We are at a cusp in American history, a moment of crisis and opportunity. Trump is increasingly out of touch with reality, now alienating even parts of his base. But the Trump machine, the GOP machine, the Fox/Sinclair media machine keep rolling along — taking more and more desperate measures the more clear their unpopularity becomes. The GOP has long been the minority party, wielding power only because of systemic biases in their favor, which have permitted them not to adjust to democratic realities. The political world we live in is largely a construct of a GOP-media complex, going back to the Gingrich Congress or even to Reagan, and unwittingly abetted by Bill Clinton, who chose too often to play on the Republicans’ field.

Today, that world is close to having run its course. Trump is historically unpopular, and he shoots himself in the foot almost every day. But the machines churn on and are getting more aggressive:

• The DOJ has charged 15 people in Minnesota with conspiring to impede ICE, when what they were doing was trying to help their neighbors. The charge of conspiracy is a dramatic overreach.
• The DOJ has charged 8 Michiganders with conspiracy charges, effectively going after them as if they were mobsters or terrorists. While it is true that they committed crimes of vandalism and property destruction, the escalation of these charges to the level of national security is a repressive and essentially fascist tactic.
• Trump and federal officials have baselessly alleged fraud in California’s primary elections.
• The USPS has indicated that it could refuse to deliver mail-in ballots in states that do not comply with Trump’s illegal request for official lists of voters. Fortunately, there are many pre-emptive lawsuits filed against such action, which would clearly be illegal, but the assault on voting rights is clear.

This is just a sampling of the desperate actions the MAGA federal government is undertaking, as it looks at potentially massive losses in November. 

Fortunately, we the people are not silent, and the opposition is mounting. If you have not seen the recent Rise Up, Sing Out! No Kings action, take a look here. It’s inspiring. 

And please consider taking the following actions:

• Get involved with Voters Not Politicians to combat the SAVE act and similar state-level efforts to restrict voting based on the lie of “voter fraud.”
• Support Marc Elias’s Democracy Docket: Elias is an attorney with a remarkable record of winning against Trump’s election shenanigans in court. We need him to continue to win.
• Donate to the legal support fund for the 15 Minnesotans charged with conspiracy.
• Consider donating to the legal support fund for the Michigan students and associates charged with conspiracy. While some of their actions were clearly illegal, the DOJ is trying to use them to advance a repressive and racist agenda.
• Support Inequality Media, which seeks to combat the domination of American media by oligarchs and monopolists.
• Help with voter registration and election protection. Vote.org is a good place to start.
• Get involved with the ACLU, which has been defending Americans’ rights for a century.
• If you are an attorney or legal professional, get engaged with a professional association working to protect our democracy. Here are just a few: Brennan Center for Justice (also a fantastic source for the general public); Lawyers Committee for Civil Rights; American Immigration Lawyers Center; National Immigration Law Center; ProBono; NAACP Legal Defense Fund.
• Find out how you can help support immigrants in your community. In Michigan, where I’m located, good places to start are Michigan Advocacy Program and LSSCM. I’m sure virtually every state has equivalents.
• And remember, we can all just pay attention to those around us, we can notice and attend and be kind. Aristotle said there are two virtues that make society thrive: justice and friendship. Let’s exercise both!

Democracy, equality, human dignity can and must prevail!