Democracy

“The experience of democracy is like the experience of life itself—always changing, infinite in its variety, sometimes turbulent and all the more valuable for having been tested in adversity.” ~ Jimmy Carter

Matt Wuerker

Here we are, in the roiling turbulence. Keep your seatbelts securely tightened while we get through it.

democracy (n): A government by the people; the rule of the majority.

Note to MAGA, Donnie Diapers, and Musk: We are the majority! It's our government. And we will prevail!

If you are like me, you are terrified by what is happening in D.C. This post is to inform you, reassure you, motivate you, and spur you to action. 

You are not alone. In fact, there are millions and millions of us out there. Each one can do a small thing to get our power back. It is heavy, it may take time, but like the proverbial rubber tree, we are many ants. 

Last night, Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez did a Live Instagram. She was funny, inspiring, and provided some hope. It's long, but I hope you'll carve out some time to watch it. Watch it in parts; speed up the replay; do what you can to fit it in. 

If you don't watch it, I have a TL;DW (too long; didn't watch) version for you. Cuz I took notes! 😉 

You'll have to put up with a heavy dose of LSR-ness and side-thoughts, though.

Firstly

Take a breath. You are not alone. Overwhelming you is part of their playbook. Do not let the barrage of events paralyze you. The fear must not win. Take another breath. Continue to face the facts, but don't let it stop you, make you hopeless, or make you cynical. 

The Motivations

Much of the reason, AOC surmises, that this is happening now and outside of Congress, is because the tax cuts for billionaires enacted in 2017 is set to expire in 2025. Musk wants these cuts intact, but to pay for them, he has to find $4 trillion in the budget. Thus, the slash and burn.

Side note: I'm not so sure; I think his main driving force is power and hate. And foreign allegiances (I'm looking at you, Putie).

The by-far biggest budget in the federal government, though, is defense spending. Government contracts account for a huge expenditure. Musk has numerous contracts; other billionaires do too. 

Contractors are notorious for waste and overcharges, and there is plenty of room for cuts. A normal system of oversight would look to pare down waste there. But this is not a normal system, and as long as the foxes are watching over the hen house, there is no chance of that. So, Musk turns to other programs.

Medicaid itself has $2 trillion in the budget. USAID has $40 billion. The Department of Education has $79 billion. Other assistance programs that help the poor and working class have other billions. 

Why rely on Congress and the U.S. Governmental Accountability Office – the office we already have to be a waste watchdog – when you can muscle your way in with your pimply-faced twerps and shut down an agency lock, stock, and barrel? And steal data while you're in there?

And the private prison industry? They are itching for the immigration raids to ramp up so they can sell their beds or cots or cardboard mats to "house" the poor souls who get caught in the nets. Those budgets will certainly not be cut. 

The Vulnerabilities of the Other Side

• The numbers. We are the majority! We outnumber the 1% by millions. We outnumber their voters, and we truly outnumber those trying to steal power. 
• Their egos. These are big-talking men with wittle fragile egos. She said they are like the Wizard. They rely on their perceived power rather than their actual power. If we can dig at their ego, we can get leverage.

What Can We Do?

• Resist. Cause friction. Slow down their march. She said, "The slower they go, the less they can break."
• Know Your Rights. And help others understand theirs. I've pointed you to this before, but everyone in the land has rights, documented or not. It's important for everyone to understand them. Here are rights in terms of immigration. Share this information with flyers or cards. Take them to relevant stores and businesses; hand out cards. 

