Monday, June 16, 2025

Countering "King" Trump [Second Draft]

Constructive Actions Citizens Can Take to Counter Trump 


To counter the authoritarian drift of Donald Trump’s second-term executive agenda (see https://wa8thld-dems.blogspot.com/2025/06/where-is-donald-trump-headed-in-his.html), private citizens have a range of constructive, nonviolent, and democratic tools at their disposal. These actions—when informed, strategic, and sustained—can strengthen institutional resilience, protect civil liberties, and preserve the foundational norms of a liberal democracy. 

Introduction

Donald Trump’s second-term agenda poses significant threats to democratic institutions, civil liberties, and constitutional checks and balances. From efforts to centralize executive power and defund higher education to the rollback of environmental regulations and voter suppression, citizens in Benton County and the Tri-Cities must take coordinated, informed action to resist authoritarian encroachment.*

*This post will remain a "draft" as we update with new and better content. Your contributions will be incorporated.

1. Educate Yourself and Your Community

Use reliable sources:


Host teach-ins, table talks, and discussion groups:

Focus on topics like presidential immunity, removal of Schedule F/Schedule Policy-Career designations, or the attack on higher education, e.g., Harvard.

Share knowledge:

Write letters to the editor, post fact-based content online (e.g., by using the "comment" option in some on-line news stories), and challenge disinformation within your networks.

2. Support Vulnerable Institutions

Defend public and higher education:

  • Advocate for Washington’s universities and international students. 
  • Support organizations like Scholars at Risk, and the American Association of University Professors.

Back civil liberties groups:

ACLU, Southern Poverty Law Center, Knight First Amendment Institute

Donate or volunteer locally:

Support local school boards, libraries, and educational programs in the Tri-Cities.

"No Kings," June 14, 2025

3. Engage Locally

Attend public meetings: Tri-Cities city councils, school boards, Port of Benton Commission

Run for office or support pro-democracy candidates in local races

Build coalitions: Partner with groups like League of Women Voters of Benton & Franklin Counties, local NAACP branches, and faith-based justice coalitions

4. Defend Voting Rights

Volunteer with election protection organizations:

  • League of Women Voters of Benton & Franklin counties (LWV-BF)
  • Election Protection (866-OUR-VOTE)
  • VoteRiders

Monitor local elections and ballot initiatives

Educate your community about changes in voting laws or redistricting (check LWVWA website, https://www.lwvwa.org/)

Help register voters and assist them with ID or ballot navigation

5. Use Your Skills and Platforms

Artists, teachers, veterans, retirees, and tech workers all have unique power:

  • Teach civic literacy
  • Create accessible content
  • Support youth organizing
  • Build transparency tools

Support grassroots journalism: Fund or contribute to independent outlets like Northwest Public Broadcasting

6. Mobilize Resources

Donate strategically:

Give to organizations that both mobilize action and take action, especially legal action against unlawful/unconstitutional acts by the current administration, including, Democracy Fund, Fair Fight, LWV, and ACLU, plus:

"The new Trump administration is threatening everything we’ve fought so hard to protect – clean air, fresh water, and a healthy environment for all. But we won’t stop. In courtrooms across the country, we are fighting back." Earth Justice 

Crowdfund locally:

Use GoFundMe or ActBlue for civic causes or candidate support

Use advocacy tools:

Boycott strategically:

     Leverage and Amplify Efforts

    Method

    Tools/Platforms

    Petition & Lobby

    Change.org](https://www.change.org/), [5Calls.org](https://5calls.org/)  

    Protest & Organize

    [Indivisible](https://indivisible.org/), [Action Network](https://actionnetwork.org/)

    Social media advocacy

    Twitter/X, Threads, Bluesky — amplify truth, call out lies  

    Crowdfunding 

    [GoFundMe](https://www.gofundme.com/), [ActBlue](https://secure.actblue.com/) 

    Join or start civic groups

    Local chapters of LWV, NAACP, Sunrise Movement, Veterans for American Ideals   

     
    "Hands Off!" April 5, 2025

    A Final Word

    This is a time for vigilance, courage, and solidarity. Every email, every meeting, every shared article, and every voter registered counts. The future of democracy in Washington and across the U.S. depends on engaged communities like Indivisible Tri-Cities rising to the moment.

    Authoritarianism thrives on apathy, disinformation, and the slow erosion of shared civic values. The antidote is an engaged, educated, courageous citizenry willing to use every peaceful tool available to uphold constitutional democracy.

     “The only thing necessary for the triumph of evil is for good people to do nothing."

    (Edmund Burke)

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