Thirteen years ago, and several years before Trump became president, your editor wrote a piece about recovering from the sad condition of our republic. Here is one of a number of excerpts.
Make the local about far more than lettuce: Because of this, the role of the local in American life has assumed an enormous yet still largely unrecognized role. It is no longer just about sensible communities, friends or wise buying habits. It is our major bastion against the bastards. Sadly, liberal America become increasingly federocentric, assuming that those speaking of states or local rights are just right wing nuts. This ignores the history of every important progressive movement in America: from the abolitionists, to the populists, labor unions, environmentalists, and the advocates of civil rights. In each case, success was based not on playing the elite's game but through mass decentralized organizing and pressure. Few things scare national politicians more than people getting organized.
Use the word 'progressive" and not 'liberal' - There are still a lot of nice liberals around with whom to make common cause, but the word itself carries too much baggage. Progressives are activists; liberals are a demographic. Progressives emphasize economic change; liberals in recent years have largely ignored it. Progressives convert their opponents; liberals rant about them. Progressives are grassroots; liberals are fedocentric.
Become an existentialist. Existentialism has been described as the philosophy that no one can take your shower for you. Base your words and actions on your conscience, not on polls. We may not be able to change history, but we can always choose how we react to history.
NATIONAL POLL By NBC NEWS
Pres. Trump
Approve: 42% [-2]
Disapprove: 57% [+3] 
