Agree wholeheartedly. A big fear is that the Dems if/when they take over next January will not show the will to really make the changes necessary to restore our democracy.
They are showing themselves to be a party that will do on Thursday what they said they would do on Monday, no matter what happens on Tuesday and Wednesday ...
Schumer has already stated he would support Israel under any circumstances. What does that tell us? His allegiance is with Israel, another country, and not the U.S. If it came to a choice he would choose Israel. He will no doubt vote for Section 210 (formerly Section 224) of the 2027 Defense Funding bill that will allow Israel to be included in all confidential communications with our intelligence agencies. It would allow a foreign sovereignty to take part in our military and security operations. We may as well become the United States of Israel.
This is really frightening to me - really. What is it that we "owe" Israel? This is eye opening to me because I thought our "allegiance" to Israel was a trump thing. So what am I missing here? Why does Israel have this hold on us???? Thank you for the info - I need to absorb this and try to learn more, I guess.
I don't get it either. I hope someone on here explains it. The number of Congresspeople who takes money from AIPAC is staggering. I counted something like 17 who don't.
Between 2024 and 2026, estimates suggest that roughly 340 of the 400 members of Congress have accepted money from AIPAC or other pro‑Israel political action committees. They receive more money from us than we spend on us. I did a lot of research on this and posted it here: https://tonilawrence.substack.com/p/the-quiet-threat-to-american-sovereignty
We should NOT be including Israel in ANY communications with our intelligence agencies. It's past time that the U.S. back away from participating in any way with a foreign government that continues to commit war crimes - and no more money - we need it here. Let the ICC come for Bibi. He's earned it.
Exactly right! They have been subsidized by us long enough. If Trump really wanted to be an isolationist he would be taking care of our citizens before taking care of others.
There is an excellent article in a recent edition of the New Yorker(May 25) about Jeffries that I highly recommend.
He comes across as intelligent and personable, but the amount of backroom triangulation and backscratching that he is apparently very good at is frankly appalling.
Schumer is as deep or deeper in that swamp.
Mamdani neatly bypassed that tangled mess with these winning candidates.
As I have said numerous times, Democratic voters need to clean out the corporate Democrats from our party. We need younger more progressive representatives like Mandami and AOC.
The Democratic establishment is panicking because we are on to them. Schumer is done. Hakeem is next. They will not go down without a fight. In fact, they would prefer a Republican over a progressive Democrat every time. Because they want to maintain the status quo and the progressives are upsetting their apple cart of greed and corporate donors. Hell, they sided with disgraced sex pest Andrew Cuomo over Mamdani. We see you establishment democrats. We see you.
How amazing, politicians who listen to the average people instead of wrinkled old out-of-touch fossils are winning. You don't need to be a genius to figure out why, so why aren't the Democrats taking the gigantic hint? We need.more young blood like Mamdami, AOC and other more progressive candidates if we want to start winning again.
BTW, I'm not a youngster, I'm in my 80s and have followed politics since I was a kid forced to by parents and school and watched both parties go downhill under their present leaderships.
I too am a senior Diane, and have been pushing for younger, more progressive representatives for 2 decades. We seniors can see the problem with our aging representatives and how they need to retire and let the younger generation take over.
Establishment Dems are owned, and feed on the POWER and the money - to the detriment of their constituents.
I am 72 and was also forced by my parents/grandparents to pay attention and be active. I've been hooked on politics since I was six - after dinner the night before the election, my parents made the three oldest don our winter gear and run up to every door in our neighborhood (southwest Philly) and yell "VOTE FOR KENNEDY!"
In NY, it is the best of times and the worst of times, in terms of leadership. The right has absolutely nothing of value to offer, and the establishment Dems are trying to close the gap!
Putting people first...in policy and in fact, is a winning combination.
Superbly stated! Knew this piece would be a complete breakdown of the reality of the Dems and our current state. You did not disappoint!!! I continue to be dumbfounded by this lack of support by Dems for widely accepted, innovative and forward thinking people like Mamdani and Platner.
As the voters, we can see that they are what we need - what we are desperate for. People across the country are engaged in following and supporting these people. They are exactly what we need! Cannot say enough good about Mamdani and how I see him as the hope for our country - he and his thinking are our path forward. The powers that be have to get on board with "we the people". So what's it going to take???
