The need now is for every American who cares about our democracy to contribute in one way or another in supporting Democratic candidates on both the local and federal level. Whether it's phonebanking, texting, postcarding, knocking on doors or a whole range of other activities, we need a whole lot more people willing to get involved. Protests are just one indicator, and the numbers right now, despite growing larger don't bode well.
Had we responded this way to Pearl Harbor we would have surely never have overthrown the fascists. Time for this generation of Americans (all ages) to step up.
October 18 - No Kings Day 2.0 - is 3 weeks away. If you know someone who has been affected by the MAGA onslaught or is about to be affected, send them a personal email. Inviting them to No Kings Day - and a reminder on the 16th or 17th. Make a sign. Find your nearest rally in advance and be prepared to show up and stand with the rest of the Real Americans who don't want to live in a Fascist Dictatorship.
Excellent! The 3.5 rule can be our rallying cry. If everyone who attended No Kings 1 brings along one new person, that's 10 million protesters. Thank you for your actionable suggestion.
Stephen, I will be in Germany. October 18 is a day of Democrats Abroad leadership meetings so the regional leaders will not be organizing demonstrations, but there will be one in Berlin. I also have already planned a rally for Democracy for that day, since when I am in my city I have signed up to run these rallies every third Saturday. I will make it about No Kings this time. I am also a member of Indivisible Abroad as well as my US city because I am back and forth.
Bis, our should be the second Greatest Generation for saving democracy again.
We should do anything and everything fast and constantly before it's too late. Above everything else, we have to guarantee throughout our actions that the midterm elections are held in 2026.
This coming election its the worse nightmare for this regime and they will do the utmost to cancel it or rigged in such a way that would be the envy of the Russian government.
Protests could also include voter registration. In addition, some states require that candidates get a certain number of signatures to get on the ballot. States where people can put initiatives on the ballot require that as well. Take those to rallies for signatures.
Maybe if "we" had responded to, say, Joe McCarthy and Nixon's "southern strategy" and the Reagan administration, we wouldn't be here now? I'd add that if Martin Luther King Jr. and Bobby Kennedy hadn't been assassinated in 1968, we wouldn't be here now, but we didn't have much control over that.
We do have some influence over the future course of the Democratic Party. Its so-called leadership was caught unawares even though the alarm bells have been ringing at least since 1/6/2021.
Note that we need tactics in addition to demonstrations. Demonstrations are a weak tool. Not useless, but weak. Money talks. Walk-outs talk. The French put on yellow vests and blocked streets. The new prosecutor for Virginia will try to get a grand jury to indict Comey for lying to Congress. That grand jury MUST refuse to indict! Chicago and Governor Pritzker stood up to Trump and he TACO'ed out and turned his focus elsewhere. Newsom has stood tall too, and it works. This is an all hands on deck moment.
100% agree Thomas. Money absolutely talks. Look at what happened with Disney and Kimmel. Billions of dollars lost in cancelled subscriptions, and gee, here comes Kimmel back on stage. Demonstrations maybe worked in the 60s against Vietnam when you had actual organized, powerful groups, although violent at times; certainly not good now with Trump, proliferation of guns, etc. And as bad as Nixon was during that time, he looks like FDR compared to Trump. I don't recall there ever being a threat of using the military against protestors, until the Guard's presence at Kent State, and we all know what happened there. Pritzker put up a fabulous fight against the jerk, not backing down one inch, and verbally putting him in his place calmly and decisively. For now, at least, Pritzker won. Newsom too, as he played Trump like a fiddle, playing at his own game with his online insults and memes, and basically telling the DOJ to "bring it on". It would be outstanding if the Virginia grand jury refused to indict Comey. These are the types of actions needed consistently. And to be frank, I almost fell of my chair when I read Cruz' comments about the First Amendment, comparing Carr to a mafia don. No shit. That is absolutely the first thing I thought of when I heard his outrageous words and threats on that podcast. I have never been a fan of Cruz, but God love him for finding his voice in the right place and the right time, and telling the truth loudly and clearly. He's got clout, and he used it. Grudgingly, I have a new respect for the aging SOB. If more Repubs from the old guard begin to talk out against this illegal, inept, rageful, violent and incompetent regime we have now, maybe we would have a chance to improve things, and get rid of these dangerous people once and for all.
