Big Bleak Bill and Opportunities to Protest

I’ve perceived a lack of public activism against an administration that increasingly makes grabs for power outside Constitutional provisions. It just took some research, however, to see that the people are still in the good fight. There were the protests on May 1st and there are a remarkable number of smaller protests regularly throughout the U.S. Here are some events coming up in the DMV:

• There will be more large-scale protests on June 14, 2025, “No Kings,” as part of the 50501 Movement. Since a military parade is planned for D.C., protestors from the DMV are encouraged to go to Philly. https://www.nokings.org/district

• On June 6th there will be a rally for Veterans on the National Mall featuring a performance by Dropkick Murphys. https://www.unite4veterans.org/ 

• There continue to be protests outside the Rockville Tesla showroom, with the next one being June 7th at 11:00 am. https://www.mobilize.us/mobilize/event/762323/

• Also June 7th at 10:00 am, then again on 6/14, 6/21…, there will be an NIH Vigil outside of Medical Center Metro Station in Bethesda to “... commemorate, mourn, and joyfully protest the devastating cuts to jobs, science, funding, patient care, and future cures at the NIH! Black attire is encouraged!” https://www.mobilize.us/mobilize/event/795983/ 

• And the Pride calendars are full of events in Maryland https://www.visitmaryland.org/list/maryland-pride-events and DC https://worldpridedc.org/ 

I wanted to discuss the Big Beautiful Bill in depth, but instead, in the interest of time, will highlight some sources. PBS offers a general, neutral overview of some tax and spending items in this bill in this article. I’ve watched many alarming news videos about the provision added to block funding of enforcement of contempt of court orders. With executive orders facing many court challenges, and some court orders not being followed by this administration (i.e. the return of Kilmar Garcia and the order to turn around a plane of immigrants en route to El Salvador). One related article from Rolling Stone Magazine calls the Big Beautiful Bill, “a reverse-Robin Hood nightmare.” In the first six paragraphs of this Substack article, Heather Cox Richardson shares some big picture budget implications of this bill. The remainder of the article illuminates and exposes racism ever-present in our country, particularly evidenced by this administration.

Since returning from my ≅35 year hiatus from political activism, I have felt moments of empowerment and sense of purpose, but overall my art has suffered from lack of time and creative energy. I perceive that the two parties we have in the U.S. are not so different, that generally successful politicians in the U.S. have lived in a fairly small, not so far from each other, relatively moderate space on the political spectrum. This is not to diminish profound issues on which the parties disagree that impact us. But just to say, at least in my whole life, there’s been politics in the context of a Constitutional Democratic Republic. My attention has turned to politics because, while frankly I see plenty structural problems in our system, I believe Trump dismantling the system is a new level of terrifying and that the “Big Beautiful Bill” is a step in that wrong direction. We can right it, together, staying engaged, brave, vocal, and vigilant. Here's an article that inspires me, The '3.5% rule': How a small minority can change the world We're getting there.

Photo by Jason Leung on Unsplash