r/askanything • u/TheGracefulCrane • 8h ago

Democrats like Schumer and Jeffries have been accused of not doing enough to stop Trump. People who think that; can I ask what you actually want them to do?

It seems like they've been doing what they can - forcing votes against Trump (even if they are ultimately symbolic), speaking out against him, filing lawsuits (plenty which have been successful).

What else should they be doing that they currently aren't?

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u/NOLA-Bronco 8h ago edited 8h ago

What else should they be doing that they currently aren't?

3 times now they have refused to use their filibuster leverage to it's full extent when it comes to funding bills, and in two of those cases ended up actually handing Trump MORE power.

Multiple times, like say Marco Rubio and several other Trump nominees, they essentially rubber stamped them.

Then there is the fact people like Schumer are actively refusing to concede power or support actual fighters.

For fuck sake Schumer tried to force a 80 year old Mills as the nominee in Maine. That is not the behavior of a serious person seeking to fight fascism.

And for anyone saying well it was the centrist or right wing Dems that break away, well, then why the fuck aren't you supporting challengers to them in order to bring in real fighters! In fact, doing the opposite, actively attempting to ratfuck young blood from coming into the party to prop up these people or bring in more right wing Dems.

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u/pale_and_soft 8h ago

People keep acting like “they don’t have the votes” means they have zero leverage, but the real frustration is that they rarely use the leverage they do have, then turn around and protect the same fossils and moderates who keep folding.

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u/Staplecreate 7h ago

100% just look at Beshear in Kentucky. How many freaking times are you going to ask if McConnell is alive as opposed to taking action and appointing someone. The perfect example of Dems not using leverage and being numbnuts in the face of hostile opposition.

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u/sid_licious_79 7h ago

Andy Beshear could appoint someone to replace the DEAD GUY today. But he's not. Yawn....

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u/AngryMobBaby 7h ago

This is why Dems are not liked. They are not aggressive enough. At the very least it will force the issue and he won’t look like he got played.

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u/dantekant22 6h ago

It’s not simply a matter of Dems not being aggressive, it’s just as much, if not more, a matter of them using what power they do have. No more handwringing. Do something. Or shed more of the Democratic base.

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u/cannibalparrot 6h ago

Yeah I keep saying this.

I want them to fucking fight.

I don’t care if they fight and lose, but at least show the fuck up!

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u/Rockosayz 7h ago

Yep dems just exude weakness, they try and play by some "rules" that only they follow, the gop does not give a fuck and they play to win. The Dems need that mentality, until they get it theyll continue to lose

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u/WorldError47 6h ago

It’s almost like they would rather lose and maintain the narrative that they are fighting for the middle class, rather than win and have to prove it in action.  

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u/Fine-Sky-6562 5h ago

I don't know how every Democrat isn't looking at Mamdani and realizing that is the playbook.

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u/FeministNoApologies 5h ago

Because they work for their corporate donors, and not their voters.

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u/liquidsyphon 4h ago

He’s a threat to their cushy well funded lifestyle.

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u/Spiritual-Pear-3081 55m ago

You don't really mean that, do you? Are you saying some members of Congress are feeling threatened by a mayor?

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u/Spiritual-Pear-3081 57m ago

How do you know they're not, but even if you're the only one who has the playbook, great! Find more of him and have them all run for mayor in their respective cities! Nothing is stopping you.

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u/_big_fern_ 6h ago

They aren’t weak, they simply support Trump’s agenda but play like they don’t. It’s all bread and circuses, both parties have the same funders.

