Tom Schell, this is an honest, serious place to land. And...it tells me a lot about you.
That question you’re asking...have I done enough, did it matter, will it last...is the question people ask only after they’ve already done something REAL. People who’ve done nothing... don’t ask it.
One thing I want to gently reframe for you:
Modeling the right behavior isn’t a retreat.
It’s often the most DURABLE form of influence.
Talking tries to move people now.
Modeling....gives them something to move toward...sometimes long after the conversation would’ve failed.
History backs this up in an uncomfortable way...most people don’t change because they were persuaded. They change because...at some moment of pressure...they suddenly realize someone they respect...has already been living differently.
That’s not loud work.
It’s slow work.
And...it’s EXACTLY the kind of work that outlasts cycles.
As for “enough” and “sustained”...no single person ever guarantees that. What does endure is this: acting in a way you can stand behind regardless of outcome.
That’s how people stay sane. That’s how they keep going.
You’re NOT opting out.
You’re choosing a lane that doesn’t burn out...or collapse under disappointment.
And...for what it’s worth: modeling doesn’t just affect others. It stabilizes you. That matters more than people admit.
I've always felt as if I get at LEAST as much out of the articles I write as others do. They are words written for myself...as much as anyone else. In doing so, I'm also modeling DOING something, just as you have been doing. And, I want to say, thank you, Tom.
Thank you Jack. Appreciate your wisdom - I’m older than you but you’ve lived a much different life than me. I’ve learned a lot from you in the short time we’ve been acquainted. Just want to reaffirm this: what you write empowers me and likely thousands of others. We feel stronger knowing someone like you is leading the resistance.
Steven...that “holy shit” moment you’re describing is exactly what survivors kept pointing toward...not names...but PATTERNS.
Once you swap out the proper nouns and focus on behavior...sequencing...and normalization...the comparison stops feeling rhetorical...and starts feeling structural.
That’s the part people aren’t prepared for...because it removes the comfort of thinking “we’d recognize it instantly.”
What matters most...is what you did next: you didn’t stop at the reaction. You STAYED with the implication. That’s where orientation actually happens.
Thank you for naming it plainly...and...for helping others see it without having to be shouted at!
Thanks for the feedback. I wrote a detailed response to your newsletter but the system said it to be too long. So I posted the analysis on my Substack, :A New From teh Cheap Seat, Fixing America's Political Parties
Your article today was excellent, the people who lived to tell their stories from Nazi Germany, should shock Anyone into realizing the parallel between the trump regime and Hitler's regime. I think I was in Junior High school when we started studying WWII... I've been fascinated as well as horrified ever since. This is a good warning for all of your readers and me. Thanks Jack, and will reStack ASAP 🙏
What you’re responding to is exactly what survivors hoped for: recognition. Not hysteria. Not slogans. Just that quiet...unsettling click where the pattern becomes visible...and can’t be unseen.
You’re right about the parallels...and also about why they’re so hard for people to accept.
Most of us were taught WWII as something finished...sealed off in textbooks...with clear villains and a clean ending. Survivors kept trying to tell us it didn’t feel like that while it was unfolding. It felt incremental. Legal. Normalizing.
That’s why your reaction matters. Fascination mixed with horror isn’t morbid...it’s how people stay oriented instead of drifting into denial.
I really appreciate you restacking it. Not as a favor to me...but because distribution is how warnings actually work. Survivors didn’t need more people to agree...they needed people to carry the signal FORWARD.
The other night at work the discussion revolved around a co-workers upcoming trip. Her concern for herself, and her son was palpable. She became a US citizen 40+ years ago, her son is a citizen and she is trying to figure out what documents to have on them. Whether it was safe to go out and about in Las Vegas. It was a surreal moment and I remember saying "this is not normal, and we cannot let this become the new normal. We need to say it, and say it loudly!
Kristine, that moment you describe is exactly the line we should ALL be paying attention to. I LIKE YOUR FIRE.
When a U.S. citizen of 40+ years is quietly wondering what papers she needs to carry to move freely in her own country...and worrying about her child...that’s not politics anymore.
That’s fear...doing the work of policy. And...you’re right...that is NOT normal...and it cannot be allowed to become normal...through repetition...or silence.
Saying it out loud matters...because normalization is how this spreads.
When people start adjusting their behavior...avoiding travel...carrying documents “just in case,” calculating risk for ordinary life...the damage is ALREADY happening...regardless of what’s written on paper.
That’s why this article keeps insisting on visible...institutional action. People don’t feel safe because leaders reassure them...they feel safe because leaders draw lines and enforce them.
Until that happens...moments like the one you witnessed...will KEEP multiplying.
You were right to name it in the room. That’s how the spell gets broken...by REFUSING to pretend this is just another "rough news cycle." It's anything but.
