The massive, widespread American protests did nothing to deter GOP congress.

[Irish_Dem]

The GOP congress backs Trump no matter how heinous and criminal he acts.
Including a bill that will destroy many Americans.

[J_William_Ryan]

1. It's the tyranny of Republican minority rule.

As codified by the Supreme Court.

[Meadowoak]

2. and many on our side thought they could just stay home.

[maxsolomon]

103. The No Kings protest wasn't about the Reconciliation Bill

per se.

[Skittles]

3. they don't give a fuck what we think

they work for TRUMP, not WE THE PEOPLE

it is SICK

[Irish_Dem]

4. The GOP could not care less about what voters think.

They work for the Putin/Trump crime syndicate and themselves.

[kkmarie]

10. It's easy to go against the will of the people

When you don't need the people. They know the fix is in. Krasnov's said if you elect me "you won't have to vote anymore".

[NCDem47]

45. Agree.

all this theatre about "will it. won't it." and it was ALWAYS going through.

Republicans were hell bent on doing this because: 1) They know most of the public is low information and won't know...and if they do, they won't care. 2) if they take an election cycle short short-term hit, they know they'll get back. 3) and worst of all...they know they fix is in and teh election system is rigged for Republicans.

[Botany]

5. Because voting and numbers don't matter. The election was dirty and the GOP knows it too.

Last edited Sun Jun 29, 2025, 11:18 AM - Edit history (1)

https://thiswillhold.substack.com/

Read the articles from #1 to # 4

[Irish_Dem]

6. Exactly. Voters no longer matter.

This means they stole the election and will do so again if it suits them.

[IcyPeas]

8. Just think of all the new ICE Agents they're hiring. Coming to a polling place near you?

It's trumps little army. This Homan creep standing at a lecturn that says Faith and Freedom. What a joke. Freedom to fuck over anybody they want.

The budget bill contains tens of billions to fund an army of 10,000 more ICE agents. This is a red alert moment for our democracy.

— George Takei (@georgetakei.bsky.social) 2025-06-29T10:15:33.918Z

Video:

Border Czar Tom Homan says that once Congress passes Trump's budget bill, he'll have more money than ever to carry out arrests and deportations: "You think we're arresting people now? You wait 'til we get the funding to do what we gotta do."

— Right Wing Watch (@rightwingwatch.bsky.social) 2025-06-27T18:06:11.172Z

[Irish_Dem]

9. Yes Trump is hiring his own private goon squad.

A masked band of criminals with no restraints or rules.
Wbo will do whatever Trump wants.

[Ponietz]

18. Get back to us when 'Kamala Harris might happen to mention it

[Botany]

60. I like flowers. Do you?

[Buddyzbuddy]

7. That's the intangible that we don't understand.

The Felon has somehow convinced everybody that works with him/ for him that they are invincible. Until they are caught and forced to pay the price. Eastman, Giuliani, Cheesboro, the Kraken, Weinberg, Elon, etc., etc., etc.

The Republican party will suffer great losses while Nero plays. They've had chances time and time again. Ice "agents" are going to find out the hardway there is no immunity for those carrying out illegal actions. All private prisons must be ended, Erik Prince, ended. Billionaires 90% tax. +++

[Lonestarblue]

12. Perhaps they feel invincible because they know the voting has been rigged for them.

High school students at tech conferences have shown how easy it is to hack voting machines. We will never know whether the machines in 2024 were actually programmed for Republicans because no one bothered to check them after the vote, including Democratic states Trump won. Trump winning all the swing states by just the margin needed to avoid a recount is not only a statistical anomaly, it’s virtually impossible. Democrats did nothing.

[sop]

14. And we're not supposed to talk about it: you're being conspiratorial, there's no evidence, it won't stand up in court...

"Absence of evidence is not evidence of absence." The lack of proof for something doesn't mean that thing didn't happen.

[LymphocyteLover]

21. Democrats are still winning elections. Also if the margins are big enough, they can't

blatantly steal votes-- electronic vote theft only can be done on the margins.

