DULUTH— Nearly 900 people jammed into the Duluth East Auditorium here last Saturday to air their concerns about the ongoing threats to democracy, the economy, and the environment posed by the Trump administration and the refusal of Eighth District Congressman Pete Stauber to stand up against the abuses.
The astonishing standing-room-only turnout came despite an ice storm warning that was in effect in the Duluth area at the time. Rep. Stauber was invited to attend but was a no-show at the event.
A new organization, Practicing Democracy, sponsored the event, billed as a People’s Town Hall, using funds left over from the congressional campaign of Duluth DFLer and UMD economist Jen Schultz.
Speaking to the Saturday crowd, Schultz said the U.S. was in a constitutional crisis as a result of a president who is seeking to impose autocracy. “I think we’ve been under the illusion that this could never happen in our America,” she said. “It can happen here. It is happening here, but we cannot be afraid and we cannot succumb to the threats.”
Schultz ticked off a list of the things that the administration has done since Jan. 20 to seize unprecedented power and neutralize the other branches of government. “When you try to get rid of due process, when you deport legal residents with no evidence or trial, when you expel reputable news organizations from the White House, when you control the media, when you attack and threaten universities, threaten law firms, withhold funds from our states, put our national security at risk the lives of our military personnel, and threaten people, then we’ve almost made it to the bottom step of autocracy,” she said.
Schultz said people are hungry for leadership to address the threats posed by the Trump administration and said it will be up to average people to make the case and mobilize to defeat Trump’s efforts.
Joining Schultz were several other local elected officials, including Duluth School Board members Rosie Loeffler-Kemp and Sarah Mikesell, Duluth City Council member Mike Mayou, St. Louis County Commissioner Anne Harala, and State Rep. Pete Johnson.
Each brought their own story of how the actions of the Trump administration, such as reductions in federal funding and tariffs, are impacting the communities they serve.
The town hall also offered time for those in attendance to sound off. Veterans, folks caring for disabled veterans, educators, and students shared their concerns about proposed Republican cuts to the Veterans Administration, Medicaid, Social Security, and food assistance for children and vulnerable adults. Others expressed anger over the elimination of the Department of Education and the loss of federal grants for the University of Minnesota. Many spoke about the loss of the Duluth EPA lab, noting the important oversight work of the lab on monitoring water quality in Lake Superior, and the hundreds of jobs that will be eliminated.  Others spoke about how tariffs will be detrimental to the Duluth port, leading to the loss of good jobs and inflation. A woman who emigrated to the U.S. at age 12 and is now a legal resident, shared that she arrived in America after the Tiananmen Square crisis seeking refuge in what was at the time a great democracy. Holding back tears, she shared her deep grief and fear over the loss of America’s freedom under a brutal and autocratic administration. An indigenous mother shared her concerns for her community, young people, and the erasing of history. A woman noted that the SAVE Act, which threatens voter accessibility and our fundamental right to vote, is moving forward, with support from Trump and Rep. Stauber.
Two young women shared their concern over the attacks on the LGBTQ community from the Trump administration and on social media. They fear for the safety of their relatives and friends. 
Event organizers encouraged the attendees to get engaged, by joining or starting groups to bring people together, attend rallies, contact elected officials, write opinion letters for local papers and post factual information on social media. They were encouraged to maintain civility throughout their efforts.
Practicing Democracy will be hosting similar events throughout the Eighth District and specifically mentioned Ely as a likely location. It will also be hosting training sessions to help volunteers engage. Reach out to Practicing-Democracy.org or PracticingDemocracyPAC@gmail.com to request a town hall in your community and to sign up to volunteer. The town halls are nonpartisan and open to all, regardless of political affiliation.