For any DU'ers who even occasionally doubt that Democrats are doing enough -- Democrats are doing enough.

[ancianita]

Last edited Wed Aug 13, 2025, 08:25 PM - Edit history (4)

In Congress the Democratic minority party status gets ignored or shaded or doubted or damned by most corporate media no matter what it does. DU'ers already know this.

At state levels there has been much Democratic resistance as shown by continued protests and federal court filings.
At the federal level, congressional Democrats have held filibuster speeches and
actually walked out of one Senate Judiciary meeting's unethical proceeding. Several House and Senate persons, as part of congressional oversight, have also visited ICE's concentration camps, where Americans are held without due process.

Brief (though not exhaustive) Review of Democrats and Democrat adjacent organizations who have clearly resisted this administration's lawlessness without proportional media coverage:

Blue state governors --
CA's Gavin Newsom,
IL Gov. JB Pritzker,
CO Gov. Jared Polis,
KY Gov Andy Bashear,
MA Gov. Maura Healey,
NY Gov Kathy Hochul ,
have been “Trump proof-ing” their states for months, and beefing up teams of lawyers.

State Attorneys General --
CA AG Rob Bonta,
IL AG Kwame Raoul,
CO AG Phil Weiser,
MN AG Keith Ellison,
NJ AG Matthew Platkin,
NY AG Letitia James,
OR AG Dan Rayfield,
WA AG Nick Brown ,
leveraged their large staffs to jointly file against the lawlessness of the felon and his cabinet.

Organizations affiliated with the Democratic Party --
American Civil Liberties Union,
Democracy Forward,
EarthJustice,
Indivisibles, who are of, by and for Democrats;
Marc Elias Group, biggest, winningest law firm representing democracy and Democratic Party interests,
National Women’s Law Center Action Fund,
Planned Parenthood Action Fund and
Reproductive Freedom for All,
have filed lawsuits in federal courts across districts of the U.S.

Democratic Caucuses of the Senate and House --
Senator Chris Van Hollen, MD
Senator Cory Booker, NJ
Senator Bernie Sanders, VT
Senator Adam B. Schiff, CA
Senator Amy Klobuchar, MN
Senator Jeff Merkeley, OR -- his research of the bank transfers regarding the Epstein files, and his urging that this information be made public is part of the effort to tie Epstein to $hitler and to Russia.
Senator Brian Schatz of Hawaii put holds on the felon's judicial nominees,
Senator Sheldon Whitehouse, RI -- for nightly tv appearances and updates; and for his brilliant series "The Scheme" that lays out dark money networks
Rep. Robert Garcia, CA
Rep. Dan Goldman, NY
House Reps. Jamie Raskin, MD
Rep. Eric Swalwell, CA
Rep Ro Khanna, CA
Rep. Don Beyer, VA
Senator Chris Murphy (said in a recent interview that Trump “doesn’t give a fuck what we write” ... so he sees no reason to participate in the drafting of funding bills if the president is going to keep withholding billions of dollars Congress already approved and goading Republican senators to claw back more)
Maxwell Frost, FL,
Democratic Minority leader Hakeem Jeffries NY has held press conferences & organized shadow oversight hearings,
Rep Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez NY
have been setting public donation records, conducting over 130 red district town halls across 50 states, including political rallies, and daily TV & media commentary.

Before asking for what's common knowledge here, just click on this little DU icon on the upper right corner of your screen, and type in your question to get some idea of the DU context of your question.




In case the above still isn't enough ...

March:
March 17: Democrats launch "People's Town Halls" nationwide, targeting vulnerable Republicans according to Democrats.
March 29: Rep. Maxwell Frost attends the Michigan Democratic Party People's Town Hall in Warren, Michigan.

April:
April 10: Democrats announce a "People's Town Hall" blitz during the April recess to hold the GOP accountable for their budget plan.
April 10: The Democratic Party states they are "doubling down" on town halls in Republican-held districts, featuring high-profile figures like Senator Cory Booker.
April 13: A People's Town Hall is held in Arizona's 6th Congressional District, represented by Republican Rep. Juan Ciscomani.
April 22: A "Good Trouble Festival" town hall takes place in Pennsylvania's 8th Congressional District, represented by Republican Rep. Rob Bresnahan.
April 24: A town hall is held in Colorado's 8th Congressional District, represented by Republican Rep. Gabe Evans.
April 24: Another town hall is hosted in North Carolina's 9th Congressional District, represented by Republican Rep. Richard Hudson.
April 25: A town hall occurs in Missouri's 2nd Congressional District, represented by Republican Rep. Ann Wagner.
April 26: The Manatee Democratic Party, in partnership with Indivisible Manatee, hosts a Town Hall Event featuring former Congressman and MSNBC Contributor, David Jolly.

May:
May 16: Greenwood's Town Hall at 6:30pm EDT.
May 17: "Benefits Over Billionaires" Town Hall in Allentown, Pennsylvania's 1st Congressional District, at 7:00pm EDT.
May 17: Muncie's Town Hall in Indiana's 5th Congressional District, at 10:00am EDT.
May 18: "Benefits Over Billionaires" Town Hall in Bucks County, Pennsylvania's 1st Congressional District, at 5:30pm EDT.
May 19: New Bern's Town Hall in North Carolina's 3rd Congressional District, at 6:00pm EDT.
May 20: SPCDP Tiny Town Hall in Nebraska's 3rd Congressional District, at 6:00pm EDT.
May 25: Dawson County Town Hall in Nebraska's 3rd Congressional District, at 3:00pm CDT.

June:
June 6: A People's Town Hall in Michigan's 7th Congressional District with Senator Elissa Slotkin and Congresswoman Kristen McDonald Rivet at 5:30pm EDT.

July:
July 8: Fort Wayne's Town Hall in Indiana's 3rd Congressional District at 6:00pm EDT.
July 11: The Manatee County Democratic Party hosts a virtual candidate town hall, featuring candidates for US Representative, District 16, Manatee School Board, District 1 (non-partisan), and Manatee County Commissioner.
July 19: Beto O'Rourke holds a town hall in Glen Allen, Virginia.
July 24: Democrats ramp up town hall offense with focus on Epstein.
July 26: Florida Democrat Maxwell Frost holds a town hall in Dayton, Ohio, with Senator Chris Murphy.
July 26: American Pride Rises hosts the "Summer of Us" town hall and community celebration in Orlando, focused on discussing challenges and promoting solutions to expand healthcare coverage, strengthen community hospitals, and address affordability issues.
July 30: Indivisible is launching a national effort to train one million people, with the next session taking place on this date.
July 31: Democratic Rep. Mark Pocan is scheduled to speak in Prairie du Chien, Wisconsin.

August:
August 13: Bernie Sanders "Fight The Oligarchs" Rally in Asheville NC, introduced by Rev. Wm Barber, attracts thousands
August 14-16: Florida League of Cities Annual Conference takes place in Orlando, Florida.
August 20: Manatee Chamber Headliners Luncheon takes place in Lakewood Ranch, Florida.
End of August: Florida Democrat Maxwell Frost plans another event with Senator Elizabeth Warren in Nebraska.

Objectively speaking:
After all the above minority party's work, to see any more sweepingly emotional, wrong, baseless, negative questions, implications and/or claims about the Democratic Party and its leaders on DU doesn't even deserve further informative answers.

Friendly reminder:
Seeing nothing on any Democrat's part doesn't equal doing nothing on the party's part.
So please. Use the DU search icon about your "issue" before indulging in easy, divisive doubt posts about national Democrats or their affiliates.

GO DEMOCRATS!!

[LexVegas]

1. On a scale of zero to Merrick Garland, this is certainly enough. nt

[ancianita]

3. Seriously? This is totally beyond the Merrick Garland end of the scale.

Merrick Garland absolutely did not cause what's happening to the US.

[paleotn]

33. He fiddled

We don't need fiddlers

Why some continue to defend a man who didn’t do as much as he could have, much less should have , is beyond me.

[mzmolly]

70. Garland is a republican.

Eom

[Omnipresent]

100. This!

[happy feet]

73. You're changing the discussion, why?

[creeksneakers2]

177. Let's see what you say they should do but aren't doing.

So far I haven't seen a Dem basher give anything other than a vague meaningless answer to that. Just things like "show leadership"

[sheshe2]

2. Recommend

Thank you, ancianita!

[ancianita]

12. Thank you back, she!

[Torchlight]

4. K&R

[Tetrachloride]

5. i disagree

[hamsterjill]

24. There are many of us who have differing opinions.

But if we post anything remotely not supporting the current approach, we get flamed and asked, "What are YOU doing".

We need the leadership to tell US what to do, to organize and unite and have a game plan. Because in all reality, what is being done currently, is NOT stopping Trump from becoming a dictator.

Now...flame away!!!!

[Trueblue Texan]

49. I'm not flaming...

...but our leadership HAS told us we need to act locally, that we need to communicate with our representatives at every opportunity. We need to be protesting at every opportunity. If you feel there is not adequate encouragement and guidance from the leaders in the upper echelons of the party, I encourage you to join your local groups, Democratic Party, Democratic Socialist party, Indivisible, etc. Whatever is available in your community. Once you do, you will see a great deal of action, involvement and leadership. I doubt seriously you will continue to be of the opinion that leadership is not doing anything. You will find that people are getting involved and acting ALL OVER THE PLACE.

This is the thing that is so easy to forget these days because we've never had this kind of threat against our democracy: In a democracy, power is seated in the people and it channeled up the hierarchy of leadership, not the other way around. So when you say our leadership isn't telling us what to do, I agree. They are not supposed to. WE are supposed to tell THEM what to do and then expect them to do it, and SHOW them we mean business by getting out in the street, moving through the community engaging others in our fight for this democracy. We have every bit of knowledge of history, strategy, community access available to us through the internet. We just have to take the reins and do whatever we can.

I know it's frustrating. I was there not so long ago. And even now I have that panicky feeling of "Won't somebody please do something!?" But the only way I've been able to quell that anxiety is to keep moving forward with my local community-- our leadership is counting on that. This is our part of protecting our democracy and it's something we will have to be vigilant about from now on.

Peace.

[hamsterjill]

61. I live in Texas. I am active in several local Democratic groups.

We're protesting our asses off. We're writing letters. We're calling. We're posting on Facebook. We're calling out MAGA's when we see them and have the opportunity. We're already doing all of the things that you so eloquently mention, and NEWSFLASH, we HAVE been doing those things since 2016.

It's great that people are getting involved. But that is not going to change a goddamn thing until the leadership takes action DIRECTLY to stop Trump. And I am NOT talking about a strongly worded letter.

I am talking about bold, creative, unprecedented action that surely some of our SMART, LEGAL SCHOLARS in the Democratic party can come up with. Don't ask me to figure it out. Hell, I'm just a stupid person who wants to see my country NOT turn into a dictatorship.

Republicans creatively break the goddamn rules all the time. Why can't Democrats figure out a way to do something like that?

[Trueblue Texan]

74. I admit, I have had similar frustrations.

And I'd love to see some real moving and shaking. But with SCOTUS loaded with MAGA, I'm sure they have to see around corners much better than we do. I don't doubt that there are plenty of legal geniuses working on the very issues you mentioned. But they may have to go further than that, and if so, do you think they'd be speaking of it publicly? I am right there with you, and I also live in Texas, maybe the reddest county of all. But there are still mobs of us out there doing the work. The problem with tearing down Dems here--and I know I don't need to educate anyone here on this, but this reminder may be useful--that it tears at this community. We're all sporting metaphorical black eyes, broken ribs, and fat lips--can we give one another a break?

[hamsterjill]

84. We can have actual discussions.

I was blatantly called a liar on a thread yesterday. Do you think that endears me to fellow Democrats here? It gets absurd. And I've seen it happen a lot on here lately to a lot of posters. Snark and bashing and stupidity.

I guess unlucky for those who disagree with me, I don't give a shit what someone else thinks, and I keep posting my views because my views are just as valid as any one else's. No more so, no less so. They are my views.

When we talk about supporting Dems and how the discussion of wanting them to do more is defeating the momentum and tearing at the community - MY biggest concern about defeating momentum and tearing down the community is the admission that Democrats can't or won't do more. To me, that is the most depressing aspect of any of this, and the polls right now (if you believe in polls) support that. Democratic voters are reporting that they are unhappy with what Democrats are doing. That should be a wake up call.

They need to get creative. If some of them need to go to jail, then they need to go to jail. If some of them need to get sued, then they need to get sued Good trouble. Lots of it. And other than our Texas Democrats right now, I am not seeing that. Newsom and Pritzker are awesome. But every single Democratic governor should be doing as much or more than they are.

[angrychair]

172. Thank you Jill

I have started avoiding these type of discussions because I am afraid of getting flamed.

I do stuff. As much as I can. But whatever it is they are doing it is clearly meaningless. He is essentially doing whatever he wants and has zero fear of Democrats in Congress.

I mean god damn they need to do something.

