An Independent's View on the Midterms and Our Two Party System

[u/Fast_Adhesiveness528]

[u/Ren1221]

https://giphy.com/gifs/Y8cdPle4eIyPu

[u/supertrooper567 → u/Ren1221]

They won’t control the executive branch or the courts. They won’t be able to enforce to change laws. Their powers will be limited to congressional hearings and legislative obstructionism.

Anyone expecting the democrats to have the power to really do anything are going to be disappointed and then stupidly end up hating the democrats for not doing what they did not have the power to do.

[u/soggymittens → u/supertrooper567]

Contempt of congress has incredible power, when wielded properly and appropriately.

[u/ImmigrantJack → u/soggymittens]

Contempt of congress has to be referred to the Attorney General for prosecution.

The Attorney General is Todd Blanche

Todd Blanche was Donald Trumps personal lawyer.

The contempt of congress referral has to be sent directly to Donald Trumps personal lawyer for action.

Let me repeat that.

For contempt of congress to be a tool at all it has to be ran by Donald Trumps personal lawyer first.

[u/gtpc2020 → u/ImmigrantJack]

Impeach him first

[u/Downvote_Comforter → u/gtpc2020]

Removal requires 67 votes in the Senate. That would require Democrats to win 32 of the 35 contested Senate seats this November, which is simply not happening. 11 of those 35 seats are currently projected as over a 90% chance of going Republican with 5 of them being over 95%.

Democrats picking up 22 of the 35 contested seats would be a massive, borderline impossible accomplishment where they win all of their current seats, every state currently considered a 'toss up' and 3 of the 4 stats currently projected Republican but not by a landslide. They simply are not doing that AND picking up another 10 seats. It's not happening.

[u/Bleatmop → u/Downvote_Comforter]

Furthermore it's only 50/50 right now that the Democrats will even take the senate by the narrowest of margins. And Trump has consistently outperformed the pre-election polling. Even the "Blue Wave" during the midterms in his first term had the Republicans gain ground in the Senate, not lose seats. The idea that the people of the USA are giving the Democrats anything right now is laughable. The only thing that is happening is that the house is flipping from one party to another during the midterm election, which is what normally happens.

[u/Silkbagofpuppyears → u/gtpc2020]

Start by impeaching the VP then don’t vote on a VP until the president is impeached. The presidency would go to the Speaker.

[u/WristbandYang → u/Silkbagofpuppyears]

Reddit will love President Jeffries

[u/Silkbagofpuppyears → u/WristbandYang]

I’m thinking AOC

[u/amonarre3 → u/Silkbagofpuppyears]

I would love it!

[u/Indyhawk → u/Silkbagofpuppyears]

You're not thinking at all.

[u/HoboSkid → u/Silkbagofpuppyears]

How is that any different than impeaching and removing the president? Still need 2/3rds of the senate to actually convict and remove the official, which will not happen.

[u/appoplecticskeptic → u/Silkbagofpuppyears]

I like the way you pipe-dream. If we’re gonna discuss things that’ll never happen let’s get creative about it.

[u/supertrooper567 → u/soggymittens]

Not really. The best you get out of it is someone testifies before a congressional hearing. Even if they don’t, it’s not easy to enforce.

[u/MagnusThrax → u/supertrooper567]

Didn't Bannon serve a prison sentence for contempt of congress?

[u/T4TrhavrKhcFt → u/MagnusThrax]

In July 2022, a federal jury convicted Bannon on two misdemeanour counts of contempt of Congress for refusing to comply with a subpoena from the House committee investigating the January 6, 2021 Capitol attack—one count for refusing to testify and one for refusing to provide documents. In October 2022, he was sentenced to four months in prison and fined $6,500. On July 1, 2024, Bannon reported to Federal Correctional Institution Danbury in Connecticut to begin serving the sentence.He was released October 29, 2024, after serving the four-month sentence.

[u/omniverso → u/T4TrhavrKhcFt]

Nothing more than a slap on the wrist for all the suffering he caused directly and indirectly.

[u/Conscious-Quarter423 → u/omniverso]

he's a rich white man. the justice system is different for rich white men

[u/Ok_Law219 → u/Conscious-Quarter423]

Those two can be separated.  Truly rich people of any race get advantages that the poor of any race cannot, but (born) male Christian Caucasians also have advantages that are uniquely theirs.

[u/CompetitiveAutorun → u/Ok_Law219]

It's just if you are rich or not. While it comes to law enforcement, women receive far less punishment or aren't charged for the same crimes than men. This discrepancy is bigger than racial one.

[u/SaltMage5864 → u/supertrooper567]

It's actually fairly easy to enforce. They just don't have the spine to do it

[u/Conscious-Quarter423 → u/SaltMage5864]

they had the spine to do when they won back the House in 2018 of trump's first term

[u/Deep-Two7452 → u/SaltMage5864]

How can they enforce it in 2027?

