These first five weeks of 2025 have already made an overwhelming year for many of us, so for our Friday water-cooler post, we thought we’d share a small slice of media we’ve been enjoying recently. What’s been your favorite article or TV show or podcast recently? It doesn’t have to be political, either—let us know in the comments.

Also, some of our friends have been rallying everyday people, especially in rural areas, to protest the shutdown of USAID, and we wanted to get y’all in on the action. USAID isn’t just a humanitarian effort that benefits people in other countries, it’s a huge investor in agriculture and rural industry right here at home. Here’s a whole set of graphics for each state on what role USAID’s contracts play there—download your state’s graphic, share it on your social media, tag your senators, and use the hashtag #USAIDRural if you can. We’re also hearing that calls to Senators, especially from Texas, Iowa, Kansas and the Dakotas, are working. Here’s a script you can use when you call.

While we’re aware of the controversies that USAID has dealt with, and we don’t love that BigAg is getting some of these federal subsidies to do their literal dirty work, the immediate effects of dismantling USAID hurts small towns and rural areas that rely on these jobs for their survival. Please give your reps a call if you can!

Now, onto our recommendations…

Corporate chieftains are giants, even geniuses – right?

Years ago, laissez-faire ideologue Ayn Rand hailed them as society’s supermen, comparing them to Atlas, the mythological Greek god who “holds the world on his shoulders.”

But look, here comes one of her modern-day gods now – Timothy Wentworth! He stands astride Walgreens, the multibillion-dollar drug store conglomerate. Last month, Wentworth demonstrated his corporate prowess by offering a stunning insight. He noted that, with shoplifting on the rise, chains like his had reacted by moving much of their merchandise into locked display cases. But the ever-alert Big Boss has now deduced that this impacts sales, “because when you lock things up, for example, you don’t sell as many of them.” Wow… pure genius!

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Did I mention that Walgreens pays Timothy $13 million a year? Or, that his monopolistic chain is closing some 1,200 of its “less-profitable” stores, which will leave entire communities with no pharmacies to meet their crucial needs?

My point is not to disparage one silly corporate boss, but simply to say: Hey, why are the so-called “leaders” of both of our political parties kowtowing to the painful ignorance, arrogance, and avarice of the most self-serving group of egos in the world: Billionaires! Look at them – Elon Musk is a jabbering jerk, Mark Zuckerberg is a pathetic whiner, and Jeff Bezos cluelessly floats around on a garish yacht he financed by underpaying and mistreating his workers.

These are our giants? What about schoolteachers, family farmers, mechanics, cooks – and other everyday people who really make things work? America needs to start listening to them… and reinvesting in their genuine genius.

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I guess I’ll just have throw myself on Donald Trump’s mercy, for I confess that I am a repeat violator of MAGA’s high crime of DEI-ism.

Diversity, Equity, Inclusion. Guilty on all counts! But it’s not my fault. From childhood, I was fed a steady diet of that kind of all-in-this-together thinking by my parents, teachers, and ministers. So next thing you know, I was doing DEI on my own. Then, when I was elected to be Texas Agriculture Commissioner, I shamelessly promoted all three as agency goals (particularly for women and minorities who had long been excluded).

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But I now see that such egalitarian concepts are out of step with the moral precepts of Trumpocracy. Thus, I’m an outlaw. You might be, too, for the MAGA minority now ruling in Washington is thuggishly expunging DEI values from our schools, corporations, libraries, churches, etc. You have two choices, they bark: Comply… or be forced to comply.

Sure enough, even corporate powerhouses like Amazon, Disney, Facebook, Target, and Walmart are sucking up to the new regime by cravenly surrendering DEI principles and promises without a fight. Well, they whine, we have no choice.

But wait—this is America! The choice has always been clear: Don’t just comply, defy! Even corporations can stand for the people’s democratic principles, as Costco recently did. The popular retailer was assailed by a right-wing group demanding that shareholders terminate its DEI efforts. But Costco executives didn’t cower, and guess what? Ninety-eight percent of Costco’s shareholders stood with them, emphatically endorsing diversity, equity, and inclusion as core American values.

This is Jim Hightower saying… 98 percent! That, Mr. Trump, is a real mandate.

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We know that the unceasing onslaught coming from the Trump administration is a lot to handle, so we wanted to share a little bit of good news that many good people we know and support are still out here organizing. Here’s one example from this weekend.

What if the Democratic Party 1) actually became a democratic entity embodying the ideals and policies of grassroots Democrats, and 2) got out of the grip of the Washington establishment to reinvest in and reinvigorate grassroots activists?

