Simon, pls emphasize the importance of people calling their senators now to confirm the remaining 29 judges. Even if they have to keep the Senate open longer than usual. No holiday recess until all judges are confirmed! We must get these judges confirmed before January 20.
I called my senators about confirming judges and making lots of noise about the incompetence of the potential appointees to date, esp. Matt Gaetz for AG and demanding that the house ethics report on Gaetz be made available
Incoming Senate Majority Leader John Thune accepts comments on his website from non-constituents. I sent a message urging him to use the Senate's Constitutional authority and responsibility to vet and vote on Trump's unqualified, sycophantic, bonkers nominees.
“Senate Democrats must act now and use their power to confirm federal judges to every remaining judicial vacancy before the Trump administration has the chance to fill them with judges who will continue to attack our fundamental freedoms.
“Federal judges decide issues that impact our everyday lives—from abortion access to voting rights to common sense gun safety laws.
“As a voter and your constituent, I am counting on you to confirm dozens of federal judges before the end of the year, whether that means confirming the highly-qualified, diverse, and fair-minded judicial nominees that President Biden has already put forth, or pushing the White House to nominate the remaining judicial candidates before time runs out.
“We need to fill these lifetime appointments with judges who will stand up to the Trump administration and defend justice, equality, and the rights of all Americans for years to come.”
I just sent these to my senators (even though they're Republicans) and tweaked the wording a bit. I will also contact them next week, along with other senators and representatives.
Speaking of senators, can we contact senators from states besides our own? I live in Texas.
This is what Senator Warren asked for in the Indivisible national call on Wednesday. Also agency appointees such as NLRB. Indivisible has a new guide with good ideas of what to do to resist Republican agenda.
Yes, absolutely. All senators/reps have a logging in system for all callers' opinions and concerns. It is even more important if you are a resident in state! If you have never called them before, do not be intimidated. They work for you! Be respectful, but remember that you are the boss. Once you get started, you will become a regular caller. If their DC office phone is busy, find their nearest regional office in Texas and call there!
I don't think you will get much traction on the nominees, but you might call about HR 9495, the bill to grant the Treasury Secretary unilateral authority to strip non-profits of their tax filing status, pitched as an anti-terrorist organization bill, Even conservatives might not want such a law on the books, since it could be used by Dem presidents to go after right-wing organizations. Also, in the future you could call to ask for no anti-abortion riders on budget bills. Again, not sure whether your Senators will be receptive to that one, but we do need to identify the Republican opponents of riders, and they might come from funny places. Texas is pretty sensitive on abortion and even Texas Senators might not want to be out front on it. Not much political capital to gain there, and potentially some to lose.
YES! Cornyn was already asking to see the full report, I call both him and Cruz and asked them for the full report to be published. If it was a democrat you can bet they would release it . Calls are always the best. Call every day.
Like many, I've been wondering what's the method behind Trump's madness in appointing Hegseth, Gaetz, Gabbard, and RFK Jr. Propublica's recent article on Russ Vought gave me the key to this reasonable conspiracy theory:
-- Once confirmed, Gaetz, Gabbard, Hegseth, and RFK Jr. create the craziness that drives out competent civil servants from DOJ, DNI, Defense, and HHS.
-- Trump revives Schedule F, allowing him to replace the departed civil servants with loyalists as determined by Vought, Vance, and like-minded allies
-- Trump replaces Gaetz, Gabbard, Hegseth, and RFK Jr. with department and agency heads aligned with Vought's Christian nationalist views
-- Trump doesn't last the full term and J.D. Vance, also a Christian nationalist, becomes president. If Trump doesn't leave soon enough, Vance triggers the 25th amendment, which has to be approved by a majority of the Cabinet, i.e., the people who replaced Gaetz, Gabbard, Hegseth, and RFK Jr.
What do you think, Simon, about the extent to which this plausible?
Same here. Having a sense of a Vought-led strategy to mold the government and the nation on Christian nationalist principles provides clarity on how to effectively respond to it.
I agree that this is plausible, but not inevitable. The 4 Cabinet nominees are united by their willingness to serve Trump and not the Constitution. We have to resist strategically. Several commentators recently (Pod Save America's most recent episode has a conversation with newly-elected Senator Andy Kim, which I thought was very insightful.) Kim and Dan Pfeiffer argue that we should frame our opposition to Trump not as a defense of the status quo, but as an effort to reform the system.
Yes-- I agree with this. We need to go Rage Against the Machine on these clowns. Message about how Trump, Musk, Ackman, et al. epitomize the corruptness of the system that allows millionaires and billionares to do whatever they want with no consequences, but constantly squeezes the vast majority of Americans. Tie Trump and MAGA to a corrupt, unjust system that needs to be reformed. I think VP Harris was on the verge of being able to do that with her message, but just didn't have time to break through. Shout loud, wide, and far right now that if prices do fall it's proof that some corporations-- especially big oil-- have been holding the American people for ransom in order to get tax cuts, and Trump is their perfect puppet.
In the words of RATM: Lights out; Guerilla Radio; turn that shit up!!!
Trump tried to do a lot of the same stuff in Heritage 2025 beginning in 2017. E.G. https://www.govexec.com/management/2018/07/trump-moves-a dministrative-law-judge-appointments-out-of-competitive-service/149602/ Wanterd to reinstitute the spoils system.
