Dear Editor,
This weekend, I had the pleasure of attending one of the nationwide protests taking place against the Trump administration. Ever since the president handed over the “keys to government agencies” to my fellow African American Elon Musk, the federal government has taken a turn for the worse, with the only impenetrable barrier preventing a complete hostile usurpation of American democracy being the Rule of Law—a rule that anyone hoping to preserve democracy should believe in.
Before I continue, I would be remiss if I did not give the Trump administration, which strongly appeals to anti-DEI (one can argue anti-Black) and pro-White Nationalist sentiments, a small applause for allowing an African to run the government in a way that has many Make America Great Again Proud Boy and Oath-Keeper supporters screaming to high Heaven in unwavering satisfaction. This considering the fact that, just 225 years ago, there is an utterly real possibility that Elon Musk would have been planting crops on a slave plantation owned by then soon-to-be-President Thomas Jefferson.
But I digress. The primary purpose of this letter is to speak to my fellow Americans who have been harmed significantly by the actions taken by the Trump administration since the president’s inauguration on January 20, 2025. I understand that there was a sense of fear that later transitioned to anger and now courage—which is a great transition. Let me first point out that while drafting the 1776 Declaration of Independence, Thomas Jefferson, who at that time was merely a Second Continental Congressional Delegate from Virginia, wrote plainly:
“We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights, that among these are Life, Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness.–That to secure these rights, Governments are instituted among Men, deriving their just powers from the consent of the governed, –That whenever any Form of Government becomes destructive of these ends, it is the Right of the People to alter or to abolish it, and to institute new Government, laying its foundation on such principles and organizing its powers in such form, as to them shall seem most likely to effect their Safety and Happiness.” –1776 Declaration of Independence
Of course, commencing a violent and bloody revolution is not the approach to the utter insolence put on full display daily at the expense of working-class people who rely on some of the social programs now endangered.
So, what else is there to do? I say just wait. Let the MAGA support system have their ticker tape parade while parents who were once financially-secured by the federal job they have now been unreasonably stripped of have to explain to their 5, 7 , 8 and 10 year olds (for example) why they have to downsize to a two-bedroom house in a downtrodden area; why they have to pack up and leave their neighborhood friends for no other reason than “authoritarianesque” decisions made by a president (who wants so bad to be a king), along with his co-president (an unelected henchman), who is moving headstrong in a bid to make the world a better place for billionaires.
I know it stings horribly. But the majority of American voters made it very clear that this country was not prepared to have a Black/Asian American woman hold the Office of President of the United States. The majority of American voters wanted Trump, and so Trump is what we got. He is the POTUS and so we must patiently endure his reign.
A reign that usurped over 60,000 jobs from federal employees, dismissed several career United States Attorneys from their positions for being “insufficiently loyal,” put Social Security on the brink of sunset, and has the Department of Education tight roping over a pool of viscous MAGA loyalists. I know the Augusta Press has a huge conservative base. Some of my TAP brethren are probably already hurling darts at me. But let us take this moment to be honest with ourselves: the Democratic Party should not be shying away from the expectation of flipping either one or possibly both chambers of Congress in 2026.
The only thing we who object to illegal deportations and the abrupt firings of career federal employees (many of whom have households with young children that will have trouble understanding “why”) can do at this point is patiently endure—be active in the protests but enjoy every grist MAGA gives Democrats for the mill. MAGA is having a great regular season. They are firing on all cylinders and celebrating what appears to be a championship year. That is the reality. Therefore, we must not move about living in despondency and misery.
Because when the 2026 playoffs come, this administration is going to face serious questions about why it boldly decided to ignore the negative impact its policies are having on the same constituents who chose to elect President Trump, but did not elect Musk and “his” policies.
So, in my best Stephen A. Smith voice, I implore you all to just wait. The “just wait” concept has for several years been Smith’s simple response to the Dallas Cowboys (America’s Team) having great success during the regular season, fueling championship talk, only to be bounced in the first round of the NFL playoffs. As of today, the Trump administration is America’s Team, and they are doing extremely well right now. But just wait.
One thing we all must be mindful of is that whenever the United States Supreme Court rules to expand presidential powers, these rulings are not “Trump” specific. Rather, these rulings apply to any person holding the Office of President of the United States. Therefore, if a Democrat wins the 2028 presidential election, then that Democrat will have the same presidential powers upon inauguration. The Supreme Court is not going to reverse course every election cycle. So be ye angry but be ye patient and know that just like President Trump came in and reversed a plethora of The Biden Administration’s policies, the same could be true if a Democratic Party candidate such as Pennsylvania Governor Josh Shapiro, Michigan Gov. Gretchen Whitmer, or Maryland Gov. Wes Moore, was to be inaugurated on January 20, 2029—everything that the Trump administration is doing now will be immediately undone, and much of the pain being felt around the United States of America will commence its decline.
It is no secret that a huge section of the American people is upset. I know the actions of our current administration are stinging, so I say once again: be ye angry but be ye patient. America’s Team may be having a great regular season, but I assure you that a 2026 playoff run is going to be so brutal that any type of 2028 Championship Title run will be rendered obsolete and mere formality. Just wait.
Lawrence (Law) A. Brannen
Political Science Major (Pre-Law), Georgia Southern University
