We're NOT Doomed: May 12, 2026

When we unite, we are unstoppable

If you’re a Democrat running in a red or purple district, listen up!

A couple weeks ago, I was in a briefing with Senator Sheldon Whitehouse all about home insurance prices.

I know, that probably sounds incredibly boring, but it’s not, it’s actually the most important conversation and issue across much of the US, especially in red areas.

92% of Texans say that home insurance costs are their most important issue.

92%!

That’s higher than care about healthcare OR groceries. That’s even significantly higher than the amount of Texans that own homes. Cause this effects renters too, and everyone WANTS to be able to own a home.

But it’s not just that they care about the issue, they also know what causes it. Yes, in Texas. 66% of Texans connect it DIRECTLY to climate driven extreme weather.

And that’s not the only state.

In Florida, 44% OF TRUMP VOTERS connect it directly to “climate change” yes, as a phrase. Not the concept of climate change reworded to be Republican friendly, but to actual “climate change.”

Whitehouse has been going to Florida over the last few years to talk about home insurance costs and climate change. He’s shocked that every time he goes, the local media covers it as if he was doing a big rally. It gets media attention no matter how in the weeds he gets, because this is something they’re genuinely concerned about.

And he’s seeing this across all states, red and blue, anywhere there are extreme weather conditions.

In the next few years this could lead to recession. First is the climate risk, then the insurance market collapses, which dominoes into the mortgage market, property values plummet, and we’re back in the 2008 recession.

We fight back by winning elections, and getting these Republicans out of office. And we do that by making sure they are the ones getting the blame. Them and the fossil fuel industry, who knew the risks and did nothing to stop it.

This isn’t partisan. I mean, it is at the governmental level, but it isn’t when talking to people. Those most concerned about this are the Republicans in local chambers of commerce around the country. They are affected by this every day. So are realtors. And we have to show we are the ones listening. The Republican politicians and candidates are lying, but we’re listening.

Jerome Powell, Chair of the Federal Reserve, is terrible on climate, BUT even he admitted, earlier this year, that in a decade there will be large swaths of the country where mortgages won’t even be available.

So we have to fight this now!

I went into this meeting knowing virtually nothing about home insurance. But I left thinking this is the issue all Dems running, especially in red and purple districts, should focus on.

Republicans are willing to listen on this one. They’re willing to hear the phrase “climate change.” Especially in places with extreme weather, they have experienced this first hand.

We heard from a woman who lives in Ashland, NC, and a man on Pine Island, FL. They both said the same thing. Insurance companies would reimburse for less than half the work that needed to be done to make their homes livable again after recent hurricanes.

The woman, Nicole, said they demanded receipts for things like the roofing and dry wall, except the house was decades old by the time she bought it and she didn’t have access to any of those things.

Home insurance is already becoming cost prohibitive, but not having it is even worse.

We have a real shot of convincing Republicans, on this issue specifically, that we are the ones who get it. And we know exactly who to blame and how to stop it.

It’s not flashy, it’s probably not gonna get you attention online, but it will get votes, and at the end of the day, your district supporting you is what matters most anyway.

Right?

Athens, Georgia

Tue, April 14 - Turning Point USA held a rally at University of Georgia. It was headlined by Vice President, JD Vance, and they vastly overestimated the number of people who would attend the free event.

And many people who did attend weren’t even there as supporters, one man who spoke to reporters said he was a Socialist who just wanted to hear what the other side had to say.

Of course, there was a huge protest outside. The protest was hosted by Young Democrats of UGA (YDUGA), Young Democratic Socialists of America at UGA (YDSA UGA) and Indivisible GA 10. It gives me immense hope seeing an event that covers the entire left wing spectrum. Not to mention, it was against everything from Iran to Gaza. Yes, this protest actually included what REPUBLICANS are doing to Gaza. This is what a big tent means. Imagine if we could work together in other circumstances too.

Aspen David, the co-chair of YDSA UGA told the student newspaper:

The things that actually matter, the things that create real change, are sustained movements. [We’re] just trying to build up those popular movements, because that's really how we are able to create and leverage power as the people.

And that’s exactly right. You know, I constantly see people ask how protesting makes a difference. But if you look up stories around this event, the protest is always mentioned. So are the small number of people who were inside.

Sometimes a protest is about just making sure we are included in a conversation where the Republicans really don’t want us to have a voice. And these students pulled that off beautifully here. Stories like this make me feel less Doomed.

Oakley, California

Tue, April 14 - Oakley is the first city in the Bay Area to put a moratorium on new data centers for 45 days. Yeah, I know, that sounds short, BUT, it’s 45 days that can be reupped for up to two years, which, it sounds like is exactly what the city will be doing.

City Attorney Derek Cole said:

At the one-year mark, you can extend for one more year. But the idea is that in those two years, you will be developing and will have developed some resolution of how to deal with the issue.

Cities all around the country are stopping the creation of new data centers, and the more cities that do it, the more the whole concept of a data center will have to go back to the drawing board and create something that doesn’t steal resources from the local communities.

This is just another example of a city putting their foot down until they do.

Montana

Tue, April 14 - The State Supreme Court ruled that trans people must be given birth certificates that match their gender.

The majority opinion stated it pretty plainly:

Under the State Policies only cisgender Montanans are eligible for birth certificates and driver’s licenses which match their gender identity. Upon discovering that her sex was incorrectly listed as male on her identity documents, a cisgender woman can update her identity documents. Thus, cisgender Montanans can obtain a birth certificate that matches their gender identity. However, a transgender Montanan, such as Ms. Doe, is not allowed to have birth certificates and identity documents which match her gender identity. Thus, transgender and cisgender Montanans are treated unequally in their ability to obtain amended birth certificates because the State Policies allow cisgender people to obtain amended birth certificates, including a change to the sex listed on their original birth certificate if the sex was incorrectly identified due to a scrivener’s error or incorrect data entry, while a transgender Montanan is not allowed to obtain an amended identity document.

It’s not complicated. Cis people can get a new birth certificate or license if theirs is incorrect, but a trans person can’t do the same thing, which shows direct discrimination and inequality.

It’s kinda like how we always say that cis people are allowed to have gender affirming care, but trans people aren’t.

It’s just a simplistic concept with an equally simple answer.

Malita Picasso, Staff Attorney for the ACLU’s LGBTQ & HIV Project celebrated the ruling saying:

Today’s ruling is an important victory for transgender people across the state of Montana, and perhaps even a glimmer of relief to transgender people across the country who are enduring a relentless effort to strip away their rights at nearly every level of government. We will not stop fighting for transgender Montanans.

The law is on our side. Now we have to make sure more people are in elected and appointed positions who are going to follow it. Seeing a ruling like this reminds me how important that truly is. And that makes me feel less Doomed.

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So those are some reasons We’re NOT Doomed today! I hope it reminds you why we keep fighting back, every single time!

Our voices are our superpower, but only when we use them!