Tomorrow, the Supreme Court will finally hear oral arguments on presidential immunity. Trump’s team has worked to frame this as an absolute, or as close to one as it can. And I miss having faith in the Supreme Court to treat it accordingly. (Thread)
#ResistanceUnited
#DemVoice1 In Trump’s mind, he always has immunity. After a lifetime of getting away with so much unethical and illegal behavior, it’s no wonder he thinks that. The presidency, to him, was only about gathering and cementing even more power.

Today’s GOP rhetoric relies on statements that sound reasonable, and that even can be true. But their catchphrases operate like rhetorical invasive species, pushed into environments where they don’t belong, and threatening to destroy them. (Thread)
#ResistanceUnited
#DemVoice1 Presidential immunity, for example, is in fact important—in the context of allowing a president to implement policy and take official action without the threat of lawsuits. It in no way applies to a president using his office to protect his own power at the expense of the nation.

Republicans claim to be the party of fiscal responsibility. They claim that this comes from their policy preferences for lower taxes at the top and less spending for the larger population. Some of them probably believe it. They are wrong. (Thread)
#ResistanceUnited
#DemVoice1 Lowering taxes, by itself, increases deficits. This shouldn’t be a radical notion. If you reduce income, you either have less room in your budget, or you need to replace it. Less money coming in is less money coming in.

Earlier today I posted this in response to the immolation outside the Manhattan courthouse where Trump’s trial is beginning. I deleted it for an inaccurate assumption, and I have some reflections. (Thread)
#ResistanceUnited
#DemVoice1 1. Most immediately, I drew what felt like a sensible conclusion: that this was an act by a pro-Trump protestor. And my poetry-loving brain leapt to the clear, precise metaphor before pausing to confirm my assumption was correct. It was not.

I’ve never found the chorus of “This is not normal” all that compelling. This piece from @DavidPepper puts some of that into words, and speaks important truths on the limits of normalcy as a driving political force. (Thread)
#ResistanceUnited
#DemVoice1
open.substack.com/pub/davidpeppe… First, for our youngest voters, this actually is their “normal.” Gentlemanly debates on the issues have never been a part of their experience in politics. They know violent, racist backlash to Obama and the emergence of MAGA’s bludgeoning, facts- and policy-free style.

When I was in grad school, one of my fellow students called me out during our mutual office hours. He said he had been watching me, and that he saw how I worked in a class discussion. And it’s one of the best things someone could do for me. (Thread)
#ResistanceUnited
#DemVoice1 What he told me is that I tended to give quips and one-liners that steered the discussions to people and kept me from having to work hard. It pissed me off—but he was right. I was relying on cleverness to avoid the deep dives I could and should have been making.

Tonight’s #FridayLimericks go to thin-skinned liar Kari Lake. #LimerickRhyme
Arizona’s enduring a fake
Who would like to be Senator Lake.
Her political game
Is to ceaselessly blame
In the hope that she’ll find her next break. Though she’s long past the time to eat crow,
She’s a woman who just can’t let go.
So she’s spreading her lies
Through her ongoing demise,
While she’s losing to every last foe.
azmirror.com/briefs/kari-la…

This morning, I looked out at my lawn thinking primarily that I will definitely need to mow this weekend. Tonight, that remains true—but post-rain this evening, the lush, glistening green caught my eye. (Thread)
#ResistanceUnited
#DemVoice1 To me, it’s a small, silly delight that echos the ways I think about this country. The more it grows, the more care we need to show it. But that doesn’t make it any less beautiful. It brings to mind one of my favorite @MichelleObama quotes from Becoming.

It’s been a hot minute since anyone thought of Ohio as a bellweather state. But in terms of how to recover and rebuild a broken state democracy, Ohioans have a chance to show real ground-up leadership as citizens this year. (Thread)
#ResistanceUnited
#DemVoice1 The picture here, to be blunt, has long been bleak. Gerrymandering and far-right power plays have made this purple state look and feel ruby red. The legislature has run amok; it’s blatantly disregarded the people’s will for a long time. Morale and resolve dropped low on the left.

I’ve seen a great deal of anger and anxiety about the Arizona Supreme Court’s opinion today in Planned Parenthood v. Mayes/Hazelrigg. You’re right to feel angry and anxious—but I’d like to offer a side of hope and an exhortation. (Thread)
#ResistanceJustice
#DemVoice1 I took the time tonight to read through the opinion and the dissent. The majority opinion is careful, thoughtful—and wrong. Its reliance on text outside the statutory language itself is problematic. And it reaches the conclusion most likely to hurt Arizona women and physicians.

