Okay. This is going to sound hopeless at first but it really isn't. I want people to protect themselves, and in doing so, defy fascism and Christian nationalists and complicit Republicans. And then, once they are protected, they will be able to help protect others.
It has been clear for a while that Republicans have stopped even pretending to care about us. So first of all, I want you to turn your back on them like they have turned their backs on us.
Change parties if you are registered to vote as Republican. Even if you hate Dems. Go Independent (unless you are in a state that requires you to be Dem or Rep to vote in a primary. Primaries especially matter right now). Do not ask them for anything. Do not watch their press conferences etc. Ditto for the president. You can get news about him elsewhere. Don't give him direct attention or ratings. He hates low ratings.
Look into any opposition they have in your area. Be it a direct opponent in a race or a Dem governor up for election or a state seat or whatever, and start campaigning for them. (This can mean even just following them on social media and liking or sharing their posts.) If your Dem rep is also awful, quite frankly, do the same to them. If you have a Dem rep you like and support, then also follow them and campaign for them.
MEANWHILE, a lot of provisions of this horrible bill (if it passes.......) take a while to kick in. So here is the preparation part. Act as if the worst version of it will pass and make all plans accordingly.
1) go see your doctor for every preventative care measure you can. Dentist and eye doctor too if possible. Start using mouthwash with fluoride and flossing regularly if you don't. Genuinely. They are removing health care *and* fluoridated water in some places. Protect yourselves. Remember that they want you sick or dead, and fuck them for that. You are gonna live, bitch. Get all the vaccinations you can while they are still covered. Get new glasses this or next year if you need them. Get the mammograms and colonoscopies and pap smears. All of it.
2) follow the American Medical Association on youtube if you want updates about outbreaks or food contamination or vaccines.
3) start some sort of exercise program if you can. Not to lose weight. Because it is genuinely good for you. Even just stretches are good!
4) stop vaping or smoking. It will save you money. But also it's killing you.
Other stuff to protect yourself and others:
Get your finances in order. Yes. Even the broke people.
You can do this in a series of steps, the first of which is STOP USING BUY NOW PAY LATER. Only spend money you actually have.
Republicans even before this murder bill relaxed a bunch of consumer protections, especially for banks and credit cards. Because they hate you. So you are not going to let them play in your face like that.
Again. Do not spend money you do not have.
Credit cards are sometimes necessary but they now frequently offer low APRs at first and then a year or two in, start charging insanely high interest. Watch your card. Use it sparingly. Pay it off every month. Credit scores dip because of this, because banks hate it. But fuck 'em. Your credit score will be good still, just not "perfect." Good credit scores, dumb as the concept is, help you get approved for loans or renting.
Get overdraft protection on your accounts, including alerts. Get theft alerts as well.
Get a savings account if you don't have one.
If your bank charges you for that, look into a local reputable credit union. They will often let you have multiple accounts for no extra charge as long as you have a minimum balance in one of them. My credit union only asks for 100$ in my checking account.
Credit unions also have other benefits, sometimes including car loans at better rates than from a dealership, or minimal life insurance for members, or access to better interest rates in savings than many large banks offer.
--large banks have decent ish rates for people with lots of $ in their accounts. That is not most of us.
Start regularly putting money into your savings account. Then, when it has funds in it, look into a High Yield Savings Account or a Money Market Account. Again, most likely through the credit union, which usually have lower minimums to open such accounts compared to the large banks.
Find what works for you, but these sorts of accounts are ways to grow your money into an emergency fund. Like if you say, had a medical emergency, or needed to move states for work or your safety.
If you don't have an emergency, you are still saving money. Yay! Money will help protect you and those around you. Boo capitalism but yay some financial security!
You can invest, but for that, talk to someone knowledgeable and do not fall for speculations. (If someone says you will get rich quick, odds are, you won't. It is possible. But usually for smaller investors, no, you won't. But there are slower investments that work for some people if you are willing to wait. But any investment still holds the possibility of loss. Remember that.)
Get an accountant if you can afford one. Do not pay any more in federal taxes than you need to. Because fuck these people.
These suggestions are just things for people to look into for some financial security. Do research before you do anything. But definitely try to save money. Even 5 dollars a month will eventually add up.
Get a Health Savings Account. Again, check out a credit union for this. HSAs are accounts you put money into--which is a tax write-off. You then spend that $ on medical purchases (which can include co-pays, canes, meds, period panties, glasses and the like.) This is also a tax benefit. If you have a high deductible health insurance plan (like most poors), you should be eligible.
Even if you just save money for a while--take a few months of no streaming services or no food delivery-- if you put that into a savings account, it will start to make you money. This is part of what rich people do (though on a smaller scale). You take money and you turn it into more money. The more money, the more interest you get. Which is more money.
Next up. Register to vote. Now, if you haven't before. And start getting your Real ID if you haven't yet. And a passport if you can afford it.
Start cutting back spending now if you haven't already. Still have fun. Still live your life. But learn to budget.
If you live with family or chill roommates, get a Costco card if you live near one. The basic one is 65$ a year, but it is good for two people in the same household. You get cheaper bulk food, cheaper meds (for you and for pets), and Costco glasses are so far the cheapest (but good quality) that I have found. Better than Walmart. Costco also sells Plan B. Woop!
And, if you are LGBTQ and married or have an awful family, look into your legal rights distinct from the marriage license. Get a will. (Fees and requirements vary from state to state. But you can legally leave your estate to anyone you fucking want to.) Take care of an Advance Care Directive through your medical provider (who do you want making medical decisions for you if you can't). Look into Medical Power of Attorney forms if you want to be even more secure.
Get ready. No panicking. Stay strong. Do not let the bastards grind you down.
(And please stop vaping. We didn't work all through the 80s and 90s to get tobacco companies to pay just for you all to start handing them your money and lives again.)
(And get a library card!!)