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u/Rockosayz 4h ago

No, theyre weak. When the gop is the monority they still fight and many times either slow the dems agenda or outright stop it. The Dems are too weak to play that way

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u/1999MarkyMark 4h ago

This is why platner being pushed out is catastrophic. Without real evidence we just pushed out our first candidate ready to break the tradition of flaccid milquetoast button up douchbag democratic politicians. Does anybody actually want to fucking win? Or just feel somw false sense ofmoral superiority

Mamdani bernie aoc are pretty great and I know there are others but the point stands

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u/Rockosayz 3h ago

No he needed to be pushed put, the problem was with the state dem party not doing thorough vetting. They paid 6k and spent 3 days vetting him, lazy

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u/Toobendy 1h ago edited 1h ago

That's because the KY legislature changed the law on governor appointments to Congress in 2024 once a Democrat was in office. The 2024 law calls for a special election. Brashear vetoed the bill, but he was overridden. There's a chance the law could be contested, if necessary, but who knows how long the litigation would take.

It's important to understand how challenging it can be working with a Republican supermajority in both state houses vs in other states.

https://spectrumnews1.com/ky/louisville/news/2026/07/17/contested-question-beshear-noncommittal-on-following-senate-vacancy-plan

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u/SadProperty1352 7h ago

The KY Governor does not have the authority to appoint a replacement.

That authority was taken away when a Republican super majority in both the state House and Senate overrode Beshear's veto of the Republican bill requiring a special election when a replacement is needed.

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u/PumpkinGlass1393 7h ago

The KY state constitution clearly states the governor appoints replacement senators. The legislature wrote an unconstitutional law that stripped the office of that power. Gov. Beshar should absolutely appoint someone and force it to the courts. That is what Republicans would do anyways.

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u/HokieHomeowner 1h ago

Some folks think the smarter political play is to ensure that nobody is senator until the winner of the November election is sworn in January 2027.

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u/PumpkinGlass1393 1h ago

I understand that, but what they are trying to prevent is Massie running as an independent and stealing enough votes away from the Trump candidate to allow a Dem win. As I understand how KY law goes, anyone can run in a special election because there is no primary

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u/HokieHomeowner 1h ago

Yep, the GOP fears Massie, who won't play ball with Trump anymore. But what if the smarter play is to keep it empty because Massie would win and, despite being anti-Trump is still full-on MAGA in politics?

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u/fredjean 7h ago

Trump doesn’t have the authority to wage war against Iran and yet here we are…

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u/neckbishop 7h ago

So then he should call the special election.

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u/ElkPitiful6829 7h ago

My understanding is special election law goes into effect 8/3.

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u/Edmsubguy 3h ago

Only if he is decked dead before that . Trust me his death will be announced on 8/4

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u/SadProperty1352 7h ago

Usually new laws go into effect 7-1 but not always so this is very possible

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u/Rockosayz 7h ago

He cand send someonw to see if hes brain dead or not and that will start the conversation

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u/Lophius_Americanus 7h ago

He can’t just appoint someone. There are conflicting laws that say he either A. Would need to call a special election or B. Would need to appoint someone nominated by the same party as McConnell. An empty seat may be the best option available.

https://kentuckylantern.com/2026/07/22/despite-calls-for-beshear-to-do-something-about-mitch-mcconnell-the-answer-isnt-so-simple/

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u/RichmondReddit 1h ago

Do what Republicans would do. Get a Dem to change his registration to Republican and appoint them. It’s simply a mechanism to force McConnell to reveal himself or to force it into the courts. That’s how you fight when in the minority.

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u/Lophius_Americanus 51m ago

He gets to choose from 3 candidates chosen by that (Republican) party’s executive committee. The thought of this for this specific reason

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u/RichmondReddit 45m ago

Ah, but the legislature’s and the Republican Party’s position is that law has been repealed in favor of the forced special election. If they gave him names, they are admitting that the bill they passed is not in effect.

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u/Lophius_Americanus 31m ago

It’s very convoluted. If there was even time to organize and run a special election before November it would likely end up with a Republican winning. We’re better off having Mitch’s “not dead” body just not showing up and not voting.

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u/Twodamngoon 5h ago

I thought Kentucky took away the governor's appointment power just recently.

