"No" is a Good Negotiating Position

We don't need to tell Republicans how to wipe their asses

Author

mister mix
January 29, 2026

Josh Marshall makes a really good point:

I’m cautiously optimistic about the range of demands Democrats are currently making to get their votes. But I’m not even sure specific demands are even the right approach (though perhaps they are). I saw Bill Kristol saying earlier this week that Democrats were struggling to coalesce around a specific list of proposals or demands. That’s not what’s important, he said. What’s important is simply to say, No! I’d expand on that by saying that I’m not sure it’s a good idea to get forced into being the side that comes up with a proposal. If I were up there I’d say, we won’t stand for any of this. We don’t want a masked secret police preying on American communities. You want our votes. You solve it. You tell us how you’re going to clean up your mess and the chaos and bloodshed you’ve caused. The public really, really doesn’t like this. Republican politicians are looking for ways to get out from under it. I don’t think Democrats need to do Republicans’ work for them. It’s a moment when the job of the opposition is simply to say, No!

This is simply not in the DNA of Democrats, and I’m saying that as an observation rather than a criticism. The dynamic of the MAGA-fied Republican Party is that all they want to do is shit talk on right wing media outlets and break stuff. They have no interest in legislating, in any legislation (even if it benefits their constituents) or even in showing up. So the Democrats, who want to do things, are constantly offering proposals — essentially, we’re begging Republicans to do their jobs.

The Republicans aren’t stupid. They realize that they need to do something. So what they do is vote against the big omnibus bills that Democrats muscle through Congress, and then they take credit for the benefits that flow from those bills. It’s fucking maddening to see some shit talking MAGA chud brag about a highway project, water/sewer plant or some other public work in their district or state after they’ve voted against it.

Republicans also know that Democrats are really good at negotiating against themselves, especially if shitty DC media and corrupt consultants keep telling them that “real Americans” won’t tolerate what the left of the party wants.

So, with the strongest negotiating position that they’ve had in years, Senate Democrats are slowly watering down their position on ICE. I haven’t been closely tracking Schumer’s position, but I believe it now amounts to masks off, nameplates on, and maybe only arrest people with warrants. It sure isn’t “abolish ICE” and it sure isn’t “don’t vote for ICE funding”.

The Democrats have been able to separate the DHS funding bill from the rest of the “must pass” legislation. The next move should be to simply sit on the bill until Republicans figure out how they’re going to curb the goons who are killing innocents on our city streets.

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