It always starts with a whisper. Change starts very quietly. We don’t always notice it immediately. Over the last several months we laid witness to people feeling exhausted, defeated and in shock, everywhere. Three months ago, it was hard to imagine rising up like a tidal wave and turning misfortune around. But then, we started to get some critical mass.
In fact, in a movement such as the one we are in, the tidal wave has just begun. Lovers of fairness, other humans and Democracy have had a particularly good week.
You know why? It wasn’t that our lawmakers blocked a bunch of horrifying bills. Members of congress did not rise up and do something procedurally brilliant. Those actions did not happen. Similarly, we have not impeached or indicted anyone. And no, we did not win any new House seats.
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So, what did we do this past week that moved the needle?
We got our groove back, baby. We became inspired by folks who worked hard and made real, tangible progress over the last few months. We all showed up. Brava!
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Yes Ma’am. We did it. Miles to go, but we did it.
· Senator Cory Booker stood up and broke a racist, evil Senator’s senate-floor-filibuster record and reminded us why this nation is worth fighting for every day.
· Over 5.5 million people took to the streets at 1200 different locations across the nation to join the Hands-Off protest.
· 30 countries across the globe held supportive similar protests to fight the scourge of this current administration’s fascist and evil actions.
· Signal-gate, the dangerous and incompetent actions of the bumbling idiots running our Defense and Security agencies inured the attention of Republicans who formerly supported this administration, but after that scandal are now not supportive. And a few are actually speaking up and out against this regime.
· Major world leaders spoke up after the current president started a never seen before, full-on trade war. Further, several leaders in the G7 have indicated directly or indirectly that the US, under the current administration cannot be trusted. To be clear, even our friends, will be and are fighting back in the awful trade war Trump has started:
“The global economy is fundamentally different today than yesterday. We must respond with purpose and force and take every step to protect Canadian workers and businesses against the unjust tariffs imposed by the United States, including on automobiles. We will never cease to defend the interests of Canadians, safeguard our workers and businesses, and continue our pursuit to build the strongest economy in the G7.” § The Hon. Mark Carney, Prime Minister of Canada
· In Wisconsin, we beat back Musk Money and won an important state supreme court seat.
· Locally, across the nation, municipal elections in all fifty states neutered Republicans everywhere and lifted up Democrats to wins, even in the most conservative areas.
· The boycotts continue to work and are getting the attention of F-500 CEOS. So much so, 20 of them have assembled a coalition and asked for a meeting with Trump to discuss modifications in his disastrous policies.
· Lawsuits brought by groups affected by the senseless DOGE workforce reductions have begun to land and the government, DOGE, Musk and DOJ are scrambling.
· Finally, leaders have emerged in our political class. Bernie, AOC, Tim Walz, Eric Swalwell, Ro Khanna, Jasmine Crocket, Cory Booker and Chris Murphy are successfully standing up loudly and having overflowing attendance townhalls in highly Republican areas.
· This is all to say, the people are leading this movement with great panache.
Equally important, the tide is changing on Trump beneath his feet…
During my local Hands-Off protest on Saturday (and in the hours that followed), dozens of folks, who had voted for Trump, reached out in person, on social media and text to say they were “all done and enraged” at the economic catastrophe and the incompetence and cruelty of this administration.
One woman shared, “While I never liked Trump as a human, I did think he was good for the economy. He lied. I believed it. I feel like an idiot.” Another blurted out “He lied to all of us. He is a disgrace.”
This is what we need more of as we move along. We need to welcome folks who come to the realization he is ruining the country, based on the all-too-tangible effects of Trump and his cabinet’s incompetence, cruelty and vendettas.
Invite these folks in and don’t dwell on the past with them. Help them, include them and let’s keep growing this movement. With 5 million+ people activated and growing exponentially, the pivot we have been waiting for is here.
Equally important to note, on my weekend social media posts recapping the “Hands Off” protest here in downtown Chicago, MAGA folks were incensed and let me know! Their approaches in the comments varied. Some said it was “wrong and hateful”. Others posited whataboutism. Still others said there was nothing to protest about and all was well, so why could we possibly be upset? Some said, “it did nothing.”
Well, they all noticed and undoubtably made them uncomfortable. In other words, our efforts worked.
Watch your local Indivisible, MoveOn or Project 50501 groups for the next set of protests. Keep going!
Go Team America!