Melissa Jo Peltier, thank you. That means a great deal to me.
What you just articulated is one of the hardest realizations people come to after the fact:
Not that they were ignorant...but that they took their emotional cues from leadership.
That “but Obama didn’t seem upset, so…” line is painfully honest...and incredibly common.
History keeps teaching this lesson the same way....leaders often normalize danger because they’re constrained by institutions...optics...or their own belief...that things will self-correct.
That doesn’t make them malicious...but...it does make them unreliable as early-warning systems.
You’re exactly right about Citizens United and Merrick Garland. Those weren’t side stories...they were structural red flags. Moments when the rules of the game were being quietly rewritten...and mass pressure might have changed the trajectory...if enough people had pushed hard enough...early enough.
The shift you’re naming now is the important one:
We don’t wait for leaders to react anymore...we create the pressure that forces reaction.
That’s not cynicism.
That’s civic adulthood.
The fact that you can say this clearly, Melissa, now means you’re not repeating the same mistake...you’re correcting for it. I think that's the case for most of us here. I know it is for me.
Thank you for naming it out loud. It helps others recalibrate...and some don't even realize they needed to...until it happens.
Jack, this article of yours today is outstandingly crucial, to the point, and imperative reading. As usual, I have reposted it.
Having known people from Germany who survived, and who had some family members who did not survive the Holocaust, and having heard their stories, I definitely see the pattern.
You write of strength in numbers, and that fact reminds me of the wonderful way Indivisible crowds and other gatherers have made a difference recently in preventing the purchases or approval of purchases by the person wanting to buy them to make prison camps in various cities. There are many cities across the country where this concern is real, and people together have made the difference. Rachael Maddow’s YouTube program gives details, has videos, and names places, as well as enumerates the number of places he is trying to set up these huge prison camps. The first stand off named took place near Richmond, Virginia, in Ashland, I think. Other sites he has chosen to make these prison camps, presumably for anyone who does not agree with him or whom he dislikes, are in various states across our country. I will try to share the site for awareness and as examples of how speaking out in large groups matters.
Judy Robinson, thank you...truly. This is one of those responses that tells me the article landed where it was meant to land. I always smile when that happens.
What you’re describing...having known survivors...having heard their stories firsthand... creates a different kind of clarity. It’s not abstract. It’s embodied.
And that’s why...you’re recognizing the pattern...instead of debating it.
Survivors didn’t speak in hypotheticals...they spoke in sequences. You’re responding to that SAME signal.
I’m especially glad you named something important: collective action working before it feels inevitable. Those Indivisible actions are a textbook example of what survivors meant by “strength in numbers”...not symbolic protest...but early...visible resistance that raises the cost before plans harden.
That’s exactly how derailment happens...when it happens at all.
You’re also right to emphasize that this isn’t theoretical or distant. These sites...these attempts...these standoffs...they’re concrete.
And...the fact that people showed up...loudly and together...matters more than most headlines will EVER admit.
Thank you for reposting...for sharing resources...and for holding the line in a way that’s grounded...informed...and steady. That hashtag you ended with says it all.
#HOLDFAST.
-Jack
P.S. I consider what we’re doing here at JHN...the most important work of my life. I mean that. When you look...raw and honest...at where we are right now...there’s more than enough justification for us all...to commit to doing...the most important work of our time on earth. If we do...we might actually pull this off!
YES! Our focus must be doing whatever we can RIGHT NOW. How dare anyone try to strip away our humanity toward each other, our dreams, our vision of being part of an often times imperfect democracy but a work in progress. We owe whatever sacrifices we make now to past generations and especially future generations. This takeover isn't happening on our watch. I do admit that I wanted to cry while reading your post. I will hold off until after we remove the fascists from our government. Then they will be tears of joy. Best wishes to all of us to keep up our courage and strength.
Great points Judy. We have a billionaire here in BC by the name of Jim Pattison, and one of his many companies was in the process of selling an enormous warehouse in N Carolina to DHS til a regular citizen here found out, and started a media blitz, calling for boycotting his companies.They say they weren’t aware it was for ICE to “ process” detainees, and within a couple of days of media reports, stopped the sale. Piwer to the people! 👏🏻👏🏻👏🏻
Thank you, Mo. I’m so glad that one person learned the truth and that the citizens worked together for the needed difference! These happenings should make each of us pay extra special attention to real estate and existing buildings, now more than ever. We also need to find out what is happening with building permits.
Judy...thanks for sharing this! I agree with the impulse behind your message: paying attention and refusing to normalize what’s happening matters.
And as we look down the road, we also have to remember that there will be times when we won't need to label things a “huge plot” for them to be dangerous or real. (These are the more covert things that are easier to miss)
What matters...and what holds up best under scrutiny...is documented patterns...verifiable actions...and institutional behavior we can point to clearly.
