Republican News

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First let me admit that I don’t really find this that offensive, so don’t think that I am writing this to pretend that I am and that the fate of the Republic is at stake when a Senate Democrat uses the word “sh!t.” No doubt some conservatives will try to generate fake outrage at this terrible break in decorum, but the Republic will survive and no major “norms” will be broken. 

Swearing often is just a part of life in America. We could wish otherwise, but there it is. 

Sh*t That Ain’t True: Trump’s promise to lower prices on day one. In fact, costs are only going up. pic.twitter.com/9A1KpD1zSI

— Senator Mark Kelly (@SenMarkKelly) March 4, 2025

But the “Sh!t That Ain’t True” social media campaign that the Senate Democrats have launched today is unlikely to make much of a dent in Republican momentum, I suspect. It will make a bit of a splash due to the coordination, likely media coverage, and the mild shock value of using the word “sh!t.” After all, most of these guys and gals pretend to be buttoned down geeks deeply concerned with “norms,” so the mild surprise we feel at their use of a swear word will gain a bit of attention. 

Sh*t That Ain’t True: Trump promised to lower prices on day one, but costs have only gone up ⬆️

Under Trump and Elon Musk’s agenda, billionaires win and families lose. pic.twitter.com/dLLHVTDPrY

— Tammy Duckworth (@SenDuckworth) March 4, 2025

Like this article, come to think of it. 

Master Grill Sergeant Chuck has entered the energy policy chat…. https://t.co/DxAQ4YVBGM pic.twitter.com/oBHHfzXYxq

— US Oil & Gas Association (@US_OGA) February 27, 2025

Watching Tammy Duckworth or Chuck Schumer trying to pretend to be normal people is always fun. Schumer, you may remember, loves to grill without fire and apparently serve Steak Tartar to his buddies on July 4th, making him very normal indeed. 

Donald Trump promised to start lowering prices on DAY ONE of his presidency.

He’s already broken that promise and he’s making life worse for American families.

Trump’s agenda:
Billionaires win.
Families lose.

Democrats are fighting for you. pic.twitter.com/SGkuVqFhCe

— Chuck Schumer (@SenSchumer) March 4, 2025

Sh*t that ain’t true: Tulsi Gabbard will restore trust in our intelligence community.

The fact is: Tulsi hasn’t shown she has the experience or qualifications to do this essential national security job. pic.twitter.com/kzFmHEAEit

— Mark Warner (@MarkWarner) January 30, 2025

Sh*t That Ain’t True: Trump promised to lower prices on day one, but costs have only gone up. pic.twitter.com/N2G5vhRdiN

— Richard Blumenthal (@SenBlumenthal) March 4, 2025

I haven’t sat down and counted all the “Sh!t That Ain’t True” videos to see if every Democrat Senator has posted a similar video using those words because, frankly, I couldn’t stand listening to them all after I had to bear Pocahontas and Scummer, I mean Schumer, do their shtick. It is tiresome. 

Before DOGE, they could afford separate social media teams. pic.twitter.com/fjSH4uf1sP

— Wade Stotts (@wadestotts) March 4, 2025

I give them a B for effort, an A for execution, and a C- for breaking through to the public. These videos will get a cheer from their base and a shrug from everybody else. And chances are that the Right will come up with some choice memes out of the deal. 

Hopefully I can share a few on Sunday Smiles. 

Memers: get to work. I could use some new material. 

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Early Monday morning the fire department was called out to a Tesla charging station in Littleton, Massachusetts where a group of Tesla charging stations were on fire.

The fires were first reported at approximately 1:10 a.m. on Monday morning when the Littleton Police Department in Massachusetts were dispatched to The Point Shopping Center due to reports of several fires at the Tesla charging stations there, according to a statement from the Littleton Police Department…

Once the fires were extinguished and the electric supply was cut off, officers launched a preliminary investigation and determined that the fires appear to have been deliberately set.

“Littleton Police and Fire Departments and the Massachusetts State Police Fire and Explosion Investigation Unit attached to the State Fire Marshal’s Office are investigating and have determined that the fire appears to have been intentionally set,” police said.

The good news is that no one was injured. The bad news is that someone intentionally set the chargers on fire and did thousands of dollars of damage, likely as a form of protest against Elon Musk. Police haven’t given much information about why they believe this was arson but this is shaping up as someone pouring gasoline on electric car chargers to start the fire.

