Tracking the Democratic Response

[Borg]

As we all know, the Executive, Judicial and Legistlative branches are all Republican-controlled. Add to that the removal of watchdog personnel, it is very difficult for the Democrats to make headway against what the administration is doing to our institutions. That doesn't mean impossible though. This thread is a place to document and discuss the things that the Democratic Party can do to resist.

First up - Town Halls in Republican districts. This week, the National Republican Congressional Committee explicitly discouraged Republicans from holding in-person town hall meetings with their constituents because of the backlash from chainsaw destruction of the federal agencies. In response, Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, is encouraging Democrats to hold town halls in GOP-controlled districts.

 

[Greg Bernhardt]

 

[Borg]

I got a robocall from my Congressman last night that turned out to be an invitation to join a virtual town-hall meeting. It was pretty late for me so I only stayed on for a half hour. However, I did learn about an organization that is filing lots of lawsuits on behalf of Federal employees.

Democracy Forward

We fight vigorously in court against abuses of power and attempts to undermine a government that works for people who need it most.

democracyforward.org

Today, I ran across this site that's tracking overall challenges to the administration:

Litigation Tracker: Legal Challenges to Trump Administration Actions

A public resource tracking the legal challenges to the Trump administration's executive orders and actions.

www.justsecurity.org

And another resource:

Civil Service Strong: Resources for Civil Servants

Effective. Impartial. Resilient. The civil service comprises dedicated, nonpartisan federal employees who work tirelessly across the country and around the world to ensure the effective delivery of government services and uphold democratic values.

www.civilservicestrong.org

 

[Borg]

I'm a bit surprised that nobody has posted about Tesla Takedown. Tomorrow is their global day of action.

TeslaTakedown — join the March 29 GLOBAL DAY OF ACTION​

 

[BillTre]

Tesla will never be the same. They are irreversably going down for many reasons.
I would like to sue Muskrat if anything happens to me social security benefits (retired be I).
Maybe I could get a $B lien on SpaceX. I always wanted a rocket.
I know a FOIA (freedom of information act)) lawyer but he's not the right kind of lawyer.

 

[Borg]

This was an interesting story of how a Democratic Congressman, Rep. Ro Khanna is visiting districts where there is a high percentage of residents on Medicaid - many of whom are in swing Republican districts.
I held three town halls in GOP districts. I heard one question over and over again

The story had a link to an equally informative interactive map on KFF.org (Kaiser Family Foundation) that shows Medicaid enrollment by Congressional district. Democratic congressmen need to be doing the same across all of these districts regardless of how likely they think the district could swing.

Map: Medicaid Enrollment by Eligibility Group | KFF

KFF’s new interactive maps illustrate how many people are enrolled in Medicaid, including eligibility groups and the percentage enrolled, for each congressional district.

www.kff.org

As an additional bonus, they actually list at the bottom of the page, their methodologies for calculating those maps. Documenting your sources and methods - what a concept!

 

[placebo]

Democratic Congresswoman, Rep. Ro Khanna

FYI: Ro Khanna is a man.

 

[Borg]

FYI: Ro Khanna is a man.

Whoops. I saw who they were interviewing and thought it was her. Fixed it.

 

[Borg]

I completely missed this until it was already going yesterday. I'm surprised that nobody here posted about it. As I have said before, this isn't going to stop until the people rise up to stop it. This is a start. It is not enough yet but it's a beginning.

Angry protesters from New York to Alaska assail Trump and Musk in 'Hands Off!' rallies

Thousands of demonstrators from New York to Alaska protested against President Donald Trump and billionaire Elon Musk.

apnews.com

Protestors join more than a thousand rallies across the U.S. against Trump’s policies

People across the country and around the world turned out on Saturday for what organizers say has been the single biggest day of protests against President Trump and his second-term actions. In the U.S., more than a thousand rallies were planned in small towns and major cities from coast to...

www.pbs.org

A visual tour of the protests.

