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Saviolo

(3,268 posts)
Tue Nov 14, 2017, 03:42 PM Nov 2017

When Democratic politicians win because of Trump, please remember whose pain brought that.

Someone in another thread posted some bits out of a comment from the Atlantic, including this line:

By now, it's clear to all but the deluded that Trump's win last November was the greatest gift to the Democrats and the cultural elite they could possibly receive.


In some ways this is true for Democratic politicians, sure. There's a Trump Wave that's going to engulf all of the GOP candidates at many levels of government and it's going to cost them votes, seats, maybe even governorships. It will mean that Democrats may hold the Senate or the House after the 2018 midterms (if the pressure from the left stays strong, and those awesome flipping efforts continue).

But a great deal of damage has already been done. Damage to the USA's reputation on the world stage, damage to trade deals, damage to peace accords. McConnell has stacked the federal and state judiciaries with dozens of incredibly far-right life-appointed judges that will affect the legal environment in the USA for decades at least. Trump's incompetent and divisive cronies have already done massive damage to the EPA, HUD, NASA, Department of Education, Department of Energy, and Department of the Interior. Buoyed by the Trump win, states have rolled back protections for the most vulnerable communities. POC, women, the poor, LGBTQ+, and immigrant populations.

This myth that the Trump administration has got nothing done is disingenuous, and highly dangerous. He may not have made any big splashy public policy wins, but those incredibly visible and public failures on the part of Trump have been hiding a shady and effective machine working in the background to enact smaller far-right policies that benefit the wealthy, corporations, lobbyists, and Trump's cronies.

The comment also included this:

The Republicans were a real force for good in the world once. Lincoln freed the slaves. Teddy R defined what it means to be a real man. Eisenhower oversaw the happiest, most optimistic time in American history. Reagan won the Cold War and got a major tax cut out of a Democratic Congress.


Um, no. I don't look back kindly at Reagan at all. When Trump got elected I heard a lot of "Well, we survived Reagan, we can survive Trump." Do you know who didn't survive Reagan? Scores of gay men infected with HIV/AIDS in an unmitigated health emergency that Reagan's administraiont LAUGHED at:

"I don't know a thing about it," said Press Secretary Speakes. The reporter noted that one in three people who have contracted AIDS have died from what had been called "the gay plague"—and the press pool, in turn, erupted into laughter.

"I don't have it," said Speakes, as the crowd laughed. "Do you?"


Yes, Trump is painting the GOP with his gaudy and damaging brush as they struggle to support him so they can have any glimmer of hope in passing their regressive right-wing policies, but not everyone's going to make it out of this alive, I guarantee. Nazis have already killed people in the streets THIS YEAR. Emboldened by Trump's toxic rhetoric to march openly under nazi flags and shout nazi slogans.

So that "gift" to the Democrats does not come free, there is a price, and it is being paid right now by those most ill equipped to pay for it. Celebrate the upcoming win that the Democratic Party looks ready to claim due to "the gift" of Trump, but please remember: That win comes on the back of vulnerable communities that already supported the Democrats, and many of them are experiencing a lot of pain now. First order of business is to get that fixed.
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When Democratic politicians win because of Trump, please remember whose pain brought that. (Original Post) Saviolo Nov 2017 OP
My big fear is that the democrats make promises to fix things and AJT Nov 2017 #1
Agree, Fuck Reagan. Anyone who thinks he was a good President is fooling themselves. n/t FSogol Nov 2017 #2

AJT

(5,240 posts)
1. My big fear is that the democrats make promises to fix things and
Tue Nov 14, 2017, 03:57 PM
Nov 2017

when things don't get fixed quickly the dems will be swept out in the next election. It is happening already in Kansas where the Democratic governor is now being blamed for a situation it will take years to undo after the damage Brownback has done.

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