Loved his point about focusing on things we can control. I moved to a new community recently— one of the best things I’ve done is join my local indivisible group and volunteer to lead a subteam on an issue I care about.
I am a Canadian. One provincial Premier, Premier Ford of Ontario with a very reciprocal economic relationship with nearby USA states has temporarily rolled back his plan to retaliate the 25% tariffs on Ontario steel, with 25% tariffs on steel products sold to these states, after which Trump put 50% tariffs on Canada. This was US Commerce Secretary Lutnick’s response, “ As for the sudden announcement of the 50% tariffs on Canada Tuesday morning, Lutnick said, "He needed to break some guy in Ontario who said he was going to tax American energy 25%. The president of the United States, in the White House says, 'Oh no, you won't,' and breaks him. Breaks him … by a tweet and a truth (social post). And you think that's chaotic?" "Let the dealmaker make his deals," Lutnick said, adding that "within a short period of time," any country negotiating with the U.S. will come to "realize it doesn't need to do it this way." He is enforcing extreme bullying by this USA government.
Inspired by the incredible Anat/Anand sessions, I've organized a Tesla Takedown Dance Party in my city! Anat always says, if we want people to join our party then we need to throw a better party. So with a couple I met at last week's standard TT, we decided to organize our own event but as a dance party!!!
If you happen to live in the DC area, join us! And, if you have access to a large boombox, organize your own!
It is the middle of March break here in Ontario, Canada, and parents and children are enjoying a pause in the usually hectic schedule of the school year. My two younger sons have been enjoying getting to stay up a bit later and a respite from homework, as well as movie nights in dad’s big bed. Their sleep patterns will mimic the hands of a clock throughout the night, which will inevitably banish me to the solitary comfort of my Lazyboy, but it’s a worthy sacrifice knowing they sleep in peaceful secure slumber.
They are comedic, to say the least. Their pantomimes of recently viewed Dog Man and Captain Underpants movies keep me in stitches and their youthful desire for snuggles warms my heart. We spend hours immersed in books and Lego projects, both of which seem to clutter every available surface in our well lived in house.
Lately, our idealic existance has been overshadowed by a nagging anxiety, that persists in my waking hours and haunts what little sleep I somehow manage. It is an overwhelming feeling of dread, of despair and hopelessness in believing that sanity will somehow prevail, and flip the script of this pending disastrous chapter in history. I’m sure most of us feel like we are stuck in a bad dream sequence, which is becoming an inescapable nightmare.
The tantrum throwing toddler in the White House reminds me of the disturbed child character Sid, in the movie Toy Story, who is most happy when he is using his magnifying glass to wreak havoc on his toys, by melting them with the sun’s rays. This may seem an infantile analogy, but given the reckless disregard for the world on display by the current President, it seems unfortunately fitting.
Trump’s callous devaluation of human life and liberty is a cancer being spread by a minority of Americans. I believe only a small percentage of the population is fully on board with his depraved point of view, but the powers he controls with a morally bankrupt Republican Party, command of the military and all branches of government, make him a force to be feared. Trump and the demented ideologues financing and dictating America’s present politics will be the ruination of a great nation.
The actions and policies presently being enacted may also be the death knell for democracies around the world. We have seen the utter betrayal of Ukraine in favour of Russia, We have witnessed the abandonment of the few stabilizing organizations in the world, including NATO, the World Health Organization, the Paris Accord, and numerous others that pursue the health and safety of all people on earth. Charity and compassion have become dirty words at home and abroad, with the suspension of things like USAID and projected cuts to Medicaid, Snap and Social Security.
The news feed has become a shock and awe campaign that leaves us reeling. There is nothing sacred left unscathed to cling , or action too reprehensible to imagine. Once loyal allies are being denigrated and deemed worthless in the tyrannical appetite for power and control, which has hijacked the powers in Washington. Insane utterances by the President, which seem bizarre and based in demented fantasy, must be taken as gospelic proclamations. He has no filter and tends to say the quiet part out loud in announcing his intentions. Trump and the cult that have drank his Kool Aid are fully onboard with Project 2025 and the indignities it will inflict upon us all.