But Republicans HAVE rigged the system through gerrymandering and brainwashing their base through rightwing media.

[LuvLoogie]

11. The protests were for our own solidarity.

It's the people not voting and the true believer racists that put this regime in power.

The GOPs are not motivated by service to citizens. We know this.

They can kill us. But we'll keep coming. We have to show them that.

[agingdem]

19. Yes...deterring the MAGA monsters was never the point..

Last edited Sun Jun 29, 2025, 07:27 PM - Edit history (1)

constituents shouting down their Republican representatives at town halls, dissatisfied Trump voters joining the NO KINGS nationwide protests, and Trump's no-show birthday parade sends an ominous signal to Republican congressmen running for reelection...Trump's threat to primary those he perceives as disloyal is less scary than pissed off voters ready to "pull the lever" for a Democrat in 2026 midterms...

[Bernardo de La Paz]

53. It's the ultimate point, but it takes 3.5% (10 million) in sustained protests & large-scales strikes and boycotts.

I agree that these intermediate protests are about building coalitions and unity and momentum.

Next big protest July 17.

No Kings!

[Ocelot II]

58. Exactly, which is why it pisses me off rather intensely when someone says

the fact that it didn't work to stop the Big Ugly Bill means demonstrations are pointless. Bullshit. All you naysayers, get your whiney asses out there for the next one and the next one and the next one instead of just moaning into your computer.

[Bernardo de La Paz]

59. Naysayers, nihilists, and ultra-cynics want easy solutions. They are rampant here and are destructive.

We all want easy solutions. There have been no easy solutions for the problem of fascists and monarchists who have been with us for generation after generation.

The cynics need to ask The Greatest Generation about easy solutions.

Hard work now means a lot less hard work later.

[Magoo48]

25. Thank you. Demonstrations foster unity, solidarity, and a bonding of our determination.

In my opinion, the demonstrations create a stronger reality than me blowing hard by tapping away here on DU. Don’t get me wrong, I love the interchange that goes on here, but there are not thousands upon 1000s of people driving by honking their horns as they look over my shoulder at what I’ve just tapped away at. There’s no comparison. The enthusiasm of every demonstration breeds responses of some kind by the great cross-section of Americans, who drive by and witness them.

[Bernardo de La Paz]

54. Yes. Electrons are only rented, but live protestors on the streets are priceless. . . . nt

[Hugin]

13. The Republicans have long been riding and encouraging a deep and negative vein in...

Human nature.

That is they know people are dead set against paying for “roads that they personally will never see or use”. Without realizing their secondary reliance on those “roads” for their very health and livelihoods.

Yes, there’s some fancy “roads” built by the government in the population centers and every Trump wants to own one and to charge everyone to use it.

This decimates the economic infrastructure of rural and sparsely populated areas where everything these centers relies on comes from by stripping away the incentives for anyone being in these areas and affording to be productive and merely existing. In fact, there’s a prejudice against those in these areas as being “losers and suckers”. Who should be replaced by expensive and difficult to maintain automation or conscripted labor.

Many Republicans see Trump as the personification of this drive. He benefits from it greatly because their efforts only work to push everything deeper into his hands with little to no work on his part. He’s really only one of many. One of the more odious public faces of these revenue sinks. Some we will rarely hear about, by design.

[Hugin]

16. Their main con is to yell and gnash that they represent and fight for these people when things like the OBBBA prove...

The opposite.

[Oopsie Daisy]

15. It will get worse before it gets better.

[Vinca]

17. The only thing that matters is the ballot box and I feel as if that's in jeopardy. Will we have an election or not?

[llmart]

20. Oh, we'll have an "election" alright...

but it will be a sham of an election similar to what some other countries have - you know, countries that aren't democracies.

In fact, our last presidential election was more than likely a sham also. He knew the fix was in. Let's see if the midterms are equally a sham. Right now his poll numbers are in the toilet and they will remain in the toilet, so if the GOP wins big in the midterms I will be categorically certain that our democracy is over.

