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Giving Up Is Unforgivable: A Manual for Keeping a Democracy
The first book from Joyce White equal parts civics class, history lesson, and call to save the Republic, Giving Up Is Unforgivable is a political manifesto for our present moment.
“We’re in this together.”
For the past two years, Joyce Vance has signed off posts on her chart-topping Substack, Civil Discourse, with these four words. In that time, she’s guided readers through a continued erosion of democratic norms, the unprecedented felony conviction of an ex-president, and the approaching specter of a second Trump administration. Now that it’s upon us, Vance helps us understand how to avoid burnout and despair and exercise the democratic muscles we need to save the Republic.
Giving Up Is Unforgivable is a clarion call to action—putting our current crisis in historical context and sketching out a vision for where we go next. Vance’s message is hopeful at its heart, even as it acknowledges the daunting challenges that lie ahead. She is the constitutional law professor you never knew you needed, explaining the legal context, the political history, and the practical reasons that the rule of law still matters, while also empowering you to do something—from the small (that conversation you’ve been meaning to have with your uncle or volunteering for your favorite political cause) to the big (starting a grassroots movement or running for political office).
Consider this the birth of a countermovement to Project 2025, a rallying cry for citizen engagement to counter the second Trump administration and save American democracy.
“We’re in this together.”
For the past two years, Joyce Vance has signed off posts on her chart-topping Substack, Civil Discourse, with these four words. In that time, she’s guided readers through a continued erosion of democratic norms, the unprecedented felony conviction of an ex-president, and the approaching specter of a second Trump administration. Now that it’s upon us, Vance helps us understand how to avoid burnout and despair and exercise the democratic muscles we need to save the Republic.
Giving Up Is Unforgivable is a clarion call to action—putting our current crisis in historical context and sketching out a vision for where we go next. Vance’s message is hopeful at its heart, even as it acknowledges the daunting challenges that lie ahead. She is the constitutional law professor you never knew you needed, explaining the legal context, the political history, and the practical reasons that the rule of law still matters, while also empowering you to do something—from the small (that conversation you’ve been meaning to have with your uncle or volunteering for your favorite political cause) to the big (starting a grassroots movement or running for political office).
Consider this the birth of a countermovement to Project 2025, a rallying cry for citizen engagement to counter the second Trump administration and save American democracy.
224 pages, Hardcover
First published October 21, 2025
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February 13, 2026
Joyce Vance is hopefully and relentlessly optimistic about the power of the people of the U.S. to overcome our current challenges.
"This moment challenges us to understand how our system of government works, what rights it gives us, and how we can use our power to ensure that tyranny cannot take permanent hold in this country. I hope this book can play a small role in helping us hold the line and defend democracy. At the end of the day, it takes more than people in powerful positions to hold a president who wants to become a strongman in check. It will take all of us. It will be the small acts of protest, of resistance, of education, and of love for country that will keep the dictator from seizing control. It may not always be your turn to save democracy, but it's always your turn to be present, to do whatever you can, and to support the people who do the work to keep the Republic. The dictator's most dangerous weapon is his ability to overwhelm us with the feeling that we are helpless by keeping up an endless onslaught of terrible things. We can neutralize that weapon by knowing our own strength and saying no to feeling powerless. What we must do, then is obvious. We must persist until we succeed. Make your love of this country, despite her imperfections, relentless and refuse to give that up. American citizenship confers a great responsibility. We must do our best, together, to live up to it."
Publication 2025
"This moment challenges us to understand how our system of government works, what rights it gives us, and how we can use our power to ensure that tyranny cannot take permanent hold in this country. I hope this book can play a small role in helping us hold the line and defend democracy. At the end of the day, it takes more than people in powerful positions to hold a president who wants to become a strongman in check. It will take all of us. It will be the small acts of protest, of resistance, of education, and of love for country that will keep the dictator from seizing control. It may not always be your turn to save democracy, but it's always your turn to be present, to do whatever you can, and to support the people who do the work to keep the Republic. The dictator's most dangerous weapon is his ability to overwhelm us with the feeling that we are helpless by keeping up an endless onslaught of terrible things. We can neutralize that weapon by knowing our own strength and saying no to feeling powerless. What we must do, then is obvious. We must persist until we succeed. Make your love of this country, despite her imperfections, relentless and refuse to give that up. American citizenship confers a great responsibility. We must do our best, together, to live up to it."
Publication 2025
October 31, 2025
Introduction
I love that Joyce Vance engaged me from the get-go. I was startled to read “That vision of an inclusive America is threatening to some people. They are afraid of us.” That really made me think. How sad to be afraid of inclusion, which is so much better for everyone than the alternative, fascism which is what we are facing right now and must take up the challenge to resist.
“It’s an educated public capable of informed civil discourse that sustains effective, fair government. Accountability happens when citizens demand it.” And we must demand it.
Chapter 1 Don’t Be the Frog – outlines the parameters of our present constitutional crisis
Vance uses the analogy of the frog in hot water – the water is heating slowly, and the frog doesn’t realize that it’s being cooked until it is too late. In business or government, “The warning signs develop so gradually that leadership doesn’t shift course until it’s too late.”
“Despite the clear evidence, many people refused to believe the water would really some to a boil if [Trump] was reelected. They’d forgotten what they’d lived through during his first term in office.”
This train of thought resonated with me, as I think the pandemic either literally caused us to struggle with short-term memory due to having had Covid or it was such a terrible time we psychologically blocked out the memory of those years, as we didn’t want to remember.
During Trump’s presidential campaign “Project 2025 became so unpopular when it was aired in public that Trump took pains to distance himself from it.” People believed him when he said that he had no idea what it was. However, once inaugurated, his administration proceeded in earnest to put Project 2025 in action and people were surprised and dismayed.
I like the analogy of the three branches of government being like a three-legged stool where you need all three legs for the stool to balance and remain upright.
“If there is a magic bullet for preserving democracy, it is this: prevent any one branch of government from holding too much power, especially power that the Constitution specifically gives to another branch of government.”
The Trump Administration used “mob boss-level intimidation, including canceling lawyers’ security clearances, denying firm employees access to federal property, terminating existing government contracts the firms had" to make large law firms tow the line and work for him rather than against him. “The executive orders were harsh enough that some of the [law] firms were concerned about going out of business.” Trump wielded the justice system as “tools for revenge.”
