Survival of the Tenacious

It’s time to get up and get to work….

It’s 10 days since the presidential elections, and the GOP has won the White House, Senate and the House Of Representatives. For only the second time in more than 25 years, the republican nominee for president has won the popular vote.

Trump is claiming a mandate - but keep in mind two key points. Only 85% of the votes have been counted, with most of the remaining ballots coming from California, Oregon, and Washington, which means that the margin of victory will be much smaller than it currently appears to be. Second, Trump’s favorability rating are dismal, especially for a newly elected president. In other words, Trump won the country by a small margin, not because people like him better but rather because we threw the baby out with the bathwater.

This is, of course, cold comfort as we start to see Trump’s nominations for Cabinet positions. Foxes, hen houses - it’s happening and unfortunately we’ll be experiencing the ramifications for years if not decades.

One of the notions that I’m clinging to in these hours is that the republicans are now in charge - and they HATE being in charge. Ever since Obama was elected, they have dug in further and further as the party of No. No to healthcare, no to unions, no to tax cuts for the middle class, no to infrastructure spending, no to childcare, no to medicare, no to social security, no to raising the minimum wage, and no to pretty much everything.

Plus, this is not a united party - the multiple fiascos surrounding their choice of Speaker in recent years is only the tip of the iceberg for this group. It’s one thing to believe that we need to revisit some of the rules in, for example, the department of Health, and another thing altogether to nominate an anti-vaxxer who’s promised to remove fluoride from our drinking water to run Health and Human Services. It’s one thing to believe that we could perhaps find ways to make federal agencies more efficient, and another for a billionaire to warn us that ‘tough times are head’ because he’s been appointed to slash federal spending while ensuring that he keeps federal subsidies for his own companies.

We won’t be able to prevent Trump and his cronies from passing legislation, appointing judges, and issuing executive orders that at least half the country will find horrific, short sighted, and counter to both scientific consensus and common sense. But there are things we can do that will provide enough opposition to mitigate the destruction (especially for those on the edge) and that will set the stage for retaking the House and possibly the Senate in 2026.

Use your voice

Find out who your elected officials are - federal, state, county, and city level. Resolve to contact at least one of them once a week or once a month. If you agree with them, tell them thank you. If you disagree, tell them why. If you have an opportunity to meet one of them face to face, then do it. Our representatives are meant to represent each of us - which is something that they need to be reminded of from time to time. My sense is that now is a good time to remind our GOP representatives that they do NOT have to do Trump’s bidding, and that their constituents are watching. Closely.

Make politics a normal thing to talk about

Political discussions can be more nuanced than the “If you’re not with us, you’re against us” frame that we currently live in. Focus on problems rather than party. Show an interest in the issues that affect you and that you care about. Learn about the federal, state and local laws that impact those things. And then talk about them. Instead of “wow, great weather we’re having” start a conversation with “so, what do you think about the promises that Utah made to the International Olympic Committee regarding clean air projects to be implemented in time for the 2034 Games? Do you think Governor Cox is pushing the right plans to make that happen?” Will you come across as a big nerd? Likely. Will you feel better about your self and will you or the person you are talking to learn something? Also likely.

Support your local news

In many parts of the country, we are seeing the rise of local non profit news sources. I’ve been lucky enough to live in Mississippi with the wonderful Mississippi Free Press, and now Utah, where the Salt Lake Tribune provides great local coverage. Seek out local news of all types - newspapers, radios, podcasts, and support their efforts.

Be an ally

As a well off, 60 year old white lady who’s been married to the same man for nearly 30 years and in possession of an adorable dachshund, I could probably live out my life in a comfortable little bubble, quietly voting Democrat and no one would really notice. But times like these require us to ‘afflict the comfortable’. Those of us who appear to be ‘normies’ need to become vocal and visible allies for those who can’t or won’t hide their identities. Speak up for those who are silenced - use your privilege to amplify theirs.

We, the people

The Democratic Party has been criticized for being too focused on identity politics in recent years. But I’d argue that democrats are focused on people. And people are the economy, people are the schools, the hospitals, the military, the border. It’s all people. So - in the coming weeks, months, years and decades - go talk to people. Go be a person who is engaged in the problems that affect your community, and go look for solutions. Because what we really need in this two party, capitalistic system is not a bunch of ideologues running the circus. We need good people who truly want to find robust solutions to some very thorny problems. We are all citizens which means we are all politicians. Care enough to pick one or two or even three issues to learn about, whether it’s climate change, your state’s minimum wage, or your city’s garbage collection contract. Sink your teeth into that issue - call your representatives, find organizations working on that issue and help out, offer to read proposed legislation, explain the issue to friends and family until they can recite your points back to you while rolling their eyes.

The coming months will be rough - but if we play our cards right, perhaps we can chip away at the cracks in the GOP. And then in 2026, we get to vote again (I assume). And then, no matter the outcome, we’ll still have work to do.

There will always be work to do - to paraphrase the buddhists, chop wood, carry water, and become an engaged citizen as you work to create a better world.