“No Kings” protesters in Wisconsin and across the 50 states ended their massive, historic and amazingly peaceful demonstrations against the Trump agenda Saturday with high fives and by quickly asking: “What’s next?”
Their signs, costumes, patriotic music and jokes sent a powerful message to MAGA/Republican leaders that their ambitions for authoritarian, despotic, top-down and even tyrannical government aren’t going to fly with American people who are re-discovering their Bill of Rights.
The anti-MAGA numbers speak for themselves. An estimated seven million citizens roused themselves to protest in 2700 communities across the land Saturday. That’s an astounding number, about 5% of the voter turnout in last November’s presidential election. Or one in twenty.
So, as for what’s next, how about even bigger numbers for rallies on Thanksgiving Day, the all-American holiday? How about ten million citizens then for the next pro-Constitution, pro-Democracy, pro-rule-of-law national demonstration?
The incredible uprising against Trump’s first eight months in office constitutes what looks like the start of a political movement, like a juggernaut. No wonder GOP leaders tried to discount its impact with trash talk about it being organized and populated by haters of America, antifa and pro-Hamas terrorists. What nonsense.
I was in the middle of the recent protests, including two in West Bend. The protesters were everyday citizens of all stripes: little old ladies and their little old guys, veterans wearing Army, Air Force, Navy and Marine caps, manufacturing workers, retired and current teachers, government employees, farmers, non-profit employees, nurses and health care professionals.
Many were previously passive citizens. For many, it was the first time they had ever marched or demonstrated.
Note that while Trump’s disapproval ratings have moved north of 50%, those who “strongly disapprove” have increased to 40% or more. In short, 4 in 10 hate his guts. Yet they all were non-violent. They are disagreeing with his governance in a very civil, lawful but powerful American way.
The genius of the No Kings organizers at the national, state and local levels is their big tent strategy. Everyone with a beef about Trump’s rampage through our laws, rules, precedents, history and traditions is welcome. The leaders are wisely steering clear of individual issues. They are inclusive, not divisive. They are just working for an over-whelming coalition against a would-be dictator.
Trump gets out of bed every day with a new brain-child affront to a different segment of American society. One day he famously insults veterans as losers and suckers. Then he cuts the VA budget. Another day he trashes all Democratic opponents as vermin. He denigrates our universities, often the engines of our prosperity with millions of alumni. He reverses environmental progress, even though some three-quarters of Americans see themselves as conservationists. And on and on, one bucket of Americans after another on his enemies list.
The latest aberrant action is his demolition of the east wing of the White House, something he said he would never do. Citizens who respect American history have to be turned off; they have to be candidates for the next No Kings rally.
Another new affront to average citizens: his order to his Justice Department to pay him $230 million personally for “the fraud of the 2020 election.” He lost that election by 7 million votes. He presumably wants to use that funny money to pay for his new ballroom at the White House. Do we need a $200 million ballroom?
Another slice of the electorate, fiscal conservatives, may peel off over that blunder and join the national protest.
It’s clear that the president’s scar tissue keeps building. That’s why the No Kings movement keeps expanding. He doesn’t get the old cliché that when you are in a hole, stop digging.
Trump’s chaotic, anti-American behaviors make 10 million look a sure bet. Like a Happy Thanksgiving.
