The Struggle for the Soul of America: The Times, They Are-A-Changing

Posted on January 1, 2026 by Author: Bruce Berlin

As we enter the new year, it’s clear that change is in the air. And while we likely will encounter difficult times in our country in 2026, it looks like the prevailing winds favor a rebirth of democracy in America in the year ahead.

There are a number of indicators that point in the direction of a budding democratic renewal. For starters, the Republican Party is no longer solidly behind President Trump’s dictatorial orders. Despite White House efforts to the contrary, Congressional Republicans recently joined Democrats in a near unanimous vote to release the entire Epstein files.[1] Polls indicate that 75% of the public support release of all the files.[2] The great majority of Americans prefer the truth over Trump’s constant efforts to distort it.

In another sign of democracy’s revival, four moderate Republicans joined the Democrats in signing a discharge petition to force a House vote on extending the Obamacare enhanced subsidies.[3] Again, almost 75% of the public support the extension.[4] Congressional Republicans voting for what their constituents need rather than what their giant corporate donors greedily desire demonstrates democracy is still alive in America. Still, Senate Republicans beholden to their corporate sponsors failed to support the extension of those subsidies causing the cost of healthcare for millions of Americans to skyrocket.[5]

In December, the Supreme Court blocked Trump’s authoritarian decision to deploy the National Guard to assist immigration agents in Chicago. The court found that Trump’s federalization of the Guard was likely unlawful.[6] The rule of law, a basic premise of democracy, prevailed over Trump’s executive power grab.

The rising No Kings movement is yet another sign democracy is making a comeback. An estimated seven million people took part in No Kings rallies this past October across the United States to protest Trump’s embrace of authoritarianism. That was approximately two million more marchers than participated in the first No Kings rally last June.[7]

In 2026, the number of protesters will continue to grow as Trump’s approval in the polls sinks deeper into negative territory. A late December poll found Trump’s approval rating at 39 percent with 56 percent disapproving.[8] Even among MAGA loyalists, Trump’s support was down to 70 percent.[9]

The next major protest is planned for January 20th. The Free America Walk Out is a coordinated nationwide action organized by the 50501 Movement in partnership with Women’s March. At 2 PM local time on that day, people across the country will walk out together from their workplaces, schools, and homes. Check out how you can join in at https://www.the50501movement.org/p/announcement-free-america-walkout-jan-20-2026.

While the struggle to save our democracy is far from over, there is good reason to believe that the tide is, in fact, turning. As we celebrate our country’s 250^th anniversary, we who believe in democracy are, once again, being called in this pivotal time in history to stand up and fight for the promise of the American experiment. As Lincoln proclaimed at Gettysburg, our nation “shall have a new birth of freedom – and that government of the people, by the people, for the people, shall not perish from the earth.”[10]

Happy New Year!

Bruce Berlin

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. (See bruceberlinauthor.com) 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 bruceberlin45@gmail.com. Subscribe to this blog at https://breakingbigmoneysgrip.com/my-blog-3/

[1] https://www.npr.org/2025/11/18/nx-s1-5611438/epstein-files-bill-house-vote

[2] https://www.pbs.org/newshour/politics/most-americans-want-the-epstein-files-released-poll-finds

[3] https://www.politico.com/live-updates/2025/12/17/congress/brian-fitzpatrick-joins-house-democrats-health-care-discharge-petition-00694688

[4] https://www.kff.org/affordable-care-act/poll-support-for-extending-the-expiring-enhanced-aca-tax-credits-remains-high-but-dips-among-republicans-and-maga-supporters-as-shutdown-continues-and-partisanship-takes-hold/

[5] https://www.yahoo.com/news/articles/health-subsidies-expire-launching-millions-123609306.html

[6] https://slate.com/news-and-politics/2025/12/trump-v-illinois-supreme-court-national-guard-chicago.html

[7] https://www.democracynow.org/2025/10/20/no_kings

[8] https://www.newsweek.com/donald-trump-approval-rating-final-2025-polls-11291540

[9] https://thetonymichaels.substack.com/p/nbc-poll-reveals-trumps-maga-support

[10] https://constitutioncenter.org/the-constitution/historic-document-library/detail/abraham-lincoln-the-gettysburg-address-1863?gad_source=1

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: 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 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.

