Not all problems Democrats face this year will come from Republicans. Here, I take a look at the 10 Democrats most likely to cause major headaches in the year ahead…
Mentions: Raphael Warnock, Catherine Cortez Masto, Mark Kelly…Unlike the rest of the people on this list, it’s not that I’m worried so much about them, as I am for them. These are the most vulnerable Democratic senators up for reelection in 2022, and Democrats will have to put in real resources to keep them in office (instead of just mindlessly spending on long-shot bids to defeat Rubio or Rand Paul). Warnock may be especially vulnerable.
10. Bernie Sanders…Soon, Bernie will be the second oldest Democratic senator (his fellow Vermonter Patrick Leahy is retiring) and his state has a Republican Governor. That’s always cause for concern, but especially since Bernie isn’t exactly the picture of health (he had a heart attack two years ago, and rumors about his health are always in the air).
9. Diane Feinstein…In 2018, Alabama Liberal went on record saying Feinstein shouldn’t run again, and Californians shouldn’t reelect her. Every year, she seems to prove me more right. Luckily, if Feinstein (the oldest member of the Senate) should die, it’ll be Gavin Newsom that appoints her replacement, but Feinstein seems more likely than not to just linger on causing problems and being a walking liability.
8. Jaime Harrison…Harrison may be best known for wasting a ton of money to try to unseat Lindsey Graham in the 2020 South Carolina senate race. For some reason, the DNC thought those were good qualifications to become their next DNC Chair. In 2022, Harrison will have to make tough calls on where limited campaign funds and resources go, and it’ll be interesting to see if focuses hard on the handful of senate seats Democrats have a shot at (Pennsylvania, North Carolina, Wisconsin, and possibly Ohio) or he spends heavily on long-shot bids like Charles Booker’s attempt to take Rand Paul’s senate seat. Deciding if Stacy Abrams or Beto O’Rourke get more money in their bids to unseat Governors in Georgia and Texas are the kinds of decisions that Harrison gets a lot of say in.
7. Alexandra Ocasio-Cortez…AOC will doubtlessly find ways to promote herself over the next year, almost certainly at the expense of the DNC, Democrats in swing districts, or any Democratic politician in a remotely vulnerable race. Still, she won’t do real damage until 2024 or ’28 when she (inevitably) runs for POTUS.
6. Hunter Biden…Hunter Biden needs to go to a secluded island and never leave. Few people worry about Joe or Jill Biden getting into a personal scandal over the next year (Biden’s biggest scandal in year one was his dog biting someone), but they can’t say the same for Joe’s wayward son. Tell me it’s that hard to imagine the headlines “Hunter Biden photographed on Yacht with Underage Girls and Cocaine” in the next year? And unlike Republicans (cough, Matt Gaetz, cough), Democrats actually care about that sort of thing.
5. Merrick Garland…This is Biden’s weakest cabinet pick by a wide margin, and only lends credibility to Alabama Liberal’s assertion that he shouldn’t have been picked (just imagine how much more “Attorney General Doug Jones” might be doing right now). Will Garland finally get off his ass and charge the leaders of the January 6th insurrection attempt? Will he more firmly target the price gouging we’ve seen in 2021? Can he finally get Trump’s tax returns? Will he do literally anything? My eight ball says “outlook not so good…”
4. Kyrsten Sinema…She’s not really working out, is she? I still think Sinema is easier to reach than the thoroughly recalcitrant Joe Manchin, and wouldn’t really have the spine to block things without him backing her up. Still, it’d be nice if Biden knew for a fact he had her vote instead of having to constantly “negotiate” with her about it. Plus, it’s a little odd that the young, first-term, bi-sexual, unprofessionally dressed, pink-haired Sinema is such a lover of stodgy senate traditions like the filibuster…even to the expense of getting anything done. And by “a little odd” I mean thoroughly annoying.
3. Andrew Yang…Fuck him; no seriously, fuck Andrew Yang. He’s everything that’s wrong with the “Democratic Party” in that he’s a self-promoting tool who isn’t actually in the Democratic Party, never really was, refused to pay his dues, but wants to go “third party” when it’s clear he can’t satisfy his power lust within the Democratic Party.
2. Supreme Court Justice Stephen Breyer…It’s unfathomable to me that Breyer hasn’t already retired. He should’ve done it Joe Biden’s first few months into office. After seeing what happened with the last stubborn old goat that refused to retire (Ruth Bader Ginsburg) at the expense of the nation, it’s astounding that Breyer isn’t stepping down.
“Winner” Joe Manchin…Really, who else could I have picked? His name has become synonymous with “standing in the way,” and he has blocked as much of the Biden agenda as possible. I don’t anticipate 2022 being any different, even to the point where it might be their last chance to protect voting rights or free elections.
All of these need the need to worry. You need to add Bill Mauer to the mix. Not sure what is going on with him Maybe the fact that he hates growing old and wearing glasses.
Jackie: In my most recent podcast episode, I took your advice to heart and discussed him a little bit. You’re right, since he’s gotten glasses it does seem he’s a different person.