• If you are a federal employee, resist the buyout offer. It's bogus.
• Contact your members of Congress. Make your views known. Even in very red or very blue places: they need to know we are paying attention and that we care. They work for you. Tell them what you want them to do; thank them when they do it. “If you have a plan, we want to hear it. Tell your community leaders, your local officials, your governor, and your team in Washington. Believe me, your ideas count. An individual can make a difference.” — George H.W. Bush (quote is my addition; not AOC's)
• Specifically, today, call them and ask that they not advance any cabinet nominee until Musk and his kiddie cabal (nickname mine) stop their infiltration. 
• Learn who is on the Congressional committees. Find out what committees your MoCs are on. Pay attention. 
• VOTE. A wide margin of victory in a prior election which shrinks in the next election is frightening to an elected official.
• Specifically, there are some open house seats with special elections coming up. The current House majority is extremely slim. They have a four-seat margin, which may be able to be paired down. Or at least we may be able to put the fear into other Repugs who are vulnerable in 2026. They watch the election margins closely. It's not just who wins, but by how much. LSR side note: Keep an eye on Postcards to Voters for postcard campaigns for these upcoming special elections. Help get the Dem vote out! 
• Florida's 1st Congressional District to replace Matt Gaetz: April 1, 2025
• Florida's 6th Congressional District to replace Michael Waltz: April 1, 2025
• New York's 21st Congressional District to replace Elise Stefanik: date TBA (NY Dems are trying to keep her seat vacant for as long as possible)

In 2026, the Repug districts that carried Joe Biden or Kamala Harris are vulnerable and can be unseated. 

• "Divide and conquer." AOC framed this as each taking a small piece of the huge, huge tasks in front of us and "jiggle every door handle" to find something that works. Keep trying. Keep trying! Side note: I take "divide and conquer" as also finding ways to get a wedge between Muskovite and Emperor Hiro-Cheeto. Their egos are so big that both of them can't fit in the Oval Office at the same time. We've got to get Don Poorleone to get sour on Elong. The sooner, the better.

Be Assured

Congress is back in session. They were off last week visiting their districts, which is why Elmo and Don the Con acted when they did. Members are taking action and speaking out, more below.

Unpredictable things can happen. AOC gave herself as an example. She won against an entrenched House member (20-year incumbent; #4 House Democrat) in 2018 and fought against the establishment of the Democrat party in New York. She is a unicorn: she takes no PAC money and has become a powerhouse in the House, despite being an outsider Democrat. 

There are several lawsuits pending against the executive orders. 

Dems are back in D.C. and ready to act. House Minority Leader Hakeem Jefferies (NY) sent a letter to his colleagues outlining a plan of action. 

Other Dems went to the buildings. They were denied entry to the USAID building, but Rep. Jamie Raskin spoke. He said: 

"Elon Musk you didn't create USAID; the United States Congress did for the American people. And just like Elon Musk did not create USAID, he doesn't have the power to destroy it and who's going to stop him? We are! We're going to stop him! Elon Musk you may have illegally seized power over the financial payment systems of the United States Department of Treasury but you don't control the money of the American people – the United States Congress does that under Article One of the Constitution. And just like the President who is elected to something cannot impound the money of the people, we don't have a fourth branch of government called "Elon Musk," and that's going to become real clear. This illegal unconstitutional interference with congressional power is threatening lives all over the world."

Watch him here:

 

Sen. Elizabeth Warren was also speaking out:

Rep. Jeffries and Sen. Schumer introduce "Stop the Steal" bill

The minority leaders of both houses of Congress introduced a bill they are calling "Stop the Steal," meant to "prevent unlawful meddling in the Treasury Department’s payment systems and protect Americans across the country."

Unfortunately, it is mostly symbolic and bound to fail, given the Repug majorities in both houses and the GOP insistence on propping up these bad actors. It will, however, get people talking and thinking. 

AOC's Conclusions

• We are going to win. It's a choice, she said, to decide to win. If you don't decide to win, you lose. 

• They want you in fear and paralysis. Don't succumb. Take a breath, regulate your emotions.

• They are little men with fragile egos. 

• Small acts matter! Do what you can and know that what you can do, is enough. 

"Nobody makes a greater mistake than he who does nothing because he could do only a little." —Edmund Burke (LSR loves quotes, if you haven't noticed)

My Conclusions

We need more like this from our elected officials. When you call or write to your MoCs, ask them to report back what they are doing. Ask for town hall meetings. Attend town hall meetings. Keep paying attention! 

Divide and Conquer: AOC framed "divide and conquer" to mean to divide the labor and conquer the tasks. I propose the other view of divide and conquer: Divide the egos. Take them down, set them against each other. Conquer them. 

