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

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

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're doing, and how damaging it is to the court's legitimacy.

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

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