[Autumn]

40. Of course we will have an election.The questioin is, will our vote count?

[DownriverDem]

24. No it isn't a waste of time!

Folks are helped by being with like minded people. How old are you?

[blubunyip]

29. Oh they're working and must continue

“Mean signs” — huh? The truth on a sign is “mean” ? Isn’t what they are doing to the American people far meaner?

There are many reasons for visible protest, and for protest of all kinds. Resisting is far more healthy than complicity. But always there are those who don’t see it. Protests are for those who do.

[blubunyip]

42. One sign among thousands --and you are personally offended?

I am offended every day by what the enemy within is doing to this country. Unspeakable acts of violence, corruption and abuse of power. Talk about acts full of Hate!

Protestors are people who already have an awareness of issues and want to exercise their right to assemble and network and speak out publicly against injustice. It is a life affirming way to act in unison and to have a larger voice. Fighters aren’t always as polite as you would like—“asshole” is pretty mild considering the possibilities. He’s far worse than a mere asshole. This is about fighting victimization— healthy not to accept a victim mentality in abuse situations, right? The Big Picture beyond signs = we all long for a government that truly works FOR the people.

And I think you know this. But why don’t you organize the protest you’d like to see. Give it a Love Thy
Neighbor theme. I could go for that, seriously, no problem. But realize that these protests ARE about love— love and respect for fellow human beings, animals, and the earth.

[Bernardo de La Paz]

52. They are handcuffing Senators and charging judges and killing ICE detainees but they are offended by a mean sign?

tRump was too mean to console Minnesota after the political assassinations but we are supposed to console people "offended" by mean signs?

maga {il}logic.

[Irish_Dem]

31. No it is a sign that voting no longer matters.

[Ocelot II]

57. If voting doesn't matter, why is the GOP so afraid of its MAGA voters?

Are you just going to give up now?

[DownriverDem]

23. Just want all the white folks

who support trump to suffer. I am white and those ignorant racist fu**s need to pay for our dimise. It's astounding how mean and hateful repubs are to those in need.

[barbtries]

26. We need to keep coming.

a sustained large protest is what can move the needle.

it's a commitment that is required from millions of people, to protest consistently in ever greater numbers.

no, they're not going away in a day or 6 months.

civil rights. womens suffrage. Labor. Vietnam. Things didn't change fast enough, but they did change. Because the people kept asserting their First Amendment Rights, over and over, and over.

[WhiskeyGrinder]

28. Was that the goal?

[Irish_Dem]

34. What do you think the goal was?

[WhiskeyGrinder]

38. I think there were a lot of different goals among participants and organizers, including simply organizing communities.

But that wide spectrum of goals makes it hard for people to stay activated, if they feel their goal hasn't been met.

[Irish_Dem]

39. Yes but quite a few goals means more participants.

People had their pet peeve or strongly felt goal in many areas.

[happy feet]

64. What do you believe needs to be done

To be effective?

[WhiskeyGrinder]

66. It depends on the result you want.

[Passages]

30. Yes and it is our lawmakers' responsibility to point out what these citizens will lose under Trump.

The protests are a testament to the voters who already know, yet in red states, we are far behind.

It takes a ground game to keep people informed in the most stark terms, the pinpointing of demographics..the hospitals alone that will close due to Republican actions.

Republicans govern in the present, worry about the voters being stripped bare, and how they'll react later.

Dem leadership seems to believe once voters lose enough, they'll come back to our side...which is a terrible gamble, imo.

[Vogon_Glory]

33. If we have fair elections in 2026 and beyond, they'll face consequences.

Even if we don’t, I feel that it’s still my duty as a citizen of this republic to vote anyway.

—-

As an aside, I am beginning to think that parliamentary democracies with no confidence votes and snap elections have more potential for calling would-be tyrants to heel than our system does.

Our republic is an outlier. Most functional democratic republics have parliamentary-style governance. Ours worked relatively well—until recently.

