Please, just stop it with all the moaning and doomsaying.

[The Velveteen Ocelot]

At least pay RBG the respect she deserved by working harder than ever to defeat Trump. She was a pioneer who never, ever gave up, and we insult her memory by prematurely pronouncing the death of America and other such defeatist bullshit. Let's pull up our big person pants, stop kvetching and get out the fucking vote.

[Thekaspervote]

1. Amen!

[LakeArenal]

2. + a billion.

[h2ebits]

3. +1000 K&R

[Hoyt]

4. Exactly. Thank you.

[uponit7771]

5. we're rationally concerned and paying attention.

[Blecht]

6. :thumbsup:

[mahatmakanejeeves]

7. Thanks for trying to be helpful. NT

[RainCaster]

8. Well said!

Thank you

[OrlandoDem2]

9. Donate and/or volunteer!

[Doodley]

10. It doesn't insult RBG to be alarmed that the survival of our nation and our freedom is at risk.

[The Velveteen Ocelot]

15. Alarmed? Sure. Giving up? No fucking way.

[Doodley]

19. Then what are you on about?

[The Velveteen Ocelot]

26. What I'm on about is all the posts stating that it's all over

and America is dead. Worried? Sure. Giving up? Hell, no.

[quakerboy]

86. It aint over

But it sure does look a lot darker and with a greater chance of lethal consequences for a lot of people than it did yesterday.

We dont give up. But the fight for freedom and humanity just took a serious turn for the worse

[AllTooEasy]

113. Who SPECIFICALLY is actually saying "I give up"?

Or, are you:

A) Reading into people’s words

B) Making stuff up

[The Velveteen Ocelot]

115. Calling out individuals is against DU's TOS so I'm not going to do that.

But I'm not reading into anyone's words or making stuff up. There have been plenty of OMG, we're doomed! posts, which you can find easily if you look around.

[Silver Gaia]

120. I saw it, too.

Defeatist BS. Way too much of it! Enough so that I remarked to my hubby about it.

So thank you for this post. You have my whole-hearted support!

[Upthevibe]

81. Doodley...

I'm in complete agreement with you there....This is horrific....

[BannonsLiver]

103. It actually does

[AllTooEasy]

111. How?

I don’t see how sticking one’s head in the sand, and ignoring how fucked up the situation celebrates RBG’s legacy. From what I learned, she never reacted that way to a fucked up situation.

Plus, who specifically is actually saying “I give up”? Losers give up when they are put in a negative situation. Winners RECOGNIZE the situation, find opportunity, work tirelessly to repair, and rise up!

...you know, like RBG

[BannonsLiver]

118. Well that would be true

If and only if many of the responses weren’t dripping with cowardice.

[yonder]

11. Yes and thanks. RIP RBG.

[MustLoveBeagles]

12. Honestly I'm terrified right now

but that doesn't mean I will give up. I won't go down without a fight.

[USALiberal]

13. We can do both! nt

[still_one]

14. It should motivate us to win both houses and the WH, but let's not fool ourselves, they are going to

try and ram through a Tom Cotton or Ted Cruz as he threatened to do

It is a reason why we MUST win both houses of Congress and the WH

While I understand we shouldn’t give up, we are very close to becoming a police state

[The Velveteen Ocelot]

20. Cotton or Cruz would be awful, of course, but

if one of them is the nominee that's one less GOP Senator to vote for confirmation.

[still_one]

28. We are right on the edge of becoming a police state Ocelot. If this doesn't motivate people to vote

it is really over

[cry baby]

17. Sorry, I'm going to need a day or two to kvetch.

I’m going to mourn RBG and what I believe will be the end of women deciding on their own medical choices.

Judge me for that if you will.

[The Velveteen Ocelot]

21. You do you; I'm motivated more than ever to do as much as I can

to keep that from happening.

[cry baby]

90. I'm feeling a little better since I donated to Joe and senate

candidates. As sad and scared as I am, I see the necessity to bring a big knife to the knife fight.

I’m ready.

