Protest Sign Tricks

Before reading the rest of this post and coming to the conclusion that having a fabulous sign matters is important, let me just say -    THE SIGNS DON'T REALLY MATTER ALL THAT MUCH!  There will always be some people with great signs that catch the eye of passersby and that's great.  But, if your sign is just words, that's also fine.  If you have no sign at all, that's fine, too!!!  You could always bring an American flag or just wave to people going by.  BUT YOUR PRESENCE ABSOLUTELY MAKES A DIFFERENCE!!!  

When cars drive by, what seems to matter most is that they are seeing a bunch of people who are not in favor of what's going on.  If traffic stops they might have time to notice a couple of signs.  They don't have a lot of time to consider the messages.  But they DO notice the crowd size, so please get out there and protest!

As for me, I enjoy creating fun signs when I have time.  It helps my stress level.  But I am fully aware that it's my presence at the protest that means the most - not my sign.  

So, for those who want to have fun making signs or save a little money while making signs, read on.

MY NEWEST SIGN IS ON AN ART CANVAS

I like changing up my protest signs.  This is one side of my newest one -

Click pictures to see them larger.

The POINT of this sign is - these people are all the same - Trump, KKK, ICE.   Cruel. Rascists. Bullies.  

The whole ICE and military presence business is enraging.  They aren’t targeting criminals with no papers.  They are going after anyone with brown skin who looks even moderately Latino and they are well rewarded monetarily for their efforts.  They don’t ask victims for papers or drivers license.  They don’t show their own ID or proof of who they are, meaning anyone could order ICE looking getup from Amazon and go after innocent people. How do we know if they are official or a thug?

This past week they got two firefighters WHILE THEY WERE IN THE PROCESS OF FIGHTING A  FIRE!  They also got a Navajo man this past week - not their first Native American, by the way.  As if he’s an immigrant.  What fools!  It’s beyond disgusting.  It’s full on NAZI.  

Enough of that.  Onto a few tricks I've stumbled on when making protest signs.

SIGNS USING OLD ART CANVASES

You may notice that my ICE/KKK/TRUMP protest sign has a frame.  I repurposed an old art canvas I had on hand but no longer cared for the art. It's pretty lightweight - surprisingly not much different than the foam board.   I just painted right over it.  I plan to look for more canvases at thrift stores -  I can get a used canvas for less than a new foam board of similar size.  I will likely look for slightly larger sizes.  The KKK sign is 18x24, but truly a larger one would be more fun to paint. 

I like to create messages on both sides of my signs.  When I tire of one or when the issue is no longer at the forefront, I will paint over it and do another.  

The Other Side - not finished

On the flip side of the canvas (which is actually the front) I Mod-Podged words and pictures.  I printed onto regular printing paper.  When I glued it on, the paper turned dingy.  Notice how the words IN and SHAME are brighter in this photo.  That's because I redid them using thicker card stock.  I redid the other two words as well but I wanted to show you this picture so you could see the difference.  The two figures were printed onto legal sized paper and I don't have any card stock that size so they'll have to do as is.  

CONTACT PAPER OVER FOAM BOARD

One other sign trick I discovered recently has to do with the foam boards I have used.  The first sign I made said STOP THE COUP with multicultural hands all around.  That was very early on.  Instead of just letting that sit unused (or having to make a run to the craft store), I came up with an excellent solution.  I had a very old roll of white contact paper and I put it right over the sign.  I made a new sign by sticking vinyl letters right on top.  

Covered in contact paper -
you can see the shape of a hand showing through.

Then I did the same on the back and created a sign specific to a Mike Collins protest.  I knew I wouldn't be using that message again and after that protest was over discovered something great - the letters came right off without leaving a trace on the contact paper.  I also had a couple of printed pictures Mod-Podged on.  Those came off with a trace as well.  Now I'll be able to update those signs regularly, too!

Since I have plenty of the contact paper, I'll probably use that even on new foam board so I can easily reuse it.  Or whenever I come across a great piece of cardboard, I could cover it in contact paper for a cheap and easy "new" sign.  

Chuck Schumer - 2

I'm fed up with Democratic politicians with delusions of grandeur but no fire.  I'm fed up with the ones who are taking so much money from PACs that they no longer seem to care about the people. I'm beyond fed up with the ones who vote with Republicans on anything at all!  Chuck Schumer makes me furious.

These times have driven so many of us to cuss more than ever.

I usually research first, then create a postcard or make a call.  This time, I did the opposite. I wrote what was on my mind first.  Then, out of curiosity, I decided to see if there were any articles regarding Schumer's popularity.  Wow.  Turns out I'm not the only one wanting Schumer to get out of the way.  

Chuck Schumer sees lowest favorability rating in two decades: Poll 

 This Could Be the End of Chuck Schumer's Political Career

I could add more - the list of articles was quite long.

