Not Too Long Didn't Read

The headline of the day reads something like, “President Trump will require Americans to present a US Passport at elections.”

Okay, that is just the latest in a long line of reactionary headlines. Some folks are repelled, and others are cheering it on, depending your personal position regarding civil liberties and supporting the institutions that are the foundation of our American Democracy. Some say the end of the world is coming, and others can’t wait for that, believing they will be fine and whatever happens must be better than what we have now.

Wow. So that stuff makes people really nervous. It stirs up feelings of dread and a very natural tendency — no matter what your perspective — to imagine that we live in a time full of existential threat to our lives and our way of life. 

I take the concern seriously.

Many people like short answers, but I don’t have any to offer you here at NTLDR. To answer question like: “What are we going to do about the things that make us feel uncertainty and dread?”, I must share what informs my thinking, so I will attempt to do that.

When concerned, I may also react temporarily, but I eventually look beyond the headlines. I do not trust headlines. I do not trust media summaries. I will watch speeches, read essays and books, and review interviews with authors and public figures more familiar with these issues than I am to seek a deeper understanding. I have observed you doing the same. Becoming better informed should give you more confidence, not less. 

When I do that deep dive, I look past the moment and focus on what is more likely to happen. This isn’t just my opinion; other intelligent people see it too. Grasping the big picture takes more effort, but without it, I would be pretty much freaking out. Which is exactly what the authoritarian wannabes want me to do.

There is too much information to commit to memory in an easily presentable format. I certainly do not always write up my personal research and create a bibliography. However, following up on this morning, I refreshed my memory on the types of sources where I obtained my knowledge. I found information supporting both the reason to be concerned and the reason not to rush to action until we know the direction things are heading. In the meantime, there is much we can be doing.

Keep in mind that inflammatory news like this passport issue, is intended to cause a reaction that prevents more reasoned behavior. The natural reaction of most humans is toward community, not anarchy. Fear is the ally of wannabe dictators, not the People. 

If you want more personal control, I recommend directing some of that beautiful physical energy of yours to join grassroots efforts. You have spoken about doing this before. These efforts will take action not only to get out the vote but also to influence policy decisions and actually help people, which is right up your alley. Doing something will allow you to act to save the world as we know it rather than feel trapped in dread. 

Reading Richard Hassan’s books, “The Voting Wars,” and “Plutocrats United,” might help provide perspective on elections. Reading *Tyranny of the Minority* by Steven Levitsky and Daniel Ziblatt will help in understanding the authoritarian backlash related to much of this cultural and political change going back decades. Reading “A Paradise Built in Hell: The Extraordinary Communities That Arise in Disaster” by Rebecca Solnit is something I just found today, but it looks to be very interesting.

Existing organized groups are acting, not just talking. They are doing the front line work to resist efforts to undermine American Democracy. I already participate in some of them by donating, participating in discussion forums, and writing, since those activities tap into my skillsets. 

I wonder if for you it might take a more physical form, but maybe getting active will put wind in your sails so you can also find ways to be hopeful. Some of the groups listed below will also have local chapters you can interact with. 

I will search my memory and compile a grab bag of resources in a bibliography below, and I recommend you review all of it. You should be able to find the books through a public library, and the other stuff is all on line. 

Resistance is not futile. 

The more challenging question—What will we do if things fall apart?—can only be answered with: “We will do what we must, and we will know better what to do if we keep watch and see what actually happens, not just what might happen.” It’s better to resist and prevent a collapse than to passively wait for it to happen.

I live in New Mexico. One of the strengths of New Mexican culture is the long history of people coming together to overcome adversity. The diversity of culture here makes this state a prototype for our country’s future, not an outlier. And, the inclination to act, rather than lie down like sheep, is strong here. 

Even so, practical preparation should focus on navigating the potential for societal unrest. Communicate with family to establish an emergency plan, starting locally and perhaps including out-of-state family for a long-term plan. In our immediate household, I shared with my wife that to feel more secure, we can continue to focus on water, food, power, medicine, and personal defense. 

Solar power should work indefinitely during the day, unless it is vandalized. If that is a possibility, we could look into physical security for that equipment, or even *ugh* pay to have it moved to the interior of the structure. We could put a battery backup on just the refrigerator and freezer sufficient to last through the night. That would help with even ordinary power outages which are rare, but do happen.