When I hear Trump setting the stage for invading Canada and Greenland, I don’t doubt for a second that he is completely serious. A coward will always attack the weakest first. Under the constant drumbeat of threats to national security, he will repeat these admonitory falsities, with the goal of desensitizing U.S. citizens to his criminal desires. Neither of these sovereign nations pose the slightest threat to America. Any of these countries assets, whether natural resources, strategic locations or military loyalty have been shared willingly and peacefully for decades. Annexation, or more accurately colonization are motivated by lust for power and greed. If successful in this evil campaign to wage a war of dominance over two of its allies, I would expect Mexico to soon join the list of victims, giving U.S. dominance over the entire continent of North America.
I fear, like in Europe, conscription of our young men and women will be unavoidable. Canada has approximately the same population as Ukraine and we will defiantly oppose any aggression in the same heroic fashion as that brave nation. That such a possibility exists is stunning. I’m not sure what contribution I could make at my age, but I will gladly sacrifice my life to contribute to the cause of defending my country. The thought that my two older sons could be drafted and consequently be maimed or lose their lives is unfathomable and heartbreaking. We have advanced so far as a human race, but despite our best efforts we cannot seem to vanquish the depraved tendencies in some of mankind.
The main stream media is almost complacent, with their lack of confrontational challenges to the ensuing madness. It is imperative that we frequent and support the groundswell of independent journalists who do not cower from telling the real stories. They are our lifeline and our guiding light in the dark days ahead, I would like to offer my sincere gratitude for their fearless efforts to keep us abreast of the issues.
A few Substacks ago, Anand talked about how most current democrats in office were not prepared or up to the task of meeting the moment. “Meeting the moment” really resonates with me. A few, and we know who they are, are meeting this moment (aoc, bernie, jasmine crockett, warren, etc). Maybe others will soon realize they need to meet the moment. But as discussed with Klein, we all must meet the moment, too. Oceanographer, Dr. Ayana Elizabeth Johnson, is a leader in the environmental movement (I hope we have one of those again soon😬). In terms of environmental hands on deck, she talks about bringing your “super power” to the table and running in that lane. For me, my environmental superpower is very clear. I’m still trying to figure out what my superpower is in regard to “combating autocracy.” It is not stopping me from doing things in the meantime. I will definitely know it when I see it. So, meet the moment. And put your superpower to work.
Great interview with so much inspiration! Thanks so much for all you do!!
Anand, you are asking about what is causing Democrats to be a non-resistance. I am not an expert, but here is my frame-work I am thinking of just based on some personal experience (that in full disclosure I may be projecting on to the situation, so take it with a grain of salt :) )
Donald Trump is a narcissistic abuser. Trauma responses to this include fight, flee, freeze, and fawn. Republicans in Congress are fawning/appeasing. (See NY Times article yesterday about how Trump manipulates them with Honey and Vinegar). Congressional Democrats on the whole are freezing I think. They are the ones that directly have to deal with Donald Trump for their work, so they are just freezing because it is directly on their shoulders to come up with a response. Just like a spouse in an abusive marriage cannot always see clearly how to deal with this like maybe friends/families/therapists see because the spouse is so wrapped up with having to deal with this abuser directly and figure out how to manage the abuser/threats constantly coming directly at them needing a response. It is their job to respond and I think some of them are responding with a common response of victims of narcissistic abuse - freeze. To boot, narcissistic abusers are really good at destroying their victims identity. Democrat party seems lost without a solid identity these days, right?
Narcissistic abuse victims can go to therapy and a key element that they get is a reality check. That what is happening is not normal and the therapist works with them to find more effective responses than freeze/fawn. Since we can’t send Congressional Democrats to therapy, we have to be the reality check for them. That gets them to wake up and see a path forward to deal with the abuse. We are going to have to be that third-party voice of wisdom. That helps them figure out their identity. Abuse victims need help. I think this is going to have to be through organising and protests as discussed in this great interview.
Through organising and protests we also have to be the reality check for the Congressional Republicans who have drank the cultish kool-laid so we can start to de-program them, if at all possible.
Just a note on the deprogramming, if we are able to deprogram any Congress members or regretful MAGA, the message cannot be an angry I told you so. That just sends the abused back into the arms of the abuser who will say, see, I told you they are out to get you. We need to tell them they were lied to and show them some empathy.
Link to NY Times article is below. Also I put an article that describes the freezing response well in these types of authoritarian contexts.