They'll most probably be given interim/recess appointments. This is deja vu. GWB made 171 recess appointments (average of 21 per year)..E.G. I worked for DOL when it was anti-labor. Imagine the general counsel of the NLRB who was anti-union. Happens to be my former classmate. https://www.everycrsreport.com/reports/RL33310.html#_Toc227635494
Hopium = hope + opium = wishful thinking. Nothing explains it better than believing the totally outlier Selzer poll in Iowa. It is evident that pollsters cannot properly sample the voting population so the systematic errors are larger than the statistical errors. Republican non-responders are a huge problem that re-weighting cannot solve. Democrats staying home and not voting reveals a huge problem. Uneven income distribution implied that inflation hit large swaths of the electorate differentially, thus you get black and hispanic working people voting for Trump. People simply care a lot more about pocket book issues that the character of the candidate. Arguing that Trump is awful (which he is) was a waste of time. Harris did the best she could. There is no evidence of identity politics determining the election - it was the economy for the working people.
Our best hope is that Trump screws things up so badly in the first two years that the midterms will provide leverage to stop him. Democrats really have to think about saying something cogent to the rural parts of the country and the working class. Winning on razor thin margins is not healthy. Think of the time of FDR for a party addressing the issues of the whole country.
From my perspective, there is a choice and we cannot obey in advance. Zero of his nominations have been appointed yet. I will not behave as if they are. Same for all the other things we might predict.
Also, I've seen conflicting evidence whether it was the economy itself behind voting patterns or the perception of the economy that their info reality relayed to them. So far, there seems more evidence on the latter, so reworking messaging and communication modes is crucial (along with continuing to improve policy.)
When Trump screws up, unless we do get on top of messaging and communication modes, he'll claim all of Biden's successes and he'll reframe/blame all of his failures.
I’m with you Rachel. Excellent points. And ny the way, when Dem women fight we are called Bs etc by the radical right. Dems have to stand up for each other and stay together, focused, on our values. They protect America.
I've seen research that some 9M voters didn't vote because of intentional voter suppression practices, most of whom would likely have leaned Dem. There's more to understand about those who "stayed home."
As we learn more about what prompted voters, it seems Musk's 45M spent on micro-targeting of ads mattered -- telling Arab Americans in MI Harris was anti-Palestinian, telling Jews in PA Harris was anti-Israel, telling young voters Harris had abandoned progressive stands, etc. Tons of micro-targeted ads to all sorts of groups. It's more complicated than pocket book issues, and I think that gives us more responsibility and avenues to respond.
Trump screwing up won't save us, especially if we wait till then.
Racism and misogyny played a huge role as well. Everyone knows Trump is a racist so his voters are either racists or don't care that he is which makes them racists. There is a reason Proud Boys support Trump.
Certainly true of Trump, Proud Boys, and plenty of others. But I can't assume that about them all. Since "Is Joe Biden running?" was a top search question on Nov 5, I have no idea what motivated some of his voters. I noticed that a family 3 houses away from mine has a Trump banner out. I'm going to have to figure out how to say hi and chat someday, and sometime soon will dive into the sobering data of my own neighborhood and see that lots more did as well. I have to suspend assumptions to do that.
We can agree to disagree. Sure, they will say it's the economy or Joe is too old or I didn't really know what Kamala's policies are or gas is too high or there is a fentanyl crisis and we know bc it is being seized at the border or they are killing babies after birth or Kamala doesn't do any interviews or is Kamala really Black, I could go on. As someone else posted once, these are all excuses not reasons.
The 3 reasons for this loss are: race, sex, and race. Go listen to Egberto Willies' Politics Done Right as he asks a MAGA to explain which policies he voted for trump on; the guy asks if he can call back, to which Egberto replies, the fact you couldn't name a policy means you did not vote because of any policy....
I would revise your 3 reasons to: Fox News, sex and race. Trump voters are just not tuned into real news and facts and are either too busy or uninterested to research and understand the issues. Thus they are easily misled by Fox News, the rest of the right-wing media and the tremendous reach and influence their dystopian right-wing portrayal of the world has through social media. Fact-based progressives face an uphill battle until we can somehow neutralize the right-wing fearmongering and misinformation media echo-sphere that inflames the misogyny and racism that leads to reasons No, 2 (sex) and 3 (race).
I walk among the MAGA as a middle aged White guy. Not one has cited the economy as their reason for trump. In fact they are quite open about race being the main issue; today I talked to a Navy vet who could not articulate why he voted for a rapist and felon, he just shrugged and said he will be impeached and probably be gone before his term is up. So why vote for him then? Earphones went back on and he walked away. If it's the economy, people will tell you. We have been reading economic analysis for a year or more right here. This is an economy any president could run on. A Black woman lost to a completely unfit white man who crashed the economy 4 years ago. i urge you to check out Egberto Willies, a true intellectual, who will it all out; Eddie Glaude of Princeton called the economic excuse "shit" live on air; Black women, overwhelmingly working class, voted for Harris in huge numbers. So, it was not the economy. We have to drop arguments that make no real sense so we do not blow it again in 4 years. We've got a House to take back, and maybe with enough luck a Senate.
Your talk with the Navy vet illustrates another major reason Trump won in addition to the b.s. many people swallow from right-wing media. And it's that many people just don't take government seriously. They give more research and thought to what flavor of ice cream to buy than to what candidates to vote for. There is just NO perspective among many people that government exists for the common good and thus good people must be elected to pursue good policies. Government is just a joke to these lackadaisical voters.