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

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: While the Fear of Trump’s Retaliation Works to Suppress Opposition, Resistance Is Still Growing

Posted on July 25, 2025 by Author: Bruce Berlin

In the 1930s, as Hitler was consolidating his power, the great majority of Germans did little or nothing to resist him and his Nazi forces out of fear. Peter Hoffmann’s review of The Good Germans concluded that the “threat of harsh punishment largely worked.”[1] Today, Trump is taking a page from Hitler’s playbook.

The latest example of Trump’s threats working is CBS’s surprise cancellation of The Late Show with Stephen Colbert, the highest rated talk show in the country.[2] The announcement came just days after CBS parent company Paramount Global reached a $16 million settlement with Trump in what appeared-to-be his “frivolous” lawsuit against Paramount. Some Democrats contend that Paramount paid Trump under threat that his administration would not approve of its multi-billion-dollar merger with Skydance Media.[3]

Fear of Trump retaliating has affected Republicans, too. According to former Speaker Nancy Pelosi, GOP Congressmen are afraid “they could be attacked in the same way her husband” was.[4] That likely influenced GOP Sen. Lisa Murkowski’s failure to vote against Trump’s big budget bill, a vote which would have sunk that bill. Murkowski admitted, “I’m oftentimes very anxious myself about using my voice, because retaliation is real.”[5]

In both cases, the fear of Trump’s retribution probably affected the outcome in his favor. In addition, major corporations including AT&T, Ford and Toyota made large contributions to Trump’s inauguration to gain his goodwill[6] and avoid potential backlash for failing to support him.[7] As a result, corporate America won’t be leading the fight against Trump’s authoritarian regime.

Still, the resistance is growing.[8] On July 16, Indivisible held an online One Million Rising training attended by over 130,000 concerned Americans just like you. “The 90-minute video conference was organized to train activists in principles of ‘strategic non-cooperation,’ which aims to gum up the works of the increasingly dark and dictatorial Trump administration.”[9] If you missed it, I urge you to watch it at https://www.nokings.org/rise#livestream.

I participated in the training with 10 friends. We all felt it was an excellent workshop and an inspiring beginning to the formation of a huge resistance movement.

The second of the three training sessions is Wednesday, July 30, at 6 pm Mountain Time, 8 pm Eastern. You don’t have to have attended the first session to register for the second and third trainings. Go to https://www.nokings.org/rise to sign up and learn more about this crucial effort.

Too many of us are sitting at home in fear and hopelessness, not knowing what to do. If that includes you, joining One Million Rising will help you overcome these feelings by engaging with hundreds of thousands of Americans in the struggle to stop Trump and his cronies. Together, we must strive to save our country and build a better 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.jstor.org/stable/24483571

[2] https://www.theatlantic.com/culture/archive/2025/07/late-show-stephen-colbert-canceled-cbs/683602/

[3] https://www.msn.com/en-us/tv/news/stephen-colbert-s-late-show-canceled-after-trump-lawsuit-settlement-sparks-backlash/ar-AA1IRlgw?ocid=BingNewsSerp

[4] https://www.huffpost.com/entry/nancy-pelosi-reveals-why-republicans-wont-cross-trump_n_6878bf6ce4b09816d3162894

[5] https://www.npr.org/2025/04/29/nx-s1-5327518/donald-trump-100-days-retribution-threats

[6] https://www.axios.com/2024/12/25/companies-donate-trump-inauguration

[7] https://apnews.com/article/trump-retribution-columbia-paul-weiss-law-firms-40c8cbafaa3592a6b2cc5858770d3731

[8] https://www.msn.com/en-us/news/us/resistance-2-0-protests-get-louder-and-more-organized/ar-AA1IAIX9?ocid=BingNewsSerp

[9] https://www.rollingstone.com/politics/politics-features/trump-authoritarian-no-kings-playbook-1235388347/

The Struggle for the Soul of America: It’s Up to Us, the American People

Posted on July 3, 2025 by Author: Bruce Berlin

Lately, it’s become even clearer that it’s up to us, the American People, to save our democracy. If you thought that the Congress or the Democrats or the Supreme Court would save us from Trump’s authoritarianism, think again.

As for the House of Representatives, the Republicans are in complete control. No way they were going to find common ground with the Democrats on anything of import. While I had some hope that Republican “moderates” in the Senate would save us from Trump’s horrendous budget bill, in the end Alaskan Republican Sen. Murkowski, who had hinted at again standing up to Trump, folded and became the crucial 50^th vote to support the bill. Once she got what she wanted for Alaskans, which wasn’t all that much[1], Murkowski got on board. To hell with the needs of the rest of the country, including millions of low-income Republicans who will lose their healthcare coverage under this bill.

