SORRY, Y’ALL!! This feels JUST like 2016

Crazy Trump + Lazy Dems = Disaster! Do THIS now!

Van Jones

Oct 22, 2024

white paper on yellow background — Photo by Matt Ridley on Unsplash

Hey, it’s Van.

In 2016, I was one of the few Democrats who accurately predicted a Trump win.

Bad news: this is feeling a lot like 2016 – all over again.

It’s not just that Trump is being so CRAZY. That wasn’t the main problem – then or now.

It's that progressives are being so LAZY – then and now.

** BIG CAVEAT: I know many of you ARE putting it all on the line. You are volunteering, walking precincts, phone banking, raising money – doing all of the hard things. If you are one of those people, thank you! This essay is not directed at you. **

BUT BUT BUT if you are not yet doing any of those things, please allow me to kick you in the butt!

This entire election is going to come down to a tiny handful of votes. Remember: in 2000, Al Gore lost Florida by only 537 votes (plus five votes on the U.S. Supreme Court). This election could come down to a number that small again – or even smaller.

Translation: if you get fired up, YOU could win us this election for us all by YOURSELF! Because you likely can influence more than 537 people, yourself – just by deciding to stop holding back.

Many progressives honestly feel that a Trump victory would spell the end of democracy as we know it.

If they are right, that means we are two weeks away from a possible fascist takeover.

But most of us are not ACTING like it!!!

It is time for us to start ACTING like we are two weeks away from possibly losing everything we hold dear.

Here are the things you are doing all day that will make zero difference in helping Harris win:

Doom-scrolling on social media.
Sharing stuff on your group chat.
Hitting refresh to check polling averages.
Binge-watching cable news.
Reading brilliant articles on Substack.

Keep doing all of that. (Especially the last two! Ahem!) But it's not enough.

When we won – in 2008, 2012 and 2020 – I saw people get fired up. They took matters into their own hands.

Many hosted phone bank parties and fundraisers in their living rooms.
Many drove to swing states – where they slept on friends’ couches so they could walk key precincts and help out.
Many wore campaign T-shirts and baseball caps everywhere.
Many called everyone they knew.

When Biden dropped out and Harris jumped in, we had a brief moment of euphoria. But soon after the Democratic National Convention this summer, too many people went from BRAT to flat. We need that energy back! Let’s go!

For example, you probably have friends, former classmates and relatives who live in at least one of the seven battleground states – Pennsylvania, Michigan, Wisconsin, Georgia, North Carolina, Nevada and Arizona.

Think about the number of people in your phone contacts. Think about your Facebook friends or your followers on X/Twitter and Instagram.

Have you called them yet? Might be a good time to do so. Every vote counts. This election could literally come down to you.

Thanks for reading Van Jones! This post is public so feel free to share it.

Here’s what else you can do today to make a real difference:

1. Focus on the Swing States

This election could come down to Pennsylvania, Wisconsin, and Michigan. Within those states, focus on critical cities: Milwaukee, Detroit, Philadelphia, and Pittsburgh. Do you know anyone there? Reach out. You could be the nudge that gets them to the polls.

Resource: Join the fight in crucial swing states. Sign up for phone banking or canvassing here.

2. Host a Phone Banking Session

Get a group together—friends, family, or neighbors—and start calling voters, especially in the battleground states. Campaigns will give you scripts, so you’ll have everything you need to make these critical conversations easy and effective. Call their lists – and call your cousins, too, while you are at it.

Resource: Sign up to phone bank through Kamala Harris’s official site here.

3. Knock on Doors

If you live near Pennsylvania, Wisconsin, or Michigan, this is your chance to engage with voters in person. If traveling isn’t an option, join virtual canvassing efforts. Personal connections move the needle.

Resource: Sign up for door-to-door canvassing here.

4. Share Voting Information with Your Network

Voters need to know where, when, and how to cast their ballots. Post voting deadlines and polling info on social media, text friends in key states, or call family members. Every reminder counts.

Resource: Find and share voter info from the U.S. Election Assistance Commission here.

5. Volunteer to Drive People to the Polls

Transportation is a real barrier for some voters. Offer rides to polling stations, especially in battleground areas. This small gesture can ensure votes that might otherwise be lost.

6. Get 10 People to Commit to Voting

Personally, reach out to 10 people you know, ask them to commit to voting, and get them to do the same. Building this network of accountability can have a massive ripple effect, especially in close races.

7. Take Action with Vote Save America

If you're looking for another powerful way to get involved, Vote Save America offers tools for phone banking, text banking, and organizing in key battleground states. This platform is all about making it easy for you to get active today.

Resource: Find out how you can help at Vote Save America.

8. Text Banking

Text banking is another powerful way to reach voters, especially those who may not answer phone calls or knock on the door. Many campaigns and organizations offer platforms to send pre-written messages directly to voters' phones.

Resource: Sign up for text banking through Vote Save America here.

9. Social Media Amplification

Leverage your social media accounts to spread the word, especially in swing states. Share voting information, deadlines, and links to resources like Vote Save America, the U.S. Election Assistance Commission, and the Kamala Harris campaign.

Resource: Use graphics and messaging from Vote Save America’s Action Guide here to amplify key info.

10. Write Postcards to Voters

Many voters respond to handwritten notes and personal outreach. Join a postcard-writing campaign to remind voters in battleground states to get out to the polls.

Resource: Sign up for postcard writing campaigns through organizations like Postcards to Voters here or through Vote Save America here.

11. Donate to Key Organizations

Encourage readers to contribute financially to organizations working on the ground in battleground states, helping to mobilize voters and ensure every vote is counted.

Resource: Donate to support key voter turnout efforts through Fair Fight here or other local grassroots organizations in battleground states. If you want to help get Jewish voters in swing states to the polls, check out ZionessAction.Org.

12. Check Your Own Voting Status

Remind readers to ensure their voter registration is up to date, and encourage them to request mail-in ballots or plan early voting if they can't vote in person.

Resource: Check your voter registration status or find local election information through Vote.org here.

We’re down by a field goal, and it’s the fourth quarter. But we can still win—if we act now.

The future is in our hands, and we need to move like it—because it is.

Trump isn’t going to defeat himself. And Harris can’t beat him without all of us giving 100 percent.