It’s frustrating to watch friends and family post pictures of\u00a0themselves\u00a0at the protests knowing that it will make little to no difference. They’re all very proud, posting their selfies with their super clever homemade signs. It feels like they’re doing it more for their own internet clout than making any real change.<\/p>\n
But I also know that people want to do\u00a0something.\u00a0We just don’t know what.<\/p>\n
Adam L.<\/p>\n
_____________________________________<\/p>\n
I agree with your assessment, however, let\u2019s see what happens when the protests get messy and Trump calls in the dogs and busts some heads as he said he wanted to do last time.<\/p>\n
That may change more than a few people\u2019s mind as to how they feel about his authoritarian style.<\/p>\n
With respect,<\/p>\n
Ted Guggenheim<\/p>\n
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100% correct Bob. What we need is a wildfire meme and everyone participates at the same time on one day to show the power of the people and hit these assholes in their pocketbooks (they only thing they care about and it\u2019s been working with Musk and Tesla). One day, 24 hours – like fasting for religious reasons. Stay home and don\u2019t buy a single thing at retail or Amazon\/ online. That will be the real \u201cBlack Friday\u201d. In fact even better make it Black Tuesday – April 15 – Tax Day. Wake people from their slumber on single day with a single simple act that will be undeniable IMHO:<\/p>\n
\u201cDon\u2019t Buy Sh*t Today\u201d<\/p>\n
Fred Goldring<\/p>\n
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On line may indeed be the most important battleground but I went to the anti Trump event here in Santa Rosa yesterday and was shocked to see over 5,000 people in the town center, lots of latinos, 20’s-30’s. It was diverse. The bottom line is that not everybody knows what to do. You’ve got choices; ignore what’s going on, insulate yourself and hope if fixes itself or you can get off your ass and show up. Does it mean anything? It did to the thousands of people there and who those who drove by. We are not alone and we won’t just shrug our shoulders.<\/p>\n
The signs were terrific and covered so many angles. The optics are not insignificant. I guarantee you Trump is aware of the unrest but his ego won’t allow him to see it as real. Hey if you can get to Mar a Lago, great, be my guest, but it’s ok to do it in your community, emphasis on the ‘unity’ part. It felt good<\/p>\n
The fact that quite a few democratic countries have seen huge public protests put pressure on a political figure point to its role. In S.K, the numbers in the streets led the parliament to overrule Yoon Suk’s martial law decree and vote to impeach him.<\/p>\n
Will that happen here? Not so easy but you don’t have to deprogram everyone who voted for Trump. Trump got 49% of the vote. His MAGA posse is just over half that at 25%, which means that 24% of those who voted for him are not married to him. They took a shot. They can be turned around when the proof of his incompetence impacts them and they can see the growing tide of opposition. When Trump’s ratings started falling this week, it was those people who accounted for the drop in his approval numbers.<\/p>\n
John Brodey<\/p>\n
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You want to see a protest? How about 9.5 million Auto workers, Teachers, Teamsters,\u00a0Food and Commercial Workers, Electrical Workers ALL not showing up for work for a week. Standing on the streets in protest for what has happened to their Union Brothers. It won’t matter if it doesn’t make the headlines. What WILL Make the headlines is your kid not going to school, homes and businesses not getting serviced by union contractors, autos not being built. The American people would feel that difference in red and blue (and orange) states.<\/p>\n
This was supposed to be the power of being in a Union. Where are the\u00a0Unions? Why are they silent? Individual people, like the protests from Saturday have very little power. The Unions can stop the clock on America and yes, get noticed.<\/p>\n
Gary Witt<\/p>\n
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Tired tactics, If you want attention do it on tuesdays. It looked like a weekend outing<\/p>\n
Stan Goman<\/p>\n
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Agree with much of what you say. However and unlike 1967 the protests\u00a0serve an internal function of focusing\u00a0discontent.<\/p>\n
I hope they occur every week for a year or more-I’ll be out there at 82 and so should you.<\/p>\n
Michael Harpster<\/p>\n
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thank you.<\/p>\n
