An interesting discussion on MSNBC last night in the glow of 5 million turnout at No King's events nationwide. What now, and what good will it do from now on? My phrase: Was this preaching to the choir, and was it just the choir who turned out? Those who thought it would be helpful in 2026 believed it would encourage Democrats who did not vote for Harris to get off the couch. There is evidence of a drop-off in Democratic turnout from 2020.
My own thoughts: It was more than just getting more off the couch to actively support Democrats. It raised awareness of the democracy/autocracy issue; provided a training ground for new leaders, reached a needed demographic group, illustrated the advantage of peaceful resistance over violent political action, and may help inspire greater Hispanic support.
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What No Kings did do is raise the fear of the loss of democracy as a critical issue, and it has been a teaching, learning, and inspirational moment, which is of great value.
-Training and inspiring a cadre of new young activist leadership for the future may be the greatest legacy of that day. The organization and techniques were top drawer
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-The other, the demographics were overwhelmingly white and young enough to march for blocks...the demographic that is the weakest for Democrats. That is good.
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-NO KINGS was a lesson to all of us that peaceful demonstrations could be organized and controlled if the preparation and training were successful, as the coalition of so many diverse groups joining together did to pull this off.. The positive press of the peaceful turnout overshadowed the negatives of the troublemakers, who were a minority. That may give fence-sitters and couch loungers a feeling of comfort in supporting the movement's aims of supporting democracy and opposing dictatorship/strong man lovers in the MAGA base.
The movement of a peaceful resistance in 2025 owes much to Gandhi in India, but civil disobedience was a feature of his methods. Martin Luther King adapted Gandhi's technique. Indivisible and 50501 honed it and appealed to mostly white crowds, but civil disobedience was replaced with obedience of local laws...staying on sidewalks, not blocking traffic, coordinating with local police for permits. Using social media and modern communications, accumulated lists of participants (I had registered with the local sponsoring group in advance) were a key to NO KING's success. The modern twists employed by these new political movement organizers, who tapped into a wide variety of existing organizations in a coalition, as well as an online system for individual participation and message notification,were impressive. The success depended on the masses of participants waving homemade signs. It succeeded.
It is also important to buck up opposition in ruby red towns and states: Not only does it give a backbone to local resisters to know they are not alone, but it also gives those who listen only to Trump supportive media to hear another side and to see the messages on the cardboard posters. It also sends a message that the Trumpster majority in that locale cannot bully to quiet and submission by their tactics of shaming and supression. In ruby red Douglas County , a southern suburb of Denver, local officials tried to snuff out an expected NO KINGs demonstrations by requesting they postpone it because they had another event scheduled. The result was a doubling of estimation of the turnout on June 14. Thousands march in "No Kings" rally in Douglas County
The removal of the civil disobedience element as a technique used by MLK and Gandhi made it possible and safer for those less brave, including children, the elderly, mothers, fathers, and grandparents, to participate. It was multi-generational and at times, joyful. It gave an outlet for many who wanted to express their resistance to Trump but were not violent or confrontational. The use of NO KINGS was the least partisan and anger-rousing substitute name for Trump possible. It was a group civics lesson as it inspired a deeper appreciation of the benefits of democracy. It was a history lesson, too, that highlighted the reason our form of democracy came about in the first place 250 years ago. It was the spirit of 1776 and the beginning of resistance against a tyrant, too. The children and young people who participated will probably never forget June 14.
June 14 NO KINGS and the numbers and kind who participated put a lie to Trump and his minions, who in advance tried to paint it as a bunch of paid professional demonstrators.
-What was not reflected in the marches were minorities ...especially Hispanics, who were likely in hiding (exception LA first generation). That may help inspire more support from the Hispanic community. That this was mostly white does not reflect the strength of the Hispanc vote. The anti-DEI racist agenda of MAGA is an accelerant. We cannot take this for granted..and make sure that NO Kings also implies support of minority and civil rights, too. I am closely monitoring the polling of Hispanics to see if the losses Democrats have experienced in recent years have been reversed, and it would be a significant advantage in 2026. The assumption that Hispanics would be for Democrats because of Trump's anti immigration stance was wrong. Many Hispanics also feared or looked down on the recent immigrants, and they too saw the economy as a problem that Trump promised to fix.. However, Trump's cruelty may change some minds there.
In the long run, which way the economy goes will still be a significant factor in where the swing and Hispanc vote goes. Trump is doing his best to increase the cost of living, but TACO Trump is showing flexibility daily on his policies.
https://ballotpedia.org/Election_results,_2024:_Analysis_of_voter_turnout_in_the_2024_general_election
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