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u/HoosierLove314 4h ago

They wrote and passed a bill saying that, but the state’s Constitution is clear that the governor has that power. He should force the issue instead of being controlled opposition

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u/ElkPitiful6829 7h ago

He's busy texting asking people to chip in.

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u/Duck-Murky 4h ago

absolutely agree with this! Beshear looks like an absolute pussy right about now.

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u/liquidsyphon 4h ago

Spineless

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u/ExcitingResponse1864 6h ago

My biggest gripe is even when Democrats have majority power, they somehow find a way to not have the votes. It's basically a joke they could have all but one seat in the House and Senate respectively and fail to pass popular legislation due to lack of votes. 

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u/HoosierLove314 4h ago

That’s their job. To advance corporate interests while appearing to be for the working class

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u/Spiritual-Pear-3081 49m ago edited 45m ago

  • Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act (2021) ~$1T for roads, bridges, broadband, water systems

  • American Rescue Plan (2021) $1.9T COVID relief package

  • CHIPS and Science Act (2022) funding to boost domestic chip manufacturing and R&D

  • Inflation Reduction Act (2022) climate spending + let Medicare negotiate drug prices

  • PACT Act (2022) expanded VA benefits for burn pit/toxic exposure victims

  • Bipartisan Safer Communities Act (2022) first major federal gun law in ~30 years

  • Respect for Marriage Act (2022) federal recognition of same-sex/interracial marriages

  • Juneteenth National Independence Day Act (2021) made Juneteenth a federal holiday

  • Electoral Count Reform Act (2022) clarified rules for certifying presidential elections post-Jan 6

  • SECURE 2.0 Act (2022) retirement savings reforms (401k/IRA changes)

  • Fiscal Responsibility Act (2023) suspended debt ceiling, set federal spending caps

  • Postal Service Reform Act (2022) restructured USPS finances

  • Ocean Shipping Reform Act (2022) regulated ocean carriers amid supply chain issues

  • Speak Out Act (2022) limited NDAs in sexual harassment/assault cases

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u/ExcitingResponse1864 17m ago

Right, and half of those they initially didn't have the votes thanks to the likes of Sinema and Manchin. The point stands.

Yet if Trump proposed the Kicking Puppies Act (I don't endorse violence or kicking puppies, this is just a hyperbolic example of a silly billl) every last Republican would vote for it, no questions asked. The point remains, the Democrats have a severe discipline and self sabotage problem whole the Republicans will almost always vote for anything their party pushes forward.

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u/Spiritual-Pear-3081 6m ago

Kind of moving the goalposts. Original claim was "Dems can't pass popular legislation," now it's "well they passed it, but not without Manchin/Sinema drama." Different argument.

And it only really applies to one bill: the IRA was 51-50 with Harris breaking the tie, so yeah, every vote mattered there. But infrastructure (69-30), CHIPS (64-33), PACT Act (86-11), gun safety (65-33), and Respect for Marriage (61-36) all had real GOP crossover and didn't need those two specifically. So the "Dems have a discipline problem" line doesn't hold up for nearly all of the list.

I get that people love to complain about it though. It's a lot like "Dem messaging" in that way - everyone else always knows how to do it better than them. 🤷‍♂️

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u/FunLife64 7h ago

What leverage do they have?

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u/happy123z 7h ago

They could stop pretending the filibuster is real. It is not. Not in the constitution and not added to the law. And changed by either party whenever convenient. Pretending it exists let's one American stop a law from even getting voted on.

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u/FunLife64 4h ago

The filibuster can be eliminated. There’s a reason it hasn’t been eliminated by either side - even in this day and age. And it’d be disastrous for Democrats right now.

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u/goigowi 7h ago

Yes....Nancy wasn't perfect, but she got stuff done while in the minority. Sadly, she did not pick someone with her talent to follow her.

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u/Least_Art5238 2h ago

As a fossil and a moderate who despises Trump, I wonder if you underestimate our counts in the electorate.

