Mike McCready

Tag: trump

  • Defending Democracy: Our Moment to Act

    Defending Democracy: Our Moment to Act

    It’s easy to feel overwhelmed in the face of what is nothing less than a coup against the Constitution—but we must not falter. Every generation faces a defining moment, a call to defend the great American experiment. We don’t get to choose when, but we do choose how we rise. Now is our time.

    These are dark days. Neighbors, friends, and loved ones have been swept up in a movement that thrives on resentment, division, and cruelty. We see bigotry not just tolerated but celebrated. This has always been part of America’s struggle, but we once shamed it into the shadows and called upon the better angels of our nature. Now, with permission from Trump and his politics of grievance, it flies proudly in the open. The Republican Party has been hijacked—not by conservatives of principle, but by those who seek to dismantle democracy itself. Their goal is clear: autocratic breakthrough. The moment they overcome our democratic guardrails, the point of no return will be crossed.

    We are witnessing firsthand just how important it was to vote. This crisis exists because not enough of us turned out. Not enough of us took this threat seriously. We allowed it to be sane-washed—a tactic where extremism is repackaged as reasonable, where authoritarianism is softened with careful language, making it easier for people to dismiss the danger. They even twist logic to justify abhorrent behavior. But the consequences of that mistake are now undeniable.

    Our job is simple: we cannot let this continue. We must stand firm, push back, and force hatred back into the margins of history where it belongs.

    But resistance alone is not enough. We must engage. It starts with showing up—joining protests in person and online, flooding Congress with calls and emails, demanding that they rein in this administration. Call: (202) 224-3121 and follow the instructions. We must be prepared to stand up for what’s right and, crucially, to welcome traditional Republicans into our fold as we unite for the common cause of saving our Constitution.

    America has never fully lived up to its ideals, but we have always moved forward. A more perfect union is built not by ignoring our failures, but by striving to correct them. Progress has never been easy, but history proves it is always possible.

    This fight will not be won overnight, but it will be won. If we stand together, if we refuse to yield to despair, if we meet this moment with courage and conviction—we will prevail.

  • To MAGA: Was Voting For Trump the Lesser of Two Evils? Let’s apply some critical thinking together and find out.

    To MAGA: Was Voting For Trump the Lesser of Two Evils? Let’s apply some critical thinking together and find out.

    I keep hearing from some MAGA friends that they’d consider voting for a Democrat if they’d just run a “halfway decent candidate.” That they don’t love Trump, but he’s still the lesser of two evils.

    Let’s take a step back. The lesser evil? Trump?!

    We’re not talking about a normal politician here. We’re talking about someone who:

    • Fired 17 independent inspectors general in his first week back, gutting the people responsible for keeping government corruption in check.

    • Gutted the federal workforce by imposing a hiring freeze and replacing career officials with political loyalists, dismantling expertise across agencies.

    • Abandoning Europe to Russia, signaling that NATO allies should fend for themselves, emboldening Putin’s expansionist ambitions.

    • Allowed China to strengthen its dominance in the Pacific while stripping U.S. influence abroad.

    • Tried to freeze $3 trillion in federal funding, threatening the economy until a judge had to step in and stop him.

    This is not the lesser evil. This is reckless, vindictive, and dangerous.

    The Socialism Scare Tactic

    One of the most common defenses I hear for Trump is that Democrats—Biden, Harris, all of them—are taking America toward socialism or communism. But let’s be real: we already have elements of socialism in our country, and they aren’t the problem.

    • Social Security, created under FDR and strengthened by Republican presidents, is one of the most popular programs in U.S. history.

    • Medicare, signed into law under Democratic leadership but expanded under Republican administrations, ensures seniors don’t go bankrupt from healthcare costs.

    • The G.I. Bill, passed under a Democratic president but championed by conservative lawmakers, helped millions of veterans buy homes and get an education.

    • Interstate highways, police departments, fire departments, public schools—all forms of government-funded programs that people rely on daily, and no one is calling them communism.

