This piece a thousand times over! The old Dems and their mania for the status quo have to go—reform or retire. The opportunity to fight the fascists won’t last for much longer. We need to push back now against the massive grift, the abhorrent pedos, the growing autocracy, and the newly reinstated Jim Crow regime. That fight starts with the sort of reforms in this post.
When the DNC excommunicated David Hogg for suggesting primarying sleepy geezer candidates, that validated just how clueless the Democratic Party has become. For the past 56 years I have been eligible to vote, I always voted for the lesser of 2 bad options. In most cases, the candidate with the most apparent moral integrity. I likely woudl have voted FOR JFK, but I was too young.
This version of SCOTUS is a nightmare for democracy, with six ruthless racists who think they're invulnerable.
The first step to reform is brutal hearings. Get experts in to testify about the damage they've done, their utter lawlessness, their corruption, and their lack of accountability.
One or more of them have to appear at at least one budget hearing. They should be interrogated harshly, but not by politicians. Instead, ambush them with talented lawyers who put the nation first. Confront them with the testimony from the hearings.
Ask them if they support the race to gerrymander Black people out of power, Trump's corruption, the war on Iran, the murders in the oceans and the partial destruction of the White House. In public. Make thm squirm.
“Winning elections b/c Rs suck” is not the same as sustaining democracy. Dems could run on a national agenda of Affordability through Accountability. Accountability for the Court and this Cabinet, sure. But also for healthcare CEOs and oil executives and social media data brokers. For crypto scammers. For market manipulators and private equity liars. For racists and sexists. For the Epstein class. For oligarchs who abuse the system. For coup instigators and election manipulators. For AI. For environmental abusers.
Accountability through the law and the tax code. In other words, The People deserve a government that protects them (& the planet) from the repeated abuses of capitalism. The abuse is built into our (now captured) institutions.
The People want access to healthcare, education, banking that doesn’t financially abuse them. They want a living wage. They want to work and play. They want to run their own businesses. They want a home and the freedoms to just live life. Even if “Corporate Dems” do win in November, we will not get this message nor even *the least* of these results. No need for an autopsy in 2029. Congress has the authority to act on all the issues mentioned here, including ignoring The Court until they can expand it. Under the Constitution, The People possess all political power. We can elect Reps who are committed to accountability.
The VA idea of new age for Supreme Court is correct and must be done but Jeffries at fed level isn’t thrilled with idea along with other Dems. And this is why these pussies must be removed. Did rethugs care about what they’re doing after scotus gave them ok to go all whitey? He’ll no, the dove head first and did it, who cares what the people think. Dems have to stop bringing plastic knife to nuclear weapon fight.
The fallacy of white superiority is proven by the choice of its example: Donald J. Trump, liar supreme, a loud infant demanding attention by tantrum, the very summit of stupidity—really? To quote the poet, “Sad.”
agree wholeheartedly. Republicans have been cheating my entire life, always saying they respect the constitution while tearing it down. Originalism? What a bunch of bullshit! I am sure the founders would be appalled at the duplicitous Roberts and how he has denigrated the institution. The SOTUS is the first place to start reform.
This all looks good on my phone but we seem to always have outlier dems such as Fetterman or Sinema with scuttling power. This means there must be a significant majority in the senate and that may be very difficult to achieve. That said, you’re correct, we must try as hard as we can.
The SCOTUS that crashed and burned democracy and set the US back 100 years in voter rights will be the legacy of the 6 justices. They will live the rest of their lives in disgrace and disgust among their families and the rest of the world for the their blatant racism.
Reading your list of "Republicans did this" all neatly displayed made me realize just how insanely radical they've become - it makes your proposal of court retirement age revision in Virginia look perfectly mild by comparison. But, Democrats being Democrats, it will never happen, we'll just smile and say "yes sir, I'd like another."
Well actually there are principled Republicans. I know several who call themselves Republicans but never voted for Trump, are fiscal conservatives and have more conservative views on some(but not all) social issues than Democrats but are anxious to rid their party of white nationalist autocrats and religious zealots who embrace anti-American ideology.
Just guessing that you don’t know any of these folks… I do,they are gutted about the direction of their Party, snd are voting with other patriotic Americans in an effort to change the trajectory..,
I'm one of two non-republicans in my entire family and I'm surrounded by them at work and basically everywhere else I go. I get to hear what they're like when they think no one is watching or listening.
