I could try to explain part of the response and why I think this is wrong but people would just get mad and ratio it so I do not think I will
Reposted from
Mark Joseph Stern
I really can’t wrap my head around congressional Democrats’ response to the past 12 days of crises. It reeks of pathetic capitulation. Trump is asserting dictatorial powers of absolute control over the entire government and the reaction is “we don’t swing at every pitch”? An appalling abdication.
Comments
That, or for committing genocide. Great future you’re leaving to your family, who with any luck will disown you at the first possible chance.
(Edited 9:13 AM via @skeetsapp.com)
We hear from Dems "Trump did bad thing. I oppose it (trust me bro)". That's it.
Cement these together in the public mind
•Trump Action
•P2025 Agenda Item
•Stakes
•Repercussions
•Dem solution/idea
It is like if someone pulls a pistol during a basketball game and your defending the response of trying to work the refs about it
Trump controls the payments mechanism, SCOTUS, The
Everything you're suggesting makes sense in an ordered and orderly political universe, but the only possible remedy
Part of politics is theater. You have to put on a show. Fiercely, visibly fighting back, even if you'll lose, *matters*
For example, a nomination could wrap up on Thursday of one week or Tuesday of the next. Even though I would anticipate the same outcome...
If they're not doing it, there's a reason why. Maybe do some damn journalism and figure out what that reason is?
Either is better than just screaming questions (laced with unexamined implications of incompetence or corruption) into the void.
I wish more people did this and more people learned it.
There should be a How Governing Works like the ol’ machine book.
Are you monitoring each one?
If not, stop the 'Dems are not fighting'.
The Dem AGs put a freeze on the freeze.
https://bsky.app/profile/rebeccasolnit.bsky.social/post/3lh3i5pqsfs2i
Some suggested reading:
https://washingtonmonthly.com/2025/01/31/the-unpopularity-of-trumps-actions-is-staggering/
https://www.reuters.com/world/us/americans-sour-some-trumps-early-moves-reutersipsos-poll-finds-2025-01-28/
Also, when Trump announces a big policy change it takes weeks (or months) for the change to actually start affecting citizens’ lives.
First time caller, longtime listener here!
If you could, I think you should try and explain that being powerless leads to acting out ?
thanks
Congrats on shaking liz cheyney’s hand
Please know that many of us sincerely appreciate your efforts. I think a lot of us are adults. And we can see that what you said make sense. I think a lot of the rudeness is because people are so fearful.
Sheesh.
Name one *specific* way in which "Dems ... fail[ed] to expedite the trial that would have imprisoned him for sedition".
Do you really want Congress to be able to push DOJ and federal judges around?
https://thehill.com/opinion/judiciary/5089488-trump-jack-smith-report-failure/
"Do you really want Congress to be able to push DOJ and federal judges around."
Have you been paying attention? Do you understand the state your country is in? I'm watching closely from the outside, and you are in the early days of The Third Reich.
1. What is happening
2. That it's dangerously crazy
3. What is being done/can be done NOW
4. What WE the people can do
Even in total abject failure you people are incapable of a drop of self reflection.
I know your current methods are not effective. So change them!
Do I know better than thinking snarking at a politician to do something will work?
Yes, yes I absolutely do know that.
Will that stop me?
No, no it will not.
So I guess you’re in good/awful company?
Plus some of what you write is definitely *not* stupid -- and we should all be able to ignore what seems stupid to us and take to rest to heart.
Connect the first two problems: throw sand in the gears of the bad things to slow them down so that legal action is effectively quicker.
Agree to obstruct and subvert the bad things. Deny unanimous consent. Insist on roll call votes. Exploit other rules to throw sand in the gears and ... well, see above.
Time for groups of resistance to organize, and pockets of outrage to spill in protest. For lawsuits to be filed, for stays and restraining orders, for rulings to slow down or stop some of the bad things.
This will bring hope. Hope accelerates action and promotes common purpose.
Bad things are happening very quickly.
Legal action moves too slowly to stop the bad things before tremendous harm is done.
Our Congress members are insufficiently alarmed, or too timid in their actions.
We don't know what to do, and feel helpless.
Me: So what exactly do you want them to do?
Them:
Normies understand Minority Ds have limited power in Congress
But the choice between all or (next to, seemingly) nothing is bullshit
What are your ideas and plans for "Do Something"?
Hungary?
Israel?
Hong Kong (China)?
The State has afjusted.
It is particularly impossible when half the nation is with 45. Maybe first build a cohesive base where we get all MAGAts out of our family and friends, while arming ourselves?
literally not even a year ago
Believe? Only if what is being tried has not been a repeated failure.
Peaceful protests don't work. The last set of them were 800 BLM protests when a cop murdered George Floyd.
Right?
Don't feel too bad about the homophone error since you get plenty of other stuff wrong that actually matters!
