I listen to HCR almost daily, but she respectfully misses the mark on this topic. Sorry.

"Elections for Senate Majority Leader and Speaker don't happen until January," but the fight begins now. It's an absurd comment to make and is like saying, "Elections for midterms aren't until November, so why start campaigning 3 months out!?"

If those positions are representative of ideological-center and carrying the broader Congressional Chamber, then leaving these conservative-right Leadership roles in place is a flagrant dismissal of The People's desire to shift the Overton Window back left at least a little bit. Both House and Senate just shifted back left, and leadership should proportionally shift leftward in kind.

Literally: Without the Speaker's approval, bills cannot be brought to the floor without a vote -- **IF Jeffries is a Sinema-like plant, then what does that spell for the Agenda, especially when he has already backpedaled on interest in Medicare For All?

These are DEMOCRATIC Leaders and in ostensibly SAFE BLUE SEATS. They should be significantly more left than this, and while they're procedural positions they absolutely do hold powerful voices in terms of determining the vision and agend afor Democrats.

If Jeffries wants to be the House Whip, that's another story. Let him. If Schumer wants to be in an advisory role as a US Senator and cede ground, then let him.

But they must go in terms of leadership positions.

"Nothing gets done if you lose the caucus." — Newsflash: Nothing is going to get done anyway, because you (HCR, etc.) still pretend that Republicans are acting in good albeit ideologically-opposed faith. They are not. They will play scorched earth forever. Trump will veto anything and everything and blame Democrats. Have we STILL not learned this lesson, dating all the way back to Obama? For fuck sake.

Look,

• The first biggest impediment to progress was Republican Congress — Done.
• The next biggest impediment where we have agency to change: DINO Democrats in Congress — In Progress.
• The next biggest impediment to progress is Trump's Veto Power.

If Congressional Democrats push Medicare For All up against Trump (which has supermajority support by the electorate0 and force him to veto it, then that sets Democrats up so well for 2028.

• Move Democratic Leadership Left a bit.
• Distance from AIPAC and Private Equity lobbyists.
• Set the chess pieces for 2028.

It's a no-brainer. 2028 Democratic Primaries began the moment Midterm polls closed, and I'm all for this purification process and holding our own accountable as to the direction this country MUST go.

I have ZERO interest in compromising with fascist Republicans. Zero. Neither should you. Press the attack. Don't start coddling conservatives... Again.

The efforts to divide are coming from the inside now. There's a realignment that may be happening and it will squeeze out the old guard. Yes they need to work together - but under what banner? There's not much point to having democrats in power if they keep doing the same thing as the republicans. You can tell the conservative Democrats to not divide and support the progressives, just as you can want it to go the other way. There are some fairly distinct policy directions to choose here, not much middle ground.