Activists have already circled a number of Senate Democrats who have failed to meet their standards, including vulnerable and increasingly rare red-state Democrats. Photograph: Lucas Jackson/Reuters
On the evening Donald Trump announced his supreme court nominee, thousands of protesters gathered outside of Senate minority leader Chuck Schumers Brooklyn apartment. They chanted Just vote no and Obstruct while carrying signs Get a spine, Chuck and a prop skeleton to illustrate their point.
The protesters are part of a sudden swell of liberal activism that has drawn millions to city streets and airport concourses across the US, in a startling show of resistance to Trumps presidency. Emboldened by this groundswell, some progressives have started using the word primary as a verb and as a threat.
For Democrats in Washington, many of whom are still surprised by the scale and furiousness of backlash, the challenge is how to convert this energy into electoral success.
Schumer has significantly slowed the pace of Trumps cabinet confirmations and excoriated many of the presidents nominees. But the activists outside Schumers home on that January night were unimpressed by his votes in favor of Trumps nominees to represent the US in the UN and to lead the Pentagon, CIA and Department of Homeland Security.
Our message to Democrats is simple: fight Trump or well find someone who will, said Waleed Shahid, a co-founder of the progressive group All of Us and a former organizer with the Bernie Sanders campaign. This week, the group launched the political action committee We Will Replace You, the latest in a series of projects to warn Democrats that failures to oppose Trumps agenda will have consequences.
Our message to Democrats is simple: fight Trump or well find someone who will
The group argues that Democrats need to exercise the little political power they still have. The activists have a long list of demands: votes against all Trump appointees, opposing his supreme court nominee, using congressional procedures to bring all business to a crawl to block Trumps agenda and demand Steve Bannon be fired. Elected officials, they say, should publicly support impeachment if Trump is found to have broken the law or violated the constitution.
The activists have already circled a number of Senate Democrats who have failed to meet their standards, including vulnerable and increasingly rare red-state Democrats, such as Joe Manchin of West Virginia and Heidi Heitkamp of North Dakota. Both Democrats are up for re-election in 2018.
The Democratic party establishment wants the support of the Tea Party of the left but they dont want to earn it, Shahid said, alluding to the 2010 movement that mobilized rightwing activists, confronted moderate Republicans and helped the party take control of the House in a wave.
They say they love the grassroots activism, but they dont want to take the next step and challenge the Democratic leadership.
Their demands put leaders such as Schumer in a bind. With his party shut out of power in Washington, public shows of support are arguablyits most powerful weapon, but he must also worry about the lawmakers in his caucus facing elections in states where Trump won.
Democrats must defend 23 Senate seats in the 2018 election cycle, 10 from states that Trump won in November. Already, outside groups have targeted these vulnerable red-state Democrats to try to soften their opposition to Trumps nominees for the cabinet and supreme court.
Activists threatening to primary Democrats live in a bubble. They have no idea how to win places that arent sky blue
The activists threatening to primary [support a primary challenge to] Democratic candidates live in a bubble, said Jim Kessler, a former Schumer aide and co-founder of a centrist thinktank, Third Way. They have no idea how to win in places that arent sky blue already.
Kessler believes the path back to power will require the Big Tent party to grow geographically, and not just move sharply to the left with its demands. In his view, red-state Democrats are an endangered species worth protecting not threatening.
The activists campaign says its goal is not necessarily to primary the candidates and that the threat becomes a tool that successfully pushes Democrats to fight Trump harder.
Blanket obstructionism has proven to be a tall order even for progressive politicians from safely Democratic states. Senator Elizabeth Warren, a progressive favorite from Massachusetts, has already been forced to defend her vote for Ben Carson for secretary of housing and urban development.
A number of activists who support using this tactic agreed that the real test will be the supreme court battle. Senate Democrats have the ability to filibuster Trumps nominee, Neil Gorsuch, meaning that Republicans need to earn support from at least eight Democrats to confirm Gorsuch unless the controlling party changes the rules.
This nominee cannot be allowed to ever take the oath of office. It just cannot be allowed to happen, said Anthony Rogers-Wright, a Seattle-based climate and environmental activist who was a surrogate for the Sanders campaign.
If any Democrat does not take part in a mass filibuster theyre disqualified.
Already, a handful of senators have flatly refused to support Gorsuch, arguing that Republicans stole the seat from Barack Obama when they refused, for a record 293 days, to hold a hearing for his nominee, Merrick Garland. But more have said Gorsuch deserves a fair hearing, and that they will wait to hear more about his views and background before making a decision.
