Thanks, Jonathan, for this bracing dose of reality. Your closing advice to Congressional Democrats — to "shut up and listen" — is exactly right but I'd add that they need to have substantive (not performative) talking points that don't make them look evasive and ineffective and let them say what they need to say instead of reacting to MAGA messaging.
Say it louder - "Phone calling is the least effort anyone can make and it has near zero impact since politicians know how to read their district. Anyone advocating for it does not care about winning elections. If you want to do something try helping those truly in need during this tough time and figure out a winning electoral strategy for 2026."
Thank you for the reply. I don't have a subscription to that publication. However, based on the link the article provided, I don't agree with the definition provided. I have just subscribed to your stack so I don't know the answer to this next question: did you ever accuse the Biden administration of this slide towards "an authoritarian state with extremist policies..."? What, in your opinion, is the difference in the use of executive power between Biden and Trump?
Thanks, Jonathan, for this bracing dose of reality. Your closing advice to Congressional Democrats — to "shut up and listen" — is exactly right but I'd add that they need to have substantive (not performative) talking points that don't make them look evasive and ineffective and let them say what they need to say instead of reacting to MAGA messaging.
Say it louder - "Phone calling is the least effort anyone can make and it has near zero impact since politicians know how to read their district. Anyone advocating for it does not care about winning elections. If you want to do something try helping those truly in need during this tough time and figure out a winning electoral strategy for 2026."
"If there was a way that a Senate minority could really block nominations, Mitch McConnell would have used it long ago."
brilliant. convincing.
but thank you for the rest of the evidence too
"The nation is devolving into an authoritarian state with extremist policies..."
OK Jonathan, please explain exactly how you determined that. What, specifically, is your rubric?
"...and yet the Senate is basically confirming Donald Trump’s nominees more or less as if the Constitution was operating normally."
Is the Constitution not working normally in this specific environment?
"The bottom line on nominations, however, is that the fault here is entirely with Trump and with Senate Republicans."
The bottom line on nominations is that it happens every four years and both the Dems and Repubs in the Senate take their turns at Kabuki theater.
"Senate Goes 'Nuclear,' Changes Nominee Filibuster Rules"
https://abcnews.go.com/Politics/senate-nuclear-filibuster-rules/story?id=20964700
I'll farm the top question out to a scholar who specializes in such things.
https://www.theatlantic.com/ideas/archive/2025/02/trump-competitive-authoritarian/681609/
Thank you for the reply. I don't have a subscription to that publication. However, based on the link the article provided, I don't agree with the definition provided. I have just subscribed to your stack so I don't know the answer to this next question: did you ever accuse the Biden administration of this slide towards "an authoritarian state with extremist policies..."? What, in your opinion, is the difference in the use of executive power between Biden and Trump?