“The power to create laws, the Court reiterated belongs to Congress, and to Congress exclusively.”
“Indeed, judicial review is one of our most essential aids in challenging times, so long as judges live up to the role assigned to them.”
“It was clear that the new president was trying to aggregate the power of the three branches of government in his own hands.”
“The time-honored tradition of Americans is to stand together.” We must “jump out of the pot before it comes to a boil, and bring the other frogs with [us] as well.”
Chapter 2 The Myth of Broken Institutions - is about institutions: How they were designed to work and how we can strengthen them.
“They [institutions] evolve; they have reach. These institutions are populated by individuals with a deep commitment to democracy, the career civil service.” It is vital to democracy to have “a civil service loyal to the Constitution and its mission, not to any one president.”
“When the public perpetuates narratives that the institutions are broken and talks about walking away from them, it plays into his hands and makes his ascension to power that much easier.” We must stand up for our institutions.
“The Founding Fathers did believe in a powerful executive. But they emphasized, at the same time, that a president must be accountable.”
“In order to keep the presidency from becoming too powerful, Congress and the courts hold some share of power for their own and have the ability to check the executive branch. Other institutions, like the press, the unofficial forth branch of government, hold a president accountable by educating the electorate. Our military is civilian led, a deliberate choice made to lessen the risk of a military coup.”
“Much has been written about the public’s loss of confidence in the courts – or to be more precise, the Supreme Court.” However, “it is not the structural institution itself that is lacking; it is the people who populate it and their personal failures. Our job as citizens is not to abandon the courts but rather to demand better from them.”
“The Supreme Court is not the entirety of the court system. Indeed, some district judges and court of appeals judges seem to have grasped the credibility issue more readily than the Supreme Court has.”
“Collectively, as voters, as citizens, as concerned Americans, we have power […] We direct the priorities our elected officials must focus on if they want to remain in office.”
“As Americans, we should treat democracy the same way: the practice of democracy, something we do together as Americans. When we make mistakes, even big ones, we can learn from them. We dig deeper so we can fix them. We get back to work. But what we cannot do is give up.”
Chapter 3 How Democracy Works for Us - answers “The question that is at the very core of this book: Why is democracy, despite its imperfections, worth having?”
“If we acknowledge that American democracy was marred by its flaws at birth – slavery, misogyny, and classism among them – we must also acknowledge that it is capable of advancing beyond them and continuously expanding the groups of people and individuals to whom it extends its promise.”
“Despite its inherent imperfections, our democracy has advanced equity, freedom, and justice.” Democracy belongs to the American people. “Democracy forces leaders to consider citizens’ views.”
“People who live under monarchies or dictatorships desperately long for what we have been, even if it’s imperfect. They’d prefer to determine the course of their own lives rather than let a leader who took power do it for them.”
Chapter 4 A New Lost Cause - draws out the lessons we can learn from the Founding Fathers, literature, and American History (especially the Civil War and the Civil Rights Movement) as we confront the current menace.
On January 6, 2021, “As we watched and listened, we realized that we were in the middle of an attempted coup, intended to interfere with the transfer of power from one duly elected president to another, for the first time in our nation’s history.”
“Following January 6, emotions ran high but there was no moment when Donald Trump faced the truth about what he had done to the country. He has never publicly apologized or even acknowledged he was wrong.”
“When Trump left the White House, the culture he created didn’t go away. With no closure and in the absence of accountability for January 6, Trump was free to rewrite the story into a Lost Cause mythology of his own, complete with true patriots – the guys in masks who attacked police officers, defecated in the Capitol, and threatened to hang Vice President Mike Pence. Senate Republicans failed to hold Trump accountable.”
“The rule of law is one of the reasons that people from other countries have felt comfortable making investments in the United States in past decades: A stable rule of law society protects even foreign investors’ interests.”
“Donald Trump, from the start of his first term in office, acted as though the rule of law didn’t apply to him.”
Founding Father Thomas Paine “published Common Sense on January 10, 1776, he helped America understand what was possible if they took responsibility for their own fate.”
“In Common Sense, Paine explained the weaknesses of kings like this: Men who look upon themselves born to reign, and others to obey, soon grow insolent; selected from the rest of mankind their minds are early poisoned by importance; and the world they act in differs so materially from the world at large, that they have but little opportunity of knowing its true interests, and when they succeed to the government are frequently the most ignorant and unfit of any throughout the dominions.”
Chapter 5 RBG’s Umbrella - goes deep on the act that is the foundation of our democracy: Voting
“The next election is always the most important one of our lives.”
“The right to vote is precious, almost sacred. It is the most powerful nonviolent tool or instrument in a democratic society. We must use it. – John Lewis.”
“If you want to save democracy, persuade potential voters who don’t vote, or don’t vote regularly, that their participation is essential.”
“In Shelby County v. Holder, Justice Ginsburg took the majority to task for failing to honor the long-standing tradition of protecting the right to vote. In her dissenting opinion, she quoted Dr. Martin Luther King Jr., and when she read her dissent from the bench that day in 2013, she added a crucial point of emphasis: “The arc of the moral universe is long, but it bends toward justice if there is a steadfast commitment to see the task through to completion.”
Additionally, “She wrote, with prescient clarity, that ending preclearance
was “like throwing away your umbrella in a rainstorm because you are not getting wet.””
Chapter 6 We Are the Cavalry - the most important chapter of the book, spells out what you can do, and what we can achieve together.
“We have one another, a community of like-minded people across the country who care about democracy.”
“The most important piece of knowledge to carry with you is that you are not powerless.”
“Aleksandr Solzhenitsyn, who fought back against Soviet oppression by exposing it, wrote, “The simple step of a courageous man is not to take part in the lie.””
“We can check a runaway president with our protests and with our votes.”
Rules for the cavalry
1. Be Smart
2. Be in Community
3. Never Bet against America. Believe that government works.
4. Understand That Protecting Democracy Comes in a Lot of Flavors.
5. Decide Who You Are and Stick to It.
6. Be the Hope
7. Take Baby Steps
8. Exercise Your Rights
To quote President Biden- “Democracy is never guaranteed. Every generation must preserve it, defend it, and fight for it.”