Here are some lists:
Women are bleeding to death in parking lots.
Red states are trying to force raped 12 yr olds to have their rapist's baby.
He is ordering the kidnapping people and sending them to torture prisons, both here and in foreign countries.
He is literally going to rewrite history.
He is remaking the WH into one of his tacky golf clubs.
Billionaires walk around the WH without escorts and wander into classified briefings.
He is literally doing military occupations of American cities.
I could write for hours and not be done. I wake up in sheer terror every morning. I fully expect to wake up one morning and Mango Mussolini will have officially declared himself a dictator over the country.
The seriousness of these times cannot be understated and that anyone that thinks having press conferences and writing sternly worded letters is meeting the moment then honestly I don't know what that level of privilege is like to be that isolated from what is happening.

We need more. We need these people to meet the moment. Right now they are not.

To be clear it is NOT my job to tell them what they need to do. If they can't do the job then quit. We need serious people right now that are willing to lead and do things differently.

[hamsterjill]

175. Appreciate that so much!

The flaming gets old. Those types of posters just LOVE to all jump on the same band wagon. The same spiel over and over and over. I guess they feel better by trying to blame the "little people" for not doing enough. Perhaps they are starting to see what he's actually getting away with, and they are starting to panic. I don't know the psychology.

All I do know is that, like you said, we are in perilous and unprecedented times, and we need perilous and unprecedented action by our representatives. Like you, I wake up in the mornings, fearful and tearful because my once great country that gave me rights like no where else in the world is disappearing right in front of my eyes. I'm in Texas, so we've been at this bullshit for a while. Texas is the test case that the Republicans have used to see how their plans work and to see how far they can get. And they've gotten pretty damn far. I have family ties and an animal rescue here, or I'd be gone in a heartbeat. But leaving is not a realistic possibility with my responsibilities here. Soon, it won't matter anyway because it will be the whole country. Not just Texas.

The fear that we feel is genuine. We are indeed going to wake up one morning and he will have declared himself dictator. I don't know if he will use that exact word, but he'll start making excuses to either postpone or do away with elections completely. He'll keep promising things that never materialize. We are already much further down the path on the Project 2025 agenda than even *I* thought we would be at this point. So it won't be much longer.

The "what are you doing" crowd doesn't seem to understand that many of us already take it for granted that EVERYONE here on DU, at least, is already taking part in activism. We don't need to be "gently admonished" that we should do it. We've been doing it!!! We've been doing it in Texas for close to ten years now, and where has that gotten us? No where. Because the playing field is already rigged against us.

To say that the Democrats CAN'T do anything, to me at least, is the real defeatist attitude. Why can't we expect them to do something? Why can't we expect them to do their jobs? Push the freaking envelope. Because if not now, then when? Dems are so worried about getting their hands dirty or muddying their reputations, that they are going to stand by and let him take over without any real pushback. Surely, there is something that they can do. If the situation were reversed, I can guarantee you that Republicans wouldn't sit idly by. They'd be doing something creative and unusual. THAT's what I want from Democrats. And if it means "being like them", then so be it because that is what it's going to take.

Republicans don't sit around and worry about pushing that envelope. Hell, they shove it wherever they want to. And we are not and cannot win by playing by the rules when the enemy is not confined by ANY rules whatsoever. We have to meet them on THEIR playing fields and we have to kick their asses, and *I* don't see that as a bad thing right now. I see it as necessary.

I laughed at one post talking about voting rights being taken from women. One very confident poster said "that will take a constitutional amendment". Really? Well what happens when there is no longer a Constitution? Have people like this really not entertained the idea of what REALLY can happen on this path that we are on? Unless it gets stopped, women will be in burkas. It's happened before.

We aren't alone in our thinking. Even on DU, we're not alone. One of my posts had quite a few recommendations, and I'm guessing that's because people agree, but don't want to get flamed. You hit on that aspect. The polls support our point because most registered Democrats don't believe that their representatives are doing enough. But the group of posters screaming "what are YOU doing" are loud and proud. Good for them.

Anyway, thanks so much for your kind post. Know that I'm right there with you and scared to death.

[Trueblue Texan]

189. I appreciate what both of you are saying and I agree that more needs to be done.

My quarrel is the claim that Democrats aren't doing anything. We are! All over the place! Leadership is doing stuff. But this isn't instant soup! It takes time! Lots of time! Is there enough time to save what's left of our democracy? I don't know, but we do what we can. But I know this: even if we don't have time to save it, the movement toward self-governance and freedom will never stop. Maybe when enough people feel the pain of their foolish decision to trust TSF, they will join us. It is already happening. No, it isn't fast enough, but it is happening and to say Dems are not doing anything is just not accurate. But I agree, sometimes it feels that no one is doing anything, even when all of us here are exhausting ourselves.

[angrychair]

199. People are doing stuff

Elected Democrats are making speeches and sending out sternly worded letters.
Don't even get me started on this ridiculous gerrymandering stunt being pushed about in response to Texas
That is not a permanent nor small "d" democratic solution.
Obviously I don't have all the answers but gerrymandering is not going to fix the fact that more people didn't vote than voted, for either party, in the last several presidential elections.

You are not actually interested in doing anything about preventing people like Mango Mussolini from obtaining elected office in the future unless you are actually trying to fix that issue.

We need more people in the voting booth and making voting districts shaped like a mole you should talk to your dermatologist about is not how you fix things in any permanent way.

[slightlv]

168. I hear you, Jill...

and boy, am I right there with you... especially this paragraph...

I am talking about bold, creative, unprecedented action that surely some of our SMART, LEGAL SCHOLARS in the Democratic party can come up with. Don't ask me to figure it out. Hell, I'm just a stupid person who wants to see my country NOT turn into a dictatorship.

I'm just an old woman who's done before what doesn't seem to be working now. Marched until my feet bled with blisters. Protested as much as possible anywhere I could get to. But that all seems so insignificant as to what's going on now, and what is effective now. Before, even the opposition party still conducted themselves under rules of civility (for the most part). They cared when they were held up for embarrassment and shame. Kent State hit more than a few of them as hard as it hit us. That's not the world we live in today. The last time a major protest came close (physically) to trump, he hid himself in a damned panic room under the capitol, and was ridiculed for months because of that action. He wanted the military to shoot the protestors, if only in their legs...thinking that a mercy.

Today, he has federalized the National Guard and called them in to "police" DC. I haven't heard of the specifics yet, but only seen messages on the few substack blogs I follow about people heading to DC for a protest. The last one I read was 9 hours old, and I read it early this evening. Trump isn't going to go back to the panic room. Instead, he will insist the Nat Guard shoot the "terrorists" (aka protestors) as they assemble in the People's Park. I'm convinced THIS is the reason he's done all this about DC. He feels the walls closing in around him, even though he publicly rejects all the reasons showing them to be doing so. He won't be ridiculed again, so he'll let his inner sadistic terrorist rise to the occasion by ordering the military to fire on their own countrymen. And more than a few of them will follow his orders, he's made sure of that by the changes he's already made to the military, notwithstanding the inordinate number of maga and maga-types in the military at this very moment. He says "jump" and they don't even ask how high. They just jump. I'm worried sick over the first big protest to show up in "our Park." I also worry about protests in other cities, especially Democratic cities, being nothing more than shooting galleries. That's not going to stop me from attending one in the closest big city to me (especially since we seem to woefully inadequate in the small rural city I live in), but like I said before, I'm old. The time of my death is closer to me than not, no matter how it happens. And I'm a veteran of a once great, proud country. To give my life in honor of the truths we once held would be preferable to dying in my bed, struggling for the next breath.

Beyond this, I *don't* know what else to do! And it's so frantically frustrating to me. Tibetan monks set themselves ablaze in very obvious, public places. Other countries have nearly their entire populace marching in the streets when their rulers get out of line. They live lives even closer to the bone than we do. Ask, and we would sacrifice, I believe. But we don't want the sacrifice to be in vain. So what, then? I'm certainly not smart enough to figure it out, and I'll admit that. Maybe, if I were 40 years younger I could have... but not now. trump and his maladministration has turned a once gentle, soft spoken, kind hearted individual into one who one buy a gun for the simple pleasure of putting one right between his eyes (if MY eyes could only see that straight, anymore!) For all else he's done to people, to the government, to the animals on the extinction list, to the planet itself, I detest him for what he's brought out in me. Is this a normal response, I ask myself. But how else am I to feel when I see so much pain and suffering surrounding this supposed human, and him gleefully calling for more of it.

[hamsterjill]

170. Thank you so much for this post.

This is an amazing explanation. I've read it, and I'm going to go back and re-read it here in a few minutes when I can sit down and give it better attention.

Like you, this crap has pushed me to limits that I find uncomfortable. I don't like wishing someone would be killed, but I would shed no tears if he was. My justification for that is the old Star Trek line of "the needs of the many outweigh the needs of the few". Of course this is wishful thinking as no one would be able to get to him with all that's around him, and who of us would be stupid enough to even try. I'm not suggesting nor condoning violence. I'm merely musing to say that I certainly understand your comment about that.

[creeksneakers2]

179. "come up with"

Meaning you have no clue of a better idea.

[summer_in_TX]

176. Local organizing is what the experts like Timothy Snyder say to do.

It is critical that this is a widespread, grassroots, effort of individuals stepping up all over the country. Some of the actions on the list from our members of Congress aren't as showy as others, but they still count and are important.

[thucythucy]

72. Why should it bother you to be asked

what you're doing, given the urgency of the situation, and if you have any suggestions other than "Tell me what to do"?

Have you contacted your local, state and federally elected Democratic leaders asking them directly, "What should I do?" Reached out to any of the groups listed in the OP?

Since you've repeatedly posted your criticisms, it hardly seems like "flaming" to be asked for specifics, something you'd like to see happen, beyond, "Tell me what to do."

It's assumed here that you're a thinking, intelligent person. Given your repeated warnings about Trump becoming a dictator, surely you mist have some ideas. People here are eager to hear them.

So please, what would you suggest we, both leadership and rank and file, actually do, beyond the actions listed in the OP?

[hamsterjill]

94. Good grief, I think it's stupid to be asked those questions, because everyone here is already doing those things.

It's stupid to keep listing them. As I said on another post, I live in Texas. Hell, we've been writing and fighting and biting since 2016. We are already doing everything that people here so exuberantly want to list that we should be doing. WE take it for granted that everyone is already doing that.

My ideas are that the legal professionals in the Democratic party, of which we have many, should figure out a creative way to jam up the system and stop what he's doing. The key word is "creative". That's not my area of expertise, and I don't know how to tell them how to do their jobs. Is that clear? I don't know how to make that statement any more clear.

For the umpteenth time - it is THEIR job; not mine. I am not an attorney. I am not elected. I do not have campaign money or connections or authority. To say that this cannot be done, is to admit that Republicans are smarter, stronger, wiser, etc. Do we really want admit that? Do we really want to just give it up?

Democrats aren't weaklings. Democrats are just as smart as Republicans. They just need to work at being conniving like Republicans.

Republicans use the courts all of the time to stall, to challenge, to stop. Why aren't Democrats doing that? Republicans control the narrative. Why can't Democrats do that? What have they done that has actually resulted in Trump being stopped?

[thucythucy]

134. Good grief

So what you're saying is you assume that all those smart lawyers and professionals simply aren't doing enough or aren't dedicated or motivated enough to "stall, challenge, stop..." what's happening. That for whatever reason they simply aren't performing as they should.

In fact, it looks to me that, as far as legal remedies are concerned, Democrats have and are doing most everything that can be done. Sometimes successfully, as when the courts rule that cuts to federal programs are illegal, and thus the money must be unfrozen, or when they order the administration to find and return someone who as been illegally deported.

The first problem with this approach is that much of the judiciary, up to and including the Supreme Court, has been packed with right wing ideologues who rule against us. So even if you file these lawsuits, and again, many suits have been filed, and even if the lower courts rule in our favor, as they sometimes do, the decisions are overturned on appeal by the appellate or Supreme Court. This is the hurdle we face, not a lack of smart and dedicated attorneys or any willingness to use the courts.

The second problem is, even when the courts rule with us, Trump and his minions simply refuse to comply. Again, it isn't a lack of smart attorneys or attorneys unwilling to file that's the problem. It's the GOP control of all the levers of power in our federal government.

As for "needing to work like Republicans" to try to stop legislation, as has been pointed out, again and again, Congressional Democrats have employed a multitude of procedural devices to try to derail the Trump agenda. As has also been pointed out, repeatedly, the problem is that we don't control either house of Congress, which means such devices have limited impact.

I've also seen people say things like, "Democrats need to be all over the media..." which, again, ignores the fact that most media are owned by the right. We don't even have the Washington Post anymore. Broadcast legacy media are all either controlled by the right or cowed by the power of the federal government to mess with their profits. "Republicans control the narrative" because, to a huge extent, they own the media, both legacy and social. This isn't the fault of any Democrat except those who, since 1980, have sat out elections or whined about not wanting to vote for "the lessor of two evils" or refused to vote or voted third part because of .... fill in the blank. Folks focused on a single issue that had them wanting "to send a message" to the party. So we have arrived at a post Fairness Doctrine, post Citizens United media reality.

I understand your frustration, but simply repeatedly posting "Somebody do something! Somebody tell me what to do!" ignores both what people are already doing, and the hurdles we face trying to do more. It may be emotionally satisfying to vent like that, but as has already been repeatedly pointed out, the net impact is to sow discouragement and division, Emotionally satisfying, yes, but it helps no one, and does nothing to further the cause.