J.B. Pritzker

 THE GOAL:  Thank Illinois Governor, J.B. Pritzker

BACKGROUND:

Trump is planning to send troops to Chicago, using the pretense that Chicago is riddled with crime.   If crime were the real reason, there are many cities in red states that are far worse.  Pritzker responded brilliantly.  There are many write-ups and videos devoted to what he said, but the one you need to read is Heather Cox Richardson's Letters to an American August 25th.  

He began by saying: “I want to speak plainly about the moment that we are in and the actual crisis, not the manufactured one, that we are facing in the city and as a state and as a country. If it sounds to you like I am alarmist, that is because I am ringing an alarm, one that I hope every person listening will heed, both here in Illinois and across the country.”

J.B. Pritzker Contact Info:

Office of the Governor
401 S. Spring St.
Springfield, IL 62704

Phone: 217-782-6830 or 217-782-6831

OR

Office of the Governor
555 W. Monroe St., 16th Floor
Chicago, IL 60661

Phone:  312-814-2121 or 312-814-2122

By the way... 

Lately I have been struggling with the weight of all that is happening.  I was in quite a funk over the weekend.  One thing that seems to help is to focus on thanking people.  I do this until my fight returns and then I go after the bad guys again.   Thanking Pritzker is a joy.

OTHER - Stay or Go?

This is not a post about contacting anyone.  It's a post about something that I think about often.  As the situation escalates, should I stay or should I go?

I've read plenty of articles about this.  I've researched where people are going.  I've seen a number of to-do lists.  But these two articles are THE BEST I've read to date.  Seriously!  Go read them!!! 

Part 1 - If You Will Go  - https://substack.com/home/post/p-171174939

Part 2 - If You Will Stay - https://liberalisheverythingleftunsaid.substack.com/p/should-i-stay-or-should-i-go-now-c0b

I am seeing many of the journalists, historians, law experts and influencers I follow say we are not heading towards authoritarianism - WE ARE THERE and it's going to get worse.  People are trying to protect the next election, but it may not be possible.  We need to keep fighting, but we also need a plan to protect ourselves.  

It's still possible things could change.  The figurehead is not in good health.  If his health fails completely, will support crumble? Will infighting between factions collapse their plan?   Number two does not inspire loyalty with the base, but I doubt he's the one calling the shots anyway.  He would not be a popular figurehead.  The base makes excuses for every crazy thing the current guy does, but I doubt they'd do the same for number 2.

I struggle with what to do.  I can make good arguments for staying or going.  I can make good arguments for continuing to protest and being present online.  I can make EXCELLENT arguments for dropping off social media and this postcard blog but continuing to push and help in safer ways.  

Meanwhile, this mess is so depressing.  I need some serious R&R to get my head right.  

PS - Sometimes, I think "going" doesn't have to mean moving to another country.  Maybe, it could be just moving to a blue state, where they might do more to protect their citizens.

Texas Gerrymandering - The Election Rigging Response Act - California, Gavin Newsom

 THE GOAL

Get more Democratic governors to stand up with Gavin Newsom against election rigging... or at least take a cue from the great fighting energy he is showing.

BACKGROUND INFO

California Governor, Gavin Newsom, is fighting back hard against the Texas gerrymandering attempt.

Trump has publicly and repeatedly pressured Texas Republican leaders to redraw their congressional map — mid cycle — to more favorably support Republicans.  He specifically said he wants 5 new Republican seats.

Currently, California congressional district maps are not drawn by legislators.  They are drawn independently by the California Citizens Redistricting Commission. California would withdraw from this approach if Texas were to end its redistricting maneuvers.

California’s process will be transparent and public, unlike Texas’s more private approach. Voters will see the proposed maps before casting ballots and have the final say on their adoption.  If passed, the act would be temporary - expiring in 2030. It would not be used it Texas or other states keep their original maps.  

Newsom hopes other blue states will respond to red-state redistricting in kind.

NOTABLE QUOTES

Gavin Newsom - “We tried to play by a higher set of standards and rules with our independent redistricting, and we believe in that and we are not talking about eliminating that commission.  We are talking about emergency measures to respond to what’s happening in Texas and we will nullify what happens in Texas. We will pick up five seats with the consent of the people.”

Senate President pro Tempore Mike McGuire - “President Trump and Texas Republicans are responsible for all of this. This is not a fight California chose, but it’s a fight California can’t run from.  Trump chose to rewrite the rules and Texas Republican leaders are all too happy to do his dirty work. We’ve seen this playbook. When Trump doesn’t have the votes to win an election, he orders others to manufacture them… if Texas moves forward, we will be forced to do the same.”

DNC Chair Ken Martin - “For months, we promised that if Republicans wanted a showdown, they would get a showdown. Well, today, Gavin Newsom and California Democrats sent a booming message to the entire country: we are done fighting with one arm tied behind our back. The Election Rigging Response Act is a game-changer that will ensure Donald Trump and the Republican Party — knowing they’re in political freefall — can’t rig their way through the midterms. It will level the playing field and help make sure voters decide who runs the House of Representatives — not Donald Trump. Facing voters squarely on your record is a hallmark of our democracy, but Republicans are hellbent on avoiding accountability.  The onus is now on Donald Trump and the rest of the Republican Party to stop their attempts to change the rules in the middle of the game. The Democratic Party will never stop fighting for free and fair elections, and we thank Governor Newsom and the California Democrats for leveling the playing field. The DNC will be here to support this ballot measure every step of the way.”

