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Cassandra was a cautionary character from Greek mythology: a Trojan princess whose curse was to accurately predict the future but never to be believed — her most notorious unheeded warning being to the leaders of Troy about the peril of the Trojan Horse. 

A flock of American Cassandras have, over the past decade, with increasing urgency, warned anyone within listening distance that Donald Trump is supremely dangerous and, given elbow room, would ram a stake through the heart of our democracy. 

As WhoWhatWhy readers, you are likely to have read some of those warnings. And in fact, in the case of several WhoWhatWhy commentators, myself included, the warnings have never been anything but urgent.

Socrates, a non-mythical Greek, is famous for being wise and courageous. We know him mainly from his protégé Plato’s dialogues, though there is also a biography by Xenophon. 

Socrates described himself (in Plato’s words) as a gadfly who needed to sting the horse of society to prod it into motion. 

He stung the government of Athens enough that he was sentenced to death for it. Although the formal charges included corrupting the youth and atheism, the bottom line was that Socrates was a troublemaker — a gadfly. In modern parlance, he spoke truth to power — and he did it with such logical eloquence and so persuasively that power was afraid that, unlike Cassandra, he might actually be believed and make a difference.

Ironically, now that it seems there is a Cassandra holding forth on every virtual street corner, the time for warning has passed. Or say, rather, that at this point, with the great hollow beast already inside the gates, warning is not enough. We are up to our hips in fascism and the tide is rising, not ebbing. 

Schematically, we have a Republican-controlled Congress whose marching orders are to provide cover for Trump, a Republican-controlled Supreme Court whose marching orders are also to provide cover for Trump, and a President Trump whose mission appears to be to provide cover for Vladimir Putin and Russia. As well as to grift in the billions, make the rich richer (if they’re “nice” to him), and fulfill his own unquenchable thirst for unbounded power and praise.

Gadflying 101

Given this state of affairs, what can we do as gadflies to sting the American horse into motion away from fascism and back to the chronically ailing but viable democracy we all knew and loved? 

First let’s give credit to the successful gadflies who have been stinging relentlessly for the past few months. These are a few from whom we might draw inspiration.

David Hogg, having been forced out of the DNC for criticizing the incompetent leadership of senior Democrats (no one likes criticism, especially incompetents), has focused a relentless stream of criticism on the fecklessness of Democrats like Chuck Schumer and Andrew Cuomo on X and other platforms. Time will tell whether such persistence may one day prod them to actions more aggressive than a “strongly worded letter.” 

California Gov. Gavin Newsom, while having not so far heeded my plea to seriously consider seceding from the union, has become the most outspoken Democratic governor, consistently calling out Trump’s authoritarianism and adopting a nonstop social media imitative mockery that has very effectively nettled the Putin wannabe. 

And Newsom has backed the rhetoric with numerous bold actions — including championing retaliatory redistricting via California’s successful Prop 50 ballot measure, using state resources and regulatory power to help fill the void left by Trump’s hollowing out of federal services and protections, and going to court to stop various Trumpian power flexes, most notably his attempts to deploy his military for domestic policing.

Then there is Michael Wolff, who has gone from political commentator to activist. He has boldly sued Melania Trump, becoming the first journalist to sue the first lady. He has said he intends to use the discovery tools, especially depositions, to uncover as much as possible of what the administration wants to hide. 

In addition, as perhaps the most knowledgeable person besides Ghislaine Maxwell on what Jeffrey Epstein was up to, his recent commentary has even been referenced in congressional hearings questioning Pam Bondi.  

Invincibility Was an Illusion

To revisit our Greek mythology, it has become increasingly clear that Trump has an Achilles heel in the form of the Epstein case. As congressional Republicans squirm, Trump’s frantic flailing to cover up the scandal have galvanized some of his most prominent podcaster fans to question the dear leader — or at least question his underlings, who of course are somehow taking all these evasive actions against the orders of General Machismo. 

Trump has been reduced to asking convicted sexual predator Maxwell to be the one to exonerate him and redeem his good name. But even the most slavishly devoted of the MAGA movement are finding it hard to accept Maxwell’s statements as the final word. Especially following her transfer to a comfy “Club Fed” to which she was technically not allowed to be transferred. 

Not used to questioning their savior’s whims and assertions, some MAGAs at least are finding themselves in the new position of wondering whether there just might be some damning there there. 

