The Common Ills: The Snapshot

Tuesday, March 18, 2025

The Snapshot

Tuesday, March 18, 2025. Chuck Schumer's become part of the problem, if he can't lead, he needs to step aside -- especially with Chump's plans for a Constitutional Convention.

Singer-songwriter Laura Nyro performing her song "Save The Country" from her NEW YORK TENDABERRY album.

There's so much wrong in Chump Land and that, sadly, includes an inability on the part of some to fight him. In my opinion, that includes the governor of New York, Kathy Hochul, who is far too close to Donald Chump for a Democrat. She gave a good interview -- not great -- about a month ago but she wasn't able to show wisdom on the Eric Adams issue -- he should have been removed immediately and failure to do so should have come with something better than we're-reviewing it -- and she wasn't all that strong in her presentation to begin with. Now she's just looking pathetic.

My opinion and it may be a minority opinion in the Democratic Party. Another disappointment is the Senate Minority Leader and that call is probably one that those of us who are Democrats can all agree on. Last week, Robert Kuttner (TAP) explained:

For three days, Senate Democrats privately debated whether to support a House-passed continuing resolution (CR) keeping the government funded through September 30, or to block it with a filibuster, thus letting the government temporarily shut down.

At midweek, it looked as if Chuck Schumer had devised a deft plan: Propose an alternative resolution to keep the government open for 30 days and send that back to the Republican House. That way, if the House did not go along, the shutdown would be on the Republicans.

On Wednesday, Schumer emerged from two days of meetings to declare that the caucus was unified against the Republican six-month resolution and supporting the 30-day plan instead.

But it turned out that he was simply floating the idea to keep Senate progressives happy. He was confident that the more centrist Democrats would reject the idea and vote cloture to end a filibuster and send the six-month continuing resolution to President Trump. In a more sinister maneuver, he would allow Republicans to end debate on their CR in exchange for a vote on the 30-day resolution—a vote that would fail, leaving Republicans able to pass their bill by majority vote.

Sam Rosenthal (ZNET) explains:

On Friday, with another government shutdown looming, Senate Democrats, and their feckless leader, Chuck Schumer, fully folded to the Republican Party’s bullying tactics. Late Thursday, Schumer announced, first in a closed-door caucus meeting and then in a floor speech, that he would be voting to advance the GOP spending bill to the Senate. While no Senate Democrats actually voted for the spending bill once it hit the floor, all that was needed for it to pass was for Democrats to take their hands off the last point of leverage they had to disrupt Republicans’ agenda: the Senate filibuster threat.

These moves are sure to tank Senate Democrats’ already flagging popularity with their constituents. House Democrats, usually publicly united with their Senate brethren, have been openly critical of their feeble capitulation to the GOP agenda. Recent reporting even revealed that some House Democrats are privately encouraging House member Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez to primary Schumer in his re-election bid in 2028.

There are a thousand reasons why Senate Democrats should have done everything within their power to stop this bill from passing. Voters have been clamoring for months for the party to do something, anything, to stop the onslaught of chaos induced by Donald Trump and Elon Musk’s DOGE catastrophe. Democrats have repeatedly said that they are helpless to do anything to combat Trump’s agenda; this would have been a clear sign to voters that, despite their minority status in Congress, Democrats would use any opportunity they can muster to throw sand in the gears. The GOP spending bill also includes cuts to health care and social programs while somehow incorporating an increase in the military budget, spending preferences that Democrats should oppose on principle.

Marin Scotten (THE NEW REPUBLIC) reports:

Democrats are turning on Chuck Schumer, and Nancy Pelosi is leading the charge.

Schumer announced Thursday he would vote to pass Trump’s disastrous budget bill to avert a government shutdown, flipping on his own party just 24 hours after he signaled he would vote against the bill. Pelosi issued a statement the next day urging Senate Democrats not to follow his lead.

“Donald Trump and Elon Musk offered the Congress a false choice between a government shutdown or a blank check that makes a devastating assault on the well-being of working families across American,” Pelosi said in a statement.