“Younger generations believe democracy has failed them, and they don’t believe it can be fixed because they’ve never seen it happen.” Another statement that surprised me and made me think.
“Ultimately, the only way a dictator can hold power is by controlling the flow of information and resorting to the spread of disinformation that serves his purposes and permits him to retain authority.”
“Executive orders can impact the executive branch of government, but they can’t tell citizens what to think or feel or how to behave. They have no force over us.”
Trump canceled celebrations such as Black History month by executive order. However, we have the right “to celebrate our fellow citizens’ contributions to our country. As Americans, we have that right and we should exercise it, joyfully and together.”
“Don’t give up hope. Pick one small thing you can do this week and get started. And then keep going.” “We keep the Republic by being stubborn and steadfast.”
Conclusion
“Stay informed, stay engaged, and bring others along with us. We need to be fearless about talking with people around us and explaining why democracy matters, the damage that is being done to it, and what we can do to protect it.”
“We keep the Republic by being stubborn and steadfast.”
“Never give up on talking with the people around you, the ones who have decided to look away and tolerate what’s happening.”
“We must persist until we succeed. Make your love of this country, despite her imperfections, relentless and refuse to give up. American citizenship confers a great responsibility. We must do our best, together, to live up to it.”
I follow Joyce Vance's Substack “Civil Discourse” and every night she signs off with “We’re in this together” and I truly find it comforting and inspiring. She is one of my trusted sources for information.
I love that Joyce Vance engaged me from the get-go. I was startled to read “That vision of an inclusive America is threatening to some people. They are afraid of us.” That really made me think. How sad to be afraid of inclusion, which is so much better for everyone than the alternative, fascism which is what we are facing right now and must take up the challenge to resist.
“It’s an educated public capable of informed civil discourse that sustains effective, fair government. Accountability happens when citizens demand it.” And we must demand it.
Chapter 1 Don’t Be the Frog – outlines the parameters of our present constitutional crisis
Vance uses the analogy of the frog in hot water – the water is heating slowly, and the frog doesn’t realize that it’s being cooked until it is too late. In business or government, “The warning signs develop so gradually that leadership doesn’t shift course until it’s too late.”
“Despite the clear evidence, many people refused to believe the water would really some to a boil if [Trump] was reelected. They’d forgotten what they’d lived through during his first term in office.”
This train of thought resonated with me, as I think the pandemic either literally caused us to struggle with short-term memory due to having had Covid or it was such a terrible time we psychologically blocked out the memory of those years, as we didn’t want to remember.
During Trump’s presidential campaign “Project 2025 became so unpopular when it was aired in public that Trump took pains to distance himself from it.” People believed him when he said that he had no idea what it was. However, once inaugurated, his administration proceeded in earnest to put Project 2025 in action and people were surprised and dismayed.
I like the analogy of the three branches of government being like a three-legged stool where you need all three legs for the stool to balance and remain upright.
“If there is a magic bullet for preserving democracy, it is this: prevent any one branch of government from holding too much power, especially power that the Constitution specifically gives to another branch of government.”
The Trump Administration used “mob boss-level intimidation, including canceling lawyers’ security clearances, denying firm employees access to federal property, terminating existing government contracts the firms had" to make large law firms tow the line and work for him rather than against him. “The executive orders were harsh enough that some of the [law] firms were concerned about going out of business.” Trump wielded the justice system as “tools for revenge.”
“The power to create laws, the Court reiterated belongs to Congress, and to Congress exclusively.”
“Indeed, judicial review is one of our most essential aids in challenging times, so long as judges live up to the role assigned to them.”
“It was clear that the new president was trying to aggregate the power of the three branches of government in his own hands.”
“The time-honored tradition of Americans is to stand together.” We must “jump out of the pot before it comes to a boil, and bring the other frogs with [us] as well.”
Chapter 2 The Myth of Broken Institutions - is about institutions: How they were designed to work and how we can strengthen them.
“They [institutions] evolve; they have reach. These institutions are populated by individuals with a deep commitment to democracy, the career civil service.” It is vital to democracy to have “a civil service loyal to the Constitution and its mission, not to any one president.”
“When the public perpetuates narratives that the institutions are broken and talks about walking away from them, it plays into his hands and makes his ascension to power that much easier.” We must stand up for our institutions.
“The Founding Fathers did believe in a powerful executive. But they emphasized, at the same time, that a president must be accountable.”
“In order to keep the presidency from becoming too powerful, Congress and the courts hold some share of power for their own and have the ability to check the executive branch. Other institutions, like the press, the unofficial forth branch of government, hold a president accountable by educating the electorate. Our military is civilian led, a deliberate choice made to lessen the risk of a military coup.”
“Much has been written about the public’s loss of confidence in the courts – or to be more precise, the Supreme Court.” However, “it is not the structural institution itself that is lacking; it is the people who populate it and their personal failures. Our job as citizens is not to abandon the courts but rather to demand better from them.”
“The Supreme Court is not the entirety of the court system. Indeed, some district judges and court of appeals judges seem to have grasped the credibility issue more readily than the Supreme Court has.”
“Collectively, as voters, as citizens, as concerned Americans, we have power […] We direct the priorities our elected officials must focus on if they want to remain in office.”
“As Americans, we should treat democracy the same way: the practice of democracy, something we do together as Americans. When we make mistakes, even big ones, we can learn from them. We dig deeper so we can fix them. We get back to work. But what we cannot do is give up.”
Chapter 3 How Democracy Works for Us - answers “The question that is at the very core of this book: Why is democracy, despite its imperfections, worth having?”
“If we acknowledge that American democracy was marred by its flaws at birth – slavery, misogyny, and classism among them – we must also acknowledge that it is capable of advancing beyond them and continuously expanding the groups of people and individuals to whom it extends its promise.”
“Despite its inherent imperfections, our democracy has advanced equity, freedom, and justice.” Democracy belongs to the American people. “Democracy forces leaders to consider citizens’ views.”
“People who live under monarchies or dictatorships desperately long for what we have been, even if it’s imperfect. They’d prefer to determine the course of their own lives rather than let a leader who took power do it for them.”
Chapter 4 A New Lost Cause - draws out the lessons we can learn from the Founding Fathers, literature, and American History (especially the Civil War and the Civil Rights Movement) as we confront the current menace.