[u/Glum-Echo-4967 → u/Deep-Two7452]

each house has its own law enforcement that is exclusively under its control, called a Sergeant at Arms. If either house finds an official in contempt of Congress, that house can order its Sergeant at arms to arrest the official.

[u/Deep-Two7452 → u/Glum-Echo-4967]

Sure, lets have the sergeant at arms arrest kash patel. Got it.

According to your logic, why doesnt mamdani direct nypd to arrest ICE officers?

[u/HerculesIsMyDad → u/Deep-Two7452]

This is why we are doomed. Well intentioned but stupid people who just refuse to accept that there is no magic wand. They actually think the Sergeant at Arms is the "one weird trick" to save the day, just like the 25th amendment, or some weird "hey, California, just don't pay taxes anymore" type scheme. I hate it. If we are lucky they will block some judges and have a hearing or two where the admin will absolutely not cooperate. This election is a tourniquet, not reconstructive surgery.

[u/MorphoMC → u/supertrooper567]

Legislative obstructionism worked pretty well for Mitch McConnell throughout the entire Obama era. Plus, half of the courts oppose the current administration's agenda but lack any sort of cooperation from the legislature due to blatant corruption.

[u/saltlampshade → u/[deleted]]

Because the senate isn’t the same as the house. If democrats somehow took both chambers (not happening) they could basically keep Trump from doing anything the next two years, including judicial appointments.

But with only holding the house their power will be limited to denying reconciliation packages the senate votes on.

[u/dustyjuicebox → u/saltlampshade]

Never say never on the Senate being in play. Polling data (which should be skeptically looked at still) has some insane implications right now.

[u/BjLeinster → u/supertrooper567]

I remember when McConnell was in the same spot during the Obama years. He announced they would shut Dems down and they did. They killed Universal Health care and even denied a weak Obama a legitimate Supreme Court pick. They had the will to do this and were not hobbled by paid traitors in party leadership.

[u/doodlebopwarrior → u/supertrooper567]

Then they need to scream it from every position they have. Drill it into people's heads that they're doing something! I don't want them working behind the scenes. I want them working front and center. SHOW me they're trying. Not just lip service to keep people quiet while they do their own shady work.

We need full transparency across the board for A LOT of things. I don't trust a single member of government currently. The burden of proof is on them.

[u/hannibellecter → u/supertrooper567]

also most likely wont get the senate - people should really learn how shit like congress works before posting proclamations/warnings

they have to try and block and obfuscate and get to 2028, thats the sad reality and voters will most likely punsish dems in 2028 cause shit is about to get really bad economically for a lot of people

[u/Conscious-Quarter423 → u/hannibellecter]

one third of americans can't even name the three branches of government

[u/PiterDeV → u/hannibellecter]

Multiple polls showing dems poised to take both chambers this November.

[u/mortgagepants → u/supertrooper567]

Anyone expecting the democrats to have the power to really do anything are going to be disappointed and then stupidly end up hating the democrats for not doing what they did not have the power to do.

exactly- let's look at exactly what this person is saying:

we voted for criminals and their criminal agenda at every level. now, we're about to hand you congress and a lot of state races. understand why. we wanted bigotry, corruption, incompetence, and criminals. and now that we have that, it is starting to get out of control. we want the rule of law enforced. especially around tariffs, which is making everything more expensive for us. we want corruption stopped. especially the president's family getting rich at our expense. at your expense fine, but not ours. we want justice, we want order. because we voted three times for a child rapist, but now he's messing with us. you better fix this mess we got ourselves into. we want decency back. in 2 years otherwise we will vote for another pedophile. don't waste it.

[u/saltlampshade → u/supertrooper567]

And they will likely only have a small majority in the House and won’t have a majority in the senate. The absolute best democrats will be able to do is keep more GOP bullshit passing through reconciliation. But it’s also two years too late as most of the damage has already been done.

[u/EveningAnt3949 → u/supertrooper567]

They put themselves in that position.

I'm not expecting the Democrats to magically change everything. I'm expecting them to do something.

Even if doing something doesn't yield immediate results.

You are conflating 'doing something' with 'getting things done'.

Let's start with stopping with this centrist propaganda. Let's start by saying out loud that things need to change.

And let's support people who can actually win.

It makes me incredibly angry that Hillary Clinton lost a primary to Obama and then got support to run for President a few years later.

It makes me incredibly angry that there is still talk about Kamala Harris running again.

[u/TheHoundsRevenge → u/supertrooper567]

What a great system we have lol.

[u/Apprehensive_Wolf217 → u/supertrooper567]

I’ll go a step further and say that anyone expecting the democrats to be allowed to win the midterms are gonna be disappointed when Johnson and Trump announce a total landslide no matter what the polls say.

[u/YOU_TALK_TOO_MUCH420 → u/Ren1221]

https://giphy.com/gifs/3oEjHYU0qqJL3KosHC

[u/AgressiveInliners → u/YOU_TALK_TOO_MUCH420]

It wont be. Dems dont want to rock the boat

[u/YOU_TALK_TOO_MUCH420 → u/AgressiveInliners]

I meant of Trump throwing tantrums due to paranoia/loss of control.

