If Dems Ever Want To Win Again, They Need To Find A Spine
Credit: Cagle Cartoons
November 28, 2016

I keep wondering in these days after Trump won an election he should never have won where the Democratic Party is. It seems to have gone underground, leaders just tossing their hands in the air and giving up in the face of creeping fascism.

This cannot stand. This tweetstorm by Matthew Chapman is exactly how I feel.

Interrupting this to say that they should all be screaming bloody murder about voter suppression and vowing to do more to stop it, not staying meekly silent.

Check.

THIS THIS THIS, 1000 times THIS. The difference between a GOP Senate majority of 51 or 52 is really a big fcking deal.

Yes, and not just Jeff Sessions, although he's a terrible pick for Attorney General. How about Betsy DeVos, who is an even more awful pick for Secretary of Education? It seems clear to me that these cabinet picks are intended to break government entirely, not keep it functioning.

Here's what I mean:

I talked about Faithless Electors here. Although I have little confidence that this effort will come to anything, simply reinforcing the fact that Trump has no mandate to govern in the wanton fashion he is signaling would be something, at least.

I disagree about a recess appointment, but I will be writing something about a way they could ram Garland through, even if it would mean infuriating Republicans. Because what's new about infuriating Republicans anyway?

They need to rip the book out of Republicans' hands on this one and start using the damn thing.

Yep, this one goes without saying. If you haven't read the latest in-depth New York Times article on this, you should. It's positively terrifying to imagine how his conflicts of interest could lead us into actual real conflicts with other countries where people could die while he lines his coffers with the profits.

Seriously on the mandate, folks. Just today, The Fix ran an article saying that he has "the smallest mandate." No, he does not. He just does not. He has NO mandate.

In 2008, Dems HAD a mandate. Democrats won the White House, held the House and won the Senate. And Republicans did nothing but obstruct EVERYTHING for eight years, up to and including President Obama's Supreme Court nominee, so they could steal that nomination away.

They can start with Garland on January 3rd. There is a way they could get that nomination through (more on that later), and it would send a strong message to Republicans that we're not going to let them steamroll us into fascism over the next four years.

Find your spines, Democrats. This is not the time to reward Republicans' stubborn refusal to do the duty for which they were elected.

Find them now. And suit up for battle instead of cowering in your hidey-holes.

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