To open today, I’d like to thank those who engaged with my post yesterday. If you haven’t read it yet, it’s linked below. This was part two of a three-part series. If you want to pick my thoughts up from the beginning, you can find part one here.
There is an army of millions on the front line waiting for a leader to show up and lead the way
Now that the dust has settled after election night, I’m sure you were witness to the predictable reaction from both sides of the aisle. Mike Johnson was in unconvincing denial, and Trumple Thinskin was, well, what shall we say, as usual, making no sense at all. Meanwhile, Hakeem Jeffreys was, as I predicted, attempting to paint the picture that Democrat…
SUPPLEMENTARY PREFACE
To enable me to focus purely on what's next for Democrats, I’m providing this as a supplementary post to set the stage for the concluding post in this series.
Regardless of your position, those who read my work will likely agree on a couple of important things.
Democrats enjoyed overwhelming success across the country in these off-season political contests. Dems overperformed significantly, not just at the top of the ballot but also down ballot.
Regardless of whether you are a registered Democrat or just someone opposed to what Trump is doing, we were all in desperate need of some good news, and the election results delivered just that. It’s always easier to move forward when you are not starving for the sake of a positive indicator.
Let me begin by saying this is not about Democrats or Republicans; this is about the fundamental question of right and wrong, hope and despair. What struck me and gave me great hope, leading to a more optimistic outlook, is that all indications show these results extended beyond the current political silos and reached those who sat out the 2024 election. That should excite everyone reading this. However, must inevitably return to the question of the ‘Trump protest vote’ and I can’t stress how important it is to acknowledge it.
As stated in part two of this series, the data shows that Democrats didn’t suddenly become more popular overnight; a few days before the election, they enjoyed a 17-20% trust rating. This unequivocally points to the fact that something else was going on, namely, a massive anti-Trump protest vote. I understand why Hakeem Jeffries and the DNC came out to say ‘The Dems are back’; they really couldn’t do anything else given the circumstances. However, it was a dangerous misrepresentation of the facts, and I hope you can keep this front and centre as you read my concluding thoughts.
Let me make a critical point before we get into the heart of what I have to say, because it’s important. If there are free and fair elections in 2026 and 2028, TRUMP WILL LOSE, and he will lose because the majority of Americans are outraged at what he’s doing to this country and its reputation around the world. Some of those lucky enough to afford an overseas vacation this year may have found themselves in Europe, where they have been viewed differently — more devastatingly — with pity on occasion. I know that has been a very real and challenging experience for some who have encountered it.
What we are slowly seeing is that Trump is waking up a 90 million-strong silent majority who are not OK with the indiscriminate violence they are witnessing perpetrated by ICE, and the surging cost of living as they now face the reality of over a million job losses this year. 153,074 were cut in October alone, up 175% from 2024 and 183% from September. Corporate America is doing what they do and reducing its most expensive overhead.
The impact of Trump’s incompetence and failed economic policies is now looming large on the horizon as they affect more and more Americans. The 7 million people who took to the streets are merely the tip of a much bigger iceberg of discontent that the Good Ship Trump is heading towards. This week, he faced the realisation that if free and fair elections are held, he’s toast. Believe me, that is not lost on him.
From the outset, Russell Vought and those with deep pockets who signed onto this coup knew what they were about to do would be highly unpopular; they didn’t realise, though, just how unpopular. Project 2025 was four years in the making and was planned with military precision to put in place not just a regime, but a data-driven state-funded private army of loyalist thugs to enforce Trump’s will, intimidate his enemies and traumatise the immigrant population. Nobody in their right mind would line up behind such actions; they knew that. This is why they have run political war games to strategise responses to pushback from Democrats and the broader population, who are unhappy with the actions of the regime.
As part of that process, they have designed a judicial evasion strategy to deploy the military at will without invoking the Insurrection Act. Be in no doubt that every executive order, every illegal and corrupt act has been carefully crafted to stress-test the system and take advantage of the time it takes for the judicial branch to play catch-up and stall them. Meanwhile, they are breaking systems beyond repair, making them very difficult to reassemble. They’ve deliberately targeted the vulnerable in the knowledge that their actions are seen as political punishment of the Democrats and those perceived to have voted for them.
Trump has sent an unequivocal message that he is only governing for those who voted for him and that Democratic supporters are, in his words, ‘scum’. It’s the longstanding fascist tactic of dehumanisation of the opposition, along with minority groups. The aim is to create an ‘us and them’ permissive environment in which to breed political violence and division.
Their arrogance has led them down a path where they believe they can manage dissent and crush opposition, and I’m sorry to say that what they have done so far is just a basic indicator of where this could go if they really feel threatened. A confident government does not house key cabinet and national security leadership on American military bases for their own protection. Regardless of what they may say, they are worried that things could get out of hand. What America needs to brace itself for is that Trump makes the most stupid of his reckless decisions when he’s cornered, and right now that’s precisely where he is.
