U.S. Senator Patty Murray is speaking out against the Trump administration's reported plan to fire 80,000 employees at the Department of Veterans Affairs.
Raising awareness. There’s nothing else she can do, the democrats cannot force any legislative action here and it’s not like Trump is asking for confesses permission so there is nothing to filterbuster.
Everything I see people saying democrats should be doing is based on not understanding the rules of congress.
The only ones with any hope of reign this shit in are lifetime judicial appointments.
There’s nothing else she can do, the democrats cannot force any legislative action here and it’s not like Trump is asking for confesses permission so there is nothing to filterbuster.
Wrong. They could do things like
Obsruct every bit of business the Republicans bring in both houses
Vote NO on every appointment
Go nuclear on any Dems that vote YES, publicly call for primaries against any Democrat not holding the line, and support primary challengers
Go on every media outlet talking about how Trump has no right to usurp the Congressional power of the purse and no right to touch funding of programs passed through Congress
Hold town halls both in their own districts and Republican districts
Refuse to authorize or re-authorize the AUMF
Issue Subpoenas for Musk and every member of DOGE, grill the fuck out of them, and hold them in Contempt of Congress if they hear any bullshit from them
Organize rallies and marches
Issue public statements that Americans, and people globally, should stop buying Teslas
Work with Canadian and Mexican counterparts on strategies to torch Musk businesses
File any and all relevant lawsuits against Trump and DOGE members, and follow through
Use whatever Congressional powers exist to subpoena/FOIA and publish any data about DOGE/Musk/etc they can get their hands on
That would be a start. You know, generally DO something and not be the rich, complacent servants of Wall Street they are. Or they could, hold a stupid signs during the SotU, send breathless donation solicitation emails, tell us they can’t do anything because of the parlimentarian or whatever, and cross our fingers and wait for 2028.
Raising awareness. There’s nothing else she can do…
She can do more.
She can be functionally disruptive during Senate proceedings and votes to slow down this administration’s actions to a halt (like Republicans did when Democrats were in charge). She didn’t attend the joint session of Congress the other day, which was a missed opportunity to be a visible example of someone demonstrating actual leadership.
Senators and Congressfolk are used to “leading” by performing the drudgery of lawmaking; crafting bills, participating in committees, etc. We are in unprecedented times. Like it or not, women and minorities are shock troops positioned to bare the brunt of the hell that’s coming.
I need Senator Murray to start acting like this is a reality rather than a possibility.
Also note: every authoritarian regime has use for a struggle-bus opposition party. A group able to amicably perform the part of a political counterpoint, but at the same time be pathetically bumbling and inept, always falling just short of being able to win back power. They exist to sap attention and political will from individuals who DO want to win and properly unfuck things (outlaw Citizens United, enforce public financing of campaigns, implement single-payer health care, broaden options for voting, tax the rich, followed by addressing the million more micro-miseries that erode our eponymous pursuit of Happiness). This can be very enticing for someone with little moral fortitude who is only interested in punching a clock as democracy circles the drain. Apropos of nothing, of course.
What’s she doing about it?
Raising awareness. There’s nothing else she can do, the democrats cannot force any legislative action here and it’s not like Trump is asking for confesses permission so there is nothing to filterbuster.
Everything I see people saying democrats should be doing is based on not understanding the rules of congress.
The only ones with any hope of reign this shit in are lifetime judicial appointments.
Sorry, but this is such a cop out.
Wrong. They could do things like
That would be a start. You know, generally DO something and not be the rich, complacent servants of Wall Street they are. Or they could, hold a stupid signs during the SotU, send breathless donation solicitation emails, tell us they can’t do anything because of the parlimentarian or whatever, and cross our fingers and wait for 2028.
Patty Murray sucks.
She can do more.
She can be functionally disruptive during Senate proceedings and votes to slow down this administration’s actions to a halt (like Republicans did when Democrats were in charge). She didn’t attend the joint session of Congress the other day, which was a missed opportunity to be a visible example of someone demonstrating actual leadership.
Senators and Congressfolk are used to “leading” by performing the drudgery of lawmaking; crafting bills, participating in committees, etc. We are in unprecedented times. Like it or not, women and minorities are shock troops positioned to bare the brunt of the hell that’s coming.
I need Senator Murray to start acting like this is a reality rather than a possibility.
Also note: every authoritarian regime has use for a struggle-bus opposition party. A group able to amicably perform the part of a political counterpoint, but at the same time be pathetically bumbling and inept, always falling just short of being able to win back power. They exist to sap attention and political will from individuals who DO want to win and properly unfuck things (outlaw Citizens United, enforce public financing of campaigns, implement single-payer health care, broaden options for voting, tax the rich, followed by addressing the million more micro-miseries that erode our eponymous pursuit of Happiness). This can be very enticing for someone with little moral fortitude who is only interested in punching a clock as democracy circles the drain. Apropos of nothing, of course.
Not enough.