“But but both parties are the same,” says someone who hasn’t paid attention for 30 years

“Truly dystopian moment: Republicans chant ‘USA! USA! USA!’ moments before voting to defund Medicaid, supplemental food programs, and housing programs while lying to the American people.”

They love driving up the deficit while gutting the middle class and giving tax breaks to the very, very, very rich while running on exploiting wedge issues, not fixing them.

You know Trump killed bipartisan immigration reform that was sorely needed, including funding. He cares about the issue, running on it, exploiting the vulnerable or uneducated, not solving it or fixing it or helping anyone.

“Illegals” pay far more into this country than they can take out. Plus many “illegals” applied legally for asylum and are following the law/court orders. ICE doesn’t care about that. You don’t either.

So where to, from here? Do we give up? Well, we voted Dems out of power, so while they can slow or obstruct, as long as MAGAs are in lockstep, not much we can do. Supreme Court just undermined judges authority, ironically. So yeah: midterms, protesting, boycotts, sharing facts, dialoguing with MAGA friends.

Trump drives a wedge into society, encouraging folks to blinding follow, invest in hate and lies, or fall into sadness or cynicism.
Our power is in refusing to fall into cynicism. Sadness is feeling, sadness is caring. But we needn’t give up, and we can’t, no matter how much we hurt.

The path forward is refusing to give in to lies, hate, cynicism. We shall overcome, as our ancestors did. Democracy and peace and caring are not weak—what’s weak is toxic bullying and greed.

I love my country. Not out of nationalism, but for our values, which are now under attack. The US is about democratic freedoms. About facts, and democratic institutions. About our beautiful country. About disagreeing respectfully. Trump is a conman, a sexual assaulter, a bankruptcy pro, and against all of that.

“I will not be celebrating this July 4th,” some say. While I can’t blame you, don’t let them “own” patriotism. *They* aren’t patriots. They’re nationalists: #linkinbio to read my July 4th article and share it.