AZ Senator Ruben Gallego - “It’s time for Democrats to understand the existential threat.”

MI Senator Elissa Slotkin - “I’m not going to … fight with one arm tied behind my back”

NY Governor Kathy Hochul - “All’s fair in love and war. We are following the rules. We do redistricting every 10 years, but if there are other states that are violating the rules and trying to give themselves an advantage, all I say is I’ll look at it closely with Hakeem Jeffries.”

IL Governor JB Pritzker - “We all ought to stand up against it”

NJ Governor Phil Murphy - “if that’s the way we’re going, we’re from Jersey, baby, and we won’t be laying down.”

MD House Majority Leader - “I’m introducing legislation to redraw Maryland congressional districts if any other state cheats & draws new maps outside of the census period.”

THE NUMBERS

As of March 2025, there are 27 Republican governors and 23 Democratic governors.

States have different numbers of Representatives, determined by population; six states have a single rep, and the remaining 44 have between two and 52. Most states with more than one representative have a combination of Republicans and Democrats in their delegations. As of March 2025, the largest single-party delegation is from Massachusetts, where Democrats hold all nine seats. The largest all-Republican delegation is Oklahoma’s, with five.

California has 52 congressional districts, nine of which are currently represented by Republican congressmen.  

CONTACT INFO

This is the list of Democratic Governors.  I am sending postcards to 3 of them now and might follow up with more later.  I will also call some more of them and leave a brief message.  I don't need to chat with anyone for something like this, so I will leave a short and to-the-point voicemail after hours.

You can find phone numbers and addresses for all of them here -

https://www.usa.gov/state-governor

Arizona - Katie Hobbs

California - Gavin Newsom

Colorado - Jared Polis

Connecticut - Ned Lamont

Delaware - Matt Meyer

Hawaii - Josh Green

Illinois - J.B. Pritzker

Kansas - Laura Kelly

Kentucky - Andy Beshear

Maine - Janet Mills

Maryland - Wes Moore

Massachusetts - Maura Healey

Michigan - Gretchen Whitmer

Minnesota - Tim Walz

New Jersey - Phil Murphy

New Mexico - Michelle Lujan Grisham

New York - Kathy Hochul

North Carolina - Josh Stein

Oregon - Tina Kotek

Pennsylvania - Josh Shapiro

Rhode Island - Dan McKee

Washington - Bob Ferguson

Wisconsin - Tony Evers

SOURCES

Newsom calls Nov. 4 election to redraw California Congressional districts

https://www.usatoday.com/story/news/nation/california/2025/08/14/gavin-newsom-redistricting-special-election-california-nov-4-in-reactom-to-texas-plan/85612603007/

Governor Newsom launches statewide response to Trump rigging Texas’ elections

https://www.gov.ca.gov/2025/08/14/governor-newsom-launches-statewide-response-to-trump-rigging-texas-elections/

DNC Chair Ken Martin on CA Governor Gavin Newsom and California Dems Fighting Back Against Donald Trump Rigging Congressional Maps

https://democrats.org/news/dnc-chair-ken-martin-on-ca-governor-gavin-newsom-and-california-dems-fighting-back-against-donald-trump-rigging-congressional-maps/

How red or blue is your state?

https://usafacts.org/articles/how-red-or-blue-is-your-state/

2025 Governors

https://www.multistate.us/resources/2025-governors

CDC Shooting

 This information came from a good friend -

"So many of us in Atlanta are reeling from Friday’s shooting at the CDC. My friends and neighbors who work there have already endured such stress over these past few months, given drastic programming cuts and many who lost their positions. Trump is wanting to cut the CDC budget in half next year. 

 The misinformation and outright lies and conspiracy theories about vaccine safety being put forward by this administration, especially RFK Jr., are fueling mistrust and seem to have directly contributed to this shooting. CDC workers endured the terror of a targeted attack, and a police officer with a young family is dead as a result of this horrific event. While terrorized CDC workers were on lockdown late into the night, RFK Jr. woke up Saturday morning and went fishing. I repeat, he went fishing.

I am outraged by all of this, and I hope that all of us can turn our anger into productivity and support for these dedicated public health professionals. "

My friend also provided the contact information - 

One actionable way to do this is by sending postcards to the following politicians(or send an email or call!).  DEFINITELY send messages to any/all of these folks especially if they represent your district! 