But we had candidates who overcame that flood of bullshit; Obama overcame that flood of BS, so did Biden in 2020. Granted it is worse now and Thom Hartmann warned about it months ago, sadly he was right, but even he thought we'd take the PV. That was a shock.
while he had the microphone of the reporters he simply could have said "this simple act of transfer of power did not happen four years ago because you wouldnt accept that 81M people voted against you and i won. nor did you allow a normal transition process for my administration. and you weren't even a big enough person to attend my inauguration. but hey i'm a generous guy, so welcome back". but no, dems can never fight back. this has to change.
Yeah, that would have been nice but it wasn't going to happen in public. They then met for two hours privately after that, so it would not surprise me if Biden gave him a piece of his mind. It reminds me of a wish-he-said-that that actually was said: Former Mass. congressman Barney Frank, confronted by a constituent who likened Obama to Hitler, replied: "Sir, on what planet do you spend most of your time?"
Then we got Jared Polis slobbering all over Kennedy—a disgusting spectacle that he barely bothered to walk back. It shows the crying need for Dem-aligned networks to pump out the message and keep these pols on message. Really missing KamalaHQ right now. Shutting it down on election night was a big mistake.
I’ve also seen ridiculous names floated for DNC chair—people like Tim Murphy who ignored the grassroots to try to get his wife a senate seat. Rahm Emanuel ffs!
We need leaders within the party to be fighting for us, not just asking us to fight the GOP while they get back to fundraising.
Oh God. Biden said that? I am so glad I did not watch. I love Biden but was so disappointed that the invited Trump to the WH. Seriously. Biden is decent and classy, but just days before the election you had JD Vance calling Harris trash and Trump constantly saying she was stupid.
Simon, have a wonderful evening connecting with weary but committed supporters! Anderson Clayton addressed 1400 volunteers last night with a great program launch called “Anger into ACTION” getting small groups across the state engaged and brainstorming with state organizers AND county parties. I’m signed up with my local gal group of 7 of us eager to participate. It beats watching the train-wreck in slo-mo. Healthier too. Even when I am down, I know I can’t quit fighting. So it is better to be in community with fellow freedom fighters! ;-)
Our calls to Republican Senators should likely focus on the critical importance of preserving the Senate's constitutional authority to "advise and consent." That is at the heart of shenanigans they may pull to do 'recess appointments." ## I like Ornstein's suggestion for pre-confirmation hearings while Dems have the majority. It would ensure the scope of their lack of qualifications and unsuitability goes into the record. Otherwise, a lot of that information will be blocked from Rep controlled hearings. If the nominees refuse en masse to attend -hold the hearings anyway. It's days of testimony and headlines. It also takes some heat off of Thune. (Note: Hegseth was removed from the Inauguration detail because of his extreme views - not the military. Yes/no?) It would be helpful to have a target list of Rep Senators on blocking a recess vote and ensuring the "pro forma' recesses are held to comply with the SC 2014 decision that established the 10-day rule. That way we can distribute to our personal lists/friends. ## Wish I could be at the LA get-together tonight. I'm 100 miles away under a winter storm warning. Hope it is an evening of renewed determination and no small measure of "joyful warriors" gearing back up.
Thank you Chris. The messages to GOP Senators should be short & simple: I urge you to support full hearings for all Cabinet nominees and to protect the Advise & Consent authority of the US Senate under the constitution.
For GOP House members: Support the constitution. Vote NO on a recess vote that would force the Senate into recess. And the effort needs to be timed to land around Inauguration Day. That way we'll have a better idea who is still in the running.
I've emailed my House rep (Dem Terri Sewell) and the only one of my AL senators who can count past 10 (Katie Britt...I doubt Tuberville can even read an email). But is it helpful to contact senators in other states? I know the email systems ask for my address, so it'd be very clear I'm not a constituent. I want to bombard as many people on the Hill that I can.
I agree with Simon and many of you that elected Democrats need to get their heads out of their asses and get in this fight. I don't think they understand that the battle has already begun. We can't keep repeating the mistakes that cost us this election. We have to lay the foundation for our opposition - mainly through messaging - before the fur really starts flying in January.
Just to report back here — we need to get SO MUCH louder. After sending emails to Fetterman and Casey's office, I called Fetterman's office and had a quite dispiriting conversation. This young woman, at least, reported seeing no real signs of any aggressive D Senate activity. Will they hold early hearings about these appointments? Will they confirm the judges? Will they work with more reasonable Rs to block some of what is to come? Is there action? She said she had not really seen any signs of that—only that the Senate will stay in session in December. I asked the young woman how many people are calling and she said, "Well, I guess there have been a few calls." I said that we had done so much for this election and it was important now that the Democratic Senators still do their work for us. I then called Schumer's office and left a very specific note asking for action—now. We need more calls to be made, clearly.
You find yourself in a position that has more significance now than in any time in its history. You are Majority Leader of the U.S. Senate, a body that has the Constitutional obligation to advise and consent – or not – on appointments to crucial positions in the United States government. You are now challenged by a President-elect of your own party to approve his nominees who are, by any rational measure, not only unfit to hold the offices to which he has appointed them, but would pose a danger to the United States if they were to ascend to those positions. It is your duty to muster Senators of your party and the opposition to deny those appointments and to refuse to allow temporary appointments if Congress were in recess.
