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I'm fucking tired of ultimatums to Dem leaders from people who think attacking our own leaders is opposition politics [View all]
...especially when they adopt and promote clickbait narratives from media figures desperate to portray our party as divided in the face of the garbage dump that is the republican opposition, and elevate their corrupted logic over our own consistent messaging and initiatives.
It was really something to watch yesterday as the internet propaganda brigades went to work distorting something Leader Jeffries had said in October, specifically in response to a proposal a few republicans had floated about being in favor of a one-year extension of the ACA tax credits, knowing full well at the time that their republican leadership wasn't going to allow that to fly.
As Rep. Jeffries correctly pointed out yesterday, the bluff-calling proposal offered up by Senate Dem Leader isn't even the same proposal, and unlike the Oct. bait republicans had thrown out for the press, the Shumer proposal is sincere, and provides a path forward for negotiating the unraveling of the devastating health care and other cuts in the budget before them.
...asked and answered of Jeffries on MTP:
KRISTEN WELKER: Leader Jeffries, Senate Democratic Leader Chuck Schumer did make a new offer effectively saying, “Let's extend Obamacare subsidies for one year in exchange for reopening the government for one year.” You have said that you would support that proposal, but just last month you said this. Take a look.
So Leader Jeffries, what changed?
REP. HAKEEM JEFFRIES:
Well, the proposal that I was making reference to in October was something that was floated out there by a handful of rank and file House Republicans, and that was immediately rejected by House Republican Leadership because they have no interest in driving down the high cost of living for everyday Americans. The Schumer proposal, of course, was offered in good faith. It's both a one-year extension of the Affordable Care Act tax credits. Now we're already in the middle of the open enrollment period. Tens of millions of people are on the brink of facing dramatically increased health care costs – costs that in some cases could be $1,000 or $2,000 per month. That is unaffordable for middle class Americans, working class Americans, and everyday Americans.
And the Schumer proposal also provides a path toward bipartisan negotiations for a multi-year extension, which would provide the type of certainty that the American people need.
So Leader Jeffries, what changed?
REP. HAKEEM JEFFRIES:
Well, the proposal that I was making reference to in October was something that was floated out there by a handful of rank and file House Republicans, and that was immediately rejected by House Republican Leadership because they have no interest in driving down the high cost of living for everyday Americans. The Schumer proposal, of course, was offered in good faith. It's both a one-year extension of the Affordable Care Act tax credits. Now we're already in the middle of the open enrollment period. Tens of millions of people are on the brink of facing dramatically increased health care costs – costs that in some cases could be $1,000 or $2,000 per month. That is unaffordable for middle class Americans, working class Americans, and everyday Americans.
And the Schumer proposal also provides a path toward bipartisan negotiations for a multi-year extension, which would provide the type of certainty that the American people need.
...and if it wasn't clear enough, Rep. Jeffries then played the card that Sen. Schumer dealt him:
"Now let's understand that these Republicans have tried to repeal the Affordable Care Act more than 70 different times over the last 15 years. They're not acting in good faith as it relates to dealing with the health care crisis that they're visiting on the American people. This is the same group of folks who just enacted the largest cut to Medicaid in American history as part of their one big ugly bill. Hospitals and nursing homes and community-based health centers are closing, all across the country, including in rural America because of Republican policies. We're faced with the possibility of a $536 billion cut to Medicare at the end of this year if Congress doesn't act, connected to what they did in the one big ugly bill, and now they're refusing to extend to the Affordable Care Act tax credits for even a year –
KRISTEN WELKER:
But –
REP. HAKEEM JEFFRIES:
– when they just enacted massive, permanent tax breaks for their billionaire donors. Does that seem reasonable? Is that the type of policy that the American people are screaming out for as evidenced by what just happened with Republicans being wiped out in the general election last Tuesday?"
KRISTEN WELKER:
But –
REP. HAKEEM JEFFRIES:
– when they just enacted massive, permanent tax breaks for their billionaire donors. Does that seem reasonable? Is that the type of policy that the American people are screaming out for as evidenced by what just happened with Republicans being wiped out in the general election last Tuesday?"
...that was well played by both Dem leaders; albeit without accounting or allowing for any future bait Welker or her ilk ignorantly throw out there to distract from the republicans' complete ownership of the government shutdown, blocking advancement of their own partisan budget, even as their cult leader in the WH demands they eliminate the filibuster rule and get on with it.
The entire republican party is tied up in knots; tightened fast by Democratic leaders politically dominating the party ostensibly in control of all branches of government.
But all some seem to be able to do is adopt the oppositions' weaselly propaganda and lies they use to cover for their fecklessness and corruption; instead of follow and amplify our own leaders as they expose republican hypocrisy and cruelty.
I wondering when these people are ever going to be able or willing to distinguish opposition politics from ratfucking, because, you don't actually confront republicans by distorting our own leaders' actual message and initiatives as you trash them.
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