of never passing any legislation unless they can get a majority from their party alone.

In this case, they've been refusing to budge on every detail, and then blaming the D's because the R's refuse to negotiate.

The "Hastert Rule" (only the " (GOP) majority of the (GOP) majority" to move bills forward)

a GOPedo.

Push back would be what she said .....plus, one is vastly more likely to be robbed or killed by other Americans. Statistically undocumented folks are far less likely to commit criminal acts than our own home grown populace. The numbers are irrefutable.

Or do you think a Puke getting reelected in NY-17 is an impossible task in this atmosphere and you're angling for something after Congress?

Who is to blame for the shutdown?

Democrats 33%
Republicans 41%
Both 20%

53% either blame the Democrats or both.

That math framing doesn't math.

You could also frame it as "61% either blame the Republicans or both".

What are the goals of the Democratic Party? How is this helping us accomplish them?

Have you not been paying attention to all the elections that have occurred (primaries and special elections)?

We are flipping +10 or more % 45-voting legislative districts (and other state positions up and down the ballot) notably in red states.

Democrats are working to CLAW BACK OUR STATES from GOP MALFEASANCE and the messaging that is happening in states that have had such elections, IS WORKING.

Numerous polls show that Trump's low ratings are not translating into a rise in approval of the Democrats. They are voting with us as a check on Trump, not because they have confidence in us. Many people are struggling economically. It has been that way for decades. Many have lost faith in either party to make a difference. If we don't change that, they will swing back to the Republicans. The podcasters and MS-Now aren't going to tell us that. They are going to let us think everything we do makes us heroes.

"Numerous polls" MISSED the extent of the 2018 and 2022 blue waves and because of what has happened in the past year, are probably underestimating the anger against the 45 administration's actions by BOTH parties in STATES/COUNTIES/MUNICIPALITIES.

FACT: Right here in PA, Democrats flipped the state House in 2022 after being out of power for 12 years (and have held it through numerous special elections due to members leaving or passing away in office).

FACT: Last March (2025), Democrats flipped a +15% 45-voting State Senate district and now only need to flip 3 more seats to retake the State Senate. If we do manage to do that, then that will allow us to have the FIRST TRIFECTA IN 33 YEARS (since the dawn of the Clinton administration in 1993).

IOW, those "national polls" do not reflect what the great former Speaker of the House was known to proclaim -

That is the effect of the voters swinging back and forth.

The last Democrat to run for office and lose a consecutive term, was Jimmy Carter. Remember that Biden dropped out and didn't run (which is what happened with Lyndon Johnson).

Yes voters have switched back and forth but again, using PA as an example, when GOP governor Tom Corbett (who came in during the 2010 teabagger wave) lost his election for a 2nd term to Democrat Tom Wolf (who went on to also win a 2nd term), that was the first time in half a century, that PA didn't automatically reelect their governor for 2 terms (since the option was made available). Since that time, another first was electing TWO of the same party consecutively for governor here (in this case, Democrats), where (D) Josh Shapiro succeeded Tom Wolf, and has a good chance of being reelected for a 2nd term this year.

So I think there shouldn't be misjudging of the extreme and draconian changes that have happened this past year - quite a lot actually impacting the "average" person, even down to the sudden roundups and deportations of their favorite restaurant and food cart owners... or the sudden demands to build "datacenters" and "detention facilities" on land adjacent to many red suburban/rural areas...

Meaning the "hyperbole and rhetoric of politics" have actually touched them for the first time (outside of the usual "the prices are too high" mantra that punctuates every Presidential term).

Biden would have lost. The polls are not going to be off that much. All the polls saying both parties have low approval ratings are not going to be wrong. I don't know of one poll that shows the Democrats with a good approval rating.

A lot has happened since Nov. 5, 2024.

It doesn't matter what people tell pollsters, it's what they actually DO in the voting booth, and the past year, they have been rejecting Republicans in Republican and Republican-leaning areas.

There is an election tomorrow in GA for MTG's seat - https://www.democraticunderground.com/10143644970

If the Republican wins, it behooves to see by how much. And if the Democrat wins, that will be a resounding answer to where things are going.

in their lives.

I.e., testing grounds for messaging and solutions that resonate.

Instead of "top down", it's "bottom up".