Supreme Court Expansion Isn’t Even a Tough Call
To court pack, or not to court pack? That is the question Democrats are doing everything they can to avoid answering — even though Republicans have been successfully packing the courts for years.
319 Articles by: David Sirota
David Sirota is editor-at-large at Jacobin. He edits the Lever and previously served as a senior adviser and speechwriter on Bernie Sanders’s 2020 presidential campaign.
Donald Trump Took Advantage of the US’s Legalized Corruption
Donald Trump is deeply corrupt. That corruption is a product of the larger kleptocratic system, created by a judiciary that would favor the rich even more with Amy Barrett on the Supreme Court.
The Pennsylvania GOP Is Undermining Its Own Vote-By-Mail Reforms For Trump
Donald Trump wants to suppress the vote, and Pennsylvania Republican lawmakers want to help him — by limiting the vote-by-mail system they themselves helped create in 2019.
Kamala Harris Did Not Need to Tout Fracking Last Night
Polls show Pennsylvania voters support important restrictions on fracking. There was no reason for Kamala Harris to tout Joe Biden’s endorsement of fracking at the vice presidential debate last night or for Beltway journalists to claim the election hinges on the position.
Trump Reduced Workplace Safety Enforcement — Then Workers Died While Begging for Help
New data shows that COVID-19–related deaths followed after workers requested help from federal safety officials. Instead of helping, Donald Trump reduced enforcement of workplace safety laws.
Senate Dems Have a Big Supreme Court Opportunity Today. Will They Use It?
Mitch McConnell desperately wants unanimous consent to pass a measure keeping Trump’s Supreme Court nomination on track. Democrats could potentially stop it. The question is whether they’re willing to.
Shut Down the Supreme Court Confirmation
If the roles were reversed, Mitch McConnell would use his power to to stop a Democratic president’s Supreme Court pick. Democrats now face pressure to fight Trump’s nominee just as vigorously.
Trump Could Only Ignore the Reality of Coronavirus for So Long
The lesson of Donald Trump’s coronavirus diagnosis is not that he deserved it or that anyone should celebrate — it’s that you can’t pretend that the basic laws governing the universe don’t apply to you forever.
Private Equity Firm Blackstone Actually Had a Sub-Zero Tax Rate Last Year
Even though Blackstone, the world’s largest private equity firm, raked in billions in profits last year, new documents show their tax rate actually went below zero. This may help explain why CEO Stephen Schwarzman has spent nearly $25 million to help Trump and GOP senators win: to ensure the tax breaks enriching Blackstone stay in place.
Our Tax System Allows and Encourages Massive Rip-Offs Like Trump’s
It’s tempting to turn the new reporting on Donald Trump’s tax shenanigans, paying only $750 in taxes in 2016 and 2017, into a story about Trump as a singular villain. He’s despicable, but he could only get away with it because we live under a system that allows the wealthy to rip off $266 billion from the country every single year.
Amy Coney Barrett Worked on Bush v. Gore
Donald Trump says he expects the Supreme Court to decide the 2020 election, as it did in Bush v. Gore. If Amy Coney Barrett is confirmed, the court will have three justices who worked directly on the case that undemocratically determined the 2000 election.
Supreme Court Nominee Amy Coney Barrett Is an Enemy of Workers
In August, Trump nominee Amy Coney Barrett delivered a key ruling blocking many gig workers from suing in court when tech companies deny them overtime pay. It’s just one in a long history of decisions that favored corporate interests.
Democrats Have a Wide Range of Options to Stop Trump’s SCOTUS Pick
A memo is circulating on Capitol Hill that spells out exactly the kind of tactics that could slow Donald Trump’s Supreme Court nomination. Will the Democrats use them?
To Fight Trump’s Rising Authoritarianism, Dems Must Drop Their Learned Helplessness
Donald Trump is making it very clear that he has few qualms about using undemocratic, authoritarian means to stay in power. If they’re serious about stopping him, Democrats will have to stop cowering in fear and act like a real opposition party.
“This Would Really Push the Supreme Court Over the Top”
Much of the discussion around Donald Trump’s Supreme Court appointment after Ruth Bader Ginsburg’s death has been about crucial issues like abortion. But the court also rules regularly on issues of corporate power in America — and whoever Trump’s replacement is will be a steadfast friend to corporations.
Joe Biden Should Stop Shitting on the Democratic Party’s Base
Joe Biden keeps stomping on progressives — despite the fact that he desperately needs their votes. If he wants to defeat Donald Trump, this is exactly the wrong way to do it.
Here’s What Democrats Can Actually Do To Stop Trump’s SCOTUS Pick
The Democratic Party has long made a habit of preemptively surrendering major fights with Republicans before they even begin. They’ll have to change that right now if Democrats want to block a Supreme Court replacement of Ruth Bader Ginsburg.
Chuck Schumer Needs to Fight Trump’s SCOTUS Pick
Senate minority leader Chuck Schumer has the power to try to stop Trump’s nominee, but he has previously caved to the GOP on judges. The only way he’ll put up a fight is if he feels pressure from his left.
Despite Everything, We Shouldn’t Give up Hope That We Can Change This Country
Everything is awful right now, and the barriers to making things better are steep. But more and more people know that the status quo cannot continue — and more and more people are fighting, even winning, battles on behalf of a better world for everyone.
Joe Biden Is Severely Hurting His Chances of Beating Donald Trump
As Joe Biden has ignored the Democratic base, polls now show he faces an enthusiasm gap. Progressive pressure is needed to force him to energize Democratic voters and defeat Donald Trump.