Sheldon Whitehouse: 'There is a plan, and this is just part of it.'

[CousinIT]

ORIGINAL twitter thread:

Link to tweet

UNROLLED: https://unrollthread.com/t/1522993734958428165/

No one should be surprised at what the leak of Alito’s opinion taking away abortion rights revealed. There is a plan, and this is just one part of it. This is why Mitch McConnell refused to let the Senate consider Judge Merrick Garland.

This is why they eliminated the filibuster for Gorsuch. This is why they pressured the FBI to tank the Kavanaugh investigation. This is why they broke the “Garland rule” to stuff Barrett on the Court mid-election. This is why $580 million was spent to capture the Court.

This is why the Federalist Society was the turnstile for Supreme Court nominees. This is why anonymous donors wrote checks as big as $17 million to the Judicial Crisis Network for ad campaigns for right-wing nominees.

This is why the apparatus exists of dozens of front groups to write “amicus” briefs in chorus instructing the Court what to do.

And don’t think this ends with abortion. This is also about polluters getting to pollute for free, big corporations being deregulated, dark money being baked into our politics, and minority voters kept out. Buckle up.

[underpants]

1. Sen. Whitehouse's presentation nailed it

I know he presented it at Kegger’s hearings. I think he did it again at Handmaids.

[moose65]

14. He did nail it

Forgive me, but this is a pet peeve of mine - remember, the Handmaids are the protagonists of the story. They are the GOOD characters! Barrett is more like Serena Joy - she's a Wife, one of the women who enable the regime of Gilead.

[xmas74]

58. They're literally called Handmaids in Barrett's cult. Nt

[Irish_Dem]

2. The autocratic takeover of the US is proceeding quite well.

[malaise]

3. He left this out

This is why Roberts supported Citizens United and why he eliminated the Voting Rights Act

[MagickMuffin]

4. Up next: Clitoridectomy

Can't allow women to seek pleasure in intercourse, now can we?

[Red Pest]

5. I think that the For Profit Prison Industry needs help. Will SCOTUS reverse Gideon and Miranda?

[Buckeyeblue]

6. Could Biden prevent the Supreme Court from convening?

I realize that the rational answer is no. But if Biden thought democracy was on the line, what extreme measures could he take.

Our system of checks and balances seems incapable of doing either.

At this point it seems like our only option would be to add justices. This works as long as we keep either the presidency and/or one of the houses of congress.

[jaxexpat]

9. The whole system of checks and balances conspires against itself.

Democracy wasn't so popular with the founders that they'd even write it into the constitution. I've been nursing the suspicion, of late, that they pretty much had no use whatsoever for the will of the people. So long as they bore the burden of providing their own weapons to serve in their makeshift army. That item was written in rather specifically. Oh my. Even consider the "rightness" of renaming the enterprise, "The United Syndicate of America". Cut to Lincoln with tear sliding slowly into his furrowed face.

[Buckeyeblue]

11. I think you're right

For all these years we've patted ourselves on the back at having a government with internal controls. But that has proven to not work so well.

[jaxexpat]

15. The obviousness of it grows ever clearer, less avoidable as a conclusion.

The USA was invented as an enterprise to insulate the founders from retribution from the British. The rest of it has just been tacked on as a cover of convenience or whitewashed as a convenient ruse. American Rothschilds carry on.

[Tommymac]

18. The Founders really thought there would be a Constitutional Convention every few decades

They purposely gave us a mechanism to keep the Constitution fresh and current, and to fix problems with it that were unforeseen - like the rise of Corporations.

But they screwed up, and the only real method to keep the Constitution up to the times is the amendment process. And it is too easily bypassed if one party decides to fuck it all up.

The founders also thought that political parties would never get too powerful...

It's gonna fall to the generations on the ground now to fix it, or blow it all up and start again. And the RW conservatives have a leg up over everyone else because the Movement Conservatism HAS PLANNED FOR THIS IN DETAIL FOR OVER 60 years. They actually used long term planning...

