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senseandsensibility

(26,115 posts)
Mon Jul 6, 2026, 11:52 AM 5 hrs ago

Joe Walsh, former Republican, speaks for me

He was just on MSNOW addressing the stupid, inaccurate, but oh so typical R strategy for the midterms. In case you've been asleep for the past few days, their brilliant strategy is to call Dems "communists". That's it.

He was asked if it would work and his answer was it will work if the Democrats don't fight back. It will work if Democrats act like they're above it all and don't address it.

He then gave the recent examples of how easy it was for Rs to smear Dems with the "defund all the police" memes and more recently, with absurd claims about Dems supporting transgender surgeries in public schools, etc.

Acting like the public is too smart to believe this or getting into a highly academic discussion about the differences between various forms of government is not the way to fight back. Keep it simple. Call them liars. Call them desperate. Call them failures.

22 replies = new reply since forum marked as read
Highlight: NoneDon't highlight anything 5 newestHighlight 5 most recent replies
Joe Walsh, former Republican, speaks for me (Original Post) senseandsensibility 5 hrs ago OP
I prefer the straight forward approach... Moostache 5 hrs ago #1
Facts don't matter Ferryboat 5 hrs ago #2
And the fact that they are LYING senseandsensibility 5 hrs ago #5
Dem-voting counties generate 70% of this nation's economy and pay the lion's share of taxes. blm 5 hrs ago #3
That means GOP-voting counties contribute just 30% to GDP. blm 5 hrs ago #4
No. 6: Controlled Mass Media Kid Berwyn 4 hrs ago #7
Great Point Kid Berwyn 4 hrs ago #6
Yes, we have the recent examples of defund the police and transgender senseandsensibility 4 hrs ago #10
It seems to me angrychair 4 hrs ago #8
You can't implement progressive ideas if Mossfern 4 hrs ago #11
Well progressives aren't fighting angrychair 4 hrs ago #12
It's great that they're winning Mossfern 1 hr ago #22
When you break it down, it is a battle between propagandists... kentuck 4 hrs ago #9
It's because they show so much love for stupid people mdbl 4 hrs ago #13
They speak their language senseandsensibility 3 hrs ago #15
He's an opportunist deadbeat dad. I would take his advice about anything. xuplate 3 hrs ago #14
Democrats need to respond by forcefully pointing out that Republicans want billionaires... Ol Janx Spirit 3 hrs ago #16
Offense is certainly a big part of it senseandsensibility 2 hrs ago #21
Always on the defensive from the childish name callers lame54 2 hrs ago #17
they are also blaming the bad economy on Joe Biden and him "letting in" hordes of illegal immigrants LymphocyteLover 2 hrs ago #18
My dumbass in-laws have already bought into it... ECL213 2 hrs ago #19
I'm a member of the Democratic party Torchlight 2 hrs ago #20

Moostache

(11,359 posts)
1. I prefer the straight forward approach...
Mon Jul 6, 2026, 12:01 PM
5 hrs ago

1) "I'm sorry that my opponent does not respect you or the rule of law."
2) "The policies I support, and will vote for in your name, are for YOUR benefit and to provide a fair playing field."
3) "Free markets are not what make your life better FAIR and FREE Markets do."

Ferryboat

(1,292 posts)
2. Facts don't matter
Mon Jul 6, 2026, 12:03 PM
5 hrs ago

Trying to convince the opposition with facts hasn't worked in the past.
Best to point to everyday examples,
Such as postal service, fire department, library's etc.

senseandsensibility

(26,115 posts)
5. And the fact that they are LYING
Mon Jul 6, 2026, 12:46 PM
5 hrs ago

because they are. Everyone knows he's a liar. So we need to state that upfront at the beginning of every response.

blm

(114,871 posts)
4. That means GOP-voting counties contribute just 30% to GDP.
Mon Jul 6, 2026, 12:22 PM
5 hrs ago

Yet their media has convinced the general public that the opposite is true. Don’t let them get away with it.

https://www.forbes.com/sites/niallmccarthy/2020/11/17/biden-voting-counties-equal-70-of-the-us-economy-infographic/

