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The Trump administration doesn’t care. They know they are unpopular but if you steal enough power, it doesn’t matter.
That’s the problem with these protests.
No authoritarian government cares to listens to protestors. Yet they all fear them. The point isn't to make the government comply but to show everyone how many people are on your side. The more people show up the easier it is to motivate people to resist.
So I guess we already lost and should just accept things no matter how bad they get
I’m not saying that. I’m saying we need to do more.
so don't do this but do more? wouldn't do more mean you do the basics and more?
Not saying protesting is bad. I’m just saying Trump doesn’t care and we need to do more than have a few large protests.
I mean there are few things trump cares about. hes all mission accomplished aready with iran. Having been protesting I can say that no one there things the protests are the only thing they are doing or planning. A protest like this is not meant to be an end to itself.
Then I would try to communicate that better. Your 3 sentences in the original end with they don't care, it doesn't matter, and that's the problem with the protests. It comes across completely defeatist.
I see your point although I was speaking in regard to the Trump Administration, not the protests themselves.
I believe in protesting itself. I think it’s a good thing. I just don’t think the Trump Administration is not interested in playing by the rules, and that’s the problem. We, as American Citizens, need to do more, though, if I’m honest I’m not sure what outside of a general strike.
I think that's all fair. But individual reps might care. I think that's where you can make progress. Those midterms are coming in hot for all those reps.
The Republican party is Trump at the moment, and those reps are looking at getting their asses kicked out of a job.
Making a real change takes a number of things, including realizing that there are enough other people that feel the same way.
These protests will not directly lead to change, but they will help move us in the right direction. They are a necessary part.
will you strike on May 1?
Now that is doing something and yes. But will every union join? We need enough people to do so. No work, no shopping.
That's why a strike is needed. He doesn't care about people walking around with signs but a stike will hurt their bank accounts.
What proponents don't get:
Turning out in the streets with no action doesn't actually "do" anything. Yes, it gives participants warm fuzzies, but that's about it.
I really hope organizers used the opportunity to do something productive. Register people to vote, collect volunteers for the upcoming primaries and the general election in the fall, push the red states to reject Republican ideology and candidates that are actively injuring all of us.
8,000,000 / the current US population estimate of 342,400,000 is 2.34% of the US out protesting on Saturday. That's fantastic, but it's not enough to move the needle.
Where does it need to be?
https://www.bbc.com/future/article/20190513-it-only-takes-35-of-people-to-change-the-world
Just short of 12 million. We are getting there.
No Kings June, 2025 - 5 million
No Kings October, 2025 - 7 million
No Kings March, 2026 - 8 million
On this track, the next one will be close to 10 million. Proponents will argue they are over, detractors will say they missed the target, but 10 million more or less.
We are at least 2-3 more protests of this size away from hitting the 3.5% thresh-hold, but it is do-able before the 2028 elections.
Great post! I have been spreading the same message, including the 12 million person goal.
Just don't forget those at home who can't protest for whatever reason. 3.5% is a tiny number of people. Homebound resistors number many times that. We can't forget that, and we have to remind MAGA of that fact often.
Have read the 3.5 peoples findings or observations? One it is not a guarantee there have been protests with far higher percentage that failed and two it is becoming more irrelevant as states learn from other failures. Third my option going out once every three months isnt rewlly protesting.
That 3.5% is the approximate percentage of the population that it takes to POTENTIALLY reach a Tipping Point, and kick off a trend that takes hold and increases. It's not guaranteed, but it becomes very possible at that point.
So they are trying to hit the 3.5% with protesters alone. That will scare the shit out of MAGA (it already is), because they know that those protesters are only a small percentage of the actual numbers. If all the voters were No Kings protesters, MAGA would win elections with 96.5% of the vote. Obviously there is a LOT of non-demonstrating resistance at home, watching in support. Many people simply can't go to a physical protest for many reasons.
The one I went to had a food drive and a voter registration booth.
Also protest do something incredibly important that people don't seem to understand.
They bring people together. People who have ideas.
People who are maybe a bit more impatient, violent, and reckless than the masses.
They motivate those individuals to take more aggressive action.
Protests make such individuals feel like they have the support of the people (and they do).
Like burning down Tesla dealerships.
Like trying to burn down concentration camps.
Because if you study any history, you know that the oppressors NEVER give up their power because someone asks or even demands.
It will have to be taken. At great personal cost to those taking it.
Such people will be inspired to action from the display of protests. They will feel validated in their illegal (almost certainly) actions. And feel like it's worth the risk.
This is very important.
That's fantastic they were doing a food drive and voter registration! Let's hope they organize "turn out the vote" events leading up to the elections.
Like the other comment says, the "protests don't do anything" argument looks like it makes sense, but it really doesn't. Sure, it alone doesn't do anything, but it doesn't happen in a vacuum. It's a stepping stone. It leads to further organization and action. It's an easy, relatively risk free, way to get people involved, and it's easier to get them to go further after that first step is taken.
The 3.5% would still actually have to do something. General strike to end the war in Iran would put additional pressure on the administration and since its position is already very week it could actually make a difference. Getting a win like that would do much more than this vague marching against Trump.
Could you imagine the difference enlisting 10 million people to run a one day registration drive would make?
You wouldn't even necessarily need to travel far. Groups of 10-15 door to door and 10 million people could basically knock practically every door in a day.
I'll shout this from the rooftops indefinitely: American elections aren't about preference, by and large, they are about turnout. There's very little we individuals can do when the party selects (repeatedly) unpopular candidates. But increasing registration would materially impact turnout.
Save the doomer BS. It's not for hyper online people like yourself. You're a minority in this.