you took the mouth right out of my words.<\/p>\n
Robin Gelberg<\/p>\n
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The protests may not have immediately done any good, but they didn\u2019t NOT do any good. We\u2019ve got to keep the drum beat coming, louder and louder! Of course insane cheeto is hoping these will get to the point where he can use them as an excuse to declare martial law\u2026<\/p>\n
Mark Towns<\/p>\n
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Bob – I COULD NOT disagree more with you. These demonstrations absolutely had to happen in person and not on the web so Trump & his lackeys could see the number of people – and the demographics of those people. Lots of gray hair. Very concerned about their retirement savings. That just doesn\u2019t come thru on the web. You should re-think this one dude.<\/p>\n
Brett Howser
\nLaguna Beach<\/p>\n
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This is so spot on. Watching those protests yesterday, I thought\u2026nice gathering, but toothless. Innovate or evaporate, the choice is ours.<\/p>\n
Peter Barsocchini<\/p>\n
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In an interview with NBC News\u2019 \u201cMeet the Press,\u201d Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent called it a \u201cfalse narrative\u201d that people who are close to retiring may be reluctant after their retirement savings may have dropped last week because of the stock market downturn.<\/p>\n
\u201cI think that\u2019s a false narrative,\u201d he told moderator Kristen Welker.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n \u201cAmericans who want to retire right now, the Americans who put away for years in their savings accounts, I think they don\u2019t look at the day-to-day fluctuations.<\/p>\n \u201cIn fact, most Americans don\u2019t have everything in the market,\u201d he added.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n \u201cPeople have a long-term view. … The reason the stock market is considered a good investment is because it\u2019s a long-term investment. If you look day to day, week to week, it\u2019s very risky. Over the long term, it\u2019s a good investment.\u201d<\/p>\n Tone deaf and out of touch. Let them eat (less) cake.<\/p>\n Bessent’s net worth is at least $521 million, according to his December 28, 2024, financial assets disclosure by the U.S. Office of Government Ethics.<\/p>\n Levi Pervin<\/p>\n _____________________________________<\/p>\n Dem voters ARE and have been in a bubble \u2026.at least since 2015, probably much longer. John Kurzweg<\/p>\n _____________________________________<\/p>\n If they keep doing it there will eventually be some that get shot and that will \u201cmove the needle\u201d.<\/p>\n Grant Peeples<\/p>\n _____________________________________<\/p>\n Protesting in the USA hasn’t worked since the\u00a020th Century,\u00a0which if your readers need a reminder, was over a\u00a0quarter century ago. Remember when MILLIONS of people around the globe protested the War in Iraq in\u00a02002 – 2003? Friendster and MySpace had barely gained a foothold\u00a0to spread the message. Those protests didn’t do sh*t to keep Cheney from helping oil companies, Halliburton and other defense contractors with that bogus war that\u00a0wasted\u00a0trillions and killed millions. Remember Occupy\u00a0Wall Street? What came of it, the now completely handicapped\u00a0Consumer Financial Protection Bureau?<\/p>\n I’m always left wondering what happened to hacktivist\u00a0orgs like Anonymous… But you’re spot on encouraging instigators and trolls heading to Truth Social to\u00a0f*cj with the dipsh*t in chief. I remember from Drumpf’s last administration that the “opposition” was attacking his ego online everyday and he would lose his sh*t and have a daily meltdown on Twitter. That was one of the only fun things to come out of 2017 – 2021.<\/p>\n -Stu Walker<\/p>\n _____________________________________<\/p>\n Bob, I was there in Washington. It was a joyous occasion. The best signs were hilarious. Wonderful to get everybody together. It was the vibe that mattered. The people I saw on stage were middle of the road Dems. There were few people expressing what I would consider radical opinions. Sure, a lot of “f*cj Trumps.” Thoroughly enjoyable. It just felt good to be around so many other people who thought like we did. Whether it does anything or not, it sure lifted our spirits.