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DON'T MOPE – FIGHT
Less than two weeks into Trump 2.0, his reign is already exceeding our worst expectations: Unqualified cabinet picks, executive orders undoing key policies and rights, pardons for the January 6 rioters, threats of retribution against critics, pressure on states to comply with new mandates, bullying of foreign allies, governmental chaos – the list goes on. With both houses of Congress in Republican hands, defending democracy is more daunting than ever.
Our enemies want us to give up so they can erode democratic principles unimpeded. The Trump team’s strategy to “flood the zone” with an endless stream of outrageous initiatives is designed to keep us off balance, gasping for air, and demoralized. Meanwhile, the media amplifies the image of Team Trump as dominant and the opposition (us) as reeling.
Don’t help our enemies by letting yourself succumb to pessimism and despair. While Trump and his allies may have the upper hand right now, remember that he barely won the election (with less than 50% of the popular vote). His claims of a mandate to govern are hubris likely to result in overreaching in ways that will undermine his popular support.
What we do now really matters. The 2026 midterm elections – less than two years from now – will be our first big opportunity take back control of Congress and blunt Trump’s reign. But this year, we will have state and local races that will be building blocks. Meanwhile, our allies are already using the courts to challenge Trump’s executive orders and soon new GOP legislation.
It’s time to get to work. Stay alert for initiatives and campaigns that need you. (See below for ways to take action right now.) Donate what you can to the organizations leading the fight. They can't do their work without our help.
Recharged and ready to fight,
Your Faithful Editor
In This Issue
- Upcoming Events
- Things You Can Do Now
- Fighting Back
- In Case You Missed It
- Profile in Courage
- Spread the Word
- Share Your News
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Monday, February 3 at 5:30pm: The Sharon Democratic Town Committee holds its regular monthly meeting. You are welcome to join in person on the second floor of Sharon Town Hall, 63 Main Street in Sharon, or remotely on Zoom. Please email sharontowndemocrats@gmail.com for a link.
Sunday, February 16 at 4pm: The Human Impact of an ICE Arrest. A local woman, whose husband was arrested by ICE but who avoided deportation after nine months in a detention center, will talk about her family's experience and answer questions. The long incarceration caused the family much financial and emotional hardship. Location: Trinity Lime Rock Church, 484 Lime Rock Road, Lakeville.
Tuesday, February 18 at 7pm: Salisbury Democratic Town Committee. This regular monthly SDTC meeting will be held at Town Hall and via Zoom. The SDTC is committed to promoting good government and democratic principles at every level of our civic life. The SDTC recruits candidates for local elective and appointed offices and supports the most qualified Democrats to run in municipal, state, and national elections. Meetings are usually on the third Tuesday of every month. Please email Al Ginouves to receive a copy of the agenda and the link to the meeting. All are welcome.
Thursday, March 6 at 6pm: Community Immigration Forum featuring CT Attorney General William Tong. Attorney General Tong will answer questions about how to protect our neighbors and how CT's Trust Act works. Location: Trinity Lime Rock Church, 484 Lime Rock Road, Lakeville.
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THINGS YOU CAN DO NOW
Wisconsin’s 2025 Supreme Court Election: Take Action
In less than 60 days, on April 1, Wisconsin voters will once again decide the balance of power in their state’s Supreme Court in an election with far-reaching consequences. At stake is whether the court will maintain its current liberal majority or shift back toward conservative control. This election will determine who replaces retiring Justice Ann Walsh Bradley, a key member of the court’s current liberal majority. If Judge Susan Crawford wins, the liberal bloc will hold its majority until at least 2028. However, if conservative Judge Brad Schimel prevails, the court will return to a 3-3 split, with swing Justice Brian Hagedorn once again becoming the deciding vote on key rulings. A conservative resurgence could jeopardize recent progressive legal victories, including the court’s rejection of Republican-drawn gerrymandered maps and the expansion of voting rights.