Aside from the problems above, Republicans have an advantage in that they're willing to lie shamelessly, cheat, and, if they feel the need. to use violence to further their agenda. They're willing to climb in bed with the most despicable people, and provoke them to commit atrocities such as January 6. To demonize minority peoples. To prey on people's most evil instincts. I'm assuming and hoping you don't think we should employ similar tactics.

You might want to consider that since you're "not an attorney...not elected..." this might mean you don't understand or can't face the difficulties attorneys and others are facing. It's easy to urge people you don't know to take action, any action, especially if you refuse to recognize the realities on the ground. It's like all the people who urged a second front against the Nazis in 1941, 42, 43. It's not that the will to defeat the Germans wasn't there. It's that reality made such an effort impossible and doomed to fail.

"What have they--the Democratic leadership--done that actually resulted in Trump being stopped?" Some of his actions have been stopped, at least for now. But stopping him now--after this perfect storm of court decisions, gerrymandering, media takeover and general voter apathy and ignorance--is going to be monumentally difficult. That's depressing, and sad, and tragic, but it's a basic truth we all need to recognize.

I'd like a cure for cancer and MS and muscular dystrophy, but simply urging medical researchers to get on with it already -- "You're the doctors, just find the cures now!" is hardly helpful.

Kudos to you for doing what you do in Texas--and to your state legislators who are trying their best to stop the latest GOP atrocity there. This is an important battle and I assume you're doing everything you can to provide those legislators with needed support and encouragement.

Best wishes.

[hamsterjill]

141. Yes.

This is not medical science. This is someone stealing our democracy.

I want more from our elected officials. They need to figure it out. Republicans have figured it out. Are you saying that we aren't as smart as they are? That we can't battle them because we have to be goody two shoes?

End of conversation. Have a great evening.

[thucythucy]

156. You're right.

It's not much of a conversation when I make a series of arguments and ask a series of questions and instead of answering you merely repeat the same assertion again and again and again.

And I'm aware "this is not medical science." That was an analogy, obviously. In fact, I'd argue that politics is more difficult than medical science, with results more difficult to achieve, cause and effect more difficult to discern. There are no control groups in politics. Far less ability to tease out individual factors that might influence outcomes.

You "want more" from your elected officials. Yes. I gathered that much from the half dozen other posts you've made repeating that point. What that would be you can't say--not your problem. How it would happen given the realities of today, also not your problem. That posting this same point again and again works to undermine people and immobilize them even more than otherwise--also not your problem.

I'd ask, what purpose do you think you're serving by these repeated posts, aside from venting, but I don't expect an answer, given that, as you say, this is the "end of conversation."

Best wishes.

[creeksneakers2]

181. Right on!

Last election pollsters found turnout was down because people thought Democrats weren't doing enough to stop Trump. That's a reason Dem approval is down too. His false insinuations that Dems aren't trying actually help Republicans. Whatever he's doing in Texas is being undone by the harm he's creating on the Internet.

[vanlassie]

171. What this sounds like is magical thinking.

If someone really, really smart would just snap their fingers and… poof! It would be all fixed…
Sure we can wish like that. What gets me is the denigration of our elected representatives. They don’t deserve it.

[creeksneakers2]

178. You put the burden on them

without saying what they should do. That's because there is not much else they can do and you know you are blaming them for things that aren't their fault.

[FirstLight]

6. wow, this post will no doubt be referenced a LOT, thank you

I admit, I have been one of the whiners about Dem action. Because I am one of those who wants the flashy and BIG stuff, not the letters, legal battles, or town halls. That said, I see you point and definitely admit my fault in bitching.

I still want the big stuff, but that's just me. I want them in the streets marching with us ... I want the fistfight that Newsom is bringing, I want the fucking Media to do it's job and stop burying the actions you posted above...
But the time for the big stuff hasn't hit yet. I get that/ We can't blow our wad too soon, because this fight is a marathon not a sprint.
so I will humbly recant my bitching. But I still want a Fight! (don't we all...?)

[ancianita]

8. Cool. Please feel free.

As for this:

I still want the big stuff, but that's just me. I want them in the streets marching with us ... I want the fistfight that Newsom is bringing

It's already BEEN happening, and you would know that by having tuned into Rachel Monday nights as she has continually reviewed all the nationwide protests and rallies.

As for "marching with us," who will then show up on tv, take oversight trips and hold congressional hearings.
As above, and reported on MSNBC by Rachel and other anchors, congressional Democrats and Bernie have conducted over 130 red district town halls and rallies across 50 states, along with daily TV & media appearances.
You can't expect more than is reasonable, or else you really want Superman.

[FirstLight]

14. ok, well, if there was ever a time to want that, this might be it.

and I'm sorry, I don't watch tv.. the only news I get other than headlines is here. And I tend to get a little hyped up ans emotional about the "we've got to DO something!" feelings. I've always been that way, from classroom injustices as a kid, to being a rookie reporter at a newspaper... Probably not 'rational' but it's a feeling/opinion...

Sorry ....not sorry. That's just me.

[mcar]

120. And, if they march with us (as some have)

some will complain that it's just performative and WHY AREN'T THEY DOING SOMETHING11!!

[ancianita]

135. Right! Thanks!

It's the no-win fault finding mentality of "If they're here, why aren't they over there!" and/or "If they're here and there, why aren't they in that other place!"

[PunkinPi]

7. Thank you for this post! K&R nt

[ancianita]

11. Thank you back, Punkin!

[liberalla]

9. Kick!

Thank you!

[ancianita]

10. ...

Thank you back! We're all in!!

[Orrex]

13. I love how the gatekeepers reject all criticism by fiat

It’s like fanboys insisting that you aren’t a real Star Wars fan if you criticize the latest film or series or whatever.

Being a loyal Democrat doesn’t require us to praise the absolute bare minimum effort, nor does our criticism mean what we’re “bashing” our elected officials or that we aren’t real Democrats.

To fend off the inevitable cries of “why don’t you do it, if it’s so easy,” I remind the reader that I haven’t received large sums of campaign donations, nor do I have the support of the DNC. Also, I can’t get airtime on CNN nor issue statements that will be picked up by the media.

Every time they say Trump’s name, they should say “convicted felon Trump” or “adjudicated rapist Trump” or “Jeffrey Epstein’s longtime friend Trump.” That’s at a minimum.


Is it great that they’re holding town halls? Sure. Is it “enough?” Well…

[onenote]

18. So what would be "enough" for you? And is it within the realm of reality?

Or is it a different type of fanboy fiction?

[Orrex]

22. That is, of course, more gaslighting

You’re making it my fault that our elected officials aren’t doing more.

They should be condemning him with every breath. They should be on camera and online and on air every day listing his crimes and lies and failures. They should always refer to him as the felon in chief or rapist in chief. They should always vote no on every bill and measure and nomination. They should articulate their message in five syllables or less, the way Republicans do, rather than reciting long paragraphs with footnotes and cross-references and allusions.

Republicans in the minority seem well able to steer the agenda and message; “enough” would be, at a minimum, for Democrats to do the same.


Or maybe they could just sit back and watch the gatekeeping cheerleaders scolding all who don’t follow in lockstep.

[hamsterjill]

31. + 1000

n/t

[EdmondDantes_]

57. So you want us to behave as boorishly as he does?

Also given he was only found liable for sexual assault and he's already gotten $15 million for someone calling him a rapist when he was only found liable for sexual assault, that seems a particularly dubious thing to do.

Sorry but I see no benefit to running around calling him a liar or a felon given that clearly hasn't stuck to him. Instead focus on the stuff he's doing as president and how it's harming people today. But even more focus on what we want to do as a party. Trump is gone after the 2028! election and he can be reined in after the 2026 election. We aren't likely to have success if all we do is complain about Trump.

[Orrex]

138. A post that begins with "So you want us to" is generally a straw man

Certainly so in this case.

[Orrex]

139. Also, "boorishly?" Seriously?

I would personally take a hot, dripping dump right in his ugly sphincter mouth if the opportunity presented itself, so forgive me if my choice of salad fork conflicts with your lofty notions of decorum.

[hamsterjill]

142. I'm so sorry, but I am cracking up at this reply!!!

Thank you. I needed a laugh after reading all of the shit on this thread!

[onenote]

106. No, I'm asking a serious question. Which you answered. Not sure why it merited a personal attack.

[Orrex]

137. My post was no more a personal attack than yours

Call it a draw, I guess.

[Scrivener7]

144. Are you really not sure or is that just fanboy fiction?

[Trueblue Texan]

55. I'm doing all I can do, but I doubt it's enough either, Orrex.

This is not to swat your comments down, but to point out that while we might find fault in what others are doing, we might be more effective in our own fight if we figure out how to help others in this effort. Criticism without constructive suggestions is not productive. We are all already so beaten down, having to defend from inside our own line is more effective at defeating our cause than supportive. Ask any troll. That's why they are here. I know, I'm preaching to the choir but sometimes I need to say these things because it seems some folks who are on our side don't understand.

[stopdiggin]

58. "praise the absolute bare minimum effort"

THIS kind of statement - is where you (and others) get way off into the weeds.
This blatant disconnect ...
And offered in the face of an OP dealing out fairly extensive evidence to the contrary ...

You of course have a right to your opinion. Just as I have the right to tell you that it is tiresome - defeatist - but, most importantly, just plain WRONG.

[Cha]

136. That has Notting to do with the

Valuable Information in the OP.

[mzmolly]

202. Shouldn't Republicans be invested in defending democracy?

Or upholding the constitution?

[Orrex]

203. They're too busy tongue-swabbing Trump's vile cloaca

[PatSeg]

15. Thank you!

I think we underestimate and certainly underappreciate what most Democratic politicians are doing right now.

[love_katz]

16. I would like to add Senator Merkeley from Oregon.

His research of the bank transfers regarding the Epstein files, and his urging that this information be made public is part of the effort to tie Epstein to $hitler and to Russia.

[ancianita]

17. Excellent! Thank you, love_katz! If you don't mind, I'll add him to the OP list.

[love_katz]

21. Please do add him.

I think that too many of us aren't aware of the fact that many of our Dems are doing what they can.
The pukes were given control of all 3 branches of government. Whether they outright stole it or just did enough of other kinds of cheating, the outcome was the same. Our side has very limited avenues that we can take to fight back against the phuckery.
I think that making us feel helpless and hopeless is part of the R's strategy for 2026. The corporate McGreedia won't help us, so we have to get the word out ourselves.

[ancianita]

38. Will do.

Totally agree with you. Bombarding us with the futility of our position has been the goal of the privatization front.

[AllaN01Bear]

19. ""

[usonian]

20. Please Sir, May I Have Some More?

I especially like the job that governors and AG's are doing. Others too!

GOP voters are asking:

Thank You Sir, May I Have Another?

[ancianita]

23. LOL

Love this, cuz that's what blind believers do!

[writerJT]

40. Supreme irony there.

[Boohoo29]

25. Well stated! Thanks

💪💪💪💪💪

[LetMyPeopleVote]

59. Welcome to DU

[BumRushDaShow]

26. Excellent list!

I remember when DUers had to do the same type of list for Obama and then Biden. DU is unfortunately hardest on our party than for the enemy party.

I would note that there are routinely about 15 - 20 states (+ D.C.'s Attorney General - yes they have one) that are participating in these suits and that includes purple states like PA that has had Josh Shapiro joining the dozens and dozens of (D) and/or (D)-affiliated organizations in "filing on behalf of the state as Governor" (where we unfortunately have a (R) AG this go-around).

As a note - KY is a red state (not blue) with a blue governor (Andy Beshear) as is NC (Josh Stein), AZ (Katie Hobbs), & KS (Laura Kelly) and they have joined in some suits when able, as well.

[ancianita]

67. Thank you, BRDS!

Once again, you've shown that we have even greater Democratic support from red states than we see. Or such info -- and therefore credit where credit's due -- is on the back pages, and/or drowned out by the blare of the distraction machine headlines that constitute corporate news.

I'll do more digging on these.

here are routinely about 15 - 20 states (+ D.C.'s Attorney General - yes they have one) that are participating in these suits and that includes purple states like PA that has had Josh Shapiro joining the dozens and dozens of (D) and/or (D)-affiliated organizations in "filing on behalf of the state as Governor" (where we unfortunately have a (R) AG this go-around).

As a note - KY is a red state (not blue) with a blue governor (Andy Beshear) as is NC (Josh Stein), AZ (Katie Hobbs), & KS (Laura Kelly) and they have joined in some suits when able, as well.

[BumRushDaShow]

75. "I'll do more digging on these."

I (and others) have been posting LBN OPs on most of those lawsuits (there are some that I miss that were intentionally buried and will sometimes bubble up in the media when there is an appeal but I try to get those too).

[ancianita]

83. ...

and I'll go over your LBN news on these. You're a pillar of DU information and give master classes in analysis.
You're one of reasons I'm so glad to be on this site.

