Call Mitt Romney?

Thanks Slick! Thank you for taking the time to call and post this info.I emailed all of the Senators before the impeachment hearings and then called Mitt's office to say thank you after the vote.

Spent 6 hours on Saturday involved in a text campaign. Pretty cool. It is nationwide if anyone is interested in doing some volunteer work.

https://www.mobilize.us/

Called the Capitol today and left messages with both of my Senators, called their public cells too. Senator Burr's voice mail was full. lol!

If you are as horrified as I am regarding Mitch and Lindsey's hypocritical Supreme Court replacement reversal policy you can text RBG to 50409. It is called resist bot (resist.bot) and it will send an email with your name to your Senators asking them to honor Justice Ginsburg's last request and wait until a new President is installed regardless of political party. At 3pm my number was in the 900,000. Just got a text that the number as of 10pm was 1,188,995!!! Oh yea!!!!

Just got a form letter from ahole Senator Tillis thanking me for contacting his office. I hope we crash his inbox.

Keep up the good fight friends. Viva La we will prevail!

1,201,475

Sweet lltd. Pass it on

My son showed up with some other folks early this morning at Lindsey Graham's place in DC to express their displeasure with the idea of pushing through a nominee so close to the election.  Apparently, nobody answered the door.

Awesome Ken! I plan on breaking my self imposed isolation in North Carolina and will be heading up to DC in my n95 mask to pay my respects when RBG is in repose later this week. I grew up in NoVa and most of my neighborhood was govt employees. CIA, FBI and such. Dad has a masters in political science so it's in my DNA. I'm fucking pissed.

1,212,505

Joseph Smith is on the mainline, tell him what you want?

If Romney had any guts, he'd use this as an opportunity to preemptively "onboard" conservatives who still have integrity and would like to see a path forward post-Trump.  The alliance between Dems and never Trumpers has a limited shelf life anyhow, so why not try to get in on the ground floor of something more constructive that he can live with? Romney is already a marked man from Trump's perspective.  Does he really expect to eek his way through the political landscape by cow-towing to a Trump who's continuously quadrupling down in a second term?

Unfortunately, they do not need Romney, they seem to have 50 votes without him. 

trump will be naming his pick saturday

Tillis and Burr get an earful everyday from us

Unfortunately, they do not need Romney, they seem to have 50 votes without him<<<

While this is likely the case, if Romney, Murkowski, Collins were to actually speak up (either individually or collectively) against some of their colleagues - or even just threaten to do so - maybe it might pry away one or more of them.

>if Romney, Murkowski, Collins were to actually speak up (either individually or collectively) against some of their colleagues - or even just threaten to do so - maybe it might pry away one or more of them<

Not a chance,  IMO. It does force McConnell to get it done before the election, they can't afford to lose McSally's vote.

The only hope is if McConnell believes that given the opportunity, the Democrats will expand the court to 13 or 15 justices. McConnell may settle for the 5-4 advantage, rather than a 7-6 or 9-6 liberal majority. 

Romney just said he'll vote for trump's pick without even knowing who it is

FTG

Deplorable

https://www.nytimes.com/live/2020/09/22/us/trump-vs-biden/romney-says-he...

^ The Democrats must expand the court. I advocate for 15 justices, creating a 9-6 liberal majority. 

the more, the less politicized

I don't think the dems would go more than 11, 13 tops

they need to get rid of lifetime appointments on all federal judges

12 years tops

^11 will mean 6-5 conservative majority. Republicans must be made to pay a price for their shameless hypocrisy and their abuse of power. 

 >need to get rid of lifetime appointments on all federal judges<

Agreed 

biden's campaign annoyed w/ markey's comments to expand the SC. 

so funny. 

the dems are literally going to do nothing. 

all the republicans will vote, lol, and pelosi will be left flabbergasted haha "what happened??!!". 

If the House impeaches Trump and Barr, those proceedings will take precedence over the Supreme Court vote and delay it.

How, exactly? 
 

and does anybody take Nancy seriously when she threatens impeachment (again)? 
 

I don't.

i wonder if that means if trump loses reelection, after being impeached twice, do the dems seek criminal charges once out of office? 

highly unlikely. 

agreed on the 11 oclt, wish the dems had more balls, just don't see it

arrows in the quiver herbal d.

