The Current Situation

[frugal-one]

"The Hands Off protests are a group of ongoing protests^[1] that started the morning of April 5, 2025.^[2][3][4][5] Over 1,300 demonstrations are planned by more than 150 groups in all 50 states of the United States.^[6] The protesters aim to show their displeasure of the second Trump administration, which they consider a hostile takeover of the government."


So, it wasn't anything specific other than a general displeasure with someone you didn't vote for. Got it!

https://apnews.com/article/trump-mus...15367cc808960d

There were MANY specific reasons people were protesting. See #60 for a sampling. How are your investments doing now? The massive cuts to government agencies… try going to the national parks… not enough workers to keep them running efficiently. VA cutting services.. Name a government agency that hasn’t been screwed up? Deportations of innocent people, cuts to weather forecasters, cuts to airport workers, cuts to science/scientists regarding disease control and/or prevention, ridiculous tariffs, alienating our allies and countries around the world, AND having a non-elected; non-vetted person having access to government secrets…. I could go on.

[KayLR]

More from the Wikipedia article had you read past the first typically introductory paragraph...

The Hands Off protests are led by a nationwide coalition of organizations, including civil rights organizations, veterans, women's rights groups, labor unions, and LGBTQ+ advocates, for example Indivisible.^[8] The protests are in response to what they see as the administration's overreach on many issues: NATO; schools; libraries; courts; veteran services; fair elections; transgender rights; Social Security; Medicare; Medicaid; the federal workforce; abortion rights; and many others.^[6] In a document, organizers said they had three demands: “an end to the billionaire takeover and rampant corruption of the Trump administration; an end to slashing federal funds for Medicaid, Social Security, and other programs working people rely on; and an end to the attacks on immigrants, trans people, and other communities.”^[8]

[frugal-one]

I think it was more about the fact that this particular person is not just any Republican that got elected--this one is attempting, as the Wikipedia article says, a
hostile takeover of the government, and he has exhibited this hostility in many ways.

trump’s gutting of federal agencies exhibits, as mentioned above, a desire for a hostile takeover of the government. It sure has been weakened. Putting unqualified, albeit trump cronies, in places of power (take your pick) weakens our nation
even more!

[Alan]

I think it was more about the fact that this particular person is not just any Republican that got elected--this one is attempting, as the Wikipedia article says, a hostile takeover of the government, and he has exhibited this hostility in many ways.

My impression was that the protests were not about any one specific thing, but organized a coalition of different groups with an axe to grind with Trump around DEI, climate, deportations, mass firings, etc. I had a plane fly over my house today pulling a "Hands Off" banner. I've not heard of any reports of violence and assume they've all been peaceful.

https://apnews.com/article/trump-mus...15367cc808960d

There were MANY reasons people were protesting.

Okay, but I'm still sort of confused. Some of you have been telling us for months that this administration represents the end of democracy as we know it, yet as this "not just any Republican" won a democratically held election and began to carry out the agenda he campaigned on, it seems all that prior support of democracy has been abandoned. I could understand that if there were something specific in that agenda that caused well meaning people to take to the streets in protest and wondered what that might be for the one person who proudly told us that's how she spent her day.

Since no one can explain it, I'll just have to assume that some might prefer anarchy to democracy.

[frugal-one]

Alan, reread #61 and #63 in depth. Also, don’t see these peaceful protests as anarchy.

[Alan]

More from the Wikipedia article had you read past the first typically introductory paragraph...

The Hands Off protests are led by a nationwide coalition of organizations, including civil rights organizations, veterans, women's rights groups, labor unions, and LGBTQ+ advocates, for example Indivisible.^[8] The protests are in response to what they see as the administration's overreach on many issues: NATO; schools; libraries; courts; veteran services; fair elections; transgender rights; Social Security; Medicare; Medicaid; the federal workforce; abortion rights; and many others.^[6] In a document, organizers said they had three demands: “an end to the billionaire takeover and rampant corruption of the Trump administration; an end to slashing federal funds for Medicaid, Social Security, and other programs working people rely on; and an end to the attacks on immigrants, trans people, and other communities.”^[8]

No, I read the whole thing but I was specifically directed to the first paragraph in response to my question. It unfortunately didn't answer my inquiry.

[catherine]

Okay, but I'm still sort of confused. Some of you have been telling us for months that this administration represents the end of democracy as we know it, yet as this "not just any Republican" won a democratically held election and began to carry out the agenda he campaigned on, it seems all that prior support of democracy has been abandoned. I could understand that if there were something specific in that agenda that caused well meaning people to take to the streets in protest and wondered what that might be for the one person who proudly told us that's how she spent her day.

Since no one can explain it, I'll just have to assume that some might prefer anarchy to democracy.

It is not democracy to for one person circumvent Congress and run their own show with a stack of Executive Orders taller than the Washington Monument
It is not democracy to for one person to enlist a private citizen oligarch and grant them free rein to bulldoze 30 agencies.
It is not democracy for one person to run a playbook by the letter written in advance by private citizens
It is not democracy for one person to decide that America is going go isolationist and thumb their nose at allies that have worked well together in relastionships of trust and shared vision for decades.
It is not democracy for one person to play shock-and-awe with the stock market with tariffs that have everyone except for the Trump sworn loyalists shaking their heads
It is not democracy to fill a cabinet with wolves guarding henhouses: people with vested interests in direct conflict with the bodies they are hired to serve.

That's why people were protesting. At least that's what I protest with this administration.

[Alan]

Alan, reread #61 and #63 in depth. Also, don’t see these peaceful protests as anarchy.

I've read all your posts, #61 twice actually since you added to it while I was responding to its original truncated version. I understand that many people are not happy with an administration that is carrying out the very thing it was elected to do but I stand by my belief that highly organized attempts to discredit every aspect of the actions being taken doesn't sound like respect for democracy, it seems more anarchistic to me.

[Alan]

It is not democracy to for one person circumvent Congress and run their own show with a stack of Executive Orders taller than the Washington Monument
It is not democracy to for one person to enlist a private citizen oligarch and grant them free rein to bulldoze 30 agencies.
It is not democracy for one person to run a playbook by the letter written in advance by private citizens
It is not democracy for one person to decide that America is going go isolationist and thumb their nose at allies that have worked well together in relastionships of trust and shared vision for decades.
It is not democracy for one person to play shock-and-awe with the stock market with tariffs that have everyone except for the Trump sworn loyalists shaking their heads
It is not democracy to fill a cabinet with wolves guarding henhouses: people with vested interests in direct conflict with the bodies they are hired to serve.

That's why people were protesting. At least that's what I protest with this administration.

Thank you! That's exactly the sort of answer I was looking for when I asked my initial question. Each of your 6 points deserve a thoughtful and reasoned response either in agreement or from a different perspective, although not tonight. I'm off to bed in anticipation of an early morning errand tomorrow, but I will get back to you. Thanks for giving me something to work with!

[frugal-one]

I've read all your posts, #61 twice actually since you added to it while I was responding to its original truncated version. I understand that many people are not happy with an administration that is carrying out the very thing it was elected to do but I stand by my belief that highly organized attempts to discredit every aspect of the actions being taken doesn't sound like respect for democracy, it seems more anarchistic to me.

Because actions being taken are not deserving of respect but instead a threat to just about everything held dear. Just one example …. eroding YEARS of diplomacy and collaboration with allies is now dust. BUT collaborating and taking counsel with IMO leaders we would do well to hold at a distance ,ie Putin, is in fact a threat to our democracy!