Speaker of the House

Jon Burns

P.O. Box 1000

Springfield, GA 31329

Phone: (404) 656-5020 

Speaker Pro Tem

Jan Jones

12850 Highway 9

Suite 600-356

Milton, GA 30004

Phone: (404) 656-5072  

Republican Caucus Leader

Chuck Efstration

P.O. Box 1656

Dacula, GA 30019

Phone: (404) 656-5052 

Republican Caucus Whip

James Burchett

215 Pendleton St.

Waycross, GA 31501

Phone: (404) 656-5024 

Republican Caucus Chair

Bruce Williamson

PO Box 430

Monroe, GA 30655

Phone: (404) 656-5025 

Republican Caucus Vice-Chairman

Houston Gaines

P.O. Box 1203

Athens, GA 30603

Phone: (404) 656-5025 

Chair Public Safety and Homeland Security Committee Clint Crowe

115 Mabry Rd

Jackson, GA 30233

Office: (404) 656-0325

Robert F. Kennedy, Jr.

HHS Secretary

The U.S. Department of Health & Human Services
Hubert H. Humphrey Building

200 Independence Avenue, S.W.
Washington, D.C. 20201
Toll Free Call Center: 1-877-696-6775

Mike Collins

Rep. Mike Collins (R-Ga-10) announced on July 28, 2025, that he will challenging Jon Ossoff for the U.S. Senate in Georgia in 2026.

There is a protest planned against Collins in Monroe, GA at 4:30pm Monday, August 18!

Collins is a mega-MAGA and with tweets and actions to show how deep he's prepared to go into that swamp.  He's not a good person and shouldn't be elected to represent us in Georgia.

Here are a few bits he said or did that are particularly enlightening:

• On the four-year anniversary of the storming of the U.S. Capitol by a pro-Trump mob, Rep. Mike Collins tried to re-write the attack on democracy, calling the rioters “peaceful grandmothers” and advocating for pardons for the offenders. 
• Collins proposed a federal bill that would make the obstruction of highways illegal. According to Collins, “activists and left-wing agitators” use roads as protest grounds, disrupt traffic, block emergency personnel and endanger the lives of themselves and others.  He proposed the bill in response to ICE protests in L.A.  He doesn't want anyone to be inconvenienced while ICE picks up innocent people to fill their concentration camp quotas.
• One of Collins’ most radical bills he currently cosponsors is H.R. 899 –-- a bill to abolish the Department of Education. The bill is only one sentence, “The Department of Education shall terminate on December 31, 2026.”   (after the election, of course)
• At Trump’s inaugural prayer service, Rt. Rev. Mariann Budde encouraged the president to show compassion to migrants, documented or not and to have mercy upon LGBTQ+ children and individuals.  Collins tweeted a call for her to be deportated.
• Collins mocked the dismantling of the USAID in a post - “I got laid off at USAID today. I was in charge of making the Taliban trans. Was really starting to make headway too.”  His remark comes from White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt’s complaint that USAID paid for diversity, equity and inclusion initiatives. She falsely claimed that the agency had paid for a “transgender opera” in Colombia as one example.
• He suggested that an undocumented migrant should be murdered via “Pinochet Air,” a reference to the Chilean military regime’s use of “death flights” in which political dissidents were thrown to their deaths.
• He said he wants to make it “more advantageous” for people to “get off of Medicaid, get off of Social Security.”   Collins voted for the GOP budget bill that could leave 750,000 Georgians uninsured. 

Sources:

Rep. Mike Collins becomes the eighth representative to announce a U.S. Senate bid for 2026

LISTEN: Rep. Mike Collins Calls for Georgians to “Get Off” Social Security and Medicaid

The recent bills and comments of Athens’ Representative Mike Collins

GOP Representative Mocks Closing Of Agency In Charge Of Distributing Humanitarian Aid Worldwide

MAGA Rep.’s January 6 Commemoration Post Must Be Seen to Be Believed

Mike Collins launches Georgia Senate bid

GA Rep. Mike Collins Calls January 6th “Peaceful,” Advocates for Pardons for J6 Offenders

Texas House Dems Break Quorum

IT’S TIME FOR SOME THANK YOU’s!  I send plenty of cards to people who are doing wrong, but I sending cards of thanks keeps me from feeling like I’m drowning in craziness.  Plus, it’s important to encourage those who are working hard and being brave and creative. Anytime someone is brave they inspire others.

The Story

Trump let Texas Governor, Gregg Abbott, and Texas Attorney General, Ken Paxton, know that he wanted them to redraw the distracts in their state in such a way that Republicans would gain 5 more seats in upcoming elections.  Traditionally, our country only redraws districts after new census information comes out every 10 years and districts are SUPPOSED to be drawn in such a way that they fairly represent the demographics in the state.  Instead, Republicans are trying to rig the system and they aren’t even bothering to disguise it. 

Abbott and Paxton responded enthusiastically and got right on it.  They needed to get the plan up for a vote in their state.  In order to conduct that vote, they are required to have a majority of members of the house representatives (a quorum) present in order to conduct a vote.  Texas House Democrats are making sure that won’t happen by leaving the state and they have the support of lots of folks around the country who understand clearly what gerrymandering in Texas could mean for the future of our country.  

Ken Paxton and Gregg Abbott

Paxton, who hopes to get elected to the senate next year despite all the crimes he’s accused of, filed a lawsuit against 13 of those Dems to have them removed from office.  He’s also trying to put out arrest warrants for all the Dems in other states, but those states are pushing back.  The FBI, which is now just a tool for dismantling democracy, is likely going to help Paxton.

