Democracy IS A Kitchen Table Issue
These days, there are a lot of troubling things that can keep us up at night. For the H4D team, we are deeply worried by the often-repeated assumption that everyday Americans are only concerned about kitchen table issues and don’t have the interest or time to worry about what is happening to our democracy. Many pollsters and pundits insist that abstract terms like ‘democracy’ or ‘fascism’ are just beyond what everyday folk care about or understand. While pundits and Democrats quibble over the best ‘talking points’ that will resonate with the public, Trump and his billionaire tech bros are drinking vodka straight out of the bottle and chugging cheeseburgers whole.
We believe that separating the day-to-day concerns that impact our daily lives from our democratic form of government is dangerously misguided. The kitchen table issues keeping us awake at night such as affordable housing, medical expenses and the cost of medications, good public schools, the cost of college, toxic waste contaminating our soil and drinking water, creeping inflation, cost of groceries; these and the myriad other kitchen table issues are directly and inextricably tied to our beloved, flawed and imperfect democracy and the federal systems that keeps our country functioning.
Did You Know:
Last week, a BlueSky user @cyb3sherrie posted this:
Unsure if related to DOGE cuts, but my father, a lung cancer survivor, living in rural Arkansas, is being denied care from his lung specialist through his VA benefits. He served his country with honor, and this is how they repay him. he literally can’t breathe! What the *****?
Connecting the dots: Our government (a democracy) used to pay for this veteran’s lung treatment (kitchen table issue). Trump’s oligarchy has slashed V.A. funding to pay for tax cuts for billionaires.
Closer to home, Megan Ruxton, an Indianapolis resident, recently took a pay cut from a private sector digital health technology company and took a job at the Food and Drug Administration (FDA). She was screening tobacco products to make sure they wouldn’t worsen the effect on adults or be increasingly addictive to children. She learned just a week ago that she had been terminated. The reason for firing was for ‘performance’ which wasn’t true nor substantiated in any of her performance reviews. The memo came from the Office of Personnel Management (OPM) which is illegal. That office doesn’t have the authority to fire federal workers.
Connecting the dots: The takeover of our democracy has resulted in an Indiana woman losing her job (kitchen table issue). Additionally, our democratic form of governance ensured that food and drugs were safe for human consumption (kitchen table issue). That function is being seriously eroded.
Another tragic story. A young unvaccinated school-aged child who lived in Lubbock, Texas just died of measles. Measles can cause a dangerous form of pneumonia and can also lead to encephalitis (swelling of the brain). Death from these complications is horrific.
Connecting the dots: Our democratic form of governance researched and found a vaccine for measles that prevented countless children from dying of this disease before their 5th birthday (kitchen table issue). Our democratic form of governance mandated that all school children be vaccinated to protect the well-being of the whole, effectively eradicating our country from this hideous disease. The newly confirmed head of Health and Human Services, a rabid conspiracy theorist with no medical background, now leads that agency and is gutting research and access to vaccines (result of this administration).
Why it Matters:
Our way of life, the kitchen table issues that impact our every waking moment, is under attack because our democracy is under attack.
As the newly elected chancellor of the Weimar Republic, it took Hitler one month, 3 weeks, 2 days, 8 hours and 40 minutes to dismantle the constitutional republic and consolidate power to himself. Trump (with Governor Braun as his obedient sergeant) is taking Hitler’s lead and actively dismantling the separation of powers within our Constitution. He has a gaggle of loyal sycophants and a few billionaires to help him.
What We Can Do:
We need to mobilize and use the levers of democracy to save our democracy. We don’t have a lot of time. Fighting for our democracy is our kitchen table issue. It’s that simple.
Speak Up! Use Your Voice!
Continue to use 5 Calls or the U.S. Capitol switchboard at 202-224-3121 to help you make strategic calls to legislators.
Demand in-person town halls from your Representatives (regardless of whether you are in a red or blue district) and Senators. Congressional recess is March 15-23!
Participate in Protests, Rallies, Boycotts, and Strikes
Stand Up For Science 2025 is hosting a rally on Friday, March 7 from 12-2 at the Statehouse.
50501 Movement is hosting an International Women’s Day Rally on Saturday, March 8 from 12-4 at the Statehouse.
People’s Union USA boycotts. Beginning Friday, February 28, 2025 and continuing into the spring and summer. For now, this economy belongs to us. Many corporations are aiding and abetting the oligarchs. Non-violent resistance and targeted boycotts have brought down regimes and we can do it again.
March 7-14: Amazon Boycott (Follow this link for a list of Amazon services, platforms, stores, and companies)
March 21-28: Nestle Boycott
April 7-14: Walmart Boycott
April 18th: Economic Blackout #2
Catholic Women Strike—a Lenten strike for Catholic women to make their voices heard in the Catholic Church. Much of the hierarchy of the Catholic Church and the growing ‘trad-Catholic’ movement promote misogyny, homophobia, racism and adherence to a patriarchal hierarchy of power.
If your place of worship isn’t standing against this assault on our democracy, find another one!
Join a Group or Organization
Indivisible groups—join one or start one if there isn’t one near you.
South Central Indiana—this is a brand new chapter! Contact the coordinators at indivisiblemc24@gmail.com.
Red, Wine & Blue. They coordinate with Indivisible and other major grassroots movements. They have a wealth of resources and are a clearing house of action.
Join a Trouble Nation group or start one if there isn’t one near you. Scroll to the bottom of the page for “Where Are My Troublemakers” map.
Educate Yourself & Learn How to Talk About The Issues
Jessica Cravens, Chop Wood, Carry Water and Heads Up News are a great source of everyday actions we can take.
No one of us can do it all. But we all can do something. Our collective actions will make a difference. We are all in this together.
Yours in resilient, resolute and joyful resistance,
The H4D Team!
I think we should also boycott everyone and companies affiliated with Jeff Bezos next womens flight. This would include Gayle King and CBS, her employer and Oprah who encouraged Gayle, Katy Perry, and of course Amazon.