I agree that times have changed from the 60's, 70's and 80's street protests BUT WE brought awareness to the issues that may have been ignored by the many and media. It felt good to protest. We met people and felt part of a large group working for the betterment of the majority of Americans and to create "a more perfect Union." We felt "cool" and patriotic. Today, Americans are more socially isolated with technological connections with the world replacing in person grouping. Large marches raise hopes, awareness, connections, mental wellness, creates new followers, participants, donors. They may not be as effective but there is nothing yet that brings people together and spotlights the energy, dedication, good will intentions than marches, rallies. Maybe, rallies in a stadium show well but doing things in your own home towns and cities makes it more personal.
I agree to the Nth degree! Hit the oligarchs, businesses in their wallets. Massive spending boycotts for as long as it takes to get GOP to defect from trump fascism and pass some laws to take power away from Executive Branch. Insist on CHECKS and BALANCE of US Supreme Court, DOJ, FBI, DHS, HHS and do IMPEACHMENTS of Office Holders.
If 70% of our GDP is consumer spending, IMAGINE the power WE have to get what WE want from oligarchs when government won't listen. Money bought GOP/Trump and money can sell them short. Buy only what is absolutely necessary. Sacrifice a little luxury and immediate gratification for our national wellbeing. Walk-outs, Blue Flu-sick calls, sit-ins, tracking ICE vehicles and reporting their movements, so many things WE can do to disrupt the status quo of wealthy, powerful people who are and can abuse the vast majority of 340M Americans. Make a list together on here?
So many important points, so many opportunities for unity, so many 'fierce urgencies of now.'
As a resident of Washington DC, occupied by federalized troops since August, I'm proud of those who've taken to the streets to protest the goons in masks who are abducting people at will, those churches and community groups who continue to defy Stephen Miller by sheltering refugees, and citizens drafted into grand juries demonstrating their non-compliance with kangaroo justice by refusing to hand down indictments necessary to prosecute trumped-up federal charges.
Praying that 12 brave men and women in the Eastern District of Virginia will follow suit by NOT returning an indictment against former FBI Director, James Comey. Next week the five-year statute of limitations deadline expires, and the "prosecutor" is the new Barbie who just got appointed after Erik Siebert resigned before Trump could fire him for not prosecuting Comey earlier.
Thank you for this excellent piece summarizing, and reminding, where our resistance and democracy is to date. Deep appreciation for your insights always.
I fear the tech oligarchs more than the Government now. While I am also alarmed by the degradation of our Democracy by the Trump Regime, I don’t believe Trump has the mind or the will to manage the tech oligarchs. We are seeing what “run the country like a business” looks like. The same grotesque differences in wealth, like CEOs, the same sense of privilege, and the dismissal of labor and citizen rights and benefits as so many nice to haves. Fold in AI and you will have the tech oligarchs servant that never sleeps, never questions. Why do you think tech oligarchs are pushing so much money into AI, data centers, robotics, etc.? The big question for them for the future is their economic model: how are they going to increase their wealth? The movie Blade Runner may be more prescient than we realized.
The plutocrats (oligarchs on steroids) are the puppet masters and should rightly be feared. They control so much of our economy it is obscene. However, they wield the constitution in the very ways it was designed to be wielded by our elite Founding Fathers—through its intentionally ambiguous articles, sections, and clauses.
The supposedly co-equal branches, legislative and judicial, have been “captured” by the executive branch so we should not expect help, much less resistance, from them to 47’s power plays. The MAGA majority in congress and the conservative originalist majority on the SCOTUS bench are actually assisting his authoritarian takeover. Essentially, this is the nightmare scenario that James Madison feared when he said, “We will not always have enlightened statesmen at the helm.”
To consider 47 an aberration in American political and presidential history is to misunderstand why, for whom, and by whom our constitution was written—elite, white men. The aberration is only in the publicly vulgar manner in which he wields power for self-interest and to mollify his fragile ego. Andrew Jackson would be proud.
