Democrats play hardball on Epstein files
Source: The Hill
07/22/25 5:41 PM ET
Democrats are showing they’re ready to get dirty and hit President Trump where it hurts by stoking the Jeffrey Epstein controversy that’s severed his MAGA movement.
The strategy strays from the official line coming from top Democrats such as House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries (N.Y.), who say they want their midterm campaign message to center on Medicaid cuts and other kitchen-table policies contained in Trump’s “big, beautiful bill.”
But the focus on Epstein has also been remarkably successful, energizing the Democratic grassroots and aggravating tensions within the GOP.
And this week, it prompted Republican leaders to scrap their legislative plans and head early into the long summer recess — all to avoid votes on the Epstein saga. Even traditionalist Democratic veterans are applauding the tactic for its effectiveness.
Read more: https://thehill.com/homenews/house/5414628-democrats-hardball-epstein-files/
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It is probably for the best to remember that we are humans, and as such are prone to be more into the 'human nature' of things.
Appealing to logic and reason is fine, but, also unfortunately, we are not Vulcans. (Even though I know a few people who would pass for one.)
I would agree. But then we know the background and nature of Vulcans and why they chose the path that they did. 
Their inherent nature hasn't changed but is masked by rigid training and discipline.
What is going right now is nothing new.
Millard Fillmore was down there in the basement of Presidents along with his own "in the bag" Chief Justice - the horrid Roger "Dred Scott" Taney (just like 45 and Roberts).
This country goes through these "cycles".
History shows it.
However, it is tough to lean on history when people are staring into the abyss. Knowing that times will get better in 20-76 years does not really do much for me, ya know? I am more worried about making it through each day while trying to make as little of an impact on our finances as I can. Which, with my failing body, is all but impossible.
The problem with history is that it sanitizes the reality of what transpired to create it. To be honest, I never wanted to be a statistic in the service of some fascist regime.
But, I never wanted to be a statistic in the service of a capitalistic regime either, so...
literally by the availability of "instant, as it's happening" technology - radio, TV, internet. It ends up allowing a "mass experience" of both good and bad events, literally in "real time".
A perfect "historical" example of what "lack of immediacy" resulted in is the very origin of "Juneteenth", where the Emancipation Proclamation was signed in 1863 and the people in Galveston, TX didn't "get the memo" until 2 years later.
I think this requires people to try to cope or tune out in some way, and many do (which when it comes to things like the encroachment of fascism, is what they want to happen - less "engagement" and thus they power on). All of these types of systems eventually fall - but agree that the wait is horrible, especially if you or your family/friends/neighbors are directly impacted.
But people who experienced it do pass that info on to the next generation. I have posted this before, but (as a Trek reference too 
), George Takei had a recent interview to describe his time in several internment camps during WW2 -
that is dialogue from a movie so it's not really a strategy. Having said that the D's need to get a few of the members to take on the role of 'bad cop' and blister his hide on a daily basis using FACTS, not hearsay, rhetoric or wishful thinking. 
The truth is the 'big gun' here.
But, yes, there needs to be something along the lines of an 'attack squad', who dig into them constantly across whatever platform they can manage.
As to strategy, the idea behind that metaphor (the dialogue you mentioned) was to suggest that maybe we stop worrying about being 'couth' and using 'good form', and start worrying about being 'lax' in our efforts to go after them, as opposed to being on the defensive the majority of the time. (There is also a bit of 'history is written by the victors' vibe in that quote, but we will save that one for another time. Heh.)
So she would tell us about some of her past cases - including those adults and children who were institutionalized (this was when she was working back in the '50s).
There was quite a lot featured about Epstein's victims but at least one was pressured to drop her case and others tried to press their cases.
E.g., there was a docuseries done about them - https://apnews.com/article/jeffrey-epstein-entertainment-crime-arrests-featured-61d4fe425a7526f46218393912f45051
It was done for Lifetime Channel - https://www.mylifetime.com/shows/surviving-jeffrey-epstein
But the kicker here is that after what happened in 2019 with Epstein and Maxwell, then what happened? A pandemic that killed over 1 million here in the U.S. alone, so that shoved everything to the background.
But just like what happened with Sean "P-Diddy" Combs, you have forces that interfere with victims rights. As it is, you have people like Gaetz still running around. As long as men "run the show" then it will be like this.
And with respect to Democrats - they have run up against the Roberts Supreme Court, which has coddled and supported 45 for a long time.
There is that saying about "elections have consequences" and as long as people keep wanting "perfect" from the party, then they will only embolden the opposition.
