17. Republicans in Congress therefore need to take a stand—holding hostage something Democrats care about by attaching the REINS Act to that thing 18. To that end, Republicans should attach the REINS Act to any bill to increase the debt ceiling, forcing true compromise in an area where it’s badly needed—here, restoring separation of powers through the REINS Act

🧵 1. There was a time when the federal government didn’t play such an outsized role in our daily lives

We had a limited-purpose government in place at the national level

That began to change when, on April 12, 1937, the Supreme Court lawlessly “amended” the Constitution

https://twitter.com/marionawfal/status/1893984027092439119

2. On April 12, 1937, the Supreme Court dramatically expanded federal authority under the (previously narrow) Commerce Clause—severely undermining federalism—in response to FDR’s extortionate threat to pack the Supreme Court

🧵 1. The Fourth Turning in 2025: Trump’s Vision as America’s Next Great Shift

In 1997, historians William Strauss and Neil Howe published *The Fourth Turning*, a provocative work arguing that history unfolds in cycles—roughly 80-to-100-year “saecula”—each divided into four generational “turnings”: High, Awakening, Unraveling, and Crisis. These phases repeat in a predictable rhythm, shaped by generational archetypes and societal moods.

The Fourth Turning, the final stage, is a winter of upheaval during which older institutions collapse and a new order rises. In 2025, with Donald Trump newly re-elected and backed by a Republican-controlled Congress, the United States may be entering this transformative phase. 

If we trace prior turnings to the American Revolution (1776), the Civil War (1861), and the constitutional culmination point of the New Deal Era (1937), Trump’s agenda—particularly his push to restore federalism and separation of powers—could catalyze the next seismic shift in American history. 2. The Theory of the Fourth Turning

Strauss and Howe liken a saeculum to the seasons: a High is a spring of unity and growth (post-World War II America), an Awakening is a summer of individualism and rebellion (the 1960s counterculture), an Unraveling is an autumn of cynicism and decay (the 1980s–2000s), and a Crisis is a winter of destruction and renewal. America’s past Crises—the Revolution, Civil War, and Depression-to-WWII era—were existential challenges that reshaped the nation over decades. The Revolution birthed a republic, the Civil War redefined it, and the New Deal era forged the modern federal regulatory system.

The last turn-inducing Crisis arguably began with the 1929 stock market crash, deepened through the Great Depression, reached its culmination point in 1937 when the Supreme Court loosened key constitutional restraints to unlock FDR’s New Deal ambitions,and evolved with the onset of World War II, resolving in 1945 with victory and the American Century’s dawn—a new High. 

Counting forward, some have argued that the next (current) Crisis began to emerge between 2005 and 2015, a timeline aligning with the 2008 financial collapse, rising polarization, and global instability. Now, in 2025, we’re entrenched in this winter phase, grappling with economic fragility, cultural divides, and a strained world order. Could Trump’s presidency be its fulcrum?

🧵1. Senator Schiff just demanded that Senator Grassley, Chairman of the Senate Judiciary Committee, should immediately join Democrats in asking for the release of Kash Patel’s grand jury testimony transcripts 2. Chairman Grassley declined, correctly noting that this isn’t something we ordinarily do, and that we’d need to have a good reason to attempt

🧵 1/ What Are Letters Of Marque And Reprisal And How Could They Be Used To Weaken Drug Cartels? 🚨 2/ Letters of marque and reprisal are government-issued commissions that authorize private citizens (privateers) to perform acts that would otherwise be considered piracy, like attacking enemy ships during wartime

Privateers are rewarded with a cut of the loot they “bring home”

🧵1. The God-given right to bear arms is nearly as ancient as efforts to restrict it are predictable. 2.Efforts to restrict the right to bear arms inevitably grant government—and those whose interests align with the regime in power—a monopoly on the use of guns.

🧵 🚨 1. The Constitution’s Presentment Clause and the Unconstitutionality of Making Federal Law By Bureaucratic Fiat 2. The Presentment Clause, found in Article I, Section 7 of the U.S. Constitution, explains in clear terms how a bill becomes a federal law.

🧵 🚨
1. The Ancestral Multitude: Imagine that every single one of your ancestors from 33 generations ago stood in front of you as holograms. In theory, you’d see 8,589,934,592 figures—more than the current world population! 2. The Numbers Don’t Add Up: Here’s the twist: 33 generations ago—around 1100 AD—the world’s population was just a few hundred million. So how can you have had more ancestors alive in 1100 AD than there were humans on planet earth at the time?