Holy Moly, it might actually be happening! This weekend's election of Ken Martin to be DNC Chair and, then, Jane Kleeb's election as president of the Association of State Democratic Chairs, give us progressives the first hope in years that we're finally on the path to real progress. Of course, the Dems old Biz-As-Usual clique is already rushing to stop any change or electoral progress—so now is the time for us activists to rally behind Ken, Jane, and the forces of change.

To get involved in pushing the Democrats back to their working class roots, here are some suggestions from leaders inside this movement for everyday people to help fuel the fires of this rebellion:

• Write a letter to the editor of your local papers and news websites. Other people in your area need to hear that there are others that feel like they do, and that the pressure is on from the grassroots. Elected and party officials pay attention to these letters and articles more than you think! Here's a guide on how to do it.

• Call in to your local radio talk shows. Similar to those letters to the editor, your job here is to help reach other people in your area to tell them you're fed up with the status quote and that you support this Democratic party overhaul. Especially in rural areas, radio is still one of the strongest ways to reach people!

• Find your county committee and get involved. Local and regional Democratic committees are going to be organizing within their states to keep the pressure coming from the bottom up. Sadly, there's no easy national database of Democratic county committees, and thanks to the Democratic Party's previous abandonment of areas they considered a lost cause, many counties don't even have an active committee. That said, you can still search online for them, and learn lessons from other successful local parties in "red" areas.

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The far-right potentates of Christian nationalism not only say they speak to God, but they now claim to speak for God.

They might, however, want to ponder a cartoon I recently saw. It pictured one of these pious flimflammers demanding entry to heaven, bragging that he had been God’s personal messenger on Earth. “Really,” said God, “You don’t look at all like Dolly Parton.”

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But now – GreatGodAlmighty! – here comes a gaggle of these lordly pretenders proclaiming that Yahweh has ordained their narrow religious sect to be America’s governmental rulers. This month, a flock of these “chosen ones” descended on the Texas state capitol, announcing that God has instructed them to transform our government into an authoritarian arm of their own fundamentalist churches. “We take charge and authority of [this] legislative session,” one of their leaders declared, informing the rest of us that his cult has “been given spiritual jurisdiction over the affairs of men.”

Unfortunately, this is not just another case of Crazy Texas. The extremist Christian nationalist show at the Texas Capitol was fully-embraced and coordinated by the extremist Republican governor, attorney general, legislative leaders, and state party hierarchy. More pointedly, it’s all part of a messianic crusade by two Bible-thumping, West Texas oil billionaires, Tim Dunn and Farris Wilks. This plutocratic/theocratic duo is pumping unlimited sums of crude political cash into the GOP to “Christianize” elections and all public policies.

So don’t laugh – pay attention. This right-wing, religious, anti-democratic power play is unfolding all across America. Ludicrous as it seems, they’re out to crucify our freedoms and force their state-run theology on everyone– all in the name of Jesus.

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In the 1787 Constitutional Convention, the framers were clear on what they were NOT creating: A monarchy. One delegate expressed the group’s absolute conviction that the founding document must exclude even the “fetus of monarchy.”

Yet, 238 years later, watching Trump’s inaugural week, it was both awful and comical to see the royal pretentions of King Donald. There were silly gestures, like him waving around a ceremonial sword (made more ludicrous by the fact he was a cowardly rich-boy draft dodger). Plus, the staged spectacle of him imperiously signing stacks of orders, proclamations, and pardons in a show of “Kingliness.”

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Petty pomposity aside, though, he is an untethered megalomaniac whose inaugural speech re-asserted such monarchial concepts as “the divine right of kings” and “manifest destiny.” And let us not naively dismiss Trump’s flat-out claim that the Constitution gives him “the right to do whatever I want as president,” or that he previously suggested “termination” of the Constitution to return him to the White House.

Indeed, he now contends that he can unilaterally terminate a bedrock Constitutional right: The 14th Amendment provision guaranteeing citizenship to everyone born in the USA. He has royally and unconstitutionally decreed that children born here whose parents were undocumented immigrants are not citizens, but “aliens.”

This is Jim Hightower saying… Well, at least there’s the 22nd Amendment, which makes clear that he can’t be president again, right? Uh… maybe. Trump is already suggesting his royal court might find a way to keep him in power, just as they’re now contriving to void the clear citizenship protection of the 14th Amendment. Despots don’t obey Constitutions – they pervert them. And We the People must reject the perverters.

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For more than 30 years, our state Democratic Party has relied on high-dollar donors and high-dollar consultants to “win Texas.”