Read the original:
Liberal voters warn Democratic officials: resist Trump or be replaced - The Guardian
- Paul Krugman - The Conscience of a Liberal [Last Updated On: December 11th, 2016] [Originally Added On: December 11th, 2016]
- Liberal Democrat Voice [Last Updated On: December 11th, 2016] [Originally Added On: December 11th, 2016]
- Urban Dictionary : liberal [Last Updated On: December 12th, 2016] [Originally Added On: December 12th, 2016]
- READ MORE : Liberal groups want delay of Sessions' hearing [Last Updated On: January 5th, 2017] [Originally Added On: January 5th, 2017]
- What Is a Liberal - What Is Liberal Bias [Last Updated On: January 9th, 2017] [Originally Added On: January 9th, 2017]
- Liberal Party of Australia - Wikipedia [Last Updated On: February 1st, 2017] [Originally Added On: February 1st, 2017]
- Conservatives reject liberal humor in Trump era: Dave Berg - USA TODAY [Last Updated On: February 7th, 2017] [Originally Added On: February 7th, 2017]
- Liberal Judicial Activism Borders On Insurrection - Daily Caller [Last Updated On: February 7th, 2017] [Originally Added On: February 7th, 2017]
- Liberal Fake News Reportedly Growing - Yahoo News [Last Updated On: February 7th, 2017] [Originally Added On: February 7th, 2017]
- House Science Chairman Sees Liberal Cover-Up on Warming Pause - Scientific American [Last Updated On: February 7th, 2017] [Originally Added On: February 7th, 2017]
- Furious Liberal MPs turn on 'rat' Cory Bernardi - The Australian Financial Review [Last Updated On: February 7th, 2017] [Originally Added On: February 7th, 2017]
- 'Rallying point': Abbott to headline conservative Liberal fundraiser in Melbourne - The Age [Last Updated On: February 7th, 2017] [Originally Added On: February 7th, 2017]
- I'm A Liberal, And I Want Milo Yiannopoulos On My Campus - Huffington Post [Last Updated On: February 7th, 2017] [Originally Added On: February 7th, 2017]
- Cory Bernardi says he resents being used in Liberal party 'proxy war' - The Guardian [Last Updated On: February 7th, 2017] [Originally Added On: February 7th, 2017]
- HuffPo's New Editor In Chief Is Already Undoing Arianna's Liberal Legacy - Daily Caller [Last Updated On: February 7th, 2017] [Originally Added On: February 7th, 2017]
- Why Are Liberals Surprised by the Senate Confirmation of DeVos? - National Review [Last Updated On: February 7th, 2017] [Originally Added On: February 7th, 2017]
- Liberal Hashtag #NotMySuperBowlChamps Protests Patriots' Support of Trump - Fox News Insider [Last Updated On: February 7th, 2017] [Originally Added On: February 7th, 2017]
- All liberals are hypocrites. I know because I am one - Quartz [Last Updated On: February 7th, 2017] [Originally Added On: February 7th, 2017]
- '9th Circus'? Scholars Say Court's Liberal Rep Is Overblown - ABC News [Last Updated On: February 7th, 2017] [Originally Added On: February 7th, 2017]
- Economic freedom - Wikipedia [Last Updated On: February 8th, 2017] [Originally Added On: February 8th, 2017]
- Liberal land - Richfield Reaper [Last Updated On: February 9th, 2017] [Originally Added On: February 9th, 2017]
- Liberal groups file lawsuit to block Trump's deregulation order - Washington Examiner [Last Updated On: February 9th, 2017] [Originally Added On: February 9th, 2017]
- Strategies for Saving the Liberal Arts - Inside Higher Ed (blog) [Last Updated On: February 9th, 2017] [Originally Added On: February 9th, 2017]
- This day in Liberal Judicial ActivismFebruary 9 - National Review [Last Updated On: February 9th, 2017] [Originally Added On: February 9th, 2017]
- The Marco Rubio knockdown of Elizabeth Warren no liberal media outlet will cover - Conservative Review [Last Updated On: February 9th, 2017] [Originally Added On: February 9th, 2017]
- Wisconsin Gov. Scott Walker proposes surprisingly liberal budget - Chicago Tribune [Last Updated On: February 9th, 2017] [Originally Added On: February 9th, 2017]
- Why the liberal world order is worth saving - Irish Times [Last Updated On: February 9th, 2017] [Originally Added On: February 9th, 2017]
- Tim Scott reads racist tweets by 'liberal left' over support for Jeff Sessions - Washington Times [Last Updated On: February 9th, 2017] [Originally Added On: February 9th, 2017]