Your father, Harold Thune, was a Navy fighter pilot in World War II, credited with shooting down four enemy planes. You predecessor as a Senator from South Dakota, George McGovern, flew 35 missions over Europe in that war as pilot of a B-24. They had courage, two o’clock in the morning courage, because they knew that the fate of the United States as a democracy was on the line. You are in a position to muster some courage now. The stakes are high. The nominees you will be asked to confirm are also a threat to the United States as a democracy. Should you stand up to him, the President-elect will call you nasty names and threaten your political future, as he has in the past. His minions in the Senate will follow. Please pay no heed. Your plane will not be shot down. History will record your efforts. Your grandchildren and great grandchildren will be able to point with pride at your role saving the country, as did your father and Senator McGovern.
I went ahead and wrote Thune anyway, taking Judd's wonderful letter and editing it with specifics about each Cabinet of Horrors candidate, and only including part of the second paragraph (about the father's service to our country), making it new, so that it doesn't seem like a bot sent out the letter. Since he is the new Majority Senate Leader for ALL of us, I think this issue about the recess and about not accepting the Gang of 4 is something we all can legitimately attest to. If Thune gets bombarded with emails and calls from all around the country, he might notice.
Excellent letter. I live in Va. but emailed Thune on his website to urge him to pursue the Senate's Constitutional role to vet and approve Trump's odious nominations.
Send this to Thune's office if you have not yet done so. Post it on BlueSky, Sez Us, Resolute Square and other pro democracy social media and yes, Twitter if Musk won't block it (he might). I doubt Thune reads Hopium. Get this to spread, Judd. Thanks. great letter.
Saw AOC interviewed by Joy Reid. She was rational, considered, eloquent. I hope she has a high profile role in the Democratic Party in future. Together with others like Kristina Marie Gluesenkamp Perez, representing different geographical, demographic and idealogical areas, AOC and this new generation offer real hope for the future.
She is a trusted messenger with Hispanics. Or Latinos. I never got straight how this group likes the be called. I used to like being called a liberal. Proud of it in fact. I guess I’m a progressive. .
Chicano is a word that I recalled used about Mexican-Americans, and about themselves. Seems to have fallen out of use since I lived in California decades ago.
And she completely bought into the foolish notion that trump was some kind of vote whisperer that "is for you". I was really disappointed she couldn't say what Joe Trippi said without actually saying it; that a woman has failed to break 48% in two elections now.
Just called my Oregon senators and asked them to hold confirmation hearings on the cabinet proposals in the next 60 days and to confirm the 29 judges. Left one message and talked to Merkley’s staff directly.
Yes to confirming Biden’s judges – and not just those 29. But let’s hold off on confirmation hearing for Trump’s cabinet nominees, as that would eat up valuable Senate time and result in fewer judicial confirmations.
SImon has good answers to that, and some other commenters have added excellent proposals, examples of letters to their newspapers, their senators and congressional representatives, as well as to John Thune, the new Senate Majority Leader.
Simon, pls emphasize the importance of people calling their senators now to confirm the remaining 29 judges. Even if they have to keep the Senate open longer than usual. No holiday recess until all judges are confirmed! We must get these judges confirmed before January 20.
I called my senators about confirming judges and making lots of noise about the incompetence of the potential appointees to date, esp. Matt Gaetz for AG and demanding that the house ethics report on Gaetz be made available
Thank you! This is exactly what is needed! Please ask your networks to do the same. :)
Incoming Senate Majority Leader John Thune accepts comments on his website from non-constituents. I sent a message urging him to use the Senate's Constitutional authority and responsibility to vet and vote on Trump's unqualified, sycophantic, bonkers nominees.
did it
I did likewise.
Stand Up America has this prewritten letter that goes to your own Senators. Their technology makes it all automatic, or use their text yourself.
https://act.standupamerica.com/letters/letter-judicial-confirmations
We Can’t Give Trump More Federal Judges
“Senate Democrats must act now and use their power to confirm federal judges to every remaining judicial vacancy before the Trump administration has the chance to fill them with judges who will continue to attack our fundamental freedoms.
“Federal judges decide issues that impact our everyday lives—from abortion access to voting rights to common sense gun safety laws.
“As a voter and your constituent, I am counting on you to confirm dozens of federal judges before the end of the year, whether that means confirming the highly-qualified, diverse, and fair-minded judicial nominees that President Biden has already put forth, or pushing the White House to nominate the remaining judicial candidates before time runs out.
“We need to fill these lifetime appointments with judges who will stand up to the Trump administration and defend justice, equality, and the rights of all Americans for years to come.”
I just sent these to my senators (even though they're Republicans) and tweaked the wording a bit. I will also contact them next week, along with other senators and representatives.
Speaking of senators, can we contact senators from states besides our own? I live in Texas.
Good point. Thank you for emphasizing.
This is what Senator Warren asked for in the Indivisible national call on Wednesday. Also agency appointees such as NLRB. Indivisible has a new guide with good ideas of what to do to resist Republican agenda.
NLRB?
https://www.nlrb.gov/
https://www.youtube.com/live/db-Pvqa5SQE?si=O3vldJ0hV2laiYHJ Link to national call.
Read and implement!
Practical Guide to Democracy on the Brink https://docs.google.com/document/d/1o1gSdFWIUpw41O5zbaxedVsr6Xik5XpPd9FwqvXYu40/edit?usp=sharing
I just downloaded this as a PDF file. Thanks so much!
I'm in Texas and unfortunately, both of my senators (Cornyn and Cruz) are Republicans. Should I still call anyway?
I will!
