Reasons for hope in American democracy…millions of them!
Publisher's Roundup 27
In D.C., they demonstrated while carrying signs proclaiming “Release the Jeffery Epstein files,” and “We are ALL created equal.” In Phoenix, they marched with placards saying “Love Wins No Hate.” In Lansing, “We Are Not OK,” and in Louisville, “Fight Truth Decay.” On Thursday in all 50 states and in over 1,600 cities large and small, countless numbers of Americans gathered in the latest day of protest against Trumpian authoritarianism and for our American values: Good Trouble Lives On. It built on the millions of people who turned out for the "Hands Off" and "No Kings” protests by continuing to make “Good Trouble.”
That was, of course, the motto of my friend, the late civil rights icon congressman John Lewis.
He was the inspiration for this day of action, exactly five years after his death on July 17. I used to tell him he was my hero, and he would make me laugh by replying, "no you are my hero.” I couldn't fathom it. But I finally understood what he meant looking out at everyone who demonstrated on Thursday and, indeed, the millions who have turned out in the streets since the beginning of the Trump regime, including many of you almost 600,000 Contrarians.
You and they are my heroes.
To celebrate John's memory and the Good Trouble Lives On protests, we held our first ever Contrarian YouTube special event. It was an all-star cast of people mentored by John or who make good trouble– or both!
Congressman Jamie Raskin reminded us that, even though we can’t go back to the 18th century and become Founding Fathers, we can all be ‘Founding Fighters’ against fascism:
Congresswoman Sydney Kamlager-Dove brought the heat with her analysis of how Black women care for our communities with their resistance:
And there was so much more! Katie Phang and Jim Acosta offered provocative analysis of the issues raised by the protests. Brian Tyler Cohen explained how independent media and the creator community are making good trouble today. Ashley Etienne talked about how she was mentored by the Congressman.
And of course, I had to share my favorite story of John Lewis and his support of the first Trump impeachment.
Thank you to everyone who tuned in. We’ll be ramping up our presence on our YouTube channel so make sure to subscribe by going to this link so you don’t miss a thing! Our Contrarian offerings…
Power with the People
Good trouble is protest rooted in philosophy
John Lewis’ former speechwriter, Brenda Jones, wrote on why not only the work of the late congressman and civil rights icon, but also the philosophy behind it, couldn’t be more essential to the present moment. “‘We did not just wake up one morning and decide to march,’ Lewis said.”
The Contrarian covers the Democracy Movement
This week saw Americans take to the streets on the 5th anniversary of John Lewis’s passing to honor his legacy and carry forward his call for moral, nonviolent resistance. We also covered anti-ICE and anti-Palantir protests, a Tesla Takedown in the U.K., President Trump getting booed by a crowd of thousands at the FIFA Club World Cup final, and more lawful, energetic, troublemaking voices in the court of public opinion, letting the world know that this administration doesn’t stand for us all.
Reverend William Barber is taking 'Moral Mondays' to 11 states
Rev. William Barber joined April Ryan to discuss the formation of his Moral Mondays movement, which this week he took to Memphis, TN to protest the Big, Ugly, Deadly Budget Bill and Trump's attacks against immigrant communities. “Too often these legislators pray P-R-A-Y but then they prey P-R-E-Y on the most vulnerable.”
Not making enough trouble (government, step up!)
Congress could protect democracy—if it wanted to
Former Rep. Tom Malinowski warned that this week’s budget showdown will serve as a test of whether lawmakers will stand up to authoritarian overreach. "Trump could go back to ignoring the Congress and refusing to spend the appropriated funds. But anyone suing the administration to get those funds would have a virtually airtight case."
The Supreme Court orders fish soup
Kim Lane Scheppele sounded the alarm on the Supreme Court’s latest choice to enable the destruction of the administrative state, via allowing Trump to move ahead with plans to dismantle the Department of Education before ruling on whether it’s even legal. “We are witnessing a constitutional revolution carried out in plain sight."
Former Chief Federal Lawyers Sound the Alarm: Federal Employees Need Your Help
Seema Nanda, a former solicitor of the Department of Labor, raised a clarion call to action—cosigned by dozens of colleagues—for all lawyers formerly employed by the federal government to come to the legal aid of the thousands of federal workers now in economic jeopardy thanks to Trump’s reckless, chaotic layoffs. If you are such a lawyer, go to Rise Up: Federal Employees Legal Defense Network for more information and to volunteer!
