I don’t normally talk about politics on social media. In fact, part of my brand is avoiding discussing controversies. I know weighing in on every cause célèbre is a good way to drive traffic and sell books, but I’ve never been interested in pursuing success that way.
Today is different. Today not speaking out seems like a dereliction of duty as a public figure.
I, like many of you, was horrified by the outcome of Tuesday’s election. I, like you, was unable to sleep that night. I, like you, began discussing with my family how to prepare for the dark and terrifying road ahead of us.
The Trump voters I’ve spoken to this week seem to feel this was another normal election with another coin flip result. The Harris voters I’ve spoken with fear that fascism has finally arrived in America, wrapped in the flag and carrying the cross.
I can assure you that this was not another normal election. But whether fascism has finally come may yet still be up to us.
Right now you feel powerless. And I understand that. I feel powerless, too. Speaking to my sister yesterday she said, “I wish someone would just tell me what to do, and I would do it, but nobody has any answers.” And she’s right. I don’t have any answers. But I can attempt to give you a plan for what to do right now. Perhaps this will help you feel less powerless. Here are five concrete things you can do right now:
1. Renew your passport. Where is your passport? When does it expire? If it expires in the next four years, renew it now. This process can take several months, so you want to start today. What about your loved ones? If you need to flee the country urgently because you are no longer safe, you will not even have that option if you do not get your passport ready now.
2. Make a plan for basic survival. I don’t mean anything fancy here like apocalypse prepping. If prepping makes you feel safer, by all means do that. I am not an expert but there are tons of people who are and many resources to get you prepared if you decide to just go live in the woods. But what I mean by basic survival is: is your job secure? Do you have savings? Do you have physical cash in the house if you need to flee and not be tracked by credit cards? Do you have friends in safer areas of the country who will let you stay with them if necessary?
3. Check in on your friends and family. I mentioned earlier that speaking to my sister inspired this post. You feel alone right now despite the influx of content on social media because that consists solely of Trumpies crowing and Harris supporters acting despondent. So speak with your actual, flesh and blood, loved ones on the phone or in person and make sure they are safe and okay. You will bolster each other’s spirits this way. You can talk them off any metaphorical and perhaps physical ledges. Suicide rates have skyrocketed since Tuesday. But we need everyone healthy and whole for the fight ahead. Fascism thrives in despondency. You can also take this time to discuss your survival plans with each other.
4. Contribute to legal defense funds. I can’t make any educated recommendations on who to contribute to, but organizations like the ACLU and SPLC are going to have yeoman’s work to do in the years ahead. Here’s what’s going to happen. Whether you believe Trump is a naked fascist or merely lazy, he has always shown a propensity for the path of least resistance. Conservatives are attempting to remake the federal judiciary into a rubber stamp for an authoritarian leader, and the Supreme Court is perhaps the worst offender of all. But while we still have courts, and we still have people willing to challenge Trump, we can tie him up with red tape. When he tries to issue a questionable executive order, a judge can halt that. And, sure, the case may be overturned on appeal, but federal appeals take months and months, if not years. If our worst expectations turn out to be true, then every day that Trump can’t carry out his agenda, lives will be saved. So, volunteer or contribute to organizations which will challenge his administration, even if the challenges seem futile or turn out to be. We may simply be playing for time because in two years we need to:
5. Organize and prepare for 2026. There is a slim chance that the House of Representatives will flip blue this election cycle. When I was first preparing this post, I was going to emphasize that more, but it seems less and less likely the more time goes by. If we do get the House, that’s not nothing, because one chamber of the congress is enough to foil two presidential terms. If you don’t believe me, just ask President Obama. But let’s assume that doesn’t pan out in 2024, because we are living in the darkest possible timeline. Guess what? We still don’t have to endure four years of Trump. We may only have to endure two years of Trump. If we take back one chamber of congress in 2026, we can resist the MAGA agenda. If we take back both, we can utterly spoil it. Trump will be so wrapped up in investigations and legal fights he won’t be able to accomplish anything, even with an imperial presidency. I know it seems like electoral politics have failed us, and many people I know and respect argue that it’s way past time to ignore this point and focus solely on mutual aid such as I discussed in points 2 and 3. But let me leave you with this. Liberals organize every four years and focus on presidential elections, congratulate themselves when they win, and then hope everything will pan out. Conservatives organize every fucking week, from the pulpit of every church in the country, and then every month in the PTAs and school boards, and their agenda is constantly at the forefront of every discussion. It puts liberals on the back foot, always scrambling to react and it’s how they win. So if you still believe in electoral politics and you want to win, you have to start organizing for 2026 right now. Contact your local party, contribute to a campaign fund, organize an affinity group, run for dogcatcher or something yourself. Stop the doomscrolling and start on that.
Thanks, everybody. And look out for each other.