Yes, absolutely. All senators/reps have a logging in system for all callers' opinions and concerns. It is even more important if you are a resident in state! If you have never called them before, do not be intimidated. They work for you! Be respectful, but remember that you are the boss. Once you get started, you will become a regular caller. If their DC office phone is busy, find their nearest regional office in Texas and call there!
Thanks!
You can also send a message via their websites.
Yes, they need to feel the "heat". Maybe someone like Cornyn will discover that he has a spine and "Balls".
I don't think you will get much traction on the nominees, but you might call about HR 9495, the bill to grant the Treasury Secretary unilateral authority to strip non-profits of their tax filing status, pitched as an anti-terrorist organization bill, Even conservatives might not want such a law on the books, since it could be used by Dem presidents to go after right-wing organizations. Also, in the future you could call to ask for no anti-abortion riders on budget bills. Again, not sure whether your Senators will be receptive to that one, but we do need to identify the Republican opponents of riders, and they might come from funny places. Texas is pretty sensitive on abortion and even Texas Senators might not want to be out front on it. Not much political capital to gain there, and potentially some to lose.
YES! Cornyn was already asking to see the full report, I call both him and Cruz and asked them for the full report to be published. If it was a democrat you can bet they would release it . Calls are always the best. Call every day.
Like many, I've been wondering what's the method behind Trump's madness in appointing Hegseth, Gaetz, Gabbard, and RFK Jr. Propublica's recent article on Russ Vought gave me the key to this reasonable conspiracy theory:
--‘Put them in trauma’: Inside a key MAGA leader’s plans for a new Trump agenda -- Russ Vought, former OMB director and a declared Christian nationalist, has plans https://www.govexec.com/management/2024/10/inside-key-maga-leaders-plans-new-trump-agenda/400607/
-- Once confirmed, Gaetz, Gabbard, Hegseth, and RFK Jr. create the craziness that drives out competent civil servants from DOJ, DNI, Defense, and HHS.
-- Trump revives Schedule F, allowing him to replace the departed civil servants with loyalists as determined by Vought, Vance, and like-minded allies
-- Trump replaces Gaetz, Gabbard, Hegseth, and RFK Jr. with department and agency heads aligned with Vought's Christian nationalist views
-- Trump doesn't last the full term and J.D. Vance, also a Christian nationalist, becomes president. If Trump doesn't leave soon enough, Vance triggers the 25th amendment, which has to be approved by a majority of the Cabinet, i.e., the people who replaced Gaetz, Gabbard, Hegseth, and RFK Jr.
What do you think, Simon, about the extent to which this plausible?
I find it extremely plausible, but not a fait accompli. I did not work my whole life to have these MFers take it all away.
Same here. Having a sense of a Vought-led strategy to mold the government and the nation on Christian nationalist principles provides clarity on how to effectively respond to it.
I agree that this is plausible, but not inevitable. The 4 Cabinet nominees are united by their willingness to serve Trump and not the Constitution. We have to resist strategically. Several commentators recently (Pod Save America's most recent episode has a conversation with newly-elected Senator Andy Kim, which I thought was very insightful.) Kim and Dan Pfeiffer argue that we should frame our opposition to Trump not as a defense of the status quo, but as an effort to reform the system.
Yes-- I agree with this. We need to go Rage Against the Machine on these clowns. Message about how Trump, Musk, Ackman, et al. epitomize the corruptness of the system that allows millionaires and billionares to do whatever they want with no consequences, but constantly squeezes the vast majority of Americans. Tie Trump and MAGA to a corrupt, unjust system that needs to be reformed. I think VP Harris was on the verge of being able to do that with her message, but just didn't have time to break through. Shout loud, wide, and far right now that if prices do fall it's proof that some corporations-- especially big oil-- have been holding the American people for ransom in order to get tax cuts, and Trump is their perfect puppet.
In the words of RATM: Lights out; Guerilla Radio; turn that shit up!!!
Trump tried to do a lot of the same stuff in Heritage 2025 beginning in 2017. E.G. https://www.govexec.com/management/2018/07/trump-moves-a dministrative-law-judge-appointments-out-of-competitive-service/149602/ Wanterd to reinstitute the spoils system.
They'll most probably be given interim/recess appointments. This is deja vu. GWB made 171 recess appointments (average of 21 per year)..E.G. I worked for DOL when it was anti-labor. Imagine the general counsel of the NLRB who was anti-union. Happens to be my former classmate. https://www.everycrsreport.com/reports/RL33310.html#_Toc227635494
THANK YOU. It is absolutely imperative that those of us who are able remain engaged, informed, and aggressive !
Call your senators/House member EVERY SINGLE DAY. Do not let up - and I highly recommend watching this really important Indivisible strategy call: https://www.youtube.com/live/db-Pvqa5SQE?si=st6GNFNlEz8V-WqN
Also, AOC has some important insights about why people split the ticket in her district: https://youtu.be/WoP9BJiItSI?si=l1clfIW5qYooORje
Hopium = hope + opium = wishful thinking. Nothing explains it better than believing the totally outlier Selzer poll in Iowa. It is evident that pollsters cannot properly sample the voting population so the systematic errors are larger than the statistical errors. Republican non-responders are a huge problem that re-weighting cannot solve. Democrats staying home and not voting reveals a huge problem. Uneven income distribution implied that inflation hit large swaths of the electorate differentially, thus you get black and hispanic working people voting for Trump. People simply care a lot more about pocket book issues that the character of the candidate. Arguing that Trump is awful (which he is) was a waste of time. Harris did the best she could. There is no evidence of identity politics determining the election - it was the economy for the working people.
