How to cope with this monstrosity

Part of taking stock of Trump’s first hundred days requires an honest assessment of how we’re coping with this monstrosity.

What would an honest assessment entail? The responses I’ve been getting from many of you and from others across the country tend to fall into three categories. I’ll briefly describe each, and then ask which of them best reflects your state of mind at this point.

1. Despair. Many of you tell me you’re feeling hopeless about America’s future, as well as the major challenges we face: climate change, widening inequality, increasing corruption, worsening economy, loss of democracy, and America’s complicity in the horrors of Gaza and willingness to side with Putin on Ukraine. Those of you who despair don’t see any of this getting better and much that could get worse — at least until (and if) Democrats gain control of at least one chamber of Congress in January 2027.

2. Anger. Others of you are mostly angry. You’re not in despair so much as outraged at what is occurring. Rather than assume that nothing can be done, you’re intent on channeling your anger into peaceful acts of civil disobedience, demonstrations against the Trump regime, boycotts of corporations that support it (such as Tesla), efforts to push Democratic lawmakers to be more active against it, and a mobilization of Republican voters to pressure Republican lawmakers to act against it.

3. Hope. Some of you remain optimistic that the Trump regime will overreach so much that it will force the Supreme Court to stop it, or will sink the economy so thoroughly that even Republicans turn on the Trump regime — thereby ending the Trump regime’s onslaught. Your hopefulness doesn’t make you complacent; you may still be an activist. But regardless of your activism, you’re fairly confident everything will work out okay.

Many of us fall at least partially into all three categories. But for the sake of clarifying where we are at this 100+ day juncture, please choose the category that most honestly characterizes your state of mind right now.

After 100 days of Trump’s second term, which of the following most honestly reflects your state of mind right now?

1. Despair.
2. Anger.
3. Hope.
4. Other