About Author: Bruce Berlin

Bruce Berlin is a retired, public sector ethics attorney. He is the author of Breaking Big Money’s Grip on America (See breakingbigmoneysgrip.com.), the founder of New Mexicans for Money Out of Politics, a former U.S. Institute of Peace fellow, the founder and former executive director of The Trinity Forum for International Security and Conflict Resolution, and a practitioner of Buddhist meditation. He can be reached at breakingbigmoneysgrip@gmail.com.

The Struggle for the Soul of America: Political Pendulum Swinging Back Toward the Dems — Is 2026 Blue Tsunami Possible?

Posted on December 16, 2025 by Author: Bruce Berlin

History demonstrates that American politics swings back and forth like the pendulum in an old grandfather clock. A century ago, during the Roaring 20s, the Republicans occupied the White House controlling public policy until 1933. Then the pendulum swung left as Democrat Franklin Roosevelt became president and launched the New Deal.

While the Republicans ruled in the 1950s when Dwight Eisenhower was president, the political pendulum didn’t truly swing back to the GOP until President Richard Nixon was elected in 1968. Though President Jimmy Carter’s one term interrupted Republican rule in 1977, it wasn’t until the election of Bill Clinton in 1992 that the pendulum again swung back to the Democrats.

Donald Trump’s election in 2016 marked a pivot towards the Republicans. While disrupted by Biden’s 2020 election, Trump is now trying his best to extend the swing to the right in his second term by slashing aide and social programs and expanding his autocratic control of the government. At the same time, however, there are signs that the pendulum is beginning to turn back toward the Dems. In fact, some believe there’s a possibility the country may even be on the verge of a Blue Tsunami.[1]

For one, the Dems have won most of the 2025 off-year elections. From New Jersey to Virginia to Georgia and, most recently, the Miami mayor’s race, the Democrats are not just winning, they’re crushing their GOP opposition. A Democrat hadn’t been elected mayor of Miami in 28 years![2]

For another, the nonpartisan newsletter Inside Elections recently shifted its analysis of 16 House races in next year’s mid-terms to favor the Democrats and only one in the opposite direction toward the Republicans. That includes races in the red states of Nebraska, Ohio and Tennessee.[3]

A third indication is what’s happening on the redistricting front. Several months ago, the Republicans thought their redistricting efforts were going to give then a significant electoral advantage in the House. However, Indiana’s conservative legislature recently rejected redistricting[4] and Missouri’s GOP plans have been put on hold by a petition requiring a statewide vote on redistricting.[5] Meanwhile, Texas’s attempt to shift five districts to the Republicans appears to not be working as planned. If Dems’ overperformance in House races this year is a fair signal of what lies ahead, it now appears that the blue party could win three of those five new seats.[6]

On the other hand, last month California voters approved a new redistricting map that could flip five House seats now held by Republicans to the Democrats.[7] But the Republicans have gone to court trying to block the new map from being implemented, claiming it’s unconstitutional.[8]

Then there’s the affordability dispute, which Trump calls a Democratic “hoax.” The almost certain extreme rise in healthcare costs with the elimination of the Obamacare subsidies the first of the new year will make affordability an even bigger issue than it already is. If affordability and the economy are voters’ main concerns in next year’s election, which is quite likely, current polling suggests “we’d be looking at a huge blue wave, with a swing 50% larger than in 2018.”[9]

Of course, circumstances could be substantially different when voting begins next fall. But, given the current state of affairs, a Blue Tsunami in the 2026 elections is a very distinctive possibility.

Bruce Berlin, J.D.

A retired, public sector ethics attorney, Berlin is the author of Breaking Big Money’s Grip on America (See breakingbigmoneysgrip.com.), and his new memoir, From Camden to Kathmandu. He is the founder of New Mexicans for Money Out of Politics, a former U.S. Institute of Peace fellow, and the founder and former executive director of The Trinity Forum for International Security and Conflict Resolution. He can be reached at breakingbigmoneysgrip@gmail.com. Subscribe to this blog at https://breakingbigmoneysgrip.com/my-blog-3/

[1] https://www.usatoday.com/story/news/politics/2025/12/03/tennessee-special-election-trump-blue-wave-2026/87482063007/

[2] https://www.pbs.org/newshour/politics/a-democrat-wins-miami-mayors-race-for-the-first-time-in-nearly-30-years

[3] https://rollcall.com/2025/12/09/house-race-ratings-midterm-elections/

[4] https://apnews.com/article/indiana-lawmakers-redistricting-final-vote-80e3e546fc7acec4a7bd7cd110787375