[u/kobimzr → u/Ren1221]

I love all about eve

[u/Past-Cattle2302]

It's critical that people understand this is not vengeance (the current Trump model), but enforcement of the law, not foot dragging which got us in the mess in the first place (thanks Merrick...). Time to be the real law and order party.

[u/issuefree → u/Past-Cattle2302]

And it's important to remember that no matter what we do, Republicans will lie about it and stroke their constituencies idiotic victim mentality.

[u/GetInTheKitchen1 → u/issuefree]

Exactly which is why take down fox news, oan etc. get musk, murdoch by the taxes. 

if they are such superhumans, why not farm the billionaire class and force them to make more billion dollar companies from 0? they must be able to, they're super!

[u/Liberal-Cluck → u/GetInTheKitchen1]

An FCC Chair that will enforce the fairness doctrine on Fox News would make me soo happy. If its good for Jimmy Kimmel its good for Greg Gutfield.

[u/Randomcommenter550 → u/Past-Cattle2302]

If we just happen to enjoy a fair bit of schadenfreude in the process, that's just incidental to the actual goal. Icing on the cake.

[u/ReallySmartInEnglish → u/Past-Cattle2302]

Is it bad that while I do think rule of law is important, I’m increasingly in favor of tenfold vengeance? Like, “I can’t say what I want to happen, because I’ll violate ToS” levels of vengeance.

Y’know what, I’m fine with it.

[u/PopBulky7023 → u/ReallySmartInEnglish]

You're not alone in wanting both, believe you me.

[u/Usuallyinmygarden → u/Past-Cattle2302]

This

[u/clib → u/Past-Cattle2302]

It is time for the democratic voters to understand that the democratic party is property of the billionaires. It belongs to them and has taken hostage the middle class and the poor's vote. How? By playing the good cop in billionaires' good cop - bad cop game. It is the party that the billionaires allow to offer us the carrot while the republicans are tasked with whipping us with the stick. In the end the billionaires always get what they want, which is total impunity for their crimes and more power and money.

This is the Democratic voters insane perpetual cycle of doing the same thing over and over again and expecting different results.And the cycle goes like this...

Step 1. Whine constantly and act outraged about Republicans committing crimes and breaking rules when the republicans control the government.Strongly demand accountability for the crimes committed by the republicans.

Step 2. Urge people to vote blue.

Step 3. Do almost zero vetting of the “blue” candidates

Step 4. Dems win.

Step 5. Dems forget about the accountability thingy and the crimes the republicans committed. The whining about the republicans and their crimes is now replaced with excuses why the republicans can’t be held accountable and why the democratic agenda can’t be passed.

Excuse 1. That will look like a political persecution.

Excuse 2.When we govern, the DOJ is independent and we can’t hold them accountable for not doing their job.

Excuse 3. We have the majority but it is not majority enough to pass the laws for which we campaigned because we don’t have the votes of the “blue” senator/congressman Liberman, Sinema,Manchin,Fatterman etc.

Excuse 4. We can’t push for statehood for Washington DC and Puerto Rico which would give us more senators and reps because there is no support from the republicans.

Excuse 5.We cannot make voter registration automatic because only republicans can make draft registration automatic.

Excuse 6.We can’t do anything because the Supreme Court is controlled by Republicans.

Excuse 7.We can’t hold the supreme court justices accountable for their corruption, sexual assaults or supporting a coup because that will look like political persecution.

Excuse 8. We can’t expand the number of supreme court justices because it will look partisan and the republicans will do the same when they win.

Step 6. No republican is held accountable for starting wars, raping kids, leading a coup, stealing money.

Step 7. Republican crimes go unpunished and normalized so Republican criminals keep running for office.

Step 8. Republicans Win

Step 9.Impunity now brings even more Republican criminality.

Step 10.Rinse and repeat .

[u/violent-artist82]

Step one get Schumer and Jeffries out of the way. New people are needed.

[u/Responsible_Rule8829 → u/violent-artist82]

Yeah, great idea, start a movement amongst democratic supporters to have them step down. Be loud. Be visible. Come together and make it happen. 

The old guard is also responsible for the state of affairs today. 

Make sure they know that and that they're not wanted anymore. 

[u/GrindBastard1986 → u/Responsible_Rule8829]

Basically complicit

[u/DiscussionPuzzled470]

Replace Schumer and Jeffries

[u/dragons_fire77 → u/DiscussionPuzzled470]

And google every single democratic elected person near you, see if they're on a PAC payroll or big corporation, let them loudly know your feelings about it. Let those in local positions know they need to do their part to fix things nearby, too. Top-down fixes are needed.

[u/Woundsmyheart]

AMEN!

[u/Full-Contract6143]

I love it and mostly support it, but I’d change some words.