I think there also needs to be a nod to Indivisible (Ezra Levin and Leah Greenberg) who have week after week in their Thursday afternoon zoom/podcast meetings emphasized the importance of primarying Dem incumbents who represent corporate interests instead of them. They strongly encourage people to get out and vote in the primaries and I'm sure many of the NYC voters are among the Indivisibles. Looking forward to today's "What's the Plan?"!
This general lack of gumption from Dems has been an ongoing source of frustration for me for fifty years. For most of that time staying connected with my congresscritters has done little. I hope it changes, but Chuck needs to do the honorable thing and retire.
Same here. The way they steamrolled Bernie, and are still ignoring AOC, & the rest, kicked David Hogg out of the Dem Convention, vote FOR trumps nominees (wtf!), etc. Did they learn NOTHING from watching the republicans completely freeze Obama’s agenda in his second term? I want to scream! Mamdani, and all the democratic socialists are a breath of fresh air, and can hardly be considered radical! They should be considered as MODERATES! They’re fighting for the most basic rights a human should have!!🤬🤬🤬
All these Boomers in DC seem to think that kids only care about scrolling on their phones all day. Millennials and Gen Z are out there fighting the establishment like their lives depend on it...just like the Boomers did the Vietnam War.
Chuck Schumer probably thinks he deserves to be Minority Leader because he brings in so much Donor money. If ole Chuckie stepped down, it would be a fundraising bonanza for the Dems! This Nov election is going to be another cycle of "throw the bums out".
Earl, as ALWAYS, you speak with absolute truth and clarity. Democrats need to follow the innovative policies of younger politicians like Mamdani, yes, modifying things for their geographic areas, but following his progressive path. We need change!
I use to bristle when people would say “both sides of the aisle” but I’m there now. The establishment Dems are wildly out of touch-James Carville, I’m looking at you, too. I like Mamdani. It’s about time someone started looking out for the middle class and he’s doing it!
I believe the Democrats who survived the 2024 ass kicking responded by electing the same old, worthless people who led them to the slaughter. Great move. Pure definition of insanity. And they continue to follow the apparent strategy of collecting from Billionaires who provide funds to both sides because because IT FRICKING WORKS. I call them, “corporate democrats.” As long as they collect massive donations, get re-elected, make millions from stock trades(yeah, you PELOSI) why should they give a rat’s ass about anything? As long as they keep getting re-elected why should they care? They are not part of the problem, THEY ARE THE PROBLEM. No wonder Mandami scares them. He actually brings truth that scares the hell out of the rich. You can always “tell” how close a politician gets to truth. They are called, Socialists, Communists and all manner of vile names. Solution? Smarter people than me can answer. After all, aren’t we really looking for someone who actually cares?
Great post, Earl. One thing you might have given more emphasis to, since it is, I believe, at the heart of Mamdani’s success is the degree to which the Democratic party establishment is just as rife as the Republicans with PAC influence and entrenched “leaders” more concerned with their own political power than with actually making laws and pushing agendas to help their constituents. They are not, by any means, as bad as the R party, but the egregious abdication of responsible leadership in the R party makes the weak, self-serving, obsolete leadership in the D party more offensive. If they had a spine and really cared about making life better for all Americans, they would reject the billionaire donor agenda and the money of PACS like AIPAC, which at this point is now a slush fund for genocide, and they would embrace the people-first policies of people like Mamdani, who understand why and how people in this country are suffering and actually want to offer changes to address those very real problems. Schumer should be shown the door, and his enabling, hand-wringing cronies with him, to make way for progressive, aggressive, dynamic leaders who can turn this ship around before it’s too late.
Agree wholeheartedly. A big fear is that the Dems if/when they take over next January will not show the will to really make the changes necessary to restore our democracy.
They are showing themselves to be a party that will do on Thursday what they said they would do on Monday, no matter what happens on Tuesday and Wednesday ...
Schumer has already stated he would support Israel under any circumstances. What does that tell us? His allegiance is with Israel, another country, and not the U.S. If it came to a choice he would choose Israel. He will no doubt vote for Section 210 (formerly Section 224) of the 2027 Defense Funding bill that will allow Israel to be included in all confidential communications with our intelligence agencies. It would allow a foreign sovereignty to take part in our military and security operations. We may as well become the United States of Israel.
This is really frightening to me - really. What is it that we "owe" Israel? This is eye opening to me because I thought our "allegiance" to Israel was a trump thing. So what am I missing here? Why does Israel have this hold on us???? Thank you for the info - I need to absorb this and try to learn more, I guess.