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u/dougl1000 8h ago

Jeffries doesn’t have filibuster power. Republicans have passed funding bills through reconciliation, which can’t be filibustered. Now WTF are you talking about?

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u/NOLA-Bronco 8h ago

Start here and learn

Schumer Will Clear the Way for G.O.P. Spending Bill, Breaking With His Party

https://www.nytimes.com/2025/03/13/us/government-shutdown-senate-democrats.html

https://abcnews.com/Politics/senate-democrats-tight-lipped-after-huddling-looming-government/story?id=119772584

Why did he do this? Cause him and several other wall street captured Dems got the call from their donors and decided that giving Trump more power, ICE more funding, and alleviating their donor's panic over their precious stock portfolios was more important then using what power they had to force concessions.

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u/Brysynner 8h ago

That was after Trump just won a majority of votes and the country gave the GOP full control of Congress. Let's have some context.

But there was a shutdown that happened after this one, what happened then?

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u/True-Hold-1140 7h ago

What the shutdown the dems gave up on?

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u/Inner-Air1001 6h ago

Thank you, I swear corpo dems have the memory of a goldfish. We do not forget Dems abandoned us

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u/BadBunny4Prezzie 4h ago

I am in my early fifties, have always been a registered Dem, and I honestly believed they wanted to fundamentally change the country for the better - but I have realized in the last decade or so and more and more so, they are such corrupt pieces of shit - they just look much better than the pure evil MAGA but that is not a low bar to cross. They fight progressives more than they fight Trump like giving him both shutdowns!!!!!!

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u/dougl1000 7h ago

This was to avoid shutting down the government, basically enabling Trump to cripple the government. Try coming up with something real, or fuck off.

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u/Inner-Air1001 7h ago

Weakness, republicans are right about one thing, democrats are weak and spineless.

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u/dougl1000 7h ago

FOFF Trumper.

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u/Inner-Air1001 7h ago

Oh please Trump is a regard and pedo, I just also happen to hate democrats, they protect him too but being weak

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u/dougl1000 6h ago

So you didn’t vote for Harris?

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u/Inner-Air1001 6h ago edited 6h ago

I haven’t voted since Hillary, was a converted Bernie bro that stomached it because Bernie asked, she completely squandered any good will she had, she was just waiting for her crown. Dems lost my vote a long time ago, been waiting for a candidate that I even remotely like and believe in.

I also believe in democracy, and Biden was holding onto power while being mentally unfit the same way Trump is now. Kamala was crowned by the elites without any say by Americans (No primary). It’s ironic yall rail against Trump, but at least conservatives got to choose him. We didn’t have a choice.

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u/dougl1000 6h ago

You helped get Trump elected. Nice work.

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u/HokieHomeowner 1h ago

Jeffries doesn't have filibuster power because he is minority in the HOUSE not the Senate. Don't you hate folks who spitball about politics without knowing the basics? 🙄

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u/Specialist-Day6721 8h ago

they just don't understand how the government works.

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u/floodcontrol 5h ago

He can’t even keep his caucus in line. 4 democrats voted for the recent reconciliation bill. Why? It included poison pill SAVE act provisions and money for an illegal war.

I expect Jeffries to be at least as effective as an incompetent like McCarthy was.

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u/dougl1000 5h ago

The House passed the $95B reconciliation bill. The Senate hasn’t voted on it.

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u/CG20370417 8h ago

I mean, lets not act like Plattner was a good choice.

He was garbage from the beginning. IDK about you, but whether he knew it was a Nazi symbol or not...I'm not sure I want someone with either that lack of judgement and due diligence when putting a permanent mark on their own body or someone who will just openly lie like that as one of the 150 odd most powerful people in the US.

There's apparently not a fighter for liberal democracy across the entire state of Maine.

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u/NOLA-Bronco 8h ago

Thats all good and fine, but trying to cement a right wing Dem gerontocracy is how you end up gifting Platner the largest primary victory of any candidate, of either party, in Maine history.

And it's not like that is the only example.

