It’s Monday again and the world hasn’t exploded yet, but steam is leaking from the cracks. I don’t think it’s just me that feels somewhat overwhelmed by this Administration’s antics and activities. They just keep wrecking and threatening closings and firings at a rate that will overwhelm us. They threaten to shut down Social Security because DOGE is not allowed access to personal information. They threaten Judges who rule against them. All these things and more, oh so much more, are very disorienting and disconcerting.
Maybe that is the point! When we are stumbling around, somewhat off balance, reacting to one crisis after another, it is easier for this authoritarian onslaught to take hold. The Republican Party, through the Citizens United decision, has become a wholly owned subsidiary of Corporate America and Billionaire money. One just has to examine the votes of Members of Congress and the policies they support and pit them against the source of their donations to understand the toxic symbiotic relationship there. The power of money to influence the beliefs of the populace cannot be overlooked. This could be called Advertising 101. How many times have you bought a product, after seeing ads for it 50-75 times, only to find out that it does not live up to its hype! This is the essence of the Trump Administration, smoke mirrors and deceit.
The failure of the Republican Party, and a significant number of elected within it, to live up to their oath of office and defend The Constitution and their constituents, is a major problem for them going forward. When some of their schemes take form and begin to harm people who voted for them, the magic of their rhetoric will disappear when healthcare diminishes, financial support ceases and the idea of “get the libs” becomes “oh shoot, I just got myself.” Sadly, it appears that we will all take a hit before the tide turns.
That brings the problem squarely to our doorstep. What could we do? What should we do? What we should not do is pick a fight with our relatives, friends, or neighbors. That would sustain the walls already between us, when we should be chipping away at them. We also should not be running around in a confused state like Chicken Little claiming the sky is falling. There is a concerted effort through letter writing, phone calls, protests, demonstrations, lawsuits, and town halls, to have our voices heard. Trump is losing in court, he is losing in public opinion, and his Republican enablers are coming under increasing pressure and scrutiny from their constituents. He strikes back with threats, name calling, and unfounded accusations. Many of his wants and desires have been delayed, diminished, or reversed.
We need to pick a narrow range of Trump policies to object to. We can be most effective if we do that. I think that, for Jefferson County Democrats, the four buckets we should dump our efforts into are: 1. Healthcare, including the ACA, Medicare, and Medicaid; 2. Social Security; 3. Veterans care; 4. Education. I believe these issues affect more Jefferson Countians in a non-partisan way than anything else and thus are much more likely to boost our position.
Our next Discussion Group, led by Bridget Shaffer, is titled “What Can We Do.” On Wednesday, April 16 at7pm we will meet at the office and discuss just that. Come and join in. Demonstrations and protests locally are not out of the question. We will be investigating possibilities soon.
We have office hours Wednesday 4-7pm, and Saturday 12-3pm and we could use a little help. Call Tammy or come into the office and sign up.
Participate, Donate, Vote.
John Huot, JeffDems Chair
Donations Needed and Accepted
The Jefferson County Democratic Committee (JeffDems) is funded primarily through local donations. We rely on the generosity of local Democrats to enable all our initiatives, including our year-round Office/HQ which functions as “JeffDems Central.” Please start a monthly recurring donation to JeffDems, large or small, using the ActBlue link below, or of course, one-time donation
“Jefferson County Democratic Committee”
c/o Steve Larchuk, Treasurer
PO Box 266
Punxsutawney, PA 15767
or use ActBlue I just gave to Jefferson County Democratic Committee.(PA)!
CALENDAR
*2025: Continuing need for volunteer time at the Office
– It is important that we remain active and have a presence in the community. Please contact John, John, or Tammy to schedule
– 4-7pm (Wednesday) and 12-3pm (Saturday) every week
*April 16, 7PM: Discussion Group – Bridget Shaffer. What we can do.
*May 7, 7PM: Discussion Group – Trump at 100 Days, a Report Card
