The world is watching the making of a dictator in real time. He is trampling over our civil and constitutional rights including free speech and the right to assemble. He is snatching people off the streets under the guise of making America safe again. He is creating economic and political diversions so that we don’t see clearly the dismantling of our democracy.

The trump family is helping themselves to the public coffers and enriching themselves at unprecedented obscene levels. Parts of the government are being monetized and sold to the highest bidder for unfettered access to the White House. Let’s not forget that Elon Musk’s $200 million investment in the MAGA victories got him a new government department. His mission was to slash programs that do not benefit the wealthy. The Musk Rat also eliminated any internal and quasi-governmental agencies that created accountability.

Congress, including most Democrats, have not been able to take a united and effective stand against the wave of fascism  blowing across the nation. The courts have been impotent in enforcing their rulings against trump’s abuse of authority and his lawlessness. These two branches , the legislative and judicial, were designed to be checks and balances on the executive branch. The last time I checked, this country was wa-a-ay out of balance.

This is why we must acknowledge and fortify the 4th branch of government — The People. We must be the ultimate checks and balances. We who believe in democracy must assert our power as citizens and as the defenders of democracy. This means challenging those who are stripping us of our constitutional rights and their cheerleaders. The People seem to be the last guard rail as our democracy dies the death of a 1,000 cuts by Elon Musk. He is no longer wielding his shiny chainsaw in the Oval Office, but we are still hemorrhaging.

The No Kings protests was a day of defiance, showing the world that everyone is not falling in line to the madness of MAGA. The trump agenda must be met with escalating defiance and disruption of their plan each day. The country has felt the blows to a fragile democracy every day trump has been in office. We naively believed that all branches of the government who are bound by oath would respect and protect the U.S. Constitution.

The 4^th Branch, The People, may be looking down the barrel of a Marine gun, but our message must be loud and clear — no thrones, no crowns, no kings. Not today, not tomorrow, not ever. This will be a government of the people, for the people, by any means necessary.