# Fighting for the American Democratic Experiment and Against Trump: Practical Steps and Best Practices **URL:** \ **Category:** Politics & Elections\ **Tags:** trump\ **Created:** [January 31, 2025, 7:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fighting-for-the-american-democratic-experiment-and-against-trump-practical-steps-and-best-practices/1013687 "2025-01-31T19:49:58Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![Jasmine](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jasmine/32/2964_2.png) [@Jasmine](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jasmine)\ **Post date:** [February 25, 2025, 8:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fighting-for-the-american-democratic-experiment-and-against-trump-practical-steps-and-best-practices/1013687/21 "2025-02-25T20:21:02Z")
One thing the democratic left has to realize is that, just like the republican right, our far left holds too much sway. We give all our racial,gender groups tons of attention and basically forget to woo the heartland. It gives fuel to the right wing propaganda machine. One example is that we lost because we not only ran a woman for president, she is a Black woman at that. If we had come up with a reasonable liberal white male, we probably would have won. The point is that HE wouldn’t be in office. Another big mistake is that, being liberally progressive, we feel we had to “play nice” in the campaign. We should have showing all kinds of Trump tapes containing his many shocking racist/sexist/fascist statements, and we should have been pounding the hell out of them for the entire campaign. Bill Maher has been preaching this for a long time, and he’s right. ---
**Author:** ![Tatterdemalion](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/43a26b/32.png) [@Tatterdemalion](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tatterdemalion)\ **Post date:** [February 25, 2025, 8:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fighting-for-the-american-democratic-experiment-and-against-trump-practical-steps-and-best-practices/1013687/22 "2025-02-25T20:26:25Z")
> [@Jasmine](#): > > One example is that we lost because we not only ran a woman for president, she is a Black woman at that Kamala Harris, like Hillary Clinton was a light wing Republican wanna-be whose political leanings are more like an Eisenhower Republican than anything you could realistically call left wing. She couldn’t motivate the left, and the US center right is irrelevant any more. The Democratic party will continue to lose ground as long as they try to run as good government conservatives. ---
**Author:** ![Ulfreida](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ulfreida/32/8014_2.png) [@Ulfreida](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ulfreida)\ **Post date:** [February 25, 2025, 8:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fighting-for-the-american-democratic-experiment-and-against-trump-practical-steps-and-best-practices/1013687/23 "2025-02-25T20:51:37Z")
Bill Maher is not right. We lost because people were fired up for fascism, not because justice, truth, fairness, optimism, and humanity were bad plays. They wanted fear-mongering and repression, they wanted bigotry, they wanted cruelty. They are getting it. Of course, the leopards find all faces equally tasty, and some are going to figure this out. But that is not our fault. Fuck that. There really are sufficienct numbers of decent human beings in this country to defy fascism. They need clear direction and doable actions. They need heroes and leaders and organizers. I wish we could all just rise up and overwhelm evil but it doesn’t work like that. ---
**Author:** ![Tatterdemalion](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/43a26b/32.png) [@Tatterdemalion](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tatterdemalion)\ **Post date:** [February 25, 2025, 8:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fighting-for-the-american-democratic-experiment-and-against-trump-practical-steps-and-best-practices/1013687/24 "2025-02-25T20:55:53Z")
I’m not sure that people were fired up for fascism. They were more fired up for change, not more of the same. We surely got that. Much good may it do us. ---
