A Facebook friend just dunked on Schumer. This was my response.

[Miles Archer]

His post was basically "Schumer's got to go" because Trump is still standing. And he is a DEMOCRAT whose political posts are 100% anti-Trump.

This was my response. You can decide if I'm a genius or clueless or somewhere in between.

"We're in uncharted waters, and Schumer is an old school politician. Here's a metaphor for you. Imagine an auto mechanic, maybe a guy who is now in his 70s. All his life, he's worked on Chevys, Fords, basically Detroit cars driven by average working Americans. One day, someone drives in a foreign car that he's never seen before. He has neither the knowledge nor the tools to repair it because he's never seen one before. George W Bush was an idiot. His father, and Ronald Reagan, and Richard Nixon were basically old-school Republicans, as messed up as they each were. But dealing with them, as frustrating as it may have been, was a straight line between two points that may have had a few twists along the way. TRUMP is a MADMAN. He's a con man, a serial liar, a rapist, a felon, a racist, an adulterer, a bully, a misogynist. Who can we name right now who'd do a better job than Schumer whrn it comes to Trump? And I'm not defending him or saying he did a great, or even acceptable job. Sure, we can boot Schumer, and who are we going to put in his place? We have a number of very smart, savvy orators in the Democratic party who can tell you exactly who and what Trump is, but if you put them nose-to-nose against Trump and a Republican Congress, how are they going to accomplish what Schumer has not?"

[SuzyandPuffpuff]

1. Good

Succinct and quite frankly ... can't argue with your FACTS . Each of us is in unchartered waters. Schumer's not great but like Yu said he's been around and sort of knows the lay of the land. I wouldn't want to b in any of their shoes and give them Cudos for trying to negotiate a madman.

[TBF]

2. I think my reply would be different

They are just parroting the mainstream media, which we all know is now owned by billionaires. Why accept that framing?
I would say -

Really? Because I don't think Schumer is the problem. Democrats have very little power right now, and that includes Schumer. We have a Republican Congress, Republican supporting Supreme Court, and a Republican in the Presidency. Republicans have strong leverage as the majority party - why are you blaming the minority party? Put the blame where it belongs - on the party in charge.

[Miles Archer]

5. It's a sliding scale, a matter of degrees

The average DUer is at the top of the scale, or near it, because they spend more time than the average citizen educating themselves and connecting the dots.

The 90,000,000 who stayed home and didn't vote in 2024 are at the bottom of the scale, because they don't care, they don't know, and the don't want to know.

There are a LOT OF PEOPLE in the middle of those extremes. My friend is one of them. And I think it's human nature for people to look at the "opposition party" when we have a flame-thrower like Trump in office and say "WHY DON'T YOU DO SOMETHING," but in reality we have:

1) The 25th Amendment, which is absolutely not going to happen with Trump's cabinet

2). Impeachment. LET'S SAY DEMS do NOT pick up enough seats to IMPEACH, CONVICT, and REMOVE Trump. Here's a BIG MAYBE...MAYBE if Republicans made it through the midterms and kept their jobs, they'd figure they were immune to lame duck Trump, and would side with Dems on impeachment. That's such a big maybe that maybe it's not even worth mentioning. But right now, as it stands, introducing article of impeachment would only result in Trump taking another victory lap when it falls apart.

And if you read what I wrote to my friend, I also believe Schumer is not the problem.

Yes...maybe he watches too much MS Now (MSNBC) and has heard too many swipes at Schumer. However he got into that frame of mind, my goal was to say yeah...you can replace him, and maybe we'll get a few feet closer to purging the nation of Trump, and maybe we won't.

I think it all depends on the Midterms. Trump knows that too. That's why he's trying to screw with them.

[Rebl2]

4. I know who

I would replace him with. Senator Whitehouse or if AOC ever becomes a senator, maybe her.

[yellow dahlia]

7. Senator Whitehouse is sharp. He is a good messenger. But.

Does he want to herd cats? IS he a strategic negotiator? I dunno. Does he even want to job.

The job requires strategic and creative interaction. I have thought Chris van Hollen has that adaptability. He thinks outside the box, but is measured and effective. He is a great communicator.

Schumer is not good at communicating in these unprecedented times.

AOC is a firebrand. That is her lane. She is whip smart and a great communicator. That does not mean she has the ability to herd cats. That does not mean she is a strategic negotiator. She has a lane. She should stay where she is effective.

[Rebl2]

8. I agree

Van Hollen is a great at communicating and AOC is as well. You are probably right about Whitehouse, not wanting the job. I like AOC, but I think there are some democrats who think she is far too liberal. I don’t agree, but maybe she could get more done as a house member or senator. I just thought of the two of them because they are good at communicating, unlike Schumer.

[yellow dahlia]

10. Agreed.

[cachukis]

6. Leaders are developed by chance outcomes.

Schumer fights the good fight using congressional tools. He knows them.
No tools exist to fight gish gallop.
Movements evolve from people's response to the elements.
This is not a movie. We are not a mob.
You cannot solve a democracy problem with an autocratic solution.
Our opponents are formidable because they do not follow a rule book. If we throw out the rule book we are no better than they.
This conflict will not solve until enough people see how they lose under autocracy.
Our leaders will generally speak to this awakening.

The next generations live In a world foreign to us older folks. Immediacy matters more than patience. We are in a societal transformation where havoc is the day to day. People are genuinely seeking normalcy. What will be that new normalcy is on the horizon how far away, I will not guess.

[yellow dahlia]

9. We are indeed in uncharted waters. IMHO, Schumer is not the best captain for this ship, in these seas.

Right now there needs to be someone in charge who can meet the moment. Schumer is stuck in scripted platitudes. He doesn't have the creativity of thought to message on the mess that happened on Friday.

There needs to be some clear messaging on the sequence of events that led to Congress going home on holiday without funding TSA and almost all of the rest of DHS. The Senate did what needed doing. And then Little Mikey Johnson took the podium and lied and blamed the Dems. The Senate passed what was needed with unanimous consent. It requires a good explainer - something more than just an "old school" politician, IMHO.

I have often mentioned Chris van Hollen as demonstrating the qualities I believe could meet the moment. But it is not up to us - the Senate elects its leader. I hope there can be some movement within the Senate that better prepares us for the next couple of years. We are trying to save Democracy - there is no place for egos.

I know this is a frequent topic of debate on DU. I hope I haven't stepped on any toes by sharing my observations. I'm sure there are some in D.C. engaging in the same debate.