No Kings

My support of the No Kings protests is not about policy agreement with a platform or allegiance to a particular political party. It's simply this: our current president (and his administration) are choosing to act in ways that clearly indicate a desire for an imperial presidency that is not constricted by social norms or constitutional guardrails. 

And that is decidedly bad for our country... and, due to our outsized influence in world affairs, everyone else.

“Not that I don’t have the right to do anything I want to do. I’m the president of the United States." 
Donald Trump in an August 2025 Cabinet meeting (talking about use of the military inside the U.S.)

In his first 10 months in office, Mr. Trump has 

• pardoned 1,500+ rioters who breached the U.S. Capitol on January 6, 2021
• given free reign to Elon Musk and the DOGE group to pry into private information as well as destroy life-saving development support around the world and vital scientific research here in the U.S.
• allowed RFK Jr to undermine our public health system, particularly support for vaccines
• dithered away precious lives and resources trying to coax Putin to stop attacking Ukraine rather than taking action
• openly campaigned and whined about not getting the Nobel Peace Prize
• orchestrated the prosecution of political enemies for dubious causes
• ordered the unprovoked attack on five boats of suspected drug smugglers in international waters without any evidentiary proof given
• more recently, he acknowledged giving the CIA the green light to conduct covert operations in Venezuela and also mused about air strikes
• teased his intention to run for president in 2028
• imposed multiple and conflicting destructive tariff plans
• blatantly ignored the emoluments clause of the U.S. Constitution
• just as blatantly ignored the Hatch Act
• refused to enforce the law dealing with TikTok and the potential security risks of the app
• pushed various mass deportation actions that have deprived both U.S. citizens and migrants with legal status of their rights
• federalized national guard troops to explicitly target cities with Democratic administrations
• utilized flimsy excuses to invoke "emergency" authority in order to accomplish his desires

The prior list is decidedly not exhaustive - I could continue writing at greater length and in greater detail. 

“The line is that I’m a dictator, but I stop crime. So a lot of people say, ‘You know, if that’s the case, I’d rather have a dictator.’”

“Most people say … if he stops crime, he can be whatever he wants.”

Donald Trump in an August 2025 Cabinet meeting (talking about use of the military inside the U.S.)

Look, I'm not arguing or campaigning for a president of a different party - I want a president of a different character. Someone who would respect the law, not simply pay people to find loopholes. Someone who chooses to champion the hard work of passing bills to effect change rather than issuing blizzards of executive orders. Someone who values smart people who disagree with them over loyalist lap dogs. Someone who sees their role as an opportunity to serve others rather than profit themselves.

And I want Congress to do their dadgum job: holding the president accountable for his actions, writing laws that reign in the power of the Executive branch, and actually taking care of the needs of their constituents rather than performing for social media likes and viral camera moments.

We don't need a king, a "dictator for a day", or even an imperial president. We need men and women of character to lead our country. When we choose leadership based on our tribes or the willingness of a candidate to say the stuff we want about our pet issue, we get the kind of leadership we deserve.

"In 2016, I declared: I am your voice. Today, I add: I am your warrior. I am your justice. And for those who have been wronged and betrayed: I am your retribution."

Donald Trump (March 2023 at CPAC)

"If I happen to be president and I see somebody who’s doing well and beating me very badly, I say go down and indict them, mostly they would be out of business. They’d be out. They’d be out of the election."
Donald Trump (November 2023, interview with Univision)

Put another way, we've been warned about kings and character before.

Fed up, all the elders of Israel got together and confronted Samuel at Ramah. They presented their case: “Look, you’re an old man, and your sons aren’t following in your footsteps. Here’s what we want you to do: Appoint a king to rule us, just like everybody else.”

When Samuel heard their demand—“Give us a king to rule us!”—he was crushed. How awful! Samuel prayed to God.

God answered Samuel, “Go ahead and do what they’re asking. They are not rejecting you. They’ve rejected me as their King. From the day I brought them out of Egypt until this very day they’ve been behaving like this, leaving me for other gods. And now they’re doing it to you. So let them have their own way. But warn them of what they’re in for. Tell them the way kings operate, just what they’re likely to get from a king.”

So Samuel told them, delivered God’s warning to the people who were asking him to give them a king. He said, “This is the way the kind of king you’re talking about operates. He’ll take your sons and make soldiers of them—chariotry, cavalry, infantry, regimented in battalions and squadrons. He’ll put some to forced labor on his farms, plowing and harvesting, and others to making either weapons of war or chariots in which he can ride in luxury. He’ll put your daughters to work as beauticians and waitresses and cooks. He’ll conscript your best fields, vineyards, and orchards and hand them over to his special friends. He’ll tax your harvests and vintage to support his extensive bureaucracy. Your prize workers and best animals he’ll take for his own use. He’ll lay a tax on your flocks and you’ll end up no better than slaves. The day will come when you will cry in desperation because of this king you so much want for yourselves. But don’t expect God to answer.”

But the people wouldn’t listen to Samuel. “No!” they said. “We will have a king to rule us! Then we’ll be just like all the other nations. Our king will rule us and lead us and fight our battles.”

Samuel took in what they said and rehearsed it with God. God told Samuel, “Do what they say. Make them a king.”

1st Samuel 8:4-22 MSG

These six things the Lord hates;

Indeed, seven are repulsive to Him:

   A proud look [the attitude that makes one overestimate oneself and discount others],

   A lying tongue,

   And hands that shed innocent blood,

   A heart that creates wicked plans,

   Feet that run swiftly to evil,

   A false witness who breathes out lies [even half-truths],

   And one who spreads discord (rumors) among brothers.

Proverbs 6:16-19 AMP

Whitewashing bad people and throwing mud on good people are equally abhorrent to God.

Proverbs 17:15 MSG

Those who sow injustice reap disaster, and their methods of oppression will fail.

Proverbs 22:8 VOICE

A leader who is a great oppressor lacks understanding and common sense [and his wickedness shortens his days], But he who hates unjust gain will [be blessed and] prolong his days.

Proverbs 28:16 AMP

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pictures above:

• top row (left to right)
• the President welcoming Putin to Alaska with red carpet
• screengrab from AI-generated video of Gaza makeover shared by Mr. Trump on Truth Social
• the President sharing the Liberation Day tariff rates
• middle row (left to right)
• declassified screengrab of Venezuelan boat destroyed by U.S. military
• Mr. Trump meeting with Democratic senators to avoid government shutdown with "Trump 2028" hats on his desk in the Oval Office
• courtroom drawing of former FBI director James Comey
• bottom row (left to right)
• January 6, 2021 as rioters attempt to breach the U.S. Capitol
• signage for the now closed "Alligator Alcatraz"
• Mr. Trump & Volodymyr Zelenskyy in front of prodigious amounts of gold ornamentation added by the President to the Oval Office