2 days Ago By Juliana Stratton
It’s been a month since Donald Trump took office for the second time, and the damage he has already managed to do is staggering. While his first term was defined by the trademark incompetence and chaos we’ve grown accustomed to seeing from Trump’s orbit, this time around, his team is taking a more insidious approach. Across the country, we’re seeing confusion as Trump’s team floods the zone with a barrage of executive actions, each one more egregious than that last.
While some may credit efficiency and organization, I see a brazen attempt to overwhelm and desensitize the American people as his administration lays the groundwork to give Trump unchecked power. They’ve already begun — sidestepping laws passed by Congress and undermining the power of the courts. His own vice president recently doubled down on his extreme views that Trump should defy the courts if they stand in his way.
It’s antithetical to the ideas our country was founded on — and it’s clear they’re setting the foundation for Trump to ignore the Constitution outright. This isn’t normal, and it’s not the time for us to pick and choose our battles. This is the time for Democrats to stand up and fight back.
We cannot cede ground. We cannot choose inaction. We cannot play on their terms when they’ve thrown out the entire rulebook.
Here in Illinois, we’re bringing the fight to Trump. Right now, we’re leading 22 states in a lawsuit to hold the Trump administration accountable for undermining the rule of law. Courts across the country have already delivered him sweeping losses , and we will continue working around the clock to make sure his illegal actions do not go unchallenged.
We will not stand by as he tries to take advantage of the system, and when he tries to ignore the courts, Illinois will be leading the charge to hold him accountable. As important as it is to call out what they’re doing, it’s even more important to recognize what they’re not. While Trump uses the most powerful office in the world to enrich and empower himself and those around him, he’s ignoring his obligation to working families.
Instead of driving down costs, making our communities safer or expanding access to health care, the Trump White House has chosen to pick fights with our closest allies, kneecap the agencies that working families depend on, disrespect public servants and let the richest man on the planet play puppeteer to the federal government. The American people want government to make their lives better, not harder. They want leaders who look out for their best interests and work day and night to deliver solutions.
That’s exactly how we’re leading here in Illinois. From day one, the administration that Gov. JB Pritzker and I direct has pushed past barriers to deliver on our promises.
We’ve balanced the state budget and broken through the bill backlog to pass legislation enshrining reproductive freedom into law , making our communities safer from gun violence, investing in the green energy economy and creating new jobs . We’ve even done what some in our own party thought was too difficult and raised the minimum wage to make sure that Illinois workers are treated with dignity and paid fairly for their hard work. We’ve done what we were elected to do: to make a difference, drive change and lead.
What others promised, we delivered. Where others shied away, we pressed forward. This is the kind of leadership that resonates not just with Illinoisans but also with working people across the country.
Leadership that doesn’t back down from a challenge. Leadership that fights fiercely for what’s right. This is what the moment requires of us.
The consequences of November’s election are bearing out hour by hour, and now more than ever, we need our leaders to rise to the occasion. So while Trump and his allies continue to sow chaos for their own gain, here in Illinois, we’ll continue to hold the front line and protect the progress we’ve made and the values we hold dear. We won’t sit idle.
We’ll continue to push forward with action and bring the fight the American people are counting on us to deliver. Juliana Stratton is the lieutenant governor of Illinois. Submit a letter, of no more than 400 words, to the editor here or email letters@chicagotribune.
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