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Why subscribe? One of my monthly subscribers, Ken, says it best: “He has the guts to speak to Trump and the Republicans in a fair, factual way, knowing that they will try to hurt him anyway possible.” Thanks, Ken! Glad you’re on board.
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This is our first issue since the Hands Off protests on Saturday, so before we dig in, I want to give everyone in our Social Contract community who was able to participate a big round of applause.👏🏻👏🏻👏🏻
You showed up, and that’s half the battle. You let them know the resistance is out here, we are united, and we see them. Bravo!
We Are Walking the Walk Too
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For all of us at the Social Contract, showing up is what we do each day. Unlike a lot of other Substacks, we’re not just churning out the same rants, thoughtful though they may be, about breaking news. We are on the ground around the country every week with politically diverse groups of people building a stronger resistance movement.
How? By including Trump supporters in our conversations.
But this isn’t kumbaya. Far from it. On a pretty regular basis over the past month or so, these folks have said to me, “This is not what I voted for.” When that happens, I always respectfully, but firmly, let them know that this is EXACTLY what they voted for. And then, we give them the space to reconsider and the grace to jump off the Trump Train and rejoin Team America—just like I did.
We have never had a bigger moment than this to open up conversations, and this work is incredibly important if we want to survive as a republic. Not many people are willing or able to do it, but I feel called to it.
Scroll down for clips from our most recent discussions in Lancaster, Pa.!
How You Can Support This Work
Thanks to the members of our community who responded to our survey, we have a much better idea of how you want to engage with us. So we’re making a few changes…
Going forward, our Tuesday and Thursday newsletter will be 100% free to all subscribers every week.
Our paid and founding subscribers will continue to receive periodic exclusive posts (like the upcoming third piece in our Elon Musk series), special interactive opportunities with Joe, merch, and more. PLUS, your paid subscription helps fund the critical work my team and I are doing to help mend the social contract across America.
We’re also looking for other ways to include your suggestions. Want to send us a 600-word op-ed or a video clip? Want to appear with Joe on Thursday Night Live? Want to host a conversation with Joe in your town? Got another idea to share with us? Send it our way!
Donald Trump and MAGA are about retribution. The Social Contract is about redemption. Donald Trump and MAGA are about burning it all down. The Social Contract is about building it up. Donald Trump and MAGA are about grievance populism. The Social Contract is about We the Peopleism. Donald Trump and MAGA are about Trump. The Social Contract is about America. Thanks for being here!
CHECK OUT TODAY’S PODCAST: Now They’re Apprehending American Citizens. Not A Surprise
FOUNDING MEMBER ZOOM WITH JOE: Wednesday at 8pm ET this week. All founding members of the Social Contract are invited! Check your email tomorrow for the link. See you then!
SUBSTACK LIVE: Thursday at 8pm ET this week. Open to all subscribers. Don’t miss it!
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THE GOP IS JUST AS GUILTY—MAYBE EVEN MORE. Let’s make something perfectly clear. We all know Donald Trump is responsible for the economic mess he is creating, but it’s not just his fault. It is equally the fault of an entire political party that bowed like cowards to this one man. It is also the fault of wealthy supporters who knew better, but prioritized their own selfish interests instead. And it is the fault of way too many of his voters, who allowed him to lie to them every single day for the past 10 years. They ALL own this.
But right now, there is ONE reason why Trump is getting away with it: Republicans in Congress are enabling it. They have the power to check the executive, and they have abdicated that responsibility. We’re in a literal constitutional emergency. They must take back their constitutional authority and ACT. If they do not, they must pay a historically steep price at the polls in 2026. But that’s a long way off…
THE TARIFFS MIGHT DO IT. Money talks, doesn’t it? Out on the trail for Kamala Harris last fall, I frequently reminded my fellow Republicans that Trump tried to overturn an election and incited an unsuccessful coup. I warned them of the dangers Trump represented to our republic if he was returned to office. They shrugged their shoulders and voted for him anyway. But threaten their bank account balance, and everyone pays attention.
The White House said today that tariffs on China will rise to at least 104% tomorrow. Taken with his other tariffs, it represents the largest tax hike on the American people in half a century. Suddenly, Republicans are getting nervous, especially the electorally vulnerable ones. Right-wing groups are gulping too, and even Elon Musk asked Trump to scale back the trade war (he didn’t listen).
What these cracks reveal is that no single person should have this much power. And again, it all comes back to congressional Republicans. No one American leader was ever intended to have this much power, but the Founders didn’t foresee that the members of an entire political party would willingly cede their own. So blame Trump and every congressional Republican for the tariff disaster. In fact, Republicans own every stupid, ignorant, cruel, authoritarian, and un-American thing Trump does.
SCOTUS ISN’T HELPING. On Friday, Judge Paula Xinis ruled that Kilmar Abrego Garcia must be returned to the U.S. from an El Salvador prison by April 7. This should have been an open-and-shut case. Garcia had no criminal record and was deported due to an “administrative error.” Well, the Supreme Court paused that order yesterday, and Garcia is still stuck in a nightmare.
Perhaps the high court feared that if it did not give Trump what he wanted—and he violated the ruling—they’d inadvertently throw us into a deeper constitutional crisis than the one we’re already in. After all, Trump and Republicans are challenging lower court orders as it is. Regardless, it wasn’t exactly a ringing endorsement for due process. Remember: If you accept a government that has the power to deny due process to certain people, then be ready for a government that has the power to deny due process to you.
THIS SOUNDS SHADY AF. Here’s the slippery slope right here. An American citizen and lawyer for a campus protester was detained by federal agents at Detroit Metro Airport, questioned about his clients, and asked to surrender his cellphone when returning to the U.S. from a vacation. Think about that. If you can apprehend a legal green card or visa holder and deny them due process, of course American citizens are next.
ONE MORE THING. I’ll leave you with some good news. Just as we were wrapping up today’s issue, this came in: A federal judge appointed by Trump ordered the White House to restore the Associated Press’ access to cover presidential events. The court affirmed on First Amendment grounds that the government cannot punish the news organization for the content of its speech. Thank you, Judge Trevor McFadden!
So what can you do? Here are some ideas…
Join the growing #NOKINGS community! Let’s build a community right now of Americans who rally around and identify with that basic truth: we don’t have kings in America. We’re figuring out in real time where we go from here. I’ve changed all my profile pictures to #NOKINGS, and you can too. Grab the #NOKINGS graphic below and go to www.oneflaginitiative.org for instructions on how to change your profile pics.
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Post this on your social media! We are building the fiery, grassroots resistance to King Donald right here at the Social Contract. We are open to everyone and welcome diverse viewpoints. Please let your network know we’re here!
Let’s do it again! Go to www.fiftyfifty.one to look for a protest happening near you on Saturday, April 19.
Can’t protest? Here’s an easy way to show your support that anyone can do!
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Here are some clips from my recent visit to Lancaster, Pa. If you want me to visit your town for a respectful discussion of the issues, let us know.
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Got a chance to talk with my friend Jim Acosta today. We had some feedback issues, but you’ll be able to hear me clear as a bell!
I’ll be on Blue Amp, Cliff Schecter’s live show, on Thursday at 2pm ET. Hope you can join us!
Hey, I want to hear from you!
What do you think of The Social Contract with Joe Walsh? 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]. We look forward to hearing from you.
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