The Democrats in both chambers, on the other hand, were solid in their opposition to the bill. Still, there was little in the way of real outcry from the Blue Team. While they went through the motions—making Senate Republicans read the entire 887-page bill out loud and forcing votes on numerous amendments, all of which were defeated—to slow the process down somewhat, they did nothing to reduce the terrible impact the bill will have on most Americans. Low-income people who need government assistance, like Medicaid, the most, will be hit the hardest. Black Americans, students and those needing food assistance will also be negatively affected in a big way. Where is the Democrats’ outrage! What are they doing to mobilize all those opposed to Trump’s power grabs? And how are they going to make the Republicans accountable?

As for the Supreme Court, it’s recent ruling in the birthright citizenship case of Trump v. CASA siding with Trump puts all our rights at risk. Michael Waldman, President of the Brennan Center for Justice at NYU School of Law, noted that the CASA decision banning nationwide injunctions stripped federal judges of a key power used to stop illegal actions. The Court has handed Trump greater executive power at the expense of all Americans, just as its ruling on presidential immunity did last year.[2]

That means it’s up to us. We, the people, are the only ones who can save our democracy. But what can we do?

The national, grassroots organization, Indivisible, has a plan: One Million Rising, Strategic Non-cooperation to Fight Authoritarianism. One Million Rising is “a national effort to train one million people in the strategic logic and practice of non-cooperation, as well as the basics of community organizing and campaign design.”[3] The three-part, online training begins on July 16. For more details and to sign up for the training, go to https://www.mobilize.us/nokings/event/803953/?utm_source=email&utm_medium=_20250702link4.

We can stop Trump. But it’ll take all of us — not just on single days of mass action, but through sustained organizing in our communities. I urge you to sign up and get involved. Like never before, our country needs all of us now!

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.

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.yahoo.com/news/carveouts-alaska-tax-breaks-whalers-210111943.html?fr=yhssrp_catchall; https://www.yahoo.com/news/senate-republicans-sneak-wild-rule-131807906.html

[2] https://www.commondreams.org/opinion/supreme-court-nationwide-injunction

[3] https://www.mobilize.us/nokings/event/803953/?utm_source=email&utm_medium=_20250702link4

The Struggle for the Soul of America: We Will Stop Trump

Posted on June 20, 2025 by Author: Bruce Berlin

Last Saturday’s No Kings protest provided some hope that the American people can, and will, stop Donald Trump’s rush toward authoritarianism. While millions of Americans marching in the streets sent a strong message, that alone will not be enough to deter Trump. More must be done.

Recently, the youth-led Sunrise Movement announced the “End the Oligarchy, Save Our Futures” initiative, which aims to mobilize millions of people against the Trump administration and its backers in the fossil fuel industry.[1] It seeks to make the U.S. environmental and labor movements into a powerful political force.

“We intend to make sure millions of students are ready to join workers in demanding an overhaul of our political and economic system so that it finally works for everyday people,” proclaimed Aru Shiney-Ajay, executive director of the Sunrise Movement.[2] Once again, it’s the people, not the politicians, who are leading the fight.

At the same time, Indivisible Santa Fe is lobbying for a bipartisan Senate caucus to save our democracy. This caucus would work to stop Trump from taking actions that would directly threaten our democracy, such as denying the right of habeas corpus or ignoring Supreme Court rulings and possibly preventing a war with Iran. This caucus could be a very effective antidote to Trump’s unethical and unlawful edicts.

Indivisible members from New Mexico will be meeting with staff from Sen. Ben Ray Lujan’s office on Thursday, June 26, on a number of matters, including the possible formation of a bipartisan Senate caucus to save our democracy. Specifically, we are asking Sen. Lujan to approach Alaskan Republican Sen. Lisa Murkowski and suggest they co-chair the caucus together.

The greater the number of New Mexicans who call or email Lujan urging him to support our proposal, the more likely he will agree to forming the caucus and asking Sen. Murkowski to co-chair it with him. So, here’s something you can do right now to help stop Trump. Call (202-224-6621) or write (https://www.lujan.senate.gov/contact/contact-form/) to Ben Ray and urge him to reach out to Sen. Murkowski and ask her to co-chair a bipartisan Senate caucus to Save Our Democracy with him. Once you’ve done that, forward this email to all your friends and colleagues, and ask them to contact Lujan as well.

Together, we will stop Trump.

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.

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

[1] https://www.commondreams.org/news/trump-climate-protest-oligarchy

[2] Ibid.