One of the advantages of the “Our democracy isn’t under threat. You’re exaggerating for partisan gain” camp is that this isn’t Russia. It’s America. The oldest democracy in the world.

A lot of people don’t think Trump being a dictator is possible.

1/🧵 This is doubly so because so many people are civically illiterate. Our civics education is atrocious…

So we’re in a situation where people are predisposed to take our democracy for granted, and they don’t have the tools necessary to identify the dangers to it anyway. 2/

I’ve spent a good amount of time talking w/ people about how to convince Jewish Republicans to reject Trump.

One suggestion was to that to be effective we have to “acknowledge their fear.” Maybe. But I think more than anything we need to be honest…

1/🧵 And the honest thing to say is: Stop living in a fantasy world where Trump is better for Israel & isn’t a serious threat to American Jews.

On the fear point, we’re all afraid. This is a dangerous time for Jews & Israel. But you’re letting this fear cloud your judgement. 2/

If you were to ask 100 smart people what the best way to fight antisemitism was, you'd get 100 different answers. But it's actually quite simple, at least in the short term.

Make sure Kamala Harris wins the election and relegate Trump to the periphery of American politics. 1/🧵 This won't solve the problem completely. Even if Trump isn't a viable candidate for president, Trumpism would still be a powerful force at the state level, emboldening white supremacists and fueling far-right antisemites. But decisively defeating Trump will do a lot of good...2/

As someone who has poured myself into this struggle over the past 8 years, it’s hard to look at influential people who have stayed on the sidelines purely out of self interest and not feel a good deal of disgust.

Your country is in danger. How can you justify doing nothing? 1/🧵 Surely, there are all the excuses in the world. And you might even be able to convince yourself with one rationalization or another that your silence and inaction are justified.

The thing is, there will come a time when you finally see through your excuses and lies. 2/

I’ve been thinking a lot about January 6th today. Watching Trump on the debate stage last night, running for President again, and saying to the country he isn’t responsible for that day is such a profound indictment on our institutions for failing to hold him accountable. 1/🧵 The Supreme Court had a chance. Did they allow states to disqualify Trump from the ballot for being an insurrectionist? No.

Did they practically delay the Jan 6th case & give Trump wide ranging immunity that could allow him to be a dictator if he becomes President again? Yes.
2/

Serious question. If you're a MAGA Republican, do you root for the Russians in Red Dawn? What about in Hunt for Red October? Do you root for Captain Ramius to be captured before he can defect? In the Americans, do you root AGAINST Stan and FOR Philip and Elizabeth.

1/🧵 What about when you're reading history books? When you get to the part where the Soviet Union takes over half of Europe after World War II, are you like YEAHHH!

Do you root for the Soviet tanks when they're crushing the Hungarian revolution in 1956? 2/

The incident at Arlington cemetery demonstrates a really profound and potentially underrated point.

Trump intimidates people into not holding him accountable. Imagine how much worse this could get if he’s the president and controls the immense powers of the executive?

1/🧵 Imagine if you’re a juror on a trial of a Trump associate. Imagine if you’re the judge. It would only be natural to worry about the consequences to you or your family if you held Trump accountable. Under that pressure, what would you do? What would any of us do?

2/

One important thing Americans take for granted is how separate our civilian life is from the military.

The military isn’t in the streets to keep order. There aren’t soldiers down the block from your home. We don’t see tanks in cities. As grateful as I am for the military…1/🧵 …NO ONE wants to live in a society like that. But if Trump wins, that’s what we’d begin to see in America. After all, Trump has threatened to invoke the Insurrection Act multiple times.

This would do lasting damage to our nation, to the sense of security we take for granted. 2/

Harris’s acceptance speech was so good because of how pro-American it was. I hope she keeps it up.

At a time of intense division, when the world feels so uncertain, we need a common sense of identity to bring us together & ground us. Why not get that from being an American? 1/🧵 I’m not going to bore you with a laundry list of why this country is awesome. But I, for one, think it’s pretty damn cool that we’re the world’s oldest democracy… 2/

I’m not sure if RFK jr dropping out and endorsing Trump will help Trump. I doubt that even if it does, it decides the election. But it could. And THAT fact really angers and upsets me.
1/🧵 Part of what has depressed me most about this era is how so many privileged elites have abandoned our country for their own narrow self interests. Tech giants who seemingly don’t care if their algorithms undermine our democracy. Journalists who traffic in extreme bothsidesism…2/

I’m 2016, I wasn’t POSITIVE we were going to win. After all, there was a reason I drove to Ohio to volunteer for Hillary Clinton. But on the night of the election, I was pretty damn confident. And I remember dancing to the Hamilton soundtrack after the polls closed. 1/🧵 I will never make that mistake again. No matter how good you feel right now, run through the finish line.

