Well this feels doable 😊. With so much being said about the horrors of the first year of the second term, this is refreshingly positive. Thank you Olivia for keeping it real and manageable 😉
I'm glad you said this because I was feeling like there isn't much of anything I can do about it. Sure, I show up for No Kings Day, like a million other people, but what's next? Keep on keeping on, and let them know that when I see something I can do about it, I will do it.
Meanwhile, I watch their coalition wobble and stumble from one idiotic move to the next. Perhaps there is a threshold that will cause enough people to defect to make the whole thing collapse.
My accounts have been hacked, including Substack. I've changed my phone and everything and nothing and no one helps. I have been broken down at times but I will not give into it. We're in a low place and it will most likely get worse. But I believe in democracy. I love my country and the rule of law. I love America. I want to vote and have my opponents have an equal vote to mine. I don't and won't ever, ever be accepting of white nationalism. I will not accept a paramilitary out of my tax dollars. I want to run away. But I know some things. Dread is born from inertia. Our fears are well founded but fear is the fertile ground of bravery. Be brave. Be bold. If you love democracy and a country full of immigrants keep going. I want my Thai food. I want my soul food. I want my Mexican. I love the just plain folk of this country who are a menagerie of hundreds of years of despair and grit. Plain folks friend. Plain folks will save democracy. You will do it. I will do it. Love everyone and demand that this country remain a democracy.
I've been keeping track for a very long time and writing stuff down. I also am NOT a shrinking violet! I'm angry but feel we have to keep plodding ahead! We have to keep doing what we can to resist all the crap and chaos they are pushing our ways! Steadiness it truly important! NO Normalization, this stuff ISN'T NORMAL on ANY level!
Find a lane! For me it’s become a hobby to permanently boycott anything and everything I don’t value and that leads back to the pockets of oligarchs. I will not be their ATM machine. The past 2 years have been alot of simplifying and pruning in my life. It’s been freeing but it requires a steady and thoughtful effort. Once I got a handle on it, I started to share with others what I’m doing and why. Pass it on.
Also — I work in public schools and with disabled youth. The dismantling of public education is real. And awful. I continue to advocate, and unabashedly, for students and with all adult persons and most especially MAGAs in public education—and there are many. I’m in the trenches and behaving steadily.
Liked, restacked & shared to Bluesky (as always). Thanks, Olivia. For my part, as a retiree in the UK, I see my role is to simply share, pass on, amplify and clarify the news, articles & podcasts to which I subscribe. I only have 5.5k followers on Bluesky so far, but the number is slowly growing - I've only been on that platform since mid-August, so it's early days!
Hate to say it but it's true. I've started to hear it in local discussions with friends when I hear "not much we can do about it. For now just grin and bear it. Mid terms are coming soon and maybe we can turn the tide." Instead we should be riding our State and local representatives every day with the complaints of what is wrong, what are they doing about it and when can they schedule local "Town Hall Meetings". If we don't keep the pressure on, then don't expect a good outcome.
"Authoritarian pressure, in any country, depends on fatigue"
Bingo
In America fatigue looks like:
- A near total collapse of a large % of our media and institutions, who more willing to not rock the boat than they are willing to take strong stands. Universities have paid him ransom monies; businesses run by multi billionaires have snuggled up to Trump. Bezos, Apple, Target and many others.
The Supreme Court, mostly owned by those same billionaires is now a rubber stamp for his worst instincts. CBS, ABC and CNN have not just given up; they've joined his side.
- But the worst are the both sides "journalists" like Smerconish, Chuck Todd and Cillizza who regularly write insanely weak pieces, usually still blaming Biden for all things and putting out polls like "Was ICE justified in killing Renee Goode?"
For the LOVE OF GOD, ICE is killing us and you're wondering if it's OK?
- Dems have preposterously ineffective leaders in Schumer and Jeffries. When's the last time anyone reading this has heard from either of them during this Minnesota siege? Maybe Schumer wrote a memo?
- And of course the GOP. There are approximately 280 elected members in the Senate and House. How many of them have stood up? Maybe 3-4? Susie Wiles, this administration's Eichmann, enables it all.
Do not consign yourselves to hollering at clouds on social media. Get involved, go to rallies, be LOUD, find a down ballot local candidate you like and volunteer for him or her. If you don't do that, you're fatigued.
We STILL have the power to overcome, but not from behind a keyboard.
Great column, Olivia, especially now with our deranged and mentally ill POTUS donffrey trumpstein antagonizing our friends and allies for $#!+s and grins. I will be wearing my "Embarrassed American" tee and "Ruthless Patriots" hat (with NATO countries pins affixed) when I travel to Europe next month on business. Who knows, maybe I can pick up a "Make America Go Away" hat in Denmark.
BTW, are his latest stupid antics a distraction from the Epstein files, or are they meant to rile the stock markets so his friends can pick up some TACO profits? Or, as I suspect, make NATO allies shift focus to protect Greenland from US so "Vlad the Bad" can make a heavy assault on Ukraine?
Well this feels doable 😊. With so much being said about the horrors of the first year of the second term, this is refreshingly positive. Thank you Olivia for keeping it real and manageable 😉
Words of wisdom from the wise.
I'm glad you said this because I was feeling like there isn't much of anything I can do about it. Sure, I show up for No Kings Day, like a million other people, but what's next? Keep on keeping on, and let them know that when I see something I can do about it, I will do it.