[boston bean]

18. I agree.

[jimlup]

22. I think she held on just long enough

that's my story and I'm sticking to it!

[Blue Owl]

23. This isn't going to do ANYTHING to help tRump's campaign

If anything it could bring out more Democratic votes

[still_one]

30. That is my hope

[pstokely]

37. what the senate races?

it might be a wash either way

[niyad]

49. SCOTUS

[Upthevibe]

82. Blue Owl....

You do have a point there.....

[Codeine]

24. Oh do stop with the lectures.

Everyone here is already 110% focused on removing the orange cancer — we can despair without giving up. We can acknowledge the scope of what has occurred without being accused of being defeatist.

I hate sanctimonious bullshit when people are in genuine pain. And yet there it is, as predictable as spring rain.

[The Velveteen Ocelot]

32. I am acknowledging the profound seriousness of the situation. What I object to

are the proclamations that America is dead and there's nothing we can do. I don't consider it to be sanctimonious to find that position to be defeatist and unhelpful.

[Tommymac]

39. +1

[demmiblue]

44. +1

[BannonsLiver]

105. If we're being honest the doom and gloom was predictable too

[Codeine]

116. A natural reaction to devastating news.

Especially devastating news of an oncoming calamity we have little ability to avert, and which with a small change of circumstance and timing we wouldn’t be facing because we’ve done all the right things and we’re going to win the next election.

Some gloom and despair is natural, and being a sanctimonious prig with an unwanted lecture at just the wrong time is obnoxious. People have a right to feel a natural range of emotions and give voice to their pain in time of trouble.

[BannonsLiver]

117. Rub some dirt on it.

[AllTooEasy]

114. BEST.REPLY.EVER!!!

Thank You!

[Bettie]

25. All right, give us a realistic scenario where this

turns out OK....because relying on ethics and decency from Republicans and Moscow Mitch in particular isn't really going to work for most of us.

[panader0]

27. Agreed. We'll have to wait and see how this plays out.

But it's galling to think that many powerful repubs are smacking their chops and
celebrating the death of this great jurist.
RIP RBG.

[still_one]

35. There is no way McConnel is going to honor his Garland fiasco. They will push a nominee through

before the election, hoping if he loses they can say it was rigged

[agingdem]

29. yes!

Last edited Sat Sep 19, 2020, 07:08 AM - Edit history (2)

four years ago my husband of 47 years 8 months and 13 days played a round of golf and was on his way to meeting me for breakfast when he suffered a massive stroke and died..no warning no symptoms...my world died along with him...the funeral was a graveside service...I was numb, not sure how to breathe, and as they were lowering the casket I looked up towards the freeway and I saw traffic and a cop issuing a ticket and I thought..life goes on...
RBG died, an icon passed...life goes on..now more than ever we have to bust our butts to get that orange dung heap out of our White House...

[BlancheSplanchnik]

96. ❤️. Yes, do whatever each of us can do.

[malaise]

31. Thank you

I am celebrating this great woman's life

[The Velveteen Ocelot]

34. We have to do that. She deserves that celebration

and part of that is making sure Trump is defeated.

[gulliver]

33. She lived her life exceptionally well.

[still_one]

36. +++

[nolabear]

38. Agree. Get stronger! Get madder! Vote in her name.

[BainsBane]

40. McConnell will have a new judge

on there before the election, and it will be the most vile person he can possibly find. If you care about civil rights, it's hard not to despair now.

[Upthevibe]

83. BainsBane....

What's as stake can't be overstated. Civil Rights, LGBTQ Rights, and of course, this is why we have a significant number of the one issue evangelicals whose mission is to overturn Roe Vrs. Wade!

[BainsBane]

84. We now have 4-5 Republican senators

who say they won't vote until after the election.

[pazzyanne]

41. Thank you, TVO!

We need to use RBG's spirit to renew our commitment to saving this country. She gave years of her life to stave off the orange one's assault on this nation. Now it is time for her to rest in peace and for those of us still here to continue the battle she bravely fought for the last 4 years. Thank you, Ruth. Now it is up to us to save the nation.