- Five tips on having a safe conversation with your liberal spouse or conservative brother - Fox News [Last Updated On: February 10th, 2017] [Originally Added On: February 10th, 2017]
- Why Liberal Policies Are Terrible For Young People - Power Line (blog) [Last Updated On: February 10th, 2017] [Originally Added On: February 10th, 2017]
- Trevor Bauer goes on long rant defending tweet about liberal bias - Yahoo Sports [Last Updated On: February 10th, 2017] [Originally Added On: February 10th, 2017]
- Liberal Tolerance: Sen. Tim Scott Reads His Hate Mail On Senate Floor For Supporting Sessions As AG - Townhall [Last Updated On: February 10th, 2017] [Originally Added On: February 10th, 2017]
- Claws Out For Ivanka Trump Show Liberal Love For Women Is A Sham - The Federalist [Last Updated On: February 10th, 2017] [Originally Added On: February 10th, 2017]
- Trump Takes a Running Whack at the Liberal Interventionists - The Nation. [Last Updated On: February 10th, 2017] [Originally Added On: February 10th, 2017]
- Networks Swoon Over GOP 'Feeling the Wrath' of Liberal Town Hall Protesters - NewsBusters (blog) [Last Updated On: February 11th, 2017] [Originally Added On: February 11th, 2017]
- Liberals, don't fall into the right's 'identity politics' trap - The Guardian [Last Updated On: February 11th, 2017] [Originally Added On: February 11th, 2017]
- Liberal pledge: Revamp for 69 outdated schools in $560 million spend - Perth Now [Last Updated On: February 11th, 2017] [Originally Added On: February 11th, 2017]
- Indians swept by Liberal in WAC action - Hays Daily News [Last Updated On: February 11th, 2017] [Originally Added On: February 11th, 2017]
- Trump's attacks on the press and how the liberal media myth has empowered him - Salon [Last Updated On: February 11th, 2017] [Originally Added On: February 11th, 2017]
- The Paranoid Style of Anti-Trump Politics - National Review [Last Updated On: February 12th, 2017] [Originally Added On: February 12th, 2017]
- What the Liberal-One Nation preference deal could mean at the ballot box - ABC Online [Last Updated On: February 12th, 2017] [Originally Added On: February 12th, 2017]
- Finley: Left bites Ivanka's liberal hand - The Detroit News [Last Updated On: February 12th, 2017] [Originally Added On: February 12th, 2017]
- A new, liberal tea party is forming. Can it last without turning against Democrats? - Washington Post [Last Updated On: February 12th, 2017] [Originally Added On: February 12th, 2017]
- Since When Is Being a Woman a Liberal Cause? - The New York ... - New York Times [Last Updated On: February 12th, 2017] [Originally Added On: February 12th, 2017]
- This liberal Brooklynite is on the hunt for conservative friends - New York Post [Last Updated On: February 12th, 2017] [Originally Added On: February 12th, 2017]
- Small-l liberal voters have been abandoned in the race to the right - The Sydney Morning Herald [Last Updated On: February 12th, 2017] [Originally Added On: February 12th, 2017]
- Rich, Liberal Celebrities Lecture and Claim to Stand for 'We the People' at the 2017 Grammys - NewsBusters (blog) [Last Updated On: February 13th, 2017] [Originally Added On: February 13th, 2017]
- WA One Nation candidates refuse to preference Liberals - ABC Online [Last Updated On: February 13th, 2017] [Originally Added On: February 13th, 2017]
- India's liberal bubble has shrunk to irrelevance in the age of Narendra Modi - Quartz [Last Updated On: February 13th, 2017] [Originally Added On: February 13th, 2017]
- Liberal superhero Justin Trudeau is not immune to the forces of Trump - CNN [Last Updated On: February 13th, 2017] [Originally Added On: February 13th, 2017]
- A new satire must emerge one that breaks out of the liberal bubble - The Guardian [Last Updated On: February 13th, 2017] [Originally Added On: February 13th, 2017]
- A liberal Tea Party, the pope helps spring a terrorist and other notable commentary - New York Post [Last Updated On: February 13th, 2017] [Originally Added On: February 13th, 2017]
- At Ole Miss, a Liberal Agitator's Education - New York Times [Last Updated On: February 13th, 2017] [Originally Added On: February 13th, 2017]
- Liberal Frenzy: 'Impeach' Trump; 'Traitor! Resign by Morning' - CNSNews.com [Last Updated On: February 14th, 2017] [Originally Added On: February 14th, 2017]