More reassurance from writer and journalist Jay Michaelson. I quote his post in its entirety:

Hello!  I'm posting in response to the many sincerely anguished claims that not enough is being done to stop Trump.  This is not reflected in the facts. 

- Represented by Public Citizen Litigation Group and State Democracy Defenders Fund, the Alliance for Retired Americans, the American Federation of Government Employees (AFGE), and the Service Employees International Union (SEIU) filed suit on Monday against the Treasury Department “for sharing confidential data with the so-called Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE), run by Elon Musk.”  Go to Public Citizen's website to learn all about this lawsuit, which is very likely to prevail. 

- On USAID, appearing with other Democratic lawmakers outside USAID offices on Monday, Representative Jamie Raskin (D-Md.) shouted, “Elon Musk, you didn't create USAID. The United States Congress did for the American people … like Elon Musk did not create USAID, he doesn't have the power to destroy it. And who's going to stop him? We are...  This a constitutional crisis that we are in today.”   Lawsuits have also been filed in this matter, and are also likely to prevail. 

- Hakeem Jeffries has announced lawsuits have been filed regarding the firings of inspectors general. 

- On Jan 21, Democracy Forward, was filed at 12:01 p.m. ET on Monday and accused Elon Musk's DOGE of being a "shadow operation led by unelected billionaires" that flouts federal transparency rules.  That should win. 

- National Security Counselors filed a suit arguing that DOGE meets the requirements to be a federal advisory committee and is therefore legally required to have "fairly balanced" representation, keep regular minutes of meetings and allow public access to meetings.  Clearly accurate. 

- Eighteen state attorneys general and a slew of immigrants' rights groups brought swift legal action against Trump after he signed his executive order seeking to ban birthright citizenship for some children born in the U.S., arguing that it violates the Fourteenth Amendment.  Obviously, clearly unconstitutional. 

- "Schedule F" has been challenged in court by the National Treasury Employees Union, which represents employees in 37 agencies and departments.   

- Several immigrant rights groups in the United States, as well as the American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU), have filed a lawsuit challenging President Donald Trump’s ban on asylum claims. 

- GLAD Law and the National Center For Lesbian Rights (NCLR) have sued to stop Trump's ban on trans people in the military. 

And there are many more - I'll link to a great list of them in the comments. 

Yes, there are Trump judges in the courts, and if Aileen Cannon types get these cases, Trump may prevail.  But most judges are not like her.  These actions are clearly illegal and/or unconstitutional, and they WILL be stopped. 

Just like the tariffs were not meant to prevail -- Trump won that round, "forcing" Canada and Mexico to take "action" on fentanyl -- these actions are not meant to prevail.  They're meant to flood the zone with shit, confuse and immobilize us.   

They said they'd do "Shock and Awe" and that's what they've done.  Nothing here should be surprising. 

Shock and Awe is up to YOU.  I am not shocked, I am not in awe. 

Oh, and the "mainstream media" has reported on all of these.  The info above has come from Newsweek, the NY Times, and other mainstream sources.  Please stop attacking journalists when we are being threatened by the FBI.  Who do you think you're helping by doing that?  

Stop it with the doomsaying and gloomsaying.  Want to make a difference?  Give thousands of dollars to Public Citizen, the ACLU, and similar groups.  Show up at marches.  Put your ass on the line and help protect people from ICE.  If you're safe, do simple symbolic things (like changing your social media pictures) to support people who are not safe.  Just like we should not obey in advance, we should not panic in advance either.  This is not the end of democracy.  That is just what the bad guys want you to think.  Get over it and fight.

Look at this would-be king, attended by baby boys staying out way past their bedtime. Is this the best he's got?

Ann Telnaes

The Resistance 

I told you how I got my first whiff of this shit from AltNPS on social media. The group now has nearly 100,000 federal employees under their umbrella. If you want to support them, they have a little store. Pick up a T-shirt or sticker and wear your alliance proudly.

From their early days, but still relevant!

Your Moment of Beauty

Normalize being nice.

[image or embed]

— Scott Galloway (@profgalloway.com) February 2, 2025 at 9:46 PM

Take a breath, Resisters. Do something good for yourself. Then, gird up. We got this, together.