“They may end up showing up before the session ends. But there’s only about 10 days left of the session. It started on the 21st of last month, and it only lasts 30 days. So it’s not much time left for Republicans and Democrats to reunite on the House floor and get things passed.” ~ Blaise Gainey (covers state politics for The Texas Newsroom)

I am sending postcards to the 13 representatives putting themselves on the line and being particularly targeted by Paxton. I have a couple of other special helpers to thank as well and I'll do that in the last post.

Here’s my first batch of cards and the contact info in case others want to write as well.   Also note:  If you don't want to send notes to 13 people, you could call their office and leave a message instead!  The phone numbers are included here, too.

One thing I want to add on this post is a little bit about James Talarico.

Talarico is a rising star.  Videos of him are all over the internet.  He has a YouTube page, showing he and/or his assistants are up to speed on social media.  He comes across as a clean cut, plain speaking, well educated, sensible guy.  

He goes into churches and speaks eloquently on separation of church and state, yet comes across as a person of faith who knows that what others are doing is just plain wrong.  He isn’t afraid to go on Fox or Joe Rogan.  He would be appealing to a lot of people who might be turned off by more progressive Democrats. Yet his videos still get shared and liked by plenty of Dems who love our progressives.  Right wing media is having a hard time trying to figure out how to make Talarico look bad.

I have hope for him as another strong voice in our choir, but honestly, I have lost faith in so many seemingly good politicians who turned out to be as greedy and corrupt as the rest that I hesitate to ever go all in supporting anybody.  If Talarico is the real deal, I hope he stays strong and doesn’t lose his head in the swamp.  

CONTACT INFO 

Rep. John Bucy of Austin - district 136
Room GN.9

P.O. Box 12910

Austin, Texas
78711-2910

(512) 463-0696

Rep. Lulu Flores of Austin - district 51
Room E2.310

P.O. Box 12910

Austin, Texas
78711-2910

(512) 463-0674

Rep. Jessica Gonzalez of Dallas - district
400 South Zang Blvd.,
Suite 1214

Dallas, Texas 75208

(214) 944-5441

Rep. Vikki Goodwin of Austin - district 47
Room E2.318

P.O. Box 12910

Austin, Texas 78711-2910

(512) 463-0652

Rep. Gina Hinojosa of Austin - district 49
Room 4S.2

P.O. Box 12910

Austin, Texas 78711-2910

(512) 463-0668

Rep. Suleman Lalani of Sugar Land - district 76
12550 Emily Court, Suite 300
Sugar Land, Texas 77478
(281) 494-0151

Rep. Christina Morales of Houston - district 145
6815 Rustic St
Houston, TX 77087
(512) 463-0732

Rep. Mihaela Plesa of Dallas - district 70
900 E. Park Blvd., Suite 140-C
Plano, Texas 75074
(972) 423-1227

>>>.  Click here to see Katie Phang interview Michael Plesa!!!!  

Rep. Ana-Maria Ramos of Richardson - district 102
Room E2.204
P.O. Box 12910
Austin, Texas 78711-2910
(512) 463-0454

Rep. James Talarico of Austin - district 50 - * rising star!!!
Room E2.902
P.O. Box 12910
Austin, Texas 78711-2910
(512) 463-0821

Rep. Ron Reynolds of Missouri City - district 27
2440 Texas Parkway, Suite 102
Missouri City, Texas 77489
(281) 208-3574

Rep. Chris Turner of Grand Prairie - district 101
320 Westway Place, Suite 501
Arlington, TX 76018
(817) 459-2800

Rep. Gene Wu of Houston - district 137
6500 Rookin, Building C
Houston, TX 77074
(713) 271-3900

Beto O’Rourke 

Beto O’Rourke’s organization, POWERED BY THE PEOPLE, has been helping to support the House Dems who fled the state.  Because of that, he has become a target of Texas Attorney General, Paxton and Governor Gregg Abbott.  They want him arrested.  If you want to help support the Texas House Dems, you might want to check out his site - https://poweredxpeople.org/

Read more - Ken Paxton launches investigation into Beto O’Rourke-led group over Texas quorum break

Beto O’Rourke 
Powered By People 
c/o MBA Consulting Group 
PO Box 15845 
Washington, DC 20003

Governor Gavin Newsom

I also wrote to Gavin Newsom even though I have written him before.  He deserves major kudos for engaging in the fight in a big way.  He’s made it clear that if Texas or any other red state tries to rig the elections through unfair gerrymandering, he will do the same in California.  Other governors have joined him, but Gavin is pushing republican buttons brilliantly.  He’s fighting fire with fire  through brilliant posts and announcements and speeches.  He’s inspiring more lawmakers at every level to step up creatively.

Governor Gavin Newsom
1021 O Street, Suite 9000
Sacramento, CA 95814
Phone:  (916) 445-2841

READ MORE

There’s more to the story!  In case you want to take a deeper dive, you might enjoy some of these articles, but since the battle is ongoing, you probably would do well to search for updates.