Our best hope is that Trump screws things up so badly in the first two years that the midterms will provide leverage to stop him. Democrats really have to think about saying something cogent to the rural parts of the country and the working class. Winning on razor thin margins is not healthy. Think of the time of FDR for a party addressing the issues of the whole country.
From my perspective, there is a choice and we cannot obey in advance. Zero of his nominations have been appointed yet. I will not behave as if they are. Same for all the other things we might predict.
Also, I've seen conflicting evidence whether it was the economy itself behind voting patterns or the perception of the economy that their info reality relayed to them. So far, there seems more evidence on the latter, so reworking messaging and communication modes is crucial (along with continuing to improve policy.)
When Trump screws up, unless we do get on top of messaging and communication modes, he'll claim all of Biden's successes and he'll reframe/blame all of his failures.
I’m with you Rachel. Excellent points. And ny the way, when Dem women fight we are called Bs etc by the radical right. Dems have to stand up for each other and stay together, focused, on our values. They protect America.
I've seen research that some 9M voters didn't vote because of intentional voter suppression practices, most of whom would likely have leaned Dem. There's more to understand about those who "stayed home."
As we learn more about what prompted voters, it seems Musk's 45M spent on micro-targeting of ads mattered -- telling Arab Americans in MI Harris was anti-Palestinian, telling Jews in PA Harris was anti-Israel, telling young voters Harris had abandoned progressive stands, etc. Tons of micro-targeted ads to all sorts of groups. It's more complicated than pocket book issues, and I think that gives us more responsibility and avenues to respond.
Trump screwing up won't save us, especially if we wait till then.
Don’t forget the Russian bomb threats
Yes indeed. And Russian disinformation ads too. Without Musk and Russia, Trump might have lost.
Would have lost. Tragic that lies were micro targeted to populations by musk
Racism and misogyny played a huge role as well. Everyone knows Trump is a racist so his voters are either racists or don't care that he is which makes them racists. There is a reason Proud Boys support Trump.
Certainly true of Trump, Proud Boys, and plenty of others. But I can't assume that about them all. Since "Is Joe Biden running?" was a top search question on Nov 5, I have no idea what motivated some of his voters. I noticed that a family 3 houses away from mine has a Trump banner out. I'm going to have to figure out how to say hi and chat someday, and sometime soon will dive into the sobering data of my own neighborhood and see that lots more did as well. I have to suspend assumptions to do that.
We can agree to disagree. Sure, they will say it's the economy or Joe is too old or I didn't really know what Kamala's policies are or gas is too high or there is a fentanyl crisis and we know bc it is being seized at the border or they are killing babies after birth or Kamala doesn't do any interviews or is Kamala really Black, I could go on. As someone else posted once, these are all excuses not reasons.
And the Lincoln Project once again failed to move the needle; they are operating in a 1988 framework. Good ads that no one saw.
The 3 reasons for this loss are: race, sex, and race. Go listen to Egberto Willies' Politics Done Right as he asks a MAGA to explain which policies he voted for trump on; the guy asks if he can call back, to which Egberto replies, the fact you couldn't name a policy means you did not vote because of any policy....
I would revise your 3 reasons to: Fox News, sex and race. Trump voters are just not tuned into real news and facts and are either too busy or uninterested to research and understand the issues. Thus they are easily misled by Fox News, the rest of the right-wing media and the tremendous reach and influence their dystopian right-wing portrayal of the world has through social media. Fact-based progressives face an uphill battle until we can somehow neutralize the right-wing fearmongering and misinformation media echo-sphere that inflames the misogyny and racism that leads to reasons No, 2 (sex) and 3 (race).
I'm sure race, sex, and the MAGA echo chamber we're factors in the election but the main reason we lost was the economy.
I would argue that it's the perceptions and lack of understanding of the economy and economic tools as fomented by RW media, not the actual economy.
I walk among the MAGA as a middle aged White guy. Not one has cited the economy as their reason for trump. In fact they are quite open about race being the main issue; today I talked to a Navy vet who could not articulate why he voted for a rapist and felon, he just shrugged and said he will be impeached and probably be gone before his term is up. So why vote for him then? Earphones went back on and he walked away. If it's the economy, people will tell you. We have been reading economic analysis for a year or more right here. This is an economy any president could run on. A Black woman lost to a completely unfit white man who crashed the economy 4 years ago. i urge you to check out Egberto Willies, a true intellectual, who will it all out; Eddie Glaude of Princeton called the economic excuse "shit" live on air; Black women, overwhelmingly working class, voted for Harris in huge numbers. So, it was not the economy. We have to drop arguments that make no real sense so we do not blow it again in 4 years. We've got a House to take back, and maybe with enough luck a Senate.
Your talk with the Navy vet illustrates another major reason Trump won in addition to the b.s. many people swallow from right-wing media. And it's that many people just don't take government seriously. They give more research and thought to what flavor of ice cream to buy than to what candidates to vote for. There is just NO perspective among many people that government exists for the common good and thus good people must be elected to pursue good policies. Government is just a joke to these lackadaisical voters.
But we had candidates who overcame that flood of bullshit; Obama overcame that flood of BS, so did Biden in 2020. Granted it is worse now and Thom Hartmann warned about it months ago, sadly he was right, but even he thought we'd take the PV. That was a shock.
All great ideas but sadly, I hear little resolve from the highest levels of the Democratic Party.