I invested in the better dehydrator to gradually stockpile more dried foods. Dried foods are not only a practical means of preservation but also last longer even if the power goes out. We have largely avoided canned foods because of the salt and other preservatives, but we could identify some acceptable brands and establish a can rotation system.

Currently, the water tank we have at home is not a potable water system. We use it for gardening. It could be filtered, which emphasizes a specific point we could upgrade. 

Following that, I would support upgrading personal defense which means stronger doors, locks, and possibly barring windows if we want to go that far. I support all those things in theory. 

I will also reach out to my siblings to open this topic for consideration. Because if watching the tv show, The Walking Dead, did not solidify my awareness that “It is not what you have, but who you are with that matter most,” then I just was not paying attention. 

That is all very reasonable. 

—–

Strategic Resilience: A Balanced Perspective on Political Uncertainty

1. Validating the Fear: The “Why” of the Anxiety

It is important to acknowledge that what you are feeling is not “overreacting.” Psychology experts refer to this as Anticipatory Stress. Recent studies from early 2026 indicate that extreme political polarization is increasingly felt as an existential threat because it targets our fundamental sense of belonging and safety.

The Passport Proposal: Proposals like the push for passport-only voting are designed to be provocative. They signal an intent to change the fundamental “rules of the game,” which naturally triggers a biological fight-or-flight response.

The “Minority” Paradox: Even when a movement is in the minority, the loud use of executive power can make it feel ubiquitous. Feeling as though the “walls are closing in” is a natural response to rapid, top-down policy shifts.

2. The Case for Not Being Reactionary: The “Bunker Fallacy”

Sociologists often discuss the Bunker Fallacy—the idea that physical isolation is the best protection against systemic instability. Here is why the “woods” can be a reactionary trap rather than a solution:

The “Prison” Effect: Experts in resilience argue that a bunker is essentially a self-imposed prison. It trades your current quality of life, community connections, and financial security for a “maybe” scenario that may never occur.

Interdependence is Safety: History shows that during times of true instability, those who thrive are not the isolated, but those deeply embedded in communities. New Mexico has a strong tradition of local self-reliance and “mutual aid” that offers far more protection than a concrete room in the forest.

Institutional Friction: Our system of government is “thick.” Between a federal proposal and its actual implementation lies a massive web of state laws, federal judges, and local officials. As of February 2026, many “nationalizing” attempts have already been blocked or delayed by federal courts, proving the system’s “brakes” are still functional.

3. A Better Strategy: “Prepping” for Life, Not Death

If you feel the need to take action to feel safe, consider redirecting that energy from isolation to insulation.

1. The False Security of Isolation

Summary: This research explores how “prepping” often serves as a coping mechanism for anxiety rather than a practical survival strategy. It argues that the “Bunker Fallacy” relies on the mistaken belief that an individual can outlast a systemic collapse in a vacuum. In reality, isolated individuals lack the diverse skill sets and psychological support found in groups, making them more vulnerable to long-term threats.

2. The Infrastructure of Community Resilience

Summary: This text contrasts “hard” defenses (bunkers and walls) with “soft” defenses (community networks and shared resources). It posits that bunkers create a “fortress mentality” that actually increases fear and decreases a person’s ability to negotiate or navigate a changing political landscape. The author argues that resilience is found in “horizontal” connections between neighbors.

3. Historical Failures of Underground Defense

Summary: Analyzing Cold War-era fallout shelters, this historical overview demonstrates that bunkers were more effective as political symbols of “readiness” than as actual life-saving tools. The “fallacy” identified here is the assumption that one can eventually “emerge” into a world that hasn’t been fundamentally altered by the same isolation that the bunker-dweller sought.

4. The Socio-Political Cost of Withdrawal

Summary: This source discusses the “Exit vs. Voice” theory. When citizens “exit” society to hide in bunkers, they lose their “voice” to influence the very political outcomes they fear. By withdrawing, the individual inadvertently strengthens the minority rule they were trying to escape, as there is less resistance left in the public sphere.

5. Urban Survival vs. Wilderness Isolation

Summary: This compares survival outcomes in various crisis scenarios, finding that those in urban or semi-rural clusters with shared water and power utilities far outperform those in isolated wilderness locations. It identifies the “Bunker Fallacy” as a failure to account for the “entropy of isolation”—the fact that tools, health, and morale break down much faster when one is cut off from the supply chains of a functioning society.