Yes, the abuser/abused analogy is apt. Watching how Trump treated Zelensky in the Oval Office was classic abuse--belittle, blame, threaten..."You're nothing without me!" etc. Zelensky did NOT perform as abused victims do, which I believe is part of what incensed Trump. Getting past the "fight flight flee fawn" responses usually involves setting boundaries (say NO!), distancing emotionally, responding not reacting, and sometimes leaving the relationship. But how do we do that with a President who is omnipresent in our lives and whom we can't escape? Or at least Congress can't escape him and neither can foreign leaders. They have to deal with him. Europe is starting to set boundaries; Congress is stuck in fawning. The media is still largely in reaction mode vs detached reporting and, yes, setting some boundaries of their own. The whole country needs therapy!
Yes! I believe it absolutely involves setting boundaries! I totally agree the whole country needs therapy too.
I love your Zelensky analogy. Because he stood up and it showed the Emperor had no clothes to the world. I don’t know the answer to what we can do when we can’t leave the abuser, but I did find the following article inspirational, that 3.5% of a population engaged in non-violent protests (aka standing up to bully and letting everyone know a boundary has been crossed) can make a difference and in some cases stop the madness.
Brussels, Belgium here... "I am living testimony that with enough willpower, freedom can be dragged out of the blackest of black holes." (Gabrielius Landsbergis, Lithuania’s minister for foreign affairs from 2020 to 2024). If Lithuania managed to kick occupying Russia out, Americans must rally to kick Trump/Musk out. Yes you can!
Thank you, Ink and Indivisible. This was very inspiring AND practical. Just what I needed to hear in the moment to get me moving. I'm going to Indivisible right now!
Loved his point about focusing on things we can control. I moved to a new community recently— one of the best things I’ve done is join my local indivisible group and volunteer to lead a subteam on an issue I care about.
I am a Canadian. One provincial Premier, Premier Ford of Ontario with a very reciprocal economic relationship with nearby USA states has temporarily rolled back his plan to retaliate the 25% tariffs on Ontario steel, with 25% tariffs on steel products sold to these states, after which Trump put 50% tariffs on Canada. This was US Commerce Secretary Lutnick’s response, “ As for the sudden announcement of the 50% tariffs on Canada Tuesday morning, Lutnick said, "He needed to break some guy in Ontario who said he was going to tax American energy 25%. The president of the United States, in the White House says, 'Oh no, you won't,' and breaks him. Breaks him … by a tweet and a truth (social post). And you think that's chaotic?" "Let the dealmaker make his deals," Lutnick said, adding that "within a short period of time," any country negotiating with the U.S. will come to "realize it doesn't need to do it this way." He is enforcing extreme bullying by this USA government.
Inspired by the incredible Anat/Anand sessions, I've organized a Tesla Takedown Dance Party in my city! Anat always says, if we want people to join our party then we need to throw a better party. So with a couple I met at last week's standard TT, we decided to organize our own event but as a dance party!!!
If you happen to live in the DC area, join us! And, if you have access to a large boombox, organize your own!
https://actionnetwork.org/events/tesla-takedown-dance-party
I love this! I live in NOVA but probably can’t make it on Saturday. If you organize another, let me know. I’ll bring friends.
Absolutely: I concur there must be a very large crossover in loyal participation within The.Ink and Indivisible.
Hell in a Hand Cart
Our Children will be Sacrificed
JOHN KING
@johnking950973
MAR 11, 2025
It is the middle of March break here in Ontario, Canada, and parents and children are enjoying a pause in the usually hectic schedule of the school year. My two younger sons have been enjoying getting to stay up a bit later and a respite from homework, as well as movie nights in dad’s big bed. Their sleep patterns will mimic the hands of a clock throughout the night, which will inevitably banish me to the solitary comfort of my Lazyboy, but it’s a worthy sacrifice knowing they sleep in peaceful secure slumber.
They are comedic, to say the least. Their pantomimes of recently viewed Dog Man and Captain Underpants movies keep me in stitches and their youthful desire for snuggles warms my heart. We spend hours immersed in books and Lego projects, both of which seem to clutter every available surface in our well lived in house.
Lately, our idealic existance has been overshadowed by a nagging anxiety, that persists in my waking hours and haunts what little sleep I somehow manage. It is an overwhelming feeling of dread, of despair and hopelessness in believing that sanity will somehow prevail, and flip the script of this pending disastrous chapter in history. I’m sure most of us feel like we are stuck in a bad dream sequence, which is becoming an inescapable nightmare.
