P O L I T I C S : In The United States In 2025, And Years Thereafter (if any)

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Democrats worry on ‘how disadvantaged they are right now as a brand’ and their descent into the minority against Trump and MAGA​

Rhian Lubin / Fri, March 28, 2025 at 3:21 PM EDT
Democrats are “f***** right now,” one strategist warned, as others said the party risks becoming a “permanent minority” against Donald Trump’s MAGA movement - as the party struggles to find its footing in the current political environment.
After Kamala Harris’s devastating defeat against Trump in November, the Democratic Party is struggling and is “deeply fractured, and rudderless,” strategists, elected officials and leaders told Politico in a scathing report.
“I don’t know if Dems realize how f***** they are right now as a brand,” one anonymous party strategist told the outlet.
While the Trump administration steams ahead at a breakneck speed, the Democrats have been distracted by party infighting over their lack of resistance to a short-term spending bill. They have offered little organized resistance to the Trump agenda that is reshaping the federal government.

Democrats worry on ‘how f***** they are right now as a brand’ and their descent into the minority against Trump and MAGA

While the Trump administration implements its aggressive agenda at a breakneck speed, the Democrats have been distracted by party infighting

news.yahoo.com

The Democrats stumbled badly in the 2024 presidential race.
In 2020 former vice president and presidential nominee Joe Biden identified himself as a transitional candidate, implying he would only serve a single 4 year term.
Perhaps it was as simple as a mental lapse common to those of Biden's seniority that Biden accepted the Dem's 2024 nomination.

Biden stumbled so badly in debate against Trump that the Dem. nominee tossed the political hot potato of Democrat presidential candidate to his VP, Kamala Harris. There were better Democrats available.

VP KH nice lady perhaps, but never able to shake the aura of a light-weight. The Dems lost.

But it would compound the detriment of Democrat's failures to jeopardize their principles, conservators of U.S. political traditions, including prosperity.

The weak & ill-prepared Kamala Harris lost to a media s a v v y conman and media professional, D.J. Trump.

What should the Dems. do now, and in 2026, and in 2028?

Apparently the U.S. electorate has dysfunctionally short memory. They gambled on Trump (zero experience in government service) in 2016,
dumped Trump for Biden in 2020,
and for reason (misnomer noted) inexplicable went back to Trump in 2024. Had they forgotten ?!

Constitutionally Trump can't run again the next time. BUT !!
Constitutionally Trump couldn't run again the last time.

Where did the Dems. fail in 2024?
On offense? Offering a campaign platform voters would go to the polls to support?
Or defense? Exposing Trump's prolific lies:

"IT’S TIME FOR CROOKED JOE BIDEN, THE WORST PRESIDENT IN THE HISTORY OF THE UNITED STATES—AND I TO DEBATE. WE OWE IT TO OUR COUNTRY. ANYTIME, ANYWHERE, ANYPLACE!" realdonaldtrump​

There are other explanations. But it's likely a decisive segment of the U.S. electorate found Trump's character-assassinating superlatives persuasive. Will the Dems. remain vulnerable to such fiction in the next few political elections?

Mike Kinsley defined "political gaffe" as a politician telling the truth.​

"The danger is not that a particular class is unfit to govern. Every class is unfit to govern." Lord Acton​

"Just remember, what you're seeing & what you're reading is not what's happening." President Trump​

“Everyday we make good in our motto: 'Promises made, promises kept.' We've kept more promises than we've even made.” U.S. President Trump 19/05/20​

 

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THE ASSOCIATED PRESS
Updated 7:01 AM GMT-5, March 30, 2025
The Taliban leader said Sunday there was no need for Western laws in Afghanistan and that democracy was dead as long as sharia laws are in effect.
Hibatullah Akhundzada made the comments in a sermon marking the Islamic holiday of Eid Al-Fitr, in the southern city of Kandahar’s Eidgah Mosque. The 50-minute audio of his message was published on X by the Taliban government’s chief spokesman Zabihullah Mujahid.
“There is no need for laws that originate from the West. We will create our own laws,” Akhundzada said, speaking in Pashto, while emphasizing the importance of Islamic laws.

https://apnews.com/article/afghanistan-taliban-western-laws-sharia-c11444b20fbb6c77d2632fae84435af2

The democratic process may have helped the United States of America rise to global dominance.
Even if so, it is neither required nor appropriate for the United States to inflict democracy on others at gunpoint.

