We’re trying hard, but our actions are not living up to the moment.

It’s not that we don’t understand what’s on the line in November. It’s that too many of us don’t understand who and what we’re up against, and therefore don’t appreciate how much harder each one of us has to work.

Our fight is against the billionaires, corporatists, oligarchs, tech moguls, and the anti-democratic ecosystem they’ve spent decades building. With virtually unlimited funding, long-term planning, and a bit of luck, they’ve created a remarkably powerful force.

They built institutional control through corporate infiltration of the Supreme Court, partisan loyalty over expertise, systemic voter suppression, and extreme gerrymandering. Alongside that, they developed a vast network of billionaire- and corporate-funded think tanks and political organizations designed to fund and orchestrate their efforts.

This allowed them to reinterpret the Constitution, capture federal and state institutions, legalize corruption, and reshape the rules of governance to favor the wealthy.

Meanwhile, their social influence grew through conservative media, the promotion of the liberal media myth, the repeal of the Fairness Doctrine, media consolidation and deregulation, heavy investments in emerging media technologies, and the normalization of increasingly hostile rhetoric.

This enabled them to shape how people interpret the world through coordinated disinformation, fear-mongering, scapegoating, and other propaganda techniques. They’ve managed to pull large segments of society away from cooperation and truth and toward distrust of their government, institutions, and neighbors.

Government power and partisan media became deeply intertwined, each reinforcing the other and advancing the same agenda. Together, they helped maintain long-term political loyalty while reshaping institutions and public perception.

On top of that, the rise of conservative talk radio, religious broadcasting, and political ministries across rural and middle America aligned with the advantages low-population states hold in the Electoral College and Senate. As a result, the rhetoric dominating those regions translated minority political support into disproportionate political power.

And all of this was well underway before Trump and Project 2025 showed up.

With their institutional grip tightening every day, the weakness of the Democrats, and the greed and incompetence of mainstream media, the saving of democracy has been pushed into our hands. Things are much worse than in 2024, and sitting around worrying and waiting to vote in November isn’t going to cut it. This moment calls us to new and greater responsibility, and we need to live up to it.

So now what?

So how do we fight back? Through the tools we still have - organization, mobilization, and conversation. We need to use these in any way we can to secure a large enough win to overcome voter suppression. They can’t game the system if enough of us show up. But that only happens if each of us works to grow our numbers - and that only happens if we each step out of our comfort zone.

Below are some things we can do, some right now. It’s not good enough to nod in agreement or make a mental to-do list. Write down a plan, make a schedule, and set reminders on your calendar. Share these ideas with your friends and family.

Protect your vote

Start by protecting what we already have. Each of us needs to monitor our vote and ensure that others are as well.

• Continually monitor your voter registration status

• Watch for and share changes to polling places.

• Make sure you understand the latest voting requirements

• Vote early and in person - do NOT rely on mail-in ballots.

• Ensure others plan to vote - drag them along - make it a lunch date

• Get others to do the above

Power-up with protests

Protests are much more powerful than most realize, and the list of advantages is longer than the to-do list.

• They demonstrate that people are paying attention and dissatisfaction is far more widespread than many realize.

• They encourage more to step out of the shadows and become engaged to the level these times require.

• They motivate future action, such as volunteering, donating, organizing, etc.

• They capture the media’s attention, amplifying the message

• They make it increasingly difficult for political leaders, corporations, and institutions to act with impunity

• They demonstrate our ability to organize and a willingness to fight back, giving pause to those who intend to undermine the democratic process.

Protests are easy to join and can energize people by creating a unifying social environment. We’re looking forward to seeing you out there. Here are a few reminders.

• Join the next No-Kings protest.

• Bring people with you.

• Follow their guidance on sign creation.

• Volunteer to support your local No Kings protests.

• If there are none in your area, get some friends together and work with nokings.org to create one.

• Attend any other local rallies, protests, town hall meetings, etc.

• Always behave. Don’t turn a protest into a right-wing talking point.

Grow the vote

Reach out to disengaged, independent, and non-voters. Roughly 85–90 million eligible Americans did not vote, and they’re all going to be screwed by Trump and the GOP.

• Check in with anyone you know who doesn’t vote or doesn’t talk politics.

• Be sure to include young adults (especially males).

• If they are Trump supporters, these will be different conversations (see below).

• Learn and address their concerns, gripes, indifference, etc.

• Let them know what’s going on and what’s coming.

• Share your favorite independent journalists with them.

• Keep in touch. Keep the persuasion going.

• If needed, help them register and vote.

Reach out to your Trump-supporting friends and family

Many folks are leaving Trump on their own, but we can and should do all we can to expedite that. We know that most MAGA live in an information bubble - it will be a big mistake to leave them there, in the hands of those who’ve captured them

Yes, talking to Trump supporters can be frustrating. Many of us have tried, only to be frustrated, vowing never again. But we didn’t realize we were doing it wrong; we didn’t realize that right-wing propaganda had changed how we need to talk with them. Our typical approach to conversations and persuasion won’t work. Most people would be surprised to learn there are proven techniques for these conversations. Here are a few concepts to provide context.

• These conversations are most effective with friends and family - where there’s history.

• This is not about fact-checking and talking points - don’t bring that to these conversations.

• Try to remember that most are victims of propaganda that changed what they currently believe.

• These conversations can take time - knowing this up front will reduce your frustration.

• There is no need to “convert” them - we only need to sow seeds, giving them things to think about on their own.

• Let them know they’ll be welcome back - no questions asked. We deserve our democracy more than they deserve our scorn.

Again, these conversations can be tricky if you don’t know how to approach them. These sites provide additional motivation and guidance:

• Smart Politics

• Reclaiming The We

• Braver Angels

• Leaving Maga

If we ever want a cooperative, civic, truth-based society, then we need to have these conversations anyway. Let’s be smart and have them when they will do the most good.

Campaign/election involvement

• Pay close attention to and protect your state legislature

• Donate to close races. If your state is Blue, you can find other critical campaigns here.

• If possible, increase your donation budget

• Volunteer for local and state campaigns

• Participate in phone banks and postcard writing

About social media

Social media is a great way to share information, ideas, and those entertaining and hard-hitting memes. Just keep in mind that our social media activity is largely an echo chamber, so we’re engaging with those who already agree with us. It’s not the best place to expand the base.

This is it, folks. The things we need to do to protect our democracy may seem daunting, but they are nothing compared to what it will take to get it back if we lose it in November.