Democrats Keep Accepting Losses They Don't Have to Accept - Jamelle Bouie

[In It to Win It]

Virginia voters passed a redistricting referendum last month that would have reduced Republicans to a single congressional seat in the state. Then the Virginia Supreme Court threw it out — on a technicality.

Nobody thinks the court would have ruled the same way if Republicans had won. The court said earlier in the year the referendum could proceed. They only decided it was illegitimate after seeing the results.

Democrats in Virginia — including the House speaker and Governor Spanberger — responded by accepting the ruling. That's the wrong call. Three million people voted. A court of four cannot erase that. The right answer is the one Republicans in Ohio and Florida have already demonstrated: you make your ruling, you enforce it yourself. Anything less is unilateral disarmament — and Democrats who won't fight on those terms should find another line of work.

[WSHazel]

1. It is important to push the politicians

But there are some steps that regular people can take too, and I have not seen any hands raised or even movements to do this.

For example, an Investor Strike against the U.S. market would make a big difference. Almost $50 billion a month enters the U.S. stock market every month from 401K and IRA contributions, and the stock market depends on that inflow. If that number dropped even 10-15%, the entire market would feel the impact. Investors could simply send those contributions to a different stock market. Almost all 401K plans have global investment fund options, and there are global ETFs and mutual funds that people can buy in their IRAs. There are plenty of countries that have rule of law and well-regulated markets and would love our money.

I will circle back to this at some point.

[MichMan]

2. "Nobody thinks the court would have ruled the same way if Republicans had won"

If the referendum had failed to pass, it would have just meant that the existing maps would stay the same as they were. That is the exact scenario that occurred when they ruled the referendum violated the Virginia constitution. There would have been no reason for the court to even weigh in in that situation.

That is the reason the court let the referendum proceed in the first place. Had it failed to pass, they wouldn't have had to address the issue at all as it would have been a moot point.

[msongs]

3. agreed, however repbs have maade the same argument against court decisions that did not benefit

them when it comes to majority rules, court overrides etc



maybe spanberger coulda put up a bigger squawk at minimum

[DET]

4. THIS GUY IS RIGHT

The Virginia Supreme Court made a partisan ruling based on a stupid technicality. The MAGAts were out in full force trying to influence the vote and this court decision. They have been trying to impeach Governor Spanberger since the day she was elected - for spurious reasons, of course - and they have been relentless. It would take enormous courage to go against this ruling, but that’s what we need right now.

[harumph]

5. Agree with this guy - just do what the voters want.

We can't take the high road. Let the court enforce its order.

[newdeal2]

7. Slippery slope

Ignoring the courts is what MAGA Republicans and Trump want to do.

Now if there's other ways to get around this ruling, by all means they should try every creative trick possible.

[W_HAMILTON]

8. It's what MAGA Republicans and Trump HAVE DONE.

[MichMan]

6. If the suggestion is to defy the court, can Spanberger just order that no Republicans are eligible for the ballot?

[maxrandb]

9. No, but you could treat the MAGAt dipshits like they treat EVERYONE

If you have the power to do so, close polling locations in Dumbfuckistan Virginia districts, and make them drive 100 miles to vote. Cut off their state funding, claim it's due to "fraud investigations". Find a busy bridge they use, and close it everyday at rush hour for "inspection". Open state criminal investigations into EVERY Retrumplican State politician, from dogcatcher, to County Coroner, to State Senator. Use the "he needed investigation" excuse that the MAGAts use.

And not one single one of those 4 Virginia Supreme Court justices that ruled against the will of the people should stand for election (the VA Legislature decides if these judges get reappointed). That shouldn't be a fucking question.

If there are no consequences, there will never be any change in behavior.

[SocialDemocrat61]

10. Democracies end when

both sides ignore the law. Just because republicans cheat and do illegal things it doesn't mean democrats should too. For some the goal is to preserve democracy, for others it is just all about winning versus the other guy.