Of course we won’t know the precise reason the arsonist set it until they are arrested but it seems pretty likely this has some connection to Elon Musk suddenly becoming the #1 target of angry liberals in the US. This isn’t even the first arson attack that has been aimed at Tesla. Starting in late January, a string of vandalism and arson were directed at a Tesla dealership in Colorado. And in this case we don’t have to guess why. These attacks were clearly motivated by anti-Musk sentiment.

On January 29, the Loveland Police Department received a report of a fire on the ground beneath a Cybertruck. When responding officers arrived, the fire had already been extinguished and there was no damage to the vehicle. A Smirnoff Ice bottle with a cloth stuffed into the neck was collected from the scene, the affidavit says.

A second incident was reported to police on February 2. According to the document, a supervisor at the Tesla dealership and a passerby both called police to report the word “Nazi” had been spray painted in black onto the Tesla sign in front of the store. The graffiti had been cleaned prior to police’s arrival, but a photo was provided to law enforcement.

The third incident, involving both graffiti and possible arson, was reported less than a week later on February 7, according to the affidavit. When police arrived, they observed several broken Smirnoff Ice bottles “with black colored fabric, acting as a wick,” in addition to red graffiti on a wall of the dealership and several vehicles, the document says…

In a final incident, on February 11, the affidavit says a security guard called police to report the words “F**k Musk” had been spray painted in red on the front windows of the dealership. The guard was unable to catch the individual and had started cleaning some of the graffiti before police arrived.

One week later police arrested Lucy Grace Nelson a trans woman whose Toyota Prius contained additiional incendiary devices and paint. This is Lucy Grace Nelson, formerly Justin Thomas Nelson.

A radical trantifa activist has been arrested in Loveland, Colo. for allegedly carrying out a series of violent attacks on @Tesla property using incendiary devices.

Lucy Grace Nelson, a man, has been incorrectly booked into the jail as a “female” by @LarimerSheriff. I can… pic.twitter.com/TLDpCVcMlN

— Andy Ngo (@MrAndyNgo) February 27, 2025

Also last month a Tesla dealership in Oregon was targeted twice with arson and gunshots.

Salem police and federal agents are investigating a shooting early Wednesday morning that damaged windows at the Tesla dealership in south Salem.

The shooting is the second criminal incident at the dealership in just the past month, following a suspected vehicle arson and window damage on Jan. 20.

The worst case of arson aimed at Tesla happened in France:

Last night, a dozen Tesla vehicles burned down at Tesla’s retail and service location in Plaisance-du-Touch near Toulouse, France.

Firefighters arrived on the scene at around 4 a.m. and contained the fire to the vehicles. Eight of them were completely destroyed, and four were greatly damaged. The damages are estimated at over 700,000 euros.

According to the local news (translated from French), the police suspected arson as a hole was found in a fence, and threats had been made over the last few weeks.

Anarchist groups in France had called for burning down Tesla dealerships prior to the attack. Here in the US actor Alex Winter, of Bill and Ted fame, has been organizing something called “Tesla Takedown” to protest Musk through Tesla.

Demonstrators gathered at more than 50 Tesla showrooms across the United States on Saturday in protest of CEO Elon Musk’s role in slashing government agencies as part of the so-called Department of Government Efficiency established by President Donald Trump.

The protests are part of “Tesla Takedown,” which, according to its website, hopes to encourage stakeholders to “sell your Teslas, dump your stock, join the picket lines.”

“Creating a vote of no confidence in him from the shareholders, that would be the ultimate goal,” Alex Winter, a Los Angeles-based actor and filmmaker who is one of the main organizers, told CNN.

This type of anti-Musk sentiment is something Democrats have been doing their best to stoke lately. You may have heard that Randi Weingarten, head of the AFT teacher’s union recently sent a letter to investment funds suggesting they reconsider their positions in Tesla stock.

On Thursday, American Federation of Teachers (AFT) president Randi Weingarten sent a letter to the CEOs of six major asset management firms, outlining the union’s concerns over Tesla’s recent stock struggles and urging asset managers to reassess investments in the EV maker.

Weingarten pointed to Tesla’s stock price dropping to as low as $290.80 from a high of $489, as well as the company’s market capitalization falling below $1 trillion. She argued that Tesla’s latest financial disclosures should raise red flags, citing missed profit margin expectations and rising cost pressures.