I don't get it either. I hope someone on here explains it. The number of Congresspeople who takes money from AIPAC is staggering. I counted something like 17 who don't.
Between 2024 and 2026, estimates suggest that roughly 340 of the 400 members of Congress have accepted money from AIPAC or other pro‑Israel political action committees. They receive more money from us than we spend on us. I did a lot of research on this and posted it here: https://tonilawrence.substack.com/p/the-quiet-threat-to-american-sovereignty
Yes, you certainly have done a lot of research! You are so smart! And so good to share the info with us!!! Thank you so much ....
Hi Barbara, More info in a reply to me posted by Don't Stop Me Now. Amazing but so wrong!!!!
Note: the Section has been changed to #219 from Section #224. I typed it wrong. Sorry.
No problem. Thanks for the update!
We should NOT be including Israel in ANY communications with our intelligence agencies. It's past time that the U.S. back away from participating in any way with a foreign government that continues to commit war crimes - and no more money - we need it here. Let the ICC come for Bibi. He's earned it.
Exactly right! They have been subsidized by us long enough. If Trump really wanted to be an isolationist he would be taking care of our citizens before taking care of others.
There is an excellent article in a recent edition of the New Yorker(May 25) about Jeffries that I highly recommend.
He comes across as intelligent and personable, but the amount of backroom triangulation and backscratching that he is apparently very good at is frankly appalling.
Schumer is as deep or deeper in that swamp.
Mamdani neatly bypassed that tangled mess with these winning candidates.
It’s high time we put people before politics.
Amen.
As I have said numerous times, Democratic voters need to clean out the corporate Democrats from our party. We need younger more progressive representatives like Mandami and AOC.
We need people who will listen to, and stand up for us, not the status quo and these billionaires who are stepping on us.
That's exactly why Mamdani has drawn so much support - he's doing it!
Good column. Has anyone else noticed that Mamdani happens to be hotter than a pepper sprout? RRRrrrufff!
Ummmm ...
Sorry for the autocorrect, it should read ; even without glasses, and....
I'm 83 and can see that w I thought glassesand even better he will actually work for the people and smart enough to back like-minded people.
The Democratic establishment is panicking because we are on to them. Schumer is done. Hakeem is next. They will not go down without a fight. In fact, they would prefer a Republican over a progressive Democrat every time. Because they want to maintain the status quo and the progressives are upsetting their apple cart of greed and corporate donors. Hell, they sided with disgraced sex pest Andrew Cuomo over Mamdani. We see you establishment democrats. We see you.
We sure do.
And look, if you are an establishment Dem it's not too late to remove head from your -- corporate donor.
Better do it quick, though!
How amazing, politicians who listen to the average people instead of wrinkled old out-of-touch fossils are winning. You don't need to be a genius to figure out why, so why aren't the Democrats taking the gigantic hint? We need.more young blood like Mamdami, AOC and other more progressive candidates if we want to start winning again.
BTW, I'm not a youngster, I'm in my 80s and have followed politics since I was a kid forced to by parents and school and watched both parties go downhill under their present leaderships.
Haughtiness and M-O-N-E-Y.
The people are FINALLY waking up, and electing people who have their interests in mind, Diane.
I too am a senior Diane, and have been pushing for younger, more progressive representatives for 2 decades. We seniors can see the problem with our aging representatives and how they need to retire and let the younger generation take over.
Establishment Dems are owned, and feed on the POWER and the money - to the detriment of their constituents.
I am 72 and was also forced by my parents/grandparents to pay attention and be active. I've been hooked on politics since I was six - after dinner the night before the election, my parents made the three oldest don our winter gear and run up to every door in our neighborhood (southwest Philly) and yell "VOTE FOR KENNEDY!"
In NY, it is the best of times and the worst of times, in terms of leadership. The right has absolutely nothing of value to offer, and the establishment Dems are trying to close the gap!
Putting people first...in policy and in fact, is a winning combination.
It isn't hard and is EXACTLY what they should be doing.
Agree completely!
Superbly stated! Knew this piece would be a complete breakdown of the reality of the Dems and our current state. You did not disappoint!!! I continue to be dumbfounded by this lack of support by Dems for widely accepted, innovative and forward thinking people like Mamdani and Platner.