Am I the only person who was devastated when Biden said to Trump “ Welcome Back to the White House” ?!
I feel like I’m in the twilight zone.
Well it's our job to give them resolve! They work for us! Don't mean to yell, but yeah, I was BIGTIME pissed at Biden for doing that.
while he had the microphone of the reporters he simply could have said "this simple act of transfer of power did not happen four years ago because you wouldnt accept that 81M people voted against you and i won. nor did you allow a normal transition process for my administration. and you weren't even a big enough person to attend my inauguration. but hey i'm a generous guy, so welcome back". but no, dems can never fight back. this has to change.
Yeah, that would have been nice but it wasn't going to happen in public. They then met for two hours privately after that, so it would not surprise me if Biden gave him a piece of his mind. It reminds me of a wish-he-said-that that actually was said: Former Mass. congressman Barney Frank, confronted by a constituent who likened Obama to Hitler, replied: "Sir, on what planet do you spend most of your time?"
Then we got Jared Polis slobbering all over Kennedy—a disgusting spectacle that he barely bothered to walk back. It shows the crying need for Dem-aligned networks to pump out the message and keep these pols on message. Really missing KamalaHQ right now. Shutting it down on election night was a big mistake.
I’ve also seen ridiculous names floated for DNC chair—people like Tim Murphy who ignored the grassroots to try to get his wife a senate seat. Rahm Emanuel ffs!
We need leaders within the party to be fighting for us, not just asking us to fight the GOP while they get back to fundraising.
Jared Polis slobbered all over Kennedy? Oh man, I'm glad I am not watching or reading much news these days.
Tim Murphy is a Republican. No?
NJ Gov Phil Murphy is a Democrat.
So is Senator Chris Murphy. Which Murphy was floated for DNC chair?
Phil Murphy apparently
[Expand article]
https://www.msn.com/en-us/news/politics/gov-murphy-has-made-a-decision-on-whether-he-ll-be-a-national-democratic-party-leader/ar-AA1u6zWd
Oh God. Biden said that? I am so glad I did not watch. I love Biden but was so disappointed that the invited Trump to the WH. Seriously. Biden is decent and classy, but just days before the election you had JD Vance calling Harris trash and Trump constantly saying she was stupid.
Simon, have a wonderful evening connecting with weary but committed supporters! Anderson Clayton addressed 1400 volunteers last night with a great program launch called “Anger into ACTION” getting small groups across the state engaged and brainstorming with state organizers AND county parties. I’m signed up with my local gal group of 7 of us eager to participate. It beats watching the train-wreck in slo-mo. Healthier too. Even when I am down, I know I can’t quit fighting. So it is better to be in community with fellow freedom fighters! ;-)
Hug from NC! B
Our calls to Republican Senators should likely focus on the critical importance of preserving the Senate's constitutional authority to "advise and consent." That is at the heart of shenanigans they may pull to do 'recess appointments." ## I like Ornstein's suggestion for pre-confirmation hearings while Dems have the majority. It would ensure the scope of their lack of qualifications and unsuitability goes into the record. Otherwise, a lot of that information will be blocked from Rep controlled hearings. If the nominees refuse en masse to attend -hold the hearings anyway. It's days of testimony and headlines. It also takes some heat off of Thune. (Note: Hegseth was removed from the Inauguration detail because of his extreme views - not the military. Yes/no?) It would be helpful to have a target list of Rep Senators on blocking a recess vote and ensuring the "pro forma' recesses are held to comply with the SC 2014 decision that established the 10-day rule. That way we can distribute to our personal lists/friends. ## Wish I could be at the LA get-together tonight. I'm 100 miles away under a winter storm warning. Hope it is an evening of renewed determination and no small measure of "joyful warriors" gearing back up.
Scripts here tailored to both R and D Senators:
https://chopwoodcarrywaterdailyactions.substack.com/p/chop-wood-carry-water-1115-22e
Thank you Chris. The messages to GOP Senators should be short & simple: I urge you to support full hearings for all Cabinet nominees and to protect the Advise & Consent authority of the US Senate under the constitution.
For GOP House members: Support the constitution. Vote NO on a recess vote that would force the Senate into recess. And the effort needs to be timed to land around Inauguration Day. That way we'll have a better idea who is still in the running.
Just left messages for Fetterman and Casey. Thank you for encouraging this.
same
Is calling [elected officials] preferable to emailing?
I say do both.
I've emailed my House rep (Dem Terri Sewell) and the only one of my AL senators who can count past 10 (Katie Britt...I doubt Tuberville can even read an email). But is it helpful to contact senators in other states? I know the email systems ask for my address, so it'd be very clear I'm not a constituent. I want to bombard as many people on the Hill that I can.
I agree with Simon and many of you that elected Democrats need to get their heads out of their asses and get in this fight. I don't think they understand that the battle has already begun. We can't keep repeating the mistakes that cost us this election. We have to lay the foundation for our opposition - mainly through messaging - before the fur really starts flying in January.
Hell yeah, contact them too! Our tax $ pays their salaries!
On it.
Just to report back here — we need to get SO MUCH louder. After sending emails to Fetterman and Casey's office, I called Fetterman's office and had a quite dispiriting conversation. This young woman, at least, reported seeing no real signs of any aggressive D Senate activity. Will they hold early hearings about these appointments? Will they confirm the judges? Will they work with more reasonable Rs to block some of what is to come? Is there action? She said she had not really seen any signs of that—only that the Senate will stay in session in December. I asked the young woman how many people are calling and she said, "Well, I guess there have been a few calls." I said that we had done so much for this election and it was important now that the Democratic Senators still do their work for us. I then called Schumer's office and left a very specific note asking for action—now. We need more calls to be made, clearly.
