Turning Point USA: has 900 chapters in high schools across the United States teaching children that it’s OK to deprive “others” of human rights. Progressives: online hunting for heretics based on where they eat lunch once a month instead of organizing. youtube.com/shorts/6Ci1y...

loved this so much i reposted the whole thing. read this *in its entirety* if you're angry about chuck schumer, so you know what a good replacement might look like- because it's not gonna be who you might have thought before reading this very informative post. thanks, ariella!

A House Dem or Senate Dem leader must be able to have as much influence in a room of Progressives as a room of Blue Dogs. They must be able to understand all points of view, to best shape how to bring them all together, to make sure something can actually pass. 2/

I just watched Lawrence O’Donnell’s segment on Chuck Schumer and while, I think, because of his years working in the Senate, he’s a bit precious with it, I also think he made some really good points. The leader is not supposed to be the most popular person in the party, that’s not the point. 3/

They are the person who has the best shot of persuading the most people, and they surround themselves with those that can do the same. Keep in mind, the best shot doesn’t mean they can do it flawlessly, in fact, as O’Donnell said in last night’s episode, 4/

there has never been a Democratic Senate leader who kept the party together 100% of the time. Think of your choice to take Schumer’s place. Do you think they could work with the Blue Dogs as effectively as with the Progressives? I’m not saying I think Schumer should stay leader, 5/

but I don’t know who would take his place. I don’t know who has the most impact in the LBJ room. Not to mention, in the middle of this fight, and we are in the middle of it, there will be a vote on the ACA in Dec and we have until then to work our asses off to make Rs as unpopular as possible. 6/

Making someone else learn the ropes on the job, at a time when we need all hands on deck, might not be the right move. But let’s say it is, let’s say it would help. Who? I don’t know, but I do know it’s not necessarily the person who is best at social media. 7/

And I do know that no matter who it is, they’re gonna have to make hard choices that you will not like, and before long, people will be calling for their resignation. Cause it’s not simple. It might look easy from the outside, but listen to any Democratic Senator, 8/

it’s one of the hardest job in government, in their opinion. The Democratic Party is a massive tent, and that’s no different in the Senate itself. Somehow leadership has gotten most of them to vote the same way most of the time. 9/

Could someone have done better than Schumer at keeping the Dems 100% in line for the last month? Remember, 5 of these people (and another 5 who we don’t know), started negotiating day 1. Schumer successfully kept them from doing anything about it till AFTER the election. 10/

Would Leader Warren, Klobuchar, Murphy or Booker have been able to keep them in longer? I don’t know. Maybe so. Maybe they could have said something to change the minds of these eight. But, if they could have, wouldn’t they have? Sitting in the LBJ room, 11/

wouldn’t they have been able to do it even without the title of leader? And the thing is, I don’t actually think Schumer should have been leader this term to begin with. I think that, when you lose seats, that probably means it’s time for someone else to take the reigns. 12/

I don’t think social media is the most important aspect of the job, but it’s not the least either, and he’s not great at getting people outside the Senate to understand his reasoning or even trust that he has any at all. That’s not a small thing. 13/

But I also don’t think this ultimatum of “kick him out or else” is helpful. Because we don’t know what is happening behind closed doors. We don’t know who is fighting the hardest in that room. We don’t know when it almost comes to blows. 14/

We only know who makes US feel good, US feel seen and US feel heard. But that’s only a fraction of what the job of the Senate leader is, and a very new part of their job description at that. So it’s not at all about who OUR ideal leader is. 15/

This isn’t President, this isn’t a position elected by American citizens, this is a person who has been around long enough to know the ropes AND how to mediate between Senators and acknowledge their needs individually. So, if the Senate Dems decide, as it seems they’re going to, 16/

that they aren’t willing to replace Schumer right now, acknowledge that maybe they have a reason for that, maybe it’s as simple as no one else wants the job. But if that does change, which I do hope it does for the 120th Congress, when you’re theorizing who would replace Schumer, 17/

hink of who can actually do the best job, not just who would make you happiest to see with Leader before their name. And, when whoever it is make that first decision you don’t like, don’t start screaming “resign!” “step down!” 18/

Remember how, when there are 47 different people with 47 different opinions, the only way to make anything happen is some form of compromise. 19/

The opposite of that compromise is right where the Republican party is now, a cult. We’re proud that we’re not a cult, but that means you’re not gonna like every decision. @lawrenceodonnell.msnbc.com clips: www.youtube.com/watch?v=Eqe0... www.youtube.com/watch?v=XGnf... 20/

Maybe dumping poop on voters from an airplane is not a surefire electoral strategy

find the lie

#Ohioans: THIS IS SO IMPORTANT. please take a moment to submit written testimony. follow the link for instructions. this bill would severely limit every ohioan's ability to vote AND to get citizen led initiatives on the ballot!

They're basically asking people if they're cool with fewer people (special needs, the elderly, military, etc) having a voice in government. This matters a ton, people! #ElectionsHaveConsequences

my local @indivisible.org chapter, @indivisiblemov.bsky.social, asked me to create a presentation about authoritarianism and i wanted to share it. i hope you find it helpful. thanks to the talented @angiecibisdesign.bsky.social for the design! 1/2

RFK Jr's views towards autism very much make him a eugenicist.

The House just passed its budget resolution, so reconciliation is now officially underway. This is their bill to destroy Medicaid and SNAP while cutting taxes disproportionately for the rich. THIS IS VERY REAL and can be enacted even if all Ds vote no. Thread on what's to come and WHERE TO FIGHT.

@sharonastyk.bsky.social i am having trouble with AWF. how can i get some help?

Pick your focus and stick with it. We cannot fight in all fronts or we will become overwhelmed. But we can all peel off a corner in our area of expertise and begin to reveal effective strategies for resisting the chaos. Every single one of us has something to offer.

I saw a patient last week with ME who in 2023 was told by the MECFS service to ‘get back to the gym’. She did 20 minutes, collapsed and hasn’t walked since. The advice is still out there, still wrong and the harm is real.