>>> How, exactly? 

senate rules state they drop everything for an impeachment trial, timing would have to be perfect

no faith in your nerf bow and arrow?

they still might shoot out their own eye

but, should use any and all arrows to hold this shit up.

<biden's campaign annoyed w/ markey's comments to expand the SC>

Biden knows that the Supreme Court motivates republican voters more so than the democratic voters. Threatening to expand the court will drive republican turnout. A sound bite of Biden talking about packing the court would be in every Republican ad going forward. 

again, courting the republicans that vote republican is very risky. 

he's leaving out the entire left. 

we shall see. 

romney laughing at all the liberal voicemails as we speak, haha. 

like maniacally laughing, foaming at the mouth kinda thing. 

https://www.jacobinmag.com/2020/09/aoc-chuck-schumer-pelosi-supreme-cour...

^given that Republicans are motivated by the Supreme Court, I don't see it as courting Republicans,  I see it as denying Republicans an issue which motivates a large portion of their electorate.  The Republicans will make the claim regardless, but they won't have a sound bite of Biden making the statement. 

Plus, the Supreme Court was on the ballot in 2016 and it didn't help Clinton 

Then why didn't they drop everything to have a trial before, tod? 

​Which senate rule, specifically?

How does this "timing have to be perfect?"

Apparently I need it explained to me how the house engaging in another impeachment investigation can prevent the senate's hand from exercising (or not) a completely unrelated duty (confirmation)?

Haven't we seen this movie already?

republicans are like the hells angels, dems are like a back of yuppie cyclists...

^complicit. 

>>> Which senate rule, specifically? <<<

the google's your friend

>>> How does this "timing have to be perfect?" <<<

to delay appointment and force the confirmation after the general election

which becomes extremely hard if trump loses.

fight fuckery with legal tactics and all available means

No. just quote this magical rule you're referring to, tod. 
 

I understand the purpose. I'm asking you to explain the mechanics.
 

And again, why didn't this rule effect the last impeachment?

Additionally, how is this made harder if trump loses?

>to delay appointment and force the confirmation after '''''the general election

which becomes extremely hard if trump loses<

No it doesn't. If necessary, they'd vote to confirm on January 19, 2021.

"When you have the votes, you can sort of do what you want."

-Donald Trump 

https://www.msnbc.com/rachel-maddow-show/romney-stand-his-party-supreme-...

In other words, Romney simply intends to ignore the context, the calendar, the recent history, and the responsibility senators are supposed to have to act honorably. It's a reminder of a nagging detail that often goes overlooked: the senator may clash with Donald Trump, but Romney remains a Republican senator, who's fully committed to his party's far-right agenda -- and part of that agenda is moving the federal judiciary even further off the conservative cliff.

Google is actually not your friend, btw

>>>>they'd vote to confirm on January 19, 2021.

Yep.  GOP = Strike first, strike hard, no mercy.

>>> No it doesn't. If necessary, they'd vote to confirm on January 19, 2021. <<>

Yes oclt

but it becomes extremely hard in the court of public opinion,

people will lose their shit.

think women's march on steroids.

save the ACA protests, warp speed mr. sulu

remember that shit?

this ain't over, unless your not willing to fight for it

hence, the extremely hard

What's the magical rule say, tod?

Where's that "hence" kid meme when ya need it?

Google is sort of like the trash whore who smokes a lot, drinks too much, and gets passed around like a frat house bong.

>but it becomes extremely hard in the court of public opinion,

people will lose their shit.

think women's march on steroids.

save the ACA protests, warp speed mr. sulu<

So what.

Public opinion is irrelevant. 

Protests are irrelevant 

6-3 conservative majority for 20 years is all that matters to them. 

Clarence Thomas won't last 20 more years.

^still gives them a 5-4 conservative majority... that's if the Democrats are lucky enough to appointment his replacement. 

How much damage can be done until then?

