Thread by @RachelBitecofer

1. Don't fall into a trap w the new Court & its supporting cast on these religious liberty cases about COVID regulations. So long as there are casinos open in Vegas or liquor stores/bars open, you're walking into political minefield that is easily exploitable. Should churches be

2. holding large gatherings? No! WILL they hold gatherings if they're allowed to, even though that's a bad idea on Earth 1? Yes, they will. They will hold events, then be surprised that someone managed to bring the virus to it. That one person will infect 10 others. Maybe more.

3. Maybe one of them will degrade. One might even get hospitalized. It'll a big surprise to the family, but it'll be just another story- hardly remarkable out here in Earth 2- where real news and info exists. But the fact is that you can't have schools and churches closed, but

4. casinos open. Liquor stores open. Or you're setting your party's candidates up to get hammered. Dem's need to start thinking collectively about their branding and messaging & work collectively to maximizing their electoral viability. Each elected Gov or member of Congress also

5. impacts the party's prospects overall. That's why so-called "Establishment" Ds shouldn't engage in public commentary critical about the progressive faction, or vice versa. That shit should get handled person to person, & not where the GOP can exploit it for political advantage

6. As as person that does a fair amount of ints on this topic, its possible to answer questions in such a way as to avoid controversy and to make it clear you're not going to play ball. Again, this is simply about maximizing the probability of winning- of maxing seat share. So,

7. yes, it involves strategic communications- often not personally satisfying. The GOP is going to be keen to exploit the progressive/moderate divide & try to make 2022 as much about intraparty conflict as possible. I am sure of this, this is why I am so bearish that McConnell

8. will accept Biden's olive branch which is DEF the vastly better outcome- something that would be immensely good for a country spinning off its institutional guardrails. But as I just pointed out above, McConnell has incentives to block Biden's agenda so that progressives

9. are angry at the lack of progress. That is, to me, the most likely McConnell/GOP plan. Block Biden, anger progressives, provoke as much intraparty conflict as possible to pull down turnout and try to replicate the turnout collapses of 2010 and 2014. If they can get Democrats

10. to beat themselves- they can win. Divided, Democrats are weak & they got a major assist when the tone out of the election immediately naturally tweaked that way. I think this is a major area of weakness that I am certainly hoping to mitigate.