The 2023 Supreme Court race between liberal Janet Protasiewicz and conservative Daniel Kelly shattered national spending records, exceeding $51 million. Protasiewicz’s decisive win shifted the court’s ideological balance in favor of progressives. However, this year’s race is expected to be much tougher. While Kelly was a weak candidate with a history of election denialism, Brad Schimel is a far more formidable opponent. As a former state Attorney General, Schimel enjoys widespread name recognition and strong backing from conservative groups.
Judge Susan Crawford brings extensive legal experience to the race. She has served as an Assistant Attorney General, worked as a private attorney defending voting rights and reproductive healthcare, and now presides as a judge on the Dane County Circuit Court. Her career has been dedicated to upholding the law and ensuring fairness in the justice system. In contrast, Brad Schimel has a track record of partisan conservatism. As Wisconsin’s Attorney General from 2015-2019, he aligned himself with right-wing policies, opposing abortion rights and supporting restrictions on voting access. His candidacy threatens to politicize the court further and roll back critical legal protections.
Winning this race will require an unprecedented grassroots effort. Wisconsin Democrats have one of the strongest political organizations in the country, as demonstrated by their success in re-electing Senator Tammy Baldwin in 2024 and securing major gains in the state legislature. However, with Wisconsin’s razor-thin margins – Kamala Harris lost the state by just 0.9% in 2024 – every vote will matter.
Now is the time to get involved. Sign up to volunteer, spread the word, and donate to Susan Crawford’s campaign to ensure Wisconsin’s Supreme Court remains in the hands of defenders of democracy and justice. Click to learn more and volunteer: Crawford for Wisconsin. Click here to donate.
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Protect Undocumented Immigrants in Our Community
President Trump has activated Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) to make arrests to carry out his campaign promise of mass deportation of immigrants without legal status, including establishing aggressive quotas for the number of arrests each field office is required to make. We don't know where or when ICE may show up, but it is important for immigrants and their allies to be informed about their rights and know what to do if ICE comes to their door, their car, or their workplace. Fortunately, resources are available to help prepare immigrants to protect their rights.
Many of us have direct contact with immigrants as friends, colleagues, or people who perform work for us. We can help them by sharing these resources so that they can be prepared to protect themselves:
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Wallet-sized "Red Cards" in Spanish and English that anyone targeted by ICE can refer to when invoking their Constitutional rights to remain silent, refuse a search, etc.
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"Know Your Rights" flyers that detail what to do in specific situations and include a list of legal resources. A QR code on the flier focuses on locally available resources in CT, NY, and MA.
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"Make a Plan" packet prepared by Gov. Lamont's office that includes checklists and documents needed for things like appointing a standby guardian for children if parents fear they could be arrested.
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Videos in multiple languages created by WeHaveRights.us that give short, focused instructions to help immigrants and their allies prepare for and safely defend their rights during encounters with ICE. (Select your language from links near the top of website homepage.)
If you see someone you think might need these resources, or might know someone else who needs them, don't be shy about offering them. It's easy to simply offer them the "Red Card" or the "Know Your Rights" flyer and say, "I don't know whether you or someone else might need this, but perhaps you would like this." There is no need to ask someone's immigration status (nor should you unless they volunteer it).
If you would like printed copies of these resources or would like to get involved in the group that organized them, please email vecinosseguros2@gmail.com. Vecinos Seguros II ("Safe Neighbors 2") is a grassroots group of local citizens in CT's Northwest Corner working to support our neighbors who could be targeted by ICE by providing information, connections to legal resources, and other services as needed. The group is forming a Rapid Response team to help document ICE arrests in our area; email vecinosseguros2@gmail.com if you would like to learn more.
The group is sponsoring two in-person events to educate our community about CT's immigration laws and the dangers now faced by immigrants lacking full legal status. Please see Upcoming Events above for details.
Another way to help is by making tax-deductible donations to support this work. To donate, go to the website for Trinity Lime Rock Episcopal Church. Scroll down to the "Donate" button and follow the instructions to either send a check or donate online. Be sure to put "Vecinos" or "VSII" in the memo/note field, so the church knows to credit the donation to the Vecinos Seguros account.
