on Thursday, Jeffries refused to saywhether he supported or opposed controversial efforts to integrate the US and Israeli militaries.

Jeffries also said this summer that he opposes Medicare for All, reversing his earlier position, and putting him at odds with a number of progressive Democrats who campaigned on the platform.

He’s been consistently hostile to the progressive faction of his party, refusing to endorse Mamdani for New York City mayor for months. And it was recently revealed that Jeffries met with Jared Kushner in private before the midterms

…Many progressives view Jeffries as an establishment figure who offers no hope for meaningful change and want someone less beholden to corporate interests to be speaker. Jeffries and some of his allies, meanwhile, have suggested that denying him the opportunity to become the first Black speaker in US history would be, to quote Bloomberg, “racially insensitive”.

…And we’ve seen this craven use of identity politics to smear progressive politics before, haven’t we? It’s the Bernie bros playbook all over again.

  • Mycatiskai@lemmy.ca
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    20 hours ago

    Ayanna Pressley would be a great choice to get a progressive that is also a black American. She would be the first black female majority leader and isn’t that a bigger win than just a black man.

    • Viking_Hippie@lemmy.dbzer0.com
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      19 hours ago

      She would be the first black female majority leader and isn’t that a bigger win than just a black man.

      Yup! Especially if said black man is the in many ways even worse than herself hand picked protégé of Nancy Pelosi.

      Add that said black female Speaker would be a legitimately badass progressive like Pressley, and it’s obvious to anyone not too corrupt or brainwashed to see reason!

    • wonderingwanderer@sopuli.xyz
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      12 hours ago

      Yeah, Ayanna Pressley sounds like a great idea. Why should we choose Jeffries if the only thing he has going for him is his identity? Offer substance or get out of the way for someone who will.

      I’d like to see Pressley run for speaker. If my district rep was a Dem I would submit my opinion to their office. We need someone who will deliver.