida_democrat_alan_grayson_is_the_most_effective_member_of_the_house.html

The Congressman Formerly Known as Crazy
Why Alan Grayson is now the most effective member of the House.

Alan Grayson is running 40 minutes late, but his reason is sound. At 11:30 a.m., the House Science Committee started marking up NASA’s funding bill, adding and subtracting whatever they could. At 5 p.m., the committee was still at it. When the members finished a half hour later, the only headline they’d generate would be about the killing of a program to “send a robotic mission to a small asteroid by 2016.”

Grayson, once again, had walked under the radar. The Democratic congressman from Orlando had convinced the Republican-run committee to adopt five of his amendments. One would bar “the federal government from awarding contracts to corporations convicted of fraud,” and another would force NASA to “consider American public-private partnership human space flight” before it partnered with foreign space programs. Each was getting him closer to an unheralded title: The congressman who’s passed more amendments than any of his 434 peers.

“We’ve passed 31 amendments in committee so far,” says Grayson. “Hardly any Democrats who put in amendments put in any effort to get to 218. They just think they’ve accomplished something when it’s ruled in order, and that’s the end of the story.”

The last time the media noticed Alan Grayson, he was a freshman Democrat, a member of the 2008 Obama wave, trying and failing to survive 2010. Grayson joked that Dick Cheney left a “torture rack” in the White House, said that the Republican health care plan was for people to “die quickly”—so on and so on, all very helpful to a press trying to prove that the Tea Party had an ideological match on the left. Grayson went down by 18 points to the blandly conservative former state senator Daniel Webster, or “Taliban Dan,” as a Grayson ad called him. The Washington Post eulogized him as “a controversial liberal icon that many in the Democratic Party weren’t sad to see lose.”

(more at link)

that smart and able to make his case can convince people of the "rightness" of his proposed amendments.

Thanks for the article!

... a "go-along-to-get-along-corporate-lackie"? Would you say that Ted Kennedy was a "Statesman?" Ted Kennedy, Robert Byrd.... Hey, do you remember Henry Gonzalez? How's about JFK? How's about PBO??? Would you mind naming some "Statesmen?" Thanks.

That's EXACTLY what I've been feeling...this "go along to get along" crap needs to stop.

It gives two definitions of politician. One is described as a statesman, the other is not. Just an interesting point.

It's worked sooooo well up to now, hasn't it?

Fuck that noise, I don't want to be the Teabagger's pals, I don't care if they get outraged, I don't care if they don't like being called racists.


I want them furious.

People make serious errors in judgement when they are angry, they tend to end up screwing themselves but good.

If you can get your adversary to lose his temper during negotiations, you have the upper hand.

People are dying, uninsured, disenfranchised, impoverished, and openly denigrated by the Republican-Tea Party. Finally, FINALLY someone does just that, and you want him to stop? Really?

But failing that, I think your own post shows a bit of over the top.

Sure, the Teabaggers have been merciless and ruthless and have led us to fiscal cliffs and stopped all reasonable discourse for the entirety of Obama's term. They are like a plague... no one really wants them around, but they don't take hints very well.

I don't think Greenspan was off the mark. If the white hood fits, wear it. But that said, I STILL don't think our side should become the side of KILL THEIR PARTY ALREADY. Seriously? I'm a Liberal Hawk, willing to go to war as necessary, but in the political process, I'd rather see them prosecuted for their crimes against the people than let them become martyrs and be a forever thorn in our side.

AND I think more than just talking about stuff the DEMs should just get more demanding and push for what we know is right and ignore the screechiness and let them make fools of themselves without resorting to acknowledging their tantrums. Like dealing with 5 year old brats, it doesn't pay to come down to their level. IGNORE them and work with the other Republicans who are in full out shame of their counterparts to get some actual work done.

Seriously, did you misunderstand and think I was advocating for something illegal?

I'm not a Republican, for heaven's sake!

If we divide their party into two, then a UNITED Democratic party takes charge. And I don't want to "come together" with the crazy folk.

I'm not advocating anything but IGNORING the whinny crazy folk's demands and continuing to call them out on the carpet.

Not into placating them, but think using words like KILL even when it's metaphorical is over the top. THEY are the rethugs mess, and the rethugs can police their own so they learn to never let this kind of insanity take over their party again. It isn't OUR job to fix it for them and become the target of the tebaggers hatred, some more. Let them eat their own and stand back.

I think Greenspan calling them out on their KKK like behavior is actually appropriate. Their candidates are having fundraisers with Southern Heritage groups already. That is the Klan based PAC.

Which would, in effect, kill it. By pointing out the differences between the "KKK" and the "reasonable" folk, I think it should split - which is what the Tea Partiers want.