[Irish_Dem]

35. Yes our democracy is quite fragile.

And easily hacked by psychopaths

[Lovie777]

36. It wasn't for the GQP...................

it is for us.

[Kid Berwyn]

37. MAGA: The New NAZI Party

No matter how We the People vote, say or do — traitors win.

[Orrex]

41. I honestly didn't think that anyone expected the protests to deter the GOP's worship of him

If they could eat his shit any faster, they absolutely would, and they'd still beg for more.

[RandiFan1290]

43. The Iraq protests were much larger

and they didn't even convince Democrats to vote against the invasion.

[Irish_Dem]

46. Yes it was a hard lesson.

[Kaleva]

44. Peaceful protests are ineffective against fascists

[Irish_Dem]

47. Yes we have learned that lesson.

They are worthless.

[Bernardo de La Paz]

55. Fascists are worthless, but history teaches us that sustained large scale protests work. 3.5% (10 million). . . . nt

[Kaleva]

61. History teaches us that violence is often needed to depose fascists

[Bernardo de La Paz]

63. You are disputing research by Erica Chenoweth of Harvard. Non-violence succeeds twice as often as violence

Violence succeeds only one third of the time. Non-violence succeeds two thirds.

https://www.bbc.com/future/article/20190513-it-only-takes-35-of-people-to-change-the-world
https://www.democraticunderground.com/100220213106

[Kaleva]

68. That research isn't limited to fascist regimes

[Bernardo de La Paz]

72. Authoritarian or anti-democratic, if your prefer. But that's not the key

The key is this:

those engaging a threshold of 3.5% of the population have never failed

That includes fascist regimes.

[Kaleva]

75. Interesting!

I’ll look more into it.

Thanks for the information and link. This is one of the reasons why I enjoy DU. I learn a great deal!

[Bernardo de La Paz]

76. I have the same reaction to DU. Great place. . . . nt

[Whiskeytide]

91. I'm certainly not a scholar on this issue, but I suspect that ...

… the real reason non-violent protesting works is because the threat of violence - or at least incarceration - looms large behind the protestors. It’s a “step down or else” scenario.

An authoritarian has little reason to give up power unless he’s afraid the protestors might be carrying pitchforks. Otherwise, why give a shit?

And, I think history could be misleading us on this in light of tech advancement. In the modern world, authoritarians are MUCH better equipped to quell discontent and uprising. Weapons possessed by our government today have a level of mass lethality well beyond any country that has historically been overthrown by the people. And much of it can be deployed with minimal manpower. Then consider things like drones, personal data intell, tracking capabilities ….

All it would take is the will of a leader to turn such things on the American population, and a decent-sized group of trained military personnel - of like mind - (or perhaps even programmed AI) to deliver.

Maybe my imagination is running away with me. I hope so, anyway.

[Mysterian]

48. But it gave hope to the rest of us

As did the little protest in my hometown the other day.

[Hotler]

49. I'm surprised no one has posted the protest are stupid, yet.

[milestogo]

50. I think we need to do massive boycotts.

Make the corporate gods unhappy.

[Irish_Dem]

69. Good idea. Billionaires hate losing money.

[SSJVegeta]

51. Mass calls for their reps and senators to resign might help

Especially if we get millions on the street calling for it

[Irish_Dem]

73. GOP leaders hate the public.

They hate the voters and wish us dead
They have made that clear on more than one occasion.

[SSJVegeta]

78. If I may even go further and say "several" occasions.

[Irish_Dem]

83. We hear the things they say to voters in public.

We can only imagine what they say in private.

[SSJVegeta]

84. Im sure theyd have killed more if they could.

Wouldnt be surprised if they are still plotting ways to do so.

[Ocelot II]

56. That wasn't their purpose. The purpose was solidarity.

It was to remind ourselves and each other that we aren't alone and that there is strong opposition to the GOP's destruction. They don't care because at this point they are more afraid of Trump and MAGA voters than they are of public protests, and one or two big demonstrations won't change anything until they change into a movement and the demonstrations occur often and keep growing. And the more heinous the GOP's actions are, the more we will protest.

