The fight never ends. Accept that fact now. We became complacent during the Obama terms. We didn’t speak up when Republicans blocked the rightful appointment of Garland. We didn’t yell loudly enough when McConnell said his job was to see that Obama failed. We didn’t support our legislators so that they felt empowered to work harder for us. We didn’t get out and vote en masse in November of 2016. And now we are paying for it – with a fight for democracy itself. It’s exhausting.
Many of you have been fighting for three years. We have been canvassing, writing postcards, and raising money for state and local candidates in each election cycle. We have taken up support of individual causes like responsible gun legislation, homelessness, immigration, schools, and healthcare, and added them to the load we are already carrying. We are fighting for our family’s future while trying to take care of our families every day. We have every right to be exhausted. Own it.
Trump has been impeached. No matter how much evidence substantiates his crimes, the Senate Republicans hold him above the law. Our democracy cannot survive his second term. So here are some suggestions on how to focus your efforts so that we can all manage the next nine months:
- Limit the amount of cable news you watch. Yes, new information comes out every day from people who know what’s going on with the Ukraine. Yes, the news rails against the lies Trump tells every day. But none of that is going to change your mind about how you feel about this President. You already know who he is. You knew if from day one. More information doesn’t change your opinion – it only adds to the frustration that others may not see what is so obvious to you. It adds to the disgust that Congress is failing to uphold the Rule of Law.
- Accept the fact that there are people who will support Trump no matter what he does or says. They are lost and we will not get them back. We need to focus on people who believe in the country and not just the President. There are millions of reasonable Republicans, Independents, and Democrats that are the key to our victory.
- Recognize that our fight is not just about the President. It’s also about those legislators who blindly support him and violate their oath to protect the Constitution. We must rid ourselves of them as well.
- Rather than dwell on things we
cannot change, channel your efforts toward what we can
change.
- Volunteer to support a candidate. The issues facing state and local government impact our lives immediately and sometimes more directly. Once we have a Presidential candidate, support him/her completely. The candidate may not be your first choice, but a Democrat will fight to provide you a better life – no matter who he or she is. Each of our options is a thousand times better than the alternative.
- Support any effort to register voters. Adopt the tenant that not voting is not an option.
- Volunteer on election day. Work at the polls, man polling parties for your favorite candidate, help your candidate that day.
- VOTE. We can only save our country one way – by VOTING!
- Make sure your family votes.
- Make sure everyone you know votes.
Because when we get out and vote – WE WIN.
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