“Let’s be clear: neither is a good option for the American people. But this false choice some are buying instead of fighting is unacceptable,” Pelosi continued, referencing Schumer’s betrayal. “I salute Leader Hakeem Jeffries for his courageous rejection of this false choice, and I am proud of my colleagues in the House Democratic Caucus for their overwhelming vote against this bill.”

The GOP bill would gut funding for health care, increase military spending, and fund mass deportation. It narrowly passed the Republican-led House, with just one Democrat voting to pass. Schumer argued that a government shutdown would give Trump and Elon Musk a “carte blanche” to gut federal services. Pelosi disagreed.

There is no excuse for caving. Not in these times. Every day, Democrats get up and fight for this country -- that's every day actions by everyday Democrats. And they need to see their officials doing the same damn thing.

Prior to her uncommitted nonsense, I liked Rashida Tlaib and I defended her here and we reposted anything her office sent. I don't care for her now, you don't stab a party in the back. She is responsible for Donald Chump getting back in the White House.

And THE DAILY SHOW made fun of her recently.

It didn't go up here. Would have loved for it to but it didn't.

They made fun of her and others for using the auction paddles during Chump's speech.

I was not a fan of the auction paddles. But that 'joke' or 'commentary' didn't go up here because it was a few Democrats trying to do something. Maybe it would work, maybe it wouldn't.

But they tried it and I will applaud them for that -- even Rashida.

Americans need evidence that there's a point, a reason, to keep fighting.

I can sit outside all day by the pool. Someone else can lose themselves in books or watching television or just tuning out. If we're on our own, if our officials aren't going to do a damn thing, that's probably what we should do for our own sanity.

And the minute we do that right now, the republic has ended.

So we don't need Democratic officials selling us out or doing nothing.

Try something and make a mistake? Fine. We all learn that didn't work and then try something else.

But if you're actually trying something, I'm not going to throw eggs and rotten fruit at you.

Chuck did nothing, he tried nothing. He just collapsed and he does need to go.

At 74, his mind may be going.

What he did was not good for the country. But the reason I'm questioning his mental abilities is because it was awful for him. Riley Beggin (USA TODAY) reports:

Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer is postponing several book tour events this week amid the ongoing Democratic backlash to his vote last week to approve a GOP-led government funding bill.

Schumer had events planned in New York City, Philadelphia, Baltimore and Washington, D.C. to promote his book "Antisemitism in America: A Warning."

To avoid protests, he's cancelling events to promote the book. That makes it less likely people will buy the book. And the message of the book is lost.

At THE NEW REPUBLIC, Michael Tomasky has an essay. I don't agree with it. It's why we opened today with Chuck. I get what he's saying and he's completely correct in some ways. But Chuck doesn't get a pass on this. Tomasky lists things Donald Chump's done in the last days and then writes:

This, Democrats, is what you need to focus on. You had a bad week. Check that—a horrible week. It was mostly Chuck Schumer’s fault, and people are quite rightly furious at the Senate minority leader for caving to Republicans in the government funding fight. Now you are collectively polling below 30 percent—just about your worst approval number ever. But the country needs you to fight Trump, not each other.

I would like to have seen the Senate Democrats vote “no” to the GOP’s continuing resolution and force a shutdown. This was just one of those moments when history was grabbing them by the lapels, shaking them, and saying, “Do something dramatic!” That’s the bottom line here. They should have taken a stand.

And, if they weren’t going to take a stand, Schumer certainly should have signaled as much earlier in the week. If he hadn’t been so emphatic in saying he was voting “no,” his 180 last Thursday wouldn’t have been such a shocker (indeed, by definition, it wouldn’t have been a 180). So he really blew the politics of this, in a way he normally doesn’t.

But having said all that: There is in fact a case for wanting to avoid a shutdown. And it’s not a political case. It’s a substantive case.

