• WoodScientist@sh.itjust.works
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      1 month ago

      They could start with traveling with armed guards, or more specifically, law enforcement under their own lawful command. Then they can start actually exercising their authority and right to inspect federal facilities such as ICE detention centers. This is the right of every member of Congress. Any ICE or other agents that try to stop them are violating state and federal law. If ICE agents try to stop them, then they should have those ICE agents arrested on the spot.

      But really, what they should be doing is stop looking for excuses, like you seem to be doing here. Republicans manage to delay and wring concessions out of Democrats when they’re out of power. But the Democrats were unwilling to use the debt ceiling or temporary budget bill earlier this year to demand concessions. They just said, “well, it would be really bad if the government shut down, guess we can’t do anything!”

      Or they could use other Congressional powers. For example, they should be reading banned books, censored scientific articles, and information deleted from government web pages directly into the Congressional record.

      But beyond that, they need rhetoric that isn’t cowardly. They should be in speech after speech, calling for the prosecution of ICE agents. They should be up there every day reminding everyone that there are no statutes of limitations for crimes against humanity. And in case of a pardon, they should be promising to ship ICE agents off the the Hague for trial.

      And on and on. There are tons of things they could be doing. Many of these involve putting their actual persons at risk. But Democrats are leaders in name only. They have no interest in actually leading. They’re just there to collect a paycheck. When they’re out of power, they wring their hands and say, “we don’t have a majority, what do you propose we do?” When they’re in power, they wring their hands and say, “we only have a small majority, what do you propose we do?”

      • dejected_warp_core@lemmy.world
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        1 month ago

        Or they could use other Congressional powers. For example, they should be reading banned books, censored scientific articles, and information deleted from government web pages directly into the Congressional record.

        I really like this one. A “climate change report filibuster” would be an excellent way to obstruct and protest.