Exhausted But Not Backing Down

Exhausted by gun violence, war, corruption, and political theater? Here's how we stay angry, stay focused, and save democracy—one worn-out American at a time.

Guest article by Michael Cohen

Let’s call it what it is: a collective exhaustion. A political, emotional, spiritual burnout that no amount of sleep, self-care, or Substack posts can fix. I’m talking about the bone-deep fatigue that sets in when the headlines hit too close to home—literally. A mass shooting just seven blocks from where I live. More lives stolen, another candlelight vigil, another shrug from lawmakers too numb or too bought off to care. “Thoughts and prayers” is now less of a condolence and more of a punchline.

And if that weren’t enough, there’s the endless drumbeat of war. The horror unfolding in Israel and Gaza, where grief and rage feed each other in a vicious, never-ending loop. The devastation in Ukraine as Russia continues its slow-motion invasion, testing the world's patience and resolve. The refugee crises, the famine, the silence where there should be global outrage.

And somehow, amid all this chaos, our very own Congress decides to take a break. Not because the work is done. Not because we’ve solved inflation, health care, or housing, or any of the real problems facing Americans. No, they bail early because the Epstein saga—yes, that one—is back from the dead and breathing its toxic fumes into the halls of power. Rather than confront the rot, they flee it. Rather than legislate, they run.

You’d be forgiven for wanting to unplug. To check out. To say, “To hell with it all.” I’ve been there. God knows I’ve lived through the worst of it—and at times, been right at the center of the circus. I know how easy it is to let exhaustion slide into apathy.

But let me tell you this: that’s exactly what they want.

“They” being the political grifters who benefit when you stop paying attention. The conspiracy-peddlers who thrive when you give up on truth. The anti-democratic power-hoarders who salivate at the thought of you staying home on midterm Election Day. They’re counting on your fatigue. Banking on your hopelessness.

Because when we stop caring, they win. It’s that simple.

Now, I’m not here to give you a pep talk wrapped in empty slogans. I’m not going to tell you to “stay positive” like this is some self-help retreat in Sedona. I’m telling you to stay pissed. To stay awake. To stay engaged. To stay angry. Because your exhaustion is not a weakness; it’s a sign that you care. That you’re paying attention. That the noise hasn’t drowned out your humanity.

And despite how it feels, there is something we can do. We don’t have to fix the world overnight. But we do have to keep showing up—every single day.

The 2026 midterms are not just another ballot cycle. They’re a referendum on whether checks and balances mean anything anymore. Whether our three branches of government will operate independently or collapse into an authoritarian love triangle. Whether we still have a say in the direction of this country—or if that right gets auctioned off to the highest donor.

So yes, be tired. But don’t stop fighting.

Remain engaged like your democracy depends on it—because it does. Organize like the system can still work—because it must. Speak out, even if your voice shakes. Call out injustice, even when your friends roll their eyes. Keep asking hard questions. Keep demanding better.

And if you feel like your voice is too small to matter, remember this: revolutions don’t start with mobs. They start with individuals—ordinary people who refuse to stay silent. They start in coffee shops, in school board meetings, in street protests and quiet moments of resolve. They start with folks like you and me saying, “No. Not on my watch.”

I’ve seen the belly of the beast. I’ve worked for the man who is at the very center of this madness. I know what it’s like to lose faith in the system—and to fight like hell to get it back.

This isn’t about left or right. It’s about right and wrong. It’s about whether we let the chaos consume us or we use it as fuel to build something better.

So take care of yourself, yes. Step back when you need to. But don’t step out. Don’t let the darkness convince you that light is a myth. It’s not. It’s just buried beneath the noise—and we have to dig for it.

We’re tired, yes. But we’re not done.

And if we stay united, stay vigilant, and stay loud—they’ll be the ones who are exhausted.

Not us.

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SUBSCRIBE. SHARE. RESTACK. SHOW UP AND BE LOUD.

Yeah, I know—you’re tired. This shit is exhausting.

Guess what? Me too.

But I’ve spent the last 8 years throwing punches in the dark so truth could get a little daylight. And now I’m asking you to step into the ring with me.

Because if you’re still reading this, you already get it:
This isn’t just a newsletter. It’s a rally cry. A war drum. A line in the sand.

We are not passive observers of the downfall. We are the resistance. We call out the liars. We drag corruption by the collar into the sunlight. We say the quiet parts out loud—and we don’t flinch.

But here’s the truth: I can’t do this solo. Not anymore.

The storm is already here. We are standing in it. And it’s wearing stars and stripes like camouflage, preaching “freedom” while it sells fascism at retail.

So let me ask you:
Are. You. In?

Because this is not a scroll-and-forget read. This is a living, breathing, fire-breathing movement—and movements don’t move unless you do.

We need to be louder than spin, tougher than propaganda, and impossible to gaslight.
That takes more than clicks. More than likes.
It takes skin in the game.

So if you believe truth matters—if you're sick of the bullshit, if you’re ready to stop screaming into the algorithm and start pushing back with purpose, this is your next step.

HERE’S HOW YOU PUT YOUR FOOT ON THE GAS:

• Become a paid subscriber. Fund fearless, unfiltered journalism that hits back.

• Share this with the loudest people you know—the ones who never sit down and shut up.

• Build the community. Amplify the message. Be the damn megaphone.

And yeah—Founding Members? The first 240 of you will get a signed, numbered, limited-edition Substack version of Revenge. That’s not just a collector’s item. That’s receipts. Proof you didn’t sit this one out.

But let’s be clear:

This isn’t about a book.
It’s about backbone.
It’s about calling out the gaslighters and refusing to be played.
It’s about locking arms and saying, "Not. On. Our. Watch."

You want to make a difference?

Then make it—right now.

Because if we don’t fight for truth, no one will.
But if we fight together?

They can’t drown us out.

Let’s be so loud, they wish we were just angry tweets.
Let’s be unshakable.
Unignorable.
Un-fucking-breakable.

Let’s go!