• When Republicans denied climate change and went to the mat to protect the hundreds of billions in subsidies the fossil fuel industry gets every year , Democrats could have stopped them , but — other than the progressives — didn ’ t . Instead , they complained about “ disruptive ” groups protesting pipelines .
• When Republicans raised an entire Astroturf Tea Party movement to fight progressive efforts to put into place a national healthcare system that would include a buy-in option for Medicare at all ages , Democrats could have fought for their constituents , but — other than the progressives — didn ’ t . Instead , they offered a privatized Obamacare and weak “ negotiation ” with drug companies to lower prices on 10 drugs while ignoring the creeping privatization of Medicare with the Medicare Advantage scam .
In each case , progressive Democrats were ahead of the curve and corporate Democrats either ignored or even obstructed needed reforms .
Republicans , meanwhile , have been steamrolling ahead with their plan — first laid out by Lewis Powell in 1971 — to turn our country into an oligarchy that ’ s no longer accountable to its people .
And now they ’ re just months away from finishing off our democratic republic , silencing all voices of dissent , and guaranteeing — like Trump promised — that we may never be able to even vote again in a meaningful election with candidates who aren ’ t pre-vetted by billionaires .
The greatest danger America is facing today — because Democratic messaging and outrage have been so weak for so long — is that average people won ’ t realize what ’ s happening until it ’ s too late .
Meanwhile , the leadership of the Democratic Party — Hakeem Jefferies in the House and Chuck Schumer in the Senate — are both saying that they ’ re not going to challenge Trump on every crime he commits , and Democratic senators voted unanimously for Trump ’ s pick for Secretary of State , who ’ s now in Panama threatening that sovereign government .
Trump is working as hard as possible to make his fascist vision of America a reality by attacking , threatening , and suing reporters and media outlets while his billionaire buddies and AIPAC threaten to fund primary challenges against any politician — Democrat or Republican — who dares to challenge them .
And the threats are working :
• The media is walking on pins and needles , trying to avoid pissing off Trump or Musk .
• The FCC just launched an investigation that could lead to the end of NPR and PBS .
• Major networks are paying off Trump to settle frivolous lawsuits .
• Democrats are treating Vichy Republicans as if they were good faith colleagues during normal times , many even voting for Trump ’ s cabinet nominees .
But these are not normal times : Our democracy is hanging by a thread . The simple reality is that the MAGA takeover of the GOP has turned it into , essentially , an agent of Putin ’ s Russia and Xi ’ s China . And an immigrant billionaire is deconstructing our government like a toddler busting up a Lego set .
Democrats — who campaigned on the allegation that Trump was a fascist — must now behave like their claim was true and fight back , before Trump and Musk finalize Orbán ’ s and Putin ’ s neofascist governance model , making such a response impossible .
• Shut down the House and the Senate .
• Challenge Johnson ’ s speakership .
• Fight every unanimous consent vote .
• Use quorum calls to bring floor business to a standstill .
• Put holds on every Trump nominee , even for things like naming Post Offices or noncontroversial positions .
• Hold a major press conference every day and coordinate with Democrats across the nation to amplify that day ’ s message across local and national media .
• Organize political guerilla theater and mass protest events .
Average people can reach out to their elected officials — the phone number for Congress is 202-224-3121 — and raise absolute holy hell . Blow up social media with protest and outrage posts . Share your concerns with friends , family , coworkers , and neighbors .
As Bernie Sanders — who ’ s been fighting this fight his entire life and was on my radio / TV show every Friday for 11 years — shared yesterday with people subscribed to his newsletter :
“ We must fight back — effectively . This is not a time for wallowing in despair and hiding under the covers . The stakes are too high . We ’ re not just fighting for ourselves . We ’ re fighting for our kids and for future generations . We ’ re fighting for the future of this planet .
“ Further , we must not become overwhelmed and think that Trump has some kind of extraordinary mandate and an inevitable glide path into the future . That ’ s what the right-wing mouthpieces want you to believe , but it ’ s not true . Trump won the election because Kamala Harris and a very weak and out-oftouch Democratic Party received 5 million votes LESS than Biden did in 2020 , not because Donald Trump or his agenda were popular . His agenda can be defeated . …
“ We cannot just play defense . We have got to be on offense . Please , never forget , the agenda that we are fighting for is widely supported by working families all across this country . And we must continue to fight for that agenda .”
It only took Hitler 53 days to use legal means to turn Germany from a functioning democracy into a dictatorship . We ’ ve officially gone way too far down that same road , and if Trump and Project 2025 aren ’ t stopped now it may well be too late by as soon as this Spring .
62 The Trial Lawyer