General Discussion

I agree that slogans are not policy. The issue is whether the problems people are pointing at get addressed, or whether labeling them “performative” becomes a way to avoid the conversation entirely.

You don’t have to like the phrase “Abolish ICE” to acknowledge that it reflects unresolved questions about immigration enforcement, due process, and institutional design. Dismissing the slogan doesn’t answer those questions—it just avoids them.

Very few policy changes begin as “possible now.” They become possible because people argue about them, define them more clearly, and apply pressure over time. Calling that process “performative” skips the part where politics actually happens.

Saying something isn’t possible now is fine. What matters is whether it’s allowed to be discussed, refined, and moved toward. Declaring issues off-limits because they’re not immediately actionable freezes policy where it already is.

“Not possible now” isn’t a rebuttal; it’s a status report. The question is whether we’re allowed to challenge the status quo or only manage it. "Not possible now” is an argument about timing, not about legitimacy.