Yeah, but Chuck Schumer is not the right person for the job. He doesn't have the fighting spirit. In fact as far as I can see he has no spirit at all. The Democrats need to replace him with someone who has a backbone. Elizabeth Warren comes to mind.
Old Chuck might seem like he can't pull off what is being suggested, but most of these actions can be pulled off by a single Senator. Look for Chris Murphy, Elizabeth Warren, and others who are not afraid to speak out to be the disruptors.
Absolutely. This is no time to bring a covered dish to a gunfight.
And I still think we are not looking at this properly: What is going on with Musk and DOGE is worse than 9/11. That was a horrible attack that killed a lot of people and damaged a lot of property. But the government and our system held firm. Over the years we took many steps - some wiser than others - to harden the system against bad actors. But those changes still relied on good faith and norms, and now one party has swung open the doors to what is essentially a terrorist group; they are not blowing up things with bombs, but the potential casualties - to real people in real time - and to the integrity of our system and institutions - is far more devastating.
After 9/11 news media were on the story 24/7. Where are they now?
I think you can delete “metaphorical” when senators and congress are being locked out of buildings that are being occupied by the Muskovites and the USDA inspector general physically removed from her post. It’s street brawl days.
That's the attitude they need, and we need. And yes, here at the grassroots level, hang the nickname the Repugnant Party around their necks. Serious strategy, but with some humor mixed in to throw at President Musk, and Trump's fans in high places.
Fantastic article and even more fantastic suggestions. Only as long as wuss Schumer is the minority leader in the Senate, nothing will happen. Even when he was still the majority leader, he was regularly outmaneuvered by McConnell,
I have been, and still am, suggesting replacing Schumer with a Democratic Senator who has balls. There are many great female Democratic Senators who would fit that bill. Why not give the job to one of them?
The idea that there is too much happening to keep focus on is silly.
What we're seeing is the press's refusal to create an overarching narrative that covers these many actions. (Imagine the Post trying to cover Watergate as a bunch of discrete events, not elements of a conspiracy!)
They can call it a putsch, call it a coup, call it a takeover of government authority by an unelected billionaire if they can't bring themselves to use one appropriate word.
But in any case stop treating the stories as separate when they are not.
Keep that front and center. With all respect to the dead and survivors, the plane crashes go below the fold, and the bullshit press conferences about "DEI" that put the press in a tizzy go inside.
Absolutely agree! I feel like I've been running around like a chicken w/its head cut off saying: "This is authoritarianism, a rise towards dictatorship. Don't you see it?!"
May I copy and send to my senators the list of what they can - no, MUST - do in Congress? Even though he's not my senator, I called Senator Schatz's office and talked to someone, asking him to pass along my deepest appreciation for his decision to hold up appointments.I hope a million people call!
The 2024 election was botched from the beginning. It allowed the criminal Trump to run for president. He should have been prosecuted. Now he is the president and the things we are trying to do to stop him amount to too little, too late.
And, in fighting back we find our government too slow and cumbersome to mount much of an offense.
Your second paragraph is wrong. It's simply due to Schumer's lack of leadership that the Dems in the Senate have not, already, instituted Mr. Ornstein's plan of action. McConnell certainly did it in the Obama and first Trump administrations. This is why there are six Christian Nationalists on the Supreme Court. It's also why we have an alcoholic, womanizer, sexual abuser, incompetent, and one who got Trump to pardon war criminals as Secretary of Defense.
I urge everyone to join Adam Kinziger's "Country First." The other day, Kinziger led a group of Democratic Senators to visit USAID, and Musk's goons would not let them in the building - and these are sitting Senators, so that's illegal! That began an outcry that I think will lead to legal action against Musk.
But what can WE do? Every Thursday afternoon Adam's group does a Zoom focused on taking action. Last week he got 100 of us online to all call our Congresspeople. We were directed to connect via our laptops so our phones would be free to call. We saw 100 of us calling our Senators right then and there.
Also, sign up for Indivisible. They also do weekly Zooms that are very motivating, and full of specific action steps we can take.
And donate to the lawyers that are suing Trump every gosh-darn day. Democracy Forward and Public Citizen are two good groups.
Don't just rant and cry here - take action, good people.
I tried calling my Virginia Senators and the phone lines were busy. I filled out comment forms but you are required to select a topic and none of the topics listed applied to Musk's takeover of the federal gov't. QUESTION: Are the comment forms given as much weight as phone calls? How do I get around topics that don't apply to the current situation? Any responses welcome.