On January 6, 2021, “As we watched and listened, we realized that we were in the middle of an attempted coup, intended to interfere with the transfer of power from one duly elected president to another, for the first time in our nation’s history.”
“Following January 6, emotions ran high but there was no moment when Donald Trump faced the truth about what he had done to the country. He has never publicly apologized or even acknowledged he was wrong.”
“When Trump left the White House, the culture he created didn’t go away. With no closure and in the absence of accountability for January 6, Trump was free to rewrite the story into a Lost Cause mythology of his own, complete with true patriots – the guys in masks who attacked police officers, defecated in the Capitol, and threatened to hang Vice President Mike Pence. Senate Republicans failed to hold Trump accountable.”
“The rule of law is one of the reasons that people from other countries have felt comfortable making investments in the United States in past decades: A stable rule of law society protects even foreign investors’ interests.”
“Donald Trump, from the start of his first term in office, acted as though the rule of law didn’t apply to him.”
Founding Father Thomas Paine “published Common Sense on January 10, 1776, he helped America understand what was possible if they took responsibility for their own fate.”
“In Common Sense, Paine explained the weaknesses of kings like this: Men who look upon themselves born to reign, and others to obey, soon grow insolent; selected from the rest of mankind their minds are early poisoned by importance; and the world they act in differs so materially from the world at large, that they have but little opportunity of knowing its true interests, and when they succeed to the government are frequently the most ignorant and unfit of any throughout the dominions.”
Chapter 5 RBG’s Umbrella - goes deep on the act that is the foundation of our democracy: Voting
“The next election is always the most important one of our lives.”
“The right to vote is precious, almost sacred. It is the most powerful nonviolent tool or instrument in a democratic society. We must use it. – John Lewis.”
“If you want to save democracy, persuade potential voters who don’t vote, or don’t vote regularly, that their participation is essential.”
“In Shelby County v. Holder, Justice Ginsburg took the majority to task for failing to honor the long-standing tradition of protecting the right to vote. In her dissenting opinion, she quoted Dr. Martin Luther King Jr., and when she read her dissent from the bench that day in 2013, she added a crucial point of emphasis: “The arc of the moral universe is long, but it bends toward justice if there is a steadfast commitment to see the task through to completion.”
Additionally, “She wrote, with prescient clarity, that ending preclearance
was “like throwing away your umbrella in a rainstorm because you are not getting wet.””
Chapter 6 We Are the Cavalry - the most important chapter of the book, spells out what you can do, and what we can achieve together.
“We have one another, a community of like-minded people across the country who care about democracy.”
“The most important piece of knowledge to carry with you is that you are not powerless.”
“Aleksandr Solzhenitsyn, who fought back against Soviet oppression by exposing it, wrote, “The simple step of a courageous man is not to take part in the lie.””
“We can check a runaway president with our protests and with our votes.”
Rules for the cavalry
1. Be Smart
2. Be in Community
3. Never Bet against America. Believe that government works.
4. Understand That Protecting Democracy Comes in a Lot of Flavors.
5. Decide Who You Are and Stick to It.
6. Be the Hope
7. Take Baby Steps
8. Exercise Your Rights
To quote President Biden- “Democracy is never guaranteed. Every generation must preserve it, defend it, and fight for it.”
“Younger generations believe democracy has failed them, and they don’t believe it can be fixed because they’ve never seen it happen.” Another statement that surprised me and made me think.
“Ultimately, the only way a dictator can hold power is by controlling the flow of information and resorting to the spread of disinformation that serves his purposes and permits him to retain authority.”
“Executive orders can impact the executive branch of government, but they can’t tell citizens what to think or feel or how to behave. They have no force over us.”
Trump canceled celebrations such as Black History month by executive order. However, we have the right “to celebrate our fellow citizens’ contributions to our country. As Americans, we have that right and we should exercise it, joyfully and together.”
“Don’t give up hope. Pick one small thing you can do this week and get started. And then keep going.” “We keep the Republic by being stubborn and steadfast.”
Conclusion
“Stay informed, stay engaged, and bring others along with us. We need to be fearless about talking with people around us and explaining why democracy matters, the damage that is being done to it, and what we can do to protect it.”
“We keep the Republic by being stubborn and steadfast.”
“Never give up on talking with the people around you, the ones who have decided to look away and tolerate what’s happening.”
“We must persist until we succeed. Make your love of this country, despite her imperfections, relentless and refuse to give up. American citizenship confers a great responsibility. We must do our best, together, to live up to it.”
I follow Joyce Vance's Substack “Civil Discourse” and every night she signs off with “We’re in this together” and I truly find it comforting and inspiring. She is one of my trusted sources for information.
Read
October 25, 2025Well, only one of the chapters is a manual for how to take action. The overwhelming majority of the text recaps recent events and other history. A more apt title might have been, "This Sure Has Been a Lot, Hasn't It?"
November 19, 2025
I’m torn. On the one hand, Vance makes a compelling argument that democracy and rule of law are worth fighting for and that voting and encouraging voting are our most basic duties as citizens. On the other, a lot of the book feels rooted in Obama-era liberalism that hasn’t met the current moment. Vance never adequately addresses a hard question that comes up over and over again even in this book: how can we both defend institutions and take action when they’ve been compromised, like the current Supreme Court?
Vance also tends to conflate democracy and rule of law with the American system wholesale, arguing that we must defend and improve existing institutions. I would have liked to see her wrangle more with whether the institutions we have are actually the best ones to meet the moment and defend and promote democracy and rule of law. Ultimately, I find myself identifying most with her son, who she quotes as having lost faith in the institutions we have today but being hopeful that people are activating for change.
Ultimately, I think On Tyranny by Timothy Snyder is probably a shorter, more actionable manual for saving democracy. With Giving Up is Unforgivable, expect more of an argument that democracy and rule of law are worth participating in and saving in the first place. It’s hard to argue with that.
Vance also tends to conflate democracy and rule of law with the American system wholesale, arguing that we must defend and improve existing institutions. I would have liked to see her wrangle more with whether the institutions we have are actually the best ones to meet the moment and defend and promote democracy and rule of law. Ultimately, I find myself identifying most with her son, who she quotes as having lost faith in the institutions we have today but being hopeful that people are activating for change.
