Can I get an amen?
Open thread.
Robert Reich Asks What Can and Should Be Done
Robert Reich is asking the same question I keep asking: What can and should be done about the breathtaking lawlessness of this regime?
- Trump’s reign of error and terror is spinning out of control.
- Minneapolis becoming a war zone. Americans murdered in the street.
- The Justice Department declaring the shooter innocent.
- Investigators quitting.
- Oligarchs contributing to the shooter’s defense fund.
- The FBI investigating the victim’s wife.
- Meanwhile, a criminal indictment of the head of the Federal Reserve because he won’t cut interest rates. Investigations of Democratic senators.
- Trump and Hegseth committing war crimes.
- Trump claiming to be president of Venezuela.
- Deciding for himself which companies will get access to its oil.
- Setting up slush funds in other countries to take the spoils.
- Threatening imminent war on Iran.
- Refusing to turn over the Epstein files, even though Congress demanded them.
From Minneapolis to Caracas, from Chicago to Greenland, from Washington, D.C., to Tehran, Trump’s lawless violence — and his threats of even more violence — are increasing. The civil liberties of Americans are ever more endangered. His flouting of Congress and defiance of international law are growing.
Happily, he has access to source that we don’t have access to, so I want to share the responses he got.
What can and should be done?
I’m in contact with a range of people and institutions engaged in resisting Trump. Earlier this week I asked them to tell me what, in their view, is the most important thing we can do over the next several months to stop or at least slow this catastrophe. Here are their responses:
1. Target a few Republican senators and House members to switch parties and thereby give Democrats a congressional majority in at least one chamber.
Several of the people I contacted said the single most important thing we can do now is target a few Republican senators and representatives to switch sides or become independents who caucus with the Democrats — giving Democrats a majority in at least one chamber. That will be stop or at least slow Trump.
Republican majorities are razor-thin in both chambers, but as long as they’re in the majority, it’s extremely difficult to stop Trump. Yet some Republicans represent purple districts and states and are struggling to keep their Republican supporters behind them. They’re also struggling with their own consciences in continuing to support Trump’s authoritarian fascism. They’re “gettable,” I’m told.
Skeptics tell me this won’t work because the forces holding Republican senators and representatives in place are way stronger than they were in 2001.
2. Undertake the largest demonstration against Trump in American history, aiming for at least 10 million marching in the streets, along with a national strike.
Some of the people I spoke with believe that the two No Kings demonstrations last year generated a powerful wave of solidarity and that a third, far larger, would shake the GOP and Trump to the core. They recommend a giant demonstration coupled with a general strike during which no one goes to work — all designed to reveal the depth and breadth of the opposition to Trump.
They note that the second No Kings Day got under Trump’s skin so effectively that he posted an AI-generated video of himself shitting on demonstrators. They also cite research showing that when 3.5 percent of a population takes to the streets, even the most intransigent regimes begin to fold.
Skeptics say a giant demonstration will only cause Trump to dig in and send even more ICE and Border Patrol agents into places where the largest demonstrations are occurring in hopes of provoking violence, which he’d use to justify even more repression.
3. Get the liberal establishment to stand up against Trump and threaten boycotts against corporations and banks that won’t.
Several of the people I spoke with pointed to the wave of establishment protest in recent days against Trump’s criminal indictment of Jerome Powell — including major financial institutions, former Fed chiefs, global finance ministers, and former Republican secretaries of the treasury.
They see this as the potential start of an establishment backlash against Trump’s authoritarian fascism. What’s needed now, they say, is for these people to broaden their protest into a giant public repudiation of Trump. They recommend we pressure particular CEOs to do so (for example, Jamie Dimon, CEO of JPMorgan Chase) and threaten to boycott their products and services if they don’t.
Skeptics tell me this is pie-in-the-sky. There’s no way the liberal corporate establishment is going to risk Trump’s wrath. They have too much to lose. The only reason they’re joining together to protect Jerome Powell is they’re afraid Trump’s attack on the Fed will hurt their own bottom lines.