Anti-Trump protests hit cities worldwide – in pictures

Thousands of ‘Hands Off’ protesters – in the US and across major European cities – took to the streets on Saturday in a show of defiance

www.theguardian.com

This is one of my favorites.

 

[Borg]

President Obama's Speech at Hamilton College

 

[Borg]

I had an interesting thought this morning. If the republicans want to let the orange buffoon run for a third term, Obama should run against him.

 

[Grinkle]

I had an interesting thought this morning.

The opinions I have heard from centrist pundits are that this is the main reason any third term attempts won't have even a shred of constitutional legitimacy - if they happen, the opinions are, they will be Trump-specific, meaning a coup, not a constitutional end-around that others could duplicate should SCOTUS rule it fair-play.

 

[Grinkle]

posted about it.

Below thread, post 95. My bad - I should have opened a thread here, just didn't think about doing that.

Economy Thread 'Warren Buffett: Tariffs are ‘an act of war’'

Mar 3, 2025

“Tariffs are actually — we’ve had a lot of experience with them — they’re an act of war, to some degree,” Buffett said in an interview with CBS that aired on Sunday.

https://www.cnn.com/2025/03/03/business/warren-buffett-tariffs-trump/index.html

Imposing tariffs on our neighbors/allies is not criminal but it is criminally stupid.

• phinds
• Replies: 223
• Forum: Global & International Politics

• 

 

[Borg]

The opinions I have heard from centrist pundits are that this is the main reason any third term attempts won't have even a shred of constitutional legitimacy - if they happen, the opinions are, they will be Trump-specific, meaning a coup, not a constitutional end-around that others could duplicate should SCOTUS rule it fair-play.

I wouldn't disagree with that assessment. They clearly want to put their dear leader in power for as long as possible by any means possible. That's why they're considering the Putin end-around with Vance running as president. In a contest against Obama, neither of them would stand a chance and they know it.

 

[Greg Bernhardt]

Some dems calling for an investigation on the apparent insider trading of the tariff announcements

Democrats question whether Trump and his allies engaged in insider trading on tariffs

Over a dozen House Democrats, led by Rep. Maxine Waters, sent a letter to the SEC chairman and two government watchdogs requesting an investigation into the allegations.

www.nbcnews.com

 

[BillTre]

Too bad the SEC is now corruptly run by Trump and his minions. There will be no SEC investigation.
Congress is not going to investigate anything fo the same reason, corrupt GOP control.

 

[Greg Bernhardt]

Too bad the SEC is now corruptly run by Trump and his minions. There will be no SEC investigation.
Congress is not going to investigate anything fo the same reason, corrupt GOP control.

True that nothing will come of it, but it's essential to call out for awareness.

 

[gleem]

Cory Booler introduced a bill to move the US Marshals Service from the executive to the judicial branch.
https://www.booker.senate.gov/news/...o-move-us-marshals-service-to-judicial-branch

WASHINGTON, D.C. — Today, U.S. Senators Cory Booker (D-NJ), Democratic Leader Chuck Schumer (D-NY), Alex Padilla (D-CA), and Adam Schiff (D-CA) introduced legislation that would address the potential for weaponization of the U.S. Marshals Service (“Marshals” or “USMS”) by President Trump and the executive branch. The Maintaining Authority and Restoring Security to Halt the Abuse of Law Act (MARSHALS Act) would move the Marshals from the operation and direction of the executive branch to the judiciary, ensuring that USMS can perform its primary mission of protecting federal judges and to obeying, executing, and enforcing federal court orders without political interference. U.S. Representatives Eric Swalwell (D-CA-14), House Judiciary Committee Ranking Member Jamie Raskin (D-MD-08), and House Judiciary Subcommittee on Courts Ranking Member Hank Johnson (D-GA-04) introduced companion legislation in the House.

It will not pass until the Democrats regain control of Congress and the presidency. Although the judiciary can deputize private individuals, this bill should eventually be passed.