By Rebellious Renee, a Trail Mix Contributor
Showing up. Listening to constituents. Following through. It sounds simple enough. But it is an aspect of politics that is undervalued in an age of social media and in a region of the country that largely abandoned Democrats for Donald Trump.
An article written in last week’s CSM is the best article I’ve read so far about what Democrats can do to take back the House in 2018. Illinois Rep. Cheri Bustos is the type of Democrat that, IMO, we need more of in this country. Here’s the article.. A Democrat who woos Trump supporters
- DCCC Puts Busto In Charge of Heartland Outreach (Roll Call)
- The Secret Weapon Democrats Don’t Know How To Use (Politico)
renee, thanks. we — and that we includes both parties — need more fresh voices like cheri and kamala to energize and make folks think.
but a not so fresh voice that should also be listened to is warren, buffett that is. there was a good two part interview of him last 2 nights on pbs newshour. here’s transcript and vid of part 2 Billionaire Warren Buffett says GOP health reform bills are relief for the rich
Summer brings the military of many countries to engage in training maneuvers. In particular the Russians are going full bore with theirs. Of interest is an unusual, for Russia, article about how the SVR, Russian intelligence agency, is fighting off the “illegal” cyber actions of the U.S. For power it shows a picture of the SVR cyber buildings and a picture of the command seals of the Ft. Mead gate.
Showing up. Listening to constituents. Following through.
What kind of cockamamie idea is that? Jeez.
Pat, I trust Buffett.
nice to see DCCC getting Bustos on the leadership track (Roll Call article above)
Just curious where we lost our way, that a Public Servant, doing what is her job, is singled out for ….. doing her job 😉
NPR had an interesting story this morning about Democrats in Illinois debating whether they should intentionally cultivate big money candidates to take on big money Republicans. Going to let that boing-boing around in my noggin. (My vote isn’t for sale because it is priceless. Any Party that gets this has a chance of earning it.)
Used to hope #45 was really Tony Clifton; now believe he is Irwin Mainway.
Who’s figuring on some military action in Syria (perhaps even with a Russian plane or two) – to take the focus away from Mitche’s “mess”?
So the Blue dogs are trotting out their white knight savior.
Some basic points
1 She is in a district gerrymandered in the Democrats favor.
2 the title has it backward Trump wooed and won her voters, not the other way around.
3 All congress critters do “I’m just one of the people” stunts, I know, but she is not faking it,
Riiiiight!
Jack
We need everyone who will– talking to everyone who will listen.
Hey Jack
Do you have a designer for your park idea. I known architect who designs parklets He is very interested in public spaces and street furniture I think he would help you for free
dvitale300,
Now … what was that about the Health Bill vote?
ha Jack, you’re such a party pooper
dv, distraction action in Syria is a given.
Craig I got tickled that the article Renee linked to talked about her grandfather , the hog farmer and barely mentioned he was in Ill politics
No mention of her father, Chief of staff to Senator Paul Simon and then Senator Alan Dixon. Or the fact that he was a kitchen cabinet advisor to Dick Durbin. I got this information from her father’s obituary.
She is from a long time political family.
Nothing wrong with that and she is doing one thing that could be copied. She is running a political boot camp for politico wannabees in her district to build up a solid farm team. This is something that needs to be done in every Congressional district.
Jack
er, sjwny & pogo… the tail wagging the dog distraction is probably more to get talking heads on to the glitz of gassed children, blood and gore possibilities rather than covering the ever-closer colluder findings, family ties to Russia backed bank loans, the horrendous poll numbers showing how badly the world disapproves of the twit. said twit more than likely was glad to see mitch taking the spotlight away by being the bad guy loser this time.
Jack… thanks for all that info on C. Bustos family. All I got to say is someday soon….
Cheri Bustos for President!
KGC
My neighborhood email is mccoyparkneighbors@gmail.com
I never turn down free help especially when they know what they are doing.
We’ve got a rough park plan in place and ready to be approved by the parks board but it is just for guidance as we push for city funding and isn’t really detailed enough for construction.
Mrs Jack is reaching out to her company for help but I’m not sure just where that is right now.
So cool!! and thanks.