**Author:** ![Measure\_for\_Measure](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/measure_for_measure/32/557_2.png) [@Measure\_for\_Measure](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Measure_for_Measure)\ **Post date:** [February 25, 2025, 10:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fighting-for-the-american-democratic-experiment-and-against-trump-practical-steps-and-best-practices/1013687/25 "2025-02-25T22:38:41Z")
1. Empirically, incumbent administrations lost worldwide, presumably due to supply side inflation outside any of their control. 2. Electorally, the biggest swing was among Latinos. Any explanations of the 2024 elections have to be consistent with these facts. By the time June rolls around, political scientists will have studied the data and we’ll have some reasonable hypotheses beyond talking one’s book. As for the 2026 election, Indivisible is very much oriented towards that. The Trump administration has been laying off veterans left and right, even as they cosy up to Putin and go easy on the Chinese Communist Party. Support our troops and vote Democrat in 2026. ---
**Author:** ![JoePockets](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/8dc957/32.png) [@JoePockets](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/JoePockets)\ **Post date:** [February 25, 2025, 10:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fighting-for-the-american-democratic-experiment-and-against-trump-practical-steps-and-best-practices/1013687/26 "2025-02-25T22:52:19Z")
I find CNN for the most part news worthy ! They will present facts and figures to support rhere positions when taking one ! Fox is just conservative drama with truth being involved only by its value to there position JMHO ---
**Author:** ![Two\_Many\_Cats2](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/779978/32.png) [@Two\_Many\_Cats2](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Two_Many_Cats2)\ **Post date:** [February 26, 2025, 2:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fighting-for-the-american-democratic-experiment-and-against-trump-practical-steps-and-best-practices/1013687/27 "2025-02-26T14:27:21Z")
> [@Jasmine](#): > > We should have showing all kinds of Trump tapes containing his many shocking racist/sexist/fascist statements, and we should have been pounding the hell out of them for the entire campaign. We did. People didn’t give a shit. Weird that Howard Dean was derailed by yelling too loud. ---
**Author:** ![Measure\_for\_Measure](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/measure_for_measure/32/557_2.png) [@Measure\_for\_Measure](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Measure_for_Measure)\ **Post date:** [March 6, 2025, 8:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fighting-for-the-american-democratic-experiment-and-against-trump-practical-steps-and-best-practices/1013687/28 "2025-03-06T20:19:03Z")
Oh man, this sounds like it would be effective. Bloomberg: > Every weekend, more people have shown up at Tesla dealerships across the US with signs and chants, demonstrating against Musk’s effort to gut federal regulators and agencies while firing tens of thousands or workers with Trump’s blessing. Musk isn’t especially popular and taking the wind out of his sails should inflict collateral damage on the Trump admin. It’s newsworthy. And there are Tesla dealerships [everywhere](https://www.tesla.com/findus?bounds=50.034535973301956%2C-67.69189571875%2C28.263710960523248%2C-130.84130978125). Then again, I’d expect conservatives to buy electric cars to own the libs. Oh Noes! ---
**Author:** ![Measure\_for\_Measure](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/measure_for_measure/32/557_2.png) [@Measure\_for\_Measure](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Measure_for_Measure)\ **Post date:** [March 10, 2025, 9:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fighting-for-the-american-democratic-experiment-and-against-trump-practical-steps-and-best-practices/1013687/29 "2025-03-10T21:16:25Z")
This fight is in part opportunistic. You need to jump in and call your reps when there’s a key vote coming up. For those with Democratic senators, that would be within the next 48 hours. I’m making calls tomorrow. Faced with lawbreaking by Elon/Trump Republicans have basically said, “Suck it Dems”. But now they’re coming hat in hand for help with their continuing resolution. Dems have to make this clear: no help until the lawbreaking stops and unelected _unconfirmed_ Musk leaves office. That’s a small ask. So here’s how this works IF you have a Democratic Senator: (1) Read this gifted article. [https://talkingpointsmemo.com/edblog/the-backchannel/will-dems-pick-up-their-sword/sharetoken/4d5ca1b3-51a5-45a3-a5df-242ed8660c36](https://talkingpointsmemo.com/edblog/the-backchannel/will-dems-pick-up-their-sword/sharetoken/4d5ca1b3-51a5-45a3-a5df-242ed8660c36) (2) Call your Democratic Senator. Ask how they plan to vote on ending debate on the Speaker Johnson written continuing resolution. You need 60 votes to end debate. Say that you want them to vote no unless Musk is fired and the lawbreaking