Democracy is Tanking— So What Are We Going to Do About It?
This article was originally published on www.blessittshawn.com on 3/6/25.
Trump’s Joint Address to Congress made me want to smoke one! This egomaniac is back in power, and his administration is dismantling public programs at breakneck speed. Prices for basic necessities are skyrocketing, healthcare is becoming even more inaccessible, and a completely illegitimate organization — DOGE, run by Elon Musk — has positioned itself as a shadow government agency, stripping Americans of their rights and enforcing corporate rule. For queer and disabled people, the stakes couldn’t be higher.
We are watching, in real time, what happens when a government fully embraces fascism. And let’s be honest: we’re on our own. So what are we going to do about it?
Trump’s Authoritarianism on Full Display
Trump’s Joint Address to Congress wasn’t just political theater — it was a declaration of power. When Rep. Al Green stood up and dared to challenge Trump to his face, he was thrown out of the chamber. A sitting Black congressman, removed for simply speaking truth.
And how did the Democrats respond?
Did they walk out in protest? Did they stand up and confront Trump’s blatant display of authoritarianism? No.
Instead, they held up tiny signs and wore pink — a weak, performative gesture of dissent while democracy burns around us. This is what the Democratic Party has become: a group of people so terrified of real confrontation that they symbolically oppose fascism instead of actually fighting it.
We cannot afford to follow their lead.
Medicare and Medicaid Are on the Chopping Block — Again
If you are like me and rely on Medicare or Medicaid, Trump is coming for you. Cuts to these programs have already begun, and conservative lawmakers are pushing work requirements and other barriers that will strip healthcare from the people who need it most. Meanwhile, the cost of prescription drugs and medical care is skyrocketing, leaving millions of disabled and chronically ill people with impossible choices: food or medication? Rent or a doctor’s visit?
This isn’t just an economic crisis — it’s an attack on our survival.
The Rise of DOGE: Corporate Fascism in Real Time
Elon Musk’s DOGE is not a real government agency yet wields terrifying power. Under the guise of “efficiency” and “innovation,” this shadow organization is operating outside the law, enforcing policies that strip away basic rights, surveil ordinary Americans, and crush any form of dissent.
Let’s be clear: DOGE is not about democracy. It is corporate fascism, designed to serve the ultra-rich while the rest of us suffer. It answers to no one except billionaires and the politicians who enable them. And as we’ve already seen, Musk has no problem using his power to silence opposition, destroy public institutions, and consolidate control over the infrastructure that everyday people rely on.
If you are queer, disabled, poor, or politically outspoken, DOGE is a direct threat to your ability to exist freely.
Where Are the Democrats?
While Republicans are leading this assault, let’s be real — Democrats have been sitting with their mouths agape. They had years to strengthen Medicare, raise wages, regulate corporate greed, and protect our rights, but they didn’t in the assumption that things would “work themselves out.” Now, when faced with full-blown authoritarianism, they offer nothing but press statements and half-measures.
Rep. Al Green showed us what real resistance looks like.
There is no cavalry coming to save us, and there is no institutional safety net left to fall back on. That means our survival depends on each other.
The Urgency of This Moment for Queer Disabled People
Queer and disabled people have a long history of being treated as disposable, and once again, we are the first on the chopping block. With the gutting of Medicaid, the rollback of disability protections, and the relentless attack on women and trans rights, so many people I love are being forced into crisis mode — again.
So What Do We Do?
Build Networks of Mutual Aid
Government programs are falling off line-items like gummy bears at the corner store, so we need to support each other. That means organizing local mutual aid networks with your neighbors, family, and friends, to provide food, medicine, and financial assistance to those left behind. If the system won’t take care of us, we will care for each other.
2. Take Direct Action
Protests, strikes, and disruptions work. The government may not listen to our pleas but will respond to pressure. We need to escalate tactics and clarify that we will not go quietly as they strip away our rights and resources.
3. Defend Our Communities
If DOGE and law enforcement are being used to target marginalized people, then community defense is essential. That means knowing your rights, having legal support, and building networks that can respond when people are in danger.
4. Stop Waiting for the Democrats to Save Us
It’s clear that so many of these politicians are not willing to fight for us. That means we need to build independent political power — through local organizing, and direct challenges to the status quo. We cannot afford to keep playing defense.
And Through It All: Stay Fabulous, Stay Joyful, Stay in the Fight
Oppression thrives on fear and exhaustion. The people in power want us to feel hopeless, to be too overwhelmed to fight back. They want to steal not just our rights but our joy, our culture, and our ability to love and celebrate each other.
So while we resist, while we build, while we fight for our collective survival — we must also protect our joy.
Wear pink! But don’t just wear it as a passive statement — wear it while you’re organizing a rent strike, while you’re setting up a community food bank, while you’re making sure your disabled and chronically ill siblings, niblings, and loves have the medicine they need.
Throw a party and make it a fundraiser for bail funds. Dance, laugh, and love in defiance of their cruelty. Take up space, be loud, and be visible.
Because our existence, our joy, and our community are acts of resistance — and no fascist, no billionaire, and no illegitimate government agency can take that from us.
Now the question is: What are you willing to do?