One of the strengths of Maddow’s work...when it’s at its best...is walking people through evidence step by step and showing how systems are being used or abused.
That’s the posture that helps us stay grounded...persuasive...and hard to dismiss.
So...yes...watch...learn...compare sources...and stay engaged. But...the real power...comes from translating awareness... into clear demands for lawful...visible action; injunctions...oversight...enforcement...and accountability. That’s how attention...turns into LEVERAGE.
And on the last point...we absolutely DO need to stick together. Not around slogans or panic...but around shared facts...shared standards...and shared expectations of leadership.
I will point out, though, three hopefully consequential differences between Hitler and Trump: 1) Hitler had broad support; Trump doesn’t. 2) Hitler did not have an Epstein file issue; Trump does and it’s very consequential. 3) The economy was already tanked when Hitler ascended; the economy now is starting to tank.
Hopefully these three difference will result in a very different outcome.
Uriah Heep, you’re thinking about this the right way...not by dismissing the pattern...but by stress-testing it against real differences. And...yes…those differences can matter.
A few thoughts on each:
1) “Hitler had broad support; Trump doesn’t.”
That’s a meaningful distinction...but the uncomfortable caveat is this: authoritarian projects don’t require majority love.
They require a durable base + institutional leverage + fragmented opposition. If the machinery of enforcement...courts...and information can be bent...broad popularity becomes less decisive than people assume.
So...yes...lower support is a brake…as long as institutions stay independent and the opposition stays coordinated.
2) “Hitler didn’t have an Epstein file issue; Trump does.”
This one is real...and it cuts two ways. Scandal can weaken legitimacy…or it can accelerate “protect the leader at all costs” behavior inside a coalition that fears exposure.
When a political ecosystem believes it’s fighting for its survival...it often becomes more loyal...not less.
The key variable isn’t the existence of kompromat...it’s whether credible...sustained accountability mechanisms can force consequences despite the loyalty.
3) “The economy was already tanked then; it’s starting to tank now.”
Economic distress is historically...a destabilizer. It can erode support for incumbents…or it can increase demand for a strongman and scapegoats.
The direction depends on who successfully NARRATES the pain: “it’s them” vs “it’s corruption/power”...and...whether there’s a visible...competent alternative people can imagine trusting.
So...I agree with your hope...these differences could produce a very different outcome.
My caution is simpler...none of them are automatic safeguards. Each one is a variable..that can be turned into a brake...or...turned into fuel depending on institutions... narrative...and collective action.
And...that’s why your last line matters most: “Hopefully” is not a plan. The plan is pressure...on institutions...on accountability...and on the normalization process...while the derailment window is STILL open.
Great analysis, as always ~ And thanks for replying.
I have to agree things could go south. Lots of variables here…It’s quite aways from the elections but if Trump’s picks for upcoming primaries are defeated, that might give Republicans pause on remaining silent.
I spent my entire adult life applying lessons that I learned from the Navy’s Nuclear Submarine Force from the past to my businesses and personal life. The key to this process is to identify the root cause of a problem, then fix that. Jack’s Newsletter comes close to identifying the root cause of our predicament. May we only have the courage to take the actions necessary to fix the problem.
The Nuclear Submarine Force mindset is basically: stop chasing symptoms...isolate root cause...correct the system...verify the fix. That’s how you prevent small failures from turning into catastrophic ones.( I knew a couple nukes while I served...I've always like detecting patterns of smart people.)
And that’s exactly why the thrust of this newsletter isn’t “feel the right feelings” or “say the right words.” It’s orientation...toward the root causes of how democratic backsliding happens: intimidation that chills participation...institutional hesitation...and leaders who talk like it’s urgent but act like it’s optional.
Courage...in that framework...isn’t bravado. It’s the willingness to do the uncomfortable...procedural...disciplined work that actually changes outcomes...before the failure cascade becomes irreversible.
And...your last line is the right standard...not just naming the problem...but taking the actions required to FIX it. That’s the difference between diagnosis...and leadership.
Thank you for sharing this..truly. I like how your mind works.
Hi, Jack: I would change the "WE" approach to directing this to the Democratic congressional reps and senators that hold elected offices to represent the people. Have you heard of any of them holding town halls? I haven't. Do any of them have a strategic plan for addressing the people of this country by holding press conferences at a minimum on a weekly basis? I don't see this happening. Do any of them tour their districts and walk around to take the temperature of the people? I don't hear that this is occurring. I think you get my point. This is extremely unsettling. It's not enough to just occupy a seat anymore. We desperately need leadership! They cannot expect the people to be the answer through just so-called nonviolent protest.
You’re right to push on this....and...you’re right that “we” can become a dodge if it’s used to shift responsibility onto regular people. It absolutely can.
