General Discussion

xocetaceans

(4,345 posts) Mon Jan 5, 2026, 04:19 PM Monday

Resistance Explained--Stoermer: Democrats say they can't do anything because Republicans control Congress. Is that true?

Can anyone at DU suggest a valid counterpoint to the arguments stated in the video regarding the state of Congressional resistance?

After all, the US has just this last weekend unlawfully invaded another country, unlawfully killed many in that country, and abducted the titular head of that state and his wife. Trump even said in his press conference that he had attacked Venezuela's "sovereignty": so, he even acknowledges his crime. Note that W and Cheney mostly contained the bravado and reasoning behind their invasion of Iraq even though W famously stated "Bring it on!" and flew his "Mission Accomplished" banner in the course of his "War on Terror". W and Cheney, to the best of my recollection, never explicitly stated they were going to Iraq to take its oil. However, Trump openly asserts that the oil in Venezuela is oil that belongs to the United States.

Both invasions have been unjustified and illegal aggressions against sovereign countries. If now is not the time for Democrats in Congress to resist all of this, when is that time?

[The Merrick Garland standard of sagging back into an easy chair and waiting for the right time to prosecute Trump for his insurrection clearly was not sufficient. Why does it seem like that is still the standard of resistance to which is aspired across the Democratic Party? I could be wrong about this, but which US Senator is actually resisting the Trump Admin's actions at every turn? Again though, is there a valid counterpoint to the position on resistance that is stated in the video?]

4 replies

= new reply since forum marked as read

Highlight:

Resistance Explained--Stoermer: Democrats say they can't do anything because Republicans control Congress. Is that true? (Original Post) xocetaceans Monday OP

NO. Democrats have little power but what they DO have they refuse to use. What is that? CousinIT Monday #1

I just had to watch . . . Scubamatt Monday #3

EXACTLY. Dems don't need to do it dishonestly. They can tell the truth .. CousinIT Monday #4

Uh oh. The posse will not like this. You are daring to suggest that Democrats are Scrivener7 Monday #2

CousinIT

(12,237 posts)

1. NO. Democrats have little power but what they DO have they refuse to use. What is that?

Reply to xocetaceans (Original post)

Mon Jan 5, 2026, 04:25 PM

Monday

MEDIA
and
MESSAGING

They should have a press secretary and staff that formulates and creates messaging for the entire Dem caucus in Congress to use on social media, on podcasts, YouTube, and regular mainstream media - all saying essentially the same thing. HARD-HITTING messaging that keeps its teeth sunk into the Republicans' asses 24x7 to keep them ON DEFENSE.

Will Grampy Cankles get mad? YEP.

SO? Good.

They have that power. They refuse to USE it.

Nobody knows what they stand for. They have no alternative to P2025. What is their platform? What is their alternative?

Why are they so mealy-mouthed about calling out Trump's corruption, lawlessness, etc? Yes talking about healthcare, housing, food etc is essential but they do not HIT HARD with OFFENSIVE messaging.

NO fight in them.

It's INFURIATING!

Scubamatt

(254 posts)

3. I just had to watch . . .

Reply to CousinIT (Reply #1)

Mon Jan 5, 2026, 06:23 PM

Monday

my Governor (Tim Walz) withdraw from running again even though the Republicans had no control over any branch of the government. The reason? Republican leaders, pundits and social media influencers have been blitzing the issue non-stop, 24/7 - framing and shaping the issue and putting Walz on the defense. Republicans do this all the time, even when they are out of power. They frame the narrative. They do so dishonestly, but they do it well. We could learn a thing or two from them on this point.

Look how Mayor Mamdani is setting the agenda (admittedly, he has the reins of power), but he is not letting the cons frame him.

CousinIT

(12,237 posts)

4. EXACTLY. Dems don't need to do it dishonestly. They can tell the truth ..

Reply to Scubamatt (Reply #3)

Mon Jan 5, 2026, 07:29 PM

Monday

…..in a hard-hitting way, framing and wording their memes and messages to put Rs on defense.

They have eleventy-billion examples - new ones every day and sometimes multiple times a day.

They need a press secretary to formulate and create the memes and messages, distribute them to the Dems in Congress who should be - almost in unison - on socials and regular media (and YouTube/podcasts if they have them) repeating the memes SLAMMING the R’s with receipts and examples. Dems don’t need to lie. All they have to do is tell the truth, which is damaging enough but do it in a hard-hitting fashion.

“If they stop telling lies about us, we’ll stop telling the truth about them.”
Gov Ann Richardson

That’s why she said it. And Dems need to DO IT.

Scrivener7

(58,315 posts)

2. Uh oh. The posse will not like this. You are daring to suggest that Democrats are

Reply to xocetaceans (Original post)

Mon Jan 5, 2026, 04:39 PM

Monday

NOT useless wimps who have no power and no role to play in anything.

And of course Democrats are not useless powerless wimps. And it is disrespectful to Democrats to say they are useless powerless wimps. But the posse will insist that by saying Democrats are NOT useless powerless wimps, you are attacking Democrats.

Weird, I know. But there it is.

But great OP with practical effective things Congress can do right now. Thanks for it.

Reply to this discussion