State Attorney General Ken Paxton, a Republican with hopes to get elected to the U.S. Senate next year, has filed a lawsuit to have 13 of those Democratic lawmakers removed from their seats. - 

Judge rules Beto O’Rourke can’t raise money for quorum-breaking Dems as Texas AG seeks their removal - 

Harvard

The Trump administration is attacking all of the institutions our founders valued for safeguarding the republic - free press, free elections and free academic pursuit.  Universities are on the firing line. 

“With billions of dollars at stake, institutions now face a stark choice: comply or risk severe financial strain. But behind the legal and financial battles lies a deeper ideological conflict — over whether American higher education should remain a space for open inquiry, or be reshaped by federal mandate.” - Business Standard

The administration claims their attack is based on antisemitism, but it goes far beyond that. Their demands mirror many project 2025 goals: eliminating DEI programs, limiting student protests, overhaul hiring practices, curriculum oversight, and immigration cooperation.

More than 60 institutions are being targeted.  Many are located in liberal states or Democratic strongholds. They’re facing federal investigations, funding suspensions, and/or intense scrutiny.  

The Trump administration’s biggest target has been Harvard, the country’s oldest and richest university. Harvard has roughly $9 billion at stake in its fight with the federal government. The Trump administration began by cutting off an estimated $2.6 billion in federal funding. They are laying off researchers and shelving years or even decades of research, into everything from opioid addiction to cancer.  They aren’t stopping there.  Officials have said they would direct federal agencies to end all of their remaining contracts with the school. They told the university not to expect grant money in the future.  The university is being threatened with an array of investigations in the coming months. Mr. Trump has also threatened Harvard’s tax-exempt status. Most recently, his administration has tried repeatedly to bar the university from enrolling international students.

In April, Harvard refused the administration’s demands, and Dr. Alan Garber, Harvard’s president, said the university would “not surrender its independence or relinquish its constitutional rights.” The university quickly filed a lawsuit and the battle with the government intensified.

Rumors abound, mostly from the NYT, that Harvard is surrendering to Trump’s $500 million shakedown. Some say the deal was leaked to the press by White House officials.  If true, those “voluntary” payments would strengthen Trump’s bogus claim that those institutions knew they were doing something wrong.  

But maybe the rumors are NOT true!!!  If what NYT published was not true, did they only take the word of the Trump administration without confirming with Harvard?  The Trump administration seems to have a habit of putting out information about deals that the other party supposedly involved in knows nothing about.

This was published in The Harvard Crimson:

“As of Aug 4, Harvard President Alan M. Garber ’76 has told faculty that a deal with the Trump administration is not imminent and denied that the University is considering a $500 million settlement, according to three faculty members familiar with the matter.  The University is seriously considering resolving its dispute with the White House through the courts rather than a negotiated settlement, Garber said, according to the three faculty members. The Trump administration has pushed Harvard to cut an even costlier deal, and the New York Times reported last Monday that the University is considering a settlement with a price tag of half a billion dollars. But Garber, in a conversation with one faculty member, said that the suggestion that Harvard was open to paying $500 million is “false” and claimed that the figure was apparently leaked to the press by White House officials, according to the three faculty familiar with the conversation.”

I created my postcard BEFORE seeing the disclaimer in The Crimson.  I added this message on the front, “I hope this rumor is false!”

Harvard President Alan M. Garber

Contact Info:

Harvard University

Massachusetts Hall

Cambridge, MA 02138

Sources:

CALIFORNIA LAW REVIEW - Is Resistance Futile? On the Potentially Disabling Consequence of Thinking About Consequences
* This article was fascinating!  It was a deep dive into different ways of reacting to tyrannical demands.  Spoiler - all the choices are risky.

NYT - Trump Has Targeted These Universities. Why?

The Hill - Harvard’s $500 million surrender to Trump heralds an end to US academic freedoms

Business Standard - Why is Trump targeting Harvard and other universities and what's at stake?

The Harvard Crimson - Harvard President Garber Tells Faculty He Is Not Considering a $500 Million Deal With Trump,   Updated August 4, 2025, at 1:01 a.m.

AP - Harvard scientists say research could be set back years after funding freeze

Mike Johnson - re Ghislaine Maxwell and Lawrence Taylor

Republicans are standing by while more and more of their sexual predator friends are rewarded.  These are just two recent examples.  I wasn’t sure who I wanted to send a postcard to about this, but decided to start with Mike Johnson.  He pretends to be so devout but is truly a lying hypocrite.  It’s important to put more blame on ALL Republicans for being complicit in all the heinous things going on with this administration.

The Back Stories

GHISLAINE MAXWELL

Stories are all over the news in the last week about Ghislaine Maxwell so I didn’t feel the need to do much of a deep dive on this one.  She was just moved from a Florida prison to a new minimum-security country club facility in Texas, even though sex traffickers are not allowed that privilege.  

