How people power can beat MAGA money and meanness

Join a protest, support quality media, and back politicians who fight.

The pace of the MAGA power grab is breathtaking. We’re seeing capitulation among Big Tech, universities, lawyers, and the news media. On the other hand, there’s a growing sense of outrage among Americans who understand the nightmare that’s descending. We need more people to be alarmed and take action. It’s not too late. Here are some steps to take.

Get out and protest.

Nationwide “Hands Off!” demonstrations are planned on April 5 in Washington and at sites around the country to demand that Donald Trump and Elon Musk stop vandalizing our government. Ideally, go to the Washington event to help create large crowds that the media can snap pictures of. If not, find an April 5 protest near you – or organize one.

In the meantime, various other protests are going on. I’ve been peacefully picketing outside the Tesla showroom in downtown Chicago. It’s invigorating, with lots of shout-outs from passersby. An academic study found that at least 2,085 protests of various types took place nationwide in February, more than double the number in the first February of Trump’s initial term. Check out The BLOP – the Big List of Protests. Activism is contagious. And attending protests is good practice for what may soon be necessary – huge “people power” protests serving as our best chance to beat back a dictatorship.

Support those who fight, not those who fold.

It was disheartening last month when Democratic strategist James Carville advised the party to “roll over and play dead” and let Trump overplay his hand. Hitler overplayed his hand. So did Idi Amin and Ferdinand Marcos. It came at a huge human cost.

In last week’s newsletter, I criticized Sen. Chuck Schumer and other Democrats who are failing to adequately confront the right. So I won't repeat myself. Instead, I’ll urge you to support those pushing back aggressively against the rise of fascism. They include Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, Illinois Gov. JB Pritzker, Sen. Bernie Sanders, Rep. Jamie Raskin, Rep. Jasmine Crockett, and others. Don’t wait for Schumer & Co. to get serious. Show them the way. That’s what at least 30,000 people did in Denver on Friday for AOC and Sanders’ Fighting Oligarchy tour. There were huge crowds at other western tour stops as well.

Lobby the media.

Believe it or not, journalists are human. They’re affected by feedback from the public, if it’s stated well. Write an email or send an actual letter with a stamp on it. Write to them when they do a good job. They probably don’t get much of that. If you’re complaining about their work, be polite, brief, and specific. Tell them how they can do better next time.

Cancel bad media.

The Washington Post is dead to me now. For a long time, I considered it a vital publication. But owner Jeff Bezos flushed away its credibility to suck up to Trump. I canceled my subscription this month. I’m also fed up with CNN and MSNBC’s “Morning Joe.”

Reward good media.

Shutting off all media would be a very bad idea right now. Support the good ones, many of which welcome your subscriptions or donations. They include ProPublica, Guardian US, The New Republic (featuring Greg Sargent’s sharp podcast and Timothy Noah’s superb essays), “Democracy Now,” Courier Newsroom (which sponsors this newsletter), USA Today’s Rex Huppke, Steven Beschloss’ “America America” newsletter, and the Open Windows newsletter by Ann Telnaes, the cartoonist who quit the Washington Post after her bosses killed her cartoon criticizing Bezos.

Call congresspeople.

They count the number of calls and emails they get on issues. The phone number for the main U.S. Capitol switchboard is (202) 224-3121. If your members of Congress won’t pick up or take voice mail, they may accept email.

Support the legal fights.

Lawyers are on the front lines in the battle for the rule of law. They need our support. One of the best is Marc Elias, who has been suing and winning against Republican voter suppression for years. He’s the founder of Democracy Docket, which tracks and publicizes these cases. It offers memberships. Meanwhile, the New York Times is tracking legal action against the Trump regime. Here’s a gift link to the Times’ lawsuit tracker. These organizations that are fighting the Trump-Musk menace deserve our support, both moral and financial.

Boycott bad actors.

One of the most powerful weapons that ordinary people have is their buying power. Obviously, you can’t boycott everything. I don’t condemn people who want to see pictures of their grandkids on Facebook. But I’m trying to wean myself off the platform because Mark Zuckerberg has surrendered to Trump. My main boycott targets are Tesla (of course) and Uline shipping supplies. Uline is owned by Dick and Liz Uihlein, who have bankrolled a variety of anti-democratic efforts, including 2020 election denial.

The boycott is a celebration of the free enterprise system. Use it.

Don’t let state borders limit your activism.

The midterms are 20 months away, but there are elections going on in various places at various times before then. Wisconsin, for example, has a crucial Supreme Court race on the ballot on April 1. Elon Musk has helicoptered in to drop millions of dollars into the race. There’s nothing stopping those of us who oppose Musk from donating to the candidate he’s opposing.

Stay loud.

It’s vital for democracy defenders to find allies and show strength in numbers. Stay active on social media (I’m on Bluesky), and keep letting your family and friends know where you stand. With all the MAGA-manufactured chaos in Washington, some Republican voters are having second thoughts. We’ve got to take advantage of the opportunity.

Trump didn’t even win a majority of the popular vote, but he wants to create a sense of inevitability. It’s our duty to explode that myth – to wield the awesome power of citizens who love our democracy.

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