Regular readers of this blog will confirm that the most consistent thread running through my posts since the 2016 election is frustration. That’s not because I’m a voice in the wilderness–there are literally millions of Americans who share my revulsion at the appalling, destructive behaviors of Trump and his administration, and who worry with me about the future of the country. But they’re frustrated too.
The frustration is because we feel powerless–we don’t know what we, as individuals, can do that will really make a difference.
Yes, I can vote in November. I can encourage others to vote, and I can register people to vote (although virtually everyone I know already is registered). I can blog. But I am only one person and, unlike our delusional President, I don’t have an exaggerated belief in my ability to change reality.
What else can I –or anyone else–do? We are surrounded by people telling us to “take action”–without, however, specifying any concrete action we might take.
A recent New Yorker article quoted Dahlia Lithwick raising a related question that two of my former students raised with me, via email, following the election. Both are federal employees, and both were wondering whether they should stay or leave.
How is one to maintain sanity, decency, and a measure of moral courage? In a pair of thoughtful essays in Slate, Dahlia Lithwick tackles the problems of dealing with the everyday nature of our current political disaster and of deciding on the best way to try to save the country from Donald Trump: by staying close to him, or by walking away. The latter is a question for members of the Administration and for congressional Republicans. “This is the time,” Lithwick writes, to “think about what combination of exit and voice can make a meaningful difference if a real crisis were to happen. Or rather, when the real crisis happens—if we are not there already.”…
Is the possibility of moderating the damage done by this Administration worth sacrificing one’s moral principles? Should one protect one’s individual integrity by sacrificing the chance to moderate damage done by this Administration? We can’t possibly know.
For most of us, “stay or go” has a different meaning– and most of us aren’t going to leave the country, no matter how often we google “immigrating to Canada.”
The author of the article, Masha Gessen, concludes that each of us must at the very least protect facts from this “reality-destroying” regime.
The great French thinker and activist Simone Weil had a prescription that she wrote down in her journal in 1933: “Never react to an evil in such a way as to augment it.” A few days later, she added, “Refuse to be an accomplice. Don’t lie—don’t keep your eyes shut.”…
In our case, stepping outside the lie means refusing—stubbornly, consistently, incrementally—to lend credence to the opposite of politics, the opposite of diplomacy, and the opposite of sanity. That would require thinking, reading, and speaking critically: not treating an outburst as though it were politics, a tantrum as though it were diplomacy, and a delusion as though it were aspiration. The good news is that this is not an entirely impossible task.
I agree that standing up for sanity and empirical reality is extremely important, but it seems woefully inadequate to the task before us, which is nothing less than the restoration of a constitutional, democratic and ethical government that citizens can trust.
The loss of democratic governance has been a gradual, decades-long process which most Americans have ignored until Trump made it glaringly obvious. His wholesale assault on decency and sanity actually impedes collective action; there are so many issues, so many different egregious offenses, so many distractions, it fragments the expression of collective anger.
That said, a comment made to this blog a couple of days ago struck me. Gerald proposed a general strike.
Such a strike would be a massive undertaking, and not risk-free. It would need to be organized by a consortium of national organizations, and devoting time and person-power to such an effort before November would bleed resources from the critical work of getting out the vote. But after that– assuming Muller’s investigation is still ongoing, the Congressional GOP is still spineless and Trump still occupies the Oval Office– bringing the nation’s business to a halt for a day would send a message of resistance that even Trump might understand.
I”m probably just smoking whatever it is that Gerald has been inhaling–but anyone have influence with a national organization?
“Strike” would be spun as leftist, socialist, un-American – and a single day wouldn’t hurt , Trump’s, or any of the GOP’s, portfolios enough to wake them up… just one more bludgeon against us. A march, a strike, a speech – those in power don’t care, don’t listen, aren’t in touch with reality. They find ways to excuse it away. I honestly think, until he’s removed, by whatever means will accomplish it, there is no chance for recovery.
I think I am suffering from “outrage exhaustion”. I simply cannot be outraged anymore. With the multitude of insane occurrences every day, I can’t focus. I’m afraid this might be the tactic the Trump administration is counting on. It’s the whole “if you can’t convince them with facts, dazzle them with bull shit” method. I am hopeful that the millennials will become active and outnumber the boomers at the voting booth, but laying this responsibility at their feet is unfair. It seems that getting the disenfranchised and disinterested to vote is the one task we can all take on.