Ultimately, I think On Tyranny by Timothy Snyder is probably a shorter, more actionable manual for saving democracy. With Giving Up is Unforgivable, expect more of an argument that democracy and rule of law are worth participating in and saving in the first place. It’s hard to argue with that.
October 24, 2025
Understanding where we are and where we need to go. Next up, read the Federalist papers.
December 13, 2025
I am a huge Joyce Vance fan and I was so excited for this book. I'm not sure exactly what I was hoping for or expecting, but this wasn't it. I found it disappointing. Since I majored in US History and minored in American Politics, I didn't need the history lessons and the summaries of the Federalist Papers. That sounds snobby as I write it and I don't mean it to be, but I just didn't find it compelling. The rest of it felt too vague to be useful. There was a lot about how you have to make sure you vote but nothing about how to mitigate the impact of decades of gerry-mandering or how to fight for fair elections now that SCOTUS gutted the voting rights act. The blurb on the cover says the book is the start of a movement to counter Project 2025, but there is nothing specific enough about how to do that. I think I was looking for either specific and inspiring plans to counter Republican power or specific and inspiring examples of ways (even small ones) communities are coming together to protect democracy. There really wasn't much of either.
November 16, 2025
Good but not great. I guess I had very high hopes, but for me, it mostly rehashed things I already knew or had already heard. That said, it provides excellent reminders of important concepts, and I’m glad I read it for that reason alone. Nice audio narration by the author.
January 31, 2026
This book seeks to take the headlines from the past year and place them in context, connecting this moment to the past while also compelling us toward a better future.
I've been pretty plugged in to political news since 2020, but wow -- the news has been coming so fast and furious this past year since Trump's second inauguration that, while there wasn't a lot of material in this book I was unaware of, I was shocked at how much I'd forgotten. I really loved the lessons from history interwoven throughout: the messages from our founding fathers, the times when our country failed the marginalized (Jim Crow, the Japanese internment camps, McCarthyism), the ways we overcame the ugly parts of our history.
This book reminds us that waving the white flag in defeat perfectly plays into the hands of a would-be autocrat. We cannot discredit our institutions: our courts, our elections, our government workers -- not if we want our systems to stand. Timothy Snyder rephrases this same idea as "do not obey in advance." Statements like "maybe we won't even have midterm elections" or "my vote doesn't matter" only yield your power to the people in charge. The American people have shown just in the past week what happens when we refuse to believe the lies this administration tells us -- especially the lie that they have already won. They haven't won; I've seen too much courage and compassion from ordinary citizens to believe that.
A couple of quotes:
"If you want to preserve democracy, fight for the institutions. Our institutions are not perfect. It's important to acknowledge their problems and commit to improving them, but not abandon the institutions altogether. Criticize the people who are doing the damage to them, the people who seek to destroy democracy, but don't fault the institutions for the flaws of their attackers. Protect the institutions themselves."
"When we are a community together, we can be one hell of a cavalry."
I've been pretty plugged in to political news since 2020, but wow -- the news has been coming so fast and furious this past year since Trump's second inauguration that, while there wasn't a lot of material in this book I was unaware of, I was shocked at how much I'd forgotten. I really loved the lessons from history interwoven throughout: the messages from our founding fathers, the times when our country failed the marginalized (Jim Crow, the Japanese internment camps, McCarthyism), the ways we overcame the ugly parts of our history.
This book reminds us that waving the white flag in defeat perfectly plays into the hands of a would-be autocrat. We cannot discredit our institutions: our courts, our elections, our government workers -- not if we want our systems to stand. Timothy Snyder rephrases this same idea as "do not obey in advance." Statements like "maybe we won't even have midterm elections" or "my vote doesn't matter" only yield your power to the people in charge. The American people have shown just in the past week what happens when we refuse to believe the lies this administration tells us -- especially the lie that they have already won. They haven't won; I've seen too much courage and compassion from ordinary citizens to believe that.
A couple of quotes:
"If you want to preserve democracy, fight for the institutions. Our institutions are not perfect. It's important to acknowledge their problems and commit to improving them, but not abandon the institutions altogether. Criticize the people who are doing the damage to them, the people who seek to destroy democracy, but don't fault the institutions for the flaws of their attackers. Protect the institutions themselves."
"When we are a community together, we can be one hell of a cavalry."
September 16, 2026
During the past few years I've been reading Joyce Vance's daily Substack pieces that put U.S. politics in wonderful legal context (https://joycevance.substack.com/), as well as Heather Cox Richardson (doing a similar thing but within more of a historical context at https://heathercoxrichardson.substack...). Both are incredibly intelligent, good writers, and provide well-reasoned breaths of fresh air to most contemporary issues. So how could I not pick up Vance's book?
Written for the general public, I would say the book felt a little too simplified for my own tastes, but Vance's belief in our system and the power of active, engaged, and organized citizens is inspiring. With a belief that democracy "will always be aspirational," she reminds the reader of some of the founding principles our system was built upon, that our institutions my be bruised, but that they are not broken. And, most importantly, that there are practical ways every one of us can play a small part in maintaining and improving our democracy (from speaking up to fostering community and voting--she shares the not-surprising-but-continually-upsetting numbers: 34% of eligible voters didn't vote in 2020 and 36% didn't vote in 2024; those numbers tend to be even worse in midterm elections like the one coming up in November of this year).
It is easy to get disparaged and she aptly points out that younger generations have not seen democracy function the way it could, nor seen protest as an effective route to actual change. But that just makes her proverbial "call to arms" all the more important at this moment in time.
"The curious thing about living through a full-blown constitutional crisis is that for those who want to, or are just distracted by pressing obligations, it’s remarkably easy to ignore."
Written for the general public, I would say the book felt a little too simplified for my own tastes, but Vance's belief in our system and the power of active, engaged, and organized citizens is inspiring. With a belief that democracy "will always be aspirational," she reminds the reader of some of the founding principles our system was built upon, that our institutions my be bruised, but that they are not broken. And, most importantly, that there are practical ways every one of us can play a small part in maintaining and improving our democracy (from speaking up to fostering community and voting--she shares the not-surprising-but-continually-upsetting numbers: 34% of eligible voters didn't vote in 2020 and 36% didn't vote in 2024; those numbers tend to be even worse in midterm elections like the one coming up in November of this year).
