AOC? Bernie? Chuck? Not So Much.

I’ve got this image in my head of my grandfather—kind eyes, a warm voice, always ready with a reassuring pat on the back. He read his bible every day, went to church every day, and was beloved in the community. He taught me service to my family and community. Love and appreciation of my country. He was the kind of guy who made you feel like everything’s going to be okay. And that’s comforting, right? We love those people. But here’s the thing: when you’ve just dialed 911 because your house is on fire, that’s not the guy you want showing up. You want someone who’s got a hose, a plan, and the guts to kick down the door and put out the flames.

Right now, politically speaking, we are in a full-blown 911 moment. And yet, we keep looking to the people who make us feel good rather than the ones who are actually doing something. It’s time to change that.

God, we Americans love things and people that look good. That make us feel something. Empowered. Inspired. Pretty. Well, due respect that is how we got here. We focused our attention on how things looked, not how they are.

It’s time to face the truth about how we respond to things.

Take Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez. There is no question—she is a phenomenal speaker. She can break down complicated policies in a way that makes people pay attention. She’s inspiring, engaging, and has an undeniable presence. But here’s the uncomfortable truth: she hasn’t gotten a single piece of legislation passed. Not one. Not the Green New Deal, not anything else. She’s great at shaping conversations, but shaping policy? That’s a different story. And at this moment, we don’t have the luxury of waiting for inspiring rhetoric to turn into action. It hasn’t and it won’t.

Then there’s Bernie Sanders. America’s progressive grandpa. We love him because he says the things we want to hear—corporations are too powerful, billionaires should pay more, healthcare is a human right. And he’s been saying them for decades. But what has he actually done? Out of over 400 bills he’s sponsored in Congress, (400!!) only three have ever made it into law. And two of those were about renaming post offices in Vermont. He’s spent a career railing against the system, but when it comes to actually changing it? The receipts aren’t there. He’s a master of smokes and mirrors.

And then we have Chuck Schumer. Schumer is a solid dealmaker. When Democrats are in power, he’s able to get legislation through—he helped pass the Inflation Reduction Act, the CHIPS Act, and infrastructure bills. And, he knows how to nuture the big givers, and they have given big to him in return. But here’s the thing: being a good legislator when you control the government is one thing. Being a fighter when you don’t? That’s another entirely. Schumer is not a wartime leader. He’s a master of the inside game, but he’s not the guy who’s going to rally the country to stop the train wreck happening in Washington. For God’s sake, last week, he stood in front of the Capital leading chants, like he was Jane Fonda or something.

Winston Churchill, history tells us, was a stellar war-time Prime Minister. But peacetime, when working on things like the economy and other day to day task? Disaster.

We need war-time people in DC now. Fighters. Innovative people who will go outside the box - not the box of right and wrong, but rather, do new things to stop this process of doing the same things over and over again, with the result that makes us the losers in saving democracy. Disaster.

We need someone willing to get into the fight and have a plan and have at least the smallest chance of winning. So, who is actually stepping up? Who is the one standing in the middle of the Senate, pointing to the wreckage and demanding answers?

Senator Angus King. The independent from Maine. He’s one.

Last week, he stood up in the Senate and called out his Republican colleagues, asking them point-blank: How are you living with this? How are you sitting silently while democracy is being gutted in front of us? King didn’t just make a speech—he threw down the gauntlet. He’s not waiting to feel out the political winds or see how things shake out. He’s standing up and demanding action now.

And another one of those people? Chris Murphy.

Murphy is the senator from Connecticut, and he doesn’t just talk about fixing America’s gun laws—he works every single day to make it happen. He helped get the first bipartisan gun safety legislation passed in decades. He’s relentless. He’s strategic. He doesn’t just throw out big ideas; he finds ways to make them reality. That’s the kind of leadership we need right now.

ACLU is doing more to stop this destruction than any of our legislators. Have you joined? Are you sharing their law suits? The ones they are putting forth daily? Please read my column, written a few days after the election, where I lay it out. They will get it done. Not AOC. Post their posts.

So if you want to share something, share the work of people and organizations who are actually taking action. Elevate the people who are actually shaping what comes next—not the ones who just make us feel good about where we are.

I’ll tell you what else. This isn’t just a moment of crisis. This is Ground Zero. Scorched earth. The wreckage is everywhere, and there is no going back to what was. We have to rebuild. And if we’re going to do that, we have to be brutally honest with ourselves about who we’re following and why. Our role in the history we are now making. Changing our behavior.

Following people who make us feel good? That’s how we got here. Clapping along with inspiring speeches, retweeting fiery soundbites—none of that is going to dig us out of this mess. We don’t have time for heroes who thrive on attention but don’t deliver results. We need to grow up. We need to start pushing forward the people who actually do something. The people who fight, who legislate, who know how to use power effectively.

Look, all is not lost. And while we do not realize it yet, it lies in the hands of all of us, who have the same vision for America. It calls for us to be a new, disciplined group of Americans.

First stop? I know you hate me continuing this conversation, but it’s follow our money. It’s our power. So, on The Twenty Four Hour Economic Blackout. Friday, February 28th, it’s our chance to make headlines. Collectively. One day of not spending one dime anywhere except for local businesses and emergency needs. One day. I think we can all agree that when I suggested we stop ordering from Amazon at all, well, it didn’t go over well. But this is different. One day! And then a month later, it’s going to be three days. And then a month later, five days. Tapering into a wake up call they will all hear.

I can’t vouch for The People’s Union, who is organizing this blackout day. You can look them up yourself, but I know that ‘Buying Blackouts’ will be our super power moving forward. So, I’m all in for this. #BuyingBlackouts

Let’s get smart. Let’s spend our time taking action we can take without losing so much sleep that we can’t function. I know it’s hard right now to keep staring down the horror of what is happening, and not turn away. Believe me, I know. But, when I can do something, something that collectively will make a difference. I do sleep better that night than when I’m sticking my head in the sand.

One more thing. Millions, yes millions, of Americans are flooding the phones at the Capital. Do not vote for RFK, or you will lose me. Millions. I had a conversation with one of my posse yesterday, and she believes it is working. This week a number of the votes will take place. I predict all of his nominees will be confirmed. Every single one of them, which of course means that it isn’t working. We shall see. Oh, I hope I’m wrong. But before we speak about how it’s working, let’s see if it is working.

Assess our actions people. We should have been doing report cards all these years. Well, we can start now. The results say whether we expand that plan of action, or throw something else at the wall. Do not feel as if you have done your duty writing or calling your senator, or congressperson, if it doesn’t work.

Let’s reset our patterns that helped get us here. Let’s look at results, not how things appear. Let’s support those who are getting it done. Let’s take action. Let’s make sure no stone was turned to fight this war on our America that is happening around us.

-CM

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