As the voters, we can see that they are what we need - what we are desperate for. People across the country are engaged in following and supporting these people. They are exactly what we need! Cannot say enough good about Mamdani and how I see him as the hope for our country - he and his thinking are our path forward. The powers that be have to get on board with "we the people". So what's it going to take???
We've been getting our clocks cleaned for going on 20 years and the very same people who allowed it to happen are still making it all tick.
I think there also needs to be a nod to Indivisible (Ezra Levin and Leah Greenberg) who have week after week in their Thursday afternoon zoom/podcast meetings emphasized the importance of primarying Dem incumbents who represent corporate interests instead of them. They strongly encourage people to get out and vote in the primaries and I'm sure many of the NYC voters are among the Indivisibles. Looking forward to today's "What's the Plan?"!
The sooner we realize we (not the billionaires) have the power the better, Judy.
This general lack of gumption from Dems has been an ongoing source of frustration for me for fifty years. For most of that time staying connected with my congresscritters has done little. I hope it changes, but Chuck needs to do the honorable thing and retire.
Right.
Now.
Same here. The way they steamrolled Bernie, and are still ignoring AOC, & the rest, kicked David Hogg out of the Dem Convention, vote FOR trumps nominees (wtf!), etc. Did they learn NOTHING from watching the republicans completely freeze Obama’s agenda in his second term? I want to scream! Mamdani, and all the democratic socialists are a breath of fresh air, and can hardly be considered radical! They should be considered as MODERATES! They’re fighting for the most basic rights a human should have!!🤬🤬🤬
All these Boomers in DC seem to think that kids only care about scrolling on their phones all day. Millennials and Gen Z are out there fighting the establishment like their lives depend on it...just like the Boomers did the Vietnam War.
Chuck Schumer probably thinks he deserves to be Minority Leader because he brings in so much Donor money. If ole Chuckie stepped down, it would be a fundraising bonanza for the Dems! This Nov election is going to be another cycle of "throw the bums out".
Correct.
His arrogance is appalling.
Earl, as ALWAYS, you speak with absolute truth and clarity. Democrats need to follow the innovative policies of younger politicians like Mamdani, yes, modifying things for their geographic areas, but following his progressive path. We need change!
"Modifying things for their geographic areas." Such a key point, Diane.
It ain't rocket science.
I use to bristle when people would say “both sides of the aisle” but I’m there now. The establishment Dems are wildly out of touch-James Carville, I’m looking at you, too. I like Mamdani. It’s about time someone started looking out for the middle class and he’s doing it!
Carville is a ridiculous person, he really is.
I believe the Democrats who survived the 2024 ass kicking responded by electing the same old, worthless people who led them to the slaughter. Great move. Pure definition of insanity. And they continue to follow the apparent strategy of collecting from Billionaires who provide funds to both sides because because IT FRICKING WORKS. I call them, “corporate democrats.” As long as they collect massive donations, get re-elected, make millions from stock trades(yeah, you PELOSI) why should they give a rat’s ass about anything? As long as they keep getting re-elected why should they care? They are not part of the problem, THEY ARE THE PROBLEM. No wonder Mandami scares them. He actually brings truth that scares the hell out of the rich. You can always “tell” how close a politician gets to truth. They are called, Socialists, Communists and all manner of vile names. Solution? Smarter people than me can answer. After all, aren’t we really looking for someone who actually cares?
Well said, man.
Great post, Earl. One thing you might have given more emphasis to, since it is, I believe, at the heart of Mamdani’s success is the degree to which the Democratic party establishment is just as rife as the Republicans with PAC influence and entrenched “leaders” more concerned with their own political power than with actually making laws and pushing agendas to help their constituents. They are not, by any means, as bad as the R party, but the egregious abdication of responsible leadership in the R party makes the weak, self-serving, obsolete leadership in the D party more offensive. If they had a spine and really cared about making life better for all Americans, they would reject the billionaire donor agenda and the money of PACS like AIPAC, which at this point is now a slush fund for genocide, and they would embrace the people-first policies of people like Mamdani, who understand why and how people in this country are suffering and actually want to offer changes to address those very real problems. Schumer should be shown the door, and his enabling, hand-wringing cronies with him, to make way for progressive, aggressive, dynamic leaders who can turn this ship around before it’s too late.
I appreciate the kind words, but that is pretty much exactly what I wrote, man.
I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to steal your thunder.
No, no.
No worries whatsoever, man.
I do like the "slush fund for genocide" comment.