this post was submitted on 14 Mar 2025
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[–] usernamesAreTricky@lemmy.ml 86 points 1 month ago* (last edited 1 month ago) (3 children)

Call your senators, they can still block this despite Schumers push. The vote is tomorrow. If all republican vote for it, they need 7 dems. 8 with Rand Paul who has said he'll vote no. (Republicans are not using reconciliation so it needs the the filibuster)

Many senate dems are publicly coming out against voting for cloture (meaning they won't vote to let it get through the filibuster). As of what I last read, around ~~11~~ 10 dems are thought to potentially vote to let it pass filibuster. Most of those are still not sure. We only need a handful more of those to become noes and it will get blocked. Some yeses have flipped to noes because of public pressure. We cannot let up now

Link to find direct numbers your senators

https://www.senate.gov/senators/senators-contact.htm

Or call the capitol switch board (202) 224-3121

House dems are publicly telling the senate not to do this (and it's not just AOC on this - it's quite a few of them). Earlier read that 7 Dem state AGs are saying the same. Federal worker unions are telling senate dems not do this. Keep the pressure up

[–] takeda@lemm.ee 9 points 1 month ago* (last edited 1 month ago) (1 children)

One thing to keep in mind though...

I was outraged a minute ago, but now I'm not sure.

When the government is shut down, so are the courts, and we need them.

How one branch is capable to shut down apparently a co-equal branch of the government?

[–] usernamesAreTricky@lemmy.ml 21 points 1 month ago (1 children)

Not immediately

Unlike executive branch agencies, the federal courts can continue operations for about two weeks following a government shutdown. When a shutdown loomed in September 2019, the U.S. federal courts confirmed they could use reserve or carryover funds accumulated from various revenue sources not dependent on Congress, such as case filing fees. When courts are on notice that a government shutdown may be looming, they can take steps to conserve funds by deferring non-critical expenses — for example, by curbing travel, new hires, and certain contracts.

https://judicialstudies.duke.edu/2024/05/how-a-u-s-government-shutdown-impacts-courts-access-to-justice/

Plus voting in favor of this CR would be codifying much of what these cases are about. Many of the illegal spending cuts would become legal until September making the cases moot.

It would also fuck over DC local government in a way the executive branch cannot easily do. Congress can control DC budgets but very little of the DC budget comes from federal money (<1%) where Trump could mess with. The CR has a clause to cut $1 billion from their budget despite that not saving the federal government any money

[–] takeda@lemm.ee 12 points 1 month ago (1 children)

That's a good point. Looks like both ways are bad, but voting yes, still looks worse.

[–] usernamesAreTricky@lemmy.ml 18 points 1 month ago

Indeed, there's a reason the Federal Worker Unions are saying to vote against the CR despite the likely shutdown that would entail

Plus it would teach senate Republicans that they can do basically whatever they want as long as they threaten a shutdown. You have to stand up strong to bullies it's the only thing they understand

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[–] surph_ninja@lemmy.world 81 points 1 month ago (7 children)
[–] queermunist@lemmy.ml 30 points 1 month ago

Yeah, they're not meek or cowards.

They bravely stand up to their own base.

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[–] pyre@lemmy.world 66 points 1 month ago (3 children)

no one is this meek. this is collusion. they're complicit, and it's not by accident. they've always been this way.

[–] Wilco@lemm.ee 12 points 1 month ago

Democratic politicians suck up Super PAC money the same as Republicans. It's just that Republicans just do other forms of corruption out in the open because they know their voters are too stupid to notice.

Trump scamming people with memecoin currency, MAGA doesn't care.

[–] Isthisreddit@lemmy.world 8 points 1 month ago (1 children)

This is the correct take. Dems are owned by corporations, conservatives are owned by oligarchs (and corporations, but I don't think corporations are too happy with what's going on with Trump and Musk)

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[–] The_Caretaker@lemm.ee 65 points 1 month ago (1 children)

They're not meek, they're bought.

[–] limer@lemmy.dbzer0.com 26 points 1 month ago (2 children)

It’s really hard to remove bought politicians when it’s the rule and not the exception

[–] WhatAmLemmy@lemmy.world 20 points 1 month ago* (last edited 1 month ago)

That's why I am 99% certain America gets a civil war. When half the population are so mentally ill that they support Trump, and the other half so brainwashed they blame progressives for Trump — the only group that has consistently warned that conservatism and neoliberalism will result in fascism — you can't simply "deprogram" them.

