With the arrival of Pope Leo XIV on the international scene, the world will now be able to contrast the words and behavior of President Trump with that of a true man of God. Not since the president’s inaugural prayer service when Episcopalian Bishop Mariann Budde appealed for mercy have we seen such a light shining out of the darkness.
Every week the world is witnessing the brazen actions of our president challenging Biblical tenets, questioning the Rule of Law, denying Due Process, and defying common decency. Some say President Trump does this to seize the daily attention of social media and the evening news; others say it is to drive his critics to exhaustion.
I suspect the Trump Administration is doomed to fail largely due to inept and ideological appointees, but also because of the president’s own pride and self-indulgence. Policies based on hate and retribution ultimately will backfire, especially for a president who flirts with demagoguery and disregards the needs of average Americans.
Even the most secular of observers can see that the cruel and deceptive practices of the Trump Administration are adding up quickly. Since most Americans are still decent people, I believe our judicial system will prevail, Congress will experience a power shift, and the corrupt MAGA “house of cards” will fall in on itself. Anticipating that day, the rest of us need to unite with common purpose to rebuild the integrity and promise of America.
Choose Democracy founder Daniel Hunter has identified four pathways to resist the authoritarian impulses of the Trump Administration, and several of these should suit even the most conflict-averse American citizen:
- Protect People: We must organize at the community level to support those losing jobs or health insurance and stand with vulnerable, marginalized people, including foreign workers and legal refugees.
- Defend Civic Institutions: Clearly the Trump Administration is seeking to weaken government to minimize regulation and maximize corporate profits, all while threatening personal rights and freedoms. Every federal agency is engaged in its own internal fight, and those inside need our external support.
- Disrupt and Disobey: This pathway goes beyond protesting bad policies to showing some form of resistance. In effective actions, the ultimate goal is to pave a nonviolent path for mass noncooperation – the most effective strategy to displace authoritarians.
- Build Alternatives: We need to have a collaborative vision for the future and show preference for ways of governing (and budgeting) that are both just and compassionate. Eastern Idaho boasts several examples where folks with differing perspectives have come to respect one another and have created lasting solutions through responsible research and cost-effective compromise.
We can also learn from the lessons of past federal administrations. This Saturday, May 17, Bonneville County Democrats are pleased to host former Maryland Governor and Social Security Commissioner Martin O’Malley. For more information on the annual Truman Banquet, visit our website: bonndemocrats.org/truman.
Jan Brown is a retired nonprofit executive who is State Committeewoman for the Bonneville County Democrats and Region 7 Representative on the Idaho Democratic Party Executive Committee.