4. Let Trump overreach to the point where Americans are so disgusted they overwhelmingly repudiate him in the midterms — resulting in a Democratic takeover of both chambers of Congress by wide margins, which severely limits what he’s able to do after January 2027.
Others I contacted tell me nothing more can or should be done over the next year, beyond organizing and mobilizing for November’s midterms. They say we should aim for an overwhelming vote against Trump’s Republicans — so large as to constrain Trump’s every move from then on.
Skeptics tell me that if Trump senses a huge midterm wave election against congressional Republicans, he won’t allow a free and fair election in November. They also say that unless action is taken between now and then to stop Trump, irrevocable damage will be done to America, so by January 2027 our democracy will be gone.
Unless you’re an “it’s hopeless, there’s nothing we can do” person, I would love to hear your thoughts on numbers 1 through 4!
Robert Reich Asks What Can and Should Be DonePost + Comments (147)
Marc Elias with Joyce Vance Part 1
I don’t know anyone with a better, more accurate sense of the voting-related threats than Marc Elias.
So Joyce Vance sat down with Marc Elias, and she didn’t go with her usual “5 questions” format, she went for 10 questions, so there will be two separate posts so as not to overwhelm.
Joyce: We’re now officially entering the midterm season. As we’ve discussed in the past, the top issue isn’t whether or not there will be elections, it’s whether we will be able to keep them free and fair. Are you concerned about the level of public engagement and awareness on this? What should we be doing at this stage?
Marc: Yes, I am deeply concerned. The Republican voter suppression and election subversion war machine continues to grind on. The Department of Justice has sued nearly half of the states for access to sensitive voter data. While this rarely breaks into the national headlines, it remains the greatest threat to free and fair elections, and therefore the greatest threat to our democracy.
We must never let voter suppression or election denialism become routine or mundane. Everyone who cares about democracy should raise awareness in their community about the threats our democracy is facing. Not enough people are speaking out, and too many people are afraid of having difficult conversations.
Joyce: Let’s talk about your work. When it comes to elections and voting lawsuits, how many are there currently? Traditionally, most of these cases are brought to try and make it easier for eligible citizens to vote. Is that still the case? What is the focus of the current litigation, and who is bringing the cases?
Marc: According to Democracy Docket’s case tracker, there are about 170 active voting and election cases nationwide. Unfortunately, the majority of those cases (roughly 55%) are anti-voting cases that seek to make it harder to vote. You are correct that this is unusual. It is also worrisome.
As I mentioned above, one of the most important new developments this year is the Trump DOJ’s emergence as one of the most prolific sources of anti-voting litigation. In less than a year, the Department of Justice has filed 25 anti-voting lawsuits. While pro-democracy attorneys often found ourselves allied with the DOJ in the past, we are now forced to oppose them to prevent the federal government from trampling on voting rights.
In terms of the focus of litigation, many of the active cases right now relate to voter registration and voter data, election administration, and mail-in voting.
Joyce: Is the litigation you’re seeing part of a larger strategy? Can you explain third-party voter challenges and the role they play in voter suppression? Are there good reasons for states to permit them—do they advance any legitimate goals, or are they part of an amped up voter suppression environment?
Marc: The right wing is absolutely using litigation to advance a larger strategy. Republicans know exactly what they are doing. They know their policies are unpopular, and they know their only chance to stave off a major defeat in 2026 is to rig elections through gerrymandering, voter suppression, and election subversion.
Third-party voter challenges are among the most harmful tools in the voter suppression toolbox. Republican activists have built private voter databases to submit lists of voters they want removed from the rolls or hassled at polling places. In practice, third-party voter challenges do not uncover voter fraud. There is no legitimate reason to allow these right-wing activists to file mass voter challenges.
Joyce: Explain the new role DOJ is playing in this area. The part of the Civil Rights Division that used to do election protection work is currently in the process of trying to obtain voter rolls data from the states. Why do they want it, how might they use it, and what do we need to know to be prepared to push back? Voters are prepared to tolerate inconvenience around voting; does this signal something worse is coming?
