. @noahopinion Steps to take: First, we have to try as best we can, to head off some of the elements of the problem. Alert media, social media to proclaim over and over that there is no winner, many votes to be counted. Indicate, eg, that 2/3rds of vote not yet counted. 1/
We are working through our @ElectionTask, including with a Media Summit on the 17th, to point out all the pitfalls, what to do to prepare, what not to say to mislead. We need to try to get states that do not allow mail votes to be processed until election day to ease restrictions
Especially MI, PA, WI. Next, we need an army of lawyers to deal with contested ballots, and to move to expedite resolution. And we need to back Rubio bill to change dates for certifying electors. Crucially, we need to publicize this danger over and over, so that the ploy is clear
We need to get members of Congress, and leaders, to lead the charge here. They need to make clear what Barr is up to. I wish they would now begin impeachment proceedings against him, in part to put a spotlight on his treachery.
We need hearings in the House on presidential emergency powers, including the utter lack of power to seize or impound ballots or interfere in the states' counting ballots and reaching a legitimate outcome.
We need judges and military leaders to step up and make clear they will follow the law and the Constitution. We need governors to say that if paramilitary thugs try to interfere in the election or the vote count, they will call in their states' National Guards to protect them.
They need to make clear that any invocation of the Insurrection Act to block this will not be acceptable or legitimate. There is a start!

• • •

Missing some Tweet in this thread? You can try to force a refresh
 

Keep Current with Norman Ornstein

Norman Ornstein Profile picture

Stay in touch and get notified when new unrolls are available from this author!

Read all threads

This Thread may be Removed Anytime!

PDF

Twitter may remove this content at anytime! Save it as PDF for later use!

Try unrolling a thread yourself!

how to unroll video
  1. Follow @ThreadReaderApp to mention us!

  2. From a Twitter thread mention us with a keyword "unroll"
@threadreaderapp unroll

Practice here first or read more on our help page!

More from @NormOrnstein

26 Jul
As I pointed out in this piece in @TheAtlIdeas @TheAtlantic some states’ election authorities are putting up their own vote by mail repositories, boxes with drive-in windows in convenient places to make it easy to vote and avoid postal issues. theatlantic.com/ideas/archive/…
Now we need @MikeBloomberg @JeffBezos @BillGates And other billionaires who care about free and fair elections and the future of America To go to state election officials and governors and create a partnership. You buy the safe secure vote by mail boxes. They install & possess.
We need extraordinary measures to make voting by mail available and workable. Trump and congressional Republicans will not fund election security, will cripple USPS, and, as we are seeing in Portland, they may well send out paramilitary thugs on Nov 3 to suppress votes in cities.
Read 4 tweets
29 May
To reflect on something broader. I lost a child, not to police violence but to the scourge of serious mental illness. The pain is enduring and indescribable. It made me even more sensitive to the pain of African-American families who lose children in encounters with police. 1
When my kids began to drive, I worried every night that they would drink, speed or do something reckless. I did not have to worry that they could behave impeccably but still die, get arrested, jailed or tased for no reason other than their skin color. But every black parent does.
And not just teens. If I drove with a broken tail light, I was not concerned that I would be stopped and potentially shot-- or stuck with a huge fine just to provide revenue to a city. 3
Read 8 tweets
28 May
I want to reflect for a minute on a larger problem with professions and institutions we rely on for our safety and freedoms. All seem to fail at self-regulation, at dealing with bad apples, misconduct, malfeasance. This is true of doctors, lawyers and police. 1
One core reason malpractice premiums for doctors are so high is that medical licensing branches have failed often to punish adequately the small number of doctors who are bad, at making sure standards are followed. Bar associations are really bad at sanctioning lawyers. 2
The fact that Rudy Giuliani, Alex Acosta, Bill Barr, Ken Starr have not been chastised at minimum by bar associations for misconduct, including, for example, the outrageous breach of conduct in the Jeffrey Epstein case in Florida, is a deep embarrassment. 3
Read 10 tweets
26 May
@ezraklein I will repeat my suggestion from years past: there is no need to eliminate entirely Rule XXII. Simply change the threshold for ending debate and moving to a vote from 60 needed to stop debate to 40 needed to continue it. Put the burden where it belongs, on the minority. 1
@ezraklein Make the minority be there around the clock; sleep on cots, be ready to jump up at any hour to vote. If at any time they drop below 40, the delay can stop. The majority simply needs to have a couple of members there to block bad steps and note the absence of a quorum. 2
@ezraklein If the GOP, for example, wanted to filibuster a set of democracy reforms that expand voting rights and act against partisan gerrymandering, let them go round the clock, creating a major issue and highlighting their opposition to reform. Same for other issues of social justice. 3
Read 4 tweets
17 May
The news that Washington football's legendary Dexter Manley is struggling with COVID-19 brought back a vivid memory. In 1987, I did some work for my friend and mentor Ed Muskie. He asked if there was anything he could do for me. I said yes. 1
Muskie was on Jack Kent Cooke's Washington R-dsk-n's board; I asked if he could get permission for me to take my two boys (ages 4 and 7) to a practice. He frowned-- he clearly was not relishing it-- but said yes. It worked. 2
My boys were fans, at least as much as you can be at those ages. My highlight was being introduced to legendary GM Bobby Beathard-- who said he read my stuff! My kids really loved it, and the players, especially the Hogs, could not have been nicer. Now comes the Manley part. 3
Read 5 tweets
13 May
. @HankAzaria @DavidCornDC It is so much more gratifying to write about rock music than about Trump. So a few thoughts on why I picked the Eagles, and why I withdraw Counting Crows. When I think of a band, I do not think of a great lead singer with a great backup band.
A band should have individual elements that combine to a whole, but where many members write songs and contribute more than playing instruments. The Crickets, Crazy Horse, the Revolution, are examples of terrific musicians, but the essence is Buddy Holly, Neil Young, Prince.
So the Eagles had Don Henley, Glenn Frey, Joe Walsh all writing great songs, individually and together, from Dirty Laundry to Life in the Fast Lane to, yes, Hotel California. "You can check out any time you like, but you can never leave" has unfortunate resonance today.
Read 6 tweets

Did Thread Reader help you today?

Support us! We are indie developers!


This site is made by just two indie developers on a laptop doing marketing, support and development! Read more about the story.

Become a Premium Member ($3/month or $30/year) and get exclusive features!

Become Premium

Too expensive? Make a small donation by buying us coffee ($5) or help with server cost ($10)

Donate via Paypal Become our Patreon

Thank you for your support!

Follow Us on Twitter!