I live in a “transitional” neighborhood downtown that is made up of a wide range of ethnicities, races and economic levels. When Obama ran, he was able to galvanize many first-time voters. Voters who have since dropped out because they don’t believe their vote matters or that the government can be changed. In lieu of another single figure coming along spreading “hope” I think we all have to make the effort to register, encourage and even transport our non-voting neighbors to the polls. It’s the only way I see that we as individuals can effect change.
Ditto Andy to “outrage exhaustion”.
Come on Jane, you must have missed Sheila’s comment, “The loss of democratic governance has been a gradual, decades-long process which most Americans have ignored until Trump made it glaringly obvious.”
Why not show statistics on actual voter participation over the years?
Campaign ads have saved most media outlets which is why you cannot trust them along with many other reasons. The American people don’t trust the media either and their charge is communicating what’s really happening in our country. The problem is they don’t and the people sense the disconnect and have for decades.
Pluto warned us and so did Benjamin Franklin. If the people don’t stay actively involved in the political process or governing of our communities, state, and nation, “We will be ruled by our inferiors.”
What Sheila proposes is being done by the younger folks who understand how our surveillance state works. Many of the bloggers here are clueless about who runs this government. Those who deny a “Deep State” are delusional TV watchers.
You can literally get arrested for organizing a protest and our surveillance state coupled with the militarized police (Homeland Security) have backdoors built into all social media structures.
The CIA is “counter-intelligence”. It’s what they do ALL OVER THE GLOBE. Gather intelligence and spread disinformation. Don’t forget we also have the well-funded NSA.
Why do you think most our best critical journalists who are truly holding our government accountable live outside the USA and use underground and encrypted services?
We have software now which can make our IP addresses appear in any country around the world.
Blaming 45 is fun because he’s an idiot and tosses lots of fodder for the media industry but he’s just a distraction from what’s really going on in this imperialist country with over 150 military bases around the globe. 😉
I don’t think we can look for one big demonstration of resistance to suddenly make a difference. WE had something like that with the Women’s March, knowing the March alone would not change things. It is the WORK every day that is our only chance to change things. It is doing more than just voting and throwing some money to a candidate. It is about volunteering weekly every week between now and Election Day to elect democrats. It’s putting that work on your schedule just like a part time job. For me, I will be volunteering 10-15 hours per week doing political stuff with 2 campaigns and with Hoosier Action, plus some intermittent work with other campaigns. We all need to start looking at saving democracy as our new job!
My email and Facebook is flooded with scads of groups and people raising money to save us from Trump and his minions. I’ve just been blocking and deleting them because I don’t think there really is much that can be done.
We simply need to be patient and wait for the inevitable collapse that is the logical conclusion of Republican policies and personnel. If it does come as a sudden event, there will be people needed to save the country. If it just gets worse and worse slowly but surely, it will be something none of us will live long enough to worry about anyway.
So, what to do? Just watch, and be prepared, and go on living as best as we can, and most importantly, study the Roaring Twenties. The Democrats were pretty well neutered during those rambunction years, too, but when the time came for for the Three Rs of Relief, Recovery, and Reform, the right man showed up at the right time — maybe that’s what we’re in for — a big wait.
When I see the stories coming down about tariffs and how the farmers of the Midwest and South are going to suffer, my comments and replies generally run like this:
“Surely the people who voted for the Republicans are entitled to live under the policies of the candidates for which they voted — aren’t they? I thought that’s why we have elections”.
Of course, the people who voted for Obama were not entitled to that, but as much as I loved President Obama, I do have to say that great speaker and campaigner that he was, he did not use the bully pulpit of the office very well, and too, his supporters thought that they had done their job by just voting for him. And that’s what cast us into the wilderness of all the sins of American, both past and present.
So, while were waiting, let’s study up on how politics works, and then be prepared to do it.
Gerald’s suggestion of a “strike” brought back memories of Rosa Parks whose simple action brought about a city-wide “strike” against the public transportation system and spread from there. She did not take a political action, she did not revolt; she sat where she belonged in the marked “colored section” of the bus, when the white section filled up she was ordered to give up her seat. She ended a long day of work and was tired so she refused; the driver moved the sign to behind her, putting her in the “whites only” section of the bus but still she sat…till police arrested and handcuffed her, taking her to jail. No plan, no organized action, no civil rights movement ; simply one tired woman claiming her seat on the bus…her rightful place.
