Many don't understand when Biden etc. talk about "working with Republicans"

[themaguffin]

Seriously, it's like the concept of politics leaves people when they hear these statements.

Biden (or others) are talking to voters about the concept of working together.

It's not about being naïve, or forgetting (or forgiving) what the GOP has done like with Garland and so many other things.

It's letting votes know they get it. It doesn't mean it will happen.

[bluewater]

1. So it's just empty rhetoric?

A campaign device?

ok....

[themaguffin]

4. No, that's not what I said.

Being open and willing to work with someone doesn't mean that you're naïve etc.
It doesn't mean that the other party will do it.

[bluewater]

6. That's the definition of empty rhetoric.

Suggesting a policy that has 0% chance of actually happening is empty rhetoric.

[themaguffin]

7. No, it absolutely is not. Your response is illogical

[phleshdef]

12. You support Warren. I love Warren. She is my 2nd choice. Many of her proposals also have 0% chance..

...of being passed. You should probably consider that before you complain about "empty rhetoric".

[bluewater]

14. You support Biden. I respect Biden. "Working with Republicans" has 0% chance

of ever actually happening. It's simply empty rhetoric.

Why this naïve belief the Republicans will suddenly change once Trump is gone?

Don't people remember Merrick Garland?

Those Trump-less Republicans stole a Democratic Supreme Court appointment and we will all be having to live with THAT for decades.

[phleshdef]

20. Newsflash: Under current senate rules and the senate math, Warren will HAVE to work with the GOP too

She nor anyone else will have any choice. We aren't going to get a 60 seat majority in the Senate in 2020. Its not even mathematically possible. Please, for the sake of intelligent discussion. LEARN. HOW. TO. COUNT.

[bluewater]

21. Newsflash: The Republicans are not going to "work with" Democrats in the Senate.

Please pay attention to history.

Merrick Garland.

The Kavanaugh Hearing.

No Witnesses in the Senate Impeachment Trial.

[phleshdef]

22. Oh well, I guess Warren or Biden or whoever will be a do nothing President.

[bluewater]

23. Like President Obama you mean?

Name 3 things the Republicans "worked with" Democrats about during the Obama presidency.

Let's start with Mitch McConnell working to NOT give Merrick Garland the required Senate consultation to be appointed to the Supreme Court.

Oh, wait, that's the EXACT opposite...

[phleshdef]

26. Had Obama not had Democratic majorities for a few years, he would have accomplished next to nothing.

Still, they have to reach across the aisle and hope that something breaks. There is no other choice. This isn't something that is subject to an opinion.

[bluewater]

27. Thank you for making my point.

"Working with Republicans" just is not going to happen. Even President Obama could not make that happen.

Enjoy your evening.

Thanks for the discussion.

[phleshdef]

29. You don't have a point and you are arguing with yourself more than you are me.

You are the one that said "proposing things that have 0% chance of happening is empty rhetoric" while supporting a candidate that has proposed many thing that have 0% chance of happening.

I'll tell you this much, there is a much higher chance of a Democrat getting Republican to go along on an infrastructure bill and probably keep the government from shutting down than there is of getting student loans forgiveness, Medicare for All or all these other plans that Warren has proposed. And I'm not against her plans. I'm just being realistic.

[bluewater]

31. Joe Biden could not make "working with Republicans" work when he was VP

You seem to forget that when Mitch McConnell was stealing the Merrick Garland Supreme Court appointment from President Obama, Joe Biden was Obama's VP!

Joe could not make "working with Republicans" work then because the Republican have 0% interest in actually working with Democrats.

Look at all the Federal LIFETIME Judgeship appointments Trump is making now because the Republicans BLOCKED them all during the Obama Presidency. The list of Republican obstructionism seems almost endless.

Republicans will only vote for things that benefit Republicans first and foremost and they will obstruct everything else Democrats attempt to do.

History bears that out. Wishful thinking won't change that.

[phleshdef]

32. Actually it was Biden that stepped in and negotiated reopening the government and getting otherwise.

...normal government functions, like raising the debt ceiling, taken care of.

But you are still dodging the fact that you are contradicting yourself by criticizing Biden over something you don't think can happen while supporting a candidate also pushing things that you know are not going to happen. "Wishful thinking won't change that".

You're not going to get off the hook here.

[bluewater]

33. Merrick Garland says "hello" lol

Warren has stated how she will implement her plans in a stepwise manner in the face of certain Republican obstructionism.

You keep ignoring the fact that Republican obstructionism has been institutionalized, you don't get to get off the hook for that.

Sorry.

[phleshdef]

35. Warren can't implement her plans that way. You don't understand basic civics apparently.

There is only so much you can do via executive order. The vast majority of her agenda will require Congress. Period.

I've ignored nothing. I'm not the one who accused a candidate of empty rhetoric while being completely oblivious to the fact that you are supporting a candidate that is "guilty" of the very same thing based on your "logic". And thus you set yourself up for well deserved criticism.

