People have the power.

The stock market is tanking thanks to Trump playing around with his asinine tariffs. Forget the massive government layoffs, the unethical if not illegal threats against colleges and universities, and the misleading and vindictive court filings in litigation throughout the federal court system.

That’s for show. Red meat for the base. Don’t get me wrong, the government’s “downsize” will affect all of use who use and rely on government services. Competent career public employees will be replaced by loyalists to the new regime. Promulgated rules will be replaced by capricious decisions.

And if you happen to be seen by the powers that be as an opponent of the state, don’t expect decisions or services responsive to your otherwise legitimate needs.

Let’s not ignore this administration’s efforts to chill if not destroy the rule of law. Not only are they investigating their “opponents,” they are attempting to chill private attorneys from taking otherwise meritorious cases involving those alleged “opponents.”

The “good” news is that we are now a country based on “merit,” as long as a person is a white, straight, male. Under the new regime, women, minorities, LBGTQI+ persons are presumed devoid of any merit whatsoever. I’m sure many are happy that’s cleared up.

But at least we’re not Ukrainians. Imagine that you’re Volodymyr Zelenskyy sitting in the Oval Office with your ostensible ally only to be mugged by two wannabe authoritarians with the cameras rolling, after which you’re kicked out of the White House.

Zelenskyy’s offense was not giving carte blanche allowing our country – once a beacon of hope and promise to millions, if not billions of people throughout the world – to pillage the material wealth of a war-torn country.

Zelenskyy was also told that he wasn’t grateful (enough?) for the opportunity for us to plunder his country. Maybe the simple “thank you,” which he’s given innumerable times over the past three years wasn’t enough. Maybe he should grovel and kiss their asses – physically while being broadcast throughout the world.

The response for Ukraine opposing this modern-day imperialism was for our country – acting in our names – to suspend further military aid and intelligence to the Ukrainians, resulting in Russia unleashing an intense barrage on civilian targets. I’m sure this Russian onslaught was coincidental to Trump’s order cutting support to Ukraine.

Recent reports indicate that Trump restored some of the gathered intelligence. This might be the equivalent to “the missiles will hit in thirty seconds, RUN!”

Deliberately or inadvertently, we are now Putin’s puppets and useful fools.

In the inner wall of the Statue of Liberty, Emma Lazarus’s poem reads:

Not like the brazen giant of Greek fame,With conquering limbs astride from land to land;Here at our sea-washed, sunset gates shall standA mighty woman with a torch, whose flameIs the imprisoned lightning, and her nameMother of Exiles. From her beacon-handGlows world-wide welcome; her mild eyes commandThe air-bridged harbor that twin cities frame.“Keep, ancient lands, your storied pomp!” cries sheWith silent lips. “Give me your tired, your poor,Your huddled masses yearning to breathe free,The wretched refuse of your teeming shore.Send these, the homeless, tempest-tost to me,I lift my lamp beside the golden door!”

This inspiring ode to hope and opportunity will soon be replaced by Jerry McGuire’s “SHOW ME THE MONEY!” Under our new regime, anybody with $5 million can cut the immigration line and enter our country and be placed on a path to citizenship.

I wonder if these new immigrants will also be required to scream “YOU’RE MY MOTHERFUCKER!!!” Hopefully they’ll at least be grateful.

But as I said in the open, the real play for all of us is Trump’s tariff policy. Contrary to what Trump said recently, this will not make our country richer. That’s not how tariffs work.

The effect, if not the design of these tariffs is to redistribute the wealth extant in our country. It is not a policy where another country pays a tariff, ostensibly making our country “richer.” Tariffs are a tax paid by the domestic importer.

Think of it this way. You’re wearing a pair of pants with right and left pockets. The right pocket is the importer’s, the left is the government’s. When the importer pays the tariff (i.e., tax) he takes the money out of his right pocket and places it in government’s left pocket. Where is this new money making our country richer?

But wait! The importer’s right pocket is empty! Wherever can he get the money to fill that pocket? If you think the answer is obvious then you’re smarter than our current president.

