Welcome to DU! The truly grassroots left-of-center political community where regular people, not algorithms, drive the discussions and set the standards. Join the community: Create a free account Support DU (and get rid of ads!): Become a Star Member Latest Breaking News Editorials & Other Articles General Discussion The DU Lounge All Forums Issue Forums Culture Forums Alliance Forums Region Forums Support Forums Help & Search
45 replies = new reply since forum marked as read
Highlight: NoneDon't highlight anything 5 newestHighlight 5 most recent replies
What if a million people showed up outside the White House (Original Post) orangecrush Tuesday OP
He'd probably declare martial law and put everyone in concentration camps jmbar2 Tuesday #1
Too many people for that orangecrush Tuesday #2
Martial law. Lemme give ya the definition AKwannabe Tuesday #4
The French Resistance orangecrush Tuesday #6
This. Is not France AKwannabe Tuesday #11
Wait till those food stamps stop orangecrush Tuesday #13
You are doing a lot of betting and guaranteeing AKwannabe Tuesday #14
Feel free orangecrush Tuesday #22
No Keepthesoulalive Tuesday #5
They can't ignore you orangecrush Tuesday #8
I was in the streets with Occupy AKwannabe Tuesday #12
So was I orangecrush Tuesday #15
And AKwannabe Tuesday #18
Occupy came very close orangecrush Tuesday #20
Occupy never came close to a general strike . . . markpkessinger Tuesday #45
They already have Keepthesoulalive Tuesday #23
This AKwannabe Tuesday #3
That would be impressive. MineralMan Tuesday #7
The real pain hasn't begun yet orangecrush Tuesday #9
Been there. Done that. MineralMan Tuesday #10
They murdered him.. orangecrush Tuesday #16
I'm 68. orangecrush Tuesday #17
Better to give them away or even do something similar JI7 Tuesday #19
Local level Democrats orangecrush Tuesday #21
It would have to be at least 100 million for the GQP to notice. sinkingfeeling Tuesday #24
It will be many more than that orangecrush Tuesday #34
He would be playing golf in Florida. Sneederbunk Tuesday #25
They've got guns. We don't. Wicked Blue Tuesday #26
... orangecrush Tuesday #29
At the very least, he'd call National Guard in GaYellowDawg Tuesday #27
Which would be the end of him. orangecrush Tuesday #28
One would hope GaYellowDawg Tuesday #40
He would be removed. orangecrush Tuesday #43
Protests - masses of people making speeches and marching - are irrelevant... Moostache Tuesday #30
You lost me with "mass murder" orangecrush Tuesday #31
Wowsers. Mosby Tuesday #32
Yep orangecrush Tuesday #33
Let's hope. Mosby Tuesday #35
I like that idea iemanja Tuesday #36
Lafayette Square x 100 demmiblue Tuesday #37
They will nazi orangecrush Tuesday #39
With guillotines? moondust Tuesday #38
Trump would head into the bunker and declare Martial Law and call the 82nd Airborne out of NC WarGamer Tuesday #41
Direct Action is the only effective action JCMach1 Tuesday #42
My thoughts exactly orangecrush Tuesday #44

orangecrush

(22,662 posts)
2. Too many people for that
Tue Jan 28, 2025, 11:44 AM
Tuesday

He'd get some.

It was always that way.

But I guarantee you this, the media, Supremes and Congress would stop ignoring us.

AKwannabe

(6,521 posts)
4. Martial law. Lemme give ya the definition
Tue Jan 28, 2025, 11:52 AM
Tuesday

“Martial law involves the temporary substitution of military authority for civilian rule and is usually invoked in time of war, rebellion, or natural disaster. When martial law is in effect, the military commander of an area or country has unlimited authority to make and enforce laws.“

You can be certain that IS THE END.

AKwannabe

(6,521 posts)
11. This. Is not France
Tue Jan 28, 2025, 12:05 PM
Tuesday

tRump is crazy and has dictator syndrome as well as a bunch of Nazi loving “friends”.

Getting people in the streets isn’t going to do one damn thing except fuel the despot.

The French Resistance took place during the war. There is no war here (yet) and we don’t want martial law declared by tRump.

orangecrush

(22,662 posts)
13. Wait till those food stamps stop
Tue Jan 28, 2025, 12:10 PM
Tuesday

Along with all the other programs.

People will organize and engage in direct action.

With the blessing and support of all affected Americans, such as disenfranchised federal employees, seniors who can no longer afford care or no longer get food assistance, disaster victims, and all the rest.

These swine are going to get just what their hand calls for

Bet on it.

AKwannabe

(6,521 posts)
14. You are doing a lot of betting and guaranteeing
Tue Jan 28, 2025, 12:12 PM
Tuesday

In your thread.