The core of this article is not “citizens must save democracy with protest.” It’s the opposite...the people with formal power must start acting like an opposition party...using every lawful lever...publicly and relentlessly...so ordinary voters feel protected enough to participate.
On your specific questions:
Town halls: they do exist...but not at the level of a coordinated...national posture you can feel everywhere.
For example, Senator Ron Wyden publicly scheduled multiple open-to-all town halls in January 2026. And...at the state level...Washington State House Democrats have a published 2026 town hall schedule page.
That said...your underlying point stands: what’s missing is a disciplined...high-visibility... opposition-wide rhythm...that tells the public, “We are on this every week.”
Weekly press conferences / strategic plan: House Democratic leadership does hold regular press conferences—C-SPAN has them...and there are “weekly presser” streams featuring caucus leadership. Jeffries’ office also posts frequent press releases and events.
BUT... here’s the distinction your comment nails: a press conference is NOT a strategy. A strategy is a visible...repetitive...escalating campaign of leverage, lawsuits...injunctions... oversight...procedural friction... and public-facing protection measures that change the risk calculus for intimidation.
“Tour the district / take the temperature”: members do district events... but...what people are craving (and what you’re describing) is leadership BEHAVIOR, not routine constituent service; leaders showing up...listening...and then using institutions like weapons...lawfully...on behalf of VOTERS.
And your final line is the crux: it’s NOT enough to occupy a seat anymore. Nonviolent protest is not a substitute for governance. Citizens can amplify and document and pressure...but only elected officials can pull the levers that actually constrain abuse.
So...yes...shift the “we” upward. The public’s job is to demand protection. Leadership’s job is to deliver it...out loud...on schedule...before the window closes.
Excellent article Jack. I will never become comfortable with injustice. Nothing that this regime is doing is normal. It’s naive to think that their tactics won’t affect everyone. The time to act is NOW. Not later. NOW.
Lori, thank you...and I’m with you on the core point: we should never normalize injustice just because it’s repeated often enough to feel familiar.
You’re also right to reject the “it won’t affect me” fantasy. The playbook always starts with targeted groups...but it rarely ends there. The only question is how long it takes to reach everyone.
And...that’s why “later” is a trap. Later is when the chilling effect has already worked...the damage is already baked in...and the only options left are reactive and weaker.
Now is when deterrence is still possible...through visible legal action...enforceable court orders...and real consequences...for intimidation and abuse.
So...yes...act NOW. Demand NOW. Push NOW. Not because we want drama...but because we want normal elections to survive this!
Even small resistance actions count. Pictures and filming count. Sharing observations that are out of the norm to some key influencers count. Creative, lawful but unexpected obstructions to unlawful actions can count. (I’m thinking of the “Home Alone” movie, and maybe “Wallace & Gromit” to get ideas).
Pamela H, you’re right about the urgency...and you’re also right that small actions COMPOUND.
Where I want to gently sharpen the frame is this...the power of those actions comes from keeping them clearly lawful...visible, and boringly defensible. I LOVE those movies, by the way:)
Documentation matters. Photos matter. Video matters. Time-stamped notes matter. Sharing credible...out-of-the-ordinary observations with journalists...civil rights orgs...and election-protection groups matters.
Those inputs are how patterns get established...and how courts...investigators...and watchdogs can act quickly.
What doesn’t help...and can backfire...is drifting into anything that could be framed as interference or obstruction. The goal isn’t cleverness for its own sake...it’s creating records...witnesses...and accountability...that make unlawful actions expensive and unsustainable.
So...yes...act NOW. Be present. Observe. Record. Report. Coordinate. Do it calmly... legally...and in the open. That’s how individual citizens turn “this feels wrong” into something institutions CANNOT ignore!
Jack- your words hit me hard today. I’m already asking myself: have I done enough? have I made a difference ? will it be sustained?
I’m done trying to change others’ behavior by talking to them. I’ve concluded my best course of action is modeling the right behavior.
Tom Schell, this is an honest, serious place to land. And...it tells me a lot about you.
That question you’re asking...have I done enough, did it matter, will it last...is the question people ask only after they’ve already done something REAL. People who’ve done nothing... don’t ask it.
One thing I want to gently reframe for you:
Modeling the right behavior isn’t a retreat.
It’s often the most DURABLE form of influence.
Talking tries to move people now.
Modeling....gives them something to move toward...sometimes long after the conversation would’ve failed.
History backs this up in an uncomfortable way...most people don’t change because they were persuaded. They change because...at some moment of pressure...they suddenly realize someone they respect...has already been living differently.
That’s not loud work.
It’s slow work.
And...it’s EXACTLY the kind of work that outlasts cycles.
As for “enough” and “sustained”...no single person ever guarantees that. What does endure is this: acting in a way you can stand behind regardless of outcome.
That’s how people stay sane. That’s how they keep going.
You’re NOT opting out.