Indivisible dropped a bomb, letting everyone know Senate Dems have powers they are refusing to use so it’s safe to assume the House is doing the same. Electeds are destroying any bit of trust still left. So excuse me if we are screaming Do Something!
that's why we need to focus on electing them, so they have ...zero power??
It worked for tuberville. It can grind them to a halt.
Keep speaking, keep explaining. It does help some of us.
- You go to OPM and yell at the top of your lungs, it's on TV
- You do a podcast, a video, a TV hit, a viral post
- You call for impeachment, investigations, lawsuits, etc
Do these actions make people happy? Some people.
Do they directly help solve a problem like an FBI purge? No.
Remember, folks just got done hearing nonstop, “shut up Uncle Joe is doing plenty to help you”
Yet here you are saying “calm down & Kiss GOP ring” 💍
Most people think of what Musk is doing in terms of "cutting future spending". That is not the worst case scenario.
https://youtu.be/aIJW8oj5hm0?si=Fd32AC2jnl7yNDoC
some on the left: where's the votes?
You do know the difference, right?
We have the power of public opinion on our side and you don't even try and start building narratives that people can follow!
- Create space for R's to oppose nominees
- Build pressure on R's to oppose Trump policies or flip on bills
- Strengthen Dems' '25 and '26 electoral response
- Buttress legal challenges to Trump actions
These actually help but rarely solve, and let's be real- you're already mad at me
2. Doesn't work
3. Assumes elections in '25 and '26
4. Doesn't work
Is this how anyone has concentrated and exercised power
Agree with this framework on the assumption there are free and fair elections in 26.
The point is: after moves like Elon's, that is not a safe assumption. There are infinite justifications to not hold, or "supervise", or whatever.
Now is the moment.
- be really nice to the Rs in the hopes they defy Trump
- hope voters enjoy it when Dems do nothing and reward them in '26 for it
- wait for other people to do lawsuits
Is that what passes for "effective" around here?
They are all terrorists.
The real solution is this: the Republicans have shown us effective strategy, steal their methods and treat them like they treat you
Also, has a single Dem in leadership publicly stated that this is the plan? Because from the outside it doesn’t look like there’s a plan at all.
Finally, Dem voters (cont.)
What evidence is there that ya’ll know what is effective and what’s not? Perhaps now might the time to try something new?
I am glad to return the favor.
- The Rs are never going to oppose Trump policies or flip on bills.
- Dems' '25 and '26 electoral response is not going to be strengthened by trying to appease Rs.
- Oppose his fucking nominees.
That's so greatly underappreciated. Like not quickly jumping in when members of the other party are disagreeing with each other is underappreciated, as @mcuban.bsky.social did here ⬇️
Flip on Trump? Yeah ok. Seems super likely. Cuz there's a great track record of them doing that.
You can't do anything to stop them with politics or money or limp-dick liberals
question:
How do you build pressure on Rs to oppose Trump’s policies?
How do you strengthen Dems’ ‘25 and ‘26 electoral response?
What is the theory of pressure and strengthening here?
Do these have any conflict with the first goal?
- isn’t political pressure contingent on building public support? What other kind of pressure is there?
- What are they doing to strengthen electoral responses?
- States are leading legal challenges but okay
But what a lot of people here miss is ways things that are inspiring/cathartic harm effectiveness, especially in the Senate. And I say this as a guy who talks a lot about how much I hate the Senate.
Without morale there is no “next battle.”
In additional, that data is a massive foreign intelligence target, getting fatter every day. Maybe going there with cameras would help a bit?
Dems vote for noms like Duffy, saying 'we're reasonable, but RFK/Tulsi are uniquely bad.' Does it raise odds they go down? Yes! And people are big mad
Find something else to do with your life. You are either not good at your job or unwilling to do it. Get out of the way so that other folks can do it for you. You'll be happier, and you'll thank them for it.
https://www.youtube.com/shorts/Jj4NZMVvZqY
2. Pressure only works when there’s no counter pressure
Strengthening Democratic response is good, but how much can you stiffen a wet noodle.
Legal action is good, but takes time
There is no pressure
You know, deal with the reality we actually live in and not the one you all think we do.
I am one of those who has been frustrated. I've never worked in politics and don't know the ins and outs of inter-party relationships.
It feels like we've careened past that into a burning of our government from the inside out
This is why institutionalist Dems are wholly unprepared for this moment & will continue to lose.
Republicans are TRAITORS.
NO QUARTER.
Never anything concrete. Which means they're not intending on rising to the moment.
- the won't oppose any bill or policy
- lol
- ok
Learn from the past.
Will keep reading tho
Keeping all options on table i
Depend on the opposition party that want full power and has a media/base that will for them to hold the line, and not communicate to the public.. just work behind the scenes.
🤣🤣🤣🤣
And calling for constituencies to pressure Republicans to agree might help with 2
lol
And I think that if you are pinning hopes on the Democrats winning elections, you are incredibly naïve.
