Erik Schlenker-Goodrich
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riogranderift.bsky.social
Erik Schlenker-Goodrich
@riogranderift.bsky.social
At work in the ruins. Executive Director: @westernlaw.org

Thoughts my own.
Pinned
My thoughts on @westernlaw.bsky.social's strategic approach to the Trump 2.0 era.

✅ Hold the line at the federal level
✅ Move in space at the state level
✅ Build power for change

How? With an ecology of kinship.
TO THE WESTERN HORIZONS!
The Western Environmental Law Center’s Strategic Approach to the Confluence of Political, Ecological, and Economic Crises Faced by the…
medium.com
Reposted by Erik Schlenker-Goodrich
NEWS RELEASE: #NMPol water commission to consider gov’s office tampering motion in oil and gas wastewater rulemaking

We filed a motion to disqualify 7 of 14 commissioners improperly directed to vote to advance industry-written plan to allow oil & gas wastewater discharge to rivers, streams, land.
State water commission to consider gov’s office tampering motion in oil and gas wastewater rulemaking - Western Environmental Law Center
On Thursday, November 13, the New Mexico Water Quality Control Commission (WQCC) will consider water watchdogs’ motion to disqualify 7 of 14 commissioners and vacate their July 7 vote to hear a contro...
westernlaw.org
November 10, 2025 at 9:18 PM
Reposted by Erik Schlenker-Goodrich
Let my gravestone read "PUNCTUATION GOES INSIDE THE QUOTATION MARKS."
November 10, 2025 at 4:48 PM
Reposted by Erik Schlenker-Goodrich
Good Grief
November 10, 2025 at 12:41 PM
Reposted by Erik Schlenker-Goodrich
Oh @durbin.senate.gov is out on this surrender publicly and he is openly being contemptuous of the base - sounding like the coward he has always been.

Via @notus.com
November 10, 2025 at 2:37 PM
Reposted by Erik Schlenker-Goodrich
A govt shutdown is like a strike in the sense that before you start it you MUST have a concrete idea of what your leverage is and what will cause your opponent to fold. Ironically the Dems' strongest leverage point was probably "fucked up Thanksgiving travel" and they folded just before it came.
November 10, 2025 at 2:40 PM
Reposted by Erik Schlenker-Goodrich
Hearing from more people after this went out.

"We're all pissed. This was a lot of unnecessary stress on people and their families for nothing. And if I win the lottery tonight I absolutely will spend millions to hire people to follow these 8 Dems around for a year and make their lives miserable."
I heard from a bunch of federal employees last night and this morning. They aren't happy.

"I would rather be an actual pawn. At least pawn sacrifices are calculated and achieve something. All this for a fucking meaningless vote."
'A Slap in the Face': Federal Employees Feel Betrayed by Democrats' Shutdown Cave
"I would rather be an actual pawn. At least pawn sacrifices are calculated and achieve something."
www.gravityisgone.com
November 10, 2025 at 2:40 PM
Reposted by Erik Schlenker-Goodrich
I think tonight shows why “moderate to win elections” is a real risk

the big divide in the Dem caucus, as many have noted, has been less moderate vs progressive than fight versus don’t fight

but it’s not a coincidence that basically everyone in the “don’t fight” camp is a moderate
November 10, 2025 at 4:17 AM
Reposted by Erik Schlenker-Goodrich
can't wait to see this inspiring messaging incorporated into the DSCC fundraising appeals
Sen. Angus King: "Standing up to Donald Trump didn't work"
November 10, 2025 at 1:44 PM
Reposted by Erik Schlenker-Goodrich
Chuck Schumer Helps Pull Democrats Back From Brink Of Courage
November 10, 2025 at 5:02 AM
Reposted by Erik Schlenker-Goodrich
Listening to these 8 Dem Senators explain their vote convinces me that they are either idiots or liars. Either is plausible.
November 10, 2025 at 2:40 AM
Reposted by Erik Schlenker-Goodrich
In a normal democracy, a total collapse of party leadership would result in an no-confidence vote and immediate snap elections to find leaders who can lead
November 10, 2025 at 3:18 AM
Reposted by Erik Schlenker-Goodrich
Great job, @schumer.senate.gov. You've changed the story from "GOP hurting millions of Americans to please unpopular, failing, delusional despot who's destroying his party" to "Dems are too weak and divided in the face of Trump's strength to take a stand and protect Americans"
November 10, 2025 at 11:49 AM
Reposted by Erik Schlenker-Goodrich
The original Dem demands were:
1) Permanent ACA subsidies
2) Medicaid funding restored
3) No more blank checks for the regime (rescission)