As a result of these tariffs, money will flow from the bottom up, exacerbating a wealth redistribution process that’s been in place for forty plus years. But this redistribution of wealth will provide the rewards to the selected few who will benefit from the proposed MAGA tax cuts.

If this was a game of musical chairs, when the music stops, we’d all be left standing. So much winning!

As if all of the above isn’t enough, and that’s only a very tiny tip of an enormous killer iceberg, as of this writing the government might shut down on March 14.

Many of us feel powerless to confront this new tyranny. We know that if this present crew in power have their way, democracy will be all but a distant faint memory banned from being taught in our schools.

But rumor of democracy’s demise has been greatly exaggerated. Democracy’s institutions are under assault and to some degree weakened, but democracy still lives.

Each of us has the capacity to do something to break our national fever dream. We can call or write our elected officials. We can send the president letters or post cards expressing our views on his performance. We can take to the mean streets of social media to express ourselves.

We can organize ourselves and protest. We can gather with others to make our collective will be known. Members of my family, including me, recently participated in one such gathering. It was comforting to be with others of like mind.

I try to educate and inform through my writings. Emphasis on the word “try.” When I first started this Substack account, I wanted to keep it a free account. I’m happy when people subscribe (a big Thank You!) but didn’t want to put a price on my work.

Anyone who knows me will attest that money is not a prime motivator in what I do or how I do it. Don’t get me wrong, I like money! But I’m retired and don’t need the money.

Besides, writing my pieces is far more cost effective than the therapy I’d need if I didn’t write.

Recently, one subscriber pledged a monthly amount! This was clearly unsolicited, but it caused me to think about the (non)monetary aspects of my account. In fact, I thought long and hard about whether to accept the funds or respectfully but sincerely decline the money.

After long consideration I’ve come to a decision: I’m accepting the paid subscription.

Note that I did not say that I’m keeping the money. In the course of my deliberations I wondered about what I could do with subscription fees, other than line my own pockets.

I realize that my decision is not the seismic event that Dylan’s going electric at Newport was. On the other hand, it is a tangible something that I can do and in these times that’s pretty seismic.

I know that many who write on Substack have subscription levels on which they depend for their livelihoods. I actually financially support several of them.

But that ain’t me. Did I mention that I’m retired? I’m fortunate to have enough money to meet my needs so why accept dollars from others who might need them far more than me?

Hell, I even wrote a book four years ago and didn’t keep the royalties. Like I said, money is not my prime motivator.

Thus, it’s fair to ask why offer a paid subscription option? Here’s my thinking: we’re at war, war with those who seek to alter the very foundations of our democracy. All the writing and gathering, marching, and protesting, not to mention singing songs from the 60s, have only limited utility if any utility at all.

But as the saying goes, money talks and bullshit walks. It’s time to tell our representatives to grow a spine or get to steppin’ off. So, I had this nutty idea that if enough people subscribed, even just a small amount of money each month, and we can entice others to subscribe, together over time we can contribute to those candidates, this year and next, who serve our interests.

Like I said, a “nutty notion” that we could do something beyond shouting at the dying of our democratic light. But maybe it’s not so nutty. The readers will judge.

If this actually is realized, I will set up a formal organization to receive, hold, and distribute the funds. Reports of receipts and expenditures will be made to the proper authorities and will be reported or linked on this site.

Transparency breeds accountability, and accountability breeds confidence. Frankly, that’s how I roll. Since most don’t know me, I hope those who have worked with me or know me personally will attest to my character by writing a comment related to this post.

Or, if someone doesn’t know me, I’m pretty easy to find. Anyone can view my prior posts on Substack, or view about four years of writings on my blog at www.geoffschoos.comB, or just Google and you’ll find information about who I am and what I’ve done.

At minimum, you find that I’m consistent in a lot of ways that matter.

Either way, paid or free, I will continue to write if only to maintain my mental health. But I think this paid subscription approach at least has the promise of doing something tangible to confront the barbarians crashing through the gates.

Each of us has to make decisions during these times. However, I hope we’ll all consider what Patti Smith once sung:

PEOPLE HAVE THE POWER!