For starters, let’s call it for what it really is, it’s not “centrist” if they’re corporately owned. That’s just right-wing economic philosophy with progressivism rhetoric for make up.

[u/Fast_Adhesiveness528 → u/Full-Contract6143]

That's why we're independents, right? We often agree generally but rarely agree wholeheartedly.

[u/blueberryblunderbuss → u/Fast_Adhesiveness528]

Which issues are you most centrist on?

• Climate change
• War
• Foreign relations
• Soft power
• Economy
• Reality
• Sex with children
• Trafficking humans
• ICE killing people and letting people die of preventable causes
• Gutting and capturing regulatory agencies

As someone who views the two parties as indistinct, how aware are you of the infrastructure that has been dismantled in this administration?

Are you aware of the processes and voting counts necessary in Congress to get things done?

If you ever cared enough to get involved and run for office, would you start your own political party so that you could remain completely pure and have the perfect platform? Or, are there things you might actually want to accomplish?

[u/isjustsergio → u/blueberryblunderbuss]

Not a centrist, but "someone who views the two parties as indistinct" is a bad faith representation of centrism. They are obviously not the same. A centrist just doesn't commit.

[u/MN-Underground → u/Fast_Adhesiveness528]

Are you a centrist or an independent? Because those can be very different things. A centrist implies you try to take the “middle” position between the two parties.

[u/ChronicBuzz187]

We want the rule of law enforced

That being said, it would be kinda fun if democrats ran a "law and order" campaign, just so we can watch the mental gymnastics of the "party of law and order (for thee but not for me)" in return :P

[u/ExpansivePoint → u/ChronicBuzz187]

You've already seen them with the President of Peace bs to bombing fishermen, abducting a foreign leader and starting a war with Iran on a whim, their gymnastics amounted to walking a straight line.

[u/rbrgr83 → u/ExpansivePoint]

bombing fishermen, abducting a foreign leader and starting a war

Don't forget Scorching Schoolchildren on AI's recommendation

[u/falsefacade]

They’re gonna waste it. Just look at how the establishment dems treat their own candidates that are vocal about real change. 

And real change needs to start with dismantling Citizens United and expanding the Supreme Court. 

Also Chucky and Hakeem need to go. 

[u/Specific-Host606 → u/falsefacade]

I don’t know. I think there is going to be a real civil war in the Democratic Party. Like a tea party movement for the Democrats. Which ultimately helped lead to Trump in the Republican Party, so if something like that happens I hope the Dem version is a lot better.

[u/GUNxSPECTRE → u/Specific-Host606]

The difference is that money was behind both the GOP Tea Party movement and the establishment GOP.

A Dem civil war between the Progressives and Corporate Dems means that the money will be entirely behind the latter. Americans are becoming poorer and grassroots fundraising will not compete against the oligarchs'.

Millennials are the backbone of the Progressive base, but we're going against Blue Team Boomers, X-ers, and Zoomers.

[u/CrazyMildred → u/falsefacade]

Getting rid of CU and the Electoral College would make me happy.

[u/Skill_Issuer → u/CrazyMildred]

Y’all don’t want to vote for democrats yet magically expect all of these reforms that require a supermajority and control of like 2/3rds of the states to happen

[u/HashRunner → u/falsefacade]

Bullshit.

Voters havent given dems an actual majority in 30+ years.

The closest they had was for ~4 months under Obama and they passed the ACA and associated healthcare protections (remember lifetime caps)?

Voters have failed to give dems jack shit for power or leverage, then blame them for not doing enough.

[u/az_catz → u/HashRunner]

We had the Public Option until Joe Fucking Lieberman torpedoed it for his Big Insurance patrons.

[u/HashRunner → u/az_catz]

And that's because Dems again had no significant majority.

If Dems had +5/+10 then it wouldn't have come down to Lieberman and the "blue dogs", but american voters have failed damn near every open book test in the past 50 years.

[u/SnooChickens5474 → u/HashRunner]

Democrats last had a supermajority in the 70s, republicans haven't had a supermajority since 1909, they haven't let it stop them from achieving their goals though. Don't already start making excuses for them.

[u/DragonFireCK → u/SnooChickens5474]

If a law has an end date attached to it, such as all spending bills, you only need 1/3 in the Senate to get it removed. That is enough to force a filibuster. Even a single Senator has quite a lot of power to obstruct passing laws. The Presidential veto power also gives the President a ton of power to stop lws.

All new laws can be blocked by either 1/3 of the Senate or the President.

That is, a moderate minority can rip stuff apart very effectively, which is what the Republicans want.

It takes a very strong majority to improve stuff significantly, which is what liberals want.

[u/P0J0 → u/SnooChickens5474]

Its easier to obstruct or remove, then it is to build. They have a structural advantage.