In short, the left is doing everything they can to punish Musk for siding with Donald Trump and for DOGE. If the right was pushing for political activity and arson and vandalism were taking place, you can bet the media would be all over it pointing out how rhetoric was coinciding with violence. But I’m not seeing much connecting of the dots in this case. No one is calling for a national conversation or asking Dems to tone down their rhetoric. The connection doesn’t even seem to occur to them when Democrats are involved.

In any case, peaceful protests are one thing but using arson to make a political statement ought to be treated as domestic terrorism.

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Regrets. Volodymyr Zelensky has a few. And not too few to mention. After a couple of days of using the My Way playbook, Zelensky has offered Donald Trump an olive branch — and an offer to deal more rationally to secure an end to the three-year stalemate. 

And it was a very public olive branch, as David noted in an update to his earlier post:

I would like to reiterate Ukraine’s commitment to peace.

None of us wants an endless war. Ukraine is ready to come to the negotiating table as soon as possible to bring lasting peace closer. Nobody wants peace more than Ukrainians. My team and I stand ready to work under…

— Volodymyr Zelenskyy / Володимир Зеленський (@ZelenskyyUa) March 4, 2025

Why so public? Why not just communicate this via diplomatic channels? First, Trump made it very clear that Zelensky would have to apologize publicly to him for the public breach of protocol at the White House last week. And not just for that, but also for Zelensky’s attempt to publicly rally other Western leaders against Trump after the embarrassing spectacle. 

Zelensky succeeded at that, but has since realized that it didn’t mean much without American aid and support. Reportedly Keir Starmer tried to gently nudge Zelensky on that point. The UK and other European nations might be willing to up their contributions to Ukrainian security, but the US provides most of the logistical support for NATO. Without the US, it would get difficult to sustain increased levels of support, and that’s even if the EU nations could actually follow through on those pledges. Increasing aid to Ukraine is not exactly a popular position in Europe at the moment, at least outside the progressive ruling clique.

Zelensky has belatedly realized that he misread the situation. He didn’t quite apologize in his statement this morning, but he came pretty close:

We do really value how much America has done to help Ukraine maintain its sovereignty and independence. And we remember the moment when things changed when President Trump provided Ukraine with Javelins. We are grateful for this.

Our meeting in Washington, at the White House on Friday, did not go the way it was supposed to be. It is regrettable that it happened this way. It is time to make things right. We would like future cooperation and communication to be constructive.

Is that good enough? Lindsey Graham, one of Ukraine’s biggest backers, seems to think so. Graham last week had urged Trump to cut off aid after the Oval Office debacle, which Trump promptly did. Now Graham sees “better days ahead” after Zelensky’s statement:

Zelensky didn’t quite apologize, as Graham urged him to do. He instead called it “regrettable that it happened this way.”

But Graham seems happy with this new statement. pic.twitter.com/x0XINXdcdD

— Aaron Blake (@AaronBlake) March 4, 2025

Zelensky also pledged to actually sign the deal the next time he gets an opportunity:

Regarding the agreement on minerals and security, Ukraine is ready to sign it in any time and in any convenient format. We see this agreement as a step toward greater security and solid security guarantees, and I truly hope it will work effectively.

Why now? Perhaps Zelensky took a look at how Trump sees security partnerships in the blockbuster deal with Taiwan over chip manufacturing and finally got some insight into Trump’s thinking. That deal makes clear that the US has solid interests in Taiwan that it will defend without escalating tensions with China through military escalation. Beijing understands what that deal means, but they also understand the subtlety of the approach. It allows Beijing to forego a response, especially an escalatory response, while getting the sotto voce message of “hands off.”

That’s exactly what the mineral-rights deal did for Ukraine as well. Vladimir Putin wouldn’t have to be told that the US and EU will defend their economic investment in Ukraine, and it wouldn’t rub his nose in it either. That approach at least allows for a diplomatic effort to end the war, and the deal itself would bring fresh revenues to Ukraine to rebuild its infrastructure and economy after three years of destruction. Section 5 of the agreement makes it very clear that mineral-rights revenues will be dedicated to those rebuilding efforts, not seized by the US for aid repayment:

The Fund’s investment process will be designed so as to invest in projects in Ukraine and attract investments to increase the development, processing and monetization of all public and private Ukrainian assets including, but not limited to, deposits of minerals, hydrocarbons, oil, natural gas, and other extractable materials, infrastructure, ports, and state-owned enterprises as may be further described in the Fund Agreement. The Government of the United States of America and the Government of Ukraine intend that the investment process will lead to opportunities for distribution of additional funds and greater reinvestment, to ensure the sufficient supply of capital for the reconstruction of Ukraine as set out in the Fund Agreement.

