Thank you for not legitimizing his inaugural. Thank you for avoiding 'sir' or 'Mr. President'. Thank you for never looking away when he lies, cheats, blames, or threatens.
Thank you, Ramona, for girding our loins for the fight. Someone to read for sure is Dr. Timothy Snyder who has begged us not to obey in advance. He has a great idea about establishing a "People's Cabinet" comprised of former officials who can get out the opposition message of what the administration should be doing. He also has a great name for the incoming administration: the Mump Regime. It's a portmanteau of Musk and Trump and it's perfect.
Since I just moved across the country this summer, I'm not sure yet where my fellow liberal fighters are. I have to find them and soon.
I was thrilled that Michelle Obama has refused to attend the Inauguration. I wish more of them would follow her example.
I thought about naming names but there are so many now. Thank you for adding Timothy Snyder. He's a force we'll come to depend on, and I agree that a People's Cabinet is an excellent idea. We'll need solid truth-tellers, unafraid of threats or revenge-filled consequences. Any signs of fear will only embolden Trump's regime. Our strength is in our strength.
So true! Right now I’m in disbelief that the Clintons, Bidens, Barack are attending his inauguration! Isn’t this legitimizing a felon?? Isn’t this betraying us, the American people who have supported all of them?? What are any of them doing to recognize our grief and fear during this turbulent time?? I just don’t get their reasoning. If it’s because they want to show support for our institutions and history, they need to just stop acting like these are normal times and that his presidency should be valued and respected. I feel their attendance is just adding to our grief, and seems like they’re obeying this new admin instead of supporting their people. How is their attendance “For the people”? I’d love to see an explanation that makes sense.
“We lost—in so many ways we’ve lost count or can’t yet comprehend.” This is what breaks my heart.
I want to add to this list some literary writers who are fighting the good fight in a way that might seem a little less straightforward than maybe what you’re asking for but is equally important to me. I’ll start with Eleanor Anstruther’s serial novel Fallout (you can read it here on Substack) that takes place in Greenham—honoring a time in not-so-distant history when a great swath of women united to protest the follies of governments, to use their bodies and minds and hearts to say no.
I'm still treading water in the sea of despair and disbelief. It might be because I've given up
and have decided to live in Mexico permanently. I have some physical separation and can lean into the new President here (a woman!). I can avoid the news and I could never watch him anyway. Maybe my fight energy will return, maybe not..........
Robert Hubbell; Holly Berkley Fletcher; Mueller She Wrote-Allison Gill; Lisa Needham; Rick Wilson; Jay Kao; Adam Kinzinger; Jeff Tiedrich; The Borowitz Report; Simon Rosenberg; Steven Beschloss plus many more.
Watching from the outside, I think the USA's big weakness is its version of democracy. I honestly believe until you get rid of the Electoral College, the same thing can happen over and over. Also the appointment of malcontent judges. How does that happen?
And Musk. Isn't he as much a danger, if not more. He's the puppetmaster and that's terrifying.
I wish you well and will be barracking from the sidelines here in Australia. The whole world is holding its breath.
Our electoral college system has long ago proven not to be smart or equitable. It eliminates the sanctity of the individual, often giving the win to someone who didn’t earn enough votes. States with tiny populations get the same advantage, as states with massive populations, when population should matter most. Then there’s gerrymandering, where precinct lines are drawn to favor one party over the other—almost always the Republicans.
We too often let the courts decide who won, when it should be down to vote counts and nothing else.
We could have fixed all of this decades ago. The big question is why haven’t we?
You've said it all. Like others, I read Joyce Vance, Dan Rather, Adam Kinzinger, Judd Legum, and Ramona Grigg. I love Timothy Snyders's "Mump Machine" term and respect Michelle Obama's decision.
I really want to hear more about Michelle Obama’s decision to skip Trump’s inauguration. It would help if she spelled out the reason. Until then, I’m not commenting.
Joyce Vance, Judd Legum, Heather Cox Richardson, Aaron Ruper, Dan Rather, Jesse Piper, Jessica Craven, Scott Dworkin for starters.
I second all of these.
Fantastic list
Yes! I would add Mary Trump and Molly Jong Fast. Also Robert Reich, Amy Siskind, and Thom Hartmann.
Yes!
