Trump opposition sets up blue-state headquarters

[FarCenter]

With the national Democratic Party in disarray, the outline of the Donald Trump resistance is taking shape far from Capitol Hill, with New York and California emerging as the East and West Coast headquarters of opposition to the incoming administration.

Officials and advocacy groups in the two Democratic strongholds are plotting how to use the power of state law enforcement agencies, municipal regulations, and regional bully pulpits, and they’re assembling a wide-ranging apparatus of political opposition that they hope will slow the Trump agenda.

In California, the state legislature has hired former U.S. Attorney General Eric Holder to serve as the tip of its legal spear as it prepares for an assault on Trump’s efforts to roll back Barack Obama’s government — a fight that will be led by longtime Congressman and House Democratic Caucus Chairman Xavier Becerra, who has returned to the state to serve as the equivalent of a wartime attorney general.

...


Trump’s home state of New York is likewise a hive of anti-Trump activity.

New York City Mayor Bill de Blasio is painting himself as the anti-Trump as he runs for a second term this year, and Gov. Andrew Cuomo called the state a “refuge” in a state party email shortly after Election Day — an opening shot at the president-elect. Cuomo has been vocal about his intention to oppose Trump ahead of his own likely 2018 campaign — a reelection bid where he can protect his exposed left flank by confronting the president-elect, who is militantly opposed by progressives.

But it's New York Attorney General Eric Schneiderman, who has already clashed with Trump during his office’s investigations of the Trump Foundation and Trump University, who is uniquely positioned to needle Trump Tower.

http://www.politico.com/story/2017/01/trump-opposition-california-new-york-233321

[mnhtnbb]

1. This is really heartening to see organized opposition to Trump being formed

by credible and knowledgeable individuals.

[Amaryllis]

2. Yes, it is so important as MIchelle Obama said in her farewell address to maintain hope and focus on

what CAN be done. It is far too easy to succumb to hopelessness, which keeps us from seeing what can be done. Thank you, California, for being so proactive and leading the way and giving us an example that there is still a lot we can do. This is the kind of leadership we badly need.

[Wounded Bear]

3. Good news...

I hope this can spread into the red heartland a bit. We only "lost" by 100k votes, so we'd only need to flip a couple of states to blunt the worst of the Repub excesses.

[FarCenter]

5. If anything, a passive-aggressive resistance by NY and CA will deepen the split with the heartland

[hatrack]

9. Oh, so let's not do anything that might upset Trump voters in "Real America"

Great fucking plan, Sparky.

[crazycatlady]

6. They're already set up in NY

Trump flipped 6 NY Congressional districts (mostly upstate). Let the NY people work on them (NY has its own version of the Rust Belt).

[Wounded Bear]

7. I know what you mean...

WA is much the same, with the blue/red urban/rural split very prominent. We've managed to hold Dem strength in state government, at least. We could sure stand to flip a few red districts. If we could flip some red districts in blue states, it would go a long way to flipping the House.

[crazycatlady]

10. I worked in WA this cycle

I didn't want to get on the plane back to the east coast. I LOVED it there (and am looking into moving back there).

Unfortunately the State Senate didn't flip I was working on a race that was targeted.

[msongs]

4. Same Cuomo of who lets republican control NY legislature? Not

[gulliver]

8. Trump and his Republicans

It's great to oppose Trump, and I will gladly join in. But we need to make Trump the Achilles Heel for all of Republicanism. He is the fruit of their tree, and we should use that to judge the tree.