While You’re Distracted, Democracy Burns

In the chaos of Trump-era politics, it’s easy to get caught reacting to the latest outrage. But if we want to stay effective, we must resist the impulse to chase every shiny object. We have to prioritize what matters most.

One day he shuts down the United States Agency for International Development (USAID)—an agency that literally saves lives across the globe—and before we can process the implications, we’re spun into absurdities like the “renaming” of the Gulf of Mexico or a hostile takeover of the Kennedy Center. Yes, the gutting of the Kennedy Center is significant, but USAID’s dismantling costs lives.

He pulls aid from Ukraine, worsening a deadly war, only to follow it with a dramatic appearance before Congress where he claims we’re under invasion… from Venezuela—setting the stage to invoke the Alien Enemies Act. It’s not just performance; it’s strategy.

Then comes “SignalGate,” confirming what many feared: the Cabinet is stacked with sycophants and amateurs. But before we can focus, it’s “Liberation Day,” and Trump drops a tariff bomb that rattles global markets. Or maybe not—it’s just a 90-day pause. The damage is already done, but the circus moves on.

This is not incompetence. It’s calculated distraction. A constant sleight of hand.

We must resist the manipulation. Prioritize the crises that matter most. Focus where lives, rights, and the future of democracy are on the line. And never forget: the chaos is the point.

Donald Trump Sees the Worst in All of Us

“No one ever went broke underestimating the intelligence of the American public.”
—widely attributed to H. L. Mencken

As a businessman, Donald Trump consistently operated in bad faith—not simply aiming to win every deal, but often seeking to humiliate or cheat his way to advantage. At the core of his strategy was a clear assumption: the people he dealt with were gullible or unintelligent. Time and again, that assumption paid off, just as Mencken cynically predicted.

When Trump turned to politics, he brought the same mindset with him. He treated his supporters as marks—lying freely, trafficking in conspiracy theories, and stoking fear and resentment. Rather than appeal to the better angels of our nature, he has relentlessly played to our worst instincts.

And once again, it worked. It got him where he is today.

Drawn Out Negotiations are for Losers

Think about the time we could have saved throughout our history if Trump and Rubio had been in charge of diplomacy, bringing their unique form of “government efficiency” to the State Department.

DOGE Diplomacy: How Rubio and Trump Could Have Streamlined History

Imagine a world where diplomacy is as swift and straightforward as a tweet. Enter Marco Rubio and Donald Trump, the dynamic duo poised to revolutionize international relations with their unique brand of "government efficiency."

The Good Friday Agreement (1998): After nearly two years of painstaking negotiations, the Good Friday Agreement brought peace to Northern Ireland. But why spend 700 days on dialogue when a simple "Just get along!" could suffice and Trump could get back to the golf course and Rubio could get back to his sulking humiliation?

Camp David Accords (1978): Thirteen days of secluded talks led to a historic peace between Egypt and Israel. The 13 days were only possible because of five years of complex diplomacy, bitter wars, secret talks, and political daring. Yet, with Trump and Rubio's abridged approach, perhaps a quick handshake and a "Deal?" would have done the trick.

Dayton Accords (1995): Three weeks of negotiations ended the Bosnian War… after nearly four years of brutal war and months of intense diplomacy and military action. But in the era of DOGE Diplomacy, Trump and Rubio expect a group text to resolve the conflict over a weekend.