For a very rare change, phones were answered in both of my Senators' offices and they have both been notified of my strong desire for NO votes on Patel and Vought. Schmitt has been vehement about his support for the entire cast of Felon47 nominees, but Hawley has been strangely quiet. We can always hope and must, since we're stuck with the less than dynamic duo for another 4 years (Hawley for 6).
While I understand the dramatic gesture of the boycott, I think it would have been more effective for the Committee Democrats to stay, vote no, and then publicly suggest another candidate for the job. It would have to be a Republican, but just saying NO, or withdrawing from the conversation entirely, isn't a very effective form of opposition. Democrats should also by now have publicized a People's Cabinet (H/T Tim Snyder) (Shadow Cabinet if you're a Brit) and each of those folks should be commenting on every move that the incipient Trump administration makes. We can do a fair amount of good, but the people that are elected and paid to represent us need to get off their collective fundaments and start representing. Loudly. Vehemently. Unanimously.
The opposition should indeed be vocal via a shadow cabinet. We are just about to learn who will lead the DNC. I hope this person understands that we need to write a whole new script.
New message, new media, new mouths.
Excellent points, Dave.