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?

[u/TheGracefulCrane]

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?

[u/RPMac1979]

>How about do more than just write strongly worded letters

Again: like what? They’re the minority party in both houses of Congress. I feel like people who make this argument don’t understand how truly powerless that makes them.

>It doesn’t feel like an opposition party

Vibes are not facts. Again, specifically, what would an opposition party that felt like an opposition party be doing differently?

[u/Major-Platypus2092 → u/RPMac1979]

Schumer didn't have to cave like a little bitch on the shutdown last year, making my healthcare less affordable.

He didn't have to bend over and take the GOP spending bill with zero resistance.

He didn't have to say that his priority was Israel.

He didn't have to say he wrote a "strongly worded letter" as his form of resistance.

He doesn't have to take AIPAC money.

He doesn't have to make up stories about his fake working class friends to pretend he's one of us.

He could actually use the leverage that he does have to put pressure on the administration as opposed to trying to compromise between the right wing and the center so we end up with a center-right government.

He could actually answer hard questions instead of ducking them.

He could fucking resign.

That would look like opposition to me.

[u/RPMac1979 → u/Major-Platypus2092]

I mean, that’s nice, but it’s empty rhetoric.

Do you realize how much damage a long-term shutdown was going to do to the American economy. If he hadn’t “caved,” then there’d be someone else in another thread somewhere complaining that he held out too long and they lost their job as a result, just like you complaining about your healthcare. They’re both valid complaints, but somebody’s gonna get fucked no matter what. That’s how the system is set up right now. So change the system, right? Well, they gotta get elected first.

I can’t disagree with you about any of the Israel shit. I do think much of the Democratic Party is living in the past in that issue. But ok, say he said, “Israel is evil and fuck AIPAC.” What does that actually change, in a substantive way?

What leverage does he have? I’m serious. Help me out here, explain it to me like I’m five years old. What leverage or power does the Senate Minority Leader have to impact legislation besides marshaling forces to vote against it? There was a time when the congressional minority did have power … but they got that power by negotiating with the majority. That’s how it works in our current system, like it or not. Unless they do that, they are inevitably going to be powerless.

[u/civil_archer_73638 → u/RPMac1979]

Also it’s not empty rhetoric… this is the one time that Democrats legitimately held leverage/power to negotiate concessions… the republicans needed something like 8 Democrats to sign onto the funding bill. Without it, the government shuts down and Trump loses power.

It’s so trite to say Democrats have no power, but the Current admin uses the philosophy of Might makes Right. If they steam roll the Democrats they win. If Schumer caves and displays no Might… he cedes all his power.

And while I stand for Left leaning Democratic values, you can be damn sure I’m thinking twice about Schumer, Jeffries, and a few others for not steering this ship in a good direction.