We on the Center and Left got lazy, apathetic and fight among ourselves wayyyyyyyy too much. It's not the Centrists. It's not the Left. It is ALL of OUR fault. Until WE realize that, and plan, organize and sacrifice, we are going to lose almost all the time.

We can at least start the process this year with a strong GOTV campaign that is inclusive of EVERYONE. It is our last chance to fix things.

#GOTV2022

[jaxexpat]

28. Perhaps a few of the originating members were also starry eyed idealists.

They didn't share a consensus about how low men could go. Some, from the idealists point of view, were already the lowest and most amoral of their age. They sowed the wind and we inherit the whirlwind of their progeny.

[KS Toronado]

7. Buckle up is correct

we have yet to see how far down the R congress critters are willing to go.

[NullTuples]

46. Why do you assume there is a bottom?

[flying_wahini]

8. Should have ended with For God's sake, GO VOTE!

Please GO and take 2 friends with you!

[Botany]

10. This is why Mitch McConnell refused to let the Senate consider Judge Merrick Garland.

McConnell and the republicans know they are doomed demographically so to keep control
they have to rig elections, gerrymander, use the electoral college, and pack the courts.

The Judicial Crisis Network is a cancer on America and they spent millions getting Kavanaugh, Alito,
Roberts, and Barrett on to the SCOTUS and something like 20 millions on keeping Garland off.


https://www.politifact.com/factchecks/2019/sep/11/sheldon-whitehouse/its-true-millions-dark-money-has-been-spent-tilt-c/


Senator Majority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.), who blocked former President Obama's Supreme Court nominee Merrick Garland from ever having a hearing in 2016, told the New York Times Magazine that his "decision not to fill the [Justice Antonin] Scalia vacancy" was the "most consequential thing I've ever done."

https://www.axios.com/2019/01/22/mcconnell-blocking-garland-most-consequential-thing-ive-ever-done-


BTW Mitch McConnell's blocking of the information from getting out to the American people that Russia was working to
elect Trump in 2016 was very consequential too.

[GoodRaisin]

45. "Failed to consider", hardly describes this act. It was outright theft of a Supreme Court pick, a

scam on the American people. Historians will regard Gorsuch’s appointment as illegitimate and so will be every vote he will ever cast. This Court carries the stench of fascism.

[LetMyPeopleVote]

12. The target has always been the right to privacy

This is the asshole who drafted the Texas abortion law. This asshole wants to strike down the implied right of privacy by getting Roe overruled which would/could lead to striking down the right to same sex marriage. interracial marriage, gay sex and other rights

There is a pattern here. These assholes want to get rid of Griswold and undo the right of privacy. That would cause Lawrence v. Texas (consensual same sex intercourse), Cooling v. Virginia (inter-racial marriage), birth control and same sex marriage to be overturned.

Link to tweet

https://www.comicsands.com/jonathan-mitchell-overturn-gay-marriage-2655065691.html

Though Mitchell's brief, also signed by his co-counsel Adam Mortara, dedicates much of its time to the Texas abortion law's defense, it also questions "lawless" pieces of legislation, namely the Lawrence v. Texas ruling, which decriminalized gay sex nationwide, and the Obergefell v. Hodges ruling, which legalized same-sex marriage.

Though the brief does not say reversing Roe v. Wade would threaten the same-sex marriage ruling, it does say that

""the news is not as good for those who hope to preserve the court-invented rights to homosexual behavior and same-sex marriage …
"These 'rights,' like the right to abortion from Roe, are judicial concoctions, and there is no other source of law that can be invoked to salvage their existence."

It goes on to add that while the Supreme Court should not necessarily overturn Lawrence and Obergefell, it should consider these two rulings as "lawless" as Roe v. Wade and, by extension, Planned Parenthood v. Casey.

"This is not to say that the Court should announce the overruling of Lawrence and Obergefell if it decides to overrule Roe and Casey in this case."
"But neither should the Court hesitate to write an opinion that leaves those decisions hanging by a thread. Lawrence and Obergefell, while far less hazardous to human life, are as lawless as Roe."

