The column below reflects the views of the author, and these opinions are neither endorsed nor supported by WisOpinion.com.

Trump and his acolytes, including Wisconsin GOP Representatives Derrick Van Orden and Tom Tiffany (running for governor), want Americans to feel detached from reality and powerless. That’s how they stay in power. However, billionaire-funded campaigns and saturation TV ads can’t change reality. Every trip to the gas station and grocery store hits Wisconsinites in their wallets. Farmers are being crushed economically by the loss of markets and high cost of fertilizer and diesel.

A wave of disgust and revulsion is building against the catastrophic consequences of the Trump-GOP Iran War and global trade war. Trump and the GOP want to distract, intimidate and confuse voters. However, reality pounds at the door. Now is not the time to despair, but to fight back. Trump, Van Orden and Tiffany can be defeated. Every person can make a difference on November 3, Election Day.

Van Orden and Tiffany have been cheerleaders for the Iran War, the global trade war and the so-called Big Beautiful Bill, with its tax cuts and dodges for the wealthy and cuts in food assistance and healthcare coverage for regular folks. Both are deeply reactionary and have terrible AFL-CIO ratings. Van Orden is at 8% for 2025 and 11% lifetime. Tiffany is worse, 0% for 2025 and 5% lifetime. And, Tiffany voted for Act 10 as a state legislator, all but ending collective bargaining for state and local public employees.

My good friend Bob Amsden, retired truck driver and labor union activist, reminded me that Tiffany strongly opposed helping 1 million workers, including 22,500 Wisconsinites, save their pensions. Tiffany voted against the American Rescue Plan (ARP) in 2021 and implored Wisconsin GOP Senator Ron Johnson to also vote no. The ARP was a big bill with many important provisions helping regular folks, including ensuring that workers and retirees get the retirement benefits that they had worked so hard for. Amsden and Wisconsin Democratic Senator Tammy Baldwin were central in saving those pensions.

I first connected with Amsden in 2016. He had helped lead a grassroots campaign with Baldwin’s support for saving pensions paid out from the Central States Pension Plan and other plans. Their effort culminated in a rally in Washington, D.C., with both featured as speakers. They put the issue on the political map, preventing cuts in 2016.

Baldwin, no limousine liberal, led the charge against GOP opposition while Amsden tirelessly pounded on doors to build support. I can tell you he never gave up and kept reminding me to do more on highlighting this important issue. One person at the grassroots level, Amsden, made a big difference. One person in the Senate, Baldwin, made a big difference. They never stopped pushing or gave up.

Now is not the time to think Trump and the GOP can’t be defeated on November 3, Election Day. They are on the losing end of an economy that has gone bad because of their mistakes and miscalculations. Every person can make a difference. Learn from Amsden and Baldwin. Organize and vote.

Kaplan wrote a guest column from Washington, D.C., for the Wisconsin State Journal from 1995 – 2009.