The plan is to create a de facto one-party state where Republicans consistently get around 20-30% of the vote.
To stay in power, the ruling party needs the opposition to be too weak to attempt a takeover, but too strong to be wiped out. By doing this, the "I'm not [opposition]" can remain the default messaging.
If you're majorly sick, I recommend playing a visual novel. They usually do not require much movement or thinking on your part; most only need you to click your mouse or tap spacebar to advance. You can look up a VN that suits your needs here: Link If you want a VN that has a particular genre or theme I can give more specialized suggestions.
Aside from that, you can play some simple automation or puzzle games. territorial.io works well for this. shapez 2 is also a good option.
It's the only way out. Those in charge won't allow any other way.
People like to hate on Democrats for all the appeasing they do, but they sometimes get hesitant when thinking of the alternative. Freedom isn't supposed to be easy when you're subjugated.
And considering how awful the US military is with quelling dissent in countries they've invaded, I'd say the Democrat states have a good chance if they stay focused. Not to mention all the foreign support flowing in due to the opportunity for a regime change.
Oh, I am fully aware that legislation changes are impossible even under the threat of a continued shutdown. What I'm interested in is usurpation of Congress by the states. Illinois governs a lot better than the feds do, and I very much desire Illinois, California, and other agreeable Democratic states to ignore the directives of the three federal branches and recognize a new three that they all favor.
I am aware of the Logan Act, and I don't care. The new three branches will serve the people far better than the old ones. Hell, I would like Illinois to deal with Canada directly so the US' allies know which states are friendly and which are not. This is also the only way to overthrow the current SCOTUS in our lifetimes.
It feels like Rome in the 3rd century. Only thing we're missing are people usurping the position of President and "[pretender] was murdered by his own troops".
If HL3 ever comes out, it will be a looter shooter with a strange story. In the time skip between 2 and 3, the rebels and Combine sued for peace because it turns out the Combine really are here to help humanity somehow. And most of the game is spent assisting the Combine with invading the very evil Race X homeworld.
And if it never comes back, they will need to find alternative means of acquiring food. Maybe their state decides to go "fuck it" and replaces SNAP outright despite what the feds say. Or maybe there's a grassroots movement that creates a new SNAP.
The important thing is, the longer the shutdown goes on, the less people will depend on the Trump regime to satisfy their needs.
When things are bad for the average person, the average person will tend to vote against the incumbent. So it's not because they're Republicans, but because they're in charge when things are going bad.
The populace will swing back to voting Republican when the Dems are back in power. It's the way of things, since things appear to be going bad for everyone, and this looks like it will be the case for awhile.
Have you filed for write-in eligibility in my state?