Fight Fascism and Corruption: Critical - Call Congress on the Budget
Charlie Cooper
This Next Week May Decide Our Fate
One minute you’re swimming, and the next minute you’re drowning. That’s what happens when the tsunami arrives. U.S. democracy may be about to wash up dead on a fascist beach. Trump’s “flood-the-zone” strategy might work – or– We the People might defeat him. Here are some lowlights from the past couple of weeks, designed to make voters forget about the Epstein files (1% released in defiance of law), high prices, and Executive Branch lawlessness.
Trump kidnapped Maduro and said he’s running Venezuela. But evidently, he doesn’t want to talk about that now.
Trump has unleashed ICE agents to shred the Fourth Amendment to the Constitution and maximize public cruelty towards people who don’t look European.
Trump threatened military action against Greenland and published a picture of Canada covered by the U.S. flag.
In order to undermine the United Nations, Trump has collected over $30 billion by selling seats on his so-called “Board of Peace.”
This last item is something Trump truly relishes as it gives him a big slush fund to spend, instead of paying dues and fees to the UN. ICE and military adventures are wildly unpopular, and he fears losing the mid-terms. He may try to cancel or undermine the mid-term elections.
Democrats are – again – squandering opportunities regarding the federal budget
Jeffries and other Democratic leaders in Congress are caving on the budget as they face the January 30 deadline to pass appropriations bills or continuing resolutions. One of the hallmarks of Trump’s second term is unconstitutional impoundment of funds appropriated by Congress. Democrats have been weak-kneed in countering Trump’s bold moves.
“Democrats shut down the government last October, for instance, but did not demand that they would only agree to pass appropriations if they were guaranteed to be spent. As a result, Donald Trump continues to block required funding in deliberately vengeful ways, like withholding welfare spending from blue states.
“Congress has not tied violations of its directives to anything that would hit the president where it hurts. To use an extreme example, they could require that any changes to its funding prerogatives would lead to the immediate cessation of funding for the White House budget, including all valets and chefs and personnel who work in the residence. Every time Congress fails to use this kind of maximalist power, it cedes responsibility to the president.” (David Dayen, The American Prospect)
A new poll from The Economist shows that 46% want to abolish ICE versus 43% who want to keep it. Back in July only 27% were for abolishment. Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries has announced he will vote against appropriations for ICE but will not whip the Democratic caucus. That will give timid members more leeway to cast a “law and order” vote by vote for funds for an enormous, lawless, anonymous gang of thugs.
The budget cannot pass without votes from Democratic senators. If the House shows backbone, Senate Democrats may be inspired. Therefore, there is an opportunity for us to intervene vigorously by calling key Democrats in Congress today and every day for the next eight days.
TAKE ACTION
News Notes
Democracy Now: The brilliant Yanis Varoufakis explains how Trump’s Board of Peace is a return to corporatized models of colonization that existed before the creation of the nation state. The Gaza Peace Plan is simple theft of Palestinians’ land. And, by the way, the text of the Board of Peace charter makes no mention of Gaza.
One First and Popular Information: Department of Justice admits that DOGE staff used confidential Social Security data of individuals to aid GOP-linked election efforts. The Supreme Court blundered in granting “temporary” permission to allow DOGE unfettered access. Musk and his allies used DOGE to perpetuate myths about welfare fraud and voter fraud.
Oligarch Watch: Pentagon Secretary Hegseth grants Musk’s Grok AI access to “every classified and unclassified platform” at the Pentagon! “Grok is receiving access to the Pentagon’s classified materials despite its litany of security concerns, including xAI’s Saudi, Qatari, and Abu Dhabi funding, lax AI safety and cybersecurity policies, and use of Chinese-made transformers to power its supercomputer facility.”