stops. (3) Contact Josh Marshall to tell him how your Senator answered the above question. He’s keeping a tally in this thread: [https://talkingpointsmemo.com/edblog/tally-3](https://talkingpointsmemo.com/edblog/tally-3) Some Senators are on the fence. The Republicans need 7 Democratic votes. They have one - Fetterman. So 6 to go. As I see it Dem legislators have a choice. They can oppose the lawbreaking by the Trump admin. Or they can resign and appoint Trump king. What’s the point of Congress if Trump spends money however he wishes? The people are sovereign: vote no on the continuing resolution. [![](https://cdn.bsky.app/img/feed_fullsize/plain/did:plc:kem5cevl5sjpizk4s27cbyig/bafkreic6hzyclfaszud3fmk4bcupvtzcnlfjjkcdsbwdcr3tc2252gbmsy@jpeg) ](https://cdn.bsky.app/img/feed_fullsize/plain/did:plc:kem5cevl5sjpizk4s27cbyig/bafkreic6hzyclfaszud3fmk4bcupvtzcnlfjjkcdsbwdcr3tc2252gbmsy@jpeg) ---
**Author:** ![Measure\_for\_Measure](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/measure_for_measure/32/557_2.png) [@Measure\_for\_Measure](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Measure_for_Measure)\ **Post date:** [March 10, 2025, 11:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fighting-for-the-american-democratic-experiment-and-against-trump-practical-steps-and-best-practices/1013687/30 "2025-03-10T23:09:26Z")
More on the upcoming Republican continuing resolution power grab. Democratic patriots in the House demanded that the lawbreaking stop, to no avail. Speaker Johnson wants to cancel House votes for the rest of the week and send his members home, pressuring Senate Democrats to go along with the slide to autocracy. They need to stand firm for our experiment with democracy. Unelected and unconfirmed billionaires have no business setting high level federal policy. Musk needs to go back to launching and exploding rockets, building weird cars, digging holes to nowhere, and designing brain implants. [https://talkingpointsmemo.com/fivepoints/5-points-on-the-funding-bill-johnson-and-trump-want-to-squeeze-through-the-house](https://talkingpointsmemo.com/fivepoints/5-points-on-the-funding-bill-johnson-and-trump-want-to-squeeze-through-the-house) ---
**Author:** ![Measure\_for\_Measure](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/measure_for_measure/32/557_2.png) [@Measure\_for\_Measure](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Measure_for_Measure)\ **Post date:** [March 11, 2025, 11:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fighting-for-the-american-democratic-experiment-and-against-trump-practical-steps-and-best-practices/1013687/31 "2025-03-11T23:02:58Z")
Here’s another possible script for opposing the Elon/Trump continuing resolution: > Hi, my name is **[NAME]** and I’m a constituent from [CITY, ZIP]. > I’m calling to demand that [REP/SEN NAME] vote against any Continuing Resolution that doesn’t include enforceable guardrails for DOGE. Elon Musk and his team of computer hackers have no legal jurisdiction over how our government spends money. Congress must stop them and take back their constitutional power of the purse. > Thank you for your time and consideration. > **IF LEAVING VOICEMAIL:** Please leave your full street address to ensure your call is tallied. You may need to press # to submit your call. Lots of Dems on the fence; many seem confused. Pressure on this issue matters. > **[Josh Marshall (@joshtpm.bsky.social)](https://bsky.app/profile/joshtpm.bsky.social/post/3lk55c4fyik2x)** > > Lemme say a few more things about this. There are a lot of equities at stake in this decision. I've talked with people who see this differently than I do. And they make compelling arguments, even though I disagree with them. But the biggest... ---
**Author:** ![Measure\_for\_Measure](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/measure_for_measure/32/557_2.png) [@Measure\_for\_Measure](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Measure_for_Measure)\ **Post date:** [March 19, 2025, 6:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fighting-for-the-american-democratic-experiment-and-against-trump-practical-steps-and-best-practices/1013687/32 "2025-03-19T18:21:20Z")
Ok, so an opportunity has come and gone. There will be others. Josh Marshall, bolding added: [https://talkingpointsmemo.com/edblog/what-can-we-do](https://talkingpointsmemo.com/edblog/what-can-we-do) > What I learned from the last ten years is that one of the most potent things ordinary people do is become part of fairly normie organizing in their communities. In Trump’s first term Indivisible groups down at the town and county level were a big big deal. Not always visible. Not big performative demonstrations. But **ground level organizing focused around electoral politics in people’s communities**. I think at moments like this that can feel somehow inadequate to the moment. But it’s not. It’s some of the most important stuff. There’s contributing to political activity, whether or it’s campaigns or groups. There’s showing up at things like townhalls. Again those are big deals. And many things we’ll sort of know when we see them. … > …I don’t know if any of this is helpful. A lot of it comes down to we’ll know the key things when we see them. But a really key thing is a baseline decision, am I going to accept getting less of the package of citizenship than I am entitled to? And the answer I think should be no. And once we make that decision a lot flows from that pretty clearly. Our freedom and prosperity was won mostly through hard work, but partly with blood. ---
**Author:** ![Spice\_Weasel](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/spice_weasel/32/5435_2.png) [@Spice\_Weasel](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Spice_Weasel)\ **Post date:** [August 20, 2025, 1:04am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fighting-for-the-american-democratic-experiment-and-against-trump-practical-steps-and-best-practices/1013687/33 "2025-08-20T01:04:19Z")
Great! I am following your thread. ---
**Author:** ![Sylvanz](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/fbc32d/32.png) [@Sylvanz](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sylvanz)\ **Post date:** [August 21, 2025, 3:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fighting-for-the-american-democratic-experiment-and-against-trump-practical-steps-and-best-practices/1013687/34 "2025-08-21T15:12:52Z")
That is not correct imo. Democrats have been running to the right since Clinton. There is no left wing of any strength in the Democratic Party. The Dem party leaders have been trying to be republican lite for a long time. The farther the republicans move right we ( the Democratc party) follow right behind stopping short of republicans ideology, but farther and farther from the left. Democrats need to run for the people instead of for corporate donors. And Bill Maher is wrong about almost everything he says. He doesn’t give a flying fig about any of it. He just says what gets him viewers. ---
**Author:** ![aurora\_maire](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/aurora_maire/32/328_2.png) [@aurora\_maire](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/aurora_maire)\ **Post date:** [August 25, 2025, 1:31am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fighting-for-the-american-democratic-experiment-and-against-trump-practical-steps-and-best-practices/1013687/35 "2025-08-25T01:31:38Z")
Blue states are preparing to fight back. This is a very good article about how they are planning to do that. > [@](#): > > “The preparations are specific and practical. Draft lawsuits sit ready in what officials call ‘brief banks.’ States are identifying which federal funds they can afford to lose. They’re studying their executive powers and state constitutions. They’re building coalitions that transcend traditional partisan lines.” > **[It’s Time for Americans to Start Talking About “Soft Secession”](https://cmarmitage.substack.com/p/its-time-for-americans-to-start-talking)** > > Blue states are finally learning what red states have known all along: you don’t need federal permission to govern. ---
**Author:** ![WOOKINPANUBv.2](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/wookinpanubv.2/32/3260_2.png) [@WOOKINPANUBv.2](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/WOOKINPANUBv.2)\ **Post date:** [August 25, 2025, 3:13am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fighting-for-the-american-democratic-experiment-and-against-trump-practical-steps-and-best-practices/1013687/36 "2025-08-25T03:13:51Z")
Thank you for sharing this. The Federal Government is cutting benefits every day, so why the hell are we we still paying exorbitant taxes? I don’t know how it all will work, but this seems our best chance. ---
**Author:** ![Mr.Duality](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mr.duality/32/4098_2.png) [@Mr.Duality](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mr.Duality)\ **Post date:** [August 25, 2025, 1:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fighting-for-the-american-democratic-experiment-and-against-trump-practical-steps-and-best-practices/1013687/37 "2025-08-25T13:04:00Z")
> [@WOOKINPANUBv.2](#): > > so why the hell are we we still paying exorbitant taxes? So billionaires don’t have to pay any taxes. I’m sure you already know this, but were having a brain fart when you thought you needed to ask the question. ---
