If not now, when?
Historically, I have been an institutionalist. I opposed government shutdowns, because they hurt both public employees and everyone who relies on government services. I consider the debt ceiling unconstitutional, and failing to honor US financial commitments would be economically disastrous.
However.
You may have noticed that public employees and those dependent on public services are already being severely harmed by Elon Musk’s illegal rampage through US institutions, and our ability to make credible commitments to the outside world has also already been severely compromised by the assertion that the executive can unilaterally decline to pay individual recipients that it objects to.
The deadline to fund the government is 14 March. The debt ceiling is likely to be breached again sometime in 2025.
If you have a Democratic representative in the House, I encourage you to call their office and tell them not to support any budget or debt proposal that does not include the funding for an Independent Counsel – that cannot be fired by Trump or the Attorney General – to investigate DOGE’s illegal activities.
And if you happen to have a GOP Freedom Caucus representative, I encourage you to call them while pretending to be a right-winger and ask them to stick to their (insane) principles, which will force GOP majority to rely on Democratic votes to pass anything.
You can find your representative here: https://www.house.gov/representatives/find-your-representative
Generally, a couple of dozen phone calls on a specific issue is considered a lot of pressure by congressional staffers. You will make a difference by participating. Please be polite but firm (maybe a little less polite if you are doing the pretend right-winger part).
Please reblog this widely; this is one of the few remaining points of leverage a free citizenry still has before much uglier and more dangerous approaches become unavoidable.
amhrancas 