[5] https://www.msn.com/en-us/news/politics/opponents-of-trump-backed-redistricting-in-missouri-submit-a-petition-to-force-a-public-vote/ar-AA1S1aEY?ocid=BingNewsSerp

[6] https://www.cnn.com/2025/12/14/politics/texas-redistricting-gop-latinos

[7] https://apnews.com/article/california-redistricting-congress-election-661fbe88aa65d858fdfb4f119f4f92b2

[8] https://www.msn.com/en-us/politics/government/court-battle-begins-over-republican-challenge-to-california-s-prop-50/ar-AA1SoPyD?ocid=BingNewsSerp

[9] https://www.gelliottmorris.com/p/affordability-voters-favor-democrats

The Struggle for the Soul of America: The Economic Boycott Beginning on Black Friday Is a Big Step Toward Saving Our Democracy

Posted on November 22, 2025 by Author: Bruce Berlin

The Day after Thanksgiving the pro-democracy movement will launch an economic boycott against three major corporations that support the Trump regime. Led by Black Voters Matter, Until Freedom, and Indivisible, “We Ain’t Buying it” is calling on consumers from around the country to boycott Target, Amazon, and Home Depot from Black Friday, Nov. 28, through Cyber Monday, Dec. 1.[1]

According to its website (https://weaintbuyingit.com/), the boycott is “an economic action and solidarity campaign designed to defend democracy and reclaim community power. We’re asking Americans to hit pause on shopping from major corporations that have caved to the administration’s policies.”[2]

I strongly support this and urge everyone to do so as well.

Boycotts are a powerful tool, protected by the First Amendment, for changing public policy and corporate behavior. Throughout U.S. history, people have used their purchasing power, alongside their rights to free speech and assembly, to organize and promote economic boycotts.

One of the most famous boycotts is the Montgomery Bus boycott. In 1955, Montgomery, Alabama, required Black bus riders to sit in the back and give up their seats to white passengers. On December 1^st of that year, Rosa Parks, a Black woman and NAACP secretary, was arrested for refusing to give up her seat to a white passenger. Nearly 90% of Black residents participated in a one-day bus boycott on Dec. 5^th. During the next year, Blacks continued to boycott the city buses. More than 80 organizers, including Martin Luther King, Jr. were arrested. In November 1956, the U.S. Supreme Court found that segregation on public buses was unconstitutional, forcing Montgomery to end bus segregation. The boycott’s success was a giant step forward in the Civil Rights movement.[3]

Another successful boycott helped California farmworkers obtain better wages and working conditions.[4] And, a global boycott of Nestle’s, resulted in the regulation of its baby formula to protect the health of infants.[5]

Now it’s our turn to change the course of history. The overall goal of the forthcoming boycott is to stop these three giant companies’ support of Trump’s corrupt, autocratic regime.

Specifically, the boycott of Target will focus on its caving to the Trump administration’s biased attacks on DEI hiring policies (Diversity, Equity and Inclusion). The boycott will call for Target to reinstate its DEI policies.

The Home Depot boycott will aim to highlight and stop the corporation’s collusion with ICE in the kidnapping of immigrants on their properties.

Likewise, the Amazon boycott will shine a light on its financial support of this administration in return for corporate tax cuts. The boycott will call for ending this corrupt practice.

These boycotts are just the beginning. They will continue and grow until their goals are achieved. And, it is up to us, the American people, to make sure that they do succeed. I urge you to spread the word. Contact everyone you know, and then some. Do whatever you can to get your family, friends and neighbors to participate in these boycotts.

It’s time to actively resist Trump and his corrupt, autocratic regime. Together, We Shall Overcome.

For more information, go to https://weaintbuyingit.com/#about.

Bruce Berlin, J.D.

[1] https://www.msn.com/en-us/money/news/we-ain-t-buying-it-anti-trump-groups-call-on-economic-boycott-ahead-of-thanksgiving-weekend/ar-AA1QejXs?ocid=BingNewsSerp

[2] https://weaintbuyingit.com/#about

[3] https://www.freedomforum.org/famous-boycotts/

[4] Ibid.

[5] file:///Users/Mac/Library/CloudStorage/OneDrive-Personal/Desktop/Wattana%20senior%20essay%202016.pdf

The Struggle for the Soul of America: The Democrats’ Silver Lining in the Vote to Reopen the Government

Posted on November 17, 2025 by Author: Bruce Berlin

Most Democrats were upset, if not outraged, that eight Senate Democrats voted with the Republicans for the Continuing Resolution (CR) that reopened the government. Reopening the government took the pressure off the Republicans to negotiate extending the Obamacare (ACA) subsidies for millions of Americans to the dismay of a great many on the Blue Team.