ACA could be struck down this term

*appoint

Matters to them?

scotus pick doesn't pick up more votes for repugs

most trumpkins don't even get how shit works and their minds are made up 

but a lot of people will buy into the idea that it's gonna move the needle for repugs.

it won't

but that's the space where they will steal/add votes, again

>>> ACA could be struck down this term <<<

yes, it could...

imagine again when they find out mamaws health care could be taken

that pissed off a lot of trumpkins

I could see a 90 year old CT still on the bench. 

>>> What's the magical rule say, tod? <<<

my bad mice

i should've said impeachment rules

hope this helps

“On Sunday, Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (N.Y.) said the party should leave open the possibility of impeaching Attorney General William P. Barr, hoping it would force a trial in the Senate that would prevent the confirmation until at least after the Nov. 3 elections. Impeachment rules require that the upper chamber take up articles of impeachment immediately, so a House impeachment power play could gum up the confirmation process, at least in theory.”

https://www.washingtonpost.com/powerpost/senate-trump-court-democrats/20...

dems have very little they can do, but why lay down and take it?

>imagine again when they find out mamaws health care could be taken

that pissed off a lot of trumpkins<

So what. The Supreme Court is the prize. 

If they are pissed off, they can file a lawsuit. 

>I could see a 90 year old CT still on the bench<

Absolutely.  He will not retire while a Democrat is president 

> Impeachment rules require that the upper chamber take up articles of impeachment immediately, so a House impeachment power play could gum up the confirmation process, at least in theory<

Gavel in, vote to acquit, then vote to confirm the justice. 

It can all happen in one session. 

lawsuits on a Supreme Court ruling?

who you gonna file that with??

you appear to have given up oclt

I'm not getting raw dawg'd without a fight

ymmv

they gotta hear both sides and it won't happen in one day,

which is the gum up part

>lawsuits on a Supreme Court ruling?

who you gonna file that with??<

My point is that Republicans do not care. They want a solid conservative majority. Public opinion, outrage, protests are all meaningless to them.

>you appear to have given up oclt<

It's the reality of the situation. Righteous anger is not a strategy, and there is no procedural maneuver which can stop the Republicans. 

The only recourse is expanding the court

In an alternate world the Dems would come out as a united front and say:

"We will do anything and everything possible to stop a SCOTUS vote. We do it for your basic human rights, and the rights of the working class. We will fight for you and for future generations, for the environment and healthcare. We won't sit idly by and let this happen."

And then they'd actually show some balls and actually follow through.

 But that's not going to happen. For some reason people have hopes in Romney, Collins and Murkowski. Uh, no. They need to fight.

>they gotta hear both sides and it won't happen in one day<

No, they don't. 

i agree. show us you have a plan to expand the courts. become ruthless like the GOP.  

i mean, they should be embarrassed so far -- unless they're content w/ what's happening. 

how come they didn't plan for this? 

shameful shit. 

pelosi and schumer must go. 

>>> It's the reality of the situation. Righteous anger is not a strategy, and there is no procedural maneuver which can stop the Republicans. <<<

the strategy is not righteous anger

it's about fighting for what little crumbs we have left of a democracy 

games not over,
you play to the whistle 

tod says alotta nothing.

dems roll over ass up yet again.

its what they do.
 

>>> >they gotta hear both sides and it won't happen in one day<

No, they don't. <<<

if that's the case...

why didn't that happen the way you suggested in trumps first impeachment go around?

boths sides get a turn

>>> tod says alotta nothing.

dems roll over ass up yet again.

its what they do. <<<
 

turtle still thinks 2016 happened because hilldawg didn't campaign hard enough in shithole states.

yeah, no fuckery happened bro

carry on

Who said anything about Thomas retiring?   Look at his body type.  He'll stroke out like his pal Scalia.

"Hello again everybody. My name is sleepy joe, and I need your help. I'm gonna nullify don the con's recent Supreme Court appointments by putting 26 more motherfuckers in there the first month I become President. Will you help me?

>why didn't that happen the way you suggested in trumps first impeachment go around<

Because the Republicans knew they had the votes to acquit. They wanted a show trial to "prove" Trump was not guilty.  

They can gavel in and choose to vote on a resolution to acquit. They will have the votes to do it

>it's about fighting for what little crumbs we have left of a democracy 

games not over,
you play to the whistle<

The whistle has been blown. The Republicans won. 

The only move left is expanding the court. 

