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One thing I’ve learned about the Democratic Party of the past 15 years or so is that they really want to be the “good government” guys. They see themselves as the mythical adults in the room who keep the wheels of society turning while observing all (or most) of the rules of fair play. We saw it last week when they caved on the budget CR. In one respect, it’s laudable. But unfortunately, they lost the plot. Good, functional government doesn’t sell anymore. It’s not cool. It’s not “based,” as the kids say.
It wasn’t always this way. Democrats have played the rebels in our history too. It’s only natural in a nation founded on rebellion, where the thrill of opposition is pretty much baked into our DNA. If you're not railing against something, are you even American?
Rebels without a cause
MAGA totally gets this. How many of them are in it for policy? For effective government? Maybe low double digits? Single digits? It’s why they’re such shape-shifters on policy. If they really cared about immigration beyond cruel performative stunts, they should have been outraged that Donald Trump nixed the bipartisan immigration bill last year. But they didn’t bat an eye.
Now, to be fair, politics seriously challenges all of our tolerance for inconsistency. It’s easy to root for your own side doing something that you’d heckle the other side for. But MAGA has taken political hypocrisy to the extreme. And they love playing the rebel: COVID mask protests, January 6th, four years of “Let’s Go, Brandon” chants…you get the picture.
But our rebel ideation has gotten way out of hand. Remember 2001? Remember the palpable sense of patriotic unity after the horror of 9/11? Fast forward to today, and it's hard to imagine that happening again. Would we rally together, or would we be too busy pointing fingers and assigning blame? I’m not convinced we would, are you? It's a pretty sobering thought when you consider how much our social contract has frayed in 24 years.
Speaking of unity (or the lack thereof), let's talk about Trump. He took advantage of the fraying social contract to benefit himself. Remember the “kinder, gentler” Trump we were promised after his assassination attempt? It lasted about as long as a snowball in Hell. Some argue that sometimes you need an asshole to fix the system. I don’t totally disagree with that. But I expect the asshole to, you know, FIX THE SYSTEM. Not destroy it and feast on the remains.
We’re the rebels now
Trump wants to outlaw being a Democrat. That sounds crazy, but is it really? Look what he’s doing:
Crippling the financial, digital, and legal machinery that powers the Democratic Party [ [link removed] ], like ActBlue and Bonterra.
Targeting at least three law firms [ [link removed] ] that represent Democratic causes, yanking their security clearances, and costing them clients [ [link removed] ].
Seeking to impeach judges [ [link removed] ] for rulings he doesn’t like.
So fuck it. Let’s lean into it. Let’s stop pretending that playing by the rules of decorum is always the way to go. Let’s get a little rude. Let’s challenge the norms that didn’t save us from the shitshow we’re now stuck in. Good democratic government can only make a return in a society in which it is allowed. We’re fighting for survival. If Trump wants to make us the outlaws, I’m here for it. You in?
Check out my podcast from earlier today! How to End the ‘Two Party Doom Loop.’ A Conversation [ [link removed] ]
LIVE TONIGHT! Join me tonight, Thursday at 8pm ET, for our live chat. We’ll be joined by the very cool Frederic Poag [ [link removed] ]. Looking forward to seeing you. See you then!
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Here are our Heroes of the Week…
JUDGE ELLEN LIPTON HOLLANDER. The good judge [ [link removed] ] accused “DOGE” of launching a “fishing expedition” at the Social Security agency and failing to provide any reason why it needed to access vast swaths of Americans’ personal and private data. Thank you, Judge!
JUDGE BERYL HOWELL. Judge Howell [ [link removed] ] blocked the Trump administration from enforcing an executive order that seeks to punish the law firm Perkins Coie by barring its attorneys from interacting with federal agencies or even entering federal buildings.
JASMINE CROCKETT. The congresswoman from Texas [ [link removed] ] has been a strong, much-needed voice for the Democratic Party.
ISABELLA ISAKSEN. Don’t know who she is? Just listen [ [link removed] ].
TOWN HALL ATTENDEES. Nationwide, the American people [ [link removed] ] are making their voices heard. Let ‘em have it!
HONORABLE MENTION. Not heroes by any means, but still good to see some Republicans finally pushing back a little on impeaching judges [ [link removed] ] and NATO command structure changes [ [link removed] ].
Did we miss anyone? Send your heroes our way [ mailto:[email protected] ]!
Good Reads for This Week…
‘This Is Worse’: Trump’s Judicial Defiance Veers Beyond the Autocrat Playbook [ [link removed] ] —The New York Times
New Data: Republican Voters Want Authoritarianism [ [link removed] ] —The xxxxxx
The Warning Signs of Fascism: They’re Subtle Sometimes [ [link removed] ] —Ambysoft
‘This is not comedy! Pay attention’: From Cabaret to Trump rallies, why does audience laughter feel so sinister? [ [link removed] ] —The Guardian
ICE Admits To Deporting Migrants With No Criminal History To El Salvador [ [link removed] ] —The Parnas Perspective
So what can you do? Here’s an interesting one…
Leaving MAGA [ [link removed] ] is a group founded by former Trump supporter Rich Logis to empower others to leave MAGA, tell their stories, foster reconciliation with their friends and family, and develop movement leaders to help others leave. Check it out, and share it with a friend who might be rethinking their support.
No Social Spotlight today, my friends, but the second feature in our Elon Musk series, “The Hate Machine,” will publish tomorrow. Available only to paid subscribers. Interested? Sign up now for a free 7-day trial. You won’t regret it!
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What do you think of The Social Contract with Joe Walsh [ [link removed] ]? What are your thoughts about what’s happening this week? How can we fix the political mess we’ve created in our country? How do we mend our frayed social fabric and rebuild an America that works?
Tell us your story and share your ideas with us. Email our editor at [email protected] [ mailto:[email protected] ]. We look forward to hearing from you.

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