The US had to come to this point. We couldn’t go on as we were, even under Democratic presidents. For 40 years, a narrow economic elite has been siphoning off ever more wealth and power.
Over the last 40 years, starting with Ronald Reagan, the US went off the rails: deregulation, privatization, free trade, wild gambling by Wall Street, union-busting, monopolization, record levels of inequality, stagnant wages for most, staggering wealth for a few, big money taking over our politics.
America’s so-called “leadership class” is a sham. Most of them do not care a whit for the rest of the US. They are out for themselves.
The “fucking nightmare” is not over by any stretch. It’s likely to get worse in 2026 as Trump and his sycophants, and many of America’s “leaders”, realize 2026 may be their last unrestrained year to inflict damage and siphon off the spoils.
As an American, I’ve protested. I don’t believe the protests had any effect.
There are occasional ICE reactionaries, which, I think are great.
Unfortunately, vast majority of what I witness is just the “norm” everyday hustle. Yes, the house is burning down. I barely see anyone carrying a hose to the fire. I confess, I’m guilty of only a quick spray of a small kitchen extinguisher.
Protests only work because of the implication that if things don’t change, the people will force a change
Please don’t mistake the lack of immediate results with a lack of protest success.
It’s about growing the protest cause as much as the immediate effect.
Vietnam was much more personal to Americans with people directly seeing children and brothers turned to meat. Those protests took a decade to see effects.