I prefer to think that tech oligarchs and others in their number have simply moved on from the US Constitution and aren’t merely modern versions of rich Southern Planters. If anything I’d argue they are simply the old fashioned version of “my power, my rule.” People of power always seemed convinced they have rubbed the lamp and have unlimited wishes. The tools of oppression may be different but the outcomes are still the same,
I don’t disagree. Post-constitutional America is now in the throes of a conflict in which opposing sides are fighting for the right to determine how we know what we know and who the final arbiter of truth is—like gas-lightning writ large. When a shared epistemology fails, is authoritarianism ready to fill the void? Kellyanne Conway’s claim of providing “alternative facts” looms large in the historical record as the first volley in that fight.
We should take a moment to remember The Secret Handshake group and it's Trump-Epstein statue, which was removed despite the National Park Service permit.
This may be totally unrealistic and aspirational. But a number of Republicans have decided to throw in the towel and not run for reelection.
So they no longer have to fear the Wrath of the Psychopath. Or their MAGA constituents.
Would it make sense for people, including Dem colleagues, to encourage them to start considering the needs of the people rather than the greed of the Forbes 500?
Makes a lot of sense to ME .. and I hope a few more million Tarheel voters agree. Degenerate Don certainly did not do right by North Carolina, and I would like to hope that Thom Tillis can be convinced that the rest of his term could usefully be served in serving his constituents rather than Benedict Donald's billionaire buddies.
Thanks for your very compelling commentary demonstrating the increasing effectiveness of our opposition to Trump's drive to convert our country into a dictatorship with a megalomaniac at the helm. His self-indulgent rambling tirade at the U..N. yesterday palpably exposed him as the deranged psychotic that he is and provided further incentive internationally and domestically to intensify the resistance to this dangerously aspiring tyrant.
Republicans ARE the problem. Resist and VOTE. Speak up and don’t be polite. This is bigger than the civil rights movement of the 60’s. This is for everything.
I have a hopeful anecdote: I went in for my annual physical and I asked the nurse about the availability of the Covid vaccine. She said they were supposed to be available Sept 15 but now they are talking about Oct 15. We cautiously started a convo about Trump and found we were like minded. As she was finishing up with me, I said “Oct 18” and she nodded in agreement. I think we may get closer to the nearly 12 million goal than we think!
During WW11 people in Norway wore them to identify each other in their opposition of nazis. Joyce wrote a piece about it on Sept 20th. Jill Wine Banks is a fan. I think it's a pretty good idea Too ! One note of caution though...if you put one on a sweater or knit fabric it can be hard to get off...
Brilliant! Jen, I count on you and Norm Eisen, Heather Cox Richardson, Robert Reich, Joyce Vance, Paul Krugman, Simon Rosenberg and others to keep me sane (and even smiling), during these crazy times. And fortunately DJT is helping, with his batshit performance at the UN. Power to the people 👊💪
Many Congressional Republicans privately admit Trump is nuts but are intimidated. Among them are members of the Problem Solvers Caucus in the House. https://problemsolverscaucus.house.gov/
Need positive reinforcement to come forward.
Some represent majority Dem districts or districts where independents have swung away from MAGA.
Today the threat of a shutdown demands action on expiring healthcare subsidies and other funding priorities. Democratic leaders state they are ready to work to avoid a shutdown and blame the current Republican leadership and Trump for the stalemate.
Also there's the Epstein discharge petition issue.
Keep up the good work. Discipline. Truth to power. Attack the edges. Will someone please take on the Heritage Foundation. As Such.
And start a Project 2026
Yes. Excellent idea!
The need now is for every American who cares about our democracy to contribute in one way or another in supporting Democratic candidates on both the local and federal level. Whether it's phonebanking, texting, postcarding, knocking on doors or a whole range of other activities, we need a whole lot more people willing to get involved. Protests are just one indicator, and the numbers right now, despite growing larger don't bode well.
Had we responded this way to Pearl Harbor we would have surely never have overthrown the fascists. Time for this generation of Americans (all ages) to step up.
October 18 - No Kings Day 2.0 - is 3 weeks away. If you know someone who has been affected by the MAGA onslaught or is about to be affected, send them a personal email. Inviting them to No Kings Day - and a reminder on the 16th or 17th. Make a sign. Find your nearest rally in advance and be prepared to show up and stand with the rest of the Real Americans who don't want to live in a Fascist Dictatorship.
https://indivisible.org
Excellent! The 3.5 rule can be our rallying cry. If everyone who attended No Kings 1 brings along one new person, that's 10 million protesters. Thank you for your actionable suggestion.