You’re choosing a lane that doesn’t burn out...or collapse under disappointment.
And...for what it’s worth: modeling doesn’t just affect others. It stabilizes you. That matters more than people admit.
I've always felt as if I get at LEAST as much out of the articles I write as others do. They are words written for myself...as much as anyone else. In doing so, I'm also modeling DOING something, just as you have been doing. And, I want to say, thank you, Tom.
You’re doing something that holds.
-Jack
Thank you Jack. Appreciate your wisdom - I’m older than you but you’ve lived a much different life than me. I’ve learned a lot from you in the short time we’ve been acquainted. Just want to reaffirm this: what you write empowers me and likely thousands of others. We feel stronger knowing someone like you is leading the resistance.
Bingo
You got it Tom! 👏🏻👏🏻👏🏻
Thanks Mo! Have an outstanding day and weekend!
You too Tom
When you substitute Trump for Hitler and the United States for Germany, then read the article again you will experience a true "holy shit" moment.
Steven...that “holy shit” moment you’re describing is exactly what survivors kept pointing toward...not names...but PATTERNS.
Once you swap out the proper nouns and focus on behavior...sequencing...and normalization...the comparison stops feeling rhetorical...and starts feeling structural.
That’s the part people aren’t prepared for...because it removes the comfort of thinking “we’d recognize it instantly.”
What matters most...is what you did next: you didn’t stop at the reaction. You STAYED with the implication. That’s where orientation actually happens.
Thank you for naming it plainly...and...for helping others see it without having to be shouted at!
-Jack
Thanks for the feedback. I wrote a detailed response to your newsletter but the system said it to be too long. So I posted the analysis on my Substack, :A New From teh Cheap Seat, Fixing America's Political Parties
Totally agree. It read like that for me too.
Your article today was excellent, the people who lived to tell their stories from Nazi Germany, should shock Anyone into realizing the parallel between the trump regime and Hitler's regime. I think I was in Junior High school when we started studying WWII... I've been fascinated as well as horrified ever since. This is a good warning for all of your readers and me. Thanks Jack, and will reStack ASAP 🙏
Karen, thank you...and I mean that sincerely.
What you’re responding to is exactly what survivors hoped for: recognition. Not hysteria. Not slogans. Just that quiet...unsettling click where the pattern becomes visible...and can’t be unseen.
You’re right about the parallels...and also about why they’re so hard for people to accept.
Most of us were taught WWII as something finished...sealed off in textbooks...with clear villains and a clean ending. Survivors kept trying to tell us it didn’t feel like that while it was unfolding. It felt incremental. Legal. Normalizing.
That’s why your reaction matters. Fascination mixed with horror isn’t morbid...it’s how people stay oriented instead of drifting into denial.
I really appreciate you restacking it. Not as a favor to me...but because distribution is how warnings actually work. Survivors didn’t need more people to agree...they needed people to carry the signal FORWARD.
Thanks for doing that.
-Jack
The other night at work the discussion revolved around a co-workers upcoming trip. Her concern for herself, and her son was palpable. She became a US citizen 40+ years ago, her son is a citizen and she is trying to figure out what documents to have on them. Whether it was safe to go out and about in Las Vegas. It was a surreal moment and I remember saying "this is not normal, and we cannot let this become the new normal. We need to say it, and say it loudly!
Kristine, that moment you describe is exactly the line we should ALL be paying attention to. I LIKE YOUR FIRE.
When a U.S. citizen of 40+ years is quietly wondering what papers she needs to carry to move freely in her own country...and worrying about her child...that’s not politics anymore.
That’s fear...doing the work of policy. And...you’re right...that is NOT normal...and it cannot be allowed to become normal...through repetition...or silence.
Saying it out loud matters...because normalization is how this spreads.
When people start adjusting their behavior...avoiding travel...carrying documents “just in case,” calculating risk for ordinary life...the damage is ALREADY happening...regardless of what’s written on paper.
That’s why this article keeps insisting on visible...institutional action. People don’t feel safe because leaders reassure them...they feel safe because leaders draw lines and enforce them.
Until that happens...moments like the one you witnessed...will KEEP multiplying.
You were right to name it in the room. That’s how the spell gets broken...by REFUSING to pretend this is just another "rough news cycle." It's anything but.
-Jack
This is one of the best things you’ve ever written.
And it’s so true.
After the unthinkable happened in Nov 2016, there were many of us who realized we all should have started serious action sooner.
I now believe we should’ve been in the streets over Citizen’s United & definitely over Merrick Garland. But Obama didn’t seem upset, so…
We can’t count on our leaders. We need to PUSH them to act when red flags are popping up everywhere.
Melissa Jo Peltier, thank you. That means a great deal to me.
What you just articulated is one of the hardest realizations people come to after the fact:
Not that they were ignorant...but that they took their emotional cues from leadership.
