Since the leaders of the present government seem hell-bent on destroying our democracy, the Constitution and the rule of law, here are some counterproposals that might be of interest:

1. With far fewer government departments now allowed to function or that are being eliminated, I wonder if someone with backbone in the government will escrow taxes and turn off the spigot until the unelected president and his teenage ninjas are forcefully removed from the Treasury. Why must we pay taxes to support departments that are being decimated?

2. Call, write or email your representatives in Congress and insist that the minority party in government form a permanent shadow Cabinet (modeled on the protocol used in Great Britain). Each shadow member would be assigned to follow a current leader of each government department (i.e., minority leader, Transportation, Social Security/Medicare, Education, Oversight, DOJ, etc.). The shadow member would serve as minority spokesperson to the public, providing information about current actions that department is promoting (using actual facts) and explain whether that elected official is following the rule of law and the Constitution.

3. Participate in the 24-hour economic blackout on Friday, Feb. 28, starting at midnight Friday and running through 11:59 that evening.  Amazon, Target, Ford, McDonald’s, Lowe’s, GM and other big businesses no longer use DEI in their hiring practices and/or use corporate profits to support political parties. Think seriously about extending your boycott for as many days as possible. Support our home-grown businesses and let big business know we won’t be bullied or discriminated against.

4. Stop using Twitter (X) or any other social media sites that benefit the Billionaires’ Club (Musk, Bezos, Zuckerberg, etc.). Use Bluesky instead.

5. Make noise where it counts, and do it peacefully. Go, with as many folks as you can muster, to the Statehouse, local politicians’ offices, businesses that are buckling under the “new illegal dominance”; carry your signs and ask to speak courteously to staffers.

6. Review your list of media to which you subscribe. If any kowtow to government bullies and blackmailers out of fear, or have dropped their DEI practices, then consider whether you want to support that subscription. Consider also whether you will support in the future your representatives in Congress who bow down to bullies. Bullies don’t deserve our respect. WE deserve respect and we know how to vote.

7. You have finished the list. Are you scared enough, strong enough, courageous enough to do even one of these things? If so, take action. Otherwise, we capitulate and might as well call ourselves citizens of Russia. If you want to live in an oligarchy, then Russia will happily take you. As of this writing, the incoming candidate for FBI director was paid $25,000 by Russia to serve as executive producer of a Russian documentary showing Americans how they can move to, and become citizens of, Russia. That’s a verifiable fact, and that’s the person planning to “keep us safe.” You bet.