The problem with Democrats is that they keep playing well inside the rules and expecting Republicans will eventually stop finding creative ways to break them.
And I stand by my original comment. I don't believe for one second that adding Obama to the ticket would have resolved anything (ignoring entirely the point that he definitely didn't want that heat). The answer to Trump wanting to establish himself as god-emperor is not to pick a god-emperor you like better. I don't inherently disagree with your premise that Democratic leadership is far too soft on their pushback and strategy, I just think this example is a non-starter for most people who respect liberty.
For me, I'd point to Democrats refusal to drop the filibuster to get their agenda through then failing to leverage that filibuster once they are the minority party. What the hell was the point of hamstringing yourself if you weren't going to use the tools once you needed them Schumer?
ETA: Also, my bet would be they would elect him as speaker then have Pres/VP step down as a clearer path as opposed to picking him as VP.
While it’s not an ideal choice, I recall Lincoln saying that the Constitution is not a suicide pact. In this case, running Obama as VP wouldn’t have even been technically unconstitutional. I agree it’s debatable and ultimately unknowable if it would have turned the tide, but I think it would have been preferable to Kamala.
Agreed completely with the filibuster.
I think that in reality, no one expected Trump to go this far so fast. Republicans didn’t, Democrats didn’t. Only the most hardcore MAGA really envisioned this situation we find ourselves in now. I have to believe Obama would have stepped up had he truly believed it would be this bad.
In this case, running Obama as VP wouldn’t have even been technically unconstitutional.
If you have time, would you mind expanding on your reasoning behind this belief? To me, it seems to be pretty unambiguously unconstitutional.
Having him run as VP would be a direct violation of the last part of the 12th Amendment.
You are correct, I was only looking at the 22nd. The above scenario where he is appointed 3rd in line and the preceding 2 step down would be constitutional.
In any case, the calls for Obama to run if Trump flaunts the rules are growing. I hope he steps up if needed.
While it’s not an ideal choice, I recall Lincoln saying that the Constitution is not a suicide pact. In this case, running Obama as VP wouldn’t have even been technically unconstitutional. I agree it’s debatable and ultimately unknowable if it would have turned the tide, but I think it would have been preferable to Kamala.
Agreed completely with the filibuster.
I think that in reality, no one expected Trump to go this far so fast. Republicans didn’t, Democrats didn’t. Only the most hardcore MAGA really envisioned this situation we find ourselves in now. I have to believe Obama would have stepped up had he truly believed it would be this bad.
Fun fact, the actual terminology "suicide pact" in this context belongs to Justice Jackson in a dissenting opinion in Terminiello v City of Chicago (I knew that Free Speech course would pay off one day). I understand your point though. There are just some bridges you can't uncross and for me this feels like one. I may be lamenting my decision in the gulag one day but ¯\_(ツ)_/¯ what's a guy to do.
It'll probably sound very hindsighty but I guess I haven't really been surprised by the speed in which we've seen this movement. Political capital dries up quickly and historically authoritarian leaders have attempted to "strike while the iron is hot" as it were. Come to find out, slow boiling frogs doesn't actually work. The plans were laid out before us and the historical precedent was there. I'm not pleased we are here but I certainly haven't felt much surprise. The speed and the brutality is really the point and precisely what folks were voting for, even if they maybe didn't understand that choice in all cases.
He/Him
"A master in the art of living draws no sharp distinction between his work and his play, his labour and his leisure, his mind and his body, his education and his recreation." -L.P. Jacks
While it’s not an ideal choice, I recall Lincoln saying that the Constitution is not a suicide pact. In this case, running Obama as VP wouldn’t have even been technically unconstitutional. I agree it’s debatable and ultimately unknowable if it would have turned the tide, but I think it would have been preferable to Kamala.
Agreed completely with the filibuster.
I think that in reality, no one expected Trump to go this far so fast. Republicans didn’t, Democrats didn’t. Only the most hardcore MAGA really envisioned this situation we find ourselves in now. I have to believe Obama would have stepped up had he truly believed it would be this bad.
Fun fact, the actual terminology "suicide pact" in this context belongs to Justice Jackson in a dissenting opinion in Terminiello v City of Chicago (I knew that Free Speech course would pay off one day). I understand your point though. There are just some bridges you can't uncross and for me this feels like one. I may be lamenting my decision in the gulag one day but ¯\_(ツ)_/¯ what's a guy to do.
It'll probably sound very hindsighty but I guess I haven't really been surprised by the speed in which we've seen this movement. Political capital dries up quickly and historically authoritarian leaders have trending to "strike while the iron is hot" as it were. Come to find out, slow boiling frogs doesn't actually work. The plans were laid out before us and the historical precedent was there. I'm not pleased we are here but I certainly haven't felt much surprise. The speed and the brutality is really the point and precisely what folks were voting for, even if they maybe didn't understand that choice in all cases.
I find myself constantly wondering when my boomer in-laws who support Trump will realize that Trump is not really a conservative. Conservative boomers seem to value consistency, morality, economic prosperity, and stability. Trump is not that.
At what point do they realize he’s going off the rails? When their house drops 50 percent in value? When we invade a NATO country for no reason? When he gets a 5th term? How much does Trump have to defecate on the Constitution before these boomers start worrying?
I find myself constantly wondering when my boomer in-laws who support Trump will realize that Trump is not really a conservative. Conservative boomers seem to value consistency, morality, economic prosperity, and stability. Trump is not that.
At what point do they realize he’s going off the rails? When their house drops 50 percent in value? When we invade a NATO country for no reason? When he gets a 5th term? How much does Trump have to defecate on the Constitution before these boomers start worrying?
I know it is rhetorical but it is hard to say really. Humans are so bad about being able to admit when we are wrong, we always find ourselves doubling down despite the evidence to the contrary. I also think we're quite terrible about saying we want one thing but our actions suggesting quite another. A counter-question I might have is, what will it mean to you if they know Trump isn't a conservative and they don't care? They know he is off the rails but are mostly fine with it?
Additionally to that, I think Americans in particular have had our ability to resist slowly drained from us over the years. Some part complacency, some part system restructures, some part cultural variances have led us to a place where I'm not sure we'd know how to fight back even if we collectively woke up tomorrow and realized how deep in the crap we were.
He/Him
"A master in the art of living draws no sharp distinction between his work and his play, his labour and his leisure, his mind and his body, his education and his recreation." -L.P. Jacks
Additionally to that, I think Americans in particular have had our ability to resist slowly drained from us over the years. Some part complacency, some part system restructures, some part cultural variances have led us to a place where I'm not sure we'd know how to fight back even if we collectively woke up tomorrow and realized how deep in the crap we were.
Very few people seem to be able to fathom the peril of our moment.