We cannot claim our seat on the bus or our rightful place in this country by starting at the top to remove Trump & Company; Republicans didn’t start at the top to put him there. Start on our home-front by finding ways to “strike” at the heart of their tyranny; and we in Republican states are living under a firm foundation of tyranny. Here in Indiana, long known as “The Land of Taxes”, even our elected Democratic politicians are forced to enforce Republican taxation and racial, bigoted laws on those who can least afford it to give financial support to those who least need it. The medical world has no prescriptions or nostrums for the “emotional outrage” suffered by millions upon millions in this country. We are the butt of a cruel joke and we helped put ourselves here. The title of Chapter 3 in Vernon’s book is, “What Have We Done” and ends with the words, “What the hell have we done?”
And as Sheila pointed out, organization is needed if we are to succeed; but the American trait of wanting to be “first”, the “one in charge” stands in the way of any national consortium of organizations. “Those who forget history are doomed to repeat it.” and here we are. We have forgotten the wisdom of Pogo, “We have met the enemy and he is us.” Construction does not begin with the top floor; it begins at the foundation and works up.
“I’m probably just smoking whatever it is that Gerald has been inhaling–but anyone have influence with a national organization?” Isn’t the answer to that – our starting point would be to seek that influence at the local level for each of us? My efforts with Joe Donnelly and Dan Forestal led nowhere; I am now working on my City Councilor who posted on Facebook seeking support. He asked for my E-mail address in response to my comments asking where he has been since I voted for him the last time. The City-County Council wields much influence locally; I sent a lengthy reply to his E-mail…and now, like the refund check for the unconscionable increase in my property taxes, I wait for his answer. Start working for change at the level you can actually reach; locally.
Jean – happy to read that you are one of the few who is willing to spend time and energy on making political changes. I, too, have been spending time and energy doing what I can to push for positive change.
What I have noticed on this blog over the past few years is that too many comments are complaints only. There are far too few comments about what readers are doing themselves to push for positive change.
Todd – you write a lot of valid comments, but what are you personally doing to bring about change. Have you considered running for office?
One of my biggest pet peeves is listening to people complain and wanting someone else to do something about it. It seems to be quite common that people want someone else to put their neck out to bring about the changes that we all want, but balk at the thought or suggestion that they should also consider being the person who does what is needed to bring about change.
I get so tired of hearing people exclaim that all that is needed is that people just need to vote. HELLO…..if the only candidates running for office are GOP incumbents or people who have the financial connections or backing to get elected and they only intend to serve their wealthy financial backers, then I can’t blame people for not voting.
I realize some of us on this blog are in their 70’s, 80’s or 90’s and I appreciate your wisdom. However, those of us who are young enough to run for office should consider doing so or consider supporting other candidates who are willing to run. I am running for a local office in the general election. I live in one of the most red districts in the state and my very well lose to the R candidate who doesn’t come close to having the qualifications that I have, but I am going to run anyway.
Voters need choices at the voting booth. It is up to us to give them choices.
The Poor People’s Campaign is approaching the half way point of its weekly protests: last week 488 people nationwide were arrested. Big whoop. The local group trained no more than 50 persons in non-violent civil disobedience tactics. There is no undercurrent of opposition about to explode in opposition to the current elected officials. In my precinct on May 8, 306 of 748 people registered to vote did so; 41%. 185 took a Democrat ballot, 121 a Republican. This is in Pike TWP. I worked as Judge half day. I saw no voter carrying a pitchfork, breathing fire, shouting curses at those in power. I saw no 18-22 year old people even voting. I saw no evidence of a revolution brewing.
Strike is an external statement or response usually to something to which you had no control, like management changing work rules or not respecting the health and safety of workers… the 2016 was internal Democrat dysfunction. Democrats have (had) the ability to defeat Trump in 2016 and choose not too. Just ask yourself, ‘what did you do when you heard the statement from D’s that there was NO difference between Trump and Clinton so why vote?’ or ‘what did you say when a friend or colleague said they are voting for Stein or Johnson?’ Anyone who knows me knows how much I love films. And lately I have been thing about one particular scene in The Untouchables. As Sean Connery’s character lays dying on the floor, he asks Elliott Ness, “what are you willing to do? [to stop Al Capone]. 2020 will be here soon enough and everyone needs to ask themselves what they are willing to do to put an end to this craziness. And I guarantee you that the work is among your/our own ranks – otherwise its four more years or is it four more Supreme Court picks????
