If you take one message from this letter, let it be this: Organize! Seek out a local mutual aid group via Mutual Aid Hub or join a progressive political organization like the DSA. Whether you're providing aid, receiving it, or working alongside fellow progressives, solidarity is our strongest tool.
The following is both a call to action and a guide for building a socialist movement that will not only resist but overcome the regressive forces steering our nation.
The US is also a one party state but with typical American extravagance, they have two of them.
-Julius Nyerere
Trump's victory isn't simply a failure of the American electorate—it highlights the absence of a true progressive candidate. The Democrat Party, despite its claims, hasn't delivered on key progressive issues. From the civil rights movement to women's suffrage to gay rights, change has always come from grassroots struggle, not the political elites. The Democrat party's consistent move rightward has betrayed working-class interests, serving capitalist agendas instead.
While the Biden administration touts economic recovery, public sentiment doesn't match. Wage stagnation, unaffordable housing, and unaddressed inflation expose the gap between their rhetoric and the lived experiences of most Americans. Despite popular support and a government trifecta, his administration failed to raise the national minimum wage or fix it to inflation. They've failed to institute or expand price controls on food or rent. They passed the inflation reduction act of 2022, but it was not enough.
Harris' platform was not even socially progressive, as evidenced by their non-action on trans rights. Harris dodging a question a month before the election about protecting trans rights by saying "follow the law", despite the law currently being transphobic and actively getting worse in many states. She then took a transmedicalist stance on trans rights, saying she only supported gender-affirming care when a doctor deemed it "medically necessary".
Harris campaigned on unity, which to her meant courting Republican figures, most notably Dick Cheney and his daughter Liz Cheney. This underscores the Democrats' strategy: appeal to the right, even at the expense of progressive values. This is why "pushing the party left" is a pipe dream - the DNC would rather lose elections than adopt a truly progressive platform. The most clear example of such resistance to progressivism is when they ensured Bernie Sanders could not win the 2016 primaries.
We may have all come on different ships, but we're in the same boat now.
- Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.
America is at a crossroads. The re-election of Trump signals a dangerous shift toward reactionary politics, but we can't rely on the Democratic Party to provide an alternative.
Direct action, especially mutual aid efforts, will be crucial in the coming years. Many marginalized communities will be targeted by the state, and we must be ready to provide support outside of traditional systems that have repeatedly failed them. You can find local mutual aid groups through Mutual Aid Hub, and help your local community.
Trans rights are currently under attack both nationally and in most states. You can use the Trans Legislation Tracker to keep up to date, and from there you can contact your representatives or join local protests.
Joining local progressive organizations, such as the Democratic Socialists of America (DSA) or even fully socialist ones like the Party for Socialism and Liberation (PSL), will help build a strong foundation for a larger political movement. These organizations can serve as vehicles for collective action, allowing us to pool resources, share knowledge, and coordinate efforts on a larger scale.
If you have local unions or cooperatives you can join or support, that will also help your fellow workers and increase the visibility across America of democratic socialist structures working.
Eventually, our goal must be to replace the Democrat party with a legitimately progressive party. Various progressive policies and ideals are gaining popularity across the nation, regardless of political affiliation: impactful policies like protecting abortion rights, raising the minimum wage, universal healthcare, or protecting trans people are supported by most Americans. This election campaign has shown us appealing to the right does not bring in new voters, so we must appeal to the left, addressing the material conditions of the working class and uniting people around a shared vision of a better future.
First they came for the socialists, and I did not speak out—
Because I was not a socialist...
- Martin Niemöller
In times of political upheaval, apathy is a luxury we cannot afford. Choosing "neutrality" is tacitly supporting the status quo, which continues to harm marginalized communities and entrenches inequality. But worse than apathy is insisting on civility - demanding "polite" protests while ignoring the injustice that fuels them. As Dr. MLK Jr. warned, prioritizing order over justice will only perpetuate inequality. Real change requires confronting power structures directly, often outside the confines of "acceptable" political channels.
America's political system, with its electoral college, first-past-the-post voting, and powerful lobbying, is inherently undemocratic. These mechanisms are designed to preserve the status quo, limiting real choice and stifling progressive voices. History shows us that meaningful change has rarely come from the ballot box alone but from grassroots activism and sustained pressure. If we want to transform this system, we must do more than vote—we must mobilize, protest, and demand a better future.
Never be deceived that the rich will allow you to vote away their wealth.
- Lucy Parsons
When I gave food to the poor, they called me a saint. When I asked why the poor have no food, they called me a Communist.
- Dom Helder Camara
Mainstream media, owned by the capitalist class, will frame progressive issues as divisive or fringe. They will cover our failures but not our successes, and certainly not report on when we need your help. To break out from this bias, use news sources like Jacobin, Current Affairs, and The Intercept. Check out FAIR, a progressive news source that tackles corporate bias in media. Educate yourself on progressive causes via accessible resources such as Second Thought and Our Changing Climate. And if you have the time, reading political theory and understanding class struggle empowers us to cut through propaganda and equip ourselves for the fight ahead. In a world of influencers and culture war politics, improving our political literacy and seeing beyond the Republican vs Democrat dichotomy is imperative.
The smart way to keep people passive and obedient is to strictly limit the spectrum of acceptable opinion, but allow very lively debate within that spectrum - even encourage the
more critical and dissident views. That gives people the sense.
that there's free thinking going on, while all the time the
presuppositions of the system are being reinforced by the
limits put on the range of the debate.
- Noam Chomsky
It is our duty to fight for our freedom.
It is our duty to win.
We must love each other and support each other.
We have nothing to lose but our chains.
- Assata Shakur
This is a frightening moment in our nation's history, but we are not powerless. By organizing, educating, and building solidarity, we can lay the foundation for a progressive future. Join an organization, get involved in mutual aid, and prepare to support a new party that prioritizes people over profit.
The path ahead is not easy, but it is necessary. Together, we will challenge the establishment, demand justice, and build a society that works for everyone. The struggle is just beginning—let's make sure it ends in victory.
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