That “but Obama didn’t seem upset, so…” line is painfully honest...and incredibly common.
History keeps teaching this lesson the same way....leaders often normalize danger because they’re constrained by institutions...optics...or their own belief...that things will self-correct.
That doesn’t make them malicious...but...it does make them unreliable as early-warning systems.
You’re exactly right about Citizens United and Merrick Garland. Those weren’t side stories...they were structural red flags. Moments when the rules of the game were being quietly rewritten...and mass pressure might have changed the trajectory...if enough people had pushed hard enough...early enough.
The shift you’re naming now is the important one:
We don’t wait for leaders to react anymore...we create the pressure that forces reaction.
That’s not cynicism.
That’s civic adulthood.
The fact that you can say this clearly, Melissa, now means you’re not repeating the same mistake...you’re correcting for it. I think that's the case for most of us here. I know it is for me.
Thank you for naming it out loud. It helps others recalibrate...and some don't even realize they needed to...until it happens.
Thank you for being here!
-Jack
I've been ringing this fucking bell for years and years now.
Bravo! Please...KEEP ring it.
-Jack
Jack, this article of yours today is outstandingly crucial, to the point, and imperative reading. As usual, I have reposted it.
Having known people from Germany who survived, and who had some family members who did not survive the Holocaust, and having heard their stories, I definitely see the pattern.
You write of strength in numbers, and that fact reminds me of the wonderful way Indivisible crowds and other gatherers have made a difference recently in preventing the purchases or approval of purchases by the person wanting to buy them to make prison camps in various cities. There are many cities across the country where this concern is real, and people together have made the difference. Rachael Maddow’s YouTube program gives details, has videos, and names places, as well as enumerates the number of places he is trying to set up these huge prison camps. The first stand off named took place near Richmond, Virginia, in Ashland, I think. Other sites he has chosen to make these prison camps, presumably for anyone who does not agree with him or whom he dislikes, are in various states across our country. I will try to share the site for awareness and as examples of how speaking out in large groups matters.
Thank you so much for this newsletter, Jack!
#HOLDFAST!
Judy Robinson, thank you...truly. This is one of those responses that tells me the article landed where it was meant to land. I always smile when that happens.
What you’re describing...having known survivors...having heard their stories firsthand... creates a different kind of clarity. It’s not abstract. It’s embodied.
And that’s why...you’re recognizing the pattern...instead of debating it.
Survivors didn’t speak in hypotheticals...they spoke in sequences. You’re responding to that SAME signal.
I’m especially glad you named something important: collective action working before it feels inevitable. Those Indivisible actions are a textbook example of what survivors meant by “strength in numbers”...not symbolic protest...but early...visible resistance that raises the cost before plans harden.
That’s exactly how derailment happens...when it happens at all.
You’re also right to emphasize that this isn’t theoretical or distant. These sites...these attempts...these standoffs...they’re concrete.
And...the fact that people showed up...loudly and together...matters more than most headlines will EVER admit.
Thank you for reposting...for sharing resources...and for holding the line in a way that’s grounded...informed...and steady. That hashtag you ended with says it all.
#HOLDFAST.
-Jack
P.S. I consider what we’re doing here at JHN...the most important work of my life. I mean that. When you look...raw and honest...at where we are right now...there’s more than enough justification for us all...to commit to doing...the most important work of our time on earth. If we do...we might actually pull this off!
YES! Our focus must be doing whatever we can RIGHT NOW. How dare anyone try to strip away our humanity toward each other, our dreams, our vision of being part of an often times imperfect democracy but a work in progress. We owe whatever sacrifices we make now to past generations and especially future generations. This takeover isn't happening on our watch. I do admit that I wanted to cry while reading your post. I will hold off until after we remove the fascists from our government. Then they will be tears of joy. Best wishes to all of us to keep up our courage and strength.
Great points Judy. We have a billionaire here in BC by the name of Jim Pattison, and one of his many companies was in the process of selling an enormous warehouse in N Carolina to DHS til a regular citizen here found out, and started a media blitz, calling for boycotting his companies.They say they weren’t aware it was for ICE to “ process” detainees, and within a couple of days of media reports, stopped the sale. Piwer to the people! 👏🏻👏🏻👏🏻
Thank you, Mo. I’m so glad that one person learned the truth and that the citizens worked together for the needed difference! These happenings should make each of us pay extra special attention to real estate and existing buildings, now more than ever. We also need to find out what is happening with building permits.
Here is the site of the Rachael Maddow program which reveals the huge plot! Truly, everyone needs to see it!
https://youtu.be/Hjimit-HvWg
We must pay attention. We must stick together.
#HOLDFAST!!!!!!!
Judy...thanks for sharing this! I agree with the impulse behind your message: paying attention and refusing to normalize what’s happening matters.
