It is not just an economic disaster; it is a political disaster, the kind of blow to constitutional democracy that presidents from Adams to Obama worried about.
While this democracy may be on death’s doorstep, I refuse to believe the democratic uprising we see across this nation will not eventually overcome. Perhaps my optimism will follow this democracy into the grave, but I hold out hope, coupled with a hell of a lot of activism. Good Trouble Lives On July 17. We need to continue to call out this administration for what they are and what they do and the impacts their actions have on all our lives now and in the future. 27 campers and staff lost their lives this weekend due to their audacious and stupid DOGE reforms. Human rights abuses, violations of our civil liberties and constitution every minute of every day by masked goons and their racist anti-immigrant policies. The reconciliation bill is one of the grossest money grabs from our communities straight into the pockets of the wealthiest individuals the world has ever seen. We can’t wait for the Obama’s or the Party or anyone else to call this out or do the strategizing and the work to fight back, to overcome. That help and that leadership is not coming so we need to stop waiting for it. WE shall overcome. WE the people. The people have the power. This was a great article. Thank you. And bless you, Norm and Jen for The Contrarian. I’d be lost without this source of information.
"Never before in my life have I called for mass protests, for mobilization, for disruption. But I am now. These Republicans cannot know a moment of peace. They must understand that we will fight their cruelty with every megaphone and microphone that we have...It is time to fight everywhere all at once." - Governor Pritzker
After months of posing as the manly man who would stand up to Trump’s cruel & financially reckless bill declaring in a NYT op ed (5/12/25) that "slashing health insurance for the working poor" would be "morally wrong and politically suicidal", Senator Josh Hawley & his ilk in Congress sure know how to scurry away. https://www.nytimes.com/2025/07/07/opinion/josh-hawley-trump-bill.html?smid=url-share
The arc of Republican lawmakers in the Trump era bends toward complete submission.
Republicans have now signed off on a sprawling policy package that will, according to the nonpartisan Congressional Budget Office, add more than $3 trillion to the federal debt over the next decade, even as it cuts over $1 trillion from Medicaid and results in nearly 12 million Americans losing their health insurance. As Senator Tillis, Republican of North Carolina, explained in a Senate speech, it “will betray the very promise” that Trump made not to go after people’s Medicaid.
The spectacle of spineless GOP House members voting for the bill & pleading with GOP senators to save them from their cruel & reckless votes; then spineless GOP Senators making the bill more cruel & fiscally reckless & pleading with GOP house members to save them from their even more bill more cruel & fiscally reckless votes…not a horror story, but for real. #Resist #VoteDem
If Professor Sarat will indulge me, I will take a page from the Trumpublicans' book of "clever" tortuous acronym nomenclature for legislation, and offer a (somewhat pedantic) tweak: I hereby propose that the Big Ugly Bill be dubbed the "Betraying the Essential Spirit of This Integrous America Law". (If "integrous" is too arcane, we could substitute "indivisible" or some other I word.) BESTIAL seems about right.
Well that was a downer. Thanks for that. I mean, I feel like we’re doomed all the time, but now I have it spelled out finally in black and white. No wonder people prefer to watch Netflix or Max and tune out politics right now. Can you throw us a bone here???
One important distinction to remember was who Obama was as a leader. And that kind of leader is what's missing to counter Trump and to mobilize people. But leadership is not given, it is taken. And I don't see anyone stepping up with the vision, purpose, and values that speak from the heart, that move people to act, and that inspire people to act. Put that kind of leader in the mix, and it would make "good trouble."
Professor Sarat has given us a new perspective on the long-term, corrosive nature of Trump's legislation. As Trump divides us further with this law, he drives us toward autocracy.
That makes Trump's BBB even worse in its impact than we imagined. It's not just damaging our economy; it's undermining our democracy. Thank you, Professor, for helping us see things more clearly.
Can Obama come out of hiding or wherever he is and give some more speeches, please? There's no one leading the Democrats, and we are in dire need of someone to rally us together.
I agree that Obama could be doing a lot more. But he can't provide the actual governing leadership we also need. We need all those eligible and willing leaders to get out there. To see what works and what doesn't. To see who is more apt to unite the Democrats. Now is the time to "practice". Very soon, the trial period is over, we need to get it right to save our democracy.
I wholeheartedly agree with your framing of the regime's collective actions against our Country. It seems to be the cumulative effect is the method chosen to enable trump to be the dictator he's lusted to be for so long.