I believe, however, that there is an impactful silver lining for the Dems which may make that vote significantly better for them than initially appeared.

First, the Continuing Resolution brought the House of Representatives back into session. That eliminated House Speaker Johnson’s excuse of a government shutdown for not swearing in Democratic Rep. Adelita Grijalva.[1] Once sworn in, Rep. Grijalva became the 218^th House member to sign the discharge petition, which was required to force a vote on releasing the Epstein files.[2] That vote will happen this week and compel Republican members to publicly take a stand. They can vote to release the files and hold the wealthy men, possibly including President Trump, accountable for their involvement in the illegal sex trafficking of underage girls. Or they can vote to keep the files closed and shield those powerful men from criminal liability, a vote that will not sit well with most Americans.

Second, ending the shutdown will greatly reduce the suffering and duress that confronted a huge number of Americans. Thousands of federal workers are going back to work and will receive paychecks. More than 40 million Americans will now receive their food assistance under SNAP, though new rules may cause many of them to permanently lose those benefits in the coming months.[3] And, the chaos at airports over the holidays will gradually lessen as more air traffic controllers go back to work, though it going to take some time before air traffic gets back to normal. Still, the suffering and duress would have been worse if the shutdown had continued. And, who knew for how long.

Third and lastly, but perhaps most important, the CR terminates the end of January 2026, less than three months from now. According to one observer, a “clear outcome of the government shutdown fight is that Americans are now far more likely to hold Republicans responsible for their rising health care premiums.”[4] If the Republicans do not negotiate an extension of the ACA subsidies in the next two and a half months and millions of Americans see skyrocketing health insurance premiums or lose their coverage altogether, the GOP will clearly shoulder the blame just as the 2026 mid-term election season begins to heat up. Polls indicate that 48% of Americans blamed Trump and the Republicans as opposed to only 34% the Democrats for the recent shutdown.[5]

Until now, the Republicans have refused to negotiate an extension of the subsidies. The CR, in effect, gave them a reprieve. Failing to agree to help millions of voters with their huge healthcare costs could prove disastrous for the GOP in next year’s elections. In effect, agreeing to reopen the government has strengthened the Democrats’ hand both in the fight to extend the ACA subsidies and in the battle for control of Congress in next year’s elections.

Bruce Berlin, J.D.

[1] https://azmirror.com/2025/11/12/with-adelita-grijalva-southern-arizona-constituents-are-finally-represented-after-a-record-delay/

[2] https://www.yahoo.com/news/videos/rep-adelita-grijalva-sworn-record-160956116.html

[3] https://www.politico.com/news/2025/11/15/food-stamps-snap-trump-one-big-beautiful-bill-impact-00653447

[4] https://www.msn.com/en-us/politics/government/republicans-are-suddenly-in-a-health-care-bind/ar-AA1QwSPZ

[5] https://navigatorresearch.org/how-americans-views-of-the-shutdown-changed/

The Struggle for the Soul of America: Republicans Play Politics with Americans’ Healthcare and Food Assistance

Posted on October 31, 2025 by Author: Bruce Berlin

We are in the fifth week of the federal government shutdown. With no end in sight, forty-two million Americans will lose their SNAP food assistance benefits tomorrow, November 1. That’s 12% of the population of the richest country in the world going hungry because politicians put their own interests ahead of the needs of their constituents.[1]

In addition, if Congress doesn’t get back to work soon and extend the Affordable Care Act (ACA) subsidies, about 20 million Americans will see their health insurance premiums increase dramatically.[2] Over four million more are projected to go without health insurance altogether next year because they just can’t afford it.[3]

According to recent polls, more Americans blamed Republicans rather than Democrats (45% to 33%) for the shutdown. Even worse for the GOP, 51 percent of voters not affiliated with either party blamed Republicans while only 34 percent blamed Democrats.[4] Unaffiliated voters outnumber both Republican and Democratic voters.

A critical reason for the shutdown is the Democrats’ demand that Congress extend the ACA subsidies. Republicans insist that the Democrats vote to reopen the government before negotiating an extension of those tax credits/subsidies. But, since the Republicans failed to include them in their “One Big Beautiful Bill Act” last spring,[5] the Dems don’t trust that the Republicans will extend them at the same level now. So, they are trying to force the Republicans hand by not voting to reopen the government until the subsidies are extended. A new survey found 59% of Republicans and 57% of “Make American Great Again” supporters favor extending the ACA enhanced subsidies.[6]

That puts Republicans in a real bind. While a majority of their own party supports extending the ACA subsidies, Republican Speaker Johnson is refusing to bring his House members back to Washington and reopen the government, which is the only way those subsidies can be extended. The longer that Johnson accuses the Democrats while maintaining the shutdown, it would seem the more Republicans will be blamed for denying affordable healthcare to millions of Americans, many of whom are members of the GOP. Not to mention that continuing the shutdown eliminates essential food assistance for millions of Americans as well.

