How many turned out yesterday (Sat 18)?
More than 2,700 “No Kings” rallies were due to be held in all 50 states in what is thought to be the largest mobilization against the Trump Administration yet.
Organizers estimated some 7 million people protested across the country in suburbs, towns and all major cities. Huge crowds were reported in New York, Washington, D.C., Los Angeles, Chicago and Boston. Protests were also seen in deep red states—in Birmingham, Alabama and Billings, Montana. Some experts have speculated that the demonstrations could be the largest in modern U.S. history.
Others had drone views of vast numbers in various places along with their thoughts on it …
- CNN – Millions rally against Trump at ‘No Kings’ protests across the US. Here’s why protesters say they attended – – – – – (Er … I think we already know why people attended)
- The Guardian – Republicans mostly silent as millions of Americans protest Trump on No Kings – – – – – (Of course they are, they can’t even defend the actions of their “beloved” tyrant).
- NPR – Protesters decry Trump administration policies in No Kings rallies across the U.S. – – – – – (Since CNN was having a lot of trouble trying to work out why all these people were on the streets, NPR spelled it out for them)
- Etc…
As for Fox News, oh come now, you know how they operate, they searched for any small crowd they could find so that they could then claim “small crowds”. I note that Fox News Digital boasts that they interviewed “half a dozen people“. I’m honestly surprised that they managed to find as many as 6 willing to engage with them.
Meanwhile, this is one of the many tag lines that sums it all up …
No Kings (except Stephen the Novelist) No Queens (except Drag) No Princes (except The Artist) No Princesses (except Leia)
This is where I’d pop up a few pictures to illustrate all the crowds, and honestly it is oh so tempting to do that because down on the ground some of the signs were really smart, but I’ll let rip with the political cartoonists instead who beautifully hammer it all home.
Was it all justified?
Below we now move on the some solid evidence from the man himself – the ultimate endorsement – and then on into some of the utterly absurd abuses of power and responsibility from the past week.
The Iron Fist of the Tyrant
Here is how Trump responded to yesterday, and in doing so he validates every single drop of protest …
The ongoing consolidation and abuse of power …
Pushing back against the blatant propaganda
This is a good start, but please keep making phone calls to keep partisan politics out of airport safety PSAs …
Being forced to watch a Pete Hegseth speech is perhaps a prime example of “Cruel and Unusual”…
Rob Rogers – Pete Hegseth has instituted a policy that would prohibit journalists from accessing or soliciting information from the Pentagon that he hasn’t pre-approved. Thankfully, most news organizations are not playing along.
Multiple layers of Lunacy and utter incompetence
Shutting down access to lots of green power is a really really stupid thing to do. With electricity rates already skyrocketing, Trump just canceled the largest solar project in North America. Utah’s Republican governor seems to understand this is probably not the best idea: “This is how we lose the AI/energy race with China”
Obliterating consumer protections …
I’ll also just drop this here as a reminder of how we get to where we are now …
This next one is what happens when you hire stupid people to weaponise the justice system to go after your enemies …
COLOMBIA’s President says US government (Trump) “committed murder” and bombed a fisherman with no ties to drugs “The boat was adrift and had its distress signal up due to an engine failure” …
Although they aren’t officially saying why he is stepping down… Admiral Holsey had reportedly “raised concerns” about Trump/Hegseth blowing up boats in international waters they claimed had drugs on them
Imagine thinking they ever cared about debt, fraud, waste, abuse, or anything of the sort – www.nytimes.com/2025/10/18/u…
Gestapo updates
CHICAGO: “Feds chased a car through a residential neighborhood… intentionally crashed into the car.. responded to the crowd by hurling smoke grenades, shooting pepper balls and deploying 3 rounds of tear gas with children & seniors in the area…” chicago.suntimes.com/immigration/…
Anyone saying they’re not racially profiling is unserious …
Criticism of Saint Kirk can’t be tolerated …
- Link to Guardian article here.
- the “justification” is this – “The United States has no obligation to host foreigners who wish death on Americans,” … but the examples cited do no such thing and simply point out the obvious regarding the deeply obnoxious and very divisive Kirk.
- Irony alert: The “crimes” came via X, the site run by “Free Speech” advocate and very thin skinned Musk.
- Free speech protected Charlie Kirk while he said, hideous things about muslims, minorities, immigrants, and particularly Black women. But it doesn’t protect people who say that he was monster for saying such things.
