The path forward / Reader comments.

October 7, 2023

          Today’s edition of the newsletter is intended to open the Comments section for the weekend. As always, there is a LOT to discuss!

Suggested topics:

1. The terrific jobs report released on Friday. See CNN, Jobs report shock: American economy added a stunning 336,000 jobs in September.

2. The op-ed by Hakeem Jeffries in the Washington Post, Opinion  Hakeem Jeffries: A bipartisan coalition is the way forward for the House. (Accessible to all.) Per Jeffries:

The need to change course is urgent. Congress is in the midst of a Republican civil war that undermines our ability to make life more affordable for American taxpayers, to keep communities safe and to strengthen democracy. . . . Traditional Republicans need to break with the MAGA extremism that has poisoned the House of Representatives since the violent insurrection on Jan. 6, 2021 . . . .

House Democrats remain committed to a bipartisan path forward, as we have repeatedly demonstrated throughout this Congress by providing a majority of the votes to prevent a government shutdown this month and avoid a catastrophic default on America’s debt in June.

At this point, we simply need Republican partners willing to break with MAGA extremism, reform the highly partisan House rules that were adopted at the beginning of this Congress and join us in finding common ground for the people.

3. Trump's endorsement of Jim Jordan to be the next Speaker of the House.

Concluding Thoughts.

          It is a time of uncertainty and opportunity. Despite the efforts by most Republicans to end democracy to maintain power, the way forward involves working with those House Republicans willing to govern in a coalition to protect and promote the interests of the American people. There is no other path forward (in the short term), and enough Republicans will come to that conclusion sooner or later. We need only to stay the course long enough for that inevitability to unfold. It will. Have faith.

Talk to you on Monday!