I have heard that phone calls carry much more weight than email comments. I'm in the same situation - in my state, nothing in the pull-down list of categories we are forced to choose from are relevant. If the lines are busy you can call after hours- you're probably going to leave a recorded message anyhow. Try calling their local office, calling the DC offices it's very difficult to get through. Also make separate phone calls for each nominee. I made separate phone calls hours apart to express my opinion on RFK Jr, Kash Patel, and Russell Vought. The staffers who listen to phone messages tally them and you're only going to get one opinion tabulated per phone call
Thank you. I needed to hear that there are at least ways to show deep objections to what’s happening. I can only hope our representatives will unite and daily obstruct what they can.
Under Schumer's leadership (or lack thereof) the Democrats in the Senate have never, ever used their power for the good of America. No voting rights, no abortion rights, no child tax credit, no taxing of billionaires and multi-millionaires, and now no court challenges to Musk's unlawful use of payment systems. All of our Privacy is at stake, yet what is Schumer doing, proposing legislation which he knows will go nowhere with the GOP commanding all sources of power in DC.
Good. I am also a Democrat in Idaho and called yesterday three times to complain to our elected officials about all of this. They are pretty despicable.
Yes they are often bastards but we need to thank them when they vote the way we approve of. When I left voicemails for my Senators I expressed disapproval at some of their specific votes, but when they voted appropriately I thanked them . We should still try to be polite, Congress people are humans. They want to be reelected
when Sen. Crapo cast the deciding vote to advance the Kennedy nomination I e-mailed him and asked "if he got a "good boy" pat on the head from his master tRump. Despicable POS"
Sorry. I don't eat at waffle house when it comes to what is happening.
Congress could stop all further committee meetings involved in the “passing through” of Trump’s Cabinet and agency heads’ confirmations I read that it takes only one member of Congress to bring this process to a halt. Dies anybody know if this is true?
Tuberville did it holding up hundreds of military flag officer promotions, including the Commander in Chief of the US Marines, if memory serves me correctly.
I'm sending a copy of this article to both Senators from my state. I hope others will do likewise. This is the first time I've seen clear, concrete ways to fight for our democracy.
Mitch McConnell gave them the playbook. They should use it now.
Yeah, but Chuck Schumer is not the right person for the job. He doesn't have the fighting spirit. In fact as far as I can see he has no spirit at all. The Democrats need to replace him with someone who has a backbone. Elizabeth Warren comes to mind.
Old Chuck might seem like he can't pull off what is being suggested, but most of these actions can be pulled off by a single Senator. Look for Chris Murphy, Elizabeth Warren, and others who are not afraid to speak out to be the disruptors.
Absolutely. This is no time to bring a covered dish to a gunfight.
And I still think we are not looking at this properly: What is going on with Musk and DOGE is worse than 9/11. That was a horrible attack that killed a lot of people and damaged a lot of property. But the government and our system held firm. Over the years we took many steps - some wiser than others - to harden the system against bad actors. But those changes still relied on good faith and norms, and now one party has swung open the doors to what is essentially a terrorist group; they are not blowing up things with bombs, but the potential casualties - to real people in real time - and to the integrity of our system and institutions - is far more devastating.
After 9/11 news media were on the story 24/7. Where are they now?
Thank you, Norm. I agree, Democrats need to realize this is metaphorical street brawl time.
I think you can delete “metaphorical” when senators and congress are being locked out of buildings that are being occupied by the Muskovites and the USDA inspector general physically removed from her post. It’s street brawl days.
Democrats need to learn how to be better obstructionists. Now is their time to shine. It’s all about strategy.
I agree wholeheartedly. Time to play the Repugnant game plan back on them. Give no quarter. And create a reverse Tea Party in the red states.
That's the attitude they need, and we need. And yes, here at the grassroots level, hang the nickname the Repugnant Party around their necks. Serious strategy, but with some humor mixed in to throw at President Musk, and Trump's fans in high places.
Fantastic article and even more fantastic suggestions. Only as long as wuss Schumer is the minority leader in the Senate, nothing will happen. Even when he was still the majority leader, he was regularly outmaneuvered by McConnell,
I have been, and still am, suggesting replacing Schumer with a Democratic Senator who has balls. There are many great female Democratic Senators who would fit that bill. Why not give the job to one of them?
Elizabeth Warren comes to mind. She's got the steel spine, the consitutional know-how, and the street sense to get this stuff done.
The idea that there is too much happening to keep focus on is silly.
What we're seeing is the press's refusal to create an overarching narrative that covers these many actions. (Imagine the Post trying to cover Watergate as a bunch of discrete events, not elements of a conspiracy!)
They can call it a putsch, call it a coup, call it a takeover of government authority by an unelected billionaire if they can't bring themselves to use one appropriate word.
But in any case stop treating the stories as separate when they are not.
Keep that front and center. With all respect to the dead and survivors, the plane crashes go below the fold, and the bullshit press conferences about "DEI" that put the press in a tizzy go inside.
