The basic truth: They’re going to get away with as much as they can, until the people stop them. So that’s our job: Get in the gears, slow it down, build pressure to stop them. It can feel daunting. They have started in high gear and are plowing through policy and people. It’s painful to watch Trump’s reckless assault hurting so many people and things we care about. There is phenomenal lurking danger as Musk gains untold access to the government’s backends. (For those who find details helpful, Heather Cox does a very informative substack with the latest twists and… Read full email…

Trump’s flood the zone strategy is exhausting. It’s easy to lose track of important storylines and to feel psychologically overwhelmed. That’s the goal. (It is also an indication of something very important: his policies are not popular!) Trump wants you — all of us — staying frenetic and ungrounded. As folks are gearing into motion (more on that below), we want to help all of us steady ourselves for the times ahead. Whether you’ve been in rapid motion or completely frozen — join with us on Wednesdays at 12:53pm for a one-minute moment of silence. We call it: a Minute… Read full email…

Trump is doing awful things. We won’t try to list them, though we will reiterate we are in the midst of an administrative coup (scary things like Musk seizing all government personnel records and locking out senior workers). Amidst this we remain focused on how people are digging in their heels and keep resisting. As adrienne marie brown writes: “remember the future is unwritten. we are not IN their story even if we are IMPACTED by it. we have to keep writing and living OUR stories, the ones where justice and love and equality and material well-being and care and… Read full email…

Despite his dreams, Trump is not a King. Marisa Kabas may have again broken the news. The Washington Post writes: “The White House budget office on Wednesday rescinded an order freezing federal grants, according to a copy of a new memo obtained by The Washington Post, after the administration’s move to halt spending earlier this week provoked a backlash.” He didn’t back down because it was a good idea. It wasn’t a change of heart. It wasn’t a feint. It was a genuine administrative coup that — for now — has been thwarted. He backed down because people pushed back… Read full email…

Hey friends! We’re seeing a lot of terrible things. We’re not able to cover all of them, but we felt this latest one is a really big deal and needs much more awareness. Our summary is this: It’s an administrative coup. Trump has ordered tens of billions (maybe up to $3 trillion) of budget halted indefinitely in a blatantly illegal move. He’s claiming power to halt and potentially redirect funding that’s already been authorized by Congress — a classic authoritarian move. Here’s what we know. And we’re doing our best to catch up with this story, because it’s moving fast.… Read full email…

That clenching feeling in your stomach? That restlessness? That mind jumping around checking the news anxiously? That’s a normal response to an abnormal situation. We strongly suggest some deep breathing, sharing with friends how you truly are, and digging into your spiritual and physical practices. We definitely recommend these 7 practices at Finding Steady Ground: (Read more at Finding Steady Ground.) Over the coming weeks, we’re not going to do a blow-by-blow of this new administration, but we did think it worthwhile to share our “hot take” on what’s we’re seeing. We look forward to others with more expertise on… Read full email…

On January 20th, some very important things will happen. Sure, Trump is ushering in a bunch of billionaires to formally take control of government. But our neighbors are preparing, too. Many will be honoring the great Martin Luther King, Jr — in protest, in song, in resistance. Folks who keep our country functioning will keep working. Organizers are hosting meetings. Trees will be keep reaching for the sky… and on and on. Our attitude today: don’t focus all your attention on the bad thing. Focus on the people working, fighting, whistle-blowing, organizing, and campaigning for a better world, too. Best… Read full email…