Dear Progressive Reader,

In the film Ground Hog Day, first released in February 1993, newscaster Phil Connors (played by Bill Murray) finds himself forced to relive the same day over and over again. After many “years” of repeated Ground Hog Days, he finally discovers that he can learn from the past and change his future.

Our Ground Hog Day in 2025 is marked by a repeat of the first Trump Administration with many of the same themes we all experienced in 2017-2020—the vilification of immigrants, transgender people, DEI, civil servants, government agencies, and more. Even Donald Trump’s desire to take control of Greenland harkens back to a 2019 plan. But like Murray’s character in the 1993 film, Trump and his inner circle appear to have learned some lessons from their previous attempts to alter the agenda and policies of the United States government. In addition, the incoming administration has a 922-page playbook, even though it was disavowed by Trump during the campaign, that they are now following in great detail.

If we, as a democracy and a society, are to survive the next four (or more) years of Trump’s policies, we must learn from history and change the ways we respond to each new action or threat. As the great political singer Dave Lippman has often said, “Those who forget the lessons of the past are given the opportunity to repeat them.” This time, however, we may not get a second chance.

This week on our website, Alexander Karn offers a wide-ranging essay on how Trump and his MAGA movement are already re-writing history; Mike Ervin looks at Trump’s attacks on DEI programs as “the kind of mean-spirited stuff we can expect from him;” Glenn Daigon reports on communities opposing book bans; and attorney Jillian Blanchard pens an op-ed on the dangers of Trump’s attempts to control “the power of the purse.” In addition, as Russia launches yet another barrage of drone attacks on Ukraine, anti-nuclear activist Harvey Wasserman raises alarms over the assumed safety of nuclear power plants. “The nuclear industry’s insistence,” he writes, “that we have nothing to fear from military or terror attacks on its uninsured fleet has lost any residual credibility.” Also, Sarah Cords reviews the new book The Killing Fields of East New York about how white-collar crime destroyed a neighborhood; Sarah Lahm looks for a movement to reform the “extractive and deeply harmful health insurance industry;” Ergon Cugler analyzes the rise of Big Tech and its threats to popular sovereignty around the globe; and Allie Olvera wrestles with themes of gentrification on the global stage.

Finally, we sadly note the passing of Quaker peace activist Joseph Elder. He died earlier this week at the age of ninety-four. Elder, together with his wife Joann Elder (who died in 2022) were well-known and highly respected members of the Madison, Wisconsin, community of peace and justice advocates. Joe Elder travelled twice to Hanoi, Vietnam, during the war—on one occasion delivering high-tech medical equipment to hospital there. In 1970 and 1972 he wrote two articles for The Progressive about his experiences there. Elder continued his commitment to help the people of Vietnam throughout his life. In 1993, he co-founded the nonprofit Madison Quakers, Inc., which continues its work in Vietnam today. In March 2008, I traveled with Joe and Joann Elder for the commemoration of the fortieth anniversary of the massacre at My Lai perpetrated by U.S. troops. While there, we saw the tree planted near the entrance to the memorial museum to honor their years of commitment to support the Vietnamese people injured and affected by the war. Later the three of us took the train north toward Hanoi, sharing stories and hopes for a peaceful world.

Please keep reading, and we will keep bringing you important articles on these and other issues of our time.

Sincerely,

Norman Stockwell
Publisher

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