BTW, our advocacy group McCoy
Friends y Amigos is now a recognized 501c3 organization by the IRS. So any donations of services would be tax deductible.
drums need to start beating and beating loudly that as of jan 20th the new prez officially became responsible for our country’s national health care program. his duty is to run things not ruin them. thus he owns the mess of whatever’s on the books and how it functions. we are now under trumpDONTcare. not and no longer o(who’s he?)care.
jack, your point about gerrymandered Democratic district well taken but you can’t take away from her winning a district that Trump won. That’s the point of her potential. She appeals to who we once called Reagan Democrats.
Thanks for the link, RR.
a Dem friend who knows Bustos tells me she’s pondering a run for Illinois governor next year
So now the administration is claiming the Spliar’s comment that there would be severe penalties for Syria if there was another chemical attack his stop their plan chemical attack. Does anyone believe this?
Spicer and Trump admitted, on camera, that they use the office of the Press Secretary to lie directly to the American people. I watched and heard them say it with my eyes and ears. Why would anyone believe anything they said?
flatus and sturge, s.c. got game. from post and courier:
COLUMBIA — If Congress eventually repeals and replaces the Affordable Care Act, a group of Midlands residents released a video saying they might have to marry U.S. Sens. Lindsey Graham and Tim Scott for access to their federal health care.
A parody of singer Bruno Mars’ 2010 song “Marry You,” the video features men and women — many in white dresses donning veils and holding bouquets — singing to photos of South Carolina’s two senators, “No we aren’t in love, just want your health care plan. I’m that scared Lindsey, I think I got to marry you.”
The video, published on the YouTube page for progressive group Indivisible Midlands, features scenes from across the Columbia area, including the Statehouse, the West Columbia Riverwalk and Main Street.
this just in from my crystal ball: Bustos vs Haley for prez in a decade or so. Didn’t say who wins.
any chance that crystal ball shows a pence and haley #46 presidency taking over after an impeachment/resignation of #45?
nope sorry patd, I think we’re stuck with Trump for two full terms because today’s Dem leaders tii incompetent to beat him. But crystal ball very murky on that point.
Franken and Bustos for 16 years of unadulterated good government.
Mr Jack,
I thought Colin Peterson (DFL – MN8) was the last Blue Dog in congress. Does Bustos sub caucus with Peterson ? Is she ‘pro-life’ ala midgemcconnell ? Does she oppose Single Payor or Public Option ? Did she vote for the Guns for Dangerous Maniacs Bill ? Does she take a stand against gays ?
What about her causes you to file her under Blue Dogs ?
Thanks, Pat, that was very well done. I wrote a pensive email to Scott yesterday morning detailing the faulty logic in the bill, then how those faults would directly affect my family if the bill were to be passed into law.
He is a smart person who is convinced of the unerring wisdom of his superior intelligence; I doubt I/we shall get anywhere with him but no harm in trying.
exrep
lol
interesting definition
But really is there a real difference(except time of creation) between Blue dog , third way , or No Labels,
Not for me
And she joined No Labels
So I think I’m safe in my description
Jack
Dem libs sticking to their postage stamp of principle, ignoring middle America, means further losses.
Health is only for those who can afford it. Is that an American value? It is certainly a Republican value
got an email blast from Nancy Pelosi begging for one dollar. That’s the Dem plan? Pitiful
did you send the dollar
The message is repeal and replace republican corruption that rigs the economy against normal people, but for the B!LL!ONA!RE$ and ru$$ian banker$.
Can you fit that into a 2 second buffet chat ? Try this :
End republican corruption that rigs the economy against normal people.
I’d only send a dollar if Pelosi stepped aside.
The current Congress has a “Schmuck with a Fountain Pen” in the form of Trump. They aren’t going to do anything to remove him, unless he does something so egregiously stupid or dangerous that it actually threatens the nation and I’m not too sure about that.
Jamie, I think that should read “They aren’t going to do anything to remove him, unless he does something
so egregiously stupid or dangerousthat actually threatensthe nationthem”Go Cheri Bustos! Go Nancy Pelosi!
Fuck all to all the males who can’t handle strong women voices! You can’t pass their purity tests… so what…
craig, last week and earlier today in an interview with wolf, at least one democrat was suggesting some ideas that could help fix aca :
Van Hollen noted that that the exchanges aren’t perfect and he has put forward a number of solutions.