Stephen, I will be in Germany. October 18 is a day of Democrats Abroad leadership meetings so the regional leaders will not be organizing demonstrations, but there will be one in Berlin. I also have already planned a rally for Democracy for that day, since when I am in my city I have signed up to run these rallies every third Saturday. I will make it about No Kings this time. I am also a member of Indivisible Abroad as well as my US city because I am back and forth.
That is excellent! It shows our friends abroad that we are not all eaten up with the MAGA disease.
Bis, our should be the second Greatest Generation for saving democracy again.
We should do anything and everything fast and constantly before it's too late. Above everything else, we have to guarantee throughout our actions that the midterm elections are held in 2026.
This coming election its the worse nightmare for this regime and they will do the utmost to cancel it or rigged in such a way that would be the envy of the Russian government.
Protests could also include voter registration. In addition, some states require that candidates get a certain number of signatures to get on the ballot. States where people can put initiatives on the ballot require that as well. Take those to rallies for signatures.
Maybe if "we" had responded to, say, Joe McCarthy and Nixon's "southern strategy" and the Reagan administration, we wouldn't be here now? I'd add that if Martin Luther King Jr. and Bobby Kennedy hadn't been assassinated in 1968, we wouldn't be here now, but we didn't have much control over that.
We do have some influence over the future course of the Democratic Party. Its so-called leadership was caught unawares even though the alarm bells have been ringing at least since 1/6/2021.
Note that we need tactics in addition to demonstrations. Demonstrations are a weak tool. Not useless, but weak. Money talks. Walk-outs talk. The French put on yellow vests and blocked streets. The new prosecutor for Virginia will try to get a grand jury to indict Comey for lying to Congress. That grand jury MUST refuse to indict! Chicago and Governor Pritzker stood up to Trump and he TACO'ed out and turned his focus elsewhere. Newsom has stood tall too, and it works. This is an all hands on deck moment.
100% agree Thomas. Money absolutely talks. Look at what happened with Disney and Kimmel. Billions of dollars lost in cancelled subscriptions, and gee, here comes Kimmel back on stage. Demonstrations maybe worked in the 60s against Vietnam when you had actual organized, powerful groups, although violent at times; certainly not good now with Trump, proliferation of guns, etc. And as bad as Nixon was during that time, he looks like FDR compared to Trump. I don't recall there ever being a threat of using the military against protestors, until the Guard's presence at Kent State, and we all know what happened there. Pritzker put up a fabulous fight against the jerk, not backing down one inch, and verbally putting him in his place calmly and decisively. For now, at least, Pritzker won. Newsom too, as he played Trump like a fiddle, playing at his own game with his online insults and memes, and basically telling the DOJ to "bring it on". It would be outstanding if the Virginia grand jury refused to indict Comey. These are the types of actions needed consistently. And to be frank, I almost fell of my chair when I read Cruz' comments about the First Amendment, comparing Carr to a mafia don. No shit. That is absolutely the first thing I thought of when I heard his outrageous words and threats on that podcast. I have never been a fan of Cruz, but God love him for finding his voice in the right place and the right time, and telling the truth loudly and clearly. He's got clout, and he used it. Grudgingly, I have a new respect for the aging SOB. If more Repubs from the old guard begin to talk out against this illegal, inept, rageful, violent and incompetent regime we have now, maybe we would have a chance to improve things, and get rid of these dangerous people once and for all.
I agree that times have changed from the 60's, 70's and 80's street protests BUT WE brought awareness to the issues that may have been ignored by the many and media. It felt good to protest. We met people and felt part of a large group working for the betterment of the majority of Americans and to create "a more perfect Union." We felt "cool" and patriotic. Today, Americans are more socially isolated with technological connections with the world replacing in person grouping. Large marches raise hopes, awareness, connections, mental wellness, creates new followers, participants, donors. They may not be as effective but there is nothing yet that brings people together and spotlights the energy, dedication, good will intentions than marches, rallies. Maybe, rallies in a stadium show well but doing things in your own home towns and cities makes it more personal.