Meanwhile, I watch their coalition wobble and stumble from one idiotic move to the next. Perhaps there is a threshold that will cause enough people to defect to make the whole thing collapse.
Show up today Free America at 2pm walkout
My accounts have been hacked, including Substack. I've changed my phone and everything and nothing and no one helps. I have been broken down at times but I will not give into it. We're in a low place and it will most likely get worse. But I believe in democracy. I love my country and the rule of law. I love America. I want to vote and have my opponents have an equal vote to mine. I don't and won't ever, ever be accepting of white nationalism. I will not accept a paramilitary out of my tax dollars. I want to run away. But I know some things. Dread is born from inertia. Our fears are well founded but fear is the fertile ground of bravery. Be brave. Be bold. If you love democracy and a country full of immigrants keep going. I want my Thai food. I want my soul food. I want my Mexican. I love the just plain folk of this country who are a menagerie of hundreds of years of despair and grit. Plain folks friend. Plain folks will save democracy. You will do it. I will do it. Love everyone and demand that this country remain a democracy.
This is exactly what Olivia is talking about.
There's nothing you can do?
How about YOU volunteering for a Congressional candidate? Register voters, canvass for them; write postcards.
"was" is past tense. I haven't given up; I'm just looking for whatever is next.
I'm not convinced that the world needs much more of that sort of electioneering, especially living in a safely Democratic district.
Pick up your lane. And add your good to the cause.
I've been keeping track for a very long time and writing stuff down. I also am NOT a shrinking violet! I'm angry but feel we have to keep plodding ahead! We have to keep doing what we can to resist all the crap and chaos they are pushing our ways! Steadiness it truly important! NO Normalization, this stuff ISN'T NORMAL on ANY level!
Find a lane! For me it’s become a hobby to permanently boycott anything and everything I don’t value and that leads back to the pockets of oligarchs. I will not be their ATM machine. The past 2 years have been alot of simplifying and pruning in my life. It’s been freeing but it requires a steady and thoughtful effort. Once I got a handle on it, I started to share with others what I’m doing and why. Pass it on.
Also — I work in public schools and with disabled youth. The dismantling of public education is real. And awful. I continue to advocate, and unabashedly, for students and with all adult persons and most especially MAGAs in public education—and there are many. I’m in the trenches and behaving steadily.
Liked, restacked & shared to Bluesky (as always). Thanks, Olivia. For my part, as a retiree in the UK, I see my role is to simply share, pass on, amplify and clarify the news, articles & podcasts to which I subscribe. I only have 5.5k followers on Bluesky so far, but the number is slowly growing - I've only been on that platform since mid-August, so it's early days!
It helps so much to hear these words from you. ❤️
to keep the shock value coming. Unfortunately, numbness is infectious.
Thank you.
Hate to say it but it's true. I've started to hear it in local discussions with friends when I hear "not much we can do about it. For now just grin and bear it. Mid terms are coming soon and maybe we can turn the tide." Instead we should be riding our State and local representatives every day with the complaints of what is wrong, what are they doing about it and when can they schedule local "Town Hall Meetings". If we don't keep the pressure on, then don't expect a good outcome.
Excellent article
"Authoritarian pressure, in any country, depends on fatigue"
Bingo
In America fatigue looks like:
- A near total collapse of a large % of our media and institutions, who more willing to not rock the boat than they are willing to take strong stands. Universities have paid him ransom monies; businesses run by multi billionaires have snuggled up to Trump. Bezos, Apple, Target and many others.
The Supreme Court, mostly owned by those same billionaires is now a rubber stamp for his worst instincts. CBS, ABC and CNN have not just given up; they've joined his side.
- But the worst are the both sides "journalists" like Smerconish, Chuck Todd and Cillizza who regularly write insanely weak pieces, usually still blaming Biden for all things and putting out polls like "Was ICE justified in killing Renee Goode?"
For the LOVE OF GOD, ICE is killing us and you're wondering if it's OK?
- Dems have preposterously ineffective leaders in Schumer and Jeffries. When's the last time anyone reading this has heard from either of them during this Minnesota siege? Maybe Schumer wrote a memo?
- And of course the GOP. There are approximately 280 elected members in the Senate and House. How many of them have stood up? Maybe 3-4? Susie Wiles, this administration's Eichmann, enables it all.
Do not consign yourselves to hollering at clouds on social media. Get involved, go to rallies, be LOUD, find a down ballot local candidate you like and volunteer for him or her. If you don't do that, you're fatigued.
We STILL have the power to overcome, but not from behind a keyboard.
We must call a spade a spade. Sugarcoating anything pernicious will not help anyone, other than the people commiting crimes.
Thank you for your truth. This year has to be the year of action or there will be nothing to save.
Great column, Olivia, especially now with our deranged and mentally ill POTUS donffrey trumpstein antagonizing our friends and allies for $#!+s and grins. I will be wearing my "Embarrassed American" tee and "Ruthless Patriots" hat (with NATO countries pins affixed) when I travel to Europe next month on business. Who knows, maybe I can pick up a "Make America Go Away" hat in Denmark.
BTW, are his latest stupid antics a distraction from the Epstein files, or are they meant to rile the stock markets so his friends can pick up some TACO profits? Or, as I suspect, make NATO allies shift focus to protect Greenland from US so "Vlad the Bad" can make a heavy assault on Ukraine?
So important! Wishing you are sharing these advices and the analyze even abroad😊👍
So important and so well-said.