Pitch-perfect advice from both of you about how to adapt to the Republicans adaptations (i.e., hiding) to pressures from constituents. Showing the contrast to Democrats is part of it so this is relevant to those of us who live in blue areas.
Just came out of a “meeting” with our CA representative, Kevin Kiley (R), only it was two aides that showed up at the Nevada County, CA office, not Kiley. 400 people were there for 3.5 hours, but only five people allowed in the office at a time. The aides did not take notes! Lots of frustration, but incredible energy and eagerness to be active citizens among those of use in line. People had a palpable sense of duty and are ready for more. Collective organization really is happening at the grass roots level. Thanks for what you do, Jen! Thanks also to Indivisible Nevada County.
I disagree. Democrats need a viable candidate to show up in all the Republican districts where town halls have been canceled. Let's put real political pressure on Republicans that a Democrat may vote them out! This is a win-win in that voters see they can trust a Democrat to save them and Democrats can retake the House.
What I would like to see is towns and cities have a July 4th celebration with the theme: Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion. The communal event would invite all the political parties and social and political groups gather in a city park, where each would have same size booth so the people could pass out literature promoting their organization. The program would involve a song book of patriotic songs: the Star Spangle Banner, American the Beautiful; God Bless America, This Land is my land; We Shall Overcome; the Battle Hymn of the Republic, and would harken back to the 19th century with a reading of the Declaration of Independence and a patriotic "oration."
Interesting idea. I have been thinking about what to do for 4th if July. I don’t want to celebrate what America is right now (Putin’s ally) but do want to commemorate the ideals of the Declaration of Independence and the Constitution. Not sure yet what that will look like
It has struck me that DEI, when you think about it, is as American as apple-pie. It is even implied in E Pluribus Unum. My suggested July 4th celebration may be rooted in the sense of patriotism that I probably felt as a child during WWII. My parent's generation fought the fascists and won, and here I am in the twight light years doing what I can to fight the fascists. We are going to win and perhaps embracing a sense of patriotism, reading the Declaration of Independence, with one of the items in the list of grievances was the restriction on immigration by the king, maybe something we should do.
Jen, you and I each two degrees from UCB. Enough to start a group. I did join Indivisible. I also try to come up with strategies. Here is my latest on the need to create groups:
WE MUST ALL HANG TOGETHER
WE MUST ALL HANG TOGETHER
If Benjamin Franklin did not say it, he should have. The sentiment is correct, for his time and for ours.
In her NY Times story of March 6, Elizabeth Bumiller (https://www.nytimes.com/2025/03/06/us/politics/trump-democracy.html?searchResultPosition=2) refers to university presidents, media outlets, C.E.O.s, law firms, mayors, and governors who have all gone silent in response to threats from Trump and his bullies. They are afraid of Elon Musk excoriating them in X and sponsoring candidates to run against them in primaries. They are afraid of Trump singling out their companies for retribution, like losing contracts, having merger plans derailed, or IRS audits — provided there is an IRS. They are physically afraid for themselves and their families because they have been threatened with violence and murder. Unsaid, because unnecessary, is the acknowledgement that they cannot turn to the FBI to protect them. Under Kash Patel, it is another source of peril.
Among the most pathetic instances of groveling have been Republican Senators asking for a carve out for farmers or manufacturers in their states from the damage done by putting USAID into the wood chipper or those on again, off again, on again tariffs that will make their products more expensive.
We need the opposite of this "save me me me" approach. We want these targets to stand together in opposition to what Trump and Musk are doing to America. University presidents, CEOs, managing directors of major law firms, former as well as current members of Congress, veterans of all ranks, state Attorneys General, and the rest, need to organize into undaunted groups to publicly and emphatically resist what Trump, Musk and their collaborators are doing.
There may not be safety in numbers, but there certainly is danger in standing alone. "We must all hang together, or assuredly we shall all hang separately."
Addendum: I think BigLaw firms need to get together and sign an Article 5 agreement with one another, an attack on one is an attack on all. And they should try to have all the DOJ attorneys that prosecute them disbarred. I did not go to law school.
- I joined a town hall organized through Indivisible with Rep Liccardo yesterday. Very successful! About 700 people signed up, we filled the gymnasium of Mountain View High School and discussed with our Congressman for 90mn.