[u/SnooChickens5474 → u/P0J0]

Ehhh I can't agree with that, there hasn't been a serious attempt to obstruct or remove the major tools republicans use to achieve their goals, and oftentimes those tools only existed due to near unanimous bipartisan support. The patriot act, for instance. Citizens united hasn't seen serious attempts against it in years. Roe v Wade was repealed, in response Biden reinforced the Republicans insistence on "states rights".

There's wayyyyyy too much "reaching across the aisle" going on. It needs to stop.

[u/MN-Underground → u/SnooChickens5474]

What “serious attempts” do you want for Citizen’s united? It has to come from a liberal majority court, which either means continuing to have Dem presidents until it happens naturally, or getting rid of the filibuster and packing the court. That may be a good idea, but they literally haven’t had a true trifecta since CU became law of the land.

I’m all for holding Dems accountable, but we gotta be real too since it just gets worse when people stay home based on unfair circumstances. If we had a Dem president straight since Obama we would have had a liberal majority court and there would be no CU right now.

[u/zeptillian → u/HashRunner]

They expect the Dems to build a house while the GOP is activly hiding the tools and sabotaging construction.

Stopping shit from getting done is a hell of a lot easier than actually getting stuff done when people are actively trying to stop you.

[u/gravybang → u/HashRunner]

What we're seeing here is basically a re-run of 2016-2020.

2016: Trump is elected and the Republicans control the house and the senate.

2017: Trump promises tax refunds for the middle class (but only if Republicans win!) and the GOP loses its shit about migrant caravans. Republicans lose their house majority

2018-2020: Democrats don't control the Senate but win the house. Can't do shit. People blame the Democrats.

2020: COVID stops Trump from winning. Dems win the Senate. Everyone pretends like it's back to business as usual. Dems refuse to kill the filibuster. GOP can't block some legislation, so they vote against it and take credit. Without a filibuster-proof majority and with a Supreme Court that is too happy to shoot down every Executive order, 2024 ends like a wet fart.

We are currently in 2017 Redux.

[u/Qbite → u/falsefacade]

Then we should consider a blue wave win in November as just a minor step forward. Many of us (blue and red) need to start becoming more keenly aware of how the government's actions, policies and politics are affecting our lives. So many in the world have become complacent and merely hopeful that things will just naturally bounce back just because some rich asshole runs on an empty promise. We can't even let the post-facism high distract us from continuing to be vigilant in calling our reps, voting, talking / debating with eachother, even getting directly involved with a campaign. If you don't see a a candidate or leader with real vision and plan for progress, then it's a calling for you to stand up and challenge them. We need to fight for those who are just scratching by and don't have the bandwidth to do anything but hope.

[u/Significant_Donut967]

It's not going to happen.

The dnc is full of spineless controlled opposition.

Nothing meaningful will come from this and no one will face any major punishments.

I hope to God I'm wrong, but I know I'm not.

[u/Cautemoc → u/Significant_Donut967]

Many of them are in the Epstein-Thiel class and have debts to pay

[u/joe_shmoe11111 → u/Significant_Donut967]

Yup.

DNC leadership response:

We hear you loud & clear. You want mildly-worded warnings to Israel while we continue to fund & arm their genocide, increased racial & gender identity politics with the primary goal of class division & distraction, and a smoother, more gradual slide into fascism as we hand corporations ever more power. Got it 👍

Edit: FWIW, I do believe there are legitimately good Dems out there. I don’t believe those specific Dems will ever be given much real power within the party until the current Dem leadership (& the funding mechanisms for the party, which effectively determine leadership) are overthrown.

[u/JustKillingTime1980 → u/joe_shmoe11111]

2016 made me realize exactly what the DNC is.

[u/throwaway098764567 → u/Significant_Donut967]

yep, my first response reading this was i recommend not holding your breath

[u/Huge-Guidance-1637 → u/Significant_Donut967]

The only thing that ever changes is the color of lipstick on the pig

[u/0202_tihssitidder → u/Significant_Donut967]

☝🏽 If real change were on the menu, we would be getting beat by Police a lot more.

[u/Impossible_Ad7432 → u/Significant_Donut967]

Midterms are close so the rats have come out to try and stop you from voting.

[u/AbstractUserName]

Your only hope for this is with DSA candidates. Corporate Democrats are the definition of weakness.

[u/Fire_Lord_Cinder]

Temper your expectations. This midterm will curtail the Trump admins more egregious actions, but they still control the executive branch. We would need two consecutive wins for democrats to gain significant control, but then they probably wont use the power because Dems never miss an opportunity to miss an opportunity

[u/The_Phew]

The last time voters did this, the Dems passed the infrastructure bill only so all the republicans that voted against it could go back to their districts and pat themselves on the back for all the roads, bridges, high-speed internet, etc. they built/fixed.

Watch, the Dems will spend the next two years infighting about Gaza and completely forget about the pocketbook issues they ran on.

[u/Slowburn21814 → u/The_Phew]

Goddamnit. I hate to say it, but I think you're absolutely right. We need ranked choice voting BADLY.

