15 Million vs One Wannabe King: America Rises on June 14! #NoKings
“You can blow out a candle, but you can’t blow out a fire.” — Peter Gabriel, “Biko”
Tomorrow is OUR Time: Practice Is Over: Millions Must March for Democracy—NO KINGS!
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What Serbia Did, We Can Do: The Mass-Protest-vs-Trump Era Starts Now
Donald Trump is throwing himself a birthday parade in Washington, D.C. this Saturday. How cute. We all know how six-year olds like to be celebrated. But Trump’s not just throwing any celebration. It’s a full-blown, authoritarian-style military display, more fitting for Pyongyang than Pennsylvania Avenue.
It’s not about patriotism. It’s not about the troops. It’s all about power. Control. Submission. And if we don’t meet this particular moment with overwhelming resistance, Trump will see this as he should—proof of our lack of stomach for the fight, and a permission slip to take us further into authoritarianism.
So not only can we meet the moment. We must. That’s why Americans everywhere will rise tomorrow, June 14, under one rallying cry: NO KINGS!.
From coast to coast, peaceful mass protests are planned in hundreds of cities and localities. They’re not partisan, they’re about defending the Constitution from a carrot-tinted goon who’d sell it on eBay along with Tiffany. Or do to our Constitution what he’s done—clearly without its consent—to the American flag.
Trump wants the optics of dominance, so we can’t let him have it. What we need is a tidal wave of democracy. Let’s talk some numbers.
Three months ago, 325,000+ Serbians took to the streets of Belgrade (some estimates had it significantly larger). That’s ~5% of the population taking on the autocracy of Serbian President Aleksandar Vučić. A right-wing populist who’s stripped citizens of civil rights and attacked the press (familiar?). It was the largest protest in Serbian history.
If Americans feeling hurt, angry, fearful, dismayed and economically wrecked show up similarly to protest our own rubber-chicken fascist, 17MM Americans will come out. How about a reasonable/round number? Let’s turn out 15 MILLION of us tomorrow. FIFTEEN MILLION.
That’s you, me and Aunt Mildred. The mother-in-law you argue with about everything but Trump’s cocoon of cretin. Your cousin who happens to be in town from Biloxi. Paul, your favorite brother. Fido, who needs a walk anyhow. All of us. In unison.
Making it clear Trump’s dystopia is very much NOT our America.
This would dwarf Trump’s shriveling-mushroom parade in DC with his bone-spurred armored-vehicle brigade. It would show that we’re not taking any more of the shit he’s unleashed on Los Angeles, Congress and around the world. The moment for this ridiculous roid-rage-like rogue is as over as hair on Stephen Miller’s dome.
Make no mistake, if we do this right, Trump becomes a lame duck before he even auto-pens the next executive order while losing/cheating at golf. Public pressure of this scale doesn’t just shake headlines—it reshapes history.
Congress feels it. The courts feel it. The military feels it. And most importantly, the American people see each other, standing shoulder to shoulder in a shared defense of our freedom. Hell, Mike Johnson might even stop monitoring his son’s porn—just for a minute—to take stock of what he’s up against.
This is not a protest of despair, my friends. It’s a protest of defiance. Of love for country. Of hope. And of belief in a republic, not a king.
To repeat a famous anecdote, on the final day of the 1787 Constitutional Convention, when our Constitution was adopted, Americans gathered at Independence Hall in Philadelphia. They were waiting to discover what kind of government our Founding Fathers had created.
A prominent socialite and early staple of politics in Philly, Elizabeth Willing Powel, asked Benjamin Franklin, point blank, “What do we have, a republic or a monarchy?” To which Franklin replied, without missing a beat, “A republic, if you can keep it. Our responsibility is to keep it.”
That last line is often forgotten in the retelling, and it’s the most important one. It’s our responsibility, as it was of those who preceded us, during civil and illegal wars, deportations, raids and voter suppression: To Keep Our Republic.