[littlemissmartypants]

27. Kickety. ❤️

[littlemissmartypants]

28. Kick. ❤️

[ancianita]

39. I love the way you think!

[littlemissmartypants]

43. 🙏

[littlemissmartypants]

29. Kick. ❤️

[NNadir]

30. Thank you.

[awesomerwb1]

32. Nope. Not doing enough

Every one of my friends (yes, anecdotal) I talk to about politics is very disappointed with the current Democratic leadership. It has never been this way before. Never.

[stopdiggin]

48. that could just POSSIBLY be - because of the constant drumbeat ...

as evidenced here on DU ? (and to be fair in a great many other ... )
Your friends are being spoon fed this mantra of, "not doing enough !"

[awesomerwb1]

54. Riiiight

Because Dem leaders are soooo inspiring.

My friends(and myself) don't need "spoon feeding" anything. It's obvious for those who want to see, the fascists are marching on almost unopposed.

[stopdiggin]

65. and the 'not doing enough' guppies

continue to believe this is a matter of not having enough 'speeches' - as opposed to actual votes and hands on the reins.

Nope. Sorry, folks. Bless your pointed little heads - but it doesn't work that way.

[awesomerwb1]

79. Stop kidding yourself

Dems are being an amazing opposition party! Everything is awesome!

No reply necessary gfy

[stopdiggin]

85. not awesome. things suck. and that's largely due ..

because a lot of the 'so disappointed' crowd - didn't get off their asses to vote last time.

How's that workin' for ya .. ?

[Duncan Grant]

107. My "pointy head" has something to say to you.

I have no expectation that the Democratic Party can legislate trump’s criminal enterprise into lawful behavior — by actual votes. All pointy heads know this to our marrow.

We do have room for improvement in our mobilization and communications game. What do we stand for — and how far are we willing to go to prove it?

Since you’ve insulted so many pointy heads, I have no intention of discussing this with you further. I’m only posting here, so that other pointy heads will be emboldened to defy you.

[stopdiggin]

115. 'pointy heads' forever !!! 'defy' away !!

- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -

( and if you thought that was an insult ... you haven't spent near enough time around me ... I can do much, much better ... )

[hamsterjill]

76. And we can all see the outcome, too.

Just like with the referenced Garland situation, in six months when Trump declares himself king, the DUer's posting that "what else can Democrats do" and "don't be so negative" will be saying "*I* didn't think THAT would happen".

Some of us see what is actually happening and are pushing hard to try to get the Democratic leadership to take action to stop it before it is too late.

To me, to admit that Democrats CAN'T figure out more to do is the most depressing thing EVER. THAT alienates people from the party because it makes Democrats look weak.

Republicans aren't stupid and they push the rules and do what they please anyway.

Why can't Democrats start doing some of that? We are in desperate times, after all. It is not the time to worry about reputation.

[ancianita]

82. If the above lists don't inspire you, especially by holding town halls and tv appearances,

all one can think is that you must not want to be inspired.

May I ask just what would inspire you?

[W_HAMILTON]

34. Schumer has also been instrumental in upping our chances of winning back the Senate...

... by getting Cooper (NC) and Brown (OH) to run.

"It takes a village" and Schumer knows the ins and outs of the mechanics of the Senate and he has done a great job of recruiting strong candidates to run for Senate across the nation. He might not be """inspiring""" enough for some and he might not have enough troll posts go viral on social media as some people want,, but we have others that can fulfill those roles -- and we need him to keep fulfilling his.

[awesomerwb1]

90. Schumer got absolutely steamrolled on some bills

Where even in the minority, he could've done a lot more instead of trusting the gop. (No need to try to mock anyone about "viral troll posts" - not sure wtf that is coming from but sure).

I have my opinion, you have yours. You want the status quo. I know the times demand more. Bye

[W_HAMILTON]

99. Yes, and my opinion is that we'd have a shit show on our hands if certain "fan favorites" were leading the Senate...

...right now instead of Schumer.

Holding a campaign rally in blue cities after the election and/or having your staff post viral social media content does NOT a congressional leader make.

[awesomerwb1]

105. I have no idea who you're referring to as "fan favourites"

And the part about posting 'viral social media content" is ridiculous if you think that's what the people who are dissatisfied with the current Dem "leadership" want. A vast majority of Dems are very dissatisfied with your current status quo superstar, hero, Democratic "leaders". Have a nice day.

[W_HAMILTON]

114. Pray tell, who should they model themselves after then?

[hamsterjill]

35. With all due respect to your subject line

That is your opinion that Democrats are doing enough. It would be more appropriate for you say that Democrats are doing "something".

Clearly, they are trying. Let me say that again so that I don't get my ass jumped with the usual "What are you YOU doing crap". I've already addressed that numerous times.

Democrats ARE trying. I acknowledge that loudly.

When Donald Trump is stopped from committing illegal acts incessantly and without concern over the consequences, THAT will be when Democrats have done "enough". Until then, I will continue to want more from my party. Because we are living in desperate times.

If I am not allowed to say this freely and without fear of retaliation on a Democratic board - what does that say about what WE have become here? Democrats - every single one of us, whether voters or elected officials - need to be cognizant not to alienate anyone.

[ancianita]

44. You're free to post your opinion, of course.

As for

When Donald Trump is stopped from committing illegal acts incessantly and without concern over the consequences, THAT will be when Democrats have done "enough". Until then, I will continue to want more from my party. Because we are living in desperate times.

remember that until Democrats win the presidential, congressional and SCOTUS trifecta, your standard will not be met.

It's exactly because we are living in desperate times that we cannot unreasonably expect Superheroes of our leaders. We cannot be spectators of this lawless spectacle of distraction

Instead we must ourselves support all fronts of resistance and effort -- no matter how small, because the whole of our effort will become bigger than the sum of its parts.

If we only note the party's shortcomings, we only help the our opponents and chip away at our solidarity.

[hamsterjill]

51. No one here is ONLY noting the party's shortcomings.

We wouldn't be on this board if we weren't loyal Democrats.

But to ONLY note the positive actions and not leave room for discussions of what more could be done (because that discussion may be less than cheerleading for that action), is absurd.

The argument of "what are YOU doing" is being repeated over and over and over here. There's no one here who isn't already doing something. What each individual does is not documented and known, but why should it be?

"What are YOU doing" is NOT the answer to the question of "What more can the elected officials do". Those are two different categories. To me, that argument is what is chipping away at our solidarity. To constantly attack posters who say that they want more is chipping away at our solidarity.

That said, thank you for taking the time to compile the information that you did.

[awesomerwb1]

98. Good post

Thank you for your post. You articulated a couple of my thoughts in a better way that I have been able to.

To the "What are YOU doing" nonsense you can also add "you want more viral troll memes", according to another post on this thread.

[hamsterjill]

111. Thank you so much.

I appreciate your response. It's been hell on here the last couple of days.

[stopdiggin]

45. then ELECT more Democrats ..

Rather than endlessly warbling around about 'disappointment' - in a party that has (currently) no effective control in ANY of the three concurrent branches of government! When Democrats are at the reins - THEN lambast them for not delivering. But this whining and caterwauling when they are not ... Is just plain stupid!

[uponit7771]

87. "vote harder" is not a workable response to these frustrations

[stopdiggin]

95. actually - it is the ONLY response

(along with GOTV and organizing) - if your goal is employing the democratic process.

(and the real danger lies - in convincing large numbers that the democratic process doesn't work ..)
You wouldn't happen to be one of those .. ?

[uponit7771]

102. You can only vote once and those other items are a given. Outside of that you need system changing policies, I don't...

... see champions for that outside of Sanders and AOC, Mandani etc.

[stopdiggin]

108. but you DO have to vote

and not stay home - because you are 'disappointed', or 'not into politics', 'disinterested', or 'showing them', or 'they're all the same', or 'they don't represent' ...

Or any one of another 20 crapola excuses. And the unceasing drumbeat of "so disappointed" ...
Sure as HELL isn't helping ....

[mcar]

121. Of course it is a workable response

We are in this sinking boat because so many Democrats decided to send a message to "Killer Kamala" by not voting or voting 3rd party.

We are in this sinking boat because so many Democrats decided to send a message to "warmonger" Hillary by not voting, voting for Trump or voting 3rd party.

[uponit7771]

192. How does a person literally "vote harder"!? It's a passive aggressive blow off to people's....

... objective frustrations.

We're looking for people to address systemic issues like Harris did (save RWI) not just talk loud and look tough.

[mcar]

193. You said vote harder, not the poster

then ELECT more Democrats ..

Rather than endlessly warbling around about 'disappointment' - in a party that has (currently) no effective control in ANY of the three concurrent branches of government! When Democrats are at the reins - THEN lambast them for not delivering. But this whining and caterwauling when they are not ... Is just plain stupid!

That's what stopdiggin said. You chose to interpret that as "vote harder" and now you're acting like the poster said that. They didn't.

What the poster said is workable. What you turned it into is a pithy phrase.

[uponit7771]

194. what stopdiggin said is the minimum but doesn't address the FACT that the current...

... leadership of the DNC are not being effective opposition and I don't agree they need to be in control of congress or legacy MSM to do that.

Address the systemic issues as Harris did (save RWI) for instance would be a start

Second have the rallies like Sanders is doing for solidarity.

The DNC polling numbers resemble my frustration and telling people to stop whining works for people who run on emotion and not facts

The DNC criticisms are valid

[mcar]

197. And now you move the goalposts

‘K

[uponit7771]

198. False, my overall expression is still same people are validly frustrated with DNC opposition

[hamsterjill]

112. So is the "what are YOU doing" bullshit!

It is not an unreasonable idea that the Democrats currently in office are the ones who need to deal with Donald Trump.

Your attitude is completely defeatist. Here's why:

You say that Democrats have no effective control now. The problem with that statement is if Trump gets HIS way, there won't ever be another time when Democrats ARE in control. There aren't going to be any more elections, and if there are, they aren't going to be fair elections. So, the Democrats IN OFFICE NOW are the only hope. And you're saying they can't do anything. To just wait until things are all rosy again.

We should just stop the "whining and caterwauling" so that we all look happy and content, right?

Bullshit! I am not happy and content and I want MORE from the current Democrats. I'm not going to sit down and stop asking for that because it might not look all sweet and perfect. It's our ONLY hope that they figure out something NOW.

If that's stupid in your opinion, well, that's your opinion.

[stopdiggin]

117. you are still warbling on about 'MORE'

without articulating a single thing - that out of power Dems could/should be doing ...

Oh, I know - speeches! Lots of speeches! And walkouts ... Because that changes the course ...

- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -

[mcar]

122. And then we'd be told that talk is cheap

and walkouts are mere performance art.

I'm so old I remember similar voices here screaming "Why isn't Obama speaking out about XYZ?" Then he'd give an amazing speech about it and the same people would sniff, "talk is cheap."

[MorbidButterflyTat]

147. Don't forget the mocking

of the strongly worded letters!

[mcar]

149. And god forbid one of our elected Dems mentions their faith

[MorbidButterflyTat]

153. And not the fake performance kind!

[mcar]

154. That's right. True, honest faith

which, by the way, many Democrats have some form of.

[hamsterjill]

123. And you are still whining about me.

Yet again - how many times do I have to say this on DU - it is not MY job to figure out the strategy for Democrats that hold office.

It is THEIR job to figure out the strategy. For you to say they can't come up with a strategy (that *I* need to do it) is to say they aren't equal to their Republican counterparts because the Republicans always have a strategy. So, there's a little bit of warbling there on your part, too. Republicans haven't asked THEIR constituents how to do things, have they? They just figure out the most that they can get away with by pushing the envelope, and then do it. Well...

Democrats have been handed a bad situation. How they handle that situation will define them. Whether they figure out a way to save this country, or whether Donald Trump becomes king. It's up to them unfortunately. I'm doing my part. It's time for the elected officials to do their part. I am hoping for good things from Democrats. I expect something great. If that's whining and warbling, well, then I guess it's going to continue and you probably need to put me on ignore.

[stopdiggin]

125. So essentially you want 'more' - but you have no idea (or even concept) of 'what'

I think I've finally got it ...

[hamsterjill]

126. I have concepts.

But they'd probably get me kicked off of here.

You're satisfied with things as they are. Fine. I've got that part, too. It's repulsive, but I get it.

So when we don't have mid-term elections because there was nothing that the Democrats could do and you were okay with that, I'll try to remember to remind you of this conversation.

End of conversation. Have a great afternoon.

[betsuni]

201. And it's one personal attack after another.

[Keepthesoulalive]

110. Democrats in government can't fix this

The American people can fix this. Stop wanting to be inspired and vote in every election for the democratic candidate that is running. Americans gave a sick bastard Carte Blanche to destroy our country. He showed us for 4 years how incompetent he was but still all I heard from a lot of democrats Joe Biden is too old, he is not doing enough, Gaza and why has he not stopped the republicans.
We must stop the republicans by voting and boycotting social media Facebook and twitter also News media CNN, morning Joe and all of the other bootlickers that helped put him in office. We can also alter our buying habits, it’s hard but check outlets that don’t hurt our cause before we have to buy from the devils that put us here. We are the only ones who can fix this. Reddit has a lot of local Reddits that can give you information on protests and who is running for office. We must save ourselves, we are the resistance.