    In reality, the U.S. has always been a mixed economy—capitalist at its core, but with government programs that provide a safety net where the free market fails. That’s not socialism; that’s smart policy.

    And if the fear is that Biden or Harris are secretly planning to turn the U.S. into Venezuela, let’s look at actual policies:

    • The stock market rose under Biden. That doesn’t happen in socialist economies.

    • Corporate profits grew under Biden. That doesn’t happen in socialist economies.

    • The private sector added millions of jobs under Biden. Again, not socialism.

    If we’re being honest, the real economic disaster right now isn’t creeping socialism—it’s Trump’s reckless spending, debt ballooning policies, and economic chaos.

    Would Kamala Harris Really Have Been Worse?

    Let’s assume, for a moment, that you don’t like Harris. Maybe you think she’s ineffective, uninspiring, or not the right choice for president. Fine. But would she have been worse than Trump?

    Would she have:

    • Put American democracy in jeopardy?

    • Tried to block government funding to score political points?

    • Torn down U.S. alliances while cozying up to authoritarian regimes?

    • Handed over federal agencies to unqualified cronies?

    No, she wouldn’t have. We may not agree on policies, but we can agree that basic government functioning shouldn’t be at risk every day.

    This Is Bigger Than Policy Disagreements

    This isn’t about loving the Democratic Party. It’s not about being thrilled with Joe Biden or Kamala Harris. This is about the fact that our country is being deliberately weakened—economically, diplomatically, and institutionally—by someone who is putting his own interests above everything else.

    And the worst part? He’s not even hiding it.

    So when I hear people say they’d consider voting for a Democrat but just can’t stomach it, I have to ask—how bad does it have to get? How much more damage do we have to see before we stop pretending that Trump is just another politician?

    This isn’t about left vs. right anymore. It’s about whether or not we still have a functioning democracy when all of this is over.

  • Why MAGA Doesn’t Resemble Yesteryear’s GOP

    Why MAGA Doesn’t Resemble Yesteryear’s GOP

    The Republican Party of 20 years ago? Pro-democracy, pro-international alliances, and definitely NOT an outlier among Western conservatives. Fast forward to today, and the MAGA movement is rewriting the script—big time.

    1️⃣ A New Tribe: MAGA Republicans aren’t just breaking with the left—they’re breaking with the entire Western conservative tradition. Their mindset aligns closer to Russia’s Putin and Turkey’s Erdoğan than to Britain’s Tories or Germany’s CDU.

    2️⃣ Goodbye Global Cooperation: The old GOP was about strong alliances (think Bush and Blair “shoulder to shoulder”). MAGA? Not so much. From pulling military support from allies to shrugging at international norms, Trump’s America plays by different rules.

    3️⃣ Autocracy Over Democracy? The Republican Party once championed democracy. Now, MAGA’s values—authoritarian tendencies, distrust of institutions, and nationalism—are pulling them into a different ideological orbit.

    4️⃣ Economics as a Weapon: Trade wars, economic self-harm, and an “America First” approach that even conservative economists are scratching their heads over—this isn’t Reaganomics.

    5️⃣ Shock & Awe Politics: Trump, JD Vance, and their crew operate on a different frequency. What seems disastrous or erratic to traditional Western leaders is just another Tuesday in MAGA-world.

    Bottom line? MAGA isn’t just a more extreme version of the old GOP—it’s something entirely different. If Western democracies don’t recognize this shift, they’ll keep getting blindsided.

    Inspired by: Financial Times article by John Burn-Murdoch

  • When We Accidentally Decided That Authoritarianism Is Okay

    When We Accidentally Decided That Authoritarianism Is Okay

    As a Gen X American, I grew up believing that authoritarian regimes—communism, dictatorships—were the enemies of everything we stood for. The Soviet Union, East Germany, Cuba—those were the cautionary tales. We learned that democracy meant something special: a government of the people, by the people, for the people. That was America’s promise, our core value.