While this democracy may be on death’s doorstep, I refuse to believe the democratic uprising we see across this nation will not eventually overcome. Perhaps my optimism will follow this democracy into the grave, but I hold out hope, coupled with a hell of a lot of activism. Good Trouble Lives On July 17. We need to continue to call out this administration for what they are and what they do and the impacts their actions have on all our lives now and in the future. 27 campers and staff lost their lives this weekend due to their audacious and stupid DOGE reforms. Human rights abuses, violations of our civil liberties and constitution every minute of every day by masked goons and their racist anti-immigrant policies. The reconciliation bill is one of the grossest money grabs from our communities straight into the pockets of the wealthiest individuals the world has ever seen. We can’t wait for the Obama’s or the Party or anyone else to call this out or do the strategizing and the work to fight back, to overcome. That help and that leadership is not coming so we need to stop waiting for it. WE shall overcome. WE the people. The people have the power. This was a great article. Thank you. And bless you, Norm and Jen for The Contrarian. I’d be lost without this source of information.
"Never before in my life have I called for mass protests, for mobilization, for disruption. But I am now. These Republicans cannot know a moment of peace. They must understand that we will fight their cruelty with every megaphone and microphone that we have...It is time to fight everywhere all at once." - Governor Pritzker
thank you.
An existing democracy must be nurtured is my takeaway from Austin Sarat. Let’s fight and nurture our democracy at the same time.
thank you.
After months of posing as the manly man who would stand up to Trump’s cruel & financially reckless bill declaring in a NYT op ed (5/12/25) that "slashing health insurance for the working poor" would be "morally wrong and politically suicidal", Senator Josh Hawley & his ilk in Congress sure know how to scurry away. https://www.nytimes.com/2025/07/07/opinion/josh-hawley-trump-bill.html?smid=url-share
The arc of Republican lawmakers in the Trump era bends toward complete submission.
Republicans have now signed off on a sprawling policy package that will, according to the nonpartisan Congressional Budget Office, add more than $3 trillion to the federal debt over the next decade, even as it cuts over $1 trillion from Medicaid and results in nearly 12 million Americans losing their health insurance. As Senator Tillis, Republican of North Carolina, explained in a Senate speech, it “will betray the very promise” that Trump made not to go after people’s Medicaid.
The spectacle of spineless GOP House members voting for the bill & pleading with GOP senators to save them from their cruel & reckless votes; then spineless GOP Senators making the bill more cruel & fiscally reckless & pleading with GOP house members to save them from their even more bill more cruel & fiscally reckless votes…not a horror story, but for real. #Resist #VoteDem
If Professor Sarat will indulge me, I will take a page from the Trumpublicans' book of "clever" tortuous acronym nomenclature for legislation, and offer a (somewhat pedantic) tweak: I hereby propose that the Big Ugly Bill be dubbed the "Betraying the Essential Spirit of This Integrous America Law". (If "integrous" is too arcane, we could substitute "indivisible" or some other I word.) BESTIAL seems about right.
Well that was a downer. Thanks for that. I mean, I feel like we’re doomed all the time, but now I have it spelled out finally in black and white. No wonder people prefer to watch Netflix or Max and tune out politics right now. Can you throw us a bone here???
One important distinction to remember was who Obama was as a leader. And that kind of leader is what's missing to counter Trump and to mobilize people. But leadership is not given, it is taken. And I don't see anyone stepping up with the vision, purpose, and values that speak from the heart, that move people to act, and that inspire people to act. Put that kind of leader in the mix, and it would make "good trouble."
Professor Sarat has given us a new perspective on the long-term, corrosive nature of Trump's legislation. As Trump divides us further with this law, he drives us toward autocracy.
That makes Trump's BBB even worse in its impact than we imagined. It's not just damaging our economy; it's undermining our democracy. Thank you, Professor, for helping us see things more clearly.
Can Obama come out of hiding or wherever he is and give some more speeches, please? There's no one leading the Democrats, and we are in dire need of someone to rally us together.
I agree that Obama could be doing a lot more. But he can't provide the actual governing leadership we also need. We need all those eligible and willing leaders to get out there. To see what works and what doesn't. To see who is more apt to unite the Democrats. Now is the time to "practice". Very soon, the trial period is over, we need to get it right to save our democracy.
I wholeheartedly agree with your framing of the regime's collective actions against our Country. It seems to be the cumulative effect is the method chosen to enable trump to be the dictator he's lusted to be for so long.
Thank you Professor Sarat.