Zelensky rejected diplomacy as a solution during the Oval Office debacle, but what other alternative is there? Ukraine can’t eject Russia from the positions it seized in 2014; they have spent three years, countless lives, and almost unlimited aid and materiel to achieve a stalemate in place. Russia is in the same position, but with a larger economy and population that can sustain pressure indefinitely. Short of World War III, there’s no military solution for complete justice, and World War III would turn Ukraine into a wasteland for decades — and maybe longer, given the relatively ancient RBMK nuclear reactors at risk. 

This deal gives the best off-ramp available to military conflict. It might not work, but it’s worth at least trying. It certainly beats the stalemate at the moment and the world war that Zelensky wants by sending NATO troops into Russian lines. And now that Zelensky understands that the US will not participate in that fantasy, Zelensky can perhaps grasp an opportunity for a rational exit from war as an American partner rather than antagonist. 

Update: I guess it was enough. Assuming, of course, that someone doesn’t screw it up this time too:

U.S. President Donald Trump’s administration and Ukraine plan to sign the much-debated minerals deal following a disastrous Oval Office meeting Friday in which Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy was dismissed from the building, four people familiar with the situation said on Tuesday.

President Donald Trump has told his advisers that he wants to announce the agreement in his address to Congress Tuesday evening, three of the sources said, cautioning that the deal had yet to be signed and the situation could change.

Prediction: it gets announced tonight either way. 

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Konstantine Kisin, who has risen to worldwide prominence based on his extremely well-reasoned arguments and discussions and his wildly popular podcast with Francis Foster called “Triggernometry,” called out President Zelenskyy for his stupid behavior last Friday in the Oval Office. 

Kisin is a certified Ukraine supporter and an unabashed Putin hater, and he is not a huge fan (or outrageous critic) of Donald Trump. He is, in fact, one of the most reasonable and skeptical people you will find online. 

Kisin’s first reaction to the Trump/Zelenskyy dustup, based on the media spin and the clips, was in line with the Narrative™ being pushed. It sure looked like Trump and Vance were tag-teaming to sandbag Zelenskyy, and he bought the spin. 

But then he watched the whole press conference, and was shocked to see that Zelenskyy was the instigator and that he had made an enormous blunder. 

I encourage you to watch the video. I think he nails it on the head. 

The basics are simple: Zelenskyy (and by extension Europe) need Trump to help extricate them from this forever war. The war itself is unwinnable, American patience is wearing thin, and Trump expressed willingness to continue arming Ukraine if he signed the deal and got a cease-fire. 

It was the best deal Zelenskyy was going to get, and instead of taking it he lectured and antagonized his most important allies for not doing enough and helping him fight to the last Ukrainian. 

Kisin is also right that Zelenskyy is lucky enough to have one card to play: Trump wants to get a peace deal done, so he is willing to be more patient with Zelenskyy and give him a second chance. He has invited Zelenskyy to come back when he is ready to make peace, and in an unusual move Trump will swallow a bit of pride and excuse the insults if the Ukrainian President becomes more realistic. 

A deal to end the war between Ukraine and Russia “is still very, very far away,” Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said, adding that he expects to keep receiving American support despite his recent fraught relations with U.S. President Donald Trump. https://t.co/bm55xnWkg6

— Washington Times Local (@WashTimesLocal) March 3, 2025

Obviously Zelenskyy is not there yet, despite his European allies telling him behind the scenes that he needs Trump’s backing. They will try to fill the gap for him in the short term, but they simply don’t have the military heft of the United States. 

Some European leaders are breaking with the consensus and indicating that they are out if European countries go farther than financial support and weapons. 

BREAKING 🚨🚨🚨

Italy rejects sending Italian troops to Ukraine.

Italian Prime Minister Meloni tells France and UK they are on their own if they go into Ukraine. pic.twitter.com/WOounqwH32

— Wall Street Mav (@WallStreetMav) March 4, 2025

Whether he likes it or not, Zelenskyy needs Trump’s support, and Trump is willing to give it in exchange for concessions to end the war. Trump offered him a chance to save a lot of lives, and a chance to begin rebuilding his country. That is the best he can hope for. 

We live in the real world. Zelenskyy should come to visit once in a while. 

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You guys thought England and Germany were bad?

They are damn all birds of an authoritarian feather there in Europe, tell you what.

