Why don't Democratic lawmakers hold a press briefing/conference each week to hold Trump to account?

[ehrnst]

45. Why are you posting these suggestions here? Wouldn't writing the reps be more effective?

Last edited Mon May 21, 2018, 01:11 PM - Edit history (1)

But I can tell you what I do see coming from the leadership.

Gather together Democratic lawmakers.

- that's happening. It's called "being in session," and "The Democratic Caucus"

Hold a weekly or twice-weekly press event.

They send out more frequent press releases, with are more effective at responding to events quickly. https://www.democrats.senate.gov/newsroom

Provide a summary of Trump's lies and the damage he has done since the last briefing.

Newspapers are doing that, and they have more time and resources to devote to following DT's every word than our reps and staff do right now: https://www.cnn.com/2018/05/01/politics/donald-trump-3000/index.html
https://www.nbcnews.com/dateline/video/nyt-lists-every-lie-trump-has-told-as-president-976365123815
https://www.esquire.com/uk/latest-news/a20111768/donald-trump-has-managed-to-tell-3001-lies-as-president-here-are-five-of-his-best/
https://www.vox.com/world/2018/2/19/17027906/trump-russia-social-media-indictment-lies

Bring on large groups who are affected by Trump's actions, example people who have lost healthcare or dreamers and their families. Trash his Tweets.

"Bring on large groups" to a biweekly press conference? How do you manage that - financially, logistically? You need to vet people before bringing them to a press conference, so you know they aren't trolls. Again, media and advocacy orgs bring these stories to a much larger audience more efficiently and in long form journalism - and in a way that separates it from partisan politics - which is exactly what a press conference hosted by Democrats will be dismissed as.

https://www.bloomberg.com/news/features/2018-04-03/what-it-s-like-living-without-health-insurance-in-america

https://www.dreamerstories.com/

http://www.latimes.com/opinion/readersreact/la-ol-le-daca-dreamer-story-20170909-story.html

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2010/08/02/AR2010080203882.html

https://www.washingtonpost.com/opinions/a-dreamer-traveled-to-mexico-now-he-cant-get-home-to-his-husband/2018/04/09/3445c736-3c35-11e8-974f-aacd97698cef_story.html?utm_term=.84901d10da9d

Throw down challenges to Trump - questions about his lies that he will be unable to answer.

They are throwing down challenges to DT daily. What you want is public statements. DT will answer them with more lies - and give more ammunition to his followers that DT is being persecuted by partisan politics. NON PARTISAN sources of fact checking are much more credible to the public. If you repeat lies - even in fact checking - they gain MORE traction, because repetition makes the mind believe that it came from more than one source. Democrats are coming out with facts about the harm that his policies are doing.

https://www.politico.com/story/2017/12/22/trump-nominees-democrats-block-314775

And I believe these count as a challenges:

https://www.axios.com/schumer-pelosi-say-trump-agreed-to-replace-daca-without-wall-1513305491-a9965fa0-2c67-4710-8ea1-a9d581cfb11d.html

https://www.washingtonexaminer.com/news/nancy-pelosi-rips-trumps-hateful-transgender-troop-ban

https://www.washingtonexaminer.com/chuck-schumer-trumps-foreign-policy-by-tweet-doing-serious-damage-to-us

http://thehill.com/homenews/senate/377156-schumer-trump-must-back-down-from-sweeping-tariffs

About repeating lies:
https://www.wired.com/2017/02/dont-believe-lies-just-people-repeat/

Maintain continuous themes with examples - for example - Trump is corrupt. He's a liar. He is damaging America. He is callous.

Again, if you want Democratic leaders to call DT names, it is "partisan politics" If non-partisan sources and orgs say this, it's much more credible.

But yes, Democrats call out his policies as harmful:

https://www.cnn.com/2017/11/09/politics/democrats-health-care-fight-2018/index.html

http://thehill.com/homenews/senate/370816-democrats-pan-trumps-immigration-framework

http://www.newsweek.com/trumps-travel-ban-helps-isis-stage-attacks-us-democrats-say-715512


However, if you want examples of calling him out, Maxine Waters, John Lewis are notable examples:

https://www.realclearpolitics.com/video/2018/03/11/maxine_waters_trump_is_typical_con_man_who_diverts_attention_from_himself_by_attacking_others.html

https://www.independent.co.uk/news/world/americas/us-politics/donald-trump-shithole-countries-latest-john-lewis-says-president-is-racist-a8159241.html

Lay out the Democratic alternative.

Again - you want public statements? "Alternatives" to what? His policies? If there is nothing that can be done about them at this time, then that would simply be spitting into the wind. At best. If a social justice issue is identified with Democratic Leadership, then it's much easier to say that it's simply partisan, and DT is a master at using "persecution by Democrats" as a distraction: https://www.nationalreview.com/2018/01/government-shutdown-democrats-daca-immigration-policy-could-harm-them/

And yes, Democrats do provide alternatives: https://www.independent.co.uk/news/world/americas/us-politics/trump-travel-ban-bill-block-muslim-countries-restrictions-democrats-law-latest-a8061346.html

http://thehill.com/blogs/floor-action/house/353977-house-rejects-democratic-budget-alternatives

https://www.wsj.com/articles/with-eye-to-midterms-democrats-offer-alternative-tax-infrastructure-plan-1520445576

Make the events controversial, big productions to attract maximum media exposure.

Not good. It's usually obvious when someone is creating controversy to attract attention. You lose credibility.

Try to get the media to talk about things that need to be talked about - too much is overlooked, and most people are unaware of how bad Trump is.

See below for examples of media talking about how much he lies, and how harmful his policies are. Most people don't approve of Trump. Op-eds are far more convicing than "controversial events to attract media attention."

https://www.theatlantic.com/magazine/archive/2017/10/will-donald-trump-destroy-the-presidency/537921/

https://www.huffingtonpost.com/entry/donald-trump-racist-examples_us_56d47177e4b03260bf777e83

http://foreignpolicy.com/2018/04/25/trumps-travel-ban-might-be-legal-but-its-bad-policy/

https://www.npr.org/2018/01/13/577808792/president-trumps-idea-of-good-and-bad-immigrant-countries-has-a-historical-prece

https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/the-fix/wp/2018/03/08/trumps-new-tariff-exemptions-are-a-bad-idea-according-to-his-own-trade-adviser-four-days-ago/?


Everyone is frustrated. Taking yours out on "Democrats" is not only off target, it's destructive.