Robert Reich: In the next two months, Senate Democrats can...

[highplainsdem]

-Fill 47 judicial vacancies

-Ensure a Dem majority on the NLRB

-Appoint key regulators to the SEC and FDIC to protect the American people from financial fraud

-Reappoint FTC Chair Lina Khan

Democrats need to act. Now.

Link to tweet

[Docreed2003]

1. K&R

[AllyCat]

2. Love this! Things we can DO.

I'm tired of hearing how bad it will be. Just about any of us here, know how bad it will be.

I want to know WHAT WE CAN DO.

This is a great start.

[bdamomma]

10. State level

is where you start.

[AllyCat]

29. Yup. Change your statehouses!

[Elessar Zappa]

3. Wow, 47 judicial seats!

Do it ASAP!

[julmur]

23. Judges

Why weren’t these filled already??!!

[John Shaft]

4. ALL THE PEOPLE WITH MONEY, COMFORT, AND PRIVILEGE ON BOTH SIDES

think the rules still apply.

My god, it will hurt when those so high up fall.

THE UNITED STATES WILL BE A LAWLESS ROGUE STATE IN A FEW MONTHS.

Trump and his MAGAt trash aim to impose their twisted will on EVERYTHING . . . whether you like it or not.

[slightlv]

11. They'll push their will, as long as it aligns with Putin's.

My belief is we'll end up being a satellite state of Russia... like Crimea, etc. I just wish I believed that, as it is happening, all those screaming left=socialism/communism will finally make the connection that it's really "Right=communism" (although they won't even be able to get the communism correct!). In fact, we'll just be one large conglomeration of states (a confederation), with very little to bind one state to another.

[dalton99a]

5. Do it ASAP.

[the_liberal_grandpa]

6. Don't hold your breath because

I heard that Dick Durbin will still honor blue slips so a republican senator from the state where a judicial vacancy is being filled can stop it.

Our leaders in the Senate are absolutely weak because they still think that they can reason with the other side.

Until that changes the senate will continue to let us down.

[Jit423]

13. Flood Durbin's mail, email, and phones pushing against this. The GOP will NOT reciprocate when they are in power.

Disappointed in Durbin

[bdamomma]

32. There is no such

thing as bipartisanship. Not with these traitors. They are Russian sympathizers or should I say assets.

[Amaryllis]

26. WHat is a blue slip?

[MadameButterfly]

36. A Senator can veto a federal judge nomination in his

own state. This is not a law but a norm, thus Durbin could choose to ignore it. Republicans have every incentive to veto judge appointments until Trump is president, so no appts. will be made in states with R Senators unless Durbin relents.

This is why a judge in Ohio just rescinded his retirement. There wasn't a replacement that both Sherrod Brown and Vance would approve. I suspect Vance wanted the vacancy kept open.

[Bettie]

46. Durbin....I voted for him when I lived in Illinois

now, so many years later, he has no fight in him. Republicans don't honor blue slips, but of course, he thinks he has to.

We need some people who are willing to fight for what's right, not for a one-sided "politeness" that has never in recent history been used by right wingers.

[Submariner]

7. Designate the 'coastal plain'

of the Alaska National Wildlife Refuge a National Monument, protecting it from development forever.

Clinton wouldn’t do it, but Biden should for the sake of saving some gawddamn fucking patch of land for posterity. Haven’t we lost enough Alaska wilderness and wildlife to oil already?

[Fla Dem]

8. Would like to know what's he's doing about it. Is he talking to Bill Clinton? He was in his cabinet.

Call him and and tell him HE needs to act, and Hillary too.

Is he calling other political influential Democrats and personally asking them what they are doing?

Is he picking up the phone and calling Joe Biden encouraging him to put pressure on our Democratic Senators.
What are top Democratic politicians, analysts, donors doing?

I would love to have some influence but unfortunately, I'm in Floraida and I don't count for much.

[KPN]

15. He informed his readers for a start. And one of

them just informed us. The real question: what are we and his readers going to do about it?

[Fla Dem]

31. Well that was sort of my point in my response. We can call our Reps and senators

but we carry little influence. Me, as I stated virtually none.

I want to know what he is doing along with other influential people. It's easy for him to jump on twitter and in so many words shout out to who? Us? And what does he expect us to do? Does he think the people who do have some influence will read his twitter post. I doubt many do on a regular basis.

I just want him, with other well known, respected Democrats to use whatever influence they may have to band together and form a coalition; Bill and Hillary Clinton, Obama, and other Democratic politicians that may no longer be in office but going forward can still be a loud force in bringing Trump's actions to the public. Because to be honest, I'm not sure a large segment of the population really understands what's ahead.

[elleng]

41. Right.

[elleng]

40. Reich teaches, writes, and informs whomever will pay attention.

He has a decent following, but little political influence, as had a falling out with Clintons, I recall.

[Trust_Reality]

9. Hey Senators. DO IT

[progressoid]

12. C'mon Dems.

DO IT!


