While a lot of us are making our annual resolutions to lose weight, the president-elect has been resolving on a larger scale. Reverse the Affordable Care Act, make climate change denial the country’s official policy, circle the wagons against the alien threat, and, in some strange dance with his Russian counterpart, take us back to the bracing days of the Cold War nuclear arms race. Etc.
In response to which we, the majority losers, are coming up with our own resolutions.
A lot of people are resolving to reform the Democratic Party. Bernie Sanders is inviting a mass movement to coalesce around him. Can we count on other inspirational leaders such as Elizabeth Warren and the carismatic Obamas to join him?
Perhaps the Republicans who not long ago were declaring “never Trump” Romney, McCain, Colin Powell, all those are resolving to to make good on that resolution to defend decent Republicanism.
The whole state of California, the world’s 6th largest economy, has issued a a resolution in the form of a joint statement by state legislators of resistance to Trump.
“By a margin in the millions, Californians overwhelmingly rejected politics fueled by resentment, bigotry, and misogyny. . . California is – and must always be – a refuge of justice and opportunity for people of all walks, talks, ages and aspirations – regardless of how you look, where you live, what language you speak, or who you love. . . .
We are not going to allow one election to reverse generations of progress at the height of our historic diversity, scientific advancement, economic output, and sense of global responsibility. We will not be dragged back into the past. We will lead the resistance to any effort that would shred our social fabric or our Constitution.”
Governor Jerry Brown has personally called Trump out on climate change, “I wouldn’t underestimate California’s resolve if everything moves in this extreme climate denial direction. Yes, we will take action.” Fightin’ words. Action? What sort of action? What sort of resistance?
(Our own state defeated Trump by about the same 2 to 1 margin as California. We have a Republican governor, but one who at least a few months ago expressed appropriate disdain for Trump. Where’st our own resolution of resistance to the Trump future?)
MoveOn.org recently issued its own rousing resolution. “You and I—together, alongside millions of other Americans—we are the resistance. It’s now clear that we can’t count on the norms of democracy to keep Trump in check. . . What we do have going forward is the power of a fierce, creative, peaceful, and determined resistance . . .standing up to Trump every step of the way and fighting for the heart, soul, and future of our country.” Gotta like the sound of that. What form might that fierce, creative, determined, yet peaceful resistance will take, other than sending money to MoveOn.org and signing their many petitions?
Locally, The well attended Falmouth forum of last month resolved to oppose Trump’s resolutions. Our local congressional delegation should be announcing plans for this time of crisis.
A recent My View piece, urges newspapers to resolve to step up their role in keeping track of Trump’s conflicts of interest, “so they can be debated and, if necessary, acted upon by the public and Congress” That key phrase, “acted on by the public”–one wonders what the writer has in mind. How does the public act except through elected reps?
There has been a veritable orgy of anti-Trump talk over the p ast year. The action starts, I guess, with the Million Woman March post-inauguration and the many satellite marches around the country.
Desperate times call for desperate measures. How desperate will 2017 prove to be? And For whom? And spawning what sort of desperate measures?
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