James Barta
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bartajam.bsky.social
James Barta
@bartajam.bsky.social
Proud Portlander, recovering politico, from Montana via Michigan. College football, Timbers, Thorns fan. Want to make government work effectively as possible for those we serve and for the tax payers.
I'm sorry, but is nonsense take. No one among the Ds is endorsing MTG. I think we should welcome Rs who finally getting around to recognizing Trump as the menace he is, but to say MTG is welcomed more than Mandami is ridiculous.
November 17, 2025 at 10:58 PM
Ugh ×2
November 10, 2025 at 2:33 AM
We are having a hard enough time to get the ACA through. The next step is a public option so everyone can see government run health insurance can work. Too many people like their current plans (not realizing these too are gov't subsidized).
November 6, 2025 at 3:07 PM
Oh come on. Biden's policies on immigration were much further to the left (until his last year) than Obama.
November 2, 2025 at 11:00 PM
I get correlation and casualty, but isn't the reason part of these policy changes to better represent groups (other than college-educated voters)? Shouldn't Ds be building support among these groups with these policies?
November 2, 2025 at 10:25 PM
I asked because I grow tired of people complaining about Democrats without offering solutions. So I appreciate your effort for a positive vision. So what do you make of this paragraph from Klein's essay?
November 2, 2025 at 9:48 PM
I'm asking now
November 2, 2025 at 9:27 PM
I took a guess. In response you said no and said another thing Ds shouldn't do. I'm still waiting to hear what they should do.
November 2, 2025 at 9:20 PM
Yeah, I get the Rs are nasty. Or as the focus group Klein quotes from - people think they are "crazy."

But I don't see what you are advocating that Ds should except kick out those who don't hold your views.
November 2, 2025 at 8:47 PM
As a Democratic representative from a state Trump won by 40+ points? Sure. But there are plenty of other places where I would hate to see a Manchin-type candidate
November 2, 2025 at 8:25 PM
Fetterman is an example where someone who is somewhat more left could win, but the bigger problem is why a Sherrod Brown loses in Ohio.
November 2, 2025 at 8:23 PM
You totally missed the point. "He might as well have been a Republican" - but Manchin wasn't. He voted for a D majority which sets the agenda and he voted for the Inflation Reduction Act.

Manchin was *like* a Republican, but he was better than any Republican coming out of West Virginia.
November 2, 2025 at 7:51 PM
Klein actually pointed this out AND said that Manchin was the vote that passed the Inflation Reduction Act. The whole point of that section is that Manchin was MUCH better than any R elected from W Virginia. He was a huge net positive.
November 2, 2025 at 7:38 PM
Not sure were you get this response. Here's your news update: Dems have been losing.
November 2, 2025 at 7:31 PM
Maybe it is due to people not wanting to go to a food bank if they see a bunch of people in military uniforms there.

Kotek did just put $5 million toward Oregon food banks.
October 30, 2025 at 10:00 PM
Thanks for the reporting from the perspective of the people who live nearby.
October 27, 2025 at 4:38 AM
ICE is deploying all the chemical agents.
October 27, 2025 at 4:37 AM