usernamesAreTricky

It becoming financially convenient was a result of decades of intentional policy. It's now snowballing once it got there

It would have taken far longer to get here without government involvement if applications like space travel were the only reasons for earlier research and manufacturing

Other estimates put it at ~5.2 million. The 3 million estimates appear to be excluding the west coast

That's around 1.6% of the US population which is pretty large for a protest. This isn't the first nationwide protest nor will it be the last. Next date planned for 50501 is April 19th

https://bsky.app/profile/altnps.bsky.social/post/3lm5nnz5ook2q

This wasn't the first nationwide protest of his second term nor will it be the last. This was the 4th nationwide 50501 protest. Plus other movement like Tesla Takedown had large nationwide protests prior too. It's just that now it's gotten large enough that the media can no longer ignore it. It took time to get here. Each protest keeps getting larger than the last

Millions of people have just been put in touch with the various local groups organizing these protests. Usually at these protests they'll be people going around giving info, sigining people up for mailing lists, etc. That's a good part of how each protest gets bigger

Besides just protests, that will enable much more action and more rapid action in the future. For instance Indivisible does tons of work on directed pressure of congress and local leaders. 50501 organized smaller boycotts in the past when the crowds were smaller. Now they can organize boycotts more with more effect

Let's make it drop further. There are Tesla Takedown protests in Europe too! It's growing both within the US and outside of it

https://actionnetwork.org/event_campaigns/teslatakedown

There are groups working to do that. We don't have to talk about this as a hypothetical can get involved today

For instance, groups like Indivisible are pushing for Schumer to be pushed out. Groups like Run for Something are supporting progressives under 40 to run for all positions in state and local elections (generals and primaries)

https://www.teslatakedown.com/

Make the share prices fall further

We can still fight back on the state level. States and local levels will lead the way for progress here

California got a state law to enforce net neutrality in 2018. This is a good part of what limited the damage of Trump overturning it the first time

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/California_Internet_Consumer_Protection_and_Net_Neutrality_Act_of_2018

Watch for any movement / build up of troops. He could still be bluffing here, but this is more than what he's done for other places as far as I'm aware. His actions and orders from here out will be much more telling than any of his words will be

Indeed, there's a reason the Federal Worker Unions are saying to vote against the CR despite the likely shutdown that would entail

Plus it would teach senate Republicans that they can do basically whatever they want as long as they threaten a shutdown. You have to stand up strong to bullies it's the only thing they understand

That's even better certainly. Showing up and protesting outside their office or someplace they can see is great

But the vote is in the morning, so I imagine most of the people here are not going to be able to show up at such short notice

Not immediately

Unlike executive branch agencies, the federal courts can continue operations for about two weeks following a government shutdown. When a shutdown loomed in September 2019, the U.S. federal courts confirmed they could use reserve or carryover funds accumulated from various revenue sources not dependent on Congress, such as case filing fees. When courts are on notice that a government shutdown may be looming, they can take steps to conserve funds by deferring non-critical expenses — for example, by curbing travel, new hires, and certain contracts.

https://judicialstudies.duke.edu/2024/05/how-a-u-s-government-shutdown-impacts-courts-access-to-justice/

Plus voting in favor of this CR would be codifying much of what these cases are about. Many of the illegal spending cuts would become legal until September making the cases moot.

It would also fuck over DC local government in a way the executive branch cannot easily do. Congress can control DC budgets but very little of the DC budget comes from federal money (<1%) where Trump could mess with. The CR has a clause to cut $1 billion from their budget despite that not saving the federal government any money

I mean that they tally support / oppose issue in volume. Congressional staffers do note that calls matter in terms of people's votes. They are used a proxy for the opinions of constituents and also how strongly people hold those beliefs. Whether or not that's fair is a different question. Republicans have historically been waaaay better than leftists about flooding the phone, but the large backlash here is starting to have an impact.

Some of the senators have switched their pledged vote in large part due to the calls. For instance, Tim Kaine went from actively encouraging others to vote in favor of letting it pass the filibuster to now being a hard no against it

Plus other dems in congress are deeply pissed about it on the house side. The larger the number of calls the more ammo they have to senate dems. This is the kind of ideal situation for outside voices mattering - when people within the system are pissed with you

What we’re hearing: House Democrats’ text chains lit up Thursday night with expressions of blinding anger, according to numerous lawmakers who described the conversations on the condition of anonymity.

“People are PISSED,” one House Democrat told Axios in a text message. Several members — including moderates — have begun voicing support for a primary challenge to Schumer, floating Reps. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (D-N.Y.) and Dan Goldman (D-N.Y.) as possible candidates, three House Democrats said.

One lawmaker even vowed at the House Democratic retreat to “write a check tonight” supporting Ocasio-Cortez, said the senior House Democrat

https://www.axios.com/2025/03/14/house-democrats-angry-chuck-schumer-shutdown