>>> "Hello again everybody. My name is sleepy joe, and I need your help. I'm gonna nullify don the con's recent Supreme Court appointments by putting 26 more motherfuckers in there the first month I become President. Will you help me? <<<

mice has embraced covid 

because the other guy has no plan

I'm only embracing reality here man. COVID is here to stay.

>>>Because the Republicans knew they had the votes to acquit. They wanted a show trial to "prove" Trump was not guilty.<<<
 

meanwhile the democrat hope is to threaten an actual "show impeachment" (of Bill Barr) to distract attention from the Supreme Court?

laughable

what a disaster

Impeachment starts in the House, controlled by Ds. The House can do whatever it wants, impeachment-wise, and it won't affect the Senate, where justices are confirmed.. If/when the Ds impeach Barr, or Trump again, the Senate must take that up before any other business is transacted.

However, the Senate could dispose of the impeachment even faster this time - all in one day if they desire.

The only real options for the Ds and the country is to get 4 R votes in the Senate to flip, or to pack the court by expanding it if they win the Senate and the WH.

I don't expect either of those options to happen.

We're screwed.

>turtle still thinks 2016 happened because hilldawg didn't campaign hard enough in shithole states.<

keep on keepin' wrong tod.

she lost because;

a significant portion of the population already hated her

she's female

she helped sink and undermine the progressive base of her party

arrogance

her husband

the dnc...

should i go on?

you seem to need help comprehending things.

laughable is giving up

using every means possible to draw attention to this bullshit and fighting until the very end

is what it takes to try and save democracy

leave it all on the field

lol, turtle

still no fuckery involved? (check)

but nice list

Tod, there is nothing the Democrats can do to stop the confirmation vote.  The Republicans likely realize this is a risky move  politically,  but are forging ahead.  They must feel that the seat is worth risking the Presidency and the Senate. Frankly, not to fill the seat would likely be seen as a betrayal to their base. 

Too bad more people didn't understand that 2016's winner was going to get to fill 2 or 3 Supreme Court vacancies.  

I hope going forward that people understand that the lasting impact of a President is found in the judges they appoint, and not just Supreme Court Justices.

Oh, another thing, this is why evangelical Christians vote for a guy like Trump

>>> Tod, there is nothing the Democrats can do to stop the confirmation vote <<<

I've always know that

but I want it as painful as possible

so it fucks them hard in '20, '22 and '24

motivational tool for real change

that is for all people 

people in swing states don't care if they appoint american taliban to the courts....

tod that's what javs was lambasted for saying...

all people?

like bernie's platform? too bad establishment dems pussed out.

>People in swing states don't care if they appoint american taliban to the courts>

I grew up in a swing state 

>>> tod that's what javs was lambasted for saying... <<<

no, javs said let it burn, maybe we'll learn.

meaning don't vote for biden

>>> like bernie's platform? too bad establishment dems pussed out. <<<
 

it was never gonna happen

here we are

If the Democrats keep the House, flip the Senate, and take the White House, they should make Puerto Rico a state.  It should have just as much say in how the country is run as Wyoming, North Dakota, or any of the other 14 states that have smaller populations do. 

pyramid is right. pelosi and chuck need to bail.

They're not going to bail. They need to hear from their constituents that their jobs are on the line if they don't step up and fight.

you're right ken

dc needs representation 

statehood for PR and DC

>> If the Democrats keep the House, flip the Senate, and take the White House, they should make Puerto Rico a state.

DC first, where support for statehood is overwhelming. It's actually a divisive issue in PR, so they have to decide as a people if they want to be a state. If they do, of course they should be in immediately.

Lot of folks in this thread angry the Democrats aren't doing "something" to fight back. They have no power because they don't have the votes. The Senate sucks because (1) it gives low population states the same amount of representation as CA NY etc., means there's a lot of voting power diluting the will of the actual majority in the country overall; (2) Dems did not show up in the 2014 midterms and they lost a bunch of winnable Senate races. Solution, if there is any hope, is donating to the Dem Senate candidates in tight races this year like in Maine, North Carolina, Iowa, Montana and hoping Dems can take it back in January so they can abolish the filibuster and add seats to the Court. That's it.