This has to hamper Republicans’ prospects in next week’s elections. And the longer it goes on, the greater it will likely negatively impact their chances for success in the 2026 elections. While the Republicans will claim the Democrats are responsible for all this, it’s the GOP that controls Congress, the White House, and, in effect, the Supreme Court. Republican policies rule our country. The Democrats must remind the voters that the Republicans played politics with both their ability to afford healthcare and the need to feed their families. This could be a huge opportunity for Democrats.

Bruce Berlin, J.D.

Subscribe to this blog at https://breakingbigmoneysgrip.com/my-blog-3/.

[1] https://www.usatoday.com/story/money/2025/10/28/snap-runs-out-impact-food-stamp-recipients/86943125007/

[2] https://www.hks.harvard.edu/faculty-research/policy-topics/health/health-insurance-subsidies-behind-government-shutdown

[3] https://www.washingtonpost.com/politics/2025/10/14/obamacare-aca-health-insurance-prices/

[4] https://thehill.com/homenews/senate/5572516-shutdown-blame-game-politics/

[5] https://www.cnbc.com/2025/05/23/big-beautiful-tax-bill-skipped-aca-credits.html

[6] https://www.nbcnews.com/health/health-news/trump-supporters-obamacare-subsidies-government-shutdown-poll-rcna235195

The Struggle for the Soul of America: Time for a National Strike

Posted on October 18, 2025 by Author: Bruce Berlin

Tomorrow will be a critical day for the democracy movement in America. The No Kings 2.0 Rally is projected to be one of, if not, the largest protests in U.S. history. Over 2500 individual demonstrations against Trump’s authoritarian regime and in defense of our communities and our democracy will take place around the country. It could be a turning point in the battle to restore the people’s right to control their own government.

Clearly, however, massive protests alone will not be enough to topple Trump. Some direct action that seriously disrupts his move toward fascism is required.

Recently, I suggested that “a well-planned, targeted boycott” could be an effective step forward. (See https://breakingbigmoneysgrip.com/m y-blog/). While that still may be the case, I now believe that we do not have the time for such limited efforts to change the direction our country is headed. We need something much bigger and bolder.

It’s time to organize a national General Strike.

As Chris Armitage’s writes: A general strike represents the most powerful tool available to working people. When enough workers simultaneously refuse to work, the entire economic system stops. No amount of political lobbying, no single protest march, and no electoral strategy can match the immediate pressure created when labor withdrawal halts production and commerce. Strikes force those in power to negotiate because the alternative becomes economic collapse….The strike threatens the one thing that matters most to those at the top: their ability to extract profit from other people’s labor.[1]

The history of general strikes in Iceland, South Korea and elsewhere demonstrates that general strikes work when enough people (about 11 million in the U.S.) are informed and recruited to make such an action effective. For example, South Korea’s general strikes in 1996 and 1997 involved millions of workers and successfully beat back anti-labor legislation.[2]

Organizing a General Strike is a massive undertaking.

It requires getting people to commit and building a database large enough so that a Call to Strike becomes credible. Thousands of people must be willing to go into public spaces, start conversations, educate their neighbors, and build the lists that make a General Strike feasible.[3]

This is what we must do. At tomorrow’s rallies, we have the opportunity to spread the word and encourage millions of people to join in this effort. Urge them to go to http://www.generalstrikeus.com for more information and to sign up to participate in a General Strike to Defeat Fascism. Our freedom and right to self-govern are at stake.

Bruce Berlin, J.D

Subscribe to this blog at https://breakingbigmoneysgrip.com/my-blog-3/.

[1] https://medium.com/@carmitage/how-do-we-make-a-general-strike-happen-in-the-us-ae7474f8a312

[2] Ibid.

[3] Ibid.

The Struggle for the Soul of America: The Power of the People

Posted on September 24, 2025 by Author: Bruce Berlin

I have long maintained that the only thing that can save our country from Trump and his march to authoritarianism is the American people. The reinstatement of Jimmy Kimmel’s late-night show by ABC is exhibit number 1.

