Letter #4 to Denmark
In the spring of 2025, I wrote a series of letters to Danes, explaining what the US looks like from the inside. I wrote them in Danish originally, but here are the translations.
Letter #4 from the US
March 11
The Republican Party (Grand Old Party or GOP) consists of several different groups with slightly different but overlapping goals. Now that they have gained power here, with Trump as their figurehead, it might be interesting to dive a bit deeper into what drives them — and thus, the government. Keep in mind that this is just my personal interpretation, so feel free to seek other sources.
A lot of politics is driven from Congress, and everyone in Congress is constantly working toward getting re-elected. They start fundraising for the next election practically the day after they win. To stay in office, they do everything they can to keep their base happy — and right now, that means MAGA. Depending on where they are in the country, they are more or less driven by MAGA's desires. Even in districts that aren’t extremely conservative, a few words from Trump can determine their fate. So even in moderate areas, the MAGA agenda is supported to ensure re-election.
Most districts are heavily gerrymandered to the point where the GOP can hardly lose against a Democrat. Gerrymandering is the practice of drawing district boundaries in a way that maximizes the number of seats one party can win. It involves a lot of math, and there are plenty of websites (like Wikipedia) that can explain it better than I can. But as an example, a district might look like this: each little corner represents a street carefully calculated to favor Democrats or Republicans, and the boundaries are drawn accordingly to guarantee a specific result. It’s extremely effective.
This image isn’t from a state — each is one district within a state, designed by gerrymandering neighborhoods (you can read more about it here). Imagine a district in Denmark including two streets in Nørrebro, a bit of the city center, and then crossing down to Østerbro just to capture a few favorable neighborhoods. Some Democratic areas also gerrymander, but not to the same extremes, and they’d rather not — but they’re forced to play the game to survive.
Because of gerrymandering, an elected politician can say almost anything without facing serious consequences. This results in bizarre laws and proposals that any reasonable person would revolt against — but not MAGA.
Here are a couple of examples:
Replacing Psychologists with Chaplains: Proposals in states like Texas, Oklahoma, and Florida aim to replace psychologists and counselors with untrained chaplains in schools (Axios article).
Texas Bounty Law (Senate Bill 8, SB 8): Private citizens can receive a cash reward for reporting anyone who gets or helps someone obtain an abortion. That includes anyone who gives them a ride or lends them money for a bus ticket to a clinic. Any resident can sue, and if successful, they’re awarded $10,000 per lawsuit. (NPR article).
Another consequence is that GOP representatives are increasingly emerging from within the MAGA bubble. People like Marjorie Taylor Greene (who believes Democrats control the weather) and Lauren Boebert (an open racist and QAnon supporter) are elected without much opposition. This leads to a government that can’t really function because how can you govern when you seriously believe airplane contrails are chemical experiments? (CNN article). And take note of what Robert F. Kennedy Jr. tweeted about it:
“We are going to stop this crime,” Trump surrogate and former presidential candidate Robert F. Kennedy Jr. tweeted in response to a video promoting the myth.
Kennedy is a notorious anti-vaxxer and has now been appointed as Secretary of Health and Human Services. Unbelievable.
But there are other forces driving the GOP. Religious groups are heavily pushing for religion to be reintroduced into government policies, schools, and society at large. They are particularly motivated to eliminate any references to trans or LGBTQ identities, ban them, remove them from the military, and target parents whose children are on gender-affirming medication. One such group is ADF (Alliance Defending Freedom), which has been covered by outlets like The Guardian. They have ample funds to throw around, and in the U.S., money buys influence.
And then, of course, there’s Project 2025, which I’ve mentioned before.
All of this has seeped into the American right-wing over the past 10–15 years. Because of it, overcoming the barriers to impeach Trump or stop him is nearly impossible. Vance is waiting in the wings anyway. Don’t expect Trump to be impeached.
Thoughts on the Danish Boycott of US Goods and Services
The worst thing for Trump politically would be if his campaign promises were broken, or if his voters suddenly started feeling the consequences of his policies. It’s already starting. Many government workers are being laid off, including numerous Trump supporters. A lot of veterans are losing their jobs too, despite their near-hero status here. Ironically, veterans are often hired due to DEI (Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion) initiatives, and now they are the ones being fired. Republicans struggle to justify this, but some simply say that if veterans are getting fired, they probably deserved it. While hardcore MAGA supporters believe it, it’s shifting public opinion slightly, especially since veterans are involved.
Trump has also been vocal about the automobile industry during his campaign. Automakers have voiced complaints about the tariffs, and Trump had to make exceptions. A boycott targeting this sector might gain traction, especially if Europe joins Canada’s boycott of American alcohol, which has already made waves here. Images of empty shelves in Canada have gotten significant attention. Strengthening that with a European effort would be a good move.
Trump enjoys blaming Joe Biden for everything, and MAGA supporters believe him. It would take severe economic impacts for them to reconsider their stance.
Tesla is another obvious boycott target. Although most people don’t buy a car every day, owning a Tesla means promoting the brand by driving it around. Tesla continues making money from parts and services for years after purchase. I understand of course that switching cars is expensive, and that’s okay. We all do what we can. It wasn’t exactly predictable that Elon Musk would turn into what he is today. But if you can dump Tesla, do it.
