For those who think as I do, the election feels devastating. My country has elected a felon whose former top aides have described him as a fascist and

My Manifesto for Despairing Democrats

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2024-11-09 00:00:05

For those who think as I do, the election feels devastating. My country has elected a felon whose former top aides have described him as a fascist and “the most dangerous person to this country.” Yet in an election that wasn’t even close, voters not only chose him but also picked a Republican Senate to empower him further.

This will be a test of our country and of each of us, so let me offer a manifesto for how ordinary Americans of my ilk can respond.

1. I accept Donald Trump’s victory. If we are to stand up to Trump, we must first resist the impulse to be like Trump. We lost. We were outvoted. In a democracy, the majority rules, and that was not us. Yes, there is a contradiction when a democratic election elevates someone working to undermine democracy, but our first obligation is still to respect the voters’ choice.

2. I will be a watchdog, not a lap dog. Accepting Trump as president-elect does not mean surrendering to authoritarianism. In particular, I will be extra vigilant about attempts to abuse the legal system to go after Trump’s critics, and I will support institutions that are the backbone of democracy, such as the legal system, journalism and the civil service. I may hug a lawyer.