<\/p>\n Best<\/p>\n Tom Moore<\/p>\n Fairfax, VA<\/p>\n _____________________________________<\/p>\n I\u2019m sure it depends on algorithms, but my FB, TikTok and Instagram were flooded with images of the marches from many different cities, large and small. It was quite heartening. TikTok is, as you mentioned, the place to see what\u2019s going on (in between Judge Judy etc) but FB really surprised me today, a lot of posts from all around the country<\/p>\n Wendy Waldman<\/p>\n _____________________________________<\/p>\n I can\u2019t agree with you on this one, Bob.<\/p>\n Starting with the GOP townhall meetings, where those members of congress who showed up took a verbal pasting, and now, the size and number of the actions in the streets, help people move past the intense feelings of powerlessness that have gripped so many since the election and the start of Trump\u2019s and Musk\u2019s lawless rampage.<\/p>\n Every bonfire starts with kindling.<\/p>\n This is not going away.<\/p>\n Jim Charne<\/p>\n _____________________________________<\/p>\n You don\u2019t know if it moved the needle or not! Your pontifications are no more valid than mine or anyone else\u2019s. So you are the one who has his pulse on the events of the future? Let time and space do with yesterday\u2019s national community what it will\u2026 but we both know you are not the boss of fate or possibilities!<\/p>\n Andre Floyd<\/p>\n _____________________________________<\/p>\n Nail on head, Bob.<\/p>\n Leaders are the answer. Young Bernie’s and Elizabeth Warren’s and the like must be out there.<\/p>\n It does seem that a way to energize and motivate them to come out of the woodwork is to demonstrate that there are many potential followers for them to lead.<\/p>\n Massive protests will literally demonstrate that.<\/p>\n For that alone millions in the streets would be a good thing.<\/p>\n PLUS other direct actions as you say, no argument there.<\/p>\n DG C<\/p>\n _____________________________________<\/p>\n I disagree you discouraging protests. They are getting larger every week and Trump won\u2019t like a crashing stock market and tens of thousands of people in street. \u00a0\u00a0Never discourage people from partipating in democracy and having their voices heard. I can\u2019t believe you would do so.<\/p>\n If dem celebrities would do what kid rock did we\u2019d have an impact on boycotts. \u00a0It\u2019s time to start applauding the doing and stop trashing the Dems.<\/p>\n None of my friends were harping on letting trans athletes play for women\u2019s teams. \u00a0Were your friends. I think the media made it into an issue that barely existed. \u00a0It existed because Donald Trump and Bill Maher said it did? \u00a0Sorry. \u00a0No one I knew was focusing on it.<\/p>\n Annie Roboff<\/p>\n _____________________________________<\/p>\n I think you’re spot on with everything Trump. I can’t stand the fool, and I’m fearful for where our country is headed now that he’s back.<\/p>\n I hear ya on the protests not moving the needle, but I don’t think you’re seeing the big picture here. My wife and daughters attended one of the protests in Port Huron, Michigan, near our house. (I couldn’t go because my 97-year-old mom lives with us, and we couldn’t find a caregiver, otherwise I would’ve been there, too) I was excited to talk to my wife when she got home about how it went.<\/p>\n She was ebullient! She said it felt SO GOOD to be with like-minded people! She’s all over social media and has made connections on there, but to be out there interacting with people in real life was uplifting for her. I’m sure I would’ve felt the same if I had gone. I know Trump and Musk won’t give two sh*ts about the protests, but that’s beside the point. It’s more important for the people to feel empowered.<\/p>\n Thanks,<\/p>\n Bill Brody<\/p>\n Casco, Michigan<\/p>\n _____________________________________<\/p>\n Of course I was out there protesting and I hear what you\u2019re saying and agree in part. But what do we do? Because I don\u2019t know what it will take to get Trump and MAGA out of power. I don\u2019t believe there will be another fair election. Musk and his crew got their hands into everything so why should I believe he will ever let go of power. _____________________________________<\/p>\n We could have literally every person in the country including all the maga protesting and marching and Trump wouldn\u2019t care. It\u2019s too late. He\u2019s in power and boring matters. Meanwhile this is what\u2019s happening online:<\/p>\n
\nThank you for an excellent summation of where we are, and what must be grappled with to move forward \u2026..that\u2019s of course if there are any moves left on the chessboard in the present race to autocracy.<\/p>\n
\nSo I know the protests didn\u2019t move the needle but until someone way smarter than me comes up with something, this is what I did. Karen Merrifield in Louisiana<\/p>\n\n