this post was submitted on 05 Jun 2025
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This former GOP lawmaker just made the ultimate move to combat Donald Trump’s agenda.

Former U.S. Rep. Joe Walsh announced Tuesday that he is joining the Democratic Party—a shocking move for a self-described “freedom-loving conservative” and staunch supporter of the Tea Party movement. Walsh was an initial supporter of Trump, but broke with him over disagreements with his policy during the first term.

“Three words I never thought I’d ever utter: I’m a Democrat,” Walsh wrote in his blog post. “This former Republican Congressman, former Republican candidate for President, this former TEA Party champion is formally joining the Democratic Party.”

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[–] barneypiccolo@lemm.ee 10 points 18 hours ago

If a hardcore Conservative like this is willing to join the Democrats, it demonstrates two things: That the Republican Party has become the MAGA Party, and no longer exists, and the Democratic Party has moved so far right, that even conservatives prefer it to Nazis.

The real move is to leave BOTH parties, and declare as an Unaffiliated Independent, like Biden Press Secretary Karine Jeanne-Pierre just announced.

There are already more independents than either party, and NO candidate ever wins any election without winning the Indies. Independents are by far the most powerful political faction, they just don't have the money or the organization to throw their weight around, and that becomes their problem. They are defined by not being a party, but to use their inherent power, they have to behave like a party, and that essentially makes them a party, and thus, no longer independent.

[–] MetalMachine@feddit.nl 8 points 1 day ago* (last edited 23 hours ago) (1 children)

From one party controlled by the oligarchs to another

[–] IhaveCrabs111@lemmy.world 7 points 1 day ago

Yeh but these are the good ones.

Wait

[–] alquicksilver@lemmy.world 156 points 1 day ago (5 children)

This...pretty much describes the Democratic Party in general: mostly full of people who, by the standards 20 years ago, would've had an R by their names.

Both parties are a cancer at this point.

[–] Wilco@lemm.ee 27 points 1 day ago

Absolutely correct. Both sides are sold out ... but MAGA doesn't even bother to keep it a secret because their cult followers are so stupid they just have to say "fake news".

[–] WindyRebel@lemmy.world 9 points 1 day ago

I really think they (the Rs) are doing this on purpose to fundamentally change the other party and force it to move. It’s part of a plan to destroy their opposition by diluting it so badly that it implodes and they have no real opposition.

[–] btaf45@lemmy.world 3 points 1 day ago

Nope. 20 years ago all Republicans were voting for tax cuts for the rich just like today and 20 years ago even fewer Dems were voting against tax cuts for the rich than today. Dems stopped moving to the right about 25 years ago and since then have been moving left, although way too slowly.

[–] homesweethomeMrL@lemmy.world 9 points 1 day ago (1 children)

Oh, apolitical, eh, very nice. An’ how’d you get that, eh? By exploitin’ the practical realities of competent governance — by ‘angin’ on to outdated ego-driven dogma which perpetuates the economic an’ social differences in our society! If there’s ever going to be any progress . . .

Dennis, there's some lovely filth down 'ere

[–] Grandwolf319@sh.itjust.works 3 points 1 day ago (3 children)

So democrats are republicans with a sense of shame?

Yeah I can see that

[–] Maeve@kbin.earth 1 points 17 hours ago

Where's the shame?

Some Democrats. The "leadership" doesn't.

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[–] Canopyflyer@lemmy.world 31 points 1 day ago

That's the same mother fucker I shut down on Reddit many years ago when he started popping off about how there is no reason for abortion in an AMA.

I simply replied to his idiotic statement:


Ectopic Pregnancy

1 in 40 chance

SOURCE


Sorry, I've since forgotten which article I cited in my original post. The word "SOURCE" was a link to an NIH article that I was citing. I can't find it now and the original post is lost to my deleting my Reddit account.

But it was enough to cause the jack ass to back pedal and make a public announcement that abortion was OK for ectopic pregnancies specifically.

It was also my highest rated comment on Reddit ever.

Fuck Joe Walsh. He's an asshole that should be no where near a public office of any kind.

[–] danhab99@programming.dev 11 points 1 day ago

Correct because the political parties are not about values and morals they're just teams that can trade players. Thank you for taking your mask off and admitting that your whole organization is just another soulless for profit corpo with a marketing department. Now if you can just admit that Republican Inc. and Democrat Co. are actually the private equity firms buying up all the single family houses that would be great since it looks like it doesn't cost you to tell the truth ( ͡ᵔ ͜ʖ ͡ᵔ ) thxxxxxxxxxxxssssssssss

[–] RememberTheApollo_@lemmy.world 67 points 1 day ago (4 children)

The Dems are now far right enough that republicans who are “republican lite” can join.

[–] Godric@lemmy.world 32 points 1 day ago (2 children)

Repubs are so far right, anyone who isn't a fascist is leaving.

[–] Maeve@kbin.earth 2 points 17 hours ago

My god, how far we have fallen to describe the Tea Party politicians as "isn't a fascist."