I was out walking today in a local park where they recently conducted a controlled burn. The goal of the effort is “promoting the success of native plants that help pollinators, increasing biodiversity, and reducing invasive species.” (Thread)
#ResistenceUnited
#DemVoice1 Looking out at the cleared space, an analogy to the emergence of MAGA is almost too on the nose. It’s an invasive species, one that has pushed into our politics, our rhetoric, our institutions, and even our understanding of basic facts.

Tonight’s #FridayLimericks salute RFK Jr., who is as crazy as he is unlikable. #LimerickRhyme
Robert Kennedy wants to know how
He can take the next president’s vow.
First presented as Dem,
But got nothing from them—
So he plays “independent” for now. He still trades on his family’s fame
As he pushes to stay in the game.
Though his name is his crutch,
Will it help all that much
If they all kind of think the guy’s lame?

slate.com/human-interest…

I’ve seen a lot of surprise on here regarding Judge Cannon ruling against Trump’s motion to dismiss. For those saying that she did the “right thing,” I have some bad news for you. (Thread)
#ResistanceUnited
#DemVoice1

First, this was a simple legal issue with an easy answer—one that did not require hearings. The Espionage Act is neither new nor unconstitutionally vague. The motions were frivolous, and the legal answer didn’t require anything more than briefs. This was an unnecessary delay.

When you look at today’s GOP orthodoxy, “the cruelty is the point” seems to fit—but there is a larger scope than that. Much of what they try to do is about controlling most American citizens for the economic use of the powerful few. (Thread)
#ResistanceUnited
#DemVoice1 And while we fret (rightfully) about this on the Project 2025 national scale, right-wing actors in state governments have already implemented significant steps here. And they are continuing to roll in. It’s a cradle-to-grave approach for using the working American.

I actually agree with the result in the Colorado Trump ballot listing case. But rather than just deciding the clear case before it, the majority took this into territory that still managed to get it wrong. (Thread)
#ResistanceUnited
#DemVoice1

supremecourt.gov/opinions/23pdf… Initially: yes, the decision was 9-0 (a per curiam opinion) for the result. If you read all the opinions, though, the fault lines in the Court remain sobering. And as tends to be the case these days, I align with the minority.

Read a response here that I feel is worth exploring—not because I particularly care what this stranger to my family thinks of my parenting style, but rather because the idea isn’t one limited to trolls and cultists. (Thread)
#ResistancePride
#DemVoice1 First, let’s dispense with the idea that parents of trans kids are trying to make the kid something we want them to be. Parents want all kinds of things for our kids: for them to grow up healthy and strong, for them to know themselves, for them to find their way into the world.

Our allies understand what is at stake here: a despot seeking more power and more control. The last time the U.S. decided to stay out of things in Europe, the cost was enormous. (Thread)
#ResistanceRoots
#DemVoice1

https://twitter.com/jeff21461/status/1761435954571546931

The interest in isolationism isn’t new at all. In WWII, the U.S. sat out for a long time, remaining officially neutral as Germany and Japan moved toward domination in Europe and Asia. Ultimately, this created chaos, bloodshed, and more to overcome.

nationalww2museum.org/war/articles/g…

The North Atlantic Treaty Organization, or NATO, was formed in 1949. The purpose was to protect the U.S. and several Western European allies against aggression from the Soviet Union. (Thread)
#ResistanceRoots
#DemVoice1

.history.state.gov/milestones/194… The negotiations for NATO came on the heels of World War II, with the need for military alliances fresh on the minds of leaders throughout the world. Soviet aggression in 1947-48 was particularly concerning since the USSR had veto power in the UN Security Council.

Much work lies ahead. But when people look back ten years from now on why the Republican Party ultimately imploded, today will be a significant part of the story. (Thread)
#ResistanceUnited
#DemVoice1 The headliner today is the DC Court of Appeals. In that Court’s opinion, the absurd, meritless presidential total immunity argument died. Its corpse will keep twitching until the Supreme Court gets the appeal, but it’s dead.

This is a kind of disingenuousness worth addressing. Not because there is anything to it, of course, but because it makes faux points that we hear about every bill someone doesn’t like. (Thread)
#ResistanceUnited
#DemVoice1 First off, no, the bill didn’t “fix” the border. The bill was presented by a small, bipartisan group of senators; it hasn’t yet passed the Senate, been presented to the House, or been signed by the president. It’s a first draft.

Joe Biden has never been flashy. He’s clever and quick with a zinger now and again, but he’s not here to entertain us; he’s here to lead us. After his predecessor showed no interest in that kind of service, I’m incredibly thankful. (Thread)
#ResistanceUnited
#DemVoice1 He chose effective, competent people for his cabinet, people looking to serve rather than focus on their personal brands. He replaced White House raves and sycophancy sessions with steady, smart, competent, service-based leadership.