107 Comments
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‘King Donald's avatar

Yep. Hogg and AOC are winning.

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Regina Islas's avatar

For good reason and well about time!

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Learn about beads's avatar

Excellent. We need fighters!! Please check your Substack settings. Your site isn’t displaying correctly on my MacBook. I think there was some change, assume a Substack change maybe check with your Substack network. OK on phone but many watch on their computers. Thank you!

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Lillian Henegar's avatar

I'm a boomer and you both are absolutely right! It's time for the 80 year olds to step the F aside. I'm done with this out of touch thinking. I don't give money for the party anymore for this reason. Individual candidates, Indivisible, other mobilizing organizations, yes! But DNC? Nada another dime until they start fighting for democracy and for me/us and this country!

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Kimberly Hart's avatar

I agree 💯. I stopped giving and now only give to those willing to fight back!

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RGHicks's avatar

Same here. And I've been a local district leader for them. But they have stopped representing their constituents. Until they do, not one penny.

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Patrick Knight's avatar

Same!

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Lillian Henegar's avatar

Another reason I don't give money is the years of work I did for the Democrats at the local and state levels. And, all I saw was continuous leaning to the center and the right, compromising Democratic values. The research has been available for decades about messaging etc. and yet they ignored it. They abandoned Obama/Howard's 50 State grassroots campaign model when Obama ran a second time, and after that. I could go on with disappointment after disappointment. And, then the continual robotic pleas for funds... They do not deserve my loyalty or my funds.

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Patricia Hall's avatar

Team democracy!!

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Fatarae's avatar

Thank you for the great pep talk Waj. Thanks for the introduction to Julie Roginsky. I hope you'll do this together again. You covered so many of the topics that have been thrashing about in my head. Keep up the good work! Thank goodness for Substack!

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Lindy Hubert's avatar

Agree. We don’t need infighting. That’s the enemy within. But these emerging leaders are where we need them when we need them!

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Tania Finch's avatar

Loved this. I always learn so much on your LIVE and really like Julie too. I’m now following her. Looking forward to see her LIVE as well. Thank you so much.

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Michelle Brody's avatar

This conversation was sublime. Fight fight fight... Thank you Waj and Julie

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Nancy Bavis's avatar

I’m 84 and I feel sick every time the Dems drop the ball!! The ridiculous tariff vote!!! WTF…ONE VOTE!!! The AOC/Connely debacle….Chuck Schumer f…ing LETTERS!!!!…THE FIGHT IS NOW…NOW…NOW…PLEASE FIGHT!!!!

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Anika Frey's avatar

We need fighters and not dull appeasers. We need people inspiring unity amongst the left. We need strong and LOUD leadership willing to go to the mattresses!!!!

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Jane CHANCE's avatar

I am 87 1/2 years old and I haven't renewed my party membership this time. I can't throw my money away again. The Democrat Party leadership has me shaking in my old shoes. We need cutting edge, rip Trump and many sick Republicans apart. We have to save our Democracy!

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Mubashir Saleem's avatar

I will be honest. I was a bit annoyed you invited her because as she said she is part of the consultant class and I 100% blame the consultant class for causing the democratic party to lose ground because the democratic party has significant done immense damage and backlash to the activist and grassroots organizing wing of the party. They were even considering to remove small dollar donors in favor of large corporation donors. But i do acknowledge that this conversation is needed. But I need to see the democratic party accepts and will give respect to the grassroots and activists here, We cannot ignore that base of the party otherwise we lose future elections.

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Patricia Hall's avatar

I love the lady she is fighting and using fighting skills and words. Yes kick them down and kill the enemy. Figuratively? I’m angry and frustrated. Afraid of what is happening

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Ronald Robertson's avatar

No TEETH, NO CLAWS and only soft hands will not get the message to the VOTERS. VOTES WIN ELECTIONS. BS days are OVER!

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Nora M's avatar

Hillary was predetermined to be the candidate in 2016 because it was her turn. The DNC did all it could to push Bernie out even though he polled ahead of Trump outside the margin of error while Hillary and Trump were neck and neck far behind Bernie. That continued right up to the Election Day.

Given that dynamic did the party get behind the person better positioned to win? Absolutely not. Bernie was not an insider, and Hillary milked that for all she could. She called him everything but a Republican. They lied about him. It was nasty.

Had Bernie lost the primary fair and square, I would have accepted it. Since that was not the case, I have refused to give the DNC a dime. I hate their phony fundraising letters trying to guilt trip me. They are manipulating and calculating.

If the DNC changes the leadership, I will reconsider donating and phone banking for them; until then, I donate to Bernie and Our Revolution and some individuals. Replace the Old Guard. I am a boomer and they are too conservative for me.

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RGHicks's avatar

This is absolutely true.

My voting decisions have been based on how LITTLE I can support the Democratic establishment while not giving anything to Republicans. In other words, there is nothing to VOTE FOR that can actually win.

For the very reasons you cited, I voted 3rd party in 2016 and 2020. The ONLY reason I did this was because I was in a dark blue state. My vote was a throwaway no matter what. My decision was to refuse to give the Democratic establishment an extra vote they didn't need. I voted for Democrats in 2024 because my state was leaning more to the right and felt it was vital to keep Trump out.

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Michael Baker's avatar

Fully agree. And the backing of certain candidates the DNC likes at the expense of better candidates and ones who have a better chance of winning. I haven't donated to the DNC in years.

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Carol Lynn Enara Healy's avatar

I think if Federman was threatened and if so it would explain the rabbit hole he’s gone down in terms of his mental health getting worse and his inability to defend his actions. I know it’s speculation, but we don’t ask enough about this possibiity. We see what’s happened to Republicans who do one thing and say another and those who are jerks and those who might just be scared into conformity…how many Dems are in which of those categories?

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Ronald Robertson's avatar

Agree. Coercion works for don the con.

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Carol Lynn Enara Healy's avatar

for the don the con and his sychopants!

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Kimberly Hart's avatar

Thank you for saying out loud what I have been hoping the Dems will finally hear. You don't have to agree with those of us who value and live authentically. You know why? Because we also value listening which means we are willing to work towards compromise!

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