 So as a progressive myself ideologically I align the most with the congressional progressive caucus in Congress however, they are functionally politically irrelevant because I think of the leadership currently and We're to the point where they've now embarrassed themselves I think for the third or fourth time this year and If we don't see a leadership change in this caucus, then I just don't know how anyone going forward is Going to take this caucus seriously. So what am I talking about? Well, as Politico explains house progressives on Tuesday retracted a letter calling on President Joe Biden to engage in direct diplomacy with Russia Less than 24 hours after it sparked intense backlash from other Democrats The about face comes as Democratic lawmakers vent their fury that the letter backing talks with Russian President Vladimir Putin Originally drafted and signed in June Wasn't recirculated before its public police on Monday that release made it appear that the 30 house Democrats who signed on all Lawmakers in the roughly 100 member congressional progressive caucus were urging the Biden administration to push for diplomacy immediately despite Russia's engagement in war crimes and Indications of a military escalation against Ukraine Jayapal said she accepts responsibility for the embarrassing flub adding that the timing of the letter caused a Distraction and was conflated with House Minority Leader Kevin McCarthy's recent suggestion that Republicans might pull back on Ukraine funding If they win control of the house the letter to Biden was released without the knowledge of many Democratic lawmakers who put their name on it Several people told Politico speaking candidly on the condition of anonymity So there's so many aspects about this story that I find genuinely embarrassing to issue the letter and then retracted 24 hours Later in and of itself is deeply deeply embarrassing and it looks like this caucus doesn't know what it's doing second of all The Congressional Progressive Caucus is essentially apologizing for daring to call for diplomacy Wait, isn't diplomacy a good thing. I Mean I get that they don't want to make it seem as if they're calling for appeasement with Russia But diplomacy is a different thing than appeasement and Because this was supposed to be released in June doesn't necessarily change the necessity of diplomacy We had evidence back then ample evidence that Russia was committing war crimes in Ukraine So it seems as if they initially stood by their conviction to support diplomacy But because of the political backlash They're cowering in fear which is just so bizarre to me Diplomacy again, I can't believe that I have to say this is a good thing I did a video talking about how I found positive that the French president Emmanuel Macron was speaking to Vladimir Putin He was giving us updates and insight about what's happening With the Kremlin. I think that that was a good thing even if diplomacy Doesn't work even if diplomatic talks failed You can still gain some insight into his thinking Vladimir Putin's thinking that is that doesn't mean again that you appease him And you give him what he wants, but just trying to engage in a solution or engage in Negotiations is a positive thing especially when we're talking about two nuclear armed powers because peace is what we should be Looking for above all again, that doesn't mean appeasement. These are not the same things. Depolmacy does not mean appeasement You could still condemn Russian aggression and support negotiations Diplomatically speaking So that in and of itself is embarrassing But what's also deeply embarrassing is that Pramila Jayapal despite her taking responsibility is throwing staffers Under the bus here. So if you look at the official statement released by the CPC chair, which is Pramila Jayapal She takes responsibility But she still claims that the letter was released by staff without vetting and she further goes on to explain that this letter Created the appearance that Democrats are somehow aligned with Republicans on this issue. Okay interesting now Just because she doesn't want it to make it seem as if she's aligned with Republicans That's essentially why she's withdrawing this letter seemingly. That's why they're withdrawing this letter seemingly But even if she's saying that she takes responsibility You don't take full responsibility If you're still saying that this was released by staff without vetting because that's throwing your staffers under the bus Now after this letter was released A member of the Congressional Progressive Caucus seemingly took to Twitter to defend the staffer in question saying let me just say something about Mike Darner and CPC staff They are extraordinary They have helped shape the biggest goals for progressives and have been very effective in our wins They are committed also to human rights and diplomacy progressives owe them a debt of gratitude So he is seemingly defending the staffers who Jayapal is throwing under the bus now another Aspect about this story that's so bizarre is that this letter was sent around in June, but it's only being released in November I mean was there no urgency with you all to release this it doesn't make any sense now Journalist Igor Bobig asked the question online Is it normal for letters to not be released until four months after members sign them and Ilhan Omar actually responded explaining Once in a while they do and it's very frustrating once you sign on to a letter It's up to the original drafters and unfortunately not all of them will keep folks updated That's why some of us don't sign on to letters without direct insight into when or how it will be released timing is everything in public policy Letters are written to respond to a moment and in politics moments past in the speed of light in this particular case The letter was a response to Intel we were getting on the war and the pathway forward So yeah need this to say not a good look for the Congressional Progressive Caucus And as I alluded to earlier in this video This is not the first time that CPC leadership has fucked up quite frankly. So last year with build back better I mean corporate Democrats they ran roughshot over the CPC I mean, they were essentially politically irrelevant when it came to negotiations regarding build back better And they all for a little bit of time stood strong saying we're not going to vote for bipartisan infrastructure until We get a vote on build back better They ended up buckling and then they got fucked over and what we got ultimately was the inflation reduction act Which was much much smaller than the original build back better bill that they were all fighting for So that was a failure of leadership on top of that CPC lets anyone into the Congressional Progressive Caucus even if they're not even progressive even if they take money from Apartheid supporting super PACs and large multinational corporations for example They endorsed Chantel Brown over Nina Turner an actual progressive despite Chantel Brown taking money from large multinational corporations First of all, why was she in the caucus in the first place second of all? Why would you endorse her over the true? Progressive here listen. I'll say this about Pramila Jayapal. She is somebody who I think is a good lawmaker She's a good legislator. I think that her Medicare for all bill is the gold standard Bernie Sanders Bill in the Senate is good as well, but hers has a lot more provisions that are better. We've gone over this before I'm not gonna get into all that right now. So as a lawmaker, I think that she is good She she writes good legislation, but as a leader She just doesn't have what it takes as a leader. She's been a complete disaster She has guided the Congressional Progressive Caucus into a relevancy politically and now they have no say Because corporate Democrats know that the progressives would just go along with whatever they want They'll buckle at some point All you have to do is exert a minimal amount of pressure and they go along with whatever you want So there's no reason and even taking into account what they want because they're rubes This is the result of leadership. So Jayapal must absolutely step down and we need somebody who Should replace her. I think that person should be Ilhan Omar and what they need to do immediately after Ilhan Omar takes power Clean house don't allow people like Chantel Brown and other corrupt corporate Democrats into the progressive Congressional Caucus because that waters down the progressivism there It should be limited to people who do not take corporate money It should be limited to people who have progressive stances on foreign policy on a part side on Ukraine It just doesn't make sense that we even have a congressional progressive caucus if it's just a mixture of Progressives and corporate Democrats who are simply trying to Boost their progressive Bonafide's in order to help themselves Electorally if they're in a very blue district, it's just it shouldn't be a vanity project. So overall Jayapal has got to go as the chair I think that she should remain in Congress obviously like I'm not calling on her to resign I'm not calling on her to be you know challenged by somebody in a primary. That's you know, super competitive I mean if somebody wants the primary her that's democracy. I'm not calling for that though I'm calling for her to step down because she is just not a good leader. She is a terrible leader