(That said this guy who used to work for Harry Reid has some good ideas they can use to gum up the works procedurally for a while: https://www.nytimes.com/2020/09/21/opinion/ruth-bader-ginsburg-senate-de...)

The Democrats should put out a television ad asking the Republicans to have a hearing and decided whether or not to confirm Merrick Garland in the coming weeks before the election.  

Still can't get thru on his DC line, but me my wife daughter and niece all called separately and left msgs on his Utah State House # politely asking him to reconsider his position on holding the vote. They may just laugh when they see Ct #'s left the msgs but wtf, maybe not.

Thanks for the info slick.

Fuck Mitt Romney. Did anyone really think he would do something that went against his self-interest for a change?

They need to blitz the airways with an ad that shows Graham saying that he'd never cast a SCOTUS vote in the last year of a presidency, and call them all liars and crooks. Explain how what they are doing is a fascist tactic. Not many words, just the right ones to make people think. Paint the Republicans out to be totalitarian freaks.

> Paint the Republicans out to be totalitarian freaks.

That seems to be exactly what Trump's base is looking for, BK. Der Führer.

Also, while what you propose is completely reasonable, I think it's misguided to try to reason with crazy people. It's like the old line about trying to teach a pig how to dance: It wastes your time and annoys the pig.

You're probably right. Can we just round them all up and sent them to Alabama?

My thoughts about the Right have been much more violent than that lately, BK. Much more violent.

Maybe not...

I'd say they came up with the best government ever for white slave owners, but otherwise, not so much.

I

There's a very, very good reason why each state has only 2 Senators. It's the only thing that gives equity. Otherwise, none of the under populated states would have ratified the Constitution, and we never would have had a United States. In the Senate, every state is equal. In the House, the more populated states have more power. To me, that isn't even an issue. The big problem is that the party in power gets to make up rules as they go, to suit themselves. That's not democracy, nor is gerrymandering, where politicians get to pick their voters.

Do we even really (still?) need a Senate?

biden has to give the 100m people that don't vote something to vote for. 

he should endorse m4a. 

he should tell us he will expand the court to a solid left majority -- 9-6 like lumber said. fuck em. become the party of the people again and stay in power. 

lumber, if it's a republican issue like you say, then good -- he'll get the kids and socialists to show up and vote. 

trump is getting his pick. 

the democrats look terrible right now. 

and pelosi doesn't give a fuuuuuuuuck about any of this shit. she's worth 100m dollars. lol. 

We don't need a king or a president to have a democracy. 

>biden has to give the 100m people that don't vote something to vote for. 

he should endorse m4a<

I think this would hurt him more so than help him. I have no confidence in young folks when it comes to turning out to vote.

  I think it would be the glue which allows the socialist label to stick, costing him Florida. Also, I believe it will cost him the suburban white vote, hurting him in places like Pennsylvania.

>he (Biden) should tell us he will expand the court to a solid left majority -- 9-6 like lumber said. fuck em. become the party of the people again and stay in power. 

lumber, if it's a republican issue like you say, then good -- he'll get the kids and socialists to show up and vote.<

I believe this is more likely to motivate Republican voters to turn out in order to keep their Supreme Court majority. 

We are fucked as a country

Who do you trust more on information about the coronavirus via new Quinnipiac poll:

Democrats:

1% President Trump

97% CDC scientists

Republicans:

51% President Trump

36% CDC scientists

by 55%-39%, white men in new Quinnipiac national poll favor Trump over Biden by 53%-43%, white men also say Trump is dishonest

Lie to me
Sing me a song
Sing me a song until the morning comes
And if the morning come, will you lie to me?
Will you take me to your bed?
Will you lay me down?
Til' I'm heavy like the rocks in the riverbed
That my savior made
 

remember all the young people hyped on Bernie during the primary but couldn't be bothered to vote? leaving his revolution in tatters and spinning viva bernie bro's into a 6 months long meltdown continuing today...yeah, the last people i'll listen to for what's right is them. 

exact reason why m4a should be off the table for now...

the "bernie bro" narrative IS russian propaganda. 

thanks to the jr's and nancy's of the world for undermining the best chance at fundamental progressive policy reform in our lifetimes...