It’s time to face up to the obvious: We haven’t. In fact, we’ve lost whole areas and communities that we grassroots Democrats used to win again and again. So here’s a thought: Let’s take our Party back to the grassroots!

· REFOCUS on year-round outreach to local people and community networks that are our natural strength.

· REINVEST in grassroots organizing and party-building all across Texas, including in long-abandoned rural areas.

· REINVIGORATE and REACTIVATE “little-d” democrats by delivering a clear “on your side” message of progressive populism, taking on the GOP plutocrats and billionaire oligarchs.

The time to start reempowering a winning grassroots party is now—by choosing Kendall Scudder to be our Chair of the Texas Democratic Party. He has the know-how, the working-class passion, and even the money-raising ability to rally and organize us at the ground level (the human level of politics) to restore democratic values and policies in our state.

I hope you’ll join in this effort so we Democrats can really start to “win Texas” for the workaday people of our state.

Find out more about Kendall at www.kendallscudder.com.

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It’s been my honor to know a few real heroes – people who’ve selflessly dared to fight greed and oppression to advance the common good. Diane Wilson, for example.

For forty years, this fiery, fourth-generation fisherwoman from the Texas Gulf Coast has battled tenaciously for the rights and very survival of the area’s hardscrabble fishing families. She and her grassroots allies have taken on Formosa Plastics, a $250 billion, global corporate beast that has routinely dumped its chemical waste around Matagorda Bay, poisoning life and livelihoods.

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But in 2019, in a lawsuit based on massive evidence collected by Wilson and her armada of volunteer kayakers, she won a stunning court victory, forcing the contaminator to pay $50 million for its malfeasance.

Wilson’s fight was not just for her, and she did not get a penny from the Formosa settlement. But she won something richer than money – “It felt like justice,” she said of the court’s judgement.

Importantly, the court didn’t award the $50 million to some regulatory agency, but to a public trust administered by – guess who? – Wilson’s allies! So she has been working tenaciously ever since to make sure the money directly benefits the poor families Formosa ran over. Especially promising is the trust’s major grant to create the people’s own Matagorda Bay Fishing Cooperative. It will provide dock space, supply contracts, processing ability, local jobs… and the power for local people to forge their own future.

Why fight against overpowering odds for 40 years? Because of her strong principles… and sheer stubbornness. “It’s my home,” Wilson says of the bay and its working-class community, “and I completely refuse to give it to that company to ruin.”

Learn more about Diane and support her work:

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A lot of working-class voters, who live outside of blue voting areas are asking: Where the hell is the Democratic party?

Sad to say, the “Party of the People” is mired in Washington, controlled by a cadre of high-dollar consultants, corporate lobbyists, big donors, and meek political leaders who’ve decide that “red” and rural American voters are lost causes. But grassroots progressives who live in those areas say: Bovine excrement! After all, you damn sure can’t win if you don’t bother to show up.

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So, party inertia aside, progressive advocates for working class values, policies, and people must become the ground-level organizers to build a “little-d” democratic majority. Not by writing position papers, but by “going there” in-person, online, or otherwise. Let’s tap grassroots savvy to find ways to reach and move millions of people (just a few at a time) who’re now not being reached or motivated.

Who will do this? Maybe you! Or someone you know: People (young or old) with talent-skills-ideas that are now not being fully used should consider this chance to make a difference. , one of our nation’s best organizers of community organizers recently issued an Open Call for creative dedicated people to do new working-class organizing all across our country.

Don’t know how? It basically involves learning to listen to local people. Goehl, with his team of seasoned organizers, will train and provide essential support for people whose organizing ideas are accepted. Happily, project positions come with a full-time salary, benefits, and a start-up budget. The whole idea is to try new things, invest in what works… and win!

Want to throw you hat and ideas into the mix? No charge to apply. You can fill out an application at georgegoehl.substack.com.

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Cecile Richards--what a sparkling gem of a human!

It was my joy and good luck to know her from the 1980s, when I was running for Texas Agriculture Commissioner and her mother, Ann, was running for State Treasurer. Young Cecile was Ann's secret weapon, both a passionate surrogate campaigner and a compassionate advocate for workday people who're routinely overlooked by the political system.

We wanted her to run for high office, but she was too busy representing common people and standing for the Common Good to let a political career interfere. And she not only brought her smarts to every effort, but also her genuine, uplifting laughter that made people want to be part of whatever outrage she was battling.

If you're looking for a role model for a worthy life in public service, think Cecile.

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