House members have responded to legitimate criticism with cynicism. Let’s not have another ‘Bernie bros’ moment

on Thursday, Jeffries refused to saywhether he supported or opposed controversial efforts to integrate the US and Israeli militaries.

Jeffries also said this summer that he opposes Medicare for All, reversing his earlier position, and putting him at odds with a number of progressive Democrats who campaigned on the platform.

He’s been consistently hostile to the progressive faction of his party, refusing to endorse Mamdani for New York City mayor for months. And it was recently revealed that Jeffries met with Jared Kushner in private before the midterms

…Many progressives view Jeffries as an establishment figure who offers no hope for meaningful change and want someone less beholden to corporate interests to be speaker. Jeffries and some of his allies, meanwhile, have suggested that denying him the opportunity to become the first Black speaker in US history would be, to quote Bloomberg, “racially insensitive”.

…And we’ve seen this craven use of identity politics to smear progressive politics before, haven’t we? It’s the Bernie bros playbook all over again.

  • lennybirdEnglish
    12·
    3 hours ago

    I listen to HCR almost daily, but she respectfully misses the mark on this topic. Sorry.

    “Elections for Senate Majority Leader and Speaker don’t happen until January,” but the fight begins now. It’s an absurd comment to make and is like saying, “Elections for midterms aren’t until November, so why start campaigning 3 months out!?”

    If those positions are representative of ideological-center and carrying the broader Congressional Chamber, then leaving these conservative-right Leadership roles in place is a flagrant dismissal of The People’s desire to shift the Overton Window back left at least a little bit. Both House and Senate just shifted back left, and leadership should proportionally shift leftward in kind.

    Literally: Without the Speaker’s approval, bills cannot be brought to the floor without a vote – **IF Jeffries is a Sinema-like plant, then what does that spell for the Agenda, especially when he has already backpedaled on interest in Medicare For All?

    These are DEMOCRATIC Leaders and in ostensibly SAFE BLUE SEATS. They should be significantly more left than this, and while they’re procedural positions they absolutely do hold powerful voices in terms of determining the vision and agend afor Democrats.

    If Jeffries wants to be the House Whip, that’s another story. Let him. If Schumer wants to be in an advisory role as a US Senator and cede ground, then let him.

    But they must go in terms of leadership positions.

    “Nothing gets done if you lose the caucus.” — Newsflash: Nothing is going to get done anyway, because you (HCR, etc.) still pretend that Republicans are acting in good albeit ideologically-opposed faith. They are not. They will play scorched earth forever. Trump will veto anything and everything and blame Democrats. Have we STILL not learned this lesson, dating all the way back to Obama? For fuck sake.

    Look,

    • The first biggest impediment to progress was Republican Congress — Done.
    • The next biggest impediment where we have agency to change: DINO Democrats in Congress — In Progress.
    • The next biggest impediment to progress is Trump’s Veto Power.

    If Congressional Democrats push Medicare For All up against Trump (which has supermajority support by the electorate0 and force him to veto it, then that sets Democrats up so well for 2028.

    • Move Democratic Leadership Left a bit.
    • Distance from AIPAC and Private Equity lobbyists.
    • Set the chess pieces for 2028.

    It’s a no-brainer. 2028 Democratic Primaries began the moment Midterm polls closed, and I’m all for this purification process and holding our own accountable as to the direction this country MUST go.

    I have ZERO interest in compromising with fascist Republicans. Zero. Neither should you. Press the attack. Don’t start coddling conservatives… Again.