Throughout his career, New York Times columnist David Brooks has carved out a distinct role in American commentary: the moderate conservative with a moral compass. His writing, marked by restraint and reflection, often leans away from the momentary outrage that floods our political discourse. Brooks is not one to sound the alarm lightly. That’s what makes his latest commentary, " Time for a Civic Uprising ," all the more striking.
Breaking from his usual tone of detached analysis, Brooks calls for what he terms “a civic uprising” — not of violence or ideology, but of conscience. He argues that Donald Trump’s latest barrage of executive orders, many aimed at dismantling the guardrails of our democracy, demands more than quiet disapproval. It calls for visible, collective resistance. “We are beyond the stage of thoughtful concern,” Brooks writes. “We are in the hour of democratic reckoning.”
He’s not alone. Liz Cheney — the rock-ribbed former Republican congressmember and vice chair of the January 6th Committee — recently issued her own forceful statement on Facebook: “The signs are all around us. Trump is not hiding his intent. He will use every tool to consolidate power, punish enemies, and ignore constitutional constraints.”