They dropped Medicaid immediately. Went silent on rescission. Cut back to 1 year of subsidies on Friday. And surrendered today.

The Senate Democrats!
November 10, 2025 at 2:29 AM
Reposted by Erik Schlenker-Goodrich
These 8 Senators sold us out to Trump:
Hassan
King
Cortez-Masto
Shaheen
Kaine
Fetterman
Durbin
Rosen

Understand This Fact: Chuck Schumer is behind this. None of these 8 are up for reelection in 2026. Schumer asked them vote yes—they agreed. He's such a coward that he folded and won't even own it.
November 10, 2025 at 2:59 AM
Reposted by Erik Schlenker-Goodrich
Maybe if people think the Democratic Party is "weak" it is not because they think that Democrats "care about other people" but that they "fold every single time."
This shit is why people don’t trust the Democratic Party.
November 10, 2025 at 2:56 AM
Reposted by Erik Schlenker-Goodrich
How about we shut down the government for this very popular and specific goal and then, hear me out, we hold out for like a month and a half and then, ok this part is important, after a watershed election where we ran the table, ONLY THEN, fold and don't get the one thing we said we wanted.
November 10, 2025 at 2:31 AM
Reposted by Erik Schlenker-Goodrich
Republicans are going to laugh at Democrats and do nothing on healthcare. They will continue helping Trump fulfill Project 2025.

Dems learn nothing.
a black and white drawing of charlie brown and lucy brown from the peanuts comic strip
ALT: a black and white drawing of charlie brown and lucy brown from the peanuts comic strip
media.tenor.com
November 10, 2025 at 1:51 AM
Reposted by Erik Schlenker-Goodrich
If that's the case, then he's an utterly feckless leader of his caucus.
November 10, 2025 at 1:44 AM
Reposted by Erik Schlenker-Goodrich
The centrists in the Senate Democratic caucus saw that the country was rallying to the party in the 2025 elections and resolved that they would do anything they could to kill that momentum.
November 10, 2025 at 12:52 AM
I am reminded, in this moment, of this imperative, oft forgotten, from John O’Donohue’s poem, A Blessing For One Who Holds Power:

“May your soul find the graciousness

To rise above the fester of small mediocrities.

May your power never become a shell

Wherein your heart would silently atrophy.”
November 10, 2025 at 1:01 AM
Reposted by Erik Schlenker-Goodrich
Mothercluckers! Not even a week they needed to throw away all the momentum and power they have been handed… without doing anything or deserving it.
November 10, 2025 at 12:39 AM
Reposted by Erik Schlenker-Goodrich
Donald Trump’s approval rating has tanked and Republican suffered heavy losses in last week’s elections. There’s never been a better time for Senate Democrats to cave on the ACA extension.
November 9, 2025 at 11:47 PM
Reposted by Erik Schlenker-Goodrich
AAAAAAAAAAAAHHHHHHHHHH
November 10, 2025 at 12:02 AM
Reposted by Erik Schlenker-Goodrich
There are too many Democrats in Congress that have no will to fight and we are all worse off becuase of their presence. I thought this week had potential to be a turning point and instead a few woefully inadequate cohort of Senators will make it harder for the entirely of the country once again.
November 10, 2025 at 12:07 AM