Resources

 “A Paradise Built in Hell by Rebecca Solnit: 9780143118077 | PenguinRandomHouse.Com: Books.” PenguinRandomhouse.Com, n.d. Accessed February 28, 2026. https://www.penguinrandomhouse.com/books/301070/a-paradise-built-in-hell-by-rebecca-solnit/. (In Calibre)

“About | New Mexico Care Collective.” Accessed February 28, 2026. https://newmexicocarecollective.org/l.

American Civil Liberties Union. “ACLU – Home.” Accessed February 28, 2026. https://www.aclu.org/.

AP News. “How the House’s Requirement to Prove US Citizenship Could Affect the Ability to Register to Vote.” April 10, 2025. https://apnews.com/article/congress-save-act-citizenship-republicans-women-0c0ba9fd8e6a01cf144736490c71df21.

AP News. “What to Watch as the Midterms Begin with Tuesday’s Primaries.” February 27, 2026. https://apnews.com/article/texas-north-carolina-primaries-trump-midterm-elections-ea6f055017f9faf7a9a053c7bf1e90db.

“Brennan Center for Justice – Home.” August 3, 2025. https://www.brennancenter.org/.

Bunker: Building for the End Times | Bradley Garrett. December 18, 2017. https://www.bradleygarrett.com/bunker/.  (In Calibre)

“CDT – Elections & Democracy Archives.” Center for Democracy and Technology, February 19, 2026. https://cdt.org/area-of-focus/elections-democracy/.

Center for Democracy and Technology. “CDT – Home.” February 27, 2026. https://cdt.org/.

Common Cause. “Common Cause – Home.” February 9, 2026. https://www.commoncause.org/.

Lawfare. “Lawfare – Democracy & Elections.” Accessed February 28, 2026. https://www.lawfaremedia.org/topics/democracy-elections.

Dokumen.Pub. “The Age of Dystopia: One Genre, Our Fears and Our Future 1443886947, 9781443886949.” Accessed February 28, 2026. https://dokumen.pub/the-age-of-dystopia-one-genre-our-fears-and-our-future-1443886947-9781443886949.html.

Electronic Frontier Foundation. “Electronic Frontier Foundation.” Accessed February 28, 2026. https://www.eff.org/.

Hasen, R.L. “The Voting Wars: From Florida 2000 to the Next Election Meltdown.” The Voting Wars: From Florida 2000 to the Next Election Meltdown, January 1, 2012, 1–239. (In Calibre)

Hasen, Richard L. The Voting Wars: From Florida 2000 to the Next Election Meltdown. Yale University Press, 2013. (In Calibre)

https://Www.Apa.Org. “Stress in America 2024: A Nation in Political Turmoil.” Accessed February 28, 2026. https://www.apa.org/pubs/reports/stress-in-america/2024.

N, P, and R. “In ‘The Survivalists,’ Doomsday Prepping Becomes a Way to Regain Control.” NPR’s Book of the Day. NPR, April 6, 2023. https://www.npr.org/2023/03/29/1166911751/in-the-survivalists-doomsday-prepping-becomes-a-way-to-regain-control.

NASS. “NASS Resolution on State, Local and Federal Responsibilities for Election Reform.” Accessed February 28, 2026. https://www.nass.org/node/2695.

NASS. “National Association of Secretaries of State.” February 4, 2026. https://www.nass.org/node.

“Plutocrats United.” Yale University Press, n.d. Accessed February 28, 2026. https://yalebooks.yale.edu/book/9780300223545/plutocrats-united/. (In Calibre)

PoliticsGirl, dir. 20 Lessons on Tyranny: By Timothy Snyder / Read by John Lithgow. 2025. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cXR5HLodsT8.

Rumor vs. Reality | Maggie Toulouse Oliver – New Mexico Secretary of State. n.d. Accessed February 28, 2026. https://www.sos.nm.gov/voting-and-elections/voter-information-portal-nmvote-org/rumor-vs-reality/.

Sketchy Survival, dir. The Psychology of Isolation: Why Most Preppers Will Go Insane (Science Explained). 2026. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jb2mP_wnHwg.

Snyder, Timothy. On Tyranny: Twenty Lessons from the Twentieth Century. Crown, 2017. (In Calibre)

Snyder, Timothy David. “Twenty Lessons on Fighting Tyranny from the Twentieth Century.” Scholars Strategy Network, October 3, 2018. https://scholars.org/contribution/twenty-lessons-fighting-tyranny-twentieth.

Southern Poverty Law Center. “SPLC | Apathy Is Not An Option.” Accessed February 28, 2026. https://www.splcenter.org/.