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Related: Editorials & Other Articles, Issue Forums, Alliance Forums, Region ForumsFrom Malcolm Nance on Bsky
https://bigthink.com/the-present/the-3-5-percent-solution/No democracy movement has ever failed when it was able to mobilize at least 3.5 percent of the population to protest over a sustained period At that scale, most soldiers have no desire to suppress protesters. Why? Because the crowd includes their family members, friends, coworkers, and neighbors. With a population of 327 million, the U.S. would need to mobilize about 11.5 million people to assert popular, democratic power on the government. Could that happen?
Lovie777
(15,942 posts)Magoo48
(5,742 posts)Dont sit this one out folks. The bell has rung; its time to respond.
Hugin
(35,207 posts)Thats the number of people Trump wants to suppress and deport.
FarPoint
(13,787 posts)We need Leadership to show us the path....
newdeal2
(1,380 posts)I don't expect any of them to lead such a protest. Or be inspiring enough to start one.
No, it has to be from outside Washington and from the bottoms up. I don't think enough pain has been incurred to get 10+ million people protesting at this point. But we may get there eventually.
ancianita
(39,260 posts)NewHendoLib
(60,758 posts)Prairie_Seagull
(3,904 posts)Now more than ever, I'm in.
I would risk everything for my kids and my country.
Bring on the porta potties.
I'd follow Nance.
liberalla
(10,189 posts)hadEnuf
(2,905 posts)is worthless at the very least.
Lucky Luciano
(11,551 posts)but understood that you had the caveat about pleading fuckface..
hadEnuf
(2,905 posts)Previous demonstrations, although often unruly, never even came close to that.
oldmanlynn
(554 posts)That may be the catalyst for getting people to start opening their eyes and focused in on whats going on
ancianita
(39,260 posts)mtngirl47
(1,118 posts)RockCreek
(814 posts)Eg: northeast and west coast provide the vast majority and small numbers turn out in liberal cities of red states. What does that geographical splitting do to the needed 3.5%?
OneGrassRoot
(23,499 posts)is if military family members and LEO family members were to mass protest.
oldmanlynn
(554 posts)Im certainly willing to help and protest.
HAB911
(9,453 posts)I'm not seeing that leader with the platform to ignite it, but then it has only been a week
Magoo48
(5,742 posts)I have three children and six grandchildren, Im not about to sit around waiting on the array of probabilities our next election depends upon.
Both hope and despair can be paralyzing, most of the work gets done in the middle somewhere. Forget who said that, but it rings true.
bucolic_frolic
(48,218 posts)America should listen.
Bohunk68
(1,367 posts)Used to hear him every morning on our local PBS station, WAMC out of Albany. Then he went to fight in Ukraine. Wish they would carry him again. BTW, this is my first post in a long time and glad to be back. Have kept up with the posts here.
PatrickforB
(15,144 posts)Many young voters 'broke for Trump' because they felt the Dem party was taking them for granted. Our whole election last year was the Dems waving the 'scary Republicans' in our faces, and younger voters didn't buy it.
Stuff I'm reading and hearing says we need to pound on THE ECONOMY. It is the number one issue and according to a new Gallup Front Page report, the biggest 'problem' Americans see is the government, followed by the economy, followed by immigration and inflation as fourth.
Our current antiquated superannuated leadership ignoring people like AOC for important positions over cancerous septagenarians becaust it is 'their turn' are GOING THE WRONG WAY. I'm freezing my donations for any Democratic party pac, the DNC, and the congressional groups UNTIL THEY BEGIN PUTTING MORE DYNAMIC PEOPLE ON THESE COMMITTEES.
I will, however still donate to AOC and a select few others - those who seem to have a spine and are not just expressing 'quiet outrage.'
58Sunliner
(5,142 posts)AKwannabe
(6,521 posts)Are out there with us getting shot and whatever else
.just saying.
Protests are exactly what Rump wants so he can invoke martial law.
Thought about that Nance? I doubt it and I HIGHLY doubt you have a plan to be in the streets.
Next post
HAB911
(9,453 posts)AKwannabe
(6,521 posts)I am game but they need skin in the game too. Nance literally asking people to do what HE WILL NOT be doing.
Fuck that.
And. Since you dont know me, you cant possibly know what I am doing. I wont be announcing any of it. Ill just be doing it.
It isnt for the glory.
Next post
doing nothing
HAB911
(9,453 posts)you don't know what Nance will be doing. He went to Ukraine, and I expect he will be "doing something"
I agree about elected Democrats, not seeing much action there yet
Blue_playwright
(1,579 posts)The chaos is about marital law. 100 percent. Cause harm and chaos, get some protests, have law enforcement attack the crowds, declare martial law.
He's trying to beat Hitler's 53 days to dictatorship.
ananda
(31,136 posts)Of course we could.
But will we?
Rustynaerduwell
(737 posts)We must not only harness 11 million people in sustained protest, but we must leverage that number against a stupified population ten times bigger and often louder.
Deep State Witch
(11,539 posts)Like Trump canceling the Super Bowl. Maybe not even then.
Hotler
(12,567 posts)Hassler
(3,923 posts)Have become so atomized, siloed and convinced by "influencer " propaganda that it's all about the individual. Teamwork is a lost art that needs to be cultivated.
lame54
(37,355 posts)Baron2024
(675 posts)3.5 percent of the population is the same proportion that fought in the Revolutionary War. If we could mobilize roughly 12 million people we might stop this fascist debacle.
Buddyzbuddy
(253 posts)Evolve Dammit
(19,606 posts)malthaussen
(17,841 posts)Mostly, they are in ICE and Treasury. There are a significant number of Trumpistas in the military, but they are overbalanced by the percentage that would not do his bidding if push came to shove. He can make trouble in small ways (ICE raids, eg, since ICE is almost a wholly-owned subsidy), but he'll find it harder to make trouble in large ways.
These people will shoot their own mothers if Donny commanded it, but they are few. But if unopposed, a few can create a lot of problems.
-- Mal
Jacoby365
(478 posts)They are organizing around the country with local groups, and they are looking for people to start groups. They had some large protests during the first tRump term.
Bohunk68
(1,367 posts)My local county, Schoharie, which is very red, has started this group with our new female county Dem head. I am a rep from one of the local towns.
SleeplessinSoCal
(9,819 posts)I hope there are plans afoot.
Baron2024
(675 posts)Last edited Wed Jan 29, 2025, 02:42 AM - Edit history (1)
Good article.