List 2 includes more than a dozen independent news sources and journalists whose reporting and analysis are essential to understanding what's happening today and what's at stake for the country.

List 3 names independent Substack commentators, whose views are usually accurate and thought-provokingly worthwhile.

Feel free to share these resources, or refer people to the Newground blog where a post will keep this material handy for reference.

Four items follow:

A. Organizing

* A National Day of Action is tomorrow - Saturday, April 5, 2025 - click here to find an event near you and let's all be marching together.

Indivisible and Hands Off have emerged as pivotal leaders in the effort to press those in power to fight for us.

They represent a progressive grassroots movement of millions of activists across every state, fueled by a partnership between a national staff and countless autonomous local Indivisible groups.

Jessica Craven (author of Chop Wood, Carry Water) wrote, "They're the reason there were 250 meetings at Senators' offices this week and a huge protest at the Treasury Department. They're leading people like me and laying the groundwork for the 3.5%. We need them."

[3.5% is the percent of population Jessica feels is needed to engage and defeat authoritarianism.]

Joining up with and ponying up to Indivisible are strategic things we can do right now. Please give if you can.
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Here is a non-exhaustive compilation of groups fighting for our future.

Many of these organizations have fought for our rights for decades, and are in the courts right now litigating the illegal executive orders.

Some have a single focus, others do not. They each have the highest ratings from Charity Navigator.

1. American Civil Liberties Union
With immigrant rights, trans justice, reproductive freedom, and more at risk, we're in courts and communities across the country to protect everyone's rights - and we need you with us.

2. Democracy Forward
The fight for democracy is the fight for people. Democracy Forward uses the law to build collective power and advance a bold, vibrant, democracy for all people.

3. Public Citizen
We are the people's advocate.
Corporations have their lobbyists. The people need advocates too. That's where we come in.

4. Center for Constitutional Rights
CCR is committed to the creative use of law as a positive force for social change. We do that by combining cutting-edge litigation, advocacy and strategic communications in work on a broad range of civil and human rights issues, listed below.

5. Common Cause
Common Cause puts its state and national policy expertise, massive network of grassroots supporters, and nonpartisan approach into action to strengthen our democracy against the challenges it faces today.

6. Southern Poverty Law Center
Apathy is not an option.
Stand up, take action, and fight for a future built on justice, equality and democracy. The SPLC was founded in 1971 to ensure that the promise of the civil rights movement became a reality for all.

7. Lawyers for Good Government
L4GG is a community of 125,000 lawyers, law students, and activists fighting to ensure equal rights, equal opportunities and equal justice under the law.

8. Lawyers Defending Democracy
We believe that as members of the legal community, we have a unique responsibility to defend the Constitution and the values on which our democracy depends.

9. Citizens for Responsibility and Ethics
At CREW, we use aggressive legal actions, in-depth investigations, and innovative policy and reform work to achieve the vision of an ethical, accountable, and open government.

10. National Immigration Law Center
Established in 1979, the National Immigration Law Center is one of the leading advocacy organizations in the U.S. dedicated to advancing and defending the rights and opportunities of low-income immigrants and their loved ones.

11. Americans for Immigrant Justice
Americans for Immigrant Justice (AI Justice) is an award-winning non-profit law firm that fights for justice for immigrants through a combination of direct representation, impact litigation, advocacy and outreach.

12. Human Rights Campaign
The Human Rights Campaign envisions a world where every member of the LGBTQ+ family has the freedom to live their truth without fear, and with equality under the law.

13. Glad Law
For 45 years, GLBTQ Legal Advocates & Defenders, GLAD Law, has pursued cutting-edge legal strategies to ensure people across the country can live and thrive on our own terms, regardless of gender identity, sexual orientation, or HIV status.

14. Transgender Law Center
The largest national trans-led organization working to set all people free. We champion the right of all transgender and gender-nonconforming people to make their own choices and live freely, safely and authentically.

15. Center for Reproductive Rights
The Center for Reproductive Rights uses the power of law to advance reproductive rights as fundamental human rights around the world.

16. Environmental Defense Fund
We are a global nonprofit organization tackling climate change - the greatest challenge of our time. Our bold, game-changing solutions put people at the center of all we do.

17. National Resources Defense Council
For more than 50 years, NRDC has been shaping critical environmental policies around the world, ensuring those policies are upheld and holding polluters accountable. We won 90 percent of resolved cases against the Trump administration the first time, and we're ready to fight in court again.

18. Earth Justice
For 50 years and through 14 presidential administrations, Earthjustice has fought for clean water, clear air, and a healthy environment for all. We're not stopping now.

19. Center for Biological Diversity
We're now fighting a growing number of national and worldwide threats to biodiversity, from the overarching global problems of unsustainable human population and climate change to intensifying domestic sources of species endangerment. We have an unparalleled record of legal successes - 83 percent of our lawsuits result in favorable outcomes.

Litigation Tracker: Just Security
If you are interested in tracking the litigation against this administration - including lawsuits filed by the organizations just listed - this is a source dedicated to doing just that.
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In light of the widespread tendency to read and despair ("doomscrolling"), a very real wish is that you've found a certain balance amid the tempest which, if you have, has likely involved being disciplined and mindful about media consumption.

With the caveat in mind that more is not necessarily more, we nevertheless need to be reliably informed.

Many of the independent sources below have taken significant risks to advocate for democracy and the rule of law in the US.

While by no means complete, the 9 that follow help keep us sane and informed. They also need financial support to thrive.

1. ProPublica - Independent, non-profit, investigative journalism in public interest.

2. Talking Points Memo - An independent news organization that publishes reporting and analysis about American politics, public policy and political culture. Founder Josh Marshall also has an excellent podcast with Katie Riga.

3. The Contrarian - Begun by Jen Rubin and Norm Eisen, who left the Washington Post to ensure factual coverage of today's news. They self-describe as "unflinching journalism in defense of democracy."

4. The Nation - Founded by abolitionists in 1865, The Nation believes independent journalism has the capacity to bring about a more democratic and equitable world.

5. The Guardian - Covering American and international news for an online, global audience.

6. Democracy Now! - Independent global news source devoted to promotion of democracy. Daily broadcast at 8 am (ET).

7. Democracy Docket - Founded by election lawyer Marc Elias (who successfully litigated the 2020 election cases), this platform covers election and voting-related litigation and policy in the courts. His newsletter synopsizes well what is happening and offers action tips.

8. Ground News - Compiles related articles worldwide and includes information to gauge the bias and factuality of a source.

9. Daily Kos - Stories/analysis to inform readers about hard-hitting issues that matter to progressives; tools to empower readers to take action.
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Some among the many great Substack writers/sites:

1. Heather Cox Richardson - Letters from an American - history and politics focus

2. Robert Hubbell - Today's Edition Newsletter - today's political news; Hubbell offers hope and perspective

3. Robert Reich - needs no introduction

4. Anand Girhiradas - The.Ink - politics, culture, and more

5. Qasim Rashid - Let's Address This - Qasim is a human rights lawyer who tirelessly advocates for the marginalized and is following closely the administration's immigration activities

6. Joyce Vance - Civil Discourse - Joyce formerly worked as a DOJ attorney. She offers optimistic and action-oriented pro-democracy news.

7. Jessica Craven - Chop Wood, Carry Water - positive with simple, effective political action recommendations

8. Thom Hartmann - The Hartmann Report - self-described as "A Daily Newsletter of Renaissance Thinking about Progressive Politics, Economics, Science, and the Political News Issues of Our Day".

9. The Bulwark - Sarah Longwell, Tim Miller, Bill Kristol, JVL, Sam Stein, and more.