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BigmanPigman

(51,432 posts)
Wed Sep 23, 2020, 03:01 AM Sep 2020

Democrats Need a Plan. Fast. Here's how they can apply maximum...

"Here’s how they can apply maximum pressure, brand the process as the illegitimate farce it is and lay the groundwork for desperately needed reform."

https://www.nytimes.com/2020/09/21/opinion/ruth-bader-ginsburg-senate-democrats.html

There are steps Democrats can take to apply maximum pressure, brand the process as the illegitimate farce it is and lay the groundwork for desperately needed reform that can reverse the damage early in 2021 if Democrats win in November. Distraught Democrats should understand that senators’ options are limited, but Democratic senators should understand the depth of voters’ desire to see their senators do everything possible to stop Mr. Trump from replacing R.B.G. This is an illegitimate process, and that is how Democrats should approach it.

There are a range of tools available to Democrats to apply constant pressure. The Senate operates on what are called “unanimous consent” agreements, or U.C.s — pacts that set the daily schedule and the terms of conduct for all business. Democrats can bring the business of the Senate to a halt by systematically denying U.C. agreements. This simply requires stationing one senator on the floor at all times — senators can rotate every few hours, they just need to be physically present on the floor to say, “I object,” anytime Republicans try to pass a U.C.

The Senate needs a quorum of 51 senators to be present to conduct business. Senate Democrats should force Republicans to produce quorums on their own. Republicans control 53 seats, but bringing 51 senators to the floor every time they need to conduct business is a major challenge. Notably, Republicans have more incumbent senators up for re-election than Democrats do, and every day they have to spend in Washington is a lost day of campaigning. It takes only one senator to do this: By noting the absence of a quorum, a Democratic senator can put the Senate into a state of suspended animation called a “quorum call” until 51 senators arrive on the floor.

Democrats can also boycott the confirmation hearings. The hearings are unlikely to influence the outcome. If the hearings for Brett Kavanaugh did not change any votes, neither will these hearings. Attending confers legitimacy, and refusing to attend will send a powerful statement that they deem the process and the nominee illegitimate. Democratic senators should keep in mind that if they participate in the process, even aggressively, history will record it as a “contentious” confirmation process, a common occurrence. Boycotting the process and disrupting Senate business, on the other hand, will brand it as fundamentally different from anything that has come before.

This brings us to the most important step: Democrats should commit to the structural reforms necessary to undo the damage Republicans have wrought. If Democrats win the White House and the Senate in November, they can pass reforms to rebalance our democracy through simple majority votes. The only thing standing in the way will be the filibuster...

Democrats should also reform the Senate so it better represents the nation. They can start by inviting territories bound by federal law but lacking voting representation in Congress to become states.

This is a dark time for Democrats, but it has the potential to be clarifying. The Senate is awash in myths and misconceptions about norms and traditions, most of which were invented to serve narrow political interests. Republicans’ naked hypocrisy will reveal that much of what senators assure us is grand Senate tradition is just hardball politics.

***Today Schumer invoked "two-hour rule" to block Senate committee hearings
https://www.cbsnews.com/news/schumer-invokes-rule-to-block-senate-committee-hearings/

10 replies = new reply since forum marked as read
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Democrats Need a Plan. Fast. Here's how they can apply maximum... (Original Post) BigmanPigman Sep 2020 OP
28 USC 1 Mike Niendorff Sep 2020 #1
Somebody jog my memory-- who was the Speaker who limited his own power because... TreasonousBastard Sep 2020 #2
Uhhhh, can't recall any. lagomorph777 Sep 2020 #9
These are all good (and necessary) ideas... regnaD kciN Sep 2020 #3
I had read that Feinstein said that about BigmanPigman Sep 2020 #4
Then we have to pressure Kaine and Feinstein. lagomorph777 Sep 2020 #10
What happens if the Dems don't win the Senate??????? Someone needs to contact Bloomberg again Maraya1969 Sep 2020 #5
Act Blue has gotten a lot of donations and is putting money BigmanPigman Sep 2020 #7
No one better not send baby powder several times in the mail to Mitch. That would be terrible Maraya1969 Sep 2020 #6
Yeah! Let's fake an assassination attempt! NT sweetloukillbot Sep 2020 #8

TreasonousBastard

(43,049 posts)
2. Somebody jog my memory-- who was the Speaker who limited his own power because...
Wed Sep 23, 2020, 03:59 AM
Sep 2020

prior Speakers had abused theirs.

regnaD kciN

(26,035 posts)
3. These are all good (and necessary) ideas...
Wed Sep 23, 2020, 04:08 AM
Sep 2020

...but the "structural reforms necessary" all require ending the filibuster -- and both Tim Kaine and Dianne Feinstein have said they will not do that. I'm assuming that DINO Manchin is of the same position. That means we need to win at least 54 seats (well beyond optimistic projections) to accomplish anything other than just complaining loudly and accepting that the Republicans own the court for the next few decades.



BigmanPigman

(51,432 posts)
4. I had read that Feinstein said that about
Wed Sep 23, 2020, 04:26 AM
Sep 2020

filibusters but wasn't aware of Kaine too. We have to all get on the same page.

Maraya1969

(22,441 posts)
5. What happens if the Dems don't win the Senate??????? Someone needs to contact Bloomberg again
Wed Sep 23, 2020, 05:10 AM
Sep 2020

and ask him to poor money into the tight senate races.

The whole thing makes me very worried.

Maraya1969

(22,441 posts)
6. No one better not send baby powder several times in the mail to Mitch. That would be terrible
Wed Sep 23, 2020, 05:13 AM
Sep 2020

and against the law. And it will stop all proceedings for at least a day or longer.

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