Schumer’s critics, from what I can see, are focused almost wholly on the politics of the situation—public perception, and who’d be blamed. Much was made of that Quinnipiac poll last week showing that 32 percent of respondents would blame Democrats while a combined 53 percent would blame Republicans (31 percent the GOP Congress and 22 percent Trump).

Democrats could have won the politics. So why on earth should they have had any hesitation at all? Because aside from politics, there’s substance, and I became convinced over the weekend through some things I read and conversations I had that, as bad as Trump and Elon Musk are now, and as bad as this funding bill is, a shutdown could potentially give them vastly more power.

Convicted Felon Chump's the enemy, no question, he is the threat.

But Chuck Schumer isn't just any elected official. He is a US senator. In terms of prestige, that's only below the president -- and, in the past, a Supreme Court justice.

And he's not just any senator, he's the Minority Leader.

He is the face of Democratic leadership and he failed and he demoralized.

This is not a minor issue. You inspire the troops, not enrage them.

Now let's move over to Chump.

Ahmad Austin Jr. (MEDIAITE) reports:

President Donald Trump’s White House on Monday was harshly criticized for welcoming Irish UFC star Conor McGregor for Saint Patrick’s Day.

On Monday morning, the official X/Twitter account of the White House posted a short video of McGregor walking out of a door with his patented strut. When he got close to the camera, McGregor said, “Happy Patty’s Day, America.”

McGregor later joined Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt in the briefing room and took question. Leavitt confirmed that McGregor would be meeting Trump in the afternoon and that “we couldn’t think of a better guest to have with us on Saint Patrick’s Day.”

In normal times, when a Convicted Felon wasn't in the White House, that would be enough for a week's worth of chatter on cable programs and to fill the op-ed pages.

With the crook in the White House, it's already a blip that's over.

Phoebe Petrovic (WISCONSIN WATCH) reports:

A behind-the-scenes legal effort to force Congress to call a convention to amend the Constitution could end up helping President Donald Trump in his push to expand presidential power.

While the convention effort is focused on the national debt, legal experts say it could open the door to other changes, such as limiting who can be a U.S. citizen, allowing the president to overrule Congress’ spending decisions or even making it legal for Trump to run for a third term.

Wisconsin Watch and ProPublica have obtained a draft version of a proposed lawsuit being floated to attorneys general in several states, revealing new details about who’s involved and their efforts to advance legal arguments that liberal and conservative legal scholars alike have criticized, calling them “wild,” “completely illegitimate” and “deeply flawed.”

The endeavor predates Trump’s second term but carries new weight as several members of Trump’s inner circle and House Speaker Mike Johnson have previously expressed support for a convention to limit federal government spending and power.

Article V of the Constitution requires Congress to call a convention to propose and pass amendments if two-thirds of states, or 34, request one. This type of convention has never happened in U.S. history, and a decadeslong effort to advance a so-called balanced budget amendment, which would prohibit the government from running a deficit, has stalled at 28.

Despite that, the lawsuit being circulated claims that Congress must hold a convention now because the states reached the two-thirds threshold in 1979. To get there, these activists count various calls for a convention dating back to the late 1700s. Wisconsin’s petition, for example, was written in 1929 and was an effort to repeal Prohibition. The oldest petition they cite, from New York, predates the Bill of Rights. Some others came on the eve of the Civil War.

“It is absurd, on the face of it, that they could count something that had to do with Prohibition as a call for a constitutional convention in 2025,” said Russ Feingold, a former Democratic senator from Wisconsin who co-wrote a book critical of convention efforts like this one. “They’re just playing games to try to pretend that the founders of this country wanted you to be able to mix and match resolutions from all different times in American history.”

That should scare us all. It should inspire us to fight.

But what's the point in fighting if our elected leaders are going to betray us?

That's the message Chuck has sent and that message must be pushed back and refused. If Chuck can't lead, he needs to get the hell out of leadership. Senators Patty Murray, Elizabeth Warren, Ron Wyden and Sheldon Whitehouse are just four US senators that could easily step in as Minority Leader right now and demonstrate true leadership which could inspire us continue our attempts to save the country.

