SUNDAY MATH 63 vs 37

The Cowardice of Compliance: How “Going Along to Get Along” is Empowering Trump’s Dangerous Return

There’s a chilling silence sweeping across the country. It’s not the calm before the storm—it is the storm. That silence you hear? It’s the sound of decent people ducking, deflecting, and deferring. The ones who “don’t want to get into politics,” or the ones who “just want peace,” or worse, the ones muttering the ultimate cop-out: “I just go along to get along.”

Let’s be clear: this isn’t harmless apathy. This is cowardice dressed in khakis and church shoes. And it’s handing the megaphone, the microphone, and the megatons of influence back to Donald J. Trump—a twice-impeached, four-time indicted, ethically bankrupt former president who currently sits at a measly 37% approval rating. Yet somehow, he still holds a vice grip on his party and a terrifying chance at reclaiming power. Why? Because too many people are standing down instead of standing up.

We’ve seen this movie before, and it doesn’t end well. In fact, we’re watching the sequel in real time, and the villain has learned from the reviews. Trump 2.0 isn’t trying to hide the authoritarian playbook—he’s reading it out loud on national television. From promising mass deportations, to threatening political enemies with prosecution, to planning the dismantling of federal agencies that serve as checks and balances, Trump’s vision is not a return to greatness—it’s a fast-track to fascism.

So why are so many still shrugging their shoulders?

Because fear is a hell of a drug. Fear of being yelled at during Thanksgiving dinner. Fear of losing a job. Fear of losing friends. Fear of being called dramatic, divisive, or too political. And this fear, ironically, is what gives Trump power. Not his approval ratings. Not his base. Not his orange spray tan or MAGA hat collection. His power lies in the silence of the “reasonable majority.”

Let’s do the math. If 63% of Americans disapprove of him, then why is he still the dominant force in the GOP and a serious threat to democracy?

Because the 37% shows up. They shout. They organize. They vote. They dominate school board meetings and state legislatures and news cycles. And the rest of us? We wait for someone else to fix it. Spoiler alert: no one else is coming.

Here’s the truth: history does not reward the well-mannered. It remembers the bold. And in every democracy that’s teetered on the edge of autocracy, it wasn’t the monsters who tipped the balance—it was the moderates who stood by.

Now is the time for clarity and courage. Not just from elected officials, but from all of us.

• If your coworker starts parroting conspiracy theories in the breakroom, say something.
• If your school board is being hijacked by far-right ideologues pushing book bans and “anti-woke” nonsense, show up and push back.
• If your relative is spreading disinformation at Sunday brunch, don’t smile and nod to keep the peace.
• If your place of worship or civic group is silent on racism, homophobia, or creeping fascism, ask why—and don’t accept a deflection.

Refusing to capitulate doesn’t mean shouting or shaming. It means being present. It means correcting lies, modeling truth, and insisting that decency isn’t optional. It means confronting discomfort with resolve, not retreat.

Trump thrives on chaos, but more than that, he thrives on acquiescence. Every time a politician backs him to “keep the base,” every time a media outlet gives him free airtime for ratings, and every time a regular citizen stays quiet to “avoid drama,” it fuels the illusion that he’s stronger than he is.

But remember: he’s not strong. He’s brittle. That 37% doesn’t represent a national mandate—it’s a sign of erosion. Trump has lost the popular vote twice, driven away independent voters, and presided over one of the most corrupt administrations in modern history. The man was literally found liable for sexual abuse, fraud, and inciting an insurrection. What more do we need?

This isn’t just about Trump. It’s about what we become when we let fear dictate our actions. Do we want to be the nation that tiptoed toward tyranny because it didn’t want to upset Uncle Bob?

No. We must be louder than the lies. Braver than the bullies. And more committed to the common good than they are to chaos.

Let the 37% scream. Let them wear their red hats and wave their flags. Let them stew in their grievance and nostalgia. But let us meet them with facts, with hope, with organizing, with art, with protest, with the hard work of democracy. And most of all, with the refusal to ever again “go along to get along.”

Because when the history books are written, let it never say we sat on our hands while the republic burned.

Let it say we stood up—and saved it.

Julie Bolejack, MBA