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FIGHTING BACK
Opposing Trump in the Courts
Donald Trump wasted no time in issuing a wave of executive orders (EOs) designed to reshape federal government policy. Fortunately, his aggressive actions were immediately met with a barrage of legal challenges from pro-democracy groups, civil rights advocates, workers' groups, and state officials. With the White House and both branches of Congress in Republican hands, the courts have become key battlegrounds for democracy.
By the time you read this, Trump will likely have issued more EOs, so here are a few examples of his actions and the important work to oppose them. One of the most alarming EOs ends birthright citizenship for children born in the U.S. to some noncitizen parents. Effective February 19, this move would strip automatic citizenship from hundreds of thousands of children and young people. Democratic officials from 22 states and multiple immigrant rights organizations have already filed six lawsuits against it, and a federal judge in Arizona has temporarily blocked its enforcement.
Another controversial EO reinstated “Schedule F,” reclassifying tens of thousands of federal employees as political appointees and allow them to be fired without civil service protection. The National Treasury Employees Union, which represents workers from 37 federal agencies, swiftly sued, arguing that the order violates congressional intent and undermines the integrity of the federal workforce.
Trump's establishment of the new Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE), an Elon Musk-led entity tasked with slashing regulations and gutting federal agencies, triggered immediate legal action. Public Citizen, Democracy Forward, and National Security Counselors have each filed lawsuits challenging the legitimacy and overreach of DOGE.
The legal fight against Trump’s executive overreach needs your support. Organizations battling these unconstitutional orders in court are defending fundamental rights and democracy itself. Consider donating to these groups to help sustain their critical work.
For more about the frontline work of these group to oppose Trump, listen to this conversation between Skye Perryman, president and CEO of Democracy Forward, and Marc Elias from Democracy Docket.
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IN CASE YOU MISSED IT
Democrats Win Important Special Elections in Iowa, Minnesota, and Virginia. A Democrat flipped a conservative-leaning state Senate seat in Iowa this week in a special election win that Democrats saw as a sign of engagement among liberal voters in the early days of President Trump’s second term. Republicans still have large legislative majorities in Iowa, but the Democrat’s win in a solidly-conservative area is a sign of strength at this moment of uncertainty.
In Minnesota, Democratic candidate Doron Clark won a special election for a vacant Minnesota state Senate seat, retaining Democrats' control of the upper chamber. Unfortunately, the Minnesota House is experiencing a 67-67 tie after a judge ruled a Democratic candidate did not meet residency requirements for a seat he won.
Virginia Democrats retained their narrow legislative majorities in January special elections. In the first special elections since Donald Trump won a second term, Democrats won a pair of deep-blue Loudoun County seats (one in the state Senate, the other in the Virginia House of Delegates), while Republicans retained a safely-red state Senate seat in central Virginia. The legislative contests were triggered by the election to Congress of two former state senators. Virginia is one of two states holding gubernatorial races in November and control of the state's House of Delegates will also be on the line, offering a check on how voters are feeling about the Trump administration and the Republican-controlled Congress.
Economies in Counties Trump Won Point to Governing Challenges for GOP. Trump’s election victory has often been explained as a reflection of anger about post-pandemic price increases for everything from groceries to housing. But inflation was only part of the economic story. Trump won in the places that have seen the slowest growth since the pandemic, according to county-level GDP data released in December by the US Bureau of Economic Analysis. The figures, which capture output for 2023, also point to some of the challenges that the president-elect will face as his administration takes over management of the economy and sets about rewriting government regulations, tariffs and tax policy – and trying to cut government programs. Here are some key takeaways from a Bloomberg News analysis of the data: Harris won the counties that are the US’s biggest economic engines. The communities most dependent on manufacturing voted for Trump, despite Biden’s manufacturing push. Trump won big in places slow to recover from the pandemic. And Trump won overwhelmingly in the places that depend most heavily on government programs, such as Medicare and Social Security. Read more from this cautionary article in Bloomberg.
