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Assuming we take back the Senate, I would love to see televised hearings in conjunction with passing the Lewis VRA. Elicit testimony about real-world suppression efforts, and about the real-world voters whom they have victimized.
1/x
1/x
2nd phase of the hearings would focus specifically on Shelby v. Holder. Con law experts testify about what an illogical, results-oriented decision it is; election experts testify about the lack of factual basis, & about what happened since in former pre-clearance jurisdictions.
Hey, invite Roberts to defend it! That could be interesting. But most importantly, tie the decision to its real-world results.
Hearings on Shelby v. Holder would serve 2 purposes: 1) highlight the need for a new VRA; and 2) warning shot across the bow to the SCOTUS wingnuts. In sports, this is called "working Mr. Balls & Strikes".
4/x
4/x
Make it clear that Sen Jud Com will hold hearings on every shitty wingnut decision handed down by the SCOTUS wingnuts. Make it clear to the public exactly what they& #39;re doing, and how damaging it is to the court& #39;s legitimacy.
5/x
5/x
More broadly, hold hearings to hammer home the point that 1) there is a crisis of legitimacy in the federal court system, 2) precipitated by Republicans. On SCOTUS, a crisis of ideologically driven activists. At appellate level, same plus a crisis of *qualifications*.
6/x
6/x
And that whatever Democrats decide to do (term limits, expanding the courts, etc.) is an attempt to *rescue* the institution from the crisis of legitimacy Republicans inflicted on it.
7/7
7/7