[c-rational]

42. Well said.

[johnthewoodworker]

43. No worries. It's just like Merrick Garland, right? Mitch won't fill the spot. That would be wrong.

(sarcasm)

[Tommymac]

45. Let's Energize OUR base.

I'm tired of hearing how this will energize the christofascists.

How about energizing US!!!!

We can use the celebration of Justice Ginsburg's life to help get out the vote for Joe & Kamala and fucking demoralize them.

Let's make her an American Hero, a champion of Woman's Right's, of Human Right's, of the little man...not that she isn't already.

All is not lost.

WE CAN DO IT!!!!!! Get twittering and TikToking NOW!!!!!

[BootinUp]

46. I'm reading this article in LAT about her career and want to cry, because we lost that rare person

so rare that we have to create fictional ones all the time. Yes we lost a hero. damn it

[Squinch]

47. For fuck's sake. It's been an hour. People are allowed to be horrified.

And those of us who are really don't need you lecturing us right now.

[demmiblue]

52. No kidding.

I am actually kind of surprised by this post.

[The Velveteen Ocelot]

53. Do you think I'm not horrified?

Of course I am. I'm just not ready to pronounce the death of America.

[Squinch]

60. But you are ready to lecture people who are devastated. So there's that.

[The Velveteen Ocelot]

64. I'm devastated, and the notion of giving up is making me more devastated.

[BootinUp]

72. i got it. no worries its an emotional moment.

[Squinch]

97. Other people's reactions are not about you.

[The Velveteen Ocelot]

110. Other people's reactions aren't about anybody but them.

[PoliWrangler]

48. Kick!

[marble falls]

50. Say it again, louder.

[SlogginThroughIt]

51. Can you lay off?

JFC you don’t get to have agency over other people’s feelings.

[The Velveteen Ocelot]

56. Neither do the posters who have proclaimed the death of America.

[SlogginThroughIt]

57. Well brace yourself

Trump is going to get his pick. That is going to happen. And then the likelihood of RVW getting overturned becomes a very real future, along with all sorts of decisions.

We are in a really bad spot right now and while I don’t want to throw in the towel, this isn’t the movies. There is no guarantee that the good guys win.

Fight? Yes. But the reality is that this is terrifying and very real for a lot of people. Myself with a teenage daughter I am scared to death and must be thinking about what is best for her future. That may no longer mean living in the United States.

[quakerboy]

88. Long before we get to RVW, the SCOTUS will be asked to take cases

about the presidential election we are about to have.

[TheRickles]

54. Murkowski said she won't vote to confirm anyone until after the inauguration

There may be enough others (Collins?) to sink this ship before it even launches.

https://www.democraticunderground.com/100214095144

[ProfessorGAC]

98. Notice What They Didn't Say

Election is November 3.
Inauguration Day is January 20.
There are 78 days between those 2 and none of the senators, like Murkowski, have not said they won't vote until there's a new presidential term.
This is a little weasel like of that group.

[OldManTarHeel]

55. Nope . . not gonna do it.

Everything she worked for in her lifetime has gone down the drain, Plain and simple.

2009 says 'hello' . . and it should have been her retirement.

[relayerbob]

58. THANK YOU!!!!!

[StrictlyRockers]

59. Well said.

The Repukes don't have the votes anyway.

Link to tweet

[LudwigPastorius]

74. Here's a whole list of GOPers bemoaning confirmation of a Justice in an election year.

https://www.motherjones.com/2020-elections/2020/09/a-long-list-of-gop-senators-who-promised-not-to-confirm-a-supreme-court-nominee-during-an-election-year/

...and, their words mean exactly jack shit.

[StrictlyRockers]

78. Thanks, I think you're right. But, they do care about holding on to their Senate seats.

And people hate voting for liars. Independent voters hate liars, too.

They know this. They know honoring your word still means something.

[LudwigPastorius]

80. "They know honoring your word still means something."

Ha ha!

I'm sorry. Who is president again? And, why is he only down by single digits weeks away from the election?

