The 5 Things We're Doing Before Inauguration Day
But first, we want to remind you not to panic. Our democracy does not end on January 20th.
We know there have been plenty of folks and accounts telling you what you should be doing before Inauguration Day to prepare for Trump’s presidency. We especially saw information like this flying around on social media immediately after the election. We’ve seen great information and recommendations, and we appreciate everyone who is out there taking the time and energy to help folks. However, if you’re like us, it all has felt a bit overwhelming.
First, we want to remind you that our democracy does not end on January 20th. Autocrats always face hurdles in their attempt to grab power, and Donald Trump is not going to be immune to these hurdles. In fact, he will face many. It’s important to take a breath and remember that the United States has a decentralized system of governance. We have states with governors and local legislatures who have their own specific powers, hundreds of federal judges with lifetime appointments, a constitution that through Supreme Court precedent has strongly protected first amendment rights including the freedom of the press and speech.
Yes, you could argue that each of these things is under attack by the incoming administration and the MAGA movement, and that is true. While they have had plenty of wins chipping away at our institutions and freedoms, the fact is there is so much still standing in Donald Trump’s way. The truth is our democracy offers an incredible amount of resilience in the face of authoritarianism.
We’re not reminding you of this to tell you we don’t have to fight for our democracy - we absolutely do. We’re reminding you of this to tell you not to panic.
5 Things We're Doing Before Inauguration Day
With all that said we are still taking steps to prepare and would encourage you to do the same. We are intentionally taking an approach that does not overwhelm us or have us trying to do too many things all at once. Sara and I purposely chose a small list of things to tackle before Inauguration Day.
With just under two weeks until Trump takes office, these are 5 things we have done that you also have time to do before January 20th.
1. Ensure you have access to birth control, Plan B & abortion medication.
The fact is we don’t know what will happen when it comes to reproductive health under this administration. It’s an area Trump does not seem to care much about this go around, but we know the Christian Nationalist and far-right extremists he has surrounded himself with and appointed absolutely do. In fact, it’s likely at the top of many of their agendas. Because we can’t be sure what will happen on this front, we both have purchased Plan B and abortion medication to have on hand just in case. Plan B can be purchased over the counter (or online, we both ordered ours from Amazon). You can find where to purchase abortion medication online at plancpills.org by entering the state you live in.
We’d also encourage you to true up your birth control options. We know this is something Republicans are attacking and there is just no guarantee they will not take steps to limit access. Obviously, you should talk with your healthcare providers, but it’s also important to note that as of 2024, birth control is available over the counter.
2. Check, and if necessary, update your passport and identifying documents.
We would encourage you to make sure federal IDs like passports and social security cards are up to date. This is especially true for folks in the LGBTQ+ community. We know trans rights are already hugely under attack and this administration has made it clear they will continue to come after them. We also don’t know what the future holds for same sex couples. If you need to change your gender marker on an identifying document or change your name if you’re recently married, do that as soon as possible.
In addition to this, we would encourage all Americans to ensure they have a passport, and their passport does not need renewed in the near future. This feels extra doomy to tell you to make sure you have a passport on hand, but wouldn’t you rather be safe than sorry? Donald Trump has repeatedly said he will go after political opponents. Obviously, no one reading this is likely at the top of his list. While we don’t think it’ll be necessary, if things really hit the fan in any type of way, isn’t it just a huge peace of mind to know you can legally enter another country for a little while if you need to?
3. Schedule regular doctor appointments as soon as possible & ensure immunizations are up to date.
If you’re paying attention to politics at all, you know Robert Kennedy Jr. and the Make America Healthy Again (MAHA) movement will have power in this administration. Unlike their tagline, they will likely have a significant negative impact on public health. They built their movement on undermining experts and science and will continue to do so. Among other things, they are largely anti-vaxxers and we can expect vaccines to be under attack. Be sure you’re up to date on your immunizations.
Apart from the attack on expertise and science, Republicans will likely do what they can to cut components of the Affordable Care Act, Medicaid, and Medicare. Make appointments with your doctors now even though it’s unlikely you’ll get in right away. The sooner you can have your yearly appointments scheduled, the less likely they will have time to impact your healthcare coverage for this year.
4. Review your finances and build up your emergency fund if possible.
If Trump goes through with all his tariff and mass deportation plans, we know the cost of most things will be going up. Now is a good time to review your finances. It’s a good idea to understand if there are areas where you can save a little more each month in the event groceries or gas eat up more of your budget than before. Obviously, everyone’s situation is different but now is also a good time to reevaluate how much you have in your emergency fund. If a pipe breaks or you need a new part for your car, those emergency situations will likely cost more than they did before. Having a little more in your emergency fund may be something to think about.
While we know it’s not possible for everyone, another thing you may want to consider is making a large purpose now versus later. We knew we had to purchase a new refrigerator sometime in 2025. We pulled the trigger once Trump was elected knowing if he went through with his tariffs the cost of appliances was likely to jump 19% according to Business Insider. Other large items that will likely be impacted are electronics, cars, and furniture according to U.S. News.
5. Join an organization of like-minded people and build community.
Lastly, we HIGHLY encourage you to join a local organization. Sara and I both knocked doors for Ohio Dems during the campaign. With the election over we knew we had to find new ways to stay involved and have both joined local organizations to do just that. I joined Crooked River Action which is a local Indivisible chapter. There are so many options out there so you can find something that you’re passionate about. Many of them are free to join and usually can be low on time commitment, if that is a concern.
Surrounding yourself with like-minded people and being aware of and part of a group of folks taking action will go such a long way for your moral over the next four years. These organizations need folks now more than ever. It’s going to take all of us to stand up and do our part in our communities to preserve democracy and make progress on issues we care about.
We’ve Got This
We hope these 5 action items (oh hey, silly Corporate America lingo) give you a good idea on what you can do before Trump officially takes office, without overwhelming you too much. As always, we’re here for you. This community is here for you. Let’s all take a deep breath and hold hands (or fingers… Ariana, please!?!?) as we walk into the next presidential term together.