DL Open Thread: Tuesday, Sept. 2, 2025

Why Democrats Suck–Infinity Squared.  While Democrats remain largely mute about the ongoing Fascist takeover of America, this terrifies them:

Zohran Mamdani’s front-running campaign to lead the nation’s largest city is stoking fear among moderate Democrats that his far-left politics will cost them at the ballot box.

They worry a Mamdani mayoralty will deepen an existential crisis for a party desperate to win back power in Congress — simultaneously handing Republicans a cudgel to paint their moderate opponents as socialists and encouraging hard-left copy cat candidates to primary Democratic incumbents, potentially pushing the party further to the left.

Republicans are giving the 33-year-old democratic socialist a starring role in digital ads and fundraising appeals — affixing him to moderate Democrats who represent swing seats in the New York City suburbs and nationwide.

A video this month by the House GOP’s campaign arm warned that Democrats “want to turn America into a socialist, crime-filled dystopia” and features a clip of Mamdani discussing the “abolition of private property.” (As opposed to those hard-hitting Democratic videos revealing the Fascist takeover of America–oh, wait, there AREN’T any.)

“I’ve never seen Republicans more giddy about the idea of a socialist mayor of New York City,” said former Nassau County executive Laura Curran, a Democrat. “They’re more excited about this than Mamdani’s followers or supporters.” (Demostrably not true, but this is really about blinkered centrists trying to maintain control of the Party.)

The fact that ‘Democrats’ aren’t shouting from the rooftops that we are facing Fascism demonstrates that the Party, um, sucks.  Instead, we get, ‘Oh, no, they’re gonna say bad things about us.’  

One Less ‘Suck’er:

Representative Jerrold Nadler, a New York Democrat who has been one of Congress’s leading liberal voices for three decades, will not seek re-election next year, heeding a call for generational change roiling his party.

In a recent interview in his downtown Manhattan office, Mr. Nadler, 78, said he hesitated to step aside when he believes that President Trump is threatening the foundations of democracy. But he said he had been persuaded it was time for a changing of the guard.

“Watching the Biden thing really said something about the necessity for generational change in the party, and I think I want to respect that,” Mr. Nadler said, adding that a younger successor “can maybe do better, can maybe help us more.”

In fairness, Nadler had an estimable record, but was not up to the task of challenging Trump’s unchecked lawlessness:

Mr. Nadler, who is both the longest-serving New Yorker and Jewish member of the House, had already been swept up in an intraparty reckoning over aging leaders. He was forced to give up his House Judiciary Committee leadership at the beginning of the term when it became clear a younger, more energetic colleague would beat him. Back home, he was facing a 26-year-old primary challenger.

He wants an aide of his to succeed him.  Give me, oh, I don’t know, a Democratic Socialist.

Trump To Bestow ‘Presidential Medal Of Freedom’ On Giuliani.  Submitted without comment.

The ICE Jobs Fair:

Christian Osborne has been itching to serve his country since he was discharged from the Marines after refusing the coronavirus vaccine. He thinks Americans have a naive view of illegal immigration and wants to be part of President Donald Trump’s mass deportation campaign.

“Every country for its entire existence has always had borders. We’re the only country who says, ‘Come on in,’” said Osborne, 24. “There needs to be a control on who can come in, to make sure you’re not some psycho.” (As opposed to those applying for these jobs.)

So last week he shuffled into a Texas arena typically reserved for Counter-Strike and “League of Legends” video game competitions to attend a U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement career expo and make the case for why he should become one of 10,000 new officers the agency intends to hire this year.

The recruiting push has come with militaristic branding that evokes World War II-era U.S. propaganda posters featuring Uncle Sam, casting immigration enforcement as a defense against an “invasion.” At the hiring expo, a video played on a large screen in a dimly lit room touting ICE’s role investigating human trafficking and drug-smuggling, and showing agents in fatigues and bulletproof vests.

Many Americans have become angry at the sight of ICE agents showing up at Home Depots and car washes, and arresting immigrants going about their daily lives. Arrest and deportation data from ICE shows the agency is increasingly deporting people with no criminal convictions. DHS says ICE officers are facing an 830 percent increase in assaults.

None of that daunted Kevin Tucker, 54, of North Dallas, who said he retired from a local police department 19 years ago but felt called to help with the immigration enforcement blitz because, in his view, undocumented immigrants “are not paying taxes into the system” and taking jobs from Americans.

Tucker is newly eligible for ICE service: The agency has lifted age caps for applicants and encouraged retired law enforcement officers to rejoin the ranks. The age cap for deportation officers — the role ICE was primarily recruiting for in Texas — used to be 40.

Reports of rough tactics don’t bother Aaron Ely, either. A former bantamweight MMA fighter who went by the ring name “The Cyborg,” Ely settled on an IT career after his hip gave out. He limped into the hiring expo last week hoping ICE could use his computer expertise. He said he felt he was no longer able to advance in the private sector because the market is crowded with candidates from India willing to do the work for less.

“I keep seeing these memes where Indians are bragging about taking our tech jobs,” said Ely, 36. “So I said, ‘Oh yeah? Well I’m going to work with these guys that are going to arrest you, slam your face on the pavement and send you home.’”

What First Amendment?:

The arrest of a US army veteran who protested against the Trump administration’s immigration crackdown has raised alarms among legal experts and fellow veterans familiar with his service in Afghanistan.

Bajun Mavalwalla II – a former army sergeant who survived a roadside bomb blast on a special operations mission in Afghanistan – was charged in July with “conspiracy to impede or injure officers” after joining a demonstration against federal Immigration and Customs Enforcement (Ice) in Spokane, Washington.

Legal experts say the case marks an escalation in the administration’s attacks on first amendment rights. Afghanistan war veterans who know him say the case against Mavalwalla appears unjust.

“Here’s a guy who held a top secret clearance and was privy to some of the most sensitive information we have, who served in a combat zone,” said Kenneth Koop, a retired colonel who trained the Afghan military and police during Mavalwalla’s deployment. “To see him treated like this really sticks in my craw.”

The Democratic response? ‘B-b-but they’re gonna run ads tying us to Mamdani.  We’re gonna lose!’  My advice:  Do what Nadler is doing.  Retire.  Better that than, you know, standing for something.

Human Composting–How I Want To Go:

Delaware just legalized human composting last year and state rules regulating the practice were finalized in June. Currently, people in states where it’s not yet legal, like New Jersey, have to drive or fly their deceased family members to the few states with the facilities.

Andrew Parsell is a Delaware funeral director and heads the state’s Board of Funeral Services. He said people who want a green funeral to reduce their carbon footprint can be reluctant to choose human composting because of the greenhouse gases associated with air travel.

Parsell said as companies open in additional states, such as Delaware, it will become more popular and environmentally friendly.

When it all comes down, you’ve got to go back to Mother Earth:

What do you want to talk about?