It is easy to get disparaged and she aptly points out that younger generations have not seen democracy function the way it could, nor seen protest as an effective route to actual change. But that just makes her proverbial "call to arms" all the more important at this moment in time.
In Common Sense, [Thomas] Paine explained the weaknesses of kings like this: Men who look upon themselves born to reign, and others to obey, soon grow insolent; selected from the rest of mankind their minds are early poisoned by importance; and the world they act in differs so materially from the world at large, that they have but little opportunity of knowing its true interests, and when they succeed to government are frequently the most ignorant and unfit of any throughout the dominions.
February 16, 2026
I’ve been subscribing to more and more Substacks in the past year but I don’t usually opt for the paid versions. I have a paid version to Joyce Vance’s Substack, Civil Discourse, because I decided early on that I didn’t want to miss anything she has to say. I could highlight several points in this book that resonated with me, but this is a short, easily digestible book, so I encourage you to read it yourself.
December 10, 2025
I follow JV on her Substack. After being a free member for a handful of months, I have recently become a paid member since I read everything she puts out.
This is timely. As a reminder, elections have consequences. This is a good history refresher, an explainer for those that could use it. The Presidency of the United States has checks on it. When used. Article 1- Congress; they've pretty much let this orange, sexist, racist, demented asshole do whatever the fuck he wants. There (finally) has been a little (emphasis on little) push-back this week, so we shall see. Article 3; the Courts; they've (for the most part) have been doing there job and holding the orange, sexist, racist, demented asshole accountable (as much as they can anyway). Then there is the Press; the Mainstream Media has been doing a little bit, but not nearly enough of what they should. Independent Media continues to do a fantastic job. I will edit to say this is my opinion; my MAGA parents would strongly disagree with that statement. Hell, this review (my dad wants me deported. Where? Not sure. I was born here, so was he, so where my grandparents, etc).
The Rule of Law in short means that no one is above the law. This is becoming questionable when one looks at all the pardons the orange, sexist, racist, demented asshole has given out. White collar crimes (Paul Walczak, George Santos, this list is massive), drug crimes (Juan Orlando Hernandez), insurrection (when he pardoned the Jan 6 participants). With the Supreme Court ruling in 2024 (Trump vs the United States) going the orange, sexist, racist, demented asshole immunity for "official acts," I honestly do not know there the Rule of Law stands anymore.
JV also discusses how controlling the narrative is important. With the "right" snapshot, they grow and take on a life of their own.
In short, be active in your community. Participate when you can. Make phone calls, write postcards, participate in boycotts (for example Home Depot), contact your elected officials, participate in the next No Kings protest.
This is timely. As a reminder, elections have consequences. This is a good history refresher, an explainer for those that could use it. The Presidency of the United States has checks on it. When used. Article 1- Congress; they've pretty much let this orange, sexist, racist, demented asshole do whatever the fuck he wants. There (finally) has been a little (emphasis on little) push-back this week, so we shall see. Article 3; the Courts; they've (for the most part) have been doing there job and holding the orange, sexist, racist, demented asshole accountable (as much as they can anyway). Then there is the Press; the Mainstream Media has been doing a little bit, but not nearly enough of what they should. Independent Media continues to do a fantastic job. I will edit to say this is my opinion; my MAGA parents would strongly disagree with that statement. Hell, this review (my dad wants me deported. Where? Not sure. I was born here, so was he, so where my grandparents, etc).
The Rule of Law in short means that no one is above the law. This is becoming questionable when one looks at all the pardons the orange, sexist, racist, demented asshole has given out. White collar crimes (Paul Walczak, George Santos, this list is massive), drug crimes (Juan Orlando Hernandez), insurrection (when he pardoned the Jan 6 participants). With the Supreme Court ruling in 2024 (Trump vs the United States) going the orange, sexist, racist, demented asshole immunity for "official acts," I honestly do not know there the Rule of Law stands anymore.
JV also discusses how controlling the narrative is important. With the "right" snapshot, they grow and take on a life of their own.
In short, be active in your community. Participate when you can. Make phone calls, write postcards, participate in boycotts (for example Home Depot), contact your elected officials, participate in the next No Kings protest.
March 29, 2026
"It’s easy to reject what’s imperfect and walk away from it. It’s more difficult to acknowledge the imperfections and commit to fixing them.” Democracy takes work. Progress is not a given. If you're staying up on current events and are concerned about democracy, there is not a lot of new here. That doesn't make it unimportant.
March 18, 2026
If ever there was a time to review civics curriculum this is it. I was very pleased with the easy to read yet very informative tone of Vance’s writing as well as the why it matters, what you can do tone. Easy to read, great intro to people who need a reminder on how politics is for everyone not just billionaires.
October 26, 2025
This is an uplifting look at where we are in the rapidly evolving political landscape that includes words of wisdom, hope, and a call to action.
November 17, 2025
I do worry what kids growing up now are going to think about our country and it’s democracy. Are they even going to think about it at all? So much of our media and education (it seems) is built on distracting us. And even if you overcome that distraction, there are so many parts that seem hopeless and disheartening.
It is our civic responsibility as citizens !! who pay taxes !! to be properly educated and vote !! All of us live in symbiosis with one another; it blows my minnddd how much our society wants to separate us. We should all be working together to create a common good.
If you educate yourself and participate, I think hope can find you again. Because there is hope!! Thankfully America is still a democracy—and what a beautiful thing that is, but democracy only works if the people are educated and vote. We can’t hold the people in power accountable if we take no steps to do so !!
I am trying everyday to be more educated in my values, understanding our world and its history. Where the problems lie and how to fix them. It’s funny that our founding fathers wrote specifically to prevent this kind of thing.. but it gets forgotten. Taken for granted! It definitely takes a lot of mental work and energy, but I’m committed to being better!! I think, I hope 😭💔 this book definitely gave me a new direction to go in. I love when books reference older books and get you excited to read them!! To expand your knowledge 🥰
It is our civic responsibility as citizens !! who pay taxes !! to be properly educated and vote !! All of us live in symbiosis with one another; it blows my minnddd how much our society wants to separate us. We should all be working together to create a common good.