And the Republican party has been going this way for DECADES. If they're just now “gutted” by where the party's going they're either terminally oblivious or playing you for a fool. Either way they're still complicit.
I can see why you feel as you do….at least with the non-Trumpist Republicans that I know personally I trust their approach,..if the ones in your orbit are not that way then you are right to be skeptical. Let’s hope that between now and the midterms, if their focus has been on the racism,xenophobia, homophobia,and misogyny of the Trump administration, that the hits on their personal wellbeing and pocketbooks get them reconsidering…
Absolutely! I agree wholeheartedly. Unfortunately, if history is any indicator, dems will say, as Spanberger did, we will follow what the court decided and go back to our sandbox to play pattycake with the bullies. The current dem 'strategy has led to a madman GOP president, a republican senate, house, SCOTUS, and most state legislatures. A political party that is so ineffective does not leave me with a great deal of confidence that they will stand a fight as if it matters. If I hear any dem saying they want to reach across the isle, except to twist an arm, I will get increasingly nauseous.
SCOTUS reforms are imperative. Right now there is a Robert's trump court that is flagrantly racist. This current court makes Plessy v. Ferguson look tame. 'Plessy v. Ferguson, 163 U.S. 537, was a landmark United States Supreme Court decision ruling that racial segregation laws did not violate the U.S. Constitution as long as the facilities for each race were equal in quality.' Although this Robert's court would elect Clarence Thomas as Grand Dragon to prove it wasn't racist as Neil Gorsuch would explain on a fox news appearance.
If dems do not realize the magnitude of the issue now, then they are more out of touch than is needed to save democracy. If a dem is ever elected president again, he should, by EO, expand the court and let the chips fall where they may. trump does it all the time! The court is so one sided, that it wouldn't allow Biden to relive student debt but it allows trump unlimited immunity from any crimes he commits as president.
Democrats need to fight with every tool they have or can create or democracy and democrats as a party will both fade quickly.
Not sure I buy the elimination of the filibuster as a worthy pursuit. Imagine how deep the shit would be right now without it.
Yes, it is a pain, but it can prevent fascist anarchy the next time voters are foolish enough to judge qualification for US president according to the old adage - "if you're richer than me, then you must be smarter than me. In reality, if you are way richer than me, then you are likely far more ruthless and selfish than me. Paul Krugman's post today makes that very clear, https://paulkrugman.substack.com/p/will-our-hyper-gilded-age-usher-in.
One thing to—Congressional Democrats and everyone else—is to become more methodical in our thinking by sorting possibilities and tactics into action buckets. For example, things to be done when Democrats:
* Hold neither house of Congress (e.g., attack members of the Court by name)
* Hold one house of Congress (e.g., hold corruption hearings)
* Hold both houses but not the presidency (e.g., pass popular reform legislation such as a Code of Ethics or term limits and dare Trump to veto it)
* Hold both houses and the presidency (e.g., engage in jurisdiction stripping, court expansion, pass legislation that reins in judicial review)
There’s no point in flailing.
Also, any chance that activists and pundits can coalesce around an ultimate goal? For example, should that goal be expansion? Or will expansion have the end effect of giving more teeth to a beast that needs defanging? Judicial review is not in the constitution; it’s a power that the court took for itself in Marbury v. Madison (1804). Sure, it’s established precedent, but since when does the Roberts court care about precedent?
Should and shoulder. Two words that go together, should lays out a plan, shoulder, as in to shoulder a burden. Anyone who has lugged a heavy load knows that carrying involves pain and the burden must be put down from time to time to rest or to have someone else take it up. Many hands make light work, would that enough can be gathered.
In the City of Winooski Vermont, I have single-handedly constructed a timber frame pavilion from 180 year-old hand-hewn timbers from a house that was torn down. The frames sit on saw horses in Landry Park, waiting for shoulders other than mine to come and erect them. I know that help is coming for that just as I know that everywhere across the country people are taking on burdens that must be carried through to the finish line.
This piece a thousand times over! The old Dems and their mania for the status quo have to go—reform or retire. The opportunity to fight the fascists won’t last for much longer. We need to push back now against the massive grift, the abhorrent pedos, the growing autocracy, and the newly reinstated Jim Crow regime. That fight starts with the sort of reforms in this post.