No matter how joyful tonight feels, run through the finish line.

No matter how confident you feel after seeing polls next week, run through the finish line. 2/

Watching this outpouring of love and joy and optimism tonight… Watching the beautiful fabric of America on display… Watching this convention OPEN ITS ARMS to America, I hope and pray Trump supporters are watching. Because if they are, they will see there is another way.

1/🧵 If they’re watching, they will see they don’t have to hate anymore. They will see they don’t have to hold on to their grievance & anger. They can let go…

Because Democrats aren’t just offering another way for Democrats. Democrats are offering another way that includes THEM. 2/

This isn’t going to matter in the election. It’s just dumb. But I’m so freaking tired of the “Democrats are Communists” trope because if any major figures are flirting with “Communism”, it’s Republicans. I mean, just look at what Republicans have done in recent yrs…1/🧵

https://twitter.com/yashar/status/1825022106280792557

When you think of book bans & government purges, two hallmarks of Communist rule, do you think of Democrats or Republicans?

Look at the book bans across the country. Look at Trump’s & the #Project2025 plan to purge civil servants. These are REPUBLICAN efforts. 2/

Anything can still happen, but I believe we’ll win this November. But I have no illusions either. It will take years, decades, even generations to overcome the last vestiges of Trumpism. The last time I visited Gettysburg, I saw confederate flags placed near memorials…1/🧵 The work to protect & perfect American democracy is the work of a lifetime. It’s not just about one 4 yr period or every 2 yr period.

To truly leave this world a better place for our children requires daily acts of citizenship from all of us. Our work isn’t done in November…2/

A political movement can divide a country. It can fuel grievance and hate and bigotry. It can empower our worst impulses and turn us against each other.

We’ve seen this happen these last 8 yrs. We’ve seen this happen in history’s darkest moments. But there is another way… 1/🧵 Just look at these rallies w/ Harris & Walz. These rallies aren’t us versus them or Dems versus Republicans. They aren’t dividing based on fear…

They are uniting based on love, joy, & patriotism. They are about coming together for a cause greater than yourself. For America...2/

It’s not just Trump who owns this. It’s every single Republican official who backs him, every MAGA member of Congress, every MAGA talking head in the media.

If you still support him, and you’re in a position of power, you’re helping to fuel & promote racism in this country…1/ And you are helping to fuel and promote a movement that is trying to bring down our democracy. It’s that simple.

You can tell yourself any tale that you want. You can rationalize your behavior. But when you look back at yourself years from now, it will be clear what you did. 2/

I think there’s a sense the next 100 days could shut the door on Trump’s political future. That’s where some of this energy is coming from IMO.

We’ve worked & struggled for 8 yrs to protect America from him. And on the national level, the worst MAY be behind us if we win. 1/🧵 To be sure, if Harris wins, Trump could run again, but would that really be a serious challenge? Nah, not given his age IMO. In other words, the next 100 days could be the last time we have to REALLY worry about Trump being president.

This is exciting. But it’s also scary... 2/

These last couple weeks have been extraordinary. I’ve gone from envisioning the worst possible futures for my country to believing in the best possible ones.

I’ve gone from feeling dread to feeling the kind of hope I felt in 2008. I feel relieved. But it’s more than that... 1/🧵 It’s as if Joe Biden passing the torch to Kamala Harris in the way he did opened up a door into a different dimension, to a different version of our country, one that we had forgotten existed or doubted still did. 2/

I remember Jan 6th, not only as one of the darkest days in our history, but as the day a Black American & Jewish American won Senate seats in Georgia. Then as now, America is at a crossroads, where we can choose a future that reflects either the best or worst of our country. 1/🧵 Indeed, we have to come to grips that our future could go in radically different directions. It’s just a reality.

But days like today fill me with immense gratitude to be American, as well as the hope and BELIEF that our future will reflect the better angels of our nature. 2/

Nothing makes me more upset than a particular type of “elite”who isn’t going to vote in this election.

You could have been born in China or Russia or a hundred other places. But you were born here or immigrated. THAT is why you have the opportunity to prosper and flourish. 1/🧵 You aren’t an island onto yourself. You didn’t do this all on your own. Your success is made possible by the Rule of Law. By the Peaceful Transition of Power. By America’s economy and spirit of innovation and entrepreneurship. 2/

I want to reiterate something. Trump isn’t Darth Vader. He doesn’t have magical powers. He’s dangerous. But he’s a clown…Stop ascribing so much inevitability to him.

This doesn’t mean he and his movement are not incredibly dangerous. But nothing about this pre-destined…1/🧵 There’s a reason anti-democratic movements use massive flags, create cults of personality, and speak as if they’re invincible.

It’s smoke & mirrors. It’s compensating for lack of democratic legitimacy and personal insecurity through fear and the deification of their leaders. 2/