So it should be no surprise to find out that the umbrella organization binding them all (with the exception of a crestfallen Labour government in the UK) together is a firm believer in stomping on freedom to save democracy from itself, even if that means stomping on a member country and not just the citizens who live within those borders.

Hungary’s Viktor Orban has been a thorn in Disney witch Ursulsa Von der Leyen’s side for years.

Here he is in 2023, spiking her carefully orchestrated answer to the immigration catastrophe still plaguing Europe. No, he says – you’re not sending them here to keep western Europeans happy and we are not letting any across our borders.

Hungary is ‘closed.’

Viktor Orban is done with the EU migrant theater:

“Hungary is a sovereign country. We will not become a migrant ghetto and we will not give up our right to have our own foreign and economic policy.” pic.twitter.com/AnZXtbwLTU

— Citizen Free Press (@CitizenFreePres) October 3, 2023

So it was no surprise after the Oval Office explosion that, while other leaders sent identical Xweets of coo-cooing support to the little Ukrainian leader, Orban’s sentiments were nowhere to be found in the copy-and-paste listing.

Be brave, be safe, chants to Zelensky by EU leaders that can’t pay their own bills only further hurts the Ukrainian people after this massive diplomatic disaster by Zelensky. pic.twitter.com/BJNa5nof4F

— Christopher The Warrior (@TheChrisMoreno) February 28, 2025

Zelensky’s act had long ago grown old with the Hungarian Prime Minister…

Viktor Orban refuses to clap for Zelensky at EU group meeting pic.twitter.com/33gsDpJPp2

— End Wokeness (@EndWokeness) February 9, 2023

…after trying to persuade Zelensky that time was not on his side, searching for a peace agreement was the way to go.

‘I am ready to help you,’ Orban told him, ‘to somehow create a ceasefire. And then, later on, a bearable peace.’

Hungarian Leader Viktor Orban explains how he pleaded with Ukrainian Dictator Zelensky to seek Peace.

Zelenskys deluded response, says it all. pic.twitter.com/AdUFVkZEVI

— Chay Bowes (@BowesChay) November 9, 2024

‘Viktor,‘ Orban was told by Zelensky 

‘Time is on our side.’

Orban threw up his hands, relating the story.

But after Friday’s events, much like his EU counterparts, Orban also released his own statement of encouragement…to Donald Trump.

BREAKING: Hungary Prime Minister Viktor Orban releases a statement after President Trump’s meeting with Zelensky.

“Strong men make peace, weak men make war. Today President Trump stood bravely for peace. Even if it was difficult for many to digest. Thank you, Mr. President!” pic.twitter.com/WDM6JZl9rf

— Ian Jaeger (@IanJaeger29) February 28, 2025

And then he flew to the emergency meeting called to deal with the consequences of Zelensky’s meltdown,

They all got together quickly as bunnies, including Orban, in order to make a decision whether to support Sweater Boy’s endless war on their own and buck the Bad Orange Man as best they could by their lone selves. Unsurprisingly, the Brussels Brahmins were all shortly singing kumbayah together… 

The EU foreign policy chief has declared that “the free world needs a new leader”, as European leaders threw their support behind Ukraine’s president, Volodymyr Zelenskyy, after the stunning White House confrontation between him and Donald Trump.

Leaders from across Europe expressed their solidarity with the Ukrainian leader after the fractious exchange with JD Vance, the US vice-president, and Trump, who claimed he was not “ready for peace” and accused him of “gambling with world war three”.

Although in general the European leaders did not name the US president, their comments late on Friday laid bare the gaping rift between the US and its traditional allies in Europe over the war in Ukraine.

…“Today, it became clear that the free world needs a new leader. It’s up to us, Europeans, to take this challenge.”

Addressing Zelenskyy directly, Ursula von der Leyen, the president of the EU Commission, wrote: “Your dignity honors the bravery of the Ukrainian people. Be strong, be brave, be fearless. You are never alone.”

She added: “We will continue working with you for a just and lasting peace.”

…while Orban sang his own bass riff off to the side, jacking the whole chorus up.

Hungary blocked the EU draft document. It provided for security guarantees for Ukraine and a new military aid package, Politico reports.

At a meeting of EU ambassadors on Friday, Hungary blocked the draft text concerning Ukraine, which included wording on security guarantees that the European Union could provide to Kyiv, as well as a new military aid package.

This decision became part of a broader divide among EU countries regarding their approach to supporting Ukraine amid the war.

He did have a helpful assist from *checks notes* Slovakia. They are a firm ‘hell, no,‘ too.