If you spent any time on Twitter in early-mid 2016, the Bernie Bros were very real

And whatever the reason, Bernie didn't win the Democratic primary this year because not enough people voted for him

Also, even if Bernie were president, getting 218 votes for M4A in the House, let alone 50 votes in the Senate, would have been extremely difficult

Democrats:

1% President Trump

97% CDC scientists

i want to get together w that 1% of democrats and see whats going on there

^^fuck giving people healthcare, it's difficult! 

the neoliberal talking points poppin' off up in here. 

where is biden? dude is gone. 

he still trying to court republicans -- seems like a losing tactic imo. 

still nothing from the dems on a plan. 

complicit. 

most democrats and republicans support m4a. 

msnbc tells jr that's not true. 

meanwhile...

your guy bernie is doing the right thing.

why the fuck can't you?

smh

Bernie Sanders Sounds Alarm on a Trump ‘Nightmare Scenario’

Warning that this election is an “extremely dangerous moment” for the country, he said in an interview that he would aggressively push to try to stop President Trump from delegitimizing the vote.

https://www.nytimes.com/2020/09/22/us/politics/bernie-sanders-trump-nigh...

bernie is the guy. true. nice dude. 

i ask myself the same thing about you and all the other liberals who killed our chances at changing our country. 

sad. 

<<<<>>>>thanks to the jr's and nancy's of the world for undermining the best chance at fundamental progressive policy reform in our lifetimes...

thanks, thod. 

what's sad...

is that you're a one trick pony and refuse to understand what an existential threat trump is to life.

thanks, thod. you voted trump in the primary. 

sad. 

voted Warren and you know that.

you're just a miserable lil bitch aren't ya.

maybe time to grow the fuck up and do the right thing?

fuckin' spunion

haha nice thod. exactly. 

3.5

Pyramid,  consider what Pennsylvania state rep Summer Lee has to say.

Summer Lee, 32, decided to run for office in 2018. She ran in Braddock, Pa., a town in the greater Pittsburgh area and one of the few that still has an active steel mill.

"We don't get a lot of Black women running for office. We don't get a lot of progressive folks running for office in western Pennsylvania," she says, "I can't lead folks to a place that I'm not willing to go myself."

Lee, a lawyer, unseated Democratic incumbent Paul Costa who had been in office for 20 years. She became the first Black woman elected to represent Southwestern Pennsylvania in the state house. She campaigned against a fracking proposal in Braddock and went door to door speaking with people about environmental racism, cyclical poverty and racial and economic justice.

But when she was running as an incumbent in the Democratic Party primary in early 2020, the Allegheny County Democrats endorsed her opponent, a white man. Lee won the primary handily anyway, with 77 percent of the vote, all but assuring a second term.

Lee's differences with the Democratic party establishment are profound. She was a delegate at this summer's virtual Democratic National Convention and voted against the party's official platform.

"I don't believe it's a platform that meets the moment," she says. Though she differs with Biden on many issues — from fracking to Medicare For All — she fully intends to vote for him.

"If we're fighting for a healthier environment, if we're fighting for more equitable funding for schools, for police accountability and criminal justice reform, whatever it may be, we have an obligation to move us closer to that, not farther away," she says.

https://www.npr.org/2020/09/24/915602106/outside-the-focus-of-major-part...

>> most democrats and republicans support m4a. 

This is completely delusional, but actually believing it would explain the attitude

^its a fact. 

https://www.newsweek.com/87-democrats-support-medicare-all-though-joe-bi...

https://www.newsweek.com/69-percent-americans-want-medicare-all-includin...

If you spent any time on Twitter in early-mid 2016, the Bernie Bros were very real

Lol.

https://www.yahoo.com/entertainment/bernie-sanders-facebook-pages-shut-d...

the liberals have fully embraced their bro narrative b/c they can't understand why people refuse to vote for corporate politicians that only serve their corporate masters. 

the real story always has been kamala's khive. seriously twisted online presence (publishing personal info.). 

Ah so I see we're playing with "one link negates your argument" rules, in which case, https://www.vox.com/2016/2/5/10919754/bernie-bro-sexism

Actually there were three, two from Newsweek and one from Yahoo News. Have a nice day :)