Peter Daou Profile picture
Nov 3, 2021 8 tweets 4 min read Read on X
Why Democrats Lose (THREAD)

As a former Dem insider, hear me out:

After 20 years of waking up to yet another miserable Dem defeat, I realized this is the DESIRED outcome. By watering down real progress, Biden, Pelosi, etc. actively preserve the system and keep the GOP strong.
Why Democrats Lose (cont.)

For too long, I subscribed to the common myth that Democrats lose because they "bring a knife to a gunfight," i.e. that they are well-meaning but ineffectual in the face of the fascist GOP.

But the facts say otherwise...
Why Democrats Lose (cont.)

Just look at the ludicrous Build Bigger Billionaires "negotiations." Despite Dem control of two branches, the bill keeps shrinking and shrinking. From $10T to $1.75T.

"It's Manchin!" they yell. "It's Sinema!" "It's the Parliamentarian!"

Please.
Why Democrats Lose (cont.)

Sorry for not buying the Manchin excuse. These choices are FROM THE TOP:

NO filibuster reform
NO medicare for all
NO court expansion
NO closing child cages
NO real climate action
NO paid family leave
NO minimum wage hike
NO student debt relief...
Why Democrats Lose (cont.)

When I say Dem leaders desire this pathetic outcome, I mean they purposely avoid REAL progress, anything truly transformative, thus appearing useless and uninspiring. And of course Republicans fill that vacuum. Biden and Pelosi are masters at the game.
Why Democrats Lose (cont.)

I quit the Democratic Party once I fully accepted the brutal truth that they are not weak, they are ruthless.

Ruthless in crushing any challenge from the left.

Their "weakness" is an act to keep the system humming along for the ruling class.
And this is the reward for keeping the oligarchs happy:

Does this sound like someone who is willing to kill the filibuster to make MEANINGFUL progress?

Do you see what I mean about Dem leaders getting the result they want, i.e. no systemic change?

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More from @peterdaou

Dec 3, 2023
🧵IMAGINE: Destroying Chicago in "self-defense"

Chicago and #Gaza have roughly similar population sizes. Let's substitute 'Chicago' for 'Gaza' to describe the scale of events:

Imagine in 1948, Chicago's residents are forced from their homes and subjected to brutal occupation...
Image
🧵Substitute the word "Chicago" for "Gaza"

Between 2008 and 2022, more than 6,000 Chicagoans are killed, mostly women and children, compared to around 300 occupiers. The occupiers also imprison thousands of Chicagoans (including kids) often without legal recourse. Image
🧵Substitute the word "Chicago" for "Gaza"

In retaliation, a Chicago militia storms the occupiers in October of 2023, killing and kidnapping hundreds of civilians. The occupiers decide the appropriate response is to level virtually the entire city of Chicago. Image
Read 7 tweets
Dec 1, 2023
The fact that #Israel feels so free to annihilate the Palestinian people while the world watches should terrify all of us.
To every Zionist troll spewing propaganda at me:

I grew up in Beirut during war. With a Lebanese Christian father and a Jewish American mother. I see how #Palestinians have been dehumanized. Which is why I vigorously stand up for them in the face of this Israeli massacre.
And to anyone asking in good faith:

Yes, I absolutely oppose and condemn ALL attacks on civilians, no matter which side does it.
Read 4 tweets
Oct 5, 2023
🇺🇸 BALLOT ACCESS

The fight for ballot access IS the battle for democracy. The ruling parties actively restrict ballot access, in violation of the Constitution.

#CornelWest2024 was already planning to gain ballot access in 30+ states where the Green Party is NOT on the ballot.
🇺🇸 BALLOT ACCESS

Now that @CornelWest is running as an Independent, we will also work to get on the ballot in the fewer than 20 states where the Green Party is on the ballot line. It is a central focus of our campaign, to give voters a better option than the duopoly.
🇺🇸 BALLOT ACCESS

Every state has different rules, but the idea is the same: Gather and submit (in 2024) a certain number of valid signatures = get on the ballot.

It is designed by the ruling parties to be onerous. The idea is to block any opposition, which is anti-democratic.
Read 4 tweets
Sep 8, 2023
🧵THREAD: Is Biden an improvement on Trump?

I am vehemently opposed to Donald Trump, a bigot, sexist, and criminal. That said, I want to challenge the liberal assumption that Biden is vastly superior. In fact, there are metrics by which Biden is objectively worse than Trump.
COVID CATASTROPHE

Biden has presided over far more Covid deaths than Trump. He declared 'independence' from the pandemic a few months after taking office and never looked back, methodically dismantling the Covid safety net. By his own Covid standards, he shouldn't be president.

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ABUSE OF MIGRANTS

Biden has been downright Trumpian on immigration. Obama and Biden built the child cages that Trump used. As POTUS, Biden continued Trump and Miller's heinous policies, and even exceed their cruelty, particularly against Haitian migrants.

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Read 7 tweets
Jun 17, 2023
Looking objectively at the Dem field, @RobertKennedyJr is a MUCH better general election candidate than Biden.

#RFKJr has high net favorables, independent and cross-party appeal, and would trounce any Republican.

The establishment claim that Biden is more electable is absurd.
Now let's follow up with some facts from today's NYT:

"Polling conducted in May found that only 22 percent of Latino voters and 33 percent of Black voters were aware of 'any specific thing' Mr. Biden had done in office to improve their lives."

nytimes.com/2023/06/19/us/…
To all the outraged Biden defenders who slammed me for making a straightforward observation about electability:

Irrespective of your views about Robert Kennedy Jr., Biden is about as weak an incumbent as one could imagine:
Read 5 tweets
Jun 1, 2023
RELEASED FROM WILLIAMSON NDA -

@marwilliamson's campaign has agreed to let me speak freely about recent media stories mischaracterizing the campaign's inner workings.

Outlets including Politico and The Daily Beast have published anonymous quotes that are categorically false.
For example, this article falsely suggests that at least 10 staffers left the campaign because of Marianne's personality.

In fact, when I joined as campaign manager, I restructured the team, equalized pay across the board, and began plans to unionize.

It was only fair to donors to run a tight budget, so I made that clear immediately.

A number of staffers who were being compensated at much higher rates than the rest of the team decided (or were asked) to leave.

So the notion of a tumultuous staff exodus is false.
Read 15 tweets

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