- Chelsea Clinton future run for political shunned by liberal activists ... - Washington Times [Last Updated On: February 14th, 2017] [Originally Added On: February 14th, 2017]
- One Nation could gain more than the Liberals from Western Australia seats deal - The Guardian [Last Updated On: February 14th, 2017] [Originally Added On: February 14th, 2017]
- Conservatives: Walker's budget plan is anything but 'liberal' - Watchdog.org [Last Updated On: February 15th, 2017] [Originally Added On: February 15th, 2017]
- Trump Says Liberal Media 'Going Crazy With Blind Hatred' - Daily Caller [Last Updated On: February 15th, 2017] [Originally Added On: February 15th, 2017]
- I'm a bleeding-heart liberal cleric but the Church of England must not accept gay marriage - Telegraph.co.uk [Last Updated On: February 15th, 2017] [Originally Added On: February 15th, 2017]
- What's a Liberal to Do When His Spouse Is a Trump Zealot? - New York Times [Last Updated On: February 15th, 2017] [Originally Added On: February 15th, 2017]
- Liberal Activists Join Forces Against a Common Foe: Trump - New York Times [Last Updated On: February 15th, 2017] [Originally Added On: February 15th, 2017]
- John Howard backs Liberal preference deal with One Nation in WA - The Guardian [Last Updated On: February 16th, 2017] [Originally Added On: February 16th, 2017]
- Liberal ex-MP who called party a 'gay club' likely to be kicked out - The Australian Financial Review [Last Updated On: February 16th, 2017] [Originally Added On: February 16th, 2017]
- New Liberal PAC Targets Democrats for Primaries - NBCNews.com [Last Updated On: February 16th, 2017] [Originally Added On: February 16th, 2017]
- 'Liberals will continue to lose': Bill Maher defends Milo Yiannopoulos booking after panelist boycotts - Washington Post [Last Updated On: February 16th, 2017] [Originally Added On: February 16th, 2017]
- Whatever happened to liberal Democrats, anyway? - Chicago Tribune - Chicago Tribune [Last Updated On: February 16th, 2017] [Originally Added On: February 16th, 2017]
- Sportswriting Has Become a Liberal Profession Here's How It Happened - The Ringer (blog) [Last Updated On: February 16th, 2017] [Originally Added On: February 16th, 2017]
- If the Church of England continues to smother liberal Anglicans, it is heading for a split - Telegraph.co.uk [Last Updated On: February 16th, 2017] [Originally Added On: February 16th, 2017]
- Major liberal group opposes Gorsuch confirmation - USA TODAY [Last Updated On: February 16th, 2017] [Originally Added On: February 16th, 2017]
- The True Origins of the Phrase 'Bleeding-Heart Liberal' - Atlas Obscura [Last Updated On: February 17th, 2017] [Originally Added On: February 17th, 2017]
- Liberals, Tories spar over Islamophobia motion in full-day debate - The Globe and Mail [Last Updated On: February 17th, 2017] [Originally Added On: February 17th, 2017]
- Where Have All the Liberal Democrats Gone? - Townhall [Last Updated On: February 17th, 2017] [Originally Added On: February 17th, 2017]
- Vicious attacks on Ivanka Trump exposes liberal hypocrisy - The Hill (blog) [Last Updated On: February 17th, 2017] [Originally Added On: February 17th, 2017]
- Can Emmanuel Macron win? Why France is ripe for a liberal resurgence - New Statesman [Last Updated On: February 17th, 2017] [Originally Added On: February 17th, 2017]
- Victorian Liberals: factional fight exposes deep divisions - The Age [Last Updated On: February 17th, 2017] [Originally Added On: February 17th, 2017]
- 10 Unfortunate Liberal Myths Conservatives Often Believe - Observer [Last Updated On: February 17th, 2017] [Originally Added On: February 17th, 2017]
- Terri Lovell: Liberal oppression - Santa Clarita Valley Signal [Last Updated On: February 17th, 2017] [Originally Added On: February 17th, 2017]
- Where's the liberal outrage over civil liberties in the Flynn case? - Minneapolis Star Tribune [Last Updated On: February 18th, 2017] [Originally Added On: February 18th, 2017]
- Liberal, conservative Jews in US increasingly divided over Trump - Chicago Tribune [Last Updated On: February 18th, 2017] [Originally Added On: February 18th, 2017]
- Anti-Islamophobia debate might define both Liberals and Conservatives - CBC.ca [Last Updated On: February 18th, 2017] [Originally Added On: February 18th, 2017]