When progressives fracture, the right always wins. The November election will be the most consequential election of our lifetime. We cannot allow legitimate differences about policy to open up the door to a second Trump presidency.

Every morning President Biden awakens and asks: “What I can do to improve the lives of the American people?” Trump, by contrast, asks, “How can I increase my wealth and power and punish my enemies?” In his State of the Union address to the American people last Thursday, the President stressed their very different world views, values, policies, and future plans.

“The disregard for women’s ability to make [reproductive] decisions for themselves and their families is outrageous and unacceptable. . . .The vice president and I are fighting for your rights. . .and we won’t stop until we restore the protections of Roe v. Wade in federal law for all women in every state.”

—President Biden responding to the Alabama ruling granting personhood to frozen embryos

Biden’s and Trump’s responses to the Kansas City shooting were starkly different. Biden immediately decried “epidemic” gun violence: “Today’s events should…shock us…into acting. What are we waiting for?” Trump, by contrast, attended a gun rally and bragged that, while president, “nobody took control of our Second Amendment [and] nothing happened.”

Netanyahu’s right-wing extremist government has the right to respond to Hamas’ horrific October 7th attacks, which constituted war crimes and violated international law, but not itself to commit war crimes against the Palestinian people. Congress’ decision pulling all funding from UNRWA, the only agency capable of distributing humanitarian aid, will create even more suffering, starvation, and disease in Gaza and must be reversed. The continuing carnage must stop.

The brutal war in Ukraine is at a critical juncture. Congress must disregard MAGA Republican efforts to block additional  military assistance.  Kyiv needs advanced weapon systems to help drive out the Russian invaders and diminish Putin’s imperialist ambitions. 

MAGA Republicans are pushing a fast-tracked, closed-door “debt commission”—their latest attempt to cut the highly popular Social Security and Medicare programs, by falsely claiming their costs are tied to the national debt. What we need instead is to expand their income base and extend their solvency by requiring high income taxpayers to contribute their fair share.

“The choice is clear: Donald Trump’s campaign is about him. Not America, not you….He’s willing to sacrifice our democracy [to] put himself in power.” In order to defeat a dark turn coming our way, we must come out in record numbers to cast votes in defense of democracy.

In responding to Hamas’ horrific October 7th attacks, which constituted war crimes and violated international law, Israel had the right to defend itself by going after Hamas. Netanyahu’s right-wing extremist government, however, does not have the right to commit war crimes against the Palestinian people, using US-provided weapons. It’s time for a permanent ceasefire in Gaza. The continuing carnage must stop.

MAGA Republicans are pushing a fast-tracked, closed-door “debt commission”—their latest attempt to cut the highly popular Social Security and Medicare programs, by falsely claiming their costs are tied to the national debt. What we need instead is to expand their income base and extend their solvency by requiring high income taxpayers to contribute their fair share.

“[W]e pledge to… root out the Communists, Marxists, Fascists, and Radical Left Thugs that live like vermin…and will…destroy America….Our threat is from within.” When Trump employs Nazi-talk alongside plans to round up immigrants in mass detention camps by the millions, we need to take him dead seriously.

A single ammunition plant in Missouri is one of the world’s biggest producers of AR-15-style gun ammunition. It has sold millions of rounds that have been used in mass shootings and violent crimes. And our taxes are paying for it because this plant is owned and operated by the US Army.

At this critical moment in history, MAGA obstructionists are intent on subverting U.S policy in the Middle East and Ukraine. Last week Mike Johnson, the new MAGA House Speaker, proposed eliminating both additional military aid to Israel and Ukraine and humanitarian assistance to the people of Gaza.

On September 30, Congress gave itself six more weeks to fund the government, but the House GOP spent almost all of October at war with itself. Now, with only 10 days to avoid another government shutdown, it’s time for MAGA Republicans to accept reality, agreeing to another short-term continuing resolution at 2023 funding levels and promising to draft legislation conforming to the budget framework enacted in June, as the Senate is doing.

Faced with large influxes of migrants and a “crisis” manufactured by MAGA governors sending them to blue states, Biden’s forgotten his promises to create a just, humane immigration system. It is up to Congress to pass legislation that treats migrants with compassion and dignity.