Meta’s Abandonment of Fact-Checking Empowers a President Who Traffics in Lies
by Barbara McQuade in The Contrarian. Mark Zuckerberg, CEO of Meta, which owns social media platforms Facebook, Instagram, and Threads, announced that the company would stop fact-checking posts on its social media sites. Meta will move to a community notes model, similar to that used by the X platform, relying on users to flag false claims rather than using professional fact-checkers, such as PolitiFact. While conceding that more “bad stuff” will appear on Meta’s platforms – Facebook, Instagram and Threads – Zuckerberg said the change was necessary to prevent “too much censorship.” McQuade is a professor at the University of Michigan Law School, former US Attorney for the Eastern District of Michigan, and author of the New York Times bestseller Attack from Within: How Disinformation is Sabotaging America. She argues that abandoning fact-checking will leave Meta’s 3.5 billion users exposed to disinformers, who seek to cause people to become skeptical of everything, leading them to become exhausted and cynical until they disengage from politics altogether – right where an authoritarian wants them. Read McQuade’s entire piece in The Contrarian.
For another insightful and engaging take on Meta’s recent move, listen to this conversation (27 minutes) between Casey Newton and Kevin Roose, hosts of The New York Times tech podcast Hard Fork. They break down what Meta’s policy changes will mean for users and why the company seems to be caving to the right’s arguments on censorship. Listen here.
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Bipartisan Majority Opposed to January 6 Pardons
On his first day back in office, President Donald Trump issued blanket pardons and commutations for over 1,500 individuals charged in connection with the January 6, 2021, Capitol attack, including those convicted of assaulting police officers.
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This action contrasts with public sentiment, according to a recent poll conducted for the bipartisan States United Democracy Center, a nonpartisan organization dedicated to free, fair, and secure elections. The poll revealed that approximately two-thirds of Americans, including more than half of Republicans, opposed pardoning violent January 6 protesters. Support for clemency was higher for non-violent offenders, with 44% in favor. Additionally, a January 2025 survey found that 54% of respondents feared such pardons would encourage future political violence. Click to read more from this study.
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PROFILE IN COURAGE
Bishop Mariann Edgar Budde Confronts Trump
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A day after President Trump issued executive orders targeting immigration and gender identity, Bishop Mariann Edgar Budde delivered a powerful sermon at Washington National Cathedral, directly addressing Trump, who was in the audience, along with his wife, Vice President Vance, and his wife.
Let me make one final plea. Mr. President.
Millions have put their trust in you. And as you told the nation yesterday you have felt the providential hand of a loving God. In the name of our God, I ask you to have mercy upon the people in our country.
And we're scared now. There are gay, lesbian and transgender children in Democratic, Republican and independent families – some who fear for their lives.
And the people, the people who pick our crops and clean our office buildings, who labor in poultry farms and meatpacking plants, who wash the dishes after we eat in restaurants, and work the night shifts in hospitals. They may not be citizens or have the proper documentation. But the vast majority of immigrants are not criminals. They pay taxes and are good neighbors. They are faithful members of our churches and mosques, synagogues … and temples.
I ask you to have mercy, Mr. President, on those in our communities whose children fear that their parents will be taken away. And that you help those who are fleeing war zones and persecution in their own lands to find compassion and welcome here.
Our God teaches us that we are to be merciful to the stranger for we were all once strangers in this land. May God grant us the strength and courage to honor the dignity of every human being; to speak the truth to one another in love. and walk humbly with each other and our God. For the good of all people in this nation and the world.
Watch Bishop Budde in her own words here.
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SHARE YOUR NEWS AND ANNOUNCEMENTS
Please send us any news or announcements that you would like us to share with our community. We publish on the first of each month, so please send us any submissions at least one week in advance. Please submit to the editor at salsdemsnews@gmail.com.
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