We're NOT Doomed: Fri Feb 20, 2026

For once let's just focus on the wins

On February 10, 2025, Minority Leader, Hakeem Jeffries wrote a Dear Colleague letter announcing that he was creating the Rapid Response Team and Litigation Working Group.

If you don’t remember it, it began:

I write with respect to our ongoing effort to push back against the far-right extremism that is being relentlessly unleashed on the American people.

We are engaged in a multifaceted struggle to protect and defend everyday Americans from the harm being inflicted by this administration.

And instantaneously people said it was not doing anything, a waste of time, and proved that he shouldn’t be speaker.

Well, it’s almost exactly a year later, and today, the Supreme Court ruled against Trump and struck down his authority to unilaterally enact tariffs.

Why?

In large part because of the work of the Rapid Response Task Force, who, among other things, submitted a bicameral amicus brief, to the Supreme Court — signed by 171 House and 36 Senate Democrats.

When I say “just because you’re not seeing it doesn’t mean it’s not happening,” this is what I mean.

There are some things that happen behind closed doors, and that constituents most of the work of this task force. That doesn’t mean they were doing nothing, that doesn’t mean they were wasting time focusing more than you wanted on cost of living.

They, along with our incredible Dem AG, who filed the lawsuit, were actually doing the work and fighting back and, they won.

Let this be a lesson that Dems are not useless and in many ways are perfectly meeting the moment. But meeting the moment and being performative, for your piece of mind, are not always the same thing.

Congrats to everyone involved in this massive win!

New Jersey

Fri, Feb 13, 2026 - State legislative Democrats have bicamerally introduced a bill package to combat ICE.

It includes a bill preventing what’s happening with Renee Good’s case in Minnesota by making it a criminal offense for anyone, including the federal government to lock local law enforcement out of any case.

A bill that would impose 50% taxes on any government detention facility with those funds going directly to a new “Immigration Protection Fund.”

And, like California, a bill to ban ICE agents from becoming government workers or working in education.

One of the members who introduced this package, Alixson Collazos-Gill said:

The actions at the light rail station reflected intimidation under the false pretense of protecting the public. When masked agents in unmarked vehicles detain people without clear identification or transparency, that erodes trust and undermines the very principles our Constitution is built on…We are using every tool available at the state level to protect due process, uphold human rights, and ensure accountability. I stand firmly with our immigrant neighbors in interest of their safety, dignity, and rights.

I don’t know about you, but this goes a long way in making me feel less Doomed. Especially because New Jersey is completely blue and and this will be easily signed into law. The only question is, will it stand up to the inevitable lawsuit. And we can only hope the answer is yes.

Philadelphia, Pennsylvania

Mon Feb 16 - George W Bush appointee, Judge Cynthia Rufe cited George Orwell’s 1984 in her opinion demanding that the National Park Service restore the slavery exhibit at the President’s House Site in Philly.

Rufe began:

As if the Ministry of Truth in George Orwell’s 1984 now existed, with its motto “Ignorance is Strength,” this Court is now asked to determine whether the federal government has the power it claims—to dissemble and disassemble historical truths when it has some domain over historical facts. It does not.

You’ve probably heard this story already, cause it’s all over the place. But I wanted to include it today because I want to makes sure it really sinks in that this lawsuit was brought by the City of Philadelphia and they won.

Not totally, it will still make its way through the courts, this will be appealed, but in the meantime, the exhibit has gone back up.

This is the power of local government. This is the power of Mayor Cherelle Parker, and the incredible lawyering of her appointee, City Solicitor Renee Garcia. This is why it’s so important to vote in every single election, no matter how small it may seem.

I see a lot of people spreading this story, but I don’t see many of those people giving credit where credit is due.

These stories are so important, but, who made them possible is important too.

We’re NOT Doomed, and one of the reasons why is because of these incredible Democrats we have elected around the country.

National

Wed, Feb 18 - Back in 2024 the DOJ filed a lawsuit against LiveNation’s monopoly. The original lawsuit was for all aspects of LiveNation, but Biden appointeee, Judge Arun Subramanian said that LiveNation has a monopoly over promotions and booking did not stand up. So now the lawsuit has been narrowed to only be about the LiveNation Ticketmaster merger back in 2010.

Subramanian said:

The government argues that these exclusive contracts were used for foreclosure, not because they’re what the venues wanted. It points to deposition testimony given by an employee at one of Ticketmaster’s competitors (which also has a venue management arm) who testified that it “would have loved to have had” all its venues exclusively use its own ticketer, but didn’t because “the content threat” from Live Nation “is very real and very effective.”

In this case, and I know it’s hard to grasp, but we’re on the side of the government.

Jury selection begins March 2, but it makes me feel less Doomed seeing something against monopolies moving forward right now.

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So that’s why We’re NOT Doomed today! I hope they inspire you to keep fighting!

Our voices are our superpower, but only when we use them!