If Dems Ever Want To Win Again, They Need To Find A Spine

By Karoli Kuns — 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.

Right now, Democratic politicians are being just about the most worthless, useless, spineless, rolling-over-est failures imaginable.

— Matthew Chapman (@fawfulfan) November 21, 2016

Let's go over all of the things they could be doing right now to take on Trump, and aren't.

— Matthew Chapman (@fawfulfan) November 21, 2016

1. Democrats up and down the ballot should demand an election audit in WI, MI, FL, NC & PA. Especially PA, which has a D gov. They are not.

— Matthew Chapman (@fawfulfan) November 21, 2016

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.

2. Democratic lawmakers should be across the board demanding an independent investigation into Russia's election-tampering. Very few are.

— Matthew Chapman (@fawfulfan) November 21, 2016

Check.

3. Democrats should be nationally publicizing the Louisiana Senate runoff. Pouring resources into flipping that Senate seat. They are not.

— Matthew Chapman (@fawfulfan) November 21, 2016

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

4. Democrats should stand as one against Trump's cabinet picks, especially Sessions. Not only are we not, some are actually applauding him.

— Matthew Chapman (@fawfulfan) November 21, 2016

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:

Quick recap: the new ed secretary is anti-public schools, the new HUD sec'y is anti-Fair Housing, and the new AG is anti-Voting Rights Act.

— Alec MacGillis (@AlecMacGillis) November 28, 2016

5. Democrats should lead the charge for #FaithlessElectors. Citing the newest Russia revelations as grounds for electors to defect. No dice.

— Matthew Chapman (@fawfulfan) November 21, 2016

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.

6. Democratic lawmakers should be putting pressure on President Obama to recess appoint Merrick Garland on January 3rd. None of them are.

— Matthew Chapman (@fawfulfan) November 21, 2016

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?

7. Dems shouldn't give Trump an inch on policy. Not least on his "infrastructure plan" which is just a tax cut. They're already negotiating.

— Matthew Chapman (@fawfulfan) November 21, 2016

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

8. Dems should publicly point out that unless Trump divests from his foreign properties by 1/20, he's violated the COTUS and is impeachable.

— Matthew Chapman (@fawfulfan) November 21, 2016

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.

9. Dems in red and purple state legislatures should be demanding motions to sign on to the National Popular Vote Compact. Not a whisper.

— Matthew Chapman (@fawfulfan) November 21, 2016

10. Above all, Dems should every day be pointing out that neither Trump nor the House GOP won the popular vote. Neither have a mandate.

— Matthew Chapman (@fawfulfan) November 21, 2016

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.