Within six days of Kimmel’s indefinite suspension, Disney, ABC’s parent company, announced his show would be returning to the airwaves. The reason was clear. The public’s boycott of Disney was costing it and its investors tons of money. Immediately after Kimmel’s suspension, Disney customers began to cancel their subscriptions to Disney+ and Hulu and threaten a broader consumer boycott. The Disney boycott quickly became four times as large as any boycott over the last five years. Disney’s stock dipped about 3.5 percent and continued to trade lower in subsequent days — a loss in market value of approximately $4 billion.[1]

The power of the people voting with their pocketbooks is huge. It may be our greatest weapon in the struggle to prevent Trump and his MAGA cohorts from turning our country into a fascist state.

But the main reason the boycott was so successful is the protection of our First Amendment right to freedom of speech has very broad appeal. Conservative Republican senators denounced threats by the Federal Communications Commission chairman to pull ABC’s license for airing Jimmy Kimmel’s show. Sen. Rand Paul (R-KY) said it was “wrong” and “absolutely inappropriate.” And Sen. Ted Cruz (R-TX) claimed FCC Chairman Carr’s threats were “dangerous as hell.” Meanwhile, Democratic leaders in Congress have called for Carr to resign.[2]

The question now is what other boycotts would have the broad-based appeal to force Trump’s government to back away from its autocratic policies. One that might fit the bill would be against the oil industry. Right now, Trump is eliminating subsidies, tax incentives and other support for sustainable energy, such as wind and solar. While his war on renewable energy has actually reduced Americans’ support for it from 79% to 60%, this shift may very well be due to linking “climate change and renewable energy to broader culture war issues,” according to one expert. And some Republicans who did support renewable energy have backed off their stances because it could be seen as “disloyal” to Trump.[3]

But Trump’s war against renewables is really all about politics. In 2024, he promised fossil fuel friendly polices to the oil and gas industry in return for their financial support for his campaign for president. Since becoming president, Trump has delivered big time on that promise by signing numerous Executive Orders boosting the industry.[4]

At the same time, Trump’s policies favoring Big Oil over renewable energy is hurting American consumers as well as the environment. While he vowed to cut energy and electricity prices in half, they are actually going up dramatically. Trump’s energy initiative is expected to “cut GDP by $1.1 trillion, add $170 billion to household energy bills, and cut hundreds of thousands of jobs.”[5]

This will negatively impact all consumers, Republicans, Independents, and Democrats alike. The only ones who will benefit are the extractive industries and Trump’s ultra-wealthy friends. A well planned, targeted boycott against one or two of these polluting companies could force the industry to change its tune. The boycott would demand that the industry start investing a significant portion of its resources in renewable energy and lobbying Trump to reverse his policies detrimental to the sustainable energy industry. It’s time we the people come together and make our government work for all the people.

Bruce Berlin, J.D.

Subscribe to this blog at https://breakingbigmoneysgrip.com/my-blog-3/.

[1] https://robertreich.substack.com/p/the-deeper-story-behind-americas?fbclid=IwY2xjawM_gRZleHRuA2FlbQIxMQBicmlkETFHQzVpV09rTkd0clpybUphAR4BdDkurB7rjC8xY77nR1160MRUSpEMZ4xrsRLcFH5XVfw8Z7gXVsAfE5B_5Q_aem_vwuITbfolGtuFp3I0oZ77w

[2] https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2025/9/22/republican-us-senators-knock-fcc-chair-for-threatening-disney-over-kimmel

[3] https://floodlightnews.org/support-for-renewables-shrinks-as-fossil-fuel-interest-grows/

[4] https://www.foodandwaterwatch.org/2025/02/03/trumps-first-executive-orders/

[5] https://nevadacurrent.com/2025/07/09/ugly-truths-about-trumps-big-beautiful-bill-and-energy-costs/

The Struggle for the Soul of America: The Tide May Be Turning Toward Democracy as Trump’s Autocracy Flounders

Posted on September 9, 2025 by Author: Bruce Berlin

The winds of change are in the air and signs that the tide may be turning in favor of democracy are beginning to appear.

One such indicator is the retirement of some elder Democratic Congresspeople. Rep. Jerry Natler, a 78-year-old New York liberal, has been in Congress for more than 30 years since 1992. He believes it’s time for a younger generation to take the reins of power and that they may be better able to save the nation from Trump’s autocracy.[1] And he’s not alone.

As of September 2, 10 Congressional Democrats are not running for re-election next year. I’m sure more will follow them. Another one calling it quits is Rep. Jan Schakowsky, 81, of Illinois. She feels it’s time to pass the baton.[2]

Additionally, some young Democrats are challenging elder incumbents in next year’s primaries. Politico reports that they “are chafing at what they see as feeble leadership protecting the status quo in Washington…They’re channeling the burbling anger inside the Democratic Party base that’s not only furious at President Donald Trump, but also at the way congressional leaders have failed to mount a meaningful resistance.”[3] A new wave of younger, more assertive Democrats is clearly emerging. Will it be big enough and strong enough to overcome Trump and his MAGA movement remains to be seen.

