A Few Things To Remember As You Head to the Polls on Election Day

U.S. missiles and bombs have so far caused at least 1,168 civilian deaths in Iran, including 188 schoolchildren. Seven American service members have perished.

A direct line connects this violence with the U.S. government’s violence over the past year against people in Minneapolis, Chicago, and other American cities. And with the violence at the U.S. Capitol on January 6, 2021.

Behind it all is the vicious bully now occupying the Oval Office.

If you’re feeling angry, you’re not alone. I see it in your comments. I’m struck by how you are fighting back against this tyranny, nonetheless.

Sue Fraser Frankewicz, age 80, suggests we connect with the nearest Indivisible group “and get outside — march or witness or go to meetings with similarly disgusted smart people like yourself. Get yourself a button-maker and then find some great sentiments and make them into buttons and give them away.” She says such activities give her energy and hope and she’s “not giving up the fight!”

Martin asks us to “help vulnerable and needy people in our communities, who are now more vulnerable than ever.”

Jonni says she finds it useful to “focus on the consequences for the midterms” and know that “every evil thing this administration does has the silver lining of creating a blue wave. Each of us can make a contribution to end this regime.”

Klare K wants so many of us to march and protest on March 28 — the next No Kings Day — that “Trump’s head will explode.”

Jane, who describes herself as disabled and practically housebound, says she “keeps calling, texting, and emailing” her congressional representatives. And although they don’t respond, she “won’t give up on this battle to save our country.”

Others of you are protecting immigrants in your community from ICE.

You’re helping people get to polling places in special elections.

You’re organizing and mobilizing the grassroots of America.

I take great comfort from your courage and tenacity — turning your anger into positive action, fighting against the loathsome sociopath and his dreadful regime.

I’ll continue to support you in every way I can.

We will get through these dark days. In fact, I believe we’ll be stronger for having gone through them. We’ll have a sharper sense of what we value, and why.

Hopefully, we’ll also understand how we arrived at this cataclysm, how America got so badly off track that we allowed a dictator to take over this nation. And we’ll make necessary changes so it never happens again.

Polls show most Americans are now firmly against Trump. Most of us don’t want this war. Most of us reject his brutal immigration dragnet. Most of us are against his usurping powers that belong to Congress and the people. Most of us are appalled by his corruption, self-dealing, and brazen ignorance.

We will continue to resist, with ever more resolve. We will continue to protest and march, in even greater numbers. Our voices will grow even louder.

And when the darkness lifts, we will rebuild.

We’ll get big money out of our politics. We’ll tax concentrated wealth and use the proceeds for affordable child care, elder care, and universal health care. We’ll have a living wage. We’ll bust up monopolies and strengthen unions. We’ll seek to restore America’s moral authority in the world.

We will honor those who stood up to this tyranny. And we will hold accountable those who have enabled it, who have broken the law, trod on our Constitution, and made themselves rich while causing needless suffering.

In all these ways, my friends, we will prevail.

• Robert Reich is an emeritus professor of public policy at Berkeley and former secretary of labor. His writings can be found at https://robertreich.substack.com/. His new memoir, Coming Up Short, can be found wherever you buy books. You can also support local bookstores nationally by ordering the book at bookshop.org