“One idea, create a public option so that you have competition, more competition in every exchange,” he said. “Make sure that everybody in every part of the country has an option. That will drive down prices.”
The problem is not the person of Pelosi. The problem is the message.
If Pelosi can’t find the message, she should hire someone who can. She could consult with Al Franken or Sharrod Brown about the message. I’ll do it for her for free.
If Pelosi’s face and name are too associated with ripper-manufactured negatives to be taken seriously as an agent of change, then someone fresh should become the face of the Dem Party. Pelosi can do what she’s good at and just be the Speaker, the expert policy wonk, and fund raiser supreme.
one of the few times I’ve agreed with rant:
“I think the federal government shouldn’t be giving any money to insurance companies. The insurance companies made $15 billion in profits last year. The new Republican bill will give them $110 billion to ‘bring down prices.’ That is a ludicrous economic theory.”
ludicrous is an understatement
seems public option would help level some of the playing field by giving big insure some competition for those big profits…. and back in may, ole rant seemed amenable to single payer/public option “Rand Paul’s Healthcare Plan Leaves Room For Single Payer Public Option” http://4newstalk.com/politics/rand-paul/rand-pauls-healthcare-plan-leaves-room-for-single-payer-public-option/
Xrep… the “problem” as I see it is that if someone else had taken Pelosi’s place, the Republicans (lead by Trump) would have celebrated taking “the bitch” down. Too many Dems eat their own and IMO, that’s one of the reasons why they lose. The Republicans don’t do that… and, IMO, that’s one of the reason why they win.
RR, what I can’t handle are Dems like Pelosi who can’t effectively play the game. Nothing to do with gender. She and her team have failed cycle after cycle. When does this madness end?
I mean really, look at Bustos, all Pelosi has green lighted for her are marginal posts, one of 3 co-chairs on a policy committee and a heartland outreach job they’ll probably ignore.
I agree about not building up a better set of up and comers. It’s a problem in CA
Burton and Brown just will not let go
I have had the message. And it is simple. I am a Dem. My grandfather was a farmer. My other grandfather worked for Ford in the River Rouge Plant in the heat treat. One had no union except they were farmers and the presidents understood the importance of farmers. The other was in the union, United Auto Workers, who joined with the AFofCL. My Mother was a Teamster.
When I ran for office I wanted to bring manufacturing companies to my city. They would be new and clean. One example I offered was a toy company making toys out to the dead wood of the beetle killed trees in the mountains. The Dem response was less than a dead cricket. The Republican response was “hell no, we do not want manufacturing in our city”.
As a Dem, I always want people to work. My problem is trying to find ways that the Dems, who do not want manufacturing and jobs, to agree to let these industries at least try to start.
I’d be fine with Pelosi retiring as chairperson… but doing so shortly after the Repubs took control of all our elected federal officials was not the right time, IMO.
Craig… I hear you about being ineffective of getting more Dems elected. But the de-facto head of the party during this bleeding and madness was Barak Obama. I’ve never seen you say one thing about his lack of leadership.
huh RR? I was blasted here often for my complaints about Obama’s feckless leadership.
Rr, Poobah, I think I was a blaster. ?
I didn’t blast you, I’ve always been frustrated with Obama’s leadership. But I was also frustrated with Pelosi and Harry Reid too. they both had power to control the debate and they abdicated to the President. I believe in separation of powers and they failed the test, imo.
Jack
BTW, my question about Pelosi and Reid is, could anybody else done better? for some reason I doubt it. and yeah, that pisses me off too.
Jack
IMO, there is no magic elixir that will save the democratic party. As I pointed out before Democrats like Cheri Bustos aren’t so much appealing to Trump voters as Trump was poaching their voters.
Why, Because Trump ran an extreme nativist campaign. Democratic union supporters are very nativist. so they heard the sirens song.
There are a large number of Republicans and Democrats that are nativist and opposed to the internationalist expansions of the last 70 years. Even though we have seen the best times in all of history.
That is what this recent election was all about.
Are we still going to play on the world stage and reap the benefits or are we going to pull back and hide in our holes.
Jack