And as we look down the road, we also have to remember that there will be times when we won't need to label things a “huge plot” for them to be dangerous or real. (These are the more covert things that are easier to miss)
What matters...and what holds up best under scrutiny...is documented patterns...verifiable actions...and institutional behavior we can point to clearly.
One of the strengths of Maddow’s work...when it’s at its best...is walking people through evidence step by step and showing how systems are being used or abused.
That’s the posture that helps us stay grounded...persuasive...and hard to dismiss.
So...yes...watch...learn...compare sources...and stay engaged. But...the real power...comes from translating awareness... into clear demands for lawful...visible action; injunctions...oversight...enforcement...and accountability. That’s how attention...turns into LEVERAGE.
And on the last point...we absolutely DO need to stick together. Not around slogans or panic...but around shared facts...shared standards...and shared expectations of leadership.
That’s what #HOLDFAST...really means!
I'm glad you're here, Judy Robinson.
-Jack
Frightening.
I will point out, though, three hopefully consequential differences between Hitler and Trump: 1) Hitler had broad support; Trump doesn’t. 2) Hitler did not have an Epstein file issue; Trump does and it’s very consequential. 3) The economy was already tanked when Hitler ascended; the economy now is starting to tank.
Hopefully these three difference will result in a very different outcome.
Jack, your thoughts?
Uriah Heep, you’re thinking about this the right way...not by dismissing the pattern...but by stress-testing it against real differences. And...yes…those differences can matter.
A few thoughts on each:
1) “Hitler had broad support; Trump doesn’t.”
That’s a meaningful distinction...but the uncomfortable caveat is this: authoritarian projects don’t require majority love.
They require a durable base + institutional leverage + fragmented opposition. If the machinery of enforcement...courts...and information can be bent...broad popularity becomes less decisive than people assume.
So...yes...lower support is a brake…as long as institutions stay independent and the opposition stays coordinated.
2) “Hitler didn’t have an Epstein file issue; Trump does.”
This one is real...and it cuts two ways. Scandal can weaken legitimacy…or it can accelerate “protect the leader at all costs” behavior inside a coalition that fears exposure.
When a political ecosystem believes it’s fighting for its survival...it often becomes more loyal...not less.
The key variable isn’t the existence of kompromat...it’s whether credible...sustained accountability mechanisms can force consequences despite the loyalty.
3) “The economy was already tanked then; it’s starting to tank now.”
Economic distress is historically...a destabilizer. It can erode support for incumbents…or it can increase demand for a strongman and scapegoats.
The direction depends on who successfully NARRATES the pain: “it’s them” vs “it’s corruption/power”...and...whether there’s a visible...competent alternative people can imagine trusting.
So...I agree with your hope...these differences could produce a very different outcome.
My caution is simpler...none of them are automatic safeguards. Each one is a variable..that can be turned into a brake...or...turned into fuel depending on institutions... narrative...and collective action.
And...that’s why your last line matters most: “Hopefully” is not a plan. The plan is pressure...on institutions...on accountability...and on the normalization process...while the derailment window is STILL open.
Thank YOU for being here.
-Jack
Great analysis, as always ~ And thanks for replying.
I have to agree things could go south. Lots of variables here…It’s quite aways from the elections but if Trump’s picks for upcoming primaries are defeated, that might give Republicans pause on remaining silent.
I spent my entire adult life applying lessons that I learned from the Navy’s Nuclear Submarine Force from the past to my businesses and personal life. The key to this process is to identify the root cause of a problem, then fix that. Jack’s Newsletter comes close to identifying the root cause of our predicament. May we only have the courage to take the actions necessary to fix the problem.
Steven, I love this frame...and you’re right.
The Nuclear Submarine Force mindset is basically: stop chasing symptoms...isolate root cause...correct the system...verify the fix. That’s how you prevent small failures from turning into catastrophic ones.( I knew a couple nukes while I served...I've always like detecting patterns of smart people.)
And that’s exactly why the thrust of this newsletter isn’t “feel the right feelings” or “say the right words.” It’s orientation...toward the root causes of how democratic backsliding happens: intimidation that chills participation...institutional hesitation...and leaders who talk like it’s urgent but act like it’s optional.
Courage...in that framework...isn’t bravado. It’s the willingness to do the uncomfortable...procedural...disciplined work that actually changes outcomes...before the failure cascade becomes irreversible.
And...your last line is the right standard...not just naming the problem...but taking the actions required to FIX it. That’s the difference between diagnosis...and leadership.
Thank you for sharing this..truly. I like how your mind works.
-Jack
Good summary of your philosophy. It's why your newsletter resonates so well with me. Keep it going and let me know if I can help in any way.