I also think making it clear that "Tea Party" = "KKK" is absolutely essential to help differentiate the two types of Republican brands. If they don't split, then the entire brand needs to be tainted appropriately (which will hopefully insure a Democratic majority in 2014).

Pretending we are above the fray is, in my opinion, inappropriate as it implies We Can't Tell The Difference Between the Two Types of Republicans (Crazy Tea Party / Moderate Reasonable Conservatives).

I am not sure the second type really exists, but I keep being assured they do.

By driving a wedge.
How often have you heard them call one or more in out party communist, Marxist, socialist and even Fascist, and not one in their party asked them to apologize...and not even those in our party asked for it.
But we are told to play by other rules than they play by...and they think it is weakness and go for the jugular.

HOLD them accountable for their wreckless behavior. Try them as adults.

WHO CARES what they call us? AND if they can't take a little "close enough to the truth for government work" when it DOES hit them upside the head, too bad.

Treat the Republicans who will work to get things done as adult equals and the whinny teabaggers as children. IF we HELP the rethugs clean up their mess, it will get blamed on us somehow.

THEY are so much better at eating their own. BUT we don't need to take any more of their crap and honestly, I've said it a few times... if the white hood fits, they gotta wear it. Their racism is blatant and I won't apologize for pointing it out. Their lack of common sense is apparent too. Destroy the entire country rather than allow one good thing to happen on Obama's watch? Please they aren't just Klan plants, they are traitors.

Beat them upside the head with their own record and behaviors. Don't BECOME them, OUT them as what they are.

Thing is if the Republicans kick these yahoos out on their own, it will work.

Koch brothers are already distancing themselves from the craziest among them. Their usefulness is now outweighed by their ability to destroy the country and the fact the whole world sees them as inept. AND unelectable.

I say we spend time getting as much DONE as possible and convince the sane Republicans that are left to tell their ideologues that enough is enough. WE got stuff to DO, let's get it done, so people have a reason to re-elect US.

WE THE PEOPLE should stay SO FRICKEN MAD at the Tea Party and their BS that the R's will distance themselves from them. I still would like to see this bunch that STILL voted to drown the government instead of raising the debt ceiling to the very last vote... they should be up on serious charges of sedition or treason.

It wasn't JUST free speach. Not just a little talk, they were working toward the goal of bringing down the government. If THAT group 144 in the House and 18 in the Senate had their way the US would be toast right now. THEY don't deserve their jobs because they don't "get it". You don't DESTROY the country to make a point.

A couple of them get indicted for not doing their jobs and the rest are going to be spinning themselves as real busy doing important stuff so fast your head will spin. The corruption cases show up and we'll pack them in as tight as we can.

I want to deal with them legally and let the rethugs push them out of their party without the ELECTED DEMs help if they can. I'd like our Congress Critters focused on getting the most out of any momentum we got when we stopped ceiling war.

needs policing. Thrown under the fucking penitentiary.

It is a fabrication put together by several people and groups with enough money to influence select groups and individuals.

We may deride some of these as know-nothings but in fact they are paid-for schills and might have no idea (or want to know) what they are being paid to do.

- Carry signs? Sure!
- Spout nonsense in public meetings or on Fux? You betcha.
- Post entries in blogs to deflect the conversation? Got that one.

- Have a real discussion on the points pro/con? Not today.
- Allow your gov't benefits to be slashed? I'm entitled... (whoops)

Standing up for what we believe in is WHY we ELECT people to represent us.

I am outraged and horrified by the fact a Confederate symbol was waved PROUDLY at the White House while Republican "leaders" stood by in apparent approval.

And smacking down Grayson is really about smacking down everyone who supported the "spinal infusion" that happened during the last several weeks.

Enough already. We do not start the "let's all get along" crap until AFTER an election has been won - NOT BEFORE.

sure we need to look strong. But that need not mean "crush them".

It might feel good, but does not win a national election.

Instead of joining the dog-pile.

Oh, but they can "dog-pile" the Obamacare website.

In other words, we disagree on strategy. Since she took over and LOST THE HOUSE in 2010, maybe we should go back to the Howard Dean 50-state strategy that a) got Obama elected, and b) seems to get public approval (i.e., standing up for DEMOCRATIC VALUES which includes CRITICIZING THE STUPID).

It is just one of those "crazy ideas" from the liberal side of the party.

"crush them" and standing up for Democratic values are two different things. Please show me where "criticizing the stupid" is incorporated into "Democratic values".

I miss him. He did a heck of a job and gotten so little thanks.

So about winning elections....I saw many 'moderate' milquetoast Democrats get defeated by strong speaking Republicans in 2010. 'Oh, we can't criticize them, they are our bipartisan partners' seems to cost us seats. In reality that is.

