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this post was submitted on 04 Sep 2025
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When republicans do a better job than democrats of pursuing the Epstein list...What even are most democrats other than seat fillers and creating an illusion of choice?
Massie who was the spearhead for that who is a republican so I don't see what is there to celebrate democrats about.
This is a topic where if republicans say no then the public repercussions for them will be low to none but if a democrat says no then that person will likely be publicly ostracized (unlike the Israel vote where opinion is more divided and more than %50 of democrats happily voted no) and many people would automatically assume that the person is in the list and hence that is why they have voted no. So it is not a big success imo to get democrats on board and not a big sacrifice for a democrat to vote yes for this.
On the other hand, there has been definitely more than 4 republicans who have voiced protests over Epstein files not being released since this ordeal has started. It is again a failure of democrats that they could not help muster two more republican votes for this, if they have even tried that is.
It is their failure that they are only doing the bare minimum they can, that is just saying yes to a republican started motion to release the Epstein files.
Thomas Massie by spearheading the petition is putting his ass on the line (unless on some deeper level this is just performative politics with results already predetermined) whereas Ro Khana at worst will get some pats on his back even if they lose. So cosponsoring or signing is not the same level of involvement as a republican masterminding this motion, to start with.
As to the issue of what can be done: At a very basic level, do you really believe that democrats have done a better job of keeping the drumbeat on the Epstein files? I would at best say they might be on par with republicans which is a shameful record given that %100 democrats are apparently for releasing the files where as a much less percent (perhaps %10) of he republicans are openly voicing their support. If 200 democrats create the same amount of noise that 20 republicans do, I have the right to suspect that they are just doing their bare minimum so that they (or their donors) don't get implicated. They should be throwing all they have to identifying and using public and personal pressure points and giving political assurances. They only need two more fucking republicans on board with at least 20 already existing sympathetic to this cause. I don't know what to call this if they can't find something to counter Trump's threats.
On the other hand, it has been ~~nine~~ six months since Trump took office and Massie's was perhaps the only serious attempt to get the files released. Get this, one serious attempt masterminded by a republican, supported by a democrat. Bernie has filed more "Stop Arms Sales to Israel" motions in this period (all btw rejected by more than %70 of democrats and %100 of republicans). I know motions don't mean anything when you don't have majority but it can help keep the public pressure and help sway republicans who are on the fence.
By the way you are reacting to me, I guess that you are imagining I was one of the people who said not to vote for democrats during elections. On the contrary I kept saying the opposite for months on end To me it was a very clear optimization problem with two outcomes one clearly worse than the other. But now the elections are over, democrats should be harshly criticised for their inaptitude or even for their performative politics so people don't have to choose between hell and status quo (which is the pathway to hell) next time.