In this Newsletter

• Chair’s Message
• Upcoming Events
• ICYMI
• Volunteer Opportunities
• DAGR News and Views
• On our RADAR - DA Priorities

Friends,

From Texas Democrats to federal judges, from Blue State governors to anti-ICE mobs across America, the pushback is gaining strength. The Trump Administration is floundering and is already trying to rig next year’s mid-term elections – perhaps the most significant mid-terms ever.

After just six months in office, more than half of Americans disapprove of President Donald Trump's job performance – which goes to show that even in a polarized America, the majority agree on something. And that disapproval extends across every policy area and across demographic groups.

But Democrats still have work to do. Key local and special elections are coming up these next three months in New York, Virginia and Arizona, among other places. If you haven’t done so, ask for your ballot. Today. And mark your calendar to ask for your federal ballot early next year.

Here in Greece, we're also asking for your help. Later this month, we are running another survey of DAGR members and we'd like to hear from you about how you hear from us. Do you follow DAGR news through our website, our newsletter, our Facebook or Instagram pages, our Signal Members Chat? Do you see our emails? (If you're not getting our emails or want to join our Signal chat, ping our Secretary.)

Next year, America may face the greatest test of its democracy in its 250-year history. And America is counting on you. Thank you for staying engaged. 

Alkman Granitsas
Chair, Democrats Abroad Greece

Monday, SEP 1, Labor Day all day!
Labor Day 2025: Workers will take to the streets to protest the billionaire agenda
Mobilizations will take place at over 1,000 "Workers Over Billionaires" rallies, demanding an end to wealth inequality amidst a deepening economic squeeze. Find out more at The Contrarian, here. 

Thursday, SEP 4 - 22:00-23:00 EET
The Next Phase of the Fight
With troops deployed in city streets, takeovers of public property such as the Kennedy Center, etc., Brennan Center for Justice at NYU School of Law asks the question a lot of us are asking: Will the rule of law hold? Register here.

Tuesday, SEP 9 - 19:00-21:00 EET
Happy Hour in Athens
Athens Chapter meets again at En Aithria, the Monastiraki-Thission venue. The milieu invites lively conversation about next steps in the resistance. And visitors from abroad are welcome, too. No RSVP is needed. Details on the DAGR Events page.

Tuesday, SEP 9 - 19:00-21:00 EET
Happy Hour in Thessaloniki
Our long summer hiatus is officially OVER! Our happy hour is back on and we missed you! Shake off the summer sand, and join us for drinks, laughs, and great conversation with fellow Americans. Details on the DAGR Events page.

Thursday, SEP 11 - 20:00 EET
"Understanding the Oligarchy and How to Fight Back"
DA’s Global Black Caucus offers a compelling and insightful virtual event that brings together the sharp cultural commentary of Keena Blum and the seasoned political mind of Zachary James Miller. RSVP here.

Saturday, SEP 13 - 15:00 EET
DNC August Meeting Debrief
Hear key developments, decisions, and discussions from Dems Abroad's DNC members who attended the August meeting in Minneapolis. Details and RSVP for the link. 

Tuesday, SEP 23 - 19:30 EET 
DAGR ExCom Meeting
The Dems Abroad Greece board, aka ExCom, meets every month. Members are welcome to sit in and come up to speed on the many things your board has to handle. Get a leg up on upcoming events in planning, and much more. Reply on this email for the WebEx link.

Saturday, SEP 27 - 11:00 EET
Thessaloniki Saturday Coffee
Summer may be over, but our gatherings are just heating up. Let's reconnect, share stories, and talk resistance strategies over coffee. Get the address and details on the DAGR Events page. No RSVP for this one.

And that’s not all …
See what other country committees and global caucuses are doing, on the DA website Events page.

Richard L. Jackson: All that Greece gave me
E-Kathimerini’s Iliana Magra interviews the former diplomat, former president of Anatolia and Athens College and friend to many here. Jackson shares his memories of half a century. See a few pictures from Jackson’s going away party at our DAGR Treasurer’s home. 

Free Online IRS Tax Return Form Abroad?
The Dems Abroad Taxation Task Force (TTF) sent out an email this week about extending the IRS Direct File facility to tax payers filing from abroad. It’s unclear whether this went to all DA members or just those signed up with the TTF. They’ve prepared a guide to answering the online IRS survey to support our being able to use Direct File. Note: DJT admin is considering ending Direct File for everyone. That’s to keep the favor of private tax-prep companies who don’t like losing business.

DNC General Session 1 Meeting, August 25, 2025
Here’s the link to the official broadcasts of plenary and major committee meetings during the 3-day mid-year session. The opening day is particularly bracing. Committees, with motions and amendments, are less energizing though revealing. The last day was cut short as word of the school/church shooting in Minneapolis came in, a second close-to-the-heart tragedy for the Minnesota delegation.

Under the Mask: HCR on Movement Conservatism
A crash course in political history, this time Heather Cox Richardson takes us from a fringe movement in the 1930’s to the MAGA cult that occupies the White House today. Along the way, mainstream Republicans who believed in good government were gradually shoved aside by those who wanted none, only to give over now, to something neither group wished for. This one should be required reading!