Marc: Trump’s Department of Justice is seeking a comprehensive database of sensitive personal information on virtually every person who might vote in 2026 and 2028. This includes names, addresses, Social Security numbers and dates of birth. In some states, it includes a voter’s race. In most places, it includes party registration, which elections a person has voted in, the method of voting they used, and whether they have moved.
Never before has the federal government sought all this information from nearly every state. Never before has the DOJ sued more than 20 states (most of which lean Democratic) to obtain it. My firm is proud to represent voters and organizations who are standing up to this effort in every single one of these cases. We are seeing the weaponization of federal power against American voters, and I think this voter data collection effort by Trump’s DOJ could become the major story of the 2026 election cycle.
Joyce: Let’s switch gears and look at the redistricting/gerrymandering cases. What’s going on in that area, and what are you preparing for as courts rule? Will AI and other technology for voter mapmaking make it easier to politicize the vote?
Marc: Trump’s effort to rig congressional maps is the most obvious manifestation of his political desperation heading into the midterms. As it stands, Trump has convinced a handful of states like Texas, Missouri, and North Carolina to redraw their maps to favor Republicans. We expect other states, like Florida, to follow suit. If the Supreme Court strikes down the remainder of the Voting Rights Act, we could see other states rush to quickly redraw their maps ahead of the midterms. My team and I are prepared to fight back against these efforts in Court wherever possible. Democratic-controlled states are also doing a good job of fighting back, led by California. Keep an eye on other Democratic states, like Virginia, in the coming months.
Artificial intelligence and big data have fundamentally changed the redistricting process. It doesn’t just make the act of drawing new maps easier; it makes gerrymandering efforts exponentially more effective and precise.
I’ll be interested to hear your thoughts after reading this.
On The Road – lashonharangue – Sea of Cortez [1 of 2]
lashonharangue
Our recurrent canoe trip on the Green River in Utah was canceled this past year due to excessive heat and nearby fires making the air unhealthy to breathe. So instead we went on a kayaking trip in the Sea of Cortez south of the city of Loreto in Southern Baja California.
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![On The Road - lashonharangue - Sea of Cortez [1 of 2] 7](https://balloon-juice.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/01/1-Copy-of-20251018_073813-edit-768x614.jpg)
Our plan was to stay one night in a hotel in Loreto and then let the outfitter take us south the next day by van to our launch location. Unfortunately, some of our luggage didn’t get transferred between planes and we had to wait at the hotel another night. This is the view from the front of the hotel looking east.
I Have Never Respected Bill and Hillary More
My Pet Calendar Finally Arrived!
I ordered Calendar A, and it just arrived. I had been holding my breath a bit since it’s our first year with Lulu, but I am so pleased with the calendar! It even has all the calendar dates we added. Lulu really did a great job with it!
Also an upgrade from Lulu, it arrived in heavy cardboard, so it’s flat as a pancake instead of all curled up. (curviness in the image below is because i laid on on my curvy ottoman to take the photo – perhaps not my smartest move ever, but I’m too lazy to start over.
Lulu was a bit of a challenge to learn on the fly after the long delay from Cafe Press, but I would rate them A+ overall. Great move!
In case you didn’t order a calendar, I thought you might like to see the back of the calendar – which we had available to us with Lulu, but never with Cafe Press.
We got to tell the story of Walter – big thanks to debit for helping with the story and for taking Walter in and giving Walter his best life with her and his best friend Ellie. (pictured together on the back of the calendar)
We shared a bit of the lovely sonnet that was written for Walter by Subaru Diane. Sorry, SD, we were in a rush and I didn’t think to credit you for the sonnet on the back!
And of course we got to say a little bit about Athenspets for the first time, too.
We sold 165 calendars and have made $1,635 for Athenpets. Calendars are still available to order if you wish.
Huge thanks to beth for sharing her time and talent with us!
Democrats Now Have a Path to a Senate Majority
Dan Pfeiffer lays out the path quite neatly. It’s only a possible path, no guarantees, but that it’s even possible should spur all of us to work our asses off.
