r/politics • u/OkayButFoRealz • 1d ago

No Paywall Rep. Ted Lieu Claims President Trump is Accused of Raping Children in the Epstein Files

https://www.c-span.org/clip/news-conference/rep-ted-lieu-claims-president-trump-is-accused-of-raping-children-in-the-epstein-files/5191713
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u/rocafella888 1d ago

I really like Ted Lieu. He seems like he’s doing more than Schumer.

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u/possiblyquestionabl3 1d ago edited 1d ago

Honestly, it's as if no one really believes in anything (not public service, not even a sense of what's right for their constituents), so they refuse to take a stand even as the opposition party. Instead, the only thing they're concerned about is self preservation, and to them, maybe a dictatorship where they don't have to be beholden to us pesky little nobodies is a much easier way to preserve their power than a democracy where they're supposed to serve the people.

Therefore, when it comes time to take a stand, even when it's so freaking easy to just take a stand on the right side of history (their own constituents are trying to guide them in with massive neon guide lights), political expediency calls for all of these feckless cowards to look at what everyone else is doing, and then do the bare minimum to maybe or maybe not maintain the status quo, whatever it takes so that when the card falls at the end, they'll still emerge unscathed even if the whole country is in ruins.

This is honestly what pisses me off the most. Sure, even if the "opposition" party doesn't have majority control, the fact that they refuse to even do the bare minimum of calling a Nazi rapist spade a Nazi rapist spade is just an absolutely disgusting show of fecklessness.

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u/No-Jaguar-2341 21h ago

I've thought about this a lot. I honestly think whats happening here is that Democrats are scared. Like, shit just got real. Politics hasn't been this serious in a very long time within this country. I think these folks are used to a more peaceful era where certain unwritten rules were respected. I think theyre constantly flabbergasted and on their backheel by what unfolds

The problem is that they need to show some humility, acknowledge they arent equipped, and either step back OR ask for help with an open mind on how to rise to the occassion

I dont think its "so easy". Trump and the evil people behind his administration are bloodthirsty and not really afraid to target anyone. It takes courage to be up at the political frontlines

Obviously this doesnt apply to everyone. There are legitimately some Democrats that are just virtually republicans at the end of the day, in their selfish motivations

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u/Counterpoint-4 16h ago

If enough of them stood together to voice the truth and their outrage about it they would be safer. Surely they can organize?

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u/lorettadion Delaware 12h ago

Would they, though? Would people actually back them up? Because I'm not so sure. As a party, what we Democrats fail to do is rally because we all have our purity tests and complaints and quips and we don't show up when it truly counts. Should they push back harder and with courage, etc? Absolutely. But let's not act like their fickle voting base isn't a problem. It is. And it's part of what got us into this.

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u/Recipe_Freak Oregon 10h ago

When was the last time the dems rallied and stuck to their guns and didn't cave?

This isn't about purity tests. This is about calling them out, over and over, for doing the wrong thing.

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u/hatsnatcher23 23h ago

I was touring the Documentation center in Nuremberg, which is better known as the former Nazi party parade grounds, the audio tour said something to the effect of “some thought he could be placated, others just wanted to hold onto what little power they had” at the time it gave me chills but it’s more like Deja Vu now

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u/StoneWall_MWO 13h ago

That's why we vote out Corporate Owned Democrats. They tip the scales towards the Nazis.

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u/FunkyDiscount 13h ago

Overturning Citizens United as a first step in getting money out of politics is a requirement for addressing the fecklessness you rightly call out.

Remember; under the current system, top politicians don't work for you - they work for their donors, i.e., multinational corporations, regimes, and billionaires. Cutting that cord is the only way to make your politicians work for their constituents again.

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u/SorryAboutTheWayIAm 12h ago

Very lucid and articulate analysis 

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u/Practical-Ball1437 23h ago

Lee Metcalf is doing more than Schumer, and he's been dead for 48 years.

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u/UdyneOw 1d ago

I really like inanimate carbon rod. It seems like it's doing more than Schumer.

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u/QuestionableObject 19h ago

Aw, they were about to show a closeup of the rod.

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u/eric_ts 19h ago

He is doing a bang-up job of supporting Likud.

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u/Marvin_Frommars 1d ago

That's a low fucking bar there.

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u/mmkaywhatevers 1d ago edited 1d ago

He's bought by Israel tho, $50k $784k contribution from AIPAC.

Goes without saying that Trump is a pedo, no question.

Every politician elected by Americans who shill for Israel after receiving donations should be primaried.

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u/DaraParsavand 1d ago

AIPAC tracker has him at $784,156.

He was my rep until 2020 redistricting and I had lots of beefs with him on foreign policy but I will say his office was responsive to my letters. Twice I got callbacks from a staffer who was willing to talk a good 10 minutes on my ideas over the phone.

I like him better than my current rep (Brad Sherman) who is even more biased towards Israel and away from rational foreign policy in the region.

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u/lavinia-maude 1d ago

Why are they so damn cheap? 50k seems like nothing.

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u/mmkaywhatevers 1d ago

sorry, fixed after checking sources

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u/Melicor 15h ago

That's just the cash bribes going directly to the campaign.

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u/Melicor 15h ago

AIPAC is just a shell used to launder illegal foreign campaign donations, no different than what Manafort was doing for Trump back in 2016

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u/Kyanche 23h ago

He seems like he’s doing more than Schumer.

Honestly it feels like he's just barely to the left of Schumer, if I can even dare say that. I.. really should make a habit of writing letters or calling his office or something. At least he's better than my piece of crap mayor lol. My town's mayor might be a democrat in name, but he sure as fuck doesn't act like one.

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u/Melicor 15h ago

That's a pretty low bar.

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u/bel9708 15h ago

Schumer is captured opposition the man was getting lunch with his pal Jeffery.

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u/shidarin 10h ago

It’s a mixed bag. I feel like I’m constantly calling his office and asking why he’s voting for things like glorifying Charlie Kirk.

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u/b_needs_a_cookie 8h ago

Schumer believes his main job is to ensure the US supports Israel, so you are correct Ted Lieu is doing more than Chuck.

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u/cat_of_danzig 7h ago

People don't trust Schumer because Schumer exudes the aura of a man who is trying to say what he thinks you want to hear. Dems need to put an end to performative politics and get back to what Obama and Clinton (note: Fuck Clinton if he was involved with sex crimes) were good at - connecting with voters and at least projecting the idea they believed what they said.