Rigging the election
Dismantling the VRA (Voting Rights Act) is their plan. An all out attack on black/brown representation that would give Republicans a hammer-lock on power. A potentially 20-plus house seat shift. Pay attention. www.cnn.com/2025/10/15/p…
Gaza Insights
Rob Rogers – Trump is bragging about a middle east peace deal that took way too long (Biden is at fault too) in the midst of a genocide in Gaza. Also, it does not appear that Hamas and Israel are fully on board to end hostilities. #Trump #MiddleEastPeace #Israel #Palestine #Gaza #Hamas #peace
Shutdown updates
GOP Priorities
Christian Nationalists
The nuttier right-wing religious fanatics within the MAGA cult are as always doing their thing, and so here are a few samples from the past week …
- Preacher John Amanchuwku declares that “if Lt. Governor Winsome Sears wins, it will be the nail in the coffin to the Democrat party. The stranglehold on black America and the curse of Stockholm syndrome will be greatly diminished. The demons in hell know it.” – – – – – (It’s rather telling that he appears to be on talking terms with the “demons in hell” and appears to know what they think)
- Rob McCoy laments that California “[leads] the nation in abortion”: “We make Nazi Germany look like Girl Scouts.” – – – – – (Who wants to break the news to him that his anti-abortion stance is literally the Nazi stance. Nazi Germany strictly banned abortion and if caught having one, you faced a death sentence).
- Without fail, whenever Christian nationalists try to prove that America was founded to be a Christian nation, they do so by relying on disinformation. – – – – – (Yep, their entire stance is built upon lies).
- Wesley Todd, co-host of the Christian nationalist Right Response Ministries podcast, describes how he views his work: “If professional racist was a job title, I think I’m getting pretty close to it.” – – – – – (He said he’s getting close to being a professional racist — so what’s next, a 401(k) in intolerance? Do you clock in with a Confederate flag swipe card?)
- Pastor Dutch Sheets brags that “some of us have known since the day he was elected that Obama was evil.” – – – – – (Some of us have been aware since the day he was elected back in 2008 that raging racist bigots like Dutch Sheets would lose their minds, and so far, 17 years later, they have still failed to recover from the shock)
- Jack Hibbs has a simple explanation for why Christians should be involved in politics: “Because if we’re not involved in politics, lunatics will be.” – – – – – (Not sure he grasps that the venn diagram illustrating “lunacy” and “his belief” turns out to be a perfect circle)
- Christian “intellectual” and rabid conspiracy theorist Eric Metaxas warns that Halloween has “become increasingly & openly dark and demonic, a celebration of evil and death. Every Christian should reject it.” – – – – – (If your theology can’t survive kids in pumpkin hats, the problem isn’t Halloween — it’s your lack of perspective.)
Weirdest of the Weird: Blatant Racism + Pro-Slavery
Hank Kunneman like Sheets’ is not an Obama fan. He revealed it this past week by saying that “a lot of people were rejoicing that America had its first dark-skinned president, but what they ignored was that America was getting really one who had a dark heart, a very dark policy, a very dark agenda.”
- The darkness we should worry about isn’t in a man’s skin — it’s in the prejudice that dares to use it as an insult.
- The Evangelical Preacher John Brown would like a word with him.
- Would you be shocked to learn that Pete Hegseth is a member of the church with which Haymes is affiliated
Can it get even weirder?
Challenge accepted, and so I bring you this gem of raw religious lunacy.
Conspiracy Claim of the week – “God used Satan to kill Charlie Kirk to protect him and keep him pure“
- Yes, WTAF! … is the correct reaction to that one.
- This is not just normal weird, it is multilayered fractal weirdness.
Even More Political Cartoons from the past week
As always, there are many excellent cartoons.
Dennis Goris – “The new ballgame“
Media Sane-washing of Tyranny
For the deeply compromised Media outlets some things are way too far for them to tolerate. They are collectively rejecting Hegseth’s authoritarian rules about reporting on the Pentagon — even Newsmax (!!) Embarrassing for the Secretary of War On Journalism.
- Details here in the WaPo – www.washingtonpost.com/business/202…
Time Magazine Cover
Weird twist on the Time Magazine cover that Trump hates …
You want to see the cover now don’t you?
OK, here you go …
- Picture aside, the article is pure propaganda. Why are Israeli’s called hostages, but Palestinians called prisoners? Palestinians are still being murdered DAILY, Israel has already broken the ceasefire multiple times.
- When it comes to stuff like this you really do need to wait ten minutes to see how it actually shakes out before canonizing Trump for pretending he gives a shit about people who die in the Middle East? It’s a real estate deal to him and nothing else.
Meanwhile, Time running tyrants on their front page is of course not new …
MAGA Got scammed … again
- I give them 1-star reviews on their taste, judgment, and critical thinking skills … and you know how it plays out, the cult members will continue to cult.
The Mamdani vs Cuomo debate – 3 mins
Cuomo came across as a caricature of a mob politician. Meanwhile Mamdani was exceptional. I really do think that Mamdani has got this, and I don’t just mean the debate, but the vision, skills, and drive to be an excellent mayor.
Cuomo saying he’s the only one who can stand up to Trump is like Trump saying he’s the only one who can stand up to Putin.
Finally
MAGA really are not the sharpest people …
Bonus
Oh come now, I just have to roll with a few random pictures … here are 12 …
