How We Find Our Way Back

Sunshine Strategies Radio – October 6, 2025

“How We Find Our Way Back: From Outrage to Civic Sundays”

👋Hello again, friends.

I’m sorry I took some time off from the podcast.

This whole project — Sunshine Strategies Radio — was built to help regular families and their kids understand civics and politics. But lately, I’ve been struggling to know where to begin.

I needed a moment to breathe. To think. To figure out how to talk about what’s happening in our country without giving in to despair.

Because this week, once again, our president called people like me — and my progressive friends — “enemies.”

And that word has been echoing in my head ever since.

The ruling party in our country believes that people who care about democracy, equality, and inclusion are the problem that needs to be fixed.

How do you even explain something that absurd to your family — let alone to the people listening here, trying to make sense of what’s happening to our democracy?

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🪖The Present Moment

Maybe I should start with what’s happening right now.

The government shutdown is entirely the GOP’s doing. They’ve been working to keep everyone shut out — so they can keep dismantling the very system that’s supposed to serve us.

It’s not dysfunction. It’s deliberate. And it’s genuinely ridiculous.

But the worst part — for so many of us — is that we feel powerless.

That’s not an accident. That’s by design.

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What We’re Losing Sight Of

A part of our country we rarely talk about anymore is pluralism.

Pluralism is the radical idea that you don’t have to agree with me for both of us to belong here.

It means:

• No one has to believe just one idea.

• Nobody gets kicked out because someone disagrees with them.

• Everyone gets a voice in shaping how society works.

That’s what America was meant to be — a nation where everyone is respected and invited to participate within the boundaries we build together.

But Donald Trump and the MAGA movement have rejected that foundation entirely. They’ve replaced the American “we” with a narrow “us.” They’ve traded belonging for obedience.

And that rejection of pluralism — that loss of civic trust — is the quiet, beating heart of our national crisis.

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💰The Cost of Outrage

My hopes for more equality, more diversity, more democracy directly conflict with their vision. That’s why they see people like me as the enemy.

But here’s the problem: outrage is exhausting.

We are divided at every level — from families to Congress.

We’re afraid to speak out for fear of losing jobs, relationships, or even safety.

That’s where I’ve been these past two weeks: exhausted, upset, and afraid.

And guess what? It hasn’t helped.

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💔Despair Is a Luxury Democracy Can’t Afford

But here’s the truth — despair is a luxury democracy can’t afford.

Thankfully, I’ve found something that does help.

It’s not glamorous. It’s not fast. But it’s real.

Repairing a broken society starts at home.

It starts with building trust and community — locally.

It’s showing up at school plays, township meetings, and county celebrations.

It’s meeting neighbors where they are, not where we wish they were.

It’s remembering that democracy only works when we do.

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🤝Civic Sundays

That’s why my family started Civic Sundays.

Every Sunday afternoon, we open our home to friends, neighbors, and anyone who wants to talk — about civics, about what’s going on, about how we can make things better.

We share coffee, stories, sometimes frustration — but always purpose.

It’s not about politics so much as participation.

It’s about reclaiming the public square — starting with our own living room.

What began as a handful of people has grown into something bigger: parents, teachers, small business owners, retired veterans, even a few local officials who’ve stopped by just to listen.

And little by little, we’re doing it — rebuilding trust, rebuilding connection, rebuilding democracy one Sunday at a time.

Because if democracy starts with “We the People,” then rebuilding it has to start with us, too.

If you can’t host a Civic Sunday, that’s okay. Find your version of it.

Maybe it’s a Rotary breakfast.

Maybe it’s a church group or a township meeting.

Maybe it’s just coffee with a neighbor you disagree with — and the willingness to listen.

Democracy isn’t rebuilt in Washington. It’s rebuilt wherever two or three people decide to talk instead of yell, to listen instead of post, to hope instead of hide.

So that’s my challenge to you this week:

Find your people. Build your circle. Start small, but start now.

Because the only way out of outrage — is through community.

And the only way we find our way back — is together.

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“Because families deserve to know what’s up.”

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1. Childcare Crisis Deepens During Government Shutdown

As the federal government remains shut down, essential support programs for families are under serious strain.

The WIC program — Women, Infants, and Children — which supports nutrition for over six million Americans, is projected to run out of funding within one to two weeks (The Washington Post).

Democrats have introduced the Federal Worker Childcare Protection Act of 2025, aimed at reimbursing federal workers for childcare expenses incurred during the shutdown (The Guardian).

What this means for families: Parents already stretched thin face impossible choices — stop working, or find costly alternatives.

Takeaway: Stay informed, stay vocal. Local advocacy can help protect childcare programs in crisis.

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2. EPA Cuts Solar Program for Low-Income Households — Lawsuits Begin

Several groups are suing the EPA over its decision to cancel the Solar for All program, which was meant to provide affordable solar energy to nearly a million low-income Americans (AP News).

Plaintiffs argue the cuts violate commitments, kill jobs, and increase energy costs.

Why it matters: When affordable clean energy is cut, families lose both savings and stability.

What to watch: How state and local governments step up — or fail to.

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3. DOJ Disbands Major Anti-Cartel Task Force

The Department of Justice has quietly disbanded its Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces, a key tool in fighting drug cartels (Reuters).

Critics say it weakens America’s ability to confront money laundering and trafficking. For families, this may mean more exposure to illicit drugs and less federal oversight.

Keep an eye on how Congress responds — through funding or new oversight structures.

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And that’s your Sunshine Summary for the week:

childcare on the brink, clean energy under attack, and shifting priorities inside the DOJ.

Pay attention. Stay engaged. Because every act of awareness — every Civic Sunday — is a small, quiet rebellion against apathy.

Until next time, friends — keep your heads up, your hearts open, and your lights on.