Link to tweet

Link to tweet

Link to tweet

[calimary]

13. So where the fuck is YOUR plan, Sheldon?????

How are you gonna head this off??? What do our Dems plan to DO about this? Other than ring your hands and detail how bad it is? WE already get that. We KNOW already!

And DAMMIT, don’t just keep sending those email appeals for more MONEY!!!!!

[elleng]

16. Nice talk to one of the best Senators ever.

Let's shoot us ALL, why NOT?

[CrackityJones75]

17. HE can't do shit until WE give them more Democrats.

what do you think he should do? He cannot just do something. There are consequences for elections. We are witnessing those consequences right now.

[Scrivener7]

22. Calimary has a point, though. Our party should be being run like an

army. Every communication should be talking about the importance of voting. There should be a strategic plan that we all have ready access to.

The DNC site is pictures of the staff, the platform and links to things that might or might not be useful.

It should have a list of who's up for re-election, what their chances are as of today (so we know who to send money to and who is not a good investment, money-wise.)

Hate to say we should be like him, but there should be a Grover Norquist-type figure who collates the talking points for the week so our message can be clear and concise.

There are a million more things we can and should be doing.

I know people dislike when I say this, but we really need work on our messaging and our messaging organization.

And it's the May before the most important election of our lifetime. We here at DU are among the few who understand that. Every Democrat should know it.

[barbaraann]

24. Those are exactly my thoughts.

I've volunteered for a few campaigns and seen how rarely volunteers are put to work after the votes are tallied.

[Scrivener7]

25. My niece and I are trying to carve out some time to make a list

of who is up for re-election and what their polling and purses look like. When we compile it, I'll bring it here and ask people to spread it around.

[barbaraann]

27. Wow! That's great!

I have some ideas and hopefully sometime soon I can find the time to implement them.

[calimary]

52. A place like this is a terrific resource! A clearinghouse for information.

Last edited Tue May 10, 2022, 05:49 PM - Edit history (1)

And for information-sharing.

We should be building a library of resources. Names. Groups. Experts in strategy and tactics. Reference material. Info on relevant organizations, where they are, and how to contact them. Friendliest in Congress and state governments and their staffers. A guide to counties: where the friendliest are in enemy territory and what the prospects are for friendly takeovers. Where the operatives are. Any underlings that can be groomed to further greatness.

The bad guys have been smart and shrewd. They’ve spent years - DECADES - putting stuff like this together, and establishing bulwarks in every state. We haven’t invested either time OR funding to ANY of this!!! All our leaders have been doing is working from race to race, clomping along with only myopic, temporary goals. NOTHING long-term. Maybe because our side has spent DECADES thinking “oh, it’ll be okay.”
“Nothing’s gonna happen.”
“Coast is clear.”
“They can’t do anything about it.”
“They’re not gonna do anything about it.”
“We’ve got this.”
“No muss no fuss. It’s already handled”
And on and on, or as a deejay friend of mine used to call it: “yawn and yawn.”

Our side has NEVER learned OR realized that it’s not enough to win the territory.
That territory has to be DEFENDED. AFTER you’ve won it. Night and day! Day and night! Around the clock! Forever! However long the enemy remains at the door, on the prowl, always ready to attack.

And boy oh boy did the bad guys work like fiends to build that infrastructure that includes at the very least Pox Noise, and all the many-headed serpents around it.

Are WE EVER gonna wise up about this ( she wailed, while banging her head against the wall in utter frustration)?????????

[BumRushDaShow]

34. Jamie Raskin, who is the Organizing Chair for the DCCC

has kicked off this year's "Democracy Summer" campaign - https://dccc.org/democracysummer/

One of nieces was literally just selected last week to be a Fellow this summer in support of her Congress member Madeline Dean and this year's effort is to have young people work on behalf of members elected in over 50 Congressional swing districts.

