If Democrats Win the Trifecta in 2028, They MUST End the Filibuster Rule in the Senate and Increase the Size of the U.S. Supreme Court.

Whether it be Roe or birthright citizenship or illegal ICE detentions or assaulting members of Congress or disappearing American citizens to Central American gulags, fascism can't just be stopped with a new executive branch if the Courts allow prior decisions to stand. And a Contitutional amendment process will take too long.

Increasing the size of the U.S. Supreme Court to 15 is the swiftest way to insure that rollbacks of draconian Trump administration executive orders and decisions by his hand-picked justices will be overturned.

Democrats should:

1. Swiftly end the filibuster in the Senate and then IMMEDIATELY move to increase the size of the U.S. Supreme Court to 15 justices with confirmation hearings and votes on nominees by the new president before the end of 2029.

2. End mid-decade gerrymandering with a Constitutional amendment so that redistricting so that district lines drawn up after the 2040 census and 2040 general election won't be tampered with (2040 so that a presidential election year will draw a huge electorate that will also decide legislative elections). Prohibit any redrawing of political districts at a U.S. House or state legislative level from "targetting" an incumbent by putting their principle residence outside of their current district lines.

3. Enact grand jury reform laws so that overzealous prosecutors can no longer recommend the same indictments against a defendant with a new grand jury after a previous grand jury rejects that indictment.

4. Allow U.S. citizens and legal residents to sue the federal government for violations of their Constitutional rights.

5. Increase the federal minimum wage to $15 per hour, retroactive to January 2025 with tax credits issued to those hourly workers during the period between January 2025 and the time the legislation is enacted who otherwise would have earned the extra hourly wage. Additional, the federal government should add to the Social Security Trust Fund the equivalent of 12% of the total tax credit issued and crediting those workers with the extra income to qualify for higher benefits when they collect Social Security. The miniumum wage set once the legislation goes into effect shall be $15 per hour and adjusted for inflation since January 2025. Furthermore, it shall be automatically adjusted for inflation or indexed to increase with Congressional salaries (which ever is higher) without any sunset provision. The sub-minimum wage shall also be eliminated.

TBC

dancingtongue · 80-89, M

While I agree with the intent, I think your first step is a recipe for disaster. As much as the filibuster frustrates me when it is something I agree with, I understand its value in the system of checks and balances to prevent bullying when one party is in full command -- as it has done on some major issues for the Democrats currently. Same reason I voted against California's Prop 50 to return to gerrymandering solely to combat what Red States were doing at Trump's urging. Understood the tactic, and the intent. Appreciate it included a sunset provision to return to the nonpartisan commission decided districts with the next census, but don't believe two wrongs make a right but just continue the warfare.

I much prefer the campaign launched by now-Utah Governor Spencer Cox to find ways to return to civility in politics, listening to opposing viewpoints instead of immediately labeling and demonizing, searching for common ground as described in the link below. I was really taken by the campaign commercial he and his Democratic opponent jointly sponsored, where they agreed to a civil debate of issues, doing exactly that, without resorting to blaming each other, without any broadcast/social media "moderators" asking "gotcha questions" to stir them into polarizing things. That's the path forward, imho, if our society can have put on their big boy pants again.

https://www.yakimaherald.com/opinion/commentary-utah-gov-spencer-cox-makes-a-plea-for-american-architects-not-arsonists/article_c7036263-e53e-428b-8c46-09d996c4c14e.html

dancingtongue · 80-89, M

@beckyromero I choose to think of it as taking the high road, leading by example rather than unilateral disarmament. It was a long battle to overcome both political parties and do away with political gerrymandering and set up a bipartisan commission to make reasonable districts based on geography, population, ethnic diversity. Took a voter-initiated State Constitutional Amendment to put it in place, that was hopefully going to be a role model for other states to emulate. To say "Never Mind, we'll change it at will", we are voting against principle imho. (I do recognize and appreciate that the new exception is stated as a time-limited exception for extenuated circumstances and does sunset with the new Census.)

beckyromero · 36-40, F

@dancingtongue

I choose to think of it as taking the high road...

Well, sorry to be blunt but just remember that it is that "high road" that like-minded voters such as yourself in California, Colorado, Michigan, New York and other mostly Democratic-leaning states is why the Speaker of the House right now is Mike Johnson, enabling Trump's fascist policies, instead of a Democrat.

As for Gov. Cox, he supported Trump for president in 2024. That sort of tells me everything I really need to know about him.