[dflprincess]

76. Susan Collins says a lot of things

and then does the opposite.

[The Velveteen Ocelot]

79. I don't pay any attention to what she says.

She can be counted on to fold like a cheap lawn chair.

[AdamGG]

61. This will likely help turn out more Democratic voters in November

But, there's no way not to be pained by losing the SCOTUS for another generation. Citizen's United, election reform - the true systemic change that is necessary and that we've waited decades for takes a hammer blow with this.

One can acknowledge that reality and still be devoted to working to win in November.

[The Velveteen Ocelot]

63. It's enormously painful. RBG was to women's rights

as John Lewis was to civil rights for Black Americans. Her loss is enormous, but we owe it to her to work hard and never give up. She never gave up.

[erpowers]

62. Thank You

I think we all needed a thread like this thread. Calm down and put in the work needed.

[AZ8theist]

65. I'm sorry, Ocelot, but have you met Mitch McConnell???

[The Velveteen Ocelot]

67. Rachel Maddow just interviewed Hillary Clinton,

who sounded guardedly hopeful; she pointed out that the Democrats should and will use every single procedural maneuver at their disposal to prevent a vote, and Biden just said that the shortest confirmation ever was 47 days and there are only 46 days until the election. Claire McCaskill also commented that if McConnell tries the same stunt again he could lose his own re-election, and a confirmation during the lame-duck session (and the Senate is not in session on Nov. 23-Nov. 27 and Dec. 21-31) could be damaging for GOP senators up for re-election in 2022.

[AZ8theist]

70. McConnel is up by 8% in Kentucky...

He's not going anywhere. It's a fools errand to think his ram rodding a new fascist SC judge before the election will not happen.

[The Velveteen Ocelot]

75. I'll be joining Hillary Clinton on that fool's errand.

Moscow Mitch might keep his seat, but the Senate Democrats have procedural maneuvers they can use to throw in his path.

[LudwigPastorius]

66. "insult her memory"

I think if people want to express their fears here, they should, and if the thought of Trump appointing another Justice-for-life doesn't scare you, it should.

Encouraging everyone to get out and vote is laudable and expected, but the results of the election have no bearing on whether a Trump nominee is confirmed to take Justice Ginsburg's seat before January 3rd.

[The Velveteen Ocelot]

68. The election has a huge bearing on it because there are also Senate elections.

The Senate elections are inextricably tied with the presidential election. And McConnell's announcement of his intent to get a nominee confirmed could, according to Claire McCaskill, energize Democrats in his state and harm his re-election prospects.

[LudwigPastorius]

77. ...and, if he doesn't push through a nominee...

it will energize Republicans to stay at home in disgust, ["Why did we elect you, if not for a SC seat? RINO!"] so that's a wash, and it will ultimately have little influence on McConnell's actions in the matter.

[Hamlette]

69. so devastated I sent Biden $1,000.

[The Velveteen Ocelot]

71. Thank you.

Everyone who can afford to should donate tonight, even if it's just a little.

[Hamlette]

91. agreed

[MFM008]

73. Well i was trying to

FIND a reason to jump into the ocean.
wtff.

[Pepsidog]

85. Reminds me of the night I received a notification that Comey was reopening Clinton email

investigation. A real kick in the gut. RBG was a great woman and she will be missed.

[Demsrule86]

87. That's right...Biden should say if Trump packs the court the ACA is finished. They are in

court trying to kill it now. People want health care.

[DENVERPOPS]

102. ACA

AND.........
Roe vs Wade

Social Security & Disability

Medicare

Medicaid

Food programs

Tax increases for lower 99%

Public education

Regulations galore

The list is endless.........

[Demsrule86]

112. That is correct...but healthcare is real priority. I would go with that and Medicare and Medicaid.

[Hekate]

89. Amen

[Bobstandard]

92. Sorry, moaning and keening are appropriate

This is a big deal. It’s perfectly ok to feel and express your emotions. And lets face it, this is another terrible event in a year chock-a-block with them. It’s particularly important because when Mitch pushes through his new Supreme Court pick, that person gets to weigh in on what will surely be a contested election. If you think thats unallowable doomsaying, tough.