One major reason Europe rebounded after WW2 is because the vast majority of fascist "true believers" died in the war, and fascist leadership was executed. Europe essentially had a political and sociological "reset". Without that, America's cancer will continue to grow and fester. If civil war does not happen, or the fascists win it, the world gets US fascist imperialism and WW3 in the 2030's; give or take a few years.

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[–] rational_lib@lemmy.world 49 points 1 month ago* (last edited 1 month ago) (2 children)

I've often been a defender of Democrats being realistic, but Schumer is on some bullshit here.

It’s unclear what, if anything, Schumer got in return for his decision to allow the House bill to proceed

Says it all right there. The Republican bill was just a list of laughably insane things they knew Democrats would oppose so they could blame the shutdown on them. It actually cuts funding of DC's local budget forcing them to fire teachers and even cops. Again, nothing to do with the federal government. It just grabs power from a local government and says that they can't use their own local tax revenues to educate kids and fight crime. It's complete rabid insanity that has no point other than to bully a blue city. And Schumer's like "Sure, ok. whatever."

[–] finitebanjo@lemmy.world 18 points 1 month ago (1 children)

The budget also cuts medicare and medicaid by some pretty substantial amounts, among many other government programs.

[–] randon31415@lemmy.world 12 points 1 month ago (1 children)

This is the CR. This allows for more time to work on that budget... which only needs 51 votes because of reconciliation.

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[–] Rhaedas@fedia.io 32 points 1 month ago (1 children)

The US has no form of vote of no confidence. So therefore no way to have consequences for bad governing outside of the voting period, which has its own problems. Importantly here is the need for quick backlash rather than wait two or more years to choose someone else (if there is anyone else allowed to be a pick).

A lot of the flaws in the government are inherent from the beginning because there were certain expectations assumed, and that a document of rules can't be perfect the first, second, or even only a third time. It needs consistent revisions to keep up with the needs of the group it is designed for. This is where the biggest failure has happened, and can be attributed to lack of attention, not wanting to change what seems to work, sacred holding of what was never meant to be set in stone, or just that it often benefited not being changed at the time by those with the power to change it.

Add to all that a very short attention spanned public, fine tuned to be ignorant and forgetful as well as easily manipulated by the simplest of sound bites.

The rot is in the walls. Not that the American Experiment was a bad thing, it's just that it wasn't maintained and updated, so you get eventual decay.

[–] usernamesAreTricky@lemmy.ml 10 points 1 month ago

Kevin McCarthy would still be the house leader if that were 100% true. Congressional leadership can changed with enough intrer-party pressure. Schumer is highly unlikely to face any expulsion vote from congress, but he could more realistically be stripped of leadership position. This is a breaking point that might actually build that pressure and we can play a roll in that by calling your senators.

Not delaying Trump's nominees with all tools (only some of them) isn't nearly serious as him pushing to give up the one piece of genuine dem leverage until September for basically no gain. Directed pressure - not on social media - but in places senators can see will let us do it. That means calling them, emailing them, hell even faxing, showing up in person to their office and town halls, etc.

Also do this for the bill vote itself too before tomorrow morning. See my comment about we can still block this vote

[–] tacobellhop@midwest.social 24 points 1 month ago (1 children)

Only if you’re ready for a decades long campaign to flip towns, cities, districts, and state level legislatures like it took the republicans from 1972 to just a month ago.

That’s what we’re up against.

[–] jimmux@programming.dev 10 points 1 month ago (2 children)

The US needs to break the two-party system so minor parties and independents actually have a chance at representation.

Of course there's no incentive for the establishment to do that. Is there any way for new candidates to run with the major parties, but on a platform to introduce preferential voting when they have the numbers? I don't know much about factions within US parties, but they certainly exist in my country, and can transform parties quickly if they think they have election-winning appeal.

It would have to happen bottom-up, as you say, so people can get comfortable with such a big change. Also, people are much more likely to elect independents at a local level.