- I participated in 3 anti-Musk Protests at Tesla dealerships organized through Indivisible. Peaceful protests but joyful: Some Republicans and Independent were with us, it was nice to find common grounds and share activist tips. The number of protesters has increased every week, which is rewarding.
- Finally, I received Ezra's weekly email, which is fabulous: new information with an easy to-do list. Today I tried for the first time the Indivisible caller-assistant to connect me to my Congressman, and I urged him to oppose the MAGA-loaded "continuing Resolution".
Thank you Ezra, you make my activist life easier!
and thank you Jen for always inviting top-notch guests!
I wish all the different groups would organize protests together, share members. Our 100 outside a Texas Tesla showroom was well received but we have to show the world we are not with the Benedict Arnold GOP/thug from Queens. We need weekly large protests NOW.
It’s easy to understand why Republican representatives were so upset: after choosing their constituents so artfully through gerrymandering, how dare their ungrateful constituents actually disagree with them?
Here is a suggestion to counter Trump’s Flood of Lies by:
1. Effectively using truth to counter lies, and
2. Take advantage that Trump’s last lie flies away with the next lie.
3. Using inexpensive post cards, one truth vs lie per postcard, twice-weekly until the midterms.
4. Keep it up until the midterms; letting the pundits get lots of laughs while Trump is facing indelibly printed truths, and, hopefully, resulting in Trump’s helpless rage at their permanency.
All this seems to me seems to be a la-de-dah happy talk and refusal to admit that we have rapidly gone beyond being a nascent police state to being a police state just gaining unstoppable momentum. Geeze, folks, read the news. The people with the guns have taken over. They just grabbed up a student in NY and sent him of to a detenton camp in Louisiana. ICE terrified a family throwing flash bang grenades into their house. What's next, declaring Indivisible an enemy of the state? Only the other group with guns can save us. This is the US military. I try to lay how this could be done here: https://halbrown.substack.com/p/thinking-the-unthinkable-about-fighting
Reps and senators should be required to meet with constituents.
ABSOLUTELY!
Pitch-perfect advice from both of you about how to adapt to the Republicans adaptations (i.e., hiding) to pressures from constituents. Showing the contrast to Democrats is part of it so this is relevant to those of us who live in blue areas.
Just came out of a “meeting” with our CA representative, Kevin Kiley (R), only it was two aides that showed up at the Nevada County, CA office, not Kiley. 400 people were there for 3.5 hours, but only five people allowed in the office at a time. The aides did not take notes! Lots of frustration, but incredible energy and eagerness to be active citizens among those of use in line. People had a palpable sense of duty and are ready for more. Collective organization really is happening at the grass roots level. Thanks for what you do, Jen! Thanks also to Indivisible Nevada County.
I disagree. Democrats need a viable candidate to show up in all the Republican districts where town halls have been canceled. Let's put real political pressure on Republicans that a Democrat may vote them out! This is a win-win in that voters see they can trust a Democrat to save them and Democrats can retake the House.
What I would like to see is towns and cities have a July 4th celebration with the theme: Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion. The communal event would invite all the political parties and social and political groups gather in a city park, where each would have same size booth so the people could pass out literature promoting their organization. The program would involve a song book of patriotic songs: the Star Spangle Banner, American the Beautiful; God Bless America, This Land is my land; We Shall Overcome; the Battle Hymn of the Republic, and would harken back to the 19th century with a reading of the Declaration of Independence and a patriotic "oration."
Interesting idea. I have been thinking about what to do for 4th if July. I don’t want to celebrate what America is right now (Putin’s ally) but do want to commemorate the ideals of the Declaration of Independence and the Constitution. Not sure yet what that will look like
It has struck me that DEI, when you think about it, is as American as apple-pie. It is even implied in E Pluribus Unum. My suggested July 4th celebration may be rooted in the sense of patriotism that I probably felt as a child during WWII. My parent's generation fought the fascists and won, and here I am in the twight light years doing what I can to fight the fascists. We are going to win and perhaps embracing a sense of patriotism, reading the Declaration of Independence, with one of the items in the list of grievances was the restriction on immigration by the king, maybe something we should do.
Jen, you and I each two degrees from UCB. Enough to start a group. I did join Indivisible. I also try to come up with strategies. Here is my latest on the need to create groups:
WE MUST ALL HANG TOGETHER
WE MUST ALL HANG TOGETHER
If Benjamin Franklin did not say it, he should have. The sentiment is correct, for his time and for ours.