Ghislaine’s move required special permission from the new Bureau of Prisons Director, Billy Marshall.  He was appointed in April of 2025 even though the jails he managed previously were the target of several civil rights suits, including one filed in 2022 that alleged the jail had broken toilets infested with maggots, 70 people sharing a single shower, and people being forced to sleep on “cold, wet floors in the winter without heat.”  Republicans have been pretty thorough when it comes to putting sycophants in any positions where they might need special favors.

While all prisoners are expected to work at the Texas prison, they also have access to foreign language and business classes, can play sports, watch television and attend religious services.  They can have video calls with family, and inmates are permitted visitors during weekends and holidays.  She’s living in far better circumstances than so many of the immigrants who are in those heinous concentration camps.  

Earlier in July, Ghislaine had two meetings with the Deputy US Attorney General Todd Blanche, the details of which have not been made public.  Some say the reasons for her transfer from the Florida prison are unclear, but if you ask me, the reasons seem fairly obvious.

LAWRENCE TAYLOR

Another predator situation - Lawrence Taylor is a former New York Giants linebacker.  Trump just appointed him to a council that will advise on matters including youth sports.  The thing is - he is a registered sex offender.  Taylor plead guilty to to having NONconsensual sex with a 16 year old.  As a convicted sex offender, he is not supposed to have contact with children, yet he is heading up a council for youth.  

Taylor was arrested in 2021 in Florida for failing to report a change of residence as a sex offender. He later pleaded no contest to an amended charge and the case was closed. He was again arrested and charged with failing to report a residence change as a sex offender in July 2024, but prosecutors closed the case a few weeks later.  Hmmmm.

Taylor has appeared on stage with Trump at campaign rallies in the past.  Trump said this about Taylor: "Acknowledged to be the greatest defensive player in the history of the NFL, a friend of mine for a long time. Too long, right Lawrence? Lawrence Taylor, he's an incredible guy and just been my friend a long time. Knew him forever."

Another funny thing, at the conference where they announced Lawrence’s appointment, it was pretty clear he had no idea what he was be appointed to do - “I'm just proud to be on this team. I don't know why, I don't know what we're supposed to be doing, but I'm here to serve, and I'm here to serve you, OK, so I'm going to do the best I can for as long as I can. Thank you very much.”

SOURCES

BBC - Ghislaine Maxwell moved to women's prison in Texas

Snopes - Former NFL linebacker tapped by Trump for new sports council is registered sex offender

Newsweek - Donald Trump Inviting Sex Offender into White House Raises Eyebrows

ULine

This topic came to my attention via a video by Molly Lee of Optimistic Soap.  After watching the video, I did a deep dive to verify.  They are even worse than suspected.

Uline, America's largest supplier of cardboard boxes and other packing supplies, is owned by Liz and Dick Uihlein.  Richard Uihlein, 78,  is an heir to the Schlitz beer fortune.  He and his wife, Elizabeth, 79, started Uline together, but Liz is the hands-on president of Uline.

In 2021 and 2022, the owners of Uline were the country's largest donor to extremist political groups. They and the groups they support have used dark money tactics to fight against the legitimacy of our elections, COVID safety protocols, abortion rights, and more.  The ULINE founders even gave millions to the groups that stormed the US Capitol and organized the Jan 6 insurrection.  They are especially transfixed against trans rights since they are avid FOX watchers.  

The Uihleins continue to use their wealth to funnel millions of dollars into the most extreme right-wing politicians and movements in the United States.  They support a network of websites that resemble news outlets but that make one-sided attacks against their opponents.

They are ranked by the donation-tracking site OpenSecrets.org as the third largest donor in the United States to outside political spending organizations in 2024. They contributed $144 million to conservative groups in the 2024 election cycle.

Liz and Dick Uihlein

In each ULINE catalog Liz includes a “letter from the president” where she touts her ultra-conservative views to millions of ULINE customers. ULINE is her personal platform for spreading disinformation and hate.

Even though they rail against immigration, it came out in March of this year that Uline had been accused of employing dozens of workers from Mexico at its US warehouses under visas not intended for labour.  Apparently, Uline shuttles workers from its Mexico operations to warehouses in Wisconsin and other states under tourist visas and B1 business visas, typically used for training purposes.  But they aren’t there for training.  They are working the busy season.  What hypocrites!

As Molly Lee said, “If you believe in democracy, equality, and basic human decency… this is not who we should be enriching… Let’s flex our collective power. We have to stop funding our own oppression!”

Also from Molly:

✅ What You Can Do:

1. If you run a business: Switch to a more aligned supplier.

2. If you work for one:  Ask: “Hey — are we still buying from Uline? I’d love to explore other suppliers that better match our values.”

3. Share why it matters.  Most people simply don’t know. 

As for me, personally, I still get catalogs from Uline even though I haven’t ordered from them for over a decade.  I haven’t been able to stop them.  As much as I prefer to do my part towards reducing waste, I now don’t mind that they are wasting money shipping that monstrosity to me.  That’s a little less they’ll have for funding fascism.  This year, I’ll probably use the catalog with some kiddos to make an anti-fascist Christmas tree where all that’s required is folding a ton of pages.  The paper is not soft enough to serve as toilet paper.