[u/BonnaconCharioteer → u/The_Phew]

Because no matter who it is, right, left, or center. Republicans get the credit, Democrats get the blame. Watch us give them a mediocre majority and then complain that they aren't getting anything except symbolic things done. Because of course the executive and courts will block most real things. And then voters decide we might as well let Republicans win again next.

[u/FlatVegetable4231 → u/BonnaconCharioteer]

This is it, people will expect dems to somehow fix everything in 2 years with a tiny majority in the house and a republican senate and executive branch. That is impossible but people are too dumb to realize it.

[u/Worried-Criticism]

But we’re also about to give the House to Hakeem Jeffries and the Senate to Chuck Schumer…who will do absolutely jack squat with it.

[u/seidenkaufman → u/Worried-Criticism]

Yes, there's two parallel processes that have to happen simultaneously: 1) Get Rs out of power. 2) Replace corporate/establishment Dems at local, state, and federal legislatures with people who want to do something.

Some of this is already happening, but it needs to happen faster.

[u/MorningMushroomcloud → u/Worried-Criticism]

They are the gatekeepers, and it's up to the Democrat party to fix this issue.

[u/TerminalProtoco1 → u/Worried-Criticism]

But we’re also about to give the House to Hakeem Jeffries and the Senate to Chuck Schumer…who will do absolutely jack squat with it.

Worse than doing nothing, they actively support the PedoFascists.

Nothing is more important to Schumer than sending our tax dollars to support Israel's genocide and child trafficking honeypot operations.

[u/1Shadowgato]

Best they will do is gun control and give more money to Israel.

[u/Donkletown → u/1Shadowgato]

Last time Dems were given true power, they passed a pretty important healthcare bill that, among other things, stopped pre-existing conditions from being a basis to deny health insurance. 

It’s been almost 20 years since insurance companies could do that and so some forget (or never experienced) what a cruel nightmare that was. 

[u/DonLeFlore]

Every time without fail.

[u/Lil_Ms_Anthropic]

Kinda our leftist view too. It's basically just shouting, "Someone PLEASE do the bare minimum!!" at this point

[u/OnCallPartisan]

Best damn statement I’ve heard came from El Sayed after winning the primary. “They go low, we get in the mud and choke them out”.

Damn straight.

[u/severaged]

I'm sure Schumer and Jeffries will get right on that

[u/Source_Required]

Response from a Democrat - 

Hey Independents.  You handed Trump both his terms by being too uppity to vote in previous elections.  Excuse me if I don't give a flying shit about your high horse opinion of yourselves. 

[u/Cacafuego]

Democrats aren't going to be able to do shit unless they get the house and the senate with wide margins. For example, an impeachment requires 2/3 majority in the senate, and we ain't getting that.

The best we can do is blunt some of Trump's damage until he's gone, and that's not nothing.

Just don't be all disappointed and bitter in '28 because Dems haven't brought you heads on pikes with their slim majority in one chamber.

[u/Skeln → u/Cacafuego]

Going by the OP and the comments here, people have no clue how our government functions and are setting themselves up to be disappointed. Absolutely predictable and perfectly explains part of the reason we are in this mess.

[u/Acceptable-Drive3781]

This time. THIS TIME!! This will be the time that these politicians actually care about people instead of their own wallets. Right???

[u/FishrNC → u/Acceptable-Drive3781]

Suuure....

[u/PossibleHyena9087]

You will probably get more of the same

[u/Fast_Adhesiveness528 → u/PossibleHyena9087]

We won't get everything we want, but maybe the batshit craziness will diminish.

[u/hyphenssuck → u/Fast_Adhesiveness528]

Maybe if they ask really nicely the billionaire overlords will let them give us some healthcare...

[u/Time-Result-767 → u/Fast_Adhesiveness528]

it won't, it's gonna get weirder.

[u/speedie57 → u/PossibleHyena9087]

Then we’ll vote those turds out in ‘28!!

[u/SnooEagles4121 → u/PossibleHyena9087]

And if we do, then we have to primary them. Voter apathy is what got us here in the first place.

[u/Cold_Parking_5532 → u/[deleted]]

That's a really steep ask

[u/immortalyossarian → u/[deleted]]

The problem with that, is that if the GOP keeps control of both the House and Senate, there may not be legitimate elections 2 years from now. If we even still have a country at that point. We cannot let them have two more years.

[u/BonnaconCharioteer → u/[deleted]]

I am with you on that fear. But accelerationism is not the answer, it hurts millions of real people around the world.

[u/Motor_Watercress_489]

The Dems will continue to put corporate interests before the people.

The lesser of two evils is still evil no matter how much better they look compared to MAGA.

But at the end of the day it's all just sports to you semi-literate propagandised fuckwits.

[u/Donkletown → u/Motor_Watercress_489]

If the lesser evil stops this blantant corruption, the politicization of all of our important institutions, stops the war in Iran, ends the tariffs, takes action on climate change, and stops people like Emile Bove, Eileen Cannon, and/or Todd Blanche from getting on SCOTUS, I’ll take the lesser evil every day of the week and twice on Sundays. 

