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

[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.