About the Democracy Summer project

“Democracy Summer won't just change your life. It will change your country.”

— Rep. Jamie Raskin

The Democracy Summer project seeks to bring about political change in America by training and deploying the next generation of Democratic organizers and leaders to win elections at every level. This one-of-a-kind Democratic Fellowship—founded by Congressman Jamie Raskin but now undertaken across the country—teaches high school and college students state-of-the-art tactics in voter registration and political organizing, the dynamic history of political and social change in our country, and essential lessons for political leadership.

Democracy Summer expanded nationally for the first time in 2021 in an historic partnership with the DCCC and campaigns of Democratic Members. Over 350 college and high school-aged students from 27 states participated as Fellows in our first nationwide virtual summer learning program and were trained simultaneously as organizers and volunteer activists in Democratic campaigns all over the country.

Now in 2022, we are poised for yet another massive expansion as we galvanize the next generation of true-blue Democrats in more than 50 campaigns of Democratic Members of Congress who have already signed up to participate in what many are calling the most important congressional election of our lifetime. The theme of Democracy Summer 2022’s curriculum is “Political Democracy and its Enemies.”

There will be readings and presentations about white supremacy and political democracy, the January 6 attacks, historic and contemporary struggles for voting rights, fascism and totalitarianism, and proposed changes to strengthen democratic processes in the future. Previous Democracy Summer guest speakers have included House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, Civil Rights leaders Bob Moses and Rev. William J. Barber II, Prof. Laurence Tribe, Senator Elizabeth Warren, Rep. John Lewis, Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, and many more.

In addition to what was originally listed above, can you imagine now adding this latest thing from Alito and the all-but-certan overturning of Roe v Wade????? All I could think about when my sis told me that my niece was selected was like OMG of all times... when the country is in such political turmoil and probably at no other time in modern history where this effort was needed. It's overwhelming to all of us but imagine these young people? We knew times when we fought for rights, got many of them, and are now watching them being taken away where the youngest generations only knew the time of having these rights.

She and her friends who were part of a boomlet generation, were toddlers when Obama was first elected to office and cried real tears when Hillary Clinton lost (my niece was really upset because she was so excited being on the precipice of having the first woman President and that hope was dashed).

So there IS stuff going on "behind the scenes" in terms of grassroots organizing and training - and not just from 3rd parties but from THE party itself. It just doesn't "make the news".

[Scrivener7]

35. That program sounds great. But if stuff doesn't "make the news,"

that's the problem.

[BumRushDaShow]

36. Well when some of our millionaires

(and there are plenty "liberal" millionaires) start BUYING AND OWNING some (broadcast) "media", then maybe we will finally "hear it in the news".

I mean sure, we can tweet it out (but DU wants to boycott because Elon. Musk.) and we can Facebook it (but DU wants to boycott because Mark. Zuckerberg). But absent any "traditional" ownership (broadcast because we do have outlets like Mother Jones but how many of us subscribe to that? I know I do...), there is no "microphone".

If not ownership, then buy ads.

[Scrivener7]

37. This can't continue to be used as an excuse. We have known about

this for decades.

[BumRushDaShow]

39. The "Fairness Doctrine" was torpedoed 35 years ago

by the FCC and Congress has refused to codify it into law since (and both GOP and Democratic-controlled FCCs have not reinstated it).

Under that, we could get our views in but when the idea of "net neutrality" hit the scene, the whole "Fairness Doctrine" thing was shoved to the back burner.

[Scrivener7]

41. 35 years ago.

[BumRushDaShow]

43. Yes

and during that time, the combo of Presidents and supportive Congresses were apparently not enough to get it done, and it was tried. But as long as that 60 vote threshold for cloture is there in the Senate, then the hurdle is very high.

After Arlen Specter switched to the Democratic party in April 2009 and Al Franken was finally sworn in July 2009, we briefly had 60 votes until early January 2010, when the month before, we lost a Senate seat to Scott Brown in a special election in MA to replace Ted Kennedy who had died over the summer (and had an appointed-replacement (D) in his seat temporarily), and that was that.

