How to prevent America and the world from falling into fascism
10 July 2024
We now have 119 days of freedom until the November 5, 2024 election.
Here are 11 suggestions from Robert Reich on what we can do:
Friends,
Some of us have families and live in communities that agree with us about the profound danger of another Trump presidency. But some of you have close relatives — a parent, child, sibling, even a spouse — who supports Trump. You feel dismayed by what has happened to them.
Others of you live in a town or city where there are many Trump supporters, or in a red state, or in a neighborhood where you see lots of Trump lawn signs and bumper stickers. You feel isolated and fearful.
Some of you are confused about whether Biden is the strongest candidate to take on Trump, and you’re worried about what Biden and the Democrats will decide.
I can’t sugarcoat this. It is dismaying, frightening, and worrying. We have already endured four years of Trump, and another term could tip America and the world into full-throated fascism. Trump has become even more unhinged and vindictive, and more knowledgeable about how to get horrendous things done.
Here are 11 suggestions for what you can do in the 118 days before Election Day:
Try not to allow issues such as whether Biden should resign, or his degree of responsibility for Gaza, to get in the way of your determination not to let Trump back into the White House. Regardless of our differences over these issues, they pale compared to the threat Trump poses.
For the same reason, please don’t decide to leave the top of the ticket blank or to vote for a third party or not to vote at all. All make it easier for Trump to win. Instead, make sure you and everyone you know and trust is registered to vote, and votes for Joe Biden or whomever is the Democratic candidate for president.
Don’t become so upset with politics that you drop out, stop reading the news, or give up on activism. The stakes are just too high. Even if you cannot take much time out of your normal life, you need to help organize, mobilize, and energize others.
Focus your time and energies on convincing people who still have open minds, to oppose Trump. Mobilize those who don’t normally vote, to vote. Organize get-out-the-vote efforts in your community. Get young people involved.
Counter lies with truth. When you hear someone repeating a Trump Republican lie, correct it.
Do not tolerate bigotry and hate. Call it out. Stand up to it. Denounce it. Demand that others denounce it, too.
Do not resort to violence, name-calling, bullying, or any of the other tactics that Trump followers may be using.
Be compassionate toward hardcore followers of Trump, but be firm in your opposition. Understand why someone may decide to support Trump, but don’t waste time and energy trying to convert them.
Don’t waste your time and energy commiserating with people who already agree with you, or criticizing Democrats for failing to communicate more effectively. None of this will get you anything except an upset stomach.
Demonstrate, but don’t confuse demonstrating with political action. You may find it gratifying to stand on a corner in Berkeley with a sign asking drivers to “honk if you hate fascism” that elicit lots of honks, but it’s as politically effectual as taking a warm shower.
Finally, don’t let any sensationalized news of the day divert your eyes from the goal: protecting American democracy during one of the greatest stress tests it has had to endure, fueled by one of the worst demagogues in American history.
I cannot overstate how critical the outcome of the next 118 days will be to everything you and I want for America and the world.
Be well and be strong.
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Thanks for your comment. The question is - at this stage, with 5 weeks until the convention and 2 1/2 months until early voting, what candidate has a better chance than Biden? It's too late to start a campaign and its risky because even an experienced candidate may crash (see Michael Bloomberg). Perhaps Harris, but she is already part of the ticket, as you indicate. So best to focus on supporting Biden and beating Trump - following your 10% / 90% formula does the trick.
Joe Biden often says, "Don't compare me with the Almighty, compare me with the alternative". There is a total lack of symmetry in our choice. For Biden to be as good as Trump is foul, his goodness would have to be Godlike. So, as much as I like and admire Joe Biden, My vote will be one tenth For Biden and nine tenths Against the criminal fascist Trump.
I was shaken yesterday to read about the trend lines in voter opinion since the debate. If Biden should step aside, the only rational replacement would be his Vice President, Kamala Harris. The primary voters who made Joe Biden their presidential candidate Also voted for Kamala Harris as their vice-presidential candidate; and the primary duty of a Vice President is the responsibility of stepping in to replace the President when that becomes necessary. To choose anyone else is to Disregard the millions of voters who chose this team. In addition, I believe that as part of that team Kamala would have access to all the donations that have been made to Biden-Harris. No one else would have access, so that hypothetical alternate candidate would have to start collecting from zero.