Organizations that are understood to be essential to the wellbeing or protection of specific communities are more likely to be supported by those communities and their allies when they are targeted.

The work will only burnish an org's reputation when its impact is communicated to the public.

Key comms recommendation -- have a clear strategy in place when responding to such attacks.

One message should be about the organization's work & how it positively affects people’s lives. Better than trying to build a reputation when under assault, every NGO should practice this regularly.

Because civil society is stronger when working together, @protectdemocracy.org published a 1-pager on how NGOs can respond to threats from executive actions aiming to silence critics and sideline organizations that might check the administration’s power.

protectdemocracy.org/wp-content/u...

“All through that chain, people will be trying not to be the ones who can take up the cost but ultimately, the cost of the tariff has to be paid. And some of it will fall on the end consumer.”

“It will be someone in that chain that I mentioned, between the manufacturer, the exporter, the importer, the retailer, ultimately somebody putting it into a good of some kind or just the consumer buying it...

ICYMI -- Fed Chair Powell yesterday, saying the quiet part out loud:

“Everyone that I know is forecasting a meaningful increase in inflation in coming months from tariffs because someone has to pay for the tariffs...

This is leadership now.
It’s ugly. Because these are ugly times.

Real leaders put themselves between bad actors and their victims.

Not across the world, in our communities.

Thanks, Brad Lander, for showing real leadership outside an immigration court yesterday.

www.nytimes.com/2025/06/17/n...

So much worthy of protest, but only so much cardboard...

The scientific method -- gaining knowledge through observation, experimentation, and analysis – is the real gold standard.

It suggests we cannot trust the administration to protect science from their disinformation regime.

That letter again: www.standupforscience.net/open-letter-...

Their "Make America Healthy Again” report cited research that doesn't exist – even after being re-edited to fix those mistakes.

The Justice Department sent respected medical journals letters threatening their tax-exempt status. These aren’t radical journos, they peer review scientists’ research.

More: they ended many #NationalScienceFoundation’s research grants.

Fired scientists focused on children’s health at #EPA.

Fired staff at #NOAA, putting us at risk from dangerous weather.

Dismissed staff at #NationalWeatherService, even as internal docs say that will affect forecasting.

Can we trust the administration's “gold standard” for science?

The record: FEMA’s acting chief David Richardson said he was unaware there's a hurricane season.

@theatlantic.com says FEMA is in disarray. Richardson was hired after last director refused to terminate the disaster-mitigating agency.

A Trump EO authorizes political appointees to "correct" scientific research, control its communication & “discipline" violators of their agenda.

7000+ scientists & @standupforscience.bsky.social “condemn Trump’s escalated assault on science in America.”

www.standupforscience.net/open-letter-...

Bummer. Love that guy — his grit, his fight, his passion.