We’re not powerless. We have the numbers. We have the moral high ground. And we have the right to assemble.
If Trump wants tanks, armored trucks and goose-stepping CHUDS for a birthday present his dad forgot every year, then let him have it. We’ll give him something much, much better: Millions of peaceful Americans waving pocket Constitutions, like lighters in a stadium during a rock ballad. And news coverage of it he can’t avoid.
So grab your signs. Print out your rights. Call your neighbors. Find your nearest #NoKings protest or start one yourself. This isn’t about waiting for anybody’s permission. It’s about using the power we already have.
THIS WEEK ON AMPED UP: Joyce Vance Sounds the Alarm on Trump’s Federal Power Grab
In one of our most urgent and insightful episodes yet, Amped Up welcomed former U.S. Attorney Joyce Vance to the program! We needed her brilliant legal mind to make sense of Donald Trump’s explosive decision to federalize the National Guard in Los Angeles—a move Governor Gavin Newsom fought, and just won, in court.
Joyce unpacked for us the legal and constitutional chaos unfolding on the ground. And she explained in terms us non-lawyers can understand, why this moment represents a dangerous test of state authority, civil rights, and the limits of executive power.
As ICE raids escalate and federal agents increasingly obscure their identities, she laid how The Trump administration has pushed the boundaries of legality—and why this should concern every American. Regardless of political party.
From Trump’s abuse of the Insurrection Act to the legal implications of masked agents dragging people away without proper identification and face coverings like they’re terrorists, this episode cuts through the noise and breaks it down in terms you won’t hear anywhere else.
We also touched on the alarming—and illegal—detention of Senator Alex Padilla, and the indictment of a sitting congresswoman. Both clear signs that our justice system is being twisted into a weapon against dissent by Trump’s mini-me fascists in Congress.
Joyce brought to our show both a prosecutor’s perspective and a constitutional scholar’s insight—not to mention a great sense of humor!. She used all to explain why these moves threaten the very foundation of our democratic republic. How, as is so often said of Trump: This isn’t normal, folks.
But it’s not all doom and gloom — Cliff and David closed out the show by highlighting signs of resistance across the country, from brave protestors to judges and insiders who are still fighting—and risking much—for the rule of law. If you’re looking for clarity, urgency, and just a little hope in these chaotic times, this episode is a must-view.
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LA TIMELINE
June 7–8, 2025 – Federalization Begins
June 7: President Trump, citing the Insurrection Act, federalized 2,000 California National Guard troops, deploying 4,000 in total along with 700 U.S. Marines to Los Angeles amid protests against ICE raids
California Governor Gavin Newsom did not request this federal intervention, sparking a legal and political backlash .
June 9, 2025 – California Sues
California officially filed suit (Newsom v. Trump), challenging Trump's action under Tenth Amendment, Insurrection Act, and Posse Comitatus Act
June 12, 2025 – District Court Blocks the Move
U.S. District Judge Charles Breyer issued a 36‑page temporary restraining order, deeming the federalization illegal, citing violations of Trump’s statutory authority and the Tenth Amendment
The restraining order was set to take effect at noon Pacific on June 13
June 12 evening – Trump Appeals
The federal government quickly appealed to the 9th U.S. Court of Appeals, filing for an administrative stay of Judge Breyer’s order
June 12–13, 2025 – Appeals Court Steps In
The 9th Circuit paused Breyer’s restraining order late June 12, allowing Trump’s control over the California Guard to remain in place pending the appeal and scheduling a hearing on June 17
June 13, 2025 – Status Update
As of today, federalized troops remain under Trump’s command; the 9th Circuit’s stay remains in effect, and a full oral argument is expected June 17
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3 Ways We STOP TRUMP From Bringing His LA Chaos To Other Cities
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I would be surprised if ONLY 15 million RESISTERS showed up. I can't wait to see how Fox spins this. Or get into the Trump-infested brains of my brother and sister-in-law who worship The Orange Bloated Coward.
Tomorrow feels big 🙏🙏🙏