Amid the unprecedented threat of a second Trump term, We need "A Civics Marshall Plan"

The outcome of the presidential election is profoundly dismaying on many levels. We are experiencing a frontal attack on the Constitution and a betrayal of the core democratic values that have defined us for 250 years. I pray that we are not “sleepwalking through Weimar,” as I described in March and many others have feared before and since.

If we take Trump at his word, the period ahead could be among America's darkest. Governing on pillars of hatred and nativism, bigotry and fear, lies and ignorance, and plutocrats and self-interest -- this is deeply injurious to our country.

We need to balm our sorrows. Take a break, look away, care for ourselves, and find enjoyment. But the country's future will be its brightest only when we make it so, only if we recommit ourselves actively to our democratic process and the Constitution.

At this perilous moment, I recommend these centers of action: the Campaign Legal Center, iCivics, and Our Common Purpose.?

“The Unprecedented Threat of a Second Trump Term”

The Campaign Legal Center, a highly impactful 501(c)3 nonprofit watchdog on elections and ethics, is aggressively manning the ramparts in advance of Trump.? Founded by Trevor Potter, former legal counsel to Republican Sen. John McCain and former chairman of the Federal Election Commission, the Center is a strong advocate and sentinel for the rule of law.

Potter made this statement -- “The Unprecedented Threat of a Second Trump Term” -- shortly after the election:

It is now clear that Donald Trump has been elected the next president. The second Trump term will usher in an unprecedented, dangerous time for our country. ? Trump’s threat to our democracy is?well documented, including comments by people?he worked with closely as president?and?through his own words?in this campaign. Campaign Legal Center won’t stand by and allow Trump to govern as an authoritarian once he returns to the White House. We will not be silent. We will not accept Trump’s claims to dictatorial powers or any dictatorial actions.? We need?your support to meet this moment.?We will fight to preserve the rule of law and the Constitution during Trump’s second term by:

• Ensuring the Trump administration and its allies in the states do not interfere with the right to free and fair elections in 2026 and 2028.
• Working with state officials to use all tools to push back on presidential overreach.?Our government is founded on a strong system of checks and balances, including the balance of power between the national and state governments. That principle must remain in our democracy.?
• Seeking accountability through the state or federal courts. While the federal courts may be likely to approve Trump’s general policy agenda, even most Trump-appointed judges and Supreme Court Justices have rejected his efforts to subvert democracy.
• Combating the dissemination of misinformation and disinformation about elections and democracy by the administration.
• Using a range of legal mechanisms to stop the Trump administration from stripping protections from civil servants perceived as disloyal to the president.
• Redoubling our efforts to serve as a watchdog over our campaign finance system and challenging efforts aimed at concentrating political power in the hands of a few wealthy special interests. The dominant influence of wealthy special interests during the 2024 election is Exhibit A of why this fight must continue.
• Calling out ethics violations during a second Trump term and shining a bright light on wrongdoing that prioritizes personal gain above serving the public. One priority in this respect will be to combat the public perception that officials are not held accountable for their unethical behavior. To accomplish this, we will focus more resources on uncovering and documenting ethics violations that can be subject to enforcement.

The history of our nation’s slow march toward a more perfect union is filled with setbacks —?always?followed by progress willed into existence by the tireless efforts of Americans dedicated to fighting for our highest ideals. There is no doubt in my mind that we have much work ahead of us to protect our country from the threats we will face. I also do not doubt that CLC and our partners are ready to wage that fight with every resource we can muster on behalf of the American people.?

A Civics Marshall Plan:? iCivics

Before the election, I suggested a “Civics Marshall Plan” to better educate Americans about their government and public duty.?The first of two specific recommendations is iCivics.

Supreme Court Justice Sandra Day O’Connor, the founder of iCivics, stated:? “We must arm today’s young people with innovative civic education that is relevant to them. Bringing high-quality civics to every school in every state of our union is the only way that the next generations will become effective citizens and leaders.”

?A nonpartisan 501(c)3 organization, iCivics is at the forefront of the movement to make civic education a nationwide priority.? It provides free high-caliber, teacher-created curricula, lesson plans, and games featuring the history and development of the Constitution, the branches and levels of government, the rights and duties of citizens, politics, and policy. As many as 150,000 teachers and nine million students in 50 states utilize iCivics’ innovative resources. The leadership of iCivics includes Associate Supreme Court Justice Sonia Sotomayor and leading Republican legal expert Ben Ginsberg.

A Civics Marshall Plan:? “Our Common Purpose”

A second important tool for civic renewal, on the largest scale, is Our Common Purpose:? Reinvesting American Democracy for the 21st Century, a landmark report of the American Academy of Arts and Sciences.

Coauthored by Harvard government professor Danielle Allen and others, the report assesses the crisis of democratic citizenship, embraces six strategies and thirty-one recommendations, and calls for action by sectors and individuals to fulfill the promise of the Constitution.

Founded in 1780 by John Adams, John Hancock, and others of the revolutionary age, the American Academy of Arts and Sciences is the foremost intellectual and scholarly body in the US.? Its members include more than 250?Nobel Prize winners and more than 60 Pulitzer Prize winners.

?“Our Common Purpose” is a great resource for the betterment of American democracy.

When we (continue to) fight, we (will) win. Onward!

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