Demonstrators protest outside the James T. Foley Courthouse in Albany on Jan. 8, 2025.

I’m not a national leader, a pundit with a platform or a mega-millionaire. I’m just another startled witness to our government’s sudden lurch into kleptocracy who is struggling to answer a nagging question: What should I do?

These are my evolving answers.

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1. Pay less attention.

I’ve always believed the fundamental responsibility of a citizen was to stay informed about current affairs, so I devoured the news to polish my opinions. But I’ve come to think that diving into the details of the latest political abomination is a waste of time and energy. I don’t need to scan one more news feed to know that our country is now controlled by the corrupt and the power-hungry. Besides, continuously consuming bleak news makes me depressed and hopeless, which helps no one.

2. Stop........

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