An amazing thing struck me the other day at the Dr.’s office visit. He had a younger Woman who was interning and she did my workup for the appt., and somehow it got down to the Dr. and the Intern deciding maybe I should see a counselor as I had signs of depression. (DUH!!!!) And when I got home, it wouldn’t leave me – I know all about depression I have had it in my life in others and family for all my life. And I know I am just as susceptible as anyone to depression – but I suddenly realized it wasn’t depression: I am really angry. And the anger is directly due to frustration. And that frustration comes from having my voice cut off – to my government, locally not so much, state level for sure and Federal is a shambles – websites that have homepages two years or more out of date! Really? I don’t use Facebook anymore haven’t for some time – I saw the russian thing all along and the other terrorist groups and their infiltration of common peoples sites… ‘following’ they really were surveiling us, the US has more enemies than the populace is want to believe. But it isn’t really depression it is an anger that what appears so obvious to me and others I know is being made out by information sources like the evening news and online normally credible sources as just a mish mosh of shit. What can I say: if this is not frustrating – than what the hell is it? Because this rat is sitting watching this clown show run the rat race and thinking to himself: Why do I bother to even watch? ya know?! I got a life to live but this clown is messing with it – even down to the personal level. I say the ‘BITCH’ GOTTA GO!
Yes, 45 is the culmination of years of abuse of our democratic republic. If we do figure out what to do with him, we are then faced with a dilemma. What do we do with ourselves? Does anybody ever wonder what Franklin meant when he said, “We’ve given you a republic, if you can keep it?” To me it means that governance is difficult and we must work at it and pay attention to it, if we are to be successful at it.
I get many messages about term limits. I am against term limits, because they take the reliance for good government and the choice for good governance, away from the people. The Constitution does not lay out the duties of citizens because people, except Franklin, who were experiencing self rule for the first time couldn’t imagine that we wouldn’t do our duties.
If only they had all been as prescient as old Ben.
Thank you, Sheila, and others for addressing the issues many of us seem to be feeling. For those of you who are saying things like “that won’t workc, “they are doing….”, etc, you may have missed the point. That position is just a replica of what we are seeing from those in power. Why not look at it from another vista? And be uncomfortable with a “new way of seeing our world”? Noneither of us are too old to change and renew our paradigm of living, or at least adjust our viewpoint.
Think I may have met you, Wayne, on May 8th.
Nancy; these words touch the crux of the situation we are in today, “One of my biggest pet peeves is listening to people complain and wanting someone else to do something about it.” Not only those who have done nothing but complain and sat home pouting rather than vote in many years leading up to 2016 have much to answer for but will continue pointing at others and doing nothing…or vote vote for known losers to prove their pointless point about a particular candidate they don’t like. We have always found reasons to disagree with the opposition who won the election and complain; we have never before found ourselves moving, at a rapid pace, closer and closer to nuclear war as a result. Using quotes from “Invictus”; “Under the bludgeonings of chance, My head is bloody but unbowed.” led to the last lines, “I am the master of my fate, I am the captain of my soul.”
Those words lead us directly to those of TLentych: “And I guarantee you that the work is among your/our own ranks – otherwise its four more years or is it four more Supreme Court picks????” It is up to us to save ourselves which makes me wonder about the founding fathers writing about democracy, majority rules, then took it away by adding the Electoral College to the Constitution, leaving the decision of who is president to be chosen by a chosen few. Much of the Constitution and Bill of Rights is open to interpretation, as are many of our laws, but to me, they provided a contradiction to the meaning of the Constitution with the Electoral College. Of course, in the Declaration of Independence, they declare “We hold these Truths to be self-evident, that all Men are created equal…” while many owned slaves. “Do as I say, not as I do.”?
One action by the the highest court in the land, SCOTUS, put all of us on the slave block; we are outnumbered in our fight, the primary weapon of the Republican party is the wealth behind them. Citizens United rules the land. Strike? Organize? Why not; unlike slaves of old, the Republican party cannot sell us off; other nations no longer see us as being of any value to them…or currently to ourselves.
Trump would not understand.
Steve wrote >>> Study the Roaring Twenties. The Democrats were pretty well neutered during those rambunctious years, too, but when the time came for for the Three Rs of Relief, Recovery, and Reform, the right man showed up at the right time.<<<
The right man was FDR and he saw the danger of an authoritarian, left and right and laissez faire capitalism of the Coolidge-Hoover Regimes. FDR won in a landslide in 1932. The elections of 1934 and 1936 proved FDR's New Deal Programs if not totally successful, were a plan in right direction.