The level of distraction is off the chart. I have been trying to dig into the economy for weeks now, but I can never get there because the narrative keeps moving, driven by his persistent distraction strategy. He even has a carrier strike group in place in case he needs a war as his next distraction. It’s the combination of all these factors that makes me cautiously optimistic for the future. However, that optimism is tempered by the fear I have for those who will become collateral damage as he escalates the war against those he believes are his domestic enemies.
The government shutdown is simply adding to his woes as well as to the economic devastation suffered by those denied a paycheck and SNAP benefits. The result is that more Americans blame him not only for the shutdown but also for what they now see as a failing economy. If people really knew the full extent of the economic peril they faced, Trump would be feeling even more pressure. Take it from me, the writing is on the wall on so many fronts that he has no option but to make the military ready to protect him in the event his agenda completely collapses and the true fragility of the US economy is exposed. Once people see their futures going up in flames to protect the rich, then real trouble will begin.
For those touting accountability after the collapse of this regime, I suggest they ready the fighter jets to intercept the fleet of planes as they attempt to flee to exile, because I fear this is how it will end. The lies and the deceit only work until truth comes knocking, and. every economic indicator should be triggering red flags everywhere at the moment. The final nail in his coffin, I believe, would be the Supreme Court ruling against him on tariffs, because if that happens, then, in my humble opinion, it’s game over. This is why I believe the conservative majority on the court will find a way to help him: that's what they have done time and time again.
My most profound concern in all of this is everyday Americans, for whom an economic collapse would be beyond devastating. Don’t worry about the billionaires; they'll profit from any collapse. Indeed, I half expect them to have already taken positions to bet against the economy. Never in the history of the American experiment has the bottom 90% become gaming chips for a sociopathic, convicted felon to risk their future on a failing agenda. A gamble on which Trump is betting their future on his fantasy agenda. Just as he has gambled with other people’s money all his life, now he’s upped the stakes, using the future of 307 million Americans to bankroll his roll of the dice.
Unlike many countries, the US has no provision for the collapse of its government; as a result, such an event would have unimaginable geopolitical consequences. Equally, there is no constitutional provision for a “unity government” (a power-sharing arrangement as found in parliamentary systems). It’s essential, of course, to note that historically, in times of crisis, bipartisan cooperation has provided a vehicle to navigate national emergencies.
Let’s be clear: I am not suggesting, for one moment, that the country is on the edge of economic collapse, but neither am I suggesting that there are no severe, economically dangerous stress points. As reported in The Guardian today by Phillip Inman :
A report showed that last month was the worst October for US layoffs since 2003, which grabbed the attention of investors in the absence of official data delayed by the federal government shutdown. Companies cut jobs and imposed hiring freezes, according to the global outplacement firm Challenger, Gray & Christmas.
He goes on to note:
US markets have been rattled by a review of Donald Trump’s tariffs by the supreme court, which could result in the US president being forced to abandon his flagship policy.
A lack of official data has also forced the Federal Reserve to judge the state of the US economy with only a fraction of the information it would usually sift before judging the level of interest rates.
The reason for this supplementary preface post is to set the landscape for the final post in this series, looking at where to go next for the Democrats and those who oppose Trump. It’s crucial to establish the background against which my conclusions are formed. As previously stated, I think this now extends way beyond party lines.
It is critically important that we understand how this dovetails with those who don’t view themselves as Democrats, but rather opponents of Trump. For a revised proposition to be viable, a new coalition of the willing needs to lead the way and provide a home for the 90 million voters who have left the building but are seeking a way back to participate in a meaningful discussion about a better way forward.
The final part of this post will be published this evening so that I can wrap this up in advance of a hectic weekend for me. There will be no posts over the weekend, but there will be a whole lot of important work going on behind the scenes.
I want to be very clear that I have never felt so fired up as I am right now, because I believe it is the spirit and the courage of the American people that will prevail in this existential fight to preserve democracy. I can’t begin to explain how much work is going on behind the scenes here at Truth Matters to prepare for this long-haul fight. Improved video production facilities, a new roadmap for 2026, and the early next week preview release of ‘The Truth Portal’, an exciting new website that brings together our efforts to create a hub people can use as a central resource for messaging and critical policy discussions.
It will contain everything from messaging to high-value video content, fully searchable by policy and issue, all tightly integrated with this Substack, YouTube, TikTok, and all social media platforms. It will also be the hub for my proposition on strategic economic disengagement. I am absolutely stoked to be taking this significant step to increase Truth Matters' presence across the whole media space.
As ever, all support is gratefully received and will help us prepare for 2026, which I believe will be the most consequential election year in modern American history. Why not become a stakeholder?
Your articles are clear predictions of future events. They will never back down on their mandates. The one thing not accounted for in project 2025 was the pushback and fight of the American people. We can change the outcome but it will take all Americans both blue and red to join together and resist.
I'm so excited for your planned expansion! Thank you for the work you do and have done to help save democracy in a country you don't even live in. You are sharp, and you offer empowering, although personally challenging, paths ahead. We as a nation aren't going to survive this if we stay comfortably numb. So grateful for you!