So, who else is terrified for our democracy? And what can we do?

[Joinfortmill]

I see three imperatives to save our democracy: Completion of the work of the Jan 6 Committee with concurrent DOJ investigation/indictments; passage of Voting Rights legislation; and reform of the SCOTUS (expansion/term limits). We must accomplish all three of these things as quickly as possible.

Donald Trump accomplished his main mission, which was to pack the SCOTUS. Biden's Presidential Commission on the Supreme Court of the United States offered arguments for/against expansion of the SCOTUS without recommending action - 'As a Commission we have endeavored to articulate the contours of that debate as best as we understand them, without purporting to judge the weight of any of the arguments offered in favor or against calls to increase the size of the Court.'
Public consensus seems to be the Commission was more conducive to term limits.

But, given the actions of Republican State legislators to hinder/prevent Americans from voting or for their votes to even be counted and the recent rulings of the SCOTUS, I would argue it is imperative that we reform the SCOTUS as soon as possible, but that has no chance of happening unless we expand our Democratic majority in the Senate.

Clearly we are in a perilous position. The work of the Jan 6 Committee will proceed and the public hearings will undoubtedly shock the nation, which will fuel massive voter turn-out which may beat back State efforts to hinder voting rights and increase our majority in Congress. But it is not a given this will happen, especially if we can't pass Voting Rights before the 2022 elections.

TUESDAY, will be a showdown on Voting Rights: Senators will be showing their true colors

https://thehill.com/homenews/senate/589716-senate-to-take-up-voting-rights-bill-tuesday-missing-schumer-deadline
https://harvardlpr.com/2019/05/06/the-supreme-court-has-been-expanded-many-times-before-here-are-four-ways-to-do-it-today/

[Fiendish Thingy]

1. Since the Jan 6 committee is the only 1 of your 3 essentials that has a chance, only 1 option left:

Take to the streets.

Massive protests and economic boycotts are the only tools left to the average citizen when a democracy falls or becomes so corrupt that elections are meaningless charades.

Studies have shown that autocracies tend to fall when 3-4% of the population takes to the streets. In the US, that’s at least 10 million people who have to be willing to turn off their screens and hit the bricks, at the same time.

[Emile]

4. Take to the streets comes with danger. Lot of Rittenhouse wannabes out there!

[Fiendish Thingy]

17. They can't kill everyone, and if they tried, the tide would turn against them. Nt

[Joinfortmill]

11. Yeah, it might come to that.

[onecaliberal]

2. We will at least be making them take a stand for or against democracy.

It’s not a secret. We know how it’s going to go, but at least they will have to go on record.

[Joinfortmill]

12. Exactly, something they definitely don't want to do.

[Jazz Jon]

3. I am

I think the crux is that most people don't know anything about this. Our party is doing very little to get the word out. WE can call our senators and reps and ask them to start marketing this. I think I ll do just that on Monday. It will be... Senator Warren, Senator Markey, please get on the air and tell everyone that states are passing laws whereby the state legislatures can override the vote znd pick their own winners.

[PortTack]

5. Party leaders and others are out there screaming to pass voter rights and stop this gqp cheating

Jumping thru hoops to get a voting rights bill passed, I don’t call that doing nothing!

[Jazz Jon]

8. Doesn't seem that way

I don't see the screaming. I don't see press conferences. Voting rights has vanished from CNN and MSNBC in the last two days. I hear very little about how states haves made laws whereby the state legislatures can throw out the votes and pick their own winners. The talk is more vaguely about "voters suppression'" which people don't get. I give the Democratic party a C- for messaging on voting rights. They need to focus on the states overriding election results. They need to do it every day.

The United States could end as soon as November 2022. Do we have the news coverage proportional to that. Certainly not.

[PortTack]

18. Check out Marc Elias on twitter..the attorney that helped win all the cases post election

The law suits being hurled at these red states is nothing small- 7 suits against the GA bill alone.

Many of the cases will be heard in the first half of this year. It’s not a slam dunk, but the most egregious parts will not stand. States cannot send false electors or overrule popular vote...period. No matter what laws they pass

[Peregrine Took]

9. I wish there was something more we could do than phone calls.

It seems so weak and no one pays attention to emails.

Too bad we don't have telegrams anymore - they had more impact.

[Jazz Jon]

20. Call

I have decided today to call my two senators on Monday and beseach them to get on the air regarding voting rights. Warren has once that I saw, but that's not enough.

Then I will call the offices of f__k faces Sinema and Manchin. The clerks do make note of your calls. I will calmly read a prepared statement that state laws are being changed to end democracy and that they are using excuses that they themselves know to be false about the filibuster to avoid countering these laws that will end democracy.... end the United States. Monday. I will have my statement and phone numbers at the ready.

[Joinfortmill]

13. Yes.

[uponit7771]

22. Yep, poor message mechanics and were behind 8 ball

[PortTack]

6. What can we do? VOLUNTEER DONATE VOTE!!!

If you are already doing some, step up you game, if not currently doing anything GET INVOLVED!

[Joinfortmill]

14. Agree.

[0rganism]

7. Win the next batch of local elections?

The MAGAts are targeting races for state and local election officials
Us winning those races instead could help preserve the infrastructure of democracy

[Joinfortmill]

15. Agree.

[uponit7771]

23. RIGHT !! We have to have a flood of voters this election

[pwb]

10. Terrified?

All we can do is vote like hell.

[Joinfortmill]

16. Agree.

[Fiendish Thingy]

19. With new voter suppression laws, traditional electoral paradigms will not apply

Yes, voting is important, but one shouldn’t expect the same results as in the past, and if you truly think voting is “all we can do”, then democracy is already lost.

See: On Tyranny by Timothy Snyder

[pwb]

21. Some of us seniors have already taken it to the streets.

In old age we are limited. Your turn? The freak minority is loud because we have the numbers. Terrified, never. You go ahead.

[Fiendish Thingy]

24. I'm a retired senior myself, hence the withdrawal of both my consent and my presence in the U.S. nt

[pwb]

25. You don't live here and you are pushing unrest?

Nice of you.

[Fiendish Thingy]

27. I'm merely acknowledging that when democracy fails, few options remain

Voting, while important, is likely to become a charade and a futile gesture in many states since voting rights is unlikely to pass.

Who said anything about unrest? (Unrest implies violence). If you can go to the polls, you can take to the streets in peaceful protest, and you can stop buying stuff.

If 10% of the population didn’t buy anything for 30 days, the economy would go into recession, and the 1% would take notice.

[Silent3]

26. Which, by Trumpist design, will likely not be enough.

Of course I plan to vote and do what I can do encourage others to vote, but the fact that I'm not giving up doesn't mean I'm not still terrified. Our chances aren't good, vote like hell or not.

I'm hoping the dirt that comes out about the insurrection over the next few months helps the cause of Democrats, but frankly, I've lost all faith in the American public to either believe the dirt is true (as the right-wing media will continue to convince huge numbers it's all a witch hunt and a hoax, and that Democrats are the real would-be tyrants), or to pay attention and give a damn.