John,
“You’re not fighting. We are suffering.”
That’s what a woman shouted from the balcony at a town hall in Maryland last week—before being escorted out.
She wasn’t alone.
In town halls across the country—Oregon, Vermont, Arizona, Illinois—Democratic members of Congress came home to a furious grassroots base. Constituents demanded to know why ten Senate Democrats just helped Trump and Musk pass a Republican-backed spending bill that guts Social Security, slashes critical programs, and hands more unchecked power to a corrupt administration.
The anger was loud, raw, and justified.
And while I understand the desire to avoid a shutdown, what we saw last week wasn’t compromise. It was capitulation.
Chip in $25 to help COURIER hold politicians accountable and build an actual opposition movement.
DONATE
Last Friday’s vote was the biggest opportunity yet for Senate Democrats to throw sand in the gears of this fast-moving coup. Some spoke out. But it was too little, too late.
So what do we do now?
As the publisher of COURIER, a progressive media network, I’ve been thinking a lot about what comes next—and what role we must play.
Here’s the truth: when Republicans face a moment like this, they fall in line. One big reason? A right-wing media machine that holds them accountable.
From the front pages of Breitbart to the Facebook feeds of millions to primetime Fox News, conservative media outlets don't just carry water for the GOP—they pressure Republicans to listen to the grassroots base.
That kind of political media infrastructure simply doesn’t exist on the Left.
Instead, too many Democrats are getting their cues from social media hot takes, legacy journalists, and DC consultants.
They hope the press will “both sides” the coverage just enough to blame Republicans.
That’s not good enough and that’s why COURIER exists.
Until there’s a strong, values-driven media ecosystem on the Left—one that not only holds Republicans accountable, but makes Democrats feel more pressure from their base than their pollsters—we’ll keep seeing moments like this.
Support COURIER with a donation of any amount today and help us hold our leaders accountable.
DONATE
At COURIER, we’re growing fast, and we’re proud to be part of an emerging progressive media ecosystem that tells the truth, lifts up the voices of those most impacted, and holds all leaders accountable—not just the ones wearing the wrong party label.
Now that Democrats have effectively given Trump and Musk the green light to dismantle our democracy, the only job left is to bring millions more Americans into the fight.
That’s what we do. But we can’t do it without you.
If you’ve been frustrated this week—good. That means you care. But frustration alone won’t stop what’s coming. Organizing will. Pressure will. Media that holds the line will.
And courage is contagious.
Let’s find the courage to be the ones we’ve been waiting for.
DONATEIn solidarity,
Tara McGowan
Publisher