Elections: No Seriously, There’s a Wolf At the Door

Here’s the thing: It’s not “crying wolf” if there’s actually a rabid, vicious wolf causing hell and havoc in the village. And, I’m sorry to say, there is indeed. Anyone who’s been paying attention knows the repeated dire warnings about the Trump administration are true: endless wars, soaring gas prices, criminal grifting, environmental destruction, an out-of-control ICE army, etc. I won’t depress you with more details; you already know them. 

In the modern version of this fable, the shepherd boy is not lying, and the village is not ignoring the boy’s constant cries of danger. What I am suggesting is that it’s not enough just to believe the youngster — we need to actively protect both the kid and the damn sheep. 

The good news is there’s no doubt the Democrats are going to dominate the midterm elections — clearly winning back the House and likely the Senate in a giant Blue Wave. We the People will have our say at the Ballot Box. The bad news is it’s also clear the Trump administration is going to do everything in their power to overturn the results of a free and fair election — by any means necessary. And that brings us to how to organize to defeat the Big Bad Wolf. 

To begin, an acknowledgment: We’re all busy, overwhelmed and working our asses off just to stay ahead. Having the weight of the world on top of us makes it hard to lift a finger to save democracy. But this is no ordinary moment: In previous administrations, even the ones we hated (I’m looking at you George Bush(s)), there were actually checks and balances. People like Elliot Richardson and John McCain and Mark Milley and Mike Pence held the line against nutjobs in the Oval. No longer. When a Fox News host runs the War Machine, and Sycophant Speaker Johnson controls the levers of power, ya better take notice. So we’re all gonna need to step up. Here’s how: 

First, and most obviously, ensure you are registered at your current address, and vote. In addition to national candidates, vote for state and local candidates and issues that have direct and immediate impacts on our community. (You can use the voterizer.org website to locate polling places and request a mail ballot if you haven’t already.) Check out voting deadlines for early voting, and get prepared to drop your ballot off at a drop box, or God forbid, find your voting precinct, and stand in line to pull the lever old-school style. 

Second, stay informed via reputable, mainstream media outlets. Subscribe to your local newspaper, read ProPublica, and the Associated Press, and watch MSNow and PBS and Zeteo. And don’t believe everything you see on socials. 

Third, join at least one nonprofit doing work you appreciate: Democracy Forward, NAACP, Greenpeace, Moms Demand Action, Planned Parenthood – whoever. If you have the resources- join four or five; when these organizations have large memberships, they have more leverage when they meet with legislators. (I ask folks to think about what they spend on Netflix or HBO – and then a contribution to the ACLU doesn’t seem overbearing.) If you have the time, put skin in the game by writing letters, showing up at hearings and town halls, or even Run For Something. Added bonus: When you’re at a rally or working at a fundraiser or community event, you will NOT be listening to any and all of the batshit crazy stuff going on in the news…

And finally, discuss the importance of this election with friends and family. Motivate others to stay informed – and fight through any challenges that may arise. Use your social media and community platforms to spread the word about the urgency of this election – and join and amplify those who are on the right side of history. 

Will the Trump administration pull some shenanigans during or after the election? Indeed. They will attempt to interfere with States’ counting and certification, perhaps even not seating the new duly elected members of Congress. Democrats and lawyers at all levels are game-planning those scenarios – and we as citizens will need to address that silent coup if it occurs. But the only thing we can do at the moment is vote in massive numbers, and prepare to use our voices and participation should some idiocy such as declaring a national emergency on elections occur. 

The moral of Aesop’s Fable, “The Boy Who Cried Wolf” is that no one believes a liar, even when they tell the truth. And there’s a related doom-scrolling danger today in what’s known as “alarm fatigue” – a bombardment of so much chaotic noise that we become paralyzed. Important in the next few months we steel our spines and agree that there’s a wolf attempting to destroy the People’s House, and we rally to protect it.