"American people are friends of Liberty everywhere, but custodians only of their own." John Adams

Demonstrating by example of our own prosperity is sufficient recognition for global leadership by example.

We can squabble over details: Vietnam, Afghanistan, Iraq.
But as long as Afghanistan is not exporting terrorist mass-murder to the U.S. as it did with UBL's attacks of 09/11/01
we can leave the many and varied Peoples of the world to find their own way.

How that overlays with Trump's aspirations for Greenland, Panama, and Canada we may not yet fully know. But it may be a lesson the U.S. will relearn again.​

 

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The filibuster is not dead?​

Sen. Cory Booker holds overnight speech taking aim at the Trump administration​

The Democratic senator from New Jersey showed no signs of slowing down after speaking for more than 12 hours, using animated gestures as he slammed the administration.
“I rise tonight because I believe sincerely that our country is in crisis,” Booker said.
"Twelve hours now I'm standing, and I'm still going strong because this president is wrong, and he's violating principles that we hold dear and principles in this document that are so clear and plain," Booker said at around 7 a.m., holding up a copy of the Constitution.

Sen. Cory Booker holds overnight speech taking aim at the Trump administration

The Democratic senator from New Jersey showed no signs of slowing down after speaking for more than 12 hours, using animated gestures as he slammed the administration.

www.nbcnews.com

Thread 'United States Constitution - Full Text'

Apr 1, 2025

For soft copy: https://constitutioncenter.org/the-constitution/full-text

For hard copy:

Pocket Constitution (single copies)

We offer discounts on bulk orders (orders over 100 copies). Please call 1-800-767-1241 or email catostore@cato.org for discounted rates. To encourage people everywhere to better understand and appreciate the principles of government that are set forth in America’s founding documents, the Cato...

store.cato.org

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"The filibuster is not dead?" s #3​

Some assert Booker's recent marathon speech is not a "filibuster" because it wasn't an attempt to block specific legislation. But the similarity of technique is noted.

 

[Shiftless2]

The right admits it

 

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"The right admits it" S2

"The problem with left-leaning media ..." #5

Since 1950 has there been more ruthless contention between the political parties in the U.S.?

"In the fevered state of our country, no good can ever result from any attempt to set one of these fiery zealots to rights, either in factor principle. They are determined as to the facts they will believe, and the opinions on which they will act. Get by them, therefore, as you would by an angry bull; it is not for a man of sense to dispute the road with such an animal." Thomas Jefferson (1743-1826), U.S. president. Letter, 24 Nov. 1808, to his grandson, Thomas Jefferson Randolph

Political clash was even witnessed in the ancient Roman senate.

Has anything changed during the intervening millennia?

For one, the ancient Roman senate wasn't shadowed by FOX News.

How much of the MAGA maelstrom is fueled or catalyzed by electricity?

 

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The U.S. Transportation Department said in a statement to NBC New York on Friday that it expected New York to comply with the Sunday deadline to “terminate this ["congestion pricing"] program.”
“US DOT will continue to fight for working class Americans whose tax dollars have already funded and paid for these roads,” it said.

Congestion pricing will remain in N.Y. despite federal deadline to end the program Sunday​

April 20, 2025, 4:00 PM GMT-5 / By Rebecca Cohen
New York City’s $9 congestion toll on drivers in Manhattan’s busiest areas will remain in effect, despite the federal government’s Sunday deadline to scrap it.
In a statement about the deadline, a spokesperson for New York Gov. Kathy Hochul said, “The program is working. Traffic is down, business is up and the cameras are staying on.”