Simple math.

[Doremus]

38. Then maybe we look for "our" billionaires and start trying to get them to do something.

"Their" billionaires have bought the government without so much as a peep from them. I think it's time we help them get involved.

[BumRushDaShow]

40. I agree

and mulled this over the past couple months realizing that many of "ours" actually prefer to spend money actually helping people (e.g., donating to and sponsoring local community groups) vs the GOP's who spend money to hurt people.

[calimary]

54. Thanks, Scrivener7.

And YOU have just as good a point, my friend.

MESSAGING!!!
We NEED to work on our MESSAGING!

One thing I learned: if you’re explaining, you’re losing.

It’s gotta be short, quick, and if possible, fit on a bumper sticker.

We have to be mindful of our intended audience: I call it Short Attention-Span Theater. And THAT’S what we have to remember. The quick hit. And hopefully catchy and memorable, so that the listener might want to repeat it.

I made a separate OP about it:
https://www.democraticunderground.com/100216680510

[Scrivener7]

55. Definitely. Republicans have Luntz. He's not the only guy of his kind

and it's crazy that we don't have one of them.

Everyone seems to want to say, "But they have radio" and throw up their hands. But they've had radio for 50 years. It's not an ambush. When are we going to try to counteract those messages?

[calimary]

56. Some mighty good ideas in this one:

https://www.democraticunderground.com/100216680510

[Scrivener7]

57. Very.

[delisen]

19. Sheldon is doing great, we need him. Praise him.

[Farmer-Rick]

49. Democratic Senators voted for the forced birth judges too

22 Dems voted for Roberts. I counted 11 Dems voted for Thomas. And there were a few Dem (2 or 3) votes on the other religiously insane federalists judges too.

Just saying the Senate Democrats should have stood by their convictions back then.

So the only thing we can do at this point is impeach and add judges. We should attempt to do both right now. True we may not be able to convict or pass the Senate (what with Dems still allowing filibusters.) But it will let people see how dirty the judges hand picked by GOPers are. It's a start.

[SergeStorms]

20. This is why two impeachments garnered no interest...

from the republican party.

This is why any American who believes in democracy, playing by the rules, and loves this country too damned much to hand it over to a bunch of power-mad fascists, would never vote for another republican as long as they live.

[dlk]

21. At this rate, is it a stretch to think women's right to vote could be on the chopping block?

The fanatics are pushing the envelope.

[Rocknation]

23. And don't think they'll settle for that

This is actually a "gateway drug" to taking away EVERYONE'S right to vote.


rocktivity

[dlk]

26. Gateway drug is a perfect analogy

n/t

[CousinIT]

32. Making them all felons for getting abortions or using birth control accomplishes that

Two birds, one stone.

[dlk]

42. This misogyny on steroids is frightening!

Who knew there were so many women-haters crawling around?

[2naSalit]

29. He's right, of course.

[Joinfortmill]

30. Jesus, Mary, and Joseph. God help us.

[Cha]

31. And, Why those who voted 3rd party in

the General Election 2016 should have cared about SCOTUS.

💙💛

[Skittles]

33. these same repukes whine about "ACTIVIST JUDGES"

UN-FUCKING-BELIEVABLE

[empedocles]

48. The Democratic Party needs an effective, real, 'big tent',

- that decisively wins elections.

Should be doable against the trumper republicons. The 2021 Election, and its Dem 'power' factions, demonstrated the way, not to go.

[ck4829]

50. K&R

[Marthe48]

51. Will getting a larger majority in the House or Senate

enable us to add real judges to the supreme court? I don't see any way out of this devastating morass unless we impeach the illegal judges, or add some real judges to the bench.

[bucolic_frolic]

53. Yes, we only need to add about 25 more Democratic Senators

to make our total 75. Then subtract our two weak fish, then 5 more for those with more cold feet. Now you have the 68 needed to do a lot.

[Marthe48]

59. Your calculations are infallible