10 Things We Can All Do to Protect Democracy

[Cirsium]

2. Vague and shopworn cliches

This is full of vague and shopworn cliches and it is a formula for a moderate centrist response to the threat from the MAGA movement. This article is about how to protect the status quo, and not about how to protect democracy

1. Stay engaged

Of course. Although that begs the question: stay engaged in what? The 24/7 all Trump all the time media, which includes most of "our" media as well as MSM?

2. Help Democrats

The success of any opposition movement rests on the opposing party taking power. This is not a minor detail; in our system of government, it is the essential goal. Next time you want to attack a Democrat for being too much of this or too little of that, realize that you are only helping the GOP. Instead, find a Democrat you support and volunteer or contribute to their campaign.

Help Democrats do what? Go along to get along with MAGA? Many, many times throughout history the success of an opposition movement did not rest on the opposing party taking power through elections, but rather a mass movement operating independently from the electoral politics. The strategy of working within the system has failed. Abolition, Women's Suffrage, the Labor movement, Civil Rights - all were driven by militant organizations working outside of electoral politics and putting pressure on the politicians, not "getting behind them" and supporting their careers.

No, criticizing a Democrat politician for kowtowing to the right wing does not help the GOP. Pushing for left wing policies does not help the GOP, and it is the Left and the progressives who are always lectured about this. "The right of the people to petition the Government for a redress of grievances" does not end for the sake of party loyalty.

"Contributing to campaigns" is what we just did like never before in history. $1.6 billion did not stop MAGA. Support and promote policies, not personalities. Let the representatives represent us rather than demanding that we represent them.

3. Don’t do Trump’s work

This is more than simply resisting Trump’s actions; it is refusing to accept his false assumptions. When he says he wants to abolish birthright citizenship, do not accept the premise that he has the power to do so. Stay grounded in the truth: The U.S. Constitution is clear, Trump is powerless and the courts will reject his efforts.

This is nonsense. How in the world is pointing out that Trump is operating outside of the law and that the justice system has failed to hold him accountable doing Trump's work?

4. Don’t grade on a curve

This goes both ways. Do not hold Republicans to a lower standard and do not hold Democrats to a higher one.

No, sorry, we do and we should hold our own representatives and ourselves to a higher standard tha we do MAGA. Could the bar be any lower?

5. Believe in the courts

Roberts, Alito, Gorsuch, Kavanaugh and Barrett?

6. Beware of false attacks

Of course. "But the resolute enemy within our gates is ever ready to beat down our words unless in greater courage we will fight for them." FDR

7. Support independent media

Not necessarily. It is rife with posers and grifters. Trump means $$$ or many so called independent media sources, with their nonstop MAGA porn. "Trump in complete MELTDOWN"

8. Use your town square

Every one of us has a town square. It may include our social media accounts, our local book club or dinner table. Use your town square to speak out in favor of democracy and against what Republicans are doing. Do not shy away from difficult conversations; seek them out.

Maybe. Social media and interacting with MAGA cultists are dead ends, though. Talk politics at book club and other non-political gatherings? Sure, absolutely. I think the time has come to disrupt business as usual, but you should know that disrupting business as usual is what you will be doing.

9. Prepare for a long fight
We must understand that this will not be over in one election or with the defeat of any one candidate. This is the fight of our generation, and it will take time.

Agreed. But it has nothing to do with any election or candidate. It is a much bigger fight. Also, let's not be counseling patience any more. We need urgency, not patience.

10. Don’t give up hope

That can mean almost anything. Cherry picking Jackson's remark is a little disingenuous.

The Jackson presidential campaigns in 1984 and 1988 were a forceful response to Ronald Reagan’s conservative movement presidency. In the face of soaring interest rates, Reagan doubled the military budget in peacetime, cut taxes on the rich and corporations, drove deregulation and privatization that savaged working and poor people, while wielding Old Glory patriotism and Old Dixie race bait politics to attract Reagan Democrats.

The mainstream Democratic response reflected the rightward drift of the party over 15 years, particularly on economic questions. Technocratic “Atari Democrats”—led by the likes of Gary Hart—scorned unions and brandished their embrace of markets. Southern Democrats formed the Democratic Leadership Council (DLC)—which Jackson indelibly labeled “Democrats for the Leisure Class”—pushing Democrats to be more bellicose on national security, more conservative on social programs, while distancing themselves from New Deal and Great Society liberalism.

In 1988, Jackson was aiming higher. Standing with working people at the “point of challenge,” he walked picket lines, stood with family farmers facing foreclosure, reached out to progressive peace, women’s, gay and lesbian and environmental activists. He would stun the mainstream political world when they saw white workers and farmers not only give Jackson a hearing but also begin to vote for him in ever-greater numbers.

https://www.thenation.com/article/politics/jesse-jackson-is-keeping-hope-alive/