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Why subscribe? One of my annual subscribers, Kally, says it best: “Joe, there was a time where I disagreed with you vehemently. I even called you ‘the crazy Joe Walsh, not the other one.’ But we are united in our love for our country, the Constitution, and the rule of law. Your support for this—and then your full-throttled support for Kamala—have sealed for me that we are now on the same side. I'm happy to fight along with you.” Thanks, Kally! Glad you’re on board.
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I thought the “both sides” thing had pretty much worn itself out on Jan. 6, 2021. As much as they carry their share of blame for our dysfunctional governance, Democrats have never supported a president who tried to overturn an election. And that alone separated them from the Republicans, rendering bothsidesism obsolete.
But bothsidesism is still alive and strong. You could see it during the presidential campaign last year. And you could hear it in its most destructive form last Friday night, when comedian Bill Maher described his recent dinner with Donald Trump in glowing terms that further normalize an authoritarian. See, he’s not so bad. He’s even cooler than Clinton and Obama! For a community that calls itself The Social Contract, you might think we would support that kind of milquetoast “finding common ground” stuff. Actually no. Not at all.
A contract is an agreement between parties. When one side doesn’t hold up its end, the contract is broken. Ten years ago, the social contract was fraying. Trump saw that and exploited it. The entire Republican Party followed him. Today, that contract is torn to pieces. We need to fix it, but we can’t do that by appeasing the force that is at war with it.
Trump’s history of dishonesty, corruption, and authoritarian tendencies shows he has no interest in repairing the contract. He’s a lost cause. And so, figuratively speaking, we give no quarter to Trump or any of his defenders in power here. In other words, we will never pull a Bill Maher on you. That’s a promise.
However, I won’t give up on Trump’s voters or the millions of disengaged non-voters in this country. Yes, some of them are as unreachable as Trump himself. Maybe even most of them. But not all.
Look, I know it’s frustrating. They should have known better. Trump’s a racist. He’s an adjudicated rapist. He’s a megalomaniac. He tried to overturn an election and incited an unsuccessful coup! But I firmly believe in the journey of change. How could I not? I, too, was once a MAGA firebrand. One of my own team members admits she had blocked me on Twitter back in 2016. I don’t blame her. I was a jerk. But thank God, I found my way back. Many others are just beginning that journey. I think I can help guide them back.
The New Both Sides
Let’s be honest. The next few years are going to be ugly, messy, and possibly violent. We’ve put a dangerous man in power, and it’s inevitable that his actions will lead to chaos. They already have. But one benefit—if you can call it that—is that Trump is pushing us to decide, quickly, what kind of country we want to be. Do we really want to abandon democracy? Do we want a leader with unchecked power? Do we want to continue this rapid descent into autocracy that was on full display in the Oval Office yesterday? Trump is forcing us to answer those questions.
The answers, I believe, lie in how we engage with one another. I refuse to live in a country where people are persecuted for their beliefs. We can’t let hate define us. We can’t let our politics form our entire identity. That’s why, after Trump won last November, I decided to “hit the road” in 2025 and 2026, having face-to-face conversations with Americans every week.
I’m visiting different communities, sitting down with Republicans, Democrats, Trump supporters, and people from every side of the political spectrum. This is the therapy America needs right now. We’re a country on the verge of a divorce, and these conversations are the only way to save this marriage.
This idea took root when I was out everyday campaigning for Kamala Harris. Everywhere I went, people from across the political spectrum told me how much they miss face-to-face conversations. Sure, we love our phones and the internet, but we’re missing something essential: human connection.
So we’re filming these conversations and will be sharing them here, because I believe the American people need to hear them and learn from them. This isn’t about talking heads on TV or experts from Washington, but about real people from places as disparate as rural Lancaster, Pennsylvania, and urban Los Angeles, California. We need to hear from everyone—whether they’re Trump supporters, progressive leftists, or the millions in between—about the kind of America they want to see.
Ultimately, I hope this work can help all Americans facilitate these kinds of discussions themselves in their own lives. Because if we don’t have these honest, sometimes uncomfortable, but always respectful conversations, I fear the future of our country. Our democracy depends on it.