    But today, it feels like that lesson has been forgotten by a worrying number of Americans. Some have become convinced that Democrats have gone so far off track that the only solution is to embrace a different flavor of authoritarianism—a right-wing strongman who promises to restore order by force rather than consensus.

    How did we get here?

    I think it all traces back to when our news media stopped being accountable to truth. The pivotal moment came in 1987, when the FCC abolished the Fairness Doctrine, a rule that required broadcasters to present controversial issues of public importance in an honest, balanced way. Suddenly, news outlets could openly pick sides, prioritize profits, and turn journalism into entertainment or partisan propaganda.

    Fast forward a few decades, and we have a polarized America, divided not by reality but by the media each side consumes. Many of us no longer agree on basic facts. Once truth is lost, authoritarianism starts looking tempting—especially if it promises to silence the “other side.”

    But history has warned us again and again that authoritarianism never ends well. Not in East Germany. Not in Cuba. Not in the Soviet Union. And certainly not here.

    We need to wake up and remember what we once knew instinctively: democracy isn’t perfect, but it’s infinitely better than the alternative. We have to reclaim the idea that government of the people, by the people, and for the people is still worth fighting for—even if we have to fight for it within our own borders.

  • Why Changing Someone’s Mind About Trump Is So Hard

    Why Changing Someone’s Mind About Trump Is So Hard

    Ever try to change someone’s mind about Trump? Not easy, is it? Feels impossible sometimes. But here’s the thing—it’s not just Trump supporters who struggle with this. We all do.

    Changing your mind isn’t just about facts. If it were, most Trump supporters would have abandoned him the moment he promised to wipe out the national debt and then added trillions to it. Or when he swore Mexico would pay for the wall, and taxpayers ended up footing the bill. Or when he said only the “best people” would work for him, and half of them ended up indicted, testifying against him, or both.

    But facts aren’t enough, because changing your mind isn’t just an intellectual process—it’s an emotional one. And the bigger the belief, the harder it is to let go.

    Now, imagine that belief isn’t just about a policy or a politician, but about who you are as a person.

    That’s what Trump sold. Not just an agenda, but an identity. He told people they weren’t just supporting a candidate—they were saving America. They weren’t just voters, they were patriots, warriors, the last line of defense against corruption and socialism and the deep state.

    And when you believe that deeply, admitting you were wrong isn’t just humbling—it’s devastating. Because if Trump was a fraud, if he was conning them the whole time, what does that say about them?

    That’s why no matter how many times he lies, fails, or even turns on his own people, they hold on. Because letting go feels like losing the fight of their lives.

    But here’s the thing—changing your mind isn’t losing. It’s growth. It doesn’t mean you were stupid. It means you trusted someone who turned out to be unworthy of it. And we’ve all done that.

    At some point, the evidence against Trump will be too overwhelming to ignore. And when that moment comes, I hope people remember that seeing the truth doesn’t make you weak—it makes you free.

  • My Struggle with Stupid People

    My Struggle with Stupid People

    Let’s get something straight right off the bat—I’m not talking about people with below-average IQs. Intelligence isn’t the issue here. Some of the smartest people I’ve met couldn’t change a tire or balance a checkbook to save their lives, and some of the most practical, insightful people I know wouldn’t do well on an IQ test.

    And I don’t hold myself up as some kind of genius. Believe me, I’ve made my share—and probably some of your share—of dumb decisions. Decisions that would make the Three Stooges look like Nobel Prize winners. But here’s the thing: I am not stupid.

    Because stupid isn’t about IQ—it’s about refusing to think critically.

    So, let’s run a quick litmus test for critical thinking:

    When was the last time you heard a better argument than the one you had and thought, ‘Damn… I might be wrong’? If you can’t think of a single time, that’s a red flag.

    Do you ever get new information and just… ignore it? If your instinct is to double down instead of reconsider, congratulations—you’re human. But critical thinkers push past that reflex.