Bookmarking for future reference

Keepthesoulalive

(952 posts)
5. No
Tue Jan 28, 2025, 11:54 AM
Tuesday

They don’t care about the American people, you aren’t even an insect to them. Our only power is in the voting booth and the dollars we spend. You protest, feel good and then go back to work. They forget about you. You must affect commerce then they will listen or act.

orangecrush

(22,662 posts)
8. They can't ignore you
Tue Jan 28, 2025, 11:55 AM
Tuesday


When you take to the street in huge numbers.

They tried to ignore Occupy Wall Street.

Didn't work.

AKwannabe

(6,521 posts)
12. I was in the streets with Occupy
Tue Jan 28, 2025, 12:07 PM
Tuesday

It didn’t help one fucking bit.

Also, we didn’t have a “resident” that would declare martial law. Think about what you are saying.

orangecrush

(22,662 posts)
15. So was I
Tue Jan 28, 2025, 12:13 PM
Tuesday

It changed the entire political narrative of the Obama administration.

Economic disparity became a theme.

And it made Porky Pig shit his britches.

AKwannabe

(6,521 posts)
18. And
Tue Jan 28, 2025, 12:16 PM
Tuesday

Then the 1% became more powerful.

Just last year Musk bought the election and put the US where it is right now.

If anything Occupy hurt more than it helped.
It warned the uber rich fucks that we were onto them.

orangecrush

(22,662 posts)
20. Occupy came very close
Tue Jan 28, 2025, 12:18 PM
Tuesday

To a general strike.

It's a never ending battle.

Every once in a while, they need a reminder.

markpkessinger

(8,639 posts)
45. Occupy never came close to a general strike . . .
Tue Jan 28, 2025, 04:55 PM
Tuesday

They may have come close to calling for a general strike, but in order to actually pull one off, you need an enormous level of support from the general public. They never had that.

Keepthesoulalive

(952 posts)
23. They already have
Tue Jan 28, 2025, 12:38 PM
Tuesday

Remember the Parkland kids, The Women’s March the last time asshole was in office, the March against war in the Middle East, etc. things have gotten worse because people didn’t vote and they are too comfortable to have a meaningful boycott. These people are so rich and insulated from reality we are animals to be farmed and discarded, we do not matter to them.

orangecrush

(22,662 posts)
9. The real pain hasn't begun yet
Tue Jan 28, 2025, 11:58 AM
Tuesday

And when it does, I will be out there with my extended family IN THEIR FUCKING FACE, UP CLOSE AND PERSONAL.

What's your price?


?si=XwjA4LuG6J87H7Mi



MineralMan

(148,299 posts)
10. Been there. Done that.
Tue Jan 28, 2025, 12:00 PM
Tuesday

I'll be 80 in July. Not doing it again.

BTW, Hoffman was a dick. I knew him.

orangecrush

(22,662 posts)
16. They murdered him..
Tue Jan 28, 2025, 12:14 PM
Tuesday

He was a very brave and idealistic dick.

The best kind.

If you have to be one, be a big red one.

orangecrush

(22,662 posts)
17. I'm 68.
Tue Jan 28, 2025, 12:16 PM
Tuesday

Too old for this shit as well.

But on the bright side, if Trump wants to fuck with us at his age, we can fuck back at ours.



JI7

(91,178 posts)
19. Better to give them away or even do something similar
Tue Jan 28, 2025, 12:18 PM
Tuesday

to what you propose but at local community levels where people can discuss things and provide free food to get certain types to show up.

GaYellowDawg

(4,904 posts)
27. At the very least, he'd call National Guard in
Tue Jan 28, 2025, 01:13 PM
Tuesday

And I doubt he'd wait very long to give them permission to open fire.

GaYellowDawg

(4,904 posts)
40. One would hope
Tue Jan 28, 2025, 03:42 PM
Tuesday

But every congressman and Fox News personality would talk about how the victims deserved it or might even be brazen enough to say it was a deepfake. And he couldn't be indicted, he'd claim that it was part of his official duties, and the Supreme Cons would back him.

Moostache

(10,220 posts)
30. Protests - masses of people making speeches and marching - are irrelevant...
Tue Jan 28, 2025, 01:36 PM
Tuesday

That only mattered when the government had an actual fear of the people stopping the system which was only a realistic threat as long as the GDP was based mainly on PHYSICAL PRODUCTION OF GOODS ... i.e. - manufacturing stuff.

We live in an INFORMATION ECONOMY and a CONSUMER-DRIVEN ECONOMY...the ONLY way to get the attention of the ruling class, in a way that MIGHT (*might*) make a difference is through prolonged and extended boycott of their economy. A 100% total shut down of ALL discretionary spending.