And no, I'm not talking Obama.

(I was mistaken in attributing it to her, even though she was the Vice-Chairman at the time.)

I'm giving HIM the credit.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Democratic_National_Committee#DNC_National_Chairpersons

of rabid Republicans. You say 'we elect adults' because we don't want to 'crush them'. So you seek something short of defeat for the opposition in a two way contest. I like victory, decided victory for my side. Crushing the Republican Party sounds most excellent to me.
Why don't you define for us what you call 'crushing them' which you say is bad and criticism which you claim to approve of.
Are you glad they took the House in 2010 since we have pride in not being too harshly spoken toward them to balance out our loss of the House?

Ever see a TeaPubliKlan convention? See a rally? See the buyers on TV? What about even a State of the Union lately?

No, this is just namby pamby, appeasement minded, mealy mouthed, ever corporate and establishment friendly, sellout bullshit based on nary a shred of real world support.

Just stop it.

back off from when it is challenged and go to some other spin.

Do you really think that the other party is made up ONLY of tea party members? That seems to be your challenge.

it is just too absurd to respond to.

man, that worked out so well.

was a candidate who saluted in 2004 wanted us to be nostalgic about a war that ended 30 years earlier.

If he would have focused upon the values that 2004 grass-roots Democrats shared, such as their opposition to NAFTA and the Iraq War, the swift-boaters would have had little or no effect.

Why didn't he pick up the banner against NAFTA and the policy of shipping American manufacturing jobs to foreign countries? This member of the Skull and Bones society supported NAFTA. As a candidate in 2004, after voting for NAFTA in 1993:

Someone posted that "1% of the people in the United States are millionaires, while 50% of Congress are millionaires."

Reagan made policies that made life Very Nice for the 1%.

Are they voting in OUR interests, or for their own?

But Grayson has guts.

As always, the biggest driver of republican policies is Wall St. The only way to be against them is to not finance them in the first place.
They really could care less about votes, as long as they have the funds to pay off anyone who wins. With the help of millions of investors (closet republicans) they get their wish.

The tea party is just a cross between the John Birch Society and the KKK.

Call a spade a spade.

nodded along in silence while the Republicans attack minorities, liberals, and while they obstruct every piece of governance this nation needs to accomplish. These precious centrists never, ever call out the Republicans for the vile things they say and I'm sick of it.

in Florida, so I can't stand her politics.

I'd never vote for either.

Follow the money brubbers. "Money-money-money-money-money. More-more-more-more-more." ~Lyrics from a recent Bluegrass song

... it'll blow your socks off. Search for: The Del McCoury Band - Moneyland Greyfox Festival

Only difference between Teabaggers and Greece's Golden Dawn or Al-Queda is GD/AQ have brighter people.

The ONLY way for America to survive, for mankind to survive, is to utterly destroy Conservatism and TeaBaggery. We have never been in a better position to do so. The time is now.

They are true believers in their own cause, and will not cooperate just because it's good for the country.

We need more Graysons now. Once they've crushed the Republicans back to reality, we can talk about "coming together".

We don't have one anymore. Yes, I always want them to be the "minority party". But we need a loyal opposition, basically the "Grand Old Party". This current bunch-o-yahoos is neither and in fact the sane folks keep switching over to the democratic party. That's not good. We end up "arguing with ourselves". We need an opposition with which we can have a real debate about the serious issues we continually face. Instead we have the party of the sane constantly trying to manage the party of the insane. It's like being the staff at a mental institution where the inmates have keys too.

The sane Republicans, more and more, are joining our party, and working to change our party to be what the Republican Party was before the Tea Party. In many many ways they are succeeding at this task. There are examples of such people right here on DU.

I welcome converts from the other side, but they must be converts, not Republicans who no longer feel welcome in their own party.

Our party's "big tent" philosophy makes us especially vulnerable to this. Couple that with the need for our politicians to be on the phone constantly begging corporate interests for campaign money (that's what they do more than any other activity, I kid you not), and the values this party is based on are easily forgotten. Personally I think this is a huge threat to the future of the Democratic Party delivering on any kind of progressive change.

Because they'll only start when it becomes clear that it doesn't work anymore.

When everyone knows who's causing the problems, who's not dealing in good faith, and it costs them.

For that to happen, blurring the lines of responsibility doesn't help. Yes, some from "both sides" is inevitable, but an 80-20, 90-10, 99-01, etc. ratio is not equal.

than the democratic wing of the democratic party. If Clinton is the dem candidate, I will not vote for her. This is death by a thousand cuts. Slowly, but surely the dem party drifts further & further to the right. The now look more like mid-19th century repubs than dems. How much further right will we go to find common ground?


