Indivisible: A Practical Guide to Democracy on the Brink https://indivisible.org/resource/guide

Excerpts

One-Page Summary

Chapter 1: What Happened and Why it Matters.

Americans of all stripes are going to be pissed when Donald Trump 2.0 comes to town dressed in chaos, corruption, and cruelty. We can stoke that backlash to break up their coalition and build ours

Chapter 2: A Quick Primer on Constituent Power.

Political power in our democracy overlaps between local, state, and federal electeds. Your power comes from your ability to be a source of support (or a pain in the ass) to those electeds

We review the basics of constituent power -- what it is, how it works, and how yours can do the most good in this moment where you live.

Chapter 3: The Plan to Get Through the Next 2 Years.

Our best chance to get through this era with some amount of democracy intact is to hang on until 2026 and win big in the midterms

We’ve boiled it down to three big plays:

We will all throw in to say NO to the Project 2025 agenda pushed by the White House and Congress

We will play hardball wherever we’ve got Democrats in local, city, or state office -- pushing them to block, delay, and challenge MAGA’s attacks.

We will work to protect and win elections

Chapter 4: Protect and Prepare.

We’ll review how to

Organize to Protect Communities Under Threat

Operate Under Authoritarian Creep

Chapter 5: Practical steps for finding or forming your local Indivisible group.

Fascists depend on you, believing you’re alone and powerless. And honestly, on your own, you don’t have a ton of power. But, organized groups of individuals do have power

Chapter 2: A Quick Primer on Constituent Power

THREE MAIN TAKEAWAYS

We all know this is not a well-functioning representative democracy for us constituents

Many electeds simply will not give a damn about your constituent power over the next two years -- they’re too safe in their gerrymandered districts and too aligned with MAGA.

WHAT IF I’M SUPER RICH OR FAMOUS?

What is your elected thinking about? Reelection, reelection, reelection

Despite recent events, that basic idea still holds. Electeds still care most about people in their districts, organized groups of people have more power than individuals and constituent advocacy can— in many cases — still shift how your elected officials behave.

If you organize locally, focus on your own electeds, and make enough of a public ruckus that endangers their local reputation as an upstanding elected, you can shift their behavior and/or soften them up for reelection. You just need to know what they care about to influence their behavior

What Your Elected Cares About

When it comes to constituent interactions, electeds care about what makes them look good, responsive, and hardworking to the people of their district. In practice, that means they care a lot about some things and very little about others. Organize your time and effort accordingly

Electeds Care a Lot About

Advocacy that requires effort -- the more effort, the more they care. Calls, personal emails, and especially showing up in person

The endorsement of an interest group with verified political power (lots of money or lots of people)

A concrete ask that entails a verifiable action -- vote for a bill, make a public statement, etc

One single, timely ask in your communication (letter, email, phone call, office visit, etc.)

WHAT’S CHANGED SINCE THE ORIGINAL INDIVISIBLE GUIDE?

Republicans are more aligned

unless they’re in a swing district, the average Republican is far more afraid of a primary challenge than your group of constituents

Media has consolidated and shrunk.

Electeds have adapted to increased constituent pressure

Chapter 3: The Plan to Get Through the Next 2 Years

Play # 1: We All Say No To Project 2025

Once Trump enters office, we’re going to pick some national battles -- places where we can land a win that stops harm, where the fate of democratic institutions is at stake, or where we think that fighting back helps to energize our coalition and fracture theirs politically

SHOULDN’T WE BE PROPOSING OUR OWN POLICIES?

