What does a TRUMP presidency look like?

[Josquius]

I don't believe he makes this stuff himself.
So there must be some... Court jester sort of guy making this shit.
I wonder how often they present something that Trump doesn't like and are sent to be executed.

[Syt]

Maybe Barron Trump gets to post these things? He seems to be great with pictures.

[grumbler]

Not to be a party pooper but these no kings thing seem really performative. What pressure can the administration really feel over 2 rallies, months apart, on a Saturday?

Not to be a party pooper, but all protests are performative.

The No Kings Rallies, like all rallies, exist primarily to demonstrate to people that they are not alone in their outrage.  Political rallies during campaigns do the same thing.

[grumbler]

Turnout was up significantly for NKD in Culpeper Virginia. I'd guess we had 2-300 in June and maybe double that yesterday.

Also, no right-wing fanatic tried to kill us, unlike in June.

[Iormlund]

Not to be a party pooper but these no kings thing seem really performative. What pressure can the administration really feel over 2 rallies, months apart, on a Saturday?

Not to be a party pooper, but all protests are performative.

The No Kings Rallies, like all rallies, exist primarily to demonstrate to people that they are not alone in their outrage.  Political rallies during campaigns do the same thing.

You're right, of course. Still, it does seem a bit underwhelming considering the stakes. You guys are cooked unless you can mobilize people in the (high) tens of millions soon.

[Crazy_Ivan80]

And even then. Georgians have been protesting nearly continously for months now without any real effect so far

[Tamas]

I know I am a broken record but this thread is repeatedly giving me deja vu. The democratic opposition community arguing among themselves whether the peaceful, well-mannered protests against Orban's regime are doing anything. It started in 2011, still going.

Obviously the US has a democracy far more entrenched than Hungary so I am not saying following (or avoiding) the exact playbook by either side is bound to yield results. For example I think even nowadays or during the last few years of war psychosis, it would have destroyed Orban to send the military to "restore order" in Budapest. But, then again, one of the very first outrage they triggered back 15 years ago was pushing through a controversial name-change on the map, so there are similarities to how they tested the waters.

Anyways, I think the lesson to be learned is:
peaceful protests are good in a working democracy. They galvanise support and the support doesn't have to do anything than to quietly acknowledge to have an effect: they just need to turn up and vote knowing there's enough pissed off people like them to make it count.

But if the democratic system, the election in particular, is already compromised? Well, still better than doing nothing, but also I think at some stage it just helps maintaining the facade of democracy. "I have done my bit" - yeah you have done more than most but it was still worth practically zero in terms of ending the autocracy.
I don't think or rather, don't know) if the US is at this stage already. Like I wrote earlier,  I think it is reasonable to avoid more forceful efforts until the midterms. But the lesson to learn from Russia and Hungary is that if that doesn't go your way, it will only get worse and worse. And worse.

[Valmy]

I mean obviously having these protests is better than not having any protests. But they have to be a beginning and not an end. I think most people sense that this is just the next protest and we are going to keep having them. But beyond that? I have no idea.

Despite Republican tales and myths about some kind of Antifa there is no organization leading all this. The labor unions and churches that helped galvanize the Civil Rights movement are much weaker now.

I think part of the issue is everybody got really into resisting last time and after considerable effort we got Trump out of office only for the Democrats to fuck it all up. That was a big blow to morale. Trump has been so horrible and the economy is so unstable that it is getting people energized again but this isn't France. The notion that we are supposed to get out there and disrupt everything hasn't been a tradition in this country...or if it was hasn't been at for decades.

[Razgovory]

Did someone expect that the protests over the weekend were going to cause something to happen on Monday?

[HVC]

Arrests maybe ?

[Valmy]

Did someone expect that the protests over the weekend were going to cause something to happen on Monday?

I think they went well. I just hope we keep doing them. Over time they will empower people to organize.

[crazy canuck]

But the lesson to learn from Russia and Hungary is that if that doesn't go your way, it will only get worse and worse. And worse.

That is well worth keeping in mind.  And that is why these sorts of rallies are important. They help signal that there is something wrong and people should get out and vote so the fascists don't win.

I am hoping a great protest song captures people's attention, but in the meantime and oldie but goodie will do

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gp5JCrSXkJY

[crazy canuck]

Turnout was up significantly for NKD in Culpeper Virginia. I'd guess we had 2-300 in June and maybe double that yesterday.

 

[Admiral Yi]

I was thinking about the efficacy of protests in effecting change in the US, and my first thought was protests only work when Democrats are in office.  But then I realized Nixon's withdrawal from Vietnam could be credited to protests.

[Norgy]

While they seem performative, public protests of any kind are shared in social media, then by the media.
It was, despite the myth, not president Reagan who tore down the Berlin wall.

Word of mouth, the social media, the fact that millions participated, it may harness change.

And, of course, they are labelled "Antifa" and "Marxist", "Radical" and whatnot.
When DEI is not enough, go for the classics.

"I guess it was paid for by Soros and other left-wing lunatics", said Trump. Some nice Jew-baiting there.