Time for Democrats’ Political ‘YOYO’ Strategy: ASAP

By Colleen O’Connor

Most recognize those shorthand text and radio signals.

“BOLO” is the police code for “Be On the Lookout” for villains escaping on roads, in the air, and everywhere.

“YOLO” the younger set’s call to quit work as in “You Only Live Once” so ditch that dead end job and go places.

I don’t know if this shorthand code already exists, or not, but it is time for the Democrats to embrace it ASAP: “You’re On Your Own.”

The Texas Democrats who left their state, arrived in D.C., where some contracted COVID enroute to making their desperate plea to get a federal floor on a simple American right to vote without regard to race, color, creed, gender, or party affiliation and neighborhood.

Their individual sacrifices have been met with cheers by some, and threats to arrest should they ever return to Texas soil are no small matter.

And today (Wednesday), the clamor should be loud and clear that the Democrats have no bi-partisan partners in the Senate.  No friends of Mitch McConnell to work with to make democracy safe.  And surely, no history of any such feature in the future.

This history of just say “NO” and delay, delay, and delay was writ large during the Obama Presidency.  Then made a feature, not a bug, in the Trump years.

Waiting for Senator Collins or Manchin is a waste of time and plays into more gridlock and less democracy, fairness, and help for anyone except the mega-wealthy.

Time for Majority leader Schumer to call the vote…. that is all it is … a vote to proceed on the misnamed “bi-partisan” infrastructure bill.

And the Republicans say, “NO.”  And more “NO” to the Voting Rights Act, the Reconciliation budget bill, raising the debt ceiling; seriously investigating the assault on the Capitol with their nominees to that Special Committee to investigate September 11th.

This is a well-designed domino move.  Prevent any action on any bill and block everything cued up to follow.

Schumer must call the Senate vote on the misnamed “bi-partisan infrastructure bill” today and then move to stop the inane, outdated, now seriously silly need to protect the filibuster. Instead, expose the “Just Say NO” tactics for what they are.

Then move to get the bigger reconciliation bill passed (doable); do carve-outs to the filibuster to allow votes on Federal minimum standards (doable); which undercuts the anti-democratic laws being passed in most of the old Confederate states) and finally, give up the happy talk and confront all the many ills facing the country.

Texas Democrats get it.  They know “YOYO” is the new reality.

You see that reality with face mask mandates and schools.  Leave it up to each district, or each school, or anyone other than the elected politicians.

Fix your own streets, clean your own sewers, clear you own fire breaks, protect your own families and friends with whatever is at hand.  Just don’t count on government or your elected officials to help.

“YOYO” to Schumer and the Democrats; ASAP.  And leave the McConnell Republicans behind.