The tantrum throwing toddler in the White House reminds me of the disturbed child character Sid, in the movie Toy Story, who is most happy when he is using his magnifying glass to wreak havoc on his toys, by melting them with the sun’s rays. This may seem an infantile analogy, but given the reckless disregard for the world on display by the current President, it seems unfortunately fitting.
Trump’s callous devaluation of human life and liberty is a cancer being spread by a minority of Americans. I believe only a small percentage of the population is fully on board with his depraved point of view, but the powers he controls with a morally bankrupt Republican Party, command of the military and all branches of government, make him a force to be feared. Trump and the demented ideologues financing and dictating America’s present politics will be the ruination of a great nation.
The actions and policies presently being enacted may also be the death knell for democracies around the world. We have seen the utter betrayal of Ukraine in favour of Russia, We have witnessed the abandonment of the few stabilizing organizations in the world, including NATO, the World Health Organization, the Paris Accord, and numerous others that pursue the health and safety of all people on earth. Charity and compassion have become dirty words at home and abroad, with the suspension of things like USAID and projected cuts to Medicaid, Snap and Social Security.
The news feed has become a shock and awe campaign that leaves us reeling. There is nothing sacred left unscathed to cling , or action too reprehensible to imagine. Once loyal allies are being denigrated and deemed worthless in the tyrannical appetite for power and control, which has hijacked the powers in Washington. Insane utterances by the President, which seem bizarre and based in demented fantasy, must be taken as gospelic proclamations. He has no filter and tends to say the quiet part out loud in announcing his intentions. Trump and the cult that have drank his Kool Aid are fully onboard with Project 2025 and the indignities it will inflict upon us all.
When I hear Trump setting the stage for invading Canada and Greenland, I don’t doubt for a second that he is completely serious. A coward will always attack the weakest first. Under the constant drumbeat of threats to national security, he will repeat these admonitory falsities, with the goal of desensitizing U.S. citizens to his criminal desires. Neither of these sovereign nations pose the slightest threat to America. Any of these countries assets, whether natural resources, strategic locations or military loyalty have been shared willingly and peacefully for decades. Annexation, or more accurately colonization are motivated by lust for power and greed. If successful in this evil campaign to wage a war of dominance over two of its allies, I would expect Mexico to soon join the list of victims, giving U.S. dominance over the entire continent of North America.
I fear, like in Europe, conscription of our young men and women will be unavoidable. Canada has approximately the same population as Ukraine and we will defiantly oppose any aggression in the same heroic fashion as that brave nation. That such a possibility exists is stunning. I’m not sure what contribution I could make at my age, but I will gladly sacrifice my life to contribute to the cause of defending my country. The thought that my two older sons could be drafted and consequently be maimed or lose their lives is unfathomable and heartbreaking. We have advanced so far as a human race, but despite our best efforts we cannot seem to vanquish the depraved tendencies in some of mankind.
The main stream media is almost complacent, with their lack of confrontational challenges to the ensuing madness. It is imperative that we frequent and support the groundswell of independent journalists who do not cower from telling the real stories. They are our lifeline and our guiding light in the dark days ahead, I would like to offer my sincere gratitude for their fearless efforts to keep us abreast of the issues.
Love your comment I support Canada 🇨🇦 Never 51 state Independent 🗽🇨🇦🇺🇸🇺🇦💕
A few Substacks ago, Anand talked about how most current democrats in office were not prepared or up to the task of meeting the moment. “Meeting the moment” really resonates with me. A few, and we know who they are, are meeting this moment (aoc, bernie, jasmine crockett, warren, etc). Maybe others will soon realize they need to meet the moment. But as discussed with Klein, we all must meet the moment, too. Oceanographer, Dr. Ayana Elizabeth Johnson, is a leader in the environmental movement (I hope we have one of those again soon😬). In terms of environmental hands on deck, she talks about bringing your “super power” to the table and running in that lane. For me, my environmental superpower is very clear. I’m still trying to figure out what my superpower is in regard to “combating autocracy.” It is not stopping me from doing things in the meantime. I will definitely know it when I see it. So, meet the moment. And put your superpower to work.
Great interview with so much inspiration! Thanks so much for all you do!!
