Only we can save us.
Donald Trump’s presidency is the worst thing to happen to the US in my lifetime. Our imperfect democracy may not be a democracy at all if he wins a second term.
The horror of the 2016 election results motivated me to up my game in terms of political activism. I joined and got active in a local grassroots progressive organization, one of hundreds that sprung up in the wake of Trump's election. My work with this organization has helped keep me sane in this frustrating time.
A couple years of grassroots activism doesn't make me an expert. But I've learned a few things about how otherwise non-political folks can turn their anger into action. Here are a few ideas for how to use your time and money to wage this most important of fights:
1. Odds are there are folks in your community who are doing this work and would welcome your help. You’re a Google search away from finding them. Connecting with like-minded people who are working on solutions is the single best thing I've done in the past three years.
2. Don’t get distracted by all the Democratic primary drama. Cable news channels just want to keep us glued to our TVs. Watching MSNBC, CNN, or (God forbid) FoxNews doesn’t do a thing to move the cause forward. Instead (see #3)...
3. Check out these resources, which make it easy to take action on your schedule:
Postcards to Voters: Provides addresses and directions for writing to Democratic voters in key races.
Vote Forward: Similar letter writing effort, proven to increase voter turnout.
5 Calls: App that makes it easy to call your representatives and advocate for issues that matter.
Payback Project: Effort sponsored by Indivisible focused on defeating 9 vulnerable GOP senators.
Vote Save America: “Find out where you can volunteer, donate, and get involved where you're needed most” from the Pod Save America folks.
Mueller didn’t save us. Impeachment didn’t save us. I believe our only chance is a massive surge in citizen engagement. That means it’s on us to make it happen.
No matter what the result is on election day in November, I want to go to sleep that night knowing that I invested as much time and money as I could in making a difference. If enough of us do the same, our odds of defeating Trump and starting to repair our nation will be a lot better.