[Irish_Dem]

71. Solidarity is all fine and good.

But we need to use that solidarity to defeat the enemy.

[Ocelot II]

74. Got some suggestions?

[Irish_Dem]

85. I have idea, but I am a rank amateur.

I assume right or wrong that our leaders are working on a plan as we speak.

[NickB79]

62. There are 4 boxes of liberty

https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Four_boxes_of_liberty

"There are four boxes to be used in the defense of liberty: soap, ballot, jury, and cartridge (or ammo).

[Oopsie Daisy]

65. But, according to some... in comparison, a local town-hall or two would have magically fixed everything.

In reality, what will go a long way toward fixing everything is working hard to help the Democrats regain the majority. The continual nit-picking and backward-looking fault-finding and blame-gaming is not going to do that. Insinuating that the Democrats are complicit, or lazy, or corrupt (along with whatever lies that convey the "both parties are the same" myth) only serve to help the GOP. Why would anyone do that?

Your observations are correct. The GOP does not care and they are not persuaded by facts or public sentiment. They need to be removed at the ballot box.

[betsuni]

67. It's clear that ten years of publicity for the exact same populist message and strongly worded yelling rallies

have only hurt progress by demonizing the Democratic Party, just because one formed a both sides grudge in 1960 when neither candidate in the presidential debate that year supported the Cuban Revolution.

[Irish_Dem]

70. I agree. We need to stay unified.

But making plans requires some rigorous discussions.

[snot]

77. Worse than you think. Research shows that it's been that way for decades....

Already by 2014, over a period of two decades, there was literally a near-zero correlation between legislation actually enacted and public preferences; see https://act.represent.us/sign/problempoll-fba/ , or the actual the study by Profs Martin Gilens (Princeton.) & Benjamin I. Page (Northwestern U.) at https://archive.org/details/gilens_and_page_2014_-testing_theories_of_american_politics.doc .

Imho, the only kind of protest that really gets their attention is shutting down the money-making. It doesn't have to be via violence, but there need to be widespread general strikes that really hit them in their pocketbooks.

I also favor well-defined demands that go to the roots of our problems; e.g.:

we need to restore the regulations put on Wall St. after the 1929 crash that kept our economy growing for everyone, without booms or busts, for 50 years before the regs were repealed (under Pres. Clinton & his successors), and extend them to apply to credit derivatives & other Wall St. innovations;

we need to restore the restrictions against consolidation of media ownership that were repealed under the Telecom Act of 1996, and extend them to the internet;

we need to restore labor law protections to the levels that during the 1950's-70's helped create the greatest middle class wealth in human history; and

we need to restore the levels of taxation of the rich that began to be rolled back under Pres. Reagan.

Restoring anti-trust regulation & enforcement would also be helpful (how the heck is amazon allowed to continue hoovering up vast chunks of our economy??)

Apart from that, Represent.Us has what I consider to be the most realistic plan of action for trying to recover public control over our government.

[Irish_Dem]

86. I agree, shutting down the money making via general strikes is a good idea.

Of course when the rich get irritated they just buy more judges and politicians to shut
down and ignore the public.

[Easterncedar]

79. Not yet! The marches aren't coups.

We create solidarity, we plot the way forward and we have fun. And we vent rage and fear.

We have had brilliant speakers here in Augusta, Maine. They have suggested ways to help in our communities and keep our neighbors safe. The march organizers have collected medical supplies for people who can’t or fear to go to the hospital and are organizing connections with immigrant, homeless and at-risk populations.

The marches build courage, love and hope. When we have enough of those, we can pull the demons down.

[synni]

80. Protests don't work

The only language these people understand is money.

Sure, we can elect better officials in the future (IF we're allowed fair elections). But that doesn't help us now.

