Donald Trump has retreated to Mar-a-Lago and is banished from Facebook and Twitter.

The Republican Party seems to be eating itself alive.

Here in the U.S., we are at long last getting a handle on the COVID-19 crisis.

The Biden administration is advancing some progressive priorities.

Sunny days and warm weather are on the horizon.

But ...

• As it devolves further into a bastion of pure spite and racial resentment, the Republican Party is trying to destroy the very fabric of democracy. Republican legislators in 47 states are pushing reactionary, discriminatory voter suppression laws.

• In just the past few weeks, the Republican governors of Arizona, Florida, Georgia, Iowa, and Texas have enacted legislation that makes it harder for people — very particularly, people of color — to vote.

• Mitch McConnell, the top Republican in Congress, has made it abundantly clear that he will do everything he can — including doubling down on his shameless abuse of the Senate filibuster, a relic of Jim Crow — to stonewall progress at every turn.

• While many Americans have been vaccinated and are understandably eager to get back to their pre-pandemic lives, far too many Americans still aren’t vaccinated, and the crisis is worsening in much of the world.

• If we don’t take the lead on making sure the whole world gets vaccinated, not only will millions die, but deadlier strains of the coronavirus — maybe even vaccine-resistant mutations — WILL make their way to America and the pandemic will come roaring back here.

• The Biden presidency will be as progressive as we push it to be. There will be times for carrots, and there will be times for sticks, but we can’t stand by and just assume that everything is going to be fine.

• And Trump is already plotting his next run at the White House. If he “wins” in 2024, our country may well be looking at President-for-Life Donald (or Ivanka) Trump.

I don’t mean to be cynical.

In fact, I’m hopeful.

I’m also realistic.

Public Citizen has been a force for progress for so long (half a century!) precisely because we look for potential pitfalls and roadblocks then come up with bold, innovative paths through, over, and around them.

We know that hope alone will not bring about progress.

We have to be honest about what’s in the way of progress and then confront it with all we’ve got.

Which brings me to a secret I’m going to share with you: When things seem to be going in a better direction for the country, donations to Public Citizen tend to drop off considerably.

In a way, it’s understandable, as people catch their breath and let their guard down.

But Public Citizen never lets our guard down.

And since we do not take money from Big Business or Uncle Sam (our independence and integrity just aren’t for sale) everything we do depends on Public Citizen supporters like you chipping in when you can.

We don’t need to match the billionaires and multinational corporations dollar-for-dollar, but we do need a baseline level of real-world financial resources to take them on and win.

There are reasons to be hopeful, to believe we have a fighting chance to make real progress.

And there are — unfortunately but decidedly — reasons to believe that we are at a tipping point, that if we ease up now, all we’ve accomplished, even our democracy itself, could be undone by the forces of authoritarianism and plutocracy.

So, if you can, please make a contribution to Public Citizen today.

Or even become a Monthly Donor (if you haven’t already) to help build a dependable base of financial strength to power the work we do together now and in the future.

Donate now.

Thank you for anything you can chip in.

And thank you for everything you do as part of Public Citizen.

For progress,

- Robert Weissman, President of Public Citizen
 
 
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