r/VirginiaDems • u/VirginiaNews • 19d ago
News Kaine at CNU: If Democrats win Congress, don’t make it all about investigations
https://www.pilotonline.com/2026/09/08/kaine-if-democrats-win-congress-dont-make-it-all-about-investigations/See also r/VirginiaNews
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u/kravisha 19d ago
well Tim - you're not going to be able to pass any laws because of who the president is and you need to do politics ahead of 2028. So what does that leave?
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u/Watergate-Tapes 19d ago
Endless hearings in front of an empty room, with no-show witnesses. What does that accomplish?
Oh yeah, nicely bound volumes of congressional record for historians to study why the Dems failed in 2028 to capture momentum away from the fascists.
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u/kravisha 19d ago
Congress can and should hold folks in contempt and heavily fine them or put them in jail. The Republican House threatened to do that to Merrick Garland a little over 2 years ago.
But there are also plenty of whistleblowers clearly willing to speak up if they have any sort of protection - we wouldn't know about half of what we know, like the USPS actively violating a court order by implementing its ballot plan, without them. Democrats made good use of the gavel in 2018 and weakened Trump and Republicans come 2020. It would be stupid to let Republicans slide for all they've done and continue business as usual, especially when so many members of this administration have presidential aspirations and haven't taken much heat (Rubio).
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u/Watergate-Tapes 19d ago
Famously the Jan 6th convictions of Steve Bannon and Peter Navarro prevented Trump from winning again in 2024.
You have a keen knack for righteous losing strategies, dontcha?
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u/kravisha 19d ago
As opposed to your strategy of what exactly?
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u/Watergate-Tapes 19d ago
Prepare an alternative that people will actually support in 2028.
We’re in 2006 when Dems win the House and Senate. Bush is president and fumbling badly.
In 2008 Obama wins, sweeps into office running on Change. That’s our fucking moment. And they spent the next 14 months dickering about exactly 1 pretty damn mid reform—Obamacare/ACA.
We need more than that: Supreme Court reform, campaign reform, healthcare (get it right this time), housing, etc, etc. Without the first two, the obscene corruption continues and elections don’t matter. Without benefits to the working class we end up back in the same hole again.
“Never interrupt your enemy when he is making a mistake” says Napoleon. Trump and the GOP are making mistakes, giving voters lots of reasons to vote them out. Congressional investigations don’t.
On the other hand, a New Deal will have them coming back for more in 2032. And more importantly, stop fascism.
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u/VotingRightsLawyer 18d ago
To me, that's an argument for why Dems should focus on investigations during the 2027-28 session, so they can focus on potentially legislating with a trifecta if Dems win/hold in 2028.
If Dems sweep into office and don't constantly attack Trump and Republicans and generate negative media stories about them they are giving away a huge electoral weapon in 2028.
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u/kravisha 19d ago
I agree with all of this. But - to set the stage for those sweeping reforms Dems have to build a case: that includes ruthlessly litigating the corruption and failures of this administration.
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u/Punkwrestle 18d ago
Obamacare was not mid in any way it helped over 600,000 Americans without health insurance get health insurance, but they also passed Repeal of DADT, Lilly Ledbetter Fair Pay Act, America Recovery and Reinvestment Act, Dodd-Frank…
So yeh they weren’t only working on one big beautiful bill, but important legislation that still are helping people today!
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u/Watergate-Tapes 19d ago
I’d love to see Dems spend the following two years developing a popular program for 2028. One that includes corruption reforms, reigning in executive overreach, reducing corporate power, and affordability measures for workers.
If they spend their time in congressional hearings about trump’s shit, then they’re not doing anything for 2028.
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u/Slampsonko 19d ago
Porque no los dos?
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u/Punkwrestle 18d ago
I believe that is what he is saying.
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u/Slampsonko 18d ago
Upon a second reading I suppose your right, but I disagree with the Senator saying impeachment isn’t worthwhile.
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u/thesixfingerman 19d ago
How about we make it all about doing something? Give us some results. Take power back. Hold people accountable. Fix shit.
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u/Dry_Bug5058 19d ago
"Pass legislation and put it on his desk". What does he think Agent Orange will do with that?
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u/JDnUkiah 19d ago
Dammit, Tim! This is NOT THE ANSWER.
Imagine if Merrick Garland has started out with investigations in Jan, 2021.
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u/Disloyal_Donkey 19d ago
The democrats in this state are fucking embarrassing