To everyone who is afraid of what happens next, I share your fears. But what we do next is important. We have to learn…

To everyone who is afraid of what happens next, I share your fears. But what we do next is important. We have to learn from what happened. And then, make a plan. As we confront a second Trump presidency, here’s a path forward: 🧵

1. We have to fight every fight in Congress. We won’t always win, but we can slow or sometimes limit Trump’s destruction. With every fight, we can build political power to put more checks on his administration and build the foundation for future wins.

During the Trump years, Congress stepped up its oversight of his unprecedented corruption and abuses of power.

In the Senate, Democrats gave no quarter to radical Trump nominees; we asked tough questions and held the Senate floor for hours to slow down confirmation and expose Republican extremism.

These tactics doomed some nominations entirely, laid the groundwork for other cabinet officials to later resign in disgrace, and brought scrutiny that somewhat constrained Trump’s efforts.

Remember the GOP’s attempts to repeal the ACA? Dems did not have the votes to stop them. Nevertheless, patients kept up a relentless rotation of meetings in Congress, activists in wheelchairs performed civil disobedience, and lawmakers used every tactic possible. The GOP lost.

Democrats should also acknowledge that seeking a middle ground with a man who calls immigrants “animals” and says he will “protect” women “whether the women like it or not” is unlikely to land in a good place.

Uniting against Trump’s legislative agenda is good politics because it is good policy. Democratic opposition to Trump’s tax bill drove Trump’s approval ratings to what was then the lowest levels of his administration, helping spark one of the largest blue waves in recent history.

2. We must fight Trump in the courts. Yes, extremist courts, including a Supreme Court stocked with MAGA loyalists, are poised to rubber-stamp Trump’s lawlessness. But litigation can slow Trump down, give us time to prepare and help the vulnerable, and deliver some victories.

3. I understand my assignment in the Senate, and we must focus on what each of us can do. Whether it’s running for office, supporting a neighbor’s campaign, or getting involved in an organization taking action, we all have to continue to make investments in our democracy.

Our work must include states that are passed over as “too red.” The political position we’re in is not permanent, and we have the power to make change if we fight for it.

4. While still in charge of the Senate and the White House, we must work with urgency and do all we can to safeguard our democracy.

To resist Trump’s threats to abuse state power against what he calls “the enemy within,” Pentagon leaders should issue a directive now reiterating that the military’s oath is to the Constitution.

And Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer must use every minute of the end-of-year legislative session to confirm federal judges and key regulators—none of whom can be removed by the next President.

To those feeling despair: remember, every step toward progress in American history came after the darkness of defeat. Abolitionists, suffragettes, Dreamers, and marchers for civil rights and marriage equality all faced impossible odds, but they persisted. Now it is our turn.

Read my full op-ed on a path forward: time.com/collection/tim…