    Here’s where I struggle: I have to work hard to feel empathy for people who have all the information they need to make good voting decisions but still choose to vote against their own interests.

    It’s one thing to be misled. It’s another to be willfully ignorant. And when people keep making choices that actively harm themselves—and the rest of us—it’s hard not to be frustrated.

    The truth is, democracy depends on people actually thinking. And if we can’t do that, we’re in real trouble.

  • Here’s How to Keep America #1—or How to Blow It

    Here’s How to Keep America #1—or How to Blow It

    America’s superpower status didn’t happen by accident. For decades, we’ve stood on two mighty pillars: unparalleled military strength and a vast network of global trade. Our Navy doesn’t just float around looking intimidating; it actively safeguards international trade routes, ensuring that goods flow smoothly for us and our allies. This protection isn’t just about economics; it’s about influence. From Hollywood movies to fast-food chains, our cultural footprint is everywhere, shaping tastes and ideas worldwide.

    But power isn’t just about flexing muscles; it’s also about building relationships. Through diplomacy, aid, and cultural exchanges, we’ve cultivated goodwill that benefits us on the global stage. Countries have trusted us, aligning their security and economic strategies with ours.

    Enter Trump. In just a few months back in office, he’s managed to shake this trust to its core. Our closest allies are now rethinking their ties with us:

    • Canada: They’re reconsidering their purchase of 88 F-35 fighter jets from Lockheed Martin, exploring alternatives like the Swedish Saab Gripen, partly due to the unpredictable nature of U.S. policies under Trump.

    • European Union: The EU has launched the “Readiness 2030” strategy to reduce dependency on U.S. defense systems, emphasizing the purchase of European-made military equipment. This move aims to bolster European defense autonomy in response to shifting U.S. foreign policies.

    • Intelligence Sharing: The suspension of U.S. intelligence-sharing with Ukraine has alarmed European allies, prompting them to reconsider their reliance on U.S. military support and explore independent defense strategies.

    Now, some might say, “Well, isn’t it good that Europe is stepping up?” And yes—in theory, more self-reliant allies are a good thing. But not when they start buying their defense equipment from someone else.

    We want them buying from us—because it keeps our defense sector strong, our tech cutting edge, and our alliances tight. When they buy elsewhere, they start building loyalties elsewhere. That means fewer shared systems, less interoperability, and more opportunities for geopolitical rivals to wedge their way in.

    Losing our dominant position comes with a price tag that most people don’t see. If the world stops trusting the U.S., they stop trusting the dollar—and that’s where it gets real. De-dollarization means the U.S. loses its incredible financial leverage. It means more inflation at home, higher interest rates, weaker buying power, and less influence abroad. The dollar isn’t just currency; it’s part of what makes us the center of the global economy.

    When America falls from that perch, it won’t just be about bruised egos—it’ll be about a seismic shift in the global order. Less stability, more regional conflict, more power in the hands of authoritarian regimes that don’t give a damn about democracy or human rights.

    Building trust and dominance takes decades; destroying it can happen in weeks. Trump’s actions are pushing our allies to question their alignment with us, potentially weakening the very foundations of our global standing.

    If we want to keep America #1, we need to remember that leadership isn’t just about power—it’s about partnership. Undermining our alliances doesn’t make us stronger; it paves the way for others to take our place.

  • I Saw You Post That You’re “Proud To Be An American”

    I Saw You Post That You’re “Proud To Be An American”

    Let’s be honest: if the only thing you did to “be American” was be born here, that’s not exactly a flex. That’s just geography. You didn’t earn it—you inherited it.

    Now think about the immigrant who left everything familiar, learned a new language, studied U.S. history better than most of us ever did, passed a citizenship test, and took an oath to uphold the Constitution. That’s earning it. That’s pride rooted in effort.