REGARDING YESTERDAY’S TRUMP – ZELENSKY MEETING pic.twitter.com/T9C4aHdXDh

— Robert Fico 🇸🇰 (@RobertFicoSVK) March 1, 2025

Furious MEPs (Member of European Parliament) want to do what these authoritarians do best when foiled – lash out and sting. In this instance, that would mean they’d strip Hungary’s veto power for NOT ‘sharing’ European values.

How ’bout them apples?

Left-wing MEPs have called on Brussels to revoke Hungary’s veto power as its Prime Minister Viktor Orbán refused to join the bloc line on the Ukraine war during the ongoing special European Council Summit.

Leading the charge was German Green MEP Daniel Freund, a longtime Orbán critic, who has demanded the European Union invoke Article 7 to punish Hungary for its refusal to back a joint declaration on Ukraine.

…Article 7 allows Brussels to suspend a member state’s EU voting rights if it is deemed to be violating the bloc’s values.

Hungarian officials fired back on X, with Orbán’s spokesman Zoltan Kovacs slamming Freund as one of the “madmen of the continent” and tagging an account dedicated to exposing “retarded people” online.

…Another left-wing MEP, Daniel Boeselager, founder of the pan-European and EU-Federalist movement Volt, urged EU leaders to take action against Hungary.

“There is a democratic tool to remove Orban‘s voting rights. We need enhanced cooperation on defence,” he said on March 2.

“Wake up, European leaders. Time is running through your hands. Unite,” he added.

These comments followed Orban’s letter to European Council President Antonio Costa in which he told Costa that Hungary had strategic differences with the bloc over Ukraine.

“It has become evident that Hungary has strategic differences in our approaches to Ukraine that cannot be bridged by drafting or communication,” the Hungarian PM wrote on March 1.

Hissy fits are abounding in the fight to save democracy from itself.

Yeah. Sure Putin’s quaking at the testosterone oozing down the staircase. https://t.co/JQH7F4tTJK

— tree hugging s*ster 🎃 (@WelbornBeege) March 2, 2025

My money’s on Orban and his friends.

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I’ve written before about the divided nature of the Democratic Party and how that plays out after a losing election like 2024. Basically the two camps retreat to their corners. The far left argues the loss was because Democrats didn’t let their freak flag fly. If only they’d been more progressive, voters would have rallied. 

And usually along with this is a complaint about messaging. Progressives aren’t entirely dim so they’re vaguely aware that some of their left-wing extremism isn’t popular. But rather than blaming the ideology for that, they tend to blame it on the messaging. If only Democrats could better explain to normies why their far left positions made sense, they could win.

On the other hand you have the moderates who (correctly) assess that many voters were turned off by the far left wing of the party and either stayed home or jumped to the other team. They tend to see the “messaging problem” as more of a reality problem. It’s not just that the far left sounds out of touch with regular people, it’s that they are out of touch with regular people.

Last Friday the party put out this laundry list tweet which was supposed to be a kinda-sorta response to Elon Musk’s email asking “What did you do last week?” The point was to show that Democrats are resisting hard.

Here’s what Democrats did in February: pic.twitter.com/tHhyLTkOyN

— The Democrats (@TheDemocrats) February 28, 2025

This didn’t go over well. Maybe it’s because the wall of text is impossible to read and also disorganized and boring. They got lots of pushback, both from critics and people suggesting improvements.

They did the meme https://t.co/0kyF7YGsQ2 pic.twitter.com/3De5bRB9nV

— Patrick Ruffini (@PatrickRuffini) March 1, 2025

Bad messaging 101

Seriously, I’ve done comms work for 10+ years. This is hideous https://t.co/oQCVOO7DXK

— Ramón Garibaldo Valdéz (@GaribaldoValdez) March 1, 2025

It was bad enough that the comms person semi-apologized and admitted it had landed like a brick.

the “check out this giant laundry list” template always used to bang for us. it’s full of tiny text on purpose!! but the internet thinks we are morons this time. heard 🫡 we are jamming on other ways to share info on this hellsite that voters categorically do not spend time on https://t.co/u8i6mjyXlm

— shelby cole (@shelbylcole) March 1, 2025

She did point out that the party has used this same template before and didn’t get nearly the same pushback.

it’s fine, people care and want us to do a good job because this matters. we will keep trying. just sucks ass to log on to this website most days

— shelby cole (@shelbylcole) March 1, 2025

So who knows, maybe it’s because all of the progressive have fled to Bluesky. There’s just not a group of lefty influencers on X willing to pretend this is great anymore.

