During Trump's first term, Dems have had very little power to punish, and no power to nullify. What they have been able to do, they have done—namely, to impeach Trump, and exercise oversight powers (though hampered by extraordinary levels of obstruction). In the event that they keep the House and retake the Senate—not to mention the WH—that changes completely. Instead of thinking about it as Dems needing to be "pushed over the edge", think of it as them needing to be nudged over the power threshold. When you say that it would be a major change from how the Dems normally do things, consider that Dems are "normally" not in a position to do anything like what's being proposed here—neither wrt. actual power, or the political capital & justification required. Trump & McConnell pushing through a new SCOTUS justice in the next few weeks/months would provide plenty of political cover and pressure, if Dems also retake the senate.
"One day, we shall die. All the other days, we shall live."
RIP Ruth Bader Ginsburg. What a wonderful contribution she made to our country, that improved the lives of millions. Fighting to the very end for Equality Under Law. Such an inspiration!
Is there any statement by Democrats suggesting that this is something they'll do, or consider doing, or consider thinking about doing if they win in November, or is this just a twitter fan theory?
Why won't he have much choice?
Firstly, it would not provide political cover because it will happen before the election and this hypothetical expansion of the supreme court will happen after the election, which might as well be in the next ice age in the world of political media, especially in these times.
Secondly, while the Democrats are not usually in a position to do anything as radical as expanding the supreme court, there are things they are in a position to do and they usually do not do them. At the very least, they could stop actively helping Trump's legislative agenda but for example, voting for bills expanding funding for the border force by 4.6 billion or a 0.7 trillion (!) expansion of the military budget.
Also, you bring up impeachment but they dragged their feet so hard on impeachment they scuffed all the carpets in the Capitol building. Only did it because Trump was going after their chosen POTUS candidate Joe Biden.
It's not much what I expect them to do as their attitude. Republicans do whatever it takes to get and keep power and enact their legislative agenda, the only real check on their power is their own stupidity (see repealing obamacare), Democrats stay up all night worrying about bipartisan compromise, the importance of institutions and democratic norms, then give the GOP what it wants. Like, if they did this before the end of September it wouldn't even be the worst thing they've done this month. We've had the attempts to destroy UPS for nakedly political reasons, we've got forced sterilization of women, and we've had the news broke that the Trump admin killed a plan to send out free masks to Americans, a decision which undoubtedly killed people. And I'm expected to believe that the GOP doing something it has every right to do constitutionally is what's going to get the Dems to wake up and start playing hardball?
I mean, I hope it is, but I just don't understand why people are acting like this is definitely going to happen. Equally likely Biden, if elected, is going to take "it's time to bring the nation together" approach and reach out to those "good republicans" he apparently thinks exist.
When the sky above us fell
We descended into hell
Into kingdom come
Democratic think tanks, yes. Politicians? Generally no, because it would be politically dumb to say right before an election.
Because he's a Democrat. In the end, it's hard to ignore your own party's views when it becomes a highly salient issue.Why won't he have much choice?
Hope is the denial of reality
This is all good debate...but it's gauche in a thread meant to honor the life of RBG, and mourn her death. Is it too much to ask that this thread should be about her life and legacy, and the other political pontificating be done in another thread? Please?
Either that, or maybe Rand should change the title....
Last edited by GGT; 09-21-2020 at 01:32 AM.
When the sky above us fell
We descended into hell
Into kingdom come
When the sky above us fell
We descended into hell
Into kingdom come
In the middle of a pandemic, you Americans have the reassurance the current healthcare plan will be binned, but there is a new, better healthcare plan, and it will come soon. So ... no worries right?
Right.
The name of the plan is the Koolaid Healthcare Plan. Bottom's up!
I could have had class. I could have been a contender.
I could have been somebody. Instead of a bum
Which is what I am
I aim at the stars
But sometimes I hit London
circling back on this
When the sky above us fell
We descended into hell
Into kingdom come
Looks like that "particularly egregious abortion decision" of Loki's is gonna be in the cards.
Last night as I lay in bed, looking up at the stars, I thought, “Where the hell is my ceiling?"
Is this the tread where we debate precedents like Roe v Wade, and the "shadow court" of SCOTUS....or should I start a new thread about the Texas Taliban?