• earphone843@sh.itjust.works
        link
        fedilink
        English
        arrow-up
        1
        ·
        1 day ago

        It’s helpful to point out to people that following established rules doesn’t work when the people in power disregard them with impunity.

        There’s not going to be a legal or political uno reverse card that will stop what’s happening. The only established mechanism that still exists to get us out of this is if the military does its duty and protects us from the domestic threat to the constitution.

        But, with Trump replacing the joint chiefs and top JAG members, I’m not betting on that happening.

        People need to stop living in the fantasy of, “we just have to wait it out for 2-4 years.”

    • usernamesAreTricky@lemmy.ml
      link
      fedilink
      arrow-up
      0
      ·
      1 day ago

      Because they do have power if they’re willing to use it. It can slow them down. For instance,

      They have subpoenas. Make republicans have to spend all their time talking about all the horrible things they’re doing to the floor. Remove all their time to do said horrible things because they’re too busy testifying

      If they don’t testify, they can put people in contempt of congress which can be enforced by the Sergeant at Arms. This is something that did happen to Steve Bannon when he refuesed to testify for the Jan 6th committee. Not just a hypothetical power

      • Nightwingdragon@lemmy.world
        link
        fedilink
        English
        arrow-up
        1
        ·
        1 day ago

        Because they do have power if they’re willing to use it. It can slow them down. For instance,

        Chuck Schumer had that power last week. Look how well that turned out. That’s what you’re basing your hopes on?

        They have subpoenas. Make republicans have to spend all their time talking about all the horrible things they’re doing to the floor. Remove all their time to do said horrible things because they’re too busy testifying

        Actually, no. Democrats have no subpoena power or ability to hold official hearings while in the minority.

        If they don’t testify, they can put people in contempt of congress which can be enforced by the Sergeant at Arms. This is something that did happen to Steve Bannon when he refuesed to testify for the Jan 6th committee. Not just a hypothetical power

        I wouldn’t exactly use Steve Bannon as a prime example. It took years for him to see any consequence at all, and he got a bare minimum. He got, what, 4 months? For the amount of money Bannon is making off of riding Trump’s dick, I’d sit in a jail cell for 4 months too.

        And I’ll counter your argument with Jim Jordan. Ignored subpoenas. Didn’t even get so much as a censure in the house for ignoring their own subpoena, let alone any form of punishment at all. If you for half a second think a Republican-led House is going to charge a prominent, full-throated MAGA member and chair of the Judiciary Committee with contempt, order his arrest, and have him jailed for non-compliance, I have beachfront property on Mars you may be interested in.

        Your rationale goes on the premise that traditional norms and laws still apply. They do not. When the people who are in charge of enforcing those laws and norms are actively telling you that they’re not going to enforce them, those laws aren’t worth the paper they’re printed on.

        • usernamesAreTricky@lemmy.ml
          link
          fedilink
          arrow-up
          0
          arrow-down
          1
          ·
          1 day ago

          Chuck Schumer had that power last wee

          And the senate would not need to be involved here. All but 1 house dems did vote against it when there was a real chance to stop it (it wasn’t 100% certain that republicans had the vors in the house)

          House dems are livid at Schumer. The house has been better at opposing - it’s just that their powers are much more limited while in the minority are more limited compared to the senate.

          Democrats have no subpoena power or ability to hold official hearings while in the minority

          The context was in flipping the house. They would be in the majority in that scenario

          If you for half a second think a Republican-led House

          Again the context was flipping the house

          • Catma@lemmy.world
            link
            fedilink
            arrow-up
            0
            ·
            1 day ago

            Ok and assumming they flip the house what are they going to do? They can do all the hearings and pass out a metric fuckton of subpoenas, what makes you think anyone in this administration listens or shows up? I am pretty sure they did that the first time around, and people shook their fingers and sent very mean letters to no avail.

            Whose to say Ttump then doesnt just dismiss congress? Whose gonna fucking stop him?

            • usernamesAreTricky@lemmy.ml
              link
              fedilink
              arrow-up
              1
              ·
              1 day ago

              If they don’t testify, they can put people in contempt of congress which can be enforced by the Sergeant at Arms. This is something that did happen to Steve Bannon when he refuesed to testify for the Jan 6th committee. Not just a hypothetical power

              The Sergeant at Arms is part of the house, not the executive

              If Trump tries to illegally dismissing congress, they could just still meet and direct the Sergeant at Arms anyway

      • earphone843@sh.itjust.works
        link
        fedilink
        English
        arrow-up
        0
        ·
        1 day ago

        Who enforces those subpoenas? Who enforces the contempt charges? Trump is in charge of all of the enforcement mechanisms.

        • usernamesAreTricky@lemmy.ml
          link
          fedilink
          arrow-up
          0
          arrow-down
          1
          ·
          1 day ago

          If they don’t testify, they can put people in contempt of congress which can be enforced by the Sergeant at Arms.

          The Sergeant at Arms as I wrote. They are part of congress. They are not part of the executive branch


          Under this process, the procedure for holding a person in contempt involves only the chamber concerned. Following a contempt citation, the person cited is arrested by the Sergeant-at-Arms of the House or Senate, brought to the floor of the chamber, held to answer charges by the presiding officer, and then subjected to punishment as the chamber may dictate (usually imprisonment for punishment, imprisonment for coercion, or release from the contempt citation).[18]

          https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Contempt_of_Congress

          The sergeant at arms of the United States House of Representatives is an officer of the House with law enforcement, protocol, and administrative responsibilities. The sergeant at arms is elected at the beginning of each Congress by the membership of the House.

          https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sergeant_at_Arms_of_the_United_States_House_of_Representatives

            • usernamesAreTricky@lemmy.ml
              link
              fedilink
              arrow-up
              1
              ·
              1 day ago

              Trump is often a paper tiger. He quite often backs down from fights the minute someone pushes back. He’s also been rather willing to throw people under the bus

              He’s not yet a dictator as much as he might be trying to make himself one. Most of his power in this moment is from people complying assuming he is. He is a lot weaker in actually getting you to do something if you resist than he wants you to believe. Don’t do his dirty work for him

              The fight isn’t over until it’s over

              • futatorius@lemm.ee
                link
                fedilink
                arrow-up
                1
                ·
                13 hours ago

                That’s a critical point: Trump is a bully, but like most bullies, he’s also a coward.