I agree to the Nth degree! Hit the oligarchs, businesses in their wallets. Massive spending boycotts for as long as it takes to get GOP to defect from trump fascism and pass some laws to take power away from Executive Branch. Insist on CHECKS and BALANCE of US Supreme Court, DOJ, FBI, DHS, HHS and do IMPEACHMENTS of Office Holders.
If 70% of our GDP is consumer spending, IMAGINE the power WE have to get what WE want from oligarchs when government won't listen. Money bought GOP/Trump and money can sell them short. Buy only what is absolutely necessary. Sacrifice a little luxury and immediate gratification for our national wellbeing. Walk-outs, Blue Flu-sick calls, sit-ins, tracking ICE vehicles and reporting their movements, so many things WE can do to disrupt the status quo of wealthy, powerful people who are and can abuse the vast majority of 340M Americans. Make a list together on here?
So many important points, so many opportunities for unity, so many 'fierce urgencies of now.'
As a resident of Washington DC, occupied by federalized troops since August, I'm proud of those who've taken to the streets to protest the goons in masks who are abducting people at will, those churches and community groups who continue to defy Stephen Miller by sheltering refugees, and citizens drafted into grand juries demonstrating their non-compliance with kangaroo justice by refusing to hand down indictments necessary to prosecute trumped-up federal charges.
Praying that 12 brave men and women in the Eastern District of Virginia will follow suit by NOT returning an indictment against former FBI Director, James Comey. Next week the five-year statute of limitations deadline expires, and the "prosecutor" is the new Barbie who just got appointed after Erik Siebert resigned before Trump could fire him for not prosecuting Comey earlier.
https://sylvestercat.substack.com/p/a-date-that-will-live-in-idiocy
Thank you for this excellent piece summarizing, and reminding, where our resistance and democracy is to date. Deep appreciation for your insights always.
I fear the tech oligarchs more than the Government now. While I am also alarmed by the degradation of our Democracy by the Trump Regime, I don’t believe Trump has the mind or the will to manage the tech oligarchs. We are seeing what “run the country like a business” looks like. The same grotesque differences in wealth, like CEOs, the same sense of privilege, and the dismissal of labor and citizen rights and benefits as so many nice to haves. Fold in AI and you will have the tech oligarchs servant that never sleeps, never questions. Why do you think tech oligarchs are pushing so much money into AI, data centers, robotics, etc.? The big question for them for the future is their economic model: how are they going to increase their wealth? The movie Blade Runner may be more prescient than we realized.
The plutocrats (oligarchs on steroids) are the puppet masters and should rightly be feared. They control so much of our economy it is obscene. However, they wield the constitution in the very ways it was designed to be wielded by our elite Founding Fathers—through its intentionally ambiguous articles, sections, and clauses.
The supposedly co-equal branches, legislative and judicial, have been “captured” by the executive branch so we should not expect help, much less resistance, from them to 47’s power plays. The MAGA majority in congress and the conservative originalist majority on the SCOTUS bench are actually assisting his authoritarian takeover. Essentially, this is the nightmare scenario that James Madison feared when he said, “We will not always have enlightened statesmen at the helm.”
To consider 47 an aberration in American political and presidential history is to misunderstand why, for whom, and by whom our constitution was written—elite, white men. The aberration is only in the publicly vulgar manner in which he wields power for self-interest and to mollify his fragile ego. Andrew Jackson would be proud.
I prefer to think that tech oligarchs and others in their number have simply moved on from the US Constitution and aren’t merely modern versions of rich Southern Planters. If anything I’d argue they are simply the old fashioned version of “my power, my rule.” People of power always seemed convinced they have rubbed the lamp and have unlimited wishes. The tools of oppression may be different but the outcomes are still the same,
I don’t disagree. Post-constitutional America is now in the throes of a conflict in which opposing sides are fighting for the right to determine how we know what we know and who the final arbiter of truth is—like gas-lightning writ large. When a shared epistemology fails, is authoritarianism ready to fill the void? Kellyanne Conway’s claim of providing “alternative facts” looms large in the historical record as the first volley in that fight.