Anand, you are asking about what is causing Democrats to be a non-resistance. I am not an expert, but here is my frame-work I am thinking of just based on some personal experience (that in full disclosure I may be projecting on to the situation, so take it with a grain of salt :) )
Donald Trump is a narcissistic abuser. Trauma responses to this include fight, flee, freeze, and fawn. Republicans in Congress are fawning/appeasing. (See NY Times article yesterday about how Trump manipulates them with Honey and Vinegar). Congressional Democrats on the whole are freezing I think. They are the ones that directly have to deal with Donald Trump for their work, so they are just freezing because it is directly on their shoulders to come up with a response. Just like a spouse in an abusive marriage cannot always see clearly how to deal with this like maybe friends/families/therapists see because the spouse is so wrapped up with having to deal with this abuser directly and figure out how to manage the abuser/threats constantly coming directly at them needing a response. It is their job to respond and I think some of them are responding with a common response of victims of narcissistic abuse - freeze. To boot, narcissistic abusers are really good at destroying their victims identity. Democrat party seems lost without a solid identity these days, right?
Narcissistic abuse victims can go to therapy and a key element that they get is a reality check. That what is happening is not normal and the therapist works with them to find more effective responses than freeze/fawn. Since we can’t send Congressional Democrats to therapy, we have to be the reality check for them. That gets them to wake up and see a path forward to deal with the abuse. We are going to have to be that third-party voice of wisdom. That helps them figure out their identity. Abuse victims need help. I think this is going to have to be through organising and protests as discussed in this great interview.
Through organising and protests we also have to be the reality check for the Congressional Republicans who have drank the cultish kool-laid so we can start to de-program them, if at all possible.
Just a note on the deprogramming, if we are able to deprogram any Congress members or regretful MAGA, the message cannot be an angry I told you so. That just sends the abused back into the arms of the abuser who will say, see, I told you they are out to get you. We need to tell them they were lied to and show them some empathy.
Link to NY Times article is below. Also I put an article that describes the freezing response well in these types of authoritarian contexts.
https://www.nytimes.com/2025/03/10/us/politics/trump-republicans-congress.html
https://open.substack.com/pub/loricorbetmann/p/when-the-world-shifts-beneath-you?r=5ahrm2&utm_medium=ios
Yes, the abuser/abused analogy is apt. Watching how Trump treated Zelensky in the Oval Office was classic abuse--belittle, blame, threaten..."You're nothing without me!" etc. Zelensky did NOT perform as abused victims do, which I believe is part of what incensed Trump. Getting past the "fight flight flee fawn" responses usually involves setting boundaries (say NO!), distancing emotionally, responding not reacting, and sometimes leaving the relationship. But how do we do that with a President who is omnipresent in our lives and whom we can't escape? Or at least Congress can't escape him and neither can foreign leaders. They have to deal with him. Europe is starting to set boundaries; Congress is stuck in fawning. The media is still largely in reaction mode vs detached reporting and, yes, setting some boundaries of their own. The whole country needs therapy!
Yes! I believe it absolutely involves setting boundaries! I totally agree the whole country needs therapy too.
I love your Zelensky analogy. Because he stood up and it showed the Emperor had no clothes to the world. I don’t know the answer to what we can do when we can’t leave the abuser, but I did find the following article inspirational, that 3.5% of a population engaged in non-violent protests (aka standing up to bully and letting everyone know a boundary has been crossed) can make a difference and in some cases stop the madness.
https://www.bbc.com/future/article/20190513-it-only-takes-35-of-people-to-change-the-world
This was just great! Very practical and inspiring. I love the note it ended on, "I just want a democracy. I'm a simple guy..."
I found it quite interesting what Ezra said about the Dems waiting for the Rs to become unpopular before they take action. How depressing!
Comes a time when you go on offense. https://hotbuttons.substack.com/p/comes-a-time?r=3m1bs
Brussels, Belgium here... "I am living testimony that with enough willpower, freedom can be dragged out of the blackest of black holes." (Gabrielius Landsbergis, Lithuania’s minister for foreign affairs from 2020 to 2024). If Lithuania managed to kick occupying Russia out, Americans must rally to kick Trump/Musk out. Yes you can!
Thank you, Ink and Indivisible. This was very inspiring AND practical. Just what I needed to hear in the moment to get me moving. I'm going to Indivisible right now!
@Ezra, what if they aren’t holding town halls? How can you put pressure on your elected official?
Paid subscriber here but video won’t play in Substack app
Love this - wishing Ezra would pronounce Anand’s name correctly (like almond!)