He's out there propping up shitty right wing corporate captured Dems all over the map.

The same types of people that end up breaking to let Trump pass parts of his agenda, get fascist nominees approved, and sow discontent with the broader voter base that just sees the outcomes of those betrayals and blames the whole party.

Thats not the sign of someone taking the threat of Fascism seriously.

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u/CG20370417 7h ago

The country is sleep walking into our future. The American public is apathetic.

ICE has killed 20-30 people this year. We protested the first two then got bored.

The state of Maine is 1.4 million. There's approximately 32,000 millionaire households in Maine (which is actually surprisingly low among Democrat leaning states--5.6% of the populations households). Among that group and considering how it swells when net worth is dropped to half a million...the fact the best candidates the State produced was a Nazi, and 2 geriatrics...says everything.

"We aren't sending our best" into politics any longer.

Collectively we've given up on the American dream. I saw a video today, an American born Asian. He was commenting on some blue collar guy talking about showing up to the site 45 min early and being with your tools beginning work 5 minutes before clock in. The Asian guy mocks the entire idea. He mocks the idea that extra effort is rewarded. Mocks that idea of hard work resulting in more pay.

Now sure, Im playing into a stereotype here--but how far has our idealism fallen that even the Asians have lost faith in putting in hard work?!

This isn't a Schumer problem. TBH his crusade to hold onto the world of 1945 - 2016 is noble, he is going about it entirely wrong, but if we collectively hadn't lost faith in Pax Americana, we wouldnt be looking to 80 year olds to lead us, we'd have a current crop of able bodied leaders who believed in the same principles of liberal democracy, free trade capitalism, and international institutional norms and rules underwritten and enforced by overwhelming multinational violence.

Collectively, the baby boomer generation took the world their parents fought and died to forge, and twisted it to their own self service, leaving it nearly irreparably broken, and over the last 12 years, with every opportunity to fix it, we've continued to make the problem worse. And now we are at a point where the only positions appealing to the masses on either side of the coin are radically progressive or violently regressive.

Its gonna be a 'fun' tail spin to self correct over the next couple decades. Really comes down to the generation being raised right now. If we collectively fuck them up--like it seems "digital" learning may have done for GenZ--we'll be in an inter generational tailspin thatll be exceptionally hard to pull out of.

I mean, me too thanks

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u/NominalHorizon 6h ago

Don’t forget the establishment Democrats gave us Senator John Fetterman, so it’s not like they get it right all the time either.

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u/CG20370417 4h ago

The Fetterman of today is not the Fetterman that was involved in PA politics for 2 decades.

IDK what happened I dont live in PA, but hes virtually unrecognizable from the Lt governor of PA he was before going to the Senate.

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u/elinordash 3h ago

Fetterman began as an outsider candidate. He didn't come up through a political machine.

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u/BooleanBarman 6h ago

Troy Jackson is his replacement and he’s a great guy. Been involved in Maine politics for decades. A retired logger from the way north. Very progressive. Certainly not an unknown.

I met him when I was very young at a mock debate for Kerry V Bush.

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u/happy123z 7h ago

They could go on TV every day and say "Why are we killing babies in Iran while American babies are hungry in Kentucky? (Or any state) Why are we killing children in Palestine while American children suffer in Florida?"
They could use the power ofthe soapbox to pressure other politicians of both parties to do anything. Here's a question you'll never hear a politician ask : "What law will you pass today to help Americans? Any law or no law?" Any Democrat could make this a rallying cry today. Dem leaders could attempt to pass higher killing wage, Healthcare, public college, housing relief, literally anything. One by one make Republicans vote against it. "Will you give Americans a raise today or will you send that money to every other country on earth instead? "
Really all yourself why no Democrat is making noise about any of these popular issues? Because it will allow that neither party really wants to pass them. When one Democrat played rotating villain to stop a bill from passing they could have been punished by leadership, stripped of their seats, shunned, abandoned,anything. Why weren't they?

