July 12, 2025
Dear Friends,
Last week, Republicans rammed their so-called “big, beautiful bill” through Congress — a disgraceful budget that strips health insurance from more than 17 million Americans, slashes food assistance programs, and forces the closure of hundreds of hospitals, all to supercharge President Trump’s horrific immigration agenda and deliver trillions in tax breaks to billionaire donors. Despite a massive public outcry, GOP lawmakers rushed the bill to Trump’s desk, applauding as he signed the bill into law.
Now, Trump is compounding the damage for working families with threats of sweeping new tariffs — including a 50% tax on Brazilian imports, steep hikes on goods from other countries, and massive tariffs on copper — which would drive up prices on everything from coffee to cars. And as Americans brace for rising costs and shrinking benefits, Republicans in Congress continue to enable Trump’s reckless agenda and his growing authoritarian impulses.
With threats to our democracy growing by the day, many of my constituents have asked me one simple question in recent months: “what can we do?” This is a powerful question — one that reflects not only a deep concern for our nation but also a desire to be part of the solution. Now more than ever, the task of preserving our democracy is one that requires engagement from all of us.
With that in mind, I invited pro-democracy experts Ruth Ben-Ghiat, Professor of History at NYU, Lauren DesRosiers, Director of Albany Law School’s Immigration Law Clinic, and Corey Dukes of Protect Democracy to join me last month for an hour-long discussion to share their advice, experiences, and reflections on how we can all work to preserve our values and our freedoms. You can view the full discussion HERE, which I heartily recommend, but I also want to share some of the key takeaways from our conversation with you directly.
1) Refuse to normalize what is happening to our country — because it is not normal.
We must stay in touch with our outrage and refuse to accept the idea that the deluge of unconstitutional, horrific actions is our new normal. What is happening is not normal, and we can’t accept it as such.
2) Make democracy work part of ordinary life, not an add-on.
Lauren DesRosiers quoted Audre Lorde: “Every day of your lives is practice in becoming the person you want to be. No instantaneous miracle is suddenly going to occur and make you brave and courageous and true. And every day that you sit back silent, refusing to use your power, terrible things are being done in our name.”
3) President Trump and his administration are not invincible — they are taking losses every day.
Authoritarians want us to think they’re invincible because they want us to feel helpless, hopeless, and cynical. But Trump is not invincible — he has been successfully challenged over and over again.
4) Mass, non-violent protests do work.
We are seeing a nationwide surge of people protesting and demonstrating for what they believe in. From the Women’s March to Black Lives Matter to the recent “No Kings” mobilization, numbers matter — even when actions are local and loosely linked.
5) Don’t wait for the cavalry — become it.
Scientists cut off from NIH funding, lawyers pushing back against draconian immigration raids, and pediatric associations boycotting sham vaccine panels all show that peer-led resistance works.
6) Solidarity, not charity, prevents burnout.
We are all affected by what is happening. The rights of groups we don’t belong to are inextricably connected to our own rights.
7) Anticipate the next threat, not just the current one.
We must anticipate the next action, not just react to those that have already been taken. In other words, don’t chase the ball — go to where the ball is going.
8) Wallowing in the mire is not the same as picking up a shovel.
Don’t confuse reading the news and being informed with actually doing the work. One informs the other, but they aren’t the same thing.
9) President Trump is not a clown or a buffoon — don’t underestimate him.
President Trump is one of the most effective propagandists in history and has been conditioning people to believe falsehoods for the last decade.
10) Count on yourself and your fellow Americans — don’t underestimate yourself and your fellow citizens, either.
Don’t wait for permission. Start where you are, with what you have, and grow from there.
Our democracy requires constant tending, and I’m heartened to have all of you with me in this ongoing effort. While this is a dark moment with many dire threats, I won’t ever give up the fight — and I hope you won’t either. Together, we can reverse the authoritarian tide and restore the democracy we all believe in.
As always, thank you for reading.
Your friend,
DID YOU KNOW?
My office and I are working to make sure you remain informed with the latest updates, announcements, and recommendations from governments and agencies. With that in mind, here is some information that may be of interest to you:
- As wildfire season approaches, children with asthma and other respiratory health issues are particularly vulnerable to the effects of wildfire smoke.
- That’s why, on Wednesday, August 13th from 1:00 PM to 2:30 PM, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) is hosting a webinar entitled “Breathing Easier: Protecting Children with Asthma from Wildfire Smoke”
- At the webinar, you’ll hear from expert speakers drawn from the EPA’s National Environmental Leadership Award in Asthma Management winners and wildfire smoke preparedness grant program recipients.
- Speakers will share best practices on community engagement strategies, innovative approaches to integrating wildfire smoke preparedness into asthma control efforts, protecting children’s respiratory health during wildfire smoke events, and improving overall asthma health outcomes.
- You can register for the webinar by clicking HERE.