N.Y. governor says congestion pricing will remain despite federal deadline to end the program Sunday

A spokesperson for New York Gov. Kathy Hochul said: “The program is working. Traffic is down, business is up and the cameras are staying on.”

www.nbcnews.com

Trump not only wants to be king of the world. He also wants to be mayor of New York City.
Hochul's got more balls than Trump has brains.

note:
21st congressional district Representative Elise Stefanik [R-NY] was on Trump's short list for cabinet membership, but was jilted so as not to jeopardize the slender Republican majority in the House.
Stefanik has since reportedly considered campaigning for governor of New York State.
Hmmm, interesting gubernatorial race? Kathy vs Elise ?

 

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"Never let a crisis go to waste." Obama administration chief of staff Rahm Emanuel

One might think the cataclysmic Trump administration would be a god-send to the Democrats in the 2028 presidential race.
Just find a candidate that can fog a mirror, and the white house is theirs. BUT !!

Somehow, perhaps unsurprisingly, the Democrats have found a path to defeat for themselves
out of what would otherwise be certain victory.

It's not the usual circular firing squad of Democrats, a political mêlée, often more a contest of personalities than ideologies.
Instead, stagnation, as the destructive Republican juggernaut lays waste in DC.

Charles Barkley to Dems: Run either of these 2 candidates or lose my support​

Adam Bass | abass@masslive.com / Mon, April 21, 2025 at 10:59 AM EDT

Charles Barkley has an ultimatum to the Democratic Party: he won’t vote for any other presidential candidate unless it’s Pennsylvania Gov. Josh Shapiro or Maryland Gov. Wes Moore.
Barkley, a Hall of Fame basketball star and TNT analyst, expressed his support for the two governors last week on the “Sports Illustrated Media Podcast with Jimmy Traina," saying they were the only Democratic candidates he would support for president.
“As an independent, if the Democrats don’t get Josh Shapiro, the governor of Pennsylvania, or Wes Moore, the governor of Maryland — if they’re not the party’s leaders — I wouldn’t consider voting for anyone else,” Barkley told Traina. “I think Josh Shapiro is amazing. I think Wes Moore is amazing. If the Democratic Party does not pick one of those two, they’re going to lose my support forever as an Independent.”

Charles Barkley to Dems: Run either of these 2 candidates or lose my support

Charles Barkley is keeping a close eye on who will be the Democratic nominee for 2028, saying these two politicians are top picks for him.

news.yahoo.com

Well C.B., your desperation is welcome, but rather more bluster than remedy. Perhaps best if we consider your comment as a suggestion / recommendation.

What is evident: The Democrat party, the United States of America, humanity will not soon or easily recover from VP Harris' devastating loss to Trump in 2024.

And it's a mistake to perceive the tendrils of politics as beginning and ending at 1600 Penn. Ave.
The Democrats have an enormous task ahead beginning at the level of Dog Catcher, and every increment above. BUT !!

Sir Charles,
I don't know enough about Gov. Josh Shapiro to echo your endorsement. But Maryland Gov. Wes Moore seems to be of presidential stature. BUT !!
Even if Moore is elected president in 2028, he's going to need Democrat majorities in the House & Senate. Gotny recommendations?

 

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President Trump is at it again ...​

The Difference Between Gerrymandering and Redistricting, Explained​

Rebecca Schneid / Jul 21, 2025
Texas Republicans are poised to consider new districts in a special session after President Donald Trump called for the state to redraw its congressional map to allow for the GOP to pick up seats in the midterm elections in 2026. ...
Typically, states redraw their congressional district maps every ten years to accommodate shifts in population. But in many states, lawmakers have taken to changing the lines whenever they see it as politically advantageous to help their party gain an advantage."
The fact that Trump and Texas Republicans are currently weighing their options of redistricting in the middle of a decade is non-traditional, but not completely unheard of. But the move has, unsurprisingly, raised concerns and discussions about gerrymandering.