At the same time, Trump’s inept handling of the economy offers evidence that his autocratic leanings are not good for the American people. The unemployment rate is the highest in almost four years and “millions of workers are unable to find full-time employment,” according to Alex Jacquez at the progressive advocacy organization Groundwork Collaborative. And Rep. Brendan Boyle (D-Pa.) noted that Trump inherited a solid economy and “in just seven months, he’s managed to screw it up…Now, working families are getting squeezed from every direction: higher prices, Republicans’ Big Ugly Law ripping health care away from millions, and a job market that’s slowing down.”[4]

The conservative Wall Street Journal agreed. It placed the blame for the slowdown on Trump and his unilateral tariff crusade, which is wrecking the very industries—like mining and manufacturing—that he campaigned on saving last year. Its editorial board wrote, “Repeat after us: Tariffs are taxes, and taxes hurt economic growth.”[5] And, according to a new NBC poll, more than 6 in 10 Americans disapprove of Trump’s handling of inflation.[6]

Moreover, Trump’s immigration policy is actually undermining his efforts to expand American manufacturing. Last week ICE (Immigration and Customs Enforcement) raided a new Hyundai plant in Georgia that will produce electric car batteries, and detained 475 workers, most of them South Korean nationals. In 2022, Georgia’s Republican governor called the plant “the largest economic development project in our state’s history.”[7] This unnecessary, Trump-generated disruption will be detrimental to both countries’ economies as well as to their overall relationship. It is but another example of why Trump’s authoritarianism is bad for America.

Meanwhile, the controversy over the Epstein files continues to embroil Trump. Though he insists it’s all a Democratic hoax, a massive poll conducted by Rep. Thomas Massie (R-Ky) found that over 90% of respondents did not agree with Trump that the case was a hoax and called for the release of all the evidence that would likely incriminate many wealthy Trump supporters, if not the president himself.[8] Other Republicans, including Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene (R-Ga), are demanding the release of all the Epstein files. “We campaigned on transparency issues,” she argued. “All of a sudden, there’s this hard stance coming from the Republican leadership and many of the members and the administration, and I’m shocked by it…The truth needs to come out,” Greene concluded.[9]

There are other examples of Trump’s dictatorial efforts floundering, e.g. his regime’s vaccine and labor policies, which need to be addressed as well. But what is now becoming abundantly clear is the vulnerability of Trump’s fascist regime. What is not so clear is whether the majority of Americans who oppose it[10] will stand up to his autocracy and build a stronger democracy in our country.

Bruce Berlin, J.D.

Subscribe to this blog at https://breakingbigmoneysgrip.com/my-blog-3/.

[1] https://www.msn.com/en-us/news/politics/democratic-rep-jerry-nadler-to-retire-from-congress/ar-AA1LFXEO?ocid=BingNewsSerp

[2] https://thedailybs.com/2025/05/05/longtime-dem-congresswoman-calls-it-quits-after-26-years/

[3] https://www.politico.com/news/2025/04/09/democrats-age-primary-campaigns-032542

[4] https://www.commondreams.org/news/trump-august-jobs-report

[5] https://www.msn.com/en-us/money/markets/murdoch-paper-slams-trump-after-disastrous-jobs-report/ar-AA1M1oEH?ocid=BingNewsVerp

[6] https://www.yahoo.com/news/articles/midterm-warning-signs-nbc-poll-140951595.html

[7] https://www.politico.com/news/2025/09/08/trump-warns-foreign-companies-hyundai-immigration-raid-south-korea-00550030?utm_content=user/politico&utm_source=flipboard

[8] https://www.msn.com/en-us/news/politics/trumps-epstein-hoax-remark-firmly-rejected-in-republicans-online-poll/ar-AA1M0Yl0?ocid=BingNewsSerp

[9] https://www.yahoo.com/news/articles/mtg-launches-fresh-assault-gop-171024200.html

[10] https://www.independent.co.uk/news/world/americas/us-politics/trump-approval-rating-poll-august-vaccines-b2821821.html

The Struggle for the Soul of America: Wake Up, America!

Posted on August 23, 2025 by Author: Bruce Berlin

Donald Trump is quickly consolidating control over our country. By sending U.S. troops into our cities, working to restrict voting rights, appointing unqualified sycophants to fill critical federal positions, and demanding Republicans gerrymander Congressional districts, among other anti-American efforts, he is destroying our democracy and building an authoritarian regime.

While the hour is getting late, we still have the power to prevent Trump’s takeover. But that will only happen if the great majority of the American people Wake Up and Answer the Call to actively resist his march to autocracy.

