E.J. Graff

05/14/2026

The Roberts Supreme Court set off a tornado when it smashed the Voting Rights Act last month, as I wrote today (see below). Redistricting wreckage is everywhere, pushing us into "competitive authoritarianism," in which the party in power rigs the elections.

Democrats can still retake the House and Senate, even though Republicans in too many states are rigging the game. Among the things to do once pro-democracy forces take power again: Move to proportional voting, also called "proportional representation." More democracies use that system than use our own -- and it stops gerrymandering cold. I don't check here often (and I just ignore trolls) so if you have questions or comments, please check out my new chat channel on Substack! There's a link in the post.

The second in a series on how to repair our country. (And a special announcement!)

04/15/2026

Trump is wobbling badly. And if Hungarians can topple their thieving prime minister, Americans can get rid of our thief-in-chief before he destroys what's left of our government, our respect for the rule of law, and our economic stability.

What does that mean for *you*? Check out the the new issue of How to be American!

Trump is wobbling. His corrupt, far-right role model was just crushed in Hungary's elections. There's hope!

03/30/2026

"Because I have morals."
This issue of "How to be American" tells a story of hope amidst this administration's horrors and checks out the research showing that protest matters. AND we have pictures from No Kings!

https://howtobeamerican.substack.com/p/because-i-have-morals

03/16/2026

Why did the U.S. start bombing Iran -- and what comes next?

National security expert Heather Hurlburt writes this week's issue of "How to be American," explaining the various Trump-supporting factions that pressed for war. (Come for the clarity, and stay for the dollop of culture at the end.)

In which we hear from a national security expert, and remember a song that never gets old.

03/12/2026

Most of our fellow Americans oppose Trump’s wars, both the one in Iran and the one ICE is waging here at home.

So how do we use this to drag the U.S. back to democracy?

By talking about how Trump is shredding democracy.

My latest at "How to be American," with research and suggestions.

And win friends* and influence people while you're at it!

03/10/2026

This post was behind a paywall until today. Enjoy these insights into when we can call those ICE warehouses "concentration camps," what ICE "surges" have to do with the Fugitive Slave Act, and -- for dessert -- some amusing names for a snowplow and a new law.

More insights to thank you for supporting my work.

02/11/2026

We're in a zombie apocalypse. The Trump/Epstein class of "elites" turn out to be moral zombies. Ordinary people -- you and me -- are the ones who can save us.

I hope you will read (and share!) my latest at "How to be American."

https://howtobeamerican.substack.com/p/were-in-a-zombie-apocalypse

01/28/2026

In the latest issue of "How to be American," we're starting to look at what we need to do to move forward. These past few weeks, our government has smashed so much that we once believed was fundamentally American, including summarily executing two peaceful protesters and threatening to invade another NATO country.

While the Trump administration is at fault, Trump could win the presidency — twice — because key portions of our democratic society have been rotting for decades.

To move forward, we need to revamp our society — and our Constitution — once again. Here's my first attempt at thinking that through.
https://howtobeamerican.substack.com/p/how-did-we-get-here

01/14/2026

Good is greater than evil.

Last week was horrifying. Every time I think I’m hardened to the Trump era, my heart breaks again. But the administration's actions are getting worse -- more Gestapo-like every minute -- in no small part because Americans aren’t handing over our democracy on cue. The more local you go, the closer to ordinary people, the more you can see Americans fighting back in large and small ways. Fully 42% of Americans now agree that we should abolish ICE. Find more reality-based hope in my latest piece in How to be American.

Thug-in-chief Trump and his fellow thugs are afraid. Here's why.

12/31/2025

Need a little inspiration to end the year? Here's a look at the book that has inspired me for decades: Under a Cruel Star, a memoir of surviving both Auschwitz and Stalinist terror. This amazing book suggests our way forward. If "the spontaneous solidarity of the decent" can shake off a totalitarian regime, think what it can do here in the U.S.

https://open.substack.com/pub/howtobeamerican/p/how-to-defeat-tyranny