We should take a moment to remember The Secret Handshake group and it's Trump-Epstein statue, which was removed despite the National Park Service permit.
Maybe it will move around the country.....and be seen widely .....
Maybe an enterprising T-shirt maker or balloon maker (remember those balloons in London?) could make this happen? :)
This may be totally unrealistic and aspirational. But a number of Republicans have decided to throw in the towel and not run for reelection.
So they no longer have to fear the Wrath of the Psychopath. Or their MAGA constituents.
Would it make sense for people, including Dem colleagues, to encourage them to start considering the needs of the people rather than the greed of the Forbes 500?
I am hell-bent on helping Roy Cooper (former democratic governor of NC) get elected to the U.S. Senate in 2026 to replace MAGA supporter Thom Tillis.
Another hell-bent from NC. Right now working on voter registration repair - to get more than 80,000 voters able to vote a regular ballot.
Love Anderson Clayton, our NCDP chair.
Makes a lot of sense to ME .. and I hope a few more million Tarheel voters agree. Degenerate Don certainly did not do right by North Carolina, and I would like to hope that Thom Tillis can be convinced that the rest of his term could usefully be served in serving his constituents rather than Benedict Donald's billionaire buddies.
I've donated to him as well. I like the cut of his jib.
Thanks for your very compelling commentary demonstrating the increasing effectiveness of our opposition to Trump's drive to convert our country into a dictatorship with a megalomaniac at the helm. His self-indulgent rambling tirade at the U..N. yesterday palpably exposed him as the deranged psychotic that he is and provided further incentive internationally and domestically to intensify the resistance to this dangerously aspiring tyrant.
Republicans ARE the problem. Resist and VOTE. Speak up and don’t be polite. This is bigger than the civil rights movement of the 60’s. This is for everything.
and everyone
I have a hopeful anecdote: I went in for my annual physical and I asked the nurse about the availability of the Covid vaccine. She said they were supposed to be available Sept 15 but now they are talking about Oct 15. We cautiously started a convo about Trump and found we were like minded. As she was finishing up with me, I said “Oct 18” and she nodded in agreement. I think we may get closer to the nearly 12 million goal than we think!
wear a paper clip
Sorry, I'm not in on the paper clip thing. What does it mean?
During WW11 people in Norway wore them to identify each other in their opposition of nazis. Joyce wrote a piece about it on Sept 20th. Jill Wine Banks is a fan. I think it's a pretty good idea Too ! One note of caution though...if you put one on a sweater or knit fabric it can be hard to get off...
Thank you, Patricia! What a great idea. Plus---you learn something new every day.
Yes, Patricia. I am wearing mine on the Amtrak train from New London CT to BWI!
Thank you Jen! Democrats cannot fund dictatorship. GOP is responsible for looming government shutdown. Protest on 10/18!
Brilliant! Jen, I count on you and Norm Eisen, Heather Cox Richardson, Robert Reich, Joyce Vance, Paul Krugman, Simon Rosenberg and others to keep me sane (and even smiling), during these crazy times. And fortunately DJT is helping, with his batshit performance at the UN. Power to the people 👊💪
And, Sandy, also Andy Borowitz, Ann Telnaes, Timothy Snyder and others!
Yes, Sandra! And Jimmy Kimmel and Stephen Colbert. Who needs Legacy Media?!
People are fighting for our democracy. Where are our Democratic politicians?
voting for a charlie jerk day
Critical of the regime, optimistic about resistance and hopeful for change: a better wake-up than caffeine thank you!
Thanks, but you've never discussed Jerry Weiss Feathers of Hope. https://jerryweiss.substack.com/
Many Congressional Republicans privately admit Trump is nuts but are intimidated. Among them are members of the Problem Solvers Caucus in the House. https://problemsolverscaucus.house.gov/
Need positive reinforcement to come forward.
Some represent majority Dem districts or districts where independents have swung away from MAGA.
Today the threat of a shutdown demands action on expiring healthcare subsidies and other funding priorities. Democratic leaders state they are ready to work to avoid a shutdown and blame the current Republican leadership and Trump for the stalemate.
Also there's the Epstein discharge petition issue.
more like problem causers caucus