But again, the underlying problem isn’t that the messaging sucks. The underlying problem is that the message sucks. Recently a group of moderates convened by ThirdWay had a “Comeback Retreat” where they put together a 5-page document spelling out what Dems need to do to win a future election.

The group of moderate Democratic consultants, campaign staffers, elected officials and party leaders who gathered in Loudoun County, Virginia for a day-and-a-half retreat, where they plotted their party’s comeback, searched for why the party lost in November — and what to do about it. Much of what they focused their ire on centered on the kind of identity politics that they believed lost them races up and down the ballot. 

One of the key ways to win back the trust of the working class, some gathered there argued, was to “reduce far-left influence and infrastructure” on the party, according to the takeaways document. That included building a more moderate campaign infrastructure and talent pipeline, pushing “back against far-left staffers and groups that exert a disproportionate influence on policy and messaging,” and refusing to participate in “far-left candidate questionnaires” and “forums that create ideological purity tests.”

There are no big secrets in this document. Most of it could have been written by any conservative blogger or really anyone living outside the left-wing bubble of woke academia. Poor messaging does appear in this list of 10 items but mostly it’s a stand in for woke messaging.

1. Overemphasis on Identity Politics Many working-class voters feel Democrats prioritize niche identity-based groups with overbroad, unifying messages, making them feel excluded rather than included. 
2. The “Faculty Lounge” Problem Democrats are often viewed as judgmental, out-of-touch, and dismissive of those without elite education or progressive views. This makes the party seem disconnected from everyday people. 
3. Failure to Prioritize Economic Concerns While voters struggle with jobs, wages, and inflation, Democrats are seen as more focused on cultural and social issues than on economic progress and opportunity. 
4. Weak Messaging & Communication The party’s language is often vague, politically correct, or overly intellectual, making it hard for working class voters to connect with Democratic policies. 
5. Fear of Dissent Within the Party  Democrats are perceived as intolerant of internal debate, where questioning progressive orthodoxy results in backlash rather than open discussion. Candidates and operatives need to feel more comfortable just saying NO to activist groups and unpalatable far-left ideas. 
6. Attachment to Unpopular Institutions Democrats are seen as defending elite institutions (academia, media, government bureaucracy) while being critical of institutions working-class people value (churches, small businesses, police). 
7. Allowing the Far Left to Define the Party Activist groups and progressive staffers push unpopular cultural positions, making it seem like Democrats are more extreme than they actually are. Operatives and campaigns must remember that activist groups exist to promote their single issue and raise money around it, not to make Democrats electable. 
8. Reactionary Rather Than Proactive Democrats often let Republicans set the terms of cultural debates (e.g., crime, immigration) instead of clearly defining their own positions in a way that resonates with voters. 
9. Overreliance on Buzzwords & Political Correctness Terms like “pregnant people” and “Latinx” alienate working-class voters who see them as out of touch with real-world terms and vocabulary. 
10. Lack of a Positive National Identity Message Democrats focus too much on America’s flaws (racism, sexism, inequality) without acknowledging the country’s progress and potential, making them seem pessimistic and unpatriotic.

The next section also mentions their anti-capitalist bent:

Democrats are seen as hostile to success, indifferent to people’s desire to attain wealth, while reflexively attacking wealthy business leaders instead of promoting economic mobility and aspiration. 

To sum it up, Democrats are woke, judgmental, demi-Marxists identified with unpopular academia and the media, focused on narrow cultural issues which leads them to talk like out of touch, anti-American freaks.

Yeah, that’s about right.

The problem with this analysis isn’t that it’s wrong, but that it’s dead on. The woke, judgmental, demi-Marxists won’t stop being what they are anytime soon and they don’t even really want to hide it. Being on the “right side of history” is their whole identity. Denouncing strangers on the internet over trans rights and Black Lives Matter isn’t just a sideline, it’s who they are.

I don’t think there’s a happy ending for Democrats here, not in the near term. The woke won’t change and most of the populace isn’t on board with them (with the exception of a few urban districts, i.e. the Squad’s home turf). Hopefully the rest of us can keep it that way and Democrats will keep having this internal battle between the center-left and the woke extremists. So long as they are noisily fighting that out, they should never win another election. 

This post was originally published on this site

Better late than never — and not even really all that late. 