It does seem one necessity, although we may not like it, is a personality cult around a party leader. FDR, Ike, JFK and Ray-Gun certainly had it. These individuals had a plan clarity that could be communicated. The Trumpet (aka Agent Orange) has his own personality cult.
The Democrats lack a true dynamic leader, they also lack a Plan, A New Deal, a New Frontier, etc., that is not limited by geography.
Labor Strikes all have a goal in mind, an end game for a specific group of people. What does a general strike offer to the people??? There must be a clearly defined goal. What do you want???
Meaningless, flailing, marching and "resistance" is no solution, unless you can produce a change.
Trump has one thing to offer, always had always will. Celebrity. His daily tweets say “squirrel” to the press and off they go on another adventure. Late night comedians are making a fortune from telling jokes about what a perfect ass he is. He loves hearing his name all day long.
Meanwhile the clown cabinet and Congress are selling the country off to the highest bidder quietly. Pretty soon they’ll have strong enough Judicial influence to have pulled off complete control.
We don’t have to fix all of that right now. We can’t for one thing. But we can do something. We can partially paralyze the beast with Democrat control of Congress. We can use them to stop the confirmation process. We can use them to prosecute effectively the evidence that Mueller is piling up. We can not ratify treaties. We can budget to fix the social ills that the current band of thugs is inflicting on everyone who can’t donate to them. We can cut out military parades.
We’ve got this.
Todd’s verbal hand-wringing is precisely what is preventing real action by many. They give in to their perceived helplessness. Yes, this blog is replete with complaints and worries. It IS a reality that we, as individuals can only do so much to change things. Those kids in Florida certainly did something to activate millions with “March for our Lives”.
We real patriots and advocates of fairness in government must also step up. Working for candidates and organizations like Progressive Democrats of America is SOMETHING and helps us put our energies to work to foment the change we desire.
Strikes are by nature reactionary moves, ultimate social acts meant to do or undo or at least call attention to intolerable situations. As for being called communists, socialists and the like, so what? Those of us who wish to effect change are called all such names in any event. Indeed Henry Ford was called a “communist” by his industrial peers when he decided to pay his workers who assembled Model Ts the then unheard of wage of $5 a day. This “communist” retorted that he was paying such a sum so that his workers could buy Model Ts, and they and millions of others did, and as a result this “communist” turned “capitalist” became a billionaire (and that’s when the dollar was a dollar).
What have I been smoking? I have been smoking a substance calling for the retention and even expansion of American democracy, our most important asset held in common, and as I often write, one of the last few things left worth dying for, and without which “We the People” are mere ATMs in the service of the authoritarian few.
General strikes are not unusual in France and are usually effective in making their point. If we were to have one here in which everyone other than police, fire, medical and utility workers were involved, winning or losing on the issue or issues under fire would not be as important as a show of solidarity in challenging the powerful who are ramming them down our collective throats – and who says such a strike need be limited to one day?
According to one Mika B at Morning Joe, Drumpf is frustrated because he can’t watch porn in the WH.
What Drumpf needs is lessons in civility and the humanities and how to get along with others- simple stuff Sesame Street could teach him.
I’ve run for political office twice and own a business which promotes activist journalism.
The Democratic Party in my County has been under investigation by the FBI for two years leading to at least one indictment. More coming.
I could tell more stories of being black balled by all the Ball Family sycophants in East Central Indiana but it doesn’t mean a thing. One thing it has done has sacrificed money to my family and stepped up my resolve to hold truth to power.
What you don’t grasp is our power structure has been preparing for pushback for several years. If you still think two aluminum planes brought down three concrete and steel buildings in New York, keep getting informed by watching CNN. Lol
The first job of Jeff Sessions as AG was to track down the organizers and attendees of the protest against 45 after his inauguration. It’s going to get much worse before it improves, if it does.
Orwell was a prophet.
Todd,
Your fantasy about the 9/11 tragedy is typical of those who NEED to believe everything we do is evil. YOU are part of the problem for thinking like this. I’m sorry that you don’t get along with the Ball family. Do you get along with the crime family currently in the White House?
You ran for office twice? Did you win? How many votes did you get telling everyone that the 9/11 disaster was a conspiracy by our own government led by Dick Cheney?
Fantasies should be the provenance of the wealthy political-class. I remember when we had a dry-drunk for president;George W Bush. He had this fantasy the country of Iraq had WMD’s. The intelligence was stove piped and their fantasy was never proven to be true, nevermind Colin Powell’s carnival barker act. The dry-drunk and his merry misfits were able to wreck an entire country,kill hundreds of thousands–if not millions of Iraqi’s–and at least 5 thousand Americans have been killed. All for one man’s fantasy and wish to be a wartime-president. So,where was the outrage?