If you educate yourself and participate, I think hope can find you again. Because there is hope!! Thankfully America is still a democracy—and what a beautiful thing that is, but democracy only works if the people are educated and vote. We can’t hold the people in power accountable if we take no steps to do so !!
I am trying everyday to be more educated in my values, understanding our world and its history. Where the problems lie and how to fix them. It’s funny that our founding fathers wrote specifically to prevent this kind of thing.. but it gets forgotten. Taken for granted! It definitely takes a lot of mental work and energy, but I’m committed to being better!! I think, I hope 😭💔 this book definitely gave me a new direction to go in. I love when books reference older books and get you excited to read them!! To expand your knowledge 🥰
August 13, 2026
A prescient, succinct, and straightforward introduction to the current state of democracy in the United States--and what we can do to keep it.
My main criticism is that, unfortunately, this book doesn't offer much that is novel or surprising. For people who have been following current events and have a basic knowledge of U.S. history, Giving Up Is Unforgivable is more a review than a new perspective. This book is for people who want an essential understanding of the topic.
And as I see all too often from privileged political commentators, I'm afraid that Vance too easily disregards the concerns of working class Americans who struggle to connect with "preserving democracy" as a high-priority issue. She writes that "Trump floated the stuff of banana republics, but too many voters focused on the price of eggs." Excuse me? "Too many voters" focused on finding a way to feed their families? Wow, I wonder why...maybe it's because people need to eat? Protecting democracy is vital, but don't you dare blame our fascist creep on people who are desperate to feed their families. We can do both--we can fight to safeguard our democracy and make sure every family can afford to feed, house, clothe, and care for their children. In fact, totalitarianism isn't exactly conducive to a strong economy. Do we really think that Trump, who's obsessed with plastering his name on every building and harassing Olympic athletes, really cares about lowering the price of groceries? Instead of blaming the working class, we should be appealing to them.
My main criticism is that, unfortunately, this book doesn't offer much that is novel or surprising. For people who have been following current events and have a basic knowledge of U.S. history, Giving Up Is Unforgivable is more a review than a new perspective. This book is for people who want an essential understanding of the topic.
And as I see all too often from privileged political commentators, I'm afraid that Vance too easily disregards the concerns of working class Americans who struggle to connect with "preserving democracy" as a high-priority issue. She writes that "Trump floated the stuff of banana republics, but too many voters focused on the price of eggs." Excuse me? "Too many voters" focused on finding a way to feed their families? Wow, I wonder why...maybe it's because people need to eat? Protecting democracy is vital, but don't you dare blame our fascist creep on people who are desperate to feed their families. We can do both--we can fight to safeguard our democracy and make sure every family can afford to feed, house, clothe, and care for their children. In fact, totalitarianism isn't exactly conducive to a strong economy. Do we really think that Trump, who's obsessed with plastering his name on every building and harassing Olympic athletes, really cares about lowering the price of groceries? Instead of blaming the working class, we should be appealing to them.
January 24, 2026
A quick read that really sums up how I feel in today’s world under Trump - wondering how I’ll survive the rest of his presidency. Joyce Vance lays out some hope that democracy will survive despite the Trump administration trying to do away with it. She makes the excellent point that we must keep fighting (nonviolently of course) in any way we can to keep the principles our founding fathers laid down in the Federalist Papers - the need to keep the checks and balances in our system, to fight one branch from seizing all the power. Vance points out a lot of flaws in our system today. The lack of Congress using their power as an equal branch, the Supreme Court following the whims of a President rather than the rule of law are two of her examples. Even with those problems, if Americans can come together and demand more from their elected officials, to make our votes count - we can get our democracy back on track. Towards the end of the book, Joyce Vance recalls what President Obama told a group of U.S. attorneys, hired as prosecutors for the justice department. He told them “I appointed you, but you don’t work for me. You serve the American people. And I expect you to act with independence and integrity.” If only we can get back to that. I give the book 4 stars.
February 21, 2026
Good reminder of our collective responsibility to uphold democracy and to avoid taking it for granted. Such a shame that the situation in the U.S. was already horrible when the book came out and it has just gotten significantly worse since then. And although the near future looks grim too, we must never abandon our fight against tyranny. As the title says, it'd be unforgivable.
July 11, 2026
Essential and clear reminders about what is at stake in our country. Similar to Heather Cox Richardson’s writings but from a legal perspective.
November 4, 2026
Very informative, not a lot of pages despite it taking me forever to read lol
July 31, 2026
Just the encouragement I needed! And plenty of easy to understand information along the way. Highly recommend!!
December 21, 2025
"A long habit of not thinking a thing wrong gives it a superficial appearance of being right."
While I largely agree with what Vance is saying (and I appreciate the way she frames her argument primarily through analysis of the law and its history), I wonder about the efficacy of books that are so explicitly and exclusively political in the way this one is. She presents a strong argument against things like political apathy, but I feel like someone who's not interested in politics or has given up on politics probably wouldn't read a book like this. I enjoyed it for what it was though.
While I largely agree with what Vance is saying (and I appreciate the way she frames her argument primarily through analysis of the law and its history), I wonder about the efficacy of books that are so explicitly and exclusively political in the way this one is. She presents a strong argument against things like political apathy, but I feel like someone who's not interested in politics or has given up on politics probably wouldn't read a book like this. I enjoyed it for what it was though.
January 29, 2026
Joyce Vance writes like the constitutional law professor you wishhhhh could just hop on the mic at brunch and translate the chaos into plain English. It’s short, punchy, and genuinely motivating without pretending everything is fine. She does a great job naming the “slow slide” problem and the way power hides behind the costume of legality, then pivoting into what citizens can actually do about it. I get why a lot of readers are landing around four stars, it’s sharper and more readable than most political/legal books in its lane. 
Why not five? Because the optimism can feel a little relentless, and some of the “here’s what to do” advice stays at a high level: vote, get involved, talk to your uncle, join a cause. DUHHH, but I wanted a bit more tactical specificity for people who are already alarmed and tapped out. Still, if you’ve been doomscrolling and feeling useless, totally worth the read!
Why not five? Because the optimism can feel a little relentless, and some of the “here’s what to do” advice stays at a high level: vote, get involved, talk to your uncle, join a cause. DUHHH, but I wanted a bit more tactical specificity for people who are already alarmed and tapped out. Still, if you’ve been doomscrolling and feeling useless, totally worth the read!
