America needs a brave, charismatic patriot to lead the fight to protect democracy. Like the movement in Russia led by Alexei Navalny, it must be robust and pervasive throughout the country. It must carry a strong message about human rights, individual freedoms, and democracy over autocracy. The results of the 2024 election sadly informed us that racism, misogyny and an addiction to Donald Trump have spread like cancer throughout 50% of the electorate. So, as a woman, it pains me to say that the leader of this opposition movement must be a powerful, charismatic, fearless white man. Trump has sold his toxic brand of masculinity to millions of men and women, and at this time in our politics, no woman or minority has a chance at being followed and believed by masses of people from both parties. Once Trump is gone, the country will have the opportunity to return to being a country of values, non-violence, and adherence to the rule of law.
This movement must have a name, a slogan, and merchandise that exposes the dangers of the Donald Trump Project 2025 plan for America. Putin and his Russian allies jailed, hunted, tortured, and ultimately killed Alexei Navalny in the name of protecting their autocratic, fake democracy. However, Navalny was uniquely committed and brave in his love of his country. We need someone like that who is strong and not controlled by what the opposition will say about them. Additionally, Democrats who supported the Harris/Walz ticket are furious at how fast their party was to declare this election was “free and fair” simply because there was no proof of ballot or machine tampering. There are other forms of rigging that, so far, it seems the Democrats are reluctant to refer to as tampering, such as spreading disinformation, lying, engaging Russia to interfere, and amassing billionaire dark money to influence voters.
How can an election be called “free and fair” when one party is spreading disinformation, lying, and getting help from Russia, one of America’s darkest enemies? Since the Civil War, America has struggled to define itself with two opposing voices reflecting two ideologies that differ in how to govern. However, with the re-election of Donald Trump, there is a third voice: a corrupt voice, an anti-democracy voice, and a violent, blatantly racist voice that is positioned to deconstruct our democracy. This election is being called free and fair because Democrats don’t accuse elections of being rigged without evidence that proves fraud. Trump and the Republicans, before the vote was even counted, were claiming Democrats were committing fraud to interfere in the election results. It’s funny how the election was touted as being “free and fair” once Trump won.
Democrats lost this election because they are committed to acting with integrity, complying with norms, and respecting the values and laws embedded in the Constitution despite the normalized climate of dirty politics. The alt-right, Christian white Tea Party wing of the GOP, which formed during the George Bush Administration, has expanded into a corrupt, autocratic political machine led by Trump and MAGA members of Congress, which is appealing to millions of voters. The movement has changed the rules of politics, yet Democrats still play by rules that are no longer as essential or respected by most of the electorate. If Democrats keep playing by the old rules of statesmanship and bipartisanship, they will continue to lose elections, and democracy will become a shadow of what it once was.
President Biden has accomplished much for the country. He passed significant legislation that has saved the economy and improved Americans’ lives, many of whom have hypocritically devoured the benefits while disparaging Biden and the Democratic agenda. While Biden was protecting democracy, cleaning up after Trump’s disastrous presidency, and acting with morality and decency, his reputation and his personhood were attacked, threatened, and disrespected beyond what we have ever seen in the United States of America. And yet, it seems President Biden is still married to this notion of acting respectful and kind amidst a movement that is gunning to destroy his legacy and the democratic way of life we have known for hundreds of years. Why, after running a campaign dedicated to warning the country of how dangerous and mentally declined Trump is, would we take action to pretend that we support him? That is a mixed message to the Democrats who backed the movement to block him from the presidency. The excuse that we must show respect for the presidency when the presidency is no longer standing for democracy is stupid, hypocritical and weak. LEARN FROM TRUMP; HE HATED BIDEN, HE HATED LOSING, SO HE DID NOT ATTEND BIDEN’S INAUGURATION. WHY SHOULD BIDEN EMASCULATE HIMSELF BY ATTENDING THE INAUGURATION AND SITTING
THERE CLAPPING? THE GESTURE WON’T BE BELIEVED OR RESPECTED, SO WHAT IS THE POINT? ARE WE STILL COMMITTED TO A MOVEMENT TO PROTECT THIS COUNTRY FROM TRUMP OR NOT?
THERE HAS BEEN A CRY FOR BIDEN TO STEP ASIDE AND LET KAMALA HARRIS BECOME THE 47 TH PRESIDENT. SHE WOULD CLAIM THE BROAD IMMUNITY GIVEN TO THE PRESIDENCY BY THE SUPREME COURT AND START A MOVEMENT THAT WOULD BLOCK WHATEVER IS POSSIBLE TO BLOCK TRUMP’S Project 2025 PLAN, WHICH WILL TAKE AWAY INDIVIDUAL FREEDOMS, WEAKEN OUR STANDING ON THE GLOBAL STAGE, AND THREATEN THE LIVES AND FINANCIAL STABILITY OF MILLIONS OF AMERICANS.
WHERE IS AMERICA’s NAVALNY? WHO IS HE? WE MUST MOVE FAST AND START THE CAMPAIGN TO OPPOSE THE TRUMP PRESIDENCY AS VEHEMENTLY AS TRUMP AND HIS MAGA MOVEMENT OPPOSED THE BIDEN PRESIDENCY. IT WORKED FOR THEM; IT CAN WORK FOR US. FORGET CIVILITY FOR NOW AND A REVERENCE FOR THE OFFICE OF THE PRESIDENCY. TRUMP HAS DESTROYED WHAT THE OFFICE WAS STOOD FOR. HOWEVER, WE CAN GET IT BACK. IT IS A GOAL TO RETURN TO THE DECENCY OF PRE-TRUMP AND MAGA POLITICS; HOWEVER, FOR NOW, KEEPING DEMOCRACY AND WINNING BACK THE RESPECT OF OUR ALLIES IS MORE IMPORTANT THAN WORRYING ABOUT WHAT REPUBLICANS ARE GOING TO SAY WHEN WE GIVE THEM A TASTE OF THEIR OWN POISONOUS POLITICAL MEDICINE.
Rebecca Sperber, M.S, MFT