Guess what? Getting out the fucking vote doesn’t get us a new Supreme Court pick—unless somebody else dies, of course. Yes, there is a slight chance Democrats will have the balls to pack the courts, but given recent events, do you see that happening? In fact, the koombayah crowd will argue for the return to comity and tradition and argue against it. Put a pin in that TVO.

So yeah, moan and doomsaying all you want. Free country, so far.

And yeah, get out the fucking vote. (And there goes another 20 bucks to act blue I can’t afford).

But don’t tell me how to feel or how to express that.

[betsuni]

93. Normally I'd agree, but I just heard about RBG's death a half an hour ago and am

experiencing feelings of dread. Sometimes freak-outs are warranted. Like when there's an obviously serious nuclear power plant accident. You see the thing blow up on TV. A few days later officials hold a press conference and they're telling us everything is under control, nothing to see here, it's fine. But their faces are pale, there's fear in their eyes, they're sweating, and their reassuring smiles are lopsided. This is also a perfectly good time to freak out.

I've pretty much ignored the gloomy America is doomed stuff. But now. I don't know. One can not give up and freak out at the same time.

[Blasphemer]

94. Wish I could be hopeful, but I am not. GOTV seems irrelevant right now...

A 6-3 U.S.S.C. will utterly neuter a Biden presidency. Expanding the Court will not happen. It means every meaningful legislation needs to be 100% bulletproof against challenges AND not risk losing senate seats if passed. That's a tall order.

[ZZenith]

95. I like your style!

[llashram]

99. all I know is RBG held on as

long as humanly possible and I am glad she graced us with her presence all these rulings later that have helped keep us on the path toward democracy with liberty and justice for all. May her soul be free and happy away from this veil of tears called human existence.

This current blip of d. trump wanting his daughter to be queen and he takes over, along with the GOP, a kingship aka a dictatorship must remember people who don't want what d. trump and the GOP are trying to install will fight the power. A Revolution was once fought on this bloodstained land to give some Americans freedom from a king. That Revolution was won and America got on with building a nation that in spite of its deeply cutting flaws has managed to survive almost 250 years.

With freedom-loving people, all races, all cultures this time, who are ready to tell d. trump and his grifter family HELL NO, we will continue our experiment in democracy moving toward what RBG wanted, a society of equal justice and fairness for all Americans.-

[Roy Rolling]

100. Focus on the Nominee

McConnell and the Republicans are hypocrites. Big hypocrites. So what else is new? Their personal failings are not my problem, tell it to Dr. Phil. Republicans want Democrats to use their energy whining about Mitch, when the idiot nominee should be our focus.

That nominee is likely to be Caputo-quality or worse, so get ready to brand that candidate first.

[gulliver]

101. Yep, well said!

[N_E_1 for Tennis]

104. KnR...exactly

[grantcart]

106. Let me remind you we are Democrats.

We moan and tear out our hair as a daily devotional.


In fact we moan and lament about moaning and lamenting, like this thread.


That is why whenever we get a leader like Obama that fills Us with hope we are beside ourselves.


We are going to win, we have a great candidate.

[ooky]

107. Yep.

Sometimes you just have to play the hand you are dealt. This is it, time to fight like hell.

[Hugin]

108. TVO used the f-word?

:blinkblink:

Oh, my. We have truly crossed the Rubicon.

:faint:

[marieo1]

109. Safe Haven

I appreciate Democratic Underground............it is the ONE place we can speak our minds. DU will help us get through this. I, for one, don't have anyone I can squeal to and we have to vent somehow, someway. DU is a safe haven. Thank you, DU

[BannonsLiver]

119. Exactly. Don't let the grief take our eyes off the ball.

Time to buck up, folks. We’re 45 days out.

[kimbutgar]

121. I was with a group of woman today all of us were early 60's

And we were all upset about RBG and talked about sending money to Amy McGarth and the senate Democrats. We all hate McConnell with a passion.