No new clothes for "this season's must have look"...
No next generation video game system to play the absolute must-play social media recommended game...
Making due with a cell phone that makes calls and allows you to actually speak to people without dropping $1500 for a new outer case and a spiffy logo placement shift...
No more travel to vacation in "hot spots" with Vrbo and Travelocity getting a cut for replacing the jobs that were once a living for travel agencies (or people at the bank we did such things)...
No more buying planned obsolescence durable goods like a refrigerator that dies after 5 years and has parts that cost more than a new unit BY DESIGN and INTENT...taking further jobs away from the public in favor of profits to the owners and boards of directors and CEOs...

Face it.

This country is LOST. We can't unfuck this mess with a march and a few speeches and hope that the bad guys will quake in their boots at the site of people milling about playing ultimate frisbee and sharing recipes for cheese dips while social media influencers are recording their 'lifestyle blog' from the middle of the event and others are just happy that TikTok famous is still a career goal for millions of young girls who shake their ass and bare their bellies and legs to be oogled by disgusting old men who now stay home with their expensive phones instead of heading to live action strip clubs, where at least the performers were (largely) of legal age of consent.

I stopped believing in the power of protests before the Iraq war. MILLIONS of us, across the nation and the world took to the streets and said "NO...Not in MY Name!"....and millions still died, billions in funds were still stolen and the war machine ground on without even so much as a meaningful pause in attacks.

This is a USA problem because of the imbecile in charge, but its a distraction from the global bosses of Blackrock and their ilk. Its nor ideological - left versus right or capitalist versus communist any longer. Its oligarchs versus everyone else and they do not care at all how many billions of "everyone else" has to die, they are NOT giving up their power or their fortunes willingly.

So...that leaves two effective means of inducing change.

1) Mass murders of the elite rulers. Not a insurance CEO, but ALL CEOs from enterprises that extract wealth without providing any real world value (sorry, share price and earnings targets don't count). It doesn't stop there though...it would have to be on the scale and scope of the French Revolutions to have meaningful impact. It would also have to include those who defend these leeches in the press and the public in exchange for $$$ and a seat at the feet of the masters...the crumbs from THAT table being far better than the fare on the tables of BILLIONS of humans across the planet anyway.

or - since I hope many still find the prospects of wholesale murder and executions to be an odious and morally abhorrent thing...

2) Complete divestment and exiting the current 'economy' of the USA - at least the portions of it that rely on spending and specifically discretionary spending to inflate the profits of the owners at the continued expense of everyone else.

We can still see things go either direction, but the longer NOTHING happens, the far more likely outcome is bloodshed and chaos before a new order is cleaved out. This was what happened to remove the LAST Gilded Age from humanity's throat...but that took two World Wars and the deaths of MILLIONS to bring it about. That post-war world lasted for almost 2 generations before it was lost, but do not be deceived into believing that it is not actually lost.

Wealth is an arbitrary concept. But the power that wealth purchases is very real. We can argue about policies and taxation levels and programs and social status and other concepts like inclusion, but the reality is, was and ever shall be thus - HE WHO HAS THE GOLD MAKES THE RULES. We have allowed the wealth of the world to be accumulated into the hands of a tiny fraction of the population. That distribution - which sees some men building dick-shaped rockets to shoot themself into low Earth orbit while their paid for lunatic government cuts funding to the public for education, programs to protect the air, water and future and even threatens to literally take food away from children (to avoid distributing the resources to the needy from the greedy) - is unsustainable in its current inverted pyramid shape.

It can either be given or it will be taken. There is no human cost to the giving option, but there is horrific cost to the taking option. History does not give one hope for the former in this duology. Its going to get very ugly, very fast...and in the end, those trying to lift themselves above the rest of the species in importance because of their control over the concept of 'wealth' will find that it really is illusory and cannot be held forever while billions suffer or die.

When people are starving for larger portions of the pie, you either cut some of your surplus into small aliquots to feed them, or you can wait until they rise up, kill you and eat YOU instead. "Eat the rich" is not a pithy retort or slogan. It is a prediction aligned with Eastern sunrise and Western sunsets, and its nearly here.

WarGamer

(16,071 posts)
41. Trump would head into the bunker and declare Martial Law and call the 82nd Airborne out of NC
Tue Jan 28, 2025, 03:50 PM
Tuesday

And order air strikes on the crowd...

Sounds like a crappy B movie.

JCMach1

(28,237 posts)
42. Direct Action is the only effective action
Tue Jan 28, 2025, 03:51 PM
Tuesday

For the next two years at a Minimum.

Institutional resistance is extremely limited at this point. There is no white knight that is coming to save us....we our our only recourse at this moment in history.

Latest Discussions»General Discussion»What if a million people ...