CONTACT ULINE:

12575 Uline Drive
Pleasant Prairie, WI 53158
Executive Offices:  (262) 612-4200
Human Resources: (262) 612-4200

Atlanta Location:
705 Braselton Industrial Blvd.
Braselton, GA 30517
(706) 824-3700

SOURCES:

Video by Molly Lee of Optimistic Soap -

On Facebook 

On Instagram 

REFUSE ULINE - includes a great list of alternative suppliers!!!

NEW YORK TIMES
The Most Powerful Conservative Couple You’ve Never Heard Of (2018)

FORBES
Elizabeth Uihlein Profile

FORBES
Meet The Billionaire Couple Pumping Their Fortune Into Right-Wing Politics

TREASURE OF THE EAST
WE'RE BOYCOTTING ULINE - HERE'S WHY

SOURCE: POLITICO
The biggest Republican megadonor you’ve never heard of

OPEN SECRETS
Uihlein, Richard & Elizabeth: Donor Detail

NDTV WORLD
Billionaire Entrepreneur Slams Gen Z For Job Hopping, Blames Parenting

FIRSTPOST
Top Trump donors who funded anti-immigrant ads accused of illegally employing Mexican workers

Mini Book 1 - Billionaires

This project is similar to litterbug notes, but on steroids.  It’s a mini book made from one full sheet of paper that is folded up to create a book with 8 small pages.

Note:  The yellow booklet was not glued.

THEME - I am sticking to a theme with this one, but it could also be a mix of messages.  The booklet I created is about the uber rich.  My cover page “THERE ARE NO ETHICAL BILLIONAIRES” probably sums up my attitude with only a few exceptions.  I have a number of themes I plan to use in the future.

COMPUTER - I used Keynote to create my booklet.  If you have Windows, it could be created in PowerPoint. I used memes in each area that would be a page in the book.   I am building quite a collection of memes and in this case had about 20 memes to choose from on this topic.  

BLANK BOOK OPTION - You don’t have to print out anything to create one of these booklets.  You could get really creative and fold a blank piece of paper to create the booklet and then do the writing and illustrations yourself.  OR you could glue small pictures to each page.  You could also do a combination - a few preprinted messages and some created by hand.

PAPER - You don’t have to use an unused piece of paper.  You could instead repurpose scrap paper that has printing on one side, as long as it is blank on the side that will show up in your book.  I have a stash of used paper that will be perfect for turning into mini books.  

WATCH THE VIDEO

If you are going to make a mini book, I recommend first watching this video that shows how to create and fold a mini book.  You may need to watch parts of it a couple of times.  It might also be good to practice using paper destined for the recycling bin a couple of times.  Once you get the hang of how it folds into booklet form, you’ll love doing this. 

Video: How to make a 8 page MINI BOOK with 1 sheet of paper, no glue, very easy

ARE YOU READY TO CREATE A MINI BOOK?

PRINT

This is my printout.  If you want to print this one out to use, hopefully this will work on your computer - Right click on the image and choose to open the link (or file) in a new tab.  Go to FILE and choose print.  Look at the print preview to make sure it’s filling the entire page.  You may need to change the print setting to LANDSCAPE.   Then PRINT.   

ADD COLOR

I don’t have a color printer so I used colored pencils to add bits of color here and there.  I actually prefer the DIY look of that.  Since it’s obvious someone worked on it, maybe it will raise more curiosity.  It feels more personal.  Things that look mass produced are more easily ignored.

FOLD

There are very light guidelines on the printout, but it’s possible they won’t line up perfectly to the fold.  Just ignore the lines and concentrate on folding carefully.  You do a lot of folding in half.  Line it up carefully as you fold.  One extra fold tip from me.  Wherever there is a fold, I make that fold as crisp as possible.  You could use a bone folder for that or a credit card or even, like I do, the flat part of my fingernail.  I also fold it in the opposite direction and do it again.  I hope that made sense.  

CUT

There is a dashed line to show where to make the cut.  You are NOT cutting the whole page apart.  Just where the dashed line is.

FOLD TO CREATE THE MINI BOOKLET

There’s no way to explain how to do this, but the video linked earlier in this post shows how to do it.  After you get it in booklet form, crease the lines again and make it as flat as possible.  As you create the fold, make sure you pay attention to how it’s done so that after you do the glue, you won’t end up with a dud.

GLUE

Open it back out and apply bits of glue all over the back, especially near the edges.  This doesn’t have to be perfect.  For that matter, you could even skip this step, but it reads a little better if glued.  If the paper had other printing on the back, the glue will be more important.

PUT IT BACK TOGETHER

Do this quickly before the glue makes it hard to adjust the pages.

WHAT DO I DO WITH THESE?

I use these much as I use my litter notes, leaving them in odd places as I run errands. I went to the dentist yesterday and left behind a little present tucked into one of the magazines.  I can also see leaving these behind for family, friends, or acquaintances to find.  Imagine a book with messages curated specifically for that person you really wish would become a little more enlightened.