You threw stones while living in a glass house. And now you are homeless.

[ChubbyStar]

37. You threw stones while living in a glass house. And now you are homeless.

Really, that is comedy gold. Except you aren't very entertaining.

[phleshdef]

38. What I am is 100% correct about every single thing I've said on this topic.

[HeartlandProgressive]

39. I you say so.

[phleshdef]

41. If you disagree, point out what I said that isn't correct.

[ChubbyStar]

40. Well you have spoken I guess that decides it

That is fucking hilarious!

[phleshdef]

42. You obviously are incapable of rebutting anything I said.

If you could, you would.

[ChubbyStar]

48. Oh dear you need a nap

Incapable of and refusing to, are two different things. I have seen enough in this thread to know I don't want to engage with you. Bye dude!

[phleshdef]

49. Real profile in courage!

[HeartlandProgressive]

44. Trusting Republicans is hilarious.

[phleshdef]

50. I don't trust them. That doesn't change the mathematical facts and the rules of the Senate.

[bluewater]

45. This went down hill quickly lol

[HeartlandProgressive]

46. .

[HeartlandProgressive]

43. Trusting Republicans is naive.

Biden tried to work with Republicans when he was Vice President, but the Republicans still blocked everything President Obama tried to do.

It was unprecedented that they got away with blocking a Supreme Court nomination with out even giving the nomination a Senate hearing.

[TheRealNorth]

47. I don't think anyone is against making compromises when it's a fair deal for us

The problem is when you sell yourself as a bipartisan dealmaker, you are going to end up giving more than you get in order to live up to it.

[themaguffin]

24. That's not the point.

That many Americans want leaders to act like it.

[radical noodle]

19. Medicare for all

has about a 0% chance of actually happening. Should Warren stop talking about it?

This is why DC is so broken. If we can't have the two parties start to work together occasionally then nothing will ever get done. I well remember the days when the two parties worked together for the good of the country. It worked pretty well, even though we didn't get 100% of we might have wanted.

[in2herbs]

2. A politician who can't be honest and forthright is a republican. nt

[TwilightZone]

3. Exactly.

We're not the target audience. Independents and the not-insignificant fraction of the electorate that's largely apolitical and/or is fed up with politics and hyper-partisanship are the target audience.

We can't win with Democrats alone.

[themaguffin]

5. Yep and look how comments responding don't get it

[Dream Girl]

8. Yep, very knee jerk. Lack of sophistication and understanding of how the world works.

[TwilightZone]

10. That's the usual around here.

It seems that some forget that our nominee will still have to win a general election in November and that it takes more than partisan Democrats to win a GE. Alienating large groups of people seems like a bad strategy, yet some do it and want others to do the same.

Biden (and a couple other candidates, for that matter) has been running a general election campaign since day one, trying to appeal to as wide a spectrum as possible. Sometimes all that takes is few comments about seeing a need to reduce hyper-partisanship and vitriol. That appeals to a lot of voters, whether or not we choose to believe so.

I think it's a smart strategy and one other candidates should employ more often.

[Scurrilous]

55. Yep.

Put the menu in the window, hang a few rules on the door, and welcome all who choose to stroll in.

[Scurrilous]

9. Nuance escapes some, others are being deliberately obtuse.

[themaguffin]

17. Unfortunately

[LakeArenal]

28. Very deliberately obtuse.

[Scurrilous]

54. AOC pulled that the day she was rotated in to pump 'Biden cut S.S.' poutrage.

It rounded out her list of grievances.

[phleshdef]

11. Unless we win the Senate and nuke the filibuster entirely, he will have no choice.

The same goes for anyone else who may beat Trump and become the next President.

Its really depressing how many fellow progressives/liberals etc choose to forget how to count.

[OneMoreCupOfCoffee]

25. No fair using reason.

[gibraltar72]

13. Has he pointed out a reasonable Republican yet??

[themaguffin]

15. That doesn't change the point.

[bluewater]

18. crickets

[DEbluedude]

16. I understand where your coming from but..

... I don’t think it helps any candidate to suggest working WITH the republicans on anything right now. There is a war going right at this minute. Against THEM. It’s just not the right time.

[LakeArenal]

30. Never say never. Always leave the door open.

[TwilightZone]

34. Agreed.

It continues to amaze me how many people insist that we alienate as many people as possible before we even get to the general election cycle.

[pansypoo53219]

36. the question IS will the GOP MOVE LEFT? they refused to work w/ obama.

we HAVE TO STOP MOVING RIGHT!

[SMC22307]

53. Exactly. Biden thinks they're going to magically start working with him?

What a laugh. What he needs to say is that Republicans need to work with US -- put the onus on them -- rather than us always promising to be the reasonable ones.

[SMC22307]

51. How often do you hear Republicans talking about "working with Democrats"?

They're hyper-partisan and view this as war -- we are the enemy.

At the very least, turn it around to say Republicans need to work with US for the good of the country.