General Discussion
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?
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Lovie777
(16,217 posts)Magoo48
(5,817 posts)Dont sit this one out folks. The bell has rung; its time to respond.
Hugin
(35,340 posts)Thats the number of people Trump wants to suppress and deport.
FarPoint
(13,807 posts)We need Leadership to show us the path....
newdeal2
(1,554 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
(39,425 posts)NewHendoLib
(60,793 posts)Prairie_Seagull
(3,945 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
(10,217 posts)hadEnuf
(2,933 posts)is worthless at the very least.
Lucky Luciano
(11,555 posts)but understood that you had the caveat about pleading fuckface..
hadEnuf
(2,933 posts)Previous demonstrations, although often unruly, never even came close to that.
oldmanlynn
(563 posts)That may be the catalyst for getting people to start opening their eyes and focused in on whats going on
ancianita
(39,425 posts)![](/emoticons/happy.gif)
mtngirl47
(1,121 posts)RockCreek
(839 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
(23,560 posts)is if military family members and LEO family members were to mass protest.
oldmanlynn
(563 posts)Im certainly willing to help and protest.
HAB911
(9,461 posts)I'm not seeing that leader with the platform to ignite it, but then it has only been a week
Magoo48
(5,817 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
(48,372 posts)America should listen.
Bohunk68
(1,372 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
(15,155 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
(5,167 posts)AKwannabe
(6,542 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
(9,461 posts)![](/emoticons/sarcasm.gif)
AKwannabe
(6,542 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
(9,461 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
(31,185 posts)Of course we could.
But will we?
Rustynaerduwell
(739 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
(11,577 posts)Like Trump canceling the Super Bowl. Maybe not even then.
Hotler
(12,605 posts)![](/emoticons/sarcasm.gif)
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Hassler
(3,978 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
(37,398 posts)Baron2024
(976 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
(301 posts)Evolve Dammit
(19,733 posts)malthaussen
(17,874 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
(486 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
(1,372 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
(9,834 posts)I hope there are plans afoot.
Baron2024
(976 posts)Last edited Wed Jan 29, 2025, 02:42 AM - Edit history (1)
Good article.