Author Elaine Weiss wrote about a time when our elected officials didn't cower in fear at the thought of having to campaign harder to retain their own jobs, through the story of unlikely Civil Rights Act backer Rep. Hale Boggs. As Republicans gut Medicaid and duck voting rights we can only hope for more like him.
Immigration: Talk & Terror
Democrats Must Lean into Defense of Immigrants
Jen Rubin wrote that Trump’s ICE-perpetrated reign of terror isn’t only inhumane in the extreme—it’s rotten policy, as support for mass deportation is plummeting even as Trump doubles down. And Democrats have a chance to turn the tables. "Democrats who condemn inhumane conditions and deplore violent crimes against humanity not only demonstrate their values but throw Republicans on defense."
Fascism and the English Language
Anat Shenker-Osorio updated her guide to Fascism and the English Language (first featured in April) with a feature on the language used to obscure, minimize and justify the administration’s attacks on immigrants, and how we can all instead choose words that make clear exactly what is at stake. Instead of “immigration policy,” consider “crimes against humanity”...
From the creators of MAGA and MAHA, here comes MISGA!
Shalise Manza Young warned us to brace for the administration’s newest hellish acronym, MISGA: Make Indentured Servitude Great Again….aka the migrant farming solution no one asked for. "Now those who travel to California’s rich farmlands or the meat processing plants of the Midwest will be working under constant threat of deportation or violence if they anger or disappoint the farmers 'responsible' for them. Do we really think there would be safety standards or ethical behavior?"
Superman is a Box Office Hit. But is it 'Woke'?
Culture columnist Meredith Blake wrote on the quintessentially American, 80-year-old story of an immigrant refugee making a life for himself…and how the Fox News crowd suddenly can’t handle it. “An undocumented alien turned big-city journalist?? Truly MAGA’s worst nightmare.”
Ruben Bolling noticed the same dubious allegiance in this week’s Tom the Dancing Bug: “The Heroic Adventures of Lex Luthor.”
Risk Watch
Jeff Nesbit explained how RFK Jr’s anti-science agenda is endangering us all, starting with welcoming measles back to 38 states after 25 years of eradication. "Kennedy has downplayed the measles outbreak; remained silent about the benefits of vaccines or actively criticized their rare side effects; endorsed unproven treatments; and tried to cut HHS funding to state health departments."
How Many More Have to Die Before Texas Gets Serious About Preparedness?
Olivia Julianna autopsied Texas’ abysmal record of disaster response, all with an obvious culprit: politics before preparedness. Leaders say: “don’t make it political,” but from ignored flood warnings to rejected federal funds, she reports on how policy failures are costing Texans their lives.
The Abortion Prosecution No One Is Talking About
Dana Sussman of Pregnancy Justice wrote on another mess in Texas: a test case in which a man is facing capital murder charges for causing an unconsented abortion, marking the first known case where a 6-week embryo is treated as a murder victim—and paving the way for abortion to be met with a homicide charge. "The stakes here could not be higher. Make no mistake, women are next."
‘The Epstein Files’ Files
Offsides with Pablo Torre: Could the Epstein files be Trump's killing blow?
On this week’s Offsides, Jen Rubin and Pablo Torres got deep into the Manosphere’s Epstein conspiracy implosion, how the President and Pam Bondi now find themselves in the crosshairs of former MAGA cheerleaders, and how Democrats can—and must—exploit this rift. "If the Dems know anything about politics, they turn this into their issue."
Cartoonists Nick Anderson, RJ Matson, and Michael de Adder all got in on a story that would be pure farce if there wasn’t also the tragedy of a real monster (or several) at its core: Bombshell, The Official Trump Black Box, Democrats are the father.
Fun Stuff
Jamie Schler treated us to a delicious way to reclaim an ancient custom that celebrated the puncturing of monarchic rule with a carnivalian spirit of reversal and renewal. Or maybe it’s just a really good chocolate cake. “This gâteau sans rois is a rich, unapologetically dark devil’s food cake, spiked with orange to represent the orange devil we refuse to let reign.”
This week, we’re highlighting the great Posy! Posy is an English Springer Spaniel who loves snuggles and snacks.
Indivisible is planning to put up billboards in Red states to keep it in the forefront of people's minds that the Trump regime and their R enablers are doing everything they can to keep the Epstein files from becoming public. If you want to contribute to those billboards (since this is not a budgeted expenditure), Indivisible's website https://indivisible.org/ describes this very important initiative and how to contribute.
Norm - is there ANY way we can stop SCOTUS from allowing more damage to be done?