Adding Timothy Snyder, Elliot Kirschner, Dan Rather, Steve Schmidt
Thank you!
Yes!
Thank you, Ramona, for girding our loins for the fight. Someone to read for sure is Dr. Timothy Snyder who has begged us not to obey in advance. He has a great idea about establishing a "People's Cabinet" comprised of former officials who can get out the opposition message of what the administration should be doing. He also has a great name for the incoming administration: the Mump Regime. It's a portmanteau of Musk and Trump and it's perfect.
Since I just moved across the country this summer, I'm not sure yet where my fellow liberal fighters are. I have to find them and soon.
I was thrilled that Michelle Obama has refused to attend the Inauguration. I wish more of them would follow her example.
I thought about naming names but there are so many now. Thank you for adding Timothy Snyder. He's a force we'll come to depend on, and I agree that a People's Cabinet is an excellent idea. We'll need solid truth-tellers, unafraid of threats or revenge-filled consequences. Any signs of fear will only embolden Trump's regime. Our strength is in our strength.
So true! Right now I’m in disbelief that the Clintons, Bidens, Barack are attending his inauguration! Isn’t this legitimizing a felon?? Isn’t this betraying us, the American people who have supported all of them?? What are any of them doing to recognize our grief and fear during this turbulent time?? I just don’t get their reasoning. If it’s because they want to show support for our institutions and history, they need to just stop acting like these are normal times and that his presidency should be valued and respected. I feel their attendance is just adding to our grief, and seems like they’re obeying this new admin instead of supporting their people. How is their attendance “For the people”? I’d love to see an explanation that makes sense.
“We lost—in so many ways we’ve lost count or can’t yet comprehend.” This is what breaks my heart.
I want to add to this list some literary writers who are fighting the good fight in a way that might seem a little less straightforward than maybe what you’re asking for but is equally important to me. I’ll start with Eleanor Anstruther’s serial novel Fallout (you can read it here on Substack) that takes place in Greenham—honoring a time in not-so-distant history when a great swath of women united to protest the follies of governments, to use their bodies and minds and hearts to say no.
Thank you, Holly. I'll be sure to read her novel. Sounds right up my alley!
I agree wholeheartedly and am ready to fight back with the rest of y’all. 🧡
I'm still treading water in the sea of despair and disbelief. It might be because I've given up
and have decided to live in Mexico permanently. I have some physical separation and can lean into the new President here (a woman!). I can avoid the news and I could never watch him anyway. Maybe my fight energy will return, maybe not..........
Robert Hubbell; Holly Berkley Fletcher; Mueller She Wrote-Allison Gill; Lisa Needham; Rick Wilson; Jay Kao; Adam Kinzinger; Jeff Tiedrich; The Borowitz Report; Simon Rosenberg; Steven Beschloss plus many more.
Absolutely! Thank you.
Holy hell, I hope you can pull this off.
Watching from the outside, I think the USA's big weakness is its version of democracy. I honestly believe until you get rid of the Electoral College, the same thing can happen over and over. Also the appointment of malcontent judges. How does that happen?
And Musk. Isn't he as much a danger, if not more. He's the puppetmaster and that's terrifying.
I wish you well and will be barracking from the sidelines here in Australia. The whole world is holding its breath.
Also thank you for the links in your post.
Our electoral college system has long ago proven not to be smart or equitable. It eliminates the sanctity of the individual, often giving the win to someone who didn’t earn enough votes. States with tiny populations get the same advantage, as states with massive populations, when population should matter most. Then there’s gerrymandering, where precinct lines are drawn to favor one party over the other—almost always the Republicans.
We too often let the courts decide who won, when it should be down to vote counts and nothing else.
We could have fixed all of this decades ago. The big question is why haven’t we?
Lack of interest or motivation in those who could. That includes the voting population. Maybe compulsory voting might have helped as well. https://www.aec.gov.au/about_aec/publications/backgrounders/compulsory-voting.htm
You've said it all. Like others, I read Joyce Vance, Dan Rather, Adam Kinzinger, Judd Legum, and Ramona Grigg. I love Timothy Snyders's "Mump Machine" term and respect Michelle Obama's decision.
I really want to hear more about Michelle Obama’s decision to skip Trump’s inauguration. It would help if she spelled out the reason. Until then, I’m not commenting.