What would help now is the same thing that has made Elon back off to some degree: Hitting them in the bank account, where they can feel it.

Boycott the companies that these politicians invest in. Boycott the companies that donate to them. It's working with Tesla, and it can work with other companies.

Money talks.

[BWdem4life]

81. We didn't expect them to change the GOP. They were a warning.

Keep it up, Repugs.

[Irish_Dem]

87. What is the next step?

[BWdem4life]

89. Work stoppages. nt

[Irish_Dem]

90. Yes and general strikes on purchases as well.

[marble falls]

82. Get much larger, more agressive crowds out. Take a look at how the Serbians and Hungarians have done. LARGE crowds ...

... took down Nicolae Ceaușescu, made the leader of Georgia flee to Russia, took down the Czar and his ministers (Anastasia screamed in vain), brought down Honaker and the East German government.

[Irish_Dem]

88. This is what it will take here in the US as well.

Of course Trump is amazing a huge ICE Army, the National Guard,
and entire US military to squash the people.

Jail or kill us all?

[marble falls]

92. I do not think he has such tight control over the military. But we are going to have to wake RW America up.

[Irish_Dem]

93. Trump has a way of "motivating" everyone.

He is an excellent mob boss.

[Hekate]

94. Nothing? Do listen to Rachel Maddow on Monday nights...

Or, you can encourage us to all stay home because everything is useless.

[Irish_Dem]

95. I stand by my comments. The protests did nothing to deter the GOP from voting for the bill

that will destroy lives.

I watch RM every week.
I loved the coverage.

Putting words into my mouth and then beating me up for things I never said,
is a poor strategy with me and will not work at all to shut me up.
I speak up despite the BS thrown at me.

I am saying the protests are not effective at all.
Except to make people feel good.

I never suggested people stay home.

I am quite different from others here.
I come from a military family and I was taught to be in it to win it when it comes to war.
You don't keep pursuing a strategy that does not work.

You develop a new plan and work it hard.
I also don't bring a pea shooter to a fight where the other person is using nukes.

[Joinfortmill]

96. Follow the money.

We need to vote them out in huge numbers. It isn't gonna be easy.

[Irish_Dem]

98. We don't know if we will have free elections again.

Trump was not elected, he was installed.

[Joinfortmill]

99. Yup. Let's hope it isn't too late..

Otherwise it's uprising time.

[live love laugh]

97. Protests schmotests

[summer_in_TX]

100. I attended webinar this past week with Erica Chenoweth, the academic who studied how authoritarian

governments are upended peacefully. (Pronouns are they/their). They and her research partner, Maria Stephan, are known for their research on nonviolent civil resistance movements from 1900 to 2006. When authoritarian governments gave up and returned government to the people, they found, was when the percent of the population turning out was 3.5 percent.

But the 3.5 percent figure, they said, was descriptive not predictive. And they said those massive demonstrations of resistance typically took 2 1/2 years before they caused the authoritarian government to give in and step down.

They collected data on violent and nonviolent campaigns that resulted in government overthrows or territorial liberation, according to the Harvard Gazette. This research focused on 323 mass action campaigns. Their data showed that nonviolent resistance campaigns were twice as likely to be successful as violent ones. They also assessed leadership of successful vs. unsuccessful resistance campaigns and the ones that included and integrated women fully into all aspects of the resistance had more success than all-male leadership did. Their research also showed a large increase in the variety and creativity of various events.

The webinar was from Red Wine and Blue. Well worth finding out more about them, by the way. They provide great trainings and ensure new groups have the tools they need to be successful. The groups are not chapters of RW&B, they are independent with their own mission and approach. But they provide great resources and encouragement. They are mostly but not entirely a women's organization, but related local groups can look quite different.

[AStern]

101. The media did a great job ignoring the protests

much like they did when W was in office.

[ImNotGod]

102. The only way you can sway fascists is to go after their handlers, targeted protests at the homes of the tech bros

the banksters, the rich elite supporters hiding in their gated neighborhoods. Follow the money.