But if they don't get big wins, then Democratic voters are likely to be discouraged and not vote, or be furious and vote third party in 2026.
https://bsky.app/profile/joekatz45.bsky.social/post/3li34v3c5w226
I think that you /think/ it helps, and twenty years ago, it might have. Not anymore.
What good are you
That's not the case here Aaron. Come on, you recognize that right?
We're beyond normal politics now. We've got Elon Musk seizing control of OPM.
Primaries are going to be a bloodbath for currently in office Dems
Social media can have far-reaching impacts. AOC going on Twitch is good! People listening to Joe Rogan and Alex Jones is bad! They both have an impact on how people are introduced to information.
https://bsky.app/profile/whstancil.bsky.social/post/3lh5hwd5qas26
So yeah, Dems need to scream.
Have you literally never heard the phrase “sunlight is the best disenfectant?”
If every dem is hammering these illegal actions with constant media attention it becomes a lot harder to maintain public approval.
They're to focus public attention & media narratives on behind-the-scenes abuses & showing your base you haven't abandoned them and the constitution to Trump's/Musk's depredations.
Where I (politely) disagree: providing visuals of conflict can heighten the salience of what is going on. Most of the public don't really know why OPM might be a big deal. Making it more newsworthy can amplify media coverage.
They should be doing what they can to get the word out and forcing media coverage.
Fuck they should be holding up photos of Elons cronies and giving out their addresses and phone numbers.
https://bsky.app/profile/airwolf.bsky.social/post/3lh452q7i7n24
Escpecially when these people possess orders of magnitude more power than any of us.
Get a grip
My only hesitance is that the cathartic has some impact on Dems’ ability to stay in office to do the effective. Maybe that can be offset w/ better public comms abt what is effective.
And why is that? Its not so much an explanation as its an excuse. No one got the Dems where they are now but the Dems themselves.
Heal yourselves!
Also, who is currently winning?
The old rulebook no longer applies
Get loud, go low and toss out your last fucks, it’s time to go big and ugly
Baby brain nonsense. Poor little Democrats with no power. Gosh what can they do. Quit working in government if this is the energy you bring.
In essence, the "good guys" have to make space for the "bad guys" to reduce damage or fight another day.
I don't think you're an idiot, but neither do I agree. This culture of appeasement has led to them gaining so much power that they no longer care.
Hope you don't get ratio'd too hard.
https://www.programmablemutter.com/p/not-popularism-not-deliverism-partyism
Maybe your reasoning needs reexamination, "House guy"
Y'all need Pyrrhus.
Gay marriage: on the chopping block
DADT: on the choppinng block
ACA: lolololololol
Auto industry: about to be destroyed, possibly forever, by tariffs
Victory is meaningless if you don't protect your gains.
(R)’s have been planning this for years. Publicly! Where is the point-by-point planned response? You speak of time. (D)’s have had years.
“This” being?
Project 2025? Released in 2022.
https://www.project2025.org
Project Russia? Released in 2005.
https://washingtonspectator.org/project-russia-reveals-putins-playbook/
The coup was announced well in advance, yet you spoke of needing time. That’s what I don’t understand.
1/2
We don’t need Schumer making jokes today about tomato prices. Or a press release, in a day or two, from a few of you.
Thank you for your time!
2/2
That’s gonna do it!
"Don't you people understand that if we do something to engage our base emotionally & give them hope, that it won't solve the problem immediately? Instead, we must quietly urge Republicans to do the right thing."
I knew it to be the case but this really lays out in detail why the party is utterly worthless and won't do a thing to help Americans.
Otherwise take the helpless attitude somewhere else; it doesn't belong here.
You wrote that "supporting Democrats is pointless" and that the Democratic Party is "utterly worthless".
That is what I'm referring to when I call out your helpless attitude.
And Republicans have constantly sided with Trump and Trump holds any republican ransom. There is no hope there and we need to move on from waiting on them.
May I remind you that the reason we are seeing these shitty nominees confirmed is that the democrats invoked the nuclear option in 2013?
Stop pretending this is normal.
I would vote for that party in a heartbeat.
https://bsky.app/profile/joshtpm.bsky.social/post/3lh4w3mvlgc2k
Speak accordingly.
Dems, if they have a sound mind, *will* swing at every pitch, in terms of being loud and making noise. The GOP beat them using the same tactics.
I think that's the biggest frustration, personally. Tuberville held up 400+ military promotions ALONE for 10 months and dems don't (1/2)
I wish dems would discuss with us more openly what they're considering, their strategy.
I wish we all had better options.
(2/2)
That's what we need. LEAD. Inspire resistance on every level.
You will get more votes if you do that.
But then...you know...we would expect you to do something constructive when you're in power, and not just blame the parliamentarian and Joe Manchin all the damn time.
I don’t think you realize how the media is blacking out the dems.