The Wobbly Institutions
“There’s too much going on right now – it’s hard to keep track of.”
This is what a friend of mine said to me this week. The most deadly air crash in a generation. Chinese AI coming out at a fraction of the cost. A wave of Executive orders. Federal funds cut off for a day and then restored. Cabinet Secretary nominees undergoing contentious Senate hearings. An offer to 2 million Federal employees to resign. ICE enforcement actions in different cities. There were also a couple of shootings that would have made headlines in other times that barely registered.
One person called the new administration’s approach “Shock and awe.” Another called it, “Flood the zone with shit.”
Also below the radar was the final forum of candidates to chair the DNC. The Party is casting about for leadership and a vision. The proceedings were interrupted by half-a-dozen protests by climate activists. Some are asking, “What do we do to resist the new administration?”
The truth is the time for effective resistance was 13 months ago, when the Democrats were enabling Joe Biden’s disastrous re-election campaign. A competitive primary would have potentially changed the trajectory that led to Trump’s return. The Democrats failed their test and have rendered themselves moot for the next 2 years minimum, quite possibly a good deal longer.
Now, the most important actors are not the minority party, but a handful of Republican Senators who have demonstrated independence and principle in different contexts: Lisa Murkowski, Susan Collins, Bill Cassidy, John Curtis, and, new to the picture, Mitch McConnell who is now in “I can do whatever I want at the age of 82” mode. Also, deficit-minded fiscal conservatives in the House will be key figures in the upcoming budget negotiations.
Going against Trump will be a difficult task for those within the Republican Party though – it’s one reason why the country is crying out for an independent political movement to shore up those who want to make decisions free of party orthodoxy. You can see that in the fate of Dean Phillips, who challenged Joe Biden and was cast out of DC as a result. You can also see that among the Republican Senators who are clearly struggling with some of Trump’s Cabinet picks.
The defunding of government programs by the OMB in the name of vetting ‘woke’ expenditures was particularly troubling, as it impacted everything from Medicaid to Meals on Wheels and cast hundreds of thousands of Americans into confusion and uncertainty, forcing a walk back just a day later. It evinced a real lack of understanding of the real-world impact of these programs and put ideology over any sort of sensible governance.
Also not good – Trump blaming diversity initiatives for the tragic air collision in D.C. That won’t prevent future collisions in a stressed system.
Institutions are wavering, as those being placed in charge of them don’t actually believe in them. Government led by those who don’t believe in government won’t lead to good places.
We are in the era that I feared we would enter 8 years ago when I decided to enter public life: the time of institutional disintegration.
There are many rational things to do in this time. Unplug. Take care of yourself and those around you. Build new things. Solve problems. Improve your environment. Most of the things in our lives are good or bad regardless of the political-industrial landscape.
I thought that I could help us avoid Trump’s re-election in 2020. My biggest contribution in ’24 was backing up Dean Phillips in his challenge to Joe Biden and then urging Joe to step aside after his disastrous debate.
Forward is working on things for ’25, ’26, and ’28. If you want to link up with people in your state, click here. I’m excited for some developments that I believe are around the corner.
But for those who are saddened by some of the developments of this past week, you’ve got company. The honeymoon is already over.
