America Last
The utter insanity of this moment
During the 2024 presidential campaign, Donald Trump said—on live television, on a stage in front of his cheering supporters—that he would “encourage Russia to do whatever the hell they want.” Turns out he wasn’t kidding.
The whole world is now watching as Donald Trump and JD Vance bully and betray Ukraine1, while cultivating their budding bromance with dictator and war criminal Vladimir Putin through their lapdog intermediary, Secretary of State Marco Rubio.2
The damage being done today will result in a more dangerous and less free world. Innocent people will die, decades-long alliances will be decimated, and the West will be splintered in a way not seen since World War II.
In American Carnage 2.0, it’s Trump first, Putin second, and America last.
I’ll never understand how this hasn’t provoked unprecedented—and I mean that word very literally—outrage among the American people. Why are there not tens of millions of Americans marching in the streets and initiating mass strikes to protest?
I’ll also never understand the pathetically underwhelming response of most Democrats in Congress, who are supposed to be the opposition party. Those who ought to be leading the charge are fully failing to meet the moment.
Stand Up and Speak Out
I hope you will join me in standing up and speaking out. Call your elected officials! I don’t care if they are Democrats or Republicans or Independents. Call them. Regularly. Tell them the things you are upset about. Praise them when they do the right thing—and promise that you’ll vote against them in the next election if they don’t.
(If you don’t know who your U.S. Senators are, you can easily find them here. If you don’t know who your Representative is, you can easily find out here.)
Here is the basic script I’ve written for calling my own representatives today (as well as House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries [202-225-5936] and Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer [202-224-6542]). You’ll obviously need to personalize this to your own circumstances, but hopefully this will help get you started.
Good morning (Representative/Senator), my name is Michael, and I’m one of your constituents. My husband and I own a home in (your district/Michigan), but we live in Milan, Italy. I’m calling because I am very upset that the United States is betraying Ukraine and embracing Russia. This is against American values and American interests, and it endangers all of Europe. I’m particularly concerned about Poland, where many of our family and friends live.
Over the last nine years, my husband and I have raised and donated a lot of money to help elect Democratic candidates, including you. And I DO NOT UNDERSTAND why the response to all this from Democrats in Congress has been so weak.
Why aren’t all of you staging a mass sit-in to protest the talks being held with Russia? People’s lives are on the line! Stop conducting business as usual! Do something dramatic! Use the power of peaceful protest to grab the attention of the American people and our allies! Grind Capitol business to a halt. Make the D.C. police arrest every Democratic member of Congress for civil disobedience on live television. Please do SOMETHING to change the narrative!
The world is watching. We are looking to you for leadership as this chapter of history is being written. It’s time to step up.
And virtually all of America’s other allies (perhaps soon to be former allies)
Apparently when Trump coined him “Liddle Marco,” he wasn’t referring just to his stature, but the size of his soul.
Mike, thank you for this script. This is what a lot of us need to just get over the resistance to communicate with our representatives. We’re not exactly sure what to say.
Thank you for the information about how to call congresscritters, and much respect for the outrage.
I am not surprised by the lack of public protests. As you know, most Americans have little sense of connection with what happens outside their own private worlds. And it’s not just Americans, of course. From what I’ve seen, it’s the default setting for humans in general.
That’s why I appreciate your voice. Between the financial cuts to health and science programs and the insults to what’s vaguely called wokeness, it’s hard not to feel exhausted and demoralized. (That’s the point of it, after all.)
Your words and your example, however, are powerful. Performative protests, demonstrations etc. are exhilarating, but do not underestimate the influence of quiet conversations and small gestures of kindness and decency. Your dissent makes a difference.