It’s Tempting To Do Nothing But 

February Op Ed | February 13, 2025

Featured Photo By: npr.org

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We are only two + weeks into the Trump administration. Despite the administration’s onslaught of deeply troubling and misguided policies. People feel tired from the hard fought election campaign. It is too soon to do anything they surmise; it is tempting to do nothing; better sit back and chill for a while and wait for a later date to re-engage.

This appears to be a path many people are choosing. This despite the onslaught of  wicked administration actions such as the release 1,500 people convicted of helping overturn the government on January 6; the termination of department Inspector Generals, and leaders of the FBI, the Justice Department and other agencies; the purging of demographic language on the websites of the CDC, NIH, and other health agencies; the suspension of foreign assistance; the efforts to deport thousands of migrants; the imposition of tariffs on Canada, Mexico and other countries; and so much more. A concerning shift towards authoritarianism appears to be hardening while the spicket of democracy is turning off

Despite all this there has been little pushback. Few efforts to voice opposition.

At US RESIST NEWS we feel it is not too soon to take action, to speak out. But how do we do that? What can we do? Here are some suggestions both for individual citizens and concerned organizations.

• Develop a new platform that targets the needs of working class Americans, including youth, women, seniors ,and those living in rural areas; don’t abandon the Democrat’s long-standing commitment to civil rights but stress issues that cut across racial, ethic, and gender lines, such as basic economic fairness and moral decency.
• Make full use of the courts. Just as Trump used the  courts; use the courts to register complaints about Trump’s actions; request injunctions to  halt the implementation of administration policies. And appeal any rejections of claims that the courts might hand down; delay delay delay, and during the delays speak out.
• Take to the streets; maybe in small numbers at first; but organize marches and demonstrations that request a halt to unjust policies; mobilize those most affected to participate, e.g. often African-American, Latino and other minorities. Plan and organize at least one mega -march in Washington. 
• Make a call for leadership :  Many people wonder “where are our leaders?” Why aren’t those established leaders like Presidents Obama, the Clintons, and others saying more doing more? And where are the leaders on the so-called deep bench that the Democrats are supposed to have like Josh Shapiro, Corey Booker,  and others? Why can’t we hear them? We need to call out to them to do more.
• Engage religious leaders: Given the overwhelming immorality of the new administration, it is important to counter their actions and policies with a moral voice. Leaders from our country’s different spiritual traditions need to come together and speak out against the immorality of the new administration. Look at the attention that was given to a Episcopalian Archbishop of Washington, Reverend Budde, who spoke out against Trump to his face. We need to hear more from spiritual leaders like Reverend Budde.
• Organize big picture electoral system reform campaigns: It’s time the democrats and others coalesce in support of reforms that are distorting our election system such as the need for the President to be elected by popular vote, not the electoral college. Our favorite would be a campaign to reverse Citizens United and get big money out of politics. In an age of oligarchy, where the divide between what those at the top and those at the bottom make, such a campaign would be likely to succeed.
• Organize for the mid-term elections; compile a list in every Congressional district of democratic Congressional candidates; organize events for them such as rallies, debates, and house parties.
• Use the media and the social media; create ads in support of key issues such as abortion, access to housing, education, and healthcare; make constant use of pro-democrat social media posts;  emphasize personal stories; hire a good PR/advertising firm and start advertising now
• Organize boycotts of right-wing products and services, such as X, Fox News, Trump Hotels. It is tempting right now to sit back and do nothing. It is tempting to say” what will be will be; you get what you voted for.” But if we take this posture we run the risk that what the new administration is starting to do  will harden into something much deeper and difficult to dislodge. The time to start to push back is now. 

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