The right wing has long known how to gadfly. And to do it in swarms. The conservative echo chamber’s consistent and relentless criticism on issue after issue accomplished its goal of making left and center media outlets afraid of their own shadow. It has been a sustained tour de force, a battering ram molded from “alternative facts,” shameless exaggeration, shouting voices, and perfect unanimity.

Aside from Epstein, Trump is now vulnerable on the economy, on domestic militarization, on corruption and self-aggrandizement. Swarms are forming all around him — left, right, and center.

But now the far-right O’Keefe Media Group has gone after the DOJ on the Epstein issue, outing a DOJ plan to redact all Republicans referenced in the Epstein documents so the revelations would damage only Democrats. 

So, in our own efforts to be effective gadflies, how about taking our cue from the successful tactics of our peers? 

One such tactic is to strike where the target is vulnerable. If Trump is most vulnerable on the 

Epstein issue, then the call to release unredacted files must become loud and unrelenting. If MAGA influencers, podcasters, and provocateurs like O’Keefe join in, so much the better. 

Aside from Epstein, Trump is now vulnerable on the economy, on domestic militarization, on corruption and self-aggrandizement. Swarms are forming all around him — left, right, and center.

A New Energy

It would help, as well, to follow Hogg’s example in calling out the failures of the Democratic old guard and demanding their replacement with more youthful energy. 

The Republicans were able to take advantage of Joe Biden’s age for the four years of his presidency. We now have a similarly aged, far more erratic, and visibly/audibly declining president musing about serving a third term. What better contrast with a fumbling, failing fascist than youthful, energetic, new leaders pledging to restore democracy and at least some semblance of economic fairness? 

For those like myself who are no longer youthful, that doesn’t stop us from advocating policies that will bring youth and vigor to the party. Bernie Sanders is one of our oldest politicians, but witness his popularity with a younger demographic. Sanders is living proof that ideas, outlook, vigor, and courage matter more than chronological age in a leader doing battle with the dark forces of the Trumpocene.

Socrates was particularly vexing to his government because the youth were listening to him. And while Democratic leaders like Cuomo and Schumer try to ruin and replace any Democratic rival actually popular with the youth (see, for example, the mayoral race in New York City), Democratic voters and the opponents of fascism seem to be listening to rising leaders like Zohran Mamdani, who has breathed new life into economic justice issues like Medicare for all, student debt relief, affordable housing, and a living wage.

In Trump’s America, a veneer of prosperity masks deep income and wealth inequalities and a fulminating political corruption. In such a gilded age, garishly symbolized by Trump’s literal gilding of workplace and ballroom alike, these are all core, and winning, issues. 

When all Trump and his wholly owned party do is take from everyone else to give to the rich — when they are brazen about it — the political battlefield is wide open for Democrats like Sanders and Mamdani to play Robin Hood to Trump and MAGA’s evil Prince John and Sheriff of Nottingham, to offer restitution and respect to the vast majority of Americans the Republicans have robbed.

We Know What We’re Up Against

Of course, being a gadfly is risky. They tend to get swatted. 

Hogg was kicked out of the DNC by questionable means. Numerous advocates for Gaza and Palestinian rights have found their immigration status questioned or have been subject to removal. Whistleblowers at FEMA have been placed on administrative leave for reporting to Congress. And we know what happened to Socrates.  

I expect many of those who oppose Trump to suffer greatly, some at least to lose their lives. I don’t think that, when push comes inevitably to shove, he will show more compassion and restraint to the resistance than he has shown the alleged drug dealers (or fishermen or victims of human trafficking) in the Caribbean. 

While I devoutly hope otherwise, I expect many of those who oppose Trump to suffer greatly, some at least to lose their lives. I don’t think that, when push comes inevitably to shove, he will show more compassion and restraint to the resistance than he has shown the alleged drug dealers (or fishermen or victims of human trafficking) in the Caribbean. 

Nathan Hale notwithstanding, I doubt many of us wish to be among them or are enthusiastic about going first.

But the alternative is waiting for more and more of our rights to be removed, such that our powers of resistance are still further weakened and our avenues for defiance closed. We cannot afford to merely warn: We must come together and act. 

Collectively, we ignored our Cassandras. Donald Trump became, as the Cassandras predicted, tremendously unpopular and dangerously despotic. We now can have no doubt about just who he is. We have a very good idea of what he is capable of doing. Now it falls to us to be wise warriors and find our own superpowers. Socrates, meet Spider-Man.

Doug Ecks is a lawyer and writer. He holds a JD from the University of California, Hastings and a BA in philosophy from California State University, Long Beach, Phi Beta Kappa. He also writes and performs comedy as Doug X.