What next?

It’s official: Donald Drumpf today acquired enough delegates to become the Republican Party’s official nominee for US President. From the very beginning, pundits and political insiders were writing him off, and they continue to do so, though not with quite as much certainty or laughter as they did when he first announced. This is wise: “The Hair” may actually become president—that’s actual president, not some silly TV role.

Many people—Democrats and even many Republicans—see the importance of defeating Drumpf in November. Well, MOST Democrats—there are still some who inexplicably claim it doesn’t matter, which is high on the list of the most absurd nonsense I’ve heard in the 40 years I’ve been involved in politics.

The Democratic Party itself, meanwhile, though still in the midst of a nomination process grinding down to its inevitable conclusion, is trying to focus attention on stopping Drumpf. The graphic above was part of an email I received today from the Democratic National Committee urging people to donate to the party’s Stop Trump Fund, which is, of course, a donation to the DNC’s campaign efforts. The Democrats also have a page for Democrats living outside the USA, since US Federal law has all sorts of rules about who can donate and how, and there are special procedures for US citizens living overseas who want to contribute.

It’s a good idea to get a head start on fundraising, since it’ll take a LOT of money to defeat Drumpf and the billionaires who will use their SuperPACs to try and help him win. And, of course, there’s control of the US Congress at stake, which is every bit as important as keeping Drumpf FAR away from the presidency.

The coming campaign will be expensive, and it will get very nasty. At this point, there’s no way to know who all that will benefit the most, but it’s important to remember that Drumpf has gotten to be the Republican nomination through unrelenting nastiness, and he’s been rewarded for it. Republicans also have a huge money advantage, so if the US news media continues to give Drumpf free and largely uncritical coverage, then Hillary Clinton will have huge barriers to overcome.

But all that’s still come. Right now, it’s important to commit to stopping Drumpf, and donations to help stop him will be money well spent. That, and voting to ensure his defeat, of course.

And successfully defeating Drumpf is what’s next.