Fuck both of them.

Good post, Ida.

Time to send them to an extended time-out like the spoiled little brats they are, and get to governing without them.

Tea Party encapsulates pure evil and insanity. No compromise. No more Mister Nice Guy. Crush these fucking lunatics before they drag us all into end times. Fight them to the death. The End.

Ever ever ever. No.

I'm with you. Call them out and let them squirm and whine and freak. Let them reap what they have sewn. We owe them nothing.

They promise not to eat you alive!

It was like a maniac blocking the ATM and demanding money to let me use it. I give no sympathy to people like that.

Shutting down the government because you despise a law you cannot overturn and despise the man behind the law makes you a lunatic. Whether it is done by guns or cutting off all funding to the government treat them as terrorist.

We just move on and act like nothing happened for 3 weeks? That would be insane to me. Go Grayson, at the very least, you are bringing attention to the group that shut us down.

Those lunatics openly talk about impeaching the President, elected officials believe Obama has committed high crimes. Nice guys finish last when you are dealing with bullies. Keep fighting the good fight Grayson, at least one Democrat has to the courage to stand up AND push back.

Thank you for the post. Now I am motivated to exercise and pump some iron!

And in the last two democratic presidencies the republicans not only refused to play nice. They became abusive to the populace for daring to choose a non-republican for the nation's highest office.
Talking is apparently not working. I suggest we try a different strategy.

Stand up for the families who need help

Because I work with them and to be honest they feel exactly like you do but its 180 degree difference. Here is an example based on dialogue that I have had with them: Which is the more extreme position: 1. a Repub candidate for Senate that spouts out some nonsense about God's will to make a case for opposing abortion to women who are raped. Who could argue that this position is sane? but this is the response from their side. The more extreme position according to them is a President who while senator from IL voted against a state bill that would have protected babies born alive in botched abortions. Example 2. Which is right? A party that promotes social programs to help the least fortunate by providing them medical care, food and shelter? A party that is concerned that the debt incurred by all of these social programs that help people will eventually kill the goose that laid the golden egg and completely destroy the economy by amassing unsustainable debt thus destroying all of these programs anyway.

My point is that the parties could not be further apart on a whole host of issues, but the context is equally valid on both sides. At least that is the way I am exposed to it...

Peace.

That old "we don't negotiate with terrorists" rule definitely applies here. Why on earth would anyone think they should try to deal rationally with crazy, angry fuckheads like the tea baggers. They need to get the hell out and go extinct.

he is playing hardball and that is what we need against the repugs. It's about time someone fought against these mofo's - singing kumbaya does not work because they always stab us in the back.

Why would we strive to be cooperative with ignorant bigoted fascists and religious extremists? This is our nation that they have destroyed.

There's a place for racists and crackpots, and it's not in government. (Mainly it's at family reunions, but that's a whole 'nother problem...)

The Tea Party, and they are holding all the rest of the Republicans hostage.

"Stop Watching Us" called me yesterday to remind me about this weekend. I said "as long as FreedomWorks is on your masthead, I don't want to have anything to do with this. I don't think they should be getting any credibility because of the Electronic Frontier Foundation, Occupy or any of the other worthwhile organizations out there."

I said "when you get rid of the baggage, I will gladly march".

You do not stop the bully by being nice to it, by giving it what it wants, by telling the bully how great it is. You stop the bully by making it so painful to be the bully that it wants to stop.

For years, I have decried the 'Get Along Gang', the 'We need to forge a bipartisan consensus' crowd and the other wishy washy Democrats. We do not help our party by being wishy-washy. We do not help our country and our people by cozying up to those who want to destroy us. (If you don't think so, Google Liberal Hunting Permit, and Democrat Hunting permit.) We help ourselves by standing firmly for what we believe in. We help our country and our people by carrying out our platform and keeping our promises.

Bipartisanship? The rethuglicans killed that. We did what they asked and met them half way, and they still assailed us. Bipartisanship is dead. I want naked unashamed Democratic partisanship.

Wolf

so nothing substantive could be accomplished or understood.

Chaos is but one of their tactics.

couldn't have said it better myself. I'm with you. Profanity, appropriate.

Sing Kumbaya while firing your RPG and quickly re-loading and firing again.
Repeat, repeat, repeat.

Shift song into a higher key, and continue RPG fire.










(figuratively speaking, ofcourse)

For me, it's simple. If you saw some nut walking down the street spouting random, crazy gibberish (like most teabagger speeches!), would you feel compelled to sit down and start a dialog? The only difference here is that somebody voted for a nut.

They don't even comprehend compromise

if they are sensible and realistic.