It's easy if they want it to be.
Absolutely agree! I feel like I've been running around like a chicken w/its head cut off saying: "This is authoritarianism, a rise towards dictatorship. Don't you see it?!"
May I copy and send to my senators the list of what they can - no, MUST - do in Congress? Even though he's not my senator, I called Senator Schatz's office and talked to someone, asking him to pass along my deepest appreciation for his decision to hold up appointments.I hope a million people call!
The 2024 election was botched from the beginning. It allowed the criminal Trump to run for president. He should have been prosecuted. Now he is the president and the things we are trying to do to stop him amount to too little, too late.
And, in fighting back we find our government too slow and cumbersome to mount much of an offense.
Your second paragraph is wrong. It's simply due to Schumer's lack of leadership that the Dems in the Senate have not, already, instituted Mr. Ornstein's plan of action. McConnell certainly did it in the Obama and first Trump administrations. This is why there are six Christian Nationalists on the Supreme Court. It's also why we have an alcoholic, womanizer, sexual abuser, incompetent, and one who got Trump to pardon war criminals as Secretary of Defense.
We can plainly see the danger our country is in.
I urge everyone to join Adam Kinziger's "Country First." The other day, Kinziger led a group of Democratic Senators to visit USAID, and Musk's goons would not let them in the building - and these are sitting Senators, so that's illegal! That began an outcry that I think will lead to legal action against Musk.
But what can WE do? Every Thursday afternoon Adam's group does a Zoom focused on taking action. Last week he got 100 of us online to all call our Congresspeople. We were directed to connect via our laptops so our phones would be free to call. We saw 100 of us calling our Senators right then and there.
Also, sign up for Indivisible. They also do weekly Zooms that are very motivating, and full of specific action steps we can take.
And donate to the lawyers that are suing Trump every gosh-darn day. Democracy Forward and Public Citizen are two good groups.
Don't just rant and cry here - take action, good people.
I tried calling my Virginia Senators and the phone lines were busy. I filled out comment forms but you are required to select a topic and none of the topics listed applied to Musk's takeover of the federal gov't. QUESTION: Are the comment forms given as much weight as phone calls? How do I get around topics that don't apply to the current situation? Any responses welcome.
I have heard that phone calls carry much more weight than email comments. I'm in the same situation - in my state, nothing in the pull-down list of categories we are forced to choose from are relevant. If the lines are busy you can call after hours- you're probably going to leave a recorded message anyhow. Try calling their local office, calling the DC offices it's very difficult to get through. Also make separate phone calls for each nominee. I made separate phone calls hours apart to express my opinion on RFK Jr, Kash Patel, and Russell Vought. The staffers who listen to phone messages tally them and you're only going to get one opinion tabulated per phone call
Good suggestion to call local offices. Couldn’t leave after hours comments in my Senators - used to be able to. Hope Simon addresses this tonite.
Just did.
Thank you. I needed to hear that there are at least ways to show deep objections to what’s happening. I can only hope our representatives will unite and daily obstruct what they can.
Under Schumer's leadership (or lack thereof) the Democrats in the Senate have never, ever used their power for the good of America. No voting rights, no abortion rights, no child tax credit, no taxing of billionaires and multi-millionaires, and now no court challenges to Musk's unlawful use of payment systems. All of our Privacy is at stake, yet what is Schumer doing, proposing legislation which he knows will go nowhere with the GOP commanding all sources of power in DC.
I emailed both of my Idaho senators today and told them that they were bastards for helping with what is now happening.
Good. I am also a Democrat in Idaho and called yesterday three times to complain to our elected officials about all of this. They are pretty despicable.
Yes they are often bastards but we need to thank them when they vote the way we approve of. When I left voicemails for my Senators I expressed disapproval at some of their specific votes, but when they voted appropriately I thanked them . We should still try to be polite, Congress people are humans. They want to be reelected
when Sen. Crapo cast the deciding vote to advance the Kennedy nomination I e-mailed him and asked "if he got a "good boy" pat on the head from his master tRump. Despicable POS"
Sorry. I don't eat at waffle house when it comes to what is happening.
Agree, the gloves need to come off. Any chance at collaboration went out the window over the weekend. It's big human pants time now.
Congress could stop all further committee meetings involved in the “passing through” of Trump’s Cabinet and agency heads’ confirmations I read that it takes only one member of Congress to bring this process to a halt. Dies anybody know if this is true?
Tuberville did it holding up hundreds of military flag officer promotions, including the Commander in Chief of the US Marines, if memory serves me correctly.
I'm sending a copy of this article to both Senators from my state. I hope others will do likewise. This is the first time I've seen clear, concrete ways to fight for our democracy.