Personal Reflections of a Middle-Aged Man

It has been a week unlike any other that I can remember.

The week started with the Republican controlled United States Department of Education (USDE) having sent a letter on the previous Friday at 5:00PM EST, to go into effect at 5:00PM EST that same day, meaning no notice whatsoever. The memo basically said regardless of the previous approval to seek reimbursement for federal Covid relief dollars, that was now null and void. It went so far as to say, essentially, previous decisions by USDE can’t be trusted, those in charge can change their minds at any time on any decision. In doing this, the Republicans are leaving states and school districts across the country in the lurch for millions upon millions of dollars for which school districts, or states, will have to figure out how to cover previously approved costs with local dollars. USDE did say entities can reapply for approval over which it will be the sole discretion of the Republican Secretary of Education McMahon to approve. But, based on how the letter was written, anticipate most things will not meet with her approval. 

Not to be outdone in many ways, on Thursday, April 3, 2025, the Republican USDE administration sent out another notice regarding diversity, equity, and inclusion and receiving federal funds. It gives states and districts 10-days to sign an affirmation stating they are not using funds for any activity related to diversity, equity, and inclusion. But, no one seems to be able to fully define what that means either at the federal level or state and local levels. What one can infer is, if an activity benefits anyone who isn’t white, straight, and able-bodied, then it isn’t allowable. The fact that only 10-days were given for states and districts to scour their contracts and activities, then seek to amend a contract or a change in Title fund activities through an amendment process, which can take up to 30-days, is just plain unprofessional.

As with anything from the Republican Musk/Trump administration, they work to impost maximum pain on Americans. The Republican Administration announced a tax on goods from other countries (aka tariffs). This tax wasn’t just from certain countries on certain goods. No, it was on almost every single country in the world, with the exceptions of Russia and North Korea, and including countries on which only penguins live—not sure what the poor penguins export. The rate went from a minimum of 10% for some countries to a high of 60% (China). 

It is my hope that everyone understands this is a tax we all will pay on goods arriving from other countries, such as cell phones, car parts, coffee, chocolate, batteries, washing machines, TVs, clothes, shoes, wine, booze, furniture, and many other items we use each and every day. Unfortunately, as with the last increase in inflation, items made in the U.S. will have a price increase as well under cover of this tax on imported goods. We all know that once a price has been increased, corporations never reduce the price back to the original price when, or if, the import tax is reduced or eliminated. 

There are estimates that a family with a household income of $40,000 will pay an additional $3,500 a year due to this Republican tax increase on stuff. That is almost a 10% reduction in available income for rent, gas, and food, let alone medical expenses. The more you earn a year, the less the impact. With, of course, billionaires not even having this as a blip in their lives as they can afford almost any increase in taxes on goods.

A case in point is how the stock market reacted to these new taxes. Over two days, the amount of wealth dropped by $11 trillion dollars due to the stock market crash. Not millions, not billions, but trillions. If you have money invested in a 401K, that is your hard-earned money that was just flushed down the toilet because of the Musk/Trump administration and the Project 2025 playbook. Layoffs have already started because of this new tax, starting with 900 workers in Michigan and Indiana just from a single automaker.

You know who didn’t flinch, the billionaires. Musk, Bezos, and Zuckerberg lost a combined wealth of about $100 billion on Thursday and Friday. Their combined wealth of almost $1trillion dollars means that $100 billion doesn’t even phase them. They are doing just fine. Not so sure the rest of us are fairing as well when looking at the balances of our 401K funds on Friday. If you were planning on retiring anytime soon on those funds, your retirement date just got moved by several years. That is, if we ever recover from those loses in our lifetimes.

I think you get the point that the billionaires who are supporting the Musk/Trump administration are still going to support him. They’ve lost some money, but it won’t affect their daily lives one iota. 

As for the rest of us, we need to brace for some hard times. While dealing with the financial hard times and possible loss of income and job, we also have to deal with saving our democracy.

In order to do so, we need to make sure that we take a moment for some peace. If you need to step away from the news, do so. If you need to step away from social media, do so. If you need to step away from podcasts, do so. Do so to take a mental and emotional break. Take that break as we have to be ready to stand against the billionaire class for the long haul. There are so many more of us than them, which is the only thing that may give them pause. They thought we wouldn’t stand up for ourselves, and we are, starting with the almost daily protests against the billionaire class. We are bringing about the end of Tesla, fighting in the courts against unconstitutional actions and executive orders, and calling and writing our elected leaders, and attending town halls, voicing our concerns. 

As I’ve said often, we have the most power when we recognize and use it. The 99%, when acting in unison, can save democracy, our freedoms, and the future of our children and grandchildren.

Take a break when needed, refresh and refill your cup, then get back to work with the rest of us. Together we can make it happen!

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I’ve often said we all need to be involved in saving democracy in the ways which fit our lives and our comfort levels. These can be blogging, reposting on social media, calling your elected officials, letters to the editor, donating to organizations, and/or marching in the streets. Nothing is too little or too much. Here are some ways to get involved from the comfort of your own homes over the next few weeks:

• Call your congressional members and let them know as one of the people they represent, it is past time for Musk to be fired and DOGE dismantled. Call this number and the switchboard will connect you to your representative or senator: 202-224-3121. Even if you don’t know who your members are, they will find them for you based on your address, which they will ask you to provide.
• Call the White House switchboard to express your disappointment in what is happening and that Musk must go: 202-456-1414 (switchboard) or 202-456-1111 (comments). I recommend the switchboard myself.
• Sign up for General Strike and commit to participating.
• Download the app Five Calls to help let your elected officials know you are paying attention and don’t approve. Website: https://5calls.org/ 
• Join a local group of Indivisible.
• Participate in the action items of 50501: 50 Protests, 50 States, 1 Movement.
• Continue to boycott companies who have bent the knee or no longer believe in equality. Don’t buy from national chains or companies, such as Target, Amazon, Tesla, and Walmart.
• Plan to no purchases from WalMart April 7-14.
• Write letters to your local papers expressing your disappointment and tell your stories of how the Republican administration is harming your families.