Hi, Jack: I would change the "WE" approach to directing this to the Democratic congressional reps and senators that hold elected offices to represent the people. Have you heard of any of them holding town halls? I haven't. Do any of them have a strategic plan for addressing the people of this country by holding press conferences at a minimum on a weekly basis? I don't see this happening. Do any of them tour their districts and walk around to take the temperature of the people? I don't hear that this is occurring. I think you get my point. This is extremely unsettling. It's not enough to just occupy a seat anymore. We desperately need leadership! They cannot expect the people to be the answer through just so-called nonviolent protest.
Leslie, I hope you're ready for all this lol.
You’re right to push on this....and...you’re right that “we” can become a dodge if it’s used to shift responsibility onto regular people. It absolutely can.
The core of this article is not “citizens must save democracy with protest.” It’s the opposite...the people with formal power must start acting like an opposition party...using every lawful lever...publicly and relentlessly...so ordinary voters feel protected enough to participate.
On your specific questions:
Town halls: they do exist...but not at the level of a coordinated...national posture you can feel everywhere.
For example, Senator Ron Wyden publicly scheduled multiple open-to-all town halls in January 2026. And...at the state level...Washington State House Democrats have a published 2026 town hall schedule page.
That said...your underlying point stands: what’s missing is a disciplined...high-visibility... opposition-wide rhythm...that tells the public, “We are on this every week.”
Weekly press conferences / strategic plan: House Democratic leadership does hold regular press conferences—C-SPAN has them...and there are “weekly presser” streams featuring caucus leadership. Jeffries’ office also posts frequent press releases and events.
BUT... here’s the distinction your comment nails: a press conference is NOT a strategy. A strategy is a visible...repetitive...escalating campaign of leverage, lawsuits...injunctions... oversight...procedural friction... and public-facing protection measures that change the risk calculus for intimidation.
“Tour the district / take the temperature”: members do district events... but...what people are craving (and what you’re describing) is leadership BEHAVIOR, not routine constituent service; leaders showing up...listening...and then using institutions like weapons...lawfully...on behalf of VOTERS.
And your final line is the crux: it’s NOT enough to occupy a seat anymore. Nonviolent protest is not a substitute for governance. Citizens can amplify and document and pressure...but only elected officials can pull the levers that actually constrain abuse.
So...yes...shift the “we” upward. The public’s job is to demand protection. Leadership’s job is to deliver it...out loud...on schedule...before the window closes.
Thank you for showing up, Leslie!
-Jack
Excellent article Jack. I will never become comfortable with injustice. Nothing that this regime is doing is normal. It’s naive to think that their tactics won’t affect everyone. The time to act is NOW. Not later. NOW.
Lori, thank you...and I’m with you on the core point: we should never normalize injustice just because it’s repeated often enough to feel familiar.
You’re also right to reject the “it won’t affect me” fantasy. The playbook always starts with targeted groups...but it rarely ends there. The only question is how long it takes to reach everyone.
And...that’s why “later” is a trap. Later is when the chilling effect has already worked...the damage is already baked in...and the only options left are reactive and weaker.
Now is when deterrence is still possible...through visible legal action...enforceable court orders...and real consequences...for intimidation and abuse.
So...yes...act NOW. Demand NOW. Push NOW. Not because we want drama...but because we want normal elections to survive this!
-Jack
The time to act is NOW. Not later. Now.
Even small resistance actions count. Pictures and filming count. Sharing observations that are out of the norm to some key influencers count. Creative, lawful but unexpected obstructions to unlawful actions can count. (I’m thinking of the “Home Alone” movie, and maybe “Wallace & Gromit” to get ideas).
Pamela H, you’re right about the urgency...and you’re also right that small actions COMPOUND.
Where I want to gently sharpen the frame is this...the power of those actions comes from keeping them clearly lawful...visible, and boringly defensible. I LOVE those movies, by the way:)
Documentation matters. Photos matter. Video matters. Time-stamped notes matter. Sharing credible...out-of-the-ordinary observations with journalists...civil rights orgs...and election-protection groups matters.
Those inputs are how patterns get established...and how courts...investigators...and watchdogs can act quickly.
What doesn’t help...and can backfire...is drifting into anything that could be framed as interference or obstruction. The goal isn’t cleverness for its own sake...it’s creating records...witnesses...and accountability...that make unlawful actions expensive and unsustainable.
So...yes...act NOW. Be present. Observe. Record. Report. Coordinate. Do it calmly... legally...and in the open. That’s how individual citizens turn “this feels wrong” into something institutions CANNOT ignore!
-Jack
Thank you for the correction. Civilized protection might be a better framing.
Restacked with the verbiage provided.
Chichi...YOU are participating! Thank you.
-Jack
Tom Schell, thank you for both your posts. You are batting 1000 today.
Agreed.
Done. FB next.
#HoldFast
Outstanding, Rae!
#HoldFast.
-Jack