Biden-Voting Counties Equal 70% Of The U.S. Economy

?fit=scale

senseandsensibility

(26,115 posts)
10. Yes, we have the recent examples of defund the police and transgender
Mon Jul 6, 2026, 01:03 PM
4 hrs ago

surgeries in the public schools to see where this will go. Of course those were blatantly untrue too. But Dems acted "above it all" as Walsh described it. No. That's doesn't work. At least point out that they are lying.

angrychair

(12,617 posts)
8. It seems to me
Mon Jul 6, 2026, 12:50 PM
4 hrs ago

The response has been to throw progressives under the bus by partnering with Republicans in attacking progressives...some Democratic consultants literally advocating for progressives being thrown out of the Democratic Party and their primary wins cancelled.

That seems to be the response so far.

Mossfern

(4,939 posts)
11. You can't implement progressive ideas if
Mon Jul 6, 2026, 01:15 PM
4 hrs ago

Democrats don't control the legislature and win back the Presidency.
Think strategically ..... We need to keep our BIG tent with both progressives and more moderate democrats cooperating, not fighting with each other.

angrychair

(12,617 posts)
12. Well progressives aren't fighting
Mon Jul 6, 2026, 01:33 PM
4 hrs ago

We are winning primary elections. It's not a secret plot against anyone. We ran in primaries like any other candidate, just because progressives are winning against incumbents.
If incumbents are losing those elections, maybe they should have been listening to their constituents.

The only people fighting other Democrats are the moderates. Maybe they should stop talking and start listening more.

Mossfern

(4,939 posts)
22. It's great that they're winning
Mon Jul 6, 2026, 04:03 PM
1 hr ago

do they need to add the term "socialist" to their identity?
I think their policies are what's winning, not that description.

In the midterms we need to win with voters who don't typically vote in primaries. Yes, even Moderates and Independents.

kentuck

(116,211 posts)
9. When you break it down, it is a battle between propagandists...
Mon Jul 6, 2026, 12:53 PM
4 hrs ago

...and the Republicans have themselves superior to Democrats in the propaganda battles.

senseandsensibility

(26,115 posts)
15. They speak their language
Mon Jul 6, 2026, 02:42 PM
3 hrs ago

That's part of it. But they also lie. We can speak their language too, but we can tell the truth.

Ol Janx Spirit

(1,143 posts)
16. Democrats need to respond by forcefully pointing out that Republicans want billionaires...
Mon Jul 6, 2026, 02:46 PM
3 hrs ago

...and trillionaires to run and ruin our lives.

It's not nearly good enough to just say you don't need to be scared of us--there are PLENTY of reasons to be scared of the opposition, but Democrats do not seem to be out there enough pointing out how much control the current Republican party has given to the handful of billionaires that most decidedly DO NOT have the interest of the public at heart.

It is NOT a choice between Democratic Socialism and Capitalism; it is a choice between having a society that functions on the most basic level for everyone and a society where you beg your billionaire overlord for the right to live this week after they've taken your job, destroyed your planet, and bought every election that might have made your life better.

senseandsensibility

(26,115 posts)
21. Offense is certainly a big part of it
Mon Jul 6, 2026, 03:20 PM
2 hrs ago

and I want more of it. I was also want Dems to meet this lie about communism head on.

LymphocyteLover

(10,463 posts)
18. they are also blaming the bad economy on Joe Biden and him "letting in" hordes of illegal immigrants
Mon Jul 6, 2026, 02:53 PM
2 hrs ago

ECL213

(473 posts)
19. My dumbass in-laws have already bought into it...
Mon Jul 6, 2026, 02:54 PM
2 hrs ago

My wife was just at their house the other day and her dad was railing about how this is becoming a Communist country...while they live on Medicare...and Social Security...

Torchlight

(7,333 posts)
20. I'm a member of the Democratic party
Mon Jul 6, 2026, 02:56 PM
2 hrs ago

No excuses. No justifications. No qualifiers.

The divisions within today's Democratic Party are real and I don't ignore them or pretend they don't exist. But the narrative from the right that these disagreements signal the party's collapse is exaggerated and designed to dominate the conversation. As the midterms approach, conservatives have every incentive to amplify Democratic infighting while deflecting attention from the elephants in the room: higher gas prices, higher grocery bills, and stagnant wages.

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