The Struggle for the Soul of America: These are the Times That Try Our Souls

Posted on February 9, 2026 by Author: Bruce Berlin

In December of 1776, in the midst of the American Revolutionary War, Thomas Paine famously wrote: “These are the times that try men’s souls.”[1]

Today, we are again in such a time.

Then, Americans were fighting for their independence from a foreign sovereign, the King of England. Now, we are struggling for our freedom from a domestic would-be king, Donald Trump.

Most Americans are familiar with at least some of the very long list of the president’s outrageous, corrupt, often criminal efforts to enrich himself and his family, dismantle the government, overthrow our democracy and establish an autocracy with Trump as the country’s supreme leader. While practically all the Democrats have been opposing many of his authoritarian initiatives over the past year, only a few Republicans have dared to resist Trump to various degrees.

Recently, however, more Republicans, including Senate Majority Leader John Thune (R-SD), have publicly objected to a few of Trump’s outlandish proposals. This past week, for example, Thume and other Congressional Republicans rejected Trump’s call to nationalize elections in at least 12 states,[2] undoubtedly all blue states.

While greater Republican opposition to Trump would help bring him down, the truth of the matter is that only the American people en masse can rid our nation of the grifter-in-chief now occupying the White House. If a three-time Trump voter can finally see this president for whom he truly is, and apologize for “supporting this rotten, rotten man,”[3] then there is still hope that we, the people will prevail over this poor excuse for a president. Still, the question is: Will enough of us rise to the challenge before it’s too late? Clearly time in running out.

But, as much as this is a question of Americans’ determination and courage, it is also one for soulful reflection. All of us must go deep inside and examine who we really are at our core and what we want for our country. Do we truly believe in, as Lincoln proclaimed at Gettysburg, “government of the people, by the people, (and) for the people”?

In addition to taking the time to march in the next No Kings protest on March 28^th, are we willing to sacrifice our modern conveniences and boycott Amazon, Microsoft, Apple, and the multitude of corporate vendors that have bowed down to Trump, in order to pressure them to support American democracy rather than Trump’s corrupt, self-serving regime?

Summoning all Americans to join in a national boycott of these corporate giants, NYU Professor of Marketing Scott Galloway explained:

…we must recognize that the president is unfazed by citizen outrage, the courts, or the media. He responds to one thing: the market. The most potent weapon to resist the administration is a targeted, month-long national economic strike — a coordinated campaign that attacks tech companies and firms enabling ICE — to inflict maximum damage with minimal impact on consumers. In sum, the shortest path to change without hurting consumers is an economic strike targeted at the companies driving the markets and enabling our president.

Professor Galloway has already begun a month-long national boycott of these major companies that are enabling the Trump regime. Check out https://www.resistandunsubscribe.com/.

Some argue that an economic boycott would be more effective if it targeted just one company at first to demonstrate the power of the people. And that we then build toward a general strike as we are successful in pressuring that corporation to abandon Trump and, instead, work to strengthen our democracy. In fact, that may be a better way to involve more people and have a greater impact.

In any event, if enough of us engage in some form of an economic strike, we, the people could turn our nation away from authoritarianism and back toward democracy. Discuss this with your friends and family. And go deep within.

What is your heart and soul calling you to do at this critical moment in our history?

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. (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 breakingbigmoneysgrip@gmail.com.

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

[1] https://ushistory.org/paine/crisis/c-01.htm

[2] https://www.msn.com/en-us/news/politics/republicans-reject-trump-s-controversial-call-to-nationalize-voting-democrats-would-go-crazy/ar-AA1VBnFA

[3] https://www.commondreams.org/news/trump-voters-regret

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: 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

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

[2] Ibid.

[3] Ibid.