No one is coming to save us; you are all we’ve got
Hi All! This is a do or dictatorship moment that will last 10 months. Breathe. This is a long letter, so if you’re pressed for time or patience, read only the bold type. But, please read and respond! All actions for the week of 1/5/26 are on closterpatriots@blsky.social
This letter is meant to propel you into action, like a Freedom Frisbee. (Forgive me, if you’re already working like a one-armed paperhanger.) The bilious ooze of this administration’s corruption will overtake every one of us sooner or later, if we don’t put up a big, stinking fight, and we are entering cannot-turn-back-territory.
I think most in our group are acutely aware of this, but many are not. Please talk to family and friends, and people as you can. Networking is key. I carry my cards everywhere Carry the warning everywhere. Do not kid yourself, this is gravely serious for the country we love, but there are things we can do, so let me know what you can do:
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Let’s give each of these the importance it actually has for our future. Choose one you’d be willing to work on with others:
Finding Good Candidates:
Look for folks who are connected to their community, who are focused on the issues that are priorities for their community, who have what it takes to fight for us.
Using Municipal Tactics
ICE All municipal politicians serving in official capacities take an oath to uphold the Constitution. We have the right and the duty to demand that the municipal properties we fund with our taxes do not support erosion of our Constitutional rights. Through our town councils, we can stop ICE from using municipal property to stage their actions., for violating due process. Contact your council members and see what they can do to help.
If you’re interested in working on this, let me know.
https://substack.com/@robertreich/note/c-180850433?utm_source=notes-share-action&r=6zsfak
We need guidance for submitting ordinances to our town councils, likely through our Democratic council members. Any lawyers or law students out there who can help out? Ready to put your special knowledge and skills to work with this?
Info on completed and ongoing municipal actions around the country can be found here:
https://www.hopiumchronicles.com/p/hopiums-resolutions-project-draft?utm_source=substack&utm_medium=email
These innovative ideas, starting locally, will have a lot of impact, overall.Do you have an idea that would work for us at the municipal or county level?
Education
We need to put up viable candidates not of the maga persuation. We have to put a stop to book banning, revisionist history, and the promotion of specific ideologies in our schools, under the guise of education. Find good Board of Education candidates and back them until they win. Support the NEA and teachers’ unions. Attend BoE meetings. (Sigh, sorry)
Book banning at libraries has been targeted in towns, not just big universities. Read this, if you have doubts:
https://thetonymichaels.substack.com/p/the-shelf-is-being-emptied-scotus?utm_source=post-email-title&publication_id=3358962&post_id=182931325&utm_campaign=email-post-title&isFreemail=true&
Citizens United
Since 2006, the Roberts Court has struck down every major attempt to limit political spending. The federal path is closed. But, state attorneys general can still prosecute. The FEC can’t stop them, and neither can the Supreme Court. Our state Attorney General can prosecute all surreptitious or chain-action campaign donations as fraud, money laundering, or theft by deception. Once Mikie Sherrill has been sworn in, our NJ Attorney General will be Jennifer Davenport. Are you in position to help with this? Our NJ state reps are Republicans, so no use contacting them for support—and no reason to give them a heads-up on the action—but you can write to them and tell them you support campaign finance reform and why you don’t have confidence in them.
https://www.njassemblygop.com/directory.aspx?EID=12
https://www.njassemblygop.com/directory.aspx?EID=13
Voting Rights
including the new law that says mail you drop off at the USPO before 5 pm does not have to be postmarked that same day. What mail do you think that refers to? Mail-in ballots. Write to your senators and demand that voting rights be restored. Keep up with the ACLU on this, as well as the League of Women Voters. Both these organizations are worth a donation for their ceaseless oversight and timely responses.
Civil Rights
Due process has been left for dead, and the wheels of justice have been misdirected, so little hope there for righting Constitutional breaches. The administration will act against organizations working in the resistance, every public instance of resistance, resistance on social media, protesters, and free speech of every sort. Know what that means? This is the time to show up, as the window is closing, but people are not noticing fast enough. Reach out! Preach out!
Remember Martin Niemoller’s quote? Here it is:
“First they came for the socialists, and I did not speak out—
Because I was not a socialist.
Then they came for the trade unionists, and I did not speak out—
Because I was not a trade unionist.
Then they came for the Jews, and I did not speak out—
Because I was not a Jew.
Then they came for me—and there was no one left to speak for me.”
Unions
Support Amazon workers, Starbucks workers, and other groups seeking to make their working lives fairer and better. Form a group within your union to strengthen and support it.
Media Conglomeration
of huge news organizations under an ideological umbrella is a fire we can’t put out easily. Boycotting can be effective. Writing your disapproval to show sponsors is a time-honored tactic. Think Paramount properties, like CBS and Fox streaming services. Anyone with other boycott suggestions, let me know about them! There are many, I’m sure.
Grow Our Group
Please spread the word and bring more resisters into the mix. Share the letters. (Sigh, I know.) Resistance is not entertainment, no matter how much fun protests are. It calls for dedication, fortitude, and patience. Please realize that you are making history here. You’ll have plenty of time to loll about if we go authoritarian or any version of that. You’ll be lucky not to be harassed over something as innocuous as your shopping list. So, use your rights before they’re gone. Bring three others into the group.
Unity in action
One of our group follows the Montclair Democratic Club, and says they’re particularly savvy and active. Is anyone working with a group they think is important? Please see if your town Democratic Club can support your issues. I started with my tow Dem club, and their base has provided a lot of strength. People want to make a difference. Help them do that!
For each one of these, there is the question, what can you do? What will you do? We need to form subgroups to address these opportunities to resist and find remedies and actions that will matter.
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THIS IS IMPORTANT! THIS IS IMPORTANT! THIS IS IMPORTANT! THIS IS IMPORTANT!
We have 10 months to win in the midterms! There are more than 200 of us, and we’re not optimizing the power of our numbers. I’m determined to provide a forum for people to share ideas that will make our work greater than the sum of our individual parts. Please share what you’re doing, thoughts on the letters, anything you think will be helpful—like sites you find valuable—your concerns, and comments.
We need to create working groups within our group. Are you willing to participate in an online meeting? (I’ll find out how to do it!?)
Please reply to me, so we can plan how to be more effective..
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Yours in Solidarity,
Bonnie*
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closterpatriots@bsky.social
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*Senators who were sent the shaming letter, 12/19. Calling to read this letter to them is really good, maybe better than writing!
John Barrasso R-WY
John Boozman R-AR
Shelley Moore Capito R-WV
Bill Cassidy R-LA (Cassidy is also an MD)