Thanks for the update. I emailed my senators and thune. I’m travelling so will call when I return. Yes. Everyone needs to call Schumer s office!,
Yes we need to call and email Shumer relentlessly.
The intern answering the phone probably isn’t the most tapped in source to glean info from in a senate office.
I know that, but — I asked a lot of questions, including: How many such calls are you receiving like this? "Just a few," she said.
An open letter to Senator John Thune
Dear Senator Thune,
You find yourself in a position that has more significance now than in any time in its history. You are Majority Leader of the U.S. Senate, a body that has the Constitutional obligation to advise and consent – or not – on appointments to crucial positions in the United States government. You are now challenged by a President-elect of your own party to approve his nominees who are, by any rational measure, not only unfit to hold the offices to which he has appointed them, but would pose a danger to the United States if they were to ascend to those positions. It is your duty to muster Senators of your party and the opposition to deny those appointments and to refuse to allow temporary appointments if Congress were in recess.
Your father, Harold Thune, was a Navy fighter pilot in World War II, credited with shooting down four enemy planes. You predecessor as a Senator from South Dakota, George McGovern, flew 35 missions over Europe in that war as pilot of a B-24. They had courage, two o’clock in the morning courage, because they knew that the fate of the United States as a democracy was on the line. You are in a position to muster some courage now. The stakes are high. The nominees you will be asked to confirm are also a threat to the United States as a democracy. Should you stand up to him, the President-elect will call you nasty names and threaten your political future, as he has in the past. His minions in the Senate will follow. Please pay no heed. Your plane will not be shot down. History will record your efforts. Your grandchildren and great grandchildren will be able to point with pride at your role saving the country, as did your father and Senator McGovern.
Asking for America,
Judd Kahn
Thank you. I read your letter to my 80 year old husband, and he agreed. Very strong. On target.
What about sharing this on Twitter or Blue Skies and asking folks to bomb Sen. Thune with versions of this letter?
This is beautifully written. Thank you so much.
Is there a South Dakotan in the house who can borrow this and send to the Senator?
I went ahead and wrote Thune anyway, taking Judd's wonderful letter and editing it with specifics about each Cabinet of Horrors candidate, and only including part of the second paragraph (about the father's service to our country), making it new, so that it doesn't seem like a bot sent out the letter. Since he is the new Majority Senate Leader for ALL of us, I think this issue about the recess and about not accepting the Gang of 4 is something we all can legitimately attest to. If Thune gets bombarded with emails and calls from all around the country, he might notice.
Excellent letter. I live in Va. but emailed Thune on his website to urge him to pursue the Senate's Constitutional role to vet and approve Trump's odious nominations.
Me too
Send this to Thune's office if you have not yet done so. Post it on BlueSky, Sez Us, Resolute Square and other pro democracy social media and yes, Twitter if Musk won't block it (he might). I doubt Thune reads Hopium. Get this to spread, Judd. Thanks. great letter.
Dems need to compete 24/7 in the information space to counteract the RW misinformation machine.
I agree with Simon and Joe Trippi that the DNC needs to invest in online networks and communities to amplify our message to all voters.
Hopefully, the Senate will have 4-5 Republicans to deny confirmation to all or most of the 4. Murkowski, Collins, Romney are hopefully 3.
Not holding my breath for Susan Collins, have you forgotten her Supreme Court votes?
As someone kindly reminded us earlier Sen. Romney is retiring.
Saw AOC interviewed by Joy Reid. She was rational, considered, eloquent. I hope she has a high profile role in the Democratic Party in future. Together with others like Kristina Marie Gluesenkamp Perez, representing different geographical, demographic and idealogical areas, AOC and this new generation offer real hope for the future.
She is a trusted messenger with Hispanics. Or Latinos. I never got straight how this group likes the be called. I used to like being called a liberal. Proud of it in fact. I guess I’m a progressive. .
Chicano is a word that I recalled used about Mexican-Americans, and about themselves. Seems to have fallen out of use since I lived in California decades ago.
Hispanic, Mexican, Mexican-American, Latino/Latina and now LatinX to name a few - many groups (Cubans, Puerto Ricans, Guatemalans for example).
Most people would consider me a "liberal," but personally I just consider myself "reasonable."
And she completely bought into the foolish notion that trump was some kind of vote whisperer that "is for you". I was really disappointed she couldn't say what Joe Trippi said without actually saying it; that a woman has failed to break 48% in two elections now.
Just called my Oregon senators and asked them to hold confirmation hearings on the cabinet proposals in the next 60 days and to confirm the 29 judges. Left one message and talked to Merkley’s staff directly.
Yes to confirming Biden’s judges – and not just those 29. But let’s hold off on confirmation hearing for Trump’s cabinet nominees, as that would eat up valuable Senate time and result in fewer judicial confirmations.
I was wondering about that. Priorities are very important now, with a closing window. How do you suggest we communicate our opposition?
SImon has good answers to that, and some other commenters have added excellent proposals, examples of letters to their newspapers, their senators and congressional representatives, as well as to John Thune, the new Senate Majority Leader.
Spanburger video: https://youtu.be/5JL83CEdGBU?si=FXRz_pc9sa-KM2IO