🧵🚨 1. Everyone should know the story of Roscoe Filburn, a farmer from Ohio who found himself in the crosshairs of one of the most absurd federal overreaches in history. It’s a tale of government control over the most basic of American freedoms—growing your own wheat. 2. In 1938, Congress passed the Agricultural Adjustment Act so the feds could dictate how much wheat Americans could grow on their land. They set quotas, telling farmers like Roscoe Filburn exactly how many acres of wheat they could plant. Notice was sent on cards like this one.

🧵1. @MeetThePress omits six words about birthright citizenship from the 14th Amendment

The omitted text is set off by asterisks:

“All persons born … in the United States, *and subject to the jurisdiction thereof,* shall be citizens of the United States”

Those words matter

https://twitter.com/libsoftiktok/status/1865795110048604601

2. Congress has the power to define what it means to be born in the United States “and subject to the jurisdiction thereof.”

🧵1. In a meeting today with @elonmusk, @vivekgramaswamy, & @speakerjohnson, Elon & Vivek referred to the fact that, because unelected bureaucrats now make most federal law & control much of our economy, we’ve been stripped of the benefits of a constitutional republic. 2. As @vivekgramaswamy noted, the need for Americans to demand accountability from their own government is precisely why we fought—and mercifully won—the American Revolution. That got me thinking ….

1. A few years ago I wanted to find out how many federal criminal laws were on the books

https://twitter.com/elonmusk/status/1864090934763233711

2. I asked the Congressional Research Service—whose job it is to answer such questions—to find out

🧵🚨 1. Of all the deceptive sales techniques the U.S. government has used on the American people, one of them—the Social Security Act—gets far too little attention. Buckle up because this is a wild ride. 2. In 1935, the American people were sold a bill of goods. They were told, “Pay into this system, and it'll be YOUR money for retirement.” Sounds great, right?

🧵 1. Progressives love to say “let’s keep politics out of this”

What they really mean is “let’s make sure the people have no say in this” 2. Progressives propose insulating key decisions from politics when they want government “experts” to make decisions that are beyond the power of the people to oversee, or even impact

🧵1. Tonight I hosted & moderated a forum for GOP senators, giving my colleagues a chance to hear from each of the three candidates running to replace McConnell. After hearing from each candidate, I’ve decided to support Rick Scott. Here are my takeaways: 2. As I’ve been saying for months, the Senate is supposed to be “the world’s greatest deliberative body,” but it has ceased to function as such in recent years, as majority leaders from both political parties have consolidated power at the expense of nearly every other senator.

🧵 1. Have you ever wondered why reporters don’t seem to hesitate to say and repeat things about Donald Trump that simply aren’t true—as if they have no fear of defamation liability? 2. This sort of thing happens because the Supreme Court, about 60 years ago, invented a First Amendment doctrine that protects the media from defamation liability, at least in lawsuits brought by public figure

🧵 1. McConnell’s attacks on Donald Trump & Rick Scott are indefensible

Those running for Senate GOP leadership posts need to weigh in on this & commit never to sabotage Republican candidates & colleagues—particularly those who are less than two weeks away from a close election 2. We must have clarity from the candidates running to replace McConnell on where they stand on these attacks. They must be clear on how they plan to lead the conference, and on the role of its members

🧵 1. Are you okay with the fact that most new federal laws—roughly 100,000 pages per year—are written by bureaucrats who will never stand for election? 2. Does it bother you that these federal laws—not enacted by Congress but rather “promulgated” as “rules and regulations” by unelected bureaucrats—cost the American people trillions of dollars each year by increasing the price of basically everything they buy?

Kamala wants to gut religious freedom

That’s not conservative

Nor is it okay

Sad

https://twitter.com/jeffflake/status/1848137607886336126

Kamala likes price controls

That’s not conservative

🧵1. In an op-ed published today by Fox News, I make the case that the Senate Republican Conference will be made stronger, not weaker, by empowering each senator. 2. When we as Senate Republicans elect new leadership on November 13th, we need to be laser-focused on how best to pursue a bold, conservative legislative agenda—one designed to reform a government that has become far too big, expensive, intrusive, & detached from the people.

1/ 🧵 Senate Republicans will soon have the rare opportunity to elect new leadership. Given that the stakes have never been higher, we must choose wisely. I’ve proposed a few objectives that would help us do that:
politico.com/news/2024/10/0… 2/ Currently, many senators can’t even propose amendments to bills that directly impact their constituents. This broken process means the voices of Americans are being sidelined. Here’s how reforms can make the Senate work for the people again.