Two upcoming events promise to be the biggest outpouring of opposition to date to Trump and his corrupt regime. On September 1, Labor Day, May Day Strong (https://maydaystrong.org/) is sponsoring the Workers Over Billionaires protest. Hundreds of organizations are partnering in this effort, including the AFL-CIO, Indivisible, the League of Conservation Voters, 350.org, the National Education Association, which is the largest labor union in the country, and the Action Center on Race and the Economy. Everyone is urged to participate in the Labor Day rally which will demand:

End billionaire influence over government.
Protect Medicaid, Social Security, and other worker programs.
Ensure fully funded schools, health care, and housing for all.
Stop attacks on immigrants, Black, Indigenous, trans people, and marginalized communities.
Prioritize investment in people over wars.

Make Billionaires Pay Blackout

It will take more than massive protests to take down Trump and his MAGA cohorts. Starting September 16, Black Out the System will launch a 5-day nationwide economic and labor blackout “shutting down the U.S. economy – strategically and peacefully – by removing our labor, our spending, our financial support, forcing the system to listen.” Groups in hundreds of cities are already working on this effort. See https://www.citizen.org/news/workers-over-billionaires-labor-day-events-climb-to-500-across-all-50-states/.

The movement is being “launched to reclaim power, restore justice, and unite citizens across all races, cultures, and classes.” See https://blackoutthesystem.com/ to join in this momentous strike aimed at businesses and the billionaire class that support the Trump regime.

Then, on Saturday, September 20, the economic blackout will culminate in a Make Billionaires Pay march to the UN in New York where world leaders will be attending the UN General Assembly and Climate Week. Similar protests are being planned all over the country and around the globe. (See https://www.makebillionairespay.us/.)

Spread the word. We need everyone to participate. Together we can rid our country of this ugly fascist malignancy that is strangling our freedom and our rights. Together we will take back our country.

Bruce Berlin, J.D.

A retired, public sector ethics attorney, Berlin is the author of Breaking Big Money’s Grip on America (See breakingbigmoneysgrip.com.), the founder of New Mexicans for Money Out of Politics, a former U.S. Institute of Peace fellow, and the founder and former executive director of The Trinity Forum for International Security and Conflict Resolution. He can be reached at breakingbigmoneysgrip@gmail.com.

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The Struggle for the Soul of America: Dems Going on Offense, Finally

Posted on August 16, 2025 by Author: Bruce Berlin

Enough is enough. The Texas GOP power grab attempting to gerrymander five Democratic Congressional House districts into Republican seats has finally awakened the Blue team. At last, the Democrats realize that they must go on the offensive and fight fire with fire, or our democracy is doomed. Not all of them have gotten the memo, of course, but a more progressive, aggressive leadership is beginning to emerge.

Yes, Sen. Sanders and AOC have been leading the charge for some time now. However, they are not sitting in executive offices where they could initiate real change. California Gov. Newsom, on the other hand, is in a position to do just that, and he’s not holding back. While I’ve never been a big fan of the governor’s, Newsom’s plan is a significant step that appears to be rallying Democrats across the country. It “leverages Democrats’ control of the most populous state in the Union to warn Republicans to back away from their attempt to rig the 2026 election.”[1]

Newsom exclaimed: “Donald Trump, you have poked the bear, and we will punch back.” And historian Heather Cox Richardson noted, “After years of criticism that Democrats have not fought hard enough against Republicans’ manipulation of the system to amass power, the California plan…flips the script.”[2]

Democrats in other states are standing up as well. Illinois Gov. JB Pritzker and New York Gov. Hochul have jumped into the fight. “This is nothing short of a legal insurrection,” Ms. Hochul said. She insisted that we must fight back.[3]

Meanwhile, a young, progressive candidate for New York City mayor, Democratic Socialist Zohran Mamdani, is the odds-on favorite to capture New York’s City Hall. Mamdani’s rise has been fueled by progressive proposals such as rent freezes, publicly owned grocery stores, and universal childcare.[4]

The surge in major Democratic figures willing to stand up to Trump and his MAGA cronies gives me hope. Their outspokenness will inspire others to do the same and help increase the resistance to Trump’s authoritarian regime. At the same time, it will generate momentum for Indivisible’s One Million Rising campaign[5] around the country.

It’s a sign that the tide is changing. If you are not already active in this effort to save our democracy, we need you to get involved now. The next big national protest will be on Labor Day, September 1. See https://maydaystrong.org/ and https://www.commondreams.org/news/trump-labor-day to learn more about what promises to be a huge sign that the American people will not allow a two-bit, want-to-be-king grifter to destroy our country. Go to https://indivisible.org/ and help save America from Trump’s fascist takeover.