[hamsterjill]

113. Your post is completely naive.

If Democrats in government right now can't fix this, then we might as well admit that Trump will be king.

I'm not ready to do that. I want the Democrats to figure out something. We don't have the luxury of waiting for the next election. The protests, etc. are awesome. It is arrogant of you to suggest that I am NOT already doing the things that you suggest. Have been doing them for years!!!!

You joined in 2018. I've been here 14 years longer than you. Stop assuming that it's up to you to give the rest of us the playbook of what to do. We've already tried it and it hasn't been enough.

We want more. There is nothing wrong with those of us who want more stating that and expecting that.

[Keepthesoulalive]

127. This old lady ain't naive

Americans have consistently voted against their interests. They have given away our rights to demagogues, they aren’t willing to figure out how government works. They don’t know who their local representatives are and make no connections about the Supreme Court. This must be a grassroots effort because we have a traditional media blackout. How are they supposed to get this message out when there are no outlets? It is going to take work and sacrifice from the voters to fix our country and Americans won’t do the minimum because they are waiting for a hero.

[hamsterjill]

129. So, we are doomed.

Noted.

[Keepthesoulalive]

133. I never said that

You did. I told you what we could do to try and fix this mess. It will take time and it will be tough but it can be done. Let’s stop tearing democrats down and bust our behinds to get them elected. There was a guy with a funny name running for president and his volunteers were at our farmers market no one had heard of this guy, he became our president and the news media did everything to destroy him and many democrats turned on him because he wasn’t god. Next time we get a democratic president let’s have his back. Maybe we can make some progress and take our country back.

[hamsterjill]

140. But you assume that I've done none of what you suggest.

I'm doing everything that has already been suggested on this thread and all the others, and it's not enough. Trump is still winning the war. That's why I'm asking the elected officials to do something. You are telling me that they can't.

So that means, by your reasoning, that we are doomed. The elected politicians (in your eyes) can't do anything, and with all that we (the electorate) are already doing, nothing is working.

We don't have the time left. Trump will be king well before the midterms, and if he allows the midterms to happen, they won't be fair elections.

End of conversation. Have a great evening.

[Keepthesoulalive]

146. I am making no assumptions about you

My response was about democrats in general. I gave instances when democrats did not support our candidates. The last election proved my point. News media and influencers warped a lot of minds and we must counter that with informed grassroots action.

[spooky3]

36. thank you for this. A minor correction - Jamie Raskin is from Maryland.

I have also seen Sen. Amy Klobuchar on MSNBC a lot at night.

Rep. Don Beyer in VA has been doing a lot to help federal employees find jobs, issuing statement critical of TSF's actions, and sometimes speaking out in the media.

https://beyer.house.gov/

For example, here is an Aug. 11 statement issued by Beyer and others representing areas near DC:

“Donald Trump has personally incited more crime in Washington D.C. than perhaps anyone else living. He pardoned the violent criminals who attacked our Capitol on January 6th and put them back in American communities. He even made a man who was filmed urging the crowd to kill D.C. police officers a senior adviser at the Justice Department.

“Trump’s “temporary” takeover of the Metropolitan Police Department is not intended to prevent crime, it is a soft launch of authoritarianism. Trump has a longstanding pattern of seeking showy displays of power. As he has shown repeatedly, Trump is working to serve himself and is not concerned with keeping American families safe in cities and towns across our country.

“Inflicting new bureaucracy on the Metropolitan Police Department and clouding their work with heavily politicized National Guard deployments is not a solution to crime. By taking law enforcement away from vital missions for this stunt, for instance pulling counterterrorism officers away from their mission and DEA agents away from fentanyl interdiction, Trump’s misuse of federal police harms crime prevention efforts across the country.

“Crime in our nation’s capital is at historic lows today, but still too high for those who are victimized. We want to build on recent crime-fighting successes in ways that respect, protect, and empower Washingtonians. The President’s announcement this morning is an unserious and unacceptable publicity stunt. If he wants to reduce crime in the District of Columbia, he should focus on getting his Republican allies in Congress to restore the funding they arbitrarily stripped out of the city’s budget, which risks cuts to law enforcement and other public safety measures.”

[ancianita]

50. Thanks, spooky3, I'll amend accordingly and make additions.

Very glad to read information about Beyer that we can't get elsewhere. Thank you very much for that.
Sometimes I see that we have a much deeper bench than we give the party credit for. And this is one of those times.

[ancianita]

60. Also, would you please link Beyer's page for this statement? It would be good recent link. TIA.

[spooky3]

62. It's linked at his home page that I included in my post; here is a direct link to the statement:

https://beyer.house.gov/news/documentsingle.aspx?DocumentID=8616

Here's a link to recent press releases showing other actions:

https://beyer.house.gov/news/documentquery.aspx?DocumentTypeID=27

[ancianita]

68. Helpful. Thanks.

[betsuni]

37. Thank you very much!

[stopdiggin]

41. Thank you, Thank you, Thank you !! For a site that is SUPPOSED to be supporting ...

One can only say there is an extremely DISCOURAGING - lack of support.

It's myopic, it's damaging, it's really sh*tty strategy - and it's just plain WRONG !

[MorbidButterflyTat]

42. So great!

Maybe some people over consume their particular confirmation bias sources and refuse to see what they don't want to see. It's weird.

What's the alternative? MAGAts? Third party? Abstaining? I just don't get the constant beat of the defeatist drum. What good does it do? It might relieve some angsty pressure momentarily, but it sure doesn't do any good for anyone else.

I appreciate your post, and I appreciate Democrats.

[Marthe48]

46. Thanks for this list

It is easy to forget the effort being expended on every level, sometimes the tinist atom that will tip the scale our way. Don't stop.

[Hekate]

47. Go Democrats and GO ANCIANITA! Kick Rec Bookmark!

[ImNotGod]

52. Yes, a handful are doing enough and more. Like fighting a 3 alarm house fire with a cup of water but lets

hope the rest of the team get involved before there are only ashes left.

[moreland01]

53. trump is proof that

eating crap, being a pill-popping addict, not exercising and spraying chemicals on your skin every day for decades won't kill you.

Unfortunately.

[EdmondDantes_]

63. The biggest thing I want is to do more of is helping build the party in states we aren't competitive in

We are currently at a disadvantage in the Senate because so many states are all but out of reach. It shouldn't take Republicans nominating a guy who sexually abused minors to have a chance in Alabama or someone stupid enough to talk about "legitimate rape" to win in Missouri. We have widely popular policies like raising minimum wage, like abortion rights, etc. We need to be better about turning that into votes for our candidates.

[ancianita]

80. Totally agree. Same here re donations. I donate a lot to our congressional candidates in red states.

[uponit7771]

89. This !!! We should be up 15 generic but we aren't causer we're not in those areas

[MorbidButterflyTat]

152. Excellent!!

[chowder66]

64. And here's more....

House Democrats are continuing to hold the Trump Administration accountable as they attempt to undermine critical programs and resources for communities across the country. Below are recent developments concerning oversight and investigative tools House Democrats are deploying as we fight for transparency and work to vindicate the Constitution.

Joining the Legal Battle
House Democrats’ Litigation Task Force Co-Chairs Assistant Leader Joe Neguse and Ranking Member Jamie Raskin led 179 Members of Congress from both the House of Representative and the Senate in filing an amicus brief before the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Federal Circuit challenging President Donald Trump’s sweeping and chaotic tariffs that were unlawfully imposed under the International Emergency Economic Powers Act (IEEPA). The lawmakers’ brief stands up for Congress’s Article I executive legislative powers and argues that IEEPA is not a tariff statute and that Congress did not intend or provide for IEEPA to be used as a tariff statute.

House and Senate Democratic Leadership filed an amicus brief supporting a coalition of plaintiffs including the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People (NAACP), the National Education Association (NEA), the American Federal of State, County, and Municipal Employees 3 (AFSCME) fighting to stop the Trump Administration’s illegal actions to dismantle the Department of Education. The brief, signed by 179 Democratic members, was led Litigation Task Force Co-Chairs Assistant Leader Joe Neguse and Ranking Member Jamie Raskin, along with House Democratic Leader Hakeem Jeffries, Representatives Robert C. “Bobby” Scott and Rosa L. DeLauro, and Senator Elizabeth Warren.

House Democrats’ Litigation and Rapid Response Task Force Co-Chairs Assistant Leader Joe Neguse and Ranking Member Jamie Raskin, together with Task Force Co-Chair and Ranking Member DeLauro and Ranking Member Pallone, filed an amicus brief signed by 152 members challenging President Donald Trump’s illegal and unconstitutional attempt to cut billions of dollars in NIH grants for biomedical and public health research jeopardizing the healthcare of the American people.

House Democrats’ Litigation and Rapid Response Task Force filed an amicus brief in the Fourth Circuit Court of Appeals case, Casa v. Trump, fighting against the Trump Administration’s illegal attacks on the constitutional principle of birthright citizenship. The brief was signed by 170 members of the Democratic Caucus, including leads and Litigation Task Force Co-Chairs Assistant Leader Joe Neguse and Ranking Member Jamie Raskin, along with House Democratic Leader Hakeem Jeffries, Representatives Bennie Thompson, Ranking Member of the Homeland Security Committee, and Pramila Jayapal, Ranking Member of the Subcommittee on Immigration Integrity, Security, and Enforcement.

House Democrats’ Litigation and Rapid Response Task Force led 148 Members of Congress in filing an amicus brief challenging President Donald Trump’s sweeping and chaotic tariffs unlawfully imposed under the International Emergency Economic Powers Act (IEEPA). The lawmakers’ brief stands up for Congress’s Article I exclusive legislative power to impose tariffs and regulate commerce, and argues that IEEPA does not give the President the power to impose reckless, on-again-off-again tariffs, which have wreaked havoc on the U.S. economy.

House Democrats’ Litigation and Rapid Response Task Force elevated their fight against the Trump Administration’s illegal attacks on the constitutional principle of birthright citizenship to the highest court in the land—filing an amicus brief for the three birthright citizenship cases currently before the United States Supreme Court (Trump v. State of Washington, Trump v. CASA, Inc., and Trump v. State of New Jersey).

House Democrats’ Litigation and Rapid Response Task Force led 192 House Democrats in filing an amicus brief challenging the Trump Administration’s efforts to close the Department of Education in the matter of the State of New York v. Linda McMahon. The brief was led by Task Force Co-Chairs Jamie Raskin and Joe Neguse, House Democratic Leader Hakeem Jeffries, and Ranking Members of the Appropriations and Education and Workforce Committees, Representatives Rosa DeLauro and Robert C. “Bobby” Scott.

House and Senate Democratic Leadership filed an amicus brief opposing President Donald Trump’s unlawful attempt to fire the two Democratic members of the Federal Trade Commission, an independent agency, in violation of established Congressional practice, consistently upheld by the Supreme Court. The brief was led by House Ranking Members Jamie Raskin and Bobby Scott, alongside House Democratic Leader Hakeem Jeffries and Assistant Leader Joe Neguse, as well as Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer and Senators Cory Booker, Dick Durbin, Maria Cantwell, Elizabeth Warren and Amy Klobuchar. It was joined by 253 Congressional Democrats.

House Democrats’ Litigation and Rapid Response Task Force filed an amicus brief in defense of the essential constitutional principle of birthright citizenship in the matter of State of Washington, et al. v. Trump, et al. The Ninth Circuit brief was signed by 208 members of the Democratic Caucus, including leads and Litigation Task Force Co-Chairs Assistant Leader Joe Neguse and Ranking Member Jamie Raskin, along with House Democratic Leader Hakeem Jeffries, Representatives Bennie Thompson, Ranking Member of the Homeland Security Committee, and Pramila Jayapal, Ranking Member of the Subcommittee on Immigration Integrity, Security, and Enforcement.

House and Senate Democratic Leadership filed an amicus brief opposing President Donald Trump’s unlawful attempts to fire members of the National Labor Relations Board (NLRB) and the Merit Systems Protection Board (MSPB). Illegal attempts to terminate duly appointed and congressionally confirmed board members at these independent federal agencies threaten the integrity of these institutions and their ability to protect American workers and uphold workplace democracy. The brief was led by House Ranking Members Jamie Raskin, and Bobby Scott, alongside House Democratic Leader Hakeem Jeffries and Assistant Leader Joe Neguse, as well as Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer and Senators Elizabeth Warren and Cory Booker – and was joined by 253 Congressional Democrats.

House Democrats’ Litigation and Rapid Response Task Force, Judiciary Ranking Member and Task Force co-chairs Assistant Leader Joe Neguse and Jamie Raskin, Foreign Affairs Ranking Member Greg Meeks, and Appropriations Subcommittee Ranking Member Lois Frankel in conjunction with House Democratic Leader Hakeem Jeffries, led an amicus brief joined by 202 House Democrats standing up to the blatant executive overreach and illegal dismantling of the United States Agency for International Development (USAID), in the matter of American Foreign Service Association, et al. v. Trump, et al.

