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lees1975

(6,716 posts)
Thu Jul 24, 2025, 12:41 AM Thursday

What Democrats could have done that would have changed everything we are going through now.

We had majorities in both houses and we had the White House after the 2020 election. So....

First order of business, amend the judiciary act to create five, six, seven, eight, additional seats on the Supreme Court. Of course that might look political, but then, doesn't everything Trump is doing now look political? So, who gives a damn?

Next, kill the Senate filibuster. It's an anti-Democratic relic anyway, and while Mitch McConnell used it to perfection when the GOP was a minority, Democrats never got the hang of it. Not even after Trump was in and they had the power to shut down the government to stop him. So let it go, and get back to real Democracy. Yes, I know the old guard like Schumer, Durbin, and even Biden, loved this, and thought it was the gold standard, but it needed to be killed.

Then, pass the amended judiciary act, and hand the vacant seats to Biden, who would be strongly encouraged to appoint young, very liberal and progressive judges.

Once packed, those liberal justices would then begin work to overturn Citizens United, the immunity protections of the President, and restore the Roe v. Wade decision. Prosecute the corruption of the six conservatives, including the bribery, lying to Congress, and ethical violations.

Expidite Trump's trials for insurrection and stealing classified documents by fast tracking his attempted delays. Guilty verdicts send him to prison where he belongs, not the White House where he doesn't. This happens long before the 2024 election.

Put clauses in the judiciary act which prevent the number of justices from being altered.

This was all doable, and it wasn't done and yes, hell yes, it's frustrating. It's why I'm calling for new party leadership.



11 replies = new reply since forum marked as read
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What Democrats could have done that would have changed everything we are going through now. (Original Post) lees1975 Thursday OP
I agree with every one of your points. Trueblue1968 Thursday #1
What could have been done: markodochartaigh Thursday #2
new judge seats could also end up republican some day nt msongs Thursday #3
Branding Trump for what he is should have been top priority up and down the Democratic Party BeyondGeography Thursday #4
Dems wanted to kill the fillibuster but MadameButterfly Thursday #5
Thank you BaronChocula Thursday #8
Biden was explicitely, and vocally, against any such maneuver stopdiggin Thursday #6
Woulda Coulda Shoulda are failure modes. However, usonian Thursday #7
What could have been done? Just fucking vote for Gore, Hillary, and Kamala, that's what. W_HAMILTON Thursday #9
The ice cream vendor was in my city. Grumpy Old Guy Thursday #10
Get A Plan. Register Voters. Verify Their Status Well Ahead Of Election Day... BurnDoubt Thursday #11

markodochartaigh

(3,447 posts)
2. What could have been done:
Thu Jul 24, 2025, 01:03 AM
Thursday

A) Keep Henry Wallace on the ticket. B) Ensure that every school in the country (even private and home school) has civics and economics courses that describe exactly how the US got into the Great Depression, how the New Deal helped the country, how the supreme court and the Businessmen's Plot attempted to short circuit the New Deal. C) Ensure that the National Security Act was never signed by Truman. D) Impeach Ford as soon as he pardoned Nixon.

BeyondGeography

(40,569 posts)
4. Branding Trump for what he is should have been top priority up and down the Democratic Party
Thu Jul 24, 2025, 01:17 AM
Thursday

By the end of January 2021 it was clear he had maintained control of the Republican Party. Everyone who had opposed his actions on J6 except McConnell had trooped down to Florida to ask forgiveness. Poll after poll showed huge number of Republican voters supported his election denying bullshit.

And what did our President do for most of 2021? He treated him as if he wasn’t there. And here we are. Not only that, we still have leaders who think Epstein is a distraction and we should be talking about “the issues.”

MadameButterfly

(3,318 posts)
5. Dems wanted to kill the fillibuster but
Thu Jul 24, 2025, 01:18 AM
Thursday

Synema and Manchin would let us. Everything else you suggest depended on killing the fillibuster.
I doubt Biden would have packed the court even so, but a whole lot of great legislation would have happened.

A judiciary act passed by Dems could be reversed by a Republican president and Congress.

The key to preventing that should have been Merrick Garland doing his job in a timely fashion. Congress was on it. 2 impeachments and they did Garland's research for him.

BaronChocula

(3,036 posts)
8. Thank you
Thu Jul 24, 2025, 02:52 AM
Thursday

Agreed that in a perfect world all those things would have happened. We tried. We tried. We tried. We didn't have the votes.

It's time to stop blaming Democrats for siloed white republican voters.

stopdiggin

(14,101 posts)
6. Biden was explicitely, and vocally, against any such maneuver
Thu Jul 24, 2025, 02:01 AM
Thursday

And additionally - even if so inclined - would have found it near impossible to find requisite backing and support at either political or public levels.

usonian

(19,374 posts)
7. Woulda Coulda Shoulda are failure modes. However,
Thu Jul 24, 2025, 02:09 AM
Thursday

Learn from goofs and write a new plan.

Project 2026. A new deal.

There's no need to turn over party leadership. Trump and company have bombed and burnt it to the ground. Just start fresh.

Silence is complicity. Bernie and AOC have been raising hell all over the country and Mesdames Crockett and Warren have been torching the zombies. They stand out.

I love President Obama, but he's still well-behaved after the Nazi gang has hurled lies by the truckload and threatened illegal prosecution. What does it take? I don't want to think about that.

I WANT FIGHTERS. (You, too, Barack!)

I want courage like John Lewis and these brave people who fought against impossible odds.

https://www.democraticunderground.com/100219813493

Bull Connors is now Bullshit Conman.

Together, we can stop Hitler Junior and his secret police and concentration camps.

Repost:
Things have already gone too far for business as usual.


WHY?

THAT'S WHY

THAT'S WHY

THAT'S WHY

General Strike Info
https://www.democraticunderground.com/10114325 (Activist HQ)
https://www.democraticunderground.com/100220438506 (GD)

Damn it, we already have secret police and concentration camps.

IT MUST STOP NOW

Every day of acquiescence makes an end to fascism more costly in lost freedom and LIVES.




BurnDoubt

(871 posts)
11. Get A Plan. Register Voters. Verify Their Status Well Ahead Of Election Day...
Thu Jul 24, 2025, 03:39 AM
Thursday

And Do The Work To Cure Any Eligibility Issues.
Bring Back "Fifty States".
"Bag 'em, Tag 'em, and Nag 'em" GOTV.
Contact Is Key.
Democrats Need To Be SEEN Doing GOOD.

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