Unfortunately, this is a time for defense

we’re going to lead with our values and focus on overwhelming opposition to the bad things that are happening

We do not need to all agree on the perfect healthcare policy to oppose gutting Medicaid

National backlash builds. Trump’s agenda is chock-full of policies that will cause direct harm to regular Americans — but that doesn’t mean they’ll hear about it or know who’s to blame. From the very beginning, organized political opposition is how we tell the story of what’s happening, fracture Trump’s unstable coalition, and build ours

This play applies to you if:

YOU’VE GOT A DEMOCRATIC REPRESENTATIVE/SENATOR

Democrats are a skittish bunch, and there’s nothing like losing an election to plunge them into an extended depression that somehow ends with everyone forming reading groups to discuss Hillbilly Elegy. Your job is to interrupt this cycle as quickly as possible, and push them back into fighting form

Maintaining lockstep opposition to Trump will be crucial — any Democratic support at all will give him cover to portray his gruesome policies as “bipartisan.” Remember, it was lockstep Democratic opposition to the MAGA agenda — including attempts to repeal the Affordable Care Act — in 2017 that defeated some bills and built the narratives that helped a Blue Wave retake the House in 2018.

We deserve champions in Washington who don’t just refuse to go along, but actively, passionately make the case against Project 2025 — let your representatives know you expect it of them.

HELP! I’M TIRED OF PROTESTING!

A lot of people are burned out on the idea of protesting and marching, and honestly, we get it. Too often in Trump 1.0, we embraced the aesthetics of protests instead of using them as part of a strategy. Let’s be clear: protest is a strategic tool to achieve your goal. It is not a form of self-expression or therapy.

Demand your swing representative and/or senators show up in public. Make them explain where they stand at this moment of great divide

Remember: your swing state representative and senators who are up for reelection in 2026 are primarily focused on their own political survival. They don’t want to be seen as too out-of-step with their district

YOU’VE GOT A SAFE REPUBLICAN REPRESENTATIVE / SENATOR

In the short term, in the next two years, there is little you can do here if your representatives and senators are in safe seats

Play #2: Get Dems To Play Hardball In Local, City, And State Offices

Blue state, city, and local organizing is incredibly urgent in this moment.

Democratic state trifectas following the 2024 election -- states with both a Dem governor and state legislature.

Where Dems can go on offense and fight back, they should

Consider this: there are 15 states with a blue trifecta [1] — California, Colorado, Connecticut, Delaware, Hawaii, Illinois, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, New Jersey, New Mexico, New York, Oregon, Rhode Island, and Washington. That is nine more trifectas than we had in 2017.

That’s a lot of power, and it’s time to ask them exactly what they’re doing with it. Are your Democratic electeds passing legislation to protect you, your neighbors, and red staters seeking safety? Are they pushing back against MAGA efforts to target your neighbors?

There’s enormous potential here -- we just need to organize to tap into it. What can we achieve if we do this?*

HELP! MY DEM ELECTEDS ARE SAYING THEY’LL FIGHT MAGA!

If you live in a place where your elected officials are already making a show of their intention to fight back, you may think that there’s no role for you. Remember these two things: Lots of politicians are going to talk a good game about this. Our job is to make sure they walk the walk.*

Block, delay, or distract the Trump administration. Trump’s people have the same number of hours in the day as the rest of us

Protect people, policies, and progress

Mitigate harm for red staters

Present an alternate story of life under Democratic governance. Making people’s lives in blue states better — more affordable, safer, and fairer — is good on the merits and part of how we strengthen the Democratic brand for the future.

This play applies to you if:

YOU’VE GOT A DEMOCRATIC GOVERNOR, ATTORNEY GENERAL, OR LEGISLATURE

Here’s a (non-exclusive, sure to grow) list of some steps you can encourage them to take:

Sign Executive Orders to Protect Residents: Democratic governors can issue orders that directly counter federal actions, like establishing protections for immigrants, expanding access to reproductive healthcare, or enforcing strict environmental standards that defy federal rollbacks.