Over 200 House Democrats, led by Ranking Member Maxine Waters, Leader Jeffries, Assistant Leader Neguse and Ranking Member Raskin, joined an amicus brief in defense of American consumers and the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB) in the matter of National Treasury Employees Union (NTEU), et al. v. CFPB Acting Director Russell Vought, et al. before the U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia.
Resolutions of Inquiry
Ranking Member Bobby Scott and Education and Workforce Committee Democrats introduced a Resolution of Inquiry to demand transparency and information from the President and Secretary of Education regarding the administration’s efforts to dismantle the Department of Education and its potential impact on students nationwide.

Oversight and Government Reform Committee Democrats recently led Committee Democrats in introducing a Resolution of Inquiry to investigate the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) and corruption within the Trump administration. Rep. Kweisi Mfume and Committee Democrats have also introduced a Resolution of Inquiry to investigate the Trump Administration’s unprecedented attacks on federal workers.

Holding National Security Leaders Accountable
Ranking Members Adam Smith, Greg Meeks, Jim Himes, teamed up to demand answers from the Trump Administration after a report that the administration texted a journalist sensitive and classified information over Signal around plans for U.S. military strikes on Yemen.

Leader Jeffies urged President Trump to fire Secretary Hegseth immediately following his reckless actions.

Co-Chair Jamie Raskin wrote to Attorney General Pam Bondi and Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) Director Kash Patel regarding the Trump Administration’s reckless usage of Signal to discuss attack plans in a group chat and demanded an investigation into the reckless and illegal practices by cabinet members.

Demanding Answers
Co-Chair Jamie Raskin and Ranking Member Bennie Thompson sent a letter to Trump Administration officials demanding to see the agreement they crafted with El Salvador to hold more than 200 individuals from the United States in the notorious Centro de Confinamiento del Terrorismo (CECOT) mega-prison and possibly other detention centers in El Salvador.

Rep. Stephen Lynch sent a letter to U.S. Department of Defense (DOD) Acting General Counsel Charles L. Young III requesting documents, information, and demanding answers as to how DOD is ensuring Elon Musk or anyone else are not using their positions as Special Government Employees (SGE) to enrich themselves or their companies in violation of federal ethics rules.

Energy and Commerce Committee Ranking Member Frank Pallone, Jr. (D-NJ), Health Subcommittee Ranking Member Diana DeGette (D-CO), and Oversight and Investigations Subcommittee Ranking Member Yvette Clarke (D-NY) wrote to HHS Secretary Robert F. Kennedy, Jr. today expressing outrage and demanding answers on the reckless decision to eliminate 25 percent of the agency’s workforce.

Hundreds of House Democrats have joined forces to demand answers from the administration on a wide range of illegal activities. Ranking Member Jamie Raskin and Rep. Lucy McBath sent a letter to Attorney General Pamela Bondi demanding information on the Trump Administration’s Executive Order directing an examination of critical firearms regulations, which threatens measures that have saved lives and helped address the threat of gun violence. Ways & Means Ranking Member Richie Neal led Committee Democrats in demanding answers via letter from HHS Secretary Kennedy and Treasury Secretary Bessent on DOGE’s latest unlawful and unjust incursion into taxpayer data, while Energy and Commerce Democrats sent a letter demanding answers from the Acting CMS Administrator regarding the administration’s reckless purge of workers at the agency. And Rep. Sean Casten led over 105 Democrats on a letter demanding an end to the illegal firing of public servants, including those responsible for managing the United States’ nuclear weapons arsenal.
Fighting for Tribal Communities
DOGE Subcommittee Ranking Member Melanie Stansbury led over 110 Democrats calling on the Trump administration to immediately stop and reverse draconian cuts to vital Tribal programs.


https://litigationandresponse.house.gov/oversight-litigation

[chowder66]

69. Legislation introduced by Democrats

House Democrats are committed to using every tool available to push back against far-right extremism that is harming the American people and to protect vulnerable communities from the disastrous impacts of the current administration’s executive orders and agency actions.

The Litigation Working Group and Rapid Response Task Force has moved decisively to respond to these actions in Congress, introducing the following legislative initiatives:

The Employee Limits ON Profiteering Act, introduced by Reps. Kathy Castor and Dave Min, which would prevent special government employees like Elon Musk from receiving any federal contracts, grants and awards, similar to prohibitions for most government workers.

The Protect Our Probationary Employees Act, introduced by Rep. Sarah Elfreth ensures that if and when federal employees are reinstated, they will not need to restart their probationary period for the same job they previously held and can continue to do their important work for the American people.

The Protect U.S. National Security Act, introduced by Rep. Sara Jacobs, which reiterates that any USAID reform should abide by existing laws and not harm American soft power, prohibits the use of funds to eliminate USAID as an independent agency, and requires annual certification of this prohibition by the Secretary of State.

The Prevent Tariff Abuse Act, introduced by Rep. Suzan DelBene, would prevent the President of the United States from imposing import tariffs under the guise of a national emergency without Congressional approval.
The Reclaim Trade Powers Act, introduced by Rep. Jimmy Panetta, would strip outdated presidential tariff powers and ensure that major trade decisions require Congressional approval.
The Repealing Outdated and Unilateral Tariff Authorities Act, introduced by Rep. Brad Schneider, would repeal the use of Section 338 of the Tariff Act of 1930 to impose reciprocal tariffs on U.S. allies.
The Congressional Trade Authority Act, introduced by Rep. Don Beyer, would require the president to submit to Congress any proposal to adjust imports in the interest of national security under Section 232 of the Trade Expansion Act of 1962.
The Data Taxpayer Protection Act, introduced by Reps. Haley Stevens and Sean Casten, would prohibit unlawful access to the Treasury Department Payment Systems.
The Consistent Legal Expectations and Access to Records Act, introduced by Rep. Hilary Scholten, reiterates that temporary organizations created under 5 USC 3161, like DOGE, are subject to FOIA.
The Department of Education Protection Act, introduced by Rep. Jahana Hayes, would prohibit the use of appropriated funds to be used to decentralize, reduce the staffing level of, or alter the responsibilities, structure, authority, or functionality of the Department of Education.
The Ending DOGE Conflicts Act, introduced by Rep. John Larson, would require Special Government Employees with a company that contracts with the Federal Government to file a public financial disclosure and face review for potential conflicts of interest by the independent Office of Government Ethics.
The Nobody Elected Elon Musk Act, introduced by Rep. Melanie Stansbury, would ensure that DOGE is liable for any claims against the federal government relating to any unlawful or unconstitutional actions.
The Model Employee Reinstatement for Ill-advised Termination (MERIT) Act, introduced by Rep. LaMonica McIver, would reinstate federal employees who were unjustly fired by the Trump administration and Elon Musk’s DOGE initiative that targeted federal workers.
The Protect Veteran Jobs Act, introduced by Rep. Derek Tran, which would reinstate veterans who have been removed or dismissed from federal employment without cause.

https://litigationandresponse.house.gov/legislation

[chowder66]

71. And even more....

Donald Trump began his assault on our American way of life and the rule of law on day one, and has since unleashed more than 100 days of high costs, chaos, and corruption. House Republicans have supported all of Trump’s illegal efforts, and refuse to lift a finger to hold him accountable.

Democrats in Congress are all-hands-on-deck to push back against Trump’s unlawful and incompetent executive actions and protect the freedoms, safety, and livelihoods of everyday Americans. House Democrats have conducted an unprecedented level of oversight activity across over the first 100 days, including actively engaging in litigation by filing eight amicus briefs before Federal district courts and the highest court in the land, launching 17 privileged resolutions of inquiry, conducting more than 10 shadow hearings and briefings across the country, issuing over 300 investigative demands and letters, and much more. That effort is ongoing and will continue to take on new abuses and overreach by President Trump. Several examples of House Democrats’ oversight activity are detailed below.

High Costs
House Democrats are holding Trump accountable for raising costs for everyday Americans.
Trump Tanked the Economy with Arbitrary and Messy Tariffs

Foreign Affairs Committee Democrats are pushing back by:

Introducing three privileged resolutions terminating President Trump’s fabricated national emergency declarations justifying tariffs on Canada, Mexico and globally, in accordance with the International Emergency Economic Powers Act.
Keeping the pressure on House Republicans to face the facts and oppose the Trump Tariffs.
Financial Services Committee Democrats pushed back by:

Pressing the Chair and the Inspector General of the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission and the Comptroller General of the U.S. Government Accountability Office to immediately investigate insider trading or market manipulation leading up to the President’s suspension of tariffs on April 9, 2025.
Small Business Committee Democrats pushed back by:

Leading 68 House Democrats in calling on the Trump administration to protect small businesses from the fallout of its escalating trade war.


The Administration Recklessly Took Away Resources People Rely On
Education and Workforce Committee Democrats pushed back by:

Forcing a vote on a Resolution demanding transparency about the Department of Health and Human Services slashing programs relied on by disabled and aging Americans.
Energy and Commerce Committee Democrats pushed back by:

Demanding that HHS address the consequences of mass firings and how these mass terminations at the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, the Food and Drug Administration, and the National Institutes of Health endanger Americans.
Demanding answers from the Acting Administrator of the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services regarding the Trump Administration’s reckless purge of workers at the agency.
Financial Services Committee Democrats pushed back by:

Coordinating a campaign in defense of the Consumer Finance Protection Bureau.
Small Business Committee Democrats pushed back by:

Demanding answers about the abrupt decision to relocate six Small Business Administration (SBA) regional offices and the adverse effect of terminating SBA’s small workforce on the services it currently provides to small businesses.


The Administration Broke Down Critical Consumer Protections
Energy and Commerce Democrats pushed back by:

Pressuring Trump to reinstate illegally fired Federal Trade Commission (FTC) Commissioners and blasting Republicans’ silence on Trump's unlawful attempt to fire said FTC Commissioners.
Oversight and Government Reform Committee Democrats pushed back by:

Pressing Trump Administration leaders at the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau, Federal Trade Commission and DOJ to investigate rising prices caused by efforts to gut and defang consumer protection enforcement across the government.
Chaos
House Democrats are cutting through the chaos unleashed by the Trump administration’s dismantling of critical programs and agencies.
Reports indicate Elon Musk’s DOGE Recklessly Rifled Through Data and Systems Across the Government

Education and Workforce Democrats pushed back by:

Prompting a GAO audit of DOGE intrusions at the Departments of Education, Labor, and Health and Human Services.
Homeland Security Committee Democrats pushed back by:

Forcing House Republicans to vote on a privileged resolution demanding transparency on the impact of the cyber workforce hiring freeze and security policies related to DOGE access to DHS information.
Judiciary Committee Democrats pushed back by:

Leading multiple committees in demanding answers on unauthorized DOGE access to sensitive government data and classified systems.
Filing, with Oversight Committee Democrats, a Freedom of Information Act request demanding DOGE stop lying to the American people and start providing clear answers about its operations.
Oversight and Government Reform Committee Democrats pushed back by:

Forcing consideration of a privileged Resolution of Inquiry to investigate DOGE’s unsanctioned use of government data and artificial intelligence (AI) and its impact on American privacy and national security.
Obtaining disturbing whistleblower information and demanding investigation into DOGE’s disruption of social security operations, collection of Americans’ sensitive data.
Prompting an OPM Inspector General Assessment about DOGE exposing agency systems to potential cybersecurity threats and privacy violations.
Natural Resources Committee Democrats pushed back by:

Prompting GAO to probe cybersecurity failures at DOGE.


Trump and DOGE Forced Mass Terminations of Critical Workers and Dismantling of Critical Programs Across the Government
Education and Workforce Democrats pushed back by:

Forcing House Republicans to vote on a privileged resolution demanding transparency from the Department of Education about the impact of efforts to dismantle the department.
Foreign Affairs Committee Democrats pushed back by:

Holding a Shadow Hearing on the consequences of haphazardly dismantling USAID.
Financial Services Committee Democrats pushed back by:

Forcing Republicans to consider a privileged Resolution of Inquiry demanding information related to the Trump-Musk’s Administration’s illegal shutdown of the CFPB.
Prompting a GAO investigation of unlawful attempts to eliminate the CFPB.
Prompting the GAO and Department of Housing and Urban Development Acting Inspector General to investigate into whether HUD violated statutory requirements following reports that the Administration plans to shut down local field offices and terminate housing agency staff.
Homeland Security Committee Democrats pushed back by:

Pushing independent watchdog GAO to conduct a full review of DOGE’s activities at DHS and the consequences for national security.
Forcing House Republicans to vote on a privileged resolution demanding information related to security assessments associated with freezing payments of critical homeland security programs.
Natural Resources Committee Democrats pushed back by:

Investigating DOGE chaos at the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA).
Releasing leaked DOGE plans to shutter facilities all over the country.
Coordinating opposition to layoffs at the US Forest Service amid the growing wildfire crisis.
Holding Shadow Hearing on program cuts, firings, facility closures, and science scrubbing at NOAA and how they threaten public safety and increase costs from agriculture to aviation.
Oversight and Government Reform Committee Democrats pushed back by:

Forcing consideration of a privileged Resolution of Inquiry to investigate the unprecedented attacks on federal workers and the administration’s efforts to embed political loyalists willing to turn a blind eye to corruption and grift.
Science Space and Technology Committee Democrats pushed back by:

Exposing “degraded operations” at the National Weather Service due to severe workforce shortages caused by Trump and Musk cuts.
Exposing the Trump administration’s plan to eliminate the EPA’s scientific research arm.
Pushing for a Department of Energy Acting Inspector General investigation into all financial assistance and contracts including any cancelled awards and contracts.
Issuing a Staff Report and providing it to the National Science Foundation rebutting erroneous Republican claims regarding NSF grants.
Trump’s administration has launched a campaign to deny and undermine science
Energy and Commerce Democrats pushed back by:

Investigating HHS’s hiring of an anti-vaccine scientist.
Pushing the Republican majority to demand a hearing with HHS Secretary Kennedy on the measles outbreak.
Science Space and Technology Committee Democrats pushed back by:

Taking to the House Floor with collected stories of fired federal scientists and the consequences the mass termination of this workforce has had on our national science enterprise.
Corruption
House Democrats are fighting back as Trump and members of his administration violate the constitution to accumulate wealth and power
Trump Illegally Wiped-Out Independent Watch Dogs

Every House Democratic Ranking Member immediately rebuked Trump’s unlawful attempt to purge independent government watchdogs.