November 23, 2025
This was a quick listen and good company on a drive at 2x speed.
However, if you’re left leaning and have been paying attention to the news, it felt like nothing new. The author is kind of preaching at the choir and there’s nothing very actionable.
However, if you’re left leaning and have been paying attention to the news, it felt like nothing new. The author is kind of preaching at the choir and there’s nothing very actionable.
November 29, 2025
A civics refresher course for grownups, and a call for action while staying hopeful.
Read
January 8, 2026Lately, it feels like maintaining this democracy is a full time job. I don't know if I feel more motivated/equipped after listening to this audiobook, or if I'm in the same spot.
October 4, 2026
In chapter 3, Joyce Vance is remarking on the importance of democracy and chastising those who have become disenchanted with America’s representative democracy. She says something to the effect of, “if you think it’s hard to get your government to listen to you about climate change, imagine how difficult it is if that government is deferring to billionaires.” And I LAUGHED.
The practice of neoliberalism in our government, with organizations like AIPAC, etc. has lead to exactly that. Billionaires are running the show, with our elected officials profiting and feeding directly from their pockets.
She goes onto say “If American’s cared deeply, they might be able to do something.”
She shirks the crumbling of our democracy, partly, onto the average American and not on the million intentional laws that have been passed since the 80’s to siphon wealth into the pockets of the super rich and wealthy.
I wish I could be as unwavering in my support for a system that was completely destroyed during Reagan’s presidency.
Her call to action is… trite. She wants us all to vote harder, participate more. She wants us to play into systems that have broken. Like girl… be so fuckin fr…
“The ultimate way to charge the bully is at the ballot box.” disagree, the ultimate way to charge the bully is with a bullet.
There was a moment where she talks about the importance of maintaining a dialogue with your community. Continuing to do advocacy and ‘plant seeds’ and I enjoyed that part.
BUT THEN SHE QUOTES RONALD REAGAN AND AT THAT POINT I ALMOST DNF’d BC BE FUCKING FRRRRRR
This book upset me the entire way through, but sometimes its good to read shit you disagree with i guess. Vance wraps up the book with, “yeah we’re living under a dictatorship but we just need to keep talking about it.”
IDKKKKk
December 15, 2025
Excellent book, with the added benefit that it is brief and to the point! There's a lot in this book, so it is impressive that it clocks in under 200 pages.
The book is both honest about how bad the situation has become, but also hopeful about all the ways folks are already pushing back, and instructive in terms of how we need to push back in even more ways. Most of all, it is a good reminder that we cannot wait for anyone to come and save us, WE have to save ourselves.
The point to "a manual for keeping a democracy" is that it is up to us as citizens to maintain the expectation that democracy matters, and that we will defend it when it is endangered. Part of that is expecting elected representatives to do their jobs properly, and expecting the courts to maintain their integrity, and expecting the executive branch (including the president) to uphold the constitution: But another part of that is ensuring that there will be consequences for any and all branches of our government if they get so caught up in the temptations of power that they forget that they are supposed to be public servants, not selfish tyrants. Since we are in a regime where the party of selfish tyrants control all the branches right now, it's going to be a lot of work to defeat them and get back to the long, slow work of expanding democracy again. But we are on the way, and as the author of this book says in her usual tagline, "we're in this together."
The book is both honest about how bad the situation has become, but also hopeful about all the ways folks are already pushing back, and instructive in terms of how we need to push back in even more ways. Most of all, it is a good reminder that we cannot wait for anyone to come and save us, WE have to save ourselves.
The point to "a manual for keeping a democracy" is that it is up to us as citizens to maintain the expectation that democracy matters, and that we will defend it when it is endangered. Part of that is expecting elected representatives to do their jobs properly, and expecting the courts to maintain their integrity, and expecting the executive branch (including the president) to uphold the constitution: But another part of that is ensuring that there will be consequences for any and all branches of our government if they get so caught up in the temptations of power that they forget that they are supposed to be public servants, not selfish tyrants. Since we are in a regime where the party of selfish tyrants control all the branches right now, it's going to be a lot of work to defeat them and get back to the long, slow work of expanding democracy again. But we are on the way, and as the author of this book says in her usual tagline, "we're in this together."
December 22, 2025
I spent the weekend reading, devouring, absorbing this powerful book. It’s a MUST read book for everyone today. I couldn’t put it down and upon finishing it, I wanted to do a deeper dive into the topic, civics, and read more.
Joyce White Vance writes about our political system, the constitution, the rule of law, and the need to continue to learn and study civics. Civics is a key component in and for our democracy, our republic, our society.
Vance’s writing is clear, casual, and engaging. She pulls in current events, history, politics, and the law and provides context so that anyone, and I mean any person of any age and reading level, can understand this slim book.
What’s missing is recommendations of what to read, to explore, to study to broaden ‘our’ knowledge of civics and our society.
Kudos to Joyce White Vance for this incredibly informative and thought provoking book and for her “Civil Discourse” Substack feed.
Joyce White Vance writes about our political system, the constitution, the rule of law, and the need to continue to learn and study civics. Civics is a key component in and for our democracy, our republic, our society.
Vance’s writing is clear, casual, and engaging. She pulls in current events, history, politics, and the law and provides context so that anyone, and I mean any person of any age and reading level, can understand this slim book.
What’s missing is recommendations of what to read, to explore, to study to broaden ‘our’ knowledge of civics and our society.
Kudos to Joyce White Vance for this incredibly informative and thought provoking book and for her “Civil Discourse” Substack feed.
February 3, 2026
Not really a manual/specifically tangible steps for action, but a good, conversational reminder of the importance of lawyers, civic education, keeping faith in the idea of the US and US institutions even and especially when we are disappointed in or hurt by them, and the essential reminder that, yes, individual people speaking up does matter. Quite lawyer-heavy, and with some good balancing of acknowledging the roles of oppressions, but with a little too much time spent on things like Law Day and recaps of selected recent authoritarian moves for what I was looking for/what this was advertised as.
Love the title!
Read about half of this, then listened to the end on audio: fine narration.
Love the title!
Read about half of this, then listened to the end on audio: fine narration.
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