General Discussion

Key problem is that the defectors/negotiators reinforced the biggest "brand," problem the Democratic Party has: Dems are Weak, and elevated "Trumpublicans are strong." And they did it at a crucial juncture.

We had more cards to play, had there been the will. One sort of interesting idea from Prof G to minimize the pain of airline chaos would have been to call for air traffic to be cut back by grounding all private jets (it takes as many air traffic control resources for a small private jet as a giant airliner). Private planes make up about 12% of the air traffic to fly 1% of the people. So, solve the traffic problem by inconveniencing only 1% of travelers.

Anyway, even the threat of that would get some very wealthy people on the phone to Republicans to break the stalemate. And if the felon's FAA refused, it's another, "they don't give a shit about you, only the wealthiest."

I have little doubt that creative minds could have found other ways to threaten or inflict shutdown pain the billionaires running the felon.