**Author:** ![enipla](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/54ee81/32.png) [@enipla](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/enipla)\ **Post date:** [August 25, 2025, 2:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fighting-for-the-american-democratic-experiment-and-against-trump-practical-steps-and-best-practices/1013687/38 "2025-08-25T14:01:04Z")
> [@Measure\_for\_Measure](#): > > single 5 minute phone Waiting on hold for an hour, does not do a thing. ---
**Author:** ![Typo\_Knig](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/cdc98d/32.png) [@Typo\_Knig](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Typo_Knig)\ **Post date:** [August 25, 2025, 3:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fighting-for-the-american-democratic-experiment-and-against-trump-practical-steps-and-best-practices/1013687/39 "2025-08-25T15:14:18Z")
I use my Congressperson’s web contact form, and my Senators’ as well. I suspect it’s less impactful than an office visit, as phone call, or a voice mail, but it is something I can do easily when I’m at my computer. FWIW, most Senators will accept messages via web form from anyone. I’ll use the web forms for all Senators on a committee of a topic of interest for me. I want them to remind them that they are in an office with national impact. ---
**Author:** ![Johnny\_L.A](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/johnny_l.a/32/1084_2.png) [@Johnny\_L.A](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Johnny_L.A)\ **Post date:** [August 25, 2025, 4:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fighting-for-the-american-democratic-experiment-and-against-trump-practical-steps-and-best-practices/1013687/40 "2025-08-25T16:22:36Z")
> **[I researched every Democratic attempt to stop fascism in history. The success...](https://przxqgl.hybridelephant.com/2025/08/15/i-researched-every-democratic-attempt-to-stop-fascism-in-history-the-success-rate-after-fascists-were-elected-was-0/)** > I researched every Democratic attempt to stop fascism in history. the success rate after fascists were elected was 0%. > > _Once they win elections, it’s already too late._ The author says that the window of opportunity to stop the fascists ‘isn’t closing; it’s closed.’ If we are already under a fascist government, what can we do? He offers the following: **1. The Blue State Coalition.** California, Oregon, Washington, New York, Massachusetts, and other Blue states coordinate directly, ignore federal mandates, and form their own ‘interstate compacts’. The precedents are the Northern states’ nullification of the Fugitive Slave Act, and the way states today are ignoring the federal marijuana prohibition. 2. **Selective Compliance and Irish Democracy.** ‘Don’t protest. Don’t riot. Just don’t comply. … Make every single act of authoritarian control require physical enforcement, then make that enforcement impossibly expensive and difficult.’ 3. **Secession.** ‘Yes, the last time states tried to leave it caused a civil war. But that was over slavery, with clearly defined geographic boundaries and two relatively equal economic systems. This would be the economic powerhouses leaving the welfare states. What would the red states do, invade California? With what money?’ Red states rely on money from Blue states. What if we withhold their allowance? The author says that the ‘mere serious threat’ of secession might be enough to force structural changes. 4. **International Intervention.** No, not invasion. The author suggests that California could invite Canadian observers to ensure ‘election security’, and New York could invite European observers for ‘financial transparency’. ‘Make it embarrassing. Make America’s collapse visible to the world. Force the international community to pick sides.’ The author concludes: > We’re past normal. The fascists already won round one. They control the institutions. They have their judges. They have their media ecosystem. They have their army of true believers who will excuse anything. > > But they don’t have the money. They don’t have the cities. They don’t have the educated workforce. They don’t have the young. And most importantly, they don’t have legitimacy in the eyes of the majority. … > > Flip the chess board over and smack the fascists in the face with it. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fighting-for-the-american-democratic-experiment-and-against-trump-practical-steps-and-best-practices/1013687.md?page=1) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fighting-for-the-american-democratic-experiment-and-against-trump-practical-steps-and-best-practices/1013687.md?page=3)