🧵 re: dismay that Dems in Congress are not doing more. This lethargy is partly the restrictions of the institution. But also a difference between activists & organizers. Today's incentives reward performance (messaging) not organizing (legislating) Dems lacks deep organizing capacity. We can help. - ThreadSky

loreleikelly.bsky.social • 17 days ago

🧵 re: dismay that Dems in Congress are not doing more. This lethargy is partly the restrictions of the institution. But also a difference between activists & organizers. Today's incentives reward performance (messaging) not organizing (legislating) Dems lacks deep organizing capacity. We can help.

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jmsantiago.bsky.social•17 days ago

📌

loreleikelly.bsky.social•17 days ago

2/Some members of Congress come from social movements. Irregardless of the formal leadership, they should be the ones inside the institution organizing a "second track" Congress--one that continues to govern in the chaos. Post Gingrich, we did this via task forces, caucuses & informal staff orgs

loreleikelly.bsky.social•17 days ago

3/There is A LOT members & staff can do right now despite the Mars troll in the Executive trying to scare everyone. So much of Congress is putting testimony on the record & then using the record strategically. This is not flashy, but can be quite powerful, esp in a world of malevolent memes & lies.

loreleikelly.bsky.social•17 days ago

4/ Congress wants to protect itself. Congress wants to protect representative democracy & its prerogatives as the heartbeat of Article One in the US Constitution. We need to help it do its duty. Democracy is in the DNA of the House (not so much the Senate, but we can work with that)

loreleikelly.bsky.social•17 days ago

5/Here's a map of informal & supplemental oversight on Afghanistan in 2009. Please forgive that it is dated, but similar bits & pieces still exist inside of Congress. Much of this is desk research. It is organizational support infrastructure for activists Members & for Members who already get it.

loreleikelly.bsky.social•17 days ago

6/ We did a whole set of second track hearings in Congress on an Exit Strategy for Afghanistan--also one on Iraq The process mimics the muscle memory of the issue and the institution. It is formal and on the record. With the media tools we have today, it could be 100% more impactful.

loreleikelly.bsky.social•17 days ago

7/Congress is a miraculous institution. It wants to govern, it just drives like a jalopy held together with bungee cords & duct tape. We need a layer of governing activity via the caucus system-inside the institution-using remote capacity & caucus staff supported by constituents & public witnesses

lynnxah.bsky.social•17 days ago

📌

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