Form Alliances with Other States: Urge your governor and AG to join regional compacts on issues like climate change, data privacy, and healthcare

Use their Economic Leverage: States with significant economic power, like California and New York, can use their influence to counter Trump’s agenda by setting procurement and contracting standards that prioritize civil rights, environmental responsibility, and fair labor practices. Blue states can refuse to do business with companies that don’t uphold progressive values

File Lawsuits Against Harmful Federal Actions: Democratic AGs can use lawsuits to slow down or block federal policies that harm residents or violate constitutional rights. This legal resistance can delay implementation and spotlight the harms of Trump’s agenda in the media, building a case for the 2026 elections

Decline to implement federal policies in their states: A ton of federal programs or legislation is actually dependent on the states implementing them.

Implement Sanctuary Policies for Out-of-State Visitors: Blue states can enact laws that protect individuals traveling from red states to access services restricted under Trump’s policies. For example, protections for reproductive healthcare or gender-affirming care

Create Legal Funds to Protect Residents: Democratic states can set up state-funded legal defense funds to help residents directly affected by Trump’s policies, such as immigrants at risk of deportation or families losing healthcare

Implement policies that make their state a thriving, healthy, and desirable place to live: It sounds simple, but the more that Democratically controlled areas deliver a high quality of life for their residents, the better we’re able to make the case against the MAGA agenda to the American people.

YOU’VE GOT A DEMOCRATIC CITY GOVERNMENT

If your city government is controlled by Democrats, you have the opportunity to work with local leaders to resist Trump’s agenda on a more granular level

Adopt Sanctuary Policies: Many cities have already become sanctuary cities, refusing to cooperate with federal immigration enforcement. If your city hasn’t done so, advocate for this policy to protect immigrant residents

Expand Protections for Vulnerable Communities: Local governments can pass ordinances that protect housing rights, fund community health programs, and ensure that LGBTQ+ residents feel safe and supported

Invest in Local Environmental Initiatives: Cities can enact local climate policies like banning single-use plastics, promoting renewable energy, or creating green infrastructure projects

Partner with State and Regional Allies: Encourage your city leaders to work with state and regional governments on issues like transportation, affordable housing, and voting rights

Create policies that make their city a thriving, healthy, and desirable place to live

Play #3: We Work to Protect and Win Elections

Chapter 4: Protect and Prepare

Organizing to Stand, Indivisibly, with Communities Under Threat

MAGA will launch immediate and devastating attacks on its favorite targets -- immigrants, LGBTQ+ people, women, racial justice advocates, anti-war activists, communities of color, low-income people, and more

This is going to look different in different places, but depending on where you are, it might include

Participating in mutual aid

Fighting back against dangerous state and/or local legislation.

Story-telling

In order to create a successful backlash to Trump’s unpopular overreaches, we will need stories from the frontlines of MAGA-world. Think about the impact of Kate Cox’s story or those of the women who died because they couldn’t access abortion care

Get connected locally

Focus on tangible ways to help

money, local organizing support, mutual aid, and volunteers who can show up to help and organize

Organize yourself so that you offer clear value

5 LESSONS FROM GLOBAL HISTORICAL FIGHTS AGAINST FASCISM

Build Broad Coalitions

Wage Nonviolence: Nonviolent tactics—earned media, protests, civil disobedience—are more effective than violent resistance

Develop Independent Media and Communications

Strengthen Community Ties

Document Human Rights Violations and Publicize Them

Safety, Security, and Digital Preparedness During Trump 2.0. We’ve assembled guidance on managing personal security and risk for Indivisible activists

we cannot promise that activism during this era can be done without risk

Chapter 5: Practical steps for finding or forming your local Indivisible group

Three Main Takeaways

In an imperiled democracy, individuals are powerless but groups are not

Your group’s legitimacy comes from your geography. Online tools are great, but this isn’t an online movement. Successful groups are rooted in geographic communities. https://indivisible.org/groups

Leadership, recruitment, community, and impact

Should you form a group?

If there isn’t currently an active group near you, congratulations -- you’re about to become a new Indivisible group leader. To do that, you need two things:

The rest of this chapter is built around helping you walk through the first steps of starting that new Indivisible group