Bruce Berlin, J.D.

Subscribe to this blog at https://breakingbigmoneysgrip.com/my-blog-3/.

[1] https://heathercoxrichardson.substack.com/p/august-14-2025?r=4d2np6&utm_campaign=post&utm_medium=email&triedRedirect=true

[2] Ibid.

[3] https://www.nytimes.com/2025/08/15/us/politics/democrats-redistricting-trump.html

[4] https://www.msn.com/en-us/news/politics/zohran-mamdani-odds-of-becoming-new-york-mayor-hit-record-high/ar-AA1Kx8Ab?ocid=BingNewsSerp

[5] https://www.nokings.org/rise?emci=afd31273-106e-f011-8dc9-6045bda9d96b&emdi=2789183d-2b6e-f011-8dc9-6045bda9d96b&ceid=2597101

The Struggle for the Soul of America: It’s Trump’s Way or the Highway

Posted on August 3, 2025 by Author: Bruce Berlin

On Friday, President Trump fired the Bureau of Labor Statistics Commissioner Dr. Erika McEntarfer after accusing the economic researcher of manipulating the jobs data for political purposes.[1] But the real reason Trump fired the commissioner is the Bureau’s most recent, unexpectedly weak jobs report which made him look bad. According to the BLS, “U.S. employers added just 73,000 jobs last month and Labor Department revisions showed that hiring was much weaker than previously reported in May and June. The unemployment rate ticked up to 4.2%.”[2]

Rather than addressing the issue of a weakening economy, our wannabe-king president immediately fired the messenger. No doubt Trump will replace the truth-telling commissioner with someone who will do his bidding and produce a fake jobs report that will make him look good. Afterall, what’s more important: Taking steps to strengthen the economy or bolstering Trump’s ego?

This is just the latest in Trump’s efforts to change the facts to his liking. As former Secretary of Labor Robert Reich notes, Trump is “dismembering the Environmental Protection Agency, which has repeatedly shown that climate change isn’t a “hoax,” as Trump claims, but more like a national emergency.” In addition, Trump “is killing off the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and the National Institutes of Health, which are showing the sources of sickness and disease and how we can guard against them.” Reich concludes that Trump just “doesn’t want the public to know the truth. He is turning America into George Orwell’s dystopian 1984.”[3]

As distressing as all this is, our institutions that were designed to protect the country from executive overreach have not done much to obstruct Trump’s march toward dictatorship. The Republican led Congress is in lockstep with Trump’s fascist regime. The Democrats have voiced their dissent but have done little to actually resist his authoritarian efforts. (Yesterday, however, Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer did show some backbone by refusing to go along with fast-tracking the confirmation of a bunch of Trump’s nominees without “the unfreezing of federal funds for an array of programs, including the National Institutes of Health and foreign aid.” Trump’s response to Schumer: “GO TO HELL!”[4]) At the same time, the federal courts have not been able or willing to effectively restrain Trump either.

That leaves we, the people, as the last resort to save our democracy. In that regard, a national grassroots organization has been leading the charge. In the last month, Indivisible has initiated the One Million Rising campaign (OMR), a national effort to train one million people in the strategic logic and practice of non-cooperation, as well as in the basics of community organizing and campaign design. These trainees will, hopefully, then outreach to their fellow Americans to create a huge, unstoppable force to block Trump and restore our democracy.

Through over 2,000 local chapters around the country, Indivisible has already enlisted hundreds of thousands of Americans in this effort. On August 13^th at 6 pm MDT, the OMR organizers will conduct a Zoom training in basic campaign design and local implementation, as well as plug people into the next national campaign work.

But this campaign will only succeed if millions and millions of Americans actively participate. It’s up to all of us to prevent our country from becoming a fascist state. We have no time to lose. Sign up now for the August 13^th training, by going to https://www.mobilize.us/nokings/event/803953/.

Together, we will stop Trump and rebuild our democracy.

Bruce Berlin

Subscribe to this blog at https://breakingbigmoneysgrip.com/my-blog-3/. Join the movement to revive our democracy. Together we can save the soul of America.

[1] https://www.huffpost.com/entry/trump-bad-jobs-numbers-bls-fired_n_688d0a26e4b022644fdec852

[2] https://www.huffpost.com/entry/economy-jobs-report-trump-tariffs_n_688cb8ebe4b05680e80c3cd7

[3] https://www.commondreams.org/opinion/trump-attack-bls

[4] https://www.yahoo.com/news/articles/trump-tells-schumer-hell-amid-000135979.html