January 6 Blog: “This Is It” & 2026 Protests

Dear Friends:

I hope everyone has had a good holiday. I continue to be hopeful and inspired by the pro-democracy resistance efforts around the country, but this blog will not be particularly reassuring.

I think we all were taken aback by the US attack on Venezuela and abduction of President Maduro. I could not figure out exactly why it bothered me so much (Maduro is a terrible person) until I listened to this excellent explanation by Heather Cox Richardson.

I’ll summarize her podcast here in my, only a little, extreme and simplified version: our attack on Venezuela was nothing less than an attack on the Rules-based International World Order that has been in place since WWII. After WWII, world leaders were horrified by what humans were capable of doing and set up a system to prevent another world war. They replaced the spheres of influence system where weaker nations ally with stronger ones for protection as the strong nations simply invade and take what they want from those weaker nations. This old system brought us World Wars I and II. The current rules-based international order has been imperfectly maintained, but it has prevented another world war for 80 years.

Vladimir Putin hates the World Order that has been in place since WWII because he wants to take Ukraine and much of Europe to plunder them for his own wealth and the “glory” of Russia. The World Order, our allies in Europe and the US have stood in his way. Trump hates this system... because Putin tells him to hate it... And, because it interferes with Trump’s and his henchmen’s desire to plunder the Western hemisphere’s resources for his own and his family and henchmen’s enrichment.

The Rule of Law has stood in Trump's way. He needs to complete the destruction of Congress and the Rule of Law so he can order the US military to go anywhere he wants and take anything he wants both nationally (squash dissent and make corrupt business deals, take bribes. etc.) and internationally (take Venezuelan oil, Greenland’s resources, etc.).

Trump’s invasion essentially declares the New World Order dead. He (and Putin) hopes to usher in a new era of global rule by force and violence. At the moment, the only thing stopping Trump is the American grassroots resistance and, possibly, the Courts and Congress. The attack on Venezuela, like so much of what the Regime does, is clearly illegal. Common sense and common decency should make stopping him a no brainer, but these are in short supply. Europe is struggling to stop Putin and protect itself now that the US has changed sides and supports Russia. China waits in the wings watching and planning to take Taiwan. We, and the world, are in a very bad place.

But, at the same time, Trump is quite weak; his poll numbers have plunged. His national support is plummeting and his base is fracturing. We’re in a race. He and his henchmen to complete his authoritarian takeover before his – and their – power collapses. We to make sure he does not complete it.

As Heather concludes her podcast, “This Is It.” The next 3-6 months are going to be very rough. I urge my readers to share Heather’s analysis with people you think would listen. I urge you to double down on whatever you are doing to resist the Regime. “No Kings 3” will be announced soon.  While it can seem like a drop in the bucket to protest, dictators depend on an image of total power and inevitability. Grassroots resisters destroy that image, especially when they are as large and widespread as the No Kings events. Indivisible groups and the number of Visibility Brigades grow steadily in both red and blue states. New resistance groups of all sorts form every day. They are a physical reminder of the unpopularity of this Regime and of American's determination to keep our democracy. This helps weaken Trump’s support every day.

Meanwhile, the Women’s March organization plans a “Free America Walkout.” On January 20 at 2 PM local time, participants will walk out of work, school, and commerce to mark one year into Trump’s second regime. This is to demonstrate that a Free America will not cooperate with fascism. Indivisible, Mobilize and 50501 are all collaborating in this protest.

My Fairlington bridge team joined many Visibility Brigades across the country in a rapid response Saturday making clear we don’t support the Venezuelan attack. Our banners read:  STOP WAR PIGGY and EPSTEINEZUELA. We anticipate the need for more rapid responses this year and are increasingly coordinating our messages. Because we see no end to the need for our work, my bridge team has decided to cut back from our 5 days/week action to 1-3 days every week and likely on Saturdays as well. Today, Tuesday, the 6^th, we will be out from 3:30 to 5pm to remind everyone of the infamy of January 6, 2021. Join us if you can.

Thank you to so many who have already contributed to my website/blog. We're almost there. If you haven’t donated, would you consider a small contribution? Our total budget is about $5,000/year.

No Kings 3 will be announced soon. We plan to make it the biggest protest yet.

Yours in peaceful resistance, 

Libby