In her NY Times story of March 6, Elizabeth Bumiller (https://www.nytimes.com/2025/03/06/us/politics/trump-democracy.html?searchResultPosition=2) refers to university presidents, media outlets, C.E.O.s, law firms, mayors, and governors who have all gone silent in response to threats from Trump and his bullies. They are afraid of Elon Musk excoriating them in X and sponsoring candidates to run against them in primaries. They are afraid of Trump singling out their companies for retribution, like losing contracts, having merger plans derailed, or IRS audits — provided there is an IRS. They are physically afraid for themselves and their families because they have been threatened with violence and murder. Unsaid, because unnecessary, is the acknowledgement that they cannot turn to the FBI to protect them. Under Kash Patel, it is another source of peril.
Among the most pathetic instances of groveling have been Republican Senators asking for a carve out for farmers or manufacturers in their states from the damage done by putting USAID into the wood chipper or those on again, off again, on again tariffs that will make their products more expensive.
We need the opposite of this "save me me me" approach. We want these targets to stand together in opposition to what Trump and Musk are doing to America. University presidents, CEOs, managing directors of major law firms, former as well as current members of Congress, veterans of all ranks, state Attorneys General, and the rest, need to organize into undaunted groups to publicly and emphatically resist what Trump, Musk and their collaborators are doing.
There may not be safety in numbers, but there certainly is danger in standing alone. "We must all hang together, or assuredly we shall all hang separately."
Addendum: I think BigLaw firms need to get together and sign an Article 5 agreement with one another, an attack on one is an attack on all. And they should try to have all the DOJ attorneys that prosecute them disbarred. I did not go to law school.
- I joined a town hall organized through Indivisible with Rep Liccardo yesterday. Very successful! About 700 people signed up, we filled the gymnasium of Mountain View High School and discussed with our Congressman for 90mn.
- I participated in 3 anti-Musk Protests at Tesla dealerships organized through Indivisible. Peaceful protests but joyful: Some Republicans and Independent were with us, it was nice to find common grounds and share activist tips. The number of protesters has increased every week, which is rewarding.
- Finally, I received Ezra's weekly email, which is fabulous: new information with an easy to-do list. Today I tried for the first time the Indivisible caller-assistant to connect me to my Congressman, and I urged him to oppose the MAGA-loaded "continuing Resolution".
Thank you Ezra, you make my activist life easier!
and thank you Jen for always inviting top-notch guests!
We are going tonight to a local Indivisible meeting after years and years of postcarding. Let's go....
Be creative in protesting… look at France last week😳
I wish all the different groups would organize protests together, share members. Our 100 outside a Texas Tesla showroom was well received but we have to show the world we are not with the Benedict Arnold GOP/thug from Queens. We need weekly large protests NOW.
Thx! So helpful. Go Us!
It’s easy to understand why Republican representatives were so upset: after choosing their constituents so artfully through gerrymandering, how dare their ungrateful constituents actually disagree with them?
Here is a suggestion to counter Trump’s Flood of Lies by:
1. Effectively using truth to counter lies, and
2. Take advantage that Trump’s last lie flies away with the next lie.
3. Using inexpensive post cards, one truth vs lie per postcard, twice-weekly until the midterms.
4. Keep it up until the midterms; letting the pundits get lots of laughs while Trump is facing indelibly printed truths, and, hopefully, resulting in Trump’s helpless rage at their permanency.
All this seems to me seems to be a la-de-dah happy talk and refusal to admit that we have rapidly gone beyond being a nascent police state to being a police state just gaining unstoppable momentum. Geeze, folks, read the news. The people with the guns have taken over. They just grabbed up a student in NY and sent him of to a detenton camp in Louisiana. ICE terrified a family throwing flash bang grenades into their house. What's next, declaring Indivisible an enemy of the state? Only the other group with guns can save us. This is the US military. I try to lay how this could be done here: https://halbrown.substack.com/p/thinking-the-unthinkable-about-fighting
Hal Brown, that student in NY was a Lawful Permanent Resident of the US. What's next? Citizens? This regime knows no constraints.
For Republican district town halls video the whole thing and send it to the Republican Member of Congress
Terrific and inspiring interview - thanks!