Squeal!
Turn MAGA's politics of grievance against them.
The Art Of Victimhood
MAGA has turned victimhood into a fine art.
They squeal about the latest wild conspiracy that’s trending in the dark corners of the internet. They continue to squeal about the long-running conspiracies they’ve always sqealed about.
The January 6ers sqeal about injustice despite their role in an attempted coup d’état and their assault on police officers defending the Capitol.
While the rest of us—the real victims of their malfeasance—grin and bear it.
We bear the indignity and the offensiveness of their wild-eyed insanity. They’ve damaged the pride we used to feel when our nation represented the good guys on the national stage.
More importantly, we bear the real burdens of their misrule:
The plunder of our national treasury; stealing our tax dollars to fill their pockets while depriving us of a government that serves us all,
Unchecked inflation driven by Trump’s crazy tariffs,
Sky-high gas prices (and groceries, and utility bills, and air travel, and computer chips, and farm inputs, and…) due to their war of choice against Iran that they have no strategy for ending and which leaves Iran with a stronger strategic hand than before, and
The silence of Republican elected leaders in the face of this madness.
Get Loud
It’s time for us to take a page from the MAGA playbook and squeal ourselves, but with actual justification and bringing actual receipts.
Complain to your neighbors and friends about whatever it is you are paying more for and make a direct connection to the policies that are responsible for those costs. Make it clear who is responsible.
Whenever you fill up your tank, take a photo of the pump and post it online and thank Trump, MAGA, and your local Republican representative for the higher costs. (It costs me $20 more to fill up my tank than it did before Trump started the war against Iran.)
Take a picture of your grocery receipts (remember to redact your card number) and do the same.
Is your company requiring you to return to the office? Complain about the cost of child care or the cost of clothes and do it publicly.
Carver County has a beautiful and very popular system of nature trails. Take chalk with you the next time you go for a walk to leave messages along the trail (or other high-traffic areas). Paint messages on stones to leave along the trail. Here are some ideas to get you started:
Trumpflation Is Killing Us
Republican Rule = High Prices
Billionaires Got Deals. You Paid The Price.
Vote Like Your Rent Depends On It
Be loud. Be persistant. And be clear about who you hold responsible.
Affordability Resources
For my day job, I have the privilege of being able to work on projects that leave the world in a little better place. In these trying times, many of us are going to need a little help to get by.
I’ve added two of those projects to our Mutual Aid page:
Get Gambling Help
In 1945, Minnesota partially legalized gambling by allowing charitable bingo to help nonprofits raise funds. Over the years, legal gambling expanded to the point where we are today with a state lottery, parimutual betting and tribal casinos.
Recognizing the risk of addiction to gambling, state legislators carved out set-aside funds from gambling revenue devoted to a program to oversee problem gambling prevention, education, and reimbursement for clinical treatment. Because gambling addiction is not heavily subsidized by federal healthcare funding, the state built a self-sustaining funding pipeline directly attached to gambling revenues.
Gambling addiction often causes a financial burden not only on the individual suffering from the addiction but on their families and loved ones as well.
That program runs a gambling helpline and its associated GetGamblingHelp.org website to promote free resources to help those struggling with gambling.
Quit Partner Minnesota
Quit Partner is Minnesota’s official, free state-run family of programs designed to help residents kick nicotine and commercial tobacco addictions, including smoking, vaping, and chewing.
The program relies on a mix of behavioral therapy and clinical treatment, offering flexible resources that let people “quit their way.”
Free Nicotine Replacement Therapy (NRT): For adults 18 and older, Quit Partner mails free two-week starter kits of patches, gum, or lozenges directly to their door (limited to two kits per person, per year).
One-on-One Coaching: Enrollees get access to trained tobacco cessation coaches 24/7. Coaching can be done entirely over the phone, via live web chats, or through interactive texting.
Digital Scaffolding: For those who prefer a self-guided approach, the program offers automated text messaging tracks and email programs designed to provide behavioral tips, daily motivation, and strategies to conquer cravings.
Language Accessibility: Services are offered in multiple languages, utilizing specialized translation networks (like LanguageLine) to support Hmong, Somali, Spanish, and over 200 other spoken languages.
I personally took advantage of Quit Partner’s predecessor program, QuitPlan, to sucessfully quit smoking in 2001. Quitting now is a great way to free up budget for the higher costs of everything else.
That program was funded as a result of then-state Attorney General Skip Humphrey’s 1998 landmark settlement with the tobacco industry, which won $6.5 billion for the state of Minnesota and Blue Cross Blue Shield of Minnesota.
THAT is what it looks like when you hold power to account.
P.S., Uncle Sam is pretty pissed off about the cost of living, too!
I Need Your Help
My company has another project currently underway for which we are trying to recruit young Minnesotans (13-24) to provide their perspective in a cannabis-use research study.
Eligible participants will take part in a 90-minute virtual focus group or interview, for which they will receive a $75 gift card of their choice. It is a confidential and judgment-free discussion. You do not have to be a cannabis user to particpate. Visit YouthHealthMN.com for more information and to apply.
Below, I’ve included program flyers in English, Spanish, Somali and Hmong. Please share with your networks!
It should be 80 and sunny for tomorrow’s rally!
See you there.
David
Chaska Protests
Every Friday from 3:00–4:00 p.m. at the corner of Chaska Blvd. and Chestnut Street (Highway 41) [Map]
Every Saturday from 1-2 pm at the corner of Hazeltine Boulevard and Highway 41 (Chestnut) [Map]
Chanhassen Protests
Every Saturday from 10-11 am at 7700 Market Boulevard [Map] Public parking is available behind City Hall.
Norwood Young America
Every Sunday, 11 a.m.–12 p.m. (Line up at the bike path south of Highway 212 and Faxon.)
Victoria
Every Wednesday from 4:30-5:30 pm on the corner of Highway 5 and Victoria Drive/County Rd 11.
Waconia
Every Saturday from 11:30-12:30 pm at Highway 5 and County Road 10 in front of the Starbucks and Jersey Mike’s. [Map]
SW Protectors
Every first and third Tuesday from 6:30 – 8:00 pm. It’s no cost and come and go as you like.
Please do buy something to eat or drink, though, to support our venue, which is The Bellows restaurant and it’s located at 232 Pioneer Trail in Chaska.