Vern,your arm has must be getting tired from all of the punching downward and to the left. You must be a former Republican. Republicans can never shake their penchant for punching down. Even as they claim themselves to be Democrats in 2018. I guess you believe all of that punching will ingratiate you to the hive and sell a few books? It will probably work with this crowd. There’s a sucker born…..
William,
With all due respect, or the respect you deserve, you are incredibly mistaken about me, what I think, what I write and just about everything else related to this blog.
Calling the illegal invasion of Iraq, for example, one man’s dream is wildly incorrect. You forgot who Dick Cheney is? In his first term, “W” did NOTHING without the blessing of “Vice”. “Vice” wanted the war just as much, if not more than “W”. I will give you credit for lacing into Bush for his idiotic administration. “The tried to kill my daddy.” Remember?
Oh, and my arm is doing just fine, thank you. I don’t punch at anything except bullshit. Thanks for being a target.
Vernon; Cheney was hazardous before riding shotgun for Bush. He was CEO at Haliburton when they poured the faulty oil rig base in the Gulf of Mexico; the one which exploded killing 11 men, injuring dozens of others, destroying ocean life in a vast area of the Gulf and destroying fishing business for hundreds of people on the Gulf Coast. That was before OKing the outing of Valerie Plame as a CIA agent because her husband investigated Iraq and reported to Bush that they found no evidence of nuclear materials. Bush denied getting the report for years; then admitted he didn’t believe it. Bush, prodded to action by Cheney, declared the war on Iraq then after 5 months declared, “Mission accomplished.” But our troops are still there where no nuclear materials were kept and Isis was in Pakistan.
Cheney also shot his friend in the face while on a beer drinking hunting trip in a fenced in privately owned hunting area. To do his own killing, his prey was trapped for his convenience.
When asked why he didn’t attempt to help his wounded friend, he said he assumed the property owner would take care of it. Whatta Guy! And a useful, humanitarian organ donor had to die to provide a heart to keep Cheney with us to continue his Republican support. He was a major character in another dark chapter in this country’s history; there is no way to estimate the number of dead he is responsible for. But we have darker days ahead with only Trump to lead the summit with North Korea; our sworn enemy for over 50 years.
In assessing the wisdom and probable effectiveness of a nation-wide strike, we need to calculate the likely percentage of participation. While Trump has turned out exactly as I expected, I remain flabbergasted at the number of people who support his vile form of self-seeking, foul mouthed, mendacious ignorance. If the number who refuse to participate is vastly higher than the number of strikers, a strike would simply provide Trump with a clearer picture of who his enemies are without accomplishing anything useful. Many companies here in South Carolina would punish participants, as they do anyone who dares to whisper the word “union”. In other words, how does one measure success with regard to demonstrations? Maybe 5 or 10 million fervent anti-Trumpers marching down the streets and avenues of the District of Columbia would make a stronger statement.
P.S.: I’m retired. How does a retiree participate in a strike?
THE STRIKE AS A TACTIC is more flexible (and useful) than we imagine.
There’s the general strike, meaning everyone quits until the complaint is resolved.
There’s the limited general strike: everyone quits for a finite period of time, such as one day, or …
The specific target strike: everyone quits patronizing a targeted industry/entity for a limited period of time. And then targets another industry/entity. And then another, etc..
The threat or rumor of strike: the big boys live (and clean up their act) in fear of a strike that is only rumored. While leading a local union in Ohio, I used the rumor of a strike to get surprising concessions from owners.
The intermittent strike: partial or general, the people strike more than once, intermittently, until the grievance is settled.
Important: With all of these various sized strike bombs, it is not necessary to have 100 percent participation, especially when used to pressure government. It is necessary, however, to hurt the boss / owner / admini- stration where it counts. And do so while perpetuating the understanding that there is more pain where that came from.
Warning: When this gets serious, the strikers must have another way to communicate, because the Trump administration will shut down the strikers’ use of the Internet. Strikers must also have agreed upon representatives, more or less free of strike baggage, to do the negotiating detail work.
Strikers should get in touch with the leaders of the Women’s March in order to enlist experienced cadre to the movement.
Strikers should have written objectives, essentially to iterate their mission to restore constitutional government and protect it from special interest influence. The more benign the strikers’ mission reads the more support it gets from fence-dwellers.