No Kings Day… really?
This week on Get Todd: No Kings, new cartoons, a video on media manipulation, and a Right Mind Show episode on rock operas and comic-cons!
I am told there is a returning event of great national importance known as “No Kings Day,” a gathering of citizens determined to stand against the terrifying possibility that the United States has somehow become a monarchy.
This is alarming news, as I had been under the impression we were still operating as a republic. No one informed me of a coronation. I didn’t receive my invitation to the royal ball. I have yet to see a crown, a scepter, or a man announcing policy changes while seated on a velvet chair.
And yet, the concern appears very real.
Now, I have no issue with the protest. It is one of our most sacred rights, right up there with overreacting and correcting others when our cat is not addressed by the proper pronouns. But I confess I am having trouble following the target of this particular outrage, because the word “king” does have a meaning, and historically, it has not been a subtle one.
Which is why the current situation is so fascinating.
Because during the past administration, we saw a very active use of executive power. There were widespread efforts to forgive large amounts of student loan debt through executive action, an approach that implied Congress was more of a suggestion box than a governing body. Federal mandates were issued by agencies with the tone of final decisions, later reviewed by courts that seemed mildly surprised to be involved. There were extended emergency powers that lingered long enough to consider taking a nap. And a steady stream of executive orders addressed nearly every aspect of public life, each one delivered with the quiet confidence of something that had already been decided.
Back then, this was called leadership, not king-like behavior. But now, we’re told the real monarchy has only just begun. This is where things get truly remarkable.
Because the same people who showed little concern for rule-by-pen yesterday are now deeply alarmed by the possibility of it today. The crown, it seems, has not disappeared; it has simply changed heads in the imagination.
It’s a lot like ignoring a man who spent four years redecorating his palace, only to become outraged when someone else is rumored to be thinking about new curtains.
The phrase “No Kings” once carried a significant meaning. It signified no unchecked authority, no rule by decree, and no manipulating the system to serve one person’s will. It wasn’t just a partisan slogan; it was a core principle.
Today, it seems to have been updated.
“No Kings” now appears to mean “No kings we currently disapprove of,” which offers a more flexible definition, though it is somewhat less convincing.
I may have misunderstood the situation. But right now, what I mainly see are people passionately protesting a king who hasn't yet ruled like one… while carefully avoiding mentioning the one who actually did.
And that, I must admit, is a most impressive trick.
Because opposing something in theory while ignoring it in practice is not easy, it requires good timing, coordination, and a memory that can reset on command.
And so, if we are going to dedicate a day to opposing kings, I have no objection. It’s a good idea.
I would simply suggest we expand the criteria.
Because if the standard is “no kings,” then it should apply to anyone who rules like one, not just the person we’ve chosen to crown this week.
Otherwise, we are not opposing kings at all.
We are simply holding auditions.
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Video Episode 4 - The Media Keeps Dividing Us On Purpose.
Are Americans really as divided as the media wants us to think?
In this episode of Get Todd, I talk about how both Democrats and Republicans are constantly pushed toward outrage by media that highlights only the loudest, most extreme voices.
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The Right Mind Show
This week’s guests on The Right Mind Show!
• Producer Mark Rodgers— Nikola Tesla “Light It Up” An Original Rock Opera
• James Enstall — 2 Rivers Comic Con
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