A strategic suggestion:

[Mike Niendorff]

On the off chance that any Dem staffers are reading this ...

* Trump's blatantly unconstitutional "executive orders" are a transparent ploy to force Dems to sue to stop $400 ($300?) payments.

* He has no intention of actually seeing this money paid out, the loopholes and fine print are everywhere.

* He is expecting Dems to sue (successfully) to stop him, so he won't have to follow through with it, and then can blame Dems for his own party's failure to reach a real (Constitutional) agreement.

So, what to do?

* hold a press conference, announcing the following:

-- (1) these executive actions are blatantly illegal, unconstitutional

-- (2) the goal of these actions is to bait the Dems into suing to stop them, to shift blame to the Dems for the Republicans failure to negotiate in good faith

-- (3) the Dems acknowledge that these actions are illegal and unconstitutional, but beyond that they are also taken in bad faith and Trump and the Republicans have zero intention of following through on them. They are just "blame shifting" PR. They will find ways to delay, add fine print, and do all they can to keep Americans in poverty to the maximum degree possible.

-- (4) because the Republicans won't negotiate in good faith, and because they have no intention of actually following through on Trump's "executive orders", and because the election will get here sooner than a Court challenge, Dems WILL NOT sue to stop these payments.

-- (5) Instead, Dems will hold to their original negotiating position of $600. And they will hold that position RETROACTIVELY, AFTER THE ELECTION. If Trump is defeated, the Dems will make this right, and will reimburse all eligible recipients for the $200 ($300?) weekly that Trump and the Republicans are maneuvering to deny them at this time. Vote on that.

-- (6) Dems WILL, however, sue to stop the de-funding of Social Security that Trump is trying to unilaterally impose. Dems will keep this issue front-and-center as long as the Republicans continue to pursue it. Bring it. Let's go.


Any thoughts? Anyone up reading this late at night?


MDN

[Mike 03]

1. Makes sense to me.

If Democrats should ride in on a white horse and save the day, so to speak, by pushing through a package that really helps Americans, Trump will take all the credit anyway, and we'll lose an avenue of attack about how incompetent the fiscal response has been by this administration and recalcitrant GOP.

But I want to see what others say. I'd want to think it through carefully to make sure I'm not missing something.

Whatever Pelosi and Schumer do right, Trump will take the credit. And he has the bully pulpit for now.

So I like the idea of keeping the onus on Trump, not suing, allowing him to fail (the States will attack him because they can't make up the 25%) and amplifying the message of Trump's failures and especially the attack on SS and Medicare.

But we do need to do something about the USPS. IMO, that can't wait.

[Laelth]

2. Here's my principal concern.

Some people can’t wait until January 2021 to get some financial relief. Some people might embrace dictatorship rather than starve and wind up homeless over the next six months.

I don’t have a solution, mind you, but retroactive payments starting in January (more likely February) 2021 won’t address the very real and very serious crisis that many Americans face RIGHT NOW.

-Laelth

[Sherman A1]

3. If you have GOP Senators

I would contact them and urge them to compromise on the stimulus package and protect social security. At this point I believe filling their email boxes and lighting up the switch board is the better option.

[Mike Niendorff]

4. We can do both.

These are not mutually exclusive options, both can be done. And I agree, light 'em up. But also, take away their negotiating ploy. Turn it 100% against them. Then turn it up to 11.


MDN

[Sherman A1]

5. Agreed to a point

I can not hold a press conference and implement the plan you suggest as I’m not in a position to do so, perhaps the ones that are will, perhaps not. I can only trust they will follow a course that is to everyone’s benefit. It isn’t up to me to figure out the best politically savvy plan, but I would suspect that those with years in office and with multiple knowledgeable advisors can devise a working strategy.

I can however contact my 2 GOP Senators and will do so today.

[Mike Niendorff]

6. Well said.

And 100% agreed. I'm just posting this here in hopes that someone in a position to do something might actually read this. Been here for 20 years, aware that a lot of people in the loop do actually read this site.


MDN

[Firestorm49]

7. My Senator is Ron Johnson. He's not going to change his mind........

regardless of how many constituents complain.

I’ve sent him numerous emails over the years. He’s not going to stray from strict party dogma no matter what.

[lark]

8. I so agree that Dems should sue to stop the theft from SS, but not sue on the unemployment.

Also agree it's all just a charade to appear somewhat caring when in fact they hate us and are giving nothing other than a hate filled cynical ploy.