Look, I can’t just be a pundit or a talking head. I have to be out DOING. I refuse to just spend the next four years going on TV and yelling about Trump. Rallies are great, but we’ll leave those to Bernie and AOC. I have to get out on the road and engage the American people one on one. And the cool thing is, this is the way our democracy will survive. So, we’ll be the team to do this.
This Substack community will be the one that’s out there on the road, listening to and challenging the American people. This Substack will continue to be your voice—the voice of regular Americans. This Substack will answer the question, “Do the American people want to stay together—or get a divorce?”
Gonna be a fun, but difficult, road trip. So keep it here.
How You Can Support Our Mission
My team and I are 100% committed to this mission. But if it’s going to work, we need your help.
HOST A CONVERSATION WITH JOE. If you want me to come to your town to have a conversation with a group of folks there, invite me! I’ll show up, and we’ll have that conversation. Email us to let us know you’re interested, and we’ll be in touch to work out the details.
SUPPORT THE WORK FINANCIALLY. The easiest way to help us is to become a paid subscriber of The Social Contract. Your subscription not only gets you all the Substack bells and whistles but helps fund this important work.
Everyone is always asking, “What can we do?” At The Social Contract, we’re walking the walk, baby! This is a simple but powerful opportunity for every American to make a difference. So, I hope you’ll join me in this mission. Let’s rebuild the social contract together.
CHECK OUT TODAY’S PODCAST: Political Tribalism Callouses Your Soul
SUBSTACK LIVE: Thursday at 8pm ET this week. Open to all subscribers. Don’t miss it!
ENGAGE WITH US! 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! And please consider upgrading to a paid subscription to support our work. Thank you!
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So what can you do? Here are some ideas…
THIS WEEKEND! BE THERE! Go to www.fiftyfifty.one to look for a protest happening near you on Saturday, April 19.
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ANOTHER GOOD SITE TO CHECK OUT: Trump’s Attack on Democracy Protests, Rallies & Direct Action Events
HERE’S A GREAT IDEA FROM ONE OF OUR READERS…
Writing for America
Personal writing is a great tool to clarify our thoughts for ourselves and then (if we wish) to share with others. Today we are bombarded with many (and often meaningless) words. We can choose to free ourselves from the digital “cells” in our lives. Write for America.
The type of writing that activates the most brain cells is with pen and paper, not our keyboards (University of Tokyo, 2021 study).
In this unique time of unrelenting national stress, let us take the quiet time to write about who we are as Americans and who we want to become. A few sample questions follow, but there are many more that you will ask.
Please encourage everyone you know to pick up pen and paper and start writing.
What makes America America?
Do I know where my ancestors came from?
Do I know why they came here?
How do I live those values?
What does America mean to me?
What are the values that make us American?
How could we live these values?
What do I want for our country?
Hatred divides; love multiplies. How do I feel about that?
What do I think is our common good?
How can we achieve it?
When I look around my community, what do I see?
So many in our country live in fear. Fear of armed extremist militias, fear of violent immigrants, fear of our neighbors, fear of religious people who have different beliefs. All this permeates the contemporary culture.
How do we find our way out? Writing will help. —Doris McTague
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I was happy to join Alisyn Camerota and Dave Briggs on their SANITY podcast this week.
I had a GREAT conversation on Substack yesterday with my old friend Matt Lewis! Check it out:
I was also quoted a LOT this week!
Trump’s ‘F**king Gross’ Cabinet Meeting Has Critics Cringing So Hard —HuffPost Latest News
Video of Bill Maher Revealing Details of His Dinner With Trump Goes Viral —Newsweek
Bill Maher, Comedian and TV Host Who Routinely Mocked Donald Trump, Now Dines with the President; Video Goes Viral as People Mock Him in Return —The Economic Times
Donald Trump's Tariff Exemptions Raise Eyebrows—'Almost Getting Comical' —Newsweek
As Flip-Flopping Trump Bows to China with iPhone Exemptions, Critics Mock Him: ‘Dumbest’ Policy Ever —NJ.com
Trump & Musk's Codependence Reaches New Heights in Video from Golf Club —The List
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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