When the DNC excommunicated David Hogg for suggesting primarying sleepy geezer candidates, that validated just how clueless the Democratic Party has become. For the past 56 years I have been eligible to vote, I always voted for the lesser of 2 bad options. In most cases, the candidate with the most apparent moral integrity. I likely woudl have voted FOR JFK, but I was too young.
This version of SCOTUS is a nightmare for democracy, with six ruthless racists who think they're invulnerable.
The first step to reform is brutal hearings. Get experts in to testify about the damage they've done, their utter lawlessness, their corruption, and their lack of accountability.
One or more of them have to appear at at least one budget hearing. They should be interrogated harshly, but not by politicians. Instead, ambush them with talented lawyers who put the nation first. Confront them with the testimony from the hearings.
Ask them if they support the race to gerrymander Black people out of power, Trump's corruption, the war on Iran, the murders in the oceans and the partial destruction of the White House. In public. Make thm squirm.
That sets the stage for reform.
And then, finding them guilty, deport them to Russia!
We need Democrats that aren't just ruthless, we need ones that are outright fucking *bloodthirsty*
Yes. You fight fire with fire. And Republicans are arsonists.
“Winning elections b/c Rs suck” is not the same as sustaining democracy. Dems could run on a national agenda of Affordability through Accountability. Accountability for the Court and this Cabinet, sure. But also for healthcare CEOs and oil executives and social media data brokers. For crypto scammers. For market manipulators and private equity liars. For racists and sexists. For the Epstein class. For oligarchs who abuse the system. For coup instigators and election manipulators. For AI. For environmental abusers.
Accountability through the law and the tax code. In other words, The People deserve a government that protects them (& the planet) from the repeated abuses of capitalism. The abuse is built into our (now captured) institutions.
The People want access to healthcare, education, banking that doesn’t financially abuse them. They want a living wage. They want to work and play. They want to run their own businesses. They want a home and the freedoms to just live life. Even if “Corporate Dems” do win in November, we will not get this message nor even *the least* of these results. No need for an autopsy in 2029. Congress has the authority to act on all the issues mentioned here, including ignoring The Court until they can expand it. Under the Constitution, The People possess all political power. We can elect Reps who are committed to accountability.
The VA idea of new age for Supreme Court is correct and must be done but Jeffries at fed level isn’t thrilled with idea along with other Dems. And this is why these pussies must be removed. Did rethugs care about what they’re doing after scotus gave them ok to go all whitey? He’ll no, the dove head first and did it, who cares what the people think. Dems have to stop bringing plastic knife to nuclear weapon fight.
The fallacy of white superiority is proven by the choice of its example: Donald J. Trump, liar supreme, a loud infant demanding attention by tantrum, the very summit of stupidity—really? To quote the poet, “Sad.”
agree wholeheartedly. Republicans have been cheating my entire life, always saying they respect the constitution while tearing it down. Originalism? What a bunch of bullshit! I am sure the founders would be appalled at the duplicitous Roberts and how he has denigrated the institution. The SOTUS is the first place to start reform.
This all looks good on my phone but we seem to always have outlier dems such as Fetterman or Sinema with scuttling power. This means there must be a significant majority in the senate and that may be very difficult to achieve. That said, you’re correct, we must try as hard as we can.
The SCOTUS that crashed and burned democracy and set the US back 100 years in voter rights will be the legacy of the 6 justices. They will live the rest of their lives in disgrace and disgust among their families and the rest of the world for the their blatant racism.
Reading your list of "Republicans did this" all neatly displayed made me realize just how insanely radical they've become - it makes your proposal of court retirement age revision in Virginia look perfectly mild by comparison. But, Democrats being Democrats, it will never happen, we'll just smile and say "yes sir, I'd like another."
One more idea to add to the list: every single Republican voter gets their voting rights permanently stripped.
What will Americans do about it? Every Democrat, Independent, and principled Republican has a duty here.
There's no such thing as a principled Republican.
Well actually there are principled Republicans. I know several who call themselves Republicans but never voted for Trump, are fiscal conservatives and have more conservative views on some(but not all) social issues than Democrats but are anxious to rid their party of white nationalist autocrats and religious zealots who embrace anti-American ideology.
They *say* they never voted for trump. They're Republicans. They lie.