Now.

That's The 5th Dimension and their hit version of Laura's song.

If Chuck can't lead, he needs to step aside. Now.

Winding down with this from Senator Elizabeth Warren's office:

Given Concerns, Warren, Blumenthal, Van Hollen Also Push for Investigations of Elon Musk’s Potential Ethics Violations and VA Secretary Doug Collins Also Serving as Acting Director of Federal Ethics Office

“Despite President Trump’s promises to fight for working families, he has appointed a string of corporate billionaires and industry insiders, putting them in positions to enrich themselves at the expense of ordinary Americans.”

Text of Letter to Wiles (PDF) | Text of Letters to Investigators (PDF)

Washington, D.C. – U.S. Senators Elizabeth Warren (D-Mass.), Richard Blumenthal (D-Conn.), Jeff Merkley (D-Ore.), and Chris Van Hollen (D-Md.), along with House Judiciary Committee Ranking Member Jamie Raskin (D-Md.), sent White House Chief of Staff Susie Wiles a 10-page letter sounding the alarm on the overwhelming corruption and vast conflicts of interest throughout the Trump administration.

This comes just days after President Donald Trump joined Elon Musk to make what appeared to be a sales pitch for Teslas on the White House lawn.

This letter was sent along with two additional letters from Senators Warren, Blumenthal, and Van Hollen urging 1) the Department of Justice and Department of Transportation’s Office of Inspector General to determine whether Elon Musk has broken ethics rules through his possible involvement in the Federal Aviation Administration’s work with Starlink, despite his financial interest in the work, and 2) the Government Accountability Office to determine whether Doug Collins’s competing responsibilities as both Acting Director of the Office of Government Ethics and the Secretary of Veterans Affairs is undermining the work of either OGE or the VA.

“One month into President Trump’s second term, his new administration is already beating his earlier record of corruption,” wrote the lawmakers.

Within the first 50 days of his second term, President Trump has:

Appointed former lobbyists, billionaire chief executive officers (CEOs), and stockholders with a direct financial stake in their own policy work.
Ceded power to the world’s richest man, Elon Musk, through the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE).
Maintained his network of foreign real estate ventures and refused to divest from his maze of business interests.
Attempted to fire at least 17 Inspectors General who were working to root out corruption in federal agencies and fired the head of the Office of Special Counsel (OSC).
Become the first president in history to fire the director of the Office of Government Ethics (OGE), the primary office responsible for mitigating conflicts of interest in the executive branch.

At the start of his last term, he released an executive order requiring appointees to agree to an ethics pledge. Now, Trump has still not issued any such pledge — though the past three presidential administrations did so.

“Even now, it is not too late for President Trump to reverse course and put our national interests ahead of his personal dealings,” continued the lawmakers.

The members of Congress urged President Trump to take the following steps to not just pay lip service to “draining the swamp” and to remediate the Administration’s worst signs of corruption:

Reinstate the government watchdogs who President Trump purportedly fired, including all Inspectors General, the OGE Director, and the OSC Director, and commit to protecting those offices from further political interference.
Thoroughly vet potential nominees for all conflicts of interest and refuse to appoint anyone who would enter with clear conflicts that existing recusal and divestment rules alone cannot resolve.
Promptly issue an ethics pledge that is at least as robust as the Biden ethics pledge or President Trump’s own pledge from 2017, and ensure robust enforcement.
Divest from his business holdings, in this case by either liquidating the Trump Organization assets or placing them in a truly blind trust operated by an independent trustee who is instructed to divest the assets and reinvest the proceeds in other holdings so that the President does not know what the trust contains. He should also disclose his tax returns from the past three years.
Revoke Mr. Musk’s power to profit from his efforts to manipulate the executive branch for his own benefit. Mr. Musk should also be required to promptly release his financial disclosure form so that the public can understand his potential conflicts of interest.