OPINION:
The “No Kings” protests, brought to you by the League of Sore Losers, represent an assault on democracy.
They seek to distract us with clowns, inflatable body suits and signs denouncing the president as the epitome of evil. Their antics are a way of saying: “We’re not a danger to anyone. We’re just trying to make a point.” Their point is subversive to good government.
A reporter noted that the New York protest last month was made up largely of White, 40-ish suburban women in a city that is 64% non-White. “Let’s go into the city, shop, have lunch and strike a blow against tyranny.” It’s akin to Marie Antoinette storming the Bastille swinging a Gucci bag.
“No Kings” is an attempt to hijack the last presidential election.
The 2024 election was free and fair. Voters were given a choice between open borders and national security, cultural Marxism and family-friendly policies, a woke military and strong national defense, no cash bail and public safety, global warming hysteria and energy independence. In every instance, they chose sanity over ideology.
President Trump won decisively, carrying every swing state. It was the first time a Republican got a majority of the popular vote since 2004. His victory was in spite of relentless lawfare, efforts to keep his name off the ballot in 25 blue states and two failed assassination attempts. And they think an inflatable chicken costume will stop him?
Democrats and their media allies refuse to accept defeat. Even though 78% of Americans support deporting criminal illegal aliens, the disloyal opposition is fighting the process with everything it’s got. The left could try to change the law, but it instead chooses to attack law enforcement, often in the most brutal fashion.
The protesters have given up on democracy. Their strategy is no longer to win elections but to obstruct the winning side from governing.
The attributes of a monarchy include centralized power and absolute authority. Mr. Trump favors decentralization. His power isn’t absolute but is restrained by the Constitution and shared with the legislative and judicial branches.
How, then, is Mr. Trump behaving like a king? Cutting taxes and government efficiency aren’t hallmarks of monarchy.
It’s true that he likes pomp, reflected in adding a privately financed ballroom to the White House. Yet other presidents have made changes to the 200-year-old building, including extensive renovations. Impartial observers agree that the White House lacks proper banquet facilities. Shades of Louis XIV and the Palace of Versailles it is not.
Demonstrators pretend that U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement agents are like the secret police of a totalitarian state, snatching people off the streets for God knows what fate. Yet Democrats created a crisis in which millions of illegal aliens are at large, many of them hardened criminals. Although ICE has ample probable cause, it can’t take the time to get an arrest warrant every time it wants to take an illegal alien into custody.
Mr. Trump enjoys being president and using his authority to advance his agenda, just like every other president who has been committed to a cause. Were Franklin D. Roosevelt, Harry S. Truman, John F. Kennedy and Ronald Reagan kings? Was President Eisenhower exceeding his authority when he sent the 101 Airborne to Little Rock to enforce school desegregation?
They say King Donald prosecutes his enemies and pardons his friends. Neither is exactly a historic first. President Biden and his allies had Mr. Trump indicted 91 times, hoping something would stick.
Under Arctic Frost, corrupt officials of the Biden Justice Department and FBI “improperly investigated the entire Republican political apparatus,” in the words of Sen. Charles E. Grassley, Iowa Republican.
Attacks on boats smuggling drugs are offered as evidence of presidential derangement, despite precedents for action against outlaw states and their proxies going back to the war on the Barbary pirates (1801-1805).
Mr. Trump won the nomination twice in hotly contested primaries and then campaigned nationwide three times. Mr. Biden ran a stealth campaign in 2020, hiding in his basement while surrogates did the heavy lifting.
Last year, Democratic insiders took the nomination away from Mr. Biden and bestowed it on Vice President Kamala Harris without a single primary vote cast for her. Now, which party more closely resembles the one in power in a one-party state?
“No Kings” is as phony as a carnival shell game. The fast talk and sleight of hand are meant to conceal an intent to replace representative government with rule by elites in inflatable chicken suits.
• Don Feder is a columnist with The Washington Times.
Please read our comment policy before commenting.