Energy and Commerce Committee Democrats pushed back by:

Calling out House Republicans for failing to stand up to administration for wrongly terminating Inspectors General
Pushing for a Hearing on Trump’s unlawful termination of Inspectors General
Natural Resources Committee Democrats pushed back by:

Blasting “Trump’s Friday Night Massacre of more than a dozen inspectors general.”
Pushing for a hearing to get to the bottom of Trump’s unprecedented and illegal late-night firing of inspectors general.
Pressing committee Republicans to back an investigation into the purging of inspectors general at Department of Interior, Department of Commerce, and Department of Agriculture.
The Trump administration is rife with corruption and conflicts of interest

Oversight and Government Reform Committee Democrats pushed back by:

Urging Republicans to immediately investigate Trump’s numerous conflicts of interest and stand by the principles of the Presidential Ethics Reform Act—a bill aimed at combatting presidential conflicts of interest.
Forcing consideration of a privileged Resolution of Inquiry into Elon Musk’s extensive conflicts of interest.
Launching five investigations into Elon Musk’s rampant conflicts of interests in one week, focused on his conflicts at the White House, NASA, U.S. Department of Commerce, the Department of Defense, and the Department of Transportation.
Chronicled 100 Trump Administration conflicts over 100 days.
Science Space and Technology Committee Democrats pushed back by:

Pressing NASA, Department of Energy, NOAA, and science agencies to address Musk’s conflicts of interest and DOGE access to critical data.
Trump Administration Officials Recklessly Compromised Classified Information About Imminent U.S. Military Operations
Homeland Security Committee Democrats pushed back by:

Calling out National Security officials’ recklessness and incompetence over Signal Gate.
Investigating DHS Secretary Kristy Noem’s use of the unsecured Signal application for classified matters.
Foreign Affairs Committee Democrats pushed back by:

Introducing a privileged Resolution of Inquiry to compel the White House to provide answers on the reckless use of the Signal messaging app by top Trump administration officials to discuss classified military operations.
Calling on Defense Secretary to resign following revelations that he shared classified U.S. military plans in a Signal group chat.
Oversight and Government Reform Committee Democrats pushed back by:

Collaborating with Armed Services, Foreign Affairs and Intelligence Committee Democrats to demand answers to reports that Trump National Security team leaked military plans.
Pressuring committee Republicans to schedule a hearing about reckless unauthorized disclosure of classified information.
Launching an investigation into Trump Administration officials sharing war plans in an insecure group chat.
Forcing consideration of a privileged Resolution of Inquiry to investigate the illegal use of unsanctioned communications services and platforms for national security duties.
Forcing consideration of a privileged a Resolution of Inquiry to investigate whether Musk and DOGE affiliates actually have security clearances.
Trump Abused War Time Authority and Violated Due Process
Foreign Affairs Committee Democrats pushed back by:

Demanding details on the deal made with Salvadoran President Nayib Bukele to accept and detain deportees from the United States.
Judiciary Committee Democrats pushed back by:

Demanding answers and accountability from DHS and ICE regarding these unconstitutional detentions.
The Administration Launched an All-Out Assault on Fundamental Civil Rights
Education and Workforce Democrats pushed back by:

Holding a shadow hearing with Civil Rights leaders on How to Fight the Trump Administration’s Attacks on Americans.
Financial Services Committee Democrats pushed back by:

Demanding answers regarding actions taken by the Trump Administration to gut enforcement of the Fair Housing Act of 1968 and other housing-related civil rights laws.
Small Business Committee Democrats pushed back by:

Rebuking wildly inaccurate attacks hurled at small government contractors and the Small Business Administration’s programs designed to recruit and retain them in the federal marketplace.
Trump Weaponized Government Agencies to Attack People Exercising First Amendment Protected Rights
Energy and Commerce Democrats pushed back by:

Launching an investigation into FCC Chairman Carr’s repeated attacks on the First Amendment.
Judiciary Committee Democrats pushed back by:

Conducting a shadow hearing on the Trump Administration’s attacks on the rule of law through actions such as firing or pressuring Justice Department attorneys, imposing sanctions on law firms representing political opponents, and pardoning individuals involved in the January 6 Capitol riot.

https://litigationandresponse.house.gov/100-days-of-high-costs-chaos-and-corruption-house-democrats-deploy-tools-in-congress-to-fight-back

[chowder66]

77. If you are interested in following the lawsuits against Trump you can go here...

What’s included in our tracker?

Note-1: We do not track cases in which the Trump administration is the plaintiff/files a civil lawsuit. Some other organizations include those cases in their litigation trackers – ours tracks only challenges to Trump administration executive actions.
Note-2: We do not count appeals as separate cases. (The appeal of a district court decision to a Court of Appeals and/or Supreme Court is part of the same case.)
Note-3: We treat as one case all the lawsuits involving the removal of F-1 foreign student visa registration. According to Politico, there were “more than 100 lawsuits and 50 restraining orders from dozens of federal judges,” before the government reversed its decision and restored the F-1 registrations on or about Apr. 25, 2025.


https://www.justsecurity.org/107087/tracker-litigation-legal-challenges-trump-administration/

[ancianita]

91. Thanks! I've posted a lot from Just Security. Their litigation updates are important.

[chowder66]

96. I've seen those. Thank you.

I just wanted to get a lot of information in one place. Hope that's okay.

[ancianita]

103. cool

Absolutely! Having anything that shows a fuller account of what Dems are doing is good for morale.

This party is tougher and more deeply skilled in law and governance than many give it credit for.

We need to remember that on our worst day, Dems are always better than rethugs on their best day.

[chowder66]

104. I wholeheartedly agree.

[ancianita]

164. Thank you so much for adding all this great information, chowder66!

[ancianita]

88. SEE? This is what I'm talkin' 'bout!

Thanks. If you don't mind my saying, this should also be its own OP.

DU'ers need to see more of this.

[betsuni]

109. Thank you!

[LetMyPeopleVote]

66. Thank you for posting this

[ancianita]

93. Thank you back, LMPV!

I love your high content posts.

[SheltieLover]

78. Go Dems!

[1WorldHope]

81. Ancianita, thank you for the work of putting this list together.

It's good to see the actual work listed out like this.
I listened to Rev. William Barber yesterday giving his opening for Bernie in Ashville, NC yesterday, and I think people like him are what we are missing. We need charismatic black preachers to lead our movement like Dr. King. We need millions of us in the streets often. We need a general strike which will not happen until the pain is unbearable. We need US, the people, to believe it matters.
I am floored over and over again talking to 40 somethings. They don't think it matters who is in office. They laugh at me and ask why I am putting myself through the torture of thinking I can change anything. I walk away scratching my head wondering the same thing. Am I wasting my last few years on this planet banging my head against a wall?

[ancianita]

97. In a digitalized and privatized tsunami, we need what you say...

We need charismatic black preachers to lead our movement like Dr. King. We need millions of us in the streets often. We need a general strike which will not happen until the pain is unbearable. We need US, the people, to believe it matters.

And we're getting there. In their heart of hearts, most Americans know that the People matter.
Don't worry about over 40's. They're swept up and kept siloed in the digital realm.

It might be useful to remind the 40+ crowd (of which JD is one) that when the electricity goes out, they won't be able to escape back into their digital hivemind. That we are a nation of human beings and future generations, and they need to practice living in that world. That AI will not save humans from the evil actions of other humans.

[hamsterjill]

143. I love Reverend Barber.

He's amazing. He's a red letter Christian like I am.

But with all due respect, he's been on the scene since he spoke for Hillary at the 2016 Democratic National Convention, and he hasn't been able to make much of an impact. That is not for lack of trying. Perhaps it would help him if Democratic leaders got together and publicly backed him. I think he is a much better figure for Democrats than say, Al Sharpton.

[uponit7771]

86. DC democrats are **NOT** ahead of base frustrations in multiple categories.

I do agree they're doing something ...

[Duncan Grant]

92. Ask your friends, family and neighbors, "Are democrats doing enough in response to trump crimes?"

In my corner of the world, here on the west coast, the answer is an emphatic — no! But I’ll be sure to show them your list.

As I sit here in my 1933 reverie, I don’t believe we have the effective and well-organized opposition party I/we deserve. Furthermore, I support a robust exchange of ideas about our future — and what we should be doing now. I have no interest in stopping criticism or debate.

A serious course correction is needed by the Democratic Party, imho. I, for one, don’t believe they are doing enough. If this makes me a heretic at DU, so be it.

[ancianita]

101. Friends and family echo what they're exposed to. If they're not exposed to pro-party news as we are,

they won't know enough to say whether Democrats are doing enough. Sure, it's hard to be in the position of the minority party when we DO know what the party's doing, but that still doesn't change our need to stand like Democrats who know WTF the party is about.

Friends and family have the same responsibility to be informed as you have. What they don't know about "enough" is on them. Not the Democrats.

[Duncan Grant]

116. Information is not the problem. The lack of an effective opposition party is the problem.

We are flooded with information, it’s inescapable. Some might be surprised to know, most Americans don’t rely on corporate media (referring to your OP) for political news.

The problem is the lack of an effective opposition party. Maybe I’m wrong to look to the democrats to do this, but they flexed their power effectively recently. As I recall, the donor class and party elite found a way to work the levers of power to remove Joe Biden, their incumbent nominee, from the ticket. How is it possible that these same powerful people are so inept at harnessing this opportunity to mobilize a strong, effective resistance/opposition party? I don’t get it. It doesn’t make sense.

(And while I’m at it, the entire Biden travesty, was not a grass roots movement — it was corporate media, a PR campaign, and the thumb of the donor ($) class heavily on the scale. This should tell everyone about how the party actually worked in this instance, but I digress...)

The party is not doing enough by any stretch of the imagination and optimism isn’t going to accomplish the necessary work that needs to happen. A fundamental course correction is needed. Let’s begin by asking, what do the democrats stand for — and how far are they willing to go to prove it?

The exchange of ideas and robust criticism is not a negative influence on this party — or on this moment in history. I’d appreciate it if you would join me in encouraging this, rather than cheerleading for business as usual.

Lastly, the problem isn’t the dissemination of information. The problem is the lack of an effective opposition party. They are not doing enough.

[stopdiggin]

124. 'effective opposition' meaning WHAT ..

and that is why the endless warbling on about 'doing more', 'not doing enough' - is essentially meaningless - on top of being counter productive. This is not 'an exchange of ideas' - there are no real ideas (or game plan) backing it up.

More like, it's become a mantra - with about the same amount of thought behind it - and the unfortunate effect of your 'friends' buying in - and repeating it - ad nauseam

[Duncan Grant]

128. Any party that can remove its incumbent from the ticket has power.

What does the Democratic Party stand for — and how far are they willing to go to prove it?

[stopdiggin]

130. an absolutely meaningless (and thus absurd) analogy.

Last edited Wed Aug 13, 2025, 05:52 PM - Edit history (2)

Having no bearing on the current GOP crushing grip on government power ...
And this is why we don't have a 'legitimate exchange of ideas'. Questions are answered with non-sequitur gobbledy-goop. And off we go again with "not doing enough .. "

Oh, and is - "how far are they willing .." the new 'edgy' and cool meme .. ? Sorta' edgy and suggestive ... Without actually saying anything .. ? Kinda' like that?

- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -

[Torchlight]

155. As useful as asking my friends, family and neighbors if biochemists are doing enough.

[Orrex]

174. Are biochemists running for office while a psychotic biochemist is destroying the nation?

If not, then your analogy kind of falls flat.

Beyond that, you seem to be missing the point: the cheerleaders insist daily that the Democrats are doing all that is humanly possible and more, yet such evidence as there is must be sought deliberately. One would think that their mighty efforts would be all over the media, that we'd be seeing them on camera every day calling out Trump and his accomplices.

But here we are. To the casual observer (and even the not-so-casual observer), very little seems to be happening.

This is especially poignant for those of us who remember those longago days when the cheerleaders wagged their fingers at us, assuring us that Garland was working busily in the name of justice despite any evidence in support of that claim. It was happening behind the scenes, we were told, and shame on us for doubting.

Sorry, but I'm not a person of faith. I shouldn't have to be convinced that elected Democrats are fighting for the electorate and the nation at large; that fight should be obvious and undeniable.


