Thunder vs. lightning: How Democrats must navigate the Trump era

Over the next four years, Democrats must craft a deliberate, strategic approach to dealing with President Trump. This is not a moment for knee-jerk reactions or performative outrage — instead, it is a time for discernment, coalition-building and the utilization of state power to uphold democratic norms and institutions.

The key to navigating the Trump era effectively lies in distinguishing between thunder and lightning. Thunder is loud, attention-commanding and often disorienting. Donald Trump thrives on creating political thunder: provocative statements, Twitter tirades and an endless stream of inflammatory rhetoric.

But here’s the reality: no one has ever died from thunder. It is just noise. It is spectacle. It is meant to distract and overwhelm. Democrats cannot afford to spend four years reacting to every clap of thunder. Instead, the focus must be on the lightning — swift, powerful and dangerous actions that pose real threats to democracy and the rule of law.

The first step in this approach is identifying the true lightning strikes. If Trump leverages federal agencies to punish political opponents, that is lightning. If he seeks to erode voting rights or manipulate the judiciary, those are lightning strikes that demand an immediate and forceful response. His predictable boasts, personal feuds and petty provocations? Those are just thunder. Reacting to every bit of noise only serves to elevate it and desensitize the public to real crises when they emerge.

Democrats must also recognize that this is a moment to build unlikely coalitions. There are Republicans and independents who may disagree with Democratic policies but who are deeply unsettled by Trump's authoritarian impulses. Many in the business community, the national security establishment, and even segments of the conservative electorate recognize the dangers he poses. But beyond that, Democrats must engage with rural communities and working-class conservatives who may not see eye to eye politically but are directly affected by the president’s economic policies.

Four years is a long time, and we are only a few weeks in. Democrats must not allow the deafening noise of a flurry of executive orders — many of which have dubious legality — to throw us off balance. If we become consumed by outrage over his rhetoric on DEI, for example, we risk overlooking the real damage he is doing. When we react only to his words, we miss the broader impact.

This isn’t just about minority communities, either. It’s about working women who will now have no legal ground to challenge pay discrimination. It’s about rural communities where economic opportunity depends on inclusive workforce policies. Hundreds of thousands of veterans live in rural America, including those who served in Iraq and Afghanistan; now, a veteran injured in the line of duty can be legally denied a job because their disability makes them "less desirable" to an employer. The federal government once had safeguards to prevent this, but under Trump, no more.

These are the real-life consequences of Trump's actions, and Democrats must make them plain to the very people they affect the most.

History offers a guide. American federalism has long served as a bulwark against overreach from Washington. When the federal government has gone astray, states have stepped up.

In the Civil Rights era, Southern states tried to use their autonomy to resist federal progress, but it was Northern and Western states that led the charge in protecting rights until federal action could catch up. During the first Trump administration, we saw state attorneys general, governors and local officials take up the mantle of protecting democracy, whether in election integrity, environmental regulations or immigration policies. This must continue and expand in the next four years.

State legislatures, not just Congress, will be on the frontlines of safeguarding democratic governance. They are the laboratories of democracy, where bold policy solutions can be tested and refined, and the protectors of the common good, ensuring that rights and freedoms are not trampled under partisan power plays. It is at the state level where meaningful legislative resistance can be organized, policies protecting vulnerable communities can be enacted, and long-term strategies to counteract federal overreach can be put in place.

Above all, Democrats must resist the impulse to repeatedly feign shock at every Trump antic. The last decade has taught us that when everything is treated as an unprecedented crisis, nothing remains shocking. The public becomes numb. Democrats must be smart, pick their battles and fight them to completion. A fight half-fought is a fight lost.

The next four years will be a test — not just for Democrats, but for all who care about the survival of American democracy. The challenge is not just to oppose Trump, but to do so in a way that is smart, effective and strategic. The path forward requires vigilance, coalition-building and an unwavering focus on distinguishing thunder from lightning.

Illinois State Rep. Kam Buckner (D) is Speaker Pro Tempore of the Illinois House of Representatives.

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