The American Democracy Minute Radio News Report & Podcast for June 18, 2025

Organizers estimate more than 5 million Americans attended the more than 2,000 “No Kings” rallies around the U.S. on June 14th.  It’s likely to be in the top five mass protests of all time.

Protesters decried President Donald Trump’s overreach in executive orders, dismantling of voting rights and civil rights, depriving due process, and his restrictions on federal elections among many grievances.  One independent estimate put the turnout between 4.6 and 6 million Americans.

During the flagship rally in Philadelphia, where an estimated 80,000 flooded the plaza near the Philadelphia Museum of Art, Randi Weingarten, president of the American Federation of Teachers said, “Our founders … said ‘no’ to kings 250 years ago, precisely because they believed in the consent of the governed.   Although they were far from perfect they did believe in the values we try to make real today:  Freedom, liberty, justice and opportunity for all.”

Rallies were almost all peaceful, but marred by the politically-motivated murders of a former Minnesota state House speaker and her husband, a deliberate car attack in Virginia, and a late-day clash between police and a handful of protesters in Los Angeles. 

The Declaration for American Democracy has announced plans for nationwide “Good Trouble Lives On” rallies for July 17, remembering Congressman John Lewis.

We’ve linked a video of Philadelphia’s rally at AmericanDemocracyMinute.org.  I’m Brian Beihl.

Today’s Links

Articles & Resources:

PBS NewsHour – Millions turn out nationwide for ‘No Kings’ protests against Trump administration
Rolling Stone (via Yahoo News)  – Trump Parade Turnout Swamped by Millions Who Protested at ‘No Kings’ Rallies
USA Today – ‘No Kings’ organizers say protests drew large crowds: Here are their estimates
The Guardian – Los Angeles police fire teargas to disperse crowds at Trump protest
NBC News 10 Phildelphia – Recap: ‘No Kings’ rally ends in Philly after thousands march against Trump
50501 / NoKings.org – Live Stream of No Kings Rally in Philadelphia 

Groups Taking Action:

50501, Indivisible, Declaration for American Democracy, Partners in No Kings Rally

Register or Check Your Voter Registration:

U.S. Election Assistance Commission – Register And Vote in Your State

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#News #Democracy  #DemocracyNews #NoKings #50501 #GoodTrouble

The post ‘No Kings’ Rally Organizers Estimate More than 5 Million Protesters Gathered at More Than 2,000 Locations appeared first on American Democracy Minute.

The American Democracy Minute Radio News Report & Podcast for June 11, 2025

In a highly controversial action, President Trump is testing the reach of his powers by sending 4700 military personnel into Los Angeles to suppress protests. What are Title 10, the Insurrection Act and the Posse Comitatus Act?

The Posse Comitatus Act forbids use of the military to enforce laws against U.S. citizens under ordinary situations, but there are extremely rare exceptions.

In his mobilization of the California National Guard and active duty Marines, Trump apparently invoked Title 10, a statute enabling the U.S. armed forces.  Section 251 says:

“Whenever there is an insurrection in any State against its government, the President may, upon the request of its legislature or of its governor if the legislature cannot be convened, call into Federal service such of the militia of the other States, in the number requested by that State, and use such of the armed forces, as he considers necessary to suppress the insurrection.”  

No such requests were made by state officials. 

Under the Insurrection Act, the American Constitution Center notes three circumstances where presidents may use the military on U.S. soil:  When a local official asks for assistance; when an insurrection against the federal government or judiciary occurs; or when a state refuses to uphold civil rights.  

What constitutes an “insurrection”? That will likely be decided by the U.S. Supreme Court.   Find more at AmericanDemocracyMinute.org.  I’m Brian Beihl. 

Today’s Links

Articles & Resources:

U.S. Congress – Defense Primer: Legal Authorities for the Use of Military Forces
U.S. Code – Enabling the U.S. Military – Title X, Chapter 13, Section 251 – INSURRECTION
American Constitution Society – (2020) The President’s Legal Authority to Commit Troops
Domestically Under the Insurrection Act
NPR – Legal experts worry about presidential abuse of the Insurrection Act. Here’s why
ABC News – LA protests live updates: LA mayor says more than 100 arrested, ‘fringe groups’ leading late-night protests 
 

Groups Taking Action:

Protect Democracy, Project on Government Oversight, Public Citizen

Register or Check Your Voter Registration:

U.S. Election Assistance Commission – Register And Vote in Your State

Please follow us on Facebook and Bluesky Social, and SHARE! 

Find all of our reports at AmericanDemocracyMinute.org

Want ADM sent to your email?  Sign up here!

Are you a radio station?  Find our broadcast files at Pacifica Radio Network’s Audioport and PRX

#News #Democracy  #DemocracyNews #PosseComitatus #InsurrectionAct #USMilitary #LosAngeles #ICERaids

The post What are Title 10, the Insurrection Act and the Posse Comitatus Act, and When Can the President Use Them?  Spoiler: LA Doesn’t Likely Qualify. appeared first on American Democracy Minute.

The American Democracy Minute Radio Report & Podcast for Feb. 21, 2023

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Today’s Links

Articles & Resources:
CalMatters – Who draws the lines? A big push for independent local redistricting
PBS – California attorney general to investigate LA redistricting after councilmembers’ racist remarks
California General Assembly – AB 1248 Local redistricting: independent redistricting commissions

Report from Common Cause, et. al.  – THE PROMISE OF FAIR MAPS – California’s 2020 Local
Redistricting Cycle: Lessons Learned and Future Reforms

Groups Taking Action:

Common Cause CA, ACLU of Northern & Southern CA, League of Women Voters CA, Asian Americans Advancing Justice – Asian Law Caucus

Today’s Script:  (Variations occur with audio due to editing for time)

You’re listening to the American Democracy Minute, keeping YOUR government by and for the people.

When we think redistricting, we generally think about our state’s Congressional, house and senate districts.  But city and county districts are also reapportioned through redistricting – and also increasingly gerrymandered.  Citizens in California are fighting back.

You’ll remember that last year Los Angeles City Council members were caught in an audio recording plotting to gerrymander safe districts for themselves, instead of mapping for proper representation to the communities they serve. 

Independent news service CalMatters reports that some cities and counties have set up their own nonpartisan independent redistricting commissions to create fair maps for city councils, county commissions and school boards.   Currently, municipalities must seek the approval of the legislature to set up such a commission.  That may change with proposed state legislation that would require municipalities of 300,000 citizens or larger to set up a 14-member independent commission to draw nonpartisan maps.

A coalition of Democracy groups recently issued a report showing widespread local gerrymandering, but significantly less of it in counties and cities with independent commissions. The cities of Long Beach, Sacramento, and San Francisco,  and the County of Los Angeles have already set up commissions.  Three more counties were approved to do so in 2022, and bills allowing the City of Los Angeles and additional counties have been filed for 2023.  

Once again, when partisan politicians can’t behave, it’s up to the citizens to fix it.

We have links to the article, legislation, and the California gerrymandering report  AmericanDemocracyMinute.org.   For the American Democracy Minute, I’m Brian Beihl.  

The post <strong>Cities & Counties Also Get Gerrymandered; California Citizens are Fighting Back</strong> appeared first on American Democracy Minute.