[u/Vegetable-Client-147]

They will

[u/FerriousStylles]

Status quo went cut it, time to step up and be a party of the people, NOT the billionaires. You want to earn trust and not just be the lesser of 2 evils? Stop taking special interest money and back policies that help the 99%, not the 1%.

[u/GeorgzBi]

Well F ing SAID!!!

[u/prob_still_in_denial]

Also please leave the trans people alone

[u/White-milk]

This would be cool.

[u/Cautious-Speed-5472]

Whoever's in power seems to always screw it up.

[u/gupeck]

They fear being called names and how fox news will tell their viewers that we are being ruled by socialist communist. Schumer and Jefferys will buckle will seek partisanship.

[u/Kohnaphone]

I’m far progressive and we want that too. Hakeem and chuck will sabotage those goals

[u/cybrgigolo]

And age limits and term limits on all positions and that includes the Supreme court.

[u/Inevitable_Shift1365]

A mountain of indictments and convictions or we are no longer a nation of laws and both parties are treasonous

[u/Donkletown → u/Inevitable_Shift1365]

Won’t happen until Trump is out of office and a Dem is put in place. We need an actual DOJ. 

[u/Gizogin → u/Inevitable_Shift1365]

Indictments and prosecutions are handled by the Executive Branch, not the Legislative Branch.

[u/Willy_G_on_the_Bass]

I have bad news for you.

[u/tnnrk]

I’m voting left of course but brother come on if you truly believe this will happen. It’s not good vs evil a lot of democrats take bribes constantly and humans when they have power tend to go haywire.

[u/Vikings_Pain]

It’s nice of you to think this will happen but ultimately humanity prevails and power corrupts and greed is forever

[u/atreeismissing]

Hey "Independents", how about you just don't vote for Republicans in 2028 so Dems can actually have the time to fix the shit you helped break the previous 45 years.

[u/Sincline387]

They won't have enough to do anything.

Assuming we get a blue majority in both house and senate we'll just see a thousand vetos between now and 2028.

Then either Trump proves every liberal wrong and leaves office or we get the worst thing to happen in American politics.

Now assuming he leaves power the question becomes can the democrats do enough without a veto override level majority to not have blame shift back onto them during a presidental election cycle.

Giving Trump a divided congress that doesn't hold a veto proof majority is like giving him a Christmas gift, because in two years everything will be the democrats fault again.

[u/Arxanec]

Spoiler. They will waste it. Just like every time the democrats win.

[u/wildwilly696969]

As an independent I concur. But we all know the reality. They will spend 2 years trying to unsuccessfully impeach Trump. That will only fire up Republican base and we will have another shit show presidential election

[u/justreadinplease]

OP and people in the comments are going to be mad when reality hits.

Even if every elected dem was a non-centrist firebrand, the Republicans control the executive branch and Supreme Court, and it’s unlikely the Dems will be able to secure a supermajority in the senate.

Controlling the house and having a slim majority in the senate will, at most, be able to slow MAGA and republicans.

People let republicans fuck everything up then blame democrats for not immediately being able to fix everything. It’s goddamn frustrating how badly Americans understand how government works.

[u/SilliestPuttyTTV]

"You better arrest your friends or else!"

Blackrock: "Do we appoint the good cop or the bad cop this time?"

[u/ObliqueTravel]

You're setting yourself up for disappointment because Democrats will, like usual, not be elected in large enough numbers to enact meaningful change

[u/TSVDL]

They're gonna waste it lol

[u/Appropriate_Push_201]

Best the establishment DNC can do is a strongly worded letter

[u/Most_Ad7837]

Amen. For the last three years, the Democrats basically have just sat back and let the world pass by. Let us all hope that any new Democrats coming in will have more gumption, bravery, and belief to fight for law, justice, and democracy!

[u/oldman17]

Amen

[u/Aiden5576]

Now make that same plea to the Republicans.

[u/benjerman-radblaster → u/Aiden5576]

I agree, but i feel that any Republicans still in the bandwagon are a lost cause to be reasoned with at this point.

[u/issuefree → u/Aiden5576]

If conservatives had any fucking values, we wouldn't be in this situation.

[u/liquidsyphon → u/Aiden5576]

You can’t and shouldn’t negotiate with Domestic Terrorist

[u/Renhoek2099]

Psssh, then you better watch what kind of Democrat you elect because they come in fascist flavors too.

[u/Aggressive_Fix_2995]

“We’re about to hand you…”

Um, no. It’s going to be taken because of the severe mismanagement of the current administration.

“We want the rule of law enforced…”

Since when? Fucking enforce it now, cowards.

“We want justice. We want order. We want decency back.”

There have never been more hollow words. That’s bullshit. Ever since your ruler mocked a disabled man, you have been singing his praises. You’ve made a mockery of the US and now the adults in the room are going to take it back.

