"Knucklehead" and “Wimp” were the toss-up for titling today’s column.

A few Democrat politicians are almost heroic as they respond to the current sh*tshow in Washington: Corey Booker, Elizabeth Warren, Robert Reich, JB Pritzker, Melanie Stansbury, AOC, and even Adam Schiff and Jamie Raskin, and occasionally Amy Klobuchar.

Emphasize “almost,” because listen to these mush-mouthed half-measures: Gavin Newsom says Trump’s actions are “very concerning.” Referring to Hegseth, Tammy Duckworth can muster only, “beyond shameful and flat out wrong.”

Why can’t they bring themselves to say: “direct threat to your families’ lives”; “setting a match to the Constitution”; “happy to let you roast as the climate heats”; or, well, you get the idea.

Words, plans, actions.

We’ve covered “words” now, so let’s look at plans. Or rather, look for plans, as it’s not clear the Dems have any.

Every day I receive emails from Democratic organizations and candidates. They all say something like, “Trump’s latest outrage… Send money!” They DON’T say, “Here’s what we’ve done to fight tyranny” or “Here’s what we’re going to do.” Just “Send money.”

Wretched appeals! Why should I fund folks who to all appearances aren’t fighting and don’t seem to have a plan? Send money for what??

The daily Trump shenanigan is no longer an attention-grabber. We’re inured to them, as he wants us to be, and we won’t open emails with “Trump is a bad guy” in the subject line. Give us a positive, upbeat subject line, instead, Dems, then tell us how you’re going to fight dirty.

Republicans were open about Project 2025, a plan that might well have been hatched in a Bond villain’s head. (“Open” except for one Republican named Trump, who lied about it briefly before being called out.) I fervently hope a Democrat committee is crafting Project 2029, but if they are, why don’t we hear about it?

I’m looking for actions too, and seeing damned few of them. Why aren’t Austin police arresting the Republican State representatives who’ve falsely imprisoned Democrat Rep Nicole Collier?* Why haven’t Democrat mayors and governors decreed that you and I may resist a purported law enforcement official (read, ICE) who does not identify himself?

I for one want to know who’s fighting for justice and how they’re doing it. At least the governors of California and Maryland are ready to counter-gerrymander their states if the Texas lege moves ahead with its evil plan. Pritzker sheltered the Texas Democrat quorum fugitives. Who else is stepping up?

In my professor days, we’d teach MBA students the difference between a SNAFU, a sh*tshow, and a FUBAR. In the most extreme of these, the BAR stands for “beyond all repair.” We must believe America is not BAR, and make sure of it. Urge your Democrat pols to talk straight, make aggressive plans, and act like brave and true representatives of a democracy.

And really, that’s what we pay them for.

* Christopher Hooks got this wrong in Texas Monthly. House rules allow the Speaker to round up quorum-breakers when a session is starting. But forcing a police escort on Collier in anticipation of a possible flight is beyond the pale. The distinction between “escort” and “custody” is a split hair. I admit Austin police may not have the jurisdiction to do what I suggested, as it is State police the House Speaker sicced on Collier. This would leave Governor Abbott as the only authority who could spring her, and he’s not likely to.