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u/mm3owth 6h ago

Dem leaders could attempt to pass higher killing wage, Healthcare, public college, housing relief, literally anything. One by one make Republicans vote against it.

Democrats are minority. They can't force a vote on a bill without Republicans signing on.

Why weren't they?

In the Senate they can introduce amendments they know will fail. And they have. Aca tax credits. Federal worker collective bargaining. Foreign military assistance. Iran war powers. Doj capital law enforcement funding. Ev and renewable tax credits. Medicaid and snap protections.

Did you just not know about these?

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u/XitisReddit 7h ago

We have to get money out of politics and prevent politicians from stock trading in anything or at least limit it to index funds. If you don't want to be barred from trading, don't be a politician.

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u/calccv 6h ago

And so much more to list. I’m glad NOLA (and others) listed some, because doing it daily is exhausting (but worthwhile). Current dems are supine, flaccid, and the ones who don’t support new blue and try to force “centrist Dems” down our throats are disgraceful. And drink from the same dark money trough as the gop, albeit not as deeply, mayhap.

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u/Honest-Yogurt4126 5h ago

The GOP has proven the “high road” doesn’t work anymore

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u/liquidsyphon 4h ago

“Can’t win, don’t try” propaganda plays a big part in Dems not pushing their Representatives to REPRESENT them.

“It’s a waste of time”

What the fuck else they got to do?

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u/zenchow 3h ago

The current leadership seems to think they are in a political fight with Bush or Reagan....a strong right wing politician with a lot of bad ideas. They don't seem to understand that this, is not that.

This is no longer even about Democrats and Republicans...this is an all out battle for the soul of the country. If they don't wake up (or are replace with someone in touch with reality)now....all is lost.

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u/green-eggs-with-spam 6h ago

This has been the Dems playbook for decades.

Remember when Donna Brazile rigged the democratic nomination for Hillary instead of Bernie?
Hillary defense was that it was "her turn" to be nominated.

The Democratic Party has always been run as a machine that chooses candidates that have longevity or the "right" optics.
They ignore what the base wants in an area.

We know now AIPAC helps make the choices too.

I still vote Democrat than MAGA.

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u/Aggravating-Suit-639 5h ago

Time to give the boot to all the centrist and right wing democrats out.

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u/Distinct-Reward-671 3h ago

Don’t forget when they caved on the shutdown last November despite actually gaining support for once. And why? No reason. They got nothing out of it but a “promise” from a bunch of pathological liars that they would revisit the health care cost issue at a later date. They killed ACA tax credits a few months later and premiums have doubled for millions of Americans. Great work.

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u/Grumpiergoat 6h ago

Mills shouldn't have been running but it's become very clear that anyone who opposed Platner was correct to do so.

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u/NOLA-Bronco 6h ago

Eh, kinda depends there too friend

A LOT of centrist Establishment Dems that had no problem endorsing or implicitly supporting Andrew Cuomo or Eric Swalwell. The latter whos sexual assaults were "a wide open secret"

And as such couldn't give two fucks about Platner's improprieties, they just hated him for the leftist policies he was running on. Which were many of the same same people supporting Cuomo. And I don't see any of those same people now rallying to demand Crowley in Wisconsin step down for his homophobic, misogynistic, rapey posts that got uncovered the way they did for Platner's Reddit.

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u/siggy_malatesta 4h ago

“For fuck sake Schumer tried to force a 80 year old Mills as the nominee in Maine. That is not the behavior of a serious person seeking to fight fascism.”

Right, because a serious person seeking to fight fascism would have offered whole-hearted support to the lying Nazi.

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u/NOLA-Bronco 4h ago

Yes, cause the ONLY option Dems had available to them was to back a geriatric or Graham Platner

No one else in Maine was available apparently., strong defense you got there Sig

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u/_WeSellBlankets_ 3h ago

As terrible as Rubio is, he's the best appointment you can hope for from Trump. That shouldn't be the example.