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Jul 2, 2022Liked by Robert Reich

The Supreme Court

Donald Trump

Impeachments

Indictments

Is there any possibility at all for accountability?

The poll illustrates the dogged dilemma facing not only Democrats, but the USA as a whole.

When, and how, will the American people take a stand against the evil forces that have pervaded our country?

Personally, I am disgusted with the status quo.

Something’s gotta give.

Soon

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Jul 2, 2022Liked by Robert Reich

Unless Manchin and Sinema agree to carve out filibuster, our only hope is gaining a super majority in the Senate. Everyone already knows this. 🙄

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Jul 2, 2022Liked by Robert Reich

It's past time for Democrats in office to channel the anger Democratic voters feel and make a significant impact of legislation before we lose everything.

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Chuck Schumer seems weak. He doesn't need to play dirty, but he should play hardball, and not let Mitch McConnell and Joe Manchin walk all over him. Maybe Democrats need to choose a different Senate majority leader.

I think Congress needs to rein in what has become a rogue Supreme Court, and not just roll over and accept its arbitrary and capricious rulings. Right now, we don't have democracy, we have oligarchy, rule by six unelected judges pursuing their own personal whims, inventing bogus "legal doctrines" to rationalize their outrageous behavior. Personally, I think all six of them, and Roberts is no better than the others, even if he pretends to be an institutionalist, should be impeached and removed from office for really, really bad behavior.

More realistically, Congress can enact term limits for judges and refuse to allow judges to unconstitutionally repeal Acts of Congress. Yes, Congress should codify Roe and environmental protections into law, but it needs to reform the courts as well. Otherwise, it will just be playing whack-a-mole. More terrible decisions are on tap.

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Jul 2, 2022Liked by Robert Reich

Democrats seem more interested in airing "both sides" of the issues, rather pointing out the deficits and the outright lies promulgated by the Republicans. They also need to pay attention to the bread and butter issues, as John Fetterman is doing in Pennsylvania. If Democrats message along the lines of the issues that are most important to blue collar workers, then there will be better contests. Having said all that, why do Democrats cave to people like McConnell and his ilk?????

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I don't think pro-choice demonstrations will help. But women uniting to go on a purchasing boycott will: women make most of the day-to-day purchasing decisions in this country. Let's see what the alt-right Supremes think about my bodily autonomy when I have a nice little nest-egg to finance my (or a friend's, or a stranger's) trip to Canada for "tourism" if necessary. Buy only food and medicine and actual necessities. Wear the clothes in your closet. Use the library. Stock up on contraception.

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It takes two. Let’s go for vasectomies.

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Chuck Schumer is not doing his job. He just "phones it in". He has tools and resources for managing his majority in the Senate, but he does not use them. Robert Caro's book "Master of the Senate" describes Lyndon Johnson as the Senate majority leader. That is the kind of person we need now.

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It is a hard lesson for liberals and Democrats: Elections have consequences; the coalition failure in the 2016 election leading to Trump's three SCOTUS picks will haunt us for decades. Multiple analyses documented that third party voters and those who declared themselves “too liberal” to vote for Hillary Clinton so did not vote at all made the difference in the swing states that went to Trump in 2016. One such person told me she voted Green to “to make a statement.” I responded that her statement was that she preferred Trump to Clinton so we got Trump and his three SCOTUS picks. Liberals should have learned that lesson in Florida in 2000 but declined. Think what a different world this would be if Gore won in 2000 and Clinton in 2016. Progressive policies depend on coalitions.

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Without Manchin and Cinema's votes democrats can't even get to 50 to do ANYTHING. All this talk about what the Senate SHOULD do isn't taking into account what the Senate CAN'T do. Anybody who thinks the Dems are in charge of the Senate has their head wedged. This apparent denial of the full truth here assures that we'll never even approach a real solution because we aren't even recognizing the true extent of the problem. We're screwed.

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The Dems, and the president in particular, are afraid to call out the GOP for what it has become - a fascist party that cares only about power and doing whatever it takes to grab it. Name one act that benefits the working class Americans that is supported by the GOP. There are none. Biden has to point out that the GOP will not support any piece of legislation put forward by the Dems because they are afraid that the Dems legislation will help people and make Biden more popular, and the GOP is willing to vote AS A BLOC against it in spite of how this harms the electorate simply in the hope that, by preventing Biden from succeeding, they will regain power. This message has to be broadcase loud and clear, starting with Biden. Biden has to call McConnell and McCarthy what they are: authoritarians at best and in all likelihood neo-fascists. They do not hesitate to call the Dems socialists. Why will the Dems not call them exactly what they truly have become?

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Jul 2, 2022Liked by Robert Reich, Heather Lofthouse

Thank you for sharing your cathartic conversation! You acknowledged the darkness of the time and yet managed to show us the light and the way out!

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Jul 3, 2022Liked by Heather Lofthouse

It might be very interesting -- and a sign of hope -- to track new voter registrations among the 18 to 25 year olds over the next month or so. I agree that our future rests with our young people. I hope the Inequality Media team can track this key metric.

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Jul 3, 2022Liked by Heather Lofthouse

And they aren’t creative thinkers.

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Jul 3, 2022Liked by Heather Lofthouse

You have no idea, Dr. Reich .... and Heather .... how you lift me up and keep me from falling into despair. Thank you from the bottom of my soul for your contributions in these outrageously unbalanced and troubled times.

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My answer to the poll is really "a little bit of all these things" with I side of "I have no idea!"

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