A boycott without visibility is like the old saying:
“If a tree falls in a forest and no one is around to hear it, does it make a sound?”
What really makes an impact is media coverage. Pictures of empty shelves, visual proof of the boycott, and documentation that MAGA voters can’t ignore will resonate. Post images of American products on social media, share empty store shelves, and highlight what’s happening. If you see pictures from Canada, post comparable ones from Denmark. And if possible, coordinate within the group to boost the visibility of these posts. 70,000+ likes can move mountains.
Daniel Kahneman wrote in his excellent book "Thinking, Fast and Slow" about the concept of WYSIATI — “What You See Is All There Is.” People often make decisions based on what’s right in front of them rather than facts. We can use that to influence perceptions. Control the visuals, and you influence public opinion.
Stage creative protests, pressure stores to remove products, take pictures, and share them widely. Amplify each other’s posts.
And remember, stock prices don’t matter much. The market may crash soon due to tariffs, uncertainty, and the dismantling of our democracy. Stocks have been overvalued for years. What matters are quarterly reports (due in April) — that’s where the impact of the boycott will show. And if it takes until July’s reports for the pain to be reflected, stay strong. Keep the pressure up.
Brev #4 fra USA
11 march
Det republikanske parti (Grand Old Party eller GOP), er drevet af en del forskellige grupper med lidt forskellige, men overlappende, mål. Nu de har fået magten herovre, med Trump som bannerfører er det måske interessant at lige dykke lidt længere ned i hvad der driver dem, og dermed regeringen. Husk at jeg kan jo kun give jer min personlige fortolkning, så søg endeligt andre kilder.
Meget politik er drevet fra kongressen, og alle der sidder i kongressen arbejder konstant for at blive genvalgt. De rejser penge til næste valg stort set dagen efter de er valgt ind. For at blive genvalgt, gør de alt for at gøre deres base glade, og lige for tiden er det jo MAGA. Afhængigt af hvor i landet de sidder, er de derfor mere eller mindre drevet af MAGAs ønsker. Selv i kredse der ikke er super konservative kan et par ord fra Trump afgøre deres skæbne. Så selv der er det MAGA agendaen der bliver støttet så de kan vinde igen.
Langt de fleste kredse er kraftigt manipuleret til at GOP stort set ikke kan tabe imod en demokrat. Det har udviklet sig over årene via hvad de kalder gerrymandering, eller den praksis at tegne valgkredsene på et kort for at maximere hvor mange man kan vinde. Det er en del matematik der går ind i at udregne det, og der er mange websites (Wikipedia f.eks.) der kan forklare det bedre end jeg kan. Men som et eksempel, så kan en kreds se således ud. Hvert lille hjørne er en gade der er beregnet til at være demokrat eller republikansk, så er grænsen tegnet udenom eller indenfor afhængigt af det resultat man vil have. Det er uhyre effektivt. Billederne her er ikke af staten. Det er af ET district i staten tegnet omkring bydele (mere om det her).
Forestil jer et distrikt der inkluderer to veje på Nørrebro, lidt af centrum , og så lige krydser ned over østerbro for at få et par områder der med. Nogle demokratiske områder gør det osse, men ikke så ekstreme, og de vil helst ikke men man må jo kæmpe eller falde.
Takket være gerrymandering, kan en folkevalgt politiker sige næsten hvad som helst, uden alvorlige konsekvenser. Det manifesterer sig lokalt i nogle love (og lovforslag) som enhver normal person ville lave en folkerejsning imod. Men ikke MAGA.
Et par eksempler:
Forslag om at afskaffe eller erstatte en mangle på psykologer og vejledere med præster. Uden træning. (Texas, Oklahoma, Florida))
Texas Bounty Law (Senate Bill 8, SB 8): Private borgere kan modtage en kontant belønning for at rapportere alle der får, eller hjælper nogen, med en abort. Det inkluderer dig hvis du giver dem et lift, eller penge til en bus billet til klinikken. Hvis man sagsøger Og det kan ALLE i staten gøre) kan man vinde 10.000 USD. Og det er PER sagsøgning.
En anden konsekvens er at GOP repræsentanter er begyndt at komme indefra MAGA boblen. Folk som Marjory Taylor Green (Demokraterne kontrollerer vejret) eller Lauren Boebert (Jævnligt racistisk, fuldt ud med på Q conspiracy Theory vognen), bliver valgt uden meget modstand. Og så ender vi med en regering der ikke rigtigt kan operere, for man kan jo ikke regere hvis man seriøst tror at flyvemaskinernes kondensationsspor er experimentale gasser. Læg specielt mærke til, hvad Robert F. Kennedy Jr. tweeted om det:
“We are going to stop this crime,” Trump surrogate and former presidential candidate Robert F. Kennedy Jr. tweeted in response to a video promoting the myth in August.
Han er en stor anti-vaxxer og nu udnævnt som minister for sundhed og sociale anliggender. Jamen suk !!