Joe Rogan Experience #2341 - Bernie Sanders
Most of us missed this one. Rogan as Rogan. Sanders as Sanders. And they share agreement more often than not. Really?

Help ‘host’ DAGR Zoom meetings
DAGR Kafeneion and other online events will start popping this month. So, we’re looking for 2 or 3 people to help ‘host’ DAGR Zoom meetings. Hosts handle the tech part, while the meeting organizer conducts the meeting or interviews the guest speaker. It’s a working partnership. It doesn’t require a degree in IT, and we’ll train you up if you haven’t done it before.
Let us know if you’re interested. 

‘How You Want Your News’ DAGR’s Survey Goes Live September 15
Email, DAGR’s website news page, social media pages, and those ever-proliferating chat groups. We run them all. It takes a good bit of volunteer time to keep them running. But not all of them are used or even glanced at. So this ‘fairly short’ survey will try to find out what’s most useful to you, what you’d like to see more or less of, etc. Watch for a short email with the link on the 15th.

DAGR’s July 4th Party
If you weren’t able to make it, or did make it and just want to see the faces again, our member Eliana Klathis has put together some footage of the event … and that cake! Nice! A 2-minute video that won’t blow up your schedule.

Book Review: Careless People
Sarah Wynn-Williams used to work high up at Facebook. And then she didn’t. And then she testified before Congress about executives’ policies that put profit before public safety. Thessaloniki Chapter Rep Linda Manney read it, reviews it here and highly recommends this whistleblower’s account.

Is It Me? Or Is It Memorex?
Op Ed: Karen Lee, DAGR VC and steering committee member of the DA Seniors Caucus, muses over the Internet’s firehose of tricks, scams, mis/disinformation and outright lies that annoy everyone and make older volunteers question their hold on reality.

DAGR’s Weekly Reader: Last Month This Week?
Once again, we’ve collected those mostly longer, outside-sourced items favored by political wonks (like us). We try to keep them off the fast-moving social platforms. Have a look! And do send us articles you think might fit here in the month ahead!
AUG w1    AUG w2    AUG w3   AUG w4

Music to ‘Take a Stand’ By
It was almost impossible to pick just ONE this month.
It’s Labor Day! So, Union Maid and Which Side Are You On, Boys.
Plus, we’ve got National Guard in DC, reminding us of ‘Ohio.’
And the Greek been-there-done-it, Xylouris’ caveat “Μπηκαν Στην Πολη Οι Οχτροι” The Enemy Came Into the City. English lyrics here.

But, here's the one that’s uniquely US history repeating itself: Woody Guthrie, I Ain’t Got No Home/ Old Man Trump

Happy Labor Day 2025
Precision Pinion Rod, New London, WI, makes brass rods and values its workers. This holiday post, with admitted help from ChatGBT as well as human editors, is a full cover of Labor history in the US, norms and celebrations, and prospects for workers. They’ve included a bibliography and credits to the friends who compiled it. And we’ve borrowed their graphic for our newsletter this month. Thanks, PPR!

Is the Conservative Map Expanding? Not on Joe Kennedy’s Watch
Joe Kennedy talks with Marc Elias about why formerly steady Dem districts have been sliding Republican. This talk is NOT about gerrymandering but about the party not ‘solving problems’ that voters face. Video 47 minutes and worth every one!

Blood in the Water
Dems smell GOP weakness but aren’t sure how to attack. Will GOP gerrymandering and unpopular Trump policies bite Republicans in the ass? A December special election in the TN-07 could test that theory. Iowa in August points the way.

It’s Time for Americans to Start Talking ‘Soft Secession’
Behind closed doors, blue state leaders are planning. They’re war-gaming scenarios. Blue state governors are meeting online frequently. AGs have been drafting lawsuits against likely EOs and federal illegal takeovers. In short, Dems aren’t in as much disarray as pundits would have us think. And we’re using the law to fight for … the law.

Leaders Who Stand Up for Democracy
The Contrarian (journalists who left Washington Post this year in protest) put a cap on the NATO leaders who quickly formed up to accompany Volodmyr Zelenskyy to the White House. The goal was multiple: stand behind Zelenskyy, lest he be mauled again by the WH occupant(s); show solidarity in face of Putin’s ‘land swap’ offer; and interpret the rhetoric from the Alaska fan-fest in real English.

Spam PACs Target Seniors: We Don’t Have to Allow It!
Send by Midnight! Your donation will be matched 3x! Act now! It’s Urgent! (It’s not quite the same when not in 18 pt neon pink, right?) Finally, an expert dives into the folks who’ve raised millions from party supporters. They use tech to target ‘easy marks’ like older Americans, less adept at spotting online scams. Besides the worst ones, who may share a tiny % of the take with the Party or candidates, there are even a few notables in our own ranks. And Dem leaders can do something to stop it!

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The current regime promised government efficiency. So far, it’s been chaos if not outright pain for people and more wealth to the already rich. And the worst of the effects haven’t even hit yet. However, this year's special elections have shown an exodus from MAGA’s ship of fools. Democrats, having taken a beating at the hands of pundits, are coming together, okay sometimes noisily, but in strength and clarity. If we keep up the work, we might just turn this Titanic. 

Happy Labor Decade!

https://www.democratsabroad.org/