[u/AEW4LYFE → u/Aggressive_Fix_2995]

Not sure why you're downvoted. Independents acting like they didn't swing Republican last go around and help put us in this mess is some real loser shit.

[u/Ill_Consequence1755]

Unfortunately, they will squander anything they get.

[u/Icy-Decision-4530]

If they get control of the house again and immediately put that dipshit Hakeem as leader, then the jig is up and they plan on doing absolutely nothing we want them to do

[u/Firm-Advertising5396 → u/Icy-Decision-4530]

How many times do democrats have to come in and not only get the economy back on course but fix the broken stuff and hold people accountable that are full of treachery. The evil find loopholes and skirt the system. The constitution and the democracy weren't set up for the highest most honorable positions to be filled by thugs full of greed and corruption. Stop voting for Republicans, they haven't created and passed a bill in Congress that helps working people in 50 years.

[u/limited67]

What I really want to happen is the Republican party exposed. If it’s endless trials and investigations the Dems lose in two years. First pass the real legislation that Trump promised as individual bills. Truly no tax on social security and 10% max credit card rates. Eliminate his war powers. Pass legislation that reverses all his edicts around renewable energy. Force him to get the statistics right. There is no job creation at all. Pass legislation minimizing the ability of the president to start wars. Same for tariffs. Pass legislation that prevents congressman, the president, the supreme court and all their staff from benefiting from insider knowledge and forces them to invest only in mainstream mutual funds. Pass ethics legislation for the supreme court. Force the republican party to go on record against these items. do that within the first ten days. not 6 months.

[u/These_Property_7446]

Two heads of the same snake!! The rich donor class will not hold themselves accountable. Buckle up for more of the same. Some sleight of hand to make you think certain things are happening...but I expect no big changes.

[u/mastercat202]

Ya. I want the corrupt Republicans arrested ans hopefully hung.

[u/Lumpy-Scratch-8363]

We need to see a lot of prison terms for breaking the law. We need there to be disincentives for corruption and for playing follow the demented leader.

Dems: I will say it just once; it's time to go nuts. Make it count.

[u/Mediocre-Catch9580]

I wouldn’t hold my breath 

[u/Electrical-Volume765]

https://giphy.com/gifs/N38XPr1vCWXZUKVFcL

[u/TheCloudyHam]

It will be just more of the same ole same ole. Doesn’t matter who is running it, govt be doing govt things.

[u/Front_Assistance_500]

And inspiration

[u/Accomplished_Goat439]

Rule of law - #1 Priority

[u/SnooEagles4121]

If they don't, you gotta primary them. Voter apathy is what got us here.

[u/LaughterB]

AND NO MORE GERIATRIC POLITICIANS!

[u/liquidsyphon]

“It’s time to heal this divide…”

[u/Conscious_Quality803]

Well said.

[u/Valuable_Fee1884]

First move must be to rebuild the justice department, state department, EPA, etc. It will take a while to get all everything rebuilt and fine qualified bodies to fill a position that Trump is handed to piss poor individuals who had no business being appointed. Certainly someone will end up in jail, but unfortunately, we don’t have enough jail space.

[u/SuddenAudience8758]

I really hope they don’t go with “business as usual.” This time around…

[u/Present-Spring-1340]

And,,, before the murder robots 🤖

[u/imissher4ever]

Can’t wait until a Democrat run Congress releases ALL the Epstein files. And goes after the criminal element in Washington.

[u/catstone21]

I agree with this but it's also up to us voters. Call. Write. Push. Don't let up just because we aren't voting again for 2 years. Show them we're watching.

Part of why I'll vote for any Dem over a Repub is the Dems tend to listen when enough people push. 

The voter will help the fumble if they sit back and just watch

[u/Background_Edge_9427]

I'm a Democrat, and I approve this message!

[u/Extreme_Health_9827]

I don't think the democrats will control the house or the senate I think trump will somehow figure out how to stay in control.

[u/Zomby-Woof-]

https://giphy.com/gifs/9yJFbNYA0NiE6Agh14

[u/[deleted]]

Wow bravo 🙌

[u/Lightning_Winter]

This is very true, but also, remember, VOTE IN PRIMARIES!!! That's our best chance at making the democratic party actually do something for once

[u/Brothersparrow7]

https://giphy.com/gifs/tZCkL6BsL2AAo

[u/ProgressMedium2172]

Fuck yeah

[u/SandSpecialist2523]

And we will hold you accountable.

[u/giants_shoulders]

yeah, for Israel! Right? - Dems, 2028

haha, man, I sure wish I can say that this was obviously a joke.

[u/ZeroVoltsGiven]

Dems are Corporate controlled and Reps are Oligarchs controlled… same shet different evil.

[u/CocoabrothaSBB]

Good luck on that.

[u/sugref999]

Yeah, that is not going to happen. They all bend at the same knees.