Men der er andre kræfter der driver GOP. Der er religiøse grupper der driver dem til at genindføre religion i regerings politikken, skoler, og overalt. De er i høj grad motiveret af at fjerne alle trans og LGBTQ referencer, forbyde dem, smide dem ud af militæret, og gå efter deres forældre hvis børnene er på medicin. Sådan en gruppe er ADF, som bla The Guardian har skrevet om nogle gange. De har penge at smide rundt, og penge kan købe indflydelse herovre.
Og så project 2025 som jeg har nævnt før.
Alt dette er langsomt krøbet ind i højrefløjen herovre over de sidste 10-15 år, og pga af alt det skal man overkomme en ENORM barriere før republikanerne vil opgive Trump, stemme imod ham, eller bare tør sige noget. De kan hurtigt blive stemt ud. Men at få Trump Impeached, det skal I ikke regne med (Og Vance venter i kulissen)
Så hvis vi skal have USA i den anden retning, så er der meget at overkomme i kongressen. En boykot som GOP staterne kan føle er vigtig !
Lidt tanker om den danske boykot…
Det værste der kan ske for Trump politisk er hvis hans valgløfter brydes, eller hvis hans vælgere pludseligt begynder at mærke nogle konsekvenser af hans politik. Det er så småt begyndt, og der er mange fyringer i regeringen, heriblandt mange Trump vælgere. Der er også mange veteraner der er ved at blive fyret, og veteraner herovre har stort set helte-status. Men nu falder de for DEI reglerne, da mange er ansat netop fordi de er veteraner. Republikanerne har det lidt svært med at bortforklare det, men nogle har sagt at hvis de bliver fyret har de nok fortjent det. De dybe MAGA folk tror på det, men det rykker lidt meninger herovre når det går ud over veteranerne. Det var vist lige en tangent, sorry.
Trump har snakket meget om bilindustrien under valgkampen. De har klaget lidt over tarifferne, og han blev nødt til at lave nogle undtagelser. Kan de mærke en boykot, kan det måske flytte lidt. Canadas stærke boykot af amerikansk alkohol har fået en del omtale herovre. Specielt billeder af tomme hylder i Canada. Hvis det kan styrkes af Europa, er det nok et godt sted at starte. Han har også solid støtte blandt farmerne, og naturligvis i sydstaterne. Så produkter derfra kan også hjælpe lidt, selvom det virker som om at farmerne ikke har ret meget omtale herovre.
Trump er på den anden side god til stadig at bare sige det er Joe’s skyld, og MAGA tror på det. Det skal være ret slemt før de rigtigt rykker i MAGA verdenen.
Tesla er jo en ret klar boykot, men de fleste af os går jo igennem hver eneste dag uden at købe en bil. Det at EJE en Tesla, betyder at deres brand bliver fremhævet når du kører rundt. Du køber reservedele og får en service i ny og næ. Jeg forstår godt det er svært at skifte bil, og det er OK, men man holder ikke op med at betale Tesla efter den er betalt. De tjener penge i årevis på reparationer, og indirekte på brand. Så dump dem hvis I kan, og hvis det er for dyrt, så er det OK. Det var jo ikke lige til at forudsige at Elon blev til det han er i dag.
Men jeg tror en boykot er lidt ligesom man siger “If a tree falls down in a forest and there is nobody around to hear it does it make a sound?” Det der virkelig hjælper er mediedækning… Billeder af de tomme hylder, billeder der illustrerer boykotten, og billeder kan hjælpe MAGA til at forstå at det bliver dyrt. Post i forums hvordan amerikanske varer er mærket, vis os hvad der foregår i Europa, og skriv hvad konsekvensen er. Hvis I ser et billede fra Canada, post et fra Danmark (Hvis I har et). Her i gruppen kan man jo skrive hvor man har poster og måske I kan hjælpe hinanden med at like opslaget og få det opløftet på sociale medier. 70K likes kan flytte noget det hvis vi står sammen?
WYSIATI skrev Daniel Kahneman i hans fremragende bog “Thinking fast and slow”. det betyder “What you see is all there is”, og henviser til hvordan vi som mennesker træffer beslutninger ofte (fejlagtige beslutninger) baseret mere på ting der er foran vores næse i stedet for facts. Det kan man jo udnytte. Så vi skal prøve at sørge for at vi kan kontrollere lidt om hvad der bliver set, for det er hvad folk husker.
Lav lidt stunts, press forretninger for at fjerne varer. Tag, og del, billeder. Løft dem op via gruppen? Men ikke noget fake news.
Og husk at aktie-priserne ikke betyder ret meget. Vores stock market crasher nok snart, det er så småt begyndt, men ikke pga en boykot. Det er mere pga tarifferne, generel usikkerhed, og at vores demokrati er ved at blive revet ned. Nåja, og så var alting jo overvurderet i årevis.
Hold i stedet øje med kvartalsrapporterne (til April).. Der er der man kan se, på bundlinien, hvad boykotten har gjort. Og det kan godt være det først bliver i Juli’s rapporter at det rigtigt bider til, hold modet oppe.