What We’re Watching - 1/23/25

The last few days have been… busy.

The election brought to power an Administration that promised to undermine core democratic principles and institutions, and we promised in November to let you know when those promises turned into actions. Unfortunately, within hours of President Trump taking the Oath of Office, we started tracking several concerning developments (see more in the “What We’re Watching” section below).

The partners in our network can and will disagree on many issues, but we must put our disagreements aside in the face of clear threats to our democracy, which has been essential to our thriving American Jewish community over the past 248 years.

But how do we cut through the noise? Here are some guiding principles to keep in mind:

• A common anti-democratic tactic is to overwhelm people to the point of paralysis. Stay calm and focused on issues where you can drive impact. Not every organization can lead on every issue – lead when you've got the expertise and bandwidth to respond, and amplify trusted partners when you don't.

• Be aware of your news consumption. Stay informed with developments relevant to your organization and community, but give yourself time to process and act. Ideally, limit news to an hour a day.

• Keep hopeful and act local. It is not enough to defend against threats to democracy; we also need to proactively envision and build a more democratic society. We can do that most effectively in our own communities. Remember to keep moving forward.

• If you’re unsure when something crosses a line, consult our Democracy Principles. They are here to help you make decisions and communicate your values.

WHAT WE’RE WATCHING:

• Pardoning the January 6 insurrectionists – including those who committed intentional violence – sends a message that lawless behavior will be excused as long as it serves the interest of the President.
  Read our explainer and act now →

• Instructing prosecutors to not enforce a law forcing the sale of TikTok – a law passed with bipartisan support in Congress and unanimously upheld by the Supreme Court – shows a troubling disregard for checks and balances.
  Learn more →

• Issuing an executive order ending birthright citizenship, a principle enshrined in the U.S. Constitution, undermines the authority of the Constitution and unduly creating chaos for those with legal rights to citizenship.
  Learn more →