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[–] FlashMobOfOne@lemmy.world 22 points 1 month ago (19 children)

I love how these conversations happen many times every session, but then campaign time comes and everyone calls me a Russian asset for reminding people of what the "Blue No Matter Who" mentality gets you.

[–] surewhynotlem@lemmy.world 16 points 1 month ago (32 children)

The time to have that conversation is before and during the primaries. After that, it's not a worthwhile conversation.

The message isn't the issue, your timing is.

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[–] Fedizen@lemmy.world 13 points 1 month ago

This is the proper attitude for primaries, not general elections.

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[–] Earflap@reddthat.com 22 points 1 month ago (4 children)

We're not going to give Donald Trump what he wants, so we're going to pass this spending bill that gives him everything he wants! That'll how 'im!

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[–] libra00@lemmy.world 19 points 1 month ago

You have meek fuckers in leadership because that's who the corporate/wealthy donors want there. If you want to get rid of them you're going to have to get rid of the money and influence that put them there.

[–] Ledericas@lemm.ee 19 points 1 month ago (1 children)

Here's the actual story, Schumer relented one day after GOP and DNC megadonors threaten to pull funding away from 10 Democrats.

[–] HellsBelle@sh.itjust.works 11 points 1 month ago (1 children)

So the super rich really do control everyone and everything.

Who knew?

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[–] JeeBaiChow@lemmy.world 18 points 1 month ago (1 children)

They backed down on govt funding? They backed down, didn't they?

[–] NoneOfUrBusiness@fedia.io 14 points 1 month ago (1 children)

Not they. So far it's only Schumer and Fetterman, and Fetterman was a lost cause anyway.

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[–] Formfiller@lemmy.world 17 points 1 month ago

He’s not meek he’s corrupt

[–] humanspiral@lemmy.ca 17 points 1 month ago (1 children)

Trump will destroy America and blame democrats if we don't fully back Trump destroying America, including removing congressional power to block the destruction of America while it is done.

On blame, easy path is push for clean CR that will keep government open, or reopen, when house votes on it when they feel like coming back to work. GOP will be blamed for the shutdown.

[–] UnderpantsWeevil@lemmy.world 8 points 1 month ago

DOGE is already tearing wiring out of the walls. Crazy to get weeks of "Half Department X has been fired and the budget has been slashed" articles only to hear Schumer take the blame in advance for further defunding.

[–] pinheadednightmare@lemm.ee 16 points 1 month ago (2 children)

If you’re old enough to draw Social Security, you shouldn’t hold office. Period.

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[–] Fingolfinz@lemmy.world 16 points 1 month ago (1 children)

The dnc is just controlled opposition. The Democratic Party is the only chance to push the country left but the establishment is working against it and these old fucking ghouls are the elite still and much closer to their Republican “counterparts” than they are to us.

[–] SaltSong@startrek.website 9 points 1 month ago

We have to vote the dinosaurs out of office, if we ever get to vote again.

[–] drhodl@lemmy.world 16 points 1 month ago

It's long past time for Schumer and most of the timid OLD dems, to step aside. We've had enough of failing. We need to elect people that are capable of fighting back.

[–] F_OFF_Reddit@lemmy.world 14 points 1 month ago (1 children)

They're not meek, they profit from the status quo.

These people have no business in governing modern day people, these dinosaurs need to be let go.

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[–] Xain52@lemmy.world 14 points 1 month ago (2 children)

I called my senators in new mexico to vote no. And with senator lujan the clerk said he will be voting no. So hopefully more will follow.

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[–] WrenFeathers@lemmy.world 14 points 1 month ago (4 children)

Anyone else get the feeling he’s been compromised?

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[–] ininewcrow@lemmy.ca 13 points 1 month ago (2 children)

If someone who has been in office doing their job for decades and still hasn't changed much .... why does anyone expect them to do anything different now?

[–] floofloof@lemmy.ca 13 points 1 month ago

No one does. That's why they need to go.

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[–] sudo@programming.dev 11 points 1 month ago (1 children)

Lol Trump called Schumer a "Palestinian" (now a threat) and this fucker just rolls over.

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[–] madjo@feddit.nl 10 points 1 month ago

Schumer clearly never learned that appeasing Nazis is not the way to go! Or perhaps he's a nazi is disguise.

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