In the wake of a rare measles outbreak in the US that has already claimed one life, the Trump administration faces a potential messaging conflict at HHS. Newly installed Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr has advocated for vaccine skeptics for decades, although he began moderating some of those positions when he launched his brief presidential campaign last year. Kennedy promised to follow the science during his confirmation hearings last month, although it probably only had the effect of winning over just enough Republicans to win confirmation.

Now in his first test, Kennedy has fulfilled the promise. Late yesterday, Fox News published an op-ed from RFK that urges parents to grasp the benefits of the MMR vaccine, while also extolling other ways to improve the health of their children at the same time:

As healthcare providers, community leaders, and policymakers, we have a shared responsibility to protect public health. This includes ensuring that accurate information about vaccine safety and efficacy is disseminated. We must engage with communities to understand their concerns, provide culturally competent education, and make vaccines readily accessible for all those who want them. …

Tens of thousands died with, or of, measles annually in 19th Century America. By 1960 — before the vaccine’s introduction — improvements in sanitation and nutrition had eliminated 98% of measles deaths. Good nutrition remains a best defense against most chronic and infectious illnesses. Vitamins A, C, and D, and foods rich in vitamins B12, C, and E should be part of a balanced diet.

Healthcare professionals on the front lines of this outbreak are working tirelessly to treat affected individuals and prevent further transmission. Their dedication and resilience are commendable, and they deserve unwavering support. It is essential that we provide them with the resources and backing they need to continue their vital work.

Kennedy also has ordered the CDC to roll out vaccines and therapeutics in Texas:

In response to this outbreak, I have directed the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and the Administration for Strategic Preparedness and Response (ASPR) to work closely with the Texas health authorities to provide comprehensive support. HHS’ efforts include offering technical assistance, laboratory support, vaccines, and therapeutic medications as needed. The CDC is in continuous communication with Texas health officials, ensuring a coordinated and effective response to contain the outbreak. I have spoken with Gov. Greg Abbott and Texas health officials, committing to providing them any additional support they need to bring this outbreak to an end. I have also spoken to the bereaved parents of the deceased child to offer consolation.

It’s a good message, but one that seems just a little late out of the gate. The measles outbreak first gained attention several days ago, with some argument as to the identity of the catalyst. Administration critics pointed to Kennedy’s vaccine skepticism, but Kennedy hadn’t yet been confirmed when these outbreaks began. Administration defenders pointed out that massive illegal immigration likely brought the disease into places where illegal aliens have congregated, although no firm data on that has emerged yet either. 

The message itself is still welcome, even if a little on the passive-voice side. Kennedy promised to promote effective vaccinations during his confirmation hearing, and this certainly fulfills that promise. Kennedy testified that his own children were fully vaccinated and he never opposed core vaccinations:

I am pro-safety. I worked for years to raise awareness about the mercury and toxic chemicals in fish and nobody called me anti-fish. I believe that vaccines play a critical role in healthcare. All of my kids are vaccinated. I’ve written many books on vaccines. My first book in 2014, the first line of it is “I am not anti-vaccine” and the last line is “I am not anti-vaccine” nor am I the enemy of food producers. 

He later testified directly about the measles vaccine in a testy exchange with Ron Wyden:

Senator, I support the measles vaccine, I support the polio vaccine. I will do nothing as HHS secretary that makes it difficult or discourages people from taking either of those vaccines.

So again, this essay and these orders seem to show Kennedy acting in a consistent manner on core vaccinations. That is encouraging to those who had worried that Kennedy would take the CDC and HHS more generally in a vaccine-skeptical direction. 

One has to wonder whether this public endorsement took his own spokesperson by surprise. Thomas Corry abruptly quit his post, a move announced hours after Kennedy’s essay got published:

“I want to announce to my friends and colleagues that last Friday I announced my resignation effective immediately,” he wrote. “To my colleagues at HHS, I wish you the best and great success.”

He did not give a reason for stepping down, and did not immediately respond to questions about his departure.

The resignation represents a potential early setback for HHS Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr., who has been the nation’s top health official for less than a month and is still building out his senior team.

Corry’s departure comes fewer than two weeks after being sworn in as HHS’ assistant secretary for public affairs, making him the top spokesperson for Kennedy. At the time, he wrote that he was “thankful that I’ll be part of the team that is going to work to make America healthy again, and on making healthcare more affordable and accessible.”

Corry claimed he resigned on Friday. Was it in connection with this essay, or were there other issues in play? It seems pretty early for this kind of resignation, and so far Kennedy’s reaction to the measles outbreaks is the first significant action of his tenure at HHS.