Thread by @MontyBoa99

@SenSchumer @senatemajldr @realDonaldTrump In the 1990's, the GOP decided never to support Dem legislation because they didn't "get credit". A shrinking party, they embraced obstructionism as a policy.
Gov't shutdowns and filibusters.
Smear campaigns, hoaxes (e.g. Fawn Hall).
1/

@SenSchumer @senatemajldr @realDonaldTrump After stonewalling them, the GOP steals credit for bills when they're back in power.
E.g. the prison reform bill, an Obama initiative which they stonewalled until this year, when they passed and took credit for it.

This is now their explicit policy.
2/
vanityfair.com/culture/2012/0…

@SenSchumer @senatemajldr @realDonaldTrump The GOP policy of obstruction during a Dem presidency was cemented at a meeting in 2009 during Obama's inauguration. GOP strategist Frank Luntz, Newt Gingrich and Mitch McConnell were the architects of a "stonewall pact" made that day.

3/
theguardian.com/world/2012/apr…

@SenSchumer @senatemajldr @realDonaldTrump The damage created by the GOP's obstruction is immense and immeasurable. It extends far beyond partisan political catfighting.
Critical legislation is delayed, leading to inaction on climate change, immigr'n reform, gun safety. Coupled with runaway tax cuts, bankruptcy looms.
4/

@SenSchumer @senatemajldr @realDonaldTrump The GOP was arguably in its death throes when it subverted Evangelical leaders, embraced white nationalists, and allowed billionaires who hijacked the Tea Party to bully their way into its leadership via primarying tactics to eliminate moderates (Dave Brat vs Eric Cantor).
5/

@SenSchumer @senatemajldr @realDonaldTrump After the Supreme Court's decision in Citizens United in 2010, billionaire interests could launch overwhelming smear campaigns and campaign finance buyoffs to capture politicians.
ALEC's legislation mill codified libertarian and corporate-backed policies in state legislatures.
6/

@SenSchumer @senatemajldr @realDonaldTrump This is part of one strategic plan to tear down gov't to its condition in the Gilded Age before the Sherman Anti-Trust Act, when corporations engaged in monopolistic practices and the rich made millions without paying taxes to support welfare svcs like retirement benefits.
7/

@SenSchumer @senatemajldr @realDonaldTrump A GOP donor "cabal" back an agenda that includes elimination or neutering numerous agencies that:

- Regulate corporations
- Protect citizens', workers' and voters' rights
- Manage gov't support for our most needy citizens
- Help the nation compete

scribd.com/document/36982…

@SenSchumer @senatemajldr @realDonaldTrump This cabal, which includes the Koch Bros (now mostly Charles), has also pushed for a constitutional convention to rewrite our founding document. They claim to want a "balanced budget", but no GOP president has ever even reduced the budget, let alone run a surplus.
9/

@SenSchumer @senatemajldr @realDonaldTrump The Koch's Heritage Foundation is injecting their groomed judges into federal courts around the country.
The openings they're exploiting were created by McConnell’s obstruction of Obama's nominees. That's how Gorsuch was seated; by obstructing Garland's nomination for 10 mos.
10/

@SenSchumer @senatemajldr @realDonaldTrump In summary, GOP obstruction has allowed them to:
- Deny Democrats credit for legislative wins to run races on
- Steal credit for bills stalled during Dem administrations and then passed during GOP presidencies
- To supplant liberal judge appointments with arch-conservatives
//

@SenSchumer @senatemajldr @realDonaldTrump For more on how the GOP stalled prison reform legislation under Obama, see:

theguardian.com/us-news/2016/n…

@SenSchumer @senatemajldr @realDonaldTrump For more on the potential Koch Bros/ Heritage Foundation/ Council for National Policy takeover of our democracy to replace it with a theocratic-Libertarian state with vastly reduced rights and services via a constitutional convention, see:

https://mobile.twitter.com/ACLU_MS/status/1108807594469195776

@SenSchumer @senatemajldr @realDonaldTrump For more on Mitch McConnell’s obstruction of Obama's judicial appointments so that the GOP could fill the judgeships with arch-conservatives, see:

politico.com/story/2015/07/…