Of course that presumes the NRLB , FTC, SEC and the FDIC won't get defunded. Or worse.

[elleng]

42. Right. Fortunately would take time to 'defund' or worse the agencies you named;

there are many who are interested in their preservation.

[Tweedy]

14. Yes! Please!

[liberalla]

16. Do it now! Let's get it going!

Thank you Robert Reich!

[ananda]

17. Here is the Bluesky link:

https://bsky.app/profile/imcivicaction.bsky.social/post/3layziovbbm2u

[kimbutgar]

18. But couldn't the orange monster undo this with an executive order?

I think it’s it a great suggestion though.

[Emile]

19. They need to work through the holidays.

[cheri010353]

20. How about the Postal Board of Governers?

Aren't there 2 nominees who haven't been approved yet? Then they could get rid of Dejoy before the inauguration and maybe get a Postmaster General who isn't hellbent on privatizing our Post Office.

[Bluetus]

21. And Biden can press the USPS Board to dump DeJoy

[spanone]

22. K&R

[Diraven]

24. Can almost guarantee

They won't do any of this stuff. It would cut into their holiday vacations.

[cheri010353]

25. How about the Postal Board of Governers?

Aren't there two nominees who haven't been appointed yet? Then maybe they could get rid of Dejoy and appoint someone who isn't hellbent on destroying our Postal Service.

[zipplewrath]

27. I thought of that too

Dejoy is still there and Trump will leave him there.

[LastLiberal in PalmSprings]

38. Biden appointed one of two USPS board members when two seats were available

President Biden nominated Marty Walsh to the USPS Board of Governors, filling one of the two vacancies. Federal law requires that no more than five members of the board be from the same political party. This means Biden could appoint another Democrat to the remaining vacancy, but he hasn't done so yet. The board currently has three Republicans, three Democrats, and one independent. This balance ensures diverse perspectives and compliance with the law.

You could hear the Dems scream when Biden missed this opportunity to get rid of DeJoy.

As of 11/15/24, there is one vacant seat to be filled.

[jaxexpat]

43. "...Biden could appoint another Democrat to the remaining vacancy, but he hasn't done so yet."

This is depressing. What reason is there that this hasn't been done already? How many other things have gone undone in addition to not jailing Trump and his minions for televised crimes? Is this even true?

I'd like for Joe to simply give a speech, a wrap up of his term. Explain what needs to be done, why he didn't do it already and name the names of the obstructors. For instance, tell the world that Bibi, with the support of Putin and Trump, holds the US and his own nation's population hostage, hampering their roles toward middle east peace and prosperity and driving a huge wedge in the American psyche. Caligula, along with Nero, has arisen from his tomb promising some new material and well-rehearsed replays of his classics, couldn't we, as loyal "life-time" subscribers, get a peak preview of the forthcoming specialties the 21st century coliseum has on tap?

If he walks off the stage without explaining the causes for the forthcoming horror show the nation would have a right to feel betrayed. At least tell it straight, remove the rose-colored glasses from our perception of the current state of affairs. If he's incapable of giving a speech, have some AI read his speech. It worked for Stephen Hawking and he had more profound truths to share than any politician.

This stew's growing stale, restating its repetition with only conjecture as witness. Like Lennon said, "just give me some truth."

[LastLiberal in PalmSprings]

47. He won't do it, but Biden should pre-emptively pardon all of the thousands of people

who are on T***p's revenge list. He still has the power to it. You could just go through his speeches and see who he's planned to "get even with."

The Trumpsters will scream bloody murder, but the president has near-absolute power over who gets pardoned. TFG showed that.

Like I said, Biden is nice to do this, he respects the institution of the government to make waves like that.

For god's sake, the man is so f*cking petty he's going to sic the DOJ on the woman in Idaho who predicted he wouldn't carry that state!

[AltairIV]

28. They could....

but they won't.

[usonian]

30. AND

Give Ukraine what it needs to obliterate Putin (the founder of this shit feast) IPSO PRONTO.

Do what 💩 can't undo.

Among other things above my pay grade. Like changing all the ciphers and nuclear codes AND TAKING THEM HOME.

It's an official act to prevent world war and the doxxing of EVERY DAMN agent and asset.

[jaxexpat]

44. I like the cut of your jib, usonian.

[usonian]

45. I'm mad as hell and twice as serious.

Full ramming speed ahead!

[Katcat]

33. Can

But will they?

[DiverDave]

34. They should but

They won't.

[FoxNewsSucks]

35. They won't. They never do.

Not only is DeJoy still ruining the Post Office, we haven't and won't see the unredacted Mueller Report.

Hell, they'll probably suppress Jack Smith's report too.

It's fucking depressing, seeing time pissed away when there are things like in the OP which could be done.

[AlexSFCA]

37. unlike GOP, dems rarely prioritize judicial confirmations

all those should have already been filled.

[Progressive dog]

39. That should br their focus

Laws can be overturned by the incoming Trump hoards.