California Gov. Gavin Newsom of the Democratic Party has vowed to retaliate by redistricting his own state’s 52 seats to pick up more Democratic representation. ...
Beyond any potential retaliation, Republicans risk a lot in redistricting, says Jay Dow, a professor of political science at the University of Missouri.
“If you cut [the margins] too thin, you can really put your own party in danger,” Dow notes. “If you make those margins too thin and you have a bad year, you can end up losing four or five seats instead of gaining them.”
This can be referred to as a “dummymander.”

What is redistricting?​

Redistricting is a process of drawing the borders of districts for which representatives are elected. As states grow, they often do not grow evenly, and thus redistricting allows for states to represent population growth and racial diversity in their cities—according to the Constitution, all districts in a state must have equal population.
“We reapportion the House seats in response to the census, and so every 10 years we do the census, and that changes the number of House seats. ...

What is gerrymandering?​

According to Richard Briffault, a professor at Columbia Law School, gerrymandering is a "pejorative" for a kind of redistricting that favors a political party, or in some cases, looks to disenfranchise a group of people.
There are two principle ways that a legislature can gerrymander for partisan purposes, says Briffault. Packing and cracking.

The Difference Between Gerrymandering and Redistricting

“Trump said he’s going to steal five Congressional seats in Texas and gerrymander his way into a win," said Gov. Newsom.

time.com

"Typically, states redraw their congressional district maps every ten years to accommodate shifts in population." Schneid / Time

This deliberately coincides with U.S. Constitution Art.1 Sect.2, and Sect.2 of the Fourteenth Amendment (it gets ugly).

"The actual Enumeration shall be made ... within every subsequent Term of ten Years, in such Manner as they shall by Law direct." Art.1 Sect.2

It's this once per decade Constitutionally required census which typically determines the boundaries and thus the populations of specific congressional districts.

The MAGAs are on the move.

"Honor means sacrificing yourself for the benefit of others.
Dishonor means sacrificing others for the benefit of yourself." Lanny Davis, Special Counsel to President Clinton

 

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Democrats tumble in new poll: In a survey from the Wall Street Journal, Democrats hold only a 33 percent approval rating.​

Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-N.Y.) speaks with reporters alongside House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries (D-N.Y.) on Tuesday about spending. | Francis Chung/POLITICO / By Ben Johansen 07/26/2025 11:49 AM EDT

President Donald Trump’s approval rating remains underwater. But Democrats are faring worse, according to a new poll from The Wall Street Journal released Saturday.
The new survey, conducted by Democratic pollster John Anzalone and Republican pollster Tony Fabrizio, found Democrats’ popularity at its lowest point in three decades of WSJ polling, with 63 percent of voters holding an unfavorable view of the party.
Only 33 percent of voters hold a favorable view of Democrats, with a meager 8 percent holding a “very favorable” opinion, for a net negative favorability of 30 percentage points.

While voters still have significant concerns over the president’s and the Republican Party’s handling of the economy, inflation, tariffs and foreign policy, the majority of respondents nonetheless say they trust Republicans more to handle those issues in Congress.
Despite criticism of the administration’s handling of inflation — disapproval outweighed approval by 11 points in the poll — the Republican Party, by 10 points, is trusted more than Democrats to deal with inflation.
That’s the same case when it comes to thoughts on the president’s drastic tariffs policy.
By 17 points, voters disapproved of Trump’s handling of tariffs, while still trusting Republicans more on the issue to Democrats by 7 points.
Health care and vaccine policy are the only two policy issues in which respondents favor Democrats to Republicans on.

The Journal polled 1,500 registered voters, conducted from July 16-20 by landline and cellphone. It has a margin of error of plus or minus 2.5 percentage points.
https://www.politico.com/news/2025/...poll-00478141?utm_source=firefox-newtab-en-us

OK
Chaz Schumer [D-NY] may not have the media pizazz President Trump has cultivated in private & public sectors. BUT ! "33 percent approval rating" ?!