    And let’s not forget those who have served in the military. They’ve stepped up in a way that commands respect. Risking your life in service to your country is a contribution few make—and that sacrifice is absolutely worthy of personal pride.

    So the real question isn’t, “Are you proud to be an American?” It’s, “Are you proud of America—and are you doing anything to help it live up to its values?”

    Because right now? That promise is in rough shape.

    Let’s talk about what used to make America great—not in slogan, but in substance:

    • We stood up to dictators. Now we’ve got a president cozying up to them—inviting Orbán to the Oval, downplaying Putin’s aggression, and undermining NATO alliances we spent decades building.

    • We led with compassion and influence. But now Trump has gutted USAID, turning off the lights on programs that helped lift countries out of poverty and built goodwill for generations. That’s not just cruel—it’s shortsighted. Helping others made America safer, stronger, and admired.

    • We championed human rights and civil liberties. Now, they’re being eroded in real time—censorship, crackdowns, and executive overreach have become normalized under the guise of “efficiency.”

    • We set the gold standard for the rule of law. Now we have a president who’s still facing criminal trials while attacking the very institutions designed to hold power accountable.

    This isn’t left vs. right. It’s right vs. wrong. It’s democracy vs. decay.

    So if you were born here, cool. But don’t confuse birthplace with earned patriotism. Don’t chant “Proud to be an American” without asking whether America, right now, is acting in a way that deserves your pride.

    Because if we want to keep calling this the greatest country in the world, we’ve got to start acting like it again.

  • An Easy Way To Understand Trade Deficits (I promise)

    An Easy Way To Understand Trade Deficits (I promise)

    Okay, I know “trade deficit” doesn’t exactly scream edge-of-your-seat excitement, and I don’t want to presume you don’t already know this stuff. But I’ll keep it short. This matters. You’ll see why.

    Running a trade deficit just means we’re buying more from other countries than we’re selling to them. And why do we do that? Because they can make the products there and sell them to us more cheaply than we can make them here. We buy from them using our dollars, which they can’t really spend in their own countries so (for the most part) they reinvest those dollars in the US, putting them right back into our economy—buying our bonds, our real estate, funding our companies. That’s not a weakness on our part, that’s a power move. As an example, just think about how the cost of big flat screen TVs has dropped over the years.

    Think of it like this: we’re the house in the global casino. Everyone wants to play at our table, and they’re more than happy to leave their chips with us. That’s what being the world’s reserve currency gets you. For other countries trade deficits might not be a good thing. but for us? Hell yeah!

    Now about tariffs. Trump loves tariffs like they’re the Swiss Army knife of trade policy. But really, they’re just a tax hike dressed up as patriotism. When we slap tariffs on imported goods, prices go up—and we’re the ones paying. It’s like punching yourself in the face and calling it tough love. Trump says these tariffs willl generate $800 billion in new revenueue for the IRS, coming right out of the pockets of consumers. It’s a tax hike under another name.

    That said, not all tariffs are evil. Sometimes they make sense—like when they’re used to protect critical industries or level the playing field against countries that don’t play fair. And hey, bringing some manufacturing back to the U.S.? Totally smart. Especially if tensions with China get worse. We don’t want to be stuck relying on overseas factories if shit hits the fan.

    But going full throttle with broad tariffs? That’s not strategy, that’s just chaos. It invites retaliation, screws with supply chains, and freaks out investors.

    Side note: CEO’s of US companies that inport foreign parts are paying between $1m for a group and $5m to have a one on one dinner with Trump at Mar-a-Lago; likely to have their imports exempted or to lobby to have their competitors targeted but not them. Historicallly, tariffs have been the source of massive government corruption.

    So yeah, let’s have real conversations about trade and competitiveness. Let’s rebuild the parts of our economy that actually need shoring up. But let’s stop pretending a trade deficit means we’re losing. Most of the world would love to have our “problems.”

    We’ve got the leverage. Let’s not fumble it because ‘someone’ doesn’t understand how the system works – or understands it all too well.