I want to take a moment to thank all the former members who’ve rejoined over the last couple weeks. And thanks so much to those of you who’ve become members for the first time. Joining our community and supporting our team’s work is hugely important. It always has been. In many ways though it’s even more meaningful and important now. We get it. It’s been a really long five years of Trump. Trump was brutalizing for some, exhausting for many more. He made news both unwatchable but also unmissable. I long compared the experience of Trump as comparable to life with an abuser. It breeds hypervigilance. Or maybe it’s like news about a sick relative, the last thing you wanted to hear and the first thing you read.
Now that’s done. We don’t know for how long or whether it’s just an intermission. But right now we have a functioning, not-clearly-corrupt executive branch. We even have one that is expansive and reformist in its vision and scope of action. We may have an ex-President at war with the republic … but not a current one. And that, for now, makes all the difference.
And with all that, news consumption is down across the board – cable, newspapers, digital, everywhere. This is utterly unsurprising. This spring I had more than a few times when I thought, “Wow. This is better. I’m not sure I have anything to add. I’m going to go do my woodworking.” Or more prosaically, “Wow. I’m tired. I need a break.”
And yet our job is staying focused, remaining on the case, keeping up with the digging even if your attention and interest ebbs for a while. That’s why your continued memberships, your returning to the club or joining up for the first time. Absolutely essential. And really now more than ever. So thank you from all of us. Truly.