But here we are.

[radical noodle]

118. I wish I could rec this 1000 times

Thank you for this.

[mcar]

119. Oh now, you're getting in the way of a good old DU Dem bashing

Go Democrats!

[Upthevibe]

131. ancianita.............

This is excellent!

Thank you SO much for posting

[iemanja]

132. Thank God we have nothing to worry about

Trump isn't turning the US into an authoritarian state, and all is well.

[Scrivener7]

145. Yes. This is fine. We were just being silly.

[Orrex]

148. History will look kindly on the party that swore it was doing enough

With special commendation for those who wagged their fingers at the critics and naysayers.

[relayerbob]

150. I want to see a tsunami of lawsuits

Against everything … every fucking day. Personal and class action. Tie them up in litigation so thick they can’t fucking breathe. Attack, ridicule, buy ads in every media market and follow Newsome’s and AOC’s leads. Weekly mass demonstrations, not occasional ones. A REAL general strike. Go into ICE centers with large armed escort contingents. Be brave like the creators of South Park.

They ask for money constantly, but I don’t see real action. Random town halls and “investigations “ aren’t enough.They GQP has violated thousands of laws and thousands of individuals’ rights, and they’re coming for *yours*. Are the Democrats doing nothing? No, but it’s WAY far from enough. Use Ukraine, Georgia, South Korea as inspiration. Let’s fucking go!

[flying-skeleton]

151. And yet.. .

When Republicans are in the minority, they find ways to shut down the majority democrats no matter the means.

Why can't democrats do the same ‼️‼️

[thucythucy]

159. Here's a question for you, the answer to which may well change this entire conversation.

You said, "When Republicans are in the minority, they find ways to shut down the majority Democrats no matter what."

Okay--first, please site a specific example of when the Republicans were able to "shut down the majority." As part of this it would be helpful if you could elaborate on the actual tactic they used.

For instance, what piece of legislation, budget or otherwise, were Republicans able to scuttle, even though Democrats had the presidency, majorities in both Houses of Congress, a 6 to 3 majority on the Supreme Court, and a substantial lock on appellate and district courts.

Then apply that to today's situation, something you think Democrats could do tomorrow morning to duplicate that tactic.

Presenting such an example would be most helpful. Seriously.

Thank you and best wishes.

[betsuni]

186. I'd like to know, too.

Last time I asked the answer was so vague now I can't even remember, something from when Republicans actually were in the majority.

[thucythucy]

157. Thank you for posting this.

Best wishes.

[mr715]

158. "Trump-Proofing"

Doesn't work.

I recall former President Biden spending much of his time as a lame duck "Trump-proofing" institutions. It didn't take.

[murielm99]

160. Thank you my dear.

I am getting tired of the negativity here.

[ancianita]

163. Thank you back, muriel99!

I too, am weary of the naysayers' baseless grievances. No matter how objectively Democrats' resistance is laid out, they want "more" with no ideas about what more is that Dems should do. I understand that it's easier to be negative than to support minority Democrats under a dictator who does all he can to keep them down, but airing complaints against the party is not the purpose of this site.

Under DU Terms of Service, there's the rule of "Support Democrats" with a clause that says "Do not post anything that smears Democrats generally, or that is intended to dissuade people from supporting the Democratic Party or its candidates." Some of the "not enough" grievance here approaches that, imo.

[Buddyzbuddy]

161. Well done, ancianita!

[Fla Dem]

162. Outstanding post! A lot of work went into putting all this information together. THANK YOU!!!

[ancianita]

165. And a thousand thanks to all who added more objective information re what all the Dems have been doing!

[Dem4life1970]

166. Thank you!

I for one am sick and tired of the circular firing squad, Democrat-on-Democrat attacks. If you have a D in front of your name, IN THIS MOMENT ESPECIALLY, I am FOR you!!!!!!!!

[CaptainTruth]

167. Thank you for the post. I get tired of people bashing Democrats by saying they're doing nothing.

[UTUSN]

169. K&R

[Xoan]

173. REALITY SAYS OTHERWISE.

[pat_k]

183. Yes. There is lots to applaud.... and still we must push for more.

It is a learning curve. "We're in the minority" is legislator thinking. Many are getting on the stick, but many are not. They need to be thinking about how to use what they have. They have comms operations they can deploy in new and creative ways. They have the power of their voices. They can hold hearings in a tent in front of Robert F. Kennedy Department of Justice Building. They can hold hearings in a tent in front of the Hubert H. Humphrey Building, the headquarters of DHHS. They can hold hearings in front of the headquarters of the DHS.

Perhaps the most effective thing they could do right now is find common ground on a set of the most egregious violations and issue a joint U.S. Senate / U.S. House declaration of condemnation. A declaration of independence from the corrupt 47 regime.

Sure. We are a diverse party, and perhaps they wouldn't include all the offenses your or I would include. But I CANNOT IMAGINE a world where the people we have elected to represent us as Democrats can't come to consensus in declaring a set of acts as criminal violations against the nation, against the four freedoms, and against the values that we hold as global citizens.

Having every Democrat (and perhaps even a Republican or two who recognizes the tide is turning) -- almost half the House and Senate -- sign on to such a statement would be an incredibly powerful message to the nation, and to the world, that WE OBJECT.

When Simon Rosenberg first pointed out the importance of such a declaration, I've done my little bit to lobby for this and encourage others to pester their Rep and Senators.

I do not understand what the resistance is, but I firmly believe we MUST elicit objections from our Rep and Senators and counter their rationalizations for inaction.

If we cannot get the Democrats we elected to the U.S. House and U.S. Senate to release a clear, simple, statement of the crimes against us by July 4, 2026, then nothing anyone can point to will convince me they are "doing enough."

[Hornedfrog2000]

184. This is so ridiculous

Wonder if you will still feel this way if they take everything from you. Will you be singing their praises? Let me ask you, how old are you? I bet you have a pretty decent retirement set up. What if that is gone tomorrow? What if you are on the street, dying and they scoop you up to be put to work.

There is a massive disconnect for the reality some of these democrats paved for us younger folks.

I have a feeling the people supporting the chucks, are probably over 60 years old, because your future is massively different than the one us young democrats are being led into.

Your future is with family and friends, and spending your last years trying to find peace. Our future, younger dems, is famine, disease, childless, poor, uneducated, etc. You people are living off of past victories of our ideal view of a democracy. We have no future, and some of you seem be overly ok with that.

[hlthe2b]

187. That broad-brush stroke you are using against all who are older is at least as ill-informed as

those who think (no matter how appreciative we might be for the efforts of some DEMS) that that is "enough."

You seem to think all people over the age of 60 are looking at a no-worry retirement. That could not be further from the truth. I see them come into my ER, and those who could not afford Medicare are losing all insurance due to Medicaid cuts, losing the nursing homes that have cared for much older relatives for the same reason, have serious health issues, and are unable to work and have had any and all resources eaten up years ago. Their children and grandchildren, yes, are struggling too. I likewise see the desperation peak with suicide attempts almost daily.

So, no, I don't take your callous statements lightly. Time to rethink, my young hornedfrog. No one beyond the oligarchy is going to have an easy time of it thanks to years of Republican policies--even before but now aggressively propelled by MAGA and TRUMP.

[betsuni]

188. "You people"

[ancianita]

190. All fights seem that way

until they converge and win. Who do you think Democrats have always governed and fought for? themselves? No. For future generations.

Our future, younger dems, is famine, disease, childless, poor, uneducated, etc. You people are living off of past victories of our ideal view of a democracy. We have no future, and some of you seem be overly ok with that.

Not so. No one's okay with the outcomes as "enough." However, until you come up with the "more" that will work, you're a drag on the very people trying to improve your future. The very people you should support right now.

Let me ask you, how old are you? I bet you have a pretty decent retirement set up. What if that is gone tomorrow? What if you are on the street, dying and they scoop you up to be put to work.

Me personally, yeah I'm old. My income is one they can't touch either at state or federal levels. So your "what if's" don't apply to me. But I still fight for those whose futures seem to look darker than mine.

Your cynical view weakens your will to fight on... so why are you a Democrat, again?

[hamsterjill]

195. Just an FYI -

I'm in my 60's and you can read my posts on this thread and see my feelings. I am NOT okay with the state of things right now, and have voiced that. I retired several months back hoping for some of the peace you mention. It hasn't come easily when every morning I have to wake up and wonder if my retirement income is going to still be there.

But I do certainly understand your concerns as to the younger people. I have an adult daughter and I worry about her future all the time. She won't have the rights that I enjoyed, already doesn't. I am grateful that I do not have grandchildren.

[LPBBEAR]

185. Remember....

the Trump Admin, its supporters and enablers are engaged in crimes and are criminals. Members of agencies like I.C.E. are engaged in crimes and are criminals. Members of Congress supporting Trump are engaged in crimes and are criminals. Some members of the Supreme Court are engaged in crimes and are criminals. Some Billionaires are acting in lockstep with Trump and as such are criminals.

Assume the Dems are able to regain power in this country.

If the Dems are compiling lists of these criminals to prosecute and planning to put in jail these criminals for these crimes they will be doing their job.

If the Dems are planning to remove EVERY one of these criminal vermin from our government they will be doing their jobs.

If the Dems are planning to rescind absolutely every criminal EO and action the Trump regime has enacted they'll be doing their job.

If the Dems are planning to revoke every pardon Trump has issued and return every criminal Trump pardoned to prison they'll be doing their job.

If the Dems are impeaching and removing every corrupt Judge that Trump appointed, Judges who took bribes or otherwise betrayed the oath of office they swore then the Dems will be doing their job.

If the Dems are fighting fire with fire and matching Blue state voter suppression tactics for Red state voter suppression tactics they'll be doing their job.

If the Dem leadership is feeling the same white hot rage I am feeling over the criminal activities and actions the Trump administration and the Republicans are engaged in they might just have the incentive to do whats needed to correct the course this country is heading on.

And if the Dems in power are planning to put Trump in front of a firing squad for treason they'll be doing their job.

On the other hand, if after regaining power its back to biz as usual, my friends across the aisle bullshit, let these criminals skate off to a wealthy future retirement we're doomed to repeat this cyclical shit show forever.

Remember...the events we are witnessing are crimes and the people engaged in these crimes ARE criminals.

If our Dem leadership plans on treating these events as crimes and doing something about it they'll be doing their jobs. If they do nothing, as has happened in the past, they won't be doing their job.

It's that simple,

Don't forget and don't forgive..

[ancianita]

191. All you say is a hefty demand. But it's doable.

Except for the part of revoking pardons. I'm pretty sure that's absolute.

We all get the same 24 hours a day. While they're doing all this justice work, when will they get time to govern?

If they do both, will you criticize their speed? Keep that checklist?

Why not send them your list? It would be very useful to them. All our congressional Democrats have email addresses, including the highest levels of the DNC. Let them know what you think is best!

[ancianita]

204. Maybe call or text this in.

DEMOCRATIC NATIONAL COMMITTEE
430 South Capitol Street Southeast
Washington, DC 20003
[phone]

[Tarheel_Dem]

196. Thanks for all the hard work.

[ancianita]

200. Thanks for reading it, Tarheel!

[ecstatic]

205. thank you for gathering that info and sharing BUT there's nothing wrong with us asking for more

and holding their feet to the fire. That said, I'm grateful to those elected officials who are fighting for us.

[ancianita]

206. YW. I hear you. Nothing at all wrong with asking, BUT

there's a LOT wrong with
1. baseless claiming that Dems are doing little to nothing,
2. baseless complaining that Dems are not doing enough,
3. baseless grievance that blames Dems and their affiliates for why we're now a minority party,
4. baseless demands with NO ideas about what is better than the actual real congressional, public, and media actions Dems have taken, AND
5. even "asking" right here on DU, instead of calling whoever the askers think haven't done enough and asking them to do more.

Holding their feet to the fire? Here? On a posting site? Seriously?
Have you not seen in the OP -- and chowder66's brilliant additions in post 64, 69, and 71?! -- how our Democratic leaders are way ahead of you on that?

If you're grateful to those elected officials who are fighting for us, then know that that gratitude extends to all our Democratic officials who are fighting for us -- no 'concerned,' no holdouts, no manchins, no sellouts, no rogues -- solid Democratic Party leadership from Congress all the way out to the 50 states, bluesky, digital emails, and cable tv news.

If you still insist there are some who should so more, there is nothing wrong with calling them and asking them to do more; just be ready with your ideas (it helps to have them in writing) :

https://www.house.gov/representatives (click the letter of your state)

https://www.senate.gov/senators/senators-contact.htm (click 'find your senators' on the upper left)

DEMOCRATIC NATIONAL COMMITTEE
430 South Capitol Street Southeast
Washington, DC 20003
[phone]

Yes, representative and senator offices have staff who answer the phones, who note your name and ideas, and pass them along to their individual reps and senators. If you have to leave a recorded message, read from a prepared statement of what you're asking for from your rep or senator.

Maybe keep in mind that what you ask is more easily said than what they've already done, even if it's not enough.

[betsuni]

207. Every time "Holding feet to the fire" is used to blame Democrats, a Republican gets its devil horns.