While Democrats have a clear (though not easy) path to winning the House, a Senate majority has seemed out of reach for much of the past year. But through a series of recruiting coups, Republicans opting out of key races, and Donald Trump’s deteriorating political position, a path has emerged. Peltola’s decision is the final piece of that puzzle.
Democrats now have a real shot at the Senate.
The Senate is currently 53–47. To take the majority, Democrats need a net gain of four seats. We need to get to 51 because Vice President Vance breaks ties in a 50–50 Senate.
There are three parts to the path to winning the Senate.
Part 1: Defending our current seats
If Democrats want a Senate majority, we cannot afford to lose any currently Democratic-held seats. Four of those seats are in play.
Georgia: Popular Governor Brian Kemp decided not to run against Jon Ossoff. Instead, three candidates are vying for the GOP nomination: two mediocre MAGA congressmen and a former college football coach. In a state as close as Georgia, anyone can win, but Ossoff would likely be a slight favorite against any of them.
New Hampshire: Jeanne Shaheen is retiring, and Representative Chris Pappas is the favorite in the Democratic primary. Once again, a popular(ish) GOP governor took a pass on running for Senate. Instead, the Republicans have Sununu’s father and former Massachusetts senator Scott Brown. Pappas would be a favorite in a state Harris won by about three points.
Michigan: There is a vigorous Democratic primary with three compelling candidates battling for the chance to run against former Representative Mike Rogers, who nearly beat Elissa Slotkin in 2022.
Minnesota: Like Michigan, Minnesota has a competitive Democratic primary with two strong candidates. Unlike Michigan, there is no obvious Republican contender.
Part 2: Win the toss-up seats
Once we hold our territory, there are two must-win states.
Maine: Susan Collins is up for reelection, and she is the last Republican senator in a reliably blue state. Kamala Harris won Maine by seven points. Collins is hard to beat—she won by seven in 2020 while Biden won the state by nine. I’ve written extensively about the contentious primary between Governor Janet Mills and oysterman Graham Platner. We can debate which Democrat has the better chance of beating Collins until the cows come home (and probably will). Either way, Collins has to be beaten.
North Carolina: Democrats haven’t won a statewide federal race in North Carolina since 2008. In most years, this would be a stretch. But this year, Roy Cooper—the very popular former governor—is running. Cooper won twice while Trump was winning the state. With him on the ballot, Democrats have a very real shot.
Part 3: The states that are a stretch
If Democrats hold their seats and win North Carolina and Maine (no small task), they are still two seats short of a majority. That means winning two of these four very red states.
Ohio: Ohio has gone from a prototypical toss-up to a solidly red state in the Trump era. It’s only on this list because former Senator Sherrod Brown is running. Trump won Ohio by 11 points in 2024, while Brown lost by about 3.5—an overperformance of seven points. That bodes well in what should be a much more favorable political environment this fall.
Iowa: Iowa is another red state, but one that has been hit hard by Trump’s policies. Farmers are being hammered by tariffs. Rural hospitals face closure due to Medicaid cuts. The likely GOP nominee is a congresswoman who has repeatedly sided with Trump over Iowa’s interests. Democrats have several interesting candidates. If one emerges with a compelling message and generates excitement, the state could be in play.
Texas: Democrats have been eyeing Texas for more than a decade. It was once believed the state turning blue was a matter of when, not if. But it has gotten redder under Trump. This year could be different. Republicans face a nasty three-way primary that could knock out incumbent John Cornyn. If Ken Paxton wins, either James Talarico or Jasmine Crockett would have a real shot.
And now, there’s Alaska!
And of course we all know that Mary Peltola has thrown her hat in the ring.
We are still in our fundraising hiatus until the end of January, so we won’t have active fundraising posts for Peltola or Angel matching. But here’s a thermometer and it will passively hang out in the sidebar until the end of January. :-)
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Democrats Now Have a Path to a Senate MajorityPost + Comments (105)