The Struggle for the Soul of America: In the Spirit of Martin Luther King, Jr., It’s Time to Stand Up for Our Country

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You know about the atrocities. Armed ICE agents are making communities across our country less safe and considerably more dangerous, particularly in Minneapolis. Masked agents in unmarked vehicles are pulling people out of their cars, grabbing neighbors off the streets, using tear gas, pepper spray, and chokeholds, and shooting innocent people who are exercising their First Amendment right to protest.

         Meanwhile, a great many Americans are sitting at home, disturbed, afraid, feeling hopeless and helpless.[1] And that’s exactly what Donald Trump and his regime want — to cower us into submission. Let’s not let him get away with that.

         Let’s all of us stand up and push back against Trump’s autocratic rule. It’s up to the American people to reclaim our democracy. Throughout our history, mass movements have consistently been successful in overcoming the forces working against our right to freedom, justice and equality. Whether it was the Abolitionists, the Labor Unions, the Civil Rights activists, the Women’s Rights advocates, or many other movements since we declared our independence from the King of England, the American people prevailed.

Now is the time to come to the aid of our country.

         We cannot trust the politicians to save us. When we all stand up and fight for the principles that are the foundation of our nation, the Republican Congress will be compelled to re-establish its Constitutional oversight authority over the Executive Branch and re-instate the rule of law that Trump has trampled on.

One thing we all can do is take an active role in opposing America’s want-to-be king. Talk to your family, friends and neighbors. Find out how they feel about what is happening in our country. Encourage them to get involved. The bigger our movement is, the greater our ability to succeed.

Anyone who is not helping in one way or another to stop Trump is reducing our chances of success. During Hitler’s reign in Germany, there were a great number of Germans who did not support him but neither did they resist his murderous regime. They were labeled ‘Good Germans’ whose failure to actively oppose Hitler gave Nazism more legitimacy, influence and overwhelming power.[2]

We are already well on our way to following in the footsteps of Nazi Germany. Trump’s use of ICE as his personal police force to terrorize Americans, immigrants, racial minorities and anyone else who opposes him reminds us of Hitler’s Gestapo. He says that nothing except the dictates of his own morality can stop him.[3] But the only morality Trump has is that which benefits him personally.

We, the People who believe in democracy are the only ones who can stop Trump.

If we are to win this battle for the soul of America, we must come together and build a massive democracy movement. As Benjamin Franklin famously stated at the signing of the Declaration of Independence, “We must all hang together, or, most assuredly, we shall all hang separately.”[4]

I know it’s cold and you are exhausted. But so were those valiant patriots who fought the British at Valley Forge and our brave troops who stormed the Normandy beaches. We must honor them by joining together now to defeat Trump. Join a protest, rally or march in your community and help build a massive, non-violent movement to save our democracy. In Santa Fe, come to the Plaza on January 20th, at 10:30 am and let your voice ring out for freedom. As Martin Luther King, Jr. proclaimed, “Together, we shall overcome.”

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://www.google.com/search?q=what+%25+of+Americans+are+not+actively+involved+in+political+change&oq=what+%25+of+Americans+are+not+actively+involved+in+political+change&gs_lcrp=EgZjaHJvbWUyBggAEEUYOTIHCAEQIRiPAjIHCAIQIRiPAtIBCTMzMzk0ajBqNKgCA7ACAfEFmq252a6wTzI&sourceid=chrome&ie=UTF-8

[2] https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Good_German

[3] https://www.nytimes.com/video/us/politics/100000010632450/trump-international-law-greenland.html

[4] https://www.google.com/search?q=ben+franklin+on+hanging+together&oq=Ben+Franklin+on+hang&gs_lcrp=EgZjaHJvbWUqCAgBEAAYFhgeMgYIABBFGDkyCAgBEAAYFhgeMggIAhAAGBYYHjIICAMQABgWGB4yCAgEEAAYFhgeMggIBRAAGBYYHjIICAYQABgWGB4yCAgHEAAYFhgeMggICBAAGBYYHjINCAkQABiGAxiABBiKBdIBCTE1MzE2ajBqNKgCA7ACAfEFzte0VL2_czI&sourceid=chrome&ie=UTF-8

The Struggle for the Soul of America: Have Americans Finally Had Enough of the Trump Regime’s Crimes and Coverups?

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Anyone who watched the video of the killing of Renee Good by an ICE agent on January 7th in Minneapolis could only conclude that the officer was not justified in using deadly force against Ms. Good. The victim, a 37-year–old mother of three, was fleeing the scene. When he fired the shots at point blank range into her vehicle, the officer was just outside the driver’s side window, not in front of her vehicle where he could have been struck by her vehicle. The officer’s life was not in danger. If he believed the driver had committed a crime and was trying to escape, the officer could have easily shot her front tire, which would have prevented her from driving away without killing her.

An objective observer could not state that the officer was acting in self-defense, the only legal basis for using deadly force in that situation. Yet, that is what the Trump administration wants the American people to believe.

            In fact, no matter what the circumstances, we are only permitted to consider what Trump wants us to believe. That’s how autocrats operate. The truth is whatever the dictator says is true. Trump affirmed as much when he recently told reporters from the NY Times: “My own morality. My own mind. It’s the only thing that can stop me.”[1] So far, Trump has been able to get away with that charade, whether it’s the Epstein conspiracy to commit the sex trafficking of minors, or the alleged drug smuggling by fishing boats off the coast of Venezuela.

            But, in the murder of Renee Good, we are able to see what actually happened with our own eyes. And it’s clear that the Trump administration is doing whatever it can to cover that up. Why else would all the Republicans on the House Oversight Committee vote to block an investigation of what happened?[2] Why else would Trump’s FBI block Minnesota officials from accessing evidence.[3] Why else would Trump immediately claim that Ms. Good “violently, willfully, and viciously ran over the ICE Officer, who seems to have shot her in self-defense,”[4] when the video clearly shows she was driving away, and not trying to run the officer over. And, why else would Secretary of Homeland Security Noem immediately determine that Ms. Good was a “domestic terrorist” intentionally attempting to kill the ICE officer prior to any investigation.[5]

            In the wake of Ms. Good’s killing, NY Times columnist Michelle Goldberg wrote: “All of us, citizens and immigrants alike, are being ruled by people who think life is a privilege bestowed by authority, and death is a fair penalty for disobedience.”[6] It’s time all Americans – left, right, and center – stand up for our rights to self-governance and justice for all. We must come together and take back our government from Trump’s corrupt, lawless administration. We must do it now before it’s too late.

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://www.nytimes.com/live/2026/01/08/us/trump-nyt-interview

[2] https://www.commondreams.org/news/ice-shoot-woman

[3] https://www.nytimes.com/2026/01/08/us/minnesota-ice-shooting-news.html

[4] https://www.yahoo.com/news/articles/trump-baselessly-claims-ice-shooting-222722975.html

[5] https://www.msn.com/en-us/news/crime/kristi-noem-calls-for-doj-to-prosecute-dead-ice-shooting-victim-as-domestic-terrorist/ar-AA1TMfKD?ocid=BingNewsVerp

[6] https://www.nytimes.com/2026/01/08/opinion/renee-good-minnesota-shooting-ice.html

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

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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 250th 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?

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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

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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 1st 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. 5th. 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.

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.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

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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 218th 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.

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://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

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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.

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/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

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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.

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

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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.

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://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

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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.

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.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