Bring It On, MAGA: History Says We’ll Survive (and Thrive)
Take a Deep Breath: We’ve Been Here Before
Let’s be honest: if you’re reading this, you’re probably feeling a little (or a lot) like you’ve been run over by a MAGA-branded monster truck—twice.
The daily news cycle is a firehose of chaos, and the headlines read like rejected scripts from a dystopian Netflix series.
Marines in L.A.? Deportations to war zones? Tariff whiplash? Pre-emptive bombing?
It’s enough to make even the most seasoned doomscroller want to crawl under the covers and wait for the next season of “America: The Reboot.”
But here’s the thing: as bleak as it feels, history is on our side. We’ve survived worse. We’ve outlasted demagogues, disasters, and even disco. (And if we can survive polyester bell-bottoms, we can survive anything.)
Nixon, Goldwater, and the Overnight Fall of a “Teflon” President
Let’s start with one of my all-time favorite reminders that the arc of history bends toward justice—sometimes with a little help from a senator with a backbone.
For years, Republican lawmakers stood by Richard Nixon, defending him through Watergate’s slow-motion trainwreck. It seemed like nothing could shake their loyalty.
Then, almost overnight, the dam broke. Barry Goldwater and some other GOP heavyweights marched into the White House, told Nixon the jig was up, and—poof!—Tricky Dick was gone faster than you can say “I am not a crook.”
The lesson? Even when it feels like the system is rigged and the bad guys are untouchable, change can come suddenly and decisively. The machinery of democracy may grind slowly, but when it moves, it can move with breathtaking speed.
Democracy’s Greatest Hits: Resilience Edition
History is basically a highlight reel of democracy getting knocked down, dusting itself off, and coming back swinging. Here are a few of my favorite “we made it through” moments—American style.
The End of McCarthyism: A Return to Sanity
In the early 1950s, America was gripped by a Red Scare that made everyone look over their shoulder for “un-American” activities.
Senator Joseph McCarthy’s witch hunts ruined lives and stoked national paranoia. But democracy fought back. Journalists like Edward R. Murrow shined a spotlight on McCarthy’s bullying, and brave senators finally said “enough.”
When the Senate censured McCarthy in 1954, the fever broke. The country rediscovered its backbone—and its sense of decency. If we could overcome the Red Scare, we can handle the challenges of today.
The Fight for Women’s Rights: Breaking Barriers
The struggle for women’s rights in the U.S. has been a marathon, not a sprint. From the Seneca Falls Convention to the ratification of the 19th Amendment, women fought for—and won—the right to vote.
The movement didn’t stop there: Title IX opened doors in education and sports, the Equal Pay Act tackled wage gaps, and the fight for reproductive rights continues to this day.
Every step forward has been hard-won, but if women can break through centuries-old barriers, we can overcome current obstacles too.
The Civil Rights Movement: A March Toward Equality
The Civil Rights Movement of the 1950s and 60s was a masterclass in resilience. Facing down segregation, violence, and entrenched racism, Black Americans and their allies organized, marched, and demanded justice.
Through nonviolent protest and legal challenges, civil rights activists achieved monumental changes, including the Civil Rights Act. If we could dismantle institutional racism, we can tackle today’s injustices.
The Fight for Marriage Equality: Love Wins
The journey toward marriage equality in the U.S. was a testament to the power of perseverance and advocacy.
After years of legal battles and public debate, the Supreme Court’s decision in 2015 to legalize same-sex marriage nationwide was a landmark victory for LGBTQ+ rights.
If love can triumph over prejudice, we can find a way through our current divisions.
The Restoration Post–Civil War: Rebuilding a Nation
After the Civil War, the United States faced the daunting task of rebuilding and reuniting a fractured nation.
Through Reconstruction and the efforts to integrate formerly enslaved people into society, the country slowly began to heal and move forward.
If we could restore a nation torn apart by war, we can navigate the challenges of today.
Hope Isn’t Naïve—It’s Necessary
I get it. Hope can feel like a luxury when you’re exhausted, angry, and worried about the future.
But hope isn’t about ignoring reality—it’s about refusing to let despair have the last word.
Psychologists tell us that humor, optimism, and community are powerful tools for resilience. That’s why the best-performing articles in our community are the ones that mix righteous anger with a wink and a nudge.
The Power of Community: We’re Not Alone
One of the most effective ways people have survived—and even thrived—during political turmoil is by coming together. Grassroots movements, mutual aid networks, and local activism have always been the backbone of democratic resilience.
Whether it’s organizing a protest, fact-checking your uncle at Thanksgiving, or just sharing a laugh with friends, every act of resistance counts.
Laugh, Organize, Repeat
If you need permission to laugh at the absurdity of it all, consider it granted. Humor is a survival skill. So is action.
Time and again, the stories and feedback I hear from this community make it clear: readers want to feel empowered, not just outraged. You want practical advice, a sense of belonging, and—yes—a little comic relief to keep things in perspective.
The Bottom Line: We Will Survive (and Maybe Even Dance)
Trumpism may feel like a never-ending reality show, but reality shows get canceled. History shows that autocrats fall, institutions recover, and people—especially people who refuse to give up—find a way forward.
So take a breath, crack a joke, and remember: we’ve survived numerous challenges over our roughly 250-year history, and we’ll survive this, too.
Ready to laugh in the face of chaos and find hope in the wildest headlines? Join our community of resilient, sharp-witted readers on Substack—where we turn outrage into action, and despair into determination. Subscribe now for your regular dose of sanity, snark, and solidarity.
Take care of yourself, keep your sense of humor handy, and remember: the best resistance is showing up, speaking out, and—when necessary—dancing in the rain.
samuel
when can the blue states stop funding this chaos? the states inflicting all this pain is from the "broke" Red states - without our funding there would not be funding for ICE, for Wars, for chaos - How can we stop the blue states from funding all this crazy