Just the one though

[–] Bakkoda@sh.itjust.works 6 points 1 day ago

It's so much easier to move a window if both sides are cooperating.

They are only both right wing if you have a euro-centric perspective. Many if not most nations are still debating liberalism vs authoritarianism rather than capitalism vs anticapitalism.

[–] troglodytis@lemmy.world 13 points 1 day ago

Fuck that guy.

Sure sure, join what ever party floats your boat, but just sit the fuck down.

[–] selkiesidhe@lemm.ee 16 points 1 day ago

So what he's saying is he's going to run as a Democrat then once he wins switch back to Republicunt. Got it. We've seen this before, you ain't original.

This should should be fucking illegal!!! You should be removed from office immediately and thrown in jail for that shit! But it won't happen because the Cons are fine with that

[–] daannii@lemmy.world 18 points 1 day ago

It's a plot to get re elected.

Nothing else.

Fuck politicians and their sleezy ethics.

[–] raltoid@lemmy.world 18 points 1 day ago* (last edited 1 day ago)

Here's basically all you need to know about him, to judge him as a person: He fell for Sacha Baron Cohen's bit "kinderguardians", which was about training toddlers with firearms.

[–] icerunner_origin@startrek.website 47 points 1 day ago (1 children)

In tonight's headlines, man with red front door paints it blue. Contents behind front door remain unchanged. More at 6.

[–] Cethin@lemmy.zip 1 points 1 day ago* (last edited 1 day ago)

Except he'll likely vote along party lines most of the time too. That's the point of changing party affiliation; to indicate how you'll be voting in the future.

Edit: forgot, former rep. Yeah, it doesn't matter really, but it didn't matter before either. It may help sway some of his followers, but he didn't have enough of those to be elected so probably not a huge deal.

[–] inclementimmigrant@lemmy.world 31 points 1 day ago (2 children)

He's can feel free to join whatever party he wants.

Democrats would be wise, which they clearly are fucking not, to ignore this asshole.

[–] QuoVadisHomines@sh.itjust.works 8 points 1 day ago* (last edited 1 day ago) (1 children)

They will welcome any who oppose the GOP’s fascism.

[–] BakerBagel@midwest.social 13 points 1 day ago (9 children)

Idk what yo tell you, but Democrats leaning harder to the right is clearly not a winning strategy for them.

[–] Cethin@lemmy.zip 1 points 1 day ago

Except this seems to be him changing parties without them doing anything. This isn't them shifting further right. This is him using his platform to tell people to vote for Democrats, in whatever form they are.

[–] Omegamanthethird@lemmy.world 3 points 1 day ago (1 children)

The Democratic Party is just a collection of people. If people like him and Manchin join and vote for liberal policies that would otherwise go conservative, it's a net positive. Anything that they would normally vote against, any other Republican would also vote against.

The important bit is to push blue area representatives to represent further left ideals. That's what has fucked us over in the past.

[–] btaf45@lemmy.world 3 points 1 day ago

Yes its a net positive. Like when ex-Republican turned Dem senator Arlen Spector provided the crucial 60th vote to pass Obamacare after he was primaried by the Club for Growth. Republican infighting created a crucial win for the left.

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[–] MagicShel@lemmy.zip 42 points 1 day ago (1 children)

Any time a politician switches parties my first instinct is their district flipped, and it's just opportunism. It's not always true, but you could make a lot of money betting on it.

[–] QuoVadisHomines@sh.itjust.works 21 points 1 day ago (1 children)

Joe Walsh hasn’t been in Congress since 2013. Tammy Duckworth took the seat after he served one term. This is simply a conservative who doesn’t like what AnCap fascism looks like IRL.

[–] MagicShel@lemmy.zip 7 points 1 day ago (1 children)

Sure. Let me just go check something....

"Joe Walsh represented Illinois's 8th Congressional District from 2011 to 2013. The district currently leans Democratic (Cook PVI: D+5) and is represented by Democrat Raja Krishnamoorthi, who has announced a 2026 U.S. Senate bid."

I'm gonna wait until 2026 before I let him off the hook.

[–] badhops@sh.itjust.works 19 points 1 day ago

further rot it from within

[–] AshMan85@lemmy.world 16 points 1 day ago (1 children)

No thanks, keep the traitors out.

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[–] cosmicrookie@lemmy.world 13 points 1 day ago

This is an invasion if MAGA ever made one

[–] dhork@lemmy.world 12 points 1 day ago

It's tough to handle this fortune and fame

Everybody's so different, Joe hasn't changed

[–] ZombiFrancis@sh.itjust.works 3 points 1 day ago (1 children)

So what are the odds the DNC runs him for 2028 we thinking?

[–] Mcdolan@lemmy.world 3 points 1 day ago

It didn't work last time, let's yet harder!

Better sit back and know thine place profligate, you are only so useful as a willing human shield.

[–] ramble81@lemm.ee 7 points 1 day ago (4 children)

Again, words mean jack, I’ll believe it when I see his voting record.

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