2025: Where to start?

Let's start with a message (via Facebook) from Representative Chellie Pingree (February 3, 2025): 

Amid the flurry of extreme actions taken by the Administration, there’s one question I’ve been asked more than any other:

“What are you going to *do* about it?”

It’s a fair question—especially when the President has thus far avoided any real accountability.

I’ll do my best to address it.

(Bear with me, long post ahead!)

Without getting too deep in the Constitutional weeds, Congress has several powers at its disposal, including:

• The power to spend

• The power to investigate

• The power to impeach

• The power to challenge presidential actions in court

Let’s take them one at a time.

The Constitution is clear on Congress’s power of the purse.

The Administration’s directive to “impound” funds from Congress is unconstitutional, and thus illegal. While they rescinded a memo calling for a cross-the-board freeze, they’re still stealing these funds.

We *will* fight them in the courts.

On investigations:

The minority in Congress can’t control hearings or issue subpoenas. But we can call and question important witnesses; work with whistleblowers and others to uncover vital information; and make the public aware of our findings.

All these tools are on the table. And we’ll use them.

The courts will play a critical role, too. The President is pushing the boundaries of the separation of powers. The only remedy is to challenge his power grab by getting to the courts to rule that he has gone too far.

We’ve already seen the courts block some of the Administration’s actions.

As for future court challenges: There are several ways this can be done, like working with state Attorneys General to challenge specific actions.

Last week, Maine’s AG joined colleagues in other states to sue the Administration, resulting in a temporary restraining order on the funding freeze.

None of this is easy. We are in uncharted waters. But my Democratic colleagues and I *will* keep fighting the President’s actions as best we can—and we will use every tool at our disposal to keep this Administration in check.

We understand the stakes. And we’re not going to back down.

But there are things we *can’t* do on our own:

• Confirm or deny nominees (that’s the Senate)

• Stop POTUS from issuing crazy Executive Orders

• Control which bills get voted on in the House

• Impeach (more on that below)

Until we’re back in the majority, there’s only so much we can control.

On impeachment:

Articles can be introduced by either party, but the majority decides whether they move forward.

While this is an appealing option (we’ve done it before—when we controlled the House), with Republicans in control, the chances of making it stick are nil.

But perhaps our most powerful tool is the ability to communicate with you—our constituents. To spell out, in plain terms, what’s really going on, and why it matters.

I take that responsibility seriously. And I know my colleagues do, too.

I will always explain what I vote on and why. It’s an important part of my job.

Legislation in the Trump era is going to be different. There are a lot of “gotcha” bills—ones that have a sensible-sounding title, but absolutely awful text (the Laken Riley Act is a great example of this).

Still, even a social post or thread can help you better understand the details—and stakes—of bills I vote on (or the President’s actions).

But social media can’t be our *only* platform. Videos. Virtual town halls. Media appearances. All are important.

Simply put: We need to be everywhere.

Because the more informed people are about this Administration’s unhinged actions, the more engaged—and enraged—they become. And it’s that engagement and outrage that makes *our* words and actions so much more powerful.

Your voices really do matter. Keep using them.

I know the past few weeks have been exhausting, and there is a long road ahead.

We’ll use the tools we have in Congress. We’ll stand up and push back. We’ll use our voices.

And if the American people use theirs, too, we *will* be able to hold this Administration accountable.