Just guessing that you don’t know any of these folks… I do,they are gutted about the direction of their Party, snd are voting with other patriotic Americans in an effort to change the trajectory..,
I'm one of two non-republicans in my entire family and I'm surrounded by them at work and basically everywhere else I go. I get to hear what they're like when they think no one is watching or listening.
And the Republican party has been going this way for DECADES. If they're just now “gutted” by where the party's going they're either terminally oblivious or playing you for a fool. Either way they're still complicit.
I can see why you feel as you do….at least with the non-Trumpist Republicans that I know personally I trust their approach,..if the ones in your orbit are not that way then you are right to be skeptical. Let’s hope that between now and the midterms, if their focus has been on the racism,xenophobia, homophobia,and misogyny of the Trump administration, that the hits on their personal wellbeing and pocketbooks get them reconsidering…
Absolutely! I agree wholeheartedly. Unfortunately, if history is any indicator, dems will say, as Spanberger did, we will follow what the court decided and go back to our sandbox to play pattycake with the bullies. The current dem 'strategy has led to a madman GOP president, a republican senate, house, SCOTUS, and most state legislatures. A political party that is so ineffective does not leave me with a great deal of confidence that they will stand a fight as if it matters. If I hear any dem saying they want to reach across the isle, except to twist an arm, I will get increasingly nauseous.
SCOTUS reforms are imperative. Right now there is a Robert's trump court that is flagrantly racist. This current court makes Plessy v. Ferguson look tame. 'Plessy v. Ferguson, 163 U.S. 537, was a landmark United States Supreme Court decision ruling that racial segregation laws did not violate the U.S. Constitution as long as the facilities for each race were equal in quality.' Although this Robert's court would elect Clarence Thomas as Grand Dragon to prove it wasn't racist as Neil Gorsuch would explain on a fox news appearance.
If dems do not realize the magnitude of the issue now, then they are more out of touch than is needed to save democracy. If a dem is ever elected president again, he should, by EO, expand the court and let the chips fall where they may. trump does it all the time! The court is so one sided, that it wouldn't allow Biden to relive student debt but it allows trump unlimited immunity from any crimes he commits as president.
Democrats need to fight with every tool they have or can create or democracy and democrats as a party will both fade quickly.
Not sure I buy the elimination of the filibuster as a worthy pursuit. Imagine how deep the shit would be right now without it.
Yes, it is a pain, but it can prevent fascist anarchy the next time voters are foolish enough to judge qualification for US president according to the old adage - "if you're richer than me, then you must be smarter than me. In reality, if you are way richer than me, then you are likely far more ruthless and selfish than me. Paul Krugman's post today makes that very clear, https://paulkrugman.substack.com/p/will-our-hyper-gilded-age-usher-in.
One thing to—Congressional Democrats and everyone else—is to become more methodical in our thinking by sorting possibilities and tactics into action buckets. For example, things to be done when Democrats:
* Hold neither house of Congress (e.g., attack members of the Court by name)
* Hold one house of Congress (e.g., hold corruption hearings)
* Hold both houses but not the presidency (e.g., pass popular reform legislation such as a Code of Ethics or term limits and dare Trump to veto it)
* Hold both houses and the presidency (e.g., engage in jurisdiction stripping, court expansion, pass legislation that reins in judicial review)
There’s no point in flailing.
Also, any chance that activists and pundits can coalesce around an ultimate goal? For example, should that goal be expansion? Or will expansion have the end effect of giving more teeth to a beast that needs defanging? Judicial review is not in the constitution; it’s a power that the court took for itself in Marbury v. Madison (1804). Sure, it’s established precedent, but since when does the Roberts court care about precedent?
Should and shoulder. Two words that go together, should lays out a plan, shoulder, as in to shoulder a burden. Anyone who has lugged a heavy load knows that carrying involves pain and the burden must be put down from time to time to rest or to have someone else take it up. Many hands make light work, would that enough can be gathered.
In the City of Winooski Vermont, I have single-handedly constructed a timber frame pavilion from 180 year-old hand-hewn timbers from a house that was torn down. The frames sit on saw horses in Landry Park, waiting for shoulders other than mine to come and erect them. I know that help is coming for that just as I know that everywhere across the country people are taking on burdens that must be carried through to the finish line.